Friday, December 12, 2008

YouTube In October 2008

Would you like to know how many online videos Internet users in the States watched in YouTube? According to October 2008 date from comScore Video Metrix Service, a total of 13.5 billion… yup, billion videos were viewed by users in the States. That is quite a staggering figure.


YouTube accounted for around 98% of total videos viewed, followed by Fox Interactive Media with 520 million videos (3.8 percent). Yahoo! Sites accounted for 2.7% or 363 million followed by Viacom Digital at 2.3% or 305 million video. Hulu, a joint venture of NBC and Fox featuring full-length broadcast TV programs, ranked sixth with 235 million videos viewed (1.7 percent).

These figures are from the recent data released by the comScore Video Metrix service last December 9, 2008.

Other findings showed that the average online video viewer watched 274 minutes of video. A total of 99.5 million viewers watched 5.3 billion videos on YouTube.com with an average of 53.2 videos per viewer.
Me? Not even five minutes of YouTube. I really spend more minutes at Facebook or Friendster or Yahoo Sports!

Just read that LA Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns!


And tonight, Chief and I will watch "IyoTube" at Bubble Gang. Last week, we really had a blast as they featured "Macarena."

Friday, December 5, 2008

Six Degrees by Kevin


Yesterday morning, we were catching snippets of “The Today Show” on cable (Channel 19). And we saw Kevin Bacon collecting gifts and toys from the live audience that gathered at Rockefeller Plaza, New York. And later being interviewed by the hosts, Matt Lauer, Meredith Viera, Al Roker and Ann Curry.

Ann asked Kevin about his social networking site called Six Degrees. Kevin said that this site reaches out to hundreds of charity organizations around the globe. I had written about social networking sites before in my column at the Manila Times and through my research, I had learned that SixDegrees.org links people to charities.

In this morning’s episode, Kevin was promoting his latest movie, “Frost/Nixon” where he plays Jack Brennan. The film directed by Ron Howard (remember, Richie Cunningham of Happy Days?). This film version of a Broadway play about the relationship of broadcaster David Frost (played by Michael Sheen) and former US president, Richard Nixon (Frank Langella).

Maybe, next time, Chief and I are in the East Coast, we can wake up early enough to catch the live broadcast of the show! Hopefully!

But these words are about Kevin’s online presence through six degrees.com which reaches out to people who have more in life to share with the majority who have less. Am sure there are many more portals that use technology to share life’s blessings with others.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

79 million watched

Like many other Filipinos, I was tuned in online eagerly awaiting the results of the US elections last Friday, 05 November 2008. Incidentally, that was also a significant day for Chief and myself. We had a dinner date at Le Maison, Greenbelt 5.

When I came to work that Friday morning, the TV was tuned in to CNN.

According to Nielsen, in a story by Michael Learmonth
published in Ad Age, cable news led the regular broadcast networks in keeping audience informed about the election. Even both Colbert and Stewart appeared in a joint program on election date (which we caught a reply last night).

Research showed that on that day, CNN had an average of 13.1 million viewers. Those numbers are just slightly ahead of more ABC which had 13.2 million. I wish I had data to share between kapuso and kapamilya.

Nearly 79 million people eagerly awaited the winner between Obama and McCain. According to Nielsen, these numbers are much much higher than four years ago (59 million), when Bush “won” his second term over John Kerry.


Can you imagine how many watched Sarah Palin on NBS’s “Saturday Night Live?”

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Ragnarok Championships at WTC

Am scribbling from the World Trade Center for the Ragnarok World Championships, organized by Level-up and sponsored by my partner of choice, Yahoo! In the coupe of games I, together with the thousand of gamers I have seen, Team Indonsia defeated Team France in two games.

And I few minites ago, Team Philippines lost to Team Thailand.

Am I gamer? Hmmmmmmm. Time Crisis is probably the closest I will get to a game. hehehe But I did get one of those plug-in weapons for my PS2. And with a new big Samsung flat-screen TV at home, I can further enjoy my game.

But am a BIG online gaming fan... and have a few posters. When I was with another agency, I attended the "Domination" Event by eGames and now, here at the Level-up Event for Yahoo Philippines.

My thesis students are also here, helping out. Justine. Ging. Jaime. Aina.
plus a couple of junion students, Jenna, John and Claire.

Predictions? Maybe, Team Korea will win later?

Monday, September 29, 2008

Eagle Eye

Last Sunday, I was home alone, And caught up with Shia LaBeouf’s presence at Greenbelt 1 Cinema. Many will remember as Henry Jones III, aka Mutt Williams, the son of Dr. Jones in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” It was reported that Shia was so excited to be in this movie that he signed on without reading the script. He also did not know what character he would play.

He also played Sam Witwicky in the Michael Bay’s 2007 version of “Transformers” which is one of my all-time favorite movies. But did you know that one of Shia’s early appearances was in a 1999 episode of “X-Files.”

Photo of Shia with Michael Bay from "Transformers" taken in Detroit, Michigan on October 3, 2006 by Brandy Baker for The Detroit News.

“Eagle Eye” was more than an eye-opener for me in terms of how technology could probably not work for the common good. There had been similar movies before wherein the bad guys were a super computer…. in this case, ARIA. Remember, “2001 Space Odyssey?

ARIA takes control of the lives Jerry Shaw (Shia LaBeouf) and Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan). And through the movie takes the country hostage by simply evesdropping on everyone. Isn’t that true today? Just look at all the video cameras or CCTVs installed in public places. Movie poster image from www.eagleeyemovie.com/

Remember, we can all be easily monitored. A chip or sim card that carries information is always “backed-up” somewhere. Plus all the iPhones and Blackberries we carry always emit signals. There a line in the movie, “Take out the batteries” so ARIA couldn’t track down our heroes.

