Gilmore: A Haven for PC Users

Gilmore is an Avenue in Quezon City (part of New Manila) that is best known for cheap computers and peripherals. If you want to save money in your computer purchases, take a safe trip to Gilmore and be amazed.

LRT 2 Gilmore Station - Google Maps

Located just below LRT 2 Gilmore Station is a street with malls and stores that purely sell computers (laptops, desktops), accessories and software. If you ever have been to Hidalgo in Manila, imagine the same look of the street only this time, it’s computers and not cameras.

One side of Gilmore Ave

There are big and small computer stores in Gilmore Ave. IT Center is the biggest mall in the avenue and it holds three floors of computer stores. Outside the mall are more stores.

I cannot forget when Microsoft Windows had a massive promotion in the area. I was scouting for my Vaio’s memory when some Windows promoters handed me refreshments with the Windows logo. They were giving away freebies, which I gladly refused for reasons I cannot remember.

I bought my sister’s netbook (she named ‘Sheenah’)  in Gilmore. It was 17,500 if paid in straight cash. I checked the mall price and it was a little above 20,000. I got it for 17,500 with lots of freebies.

Stores in Gilmore accept credit cards but give big discounts to those who pay in cold cash. My strategy is to act as if I have the whole money in my pocket and that I’m ready to buy something right away. Sellers become excited with that and hence will make bargains. You can haggle.

Many would complain that Gilmore isn’t very accessible. Well, not really.

There are only three ways I know of getting there (from south):

1. Via EDSA: Via MRT/LRT 2 – Take the MRT northbound to Cubao. From Gateway, take the LRT 2 (southbound) to Gilmore Stn.

2. Via EDSA: Bus/LRT 2 – Take the bus to Cubao Farmer’s (usual city buses from Baclaran to North Ave), then go to Gateway Mall and take the LRT 2 southbound to Gilmore Station.

3. Via Pasay/Manila: LRT 1/LRT 2 – Take the LRT 1 northbound to Doroteo Jose Station. Take the long walkway (near FEU) to LRT 2 Recto Station (terminal station) From there, take the LRT 2 northbound to Gilmore Ave.

If you don’t want to take the risk, take the cab. It will pass by shortcuts. From Makati, it will probably take the Zamora Bridge to Sta. Mesa and go straight to Gilmore. Just a precaution: as much as possible take the cab from Gilmore (if you already purchased anything) to a safer place. Snatchers and robbers still find computers attractive.

Be sure that when you go to Gilmore, you already know what you’re looking for. Some fixers there will give you more options and it’s best for you to have a fair knowledge of what you need so you’ll be ready to be bombarded with other deals.

Gilmore is a haven to those computer users with the longing to save. Do not worry about products being pirated or non-legit; you can always check the authenticity, plus, scammers in Gilmore will get caught easily.

So come down to Gilmore for some techie adventure.

Vaionah

Me and Vaionah, April 2008

Vaionah is my Sony Vaio FZ. I got her as a graduation gift from daddy since I’ve been a very good college student for almost eight years (but really, I don’t know why I deserved this quite expensive notebook, but that’s another story).

The reason why I’m writing this is because Vaionah is getting old. Yes, we all know that notebooks get old and obsolete in a very short span of time and we can’t do anything about it. Vaionah’s a Vaio, so even though there were many faster and better notebooks manufactured after her, I didn’t mind. She’s a Vaio, enough said.

I first named her Valentino, in lieu of a decent boyfriend but I realized that I didn’t need a boyfriend hence Vaionah.

So what makes Vaionah a good notebook during her time?

First, she runs on Intel Centrino Duo. She has 1GB of memory, 160GB of hard disk space.

Second, she has built-in Bluetooth and WLAN, also a built-in webcam and microphone. There are sorts of slots for peripherals, just like other notebooks.

With a combination of grey and black, she’s not a plain Jane.

She has 15.4″ LCD screen display, 1″ thickness.

Her darkside is on her weight and operating system. She’s heavy and runs on Vista Home Premium. Vista operating systems are notorious for being slow and they do not optimize the computer’s hardware that well. I had several attempts to upgrade her to Windows 7 but the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor has several warnings that give me headache. A few of her drivers are not compatible with Win 7 and there aren’t supported drivers for Win 7. I rest my case.

Me on the wee hours editing an article

Vaionah has served me very well for the last 2.5 years. From my first job to my latest freelance job, she has been reliable. However, these past few days she has been showing signs of retirement. Yes, I can feel that Vaionah is close to her indefinite retirement, or in other sad words, demise.

She has been unbearably slow for months now and it became more intolerable lately when her applications started to crash. Her WLAN and Bluetooth switch has become loose (don’t you dare touch it or I’ll lose my internet connection!)

I’m sad, really, really sad about her condition. Dave and I went to a Sony Service Center in Makati but they said FZs were manufactured in the US and are not really sold in the Philippines so there are no parts available. I asked for alternatives but they said that’s impossible.

Looks like Vaionah is stuck on her original parts. I have to accept her fate (okay I’m being melodramatic here) and maybe find her replacement. While Dave is busy looking for replacements, I’m also busy thinking and hoping that Vaionah lives longer.

A 2.5 years old laptop is pretty old but I will never dispose what I have. If ever she fails to do me service, then I’ll just keep her.