The iPhone “phablet,” Apple’s newest product line to come out in the market this year

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The iPhone “phablet,” Apple’s newest product line this year, is out in the market in May this year and iPhone 6, which belongs to a different and existing family of smartphones, will be launched in September this year.

THE iPhone 6, expected later this year, could be just 6mm thick, according to reports from South Korea and China. 

Until now, news about the upcoming model has focused on the size of the screen, which is expected to grow. But South Korean website ET News says that the handset will also get significantly slimmer. The latest model will appear much slimmer compared to the existing iPhone models.

The iPhone phablets are reportedly coming out with a bigger display measuring up to five inches, a report said.

The HKMG 28 nanometer, 64-bit A7 processor manufactured by Samsung and is currently used by iPhone 5S and 2013 iPad models will most likely be revamped or even completely replaced by a 20 nanometer processor made by TSMC.

Another report issued by a publication in South Korea called ET News announced that iPhone will debut in September. The latest model will appear much slimmer compared to the existing iPhone models.

It is assumed that the launch of iPhone phablets will certainly make the price of the iPhone 5s drop significantly. A report says prices might go down to $100 in May when the new product line debuts.

It can be recalled that several rumors came out last year about Apple’s plan of launching two new iPhones with bigger displays in 2014.

The Wall Street Journal released an article in September last year that said Apple is in the middle of calibrating iPhone designs with screens up to 6 inches.

This was eventually denied by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who claimed that the company will most likely release a new model with bigger display measuring up to five inches only.

Bloomberg said the company would release a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhones in 2014.

Finally, the same C Technology website announced in December that iPhone 6 prototype with a 4.9-inch display is on its way to the market very soon.

Although all these can’t be confirmed at this time, what’s certain is that numerous reports have come out detailing Apple’s plan to release bigger iPhones this year to compete with similar gadgets in the market.

Star Cinema's jumpstart for 2014 - ‘Bride For Rent’ Movie with KimXi

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‘Bride for Rent’ is the opening salvo of Star Cinema for 2014 with Kim Chiu and Xian Lim popularly known as KimXi as loveteam are back at each other’s arms.

Bride For Rent marks the much-awaited silver screen reunion of Kim and Xian who are arguably considered as one of the hottest blockbuster love-teams in the country today.

KimXi made a big success in the movie after their first movie team-up 'Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo' who gained more than P100 Million pesos.

The successful and blockbuster loveteam, Xiam and Kim are back on the silver screen via their latest romantic comedy as they deliver more “kilig.” The two are really fun and happy loveteam to share their working and friendship relationship.

FRESH from its critical and box-office triumph in the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival, Star Cinemas continues its 20th anniversary celebration as it opens 2014 with a bang with Bride For Rent – a romantic comedy starring Kim Chiu and Xian Lim.

'Bride for Rent' is very catchy title. Bride For Rent is a hilarious love story centered on Rocco Espiritu (Lim) and Rocky Espiritu (Chiu) who are both in desperate need of money. Rocco needs to get married to have access to his sizable trust fund while Rocky on the other hand is frantic for rent money lest her whole family gets evicted and homeless.

Rocco conspires with Rocky who agrees to act as his “pseudo wife” in exchange for a huge “talent fee.” A series of sidesplitting problems arise as Rocco and Rocky implement their deceitful plot. Would their plan work or would it backfire on them with the possibility of them developing actual feelings with each other?

Director Mae Cruz, Pilita Corales, Kim Chiu, Carmi Raymundo and Xiam Lim during the blogcon held at the Abs-Cbn /ELJ Building, Quezon City, January 8, 2013.

According to Direc May Cruz and writer Carmina Raymundo, Bride For Rent gets great collaboration between Kim and Xian. 

The film also features the grand comeback of Asia’s Queen Of Songs Pilita Corrales to the big-screen as she portrays a very special role.

Asia’s Queen Of Songs Pilita Corrales

Both film buffs and fans of the Kim-Xian love-team can look forward to an unforgettable and feel-good cinematic experience with Bride For Rent which is the perfect way to jumpstart the New Year.

Directed by box-office director Mae Czarina Cruz, whose most notable recent work is 2013’s smash hit She’s The One. Bride For Rent is showing in all cinemas nationwide starting January 15.

