The first time I got my iPhone 4s, I was quite happy with the data plan speeds (Smart). I was reaching up to a maximum of 4.6MBPS on certain areas (like Makati, at work). Recently, the past week has been slow as hell. I thought it was due to me capping the speeds because of my MB consumption.

This started around a week ago. I continuously did troubleshooting, restarted the device and even read up on possible causes on the web. Speedtests indicate that now I get only about 0.03 MBPS on the average. That’s like a dial-up speed on a supposedly 4G network. Sheesh!

My iPhone plan allowed me 1.5 Gig per month consumption when using cellular data. The iPhone can track your consumption (Settings > General > Usage > Cellular Usage). My phone clocked in at only 280MB of usage for the first 30 days. So I called up Smart Customer Support for assistance. The agent told me that there was no network interruption or problem. I told him that it could be that the system cannot cope up with the demand. For me, that was the only logical explanation once I tried to eliminate the other possibilities. The agent then replied that he’d get back to me in 24 hours after escalating my concern with their IT guys. I asked if I already capped my 1GB consumption. He said “unlikely”.

Fast forward 4 days, still no response.

This is really frustrating. Especially for a customer’s perspective. I’m paying P2,000 per month just to have the convenience of having unlimited data – to be able to check email anytime, browse my social networks, search the web, use the GPS and do all the fun things that a Smartphone user can – upload photos, share anything, keep in touch with family and friends.

But if the network cannot handle the sheer volume of users after spending top dollar to market the iPhone, then this may be a success story that can easily backfire for Smart.

I just posted my problems at their Smart Facebook page and hopefully I get an answer soon.

So, calling the attention of the top honchos of Smart; here’s an unsolicited advice – please look into this problem and find solutions ASAP. I know I’m not the only one having this problem, some officemates and friends with the similar Smart iPhone plan have also experienced it.

Please fix this soon. Otherwise, you’ll be facing the ire of Unli-Data subscribers all over the country.

Thanks!

 Turtle image c/o GettyImages (Royalty-Free) http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/turtle-on-meadow-royalty-free-image/91273911

Last year, I posted my top 8 predictions for 2011. It’s good to note that I got almost everything right. Now it’s time for my annual tech predictions for 2012.

Tech Predictions for 2012 – by Mon Macutay (www.gmtristan.com) 

1. Apple will rule the world – Apple will lead tech. They will cement themselves as the biggest tech company on planet Earth. Samsung will be one of its fierce rivals. In fact, Samsung will dominate the Android phone and tablet market this year. The iPhone 5 will be announced and released.
2. Facebook will be the standard login – Last year, I predicted that Facebook “connectivity” and “sync” will start to permeate all levels of tech. From apps to social networks that cater to new, niche markets. And in 2011, the “log in with Facebook” craze started. In 2012, it will be the norm.
3. Microsoft and Nokia will make a comeback – Microsoft will try to this by launching Windows 8 and Nokia will try to salvage their name using Windows Mobile. Let’s see if the market will accept this. Chrome will officially overtake IE as the browser of choice.
4. Digital Marketing – becomes part of the “Tri-Media” approach. It will be as important to marketers like TV or radio. With tri-media consumption always going down, online marketing continues to grow. 2012 will see a huge market and need for “Social Media Experts”. Sadly, a lot of individuals will pretend to be experts just to get a piece of the pie, so to speak. Advertising on Facebook, for me, will be huge and companies who go into social media will emerge the victors.
5. RIM (makers of BlackBerry) will buy the farm – repeat after me, there is no “business phone” niche. The BB magic will fade and RIM will feel the financial burden. To combat this locally, telcos will position the BlackBerry to the youth as an entry-level smartphone hyping on the demand of the BBM (group texting without paying too much). Businessmen will then gasp when they see 15-year-olds with BlackBerry models the same as theirs.
6. Faster Broadband speeds for the Philippines – with new technologies, Smart and PLDT will lead the way and offer real DSL speeds to homes and businesses. The LTE will jumpstart this revolution From an average of 1MBPs per household, we will see and increase this year anywhere from 2MBPS to 4MBPS. Also, with a lot of competition, telcos will be forced to offer lower rates to capture a bigger portion of the market.
7. The Blog Mad Max – the blogging industry will see a great upheaval. With microblogging services like Twitter or even Instagram, a lot of bloggers will finally give up. Those who prevail and hang on will survive the blog-post-apocalyptic-nightmare. Businesses will now choose their blogger partners carefully and finally, bloggers will be given the same preferential treatment as real press or media (I am seeing that trend happen today).
8. Tablets – more and more accessories will be offered to make your tablet your primary PC. More juice, battery time and input devices will now make working on a tablet practical and fun. Both the iPad and the Galaxy Tab will rule. But there is a possibility of a 3rd contender. That, we have to see.
9. The Cloud Revolution – all major tech companies (and services) will now offer cloud solutions. Dropbox and Apple may have started it but this year, we will see more corporate-level solutions that will be made. Cloud space will be even bigger in 2012. MSN already offers all SkyDrive members a free 25GB cloud storage.
10. The Growth of WiFi in the Philippines – with a lot of Smartphones entering the middle-class B and C markets, the demand for WiFi (naturally) will go ka-boom! In 2012, you will more restos, bars and other places offer free (or paid) WiFi.

