Lexus Manila Now Open!

Last January 14, Toyota Motor Philippines unveiled its new brand in the luxury automotive segment in the Philippines. Lexus has been around for 20 years and it has already captured the hearts of fan boys and earned much respect in the industry. This year will be a tough one for everyone (US recession, plummeting stocks, etc.) but Toyota is still keeping its hopes up by expanding its product line here in our country. Come and visit the Lexus show room in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig to get a glimpse of their cars. While your at it, don't forget check out the awesome Lexus GS460!

Ang Atenista.. Bow!

I'm posting this because this is what I was back in college. ;) Kudos to the freshman writer. Cherish every day of your Ateneo Life.

In defense of the Atenean community.

Atenista ako. Pero marunong akong mag-diretsong Tagalog. Atenista ako. Pero marunong akong makipagtulakan sa MRT at isiksik ang sarili ko sa kakarampot na espasyo sa jeep. Atenista ako. Pero hindi ako gumagasta ng libo-libo sa isang pares ng sapatos o sa isang jacket. Wala akong kotse, wala akong driver, at lalong-lalo nang wala akong Wii o X-box o Play Station para mag-Guitar Hero at Rock Band maghapon. Pero hindi ibig sabihin nitong hindi ako singtalino at sing-galing ng ibang Atenistang meron ng mga bagay na to. Hindi ibig sabihin nitong hindi ako bagay na mag-aral sa isang sikat na unibersidad. Hindi ibig sabihin nitong hindi ako Atenista.

Madalas nababansagang maarte kaming mga Atenista dahil sa pananalita namin. Pero matalino lang ang mga estudyante ng Ateneo. Ang kapaligiran, mga propesor, ang estilo ng pagtuturo at pamamalakad ay dinisenyo para manganak at magpalaki ng mga studyanteng hindi lang napipilitang mag-aral ng mabuti, kundi ginugusto talagang maging mahusay sa akademya. Walang masamang maging magaling mag-Ingles. Walang masamang maging gamay makipag-usap sa mga dayuhan. Walang masamang maging marunong makipag-debate at ipaglaban ang pinaniniwalaan mo.

Mareklamo daw kami. Bakit, sa La Salle ba, walang nagrereklamo sa lakas ng ulan? Sa UP ba, walang nagrereklamo sa init ng panahon? Sa Benilde ba, walang nagluluksa pag walang kuryente o mabagal ang wi-fi? Hindi kami naiiba sa inyo. Sa lahat ng mga ganito pa rin ang ideya tungkol sa mga Atenista, wala pa siguro kayong nakakausap na dormer ng Cervini, na galing Cotabato at nagsisikap mag-aral ng mabuti kahit nag-iisa at malayo sa pamilya. Wala pa kayong nakikilalang scholar na minsan kailangang umutang sa OAA para lang may pamasahe papasok. Sila? Nagrereklamo ba sila?

Elitista daw kami. Pero hindi lahat ng Atenista mayaman o feeling-mayaman. Hindi lahat kami “sheltered” katulad nang hindi lahat nang Lasalista negosyanteng Intsik at hindi lahat nang taga-UP aktibista at hindi lahat nang taga-UST ay mga siokoy na lumulusong sa baha. Hindi porke’t “elite” ang school namin “elitista” kami. Hindi porke’t may dalawang Figaro sa loob ng campus namin hindi na namin nasisikmura ang isaw at betamax. Hindi porke’t malinis ang mga banyo namin pinandidirihan na namin ang mga Aeta. Marunong naman kaming manood ng Eat Bulaga at Wowowee at nabalitaan din namin ang break-up nina Dingdong at Karylle. At hindi lang usong damit at UAAP ang inaatupag namin. May pakialam din kami sa mundo. Alam namin ang tungkol sa global recession at krisis sa stock market ng Amerika. Nanood kami ng SONA at naintindihan namin yon. Alam na alam namin ang banta ng global warming, kaya nga hindi na kami gumagamit ng styro. Alam naming importanteng iangat ang estado ng Pilipinas sa mundo, kaya nga kami may JTA. Alam namin ang kalagayan ng mga magsasaka sa Calatagan, kaya nga ginagawa namin lahat ng kaya namin para matulungan sila. At oo, alam naming maraming nagugutom sa mundo, kaya nga Atenista pa rin kami.

Wala pa akong isang buong taon sa Ateneo. Pero alam ko ang mga pinagsasasabi ko. Dahil sa loob ng pitong buwan sa Katipunan marami akong natutunan, nakilala, napuntahan at natulungan. Dahil nakita ko ang puso at talino ng mga taga-Ateneo. Dahil hindi ako maarte, hindi ako feeling mayaman, hindi ako mareklamo, at hindi ako elitista, pero hindi ipinagkait sakin ang pagiging Atenista.

