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Posts tagged as “Internet”

Viber introduces Dating feature

Viber, one of the Philippines top messaging platform, just launched a dating feature that was made to help users “make real connections”.

Even though the feature is still in beta test, users can setup their dating profile by opening the mobile app, then at the bottom tap the “More” option. Your Viber Dating Profile will only visible to users who are also using the feature and will not affect your regular Viber Profile.

Your Viber Dating Profile will include your Name, Birthday, Gender, and Sexual orientation. It also include a brief bio and users can upload a maximum of six (6) photos. Users can also indicate if they are looking for i.e, relationship, new friends, or just some fun. Unlike the sexual orientation and dating preference, your real name and age cannot be change once you’ve set it, the company said that “name or age can only be changed by deleting your profile and creating a new one.”

Since there are hoards of dating apps available out there, Viber’s advantage is that people are already using the app and adding a dating feature within the platform could be ideal for users who do not want to manage another account or profile.

For more details on the Viber Dating feature, you checkout the support page of Viber Dating.

Converge announces Netflix and Fiber X bundle

Converge, one of Philippines leading ISP, announced “the new Converge Netflix Bundle, where new and existing FiberX customers will be able to have both an internet and Netflix plan, all in one. The new offering aims to provide countless entertainment options and a better streaming experience for FiberX users.”

The new Converge Netflix Bundle will include a FiberX plan that offers 325 Mbps speeds, a Netflix subscription with a lock-in period of 36 months, a new WiFi-6 Next Gen Modem, and a Converge Xperience Box with Freemium Channels — all put together into one subscription for the convenience of the customer.

The new Converge Netflix Bundle starts at Php 1,798 per month, inclusive of a Converge FiberX plan with boosted speeds of 325 Mbps, a WiFi6 modem, a Converge Xperience Box, and a Basic Netflix subscription that can support one HD stream at a time. Customers can avail of more premium bundles that can support multiple devices streaming at the same time and can offer additional Boost Modes with speeds of up to 200 Mbps. For existing subscribers, the Converge Netflix Bundle is available as an exclusive add-on starting at Php 298 per month.

Marcos signs law imposing 12% VAT on Netflix, Spotify, other digital services   

JM Chavaria, writing for Yugatech;

In a move aimed at bolstering government revenue, the Philippines has introduced a 12% value-added tax (VAT) on digital services offered by foreign firms. This includes popular platforms like Netflix, Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon, among other digital service providers (DSPs) — which have previously enjoyed tax exemptions.

Duey Guison, of Unbox.ph explainsRepublic Act 112023, all services provided by resident and non-resident digital service providers regardless if they have a physical presence in the Philippines are subject to an additional 12% VAT. The law also adds a new provision to the Tax Code, where ‘”digital services delivered by foreign digital service providers are considered performed or rendered in the Philippines if the digital services are consumed in the Philippines.’

The law does not only cover streaming service but basically “most” online service like ecommerce, digital platform or online merchant that caters to the Philippine market even if the company does not have any physical store or office in the Philippines.

In a press release, “Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero said the bill imposing a 12-percent value-added tax (VAT) on digital transactions will level the playing field for local and foreign digital service providers (DSPs), streamline tax administration and shore up government coffers by at least P80 billion in revenues.”

“Digital service is defined as any service supplied over the internet or other electronic network with the use of information technology and where the supply of the service is essentially automated. These include online search engines, online marketplace or e-marketplace, cloud service, online media and advertising, online platform, or digital goods.”

The law basically covers every companies doing online transaction.

Microsoft launches Windows App for Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Web and Android   

Hilary Braun, Senior Product Manager for Windows 365;

We’re excited to announce that, starting today, Windows App is generally available for Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and web browsers—and in public preview for Android. This unified app serves as your secure gateway to connect to Windows across Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, Remote Desktop, Remote Desktop Services, Microsoft Dev Box, and more.

With Windows App, you can enjoy a unified experience that makes it simple for people to connect to the Windows experience they know and love from any device. Enhance productivity with features such as customizable home screens, multi-monitor support, and USB redirection. Windows App also offers advanced security features, including multifactor authentication, to ensure a seamless and robust connection and enable efficient work from any location, at any time.

This could be where “Windows OS” is going in the cloud, the device that you will be using is just a way to access your “Windows-Account” that holds all your apps, files and cloud services.

Instagram now allows you to add music to your profile

Instagram just added the “ADD MUSIC TO YOUR PROFILE” feature, an option that will give users the ability to add a 30-second portion of your favorite song.

