Yahoo Philippines News - Technostorm

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Ladies and gents, the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge

By Yahoo – Mon, Mar 2, 2015 (Philippine time)

You can exhale now. They're official.

Samsung has finally taken the wraps off the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, successors to its flagship Galaxy S line, at the ongoing 2015 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. And as expected, the two smartphones pack headline-grabbing specs and features that raise the stakes for everyone in the cutthroat mobile industry. Bleeding-edge silicon is what makes Samsung's top-tier Galaxy handsets so attractive, after all, life savings be damned.

Unlike in previous years, though, Samsung is putting an emphasis on design in 2015, hence the somewhat unfamiliar slabs of metal and glass you see on your monitor, phone, or tablet. This year, it has done the unthinkable yet inevitable: take bolder steps to come out with something different, something better-looking, and, for the Korean company's sake (note that the Galaxy S5 failed to meet sales expectations), something genuinely compelling.

Meet the Samsung Galaxy S6

To Samsung's credit, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge do seem to fit the bill. From what we've seen so far, they're no-brainers for loyalists due for an upgrade—and that's not something we can say about just any flagship successor. Owners of previous-gen iPhones, meanwhile, probably need more convincing than any other flagship-phone shopper, because they're used to designs that incorporate premium materials.

Samsung is well aware of this; thus, key elements of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge's design include an all-metal frame and front- and rear-glass panels that are said to be 1.5 times more durable than Gorilla Glass 3. 

You're looking at the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge's back

There are a lot of words we can use to describe the company's latest efforts, but “cheap-looking” or anything along that vein isn't one of them. The fact that the devices are lighter and slimmer than the Galaxy S5, which measures 8.1-mm-thick and weighs 145 grams, is likewise an impressive feat. Wireless charging comes standard as well, although you'll have to spring for a special charger sold separately.

For the second year running, Samsung has fitted its premium offerings with built-in heart-rate and fingerprint sensors, except this time around, the latter has been integrated into the home button, as opposed to last year's design, which can be tricky to use. While we wouldn't say we prefer it to Apple's Touch ID, we have to admit it's a vast improvement on what came before it.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge gets curvy

And how could we forget the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge's curved screen? Forget ultra high definition—though, to be clear, both handsets are capable of 1,440 x 2,560 resolution—curved displays, regardless of which way they bend, are as ambitious as it gets for smartphones today.

The similarities don't end there either. Both devices run a custom version of Android Lollipop on an octa-core Exynos processor with LTE Advanced support, 3GB of RAM, and from 32GB to 128GB of built-in storage. Also onboard are 16- and 5-megapixel rear and selfie cameras with optical image stabilization and F1.9 aperture for improved performance in dim situations.

Sample photo taken with the Samsung Galaxy S6

Another picture taken with the Samsung Galaxy S6

Finally, the 2,600mAh non-removable battery inside the Galaxy S6 has a marginal advantage over its sibling's 2,500mAh cell. Not that it matters a whole lot given their quick-charging capabilities. We're told it only takes three hours to recharge the batteries from zero capacity.

Samsung Electronics Philippines has yet to reveal the local pricing of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. We'll probably know the phones' respective SRPs a week or two before their mid-April launch in the country. What we do know is that the S6 version that will go on sale here will be dual SIM. If you want to pre-order now, just email [email protected].

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge preview

Samsung Galaxy S6 preview

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Meizu M1 Note to be priced at P7,990 in PH. Holy cow!

The Meizu m1 Note, one of today's most desirable phones, is getting a low P7,990 price tag as soon as it becomes available in the Philippines.

By Yahoo – Fri, Feb 6, 2015

If you've been eyeing a budget LTE smartphone to make the most of your telco's data packages, you may want to reconsider your top pick, whatever it is. On the sidelines of the Meizu Mx4 Pro mini-launch at Gateway Mall, Meizu local distributor Novo7 Tech said the Meizu m1 Note is headed for the Philippines as early as March 2015.

So why all the fuss about another smartphone from another Chinese manufacturer? (As if the market isn't saturated enough with all kinds of devices from China, right?) The short answer: On paper, the m1 Note is one of the most desirable smartphones now. Meizu's "OnePlus One"—except much, much cheaper. And to think the elusive yet wildly popular One starts at just $299 (about P13,000).

Just how affordable is the Meizu m1 Note? Novo7 Tech execs told us to expect a P7,990 asking price for the white 16GB variant at launch.

For almost half the price of the One, you're getting dual-SIM slots; a 5.5-inch 1080p display fronted by Gorilla Glass 3; a 64-bit, octa-core processor from MediaTek with 2GB of RAM and an LTE radio; 13- and 5-megapixel rear and front cameras; and a delightfully intuitive interface based on Android KitKat in Flyme 4.1. An update to Lollipop is reportedly coming in March. Also, the 3,140mAh integrated battery is decent enough for a phone this large.

