Speed december 2015

Mobile Apps 24 Manage your money like a cold-blooded techie with these mobile apps that make banking a whole lot easier.. The BDO Mobile Banking also lets you transfer money, pay bills,

DECEMBER 2015

Technology for the fast-paced lifestyle

Sony Xperia M5 Dual, Ford Ranger XLT 2.2L 4x2 AT, Hyundai i20 Cross Sport

Wield these Star

Wars-inspired gizmos and feel the Force awaken.

Cover Story

86

The Hot List is back Know the

hottest tech news, people,

mobile devices, cameras,

audio and video tech, cars,

and games that topped 2015

Cover Girl

118

Witness the

still-fun-but-more-mellow returning cover

girl Maxene Magalona, who

speaks of love, quietness,

maturity, and healthy

lifestyles

People @ Speed

124

Find out what fuels a master

engineer’s passion for

engines, and how a casino

and resort IT executive rolls

about his daily grind

Geek-spotting

130

Three geeks straight out

of the tech world: a mobile

device’s brand ambassador,

an Apple reseller CEO, and

a consumer electronics

marketing director

ON THE COVER

EVERY MONTH

Outbox 6

Contributors 8

Inbox 10

Billboard 148

Store Directory 152

Buyer’s Guide 153

I S S U E 1 3 8 DECEMBER 2 0 1 5 On the Cover Maxene Magalona Photography Roy Macam Styling Adrianne Concepcion Makeup Jigs Mayuga Hair Mycke Arcano using Lynelle Hair TRENDING Tech Frontiers 11

Hear, hear! Science can now prolong the life of your ice cream and prevent you from getting a flat tire Future Tech 14

Droids that could collect your trash and a bioelectric nose that could sniff out bacteria from water headline the future of science Green Tech 18

A biodegradable bike, a solar-powered airport, and an electric car that runs on solar power join the growing green cast Cyberspace 22

A new website can now generate a summary of your Twitter life This and more new sites to satiate your Web appetite! Mobile Apps 24

Manage your money like a cold-blooded techie with these mobile apps that make banking a whole lot easier Arsenal 28

Welcome the entry of the Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium, BlackBerry Priv, Oris Big Crown ProPilot Calibre 111, Oris Aquis Depth Gauge Chronograph, and more Plus, the latest mobile devices, cameras, watches, cars, and appliances to amplify your tech-connected lifestyle! PROVING GROUND 55

Tested 56

Hot products we tested this month Plus, a review of Guitar Hero Live! MANUAL 137

How To 140

Give love on Christmas day Find out how to help people in need through your everyday tech gear Plus, work around the Christmas rush and organize your photos like a pro through these simple tips Ask the Editor 146

Ask us and we’ll answer any tech curiosity, trouble, or query on your mind COLUMNS Technosphere 26

Tech journo Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla walks you through the resurgence of Google’s Nexus and what the classic Android-powered line has to offer in its latest iteration Turbo Time 113

Speed’s Motoring Editor Mike Potenciano imparts some safety driving tips to help you reach your destination alive and kicking Speed Geeking 138

Resident I.T expert Val J Gonzales sums up some of the hottest tech news of 2015 for every geek type Open Forum 160

Speed contributing editor and fitness coach Andy Leuterio briefs you on the marriage of sports and technology in the modern age Feature 108

An up and coming segment in the mobile device platform could be out to replace notebooks Learn more about the next big thing in computing Sports 114

Get more speed on the road We flew to Singapore to meet Specialized’s fastest road bike to date and discover the magic of aerodynamics Movies 116

Board the adventure

to the Galactic

Empire and down

to the heart of the

sea in this month’s

featured flicks

E DI T OR - IN - CHIE FKatrina Rivere-Diga katrina@speed-mag.com

EDI T ORI A L DESIGN S A L ES & M A RK E T ING P RODUC T ION | A DMIN P UBL ISHER

Ron Cruz, Martin Cuyegkeng,

Erik Paolo Escueta,

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PHO T OGR A PHER S

Sara Black, Marlon Pecjo, Roy Macam, Jay Tablante

SENIOR SALES MANAGER

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Susan M Sosmeña

smsosmena@speed- mag.com

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Tolentino Corvera Macasaet

& Reig

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ike you and the person next to you, December gives me conflicting emotions There’s plenty of stress, alright, but then there’s plenty of reasons to be happy as well

Frazzled about organizing your annual get-together? Who isn’t? But it’ll be all worth it in the end because you’ll be spending time with your dear friends and

family Drained (physically and financially) after a

A time for

celebrations

be? But all that will fade away when you see the smile on your loved ones’ faces as you hand them your well-thought-out gift

December is also

a nerve-wracking month with so many end-of-the-year tasks to complete, but it’s also a time to celebrate the year that was For us here at

Speed, December

means putting together our annual Hot List It’s not an easy task—we had to look back, analyze, and deliberate on a year’s worth of tech news, product launches, and headline-hogging events before we could come up with a

list of the year’s crème

de la crème of the

tech world

Despite all that, it’s

an undertaking we look forward to with excitement because

it brings out the geek

in us—well, more than the usual And yes,

we know you probably

L

won’t agree with some

of our choices, but that’s okay Shoot us

an email, tweet us, send us a PM, and tell us what you think about our Hot List in

particular, and Speed

in general We’d love

to hear from you, dear readers Intelligent discourse is welcome here In the meantime, flip through the pages of this year-end issue and join

us in celebrating the eventful, stressful, and exciting year that was

Cheers!

