Dear Internet friends,
Please come. No need to explain. =)
When: 9:30PM Friday, February 4 2011
Where: Digital Walker Eastwood Mall
Spread the word. Use #wp7party as the Twitter hashtag.
Month: January 2011
Breach is a bit left of center from traditional FPS games because it combines 3rd person cover (ala Gears of War) and contextual environment destruction (ala Bad Company 2). The destruction part is rather interesting as ammo types have different effects on the environment.
Multiplayer only.
BUY NOW: http://store.steampowered.com/app/72300/
Destroy Almost Anything: Welcome to the world’s most destructible battlefield, filled with all sorts of nasty new tactics to use against your opponents.
Active Cover: Attach to cover instantly with the push of a button and then use cover to gain advantages against opponents — even while your cover is being destroyed.
Unique Real-life Spy Equipment: Use real-life spy gadgets, like a Sonic Imager that lets you see what’s on the other side of a wall and a Sniper Detector that finds campers lying in wait for you.
Lots of Variety: Includes five levels, five game types, 23 unlockable weapons, 13 perks, plus dozens of attachments and gadgets.
Hard Core Mode: For those who like to play the way real operatives train, Hard Core Mode, the Sole Survivor game type, and the highly destructible battlefield create one of the most realistic military experiences in gaming.
Dedicated Server: Host your own dedicated servers if you’d like, complete with remote administration.
I heard from a source within the industry that WP7 devices in Asia are not SIM locked. This seems to be a standards thing but I couldn’t find anything on the Internet to back the claims. It’s not a controversy. That’s really just how it’s supposed to be. Since I was the first person to source a device from a telco I decided to test it out.
Validated. My SMART-issued device is still an open line. Here it is working on a Globe SIM which I borrowed:
I’m not familiar with the treaties that make this phenomenon possible (these are for WP7 phones sold in Asia only) but this is definitely a good thing for both Microsoft and SMART if this is consistent across the board. The benefits to Microsoft are obvious. But it is also beneficial to SMART because:
- SMART subscribers can still get this phone at a good retention price (got mine at PHP 5,750 compared to the almost PHP 30k you have to shell out for brand new). It’s not like they’re going to switch once they get the phone.
- I honestly find SMART’s data consistent and fast compared to any of the other two telcos. So for me, nothing changes.
- You have the option of using a foreign SIM card when roaming to another country as opposed to being tied to roaming rates. This is actually great for me because I have a collection of SIM cards from all the countries I visit.
Fun times. If you have a WP7 device, I urge you to try this experiment to further validate the claim.
Photo c/o Nina Fuentes
EDIT: I heard from someone in the industry that Windows Phone 7 devices issued in Asia are not SIM locked. So I tested it. It’s true: a telco issued WP7 device is “open line” and not locked to a provider (i.e. you can stick a SUN Cellular SIM into the SMART-issued WP7 device and it will run just fine). This is actually very interesting news.
It’s been almost a week with the HTC Mozart, the very first Windows Phone 7 in the country. Unlike others who have appropriated their WP7 devices outside the telcos, this is actually the very first official release in the country. If you open the battery, there’s a SMART Communications sticker pasted onto the circuit board. I purchased the phone under my retention plan with SMART under my regular plan 2500 but had to shell out a bit of cash (with a discount). Apparently I am the first customer in the country who has availed of this via retention. Total cash out: PHP 5750.00 not bad considering the unit costs about PHP 30,000.00. Well, that’s the price you pay for being an “early adopter.” I’m sure in the coming months we will see much cheaper handsets in the same way Android phones are releasing units at a 10k price point.
This week, we’re giving away a BlackBerry Curve 9300 3G from RIM courtesy of Arel of Virtusio PR and RIM :). I understand a number of other blogs gave the same prize during the holidays. Well, if you still haven’t won a RIM device, this is your last chance! But this time let’s make this the easiest contest ever. No need for graphic design skills. No need for Anglo-Saxon poetic magic.
All you need to win this contest is a FACE!
Yes, a FACE!
That’s the prize, sirs and maams. It’s sealed. I’m not opening the box because I want YOU to be the first one to open it.
RULES: