Volunteers! HELP: Plotting out Ondoy emergency areas
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at September 28th, 2009
For those of you who are stuck at home and have Internet connection, it would be much appreciated if you could help update this spreadsheet. The Typhoon Ondoy Mapping Team is a group of volunteers who are marking affected areas via Google Maps. The form is very easy to use. It provides very good context on the location and situation of affected areas and victims.
Please pass the links along and help update. Be sure to check for double entries before posting.
Link to the actual map: http://bit.ly/ondoymap
Link to the team and how to use: http://sites.google.com/site/ondoymanila/about-the-team
Here’s Google’s Official Response:
Responding to Typhoon Ondoy in the Philippines
We are very saddened by the loss of life and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people in Metro Manila and nearby areas caused by Typhoon Ondoy. To increase awareness of how Filipinos at home and overseas can stay up to date and aid in relief efforts, dozens of Google volunteers around the world have been working throughout the weekend and today to compile information about the disaster on this site: www.google.com.ph/landing/typhoon-ondoy.html.
The site contains a volunteer-maintained map of flood updates and persons needing rescue, the latest news from local media sources, a list of verified donation sites and emergency hotlines. It is also linked from Google.com.ph to give easy access to the 25 million Internet users in the Philippines and many more around the world.
Our effort is but one of many being organized by countless individuals and organizations across the country in the spirit of bayanihan, to help those affected by this disaster as quickly and as comprehensively as possible.
Thanks
This information is being used in conjunction with the big networks GMA and ABS-CBN to help locate missing people and send food and other supplies.
DiscOVIries Week 1 Contest: Your Workstation Photo
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at September 28th, 2009I hope everyone is safe. To bring back a sense of normalcy, I’m running a new contest. This will be going on every week till the end of November ’09!
UPDATE: If you win this round, you will have a chance to also win a brand new Nokia phone! This is the first contest within a series that will last till the end of November ’09. Lots of prizes to give away!
Yay! We’re giving away stuff. This is all thanks to Ovi by Nokia. Since a huge part of OVI in the Philippines is about sharing photos and videos with friends, I’ll be asking my readers who wish to join to share a little bit of themselves through photos. I will be giving out prizes for the next 8 thematic weeks to the lucky winners of my contest. Sorry, no bikinis this time. BUT … I have PHP 2,000.00 worth of Ayala eGC’s up for grabs, which is really just as good as cold cash, more than enough to buy a bikini.
I was thinking of a fun and easy to do theme for the first week. For the duration of week one, I want you to take a photo of your workstation(s) at home or at … work and upload the shots to my OVI dropbox (the password for the folder is “ovi” if asked). Make sure you include your name, OVI email address, and a description of your workstation. Don’t be shy — it doesn’t need to be geeky! You can upload as many unique photos of your workstations as you want provided that you follow the guidelines. As an example, I’ve uploaded my workstation photo above.
I have a 2 monitor setup (the other monitor behind the MacBook isn’t being used). The ACER desktop is mainly for gaming. I have 2 external HD’s, my TLR camera, multifunction printer, a Belkin WLAN router, several twisted cables and my PADI hat 
The other MacBook is in the other room.
Contest Mechanics:
1. This contest is open from September 28 ’09 – October 4 ’09
2. Cut off date is every Sunday 11:59 PM
3. The prize for this week is P2,000.00 worth of Ayala Electronic Gift Check (which is actually as good as cash)
4. You need to be a resident of the Philippines
Contest Steps:
1. Create an OVI account and activate your OVI email address
2. Upload a photo onto my OVI share folder (what’s cool about OVI is the fact that you can create public folders where anybody can drop photos / video) following the theme (again, a photo of your workstation)
3. For every photo entry, you should have your name, OVI email address (name@ovi.com) and a short description about the photo
Google Spreadsheet for ‘Ondoy’ Drop Off Zones
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at September 27th, 2009This is the link to the Disaster Relief Google Spreadsheet that is being compiled by volunteers, bloggers, NGO’s and citizens who are keeping a vigilant watch over the airwaves. The list compiles relief drop off points, private efforts, hotline numbers and establishments that have opened their doors to accommodate relief goods. Please scan through the document first before adding to prevent duplication.
