Thursday, July 31, 2014

Tatt Awards 2014 Finalists

Tatt Awards 2014 now trims the list down to the top five online mavericks per category as they announce the finalists! 
The brave, the witty and the bold have made it to the top, and it is now time to pass it on to the rest of the online community as the voting begins. 

The power to choose the best is in your hands. Vote for your favorite finalists at TattAwards.com until August 3, 2014.  The remaining fifty percent (50%) of the Tatt awards criteria will be coming from the general public’s votes. The additional half of the criteria is based on content quality, social media impact and relevance to the specific category that were already determined by the Tatt Council during the deliberation phase. 

 
Tatt Awards 2014 Finalists:

The One - This recognizes the masters of reinvention who not only adapted to new media, but succeeded in it as well. These are people whose creativity, unique voice and understanding of their medium enabled them to reinvent themselves yet remain bastions of their unique POV, subsequently becoming arbiters of online cool and enabling them to stand tall amidst the clutter and ever changing social media tide allowing them to crossover between mainstream and digital platforms and vice versa.

Vice Ganda
Kimpoy Feliciano
Abra
Bamboo
Katha Magazine

Trending Twitter Phenom of the Year - The most influential trendsetter on Twitter that moved people either with humor, opinion, or witty one-liners - all in 140 characters. This person is ahead of the pack in terms of Twitter popularity and content.

Kimpoy Feliciano
Vice Ganda
Senyora Santibañez
Gandang Gabi Vice
Professional Heckler

YouTube Phenom of the Year - This award is for the most influential video maker (individual or group) who shook the Pinoy Youtube space with creations, ignited thoughts, and entertained people online.

Jamich
Psy
Mikey Bustos
Lloyd Cadena
Super Selfie (Gab Valenciano)

Instagram Phenom of the Year - This award is for that person or group that harnessed a community of Instagram followers and likers to appreciate his very own art gallery of images online. Filtered or not, his images have inspired and influenced many to share more of their lives - in pictures, real-time.

Jelito De Leon
Patrick Dee
DearAteCharo
Gianimated
Googly Gooeys

Supreme Trendsetter of the Year – The Philippine Star’s Supreme section covers the best in social media, pop culture, and trends. This award goes to the person who has used social media to make a supreme impact on the pop culture landscape.

Baby Zion
KathNiel (Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla)
Vice Ganda
Flyart Productions
Ang Diary ng Panget
Ellen Adarna
Miriam Defensor-Santiago

Best Social Media Movement Award - This award goes to a social media account owner or group who launched an online movement working to improve the state of a societal cause in the Philippines. This person or group invested time and effort for the betterment of other people’s lives.

Youth Act 
Now Change.org
Gawad Kalinga
BloggerforReliefPH
MovePH

Best Digital Artist, presented by Spotify - This is for musical bands and indie artists who fought hard to claim their space in the hearts of the Filipino audience who accept that web time is better than airtime. They created, shared, and now they lead people’s hearts through music online.

Bamboo
Sarah Geronimo
Mayday Parade
Parokya ni Edgar
Abra

Best Style Blog/MicroBlog Award - This is for that one person that not only reviewed fashion on his blog and/or microblog but also set trends that everyone followed and loved. This covers all Philippine fashion niches like clothes, events, and personalities.

DG Manila -David Guison
Liz Uy
Kim Jones
Tricia Gosingtian
Style Bible

Best Fitness Blog /MicroBlog Award - As long as you talk mostly about sports, health, and fitness in any blog or microblog you have. The channel can be about any sport or all of them! It can even be an instructional blog about the activity or just a commentary about games.

PinoyFitness.com
David Guison
Run Rio
Fat Kid Inside
Whatsyourgameplan.tv

Best Podcast Award - Informed, in the know, and always ready to talk about the latest topics relevant to their field, this group/person not only presents us with access to the latest trends and ideas that would help shape our online society, but also the shares opinions that not only makes us think, but also engages us to participate in the conversation.

The Cave
Geeky Nights
Becky Nights
From The Stands
The Morning Rush

Best Lifestyle Blog /MicroBlog Award - A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. And the first step to get this year’s Lifestyle Blog/Microblog Award is that this blogger has to have a good reputation in the sphere of food, travel, and photography blogging.

Madhousemnl
Lifestylehub.net
Our Awesome Planet
When in Manila
Nomadicexperiences

Best Tech Blog /MicroBlog Award - Informed, in tune and in check with the latest in tech, this person does not only present us with access to the latest in trends, but also the backstage of the fast paced world of e-knowledge.  

