Sony Ericsson launched its first android phone with social networking feature and also allows users to enjoy their favorite Glee songs.

The new Sony Ericsson W8 Walkman, Zylo, Yendo and Spiro Phone let users connect through Facebook and Twitter and come with songs from the hit television series Glee songs.

The W8 has a three-inch screen and a 3.2 megapixel camera with direct picture upload to Facebook. It also allows users to create their own music by simply sliding their fingers through the touch screen. W8 also has video recording and an internet access via 3G or WIFI.

It comes with a 4GB micro-SD card which is exclusive to the Philippine market. The W8 is available for P7,990; Zylo for P4,990; Yendo for P3,990; and the Spiro for P2,990.

Sony Ericsson will also be having an online music contest where fans could submit videos of their own cover of Glee songs on Facebook and winners will get a chance to Sony Ericsson W8 Walkman phones and vacation packages for two to Boracay Garden resort.

Google will help you find a hotel on your next trip.

That is because the internet giant launched a new tool for finding hotels after purchasing a leading flight software company earlier this year.

The new service called Hotel Finder, according to Google software engineer Andrew McCarthy, is an “experimental search tool” which is designed to help users not only to find hotels, but to book hotels online as well.

Hotel Finder interfaces with Google Maps in helping users refine their choice by geographic area. It also uses various criteria in narrowing down choices, among which are price, number of stars, and user ratings.

The service is restricted to the United States as of this time.

To be honest, when I first saw it, I thought it was really a sneak preview of an upcoming release. I thought it was cool!

Well it just goes to show you that I’m not really adept at the ins-and-outs of video game.

But this First Person Super Mario video really rocks!

Just in case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the video of First Person Super Mario:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBb9wFP7uZM

It was made by Freddie Wong who I later learned has a million followers in his YouTube channel.

Well, make that a million and one!

Now, if only video game makers from the old could get a hint.

The latest updated version of the Microsoft’s Web browser, Internet Explorer 9, was said to have been downloaded more than 2 million times within the first 24 hours it was released, or a rate of 27 downloads per second, according the Exploring IE Blog.

Since Google’s Chrome has effectively been biting into its market share, after Mozilla’s Firefox, Microsoft deemed it’s about time it gets back its place in the browser war, via IE9.

The new features of IE9 reportedly matches those of Chrome’s — speed and a minimalist user interface. It also adds some its unique tricks: graphics hardware acceleration and the ability to pin site tabs to the Windows 7 task bar.

The Microsoft Web browser also includes the most advanced Tracking Protection feature available, allowing users to subscribe to lists of sites known to profile them for targeted marketing.

The catch? The new Internet Explorer version, unfortunately, only runs on Microsoft’s latest two operating system versions, which are Windows 7 and Vista. This practically limits IE9′s market growth to those using the said OS. But Microsoft said that this limitation would eventually get those people to upgrade into the two systems as well.

The IE Blog by MSN says “IE9 can can play HTML5 video in both the industry-standard H.264 format and the newer WebM format. With the WebM Project’s release of WebM Components for IE9 (Preview), Windows customers running IE9 can play WebM videos in Web pages. IE9 is the only browser today committed to supporting both formats directly.”

Click here if you want to download and test drive the new IE9.

With the anticipation of another super typhoon coming to the Philippines, Pagasa gets people updated with latest news via Twitter.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) announced that it will keep the public updated via Twitter under the name @dost_pagasa.

Keeping track of the weather through Twitter allows the people to follow up on the developments on the coming super typhoon Juan (international name: Megi) bearing the unpredictability of the weather.

Aside from their Twitter account, the public may also check on their website www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph.

“We would be able to inform the public on the arrival of the storm, the public storm warning signals and an every hour report. We are starting with typhoon ‘Juan’,” said Pagasa officer-in-charge Graciano Yumul.

“We only created our Twitter account past 12 noon last Friday (Oct. 15) and now we already have 5,000 followers. We are being followed by people from all walks of life, such as students and the media,” Yumul said.

The creation of the Twitter account of Pagasa is part of the “national government and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) program to address all the concerns of our kababayans,” which they say has proven to be an effective medium.

Yumul said the creation of the Twitter account is part of the “national government and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) program to address all the concerns of our kababayans. It has proven to be an effective medium.”

