Tech Archives - Page 3 of 16 - MyCebu.ph: Re/Discover Cebu

Smart powers Philippine festival season

Tourists and residents joining the various festivals across the country this year can look forward to an enhanced festival experience as PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) kicks off the 2020 festival season with the biggest festivals in the Visayas—Sinulog in Cebu, Dinagyang in Iloilo and Ati-Atihan in Aklan.

With various on-ground activities, an extensive LTE network and data offers designed for social media apps, Smart supports local and foreign revelers as they explore the sights, sounds and flavors that are unique to the region, enabling them to share their festival stories and experiences with their loved ones and the rest of the world through their smartphones.

“Smart has always been a staunch supporter of the country’s tourism efforts, and these activities are part of our commitment to ensure that Filipinos and foreign tourists alike have the best experience during these festivities,” said PLDT Chief Revenue Officer and Smart President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio.

As co-presenter of Sinulog 2020, Cebu’s grandest festival, Smart has partnered with the local government of Cebu City in enhancing the experience of the various activities during the festival. Special activities and festival souvenirs await Smart and Sun subscribers at Plaza Independencia from Jan. 17-19, with a special concert featuring popular Filipino music acts on Jan 18. Smart is also sponsoring the Baladhay Music Festival on Jan. 17, featuring top international artists and local talent.

To enable revelers to share more of their festival experiences, Smart customers are encouraged to maximize Smart’s LTE network by upgrading their SIMs and devices to LTE, and registering to Giga Stories, which includes free Instagram and Facebook access.

Festival season

Residents and tourists going to Kalibo can also join festivities at the TNT Saya Fest in time for Ati-Atihan, which is popular for its colorful parade of streetdancers wearing tribal headdresses. Happening alongside Sinulog festivities, Ati-Atihan is also held in honor of the Sto Nino.

Visitors touring Iloilo toward the end of the month, on the other hand, can look forward to Dinagyang festivities, which open on Jan 18. On-ground activities, including concerts sponsored by Smart and TNT on Jan. 24-25, are among the festival highlights.

Digital tourism and sustainability

Festival attendees can also explore other tourism spots using the Cebu and Iloilo digital guide apps, which include comprehensive travel information that could be downloaded from interactive tourism markers using one’s mobile phone.

Part of Smart’s #TravelSmart Digital Tourism campaign, the apps feature places to visit, food and activities to try out, and key service and emergency numbers. They also include heritage information, local literature, and cultural trivia.

In line with the PLDT group’s sustainability efforts, Smart is also installing environmentally friendly merchandising and promotional materials and has committed to work closely with the local governments overseeing the festivals in Cebu, Iloilo and Kalibo in the proper disposal of these materials.

Nationwidest network

As of the third quarter 2019, Smart has increased the number of LTE base stations by 34% compared to end-2018 and deploying these in more areas of the country, including Cebu, Kalibo and Iloilo. Underpinning Smart’s network deployment is the continued expansion of PLDT’s fiber infrastructure, which grew by 26% versus end-2018 to more than 307,000 kilometers nationwide. This unmatched fiber infrastructure is a critical advantage for Smart.

For this level of performance, Smart has been cited by independent analytics firms for providing superior network quality. According to Opensignal, Smart provides the country’s Best Video Experience, Download Speed Experience, Upload Speed Experience and Latency Experience, and provides superior 4G/LTE availability across the country.

Ookla, the global leader in internet testing and analysis, also found that PLDT and Smart delivered the country’s fastest fixed and mobile data speeds for the first half of 2019, as they continued to widen their respective leads over their competitors.

The sustained improvement of the PLDT-Smart network has been supported by a stepped-up capital expenditures program that includes investments in network and IT systems, including investments in increased LTE coverage and capacity, expanded fiber transport and new international cable networks.

PayMongo, GCash partner to empower MSMEs with mobile payments

GCash, the Philippines’ leading mobile wallet, has partnered with PayMongo, a Silicon Valley-backed payments facilitator, to provide an expanded mobile payments platform for micro-, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.

GCash is now live on the PayMongo site as a payment method for thousands of online sellers. PayMongo has 3,500 merchant accounts on its platform.

itel offers consumers ‘good phones at low prices’

itel Country Manager Lei Zhang with the A 55

Make quality phones and sell them at low prices, that’s the business model of itel as it moves to grab a bigger share of the market in the Philippines, company officials said on Saturday.

In just a year, the company sold 1 million phones, itel Country Manager Lei Zhang announced in a briefing in Cebu for its partners and the media last Saturday, January 11. The company celebrated its 1st anniversary on that day and gathered its partners in Cebu.

Cisco highlights disaster response, management solution

Drawing from lessons its TacOps response team learned during Typhoon Yolanda, Cisco has made available a response and management solution that taps its various technologies to innovate disaster response and management.

The product is Cisco KONEKTADO, an end-to-end solution that enables easy and effective collaboration and communication before, during, and after a disaster such as a strong typhoon.

YouTube, Smart hold first Creator Camp in Cebu

YouTube has partnered with Smart to bring Creator Camp to empower creators outside Luzon to take their content and career to the next level.

YouTube Creator Camp is a holistic acceleration program designed for budding creators in Visayas and Mindanao with at least 10,000 subscribers, providing them with educational, networking, and mobile data resources.

Xiaomi launches Mi Note 10 in Philippines

Xiaomi today announced the return of its Mi Note series with Mi Note 10, the latest device of its premium flagship lineup. Mi Note 10 has the world’s first 108MP penta camera setup with a premium design and a massive 5260mAh battery.

It will deliver an epic smartphone photography experience, the company said.

PayMaya 1st e-wallet to adopt national QR Ph standard

Digital financial services leader PayMaya is the first e-wallet in the Philippines to officially adopt QR Ph, the national QR code standard launched by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

PayMaya users can now receive money transfers from other institutions such as UnionBank, LANDBANK, Chinabank, AUB, and RCBC via the QR Ph code generated within the PayMaya app, represented by the QRPh logo in the middle of the code bearing the national colors of the Philippines.

