Samsung S8 and S8+ are now ready to impress the mobile world!

Photo is owned by Samsung.

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are finally here! Both models have Infinity Display, and it’s totally stunning! Over the past few years, Samsung is really trying hard to provide us ‘head-turner’ smartphones, paired with one of the best softwares in the mobile world. 

The S8 and S8+ are the first Samsung phones with on-screen navigation buttons. Both devices sport 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, 64GB of on-board storage, and microSD card support up to 256GB. According to their website, these new devices are driven by the world’s first 10nm processor. Plus, owners of these elegant devices will get to enjoy using them ‘rain or shine’ as both devices are water and dust proof with IP68-rated performance. 

Samsung is also introducing Bixby - Samsung’s new intelligent interface similar to Siri of Apple. Bixby is integrated to select apps like Camera, Messages, Gallery and Settings to help you interact with your phone efficiently. As you use your S8 device, Bixby will intuitively learn your interests and preferences to offer a more personalized suggestions and help. You can activate Bixby by simply tapping the button below the volume control. 

Another notable feature of S8 and S8+ is the iris scanner. It is believed that iris scan is an effective mechanism that would prevent unwanted snooping since the patterns in our irises are very unique and virtually impossible to replicate. 

What about the camera? Selfie lovers and photography enthusiasts will be so delighted as both devices offer 8MP front camera and 12MP Dual Pixel Sensor rare camera, with F1.7 lens and large 1.4µm pixels that will surely bring in more light to capture best moments.

For more details about its prices and specs, you may visit samsung.com. The phones will be available on April 21 in the US and other major regions, and Pre-order will start on March 30.

World's first Gigabit LTE device is now available!

Photo owned by Telstra

Telstra has once again wowed the world with its super fast internet connection. The Telstra network, in partnership with Netgear, Qualcomm and Ericsson, is now offering its customers a download speed of up to 1Gpbs and upload speed of 150Mbps over its 4G network.

Last January 31, 2017, the giant telco amazed almost everyone in Sydney when it tested the network and introduced a new router to let customers experience the super fast speeds. 

This amazing router is called Nighthawk M1 mobile router. It is the world's first Gigabit LTE device.

According to telco's claim, this powerful device will allow customers to download a 300MB hour long TV episode in as little as 16 seconds, and a 3GB HD movie in just 3 minutes! Wow!

The Nighthawk M1 device uses multiple 4G bands, and can provide fast internet connection to up to 20 devices. This single-sim device is already available for only $360. Customers can also take advantage of this awesome device on a range of plans offered by Telstra.

Click here to view Telstra's mobile broadband plans.

NYC's "The Big Bend" - the longest building in the world?

Many condo developers in New York are quite challenged to NYC's zoning law. As stated in R6 Quality Housing Option of NYC's zoning rules, a 55-foot height limit is being observed for buildings located on narrow streets. Hence why a Greek-born architect has conceptualize "The Big Bend".

The Big Bend is going to be skinny and curve measuring 4,000-feet-long, which is planned to be constructed on the Billionaire's row. Click here to take a quick preview of this amazing concept.

Ioannis Oikonomou, architect and founder of Oiio Studio, wanted people to think it as “long instead of tall". On its website, Oiio Studio says:

“If we manage to bend our structure instead of bending the zoning rules of New York we would be able to create one of the most prestigious buildings in Manhattan...The longest building in the world.”

They've also added that The Big Bend could become an adequate architectural solution to the height limitations being implemented in Manhattan. It is also their goal to provide a structure that will surely stand out without worrying about the skyscraper limit.

Here's a video clip of The Big Bend created &posted by Skyscrapers & MegaProjects.

National Museum Planetarium is now open with FREE full dome shows

This image is owned by National Museum of the Philippines.

The National Museum of the Philippines has just launched its new full dome Planetarium projector. This hybrid projection system, integration of the 1975 analogue projector and the new digital projector developed by the Japanese company Goto, is the first in Asia.

There will be 3 shows available to choose from:
    1. A Planet for Goldilocks

    2. Hayabusa Back to the Earth

    3. Journey to a Billion Suns

These shows are open to children from 5 years old and up.

As part of their inaugural offering, the shows will be offered for free until April 30, 2017.

Here is the Planetarium Show Schedule:

Tuesday-Saturday: Planetarium Program:
1st show: 9:00 am - A Planet for Goldilocks
2nd show: 10:30 am - Hayabusa Back to the Earth
3rd show: 1:00 pm - A Planet for Goldilocks
4th show: 2:30 pm - Journey to a Billion Suns
5th show: 4:00 pm - Hayabusa Back to the Earth

Sunday:
1st show: 10:00 am - Journey to a Billion Suns
2nd show: 2:00 pm - Hayabusa Back to the Earth

For more details, feel free to contact the National Planetarium at (02) 5277889 or email: nmplanetarium1975@gmail.com.

iPhone 7 (RED) supports HIV/AIDS programs

A special-edition red iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will go on sale worldwide starting March 24, 2017. 