To add music to your profile, you can go to EDIT PROFILE then go down to ADD MUSIC TO YOUR PROFILE section, from there you will be able to search for and select a track from the available licensed music on Instagram’s library which is also available for Reels or posts. Once you have selected your music, you can select which 30-second-long portion of the song you want to add. Once done, you will see the music that you added with the play button on your profile.

Instagram’s “ADD MUSIC TO YOUR PROFILE” feature is reminiscence of the early days of the social media networks where you can “hack” the CSS and even add music of your profile even if the feature is not available. This feature is not available to the web version of Instagram.

Apple Podcasts now accessible on the Web

You can now listen to an Apple Podcast on the web. Apple just launch Apple Podcast on the web, this allows podcast listners to stream full Apple podcast using any modern web browser, using any device, in more than 170 countries.

Apple Podcasts on the web offers a full streaming experience for listeners with its dedicated interface that includes personalization, recommendations, and notifications.

Listeners can sign in with their Apple Account to access their Library, Up Next queue, and subscriptions. The responsive design ensures a consistent experience across all devices. Sharing shows and episodes is easier than ever, and playback will appear as a download in your hosting provider’s dashboard.

Apple Podcasts is not the only web-based podcast players, since music streaming giants YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify have been offering web version of their service for a long time, as well as start-ups and indie podcasts players.

The introduction of Apple Podcasts on the web could be Apple’s way of growing its userbase and offering its service to other platforms like Android, Linux or any device with a browser.

Users can go to https://podcasts.apple.com, to start listening.

Primate Labs launches Geekbench AI 1.0 to benchmark AI Performance

Primate Labs Inc. creator of Geekbench, has launch the Geekbench AI, an AI benchmarking tool that measures AI performance. The app measures our devices CPU, GPU, and NPU to determine if it is ready for A.I. and machine learning applications.

Previously called “Geekbench ML,” Geekbench AI 1.0 is the first benchmarking application that will attempt to measure AI performances. Geekbench AI runs ten AI workloads, each with three different data types, giving you a multidimensional picture of on-device AI performance. Using large datasets that mimic real-world AI use cases, both developers and consumers can measure on-device AI performance in just a few minutes with Single Precision, Half Precision, and Quantized scores.

Geekbench AI 1.0 will be available on Android, iOS, Linux, MacOS and Windows. It supports multiple AI Framework like TensorFlow Lite, CoreML, TensorFlow Lite, ONNX and OpenVINO. You can checkout Geekbench AI Workloads documentation to know the tests Geekbench AI uses to measure AI performance.

To use use Geekbench AI 1.0 you can download it from here.

Opera Browser now on iOS

Opera has unveil the iOS version of their browser – the Opera One. The company said that the Opera One browser will have the same features as its desktop browser like the redesigned interface optimized for one-handed use with a bottom search bar that can be activated by swiping down.

Opera One includes a revamped search experience with QuickType suggestions, a new “Carousel” for news, scores, and product information, AI image generation capabilities, and various general improvements. The AI features will be powered by the company’s Aria AI, a free, unlimited built-in browser AI that features image generation, text to speech, image recognition and more. The new iOS browser will also feature free VPN, Ad blocker, and Flow file sharing.

You can download the new Opera One here and it will be compatible with iOS devices running iOS 14.0 or later, iPadOS 14.0 or later and visionOS 1.0.

Apple Maps on the Web in Public Beta

Apple Maps is now available on the web. Users can access Maps using their web browser to get directions, find places, order food, and explore cities. The service is currently in beta and available in English on Safari, Chrome, and Edge.

Apple also said that developers using MapKit JS, can link out to Maps on the web, so their users can get driving directions, see detailed place information, and more. Support for additional languages, browsers, and platforms will be expanded in the future.

OpenAI launched SearchGPT, an AI-powered Search Engine

OpenAI has announce the launch of SearchGPT, a prototype search engine designed to revolutionize the way we interact with information online. This new tool aims to combine the strengths of OpenAI’s advanced AI models with real-time internet data to provide users with fast, accurate, and contextually relevant answers.

SearchGPT is an AI-powered search engine desgined to leverages the capabilities of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to deliver timely and precise information. Unlike traditional search engines, SearchGPT is designed to respond to queries in a conversational manner, allowing users to ask follow-up questions and receive answers that build on previous interactions.

Unlike the traditional search form, SearchGPT uses a large textbox asking users “What are you looking for?,” this is similar to what Facebook “What’s on your mind?” and X’s “What’s happening?” asks its users. But instead of the usual plain text and links on the search result, SearchGPT will try to organize the summarizes the result then provide a short description with the attribution links.

