Lazada Philippines

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

HP and DreamWorks Animation Cast Innovation as a Lead in “Rise of the Guardians”


I know you have seen the trailer of the upcoming 3-D movie “ Rise of the Guardians”.  I’m just want your to know that HP and DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. marked the latest chapter in their ongoing collaboration by working together to create an epic adventure for worldwide audiences with the breakthrough animation of the studio’s upcoming 3-D movie, “Rise of the Guardians.” 

Friday, November 16, 2012

Dell Extends Cloud Client Computing Portfolio to Asia-Pacific with New Solutions Validated by Citrix




·         Introduces Desktop Virtualization Solutions (DVS) Simplified Appliance and cloud clients designed to address cost and complexity challenges of virtual desktop adoption
·         Brings 3D graphics and multimedia to users of thin and zero clients with Citrix HDX 3D support
·         Dell Wyse Xenith 2 zero client now shipping in Asia-Pacific

Dell today is announcing an expansion of its end-to-end cloud client computing portfolio in Asia-Pacific. The new desktop virtualization and cloud client solutions are easy to deploy and support, and deliver a cost effective and highly secure way to enable any worker to use any app on any device.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Dell XPS12 Unveil


Dell unveiled powerful addition to its industry-leading XPS brand of computers last Nov. 12, 2012 at Dillinger’s 1903 Steak and Brew. Joining the award-winning XPS 13 Ultrabook, and the XPS 14 and XPS 15 laptops, the new XPS 12  Ultrabook enable both consumer and business customers to do more with their technology – from multimedia, entertainment and creation to full business productivity to transition seamlessly from home to office




Dell is helping customers touch the future with a refreshed portfolio of consumer PCs built for Microsoft Windows 8, designed to provide a more intuitive computing experience and address evolving customer desires. Dell’s new systems deliver on the promise of new advances in computing: a leading-edge and intuitive touch experience, the security and manageability required by today’s always-on pace and the design aesthetic, style and precision workmanship customers demand.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Dell Philippines Commits to Making a Difference in the Community



Pledges long-term support for four local charities in aid of children’s causes

Dell Philippines has pledged support for four local charitable organisations promoting children’s welfare and education, further extending the company’s strategic global giving efforts to make a meaningful impact to communities around the world. The identified organizations are Tahanang Walang Hagdan, Inc., Childhope Asia Philippines, Inc., Children's Joy Foundation, Inc., and Haven for Children.

With an aim to address pressing social issues, Dell will work with these charities to provide assistance through technology, know-how and volunteer support. “We find that these four organizations have many needs, donations being just one of them,” Richard Teo, president for Dell Philippines said. “The activities that they need to roll out require volunteers and additional manpower, so I see our Make a Difference program as the best way to connect our team members and the communities that can benefit from our collective giving efforts.

IBM Extends Presence in the Philippines with Davao Office



Expansion follows increased demand for technology solutions and services outside the National Capital Region (NCR)

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the opening of a new branch office in Davao, Philippines as part of the company’s continued investment in growth markets and commitment to increasing its support for clients and partners outside the National Capital Region (NCR). The new branch strengthens IBM’s operations in the Philippines which includes Sales and Distribution, Global Process Services/ Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Application Management Services, and an IBM Innovation Center.

“IBM has been operating in the Philippines for 75 years working with thousands of customers and partners across the country. In line with our geographical expansion strategy, we are currently strengthening our operations to expand further beyond Metro Manila, aligned with the government's "Next Wave" cities program.  The Philippines is a key market for IBM and Davao has been identified as a strategic growth location.  This expansion is testament to IBM's commitment to providing the best possible solutions and services to its clients in the Philippines,” said Mariels Almeda Winhoffer, President and Country General Manager, IBM Philippines. 

CENTRAL COLLEGES OF THE PHILIPPINES GETS TO KNOW THE DELL TEAM


Dell Philippines recently conducted a Campus Career Talk at the Central Colleges of the Philippines (CCP). The activity supports Dell's initiatives to become the employer of choice. Dell’s talent acquisition team, Rochelle Bulan (second row, center) and Chris Loyong (second row, sixth from left), shared about the company, its culture and people, as well as provided the students with valuable tips and advice for job interviews.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

HP All-in-One desktops: Unleashing the joys of being a family


Home computers have redefined the ways that families spend time together, with each member doing solitary tasks on their own PC units. HP, the world’s largest technology company, adds a fresh dimension to this trend with its new All-in-One desktop computers: the HP Omni 120-1209L, HP Omni 120-2048L, and HP Pavilion 23-1005d. Catering to the preferences of each family member, HP’s lineup of desktop computers offer a platform where they can bond and have fun together.

