Western Digital Launch New Products

In keeping up with customer demands and technological advancements, Western Digital recently launched two new WD products: 2.5 and 3 TB SATA Hard Drive and the 6 TB External Hard Drive.

Western Digital Launch

The launch was held at the SM Mall of Asia Director's Club, after which a special screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 followed as a treat to the guests, complete with popcorn and soda.

Harry Potter special screening

SM MOA Director's Club: lazyboy seats plus popcorn & drinks

Below are the specifications of the new WD products:

New WD AV-GP 2.5 TB, 3 TB Hard Drives

The 2.5 TB and 3 TB versions of WD AV-GP SATA hard drives were developed to specifically serve the audio-video (AV) market. The 3.5-inch, WD AV-GP hard drives offer 24X7 reliability, low power consumption and unrivalled storage capacity for storage-intensive AV applications such as digital video recorders, video surveillance, single-drive media servers and external multimedia storage.

It is designed to go the distance in high-temperature, always-on streaming digital AV environments, WD AV-GP drives store more hi-def audio and video than ever before. It is a combination of unsurpassed capacity, power-saving WD GreenPower Technology, and performance capabilities to capture up to 12 simultaneous HD video streams with SilkStream™ technology and the drive choice is made clear in optimizing AV applications like PVR/DVR, IPTV and video surveillance.

The WD AV-GP family of drives delivers 24X7 reliability along with power-saving WD GreenPower Technology. The WD AV-GP drives are field tested to have a 1.0 million hour MTBF rating. Drives with capacities in excess of 2.19 TB currently present barriers for certain PC hardware, firmware and software. For example, drives larger than 2.19 TB are not supported by systems running Windows XP; and systems with 32-bit versions of Windows Vista or Windows 7 relegate drives larger than 2.19 TB to be used as secondary drives. Thus, it is important to review existing PC specifications prior to installation of either the 2.5 TB or 3 TB WD AV-GP drives.

My Book Studio Edition II 6 TB External Hard Drive

My Book Studio Edition II is a dual-drive storage system with a massive 6 terabytes (TB) of storage to meet the capacity needs of today's creative pros and Mac enthusiasts who create, store, edit and archive large HD video and photo files. The new capacity provides users 33 percent more storage than the previous capacity, while maintaining the same footprint.

Combining its extended 6 TB storage capacity and compatibility with Apple Time Machine, the new My Book Studio Edition II drive becomes an instant storage solution for a variety of professions including art and design, photography, legal and medical, and a host of other small businesses. It offers a quad interface providing maximum performance and flexibility including eSATA and FireWire 800 when maximum performance is essential; and FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 when system flexibility is most important.

Fast eSATA or FireWire 800 interfaces, combined with RAID-supported configurations will yield the speed and responsiveness users' need for a variety of tasks including fast, smooth video editing; rendering complex 3D objects or special effects, and saving/transferring enormous blocks of data in a fraction of the time it once took.

Formatted for Mac computers, these new storage systems feature:

• Massive 6 TB capacity;
• Extra-fast performance with four interfaces (FireWire 800/400, eSATA, USB 2.0);
• Cool, eco-friendly operation with WD’s drives with WD GreenPower Technology that consume approximately one-third less power than standard dual-drive external storage systems and efficient convection cooling architecture and power-saving mode and designed without a fan to run quietly;
• Automatic and continuous backup software;
• User serviceability, enabling the user to open the enclosure and replace the drive inside;
• Capacity gauge to see at a glance how much space is available on the system; and,
• 5-year limited warranty.

These new hard drives are so covetable, specially for someone like me who stores a lot of digital photographs, videos and graphic artworks that require large capacity storage spaces. Too bad I just bought a 500 GB hard drive a couple of months ago. Will definitely save up for the 3 TB SATA hard drive.