You can watch the video below for the demo as published by OpenAI;

We’re testing SearchGPT, a prototype of new search features designed to combine the strength of our AI models with information from the web to give you fast and timely answers with clear and relevant sources. We’re launching to a small group of users and publishers to get feedback. While this prototype is temporary, we plan to integrate the best of these features directly into ChatGPT in the future.

OpenAI has partnered with various news publishers, which include organizations like the Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, and Vox Media, to ensure that high-quality content is highlighted and easily accessible. SearchGPT is currently being tested by 10,000 test users.

Source: The Verge

Google Translate expands to 110 new languages, including 5 from the Philippines

Google just announced that they are adding 110 new languages to Google Translate, this includes 5 languages from the Philippines namely: Bikol, Hiligaynon, Kapampangan, Pangasinan and Waray.

Google explains that the expansion was possible with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) paired with PaLM 2 large language model.

In addition to the 5 languages from the Philippines, Google translate also added support for the following;

  • Afar which is spoken in Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia.
  • Cantonese, which Google says “one of the most requested languages for Google Translate.”
  • Manx is the Celtic language of the Isle of Man. sands of speakers.
  • NKo a standardized form of the West African Manding languages that unifies many dialects into a common language.
  • Punjabi (Shahmukhi) is the variety of Punjabi written in Perso-Arabic script (Shahmukhi), and is the most spoken language in Pakistan.
  • Tamazight (Amazigh) is a Berber language spoken across North Africa.
  • Tok Pisin is an English-based creole and the lingua franca of Papua New Guinea.

With the additional 110 new languages, Google Translate now supports 243 languages. You can find the full list of newly supported languages on Google Translate here.

Google releases Year in Search 2023

It’s that time of the year again, where a lot of company release stats regarding their service. I actually posted the one from Spotify, since I use the service. Today, Google release their annual YEAR IN SEARCH and if you’ve been paying attention, the list is not really surprising since its became the trending topic for a period of time.

For news;

Actors;

Movies

Recipes

and last but not the least… Songs

If you like to the complete list from Google, you can go to here – Year in Search 2023

Reports – Philippines has the highest shopping scam rate in 11 Asian countries

A study by the Global Alliance Against Software Piracy (GASA) and Gogolook found that 35.9% of Filipinos have been victims of a shopping scam. This is the highest rate of any of the 11 Asian countries surveyed. The report was issued by the Office of CICC Executive Director Alexander K. Ramos and published on CICC website.

The 2023 Asia Scam Report released at the 1st Anti-Scam Asia Summit in Taipei was published by GASA and Gogolook and was based on data collected from nearly 20,000 respondents across 11 countries in Asia including the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, China and Indonesia.

The study revealed that Filipinos are particularly susceptible to scams involving fake sellers and phishing websites. These deceptive tactics lure unsuspecting individuals into purchasing fraudulent products or revealing sensitive personal information.

To combat this growing threat, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) is issuing a stern warning to the public, urging them to exercise extreme vigilance when engaging in online transactions. The CICC emphasizes the importance of adopting protective measures to safeguard against shopping scams.

CICC Executive Director Alexander K. Ramos reiterated his appeal to the public to be careful when they do their online shopping, especially during the yuletide season.

“Based on our observation, shopping scams usually increase during the Christmas season,” he said. “Scammers take advantage of the high volume of online shopping and people’s vulnerability during this period,” Ramos explained. The mindset and immediate response of Filipinos, when confronted with scams, make them vulnerable to falling into traps, according to Ramos.

“Some people easily believe in false promises even if they are too good to be true,” he said.

Based on the Asia Scam Report; 24.8% of Filipino victims respond too quickly to scammers’ demands and 21.1% of victims chose to take a risk despite uncertainty about the risk. Other reasons for vulnerability include being enticed with incentives and over-trusting with friends and family members.

Here are some tips that you can take to avoid falling for shopping scams:

  1. Shop from Reputable Websites: Patronize only established and trusted online retailers to minimize the risk of encountering fraudulent sellers.

  2. Exercise Caution with Links: Approach links embedded in emails or social media posts with skepticism. Avoid clicking on suspicious links, as they may lead to phishing websites designed to steal personal information.

  3. Protect Personal Information: Refrain from sharing sensitive details, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or home addresses, with anyone you don’t trust implicitly.

  4. Beware of Unrealistic Deals: Exercise discretion when encountering deals that appear too good to be true. Such offers often mask fraudulent schemes.

  5. Report Suspected Scams: If you suspect you’ve fallen victim to a shopping scam, promptly report the incident to the authorities.

