March 9, 2016

Let's Spotify and Say hello to Fresh Finds



Spotify, the world’s most popular music streaming service, brings its consumers another way of discovering good music!

Introducing, Fresh Finds. The playlist surfaces the latest songs from undiscovered artists that are capturing the world’s interest before the tunes become widely known. Through a combination of man + machine, the playlist within Fresh Finds are automated curations of bound to break songs across five genres, powered by an analysis of Spotify tastemakers.


Introducing Fresh Finds: New playlists featuring the latest undiscovered artists (you likely haven’t heard) before they take off 

Six automatically curated playlists that predict breakout artists 

Fresh new music based on tastemakers listening behaviour 


Following the success of Discover Weekly, the personalized playlist that brings you two hours of custom-made music recommendations every week, Spotify, the most popular music streaming service, provides another way for listeners to discover new music and expand their music taste.

Starting today, and updated every Wednesday, Fresh Finds surfaces the latest songs from undiscovered artists that are capturing the world’s interest before the tunes become widely known. Through a combination of man + machine, the playlists within Fresh Finds are automated curations of bound to break songs across five genres, powered by an analysis of Spotify tastemakers. Playlists include: 


By combining early buzz across blogs and music news sites with billions of listening hours on Spotify, the team identifies anonymous listening patterns around fans that already listen to more up and coming music. These are the tastemakers that are predicting what music trendsetters will soon be listening to and Spotify is surfacing those tunes for its users. 

“Spotify has always focused on artists and listeners, and with Fresh Finds we’re specifically looking at new creators, digging deeper to understand how undiscovered artists can attract a huge fan base,” says Dr. Brian Whitman, Principal Scientist at Spotify. “By analyzing the listening behavior of our top tastemaker users, we’re able to predict new breakout artists and filter their hits-to-be playlists with the most promising new music out there.” 

"Spotify plays an increasingly big role in discovery for us. The two million plus streams Muna accumulated through the early championing of Spotify helped validate the instincts and ears of our A&R team. 

We knew Muna was to be an important band for us and we signed them to RCA," said John Fleckenstein, Executive Vice President of RCA Records. 

Spotify has put Fresh Finds to good use – five of the artists performing at the recently announced 2016 SXSW Spotify House in Austin were surfaced via Fresh Finds including TOTEM, Kacy Hill, D.R.A.M, MUNA and Anderson Paak. 

Fresh Finds is easily accessible to all users with Browse. The playlists are refreshed with new music every Wednesday, and users have the chance to save their favorites before the week ends. 

​​Power Mac Center brings 21st Century Learning to kids this summer - “ReCREATE LEARNING: Shaping Kids for the Information Age”


It’s almost summer and while kids are excited for vacation, premier Apple reseller Power Mac Center offers another activity that promises to be both fun and educational.

Summer Workshops 2016 is part of an annual workshop series conducted by Power Mac Center’s Apple Authorized Training Center (AATC). Now on its 9th year, this summer’s trainings will revolve around the theme “ReCREATE LEARNING: Shaping Kids for the Information Age.” It features specialized topics integrated to 21st century skills, a set of abilities including critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity that students need to develop in order to succeed in the information age. 

This techie summer treat allows children aged 7 to 12 to have fun while learning digital skills with the use of customized learning spaces. Power Mac Center’s Apple Authorized trainers will serve as mentors to enhance kids’ use of advanced digital tools and to bring their imagination to life. The advanced training methodology used for these classes involves lectures, demonstrations, guided hands-on activities, and actual project creation.

“We’re doing this workshop series to bring out the inner creative genius in kids,” said Joey Alvarez, Marketing Director of Power Mac Center. “We want them to start young and make learning a habit, while enjoying the company of other children at the same time.”

Participants may choose from Power Mac Center Summer Workshops 2016’s array of specialized courses designed to familiarize students with various functions and programs that maximize the use of their Mac and iOS devices. The courses are Basic Electronic Engineering, Robotics Programming with Sphero, Game Creation, 3D Design to 3D Printing, App Development, Augmented Reality, Stop Motion Video Creation, and Interactive eBooks Creation. 

There will be three sessions for each topic with a fee of Php 3,500 per participant. Packaged fee for two topics is at Php 6,000 per participant.

The workshops will commence in Manila locations on April 4 and run until April 30. For those in the Visayas, there are scheduled workshops in Cebu from April 25 to May 6. Meanwhile, Davao City is also set to host a couple of courses from April 11 to May 6. 