8 /SpeedMagazinePH @SpeedMagazine @SpeedMagazine

Contributors

Alexander Villafania has been

covering IT, science, education, and social entrepreneurship since 2003 He has also won awards, particularly the Department of Science and Technology Media Awards and the Gawad Jose L.

Guerrero Media Awards.

He has a bachelor’s degree

in Literature from the University of the Philippines- Diliman and a master’s degree

in Journalism from the Ateneo

de Manila University.

Mon Guinto is a banker by

profession, with food and travel

as his passions Outside of his crazy office schedule, he tries

to hang out and go on trips with his family He is also a camera and trivia buff, and joins quiz nights for the intellectual stimulation (and for the free nachos).

Growing up in the

‘80s was not easy, especially with the rise of matchboxes and pony cars

Wanting to be an F1 racer, the young

Kris C Lim would

use their food cover

in the kitchen as a steering wheel and his mom’s hairspray

as a stick shift

Today, he covers anything with wheels and is

a contributing

writer for the

Philippine Daily Inquirer.

A confessed car freak and road safety advocate, Kris admits to being crazy about vintage cars (this gearhead hopes to own a Shelby GT350SR and the legendary

1975 Ferrari 312T).

Coach Andy Leuterio a.k.a

alpha_tri is an online coach, bike fitter, PR consultant, motoring columnist, and even a certified barista We kid you not But if there’s anything he can’t do, well, he just absolutely won’t ever eat raisins, walnuts, or anything too healthy YOLO!

Photographer Roy Macam’s

works have been featured in numerous publications in the country He has collaborated with fashion brands and top

publications, including Speed

Follow @roymacam on Twitter

or Instagram, where he takes portraits of celebrities, models, and friends wearing his glasses, creating a Terry Richardson- esque picture series.

We want to hear from you!

Send in your thoughts and comments about Speed by dropping us a line or two

I’ve been so obsessed with your magazine

these past few months because I really love

the articles you put in and I really learn a lot

I promised myself that I will always buy

a copy of Speed every month Since then

I’ve been buying all of your issues Your

November issue helped me a lot, especially

the Holiday Gift Guide—because I’m planning

to give myself a gift Hahaha

By the way, Kylie Padilla looks stunning in this

issue I just wanna say thank you, Speed, for

everything I will always be your loyal reader

Kean Gomez

Aww, Kean, your words tickle our ears!

It’s because of readers like you that

we do what we do, so thank you for your patronage We do hope you found the perfect gift for yourself with our Holiday Gift Guide On our end, we’d

Buddyphones worth P2,214 courtesy of our friends from Mac Power Marketing.

Happy Holidays!

Green warrior

Hi, Speed!

I saw your magazine in a friend’s home, and I must say that I was

impressed with your November Issue on Green Technology I often

had this notion that technology slowly destructs the planet

But upon reading your issue, my hopes were renewed that there

are several green alternatives integrating technology that

can reverse the damaging cycle Looking forward to more of

your issues!

April Benjamin

NBA 2K16 FTW

Dear Speed editors,

I play a lot of PS4 and ever since NBA 2K16 came out, I’ve been

wondering if it’s worth it or not I did a lot of reading on the internet and they all said the same thing—that it’s amazing basketball in one PS4 game And then I read your review in your November issue and that was when I finally said I’m gonna get me

a copy of NBA 2K16 Thank you for helping me decide! So far I’m

enjoying playing it :)Jonathan Ibarra

El Niño is upon us, and dry spells and reduced rainfalls threaten to have a devastating effect on the country, especially to the food industry Inconsistencies in weather make fishing and farming a challenge

COLD COMFORT

And then there’s the problem of melting ice cream Trivial, yes But a problem nonetheless If you’re not quick enough, you end up with a messy, sticky situation that is melted ice cream In this day and age, someone should have thought

quick-of a way to slow down ice cream’s melting rate, right?

Well, scientists at the universities of Edinburgh and Dundee (who are probably frustrated with dripping ice cream cones)

have discovered protein that will slow down this sweet treat’s melting rate

When used with frozen cream, the natural protein called BslA binds together air, water, and fat to prevent ice crystals from forming, creating a creamy and smooth consistency that’s more stable in warm weather conditions Because it improves the dessert’s texture, it could also be used to make ice cream with less saturated fat and calories without sacrificing mouthfeel

According to the research team, it’ll take three to five more years before this protein-enhanced ice cream comes out on the market Heck, if we’ve waited this long for slow-melting ice cream, what’s a few more years?

IN GERMANY DEVELOPED A SPECIAL TYPE

OF COMMERCIAL RUBBER THAT KNITS ITSELF TOGETHER AFTER BEING PIERCED OR CUT

The agency tested 3D-printed parts against traditionally manufactured rocket components to see if the former could withstand the extreme pressure and heat during launch All parts underwent a series of 11 mainstage hot-fire tests,

where they were fired at 3,300°C for a total of 46 seconds The 3D parts passed

the tests with flying colors

This will prove advantageous to the rocket engine industry, since standard

parts are expensive to produce 3D printing ensures that manufacturing

expenses and production time will be significantly reduced For instance,

a standard rocket injector will take six months to build at $10,000, while

developing a 3D-printed injector takes only three months at $5,000

NASA is also developing a printer to be used on the International Space Station

by next year

NASA PUSHES TECHNOLOGICAL

BOUNDARIES YET AGAIN BY

3D-PRINTING ROCKET ENGINE

PARTS—AND THEY WORK!

in the workplace

According to the researchers, this supramolecular rubber

is based on simple low-molecular-weight compounds that form both long chains and cross-link across the chains mainly

by hydrogen bonding Once these cross-linked long

chains bond together, the rubber is as good as new

In one of the tests, a cut rubber tire started healing

at room temperature;

applying heat hastened the process After eight days, the tire was completely restored and could withstand pressure of over 750psi or 20 times stronger than a regular tire This means less wastage, more mileage, and ultimately, less expense for the rubber consumer

RISE OF THE HELI-BUGS

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CROSS

A DRAGONFLY WITH A HELICOPTER?