Here are additional measures that you can take to protect yourself from scammers;

  1. Use secured payment method like credit cards or PayPal, which offer protection against fraudulent transactions.
  2. Make sure your devices and apps are up-to-date, including antivirus and anti-malware programs, to enhance your device’s security.
  3. Stay informed on current and emerging scam trends and tactics to remain vigilant against evolving threats.

DICT announce that ‘Free Wi-Fi for All’ is now available in 93 sites in Zamboanga City.

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has announced that the ‘Free Wi-Fi for All’ is now available in 93 sites in Zamboanga City.

DICT’s Free Wi-Fi for All, is a Free Public Internet Access Program aims to provide the Filipino people access to opportunities, education, and information, and the ability to participate in the growing digital economy through free Internet in public places nationwide.

To date, DICTS has listed a a total of 2,594 Live Sites where Filipino can use free wifi. You can go here to check the live sites in your area.

Amazon partners with Hyundai to Sell Cars Online with Alexa built-in and AWS

Amazon just announced that it has entered a broad strategic partnership with Hyundai Motor Company. The partnership will allow Hyundai auto dealers to sell the automaker’s vehicles online in Amazon’s U.S. store in 2024. Then there’s the AWS part, since Hyundai has selected Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its preferred cloud provider to accelerate its digital transformation. In connection to the selling cars on Amazon, starting 2025, Alexa will be built-in to Hyundai’s next-generation vehicles.

You can read the full text of Amazon and Hyundai’s announcement below;

As shared by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Amazon and Hyundai Motor Company have announced a broad strategic partnership.

“Hyundai is a very innovative company that shares Amazon’s passion for trying to make customers’ lives better and easier every day,” said Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. “Our broad, strategic partnership should do just that, from changing the ease with which customers can buy vehicles online to making it simple to use Alexa in Hyundai vehicles for entertainment, shopping, smart home adjustments, and calendar checks to enabling Hyundai to transform their customer experiences and business operations by moving to AWS. We look forward to inventing together for many years.”

José Muñoz, global chief operating officer for Hyundai and president and CEO of Hyundai and Genesis Motor North America, and Marty Mallick, Amazon’s vice president for Worldwide Business and Corporate Development, revealed three key pieces of the announcement at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Here are three key pieces to know about this announcement.

1. In 2024, auto dealers for the first time will be able to sell vehicles in Amazon’s U.S. store, and Hyundai will be the first brand available for customers to purchase.
This new digital shopping experience will make it easy for customers to purchase a new car online, and then pick it up or have it delivered by their local dealership at a time that works best for them. Customers will be able to search on Amazon for available vehicles in their area based on a range of preferences, including model, trim, color, and features; choose their preferred car; and then check out online with their chosen payment and financing options—all within the Amazon experience they already know and trust. This new shopping experience will create another way for dealers to build awareness of their selection and offer convenience to their customers.

2. Hyundai has selected Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its preferred cloud provider to accelerate its digital transformation using broad and industry-leading AWS capabilities—from compute, storage, database, and analytics to artificial intelligence (generative AI) and Internet of Things (IoT).
As part of a new multiyear agreement, Hyundai will become a more data-driven organization with a cloud-first technology strategy, migrating its current on-premises applications—which support everything across research, product engineering, and customer engagement—to AWS. Hyundai will prioritize business cases like manufacturing and supply chain to help optimize production and minimize costs, security, and disaster recovery for resiliency, and connected vehicle development to bring new features to drivers around the globe. In addition, AWS and Hyundai designed and implemented a Master Builder training and certification program to train Hyundai engineers in critical cloud skills.

3. Next-generation Hyundai vehicles will be even more responsive and interactive with Alexa Built-in.
Starting in 2025, customers who purchase Hyundai’s next-generation vehicles will be able to access the hands-free Alexa experience they have at home, while in their car. Hyundai drivers will be able to ask Alexa to play music, podcasts, or audiobooks; set reminders; update to-do lists; and check calendars. Customers will also be able to control their smart home from the road, such as asking to warm up the house on their way home, double-checking doors are locked, and managing smart lighting and Alexa routines. Drivers will also be able to ask Alexa for up-to-date traffic updates or weather reports, and use voice-control with the in-vehicle media player or navigation system—with certain Alexa features accessible even when internet connectivity is intermittent or unavailable.

“We’re excited to be working with Hyundai—the third-largest carmaker in the world and a leading innovator in the industry,” said Mallick during the onstage press conference in LA. “Together, we will provide customers with more of the buying experiences they want—and support dealers with an efficient and effective selling platform.”

“This is a transformational journey we are on together, and we look forward to a very productive long-term relationship with Amazon,” said Muñoz.

