I Got FREE Stuff from Bitly and LightDims

2012/11/30

Some people don’t believe that you can’t get FREE Stuff on the Internet. You can. AND, two of them arrived in the mail last night.

bitly stickers

(1) Bitly stickers. Bitly, a URL shortener service, ran a sticker campaign last August to promote their bundle feature. A bundle is simply a group of links. AND as a registered user, you can have several of these bundles. In my case, I ONLY have a Java bundle.

bitly bundle

Don’t get me wrong. The bundle is a COOL idea, but I don’t like it. The screen just takes up so much whitespace. What I’d really like is just rows of links, in a compact format. That won’t stop me from using bit.ly as a URL shortener though. They do a good job with that.

AND, Bitly also does a good job with Customer Service. Aside from the stickers, they also sent a handwritten note talking about my Java bundle. I’m touched. Totally unexpected, but THUMBS UP, Bitly!

(2) LightDims stickers. What?! Stickers again? Yeah, there’s just something about stickers (especially brand stickers), that makes me want to collect them. BUT, this one is really, really special. They’re not your grandfather’s stickers. These are LED Light Blockers from LightDims, which I got for answering a survey. Yay!

lightdims stickers

You know LED? Those energy-efficient lights you see in nearly all gadgets like TVs, cellphones, and what-nots? They’re lovely, and they have a purpose – like telling you where they are in the dark. BUT these LED lights can be really annoying, especially when you’re trying to sleep. AND that’s what these LightDims stickers are for, so you can cover those lights. Brilliant, no? PERFECT!

I swear I found something like this in a mall in Cebu, but I’m not so sure. If you know where I can find them, PLEASE let me know. You can never have too many of them in different shapes! But if you can’t find them, and you really want them right now, try LightDims, or my favorite geek shop on earth, ThinkGeek.

Leave a Comment » | Free | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by gchang

Decode Van Heusen QR Code, and Get a FREE Wallet

2012/06/17

It’s Father’s Day, and what a better way for Van Heusen (Ayala Center Cebu) to share the love by giving out FREE wallets. These 3-fold leather wallets could possibly be synthetic… But HEY, it’s FREE, and it’s Van Heusen! Now, that’s CLASSY.

van heusen wallet

All you have to do is to decode this QR code on the cashier’s table:

Not cool enough to have QR Code Scanner on your phone? If you’re on Android, download Barcode Scanner by ZXing Team, and scan the code above. You’ll get an awesome FREEBIE. Almost.

Van Heusen FREE Wallet QR Code

Of course, you need to be at the Van Heusen shop to claim your wallet. Last I checked, there were still 3 people (including me) who claimed the FREEBIE. This PROMO is good for TODAY only. So go, and claim yours NOW!

Van Heusen, Ayala Center Cebu

AND if you’re on a spending spree, you might also want to check out their polo shirts. Some of them have QR Codes too, like this one:

Van Heusen Polo Shirt

What will this get you? Why, a FREE Van Heusen undershirt. Cool.

Van Heusen FREE Undershirt QR Code

Van Heusen is probably one of the first few establishments to use QR Codes as part of their Marketing strategies. Now, let’s see which other shops will follow suit. On a side note, Van Heusen gets minus points from me for NOT USING Foursquare. *grin*

Leave a Comment » | Free, Technology | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by gchang

Cebu StackOverflow Meetup on May 26 (Sat)

2012/05/20

Last 28 April 2012 (Sat), StackExchange members around the world celebrated the 2nd Annual StackOverflow Meetup Day. So where were the Hackers, Programmers, Designers, other Tech folks of Cebu, Philippines? Busy with preparations [meetups, trainings, etc] for Startup Weekend Cebu of course — with WaitKnowMore going home first place last May 13 (Sun)! Read the SunStar link for more details.

For this delayed Cebu StackOverflow Meetup, we will be doing a series tech talks with 6 speakers. If you have been to Startup Weekend Cebu last May 11 (Fri) – May 13 (Sun), most of their faces will be familiar to you! They have been there either as an organizer, a mentor, a participant, or goodness.. a winner! So, who will be speaking? These GEEKS:

  1. Albert Padin (SpellDial.com)
    Google AppEngine and its SO Support Community
  2. Carlos Tapang (Centerus, Inc)
    Why Copy-Paste is Very Harmful to Your Code
  3. Greg Montaño (Accenture)
    Version Control and Continuous Integration
  4. Daryl Yu (Lexmark)
    Git is AWESOME. So, Why are You Using it Like SVN?
  5. Mark Buenconsejo (CareSharing)
    Code Review Using Gerrit
  6. Jeremie Lim (Morphlabs)
    Experiences, Interfaces and the Other Fluff That Matters

