Singapore Airlines first to introduce 'Companion App' for Inflight Entertainment System

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Singapore Airlines is raising the travel experience to an exciting new level with the introduction of a first-of-its-kind mobile application that offers customers greater control over their in-flight entertainment (IFE) experience - even before boarding the aircraft.

The companion app, which was developed for Singapore Airlines by Mobile Travel Technologies (MTT) in conjunction with Panasonic Avionics, enables customers to review the IFE video and audio content that will be available on their flight, create pre-selected favourites lists, and control the seat-back IFE system – all using their personal electronic devices. The app is now available on iOS and Android tablets, with availability on iOS and Android mobile phones in the second quarter of 2016.

Sample Screenshots of How to Access Companion App

To make use of the app, customers can install the SingaporeAir tablet application on their device prior to the aircraft’s departure. Once on board, they can link their device to the IFE system using the aircraft’s in-flight WiFi network. Connecting to KrisWorld, the Airline’s award-winning IFE system, will then allow for movies, TV shows or music to be launched on the seat monitor, directly from their list of favourites or from the entire media list. 

Linking the app to the IFE system also enables the personal device to be used as a remote control, to pause, play, or skip through media content. SIA will be the first airline in the world to enable this on a Panasonic in-flight entertainment system. Customers will be able to multi-task, thereby maximising their experience of KrisWorld, such as by browsing through the index of KrisWorld content on their device while watching a movie on the seat monitor. Customers can even access real-time information on the flight progress and flight path without interrupting their movie viewing.

Current features of the companion app will initially be available on the Airline’s new fleet of Airbus A350-900s, with plans to progressively roll it out to the Boeing 777-300ERs and other aircraft in future.

“With the proliferation of personal mobile devices and the arrival of our new Airbus A350 fleet, this latest innovation will help enhance the in-flight entertainment experience for our customers,” said Singapore Airlines Senior Vice President Product and Services, Mr Tan Pee Teck. 

“It offers more information and greater control both on the ground and in-flight, and we are excited to be the first airline in the world to offer such an application to our customers.”

Singapore Airlines’ KrisWorld IFE system offers up to 295 movies, over 470 TV programmes and more than 450 CD albums each month.

Western Digital Expands its Hard Drives and External Storage Solutions to 8TB

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New Line of Storage Solutions Feature HelioSeal Technology for Optimal Performance, High Capacity and Added Reliability for NAS, Surveillance

and Personal Storage

Western Digital Corporation, a world leader in storage solutions, today announced the expansion of its award-winning portfolio of performance storage solutions with 8TB capacity drives for NAS, video surveillance and desktop external applications. Increasingly centralized, rich-content, which continues to grow in popularity among enterprises, small business and consumers alike, is driving demand for greater storage capacities. 

Launching throughout the first half of 2016, My Cloud® personal storage devices (My Cloud, My Cloud Mirror, My Cloud EX2 Ultra), My Book® external hard drives (My Book, My Book for Mac, My Book Duo and My Book Pro), WD Red®, WD Red Pro and WD Purple™ hard drives will all be designed with the new high-capacity configuration. Each storage solution offers purpose-driven engineering and HelioSeal™ helium-technology with the new 8TB drives for maximum and efficient performance in the applications for which each model is designed.

“We are committed to integrating high-performance, high-capacity and high-quality drives into all of our solutions,” said Brendan Collins, vice president of product marketing, Western Digital Corporation. “No matter what market or application, we have a solution - whether it’s for small businesses, channel partners, enterprises or end-users. Our goal is to deliver the best and most competitive solutions on the market.”

The increase to 8TB or 16TB (with two 8TB drives in RAID 0) capacity applies to the following WD products:

External Hard Drives

• My Book/My Book for Mac -– An external hard drive solution that provides complete backup and storage with USB connectivity.
• My Book Duo/My Book Pro – Dual-drive external hard drive solutions which provide ultra-fast storage in RAID-0 and complete backup and storage with USB and/or Thunderbolt connectivity and up to 16TB capacity.
• My Cloud/My Cloud Mirror – A personal storage device that plugs into your router at home to provide consumers with their very own private cloud.
• My Cloud EX2 Ultra – As part of the creative professional series of My Cloud products, the My Cloud EX2 Ultra provides high-performance two-bay network attached storage.

Internal Hard Drives

• WD Purple – Engineered for 24/7, always-on, high-definition surveillance security systems that use up to eight hard drives and up to 32 cameras
• WD Red – Optimized for personal, home and small business NAS (network attached storage) systems
• WD Red Pro – Optimized for small business and enterprise class NAS systems with high performance and reliability.

Availability and Pricing

My Book 8TB will be available in March at select retailers and distributors in the Philippines. Manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the My Book 8TB (model #: WDBFJK0080HBK) is Php 15,900.