Smart to roll out Google Station free WiFi in Iloilo City

To boost Iloilo City’s bid to be one of the country’s best urbanized cities, PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. has signed an agreement with the Iloilo City government and Mayor Jerry Treñas to deploy free Wi-Fi services via Google Station across key public areas in the city.

Under the agreement, Smart will roll out Google Station in the Iloilo City Hall, the Esplanade, La Paz Plaza, and Mandurriao Plaza, as well as in the Cultural Heritage Tourism Zones of Jaro Plaza Complex, Molo Plaza Complex and Plaza Libertad Complex.

AGREEMENT. Mayor Jerry P. Treñas are joined by PLDT Enterprise One Visayas AVP and Head Jimmy V. Chua and PLDT Enterprise Senior Manager Arturo S. Carandang during the signing of the MOA for Google Station at the Iloilo City Hall. — ***GOOGLE STATION AGREEMENT.*** Mayor Jerry P. Treñas are joined by PLDT Enterprise One Visayas AVP and Head Jimmy V. Chua and PLDT Enterprise Senior Manager Arturo S. Carandang during the signing of the MOA for Google Station at the Iloilo City Hall.

3 students from Cebu top worldwide robotics competition in China

CHONGQING, China — A team of high school students from Cebu representing the Philippines placed 2nd in the recent World Adolescent Robotics Competition (WARC).

TechFactors Philippines, led by Coach Jomar Cruz, displayed amazing teamwork and one of a kind interschool collaboration between Sacred Heart School Cebu, and University of San Carlos North and South in the competition after their two-week intensive preparation focused on programming, troubleshooting, and designing the robot.

Grade 10 Nicolas Francisco Amor acted as the team captain while Grade 7 students Hernan Herven Morale and Charles Matthew Ty fulfilled the roles of project manager and publicity manager.

FROM CEBU. (From left) Jomar Cruz, head coach Techfactors Inc; Nicholas Amor, Sacred Heart Cebu; Charles Matther Ty, University of San Carlos South; and Herven Morales, University of San Carlos North.

Xiaomi launches Redmi Note 8, Redmi Note 8 Pro in the Philippines

Xiaomi recently launched two powerful smartphones in the country–the Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro.

The Redmi Note 8 Pro is the first 64MP quad-camera phone in the Philippines. It features a powerful LiquidCool system, making it an ideal companion for photographers, gamers, and anyone seeking an accessible flagship-quality experience. The Redmi Note 8, on the other hand, is sure to impress with its high-end specifications, premium design, and a 48MP camera at an entry-level price.

Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro are packed with 4,000mAh battery and 4,500mAh battery, respectively. Both support Type-C fast charging of up to 18W. The phones are built with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and provide a comfortable viewing experience with their TÜV Rheinland certified blue light protection.

“The Redmi Note series is among Xiaomi’s most popular devices, with the Redmi Note 7 becoming the best-selling smartphone in the recent 9.9 online sales events in the Philippines,” said Steven Shi, Xiaomi’s Head of Southeast Asia.

“As we move into the new era of smartphone photography, Xiaomi pioneers the 64MP quad camera smartphone in the Philippines with Redmi Note 8 Pro, and offers one of the best bang-for-buck quad-camera phones in the market with Redmi Note 8. These devices strengthen the company’s commitment to provide amazing products at honest prices,” Shi said.

Redmi Note 8 Pro

Pioneering 64MP Quad Camera

Redmi Note 8 Pro has our high quality shooters. Its ultra-high resolution 64MP primary camera captures stunning photos that can be printed up to 3.26 meters tall. It also uses 1.6μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel to capture more light for bright night shots. An 8MP ultra-wide angle camera with a 120° field of view, a 2MP macro camera and 2MP depth sensor come together to create Redmi’s most versatile camera yet. The 20MP front camera’s built-in AI technology lets users put their best face forward through detailed portrait selfies, scene detection, and face unlock.

Equipped with a large 6.53” FHD+ Dot Drop display and rear fingerprint sensor, the device achieves a 91.4% screen-to-body ratio.

Redmi Note 8 Pro is powered by the latest MediaTek Helio G90T processor, an octa-core CPU clocked up to 2.05GHz for extended everyday use. The device also features LiquidCool – a first for the Redmi Note series – to facilitate high-speed, hassle-free gaming without overheating.

Redmi Note 8’s 48MP Quad Camera

Redmi Note 8 is a photography powerhouse, sporting a quad camera setup on the rear. Its 48MP ultra high-resolution primary camera features a ½-inch sensor with an f/1.79 aperture and 79.4° field of view. Its 8MP ultra-wide camera with 120° field of view, 2MP macro lens, and 2MP depth sensor join forces to capture stunning images at any distance. It also has a 13MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture, and built-in AI technology. It also has a panorama selfie feature — a first for the Redmi Note series. — that can capture group images without cropping anyone out.

Redmi Note 8

Equipped with a 6.3” Dot Drop Display with 2.5D rounded rear glass design, Redmi Note 8 offers an incredibly immersive FHD+ visual experience that achieves a 90% screen-to-body ratio.

Redmi Note 8 runs on the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset to enhance the overall user experience through its advanced AI technology, and improvements in power-efficiency ensure peak performance that will last all day.

Availability, pricing

Redmi Note 8 Pro and Redmi Note 8 will go on sale at the Mi Authorized Stores and Lazada starting October 12.

Redmi Note 8 Pro will come in Forest Green , Mineral Gray, and Pearl White in 6GB+64GB and 6GB+128GB for P11,490 and P12,990, respectively.

