Treasure Jar

ASUS Philippines teams up with world-renowned industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue, bloggers David Guison and Arisse de Santos, for a regional competition offering Filipinos a one-of-a-kind chance to be the designer of their own ZenFone 2 case.

How exciting!

For the #ZenLooks competition, designs showcasing the diverse beauty of our local culture along with a unique design will be chosen.

Internationally acclaimed and multi-awarded industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue and style authorities David Guison and Arisse de Santos will help amplify the call for their fellow Filipinos to join in by creating their own designs for this competition by submitting an original case design for the ZenFone 2 inspired by the Philippines’ national colors.

Cobonpue focuses his attention on the shades and shapes of nature as his design inspirations for #ZenLooks.

On partnering with ASUS Philippines for the competition, he says, “I feel humbled to be a part of a global movement that allows Filipinos to express their creative identities through a personal must-have that accompanies them in their day to day. Our mobile phones, and what we do with them, say a lot about who we are and what we love.”

Admitting his personal affinity for the ZenFone 2, he declares, “It’s the perfect phone for this campaign. As a designer, the ZenFone 2 allows me to express my personal aesthetic. It’s very important that a device latches on to its owner’s views. And as for its performance, I like that it doesn’t compromise speed and promises such a rich photography experience for anyone who appreciates style.”

He concludes, “#ZenLooks is consistent with my personal advocacy of creating original and unique designs while promoting local culture. It’s a collaborative effort between the ASUS team and aspiring artists to produce an art piece inspired by the Philippine’s iconic elements.” Continue Reading »

Tags: #ZenLooks, ASUS ZenFone 2, ASUS ZenFone 2 Case Design Contest

If you want to have a Noche Buena ala Chef Sau del Rosario, head over to the Maya Kitchen this Saturday, 9am – 1pm on December 5, 2015.

Chef Sau will demonstrate and cook the following scrumptious recipes that are just perfect for a unique Noche Buena for your family and friends:

• Tamales, rice flour simmered with coconut, annatto and shrimp stock topped with peanuts, chicken and quail eggs;
• Chicken Galantina, ground chicken, chorizo, Vienna sausage, capers, raisins, eggs, ham and bacon;
• Salt-Baked Salmon, salmon covered then cooked with egg whites and salt served with orange and rosemary beurre blanc sauce;
•  Brazo de Mais, infused with corn and molded to look like a real corn. It is stuffed with pastry cream and layered with egg whites.

Chef Sau del Rosario credits his culinary talent to his Kapampangan roots. He studied at the University of the Philippines for a bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Administration and obtained culinary education in Paris, France.

He has worked in Michelin restaurants in Nice, Paris, Shanghai, Bangkok and in Raffles Singapore. After moving back to Manila 8 years ago, Chef Sau opened the restaurants Chelsea, M Café and Le Bistro Vert to mention some.

Today, Chef Sau is the Culinary Director for Center for Culinary Arts Manila (CCA). He is also a recipient of Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awards for Culture (MOKA) and a few months ago, he added author to his many accomplishments by publishing his own cookbook, 20 Years of Love + Cooking.
The ever creative and energetic chef will soon open 2 restaurants, ‘Lola’s Boy’ in Angeles City set to welcome diners on December 15 and ‘93 North’ along H.V. dela Costa Street, Salcedo Vilage, Makati which is set to open in February 2016.

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For more information on this and on other course offerings, log on to www.themayakitchen.com e-mailcontactus@themayakitchen.com or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No. +63929 679 6102. Call and reserve a slot now!

Tags: Chef Sau at the Maya Kitchen, Cooking lessons, cooking lessons The Maya Kitchen, Noche Buena with Chef Sau at the Maya Kitchen

ASUS Releases Most Powerful Ultrabook Yet

As ASUS introduced its new line-up for every type of user, the title “the most powerful Ultrabook yet” caught my attention.

With 6th generation Intel® Core ™ processors for extra mobility and improved performance and pre-installed Microsoft Windows 10, I’m sure there is more to these new laptops than meets the eye.

ZenBook Pro UX501 is an ultra-high-performance laptop with a timeless and classic design. It is 20.6mm thin for easy portability with spun-metal finish. Some features are brushed metal surfaces and diamond-cut chamfers to add brilliant highlights while the keyboard surround has stylish laser-engraved ripple-effect pattern.

