Technology and Piracy: Two Sides of the Same Coin

With all the laws being passed to protect against piracy, one would think that piracy is necessarily a bad thing. We are taught that piracy deprives individuals of income and are that violators would be subject to a hefty fine and/or imprisonment.

Its always big news whenever there are new developments in the patent battle between Apple and Samsung. Each company makes it appear that the other is the copycat and that each has sole rights to the different designs that they came up with.

The fact of the matter is, in the technology and electronics business, each new idea spurs from an idea that was borrowed and maybe even copied from a rival technology corporation.

The film Pirates of Silicon Valley is a perfect example of what a little bit of piracy, patent infringement or copyright infringement can do to help make everyone's life better and to spur innovation.

Here we have Bill Gates who "copied" Steve Jobs' Mac Operating System to develop what we now use as the Windows Operating System.

We have Steve Jobs who "copied" the technology for the mouse from xerox and integrated it into "Lisa" and the "Macintosh."

In the movie, we also see how the drive to innovate and succeed can make one a very wealthy individual. Enjoy!

The Battle of Silicon Valley (please click on link below)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wO4criRWMoQ

Group Project:

Ocana, Prado, Tiopianco

Norman Roland E. Ocana III

Identity Theft (Credit Card Fraud)

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is a form of stealing someone's identity in which someone pretends to be someone else by assuming that person's identity, typically in order to access resources or obtain credit and other benefits in that person's name. And although most people might think that identity theft is a crime that proliferated with the advent of the Internet, it has been around for probably as long as there have been identities to steal. Here’s a little bit of information about it.



**We had a hard time figuring out why the video was cut in half when we embedded it in this blog. Please refer to this link to see the whole video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSGk0RqK2Q4&list=HL1331794480&feature=mh_lolz.

Team Members:

Maricor Estrella
Joni Gomez
Aris Mascenon

Another version: Cyber Crimes: Destroy Others, Destroy Yourself

Team Members: Jan Bunag, Adrian Bustos, Mary Rhauline Lambino, Entry No. 13

Cyber Crimes: Destroy Others, Destroy Yourself

It is undeniable that ICT is now part of a large portion of the world's population's lifestyle. Yet the ordinary person, at least in the Philippines, is bereft of any real remedy from stalking, bullying, false accusations, identity theft, and other forms of harassment gathered from or spread through the Internet. This music video is our take on cyberstalking and cyberbullying and how it can make or break an individual. May you be entertained. Team Members: Jan Bunag Adrian Bustos Rory Lambino

FOE

When death becomes a wanted friend, the foe must be a terrifying one.

The Internet can be a terrifying foe. By itself, it is largely a neutral arena. But in the hands of an individual or a group of people motivated by nothing but acrimony, the Internet can be wielded in such a manner it transforms into the scythe of death.

A ‘cyberbully’, more often than not, has no intentions of inflicting death. However, depending on the emotional disposition of the targeted victim, the words or actions of the cyberbully may lead the victim to seek death as the ultimate deliverance. When untimely death, or even emotional distress, is caused by cyberbullying, the malice of some coupled with the immense reach of the Internet creates an incomparable foe like no other.

What cyberbullying does is to animate the terrifying foe inside the mind of an individual unto the Internet and transforming the Internet into another terrifying foe of an unimaginable attitude. And perhaps that is how to beat cyberbullying: by tempering the foe inside the minds of so many before it spills over into the Internet.

Let this be our way of joining the fight against this foe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QStIlcKROss

Aldan S. Avila and Nathan Marasigan, Entry No. 13

Don't believe everything you see online.

Not everything you see or hear online is true. Not all the people you meet can be trusted. There are cyberpredators looking to take advatage of your naivete. Some people hide viruses, worms or bots which will attack your computer, sometimes even in links which point out your computer's vulnerabilities. Some forms asking for your information, no matter how legitimate, are actually used for phishing and identity theft. And don't even get us started on all the links, emails and advertisements promising that you won something. As the Filipinized English saying goes, "It's true good to be true."

You've seen and heard all about the shit people say. However, shit doesn't just come out, it also goes in. Here's a video of shit that people actually believe online.


