http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/231543/filipino-schoolchildren-are-active-netizens-aijc-survey-reveals
Manila Bulletin – Infotech B-6
November 29, 2009 - Sunday

Filipino schoolchildren are computer literate, as almost three-fourths (74%) have access to the Internet. Schoolchildren in the Visayas and Metro Manila have greater access than their counterparts in the Cordilleras and Mindanao.

Maintaining and visiting social networking sites (SNS) is emerging as the number one online activity. Almost 9 of 10 schoolchildren who connect to the Net are members of Friendster.

… The top five favorite online games are the following: Audition (17%), Cabal Online (12%), Ran/Ran Online (12%), DOTA (Defense of the Ancient) (11%), and Counter Strike (9%). The top three best-liked online games varied from area to area.

Audition is the top choice for Metro Manila. DOTA and Counter Strike are in the top three in two survey areas.

There are more grade school pupils than high school students who play online. Surprisingly, there are more girls than boys in elementary grades playing online games. But among the older schoolchildren, there are more boys than girls playing online. There are more public school students who play online games than those enrolled in private schools.

Business Insight Malaya – online
http://www.malaya.com.ph/11272009/info1.html
November 27, 2009 – Friday

Filipino schoolchildren are computer literate, as almost three-fourths (74 percent) have access to the Internet. Schoolchildren in the Visayas and Metro Manila have greater access than their counterparts in the Cordilleras and Mindanao.

Maintaining and visiting social networking sites (SNS) is emerging as the number one online activity. Almost 9 of 10 schoolchildren who connect to the Net are members of Friendster.

Online gaming is another favorite with almost 8 of 10 schoolchildren who connect to the Net playing online games. There are more grade school pupils than high school students who play online.

…The top five favorite online games are the following: Audition (17 percent), Cabal Online (12 percent), Ran/Ran Online (12 percent), DOTA (Defense of the Ancient) (11 percent), and Counter Strike (9 percent). The top three best-liked online games varied from area to area. Audition is the top choice for Metro Manila. DOTA and Counter Strike are in the top three in two survey areas.

Marketing VP shares his successful formula in the business of gaming

http://www.edgewise.ph/?p=373
November 27, 2009 – Friday

There’s a huge difference between working and actually having to work. You need to really feel motivated to accomplish the tasks given to you, or else, the work will seem more like a punishment rather than a flower-lined path toward your well-deserved reward.

No one knows this better than Ed Pasion, vice president for Marketing at IP e-Games, the number one online games publisher in the Philippines in terms of revenue. That’s a modest way of saying that a lot of people, especially advertisers, really like the games that Ed’s company releases. Anyone familiar with MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) such as CABAL Online, RAN Online and casual products like Nostale and Audition Dance Battle, should know how popular (and addicting!) their online games are.

Working in an environment surrounded by games seems easy, right? Not exactly—it took Ed, who has a degree in Computer Information Systems Management, a lot of hard work and perseverance to get to where he is now. It was his result-oriented attitude and “never say die” mentality that kept him going.

http://www.iii.co.uk/news/?type=afxnews&articleid=7646121&action=article
November 27, 2009 – Friday

IP E-Game Ventures Inc, the online gaming subsidiary of listed
technology conglomerate IPVG Corp, plans to list its shares by way of
introduction on the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Zinnia Dela Pena
Philippine Star – Business, page B3
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=527052&publicationSubCategoryId=66
November 27, 2009 – Friday

MANILA, Philippines - IP E-Game Ventures Inc., the online gaming subsidiary of listed technology conglomerate IPVG Corp. is seeking to list its shares by way of introduction on the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Listing by way of introduction involves the listing and trading of a company’s shares at the stock market without going through an initial public offering (IPO).

Based on its registration statement, IP E-Game will list up to 33.54 million common shares. It is doubling its authorized capital stock to P100 million, divided into 100 million shares with a par value of P1 each share.

Business Word – Bulletins page S2/6
November 24, 2009 Tuesday

IP E-GAME VENTURES, Inc. (e-Games), the online gaming subsidiary of tech and communication conglomerate IPVG Corp., is set to hold Road to Domination 4 (R2D4), the kickoff event for Domination 4. The biggest gaming event for 2010 will happen on Nov. 28 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. R2D4, will also be the year-ender gaming event for 2009 as it will launch several new e-Games and X-Play Online Games, Inc. (X-Play) titles and more.

Gil Edeza, chief operating officer of e-Games, said e-Games is set to announce the start of the closed Beta testing of “Runes of Magic,” its newest high-fantasy MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game). R2D4 will
also be the launch pad of “Dragonica,” e-Games newest online adventure game. X-Play, the joint venture between X-Play and GMA New Media, Inc., will also announce the commercial release of “OP7,” its newest massively multiplayer online first person shooter.

