A few days ago I reviewed the most advanced XpressMusic phone from Nokia, the 5800 XpressMusic phone. Today, we reveal the Finn’s cheapest XpressMusic phone, the 5130 which is due on shelves early next year.
With dedicated music keys, a digital music player, FM radio and a standard 3.5 mm connector for headphones, the Nokia 5130 XpressMusic is Nokia’s most affordable music phone to date. Equipped with an integrated 2 megapixel camera, the Nokia 5130 XpressMusic also supports image sharing through Share on Ovi, as well as the Mail on Ovi email service. The Nokia 5130 XpressMusic is expected to begin shipping in the first quarter of 2009 with an estimated retail price of 90 EUR. [source]
Due out in early 2009, the Nokia 5130 XpressMusic phone comes with a new feature called Mail on Ovi. As S40 phones aren’t as powerful in terms of their software to access Share on Ovi tools, Nokia chopped some of the features and “widgetized” them to fit S40 phones (the more powerful Nseries phones use S60), thus explaining how S40 differentiates from S60 - simpler but less powerful.
Posted in
Apple on 12/11/2008
It’s no secret that the Apple Online Store has been officially launched in the Philippines. I’m excited. Now I no longer have to leave the comfort of my home to buy Apple products. A move like this points to a great future for online purchasing and delivery in the Philippines. With orders above P3,000, delivery is free.
The online store has a set of coveted features, including the highly coveted iPod engraving for ultimate personalization.
The Apple Online Store brings something else on the table - competition. Now we have a benchmark as to how much an Apple product can cost vis a vis the other official and unoffical distributors (hehe).
I have a question though - and if you work for an exclusive Apple retailer or distributor (PowerMac, The A Store, Digital Hub, Mobile1, etc), you might want to chime in. How does this affect Apple’s relationship with their established gold distributors? Will they be bringing competition to the table, or do they have some sort of partnership in this online endeavor? And here’s an example — the benefits of ordering an iPod online (free engraving!!!) outweigh retailers’ benefits, that is if you can afford to pay 100% cash. It also works if you want to heavily customize* your Macs before you buy them.
At the end of the day, retailers will be forced to come up with better promos (and freebies!) which is all good for the consumers!
* Footnote: I’m a little disappointed that DELL didn’t see the potential of the online store in the Philippines and went 100% retail. The build before you buy feature for the DELL online store in the USA made it such a winner product. We don’t have that here. Oh well. You snooze, you lose.
Posted in
Gaming on 01/11/2008
Oh my. I still haven’t had my fill of the zombie apocalypse and I’m knee deep into another one. Fallout 3 is the third installation to the Fallout series, the spiritual successor to 1988’s Wasteland. It’s been roughly eleven years since I’ve worn the pipboy.
There were two role-playing titles in the series (Fallout and Fallout 2), one tactical role-playing game spinoff (Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel) and one action dungeon-crawler for PlayStation 2 and Xbox (Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel). A sequel, Fallout 3, was recently released by Bethesda Softworks. Bethesda now owns the rights to make all Fallout games,[1][2] and has conditionally licensed the rights to make a massively multiplayer online role-playing game version of Fallout to Interplay. In 2001, PC Gamer named Fallout and Fallout 2 as the fourth best computer game of all time. [Fallout 3 series]
Torrents and pirated copies are everywhere - the original discs are only out for the XBOX 360 and Playstation 3. Datablitz still doesn’t carry the PC version.
The Fallout series is best known for its tongue in cheek humor towards post nuclear America.
Posted in
Books on 31/10/2008
This is part 3 of my Halloween series of posts. Part II is here and Part I is here. Happy Halloween! This post was inspired by AM and AG.
The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead is a cult favorite among those fascinated with the inevitable arrival of the zombie apocalypse. The book is hard to find, as compared to Max Brooks’ second book World War Z which is available in National Bookstore, Fully Booked and Powerbooks.
The Zombie Survival Guide is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now. Exhaustively comprehensive, this book covers everything you need to know, including how to understand zombie physiology and behavior, the most effective defense tactics and weaponry, ways to outfit your home for a long siege, and how to survive and adapt in any territory or terrain.
Top 10 Lessons for Surviving a Zombie Attack:
1. Organize before they rise!
2. They feel no fear, why should you?
3. Use your head: cut off theirs.
4. Blades don’t need reloading.
5. Ideal protection: tight clothes, short hair.
6. Get up the staircase, then destroy it.
7. Get out of the car, get onto the bike.
8. Keep moving, keep low, keep quiet, keep alert!
9. No place is safe, only safer.
10. The zombie may be gone, but the threat lives on.
Don’t be carefree and foolish with your most precious asset: life. The Zombie Survival Guide offers complete protection through trusted, proven tips for safeguarding yourself and your loved ones against the living dead. It is an audiobook that can save your life.
So if you can’t find the book, let’s listen to the audiobook. Once again, Audible saves the day!
P.S. World War Z is also available on Audible.
P.P.S. Max Brooks is the son of Mel Brooks.
P.P.S. If you’re a non believer in the zombie apocalypse and believe that one day robots will rule the world, you can also check out How to Survive a Robot Uprising.
I took time off to come to a sneak preview of a new toy store that’s away from the crowd. For one, it’s located at the 15th floor of Strata 2000 Building in Emerald Ave (that’s almost across MMPI). When you walk into the store, you’re greeted with toys you’ve never seen in any Rustan’s or Toy Kingdom outlet. They’ve got hand puppets, blocks, wire mazes, organics and yeah among other bizarre things you’d find only in Oz, a talking tree and a talking cash register. The store is everything you’ve probably dreamed of when we were kids, and it serves as a haven for children and their adult companions to be within the privacy of their own little world. There are no “violent” toys at Pocketful of Kids.
it’s really touching to see how a vision like this can turn to reality. The store was founded by Natalie Tanchip and just like other off the beaten track places like Elbert’s Steak Room, a store such as this defies all the laws of marketing which we’ve all come to accept - and the first one is location. Who would have thought?
If you’re still undecided as to what to get your friends and family members this Christmas, I urge you to visit Pocketful of Kids as they have really great stuff you won’t find elsewhere: they are the exclusive distributors of Alex, Tatiri, Learning Resources, Melissa and Doug, among many others. On my first visit, I already bought my Christmas gift for Ananya! And get this - they also do gift wrapping and deliveries. I had mine delivered since the package was pretty huge.
Here’s a complete listing of the items they have for sale and the exclusive brands that they carry. You can view more photos here.
Pocketful of Kids
Pocketful of Kids is the very first interactive toy village in the country that carries popular American and European toy brands that encourage children to wonder, discover and learn through play. For more information, please visit 15/F Strata 2000, Emerald Avenue, Ortigas or call (02) 634-7888 or (02) 634-2888.
