OPPO Does One Day Upgrade to RENO5 4G

Today is a good day for OPPO owners as the mobile phone manufacturer just launched their very own trade in program for OPPO F series users. This means all owners of OPPO F1, F1s, F1s Upgraded, F1 Plus, F3, F3 Plus, F5, F5 6GB, F7 Youth, F7, F7 128GB, F9, F11 6GB, F11 Pro 64GB, F11 Pro 128GB, and F11 Pro Marvel Avengers Limited Edition will have the opportunity to get the latest OPPO RENO5 4G phone on a discounted price in select OPPO stores in SM Manila, Megamall, Market Market in Taguig, SM Mall of Asia, SM Fairview, SM Taytay and SM North Edsa. The max discount you can get is Php 4,499 but it depends on the model of your phone and the appraisal that you get from official OPPO technicians on site.

For OPPO F1, F1s, F1s Upgraded, F5, and F5 6GB, you can get a max amount of Php 1,499 while the owners of OPPO F3 Plus, F3, and F9 will get max amount of Php 2,999 while owners of F11 6GB, F1 Plus, F7 Youth, and F7 (which I have) can get Php 3,499 less on the actual price of the OPPO Reno 5 4G. For those who own the OPPO F11 Pro 128GB, F7 128GB, F11 Pro 64GB, and F11 Pro Marvel Avengers Limited Edition, you can get the max amount of Php 4,499. It will be inspected of course and will have your device price deductions done if it has damage or defects since it's been with you for years already. They will give you the specified amount voucher so you can use it to trade in your phone for the much higher model. I'm actually thinking about it too because my F7 has been with me for years now and I still use it for coverage and gaming.

If you prefer getting plans for this particular handset, they are available also on Globe and Smart postpaid plans which you can get online if you prefer not to trade in your phones. Aside from that, they've got it on installment, if you don't want to pay much they can accommodate that too.

If I were you, I'd be going to these specific malls so I can ask how much I'd be able to trade my OPPO phone, it's done a remarkable job for me these past few years and I'm sure the RENO5 4G would too. Visit the OPPO Philippines facebook page if you want more information about this promo.

Celebrities Root for Samsung Galaxy Note20

Who else but Miss Universe Catriona Gray, Restaurateur and content creator Erwan Heussaff, Bianca Gonzalez and huge gamer Gino Quillamor vouched for the new Samsung Galaxy Note20 and Note 20 Ultra. 

For Cat, she loves taking notes with the Note 20's S pen and scribble everything on Samsung Notes. She's a very busy woman and with the various charities and causes she's involved in, there's a lot of paperwork or documents that need to be signed. She also love writing down ideas, so she could asses where she could help. She also designs textile prints so whenever she's got an idea, she whips out her phone and starts doing it.

Erwan on the other hand is so much of a food enthusiast. Whenever he feels, hears, sees, taste some special dishes on his travels, he writes them down for inspiration. There are a lot of ways to discover things so he puts them all on his blog and vlog. He also takes the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra along to take videos because it can shoot 8K quality, which is impressive for something handheld. Bianca on the other hand relies on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra's 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2.0 display to view photos and videos. She needs this a lot being in the media, to host shows, you've got to know what you are talking about and she even uses the Samsung DeX to easily connect her phone to her Smart TV so she can both view reports, current events and still do useful things on her smartphone. Gino on the other hand uses the Galaxy Note20 Ultra’s Game Booster with an enhanced NPU to make sure he gets ahead of the pack. Gaming takes a lot of resources, and it needs to have a fast refresh rate so he can do hand eye coordination at max speed, and he's thankful the phone can do 120Hz for its refresh rate. Imagine the things you can do with that on third person shooters or rpg's, he's pretty fond of that.

