Category Archives: Technology

Why I’m Blogging Again

Photo taken by my almost 3-year old Noah

Going AOL for almost a year made me miss a lot of things. I haven’t really left the blogosphere because I do that for a living but it’s different when you do it for yourself. I went back to blogging only last month and I’m amazed at how the Philippine blogosphere has changed. I must say, I’m quite scared. There are just too many bloggers out there! Unfortunately, most of the bloggers I see now are obviously blogging for money. Nothing wrong with that but I know when a blog was made just for the heck of making money online. I am still for websites and blogs founded with a sole purpose of helping, educating, and entertaining.

Sometimes wish I didn’t leave and took this one seriously. I could be making a lot of money right now like so and so. But then it’s still not my main reason for blogging.

Right now, I only have Nuffnang ads on my sidebar. No Google Adsense or any other money-making platforms because I’m afraid ads would overwhelm my posts. Sponsors and invitations are welcome but it depends on the product, cause, and objectives.

I was privileged to work before with The Macalua, Mr. SEO Philippines himself. I started and learned SEO from him. A few of my colleagues made it big in the industry. Surprisingly, a lot of people I know before from high school and college are also part of the industry. (Hello Mr. Search Opt Media !) And recently, my sis-in-law got hired by a company that sells AdSense placements. The latter is something I never imagined would happen but I guess Internet Marketing is now a global industry.

I’m no longer doing SEO professionally but I use what I know every single day. (Hindi ba obvious na keyword laden at puro links ang mga posts ko? Haha!)  I have no idea about who’s who or what’s what in the industry now. I’m just thankful that I know the industry.

Has it really been 8 years since I was introduced to SEO? My, the Internet has gone a long way. I’ve gone a long way too. From a very “talkative” blogger, ranter, sometimes a cyber bully, I’d like to think I’ve changed. I only wish to share positivity here. Ika nga ng Team Manila, “Ambassador of Positive Vibes“. Yes, I want to be one.

I’ve hurt a lot of people with my words and posts here, on Multiply, Facebook, and Twitter. I know I could never take my words back but I’d like to make a difference now by sharing what I love, what I know, what I believe in, and what I support. Nothing wrong with all-positive posts right? The blogosphere– the world has enough of negativity already –I hope people would visit this site, read, and leave smiling. Maybe with a tear or two–because they’ve been touched. I know a few may raise their eyebrows for some reasons.

All I know– I long to share more about my faith, my God, and the love that I receive from my family, my husband and son. I hope to give honor, glory, and praise to my God in everything that I do– through this website.

Yeah, I’m blogging for LOVE. So help me God.

If anyone speaks, they should do so as one
who speaks the very words of God.

If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides,
so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.  Amen.
1 Peter 4:11 (NIV)

Startups in the Philippines

Suddenly, I’m interested in the local startup scene. A simple Google search led me to a few startup companies in the Philippines. I’m surprised to see they’re coming out. I wonder what led to this or what ignited Filipino techies to finally make their own apps or put up their own companies.

Honestly, I’m so excited about this. I’ve been writing about international startup companies and it would be nice if we could write about local ones. I hope to meet these startuppers in the Philippines soon. 🙂

What is the Best Data Storage Solution for Home?

Husband and I are on the lookout for an external HD. I have a 250GB Western Digital I bought from Bangkok four years ago but it’s full already and it’s got some weird virus inside. I have made a back up of my most important files already so I won’t have to be depressed should it finally decide not to cooperate.

I have a few online storage accounts but I don’t like the fact that some of my files are “out there”.  These are private storage places but anything can happen and my stuff could be leaked and exposed to the whole  world (wide web).

We’ve decided to buy two. He needs a separate one because my files are not as important and are prone to  viruses (read: downloaded media files). But what I want next is to have it “networked”. I want a wireless external hard drive that I could access over WiFi from my computer, iPhone, and iPad. We’re planning on going all-digital at home for our future home media entertain system.

There are too many options out there! My cousin advised that we setup a NAS (network-attached storage) system since it’s what they have at home. Then there’s the option to use either Airport Express or Airport Extreme by Apple since it’s easier to set up and you can attach the printer and external hard drive to it.

And then there’s cloud storage to think about too. There are more websites offering online storage service but I’m leaning towards Google Drive for my husband and I to share.

Google Drive Storage Plans

Continue reading What is the Best Data Storage Solution for Home?

How to Check Page Source on Mac

I sometimes check a website’s Page Source when I want to know how a certain image, video, or text has been placed within the design. This is how I learn HTML. My knowledge is basic and only improved a bit. I’m neither a web designer nor a developer but I can understand how, why, and where some codes are.

I recently discovered that you can not easily check the Page Source on Safari. I was about to check the code of Apple.com because I wanted to embed a Quicktime video for an article I’m working on.

It’s easy to do on Firefox:

Press RIGHT click and a drop down menu will show, choose View Page Source.