Later in the movie, we find out that ARIA has decided that the executive branch of the US be killed as these officials have become a threat to the existence of the country. But I doubt that would happen? Some one like John just easily pull the plug out of a super computer? Or John McClane (Bruce Willis) could blast this computer to pieces? The 4th movie of Die Hard also had tech skew… hackers.

But if you just want a couple of hours of car chases and crashes like “Die Hard with a vengeance,” this movie is worth a bucket of popcorn specially if one is home alone on a weekend like me.

And next time, you turn on your mobile phone or laptop, just think, maybe somebody is watching or listening? Maybe, carabao eye?

Friday, September 26, 2008

Yahoo getting AOL?

Last 24 September 2008, Ad Age.com run a story by Abbey Klaassen about Yahoo new Ad Platform. A few questions popped out for Jerry Yang, specially related to Yahoo's interest in AOL from Time Warner.

Below are excerpts from the Ad Age story.

Does Yahoo need AOL?
The San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News are using the platform, which is built on the bones of the Right Media Exchange. Apt is a networked version of an ad-serving system and lets both Yahoo and the papers sell ads across it. The system will be rolled out to the rest of Yahoo's newspaper consortium members through the year and to advertisers and agencies in 2009. (The consortium lets Yahoo sell across newspaper sites and allows newspapers to sell Yahoo's inventory.) It's a big undertaking -- essentially going against category leader DoubleClick as well as the WPP Group-owned 24/7 Right Media and Microsoft's Atlas ad-serving platform.

So does Yahoo need such an acquisition as AOL to make its ad platform work?

Answered Mr. Yang: "My view is that we are in an extraordinary time, where if you look at Yahoo and look at our consumer reach, it's at an all-time high. We feel our consumers are engaged in Yahoo in a way that's at an all-time high. We are busy developing industry-type platforms, not just those that work for Yahoo but those that work for everybody. I think our road ahead on our own is very, very compelling."

OK, so Yahoo doesn't need to make any acquisitions?

"Well my point," he said, "would be that, to the extent there are opportunities to enhance our leadership and strategy, we have to look at them. That's my job and the board's job. But I will say these rumors with AOL have been out there for a long time so there's nothing changed on that perspective."

Working with EON and one of the partner of choice of Yahoo here in the Philippines, I hope to one day meet the Yahoo CEO. At least Andrei met co-founder David Filo in Sunnyvale, California a couple of weeks ago, when developers got together

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Got our iPhone

Yahoo, I finally got my iPhone yesterday. It was a few weeks wait and negotiating with Globe. Being a Platinum member since 2001 helped clinch the phone.

Almost businessman or professional has seen those TVCs on the cable networks. Probably, read all the news and heard the hype built around the new multimedia smartphone with a sleek multi-touch screen and a minimal hardware interface, bundled with Wi-Fi connectivity and all other tools of business connectivity.

It also functions as camera phone and portable media player, just like an iPod.

The iPhone was first announced on January 9, 2007 and was initially introduced in the United States on June 29, 2007. According to news reports, it sold around 270,000 units within 30 hours. That year, it was also named Time magazine's Invention of the Year.

Last July 2008, iPhone 3G was introduced and a few weeks ago, hundreds of Filipinos has their first touch of the iPhone 3G unit.

For the next few days, Chief and I will discover how technology will work for us,

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Visa and Facebook

Facebook, Friendster, LinkedInMultiply and other social networks will surely benefit from the rise in advertising expenditures and business users in social networks.

According to eMarketer, advertisers in the US this year will spend $40 million to reach a business audience on online social networks,



And this ad spending will reach $210 million in 2012.

Partnerships have started on-line too. Facebook last June 2008 signed a deal with Visa
which created an application called Visa Business Network. This targeted small businesses on one of the leading business-skewed social networks. Which remined me that I have to check on my Facebook account.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Teaching technology works

One of the many ways technology works is when companies reach out to young minds. One of these tech companies is Cisco... and their program, Cisco Networking Academy.



Today, Cisco Systems, Inc., based in San Jose, California, has more than 60,000 employees and is one of the world’s leading technology company.

It’s range of business solutions include such brand names like Cisco, Linksys, WebEx, IronPort, and Scientific Atlanta.

How did the company get its name? It was derived from a famous city which Chief and I visited last year. Yup, San Francisco.

The company was founded in 1984 by Len Bosack and Sandy Lerner, a married couple. Both worked in computer operations staff at Stanford University and was later joined by Richard Troiano.

Cisco was the first company to successfully sell routers supporting multiple network protocols. The company became public in 1990.

Today, thousands of young minds benefits from online courses, interactive tools, and lab activities through the Cisco Learning Academy. Many hope to become certifications from Cisco, which jumpstarts their career here and abroad in various ICT positions in virtually every type of industry.

This program is celebrating the beginning of its 10th year of success. You can visit this website https://www.academynetspace.com/

Photos from www.cisco.com

Saturday, July 19, 2008

12 million on-line videos viewed!

The digital world continues to expand in numbers and figures as more Americans viewed 12 billion videos online last May 2008. According to comScore, Fox Interactive Media gained an increase in market share on videos viewed at MySpace.com

May 2008 data from the comScore Video Metrix service, reported an increase of 45% from last year. Our guess is a good as mine as which site accounted for more video viewed. Google sites had most videos viewed with 4.2 billion videos. I can’t imagine how many on-line hours that translates to. This represented 35% of all videos viewed.

Yup, YouTube.com accounted for more than 98% of all video viewed. The first videos were probably uploaded around February 2005, when three former Paypal employees (Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim) created YouTube. It is estimated around 100 million vidoes are hosted on their website! And growing every hour with around ten hours of video uploaded every minute.

In second place is Fox Interactive. They had 778 million videos (6.4 percent), which was showed a 1.3 share points versus April.


Yahoo! Sites (3rd) with 347 million followed by Microsoft Sites (4th) with 246 million. Yahoo was founded by two young Stanford University graduate students Jerry Yang and David Filo in January 1994. Your guess is a good as mine as to how many yahoo addresses we have. I have four!