ICT class video, group #1
Video by Christine Gomez, Daniel Luis Convocar, Christopher Columna
With thanks to "actors" Tony Oposa, Doms Obias and Rex Regis

Group Buying Sites: Secret's Out!

Wondering why Deal Grocer can offer a vacation package at almost 70% off? Intrigued about how Metro Deal can offer you a branded watch at almost 65% off its original price? Curious about why Clever Buy sells a lipolite session only for a price 60% off its clinic price?

We've seen those ads too. And like you, we were also dying to know the 5Ws and 1H of their industry. So we investigated and got answers. Watch our video and, like us, be informed.

Group 3 Members:

Diana Lutgarda P. Bonilla

Agnes M. Santiago

Candice See

Diana Lutgarda P. Bonilla, Entry #13

Previous Entries: 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

On Cyber bullying.

I remember back in elementary school, bullying meant being harassed face to face-whether physically or verbally. What was essential was that the bullying had to be done in your presence, or with you being physically there. Nowadays the term bullying has moved on to an entirely different sphere-cyberspace. In many ways the bullying that occurred back in my day was much more tolerable.

Why? Bullied kids back then had the weekend away from school so they had some respite from their tormentors. Victims of cyberbullying, meanwhile, have no refuge. The harassment is constant and may be done through SMS or websites. What’s worse is the information spreads like wildfire and is often very difficult to remove.

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage in cyberbullying as opposed to traditional bullying is the difficulty of attributing the wrong to a single person. No one specific person can be held accountable. Punishing those responsible for the offense become problematic thus there is absolutely no deterrent for the abusive behavior.

It is in light of this problem that my partner (Aldan Avila) and I chose to make this video on cyber-bullying. Consider it our contribution in the fight against this growing problem : )

Nathan J. Marasigan and Aldan Avila, Entry No. 13

To buy or not to buy?

Group buying sites have become so popular!

the amazing discounts on travel, food, luxury items...

the tempting deals...

the so-good-to-be-true offers...

It's no wonder one can easily be lured to just click "Buy!" deal after deal after deal. But are consumers really informed of the nature of these sites and why these deals are offers at low prices?

Our group decided to make a video on what group buying sites are, how they work, and what consumers can do in the unfortunate event that they do not get the deal they wanted and paid for.

Group 3

Members:

Diana Bonilla

Agnes M. Santiago

Candice See

Agnes M. Santiago, Entry No. 13

Previous entries: #12, #11, #10, #9, #8, #7, #6, #5, #4, #3, #2, #1

Group Buying Sites: Deal or No Deal

Wondering why Clever Buy can make you pay only P19998 for a Coron adventure for 4, including roundtrip airfare, transfers and 3D/2N accommodation with daily breakfast? (That's 62% off!)

Curious about how Metro Deal can sell a Fabulous Hair Rebonding & Blow Dry, including Wash, Haircut and Hot Oil Treatment, for only P999 instead of the usual price of P8,000? (Only 1,211 coupons were sold.)

How about a beginners class on Firearm Handling and Target Shooting offered by Deal Grocer? (There's still 10 days left for those who are interested.)

Well, we were curious too and we made a video of the findings of our amateur sleuthing. It exposes their system, spots issues and risks, identifies applicable legal provisions and points to responsible agencies.

Be informed how this growing industry is making money. Know how it works and learn how to be cautious. Make your purchases wisely.

Diana Lutgarda P. Bonilla

Agnes M. Santiago

Candice See

Blog Entry #13

Jobs v. Gates

Was it all just friendly rivalry?

Steve Jobs on Bill Gates:

"He really never knew much about technology, but he had an amazing instinct for what works."

Bill Gates on Steve Jobs:

"What I can't figure out is why he is even trying (to be the CEO of Apple)? He knows he can't win."

Jobs on Gates:

"Bill is basically unimaginative and has never invented anything, which is why I think he's more comfortable now in philanthropy than technology. He just shamelessly ripped off other people's ideas."

