Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Kaspersky Lab Hosts Special Mission Impossible Rogue Nation Movie Screening

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We would like to thank Kaspersky Lab, especially Corporate Communications Manager for South East Asia Sanjeev Nair who flew all the way from Malaysia, just to give their media friends a special movie treat - Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation at the posh Director's Club of SM Megamall Fashion Hall.

I think Sanjeev is a geek too when he told us his favorite character in the movie was Benjie "the computer expert" Dunn (played by actor Simon Pegg) instead of Ethan "the action man" Hunt (played by Tom Cruise).

Most men will idolize the actor in the lead role, but nowadays geek is the new sexy. This is why men who can code and make apps will rule the world, and of course, hailed by most of the women of the universe!

The guys with the Dadbod are the real deal hunks of the 21st century! Those who find time playing video games, reading comics, gawking at cosplayers, collecting miniature sculptures of anime and retro toys, staying tuned to the latest episode of The Big Bang Theory and other geeky sci-fi, fantasy, adventure, techie, etc., TV series, and especially those attending the Geeks on a Beach tech confab in Boracay this August 20 to 21 are more than meets the eye, flab, belly, and comic con shirts.

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Discovery Channel answers some of your burning questions - from the origins of human beings to the modern way of living - this August. See how far we have come from the beginning of time to today’s fast paced society with two new shows and the return of Discovery Channel favorites.

Tawi-Tawi, Philippines is home to Santarawi, one of the last Badjao breath-hold divers who serve as modern models of our ancestors. THE GREAT HUMAN ODYSSEY follows Anthropologist Niobe Thompson as he takes us on a journey of discovery in the footsteps of our human ancestors, and unlocks the mystery of our unlikely survival and miraculous emergence as the world's only global species, meeting Santarawi along the way. We evolved during the most volatile era since the extinction of the dinosaurs. Like the many other kinds of humans who once shared our world, Homo sapiens should have died away. Instead, our species survived to populate every corner of the planet. Why are we the last of our kind? How did we do it?

Marvel at the wonders of human adaptability in THE GREAT HUMAN ODYSSEY premiering August 2, airing Sundays, 8PM.

Every great invention has to start with a great idea. HOW WE GOT HERE tells the stories of iconic Americans whose entrepreneurial genius radically changed their worlds and ours, creating new ideas and industries that transformed our nation in ways so profound, we often take them for granted today. Each episode will dramatize that moment, exploring both how the future unfolded as a result of that precise moment in time, and also how fundamentally different our world would have been had things happened differently.

Find out how America made a name for itself and paved for exponential impact in HOW WE GOT HERE premiering August 6, airing Thursdays, 9PM.

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Dr. Manny Calayan and Dra. Pie Calayan together with powerhouse experts launch the newest beauty, health and lifestyle magazine show to air every Sunday on GMA NewsTV Channel 11 entitled Healthcetera.

Healthcetera is a portmanteau word derived from the words Health and Etcetera. The program aims to provide tips on topics that are very significant to everyone such as beauty, health and wellness. The gamut of health issues, controversial medical topics - inside our bodies, from the head down to our toes, and even the humble weeds, grass, herbs, fruits and vegetables as alternative natural sources for healing and wellness are unraveled in practical, simple terms.

Healthcetera gathers a powerhouse cast which makes it more than just a health news show namely Dr. Manny Calayan, Dra. Pie Calayan, Nina Taduran, Marou Sarne and Dr. Sonny Viloria.

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Windows 10 is a very promising operating system update from Microsoft. I heard there are a lot of great features that would be very useful for us. I'm betting many Windows users have already updated or are about too since it's available for free.

I'm already scheduling our laptops at home for the same upgrade, and would be doing the same thing with my Windows smartphone.

Just hoping my Internet connection will cooperate soon,. There's a major ISP maintenance going on at our area so I would have to wait for a while before I could feel the power of Windows 10. I do hope my ISP shapes up real quick so I can now experience the newest OS from Microsoft.

Starmobile ENGAGE 10 Pro users can also take advantage of the newest features of the newest version of the OS. Go on and update your devices for free with Microsoft Windows 10 that is now available for download.

Here are the instructions:

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26 Collaborators, over 20 places. This is hands down the biggest collaboration this group has ever been a part of. Thanks to Google for allowing such an epic collaborative adventure to be posted online.