Interested participants are encouraged to register in advance as there are limited seats per course. Register online via http://tinyurl.com/PMCsummerworkshops2016.

For the detailed schedule and other information, call 553-4211 or 6399 or emailworkshops@powermaccenter.com.

The Wildflower: A Fashion Retrospective

Witness a great exhibit of beautiful dresses of a wonderful lady, a fashion designer, columnist and socialite-philanthropist known for her flamboyant outfits. - Tessa Rufino Prieto-Valdes.

As we call it with a hashtag #wildflowerbytessa,  "The Wildflower: A Fashion Retrospective" exhibit runs from March 8-18, 2016 at the Mega Fashion Hall. 

As celebrating women’s month this March alongside their 30th anniversary, SM Megamall presents Wildflower: A Fashion Retrospective on style icon Tessa Rufino Prieto-Valdes. Amidst all the minimalist fashion trending, one woman dares to stand out. 

Like wildflowers that come in varied species and kinds, the exhibit portrays women from all walks of life. Through each of her dresses, we share a vibrant story worth telling.


Tessa Rufino Prieto-Valdes

Also known as the Sea Princess, Tessa is a Sunday lifestyle columnist in the Philippine Daily Inquirer and manages her own site; www.tessaprietovaldes.com. Tessa is a socialite-philanthropist known for her sophisticated style, extravagant accessories, and colorful personality. She has been featured in lifestyle magazines and is ever-present in grand events. She also busies herself with the different charities she supports, spending weekends in Balesin, raiding shopping centers, and playing Barbie with different designers.


Wildflower: An Exhibition of dresses by Manila’s top designers

As we walk through the Sea Princess’ whimsical wardrobe collection, we are introduced to an aspect of Tessa Prieto-Valdes that is essential to her personality -- her imaginative fashion. The exhibit likens Tessa as a wildflower, colorful, flamboyant, and diverse. Beauty is a natural thing whether in simplicity or extravagance. And as we trace back to the most organic form of inspiration -- nature -- through Tessa’s wardrobe, we are introduced to some of Manila’s top designers that Tessa Prieto-Valdes champions. 


The Designers

Albert Andrada returns to the Philippines after 20 years designing luxurious garments for royalty in the Middle East. He was referred to as “Asia’s Most Connected Designer” with works of very flowing, feminine, and definitely dramatic. He takes inspiration from his mother whom he refers to as “a very fashionable lady.”

Ivarluski “Ivar” Aseron is an innovative fashion designer whose collections have been featured abroad, including Malaysia and Indonesia. Ivar is known for his ability to masterfully fuse movement with structure, classic with current, and feminine with a dash of gentleman as seen in his geometric style which includes a surprise of softness that creates slim silhouettes, clean lines, and unexpected details. 

Pablo Cabahug specializes in body conscious and tailored formal wear for men and women. His work has been featured in Philippine Fashion Week a couple of times and has been recognized as one of the top collections with his trademark design being classic silhouettes. He won the Look of Style Awards back in 2010 which gave him the opportunity to study fashion design and marketing at the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design.

Michael Cinco is an international fashion designer who was born in Samar and is currently based in Dubai. Michael studied at Slim’s Fashion and Arts School in the early 1990’s and proceeded to study in London and Paris halfway through his career. His collections were featured in Miami, New York, Dubai, and Manila and he has been designing for Gulf Arab royals for years. His works boasts of lavishly elaborate couture with detailed embellishments that sparkle with crystal beading, opulent lace, and lush textures. Michael won Breakthrough Designer of 2011 at the WGSN Global Fashion Awards in New York and is the first Filipino designer to be featured on “America’s Next Top Model.”

Maureen Disini is known for her simple cuts and wedding gowns. She was trained in Milan’s Istituto di Moda Burgo in 2009, where she earned a diploma in Stilista di Moda (Fashion Design and Patternmaking). Maureen’s aesthetic is classic, simple, easy and feminine which tend to embrace tradition and forego trends. She customizes her pieces through the fabrics she chooses that are ideal to the personality and character of her clientele.

Rhett Eala has become one of the country’s prominent design icons. He first showcased his talent as an in-house fashion designer in Rustan’s where he was offered to design his first label entitled, “Due by Rhett Eala,” a fashion line for kids. Over the years, his line grew and matured into a more sophisticated line for women and he exemplifies this in his position as the current Art Director of Plains and Prints.

Ronald Enrico is a Cebu-based designer who specializes in custom-made formal wear. He is renowned for his delicate details, fabric manipulation, clean finish, and flattering cuts. Ronald’s workmanship attracts much needed attention through weaving flamboyant and gaudy combinations of tulle, chiffon, and taffeta in his pieces.

