Video Creation on the Web

Online videos have ushered in a new dispensation of Internet landscape, spurring millions to tune in on the Web to watch countless footage and movie clips. Tagging on YouTube’s phenomenal success, a huge number of Web sites have been taking a crack at offering motion picture experience to its users. With a cheap video camera or video phone, you can actually become a video producer overnight by uploading just about whatever videos you want for free to let the world watch your home videos of parties, cute babies or pets, family portraits, and even your nonsense jokes and pranks. What’s more interesting is seeing video junkies taking a further step in the world of online videos. We have rounded up some interesting sites on the Net which allow users to create videos minus the special software. And it’s free!

Media-Convert
Media-Convert can convert audio, image and video files from one file format to another to hasten up you video creation for free. Media-Convert will come in handy with some sites that allow certain video format which may not be compatible with your video phone. With support to almost any media format on earth, there's a good chance Media-Convert can convert serve you needs. Media-Convert can actually convert PDF documents to Adobe Flash (SWF) files, and it even obscurely converts text documents to Morse code.

Movavi Online Convert
Movavi Online offers free online video converter that allows you to upload videos and convert them to formats you wish to use. Movavi Online also allows videos downloaded from YouTube, Google and other video-sharing sites to be converted to AVI, MPEG, MOV, FLV, MP4, 3GP for most widely used cellphones including iPhone and portable media players like iPod. Movavi also converts videos on your local PC without installing new software. Yes, it’s free minus the annoying ads!

Zamzar
Zamzar is an online one stop solution for a comprehensive file conversion needs. It’s actually a web service that converts not just video files but almost any other audio, images and documents to other formats. It has an extensive list of conversion compatibility to transform songs, videos, images and documents into different formats.

JumpCut
Web video creation becomes so easy and fun with Jumpcut. JumpCut is a free Web site that offers online video creation and publishing from scratch. If you want to be creative with your clips and images, Jumpcut has a drag and drop video editor of clips, images, music, sound effects, transitions, and effects which you can play around right on the Web site. JumpCut offers a unique “remixing” feature that allows users to combine their created footage and cool picture slideshow with others. Just a note, Yahoo! recently acquired JumpCut and it seems online video creation will be added to its services for free.

MuveeMix
MuveeMix is a free online video mixing service for user-generated content that allows users to create short personal videos from raw footage, music and pictures. The Web site calls the video files stored on its server as “muvees” with embed links that can be posted straight to MySpace or blog site. MuveeMix automatically creates video mixes and slideshows that trail the beat of chosen sound file or music. It also adds synchronized effects and transitions based on the video creation style that the user picks.

Moblyng
Moblyng is a cool and easy way for users to create and share video content both on the web and to mobile phones for free. Moblyng tries to catch the wave of mobile video buffs. Moblyng’s unique feature is its ability to converts Flash-based widgets for distribution to mobile phones. The Web site has applications that convert web-based photo and slide show widgets and online video from any social media page for cellphones and portable media players.

PhotoBucket
Photobucket is one of the most popular Web sites for uploading and sharing photos, videos, and graphics online. With free accounts that can store thousands of photos and hours of video, Photobucket offers free tools for making slideshows of photos, videos with music.

Hellodeo
Hellodeo sports a simple but interesting Web site interface that allows its users to record videos directly from a webcam and then post them on blog sites or any web page without installing new software. Hellodeo revolutionizes online social interaction with a Web that’s so simple, users are not even required to register or log-in.

Blu-Ray gears up to conquer optical disc domain

by Marlon C. Magtira

The second half of 2008 should be a challenge as well as a blissful ground for Sony’s Blu-Ray as major studios that previously released HD-DVDs zero in on Blu-Ray Disc format.

Sony’s strategy leveled up Blu-Ray’s position in seeding on PlayStation3 with Blu-Ray discs and controlling major TV and movie content-distribution channels. The announcement of motion picture giant Warner Brothers early this year that it will exclusively release its productions in Blu-Ray has stirred excitement in the industry, bringing the whole pack of Hollywood studios to throw their weight behind Blu-ray and also announce the dumping of HD-DVD. It’s a big blow for Toshiba to step down and finally end the manufacture of HD-DVD gears. As a result, Blu-Ray eventually sets up to become the industry’s standard for high-density optical discs.

