2010 v11n2 -SEXY EYE CANDIES

EDITOR’SNOTE PUBLISHER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF TECHNICAL EDITOR LIFESTYLE EDITOR EDITOR-AT-LARGE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CONTRIBUTORS SENIOR ART DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR

Maribelle Alba Armin Amio John Nieves Michelle Callanta Presy Alba Danee Torres Benjamin Arnold, Francis Tan Paolo Toledo, Steven Vea Chad Villarmino Benjamin Arnold

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Maribelle Alba

Gone are the days of tried-and-tested formulas. These days, consumers are now more opinionated, more risqué, more in-your-face than ever. Audiences can handle much more quirkiness, more daring innovations, more exotic flavors and so on. In short; audiences no longer tolerate being treated like yesteryear’s uninformed, easily shocked, inexperienced, and middle-of-the-road. Consumers can now handle just about anything—except being meek. They have become a tad more daring and diverse in their quest to move with the culture. This month, we try to be more risqué by veering away from the conventional. The cover says it all—instead of the usual pretty lady, we’ve upped the ante and brought you five Eyecandies. Then, there’s a feature on out-of-this-world gadgets and even a story on nude bodies as musical instruments. Don’t forget about our Relic feature on codpieces as well as a sidebar story on finding your (platonic) match. Don’t fret—you can still find our regulars on Parade and Gadgetlsab—not to mention our features on Gaming, Downloads, etc. So sit back and relax and read on as we transport you to the quirks and flukes of the gadget world.

SALES & ADVERTISING MANAGER Marisa Consuelo ACCOUNT MANAGERS MJ Gonzales-Esteban, Carol Agabin ADVERTISING AGENTS Bess Zamora, Val Villamar ONLINE MARKETING & EVENTS OFFICER Francis Tan CIRCULATION ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE

Lorie Bernardo, Salvador Da, Jr.

LEGAL COUNSEL

Alba Law Office

GADGETS Magazine is published monthly by Great Minds Media Incorporated. Address all correspondence to

9-B Evening News Street, West Triangle, Quezon City. Our telephone numbers are 332-4004, 376-7356 and 514-8321. Our website is: www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph Our email addresses are:

editors@gadgetsmagazine.com.ph gadgetsmagazine@gmail.com All unsolicited manuscripts, illustrations and photos submitted must be accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope if they are to be returned. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Every care is taken to ensure that the content of Gadgets is fully accurate; however, the publisher and printer assume no responsibility for the effects arising therefrom. Gadgets Magazine is a registered trademark of Great Minds Media Incorporated.

THECOVER Armin A. Amio Editor in chief

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Tess Pascua, Amy Christine Giray

Photographed by Niko G. Villegas for Edge of Light for Nikon D3s Art direction by Chad Villarmino Styled by Danee Torres Makeup by Jo Ticzon & Leo de Castro Hair by Gilbert Lago & Ronald Quirino Accessories by Marge Abas of Estrellas Manila & Sharlene Tan of Vita Fede Shot on Location at 360 Bar and Restaurant Special thanks to Mr. Bong Velasco

SEPTEMBER2010 VOLUME 11 NUMBER 2

CONTENTS 6

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The freshest gadgets make their debut in our parade section. Go ahead and add more items on your wishlist. We know you want to.

Nokia takes us on an exploration of their quality-control processes.

Zen Asia spa pairs budget-friendly Quest proves that Filipino talent services with quailty massages. is a force to be reckoned with.

PARADE

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GADGETSLAB

This issue we’re testing everything from a tablet PC to a fierce video card to a cabin trolley, take your pick gadgeteers.

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FEATURE

Architect Ed Calma is a back-toback champion of the Sub-Zero and Wolf Kitchen Design Contest.

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COVERSTORY

We’ve featured reliable gadgets. We’ve tested revolutionary gadgets. But this issue’s coverstory is a first on the most bizarre gadgets on the planet.

MOBILITY

Ford has a new addition to the Ford Focus lineup that’s bigger and better.

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WELLNESS

Stay healthy by making your diet a colorful one. Robot-assisted surgery at The Medical City helps patients have less downtime for healing. Makati Medical Center showcases the most revolutionary ultrasound device yet. Belo Medical Center keeps you young with Ultherapy, a collagen-building, non-invasive procedure.

Luxury cars beware! The Jaguar is back.

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The all-new, incredibly stylish Ford Fiesta arrives in Manila.

LIFE&STYLEPARADE

Time to put Summer in a trunk and bring the rain gear out. We’ll keep you (and your babies) fashionable from head to toe!

Toyota launches a minivan and it’s a must-see. Car companies go green at the 3rd Philippines International Motor Show.

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LIFE&STYLEFEATURE

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Avoid the awkward silences by peeping online information on topics that are taboo.

For all you geeks who camped out for it, Starcraft II is finally here. And we’ve got the deets.

WEBSITES

BEAUTYLAB

GAMING

Sleep is so fleeting but with Tempur’s new Promessa bed, you can softly sail into dream land.

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CDREVIEW

Jack Johnson keeps his niceguy image with his latest album To The Sea. Toro Y Moi hypnotizes listeners with his unique singing style. Taio Cruz will be the new iPod or club favorite with his catchy melodies and heavy beats.

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LISTEN

Local R&B talent Quest shares his vision for the present generation and his passion for music. Music touches the soul while the body makes music―quite literally. Get In Touch makes music through naked bodies.

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EVENTS

Rhian Ramos parties it up with the “phone that gets you”― the HTC Smart. In celebration of their ten-year anniversary, Gadgets Magazine shares the blessings.

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RELIC Stuffed, bejeweled and padded, oh my! The codpiece is one trend that was left in the Renaissance period.

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PHOTOFEATURE The Eye Candies are a sight for sore eyes and are delish on the ears.

PARADE

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AOC E2237FW LED monitor Have a gander at the new AOC e2237Fw and marvel at its elegance. This particular LED-backlit monitor is ultra-slim, with most of the cabinet a mere 22mm thick, a feat achieved by placing all circuit boards on the lower section of the monitor. The AOC e2237Fw has an i-Care sensor that detects the intensity of surrounding light and automatically adjusts the monitor’s brightness to help protect the eyes from strain and fatigue. An adjustable blue LED light bar on the front panel can illuminate the keyboard when working in the dark, helpful when pulling an all-nighter to finish that long-overdue report. You’ll also be doing your bit for Mother Nature, as the AOC e2237Fw is a green monitor, with low power consumption that qualifies it for EPEAT Silver certification.

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CANON VIXIA FS300, HF M300 TOUCHSCREEN & HF R100 Camcorders While there are cameras that can record video, even HD video, they don’t hold a candle to a dedicated camcorder. Canon’s VIXIA FS300, HF M300 and HF R100 are aimed at consumers who want great looking videos without draining their wallet. Built with user friendliness in mind, these new camcorders from Canon are easily one of the best camcorders you can buy in the market.

VIXIA FS300

Conveniently record direct to an SD or SDHC memory card with the VIXIA FS300 to ensure that your memories are preserved in a safe and secure format. This camcorder also gives you go-anywhere convenience and flexibility with its compact design and QuickCharge feature, which gives you a full hour of recording power with just 20 minutes of charging. The Advanced Video Snapshot allows you to capture highlights of your best memories and blend in music from an external source. Simply record a series of video clips (selectable 2-, 4- or 8-second recording times)—or you can even select your favorite clips while in playback mode—and blend in your favorite music to create exciting videos for everyone’s entertainment.

Php 19,950

VIXIA HF R100

Gone are the days when HD camcorders are break-the-bank purchases. With the VIXIA HF R100, you can record and playback full HD video for the price of a high-end mobile phone. You don’t only get to enjoy Full 1920x1080 images you also get to shoot in style with its ultra-sleek, compact and lightweight design. Enhancing the experience is Advanced Canon Face Detection Technology that delivers precise focus and exposure in people scenes, while the improved DIGIC DV III Image Processor provides superb color and imaging performance. Zoom in on the action with 20x Optical Zoom and capture subjects with stunning clarity even from a distance.

Php 31,950

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VIXIA HF M300 Touchscreen

The new HF M300 combines responsiveness and performance to give you an enjoyable shooting experience that’s possible only with the power of touch. Its 2.7-inch touchpanel LCD screen literally puts cuttingedge Canon technologies at your fingertips, giving you access to its 15x HD Video Lens and advanced Smart Auto that automatically selects the best settings for a wide range of shooting scenarios. Delight in the Touch & Track the feature that lets you select the point of focus with a simple tap on the screen. Video sharing is also hassle-free with the HF M300. Its HD-to-SD DownConversion feature via the bundled Pixela Software lets you convert a copy of recorded HD video to standard definition files while safely preserving the original. These standard-definition files are much smaller in size and are more convenient to edit, share or upload online.

Php 49,950

CANON IXUS 300 HS Digital camera The new Canon IXUS 300 HS marks a unique marriage of style and function. Featuring the ground-breaking high-sensitivity “HS” System, it offers unprecedented imaging quality in demanding lighting situations. This new performance-driven camera incorporates a 10-megapixel CMOS (back-illuminated) sensor and DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor that counters the negative effects of camera shake and minimizes blurring. The IXUS 300 HS is also the first digital IXUS camera capable of high-speed shooting. The camera can achieve up to 8.4 shots per second in High-Speed Burst mode. With this handy feature, users can document fast sequences such as sports activities. It can also shoot 240 frames per second and then playback in Super Slow Motion at 30 frames per second for that cinematic look and feel. Images and videos can be viewed comfortably on the camera's 3-inch, 16:9 widescreen LCD.

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SAMSUNG N220PLUS Netbook Don’t you hate it when your netbook dies out on you in the middle of writing that magnum opus? That won’t happen with the Samsung N220 Plus which offers up to 14 hours of secure connected mobility. The impressive battery-powered performance is possible because overall power consumption is reduced by the energy efficient LED display, optimized performance and Samsung’s proprietary Enhanced Battery Life Solution. The N220Plus also has several display features that enhance its user’s visual experience. The new netbook’s 10.1-inch LED anti-reflective display fine tunes movies and images with the sharpest images and boldest colors, and there is no mirror effect under bright lights or in sunny weather. Using the integrated Easy Resolution Manager Tool, screen resolution can easily be changed if a program or game needs to be viewed in 1024 x 768. For added visual enhancements, the new N220 Plus offers an integrated Digital LiveCam for video-conferencing or live messaging.

Php 24,900

SAMSUNG N150PLUS Netbook Look good and work smart with the Samsung N150Plus netbook. With its high-quality design and great value the Samsung N150 Plus offers users all they need in a portable netbook. The N150Plus has a mark and scratch resistant Samsung durable casing to reduce the risk of any damage, which all adds up to a great long-term value. Its seamless and user friendly design take style to new height. It features an integrated hinge with smooth movement and high quality connection, so everything blends effortlessly together even when the netbook is open.

Php 21,900

SAMSUNG R440 & R480 Notebooks Get smart and get Samsung’s R440 and R480 lineup of notebooks. With the built-in Intel Core i-5 processor, Samsung’s new notebooks move faster by allocating power where it’s needed the most. Whether you’re creating high definition video, composing digital music, editing photos, or playing the coolest PC games, Samsung’s new R440 and R480 enable you to multitask with ease and be more productive than ever. These models all come in Samsung’s new Touch of Color crystal finish, with a distinctive S-pattern, together with LED touchpad lighting and a low-profile island keyboard for a seamless and elegant look with exceptional haptics. Add to this the AnyPC remote PC access application that enables a secure one-click connection to a home or office PC, making it safe and easy to transfer and view files on the go. The unique Phoenix FailSafe software provides a useful tool for tracking your PC if it’s stolen. This powerful theft deterrence service lets you track the location of a lost or stolen netbook and encrypt, manage, retrieve or erase your vital data. 12

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R480 R440

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iFinger L

OZAKI iFINGER Stylus The iFinger stylus is a must-have for those who have a touchscreen device. Featuring a very soft tip, the iFinger offers a more delicate touch than your finger. Now your screen is better protected from scratches. iFinger stylus M measures only 4 cm in length and it comes with a strap which you can attach to your device. The iFinger L is longer at 12.5cm in length. It has double features— the other end of it is a ballpoint pen so you get a pen and a stylus all in one. Both models come in black and white colors.

iFinger M NEO ÉLAN L4300-3D 3D gaming laptop Hard-core gamers, this one’s for you. The NEO Élan L4300-3D takes advantage of Nvidia’s 3D Vision technology, which is a combination of an advanced graphics processor unit (Nvidia GeForce GTX 285M), specialized 3D glasses, software and a certified display in order to deliver an immersive stereoscopic 3D experience. Feature set is impressive—Intel Core i7-740QM, dual channel 4GB DDR3 that can be expanded up to 8GB, 15.6-inch HD 3D display panel (16:9 aspect ratio at 1366 x 768 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate required for 3D), Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity, 1.3-megapixel web cam, Blu-ray combo drive, USB 3.0, and the list goes on.

SHURE PG 27 Microphones Designed with a flat frequency response for natural reproduction, the PG27 side-address microphone features a large diaphragm and a high SPL threshold that handles a wide variety of acoustic, amplified and vocal sound sources—with professional clarity and guaranteed quality in every application. The mic comes bundled with a stand adapter and zippered pouch. Recommended uses for live vocals, acoustic guitars and studio instruments.

Php 7,900 Php 9,680 (with USB cable)

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SAMSUNG I5500 GALAXY 5 Smartphone Samsung is spreading the Android love with the Galaxy 5. The latest offering from the Korean manufacturing giant is aimed at a younger audience, and as such comes loaded with fun and exciting connectivity features like Facebook and Twitter. The Galaxy 5 is armed with a 2.8-inch QVGA TFT LCD, and is powered by Google’s Android OS 2.1 (Éclair). The Galaxy 5 is also equipped with excellent connectivity features including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1. Samsung’s AllShare technology that enables you to control, search, swap and play videos, photos, and music across a full range of DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance)-certified Samsung devices, including notebooks and TVs.

SAMSUNG CHAMP Mobile phone Are you planning to switch to touch technology without having to break the piggy bank? Samsung’s newest bar phone could be the one for you. The Samsung Champ’s simple yet intuitive menu format is designed to fit its compact size and is optimized precisely for the user’s needs. The main screen features an extended 3x3 widget menu format with options for clock, calendar, shortcuts, and my buddies. The touch screen is also ideal for SMS with friends, downloading apps from Samsung Apps, or playing Java-based videogames. The Samsung Champ also enables an immersive music experience with a built-in wireless FM radio, 3D sound effects and a dual loud speaker. With its long battery life, consumers won’t have to sacrifice portability and can enjoy hours of multimedia use. Users can download java applications from Samsung Apps and enjoy embedded java apps. The Samsung Champ also offers Bluetooth connectivity, a micro SD card slot with up to 8GB of memory and comes complete with headset and charger. Consumers will also enjoy the 1.3 megapixel built-in camera.

Php 4,980

ACER TIMELINE X Notebook The original Timeline was an excellent notebook that gave users extended battery endurance although some users found the performance tradeoff a bit wearisome. The new Timeline X addresses this flaw by adding more powerful processor choices. Users now have a choice between Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. It’s about 25mm thin, so bringing it along won’t be an issue. It’s also great for watching a movie or two, as the Timeline X is capable of delivering great sound courtesy of Dolby Home Theater v3 or Dolby Sound Room and an HDMI 1.3 port.

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GENIUS GHP 205 Earphones If you're one of those who use their iPods as their jogging buddies, you'll need some high-quality earphones. Genius now has the GHP205, advanced in-ear earphones especially created for the sporty type. Featuring extremely soft ear hooks, GHP-205 can keep up with your workout activities. It's made of moisture resistant material which allows sweat to pass around the headphones so you won't feel uncomfortable having it on. GHP-205 comes with an iPhone / iPodcompatible gold-plated adaptor, dual-plug for when on the plane, and a pouch for easy carrying. It comes in 3 sizes of ear cushions and 2 sizes of ear hooks to perfectly fit in your ears.

Php 725

HTC WILDFIRE Smartphone There’s no denying everybody loves HTC smartphones, but not everyone can afford the premium prices that come with these gorgeous devices. Well, fret not. You can have the same HTC goodness and Sense sensibilities without the hefty price tag with the HTC Wildfire. It has all the Android goodness you’d come to expect from an HTC-built smartphone—the Éclair 2.1, Marketplace access and social network integration through HTC’s Friend Stream. You can even recommend apps you from the Android marketplace to other people via Twitter, text or email.

LENOVO IDEAPAD S10-3 S Netbook Lenovo seems fit to sprinkle a touch of class on its IdeaPad line with the S103s. This netbook is equipped with all the accoutrements that you’d find in a notebook—Intel Atom N470, Windows 7 Home Basic, Wi-Fi and optional 3G. The real draw of the IdeaPad S10-3 is its colorful cover options, which include a tasteful magenta version that’s sure to be a hit with the ladies.

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LG INFINIA LX9500 3D Full LED TV Get ready to have your boots rocked. The LG Infinia LX9500 brings the 3D experience to your living room like never before. The full LED LG Infinia LX9500 is set to redefine your viewing experience, whether it's traditional full HD movies and video, or cutting edge 3D Blu-ray titles. Its extremely thin profile makes it the perfect centerpiece to any living room, and the wireless connectivity gives it more functionality than just being a gigantic 55-inch LED TV. If you love sports and lightning-fast action scenes, the LX9500’s TruMotion 480Hz is the ultimate feature. It virtually eliminates motion blur from fast-paced scenes and delivers them in crystal clarity.

POLAROID TWO Digital camera Tired of waiting to get near a printer for a hard copy of your precious photos? Fret no more as Polaroid has teamed up with ZINK Imaging Inc. to release the Polaroid Two, a new instant digital camera with a built-in printer. It can snap a 5-megapixel image and print it on demand, making it the ideal camera to share memories with family and friends. Printing 2x3-inch photos has never been more convenient, as the Polaroid Two also prints on Zink Photo Paper with an adhesive back while keeping the basics of a digital camera.

Php 9,995

DELSEY SMART AND LIGHT TRAVEL Cabin trolley Prevent those thieves from getting into your carryon luggage. Delsey’s Smart and Light Travel cabin trolley with X’pert Lite technology is probably your best bet when it comes to securing your precious carry-on possessions. The lightweight 53-centimeter cabin trolley features the Delsey-patented Zip Securi Tech system which prevents the zipper on your luggage to be forced open. It’s been known that in less than two seconds, thieves armed with nothing more than a pen, can force open your luggage while your back is turned, while it’s in transit, or while it’s separated from you, turning a journey into a nightmare. A must-have solution to a serious travel problem. Available in anthracite gray, blue or iced brown.

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KYOCERA FS-1100 Laser printer

High-speed and compact, the Kyocera FS-1100 promises efficiency and reliability providing more prints in less time. It can even print on both sides for added cost savings. Kyocera printers are well known for classleading low total cost of ownership and low cost per page printing, not to mention long-life components and cost-friendly consumables. The FS-1100 can print 28 pages per minute with true 1,200 dpi resolution.

KYOCERA FS-2020D Monochrome printer

When productivity and efficiency are crucial, the FS-2020D is the perfect printer. With a print speed of 35 pages per minute, it works at a remarkable pace providing double-sided printing, a 500-sheet paper cassette, not to mention being user friendly. USB and parallel connectivity are standard so you can even print PDF files directly from any USB flash memory disk.

PRO BT

CARNAVI ECO 300 AND PRO BT GPS Those directionally-challenged among you listen up: there's an easier way to get around the metro without asking manong tricycle driver for directions. The carNAVi ECO 300 and Pro BT make traveling easier by giving you a precise map of the immediate area. They're also capable of providing detailed turn-by-turn guidance, and are able to steer you through U-turns that other car navigation solutions shy away from. The ECO 300 has a 3.5-inch touchscreen display, while the Pro BT has a 4.4-inch touchscreen, making GUI navigation quick and easy.

ECO 300 | Php 9,900 Pro BT | Php 14,900

ECO 300

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GADGETSLAB SAMSUNG NX10

Mirrorless interchangeable lens camera Small size, big performance

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27 NOKIA 7230

ASUS ARES

Back to basics

Dominate your game

Mobile phone

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25 Video card

SAMSUNG WAVE S8500 Smartphone

An ocean of adventure

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GADGETSLAB

The ability of the display to swivel will definitely be useful for presentations, but if entertainment is what concerns you, the 1825PTZ is equipped with an Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics card, so rest assured that images and video are crisp and clear. You won’t have any problem playing back HD movies, but you will run into some disappointments when it comes to gaming.

