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The latest business news in the Philippines.

iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 now available with new Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, etc.

March 29, 2023

Apple just released the iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, the update is available to all users of iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later models.

Aside from the usual “feature enhancements and bug fixes” the iOS 16.4 will include 21 New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, Voice Isolation for Calls and more.

You can read Apple’s full notes for the update are below:

This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:

– 21 new emoji including animals, hand gestures, and objects are now available in emoji keyboard
– Notifications for web apps added to the Home Screen
– Voice Isolation for cellular calls prioritizes your voice and blocks out ambient noise around you
– Duplicates album in Photos expands support to detect duplicate photos and videos in an iCloud Shared Photo Library
– VoiceOver support for maps in the Weather app
– Accessibility setting to automatically dim video when flashes of light or strobe effects are detected
– Fixes an issue where Ask to Buy requests from children may fail to appear on the parent’s device
– Addresses issues where Matter-compatible thermostats could become unresponsive when paired to Apple Home
– Crash Detection optimizations on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models

If you like to dig more into the update, you can visit https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213676.

To update your iPhone and/or iPad, just go to Settings > General > Software Update.

Amazon reveals design of the antennas for their Project Kuiper Satellite Internet

March 19, 2023

Amazon just reveals the design for the customer terminal of their Project Kuiper Satellite Internet, their answer to SpaceX’s Starlink Internet. Amazon’s Project Kuiper is a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network that allows any connected device to access the internet.

In their announcement, Amazon explains that to “use the service, customers will install an outdoor antenna—called a customer terminal—to communicate with satellites passing overhead.” and Amazon developed 3 models of customer terminal.

The standard customer terminal measures less than 11 inches square and 1 inch thick, and offers speeds up to 400 megabits per second (Mbps) and will weigh less than five pounds without its mounting bracket. The standard customer terminal will have a pricetag for less than $400 each.

Then there’s ultra-compact model, which is a 7-inch square design and weighs just 1 pound, it offers a speeds up to 100 Mbps. As for the cost, according to Amazon will be a “lower-cost model.”

There will also be a high-bandwidth design, this will be Project Kuiper’s largest, most capable model which aim for enterprise, government, and telecommunications applications that requires large bandwidth. The terminal measures 19 inches by 30 inches, and will deliver speeds up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps).

All terminals will be using Amazon-designed baseband chip called “Prometheus.” Prometheus combines the processing power of a 5G modem chip and the capability of a cellular base station to handle high traffic demands.

Amazon’s Project Kuiper is also preparing to deploy its first two prototype satellites on the first flight of United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket. Project Kuiper is scaling operations in preparation for its launch early 2024 and its plans to give early adopter access to the service beginning later that year.

Public Investment Fund (PIF) launches Riyadh Air, a new national carrier to expand Saudi’s local and global aviation industry

March 15, 2023

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) just announced the launching of a new national airline Riyadh Air. Wholly owned by PIF, Riyadh Air will leverage Saudi Arabia’s strategic geographic location between the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe, enabling Riyadh to become a gateway to the world and a global destination for transportation, trade, and tourism.

Riyadh Air will be chaired by His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of PIF, while Tony Douglas, will be its Chief Executive Officer. Douglas brings more than 40 years of experience in the aviation, transportation and logistics industries.

The newly established airline is expected to add US$20 billion to non-oil GDP growth, and create more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Apple officially announce the ‘yellow’ iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus

March 9, 2023

Apple has officially announce the ‘yellow’ iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. The yellow colorway will only for the non-pro models, unlike last year. The yellow color is an addition to the 5 colors; midnight (black), blue, purple, starlight (white), and red, when the iPhone 14 was first announced last September 2022.

This is not the first time that Apple released a iPhone color, last year they introduced the green iPhone 13, then the purple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini, a year before.

Spec-wise, the yellow iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will have the same components; Super Retina XDR display, A15 Bionic chip, up to 512GB of storage, Dual-rear camera system and 12MP front camera and up to 20 hours of battery life.

Colors of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus: midnight, starlight, (PRODUCT)RED, blue, purple, and yellow.

The new yellow iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be available to pre-order this 10th of March and will be in retail store starting Tuesday, March 14th. Pricing will be the same as well; iPhone 14 starting price will be $799 (US) and $899 (US) for the iPhone 14 Plus.

Apple plans to release a yellow iPhone 14

March 5, 2023

It appears we will see another yellow iPhone will be as reports of a yellow iPhone 14 and 14 Plus have been floating around the net.

In an article on macrumors.com, Apple plans to release a yellow iPhone 14 and 14 Plus this spring, which is according to a Weibo post shared by Japanese blog Mac Otakara. As with any report outside Apple, we need to take this report with a grain of salt, since it’s hard to confirm the credibility of the Weibo account.

According to numerous sources, Apple’s PR department is preparing a product briefing for next week. On Tuesday, March 8 of last year, Apple introduced new Green hues for the iPhone 13 series, so there is a potential the briefing is connected to the announcement of a new iPhone color, but the topic of the briefing has not yet been confirmed.

The last time Apple released a yellow iPhone was in 2018 and 2019, when the company release the iPhone XR and iPhone 11, respectively. So far, the yellow color appears to be exclusive to iPhone 14 and 14 Plus and it’s unclear if it will find its way to the iPhone 14 Pro line, since yellow is very similar to the gold color.

Apple announces new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max

January 19, 2023

Together with the new Mac mini, Apple also announced a new MacBook Pro powered by the new M2 Pro and M2 Max. With the new M2 Pro and M2 Max, the new Macbook Pros’ “battery life will be up to 22 hours — the longest battery life ever in a Mac.”

The new Macbook Pro features Liquid Retina XDR display, 16GB unified memory that’s configurable up to 96GB RAM, a 22 hours battery life, 512GB SSD storage which you can upgrade up to 8 TB. As for expansion slots, you’ll find SDXC card slot, HDMI port, 3.5 mm headphone jack and MagSafe 3 port for charging. It also have Thunderbolt 4 for charging and display. Its backlit magic Keyboard will have an integrated Touch ID, ambient light sensor and force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and multi-touch gestures.

For connectivity it supports Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax and Bluetooth 5.3. The new Macbook Pro will have a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, six built-in speakers with force-cancelling woofers and wide stereo sounds. If you’re concern about the weight there a very small different between the weight of the Macbook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max. Right out of the box, the new Macbook Pro will run Apple’s latest macOS Ventura.