With more than 14,000 Filipinos having a Twitter account, Yumul believed that the social network site is so far the most effective means of disseminating information. At the same, he said, they were also deluge with requests that they also open a Facebook and Friendster account.

I have always wondered what cloud computing is, without even realizing that I was already doing it… yes, you are already doing it too.

Honestly, my first concept of cloud computing was uploading files to Google Docs, which I never did because I was weary of the files and documents’ security. And yet, I freely upload pictures to my facebook, multiply and frienster accounts.

Here’s a simple video presentation on cloud computing I found on CNN’s newsplus.

Simple, isn’t it? So, have you realized how you have been cloud computing all these years?

Dell launches a new gadget in the market, it’s called the Dell Streak and it is described as “somewhere in between a smart phone with a big screen and an iPad.”

The Streak, also known as the Mini 5, is the first of a number planned products by the world’s number three computer. It is smaller than most computer tablets with a 5 inches (12.5 cm) screen and runs Google’s Android operating system.

Tavis Butler of Dell said, “This is a data device first and a voice device second.”

He said the Streak is the “first in a family of devices” to be produced by Dell’s new business division whose focus is on small-screen devices. In the future, Dell could also have a 7 inches and 10 inches tablet.

Despite the question on its size and whether it is indeed an iPad competitor or on a league of it’s own, I would like to have one.

Honestly, I like it better. Being so small and yet powerful, makes it an ideal mobile companion.

I don’t think I could use it to blog though.

What do you think? Is it a worthy iPad competitor?

After it’s successful launch last month, the iPad is set for global launch.

Apple has announced the international launch of iPad in nine countries outside the US on May 28. These are the countries of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.

The cheapest model of iPad which is sold in the US for $499 (£337) will retail in the UK at £429. The price difference is due in part to the British VAT and US sales tax. Before tax, the same model would cost £37 ($55) more in the UK.

Since its launched in the US last year, Apple said it has sold more than 1 million units of iPad. Apple had to delay deliveries of iPad in the international market.

Prices of iPad in the UK will range from £429 for the entry-level model, to £699 for the maximum capacity 64GB model, which also has the built-in access to third generation (3G) mobile networks.

The iPad prices are as follows:

• 16GB, wifi only – £429 inc vat
• 32GB, wifi only – £499 inc vat
• 64GB, wifi only – £599 inc vat
• 16GB, wifi/3G – £529 inc vat
• 32GB, wifi/3G – £599 inc vat
• 64GB, wifi/3G – £699 inc vat

Customers will be able to pre-order the device in the different markets from 10 May.

Other companies, including Dell, Nokia and Toshiba, are also planning to release their own version of tablet computers in 2010.

On 4 May, Intel unveiled the family of chips it hopes will be used in tablet computers that will go on sale towards the end of the year.

It seems like the iPad hype is far from over, even after it has already been released in the market.

But before you get your hands on  this latest electronic gadget, here are some things you might want to know about the iPad.

(From CNN’s Before you buy: 12 things to know about the iPad)

The price
Not really the first on the CNN’s list, but I’m sure it is one of the major concerns of many. The price of iPad ranges from $499 to $899.

The more expensive ones of course would have more features, such as larger storage space, so there will be more spaces for your music, videos, and what-have-you.

Also, the less expensive ones connect to the Internet with Wi-Fi only, while the more expensive ones connect through Wi-Fi and through AT&T‘s mobile Internet network.

The iPad keyboard
By now, you may have already know that the iPad does not have a keyboard, so how do you type on it?

The iPad’s keyboard is a graphic that pops up on the device’s touch-sensitive screen. A feature that is too familiar to iPhone and iPod Touch users.

The touchscreen feature allows the iPad users to type by touching the pictures of the keys on the screen. It is about the same size as the one you have on your desk, only, you can’t feel the keys.

The iPad versus the laptop
Many are already familiar with laptop and the convenience and mobility it affords many laptop users. So how does iPad differs from the laptop?

The laptop computer, which is obviously heavier than a laptop, has its own keyboard. And while some laptops would have touchscreen features, it is something that many laptop models is really lacking.