ACER 1825PTZ Tablet PC By Steven Vea

Acer has always been a reputable and reliable brand that has created a range of quality products. Its latest innovation, the Acer Aspire 1825PTZ convertible laptop, is a tablet PC that is at the forefront of its class. When you unbox the 1825PTZ, you are welcomed by Acer’s classic and suave glossy sapphire blue chassis, which is accompanied by a stylish protective black sleeve. Once you lift the tablet PC from its styrofoam cradle, you will probably be surprised at its light weight (approximately 1.7kg,) despite its dimensions. Opening the lid, we were greeted by Acer’s raised and full-sized FineTip keyboard, which occupies the majority of the laptop’s workspace. This is inarguably the 1825PTZ’s most positive characteristic, and will be the force drawing consumers in. On the other hand, the multigesture touchpad is perhaps its weakest physical trait, as this reviewer found it to be awkward with an almost impossibly small area of real estate to navigate with. However, you will most likely use the excellent touchscreen to navigate anyway, but let us tackle 24

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that later. On the upper left hand corner above the keyboard is a physical button for quick system backup, and above that, on the display’s bezel, is a multifunction “P” button (Ctrl Alt Del, Print Screen, and one customizable slot), which will eventually come in handy if you decide to purchase the 1825PTZ. On the right side are the multicard reader, mic/earphone jacks, 2USB ports, Ethernet port, and the elusive sliding power button, which was initially difficult to locate. On the left hand side you will find the HDMI and VGA ports, the power adapter connector, and an additional USB port. While there is no optical drive, the 1825PTZ certainly comes armed with enough options. Upon turning on the convertible laptop, Windows 7 Home Premium boots up with the help of an Intel Pentium SU4100 processor at 1.3GHz, accompanied by 2GB DD3 RAM, which boasts a lot of power for such a small piece of hardware. The 11.6-inch LED display with a resolution of 1366x768 is clear, bright and vivid, yet is quite reflective. Using the 1825PTZ in a

well illuminated area might pose some difficulties, and positioning your laptop in relation to the light source might present a small hurdle, but this is not a major issue to be concerned with. With reflections aside, the touchscreen itself is quite responsive, although the lack of a bundled stylus leaves much to be desired. However using your finger to navigate through Windows 7 is quite a breeze, considering the small size of the 1825PTZ. To cater to your touchscreen lust, this laptop comes installed with Acer’s Touch Portal—which is an entertainment hub featuring games, a notepad and other applications. The plastic hinge which allows the 1825’s display to swivel 180 degrees clockwise feels sturdy enough so as not to make you worry when transforming the laptop into a tablet. Once the screen has been rotated and folded neatly above the keyboard, the 1825PTZ looks elegant and chic, and functions quite well in this mode. The only hurdle will be the 1825PTZ’s weight, which will probably cut your tablet experience shorter than you might like.

In short, the Acer Aspire 1825PTZ is ideal for business professionals who want a small, mobile and convertible laptop. With an amazing battery life of up to 8 hours, this touchscreen notebook/ tablet is a gadget that should definitely find its way into your inventory of mobile technology.

SPECIFICATIONS SCREEN SIZE 11.6" HD, 1366 x 768 resolution, LEDbacklit TFT LCD with integrated multi-touch screen MEMORY 2 GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory CPU AND CHIPSET Intel Pentium processor SU4100, 1.30GHz, Mobile Intel GS45 Express Chipset WIRELESS USED Intel WiFi Link 802.11b/g PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS 85 x 208.9 x 28.5mm

WHAT’S HOT Converts into a tablet Large ergonomic keyboard Responsive touchscreen 8-hour battery life

WHAT’S NOT Small touchpad Quite heavy for a tablet No optical drive

8.3 BOTTOMLINE The Acer Aspire 1825PTZ is an excellent convertible laptop well worth the money. With this product, you certainly have the best of what a laptop and tablet can offer, all in one compact gadget.

GADGETSLAB

ASUS ARES Video card By John Nieves

In the world of enthusiast and highperformance gaming, bigger and faster is always best. It's a crowd that demands the absolute best in everything in their rigs, and is always pushing the limits of what the individual components can do. This is the crowd for which Asus made the Ares video card for. The Ares is possibly one of the fastest, if not the fastest, video card currently out in the market. Asus has managed to combine two Radeon 5870 GPUs and fused them together in a single PCB, throwing in 4GB of DDR3 memory and enough copper and metal to make a small statue. The result is a video card that's truly deserving of the god of war's name. You'll also want to check if your power supply and case is up to snuff before heading out and getting an Ares. Unsurprisingly, the Ares requires a lot of power, and needs a PSU that's capable of 750 watts minimum because it has three power connectors—two 8-pin and one 6-pin. It's also longer than most other video cards out there, and definitely longer than the Asus 5850 I had knocking around.

The overall length of the Ares is about 11 inches, and you'd want to make sure that your case is capable of accommodating this monster before you even think about buying one. The Ares comes in a posh metal briefcase that houses the card, a pair of dual 6-pin to 8-pin PCI Express power adapters, a DVI to HDMI adapter, a CrossFire bridge connector, a case badge, driver discs and manuals. The card even comes with a nice Republic of Gamers-branded mouse that has enough nifty little features to warrant a test of its own. The test bed for this particular monster is an Asus Rampage III Extreme board with an Intel Core i7 920 processor running at 2.67GHz with 12GB of DDR3 memory attached, and a Western Digital Black 640 GB hard drive. I tested the ARES with two benchmarking programs (Unigine and 3DMark Vantage) and two games—DICE's multiplayer slug fest Battlefield Bad Company 2 and the traditionally Nvidia dominated Batman: Arkham Asylum.

While I had a monitor capable of running resolutions of 1920 x 1200 at the time, the Unigine benchmarking software only wanted to run the test in 1360 x 768 resolution. Everything was set to high, and anisotropy was set to 4x with tessellation on normal. The ARES produced a score of 1934, with an average FPS of 76.8, currently one of the highest scores I've ever recorded using that particular benchmark. It was pretty much the same story with 3DMark, and this time around I was able to run the test with 1920 x 1200 resolution, again with everything cranked up to maximum. I only ran the GPU test since we're only testing the GPU here. The test results were again pretty impressive—the Ares managed to net a score of 16124, again one of the highest scores I've ever seen with any card. It only stands to reason that the Ares is great card to play with, and you're right. Battlefield Bad Company 2 ran extremely well, on the highest settings with nary a hiccup or slowdown. Same thing with Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Of course If you haven't guessed by now, all that raw performance comes at a price, and it's a pretty big one. The Asus Ares has a hefty price tag (about Php 53,910), and it's only available on special order through Asus Philippines. That's assuming you can even get one, as it's currently a limited release product with only 1,000 pieces produced.

WHAT’S HOT Possibly the fastest graphics card ever made Comes in a very nice case with a lot of extras and goodies

WHAT’S NOT Requires a lot of power Extremely expensive, very limited edition

9.5 BOTTOMLINE The Asus Ares isn't a practical card, but it's not aimed at practical people. If you absolutely want THE best card currently out in the market, this one is your best bet. 2010 SEPTEMBER

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GADGETSLAB

ASUS VG236 3D LCD monitor By John Nieves

3D is currently the buzzword of 2010, and it's not surprising that PC peripheral manufacturers want to get in on the action. Asus has already released 3D equipped notebooks to the wild and with its latest offering, the VG236, it is set on giving desktop jockeys a taste of 3D. Visually, the VG236 is the complete opposite of contemporary LCD designs. While other models have evolved into curved expressions with anorexic aesthetics, the VG236 is a large and boxy, giving a brash statement of power, much like a Hummer or a Land Rover Defender. This 23-inch panel is made for performance and not much else— featuring a 120Hz refresh rate, 1920 x 1080 resolution, and an Nvidia 3D vision kit that consists of a pair of active LCD shutter glasses, an infrared transmitter base, driver disk and all the assorted cables and wires associated with it. Setup is fast and easy, and the installation of the Nvidia 3D Vision kit is quick and painless. Take note though that to be able to use the Nvidia 3D Vision kit you'll need at least a Windows Vista or 7-equipped PC, Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon X2 processor, 26

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1GB memory, 100MB of free disk space, and naturally an Nvidia GeForce 9600GT video card (or better). The controls on the VG236 is pretty straightforward, and is located on the lower right side of the bezel. Connections are plenty, including HDMI, Dual-link DVI and component. Take note though that if you want to use the VG236 as a 3D monitor you'll have to utilize the Dual-link DVI port. I reviewed the VG236 with a reference Nvidia GeForce GTX470 with the latest 3D Vision drivers downloaded from the Nvidia website. Not all games are able to be rendered perfectly in 3D, and as such Nvidia grades games according to their compatibility: 3D Vision ready, excellent, good, fair, poor and not recommended. Based on prior experience with Nvidia’s 3D Vision tech, only games that have grades of 3D Vision ready and excellent are suitable, as screen artifacts and inaccurate depth scaling are more apparent in lower grades. The review games were Battlefield Bad Company 2 and two Nvidia 3D Vision-ready games: Batman: Arkham Asylum and Metro 2033. The 3D effect is definitely much

more pronounced in first person shooters like Battlefield Bad Company 2 and Metro 2033. In BBC2, there's definitely a distinct depth when looking down iron sights or weapon optics. The added depth takes on a new level in the Metro 2033, with the mutated denizens of Moscow taking on a new and frightening level of intensity. Batman: Arkham Asylum meanwhile plays out like an interactive 3D movie, and the fight scenes are definitely more enjoyable as a result. Lest we forget, the VG236 is also a highly capable standalone monitor. The high refresh rate and fast 2ms response time make it an excellent choice for both non-3D gaming and movie viewing. The colors are a bit saturated at the start, but nothing a bit of calibration can't fix. The more pressing issue here is price—as of writing, Asus does not have the local price of this particular monitor yet, but online retailers peg this particular monitor at about Php 22,448. The price might be a bit steeper than regular monitors, but you do have to take into account that that price includes an Nvidia 3D Vision kit that normally retails for about Php 8,000.

SPECIFICATIONS TECHNOLOGY 3D LCD SCREEN SIZE 23-inch widescreen CONTRAST RATIO 100,000:1 PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS 550 x 420 x 250mm HD CAPABILITY Full HD (1080p) CONNECTIONS Dual Link DVI, HDMI, Component

WHAT’S HOT Fully capable of 3D 2ms response time, 120Hz refresh rate Includes Nvidia 3D Vision kit

WHAT’S NOT Pricey Its aesthetics may not be for everyone

8.7 BOTTOMLINE While its price might be off putting to some, the Asus VG236 is actually one of the best complete 3D packages currently out in the market today.

GADGETSLAB

NOKIA 7230 Mobile phone

SPECIFICATIONS

By Michelle Callanta

Consider me one of the few who still believes that when it comes to gadgets (or anything technologically advanced), the simpler the better. A mobile phone is no exception, despite even the more sophisticated phones available in the market that seem to find themselves in the hands of students as well as professionals. So when my own personal Nokia N82 (which I’ve had for a couple of years now) began to show signs of aging, I didn’t shun away from the opportunity to have the Nokia 7230 for review and to have a brand-new phone at hand without worrying about it dying on me in less than a day. Now the 7230 admittedly doesn’t have the high-end features one would want from any other highend ergo more expensive phone. And I’m not here to compare it to that of a high-end phone as it is here to cater to the league of entrylevel, no-nonsense users who are satisfied with just the basic features, without breaking the bank or their

sense of style. The Nokia 7230 (either in black or pink) is a stylish slider. It’s curvy yet slim, trimmed with a chrome lining for that added luxury. However, the ribbed battery cover is a rather thin plastic sheet that seems flimsy and almost feels like it might just break in half if you’re not careful. The slider itself, on the other hand, is incredibly sturdy and slides smoothly with every push outward. Underneath are relatively spacious and large keys for easier onehand maneuvering, be it dialing or texting. The screen itself is bright and clear with a 240x320-pixel resolution while the interface is extremely easy to use. The default home screen is simple with the menu on your typical grid but you can also customize your phone to have shortcuts for either the left and right selection keys as well as the navigation keys. As for its added features, the Nokia

7230 comes with MMS, FM Radio, MP3 and AAC ringtones, Bluetooth connectivity, a phonebook for up to 2,000 entries, and (my personal favorite) the Nokia Xpress Audio Messaging which allows you to send voice messages instead of boring old texts. The music player is easy to navigate as with everything else you want to use, be it the recorder, calculator, or even the 3.2-megapixel camera, which has a dedicated button on the right side of the phone for quick activation. Pictures can be easily uploaded to Flickr or Nokia’s Ovi Share service. The 7230 doesn't have Wi-Fi capability. The 7230 comes with a wall charger that connects to the mini charging port at the top of the handset, although it can also be charged via its micro-USB port so you can transfer files and charge your phone at the very same time. Battery life is great and lasts a good 2-3 days with regular use, while calls are undeniably clear and crisp.

FORM FACTOR Slider LCD SIZE 2.4in.; TFT, 256K colors PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS 98mm x 48mm x 14.75mm WEIGHT 100g with battery BAND 2G - GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G - UMTS 900 / 2100 / 1900 UMTS 850 / 1900 / 2100 INTERNAL MEMORY 45MB, 2GB micro SD card included

WHAT’S HOT Stylish Easy to use Spacious keypad Can charge via micro-USB port

WHAT’S NOT Lackluster camera No Wi-Fi capability

8.2 BOTTOMLINE The Nokia 7230 is for those who want a phone that brings them back to the basics while keeping a sense of style and sophistication. 2010 SEPTEMBER

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GADGETSLAB

SAMSUNG NX10 Mirrorless interchangeable lens camera By John Nieves

I’m not a big fan of point-andshoots. Call me conditioned to the freedom of interchangeable lenses and customizable controls although lugging around a full-sized DSLR with three lenses isn’t an experience that’s particularly pleasant either. The new mirrorless interchangeable lens camera from Samsung, the NX10, aims to give users the best of both worlds—i.e. the footprint of a point-and-shoot with the versatility of an interchangeable lens system of traditional DSLRs. The Samsung NX10 looks deceptively enough like a DSLR. It has a viewfinder, manual controls on the right side within easy grasp, and the lens comes off like normal ones on a DSLR. But when you put it side by side with a DSLR is when the difference becomes apparent as the NX10 is considerably smaller. The NX10’s smaller footprint is achieved by eliminating the mirror box and the optical viewfinder, relying instead on a live-view type system that is projected on the 28

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NX10’s viewfinder and AMOLED LCD screen, which in turn reduces the lens mount to sensor length to just 25.5mm. What’s nice about the NX10 is that it’s completely built by Samsung from the ground up. There’s no legacy technology to limit it, and they are able to flex their manufacturing prowess and the result is a camera that’s fantastically made both inside and out. The NX10 is particularly well built with excellent materials and exhibits zero creaks. The 3-inch AMOLED display is of particular note, and is easily readable even in extreme viewing angles and under direct sunlight. If you prefer to shoot your subjects the old fashioned way, the NX10 also has an electronic viewfinder that has 100% frame coverage. While the NX10 is smaller than most DSLRs, that doesn’t mean it’s less capable. At the heart of the system is a 15.1-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor that’s about the same size as that of a conventional DSLR’s, giving

the NX10 an effective pixel count of 14.6 million. Picture quality is good, with the NX10 performing well even in higher ISO ranges. It is also able to shoot images in RAW format and capable recording video at 720p. The NX10 currently has three available lenses—30mm, 18-55mm, and 50-200mm. I did have several issues with the NX10, chief of which is when recording videos. There’s a noticeable lag when you press the shoot button to start recording. This is because the NX10 fades in the screen, which takes up at least a second before you can start recording. It does the same thing when you end recording; it slowly fades out, instead of cutting out immediately. It’s a bit of a bother to adjust to this particular shortcoming, especially if you’re in a situation where you can’t predict a certain action. Of course, the NX10 is designed to shoot pictures first and foremost, and that’s what it does really well.

SPECIFICATIONS SENSOR AND MEGAPIXEL COUNT APS-C type CMOS (23.4 x 15.6mm), 15.1 million total pixels, 14.6 million effective pixels AVAILABLE OPTICS SAMSUNG 30mm F2; SAMSUNG 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OIS; SAMSUNG 50-200mm F4-5.6 ED OIS PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS Weight (body only) Approx. 353 g

WHAT’S HOT Smaller and more compact than a traditional DSLR Great picture quality Has the same layout with DSLRs Excellent AMOLED screen

WHAT’S NOT Recording video is a bit slow

8.5 BOTTOMLINE Want the size of a point-and-shoot with the versatility of a DSLR? Look no further than the Samsung NX10.

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2010 SEPTEMBER

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GADGETSLAB

REWARDING CONNECTIONS WITH GLOBE Globe, TM and Tattoo subscribers have a reason to smile with roster of perks to savor from the best shops, restaurants and hotels from all over the Philippines with new perks from its loyalty programs. My Rewards, My Globe and TM AstigRewards will give Globe, TM and Tattoo users some of the best treats, deals and steals in town. If the kids are pleading to extend summer break, spend the day with them at Splash Island or Manila Ocean Park and get special discounts on your tickets. And if you decide to turn the trip into a long weekend, your Globe SIM can get you some great deals for a stay at some of the cushiest hotels around the country. If you can’t venture too far from home, stay in town at Quezon City’s Imperial Palace Suites. Traveling Luzon, you can de-stress at Nurture Spa in Tagaytay, and rest your weary head at Subic’s Lighthouse Marina Hotel, the Thunderbird Resort in La Union’s Poro Point or in Binangonan, Rizal, Baguio’s Hotel Veniz, or even as far north as Fort Ilocandia in Ilocos Norte. Special rates from Negros Navigation can even get you discounted fares from Metro Manila to the Visayas and Mindanao. Farther south, beach lovers can get seaside treats at Amorita in Bohol. When you visit Davao, you’ll get discounts for staying at the Marco Polo Hotel, Pearl Farm or Eden Garden Hotel; while in Cagayan de Oro’s Eden Garden Park, Pryce Plaza and Country Village Hotel or General Santos City’s Sydney Hotel, you can get special accommodation deals. Foodies will also love being Globe-connected because the menu is filled with treats. If you’re Metro Manila-based, you can get your culinary wishes granted with discounts or free gifts from a host of restaurants. Indulge your sweet tooth at Cheesecake etc., Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and Cerealicious; go exotic by dining at Banana Leaf, Pho24, Little Asia or Karate Kid; or take the whole family along to the kid-friendly KFC, North Park, Binalot and Jack’s Loft. Deals abound when you shop at stylish stores like Crumpler, Sumdex, Belkin and Giordano, while classic chic comes at great prices if you tote your Globe phone to Bree stores and selected Technomarine branches. There is no need to sign up; as long as your SIM is active, you’ll be automatically registered to the program. Even if you are abroad, as long as you have an active Globe SIM, you’re in. 30

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SAMSUNG PX2370 LED monitor By John Nieves

The South Korean electronics giant has been making flat panel displays not only for its own products but for other brands as well for a long time, and it’s only right to think that they’ve gotten the hang of it by now. Case in point is the PX2370. This particular display is what other LED monitors want to be when they grow up. Read on to see why. The PX2370 is a slim and sexy beast. The clear neck gives it that simple yet sophisticated look that Samsung’s known for. All the ports are on the back of the monitor, as well as the controls for the OSD. Only the power button is located on the front, where the stand meets the screen. There’s a variety of connections and ports to choose from, from DVI to HDMI. The PX2370 boasts of a multitude of features, like 100 % sRGB color reproduction, MagicEco which allows you to reduce power consumption while using the PX2370 and MagicLux that measures the ambient light and automatically adjust the screen for optimum brightness.

Performance wise, there’s very little to nitpick with the PX2370. Its 100% sRGB color reproduction means that it tries to match the color from the original source as closely as possible, a feature that photographers, layout artists and professionals require where color accuracy is important. The picture quality is of particular note, as the PX2370 has a 5,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio ensuring better pictures and blacker blacks. I tested the PX2370 with a 1080p version of Black Hawk Down, and came away impressed. Another feature that endeared me to the PX2370 is its extremely fast 2m response time—while I was playing Battlefield Bad Company 2 there were no signs of input lag or ghosting, making it an excellent display for discerning gamers. The only complaint I have with the PX2370 is the placement of the OSD controls. While there are on screen indicators that show up that correspond to the buttons on the back, it’s still a bit awkward to use, especially if you want to calibrate the monitor.

SPECIFICATIONS TECHNOLOGY LED LCD SCREEN SIZE 23-inches wide CONTRAST RATIO Digital contrast ratio, 5M:1 PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS (WITH STAND) 21.9" x 17.1" x 9.2" HD CAPABILITY Full HD, 100 % sRGB color reproduction CONNECTIONS DVI-I (Digital & Analog) x 1/HDMI x 1/ Audio out/Optical out

WHAT’S HOT 100 % sRGB color reproduction Incredibly slim Excellent movie performance and viewing angles

WHAT’S NOT Adjusting and calibrating the PX2370 is awkward due to button positioning.

9.0 BOTTOMLINE Looking for a monitor? You won’t do better than a Samsung PX2370.

GADGETSLAB LED flash was a joy to use. I always forget my digital camera and the Wave’s built-in camera more than sufficed my regular need to record those “Kodak” moments. What’s nice is that the Wave’s camera has autofocus, face/blink detection, vintage shot, beauty shot, smile shot, panorama shot, geo-tagging and image editor features! The Music Player has SoundAlive and music recognition features— accessed through the 3.5mm ear jack. Storing pictures, videos, music and files can be limited as the Wave only has a 2GB in-built memory although additional storage is allowed via microSD up to 32GB.

SAMSUNG WAVE S8500 Smartphone By Armin A. Amio

Some people choose their mobile phones according to their needs; others, to complement their lifestyles. But what if there’s a phone that can answer every user’s lifestyle and functional requirements? Samsung’s S8500, codenamed Wave, is such a phone. A phone of many firsts, the Wave is the South Korean’s first smartphone offering using its new open mobile platform called “bada” (or ocean in Korean). It’s also the first device to utilize a Super AMOLED screen. Packed with unequalled features and experiences, the Wave enables advanced customized communication with a simple tap of a button. The Samsung Wave feels comfortable in the hand. The aluminum-made body is smooth and ergonomically designed with soft edges on the corners. It is slim at only 10 millimeters but not ultra-anorexic that it slips off your digits. This device is seamless and streamlined, with a strong tempered glass display that has an antismudge feature eliminating messy fingerprints.

