Saturday, August 24, 2013

JBL Micro Wireless Speaker Review



Last week, I got this speaker from iCenter in IT Park. I needed a new one since the old one I had a weak sound and decent but decreasing battery life. When I first saw this speaker, I was already in love with its simple design and various colors. You could choose from either red, blue or green. At first, I wanted the blue one but in the end I got the red one because A) I didn't have a lot of red stuff and B) I am constantly reminded of someone with this color hahaha.

The sound of this speaker is really really loud for its size. And I can connect to it using Bluetooth so I don't need to use a 3.5mm cable. But when I do need it, the speaker itself has a built-in 3.5mm cable. For the price of P2,990, it's worth every cent I spent it on.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Check Out: The Verge Back to School Buying Guide


From The Verge
Although school started in the Philippines two months ago, it will start in September for places with temperate climate (a kind of climate which has four seasons) especially in the US. This is why technology sites like The Verge post back-to-school buying guides so that students and parents have an idea on what to get for this school year.

This one's special though since this is one of the most sophisticated and beautifully designed web pages I have ever seen. I'm gonna make this short though since this post is merely just to promote this amazing piece of web design. Of course, it has great choices for what to get for students.

Click the link below:

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

It's Been 21 Years..



Wow. I've been through a lot in the past year. From that harsh times of thesis to the happy graduation day to the first day on the job. It's been really tough to stay ahead of the times. My brain always tends to think of random stuff that even I cannot comprehend as to why I'm thinking about it. Good thing the experience I have throughout those 21 years never went to waste. I may have made mistakes, but I wouldn't be human if I didn't. I wanna thank the people who inspire me to be the best I can be all the time:


Family - They have always been there for me ever since the beginning. When I was down, they pull me up. I always have them in mind for my plans for the future. Whenever I do something good, they support me. They remind me to avoid doing bad things. I really appreciate everything they have done for me. This time, I wanna give back to them.



BSCSMA - These guys are the people I hung out with for the past 4 years. Some of them are even in the same office with me (which is amazing)! I really love this group of people since despite our hectic schedules at the time, we always find ways to chill out and relax even for just one night or something. Hehe. Still, you don't wanna mess with them since they can (and maybe will) outsmart you if you challenge them. Beware. Haha. Love you guys!


Batch PHP - Despite the fact that I met some of these people a few months ago (because the rest are people that I already know from different stages in my life), our bond easily formed during training and will only get better as the time passes. Thank you so much guys for making life at work pretty easy to deal with! Hoping to have more months with you guys. :D

Inspiration ^_^  - I'll just call this person that because I don't want the person's identity to be revealed. I just wanna say thank you for inspiring me to be always happy despite the problems. You never cease to make me happy with your smile, whether sober or drunk-looking. Sorry if I keep on worrying because I have this weird instinct of worrying about people I really care about. I just want you to know that I will always be there for you. Again, THANK YOU.

GOD - He does not need a picture because I don't need to see His face to know that He has always been there for me. Whether I'm up or waaaaay down, He will always be there to guide me through this life I have and hopefully I am able to serve Him well. I love You, God. You know I always do.

In less than 2 hours, I turn 21. I really hope that the best has yet to come and knowing that these people are here, I know I'll enjoy every moment that I have with them. ^_^

Saturday, August 10, 2013

The Starbucks Card..



The Starbucks Card isn't actually new, it's a thing that's been going on in the US for a very long time. It's a card in which can act as another way for you to pay for your coffee and food in Starbucks. I was so happy to find out that it's finally coming to the Philippines! If you've checked my Instagram feed (follow me if you haven't! @iamlianixx), then you know my great love for Starbucks. That's why I'm happy that it came!

Here, the card serves as a stored value card (works like prepaid where you buy load) and a rewards card (where you get rewards when you earn enough Stars). A minimum of P300 load is required for you to get a Starbucks Card and activate it. The stored value on the card? You can use it to buy ANYTHING in Starbucks! (Seriously, ANYTHING in their menu.) You only earn Stars when you buy any handcrafted beverage, VIA Ready Brew packets, or Whole Bean packs though. It's still good for Starbucks loyalists everywhere.

Since it's my birth month, and I wanna share my passion for Starbucks, I'll be giving away 3 Starbucks Cards with P300 load each to 3 lucky people!

Yes I know what you're gonna say. "I don't believe you because you did something like this and nothing happened!" You want proof? Check the pic below:


Believe me now? Good. Now, how to win? Simple!

All you need to do is like the pic (http://instagram.com/p/c1fN3im_dB/) on Instagram AND Retweet this (https://twitter.com/iamlianixx/status/366870405010583552) on Twitter in order to enter!

The contest is open for anyone who lives in Cebu (sorry to the rest, I have no budget to deliver outside of Cebu) and lasts until August 16. I will announce the winners in another post..

Good luck everyone!

Disclaimer: I was NOT paid by Starbucks Coffee Corporation or the licensee in the Philippines to do this contest. I used my own resources to acquire the cards. I'm doing this just for you, the readers.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

iOS 7 for the Long Haul...



I just read this article from a writer at PhoneDog (read it here) about how he's not going back to iOS 6 because iOS 7 feels very familiar but has that much needed facelift. Last July 10th, I decided to go to Beta 3 in the hopes that it would be more usable than previous betas. After using it for days, I wanted to stick with using it. Despite the usual bugs you would find in a beta, Beta 3 proved to be usable for day-to-day use. Most of the apps I use don't crash as often anymore.

Almost a month later and now using Beta 4, they've made some welcome changes like having the subtle arrow that acts as a guide for the user to "Slide to Unlock". The arrows on the lock screen were traded for pill-shaded handles. The animations are faster than ever as we get closer to the final release. I think there will be two more betas before the Golden Master will be released to developers and the final version to all users. Until then, I'm sticking to iOS 7 Beta. Like the writer, I don't wanna go back.

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Messaging (Apps) Overload!!



I talked to a friend earlier this week about the issue of messaging apps and how fragmented this is. Everyday, I use Facebook Messenger since it's been my go-to if I wanna communicate with friends who have Facebook (I recently use it even more than texting!). Then these other apps are here. Skype's been around for a long time and they continue to be dominant because of video calling and calling to other countries without the need for cellular network. Then the deluge of messaging apps came along. WhatsApp, Viber, WeChat, LINE, and even Google with Hangouts. I just found this insane since people now have to use a lot of apps just to send messages to friends.

What these lack is inter-communication between these different apps. Wouldn't it be nice if there was only one standard in which all the messaging apps can use in tandem with their own proprietary standards so that we won't be forced to use a lot of apps! I am hoping one day that I would be deleting some of these apps without an inherent loss on my end.

Sorry for these short weekly posts. I couldn't really post a long one due to work-related stress. I'm gonna love next week since holidays are popping up. I SO LOVE AUGUST. Speaking of August, I might have something up your sleeve soon. Keep your eyes peeled!