Blu-Ray is now up for the challenge to push for market acceptance and ignite the home entertainment industry that shows a slowing down due to piracy. We now expect to see Blu-Ray devices to pop-up to enhance our movie viewing and burning delights.

What is Blu-Ray?
Blu-ray, also called “Blu-Ray Disc” or simply BD, is the more contemporary optical disc media designed for high-definition video and data storage following on the path of legacy CD and DVD formats. The term “Blu-ray” comes from the innovative blue laser used to read and write a new type of disc that can store 25-50 GB of data as compared to about 5-9 GB of DVDs. Bigger capacity will mean more stored data and generally higher quality images and sound for high-definition movies. Hitachi, TDK and Panasonic recently announced a 100GB four-layered Blu-ray Disc for movie content and data archives. This will mean that the whole 100 GB of data stored on a PC can be backed up in just one of those discs.

Developed by a group of consumer electronics and motion picture companies led by Sony, Blu-Ray drives are designed to be backward compatible to play DVD and CD formats.


Online gaming distributor Amped Games has recently sealed a partnership with Korean game publisher GPlayon to exclusively market and distribute N-Age in the Philippines.

According to Amped Games product manager Agnes Tapia, GPlayon will manage the technical backbone of N-Age with servers located in the Philippines while Amped Games will provide business direction.

"N-Age is a new massively multiplayer online role playing game that sets a distinctively contemporary urban theme. Users will notice the difference of N-Age’s color and localized background to fit the Philippine local market," Tapia said.

N-Age users are directed to protect a virtual city called “Centerville” by eliminating black-suited minions who try to takeover the metropolis. Users get to interact with other users in the process.

According to Amped Games product officer Julius Salagan, “users will not only experience an exciting MMORPG virtual world in N-Age, they can also buy, sell and trade with other members.”

N-Age offers free membership but users will be required to buy top-up cards from Amped Games priced at 10-500 pesos to experience the full game features. These top-up cards are also used with other MMORPGs distributed by Amped Games including Tantra, WarRock, and Cronous.

Canon goes for green technology with environment-friendly products

Canon Marketing Philippines recently announced its initiative to encourage awareness on current environmental issues by promoting the use of energy-efficient products.

“The company recognizes the critical global issue of environmental concerns. In line with this belief, Canon reiterates its commitment to provide products that lessen energy consumption and are increasingly earth-friendly,” Ramon G. Arteficio, Canon Marketing Philippines President and CEO said

Canon also announced that it has accomplished new product modifications and enhancements that are designed to lower energy consumption and increase recyclable materials including new automatic shut-off functions, decreasing warm-up period features, enhancing reusable plastic, and implementing an environmental information system in stages of product development.

“Complying with international standards of environmental preservation, Canon’s latest line of scanners, fax machines, copiers, and inkjet printers have gained the seal of Japan’s Eco Mark and USA’s Energy Star,” Arteficio said.

Arteficio also said that the company maintains close relationships with various organizations that promote environmental conservation.

Epson unveils new line of low-priced printers designed for back-to-school season

by Marlon C. Magtira

To address the need of students for affordable yet high quality digital imaging tools, Epson Philippines recently introduced its latest line of printers priced and designed for the entry-level users and first-time buyers.

The new line of low-cost Epson printers include the Stylus T10 (PhP2,195 SRP) and TX200 and TX400 stand-alone All-in-One models. All printers are equipped with Epson's innovative four-color individual ink cartridge system that significantly cuts ink costs because users will replace depleted ink cartridges separately.

Ed Bonoan, Epson Philippines Senior General Manager and Division Head for Sales and Marketing said, “we wanted to dispel the notion that only great artists using expensive printers and scanners can produce quality pictures and prints. With our new line of printers, students and other entry-level users can now afford professional-quality digital imaging tools for their school and recreation needs."