The new MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max are now available for order in 27 countries and they will begin arriving to customers and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers starting Tuesday, January 24.

The new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro starts at $1,999 (USD) and the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro starts at $2,499 (US).

MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max will be available in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, and Singapore beginning Friday, February 3.

You can read Apple’s full announcement here.

Apple intros new Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro

January 19, 2023

Apple just announced an updated version of the Mac mini powered by their very own M2 and the all-new M2 Pro Soc.

Mac Mini with M2 chip

The new Mac mini with the M2 features an 8-core CPU with four high-performance and four high-efficiency cores, along with a 10-core GPU — perfect for users looking for superfast performance and incredible productivity at an even more affordable starting price of $599. It supports up to 24GB of unified memory and 100GB/s of bandwidth and the M2 model can also simultaneously play up to two streams of 8K ProRes 422 video at 30 fps, or up to 12 streams of 4K ProRes 422 video at 30 fps.

Specs of Mac Mini with M2 chip;
Apple M2 chip
– 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
– 10-core GPU
– 16-core Neural Engine
– 100GB/s memory bandwidth
8GB unified RAM, configurable to 16GB or 24GB
256GB SSD, configurable to 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB
2x Thunderbolt 4 ports
2x USB-A ports
HDMI port
Gigabit Ethernet ports
3.5 mm headphone jack
Built-in speaker
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Ethernet Connectivity
3.58cm x 19.70cm x 19.70cm dimension
1.18 kg weight

Apple Mac mini with Studio Display and Magic accessories.

Mac Mini with M2 Pro chip

The new Mac mini with the M2 Pro will provide pro-level performance with up to 12-core CPU with eight high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, together with an up to a 19-core GPU. It supports up to 32GB of memory, a faster Neural Engine and a powerful media engine for streaming 8K ProRes 422 video at 30 fps, or up to 23 streams of 4K ProRes 422 video at 30 fps. The M2 Pro-powered model is up to 14x faster than the fastest Intel-based Mac mini.

Specs of Mac Mini with M2 Pro chip;
Apple M2 Pro chip
– 10-core CPU with 6 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
– 16-core GPU
– 16-core Neural Engine
– 200GB/s memory bandwidth
16GB unified RAM, configurable 32GB
512GB SSD, configurable to 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB
4x Thunderbolt 4 ports
2x USB-A ports
HDMI port
Gigabit Ethernet ports
3.5 mm headphone jack
Built-in speaker
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Ethernet Connectivity
3.58cm x 19.70cm x 19.70cm dimension
1.28 kg weight

The new Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro is now available for order and will start arriving to customers, and in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting Tuesday, January 24. Mac mini with M2 will have starting price of $599, while the Mac mini with M2 Pro will be $1,299. Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro will be available in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, and New Zealand beginning Friday, February 3.

LinkedIn published the 15 fastest-growing job titles in the Philippines

January 19, 2023

LinkedIn, the social media network for professionals and businesses just reveal the 15 fastest-growing job titles in the Philippines. The list is a good reference for those who are planning to switch jobs or gauge if there’s long term opportunity in the industry where you’re at.

LinkedIn explained that the list was published by “LinkedIn Economic Graph researchers examined millions of jobs started by LinkedIn members from January 1, 2018 to July 31, 2022 to calculate a growth rate for each job title.” and added “To be ranked, a job title needed to see consistent growth across our membership base, as well as have grown to a meaningful size by 2022.”

Here’s the full list of LinkedIn’s 15 fastest-growing job titles in the Philippines;

  1. Clinical Research Associate

    • What they do: Clinical research associates are responsible for the setup, conduct, and supervision of clinical trials and studies designed to determine the effectiveness and safety of drugs, products, and procedures.
    • Most common skills: Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Clinical Monitoring, Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS)
    • Most common industries: Manufacturing, Professional Services, Hospitals and Health Care

  2. Business Development Representative

    • What they do: Business development representatives help both the marketing and sales departments of a company by identifying, connecting, and nurturing new clients in order to generate new revenue.
    • Most common skills: Lead Generation, Business Development, Cold Calling.
    • Most common industries: Technology and Media, Professional Services, Entertainment Providers.

  3. Insights Analyst

    • What they do: Insights analysts are responsible for translating a company’s financial, customer, and market data into insights that can help the business make informed decisions.
    • Most common skills: Microsoft Power BI, Business Insights, Data Visualization
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Manufacturing, Technology and Media

  4. Delivery Specialist

    • What they do: Delivery specialists manage projects on behalf of clients, making sure that projects are completed within deadlines and budgets and that projects meet every client specification.
    • Most common skills: Service Delivery, Alteryx, Business Process Improvement
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Technology and Media, Administrative and Support Services

  5. Anti-Money Laundering Analyst

    • What they do: Anti-money laundering analysts help organizations comply with anti-money laundering regulations by monitoring financial transactions and investigating any suspicious activity.
    • Most common skills: KYC Verification, Anti-Money Laundering, Due Diligence
    • Most common industries: Financial Services, Professional Services, Technology and Media

  6. Media Analyst

    • What they do: Media analysts measure the success of advertising campaigns and other marketing activities through the monitoring of media channels and analysis of media data.
    • Most common skills: Media Analysis, Media Monitoring, Data Analysis
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Technology and Media, Financial Services

  7. Customer Success Specialist

    • What they do: Customer success specialists help businesses retain existing customers by responding to inquiries, resolving issues, and providing other support that ensure customer satisfaction.
    • Most common skills: Account Management, Customer Success, Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Financial Services, Technology and Media

  8. Virtual Medical Assistant

    • What they do: Virtual medical assistants take care of many administrative and clerical duties for clinics or hospitals, including the maintenance of medical databases, appointment scheduling, patient billing, and insurance coverage processing.
    • Most common skills: Virtual Assistance, Medical Assisting, Appointment Scheduling
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Hospitals and Health Care, Administrative and Support Services

  9. Salesforce Consultant

    • What they do: Salesforce consultants help companies use the Salesforce CRM software, providing expert guidance during the setup, implementation, and optimisation of the tool to suit the company’s needs.
    • Most common skills: Salesforce.com Administration, Apex Programming, Salesforce Sales Cloud
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Technology and Media, Manufacturing