The following are some features of ASUS ZenBook ProUX501
• 15.6-inch Visual Master multi-touch display with 4K/UHD 3860 x 2160 resolution that is 4x higher than HD (wow!) Stunningly details and lifelike images will surely delight the senses.
• quad-core 6th generation Intel® Core ™ processor, gaming-grade NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ 960M 4GB DDR5 graphics and the world’s fastest 256GB PCI Express® (PCIe®) x4 SSD.
• an outstanding battery life of more than six hours from its high-capacity 96Wh lithium-polymer battery.
Specifications:
UX501
CPU – i7-4750HQ
GPU – GTX 960M 4G DDR5
Storage – 256GB SSD
RAM – 12G
Screen – 15″ 4K2K
ODD – [SATA] 8.9″mm 8X Super Multi with Double Layer
OS – Windows 10 (64bit)
WiFi – 802.11bgn+Bluetooth 4.0 (Single band)
USB Port – 3x USB 3.0
Battery – 60WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion Polymer Battery Pack
SRP – Php89,995.00

Stylish Notebook with ultra-fast SSD storage : ZenBook UX305LA
The ZenBook UX305LA Ultrabook™ measures just 12.3mm thin, making it one of the world’s slimmest 13.3-inch FHD laptop.

The following are the features of ASUS ZenBook UX305LA:
• weighs only 1.2kg
• powered by the new 6th generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor for seamless multitasking, and features a lightning-fast up to 512GB solid-state drive (SSD).
• 13.3-inch display has an up to QHD resolution.
• Available in a sophisticated new Gold color with ZenBook’s signature spun-metal finish, or a silky-smooth Ceramic Alloy shade

Specifications:

UX305LA
CPU – i5/ i7
GPU – Intel HD graphics
Storage – 512GB SSD
RAM – 8GB
Screen – 13″ FHD/ QHD
ODD – N/A
OS – Windows 10 (64bit)
WiFi – 802.11ac+Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual band) -Intel WIDI
USB Port – 1x USB 2.0
2x USB 3.0
Battery – 56WHrs, 3S2P, 6-cell Li-ion Polymer Battery Pack
SRP – Php 59,995 (i5 version) / 65,995.00 (i7 version)

Tactile metallic surfaces and a solid build quality : ASUS K555LB has a solid build quality, and feature a minimalist aluminum design with crafted lines for a premium feel with a brushed-aluminum top cover finished in black and a sandblasted palm-rest.

The following are the features of ASUS K555LB:
• powered by 6th generation Intel® Core ™ i7 processor for fast and responsive multi-tasking computing;
• can be specked with up to NVIDIA GeForce GT 940M graphics with Microsoft DirectX® 11 for fast and fluid gaming visuals and movie playback as well.
• 15-inch LED-backlit, 4k QHD panel
• provides 94% sRGB color gamut for accurate, life-like colors when handling design tasks, watching movies, or viewing photos.
• ASUS K555LB has ASUS IceCool technology that uses a unique internal component layout to address palm-rest heating issues.
• K555LB laptops have a seamless one-piece keyboard for a solid typing feel, along with a large touchpad with ASUS Smart Gesture technology to support a range of Windows 10 touch commands for quicker, responsive input.
Value-packed with all the essentials, the X555UB reinvents your daily computing experience.

The following are the features of X555UB:
• 6th generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor and GT940 graphics card
• Instant on that resumes your computer from sleep mode in 2 seconds
• USB 3.0 for 10 times faster data transfer speed.
• comes equipped with SonicMaster technology and ASUS AudioWizard to bring you high fidelity audio.

Lessen your worries on your PC with ASUS’ notebook 2-year global warranty!
Now you have the opportunity to protect your investment with an extended global warranty worth Php2,500. This is available to select ASUS notebook models with pre-loaded Microsoft Windows™ 10.

X555UB
CPU -i7-6500HQ
GPU – NV940 2G
Storage – 1TB
RAM – 4GB
Screen – 15″ FHD
ODD – [SATA] 8.9″mm 8X Super Multi with Double Layer
OS – Windows 10 (64bit)
WiFi – 802.11bgn+Bluetooth 4.0 (Single band)
USB Port – 1x USB 2.0
2x USB 3.0
Battery – 37WHrs, 2S1P, 2-cell Li-ion Polymer Battery Pack
SRP – Php 44,995.00

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About ASUS
ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world’s best-selling, most award-winning motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets and smartphones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 4,326 awards in 2014 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC™. ASUS has more than 13,600 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of 4,500 engineers. Company revenue for 2013 was approximately US$14 billion.