Gates on Jobs:

"He faced, several times at Apple, the fact that their products were so premium priced that they literally might not stay in the marketplace. So the fact that we were succeeding with high volume products, you know, including a range of prices, because of the way we worked with multiple companies, it's tough."

Watch how it all began and ended.

The Battle of Silicon Valley

Group project by: Tiopianco, Prado, Ocana

C M Prado, Entry # 13

The Battle of Silicon Valley

"Good artists copy, great artists steal."
The semi-fictionalized story of the battle to create the computer age.

Inspired by the movie "Pirates of Silicon Valley" (1999), the video shows how two of the most important men of the past three decades purloined their way to immortality. Forget about Zuckerberg duping the Winklevoss twins. Steve Jobs did it to Xerox first; and Bill Gates, well, did it to Steve.

Group project by: Tiopianco, Prado, Ocana

Francis Paolo Tiopianco, Entry #13

Previous Entries: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

CyberThieves

This Video shows how sometimes internet users may become vulnerable and fall victims to identity theft and credit card fraud.

Danjun Lucas

Blog Entry 12

CyberThieves

This Video shows how sometimes internet users may become vulnerable and fall victims to identity theft and credit card fraud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6rlf2mwrEA&feature=youtu.be&noredirect=1

Youthieves

When going online and creating your own mini world of information such as what school you went to, what sites you usually check and join, the people you add, the pictures you upload, we rarely think about the implications of filling up the simple preliminary forms they usually require. These forms are usually disguised as a marketing tool or even just as a database of the site we are attempting to join or enter. These information in fact, now become part of the property of the site and are free to use it whichever way they want since we gave the information on a silver platter.

What more when you go online shopping.

When shopping in this medium, being a delicate one involving contracts and money, we are required to give away our credit card information our home address and our personal telephone or mobile phone in order to verify the sale as being a valid one. These information, although usually guaranteed by the company involved to be kept confidential, retain their inherent vulnerability and keeps the online shoppers exposed to possible identity theft or fraud.

The video above shows a concrete example of a man who's identity was stolen with some serious repercussions. Enjoy.

Group Members:

Danjun Lucas

Trisha Fernandez

Angeli Serapio

By Trisha Isabelle F. Fernandez Entry #13

Shogun Total War

Back in 2000, the most popular RTS titles came from then gaming giant Westwood or the up and coming Blizzard. RTS or Real Time Strategy games had a common formula that was popularized in the early 90's hit "Dune" by Westwood. You start out with a base, gather resources, build structures and then produce units to engage in combat. The immediate success of Westwood's Dune was followed by the Command and Conquer series which made the RTS a firm genre in the gaming scene. Game Developer Blizzard was quick to come into the scene with a Tolkienesque RTS series entitled Warcraft, (yes Warcraft was an RTS before an MMORPG). In 1998 Blizzard came out with arguably the best RTS of all time, Starcraft which pretty much relied on the Warcraft formula but was set in outer space. All these games more or less followed the pattern of Dune, build a base, gather resources etc. 

And so in 2000 when a small British company called Creative Assembly came out with a title called Shogun Total War, it received scarce attention since all the big developers had titles that were at the top of their game. 

Most mainstream RTS gamers remember Rome Total War (came out around 2004), as their first Total War Game but this wasn't the first. 

I remember playing Shogun for the first time in the States when my uncle (an avid flight simulation gamer)  let me use his PC. What first strikes you about Shogun is the amount of creative effort put into immersing you in the Japanese setting during the 1560's. Everything from the sound to the artwork are all taken from the period and provide an excellent background to the gameplay itself. What was revolutionary about total war was its synthesis of an RTS and a Civilization type game. 

The Civilization series was a turn based (as opposed to Real Time) strategy game where you settled lands, built cities, researched technologies and then engaged in warfare. It was also a very popular title series but formed an entire genre distinct from RTS games. 

Shogun Total War managed to meld the two genres into what has become a trademark of the Total War Series, a turn based game with Real time battles. The Campaign map in Shogun Total War is similar to a Risk board, or a map divided into provinces and locations. Each Province you control grants you resources and you are allowed to build structures and units in that area. The production is turn based and done in an interface similar to the Civilization Series. Your armies move from one province to another, each movement taking up one turn. The fun starts when you invade an enemy province or are invaded yourself. 