Multiply.com ventures on Philippine market with ABS-CBN

Multiply.com founder and president Peter Pezaris, ABS-CBN Interactive managing director Paolo Pineda, and Multiply.com vice president for business development David Hersh brief the press before the announcement of Multiply.com and ABS-CBN's partnership at the Rockwell Tent, Makati City on June 18, 2008. (Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN Interactive)

by Marlon C. Magtira

Leading U.S.-based social networking web site Multiply.com recently announced its partnership with ABS-CBN Interactive in a bid to seize new business opportunities and create more online advertising revenue from the Philippines.

In a press briefing held at the Rockwell Tent in Makati City last June 18, Multiply.com founder and president Peter Pezaris confirmed that his company has signed up an exclusive marketing deal with ABS-CBN Interactive to sell Multiply.com online ad in the country.

Pezaris said that Multiply.com is currently one of the world’s largest multimedia sharing web sites with more than 9 million users worldwide who post about two million photos, 19,000 videos and 55,000 blog entries everyday.

Paolo Pineda, ABS-CBN Interactive managing director said “with currently more than 2.2 million members that has signed up from the country, Multiply.com is the fastest-growing and one of the most popular social networks in the Philippines."

According to web traffic analyzer Alexa.com, Multiply.com is currently the top 5 most visited web site in the Philippines generating more than a million page views everyday.

Pineda said that advertisement from the Philippines will only serve users from the country. He added that ABS-CBN’s extensive advertisement network will provide the revenue for Multiply.com.

David Hersh, Multiply.com vice president for business development said that a large number of members in the Philippines are engaging in online retail business through Multiply.com. “This is something that is unique about Philippine members that we can explore with ABS-CBN,” Hersh said.

Launched in 2004, Multiply.com’s online services provide free personal web site that allows peer-based sharing of photos, blogs, videos, and other digital content.

ABS-CBN Interactive manages the Internet operations of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, the largest media and entertainment company in the Philippines.

Motorola launches ‘MOTO MashUP’ campaign for new music mobile phones

by Marlon C. Magtira

Motorola recently introduced its latest marketing theme dubbed “MOTO MASHUP” to promote the company's latest mobile phones that are designed with advanced multimedia capabilities.

The MASHUP campaign features collaborations of popular international and local artists including Cars, DJ Fun Avy, Top Suzara and Radha to form a new blending of unique music from electropop, techno, cool rock and R&B genres.

The W230 and MotoROKR E8 are the new models that are highlighted in the theme. Designed with a dedicated MP3 player key, the W230 features 2GB memory capacity and an FM radio tuner. The ROKR E8 includes Windows Media Player 11, FM tuner, and ModeShift technology that allows a quick transition from phone to MP3 player to imaging device.

Other Motorola mobile phones included in the MOTO MASHUP campaign are E8, E6, V8, V9, Q8, Q9, Z6, K1, W360, W510 and W375. Track downloads for MASHUP phones are available at www.motomashup.com.ph.

UltraMobile Dell XPS M1330



Weighing just under 1.8kg and featuring an ultra thin 0.9-inch profile, the premium ultra-portable world's thinnest 13.3" notebook Dell XPS M1330 doesn't minimize power or connectivity.

Priced at PhP84,995 (SRP), standard features include a high definition 13.3-inch display, slot-load optical drive, full-sized keyboard, sophisticated touch sensitive media buttons, and HDMI support.

Performance enthusiasts will appreciate the nVidia discrete graphics, integrated fingerprint reader and webcam and dual digital microphones.

The XPS M1330 is powered by high-performance Intel Core 2 Duo processors and comes with Microsoft Windows Vista Premium or Ultimate.

Additional features include: Choice of colors, including Tuxedo Black, Crimson Red and Midnight Blue; 13.3" widescreen high definition display with TrueLife for crisp and vivid images (WXGA1280×800); High performance NVIDIA® GeForce Go 8400M graphics with 128MB dedicated memory; Dell Media Direct and Instant Office technology for fast, one-button access to videos, music or photos, calendar and contacts; Standard 802.11g Wi-fi networking a/g/n; Standard slot-load DVD+/- RW with dual layer capability; Standard integrated 8-in-1 media card reader to enable easy transfer of content from digital devices. Other ports include HDMI, two USB ports, IEEE 1394a, dual headphone jacks; Standard integrated webcam with dual digital microphones and noise-isolation ear buds; Standard consumer travel remote that stores in system Express Card slot; Standard 6-cell lithium-ion battery; Fingerprint reader for security and convenience.