For more information, log on to http://r2d4.e-games.com.ph.

By: Ed Richelle Uy – Gametime
The Sunday Times Magazine – Games.puzzles.crossword b8
November 22, 2009 – Sunday

After having a breakthrough year in 2009, 3-Games will not allow the year to end quietly, as it holds Road to “Domination 4, the kickoff event for Domination 4 on November 28 at the SMX Convention Center, near SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Road to Domination 4 (R2D4), the last big gaming event for 2009, will be the venue for the launch several new e-Games and X-Play titles, the revelation of the RAN Calendar 2010, Audition’s Third anniversary and grand draw of P1 million e-Gamer Millionaire promo.

BusinessMirror – Front page
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/18778-rp-pupils-active-netizenssurvey.html
November 20-21, 2009 – Friday-Saturday

DO parents know that besides doing schoolwork their schoolchildren are members of Friendster or are into online gaming?

Filipino schoolchildren are computer literate, as almost three-fourths
(74 percent) have access to the Internet, a pioneering study conducted by the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) said.

The survey, held early this year in select areas in Metro Manila, Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, said schoolchildren in the Visayas and Metro Manila have greater access than their counterparts in the Cordilleras and Mindanao.

…. The study said Friendster is the most popular because it was the pioneer in social networking and is very user-friendly. The percentage of Friendster users in Metro Manila is lower compared to the other survey areas.

“Curiously, while Friendster requires 14 years as the minimum age for membership, over one-third [34 percent] of those who own Friendster accounts are grade-school pupils or have ages less than the age requirement,” the study said.

The survey found out that the top-five favorite online games are:
Audition (17 percent), Cabal Online (12 percent), Ran/Ran Online (12 percent), Dota (Defense of the Ancients, 11 percent) and Counter Strike (9 percent).

The top three best-liked online games varied from area to area, the survey said. Audition is the top choice for Metro Manila, while Dota and Counter Strike are in the top-three in two survey areas.

More grade-school pupils than high-school students who play online, the survey said.

Game Time by Ed Richelle Uy
The Manila Times – The Sunday Times: Games, Puzzles, Crossword page B8 November 15, 2009 – Sunday

While gamers reveled at the World Trade Center, those more interested in developing applications and games gathered at the UP-AyalaLand TechnoHub Conference Room in Quezon City as IPVG Corp., Ayala Technology Business Incubator (TBI) and GlobeLabs launched MobileXtreme! The Big Apps Competition, a nationwide search for the most innovative mobile applications.

By: Pinky D. Camia
Sunday Inquirer Magazine – November 15, 2009

AUDITION is a dance and music game where children can create a room or join a room, and choose songs and settings. He player has the power to kick people out of the room and close the dance floor. The basic game is played by pressing the arrows displayed on the screen and pressing the spacebar or the control key on every fourth beat of the song. The more accurately the spacebar or control key on every fourth beat of the song. The more accurately the spacebar or control key is pressed, the higher the score, “Perfect” being the best. The player with the most points during the game will have their character in front and the most visible part of the stage.

Comes free but players can buy clothes for their avatar for more enjoyment.

Cabal Online gives children the high of killing monsters, going on quests and venturing into dungeons to obtain experience points (EXP) and Alz, or gold pieces. Players can band together to form a party, with a maximum of seven characters. Extra Party Bonus is obtained by the members of the party, depending on their contributions.

RAN / RAN Online allows children to pretend that they are part of a school team competing for control of school turf. The students kill corrupted beings and students of other schools in a show of force.
Wars break out to determine who dominates the place, including trading hole, wharf passage, sacred gates, phoenix hole, and mystic peak.

Free to play and has an Online Shop in the game publisher’s website where players can buy potions, costumes, accessories, weapons, etc.

http://itnewscentral.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/search-on-for-best-mobile-apps/
November 13, 2009 – Friday

As further boost to the mobile communication industry in the Philippines, some of the big names in the local IT and telecommunications scene have come together to sponsor a competition in search for some of the best mobile applications.

Dubbed as “MobileXtreme! The Big Apps Competition,” the search will run from November 2009 to February 2010.

Publicly listed IPVG Corp. and its mobile communications business unit MegaMobile Inc join Ayala-backed Ayala Technology Business Incubator
(TBI) and GlobeLabs in looking for budding developers who may have promising mobile applications that can be successful commercial products.

