Jollibee brings NFC technology to their stores with the ‘happyplus’ Card
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at January 17th, 2012I laud Jollibee for being the first retailer pushing for fast adoption of NFC technology in the Philippines.
Geeky Explanation: (warning, nosebleed)
NFC stands for “Near Field Communication” and is a prevalent piece of technology similar to Bluetooth or QR codes and is based on the current RFID technology. The difference is that the “near field” in NFC means that as soon as you point your device (in this case a card) to the kiosk sensor within 4 centimeters, the “tag” is recorded. The not-so-recent Android 2.3 Gingerbread upgrade enables NFC for several of their models like the Samsung Galaxy S II.
Non-Geeky Explanation:
Your mobile phone (or any device with NFC) is now a debit card.
The HappyPlus Card seems to be Jollibee’s way to condition the minds of Filipinos to adopt NFC as a part of their daily lives. This is a bridge. It is no secret that the final product will be to use NFC-enabled smartphones (many Android devices already have it built in but aren’t being used by Pinoys) but the cards are a good way of pushing the market to familiarize with this tech. Essentially, it’s something Filipinos have been doing for a while, claiming rewards points with their load, using Passa Load services, etc. Jollibee’s move makes sense as they already have staked their claim in a mobile app for smartphones (aka Netphone).
The service will be available starting January 23 2012. The card itself will cost PHP 100.00 and will enable rewards points to accumulate. You can use the points to purchase from Jollibee, Chowking, Red Ribbon, Greenwich and soon, Mang Inasal. In essence, NFC eventually replaces the CBTL Swirl Cards and SM Advantage cards we have come to love.
Current Phones that support NFC:
Android
Nexus S
Google Nexus S 4G
Samsung Galaxy S II (not all versions)
Samsung Galaxy Note (not all versions)
Galaxy Nexus
Meego
Nokia N9
BlackBerry
Blackberry Bold 9790
BlackBerry Bold 9990/9930
BlackBerry Torch 9810/9860
Blackberry Curve 9350/9360/9370
The iPhone does not officially support NFC technology.
2012 is the year NFC will be introduced and will grow. Smart has started pushing it as well for bazaar entrances. You can use your smartphone (w/ NFC) to enter bazaars. Who knows what’s next? Concert tickets? MRT tickets? Endless!
Download the “It’s More Fun In the Philippines” Android App
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at January 15th, 2012
Developed by Lester Bambico, Android users can now create their own “It’s More Fun In the Philippines” meme with this easy to use Android app. It’s free!
[DOWNLOAD HERE] or do a search for “It’s more fun in the Philippines” on the Android marketplace.
More details and screenshots after the jump.
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We’re not there, yet: Thoughts on Voice and Artificial Intelligence
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at January 2nd, 2012
I have two old acoustic guitars at home. They’re pretty smashed up. You could almost peel the body apart if enough force was exerted. In effect I keep it glued together with a lot of electric tape. Aesthetically it’s horrendous, but it does give off that artistic vibe, which truth to be told isn’t my aim. My aim is simply to hold the instrument together because you can’t replicate that sound anywhere else. More than 10 years worth of playing. The sound grows with you and, somehow, evolves into what you make it.
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I just turned my Samsung Galaxy S II into a Netphone. Soon, any Android phone can be turned into one.
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at October 13th, 2011
With the Netphone 701 and the Samsung Galaxy Y Netphone Edition out in the market, it seems that next question is rather obvious. What’s next for Netphone and SmartNet? A couple of tech savvy Internet friends have actually been suggesting that SmartNet, the “wonder app” that makes Netphone possible should be available for download so that any Android phone can be turned into a Netphone.
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Hands on with Locate for Android
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at October 12th, 2011
Been using an app called Locate these past few days. Simply put, it’s a localized search service that runs on any Android device. The app is developed by Smart Communications but as it is in the Android Marketplace, you don’t need to be a SMART subscriber to use it. As long as you’re on Android v1.5 and up (which is 99% most likely the case) you can use it.
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Customize Android Notifications with Pops — Themes for your alerts
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at August 22nd, 2011
I think this video explains everything better than my 150 words.
First off, thanks to Billycoy for sharing this on Plurk.
I’m really happy how Android handles the drop down Notifications. In fact, it’s that (alongside how I can’t use just one button for a phone) that I am not using an iPhone. Anyway, since Google allows app developers more leeway to customizing the user experience with each handset,
Pops allows you to customize your Notification alert when the screen is idle. As of late, you can customize incoming SMS, GMail, Twitter and Facebook (from messages to friend requests to notifications). You can choose from dozens of themes and even create your own using your Android device’s camera. Best of all, it’s free!
And yes, Pops does have that psychological effect in adding some cheer to work-related emails or SMS from someone you really hate. =)
If you’re on the Android Marketplace, do a search for the complete title “Pops Themes For Your Alerts” or click on this to jump to the app page.