Filed under TECH

September Concert Scene

The merry "ber" months usher in, not only the Christmas season, but also the "concert season." Proof of this is the long line-up of shows for September alone. If you are in the mood to watch with your family or friends, My Happy Realm is glad to share the following:

All-4-One and Color Me Badd

Two American R&B groups who became popular in the 90s, All-4-One and Color Me Badd, are in Manila for a series of back-to-back shows. They will perform their greatest hits and will do a special tribute to the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson (now this I have to see. All-4-One is best known for the songs "I Swear," "I Can Love You Like That" and "So Much in Love" while Color Me Badd is known for hits "I Adore Mi Amore" and "All 4 Love."

Show will be held on September 7 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum; September 9 at Waterfront Hotel in Cebu; September 10 at Limketkai Mall in Cagayan de Oro; and September 12 at the La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod.

China Crisis xSimple Minds

xSimple Minds Live!

Next stop is another back-to-back concert, this time with 80s (to early 90s) rock bands China Crisis and xSimple Minds, billed as "the superstars of the new romantics movement." China Crisis was just here in Manila last January for shows at Eastwood City and Venice Piazza and I must say that I enjoyed that, despite the traffic caused by heavy rains that day in Eastwood. See my previous blog post about it here: China Crisis...Live in Manila. As for xSimple Minds, they are most memorable, for me that us, with their song "Don't You (Forget About Me)" from John Hughes movie The Breakfast Club.

China Crisis xSimple Minds concert will be held on September 9 at the SMX Convention Center. Furthermore, Simple Minds will also do shows on September 10 at Eastwood City and September 11 at Venice Piazza.

The Company of Side A

On the local music scene, I am most excited about the joint show of The Company and Side A band because I grew up with their songs and I don't think there can be any other singing group or band that can match what they have achieved in their generation, that even today's young ones can still relate to their music. The Company is most memorable with "Everlasting Love," "You Changed My Life," and "Araw Gabi," among others. On the other hand, Side A made their mark with "So Many Questions," "Tell Me," "Forevermore" -- the list could go on and on.

The Company of Side A will be held on September 16 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila.

American Idol Live! Tour 2011

Past American Idol winners and runners-up have done shows in Manila, mostly solo shows and if I'm not mistaken, it was back in 2009 that a back-to-back concert of David Cook and David Archuleta happened. This September show is a first featuring a whole batch of finalists from American Idol, the latest season led by grand winner Scotty McCreery.

Expect a variety of musical styles and production numbers from the 10 performers on September 20 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

All Time Low

For the younger generation, there is All Time Low, an American pop punk group that was formed while the members were still in high school back in 2003. The close-to-zero knowledge on this band pretty much reveals my age because I am clueless when it comes to their popular songs (I may have heard their songs on the radio but I won't be able to tell if those songs were theirs).

Anyway, for those interested, All Time Low's concert will happen on September 22 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Westlife, The Gravity Tour 2011

Fans of the good looking Irish boy band, Westlife, can rejoice as they perform in Manila for The Gravity Tour 2011, minus member Brian McFadden, who left the group in 2004. The group may seem to have lied low in the past years but they have been busy doing concerts and music albums, the latest of which is their Gravity CD.

The concert on September 29 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum is for the promotion of their new CD, but I hope that there'll be room for some of their greatest hits like "Swear it Again," "If I Let You Go," "Unbreakable," and others.

Broadway Showstoppers

Here's another show featuring homegrown yet world class talents -- Broadway Showstoppers -- headlined by Leo Valdez, with special guests Joanna Ampil and Ima Castro. As the title suggests, look forward to a night of musical brilliance of broadway songs from Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, West Side Story, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Sound of Music, and many more.

Grab the chance to watch this one night only show at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila on September 27.

Toni G. @ 10

Ending the September line-up is the 10th anniversary celebration concert of local showbiz' "Multimedia Star" Toni Gonzaga. The show will tell the story of Toni's decade-long journey in showbusiness, featuring songs of her life and from her recordings.

Toni G. @ 10 will be held on September 30 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

There you go, a busy month for the concert scene...wait until its October as more great shows come our way.