To help developers of winning entries commercialize their applications, IPVG will provide infrastructure support. Their applications may also be commercially launched by IPVG and MegaMobile.

http://www.silobreaker.com/ip-converge-partners-with-geodata-to-launch-complete-fleet-management-system-5_2262721112360091687
November 12, 2009 – Thursday

IP Converge, the information technology & telecommunications division of publicly listed IPVG and Geodata Systems Technologies have entered into a strategic tie-up that brings the most complete fleet management system to the Philippine and South East Asian market.

Hardwarezone Community - Mobile Solutions, Just Announced
http://www.hardwarezone.com.ph/news/view.php?id=15067&cid=5
November 11, 2009 – Wednesday

Manila, Philippines -- IPVG Corp., in partnership with the Ayala Technology Business Incubator (TBI) and GlobeLabs, have launched MobileXtreme! The Big Apps Competition, a nationwide search for the most innovative mobile applications.

The competition will be spearheaded by IPVG, Ayala Technology Business Incubator, GlobeLabs and MegaMobile Inc., the mobile communications business unit of IPVG. MegaMobile is the mobile service partner of content providers and communities which include some of the biggest names in the publishing, online gaming, music and entertainment industries.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/176689/national-competition-launched-for-op7-players
November 11, 2009 – Wednesday

Players of OP7, a free first-person shoot ‘em up online game, can win as much as P200,000 if they bag the national tournament grand finals to be held on on November 28, 2009, at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City.

This was announced by X-Play Online Games Inc. (X-Play), the joint venture company of IP e-Game Ventures Inc. (IP e-Games) and GMA New Media Inc. (GMA NMI), the digital media arm of GMA Network Inc.

Leading up to the championship, X-Play will hold a series of daily OP7 tournaments in key internet cafés located throughout the country to scout for the best FPS players, the company said in a statement.

The tournament will start this first week of November.

By Charles E. Buban
Philippine Daily Inquirer – Motoring page B2-1
November 11, 2009 – Wednesday

Dennis Estopace
Business Mirror – Technology, page C4
http://businessmirror.com.ph/component/content/article/52-technology/18299-ipvg-unit-to-expand-into-it-solutions.html
November 10, 2009 – Tuesday

IP Converge Data Center Inc., a subsidiary of publicly listed IPVG Corp., is expanding into selling other information technology (IT) products and services, its president said.

“We’re moving toward providing IT solutions because it’s a logical move as we have the data structure,” Reynaldo Huergas told the BusinessMirror after announcing a deal with Geodata Systems Technologies Inc. (GSTI) for its six-month-old bundled IT product called Convoy fleet management system.

The product that IP Converge announced in June allows companies with 10 cars and above to monitor the use of their vehicles from predetermining the route, calculating mileage, to repair and maintenance needs.

“It’s offers cost savings of as much as 30 percent,” business development manager Che Lazaro said, citing Dubai-based studies of 10 countries by software developer Lazer Technology Solutions Llc.
(LazerTech).

By AJ de la Torre
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=521639&publicationSubCategoryId=108
November 9, 2009 – Monday

CEBU, Philippines - As another highlight in the continuous growth of the Information Technology sector, a nationwide competition has been launched to showcase the unique and new software applications.

IPVG Corp., one of the fastest growing publicly listed ICT companies in the country, in partnership with the Ayala Technology Business Incubator (TBI) and GlobeLabs launched “MobileXtreme! The Big Apps Competition” last November 7 at the UP-AyalaLand TechnoHub Conference Room in Quezon City.

Through the competition, developers would be given a chance to show off their innovations on applications.

In return, the best entries will receive infrastructure support from IPVG to help develop their ideas into full blown commercial products, plus a chance to have their products launched commercially through IPVG and MegaMobile. Category winners will also receive a bonus cash prize of Php 50,000 each.

http://philippinetech.wordpress.com/2009/11/08/mobile-applications-contest-in-rp-launched/
November 8, 2009 – Sunday

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/technology/11/08/09/mobile-applications-contest-rp-launched
November 8, 2009 – Sunday

The Manila Times – Online
http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/tech-times/5417-ip-converge-partners-with-geodata-to-launch-complete-fleet-management-system-
November 7, 2009 Saturday

IP Converge Data Center, Inc., the information technology & telecommunications division of publicly listed IPVG Corp. (PSE:IP) and Geodata Systems Technologies, Inc. have entered into a strategic tie-up that brings the most complete fleet management system to the Philippine and South East Asian market. Under the partnership, IP Converge brings together Convoy FMS and Geodata’s ArcLogistics and Archibus to create a comprehensive, end-to-end fleet management solution that outperforms existing fleet management systems in the marketplace.