Meizu m1 Note beside an iPhone 5c (via ePrice). Main image above via TeknoUp

What you just read are (mostly) the specs of a product that can pass as an early-2014 flagship model at a fraction of the cost, with the exception of a very few handsets; one that also closely resembles a bigger iPhone 5c—or what the love child of an iPhone 5c and 6 Plus would look like. Now you know why we sound giddy.

We'll keep our ears close to the ground as March approaches and report back to you. If you've got questions, though, tweet us at @aloraguerrero (Alora Uy Guerrero) or @monchlopez (Ramon Lopez).

Specs of the Meizu m1 Note (Price in the Philippines: P7,990; Availability: Most likely March 2015): * Dual SIM * LTE * 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6752 CPU * Mali-T760 GPU * 2GB RAM * 16GB internal storage * 5.5-inch IGZO display (1,080 x 1,920 resolution) * 13-megapixel rear camera with dual-tone flash * 5-megapixel front camera * 3,140mAh battery * Android KitKat 4.4.4

This post can also be found here. From now on, we're posting all tech articles on the main Yahoo site.

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Meet LG's IMAX for the home: a 105-inch curved TV

There's a good chance LG Electronics Philippines will one-up itself by introducing a 105-inch curved TV, something the company has unveiled at a press conference we covered in Malaysia.

By Ramon Lopez | Yahoo — Thu, Feb 5, 2015

Remember the attention-grabbing 98-inch TV from LG Electronics Philippines we featured in December? The one with a staggering 4K resolution—four times the resolution of full HD (1080p); comes in at 5 feet 2 inches tall and 7 feet wide; and fills the room with immersive sound blasting from a 120W, 5.2-channel speaker system by Harman Kardon? Yes, the one with an alleged asking price of P1.5 million.

Well, the said Ultra HDTV has already been one-upped by an even more ambitious 105-inch curved TV from the same Korean company, one that brings 5K resolution (5,120 x 2,160) at a cinema-wide 21:9 aspect ratio. It has seven times as many pixels as your 1080p TV or monitor. Never mind that 4K content, let alone 5K or anything higher, remains hard to find. Let the possibility of an IMAX experience in your living room (or basement) sink in for a minute.

As for the other highlights of this supersized TV, there's LG's True 4K Engine Pro for upscaling lower-resolution content "so closely to 4K that it's nearly impossible to tell the difference." 

You also get native support for 3D video, as well as all the best bits of upscale smart TVs, including DVR-like program recording, content sharing between compatible devices, and a slick and intuitive interface built around webOS, which in our opinion, is far and away the best operating system for TVs today.

The impressive 7.2-channel speaker setup is rated at 150W and has been tweaked by audio specialists at Harman Kardon.

So, how much will the Korean electronics giant charge for its "IMAX for the home"? A cool 120 million South Korean won, or almost P4.9 million. That said, if you're a Donald Trump type with money to burn and plenty of time for binge-watching TV shows or movies, you may want to get in touch with your local LG dealer now. There's a good chance this 105-inch behemoth will arrive in Asian markets this year, following its unveiling at the LG InnoFest 2015 in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

Watch for our feature on other exciting products announced at this year's LG InnoFest.

Disclosure: LG Electronics Philippines sent us to Malaysia to cover the LG InnoFest 2015. All comments stated here are still our own. — Alora Uy Guerrero, Editor (@aloraguerrero).

This post can also be found here. From now, we’re transferring all tech articles to the main Yahoo site.

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'Smart Free Internet' extended, now includes video streaming

Smart Communications expands its Free Internet promo, which now ends on February 28, 2015, to include video streaming.

By Alora Uy Guerrero | Yahoo — Thu, Feb 5, 2015

Okay, two things.

Smart Communications has, for the second time, extended its Free Internet promo for all 69 million Smart, Talk ‘N Text, and Sun Cellular subscribers. The offer will now end on February 28, 2015.

And that promo's restriction on video streaming? The telco has tossed that out the window. You can now watch, say, cat videos on YouTube to your heart's content. No judgment here.

So up to 30MB of mobile data every day? Check. Video streaming without being charged? Check. Just register by texting FREE to 9999.

We understand that this is all part of Smart's "Internet for All" message.

Take note, though, that accessing VOIP apps like FaceTime, Skype, and Viber and messaging apps like Line, KakaoTalk, and WhatsApp are still not allowed. Don't think about taking advantage of peer-to-peer file-sharing sites and apps like Bittorrent either.

Got questions? Tweet us at @aloraguerrero.

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11 years of Facebook: What’s changed over the years

On February 4, 2004 (February 5 in the Philippines), Facebook was born. Here's how it changed over the years.

By Jillian D'Onfro | Business Insider — Thu, Feb 5, 2015

Happy 11th birthday, Facebook!

