That Globe-al View
It wasn’t that long ago that if one heard a telecom or mobile phone provider had an event or launch of a product, it would primarily be the business or technology journalists and bloggers that would come to attention and heed the call — that was just the way the world was then. But the operative word in the previous sentence is “was.”
With the advent of social media, its proliferation and usage, doubled with the democratization across the board of pr ice point s for smartphones, the “game” has drastically changed. With so much of the populace already “connected,” it no longer became a mere numbers game for the telecoms, i.e. a matter of who has more subscribers.
Now that we’re at near saturation point for mobile users, the game has evolved to one of content and features of making one’s very lifestyle the key to choosing a particular service provider. In other words, it has become a consumer priority that one gets the most in terms of features, access, and “freebies” when selecting and finding that plan that best syncs with one’s interests, preoccupations and lifestyle needs. The awareness and extent of how this game is now played can be seen as Globe unveils its signature Globe Iconic Store at Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City.
Sitting on both ends of the Globe Iconic Amphitheater and serving as wings to the theater, there are modules on either wing of the new store that reflect this shift of interests. While there are sections dedicated to technology and business, just as much floor space is now devoted to highlight fashion and style, music, entertainment and sports. And here lies the omnipresent “pitch” — that no matter who you are, chances are high that Globe knows you and is ready to provide, to make connectivity have that much more meaning to you, whoever you are!
If one is into fashion and style, Globe would have you connected at a finger’s press to shop online with the likes of Zalora, Sephora and Pink Manila. For music, there’s Spotify; while the best access to the NBA and other sports can also be done via Globe. In the realm of entertainment, its tie- ups with Netf lix, Disney and HOOQ rule! The list of game apps and social media apps makes perusing the plans and easy choice of blending in with one’s lifestyle choices.
And there’s unique branded content on the horizon as the Globe Independent Film Festival hits its stride. This Christmas season, the Amphitheater is home to 9Works musical A Christmas Carol, showcasing how the telecom company can still recognize and support live performance — it also partners in next year’s Coldplay concert.
As for me, regardless of provider, am wondering why our country still has to lag in terms of megabit per second (Mbps), our pathetic Internet speed — and hope that this gets rectified very soon.
Signs of the times
What set s these th ree novel s apart is how they incisively ref lect today’s attitudes and moods. Loner is a different kind of campus novel — very disturbing. Curioddity is fantasy in the workplace; while
Spark s t akes on exorci sms and demonic possession via social media.
Loner by Teddy Wayne (available on Amazon. com) A riveting send- up of a Bieber- type pop star, this is the author’s (who is also the author of The Love Song of Jonny Valentine) first foray into the campus novel. It is truly different, as it’s also a chilling psychological portrait. At the heart of the story is David, who comes to Harvard from New Jersey and would seem to be your average high school loser who excelled in academics and now finds himself in hallowed Ivy League institution. While carrying on a tentative relationship with mousy Sara, he holds a f lame for her roommate, the beautiful, sophisticated Manhattan- bred Veronica. We follow David as his pathetic double- life means going to absurd lengths to become someone in Veronica’s social circle and believing he is making great strides. A quick, yet incisive, read about wanting to belong.
Curioddity by Paul Jenkins (available on Amazon. com) A renowned comic book writer, best known for reviving the Inhumans and creating The Sentry for Marvel, this is Jenkins’ excursion into the fantasy/ humor genre previously mined by the likes of Douglas Adams.
His main protagonist, Wil Morgan, is your typical sad sack living out a colorless life as a fraud investigator. When his scientist mother passed away, Wil’s dad made him shun magic and imagination. When Mr. Dinsdale, proprietor of the Curioddity Museum, seeks Wil out, the opportunity to bring back magic is rekindled. As well as meeting Lucy, a beautiful, mercurial woman who may bring a spark to his humdrum life. The tongue-in- cheek humor found on every page, the crazy plot, the fantasy elements all work wonderfully to make this enjoyable escapist fare. The Last Days of Jack Sparks by
Jason Arnopp (available on Amazon. com) A noted journalist and scriptwriter for Doctor Who, this is Arnopp’s first foray into novel-writing, and it’s one hell raiser of a ride. Chronicling the demonic possession and last days of social media phenom Jack Sparks, as released by his brother Alastair, the story is one grisly tale as told by an unreliable narrator. Events start off with Sparks planning a book about the supernatural and going to rural Italy to witness an exorcism. The true atheist and cynic that he is, he laughs at an inopportune moment and earns the ire of the devil, who has possessed a young girl. As the book setting travels to Hong Kong, and to Los Angeles, we get a taste of the world of believers, those who are obsessed with how the work of evil spirits are manifested in our everyday world. Wonderfully plotted, this is one chilling read.