X is testing “Not A Bot” service in New Zealand and the Philippines

X, the service formerly known as Twitter, is testing a new subscription service for new and unverified accounts to sign up for a $1 annual subscription to be able to post & interact with other posts. The service will only not affect existing users.

The “Not A Bot” service was created to “successful efforts to reduce spam, manipulation of our platform and bot activity, while balancing platform accessibility with the small fee amount.” The company added that this service “is not a profit driver.”

In a support article, the company explained that “New users who opt out of subscribing will only be able to take “read only” actions, such as: Read posts, Watch videos, and Follow accounts.”

It’s unclear how this test will affect potential new users but for me, as a rule of thumb, if an online service have been free for a long time charging to use the said service will be a big no for me.

DICT’s statement on the hacking and defacing of the House of Representative website

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) just release an official statement regarding the defacing of the House of Representative (HoR) website.

This is the full text of DICT’s statement;

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) confirms that a cybersecurity incident involving the House of Representatives (HOR) website occurred on Sunday, 15 October 2023.

The HOR immediately put the website offline to prevent further unauthorized access and reported the incident to the DICT – Philippine National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-PH).

CERT-PH is conducting an investigation to determine if sensitive data has been exfiltrated by the threat actor.

Recommendations were likewise provided to the HOR IT Team to prevent future security breaches on their website.

The DICT informs the public that the HOR website shall be online soon with its security vulnerabilities already addressed.

The next stages of the investigation on the incident, which include threat actor attribution and case build-up, shall be pursued by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, in coordination with our law enforcement agencies.

The DICT reaffirms its commitment to be an active partner of government agencies as they fulfill the primary responsibility of safeguarding their own ICT systems and infrastructure against cyber threats.

By:

Renato A. Paraiso
Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs
DICT Spokesperson
pio@dict.gov.ph

At the sametime, DICT also release a Tagalog version of their statement.

Yesterday, the website of the House of Representative (HoR) was hacked by the hacker group 3MUSKETEERZ, defacing it with the troll face meme captioned it “You’ve been hacked. Have a nice Day! Happy April Fullz Kahit October Palang! Fix your website.” and changed its content with the same messaging.

Website of House of Representative hacked by 3MUSKETEERZ

Website of House of Representative (Congress) have been hacked and defaced by 3MUSKETEERZ.

The group used troll face meme captioned it “You’ve been hacked. Have a nice Day! Happy April Fullz Kahit October Palang! Fix your website.” The group even changed its content with the same messaging.

The official X (twitter) account (@HouseofRepsPH) already release a statement and that they are currently working with Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and law enforcement agencies concerned to investigate the matter.

PRESS STATEMENT
Secretary General Reginald Velasco

We wish to inform the public that the official website of the House of Representatives experienced unauthorized access earlier today. Immediate steps have been taken to address the issue, and we are working closely with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and law enforcement agencies concerned to investigate the matter.

While we work to restore the website fully, we ask for patience and understanding. We are committed to ensure the security and integrity of our digital platforms, and we will implement additional measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

For the moment, we advise the public to be cautious of any suspicious emails or communications that claim to be from the House of Representatives.

We will keep the public updated as more information becomes available.

As of this posting, the website is currently offline and accessing the website http://www.congress.gov.ph/ will just give you the standard “This site can’t be reached” message.

X users can now limit replies to verified accounts only

X, formerly known as twitter, just announced that it now has roll-out a feature that allows you to control you can reply to your posts. This feature will be available to your new and even old posts.

There are two ways to control who can reply/comment on your posts;
1. When composing your post, go to the EVERYONE CAN REPLY and the screen to set “WHO CAN REPLY?” will appear.

  1. For published posts, just click/tap on the (…) that’s on the right corner of the post and go to CHANGE WHO CAN REPLY.

The new feature is a good way to filter our users who does nothing but spam in the service and also limit those who can interact with you in X/twitter. For now, the features appears to be available to everyone using the service and won’t surprise me if in this will only be available to verified accounts.

It’s Official – Threads.net web version now available

As the the title goes, the web version of Threads.net is now available. The web/desktop version was already live last week, as reported by Yugatech but it was just today that it took effect here in Saudi Arabia.

This is the official announcement from Threads’ official account with addtional information on how to access or create your threads account and a features of the service in a post.

Post by @threads
View on Threads

Post by @threads
View on Threads

From my first hour in using the web app, it feels exactly like the app but since you have it on a separate tab on your browser, I find myself using the web version more than the app. It remains to be seen if it can surpass the daily and even the monthly active users of X/Twitter, now that the desktop web version is live.

