Category: Smart Communications Inc.

Panagbenga festivalgoers ‘Live All Out’ with Smart’s digital experience

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BAGUIO IN FULL BLOOM. Street dancers parade along Baguio’s famous Session Road in front of festival-goers at the culmination of the city’s month-long Panagbenga Festival

 

Kicking off the summer festivities this 2015, wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has once again leveled up the Panagbenga experience of festival-goers by bringing the Internet for all their festival needs, packed with fun activities, all-out parties, and digital experiences for everyone.

These activities have definitely made their #SmartPanagbenga memories one for the books, and worthy of hundreds of posts on Facebook and Instagram to share with friends and family all over the world, powered by the country’s largest mobile network.

Living it all out

 

LIVING IT ALL OUT. After the parades comes the party as Smart fires up this year’s Panagbenga Festival with the “Altitude Break” Live All Out party at Ampersand Bar

 

Firing up the Panagbenga experience were Smart’s “Live All Out” parties at two of the city’s prime bars, Spade Superclub and Ampersand Bar, where Smart subscribers who topped up their prepaid accounts or bought new Smart Prepaid SIM cards got the chance to enter the clubs for free.

Festival-goers partied all night long with some of the country’s best and most talented DJs, including Smart ambassadors DJ Ace Ramos together with MC Paolo who spun wicked beats for everyone during the “Altitude Break” party at Ampersand Bar on February 28th.

Smart Live All Out also hosted a string of parties at the Spade SuperClub on Kisad Road from Feb. 26 to March 1, featuring party sounds by top DJs such as Emil Angeles; Badboy Jeff plus MC Boo; Jet Boado; X Factor; Kimosave plus MC Jams.

Get inside the Smart Zone

But the fun didn’t stop for festival-goers after the Panagbenga parades of the weekend. At the famous “Session in Bloom” where visitors got to enjoy various booths lined up along Session Road from March 2 to 6, Smart subscribers experienced fun activities and got to take home exciting prizes at the “Smart Zone” booth.

 

MAKING DIGITAL MEMORIES. The Panagbenga Festival goes digital with interactive photo booths stationed at Live All Out spots all across the city, giving revelers the chance to preserve their festival memories online

 

Those who bought a Smart Prepaid SIM card or topped up their current prepaid accounts instantly earned a raffle entry plus freebies, where they stood a chance to win a brand new Apple iPhone 6 from Smart.

Meanwhile, subscribers who registered to SPINNR, the country’s first and unlimited music streaming app, immediately entered themselves in a raffle where they had the chance to win tickets to the upcoming One Direction concert.

Digital Panagbenga

Those who braved the uphill trip to Baguio were able to get around the city and explore famous haunts thanks to the Baguio Guide mobile app for Android phones, developed by Cebu-based startup Innopub Media in partnership with Smart.

Apart from the section about the Panagbenga Festival, the app also features helpful information about the city. Articles on must-try food and must-visit places in Baguio, as well as the Department of Tourism-accredited tour guides and tour operators are also listed in the guide.

 

PROMOTING DIGITAL TOURISM. Panagbenga Festival revelers were able to experience a “digital” twist to their usual Baguio City tour thanks to interactive markers installed by Cebu-based startup Innopub Media in cooperation with Smart at various tourist spots around the city

 

In addition to the app, Smart and InnoPub have also deployed interactive tourism markers around the city that, when scanned or tapped with a phone, trigger the download of tourism and historical information about that certain place or structure.

Those who weren’t able to physically join the festivities, meanwhile, still got to experience Baguio in full bloom thanks to the online livestream provided by Sunnex in partnership with Smart, now on its third year. The livestream was proudly powered by Smart LTE, which brought seamless and uninterrupted coverage of the Street Dance Parade and the Grand Float Parade to viewers all over the country.

 

INTERNET FOR ALL. Third-generation Igorots at the Tam-Awan Village in Baguio enjoy mobile devices powered by Smart, the country’s largest mobile network, during the 20th Panagbenga Festival

 

Nationwide festivities

The fun is just about to start as Smart brings the exciting ‘Live All Out’ experience to various cities nationwide, after successful runs in Cebu City for the Sinulog Festival, Iloilo City for the Dinagyang Festival, and Baguio City for the Panagbenga Festival.

“Subscribers and festival-goers who are looking to join this summer’s most anticipated activities can expect a more exciting time with Smart, as we bring these ‘Live All Out’ festivities and digital experience to more areas around the country,” said Joel Lumanlan, Smart Prepaid Marketing Head.

Smart Ultimate wins big at Boracay Open

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The Ultimate Frisbee club of Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) recently placed third in Division C of the prestigious 2015 Boracay Open, which drew in 50 teams from all over the world.

Smart business analyst Raymund Buenaventura was named part of the Mythical 4, the top players in the tournament.

Last year, the all-employee team placed first runner-up in the Metro Manila Ultimate Commission Summer League, and third in the Ultimate Heatwave Beach Tournament held in Zambales. Smart Ultimate is one of 22 employee clubs which encourage the Smart workforce to “Live More.”

Smart football club is CFL Cup champ

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The football team of wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) emerged overall champion of the Corporate Football League (CFL) Cup held recently in Makati City.

Smart beat Data Centric, 3-2, via penalty shootout to win the tournament participated in by 16 companies, including Meralco, ANZ, and Aboitiz.

 

Another Smart team won the runners-up bracket of the CFL Cup, defeating Unilab with a final score of 6-0.

The Smart Football Club is one of 22 employee clubs in Smart which encourage the workforce to live by the company’s “Live More” manifesto.a

Watch Gilas games live on your mobile device

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For the first time in decades, the Philippines will battle it out with the world’s basketball greats at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Luckily, Pinoys can conveniently watch history as it unfolds on TV as most of Gilas Pilipinas’ games will be held on Philippine primetime.