This spreadsheet is open to the public. It is very comprehensive. Please share the link to everyone.
Red Cross Load Donations: The easiest way to help
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at September 26th, 2009UPDATE: Here is a complete spreadsheet of all the drop off / donation centers if you wish to help. Thanks to Nina Terol for spreading this.
Right now the easiest way to make donations from the seat of your chair is via mobile phone load. The Red Cross Rescue and Relief Operations. Send RED
Here are other pertinent numbers which you can spread around.
Rescue Operations
1. National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) (+632-9125668, +632-9111406, +632-9115061)
2. Red Cross (143, +632-5270000)
3. MMDA (136)
4. Coast Guard (+632-5276136
5. Senator Dick Gordon (+639178997898, +63938-444BOYS)
6. Senator Manny Villar (+639174226800. +639172414864, +639276751981)
Rubber Boat Requests
1. NCRPO (+632-8383203, +632-8383354)
Relief Operations
1. Clare Amador (+63928-5205508) or Jana Vicente at +63928-5205499). Drop off for relief donations is at Balay Expo Center across Farmers Market Cubao.
[source]
2 Ways to Never Lose Your Contacts Again!
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at September 25th, 2009If you value Nokia’s brand equity and have owned a succession of Nokia phones, you may wonder if there are other ways to backup or synchronize your data apart from using the Nokia PC Suite. If you’re on a Mac, you can use the iSync plugin, but Nokia has introduced two ways to sync data to make switching phones easier.
(more…)
6 Months of Diving the Philippines
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at September 23rd, 2009
I celebrated my 6th month of diving over the long weekend. Since April, I finished both my open water and advanced courses, logged 31 dives, six of which were wrecks, one a freshwater lake, and conquered the Canyons in Puerto Galera. I’ve made new friends and we put up our very own underwater travel blog titled Let’s Dive. Apparently this niche has not yet been taken and it’s quite easy to understand why — the amount of time and gear you invest is tremendous. The site is open to all divers from the Philippines who wish to contribute their stories, photos and reviews.
Others: My asthma and breathing have improved. My skin is smoother. My tan is nicer. And I will never run out of stories for my friends. Diving the reefs can really add a bit of depth (haha!) to how we see the country. There’s so much beauty hidden beneath the surface that foreigners really save money to come here to dive. In the same way that we always dream to go to Europe and the States to see the sights, Westerners love to come here to explore the reefs. We have paradise in our backyard — let’s take advantage of it! Case in point: over the weekend, Jan introduced me to Verde Island in Puerto Galera, which is apparently the “center of the center” of marine biodiversity in the world:
“This area can be considered the marine counterpart to the Amazon River basin,” said Kent Carpenter of the World Conservation Union, co-author of the study which put the passage at the peak of the “Coral Triangle” that spans the Sulawesi and the Sulu Seas in the southern Philippines and nearby Indonesia.
I say it now — this is a good time to learn to dive. Gear and lessons are cheaper, the reefs are beautiful, and conservation efforts are finally paying off (just look at Anilao!). Sharing the same passion with like-minded individuals opens up wider circles and helps build a nation through tourism. I kid not.
————–
I’d also like to thank Sony Philippines for being really cool about lending me four of their cameras to use for my trips. Photography and videography adds a whole new dimension to dives and my Facebook page just got more interesting whenever I’d upload my underwater videos.
Photos above by my instructor Jan Acosta.
Limited Edition Manny Pacquiao “PacMan Knows” Apparel from Nike
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at September 19th, 2009
Here we go again. Nike is releasing another exclusive set of Manny Pacquiao gear: the first is a tee with speckled finished on a Manny Pacquiao crest and a ‘stellar’ glow in the dark 259 Pacman Knows Trainer. The shirt will retail for P1,095.00 while the glow in the dark shoes will go for P5,995.00.