NOT A STAIN ON THE WINDSHIELD, BUT AIRCRAFT WITH LEGS

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) equipped helicopter drones with a set of robotic legs

These legs, which are articulated like a dragonfly’s, ensure that the drone safely lands on irregular or sloping surfaces

They have sensors that allow them to flex according to the terrain, keeping the rotor

as level as possible and minimizing the chances of destruction

DARPA’s robotic legs also let the drone land easily on surfaces in motion, such as a ship deck or a vehicle on the road By the same token, these legs serve as support for take-off, folding up neatly once the drone

is airborne

This advanced landing system is part of DARPA’s Mission Adaptive Rotor program, which seeks to enhance helicopters for adverse environmental conditions and natural disasters

Volvo is currently heading a project,

in collaboration with waste recycling firm Renova and three universities, to work on autonomous trash-collecting machines called Robot-based Autonomous Refuse handling (ROAR) And Wall-E’s cousins are certainly not protesting

 Two different universities in Sweden are working on the ROAR software and hardware, while Penn State University in the US is developing the communication system between the ROAR bots and the garbage truck driver

The two-wheeled droids will collect the trash bin outside the houses, empty them

in the garbage trucks, and return the bins without making a noise

With the supervised bots doing the dirty job, the garbage truck driver won’t have to do the heavy lifting

But trash collecting drones is just the beginning

“Within Volvo Group we foresee a future with more automation,” shares Per-Lage Götvall, Volvo Patent Coordination Manager “This project provides a way

to stretch the imagination and test new concepts

to shape transport solutions for tomorrow.”

According to Volvo, the development phase of ROAR will continue until June 2016 before it will be tested alongside a Renova-designed trash truck

Nobody wants to handle trash So, why not let somebody—or something—who can’t complain deal with the dirty job of collecting garbage instead?

Words CANDY VILLANUEVA-LYKES

DROIDS DO THE DIRTY WORK

The social network giant recently filed a patent on image fingerprinting The system under development will give Facebook the capability to identify its 1.5 billion active users based on the photos they took

The application will able to do this based

on the camera they used and its unique fingerprints, such as lens scratches, faulty pixels, color bleeds, and image artifacts combined with location data, file naming conventions, and facial recognition

Sounds creepy? Yeah But according to Facebook, they hope that this system could help track down fraudulent accounts and multiple accounts Camera fingerprinting can also be used to reinforce connections between users and recommend potential connections, events, and groups

MIND CONTROL VIA SOUND WAVES

CHILL PILL FOR THE HEDGEHOG

A drug for hedgehogs may be the cure for brain tumor

But we’re not talking about giving a pill to a spiny animal By hedgehog we mean a cellular signaling pathway that can lead to tumor when it gets hyperactive and excessively stimulates cell growth

Facebook

WHEN HYPNOTISTS DANGLE A PENDANT IN FRONT OF ITS SUBJECT, IT’S NOT THE SLOW MOVING OBJECT THAT DRAWS THE SUBJECT INTO RECEPTIVE SUGGESTION, BUT THE SOFT, POWERFUL VOICE That’s the whole idea behind using sound waves to control the brain

Recently, scientists in California have developed a method utilizing sound waves to selectively activate brain, heart, muscle, and other cells It hasn’t been tested on humans, though The team carried out its experiment on worms via genetically modified neurons along with microbubbles The process, called sonogenetics, uses ultrasound to stimulate neurons, the building blocks of our nervous system

 The researchers hope that the technique would work on humans to be used

as an alternative to deep brain stimulation to alleviate symptoms of patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders

This tightly regulated pathway helps the body form tissues and organs, but mutations in the gene can cause the pathway to go into overdrive and lead to cancer like basal cell carcinoma, the most common brain tumor in children

 The problem with treating cancer like brain tumor is that it can potentially be drug-resistant

But a new hedgehog drug called Roflumilast, originally intended to treat inflammatory lung diseases, is said to suppress hedgehog signaling and inhibit the growth of tumor Although the drug is already FDA-approved, scientists are still figuring out a way to address side effects like depression, weight loss, nausea, and headaches

WANTS TO KNOW YOUR EVERY CLICK

BECAUSE THE

NOSE KNOWS

You use your nose to sniff out

if last week’s baon has spoiled

Unfortunately, not even the most

sensitive of olfactory receptors can

detect bacteria

Here’s where Seoul National

University’s bioelectric nose comes

in This super nose can sniff out

bacteria in water and is said to

be more accurate than any other technique currently being used

to detect water contaminants

 Like the human nose, the bioelectric nose perceives the presence of smell molecules in real time, using fabricated human olfactory receptors combined with

a carbon nanotube field-effect transistor Unlike our sniffers, however, the supernose can single out musty-smelling molecules even when they’re mixed with other odors and even in low concentrations