If you’ve been a loyal Facebook user since the beginning, you might remember how drastically different the site used to look. If not, we’ve got you covered.

From a private social network for Harvard students to the mammoth site that it is today, Facebook has evolved its design and capabilities accordingly. 

Who knows what the next major change will be, but you can bet that users will complain about it, just like they did about every other change in the site’s history. And then they decide they love it.

1. Remember when Facebook was called Thefacebook? It started at Harvard and slowly opened up to other colleges.

2. This is what a Facebook group page looked like in 2005.

3. For comparison, this is what a Facebook group page looks like today.

4. Back in 2005, before the News Feed launched, Facebook was essentially just a collection of disconnected profiles.

5. Check out Mark Zuckerberg’s profile in 2006.

6. Facebook launched the News Feed to display all your friends’ activity in a single timeline in 2006.

7. At the same time, Facebook introduced the Mini-Feed. But the entire concept of a News Feed resulted in some very public outrage. Some users even went so far to call one of Facebook’s product managers the devil.

8. In 2009, Facebook’s home page got a facelift. It started to creep onto Twitter’s territory with the addition of a real-time News Feed. That same year, Facebook also introduced its algorithm for determining the order in which status updates should be displayed.

9. In 2010, Facebook brought notifications to the top navigation bar following yet another redesign.

10. Facebook rolled out a new, more visual profile in 2010. It added a row of recently tagged images below your name and basic profile information.

11. Facebook launched the News Ticker in 2011 so users could keep up with their friends while browsing through other parts of Facebook.

12. The Facebook Timeline feels as though it’s been around since the beginning. But it launched in 2011 to act as a virtual timeline of your entire life.

13. Facebook started flooding the News Feed with sponsored stories in January 2012.

14. Here’s what Facebook’s News Feed looks like today.

15. This is what Facebook’s mobile app looked like when it first launched.

16. It has been completely redesigned.

Now, check out early Facebook from a DIFFERENT perspective.

The post appeared first on Business Insider. 

How has Facebook helped you? Do you find it better than other social networks? Let us know in the comments, or tweet us at @aloraguerrero. 

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Oppo Mirror 3 with Sony sensor now available in PH

Oppo Philippines releases a mid-tier offering whose main attraction is its camera.

By Yahoo – Tue, Feb 3, 2015

Scoot over, Meizu. As it turns out, another Chinese smartphone is making the rounds today, following the announcement of the price and release date of the Meizu MX4 Pro in the Philippine market. This time, we're shining the spotlight on the Oppo Mirror 3, which became official just a few weeks ago.

But while last year's Oppo N3 and R5 caught our attention with their motorized rotating camera and "world's thinnest smartphone" title (for a brief period), respectively, by contrast, the Mirror 3 seems to be a strictly mid-tier affair.

That's not to say it isn't worth the trouble, as it does come with a future-proof Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor capable of 64-bit computing, along with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of expandable storage.

Of course, the Mirror 3's main draw, according to Oppo, is still its 8-megapixel main camera, which is powered by a Sony IMX179 Backside Illuminated sensor, the size of which is 1/3.2 inches. Take note also that the sensor has a pixel size of 1.4μm and a F/2.0 aperture.

Rounding out the key specs are a 4.7-inch, 720p IPS display for a pixel density of 312 dots per inch, a 5-megapixel selfie camera, and a 2,000mAh battery. 

We're assuming the Oppo Mirror 3's namesake comes from its rather shiny rear cover, which may appeal to some but turn off others. It actually reminds us of Samsung's early designs, before the Korean company's shift to synthetic leather.

The Oppo Mirror 3 retails for P10,990 and is now available in Philippine stores.

Specs of the Oppo Mirror 3
 (Price in the Philippines: P10,990): * Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor * 1GB RAM * 8GB internal storage * microSD card slot * 4.7-inch IPS display (720 x 1,280 resolution) * 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash * 
5-megapixel front camera * 2,000mAh battery * Android KitKat

Got questions? Tweet us at @aloraguerrero (Alora Uy Guerrero) or @monchlopez (Ramon Lopez).

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Meizu MX4 Pro to go on sale in PH starting February 5

Meizu's phone with fingerprint scanner, the MX4 Pro, will finally be on Philippine shores starting February 5.

By Yahoo – Tue, Feb 3, 2015

Following the local release of the Meizu MX4, distributor Novo7 Tech is bringing another flagship phone to the Philippines come Thursday, February 5. This time, it's the Meizu MX4 Pro, which quickly replaced the MX4 as the company's most advanced smartphone to date.