ASUS Transformer Official Philippines Launch: SRP PHP 29,995 with keyboard
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at May 25th, 2011
Hello. Back in February I was able to get a sneak peek at the ASUS Transformer at the NVIDIA booth in MWC Barcelona. This wasn’t the ASUS booth — NVIDIA was showing off its new Tegra II mobile graphics chip running on the new Android 3.0 devices. Alongside the Slider, Motorola Atrix and Xoom, the Transformer from ASUS sat proud.
The Transformer is one of the first Android 3.0 Honeycomb devices to make it to the Philippines. In our local scene, it is this tablet alongside the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (to be released very soon) and the iPad 2 that are currently waging the silent war for market share.
I have the official pricing:
ASUS Transformer w/o Keyboard Dock PHP 22,995
ASUS Transfomer w/ Keyboard Dock PHP 29,995.00
You can use this pricing as a benchmark as to how much cheaper you got it. I hear that an online forum is selling the complete set for PHP 25,000.
The Transformer is unique as it is currently the only tablet that comes with a keyboard dock. The dock allows the tablet to perform as a laptop and adds an estimated 16 hours of battery life to the unit when unplugged. Also, the dock comes with USB ports so you can transfer data into your tablet from an external drive.
When I featured the Transformer on my weekly tech show (watch ‘The Geeks’ every Wednesday 2-4PM at flippish.com/vjlive) I only had stock video from the press launch and some more videos from the NVIDIA booth back in February. Chris Tan, our producer had just recently bought one for USD $500 and showed it off. A summary of our feature:
- crisp, bright, screen; bigger than the iPad 2
- has problems transferring data from a Mac
- no 3G support; Wi-Fi only but easily remedied by tethering your phone
- can watch 3 movies before batteries fail
- HDMI out
Bottomline
Perhaps the only bad thing going for it is the fact that it doesn’t have a 3G counterpart unlike the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the iPad. If you really don’t care for that, the Transformer is worth getting even just for the tablet only. But I’d honestly recommend getting it with the dock to increase battery life and so you can transfer data from your external drives. With the tablet alone you’re already presented with an amazing package of screen quality and features. In terms of audio, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has better external speakers.
Hands on with the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at May 19th, 2011
Yes it may be made out of cheap plastic but that doesn’t mean this phone isn’t a looker. The XPERIA Arc from Sony Ericsson is one of the rare Android 2.3 Gingerbread-ready phones in the local market today (the other one being the HTC Desire S). This is an “Acceptance Unit” which simply means that it is, like us, waiting for someone to accept us for who we really are.
OK seriously, more photos after the jump.
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Breaking: Android Paid Apps now available in the Philippines via Mastercard and VISA
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at May 13th, 2011
Exciting. This news is so exciting, I decided to post the full press release. Thanks to Aileen Apolo, Ms. Google Earth Philippines for sending this over. If you own an Android phone, this is all the more reason to keep it. I can finally buy the full license of ROBO DEFENSE!!!!
TL;DR: Paid Android apps can now be bought in the Philippines via VISA and Mastercard
FULL PRESS RELEASE:
Google expands support for paid Android apps to consumers in the Philippines
(Manila, Philippines, May 12, 2011) – Today Google announced that Android Market will increase consumer access and developer support for paid applications in several new countries, including the Philippines. Consumers from 99 new countries will be able to purchase apps from Android Market. This latest expansion of Android Market means more applications — including games, social, and productivity apps — for consumers.
The number of countries where Android users can purchase priced apps will increase to 131 including the addition of the Philippines. Consumers from these newly supported countries will now have access to over 200,000 free and paid apps in Android Market, which they can access directly from their Android-powered device. Apps will be priced in US Dollars, and can be bought through Google Checkout, which supports local Mastercard and Visa credit cards.
Android Market was launched to help developers distribute mobile applications on a level playing field, while enabling users to find and download apps that leverage the unique capabilities of the Android platform. Google is pleased to announce the expansion of Android Market’s offerings in these additional countries to deliver more apps for more people.
About Google Inc.
Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top Web property in all major global markets. Google’s targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall Web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.ph.
MWC Asides: Aha! What is this Android sticker hiding behind it?
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at February 14th, 2011
The schwag at the Google booth is awesome. Android pins, Android coffee cups, Android stickers … stickers which can be really useful for hiding things. 
TLDR: Running Summary of MWC 2011
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at February 14th, 2011
EDIT: Latest posts are below! Scroll down for more!
To make it easier to digest the event, I’m creating a post that summarizes all MWC-related coverage between myself and Andi9. This will be updated daily. Follow me on Twitter @jayvee for live updates from the floor.
DAY ZERO
- SMART announces Netphone running Android 2.2 and support for WAC
- A peek inside the Google Booth | Announcement of ‘Androidify Yourself’ Custom Avatars
- LG unveils Optimus 3D and 8.9 inch Optimus Pad
- Samsung unveils Galaxy Tab 10.1 running on Honeycomb, Wave II and Galaxy S II
- BlackBerry is all PlayBook
- HP and ‘Let’s Do Amazing’
- Jollibee has an Android Application for deliveries
- The Intel Booth
- TOEI Manga is here!
- VIDEO: MWC Digital pins for organizers!
DAY ONE
Photos taken using a Canon S95 from Canon Philippines