Jun Escario started from Cebu and eventually grew to cater international design works where he is renowned for his bridal and evening garments. With gracefulness and elegance in his pieces, his works have reached the London Philippine Fashion Show in 2012.

Rocky Gathercole is well-known for his experimental, unpredictable, and whimsical creations. He came from humble beginnings but with passion and perseverance, paved himself a vibrant fashion career. Gathercole has been a designer in the United Arab Emirates for more than two decades. His definition of wearable is still enigmatic to those that cannot comprehend fashion’s form of self-expression, which to his advantage appealed to Arab women. 

Rajo Laurel began his career in 1993 and soon founded House of Laurel in 2000. Trained in New York Fashion Institute of Technology and Central Saint Martin’s in London, he has represented the Philippines locally and internationally throughout the years and has received countless awards for fashion design and entrepreneurship. His works display his signature beading on romantic and luxurious gowns. His articles are a combination of rigid and mellow elements that creates a modern and feminine workmanship which makes his pieces well defined.

Monique Lhuillier is one of America’s foremost designers sought after by many celebrities locally and internationally. She is renowned for her designs that capture the essence of sophisticated luxury by provoking femininity, allure, and glamour. Her ready-to-wear, accessories, and bridal collections embody her innate sense of style.

Francis Libiran is an A-list designer who has garnered success locally and internationally. His work has been featured in numerous shows, some of which include the fashion gala at Manila Hotel during its centennial celebration, the first Canada Philippine Fashion Week, and the annual fashion show in Tokyo, Japan. He is also the designer behind the winning gown worn by Megan Young in Miss World 2013. 

Jojie Lloren is a Pateros-based multi-awarded and considered as one of the most respected fashion designer. He graduated with a degree in Clothing Technology in University of the Philippines Diliman and gained training from Ecoles de Chambre Syndicale dela Couture Parisiennce in Paris. After many years in the industry, he continued to gain fame as a resident mentor at a Filipino rendition of a renowned TV-series “Project Runway.” Jojie’s style prioritizes comfort among all other constituents of good dressing.

Dennis Lustico creates works with styles of geometry and femininity. Usually for events and social functions, his garments feature a certain gleam of sophistication yet is still practical and easy to wear especially for women who are always on-the-go.

Pablo Mendez started teaching after graduating from Slims in the 1990s. Since then, he has won many awards including the grand prize for Philippine Fashion Designer Competition in 2007. While he has achieved many awards, he still returned to Slim’s to teach part-time despite his duties as a designer.

Lesley Mobo graduated with an Honors Degree in Fashion at Central St. Martin’s in 2002 after moving out of the Philippines to study Fashion in London. His career started soon after at Jasmine Di Milo, a newly established brand, and was soon after promoted to Head Designer in 2003. Lesley showed passion and persevered in his field garnering him multiple local and international collaborations with numerous brands and features in several books and publications. Lesley’s craft entail edgy, structural elements with sophisticated soft, feminine twists that appeal to young elite Europeans. His pieces are fun and flirty despite residing on the conservative side of ball gowns, asymmetrical dresses, and pant suits.

Josie Natori is an award winning, foreign-fashion CEO and founder of The Natori Company Inc. It houses Natori, a global brand that started out with a lingerie line and later on expanded to a lifestyle brand. Natori received multiple awards some of which include Fashion Group International’s Humanitarian Award, and the Lakandula Award last 2007.

Eric Pineda is a costume and fashion designer credited for his outstanding design works for theater plays, a period soap opera, as well as bridal gowns and fashion ensemble for celebrities. His passion for designing for theatre plays began in college as one of the enthusiastic young members of the University of the Philippines (UP) Repertory in 1982 and was soon after recruited to tackle the production needs of other theatre plays outside UP. Eric had to juggle academics, organization, and production work and still continues to show relentless energy and quality in his works.

Gian Romano is an Iligan-native that started designing and styling back in 2000. A graduate of De La Salle University College of Saint Benilde with a degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management, he then pursued his Fashion career after being granted a scholarship to study in Central Saint Martin’s in London in 2004. In 2005, Gian returned to Philippines and revealed his first collection “No Wave” which tackled the foundations of fashion design. His works adhere to a minimalist and utilitarian taste yet brings out the elements of self-expression and consciousness to form and structure.

