The thoughts. The feelings. The opinions.

Project Phantom

2011-12-25T00:15:00.015+08:00

The idea came out 3 months back. I was running on an outdated Quad core processor, the mid-tower casing suddenly looked smaller and could not fit today's lineup of graphics cards. I knew that someday eventually I will need to overhaul my 2 year old setup. The time came when I saved enough to get something really good. Or so I thought. But it was not a DIY. It was the mid-2011 Mac Mini. Friends thought I was mad. I wanted to try something different. I wanted to see if a small-sized computer like the Mac Mini can be a contender to some of the full-fledged PCs out there. I began the order thru Apple Store. 2.7GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 4GB RAM, 256GB SSD and a ATI Radeon M6000 series. I was skeptical about the graphics card. The rest of the hardware was ok. As a mainstream gamer, graphics card is the core to the experience on gaming. If I were to run anything lower than HD resolution and medium effects, the machine is not for me - simple said. So the fruit finally was shipped and I ran benchmarks straightaway in Windows environment.

Things were far from smooth. I experienced it hang (in Lion OS !!!) trice but never in Windows. Then, played Call Of Duty 4. Default settings but I felt a tinge of lagness. My fears were confirmed when I tried to run Grand Theft Auto IV. To run smoothly, I had to set the resolution to 1024x768, all effects to LOW. I promptly applied for a full return to Apple Store the next day. A full refund will be given in 5 days time.

I had no choice but to stick to the DIY route. After going thru a few pricelists online, I chose just 1 retailer to get everything. It makes the process simpler.
Let the pictures and captions tell the story:

Start with the brain. The rest of the hardware relies on it

First thing I looked for in a casing is spacious enough to fit a large graphics card

Left: NZXT Guardian 921. Right: NZXT Phantom. Talking about big.

Now THAT's spacious

I've always wanted the Cooler Master V6 CPU cooler. Looks cool

Visual power. MSI TwinFroz II /w 2GB RAM.

All wiring completed. Ported over the green cathode ray tubes from the old casing

Chasis: NZXT Phantom | Aerodynamics: 1 front intake vent, 2 side intake fan, 1 rear exhaust fan | 1 top exhaust fan | Engine: Intel Core i7 2600 @ 3.40GHz | Electronic Control Unit: MSI Z68A-G45 | Fuel: Cooler Master 700W | Wheels: OCZ Vertex 2 | Western Digital 2TB 7200RPM | Heads Up Display: MSI Twin-Froz II GTX 560 Ti | Accessories: CCFL Green Kit | In-House Entertainment: Altec Lansing Expressionist Ultra 200W |

2011-10-06T20:18:00.006+08:00

In Memory Of Steve Jobs

I kind of expected it. I'm sure many people would. But not so soon. Alas, the final day came. Job's health is failing ever since he came back from medical leave in Aug. And handing over to Tim Cook as his successor was to be the final signs of his departure.

I am a Windows user for as long as I've touched a keyboard. However, I still admire Apple products for their innovation and how they inspired and touched people's lives. I remember some donkey years back when Apple had just released the iMac. Or more commonly referred to as PowerPC. It was the monitor that had the distinctive semi-transparent casing and bright colors on its base and back. It was running Mac OSX, can't recall which version. I was dumbfounded as to how to operate this unusual Operating System whereby the taskbar is situated at the top of the screen and the minimise, maximise, close buttons were in the form of small circles, located on the opposite side of a normal window.

I did not touch a Mac after that. But I got used to an iPod when SingTel gave away a free one as part of their re-contract promotion. It was a 4GB silver iPod Mini which contains a Hitachi MicroDrive inside for storage. I have used that during my ITE days and it lasted me for at least 3 years thereafter the battery could no longer hold its charge.

By then, I was enlisted in the ARMY, and one day after guard duty, I went off to an Apple store to grab a 2GB black Nano. That too was lost when I held my first job as a computer technician as Challenger, Funan. No more iPods thank you. Too many devices to look out for, hence a phone will suffice.

New commuting experience

Probably I was inspired by one of Top Gear's episod whereby the presenters got into a race from one place to another in peak hour traffic. They had to go by 4 means of transport: boat, bike, bus, car. The bike won. Therefore, I thought it would be a good idea to get a bike for myself to cycle to work. The location is at Jurong Point. The shortest route by car would be 8.5km and I clocked only 7.4 km on the bike. And it takes the same time for me to reach if I were to walk to the MRT station, board a train, change to another train and finally alight. The negative part? I can't cycle when it rains.