  10. Data Engineer

    • What they do: Data engineers work with raw data and transform it into a format that’s more accessible and usable for further analysis by data scientists.
    • Most common skills: Data Engineering, Load (ETL), Python (Programming Language)
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Financial Services, Oil, Gas, and Mining

  11. Security Operations Center Analyst

    • What they do: Security operations center analysts protect a company’s computer network by monitoring system activity, identifying and responding to threats, and patching any system security flaw.
    • Most common skills: Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Security Operations Center, Cybersecurity
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Financial Services, Technology and Media

  12. DevOps Engineer

    • What they do: DevOps engineers sit between software development and software operation teams to improve end user experience, balancing the rollout of new features with maintaining the stability and security of the software.
    • Most common skills: DevOps, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Kubernetes
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Financial Services, Technology and Media

  13. Product Owner

    • What they do: Product owners take the lead in all aspects of new product development and are responsible for setting the vision for the product, deciding what features the product should have, and managing the whole process from start to finish.
    • Most common skills: Agile Methodologies, Scrum, Product Management
    • Most common industries: Financial Services, Professional Services, Technology and Media

  14. Cloud Engineer

    • What they do: Cloud engineers manage a company’s cloud-based systems and are responsible for setting it up, ensuring its stability, implementing updates, and customizing its features to suit end users’ needs.
    • Most common skills: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Cloud Computing
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Technology and Media, Manufacturing

  15. Tax Associate

    • What they do: Tax associates help organizations file their taxes correctly, find opportunities for tax deductions, and provide guidance on tax-related matters.
    • Most common skills: Tax Preparation, Tax Compliance, Accounting
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Financial Services, Real Estate and Equipment Rental Services

Source: TechJobs, LinkedIn

Apple just added a karaoke feature to Apple Music

December 11, 2022

Apple just announced that they are adding karaoke features to Apple Music. The company said that they’re calling this new feature Apple Music Sing, “a new feature that allows users to sing along to their favorite songs with adjustable vocals and real-time lyrics.” It added that “Apple Music Sing offers multiple lyric views to help fans take the lead, perform duets, sing backup, and more — all integrated within Apple Music’s unparalleled lyrics experience.”

The new feature will be available this month to all Apple Music Subscribers worldwide and can be access using compatible iPhones, iPads, and the new Apple TV 4K. Apple will also create 50 dedicated companion playlists featuring all of the karaoke friendly songs all around the world to sing and it’s fully optimized for the Apple Music Sing experience.

The compatible devices that Apple Music Sing will be available are; iPhone 11 to the latest iPhones; iPhone SE (third-generation, 2022); the iPad 9, 10, iPad mini 6, iPad Air 4 and 5; the M1 and M2 iPad Pro, and the said devices needs to updated to the latest iOS 16.2, which will be release this December 2022.

Carousell to layoff 10% of it’s global staff

December 5, 2022

Singapore-based Carousell just announced that it will layoff 10% of its staff or around 110 employees. The company made the announcement to all its staff via email and an official blogpost on their website. The company operates in 10 markets; Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Quek Siu Rui, Carousell’s Co-founder and CEO said in the post “I am deeply sorry for this outcome, and I take responsibility for the decisions that have led us here. Parting with teammates, whom we are grateful to for joining us on this mission, is a very difficult decision. We will be sure to treat everyone impacted with compassion and to lend as much support as we can to them.”

The company’s goal for the “impacted” employees is to help them in their job search by allowing them to keep their office laptop and continue their LinkedIn Learning membership until June 30, 2023; provide at least 3 months of compensation and, extend medical benefits and insurance coverage for employees and their dependents up to June 30, 2023, subject to approval by local insurers and medical service providers.

Carousell was founded in 2012, backed by Sequoia Capital India, Naver, 500 Global and Rakuten Capital, has raised a total of $372.6 million and acquired another of companies including OLX Philippines, after receiving an investment from Naspers.

Apple announces the 2022 App Store Award Winners

November 30, 2022

Apple just announced this year’s App Store Award winners and looks like games dominated this year’s winners. Apple also announced the winners for apps that have the most Cultural Impact, which are apps that “impacted people’s lives in awesome ways.”

The winning apps are selected selected by Apple’s App Store editorial international teams for their technical innovation, user experience and design, and the impact these apps have had on our lives. You can checkout the complete list below;

2022 App Store Award winners

  • iPhone App of the Year: BeReal
  • iPhone Game of the Year: Apex Legends Mobile
  • iPad App of the Year: GoodNotes 5
  • iPad Game of the Year: Moncage
  • Apple Watch App of the Year: Gentler Streak
  • Apple TV Game of the Year: El Hijo
  • Apple TV App of the Year: ViX
  • Mac App of the Year: MacFamilyTree 10
  • Mac Game of the Year: Inscryption
  • Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Wylde Flowers
  • China Game of the Year: League of Legends Esports Manager

Cultural Impact winners

  • Dot’s Home – Game(Free).
  • How We Feel – emotional wellbeing journal (Free).
  • Inua – Free Game.
  • Locket Widget – Social network and photo sharing (Free).
  • Waterllama – Health & Fitness (Free with in-app purchases).

Source: Apple

How to Pre-Order the iPhone 14 in Saudi Arabia

September 12, 2022

If you are still high on the recent announcement of the new iPhone 14 series, and want to immediately order the device, then you’ve come to the right place.

There are a number of ways you can pre-order the iPhone 14; you can preorder the device thru your carrier or thru a retailer.

These are the leading carrier in Saudi Arabia where you can preorder the latest Apple smartphone;

  • Mobily – orders will be released 16/09/2022 except for iPhone 14 Plus which will be available on October 7th, 2022.
  • STC – you can order via mystc app, which means that you should be a current STC subscriber in order to have an active MY STC account.
  • Virgin Mobile – they offer a limited number of of iPhone 14s for pre-order. You can also pre-register your interest and once iPhone 14 are available they will notify you over SMS.
  • Virgin Mobile – you can pre order thru their mobile app.
  • Zain – Stock is limited, 1 order per customer and the iPhone will be released on 16 September 2022, while the iPhone 14 Plus will be available by 7th of October .

