Tech

The need for any business to transform has become urgently necessary, more especially with the abrupt and unexpected emergence of the ‘new normal.’ As numerous businesses are forced to streamline or even halt their operations, it is not surprising that cybercriminals continuously thrive, even more creatively and strategically than ever.

“The pandemic did not just change the way businesses—and subsequently, their employees—operate; the nature of certain criminal activities have also changed in this time of isolation,” said cybersecurity experts in the Trend Micro 2020 Mid-Year Security Report.

“Trend Micro’s mission is to make the internet a safer place, and we will continue to proactively disrupt cybercriminal activities. We’ve never felt more motivated to work toward this mission as people need protection during such times as these. Mutual help and support are extremely important for our goal to succeed.”

Elevate beyond the ordinary

As new threats arise, all organizations must accept the need for transformation. Logically, this is the time when information technology (IT) professionals should be armed not only with the right tools but also with the right knowledge and skills. As cyber-defenders, they must elevate to facilitate

their businesses’ transformation in the most rapid, seamless, and secure way possible.

This timely concern and more come into focus in the fourth edition of Decode PH. With the theme ‘Elevate: Transform Rapidly, Seamlessly, Securely,’ the annual conference itself is transforming as it goes fully virtual. From being a one-day event, it will also expand into a 3-day summit from November 10 to 12, 2020.

Decode 2020 is aiming to gather over 3,000 Filipino IT experts from various organizations across the country, and even abroad. The 3-day conference will discuss up-to-date information about the threat landscape, industry trends, and new technologies for the participants’ further empowerment amid the interesting times.

Decode 2020 sessions

As the summit goes virtual, it is more than doubling the number of sessions—from 15 in the previous edition to 40 this year. Each of the 30-minute session will be streamed one by one, instead of simultaneously, which was how it was done physically in the previous three years.

Among the highlights are keynote sessions of Hathaway Global, LLC President Melissa Hathaway, who will discuss the way digital infrastructures are responding to ‘new normal’ demands; SyCip GorresVelayo& Co Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Trusted Technology Principal Philip Casanova, who will share timeless principles he learned in his over two-decade journey as a Philippine-based cybersecurity professional; and Trend Micro Director and Data Scientist for Threat Research Jon Oliver, who will share his assessment of the ongoing evolution of the malware and security landscapes.

Moreover, Decode 2020 will also feature sidetracks outside the regular sessions. As a virtual conference, it will also introduce new features like the virtual lounge where participants can do their networking via a chat box during breaks. At the same time, Decode will be emerging as a community aside from being an annual summit. Successful registrants will be able to keep their accounts for a year so they can readily playback the summit sessions anytime and possibly interact with other IT professionals in the network.

(Top row, L-R) PLDT Enterprise Corporate Relationship Management Head Dick Perez, PLDT Enterprise Senior Relationship Manager Omni Larrosa, Cebu Institute of Technology – University President Egr. Bernard Villamor with (Bottom row, L-R) Philippine Women’s College of Davao VP for Academics, Administration, and Institutional Development Prof. Vicente Antonio Pijano III, Cebu Institute of Technology University Dean of College of Computer Studies Dr. Cherry Lyn Sta. Romana, and Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU President Dr. Carol Enriquez.

The Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) recently partnered with PLDT Enterprise to help and support its 196 member schools, as the education sector shifts to e-Learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through the collaboration, PLDT Enterprise will be providing PACU’s member schools with SMART Giga Study plans and curated services for e-Learning. The tools can be customized for each learning institution and updated to keep pace with schools’ evolving needs.

SMART’s Giga Study plans are especially developed prepaid packages that includes daily data allocations for online learning tools. It also provides open data allocations to access information vital to the online needs of both learners and faculty members.

“We are strong in our resolve to help enable schools provide high-quality education even during this time. We want to redefine the future of learning by providing the necessary digital tools and solutions that will address both the needs of the teachers and the students,” said Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups.

The Microsoft Education is another solution offered by PLDT Enterpise to PACU’s member schools. Microsoft Education is a complete e-Learning solution with educational tools designed to enable engagements and focused learning within and outside the classroom for students and teachers. It also includes a learning management system that hosts a collaborative environment via SharePoint on the Microsoft 365 platform. PACU’s member schools are free to choose the e-Learning package according to their requirements and system capabilities.

