FEATURES

Naranasan mo na bang magbitbit ng iyong smartphone, ngunit wala kang mapaglagyan kapag kailangan mo muna itong ilapag?

Mayroong solusyon ang Motorola diyan sa pamamagitan ng kanilang bendable phone.

Ang bendable phone ay isang concept design mula sa Motorola kung saan matutupi na ang smartphone mo, maaari mo pa itong isuot na parang bracelet.

Kung pamilyar ka sa existing foldable phones, mapapansin mo ang central hinge nito, o ‘yung kumokonekta sa dalawang panels ng phone. Wala ito sa bendable phone ng Motorola.

Bukod pa rito, imbes na isang buong battery, gumagamit ang bendable phone ng ilang maliliit na batteries. Dahil sa mga ito, posibleng tiklupin sa anumang hugis o anggulo at gamitin katulad ng smartwatch ang bendable phone.

Upang mas tumibay naman ang kapit ng smartphone, kailangan mong magsuot ng isang metal watch band. Agad itong didikit sa bendable phone dahil mayroong magnets ang likod nito.

Dagdag pa rito, automatic itong magge-generate ng wallpaper na base sa iyong suot, para mag-match ang bendable phone sa style ng iyong OOTD!

Dahil concept phone pa lang ito, hindi pa tiyak kung ilalabas ang bendable phone para sa publiko o hindi.

Pero kung may pagkakataon, susubukan mo bang gumamit ng bendable phone?

This year, the Philippines will solely be represented in Google Play’s Indie Games Accelerator (IGA) program by one-woman game developer and publisher Camilla Santiago, also known as CLOVER-FI Games.

Santiago is known for her indie mobile game Window Garden, the beta version of which was released on Google Play back in October 2021, created after she learned app development during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Window Garden—an idle game that lets players plant and decorate their own virtual indoor garden and relax in its chill vibes, lo-fi music, and cottagecore aesthetic—has been well-received by gamers, with a 4.7-star rating right now on the platform.

The Google Play IGA is a 10-week course designed for high-potential indie game studios to access the best of Google’s programs, products, people, and technology to be able to build and improve a successful organization.

The last Philippine representative in the program was Ranida Games, which had created one-on-one fighting game Vita Fighters and improved it through the benefits granted by the IGA.

In the same vein, Santiago’s goal is to create cozy games that are accessible to everyone through mobile platforms, and the IGA is set to equip her with the skills and experience needed to create another hit like Window Garden, as well as a potentially successful career in game development.

Download Window Garden, Vita Fighters, and other noteworthy indie games on Google Play now.

Nagcra-crave ka na ba sa ice cream? Kung oo, bakit hindi mo subukan ang akutaq o Eskimo ice cream ng Alaska?

Hindi ito katulad ng nakasanayan nating ice cream dahil imbes na gatas, gawa ang akutaq sa meat and fat ng reindeer!

Gawa ang Eskimo ice cream sa pinaghalo-halong karne at taba ng hayop, seal oil, ground fish, dried salmon eggs, at berries. Bukod sa reindeer, ginagamit din ang moose, walrus, whale, o kahit anong available sources sa lugar.

Unang ginamit ang Eskimo ice cream bilang special traveling food. Inihahanda rin ito sa mga espesyal na okasyon na pinagsasaluhan ng komunidad. Pwede itong gawing palaman sa tinapay o kainin bilang dessert, snack, o kaya naman meal.

Kahit gawa sa karne, matamis ang lasa ng Eskimo ice cream, dahil na rin sa fresh berries na inilalagay rito. Mayroon din itong delicate, fruity flavor at smooth, silky texture.

Kakaiba man ang ingredients nito, ngunit gaya ng pangkaraniwang ice cream, masarap ang akutaq na nagbibigay saya sa sinumang kakain nito.

Noong kabataan natin, mayroon tayong mga paboritong pinaglalaruan; mayroong mga mahilig sa action figures, video games, o teddy bears. Ngunit ibahin mo itong isang batang lalaki dahil imbes na laruan, buhay na buwaya ang dala-dala niya!

Sa viral video, makikitang nakapasan sa likod ng bata ang isang maliit na buwaya. Tila walang kaba at takot na nararamdaman ang bata habang naglalakad kasama ang kakila-kilabot na hayop.

Isa ang buwaya sa mga pinakamapanganib at pinaka-agresibong hayop sa buong mundo. Mabilis itong gumalaw, sa tubig man o sa lupa. Dahil sa kanilang malalaking katawan, matatalas na ngipin, at matitibay na panga, hindi nakapagtatakang marami ang takot sa predator na ito—maliban na lang sa batang lalaki na nasa video.

