NNIC takes over NAIA, hits the ground running

September 16, 2024

San Miguel Corp;

The New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) has officially taken over management and operation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and with it, the task of modernizing the 76-year-old gateway.

NNIC, the consortium that includes San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and Incheon International Airport Corporation, has committed to spend P170 billion to execute its phased but ambitious plan to elevate NAIA to world-class standards. This includes plans to increase passenger capacity from 43 million to 62 million annually and air traffic movements from 42 to 48 per hour.

The government stands to gain about P1 trillion in revenues from the PPP project over the 25-year concession period. This includes the 82.16-percent revenue share to be remitted to the government yearly.

Travelers can expect business as usual, with flights, check-ins, and other services proceeding as normal. The plans for NAIA’s modernization, including terminal reassignments and infrastructure upgrades, will be implemented gradually and strategically in the coming months and years.

NNIC has assured the public that the transition will be seamless, with no disruptions to airport operations.

The things that SMC listed for the Immediate Improvements are things that are supposedly being done by the previous management.

Apple to increase price for Out-Of-Warranty iPhone Battery Replacements

September 16, 2024

Charles Martin, writing for Apple Insider;

Apple is significantly increasing prices for out-of-warranty battery replacements, this time for the iPhone 16 Pro models.
The new cost of an out-of-warranty battery replacement for the two larger models of the latest iPhone is $119, up from the $99 cost for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. The cost remains $99 for the regular iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.

Apple last increased the cost of out-of-warranty battery replacement with the iPhone 14 models in 2022. Prices went up from $69 to $99.

Iphone 15 and 16 owners will more or less just shrug this aside, since they have at least have 1 years of limited warranty and 2 years of technical support and hardware coverage if purchase AppleCare+ with their purchase. By the time the batteries of the iPhone 15 and 16 need to be replaced, Apple may have already increased the prices.

Aces’ A’ja Wilson 1st Player in WNBA History to Score 1,000 Points in 1 Season

September 16, 2024

Doric Sam, writing for Bleacher Report;

After setting the WNBA single-season scoring record earlier this week, Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson added another unique distinction on Sunday.

Wilson became the first player in league history to ever score 1,000 points in a season during Sunday’s 84-71 win against the Connecticut Sun.

For context, this is the 2nd year that the WNBA is playing a 40 games per season. In 2022, the number of games was 36. The WNBA single-season scoring record last year was set by Jewel Lloyd, who scored 939 points, playing 38 games. Wilson set the 1,000 Points in 1 Season playing just 37 games.

Caitlin Clark breaks WNBA single-season assists record then set the WNBA rookie season scoring record in a span of 24 hours

September 16, 2024

Alexa Philippou, ESPN;

Rookie star Caitlin Clark broke the WNBA single-season assist record Friday night in the Indiana Fever’s 78-74 loss to the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces.

Clark recorded her 317th assist of the season at the 4:55 mark of the second quarter when Kelsey Mitchell took her pass and scored on a drive. The rookie passed Alyssa Thomas’ 316 dimes from last season. Clark finished the game with nine assists, giving her 321 assists on the season.

This was in a loss against the Las Vegas Aces, where Aces’ A’ja Wilson set a record for points scored in a season.

Then after 24 hours.

Michael Voepel, ESPN Senior Writer;

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark recalls Seimone Augustus being the first WNBA player she ever met when she went to a Minnesota Lynx game as a child.

On Sunday, Clark set the WNBA rookie season scoring record, previously held by Augustus, and called it a full-circle moment.

“I got my picture with her on my dad’s little phone — it was maybe like a BlackBerry back in the day,” Clark said after Indiana’s 110-109 win over Dallas. “I vividly remember it. I was always a fan of her game and the way she could shoot the ball.”

Clark now has 761 points in 39 games, so there is the caveat that Augustus — who will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in October — set her mark of 744 points in 2006, when the WNBA season was 34 games.

For context, Clark set the WNBA rookie season scoring record, while Seimone Augustus set the rookie scoring record when WNBA season was only 34 games a season.

Watch the Final Trailer of Venom: The Last Dance

September 14, 2024

In Venom: The Last Dance, Tom Hardy returns as Venom, one of Marvel’s greatest and most complex characters, for the final film in the trilogy. Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie’s last dance.

Venom: The Last Dance stars Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach and Stephen Graham. The film is directed by Kelly Marcel from a screenplay she wrote, based on a story by Hardy and Marcel. The film is produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal, Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy and Hutch Parker.

