Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Alienware MX11
Not sure how to start. This notebook is the replacement of my old gaming notebook Asus G2. To me is a downgrade as my G2 is a 17” gaming notebook 
Size comparison between G2 and MX11
Why buy Alienware?
1. Asus G2 Bios/motherboard is dead and not sure how much to replace it.
2. Need an additional notebook for my son
3. New notebook must be more mobile then my current notebooks (OK… some call it desktop replacement)
So after searching for sometimes, I concluded that the replacement notebook will be Alienware MX11 or MX15. I checked the Dell’s website for the latest promotions/offers and decided to get it for Christmas but Santa does know how to makes my dream comes true.
We when to Courts at Tempenis to get “other” electrical stuff and we found Alienware on display. This is where Santa came in. The hourly promotion for the set (just as we about to step out) was SGD 970 (original price was SGD 1890) and no one interested in it as everyone saying that the set to heavy for netbook, must be demo set, blah, blah, blah. So I grab it and found it is a new set.
Unboxing MX11
The box was heavy for a netbook (MX11 is 11” notebook but in the size of 13”). The packaging was nicely design, when you open it you greeted by some alien’s language:
And this is not the set, just a box for cables, CD and other reading documents. The actual set was much deeper under:
Note: The mouse and hard disk not part of the package.
The set we bought was black and set the colors to red.
Specifications
CPU: i5 (guess is 1.73ghz)
RAM: 4GB
GPU: NVidia with 1GB and Intel GPU (switchable without restarting)
Hard disk: 500GB
Size wise, guess just nice for my son and hopefully will last him a couple of years
Friday, December 3, 2010
Me and my thinkTANK
I have decided that my Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW is just too bulky to carry around for day-to-day usage, plus I do not have that many lens left after the trade-in of my old camera.
I start searching for a new camera bag and my requirements for the new bag:
a. must able to fit in my Dell Vostro 13 (13” notebook but with a length of 14”)
b. able to accommodate my iPad and other accessories
c. future expansion such as able to add bottle/lens holder
So after searching thru various shops and online, I found thinkTank. I have to admit that the built quality of the bag is almost identical to Tumi or Victorinox, strong, rugged and can withstand my daily usage (abuse).
The model I bought was thinkTANK Urban Disguise 35 V2.0
The specification:
Weight (empty): 1400 grams
Dimension: 10” L x 13.25” H x 6” D
In short is heavier and smaller than my Targus (the backpack on the left). This bag is like Swiss army knife for bag, lots of compartments:
a. The back/notebook compartment can fit my notebook and ipad
b. Camera compartment can fit my Canon 60D with Tamron 18-270mm lens, plus both side that can fit my Joby SLR and Canon EF-S 10-22mm USM.
c. The front notebook compartment can fits a 10” notebook or iPad
d. Others can store pens, keys, etc
Plus comes with raincoat for the bag
And overall is a good bag.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Good bye…..
After months of consideration between Canon 7D and 60D, I finally decided to go for the Canon 60D (more review on that later).
Before I go out and get the new body, I need to know what am I going to do with my old Canon body, already in my collections are 2 full-frame body (one Canon and the other Minolta – belongs to my wife) and old lens.
I bought the Canon 300D when it was first launched, in US it was call the Canon Rebel and was one of the first digital SLR. This body already about 8 years old. I used it for all my “rugged” travel (to extreme cold winters to normal tropical environment).
After long consideration, I decided to trade in the body plus some of my old lens for Canon 60D plus an all-in-one lens (more on the lens later).
I traded:
For
Buying Time or Technology
On the 23:59:59 of 2009, my Seiko Perpetual Calendar was working fine. It can tells me accurate date and time but at the stroke of midnight 00:00:00 of 2010, the date refused to change to 1st Jan and the watch was officially “expired”. I was very happy with my Seiko as it works on very cold environment and been with me since I start working in Singapore.
Well, when I purchased the watch (years ago), I knew on the midnight of 2009, the watch will refuse to work. Therefore I already planning for a replacement watch as early as June 2009. Sort like Y2K planning. However after searching high and low, I still unable to get the watch I like/love.
