Follow-up Review for Alcatel OT-S210

If I don't write this, I would feel responsible and guilty to those who have read my first review of the phone and have trusted so much on the capability of the Alcatel OT-S210.

But the bestfriend I found has disappointed me lately.

I bought this OT-S210 last November 2. But just last November 28, I found its LCD not displaying anymore except a plain, navy blue colour. I remember just playing its Tetris clone called Russia (amazingly you'll somehow get hooked to playing their version of the game) for over an hour then decided to put down the phone since it gave me annoying alerts of "Battery Low" everytime I resumed playing. But when I checked it again if its battery has emptied so I can charge it, its display was all navy blue. Thinking it only needs charging, I plugged it up for normal charging. Morning came and it still has all navy blue on display.

So the next day, I went to the store where I bought my unit and the staff disappointed me more because they kept asking stupid questions.

Customer Service: Maam, are you sure this is where you bought this unit? Because I cannot tell whose signature is this in your receipt...

Chiril: Huh? (Thinking: So you're saying I have made all this up and have asked somebody to print for me a receipt that looks exactly like what you have here? And I couldn't have just barged in to the wrong store because you're the only Alcatel concept store in Cebu, hello??!!).

But instead told her,
Chiril: Isn't THAT your receipt?

CS: Ah yes, but... Uhmm. When did you purchase this?

Chiril: It's there. The receipt has a date. Eleven-zero-two-zero-eight. See?

CS: Sure?

Chiril: Huh?

CS: Hehe.

Chiril: Grrr.

To make shorter the story, they didn't have an inhouse technician pala. So they lead me to another store that accepts repair of Alcatel phones.

At least the CS who attended to me in the 2nd store was OK naman. She said she had to re-format my phone but if it still gives the navy blue display then it's the LCD that's defective. The next day, this CS called me in my landline and informed they had to send my unit to Manila because they ran out of LCDs for that particular model. So all right, what else could I do. I just clarified if I had to pay shipping or anything for the phone. But she kindly told me that since it's under warranty I won't be paying for anything. She also told me I had to visit their office so they could issue a service phone that I could use for the meantime.

After a week, I got a call from her again and that my unit is OK for pick-up. Now my bestfriend is with me again. It turned out it had defective LCD talaga.

Haayz. So you get what you pay for? I couldn't rant so much din because I asked for a budget phone. Would I expect Titanium casing for it? Of course not.

It may have disappointed me, but sometimes we have to NOT overexpect. It is AS IT IS, but at the end of the day you can tell yourself that this phone could still be lovable.

Meet The Alcaltel OT-S210, My New Found Friend.

Here is a phone that could be the bestfriend you're looking for. Reliable, no-nonsense, interesting. But unlike a human bestfriend which is for free, this requires you some cash. (The best things in life aren't free, c'mon). Just some 1K pesos and you get to bring this friend anywhere you wish.

The OT-S210, a candybar handset from Alcatel Mobile Phones, is a basic phone for undemanding users. Pinoys would often get 2 mobile phones--one being a personal phone and the other, a business phone. Or some would prefer calling their second unit, the back-up phone. This OT-S210 could be IT. SMS and calls, 250 names in your phonebook, polyphonic tones, an alarm clock, a calculator, some wallpapers, and COLORED display. You get all these with rubberized keypads and easy navigation (because of its menu icons and shortcut keys). And forget that image of an Alcatel phone that looks like Safeguard. Because this one wouldn't embarrass you in front of your fashionista friends.
Lightweight and handy, it fits very well in your jean pockets. The circle designs on its back cover give the phone a modern look.

So far, it hasn't given me a headache. Its battery can last to a week . And after using it for 2 weeks, I'm now thinking of getting another Alcatel phone (one of their music phones) in the future.

A sulit AND surprising buy, this phone could be anyone's bestfriend. =)

Paid Surveys for Filipinos

Another form of GPT or Get Paid To- program (see previous post on GPTs) that Juan may want to try is the paid survey. Take that VERY literally. Yes you get paid. Just by answering surveys!

These online surveys pay you just for sharing your opinions/views on certain social topics or most often, your preferences and comments on particular products or brands. Market research companies (or the paid survey sites) get hired by private companies/manufacturers to check how their products affect consumers. The results of these surveys are vital since these could help determine the future products that will be launched in the market. These results could guide manufacturers on innovations needed and standards they have to set to dominate the global market.

Like PTCs, there are a lot of scam paid survey sites out there. So for a start you can check Survey Police first. This is a website with a list of legitimate paid survey sites that you can register to. Note that when choosing a paid survey site, you have to qualify first as a respondent. Most paid survey sites unfortunately (again) accept US, Canada, Australia, or UK residents only. So far, I have found three (3) paid survey sites that Filipinos can register to: Global Test Market , Brand Test Institute and Survey Savvy.