Announced in November 2014, the Pro is priced at P20,990 for the 32GB variant, P6,000 more than the original MX4 when it first arrived in the country. Early adopters get a P1,000 discount until Sunday, February 8. Not bad at all considering the MX4 Pro represents a significant upgrade over the MX4, as the "Pro" moniker would have you believe. It even includes a fingerprint scanner that doubles as a physical home button, presumably to the chagrin of Apple.

Specs-wise, you're looking at a 5.5-inch IPS display with a 2K resolution—still the sharpest in the business and on a par with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, the LG G3, and the Xiaomi Mi Note Pro, to name a few.

The Meizu MX4 Pro also carries a Samsung-made Exynos chipset with an octa-core processor and 3GB of RAM. The rear and front cameras have 20- and 5-megapixel sensors, respectively.

In contrast, the MX4 sports a 5.36-inch, 1080p IPS display, alongside an octa-core MediaTek processor paired with 2GB of RAM and 20- and 2-megapixel main and secondary cameras.

Both phones run Meizu's Flyme OS on top of Android KitKat, though several reports indicate that an update to Lollipop is due in March.

Specs of the Meizu MX4 Pro (Regular price in the Philippines: P20,990): * LTE * Fingerprint scanner * Octa-core Exynos 5 processor * Mali-T628 GPU * 3GB RAM * 32GB internal storage * 5.5-inch IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (1,536 x 2,560 resolution) * 20.7-megapixel rear camera with LED flash * 5-megapixel front camera * 3,350mAh non-removable battery * Android KitKat 4.4.4

(Image via Engadget)

Got questions? Tweet us at @aloraguerrero or @monchlopez.

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Expect the Samsung Galaxy S6 announcement on March 1

Expect Samsung to announce the Galaxy S6 phone at the Mobile World Congress on March 1.

Samsung will most likely announce its new flagship Galaxy phone on March 1 at an event in Barcelona.

The company sent invitations to the press for one of its “Unpacked” events, which are used to launch its most important products, like the Galaxy S and the Galaxy Note line of phones.

Sources familiar with Samsung’s plans said the so-called Galaxy S6 will be made of metal, a departure from the plastic designs the company has used in the past.

There will also be a version of the Galaxy S6 with a curved screen, similar to the Galaxy Note Edge, which was unveiled last year.

The invitation appears to give a glimpse at part of the device, and it does look like metal will be part of the new design.

Looks a lot like the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, right?

Finally, Samsung will announce a new smartwatch with a round design, according to sources.

Samsung’s rival HTC is also expected to reveal its new phone, the follow-up to the One M8, on March 1 at a separate event in Barcelona.

Read more stories on Business Insider, Malaysian edition of the world’s fastest-growing business and technology news website.

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Drug dealers are snapping up vintage Nokia 8210 phones

Find out why drug dealers are stocking up on vintage Nokia 8210 phones, not iPhone or Android devices.

By James Cook | Business Insider – Sun, Feb 1, 2015

Drug dealers don’t want the latest iPhone or Android phones.

Instead, "Vice" reports, drug dealers in the UK are stocking up on vintage Nokia 8210 phones because they are less easy to track. 

"Vice" claims that “every source” the publication spoke with has one of the vintage Nokias.

"Vice" spoke to a drug dealer known as K2 about the phones he uses. “I’ve got three Nokia 8210 phones and have been told they can be trusted, unlike these iPhones and new phones, which the police can easily [use to] find out where you’ve been.”

K2 went on to explain to "Vice" that drug dealers use the Nokia phones because of their long battery life and fears over police surveillance. “At least I can trust an old Nokia,” he said.

"Vice" also spoke to a crack addict who recalled being offered money for his old Nokia 8210 phone. He eventually exchanged it for some crack cocaine worth around $50 or around P2,200. Another person Vice spoke to was a phone shop owner in Birmingham. He said that the phones sell “straight away” when they come in stock.

It’s not just a long battery life that drug dealers like about the Nokia 8210, though. It also has an infrared port, which means that dealers can send contacts between phones easily without swapping out SIM cards.

Nokia 8210s are popular sellers on eBay, too. A quick search of the used-cellphone section shows that the 16-year-old phones are selling for around £30 or roughly P2,000— a high price for outdated technology.

The post Drug dealers are snapping up this vintage Nokia phone appeared first on Business Insider. Image via Flickr/James Whatley.

Got stories you'd like to share with us? Tweet @aloraguerrero.

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Cherry Mobile Fuze S with huge battery officially official

Cherry Mobile makes the Fuze S, a phone with 4,000mAh battery, official.

By Yahoo – Sat, Jan 31, 2015

Local tech company Cherry Mobile officially announced something big. And by big, we mean an Android phone with a huge, tablet-grade 4,000mAh battery that's supposed to last up to 500 hours (yes, 500 hours!) while on standby mode. That's at least double the category standard, mind you. Meet the Cherry Mobile Fuze S, or as we like to call it, the smartphone equivalent of the Energizer Bunny that was leaked weeks ago.