If you want to go and place your pre order thru a retailer, then these are the leading retailers in the Kingdom;

All retailers said that the the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will be release on September 16, 2022, while iPhone 14 Plus will be available by October 7th.

iPhone 14 & iPhone 14 Plus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehbmC1irQuY

iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max

Facebook renames its corporate brand to Meta

October 29, 2021

In a video posted on his official Facebook account, Mark Zuckerberg officially announced that the Facebook will change its corporate name to Meta. Meta will now be the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Oculus. Zuckerberg’s announcement was made on the first day of the company’s annual Connect conference.

Here’s a video where Mark Zuckerberg introduce the company’s new name.

The new name will not affect any of Meta’s products or services, since this is more of a corporate restructuring similar to what Google made in 2015 when they changed its corporate name from Google to Alphabet, even though we still associate all of its company and subsidiary to “Google.”

Mark further explained what their vision for metaverse in a 1 hour video;

The change in Facebook’s corporate name was first reported by Alex Heath of The Verge. You can already read Meta’s official statement here.

You can now switch mobile carrier and use the same phone number as Mobile Number Portability takes effect

October 1, 2021

The Mobile Number Portability Act or RA 11202 officially takes effect, last Sept. 30th. In a nutshell, the Mobile Number Portability Act allows mobile users to keep the same mobile number when switching carrier or their subscription from postpaid to prepaid and vice versa, free of charge.

Smart, Globe and even DITO telecom are now accepting “switchers” for those who wants to change network providers and keep their mobile numbers.

According to Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. (TCI), a joint venture company formed by DITO, Globe and Smart, and the implementing arm of Mobile Number Portability Act, the basic requirements at conditions ng MNP o Mobile Number Portability below;

  1. Government issued ID
  2. Unique Subscriber Code (USC)
    • This is a 9-digit code issued by your current network provider to start the porting process
    • This serves as a clearance that your account is free from unpaid fees and balances.
    • This is valid for fifteen (15) days upon date of issue.<\li>
  3. Proof of mobile number ownership.

You can visit the respective FAQ page of the different telecoms below;

SABIC partners with Microsoft to create the first consumer electronic product made with recycled ocean plastic

October 1, 2021

Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), one of the world’s largest petrochemicals manufacturers, and Microsoft just announced that they will be launching the ‘Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse’ – the first consumer product made from recycled ocean plastic. The Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse is made from 20% recycled ocean plastic.

According to SABIC;

Ocean plastic is defined as plastic that has been certified by a third party as recovered from any ocean or ocean-feeding waterways or where it washed ashore from these locations. Ocean plastic differs from ocean-bound plastic in that ocean-bound plastic is recovered from ocean-feeding waterways, shorelines, and inland areas within a 50-kilometer radius of the ocean. The two recycled products play complementary roles in helping address the issue of ocean plastic waste.

Microsoft design team initially goal was to create a new plastic resin with 10% ocean plastic, after several rounds of reformulation, SABIC was able to exceed Microosft’s 10% goal and then final product contains 20% recycled ocean plastic by weight in its external casing or “shell.”

SABIC added that “this project has also provided a blueprint to demonstrate to the broader industry sector that recycling and reusing valuable plastic resins that have been recovered from the ocean, ocean – feeding waterways or where they have been washed ashore from these locations, is achievable when value chain partners use their knowledge and expertise and work together.”

SABIC added that “the SABIC-Microsoft collaboration envisions SABIC providing a new XENOY™ resin for Microsoft product use that is comprised of 20% ocean plastic, as part of SABIC’S TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio and services. This new XENOY™ resin with recycled ocean plastic can help reduce plastic waste in the ocean. For example, based on a resin grade comprised of 20% recycled content, for every 1kT of product containing recycled ocean-plastic XENOY™ PC/PET compound, an equivalent of 24 million single-use 0.5liter PET water bottles is removed from the ocean, ocean-feeding waterways, or ocean-adjacent shores.”

Microsoft first unveil the “Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse” during their September 2021 Event, which will can be pre-order in selected market for $24.99 or around SAR 94.00.

You can read SABIC’s official announcement here – SABIC AND MICROSOFT COLLABORATE TO CREATE MICROSOFT’S FIRST PRODUCT MADE WITH RECYCLED OCEAN PLASTIC

Apple just release the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15

September 22, 2021

Apple just release the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, which you can download today. Owners of iPhone 10 and later model will benefit the most, when they update to the iOS 15, as it offers new and enhanced features.

If you are using the iPhone 6s or later model, you can download the new iOS 15, while the iPadOS 15 will be available to users of the following ipads;

  • iPad mini 4 and later
  • iPad Air 2 and later
  • iPad 5th generation and later
  • all iPad Pro models

Owners of iPhone 10 and later model will benefit the most when they update to the iOS 15, as it offers new and enhanced features.

Since iPadOS is just an optimized version of iOS, we can assume that most if not all features of iOS 15 will also be on iPadOS 15.

Here’s a rundown on the new and enhanced features on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15;

  • Enhancements on Facetime calls
  • Focus, which Apple says will help reduce distractions
  • New redesigned Notifications
  • On-device AI like Live Text, Advanced Spotlight Search, and Memories
  • Redesigned Safari browser, where the tab bar will be located at the bottom of the screen, to easily access the tabs and the introduction of Tab Groups that organize the browser tabs.
  • New visuals and navigation features for Maps
  • Redesigned Weather app
  • More Privacy controls
  • and more…

To read more on the new iOS 15, you can go here and here for more on iPadOS 15.

If you have ‘Automatic Updates’ turned on, your device should have updated to the latest iOS or iPadOS, without you doing anything, just in case it did not update, you can go to SEETINGS > GENERAL > SOFTWARE UPDATE, from there you should see the notification regarding the latest iOS or iPadOS, then just tap the DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL to proceed with the update.

iOS 14.8 now available for iPhone 6s and later models

September 22, 2021

Apple just release the iOS 14.8, which is ‘probably’ the last update for iOS 14 before the iOS 15 becomes available.

The iOS 14.8 provides the usual “security updates” and is recommended for users using the following devices;

  • iPhone 6s and later
  • iPad Pro (all models)
  • iPad Air 2 and later
  • iPad 5th generation and later
  • iPad mini 4 and later
  • iPod touch (7th generation)

If you have ‘Automatic Updates’ turned on, your device should have updated without you doing anything but incase it did not update, you can go to SEETINGS > GENERAL > SOFTWARE UPDATE, from there you should see the notification regarding the iOS 14.8 update, then just tap the DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL to update to the latest version of iOS 14.8.