Geeky Nights
TechRap Pinoy 
Tech Blog
YugaTech
Geeky Pinas


Winners of this year’s Tatt Awards will be revealed on August 8, 2014. Winners of the major categories of Tatt Awards 2014 will receive a cash prize of Php 100,000.00 and special awards will receive Php 50,000.00.

So, what are you waiting for? Vote for your favorite social media influencers now! 

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Power toothbrush from Philips

A person’s smile conveys happiness, pleasure and amusement. And the power of this smile has plenty to do with how clean one’s teeth are. That’s why people go to great lengths to ensure their oral hygiene with daily brushing and regular visits to the dentist. 

“Oral health is something that people should not overlook. Clean teeth and gums not only look good, but also help us to avoid oral infections and even diseases,” comments Ms. Me-Ann Achacoso, Philips Business Development Manager for Health and Wellness.


To promote good oral habits, Philips is introducing its new Sonicare EasyClean toothbrush. Equipped with its very own patented sonic technology and ProResults brush head, the Sonicare  EasyClean promises to whiten teeth by removing and reducing stains, with up to two times more plaque removal than a manual toothbrush. 

According to Ms. Achacoso, the Sonicare EasyClean toothbrush produces 31,000 brush strokes per minute which results into a dynamic cleaning action that drives fluids between the teeth and along the gumline to remove harmful plaque. It features a Smartimer that helps ensure the recommended dental time for brushing, and a Quadpacer that encourages thorough brushing in all quadrants of the mouth.


In addition, the SoniCare EasyClean features an angled brush head neck to help access the back teeth and other hard to reach areas of the mouth. The EasyClean toothbrush is proven safe on orthodontics, dental work, veneers, implant material and sensitive teeth. 

“Poor oral health can lead to expensive and painful dental procedures. We at Philips have developed meaningful innovations for taking care of your overall health, so you can enjoy and put a smile on things that matter most,” concludes Ms. Achacoso.



Friday, July 25, 2014

Georcelle Dapat-Sy is back on the Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp 3

As I've mentioned in my i-Shine Promil post here fierce mom and the artistic director of G-Force, Georcelle Dapat-Sy gets involved in Promil’s Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp, which aims to tap the inert talents of the very young and to help them wield the potency that they hold inside. Georcelle is first and foremost a dancer – mention “dance” and her name is bound to crop up in the entertainment circle of the local industry. Her dedication and commitment to her craft has earned her a niche in a saturated industry that will make room for someone who has worked hard to distinguish her talent. However, Georcelle’s talent in grace in motion is not confined to the stage or the studio alone; it spills over into her personal life, in her mothering, and ultimately in her mentoring of the next generation at large.

“The Promil Pre-school program is about recognizing talent. When the potential is seen in a young person, it is categorized,” Georcelle says. Whether innate intelligence or a natural inclination for arts, the mother of three is keen on picking out kids who are naturals in dancing. And this is when the fun starts. 

Georcelle knows the benefits of early intervention or starting the mentoring while they’re soft and pliant. She herself started out that way.

A strong sense of determination despite limitations
Contrary to popular notion, being well off is not necessarily a prerequisite to the proper developing of talent. Though many families are blessed to be able to send their children to the most expensive dance schools and hire top of the line instructors, Georcelle didn’t have that kind of privilege to start with. However, she was blessed with parents who were musically inclined.

Her parents quickly recognized her abilities and brought her to the dance program at the Metropolitan Theatre. She took up different styles like tap, jazz, ballet, folk, contemporary and Hawaiian. And because she didn’t come from a wealthy family, her mother was always looking to get her a scholarship while bringing her to auditions at the same time. 

In the midst of diligent quests, divine intervention took place. Once, on a trip to UP Diliman to get into the dance program of Tony Fabella and Eddie Elejar, Georcelle and her mom made a mistake and ended up in Felicita Radaic’s class instead. “When we met her, akala niya (she thought) I was an aspiring ballerina, because I had the build. She then wrote a letter to Metropolitan Dance Theatre’s director to put me in the dance scholarship.” This was a heady lesson for the young dancer: Georcelle learned that where funds were lacking, a strong sense of determination would more than make up for it. And fate did the rest.

But the whole process was tedious, testing the young Georcelle’s patience. Nevertheless, Georcelle looks back now and realizes that not everyone gets a chance to study with the best. “My teachers were the best in the country (Agnes Locsin, Noordin Jumalon). They guided me. And true enough, once I started dancing, tuloy tuloy na from there.”

Georcelle was all of 10 years old when she began. At the age of 14, she had become a professional.