Aside from detecting bacteria, such technology could be used to sense disease biomarkers or even illicit drugs

CYCLING IS A NOBLE FORM OF TRANSPORTATION, KEEPING BOTH YOU AND THE ENVIRONMENT HEALTHY But once your bike is past its prime, its plastic and metal composition requires more than a fair share of energy to recycle or dispose of With the Aenimal Bhulk mountain bike, however, this need not be

as troublesome or as consumable

T GREEN TECH

BICYCLE RECYCLE

Designed and manufactured by Italian studio Eurocomposti, the Aenimal Bhulk mountain bike is made from the most biodegradable material there is—plants

Its 3D-printed frame

is built from polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymers, which are made from plant sources like corn

or sugarcane PLA is recyclable, as it can be melted down and reused

as raw materials for new bikes Naturally, it’s also highly biodegradable and compostable, making disposal an environmentally sound activity

Words ERIK PAOLO ESCUETA

And just because the Aenimal Bhulk’s frame is made from plants doesn’t mean it’s flimsy Utilizing a 3D printing process called Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), each intricately measured component of the bike is printed a layer at time for structural integrity, and then slotted in and assembled

The resulting frame is solid, showing no compromise on durability and strength Eurocomposti’s application

of FDM also uses less energy than traditional manufacturing facilities that use common thermoplastic polymers, giving it even more eco-friendly street cred

The only downside to the Aenimal Bhulk right now is that it’s not yet slated for commercial release But seeing as it won a gold award at the international Eurobike trade fair in Germany earlier this year, don’t be surprised to see this plant-based eco-bike blaze a trail in the foreseeable future

THE IMMORTUS, A TWO-DOOR SPORTS CAR CREATED BY AUSTRALIAN COMPANY EVX VENTURES, CAN RUN FOR MILES AND MILES.

The Immortus is laden with solar panels and has a lithium-ion phosphate battery for storing energy between 5 and 10 kilowatt hours But because it is very light and aerodynamic, it can be solely powered by the sun When driven with a combination of solar power and battery, it can run to up to 160 kilometers per hour On solar power alone, it can still run up to 80 kilometers per hour—as long as the sun is shining

DRIVE ALL DAY

SOLAR-POWERED AIRPORT TAKES OFF SHOP UNDER ONE GREEN ROOF

IGNITE FRIENDLINESS

ECO-THE SMOG FREE TOWER, A FOOT TOWER IN ROTTERDAM PARK IN THE NETHERLANDS,

23-IS NOT JUST A TYPICAL METAL MONSTROSITY It actually purifies

a million cubic feet of air every hour According to designer Daan Roosegaarde, air is sucked into the tower and then enters a chamber where particulates are given a positive charge This process of ionization allows clean air to be expelled through vents toward the bottom of the tower Unlike other ionic air purifiers, this process does not produce ozone because it uses positively charged particles instead

It all started in 2013 with the installation of solar panels on the Arrivals Terminal block This was

followed by another one on the rooftop and ground of its aircraft maintenance hangar facility Now, India’s Cochin International Airport runs entirely on solar power thanks to a 12MWp solar power plant It took six months and $6 million to install the 46,150 solar panels in an area

of about 45 acres near the International Cargo complex The solar panels have a life span of 25 years and is projected to prevent some 300,000 tons of carbon emissions in its whole life span

Silicon Valley veers away from its

“comfort zone” by embarking on a more traditional project—a shopping mall with the world’s largest roof garden

The project is still in its proposal stage and,

if approved, will cost some $3 billion for the installation of 30 acres of green roof The shopping center will have running trails, vineyards, and orchards, as well as an ampitheater, playground, and a refuge for native animal species The project—

a redesign of the dying Vallco Shopping Mall—will also house apartments, office spaces, a cinema, bowling alley, ice-skating rink, and a gym

Smoking may not be an Earth-friendly habit, but

at least lighter fluid can now (somehow) soften the blow to Mother Earth

Lighter fluid, often made from crude oil, emits toxic fumes when burnt

Now, scientists from Hungary and Hong Kong have made it possible for lighter fluid to be made from recycled paper

The eco-friendly lighter fluid uses sulfuric acid as

a catalyst, then converts

it to levulinic acid and formic acid, which are then converted into gamma-valerolactone (GVD) GVD can be used as lighter fluid that does not emit toxic fumes; it also gives off less toxic compounds than the

Life on Twitter (lifeontwitter.com) is a new tool that summarizes and shows you in visual format a summary of what you’ve been posting and who you’ve been interacting with

It studies your last 1,000 tweets and shows you metrics of your most used emojis, friends you interact with often, and days of the week when you

Snip and share (snipandshare.com)

is an extension you can download from the Chrome Web Store Once installed, simply click on the monkey icon on the upper right part of your browser every time you find a desirable content

A drop down menu will reveal a selection including “Select image, video or text,”

“Take a screenshot,” and “Whole page.”

Click on your desired action and the photo, video, or text you wish to share

Lastly, type in to whom you’d like to have it sent through email or your social media accounts

Balloon (balloon.io) allows you to easily

create a single URL link that you can send

out to your friends, allowing them to add

files to your Dropbox for easier file sharing

and transferring What’s great about

Balloon is that it allows your friends to

upload files whether they have a Dropbox

Compiling photos of a recent wedding

or debut photoshoot you did with your

photographer buddies? A new Web app

may save you the trouble of collating

To use, log in with your Dropbox account on Balloon, and then create a link by typing

in a custom name For instance, naming

it “speed” would result in a link balloon.