You can find more information on the iOS 14.8 update by going to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212807.

iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max with Super Retina XDR with ProMotion now official

September 20, 2021

Apple also announced the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Just like with the non-pro iPhone 13, both the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max are technically the same phone with just the display, size and battery that differentiate them.

Here are the notable features that is shared by both Pro iPhones; the new tri-12MP camera system, the new Super Retina XDR with ProMotion and 1TB storage option.

The new tri-12MP camera system which is compose of a Wide angle lens, a telephoto lens and an ultra wide lens, all three cameras are powered by the new image signal processor (ISP) in the A15 Bionic.

The 12-MP Wide camera has a larger sensor with 1.9 µm pixels for less noise and faster shutter speeds needed in any lighting conditions. The Wide camera will have a larger ƒ/1.5 aperture which for those low light situations. The Ultra Wide camera features a wider ƒ/1.8 aperture and a new autofocus system, that is 92% better from the previous model for low-light environments. The combination of the new lens design, autofocus and advanced computational photography in iOS 15, will allow you to shoot macro photography, which is the first for iPhone but have been available on Android phones for years. The new lens can capture macro images with a minimum focus distance of 2 centimeters. You can also use slo-mo and time-lapse while on macro mode.

Here are sample macro photos taken using the new 12-MP Ultra Wide camera;

Both the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will feature the new Super Retina XDR with ProMotion, that supports adaptive refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz. For those not familiar with the adaptive refresh rate, the screen automatically adjust the refresh rate depending on the app that is being used, if you are using a game that requires fast refresh rate or just reading the news or email that only requires a low refresh rate.

The new Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion takes advantage of the efficient OLED panel, new display engine of A15 Bionic, faster GPU performance, always-on touch coprocessor, and is custom designed to operate with iOS 15, making gestures, animations, and activities like gameplay feel faster and more responsive.

Other feature of the Pro iPhones, you can say, are the features that are also in the non-pro iPhones 13 and iPhone 13 mini. You can read all about the new iPhones 13 and iPhone 13 mini here.

A 1TB storage model will now be available for the iPhones 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, which is ideal for users who will use their devices for video capture in 4k.

Both the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, will be available Sept. 24th, with the following pricing;
iPhone 13 Pro
128 GB: $999.00
256 GB: $1,099.00
512 GB: $1,299.00
1 TB: $1,499.00

iPhone 13 Pro Max
128 GB: $1,099.00
256 GB: $1,199.00
512 GB: $1,399.00
1 TB: $1,599.00

Here are the list of features and specs for iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max;

iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro Max
Display 6.1″ Super Retina XDR display with Pro Motion 6.7″ Super Retina XDR display with Pro Motion
Resolution 2532-by-1170-pixel resolution at 460 ppi 2778-by-1287-pixel resolution at 458 ppi
Refresh rate ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz
Max brightness 1000 nits (typical) / 1200 nits (HDR)
Color profile True Tone display, Wide color display (P3)
Processor A15 Bionic chip, with new 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores.
Cores New 5-core GPU and new 16-core Neural Engine
Rear Camera Dual 12MP camera system (Telephoto, Wide, and Ultra Wide)
Wide: ƒ/1.5 aperture
Ultra Wide: ƒ/1.8 aperture
Telephoto: ƒ/2.8 aperture
Night mode
Apple ProRAW
Sensor-shift optical image stabilization
3x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 6x optical zoom range
Digital zoom up to 15x
True Tone flash with Slow Sync
Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
Smart HDR 4 for photos
Photographic Styles
Front camera 12 MP TrueDepth camera
ƒ/2.2 aperture
Retina Flash
Smart HDR 4 for photos
Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
Photographic Styles
up to 4K video recording @60 fps
Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (1080p at 30 fps)
Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps
Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
Night mode, Deep Fusion, QuickTake video
Animoji and Memoji
Connectivity GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (some models), Gigabit LTE
5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave)
WiFi 6 (802.11ax) with MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0. Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness,
Built-in GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
VoLTE, NFC with reader mode
Express Cards with power reserve
Wi-Fi calling
SIM Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM), Dual eSIM support
Security Face ID via TrueDepth camera for facial recognition
Sensors LiDAR scanner, Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
Storage 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB. 1 TB
Dimension 5.78 inches X 2.82 inches X 0.30 inch 6.33 inches X 3.07 inches X 0.30 inch
Weight 7.19 ounces (204 grams) 8.46 ounces (240 grams)
Battery Built-in rechargeable lithium‑ion battery
MagSafe and Qi wireless charging with supprot for fast charging via 20W adapter or higher
Up to 22 hours video playback Up to 28 ours video playback
Up to 20 hours video playback (streamed) Up to 25 ours video playback (streamed)
Up to 75 hours Audio playback Up to 95 hours Audio playback
Splash, Water, and Dust Resistant Rated IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) under IEC standard 60529
Interface Lightning connector
Colors Silver, Graphite, Gold, Sierra Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKfgdkcIUxw

Apple introduces iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini with new dual-camera system and A15 Bionic SoC

September 16, 2021

Apple just announced the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini with new dual camera system, Super Retina XDR display and powered by Apple’s newest chip, the A15 Bionic SoC.

The new iPhone 13 will still be using the same design language of the iPhone 12, which is a flat-edged but with narrower notch, which is 20% smaller than the previous model. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini is rated IP68 for water resistance for up to maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes.

The improved Super Retina XDR OLED displays on both iPhones delivers an incredible contrast ratio for true blacks and a 28% increase in max outdoor brightness at 800 nits, with higher peak brightness for HDR photos and videos at 1200 nits, while being more power efficient.

Speaking of power, Apple said that the new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will have a larger battery than the previous model and can offer an all-day battery life. The iPhone 13 offers up to 2.5 more hours in a day than iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 mini up to 1.5 hours more in a day than iPhone 12 mini.

The biggest improvement that Apple made with the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini is in its processor, the A15 Bionic, the same processor that you see in the new iPad Mini.

Apple said that the new A15 Bionic, was designed using 5-nanometer technology that packs 15 billion transistors in the chip. It can peform 15.8 trillion operations per second. The A15 Bionic chip features new 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores is 50% faster that the fastest competition. The new 4-core GPU offers up to 30% faster than the competition and enables more lifelike visuals and lighting effects in graphics-intensive games.