Nurturing her children through her passion for dance
Georcelle feels that dancing as a passion promotes closeness and love. As dancing is likewise a part of her, she used it to nurture her children, and not exclude them from an area that dominates her life. 

Eventually she exposed her children to the best. “I show them performances, either in concert or ‘You Think You Can Dance’ or ‘America’s Best Dance Crew.’ Then I tell them that the performers trained hard before they reached the level of their performance. My point is that you have to train if you want to be the best. It’s achievable as long as you know the ABC’s and basics. And from there you take it to the next level.”

For Georcelle, the foundation of mentoring kids is love. “We do a lot of hugging, especially when the dancing mood strikes them. Outside of dance, it’s 24/7 parenting. I take my kids to school in the mornings. When I get home from a busy day, I hug them and kiss them even when they’re asleep.”

Does she see herself in them? “Teachers say my kids show qualities in leadership. They have a sense of command. That’s what they got from me.”

The top dance choreographer pays it forward
Not content with just being the top dance choreographer in the land, Georcelle has also had a hand in building G-Force as the leading dance company in the showbusiness today. This has been instrumental in her mentoring the next generation of dancers. Dance classes called ‘Me and My Little Force,’ are designed for the parent and child. 

“I started dancing na wala akong pambili ng sapatos (when I had no money to buy shoes). I had a dream to give a chance to those who didn’t have the means.” For Georcelle, it was all about expressing her gratitude for having all those great teachers when she was young. “So now this is my way of paying it forward.”

Today, the G-Force Project is becoming more and more of a family event. It started out as morning classes for kids, until she eventually decided to put in the moms who were requesting for zumba classes with the kids.

“Me and my 4-year old son dance together, so that’s where I got the inspiration. In class the little ones would mimic their mommies and that’s a great way to develop motor skills and photographic memory. When they grow up they’ll remember the fun, the exercise and the bonding.”

It’s clear that being a mother has made Georcelle not just a better person, but a better mentor as well.

Don't forget to catch Georcelle and the rest of the mentors and watch Promil’s Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp every Saturday at ABS CBN.





KooBits Maths Online Portal is now in the Philippines

Math. I think it's one of the challenges and struggles every parents face when they have kids who goes to school. Haha! Math was my least fave subject while I was still in school. And now that I have a 2nd grader daughter, Sofi is beginning to have a love/hate relationship with her Math subject as well. And when I checked Sofi's Math book, I understand what she feels. They're more advance now(compared to my Math subject when I was in 2nd grade), more complicated, hard and well... frustrating! Gone are the days of the simple 1+1, Ha! Can you relate with your kids Math dilemma?

Fret no more, friends! Koobits, Singapore's top online Maths portal is now in the Philippines! It's a Singapore-based group of innovative educators and technologists who develop digital tools and platforms to help children learn better, offers a happier alternative through its partnership with the Philippine company, Explorarium, Co. LTD.


Stanley Han, Koobits Pte. Ltd. Singapore CEO, talks about Motivation Dynamics and how it’s making learning more fun for kids 

 ProblemSums by KooBits is an adaptive online mathematics learning portal for primary students. It features a comprehensive collection of challenging Maths Word Problems and learning materials that will adapt to each child’s strength and weakness. 

It aims to enable all students to acquire mathematics concepts and skills for everyday use and continuous learning in mathematics, develop thinking and reasoning skills through an engaging mathematical approach to problem solving, and build confidence and generate greater interest in mathematics among students. 

ProblemSums transforms math problem-solving into daily learning activities, and enables students to tackle challenges when they are free and willing, and yet retains the element of competition. “At the same time, it responds to the technology boom in smartphones and tablet computers which has transformed lifestyles and created a lot of opportunities for learning on-the-go,” says Explorarium Operations Director, Julienne Sison-Vital.



Dr. Glendora Tiu , Director of Academic Affairs at Chiang Kai Shek College and teacher representative, gives a testimonial on how Koobits enhances classroom instruction 

Giselle Tongi-Walters talks about her wonderful experience with Koobits

Stanley Han, Ina Sehwani, Joanne Tabora-Sison and Julienne Sison-Vital at the ceremonial signing for the partnership of Koobits Pte. Ltd. Singapore with Explorarium, Co. LTD

First row (L-R) Stanley Han, Ina Sehwani, Joanne Tabora-Sison and Julienne Sison-Vital Second Row (L-R) Dr. Glendora Tiu  and Giselle Tongi-Walters

The Koobits Team
 
And now, are you up for a challenge? KooBits Challenge’s game dynamics make it highly engaging and motivating to students. It uses the latest technology to design personalized, adaptive, daily learning activities to help students develop effective study habits, acquire problem-solving skills and life skills to build a broad and deep foundation for learning. It will be the first nationwide, online Singapore Maths competition in the Philippines for students in grades 1 to 7.