Nikon's compact superzoom

This is my latest tech toy. Bought impromptu a week before the first Hari Raya outing. My 2nd camera purchased. I think it was a mistake to purchase. Now under-utilised. It's for sale! $600.00 or negotiable. Please contact me at
cyph3r@singnet.com.sg.

In memory of Steve Jobs from 1955 - 2011

2011-10-06T20:16:00.000+08:00

Comex Show 2011

2011-09-06T20:48:00.003+08:00

Anyone been to Comex Show 2011 at Suntec recently? I am sure you have heard about the dramatic crowd scene when HP disclosed that the HP Touchpad was not available upon opening of the show. Apparantly, queue numbers were already taken up before hand. So please check for the unexpected. Anyway, why is anyone so crazy for the Touchpad? Apart from the slashed pricing, you may get limited support, limited apps and chances of re-selling it..? It's WebOS people. Not IOS, not Android, where you'll be sure it will always be there. Nowdays people are buying things with closed eyes. -_-'.

IT Shows. PCSHow, Comex, SITEX. Every year we come across these. And at each show, there is bound to encounter some interesting happenings. Take for example a few days ago whereby a frustrated uncle came back to me with a Toshiba netbook. Purchased with a value of $429.00 and a free upgrade to 4GB ram. On the invoice, it's stated the value of the netbook and also a 2GB ram amounting $0.00. Conclusion? Sales person at Comex have given 1 stick of 4GB, which in fact should be 1 stick of 2GB. Remedy? I take the 4GB, I give uncle 2GB. Sounds simple but actually not. You see, Comex is Comex. Hence, purchasing at the show is different from purchasing at a retail outlet like mine. I can't simply take my outlet stock to replace him. Either uncle have to go to Comex to get the 2GB, or replace with another laptop model or get a refund. Ultimately, all is to be done at Comex. Simply because my outlet does not interfere with any Comex trasactions.

Uncle would not take my explanation. It is 4GB given free so I have to replace 1 piece 2GB and 1 piece 2GB which I can do. Uncle don't want because only got 1 laptop. I have to give 2GB and another product of similiar price to another 2GB= $78.00. But uncle, it is stated clearly on your receipt -$78.00, which means you are given a free RAM ungrade regardless it is of a wrong capacity. Giving you another free RAM and another product that is worth $78.00 is like daylight robbery on my outlet. Uncle was not satisfied because he had spent time, wasted petrol and parking charges just to get this done. So uncle let me ask you. MY FAULT ??!!! YOU made a decision to purchase from an exhibition show. YOU failed to check on-spot before leaving the premises. YOU failed to double-check with the sales person. YOU decided to drive here instead of taking public transport. YES, I agree the sales person at Comex is partly at fault for issuing a wrong item, but ultimately YOU made the decisions and arrived at this juncture.

I ended walking up and down several times to boss's office. I am just delivering my boss's message to the uncle and uncle's request to my boss. The final decision have been made. Even though one of the free gift was not brought along, I will refund the total amount back. Uncle still had the cheat to demand claim for parking and petrol expenses. UNCLE. You can buy a car. I am sure you drove to Suntec and parked there (albeit more expensive). You can buy a laptop and even want to ship it overseas. But a $2.00 parking fee in a shopping mall you can't pay ???? That is downright ridiculous. In the end, he received a refund and I bid farewell. Never to see you again. I don't need customers like you in my store. I have my own pool of potential customers, who in turn become my regulars. I treat the not-so-regulars the same. Because everyone deserved to be treated the same. But show this kind of attitude, you deserve no respect for me. Don't explain your reasons.

I know how a customer feels because I am a customer as well at one point or another. I understand the frustration, the anger, the whatever nots. But a customer needs to show the one behind the counter some respect - and he will get one in return. Hey, we are afterall humans. Without us, you won't get anything at all. And you will leave empty-handed.

After a long hiatus

2011-06-07T22:34:00.004+08:00

Last post was on 6th Jan ? Wow that's long. I didn't realise how long it was.

Well I'm still alive and kicking...sort off. Still in the same job, slightly different routine. I am now the Head of Department, which technically means I'll handle anything that have to do with "customer service".

