No need to go to your local Social Security Service (SSS) office or go online to inquire about the number of contributions you have, or if you have questions about loan eligibility and loan balance. You can now use the Text-SSS service which was launched yesterday, March 8, 2010.

To use the service, one just need a mobile phone and type in “SSS” and send to 2910 or 2600 to register and get their PIN.

Thanks to the partnership of EGG and Sybase Solutions Corporation for bringing the new Text-SSS facility to life. Say goodbye to long lines.


Source: SSS
Via: Cebu Tech Blogger

It was already confirmed by Microsoft that HTC HD2 handset wont be able to upgrade to Windows Phone 7. And not only HD2 but Windows Mobile 6.5 devices will not be upgradeable to Windows Phone 7.

Although the HD2 meets the 'Chassis 1' specification, the device having a 1GHz Qualcomm processor chip, a 5-megapixel camera and high resolution touch display, it will not be able to upgrade to Windows Phone 7 because it has five buttons. Only three buttons are being used in Windows Phone 7 operating system.


I guess well have to wait until later for the full run down of hardware requirements for Windows Phone 7 compatible devices. Windows Phone 7 operating system is expected to be released by end of 2010.

Source: APCmag.com

Those who are faithful to Internet Explorer might as well get rid of the F1 key while browsing the net. I know the F1 functionality is important to some but if you are still using Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 you better not use the F1 key at all while browsing the world wide web using IE.


A recent report on a vulnerability in VBScript could allow malicious code to penetrate your PC with a single stroke at F1 key using IE. Microsoft is currently investigating this report and "We are actively working with partners in our Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) to provide information that they can use to provide broader protections to customers."

This blog is best viewed with Firefox. For sure you will not be at risk than using Internet Explorer.

Source: Microsoft

You can now use your television set to sufr the internet with the use of Smart Bro Surf TV. Smart Bro Surf TV is a new online TV service provided by Smart Communications.

You don't need a computer with this service. All you need to have in order to be connected to the internet is a television set and the Smart Bro Surf TV which includes a Smart Bro USB stick-type modem, a remote control, a keyboard, and a mouse. And of course you need to have 3G coverage in order to use the service.


The Smart Bro Surf TV kit costs Php4,500 and comes with a prepaid SIM preloaded with Php100 worth of load. Internet access costs Php10 for every 30 minutes.

Surfing is obviously easy with the TV set and the PC peripherals but managing files is something that was not yet known as of the moment. Maybe this is for browsing the web only and not for downloading files. But who knows the device might be compatible with external hard drives.

Why are Inkjet Cartridges so expensive? My take on this is that printer manufacturers sell Inkjet printers at affordable prices so consumers can easily get one. But once their ink runs low the printer manufacturers get their share of the business.

I've seen several ink outlets though offering cheap ink cartridges for almost any kind of printer. Lexmark, Canon, Dell, HP or Epson ink cartridges are being sold at very low prices compared to what we usually see in stores. I'm sure the cartridges are genuine but question is if the ink is real as well. I have used Epson cartridges and know if it's a fake but the Epson ink inside is more of a concern. But that is a risk one will have to take when buying cheaper products. I am not saying that they are fake but they sure are a good alternative for the expensive ones.

Looking for an affordable camcorder that can record HD? Meet the Toshiba Camileo S20 camcorder. This portable pocket camcorder can record HD and will just cost you around $180 or Php 8,500.

The Toshiba Camileo S20 measures 59 x 106 x 17mm and weighing at around 120g, Thought it is slim it uses 5Mp 1/2.5in CMOS chip. It has a f/3.2 fixed focus lens, 4x digital zoom, video light and the ability to record Full HD (1920 x 1080/30p) video, as well as 720/30p HD, WVGA and VGA video. This is not bad at all for a pocket camcorder.

Video are recorded using the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC format while pictures are in JPEG format. You can view the stills or the video in Camileo S20's3-inch flip-out LCD screen.

The Camileo S20 has a 96MB of internal memory for recording but you can expand it using SD/SDHC cards. Usual accessories are included such as battery, charger, mini tripod, an HDMI cable, AV and USB cables, cleaning cloth and pouch.