Venom: The Last Dance will exclusively be in theatres October 25th.

Pricing of the Apple iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max in Saudi Arabia

September 14, 2024

The iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max is now available for pre-order in Saudi and below are the pricing.

iPhone 16;

128GB – SAR 3,799.00
256GB – SAR 4,299.00
512GB – SAR 5,299.00

iPhone 16 Plus;

128GB – SAR 4,199.00
256GB – SAR 4,699.00
512GB – SAR 5,699.00

iPhone 16 Pro;

128GB – SAR 4,699.00
256GB – SAR 5,199.00
512GB – SAR 6,199.00
1TB – SAR 7,199.00

iPhone 16 Pro Max;

256GB – SAR 5,699.00
512GB – SAR 6,699.00
1TB – SAR 7,699.00

The new iPhones are available for pre-order in any of the local retailer and leading telecom in the Kingdom.

To know more about the new iPhones, you can checkout the links below.

Filipinos can now ride self-driving bus in Clark for free

September 12, 2024

Kris Crismundo, writing for PNA;

The country’s first autonomous bus powered by Japanese technology is now plying around New Clark City, Clark Freeport Zone, and Clark International Airport, and commuters can ride the self-driving vehicle free of charge for now.

In a statement Tuesday, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said Zenmov, Inc. and MC Metro Transport Operation, Inc. launched its smart autonomous bus service in New Clark City on Sept. 10.

Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) posted this announcement on their official Facebook Page;

SNEAK PEEK: Former #BCDA Chairman Delfin Lorenzana tests the Philippines’ first publicly accessible, self-driving bus in New Clark City, Tarlac.

Being implemented by Japan-based Zenmov and its local partner MC Metro Transport, the autonomous bus service utilizes a transportation cloud system called Smart Mobility Operation Cloud (SMOC), which helps maximize operational availability while keeping the number of vehicles at a minimum.

Japan’s national research and development agency, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), had appointed Zenmov to implement the smart mobility demonstration program to be conducted until June 2025.

Clark Development Corporation launches its own Bus Transportation System

September 12, 2024

ClarkDevelopmentCorp, posted on its official FB page;

Getting in and around Clark, now more convenient with Clark Loop!

Clark Development Corporation is excited to announce the launching of its very own bus transportation system, featuring a cashless payment system ready to take you around Clark starting September 17.

Canon announces Cinema EOS C80

September 12, 2024

@CanonMEA;

Introducing the Canon Cinema EOS C80 an all new addition to our cinema camera lineup! Inheriting the compact and lightweight design of the EOS C70, the new EOS C80 has advanced features like a full frame 6K BSI sensor to delivery top image quality

Photos

Video

The Canon Cinema EOS C80 Full-Frame camera will be available this November 2024 for an estimated retail price of $5,499.00, or around SAR 20,635.95.

You can find the full specs of the the new EOS C80 here.

Carlos Yulo is PSA’s Athlete for the Month of August

September 12, 2024

PSA’s posted on their official FB page;

AUGUST 2024 will forever be remembered as the time Carlos Yulo took his place in the pantheon of greats.
The two-time gymnastics world champion from Leveriza Street in Malate, Manila carved his name in history when he flipped, twisted and tumbled to Olympic gold in Paris in two of his pet events – the floor exercise (15.000) and vault (15.116).

Yulo’s dazzling show he performed over two unforgettable days in August in the City of Lights installed him as the greatest Philippine Olympian of all time.
He’s the first Pinoy to win two gold medals in the Olympians, surpassing what everyone had achieved before him. He joined weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who scored the country’s breakthrough mint in Tokyo three years ago, in the elite club of Philippine Olympic champs.

Thanks to the 24-year-old Yulo, it was the best-ever showing for Team Philippines in a century of participation in the quadrennial Games.

And for that, Philippine Sportswriters Association is recognizing Yulo as its top achiever for the month of August.

Honorable mention were lady boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, who complemented the golden boy with bronze medals in the women’s 57kg and 50kg class, respectively.
Outside the Paris Games, it was 17-year-old golfer Rianne Malixi, obstacle course racer Precious Cabuya, and wushu athlete Jones Inso Llabre who shone brightest.

Malixi ruled the prestigious US Women’s Amateur crown in Tulsa, Oklahoma in a smashing follow up to her record-breaking triumph at the US Girls’ Junior tournament the previous month in California.

