Keep in touch with the world

MANILA, Philippines - A minute used to be just sixty seconds, a unit of time that adds up to an hour. Now, a minute is a status update on Facebook. A time frame for uploading photos. A 140-character shout-out. In this world of instant information, and for a youth that requires instant gratification, a minute is almost not enough. A minute always counts; there’s no wasting those sixty seconds.

Technology, more and more, are catching up with the quickening stream of information and our insatiable need to be updated with every passing minute. Gadgets are kowtowing to a generation that relies on Twitter, Facebook, Friendster, MySpace to connect with a world that is getting smaller and more intimate with each day. Entire malls, coffee shops and even some universities have all become Wifi spots, encouraging easy Internet access — for free. These days, there’s practically no reason not to be logged on.

Samsung’s Corby phones make sure that you have every reason to be online and connected. These WIFI-enabled mobiles will have you connected in seconds. Three models, the S3653 WIFI (or the Corby WIFI), the B5310 (or the Corby Pro), and the B3410 WIFI were created specifically for easy connectivity — and the quick minds of the high school and college crowd.

All featuring touch screens, these three handsets get you online with a foolproof two-touch system: access the menu and a WIFI icon comes up on the screen. From there, just drag and drop the pre-installed widgets to access favorite social networking sites, and enjoy a wealth of online information. Another screen touch, slide or drag brings you to the other features of the phones: music players, recorder, photo albums and pre-installed games.

And if this fail-safe touch screen system doesn’t engage you enough, the phones themselves will. These fully-interactive phones feature bright, animated displays and a whimsical cartoon user interface option. All three phones are also molded into a single, curved ergonomic design

Get connected to Facebook and other social networking sites faster and easier with Samsung’s WIFI-enabled B3410 and B5310 phones with slider QWERTY keyboards.

that fits your palm perfectly. The Corby WIFI and Corby Pro, in particular, even have replaceable back panels that can be changed as fast as a mood swing. The Corby Pro B5310 comes with a black panel as well as a unique graphic design option, but the Corby WIFI hits it outright bold color options such as Jamaican Yellow, Cupid Pink, Minimal White, and Festival Orange. Black and printed panel options are also included in the Corby WIFI box.

For more convenient use, the Corby PRO and B3410 WIFI have touch and slide QWERTY keyboards that enable easier texting and Internet surfing. One review even pointed out the “decent spacing and definition between the keys” and the quick response or “clickiness” of the Samsung QWERTY keyboards. For someone who sends text messages like there’s no tomorrow, this should be a very welcome feature. SMS appear in a threaded message format as well, making it easier to access communication history with a particular contact.

Samsung, in the Philippines, sells the most number of touch screen handsets, with the Corby phones making up a bulk of the sales. And it doesn’t just have to do with the WIFI-ready feature, the funky pop-style designs, or the fact that Sam Milby endorses the line. These uber-cool sets retail at very affordable prices. The more upscale Corby Pro B5310, with its QWERTY keyboard, 3-megapixel camera and 3G connectivity, is priced at just P11,500. The two other phones retail for P8,300 and below. These are amazing prices, given the fact that, in no time at all — whether you’re a star or a sideliner — you can be right in the middle of the social media revolution, where you belong.