Over a week ago, on April 27th, I was invited to join the launch of Fujitsu’s Lifebook series here in the Philippines. Fujitsu is a leading provider of ICT-based business solutions for a global marketplace so it’s expected that their products are high-end and efficient.

Being a laptop user and geek that I am, I was pretty excited to check out their latest products and what they have to offer. Along with my brother Kenneth, a fellow gadget geek, we headed to the Shangrila Makati Hotel to attend the launch.

The host of the event was Kat Alano, who was stunning that afternoon. She first introduced us to Mr. Ivan Ong, Associate Director of SEA Operations of Fujitsu. He expressed rather briefly his excitement about launching their new Lifebook series as they are very proud of the performance and experience it’ll bring to mobile computer users like me.

After Ivan, we were introduced to Mr. Edmund Lim from Fujitsu Asia Pacific. He told us about what their company is trying to accomplish this year – Green IT.

I was all-ears when he was describing about what Fujitsu has added to their new line of laptops, including the following:

• Green 0 Watt AC Adapter – Uses 99% less power during off/hibernate mode compared to normal AC adapters. Will help you conserve energy and lower your electricity bills, especially if you’re like me who usually neglects powering off my laptop when I’m extremely tired from a day’s work.
• Power Off Battery Indicator – This is perfect for those who are very OC when it comes to their battery use. The indicator helps you know how much battery power you’ve got left. Very useful when you have a fullscreen application or movie on and you wouldn’t want to switch to the desktop to see how much battery power you’ve got left.
• Power ECO button – One of their latest energy-saving feature.
• Anytime USB Charge – This enables you to charge USB-enabled gadgets without turning on the laptop.
• Finger Print Sensor / Authentication – The accuracy and sensibility of their Lifebook’s FP sensors got better this year.
• Spill Resistant Keyboards – Oh, I need this!
• Scroll Wheel – For better navigation using only your fingers, with less wrist movement. Can help ease wrist pains.
• OmniPass Control Center – Integrated this into Windows Explorer so you’d be able to login to Facebook, emails, etc. using the FB sensor login. You can also encrypt and decrypt selected files right here. This feature, I particularly love since I’m very paranoid when it comes to my files.
• Dust Filter – This is one of the many features that convinced me that I would most likely get a Fujitsu Lifebook next time I’m in the market for a new laptop.
  With my very busy schedule, I tend to neglect cleaning my laptop. Thus, it accumulates a lot of dirt and dust. I can still remember my first laptop repair experience. I was embarrassed by how dusty the insides of my laptop was! WIth the dust filter, I won’t have to worry about that since I only need to take the dust filter out, clean it and put it back. Easy, eh?

Along with the above-mentioned unique features of the 2011 Fujitsu’s Lifebook series, their new laptops are also equipped with the latest 2nd Generation Intel Core processors that promise higher computing performance, speed and visual capabilities. These Fujitsu Lifebook laptops were individually engineered to suit users with different lifestyles and needs, following the theme “Live, Work, Play”.

Fujitsu Lifebook SH761 – Technology Flagship

This Lifebook is equipped with the essential top-of-the-line features including superior graphics with NVIDIA GT520 1GB graphics card, 2GB of RAM, 500GB of hard disk capacity, the Green 0 Watt AC adapter, 1.6kg ultra-portable system, SuperFine HD backlight LED display, and long battery life of up to 5 hours. This is perfect for mobile business owners or professionals like me who need portability and performance in one package.

Fujitsu Lifebook LH531 – Everyday Computing

This is perfect for first time PC buyers or students, or those who only have basic computing needs. It’s very lightweight, only 2.1 kg, and has a long battery life of 6.5 hours. I think this will suit my Nanay Techie.

Fujitsu Lifebook SH561 – Portable All-Rounder

This Lifebook is best for always-on-the-road / mobile users. It’s very lightweight, only 1.75kg.  The battery can last up to 5.5 hours.

Fujitsu Lifebook P771 – Modern Executives

With its lightweight system of only 1.3kg and longer battery life of up to 8 hours, this is perfect for frequent travellers or mobile executives who is always on the go. I love the glossy Magnesium Alloy chassis, it simply looks elegant.

(more…)

(Updated with actual photos of the E5)

I have a Globe Tattoo 3G USB dongle and I’m not pretty happy with the connection speed I’m getting from it. Some say it’s because of my location (I live in Malabon), but most of my friends who use 3G say there are better options.

I’m planning on traveling more really soon and so I need to find a better way to get faster 3G speeds wherever I go. Or at least, give me an option to choose which network I want to use for my internet connection.

I heard about Globe’s MyFi and I wasn’t really interested because, of course, it was exclusively theirs and I’ve already mentioned my disappointment with my Globe network speeds here in our area. I found out that the MyFi is actually a Huawei E5830 3G router (thanks to this post) made for Globe. Though I’ve read some really good reviews about Huawei products, I’m still not convinced to try Globe’s MyFi.

And, so, I’m pretty glad when I heard that Huawei, a leading telecom solutions provider worldwide, will be bringing their innovative products to the Philippines. This November, Huawei will be launching their consumer products, starting with their E5 Pocket MiFi mobile wireless modem.

I was reading through the specifications and features of the Huawei E5. It’s not just any wireless modem or 3G USB dongle. It has router features so that means multiple devices can connect to it. My bro would definitely enjoy having this around during our future travels.

Also, because of its router capabilities, you can secure your WiFi connection, just like a regular router. The Huawei E5 has its own admin page where you can control or setup your wireless network, and even access its network storage (a microSD card of up to 16GB).

Another thing that I’m excited about the Huawei E5 is the battery. It can provide up to 5 hours of continued use or 100 hours of standby. And, if the battery runs out, you can simply plug it into your computer to charge and it can work as a regular 3G USB dongle. How amazing is that?

And, have I mentioned how small it is?! You can easily bring it or put it inside your baggage or bag, even in your pocket! How convenient, right?

Of course, since Huawei E5 will be exclusively distributed by Gcomm Business Corp., it’s open-line so you can simply switch networks when you’re not happy with the other’s connection speed. That’s the main reason why I’m looking forward to the E5′s launch here.

The Huawei E5 will be available in retail shops really soon (target is this November) and the price is set at Php 5,995.00.

You can contact Gcomm Business Corp for more info about this new product: (+632) 659-0072 or email them at admin@gcomm.ph.

I’m hoping to get a hands-on experience with the Huawei E5 so I can write a full review of it.