One for all, All-in-One
Every family member can do more with their HP Omni. The 20-inch high definition screen and Intel HD graphics offer stunning crystal-clear graphics and performance. Its unique design eliminates the need for a separate display monitor and tower.


Large families can take advantage of its numerous connectivity options, from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth, to reach relatives and colleagues through chat or internet calls aided by peripherals such as its integrated webcam. Moms and dads can keep the family’s schedule and their budget organized in spreadsheets, and children can do their homework with the help of information obtained online. All these features are in a space-saving package that’s also fit for the more budget-conscious.

The HP Pavilion 23 takes the performance of the HP Omni to greater heights. Equipped with the latest processors by Intel, the Pavilion 23 allows families to enjoy playing their favorite video games, from simple exercise games to the latest action-packed titles with detailed environments and complex gameplay.Its superior capabilities also allow parents and their kids to work on sophisticated projects such as photo editing and 3D model design with modeling software. It is also pre-installed with Windows® 7™ Home Basic (64-bit) and Microsoft® Office Starter 2010, allowing for that right balance of work and play.

Discover the joys of family bonding on the cutting-edge and welcome the newest member of your family- the HP Omni and Pavilion 23 All-in-One desktops.

Availability
Priced at the best rates, the HP 120-1209L, 120-2048L and Pavilion 23-1005d are now available at all HP stores and authorized resellers nationwide.

Monday, October 29, 2012

ASI TECHOVATION CHALLENGE FINAL EIGHT



Advance Solutions Inc. (ASI), one of the country’s leading ICT solutions provider, presented the final eight teams that will compete for the right to be called true innovators in this year’s ASI Technovation Challenge: Green I.T.; officially endorsed by the Commission on Higher Education.


Advance Solutions Inc. launches Technovation Challenge: Green I.T.!


A CHALLENGE TO CREATE A BETTER ENVIRONMENT

 Advance Solutions Inc. (ASI) one of the country’s premiere ICT solutions provider and distributor of world-class brands like HP, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft, Acer and Epson, is launching the first ASI Technovation Challenge: Green I.T.!, following this year’s theme – Building a Better Environment. With numerous environmental issues facing the country, ASI believes that technology can help solve these issues. It is tapping the talents of college students to present proposals that will have a measureable and positive environmental impact -- yet simple, creative and viable to develop. Selected environmental project proposals will be progressed to the development of the actual prototype, using an open source device.” We believe that there is an innovator in the best of us. And we would like to channel this drive to finding solutions that will help build a better environment”, said Jefferson Plaza, ASI general manager

Sunday, October 28, 2012

IBM Delivers Smarter Education Roadmap to Philippines Higher Education Board



IBM recommends curriculum improvements including high-value, job-rich analytics technology expertise


An international team of 10 experts from IBM's pro bono Corporate Service Corps (CSC) program have completed a month-long assignment during which they helped the Philippines Commission on Higher Education (CHED)  identify ways to position the country as an education and technology skills hub for the region. 

The IBM Corporate Service Corps team also worked with the Mindanao Alliance of Self-Help Societies-Southern Philippines Education Center and the Department of Agrarian Reform – Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services, on workable strategies to help foster economic growth for the country.   

The team, comprised of IBM employees from six countries, provided concrete recommendations to help CHED develop educational programs that boost skills development in business analytics and optimization, which are emerging as high-value business tools in the region.     

Thursday, October 25, 2012

DELL PHILIPPINES DONATES FOOTWEAR TO CHILDHOPE ASIA



As part of its commitment to actively support children’s rights and welfare, Dell Philippines donated footwear for the kids of Childhope Asia. The drive aims to encourage children to take many steps towards improving their own lives through education.

Dell team members ― together with President Richard Teo (second row, sixth from right), Site Lead of Partner Management Desiderio Tan (second row, fourth from left), and Area Sales Manager Lora Lee-Lopez (second row, sixth from left) ― conducted a short program, which was capped by the distribution of the footwear among the street children.

About Dell
Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. For more information, visit www.dell.com


Thursday, October 18, 2012

IBM to Invest in “Social Business” Support Center in the Philippines


New Level 2 Support Center To Help Organizations Reap Benefits from Embracing Social Practices

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a significant investment to establish a Level 2 software customer support center in the Philippines in Q4 2012 to support the rapidly increasing demand for social business solutions globally.  IBM will open a “social business” customer support center to be located at the UP-Ayala Techno Hub in Quezon City to serve IBM's North America market.   

