If you’ve always wanted a smartphone but think they’re too expensive, fret not because there’s now a full-featured touchscreen smartphone from wireless leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) that costs only P4,999. What’s more — it comes pre-loaded with SmartNet, a suite of easy-to-use, free-of-charge social networking apps.

Smart’s Netphone 701, a touchscreen smartphone running on Android – the world’s most popular mobile
device operating system, offers more value than other full-featured, highly-customizable and Internet-capable smartphones in the market today.

Powered by Android 2.2, users can install gaming, productivity, entertainment, information and utility apps onto
the phone, for free, from the Android Market. Being an Android device, the Netphone 701 can access and back up a user’s data online, browse the Web and use features and services that require constant connection to the Internet.

The hardware of the Netphone 701 likewise puts it at par with the best of them. Its 600-MHz processor allows apps to load quicky and flawlessly, and the 3.2-megapixel camera with editing features captures the best moments of one’s life. Its 800×480 pixels display resolution allows clear video playback on its 3.5-inch capacitive,
multitouch, AMOLED touchscreen.

The difference is in SmartNet

While similar to other devices, what sets the Netphone 701 apart is that it comes pre-loaded with SmartNet. This home-grown service allows users to chat, search and add contacts from the cloud, check their Facebook and Twitter social stream without switching applications, post online updates, and much more, for free.

Created specifically for emerging markets, SmartNet touts the ‘Safe Browse’ feature, which keeps other applications outside SmartNet from accessing the Web in the background – taking away the risk of bill shock, or incurring unexpected data charges.

With the Philippines now known as the ‘social networking capital’ of the world – with almost the entire online population actively and deeply engaged in Facebook and Twitter — the Netphone 701 is truly the smartphone for the Internet-savvy, highly social, yet budget-conscious Pinoy.

With all those features, the Netphone 701 surprises with its cost of P4,999 for a prepaid kit – a delightful deal for an Android-powered handset.

The Netphone 701 is available at all Smart Stores nationwide, for both prepaid and postpaid. It is also available at Smart’s online store (smart.com.ph/store), which offers free nationwide delivery for all orders up to June 30, 2012. For more information about the Netphone 701, visit netphone.ph.

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Netphone 701: Power smartphone at a delightful price

With the recent news of Apple’s move into textbooks – iBooks 2 – could this revolutionary move into the education industry work out? This infographic highlights the numbers behind the two and analyzes if this change will work.

Created by: Online Teaching Degree

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The numbers behind iPads vs textbooks [INFOGRAPHIC]

Social media has become an avenue for hateful acts and a trigger for suicide. Is it nature or nurture? This infographic highlights the issue of cyberbullying.

Created by: Online Counseling Degrees

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Cyberbullying and Social Media

BMW has designed a car capable of automated driving.

The prototype is fitted with a system which includes radar, cameras, laser scanners and ultrasonics to determine where it is and better understand its surroundings. The vehicle can also recognize speed limits and not exceed that speed. It can brake, accelerate and pass other automobiles while analyzing the traffic conditions.

BMW is still in the development phase, and we’re not sure how far to look into the future for mass production. However, the highly automated BMW 5 Series has logged 5000 km on the road already. Once the technology is proven effective, the German luxury car manufacturer may begin to commercialize it.

Click here to see the robo-car in action.

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Prototype Bimmer drives itself on the Autobahn [VIDEO]

As the big news hit yesterday, Facebook’s IPO (initial public offering) would be the largest in tech company history. We’ve put together a short video to highlight this news. If you use Facebook, this one’s for you.

“Facebook’s IPO filing not only made a statement as the largest for any technology company but a glimpse into their earnings shows their attention to detail. In 2011, FB reported a net income of $1 Billion. Not $950 million or $1.2 Billion. Perhaps it was a shout out to Justin Timberlake’s famous line from “The Social Network,” but the facts remain, they are very much in control. Not only will Mark Zuckerberg become one of the wealthiest men in the world, nearly 1,000 employees are expected to become millionaires overnight. Who would’ve thought playing farm games all day could be worth so much!”

WATCH:

Created By: MBA Online

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Facebook files for IPO [VIDEO]

This infographic highlights several reasons why the internet revolution is leaving many behind.

Created by: Online IT Degree

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The Digital Divide

Earlier this week, Apple’s first quarter earnings were released to the public. All I can say is “wow.” A technology company with $97.6 billion in cash on hand? It’s more than enough to change the world.

Question is: How will they? This infographic highlights those earnings and what they really mean – in
an Apple fashion, of course.

Created by: MBA Online

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CASH – Apple’s Got It

Controlling nearly 80% of the market share for all searches online, you probably use Google. In fact, you probably rely on Google just as much as everyday items like your cell-phone! From humble beginnings to Wall Street darling, we’ve chronicled the evolution that has changed our lives.

This interactive infographic explores the journey of two brilliant men and how the internet has grown with them.