Tags: ASUS computers, ASUS K555LB, ASUS laptops, ASUS ZenBook, ASUS ZenBook ProUX501, ASUS ZenBooks, ZenBook UX305LA, ZenBook UX305LA Ultrabook™

ASUS ROG Next-Gen Gaming Notebooks

ASUS recently released the new ROG series notebooks at an exclusive event at the Valkyrie Club in Taguig.

The following are the common features of these gaming laptops:

• 6th generation Intel® Core ™ processors

• new chassis and upgraded hardware

• Microsoft Windows™ 10

• ASUS’ 2-Year Warranty Parts and Services included

For Hardcore Gamers : ASUS ROG G752

The new ASUS ROG G752 is powered by the 6th-generation Intel® Core ™ i7 quad-core processors paired with Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M graphics processors with up to 8GB of GDDR5 video memory, specifically made for Hardcore gamers and enthusiasts.

Nvidia G-Sync technology is standard on all varieties. An anti-ghosting gaming keyboard that supports up to 30-key rollover, 2.5-mm long-travel keys, Thunderbolt 3.0 technology with USB Type-C, and up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM. The G752 also has a FHD resolution IPS display to maximize the viewing experience.

Efficient dust-release thermal tunnel.

The unique thermal design of ROG G752 helps prevent internal dust build-up. Hot exhaust is efficiently managed and expelled through the rear vents to direct heat away from you for more comfortable gaming sessions.

For Mid-Range Gamers : GL552

GL552, a high-performance gaming laptop powered by up to 6th-generation Intel® Core™ i7 processors and NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ 960M graphics with DirectX 12 support. GL552 has ASUS-exclusive GameFirst III network optimization, a highly-responsive, low-profile, red-backlit keyboard with specially-marked WASD keys, and an up to Full HD IPS display with wide viewing angles. It bears the distinctive G Series lines and has a user-friendly design that provides access to the drive bay and memory slots for easy upgrades. Full-on ROG gaming performance and classic design ROG GL552 is made for gaming and primed for creativity, with up to 6th-generation quad-core Intel Core i7 processors for the performance to power the latest gaming titles and discrete NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics with Microsoft DirectX 12 for sharper visuals and smoother in-game animations.

The new gaming notebook retains the classic stealthy F-22 Raptor-inspired lines popularized by ROG’s G Series, with angled surfaces giving GL552 a dynamic, powerful stance — for a design that’s as attractive as it is strong.

Commanding keyboard, maximum storage flexibility instant upgradability GL552 sports a stylish low-profile keyboard, with easy-touch keys that operate with a travel distance of 1.8mm for a perfect gaming response. The marked WASD key group and dedicated numeric pad enable fast, full control. Manufactured as a solid, one-piece construction, the entire keyboard is illuminated by a ROG-red backlight for anytime visibility.

GL552 also offers maxed-out storage options, with an up to 1TB hard disk drive and an up to 128GB M.2 solid-state disk (SSD) available as an option — fulfilling users’ desires for both maximum storage and maximum speed. It’s also simple to push GL552 even further, with a slide-off panel offering instant access to M.2 SSD, hard drive and memory slots.

Faster frags, the widest views and total audio immersion GL552 features ASUS-exclusive GameFirst III technology, which optimizes networks to give users lag-free gameplay. It prioritizes game packets and allocates more bandwidth for smooth, lag-free gaming. GameFirst III features four preset packet-priority modes, and manual settings for users who want total control over their network. GL552’s large 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display has a matte-black finish that eliminates glare for stunning visuals without distraction. This superb display offers wide 178-degree viewing angles for minimal color shift even when viewed from extreme angles.

ASUS SonicMaster provides rich, crystal-clear high-fidelity audio, while ROG AudioWizard features five easy-to-use preset modes with settings tailored to suit different game genres to give an even more immersive experience.

Thinnest 4k gaming notebook in the Philippines – G501 G501 is powered by the 6th-generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor and the new NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 960M 4GB DDR5 graphics for an unrivalled gaming experience. This impressive power is supported by ASUS-exclusive Hyper Cool technology with dual independent fans, delivering smooth, stable performance for both gaming and professional content creation.

In addition, G501 has a 15.6-inch QHD (3200×1800) to treat users to incredibly detailed visuals and lifelike colors. Ultraportable design for gaming on the go ROG G501 is one of the world’s thinnest gaming laptops, with a height of just 20.6mm. It features a lightweight aluminum construction and weighs just 2.06kg (non-touchscreen). It’s modern, elegant design sports red bezel accents and gaming features like a red-backlit keyboard with 1.6mm of key travel for a responsive feel, a numeric keypad, and marked WASD cursor keys.