These awesome-looking red iPhones will be available only in 128 GB and 256 GB storage options. So, sorry 32 GB lovers. The red iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will be priced starting at  $749 and $869, respectively.

What's cool about these special-edition iPhones is, some proceeds will go to the (RED) organization that supports AIDS prevention and research. 

According to www.apple.com,

"For 10 years, our partnership with (RED) has supported HIV/AIDS programs that provide counseling, testing, and medicine that prevents the transmission of HIV from a mother to her unborn child. So far, we’ve raised over $130 million through the sale of our (RED) products. Now we’re introducing iPhone 7 (PRODUCT)RED™ Special Edition. Every purchase brings us a step closer to an AIDS‑free generation."

Kudos to Apple and RED for this partnership! I hope other companies will follow this trend and sponsor similar causes and programs. This will surely make a difference!


Editor's Note: 

Please be informed that the red iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have all the same features and capabilities as before. Apple is expected to release a new version of iPhone in September 2017. Here are the detailed specs of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus courtesy of GSMArena.

The Fountain: World’s largest multicolor dancing water feature

Photo grabbed from okadamanila.com

Hey fountain lovers! Okada Manila is soon to unveil the newest landmark in the Philippines, and the world’s largest multicolor dancing water feature - The Fountain. The unveiling will happen on March 31, 2017, 7PM at Okada Manila, New Seaside Drive, Entertainment City, Parañaque City.

Live performances by international pop music sensation Robin Thicke, World of Wonders, Asia’s Golden Girl Gerphil Flores, and the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra will showcase their world-class acts. 

Beauty pageants enthusiasts, Miss Universe fans, and Pianatics will be more delighted as Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach will be the event's guest host. Isn't it exciting? I guess, everybody loves her!

This video is owned by Okada Manila

Mark your calendars now to witness a special preview of Okada's advanced projection mapping experience, the Crystal Corridor, and an extraordinary fireworks display.

Click here for tickets & general event FAQs.

Summer Tips: What’s the best SPF level?

image courtesy of Ronile

Everybody loves Summer! Often times, we’re more likely to ask ourselves - what’s the best SPF level for me?

Okay, first of all, let us define SPF. Sun Protection Factor, commonly known as SPF, is a measure of how effective a sunscreen will protect your skin from UV rays. Ultraviolet radiation (UV rays) has wavelengths classified as UVA, UVB, and UVC. These UV rays can cause sunburn, premature skin aging, eye damage (including cataracts), and worst - skin cancer.

So, if you’re planning to go out with friends or family this summer, make sure you bring with you a sunscreen with enough SPF to protect you against harmful UV rays.

So, what’s the best sunscreen and SPF rating?

There is no specific sunscreen brand and SPF level that we can call as the best sunscreen product and the best SPF level, respectively. When it comes to UV protection, you need to pay attention to the ingredients. According to skincancer.org, you look for a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, plus some combination of the following UVA-screening ingredients: stabilized a avobenzone, ecamsule (a.k.a. MexorylTM), oxybenzone, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide to make sure you are protected from UVA and UVB.

While we can't exactly tell which SPF level is the best. Here is a helpful SPF chart that will guide you on choosing which SPF level is recommended based on your skin complexion.

Image owned by hawaiiantropic.com

Let me end this article with some tips:

• avoid too much exposure to sunlight.
• avoid tanning and UV tanning booths.
• cover up with clothing and user UV-blocking sunglasses.
• apply sunscreen with at least SPF 15 (or more) every 2 hours, or after swimming and excessive sweating.
• see a doctor, at least once a year, for a professional skin exam.

Super Saver: Sun Cellular's Fixed Load Plan 300

Good news! Sun Postpaid has a new offering for those people who wants to have a full control of their mobile spend. Sun Fixed Load Plan 300 will give you unlimited calls to Sun, Smart and Talk N Text (TNT) and unlimited texts to all network every month. On top of that, Sun Fixed Load Plan 300 will allow you to browse Facebook with images and videos for free. Sounds cool, right? But wait, there’s more! This affordable plan will also give you free access to Viber. Yey!

Photo grabbed from http://suncellular.com.ph/

What are you waiting for? Go now and visit the nearest Sun shop to avail this super saver plan. Don’t forget to bring 1 valid ID (I suggest you bring 2) and Php 300 pesos to get started.

How to load?

You can load up anytime, anywhere using your phone. Just simply dial *247#, register, and then choose your desired amount and you’re good to go. Please note that availed load will be charged to your monthly bill.

Fixed Load Plan 300 summary:

• Unlimited calls to Sun, Smart and TNT
• Unlimited texts to all networks
• Free Facebook and Viber access
• Monthly fee: 300 pesos
• No lock-in period
• Optional top up services

Click this link for a complete list of application requirements.