Additionaly, a mobile broadband that comes bundled with devices and collaboration tools can be accessible for PACU member schools.This will allow students and faculty to access their LMS and other sites used for research. A dedicated 24/7 technical support, which is accessible through 177, will address any problems that PACU member schools will encounter.

“We’re all going through an incredible change in our education processes these days. Our partnership with PLDT Enterprise will make the adjustment as painless as possible. We consider this partnership a smart investment in the future of education that can help us weather any future disruptions,” said Dr. Carol Enriquez, President of PACU.

A three-part webinar titled “#ONEwithYOU: A Virtual Learning Series for the Academe” was streamed on their official Facebook page on July 1, 2020. The virtual webinar addresses challenges in online learning and discuss how Philippine education can remain resilient. With this, PACU and PLDT are smoothing the transition to e-Learning.

“Through this partnership, we are helping PACU ensure that its member institutions have the necessary connectivity to continue remote learning for their home-based students. This bold step should ease students’ minds and assure them that their schools are ready for the challenges posed by the pandemic,” said Vic Tria, First Vice President of PLDT Enterprise.

Through its continous engagements with universities, colleges, schools and learning institutions across the country, PLDT Enterprise aims to redefine the future of learning to make sure no learner is left behind, especially in the face of a pandemic.

For more information, visit pldtenterprise.com

Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and Acer Philippines (Acer) teamed up to launch the Smart School Bundle, an affordable and convenient gadget bundle to help incoming students prepare and participate in online classes this school year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smart School Bundle is inclusive of a 14-inch Acer Aspire 5 laptop and a Smart Bro LTE pocket WiFi, which are compliant with the Department of Education’s minimum specifications for devices for distance learning.

The laptop comes with a Windows 10 Home OS, Intel® Core™ i3 -813OU 2.2 GHz Base Speed with Turbo Boost up to 3.4 GHz, am 8GB DDR4 memory, 128 SSD + 1TB HDD. It also includes other features that students would need in order to accomplish their school work.

In addition, the Smart Bro LTE Pocket WiFi can connect to Smart’s fastest Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, which helps provide online access for students, especially for their class video conferences or online submission of requirements.

Precy P. Katigbak, FVP and Head of National Key Accounts at Smart, said that e-learning is an important building block under the new normal, wherein education will be driven largely by digital tools and products. “We hope that through this partnership, we can help students make a smooth transition to distance learning, and help make sure that no learner is left behind,” Katigbak added.

Meanwhile, Manuel Wong, Managing Director at Acer Philippines, said that it has always been their mission to enable Filipino students by providing them the tools needed for their education, and they hope that through their partnership with Smart, students can continue to learn amid the pandemic.

Teachers and other professionals can also avail of the gadget bundle, especially those who are working from home.

“At the end of the day, our goal is to make sure that our customers have a good experience with us, and that our network can help them achieve their goals in school or at work,” said Jane J. Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.

The Smart School Bundle is available at all Acer concept stores and distributors nationwide.

For more information, visit www.smart.com.ph

About Acer

Founded in 1976, Acer is now one of the world’s top ICT companies and has a presence in over 160 countries. As Acer looks into the future, it is focused on enabling a world where hardware, software and services will fuse with one another to open up new possibilities for consumers and businesses alike. From service-oriented technologies to the Internet of Things to gaming and virtual reality, Acer’s 7,000+ employees are dedicated to the research, design, marketing, sale, and support of products and solutions that break barriers between people and technology. Please visit www.acer.com for more information.

Today OPPO is proud to announce that its latest flagship Find X2 Pro, equipped with a stunning 120Hz QHD+ Ultra Vision Screen which fully supports HDR videos across YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video, brings first-class video streaming experience in countries where each service is available by portraying rich colors, sharp contrasts, and refined details.

OPPO believes the ultimate visual experience encompasses three facets:

1. Ground-breaking performance for hardware
2. Software
3. Content

These are qualities embodied by the Find X2 Pro and all three video-streaming services have strict HDR  smartphone screen requirements. The Find X2 Pro passes the test, with a screen that is the most advanced one OPPO has developed to date. OPPO Find X2 Pro’s 120Hz ultra high refresh rate ensures smooth and clear display. The screen，covering 100% film industry-grade P3 WCG, also supports QHD+ and is capable of displaying over 1 billion colors, with HDR 10+ certification. The high-quality screen has been well received by the industry, receiving A+ score from DisplayMate, and Eye Comfort certification from TÜV Rheinland.