Exclusive Hyper Cool technology G501 is also the coolest and quietest gaming laptop on the market, with exclusive Hyper Cool technology built in. This advanced cooling system employs dual fans and copper heat sinks to remove heat efficiently with minimal fan noise. Both processor (CPU) and graphics-processing unit (GPU) are cooled independently based on each component’s demands to ensure maximum efficiency — delivering extremely cool gaming experiences that are both whisper-quiet and silky smooth.

Uncompromised gaming performance and fast content creation ROG G501 is powered 6th-generation Intel® Core ™ i7-4750HQ processor for the smooth, powerful performance required to drive today’s fast-paced games. G501 also features the latest NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics with up to 4GB of GDDR5 video memory for sharp, vivid visuals and smoother in-game animations. The powerful GPU also drives hardcore content-creation, enabling even the most demanding creative to produce any kind of content on the go.

In addition, can be paired with PCI Express® x4 (PCIe® x4) solid-state disks (SSDs) for data-transfer speeds of approximately 1400MB/s — more than twice (2X) as fast as SATA III SSDs or 16X faster than SATA III hard disk drives! Optional Onboard Intel Thunderbolt™ technology provides a single-cable data and graphics interface with speeds of up to 10Gbit/s — twice the bandwidth of USB 3.0. Immersive ASUS SonicMaster audio G501 features ASUS SonicMaster audio, incorporating ICEpower®, Bang & Olufsen technology, for high-quality sound. ASUS AudioWizard gives users five preset audio modes with settings tailored to suit different game genres.

MORE PHOTOS HERE.

Lessen your worries on your PC with ASUS’ notebook 2-year global warranty! Now you have the opportunity to protect your investment with an extended global warranty worth Php2,500. This is available to select ASUS notebook models with pre-loaded Microsoft Windows™ 10.

~~~~ About ASUS~~~~

ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world’s best-selling, most award-winning motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets and smartphones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 4,326 awards in 2014 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC™. ASUS has more than 13,600 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of 4,500 engineers. Company revenue for 2013 was approximately US$14 billion.

Tags: ASUS computers, ASUS gaming laptops, ASUS ROG

SM Cinema and Snack Time celebrated Minions 2 Movie Party at the IMAX in anticipation of the most awaited “Minions” movie mania.

“Minions” is a prequel of the very successful movies “Despicable Me” and “Despicable Me 2”. 

Newscaster and Host Hilary Isaac collect all Snack Time Minions tumblers with her son Asher Cohen

Isabel Frial makes her own minion mamon at the Monde Nissin booth.

From left to right (top): Mr. Edwin Nava, Vice President for Operations of SMLEI, Ms. Ailene Llado, AVP/ Business Unit Head for Snack Time, and Mr. Richard Caluyo, Regional Operations Manager for Premiere III & IV, SMLEI award the best Minions inspired outfit

Thanks to Snack Time, the guests had a wonderful time visiting booths and doing fun activities such as face-painting, balloon twisting, and different games. Snack Time also gave awards to the children who came in their best Minion costumes. From left to right (top): Mr. Edwin Nava, Vice President for Operations of SMLEI, Ms. Ailene Llado, AVP/ Business Unit Head for Snack Time, and Mr. Richard Caluyo, Regional Operations Manager for Premiere III & IV, SMLEI award the best Minions inspired outfit Snack Time food like flavored popcorns, Monde Nissin for Minion Mamon station, Havaianas for ring toss game and ice lollies, Nestle for the breakfast cereals, Tictacs for the yellow bananas flavor, Nutella, Sunkist orange juices we among the sponsors of this big event.

Everyone had a blast when the Minions came out for a meet and greet portion.

Visit your nearest Snack Time branch and avail of the different tumblers and popcorn buckets for your Minion-loving friends ad family members.

Snack Time is the sole snack brand of SM Cinemas with over 165 counters nationwide.

More photos here.

Tags: Snack Time, Snack Time and SM Cinemas, Snack Time Minions Party, Snack Time Minions popcorn buckets, Snack Time Minions tumblers

Be there at the Nickelodeon’s Bikini Bottom Buddy Round-Up and play exciting games! Be there to witness the special appearance of SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star and Squidward Tentacles.

When: Saturday,July 18, 2015 11am – 6pm

Where: SM Megamall Event Center

Tags: Nickelodeon, Nickelodeon SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom Buddy Round-up, SpongeBon SquarePants event