I've set up a blog dedicated to the Zune Experience here in the Philippines.

www.zuneph.blogspot.com

Will you get a Zune?
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I've been reading the reviews in almost all the sites you can name. (Gizmodo, Engadget, PC Mag, Arstechnica, Amazon, Zune fansites, bloggers) all of which have great reviews of the Zune.

Some reviews ( CNN, NY Times, and other bloggers) have also taken the shot on this so called "iPod-killer" (a commonly used term for any new products challenging the more stable and popular product.) Critics point out the zune's very poor, brick-like design weighs more, is larger that the same 30gb iPod, and some discouraging restrictions on the sharing experience especially the 3 plays for 3 days. I admit, it just doesn't get it off the ground, a very stupid move from a product that brands itself as a "social" player. (blame DRM on that one.)

For me, it really is a downside to share mp3's and have that 3 plays or 3 days (which ever comes first) limit. It's for ALL songs, even those you compose and share, even non-DRMed ones. I hope future updates could remove that.

Since I can't use the Zune Marketplace here in the Philippines, it won't be a problem for me. I just bought the player...for well..just for the player. I don't think i'll be sharing and swapping songs with anyone just yet..coz, in case you didn't know, wifi sharing only happens when there's another zune around. So wifi features and marketplace is no use to me...just yet.

For me, it's the potential of this player that got me. It's still no iPod killer - yet. Microsoft is known for getting things right in it's 2nd Generation and updates. Look at Xbox 360.

Why I chose Zune:

Screen
Having a large screen is the first thing that got me. Bright, Large (Larger is definitely much better.) The resolution is just the same as iPod's yet the way it was designed (vertically and actually just an inch long against iPod's screen) made it look big.

Wireless Features
The wireless features opens up potential features for this device. At the present you can only share pictures and songs wirelessly. No videos at this time although Steve Ballmer in an interview hinted a future firmware update that includes video sharing. Future potentials of the wifi feature could be:

1.) over-the-air downloads of songs, videos and images.
2.) wireless updates through your wifi-capable PC's and laptops
3.) Internet connectivity (why not?)
3.) Expect hacks from zunesters after 2 months..hehe!
4.) Potential updates are always on the way from Microsoft.

Function and Interface
It's no touch-wheel but still, present users found zune easier to navigate than iPod's. They noted that Zune's click-wheel made accessing menu's easier and faster. since you have a 4 directional keys integrating into the interface very well.

For the interface. Wallpaper customization, Larger album art. Smooth transitions. those are far more superior than iPod's. Period.

Less-Scratchy
The Zune's coating is that of a matte finish.(I have not yet held one, but from the pictures, you can just feel it.. hehe). It's made of plastic and therefore not easily scratches unlike those of iPod's. then there is that double-shot colors that impresses me most. For the brown zune, a green glow outlines the front of the player which creates a glowing effect which makes it look even cooler. For the Black one, it's a light blue glow, then for the white, a faded/opaque white.

Apple's iPod is cool (I have a nano), but Zune is the new and fresh thing now, having features that Apple would surely emulate in their next iPod release.

There are setbacks from the Zune device at the present which some of it can be addressed by future firmware updates. I hope Apple fanboys would take time to look at this device rather thatn downplaying it without even holding or experiencing one just because it is from Microsoft. errr...Am I right?

I'll manage to write a review after I get to hold on one...which hopefully, by that time, the 2nd Gen Zune still hasn't come out..
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Working from home ain't that easy. Having your bed beside you is really tempting. But commuting from home to work is not that hard..it just takes me about 3 to 4 steps and i'm at my office. (desk actually)

Our office is actually being constructed and we'll move in by the end of the year if everything is in place by then. If and when I start to move in it will be another adjustment for me since i live 1 and half hour travel from my place.

I see it as a welcome change. A new challenge and experience.

I haven't had time to write for a very long time..Will resume again once schedule permits me.

Godbless!
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Creating screenprinted shirts for a friend and the shop that she manages at the Podium in Ortigas. I will be doing up to 15 shirts of different sizes and hopefully other branches will follow suit. I need all the extra income I can get now that I'm out of school and doing freelancing on my own. gahaman ba? err...

I'm still doing web works of course, but nothing beats the smell of fresh textile rubberized paint!
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Singapore and Malaysia. That's where we went last week. The whole trip was refreshing and insightful. The plane ride was 3-hours long (Manila to Singapore) and it was uncomfortable. The food was tasteless (probably from the high altitude, I don't know.) The seat was a bit cranky and the inflight movie looked like it was just downloaded from Kazaa or Bittorrent. Overall, the plane ride is my first plane ride this year (actually my first ride in 5 years)

I was impressed with the clean and organized city of Singapore. Upon arriving we were fetched from the airport going to the hotel. While on the road I noticed that the urban landscaping where good and really planned throughout the whole city. The buildings and structures were crisp-ly clean and I didn't notice any single busted bulb!

Next Stop, Malaysia. A grueling 5-hour bus ride from Singapore. We were lucky to have a tour bus that was very kind to our butts for five hours. Thanks to my trusty iPod, the travel was an opportunity to catch up on interesting books - audiobooks that is.

Malaysia is similar to Singapore. I just noticed that few malaysians speak and understand english, which for us was a disadvantage. We strolled malls and ate at "turo-turos", even trying out their McDonalds (which has a similar menu there minus the rice option) So after a few days wasted ringgits and rolls of film. We decided it was time to go back to Mr. Merlion.

Fast Forward --> Saturday 11:00am we left the hotel and proceeded to Changi Airport aboard flight 815(hmm..?) headed straight back home.

View Flickr Photo Set
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Hi! I've just uploaded my new subsite about the shirts I'm making, if you're interested in seeing more visit Reboot Web (down at the moment) and drop me a message if you need anything. Thanks!!
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I've been recently tinkering with Yahoo! Mail's new email service which is still in beta and by invite only.

Yahoo! Mail Beta is a web-based email application that combines the rich, responsive interface of a desktop program with the available-from-anywhere convenience of your existing Yahoo! Mail account.

click image for a larger view.

Benefits of Yahoo! Mail Beta include:

- Drag and drop feature
- Built-in RSS reader
- Message Preview pane
- Mouse and keyboard shortcuts (right-click, CTRL-S)
- Messages are opened in tabs or new windows enabling multitasking
- Speedier AJAX-interface

At first look, I was greeted by an interface similar to Microsoft's Outlook and Eudora's email client. The loading time is still slow, (umm..beta?) When you click the inbox message title links on top, it automatically displays the messages in the preview pane without the browser having to find the page and reloading it, this makes the illusion that it's reloading faster which I think really is.

Since Yahoo! seemingly wants us to to have that "desktop-experience", most desktop shortcuts like right-clicking and keyboard shortcuts are enabled. This makes opening, marking, saving, flagging and deleting a breeze. Unfortunately, Yahoo! Mail Beta doesn't work in Opera, and the loading time of messages somehow is slow compared to Gmail but still Yahoo! Mail Beta is a fresh approach on web-based email application that mimics most desktop email softwares and best of all it's free.

I will add more discoveries in this entry along the way as I use Yahoo! Mail. yahoooooooo!
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