Finally, the world will NOT end in 2012.

PS. Check out my 2011 predictions here

Seeya all next year!

GM T

Now that I ditched my BB for the new iPhone 4S, I’m starting a new series of App Reviews. This is the first one.

If you’re the kind who always likes to share your food moments on Facebook (or your other social networks), Evernote’s Food app is for you. You can catalog and tag all your meals and it allows you to share them with a single touch. Plus, since it’s from Evernote, it automatically syncs with Evernote too. And yes, it’s a FREE app.

Evernote Food 

You start by taking a snapshot of your meal/food. In this example below, I was at Le Ching’s Green Hills, one of my favorite Chinese restos, and I was able to snap my favorite meal – Pork Spare Ribs and Chicken Feet! Yum!

Once you’re done with the snap, you can then add information such as a title, a GPS-tracked location and then tags. This allows you to easily sort, organize and search for your favorite meals in the future (see below)

Evernote Food then documents each and every meal into a note and is sorted by date. It automatically syncs with your Evernote app too. Cool, ain’t it?

Then, it’s simply a click away if you want to share your nom-nom photos to your Facebook, Twitter or share it via e-mail to your friends

To summarize, Evernote Food is a great and nifty app. It works wonders to document and store your favorite restaurants so you won’t forget the best menu and food options when you’re out with your friends or relatives. It’s also a great app to determine where to eat out if you don’t have a specific choice in mind. Just whip out your iPhone and make your friends say “Wow!”

I leave you with the official Evernote Food demo video below;

Check out Evernote Food via their official website

Will have more Apple App reviews in the future.

Thanks!

Heavens, no! It’s not my review. In fact, I don’t own a PS Vita (well, not YET anyways).

We all know it was released before Christmas (Dec 17) in Japan and will be released in US around February. But some of my lucky, rich friends already have their units. Meanwhile, here’s IGN’s review of their units. Enjoy!

The PS Vita Review by IGN

Can’t wait to get my hands on one! Woot!

Check the specs on my previous article here. I’ll update everyone via Facebook if I finally get to know how much it retails.

Don’t forget to share, ok?

Via IGN

With all the hype about new Smartphones and the close competition by Apple and Samsung as well as the iOS vs Android wars, there’s a new Web Meme – the Nokia 3310.

Enjoy!

The Nokia 3310 Meme

The Nokia 3310 is a simple rugged phone. In fact, it’s my favorite Nokia! I sure miss it. But enough about me, check out the wild and wacky meme photos below…

Let’s start with the LOTR version….

Have fun!

Happy New Year!

Photos via 9GAG

I was reading up on fellow blogger, Yuga’s post about the scarcity of messages he got (via SMS) this Christmas. This made me count mine.

Due to the popularity of social media, led by Facebook and Twitter, text messages on Christmas are becoming less and less. And Yuga’s right! On Christmas eve, I only got less than 10 messages. A few years ago, my phone would buzz non-stop.

Am sure that most of us just opted to send messages via Facebook, Twitter or even Yahoo Messenger. With the advent of Skype, even long distance calls are not so “in demand” today. So, does this mean that Globe and Smart’s “holiday revenues” are being jeopardized by SNS services?

Perhaps so.

If they’re smart wise, the right thing to do would be to ride the wave of this phenomenon. Those who capitalize on monetizing SNS via the phone will be in the lead. And I see a lot of them offering “Unli” social services now. Thanks to Sun for that wonderful “Unli” idea.

Now…. if they can only make Internet and mobile data speeds faster and more reliable.

That would be heaven, wouldn’t it?

Merry Christmas to all my techie friends! Have an awesome New Year too.

Try to have 10 fingers by Jan 1, ayt?

Peace!

Like I said in my unboxing article about my new iPhone 4S, Siri is a nifty, new feature for Os5. But, being a Filipino, it has some limitations. Perhaps, this funny spoof can help us, yes?

For one, Siri has difficulty understanding the nuances of Filipino-English. It really is designed with the American accent in mind. Second, it cannot search for places in the Philippines (hey, Smart and Globe, you may want to push Apple to unlock this one)

Enter Vangie, the Pinoy version. Lols

This awesome viral vid has been making the rounds and now has close to a million views! Panalo!

Seriously, there’s another contender for Siri, it’s called Dragon Go! Check out their video below;

While writing this post, I’ll see if I can download the app and will be testing it later. I hope it’s better. I’ll be updating you guys via my Facebook page, ok?