Balloon will then create a folder in your Dropbox (Apps>Balloon.io) where all files sent by your friends can be grouped

are most active

Wondering what you’ve been blabbering about?

It can also remind you of your most used hashtags and most popular tweets

Sign in with your Twitter account and allow the tool to analyze your profile In a matter

of seconds, the results will display on your browser Twitter

up for a nostalgic trip W

/SpeedMagazinePH @SpeedMagazine @SpeedMagazine

BANKABLE

APPS

Apps to help you keep track of

your fiscal fitness and activities

This holiday season, there’s no

need to rush a good vacation with

your family when you can easily

manage your accounts through

your mobile device Here are

banking apps that can help you

stay on top of your finances while

saving you the trip to the bank.

Considered as the biggestbank in the Philippines,BDO Unibank continues towiden its reach with its BDO Mobile Banking app BDO’s mobile app lets you manage your deposit, cash card, credit card, loan, and trust accounts

You can check balances, account history, unbilled credit card transactions, bank promos, properties for sale, and foreign exchange rates, among others

The BDO Mobile Banking also lets you transfer money, pay bills, reload prepaid mobile numbers, stop automatic payments on your account, inquire a credit card application status, and locate BDO branches and ATMs

PSBANK MOBILE

Platforms: Android, iOS

The PSBank Mobile app lets you perform key

bank transactions such as monitor your PSBank

account, pay bills, transfer funds, view paid

checks, reorder checkbooks, and reload prepaid

mobile and broadband number

For your account security, the PSBank Mobile app

provides updates via Mobile Alerts for any debit

transactions, real-time balance inquiries, and bills

payments you have made It also gives an option

to block your ATM card if you lose it, and lock or

unlock your card to keep it from unauthorized use

METROBANK MOBILE

Platforms: Android, iOS, Kindle Fire

Straight from your smartphone

or tablet, you can check and manage your Metrobank account via the Metrobank Mobile app Allowed tasks include balance inquiries, viewing and searching through transaction history, transferring money across any Metrobank accounts, and depositing checks Metrobank Mobile can also send alerts to your mobile phone to keep you posted on every transaction made through your account Looking for the nearest ATMs and Metrobank branches is made easier, too, using built-in GPS or searching

by zip code

Metrobank provides account security by safeguarding each and every mobile data transmission you make with

a 128-bit encryption that prevents unauthorized access

BANKABLE APPS

BPI EXPRESS

MOBILE

Platforms: Android, Windows,

BlackBerry 10, iOS, Java

How does the oldest bank in

Asia stay relevant? It adopts

the latest in mobile technology

to provide better banking

solutions With Bank of the

Philippine Islands’ BPI Express

Mobile app, you always have

your bank inside your pocket

You can view the account

balance, transaction history,

and details of your enrolled

BPI, BPI Family Savings, BPI

Direct deposit accounts, BPI

Credit Cards, and Investments

accounts from your mobile

device The things you can do

don’t end there You can also

transfer funds, pay bills to BPI’s

over 300 partner merchants,

reload Globe and TM numbers,

find the nearest branches and

ATMs, browse BPI’s latest

promos, check the latest

exchange rates, and more

More than convenience,

account safety is given utmost

importance with several

security features, including

email confirmation for every

transaction and Verisign

security certificate

LANDBANK MOBILE BANKING

Platforms: Android, iOS

Basic features such as modules for inquiries, locating branches and ATMS, and contacting the bank are available on this app even without logging in But for you to enjoy the mobile app’s full range of features, you will need to enroll for

an iAccess log in

Once you already have an iAccess, the following features will be available: viewing balances, transaction history, and details of your savings, current deposit, or Landbank Credit Card and Cash Card accounts You can also transfer funds

to any Bancnet Member bank, pay bills to more than 100 merchants, check foreign exchangeand unit investment trust fund rates, and request for checkbook

To always keep your account protected,

an email confirmation will be sent to you foreach successful transaction

RCBC ACCESSONE-MOBILE Platforms: Android, iOS

Available to all RCBC and RCBC Savings Bank customers, the app lets you check your balance, transfer funds, pay bills, communicate with the bank, or find the nearest business centers or ATMs

You will need to create first an RCBC AccessOne Internet Banking login, which includes a user ID and password Go to rcbc.com,select whether you are using an ATM or non-ATM account, accept the Terms and Conditions, and provide all necessary information

Once you receive a confirmation that your AcessOne enrollmenthas been activated, you are good to go!

ǩManage accountǩPay billsǩTransfer fundsǩLocate branches and ATMs

EAST WEST BANK MOBILE BANKING Platforms: Android, iOS

ǩDeposit checksǩView balanceǩView recent transaction history

ǩTransfer fundsǩPay billsǩView or delete pending bill payments

ǩFind ATM and branchesǩSpeak with a service representative

SECURITY BANK MOBILE APP Platforms: Android, iOS

ǩLog in via 5-digit PIN ǩManage and keep track

of your accountsǩPay billsǩTransfer fundsǩReload mobile phonesǩLocate branches and ATMs

CITIBANK PH Platforms: Android, iOS

ǩCitibank World PrivilegesǩLocate ATMs, branches, Citigold centersǩRedeem rewardsǩInquire PayLite

HSBC MOBILE BANKING Platforms: Android, iOS

ǩView account balances and transaction historyǩMove money

ǩLocate ATMs and branchesǩAccess latest exchange rates

ǩFind out new products, services, and promos

DON’T BREAK YOUR BANK!