When a battle takes place in Shogun, it happens in real time. The screen moves from the campaign map into an actual rendering of the battleground. Hills, rivers, forests and farmlands are rendered as well as the troops you have. Shogun was also the first to translate actual tactical advantages into gameplay values in an RTS setting. To illustrate, in other RTS's the game was mostly a drop down view of the action with the battleground completely flat and fighting was mostly a rock paper scissors affair. In Shogun, if you placed your units on the high ground, combat bonuses were added. If your archers were on a hill, they could fire farther, if your infantry was in a forest, they could hide and engage cavalry better. The permutations were endless. It all provided for one the first and accurate tactical simulations in a video game. 

Shogun went largely unnoticed because the graphics were not as "colorful" as the prevalent RTS game at the time. However, Creative Assembly successfully tested their game model and acquired a loyal fan base. Shogun paved the way for CA to eventually release its much more renown hits like Medieval and Rome Total War.         

Ernesto Mario S. Mascenon Jr. 

Blog Entry

Access Devices Regulation Act

Aside from the penalty provisions of the E-Commerce Act to punish cybercrimes, there exists RA 8484 otherwise known as the Access Devices Regulation Act. The declaration of policy of this law states that the government "recognizes the recent advances in technology and the widespread use of access devices in commercial transactions. Toward this end, the State shall protect the rights and define the liabilities of parties in such commercial transactions by regulating the issuance and use of access devices". An access device is most usually a credit card or like instrument. A majority portion of the law sets out details that credit card companies must set forth and disclose to its customers. The pertinent provisions of the law regarding cybercrime are found in sec. 9 which enumerate the

Prohibited acts:

"(a) producing, using, trafficking in one or more counterfeit access devices;
 
(b) trafficking in one or more unauthorized access devices or access devices fraudulently applied for;
 
(c) using, with intent to defraud, an unauthorized access device;
 
(d) using an access device fraudulently applied for;
 
(e) possessing one or more counterfeit access devices or access devices fraudulently applied for;
 
(f) producing, trafficking in, having control or custody of, or possessing device-making or altering equipment without being in the business or employment, which lawfully deals with the manufacture, issuance, or distribution of such equipment;
 
(g) inducing, enticing, permitting or in any manner allowing another, for consideration or otherwise to produce, use, traffic in counterfeit access devices, unauthorized access devices or access devices fraudulently applied for;
 
(h) multiple imprinting on more than one transaction record, sales slip or similar document, thereby making it appear that the device holder has entered into a transaction other than those which said device holder had lawfully contracted for, or submitting, without being an affiliated merchant, an order to collect from the issuer of the access device, such extra sales slip through an affiliated merchant who connives therewith, or, under false pretenses of being an affiliated merchant, present for collection such sales slips, and similar documents;
 
(i) disclosing any information imprinted on the access device, such as, but not limited to, the account number or name or address of the device holder, without the latter's authority or permission;
 
(j) obtaining money or anything of value through the use of an access device, with intent to defraud or with intent to gain and fleeing thereafter;
 
(k) having in one's possession, without authority from the owner of the access device or the access device company, an access device, or any material, such as slips, carbon paper, or any other medium, on which the access device is written, printed, embossed, or otherwise indicated;
 
(l) writing or causing to be written on sales slips, approval numbers from the issuer of the access device of the fact of approval, where in fact no such approval was given, or where, if given, what is written is deliberately different from the approval actually given;
 
(m) making any alteration, without the access device holder's authority, of any amount or other information written on the sales slip;
 
(n) effecting transaction, with one or more access devices issued to another person or persons, to receive payment or any other thing of value;
 
(o) without the authorization of the issuer of the access device, soliciting a person for the purpose of:

1) offering an access device; or
 
2) selling information regarding or an application to obtain an access device; or

(p) without the authorization of the credit card system member or its agent, causing or arranging for another person to present to the member or its agent, for payment, one or more evidence or records of transactions made by credit card."