This shift of consumer to business networking, also known as "Social Business", has become the next big challenge for organizations who are looking to more quickly adopt these skills into their businesses to better reach clients and suppliers, while swiftly gaining insight on the data being created in these networks. The winners in this challenge will be able to react more swiftly to customer trends, and out innovate competitors. Social combined with cloud and mobile have had a tremendous impact on how people work. 

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Kapatid network takes on the small screen with tech giant HP


Injecting the airwaves with creative, praiseworthy entertainment shows such as Talentadong Pinoy, Pinoy Explorer, and cutting-edge news programs such asAksyon and Pilipinas News, TV5 is the country’s most creativealternative television network. With its slew of awards and ever growing audience base,big stars such as Sharon Cuneta and Aga Muhlach have flocked to this new-upstart network, further establishing its image as a formidable Filipino broadcasting company.

Behind the scenes of the popular TV network’s rise in this demanding, 24/7 production environment is Hewlett-Packard (HP), the world’s largest technology firm. With its array of high-performance workstations, HP gives a strong backbone that supports the intense and time-bound requirements needed by the network.

 
 Armando Atienza, Jr., Head of Post Production and Engineering at Novaliches-based TV5, with two of the HP workstations they use in the network.

One of the satisfied graphics artists of TV5 works with cutting-edge 3D graphics with the HP Z800 workstation


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

IBM Expands PureSystems Family to Help Clients Tame Big Data


New System is Up and Running within Hours, Rapidly Delivers Critical Insights that Improve Business Results


IBM (NYSE: IBM) expanded its PureSystems family of expert integrated systems with the introduction of PureData System, to help global organizations make sense of the massive influx of data being created daily. Now, clients can more efficiently manage and quickly analyze petabytes of data in minutes and intelligently use those insights to support specific business goals across their organization including marketing, sales and business operations. (#IBMPureSystems)

Organizations across all industries are challenged to find simpler and more cost effective ways to analyze data and better understand consumer purchases, manage customer churn, perform data-intensive marketing campaigns, and detect fraud in real-time. The PureData System is available in three workload-specific models optimized for transactional, operational and big data analytics to help clients solve these challenges.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Lenovo Celebrates 20 Years of Innovation


Lenovo Celebrates 20 Years of Innovation with the Launch of
Business Ultrabooks – the ThinkPad X1 Carbon and ThinkPad T430u 

 
Today Lenovo celebrate its 20th year of ThinkPad Innovation.  The highlight of the night was the unvailing of  ThinkPad X1 Carbon, its premier Ultrabook and the ThinkPad T430u Ultrabook™, the thinnest T-series to date deliver outstanding mobile experience inside a sleek and stylish design. 

Monday, September 24, 2012

Philips offers simple solution to hi-tech need


SoundBar lets you stream music and movies seamlessly in high quality audio


With the emergence of high definition video, the increasing demand for high quality audio is nothing but natural. Traditionally, to fully enjoy an HD movie, one would require a Blu-ray Disc Player or Smart Media Player connected to an AV receiver with five satellite speakers and a subwoofer, which is then connected to the TV. All these connections make watching movies complicated and even messy. Some may just settle for mediocre audio when they find the complexity of set-up is not worth their while.   

But with the SoundBar CSS5123, Philips presents a hi-tech yet simple solution to this predicament. “Essentially, the SoundBar is an all-in-one speaker system that’s designed and engineered to play high definition movies and music, wirelessly or otherwise, while producing high quality cinematic sound. It is part of the Philips Fidelio range of premium audio products,” explains Mr. Franco Flameno, Business Development Manager for Lifestyle Entertainment, Philips Consumer Lifestyle Philippines. “In this day and age, there’s no more excuse to have a subpar audio system. Speaker systems are now expected to be multifunctional and convenient.”

BAGUMBAYAN 1st and 2nd GRADERS GET UMBRELLAS FROM DELL.




Just in time for the rainy season, Dell Philippines donated colorful umbrellas to Grade 1 and 2 students, teachers, and non-teaching staff of Bagumbayan Elementary School. The umbrella drive is part of the company's Make a Difference program that aims to foster employee-community involvement.

Friday, September 21, 2012

DELL PHILIPPINES GIVES LOVE TO STREET CHILDREN


Dell Philippines, in its effort to give back to the community and share the spirit of volunteerism, recently conducted a feeding program for the street children of Childhope Asia at the Gazebo 1 of Quezon Memorial Circle.


PR Savings Bank Taps IBM Power Systems for Branch Expansion in the Philippines


IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that PR Savings Bank, one of the fastest growing thrift banks in the Philippines, has selected IBM Power Systems to improve the efficiency and reach of its banking services across urban and rural communities in the country.

