Globe Telecom & iPhone 3G on August 22nd

So the news is out, Globe Telecom will be releasing the iPhone 3G on August 22nd. That’s good news for iPhone fans all over the archipelago. Yup, the Philippines is finally part of something big at least in the tech world scene as the date also marks batch #2 of iPhone releases slated in other countries as well. 

Head on over to the Globe iPhone 3G page for more info about the subscription plans and how much they cost. The one thing that I didn’t like with all the pricing hoopla was the fact that there wasn’t any unlimited data plan at all. Postpaid plans start at 1,599 with these allocations: 100 local minutes, 350 text messages, 20 Wiz Wi-Fi hours (available only in Metro Manila for now, I think) and a measly local mobile internet airtime of only 40 hours–don’t forget: there’s 720 hours in a month. With that plan, the 8GB variant would cost PhP 16,800 while the 16GB would be at PhP 22,300. You need to be on the 4,999 plan to get the iPhone 3G 8GB for free (PhP 5,500 for the 16GB) and you get 750 minutes, 650 SMS, unlimited Wiz Wi-Fi hours and 100 hours of internet data. The usual 24-month lock-in period applies.

If you find the subscription plans appallingly expensive, you can always get the prepaid kits on installment at 0% interest up to 12 months with most banks’ credit cards. With PhP 41,889, you get the 8GB. PhP 48,899 would get you the 16GB model. Now the question is? Am I going to be getting one for myself? Answer: I will just pass for now. I am extremely satisfied with my BlackBerry 8320 along with my current Globe BlackBerry data plan, so that’s why. 3G isn’t even widespread where I’m at, much less EDGE.

But we’ll see what happens as we move forward as the iPhone is a really great gadget to have. Read the ongoing discussion about this development over at PhilMUG, specifically in this thread. Be informed.

*Photo courtesy of myGlobe iPhone.

I got mentioned in a newspaper…

I just found out I got mentioned in an article written by Jose “Butch” Dalisay on The Philippine Star. It came out last June 22nd in the Sunday Gadgets’ Section. The online version of the full article can be found here.

Here’s the paragraph where I was mentioned:

As a Web browser and mp3 player, the iPhone is “light years ahead” of the BlackBerry, as even local BB guru Ric Pacana acknowledges. The iPhone’s Safari browser is the only real usable phone browser out there that comes close to the desktop experience, and the iPhone’s ability to automatically reorient images (horizontal or vertical) and to resize them with a two-finger “curtain” effect is matchless. However, Ric prefers his BB for its strengths: push email, long battery life, better security, and multitasking.

Butch Dalisay’s blog > http://penmanila.net/

New iPhone in the news!

Let’s start with the old news first, so here it is… I am not sure if you guys have heard but the iPhone will finally be coming to the Philippines sometime this year. Although it’s still unconfirmed if it’ll actually be here come Q3, one thing’s certain–it’ll be here in the second semester! And guess which carrier is going to carry it? It’s going to be none other than my favorite, Globe Telecom. Please read this link for the official Apple News article re: the deal that sealed Globe Telecom to deliver, release and support the 3G iPhone > Globe Telecom and Apple Bring iPhone 3G to the Philippines 

And this just in! Apple just announced today that the new 3G iPhones will be released on July 11th–that’s a week after the US Independence Day. It’ll have the same features as with the first iPhone and more–like built-in GPS, 3G and would now include support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. That only means the iPhone will be competing with the BlackBerry in the push-email category! There’s also real-time contacts and calendar sync OTA. And what also makes it a great buy (at least for me) is that it’ll be sold starting at $199! So that’s twice as fast for half the price. Plus it now comes in either black or white versions and will be available in 22 countries on it’s initial release in July. Read more here > Apple Press Info

While I am eagerly waiting for the release of the BlackBerry Bold, I certainly can’t just let this 3G iPhone pass. I will most definitely get it.