These guys have 20-30 minutes each to bore AMAZE! you with their talks. AND, here’s where we’ll be DIFFERENT: During the Q&A portion of their talks (part of the 30 mins), EVERYONE is FREE to ASK and ANSWER. If you didn’t get one of the keywords in the last sentence, I repeat: ANSWER. In true StackOverflow sense, we ENCOURAGE open collaboration and sharing of ideas. So, don’t be shy, and share your knowledge! We’ll be giving out StackOverflow stickers (while supplies last) to those who participate!

Interested? Register NOW. It’s FREE!
WHAT: Cebu StackOverflow Meetup 2012
WHO: Hackers, Programmers, Designers, Tech folks!
WHERE: 17/F i3 Bldg., Cebu I.T. Park, Apas
WHEN: May 26 (Sat), 2012. 2PM – 5PM.
COST: FREE!
REGISTRATION: 50 PAX only! Click me to register.
HASHTAG: #SOMeetup

OTHER INFO.
Organizers: Geff Chang, Daryl Yu, Anna Umacob
Co-Organizer: DevCon Philippines (Thank You!)
Food & Drinks: BYO
Extension Wires (laptop): BYO / Share
Tables: Possibly None; Laptops on your lap?
WiFi: None / BYO
What You Need to Bring: Yourself, Laptop?

Of course, we will be giving out a StackExchange FREEBIE (while supplies last) for those who REGISTER at our Meetup page! Thanks to StackOverflow! No RSVP, No FREEBIE.

DISCLAIMER: The Organizers are not connected to StackOverflow in any way. We are doing this for the love of Technology.

2 Comments | Events, Free, Technology | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by gchang

FREE Filipino Sign Language Class from GSVP

2012/04/24

I have always been interested in Sign Language, especially since I am hard of hearing. At first I thought I’d learn American Sign Language (ASL); because if you look around, all the books you’ll find are on ASL. So, I thought that’s what the Deaf here in the Philippines also use.

I was wrong.

Last year, December 2011, I passed by a registration booth at the Ayala ActiveZone that offered FREE Filipino Sign Language (FSL) classes. I asked the person-in-charge if they taught ASL. He told me to write down my questions; he was Deaf. Turns out the Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme (GSVP) only taught FSL, but I signed up anyway.

The first session started around the last week of January 2012, and took 8-9 Saturday sessions. The teacher is Deaf, but a Hearing volunteer (and Program Director) facilitated and interpreted.

Learning FSL is going frustrating at first, especially when you only know a few words (or signs) to start with. It will to be diffult to express your thoughts, or to say what you really want to say. I want you to remember that frustration when the Deaf enter the world of the Hearing. Can you  feel what they go through everyday?

But as you go along, you’ll realize that FSL is fun, and that the Deaf are amazing people to be with! They’re very expressive (just look at their faces when they’re signing!), and generally happy.

Here I am with fellow FSL classmates who finished Basic FSL last March 2012! We’re looking forward to Level 2!

So, if you’re interested in learning FSL, the Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme Inc. (GVSP) is holding another FREE Basic Filipino Sign Language (FSL) class. This is in cooperation with the Cebu Association of the Deaf (CAD), and the Gualandi Mission for the Deaf.

WHERE:
Fr. Joseph Gualandi Social Center
5 Emerald St., Saint Michael’s Village
Banilad, Cebu City, Philippines

WHEN:
Mon-Fri classes: May 3 – Jun 3, 2012
Sat classes: starts May 5, 2012
Sun classes: starts May 6, 2012

TIME:
2:00PM – 4:00PM

REQUIREMENTS:
1pc 2×2 ID picture
Photocopy of 2 valid IDs

FOR INQUIRIES AND RESERVATIONS:
Contact: Program Office
Telefax: (032) 416-7381
Mobile: (Sun) 0932 202-7333
Email: gualandivolunteers@yahoo.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GVSPphilippines

Learn FSL, and Make a DEAFFERENCE!

2 Comments | Events, Free | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by gchang

Bo’s Coffee (Terraces) FREE DRINK UPSIZE on 4sqDay

2012/04/11

It’s official! Bo’s Coffee (Terraces) in Ayala Center Cebu will join the world in celebrating Foursquare Day on April 16 (Mon). If you check-in their Foursquare venue from 7:45 – 10:00PM, any drink you order is automatically UPSIZED for FREE! Just show your checked-in phone to the barista. Take note: ONE checked-in user, ONE upsize.