The iPad differs in that, it falls into a category of its own which the slate or tablet computer, because of its compact size. It doesn’t have keyboard, and therefore, navigation through it would be via touching the screen like how you operate an iPhone or an iPod Touch.

iPad versus Kindle
Before the iPad fever, there were the e-readers like the Kindle where users can read digital books. It has already become popular and in fact had its own cult of followers before the iPad came to be.

Then came iPad. It can also like an e-reader, and then plus some more. For one, the iPad has color display, in contrast to Kindle which only comes in black-and-white.

This difference then would depend on your personal preference, and perhaps the kind of material you are reading.

iPad best function
With all those features, one would ask, “What does the iPad do best?”

Among other things, the iPad is designed for reading digital books, browsing the Web, and watching videos. It is also good as a portable gaming device, of course, you can choose from the hundreds of games for sale at the iPad App Store.

It doesn’t have a DVD player, but iPad users can download videos from Apple, or stream them from the Web.

Lastly, the iPad (as the article said), is better for readers and not really much a delight for those who are writing long articles and messages… such as blog writer.

These are just some of the things you might want to know before buying your iPad. Read the complete list from the CNN report by John D. Sutter.

You might also want to check the iPad competitors.

While the launch of the Apple iPad created a stir in the gadget market, it is not alone in the tablet computer category and actually have stiff competition from other companies who also have their own brand.

The Apple iPad was popular because of its high profile release and due to the many loyal followers of Apple.

But before you buy yourself that iPad that you want to get your hands on even before it was actually released, you might want to see these.

Here are just some of the known biggest rival of iPad when it comes to the table computer category.

The JooJoo
Originally known as “Crunchpad,” Joojoo was released in December 2009. It is a Linux-based tablet featuring only one physical button and a 12.1″ touch screen. JooJoo boasts of the “fastest” startup in the world, as it took only 9 seconds to connect to the internet.

It offers full HD video, a virtual keyboard designed for one-hand typing and a web browsing experience that uses touch navigation instead of traditional window browsing. The JooJoo features a 4GB solid state hard drive and can run for up to 5 hours on a full battery charge.

ExpoPC Slate
A windows-based tablet computer, ExpoPC allows for web browsing, streaming television and movies, and also apps and e-books. This tablet is also dubbed as a “finger driven PC.” It’s screen measures 8.9″ and is capable of HD resolution. It has a 32 GB hard drive and a webcam, which was a major lacking feature in iPad.

The ExpoPC Slate is expected to sell for $599.

ICD Vega
Announced in November 2009 and is expected to be released in the market in the first half of this year, the ICD Vega is another tablet computer that will give Apple iPad competition.

The Vega would be running the Android 2.0 operating system and it has a large 15.6″ touch screen, although there would be two smaller sizes to be released too. It will have a 32-GB internal SD storage, a removable charging dock/stand and ability to play on-demand Web TV, according to Innovative Converged Devices which produced the tablet.

Plastic Logic QUE proReader
Presented mostly as an eReader, the QUE proReader caters to business and professional. Developed by Plastic Logic, QUE comes in two models and priced from $649 to $799. It features full color on its 8 1/2″ x 11″ display and WiFi connectivity. QUE is 1/3″ thick and is operated using touch screen interface.

The QUE is expected to launch in April 2010 and plans to use the Barnes & Noble bookstore for its eBook sales.

Notion Ink Adam
The Ink Adam is expected to be released mid-summer of 2010 at a price of $327, with more robust models priced up to $800.This tablet can support 1080p high definition video on its 10″ screen and also features a 3 megapixel camera.

The device 3G connectivity, as well as a multitasking interface that utilizes the Android operating system, which allows the user to run applications concurrently.

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t
The Lenovo IdeaPad thus far features the most powerful hardward of all the iPad rivals.

It has a 10″ touch screen, up to 250GB hard drive space a traditional keyboard that allows 180 degree screen rotation. The device is a middle-ground product between full tablets and netbooks.

The IdeaPad price starts around $600.

So, do you still want an Apple iPad? Or would like to have any one of these iPad competitors instead?

Wouldn’t it be nice to have at least two for comparison?

These are just six of the of the new tablet computers, there were actually 12 iPad competitors. To see all of them, check out the report from the Yahoo! Shopping page: Tablet Wars: The 12 Biggest iPad Competitors.

Not that I want you to get more confused.