Redmi Note 8 in Space Black, Neptune Blue, and Moonlight White will be available in 4GB+64GB for P8,990. The Redmi Note 8 3GB+32GB for P7,990 and 4GB+128GB for P9,990 will be available soon. (Press Release)

Realme Philippines unveils quad-camera realme 5 series to disrupt sub-P15K category

Realme Philippines, the fastest-growing smartphone brand in the country, launched its first quad-camera smartphones, the realme 5 Pro and realme 5. Designed to deliver premium mobile experience, these phones are equipped with exceptional smartphone essentials such as strong system performance, superior camera capabilities and long battery life set to disrupt their respective segments.

The realme 5 Pro and realme 5 feature a quad-camera setup comprising an ultra-wide-angle lens, main camera, portrait lens and ultra-macro lens to elevate the photography experience of every Filipino.

Premium features

“We at realme Philippines are thrilled to revolutionize the smartphone experience of the Filipinos by leading the leap to attainable quad camera technology, which marks realme’s new era of smartphone imaging technology. By bringing the realme 5 Pro and realme 5 to the Philippine market, we put an end to the notion that only flagship phones can have premium features. Both these cutting-edge devices are a testament to our steadfast commitment of providing Filipinos, more specifically the youth, with the smartphone experience they deserve,” said realme Philippines Marketing Director Austine Huang.

Realme Philippines also maintains strong relations with key players in different industries such as Home Credit, which introduced a 9-month 0% plan for realme devices; and Qualcomm, whose powerful processors are present in the realme 5 Pro and realme 5.

To further cement its position in mobile gaming, realme Philippines also reinforced its partnership with Moonton, the developer of the No.1 MOBA game Mobile Legends, which is spearheading the realme Mobile Legends Cup Season 2 finals on October 18 and 19 at SM Southmall. Realme is also the official Epic Sponsor of the Mobile Legends: Bang Professional League Philippines Season 4 Finals which is set to happen on October 5 and 6 in collaboration with Moonton.

realme 5 Pro

The realme 5 Pro comes with features and specs unparalleled in its price segment. The device boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 AIE processor to provide the best operation, game and entertaining experience to its users. It is also equipped with the Qualcomm Adreno 616 GPU, which improves the phone’s graphics performance and energy efficiency by up to 35 percent.

The phone is available in two variants – 4GB RAM+128GB storage and 8GB RAM+128GB. The realme 5 Pro sports a new holographic color and cutting textures reflective of the design gene of realme, with upgrades on the material and hardware technology to achieve a richer layered visual. It is available in Crystal Green and Sparkling Blue colors.

To provide users with a more immersive display experience, the realme 5 Pro features a 6.3-inch FHD+ screen with a dewdrop design for a wider and clearer display. This gives the phone a high screen ratio of 90.8 percent, providing users a bigger display for even more enjoyable web navigation, data checking, image browsing and video streaming.

Taking photography to another level, the realme 5 Pro has a flagship quad-camera setup comprising an 8MP 119-degree ultra-wide-angle lens, a 2MP portrait lens, a 2MP ultra-macro lens and a 48MP Sony IMX586 main camera that provide users with an all-around photography experience for various scenarios. The IMX586, which underwent stringent research and tests by users and industry experts, features sensor optimization to deliver higher-quality images.

The realme 5 Pro also features a 16MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture and Sony IMX471 image sensor with 5sP high-concentration lens. It supports Quad Bayer smart pixel 4-in-1 technology that can synthesize 2μm large pixels for excellent selfie performance in low light.

The realme 5 Pro also features the Nightscape and Chroma Boost modes that are original to realme smartphones. Like the realme 5, it supports slow-motion video recording but in 960fps and 720p. Users can also edit videos on the device, allowing them to adjust video speed and add filters, text and soundtrack effects. They can also render edited videos through the theme function, which enables more convenient social network sharing.

The realme 5 Pro is equipped with a 4,035mAh high-capacity battery. Its AI Freezer function can intelligently predict the user’s app usage and freeze unused apps accordingly to save power. The smartphone also supports a 20W VOOC 3.0 Flash Charge Technology, which uses a low-voltage, high-current mode to ensure fast charging speed while reducing the heat of the adapter and the mobile phone in the process.

realme 5

The realme 5 runs on a powerful Snapdragon 665 processor with 11nm process technology, 2.0GHz clock speed, enhanced gaming performance and third-generation Qualcomm AI Engine. It is also equipped with an Adreno 610 GPU to guarantee real visual sense and allow users to play a variety of mobile games with a seamless experience resulting from smooth frame rate, rapid operation, surround sound and HD true image. A 6.5-inch HD+ mini-drop full-screen display allows users to enjoy an immersive smartphone experience excellent for gaming and video marathons.

The realme 5, which comes in three variants—3GB RAM+32GB storage, 4GB RAM+64GB and 6GB RAM+128GB—boasts the largest RAM and storage combinations in the market today. It features a 5000mAh large-capacity battery, allowing users to take advantage of the phone’s features all day long.

The phone’s imaging features kick up photography in the midrange smartphone segment a notch higher. The AI quad-camera setup is designed to deliver upgraded imaging. The realme 5’s primary camera adopts a 12MP image sensor to secure enough lighting for clearer and brighter pictures. The phase-detect autofocus (PDAF) guarantees rapid and precise focus. The 8MP 119-degree ultra-wide-angle lens allows users to take photos of landscapes and other distant scenes while the ultra-macro lens takes clearer photos in closer distances for easier capture of subjects with small details. The 13MP AI front camera optimizes the selfie beauty function for the best self-portrait. It adds AI beauty algorithms to accurately recognize photographed subjects using a total of 296 feature recognition points, thereby providing 8 million beauty effects for different groups of people.