However, after a few tweaking, my trusted Seiko should be working till next leap year (same year as the summer Olympics). That make me wonder, am I buying a watch to tell date/time (any watches) or a masterpiece (such as Rolex) or a fashion/utility (designer watch). To tell date/time, we do not need a watch as most of us already carrying it with them, it is call mobile phone, I won’t talk about designer watch as I will not look into these category as it will not be appealing to me.
So left with masterpiece, I am not talking about Rolexes, Tags, etc. Is about the technology of the watch. Recently the watch makers are creating some very advance technology watches. Lets go thru them:
a. Perpetual Calendar: The latest perpetual watch not only tell the correct date (I think is till someway around 2050), time, it also tells the accurate moon phase, day of week, leap years and some more expensive also shows the year (centuries).
b. Eco drive, Kinetics, Solar, etc: The watch that can last forever. With these Japanese technologies, the watches basically will work forever as no need to change batteries, all it need were sunlight, movement or both.
c. Radio Controlled: The watch will synchronized by a time code bit stream transmitted by a radio transmitter such as atomic clock (something like a GPS). The watch will set the time to US time if you fly to USA, and back to China time, if you back to China, etc.
d. Multi functions watch such as Altimeter, Chonography, etc.
After going through all the European and Japanese watches, I shortlist to a few watches (actually only 2):
1. Citizen Calibre H610
This watch is a masterpiece. It basically has all the new technologies built into the watch and is a mechanical watch. It will last forever as the Eco drive will power it as long as there is lights. Also it will change time according to the radio controlled features, very good for travellers.
2. Tissot T-Touch
This is a much simpler watch without the auto/self powering system, no radio controlled but comes with touch screen. You can activate the watch functions by touching the glass.
After much self debate (my left brain vs my right brain), I finally bought the Tissot T-Touch. The model I bought was Tissot T-Touch Expert comes with more features.
More on the review in next blog.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Me and iPad
I bought iPad on the first day of launching in Singapore. How long did I queue for it.... Almost 2 hours.
Why I need iPad? Well, I always like tablet pc especially the HP and Fujitsu, but recent tablet such as from Kohjisha was disappointed, so when Apple announced the launch of Apple, I was excited and I knew I wanted to at least try one. However, I do not wished to fall into the trap of excellent advertisement. I was lucky as my boss got a set from US a couple of weeks after it launched and after playing it for a couple if minutes, my mind and heart concluded that this is the tablet that I needed.
After searching high and low at those parallel importers in Singapore and Hongkong, they do not carry or stock the model I wanted - 64gb wifi and even the 32gb is too expansive.
So I purchased it on the launching day. Mine is 64gb wifi and got I for less than the published price (some discount for queuing)
What I used the iPad for?
A. Keynotes - PowerPoint style presentation and still learning how to use it. So far created one presentation and I quite love it but the learning curve is longer than I expected. One problem was that the files save is keynote/iWork format and PDF, so PPT files need to be converted.
B. Numbers - Spreadsheet for iPad and same as keynotes, need to understand the concept and convert xls into numbers/iWork format.
C. Photo frame - convert ipad into photo frame with music
D. iBook - this is my favorite apps. It can open epub and PDF file. Convert some of my magazine into PDF and now I can bring all my magazine and my tintin collection with me. Next stop convert all my Asterix and Obelix series :)
E. Photo editing - no time yet, but tried some of the apps and thing this will be useful for all my photos
G. Games - no so much into the gaming but my son loves it
H. Movie - DVD converted to mpeg4 was great on iPad but divx movies converted to mpeg4 movies were horrible, look like need to reconvert all my DVD again :(
I. Internet and web TV - this is also great when I need to read some news and surf online.
J. Email - another great stuff on iPad
K. Organizer - great tool to use as diary/organizer. The apps used was Pocket Informant. It can link to outlook/google for calendar. Nice todo screen.
Well that after a month of iPad usage. Next, will be which hardware to buy, guess the answer is simple: camera connectivity kit. Is actually put a USB connector for iPad.
Other useful hardware is the keyboard and docking station.
Will update hardware review after I tested/bought it.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Think before you print
I notice that more and more emails are sign off with 
The winding road leading to a green tree “P” and a message “Please consider the environment before printing this email”. After looking closer and found that it is actually a font:
After digging the net, you can find more information from:
Friday, May 7, 2010
My xperia X2
Pro: Built quality is good, good camera, very clear screen
Con:Bad firmware
After using about a month (after major operations - Sony Ericsson changed the almost everything except the cover), now I can finally review the Sony Ericsson.