I have long been a fan of Google’s Nexus

handsets I love the idea of a ‘Pure Android’

device that would be the first to rock the latest software upgrade as well as serve

as a test case for exciting new hardware features Ever since the Nexus One came out, I’ve owned most of the smartphones (except for the Nexus 5) and many

of the tablets

A lot has changed in smartphones through the years Not only are there more manufacturers making decent smartphones at a good price, many midrange devices are also starting to match the price and specs of Nexus devices while adding features such as microSD card expansion and wireless charging into the mix

Last year’s Motorola-made Nexus 6 was a huge phone—and a huge disappointment for all involved It was large, unwieldy, quite expensive, and alienated the majority

of Nexus smartphone users who wanted a reasonably priced yet powerful smartphone that was similar in size to the hugely popular Nexus 5

Many held on to their Nexus 5 devices despite that model’s particularly abysmal battery life and iffy camera performance

Credit goes to LG for making a Nexus device that really outlived its shelf life

Two for the road

It is the end of 2015, and there are various Nexus killers lurking in every corner

Motorola, which created the Nexus 6, has three models that can easily fit the Nexus void at a great price

Upstarts in the mobile race like OnePlus, ZTE, and ASUS are sniping from a distance, and many of their shots are hitting the mark

These new entrants into the smartphone race are offering some surprisingly sophisticated handsets, with all the power, features, and innovation worthy of Nexus devices but at an even cheaper price

Google has responded this year with not one, but two Nexus smartphones: the Nexus 5X, which is another LG creation (and continues where the beloved Nexus 5 left off), and, big surprise, the Huawei-built Nexus 6P, which is undeniably the flagship this year

With two Nexus devices—a plastic 5.2-inch Nexus 5X and a premium aluminum 5.7-inch Nexus 6P—Google is giving users what they want, whether they need a smaller and cheaper device or one that’s at the top shelf

in terms of features

I purchased a 32GB Nexus 5X for my own use, and have been testing the 64GB Nexus 6P from Huawei Both have the same much-improved 12-megapixel camera as well as Nexus Imprint fingerprint sensors (ideal for quickly accessing the device and for Android Pay mobile payments)

Huawei has done an impressive job with the Nexus 6P

The device is slim and light, yet powerful, fast, and capable

It also offers Optical Image Stabilization, which should ensure impressive videos It looks and feels like the flagship device for modern Nexus fans, featuring a Quad HD display,

an octa-core QualcommSnapdragon 810 processor, and 3GB RAM

The Nexus 5X is more of a midrange device It looks similar

to the Nexus 5, and has a powder-like finish, 1080p HD resolution, Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, 1.8GHz hexa-core processor, and 2GB RAM I like the simplicity and responsiveness of the Nexus 5X, but the camera is quite slow

Both of these devices are good phones and worthy of the Nexus name, although I admit that the Nexus 5X might feel

a bit like a budget device to anyone coming from a recent flagship-level phone

Nexus is back, baby

At least in terms of smartphone hardware, the Nexus spirit definitely lives on Android 6.0 Marshmallow is a functional improvement over Lollipop and does have some interesting features (although nothing that’s really dramatic)

It seems that with the latest Android OS (which still has

to hit older devices like Nexus 7 and Nexus 9 tablets), Google is tightening the screws on security and performance A new Doze feature also shuts off any app

or function that consumes battery life while the device

is off, which means smaller-capacity batteries can now last significantly longer

There’s also the new USB Type-C connector on both Nexus devices This new standard charges faster and is designed to fit any way you plug it in The bad thing about

it is that all of the old microUSB plugs and ports are now incompatible, so you need to carry your cable everywhere

USB Type-C cables are also still rare and expensive, which is a bit frustrating But that’s how standards are at the very beginning

Google’s Nexus effort is particularly strong this year

While the devices cost a bit more, they do represent the inevitable path that all Android devices will eventually take

in the years to come

Gadget, gear, and technology insights

GADJO CARDENAS SEVILLA

GOOGLE RECONNECTS

Nexus becomes relevant again

Whether you wish to soar

high or dive deep, Oris

wants to be the watch to

take you the distance. The

48mm Oris Aquis Depth Gauge

Chronograph is powered by the

Oris 774 movement and is the first

mechanical watch to come with

a built-in depth gauge, making

it a true blue diver’s watch The

sapphire crystal top glass and

stainless steel case back protect

the fine diver’s watch

Despite the practicality and

high-tech nature of the Aquis Depth

Gauge Chronograph, Oris doesn’t

compromise the timepiece’s

looks The depth gauge appears

around the face in a yellow outer

dial, which also provides the

watch’s accent color It measures

your depth up to 100 meters The

prominent stainless steel pushers

complement the large stainless

steel crown with defined edges

that serves your gloved hands

well as timer to ensure that you

swim back up the surface before

you run out of oxygen

This diver’s watch comes with a

rubber bracelet and an additional

The Calibre 111 is a hand-winding movement developed by Oris The date function makes this movement different from its predecessor, which appears at 9 o’clock.

