DepEd gets Goolge-fied

In trying to streamline the processes of communication, coordination and bringing the organization together, the Department of Education has decided to switch to Google solutions. Being a department that serves the entire archipelago, Google Apps were the natural choice. An member of the staff can now access their files, calendars and reach other members of the organization no matter where they may find themselves.

They will also no longer have to use their personal emails for official functions, plus their Gmail accounts will sync with all the other cloud apps the organization has chosen to use, such as Google Calendar, which allows easy coordination of work or class schedules, meetings and events online, Google Drive/Docs – an integrated service that provides a single place to store, access, create, edit, and share documents, files, and folders of all types, Google Sites , which lets users develop and customize rich websites and embed Google Docs, Google Calendars, videos, and other media with no HTML required and Google Groups which will let the department create mailing lists and discussion forums to  easily and efficiently sharing documents, calendars, sites, and media with specific groups.

As the first nationwide deployment of Google Apps, DepEd’s leap into the cloud is a visionary one. The move sees them joining seven of the eight Ivy League universities and 72 of this year’s top 100 US Universities  (as determined by 2013 U.S. News and World Report’s ranking) that have gone Google too. It’s a great, practical and progressive step forward, and we’re all quite optimistic it’ll work great.

Viki and Microsoft come together to bring video content to SEA

Viki, a fan-powered online TV site, is joining forces with Microsoft’s MSN to give South-East Asian viewers television shows, movies and music videos. 17.6 Million MSN users in Indonesia, Thailand, Malasia and the Philippines will soon be able to access premium shows through their local MSN sites.

“We want to make our entertainment experience as relevant and engaging as possible. Viki is a rare partner that enables us to provide content our audiences want at scale in multiple markets at once,” said Bruno Fiorentini Junior, general manager, Microsoft Advertising & Online Asia Pacific.

Viki is in a unique position to reach out to MSN users globally. With over 12 million viewers each month, over 1 billion videos viewed and nearly 250 million words translated, they allow unprecedented access to local shows and content in the highly-coveted bracket of internet users. This partnership extends their reach even more, and with their new presence in SEA secure, it ushers in a new avenue for Microsoft to connect with a whole new audience through online video.

TripAdvisor AR app for BlackBerry provides interactive info on worldwide destinations

Wikitude recently announced the TripAdvisor Augmented Reality (AR) app for BlackBerry smartphones that gives you a new and interactive way of looking at the world’s finest places. With this handy travel app, you’ll have instant access to an immersive view of hotels, restaurants, and interesting attractions listed on TripAdvisor.

Here’s how it works: Just download the app, tap the TripAdvisor or the Wikitude icon on your home screen, and it’ll help you find the ideal places to eat, sleep and play in a given area in the world. Once a venue is chosen, you can access detailed information on the location such as average prices, traveler-submitted reviews and many more useful things you can learn about the place.

The app’s “Bring me there” option provides you with turn-by-turn directions to your target destination. The app also integrates BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) to allow the user to share the experience with his or her BBM friends.

The TripAdvisor AR app is totally free, but it’s only available for BlackBerry phones. A BlackBerry 7 OS or higher is required to operate this nifty travel app.

Unify your multiple G+ identities with Takeout

People who, for one reason or another, have multiple G+ accounts usually have a hard time juggling posts, friends, circles and all the other odds and ends that Google + gives. It can be something of a daunting task that can be anything from annoying all the way to impossible, depending on the number of contacts and groups involved. Google has heard your pleas and given us all Takeout. It’s a service that let you import all the related Google plus odds and ends from one account into another. There are still a few things you need to know beforehand, like a little downtime involved while things get wrapped up and sent out, but if you really need to put things together, this is just what you’ve been looking for. Read more about it HERE.

New app helps you catch fish

There’s now supposedly an app called Deeper Smart Fishfinder that can help you catch fish, but it hasn’t been commercially produced yet. It makes use of a separate floating device, which is a 6cm diameter sphere that will be paired with a user’s Android or iOS device to let him or her know if there are any fish in the area. Users can even attach their fishing line to one of these.

The device emits ultrasound waves down into the water to provide data on the location and number of nearby fish, as well as things such as depth and temperature of the water. This information is then transmitted via Bluetooth up to a distance of 50m to the user’s mobile device. When the user catches a fish, they can use their phone or tablet to take a photo of the fish and post it onto Facebook or Twitter, all while remaining within the app.

The Florida-based tech company Friday Lab is currently working on a prototype and raising funds in hopes to sell them to consumers at a price of US $199.