Besides the excellent screen display quality, the Find X2 Pro is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 flagship chip and a chip that supports Widevine L1 hardware encryption and HDCP2.2.The OPPO Find X2 Pro ensures that users are provided with the technical backing required to enjoy high-quality HDR content while protecting the video copyright. And to complete the package, Find X2 Pro is also equipped with a dual Dolby Atmos speaker system ensuring the best immersive viewing experience unlike any other.

The OPPO Find X2 series signifies the brand’s firm step into the high-end market. Besides bringing users a better screen experience, the OPPO Find X2 Pro also promotes the HDR screen in the smartphone industry, bringing forth a brighter tech future for all.

Since the establishment of the University of the Philippines Manila-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Bayanihan Na! COVID 19 Action Center on March 30, 2020, PLDT Enterprise has served as its backbone through its connectivity infrastructure, Hotline 155-200.

The hotline service, a joint effort between UP-PGH’s in-house IT Team and PLDT Enterprise Business Group, aims to provide assistance to the public and manage the influx of patients to its COVID health care center, by consulting with professionals regarding their symptoms, without having to visit the hospital.

As the center evolves to allow for a faster and more efficient response against COVID-19, University of the Philippines President Danilo L. Concepcion commissioned Unexus Medical Solutions, Inc. through NowheretogobutUP Foundation to create a more flexible and user-friendly helpline solution that adapts to the MedAlert platform.

Through joint efforts with Unexus, PLDT Enterprise will be powering up the said platform by leveraging on its business-grade fiber optic network, which today spans 322,000 km across the country. They will also be providing phone lines for the program to ensure seamless communication between doctors and patients. The platform will be used for UP-PGH Bayanihan Na! COVID 19 Action center to triage, queue patients and ensure accurate medical record-keeping.

“Technology has always improved the way we live, work, and play. During this difficult time, we must harness its use to make processes more efficient in order to save more lives. In the end, technology must be inclusive to improve the quality of life for each and every Filipino,” said Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups.

As an additional layer of support to callers, the UP-PGH Bayanihan Na! COVID 19 Action Center offers a Telemedicine Program, also through the MedAlert platform. This will allow the Action center to escalate patients who require more in-depth assistance to volunteer doctors in different locations.

The platform will save and send medical records, prescriptions and other necessary documents through tablet devices with sims and SMS notifications. In response, PLDT Enterprise has committed to provide these volunteer doctors with the necessary support by giving them unlimited data, unlimited calls and texts for six months.

Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic, OPPO is offering a warranty extension program for all OPPO users and dealers affected by the COVID-19 quarantine period. The extended terms and service warranty cover provisions on repair services and device and accessories replacement policies.

Since Filipinos in actively combating the COVID-19 pandemic, OPPO values the health and safety of all its employees and customers, and this remains the top priority of the brand in order to serve everyone better. Since the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine period, OPPO has temporarily ceased operations of the OPPO service centers and concept stores in the affected areas in the Philippines.

“We understand the difficulties that the Filipinos are going through at this period. As a way of helping, we’ve made adjustments in our business by offering a warranty extension to all OPPO users affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. We hope that this will somehow aid our consumers during this trying time,” said Kent Zhang, Head of Aftersales of OPPO Philippines.

OPPO Adjustments as follows:

1) Repair Service Warranty

Devices with warranty expiry dated March 9, 2020 until the last day of the quarantine period will be granted an extension of two months that will immediately take effect after the last day of the quarantine period. The repair covers services such as screen repairs, hardware and software tune ups, and other parts malfunctions.

This extension applies to both OPPO devices and accessories repairs.

2) Device Replacement Warranty

Devices purchased between March 1 – 20, 2020 will be granted an extended replacement term of 7 days effective after the quarantine period. However, the customer shall provide required documents and proofs for the claims on factory defects for the consideration of the extension.

Inspected and approved device replacements handled by an OPPO service center representative with an official issuance of Inspection Order starting February 20 until March 20 are also covered by the extension. Dealers affected will be able to return the devices to OPPO by May 20, 2020.

To know more about the latest news and updates about OPPO, visit its official website at www.oppo.com.ph or its official Facebook page at OPPO Philippines.

We should not only concentrate in cleaning our hands. But make it habit to sanitize the one thing you always have on hand and that is our smartphone. Especially now that we have a Corona Virus and according to a study published in February 2020 under the Journal of Hospital Infection, viruses such as the COVID-19 are capable of surviving up to nine days on smooth surfaces, and that includes a smartphone screen.