According to the PNP Handbook, these prohibited acts can be generalized into two common forms of credit card fraud: Account Take Over and "Skimming". Account take over is usually done by a person getting your personal information and billing statements (like stealing from your real-life mailbox). This person then usually redirects the credit card delivery to his or her own residence and subsequently impersonates and uses your account.

Skimming is a far more insidious manner of fraud. When we use credit cards, the machine they use to swipe the card reads the magnetic strip and subsequently forwards the data to your bank or whatnot. Unscrupulous persons can actually rig these machines to not only read but also copy the data on the magnetic strip. Once the data is acquired, its an easy task to create a fake card with a copy of the strip. Experts can make cards of such quality that its almost impossible to detect the fraud on the face of the card.

Ernesto Mario S. Mascenon Jr.
Blog Entry

Google Play

It is obvious in this generation that what we seek is convenience in everything. We like to do things in a speed of light. We like “automatic”. We like “instant”. We like “express”. Everything that will make our lives easier will definitely find a market in us. This is what Google is trying to do with its offerings in the Android Market.   

Google rebranded its Android Market, Google Music, and its online eBookstore into Google Play. Google will upgrade its Android Market app to Google Play and Google Play Music, Google Play Books, and Google Play Movies will be the names that will be used by Google's music, books, and movie storefronts. For some reason, this new branding will not take effect to some countries like Canada, U.K., Australia, and Japan.

This rebranding does not go with significant technical changes. Everything else will operate the same except that all the Google Play services will be consolidated by a cloud. This means that content can be shared across every Google device like Android phones, tablets, and Google TVs. All the user has to do is to log in to his Google account. That easy. No more hassle of syncing your devices every time one of those devices gets an update. You can now enjoy and even share your movies, books, music and apps on the web and on your Android phone or tablet. Google Play is entirely cloud-based. This means that all your movies, books, music and apps are stored online. So they will always be available to you. You don’t have to move them from a device to another device and you will never lose them. These are the functional benefits which go along with the rebranding.

source:www.pcmag.com

Adrian Francis S. Bustos, Entry #12 

Chronicles of the Anonymous: Cons

Proceeding from the premise that hacktivism is aggression, anti-hacktivists would also argue against the freedom of speech aspect raised by pro-hacktivists. Since by their destructive acts, they can be considered as using force in their aggression-critics assert that this can hardly be considered a promotion of the freedom of speech. How so?

Freedom essentially means the right to be left alone. When a hacktivist vandalizes a website, automatically there is an invasion of the right to freedom of speech of another individual, or group of individuals. Thus, there can only be promotion in its truest sense where each individual acknowledges, and more importantly, respects the freedom of another. Promotion necessitates tolerance of other views.

Perhaps the greatest criticism against hacktivism then is that it does not promote freedom of speech, rather it encourages and uses invasions of freedom. With a supposed “noble” cause that is more apparent than real, hacktivists really engage in acts that have always been at a great cost to others. Fuelled by a misplaced sense of justice and egged on by the mob, hacktivists in their quest to solve the ultimate problem, have themselves become part of it.

This blog does neither condemns nor discourages hacktivism, but only seeks to present both sides of the coin and document the exploits of the hacktivist group Anonymous. It should be said, however, that cybercrime of any sort cannot and should not be endorsed. Overall, millions of Internet users around the world are affected each year by cyberattacks, with many resulting in identity theft and massive financial losses. The fundamental question really (disregarding technicalities, legal jargon and stripping it down to the bare issue) is: should hacktivism be considered a cybercrime?

Nathan J. Marasigan, Entry No. 12

The Same, but Different

If there is one thing that cannot describe student politics in the University of the Philippines, it is the word boring. Year in and year out, neatly-dressed (well, most of them) individuals of various personalities with funny tag lines make their way around their respective colleges.