Who should sign up?
• 7 to 13 yr old children who need
to develop good study habits;
• Want students or kids to turbo-charge their
grades in mathematics and improve
their problem-solving skills regardless
of any kind of Maths curriculum used
in school;
• Are worried about children’s excessive
computer time which is often spent in
playing games and watching online
videos.


How do I sign up my child/student?
1. Fill-in the KooBits registration form
2. Pay the annual registration fee
a. Individual Student Registration P 1, 030 (VAT
inclusive)
b. Special school discount (at least 150 students per
school) P618.24
c. Sign-up period for the special rates above is from July 15 t o
August 14, 2014
d. Contest duration is from now until June 30, 2015
3. Payment may be made through Mathemagis centers
(www.koobits.com/ph) or through direct bank deposit.
a. Account Name: Explorarium Co. Ltd
b. Account Number: 1811-0010-54
c. Bank: Bank of the Philippine Islands
4. Email deposit slip and registration form to
koobitsph@gmail.com
5. Receive the login and password after three working days via email
6. Login at www.koobits.com/ph and start learning and
earning points!


Don't forget that competition duration is from July 16, 2014 - August 14, 2015.

For institutional packages and discounts, please contact the KooBits Philippines office:
koobitsph@mathemagis.com
Tel: 219-4103

Visit also their website at www.koobits.com and http://products.koobits.com/challenge/ for more details!

Thank you Koobits for making our child's math problems, solved!




Thursday, July 24, 2014

Bang & Olufsen Innovation

At Bang & Olufsen, innovation begins with understanding user needs before converging technology and craftsmanship to deliver design with lasting value. BeoVision Avant is an exact representation of this philosophy and evidence that high-end, multimedia entertainment can coincide with uncompromising design. 

Based on Bang & Olufsen research and innovation, this flagship entertainment center has the muscle and finesse to deliver breath-taking performance when family and friends gather around it. On the flip side, BeoVision Avant also presents the good manners to blend in to the living room – and with the family’s lifestyle – when people choose to do something else. The BeoVision Avant was additionally conceived to last in a changing digital world, and is ready and able to work seamlessly with all the devices and content sources anyone in the family might want to use – without any of the complexity.


According to CEO Tue Mantoni, BeoVision Avant was created to provide discerning homeowners the ultimate in authentic performance, intuitive simplicity and convenience. “Our research shows that consumers want more and more from their televisions,” he explains. “People are pressed for time, and they want entertainment that just works so they can focus on it – and each other – rather than the technology itself. BeoVision Avant delivers on all counts. 

The name Avant is a nod to our most successful TV to date, the Avant launched in 1995. Just as the first Avant was a game changer in an analogue era, we believe the new BeoVision Avant will set the standard for what should be expected from a television in the future”. Experience the BeoVision Avant online: www.bang-olufsen.com/BeoVision-Avant Magical mechanics and convenience In the Bang & Olufsen tradition of taming technology in the service of simplicity, BeoVision Avant introduces a number of innovations that build new bridges between electronics and magical movement. 

To create such amazing and impressive sound from a flat screen television, the designers have created a discrete but powerful sound panel that unfolds when the television is on, then retreats inside when one turns it off. The sound panel’s movements are coordinated with those of the new stands so the television is ready for viewing and listening in one choreographed flow. 


BeoVision Avant’s innovative stand program includes wall, floor and table options which make integrating even a very large television into the home décor easier and more flexible than ever before. The concept vision was to create a TV which stays in the background of the living room when turned off and wakes up to action and takes center stage when turned on. 

Rather than arranging your room around the television, the new stands turn the television toward you when you want to use it – then back in place when you have finished viewing. Spectacularly authentic sound Consistent with Bang & Olufsen, BeoVision Avant sounds extraordinary right out of the box, but be prepared to discover just how good a television can sound with no fewer than eight driver units and eight dedicated amplifiers built in. 

The sound panel magically glides from the television when it is turned on and performs brilliantly on its own. If one wants to connect external speakers to create a true surround sound experience – either wirelessly or wired – it could not be simpler with the integrated 7.1 surround sound module.


