Sorry Francis, I’ve been meaning to post this. Blue Water Day Spa hit the nail on the head after they defined the ultimate spa experience in full HD. This is probably the geekiest spa I’ve heard about:
Our Spa Theatre can accommodate 28 people at one time. It’s equipped with High Definition cinema projectors with Dolby Sorround 7.1 sounds that will make you feel like you’re inside the movie. The movies are all BlueRay movies, so the latest movie is the latest BlueRay Releases. It also has 28 Lazy boy type leather seat sofas which were custom made with the perfect reclined angle so that you can enjoy the treatment and the movie in the most relaxing way. This theatre is open to rent for Private parties (Private Parties, Business Presentations, Business Conferences). Imagine ps3 party where in you get to play games on a 160 inch wide screen by 5 feet, or a Video karaoke party where you and a big group of friends can sing and party with the whole group.
If you’re in the PR or events business, here’s an interesting venue to consider for your micro-events. Right now, Francis is running a contest as well – a free seat in this wonderful theater. All of the details are on his blog and it’s pretty easy to join – just think of something out of this world to win a seat!
EDIT I:I recently published a review of the new dual faced ACER DX650 — yes Glofiish is now owned by ACER! If you bought a Glofiish device and wonder about tech support, I am told it will be honored with ACER.
EDIT II: Made a correction with the DX900 – it has a 3MP camera, not 1.3MP. The technical paper had a misprint.
Today, I’m inspired to write about a bit of history in the tech scene. Back in 2004 an obscure brand of hardware running what is now known as Windows Mobile came to the Philippines. That brand was E-TEN, and though the name in local tech has been forgotten it was one of the more brazened competitors to the O2 XDA line which was the most popular brand of “PDA Phones” during that time. Of course, O2 wasn’t a manufacturer in the strict sense, but a telco – and the XDA device was manufactured by HTC, O2’s OEM (O2 was a EU based telco that just strapped the brand onto the units). HTC grew in proportions, at least in the Philippines, overtaking E-TEN. They rebranded to DOPOD and then back to the HTC we know today, responsible for such sexy devices like the HTC Touch line.
But what happened to E-TEN (the last thing I wrote about them was with regards to the M600 Communicator)?? They became famous in the European market as they were the first to integrate GPS onto their smartphones, a MUST in the region. E-TEN made very decent phones, slightly cheaper to the O2 XDA. But they weren’t well marketed and have thus since faded locally.
…
… Until they relaunched into their new commercial brand — Glofiish. And this late December of 2008 and pushing forward to 2009, Glofiish is invading Philippine shores. I needed to give the backgrounder because not only is the history interesting, it is also a way for me to say that Glofiish isn’t at all a newbie in the mobile space. As a trump to this, ACER acquired Glofiish in March of 2008, a subtle way of saying that they will be moving into mobile phones this 2009. Watch for it!
I’ve had the privilege to break the local news (the devices are all over the Internet, but not in local cyberspace) on two “new” Glofiish devices that is, if I am not mistaken already available in the handheld market: the Glofiish DX900 and the Glofiish X610. In summary, the DX900 is a Windows Mobile 6.1 handheld that runs on dual SIM technology while the X610 is an affordable Windows Mobile 6.1 handheld at less than P20,000.00
Let’s get on with the show and tell.
Glofiish DX900 (P29,990)
The DX900 is a dual SIM Windows Mobile 6.1 device. It needs to be noted that although both SIM cards can be active, only one SIM supports HSDPA while the other can only support EDGE. This isn’t really a disadvantage in itself as usually, one telco has better data rates and connectivity than the other. In the photos, I’m running a Red Mobile SIM and a SUN Cellular SIM for illustration.
In terms of specs, the DX900 comes with all the bells and whistles of a Windows Mobile 6.1 device – WiFi, Bluetooth, 2.8 inch screen and GPS tracking. The unit is powered by a Samsung 533MHz processor and can store 128MB of RAM (256MB ROM). TV out and a built in accelerometer are added features, apart from a decent 3MP camera and secondary VGA camera in front.
In terms of real estate design, the DX900 is probably one of the best Windows Mobile devices I’ve held because the finish doesn’t oil easy. Unlike other flimsy devices that doesn’t have any sense of grip, the DX900’s outer face grips easy and isn’t “boxy.” In fact, if not for the logo, it could be mistaken for an HTC Touch device.