Remember to create a separate e-mail where these surveys go in. Since you will be receiving loads and loads of spam emails upon signing in these survey sites.

Hope this helped. Good Luck! 8)

PBBY now accepts entries for book writing contest

If you're a Filipino citizen and is into writing books for children aged 6 to 12 years old, then you might want to join this contest.

The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) now accepts entries for the 2009 PBBY-Salanga Prize. Submission is only until 5:00 pm November 14, 2008.

Here are the details posted at www.panitikan.com.ph.
Just scroll down until you reach to their 3 October 2008 announcement.

There's still much time so mail your stories now! =)

Trying Out Other PTC Sites

• The first PTC (Paid-To-Click) site that I registered to was actually Neobux. It was my first try at earning online. It had (I don't know if this is still the current number and because my account has been suspended) 4-5 advertisements available daily and they all load slow. Except for its low payout, Neobux was all right. Until I heard that cashout isn't available anymore for Paypal (this is so far the payment option that works here in 'Pinas pa naman). For the latest news about Paypal and Neobux, click here. Needless to say, if you're Filipino and you only have Paypal, then don't bother signing up for Neobux.
  
  

• Another PTC that pays through Paypal is WordLinx. They have a PTR (Paid-To-Read Email) available as well (which to me is the one that's really working). It's difficult to navigate around their site, I've seen just 2-3 ads available (sometimes zero ads even) so I don't recommend it. Their PTR email also doesn't come regularly in my inbox.

• Then comes Isabelmarco. Pays either through Paypal or Alertpay. Registration is so quick and easy and free. I've seen 20 advertisements available per 24 hours, they all load pretty fast. Navigation isn't much of a headache too. I recommend Isabelmarco to any Juan.

• I have also registered with Earn.Nu before (that was after Neobux) . There were 9-15 ads available and would load quick but saw they don't have Paypal in their payment options. Therefore Earn.Nu isn't for Juan.
  

Paypal for Juan: HOW?

There have been a lot of blog and forum posts about how a Filipino can get Paypal here in the Philippines, but this is my version. This is for the still-confused Juans out there.

Paypal, according to Wikipedia, is an e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. Most online shoppers (especially in e-Bay) confess they prefer to use Paypal because it’s a safer way to pay for purchases since you don’t have to give out your credit card number to just anyone. And to online earners, Paypal is the most convenient way to receive pay for the projects they do for their employers. These virtual employers are usually based on the other side of the globe thus the sending of cash or check to their virtual employees will be too risky and expensive.

So generally, one isn’t eligible to do online jobs unless he has a Paypal account. It is a requirement and the first step before you start on work-at-home jobs.

Paypal in the Philippines has only recently been in full effect. Understandably, there are still a lot of Filipinos who are clueless as to how it works here. So here is a guide on how to apply for a Paypal account. More helpful links are found on the bottom of this post. I recommend you click on them because they will be very helpful.

1. 
   
   Sign up for a Paypal account. Click here to create it. In their website they have their FAQs section, they’re helpful so be patient to go over them.
2. 
   
   Verify your Paypal account. You can only send and withdraw funds from your Paypal account only if it’s been verified. A verified Paypal account asks for a card number and a bank code. The only Philippine bank so far that Paypal fully acknowledges is the Unionbank of the Philippines. So you have to open a Unionbank account if you do not have one.
3. 
   
   Go to Unionbank’s website or visit a Unionbank branch. Apply for the EON Cyber Account. This comes with the so-called EON Card (or Unionbank's VISA Electron Card). So to verify your Paypal account, what you type in the area that asks for a card number is your EON Card number and for your bank code, the code for Unionbank. Photocopies of two (2) valid IDs will be asked from you. (For a list of valid IDs they accept, click here).
4. 
   
   There is a Php 350- fee for the card. This is also the annual fee that Unionbank charges from EON card users. You pay the Php 350- upon claiming your card.
5. 
   
   Paypal also asks for a $1.95 USD verification fee so convert that in pesos (around Php 100.00 as of writing) and deposit that amount to your Unionbank Cyber Account.
6. 
   
   Unionbank consumes 3 to 4 weeks processing your application. But if all goes well you can get your EON card in 1 week. Just ask for the number of the branch where you applied so you can follow-up for your card’s status.
7. To complete verification of your Paypal account, you will need the 4-digit code that Paypal has sent to your Unionbank account. To access this, go to Unionbank's website again and enroll in their EON online banking system. Once you're enrolled you can view the list of transactions you have entered in. In your Unionbank Mini Statement, go to Accounts. On Options, select Transactions. Here you can find the 4-digit code which would look like VISA-XXXXPAYPAL, where the four X represents the code. Your key to finding this in your transactions list is the $1.95 USD peso equivalent that Paypal has deducted from you as verification fee. The code will be found on the same line where this amount appears in your Mini Statement.
8. Go back to your Paypal account and enter the 4-digit code. You are now a verified Paypal user and the $1.95 USD charge will be refunded to your Paypal account.