PR Savings Bank is implementing the IBM Power 730 Express to help provide financial services, such as loans, deposits, and money transfers for individuals, small and medium companies, across its 92 branches and other banking offices from as far North as Aparri in Cagayan Province to Davao City in Mindanao. PR Saving Bank will use upgraded infrastructure to improve processing efficiency in loan approval cycles which it hopes to shorten to just a couple of hours.

Too Much Information—Is There Such a Thing Online?

Almost everyone has an account to at least one of social networking sites.  A recent Pew Research study revealed that an average user has 229 Facebook friends and 229 followers on Pinterest; and 89% of employers use LinkedIn for recruiting employees.
“People share too much information on social media sites—birthdays, schools, hometowns, and  51% even add a family list to their profiles,” according to Myla Pilao, Director for Core Technologies at Trend Micro. “These information can already be used to answer security questions in credit card accounts, for example,” Pilao said.
“Cyber criminals may use your profile data for social engineering schemes and identity theft. Social media users must be cautious when posting personal information online,” adds Pilao.
 For more information about others risks of posting on social networking sites, check out the infographic, The Risks of Posting in Social Networks.

About Trend Micro
Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704;TSE: 4704), a global cloud security leader, creates a world safe for exchanging digital information with its Internet content security and threat management solutions for businesses and consumers.  A pioneer in server security with over 20 years’ experience, we deliver top-ranked client, server and cloud-based security that fits our customers’ and partners’ needs, stops new threats faster, and protects data in physical, virtualized and cloud environments. Powered by the industry-leading Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network™ cloud computing security infrastructure, our products and services stop threats where they emerge – from the Internet. They are supported by 1,000+ threat intelligence experts around the globe. 


Monday, August 13, 2012

Maroon 5 Tickets Up for Grabs by JBL Multimedia Speakers


You want to see the Maroon 5 concert in Manila, but can’t seem to find yourself tickets anymore? Look no further! JBL Multimedia Speakers is currently giving away Maroon 5 concert tickets for every purchase of the following items:

  • JBL OnStage 200iD or JBL OnTime Micro...............One (1) General Admission Ticket
  • JBL OnStage IV or JBL On Air Wireless...................One (1) Upper Box B ticket

Upon purchase of the above mentioned items, you will be given a claim voucher which you must bring with the receipt to Ticketnet, Yellow Gate of Araneta Coliseum, Araneta Center, Cubao Quezon city until September 17.

So what are you waiting for? Visit your nearest JBL dealer to catch Maroon 5 Live!

About JBL

JBL, a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated, designs and builds audio equipment for consumers, the entertainment industry and the automotive industry.

JBL takes its decades of experience making speakers and other equipment for concert halls and other public venues, and uses it to create audio equipment for consumers around the world. You can enjoy a movie, ball game or concert as part of a huge crowd or in your home - but either way, you can catch all of the sounds with superb clarity through JBL components.

Friday, August 3, 2012

RACE TO THE 2012 PHILIPPINE QUILL AWARDS BEGINS IABC Philippines opens new categories for national student tilt

The race towards the nation’s biggest prize in business communication is officially on.  The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines announced yesterday (August 1) the call for entries for the 2012 Philippine Quill Awards, the country’s most prestigious and relevant award-giving body in business communication.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

CEMEX SIGNS STRATEGIC GLOBAL AGREEMENT WITH IBM To provide Business Process Outsourcing and IT services

Agreement will enable CEMEX to enhance its competitiveness and better serve its customers

·        Long-term project will allow CEMEX to focus on its core business processes


CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: CX) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced recently a 10-year strategic agreement in which IBM will deliver world-class business process and information technology services. Additionally, IBM will provide to CEMEX business consultant services to detect and drive sustainable improvements in profitability, using the entire breadth of IBM's capabilities, including R&D expertise.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

IBM Marks 75 Years of Innovation in the Philippines

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today marked 75 years of enabling business and societal transformation through innovation in the Philippines.  The company is experiencing increased demand for its solutions and services in high growth markets in the country including Davao, Calamba and Subic/ Clark areas.

More recently, IBM and the Davao City Government signed a first of its kind agreement to help the city scale-up its existing Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) to further enhance public safety operations in the city. The IBM Intelligent Operations Center (IOC) solutions will create a smart and safe city by applying advanced technologies to existing infrastructure to improve city management and efficiency. 

Today, the company is experiencing increased demand for its solutions and services as businesses and government organizations across the country turn to IT to transform operations and increase global competitiveness. IBM is working with over 400 Business Partners nationwide to better serve clients across many of the local key growth sectors such as banking, telecommunications, retail, etc.