Meta to launch a web version of Threads

Threads, the twitter-clone of Meta, will soon launch a web version of the service. As of this posting, when you go to Threads.net, you will just get a QR code that when scanned will direct you to your phone’s app store to download the Threads app.

The web version is planned to be launch “early this week” but this is not totally final and could still change. Threads’ web version, a much-requested feature that may be exactly what Meta needs for users engagement within the service. The web version of Threads is currently undergoing internal testing at Meta Platforms and the official rollout may happen as early as the end of the week (August 25, 2023).

A reply by Adam Mosseri to a comment, further confirmed that the company is indeed working on a web version of threads;

Post by @mosseri
View on Threads

Threads initially took the internet by storm and rapidly reached 100 million downloads, making it the fastest app to hit that milestone. However, user engagement has since declined, partly it’s believed due to the lack of a web version.

A web version of Threads is the next logical move by Meta to compete more effectively with platforms like X, formerly known as Twitter. It would be interesting to see whether these move will help Meta stop the ever-decreasing user engagement on Threads, which has gone done by approximately 85% since its peak shortly after launch.

Jobberbase Install Guide for Apache

Just archiving this here, since I always use Jobberbase as a reference CMS for job board.

You can download the PDF version of the steps here and the typical errors here.

Jobberbase Install Guide for Apache
Contents
1 Requirements
2 Install Procedure
2.1 Download
2.2 Database setup
2.2.1 Single database hosting
2.2.2 Multiple database hosting
2.3 Environment and code setup
2.3.1 Directory structure and permissions
2.3.2 Translations
2.3.3 Config and environments
2.4 Testing the site
2.5 Admin

Requirements
Before proceeding, make sure you have PHP 5+ and MySQL 4.1+ installed on your server. Also, Apache modulemod_rewrite has to be enabled and overriding default settings with .htaccess needs to be allowed.
If you are 100% sure that your server meets the requirements then you can skip the following lines and go directly to the first step, else please read on.

To mak sure you have at least PHP 5 and mod_rewrite active, create a file called phpinfo.php and paste the following code into it:

<?php phpinfo(); ?>

Upload it to your server and access it like this http://www.yoursitesnamecomeshere.com/phpinfo.php (Note: the path could differ in your case, specially if you’ve uploaded it into a subfolder)

The PHP version should appear in the page’s header. Make sure that it’s at least version 5.

Also, to see that you have mod_rewrite active, search in the page for the string mod_rewrite. If you don’t find it, contact your hosting and ask them to activate this module.

Install Procedure
If the requirements are met, follow these steps:

Download
Download the latest version from http://www.jobberbase.com/download (if you haven’t already done this) and unzip it.

Database setup
Before setting up the database, there are some things that you should be aware of: some hosting companies don’t allow you to have more than one database (usually in case of low-end (very cheap or free) hosting plans). If that’s your situation, follow the next step (Single database hosting), otherwise jump to step “Multiple database hosting”.

Single database hosting
If you know that this is your case, then please follow these steps:

You must decide for a string (you can use jb_, for example) which will be prepended to every jobberbase table name. You will have to set this string in the DB_PREFIX field that is described in step 3.

Open jobberbase.sql in a text editor of your choice and use its find & replace feature, as follows (Hint: in the find & replace dialog, there’s usually a button (Replace All, in case of Notepad) for replacing all the occurrences at once):

Replace all occurrences of CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS ` (note the ` char ) with CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `THE_STRING_THAT_YOU_DECIDED_ON (for example, CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `jb_).

Replace all occurrences of INSERT INTO ` with INSERT INTO `THE_STRING_THAT_YOU_DECIDED_ON (for example, INSERT INTO `jb_).

Save your changes and then open phpmyadmin, select your database and then import your jobberbase.sql file.

Skip step “Multiple database hosting” and continue with “Environment Setup”.

Multiple database hosting
Create a new database and import db/jobberbase.sql into it (usually done from within phpmyadmin).

Note: PHPMyAdmin instructions: Create a new database (example: jobberbase) in the database window and no need to change any of the default settings. Click Go and the database is live. Now click import from the list of menu items in the top section and select the jobberbase.sql file from your local machine. After refesh you should see the list of example content tables on the left side panel. If any of these things did not work for you then you need read the manual that comes with PHPMyAdmin and try again).

Environment and code setup
In order to install jobberBase, you need FTP or SSH access, to upload all the files. jobberBase is software that you host on your server.

Directory structure and permissions
Upload the contents of the public folder to your server. Some users make the mistake that they upload the public folder, but instead you should only upload the files and folders contained in the public folder.