My Cloud, My Book for Mac, My Book Duo, My Book Pro, WD Red and WD Purple 8TB configurations will be available during the first half of 2016. More information about the WD product line, 8TB capacity, and terms of the limited warranty may be found on the company website at www.wdc.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the approximate price and estimated availability later this year of the My Cloud, My Book for Mac, My Book Duo, My Book Pro, WD Red and WD Purple 8TB configurations and the growth of storage capacity needs. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, risks that would impact the estimated availability of products and other risks detailed from time-to-time in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including, but not limited to, our most recent annual report on Form 10-K to which your attention is directed. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak as of the date hereof, and WD undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

About Western Digital

Founded in 1970, Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ: WDC), Irvine, Calif., is an industry-leading developer and manufacturer of storage solutions that enable people to create, manage, experience and preserve digital content. It is a long-time innovator in the storage industry. Western Digital Corporation is responding to changing market needs by providing a full portfolio of compelling, high-quality storage products with effective technology deployment, high efficiency, flexibility and speed. Its products are marketed under the HGST and WD brands to OEMs, distributors, resellers, cloud infrastructure providers and consumers. Financial and investor information is available on the company’s Investor Relations website at investor.wdc.com.

Get the best out of the new Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge with the Globe myLifestyle Plan

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Globe customers get it first via the portal now up and ready to take pre-orders

Coming from the recent Philippine launch of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, the undisputed leader in postpaid, Globe, is now gearing up to welcome the newest smartphone models that will be available through its innovative and customizable myLifestyle postpaid plans. 

Sustaining its leadership in the digital lifestyle, Globe has fired up its pre-order portal to serve new and existing postpaid customers via http://globe.com.ph/S7. Within the site, customers can already pre-order their preferred Samsung smartphone model, along with their name, mobile number, and e-mail address. This way, Globe can already process in advance upon completion of requirements, and release the new phones as early as March 14, 2016 for those renewing their postpaid plans. 

“The new Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge exemplify how a smartphone truly becomes a part of one’s everyday life. The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge with groundbreaking form and features are designed to be the perfect device for any adventure. Paired with the myLifestyle Plans’ customizable content bundles, customers will be able to fully maximize and enjoy what these 2 new smartphones have to offer,” shares Globe Vice President for Postpaid Business Erli Magtubo-Valdez. 

On the Globe myLifestyle plan, customers can get a hold of the Galaxy S7 on Plan 1499 with a P500 monthly cash-out and the Galaxy S7 edge on Plan 1999 with a P600 monthly cash-out, both on a 24-month contract period. 

Customers can stream faster, share more, and surf longer, with an upgraded 10 GB of mobile data for both plans alongside free Facebook, Viber and Instagram for 24 months and free 3-month access to Spotify Premium, HOOQ, and select mobile games such as Clash of Clans, Candy Crush Pop, and Hay Day. One can also stay connected 24/7 with the built-in unlimited calls and texts to Globe and TM. 

Wonderful surprises also await customers renewing their plans. At Plan 2499 they get the Samsung Galaxy S7 for FREE! The Samsung in-ear headphones are also free exclusively for those who will renew their postpaid plan. 

The new Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are ideal for exciting and extreme adventures, both being IP68 water and dust resistant in up to 1.5 meters of water and for up to 30 minutes protection against dust ingress. Both have a DSLR like Real Pixel Camera that is the world’s 1st dual photodiode sensor (2PD) in mobile that provides superfast autofocus. The new models also promise brighter and clearer images with f/1.7 lens and faster shutter speed that minimizes motion blur. 

Available in Black Onyx and Gold, each have an expandable memory up to 200GB and faster processor, smoother graphics, 4GB RAM and a larger battery and faster charging. The S7 edge also enhanced its Dual edge display with the all new task edge that provides shortcuts to the most used functions. 

Finally the new smartphones allow users to experience an expanded Galaxy Ecosystem with Gear VR compatibility for a virtual reality experience and Gear S2 compatibility for on-the-go convenience. 

With different passions and varying digital lifestyles, customers can create their own myLifestyle Plan through various lifestyle packs that are attuned to diverse needs whether for work or play. Customers can choose from a variety of lifestyle packs ranging from Entertainment, Music, Life, Productivity and Social bundles that allow access to an assortment of all-time favorite apps. 

The new Samsung Smartphones will be available in Globe stores nationwide starting March 19, 2016. To know more about how you can create your own myLifestyle plan visit www.globe.com.ph/postpaid/mylifestyleplan

Honour From Opportunity: A Scholar’s Journey

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Recently, a Civil Engineering student from Adamson University here in Manila, John Daryl Pitcheller was given the honour of presenting his ground-breaking research on PVC Waste at the International Conference on the Environmental Quality Concern (EQC) in the National Kaohsiung Marine University, Taiwan. 

In his presentation, entitled Waste Polyvinyl Chloride as Tensile Reinforcement to Asphalt Pavement, John Daryl proposed that instead of throwing away waste PVC materials, these should be recycled and used as an additive to asphalt to improve the tensile strength of pavements.