Power it up and the Wave’s Super AMOLED screen comes alive— indeed living up to the hype. This highly responsive display technology is now being used in Samsungs LCD and LED televisions The Wave’s display is a highresolution WVGA (800x480 pixels) screen with mDNIe (mobiIe Digital Natural Image engine) offering much clearer and less-reflective display. The colors came out clear and crisp and viewable even in direct sunlight—sure beating the heck out of its LCD- and LEDdisplayed rivals.

with the 1GHz processor ensuring swift applications—not to mention offering the best memory-intensive 3D graphics. One problem is that the app framework only allows one Bada application at a time. Multitasking is allowed between base applications stored in ROM and one Bada application.

I also liked the Wave’s multitouch capacitive screen that is extremely accurate. Coming from QWERTY phones, one issue I have with touchscreen displays is that I don’t know if I pressed the right key. In the S8500’s case, I did not have any problems texting messages, writing emails or surfing the web—despite its slim 3.3-inch screen. The Wave allows the user to choose whether to key in texts or messages using the QWERTY keyboard or with the handwriting recognition feature via full-screen display or text box.

I usually prefer surfing the Internet with my computer. However, the Wave’s Social Hub made mobile computing a whiz as it seamlessly integrates all major portals, emails, instant messaging and social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, among other. The Touch Wiz 3.0 is highly intuitive and customizable. I was able to integrate my contact information from all my online accounts, allowing me to easily find my contacts and select the best way to communicate with them. The Social Hub’s synchronized calendar also lets me arrange my schedule by integrating events from all my online accounts in a single display. For additional connectivity, the Wave has also been incorporated with Bluetooth 3.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11n.

The Wave is also extremely snappy,

The 5.0-megapixel camera with

Since its launch in November last year, Samsung opened an application store called Samsung Apps which allows you to download games, news, social networking, health related applications and more. Samsung Apps only has 300 applications on offer, of which 70 percent can be downloaded for free. I hope Samsung can entice more developers to design applications for this operating system. I understand it expects to have 7000 applications in its application store by the end of this year. Call quality is clear. I did not experience any dropped calls during the test period. Power given by the 1500mAH Li-Ion battery is also respectable, considering the brightness of the Super AMOLED screen.

SPECIFICATIONS FORM FACTOR Candybar LCD SIZE AND CLASSIFICATION 3.3 inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors PHYSICAL DIMENSION 118 x 56 x 10.9 mm OPERATING SYSTEM Bada OS 1.0 PROCESSOR ARM Cortex A8 1GHz WEIGHT 118 g BAND GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, HSDPA 900 / 2100 INTERNAL MEMORY 1.5 GB system storage, 390 MB user available storage

WHAT’S HOT Super AMOLED display Snappy processor Social Hub feature

WHAT’S NOT Limited application choices

8.6 BOTTOMLINE With all its good features and amenities, a phone as nicely designed as the Samsung S8500 Wave is definitely hard to ignore. 2010 SEPTEMBER

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GADGETSLAB

up. It comes equipped with a TSA lock—a requisite when you’re traveling to the US. The chart-topping feature, I think, is Delsey’s one-of-a-kind zipper technology that will put your mind at ease and away from scheming thieves. After conducting a survey among frequent travelers, the research and development team of Delsey discovered that a lock simply isn’t enough when it comes to securing your luggage. Because of need for luggage security, the Zip Securi Tech system was born.

DELSEY X-PERT LITE Cabin trolley By Armin A. Amio

I’ve had my share of luggage nightmares. I’ve lost count of the number of times when I had to sit on my luggage just so I can zip it up. There was this really cheap cabin trolley which I bought in Hong Kong just so I can have someplace to stash the goods I bought from one of my shopping sprees in the former British colony. The wheels on the darned thing broke after just 20 minutes; so I had to manually carry the luggage for the rest of the trip. Then there was a time when I retrieved my checkedin luggage from the carousel only to find out that somebody plied open its zipper to go through my things. There was also a time when I was in near panic in the airport in Rome because I thought my luggage went missing again—only to find out there were about three of us in the same flight with the same kind of luggage. I resorted to tying a red ribbon in the handle (which I find to be really tacky). But on my last trip to Vietnam, I found that there were quite a few of us with the same luggage and the same ribbon color. I also tried one of those hard-shell cover models 32

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but I found that you have to fill up the luggage space otherwise it could be damaged what with all the beatings the bags are subjected to in most airports. Mine had a big hole in the middle when I retrieved it in my destination. It was a good thing I had it wrapped in saran plastic at NAIA before I checked in the luggage. But after seeing the Delsey X-Pert Lite cabin trolley I know I won’t be encountering these luggage troubles. I got the Marrön glacé (translation: Iced brown) color instead of the usual black or gray. The color is just right for me. Plus, it’s treated with Teflon so dirt and grime will not stick to it. Cabin trolleys of yesteryears were quite heavy. This is especially taxing to passengers who will still have to pull them while maneuvering through the airport and the plane cabin. I usually get a sore shoulder after a flight, thanks to my previous very heavy cabin trolley. The Delsey X-pert Lite is light (only 3.4 kilograms) which leaves me about 11.4 kilograms of flight necessities

I can bring inside the plane. (I do bring a change of clothes during long-haul flights together with toiletries, camera, netbook, etc.). It’s also very spacious (measuring 37 x 53 x 24 cm) and can accommodate up to 31 liters. What’s nice is that the Delsey X-Pert Lite has two compartments. A partition with a cloth flap on the cover is just right for a pair of trousers, undies and top). The main compartment with extendable straps can house my gadgets and toiletries. There are also three pockets—one with zipper and two with gartered openings to store those small thingies so they won’t be all over the luggage. Delsey also provided a strap on top of the luggage so you can fasten that extra bag. The frame is impact resistant but flexible enough to withhold any kind of external stress. I also liked the X-Pert Lite’s silent wheels. I used to have a trolley with wheels that created such a racket when I pulled it. Everyone stared my way, perhaps to tell me that I needed to shut my cabin luggage

The Zip Securi Tech system was designed to make travel not just worry-free, but also hassle-free. From the outside, this special Delsey zip looks like any other kind of zipper. But the secret lies in the mechanism which an airport crook will be unable to destroy. The Zip Securi Tech system is another innovative creation by Delsey, and is unique to the brand. I’ve been told that no other luggage manufacturer has this type of technology. I just have one issue with the luggage’s telescopic handle which could worsen in succeeding trips if the bolts were not tightened. With the Delsey Zip Securi Tech system, flying off to see the world becomes truly worry-free and wonderful.

WHAT’S HOT Zip Securi Tech system Silent wheels Teflon coating Compartments galore

WHAT’S NOT Problem with the telescopic handle Pricey

8.7 BOTTOMLINE Business travelers have finally found in the Delsey X-Pert Lite a cabin trolley that meets all their needs and requirements.

GADGETSLAB

2010 SEPTEMBER

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PALIT GTX460 SONIC Videocard By John Nieves

While Nvidia has been parading its high-end Fermi line in the form of the GTX470 and GTX480, the people who are really in the know believe the real money is in the $180-to$200 price range of videocards, currently being dominated by ATI's 5850. Its initial attempt at breaking ATI's stranglehold on the lucrative price point in the form of the GTX465 didn't fare so well, aside from suffering from the same issues as its older brothers, namely high energy use and heat output, it's also not that much faster which is disappointing for a card based on a new architecture. The GTX460 is Nvidia’s second attempt at the lucrative mid- to high-end videocards, and makes up for all the faults of the GTX465 in a big way. The Palit GTX460 is based on Nvidia’s GTX460 and carries a cutdown version of the Fermi chip. Looking at its specs and numbercrunching abilities, the GTX460 looks promising—336 CUDA cores, same number of TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) as the GeForce GTX 470 with 56 in total which is 27% more than the GeForce GTX 465, and a memory clocked at 900MHz (3600MHz DDR). 34

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The card itself is housed in a simple cardboard container that has the card, connections and CD. Surprisingly enough, the Palit version is shorter than the reference card that Nvidia sent us—meaning it should fit smaller towers. This is definitely a plus point for people with smaller rigs. There's a 75mm fan that provides cooling, as well as copper heat pipes and a heat sink. It uses two 6 pin PCie power connections, suggesting a power draw of about 160 watts. For the review, I was fortunate enough to be in possession of an Nvidia reference GTX460 and the Palit GTX460 Sonic. The testbed for this particular review was an Asus Rampage III Extreme paired with 12GB of memory and an Intel Core i7 920 processor, with a 600GB Western Digital HDD. Tests were done with the Unigine Heaven and Futuremark benchmarking software, with settings on high and a resolution of 1920 x 1080 for both cards. The Palit GTX460 Sonic performed admirably, especially when compared to the reference card. The NVIDIA reference card scored 7248 points, while the Palit GTX460

scored 10711 points, indicating higher performance. The Unigine benchmark result was pretty much the same, with the reference card netting only 579 points and an average framerate of 23, while the Palit GTX460 scored 663 points with an average frame rate of 26.3. The higher scores are probably a direct result of the card being factory overclocked. Enthusiasts need not fret though—Palit has left quite a bit of headroom for overclocking. The Palit GTX460 performed well in two of our test games: Battlefield Bad Company 2 and Batman: Arkham Asylum. The Palit GTX460 ran both games extremely well on full detail without any problems. I'd daresay it ran even better than 465 we tested a while back, which isn't exactly a surprise as Nvidia has had time to properly streamline its code and drivers, and the results are showing. Nvidia is finally on the right track with the GTX460. The Palit GTX460 Sonic is just one of the many offerings being rolled out by Nvidia’s hardware partners, which offers excellent performance and value for money.

SPECIFICATIONS SCREEN SIZE 16" HD (1366x768) Vesa Like MEMORY DDR3 1066 MHz SDRAM, 2 x SODIMM socket for expansion up to 8GB SDRAM CPU AND CHIPSET Intel Core i5-430M Processor 2.26 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 2.53GHz WIRELESS USED Integrated 802.11a/b/g/n PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS 38.4 x 26.5 x 2.79cm WARRANTY 1 year warranty

WHAT’S HOT Excellent TDP (Thermal Design Power) Consumes only 160 watts Shorter than reference design Performs better than reference design

WHAT’S NOT Would benefit from more software extras

8.2 BOTTOMLINE The Palit GTX460 Sonic is an excellent piece of kit, and slides into the sweet spot of top performance with excellent value.

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MOBILITY

FORD INTRODUCES UPGRADES TO FOCUS LINEUP Ford Group Philippines last month announced the latest to its Ford Focus lineup. The latest installment in the upgrades is also timed with the launch of an enhanced ownership experience with Ford's 24-hour parts delivery guarantee.

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“The Focus just keeps on getting better and better—now, with welcomed improvements to both our product offering and service experience,” says Steven Tan, Ford Group Philippines vice president for sales and marketing. “There is no doubt that the Focus is one of the nameplates that truly embraces Ford’s thrust to allow customers to appreciate the transformation in our brand. In the local market, there is no better time for us to translate this idea into real customer benefits and offerings that make a difference in the way our customers see, experience and feel the Ford brand than with the 2010 Ford Focus.” With the latest evolution of the Ford Focus, the new product features further bolster the vehicle not only for better on-road performance but also driver and passenger

comfort and convenience. “We have revamped our Ford Focus lineup with additional features to showcase the class-first technology and performance of this well-crafted vehicle,” said Tan. The Ford Focus Sport Hatch boasts of a new front bumper giving it a sportier edge, with body color matching front hood bar and fog lamp bezel. Its latest innovative offering is through the 16- inch ST Design Wheels, specially designed for ultimate comfort and smooth driving. With class-first features such as rain sensing wipers, auto on/off headlamps, and an auto dimming rear view mirror, this Ford Focus Sport is geared for optimum performance on the road, with the same comfort and convenience.

MOBILITY

The Ford Focus Ghia TDCi sports the same innovative 16-inch ST design wheels, rain sensing wipers, auto on/off headlamps, and auto dimming rear view mirror, while the Ford Focus Ghia Petrol’s additional features include rain sensing wipers, auto on/off headlamps, and auto dimming rear view mirror. The Ford Focus 1.8 L Trend sedan and hatch have been packed with 16” alloy wheels, upgraded from its past 15-inch wheels, and now, with a front passenger airbag in addition to the driver airbag, ensuring driver and passenger safety when on the road. One of the Ford Focus’ most distinctive features has always been the Ford PowerShift TDCi difference. The technology delivers the fuel efficiency and dynamics of a manual gearbox with the driving ease and full comfort of a premium automatic transmission, all because of its electronically-controlled dual-clutch gear system. Not only does PowerShift allow you to tap into more power and control in its six-speed transmission, it also helps reduce fuel consumption by up to 9%, depending on the application.

In a recent study measuring ownership cost, the Ford Focus showed that the five-year Scheduled Maintenance Cost of the nameplate is 19% lower than the leading competitor index. In the study, scheduled maintenance is defined as cost of maintenance service parts including labor charge for 100,000 km or 5 years. What’s more Ford commits to providing free parts and labor for the first two maintenance services—1,000 km and 10,000 km-while other brands provide labor only and just on the first 5,000km maintenance service. Through the 24-Hour Parts Guarantee, more than 60 pre-selected parts for the repair and maintenance of your Focus is guaranteed within 24 hours. This includes parts for the engine, driveline, brakes and suspension, body and exterior. Loyal Ford Focus customers who avail of this service must have the vehicles repaired in the authorized Metro Manila dealer workshops within the 3-year warranty period.

and hatchback 1.8L Trend models, offering a choice of either five-speed manual transmission (on the 4-door) or automatic transmission, are priced at Php 799,000 and Php 879,000. The Ford Focus 1.8L Trend sedan AT is also priced at Php 879,000. There are two 2.0L petrol models: a luxury Ghia sedan with automatic transmission, leather seats and 6-way electric driver seat; and a Sport hatchback priced at Php 975,000. And now with two variants featuring TDCi engines with 6-speed PowerShift dual-clutch automatic transmission, the Focus Diesel Sport Hatch and the new Focus Diesel Sedan are priced at Php 1,195,000.

The Ford Focus line-up still starts at Php 779,000 for the 1.8L Style sedan with 5-speed manual transmission that comes with standard ABS and airbag. The mid-level sedan

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J.D. POWER RANKS MAZDA AS TOP IN SALES SATISFACTION IN RP Although new-vehicle sales in the Philippines have been gaining strong momentum since mid2009, overall satisfaction with the new-vehicle purchase experience had declined in 2010, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2010 Philippines Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) StudySM.

PETRON BLAZE: THE PURE, HIGH-OCTANE GASOLINE

With so many gasoline products proliferating in the market, only one product stands out—Petron’s ultra-high performance unleaded gasoline Blaze. Blaze contains a special octane booster blend and a multi-functional additive that results in superior combustion and performance. And with a 96+ Research Octane Number (RON) which is the highest available in the market, Blaze is a pure, highly-refined fuel that does not only promise excellent performance during engine start-up but also provides sustained engine power every time. Blaze is one of the few gasoline brands that does not contain ethanol and can be used for high-end, high-performance luxury cars. As such, Blaze is the advanced gasoline that provides several performance benefits: Highly-efficient combustion and high-engine performance for sustained power; better engine response and improved vehicle acceleration because of its high-octane rating; improves fuel economy and reduced exhaust emissions through its fully synthetic detergent additives for a clean burn; and optimum power stroke; resists engine “knock.” Knocking over a period of time causes damage to pistons and other engine parts. Launched in 2000, Blaze’s evolution continues to this day with breakthroughs in gasoline and additive technologies being assimilated in its formulation. Clearly, Blaze is the best pure, high-octane gasoline available in the market today. 38

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The study finds that satisfaction with the initial sales experience has declined primarily due to customers incurring longer wait times before being greeted by sales staff and fewer customers being offered test drives. In 2010, a greater proportion of customers indicate waiting before being greeted at the dealership—5 percent, compared with 3 percent in 2009. Among these customers, wait times average 9.5 minutes in 2010, compared with an average of 7.7 minutes in 2009. “Increased showroom traffic may put some strain on dealerships with limited sales staff, but it is imperative that customers are acknowledged and greeted immediately upon entry to the showroom,” said Taku Kimoto, general manager of J.D. Power Asia Pacific in Singapore. The percentage of customers who were offered test drives in 2010 has declined to 76 percent in 2010 from 84 percent in 2009. Among those customers who were offered test drives, a higher proportion took test drives in 2010, compared with 2009, indicating that test drives are becoming increasingly important in the purchase decision-making process. Sales satisfaction is typically higher, on average, among customers who test drive vehicles during the sales process (826 points on a 1,000-point scale), compared with customers who did not receive a test drive (797 points). However the percentage of customers who did not experience test drives due to lack of model availability has increased slightly from 6 percent in 2009 to 9 percent in 2010. The study finds that the average number of days between vehicle purchase and delivery has increased slightly in 2010, compared with 2009. While the proportion of owners who indicate having received their new vehicle within one day has increased by four percentage points from 2009 to an average of 39 percent in 2010, but the percentage of owners who indicate that delivery time took more than one week has increased to 13 percent in 2010 from 8 percent in 2009. “When delivery time exceeds one week, customer satisfaction with the overall purchase

experience declines sharply,” said Kimoto. The study also finds that an increasing number of customers indicate experiencing problems and sales pressure in 2010, compared with 2009. The most commonly cited problem is that dealerships have small selections of models in stock. In addition, the proportion of customers who indicate having experienced some sales pressure has increased by five percentage points to 17 percent in 2010, compared with 2009. Now in its 10th year, the study measures newvehicle owner satisfaction with the sales and delivery experience in seven key factors that contribute to overall satisfaction. In order of importance, they are delivery process; delivery timing; salesperson; paperwork; deal; sales initiation; and dealer facility. Overall satisfaction has declined by 14 points from 2009 and averages 819 in 2010. Among the 10 brands included in the study, only two—Nissan and Suzuki—improved in 2010, compared to 2009. Mazda ranks highest with a score of 832 and performs particularly well in four of the seven factors: delivery process, salesperson, delivery timing and dealer facility. Following Mazda in the rankings are Ford (828) and Mitsubishi (823). Among new-vehicle owners in the Philippines, word of mouth is the most frequently used source of information during the shopping process. Approximately seven in 10 owners indicate seeking information from friends and relatives, while one in three owners indicate they asked for information from an owner of the brand they were considering. More than one-half of new-vehicle owners indicate that a brand’s good reputation for reliability is the key reason for purchasing their vehicle. The study finds that high levels of customer satisfaction with the sales process have a strong positive impact on customer recommendation and repurchase rates. Among highly satisfied owners (satisfaction scores averaging 870 and higher), approximately 67 percent say they “definitely would” recommend their dealer, compared with 39 percent of owners with lower levels of satisfaction. “As new-vehicle sales increase, it is important for brands and dealerships to not lose focus on ensuring that customers receive high levels of service during the sales process, as this may translate into favorable word of mouth—a critical source of information for new-vehicle shoppers,” said Kimoto. The 2010 Philippines SSI Study is based on responses from more than 1,400 new-vehicle owners who purchased their vehicle between August 2009 and February 2010. The study was fielded from February to May 2010.

MOBILITY

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MOBILITY

JAGUAR XJ: THE ICON REDEFINED Jaguar Cars introduced the newest Jaguar XJ in ceremonies last month, finally uncovering the new “look” of the iconic luxury car. Wellington Soong, Chairman and President of Jaguar Cars Inc. described the all-new Jaguar XJ as “Jaguar’s Brightest Diamond” since it’s the most technically advanced and luxurious vehicle it has made to date. Marc Soong and Jason Soong, executive directors of Jaguar Cars Inc. were on hand during the unveiling, together with Graham Hatch, Regional Manager of Jaguar Overseas Operations, and Mick Razza, Director of Jaguar Overseas Operations—all there to give their full support. The Jaguar XJ will locally be available in long wheel-base configuration, fitted with a 5.0-liter V8 petrol engine producing 290 horsepower and 515Nm of torque, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The Jaguar XJ goes from 0-100 in 5.7 seconds, reaching an electronically limited top speed of 250 kph. It also features advanced new technologies that create an environment that is more akin to a state-of-the-art living space than a simple car cabin. Stunning 12.3-inch high definition Virtual Instruments complement an innovative, Dual-View technology 8-inch Touch-screen that can project DVD movies or television programs to the passenger while the driver views vehicle functions. This technology is paired with a choice of colors, veneers and leathers not seen before in a Jaguar. For audio entertainment, the Jaguar XJ comes with the top-of-the-range 1200W Bowers & Wilkins system, which is comparable in audio quality to the world’s best in-home entertainment. Advanced infotainment features also include hard drive-based audio and navigation systems, and comprehensive connectivity for portable audio and video devices via the powerful media hub.

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MOBILITY

TOYOTA UNVEILS THE

ALPHARD Toyota Motor Philippines recently introduced the Alphard to the Philippine market. Tagged as a flagship minivan, the Alphard is aimed to strengthen Toyota’s lineup in the commercial vehicle category. Named after the Greek letter 'alpha', which refers to the brightest star in a constellation, the Alphard is developed to stand out and shine in the automotive landscape.