In the past 75 years, IBM has also been contributing to nation-building through strategic support of government initiatives, a wide spectrum of corporate social responsibility programs and outreach to small & mid-size businesses.

“IBM’s success has been and will continue to be enabled by transformation through innovation.  We will continue to make a positive impact by leveraging on smarter solutions to advance national priorities, collaborate globally to grow our business further and make IBM essential to our clients and stakeholders, here and the world over, 75 years forward.  75 years is not simply a milestone. Rather, it marks an opportunity to heighten IBM’s commitment to the country as the Philippines remain essential to IBM’s growth strategy,” Mariels Almeda Winhoffer, President and Country General Manager, IBM Philippines.
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Currently, IBM has two world class sales and distribution business offices that looks after the domestic markets and seven global delivery centers operating in Metro Manila and Cebu, that serves over one million client employees in 84 countries across the world, clearly demonstrating that the Philippines is regarded as a country with highly-skilled professionals who have the expertise to manage shared services.

The Philippines has been identified as one of IBM Corporation’s 20 focus countries in line with the company’s geographic expansion strategy through which it is building out its presence in the fastest growing markets in the world. IBM has also expanded its business and presence beyond Metro Manila in keeping with the country’s continued rapid economic transformation.

About IBM

Since establishing its presence in the Philippines in 1937, IBM has evolved to become the leading information technology partner in the country, providing hardware, software, and IT-enabled business services to domestic and global markets.  IBM in the Philippines has grown exponentially in terms of business portfolio, talent growth and geographic reach.

For more information about IBM in the Philippines, please visit http://www.ibm.com/ph


Friday, May 4, 2012

IBM and the DOST Partner to Build R&D Lab

IBM (NYSE: IBM) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) of the Republic of the Philippines today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work together to establish the first Philippine Systems & Technology R&D Laboratory to help spur economic growth. 
President Benigno Simeon Aquino III witnesses the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo and IBM Philippines President and Country General Manager Mariels Almeda Winhoffer in a ceremony at the President’s Hall, Malacañang Palace Thursday May 03, 2012 (Photo by: Jay Morales / Malacañang Photo Bureau). 

Friday, April 20, 2012

DELL : The Power to do! more

DELL, launch its new models of different computer parts and operating system happened April 16, 2012 10:30am at Megatrade hall leaded by Mr. Richard Jusay, Product Support Engineer.  These are: net book & desktop, printer, monitor, peripherals, servers (power edge), storage (power vault), projectors, monitors, networking.
The seminar was started through the lead of Mr. Richard Jusay followed by a greeting of the manager of the net books and desktop. Before the talk start a notepad was given to the early birds as a price. And discussions were followed; Mr. Jusay presented the Dell Product portfolio through a power point with approximately 200 slides. He discusses it fast and clear, questions were entertained politely and it was answered honestly and clearly. A part of the talk is once in a while question and whoever answers will get a price: a cute and useful notepad, and dry-fit t-shirt. As we reach 12pm, yummy lunch was served, by 1pm the seminar was resumed. The afternoon was started by a game-Pinoy Henyo game and the word to be guess: Halo-halo. And the discussions were followed.

Monday, April 2, 2012

IBM Expands Analytics and Cloud Capabilities to Accelerate Smarter Computing for the Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

IBM announced to the local market new server solutions designed to expand cloud and analytics capabilities across its entire portfolio, helping make Smarter Computing a reality for small, medium enterprises (SMEs). 

The new offerings include high-performance systems, networking and software products aimed at helping clients optimize data center operations with flexible, easy-to-deploy solutions to help reduce complexity, lower costs and deliver rapid return on investments. 

Today, clients are looking for solutions that help them handle specific business challenges and make better use of existing IT infrastructures.  More and more clients are turning to cloud computing, analytics and other smarter computing solutions to help their businesses grow.  Cloud computing deployments are expected to grow more than 19% per year, according to IDC (1), and a recent IBM CIO study (2) showed cloud implementations nearly doubling from 33% to 60% over the last two years. 

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

IBM Creates Comprehensive Solutions Portal for Small and Medium Businesses

IBM recently launched a Smarter Office portal (https://www-07.ibm.com/ph/smarteroffice/) to help small and medium enterprises build on their existing IT infrastructure to meet further business growth or future expansion plans.

“Current challenging business environment has resulted in a growing myriad of mission-critical issues that need to be considered carefully. In this portal, organizations can take a self assessment via the IBM Smarter Office Advisor. This web-based diagnostic tool has been designed specifically to help organization’s identify personalized path to gaining maximum value from existing and future IT infrastructure. The questionnaire will help assess pain points and recommend solutions based on the IBM Solution Mapping,” said Chestnut Andaya, Country Manager for General Business, IBM Philippines.