At Hulu.com, which is a joint venture of NBC and Fox debuted in 10th position with 88 million videos being viewed. Please note that this site features full-length broadcast TV programs.

Other major findings from May 2008 revealed that The average online video viewer watched 228 minutes of video. Me? Not even an hour of on-line video viewing time. Hehehe.

Plus, around 82.2 million viewers watched 4.1 billion videos on YouTube.com or around 50.4 videos per viewer. The duration of the average online video was 2.7 minutes.

You can visit http://www.comscore.com for more on-line news and updates.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

iPhone Searches

According to data from the comScore Marketer service, 1.3 million people conducted 6.9 million searches for iPhone-related terms in April 2008.

The news release says that the search term iPhone generated nearly 1.5 million search. Wow! And that includes my own search for iPhone. I did ask my cousin Patrick Velez, before he visited Manila a couple of weeks ago, about an iPhone. Unfortunately, he had flown to Manila even before it was launched in the States. Now, I need to talk to Senco Link Technologies to get my iPhone.

There was really a lot of speculation and rumors about the entry of the new iPhone into the market, even before Apple CEO Steve Jobs before he spoke publicly about it.

Can you imagine if that 1.3 million translates into actual purchases? All these searches indicate intent to purchase and again demonstrate that Internet technology works.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Now 45

I attended a Asian Institute of Management conference this morning at the SMX, Mall of Asia. It was all about the country being competitive. Now, we are Number 45 in the Competitive Rankings.

Eill upload data and research findings soon.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Adobe Acrobat Innovates


Together with the Adobe team from Singapore, the EON agency launched the new Adobe Acrobat 9 software to the Philippine market. The media launch event was held at Makati Shangrila Hotel, in the heart of the Makati Central Business District,




Two experts from Adobe Acrobat Singapore easily explained and described the new advantages and benefits of Adobe Acrobat.





Our media guests listened eagerly at the innovations. Photo shows (from left to right) Yammie from Net 25, Edison Ong from Manila Bulletin, Christine Sendin from EON (who is attending her first media event) and a blogger from Good News Phils.


Lawrence Casiraya of Inquirer.net askes a question. Lawrence, probably, knows me well as he caught the episode of "Mel and Joey" last November 2007.


And that's me on the left hosting the program, after the product demonstration. Now, three lucky media guests get a chance to win a nice laptop bag. Marian, a young journalist from Manila Times, Kim Bernardo of NBN Channel and a blogger won.

But really, ultimately, all the users of Adobe Acrobat wins as they enjoy the innovative benefits of the latest version of Adobe Acrobat. It is more interactive, much easier to navigate and greater compatibility.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Black or white? Or grey?


Remember this scene from Mission Impossible? Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise) repels from the ceiling. He is just a few inches from the floor. His mission - to hack into CIA computer. Photo from the movie.

Whichever side of the law, there are the tools or technology available for anyone around the globe to break into computer systems and websites. This is hacking, the unauthorized break-in into a communications network like the Internet.

Black and White Hats
In the early days of the Internet and Silicon Valley, hacking had an artistic characteristic. To qualify as a hack, the feat must be “imbued with innovation, style and technical virtuosity.”

There are two (sometimes three) types of hackers. The good guys are the white hats. They are ethically and legally opposed to the attack and abuse of computer systems. The early white hats came from the first hackers at MIT and the Homebrew Computer Club in Silicon Valley. They maintained the values and principles of openness and sharing, or more simply, a better world. A white hat is sometimes a bad guy turned good and nows works for IT companies or even government. He tests security measures, fixes security problems, and makes sure the bad guys can’t hack into these systems.

Then, there are black hats. They are driven by the challenge or curiosity (or the money) to shutdown down a website or even a government. A black hat maliciously exploits vulnerabilities to his advantage. Many black hats argue individual freedom over security, accessibility over privacy. Others simply just want to get their names in mass media or blogosphere. Or just want to have fun.

In early 80s, there were six teenage hackers in Milwaukee known as the “414s.” They sound like a new wave band. Remember, the B52s? They hacked into computer systems of laboratories, banks and even a cancer center in Canada and the United States. They quickly caught the attention of media. A 17-year-old Neal Patrick became the spokesman for the “414s” which led to a cover story in the September 1983 issue Newsweek entitled "Beware: Hackers at play." The young hackers were quoted as “just having fun.”

In-between black and white is a grey hat. He is also a skilled hacker who sometimes acts legally and illegally.

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Friday, May 16, 2008

An Interview with Jeff Roberto

1. How does Friendster address issues like privacy? Or even cyber-related criminal activity?

Friendster continues to launch and support numerous features around privacy and safety and strives to be a secure place to connect with friends. Here’s an overview of our safety and privacy feature set:

Friendster registration is 16+

Friendster supports an extensive set of member account settings; members can decide who can see their profile and who can send them messages by each of the following:
My Friends, Friends of Friends, or Anyone

The above privacy settings can also be set by Region (Continent)

Friendster supports a degree network (first, second, third degree graph) that shows how you know people and how you’re connected on the network

Friendster does not collect physical addresses and does not disclose member e-mail addresses to other members

Friendster supports a “who’s viewed me” feature that displays other members who have viewed your profile (this is an optional setting)

All Friendster profiles contain a “report” link for easy flagging and notification of the Friendster Member Services team

Customer Service monitors the network for offensive material and responds promptly
to users who have reported other users’ offensive or inappropriate material/behavior


2. How do you see social networking sites changing the digital landscape in the next three years? Any forecasts or predictions?

If you look at the top 20 sites on the web today, you’ll notice that about 30-40% of them are social networking or social media sites, this wasn’t the case just 5 years ago. The social networking space is still evolving and we’ll continue to see growth here. Looking at the numbers, there are approximately 1.4 billion people online today globally, and about 194 million of them aged 16-64 manage a profile on a social network, that’s only 17% adoption! More than 800 million internet users have yet to adopt a social network, and the global internet population will continue to grow.

