Lazada Exclusive Cubix Cube initial look - cheapest phone with 2GB RAM

As more and more companies are joining the Android bandwagon, it is only to be expected that better specced phones are being offered for lower prices. This was initially introduced by local brands like myPhone and Cherry Mobile, but in recent months, even notable brands like Asus, Acer, Huawei, and Xiaomi have thrown their names into the hat, making the mid-range market an even more competitive market. This, definitely benefits us, the consumers. 

Not to let themselves get lost in the race is Cherry Mobile, who, after being part of the Android One initiative with myPhone a few months back launched two mobile phones to look forward to: The Cubix Cube, which is an online exclusive via Lazada, and the Flare X.

Here's a quick specification overview of the Cubix Cube:

Cubix Cube specs:
5-inch HD IPS On-Cell display, 1280 x 720 @294ppi
1.4Ghz MediaTek MT6592M octa-core processor
ARM Mali-450MP4
2GB RAM
Expandable 16GB internal storage
Supports up to 64GB MicroSD card
13MP rear camera w/ LED flash
5MP front
Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby
3G HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS
2,000mAh battery

The first thing that pops out to me is the RAM. Cherry Mobile [along with other local handset brands] have released Octacore phones to much fanfare since last year. It is only now that someone upped the ante by raising the memory from the typical 1GB to 2GB. This helps out greatly in multitasking and memory intensive applications, which would mean that it would be a much smoother Android experience for the user. 

The screen is a pleasant surprise, as it is a 5-inch, IPS display, which guarantees fairly good viewing angles. Although it should be noted that none of the reference materials regarding this model indicates that this is a scratch-proof solution a la Gorilla Glass, so no practicing of car keys or dropping is recommended.

Internal storage is a pleasant surprise, as 16GB is an ample storage for your initial experience, allowing you to install many apps without worry that the internal space would run out, the latter being a common problem with budget smartphones. To help further, storage is expandable via the microSD slot [up to 64GB].

Not all is rosy out here though, as the glossy back cover attracts fingerprints and smudges. Also, some people might consider the dilemma that this phone does not have LTE, but that should only be an issue if you rely on data connectivity a lot and if your location has a good LTE signal. HSPA+ is fairly decent for the most part. Lastly would be the battery, which seem to be a bit on the low end at only 2000mAH. It would be interesting to see how optimized the software is to maximize the limited battery.

Pros:
- octa-core processor
- high RAM [2GB]
- good GPU
- good, clear display [HD IPS]
- default internal storage at 16GB [vs. typical budget phone storage of 2-8 GB]

Cons:
- battery is quite low for a relatively high-octane device
- glossy back cover is prone to fingerprint smudges
- no LTE [limited to HSPA+]

All-in-all, I think it is a very good deal considering the plusses it brings to the table, and for the price [P4,490]. It is a great offer to be had if you're looking for a new phone with decent specs without breaking your budget.

If you're looking at getting one, you can get it on this link, since as noted above, it is a Lazada exclusive item: Cherry Mobile Cubix Cube

Are flagship phones still worth their price?

It seemed like only a few years ago that in order for one to get top-of-the-line specs and features, you'd have to really break the bank [see: P30,000-P40,000] to get it. Big time manufacturers like Samsung, Sony, LG, and HTC have made a lucrative business out of selling what they term as the best of the best, with various selling points: larger HD screens, more memory, higher processor, more processor cores, long battery life, better camera, etc. From hardware specs, to unique, although sometimes gimmicky features, manufacturers seem to keep on putting every bell and whistle in the book everytime a flagship is announced.

For the past year or so, though, local brands and manufacturers like Asus, Huawei, and ZTE have tilted the landscape quite a bit, by offering either a "close enough" experience to just flat out flagship experience for a fraction of the cost. From Cherry Mobile offering an annual iteration of their Flare series to myPhone countering with their Rio line, more and more people are getting the opportunity to have a great Android experience. 

For me, it started when Asus released their first Zenfone line which was received warmly and was given glowing reviews by most users. Now, even an international brand is starting the trend, and raises the question: Why break your budget when you can get this for something that would not dent your budget as much?

The Asus Zenfone 5 changed a lot of perception about mid-range priced smartphones.

This year, the argument is even more heated as other manufacturers like OnePlus, Asus, and Huawei upped their game. Even the local brands, which used to lord the budget smartphone market are in for a fight, and it seems to me that they are responding with enticing offers of their own.