Click titles to see related posts:

My Romance with AI - A.I. David Cook, David Archuleta, Adam Lambert and Lee Dewyze

China Crisis...Live in Manila - China Crisis press con/concert in 2011

My Few Seconds with A.I. 2009 Winner Kris Allen - Video Q&A

Music Fest 2010 - American Idol Kris Allen's press con/concert

My Public Life in 2009, Part 1 - Concerts in Manila in 2009

Freddie Mercury: King of Queen

As usual, I was surfing the Internet when I chanced upon Google's homepage and found the artsy Google doodle -- how cool! Mousing over the graphics revealed that it was a tribute to Freddie Mercury on his 65th birthday. Freddie Mercury, Queen's lead vocals, would have been 65, had he not lost his battle with HIV and died in 1991 at the age of 45.

Google homepage: click the doodle button to start video

The animated Google doodle showed Freddie in various scenes and costumes that are as lively and colorful as he was -- from singing on stage in front of screaming fans, to riding a bicycle wearing a checkered body suit, to sitting on a throne wearing a crown and cape.

The accompanying video is set to 1978 Queen hit Don't Stop Me Now.

Select frames of the colorful video

Queens was a popular British rock group in the 1970s and 1980s best known for hits like "Bohemian Rhapsody", "We are the Champions","Another One Bites the Dust","We Will Rock You","Keep Yourself Alive","Under Pressure", "Love of My Life","A Kind of Magic" and "Radio Ga Ga", among others. The original band consisted of Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), John Deacon (bass guitar, vocals), and Roger Taylor (drums, vocals).

Select frames of the colorful video

Also as a tribute, London's Dominion Theatre is hosted a West End Summer Tea Party For Freddie For A Day with a rare chance to view Mercury's personal stamp collection. The Dominion was the home of the hit musical musical We Will Rock You based on Freddie Mercury and Queen songs.

Lotus produced a one-off Evora S in honor of Freddie Mercury. The pearl white coupe, with red and gold accents, features the Queen frontman's signature. The cabin is yellow as an homage to Mercury's 1986 stage costume and the seats feature a Union Jack. The car will be auctioned off for charity as part of the celebrations tied to Mercury's 65th birthday party at the Savoy Hotel for the benefit of the Mercury Phoenix Trust, an HIV AIDS charity founded by band mates Brian May, Roger Taylor and Queen manager Jim Beach after Mercury's death.

He may not have been a model citizen but Freddie Mercury was definitely a rock star who inspired his generation through the songs that have immortalized his memory -- the king of Queen.

Doodle art from Google

Filed under SIGHTS

Rizal Lecture Series Continues

Just because it is September already, it doesn't mean that the celebration for Josr Rizal's 150th birthday is over abd done. Yuchengco Museum continues the Rizal Lecture Series and this month, it will explore a different side to Jose Rizal, with talks on controversial facts about the National Hero and on Rizal’s dreams and their meaning. The series of Saturday afternoon lectures began in July as a highlight of RIZALizing the Future, an exhibit on view at the museum until October 29.

University of Asia and the Pacific history professor Paul Dumol -- who spoke on “Rizal and Nationhood” last August -- will return on September 17, Saturday, at 3 p.m. to share his lecture entitled “Controversial Facts About Rizal: Notes Towards a New Rizal Biography.”

Psychoanalyst and dream analyst Lucito de Jesus will discuss “Jose Rizal and His Dreams: A Look at the National Hero’s Dreams and their Meanings” on September 24, Saturday, at 3 p.m. De Jesus will explore and decipher the dreams Rizal had written in his letters and diaries, what these say about Rizal’s psyche, and how these dreams guided Rizal in his life and personal development. Lucito de Jesus is a recognized dream specialist and author of two books: Dreamwork: Values and Practices in the Philippines and Reading Dreams: Relationships. He hosts a regular weekly radio program called Dreamdate on DZSR Sports Radio 918.