Now how do you define "customer service". This is what I see how others, or rather my customers define "customer service": To perform or do anything that the customer asks or demands, irregardless of time factor, money or situtation. In short, what the customer demands, I must obey. My foot. This is how I define "customer service": To provide good consumer advice on products, to provide value-added service on top of pre-defined service according to house rules. In short, I provide the basics. You want more than the basics, fine. Pay for it.

Ok. Now is the story of the "hamsters". I don't know where I got the idea of calling new recruits hamsters. Anyway, Jurong Point seemed to become a training port. Which reminds me of BMT. A new recruit comes in for training, 50% trained and he shall be shipped out to another place. This company is really ambitious in opening up so so many stores all over the island. But look at the manpower. Borrow here, borrow there end up those who are on the ground suffer. Fair?

I had spent roughly 2hrs making an Excel spreadsheet on my payslip contributions starting from 2009. What amazes me is that I can get a much higher monthly sum, in May 2009 for example than now this year. And the difference lies in the sales incentive. Why the drop?

Yes complain again. Singaporeans like to complain alot. Received an email today stating that the user tried to call in to enquire about something but the call was unanswered. I wish I had a telephone operator. Or probably an answering machine that goes: "Hello. Thank you for calling XXX. For GPS/mobile devices, press 1. For desktop and notebooks, press 2. For peripherals and softwares, press 3. And the list goes on. Or on the company website contact list whereby there are different numbers for customers to dial the correct department for enquiry. Sadly and annoyingly, nothing of this happened. Because the only number on the website for my branch is my dect phone! And ever since the iPad 1 was launched, every 5mins or so, there will be an incoming call. Now tell me, I have to respond to emails, I have to perform servicing of computers, I have to check what are the status of those cases that need my attention, I have to attend to general enquiries from internal staff and customers and top of that, I need to mend the phone. But I'm born with only 2 hands. Mission impossible I could say. So I would rather you drop me an email if you have any enquiries. Because while you are calling in, I might be somewhere out in the store, or hands full packing laptops or attending to customers. And I'm more than happy to let you know the telephone numbers to the different departments out there.
Can you imagine getting stressed up just by phone calls?

Physically Drained

2011-01-06T16:12:00.002+08:00

As the title says. I'm very much tired out from the everyday work. I do not know is it due to overloaded task or my inability to sort everything out in order.

The unperfect Apple product

Now I'm not just pointing fingers and say that Apple products are inperfect. In fact, every brand has its own positive and negative side. But most consumers when they buy Apple products, they expect nothing but 100% perfect. Perfect in design, perfect in ergonomics, in functions and whatever nots. Take for example a MacBook. One in every 20 MacBook may have a dead pixel on the screen. And when told that Apple's policy for exchange is only 6 dead pixels, they are not satisfied. Because it is Apple.

On another case, there are some Apple users who sometimes potray themselves as rich, serious tech users. They walk around as though they have all the money in the world.
I was performing an upgrade of a RAM chip on a MacBook Pro recently. Now, opening the back case of the MacBook Pro is not as simple as other models in the market. The screws are much smaller and if you miss-que with the screwdriver, you might end up leaving a straight line next to the screw hole. So a good 10 minutes was spent taking off the case, insert a 2x 4GB RAM chips, sealed the case back on and powered the unit back up. Once done, I packed the unit up and told the owner let's go to the cashier for verification of the invoice. I walked briskly to the cashier counter and handed over the invoice. It was peak hour, there was like 6 other customers waiting at my counter and I would not spare any effort to clear the queue.

I walked back and found the owner just left his seat. And he was escorted with another salesman. And the salesman told me he will handle with the customer with the cashier. I had a gut feeling something was not right somewhere. Did I install the RAM too slowly? Did I walk to the cashier too fast? What, I'm supposed to lay out a red carpet for him? The next few days, I was told by the same salesman that the customer rattled about how technicians like me aren't supposed to wear watches when working on someone's computer. Hey, I was tactical when performing the RAM upgrade and a MacBook Pro's outer body is made of scratch-proof aluminium so what does he have to worry? Whatever. In my eyes, the customer is just a pineapple, ready to be sliced off. They may show that they know something, but actually they know NOTHING.