The assessment tool is segmented into 4 main sections:

1. Understanding the company - industry, company size, role in company

2. Knowing the plans - setting up new office, adding branches, moving to next level of tech adoption

3. Identifying the challenges - possible questions: lack of formalized processes, no automated backup, Inability to estimate storage needs

4. IBM’s recommended solutions - Storage Management, Business Intelligence, Collaboration, Database Software, etc.
Upon completion of the assessment, organizations would have a better understanding on how to maximize the value of existing infrastructure for growth and minimize growth pains.  Three valuable white papers would also be available for downloading.
The IBM eShop featured in the portal provides organizations several options to contact an IBM seller: via a toll free number, online chat, email, and quick note.

The IBM Smart Office portal’s development is currently on its second phase.  It now includes a section on volume offers where organizations can make bulk purchases at special promotional prices, and a social media page focused on small and medium enterprise solutions.

For more information, please call the IBM eShop at 1-800-1888-1526 or visit https://www-07.ibm.com/ph/smarteroffice/.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

IBM Philippines ranked #1 in Overall Server Revenue Share for Q4 2011

IBM announced today that the company retained its leadership position in terms of overall server revenue market share in the Philippines, with a 42.5%, a strong 18.4 points of share higher than the next closest competitor for Q4 2011.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

IBM Boosts XIV Storage System Gen3 Performance Three-fold

 IBM today announced to the local market several key enhancements to its XIV® Storage System Gen3 including a new solid state drive (SSD) caching option that can increase system performance by up to three times, and a new Apple® iPhone® app that lets people monitor their XIV storage environment from virtually anywhere.
With SSD caching, the most frequently used data is stored on solid state memory placed between the system memory and hard drives. Because SSDs use no spinning disks and robotic arms, the storing and retrieving of data is accomplished with virtually no latency, speeding data access by orders of magnitude. In addition to the superior performance, SSD cache requires no separate tier to manage.
The IBM XIV SSD Caching option provides up to 6TB of fast-read SSD and is the latest in a string of advances that IBM has developed for the enterprise storage system over the last six months. In July, 2011, the company introduced the XIV Storage System Gen3, a new generation of the storage family that dramatically lowered the total cost of ownership and improved system performance by four times over the previous model.
With XIV Gen3, IBM also replaced the system’s Ethernet-based backplane with a high-performance InfiniBand backplane that increased the system’s internal bandwidth between modules by 40 times. Then in October 2011, IBM added 3TB disk drives to the system increasing system capacity by 50 percent.
“These latest enhancements to XIV Gen3 are great examples of IBM’s continued commitment to helping customers achieve business outcomes through smarter storage technologies.  It boils down to saving the customer’s time and money with extremely efficient, easily managed, virtualized, and high-performing storage systems like XIV Gen3,” said Ireen Catane, Country Executive, Systems and Technology Group, IBM Philippines.
IBM also announced the ability to mirror data between previous versions of XIV and XIV Gen3 systems, which will ease data migration and help give customers the flexibility to repurpose their XIV models as disaster recovery backup systems.
Building on XIV Gen3’s remote monitoring capabilities, IBM announced the availability of XIV Mobile Dashboard for the Apple iPhone, which lets customers monitor XIV systems from virtually anywhere. The app will be available for download at no cost from the Apple Online Store. IBM released the XIV Mobile Dashboard for the Apple iPad® in October 2011.

About IBM 
For more information on IBM XIV Storage System Gen3, please visit http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/storage/disk/xiv/          

Monday, February 27, 2012

IBM Philippines Wins ANVIL Award for Centennial Celebration of Service

IBM Philippines won a coveted ANVIL Award for its entry -- Making Our Communities Work Better:  IBM’s Centennial Celebration of Service in the 47th Anvil Awards ‘Gabi ng Parangal’ held February 24, 2012, at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Mandaluyong City.  


The esteemed ANVIL recognition was given to IBM for its outstanding public relations program directed at employees, retirees and their families. 

Commemorating its centennial in 2011, IBM embarked on the Centennial Celebration of Service initiative last year to enhance the company culture of mobilizing its employees to resolve societal issues through transfer of skills and volunteerism. 

“The Centennial Celebration of Service was embraced and greatly supported by IBMers in the Philippines, delivering over 38,000 volunteer hours, equivalent to around 13 years of community services to several organizations in support of their causes," said Mariels Almeda Winhoffer, President and Country General Manager, IBM Philippines.   