Just like with previous generation of iPhone, Apple made a lot of advancement with its dual-camera system both in hardware and computational photography. Its new 12MP Wide angle camera with 1.7 µm pixels, the biggest sensor in any iPhone camera, is capable of capturing 47% more light for less noise and brighter images. The custom-designed 12MP Ultra Wide camera with its new sensor captures images with more detail in the dark areas of photos and videos with less noise.

Apple also introduced the new Cinematic mode on iPhone, where its records videos of people, pets, and objects with a beautiful depth effect with automatic focus changes, which means you can always change focus object even while you are recording.

Here’s a short video that Apple released to demonstrate the Cinematic mode feature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tl1RL8MRCA

To offer the best connectivity, the new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will support 5G and with the iOS 15, Smart Data mode will help you conserve battery life by automatically shifting iPhone to LTE when 5G speeds aren’t needed.

Apple also increase the entry-level storage from 64 GB to 128 GB, which is understandable, specially with its enchanced dual-camera system that can capture HDR photos and video with a resolution of up to 4K at 60 fps, which requires a lot of diskspace.

If you look at both device more closely, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are technically same device. Both are powered by Apple-designed A15 Bionic SoC, the same Dual 12MP camera system, supports 5G connection and supports fast charging. Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will also be using the same screen, the Super Retina XDR display.

The only difference between the two is the size and the screen resolution, which appears to be relative to the size of the device.

You can now order the new iPhones and will be available by September 24th. You can find the pricing for the new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini below;

iPhone 13

  • 128 GB: $799.00
  • 256 GB: $899.00
  • 512 GB: $1,099.00

iPhone 13 Mini

  • 128 GB: $699.00
  • 256 GB: $799.00
  • 512 GB: $999.00

Here are the list of features and specs for iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini;

iPhone 13 iPhone 13 Mini
Display 6.1″ Super Retina XDR display 5.4″ Super Retina XDR display
Resolution 2532-by-1170-pixel resolution at 460 ppi 2340-by-1080-pixel resolution at 476 ppi
Max brightness 800 nits (typical) / 1200 nits (HDR)
Color profile True Tone display, Wide color display (P3)
Processor A15 Bionic chip, with new 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores.
Cores New 4-core GPU and new 16-core Neural Engine
Rear Camera Dual 12MP camera system (Wide and Ultra Wide)
Wide: ƒ/1.6 aperture
Ultra Wide: ƒ/2.4 aperture
Night mode
Sensor-shift optical image stabilization
2x optical zoom out and up to 5x digital zoom
True Tone flash with Slow Sync
Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
Smart HDR 4 for photos
Photographic Styles
Front camera 12 MP TrueDepth camera
ƒ/2.2 aperture
Retina Flash
Smart HDR 4 for photos
Photographic Styles
up to 4K video recording @60 fps
Cinematic video stabilization (up to 4K)
Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps
Night mode, Deep Fusion, QuickTake video
Animoji and Memoji
Connectivity GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (some models), Gigabit LTE, 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave)
WiFi 6 (802.11ax) with MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0. Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness,
Built-in GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
VoLTE, NFC with reader mode
Express Cards with power reserve
Wi-Fi calling
SIM Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM), Dual eSIM support
Security Face ID via TrueDepth camera for facial recognition
Sensors Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
Storage 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB
Dimension 5.78 inches X 2.82 inches X 0.30 inch 5.18 inches X 2.53 inches X 0.30 inch
Weight 6.14 ounces (174 grams) 4.97 ounces (141 grams)
Battery Built-in rechargeable lithium‑ion battery
MagSafe and Qi wireless charging with supprot for fast charging via 20W adapter or higher
Up to 19 hours video playback Up to 17 hours video playback
Rated IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) under IEC standard 60529
Interface Lightning connector
Colors Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Product RED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m43rh-pI0P0

Apple announces the Apple Watch Series 7 with more screen area and thinner borders

September 15, 2021

Apple just announced the Apple Watch Series 7, which at first look will be no different from the previous generation Apple Watch. There may be new aluminum case colors but the case itself is virtually the same as the one used in Series 6.

The biggest changes that Apple made with the Apple Watch Series 7 is with the screen. Apple Watch Series 7 is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes, it offers Always-On Retina display is up to 70 percent brighter indoors than that of Apple Watch Series 6.

The screen of the new Apple Watch Series 7 provides 20% more screen area and is virtually edge-to-edge with thinner borders at just 1.7 mm. It has a more rounded corners, and the display has a unique refractive edge that makes full-screen watch faces and apps appear to seamlessly connect with the curvature of the case.

Apple also made the front crystal of the Watch more durable and more crack-resistant, it’s first Apple Watch to have an IP6X certification for resistance to dust, and still maintains a WR50 water resistance rating.

With its bigger screen, the Apple Watch Series 7 offers two additional larger font sizes, and a new QWERTY keyboard that you can tapped or swiped with QuickPath — allowing users to slide a finger to type — and utilizes on-device machine learning to anticipate the next word based on the context.

As for the battery, the new Apple Watch Series 7 will have an all-day 18-hour battery life on a full charge and it will be 33% faster charging compared with Apple Watch Series 6.

Just like with the Series 6, the new Apple Watch Series 7 is geared towards health and wellness, so it offers features like electrical heart sensor and ECG app, and a Blood Oxygen sensor and app.

Apple Watch Series 7 will be powered by the new watchOS 8, which will have additional watch faces designed specially for the larger display on Series 7. The new Contour face takes the dial right to the edge of the display and fluidly animates throughout the day, emphasizing the current hour. The new Modular Duo face leverages the extra screen area with two large, data-rich center complications.

The Apple Watch Series 7 will available in five new case colors; midnight, starlight, green, and a new blue and (PRODUCT)RED, it will also be backward compatible with previously released Apple Watch bands.

The new Apple Watch Series 7 will be available this fall and price starts at $399.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMdQ-gWBNZE

Apple announces the new iPad and new iPad mini

September 15, 2021

Apple just announced the new iPad (9th generation) and the new iPad mini (6th generation). The announcement was made at the Apple “California Streaming” event which livestream a recorded video presentation.