Cabuya reigned supreme in the OCR World Championship in Costa Rica in a new OCR 100m elite female world mark of 31.521 seconds while James Inso Llabres topped the Men’s Chen Style 56 Movements category of the 4th World Taijiquan Championships in Singapore.

He is already considered as the Greatest Philippine Olympian Of All Time, as he should be!

Carlos Yulo run at the 2024 Paris Olympics is nothing short of legendary!

Indiana Fever fall to the Las Vegas Aces as A’ja Wilson breaks WNBA Single-Season Scoring Record

September 12, 2024

ESPN WNBA;

A’ja Wilson became the WNBA’s single-season scoring leader and finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds to help the Las Vegas Aces beat the Indiana Fever 86-75 on Wednesday night for their 14th straight win in the series.

Wilson passed Jewell Loyd’s total of 939 points on a jumper from the free-throw line with 26.4 seconds left before halftime. Wilson needed just 35 games to top last year’s record by Loyd, who needed 38 games. Wilson’s previous high was 912 points, set in 40 games last season.

She finished the game with 956 points this season and could potentially be the first player in league history to reach 1,000 in a year.

This is a good measuring stick for the Fever to gauge on how they fare against the best team and facing the best player in the WNBA. Add the shooting woes of Caitlin Clark and foul trouble on Aliyah Boston. Kelsey Mitchell, as always kept them in the game but not enough for them to overcome the 12-point deficit.

Las Vegas Aces is the only team that the Indiana Fever have not beat this season and they will have another chance this Saturday, Sept 14th.

Taylor Swift endorses Kamala Harris in the coming US President Election

September 12, 2024

Taylor Swift, as posted on her IG account:

I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.

Considering Taylor Swift massive popularity, this is a very big endorsement for VP Kamala Harris and her party. It also great that Taylor Swift mentioned the reason why she is voting for Kamala, which is a great question to ask those who are voting for Trump.

I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make. I also want to say, especially to first time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered! I also find it’s much easier to vote early. I’ll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story.

With love and hope,

Taylor Swift
Childless Cat Lady

She reminded her fans to register in order to place their vote and count. The “do your own research..” appears to be directed to her fans who are partial to Trump but are still 50/50 on who to vote for.

Swift’s endorsement come right after the Presidential Debate, where Kamala Harris appears to have gotten the upper hand.

Anthony Zurcher, writing for BBC;

If debates are won and lost on which candidate best takes advantage of issues where they are strong – and defends or deflects on areas of weakness – Tuesday night tilted in favour of the vice-president.

Specs of PlayStation 5 Pro

September 11, 2024

Scott Stein, writing for CNET;

PS5 Pro specs

Upgraded GPU with support for advanced ray tracing and AI-driven upscaling

USB-C (x2, front), USB-A (x2, rear), HDMI 2.1 output, Ethernet

2TB SSD for storage

Wi-Fi 7

What’s included in the PS5 Pro box (and what isn’t)

PS5 Pro console

DualSense controller

HDMI, USB-C and power cables

Horizontal stand feet

Sold separately: Vertical stand ($30), Disc drive ($80)

PhilHealth to abolish single confinement policy by end of September

September 11, 2024

Kaycee Valmonte, writing for Rappler;

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will soon scrap its single confinement policy.

PhilHealth President Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. told a Senate panel on Tuesday, September 10, that they are committed to making the changes needed “before month-end.”

This is great news to all PhilHealth members.

This means that if a patient was confined due to diarrhea in September and had PhilHealth cover the expenses, the patient has to shoulder the fees if another bout of diarrhea strikes again in October.

Some patients were supposedly told to lie in order to have their hospital bills covered by the state insurer. A mother named Elena Abilar, through a video presented to the Senate panel, recounted her experience with the single confinement rule when her son had pneumonia and had to be hospitalized twice.

PhilHealth did not need to create the “Single confinement policy” in the first place.

Sony announces PlayStation 5 Pro

September 11, 2024

Hideaki Nishino, CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment;

We developed PS5 Pro with deeply engaged players and game creators in mind – as many have asked for a console that runs even higher fidelity graphics with smoother frame rates at 60FPS. We achieved this on PS5 Pro with several key performance features.

Upgraded GPU: With PS5 Pro, we are upgrading to a GPU that has 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory. Overall, this enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay, making the experience much smoother.

Advanced Ray Tracing: We’ve added even more powerful ray tracing that provides more dynamic reflection and refraction of light. This allows the rays to be cast at double, and at times triple, the speeds of the current PS5 console.