It's no slouch in the computing department either, courtesy of an octa-core MediaTek chipset that comes with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of built-in storage. If 8GB is not enough for your needs, there's an option to expand the memory via a microSD card slot. Android KitKat 4.4 and 8-megapixel and VGA rear and front cameras, meanwhile, are par for the course for a current budget offering.

Measuring five inches diagonally, the 480 x 854 touch display is big enough for a comfortable viewing experience. Sadly, the Cherry Mobile Fuze S doesn't pack nearly enough pixels to give other octa-core smartphones a run for their money. The device is aimed at bargain hunters, after all.

Taken from a video posted on Cherry Mobile's Facebook page

Of course, the most impressive spec here is still the 4,000mAh battery, which, as you may know, outclasses most releases on the market today. And while battery-life claims don't necessarily translate well into real-world use, our previous experiences with phones like the Cherry Mobile Fuze S are generally positive. It should go without saying, too, that units with lower-res screens require less power simply because there are fewer pixels to light up.

The Fuze S retails for P4,499 and is out now in Cherry Mobile stores and resellers nationwide. For hard-nosed power users who want longer phone runtimes, this one's certainly worth a look.

Specs of the Cherry Mobile Fuze S (Price: P4,499): * 1.4GHz octa-core MediaTek processor * 1GB RAM * 8GB internal storage * microSD card slot * 5-inch IPS display (480 x 854 resolution) * 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash * VGA front camera * 4,000mAh battery * Android KitKat 4.4

(Image via Cherry Angel)

Got questions? Tweet us at @aloraguerrero (Alora Uy Guerrero) or @monchlopez (Ramon Lopez).

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New ASUS Fonepads, MeMOPad in PH priced from P3,995

ASUS announces the Philippine availability of three new devices, which are priced starting at P3,995.

By Yahoo – Sat, Jan 31, 2015

(UPDATED WITH CORRECT PRICE) ASUS is bringing three new Android tablets to the Philippine market, with the most affordable model getting a price tag of P3,995.

Two of the devices—the Fonepad 8 (FE380CG) and 7 (FE171CG), which were unveiled at Computex 2014 in Taipei as follow-ups to the original Fonepad 7—function as a dual-SIM phone, too. They're priced at P11,995 and P6,995, respectively.

The third offering, the MeMO Pad 7 (ME70C), is aimed at non-power users. Its 8GB model goes for P3,995, and the 16GB variant costs P4,495.

Both the ASUS Fonepad 8 and 7 sport improved designs that are lighter, slimmer, and more compact than their predecessors, making them easier to hold in one hand. The narrow bezels surrounding their displays suggest a higher screen-to-body ratio than most tablets out there and should result in wider viewing angles. Five-megapixel rear cameras featuring ASUS' PixelMaster technology for improved low-light performance are also on deck.

In terms of processing power, however, the Fonepad 8 comes out on top, thanks in no small part to Intel's newest 64-bit, quad-core processor clocked at 1.33GHz. The Fonepad 7 uses a 1.2GHz dual-core chip with the same amount of RAM (2GB) and onboard storage (16GB) as its bigger brother. The former delivers an estimated 12 hours of mixed usage, whereas the latter is rated for up to 11.5 hours of use. Both devices ship with the latest version of ASUS' ZenUI on top of Android KitKat.

The same can't be said about the no-frills ASUS MeMO Pad 7, which is still running aging OS Android Jelly Bean 4.3. You're also looking at lower specs across the board, albeit for a lot less money: 7-inch, 1,024 x 600 display; dual-core Intel processor with 1GB of RAM; 2-megapixel and VGA rear and front cameras; and 3,220mAh battery for up to 8 hours of use.

Specs of the ASUS Fonepad 8 (FE380CG, Price in the Philippines: P11,995): * Dual SIM with phone functionality and 3G * 1.33GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3530 processor * 2GB RAM * 16GB internal storage * microSD card slot (up to 64GB) * 8-inch IPS display (1,280 x 800 resolution) * 5-megapixel rear camera * 2-megapixel front camera * Up to 12 hours of battery life * Android KitKat 4.4

Specs of the ASUS Fonepad 7 (FE171CG, Price in the Philippines: P6,995): * Dual SIM with phone functionality and 3G * 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 processor * 2GB RAM * 16GB internal storage * microSD card slot (up to 64GB) * 7-inch IPS display (1,024 x 600 resolution) * 5-megapixel rear camera * 2-megapixel front camera * Up to 11.5 hours of battery life * Android KitKat 4.4

Specs of the ASUS MeMO Pad 7 (ME70C, Price in the Philippines: P3,995 — 8GB, P4,495 — 16GB): * 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 processor * 1GB RAM * Up to 16GB internal storage * microSD card slot (up to 64GB) * 7-inch display (1,024 x 600 resolution) * 2-megapixel rear camera * VGA front camera * Up to 8 hours of battery life * Android Jelly Bean 4.3

Also read ASUS Zenfone 2 is world's first phone with 4GB RAM and ASUS Zenfone Zoom's camera gets an optical zoom. Calling all shutterbugs. Got questions? Tweet us at @monchlopez or @aloraguerrero.