The realme 5 has the two unique camera features of earlier realme smartphone generations – the Chroma Boost mode, which optimizes photos and produces a richer color presentation, and the upgraded Nightscape mode, which smartly adjusts the exposure of images taken in extremely low-lit scenarios. The realme 5 video function can also record slow-motion videos in 240fps and 720p.
The phone sports two new colors – Crystal Blue and Crystal Purple. It has an upgraded diamond-cut design with holographic color and reflecting texture, which is different from the matte diamond pattern of the previous generations. It now adopts the original polished surface and new nanometer holographic color with cutting touches.

Set to disrupt the sub-P15k price segment, the realme 5 Pro 4GB+128GB storage and 8GB+128GB storage variants are priced at P11,990 and P13,990, respectively, while the realme 5 is available in 3GB+32GB, 4GB+64GB and 6GB+128GB variants for P6,990, P7,990, and P9,900, respectively.

The offline pre-order for the realme 5 Pro will run from October 4 to October 11 with a minimum deposit of P500. Purchasers may claim their brand-new devices on October 12 in all realme kiosks and partner stores nationwide during realme’s first day sale. Those who will pre-order will receive a realme 10,000mAh power bank worth P1,599.

Those keen on purchasing the realme 5 Pro online may avail of the device through pre-order starting October 3 until October 8 in Lazada. Realme 5 Pro smartphones pre-ordered online can be redeemed beginning October 9. On the same day, October 9, at exactly 12 midnight, realme will be holding its very first Lazada online sale for the realme 5 Pro.

The realme 5 will also be available in all of the 4,500+ realme kiosks and concept stores nationwide on October 3 starting 7:30PM. While the 3GB+32GB variant of the realme 5 will be exclusively available through online platform Lazada.

Both devices may also be availed through a Home Credit plan. The 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant of the realme 5 Pro may be availed through a 6 or 9-months 0 percent interest plan while the other storage variants of the realme 5 Pro and realme 5 may also be availed through a 6-month plan at 0 percent interest.

Customers are encouraged to follow the realme official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Purchasers of the realme 5 Pro and realme 5 are also welcome to join the realme community on Facebook to see the latest news and discussions about the brand. Members also get exclusive invites to gatherings, special offers and many more.

Smart leads in Opensignal’s independent analysis of PH mobile experience

PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) delivers the best video experience across the Philippines and in 18 regions and provinces, based on the latest independent report from mobile analytics company Opensignal.

The Philippines Mobile Network Experience Report September 2019, which covered the period May 1 to July 29, 2019 and independently analyzed over 533 million measurements from over 190,000 devices, found that Smart won in four categories—Video Experience, Download Speed Experience, Upload Speed Experience and Latency Experience—and scored a draw in 4G Availability.

Smart’s Video Experience score was 47.6, well ahead of competition’s score of 30.4.

Smart won 4 awards in the latest Opensignal report. PLDT chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan received the awards from Opensignal executives Andy Burns and Rob Lerner. Also present during the ceremonies were Smart President Al S. Panlilio and PLDT-Smart chief technology and information advisor Joachim Horn.

“Smart’s Video Experience score of 47.6 out of 100 places it comfortably in our Fair ranking bracket (40-55), which means its users may be able to watch videos with reasonable load times and minimal stalling at low resolutions,” Peter Boyland, Opensignal senior analyst, wrote. “Globe’s score of 30.4, however, is well into Poor ranking (0-40) territory, meaning its users will struggle to get anything close to an acceptable Video Experience, even at the lowest resolutions.”

In terms of overall Download Speed Experience, which factors in both 3G and 4G download speeds along with the availability of each technology, Smart posted 9.4 Mbps, ahead of Globe’s 6.5 Mbps. In terms of 4G Download Speed alone, Smart scored 12.7 Mbps, compared to the competition’s 8.3 Mbps.

In terms of overall Upload Speed Experience, Smart posted 3.3 Mbps, ahead of the competition’s 1.7 Mbps.

In terms of Latency Experience, which is measured in milliseconds and refers to the delay users experience as data makes a round trip through the network, Smart also scored better at 61.9ms, compared to competition’s 64.2ms. When measuring Latency Experience, a lower number is better.

Regional analysis

The latest Opensignal report also includes data from 19 regions and provinces across the Philippines – Aklan, Batangas, Benguet, Bulacan, Cavite, Cebu, Davao del Sur, Iloilo, Laguna, Metro Manila, Misamis Oriental, Negros Occidental, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Rizal, South Cotabato and Tarlac.

Smart dominated Video Experience in 18 provinces, leading by as much as 29.4 points and 21.4 points in Nueva Ecija and Metro Manila, respectively.

In terms of Download Speed Experience, Smart was also ahead in Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Batangas, Quezon, Cebu, Iloilo, Misamis Oriental and South Cotabato, while in terms of Upload Speed Experience, Smart also led in 18 provinces.

In terms of Latency Experience, both operators scored a draw in most areas, with Smart leading in Metro Manila and Quezon province.

“These results are a testament to Smart’s commitment to continuously improve and expand our network across the country in order to support our customers’ growing appetite for mobile data,” said Mario G. Tamayo, PLDT-Smart senior vice president for Network Planning and Engineering.

Smart won in 4 categories – Video Experience, Download Speed Experience, Upload Speed Experience and Latency Experience.

Network transformation

Amid Smart’s Video Every Day and Giga Gaming offers, increasing data usage for video and games, alongside robust subscriber growth and increasing adoption of LTE SIMs and smartphones, have boosted PLDT’s consumer wireless business revenues for the first half of 2019, which grew 20% year-on-year to P34.4 billion.

Powering these services is PLDT and Smart’s sustained fixed and mobile network roll out and modernization. PLDT’s total fiber infrastructure spanning over 283,000 kilometers at the end of June also supports Smart’s mobile network by providing high-capacity links to its more than 19,000 LTE base stations.

PLDT has set aside a historic-high capital expenditure program in 2019 amounting to P78.4 billion, to further enhance the reach and capacity of its fiber-powered fixed line broadband network and LTE and 3G mobile networks, as well as modernize its IT support systems.