Continue reading How to Check Page Source on Mac

Remembering Steve

It’s no secret that I’m an Apple fan girl. It’s true when they say, “Once You Go Mac, You Can Never Go Back”. My first Apple gadget was a blue iPod Mini which I asked my cousin to buy in Singapore. I fell in love with the blue iPod. I got another green iPod Nano, an iPod Shuffle, and then the white 13-inch MacBook which opened my eyes to the wonders of OS X.Then came the iPhone 3G, the iPad, this 11-inch MacBook Air, and the iPad 2. Continue reading Remembering Steve

Loving Instagram

I’m on Facebook fasting and I’m trying to lessen my time on Twitter because some posts break my heart. I’m trying to leave away from those two so I’ve been spending more time blogging, reading, and on Instagram.

Instagram is one revolutionary photo sharing app available in iOS devices. Revolutionary for me because it stirred many other apps and services like the Webstagram, Honeygram, InstaPrint, Copygram, Tweegram, and some copycats like the PENpic iPhone app. (All these apps I wrote about for work HERE.)

It’s been very addicting. Using fun filters turns shots into more creative and lomo-like photos for sharing. I don’t remember when I started using the app but to date, I have uploaded 153 photos, have 48 followers, and am following 87 IG users.

My first photo was taken and uploaded 27 weeks ago:

Noah and Baby Bear

Browsing through my IG photos, I noticed that mostly are photos of food that I just cooked, things I love, and Noah. The baby is my number one subject obviously.

I like the fact that it’s public but not too public. Not too public in the sense that not everyone can comment unlike in Facebook or Twitter when you can get unsolicited, sometimes foul remarks and comments which I hate. I like to share stuff but I really don’t need to know people’s reactions so IG is okay for me. At least right now when I only have a few followers and the photo sharing network is not yet populated with Internet addicts.

I’m not a snob, okay. It’s just that Instagram has a different kind of crowd. I’d like to say the Apple kind of crowd but that’s not it. I just want to say umm, the cooler crowd. Haha. 😀

Anyway, here are some of my favorite Instagram posts:

Pepper LunchNoah

Noah and Joshuaanniversary cake

etch a sketchNoah

NoahNoah

NoahNoah

You may view my Instagram photos on Web.stagram. For the Android users, you can download the Honeygram from the Android Market. Or you may join the craze by getting an iPhone, iPod touch, or an iPad and dowloading the Instagram app. 😀

Why my multiply theme is so girly..

I don’t really like my theme right now. You know, that purple butterly staring at you.I chose this last week to remind me of Digory…my gay Macbook. He was ‘confined’ at the ‘hospital’ for more than a week. I felt PAIN and disappointment because I had to use the desktop instead to work. But glad to have him with me now. 🙂

And anyway, I shrieked when I saw this particular theme because my laptop’s cover bear the same image! Exacto!

MacLove

I don’t know how it started but my brother has finally learned to love Digory my MacBook and hate him/it at the same time. He used to hate the idea that I bought an Apple for a laptop because he said I won’t be able to use it that much. Truth to tell, I still use Windows when working. Thank the heavens for bootcamp.

And now this..colored MacBooks! He’s been playing with the website and checking out different colours of the Mac. I came across this site before but haven’t gotten to choosing which color I want if I were to have Digory painted. I chose 4 colours. No more pink or purple please! I’ve had enough of the purple butterfly stuck on the Mac’s cover. Ugh!

Missing Digory

I miss Digory. He’s confined at the “hospital” right now. I am hoping he’ll have that “surgery” so he’ll be as good as new.

I miss lying down on my bed with the MacBook. Who knew that this picture would be the last with that butterfly sticker on? Haha.

When we see each other again, I am definitely having the gmask removed and buy him a clear case.

And hey, don’t think that Apple MacBooks are not that all good. Believe me, they’re just amazing. It’s just that I’m not used to them so something went wrong with the updates. 😛

Btw, my friend Jonathan who works at Power Mac, is one of the few who has held an iPhone in the country. The perks of working for Apple. Pffft.

Scratch and Drop That iPhone!

Not more than 24 hours after Apple made iPhone available to public, Eric Butterfield of PCWorld has already scratch and dropped his much-drooled over iPhone. I wanted to strangle him for doing that but at the end of the video, I fell inlove with the new “apple” of every Apple-lover’s eyes.

Eric shook the iPhone together with the keys in ziplock more than 40 times…

…scratched the screen with keys…

…dropped the iPhone on the carpet..

….on the kitchen floor…

…Egad! Even dropped it on the cement!

But to no avail…the darn phone is still working! Hooray! Iphone passed the Stress Test! No scratches on the screen…just on the metal edge….

I knowthat to have and be able to use one is really far from impossible but I love everything Apple. For now, I can only drool and dream. Right. Drool and dream. Rumor has it that such will never work in the Philippines and damn right it won’t. Unless old Steve Jobs think ala Optimus Prime that us humans deserve to live. I am in the Philippines. I am human. I deserve to live. I deserve to own an iPhone even if an iPhone doesn’t deserve me for an owner. :p

PS : I already have a name for my future iPhone :Caspian. As in Prince Caspian of the Narnia series. Teehee.

Tomorrow, the movie that moved me to tears : TRANSFORMERS