Rise of Social Networking Sites

When was the last time you viewed and updated your profile on Facebook, Friendster, LinkedIn, or MySpace?

Probably, a few minutes after you started working? Or before you finished your first cup of coffee for the day?

Yes, you are probably connected! — To your friends from high school and college. To your relatives and family inside and outside the Philippines. And even to total strangers with the same interests, beliefs, and lifestyles. Through social networking sites (SNS) this connection is made wider, easier, and faster. And best of all, these sites come with free space for photos, blogs, videos and music.

Remember classmates.com? Launched in 1995, this was one of the first social networking sites. This website (http://www.classmates.com) helped users locate and connect with classmates around the US.

Xanga, another popular SNS started in 1999. It begun as a site for sharing book and music reviews. Now, it has an estimated 40 million users called Xangans. I started my Xanga site in 2004 when I was still in Vietnam, blogging mostly about life and work in a foreign country. Xanga allowed me to connect to other Filipinos living outside the country.

According to Universal McCann’s Wave2 Global Research (March 2007), 194 million people around the globe manage a profile in a social networking site. There are hundreds of social networking sites that include Bebo, Facebook, Friendster, Hi5, LinkedIn, MySpace, Tagged, TakingITGlobal, etc.

Bebo? That simply means, “Blog early, blog often?”

Have you heard of sosyalan.com? This is Pinoy-centric networking site launched in June 2007. After its first six months, it recorded 50,000 users. “Now, it reaches 200,000 Filipinos worldwide,” according to Tom Pestano, its founder. He added that his site is focused on the 4Fs of social networking: flame, fun, friendship, family.

Filipinos lead in Friendster

Launched in 2003, Friendster is the most popular SNS among Filipinos! The site has 63 million registered users. According to internetworldstats.com, there are 12.2 million Filipinos on Friendster. Guess, that includes you? And I.

According to www.alexa.com, the top five Internet sites in the Philippines are Friendster, Yahoo, YouTube, Google and Multiply.

“If you look at the top 20 sites on the web today, you’ll notice that about 30 to 40 percent of them are social networking or social media sites, this wasn’t the case just 5 years ago, said Jeff Roberto, Friendster’s marketing director. “The social networking space is still evolving and we’ll continue to see growth here.”

This growth has led many social networking sites to cater to specific countries and cultures.

You can read this full article in the Manila Times (Tech Section)

Sunday, April 13, 2008

More Nickelodeon


More and more brands are maximizing the use of digital media to reach out to their target market. Chart is from Comscore Media Matrix

One of these brands include Nickelodeon. In an article by Andrew Hampp published at AdAge last February, he reports that the network saw 3,000,000 visitors to network's five websites.

The news article also quotes Jim Perry, exec VP-ad sales for Nickelodeon and MTV Networks' Kids and Family Group. "We have a lot of different business on the digital front, whether it's Nick or Neopets or Addicting Games or Shockwave."

At home, we do have Nickelodeon at home. Sometimes, I catch a good program. But now, I think I will visit their website and be one of the 3 million visitors.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Top 10 US On-line SNS Sites



I am continuing to do research for my second article in the Tech Times of the Manila Times about social networking. This time, I am looking at the impact and influence of social networking sites to brands and business. The above chart is from www.marketingcharts.com, compiled by Neilsen Online.

MySpace continues to lead followed by Facebook which reported grew by 102% over the year, as compiled by Nielsen Online. But am sure in the Philippines and this part of the globe, Friendster leads.

Already, I have come across brands like Nokia and Nike putting up their own social networking sites, to bring their users together and create a more engaging experience for their brands.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Friendster or Facebook?

When was the last time you viewed and updated your profile on Facebook, Friendster, LinkedIn, or MySpace?

Probably, a few minutes after you started working? Or before you finished your first cup of coffee for the day?


Yes, you are probably connected! — To your friends from high school and college. To your relatives and family inside and outside the Philippines. And even to total strangers with the same interests, beliefs, and lifestyles. Through social networking sites (SNS) this connection is made wider, easier, and faster. And best of all, these sites come with free space for photos, blogs, videos and music.

Remember classmates.com? Launched in 1995, this was one of the first social networking sites. This website (http://www.classmates.com) helped users locate and connect with classmates around the US.

Xanga, another popular SNS started in 1999. It begun as a site for sharing book and music reviews. Now, it has an estimated 40 million users called Xangans. I started my Xanga site in 2004 when I was still in Vietnam, blogging mostly about life and work in a foreign country. Xanga allowed me to connect to other Filipinos living outside the country.

According to Universal McCann’s Wave2 Global Research (March 2007), 194 million people around the globe manage a profile in a social networking site. There are hundreds of social networking sites that include Bebo, Facebook, Friendster, Hi5, LinkedIn, MySpace, Tagged, TakingITGlobal, etc.

Bebo? That simply means, “Blog early, blog often?”

Have you heard of sosyalan.com? This is Pinoy-centric networking site launched in June 2007. After its first six months, it recorded 50,000 users. “Now, it reaches 200,000 Filipinos worldwide,” according to Tom Pestano, its founder. He added that his site is focused on the 4Fs of social networking: flame, fun, friendship, family.

For more about social networking, click on my April column in the Manila Times published last Monday, 07 April 2008.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Reputation and Blogging

Earlier this afternoon, I was in Studio 6 of ANC (at the ABS-CBN Compound) for the taping of the episode of "Beware of the Blog" for the program, Korina Tonight.

Also in the program for the first segment was Melvin Calimag, representing the IT Journalists Association of the Philippines (ITJAP) and Resty Reyes. I also saw Joey de Venecia and Giselle Sanchez, who were there for the second segment, whose reputation has been maligned or attacked because of blogging.