Following the theme “majestic flagship," the Alphard boasts of a stately and highclass exterior with its V-shaped character lines, large chrome-accented front grille and dominating three-dimensional headlamps. The sides of the vehicle present a solid design expressed through its high-nose monoform silhouette and outward-thrusting surfaces starting from the front pillar to its rear window lines. Inside, an array of luxurious and state-of-theart features provide a welcoming atmosphere comparable with that of luxury sedans. Wood grain and metal accents intricately embedded in the instrument panel and console create

a feeling of class and elegance, suitable for a flagship model. LED lighting moods set a relaxing ambience throughout the entire cabin. The Alphard also provides twin moon roofs to enhance passenger riding experience. The six-seating configuration allows for flexible storage space with the foldable seat feature. Under its hood is a 2AZ-FE 2.4L VVT-I engine mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission. It produces a maximum output of 167Hp at 6,000rpm with 227Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. For its suspension system, it is equipped with MacPherson Strut with Stabilizer and Torsion beam type rear suspension. Furthermore, to

accentuate its elegant exterior, the Alphard is fitted with 6-spoke 16” alloy wheels. To ensure full passenger protection, the Alphard is equipped with driver and passenger airbags, driver knee, curtain shields and side airbags. Superb collision safety performance is realized with the adoption of impact absorbing mechanisms. This flagship minivan comes in three elegant colors: White Pearl, Silver Metallic and Raven Black. The Alphard is priced at Php 2,790,000 for standard colors and Php 2,805,000 for White Pearl.

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“Green” is a promise fulfilled at the 3rd Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) held last month. But the auto spectacle rendered “green” in various hues as it mixed together concept vehicles, new crossovers and luxury sedans, numerous exotic machineries, an electric powered personal mobility device, an instant classic supercar and Euro-rated diesel power. Toyota Motor Phils. displayed the Hybrid X that looks like a futuristic version of the present Prius. The car features interactive navigation, touchscreen driving information and comfort controls, among a host of other devices that will be future fixtures. Toyota also showed its Eco and Environmental Touch Panel that has animated presentations for hybrids and electric and fuel-cell vehicles. It also introduced a refreshed Corolla Altis that wears a completely different front end that has larger headlamps and grille, new tail lamps and a 2.0-liter engine now mated to a continuously variable transmission. Columbian Autocar Corp., Philippine manufacturer of Kia vehicles, on PIMS’ opening day highlighted the corporate tigernose grille that’s quite evident on 42

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THE ‘GREENING’ OF THE AUTO INDUSTRY

the Cadenza.

Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., whose display floor fronted the show hall, held a lavish presentation of its model lineup with entertainment top-billed by Lea Salonga and Lisa Macuja. At the center of Hyundai’s display was the ix-Metro concept that’s seen as a strong crossover contender in the near future. PGA Cars’ array of Porsches and Audis provided the Porsche GT3 and Audi R8, among the other dreamy models on the PGA floor. Chana, which displayed some of its car and commercial vehicle models, cited the rise of China brand cars and the phenomenal growth of the China domestic market in the last five years as the country emerges as the second largest in the world, next only to the US.

Isuzu Phils. Corp. offered its diesel-powered vehicles, which are famous for their fuel-efficiency and Euro standard-compliant emissions. At the show, Isuzu displayed the special editions of the D-Max pickup, Crosswind Sportivo AUV, the company’s flagship Alterra sport-utility plus the NHR Microbus and NKR truck—both proofs that commercial-use vehicles can also be environment-friendly. Honda Cars Phils. Inc., which along with its fuel-efficient models that boast of complying with top European emission ratings, showcased future green technology solutions like the U3-X. Categorized as a personal mobility vehicle, the U3-X is an electric unicycle that balances, propels and shifts directions through the

Honda Omni Traction system. In this vehicle, the rider only needs to lean on the direction he intends to go and the U3-X instantly follows. Nissan Motor Phils. Inc. unveiled the new Teana midsize luxury sedan, which has received numerous awards abroad, earning Nissan’s billing of it as the “Superior Sedan.” The new Teana is powered by Nissan’s vaunted VQ engine, which is combined with an XTronic continuously variable transmission. Mitsubishi Motors Phils. Corp. opted for displays that capture the sporty dynamics of its models, so on its booth were Ralliart-inspired or-garbed vehicles and a genuine, championship-winning Lancer rally car that was flown in from Japan. The star of the Mitsubishi show, however, was the newly introduced

MOBILITY

MATCHMAKING SITE FOR PLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS

ASX crossover, a vehicle that shares platform with the Lancer EX and Outlander and which comes in three variants powered by a 2.0-liter engine and an available six-mode INVECS-III continuously variable transmission with steering column-mounted paddles. In specs and styling, the ASX is seen as a strong addition to Mitsubishi’s local lineup. Universal Motors Corp. displayed the Patrol Royale was king in dimensions, luxury appointments and show-stopping power. Chevrolet Phils. mounted a lively and youthful show to announce not only Chevrolet’s renewed energy as a brand with equally revitalized models but also a star endorser in Ryan Agoncillo. But the show-stopper is Chevrolet’s bright yellow, black-striped 2011 Camaro. CATS Motors Inc., the distributor of Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands in the Philippines, flaunted the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Suzuki Phils. Inc. presented its Kizashi concept concept car, with the production model due for release this 2010 in other countries. In Japanese, kizashi means “a sign of great things to come”—signifying the unparalleled combination of driver satisfaction, looks and quality of Suzuki’s new flagship model as it breaks into

the executive car segment with a completely new type of sedan. Set up as a lounge with a relaxed atmosphere, the Suzuki display was manned by friendly sales executives from the different Suzuki dealerships. Featured were the bestselling Suzuki Celerio, Swift and APV Type II, as well as the Grand Vitara 4x2, and the newly launched SX4 Aero and SX4 Crossover. Motor show guests were also given the opportunity to test drive the SX4 Crossover, APV Type II, Celerio and Swift at the outdoor test drive area. Ford Group Phils., for its part, opted to display its newly unveiled Fiesta subcompact, a model seen to become a popular choice in the Philippines—just like in Europe. AVT, the premiere provider of trendsetting, high-quality mobile audio-video systems, also launched three new models of its AVT Navigator GPS devices. Giving Filipino motorists more options in their choice of GPS device, the entry-level AVT Navigator PN-301 has a 3.5-inch color touchscreen, and is powered by a Sirf Atlas IV 500MHZ processor with Microsoft Windows CE 6.0 operating system. It has a built-in speaker and features USB 2.0 ActiveSync support.The mid-range AVT

Much the way the website Meet Joe uses an offline approach to help users find people to hang out with on the weekend, so Companion Tree helps forge platonic friendships among like-minded consumers.

Navigator PN-401 has a 4.3-inch color touchscreen display, and runs on a Sirf Atlas V533MHZ processor with Windows CE 6.0. It also has a built-in speaker and support for USB 2.0 connectivity. The new AVT Navigator PN-501 features the latest navigation technology, with the Sirf Atlas IV 500MHZ central processor and Microsoft Windows CE 6.0 operating system. In addition to its highly sensitive GPS receiver, it has a 5-inch color touchscreen, built-in speaker, Bluetooth connectivity and an FM modulator. Elizabeth Lee, president of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (which organized the show), was amazed at the spectacle that followed this year’s inaugural ceremonies. “The first PIMS was ‘wow’. The second was ‘wow-er’. And this one is just ‘Oh my God’. Really. OMG,” she said.

Also steering far clear of the overcrowded dating space, Seattlebased Companion Tree offers a variety of simple tools to help find people with similar interests, make a connection and meet up as friends. Users begin by creating a personal profile with up to three photos and searching the member directory for others with similar interests or hobbies. They can also start or join groups dedicated to a particular hobby, location or event. Either way, once they find someone who seems like a good candidate for friendship, members can tap the site's secure messaging capabilities to make contact. Companion Tree is currently free for life for charter members; thereafter, it will be $4.95 per month. Ten percent of membership fees are donated to Save the Children. Given all the competitors in the online dating world—and Facebook's focus on reconnecting old acquaintances—it's refreshing to see new social networking contenders focusing on the relatively wide open platonic space instead. A new twist to bring to the mass-mingling crowds in your part of the world? Website: www.companiontree.com Source: Springwise 2010 SEPTEMBER

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MAKE WAY FOR THE FIESTA Ford's globally popular small car, the all-new Ford Fiesta will arrive in the Philippine market in October, closely timed with the introduction of the much-awaited vehicle in other ASEAN markets, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Filipino customers will be able to choose between a sleek and stylish Ford Fiesta four-door sedan and a bold and sexy five-door hatchback in a total of six variants and eight sophisticated colors, all designed for a new generation of drivers with a taste for fun and freedom. The all-new Ford Fiesta boasts of being irresistibly stylish with Ford’s state-of-the-art kinetic design. Surprising and distinctive from every angle, the two models are loaded with technologically savvy features and an engaging interior with never-before seen advancements in its category. Available in two fuel-efficient I4 engines in either a 1.4L or 1.6L, it promises a powertrain and driving dynamics balanced for an altogether fun-to-drive offering. And as another first, the Fiesta also possesses Ford's innovative new best-in-class six-speed, dual-clutch automatic PowerShift transmission. The Fiesta will be available in three models: Style, Trend and Sport. The three trim options are offered in the following configurations: Style is in a 1.4L 4-door manual transmission, while the Trend trim is available in both a 1.4L and a 1.6L engine in both 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback, and the Sport model boasts of a 1.6L 5-door hatch back body with 6-speed PowerShift automatic transmission. The Ford Fiesta delivers on spirited performance and fuel efficiency. The standard 1.4-liter is a proven performer with 95 PS (70kW) at 5750rpm while the larger 1.6-liter engine provides 121 PS (89kW) at 6000rpm. Both engines are designed to run with ethanol 20 fuel, 91 RON and 95 RON.

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The new PowerShift six-speed automatic transmission, available with the larger 1.6-liter engine, combines the responsive performance and fuel economy of a manual, with the convenience of an automatic, perfect for urban driving. With six forward gears, the engine speed is optimized for smooth transmission, performance and fuel economy. This technologically advanced transmission is normally found in larger, more expensive vehicles. Hill Launch Assist is another important safety feature that keeps the car still on an incline without having to use the handbrake, preventing the vehicle from rolling back. Brake pressure is maintained until the engine delivers enough torque to move the vehicle up the hill, providing improved driver confidence and comfort. The system works in forward and reverse gears. The new Fiesta is strong on safety features. An Anti-Lock Braking system with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) is standard across the entire Fiesta range. EBD automatically varies the amount of force applied to each of a vehicle's brakes based on road conditions, speed and loading to maximize stopping power while still maintaining control of the vehicle. The Sport model as well as the 1.6L Trend models come equipped with Ford's Electronic Stability Program (ESP), a first in the Philippines’

small car segment. ESP senses when your vehicle is losing road grip and automatically applies braking force to individual wheels, to stabilise it in all driving conditions. Both models also feature standard traction control. Specially tuned front struts, bushings, damper stabilizer bars and a rear twist-beam axle provide sure-footed performance and comfort. All new Fiesta models are equipped with MP3 and AUX input connections for personal entertainment devices. The Sport model is also equipped with Voice Control technology paired with Bluetooth, another first-in-segment feature. This provides wireless connectivity to a mobile phone, allowing you to use your voice to make and receive calls, change the radio station or music track, all playing through a six-speaker sound system. Sport models also are available with a USB plug-in feature. The Ford Fiesta line-up still starts at a Php 670,000 for the Style in 1.4L 4-door sedan with manual transmission. The 1.4L Trend models are priced at Php 685,000 with a choice of either a 4-door or 5-door in manual transmission, while the 1.6L Trend models touting Ford’s 6-speed PowerShift automatic transmission, standard ESP and Hill Launch Assist are also available in either sedan or hatchback with a price tag of Php 766,000. The Ford Fiesta Sport variant is priced at Php 816,000.

FEATURE

Business Beyond Borders By Danee Torres

If you’ve seen George Clooney in the movie Up In The Air, you’d know that business travel is no small joke. Globe Telecom has recently come out with a way to address the difficulties encountered y business travelers through its newest endeavor, the Globe Telepresence. The Globe Telepresence room allows companies to connect to coworkers and clients alike through full high-definition screens with spatial audio. It gives the experience of being in the same room even though participants could be in different locations. This tackles the needs of businesses to have a secure, accessible and convenient way to communicate. While video conferencing has been widely used in the past decade, it cannot compete with the clarity that Telepresence permits the user to experience.

Miscommunication is further lessened because Telepresence takes away the problems of spotty telephone reception and the lack of visual communication. Deemed the “next best thing to being there,” Telepresence provides face-to-face meetings for critical discussions and negotiations where facial reactions and nonverbal cues are needed for effective communications. With three widescreen LCD displays paired with spatial audio and a formidable broadband connection, Globe has created

an “advanced solution that would address evolving business needs while driving down costs,” says Gil Genio, Head of Globe Business. “It mitigates risks from disasters, terrorism and pandemics that may involve travel. It also speeds up decision-making and significantly contributes to uninterrupted business operations. Financial savings and increased productivity are the biggest benefits achieved,” he points out. Globe Telepresence is a member of the AT&T Business Exchange, meaning the room can connect to more than 1,100 private and public rooms in 75 countries. Taylor Chan noted that the Telepresence room is especially designed so that participants can feel that they are meeting in the same room. Public telepresence rooms can have a cross-meeting with a private room. It may seem confusing, meeting with three people at the same time, but it seems that foresight is one talent that the people of Globe are not lacking. If one person is talking, the audio on their end automatically adjusts,

making them easier to hear which minimizes overlapping discussions and by implication, misunderstanding. If a person is connecting to a room full of panelists using only one screen, there is a “four-to five-second lag between the change of screens,” says Greg Brewters of AT&T Asia-Pacific. There are also additional points to connect to the Telepresence room through other media methods, such as a polycom unit. At present, Globe’s room seats 6 participants on each side, thereby providing a virtual table for 12 participants in a point-to-point meeting or even as up to 72 in a multipoint session. When asked if Globe Telepresence also has a recording function, Eve Guerra responded that it is not offered the service in the starting package but it may be given as an add-on if clients prefer to have meetings recorded. The Telepresence room is located at the Globe building on Valero St. in Makati City and can be rented for $500 per hour. 2010 SEPTEMBER

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FEATURE

Modern Design By Michelle Callanta

Who would’ve thought we’d see the day when the Filipinos’ extremely conservative taste would break free from the limiting shackles with regard to style, design and daily living? For this, we have to give thanks to those individuals who dare to give in to the new and innovative. One such individual is Architect Ed Calma of Lor Calma & Partners, famous for being one of the more popular practitioners of modernist architecture in the Philippines. A graduate of the Pratt Institute in New York and a holder of a graduate degree in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University, Calma continues to garner many awards and recognitions for his designs. One of his most recent achievements is being a two-time winner of the SubZero and Wolf Kitchen Design Contest which pays tribute to kitchens by showcasing the best designers and their best designs. He (along with awardwinning interior designer Cara 46

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Marcelo) won the International Category for best kitchen design, besting out 1,400 entries to garner the First Place Award for Contemporary Kitchen in the overall Sub-Zero and Wolf 2008-09 Kitchen Design Contest. Of course, architectural design is no easy feat. It requires an understanding of space, color, style elements, practicality and use. And for modernist designers like Calma, one other major challenge is getting people to think out of the box. In an interview, he shares “The most challenging part [in interior/architectural design] is convincing the client to go into a design direction

FEATURE

he or she is not familiar with. I always seem to get a weird response from the client.” Definitely form and function play a pivotal role in the design process as these two elements usually define and determine the actual outcome of the overall design. “I think the definition of function needs to be elaborated further. It should not be seen simply as practical use but an abstract idea that needs to be expressed ultimately in a form. So one can say form follows content instead of function. Function for me is secondary as designed spaces and structures are sometimes kept for its design value while the use can change.

An example is a club called Limelight in New York where the new owners took over an abandoned church and converted it into a dance club in the 1980s or when the architect Ricardo Bofil converted grain silos into his own residence,” noted Calma. You may think these ideas are a little too contemporary for one’s own conventional taste but as Calma has proven in meeting the demands of modern-day living, there is a way to make the concept of “being modern” as something classy (which will one day, as with most things, inevitably become a classic, in due time) as well as useful.

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FEATURE

MADE IN NOKIA By John Nieves

Nokia is one of the biggest manufacturers of mobile phones today and is one of the most recognizable brands in the world. It is literally present in almost every market, from the posh suburbs of California, to the rundown streets of Nairobi. To be able to fuel such large demand, Nokia maintains several factories in key locations around the world, and the one that supplies much of Asia is located in Xiangwang Industrial Park in Beijing, China. While China has been the chief supplier of electronic goods for the rest of the world for a while now, there are still people who associate China-made products with shoddy production and terrible quality control. Nokia recently brought members of the media from around the world to their Beijing factory to finally drive home the message that there is no “Made in China” when in comes to the Finnish brand—there's only “Made in Nokia.”

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FEATURE

The company has had a presence in Beijing since 1995, way before other manufacturers saw the benefit of creating products in China. The factory employs more than 8,000 people and is currently one of the largest manufacturing bases for Nokia. It's also one of the world's most eco-friendly mobile phone industrial chains with 20 of its supply chain partners all located in the same industrial park, which greatly reduces logistics and distribution costs dramatically. The green building—or the main campus that serves as Nokia China's corporate headquarters—didn't get its name because of its color. It's built with more than 10 percent recycled materials and is one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in China. Energy consumption is reduced by 20 percent and water usage is only 37 percent. 77.4 percent

of the total area is designed to be lit by natural light, further reducing electricity costs. A double glass wall serves as a natural thermostat and more or less keeps temperature constant, which further cuts costs. Nokia's devices all start out as a drawing in a computer in the design studio where artists, designers and engineers work together to create a product that should be both visually appealing and technologically advanced. The plans are then transferred to a machine which translates the bits on the screen to accurate 3D molds. After the initial design is worked out, the designs and plans are taken to the factory floor. Before Nokia can turn a bunch of components into a phone, they first order materials from supply chain partners. Even at this early stage of production Nokia strives to reduce its

carbon footprint, as it requires all its suppliers to get hold the ISO14001 Environmental Management Certification. There are different phases of assembly, and during the end of each phase, random samples are taken from the production line and are rigorously tested to see if they comply with Nokia's strict manufacturing standards. Even after the product is made, Nokia still tries to look for ways to improve it. They maintain a testing center in the factory grounds that rigorously puts phones through 200 mechanical tests. Phones are placed in vibrating containers, are forcibly dropped to a concrete tile, twisted to its limit while lids and touchscreens are mechanically manipulated for thousands of times. After all these, the test units are cut up and examined to the last detail to find where the phone failed and, if possible, make improvements on the product so it won't happen again.

Visit: www.youtube.com/user/GadgetsMagazineTV for additional details.

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EVENTS

Designing Living Spaces By Danee Torres

Kim Lim was just a fresh, young student from Assumption College when she set out to design the interiors at the club, Prince of Jaipur, at The Fort in Taguig. We sat down with Kim to find out how her passion for interior design came to be. How long have you been an interior designer?

Who or where do you draw inspiration from?

I’ve been an interior designer for almost three years now. My colleague, Chai Lopez, and I put up Magnifiq Interiors a year after we graduated and since then we’ve been really blessed for having so much people believing on what we can do.

I simply break out of the norm and get inspired out of my daily routines. I also like to travel with my family and friends and see the unique architecture of different cultures. Inspiration can come from the smallest and strangest things—sometimes it just happens.

How did your passion for interiors come about? What instigated it? Ever since I was a child, my mom has told me that I’ve always been the most creative one among my siblings. It was evident in my choice of clothing, my style and my take on things. Sketching and drawing have been my only passions since I first knew how to hold a pencil. My earliest memory is a big blue wall full of my drawings in white chalk. I then extended the drawing space to our front yard with sketches of cars, robots and animals. That was how art has come into my life. My passion for art keeps growing after time. It has guided me to the career that I want: interior design. The turning point that really showed my passion for interior design was when I decided to design my own room. It's an interesting career that I believe could fulfill my passion of creating my imagination into a particular space. Interior designing does not only complete my love for art but it is also my dream job. 50

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What is the most important thing to remember when designing? To have fun! Designing should not just be limited to what’s “in” but most importantly it’s about bringing the character and personality of the one whom you are designing for. The most important thing to remember is to know the purpose of the space and its application to the end user. If there was one thing you'd rather be doing than designing, what would it be? I would probably be in a career that requires artistic conceptualization—in the field of photography or working for an advertising agency. What are some tips that you can give to aspiring designers? The most important trait you can have in this career, aside from creativity, is integrity. Try to get all the experience you can get your hands on. It’s always the best teacher.

FEATURE

Polaroid Inspires Art School

Across several generations, people have regarded Polaroid as one of the most trusted, well-respected and recognizable names when it comes to instant photography, even inspiring Outkast member Andre 3000 to name-check it in his 2003 song, Hey Ya! But Polaroid began more than 70 years ago with polarized sunglasses, evolved into instant film, camera and camera accessories, and in recent years has ventured into flat panel televisions, digital cameras, digital instant imaging products, digital photo frames, digital HD camcorders, waterproof digital cameras and more. Who would’ve thought that “shaking it like a Polaroid” would inspire much more than a song?