Make sure that the following folders have write permission:
/uploads (uploaded resumes are temporarily stored here)
/_templates//_cache (smarty cache) – by default, YourTheme is a folder called default
/admin/_templates/_cache (smarty cache)
Note: if you are testing it locally using wampserver or MAMP then do this: In windows machine go to folder options and un-check the ‘read only’ option to enable write access. In Mac OSX running MAMP local server first make sure you have administrator access then check to make sure you have full access for the files by clicking ‘get info’ in right click or command click pop up menu for each folder.

Translations
Translations are located under the theme folder, i.e. /_templates//_translations.

Translations for text elements in the site (except pages, job category names and others such as these) are located in an .ini file, in the translations folder, the default being translations_en.ini.

Email translations are stored in an xml file, under _translations/_emails, the default being emails_en.xml.

Config and environments
A single jobberBase instance/codebase can run under multiple hosting environments. The config system allows you to define environments (such as the one on your local/development machine, a staging environment and the live/production server).

These environments have to be manually defined in _config/config.envs.php, as PHP arrays. The default environment (suited for local hosting) looks like this:

$__instances['local'] = array(
// should be a unique part of the url (or the entire url if you wish)
'prefix' => 'localhost',
// mysql credentials
'db_host' => 'localhost',
'db_port' => 3306,
'db_user' => 'root',
'db_password' => '',
'db_name' => 'jobberbase',
'db_prefix' => '',
// your site's full url
'app_url' => 'http://localhost/jobberbase/trunk/public/',
// error reporting
'ini_error_reporting' => E_ALL,
'ini_display_errors' => 'On',
// environment setting 1 (use 'local' for localhost/testing OR 'online' for live, production environment)
'location' => 'local',
// environment setting 2 (use 'dev' together with 'local' in the previous setting OR 'prod' with 'online')
'environment' => 'dev',
//use 'apache_mod_rewrite' for Apache hosting or 'iis_url_rewrite', 'iis_isapi_rewrite' for IIS hosting
'rewrite_mode' => 'apache_mod_rewrite'
);

Each environment is defined as part of the $__instances array, with a unique key (e.g. local).

Note: Only change db_prefix if you’ve followed step 2.2.1 (single database hosting).

Note: some users are having trouble setting the db_host. To find out your database host, either ask your hosting company or login to phpmyadmin and you should have somewhere in the upper area the string Server and next to it an URL or IP. That’s what you should put as database host.

Testing the site
If you’ve went through all previous steps, you should be done.

Open up a browser and type in your site’s URL (e.g. http://www.yoursitesnamecomeshere.com/).

Admin
Assuming that your Jobberbase installation is located at http://www.yoursitesnamecomeshere.com/, you can access the administration panel by visiting http://www.yoursitesnamecomeshere.com/admin/.

This section is password protected, the username being admin and the default password admin.

After the first login, be sure to change your password!

In the administration panel you can:

change settings regarding site details, job pagination, mailing options, url options and lot more
view all the jobs, activate the new ones, delete jobs, edit jobs, post a new job
change the cities (add/edit/delete) that are included by default in Jobberbase
change the categories (add/edit/delete/reorder) that are included by default in Jobberbase
change the header/footer/sidebar links
view statistical information

Discord.io suffers data breached and will shutdown the service

Discord.io, a third-party service that enables owners of Discord servers to create customized, personal Discord invites, has announced that it would shut down until further notice following a “major data breach” from “unknown actors” on Monday evening.

The breach has affected 760,000 users and the stolen information could include your discord.io username and your Discord ID, your email-address, your billing address, and a salted and hashed password if you signed up in 2018 or earlier.

Payment details are said to be safe because all payments are processed through PayPal and Stripe and the company does not store any payment information on their servers, and this information was not leaked, the company said in an article posted on their website.

Discord.io has confirmed the authenticity of the breach, by an entity acting under the name “Akhirah.” It is important to know that Discord.com is not affiliated with discord.io, a spokesperson from Discord told Stackdiary, “Discord is not affiliated with Discord.io. We do not share any user information with Discord.io directly and we do not have access to or control of information in Discord.io’s custody.”

Discord has revoked the oauth authentication tokens for any Discord user that has used Discord.io, so that app can no longer perform actions on behalf of those users until they re-authenticate3. Affected Discord users should change their passwords and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA).

You can read the full statement of Discord.io on their website – Discord.io has suffered a data breach.

The website’s official twitter also encourages users to directly contact their support team, in connection of the breached.

Angat Buhay NGO officially launches website

It’s official, Angat Buhay NGO now has a website with the domain https://www.angatbuhay.ph. On the website, we can see an interactive maps of all the projects of the NGO, latest news and updates, the Angat Buhat Team members and volunteers. Supporters can also find ways on how be part of the NGO either as a Partner, donate or as a volunteer.

