Things to Watch Out for in 2012

The New Year is just around the corner, and if you are not yet excited for it, here are some things that are sure to keep you waiting in anticipation for the year that is supposed to signal the end of the world. 10.) The new wing of SM City Davao in Ecoland is slated to open in 2012. More importantly, the new SM Mall in Lanang is also said to open within 2012. What does this mean? It means more jobs for Davaoenos so we could have money to spend in new shops and restaurants that are also slated to invade the city because of this brand new mall. Better news: shops that will open in the new SM mall will be targeted to wider demographic and social strata. This means, more stuff that are budget-friendly. 9.) The invasion of brand new flavours of alco-pop beverages is also one of the more exciting things that 2012 holds for us. If you have not yet been informed, Tanduay Ice has actually released Red and Blue variants that are sure to be as popular as their original alco-pop outing. Antonov also released Antonov Ice and Antonov Mandarin Orange: two enticing flavours that follow the original Antonov Apple. These new flavours are the same price as the original which means that we have more affordable options to get us to that happy place we call Land-of-Non-Sobriety. 8.) Although I absolutely adore my Blackberry, one of the things I dislike about it is the fact that I can’t make free calls over the internet with it. Thank god, they have now contracted Skype to provide online calling and maybe even video streaming for Blackberry handhelds. Skype for Blackberry is said to be launched on May 2012. 7.) Every self-repsecting urbanite has a slew of cool gadgets that make life easier and make communicating a staple. Here is a list of some of the most anticipated gadgets to watch out for in 2012: • iPad 3: The follow up to the iPad 2 is said to run on iOS5 and features their new assistant, Siri. It is also rumoured to have a retina display, WiFi, 3G, and 4G LTE Connections, and a sleek new design. • iPhone 5: We have all waited anxiously for the iPhone 5 last year and to find out that what we have been holding out for was the iPhone4S. 2012 however marks the coming of the iPhone 5. Why is it so special? I don’t really know yet. I know nothing about the new iPhone which is said to come out during the last quarter of 2012, and neither do you. Why are people interested about it? Well, I guess they would like to greet the end of the world in style. • Dell Peju Tablet: To compete with the iPad, Dell is creating the Peju tablet which is slated to run on Windows 8. It may come out during the first quarter of 2012 in the States but there is no telling as to when it will reach our humble shores. • Wii U: The new frontier in gaming seems to be more compact, and without wires. The Wii U is supposed to act as the Wii remote control but has its own LCD. How does it work? I have no idea. 6.) There are also exciting movies to watch out for this 2012 including: • The Dark Knight Rises: The new Batman movie which still stars Christian Bale as the caped crusader. • The Avengers: which, according to critics, feels more like Ironman 3 rather than a movie made for a team of superheroes. Obviously, the biggest star in this outing is Robert Downey Jr., but it also starts Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson. • The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a spin-off of the Lord of the Rings franchise. It still stars Elijah Wood accompanied by the gorgeous Cate Blanchett and the effective Martin Freeman. • The Amazing Spider-man: It tells the tale of how Peter Parker dealt with his powers during his younger years as a teenager. Expect it to be awkward and filled with mushy teenage love troubles…and of course some action. Starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, this outing is definitely one to watch out for. • Underworld Awakening: If you did not enjoy the previous Underworld outing, chances are, you will not enjoy this one as well. The good news is, Kate Beckinsale is back in her tight leather ensemble and hard candy attitude in this tale about vampire warriors. 5.) Diaspora*: The new social networking site is now already fully-functional but is said to hit it big in 2012. Diaspora * makes it easier for people to protect their posts, screen who can see whatever they are posting, separate friends and categorize contacts, and keep ownership of all your posts, photos, videos, and everything else you post on their site. You hear that sound? That is the sound of Facebook scrambling to kill the competition. 4.) The Peak at Gaisano Mall has already opened but there are more exciting things to come. First off, the opening of one of my all time favorite Mongolian Barbecue-style restaurants are, Kubali Khan, is said to happen during 2012. Also, Happy Lemon and Red Mango are supposed to hit Gaisano Mall’s the Peak really soon. Oh, and there are talks of a new party place opening at the topmost level of the peak in 2012. 3.) Music makes the world go round, or so they say. Here are some of the most anticipated albums that are slated to come this 2012: • Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded • Justin Beiber’s Believe • Madonna’s new album that is slated to come out early next year • Willow Smith’s Knees and Elbows • Ke$ha’s new album that is yet to be titled • T.I.’s Trouble Man • No Doubt’s Reunion album Listen to Confessions of a Partyphile on the radio on 105.9 Mix FM every Wednesday nights from 6 to 9 in the PM. For comments, suggestions, and more confessions from this partyphile check out http://party.i.ph or follow the columnist on twitter.com/zhaun