Both talks are open to the public and come with museum admission (P100 for adults, P50 for students, and P25 for children and senior citizens). Seating is limited. To reserve, call 889-1234 or email info@yuchengcomuseum.org. The Yuchengco Museum is located at RCBC Plaza, corner Ayala and Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenues, Makati City.

Filed under EVENTS

Power Mac Training Hub

People say that "once you go Mac, you can never go back," to using Windows-based PCs, that is. I'm not 100% sure about that statement since I haven't had the chance to use Mac at work long enough to feel that "wow" experience of the Mac converts. I work on a desktop PC at the office and only used Mac when I did the editing and laying out of the bulletins page of the newspaper that I work for, while HR was still searching for the replacement staff for that position. When working on field, I bring my personal net book.

So why am I blogging about Mac when I am not a user? I was just delighted to learn that, if and when I decide to become a Mac convert, I don't have to worry about navigating my way around the system and not being able to use the product to its maximum capacity because I can run anytime to Power Mac Center.

On its 17th year of advocating the use of the Mac operating system and becoming the top-of-mind central hub for knowledge on anything Apple, Power Mac Center is putting itself out there with a strong positioning as an Apple Authorized Training Center (AATC). It is a separate business unit of Power Mac Center but it compliments its products and services.

Power Mac Center's Marketing Manager Joey Alvarez

The Power Mac Center AATC is the perfect place to go to for all Apple-related training needs -- for certificate and non-certificate courses -- to deepen knowledge and facilitate the implementation of the Mac OS X operating system and select professional applications. With 14 certified trainers, it can serve the various requirements of both creative agencies (marketing, advertising, publishing) and major companies (multinational companies, BPOs) in having the creative and IT manager trained to support the needs of their clients and business partners.

Renowned Australian photographer and certified Apple Pro

trainer for Aperture Gunther Deichmann

Now, there is no need to fly to Singapore to get an Apple Certification because anyone can enroll and take the courses and exams at Power Mac Center's AATC classroom at second level of Greenbelt 3 in Makati City. The fully air-conditioned classroom is also available for rental, with inclusion of the use of a sound system and multimedia projection system.

Power Mac Center's training website

For a list of the courses offered, visit the Power Mac Center website for trainings: http://training.powermaccenter.com. For schedule inquiries and more, reach them by phone at (632) 729-7088 or contact them via email at aatc@powermaccenter.com or training_request@powermaccenter.com.

Filed under TECH and EVENTS

Cooking (and Eating) the Malaysian Way

I've been present in various events of Heritage Hotel Manila since I've become friends with its marketing communications manager. Early this month, I received an sms inviting me to witness the cooking demo for "Malaysia...Truly Asia's Kitchen" and I replied that I will have to check my schedule first since I'm supposed to be meeting friends for dinner on the day of the event. Her reply was, "Please do, would love to see you before my move to ..." mentioning a hotel in Cebu, so how can I turn her down?

I went to the event with my staff so we can be introduced to whoever is taking over her position for us to forge a new partnership. We were early so we had the chance to roam around the venue. The path leading to the grand ballroom was decorated with waves made of stones and highlighted by tea light candles, setting the festive mood for the event. The entrance was decked with colorful sarongs, welcoming the guests to a night of good food and good company.

Heritage Hotel Manila has been promoting Malaysian cuisine for the past three years so it was no surprise that the hotel has joined the Malaysian Kitchen Programme, supported by the Embassy of Malaysia in Manila, Tourism Malaysia and MATRADE. In celebration of Malaysia's 54th National Day and in observance of Ramadan, Heritage Hotel launched "Malaysia...Truly Asia Kitchen," a two-week Malaysian food fest at the Riviera, through a cooking demo by Executive Chef Alex Chong and Multi-mach's Corporate Chef Mike Bautista. Malaysian Ambassador Dato Siri Dr. Ibrahim Saad and Heritage Hotel General Manager Eddie Yeo led the festivities.