The Shoplifter

A chinese due came by with an Armageddon A7 subwoofer that was faulty. I promptly head over and took a new set. Brought it back, found some cosmetic damage. Went over and took another set. Tested it out, packed the sub in a bag for him. By right, I have to create an exchange document for him to sign and bring to cashier for verification. But heck, there was no serial number change involved, just a sub, so I let him go off. Moments later, there was a commotion of a Bose Companion SoundDock 3 missing from its shelve. A check from the CCTV footage revealed it was the same guy I had served previously. The guy was never caught. I was expected to pay for the damage. $270 altogether. Just my luck.

2010-09-12T18:41:00.003+08:00

Very fast a year had passed. I have upped in rank and position... well nothing much really about it. The number of hamsters are growing. Lol. While there was a time whereby there was a shortage of staff, now its overcrowded. Well I'm still training them. There are still lots to learn. As for myself, I was approached twice to take on a different job scope. Yes I am keen, but is this for the best? I am comfortable at where I am now, so I guess leave it this way until the end of the year then I'll decide.

In the upcoming months, I have quite a few tasks to accomplish. I have to attend the RT (Remedial Training for IPPT), book my A+ exams and err... yeah these are the two main important things. Oh I forgot to add, I have to report to CMPB for answering a charge pertaining to IPPT. What, I'm very free right?? -_-

Almost 2 years into the job now I have seen a fair share of complains and compliments from Singaporeans who make up the majority of my customers. But mostly complains. And it isn't usually the service staff. It could be on the customer's fault itself who are very fickle-minded or not-too-sure-if-it-works-but-I'll-buy-it-first attitude or simply, bochup = can't be bothered to ask. And the very familiar reply would be: Your staff did not inform/advise me!

So you see it is wise to do your homework before making a certain purchase especially if it has something that has high value. I have had goons who purchased laptops of a wrong color and wants to change, PCs which are too slow for their own liking, and ink cartridges of a wrong model - only to find out it would not fit after opening up the package! There was even one who purchased 4 iPod Nanos, and eventually changing to iPads!

As part of my job, I handled their complains in the most professional way I can and try to hand them solutions that they can use. But there are some who just plainly bash the service staff without actually finding more about behind-the-scenes.
Take for example an email that came 2 days ago. Part of the contents were directly slamming my own department as useless, unreliable and incompetent.

The lady purchased a HP lappy which I found broke down on the day of purchase itself. A replacement unit came and tested fine. Alas, she brought it back and the thing broke down again. Now I got 2 of the units with me and I arranged for a stock transfer. Hopefully the new one will be ok. Usually stock will arrive 2 or 3 days after arrangement have been made. What I failed to remember was: the driver does not work on public holidays. The lady called to enquire, I had others to attend to so I told one of my guy to get her number and name and I shall call her back shortly. Now, when I state that I will call a person back, I make it a point to return the call. But the duration varies, depending on the situation. In this case, I had to rush over to sales department to check if the stock had indeed arrived, called up the store that the stock was to be transferred from, cannot get through so I called up one of the HOD, cannot get through also, so hey I put it on hold and try later. Barely 2 hours later, the lady called back and this time I managed to speak to her. In our conversation, I told her frankly the unit won't be arriving until probably tomorrow and I shall call her when the stock arrives tomorrow. My mistake. The statement should be: "if the stock arrives tomorrow". She then presumed that the stock will indeed arrive the next day and came down personally without waiting for my call. That day was Hari Raya Puasa, a public holiday. Hence, the driver was not available to collect the stock.

Cut it short, she changed to another brand. Promptly I went missing before she came to collect the new laptop. I do not wish to see her return anymore.

I was shocked to know that I'm not supposed to take an off day on Hari Raya puasa. Reasons are:

1) It is a public holiday

2) I'm given an off day as a Muslim to celebrate Hari Raya

What I could not understand, not even my store manager told me about it. I could have just shifted my normal off to that day, if not for HR staff who came down and told me so. Nevermind that. Next week there is a family outing. And they won't let me go on both weekends. Shit man. Eveyone else in my whole family, relatives and cousins will be going - except me. I'm holding a damn important position that's why. And to think that Chinese New Year - the store will be closed for 2 days!!

Seriously, I'm finding it hard to stay, at the same time, finding it hard to leave. If I leave, where am I to go? How will I be? What is the environment like?

Help ....

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri Maaf Zahir Dan Batin

2010-09-11T16:36:00.002+08:00

An official message to all my fellow friends, family members, netizens and colleagues who have been a great companionship to me. Wish you long life and hapiness in whatever you do.