Honestly, I haven't had the pleasure of actually using a Samsung device in my lifetime. I've seen them with friends and I see how happy they are. If you're looking for something nice, these Galaxy Note20 Series are available starting October 14 til the 31st. Several Samsung Experience Stores are offering this at 0% interest up to 24 months. You can opt for the "Buy Now, Pay Later" promo or the “Trade in, Save Up” program if you prefer it that way. Go to participating Samsung Experience stores til December 31st so you can get them in deals that are unbelievable.

Why the hate on LTE-Advanced?

List of Phones that currently support LTE-Advanced: Apple's iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, BlackBerry Priv, BlackBerry Passport, HTC One M9, HTC One A9, HTC 10, Huawei Ascend Mate 7, Mate S, Mate 8, Honor 6 (which I have on the photo YAY!), Honor 6 Plus, Nexus 6P, LG G Flex 2, G4, G5, Nexus 5X, V10, Moto X Style, Lumia 950, 950 XL, One Plus 2, Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Note 5, Note Edge, Alpha, A5 (2016), A7 (2016), A8 (2016), S5, S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, S7, S7 Edge, Sony Z3, Z4, Z5, Z5 Compact, Z5 Premium, Xperia X, X Performance, Xiaomi Mi Note Pro, Mi 5.

I understand the angst people are actually doing on their blogs these days but really, why the hate? Smart Communications just recently rolled out the LTE Advanced Mobile Technology in Boracay yesterday and all these bickering about it surfaced later in the day. The company is actually doing something great, it's a technology that isn't available yet in the Philippines and now that it is, I'd rather have it welcomed than marred early on.

Think about it, PLDT's wireless subsidiary is basically offering faster speeds with the usual LTE band using carrier aggregation. People are complaining about slow speeds for years and now that they've got it measured up to 250 Mbps, they're complaining again? We just made this world class technology that's available in Optus in Australia, Sprint in the US, and Turkcell in Turkey be here with Smart in the Philippines, so is that even something to complain about? It's not for every phone there is in the country as there are only a few LTE Advanced capable phones in the market now, technology isn't really cheap but having it be here alone should be celebrated rather than marred like that. I've worked with  some people from other telecommunications companies abroad and they're not as perfect as they seem to be. People  are clueless and think the ones in Australia (remember that telco that they wished was going to invest here?) were far better when in reality, I've heard horror stories from their users first hand too and they weren't as heavenly as they think. 

The technology isn't cheap either and if you were in the shoes of the telco you would rather invest in technological advancements rather than existing ones. Smart made it better, you have bigger bandwidth, you've got faster data speeds and they still complain. Be happy with the new technology, learn to adapt and have the better disposition that it's finally here. Getting it doesn't mean they'll abandon 3G or previous bands, so it's a good thing they started it. So people, don't despair. There's bound to be more technologies out there coming to our country and it's not a bad thing. Did you say the same thing when we were all in 2G phones digging WAP in the past? I guess not. This cutting edge technology is part of their broader effort to service Sun and Smart subscribers, so don't spoil the party. There, I said it. Go take a chill pill.

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Ken Xin Da Releases Affordable, Shock, Weather and Water Proof Phones in the Philippines

I must admit, I didn't know the brand Ken Xin Da before this event. They just actually launched a few days ago at posh Sofitel Manila and did it in a grand way. The stage was set and arranged to mimic Olympia, complete with Greek gods and goddesses holding what seems to be new mobile phones that I personally haven't seen before. They're set to conquer the Philippine market with an unbelievably low priced phones that are perfect for those who find function, fun and protection from the elements. What do I mean? Let's just say the literally put one of their phones underwater!

Here's what happened during the show!

Ken Xin Da Mobile Phone Launch
Posted by Kumagcow on Sunday, November 22, 2015

Aside from that, they've also got some small fancy phones that looks like cars. There's also one designed specifically for women, it's a flip phone that turns into a car too. I've seen some of the handsets only cost from a few hundred bucks, to just a little over 3 thousands pesos. Now imagine if this actually lands on stores. That only means there's no reason anymore to NOT actually own a smartphone. Best of all, they offer something really different at these price points and I'm very impressed about the Ken Xin Da.