Peace!

Merry Christmas, folks! Don’t forget to share!

It’s bound to happen, so to speak. Do you guys remember the iPed? The iPad China rip-off?

Well, they’ve taken it one step further with their version of the Sony PSP Vita. And they’re even selling it BEFORE Sony. Specs and more photos follows…

Chinese Version PSP Vita Specs

• Android powered
• gravity sensor
• front and back cameras
• a large LCD screen
• 1080p support
• and a front touch-screen. (no touch sensor at the back, though)

It’s branded as “Yinlips”.

‘Nuff said.

Don’t forget to share! Thanks!

Via Kotaku

On December 16, 2011, the much awaited release of the new Apple iPhone 4S for the Philippines will happen.

And Globe no longer has exclusivity on the hot smart phone. Both Smart and Globe announced that they are releasing the iPhone 4S to the public on the same date.

Globe has announced the availability of the iPhone 4S here while Smart offers theirs here.

It’s a battle-royale as the two telco giants slug it out for the smartphone that will surely be BIG in demand!

Meanwhile, I read in Yuga’s blog that it’s possible that Smart shelled out a whopping 6 Billion (pesos) for the deal. It’s also said that Apple was not happy that this deal was prematurely announced by Smart without their go signal.

Only December 16 will tell. Let’s all wait, yes?

One good thing may come out of this “iPhone telco war”; the price points for handsets in their post-paid and pre-paid plans will definitely go down as the iPhone 4s takes the top spot. This means that the now “old” iPhone 4 (and surely the iPhone 3G) will come out cheaper.

So, if you’re in the market for a smartphone for Christmas, don’t blow your 13th month-pay or Christmas bonus on one just yet.

If I were you, I’d wait for December 16!

Peace!

It’s been a while since I wrote some tips for fellow bloggers.

With the advent of social media (read: Facebook, here in the Philippines), it makes your articles, ideas or media (video and photos) a lot more easier to share. The question now is: are you utilizing these “sharing tools” to its full potential?

The key here is to make your content/articles easier for others to share.

With a lot of new tools and plugins, gone are the days that you have to manually “copy” the URL and then past it on your wall, group or page in Facebook (or any other SNS site for that matter). There are stuff out there that I’ve already tried. The main goal is for your reader to immediately share (hence, make viral) your content with a single click of his (or her) mouse.

The easier, the faster, the better.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Using my own blog, gmtristan.com, as an example, I am fond of using Sexy Bookmarks which you can see below;

The plugin has a LOT of options on which social sites to use and also has a ton of options for customization. Don’t get carried away and use a gaggle of sites. For me, I think Facebook and Twitter are the most important.

Next up would be how to find a better solution for the traditional and boring “comments” section of your blog. For me, there are 2 options.

In gmtristan.com I use DISQUS. Disqus can totally replace your comments box and allow the user to log-in using one of his SNS accounts. It will also automatically “post” or “share” his comment on his wall (if he “allows” the app to do it) thereby giving your article and links a little more “link love”. Sweet! The second option, as will be detailed below, is totally replace your blog’s comment section using Facebook comments. In gmtristan.com, I opted to stay with Disqus since a migration of old comments was not possible under that system.

But such is not the case with my other blog, geekzkrieg.com. There, it’s the comment section is full-Facebook.

If you want to know how to do this for your blog, head on over to the instructions for Facebook HERE

Now that you have a couple of tools for your content to “go out”, you will then need some more content to “come in”. I’ve already written about the great convergence of your blog and Facebook before where I highlighted the importance of having a Facebook Page for your blog.

It’s time to get that “sync” into action by using Facebook Socials.

Facebook Social is a suite of tools and plugins that you can use on your blog or on your site. My favorite app would of course have to be the Like Box. Setting this up is very simple. Just go here, take note of your sidebar width, add a few info and you’re good to go.

The Like Box will do wonders for your blog as it allows you to

1. Grow your Facebook Fan base – those not members/fans yet can instantly become one just with one click!
2. Push relevant topics back into your blog – so your readers can see other content on your page which they missed.
3. See your fan growth from your own page

Finally, in order for your readers to “go deeper” into your blog (this means that you want them to browse more than one article and push relevant content to them), you also need a couple of tools. Here are some of what I use;

1. LINK WITHIN – www.linkwithin.com

Link within is the app that “suggests” related content to your readers with a “You Might Also Like:” choice with thumbnails at the bottom of your post. Setup is a breeze.

2. THE SLIDE by SimpleReach www.simplereach.com

Notice that little box which slides on the bottom right corner of my blog? That’s “The Slide”, Their marketing message tells it all “Help Readers Discover More of Your Content”. ‘Nuff said. Click here to make an account and set it up on your blog or site.

I guess that’s it!

I hope you learned a thing or two. And if you did…

Don’t forget to share!

Thanks!