As of today, Cherry Mobile has done a Lazada-exclusive release of the Cubix Cube, which I think is the cheapest smartphone in the market to sport an octa-core processor AND 2GB of RAM for only P4,490. Partner that with a discount code from Lazada [which depending on the date, may range from 200 to 500 pesos], and you can get this as low as P4,000. Really good deal, if you're not too brand conscious. Of course, there are caveats like a relatively small battery, and/or camera performance which is passable, but not eye popping. Then again, for the price, it's a tempting option.

Lazada-exclusive offer from Cherry Mobile

New brands such as SKK, Firefly and the like are releasing their own models to take their share of the smartphone market. Here are some phones which are worth a peep. Some have already been released, while some are just on the to-be-released phase, which should be within the next month or two.

SKK Lynx
Cherry Mobile Flare X
Firefly Allure 64 LTE
myPhone Rio 2
Huawei Honor 4X
Asus Zenfone 2

Surely, some of these phones don't have some "flagship exclusive" features like fingerprint readers, NFC, 4K video recording and display, but then again, these are mostly add-ons which you can live without for the most part [and even some of these features are now offered by these other brands].

Final Thoughts

While I think that flagship phones are still here to stay, with all the reveal events, press conferences, and the hype trains to ride along with, but the average joe should not feel too left out as more and more well-specced phones enter the market to grab their share of the smartphone pie. 

There is also the question of durability and quality control on these other local brands, which scares off some potential buyers. That's up to these brands to improve on, with their repair lead times, and after sales service, but for the actual devices themselves, they are looking pretty good and have caught up quite nicely with the top-tier counterparts.

Prove Them Wrong - Inspirational and Motivational Video

Oftentimes, we have people who whisper to us, and maybe even tell us flat out that we can't do it. What's troubling is that most of us give power or credence to what others say and we end up paralyzed and get stuck with what they say as our limits. It is time we turn it around and prove people wrong. Be strong and get it done.

Stephen Curry wins 2014-2015 NBA MVP

In what was anticipated to be a tight race among MVP candidates, Warriors point guard Steph Curry emerged victorious. Curry is named the NBA's Most Valuable Player after leading the Golden State Warriors to a franchise record 67 wins during the regular season.

The cream rose to the top as the voting results were released, showing Curry as a runaway winner for the award. He received 100 of a possible 130 first place votes to win by a landslide after a season of filled with debates between Curry and Harden, who led the Rockets to the West's 2nd seed.

Listed below are the top 5 for the MVP race:

1. Stephen Curry - 1,198 points [100 first place votes]
2. James Harden - 936 points [25 first place votes]
3. LeBron James - 552 points [5 first place votes]
4. Russell Westbrook - 352 points
5. Anthony Davis - 203 points

Half-off for Jollibee Champ and Papa John's Pizzas today for Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown

Thinking of what to eat for the Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown? Two options are volunteering themselves to be part of your experience. 

Jollibee is offering their Champ [regular Champ, Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Champ, Amazing Aloha Champ] at 50% off on all branches, just for today, May 3, 2015.

Here's the ad I captured from their instagram feed:

Also, Papa John's is offering 50% off selected 14-inch pizzas for today. Here's what I found from their Facebook page [thanks to friend Jello Laloon for the tip]:

Are there other food places that are offering discounted food for today, or in the upcoming days/weeks? Share them! :)

Jon Jones stripped of UFC Light Heavyweight Title; replaced at UFC 187

Jon "Bones" Jones has been officially stripped of his UFC Light Heavyweight title.

UFC president Dana White announced on Fox Sports 1 on Tuesday that the company had stripped Jones of the belt and suspended him indefinitely, only two days after Jones allegedly fled the scene of an auto accident in Albuquerque, N.M.

Daniel Cormier, who recently lost to Jones at UFC 182, will take his place and fight Anthony "Rumble" Johnson for the title stripped from Jones. It was noted that it would not be an interim championship belt as initially thought of. The winner will be the full champion and not the interim title-holder.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-strips-jon-jones-of-title--daniel-cormier-to-face-anthony-johnson-for-belt-040233974-mma.html

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Official Teaser Trailer #2

How to download Youtube videos with no 3rd party software

At home, when I am watching some Youtube videos which I like to share, or at the very least, like to play on a bigger screen television, I normally use software like YTD downloader or other similar programs which allows you to extract the video and download it, and store on your computer for offline viewing. That's all well and dandy, but how about if you're outside, or at a public computer and you'd want to do the same?