Bogart the Explorer from Davao City, on his YouTube account with Paperbug TV, previously asked people to take a trip with their barkada, using Google to ask questions and to prominently display the question written on a piece of paper. The question should be about how Google Search helped them with the answers in pursuing their journey or trip anywhere in the Philippines. They asked to share with them the videos to qualify for a chance to be part of a big commercial.

This was the original announcement: "Mates, we’re working with Google to create their next commercial, and we want you to be a part of it! Just send to tripngbarkada@googlegroups.com a 2-min video of your barkada traveling or exploring somewhere you've never gone before, with a little help from Google Search. Make sure you show us on a piece of paper the place/question that you asked Google while on your trip. Send in your video by July 15, and if we like it, it’ll be in the next Google commercial. If we really, really, really like it, we will give you a special gift thanks to our friends at Google!"

Other important guidelines reiterated were: No nudity, profanity, violence, defamation of character, and to shoot horizontally. The videos must also meet the criteria of 40% Usage and relevance of Search, 30% Friends benefiting as a result of Google, and 30% Creativity and Fun.

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Food and family take center stage as TLC let us relish the fine taste of travel with the sweet relief of familial ties this month of August.

Best-selling author, reluctant food celebrity and culinary adventurer Anthony Bourdain returns with an all-new season of ANTHONY BOURDAIN: PARTS UNKNOWN. This season, Anthony has carved out a distinct place as a gastronomic Indiana Jones and his quest is the perfect dining experience. Join his travels to parts unknown in places like Jamaica, Tokyo or London and beyond, on the new season of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, premiering on August 4, airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m.

Vietnamese chef Luke Nguyen stars in his new series LUKE NGUYEN’S UNITED KINGDOM. The show follows Luke as he travels and cooks his way across the length and breadth of the UK, discovering the wide and wonderful food delicacies of this fascinating island. Explore London, now widely acknowledged as one of the finest food capitals in the world, through Luke’s eyes as he discovers regional specialties, local culinary secrets, meets a host of local producers and characters and visit some of the world’s most historic iconic locations. Luke Nguyen’s United Kingdom premieres on August 10, airing Mondays at 9 p.m.

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My biggest problem when using smartphones is that I keep on losing battery power in the middle of the day especially when I use it for Wi-Fi Internet access. Bringing a powerbank would be a great solution except that it adds weight to my already heavy pouch bag where I put my camera, mini tablet computer, and other stuff aside from the tripod that I often hand-carry. I feel there is already so much I bring with me at events coverage, so I really don't need an extra bulk to weigh me down further.

Now that I've heard about the Starmobile JUMP Max with its big battery, I'm considering on getting one for myself. The big bonus is that it is now available at a sale price of only P2,990. The previous price was P3,690 so this means a lot of savings.

This portable powerhouse–rated to last for up to 15 hours for calls and up to 33 days on standby thanks to its super large 3000mAh battery–is the most affordable big battery smartphone in the market today (3000mAh and higher).

Complementing the capacious battery is a power-efficient CPU that’s ideal for every day tasks such as calling, texting, and surfing. A metal-reinforced Micro USB port also ensures that the JUMP Max is able to withstand wear and tear from the constant plugging and unplugging of the charging cable.

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TLC, the number one travel and lifestyle channel in the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia, will be premiering an all-new season of CAKE BOSS this August! Starring famed baker Buddy Valastro and his cake crew family, the team is back and whipping up amazingly crazy cakes and confections.

Over the years, the team has successfully made their burgeoning bakery, Carlo’s Bakery, a household name. And as the business has grown, so have their responsibilities. But at the end of the day, Buddy wants to be true to his roots: cake and family. Whatever the challenge, the Valastros prove that no matter how sticky the situation, the family that bakes together stays together!

CAKE BOSS is now a partnership between Discovery Networks International (DNI) and TLC in the United States with seasons seven and eight produced by original series producer Jon Sechrist, High Noon Entertainment and Valastro’s own Cakehouse Media. The new partnership enables more creative control globally, giving the show a truly international flavour and appeal.

Catch Buddy Valastro and his team create the cakes of your dreams, starting August 12, airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on TLC.