My Christmas Wishlist

This was my Christmas wish list for the holidays. I received/bought 0 out of 7. :-(

Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch Laptop – P153,000

Apple Macbook Pro is one of the best, if not the best, laptop Apple has ever produced. Be it on style and specifications, Apple Macbook Pro is surely THE laptop to have. It comes with 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, up to 4GB DDR3 RAM, Nvidia GeForce 9400M GT graphics card, next generation wireless 802.11n technology, and the breakthrough 8-hour internal battery with 1000 charge cycles -- not to mention that it is the thinnest and lightest 17-incher to date!

Sony PlayStation 3 – P22,000


This year, Sony announced the release of a new 160GB model of the PS3, as well as the upgrading of the 40GB version to 80GB - ensuring this gaming console with Blu-ray player a place on even more Christmas lists. The stunning HD games and movies in this one nifty package will surely tickle your fancy.

Logitech EX100 Cordless Keyboard and Mouse – P1,500


This stylish keyboard and mouse combo comes in a sexy black finish and has programmable keys that instantly take you to your favorite applications, folders, and Web pages – even from several feet away. If you want an ergonomic, cord-free work space, this is definitely a good buy.

Apple iPod Touch 32GB – P24,000

When it comes to best gadgets for this Christmas, Apple iPod can't be beat. The latest Apple innovation is the iPod touch. It comes with an above average battery, intuitive touch interface, Wi-Fi, a large selection of games and applications and, of course, the iconic sleek form factor.

Toshiba AV502 32” LCD TV – P35,000

This new entry-level 720p LCD TV series offers high-gloss black cabinet and a thinner bezel than its successful predecessor, the AV500. Plus it has two HDMI inputs and a PC input, creating a very feature rich television for an unbeatable price.

Apple iPhone 3G – P40,000

With the addition of 3G and the introduction of the color white, it’s a much stronger smartphone contender. It has made a lot of the big mobile names like Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson sit up as the user interface and minimalistic design of the iPhone are truly heads and tails above any of their current phones on the market.

MSI Wind Netbook – starts at P16,000

Netbooks have taken us by storm this year with the introduction of the revolutionary Intel Atom processor. The MSI Wind stands out because of its no-fuss, simple-yet -elegant design, and its ability to unofficially run Mac OSX Leopard with no issues whatsoever.

The Top Pleasure Resolutions for 2009

If I have the time and money I'd definitely try some of these. Listed in no order whatsoever.

Go to a comedy bar – we all love laughter – and it’s the best medicine. So regardless of your health condition, you’ll surely enjoy a night-out at a live comedy event.

Go to the beach – sand, sun, water, waves, curves, legs, bikini, topless.....errrr. I mean this is one of the best places to go to get a tan and have some fun!

Go to this year’s Octoberfest a get drunk – if you’ve never tried drinking free beer on a street party, then this year is your chance.

Find a new sport – it seems that you’ve been packing up that excess baggage of yours for the longest time. This year, try to get rid of it by learning and playing a new sport!

Throw a huge party – throwing a party not only gives you a reason to invite long lost friends, but it is also a good time to relax and take a time-out from work.

Watch the UAAP/NCAA live! – Keep your school spirit alive by going there to watch your school’s games with your school barkada. Isn’t that cool?

Go on a road trip – The price of gasoline is in its lowest point, so why not put the ‘joy’ back in joyriding and explore far-flung regions of the Philippines?

Go play outside – Regardless of your age, there’s simply no better way of recharging your batteries than by driving go-karts, taking photographs, racing r/c cars, playing laser tag or taking a few strokes at a driving range.

Buy that dream gadget – after weeks or even months of reading online reviews, there is no better smell than a newly opened box of your most coveted gadget.

A Basic HDTV Buying Guide

I've been planning to buy an LCD TV for the past 6 months and after long hours of reading, this is what I learned so far. I believe this would help buyers choose the right television set for their needs. This is not a comprehensive guide BTW for what I included here are just the most common questions a not-so-techie-soon-to-be HDTV owner must know.

If you’re having problems deciding on which HDTV to buy, listen-up because Headstart will help you comprehend all that “High Definition” gibberish and misconceptions.



Is getting a television with a higher contrast ratio better than the one with a lower one? In theory, it is better to get a higher contrast ratio. But a problem with current models is that we will never know the real score when it comes to contrast ratios since different manufacturers employ different techniques to test it. Independent tests prove that current TVs have no more than a 1500:1 contrast ratio so it is best not believe the outrageous numbers posted.