Maaaring noon pa man, exposed na ang bata sa mga buwaya. Nauunawaan na niya ang kanilang pag-uugali at pag-iisip.

Posible ring pinamumugaran ng reptilyang ito ang lugar, kaya sanay na ang mga nakatira rito sa mga buwaya.

Kinaaliwan naman ng netizens ang viral video. Mayroong nagbirong suot ng bata ang totoong Lacoste; habang ang iba naman, natutuwa dahil tila pagod at lasing ang buwaya.

Sa kabila nito, hindi dapat pinaglalaruan o sinasaktan ang mga buwaya dahil pinapanatili nitong malinis at maayos ang mga katubigan para sa ibang hayop. Dahil sa kanila, well-balanced at functioning ang ecosystem.

Kung hindi protektahan at tuluyang mawala ang mga buwaya, tiyak na malaki ang magiging pinsala nito sa kalikasan.

Pamilyar ka ba sa Nido Soup?

Ito ang Filipino version ng Chinese Bird’s Nest Soup. Gawa ito sa pugad ng ibong swiftlet.

Sa Amerika, higit sa $100 o P5,500 ang presyo ng isang bowl ng Bird’s Nest Soup. Ang mahal, ‘di ba?

Ito ay dahil mahal din ang pugad na main ingredient nito na nagkakahalaga kada kilo ng $5,000 hanggang $10,000 o tumataginting na P270,000 hanggang P550,000. Dahil sa presyo nito, tinatatawag ang Bird’s Nest Soup bilang “Caviar of the East.”

Ayon sa Traditional Chinese Medicine, nakatutulong ang Bird’s Nest Soup sa pagkakaroon ng mabuting kalusugan at magandang kutis. Naniniwala rin silang magpapagaling ito ng cancer. Dahil sa medicinal properties nito, naging mataas ang demand ng Bird’s Nest Soup.

Tatlong beses sa isang taon, gumagawa ng pugad ang swiftlet o balinsasayaw gamit ang kanilang laway.

Delikado ang pangongolekta ng pugad ng balinsasayaw dahil napakataas ng kinalalagyan nito sa mga kweba at bangin; ngunit para sa karamihan, sulit ang kanilang paghihirap.

Sa Pilipinas, matatagpuan sa El Nido, Palawan, ang napakaraming pugad ng balinsasayaw. Sa katunayan, dito nakuha ng lugar ang pangalan nito na nangangahulugang “The Nest.”

Hindi naman basta lang maaaring kumuha ng pugad ng balinsasayaw sa El Nido at sa iba pang parte ng Palawan dahil kailangan munang makakuha ng permit mula sa Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) upang maprotektahan ang lugar at ang populasyon ng ibon.

Kahit napakamahal, walang lasa ang Bird’s Nest Soup na kadalasang inihahalintulad sa gulaman. Gayunman, napalalakas nito ang metabolism at resistance ng sinumang kumain nito, kaya hanggang ngayon, hinahanap-hanap pa rin ang putaheng ito sa buong mundo.

More than 21k employees, security guards, janitors, other agency personnel, customers, BFP personnel in more than 106 SM malls, offices and properties participated in 3rd SM Supermalls and Bureau of Fire Protection Nationwide Simultaneous Fire Drill on March 13, 2024.

The drill simulated the occurrence of a 7.2. magnitude earthquake which resulted to destructive fire, explosion of gas farm, and collapsed of some structures with injuries to people inside the mall, missing persons, and trapped victims. SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City was the main venue of the fire drill. 

2 ‘victims’ rescued by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Mandaluyong City from the bridgeway of SM Megamall using the aerial ladder truck – was one of the highlights of the activity.

The Mandaluyong City Fire Station, Mandaluyong CDRRMO, PNP, MMDA, barangay, together with SM’s fire brigade teams and tenants demonstrated their respective capabilities including rope rescue and high angle rescue by the BFP Special Rescue Force, tenant employees demonstrated how to use fire blankets and fire extinguishers, and SM Fire Brigade Team as first responders on the scene. 

The nationwide simultaneous fire drill is one of the ways in which SM affirms its contribution to the creation of risk-resilient societies. The Public-Private Partnership with the BFP give priority to the constant training of SM’s personnel to respond to disasters including earthquakes and destructive fires. This in turn help in ensuring the safety of SM’s stakeholders including costumers, tenants, employees, nearby communities and the general public. 