Plus, you also get to pick any ONE of these official Foursquare FREEBIES: (1) a Foursquare badge pin, (2) a Foursquare logo sticker, or (3) a Foursquare tip sticker. No purchase necessary. Just show up, check-in at Bo’s Coffee (Terraces), and look for the guy handing them out in the area. That’s me, obviously.

If you’re a business owner, you can also ask for a Foursquare cling sticker. Stick them on your shop’s glass door or window, and tell your customers to check-in! #awesome

AND because it’s Foursquare Day, we’ll be attempting to unlock the first-ever SWARM badge in Cebu. On April 16 (Mon), from 7:45 – 10:00PM, stay checked-in at Bo’s Coffee (Terraces). When we hit 50 checked-in users, we’ll start unlocking that elusive SWARM badge. So, come be a part of history. Check-in with us in Foursquare! RSVP here.

Foursquare Day 2012 FREEBIES. The Best of Cebu City 2012.

Bo’s Coffee website. Bo’s Coffee facebook. Bo’s Coffee twitter.

1 Comment | Events, Free, Technology | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by gchang

RUNNR Academy Cebu Day 2 Resumes on April 11

2012/04/09

RUNNR will resume its Day 2 session of the RUNNR Academy in Ayala ActiveZone on April 11 (Wed). RUNNR Academy is a FREE 5-day running clinic conducted by RUNNR every Wednesday at 7PM.

The first session started last March 28 (Wed), and was opened by Raffy Osumo, RUNNR’s running consultant. It was followed by a motivational talk by ultramarathoner Haidee  Acuña, who shared her reasons for loving the sport.

A 2-hour session (more or less) consists of two parts: (1) lecture, and a (2) 5K paced group run.

The remaining topics to be covered are:

  • Mar 28 (Wed) Orientation, Opening
  • Apr 11 (Wed) Natural Running Form
  • Apr 18 (Wed) Resistance Training for Runners
  • Apr 25 (Wed) Common Running Injuries
  • May 2 (Wed) Nutrition & Hydration or Kinesio Taping

This is the incorrect route I ran on the first day (an extra KM!):

So again, the sessions are FREE (Man, I love that word!). Also, those who finish all 5 sessions will get a chance to win Newton shoes which they will raffle off. I think there will also be a FREE shirt or singlet at the end, but I’m not sure. But even if you miss the chance to win the shoes, all the tips you learn from this clinic will be a great help in your running journey.

1 Comment | Events, Free | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by gchang

Cebu City Foursquare Day 2012 Meetup Swag

2012/04/03

Hey, Cebu City! Are you excited to unlock the Foursquare Day 2012 badge on April 16 (Mon)?

No? Well, I guess I’ll have to keep all these Foursquare freebies for myself. Yep, you read that right! FREEBIES. Man, I just love that word. I’ve got cute button pins, and foursquare stickers just for you people of Cebu! These are exactly the same stuff you see in the Foursquare Store, all sent by Foursquare themselves!

So, come join us at the Foursquare Day Meetup in Bo’s Coffee in Ayala Center Cebu from 7:45PM – 10:00PM. RSVP here. If at least 50 of us check-in at Bo’s Coffee, we just might unlock the first-ever Swarm badge in Cebu City (after 2 failed attempts last momth).

Please note that I am not related nor connected to Foursquare in any way.

4 Comments | Cebu, Free, Technology | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by gchang

GCHANG in the Year 2011

2011/12/31

The year I was jobless for 3 months, and regretted not having jobsearched earlier.

The year I nearly got into IBM, and eventually signed for Accenture.

The year I learned Siebel, and now have to forget about it.

The year I joined Yammer, and supported the use of corporate social media.

The year I got hospitalized, and grateful it wasn’t dengue.

The year I started running, and still yet have to make my first 10K.

The year I drank wheatgrass, and wondering if it’s all snake oil.

The year I built a portfolio of private trackers, and getting high on downloads.

The year I joined online raffles, and winning a good number of them.

The year I fried my laptop motherboard, and glad it was under warranty.

The year I plugged in two 110-volt gadgets into 220-volt mains, and still hating it.

The year I reached an all-time high in eBay, and still keeping the faith in online sellers.

The year I joined Citisec Online, and started investing in Philippine stocks.

The year I acquired a brand new phone, and loving my first Android.

The year I got my hands on Kindle DX, and saving trees one book at a time.