Normally, as the set-up in most internet cafes, public libraries or other public computers, downloading, installing or running executable files may not be possible. So far, I have only found one alternative which may be helpful if you ever find yourself in a similar plight: wanting to download a video for later viewing, but not having the option to do so.

You can go to http://en.savefrom.net/ and input the video's URL and it would attempt to generate a download link for you for all the available qualities for the said video for you to choose.

Be wary, though, of the buttons to click, as some buttons are actually ads which lead to other third party websites.

ZTE/Lazada has another sale on hand

This coming 12/12, Lazada is hosting another sale of a ZTE mobile phone which would once again surely cause the site to slow down [or if the last sale was any indication, go offline for a few minutes]. 

Based on the ad itself, the specs are 2010-2011 worthy, but cheap phones are cheap phones and this would surely sell.

How to wrap presents without tape or ribbon

I just found this while browsing through YouTube and I found it too cool to not share. 

Wrapping presents but you're currently out of tape or ribbons? No tape, no problem! One can do it origami-style.

It takes a bit of time to do, but should help in a pinch.

How to get a TIN (Taxpayer's Identification Number) ID

These days, a valid ID is essential in transacting with banks, and other offices. A school ID just doesn't suffice anymore, and since our company changed IDs, that too, is no longer enough. Looking around, I ventured out to get myself some valid identification.

I've been working for eight years but for the most part have gotten by using my company ID for identification. Due to security purposes, though, our company changed to a format without signatures on and much info on the ID card, which made it necessary for me to go through with the process of getting proper identification. Necessity = mother of invention, or in my case, mother of action.

Here's how I got my TIN ID:

Since I got my TIN from my employer, I was advised to proceed to our Regional District Office [RDO 050], which is in Makati [5th floor, Atrium Building, Makati Avenue]. I went there early, I was there before 8AM, since I expected it to be a long and drawn out process [as with most, if not all government requests, hah!].

My number was called [I was number two], and was asked to fill-up a small form, with the basics, you would need to know your TIN as they would check if it is a valid number beforehand. Once done, you would be asked to wait for your name to be called.

It is fortunate for me that the BIR in Makati had a fairly spacious office, with airconditioning, so waiting was not a big inconvenience. Coming in early was a big plus, I'm guessing as I did not have to contend with a lot of people in line. I had my name called roughly 45 minutes later. I had my ID and confirmed my details before leaving.

It was a basic card where you need to put your own picture, and laminate. Pretty good, it only took me an hour for a valid ID, with no cost incurred outside of the fare to travel to the BIR office. Awesome, if you ask me, and it includes address, and one's date of birth on the ID itself.

Disney Reveals New Cars 3, Incredibles 2, and additional Star Wars episode 7 details

Robert Iger confirmed during Walt Disney Co.'s annual shareholders meeting that the two sequels from Pixar Animation Studios are in the works and will be released sometime after 2015.

Mr. Iger also revealed a few more details regarding the company's highly anticipated seventh "Star Wars" movie, scheduled to come out late 2015. It was said that it will take place 30 years after Episode 6: Return of the Jedi, and will feature "some very familiar faces along wtih a trio of new young lead". No cast members have been confirmed yet, but the movie is scheduled to start shooting in May.

Source: Disney Reveals Incredibles 2 and Cars 3
　

How to Turn off In-App Purchases in Android Devices

1.)    Open the Google Play Store app.

2.)    Select “Menu” and then “Settings”.

3.)    Look under “User Controls” and select the option to “Set or Change PIN”.

4.)    Enter your preferred code twice and make sure to check the box next to “Use PIN for Purchases”. This would ensure that no one would accidentally spend money inside apps without knowing the passcode.

How to Speed up Data Transfer to/from a USB flash drive

You might have noticed slow copy speeds with some USB flash drives. There is a tweak which helps in increasing the speed or giving a speed boost to USB-based storage.

By enabling this tweak, the write caching option in windows will be enabled.