Joe Salazar studied at Slim’s Fashion and Arts School in the 1960s. He was known for his ornamented ternos and evening wear that avoid minimalist trends. He enjoys doing classic pieces. however continues to add a hint of modern styling to each. Often listed as one of the Philippine’s outstanding designers, he was the first prestigious Ramon Valera awardee, and recently nominated as National Artist.

Amir Sali Aluk is a Paris-trained Filipino designer who ails from Sulu, Philippines. He studied Fine Arts at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City. During his early travels abroad, he met a Saudi princess and was offered to work as a designer for the royal household. After his 18 years as a designer for the Saudi Royal family, he returned to the Philippines last 2009 to start his own design line which started in his small Greenhills shop. His style revolves around heavy layers, seas of colors, and generous beadings which eventually got him the title of Prince of Beads.

Cary Santiago is a Cebu-based master couturier. At a young age of 23, he went to Dubai to work for Hazaar Fashion where he learned all the basics of haute couture. Later on, he moved to Beirut and became the creative designer for the House of Jibran. His work is very intricate - all well crafted and well constructed. He has become a household name in Philippine Fashion with his designs being worn in weddings, state dinners, SONAs, and even the Oscars.

Ezra Santos has been featured internationally in fashion shows, magazines, and events. He put up his own atelier in Dubai in 2008 after working with many designers in the Philippines and Saudi Arabia. His works are seen to use lavish, intricate, and feminine designs and materials.

Inno Sotto received multiple degrees in Fashion and Art in different schools abroad namely the University of San Francisco, San Francisco School of Fashion and Design, and Parsons in New York. With his subtly draped designs, Inno Sotto has done a number of international galas, specifically 27, in his 32-year career.

Philipp Tampus is a Cebu-native designer and proud alumnus of the Filipino rendition of the renowned TV series “Project Runway.” Well-known for his intricate details, random patterns, and artwork that emphasize a woman's shape, Phillipp is gaining a steady following of loyal clientele, not just in Cebu but all over the country as well. 

Oliver Tolentino, coined as the “Valentino of the Philippines”, began his career in the late 90s and was the first Filipino designer to expand his business to Los Angeles in 2009. Since then, he has catered to both local celebrities and Hollywood stars. 


Cherry Samuya Veric’s crafts entail intricate details and cuts that bring out the wearer’s seductive silhouettes. He adorns his designs with ornamented pieces finishing with delicate numbers that appeal to varied audiences.

Chito Vijandre is a top lifestyle and design guru. He is the creative director of a chain of lifestyle and design stores which include Chichirico, Felicity, Firma, and AC+632. Aside from being a fashion designer, he is also known for his signature home furnishings.

Yvette Ylagan is a graduate of De La Salle University and Philippine School of Interior Design. She is the other half of the sister duo behind the local clothing brand, Religioso - a brand that champions locally made materials and showcases world class designs, details, and workmanship.

March 8, 2016

DDoS attacks growing in scale, span, and reach – IPC



DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks continue to increase dramatically, threatening websites and businesses globally, according to a study cited by IPC, the country’s pioneer DDoS Mitigation service provider.

The study conducted by IPC’s DDoS Mitigation partner Imperva Incapsula, entitled Global DDoS Threat Landscape Q4 2015, used data from 3,997 network layer and 5,443 application layer DDoS attacks mitigated by Incapsula from October 1 to November 29, 2015.

A DDoS attack is a costly form of cyber crime where a large volume of malicious traffic is flooded into a website, causing it to crash. This is a planned and coordinated attack to disrupt the normal function of a website.

According to the study, the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan are the top 3 targeted countries. Furthermore, UK-based and Japan-based sites saw a 20.7 percent and 7.4 increase in attacks, respectively.

“DDoS is a serious online crime that cannot be ignored. It warrants a definitive course of action from highly-skilled professionals trained in this type of cyber war,” stated IPC President Rene Huergas. He added that the Incapsula report is a clear indication of how DDoS poses a formidable threat to businesses in any industry worldwide, including the Philippines. 

In the study, it was revealed that there were changes in the DDoS attack patterns during the last quarter of 2015 and a surge in the use of DDoS-for-hire services. A 25.3 percent increase from the previous quarter in terms of frequency of network layer attacks was also recorded.

The longest application layer attack—to date—lasted for over 101 days. The target was a U.S.-hosted website registered to a small catering business. Moreover, a 325Gbps network layer attack, one of the largest to ever be documented, occurred in mid-December 2015.

“Business leaders and entrepreneurs must be vigilant against these attacks, which can cause damage to their companies’ coffers. As what the report stated, the perpetrators are finding new ways to infiltrate websites and crash these on purpose,” Huergas pointed out. 