Mobile Devices boom in 2008

The year 2007 has brought tremendous developments in personal computing technologies. Mobile computing was on the rise last year with sales figures indicating that notebooks swiped over desktops, which now tend to be more compact and stylish compared to the traditional tower-design casings with bulky displays. The upsurge of stronger mobile technologies promises to even create a hotter stage for mobile systems in 2008.

The launching of the Apple iPhone last year has definitely created a stir on the mobile devices arena that will eventually trigger a tsunami of technology innovations this year. One of the most interesting news in 2008 will be the dawning of Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPCs) with enhanced and longer battery life for improved wireless Internet access, instant messaging, mobile blogging, and mobile video.

Intel recently announced the formation of the Mobile Internet Device Innovation Alliance to further develop device power management, wireless communications, and software integration that are associated with delivering improved internet services for MIDs and UMPCs. Intel is set to introduce the Silverthorne processor designed for a new caste of mobile PCs smaller than notebooks and built with more features than mobile phones.

Ushering in a new era of wireless technology that promises to make smart mobile devices smarter, Google recently announced the spearheading of the Open Handset Alliance which is expected to bring together various mobile device vendors and wireless service providers in creating new mobile gadgets that will virtually work on all wireless networks.

Mac versus Windows versus Linux

Is Windows XP set to call off in 2008? Are we seeing the retirement of Windows XP this year? Our observation shows that new PC systems are now offered with bundled Windows Vista. This may be Microsoft’s clever route to tumble down XP and make way for its latest operating system though it is initially perceived as too heavy and beefy. Even so, Windows will continue to enjoy the lion’s share in the PC operating system market as users largely remain skeptical of Mac and Linux.

Strengthening its hold on Mac users with the release of the Mac OS X Leopard alongside with what is seen as stable and dependable Tiger, the New Year brings Apple to gain more ground over the Windows commune. As iPod and iPhone’s circle of light draws users to shift to Mac computers, Apple’s market share on consumer products over Microsoft will keep on stepping up.

The integration of Linux-based operating system on Asus eeePCs has created a buzz that you need not to be a tech nerd to have fun with such a difficult OS. Ubuntu’s creative efforts in building the path into PCs the desktop is slowly being recognized in the mainstream.

Multi-brains processors sprout like wildfire

Last year, leading chipmakers Intel and Advanced Micro Devices have introduced powerful dual core processors to mainstream PCs, which has essentially become the blueprint for all their multi-brains on single silicon chips. In 2008, quad-core processors with low-power consumption will be sprouting like wildfire.

Home PCs evolve to Servers

Terrabyte content explosion will continue to expand in 2008. Massive storage devices will become a hotter category pick for photos, music, and video files. The home PC will eventually evolve as “catch-all server” that will literally connect to TVs and other media devices.

Web-based apps draw users to go online

With a vast number of new web-based applications featured impressive functions that practically match the most used PC software, recent developments in online appshave provided users with a new landscape on locally installed programs on the PC. As online access become faster and easier, users are now turning away from the usual local PC applications to the Internet to do their computing tasks right on the web browser.

Digital Video Camera Formats

With a lot of digital video camera types out there, you should be making your choice according to cost and convenience. Although cheaper analogue camcorders are still around, many prefer digital formats for higher resolution recording, more video versatility and compact design. Read on before getting a new digital camcorder.

Digital8
If you’re on budget, Digital8 format is a great choice to make home movies. Considered to be the first upgrade step from analogue to digital, this format records onto legacy 8mm and Hi8 tapes and can play your old analogue recordings. Digital8 types allow you to produce small video clips compressed for the Internet. Like the MiniDV, the Digital8 produces decent studio-quality video with 500 lines of resolution.

MiniDV
Popular among budget buyers and even professional videographers, MiniDV is intended to replace VHS and Hi8. Smaller than 8mm and can record for about an hour of video, MiniDV offer better effects and more superior lenses. Some MiniDVs can take good quality digital still pictures like a professional digital camera.