The year I bought from Manning and O’Reilly, and still yet have to try Packt and SitePoint.

The year I started blogging in WordPress, and still thinking about my niche.

The year I saw Transylvania move to private domain, and still wishing for new blood.

The year I attempted to make new friends, and still sucking at it.

The year I planted trees, and still look forward to more environmental activities.

The year I started collecting celebrity autographs again, and supporting local entertainment.

The year I had extreme disgust for the Aquino administration, and will continue to do so.

The year I lived through the deaths of Osama bin Laden, Muammar Gaddafi, and Kim Jong Il.

The year I lived through the loss of tech wonders Steve Jobs, Dennis Ritchie, and John McCarthy.

The year I lived through countless disasters all throughout the world, including Philippines’ Pedring and Sendong.

And so there goes another boring year in the life of #GCHANG.

Why, hello there, 2012! Happy New Year, folks!

2 Comments | Cebu, Celebrity, Events, Free, Links, Personal, Politics, Technology | Permalink
Posted by gchang

What PDF Files Look Like on Kindle DX

2011/12/18

During Thanksgiving Day – which doesn’t exist in the Philippines, by the way – I managed to snag a Kindle DX with a 120-dollar discount from Amazon. With a deal like that, it’s hard not to click the Check Out button. Sure, the Kindle Fire is all the rave now, but it isn’t e-Ink. And it certainly isn’t big enough for tech ebooks, either – or for PDF files.

Now, I’m not going to go into the details of the Kindle DX. Just go to this Amazon link; it’s pretty much what it says. And, I’m not going to go into unboxing photos either; just head to my FaceBook album. Instead, I’m going to show you what a PDF file looks like on the Kindle DX.

Apart from the notes, and the cropping and resizing of photos, I have not changed the the pictures in any way. They are fresh from the camera. And unless specified, all the photos were taken in vertical Kindle layout.

But before anything else, you should see what a native Kindle book looks like. Below is Final Price (J Gregory Smith), which happens to be a free download right now. If you don’t have a Kindle, but want to check out Kindle books on your PC, dowload the free Kindle for PC software.

IMG_6636

That looks good, right?

Now, let’s take a look at a PDF file which I transferred from my PC into the Kindle. This is a cropped cover of
HTML5 & CSS3 For The Real World (SitePoint):

IMG_6638

But how about the text? Is it good enough? Fortunately, yes.

IMG_6640

And the mix of text and photos? A seamless blend.

IMG_6642

For once, here’s a technology done right, until one of the photos goes rogue. I have no idea what causes this, or how it is any different from the images in the photos above.

IMG_6643

After all that good stuff, you didn’t expect that now, did you? Wait ’til we get to the magazine. For now, here’s some quacking UML from Head First Design Patterns 2e (O’Reilly) for the not-so-1337 dude who hates food bloggers.

IMG_6645

Then, here’s the cover of the RUNNING Times magazine.

IMG_6646

Looking inside, the page doesn’t look so good on vertical layout. I know the small image doesn’t do it justice. But, I’ve got 20/20 vision. So trust me when I say the text is fuzzy. Really fuzzy.

IMG_6647

But if you adjust the Kindle to horizontal layout, it gets better. Definitely readable. Don’t mind the colors for the horizontal and vertical layout photos; it’s just a camera issue.

IMG_6648

So there, folks, is what a PDF would look like on a DX (firmware v2.5).

Overall, this was a worthwhile purchase. Heck, it was a steal! Plus, buying ebooks are cheaper, lighter (to carry), and more tree-friendly. But who’s to know about plastics and electronics? Biggest downside, however, is it’s difficult to flip between different pages, especially if you need to refer to them from time-to-time. DX is a little slow to flip, too.

But again, the Kindle DX is a great gadget for book readers!

2 Comments | Free, Technology | Permalink
Posted by gchang

Get ready for the new Experts Exchange!

2011/11/10

For the longest time, I’ve always wanted to start a blog, but never got around to it. Then today, I read about a FREE official Experts Exchange v.10 t-shirt offer in their newsletter. The catch? To post an Experts Exchange Beta Badges on my blog. So here it is, folks! I introduce to you EE’s latest offering, a redesigned Experts Exchange.

Large Experts Exchange VIP Badge

There.. Click on that badge, and find out what’s new. For one. No, two.. the Webinars and the Job Board look interesting. So I’m definitely looking forward to the beta access. And the free shirt, of course!

And of course, today, gchang’s blog is officially born. Cheers!

3 Comments | Free, Technology | Permalink
Posted by gchang

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