OUR AWESOME PLANET

"Travel Philippines First" Tees Now Available Online!

 

The Travel Philippines First (Our Awesome Planet x Team Manila Collaboration Shirt) is now available in the Team Manila Lifestyle Shop! Check out the Men's and Ladies' version and the size chart below.

4 Powerful Reasons Why You Should Join Maven Secrets 4.0

Maven Secrets Batch 3.0 Graduation Dinner

We just completed Maven Secrets 3.0, and due to insistent demand, I'm launching Maven Secrets 4.0 from August to November 2010.

I would like to invite you to join this 90-day program. Here are 4 Powerful Reasons Why You Should Join Maven Secrets 4.0:

1. Be part of the Last Maven Secrets. This will be the LAST coaching/mastermind face-to-face group that I will be conducting for the year. If you want to capitalize on the Internet Marketing Boom in 2011, now is the time to set up your internet marketing business.

2. Attend IM-BC 2010 for FREE. You can attend the two-day Internet Marketing Boot Camp 2010 for FREE (worth P12,294) as an early registration bonus for the Maven Secrets 4.0 Program.

[Contest] Top Blogging Tools I use in OAP; What's yours?

Top Blogging Tools I use in OAP; What's yours?

Contest Duration: July 12, Monday, 12.00am to July 25, Sunday, 11.59pm

I'm often asked variants of this question: What camera / hosting / tools do you use for blogging? 

So, for this blog post, I would like to share my answer to that question with you, but I also want to know what blogging tools you use.

As an incentive, the best answer (via the comments section, blog post or Facebook entry) will win my favorite Flip Ultra 120 HD 120 minutes! Thanks to Flip Camera Manila Distributor for sponsoring the prize for the contest!

My Top Blogging Tools

• Blog Hosting: Typepad Pro

Typepad is a managed hosting service that has the easy blogging interface of Blogger and the sophistication and nice template of Wordpress. I love Typepad because I don't need to worry about hosting, bandwidth and security of the site. I've been using Typepad ever since I started. And Seth Godin also uses typepad.

• Digital Camera: Canon 20d 17-40mm L Lens

Ninety-five percent of the photos you see in OAP are produced using my Canon 20d. I love Canon -- this has been my camera ever since I started. What makes the food shots crisp in OAP is the fine 17-40 L lens by Canon. The other 5% is produced by my back-up camera (when my Canon is in the shop for repairs).

• Video Blogging Camera: Flip Ultra HD Camera 120 minutes

I love Flip because you can shoot a video and immediately upload it to YouTube in a matter of minutes. The video is HD quality and the audio is quite good already in a relatively quiet environment. For blogging, use the Ultra HD version and not any other version if you want to publish the video in your blog.

• Mobile Phone and Subscription: iPhone 3G with Globe

These days, you already need a GPS-enabled camera so that you can participate in location-based services like Four Square. I like the simplicity and seemless integration of the iPhone with my Mac and other online services.

I'm a proud Globe subscriber ever since -- 0917-LOVEOAP (5683627).

• Laptop and Blogging Client: MacBook Pro with ECTO

I love Mac! It is easy to use, especially for blogging. I specifically use a Macbook Pro version so that it can handle my simple video editing needs.

There is a special blogging client called ECTO (for MAC only) where you can blog offline and just publish your post when you are online. Also, ECTO can manage multiple blogs in multiple platforms.

• Photo Editing, Watermarking and Hosting Tool: Lightroom 2.0 with Flickr.

After 5 years of blogging in OAP, I now have 78,841 photos, and they all need to be managed. I have all my photos managed by Lightroom, which automates a lot of the post-processing like cropping, renaming the filenames, placing the watermark, and automatically uploading it to Flickr.

I would recommend you also use a separate photo hosting tool like Flickr instead of just uploading your photos to your own server or hosting platform.

******

That's it! Now it's your turn. What are the top tools you use for blogging?

To officially enter the contest, just put your answer or link your answer in the comments section of this blog post. Deadline for the contest is on July 25, Sunday, 11.59pm. :)

And the winner is...

Thanks for all the great entries! It was actually very very hard to choose. I didn't expect a lot of people to join so thank you all for joining!

I learned a lot from the entry of the winner and it made me rethink the webhosting I use and the putting watermarks on my photos. You should read the winning entry.