Me? I was there as a legitimate blogger. Are there illegitimate bloggers? This was the first question of veteran broadcaster, Korina Sanchez.

Yes! These are bloggers who hide behind a fake identity, by raising or lowering their age or simply, not giving their real names! Why they remain anonymous? I wouldn’t have a real answer as there are many reasons why they hide behind anonymity.

This particular episode was really all about the current issues and concerns being raised by Brain Gorell’s blog about losing $70,000 to a former friend. His blog has attracted a huge interest among bloggers, both friends and foe (who hide behind anonymity).

Media has also become part of the argument has its role in this social phenomena called blogging has somehow blurred the lines of between traditional media and blogs as sources of news. Melvin and I prior the program talked about it. If anyone really wanted real news, there were a lot of credible on-line news sites, from CNN to the country’s leading broadsheets, Manila Bulletin and Phil. Daily Inquirer.

I do believe the personal blogs provide colorful and sometimes, even, in-depth insights into daily concerns of ordinary people. Blogs about parenthood or pregnancy help other couples learn more about these stages in life.

While blogging extends the bounds of freedom and reach as a media form, so that the responsibility and accountability of each blogger. In my one liner submitted to Penny Quesada for tonight’s episode, I said, “Bloggers allow people to get into their lives and intrude into the lives of others.”

You can catch the episode tonight on ANC and a replay on Friday night at 11pm!

Monday, March 31, 2008

What is Second Life?

In 1982, Disney produced a movie called Tron. Jeff Bridges played the role of Kevin Flynn, a computer programmer who digitized and thrown into a virtual world controlled by MCP (an artificial intelligence based-master control program). In this virtual world, Flynn meets several virtual characters like Tron (played by Bruce Boxleitner). They go through several challenges until they defeat MCP.

Tron was one of the first movies to extensively use computer graphics. Its nearly 20 minutes of animation has been considered a breakthrough in filmmaking technology. I believe Tron gave the world a preview of a virtual world.

Today, one of these virtual worlds is called “Second Life.” Opened in 2003 by Linden Labs, this is the virtual world of nearly 9 million inhabitants (and counting). It is a vast digital continent where residents live and create their own virtual experiences. They build their own homes using Linden dollars and create their own professional and personal opportunities.

“Second Life has evolved into an alternate world with its own economy. Second Lifers can login as whoever they want to be, be whatever they want to be, and do whatever they want to do inside this “alternative reality,” said Philip Tiongson, strategic planning and consultancy director of UM Consulting, the marketing communications consultancy division of Universal McCann.

Users are called "Residents" who create their own avatars that makes them interact with other users. They can socialize and participate in group activities. And like what my friend, Philip said, do whatever they want to do in this “alternative reality.”

If your into business, there is Second Life's virtual currency. It is called the Linden Dollar. One can exchange it for real currency. Thus many brands are present in Second Life offering various products and services.

At the end of March 2008, approximately 13 million accounts were registered, but you can be sure many are inactive accounts or other users have multiple accounts. Like, I do have two Friendster accounts.

Like any business, Second Life does have competitors, which I shall blog about soon.

For more about Second Life, please click on my Manila Times column, "Marketing IT," published last September 2007.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Staying Connected

Everybody wants to be connected and technology helps us get connected, either through our wi-fi connection at cafes like Starbucks, Seattle's Best or my wife's favorite, Figaro at Rockwell.

At home, through Globe Visibility my laptop is connected.

But beyond technology, everybody wants to get connected through SNS or social networking sites. These includes the popular sites like Friendster, LinkedIn, My Space, Facebook, Six Degrees and hundreds of other SNS.

Social networking has gone beyond being linked or connected to friends and families. It has become an important marketing communications tool that brings brand messages across the Internet to millions of users. It is measurable and targeted. Photo of LinkedIn logo at their office lobby in

Am developing a column on social networking for my April column at the Manila Times.

And with the growing importance and impact of SNS, there will a Social Networking and eBusiness Conference Philippines 2008 will be held at Hotel Intercontinental, Ayala Avenue, Makati City on May 20 and 21, 2008.

For more information, please call: Ms. Maricor Tornea and Angie Tuzon, Project Managers, at telephone numbers: +632- 896-0639, 896-0637, 899-6216, email: fiera@info.com.ph, visit web site: http://www.fmi.com.ph.

Earth Hour

Last Saturday night, around 8pm, Filipinos joined the world in shutting down their lights for Earth Hour.

Chief and I were actually having dinner with friends in condo somewhere in Makati and from the 24th floor, we could see dimmed lights in the Makati City landscape. Through dinner, candles lit the room and gave the ambiance more warmth.

Days prior Earth Hour, text messages and email were being exchanged and passed around through our tech gadgets to spread the message of Earth Hour. I got a text message from my friend Earnest Custodio of McCann an hour before Earth Hour.


According to http://www.earthhour.org/ 24 cities participated in Earth Hour at 8pm on that day. Photo from www.earthhour.org

The website further says that Earth Hour had a clear and single message to communities and business to take simple steps for the earth, our bigger home! Earth Hour urges that through collective efforts, everyone can contribute in very simple steps like businesses turning off their lights when their offices are empty and households turning off appliances.

At our greenhome, we now take the plug out of the sockets.

You can sign up at their website at http://www.earthhour.org/

As of this blog today, around 289,890 have signed up!

Yup, technology works and can help the earth!

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Friendster Facts

Did you know that based on research from Alexa.com, Filipinos are among the biggest users of Friendster? Yup, Filipinos definitely love to connect to their families and friends in the country and around the globe! We rank ahead of other Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

There are many social networking sites (SNS). Over one hundred! And we probably know the more popular SNS like Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and even Classmates. But there are really some basic difference and many similarities between these SNS.

Common among many SNS are the abilities and utilities what users can do on their personal sites. Create and update personal profiles that allows users to upload photos, share videos and blogs. And link up with other users and join groups, plus leave comments on each other’s pages.