Is it worth having a 1080p capable TV? The answer is a big NO. Use the money you’ll save to buy a kick-ass BlueRay player or a sound system to get the most out of your movie experience. Tests show that common individuals can’t distinguish between 780p/1080i (‘p’ means progressive, ‘i’ means interlaced) and 1080p on a 60-inch screen! Since most of today’s HDTVs play 780p and 1080i natively, you can just choose the best that fits your budget.

Another thing is the choice between Plasma and LCD. There is no clear winner between the two because each technology has its own advantages and disadvantages. When it comes to contrast, plasma wins hands down because each pixel produces its own light and just turns itself off to produce black. On the other hand, LCD has a backlight to produce images, so if you want black, each pixel needs to block-off the light from behind. Added to that, plasmas have wider viewing angles unlike LCDs which would look bad when viewed off-axis. But despite these disadvantages, LCD panels consume less power, run cooler, and will probably last longer than most plasma panels in the market today.





Lastly, make sure you test each brand and model and get the one that pleases you (and your eyes). Never rush to buy an HDTV just because you were overwhelmed by its posted specifications. Also, it is important to set a budget for a particular screen size. LCD TVs are your best bet on 32-inchers and below; but if you want 47” and above, plasmas are cheaper to buy than LCD.

That's it, I hope I clarified some things. Don't forget to listen in every Friday at 9PM to Headstart on NU107 -- the newest tech and lifestyle show on radio! (This article will be broadcast there.)

The Nokia 6500 Slide (Short Review)

A slight upgrade of its “Classic” sibling, the Nokia 6500 Slide offers added features including 3G capability, a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Lens, a MicroSD slot for memory expansion, and FM radio for those long hours of commute.

Crafted with brushed stainless steel, this relatively heavy phone is impervious to fingerprints and scratches. At 3.2 megapixels and 8x digital zoom, the 6500slide’s camera offers decent quality for a phone in its price range. As with all camera phones, shooting in low-light is not its strength, but a built-in dual-LED flash helps capture moments in the dark.

A music player and FM radio are included if you want to listen to music while jogging or in the gym. One notable feature is that you can use a Bluetooth stereo headset to enjoy your music wirelessly; however, you can’t use your standard 3.5mm earphones because Nokia opted to use a 2.5mm jack. You’ll have plenty of space for storing your files, with an internal 20MB memory and a MicroSD slot which supports up to 4Gigabytes.

Like the N82, a TV-out feature is also included which you can use to display whatever is on the phone’s screen. This is very useful in presenting pictures and videos in a classroom or even in a conference room. Yet, unlike the N82, it doesn’t have WiFi capability to access the internet while you’re sipping coffee at your favorite coffee shop.

Over-all , the Nokia 6500 Slide is a very responsive phone equipped with tons of features such as 3G compatibility, the 3.2 Megapixel camera with LED flash, Music player and FM radio, MicroSD memory slot, and TV Out. If you’re a student or a professional who wants a well-built, feature-packed phone, the Nokia 6500 Slide will serve you well.

(Thanks to Nokia and Bridges for lending us the phone.)

The New Nissan Livina -- A Test Drive

I've been one of the few chosen individuals to test-drive the new Nissan Grand Livina at the Subic Bay Freeport and Subic International Raceway on May 22-23, 2008. The Livina is a new breed of MPVs that will surely kick the Innova's butt. Built lower than the common MPV, it has lower center of gravity and reduced body-roll. Its third row can be folded up completely, providing more space for your stuff, however, the second row doesn't give much leg-room (that was the only thing that bugged me).


It was such an experience to see this baby (from what I've seen, it's far from one) pushed to its limits. Packed under the hood is an MR-18 (derived from the Nissan X-Trail) 1.8L Gasoline Engine that spews out more than enough power to make this MPV fly -- I mean really fly! At second gear (it is worth mentioning that there is a SIXTH gear), you can still make the tires squeal. We made it run at 198 Kilometers per hour with three passengers and the aircon turned on, no sweat! Despite its power, it is unbelievably fuel-efficient -- 14++ kilometers per liter coming from Laguna, passing through congested Metro Manila roads, to the Total Station along NLEX (somewhere in one of the far Bulacan towns). We got that without even trying to ease on the accelerator! Event record of the same trip is at 24 kilometers per liter by no other than George Ramirez.


It handles well for its size and ride is pretty smooth. Well, that's because its suspension system shares the same technology with what the Nissan 350Z has. It really lives up to its promise as the MPV that feels and drives like a car.

I know the SRP already but prices are yet to be announced to the public, but I assure you it's worth the money. The base model already comes with the 1.8L Engine with Continuous Valve Timing Control (CVTC), electronic power steering, power locks and windows, MP3 Radio, and mags to boot!

If you have plans of buying an Innova, hold that off for now and wait for the handsome Nissan Grand Livina to come out. I tell you, you won't be dissappointed.