MicroMV
Ultra-compact MicroMVs camcorders are smaller versions of standard MiniDVs. Designed for portability and easy-of-use, lightweight MicroMVs measure only about 10 x 5 x 7.5cm (HxWxS).

DVD
DVD camcorders allow direct recording onto 8cm DVD-R or DVD-RW discs without the PC and immediately view playbacks on a DVD player. DVD camcorders have enhanced features of MiniDVs and Digital8s plus some special effects.

Hard Disc
This camcorder types sports a built-in hard disc which store digital movies. Hard disk types make it easier for the user to edit, delete and transfer files to the PC.

Memory cards (SD, MS)
Memory card camcorders types are smaller designs and records highly compressed videos mainly for Web sites, blogs and e-mail.

Features WatchList

Lens
at least 10x optical zoom.

Inputs and Outputs
Firewire port, Audid/Video outputs for TV connection, S-Video (Super-Video) cable

Image Stabilization
to avoid "camera jitters"

Still–Photo Capabilities
Many digital camcorders now offer still photo capture features.

Low–Light Performance
Camcorder’s ability to capture video in low-light situations

Battery Life
Check the maximum recording time. Expect to get less than the stated maximum battery life so won’t get frustrated.

Desktop Processors Buying Guide

by Marlon C. Magtira

Being the so-called “computer’s brain” which executes all applications, the processor
is obviously the most vital component of the PC. Distributors highlight the processor
on top of the specs sheet because of its impact on the over-all performance
of the PC system.

Multi-Core Processors
Initially designed to serve the server market, multi-core processors are now finding its way to personal computing with the new generation of software that require higher speeds and processing power. Multi-core design integrates multiple physical processors on a single chip dividing the applications between the processors to allow the system to function faster by running multiple threads. Multi-tasked
applications generate multiple threads or streams of data. A processor can only handle a single thread at a time. This means that the more applications are executed the slower a thread is processed.

A multi-core processor enables the system to handle more than one thread at a time by switching the threads between the cores to provide faster information processing

Top-of-the-line
Here are the current most powerful and most also most expensive
processors in the market. You might want to grab one of
these if you want to get the best performance for your PC.
Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad-Core Q9000 series
AMD Phenom X4 Quad-Core 9000 series
AMD Phenom X3 Triple-Core 8000 series


Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor

QX9000 Quad-Core Series
Processor Numbers: QX9775, QX9770, QX9650
Architecture: 45 nanometer technology
L2 Cache: 12 MB
Clock Speed: 3.20 GHz (QX9775, QX9770), 3 GHz
(QX9650)
Front Side Bus Speed: 1600 MHz (QX9775,
QX9770), 1333 MHz (QX9650)
Slot/Socket Type: LGA771- DX5400 (QX9775,
QX9770), LGA775 (QX9650)

AMD Phenom X4 Quad-Core
Model Number: 9950
Frequency (MHz): 2600
L2 Cache Size (KB): 512
Socket: AM2+
Manufacturing Tech (CMOS):
System Bus (MHz): 4000


AMD Phenom X3 Triple-Core

Model Number: 8750
Frequency (MHz): 2400
L2 Cache Size (KB): 512
Socket: AM2+
Manufacturing Tech (CMOS): 65nm SOI
System Bus (MHz): 3600

Fast Facts
CPU
The PC processor is also called the CPU (Central Processing Unit). To avoid confusion, the “CPU” term tends to be dropped in the market because it also refers to the CPU package that includes all components inside the case. Current video cards also feature processors which is called
a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).

Clock Speed
Clock speed is a processor rating that measures a certain number of information processed per second. 2.0GHz means 2 billions of data processed per second. Current applications require millions of data to run so the higher clock speed means faster processing. Multi-core processors are just making this impression a lot more complex as we see lower clock speeds compared to single cores. Logically, a dual-core processor with each running at 1.5GHz should be equivalent to a 3.0GHz single-core. This will not work if applications designed for single-cores are executed on multi-cores.

FSB
The Front Side Bus (FSB) serves as the processors’ connection to the system memory. FSB data transfer speed allows better the processor performance.