I am among the 60 million plus users of Friendster across 75 countries around the globe, since Friendster first begun in 2002 in San Francisco.

And thanks to technology, I have caught up with friends across the globe.

You, technology works.

Read more soon about my next column in the Manila Times about Social Networking!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Technology Thieves

Despite the advancement of technology, good old-fashioned quick thinking and common sense, plus the fast response of the Makati police led to the arrest of "technology thieves" who falsified documents to buy Havianas and Nike using a Citibank credit stolen from my friend Mel Dominguez.

Read the story below from Erwin Oliva and be extra careful the next time you use your credit card, even in well-known and popular establishments like Red Box Karaoke Bar as the cashier or service staff could be in members of "technology thieves."

Credit card thieves fall in Glorietta mall

By: Erwin Oliva, Julie M. Aurelio
INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:03am (Mla time) 03/08/2008

MANILA , Philippines --A taste for expensive signature brands did them in.

An employee of a popular videoke bar and four others were arrested Friday night in Makati after buying several brand-name items amounting to between P40,000 and P50,000 with the use of a stolen credit card.

The five alleged thieves were cornered inside the Glorietta 3 mall at the Ayala Center after public relations executive Imelda Dominguez, the credit card's owner, learned that the card was used in a transaction after she had lost it.

Supt. Manny Santos Jr, chief of the Makati police's investigation section, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net) the suspects will be charged on Monday at the city prosecutors' office with violation of Republic Act 8484 or the Credit Card Access Law.

The suspects were identified as Ma. Concepcion Enriquez, 22, her brother Regie Enriquez, 21; Rey Paul Ibañez, 18; and Robert Castaneda, 22; all jobless and residents of Mandaluyong City.

Also arrested was Pauline Carla Arenal, 25, a cashier of the Red Box KTV on the third floor of Greenbelt 3 where the credit card was reported lost.

A representative from Matrix Entertainment, which operates the Red Box KTV, told INQUIRER.net that the company was fully cooperating with the police investigation, and has reportedly ordered an internal investigation in its branch in Greenbelt 3 where the employee was allegedly involved.

Initial investigation showed that Dominguez, 45, a resident of Kingswood Condominium in Brgy La Paz, Makati City , lost her Citibank credit card at the Red Box KTV on Friday and reported it to bank authorities.

Citibank immediately informed Dominguez, who just came from Singapore, that her missing credit card was being used, prompting her to alert security personnel in Glorietta mall, where the last transaction was made.

Glorietta 3 security officer Sonny Sablay told INQUIRER.net that Dominguez alerted them Friday afternoon of the ongoing transaction by the suspects.

Mall security was able to corner the suspects at around 5:22 p.m. at the Glorietta 3, minutes after they allegedly made the unauthorized purchases.

"We were able to recover Havainas slippers, Nike shoes, Nike jackets and other items from the suspects, as well as the stolen credit card in the name of Imelda R. Dominguez," Santos said.

Police added the suspects carried with them an allegedly fake identification card and even reportedly forged Dominguez's signature in making the purchases.

Arenal and the other suspects are currently in the custody of the Makati City Police awaiting inquest proceedings on Monday

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Challenges of Connectivity

Problems can arise given the increasing number of Wi-Fi access points especially in high-density areas like condominiums or office buildings. An excessive number of access points result in “Wi-Fi Pollution.” This can prevent access and interfere with the use of other access points. Devices like security cameras, Bluetooth devices and even cordless phones and microwave ovens can also cause additional interference. In fact, several years ago, we had a dilemma with the 2.4GHz band radio spectrum utilized by the 802.11 Wi-Fi standard as the frequency is used (until now) by Meralco in Metro Manila.

Wireless networks use radio signals that makes them vulnerable. They don’t have the same physical boundaries or structure like cables that wired networks use. And these signals don’t end at your door. They can reach your neighbor across the street or the room above you where a hacker who can access your passwords and can get into your computer through your own wireless router. (In the case of Meralco, interfere with their communications equipment.)

Or you enter a free “poisoned hotspot” set up by identity thieves for the purpose of “sniffing” data sent by different users. This abuse can be avoided by the use of VPN or Virtual Private Network.

Just remember that air space is free and all our text messages and emails travel through this air space, so don't be surprised if there is technology that can "grab" it while it travels.

Better be safe and secured, than sorry.

You can click on "Are you secured" or
read the complete column in the Manila Times at
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/feb/04

Monday, March 3, 2008

Origins of GPS

GPS stands for Global Positioning System, the world’s first man-made satellite navigation system. It was launched in 1978 by the US Department of Defense. During the cold war, GPS was used primarily for military purposes.

After the Korean Air Lines Flight 007 was shot down in 1983, President Ronald Reagan issued a directive making GPS available for free for civilian use, specially, for the aviation industry.

By 1996, President Clinton authorized Selective Availability phased out in NAVSTAR (Navigation Satellite Timing and Ranging), the official US government name for GPS. Selective Availability was used to limit GPS accuracy for civilian users. With Selective Availability out, civilians can now achieve 10 to 15 meters accuracy, compared to the previously available 100-meter accuracy. This is a major win for the manufacturers and marketers of GPS devices.

By the way, there is no set-up charges or subscription fees to use GPS! A GPS device receives signals and information transmitted by 24 satellites. They are arranged in their orbits that allow a GPS device to receive at least 4 signals at any given time. They are then turned into more user-friendly calculations in terms of latitude/longitude or location on a map, and then displayed on to the device.

My first experience with a hand-held Garmin GPS was last January, when my cousin, Ben Velez, lend me his unit while Cecile and I were going around the Big Apple. Yes, it was helpful and help get us to shopping places. Yes, technology works!

Photos courtesy of Google Images.

Please check my whole column (Meet Magellan) at
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/jan/07

Future IT journalists?