Cyber crimes on a larger scale can take its toll on a country where there is a growing need for companies to go online to reach a bigger target market. A recent example is when the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) website was defaced by hackers claiming to be from Anonymous Philippines. As the group turned the NTC page black, they posted their grievances over the state of Philippine Internet. The attack went viral immediately, not only bringing to the public’s attention the group’s cause but exposing the vulnerability of the website of a government agency.

Aside from the government, most businesses in the retail and financial industries in the Philippines have online presence. E-commerce, for one, continues to thrive, attracting customers who spend a lot of time online. Some of these e-commerce sites have advertised aggressively, spending millions for production and tri-media (TV, print, and radio) placements, proof that e-commerce is an emerging industry.

Aside from this, most decision makers recognize the importance of going digital to grow their business. Indeed, there is a need for effective online safeguards and security measures to prevent DDoS attacks.

The solution to counter these attacks is a sound DDoS mitigation strategy. IPC is the first and only DDoS Mitigation provider in the Philippines to feature in-country data scrubbing for local enterprises and institutions. The facility uses state-of-the-art equipment, manned by mitigation specialists so customers are assured of protection from looming attacks.

“The latest Incapsula study is very useful in disseminating information on the dangers of DDoS attacks. We at IPC have consistently been creating awareness about the existence of this cyber crime in the interest of the public and specifically, the business community,” said Huergas. 

IPC is the exclusive partner of Imperva Incapsula in the Philippines since November 2015. Imperva Incapsula is a leading data and security solutions company that protects business entities in the cloud and on-premises. It was ranked number one by Top Ten Reviews in DDoS Protection Services.

Additional information on IPC’s DDoS Mitigation services is available at www.ipc.ph/network/ddos-mitigation/.

Trade in old machines, get exclusive discounts with Brother Trade-In Madness Promo


Customers from all over the Philippines can upgrade their current printing, communication and digital imaging systems at more affordable prices with Brother’s Trade-In Madness Promo.

Simply bringing in working or non-working printers, fax, copiers and scanners of any brand at select venues entitles a customer to up to 50 percent off on brand-new Brother printers and Multi-Function Centres.


Innovative printing technology made more affordable

By trading in up to three of their old machines, customers can enjoy 50 percent off on the HL-3170CDW Color LED Printer (P7,995.00 from 15,990.00 SRP), MFC-L2740DW Monochrome Laser Multi-Function Centre (P9,475.00 from P18,950.00 SRP) and MFC-9330CDW Color LED Multifunction Centre (P14,975.00 from P29,950 SRP).

These high-performing LED and laser printing powerhouses redefine office efficiency with Brother’s patented digital imaging technology. Printing is quick, precise and cost-efficient, and users can enjoy a host of convenient features that allow for optimal productivity at the workplace or at home.



Amazing ink efficiency, brilliant prints

For the entire promo duration, customers can take 30 percent off on the MFC-J3520 InkBenefit (P13,965.00 from P19,950.00 SRP) and MFC-J3720 Ink Benefit (P17,465.00 from P24,950.00 SRP) A3 Color Inkjet Multifunction Centres. These multifunction machines allow users to enjoy high-quality direct photo printing with impressive ink efficiency, crisp black-and-white and color printing, scanning, copying, fax and PC fax. With Brother’s patented InkBenefit technology, users can print up to 2,400 pages on every cartridge batch.



Best value

Customers in need of a reliable laser printer will love the Brother HL-L2365 Monochrome Laser Printer, now P5,592.00 from P6,990.00 SRP with the Trade-In Madness Promo. This model boasts of 30ppm print speeds, automatic two-sided printing and a host of Brother apps for increased user convenience. 


The Brother Trade-in Madness Promo is valid only at the following venues:

March 4 and 5
Electronics and Gadgets Trade Show
Octagon Booth, Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall
March 9 to 15
SM Davao
GF Annex, near the event center
March 10 to 16
Office Warehouse St. Francis Square
GF, St. Francis Square

SM Megamall
UGF Building B, in front of Goldilocks

SM Iloilo
In front of Chowking
March 12 to 18
NE Pacific Cabanatuan
GF, Main Atrium
March 28 to April 3
KCC Mall Marbel
GF, between Jollibee and Baker’s Square

LKKS CDO
Rotunda

SM Seaside Cebu
GF, in front of Penshoppe

Pacific Mall Legazpi
Atrium


For the complete promo details and mechanics, visit brother.com.ph or call (02) 581-9888.

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