Created By Online PhD

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The Evolution of Google

Here’s a new gadget that turns your iPad into a mobile scanner. As shown in the demo video below, you simply dock your tablet, launch the application and scan.

The iConvert is capable of scanning in high-resolution 300dpi and converts hard copies to JPEG files. The device is quite expensive ($150), considering that regular scanners can be purchased for under $100. However, it looks compact enough to put inside a briefcase and can digitize pages from 2″ to 8.5″ wide.

No word on it’s battery life, but we suppose it should be enough for a few quick scans.

WATCH:

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iConvert turns your iPad into a scanner [VIDEO]

I know Christmas is over, but any time of year is perfect to give someone this new Swiss Army knife. However, the unit doesn’t come cheap at all, as Victorinox priced it at $3,000.

So what makes this pocket knife so expensive?

The multi-tool features an SSD, which according to the company, is the world’s smallest high-capacity solid state drive. Data transfer speeds are 220 MB/s for reading and 150 MB/s for writing data, and offers up to a terabyte of storage (1,000 gigabytes), which is a lot more than most laptop hard drives. It also comes with a Bi-Stable graphic display with 96 x 48 resolution, which will show you what’s on your device and how much room you have left.

All you frequent travelers need not worry. The Victorinox Swiss Army SSD is equipped with two knife bodies, between which the drive can easily be interchanged with one that is flight-friendly and the other which includes essentials such as blade, scissors, and screw driver.

The device won’t be available until August so I guess there’s still more time to save up.

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How much are you willing to pay for a Swiss Army knife with 1 terabyte of high-speed storage?

Samsung never ceases to amaze me.

At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the South Korean company is showing off a new touchscreen display technology that is completely transparent.

Dubbed the Samsung Transparent Smart Window, the see-through LCD will fit any window up to 46 inches at a resolution of 1366 x 768. This thing can be used for watching TV shows and such, but it can also be used like a computer. The panel is one-way, so people who are outside will not be able to know just what you are viewing.

Did I mention that there’s a ‘blinds’ feature that lets the user simulate the opening and closing of the blinds by sliding up and down the touchscreen display?

No word yet on its pricing or availability, but according to reports coming out of the expo, it is headed for mass production soon. Check out a video of the Smart Window in action after the jump.

[Hat tip to TNW]

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Samsung’s ‘Smart Window’ is exceptionally cool

As you know, there are rumors surrounding a potential Facebook IPO (initial public offering). While they are probably not going to take that path, we’ve explored the facts and figures of a potential Facebook IPO.

Created by: Accounting Degree Online

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Infographic: Everything you need to know about Facebook’s IPO

Okay, so Vizio‘s new desktops and laptops look just like Apple’s. But underneath those all-too-familiar shells are cheaper price tags “that just don’t seem possible.”

The television manufacturer plans on unveiling their Windows- based computers at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week and will go on sale by June.

The desktops are expected to be 24 and 27-inch models, while the laptops are a standard 15-inch screen, along with 14- and 15-inch ultralight versions. We still have no details on the specs, but we hope these machines don’t suck like their TVs.

Click here to view Engadget’s full gallery of Vizio’s upcoming PCs.

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TV giant Vizio unveiling new line of PCs at CES

If you’re in a hunt for some innovative speaker designs that will fill your room with sound and add some flair to your beloved computer, you might want to check out these neat horn-shaped speakers by Beijing-based company Edifier.

Sure, the Spinnaker speakers look creepy, but you have to admit that they’re pretty darn creative, right?

Each speaker, which is about 15 inches tall, “has front-facing tweeter and mid-range speakers, as well as a downward-facing subwoofer at the bottom. They offer wireless pairing with Bluetooth devices, and include a wireless remote” which enables the output of the sound to be magnified and controlled from a short line-of-sight distance.

There’s no word yet on pricing or availability, but Edifier will be showing off the Spinnaker speakers at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week, at which point more info will probably be divulged.

[Hat tip to Technabob]

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We’re really digging the look of these desktop speakers

Researchers find average computer keyboards carry more harmful bacteria than a toilet seat. That’s why it’s a good thing the Vioguard Self-Sanitizing Keyboard has gotten clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The keyboard rids itself of bacteria and viruses through the use of germicidal ultraviolet light, which kills germs in seconds. It has the look and feel of a conventional keyboard and requires no software or special hardware to function. However, studies indicate that it may not be as effective as previously thought.

Vioguard claims to eliminate 99.9 percent of the harmful microorganisms living on your console, but reports are saying it’s only about 67% effective. So if you want a 100% germ-free keyboard, you still have to clean it manually. I normally use rubbing alcohol with a lint-free cloth and sometimes I get a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust. After all, should somebody have a cold in your house or office, you’re very likely to pick it up from a keyboard.

Vioguard’s FDA approval is new, but its product has been on sale for consumer use, at a cost of $900 on Amazon. Check out the keyboard in action in the video below.

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FDA approves Vioguard’s germ-killing keyboard