Last Friday, the "Write IT Right" on the spot writing contest was held at STI Makati City. 25 young writers from different high schools in Metro Manila got together with IT journalists from Cyberpress for the 1st edition of the contest.


Photo above shows students registering for the "on the spot" writing contest.


Photo above shows the young writers listening to the rules and regulations.


Photo above shows high school students working on their articles.



Photo shows all the young writers with journalists from Cyberpress, led by Melvin Calimag of Manila Bulletin and Marlon Magtira of P{C Buyers Guide.

Travel Fast

In 1998, I was in Japan for two weeks. I was attending a regional trade promotions training program organized by the Japanese Ministry of Trade and AOTS (Association of Overseas Technical Scholars).


And I, together with eight other Filipinos (Chin, Menchie, Honey, Injong, Nelia, Roland, and others) took a bullet train ride from Osaka to Tokyo.

Boy, it was a fast train. These high-speed trains run through a network called The Shinkansen. The trains first started in 1964 running at 210 km/h (130 mph).

Shinkansen literally means "New Trunk Line" and hence strictly speaking refers only to the tracks, while the trains themselves are officially referred to as "Super Express." Shinkansen use tunnels and viaducts to go through and over obstacles, rather than around them.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Commander Data

Final Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Last assignment: Second Officer/Science Officer, U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-E
Full Name: Data
Date of birth:
Feb. 2, 2338
Place of birth:
Omicron Theta science colony
Parents: Created by Dr. Noonien Soong and Dr. Juliana O'Donnell Soong Tainer
Education: Starfleet Academy, 2341-45
Marital status: Single
Children: One, deceased
Quarters: Formerly, Enterprise-D: Deck 2/Room 3653
Date of death: 2379
Place of death: Destroyed with Reman ship Scimitar in line of duty
Service Awards: Starfleet Command Decoration for Valor; Starfleet Command Decoration for Gallantry; Medal of Honor, with Clusters; Legion of Honor; The Starcross

If you are a Trekkie like me, then you would know Commander Data, played by Brent Spinner in the TV series “Star Trek, The New Generation.”

Commander Data is an android that knows almost everything that is stored in his own “data center.” According to Wikipedia, his storage capacity is reportedly at 93,132,257.5 gigabytes, while his processing speed is at “60 trillion operations per second” or 60 teraflops!

Can you imagine if instead of data centers, businessmen would have Commander Data by their side during meetings, storing, processing and pulsing information at unimaginable speed?

Read more about "Working with Commander Data" in the Manila Times.

Click on Commander Data or
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/mar/03/yehey/techtimes

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Write IT Right

Cyberpress-EMC Philippines “Write IT Right” Tilt On February 29

Registration is now ongoing for the “Write IT Right” IT writing contest for Metro Manila public and private high school students. The contest is scheduled to be held this February 29, 2008 in STI Makati City campus.



The logo was developed by Chanty Tan of Dominguez Marketing Communications.

The project is a joint undertaking of the IT Journalists’ Association of the Philippines (ITJAP) or Cyberpress and EMC Philippines, the local arm of the world’s leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology solutions.

Geared to become an annual event, the contest aims to get more young Filipinos interested in a career in IT writing, a highly specialized and evolving field of business journalism, by harnessing budding talents in an on-the-spot competition. Exciting gadget and cash prizes await the winners among the targeted 50 participating schools in the metropolis.

For more info, please call Claire Marquez Tel: (02) 859 4635 / fax: (02) 885 0146 or send E-mail: Marquez_Claire@emc.com or Grace Roxas Dominguez Marketing Communications, Inc. Tel: (02) 897 7088 / 892 3766 or grace.roxas@dominguez.com.ph

Monday, February 18, 2008

Education and Technology

here is no doubt that technology is a driver of social and economic change. Since the development of the printing press, the telephone and the Internet, technological developments have allowed everyone to interact on a global scale.

Technology affects everyone and our own values. And often raises ethical questions on how companies do business within their communities. Without being disruptive (or even disturbing), companies continue to find ways and means to work and partner with local stakeholders to address issues and concerns of local communities.

As a communication professional and a teacher, I would say that education is probably one of the most important concerns that need to be addressed.

During the Asian CSR Forum held in Vietnam last September, Cheng Cheng Loo, Intel’s regional program manager for Asia said that to develop 21st-century skills, students would need to learn how to think critically, solve problems, communicate effectively, collaborate and be digitally literate. “Success at the individual and ultimately at the national level is linked at the quality of education.”

I always tell my students at UST that learning is a continuous process. The education of an individual begins even before birth. Just ask your parents what music they played or books they read while you were still in your mother’s womb. The challenges and triumphs of daily life provide opportunities for learning even after formal schooling.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Jumper and Dejavu

Earlier this afternoon, at Glorietta Cinema 1, Chief and I watched “Jumper” the science fiction film based on the 1992 science fiction novel “Jumper” by Steven Gould.

It was odd to see two Jedi nights, Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson battle on the screen, but more interesting (or even boggling) to understand the technology be teleportation.

In the movie, David Rice (played by Christensen) discovers he can “jump” or teleport to any place on the planet which he's previously visited or visualized from a photograph. He tells his girlfriend Millie (played by Rachel Bilson) that he is into “banking.”

Millie says, “If you cant tell me the complete truth, I would rather that you don’t lie to me.”


The battle begins when Roland Cox (Samuel L. Jackson) tracks down David down in Rome. “Been there, done that” I whispered to Cecile as the fight begins between the Jumpers and Paladins. Photos courtesy of http://www.imdb.com/ and 20th Century Fox.

Cox (Jackson) says “Only God should have the power to "Be everywhere at once". At the last scene, David still trying to convince Cox that not all Jumpers are evil decides to save Cox from drowning and leaves him in the Grand Canyon. That will “teleport” to a part two.