Avigilon holds technology awareness seminar

Aiming to make Cebu a safer and secure place to live in, Avigilon gathered attendees from the community, business leaders, and government agencies for an AI powered video surveillance Technology Awareness Seminar by Hello Marketing in partnership with Motorola Solutions Company.

With the theme: “Embracing Artificial Intelligence for Public Safety & Security: A Unified Approach”, the event was held on September 4, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Golden Prince Hotel & Suites.

“Seeing an increase in the demand on secure communications and AI/video analytics surveillance system particularly for peace and order, public safety, and disaster preparedness, we are committed to providing public an integrated solution for video security, access control, and critical communications,” said Engr. Francis Dy, General Manager for Hello Marketing.

Avigilon, a Motorola Solutions Company, designs, develops and manufactures from North America solutions in video analytics, cloud, security cameras, video management software, hardware and access control.

Key technologies that were discussed in the seminar included:

Appearance Search – Locate and track people & vehicles across a site without
the need for conventional fast forward / rewind technology
Unusual Motion Detection – Deep learning capability to detect abnormal motion
Focus of Attention Interface – A completely new UI for monitoring live video
High Definition Stream Management – High resolution with minimal bandwidth
Ultra-High Resolution – Cover more area with fewer cameras
Self Learning Video Analytics – The next generation in object classifications

Within the information flowing between citizens, responders, and agencies is the intelligence that builds a safer city. It will help you collect more of it, make it actionable and securely distribute it across mission-critical devices and easy-to-manage networks. It’s the technology and expertise that turns noise into information, information into intelligence, and intelligence into safety. And it’s how to do the absolute most with less — build safer cities, counties and states, and communities that thrive.

To learn more about Avigilon and its products and services, visit its official website at www.avigilon.com or contact Hello Marketing at (+63 32) 253 3493 / 412 2211.

Xiaomi introduces Mi A3, expands Android One lineup

Xiaomi’s latest mid-range smartphone features a 48MP ultra-wide triple camera setup with the most advanced in-screen fingerprint sensor on the market

Global technology leader Xiaomi today announced Mi A3 as an extension to its best-in-class Android One lineup. Priced at P11,990, Mi A3 has a 48MP triple camera, in-screen fingerprint sensor, updated design and massive battery, making it an ideal daily driver for recent grads to tech enthusiasts, or anyone who appreciates exceptional features at an accessible price.

“We look forward to expanding our Android One series in the Philippines with the introduction of the Mi A3,” said Steven Shi, Head of Southeast Asia, Xiaomi. “It enables Filipinos to enjoy an amazing Android experience on a sleek Xiaomi smartphone.”

MI A3. Priced at P11,990, Mi A3 has a 48MP triple camera, in-screen fingerprint sensor, updated design and massive battery.

“We are thrilled to strengthen our partnership with Xiaomi to add another great device to the Android One portfolio this year,” said Jon Gold, Director of Partner Programs, Google. “The all-new Mi A3 will deliver a software experience that is up-to-date and easy to use, with built-in malware protection and regular security updates that keep users safe.”

Flagship-level camera

Mi A3 sports a triple camera setup on the back with 48MP main lens and a large 1/2” sensor for ultra-high-resolution day photos. Its 8MP ultra-wide angle lens intelligently detects when users are shooting large images and recommends when to switch to ultra-wide angle mode for a more optimal shot. And to top it off, built-in AI scenes detection automatically applies photo tuning to help users capture the perfect image, every time.

On the front, Mi A3 uses a 32MP AI-equipped sensor for its selfie camera which merges four pixels to form large 1.6μm pixels and allows it to capture more detail in low-light conditions. Its unique panorama selfie feature lets users capture stunning group images without having to switch to the rear camera, use a selfie stick or cut people out. And its palm shutter feature eliminates the possibility of camera shake from pressing the shutter button by adding a simple gesture to start a countdown towards the perfect selfie.

Stunning AMOLED display, in-screen fingerprint sensor

Featuring a large 6.088” AMOLED Dot Drop display, Mi A3 offers more vivid colors and deeper blacks with a blazing fast response speed and enhanced power efficiency. For a more secure user experience, Mi A3 features an improved in-screen fingerprint sensor with a 15% increased fingerprint detection area. Compared to its predecessor, the sensor pixels and size has been doubled, allowing for an increased reliability and a 30% increased unlock success rate in extreme conditions – from dry fingers to strong light and ultra-low temperatures.

MI A3 CAMERA. Mi A3 sports a triple camera setup on the back with 48MP main lens and a large 1/2” sensor for ultra-high-resolution day photos. Its 8MP ultra-wide angle lens intelligently detects when users are shooting large images and recommends when to switch to ultra-wide angle mode for a more optimal shot.

All-new dynamic design

Tech enthusiasts will be pleased to find impressive new design upgrades in Mi A3 that enhance the overall look and user experience. With a weight and thickness of 173.8g and 8.475mm respectively, the device’s compact size gives it a leg up for multi-taskers seeking single-hand operation.

Mi A3’s front display and curved back is covered in Corning Gorilla Glass 5, offering a durable yet comfortable experience. Importantly, the device’s compact form factor doesn’t sacrifice on audio — Mi A3 sports a cutting-edge front audio system and a 3.5mm jack.

Mi A3 is available in three attractive color choices to suit all different styles: Kind of Grey, Not just Blue and More than White. A nano-level holographic pattern enhances the blue and white color options to create a dynamic design effect that will appeal to style-conscious consumers.

DESIGN. With a weight and thickness of 173.8g and 8.475mm respectively, the device’s compact size gives it a leg up for multi-taskers seeking single-hand operation.

Peak performance

Mi A3 packs a punch with its massive 4030mAh battery — the Mi A series’ largest power capacity to-date. By pairing extended battery life with the efficiencies of Android One, Mi A3 enables a more reliable and extended experience for users on the go. And when it’s time to recharge, the device offers up to 18W fast charging via USB Type-C.