The conference panel, and delegates—from all over South East Asia—were impressed. Meanwhile John Daryl came back to the Philippines carrying new knowledge and experiences, not to mention new ambitions. 

"I was inspired to make a difference.” said John Daryl.

A recent university graduate, before attending Adamson University, John Daryl was a beneficiary of a British School Manila run scholarship programme which he views as being instrumental in giving him a chance to pursue his studies. 

“The British Education Inc.'s Scholarship Programme (BEI), run by volunteers from the British School Manila (BSM), really opens the door to a lot of opportunities to students like me,” he said.

BSM usually only supports scholars until they graduate college, but the school will often go one step further if they see an opportunity for one of their scholars to shine. 

"I did not know that the BEI programme would continue to support me attending this international event,” John said. 

“I was in my final semester when the conference took place and I had actually already graduated [last March 2015]. So I had little hope that Mr. Egan would approve my request, because this was not initially part of the contract. But eureka – the trip was all expenses paid!”

The ‘Mr. Egan’ that John refers to is the Vice Chair of the British School Manila Board of Governors, Mr Brendan Egan, who along with a handful of local staff volunteers from BSM run the BEI Scholarship Programme. The initiative, which is 100% funded by the British School Manila helps graduate students from Taguig's public schools reach their dream of graduating college, through the provision of a full scholarship to the college and course of their choice.

“A BEI scholarship covers full tuition for any specified course, at any specified college in Metro Manila,” said Mr. Egan when questioned. “All necessary books are paid for upon presentation of an official receipt, as is any required uniform. An allowance is also provided for snacks and transportation,” he continued.

John Daryl received the BEI scholarship after a rigorous selection process managed by volunteer staff from BSM. 

Volunteers from the school, such as Erwin Adevoso help candidates through the pre-screening process. "To get on the short list and be interviewed by the Committee, candidates are selected based on their credentials," says Erwin. "But we also want these young people to be able to communicate well with us." Erwin continues, "This is where I get involved, sitting down with each one, in an effort to calm their nerves and help them feel comfortable and ready to share their personal stories and why they need the scholarship, in some detail."

Before being accepted onto the BEI scholarship programme, John Daryl was hesitant to continue his tertiary education studies, as he was concerned about his parents' financial ability to send him to the college of his choice. He is an only child, but his parents also provide financial assistance to other relatives in the family.

John said, "When I was chosen for the BEI scholarship programme, it was a big help since it provided for everything. So I didn't have to do anything, except study. I just had to do my best." 

The BEI scholarship also entitled him to be given a fully-equipped desktop PC, so he did not have to rent computers to work on school requirements.

“It’s more than manna from heaven, because it isn't just a grant that comes to you monthly,” he said, recalling how the scholarship influenced his life. “I hope that BEI Inc. and the British School Manila will continue this kind of support for their scholars because it can impact them in ways a four-walled classroom can never do.

John Daryl graduated with Academic Merit last year, and recently passed the Civil Engineering Board Exams. He is currently happily employed.

Goldilocks initiates widespread recycling project, in partnership with Bantay Kalikasan

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In line with its ongoing commitment towards more environment-friendly operations, Goldilocks recently established a partnership with Bantay Kalikasan, the environmental arm of ABS-CBN Linkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. (ALKFI)

Under the banner of “Bantay Baterya at Bantay Langis”, the country’s number one bakeshop will donate waste materials on a daily basis, including used oil, acid batteries, egg shells, and even fluorescent bulbs. ALKFI partners Genetron and Motolite will then handle the recycling process, the proceeds of which will be used for various advocacy projects throughout the country.

“Each member of the Goldilocks family is well acquainted with the ‘4R’ principle, which is to Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, and Respect the environment,” noted Goldilocks Supply Chain and Technical Director Lawrence H. Chin. 

“As an industry leader, we have a responsibility to set a good example and take an active role in streamlining our operations for the good of our ecosystem,” he added.

Environmental Conservation is one of the four pillar advocacies of Goldilocks, and as such, the company has a number of future projects lined up with ALKFI. 

“We are currently finalizing plans to establish bakeries located at the various eco-tourism sites of ALKFI,” Chin explained. “This will provide livelihood and income generating opportunities to these communities, and hopefully create a number of positive ripple effects.”

The first of these bakeries is set to open in Lobo, Batangas, with Calapitan City in Oriental Mindoro, Kiamba in General Santos, Romblon, and Saranggani as the most likely areas for the succeeding locations. 

“We are so honored to be working with Goldilocks on our various projects, and we are so optimistic about growth prospects of our partnership,” said ALKFI Managing Director Susan B. Afan. 

“It is heartening to see that corporate social responsibility is deeply embedded in their company culture, and we hope that this encouraging trend continues,” she concluded.