For more information and latest updates about “BRIDE FOR RENT” and other Star Cinema’s 20th anniversary movie offerings, 

simply visit www.StarCinema.com.ph,

http://facebook.com/StarCinema and 

http://twitter.com/StarCinema.

More videos and updates coming soon, as I am now working on uploading :) 

Photos: Enjoying Wonderful World Facebook

"Viva Señor Jesus Nazareno!" Feast of Black Nazarene 2014

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"Viva Señor Jesus Nazareno!"

The Feast of Black Nazarene, annual event every January 9th. It commemorates the 'Traslación' or Passage of life-sized, dark wooden statue of Jesus Christ through procession or transfer of the image to its present shrine in Quiapo Church, Manila.

Highlight of the celebration is the grand procession of sea of devotees from Quirino Grandstand at seven in the morning.

(Photo: Jim Guiao Punzalan)

The organizers said that an estimate of 12 million people are expected to join the activities for  the Feast of Black Nazarene.

MMDA releases Feast of Black Nazarene 2014 procession route, traffic rerouting scheme. Since the procession will not pass through the usual route, McArthur Bridge, which the Department of Public Works and Highways said is only fit to handle 20 tons or 10,000 people at any given time, the procession is expected to last 10 to 12 hours.

Here's a map detailing the parade route of the annual procession for the Feast of Black Nazarene 2014:

Route from Quirino Grandstand (Luneta), right Katigbak Drive thru P. Burgos, left Taft Ave.(P.Burgos) thru McArthur Bridge, right Palanca, thru under Quezon Bridge, left Quezon Blvd., right Fraternal, right Vergara, left Duque de Alba, left Castillejos, left farnecio, right Arlegui, left Nepomuceno, left Aguila, right Carcer, right Hidalgo thru Plaza Del Carmen, left Bilibid Viejo thru Puyat, left Guzman, right Hidalgo, left Barbosa, right Globo de Oro thru under Quezon Bridge, right Palanca, right Villalobos thru Plaza Miranda to Quiapo Church.

Here are the Traffic Re-routing scheme for Feast of Black Nazarene 2014:

1. All vehicles coming from northern part of Manila intending to utilize the stretch of Bonifacio Drive (for Port Area offices) or right to A. Soriano to Magallanes Drive, right to P. Burgos, go straight to Lagusnilad to Taft Ave.

2. All vehicles coming from Taft Avenue northbound shall turn right at A. Villegas (Arroceros), right at Quezon Bridge to point of destination.

3. All vehicles coming from southern part of Manila intending to utilize the northbound of Roxas Blvd. from T. M. Kalaw to P. Burgos shall turn right to T.M. Kalaw to point of destination.

4. All vehicles coming from Quezon City using the stretch of Espana shall turn right P. Campa, left Andalucia, right Fuguso, left T. Mapua to point of destination.

5. All PUJ’s/light vehicles coming from Espana intending to proceed to South Pier Zone take the usual route using Quezon Bridge.

6. All vehicles coming from Divisoria intending to utilize the stretch of C. Recto Avenue shall turn left to T. Alonzo, right at Furguso, right at Andalucia to point of destination.

7. All vehicles coming from Legarda shall turn right Recto or left Mendiola to point of destination.

8. All heavy vehicles/cargo trucks coming from the south shall take Pres. Osmena, right Pres. Quirino to Nagtahan via A.H. Lacson to Capulong (vice-versa).

Some notes from MMDA:

1. All motorist intending to proceed to North of Manila or South of Manila shall advise to utilized the stretch of Lacson to Nagtahan (vice-versa) or to utilized the stretch of Road 10 to Roxas Blvd. (vice-versa) to point of destination.

2. All buses coming from southern part of Manila (Laguna and Cavite) utilizing Taft Ave. are not allowed to enter from 7:00 AM to 12:00 NN and allowed only up to Pres. Quirino as their turning point. #mmda 

THE Manila City Council has declared January 9, the Feast of the Black Nazarene, a special non-working holiday in the city.

A resolution passed on first reading by the council said the feast would highlight the “religious significance and cultural importance of the Feast of the Black Nazarene” and that there is truly a need to “preserve, enshrine, and promote its observance, commemoration, and celebration in the City of Manila.”

