GLICHS LIFE :: Blogging by Glenn Ong

Samsung Philippines' launch of the newest Samsung GALAXY S4 last April 26 is another one for the books! With a nature-inspired theme from the entrance to the actual interiors of the event, I was really awed by how they executed the launch. But that's not the highlight of this post... it's surely the awesome Samsung GALAXY S4 smartphone itself.

If the Samsung GALAXY S3 was tagged as 'designed for humans', the Samsung GALAXY S4 is pegged as our 'life companion'. Samsung made it a point to make the features work for whatever we want to do, especially since smartphones are what we carry almost all the time these days.

At first glance, I myself being an owner of a Galaxy S3 had a hard time differentiating the GALAXY S4 from its predecessor. However, it appears that GALAXY S4 has a larger screen size and battery, minimized bezel - housed in a light (130g) and slim (7.9mm) shape upon close inspection and actual holding of the smartphone.



Here are the other specifications of the Samsung GALAXY S4:

So how did it become a Life Companion? Let me run down some of the coolest features of the Samsung GALAXY S4.

• Dual Camera - With this feature, you as the photographer won't be forgotten as you can now use both the front and rear camera at the same time. There are different templates available, which will make it even more fun to use.
• Sound & Shot - Another camera feature of the GALAXY S4, this allows us to uniquely store a short sound clip or voice together as the picture is taken. This means we can now capture special moments in the truest form imaginable.
• Group Play - Create a workgroup and share music, photos, documents and games with your friends without even having a Wi-Fi or cellular signal. The best use of this is by using the Share Music option, which allows several phones to connect with each other to work as a surround sound speaker all together.
• S Translator - This feature is very useful when you travel around the world very often. Using text or voice translation on applications including text message or email, this instant translator can convert text to speech or speech to text in an instant as long as you're connected to the Internet.

Other interesting features make doing things more convenient.

• Samsung Smart Pause - This feature enables you to control the screen by where you look. For example, when you're watching a video, the video pauses when you look away and starts right up again when you look back. 
• Samsung Smart Scroll - It allows you to scroll the browser or emails up and down without touching the screen. It recognizes your face looking at the screen and movement of your wrist and then scroll the pages up or down accordingly.
• Air View - Hovering with the fingers, you can now preview the content of an email, S Planner, image gallery or video without having to open it.
• Air Gesture - With this, you can change the music track, scroll up and down a web page, or accept a call with a wave of your hand.

And as if those features weren't enough just yet, here's something for the heath and well-being called the S Health. The combination of sensors built within the device systematically and automatically monitors your health, surroundings ad so much more to help improve your quality of life. Also, users can check health conditions using food diary, exercise diary and sleep monitor.


The Samsung GALAXY S4 has a lot of cool features that other smartphones don't have. Some may find it just gimmick, but others like me find it useful. With the advent of multitasking these days, it's becoming a must to have a smartphone that can be considered as our life companion.


Available in Black Mist and White Frost colors, the Samsung GALAXY S4 is now available at SRP of Php30,990. You can also get it from Globe at Php1,599/month for 24 months or for FREE at Plan 2499 for 24 months.

Don't forget to follow Samsung on Twitter @SamsungMobilePH for updates and announcements. Are you getting a Samsung GALAXY S4?

Summer, oh, summer, how do I love and hate thee? There are so many reasons why I like and dislike summer - Likes: beach escapades, halo-halo, cold drinks, lesser traffic; Dislikes: scorching heat, sun burn. But on this post, let's focus on one thing I like most - drinking cool drinks to beat the summer heat!

I've recently tried two delicious KFC Krushers - Buko Pandan and Halo-Halo - which draws inspiration from two summer favorites of Filipinos. If you love eating buko pandan and halo-halo as dessert items, these drinks would definitely be something you'd like too... this time, drinking and not eating.

The Buko Pandan Krushers has a slight green-ish color with a refreshing taste of buko drink, mixed with bits of real macapuno, shaved coconut/buko meat, and green nata. I love how KFC turned a popular buko pandan dessert into a drink!

One the other hand, the Halo-Halo Krushers has a purple-ish tint with creamy ube as the star, mixed with bits of real macapuno, sweet leche flan and nata. While most of the ingredients are similar to that of the buko pandan, the taste of each drink can still be differentiated because of its base flavor.

Between the two, I like the Buko Pandan Krushers better as it really tasted like the dessert. Both drinks can be tad too sweet for some people, but will surely be loved by people who have sweet tooth. Both drinks are so refreshing too!

The Buko Pandan Krushers and Halo-Halo Krushers are available in all KFC stores nationwide this summer at only Php69.00. It might not be there for too long, so better grab 'em while it's "hot"!