2010-08-09T00:53:00.003+08:00

Tepat pukul 10:20 malam, aku sampai ditempat kedai kopi kegemaranku. Selama 10 tahun, inilah tempat yang selalu aku duduk bersantai. Tidak seperti malam yang sebelumnya, ini malam tidak banyak orang. Kaum puak yang selalu bersamaku tidak hadir. Mungkin masing-masing ada urusan. Banguslah dapat aku dukuk bersendirian sambil termenung.

Beberapa hari yang lepas, umur aku mencapai 26 tahun. Kebanyakkan orang lain yang seumur denganku sudah tunang/khawin. Aku saja yang ketinggalan. Bukan aku tak nak carik atau memilih. Beberapa bulan yang lepas, aku ada berkawan rapat dengan seseorang gadis. Kerje sama company, cuma lain tempat. Sebenarnya, sejak aku jejak kaki dalam company ini setahun yang lepas, aku sudah temui dia. Lambat laun, aku rasa tertarik pada dirinya. Dia tidak macam gadis gadis yang aku nampak atau kenal sebelum ni. Dia ada character tersendiri, yang membuat dirinya istimewa. Teman sekerja banyak yang memerhatikan gerak geri aku. Diaorang tahu, cuma semua simpan rahsia ini. Tapi mulut aku bagai ada gam gajah, tidak langsung aku cuba meluahkan perasaan aku. Aku takut akan dapat response yang negative. Jadi aku pendam saja apa yang aku rasa.

Fast forward tahun 2010, March. Aku buat langkah masuk. Nombor handphone nyer aku dapat dari seorang staff dari situ. Alasan yang aku bagi, untuk jumpa makan malam dikedai kopi ini. Sebab macam selalu, aku akan jumpa dia dengan staff dari cashier department yang lain turun makan bersama. Cuma, tidak ada bikin "appointment". Malam itu jugak dia respond. Sejak hari itulah kita tukar SMS. Start sekali satu hari, lepas itu berhari-hari dari pagi hingga malam sebelum tidur. Aku masih ingat lagi pertama kali aku SMS dia ajak tengok crita wayang "Iron Man 2". Dia terkejut bila aku ajak dia. Tetapi dia datang jugak. Dan kita bermakan malam selepas itu. Alangkah bahgianya aku. Kita akan kerap jumpa untuk makan. Kadang-kadang di kedai kopi tempat aku sini, atau di Tiong Bahru tempat dia tinggal. Tak kira kalau aku kena amik taxi balik sebab last train dah habis, aku tetap akan temankan dia jalan kaki pulang. Bila aku pergi KL, dia mintak satu bear "Garfield", aku belikan. Aku sanggup buat ape saja untuk bahagiakan dia. Aku sudah meluahkan perasaan padanya. Tapi dia suruh aku tunggu sebab dia belum bersedia untuk jadikan aku sebagai teman lelakinya. Tetapi aku tetap tunggu. Mudah mudahan satu hari nanti dia akan memberi jawapan yang aku nantikan selama ini. Tetapi, alangkah sedihnya. Bila kita bersama, hanya setakat jasat kita disana. Hatinya entah dimana. Cinta tak akan jadi bila dua hati tidak bertemu. Inilah realiti sebenar.

Aku dapat rasai, sewaktu aku duduk dengan dia diatas "waterbreak" di pantai East Coast". Kita bermain basikal pada hari itu. Waktu dah nak 6:30 petang dan nun disana arah laut, kelihatan sunset yang mula bersinar. Ada angin bertiup perlahan lagi. Sungguh shiok. Aku keluarkan camera yang aku bawak untuk ambil gambar. Lepas itu, aku siapkan untuk snapshop self-potrait dan aku tanya dia kalau dia hendak ambil gambar bersama. Dia berpaling muka dan kata tidak. Aku berasa sedih, tetapi aku tidak tunjukkan pada hari itu. Pada aku, kehadirannya disisiku sudah cukup.