The Geekette Speaketh's My Blogging Tools

Congratulations Charo, you just won a Flip Ultra HD Camera!  To claim, just email my wife rachediaz@gmail.com and we will arrange a meet-up :)

As a runner up, I need to mention this post because I like it:
Cher Cabula's Mindbox My Top Blogging Tools

Live an Awesome Life,

 
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Call or Text Me: +63917 5683-627 (LOVE-OAP)
Follow Me FacebookTwitterFlickrYoutube

Disclosure: We are distributors of the Flip Ultra

The Flip Ultra HD camera selling price is at P9,995. Yes, it is now locally available in Manila! Just email my wife at rachediaz@gmail.com or text/call her +63917 5318949 if you are interested. Ask for the special OAP friend discount. :)

P.S. Join Maven Secrets 4: A 90-day Internet Marketing and Professional Blogging Program!

To make the world happy for a day, I would...

I'm happy that I was part of the judging panel who short-listed the Top 10 Finalists for the Happy Soles Will Travel to Brazil Contest. All these 10 entries stood out among the 2,000+ entries submitted mainly because of their uniqueness, creativity and personality. The Happy Soles winner will be decided based on 70% Public Voting (until May 27, 6.30pm) and 30% Judging by Havaianas Brazil. You have to login to vote and you can vote once per day. (see Voting Rules)

Vote now for the Happy Soles Survivor who will win a FREE trip to Brazil in June :) Here are the Top 10 entries:

To make the world happy for a day, I would play my agogo bell the whole day. - Denise Gonzales, Manila

Last Culinary Tours for Summer :)

Join us for the last culinary tours for this summer in four of the hottest places to go to this May!

May 1 – 3 – Ultimate Pagudpud and Vigan Culinary and Heritage Tour

 

Tour Description:
 It's about time you experience the ABCs of the Ilocandia: antiques, bagnet and churches! In Ilocos, nature and history is intertwined. But at Ultimate Philippines, we think this is combo best savored with bagnet and beer so we're exploring this provincial belle… our style!

Let's journey up to the north and take a time-warp through the colonial city of Vigan. We'll walk through cobbles, munching our way through the town's traditional street fare and home-cooked feasts, from yummy empanadas to tasty longganisas.

More historical bites and pinakbet pizza as we take a peek at the life of ex-strongman Ferdinand Marcos in the town of Batac and admire two masterpieces of Ilocos' unique Earthquake Baroque architecture: Paoay and Santa Maria Church.

Capping off, we'll surf through the waves of Mairaira Beach in Pagudpud ending our journey in time to join the revelries of the annual Tres de Mayo fiesta in Vigan.

My Pilipinas is...

Announcing... the Top 10 Photo Entries in the My Pilipinas is... Photo Contest!

The Top 3 entries win a limited edition My Pilipinas Moleskine (pocket size).

1. "My Pilipinas Is... The Best Place on Earth!"

(Taken @ Mt. Pulag, Benguet by Roxanne Escaro Email: robzbaranda@yahoo.com Model: Bam Alegre)

2. "My Pilipinas is all about traveling and discovering all the treasures of my beloved country."

(Taken at Padang, Albay during the Mayon eruption. December 2009 by dinno19 )

3. "My Pilipinas is this old but inspiring way...

of how to wash clothes!
Lucky me I caught this picture last December in our family vacation at Batangas, Phil.
I was really amazed by the nature look and this young girl's caught my attention and inspired me how they enjoy a simple life...

A truly Filipina way!"

(Taken by ESVIMIN FAELNAR Email: esvi_honey@yahoo.com)

My Pilipinas is... Photo Contest

Sponsored by Limited Edition My Pilipinas Moleskine 
Photo Contest Duration: March 5, 2010 Friday to 11.59pm March 31, Wednesday

 
 (see: My Pilipinas is... Photo Album)

My Pilipinas is my cute three little boys who will grow up
proud to be Filipinos and love the Philippines as much as we do. :) 

My Pilipinas is eating my favorite Filipino Food:  
Kare-Kare, Adobo, Lechon, and grilled fresh seafood!

My Pilipinas is the food and travel adventures of our family
around the beautiful islands of the Philippines.

My Pilipinas is Our Awesome Planet!

I'm interested to know what "My Pilipinas is..." for you. The top 3 photos will win a limited edition My Pilipinas Moleskine (pocket size)! This special collaboration between Collezione-C2 and Moleskine, incorporates the iconic Philippine map designed by Rhett Eala and My Pilipinas signature on the cover.  I actually like it because it is a perfect journal for documenting our adventures around the Philippines.

[OAP SURVEY] Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt?

I would like to know: Do you like Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt? With or Without Toppings?

* To make it fun, for every 200th survey respondent, they will get a free P500 worth of Red Box Karaoke Gift Certificates until the 2,000th respondent. There will be 10 winners in total. 

* The survey is only open to Philippine-based OAP readers.