The 9th Generation Ipad


The new iPad looks similar to the previous model, that still have the Touch ID home button and powered by Apple’s A13 Bionic chip. It has a 10.2″ Retina display with 2160 X 1620 resolution at 264 ppi and 500 nits.

The new iPad will be powered by A13 Bionic chip, a 64-bit ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) that was used in the iPhone 11, 11 Pro/Pro Max and the 2nd generation iPhone SE.

The rear camera will feature a 8MP Wide angle camera with ƒ/2.4 aperture and a 5x digital zoom with HDR for Photos. The front camera on the other hand will be a 12MP Ultra Wide camera with ƒ/2.4 aperture and 2x zoom out. It will also feature Retina Flash, HDR for Photos and Center Stage, a camera feature that keeps focus on the subject and first introduced to the iPad Pro.

The new iPad will be compatible to the first generation Apple Pencil and Smart keyboard for more productivity. The price for the new iPad starts at $329 and will be available on September 24th.

Here is the complete price list for the new iPad (9th generation);
Wifi model
64 GG – $329.00
256 GB- $479.00

Wi-Fi + Cellular
64 GB – $459.00
256 GB – $609.00

The 6th Generation Ipad mini


Together with the new iPad, Apple also announced a new and redesigned iPad mini, which uses the new A15 Bionic chip, that has 6-core CPU that provides an additional 40% in performance, and the 5-core GPU that boost the graphics performance to 80%.

Unlike the new iPad, the new iPad mini will support 5G connectivity that reach the speeds of up to 3.5Gbps in ideal conditions. Both the front and rear cameras of the new iPad mini will be a 12MP Wide angle camera, a ƒ/1.8 aperture for the rear camera and ƒ/2.4 aperture front camera. Both cameras supports Smart HDR 3 for photos.

iPad mini now features a USB-C port for up to 5Gbps data transfer and will support existing ecosystem of USB-C accessories, including cameras and external storage and displays up to 4K.

The biggest changes that Apple made with the new iPad Mini is the design, it now has a flat and cornered edges similar to the iPad Pro and iPad air. Its 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with narrow borders and the Touch ID was mode to the top button of iPad mini.

The new iPad mini is compatible with the 2nd-Gen Apple Pencil and will be in four colors; Space Gray, Pink, Purple and Starlight. The price starts at $499.00 and will be available on Sept. 24th.

Here is the complete price list for the new iPad mini (6th generation);
Wifi
64 GB – $499.00
256 GB – $649.00

Wi-Fi + Cellular
64 GB – $649.00
256 GB – $799.00

Specs of the new iPad and new iPad mini;

iPad iPad mini
Display 10.2″ Retina display 8.3″ Liquid Retina display
Resolution 2160-by-1620 resolution @264 ppi 2266‑by‑1488 resolution @326 ppi
Max brightness 500 nits 500 nits
Color profile sRGB Wide color display (P3)
Processor A13 Bionic chip A15 Bionic chip
Interface Lightning USB-C
Connectivity Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; speeds up to 866 Mbps Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/​​ac/ax); 2.4GHz and 5GHz; simultaneous dual band; speeds up to 1.2 Gbps
MIMO, Bluetooth 4.2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0
Wifi + Cellular 4G LTE 5G (sub-6 GHz)
UMTS/HSPA/​HSPA+/​DC‑HSDPA UMTS/HSPA/​HSPA+/​DC‑HSDPA
Built-in GPS/GNSS Gigabit LTE (up to 32 bands)
Data Only Built-in GPS/GNSS
Wifi calling Data Only
Wifi calling
SIM Nano SIM, eSIM Nano SIM, eSIM
Accessories 1st Gen Apple Pencil 2nd-Gen Apple Pencil
Smart keyboard Bluetooth keyboard
Storage 64 GB, 256 GB 64 GB, 256 GB
Rear Camera 8MP Wide camera, ƒ/2.4 aperture, Digital zoom up to 5x, HDR for Photos 12MP Wide camera, ƒ/1.8 aperture, Digital zoom up to 5x, Quad-LED True Tone flash, Smart HDR 3 for photos
Front camera 12MP Ultra Wide camera, ƒ/2.4 aperture, 2x zoom out, Center stage, Retina Flash, HDR for Photos. 12MP Ultra Wide camera, ƒ/2.4 aperture, 2x zoom out, Center stage, Retina Flash,
Smart HDR 3 for photos
Dimension 9.8 inch x 6.8 inch x 0.29 inch 7.69 inch x 5.3 inch x 0.25 inch
Weight 1.07 pounds (487 grams) 0.65 punds (293 grams)
Battery Up to 10 hours of surfing web on Wifi or watching video Up to 10 hours of surfing web on Wifi or watching video
Up to 9 hours of surfing web on cellular data Up to 9 hours of surfing web on cellular data
Audio Two speaker audio Two speaker audio landscape mode
Security Touch ID built into the Home button Touch ID built into the top or power  button
Sensors Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer

Apple to hold an event on Sept 14th and calling it “California streaming”

September 8, 2021

Apple’s next event will take place on September 14th, at 10 a.m. PDT, and they are calling it “California streaming.” The event, just like the past “shows” and because of the threat of COVID-19, will be a pre-recorded broadcast from Apple Park.

Apple usually announce the next iPhone for their fall event, for 2021, it is expected to be called the iPhone 13. The upcoming iPhone 13 is reported to follow the same design language of iPhone but with a much higher refresh-rate with smaller notch and plenty of camera enhancements. Displays with higher refresh-rate have been available on a number of Android phones, most notably those gaming phones.

It’s hard to know what are the hidden messages that Apple puts into their invites but this AR Apple logo Easter egg that they included in the event site is a good indication that Apple may be announcing a new AR or mixed reality device, or may be an AR/mixed reality feature on the new iPhones.

If you want to see the AR Apple logo, using any iOS device, go to the Apple event site, then tap on the event Apple logo, after that the glowing AR Apple event logo will render within your surroundings.

Aside from the AR features, high refresh rate and better cameras, other enhancement that Apple is reported to be including in the new iPhone are; SharePlay, astrophotography mode, satellite link and an always on lock screen.

Apple may also be announcing other products like the next Apple Watch, a new entry-level AirPods and may be by a longshot, a Macbook Pros that’s powered by Apple-designed chips and an SD card slot. I guess we just have to wait and see.