Though affordable and has good enough specs the only downside of this pocket camcorder is the lack of suppport for other platforms - it only supports Windows.

When you think of something you need to associate to something that can easily be remembered. We humans tend to remember easily if we somehow "label" things or events either physically or mentally. It is like a bookmark that serves its purpose of getting to the exact page where you left off without really remembering mentally where you left off. Same thing with labels, be it labels for your food, books, gadgets, toys, you put the labels to easily organize things. It's making an association of something to form a bigger group. Think of it as Zebra labels. The "marks" are made to easily distinguish it from the rest.

Once you label things you can easily categorize it just like what you do with books. Food labels or perhaps the bar code labels serve a much important purpose, that is you can just swipe the bar code in a scanner and you know how much it costs or how many in stocks are left. Just like Zebra labels, it does the same thing, it makes the job of putting labels easier by making it printable. However you do it, manual or automated, labelling will really improve the way you organize things.

I've seen people wearing oversized watches and nothing is really interesting or cool about it. Not unless one wears a Smart Watch and Phone (SWaP) Signature watchphone. It might be an oversized watch at 43mm x 40mm x 15mm and weighing 124g to the ordinary eye but this watchphone has a touchscreen, can play music and video, a camera that is capable of shooting video and stills, a Micro SD card slot, Bluetooth with stereo audio, and a suite apps including an e-book reader. Phone functionality supports tri-band GSM with GPRS, but not to 3G.

Aside from the $540 or about Php25,400 price another drawback is you have to tap the touchscreen to see what time is it. The screen dims almost automatically to conserve the much needed power. And did I mention the touchscreen? You really have to use a stylus if you have fingers that can crush a car.

Mobile and telephone headsets have been around for quite some time now. Even before the advent of Bluetooth, headsets are already being used in both residential and commercial phones. Just like the Plantronics headsets which are commonly used at home for landline phones.

The use of headsets is not limited to the phones only but headsets are now being utilized in a variety of ways. Listening to music is one very common use of headsets. But the use of headsets in mobile phones is becoming more and more popular. It is not really a luxury if one uses headsets in mobile phones. In some states it is even illegal to use your phone in the car without using a headset. Thanks to the Bluetooth technology which makes the use of wireless headset, like Plantronics Voyager, possible. IN the near future, I'm not sure how headsets will be innovated but for now I'm sure everyone is enjoying the convenience of using a headset.

Apart from the loss of a relatively expensive device, what’s the next thing that worries you when you can’t find your phone or it gets stolen? The loss of your contacts?

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to track down your stolen phones or remotely delete all the files in it?

With a program called WaveSecure, you can apparently do this.

WaveSecure, which you can download at www.wavesecure.com, allows you to secure your phone and even track it when it gets lost or stolen.

The program, which can be installed in various mobile phone units and brands, allows you to lock down the device and render it unusable to the thief. It also allows you to keep track of the device, even when a new SIM card is installed. It will then send out an alert to a number that you specified in the setup.

LOCKING THE PHONE. The software can also auto-lock your phone when the SIM is changed. You can also lock the phone by sending it an SMS message.

WaveSecure also simplifies the backing up of your phones files and data. You can even remotely trigger the backup process.

That way, you can still get copies of crucial data even if the phone is no longer with you just as long as it’s still on.

That feature will allow you to keep track of messages sent from and received by the phone. It will also allow you to keep track of calls made from the phone or received by it. With that data, you have a chance of identifying the thief who took you

WaveSecure also offers the ability to track the location of the stolen device. The software’s website does not say how it does this but I suspect it implements tracking through triangulation via GSM towers. This is also how telcos’ person finder services track down phone units. But while GSM triangulation can give you an accurate general location, it cannot give you the vicinity of the device.

WIPE OUT DATA. But one of the best features of the device is the ability to remotely order it to wipe out all your data.

When your phone gets stolen, you can ask WaveSecure to remove all your data in it---photos, messages, etc. This way, potentially embarrassing material can be taken off the device before it gets spread online.

WaveSecure, however, isn’t free software. To be able to use the service, you have to pay five euros or about P350 for three months of usage or 15 euros or close to P1,000 for a year’s service.