This is the KENXINDA Flattop W3. It's a very cheap mobile phone which is part of their line called Proofings W3. It's dual sim, a little chunky, but it's still considered a small mini sized cell phone in this part of the world. It's a Waterproof Mobile Phone which means it can stand the elements. It's designed to withstand accidental falls, temperatures and even to the point of getting it submerged. Now imagine taking this to your mountain travels where it could experience bumps, coldness and moisture in the outdoors. It'll still survive that because as you can see on the photos above, they already put this phone on water and it still displays, it still works.

I tried it out for size and took out the content of the box. My first problem was just how to make this work. There should be a place to put in the simcard but I was thinking of a way to open it on the back by flipping things, but none of them seem to budge on the edges. I didn't read the manual because I thought it was easy, then I found this lot. It's got 1800 mAh for batteries so you can stay here if you need to.

See that thing in the middle? It's a small screw driver that fits perfectly on the slots on the back of the phone. Apparently the phone is sealed shut so the only way you can whisk the back away from the phone is to unscrew it first. It's convenient though after that because it's double sim. It runs on Android even when it felt like Java when I operated it the first time. This is a 2G phone so you only get the practical parts of the smartphone. It doesn't have wifi so you might want to consider that in your purchase. The back camera is 3 Megapixels, it also autofocuses, has Bluetooth connection, a built in flash, Dual Sim ports, ability to Email, has an FM Radio and GPS. It also has a loudspeaker which you can use when you need to talk. It also comes with a charger and earplugs.

Screw it back in and you're good to go. Now remember, you only got a 176 x 220 screen but it's basically enough to see on mobile handsets. However, like the other Ken Xin Da handsets, it does the job. There's also a couple more things on the phone which I still find basic, a thing that non smartphone users would appreciate if they are using this as an "entry level phone" of some sort and take it to mountaineering trips or just plain sports events that require a tough phone that can withstand drops, bumps, and still work. Or maybe they would be fine having  powerbanks too when the need arise.

Speaking of which, they've got the Ken Xin Da Power Bank. Just like the phone above, this one has got the same waterproof concept implemented. Imagine when it rains, when you need to walk to the sea or just plain jumping into the pool. I remember a friend who pushed me into a pool once, he didn't only get my phone wet, he also kinda almost had me worried. I don't know how to swim LOL! So if this one is a good option for the powerbanks that are still in the market, this one's totally different since it's got that ability.

Congratulations to this new player in the market. You will definitely shake the mobile phone market with your low price points and specs. I even think I saw a 300 peso phone somewhere during the launch, but you would have to see it yourself by sending inquiries on the channels below. Congratulations Ken Xin Da!

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http://www.kenxindaphilippines.com/

SmartSAT: Smart's New Satellite Phones and Services

When disaster strikes, are you prepared? Are you really ready for the big one?

Well, we got schooled about that a few days ago when Smart hooked us up for an Emergency Management Center Workshop at the New World Hotel in Makati City. The Philippines belong in the Pacific Ring of Fire where a large number of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and Typhoons take place every year. During Typhoon Yolanda, the provinces of Samar and Leyte suddenly became disconnected from the rest of the Philippines. There weren't any infrastructure that was left standing in some parts of the province and people had no idea what happened in different places. It was like the blind leading the blind. It was a realization, that sometimes, the worst could actually happen. Without communication, it was hard to asses the situation, it was hard to find people, it was hard to look and send help.

Eventually, we were able to get through that hardship, and we learned quite a lot about the essentials, what to do in case we were in that situation. We also got the 214 on Satellite Phones and how much the services cost when you get it through Smart SAT.

These are two phones, one is the SatSleeve which have compatible phone sizes for iPhone 5, iPhone 5S and Samsung S4. The other one is a Thuraya XT, manufactured by a mobile satellite communications company with the same name who partnered with the biggest network in the Philippines SMART Communications. The SatSleeve can last a total of 36 hours (in standby time) and the Thuraya XT on the other hand can last up to 80 hours (in standby time) which means you can use it for days when disaster strikes and communication bogs down. From the looks of the coverage area, I think the only one they didn't include is the US (although some island territories are), north and south America, the north and south pole (Artic and Antartic with some bodies of water). You can check the list of countries here.

