Internet café sinorpresa ng DSWD, MPD agents

NAGSAGAWA ng sorpresang inspeksiyon ang pinagsanib na puwersa ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at Manila Police District (MPD) sa mga Internet café sa paligid ng University Belt, upang alamin kung may mga menor de edad na naglalaro doon sa oras ng klase kahapon sa Quiapo, Maynila.

Nabatid kay P/Supt. Romulo Sapitula, hepe ng MPD-Station 3, na dakong ala-1 ng hapon nang maglibot sila sa mga Internet shops sa U-belt area, bilang bahagi ng “Oplan Sagip,” sa pakikipagtulungan ng mga opisyal ng DSWD na sina Arnald Punzal at Virgilio Medina, ng District III, Alvarez office, Maynila.

Sa walong Internet shops, dalawa ang nadatnang may mga kustomer na menor de edad na naglalaro sa “school hours.”

Apat na bagets naman ang nasagip sa Gigz Computer Center, na pagmamay-ari ni Oscar Valenzuela Jr., ng 515 San Rafael St., Quiapo, samantalang sa Genesis Point Internet Zone Co., sa 968 Arlegui St., ay anim na estudyante naman ang nahuli.

Kaagad na ipinatawag ng mga awtoridad ang mga magulang ng mga nahuling estudyante upang ipaalam ang ginagawa ng mga ito sa oras ng eskwela gayundin ang paaralan sa kanilang pinapasukan.

Kasabay nito ay binalaan ng MPD at DSWD ang mga Internet café na mananagot sila sa pagpapasok ng mga menor de edad, lalo na kung mga oras ng eskwela.
JR Reyes - Journal online

Smart tests RP waters for all-in-one messaging service

Wireless service provider Smart Communications has started beta testing an all-in-one messaging service that intends to attract Internet-savvy users.

The new messaging service, Uzzap, will use Internet Protocol (IP) passing through mobile networks to let users zap instant or e-mail messages to other users.

Users can also join chat rooms, set up chat conferences and use so-called "extended messaging" to connect with other Uzzap users, Smart said.

"This will work well with those used to social networking," said Ramon Isberto, Smart head of public affairs, in an interview, as he explained that the service will require users to download a software application onto their handsets.

Uzzap requires handsets that run the Symbian operating system and those that support Java mobile applications, the company said.

A PC-based software can also be downloaded by users to their computers to allow them to send instant messages to users on their mobile handsets.

"This is a convergence of the mobile and the web world," said Isberto, adding that the company has been testing this service internally for a year.

Acknowledging the growing number of people sending e-mail and instant messages through their mobile handsets, it was logical for Smart to develop its own service, the executive said.

The beta phase will run from July 6 to 20, Smart said.

"SMART Buddy Uzzap is another service that will further enrich the mobile Internet experience of our subscribers. Through Uzzap, Smart has taken another step toward taking web-based applications such as instant messaging, file sharing, and social networking and making these accessible and easy to use on their mobile handsets," added Danilo Mojica, wireless consumer division head of Smart, in a statement.

Isberto said users can still use the service for free or until the beta phase ends.

Eventually, the company will be charging a flat-rate, the executive said. He declined to disclose the rates until the commercial launch. By Erwin Oliva - INQUIRER.net

Dagdag na pondo sa info tech ng RP isinusulong

PINOY ang susunod na magiging Bill Gates.

Ito ang sinabi kahapon ni Senadora Loren Legarda matapos ihayag na malaking tulong para sa IT industry ang isinusulong niyang P1 billion IT Venture fund sa taong 2008.

Ayon kay Legarda, isinumite niya ang Senate Bill 2418 para lalo pang maging “competitive” ang mga Pinoy sa larangan ng information technology sa buong mundo.

Nangangailangan aniya ito ng malaking puhunan na siyang dapat ibigay ng isinusulong niyang IT ventures fund.

“Some of the best software developers and computer engineers in the world today are Filipinos. However, many have been lured abroad by high-paying jobs, thus depriving the country of honest-to-goodness opportunities to really make it big in the IT world,” ani Legarda.

Sinabi ng senadora na sa halip aniyang manatiling empleyado na lamang sa isang IT company ang mga kababayang Pinoy sa labas ng bansa, mas maganda umano kung sila ang ang magiging boss sa pamama-gitan ng pag-develop ng mga proyektong ganito.

Tulong lamang aniya ng pamahalaan ang kailangan upang higit na makita ang galing ng Pinoy sa larangan ng pag-imbento o pagpapaunlad pa sa negosyo na may kinalaman sa teknolohiya tulad ng computer industry. Marlon Purificacion - Journal online