Genap tiga bulan kita bersama, akhirnya kita berpisah. Aku tahu sebab mula mula dia tidak hiraukan pelawaan aku untuk makan bersama lagi. Atau tengok wayang bersama. Katanya, ada hal. Dah lepas itu lama lama msg yang aku beri tidak dapat sambutan. Datang satu hari aku dapat SMS bagaikan panah yang mencucuk badanku. Dia sudah ada orang lain didalam hatinya. Dan orang itu bukan bangsa melayu dan bukan pula warga singapura. Terus terang aku kata, on the spot aku nak keluar dari tempat kerja, dan tak balik lagi. Tapi aku tenangkan fikiran. Apa dah jadi, tak boleh reverse. Dah bukan reseki aku. Sampai sekarang, aku terkilan. Sanggup dia tinggalkan aku tanpa sebab yang aku dapat terima. Sia-sia saja pengorbanan wang, tenaga dan masa aku.

Aku tak tahu sama ada dia masih ingatkan aku. Tapi, aku selalu teringatkan dia, bila masa aku berjalan menaiki escalator dari tempat Basement 1 aku bekerja ke tingkat pertama. Daerah escalator itulah, dia jumpa aku dan malam itulah pertama kali kita tengok wayang "Iron Man 2" bersama. Aku menghirup secawan teh didepanku. Mataku mula berair, tetapi tidak keluar. Aku mesti tabahkan hati. Dunia ini masih luas untuk aku rempuh. Setakat skarang ini, aku hanya mampu menunggu kedatangan .... penggantinya.

Mimpi Indah

2010-05-18T22:59:00.003+08:00

This song was originally composed by a local group called "BaronBros". I would like to dedicate this to a special someone I feel that may make an impact in my life.

sekian lama terpisah
akhirnya kita berjumpa,
bagai sebuah cerita cinta

Senyuman yang kau ukirkan
selalu bermain dimata
hingga terbawa didalam lena

[chorus]
bila ku pejam mata
dirimu yang menjelma
bertemu kita didalam mimpi indah
[/chorus]

ku sering memikirkan dirimu kasih
tak putus doaku hulur padamu
moga terbuka pintu hatimu untukku
membuktikan kejujuran cintaku

impian menjadi nyata
seandainya kau terima
cinta yang telah aku berikan

akanku genggam setia
janji yang telah dibina
bersama kita menuju bahagia

kau bersinar menerangi kegelapan
kau hadir menyeri kehidupanku
maafkanlah daku kisah cinta lalu
takkan kuulangi kesilapanku

kan ku cium tanganmu
sebagai tanda rindu
kan ku katakan ku cinta padamu

kan ku cium tanganmu
sebagai tanda rindu
kan ku katakan
oh my darling i love you

2010-04-30T01:06:00.002+08:00

I had the opportunity to clear the rubbish in my room today. And stuck in the corner is a dinosaur. This CPU was taken from my cousin who used to live in Pasir Ris. My old com had previously died and this was the replacement. It was an Intel board with a Pentium 233 MHZ processor. Covered with layers of dust, it might already been dead a few years back. Well it's time to bid farewell and dump it out.

Difference in tech, 10 years before and now

2010-04-08T08:22:00.002+08:00

I happen to take in a Dell laptop for servicing while I was setting up a brand new one for first time usage. Both were Inspiron models. The one on the left is a 14.1" LCD, uses a P4 processor with umm... 512MB of RAM? On the right is the new generation Inspiron that houses a Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM plus other features. One just died, another ready to take over the crown. Actually technology changes very fast. And manufacturers likely will close support for products more than 5 years. So if ur using anything more than 5 years old, I strongly suggest that you change for a brand new set, it will save you time and money in the long run.

First Looks: Samsung N220

2010-03-23T00:46:00.001+08:00

Product Specification

Processor and Chipset Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz, Intel NM10 Chipset
Operating System Windows 7 Starter
System Memory 1GB DDR2
Video & Display Intel GMA 3150
HDD 250GB (5,400rpm SATA)
Connectivity Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 802.11bg/n, 10/100 LAN
Audio HD Audio, 3W Stereo Speakers (2 x 1.5W)
I/O Ports 3 x USB 2.0, VGA, LAN, 3-in-1 Memory Card Slot, Mic In, Headphone Out
Miscellaneous Web Camera
Battery Type 6-cell
Display Type 10.1-inch WSVGA LCD with LED backlights
Dimensions 264.0 x 188.9 x 25.8 - 35.4mm
Weight 1.32kg

With netbooks coming in thick and fast these days, it is sometimes hard to distinguish one generation from the next. Thankfully, Samsung's 10.1-inch N220 netbook was designed to break with what we might call a "peas-in-a-pod syndrome". The N220 is significantly different from its N310 forerunner or any of its predecessors. The question is, would the new N-series cost as much as the premium N310? Thankfully, Samsung has priced the N220 more competitively this time at $799, instead of hoisting the bar any higher.