• Plug in your USB Drive.
• Then Open My Computer> right-click on your USB Drive >click Properties.
• Select your USB drive Under Hardwares and choose Properties.
• You will see a dialog box saying ” Optimize for quick removal”.This option is selected by default.
• Select “Optimize for Performance”option.
• Now, remove USB drive and plug it again.
• Copy some files from the drive to your system or vice-versa. You should be able to notice a slight improvement in data transfer

Word of Warning: If you decide to enable this option in Windows, make sure you use the safely remove hardware option in windows each time you remove the flash drive from Windows. If not, you might encounter errors with the drive. This tweak is not designed to give exceptional speed improvements, it will come in handy while copying a large chunk of files.

How to View Up to Four Apps At Once in Windows 8.1′s Modern UI

 

One of the best new features of Windows 8.1 is the ability to split your Modern UI screen between up to four apps, and with the Windows 8.1 update, you can now open and snap apps side by side for efficient multitasking. The function is still limited by your screen resolution — you get a window for each 500px horizontally on your machine. This means that if your device’s native resolution is 1920 x 1080, you can only have 3 side-by-side apps [3 x 500=1500 pixels]. For those with 1366 x 768, you're still stuck with 2 apps at the same time.

But even then, default display settings can prevent you from using more than two windows concurrently. If your screen resolution is at least 1500 pixels-wide, here’s how to make sure you are using the right settings to open up to four apps at once.

1. Type “Display” anywhere on your live tile home page. This brings up a search for “Display”.
2. Tap “Display Settings” from the results on the right.
3. Hit the dropdown arrow under More Options.
4. Select Smaller if you see that option. If your only other option is Larger, your device is already set to its widest resolution.

You should see your content decrease in size, and have more tiles on the Start screen at once. Now you’re ready to snap as many apps side by side as your device will allow.

TWC Provides Free Phone Calls to Philippines

Time Warner Cable announced on November 12 that all calls placed by its' Home Phone and Business Service customers to landline and mobile numbers in the Philippines will be free through November 30, and is retroactive for all calls placed since November 8. This service will help our customers in the Filipino-American community keep in touch with family and friends impacted by Typhoon Yolanda, international name, Haiyan.

TWC Phone customers who make calls to the Philippines during the eligible time period do not need to make any changes to their accounts. Customers who were charged on or after November 8 will automatically be credited.

In addition, Time Warner Cable has made The Filipino Channel available at no additional cost to digital TV subscribers through November 15, 2013 to help customers better connect to news and information about Typhoon Yolanda recovery efforts.

New Facebook Game has people going with different statuses

The past two days has been a bit crazy in Facebook with seemingly a lot of people having something to confess or getting married or something seemingly innocent. So, you comment, or like the status only to find out that you've been baited into a game. You receive a private message with the instructions, and just like chain messages an era ago, the message spreads as more and more friends join in. Well, it has been a full two days and it seems like everyone's wondering as to what's up. Note though that I have no idea as to who originated the game and as to who was Victim 0 in this setting:

Here's the message I received after I posted a seemingly innocent observation on one such comment:

It's a game. At dahil nag like/comment ka kasali ka na eto yung rules: The person who likes/comments has to choose one of the following to post on his/her timeline. 1. I've been in 42 relationships 2. I think I like someone, what should I do? 3. My mom arranged me for a blind date 4. Someone invited me to be a prostitute, what should I do? 5. I forgot to wear my underwear today 6. I am going to confess something, support me 7. I still love my ex. 8. We are getting married in a few days. Note: you should not explain anything, just post and leave it for at least a day.

My own post garnered 180+ likes, which I found to be crazy. Am I really getting that old that people are so happy that I'm finally settling down? Hehee.

Free XBox Games on Windows 8

Still on the fence as to what to actually do with Windows 8? As Microsoft starts to expand the XBox brand to go beyond just the console itself and its games and more into other infrastructures [XBox Video, XBox Music, and Xbox Games for Windows at the moment] to better cope with the changing preferences of the computing public. People may still not like the whole Metro/Modern UI, but for casual users, the various apps available in the Windows 8 store would definitely get to suit a lot of people's needs.

As with The Gunstringer being made free for a limited time last January, the Windows 8 app store is providing a few more XBox games for free. Previously included as paid apps, it is time to grab these free goodies while they're free. One might think that these are piss poor apps, but these are Miniclip-made games, and Miniclip has done a great job of porting their games from the browser to the various mobile platforms. In particular, I've been playing Gravity Guy when it was earlier released for Android and the transition to this new platform has been seemless.