Councilor DJ Bagatsing who authored the ordinance, said that it is essentially sound for Manila to propose a local holiday on the Feast of Black Nazarene. 

“This would give loyal worshippers a better chance of engaging in this sacred tradition,” Councilor DJ Bagatsing added.

The city had earlier announced the suspension of classes on Thursday to spare students from being stranded because of the expected deluge of devotees. 

Barefoot devotees will again be allowed in trains, according to the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA). LRT rides will not be free and security inspections will continue. He said the number of LRT commuters doubles during the Feast of the Black Nazarene.

The traditional “pahalik” of the Black Nazarene had already started after the venerated image was transferred to Quirino Grandstand Monday evening.

The MyProperty.ph magazine maiden issue launched

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Get Sold Corporation, a joint venture between Summit Media and Ringier AG, recently launched their first offline offering, a print version of the MyProperty.ph website, as part of the brand’s strategy to bring real estate information and listings closer to the public. According to general manager Butz de Castro, the free magazine is designed to emphasize how the online and offline experiences are connected, and aims to provide current and new users with “richer content that’s beyond ordinary projects and classifieds listings”.

“The MyProperty magazine was meant to complement our online product,” he said. “It is a major step forward in enabling property seekers, and all the industry’s players for that matter, to make better- informed decisions when it comes to searching for and purchasing property.”

The maiden issue of the quarterly glossy highlights top projects from various local property developers such as Vista Residences, Avida Land, and Grand Monaco. The Featured Stories section contains tips and human interest pieces, including an interview of several street performers in Bonifacio Global City, a yuppie’s guide to condo living, and FAQs about home buying. The magazine also offers a closer look at four booming real estate locations in the country – Pasay, CDO, and Tagaytay, and Pampanga – under Featured Communities.

“With Featured Communities aimed at letting the general public know where fast-track development is happening and Featured Stories on trends and tips, the website visitor – now the magazine reader – is given a heightened and more pleasurable experience in being informed of what choices are available to him at the most relevant time,” de Castro explained.

A classifieds segment presents buyers with listings complete with photos, property specs and seller information, as well as a property ID that can be used to search for the property on the MyProperty.ph website. Home owners looking to furnish and maintain their properties can fulfill their needs through the directory page.

As for what readers can expect in the future, de Castro said, “Along with more editorial content, more classified listings will be up for display, further boosting the chances of connecting the right property seeker with the right property seller.”

First copies of the maiden issue were handed out to attendees of the recently held “DRIVEN Pinoy Dream Property and Lifestyle Event 2013”. MyProperty.ph also plans on distributing it at upcoming real estate and property expos and placing it in major business establishments and event venues. A downloadable version of the magazine will soon be available on the website.

MyProperty.ph is the Philippines’ premier online real estate classifieds, which aims to bring property buyers and sellers together through an interactive and user-friendly platform. Visitors to the site can browse all types of real estate listings: from houses to condos, brand new to previously owned properties, and developer-owned to privately sold homes.

Get Sold Corporation is the classifieds company behind MyProperty.ph. It is a joint venture between Summit Media and Ringier AG.

Summit Media is the Philippines’ leading magazine publishing company—with 21 magazine titles under its belt, it has also expanded into digital media, outside-of-home media and consumer events. For the fourth straight year, Summit Media has also topped the nationwide TNS-Trends Newsstand Survey conducted in 2009. The company is also the co-owner of Jobstreet.com.ph, the country’s leading online jobs portal.

Ringier AG is a multinational media company with around 8,000 employees in 10 countries in Asia and in Central and Eastern Europe. Worldwide, Ringier publishes more than 120 newspapers and magazines and produces and markets more than 20 TV programmes. The company also holds considerable stakes in television and radio stations and operates about 80 websites and mobile platforms. It has eleven printing plants. Ringier is a fifth-generation family company, founded in 1833.

For more information on MyProperty.ph, call the Marketing Team at 451-8888 local 1126 or visit www.myproperty.ph.