The website was developed by Pixel Zero Digital Solutions;

We are proud to have developed Angat Buhay’s website, a platform dedicated to uplifting Filipino communities through various programs and initiatives. Our team worked closely with Angat Buhay to create a user-friendly website that effectively showcases their mission, vision, and impact. Through our collaborative approach and attention to detail, we were able to bring their vision to life and help them reach a wider audience. We are committed to using our expertise in web development to support organizations like Angat Buhay that make a positive difference in our society.

Gmail to introduce verified accounts for FREE!

Google has announced that it will start verifying or adding a “blue checkmark” to business users using Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) in Gmail. This new feature will help users identify messages from legitimate senders versus impersonators.

Google further explains that “strong email authentication helps users and email security systems identify and stop spam, and also enables senders to leverage their brand trust. This increases confidence in email sources and gives readers an immersive experience, creating a better email ecosystem for everyone.

The new verified Gmail account will be free of charge and available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers, and to users with personal Google Accounts.

Apple to open its first retail stores in India

Apple has announced that it will be opening two new retail store in India. The Apple BKC in Mumbai will start operating this 18th April, then Apple Saket in Delhi on the 20th April. The new two new retail stores were opened 20 years after Apple entered the Indian market.

Even though India is the second largest market for Internet and smartphones in world, Apple is limited to the high-end of the market, specially for smartphones that are priced way below the price range of Apple in country.

You can read the full text of Apple’s announcement below;

Today Apple announced it will open its doors to customers at two new retail locations in India: Apple BKC in Mumbai on April 18, and Apple Saket in Delhi on April 20. These new retail locations mark a significant expansion in India that will offer great new ways to browse, discover, and buy Apple products with exceptional service and experiences for customers.
The barricade for Apple Saket was revealed this morning and features a unique design that takes inspiration from Delhi’s many gates, each signifying a new chapter to the city’s storied past. The colorful artwork celebrates Apple’s second store in India — located right in the nation’s capital. Beginning April 20, customers will be able to stop by to explore Apple’s latest product lineup, find creative inspiration, and get personalized service and support from the store’s team of Specialists, Creatives, and Geniuses.

In celebration of the first Apple Store opening in India, Apple BKC announced a special Today at Apple series — “Mumbai Rising” — running from opening day through the summer. Bringing visitors, local artists, and creatives together, these sessions will offer hands-on activities with Apple’s products and services that celebrate the local community and culture in Mumbai. Customers can explore the “Mumbai Rising” sessions and sign up at apple.com/in/today.

Ahead of opening day, customers are invited to download custom Apple BKC and Apple Saket wallpapers, specially curated playlists on Apple Music to move to the sounds of Mumbai and Delhi, and visit apple.com/in/retail/bkc and apple.com/in/retail/saket to learn more about the upcoming openings in India. Apple BKC opens Tuesday, April 18, at 11 a.m. IST, and Apple Saket will open for customers April 20 at 10 a.m. IST.

PinoyExchange.Com to shutdown on April 15th

PinoyExchange, more commonly called PEx, just announced that the website will shutdown on 15th of April. PinoyExchange.Com is one of the first and oldest website in the Philippines, the domain was registered in 1999 and the website have been running for 24 years.

PinoyExchange.com is the virtual home of many Filipinos here and abroad, you can could say that it is the first website in the country that offer UGC (user-generated content). The announcement did not provide any reason or explanation as to why the website is closing.

Here’s a short history of PinoyExchange.com as posted on the website;

During the early days of internet in the Philippines in the late 1990s, an idea emerged to create an online message board because at that time, the only way to communicate online were via chat sites and chat rooms.

On July 12, 1999, PinoyExchange was born founded by Michael Nolledo, Nix Nolledo and Jude Turcuato (Kaboom!) and later on joined by Michael Palacios (Mikoid) as a lead designer and technical consultant. Some early PEx members also became moderators to help out in managing content and discussions.

The website gained popularity through its exposure via televised UAAP basketball games where Jude (Kaboom!) was a commentator. During halftime, viewers were asked to express their views regarding the ongoing basketball games by posting comments on PEx. Thousands of students and alumni from UAAP member schools visited the site and created discussions revolving around the UAAP games.

PEx reached the 2,000 member mark before the turn of the century. This was at a time when the Philippine internet penetration was less than 2%.

Today, PEx has over 1.5M monthly users and has evolved to become an online forum where users from all over the world can connect and converse on a wide variety of topics.

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

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.