A new Chromatic Room Adaptation feature analyzes ambient light from two sensors, and adjusts the screen to compensate for the room’s colour tones. High-grade anti-reflection coatings on both sides of the screen dampen reflections by 98%. See full features and specifications: www.bang-olufsen.com/BeoVision-Avant-Specifications Wherever one chooses to watch it, BeoVision Avant is ready to deliver spectacular Ultra High-Definition (4K) performance. 

The new BeoRemote One introduces the “MyButtons” feature which enables the user to create up to three personalized settings available at one simple touch. A setting can include channel, volume setting and even stand and directional positioning of the TV. This allows you to recall all settings by the touch of one button.  

Connection to Bang & Olufsen wireless speakers via the built in Immaculate Wireless Sound solution is as easy as turning on the television. BeoVision Avant can also incorporate an Apple TV to be hidden within the back panel. BeoVision Avant is available in 55” from May 8 2014, and will be on sale exclusively at Bang & Olufsen stores. Recommended price is USD $7995 for BeoVision Avant 55” including BeoRemote One. Placement options on wall, table or floor start from USD $895. 





Share A Coke

I know you've been seeing a lot of #ShareACoke ads everywhere and for me this is one great campaign from Coke. But come to think of it, every campaign of Coke, you know it comes from the heart. And I really appreciate the latest campaign of Share A Coke because it brings the feeling of sharing, appreciation, giving positive words, cheering up a person, and so on with just a bottle of Coke! Loveeeettt! 

Coca-Cola has released the most popular Pinoy nicknames, terms of endearment, and group names on personalized Coca-Cola products for a more fun and personal way of sharing a Coke.


I was invited to attend the launching of #ShareACoke and Bench fashion show held at SM Mega Fashion Hall. Among the event’s highlights was a celebration of the long-standing partnership between Coca-Cola and the country’s leading teen clothing brand Bench/. Staying true to the essence of Share a Coke, Vinculado, on behalf of Coca-Cola, shared a Coke with Ben Chan, Chairman and CEO of Bench to show the company’s appreciation for all the years they have worked together.

“We brought Share A Coke to the Philippines with one goal – to share happiness. Sharing a Coke is a simple yet fun and exciting way for us Filipinos to be able to show our appreciation to people who make us happy. For mothers who cook our breakfasts every day, for the fathers who drop off their children to school every morning, for the friends who listen to our never-ending problems, for the manang who serves our food in the cafeteria, for the manong who opens the door for us and wishes us a great day with his bright smile, for everyone who has shown us kindness—we would like to share a Coke with them simply because we know that happiness is made more real when shared.” Vinculado enthuses

This was followed by a fashion show, where models clad in stylized Share a Coke shirts showcased their personalized Coca-Cola bottles and cans on the catwalk. At the same time, they entertained and interacted with the co-models and guests alike by showing them the many ways of sharing a Coke. 

The message of the event was simple: Sharing a Coke is a simple yet personal way to show appreciation for people who make you happy. It inspired all attendees to show gratitude for even the small, everyday gestures that otherwise go unnoticed – like how your officemate “Jen” makes work more exciting, how your barkada serves as your second family, how your BFFs provide the best shoulder to lean on, how your kuya is always there to protect you, or how your ‘nay loves you unconditionally.


Coca-Cola Happiness Ambassadors Joseph Marco, Julia Montes, and Enchong Dee gave the audience a blast by sharing personalized Coke cans bearing terms of endearment “Crush,” “Hottie,” and “Love” to some unsuspecting guests.

Joseph Marco

Julia Montes

Enchong Dee

I was so happy to Share A Coke with these awesome people!

with Mish

Mish, Hana and Kai

with Ana

Happiness with our personalized Coke bottle! I got Jensofi! (jen+sofi)

with Ana and Sarah

Proud to be holding with an Ate name on a Coke bottle! :)

Shared my Coke with my hubby Paul

Thank you Coke for having me!

Wanna have your own personalized Coke bottle? Here's the Share A Coke schedule!

Kudos to Coca-Cola Philippines for this wonderful idea! Among the bad news that we sometimes get in our day-to-day basis, even in a simple gestures of sharing a Coke with someone, I know it will come a long, long way! I even used it as a birthday present to my friend, hehe! :D Now I'm on a hunt of looking for Coke bottles with Crush, Hottie, Sexy, Ganda on it. I know it will be a cool collection!

The personalized Coke packs are available in sari-sari stores, convenience stores, groceries, supermarkets and even vending machines nationwide. You may also drop by Share a Coke booths in supermarkets, malls and schools to have your own personalized Coca-Cola printed in an instant.

For more details, please check out www.shareacoke.com.ph or visit the official accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram of Coca-Cola Philippines.