In 2011, IBM Grants were awarded to Philippine Business for Social Progress for Mangrove Reforestation, CNN Hero: Efren Penaflorida’s Kariton Klasrum, Bantay Kalikasan of ABS CBN Foundation and Ayala Foundation, among others.


Considered the "Oscars" of the Public Relations (PR) industry, the Anvil Awards is an annual event organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines to recognize exceptional PR programs and tools implemented in the previous year.   It is the symbol of Excellence in the public relations practice in the Philippines.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

ASEAN CHIEF MARKETERS: UNPREPARED FOR COMPLEXITY OF THE DIGITAL ERA -- IBM STUDY

IBM today announced to local clients the results and implications of a recent study of more than 1,700 chief marketing officers (CMOs) from 64 countries and 19 industries.  Around 70 chief marketers from the ASEAN region participated, of which 10% came from the Philippines.  The study revealed that the majority of the world’s top marketing executives recognize a critical and permanent shift occurring in the way they engage with their customers, but question whether their marketing organizations are prepared to manage the change.

At the same time, the research shows that the measures used to evaluate marketing are changing. While 59 percent of ASEAN CMOs (Global: 63 percent) think return on marketing investment (ROI) will be the primary measure of the marketing function’s effectiveness by 2015, even among the most successful enterprises, they feel insufficiently prepared to provide hard numbers.

And most of these executives – responsible for the integrated marketing of their organization’s products, services and brand reputations – say they lack significant influence in key areas such as product development, pricing and selection of sales channels.

“IBM has embarked on this study to understand how the marketing profession is responding to the dynamic forces changing business today.  Interestingly, the perspectives shared are in line with those across the executive suite.  IBM has conducted similar interviews with CEOs, CFOs, CIOs and CHROs over the past eight years and more importantly, over the last 100 years globally and 75 years in the Philippines, IBM has observed, responded to and transformed businesses in line with or ahead of global business and markets evolution,” said Mariels Almeda Winhoffer, Country General Manager, IBM Philippines. 

“From a company that sells, clocks, weighing scales, PCs, etc – IBM has transformed to become the premier Globally Integrated Company, harnessing the potential of its global presence and putting work where it can be done best based on the right talent, skills, economics and overall business environment.  As a result, IBM is now a higher-performing, more resilient business today than it was several years ago.”

Digital Revolution is Transforming the Marketplace
“Globalization has brought the world to everyone’s backyard. Today, everyone is a broadcaster, publisher and a critic – there is nowhere to hide, and transparency is the new price of entry. What all these translate to is that there are more data from more sources, but less clarity,” said Charles Njendu, Senior Engagement Manager, Global Business Services, IBM ASEAN.

Customers are sharing their experiences widely online, giving them more control and influence over brands.  This shift in the balance of power from organizations to their customers requires new marketing approaches, tools and skills in order to stay competitive. CMOs are aware of this changing landscape, but are struggling to respond. 

“The inflection point created by social media represents a permanent change in the nature of customer relationships.  Approximately 90 percent of all the real-time information being created today is unstructured data. CMOs who successfully harness this new source of insight will be in a strong position to increase revenues, reinvent their customer relationships and build new brand value,” added Njendu.


Unprepared for Complexity
The IBM study found that while 76 percent of ASEAN CMOs (Global: 79 percent) expect a high to very high level of complexity that their organizations will have to master over the next three to five years, compared to today, only 40 percent (Global: 48 percent) feels prepared for the expected complexity. This represents a complexity gap of 36 percent (Global: 31 percent).

Collectively, the study findings point to four key challenges that CMOs everywhere are confronting that will be pervasive, universal game changers for their marketing organizations over the next three to five years.

  1. Explosion of data (ASEAN: 56 percent, Global: 71 percent)
  2. Social media (ASEAN: 64 percent, Global: 68 percent)
  3. Channel and device choices (ASEAN: 48 percent, Global: 65 percent)
  4. Shifting demographics (ASEAN: 52 percent, Global: 63 percent)

To grapple with the first of the four challenges – data explosion – ASEAN CMOs are more likely to deploy tools and technologies over the next three to five years, including their use of social media (ASEAN: 93 percent, Global: 82 percent), customer analytics (ASEAN: 89 percent, Global: 81 percent), and customer relationship management (ASEAN: 85 percent, Global: 81 percent) tools.

Despite this urgency to change, CMOs cite cost (ASEAN: 63 percent, Global: 72 percent), a lack of ROI certainty (ASEAN: 61 percent, Global: 61 percent), and tool implementation issues (ASEAN: 36 percent, Global: 47 percent) as roadblocks that are preventing them from already adopting new tools and technologies available.