As one of the very first devices powered by Qualcomm SnapdragonTM 665 Mobile Platform, Mi A3 also boasts smoother performance, faster speed, and improved AI capabilities for those taking advantage of features like AI Beautify and Google Lens.

Android One with Google Assistant

Mi A3 is powered by Android One and runs on the latest Android 9 Pie operating system out of the box. Users can enjoy the latest Google innovation and stay productive with the Google Assistant, Digital Wellbeing Dashboard and Wind Down. With Google Assistant on Mi A3 you can get things done and stay on top of your plans while on-the-go, in the car or at home – using just your voice. You can ask questions, pull up your schedule, navigate places, set reminders, call, text and control connected smart home devices, hands free.

The Mi A3 4GB+128GB variant will be available at P11,990. It will come in three colors- Kind of Grey, Not just Blue, and More than White. Sales will start on September 9 via Lazada and Shopee, and will be available in Mi Authorized Stores starting August 24. (Press Release)

Video, mobile games boost Smart’s data usage and revenues

PLDT Inc.’s resurgent mobile business posted record revenue growth in the first quarter of 2019, riding on the growing appetite of its customers for online video and mobile games.

Service revenues of its individual wireless business, which includes the consumer sales of its Smart, Sun and TNT mobile brands, jumped 18% year-on-year to P16.9 billion, net of interconnection costs. The surge in revenues was driven by a robust increase in data and broadband revenues which accounted for 65% of the total.

PLDT’s wireless brands also added 3.4 million customers in the first quarter of 2019, adding to a subscriber base that is increasingly becoming more active in using data. About two-thirds of these subscribers are smartphone owners, of whom about 70% are data users. Mobile data traffic rose by 127% year-on-year to 304 petabytes.

Video, mobile gaming

These data-savvy customers are watching more and more video on their smartphones. With the introduction of the Video Every Day data packages late last year, more customers have been accessing various video services like YouTube, NBA, iWant and iFlix.

The monthly users of YouTube, already boosted by last year’s Free YouTube promo, further increased by 35% in the first quarter. Viewers of other popular video apps also increased sharply: users of the NBA video service nearly doubled; those of iWant soared 153%; and iflix, 170%.

Mobile gaming has contributed to the continuing increase in data usage, following PLDT and Smart’s initiatives to organize their official professional eSports team, “Omega”. They also sponsored the professional league in the Philippines of the popular mobile game Mobile Legends.

The upshot: the number of monthly unique users of Mobile Legends increased by 5x from June 2018 to end-March 2019.

PLDT network upgrades

To support Filipinos’ increasing appetite for data, PLDT and Smart are continuously expanding and modernizing their fixed and mobile networks, backed by a historic-high capital expenditure of P78.4 billion this year. The capex investments are to further expand coverage and to increase capacity to handle the exponential growth in data traffic. The ultimate aim is to deliver the best data customer experience.

The growth of mobile video viewing among Smart subscribers, for example, has been supported by the ability of its cellular network to deliver what internet analytics firm OpenSignal called, in its latest country analysis, “the better video experience.” Other third-party organizations like Ookla, Tutela and P3 have also recognized the network superiority of the PLDT group network.

More LTE base stations

Smart has added about 1,700 LTE base stations in the first quarter, raising the total to about 18,000. Smart is also activating carrier aggregation across its sites, enabling the network to deliver even faster mobile internet services by combining the capacity of two or more frequency bands. Smart has likewise also increased its 3G base station count to about 12,100.

Meanwhile, PLDT has further expanded its total fiber optic cable network footprint to 259,000 kilometers. PLDT’s fiber-powered fixed line broadband network has now passed 6.7 million homes as of end-March, while total number of fiber ports available has reached 2.96 million, of which 1.2 million are available for new customers.

PLDT’s fiber network also supports Smart’s mobile network by providing high-capacity links to cellular base stations.

PLDT has also partnered with global technology leader Cisco to help transform its fiber transport network in to a fully automated, software-defined 5G-ready IP transport network over the next three years.

“This transport transformation program is a crucial part of our ambition to strengthen the network leadership that PLDT and Smart nave won through consistent efforts over the past three years,” said Mario G. Tamayo, PLDT-Smart senior vice president for network planning and engineering. (Press Release)

PayMaya brings cashless payment options, more perks to Big Bad Wolf Book Sale in Cebu

Cebuano book lovers can look forward to a more convenient and rewarding shopping experience as PayMaya enables cashless payment options at the Big Bad Wolf Sale on its second run in Cebu from August 16 to 26, 2019.

PayMaya customers are in for a surprise as they can get a chance to receive up to 100% cashback each time they pay using PayMaya QR from August 16-26, 2019. For new PayMaya users who will scan-to-pay at least P1,000 for the first time, they can enjoy an extra treat of P100 PayMaya credits.

WORLD’S BIGGEST BOOK SALE. Book lovers and new readers will have time to search for their favorite titles and authors as the BBW Book Sale will be open 24 hours daily until Aug. 26, 2019 at the IEC Convention Center (IC3) in Cebu City.

Aside from that, shoppers paying via their PayMaya physical card can also get up to 100% cashback for a minimum spend of P1,000. This promo is part of PayMaya’s Online Shopping Promo that will run until August 20, 2019.

Big Bad Wolf Book Sale shoppers can experience seamless cashless payments as cashiers are equipped with One by PayMaya Business, a device that can accept credit and debit cards powered by VISA or Mastercard as well as QR payments through the PayMaya app.

“Through our continued partnership with Big Bad Wolf Sale, shoppers can definitely enjoy an upgraded book shopping experience with the help of PayMaya QR and the One by PayMaya Business device. We’re really happy to support the Big Bad Wolf Sale and offer cashless convenience and amazing rewards to all Cebuano book lovers,” said Raymund Villanueva, Director and Head of Growth and Marketing of PayMaya.