The tongue is labeled with “Pac Man Knows” and his MP graphic. All of the contrast stitching, embroidery around the swoosh, laces, midsole star pattern and laser etching on heel glow in the dark as well. The limited edition tee has a speckled finish on the MP Crest and the date, time, word “Knows,” swoosh and neck tape glow in the dark. The Tee will retail at P1,095 while the 259 Pacman Knows Trainer 1 Mid is P5,995.
A first-come, first-served scheme will be applied when doors open at 9:25pm on September 25, and a one-shoe and maximum of three tees per customer policy shall be implemented. No reservations will be accepted at the store. Pacquiao fans get the chance to claim their own triumph with the release of exclusive products. Only 259 pairs of the 259 Pacman Knows Trainer 1 Mid shoe along with 1,000 pieces of the Pacman Knows Tees will be sold at Nike Park The Fort at exactly 9:25pm.
Go buy now! Buy it! Buy it! Buy everything!
Just do it!
5th generation iPod nano camera demo
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at September 18th, 2009What better way to test the 5th generation iPod nano camera than to post a sampling on YouTube. This video was taken using the default settings of the iPod nano. Despite the low light, the video is still superb at 30fps and 640×480 resolution.
What seems odd though about the iPod nano’s construction is the placement of the camera. The 5th generation nano is made to fit right handed operation. However, the lens is also located on the lower right side of the unit. Holding the device up sideways makes the lens prone to exposure to your index finger.
The iPod nano can hold up to 2GB per video, but will keep on recording when you surpass 2GB. All you’d need to do is string your two videos via iMovie or any other video editing application.
Apple iPod nano with camera priced at PHP 8,790; iPod touch 8GB at PHP 11,490
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at September 17th, 2009
I’m at the Apple press conference for the new iPods and iTunes 9. Here are the prices for the new iPod nano, shuffle, iPod classic and iPod touch.
The 8GB iPod nano with the “controversial” video camera that can’t take stills will be released at a comfortable sub 10K price at PHP 8,790. The iPod nano allows you to record up to 15 minutes from the built in FM Radio, allowing you to catch up with your favorite radio program in case you had to stop listening. It also comes with a built in pedometer and sync directly to Nike+. The pedometer records steps, not strides — so that means if you want to record your runs, you still need to buy a Nike+. Video recording is done in packets of 2GB at 640×480 and 30 frames per second.
The yellow and Product Red versions of the 5th generation iPod nano are only available in the online store.
The 8GB iPod touch that was announced at 199USD is now down to PHP 11,490. Previously it was at a little below PHP14,000.00.
The iPod classic (160GB) retails for PHP 14,490.
The new iPod shuffle retails for PHP 3,290 for the 2GB model and PHP 4,390 for the 4GB model. The special edition ipod shuffle in aluminum retails for PHP 5,490 which is only available through the Apple Online Store for Philippines..
So if you can get it cheaper than these listed prices, you’re either Art Samaniego or you just got yourself a good deal. 
SMART BRO HSPA Dongle Designs for UAAP / NCAA
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at September 17th, 2009
UPDATE II: Students will receive the singles for free! SMART is giving away thousands of these during the event. Alumni and faculty can buy the dongles at a discounted P895.00 (!!!) on the event date. That’s September 19 at the Mega Tent in Ortigas near the Department of Education.
SMART is instilling school spirit (and competing against Globe Tattoo’s funk) by bringing in “more meaningful” designs from your alma mater of choice. They’re giving out a ton of these this weekend of the 19th to several university students. This is the complete line up of designs for th UAAP and NCAA.
Can you identify all the schools?
Got this from SMART’s @jimayson.
I believe in miracles so …
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at September 16th, 2009
To anyone who can help this young man find the name of the girl he was sitting beside during my talk on Internet Romance, it will help reinforce my point that love is indeed beautiful.
Good luck
