Web-based apps draw users to go online

With a vast number of new web-based applications featured impressive functions that practically match the most used PC software, recent developments in online apps have provided users with a new landscape on locally installed programs on the PC. As online access become faster and easier, users are now turning away from the usual local PC applications to the Internet to do their computing tasks right on the web browser.

Adobe unleashes CS3 in Manila

Enhancing world-class Filipino creativity
Adobe Systems' country manager for South East Asia Raymond Lee explains how Filipino creative and design professionals, who are among the most creative in the region, can benefit from the newly-released Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium and Master Collection at a roadshow in Manila last October 2. The industry's most comprehensive collection of integrated cross-platform post-production software tools would help video professionals deliver stunning results for film, broadcast, DVD, Web and mobile devices. Adobe Production Premium integrates time-saving workflow technologies with the milestone releases of Adobe After Effects CS3 Professional, Adobe Premiere Pro CS3, Adobe Encore CS3, Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended, Adobe Illustrator CS3, Adobe Flash CS3 Professional and Adobe Soundbooth CS3, which can also be purchased as stand-alone applications.

Innovista, Netgear announce partnership

Innovista Technologies Inc. recently announced its partnership with NetGear in a media briefing in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City. NetGear is a worldwide provider of technologically advanced, branded networking products since 1996 with a goal of becoming be the preferred customer-driven provider of innovative networking solutions for small businesses and homes.

Innovista is a Philippine distributor of major PC systems, peripherals, and networking brands including the NetGear line of products.

Adopt individual, not collective, takeback scheme, IT firms told

This article was originally posted on the Cyberpress web site the organization's Greent I.T. forum in November 2007. Cyberpress, also known as the I.T. Journalists Association of the Philippines is an organization of I.T. reporters in the country established in 1996.

Precisely because they know what substance they put into their own products, local subsidiaries of IT companies were urged by an environmental group to assume the responsibility of getting their junk products individually and not rely on the government’s effort to gather them on a collective basis.

At the recent CyberPress Forum held at the Filipinas Heritage Library in Makati City, Greenpeace Philippines said tech firms such as PC and mobile phone makers have the moral, if not legal, obligation to recover and recycle their electrical and electronic wastes.

Representatives of IT companies who took part in the conference did not make an issue with the proposal, with top executives of computer producers Lenovo and IBM saying they would suggest to their headquarters to implement an individual takeback scheme in the country.

For its part, Board of Investment director Domingo Bagaporo said the government recognizes the merits of the suggestion and will thus consider it as the trade department winds up its cellphone waste collection and recycling program. The pilot project, which has Glorietta, Greenhills, and SM Megamall as collection points, will run up to December 31.

Beau Baconguis, toxic tech waste campaigner of Greenpeace Philippines, said a “takeback" policy is one of the crucial criteria that the group uses in rating the environmental-friendliness of a technology company.

In the recent quarterly issue of the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics, game consoles came out as the least environment-friendly electronic gadgets because of its lack of takeback policy. The report, first launched in August 2006 and rates PC and mobile phone manufacturers on their environmental practices, was expanded to include gaming consoles and television sets.

Video game market leader Nintendo lands at the bottom of the ranking guide with a score of zero out of a possible 10 points, followed by TV manufacturer Philips (2.0), and Microsoft (2.7). The global games consoles sector is the fastest growing sector of the electronics industry and is dominated by only three companies, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft.

The new edition of the quarterly guide also shows important changes at the top of the ranking. Sony Ericsson has now taken the top spot, followed by Samsung, and Sony. Nokia, which has held the top spot since June 2007, has slid down to number nine, and, along with Motorola has been given penalty points.

During the forum, it appeared that the Philippines does not have a definitive law or clear-cut policy governing e-waste and recycling of electronic products.

IT stalwart Gus Lagman commented that the country does not even have a junkyard where harmful components of technology products can be processed safely.

The head of Sun Microsystems Philippines, another tech vendor, noted that although the government has embarked on some initiatives in addressing e-waste, a lot more needs to be done in terms of keeping the pressure on electronic companies to observe proper waste disposal and recycling.

Sun, along with EMC Philippines, revealed that they have the studied these environmental issues early on and have implemented energy-saving features that can maximize power resources.

First 1GB on board graphics card launched by Palit

Taiwan-based Palit Microsystems recently introduced what is touted as “the world’s first on board 1GB memory graphics processor.” I was invited in a media briefing on December 3 at MyCinema Greenblet 3, Makati City where the NVIDIA-chipset based Palit GeForce 8500GT Super+1GB was launched to the Philippine market.

According to nVidia executives from Taiwan who was also present during the product launch, the new 8500GT is packed with actually 1024MB king size memory which can boost heavy graphics computing performance and save bandwidth on the memory capacity bottleneck.

The 8500GT is based on PCI Express platform with 128-bit memory interface and a rated 400MHz RAMDACs. RAMDACs (Random Access Memory Digital-to-Analog Converters) is a display adapter’s memory that stores the color palettes to enhance color displays. So the more color a RAMDAC can process, the better.