AI-Driven Upscaling: We’re also introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-driven upscaling that uses a machine learning-based technology to provide super sharp image clarity by adding an extraordinary amount of detail.

PS5 Pro provides gamers with amazing graphics at high frame rates. You can hear Mark Cerny, lead architect for PS5 Pro, discuss the key innovations from PS5 Pro in the following video presentation. This presentation provides a deep dive into the key performance features that make PS5 Pro truly special.

The PS5 Pro console will be available at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $699.99 USD, £699.99 GBP, €799.99 EUR, and ¥119,980 JPY (includes tax). It will include a 2TB SSD, a DualSense wireless controller and a copy of Astro’s Playroom pre-installed in every PS5 Pro purchase. PS5 Pro is available as a disc-less console, with the option to purchase the currently available Disc Drive for PS5 separately.

PlayStation 5 Pro will be available for pre-orders on September 26th, 2024, at direct.playstation.com and at participating retailers in territories where direct.playstation.com isn’t available. On October 10, 2024, pre-orders will be available at all other participating retailers.

Apple announces Watch Series 10 and Watch Ultra 2

September 11, 2024

Apple Watch Series 10;

Apple today unveiled Apple Watch Series 10, featuring a refined design and bringing new capabilities to the world’s most popular watch that make it even more powerful, intelligent, and sophisticated. Apple Watch Series 10 is the thinnest Apple Watch yet — making it more comfortable than ever — and offers the biggest, most advanced display of any Apple Watch. It also features new sleep apnea notifications; faster charging; water depth and temperature sensing; plus new health and fitness insights and intelligence in watchOS 11.
Apple Watch Series 10 is available in both aluminum and titanium, in an array of stunning colors and finishes. Jet black is a new polished aluminum finish that is distinctively reflective and sleek, while new titanium cases — available in natural, gold, and slate — have a spectacular jewelry-like shine.

Photos

Apple Watch Ultra 2;

Apple today introduced Apple Watch Ultra 2 in a striking new black titanium finish, enhanced with features in watchOS 11 that make the most rugged and capable Apple Watch even better.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 is an ideal partner for athletes and adventurers of all kinds, featuring the most accurate GPS in a sports watch,1 the brightest display of any Apple product, and up to 36 hours of battery life with regular use or up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode. watchOS 11 brings powerful new features to the best sports watch, with breakthrough insights from training load and the Vitals app; sleep apnea notifications; the Tides app; new customization options for the Action button; and more. A new Titanium Milanese Loop band for Apple Watch Ultra is designed for water activities while offering lightweight comfort and elegance for any occasion. An all-new Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 2 combines the durability and features of Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a nautically inspired watch band and an exclusive Hermès watch face.

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All of the new Apple Watch lineup can be pre-ordered today, with availability beginning Friday, September 20.

Price for the Apple Watch Series 10 starts at $399.00 for the 42 mm and $429.00 for the larger 46 mm. On the other hand, price for the Watch Ultra 2 will start at $799 for the 49mm Black Titanium Case Apple Watch Ultra 2 (GPS + Cellular).

Price of AirPods 4 and AirPods Max in Saudi Arabia

September 11, 2024

Pricing

AirPods Max – SAR 2,399.00
AirPods 4 – SAR 599.00
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation – SAR 829.00

AirPods 4 and AirPods Max is now available for pre-order starting today and will be available in stores beginning Friday, September 20th.

Apple announces AirPods 4 and AirPods Max

September 11, 2024

Apple;

Apple today announced a groundbreaking new lineup of AirPods models and features. The new AirPods 4 are the most advanced and comfortable headphones Apple has ever created with an open-ear design, and today, customers can choose between two distinct models: AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). AirPods Max now come in midnight, starlight, blue, purple, and orange, and offer USB-C charging for more convenience. This fall, AirPods Pro 2 will introduce the world’s first end-to-end hearing health experience, delivering active Hearing Protection, a scientifically validated Hearing Test, and a clinical-grade Hearing Aid feature.

AirPods 4 and AirPods Max will be available to pre-order starting today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 20. New hearing health features will be available this fall for AirPods Pro 2 users in more than 100 countries and regions.

Pricing

AirPods Pro 2 – $249 (USD)
AirPods Max – $549 (USD)
AirPods 4 – $129 (USD)
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation – $179 (USD)

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AirPods Max available in five new colors; Starlight, Orange, Purple, Blue, and Midnight

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