Oris makes the crown intentionally large with a coin-edge bezel that sports

a diagonal pattern The design is inspired

by jet engine turbines, which reflects the heart of this pilot’s watch The crown runs around the circumference of a 44mm stainless steel (P265,000) or 18-carat rose gold

The Oris Big Crown ProPilot Calibre 111 comes in three variants according to bracelet: textile strap in olive, dark brown croc leather, and stainless steel

Oris makes use of Arabic numerals

on the dial, which comes with a smooth anthracite finish Together with the hour and minute hands, the numerals are coated with a white luminous material The seconds indicator comes in a smaller dial at 9 o’clock

THE ORIS-MADE CALIBRE 111 MOVEMENT FOUND

IN THE ORIS BIG CROWN PROPILOT CALIBRE 111

IS ONLY THE SECOND MOVEMENT THAT ORIS

MADE IN-HOUSE IN 35 YEARS It brings to the

mainstream market the many complications that

appeared in the limited edition Calibre 110, which

was launched in 2014 to commemorate the Swiss watchmaker’s 110th

anniversary Finally, the Calibre 111 is seen in a sport watch, taking Oris back

to its roots as a mechanical movement genius Watch this timepiece unwind and reveal all the goodies that make it the crowned king up in the air.

5 6

Oris Big Crown ProPilot Calibre 111

A CROWNED KING FLIES HIGH

Words ARITHA ZEL ZALAMEA

3

It’s the holiday season, and party invitations are starting to pour in

Get ready to celebrate with your colleagues, friends, or family—one party after another.

Pair the (1)K-Swiss Polo Shirt (P2,195) with the (2)Mango Man Slim-Fit Light Wash Tim Jeans (P3,250) for your party ensemble You’ll be ready for

an impromptu parlor game,

a little grooving on the dance floor, or a group photo op

The (3)Fujifilm instax mini 70 (P6,999) lets you take selfies with loved ones easily, thanks

to the selfie mirror on its lens

The camera’s Auto Exposure Control makes sure that you’ll

be gifting family and friends with great quality photo prints

With its octa-core processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB built-in storage, and 4000mAh battery, the 5.5-inch (4)Acer Liquid X2 (P11,990) parties with you from dusk to dawn

The Liquid X2 also features 13MP front and rear cameras, three microSIM slots, and LTE connectivity Pack the (5)YE!! 8800mAh power bank (P2,150) and never run out

of power

1

4

5 3

A master of all

multimedia trades,

you can create something

awe-inspiring regardless

of your medium Stay

on top of your game

by gearing up with

cutting-edge tech and

modern wear.

In the boardroom, present

your creations using the

(1)ASUS ZenBook Pro UX501

(starts at P53,000) This

stunning laptop boasts

a 4K display with 282ppi

pixel density, an Intel Core i7

processor paired with 16GB

RAM and NVIDIA graphics,

and an SSD with 1400MB/s

read/write speeds

At a lunch meeting, easily

whip out content on your

Always look smart with clothes like the (3)Perry Ellis short sleeves shirt (P2,550) and (4)Perry Ellis casual pants (P2,450)

While taking your much needed rest at the end

of the day, enjoy high-fidelity music with the (5)Bowers &

Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless ($699) You don’t need to leave the bed as the Zeppelin Wireless connects via Bluetooth, Apple Airplay, and Spotify Connect

/SpeedMagazinePH @SpeedMagazine @SpeedMagazine

Nothing is more exciting than conquering the unknown—be it a less- traveled trail or an unexplored wilderness

And who better to discover these hidden treasures than a brave and equipped traveler like you?

In an (1)H&M Plaid Flannel Shirt (P1,490) and (2)Balmain x H&M Wool Cargo pants (P4,490),

go to an adventure relaxed and free of unnecessary clothing Whether you rock climb, hustle, or explore, the (3)The North Face FuseForm Dot Matrix Jacket ($199) protects you with its durable, breathable, and waterproof fabric

Stay connected to your urban life in case of an emergency with the (4)Sony Xperia Z5 Compact (P29,990)

This 4.5-inch smartphone

is pocket-friendly, resistant, and dust-tight, perfect when you are out and about Use its 23MP camera, which can shoot 4K videos and stunning photos, to bring home souvenirs of your adventures

water-Dust-, sand-, shock-, snow-, and waterproof?

This must be the speaker for the daredevil in you At only 113g, the (5)Altec Lansing Mini H2O (P1,995) lets you take your music wherever you want to go—even on top of a mountain

Continue landing aces

during games and hone

your skills every single day

Play with ease wearing the

moisture-wicking (1)adidas

Sport Essentials Allover

Print Tee (P1,295) and the

you need as the (3)Wilson

Burn Team 12 Pack tennis

bag (P5,475) comes with

three main compartments

to organize your training

equipment It also has

Thermoguard Technology,

which protects your things

from extreme temperatures

Slip the (4)Cherry Mobile

Flare S4 Plus (P7,999)

and the (5)Noble Audio

Kaiser 10U in-ear headphone

($1,599) into the side pocket

of your Burn Team 12 Pack

tennis bag The S4 Plus

performs as great as you

with its 1.3GHz octa-core

processor, 3GB RAM,

16MP rear and 8MP front

cameras, and LTE capability

Without the burden of tangled

wires, you can listen to music

while warming up with the

/SpeedMagazinePH @SpeedMagazine @SpeedMagazine

Acer Iconia One 8 and Iconia One 10

MAXIMIZE YOUR VERSATILE HANDS WITH ACER’S NEW ANDROID- POWERED ICONIA ONE 8 (P6,990), which features Precision Plus technology, allowing for accurate touch input for tapping, writing, or even sketching Play back high-quality media content smoothly on the 8-inch IPS capacitive touchscreen with the tablet’s quad-core Intel Atom Z3735G processor and 1GB RAM Manage your apps via the Iconia Suite, which comprises EZ Note, Snap, WakeUp, Tasking, and Gadget Don’t worry about using