In order to deal with the broad level under preparedness, CMOs signal three key domains of improvements – deliver value to empowered customers, foster lasting connections, and capture value and measure results.

Delivering Value to Empowered Customers
One reason why most organizations struggle to get the customer insights they need is that they still focus on understanding markets rather than individuals. Although CMOs identify customer intimacy as a top priority, and recognize the impact of real-time data supplementing traditional methods of channel marketing and gathering market feedback, most say they remain mired in 20th century approaches. 

The majority of the CMOs surveyed are still focusing primarily on traditional sources of information such as market research (ASEAN: 84 percent, Global: 82 percent), competitive benchmarking (ASEAN: 83 percent, Global: 80 percent), and sales campaign analysis (ASEAN: 61 percent, Global: 68 percent) to make strategic decisions.

Traditional sources of information are important, of course. However, most of them have one big drawback – they can only show customers in aggregate, offering little insight into what individual customers need or desire.

Relatively few CMOs are exploiting the full power of the digital grapevine. Although nearly three-quarters of CMOs (ASEAN: 70 percent, Global: 74 percent) use customer analytics to mine data, only 29 percent of ASEAN CMOs (Global: 26 percent) are currently tracking blogs, 41 percent (Global: 42 percent) are tracking third-party reviews and 46 percent (Global: 48 percent) are tracking consumer reviews to help shape their marketing strategies. This is largely because the tools, processes and metrics they use are not designed to capture and evaluate the unstructured data produced by social platforms.

Njendu likened marketers who underestimate the impact of social media to those who were slow to view the Internet as a new and powerful platform for commerce. Like the rise of e-business more than a decade ago, the radical embrace of social media by all customer demographic categories represents an opportunity for marketers to drive increased revenue, brand value and to reinvent the nature of the relationship between enterprises and the buyers of their offerings. Marketers who establish a culture receptive to deriving insight from social media will be far better prepared to anticipate future shifts in markets and technology.

Fostering Lasting Connections
Proactive CMOs forge customer relationships that continue after the sale; and they fortify this bond by creating a corporate character that manifests itself in everything their employees do and say.

More so than their global peers (Global: 67 percent), 83 percent of ASEAN CMOs see enhancing customer loyalty and advocacy as the top priority for investing in digital technologies.

Despite this stated priority, most CMOs are, in fact, still focusing on the transaction, and less on the data required to build lasting relationships with the customer. 70 percent of ASEAN CMOs (Global: 61 percent) are using data primarily to segment and sell; not to generate awareness, stimulate interest, and build loyalty and advocacy.

Capturing Value, Measuring Results
Most CMOs have not traditionally been expected to provide hard financial evidence of their ROI. But given the current economic volatility and pressure to be profitable, organizations can no longer afford to write a blank check for their marketing initiatives. CMOs recognize they now need to quantify the value they bring to the business, be it from investing in advertising, new technologies or any other activity.

In fact, 59 percent of ASEAN CMOs (Global: 63 percent) believe ROI on marketing spend will be the most important measure of their success by 2015. While not all of them (ASEAN: 54 percent) feel fully prepared to be held accountable for marketing ROI, ASEAN CMOs (54 percent) appear to fare better than their global peers (44 percent). Other important measures to gauge marketing success are the positivity of customer experience (ASEAN: 56 percent, Global: 58 percent), the ability to convert and attract new customers (ASEAN: 54 percent, Global: 48 percent), and overall sales (ASEAN: 51 percent, Global: 45 percent).

If CMOs are to be held responsible for the marketing returns they deliver, they must also have significant influence over all “Four Ps”: promotion, products, place and price. The study found that this is often not the case.

CMOs say they exert a strong influence over promotional activities such as advertising (ASEAN: 85 percent, Global: 84 percent), external communications (ASEAN: 87 percent, Global: 82 percent) and social media initiatives (ASEAN: 70 percent, Global: 73 percent). But, in general, they play a smaller role in shaping the other three Ps – having less impact on new product development, and even lesser sway over key parts of the pricing process or channel selection.

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About the Global CMO Study
The 2011 IBM Global Chief Marketing Officer Study is IBM’s first study of CMOs — and the fifteenth in the ongoing series of C-suite Studies developed by the IBM Institute for Business Value.  Between February and June 2011, IBM met face to face with 1,734 CMOs in 19 industries and 64 countries to better understand their goals and the challenges they confront. The respondents came from a wide variety of organizations, ranging from 48 of the top 100 brands listed in the 2010 Interbrand rankings to enterprises with a primarily local profile.

To access the full 2011 IBM Global CMO Study, visit http://ibm.com/cmostudy.