Foto Baryo started as a dream for Fernando Afable, a former employee of the International Center of Photography in New York. He collected lots of old equipment, books and every conceivable photographic material that was given away, sold at a giveaway price or discarded by the school and the friends he made at the ICP during years of working at the world’s premier school of photography. With his lifelong savings, Fernando shipped all his collection to his hometown in Tanauan, Batangas in 2004. His family’s ancestral home, which was previously torn down became the source of the building materials which was to house all of Fernando’s photographic “treasures”. With the help of his family and friends, Fernando set up Foto Baryo, a school which teaches the art of photography and nurtures the creed of sharing what is good for others. Foto Baryo operates on a relaxed and always fun environment. For everyone in the school, it doesn’t matter if a camera is outdated or the film they are using had expired as long as they still work. Old Polaroid cameras and film had been a favorite medium of Foto Baryo photographers. They managed to produce art pieces through Polariod

Manipulation, Polaroid Transfers and Polaroid Emulsion Lifts. These methods are considered dead art forms since the film used in their production are no longer manufactured by the Polaroid Company. Digitalization in photography has contributed to the demise of the art but it has also given way to reprint and enlarge the photos for better viewing and appreciating photographs taken by Polaroid cameras. Teachers, who include noted photographers from here and abroad, volunteer their services at Foto Baryo for free. Students were never charged for the photography lessons and the school operates and still functions through the generosity of various benefactors. Classes are held only when enough gifts are received but however meager its resources are, Foto Baryo had been instrumental in making hundreds of men, women and especially children, see more through the camera’s lens and nurture their creativity through photography. Their works had been showcased in exhibitions in galleries and the communities where the students reside. More than the accolades they got, the Foto Baryo students have learned that giving back to others what has been good for them is also an art.

Currently, Foto Baryo is now involved in teaching photography to hearing and speech-impaired children at the Paaralan ng Pag-ibig at Pag-asa, a school for special children in San Pablo City, Laguna. The Foto Baryo photographers whose works were exhibited at the recent Polaroid event include Fernando Afable, Tommy Hafalla, Maria Amor Rodriguez, Cres Rodriguez-Yulo, Vixienne Marie Calulut and Pinky Ibarra-Urmuza. Together they shot with one Polaroid SX-70 camera and used the phased-out Polaroid Time Zero film to come up with photographs which are truly unique and sincerely shared—a testament that there are no limits to creativity, even when the technology used has long been discontinued.

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Currently, Foto Baryo is now involved in teaching photography to hearing and speech-impaired children at the Paaralan ng Pag-ibig at Pag-asa, a school for special children in San Pablo City, Laguna.

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FEATURE

i-BAR: A NEW WAY AT LOOKING AT ADS By Benjamin Arnold

Nowadays, almost everyone is trying to stay ahead with brilliant innovations and new ideas. Designers, artists, developers, even businessmen, are racing to come up with the “Newest Gizmo” in this fastevolving market. For the restaurant industry in the Philippines, iTrixx Inc. has introduced the i-Bar, a new way to bait customers and catch the attention of a larger market in a very targeted location. Launched on August 12 at the NUVO Restaurant in Greenbelt 2, the i-Bar is an interactive tabletop that utilizes touch-sensitive technology with integrated video projections. It’s perfect for entertaining customers or guests with games, an interactive light show, or even advertising materials. It’s perfect for clubs, parties and events, the i-Bar can be programmed for a variety of applications, such as games, puzzles, video displays, ambient light shows, digital advertising or even connect to the internet. One unique feature is that it can simulate an aquarium that responds to the movements of the customer. Designed with multi-touch technology, this means that more 52

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than one user can interact with it at any time. It is easy to integrate into any existing bar or table top. Because you can display brands or advertise using the i-Bar, it becomes a new advertising medium to reach out to a target market at venues where they would be lingering longer and be more focused at whatever it is you wish to communicate. It is a great come-on for bars to encourage customers to hang out longer while they are entertained by the i-Bar. iTrixx offers other forms of interactive media and advertising outlets, such as the i-Touch and i-Wall, which turns any window or wall into an interactive display area. The i-Step uses the same multi-touch sensitive technology as the i-Bar, but you can install it on the floor, for a cool look while you’re dancing. With this new technology, iTrixx can literally turn any unused wall space into a functional multimedia wall which can almost simulate a video board— minus the bulky frames.

GAMING

By John Nieves It took Blizzard Entertainment 12 years to make the sequel to the most widely successful RTS game ever made. In some ways it’s understandable. The original Starcraft, and its subsequent expansion Brood War sold millions of copies worldwide, permanently cementing the game into pop culture and became the catalyst for the professional gaming scene in South Korea, a country that recognizes the televised matches between players as a legitimate sport like soccer or basketball. So it was under this kind of pressure that Blizzard started developing Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty and you know what they changed? Absolutely nothing and I’m completely fine with that. Calling Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty like the original one but with a new coat of paint would be insulting as it IS the original game. Sure, there are new units with new abilities like units that are able to navigate through cliffs, but the core gameplay mechanics are still the same: collect

minerals and gas for currency, make an army and crush your opponent. As a friend of mine said, it’s like Starcraft 1.5—with new units, new graphics, and same old gameplay. That doesn’t mean that the gameplay is antiquated. It’s actually a testament of how good the original was. Each unit has a specific counter and weakness and, at the end of the game, it’s the combination of arms that wins. The game went through extensive beta testing with prospective players, so there shouldn’t be any unit that’s horribly imbalanced and matches usually come down to player skill more than anything else. Blizzard has done a good job at matching players of roughly the same skill, so each match should be well balanced. While the core gameplay of the game hasn’t changed, the single player campaign has undergone a major overhaul. In between missions you are treated to a cool cutscene, and the game morphs into a part RPG, part point and click adventure game. You can upgrade units, research more powerful units and hire mercenaries to fight for your cause. The story revolves around Jim Raynor and his fight against the Terran Dominion. Playing the previous game isn’t a prerequisite to understanding the story, but it does help to fully be

aware of the intricacies and motivations of the characters. Character animation is pretty well done, and the game relies on an internal engine of sorts to render most of the game’s cut scenes, and pre-rendered animation handles the rest. Like Blizzard’s other titles, Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty can run on a variety of systems, ranging from top-end machines to low-end notebooks, and even with nettops. The graphics scale nicely, and even on low settings you don’t miss out on the epic moments. Of course, the game is best played on a dedicated gaming machine, and your reward for completing a mission are excellent cinematics and action, the type that only Blizzard can deliver. When all is said and done Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty delivers what fans have longed for all these years. Blizzard internalized the saying “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it,” and largely left the core gameplay untouched, focusing instead on adding an excellent single player campaign. The only complaint I have is that Blizzard decided to split the single player experience into three parts: Wings of Liberty for the Terran campaign, while the expansions Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void will be for the Zerg and Protoss, respectively. 2010 SEPTEMBER

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WEBSITES

ON ON THE THE

FRINGE By Presy Alba

The older generation claims that youth today have looser morals and could openly discuss previously taboo topics as if they were discussing the weather. They say the younger generation have become more permissive, more tolerant and less shocked of what used to be unacceptable behavior—and many of them blame the World Wide Web. To be fair, the World Wide Web has always been an equal opportunity platform. Type “religion” in a Google search box and you will get over 208 million results while “xxx” gets you about 189 million hits, so anything in between should get a fair number of hits as well. But yes, the World Wide Web is guilty of providing information about topics that some people simply refuse to discuss with us. I’ve always been of the “knowledge is power” school of thought, and I’ve always believed that even the most delicate subjects could be discussed openly when the intention is to learn so that decisions whether for or against could be made objectively. This is why I am presenting these three websites examples of Internet resources that discuss risqué and unconventional topics but in a tasteful and inoffensive manner.

www.risqueboudoirby519.com

We’re constantly bombarded with news tidbits or gossip about video or photo “scandals” of celebrities from paparazzi with telephoto lenses because it sells the tabloids and other multimedia programs. It has become so 54

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commonplace that nobody reacts with so much outrage when a new one pops up. Other scandals that spread through the communications grapevine are usually private photos or videos the “victims” themselves took that inadvertently get passed around because of their own negligence. Take for example the case of a couple who took a sexy video of themselves and then left the video camera at the service center for repair without retrieving the cassette. Another case I know of was that of a lady who took a sexy photo of herself on her mobile to send to her boyfriend. She downloaded the photo to a shared computer at the office, deleting the file after she sent the email, but forgot to empty the recycle bin. And then there was another guy who saved photos of himself and his girlfriend in a folder forgetting that it was a folder he shared with several people in the office. Because we hear a lot of these things happening, we might take interest as to who are involved, but we’re no longer shocked when they happen. When Marilyn Monroe’s picture with the flying skirt was taken in 1954 during the filming of The Seven Year Itch, it must have scandalized a lot of ordinary people, but many still considered it as art. Today, the same set of photos and the pose is considered a classic, and imitated by many aspiring starlets and photographers. Sexy photos can be tasteful and artistic

when done well, and this is the mission of Risqué Boudoir which offers upscale boudoir photography for women and couples. In their introduction, they wrote: “we chose this name because we want our clients to push past insecurities and be reminded of the beauty they possess. We want our clients to laugh at society’s view of beauty and what is appropriate for women of a certain age, size or class to do.” The team is based in Atlanta, Georgia but is available to travel worldwide. But if their fee and travel expenses is beyond your budget, a visit to their website could give the adventurous a glimpse of how classy sexy photos should be composed.

WEBSITES

www.cancerfacts.com

Dreaded diseases are also another topic that many of the older generations refused to discuss at the dinner table. When someone among their friends and family are struck or diagnosed, discussions are usually done in private and in whispers, and sometimes, the patient is not even informed. Today, almost every family has been touched by cancer, but it is still a delicate topic to discuss, and there are so many misconceptions that sometimes complicate matters and even mislead the patient and their families as to what treatments are available. This is a good resource for cancer-related topics for the patient or caregiver and for healthcare professionals. The site is constantly being updated as to news about cancer drugs and treatments, with discussions whether they are effective or not, and news about treatments for one condition that might mitigate other types of cancers. But what’s great about this site is its cancer profiler tool, which provides in-depth information about specific cancers whether you’re a newly diagnosed patient or one who has been going through treatment.

www.avert.org

STDs, HIV and AIDS are topics that nobody wants to discuss. And even now, we still hesitate to talk about it even with our closest friends, and even our partners unless we have to. Having a web resource where we could find out how to avoid acquiring these diseases or once acquired and the symptoms presents a great advantage. The website is both entertaining and informative. I especially like the Stories section and the lighthearted but very informative quizzes. For example, in the pregnancy quiz, one question on the symptoms of pregnancy gives three choices, and you choose which one is not a symptom—food cravings, nausea, or partial deafness—and once you’ve made your choice, the correct answer is given. So men can point this quiz as proof that partial deafness is not really a symptom of pregnant women—as some of them have been led to believe.

www.avert.org is divided into several sections: prevention, transmission and testing, treatment and care, statistics, history and science, epidemic, the areas where it is widespread like Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe. Then there’s the section about sex, STDs, Teens, Gay & Lesbian, and photos & videos, games, quizzes and stories sections. It is not only a source of information, it is also a platform for people affected by HIV and AIDS could share experiences and ideas. The three sites I presented here are not run-ofthe-mill websites. These are sites that we search for when we have reason to and when we’re already on a mission to find out what’s out there. But just knowing that they’re available when we need them should give us some sense of security. These sites also show us that even those on the fringe serve a purpose too.

There are so many alternative treatments available today that it pays to be informed, especially when the big C hits anyone in the family.

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DOWNLOAD DOWNLOADING...

EPICWIN

DOWNLOAD

iPhone

Keeping track of stuff we do is hard, especially if you’re perpetually disorganized. Sure, keeping a to-do list on your phone should help you organize, but really, who likes ticking off stuff on their phone? EpicWin turns your to-do list into an impromptu RPG game, complete with XP driven to-do lists and level ups. You assign a task on your to-do list and categorize it as a feat of strength, intelligence, social and stamina and the game gives you XP as you complete the tasks. Sure, it’s pretty easy to cheat, but that’s not the point—the whole game exists to give you positive reinforcement to complete your tasks. EpicWin is available for $3 from the iTunes App Store.

DOWNLOADING...

DOWNLOADING...

FREEMAKE Windows

DOWNLOADING...

Need a simple yet powerful video converter? Look no further than Freemake. It has a simple drag-and-drop interface so even your grandma can piece together an incredibly embarrassing photo montage of you naked as a kid and distribute it to everyone you know on Facebook. It’s powerful enough that it covers a wide variety of file formats for almost every conceivable device portable or no. You can also burn files to DVD, upload them to YouTube, create a photo slideshow, and even cut, rotate, and otherwise perform simple edits on it beforehand with the built-in video editor. Freemake can be downloaded from www.freemake.com/free_video_ converter/.

DOWNLOADING... SUBSONIC Android, iPhone

Subsonic is a free, web-based media streamer, providing ubiquitous access to your music. Use it to share or listen to your own music. You can stream to multiple players simultaneously—like for instance to one player in the kitchen and another in the living room. Subsonic is designed to handle very large music collections. Although optimized for MP3 streaming, it works for any audio or video format that can stream over HTTP, such as AAC and OGG. By using transcoder plug-ins, Subsonic supports on-the-fly conversion and streaming of virtually any audio format, including WMA, FLAC, APE, Musepack, WavPack and Shorten.

DOWNLOADING...

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DOWNLOADING...

COVERSTORY

W

By John Nieves

e all use gadgets these days, and to some extent, our lives depend on them. There's an overabundance of electronic products and quirky mechanical devices out there that makes lives easier and more convenient. This article isn't about those gadgets. Proving that humans are infinitely ingenious and inventive, we scoured the world to find weird, wacky gadgets that might be heading to a store near you, real soon.

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BEAUTYLAB

I

ZEN ASIA

By Michelle Callanta

magine this: You’re tired, stressed, and overworked. Every inch of your body hurts and you have absolutely no time to drive yourself over to the spa. And all this stress has taken its toll, not only on your aching muscles, but on your lifeless hair and your dull, dry skin as well. Now what salonslash-facial center-slashspa is open until 2am or anytime of the day? Of course, I could get into the whole argument that the 21st century and our fast-paced lifestyles are leaving most people who work in the city more tired and stressed than their health can take. That is why there also seem to

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be a growing number of services to help alleviate the pains we take from a daily beating and to allow our bodies to recuperate. One such solution is the growing number of spa services available in the metro. Even though a lot of people may not mind the hassles and repercussions of pulling off the daily grind without as much as a thought about its long-term effect on the body, I for one mind very much (as someone who has this newfound need at 27 to look and feel 23.) This is why I find spas god-sends. One such spa is Zen Asia. Zen Asia is a family-owned company which began as a simple 24-hour home

and hotel service spa and massage which now has its own spa house around different parts of the city. Pia dela Cruz, founder of Zen Asia, shares: “After our first year [as a home and hotel service], we decided to come up with a very basic and simple spa ambience for those customers who have been requesting for a place other than their home. But their main request was to maintain the price which is Php 280 [for a one-hour massage]. So up to now, we try to maintain the price while offering new services.” When asked about the actual experience of their hired therapists, Pia replies, “The masseuses are TESDAtrained. I wanted to help the government agency and

their initiative to promote the wellness services. This is also to motivate the housewives and the single parents who want a livelihood and an income.”

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to go to the Zen Asia Makati branch for a Swedish massage, hair spa, and body scrub. It is a quaint little place near many residential areas (and surprisingly near one of the many hang-outs I go to… which gave me the idea of perhaps getting a massage either before or even after a night of partying, but I digress). Though it is understandably not as big and fancy as the highend spas we are more familiar with as Zen Asia caters to the Upper B and

C markets, it is very homey and cozy, which gives you the immediate impression that you are in for more than just a wham-bamthank-you-ma’am type massage. Now you may think that all you need is just a massage, but after that hair spa (which includes ironing or blow-dry) and body scrub, I realized just what I’ve been missing out on. And the mind-blowing part? The 2-hour service comes in a surprisingly affordable package of only Php 980. Talk about de-stressing.

WELLNESS

Color Your Diet Did you know that a rainbow in your diet is necessary in living a healthy life? While most of us know about the food pyramid as a guide to healthy eating, not everyone knows about the spectrum of food colors that could do wonders for the body.

The consumption of brightly colored fruits and vegetables is a fundamental part of a healthy diet. Health experts recommend that each person must consume at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day. Fruits and vegetables contain plant nutrients called phytonutrients that help promote the health of certain parts

RED Food examples: cherries, cranberries, red apples, pomegranate, raspberries, tomatoes Health benefits: prostate health, DNA health

PURPLE Food examples: black currant, eggplant, plums, beets, blackberries, blueberries, grapes Health benefits: cognitive health, heart health, support arterial function, antioxidant protection

WHITE Food examples: pears, cauliflower, garlic, white kidney beans, horseradish, mushrooms, onions Health benefits: maintain healthy bones, circulatory health, support arterial function

of our body. The color of the fruit or vegetable indicates the phytonutrient present in the food and its corresponding health benefit.

five colors in every meal is imperative. Unfortunately, the average Filipino diet only contains a few servings that do not meet the recommended amount.

Each one needs different colors in the diet to meet the body’s requirement for Phytonutrients. Given the challenges of modern urban living, completing the

Nutrilite, the only global vitamin brand that grows, harvests, and processes plants on its own certified organic farms, has launched the “Color Your

Diet” campaign, designed to educate Filipinos about the benefits of incorporating colors in the everyday diet. Exclusively distributed by Amway, Nutrilite is the only global vitamin and mineral brand in the world that delivers high-quality products that are environmentally friendly and produced in its own certified organic farms.

ORANGE Food examples: corn, pineapple, lemons, passion fruit, oranges, carrots, papaya Health benefits: eye health, healthy immune action, maintain skin hydration, healthy growth and development

GREEN Food examples: lettuce, spinach, broccoli, green beans, soy beans, green tea, green peppers Health benefits: cell health, support arterial function, lung health, maintain healthy liver function

Exclusively distributed by Amway, Nutrilite is the only global vitamin and mineral brand in the world that delivers high-quality products that are environmentally friendly and produced in its own certified organic farms.

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WELLNESS

GE Voluson E8 Expert

Makati Medical Center

The machine also features a number of developments in image analysis such as Spatio-Temporal Image Correlation (STIC), which captures a full fetal heart cycle beating in real time and several other fetal cardiac innovations which revolutionized structural and functional fetal heart analysis.

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Diagnosis is key to full treatment. This is the reason why hospitals invest in state-of-the-art machines to aid physicians in making decisions for a patient’s treatment. The Makati Medical Center now has the GE Voluson E8 Expert, a next-generation ultrasound device, to help doctors make the proper diagnosis

T

he Voluson E8 Expert gives distinct image quality through the several developments in ultrasonic features incorporated in the machine. The device allows physicians and imaging staff to gather more data in each volume sweep through innovations including: Speckle Reduction Imaging (SRI), which reduces speckles while maintaining a clear image of the inner structure being diagnosed; Advanced Volume Contrast Imaging (VCI) with OmniView, which enhances contrast resolution and visualization even when viewing irregularly shaped structures; and several advancements in transducer technology including High resolution 4D endovaginal transducer. The machine also features a number of developments in image analysis such as Spatio-Temporal Image Correlation (STIC), which captures a full fetal heart cycle beating in real time and several other fetal cardiac innovations

which revolutionized structural and functional fetal heart analysis. GE’s revolutionary computer software, the 4D View, also allows physicians to create an offline computer unit to optimize, manipulate and examine the volume ultrasound data for a more indepth diagnosis of each patient’s condition. This may all seem too technical for the average patient to fully understand and appreciate but this is one machine that truly helps doctors arrive at a more precise diagnosis. One usually thinks of undergoing an ultrasound for baby-viewing purposes, but this technology is also used to detect infertility as well as certain cancers. Dr. Genara Limson, chairperson of the Obstetrics and Gynecologist department of the Makati Medical Center explains, “There are features of certain masses that suggest malignancy. You can see it in ordinary ultrasound machines but GE Voluson E8, it is more dis-

“There are features of certain masses that suggest malignancy. You can see it in ordinary ultrasound machines but GE Voluson E8, it is more distinct. The resolution is so high that you can see the volume of the mass as with the old one, you can only see the diameter. With this, we can give a better diagnosis.”

WELLNESS “We can now have 3D and even 4D ultrasound images. They are now digital. This new ultrasound has improved on the software, allowing us to notice small details of the fetus, including tumors in the heart of the baby and other congenital anomalies. The enhanced software has improved capability, detection and resolution.”

