Wireless Broadband Showdown (QC Edition)

Finally -- a comparative, completely objective analysis of the big 3 broadband networks (Smart, Globe, Sun). For this review, we’re going to test primarily for 2 things: speed and reliability.

Speed will be tested through speedtest.net.

Methodology for the test:
• Connect 4 times per network
• The speed of the network is measured through speedtest.net – average speed of the 4 connection instances is the official speed of the network at the given location.
---->o Download Speed: How fast you can download from the internet.
---->o Upload Speed: How fast you can upload to the internet.
---->o Ping: Network latency between a computer and the server being pinged. Basically it’s the time it takes the server to answer (“pong”) my “ping.”
-------------->* A good ping time is very useful for server games like WoW or Ragnarok – small packets of data sent intermittently. Your games will react faster and no deaths due to lag. 
• The reliability of the network is measured by the percentage of connection instances that was able to complete a test uninterrupted over the total number of connections (the ones that completed a test plus the ones that got disconnected).
---->o So let’s say I had to connect 5 times to network XXXX just so that I can conduct 4 complete tests. The reliability will be 4/5 or 80%.
---->o Server not found errors (404) are counted as “failed” connections.
• Between each test, I will use REVO Uninstaller (www.revouninstaller.com) (Moderate level) to uninstall each network’s broadband application. In addition to running the application’s uninstall utility, Revo Uninstaller will also remove the associated registry files and all files found in the PC.
• The browser is closed in between tests.

Constants:
• I will use speedtest.net for all tests.
• I will test versus location San Francisco, CA (an approximate distance of 7000 miles)
• I will be testing from one location
---->o QC for now – I’ll test in other locations in later posts
---->o I’m testing from The Coffee Bean in Ayala Technohub, Commonwealth Ave.

View Ayala Technohub in a larger map

• I will be testing at around 6pm.
• I will be using 1 computer:
---->o MSI Wind U100
---->o Intel Atom Processor
---->o CPU N270 @ 1.60 GHz
---->o 1.99 GB RAM
---->o WIFI Turned OFF!
• Browser used: Mozilla Firefox v 3.5.8
• Applications Running: No other online applications except the browser and the network application

Variables:
• The broadband network (duh)
---->o I’ll be using Globe Visibility (I got it before it became Tattoo – I assume it’s the same network. If not, please let us know by leaving a comment below.)
---->o Smart Bro
---->o Sun Broadband Wireless [edited! good eye, fifteenryans! thanks!]
• The broadband network application (syempre)

Okay -- done with the boring stuff. On with the review itself.

THE USER EXPERIENCE:
Globe & Smart installation was painless. Once plugged, the application installed and I was good to go.

With Sun, the application installed alright but it didn’t automatically connect – I was getting "613" errors! The guide the kit came with doesn’t say how to fix it. The lady who sold the set to me said: “Once you install the app, go to ‘Tools’ and then ‘Check Load.’ I installed the app, there’s a Tools menu option but no “Check Load.” After a few tries, it just connected by itself. It probably had to contact the network first to get activated.

Globe & Smart – you were either connected or you weren’t.
Sun – I didn’t know what was happening. Everything suddenly doesn’t load so you think you’re disconnected but when you refresh, you get results. What gives?

Sun – 1 day unlimited internet. But my unlimited internet only lasts until 12am of Mar 1st. Since I started testing at around 7pm for Sun, I essentially get only 5 hours free. Far cry from the “1 Day Unlimited Internet” touted by the advertisements.

THE VERDICT:

The best broadband wireless network to use in QC is (drumroll please) SMART BRO.

Reliability: Smart Bro gave us 100%. I only had to try 4 times to get 4 successful results. Next was Sun Broadband Wireless that got 27% -- 4 successful attempts out of 15. Last place was Globe Visibility that got 25% -- 4 successful attempts out of 16.

Speed:
The best download speed was given by Smart Bro that averaged at 1.08 Mbps. Next was Sun Broadband Wireless with 0.45 Mbps. Last was Globe Visibility that gave a disheartening 0.02 Mbps.

The best upload speed was again Smart Bro which averaged at 0.26 Mbps. Next was Globe Visibility with 0.10 Mbps. Last was Sun Broadband Wirelss with 0.09 Mbps.