Hardware
The built quality is very good. The back is made of metal (real metal not those plastic stimulated metal), comes with a stylus 4GB SD card, a USB mini (most phone using this format now -- to compete with iphone) and a 8.1Mbps camera. The charger is very mobile. Once you flip open the keyboard was great to type (might be a little small for bigger size people). The screen is 480x800 (vertical) or 800x400 (horizontal) or 3.2" screen size.
Also comes with the standard 3.5mm headphone jack (moving away from Sony connector). The SD card can be access by opening the metal back cover. 
Built in the hardware are GPS, Wifi, bluetooth and all band. Battery life is about 18 hours, may able to last 24 hours if you turn off HSPDA.
Note: My first X2 was working perfectly except that the RAM in certain part of the hardware was "dead" so they change the motherboard and change my imei.
Software
One word -- CRAP. Not sure is the hardware compatible issue or just crap.
First the auto-changing panels (able to display up to 9 panels). Some panels just too difficult to understand, example the Growing Panel 
The other panels are SPB Mobile Shell, Tileware, Driving (with GPS), CNN, Youtube, etc. I end up only using SPB Mobileshell.
Camera is like the very basic Sony Cybershot - touch focus and with geo-tagging. Music is like a basic Sony MP3 walkman. The sound from the speakers is actually very clear and loud (much better than the Omnia - someone always complaints that he cannot hear me when I called him from my Omnia, hmmm.... actuall all the recipients in this email are Omnia)
SMS, Email, MMS -- great when using the keyboard. When using the phone as a modem with a PC, the speed was fast enough for me to check football scores and read news. When pairing Bluetooth device, just like any other phone search and key in the pin code to confirm (Omnia is one step ahead, they insert in most major pin code into it, you just need to pair and need not key in the pin code)
Now why the software is CRAP...... Sony Ericsson already upgrade the firmware with the latest version known as MR1 (or Windows Mobile 6.5.1) and here is the items that is upgraded/enhanced:
| Here’s a list of highlights: |
And they never/forgot mention that with the upgrade you will also:
a. lost the built in games (Experiment 13 and a racing game -- forgot the name)
b. all previous games from Sony Ericsson Playnow is now not playable
c. the phone will auto shutdown when the phone feels like it like to take a rest (so please continue to check your phone to make sure is not shutdown)
d. phone refuse to let you answer calls from your wife (guess the phone is jealous of iphone). Not sure why, sometimes when my wife or other iphone users call me, my phone just hang when I answer the call
e. at least once a week, you need to shut down and remove the battery to clear any nightmare/bad dream that the phone has during the sleep (auto shutdown), else most features thing won't work, actually the phone just hang
f. My phone now speaks German to me. My purchase game Real Football refuse to speak in English, must be preparing me for Bundesliga as Starhub will no longer has the rights to English Football.
The good news after all this was that I can received SMS and I get direct access to Singapore Xperia support team. Those guys are great and friendly even after all the calls they received from me, hmmm.... now they greet me by my name. I guess I am making my name in the Sony Ericsson office too.
Conclusion
I guess I need to correct my statement... if you need a smartphone, don't go near Sony Ericsson. I heard they have the same problems with Aino and Satio too.
Don't get me wrong, my experience with Sony Ericsson was very good (I still love my P800 - still in my drawer) but after the Xperia, I might go back to my first phone Motorola (the huge water bottle phone - at least it works)
Thank you for reading.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Happy Chinese New Year
I wish you a happy and prosperous Chinese New Year, and here is something nice and encouraging from Eye of the Tiger
Risin' up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive
So many times, it happens too fast
You change your passion for glory
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive
It's the eye of the tiger, it's the cream of the fight
Risin' up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night
And he's watchin' us all in the eye of the tiger
Face to face, out in the heat
Hangin' tough, stayin' hungry
They stack the odds 'til we take to the street
For we kill with the skill to survive
Risin' up, straight to the top
Have the guts, got the glory
Went the distance, now I'm not gonna stop
Just a man and his will to survive
