MANILA, Philippines - The Myphone Pinoy cell phone is a first in the world,” said David Lim, president, Solid Group Inc., manufacturer of Myphone. “What makes it a unique Pinoy phone is that we have developed a widget which contains Pinoy features.”
A Pinoy phone for the Pinoy user. Makes sense.
Actually, Myphone was the first to introduce the dual SIM phone in the Philippine market last year. Lim said they were optimistic that the cell phone would be a hit among Pinoy users that time since most of them carry two cell phones to maximize signal strength in different areas.
The launch of Myphone last year was indeed successful. However, Lim knew that it would not take long before other cell phone manufacturers introduced their own dual SIM versions.
“We wanted to create a cell phone that would be appreciated by Pinoys because it is unique to us,” added Lim. “So we worked on this new folder cell phone, which is loaded with all things Pinoy.”
JUST PINOY
We got to see the Pinoy Myphone when it was launched yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum.
There was a mini concert featuring Pinoy performers such as Ogie Alcasid, Kuh Ledesma, Ariel Rivera, Leah Navarro, Jed Madela, Eric Santos, Rachell Ann Go and Yeng Constantino.
It’s the Filipino widget that Lim is most excited about since Pinoys don’t just use their cell phones for calling and texting. “Most people I know save a lot of personal stuff in their phones,” added Lim. “We want to provide them with information which we feel they might find useful,” related Lim.
The cell phone is loaded with a 2G micro SD that contains about 800 files — half audio and half texts on e-book.
Being a majority Catholic country Lim felt that prayers like the rosary, novenas and the Angelus, among others, would be useful to Myphone users.
I got to listen to the rosary, an audio file with a prayer leader just like what we have in church. The novena and the Angelus are also audio recordings. Matter of fact, the phone is automatically configured so that the Angelus is prayed at 6 a.m., 12 noon and 6 p.m.
“People were actually laughing at us in the beginning, “ quipped Lim. “They felt that we did not have the chance against the cell phone giants.”
But Lim is quick to add that in Myphone’s second year the company felt they needed to come up with something unique. Together with his creative team, they managed to come out with a Filipino widget, which will surely appeal to Pinoys.
Lim pointed out that about 75 percent of Filipino cell phone users still purchase the mid- to low-range cell phones. And, the Pinoy Myphone falls into this range.
“We really made it as simple as possible to use so that it remains attractive,” he added. “We have also included a screen saver — the Philippine flag — to make the phone even more attractive,” he added.
Lest you begin to think that the cell phone is a religious thing, think again. There are common Pinoy jokes, a little on Philippine history, and even pictures of some of the beautiful spots in the country.
So, on a lonely night or perhaps even on a night out with friends one could spend a few hours just listening to the funny and corny jokes that the phone is loaded with. Or maybe you might be just a little nostalgic for your favorite sing-along OPM hit — and Myphone has it.
Developed and marketed by the Solid Group Inc. (SGI), the consumer electronics leader that introduced brands like Sony, Samsung and Aiwa, Myphone’s value to the Filipino is further enhanced by its service center network with a growing list of locations in key cities nationwide.
The e-book collection includes the Catholic Bible and a complete Catholic Cathechism guide.
Have so much fun exploring the amazing but practical e-book collection of useful information for everyday life including a First Aid Guide and a Favorite Filipino recipes, which I am dying to try out. But if that doesn’t work out, it also has a listing of fastfood delivery hotlines!
Myphone is something Filipinos can use proudly, not just because it’s a Filipino brand, but because it has captured and preserved the Filipino spirit that we can take with us wherever we go! It’s got Pinoy inside.
“Wala ka sa phone ko!”
“We will continue to develop the content of the phone,” added Lim. “We want to include a Muslim Myphone, a Christian Myphone, and many other things that make a Pinoy truly Pinoy.”