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A Netflix competitor in Asia is coming

Singapore telco Singtel partners with Sony Pictures and Warner Bros to launch a Netflix competitor in Indonesia, India, Thailand, and the Philippines.

By Terence Lee | Tech in Asia – Fri, Jan 30, 2015

Singapore’s leading telco Singtel has announced today that it will launch an online streaming-video service in Asia. It’s a joint venture with Sony Pictures and Warner Bros, and will bring Hollywood movies, television series, as well as local programming to audiences in Indonesia, India, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Called Hooq, the web and mobile service will launch in the first quarter of this year, and will take advantage of Singtel’s carrier-billing capabilities, a crucial feature given credit-card adoption is weak in Asia. It will have 10,000 movies and TV series initially. Some featured programs include "Spider-Man," "Harry Potter," "Friends," and "Gossip Girl." Korean and Japanese titles will also be featured.

Hooq will give users unlimited streaming content for a fee, and they’ll be able to download videos, which is useful in markets where 4G isn’t prevalent. It’ll also have a content-recommendation engine. Pricing will be specific to each country, but will be pegged at the single-digits in U.S. dollars, says Hooq CEO Peter Bithos.

Singapore Business Review reports that the deal is worth S$27.6 million (US$20.4 million). Singtel will own 65 percent of the joint venture, while Warner Bros and Sony Pictures subsidiary AXN will own 17.5 percent each.

The choice of Bithos as the Hooq CEO is interesting. Formerly the COO of Globe Telecom in the Philippines, he’ll now have to build a first-class consumer-facing internet service from the ground up.

Given the Singtel network’s reach and distribution, Hooq has a chance to become relevant. Netflix is of course its biggest competitor, but expansion into Asia has been slow. It ventured into Australia and New Zealand last year, but there’s no word on when it’ll hit the other markets.

That said, title selection is a critical factor of success. With peer-to-peer file sharing as well as VPN services at any user’s fingertips, people can easily access the latest shows as they are released. Even as local versions of Netflix become available, it sometimes fail to draw in audiences due to the limited range of programs caused by licensing issues.

For Hooq to succeed, it’ll need to offer the most popular shows in a timely fashion along with a large collection of past titles. It’ll also need to make sure its user experience is top-notch.

“We are starting this venture to change the way people across Asia view entertainment. Today, across developing markets, there is limited access to quality entertainment, streamed directly to the screen of one’s choice. It’s either illegal, high cost, or difficult to get. We aim to fix that,” says Bithos.

This post Singtel to start Netflix competitor in Asia with Sony Pictures, Warner Bros appeared first on Tech in Asia.

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Adobe sues Forever 21 for pirating copies of Photoshop

Adobe is suing Forever 21 for allegedly pirating copies of Photoshop. 

By Sky News – Fri, Jan 30, 2015

High street-fashion chain Forever 21 is being sued by Adobe for allegedly using pirated copies of Photoshop.

The company could face a large fine if a court finds in favor of Adobe, which says the chain used the copies of Photoshop “even after being contacted by Adobe regarding the infringement”.

The detailed lawsuit was filed this week and includes the registration numbers of the software products involved, plus dates on which the software was used.

Adobe says it is a case of “willful, intentional, and malicious copyright infringement” and is asking the court to issue an injunction and award a cash sum for lost revenue, court costs and additional damages.

It is unclear how Adobe discovered its software was allegedly being wrongly used by Forever 21, but in recent years, it has actively encouraged people to turn in employers who are using pirated software.

Adobe says “it would be difficult to ascertain the amount of damages” needed, and that several hearings would be required to establish just how much the company has lost as a result of the breaches.

The case was filed in California and also alleges that Forever 21—which has revenues of around $3.9 billion—copied 3D design software Autodesk and zip utility tool WinZip.

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Sundance film fest hit shot entirely with iPhones

By Ryan Pearson | Associated Press – Thu, Jan 29, 2015

One Sundance movie was literally phoned in—the transgender prostitute tale "Tangerine."

The movie that premiered Friday at the Sundance Film Festival follows two characters Alexandra and Sin-Dee on a wild Christmas Eve night in Los Angeles as one chases after her pimp. It was shot entirely using iPhone 5s phones with anamorphic lens adapters.

"It made it more cinematic and we used this great app called Filmic Pro. And all of these combined really I think really gave us a really unique, really different look and that's something that we were trying to achieve with this film, because also the subject matter is kind of different," director Sean Baker said.