The fastest ping time was AGAIN Smart Bro that averaged at 324 ms. Next was Sun Broadband Wireless at 352 ms. Last was Globe Visibility at 672 ms.

I tabulated the results in Google Doc. Check out the table here.

The winner by a landslide in QC is Smart Bro. It's the most expensive unit but given the performance, P995 is a good investment. (Sun goes for P888 and Globe is priced at P895.)

We're going to test in other locations in future posts so keep coming back!

Chowking New Chicken Products

Chinese Fast Food in the Philippines

It's Halo-Halo season once again and of course, to beat the heat, we went to have it at Chowking. Aside from the Halo-halo and the Buchi that my dear husband was craving earlier that day, we saw quite interesting new additions to Chowking's menu while browsing through the menu. It is such a pity that not a lot of people know about these new dishes since it was worth the visit.


Orange Chicken Rice

Imagine, they have this already in their menu. I thought this would never come. As a little girl, what I remember most about Chinese restaurants is the Lemon Chicken dish that they would always have on their menu and that my lola would always order. I'm glad that Chowking came out with their own version by making it Orange Chicken, instead of Lemon. It was pretty good. It was breaded and fried Chicken strips with a sweet orangy sauce topped to it. The sauce was substantial and the rice was quite plentiful. I think it was even more than one cup. This dish was sold at Php 84.

For the lauriat lovers, this dish also has its Orange Chicken Lauriat with Coke. The lauriat was served with kropek, buchi and crispy noodles (also my favorite!). This cost Php 114, cheaper than the KFC's fully loaded meal (which is also one of my frequently ordered lunch meeting meals).

Chicken Supreme

This dish is what you have to try! I love it! I love Chicken and the was they cooked this dish and the sauce is to die for. The chicken is cooked in a way that the skin is crispy and crunchy (without thick breadings) and the meat, when cut is really tender and juicy. Even without the sauce, it is flavorful. The sauce is a bit peppery, a bit sweet with a little hint of vinegar. It was a good compliment to the chicken; a refreshing break from the usual ketchup and gravy (but come to think of it, it would still taste good with ketchup). The dish costs Php 105 and it also came in Salu-salo servings.

Desserts
For those who haven't tried the Halo-Halo yet of Chowking, you should try it. It comes in three sizes: Fun size at Php 29, Regular size at Php 49 and Fiesta size at Php 79. If you order it with ice cream, you will have to add an additional Php 10. They lowered the price of the scoop from Php 15.

For those with simple tastes and who do not want the intricacies of having lots of 'sahogs', do try the Mango Tapioca. It is a dessert with crushed ice, mango bits, sago and mango syrup mixed with milk with a cherry on top. If you do not want it to be too sweet, you can tell the cashier not to put too much syrup. They can do that for you. The dessert costs Php 39.

Kuddos also to the service that they rendered. The staff was friendly and the stores now are clean. A far cry from the Chowking that weused to know. Just a bit of advice, the menu board where the dishes are placed, are quite complicated to read. The prices are scattered and the types of dishes, if it a main course or a salu-salo variant or a lauriat variant is not indicated. We even couldn't find the Buchi on the menu board dessert section.

So hurry and visit or call the Chowking that we always loved!

Contact details:
Chowking Delivery
Call: 9-88-88
www.chowking.com

Petron Preferred Shares @ 9.5281% / year

Investment opportunity: Preferred shares of Petron Corp are being sold (since Feb 15) until Feb 26.

Price: P100.00 / share
Dividend rates: 9.5281% / year

According to their website:
The annual dividend rate of the preferred shares is 9.5281%. If declared by the Board, Petron has an option to redeem the shares on the fifth anniversary from the listing date or any dividend payment date after. If the company doesn’t redeem on the fifth year, investors will enjoy a “step-up” rate.

The joint lead managers/underwriters are BDO Capital, BPI Capital, ING, RCBC Capital and UnionBank.

More information at Petron's website --> HERE.

Mushroom Burger

New Branch of Mushroom Burger!



Good news to all those Mushroom Burger fanatics of their first branch in Tagaytay! That branch is not alone anymore... there is a new branch being built in Katipunan. It is right beside National Bookstore (the former lot where the old Jollibee branch stood).

Are they going to expand to other areas as well? :)