How to link your Twitter account to your Facebook business page

Today, I was trying to connect my Twitter account to my Facebook business page because it takes more clicks posting stories into two different platforms versus posting it to Twitter, then it'll be automatically posted on Facebook. Sounds cool, right?

I excitedly logged in to my Twitter account, and connected my Facebook account. Viola! I was able to successfully linked the two platforms together. But wait a minute...why is my Test Twitter post retweeted into my Personal Facebook page instead of retweeting it into my Facebook business page. Hmmm...

The solution?

Here are the steps I followed to resolve the issue:

          1. Sign in to your Twitter account.
          2. Go to Settings and privacy.

          3. Click Apps.

          4. Click "Connect to Facebook".

          5. A pop-up box will open. Click "Continue with [your Facebook name]", and select your                       desired audience, then hit "OK".

          6. Uncheck "post retweets to Facebook" and "post to my Facebook profile", then click "Allow"                posting to one of your pages.

          7. Choose what you allow to be retweeted and hit "OK" to continue.

          8. You will see this page where it will now allow you to select which Facebook page you'd like                Twitter to automatically retweet your post to.

           9. Congrats! You're done. Your tweets will now be automatically posted on your Facebook                       business page.

           10. Feel free to follow my blog site and share this post to your friends! Thanks! :)

Where’s My TeeShirt?

I’m seeing a lot friends on Facebook selling different stuff - makeups, perfumes, bags, shoes, cellphone load, gadgets, accessories, etc. and I was like “I can do it as well!”. I need to take advantage of my unlimited data plan and the available social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and many more which have now become part of our daily routine.

It was last November 2016 when I started researching about starting an online business. And here are the things that consumed my nights resulting to lack of sleep, so much headaches and a lot of stress (whew!):

1. What product should I sell online?
2. What’s going to be my business name?
3. A unique Facebook page name and username?
4. Who’s my target market?
5. How much capital should I invest?
6. Should I go solo or find a business partner?
7. Do I need to have my own website unique to my online business?
8. What if I fail?

When Miss Universe event was confirmed to be held in my beloved country, the Philippines, I thought a Miss Universe shirt is a good memorabilia. Since I love wearing custom-made shirts, i did not have a hard time agreeing to my own idea. 

Quoted Shirt was my first business name. I chose this name to align it with my other Facebook page “Quotes4Life”. I thought it was cool name because I initially planned to sell shirts with beautiful quotes printed on them. 

Prior to launching my first design, I boosted my Facebook page’s Likes by availing Facebook’s marketing offering which charged my visa card whenever someone likes my Facebook page. I said to myself, it’s okay to lose a few bucks to increase my Facebook page audience as I always believe and hope these audiences will potentially become my customers.

Research…research…and a lot of researching filled up almost all my November nights. I was looking for a way to start my online custom-shirt business without spending too much as I only have a limited budget. Boom! I found an online shirt funder company (their company name starts with “S” and ends with “Y”) that promised me to start my own online store without any capital. Yes you heard it right - no capital is required. All I have to do is submit my own designs, have them approved and market them to my chosen audience. 

At first, I was feeling so lucky that I have found this company which is kind of promising. I had a few email exchange with two of their front liners. They were polite and fast at first but eventually they were like ignoring my inquiries. After few follow-ups and waiting in vain for almost 2 weeks, I got a message saying they were too busy that’s why they were not able to attend to my inquires. I was like, “Seriously?!”. I have a deadline to meet and a target date that I chose to launch my online store. 

To cut the story short, I decided to do it on my own; I took a risk. So, the first thing that came up on my mind that day was to have my own website where I can display my designs and process orders. To maintain my not-so-established Facebook page identity, I decided to get Quoted Shirt a domain. Hence why my first business website was “quotedshirt.com”. 

I spent another sleepless nights designing and improving the face of my own website. Few days before my 31st birthday (Dec. 9), I finally open my website to public and showcased my Miss Universe shirt designs. I had gathered more audiences when I boosted my page likes and my first few products. 

One night, I suddenly realized that my business name isn’t very unique. I search my business name on Google and the search result was overwhelming. I found a lot of businesses with names similar to Quoted Shirt. Since I wanted to have a business name unique to my own business, I decided to change my business name from Quoted Shirt to TeeShirt. Sounds cool, isn’t it? I chose “Where’s My TeeShirt?” as my tagline thinking it could make good and long-lasting impressions.

After few days, I changed my mind and decided to name my business “Where’s My Teeshirt?” (website: wheresmyteeshirt.com) because just like Quoted Shirt, Google result had shown numerous results of businesses with names similar to TeeShirt search term.

Wooh! change is indeed the only thing constant in this planet. Luckily, Where’s My Teeshirt? received positive feedback and I’m loving it. What about you? Did you have the same experience when starting your own business?