It was the first major role for transgender actress Mya Taylor, who co-stars with real-life friend Kiki Kitana Rodriguez.

"Oh, yes. Everything that's in the movie is exactly what goes on in that area with those transgender people," Taylor said.

Baker said one of his main motivations behind the film was his desire to shoot at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Los Angeles—and then finding the story that went with that.

"It's a very chaotic area. It's a place that I've always noticed as a very dramatic, colorful area and ... I knew that it would be cinematic," he said. "So, it was just about finding a story to tell that took place there. And so we went in and we sort of introduced ourselves to everybody in the area. We worked our way in with the research process and that's where we met Mya."

The movie comes at a moment when transgender characters are being seen more than ever in mainstream media, including Golden Globe winner Jeffrey Tambor's character on the Amazon show "Transparent" and Laverne Cox on Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black."

"I'm very happy about what's going on with transgender people coming out into the screen, because it's unheard of, you know? ... I'm proud of those shows, I think they're wonderful and this brings a good add-on to it, because it kind of brings you inside some of the lives of transgender people," Taylor said.

"Tangerine" was well-received at Sundance and will be released by Magnolia Pictures this year.

[yahoo-ph-news-technostorm]

BlackBerry Classic rolling out to PH stores February 5

BlackBerry launches its "Classic" phone—one that harks back to the company's heyday—in the Philippines.

By Yahoo – Thu, Jan 29, 2015

Earlier, we reported that the BlackBerry Passport got the limited-edition treatment in the form of a black-and-gold variant with a Valextra leather back cover. Sounds good? Unfortunately for you, the $899 phone is already sold out. But if you're still on the market for a current-gen BlackBerry with a physical keyboard, the Classic may be a nice option for you, having just launched in the Philippines for P20,990 off contract, which is close to its U.S. price tag of $449.

Cameron Vernest, managing director at BlackBerry Philippines and Singapore, described the Classic as a phone that "showcases our commitment to our existing user base, those who have known and loved BlackBerry devices and aren't willing to give them up."

He added: "This [Classic] really bridges the old and the new."

Available in black—at least in the meantime, as Vernest neither confirmed nor denied rumors of a white variant—the BlackBerry Classic harks back to the company's heyday, sporting a relatively small 3.5-inch touch display to go along with a QWERTY keyboard, trackpad, and navigation keys. Everyone who has ever owned a BlackBerry from years ago—back when full-touchscreen phones weren't as common as they are now—should feel right at home with it.

A dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960 processor paired with 2GB of RAM runs the latest version of BlackBerry 10 software at a sufficiently brisk pace. A recent update to the mobile operating system, which has improved since launch, introduced support for Android apps from the Amazon Appstore. Of course, the Classic also has access to all apps found in BlackBerry World. Never mind that it still woefully lags behind its iOS and Android counterparts both in terms of app quality and quantity.

The Classic will be available at MemoXpress stores nationwide starting February 5. Globe Telecom has also confirmed that BlackBerry's latest product will be offered to the carrier's enterprise customers, alongside the Passport.

Specs of the BlackBerry Classic (Price in the Philippines: P20,990): * LTE * 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960 processor * Adreno 225 GPU * 2GB RAM * 16GB internal storage * microSD card slot * 3.5-inch display * 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash * 2-megapixel front camera * 2,515mAh non-removable battery * BlackBerry 10.3 OS

Got questions? Tweet us at @monchlopez or @aloraguerrero.

[yahoo-ph-news-technostorm]

PH company's Phoenix WinTab 7 is cheapest Windows 8.1 tablet

The Philippines' oldest IT distributor launches its own series of tablets to compete with the likes of Cherry Mobile and CloudFone—and one of the devices even takes the "cheapest Windows 8.1 tablet" title.

By Yahoo – Wed, Jan 28, 2015

In what has become a trend among Philippine PC distributors and resellers, Wordtext Systems, Inc.—the oldest IT distributor in the country—has launched its own series of tablets to compete with the likes of Cherry Mobile, CloudFone, and a gazillion others.

The Phoenix WinTab 7, 8, and 10, as their names suggest, all run full-fledged Windows 8.1—upgradeable to Windows 10—on Intel's quad-core Bay Trail processors with up to 2GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage.

They're kind to your wallet as well, with the entry-level WinTab 7 retailing for just P5,999, the lowest price we've seen in its category thus far. The WinTab 8 and 10, on the other hand, are priced at P6,999 and P11,999, respectively. The former undercuts the P7,999 Cherry Mobile Alpha Play, while the latter matches the price of the Cherry Mobile Alpha Morph.

WSI president Juan Chua believes the products fill the void for budget-conscious consumers who are looking for big-screen devices that are capable of a wide range of productivity tasks, something we can't say about most Android slates.

"There's a demand, but the other brands we're carrying are very expensive," he says.