DICT to launch the sixth Philippine Startup Challenge 2021 this September

September 5, 2021

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is set to launch the sixth (6th) Philippine Startup Challenge 2021 (PSC 2021) this September.

The event is an annual startup competition started in 2016 which aims to encourage and support Filipinos to create innovative and relevant ICT products and services that may develop into viable business ventures and potentially solve social problems.

“Through this initiative, we hope to promote the entrepreneurial spirit among Filipinos that will surely help our country advance in the global digital economy,” DICT Secretary Gregorio “Gringo” B. Honasan II said.
As part of the Republic Act No. 11337 or the “Innovative Startup Act” which was enacted last 26 April 2019, the Philippine Startup Challenge seeks to aid in strengthening, promoting, and developing the Philippine Startup Ecosystem.

The event also aims to bring together experts in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) from across the country to help establish a network of innovators, foster a culture of entrepreneurship in ICT, and discover the endless opportunities catering to vigorously advance science, technology, and innovation.

This year, the competition will be open for submission of entries that cover software and internet-based innovations and will cater to all startups in the ideation to minimum viable product stage.

Ms. Emmy Lou V. Delfin, Director IV of the ICT Industry Development Bureau (IIDB), encourages Filipino professionals and students to participate in the startup competition.

“We are taking the Philippine Startup Challenge 2021 to the next level as we include another category for Filipino professionals in the competition. Hopefully, with our Bureau’s initiatives, we can support Filipino professionals and students further so they can continue to improve their startup ideas,” Director Delfin said.

The Philippine Startup Challenge will be divided into two (2) categories for professionals and students, with a maximum of four (4) members per team. For the entire duration of the competition, the DICT together with its partner organizations and ICT councils, will be guiding and mentoring the winners in preparation for the next rounds.

This nationwide competition will start from regional pitching competitions where three (3) regional winners will be assessed and chosen by the Regional Selection Committee. Regional winners will then advance to the Semifinal Round, where the top ten (10) teams shall move on to the national competition. The Finals for the professional category is set on the third week of November, with the five (5) winners to receive funding proposals.
The PSC 2021 is to be held in partnership with Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), Ignite, QBO, StartUp Village, Spring Valley, Huawei, and Microsoft, among others.

For more information on the sixth (6th) Philippine Startup Challenge 2021, please visit https://dict.gov.ph/philippine-startup-challenge-2021.

Source: @DICTgovph

Rewatch the WWDC21 Apple Keynote

June 8, 2021

If you missed the live stream of the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2021 (WWDC21), Apple Keynote, I embedded the whole video above.

True to the name of the event, Apple showcase the changes that they made and what’s coming to the iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, macOS, AirPods, Siri and Privacy, and how developers and users can benefit from these changes.

Sadly, no new hardware was discuss even though there were rumors that Apple is working on a new M1-powered Macbook Pro and a new augmented reality (AR) headset.

If the video above is too long for you, you can watch this compressed version by MacRumors.com.

LG to close its Smartphone Business Unit, promises OS updates for 3 years

April 8, 2021

LG just announced the South Korean tech giant will close its mobile business unit, which was approved by its boar of directors (BoD).

In their official announcement, LG made the decision to exit the smartphone business because it’s been an “incredibly competitive mobile phone sector” and that it “will enable the company to focus resources in growth areas such as electric vehicle components, connected devices, smart homes, robotics, artificial intelligence and business-to-business solutions, as well as platforms and services.”

LG is expected to complete its “exit” the smartphone business by July 31st.

In a follow-up announcement, LG will support “all premium LG smartphones currently in use will receive up to three iterations of Android operating system updates from the year of purchase.” which means that all LG premium phones released in 2019 and later (G series, V series, VELVET, Wing) while certain 2020 models such as LG Stylo and K series will receive two OS updates.

The company will still manufacture smartphone phones through the second quarter to meet contractual obligations to carriers and partners.

Salesforce to acquire Slack for $27.7 billion

December 2, 2020
Salesforce to acquire Slack for $27.7 billion

Salesforce, provider of cloud-based CRM, is acquiring Slack for $27.7 billion. The combined company of Salesforce and Slack will be able to better compete with Microsoft, Oracle and other companies in the cloud enterprise space.

In a press release, “Under the terms of the agreement, Slack shareholders will receive $26.79 in cash and 0.0776 shares of Salesforce common stock for each Slack share, representing an enterprise value of approximately $27.7 billion based on the closing price of Salesforce’s common stock on November 30, 2020.”

“Stewart and his team have built one of the most beloved platforms in enterprise software history, with an incredible ecosystem around it,” said Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO, Salesforce. “This is a match made in heaven. Together, Salesforce and Slack will shape the future of enterprise software and transform the way everyone works in the all-digital, work-from-anywhere world. I’m thrilled to welcome Slack to the Salesforce Ohana once the transaction closes.”

“Salesforce started the cloud revolution, and two decades later, we are still tapping into all the possibilities it offers to transform the way we work. The opportunity we see together is massive,” said Stewart Butterfield, Slack CEO and Co-Founder. “As software plays a more and more critical role in the performance of every organization, we share a vision of reduced complexity, increased power and flexibility, and ultimately a greater degree of alignment and organizational agility. Personally, I believe this is the most strategic combination in the history of software, and I can’t wait to get going.”

You can read the full text of Salesforce press release here.

You can now pre-order the new Macbook Air, 13-inch Macbook Pro and Mac mini with M1 chip in Saudi Arabia

November 18, 2020

If you’re in Saudi Arabia, you can now preorder the new Macbook Air, 13-inch Macbook Pro and Mac mini with M1 chip. To be more specific, you can preorder the new Macs powered with the M1 chips at Extra. The announcement was made via the social media account of the retail store.

Here are the pricing below;

Macbook Air;
8GB RAM + 256GB SSD storage: SAR 4,899.00
8GB RAM + 512GB SSD storage: SAR 6,199.00


13-inch Macbook Pro;
8GB RAM + 256GB SSD storage: SAR 6,299.00


Mac Mini;
8GB RAM + 256GB SSD storage: SAR 3,499.00
8GB RAM + 512GB SSD storage: SAR 4,499.00

The new Macbook Air, 13-inch Macbook Pro and Mac mini with M1 chip was first announced last week and from the reviews that are already out, it looks these new Macs with are great for first time Mac buyer and may be be so good if you are a professional and already have an established work flow.