The 19-inch high-resolution, flat screen monitor is guaranteed to reduce eye fatigue and the articulating arm allows the staff to move the monitor freely from the console. tinct. The resolution is so high that you can see the volume of the mass as with the old one, you can only see the diameter. With this, we can give a better diagnosis.” “We have improved a lot thanks to these kinds of ultrasound devices,” shares Dr. Ramon Reyles, head of the Ultrasound unit of MakatiMed's OB-Gyne Department. “We can now have 3D and even 4D ultrasound images. They are now digital. This new ultrasound has improved on the software, allowing us to notice small details of the fetus, including tumors in the heart of the baby and other congenital anomalies. The enhanced software has improved capability, detection and resolution.” “In the line of congenital scanning, it has improved not just image resolution but the way we see things in the anatomy of the fetus. With the software of this new machine, it can get the volume of the whole heart, and

then give us a reproduction of the heart pumping in real time. We can even rotate the heart inside out so we can have a better look in the anatomy,” Dr. Reyles further explains. As someone who’s already had her first child, I am very familiar with the feeling of uncertainty and worry that comes with not knowing what is going on inside your body as well as the growing life inside of you. At the very minimum, patients should have the opportunity to know more about their medical conditions, especially those of their offspring. Now, prenatal screening is achievable and available to patients. Aside from the many ultrasonic developments, the device also promises to provide comfort and efficiency for the hospital staff. The Voluson E8 Expert is small and light. The 19-inch high-resolution, flat screen monitor is guaranteed to reduce eye fatigue and the

articulating arm allows the staff to move the monitor freely from the console. The apparatus even gives the staff the option to electronically adjust the control panel’s height according to the user’s preference. And in line with the global effort to reduce energy consumption and MakatiMed’s thrust towards becoming a “green” healthcare institution, Voluson E8 Expert is also considered to be the most energy efficient in the industry. While capturing every image, the machine uses less energy and contributes to a better environment in the process. That is why Makati Medical Center continues to dedicate itself to bringing premium healthcare service to each patient.

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Aside from the many ultrasonic developments, the device also promises to provide comfort and efficiency for the hospital staff.

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WELLNESS

Robotic-assisted surgery The Medical City The Medical City now provides its patients a minimally-invasive type of surgery, particularly in the treatment of cancer. Robotic-assisted surgery aims to give patients a better quality of life even after treatment. Robotic‐assisted surgery has benefitted over 200,000 patients worldwide. The surgeon performs the procedure by manipulating robotic arms from a special viewing and control console. The arms wield fine surgical instruments that are able to cut, dissect and suture with full range of motion, as well as a camera that allows the surgeon to view the operative site 64

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in three dimensions, magnified up to 10 times. Dr. Jason Letran, urologic oncologist at The Medical City explains, “Based on effectiveness, it is the most commonly performed surgical procedure for prostate cancer that we have in the States. It has become the treatment of choice.” Since the surgeon is seeing and controlling everything from a separate console, complex procedures can be performed through 1 to 2-centimeter openings, in contrast with open surgery which requires much larger incisions. Robotic‐assisted procedures are also superior to laparoscopic procedures. In laparoscopy, long instruments are inserted through the small incisions and are then

controlled by the surgeon outside the patient’s body. On the other hand, robotic arm instruments have freedom of movement similar to the wrist motion of human hands; thus, it is just like having the surgeon’s hands inside the patient’s body, working directly on the operative site. Moreover, the 3D camera in robotic surgery provides the surgeon with depth perception, which is absent in conventional laparoscopy. Smaller incisions, more precise surgical techniques and maximum visualization provide numerous benefits to patients including minimal blood loss, limited collateral damage to adjacent tissue, less post‐operative pain, lower risk of infection, reduced scarring, shorter hospital stay, faster

recovery and superior treatment outcomes. “In open surgery you have to cut open the belly of the patient. In robotic surgery, you just make small incisions so that you can insert ports. This is used as an access so we can insert a 3D camera to get a view of the operating field. In those ports, we can insert tiny instruments and these tiny instruments are attached to the robotic arm, which is controlled by a surgeon. Each of the surgeons movements is scaled down and transmuted to the robotic arm. So smaller wound, less pain.” Dr. Letran further notes, “One of the potential advantages—when everything is taken into consideration—robotics should have less blood loss, smaller incisions,

WELLNESS

“One of the potential advantages—when everything is taken into consideration—robotics should have less blood loss, smaller incisions, earlier recovery, earlier return to function and less scarring. In terms of cure rate, they are more or less the same. It’s more of the convenience since there is less suffering.”

Members of The Medical City's Robotics team (L-R) Drs. Joel Patrick Aldana, Jose Vicente Prodigalidad and Jason Letran.

earlier recovery, earlier return to function and less scarring. In terms of cure rate, they are more or less the same. It’s more of the convenience since there is less suffering.” Urology patients, especially those with localized prostate cancer, will benefit greatly from robotic‐assisted surgery, as it allows for the removal of the cancerous prostate with limited damage to nerves, blood vessels and other sensitive structures. Return to normal bladder and sexual function is thus more readily assured. According to the Department of Health, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among Filipino males after lung cancer, with at least 4,000 new prostatic cancer cases diagnosed yearly since 2005. Robotic surgery has been used most widely in the treatment of prostate cancer, and can now help patients burdened with this disease in the Philippines. According to Nina Posadas The Medical City manager for corporate communications, “ The procedure is costly given this is new technology in the market. But we don't want people to focus on that. They need to look at the entire picture. If you've had a relative or friend who has actually undergone surgery for prostate cancer, they will tell you that the recovery

period can be lengthy and there are many other hurdles that a patient goes through such as blood loss and constant transfusion.” One may think that anything that has to do with a robot may give you horrific images of popularized movies such as A.I. or I Am Robot where the machine turns against humans. “Contrary to popular belief, the procedure is not delegated to a robot,” Dr. Letran assures. “People might think that if there were a computer break, the robot becomes insane. That’s one of the common misconceptions. It is actually very safe and is under the direct control of the surgeon at any given time. No way can it be moved without a person. And before we can be a robotic surgeon, first and foremost, we should know the principles of how to do the surgical procedure. After all, it is still a surgery. It’s just like putting our own hands inside the patient.” Robotic‐assisted surgery is also an option in the management of kidney cancer, urinary bladder cancer, colorectal cancer and gynecological cancers. Beyond its cancer applications, the surgical robot can be utilized in kidney surgery, thyroid surgery, uterine surgery, lymph node dissection, and treatment for female incontinence.

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the surgical robot can be utilized in kidney surgery, thyroid surgery, uterine surgery, lymph node dissection, and treatment for female incontinence. 2010 SEPTEMBER

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WELLNESS

Younger Skin Without The Stitches We’ve all heard about 30-minute meals and 30-minute exercises, but younger skin in half an hour? This is a first. It’s not entirely a shock to all, however, as the quest for a “fountain of youth” has been ongoing since the early century. In today’s technological age, advanced methods of retaining a youthful appearance have been developed. No one wants to grow old, most of all in a time where anti-aging is accessible. Face lifts and botox treatments abound, but we’ve got the low-down on the newest procedure to obtain fresh and supple skin. We spoke to Dr. March BabaranCortez of the Belo Medical Group about the best non-surgical facelift available, Ultherapy. Ulthera is the first skin-tightening machine that uses HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound) to tighten skin. These HIFU beams penetrate deep into the skin creating high heat which causes immediate collagen and skin contraction. It also creates minute wounds which triggers the skin’s healing response. This results in the waking up of the fibroblasts which have become dormant as people age. Fibroblasts are where new collagen and elastin fibers are produced, and are, by implication responsible for young-looking skin. This procedure will only take 30 minutes to an hour but expect results within three to six months as the production of collagen and elastin is progressive. It starts off as the doctor or nurse touches the smooth Ulthera ultra-

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sound applicator to the patient’s face, which allows him or her to actually see into your skin and the tissue beneath. As with other sonograms, an image is projected onto a screen that both the patient and the doctor can see. This same hand piece is then used to deliver low levels of heat energy at just the right depth below the skin to achieve a positive effect, leaving the surface of the skin unharmed. The skin’s response to the energy is to contract slightly right away, and then to stimulate the growth of new collagen over time. A gradual tightening occurs, ultimately resulting in a natural, beneficial lift of facial skin tissue. The doctor gradually moves the flat surface of the ultrasound applicator over each region of the face. The sound waves deliver small, controlled amounts of energy into the deep layers of skin and soft tissue while sparing the upper layers. The procedure has

an excellent safety profile, is tolerated without need for an anesthetic but some patients may opt to do it under twilight sedation, and the patient can return to his or her daily routine immediately. Although the skin may appear a bit flushed or puffy immediately after, any redness should dissipate in a few hours. “In past procedures, specifically surgical and ablative treatments, there’s a big amount of downtime because you have to wait for the cuts to heal. But Ulthera bypasses the skin and promotes the lifting of SMAS (Sub Muscular Aponeurotic System),” said Dr. Cortez. “The main goal of Ultherapy is to maintain a youthful appearance, as opposed to letting gravity take control as you age and then suddenly getting work done at the age of 50.” She should know, as she herself has experienced Ultherapy. She

claims that results were evident within two months after the procedure but that it is most recommended for people between the ages of 35 to 55. While it is a one-time treatment, it is not a procedure for patients who have severe skin sagging but a second treatment, if needed, may follow after nine months. In the FDA clinical trial, nine out of 10 patients had a noticeable, significant lift of the brow line, resulting in a more open, refreshed appearance overall. Patients reported firmer, tighter, more fit-looking skin in other areas of the face and neck as well. It is also safe for people who are kidney or liver transplant patients as this is a non-invasive procedure. However should they need an anesthetic they are encouraged to consult their doctors previous to undergoing any kind of procedure. For inquiries, call 819-BELO or visit www.belomed.com

LIFE&STYLEPARADE

I

THE COMPLETE FALL LOOK T'S THE BER MONTHS AGAIN, AND IT'S TIME TO PACK THOSE TANK TOPS AND SHORTS AND SWITCH TO JACKETS AND RAIN WEAR. WE KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE, SO WE GIVE YOU A RUNDOWN OF THE COMPLETE LOOKS FOR EVERYONE (EVEN THE TOTS).

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THE DAPPER DON

KENNETH COLE It’s all about mix. Unexpected pairings create modern metropolitan looks. Sweatpants and nylon windbreakers work with tailored blazers and trousers, a suit with sneakers, a motorcycle jacket with shirt and tie. Knits are key— encompassing everything from slender, shawl-collared pullovers and cardigans to a turtleneck fisherman’s sweater brawny with ribs. Black-and-white checks and stripes add a graphic touch, while indigo denim and burgundy shirting adds a pop of regal color. Flat-front trousers and jeans are cut close to the body; new stand-up collar blazers and standout outwear, including fitted leather bombers and wool or nylon anoraks. Details matter, like the new rounded shoulders that soften the silhouette, rendering it unfussy yet refined. Accessories update classic looks—duffle bags in tender oilskin become a staple, tailored, double-buckled combat boots, belts dotted with grommets or studs. The look is clean, current and ruggedly masculine.

PLAYBOY SCENTS Smooth and sophisticated, the man wearing Hollywood Playboy is in the scene and out to be seen. It opens with the tantalizing citrus head notes of mandarin, thyme, bergamot and elemi to deliver a vibrant freshness. At the heart, lavender, rosewood and jasmine unite with cedar wood to give a subtly floral yet masculine elegance. The fragrance then settles on the warm base notes of vetiver, musk, warm amber, vanilla and sandalwood, creating a smooth, seductive experience. 68

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CHARRIOL This sporty 44-mm diameter watch features a variety of strongly contrasting dials, including white mother-of-pearl and Kevlar counters or black guilloché and white mother-of-pearl counters. Imbued with the distinctive Charriol identity, it will definitely create a sensational effect on the wrist of dynamic men with discerning tastes.

CK ONE 'MAGNETS' Simple, understated and accessible. The signature shared fragrance, ck one, is a naturally clean, pure and universal scent with a refreshing point of view. A sheer citrus fragrance, it is light and casual, meant to be applied generously. With top notes of bergamot, cardamom, tangerine, freesia and lavender and mid notes of green tea mixed with expressions of violet, rose and orange flower and bottom notes of mus musk combined with amber create a sensuous drydown completing the effect of fullness and warmth that creates an intimate fragrance, one that you need to be near to smell.

LISTERINE We all want a flashy smile, clean mouth and fresh breath for that extra confidence, especially in times where we need it the most like before an interview for that dream job or a date you’ve been excited for the whole week. Luckily, Listerine has introduced its newest flavor, Vanilla Mint. It still has that mint flavor, which for us is a cue of fresh breath and a clean mouth, but with the flavorful twist of Vanilla which, as we all know, is a favorite ingredient in desserts and goodies such as cupcakes and ice cream. Enjoy the sweet flavor of Vanilla Mint as it effectively eliminates the causes of bad breath, gum bleed and plaque. Now your mouthwash can provide not only a thoroughly clean and healthy mouth, but can also be quite a delight.

CALVIN KLEIN The campaign debuts Calvin Klein Underwear’s new Calvin Klein X Underwear line, which comes in two modern fabrications—cotton modal and microfiber— for ultimate comfort and fit. Modal provides softness and luster while cotton allows for comfort and breathability. The microfiber is an ultra-luxe premium fabrication. Both have stretch for ease of movement and styles are distinguished with colored, microfiber logo waistbands—cotton features a blue logo while microfiber is in red. Each is overlaid with a distinctive center front gray patch with an embossed “X” over the signature Calvin Klein logo in bold proportions for maximum impact. 2010 SEPTEMBER

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STORM LONDON MKV Complete the rainy season look with the newest timekeepers from UK brand Storm London. Famous for their fashionably stylish pieces, Storm London launches MKV, a clever new design whose shutter mechanism shields the watch face and once opened, reveals the time. The chunky case is made from brushed stainless steel and sits on a sleek rubber strap in either black, rose gold or silver, sure to complement your wardrobe. SINEQUANONE Bold and self-assured ladies go for the new 80’s-inspired business suit. But why stop there? Suit up with the boys in mind. Military influence is strong, and mix the structured and the sensual to create the perfect counterpoint. Play with stylish patterns, floral or animal prints, unless you prefer a bit of punk tartan. This season, Sinequanone encourages women to wear black and midnight blue, but also go for beiges, chocolates, greys and khakis with a subtle reminder to wear red lipstick to keep that le grand chic look.

MARC ECKO LINDSAY LOHAN This fall, the Marc Ecko Cut & Sew collection campaign ingeniously marries technology and pop culture with a traditional print campaign. The idea, conceived by Marc Ecko, is the first in an ongoing series, that combines the traditional ideas of a print campaign with the web technology “augmented reality” to create a multidimensional, interactive experience. Augmented reality will soon be a household term, but it can be defined by taking a physical real-world environment and augmenting it by virtual computer-generated imagery. The choice to use Lindsay as the campaign muse is best explained by Marc Ecko who said: “A muse has the ability to inspire the artist to create in ways they wouldn’t otherwise contemplate. For better, or worse, they make you feel something, emotionally. I cast Lindsay because people are fascinated with her-they can either feel good or bad things, but they are feeling some type of emotion. She’s a pop culture icon.”

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FAB FALL FEMALE MARC JACOBS DAISY POP FRAGRANCE A richer interpretation than the eau de toilette, the scent captivates with a luscious natural freshness of wild strawberry then blooms with the modern vintage edge of velvety violet petals and a luminous blend of gardenia and jasmine. The white wood accords of birch and cedarwood is more intense, wrapping up the fragrance in sensuality and warmth. KENNETH COLE Key looks for women include silk, wool and knit jersey shifts worn belted at the waist and with a classic blazer or anorak-inspired jackets, tapered pants, easy shirtdresses and slouchy knits. Leather is a theme, from the grommetdetailed trim on a wear-anywhere wrap dress to the leather hug of leggings that create sleek looks for work or play. A sense of richness pervades in the collection, touches of fur and leather combined with a palette of warm green, camel, burgundy, purple and gray, all grounded by classic Kenneth Cole black. A must-have cropped moto jacket sets the tone for accessories: highlights include dense chain necklaces, eyelet studded clutches and hobo bags and tough, pleat detailed belts and boots. Platform ankle boots and winter sandals, made to be worn with tights, ground this season’s curveskimming silhouettes.

REPLAY TIME ROYAL STONES Royal Stones Collection stands out with its resolutely vintage style and luxurious modern look. In line with traditional watch making values, these collections boast detailed finishes – Swarovski crystals on the index, the aged Italian leather strap and the engraved back focus on the idea of heritage. Having a strong personality and a classic design that has never been seen, the coupe stones collection are unique and timeless like its inspirations from the cars of 1930s and 1950s

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VROOM PLANET The constant weather changes might prevent your little one from going out to play, so cheer them up with these newest toys from Vroom Planet. Big Builder encourages creativity and gives them a myriad of scenarios to play with that'll lessen their boredom of staying indoors on a gloomy day.

KIDS

MOTHERCARE Keep your little tots warm this wet season by having them don the newest from children's line, Mothercare. Their newest collection includes a set of three long-sleeved shirts and drawstring pants for the little man and a cardigan, a keep-warm set, and socks for the little princess. Don't miss out on the latest Peppa Pig collection as girls are sure to love it!

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PHOTOFEATURE

Eye Candies: Easy on the Eyes

Gadgets Magazine’s September issue satisfies your sweet tooth with the newest sweet things this side of the entertainment industry. For your viewing (and listening) pleasure, we introduce Kisses, Coco, Snickers, Mallows, and Nestlé—better known collectively as the EYE CANDIES. 74

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PHOTOFEATURE

Photographed by Niko G. Villegas of Edge of Light for Nikon D3s Art direction by Chad Villarmino Styled by Danee Torres Makeup by Jo Ticzon & Leo de Castro Hair by Gilbert Lago & Ronald Quirino Accessories by Marge Abas of Estrellas Manila and Vita Fede Shot on location at 360 Bar and Restaurant Special thanks to Mr. Bong Velasco

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PHOTOFEATURE

Kisses

Sodolite and dark red coral bib from JĂ” Joyce OreĂąa. Semi-sweetheart neckline bustier-based short dress w/ Aside from being a member of thewith Babaa chiffon front drape, accentuated beadings, Indian Boom beauties of Eat Bulaga and a former beads and Swarovski crystals, by PoPo Go.

ASF dancer of Wowowee, Kisses is also an accomplished recording artist, and has appeared in numerous commercials. Her forte includes jazz, R&B, and is highly touted as the next bossa nova princess. This sexy and sultry stunner 76

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PHOTOFEATURE

Snickers A comedienne on TV is more than what she is in real life. With her bubbly and shining personality you'll find this lass a handful. Not only is she sweet and charming when it comes to hitting the notes, but she's one surprising cookie when it comes to throwing out the dance moves on stage.

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PHOTOFEATURE

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PHOTOFEATURE

How did you come up with the name EYE CANDIES? Can you describe why each member is named after a particular candy? When we started the group we weren’t sure what our name will be. Our management team decided it would be cool if the name had a sweet ring to it since we were such fanatics of sweets. Coincidentally, the name EYE CANDIES actually means "masarap tingnan" in Tagalog. So then we decided to call us that. And in line with the group's name, we decided to give each member a name that will make your sweet tooth tingle. This way, the audience can easily remember each member's individual traits. There’s Snickers who is more of the sporty type and loves sneakers. Kisses’ trademark is to blow flying kisses whenever she's introduced. Then there's Coco who's the wild type who loves to tease and try anything; we got her name from the singer Coco Lee who has a similar personality. Mallows, on the other hand, is such a softy; shy but sly—and very soft spoken, she basically reminds you of the tender goodness of a marshmallow. And Nestlé is a real name, it’s in the birth certificate. When did you form your group? What inspired you to perform together? Back then we all had our own solo careers, not all as singers though. Snickers was an actress in a sitcom, Nestlé was an actress and a host. Coco and Kisses were both dancers. And Mallows used to be a solo act. Manager Zondrie Garcia, who happens to be Nestlé’s mom, decided to form an all-girl group due to her love for music. We were officially launched to the public as a perfect package, flawless in singing and dancing barely a year ago. Since we see each other roughly around 5 to 6 times a week, we're basically like sisters, which makes it easier and merrier to work with each other. All of us share the same passion and drive to perform. What makes you different from all the other girl groups? Frankly speaking, there are indeed a lot of girl groups out in the market right now. All of them are equally talented in their own fields and areas of focus. Our group is different in the sense that we all truly sing. During shows, we all have equal shares on the spotlight. We all have our strengths that we share with the other members. No one is a perfect performer, so we use each other's strengths to touch up each other's weaknesses. As a group, we can sing a variety of songs—R&B, ballads, bossa, jazz, etc. We also incorporate our sexiness with a hint of sweetness so that our audience base isn't solely male; we hope the ladies would also learn to love us. We all have different personalities and looks which make us unique individuals even if we're in a group. What are your biggest challenges as a group? Our biggest challenge as a group would have to be trying to be better than how we are today. No one is perfect and perfection can never be achieved. But learning is a continuous process. Our biggest challenge evolved from our eagerness to become better performers. When fans come up to us saying what awesome performers we are, we don't just stop there and become contented right away. Because we know that we can still learn new tricks that will help us become better. What are the plans for your group? Being featured in magazines such as Gadgets Magazine is a huge step for us. Fans should also watch out for our TV guestings and appearances. A radio tour is in our agenda until the official release of our carrier single. We'll also be releasing our debut album soon. This will be released in parts of Europe and Asia; but of course we'll have a special repackaged version released in the Philippines with OPM tracks incorporated. We hope to be known as not just another girl group, but the example of a great girl group that not only looks good, but knows how to kick ass in each performance. Having a good physique is not enough to last in this business; you have to know your craft and be really good at it. That's what we honed before we released the EYE CANDY franchise to the public.