KFC has also come up with a new gimmick that goes beyond anyone's definition of 'cool' - the Krushers Island Promo. Get a chance to own an island where you and seven of your friends can spend two days and three nights of fun and adventure by simply creating a meme of the Krushers Island microsite and convincing everyone just how awesome and cool you are.

For regular updates, follow KFC on Twitter @KFCPhilippines and like their Facebook page as well.

Discovering something new is always exciting, especially when I least expect it! Do you agree?

I am very fortunate to have been invited by the makers of Nescafe-in-a-can to spend a weekend discovery to only-God-knows-where. We boarded on a bus and off we go to somewhere I don't usually go to. From the clues and trivia given on the way to our destination, I felt so much excitement!

When I was younger, I used to see Filipino movies having scenes of doing pottery. It appears fun, though dirty, because it allows one's creativity to shine through a finished product of ceramics. I felt so blessed because our first stop was at Crescent Moon in Antipolo where we got the chance to tour around the molding, heating, and painting processes. What's more, I got to actually see a revolving tray while molding the clay. Fun, yet messy if done wrong!

Our final stop was at Pinto Art Museum where we saw the different antiques and artifacts of religious miniature structures. We also got to tour around a big area where there were paintings illustrated in different mediums.

A few minutes into lunch, Nescafe-in-a-can's brand ambassador Bianca Gonzales joined us to talk about how she is really a fan of coffee and how this Nescafe-in-a-can is so convenient to lug around whenever we discover things anywhere around the Philippines. 

Nescafe-in-a-can has three variants - Latte (flesh/brown), Mocha (blue) and Espresso (green). Whether you like it tasting milky, sweet with a hint of chocolate or intense shot of coffee, there's always one flavor that will fit you. As for me, it's a toss up between Latte and Mocha for that summer chillax flavor. Both Latte and Mocha comes in SRP of Php29, while the Espresso in a smaller can is at an SRP of Php18.

Next time we go out and explore the world, let's not forget to bring our handy companion Nescafe-in-a-can, so we can feel the delightful kick to gear us up for more discoveries we could ever imagine.

"No man is an island" is a popular quotation we've all grown up to. It's true, because we all rely to our family and friends when we celebrate our successes or cry out our frustrations. And when these moments happen, it's always great to share stories over a good meal - in my case, it's Greenwich Lasagna Supreme.

I started my new journey at work last November 2012. There was the usual fear of acceptance and workload, but I'm glad I have a team who's just so warm and supportive. It was an easy time adjusting to my new company, because I have these great folks who always make me smile. In fact, they're also there to comfort me during those times I felt frustrated and depressed.

So when I got loads of lasagna at home, it didn't take a minute for me to think of who to share it with. We consumed the small boxes at home, while the huge tray of Greenwich Lasagna Supreme went with me to the office as I shared it to my team over lunch.

Greenwich's lasagna isn't new. I remember ordering it when we had events in a particular mall mainly because of its tasty flavor and satiating taste. But I'm glad Greenwich looked to further improve it even more.

Today's Greenwich Lasagna Supreme is loaded with even more mouth-watering goodness. It has thicker noodles, chunkier meat sauce, flavored with three types of cheese, and topped with a rich and creamy white sauce. It's also served with 1pc. Garlic Stix.

And as if these weren't enough, Greenwich made it very affordable for students and office professionals alike by pricing it at only Php79 for the snack size and Php99 for a full size.

With the Greenwich Lasagna Supreme being our fuel for a fun lunch break at work, we got to share more stories and laughter together - truly a moment worth remembering. Thanks, Greenwich! 

Looking back to my college days, I spoke about how breakfast is very important to each of us as part of my English class' persuasive speech requirement. I compared our bodies to a car engine that needs heating up and checking of water at the start of the day, after a long night of not being used.

In that speech, I mentioned how breakfast gives us the energy to boost and how it also sets the tone and mood of our entire day. Yes, I reiterate, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Having a complete breakfast meal will surely help us get up and get going.

What a great way to start off the day than by waking up to KFC's Filipino Breakfast Fully Loaded Meal (FLM) or Breakfast Steak Fully Loaded Meal.

The Filipino Breakfast FLM combines the classic Filipino favorites into one filling meal that includes real chicken longganisa, tender chicken tocino slices, garlic rice, scrambled egg, and soft chocolate chip pancakes with maple syrup and shipped butter. You may choose to get an orange juice or coffee to come with the meal.