But what if you’re just coming off a meeting, or if you get stuck in horrible traffic and don’t have access to TV? You shouldn’t worry about missing the action, as wireless leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has launched the only streaming app that will let you watch Gilas matches as they happen, wherever you are, using your mobile device.

Simply download the free ViewStream app on Google Play, sign up with your Smart, Sun Cellular, or Talk ‘N Text number, and click on the app’s TV5 channel to watch – also for free – the scheduled Gilas tune-up games for the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. First on the list is the August 16 match against France, which counts among its players NBA star Tony Parker.

You can watch the replays of the games on the app’s Aksyon TV channel. The two channels’ scheduled news and entertainment programs can also be accessed for free on the app.

Starting August 30, you can watch live and ad-free Gilas FIBA matches on the dedicated ViewStream channel of the app for just P15 a day. You don’t even need a credit card to pay for access because the P15 will just be deducted from your prepaid load or charged to your postpaid bill.

In areas without WiFi access, ViewStream will work great on a 3G or LTE connection. Because you’re on the country’s biggest and strongest network, the app will load the games with minimal buffer, giving you a seamless, enjoyable Gilas experience. (Standard data charges will apply if you’re not on a data plan or package.)

Here are the schedules of the tune-up and FIBA games, which you can also find on the ViewStream app. For more information, please visit www.smart.com.ph/gilaspilipinas

Be street smart via mobile apps this Holy Week

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With the Holy Week fast approaching, many Filipinos are expected to leave the metropolis – some will go on a pilgrimage to fulfill religious obligations, while others will relax and unwind, and simply enjoy the long weekend ahead.

Whatever the reasons, taking a trip to the province during this time of year can often be stressful, especially if the journey is not carefully planned. And with several ongoing road repairs in major thoroughfares scheduled for the holy days, heavy traffic is not just a possibility but already a given.

So before you step out of your door, better to equip yourself with mobile apps that will help you navigate your way to your intended destination – minus the accompanying headache.

Access to some of these popular and useful apps is being offered by wireless leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) for only P10 per day. To activate, just text STREET 10 to 211 on your Smart mobile phone to get unlimited access to 6 of the best traffic, GPS, news, travel apps and sites. For info on other packages, visit smart.com.ph/StreetSmart.

PinoyTravel (Local Bus Booking App)

Heading out into the provinces in the North or South Luzon areas? PinoyTravel, the country’s first online and mobile bus booking system, will quickly get you there. Just download the PinoyTravel app on your Android phone, key in your destination, and you can easily book a bus seat within a few minutes, the same way you would for an airline ticket.

PinoyTravel currently offers bus tickets to Baguio, Tuguegarao, Pangasinan, Baler, Bicol, and Palawan with more routes being added every month.

Waze (Traffic and GPS Navigation App)

Getting lost is a thing of the past ever since the creation of Waze, the fun crowdsourced traffic and navigation app. Utilizing the “wisdom” of the crowd (e.g. other Waze users, which number more than 300,000 in the Philippines, by the way), you’d be zipping along busy highways and avoiding clogged streets as reported by other “Wazers.”

Just key in your destination, choose the route with less resistance (traffic), and Waze will be guiding you along every step of the journey—with a sexy, electronic voice to boot.

RaincheckPH (Weather Forecast App)

Aside from traffic, the elements are usually one of motorists’ concerns when traveling. Thankfully, you could be informed if it’s going to rain in your current area or in the area of your destination this Holy Week with the help of the RaincheckPH app.

With data culled from the Department of Science and Technology’s Project NOAH, RaincheckPH delivers up-to-the-minute reports on the probability of rain, so you’d know whether to bring an umbrella or plan for a different route before stepping on the gas of your car.

Easy Taxi (Taxi Booking App)

Spare yourself from the mad scramble for cabs and other holiday commuting woes by downloading the mobile taxi-booking service, Easy Taxi. Available on Android and iOS smartphones, the Easy Taxi mobile app offers you convenient way to virtually hail a taxi to take you to your destination.

To get started, simply open the Easy Taxi app on your phone and choose your desired pick-up point. You will then be prompted to provide important details such as landmarks, your desired destination, the amount of tip to give your driver and the type of cab you want. After clicking the “Request Taxi” button, users will immediately receive the driver’s details including the name, photo, car model, phone number, and plate number – for added assurance and security.

InterAksyon (TV5’s News Online Portal)

To get abreast with the latest news and events, access the portal by visiting www.m.interaksyon.com. Aside from giving a wealth of information about current events, the portal also provides easy access to TV5 tweets, the MMDA-TV5 Metro Manila Traffic Navigator as well as the Radyo5 audio livestream to help you make informed decisions while travelling.

NLEX Assist (NLEX Road and Deal Status App)

If you’re headed somewhere North, chances are you’ll be passing through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), one of the busiest thoroughfares this time of year. So you’d be guided throughout your trip, download the NLEX Assist app from the Google Play Store and receive updates on vehicular accidents, traffic situation in all the exit points, and occasional deals on stores along NLEX.

Digital Tourism apps for a savvy exploration of historical sites

If you’re heading out of the city to travel and explore some of the country’s most-visited domestic sites, make sure you have a travel guide as your companion. Thick travel booklets are no longer the norm, especially since there are many local travel apps now available for download, most of them for free.

Examples are the digital tourism apps developed by Cebu-based InnoPub Media in cooperation with Smart, with virtual guides for tourist draws such as Baguio, Iloilo, and Cebu currently available. With QR codes strategically located in some of these cities’ famous landmarks, you’ll be well on your way to exploring and learning about these destinations the 21st-century way.