CONVENIENT PAYMENT. With PayMaya, Cebuano book lovers can look forward to a more convenient and rewarding cashless shopping experience.

After a successful debut in Cebu last year, the Big Bad Wolf Sale is once again bringing 24-hour book shopping on heavily discounted books at the IEC Convention Center (IC3) in Cebu City.

From best-selling novels to popular children’s books, Big Bad Wolf shoppers can enjoy a wide-range of book selections and conveniently use their PayMaya app as their wallet to scan and pay for their book purchases via PayMaya QR. They can also avoid bringing cash or coins as they can pay using their debit or credit card via the One by PayMaya Business device.

To know more about how you can maximize your PayMaya account for shopping, visit www.paymaya.com/deals or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Ayala Corp. to go cashless with GCash

Ayala Corporation (Ayala), one of the oldest and largest conglomerates in the Philippines, has adopted GCash’s Powerpay+ disbursement platform to release incentives to its employees at the parent company.

Powerpay+ is a bundled funds disbursement facility that allows companies to pay out salaries, commissions and allowances more conveniently and securely to people by crediting funds directly to employees’ GCash accounts. It provides the flexibility to disburse scheduled or recurring payouts and is easily accessible via mobile phone. GCash is operated by Mynt, a partnership among Globe Telecom, Ayala Corporation and Ant Financial.

Logical next step

“Digital payments within the group was a natural move for us at Ayala. As a 185-year-old company, we are taking advantage of a new digital format that gives our employees ease, convenience, and security. We used to give gift cheques, which later became electronic gift cheques, so the move to e-wallets was a logical next step for us following the increasingly digitally savvy lifestyle of our employees and GCash’s recent exponential growth as the country’s leading mobile wallet,” said John Phillip Orbeta, Ayala’s Chief Human Resources Officer and Corporate Resources Group Head.

Mynt CEO Anthony Thomas also emphasized the added security and convenience that are innate to e-wallets. He says that with a digital format, “you have a trail, you have the ability to send out money for any purpose. Payroll is one, but incentives, reimbursements, agent commissions—all these needs are taken care of through an enterprise interface which allows you to pay instantly, and even small amounts, making it very efficient.”

Daily tasks

Like the rest of GCash’s 20 million users, Ayala employees have been using the platform to accomplish daily tasks like buying prepaid load, paying bills online, booking movie tickets, sending money to other GCash accounts and traditional bank accounts, and transacting with over 50,000 QR-enabled merchant partners nationwide. GCash also offers GSave, which gives the highest savings rate in the country and requires no minimum balance, and GCredit, which uses alternative credit scoring models to provide microloans.

GOING CASHLESS. Anthony Thomas (left), President and CEO of GCash, and John Philip S. Orbeta, Ayala Chief Human Resource Officer & Group Head of Corporate Resources.

Orbeta says that using the Powerpay+ platform will simply take their Ayala employees’ GCash use to another level.

At Ayala’s 2019 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting last April, Ayala Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said the company is undergoing a massive transformation to ramp up the digitalization of its companies, as this was key to propelling the company into the future.

Zobel emphasized that the corporation, with business interests in real estate, banking, telecommunications, water, power, infrastructure, industrial technologies, health care, and education, has started “to participate in digital businesses that we believe are disruptive. These

Digital transformation journey

investments are designed to complement our group’s traditional brick-and-mortar operations, future-proof our existing portfolio, and broaden the digital experience of Filipinos.”

“We spend significant time studying other markets that are in the advanced stages of digital maturity and we have teams constantly looking at emerging trends and technologies,” Zobel added. “Absorbing and learning from these experiences, we have become more deliberate in our own digital transformation journey and have elevated it into a group-wide strategic agenda.”

Aside from enjoying the benefits of going digital, Thomas said GCash users also contribute to Philippine environmental sustainability efforts through GCash Forest, a feature within the app that computes how transactions done via GCash help the environment. The app computes one’s carbon credits, which upon hitting a predetermined target will require GCash to plant a tree at the Ipo Watershed, the biggest source of water for Metro Manila. (Press Release)

Bo’s Coffee launches advance ordering system via Facebook Messenger

Order your favorite caffeine fix from Bo’s Coffee even when you’re still on your way so that it’s ready for you when you arrive.

All you need to do is look up Bo’s Coffee Advance Ordering BOTTY on Facebook Messenger and follow the instructions for getting your preferred hot or cold drinks. After picking your drink and choosing your payment option, you will be informed how many minutes it would take to get your order ready and again when it is.

The system has been rolled out in 47 mostly company-owned Bo’s Coffee outlets across the Philippines, including 19 in Cebu.

SKIP THE COFFEE ORDER LINE. Bo’s Coffee allows you to order in advance via Facebook Messenger and pick it up at the store.

Bo’s Coffee founder Steve Benitez said during the launch of the Advance Ordering BOTTY in Cebu that the move is intended to enhance the customer experience and a means by which he intended to bring his homegrown coffee chain to the future.

Bo’s Coffee tech innovations

“As we reach our 25-year mark, we want to cater to the fast-paced lifestyle of our customers. We want to make your daily coffee runs simpler, faster, and more accessible so you have more time for more important things in life – your passions, your advocacies, and your relationships,” added Benitez, who is President and CEO of WS & Landin, Inc., the corporation behind Bo’s Coffee.

The Bo’s Coffee Advance Ordering BOTTY is just the first of several technology innovations that are on the pipeline for Benetiz’s coffee shop chain.

BETTER EXPERIENCE. Bo’s Coffee founder Steve Benitez says they deployed Facebook Messenger chatbot to enhance the experience of their customers.

According to Benitez, the goal is to integrate Bo’s Coffee rewards and even delivery services to Messenger-based system through Grab Express.