For candidates vying for University-wide positions, the task is even harder since they have to campaign in all of the colleges in the campus. This particular year, nostalgia hit me as I realized that some things never ever change. (by the time I graduate, I would have spent a decade of my life as a student in UP Diliman)

Things like, creating a tag line. Given the number of classrooms that they have to enter and the limited time they have (usually around 5 mins) each candidate has to leave a lasting impression or name recall. This is usually done by coining a funny quip to say at the end of the spiel.

The passion of students supporting their respective parties also never diminishes. As familiar faces come and go, there is always some party member who appears ready to go to war for the party they represent.

Black propaganda is also something that has been part of the culture of UP Politics. Although it is roundly condemned by the University, the fact of the matter is all political parties engage in it at one time or another. Particularly if they are threatened by a seemingly strong candidate.

This year saw the first transgender USC chairperson. Mr./Ms. Gabriel "Heart" Dino won by around 500 votes over the next candidate. This year also produced an openly bisexual vice-chairperson. The win of these two candidates is a big step forward for the LGBT movement in and out of the university. By having the incoming chair and vice chair of the premiere State University among their ranks, the plight of this sector will surely be given its share of the spotlight. Oh, and for the first time in a long time, STAND-UP is the minority party. It would be interesting to observe the working dynamics of the next student council.

Hmm... perhaps some things do change.


Norman Roland E. Ocana III, Entry # 10

Saving Gas

Pump prices have steadily gone up since after Christmas.

I remember, going into January, the price of regular unleaded gasoline was something like 51.90 Pesos to a liter. Just this morning, the big 3 (Petron, Shell and Caltex), announced another round of oil price hikes. As if the current price of 57.15 Pesos to a liter for unleaded gas was not high enough. The government refuses to exempt oil from among those which are subject to VAT, thus resulting to even higher pump prices as the price of imported crude goes up.

So... aside from taking the train, jeep or other forms of public transportation to get to and from places, I decided to find out the easiest ways to maximize fuel consumption which I am sharing here with everybody:

1. Slow down

One of the best ways to save gas is to simply reduce your speed. As speed increases, fuel economy decreases exponentially. (Just be sure you keep to the right, so you won't impede the less-enlightened.)

2. Check your tire pressure

Under-inflated tires are one of the most commonly ignored causes of crummy MPG. Tires lose air due to time (about 1 psi per month) and temperature (1 psi for every 10 degree drop); under-inflated tires have more rolling resistance, which means you need to burn more gas to keep your car moving. Buy a reliable tire gauge and check your tires at least once a month. Be sure to check them when they are cold, since driving the car warms up the tires along with the air inside them, which increases pressure and gives a falsely high reading.

4. Accelerate with care

Jack-rabbit starts are an obvious fuel-waster -- but that doesn't mean you should crawl away from every light. If you drive an automatic, accelerate moderately so the transmission can shift up into the higher gears. Stick-shifters should shift early to keep the revs down, but don't lug the engine -- downshift if you need to accelerate. Keep an eye well down the road for potential slowdowns. If you accelerate to speed then have to brake right away, that's wasted fuel.

5. Hang with the trucks

Ever notice how, in bad traffic jams, cars seem to constantly speed up and slow down, while trucks tend to roll along at the same leisurely pace? A constant speed keeps shifting to a minimum -- important to those who have to wrangle with those ten-speed truck transmissions -- but it also aids economy, as it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving. Rolling with the big rigs saves fuel (and aggravation).

6. Get back to nature

Consider shutting off the air conditioner, opening the windows and enjoying the breeze. It may be a tad warmer, but at lower speeds you'll save fuel. That said, at higher speeds the A/C may be more efficient than the wind resistance from open windows and sunroof. (Just make sure your not about to meet a client or something)

7. Back off the bling

New wheels and tires may look cool, and they can certainly improve handling. But if they are wider than the stock tires, chances are they'll create more rolling resistance and decrease fuel economy.

8. Clean out your car

Periodically go through your car and see what can be tossed out or brought into the house. It doesn't take much to acquire an extra 40 or 50 lbs. of stuff, and the more weight your car has to lug around, the more fuel it burns.

9. Don't drive

reiterating what i mentioned earlier at the start of this article.. Take the train, carpool, and consolidate your shopping trips. Walking or biking is good for your wallet and your health. And before you get in your car, always ask yourself: "Is this trip really necessary?"