PROFITABILITY IN A WELLNESS INVESTMENT

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As the health and wellness sector grows into a billion-dollar industry, there are more opportunities to invest in wellness-related products and services. An even more profitable venture would be to invest in a luxury resort that provides a world-class health and wellness experience to the local and foreign market. Anya Resorts and Residences in Tagaytay offers investors this opportunity.

Anya is located along Buena Vista Hills Road in Silang, Tagaytay, in a secluded recessed property that is verdant with trees, gardens, and grassy groves. As the first truly world-class integrated luxury resort, spa, and residential development in the country, it is now the premier leisure and wellness destination in Tagaytay.

The name “Anya” comes from the Sanskrit word that means “boundless”, which expresses how Anya Resorts and Residences provides comfort, relaxation, wellness, and peace—without limits. Anya is designed for luxury, brand loyalty, market prominence, and profitability. It is one of the savviest investments one can make.

Investment offers

Investors have the opportunity to invest in a unit or suite type within Anya’s resort. They have the choice of getting a Guest Room or Studio; One Bedroom Suite; or Two-Bedroom Suite. It’s better to choose a unit/suite type based on how frequent you expect to use it. 

There are several advantages of investing in Anya. These include the following: high capital appreciation; liquidity; expert asset management; and the chance to provide a health and wellness vacation to family and friends. 

Being a branded, full-service, managed development, Anya Resorts and Residences is expected to have a quick, high-value appreciation in relation to other types of real estate. It also promises greater cash returns in comparison to other properties. 

Anya also keeps investors’ shares liquid so they get cash on an ongoing basis. This is possible thanks to Anya’s world-class facilities that assure a growing client base among wellness travelers. For investors, it’s like earning cash while they sleep. 

Global experts are assigned the task of managing Anya’s assets. Through their efforts, the guesswork, anxiety, and stress are taken off investors’ hands. They can instead focus on their main businesses and wait for their investment to grow. 

Through Anya, investors are also able to provide their families a gorgeous second home that comes with world-class resort and spa amenities. Few investments can boast of including health and wellness in its ROI. 

Investors also become automatic co-owners of the property and members of Anya Elite, a program of exclusive luxury privileges that includes the right to use other luxury properties that Anya is partnered with. 

Expert branding and marketing

It’s not enough to have a premier location or a top-notch development. This must be supported with a robust marketing strategy and effective branding. Anya’s management team has the experience in marketing international luxury hotels and restaurants and will market the property strategically combining a domestic, regional, and global reach. 

The team has on hand large databases, extensive corporate and OTA relationships, as well as collaboration and partnerships with other luxury properties and brands—all of which factor into the wide reach and effectiveness of their marketing efforts.

In many ways, Anya’s facilities and its breath-taking design “market themselves”. The best designers in the luxury resort sector collaborated to create what Anya is today—these designers include firms such as Manny Samson and Associates who are famous for St. Regis, Four Seasons, and the Ritz Carlton. 

Master planning and landscaping was undertaken by Eco Plan, one of the best landscape architects and landscapers in the world. Among Eco Plan’s laurels is Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica for Four Seasons. JYAA Architects designed Anya’s structures in cooperation with BLUE. JCL, the present managers of Manila’s Fairmont and Raffles, is also handling Anya. 

They are all responsible for making Anya’s international standard interiors, viewing decks and terraces, private gardens, lawns, streams, restaurants and its world-class spa. Together, they designed Anya with meticulous attention to aesthetic detail, highly personalized service, as well as international food, beverage, spa, and fitness facilities.

The commitment of Anya’s management team is such that it set aside a pre-opening budget in excess of Php300 million just for 56 rooms. It’s bold statement that ensures high returns from opening day. 

Anya is easily the Philippines first luxury wellness resort brand. While establishing its branding and reputation, Anya will align itself with three other leading domestic and international brands to create a dining, wellness, and luxury experience unlike anything else in the country. 

For more information about Anya Resorts and Residences and its investment opportunities,

please go to their website at www.anyainvestments.com;

or email ask@anyainvestment.com or call 0917-888 ANYA (2692).

Anya Resort and Residences is developed and managed by Roxaco Land Corp., the property development arm of Roxas and Company Inc. Roxaco Land Corp. is also the developer of projects like Fuego Hotel chains and several subdivisions in Batangas and Cavite since 1988.