So a number of people were rather “disturbed” by the screen grab of Atty. Topacio’s interview. The portait sitting above him was one of Adolf Hitler. Does having a portrait of someone nailed to the wall behind you really mean that much?
Well.
Dear Internet, presenting the Topacio Meme:
Wanna see something cool? First, try chatting with someone. Anyone. Via Facebook chat. Do this through the desktop. It doesn’t work when using Facebook Messenger for mobile.
Then, insert the Facebook profile name of anyone using this [[insert name here]] variable. For instance [[jayveefernandez]]. Press enter. If no profile name is available, use the number ID of your friend’s page. Remember, use the profile name stated in the Facebook address, not the first + last name. So if mine was facebook.com/jayveefernandez then the ID is [[jayveefernandez]].
Amaze your friends!
[image via Mashable]
More than the news about the coming iPhone 5 (which should be completely redesigned to support a bigger 4.3″ screen), I’m more interested in two Apple rumors namely the iPad 3 allegedly going to be released the day before Steve Jobs’ birthday on the 24th of February 2012 and the Siri app being ported as a wearable device to communicate with your iDevices. So for those asking about the mythical 3rd iPad, Q1 is the safe bet and yeah it’s actually due for a refresh. Some of my predictions would include:
– full screen “natural” 16:9 viewing (with sides of the app leaving space for thumbs in App view)
– virtual middle button
– Siri integration
– better camera
There’s rumor of an “iPad mini” going round as well and in its current vaporware form should be something like the Samsung Galaxy Note. If more of these configs get introduced there is no doubt Apple may bump iCloud storage up for free. Well, they’re rumors. So whatev.
Then there’s Siri. More than being a piece of software embedded in a phone or tablet, the iRumor is that it’s going full blown wearable hardware albeit more elegant than those Bluetooth headsets people wear on their ears. Maybe watches. Maybe. But then again, I’d be more excited to see Siri support more locations as its pretty limited in geo-services in the Philippines.
A third rumor, though not happening anytime in 2012 is the switch to hydrogen cells for powering the iPhone and iPad. This will enable iDevices to run for weeks on a single charge. It’s no secret that battery technology is one of the most archaic in today’s age as lithium ion is a really a thing of the past. Smartphones need that added power to stay alive and li-ion just doesn’t cut it anymore. The move to more efficient power was supposed to be through a sweet little item called Graphene but it looks like Apple is going through a completely different direction. Again, rumors.
[image c/o DigitalTrends]
Christmas Tree Worm
Spirobranchus giganteus
Found abundantly in the Philippines
When I was a kid, Christmas presents didn’t mean the act of opening everything on the morning of the 25th. For me, the holidays was a careful chore which I’d gladly do with my dad as I would “hint” what I wanted (in the 80’s it was Sky Commanders, Ninja Turtles and GI Joe’s) and we’d go from store to store (I remember the 3rd floor toy section of Landmark clearly) and I’d tell him what I wanted. It was a better choice for me to sacrifice the “surprise” (of getting something I did not really want) versus knowing what was exactly in the package.
Fast forward to today, and I envy the leisure my parents had in shopping for gifts. December, in this modern age, is horrible. The last time I bought something in Rustan’s, I had to wait for 2 days to get it wrapped (P.S. I’m a guy, I don’t know these things). Traffic is compounded by 10 and the mall is just crazy.
So the past two years really got me thinking how I could make shopping more efficient and meaningful for friends. So I did a quick run through of the company I keep and to no surprise, a lot of them belong to the category of “Geeks” under a sub-category of “Gamers.”
Gamers.
Gamers like video games.
And I could get them something from Datablitz.
But that’s old skool.
In the age of the Internet, we go for digital downloads. Every holiday season, the Steam Store goes crazy-insane with game sales. For the uninitiated, Steam is like “Facebook for PC Gamers” (no not the Farmville type!) and everyday there are new deals at 50%-75% off. It’s just a matter of knowing what games go on sale and what types of genres your friends want.
So for the holidays, I bought 10 friends 10 games via Steam. Total Budget: USD $30.00 (INSANE!) That’s roughly USD $2.49 per game ++ at over 75% off. Steam allows you to “gift” any title to your friend’s email or Steam account (sign up here). No lines. No duplicates (the system tells you if your friend already owns a game you want to buy for ’em; as a corollary, it also tells you what your friend’s wish list is for the holidays). No hassle. Did everything in less than 10 minutes. Since these are digital goods, there’s no delivery fee!
For the non-geeks reading this, I’m sure you have loved ones who would really appreciate PC games for the holidays. It may be a bit weird at first, but trust me, it works. Think of the time and money you can save while still getting exactly what your friends want.