When you’re a verified Paypal account holder, you’re set! You can now register for PTCs, PTPs, or PTRs and other online opportunities that pay through Paypal and start earning.

Helpful Links About Paypal:
Why Use Paypal On eBay?
Unionbank's Guide To Paypal
Unionbank's EON Cyber Account
Paypal 101
How To Apply For Paypal by PinoyMoneyTalk.com
How To Verify Your Paypal Using EON Card

Or Google it! Forums in your own dialect will be sure help too!

How Juan Can Earn Money Online

Money-making opportunities through the Internet are growing in popularity. In the US and UK, it has even become a full-time job to many. Most of them are moms who can’t afford to leave their kids to nannies, singles who are sick of living the corporate life, the handicapped whose only option is to work at home, and the curious Internet addicts. To students and to those with day jobs, online (or home-based) jobs are part-time opportunities where they earn their allowance and additional income.

Here in the Philippines however, online jobs are often labeled as scams. Surely you have received one of those emails that mysteriously go in your inbox saying “Work At Home. Earn Unlimited Income.” The email promises you that you can earn XX dollars per day while just simply surfing the Internet or answering surveys. But at the end of the email they ask you to pay XXX dollars as one-time registration fee! To feed my curiosity, I clicked on the link they provided that says “Register and Get Started Right Away”. The link leads you to their main site showing (more and more) testimonials of people who have joined and are now earning an “unbelievably huge income”. I didn’t register of course. I was only curious where the link really leads. So I clicked on Exit to resume to my usual surfing activity. But once you try to Exit, a chat box appears and a live agent tries to chat with you. The agent would then tell you that if you register at once you will be given a 50% discount off your registration fee blah blah. If you don’t reply the agent tells you: “Please type Hi to let me know you’re still there. This is a limited offer blah blah and more blahs.”

First thing to remember about these online job offers is this: Stay away from those that ask you to pay anything. They need you to work for them so it should be them paying you, NOT the other way around. If they ask you to pay, MOST likely scam ‘yan!

So what exactly are these online or work-at-home jobs?

They are called GPT or Get Paid To- sites. Most common and popular types of GPTs are:

• Paid To Click (PTC) – Get paid to click on advertisements. Standard rate per click is $0.01. This is perhaps the easiest, most popular among the GPTs. And because of these very reasons, scam PTCs are very common out there. It is important to check the legitimacy of a PTC site. Look into forums and search engines to research or better ask from somebody who actually earns from PTCs so he can refer you to legitimate (those that really pay) PTC sites.

• Paid To Post (PTP) – Get paid to post in forums and discussions, comment on blogs, or comment on online articles. Rates vary with the quality and length of your post.

• Paid To Read (PTR) – Get paid to read emails. I haven’t looked into how this works so if you are into PTRs, please enlighten us. =)

• Paid To Blog (PTB) – Get paid to (of course) blog. (A blog is an online diary or journal). This is a popular GPT also. We have heard stories of bloggers who earns huge just by telling the whole world anything.

Other forms of GPTs:

• Get paid to answer surveys. Rates also vary per survey. The lengthier or time-consuming the survey, the higher it pays daw. Make sure you have a separate email where these surveys go in as you will have to deal with loads of spam emails. If you are receiving few survey invitations in your inbox this is because demographics have to apply. You have to qualify as respondent first before they send the survey to your email.

• Get paid to post pictures, listen to music, make reviews, use a particular search engine. These, and more ways to earn money online.

So how do you get paid?

Unfortunately, the payment option that’s applicable to us Filipinos (and what I’ve learned pa) is through PayPal. So make sure that if you join any of these GPTs, look up in their FAQs if they pay through PayPal. Search through their FAQs also if they accept residents from outside the US, Canada or the UK.

So far, these are the GPT sites I found that Juan can be a member of. Registration is FREE to any of these sites. Feel free to comment on this blog or send me a message so we can expand this list. =)

CrewBux – PTC site that pays through PayPal.

myLOT – a PTP social networking site. They pay you to post in their discussions, post pictures, comment on discussions. myLot is a fun way of earning because you get to meet friends as well. Payment is through PayPal. Happy myLotting! 

Global Test Market, Survey Savvy, and Brand Institute meanwhile pay you to answer surveys. 

Or these may be helpful:

Forum Booster and Paid Posting Tools are PTPs.
 
While Homepages Friends pay you to use a particular search engine.

Hope any of these has helped. Happy job hunting, Juan!