Present in the Megamall Fire Drill were L-R: FSupt Nazrudyn M. Cablayan (Mandaluyong  City Fire Marshal), Ian Mathay (SM Supermalls Megamall AVP), Atty. Pearl Jayagan Turley (SM Supermalls AVP for Corporate Compliance), CSupt Manuel Golino (BFP Director  for Fire Safety Enforcement), Engr. Liza B. Silerio (SM Supermalls VP for Corporate Compliance), Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin Abalos Sr.,  USec Serafin Barreto of DILG,  Engr. Junias Eusebio (VP Mall Operations of SM Supermalls),   SSupt Rodrigo Reyes (ARDO of BFP NCR).

It’s a summer like no other at SM Seaside, where imagination takes flight into a world where Jurassic inspires imagination at Dino Huetopia, the newest multi-sensory attraction located at the Mountain Wing Atrium of SM Seaside City Cebu. This vibrant display brings back these prehistoric Dinosaurs to life in a vivid display of colors that is sure to captivate audiences of all ages. As you wander through the attraction, be prepared to hear the thunderous roars of the dinosaurs echoing through the air, adding an extra layer of excitement to your visit.

But the fun doesn’t stop there – kids can also participate in the weekly Artventures of Dina & the Dino Squad every Sunday. Let Dina and her trusty Dino Squad lead you to a creative journey filled with arts and crafts inspired by the ancient world of dinosaurs.  

Be summer-ready with Dino Huetopia’s Summer Market, where you’ll find everything from toys to seasonal must-haves.

Let the vibrant hues of summer lead you to SM Seaside City Cebu and hop on a radiant neon adventure at Dino Huetopia – where the past comes alive in a burst of color and excitement. Follow SM Seaside City Cebu (Official) on Facebook to catch more exciting SM Wonderland attractions coming your way this year!

Everyone’s favorite dining destination – Food On Four at SM Aura – is back, and as the city’s newest food and market hall, it’s springing up exciting new flavors and elevated culinary experiences. 

Food On Four’s stunning transformation features bright, contemporary, and inviting interiors, almost reminiscent of springtime, with décor inspired by the season: vibrant wildflower blooms, pockets of lush foliage and potted palms, and delightful hummingbird hologram installations. An impressive central skylight and floor-to-ceiling windows bathe the space in light.

Diners are spoiled for choice with Food On Four’s exciting lineup of tenants, catering to every craving and palate – from chef-driven concepts to exciting new players and returning crowd favorites.

Food enthusiasts are in for a gastronomic treat with chef-driven concepts: Deli by Chele by Chef Chele González and Chef Carlos Villaflor, a New York-style deli bringing to Manila its signature pastrami and artisanal sandwiches; Kevin Ong Patisserie by Chef Kevin Ong renowned for his exquisitely handcrafted chocolate bonbons, choux pastries, and mirror-glazed mousse cakes; Nadai Fujisoba by Japanese Chef Yoshiaki Kudo, casual Japanese dining specializing in authentic soba noodles; Le Chon Prime by Chef Happy Ongpauco-Tiu who brings a different twist to the usual lechon by incorporating French techniques and flavors to the beloved Filipino dish. 

Soon to open is Diggy’s California Style Pizza, headed by Chef Carlos Garcia, who has over 14 years of experience at Michelin-starred restaurants in Madrid and London. Diggy’s California Style Pizza’s SM Aura branch will be first in the market; and Delimondo Café by Chef Hermogenes Hernandez serves up all-day comfort food such as rice bowls, pasta, and coffee.

Whetting our appetites are soon-to-open tenants: Saboten Express, coming straight from Shinjuku, Tokyo in Japan, Saboten is known for being one of the largest Tonkatsu chains, serving crunchy cutlets of pork, chicken, and seafood; Pronto, an on-the-go food retail concept that specializes in serving epicurean dishes and wholesome meals. They will have a retail row offering a curated selection of gourmand finds from wines, preserved goods, truffle snacks, and more. Pronto’s SM Aura branch will be the first in the market; likewise, Malabar is set to revolutionize traditional beverage offerings with their unique and innovative take on both cocktails and non-alcoholic options, opens its first branch at Food On Four. 

Whether you’re craving classic comfort food or looking for exciting new flavors to tickle your palate, Food On Four is a culinary haven waiting to be explored.  

Food On Four is located on Level 4 at SM Aura.