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PHOTOFEATURE

NestlĂŠ

An actress, commercial model, FHM Babe, Magic 89.9 Junior Jock, and student are the other occupations she holds aside from being a vocalist in the Eye Candies. Having been trained with skills in dancing and singing by nothing less than the top institutions in the Metro, her abilities in this field are truly highlighted on stage. Nestle’s an energetic dancer and singer that most likely get the audience up on their feet and feeling the rhythm. Aside from her bubbly personality and energy, her versatility has driven her to take particular interest in singing bossa nova classics. 2010 SEPTEMBER

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PHOTOFEATURE

Coco

She's one wild thing that'll keep your eyes peeled, wanting more and more. With her sleek and sexy moves, not to mention her bodacious abs, she's a master on the dance floor. Splits, back turns and head stands aren't the only moves up her sleeve. Ask her to pull out a daring move and she'll do it with no apparent hesitation. She makes the crowd laugh all the time with her playful personality. Her husky voice makes her very versatile when it comes to hitting the notes. She can even rap!

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PHOTOFEATURE

Mallows From a well brought up family, this sweet treat has been singing since her childhood years. She has actively participated in numerous school, community, and church activities involving singing and dancing. She’s quite the charm when it comes to hitting high notes; she’ll surely woo you off your feet when ballads are sung. Mallows is the pop-R&B enthusiast of the group, but it’s no doubt that the crowd stops dead in their tracks when they hear this young angel’s sweet voice.

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LIFESTYLEFEATURE

Nighttime Renewal By Danee Torres

“Anytime—except when I’m sleeping.” These are words my friends have known me to say after doing them a favor. I know someone who says that sleeping is a waste of time but for me, it’s the best part of my day. It’s not a surprise that things that claim to provide restful sleep are a big hit among consumers nowadays—from sleep mists to eye pillows and natural sleeping pills. People have always chased not just after sleep, but the restful kind that leaves you feeling refreshed and up for anything. We can thank the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the 88

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US for creating a mattress and pillow line that is guaranteed to not only provide restful sleep, but to relieve pressure points. Primarily created to reduce pressure on the backs of astronauts during takeoff and landing, Tempur has evolved from space technology to improving the quality of life of us regular folks. Tempur molds perfectly to the contours of the body and distributes the weight evenly across the entire surface area of the material. It exerts less pressure than conventional mattresses and does not create any counter-pressure on the body. This reduces tossing and turning at night

by 80 percent, increased blood circulation, and overall improved sleep quality. Over 75,000 medical doctors, chiropractors, physiotherapists and osteopaths worldwide recommend Tempur mattresses and pillows because they firmly believe in the value of the material to ease and prevent back and neck problems, as well as providing the best conditions for a good night´s sleep. We spoke to Aline Lopez, AVP for Home Furnishings of Focus Global Inc, about her take on the Tempur buzz. Being a proud owner of a deluxe mattress and an original pillow (which she has had for

two years now) herself, she says the investment was all worth it as people do spend about one-third of their lives sleeping. She says unlike other mattresses, a Tempur mattress absorbs weight well. The newest product, the Promessa Bed, has an ultra-soft wave topper that delivers comfort and helps prevent and relieve the pressure that causes headache, circulatory problems as well as back, neck and joint aches. Its long sink-in feeling encourages the body to relax into an undisturbed sleep. In ordinary mattresses, Lopez says, “the body is forced to conform to it whereas Tempur mattresses are designed to conform to the body.”

LISTEN

Get in Touch By Steven Vea

The arts have been challenging our notion of what is taboo and morally acceptable ever since man’s existence. Music, in particular, has guided us to some of our most spiritual and sentimental experiences. Although this particular art form might touch our soul, it is still incomparable to the closeness that direct physical contact with another person can achieve. Our sense of touch is perhaps the most intimate of all our senses.

What if we could combine the spiritual euphoria of music with the sensation of human touch? This is precisely the concept that Matthijs Munnik, Ben Terwel and Charlotte‘t Hart have explored. Based in The Netherlands, this trio built an art installation/musical instrument which they call “Get in Touch.” Their work is basically a large enclosed physical structure spacious enough to fit several people inside of it, and its exterior is then masked by an elastic white fabric that has holes to expose the nude backs of the anonymous persons hiding within. The main allure of “Get in Touch” is not just the innovative technology that it employs, but the

"

intimate human interaction it beckons. Participants and viewers of the installation are invited to approach and create musical tones by using the exposed human backs as a musical interface. Touching a back essentially creates an electric connection between performer and human instrument, which then produces a sound that can be manipulated either by touching more than one back or increasing the pressure of touch. How does it work? The persons hidden inside of the structure are attached to a circuit-bent radio and Crackle Box that are both attached to an external speaker. A circuit-bent device is essentially any electronic gadget that is

modified to create musical tones. The Crackle Box (also known as a Kraakdoos), on the other hand, is a vintage synth designed by Michel Waisvisz of STEIM in the ’70s, and is a pressure sensitive device that creates synthetic sounds when touched. The aim of the nude installation, according to its creators, is to “question the way an interface influences behavior” as well as to challenge the human mind’s perception and sexual association with touching somebody else’s skin in an intimate manner. The body then loses its human characteristic by using it as a musical instrument, and simply becomes an interface for sculpting sound.

The sensual, yet non-sexual human contact, is especially liberating because of the anonymity of the persons involved. It is truly ironic that as the human body is reduced to a simple object or instrument through the act of creating music, the intimate euphoria that producing/performing music brings is still retained. After the musical performance, the disassociation ends as well, and according to the creators, “you suddenly realize that you were actually quite intimate with the people inside the installation, and suddenly the objects of the interface you were just playing with, become human again.”

you suddenly realize that you were actually quite intimate with the people inside the installation, and suddenly the objects of the interface you were just playing with, become human again. 2010 SEPTEMBER

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Join The Quest

LISTEN

By Danee Torres Photographed by Niko G. Villegas

Not a lot of artists have had much luck balancing humility and talent. My guess is because they know they’re exceptionally gifted and they refuse to be treated like the mediocre folk. Such is not the case with Jose Villanueva III, Also known as Quest to the music community. He has been active in making music since 1999. I first met him pre-Quest era as a cheerful person who loved to sing. He would walk into a room and I noticed that people would reorient themselves around him, quite like pins to a magnet. He is so charismatic that it is impossible for you not to enjoy yourself in his company. He took quite a hiatus from the music scene for some internal exploration but recently reemerged with more focus than ever, this time as Quest. Why did you choose Quest as an artist name? Shawn Carter is Jay-Z. Marshall Mathers is Eminem. Gordon Matthew Summer is Sting. These names are cool but I wanted a name that will not just represent me as an artist but a name that would reinforce my vision, my passion, my music and my life. I wanted a name that could speak of something bigger than me. Quest means pursuit, journey, mission—and that’s the goal of my music. That’s where my heart is as an artist. I want my music to take you to a journey. I want the listeners not just enjoy my music but discover truth and take them to the next level in life. That’s why I chose “Quest” for “Join The Quest!”

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What kind of music do you make and why that kind of music? I make music that uplifts the soul—not just to make you feel good but empowers you to live good. It’s nice to hear a catchy tune that triggers your emotions; makes you bob your head and tap your foot. But imagine good music that awakens your soul, a tune that encourages your heart, a song that not only speaks to you but also relates to you—that’s my kind of music. Hip-hop runs through my veins but I can be flexible. When did you decide that you wanted to be a musician? I started this whole music journey with Turbulence Productions back

in 1999. I met hip-hop producer extraordinaire Bong “B-Roc” Andres through my very good friend Leo Veneracion and started immersing myself with Hip-hop. From there people started noticing my craft and they encouraged me to sing and write. Around 2004 I started feeling the passion for music and became involved in church music. I started singing every Sunday in Victory Christian Fellowship and continued writing. I even wrote some gospel songs that we still sing in church. Come 2008, the call to go out and share my music grew stronger so I decided to start writing for my album. One of the reasons why I’m doing what I’m doing is because I believe I have something to say to my generation and I want to be heard.

In a conflicted world like this, how do you expect to be appealing to music lovers? Just learn their language. Understand the language of this generation. As much as I want to prioritize being artistic and creative with my music and there’s always room for that, my main priority is to sound good and to have a very clear message to the listener. I believe in always being true to yourself and your music. People today want the real thing. Kaya nga puro reality TV shows na di ba? I’m not gonna write or sing about anything that is not me. My music is an extension of myself. My music is a reflection of who I am and what I believe in—and the truth will always set you free.

LISTEN

Who are your influences and what is it about them, that you have borrowed and added to your music? Jay-Z – his confidence and swagger is so contagious. He doesn’t dance, he doesn’t even have back up dancers. But he can move the crowd from a small show up to Madison Square Garden. I love the way he owns that stage and takes command during a show. Gary V – I’m really a fan of this man. The thing that sets him apart with the rest is his genuine love for the audience. I love the way he interacts with the crowd. I love the fact that the crowd is his motivation. He draws strength from the crowd. I’ve seen him perform so many times and he never fails to put on an amazing show. Francis M – This guy placed Hip-hop in

my heart. I am forever grateful for this man’s life and music. There’s so much truthfulness in his music and his love for the Philippines is undeniable. He is the foundation of Philippine Hip-hop and I will always be a fan. Stevie Wonder —One of the most gifted artists EVER! His passion for music is felt not just heard. This guy has a very clear vision with his music. Clearer than anyone else. I love the way he writes his music. You know that there’s love added to every melody, note, harmony. This man is a classic! How can you be optimistic amidst an environment that is against what it is you stand for? Life is my inspiration. The world is my motivation and as long as I'm breathing there’s still hope.

As long as I see people fighting for their lives I will be hopeful. As long as I see people in need I will keep doing what I’m doing. As long as there are people like Efren Peñaflorida or Steve Murrell or Robert Hern I will always be excited for what’s ahead even though tomorrow is a mystery. If it’s the truth then it’s worth fighting for. Edmund Burke said: “The only way for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” As long as there are irresponsible artists whose music does nothing but pollute the hearts and minds of my generation I will keep doing what I’m doing. And I don’t think I will stop.

As of today, I have no clue! Maybe a ninja or an MMA fighter. What is the one thing you would like everyone to know about you? I believe that God has a unique plan for each and every one of us. I truly believe we all have unique destinies that no one else can fulfill but us. And I am living mine right now!

If there was one thing you would rather be doing than making music, what would it be and why?

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CDREVIEW

QUEST

JACK JOHNSON

TORO Y MOI

TAIO CRUZ

Universal Records

MCA Music Inc.

Universal Records

MCA Music Inc.

When I want to relax, but I’m not ready to sleep, I put on some ‘feel good’ music to help me settle down after a long stressful day. The newest addition to my playlist is a Hip-hop/Soul/R&B album from local artist Jose “Quest” Villanueva III titled “Join the Quest: Revolution”.

Throughout his albums, Jack Johnson has created a comfortable spot in his music and has played consistently to his strengths, that fans of his lazy campfire strums and seashore serenades have likewise found a safe haven within them. This suddenly begs the question whether the surfer-filmaker is indeed coasting along his brilliance, or is he stuck in an undercurrent of complacency.

Toro Y Moi is the stage name used by recording artist Chaz Bundick. This electronic chillwave pop artist traces his roots from Columbia, South Carolina where he formed a famous indie rock band The Heist and The Accomplice with his three schoolmates. He has since been signed to Carpark Records and in 2010 has just recently released his first full length album: "Causers of This".

We have witnessed an evolution in R&B. From the bumping and grinding of sex-laced crooners before, we now witness the current breed of flashy electrobased artists seducing the airwaves, and pop culture alike.

In his latest album, “To The Sea,” Johnson shows that he could extend his sound and experiment, while still keeping his signature material swimming underneath every track. He effortlessly glides across his middle-of-the road soft rock like a surfboard catching the perfect curl, and his smooth nice-guy tone has complemented his themes of love, nature, and even passive social commentary.

This 11 track masterpiece is a collection of very distinct and alluring 33 minutes of funky indie tunes. Most of his music in "Causers of This" sound lo-fi and sketchy but it’s all part of his artistic style—as demonstrated in his opening track, Blessa—a powerful track that well defines what is to be expected throughout the album. Other tracks such as Talamak and Fax Shadow are tracks you shouldn’t miss out on. Both hypnotic and soulful, these songs showcase his talent to artistically craft awesome music with an unusual distorted melody and singing style. There are also tracks like Low Shoulder that is more inclined to synth electronica with a faster pace, probably my favorite in this album.

Join the Quest: Revolution

From the Intro - Life to the end of You and Me, it radiates good vibes with the simple and yet intricate mix of beats and melodies that make me want to relax and yet move to the music. Add to that his positive lyrics and smooth voice, and you have 13 tracks of easy listening music, perfect for chilling out. With songs that lighten the mood like Do You See, Pagbabago, Bagong Bayan and Rise and Shine, it is hard not to smile and be happy while listening to the music. There are also a few interludes that provide a steady break between the moods of each track. My personal favorites on the album are: Party Life because it talks about life as being one gigantic party that we should enjoy and celebrate; the next being Radio Revolution, because of its smooth beat that makes me want to groove; a remix of So Wonderful, a truly wonderful tune; and Back to Love which brings us back to the basic building block of any relationship – Love Another thing that I admire about the album is that when you listen to the lyrics, it speaks of nationalism without forcing it upon the listener through melodramatic tunes or historically based narration making it pleasing to both local and foreign ears. Ultimately, “Join the Quest: Revolution” is the perfect opening and closing soundtrack of anyone’s life, especially for those with a stressful life like mine, lived with never-ending deadlines and a constant strive for creativity. – BENJAMIN ARNOLD

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To the Sea

This release does show a slightly progressive arrangement where livelier riffs and a beefed up band section provide the right grip to Johnson’s fluid style. The first single You and Your Heart immediately drops a thicker rock sound that previews the counterpoint of the whole album. The bluesy Red Wine, Mistakes, Mythology shows the singer’s deep, cool melodies falling unto a bed of harmonicas. Those attached to his uncomplicated beachside acoustic and simplistic wordplay, will find solace in tracks such as My Little Girl, a classic loveinfused acoustic bound to tug away at a few sentimental hearts. The song From The Clouds is vintage Johnson contained in the blues guitar riffs, which hold down the additions in full band arrangement. He sings: “The more love that you feel / The more your little heart will ache / Love’s the only thing that carries on / It’s the only thing this world can take” with his island crooning that always finds a familiar place in everyone’s ears, and dives deep into our hearts… and back to the sea. – PAOLO TOLEDO

Causers of This

Toro y Moi is something worthy of consideration, but not for everyone because of his distinct style that only appeals to a select crowd. Still, if you have a few bucks to spare, "Causers of This" would be a good spend for music enthusiasts who want to explore something new. At 23, Chaz is starting a musical revolution in the chillwave genre – unafraid to try out new styles and think out of the box. And I think he’s headed in the right direction. – FRANCIS TAN

Rokstarr

Today’s songs are heavily infused with predictable and faster beats surrounded by synthesized effects and, yes, Auto-Tune. The latest among this class is UK songwriter-producer, Taio Cruz. He debuts in the US with "Rokstarr", which racks up to be an album catering to heavy radio rotation. Taio’s feel and instinct for a hit is well showcased throughout the tracks, as each one plays out to be a instant chart-topper in all its heavy drops, pulsating waves, and catchy melodies that touch on your usual concepts of love, sex, and modern-day narcissism. The album opens to the three best examples of the aforementioned pattern. Dynamite immediately jolts to life with signature electroR&B production peppered with repetitive hooks. Following suit are his worldwide #1 hit Break Your Heart, and Dirty Picture, a song featuring Ke$ha, which stands out on a unique concept perfectly arranged to find its way on the dirty dancefloor. The rest of the album proceeds on the same note with a few slower, more sentimental tracks thrown into the mix like Feel Again, and the Coldplaysounding Falling In Love. Despite the entire listen dipping into a somewhat tiring pop formula, songs like the brightly inspiring I Can Be are a much-needed break from being lost from one song to the next. Indeed, Taio Cruz has set his sights on radio play with an album packed with hit singles. Thing is, no matter how promising this may sound, it does render the total "Rokstarr" experience as something formulaic and forgettable when taken as a whole. – PAOLO TOLEDO

EVENTS

RHIAN RAMOS PARTIES IT UP SMART WITH HTC “A party with good friends and food, low lights and good music to set up the mood,”noted the party invite. That was exactly what was in store for the attendees of the HTC Smart event held on August 10 at the Dolce Superclub on Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City. And what better way to celebrate than with HTC’s newest endorser, the lovely Rhian Ramos, who also shared her two cents on HTC’s latest smartphone. Now HTC believes that “one should not get a phone, but a phone that gets you.” This is exactly what HTC realized with the HTC Smart. As Rhian put it, as she held her personal black

HTC Smart in her hand, “I’m not technologically smart or technologically savvy, but I get this. I know how to do this. And that’s what’s important.” She is also flattered at the fact that HTC likened her to such an intuitive phone such as the HTC Smart and even more for making her an actual endorser. Everyone at the event would agree that Rhian is the perfect ambassadress for the brand. Mark Dewey Sergio, HTC country manager in the Philippines, explained: “We focused on finding someone with standout qualities that are consistent with the HTC Smart. The smart, young and accomplished Rhian more than fits the bill.” Rhian will have her own limited edition phone with her signature incorporated in the unit. The select pieces will not be available commercially but will be auctioned off with proceeds going to a charitable institution.

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Gadgets pays it forward Anniversaries are meant to be celebrated with a big bang, more so if it’s the 10th year anniversary. August is Gadgets Magazine’s 10th year anniversary month and we believed it deserved a special, meaningful celebration to give thanks to everyone who was a part of its ongoing success. This year, however, we strayed from the conventional mix of drinks, dancing, and music at our favorite clubs and event places. We wanted to show our thanks and appreciation by sharing our blessings to those who need it the most. Thus, we came up with the outreach trifecta—a series of socially engaging events for the Gadgets Magazine team to reach out to our unfortunate brothers and sisters. 94

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Our first trip started in the morning of August 20 where we went to RSCC or Reception and Study Center for Children, an institution that provides housing, healthcare and education to abandoned children to up to 10 years old. They take in kids with different stories—from being rescued from child abuse, deceased parents, or abandoned due to financial problems—and give them a good environment to grow up in. The housemothers care for their assigned kids as if they were their own. Through the hard work of the staff and volunteers of RSCC, they are

BIKES

able to give a glimmer of hope to the children, a fresh start to how growing up as a kid ought to be. Our next stop was the Missionaries of Charity, also known as the Home of Joy for the Sick Children, located in Tayuman. They are a group of nuns that focus on providing home and healthcare to children and the elderly. They mostly take care of the sick for 6-12 months, depending on their complication. We heard heartbreaking stories like how children with severe complications are left behind

by their parents. However, the Missionaries of Charity continue to be a blessing for those children by their unending support. It’s pretty rare to find people this devoted to serving the poorest of the poor, and by preserving the gift of life. The following day, we went to our last stop, the Asilo de San Vicente de Paul on UN Avenue in Manila. The asilo focuses on the holistic development of each child through home life, pastoral care, education, value formation and health and services. They facilitate early

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Throughout our three-part trip, we went through a series of heartwarming experiences as we immersed ourselves in the lives of the less fortunate.

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education and high school to prepare those students who are interested and capable for a college education. They aim to form individuals with a strong moral foundation to integrate into the larger community. With their program, they give a helping hand to students with desire to learn with the means to get proper education—an opportunity for them to secure their future. Throughout our three-part trip, we went through a series of heartwarming experience as we immersed ourselves in the lives of the less fortunate. It was saddening to hear personal stories of the kids but in hindsight, we really have to be grateful that there people who are passionate and dedicated to service who are willing to extend themselves to others without anything in return. I distinctly remember how the faces of the little children gleamed when they saw us and how genuine smiles showed on their faces while eating their spaghettis and burgers. Food, shelter, even parental love and attention—luxuries we enjoy everyday are something that’s really hard to come by for them. We realize that sometimes, we should just look at the bigger picture and reach out. It’s not just about gadgets, sponsors, clients and writers—but being a part of the larger community. This has been an enriching experience indeed and we at Gadgets Magazine are grateful for this opportunity.

"

I distinctly remember how the faces of the little children gleamed when they saw us and how genuine smiles showed up their faces while eating their spaghettis and burgers. Food, shelter, even parental love and attention—luxuries we enjoy everyday are something that’s really hard to come by for them.

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NEWSBITS&BYTES KASPERSKY LAB RELEASES INTERNET SECURITY, ANTI-VIRUS 2011 Kaspersky Lab recently released the latest versions of its flagship consumer products Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 and Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011. The new products take full advantage of cutting-edge technologies to provide more accurate detection and an even faster response to any IT threats. With Kaspersky Lab’s new products, users have everything they need to stay safe and secure while they surf the Internet. The solutions provide reliable isolation of untrusted Internet resources, giving the user full reassurance

that their digital environment is clean, safe and free from digital threats and unwanted intrusion. Both products include improved proactive protection from new, and yet unknown threats based on scanning for typical threat symptoms. Importantly, all the main modules are updateable, which means that, should completely new types of threats emerge, the products’ features can be updated without having to reinstall the solution from scratch. One brand-new feature is the

Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, psychologist, author and lecturer at Harvard University, during a discussion with Coca-Cola employees.