Video by Ramon Lopez

Chua cites Microsoft's major role in bringing together distributors and hardware partners. "They [Microsoft] actually introduced us to a bunch of manufacturers. We identified the best of the lot, and then we came up with these [tablets], so we can sell them at a price that's super low," Chua adds.

Intel country manager Calum Chisholm, who attended the launch, says the devices bring the netbook experience to a wider audience.

Interestingly, local releases make up 55 percent of tablet ownership in the Philippines, according to the Intel chief.

As for the specs, the Phoenix WinTab 7 pairs a 7-inch IPS display with an Intel Bay Trail Z3735G processor, alongside 1GB of RAM and a 3,500mAh battery. The WinTab 8 increases the display size to 8 inches to go along with a bigger 5,000mAh battery. Finally, the WinTab 10 steps up to a 10-inch IPS display, an Intel Bay Trail Z3735F with 2GB of RAM, and a 7,900mAh battery. For a limited time, it also comes with a magnetic keyboard-slash-case (that looks like the Cherry Mobile Alpha Morph's) worth P2,350. Each WinTab is bundled with one year of Microsoft Office 365.

The WinTab 7 is already available in stores, but its larger siblings have yet to hit the streets. We're told they will arrive in a week or two.

Specs of the Phoenix WinTab 7 (Price: P5,999): * Quad-core Intel Bay Trail Z3735G * 1GB RAM * 16GB internal storage * microSD card slot (up to 64GB) * 7-inch IPS display (1,280 x 800 resolution) * 2-megapixel rear camera * 2-megapixel front camera * 3,500mAh battery * microHDMI port, USB-OTG support * Windows 8.1

Specs of the Phoenix WinTab 8 (Price: P6,999): * Quad-core Intel Bay Trail Z3735G * 1GB RAM * 16GB internal storage * microSD card slot (up to 64GB) * 8-inch IPS display (1,280 x 800 resolution) * 2-megapixel rear camera * 2-megapixel front camera * 5,000mAh battery * miniHDMI port, USB-OTG support * Windows 8.1

Specs of the Phoenix WinTab 10 (Price: P11,999): * Quad-core Intel Bay Trail Z3735F * 2GB RAM * 32GB internal storage * microSD card slot (up to 64GB) * 10.1-inch IPS display (1,280 x 800 resolution) * 2-megapixel rear camera * 2-megapixel front camera * 7,900mAh battery * miniHDMI port, USB-OTG support * Windows 8.1

Got questions? Tweet us at @monchlopez or @aloraguerrero.

[yahoo-ph-news-technostorm]

14 mind-blowing facts about Apple’s latest quarter

By Sam Colt | Business Insider – Wed, Jan 28, 2015

Apple reported fantastic earnings on Wednesday Philippine time, crushing Wall Street estimates.

In short, Apple’s success is nothing less than historic.

Here’s just how historic…

1. Apple’s iPhone revenue was more than three times Google’s total revenue in the third quarter of 2014, $16.5 billion.

2. And Apple’s iPhone revenue was almost twice Microsoft’s total quarterly revenue of $26.5 billion last quarter.

3. At 74.5 million units, Apple sold over 7 times as many phones as Microsoft’s Nokia business.

4. In fact, 74.5 million iPhones is more than Apple sold during its entire 2011 fiscal year. (The four leftmost bars on this chart, as Apple’s fiscal year starts in October.)

5. It’s also 20 million more iPhones than Netflix has paid subscribers, 54.5 million.

6. Apple has $178 billion in cash, more than enough to buy IBM at its current market cap of $152.3 billion.

7. In fact, Apple could buy Ford, GM, and Tesla and still have $41.3 billion left over.

8. Apple sold 21.4 million iPads last quarter. That was considered a disappointment, but was at least one for every person in the state of New York.

9. Apple’s iPad revenue alone, $9 billion, is more than enough to buy GoPro at its current market cap of $6.6 billion.

10. Apple sold 5.52 million Macs last quarter, enough for to give every person in Ireland one of their own.

11. Apple’s Mac revenue was $6.9 billion last quarter. That’s more than the GDP of Monaco.

12. Before today's earnings, Apple’s market cap was $640 billion. That is more than the GDP of all but 25 countries. Number 26, South Africa, had a GDP of $596 billion in 2013, according to CIA estimates.

13. Apple’s net income last quarter was $18 billion, the largest quarterly earnings for any company ever.

14. The previous record was held by Gazprom, Russia’s enormous oil and gas company, which booked $16.2 billion in profit in August 2011. In fact, every other company in the top 25 most profitable quarters of all time is an energy company.

Note: This is part of a story that appeared on one of our content partner sites, Business Insider.

Read more stories on Business Insider, Malaysian edition of the world’s fastest-growing business and technology news website. Main image via Associated Press.

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