The Wutz Up in the Philippines!

The next iPhone comes out June 24 and will have a higher-resolution screen, longer battery life and thinner design.

CEO Steve Jobs opened Apple Inc.’s annual conference for software developers Monday by demonstrating the iPhone 4, which will cost $199 or $299 in the US with a two-year AT&T contract, depending on the capacity. The iPhone 3GS, which debuted last year, will still be available, for $99.

Some of the mystery surrounding Apple’s latest creation had been punctured in April, when the tech blog Gizmodo bought a lost iPhone prototype for $5,000 and posted pictures of the unit. Apple demanded it back, and authorities have been investigating whether a Gizmodo editor broke any laws.

“Stop me if you’ve already seen this,” Jobs said Monday as he started his demo.

The iPhone 4 is sleeker and more advanced than the original iPhone that came out in 2007.

Like the iPhone 3GS, it comes in black or white, though it has a more angular look. Its front and back are covered with glass, and it is rimmed with stainless steel that acts as part of the phone’s antenna.

It is about three-eighths of an inch thick; the iPhone 3GS is nearly half an inch. It can shoot high-definition video, catching up to some other smart phones. It has a gyroscope in addition to other sensors, to enable more advanced motion-sensing applications, such as games and mapping services.

The display on the iPhone remains 3.5 inches diagonally, but Jobs noted that it can show four times as many pixels — the individual colored dots that make up an image — as the previous screen. That makes for a sharper appearance.

One of the most noticeable changes is the iPhone’s new camera on the front that can be used for videoconferencing, in addition to a five-megapixel camera and a flash on the back. For now, the videoconferencing function, FaceTime, works only if both parties to the call have an iPhone 4 and are connected over Wi-Fi rather than a cell phone network. Jobs indicated that FaceTime will eventually work over cellular networks, saying Apple needs to “work a little bit” with wireless providers to make it “ready for the future.”

The battery on the new iPhone will allow up to seven hours of talk time — an improvement over five hours on the last model. It can handle up to six hours of Web browsing over cellular networks or 10 hours over Wi-Fi.

The new phone will run the latest version of Apple’s mobile software, now called iOS4, which Apple unveiled in April to offer such features as the ability to operate more than one program at a time. Older iPhones and iPod Touch devices will be able to get iOS4 as a free download June 21, though not all features will work on them.

New applications for the device will include a version of the popular game Farmville and one from Netflix that lets people watch streaming video where they left off on their TV.

Apple is trying to tighten the links between the iPhone and its iPad tablet, which came out April 3. It is releasing a version of its iBooks e-reading application for the iPhone, which means people could buy an e-book from Apple on either device and read it on either one as well.

Michael Gartenberg, a partner at analyst firm Altimeter Group, said the iPhone upgrade puts pressure on smart-phone makers that use Google’s Android operating software. Android, which was first released on a phone in 2008, has been gaining popularity as major phone makers such have Motorola Inc. have relied on the software for iPhone rivals such as the Droid.

“More importantly, let’s remember that the ballots are precinct-specific. The only ballots that the machine can read are the ballots belonging to the precinct,” said Flores.

source: abs-cbn news

SINGAPORE–A major computer security firm urged Facebook on Tuesday to set up an early-warning system after hundreds of thousands of users were hit by a new wave of fake sex-video attacks.

British-based virus fighter Sophos warned users of the world’s biggest social networking site to be on guard against any posting entitled “distracting beach babes”, which contains a movie thumbnail of a bikini-clad woman.

In a press statement, Sophos said the malicious posts appear as if they are coming from Facebook users’ friends, but it urged recipients not to click on the thumbnail.

By clicking on it, users are taken to a rogue Facebook application informing them that they do not have the right player software installed, Sophos said.

It tricks users into installing adware, a software package that automatically plays, displays or downloads advertisements to their computer, and the video link is spread further across the network.

Sophos said that “hundreds of thousands” of Facebook users were believed to have received the posts over the past weekend.

It followed a similar scam that spread on Facebook the week before involving a fake posting tagged as the “sexiest video ever”.

“It’s time for Facebook to set up an early warning system on their network, through which they can warn their almost 500 million users about breaking threats as they happen,” said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.

“A simple message appearing on all users’ screens warning them of the outbreak would have helped in halting the attack,” he said.

