PLDT TelPad

Eric R. Alberto, VP of Customer Sales and Marketing; Napoleon Nazareno, President & CEO, Manny V Pangilinan, PLDT Chairman and Dan Ibarra,PLDT Group Head of Retail Business

PLDT, known for its landline and DSL services introduced a new innovation to the public. It's the PLDT TelPad, the landline phone, DSL and an android touchscreen tablet rolled into one. This new and exciting product was unveiled in an event at SMX that was attended by Manuel V. Pangilinan, the Chairman of PLDT; Napoleon L. Nazareno, President and CEO ; Patrick Tang, Vice President for Retail Voice; Dan Ibarra, Retail Business Group Head and Eric Alberto of Consumer Sales And Marketing Group.

The event is hosted by Bianca Valero & Jocelyn Oxlade and include performances from Eurasia and Side A band. Also seen in the event is RJ Ledesma, Maxim Mamba and the winner of The Amazing Race Asia, the Richards.

Landline, DSL and an Android Tablet

When I got an invite that says that this event is all about "landline reinvention," I was really clueless how they will reinvent the almost obsolete landlines. I was really amazed by the thinktanks of PLDT.



“We are reshaping the future of the landline and we are starting to bring it to the market now,” said PLDT president and CEO Napoleon L. Nazareno. “We are proud that the PLDT TelPad was conceptualized and developed here in the Philippines using world-class technology.”

The PLDT TelPad is an 7-inch tablet, Android 2.2 Froyo powered tablet that has a 1Ghz Cortex A8. That means we can download apps and play on tablet. There's 100,000 apps on the Google Android Market that we can choose from and add to this device.

It comes with a 2GB built-in storage but there’s an SD card slot and a USB port for expansion. The TelPad also has a 2 megapixel front camera for still shots and videoconferencing.




FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Since I was excited to try this device, I immediately tinker on one of the 20 units that they spread at the venue. Though the device is thicker than the Apple iPad (which you can't use to call) it is suprisingly light. The touch screen is resistive enough, and the device last for more than 4 hours if undocked, according to the 'gadget girl.'

Since it's uses PLDT myDSL, browsing on the web is a breeze. The device is updated with the latest Google Instant so it suggest some search phrases as you type. I tried the Facebook for Android app and the popular Angry Birds game and I experience no problem at all.

Unlike other tablet which has only one button, the PLDT Telpad has 3. The HOME button, the BACK and a button that let's you access the MENU easily.

After the presentations ended and while Side A is playing on the stage I asked some people what they can say about the new PLDT Telpad.

"I love it's wifi feature and it's plug and play capability. I can easily use the HDMI port to plug it to my LCD TV", said Zaldy Lizardo, one of the people I caught using the PLDT Telpad. When asked if he will avail the device, he immediately said, Yes!" "The tablet is light, super-packed and affordable so why not" he added.



Ms. Jinny Aldeguer which has a job in the retail industry also share some reaction to the PLDT Telpad to me. "Gusto ko ung Facebook feature niya kase i can use it while I'm lying down in the bed, kase I only use my mobile phone to browse Facebook.com, with it's 7-inch screen it's enough na." When asked if she will buy the device, "Oo naman, PLDT subscribers na kami eh!, I'm sure pag-aagawan 'to sa bahay namin hahaha" she ended.

IS IT EXPENSIVE?

The PLDT TelPad service starts at Plan 1849 with 1-megabit-per-second (Mbps) broadband connection and landline service. The PLDT TelPad unit comes bundled with the plan. Existing PLDT myDSL customers only need to add as low as P500/month to upgrade to the TelPad plans.

The other PLDT TelPad plans are Plan 2099 at 1.5 Mbps (P2,099 per month), Plan 3095 at 2.5 Mbps, and Plan 4100 at 3.5 Mbps. All these are inclusive of the landline phone and myDSL broadband service.

Some photos at the PLDT Telpad Launch:

Eurasia

Side A Band with their new vocalists

a live music mix from 3 DJ's, a violinist and two ... ahh hmmm what do you call that thing?

Napoleon Nazareno, President & CEO of PLDT

Patrick Tang, PLDT Vice President for Retail Voice

Paolo Lopez, PLDT Assistant Vice President for Retail Data Usage

Jocelyn Oxelade and Bianca Valero, the show hosts

*UPDATE!* Here's the link to the Official PLDT Telpad Microsite, you can also LIKE the PLDT Telpad Facebook Fan Page where you can find the link to the Application for Reserving a Telpad Unit.