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Who said quality should always equate to a high price?

Well, Starmobile is proving them wrong with their promotional sale to answer every Filipinos smartphone needs. If you are looking for practical and affordable solutions to your smartphone needs, then look no further.

Starmobile has Quad Core Sarmobile Up Lite for only P 3,990. Originally priced at P 4, 690, the slim and sleek Starmobile UP Lite is good enough to satisfy your everyday needs with its powerful Quad Core processor, 8-megapixel AutoFocus BSI Camera, and front & back LED flash bulbs.

Originally priced at P4,690, the slim and sleek Starmobile UP Lite is equipped with a Quad Core processor, an 8-megapixel AutoFocus BSI Camera, and front & back LED flash bulbs. It is also one of the first Starmobile devices to feature innovative gesture controls such as Double Tap to Wake & Sleep and Multi-gesture patterns. You can read more about it at http://www.starmobile.ph/smartphones/up-lite/

Short+Sweet Manila is Back with Festival of 10-Minute Plays

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It is without doubt that the Philippines is a country with great potential and a lot of natural talent. As a blogger, I've met so many talented and gifted personalities with various skills and expertise that it gives me great honor to be able to mingle with them even for a short while.

The theater, dance and music industries are among those where you can find real talent. To be able to memorize lines and act seamlessly, sing or dance live on stage, without the audience noticing your mistakes or ad-lib is fascinating. Unlike in mainstream movies, dance or music videos, where the performers are allowed to do retakes, the live performers need to be able to mask their minor errors and finish their acts effortlessly with grace.

What is more remarkable is when they are able to keep the interest of the audience at a high. I would sometimes find myself not noticing time passing by because I was just too deeply involved with the performance.

Now imagine doing a complete performance in just a limited time of 10 minutes. Even for the very talented and experienced performer, that seems to be so challenging. To be able to squeeze in enough substance, intelligence, wit and creativity in one act is mind-boggling for someone like me.

But it seems I am lucky enough to witness such a rare treat. Not just one, but more than a handful will try their very best to fascinate the crowd with their 10 minute performances.

In collaboration with SM Aura, the organizers of Short+Sweet Manila composed of the trio of Divya Rajan Sriram as Festival Director, Vaishall Ray as Festival Producer and Marianne Quintos-Ortega as Production Manager, will hold the second edition of the month long Festival starting September 4, 2015 at The Samsung Hall in SM Aura located at Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig city.

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Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs, will be flying over the world-famous white sand beaches of Boracay on the second day of the upcoming Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) tech conference this August 20-21, 2015.

“Some of the most exciting developments in the world are happening with drones. These cool aerial gadgets are helping people do things in new and exciting ways. Drones and similar devices are going to rule the world so we better get ready,” said Tina Amper, TechTalks.ph founder and GOAB lead organizer.

In the Philippines, drones have been used to survey damage and assist search-and-rescue operations after disasters. It also has enormous potential for use in other fields such as tourism and agriculture wherein drones have been used to count livestock and monitor the health of crops in other countries.

Drones-on-a-beach or the “drones track” discussion during GOAB is set on August 21, Friday afternoon, while the “fly-in” for participants bringing their drones to Boracay is set on August 22, Saturday morning, pending favorable weather conditions and venue permissions.

“Those who are curious about drones can join this event and find out what the fuss is all about. If you already have a drone or want to buy one, joining the event can help you get tips from the experts before choosing your own,” said Amper.

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Ericsson announced the appointment of Sean Gowran as President and Country Manager for Philippines and Pacific Islands as of August 1, 2015.

Prior to his appointment, Sean headed Engagement Practices for Ericsson in North East Asia and was based in Beijing, China. He has been with the company for the past 28 years, and has held leadership roles in Research and Development, customer solutions, business and technology development, sales and operations.

From 2010-2013 Sean was Executive Vice President of Ericsson Greater China, where he was responsible for sales and operations in South China, covering the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian and Hainan. In 2005 he was President of Ericsson Taiwan, and two years prior to that was Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Ericsson US, where he was responsible for business and technology development with a number of operators, including Verizon, Nextel, and Sprint.

Sean has also held leadership roles in various Ericsson offices around the world, including Ireland, Mexico, Sweden, Indonesia, the United Sates, Taiwan, and China. With his years of experience in Asia, he shared that he is looking forward to his new role.