Note that Samsung also released a similar model, the N210 alongside the N220. The two are separated mainly by cosmetic differences. The N210 is dressed in a patterned lid instead of a two-toned rendition.

Body Talk

If you recall, the N310 sports a matt, rubberized shell with a glossy screen on the inside. Take that styling formula, swap it, and you'd probably end up with the N220. This time, Samsung's latest booty is fronted by a glossy, black and burgundy lid. Beneath its hood, sits a matt screen framed by silver accents. That's quite the reverse, isn't it? At 1.32kg, the N220 isn't the lightest netbook we've handled, but it's compact and mobile enough to tote around with.
The 1024 by 600 display is powered by LED backlights which explains the lid's slim profile. Observably, the screen managed a wide viewing angle on the horizontal plane. Contrast shifts, on the other hand, were annoyingly visible on the vertical axis. Full marks though for sharpness and clarity.

No radical alterations were made with the low profile keys. On the plus side, Samsung has retained the same wide key-pitch which makes this netbook a comfortable piece to type on. Similarly, its wrist-rest suffered little flex when stressed. The hinges weren't the stiffest around, but they'll do in holding the lid in place.
Interestingly, Samsung has opted for a slider-switch instead of a power button with the N220. Also, the speakers have been relocated to an area just below the front lip. Little changes were detected in the ports department, however with three USB ports and a 3-in-1 memory card slot. As a handy feature, these USB ports offer a "Sleep and Charge" perk such that you get to charge your USB gizmos without having to power on the netbook.

Working Out

Intel has since downsized the Atom platform from a three-chip solution down to two. Dubbed Pine Trail, it is claimed to offer a 20 percent power reduction compared to the former Diamondville iteration. Samsung's N220 uses this new Atom package, which includes a GMA 3150 graphics core and memory controller integrated with a single-core N450 processor. The integrated graphics managed to hold out when we ran a 720p video with a bit-rate of 8Mbps. Stutters were observed with a 1080p clip though.
Powered by a 6-cell battery pack, the N220 emerged with a laudable mileage of 5 hours and 25 minutes on our battery life test, a result that just about equaled the similarly Pine Trail based ASUS Eee PC 1005PE which lasted 5 hours and 46 minutes. This result is based on a 480p clip loopback with Wi-Fi disabled. Performance wise, the N220 is yet again matched by the ASUS netbook (1,324PCMarks), pound for pound, with a final PCMark05 score of 1,328PCMarks.

Besides Windows 7, you can also expect to find an "Instant On" Linux-based Phoenix Hyperspace operating system on the N220. It's nothing new on netbooks, but it does provide a quick-start option, if light browsing or Skype calls are what you're after. It took approximately 32 seconds to boot.

Final Thoughts

To wrap this up, while the N220 may sit on the slightly higher end of the price curve, it still managed to obtain a thumbs-up from us. After all, it is a decent netbook who isn't afraid of long road trips with a handy pre-boot Hyperspace you can warp speed to.

Source: HWZ Product Guide Notebooks

Ni chang huayi ma?

2010-03-13T11:38:00.004+08:00

Ni hao ma ? (How are you ?)
Wo hen hao. (I'm great !)

Slowly over the months I'm trying to learn the language of the PRCs. Seeing that I'm kind of disabled whenever I'm faced with a MIC (made in china) customer and apparantly my other fellow colleagues are sometimes too busy to assist.

I can't wait for April. No not bonus or salary increment of up rank or anything. Finally I'll be attending a course that I've wanted to for so long. It's ComTIA's very own A+ program. Every Tues and Thurs which means I'll be on off on one of the days and rush off after work on the latter. It will be for one month and I plan to ace the final exams without a hitch.

ASUS Unveils Latest Eee PC Netbooks, Desktops And Keyboard At CES

2010-01-10T23:56:00.002+08:00

Manila, Philippines -- Whether it is for the person who is constantly on-the-go or someone who is looking for that next innovative gadget, the entire range of Eee products has everyone covered.

Live A Simple But Stylish Life

World-renowned industrial designer Karim Rashid's touch is evident in this techno-chic take on the Eee PC Seashell 1008P. Available in a glossy Hot Pink or matte Coffee Brown finish, the Karim Rashid Collection marks ASUS' unique ability to meld form, function, and fashion in an elegant, yet understated package.