“Unless something is done, it won’t be surprising if there is another widespread attack this coming weekend, affecting thousands more users.”

The social networking site is already under fire for revealing users’ information too freely on the Internet.

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said Monday that the website “missed the mark” with its complex privacy controls and would reveal simpler features in the coming weeks.

Reference: Inquirer

Let us see on what are the latest improvement in the world of technology and what are the other things that a computer can be used to in, just like in this new regarding a plug and play ultrasound

The latest in ultrasound technology is now in the country with the introduction of SeeMore from the USA. Portable, lightweight and convenient, this breakthrough distributed by Panasian Medical Technologies, Inc. (PMT), takes advantage of the current plug-and-play computer systems and can be plugged directly into any laptop for easy, hassle-free use. With this newest development in ultrasound technology now available in the country, Filipino doctors and medical professionals can provide their patients with a more convenient, easily accessible ultrasound treatment.

SeeMore is the only USB cable-driven ultrasound device in the world, making it easier to transport. And because the technology has made for a compact, portable version of the ultrasound, it is also reasonably-priced, truly making ultrasound technology easily available to medical practitioners. “Our technology enables doctors to make on-the-spot ultrasound check ups and diagnoses for a variety of clinical purposes,” says Sedrick Hodgens, chief executive officer of PMT. This is because SeeMoreTM has different types of probes for different clinical applications. The General Purpose Abdominal Probe functions for the abdomen, uterus, bladder, and Focused Assessment by Sonography in Trauma (FAST) exam. The Endocavity Probe is for transrectal (prostate) and transvaginal (uterus and adnexa) applications, the Peripheral Imaging Probe is for vascular access, Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) lines, nerve blocks and detection of foreign bodies,and the Ophthalmology Probe is for the posterior eye and retina.

Moreover, SeeMoreTM has an open architecture system. The probes, cables and laptop are all separate components so if any of it breaks, one can immediately replace the malfunctioning component.

source: manila bulletin

It’s definitely not yet Hologram, it’s just Augmented reality via virtual Presence!”, Jedi Master Yoda might have corrected. C0melec’s official canvassing of votes is still unfinished and yet another heat of “GMA7 vs ABS-CBN bangayan” sparks.  With the new  PCOS technology on counting our votes, you cannot expect the usual flat screen and LED boards behind Mike Enriquez or Ted Failon on delivering the “widest coverage for the 2010 Elections”.  Let us take a closer look of this issue.

What is a Hologram?

According to it’s discoverer, Dennis Gabor, he coined the term hologram from the Greek words holos, meaning “whole,” and gramma, meaning “message”.  For clarity, it is a method of producing a three-dimensional image of an object by recording on a photographic plate or film the pattern of interference formed by a split laser beam and then illuminating the pattern either with a laser or with ordinary light.(TheFreeDictionary.com)

GMA’s Hologram

Mike Enriquez claims that GMA-News’  “Hologram” technology  is the very first in our country. The same thing used by CNN for the 2008 US Presidential Elections coverage.  In his unique and confident voice, he explained that their “new” technology allows field reporters to appear on 3D images as if they were in the studio itself.  You can clearly see that Mike Enriquez is pretending that Howie Severino, GMANEWS.TV Editor In Chief (EIC),  from cyberspace is right in front of him.  Perhaps, calling it  “hologram” makes them more advanced than other network.

Abs-CBN’s Virtual presence

Few hours ago, TJ manotoc reports that ABS-CBN’s Digital Graphics provider, Orad Hi-Tec Systems, they used the same technology but the appropriate term is Virtual Presence. They added that GMA’s interview with Sen. Noynoy Aquino using a green room or Chroma set-up can never be considered as a hologram.  “We use appropriate terms for modern-day technology”, they might have joked.

Over-all, it was just a mis-use of a technical word. They can just call it Starwars effect.
Throughout the election coverage, we have seen the Touch screen monitors, 3D animation technology, Virtual Presence an a lot more. Indeed, using as much imagery is the “in-thing” for TV networks today. Let us just hope that the content of the news we consume are not just high-end but credible and un-biased. Let us remind them that we watch the 3D Movies to be entertained and the News to be informed.