Now we should be extra careful in keeping our smartphone clean, especially since this is our everyday driver that we can rely on that ends up getting a lot of exposure. Make sure to do your part in staying safe!

OPPO Philippines’ VP of National Sales, Zen Han says, “We touch our smartphones more than anything especially now that we try to stay connected to our loved ones who are away from us and keep updated on the latest news. But it can pose a health risk especially that dirt gets easily transferred into our phones. So, in light of the current COVID-19 situation, we strongly encourage our consumers to practice proper smartphone sanitation in order to protect themselves from contracting the virus.”

Sanitation is key in keeping clean and safe, making it particularly relevant for Filipinos who are very active smartphone users. Aside from constantly washing your hands with soap and water as advised by the World Health Organization, make sure to practice these tips on properly and safely cleaning your phone, highly recommended by OPPO Philippines:

1. Wash or sanitize your hands. To avoid transferring any harmful bacteria, make sure to sanitize your hands before and after you clean your phone.
2. Ready a soft, lint-free or microfiber cloth. Avoid abrasive cloths such as towels and paper towels. Using such may damage the surface of your screen.
3. Use 70% Isopropyl Alcohol. Isopropyl Alcohol is a highly effective disinfectant against viruses particularly the ones with 70% concentration. Anything beyond it may evaporate too quickly. When cleaning your phone with alcohol, make sure to use cotton balls or felt-tips swabs when cleaning harder to reach areas like ports and mics and to avoid liquid spilling on such parts that may cause damage to internal components.
4. Use liquid hand soaps with alcohol content. If Isopropyl Alcohol is not readily available, you may use hand soaps with alcohol content. Add a few drops on the screen and gently wipe the whole phone with a microfiber cloth. Make sure to avoid getting moisture in any openings. Wipe off the soap with a damp microfiber cloth afterwards, and then dry your phone off with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.
5. Avoid using harsh home cleaning products. Window and household cleaners with strong chemical components like ammonia or hydrogen peroxide may damage your smartphone screen.
6. Use UV light sanitation. UV-C light in particular, also used in hospital-grade disinfecting procedures serve as a potent solution that targets certain bacteria.UV devices can be used as well to sanitize your smartphone.

These simple ways have been proven to significantly cut down the number of bacteria found on a smartphone’s surface, as demonstrated by Dr. Lena Ciric, a microbiologist from University College London in this study.

Stay smart in making sure you’re doing your part in keeping safe, and always make it a habit to sanitize your phones!

As per Canalys’ recent report about Philippine’s Top Smartphone Vendors in Q4 2019, aslo shared via this Tweet: https://twitter.com/Canalys/status/1225458484516474883?s=20

2019 was a remarkable year for OPPO in the Philippines, solidifying OPPO’s positioning in the country. As per the recent Canalys report on the Philippine smartphone landscape, OPPO scored 27% total market share  for Q4 of 2019, which reflects 44% year-on-year growth for the brand. Globally, OPPO shipped more than 30 million OPPO smartphones in the same quarter. The Philippines has seen a 28% increase on the total smartphone shipments during the 4th quarter of 2019, showing how strong the mobile industry is in the Philippines.

According to OPPO Philippines Marketing Director Raymond Xia, “The Philippines is a key market for OPPO in Southeast Asia. We’re extremely happy to have achieved such a feat, considering how young OPPO is in the Philippines. With such a competitive landscape dominated but many strong and well-established smartphone brands, we are truly humbled to know that we are very much loved and trusted by the Filipinos”.

This year 2020 will be an even more interesting and exciting year for OPPO. They will officially releasing its latest flagship smartphone, the Find X2, which is slated to launch in Barcelona, Spain side-by-side the Mobile World Congress 2020 in February 2020. Find X2 is said to promise unparalleled technological innovations which will include the recently unveiled teasers on the “revolutionary” smartphone screen.

The smartphone brand also remains steadfast in providing the best and the latest technology innovations beyond smartphones as it recently announced its plan to expand its product portfolio to IoT. Last October 2019, OPPO released OPPO Enco Q1, a wireless noise cancelling headphones. It is also the first OPPO IoT product released in the Philippines.

To know more about the latest news and updates about OPPO, visit its official website at www.oppo.com.ph or its official Facebook page at OPPO Philippines.