Glofiish X610 (P19,990)
The Glofiish X610’s strength is that is very affordable, without compromising essential features for a Windows Mobile device. In the past, WM enabled smartphones go for above the P30,000 mark, so the X610 is a rather promising device given its price point alone.
Unlike the DX900, the X610 doesn’t sport 3G connectivity. It has a 2MP camera and 64MB of RAM (128MB flash ROM).
User Interface
The DX900 and X610 both come with the SPB UI, a custom interface built into Glofiish devices in the similar way that the Sony Xperia, Samsung OMNIA and the HTC Touch line have a customized home screen over and above the default Windows Mobile Start menu. The interface supports multitouch features allowing you to flip your thumb through the screens in the same way an iPod touch / iPhone works. It isn’t as versatile, but it is nonetheless a breath of fresh air as there is almost no UI lag in the screen flipping.
Above is a shot of the X610 in “mid flip.”
Summary
The Glofiish X610 and DX900 will without a doubt appeal to fans of Windows Mobile. This platform has been around for quite sometime and has overtaken Palm by more than a mile (that is, until we see Palm 2.0?). Still, if you’ve been barricaded by the price point of most WM-based devices you can now breathe a sigh of relief as we now have a sub 20k device that runs on Windows Mobile 6.1. We also have a dual SIM option for those who want to stick to WM because of investments they made into the OS for app purchases.
As for technical support, Glofiish will have local servicing and warranties as well.
EDIT: If you’re looking for more TORQUE products, check out the cheapest dual SIM phone in the market, the TORQUE D100.
There’s a different philosophy behind reviewing entry level phones – more than features, people tend to look at price, but with the way the mobile phone market is becoming more and more sophisticated, even low end phones have to be distinguished by some creative features. Today, I have a brand new TORQUE straight from the box. The TORQUE C100 is the China made entry level phone that has been out for a few days in your favorite mobile phone flea market. Read on for my hands on.
A few weeks ago I won a Nokia N79 from a raffle from Nokia. Having really wanted the semi-brand new E71 in its stead, I bargained for a swap since the latter was a tad cheaper in price mainly due to an earlier release date. The E71 is a fantastic QWERTY business device and my one and I guess biggest complaint is the dropping of support for BlackBerry Connect. If this is a software issue, I hope Nokia can release a firmware upgrade in the future so it can support both Intellisync and BlackBerry Connect.
A few weeks after the E71’s release, Nokia announces a lower end enterprise phone – the Nokia E63 which is basically the same in most respects except for its slightly less conservative form factor. As seen above, the Nokia E63 resembles much of the E71 and is in fact cheaper by a mile – only P14,200 whereas the E71 retails between P19,500 to P22,000. The main difference between the two is really more on the form factor and “lower end” 2.0MP camera – which is really relative as the E71 comes with a 3.2MP camera.
Who said cheaper meant worse specs? The E63 comes with support for 3.5mm headsets while my E71 supports 2.5mm connectivity – I’d need to use an adapter to use regular earphones. Bluetooth, WiFi, Share on Ovi, a really good browser, and fast UI make this phone a definite winner if you don’t need HSDPA! More specs available here.
The Nokia E63 is available NOW for only P14,200. This is the most affordable mass market enterprise level phone of Nokia and I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t consider it for Christmas.
Had the very rare chance to spend some time backstage with Chicane. I think this is their third time in Manila, but this was the very first time for me to see them live at the World Trade Center. People often mistake Chicane for a DJ when in fact they are a band of four (at least for this tour) – drums, vocals, guitar and keyboards / programming.
Despite the many sound f*** ups (I’ve never seen a concert go on dead air twice on the same night!), this was one of the best live shows I’ve ever experienced. It wasn’t Chicane’s fault for the sound system. The guys from Big Fish said that their equipment was being harassed by dust particles *shrug*. Sucks that the technical glitch happened while they were playing Offshore. Seriously, this could have been one of the best concerts I attended if not for the sound system! It’s a huge blow to the sponsors.
A huge thanks to Nikka from Nokia for scoring us tickets. I was with fellow “Chicanenees” Rico, Jane and Christian, Phoebe (who manged to score an interview with vocalist Natasha Brocklebanks!), Helga and Rockstar Fritz.
If you wish to grab these photos, feel free to do so. I’d just appreciate a photo credit. That’s not a lot to ask for since these photos aren’t even watermarked. More photos after the jump.