it for the whole day, since the Iconia One 8 comes with a 4550mAh Li-ion battery

Take a weekend war with no worries with the Iconia One 10 (P7,990) The tablet sports a 10-inch Corning Gorilla Glass 4-protected oleophobic HD IPS display, Dolby Digital Plus speakers, an Intel Atom Z3735F quad-core processor, and a 6000mAh Li-ion battery

Bring your whole movie collection with you via the 16GB internal storage, which is expandable

up to 128GB via microSD

Power pushers

Sony Xperia Z5 and

Z5 Premium

Brace the waves and capture the best

moments with Sony’s strongest flagship

to date, the 5.2-inch Sony Xperia Z5

(P35,990) Share more memories without

worrying about power with the Z5’s

2900mAh Li-ion battery than can last

up to two days

The Z5 and its big brother the

5.5-inch Z5 Premium (P43,690) come

with a fingerprint sensor, an octa-core

Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor,

3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, Android

5.1 Lollipop, and an IP68 rating that boasts

water resistance of 30 minutes while

submerged up to 1.5m deep

Z5 Premium

Both variants are equipped with a 23MP rear camera sporting a 0.03s hybrid AF and 5x Clear Image Zoom technology

The two smartphones connect to a 4K TV with ease over DLNA Wi-Fi or an MHL 3.0 connector to project your captured memories on the big screen

What makes the Z5 Premium stand out is its 4K Ultra HD display, which claims to be the first-ever on a smartphone The 806ppi-pixel density screen upscales your content, so you can maximize the 4K display There’s also the 4K video recording capability and the help of Sony’s SteadyShot

Iconia One 10

Iconia One 8

T ARSENAL | Mobile Devices

PICTURESQUE POISE

The 32GB internal storage keeps your to-day files with you, while the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor and 3GB RAM should leave your processes lag-free An 18MP rear camera with Schneider-Kreuznach optics lets you record videos at up to 2K resolution

With ASUS’ three compact gaming laptops

showing force, versatility, and suave,

picking your poison is going to be as

difficult as choosing your RPG avatar’s

in-game name

The G501 (P59,995) is a 15.6-inch laptop

that features an NVIDIA GeForce GTX960M

graphics card, Intel i7 processor, 4GB RAM,

and 1TB HDD The Windows 8.1 operating

system gives you a good head start at

upgrading to Windows 10

Moving up the pecking order is the 3.6GHz

Intel i7-powered GL552 (starts at P59,995),

also running Windows 8.1 This slightly heavier piece of hardware sports an anti-glare coating on its 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 display and carries the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M or 960M GPU The GL552 is available with up to 2TB HD, 16GB 6GBps SATA SSD, and 16GB RAM

The Windows 10-powered G752 (starts

at P79,995) is armed and ready with a

6th-gen Intel i7 Skylake processor, a 17.3-inch anti-glare Full HD IPS display, NVIDIA’s G-SYNC and 2GB GeForce GTX 965M GPU, 16GB RAM, and 1TB internal storage

T ARSENAL

T

Initially, the SL system carries only the 24-90mm f/2.8-4.0 lens, which comes with

a $4,950 price tag This pushes

up your spending to more than

$12,000 A steep price for many, but that’s one of the reasons that Leica appeals to the elite few If you’re already gifted with other Leica lenses, you can just buy an M, S, or R adapter to get access to up to 145 Leica lenses and call it a day

Record videos at up to 1080p at 120 frames per second, 4K at 30fps, and 24MP

at 11fps These are recorded in either MP4 or MOV format Your storage options include SD, SDHC, and SDXC If you wish to preview your videos on a large screen, the HDMI port would

be your friend, but for more connectivity choices, you might have good use for the Wi-Fi capability, built-in GPS, USB 3.0, mic jack, and audio jack as well

There’s a 3-inch articulating touch-capable LCD with 1,040k-dot resolution

non-to help you with your live preview Aside from that, a top-deck view display is provided

to inform you of your current mode, aperture, and shutter speed settings, battery power level, and number of shots left before your storage gets full

The electronic viewfinder, called the EyeRes, boasts 4.4 million pixels and brightens images to help you see your subject better in low-light conditions This 2.95-inch EVF shows how the final picture will look like, and offers features such as dual-axis leveling aid and Focus Peaking to help in your composition To activate, just look through and you’re good to go

The full-frame 24MP CMOS sensor should be a decent tool to complement your photography skills You may get yourself in virtually any kind of lighting condition with the Leica SL’s ISO range of 50 to 50,000

FULL AND

OVERFLOWING

2015 Leica SL (Typ 601)

For many, owning a Leica is the pinnacle of their photography hobby It is

sought-after for the prestige of the brand, the exclusivity that the highly

restrictive price provides, the icon that the red dot is, and the history that

the well-loved rangefinders stand on But this time, Leica steps away from

its rangefinder line to offer an all-new full-frame mirrorless system in the

Leica SL ($7,449.99 body only).

Words ARITHA ZEL ZALAMEA