And later in the evening, we stayed up late to watch “Déjà vu” with Denzel Washington and Val Kilmer, which also deals with time travel.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Love and Technology

Love and technology? How will that work? Easy. Just the amount of SMS sent through Globe and Smart on this day will bring and bridge together people and lovers near or far from each other.

Last Tuesday, during a Media Training Program we held with our client, EMC Philippines, we were discussing the amount of data (or information) that is shared (or greeted) between mobile phone users.

Some say, more test messages are sent during Christmas? Others say, more during Valentine’s Day? So, which day is it?

Bu definitely, with the big splash of text messages that go through the networks’ data center on Christmas Day or Valentine’s Day, technology will play a role in “handling” these millions of text messages, so we don’t get to read “Network failure” in our mobile phone screens.

Someone said, during Christmas, people send generic Xmas messages, while on Valentine’s day, we send dedicated messages. And non-Christians don’t sent Xmas messages.

The idea of flash drive technology comes into the picture. When I first heard or read about it, I thought it was related to thumb drives or flash drives. But I was wrong.

Wait, I will send first my Valentine’s greeting to my wife, before the network gets clogged.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Imagination and Creativity

Last November, Cecile and I attended our second Phil. Advertising Congress together, since we had returned from Vietnam.

For three days, 3,200 plus advertising and marketing communications practitioners gathered at the new Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center for the 20th Philippine Advertising Congress (PAC).

The most anticipated speaker of the Ad Congress was Neil Gaiman! His talked about “Imagination and Creativity in the Contemporary World.” He is listed in the Dictionary of Literary Biography as one of the top ten living post-modern writers. Neil had written for movies like “Stardust” with Robert de Niro and “Beowulf” with Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie. He is also the writer/creator of the cult DC Comics series Sandman. The Sandman issue “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” won in the 1991 World Fantasy Award for best short story, thus making it the first comics script to be awarded a literary award. Did you know that he wrote a book about the biography of the band Duran Duran back in 1984?

He said that people should see things taken for granted with new eyes. “Before there were chairs, poems, and fields they were imagined,” Gaiman said. The England-born 47-year old novelist praised the potential of young Filipino artists and writers. “The Philippines has the coolest folklores in the world.”

I believe that with creativity also comes accountability. People in advertising are still brand custodians and thus, remain accountable together with client to the success or failure of their brands.

But with the digital revolution, hopefully, there are brighter chances of success and thus, marketing communications professionals find innovative ways and means to engage consumers. Photo shows Cecile with McCann Erickson delegates.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Free Wi-fi @ Rockwell but?

Thanks to WiGo, Rockwell Powerplant Mall recently became one big hotspot offering free Wi-Fi. WiGo’s other free hotspots include LKG Tower Food Odyssey and PBCOM Tower Food Patio in Makati and the National Library in Manila.The Globequest website lists nearly 100 wireless Internet zones, called WIZ, around the country.

Liza de los Reyes, WiGo chief operating officer says that the free service is aimed at the growing number of laptop users. “The need to stay online is no longer confined to the home or workplace adding that “road warriors” are a new breed of users whose lifestyles are putting a greater demand on mobility,” says Liza.

But there is a catch? Banner ads. Yup, once you are connected, a banner ad pops and remains in your screens. Close that window and you are disconnected. Maybe, a little nuisance but I think that can be managed for free a free wi-fi connection.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Superbowl Advertising

Yes, the New York Giants won over the New England Patriots. But I guess, a bigger winner are the sponsors who reached 97.5 millions viewers and Fox network who earned millions of dollars for this sporting event. According to Fox Network, the New England Patriots and the New York Giants game was the most-watched game of the Super Bowl. 93 million viewers watched last year’s game.

Citing figures from Nielsen Media Research, Fox reports viewership came close to matching the most-watched network-TV program of all time. Guess, what TV series? Remember MASH? It’s last episode reached nearly 106 million viewers.

The previously most-watched Super Bowl took place in 1996 when about 94.1 million viewers watched the game on NBC.

Technology further spread its impact and influence. GoDaddy.com website received 1.5 million hits who watched a version of a TVC that had been rejected by Fox Network.

MySpace also scored major goals during the game. Around 14.5 million views viewed TVCs. Ince both Fox and My Space are owned by News Corp, the network ran on-air promotions during the game urging viewers to visit My Space. Advertisers were able to offer incentives to viewers who watched ads on-line.

Wish I had watched that game too!

Sunday, February 3, 2008

The Wi-Fi Brand

While working on my February column for the Manila Times, I had learned that the word "wi-fi" is actually a brand name like Cisco, Nokia or Globe. All along, I thought that the word "wi-fi" was a generic term for wireless technology. I was wrong.

"Wi-Fi" is actually a wireless technology brand owned by the Wi-Fi Alliance, which is a consortium of companies, which specifies methods and techniques of wireless local area network (WLAN) operations. This Alliance includes some popular brands we now like Cisco, Lucent and Nokia.

The Wi-Fi Alliance agrees on a set of interoperable products based on the family of IEEE 802.11 standards. These numbers are the set of standards for WLAN developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) based in New York. According to its website at www.ieee.org, the organization has more than 370,000 members in 180 countries. The IEEE is also the leading authority in other areas like aerospace systems, biomedical engineering and consumer electronics.

For my complete story entitled, "Are You Secured?", please visit the Manila Times website.

Technology Works

I have actually been writing a monthly column called “Marketing IT” at the Manila Times for several months. Even, when my wife, Cecile and I were in the States, technology made it possible for me to submit my column to my editor, Jing Garcia.

In fact, technology, specifically, on-line communications helped Cecile and I make our relationship work while we were apart early in 2001.

But beyond long distance relationships and email communications, there many ways wherein technology affects our lives at work and at home.

These scribbles will look into how “technology works” whether for the good or not so good effect into our lives. I always believe in a healthy work and life balance. Being married to an advertising practitioner, a faculty member at UST, a columnist at Manila Times and a communications practitioner, I face that challenge to make technology work at home and at work.