Archive for April, 2009:
BlackBerry Storm in Philippines
Globe Telecom announced a few days ago the availability of the BlackBerry smartphone in the Philippines. BlackBerry Storm is BlackBerry’s first clickable touch-screen designe for communications and multimedia. Among the notable features of BlackBerry Storm is its stunning display, 3.2 MP Camera, Office Applications, built-in GPS, 3G/3.5G capability and other multimedia functionalities.
BlackBerry Storm 9500
BlackBerry Storm is bolder than its predecessor, the BlackBerry Bold.
The BlackBerry 9500 Storm is RIM’s (Reasearch in Motion) first touch screen phone. It features SurePress, the first clickable screen. According to RIM, SurePress is a touch-screen technology which emits a click sensation each time a user touches the phone’s screen interface. It ensures precision in navigation within the phone’s display giving the user a tactile feeling whenever a button or a key is selected on-screen. More »
Google Map View now available for Manila, Cebu, and Davao Maps
More than a month ago, I blogged about Google’s silent deployment of the Philippine street maps in Google Maps for Mobile and Google Maps for web. The new map data were taken from the Google’s Mapmaker for Philippines, a web application which allows user to openly plot streets, places, landmarks, and establishments in the map. Though the initial deployment of the said project was only available on the Satellite View, it was very note worthy since it’s a major milestone for the history of Google Maps for Philippines.
But recently, after I missed checking Google Maps Mobile for a couple of weeks, I learned that Google finally deployed on the Map View the street maps of Philippine’s key cities like Manila, Cebu, and Davao among others. You can now make use of the map view to check your approximate location (for non-GPS phones) or pinpoint your exact latitudes and longitudes if you’re using a GPS-enabled mobile phone.
Here are some of the sample screenshots taken from my Nokia N82’s Google Maps. These are the screens (from left to right) of Davao Map, Metro Manila Map and Cebu Map. More »
I want a Nikon D90
I’ve been holding my internet earnings these past few months to raise funds for a new gadget that I’m planning to get. Since when I was in college, I’ve been using our groups’s Canon EOS 300D and Nikon D40 but I never really had a gear to call my own. I’ve been eying for D90. Based on the specifications below, I think it’s a very good value for its price (Php 54,000.00 for Kit).
- 12.9 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor (effective pixels: 12.3 million)
- 3.0-inch 920,000 pixel (VGA x 3 colors) TFT-LCD (same as D3 and D300)
- Live View with contrast-detect AF, face detection
- Image sensor cleaning (sensor shake)
- Illuminated focus points
- Movie capture at up to 1280 x 720 (720p) 24 fps with mono sound
- IS0 200-3200 range (100-6400 expanded)
- 4.5 frames per second continuous shooting (buffer: 7 RAW, 25 JPEG fine, 100 JPEG Normal)
- Expeed image processing engine
- 3D tracking AF (11 point)
- Short startup time, viewfinder blackout and shutter lag
- Slightly improved viewfinder (96% frame coverage)
- Extensive in-camera retouching including raw development and straightening
- Improved user interface
- New optional compact GPS unit (fits on hot shoe)
- Same battery and vertical grip as D80
- Vignetting control in-camera
- 72 thumbnail and calendar view in playback
I’m super excited in getting this one. I can’t wait for my next paycheck.
Tags: 12.9MP Camera, 12mp, camera, D90, DSLR, Gadgets, gps, HD Camera, Nikon, Nikon D90, Nikon D90 Specifications, techykid gadgets
GMail goes global
[A press release]
Google extends experimental features to international users as Gmail marks its fifth birthday
April 2, 2009, Manila, Philippines , Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced that Gmail Labs will now be available internationally in 49 languages. Gmail Labs is an experimental feature playground within Google’s free email service, Gmail.
Gmail Labs offers users useful and quirky tools to enhance and personalize their email inboxes. Initially launched in English in June 2008, Gmail Labs has offered 43 features in 43 weeks and most of these features will now be available around the globe in local languages including Filipino. Users can enable and disable Gmail Labs features individually with just a few clicks of the mouse. Some of the Gmail Labs features include:
- Offline Gmail – access your email and compose messages even when you don’t have an internet connection. Changes are synchronized when you reconnect to the internet.
- Undo Send – retract an email for up to five seconds after it has been sent.
- Mail Goggles – within a chosen time window, this tool allows you to send mail only if you can solve a set of simple math problems. Otherwise, get a good night’s sleep and try again in the morning.
- Forgotten Attachment Reminder – prevents you from accidentally sending messages without the relevant attachments by prompting you if you have mentioned an attachment without adding one.
- Tasks – adds a to-do list to your inbox. You can create tasks manually, or directly from an email, and edit your list from your phone while on-the-go.
The announcement coincides with the fifth anniversary of the launch of Gmail on April 1st, 2004.