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The photo above is the Chinese Garden in Luneta, one of several areas in Rizal park where the DEpartment of Science and Technology (DOST) – Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Office’s Free Wi-Fi Internet access in Public Places Project is have a pilot run. Soon, public places like parks, town plazas, schools and government offices in 967 municipalities will have Free Wi-Fi Internet Access.

The Free Wi-Fi Internet Access in Public Places Project of the Department of Science and Technology’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Office has awarded data connectivity for fourteen Points of Presence (PoP’s) of the project to a Joint Venture of Innove Communications and Yondu Solutions, both subsidiaries of Globe Telecom, for a sum of PHP 74,844,000. These PoPs are slated to serve as the backbone and distribution hubs for Internet connectivity for the 967 municipalities connected under the project.

Fourteen POPs are distributed in the country’s three island groups and are located in the following areas: Luzon – 1) Tugegarao City, Cagayan; 2) Dagupan City, Pangasinan; 3) San Fernando City, Pampanga; 4) Lipa/Batangas City, Batangas; 5) Legazpi City, Albay; 6) Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Visayas – 7) Iloilo City, Iloilo; 8) Cebu City, Cebu; 9) Calbayog City, Samar; 10) Tacloban City, Leyte; Mindanao – 11) Cagayan De Oro City, Misamis Oriental; 12) Pagadian City, ARMM; 13) Davao City, Davao del Sur; 14) Zamboanga City, Zamboanga. The original plan to use Butuan City as one of the POPs was changed to Cagayan de Oro City to maximize the coverage area needed by the project.

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After the announcement from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that it will lodge a diplomatic protest with the Canadian government over the illegal waste shipment they sent to the Philippines, environmental watchdogs Basel Action Network (BAN) and BAN Toxics (BT) today called on the DFA and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to alert the Implementation and Compliance Committee (ICC) at the Basel Convention regarding Canada’s negligence to the treaty.

The Terms of Reference of the Mechanism for Promoting Implementation and Compliance provides that a “Party that has concerns or is affected by a failure to comply with and/or implement the Convention’s obligations” may submit these concerns to the ICC. BAN and BT are asking the Philippines to not just lodge a protest but to tell Canada that they are taking the case to the ICC if Canada continues its disregard to the Convention.

“The Philippine government needs to do more than just protest in this case,” said BT Executive Director Atty. Richard Gutierrez. “It is in the government’s best interest and the interest of the global community to ensure that this dumping will not happen again and that no other countries should suffer the indignity that we are experiencing because of Canada’s non-compliance. The ICC can help ensure this.”

The DFA said it is still waiting for some documents from the DENR and the Bureau of Customs to back its note verbale to the Canadian Embassy.

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Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) turns 3 this year and a lot has been said and even more has been learned. It's time to put all of the learnings to the test, are we ready? Let's all find out: Sink or swim, as they say!

The geeks are going back to the one of the World's best - BORACAY BEACH, BABY! Where the sand is like powder and orange sunset has power. Boracay, with its pristine seas and world-class amenities, is the perfect place for this year's conference.

Geeks on a Beach is the honest-to-goodness, no holds-barred conference where people speak the truth about startups, tech and design.

Real people come to GOAB. People with dreams. Those that are looking to get started. The ones that are trying to make it over the hump. Those that have something important to say. Talented, forward-thinking, good people.

Heroes have come to hang out by the beach. BUSINESS people. Investors. Founders. Founders' buddies. Hotshot designers. Smart-a Developers. And you know what the good part about it is? Everybody gets a chance to speak up. You know what's even better? Nobody has to be forced to dress up. GOAB has cracked the code to the perfect half and half of events - important exchange of ideas in an environment that is not daunting. So leave your long-sleeved plaid shirts AT HOME, pack your tank tops and short shorts and book your flights for Boracay for August 20 and 21, 2015!

The main event is two days but the activities happen over four days. There are pre-event get-togethers and welcome drinks. Workshops and training sessions. Networking and pitching events. Product demonstrations. Breakout talks for niche interests (bring out your flying drones!). Post-event demos and fun group activities. All centered around the invaluable ideas that will be SHARED in the keynote talks.