Manila Philippines - What do you think are the pros and cons of having an automated election? There are several issues and benefits regarding this automation of election. The question is, are you in favor of this automated election, are you satisfied in what you have paid in a billion pesos? Would you rather consider the short line for manual voting rather than than of long lines because it became a clustered precinct? As of May 11 We have partial results came from the PCOS machine and being announced by chairman melo of COMELEC, or would you choose the manual voting that the output might result in less than a week?

There are things that needs adjustments at first just like the PCOS machine, because things that are first tested are not guaranteed a 100% full accuracy sometimes it has bugs and other errors which are very usual to machines, but the thing is that the Smartmatic should put IT professionals or Technician who knows well of the PCOS machine and the Smartmatic should test the machine first before they distribute and if lack of time is the reason for this bugs in the PCOS machine, the thing that the Smartmatic should do is to hire more people in their company even for a month only just ti verify that the smartmatic is working great and reliable in counting of votes. The more people that works on the smartmatic the more productive or the more reliable the PCOS machine will be. The smartmatic should also foresee some of the risk that might happen when using the machine so that the technician will know what are the things that he needs to do to be able to fix it as soon as the election starts. Well In the manual voting there are several watchers and teachers that are need to be present just to be able to count the votes that sometimes none of them seem to do their task. The advantage of the PCOS machine is that it makes the counting easily, is makes less people involve in election counting, less effort and many more compared to manual voting that requires opposite of the automated election. A little advice is that before releasing of the machine be sure that it is working and complete in everything that is needed in the election and there should always be a person or technician or IT professionals who knows how to troubleshoot and Be sure to know what are the error and later on fix or enchance the PCOS machine for the next election.

MANILA, Philippines—If a machine conks out, it doesn’t mean there’s a glitch.

Duh?

Not all of the counting machines will work perfectly on Election Day, but voters need not worry because officials are prepared to handle the hiccups, according to Smartmatic-TIM Corp. Asia Pacific president Cesar Flores.

At a news conference Monday, Flores angrily denounced newspaper headlines highlighting the cold and damp weather in Hong Kong that momentarily decommissioned two precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines on the second day of the month-long overseas absentee voting.

He said people’s expectations in the conduct of the country’s first nationwide automated elections on May 10 should be tempered.

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MANILA, Philippines  - Warning! Searching online for photos of Anne Curtis’ wardrobe malfunction can be dangerous to your computer.

The Australian-born TV host and movie actress was performing a dance number while shooting live for a local noontime TV show when the right part of her top folded and accidentally showed her right breast.

News of the swimsuit mishap involving Curtis spread like wildfire earlier this week as photos of the wardrobe malfunction spread in social networks.

On Wednesday, Curtis said she felt disrespected and disheartened that the photos were being shared online and was even published by a local tabloid. She called on the people who were able to take a shot of the incident using their camera phones to delete it. She also appealed to those who uploaded the photo to take it down from their site and blogs.

A Trend Micro security alert, meanwhile, said cybercriminals have jumped on the sudden popularity of searches for Anne Curtis by spreading new, fake antivirus variants.

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A 23-year-old “citizen cartographer” from the University of the Philippines bested 700 other contestants to become the winner of the first Google Map Maker Global Competition.

Wayne Dell Manuel won a US$50,000 donation from UNICEF for the Philippines after adding more than 1,500 qualifying map features and made hundreds of moderations in Google Map Maker. His edits, which were primarily of local public schools, were judged to be the most numerous and accurate entries in the contest.

“I’m so excited to have won this global competition because it represents a win not just for me, but also for the Philippines,” said Manuel. “To be frank, I entered the competition to win the US$50,000 for our country, and I hope that my win encourages more Filipinos to contribute to making the online map of our country even better. We Filipinos are known for our spirit of bayanihan, and this is a great way for us to come together in the Internet era to make life better for our fellow kababayans by literally putting their communities on the digital map.”

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MANILA, Philippines—Secret.

That’s the operative word when Globe Telecoms and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) Wednesday agreed to host the main data centers for the transmission of results in the May 10 automated elections, officials said.

The decision was reached a day after the telco giants announced they were considering withdrawing their offers to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to set up the data centers in their main offices, fearing physical and technical attacks.

Where the centers would be located was not disclosed by Renato Garcia, a Comelec adviser, at a news briefing following talks with poll officials and Smartmatic-TIM, which will carry out the country’s first national electronic vote.

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