L2 Cache
The cache enables the processor to speedily access recently used information. Current processors operate on Level 2 (L2) cache which provides faster data transfer between the processor and main system memory.

Overclocking
Overclocking is the term used in pushing a processor (CPU or GPU) to operate higher than what is officially rated by its vendor. It is claimed that overclocking enables the system to extend its apabilities by more than 25%, definitely a high boost to computer performance.

It is widely assumed especially by PC gamers who are hungry for more computing power, that out-of-the-factory processors are usually underrated by manufacturers for increased reliability. The processors bit rating determines the largest number of information that a processor can handle depending on the clock speed. A processor clock cycle is measured at 2 to the power of the bit rating so 32-bit can handle up to 232 or abou 4.3 billion processed information per cycle. In turn, 64-bit can execute 264 or about 18.4 quintillion. Clock speeds re said to be lower than the maximum number of information that many tech buffs would like to get hold of the extra unrated power of processors without spending more and take the system a further step higher in its class.

Caveat!
While there are overclocked processors that can actually take smooth operation, a user should have the necessary technical know-how in forcing the processors to its limits because hitches may result such as increasing heat dissipation, reducing lifespan or completely wrecking the component.

ICT can still do more for RP’s healthcare sector -- experts

Although the public and private sectors are using information and communications technology (ICT) on contrasting levels, both agree that innovative technologies could serve as a tool for bridging the country’s yawning health gap.

At the CyberPress Forum held recently at the iAcademy auditorium in Makati City, experts from the industry said ICT is transforming the way healthcare is provided in the country for both the underfunded public health facilities and state-of-the-art private medical centers and hospitals.

Dr. Alvin Marcelo, director of the National Telehealth Center in UP Manila, said "telemedicine" modalities such as text messaging, multimedia messaging system
(MMS), voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) can help serve far-flung areas where the availability of doctors and health professionals is scarce.

Marcelo said 50 percent of Filipinos die without ever seeing a doctor in their lifetime. ICT, he said, could partly solve the problem.

Marcelo said the National Telehealth Center has been pushing for "the ethical, effective and efficient delivery of healthcare to underserved communities of the Philippines" using all available technology that is mostly based on open source platform.

The center, established by the University of the Philippines' board of regents in 1998 as an attached agency of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is based at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), is also mandated to "design and develop IT-based solutions that will provide primary health care to local communities served,” he said.

He said the deployment of ICT is crucial at this time when the Philippines is caught between the "migration of health care workers to other countries and the severe lack of health care providers in many parts of the country because of the remoteness of the underserved areas."

Marcelo said there has been a "disintegration of the health care system's public sector component because of devolution, which put local governments in charge of health care funding and personnel management."

ICT, he said, "can help reintegrate the system" by bringing together a network of doctors and healthcare workers in remote or underserved communities and linking them with doctors in urban areas who can help diagnose and treat provincial patients using mobile phones, the Internet and, in cases where the remote area also suffers a lack of electricity, radio communication.

In 2005, the Commission on ICT (CICT), through the E-Government fund, awarded a grant to the National TeleHealth Center so it could "design and develop ten telehealth and telementoring systems" in the provinces of Cagayan Valley, Capiz Province, Leyte and Iligan, where the UP Manila medical school has satellite facilities.

However, Marcelo admitted that the set-up initially failed to reach its goals of providing remote telemedicine to the selected areas. The system took off only after barrio doctors "shifted to SMS teleferrals" that make use of "simpler technology and have less need for tech support."

Under the National Telehealth Center, patient records are compiled and kept using open-source software, which Marcelo said is easy-to-use, customizable, and capable of generating standard reports for local, provincial and regional patients, including PhilHealth components.

The center also offers e-learning in the form of a collection of formal and non-formal courses such as masters of science in health informatics; geographic information systems for health leaders; e-health project management and; e-learning for community health. The modules are taught by distance learning using VoIP, cellular phone, radio, or whatever means is available.

For the side of the private sector, De Los Santos-STI MegaClinic administrative director Jose Ronaldo De Los Santos said that unlike government-run institutions, local private medical hospitals are globally competitive in terms of modern equipment.