Digital payment options

While the Advance Ordering BOTTY allows customers to pay cash, its secure and cashless digital payment options through PayMaya as well as credit and debit cards (Visa and Mastercard) allow customers to really skip the line, according to Bo’s Coffee COO Rachel Fallarme.

“In a developing world like ours, we have to do all we can to optimize our efforts and save time,” she added.

CHATBOT LAUNCH. Speaking during the press conference to launch the Bo’s Coffee Facebook Messenger chatbot are (from left) Bo’s Coffee COO Rachel Fallarme, founder Steve Benitez, and developer Cary Gee.

By paying via the system, customers can park curbside in strategic stand alone branches, get their coffee, and continue on with their day. Payment options like Grabpay and GCash will also be available soon.

Some of the Bo’s Coffee branches with the Advance Ordering BOTTY include Capitol, Banilad Town Center, Filinvest Cyberzone, Ayala Center branches, SM City Cebu branches, SM Seaside, and Mactan Domestic and International Airports.

CHAT TO ORDER. Look up Bo’s Coffee Advance Ordering BOTTY on Facebook Messenger and follow the instructions for getting your preferred hot or cold drinks.

Consumer market patterns

System developer Cary Gee, who was also present during the launch in Bo’s Coffee Capitol Branch last July 25, 2019, said the Advance Ordering BOTTY was initially developed for the Singaporean market.

He decided to bring the system to the Philippines when he saw similar patterns in the two consumer markets, both of which are fast-paced, in need of personalization while skipping the queue, and has a good percentage using Messenger instead of downloaded apps.

TRYING IT OUT. Ka Bino Guerrero tries out the Bo’s Coffee chatbot to order drinks.

The system keeps a record of orders and helps the coffee shop push the right promotions to customers. It can also be used to engage customers for rewards purposes.

While it was created with customers in mind, the system will also free up some tasks for coffee shop employees.

PLDT, Smart named fastest networks, widen lead over competitors

PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) continue to set the pace for Internet services in the Philippines, posting the country’s fastest fixed and mobile data speeds for the first half of 2019, according to Ookla, the global leader in internet testing and analysis.

The latest report, which covers Q1-Q2 2019, also shows both PLDT and Smart widening their respective leads over their competitors.

According to the Ookla report, PLDT achieved a Speed Score of 20.44, with top download speeds of 51.36 Mbps and top upload speeds of 54.22 Mbps. The fixed network award is based on 25,169,867 customer-initiated Speedtest nationwide for the same period.

On the other hand, Smart achieved a Speed Score of 17.07, with average download speeds of 19.33 Mbps and average upload speeds of 9.16 Mbps. The mobile award is based on 1,857,286 consumer-initiated tests taken with Speedtest on LTE-capable devices in the Philippines.

Speed score improvement

Speed Score is a measure that takes into account both upload and download speeds.

These latest figures are improvements from the Q3-Q4 2018 scores, when Smart posted a Speed Score of 15.57 and PLDT achieved a speed score of 18.57.

PLDT and Smart have also widened their respective leads over their competitors in terms of Speed Scores. For instance, from a gap of between 7.3 to 9.2 in Q3-Q4 2018, PLDT now leads over its competitors by as much as 8.7 to 10. Smart, on the other hand, widened its lead from 5.5 to 7.

Drilling down, initial data also showed PLDT posting big leads in key cities like Quezon City, Cebu City and Pasig, whereas Smart’s Speed Score more than double that of competition in Quezon City, Makati, and Manila.

In Pasig City, for example, PLDT posted a Speed Score of 21.7, more than 9 points ahead of Globe’s 12.2, while PLDT’s 20.77 Speed Score in Cebu City is double that of Globe’s 10.46 Speed Score in the area.

Meanwhile, Smart’s Speed Scores were consistently more than double that of Globe’s in Quezon City, Makati and Manila.

Better customer experience

“Our network investments have considerably improved customer experience so that they can now watch videos without buffering, update their social media accounts, or easily check their email and open attachments while on-the-go,” said Mario G. Tamayo, PLDT and Smart senior vice president for Network Planning and Engineering.

“Now that our subscribers use more data, and as we continue to bring in new customers, we have to ensure they get fast and reliable connection all the time. We continue to build and expand our fiber and LTE network to meet those needs,” Tamayo added.

For mobile, Speed Score incorporates a measure of each provider’s download and upload speed to rank network speed performance. Tests used to calculate the Speed Score exclusively come from ‘modern devices’, which are devices capable of connecting to the market’s fastest, generally available technology.

For fixed, Ookla assesses the best network speeds attained across a given network, accounting for tests that are taken on various Speedtest applications that connect to a fixed network, including tests taken on mobile phones over a Wi-Fi connection. Each top carrier accounts for at least 3% of the sample size in the geographic area.

Speedtest Fastest Fixed Network PLDT OOKLA

Integrated fixed, mobile network upgrades

PLDT’s total fiber optic cable network footprint is now at over 259,000 kilometers, while its fiber-powered fixed line broadband network has now passed 6.7 million homes as of end-March.

Of LTE sites nationwide, 71% have already been upgraded to LTE-A, which means each cell site has multiple LTE base stations activated. In the first quarter of 2019 alone, Smart deployed an additional 1,700 LTE base stations across its sites nationwide, raising the LTE base station count to around 18,000 as of the first quarter.

Smart has also already fulfilled its commitment to the National Telecommunications Commission to cover at least 90 percent of the country’s cities and municipalities to address the growing demand for broadband infrastructure and internet access.

Investment in network transformation

This recognition comes as PLDT and Smart continue to pour significant resources into their integrated fixed and wireless network expansion, which is backed by a historic-high capital expenditure of P78.4 billion this year.

Alongside Smart’s ramped-up LTE and LTE-A roll out, PLDT is also aggressively rolling out its fiber broadband service, which also supports Smart’s mobile network by providing high-capacity links for cellular base stations.