Since these games are included as XBox Games for Windows, these also include the standard 200 gamerscore for achievements, so that's an extra incentive for players to boost their gamerscore-slash-bragging rights a bit.

Included below is the screenshot for reference. One can access these games through the Store app, and/or the Games app on your Windows 8 Start Screen.

The Gunstringer free for Windows 8 until January 28 PST

Using Windows 8 but has not found too many games to play with [at least, for free]? It has been reported that Temple Run would soon be ported to Windows 8, but while waiting for the smash hit from Imangi Studios, there's another game that deserves some attention. 

The Gunstringer is currently available for Windows 8 users and for free until January 28 PST. Go back to the Wild West as you go off on a dead run to complete the story mode, or when you're more up to it, the endless run mode. 

Also, it should be noted that Windows Live/XBox users can get additional gamerscore [although its quite low compared to regular XBox titles] by getting achievements in-game.

For more information, here's the game description from the publisher themselves:

Hit the trail at a dead run as you race through three sprawling Wild West locations and 15 levels as the Gunstringer, the legendary skeleton cowboy marionette bent on vengeance. But as the ol’ saying goes—if you climb in the saddle, be ready for the ride! Avoid deadly obstacles, take aim in fast-action shootin’ challenges, collect tasty loot, and battle outlaws—all while being pursued by the hands of Hell!

Complete the level-driven Story mode, and then challenge friends for braggin’ rights and loot payouts in three Endless Run levels. Exchange hard-earned loot for new customization options such as weapons, power-ups, and more to aid in the Gunstringer’s quest for the evil bandit!

I gave it a go yesterday in one of our work crashboxes and I was hooked. Time flew by and it is not just about running, since it adds a slight wrinkle to the genre, where you need to properly time your shots at certain parts of the game. 

In-game currency is either gold coins or the premium diamonds [which you can buy in-game]. You can unlock the various powerups and customizations without having to fork over real dough, which is always a welcome plus. 

So if you're on Windows 8, this is a must-grab especially while it's free.

Weekend Adventure - Shaw to Cubao

It was the end of a work week and I was walking out of the office building to make my way home. It was 5AM on a dark, cool, Saturday morning and I had nothing in the books for the day, so I decided to do something I haven't done in awhile. In fact, the last time I did it was back when I was still in Eastwood, during the first quarter of 2012. I had my earphones on hand, so it was on.

I walked home from Shaw Boulevard to our house in Cubao.

I checked my phone and it showed 5:27AM. I plugged in my earphones and fired up the music player and I was on my way. Since it was an unplanned trip, I didn't know which way to go aside from go straight. Little did I know that there were detours I needed to go through [I jaywalked once (while crossing Ortigas Avenue), and was on the side of the road instead of the sidewalk on the road from Megamall to Robinson's Galleria]. I took some photos on the way, more like checkpoints as I go. It helps that one of my photo apps have the option to add timestamps.

 Taken as I was approaching Robinson's Galleria, Ortigas

I've made it to EDSA Shrine. A group of people was gathered to say the rosary and i slipped and fell while trying to find a restroom. Nonetheless, on to the journey at hand.

 

Corinthian Gardens. Shortly after passing Ortigas Avenue, this is the first landmark I saw so I took a moment and snapped this picture.

 

 The EDSA People Power monument, roughly a kilometer from the EDSA shrine found in EDSA corner White Plains Avenue, Quezon City.

It was a little past 6 AM while I was making my way to the Santolan MRT station. Good deal, two stations down, one more to go.

Not having eaten for the past 6+ hours and having forgotten to take along a drink, I decided to stop by Minute Burger for a quick bite. Man, these places are few and far between. I used to remember eating at either Minute Burger or Burger Machine during high school. Angel's Burger is just meh compared to the heyday of Burger Machine [they even had commercials with the Eraserheads song in it].

 The last picture I took around EDSA before I took a detour at Main Avenue and made my way towards SM Cubao and on to our house near Aurora Boulevard.

Just a little past 7AM and the Araneta Center and SM Cubao is within reach.

I reached home at around 7:15AM, clocking in at roughly 1 hour and 45 minutes including the burger break I took when I was near home stretch. I'll try mapping my route a bit better next time since I definitely don't want to jaywalk, and I'd like to keep myself more on the sidewalks with all the buses zipping by.