Norman Roland E. Ocana III, Entry # 9

Trial Pad

There has been so much fuss about the third generation iPad these days that I decided to read about it a little. Interestingly enough, I came across an application (app) that was created for lawyers to be used in trial as a tool for presenting evidence. The app is called Trial Pad. I was curious; what was this exactly? According to the website, Trial Pad “is a powerful legal document management and presentation tool developed for the legal profession for use in a trial, hearing, or ADR setting. Using TrialPad you can organize, manage, annotate, and store your documents and video while leveraging the portability of your iPad. TrialPad was designed by professional trial consultants who have helped lawyers present at trial for more than a decade. Unlike PDF readers, it lets you create separate case folders, organize and sort important documents, and dynamically annotate and present them via its flexible output options. TrialPad's plug and play simplicity, and intuitive user interface, literally puts your next presentation into your hands.” (http://www.trialpad.com)

Another writer describes it as “a form of presentation software that displays evidence (or other documents) and allows lawyers to seamlessly cycle between different parts, as well as easily annotate (highlight, sticky notes, etc). It connects directly from your iPad to the standard projection software available in most courtrooms, enabling lawyers to easily review, annotate, and scroll through digital files directly before the jury. Think of it like a Powerpoint that’s much easier to annotate before a group and doesn’t require the forced linearity of the presentation.” (http://lawwithanapple.com)

This is interesting because it does away with so much of the hassle of having to physically produce so many pieces of documentary evidence in court during trial. It also seems like a better way to manage cases, and to present evidence in a clear and organized manner. Of course, so many issues begin to creep up the moment we introduce pieces of evidence in digital form. And unfortunately, although this sort of technology seems like a great way to handle the hundreds of cases that lawyers deal with on a daily basis, I really think that we are hardly prepared to welcome it in the Philippine context.

Joni R. Gomez, Blog Entry # 12

RICHEST FILIPINOS

Early this week, Forbes Magazine released their annual list of billionaires in the world. For 2012, the list included 1,226 billionaires all over the world who have a collective net worth of US$4.6 trillion. Among these are 6 Filipinos: Henry Sy, Lucio Tan, Andrew Tan, Enrique Razon, Eduardo Cojuangco, and Roberto Ongpin.

According to Forbes, 87-year old Henry Sy is the richest Filipino, whose new worth is about US$8 billion. Henry’s success story started out in his father's bodega in Quiapo where he opened a shoe store in 1946. He now controls the Philippines' largest mall developer. He also founded the SM Investments Corporation, one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines.

Next in line is 77-year old Lucio Tan, who has a net worth of US$3.5 billion. Among the companies which Tan controls are Asia Brewery, the second largest brewery in the Philippines, Tanduay Holdings, one of the world's largest rum makers, Fortune Tobacco, the largest tobacco company in the country, Philippine Airlines, the Philippines' flag carrier.

Andrew Tan is the third richest Filipino, with a net worth of US$2.1 billion. An immigrant from China, he did odd jobs to put himself through college. He saved money he earned as a kitchen appliance salesman to buy a distillery and made his first fortune in brandy. He now owns Megaworld Corporation, a real estate corporation engaged in developing condominiums, Emperador Distillers Incorporation, which is best known for its brandy, and Golden Arches Development Corporation, which possesses the McDonald's franchise.

Enrique Razon, who has a total net worth of US$1.9 billion, is the fourth richest Filipino. He is engaged in the port business as the owner of International Container Terminal Services, a Manila-listed company which has operations in 17 countries.

The 76-year old Eduardo Cojuangco is the fifth richest Filipino. He is the chairman of San Miguel Corporation, the largest food and beverage corporation in the Philippines. His total net income is US$1.3 billion.

Rounding up the list is Roberto Ongpin. This 75-year old businessman is worth US1 billion. He has investments in property, gaming, mining and telecommunications. He also heads Top Frontier, an investment company, which has a controlling interest in San Miguel Corporation.

Angeli I. Serapio, Entry #12