Malaysian Ambassador Dato Siri Dr. Ibrahim Saad

As I said, we arrived early so we also had to stand up longer than the rest of the guests for the programme and cocktails, which started a little after 7:30 in the evening. The opening ceremonies began with a break fast of various Malaysian pastries, with iced Bandung (milk flavored with rose cordial syrup) or hot Teh Tarik (hot Malaysian beverage made of black tea and condensed milk) because, as the Malasian Ambassador explained, sweets were served first in order to prepare the body for the intake of other food after a day-long of fasting and prayers.

Assorted Malaysian pastries

Teh Tarik, hot Malaysian tea beverage

The cooking demo showcased the preparation of a fusion of the traditional Malaysia Roti with Chicken Curry Sauce and traditional Italian pizza ingredients namely Mozarella chesse, onions and fresh tomatoes aptly called Rotizza. Chef Alex also cooked the seafood version, replacing chicken with shrimps.

Chef Alex (center) doing a step-by-step Rotizza preparation

was assisted by Chef Mike (left) as prominent Malaysian

personality Datuk Mahathir Lokman (right) observed

Rotizza up-close

Job well done! (l-r) Heritage Hotel's Romina Gervacio,

Chef Mike Bautista, GM Eddie Yeo,

Datuk Mahathir Lokman and Chef Alex Wong

The Rotizza was not cooked in a conventional oven but in Multi-mach International's Rational CombiMaster, a combination oven that lets you cook in so many ways -- baking, roasting, grilling, steaming, braising, blanching, poaching and much more -- in just a single unit. I want! If only I have USD 20,000 to buy this kitchen wonder.

Kitchen wonder Rational CombiMaster

Guests were also treated to a buffet spread of various Malaysian dishes such as Beef Rendang (beef sauteed and maribated in ginger, turmeric, lemongrass, chili and blue ginger), Ayam Perchik (marinated chicken in spicy coconut gravy), Satay (barbecued and marinated chicken and beef in turmeric, coriander and cumin), Wok Fried Prawn Ganxiang, Tandoori Marinated Chicken with Mint Yogurt, Gado-gado with peanut sauce, Ulam-ulam with Sambal, fish fillet Sambal, Chicken Ganxiang Fried Rice, Sambal Squids with Long Beans, Nyonya Sayuh Lodeh (spicy mixed vegetables with cocnut milk), Nasi Lemak (coconut-flavored rice with pandan leaves), Roti Canai (Malay Pastry Pancake) and Penang Fruit Rojak.

Malaysian local Kuih or bite-size desserts

(clockwise) Beef Rendang, Wok Fried Prawns Ganxiang,

Chicken Ganxiang Fried Rice and Nyonya Sayoh Lodeh

(clockwise) Sambal Squids with Long Beans, Fish Fillet Sambal,

Tandoori Marinated Chicken with Mint Yogurt and

Chicken and Beef Satay with peanut sauce

Chicken Curry with Roti Canai (Malaysian Pastry Pancake)

It was a night of great tasting food and new learning for me (about Malaysian cuisine and Ramadan) but I was also sad to bid goodbye to a friend. I'll definitely visit her in her new workplace soon as I always have the opportunity to fly to Cebu, whether for work or for personal vacation.

Filed under FLAVORS and EVENTS

MRT Art

My first post for September is not about how the 'ber' months signal the onset of the Christmas season but rather some interesting street scenes, will I will start featuring here in my blog.

I'm not sure exactly when these parts of the MRT Ortigas Station (fronting Robinson's Galleria) was transformed into walls of art but it was only a couple of weeks ago that I noticed it. It showed soldiers and tanks in mosaic/abstract form reminiscent of figures during the 1985 EDSA Revolution.

They are a pretty and refreshing sight in that section of the busy and polluted highway and definitely better than the old "MMDA Art" that previously sprouted over the vandalized parts of walls along EDSA. Should there be enough paint budget for the metro's beautification, painting the rest of the MRT pillars (maybe by volunteer artists) will make traversing the length of EDSA a less dreary experience. It is FREE to dream anyway. :)

Filed under SIGHTS