“This partnership combines world-class fleet management solutions in Convoy FMS, ArcLogistics and Archibus that address the deficiencies of other fleet management systems. Beyond tracking vehicles, the collective solution expands management’s ability to set and enforce protocols for vehicle users and optimizes fleet utilization to save on overhead and contribute to the bottom-line,” says IP-Converge President, Reynaldo Huergas.

http://pcworld.com.ph/newstrends-ipconverge-partners-with-geodata/
November 7, 2009 – Saturday

Manila Bulletin – Business Bulletin B1
November 1, 2009 – Sunday

IPVG Corp., one of the fastest growing publicly listed companies in the country engaged in the Information Communications and Technology Space, in partnership with the Ayala Technology Business Incubator
(TBI) and GlobeLabs will be launching MobileXtreme! The Big Apps Competition, a nationwide search for the most innovative mobile applications.

The competition will be spearheaded by IPVG, Ayala Technology Business Incubator GlobeLabs and MegaMobile Inc., the mobile communications business unit of IPVG.

MegaMobile is the mobile service partner of content providers and communities which include some of the biggest names in the music names in the publishing, online gaming, music and entertainment industries.

As an aggregator, MegaMobile welcomes mobile concepts and developed products (Preferably the latter) for applications that run on the Java (J20) platform.

The competition will be facilitated through an official web-based portal where contestants can upload their entries, which can consist of applications under several categories.

Playground Magazine – page 49
November 2009

As players, our lives are touched by the games we play on our chosen platforms everyday. It is our passion, it is our happy place, it is our kung-fu. But truth is, it is an industry and it does make money—tons of it. And no  matter what the haters say, gaming is growing and is going to stay. Both for entertainment, and as an industry—but and in case you have any doubts, here are some words to help you keep the faith.

Enrique Y. Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer, IPVG Corp.

Online gaming has transformed the way people, particularly gamers, interact with one another. Unlike traditional video games which are single-player in nature, online games have created one of the largest online virtual communities in the country. To date, IP E-games have more than 10 million registered members and more than 3.5 million active users. We process hundreds of thousands of transactions per month, making online games one of the leading e-commerce activities in the country.

The emergence of this extremely cohesive community has established online games as a growing and viable industry.

George Royeca, VP X-play Online Games Inc.

Online Gaming is an effective tool for education. It’s doing what JK Rowling and Harry Potter did for the youth today, sparkling renewed interest in reading books amidst an otherwise TV generation.

Where Google made the world a smaller place by delivering information at the touch of the fingertips, online gaming exposes the largest segment of our population to it. Online gaming is vastly creating a new generation of technocrats to compete in a global world through learning the most powerful tandem of tools ever intended: the personal computer and the internet.

Gil Edeza, Chief Operating Officer, IP E-Games

Online gaming is one of the fastest growing segments in the Philippine Internet market. The current broadband infrastructure that we enjoy today stemmed from the need to address the demand for better connections and speed. Online games became the killer application that drove telcos to enhance broadband services and get DSL to market
much faster.

Playground Magazine – page 18
November 2009

OP7 is the latest MMOFPS (Massively Multiplayer Online First Person Shooter) from X-play. Developed by Korean game development company Mgame, it features realistic ballistic physics, an incredible variety of gun and avatar customizations, and gameplay in world-renowned locales.

Steven Choi, Director of Mgame’s International Business Department, is excited about the partnership with X-play. “With its 3 million strong gaming community and the support they give them, with their dedication to their game titles, we believe OP7 will become a great hit for Philippine market,” Choi said.

Playground Magazine – page 24 - 33
November 2009

OP7 is one of the coolest online FPS we’ve tried so far. It sports
ballistic physics true to the game’s tagline “Real Gaming Action”. For
the newbies, the game’s challenges can be overwhelming. How to act in
a pitched battle doesn’t come naturally for everyone. Which is why we
came up with this guide.

So for those looking to take the proverbial look before the leap, this
is way more than you bargained for.

Game Magazine – 40, 41
November 2009

With the start of the open beta phase of Runes of Magic, most people are perplexed as to what class they will be playing. We’ve experienced it all before: excitement overwhelms us about a certain class, and after a month of playtime, we painfully realize that the class we were enamored with doesn’t fit our plya style.

The Runes of Magic character class primer will give players a deeper understanding of all available classes.

Missy Silvestre
Game Magazine – page 42
November 2009

Dance Battle Audition has dominated the MMO casual gaming industry in the country for almost three years now, with its Philippine Server published by IP-eGames. The key factor that enticed gamers to try it out and kept them playing is the gameplay itself, which revolves around the world of dancing and fashion.

The game offers a wide array of clothing styles that will certainly define your personality. With styles ranging from hip-hop to Gothic, you can truly be a fashionista with your own flair.