He said this is what is needed to stay in the business since “never in the history of healthcare that IT has been as important as medical expertise and specialized medical equipment.”

Apart from looking towards utilizing ICT to exploit new opportunities such as medical transcription, De Los Santos said ICT is also becoming instrumental the country a medical tourism haven like Singapore and Thailand.

De Los Santos-STI MegaClinic is working to ensure that it is compliant with the United States' Healthcare Information Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) Act of 1996, "which is what we need to meet if we are to make the Philippines a medical tourism destination."

HIPAA calls for the digitization of patient data, which must be transcribed from doctors' dictated recordings and put in a text format that is accessible across all types of computer systems.

"We are now digitizing about 20 years' worth of medical records to the patients' financial records... We are going into a paperless setup where the patient is registered digitally in an (offsite) database," he said.

Doctors see patients at their clinic based on a "digital queuing system", which is linked a computer network that De Los Santos said allows doctors to simply "type his prescription into the computer and click on the tests he is prescribing for the patient, as well as (encode) the diagnosis. Our patients also get their lab results sooner, over the Internet, by email, "making diagnosis quicker and more efficient -- in many cases detecting diseases earlier so patients can seek less expensive and more timely treatment.

With this system, billing procedures are also faster and more accurate, he added. "The cashier will know what the patient needs to pay for thanks to the queue." Patients can also obtain copies of their data, including x-rays, cranial axial tomography (CAT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and other images that we can give the patients on optical discs such as CDs and DVDs.

De Los Santos said the megaclinic is working toward obtaining "optical character recognition technology to make every word (in a patient's medical records) a searchable record," meaning each word in the document acts like a hyperlink that automatically allows access to other cross-referenced data within the same set of records.

However, he said the constraint "is cost, though there is a need for such data mining capability so doctors will have better and quicker access to their patient records."

"All records - patients' data like digital images and financial records with our facility are stored off-site, so if something happens to the facility, records can be recovered," he added. (Reported by I.T. Journalists Association of the Philippines @ www.cyberpress.org.ph)

Cyberpress-EMC “Write IT Right” tilt announces winners

MAKATI CITY, Philippines - March 13, 2007 - Three senior students from public and private high schools in Quezon City and Muntinlupa City bested a field of 25 participants from around Metro Manila in the first-ever “Write IT Right” IT journalism competition organized by the IT Journalists Association of the Philippines (ITJAP/Cyberpress) and EMC Philippines, the world’s leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology.

Ms. Avril Bries of the Quezon City Science High School took the top prize, followed by Ma. Vida Frances Cruz of Miriam College and Mary Therese Aprille Paras of Muntinlupa Science High School. They win for themselves and their schools personal computers, office equipment and cash prizes. Rounding off the top 10 circle of winners are the following: · Trinity University of Asia High School – Lee Van Jomar D. Villanueva · Saint Pedro Poveda College – Victoria Isabel Yap · Mandaluyong High School – Miguel Victor T. Durian · PAREF Southridge – John Rafael Manalaysay · V.Mapa High School – Allaine Corpuz · Assumption College – Joyce Anne C. Raboca · St. Mary’s Academy (Pasay) – Feliciene Gabrielle Mendoza

All ten winners were also awarded scholarship grants from event co-sponsor STI, represented by VP for Academics Division Mitch Andaya, during awarding rites held today at the Filipinas Heritage Library in Makati City. The on-the-spot contest proper was held last February 29 at the STI Global City campus in Taguig City with the theme “ impact of greener technology on the future of the IT industry.”

ITJAP and EMC Philippines look forward to making the competition an annual event, with the possible participation of students from the collegiate level. By harnessing budding writers in an on-the-spot pitting of talents, the contest aims to get more young Filipinos interested in a career in IT writing, a highly specialized and evolving field of business journalism.

“As a leading steward of digital information in the world , EMC understands the value of proper and compelling communication in leveraging unstructured data,” says EMC Philippines Channels Manager Teddy Sumulong. “Our partnership with Cyberpress and the opportunity to help promising young communicators from Metro Manila high schools get their first break in the area of IT journalism brings our vision closer to the end-users of business information in the Philippines and the world.”

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