COCA-COLA BRINGS HAPPINESS EXPERT In line with becoming “Happiness Ambassadors” in support of the company’s Open Happiness campaign, Coca-Cola Philippines employees gathered at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel last June 28 to listen to Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, author of the New York Times bestseller Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfilment. His new books The Pursuit of Perfect: How to Stop Chasing Perfection and Start Living a Richer, Happier Life are fast becoming favorites among motivational book readers. Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar reinforces the mission of becoming Happiness Ambassadors by stating that employees who are happy tend to find success easier than those who are not. “One of the recent findings within the field of psychology is about the relationship between success and happiness. While success does not necessarily lead to long-lasting 98

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happiness, happiness does lead to more success.” He adds, “Happy employees tend to be more creative, they think outside the box more. They are more productive, have more energy and work harder. Happier employees also form better relationships within the organization thereby fostering better teamwork. Happiness is a win-win situation—a win for the individual, a win for the company, and a win for society at large.” Happiness, when shared, can also bring a positive difference to other people. Dr. Tal BenShahar explains, “There is a very close relation between personal happiness and other people’s happiness, and it works in both directions. When people become happier, they tend to become more generous and kind to other people. When we are kind and generous to other people, we become happier. It can potentially

ability to use the product installation disk as a rescue disk which contains a range of utilities for scanning or treating an infected computer without the necessity of downloading a bootable operating system. Another important and innovative feature of Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 and Kaspersky AntiVirus 2011 is their ability to be installed on a machine that has already been infected by such sophisticated threats as rootkits that generally try to combat the deployment of antivirus solutions.

Guillermo Aponte, The Coca-Cola Export Corporation President and General Manager (left)

work as a virtuous cycle of contributing to other people’s happiness, which contributes to our own happiness, which in turn enhances other people’s happiness, and on and on.” To this effect, Coca-Cola regularly holds volunteer activities for employees to help bring happiness to other people, and in turn experience the joy of helping others. Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar goes on to highlight two practices which contribute to happiness. The first is constant appreciation for what you have. “The important thing when we are in good times or in difficult times is to be appreciative of what we have rather than to take them for granted. When we are appreciative of what we have during good times, it not only makes us happier but it makes us more resilient and better able to deal with the hardships and difficulties when these arise.” The second practice is regular physical activity. As Dr. Tal Ben-

Shahar explains, “A lot of research has been coming out over the last decade showing that physical activity is equivalent to some of our more powerful psychiatric medication. Thirty minutes of physical exercise three times a week have the same effect as some of the more powerful drugs—whether it’s in dealing with depression, unhappiness or anxiety.” He adds, “When implemented in schools, physical activity has been shown to increase performance, reduce violence and increase physical health as well as overall levels of happiness.” He continues, “It’s one of the most important, if not the most important intervention that we should encourage in children as well as adults, for physical and mental health.” Coca-Cola programs such as the KinetiKids physical activity guide and Coca-Cola Hoopla, a grassroots basketball league, aim to help increase physical activity among children and teens.

NEWSBITS&BYTES

SONY TEAMS UP WITH THE PEOPLE’S CHAMP Two titans collide and join forces as the best pound for pound fighter, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao teams up with Sony, a veritable colossus in the consumer technology and entertainment industry as the fighting congressman becomes Sony’s newest partner in bringing the 3D World experience closer to Filipinos. LG Chief Marketing Officer Dermot Boden with Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner at the press conference

LG AND RED BULL RACING JOIN FORCES IN FORMULA 1 LG Electronics has become a Team and Technology Partner to Red Bull Racing in the FIA Formula One World Championship. The new multi-season partnership extends LG’s successful ongoing relationship with the series. A Global Partner and a Technology Partner of Formula 1, LG’s brand presence has significantly increased in a sport with one of the largest regular global TV audiences. While LG will supply Red Bull Racing with its latest products at the track and at the team’s headquarters, the close working partnership will offer the electronics’ giant further opportunities to raise brand awareness to a broad consumer audience across the globe. “We are delighted to welcome LG as a partner to Red Bull Racing,” said Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Team Principal. “LG Electronics is an extremely

innovative company that aligns well with the creative innovation that is demonstrated within Red Bull Racing. This partnership shows Red Bull’s appeal to like-minded partners and signifies the progress the team has made in the short space of time to attract premium brands like LG.” LG Philippines Corporate Marketing Head Raymond Hernandez said: “By forming a partnership with Red Bull Racing, LG can better demonstrate its commitment to using technology in delivering amazing experiences to people worldwide, through access to team personnel and drivers. This human focus is central to LG’s brand and is best reflected through a team partnership. This relationship also provides LG with additional business development opportunities and further enhances our at-track and off-track hospitality, media engagement and merchandising activities.”

Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner with LG Chief Marketing Officer Dermot Boden in the garage.

“It is our honor to welcome this great hero into the Sony family,” said Takao Kuroda, President and Managing Director at Sony Philippines. “Pacquiao is a man whose personal achievements have given his countrymen a shared experience of national glory. Being a true symbol of power and triumph make him the perfect ambassador in our

EMIRATES ORDERS $3B IN GE ENGINES AND SERVICES EMIRATES has ordered 30 GE90-115B-powered Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The engine order, including spare engines, is valued at $2 billion list price. Deliveries will begin in late 2011. The airline has also signed a 12year OnPointSM solution services agreement for the maintenance and overhaul of its GE90-115B engines. The contract is worth more than $1 billion over its life. “The GE90-115B engine offers significantly improved fuel efficiency, lower noise levels and reduced emissions, which Emirates requires as we continue to build our fleet of long-haul aircraft for the future,” said Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of the Emirates Airline and Group. Emirates and GE Aviation have established a strong relationship. As one of the world's fastest growing international airlines, Emirates operates eight CFM56powered A340s and 65 GE90powered 777-300ERs/-200LRs, with additional GE90-powered 777 aircraft and GEnx-powered Boeing 747-8 aircraft on order. The airline is also the largest customer for the Airbus A380 and the Engine Alliance's GP7200 engines with 90 A380s on order.

campaign to bring the sensational experience of the Sony 3D World to the Philippines.” Asked about the experience of watching content in 3D, Pacquiao said in Tagalog, “the experience different, and it feels like the action on screen is about to jump out.” He is also the proud owner of the first Sony 3D TV in the country—a 52-inch LX900 complete with two pairs of 3D glasses. Sony’s heritage of innovation and renowned breakthrough technologies have brought to life many well-loved products, from wonderful movies, beautiful music, and epic games, to the sleek and powerful gadgets you have in your home. With its pioneering 3D technology, Sony is the only tech company that has the ability to offer consumers everything from creating and producing 3D content (with the use of impressive 3D hardware products) and delivering the most complete 3D experience possible to homes today.

NEW BUSINESS MODELS POSSIBLE FOR MOBILE BROADBAND With more than 5 billion mobile subscriptions globally and traffic growth skyrocketing, there is a critical need for operators to prioritize traffic in the network and differentiate between subscribers so that each user gets the speed, access and quality they are paying for. Indonesia's leading operator Telkomsel has taken action by being the first to introduce a new Dynamic End-to-End Policy Control solution enabling service differentiation for their 86 million subscribers. The solution will be delivered by Ericsson. Telkomsel's efficient utilization of radio and transport networks will be enhanced through deployment of the policy control solution. Ericsson's data traffic management solution design is based on the principles of supply and demand where available capacity is shared according to subscribers' different policy agreements. Data traffic is prioritized so that higher-paying subscribers get access, high speed and quality even during network peak hours, while other users receive different priority. 2010 SEPTEMBER

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COLUMBIA DIGITAL STAR CORP. LAUNCHED The formal launch of the new Columbia Digital Star Corp. was celebrated last July 19. Originally known as Columbia Digital Sales Co., the name change signifies progression towards a more aggressive and unified company that focuses not only on sales but also in building the image, marketing and service of its worldclass Brands: Nikon, Fuji, and Kis Photo-Me locally. Nikon is the flagship brand of

Columbia Digital that is the exclusive distributor of the DSLRs, lenses, speedlights, accessories and Coolpix cameras. It continuously provides a wide range of innovative and stylish cameras not just for the professional photographer but for everyone. Fuji film, paper and chemicals have Columbia Digital Star Corp. as the authorized distributor for the Philippine territories. Kis Photo-Me is the manufacturer of the only machine in the whole industry that makes photobooks in just 6 minutes. Easy and more personalized designs, this intends to be a better alternative or addon for retail photo shops.

POWER MAC CENTER SUPPORTS MANILA DESIGN WEEK In celebration of the Filipino creative spirit, Power Mac Center joined Team Manila in promoting Philippine graphic design at the second Manila Design Week (MDW) which ran from August 7-13. Themed ‘Design Everyday’, the year’s Manila Design Week showcased a series of activities highlighting the increasingly familiar art of graphic design, from print and publication design to web and motion graphics passing through its applications in photography, advertising, music and fashion. Nico Bacani, General Manager of Team Manila said: “Our partnership

Columbia Digital guests and executives during the launch—Hemilyn Escudero (PR), Dino Jalandoni (The Bleasurites), Kathy De Leon (The Bleasurites), Arthur Robles (KIS Photo Me Service Engineer Manager), JR Bonifacio (Marketing VP), Pamela Tan (Vice President), Anderson Tan, (President/Chairman of the Board), Ramil Portes (Camera Service Engineer Manager), Junar Regullano (National Sales Manager) and Ernest Perez (Chief Marketing Officer).

MSI-ECS BAGS LENOVO DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD Lenovo Phils. recently named MSI-ECS as Distributor of the Year for Commercial Business during its annual business awarding ceremony held last July 28, 2010 at the Filipinas Heritage Library. “Based on the parameters, MSI-ECS tops the list of our performing distributors for FY 2010. We value the efforts of MSI-ECS in helping us nurture our commercial segment. Given their extensive channel network and their dedication to develop the market, we are confident that the future remains bright for both Lenovo and MSI-ECS”, says Victoria Agorilla, Country General Manager, Lenovo Phils. MSI-ECS also bagged the following 100

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awards: Systems Engineer of the Year (Rencar Diego), Sales Representative of the Year (Rowena delos Reyes), and Product Manager of the Year (Lilibeth Fung).

(L-R): Raymond delos Reyes, Business Development Manager, Key Account Business, Lenovo Phils.; Joanne Mañalac, AVP, PC & Server Group B, MSI-ECS; Maria Victoria Agorilla, Country General Manager, Lenovo Phils.

with Power Mac Center is only fitting as their stores represent a popular space where a big chunk of the Creative Community, which comprises of graphic designers, digital and analog artists, and photographers, among others, go for both professional or leisure needs.“ “Supporting Manila Design Week is one of our ways of celebrating our 16th anniversary. For over a decade and a half, Power Mac Center has been one of the country’s hubs of innovation. We are one with Team Manila in advancing the Filipinos’ ingenuity and world-class graphic design skills,” said Joey Alvarez, Marketing Manager for Power Mac Center.

CROSSWIND LOGS 1,190KM IN ISUZU CHALLENGE Isuzu Philippines Corp. has concluded the second leg of the Isuzu Challenge, in which a Crosswind XL ran a total of 1,190 kilometers on just one full tank of Caltex Diesel with Techron D. IPC has also confirmed that one contestant correctly guessed the mileage and won for himself a brand-new Crosswind unit. On July 13, an Isuzu Crosswind XL, powered by a 2.5-liter 4JA1-L turbodiesel engine, took off from Isuzu Isabela on Maharlika Highway in Cauayan City, Isabela. The Crosswind, with a 55-liter fuel tank, was driven by Domingo Escarieses and navigated by Anthony Pegarro, both of the Automobile Association of the Philippines. With a gross vehicle weight of 2,180 kilograms, the Crosswind passed through Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur,

La Union, Pangasinan, and Tarlac all the way to Southern Luzon in Quezon. The Crosswind finally ran out of fuel in San Isidro, Tagcauayan, in Quezon after a distance of 1,190 kilometers and an average of 21.64 kilometers per liter of diesel. The result was verified by Rommel Millora, director of both Transport and Traffic Consultants Inc. and the Transportation Science Society of the Philippines. “This run proves once again that the Isuzu Crosswind is the most fuel-efficient vehicle in its class,” said IPC president Ryoji Yamazaki. “With the proper driving techniques, the Crosswind is very much capable of yielding such fuel mileage even in real-world driving conditions.”

NEWSBITS&BYTES

GRAND SLAM VICTORY FOR RP AT DESIGN CONTEST Sub-Zero and Wolf created a Kitchen Design Contest to honor the professionals who have helped make these brands the quintessential components of the uncompromised kitchen. Occurring once every two years, this competition is the most respected within the design industry and is judged by a panel of professional designers representing the various disciplines under kitchen design. In 2004-05, interior design board topnotcher Cara Marcelo won the International Category Award for best kitchen design. Her winning

entry was a modern kitchen designed for a family well known for having one of the biggest restaurant chains in the country.

In the following contest in 2006-07, Architect Ed Calma won the same award while in 2008-2009, not only did Calma bag the International Category Award again, he also bested all competition and won the First Place Award for Contemporary Kitchen in the overall Sub-Zero and Wolf 2008-09 Kitchen Design Contest. This is the first time that the international winners could

compete for the overall categories as well. The winning entry that bested 1,400 other entries is no other than Arch. Calma’s own kitchen. The Sub-Zero and Wolf Kitchen Design Contest pays tribute to the best kitchens by showcasing the best designers and their best designs. The Philippines prides itself with having three wins in a row. Sub-Zero and Wolf are distributed in the country by Focus Global Inc.

EXCITING AND ENTICING EXCLUSIVES ONLY WITH ENJOY Enjoy, the country’s premier lifestyle card, offers over Php250,000 worth of treats, discounts and freebies from over 700 partner establishments in Metro Manila, Cebu and Boracay for only Php1,995. To date, it is the country’s fastest-growing loyalty and privilege marketing program with more than 40,000 members nationwide. "Because Enjoy is the only program that offers partners presence on a suite of mobile apps and access to our social media marketing initiatives on Facebook and Twitter, we're able to get exclusive perks for consumers that they can't find in any other promotional tie ups." said Alfie Sy, marketing director of Enjoy.

(Above) Cara Marcelo and (top left) her winning entry in the 2004-2005 Kitchen Design Contest; (Below) Ed Calma and (left and lower left) his winning entries 2006-2007 and 20082009 Kitchen Design Contest respectively

The Enjoy card comes in a sleek red metal box with the members’ guide book and discount vouchers. The package also includes a map of merchant partners around the country, helping users to easily locate partner establishments. Helping card-holders maximize their membership experience is the free and easy-to-download mobile application EnjoyPH, which also offers its own incentives and freebies. Users can browse and search detailed information about the establishments through EnjoyPH’s full directory. To keep members updated on seasonal promos, the app streams the latest news and updates about Enjoy partners. Lastly, EnjoyPH features Google map integration and the phone’s GPS-based Near Me feature to locate the nearest partner merchants around them. All these add to the benefits of cardholders, and give non-members a sampling of all the Enjoy perks they can have once they sign up. To learn more, visit www. enjoythebest.ph.

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HONDA CITES WINNING CR-V PHOTOS TAKE THE “AMERICAN TASTE TOUR” AT T.G.I.FRIDAY’S Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) recently named the winning CR-V shots at the opening of its photo exhibit in Alabang Town Center.

Honda, in cooperation with Canon Marketing Philippines, organized an automotive photography workshop among Club EOS members for better appreciation of car design and styling. Under the guidance of master photographer John Chua, participants learned key techniques in capturing the car’s most complementing lines

and over-all premium finish.

To bring out these key strengths of the CR-V, Honda challenged the participants to creatively work on the themes ‘Sophistication and Refinement’ and ‘In Harmony with Nature.’

The photograph that best captured the CR-V’s urbane styling was shot by Aris Satorre while Tynn Daez bested the entries under the environment theme.

Los Angeles is known for bakeshops, grilleries, wet markets, salad bars, diners and delis. Do the “L.A. Walk” with T.G.I.Friday’s L.A. Triple Salad Treat. Composed of southern potato salad, midwest bean n’ veggie salad and spiral pasta with ham, this is a hale and hearty choice that will tickle your taste buds three times over. Then say “Aloha” to a taste of Hawaii! Friday’s offers a refreshing entrée with Chicken Hawaiian Breast— chunky chicken breast with Friday’s own sweet-tangy pineapple sauce. Next stop are the Cajun and Creole corners of Louisiana and New Orleans, two of the most enticing fusion of flavors in this side of America. Have a kick and uncover the spiciness authentic to Louisiana through its shrimp and chicken a la Baton Rouge. Then, sample the San Francisco Citrus Cooler. A really breezy beverage, this will cool off your taste buds and round off your culinary experience.

Photo of Winners

Winning Photo of Aris Satorre

Winning Photo of Tynn Daez

LENOVO SUPPORTS 41ST WNCAA SEASON Lenovo Philippines recently announced a major sponsorship agreement with the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) as the league’s Technology Partner this season. The WNCAA is a multi-sports league spread over eight months with participants from 19 top universities and colleges. The league opened on August 7, 2010 with this year’s attendance expected to go over 150,000. The 41st WNCAA season will feature popular sports competitions such as swimming, volleyball, basketball, table tennis, taekwondo, badminton, futsal and cheerleading. Dodgeball will make its debut as a demonstration sport. The game, steadily growing in popularity among Filipinos, 102

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Enjoy an extraordinary trip to four of the most happening places for foodies in the US. TGIFriday’s “American Taste Tour” offers you dishes that represent America’s cuisine from Hawaii, San Francisco and Los Angeles, to Louisiana and New Orleans.

features players trying to hit opposing players with balls. Michael Ngan, country manager, home & small-medium business at Lenovo Philippines, said: “As the Technology Partner of the WNCAA, we are excited to contribute to a strong platform that promotes positive values associated with sports such as teamwork, commitment and passion, and having fun at the same time. These are all values that Lenovo believes in and we are happy to have a platform that can connect Lenovo with the youth community to share more about Lenovo and our PCs.” As the official Technology Partner of the WNCAA, Lenovo will provide desktops and notebook PCs for the league’s use throughout the season.

NEW DISHES AT SUPER BOWL OF CHINA Variety is the spice of life and variety is what you’ll get at Super Bowl of China. There’s nothing quite like the taste of new flavors from gourmet Chinese executive chefs that excite the palate, whether you’re a seafood lover, a meat eater, or a hot pot fanatic. Starting on August 1, delight in the restaurant’s latest offerings that come in generous servings good for 3 to 4 persons. Begin your culinary adventure with the Shrimp and Seafood Curry Hot Pot. The richness of the sea is the focus of this dish filled with shelled fresh shrimp, sliced cuttlefish and marinated fish fillet blended with yellow curry, cream, onions, red and green bell peppers, and select Asian spices. For those partial to meat, try the Pork Belly & Beancurd with Salted Fish Hot Pot that is cooked with tender and moist pork belly slices mixed with fresh beancurd and salted fish, sautéed with garlic, chili, and other secret Chinese spices; and finally the Sate Beef with Sotanghon Hot Pot, a steaming concoction composed of tender seasoned beef slices immersed in a sate sesame soup with sotanghon noodles flavored with chili and dark soy sauce blended with garden fresh cucumber slices and red bell peppers.

TOP MINI COMPACT Suzuki Celerio is C! Magazine's Mini-Compact Car for 2010. Satoshi Uchida, president of Suzuki Philippines, received the 2010 Mini-Compact Car Award for the Suzuki Celerio during the recent 4th Annual C! Awards, held on July 18. The Suzuki Celerio also holdsW the best record in fuel efficiency, achieving 34.34 kilometers per liter in the 2009 Fuel Economy Run of the Department of Energy.

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RELIC

THE CODPIECE By Presy Alba

When women are asked what makes a man sexy, you’ll get a plethora of answers. For some, it’s his looks, his face, his body or a certain body part that makes him hot. For others it’s the way he moves or carries himself; still others say it's how he smells or his intelligence and humor. A few centuries ago, women were not usually consulted and men thought that advertising and enhancing the size of their genitals were the way to announce their virility and sex appeal. This is why the codpiece was very popular back then.

If you’ve never heard of it, the codpiece is an article of clothing that was widely used by men in Europe during the Renaissance period. It is a covering flap or pouch that is attached to the front of the crotch of men’s trousers. It was often padded and even bejeweled in order to attract attention to the covered area. How it all started was really because of practicality. At the time, men belonging to the upper class wore a hose or tight pants, a long shirt that covered their private parts, and a short coat called a doublet as embellishment over the shirt. For convenience and ease when they had to go to the bathroom, their tight pants were crotch-less, and so like the Scots, the English (and probably most of the European upper class) also went “commando.”

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When dress styles changed and neither the inner shirt nor the shorter doublet skirt could cover the area below the waist, some kind of covering had to be designed, or they’d have to let it all hang out, which was really not practical and the church would have protested, so the codpiece came into existence.

At first it was just a simple cloth bag, then in the reign of England’s Edward III, it became fashionable to have elaborate and even bejeweled codpieces. Because it was a matter of male pride, some started to stuff their codpiece with cotton to make the package look more impressive. It became even more popular in the reign of Edward IV and stayed until the time of Henry VIII, even after overcoats were much longer. It started falling out of favor in the reign of Elizabeth I as male nobles no longer had a role model on the throne, and also because Elizabeth discouraged her nobles from flaunting their sexuality as she fully supported the public image of her as the virgin queen. By the time James I ascended the throne, dress styles had totally changed and the codpiece fell into obscurity, and has never really made a come back in mainstream fashion. For shock value and sometimes to add a dramatic flare to their costumes, rock stars have worn some kind of codpiece during concerts but most men these days wouldn’t be caught dead wearing one in public. So unless there’s a complete turnaround in fashion, the codpiece is a true relic with some risqué value for the present generation.

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