It costs Php 38,500 which is already pre-loaded with 225 units which is about Php 10,000 worth of airtime credits. The credits expire in a year and you have to top up credits again so your number won't expire. You can also get this cash or at 0% interest if you have credit cards with their partner banks on 12/24 month installments. If you think about it, it almost costs the same as the normal smartphones today. Good news is, it's perfect for travelers because the call and text rates on these prepaid phones cost way cheaper than roaming rates plus you can get credits in different denominations like 35 units = Php 1,575.00, 100 units = Php 4,500.00, 250 units = Php 11,250.00. You may check out information about SmartSAT Plans here for more information.   

They also have docks, Thuraya IP+ (which is a mobile data and satellite terminal for Internet!), solar panels that can get your gadgets on even in the most difficult situations. That's living the Smart Life!

P.S. Oh by the way, this was also the instance where I met one of my blog idols Ms. Tina Tagle. Unfortunately you won't get to read her previous blogs (which were super cool btw!) but she writes now at her new site and jewelry design haven She Did It Anyway aka Willow Jewelry. I don't know how to tell you why, but just by reading her entries in the past, I've grown to love her and all her kids. She was even prettier in person! Totally, I turned into a fanboy right there (I kept telling my seatmates when I saw her enter the room!). Also to Ms. C (of Chuvaness.com), it was an awesome time to connect and talk with you again! I'm sure there will be another time! Hopefully real soon!

For more information about their services:

Smart Communications

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http://smart.com.ph/satellite/

Sun Postpaid Comes Out with Great New Year Deals

A great new year just deserves tons of great new deals. That's what Sun Cellular is exactly going to give you this 2015 as they bring unbelievable plans and freebies on even LOWER rates and... even SHORTER holding periods. Is that even possible? Of course, if you want something done, you just have to be with the GOOD CHOICE.

First, meet the Alcatel Scribe Easy. At a limited time, they're offering this plan on a huge price drop. What's a price drop? A price drop means that the original Plan 450 for the Alcatel Scribe Easy is now available at Sun Plan 399. Aside from that, they're throwing in an even shorter holding period from the previous 30 months, the Alcatel Scribe Easy plan is now available for 18 months holding period. If that ain't crazy, they're throwing in a FREEBIE. A brand new spanking FREE Alcatel 10.11d with it. Plus, there's no incremental line subscription required. If that ain't enough, they've got more!

There's more than one of these great phones on their shelves. They're offering the Alcatel Pop D3 in a much cheaper price too, just tons of savings! Imagine, from the original Plan 399, the new Alcatel Pop D3 is now available at Sun Plan 350. Aside from that, they're also offering it under a 30 month holding period. It's so affordable, pretty good for students and kids who just want to have their first Android phone. Isn't that nice? I know! Well there's more!

If you want two or more family members to benefit from your plan, why not take the O+ 8.31z + O+ Pad 7.3 bundle. They're putting in a shorter holding period offer so you don't have to worry anymore. Better call and text plans, even those for other networks. This bundle was originally offered under a 30 month holding plan but now, you can get the O+ Sun Bundle (that includes O+ 8.31z + O+ Pad 7.3) at Sun Plan 600 + P49 as amortization under a short 18 month holding plan instead. You can give the phone to your son, you can give the tablet to your daughter. They really think of your family when packing things together. I love that part. If you want to learn more, you can check out Sun Cellular's website here. 

Now, there's no more excuse why you shouldn't have Sun Cellular as your line of choice. Why settle for less when you can have more free stuff in a shorter amount of time. It's all given to you by the good choice in mobile networks, that's Sun Cellular! Hurry and order via their Sun Online Store here!

For more information about their services:

Sun Cellular PH

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http://suncellular.com.ph/