Tired of your Globe Tattoo????

If ever I'd get invited to a globe event, I hope they won't be able to read this, haha. Well, I am a globe tattoo user as well, but as a good friend of mine commented, service got poorer each day. Thus he devised a way to unlock his tattoo and use his Sun for most places in Manila, and Smart for others (mostly provincial). Here is what Patrick wrote in his facebook about unlocking your tattoo:

I am, and I have given up. I was initially happy having an own prepaid wireless connection saving me from the waiting for the internet connection in the house that I won't be able to use. Unfortunately, that excitement easily went away when Globe is only reporting to me with GPRS connection and I can only browse sites at speeds slower than dial-up speeds.

A friend of mine has been recommending Sun Broadband then but I am a bit skeptical with Sun knowing he has worked there (am I right? He he he) so it might be another marketing ploy that I get easily fooled with. On the verge of selling my Globe Broadband Tattoo kit at a cheaper (lugi) price, I researched if it's possible to unlock my Globe Tattoo modem and use another provider with it. There were some blog sites but they are full of motherhood statements saying it is possible but didn't say how. After going through links and pages, I finally found the page that allowed me to use my Globe Tattoo device with another provider. Here are the steps (based from the Globe Tattoo software):

Wow Speeds!

1) Know your device make and IMEI. The device information is found at the back of the modem or in your software, go to Tools->Diagnostics. You will see the device IMEI there.

2) Go to this site. Provide your IMEI and Huawei device model. If your device is not Huawei, stop here and browse the forums or somewhere else that can unlock your modem. Wait for minutes, hours (at most) for a reply for the unlock code for your device. People there are generous so just be patient.

3) This could be step 0 but I'll place it here. Go to a Sun Shop, buy a Sun Wireless Broadband SIM card for only 50 pesos. This is pre-loaded with 5 hours internet. Since it would be bitin, buy also a 100 Wireless Broadband Prepaid card. Specify that you're looking for the Wireless Broadband Prepaid card.

4) Insert the Sun sim card (or Smart) in the device. The device will prompt you for an unlock code. Provide the code in #2. You have 10 tries before busting the device. Luckily, I got mine at the first try.

5) Once unlocked, it is unlocked! You can now use any wireless provider aside from the despicable Globe Tattoo connection.

Of course, the signal is there but you need the settings right?

Sun Wireless Broadband

APN: minternet

Dial Number *99#

Smart Buddy

APN: internet

Dial Number *99#

With this information, I am taking the risk that many people would follow this route and at the same time flood the network of Sun. Who cares, I am happy with the service and I guess others should experience the same too. When I was in CDO, Globe is slower than Smart. Sad, I was only able to buy a Smart SIM card on my last day in CDO. I spent Php180 on Globe for a connection that hangs and I am automatically charged 5 pesos for that.

Goodbye Globe, Hello Sun and Smart!

Philips Bandwidth and the FullSound experience

Philips is now again making noise with their launching of The Philips Bandwidth Virtual Battle of The Bands.

The contest is meant to help unsigned bands take full advantage of the new digital multimedia technology in sharing their music with the rest of the music community.

How? Lemme summarize... Your band... two original songs... Philips Youtube channel. Simple enough? So, join now!

(What about a blogger band group where I can play my triangle or my egg shaker? C'mon!!! Ewik tara! ).

The contest will be judged by DJ Francis Reyes (NU107.5 & The dawn), Cookie Chua (Color it Red), and Raimund Marasigan (Sandwich). All three will mentor the final crop of bands before the finals. Grand prize winer will take home 50,000 Php worth of cash ad prizes.

For more information, please do visit the Bandwidth website.

FullSoud

Philips FullSound brings CD listening to MP3, fuller bass with greater depth and impact, restored sense of spaciousness that is lacking in compressed audio, and enhanced sound precision and detail.

I've experienced this with my free Philips GoGear Spark. Though they say, to fully experience FullSound, (at its max) you gotta have high definition headset. Philips supplies superior quality earphones with each FullSound GoGear player. Designed to follow the curvature of the human ear, its ergonomic design enables exquisite noise isolation, as well as being very comfortable to wear (calling Philips, can I have one!!??? kidding).

But of course, GoGear Spark is just one in the Philips GoGear collection. You've got the LUXE, Aria, Muse, Opus, Vibe, the Raga and the Mix. The Aria ad the Opus are my personal fave.

I've let one friend use my Spark , and this is what she has to say:

I am not so much into gadgets. Give me one electronic gadget and I would not even go into studying its features. But there is one thing that I am into, and that is music.

With so many gadgets being sold in the market, fickle-minded people like me are, indeed, challenged when it comes to choosing the right item to suit our needs. Take MP3 players, for instance. There’s Zune from Microsoft, the iPod from Apple, there’s the Zen from Creative, then there’s Go Gear Spark from Philips.

What attracted me to the Go Gear Spark was the size of their smaller devices. What I have is the 4GB, and it’s handy and lightweight and can actually be worn hanging from the neck. The metal lining as well as the black backing material gives it a sleek classy finish. The screen, which is actually also a control pad which works by pressing the edges, makes it easy to navigate through the selection. This feature gives it an edge over the iPod Shuffle. And there is, of course, the Philips brand, which signifies quality.

I guess one might say that Zune is actually better than the iPod Shuffle or that people would rather go for a Go Gear Spark than a Zen. I’d say, your needs determine the type of player for you. For people like me who are always on the go and want it simple and quick, without needing the use of a software, a Go Gear would be the best choice.

Philips Spark

Sound: 9 out of 10 (Helloooo???! It has FullSound!)

Interface/ Design: 8.5 out of 10

PC compatibility: 10 (has plug and play feature and works just like your regular USB/ external memory stick)

Controls: 8 out of 10 (you press the edge of the screen which makes buttons unecessary, really sleek! No more dirt being caught i betwee buttons - libag galore ito, haha)

Menu: 7.5 (sobrang user friendly, parang ayaw ko pahiram sa younger brother ko)

Portable: 9 out of 10 (it needs only an arm band, and it's perfect for jogging/ running and working out in the gym)

So there you go peeps!

For music lovers out there. I bid you to try any of the GoGear collection (and look for the FullSound logo).

Till my next gadget rave!!!!

Peace out!