Meanwhile, the Breakfast Steak FLM includes KFC's signature Original Recipe Chicken fillet drenched in creamy breakfast steak sauce, garlic rice, scrambled egg, and soft chocolate chip pancakes with maple syrup and whipped butter. Similar to the Filipino Breakfast FLM, a choice of orange juice or coffee awaits.

Trying out the two FLM's, I love how KFC cooked it without seemingly making me feel it's from a fast food chain. It feels like home. I initially thought the steak sauce was a soup, but it turned out to be a great addition to the delicious KFC chicken. Adding the soft chocolate chip pancakes was a great idea, as it balances out the overall taste and making it as if it's the "dessert" of the meal.

Both Fully Loaded Meals are part of the KFC A.M. Breakfast range, which also includes other freshly prepared, signature chicken meals such as the Longganisa Burger and A.M. Snacker. The two FLM's can be found in any KFC store and only costs Php105.00 each.

For regular updates, don't forget to follow KFC on Twitter @KFCPhilippines and like their Facebook page www.facebook.com/kfcphilippines. For deliveries, dial 887-8888 (for Metro Manila only) or go to www.kfcdelivery.com.ph.

I'm actually old enough to remember when boomboxes were a thing -- those bulky radio sets that required six size D batteries. Yes, people those days would put up with lugging a thirty-or-so pound just to listen to their music with their friends, and they were actually considered the cool ones. Nowadays, everything is about being portable. From desktops turning into tablets, to mobile phones getting smaller, lighter and thinner, the emphasis of our generation is to do away with chains that hold us down and allowing us the freedom to do anything we want, anywhere. Little gems like the Braven 600 HD Wireless Speakers make it easier for us to accomplish just that.

The first thing that you'll notice about this speaker is that it's absolutely gorgeous. Made from aircraft-grade aluminum, this lightweight speaker only weighs 12 oz. (340g) - about as much, if not lighter than, a water bottle. The ash grey matte finish on the speakers allow it to blend in to the background or stand out as a centerpiece, depending on your preference. It has no frills, no distracting elements to take away the essence of what it truly is -- a high-definition speaker.

For such a small object, the Braven 600 HD Wireless Speakers deliver the punch of a full 3.1 audio system with lots of bass to spare. It delivers a full range of sound without losses between levels. There's no lack of power here, as it can easily fill a medium-sized room with its sound. I was very pleasantly surprised to have a near audiophile-quality experience from an unexpected source.

This speaker can also do what maybe four or five other gadgets would separately; the best part is, it's extremely easy to use. It connects to your mobile device via Bluetooth with a simple press of a button, thus allowing you to be mobile with your music player while having your speakers in one place. The range is pretty limited, but it removes the inconvenience of being tied up and tangled with wires. If your device is not Bluetooth-ready, the speakers come with a 24" 3.5mm audio cable to connect into your headphone jack and act as any regular speaker. What's even better is that you can daisy chain several of these speakers to just pump up the volume.

The Braven 600 HD Wireless Speakers act as a Bluetooth speakerphone as well, with a built-in noise-cancelling microphone to provide good sound quality both to you and whoever you're speaking with. If you're like me and often are part of a conference call, I can see how convenient it would be to have your phone's speaker magnified so that you can be on the line anywhere throughout your room.

Apart from being a speaker and a phone accessory, it is also a battery charger -- that's right, you can plug in your mobile phone via the built-in powerbank without interrupting your listening experience. While the Braven 600 comes with a modest 1400mAh battery, it still gives you 12 hours of play time or 2 - 3 full charges on an iPhone 4S. Its limitation here is that it wasn't designed to charge anything more than your smartphone, so you can't use this to charge higher capacity gadgets such as tablets. Given the low capacity, it's best used for the rare occasions you desperately need to charge your phone, but hey, I challenge you to find another speaker that can do just that.

In summary, I think it's pretty plain to see that the Braven 600 HD Wireless Speakers delivers an extremely enticing package. It is extremely lightweight, enabling you to bring a full high-quality audio system without having to bring a ton of equipment. It can link up to other Braven speakers to generate even more power, it can act as a speaker for your calls, and it can even power your phone while it's at it. This isn't just another accessory to add to your collection; this is an essential necessity to have with you to complement your mobile lifestyle.

Standard Retail Price of Braven 600 HS Wireless Speaker: Php6,450.00

Available at the following resellers:

Editor's Note: This article was written by Arbi Bautista, a special writer and contributor of Glich's Life. Arbi is an IT Consultant in one of the biggest global IT companies. He is a music and photography enthusiast, and a great public speaker too. Revisions to this article were done by yours truly prior to posting. You can follow Arbi on Twitter (@sowhatifimmaria). - Glenn / Glich