The Eee PC Seashell 1005PE features the new Intel Atom N450 processor, Windows 7 and Express Gate, and the ASUS Super Hybrid Engine, which optimizes energy efficiency to help deliver up to 14 hours of battery life.

The EeeTop PC ET2010AG is all-in-one PC that features a stylish and ergonomic design with an easily retractable stand and a space-saving ultra-slim 13.7mm profile. Powered by the AMD Athlon II X2 250u processor and the ATI Radeon HD 5470 discrete graphics processor, it delivers a unique multimedia experience with its 20-inch 16:9 widescreen HD (1600 x 900) display.

Source: HWZ | Mobile Solutions | Just Announced

LG Showcases Ultra Thin Notebook at CES

2010-01-10T23:54:00.001+08:00

SINGAPORE, January 8, 2010 – LG Electronics (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in mobile communications, unveiled its ultra-thin premium mobile PC, LG X300, at CES 2010 in Las Vegas.

The LG X300 offers the sleekest and most stylish look and feel ever for fashion-conscious road warriors. This premium mobile PC tips the scales at a mere 970g and is only 17.6mm thick for the ultimate in portability.

“LG has secured design leadership by delivering the most sophisticated mobile devices to delight our consumers,” said Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LG X300 boasts an ultra-slim and durable exterior without any sacrifice of functionality and performance and is further evidence of our technological leadership in mobile computing devices.”

The LG X300 boasts a collection of refined and elegant design features. The sleek but wide 11.6-inch LCD eschews a bezel to maximise viewing area and is offered with a distinctive white and light brown patterned lid to suit the most style-conscious users. The unique keyboard is reflective and the borderless touchpad features hidden lighting and tactile feedback.

The LG X300 is based on a 2.0 GHz Intel Menlow platform with up to 2GB memory and a solid state drive (SSD) instead of a hard disk. The X300 ships with a spare 2-cell battery to provide up to seven hours’ operation and the fanless, silent operation makes the X300 the ideal companion for the truly demanding mobile user.

LG’s Smart Pack, the smartest software suite for notebook and mobile PC users, will be offered on the LG X300. The newly-added Smart POP automatically synchronises personal information management (PIM) data from the mobile device to the PC over Bluetooth and an alert feature enables users to directly read or reply to an SMS via the LG X300 without having to touch a mobile phone.

An upgraded version of Smart On provides seamless access to e-mail and boots to allow a menu of frequently used functions in only five seconds. Smart Recovery and Smart Care features also help keep the machine running at peak efficiency – even for novice users.

The LG X300 packs multimedia technologies including a 1.3-megapixel webcam with the You-Cam viewer for video chatting and conferencing and SRS TruSurround HD sound for rich audio. Thanks to an embedded 3G modem chipset, the user can easily get online via GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, or HSDPA networks.

The premium LG X300 is expected to be rolled out globally starting in February following its introduction at CES 2010.

Source: HWZ | Digital Entertainment | Just Announced

2010-01-09T23:59:00.002+08:00

Well hi again. Happy New Year to all. Kind of late I know. But then the weeks have been busy. JP outlet have been a year older and I can safely say business have been picking up very well. So well that in terms of gross profit, we have beaten several other outlets locally. I must say it's all due to the hard work of the sales teams that paid off.

Today is Saturday, and as usual the store becomes pretty crowded especially after dinner time. I wish I had a slightly bigger environment to work with. Anyway I've met some "strange" people lately. Of all, I'll just state one as an example. A gentleman was enquiring about a D-Link network attached storage. This is basically a device when you can dump harddrives of any terabytes in size and link up with your home or office netork to make it a central storage. There are some configurations that can be done using the included software which apparantly works only on Windows based systems and Mac. But this uncle wants to link up to Solaris, Unix and Linux servers. Perhaps for a datacentre of some kind. And even though he was already informed that it might not work for his setup, he continued with the purchase. And moments later he returned with the set and a newly bought 1TB hard disk. I was puzzled. After questioned, he request to install the hard disk into the enclosure. I swear I could have cursed him if he ain't a customer at that point of time. You were asking what I would consider advanced technical questions previously and now you can't even insert a damn hard disk into an enclosure, that does not even need any tools! It's just plain dumb right? Open the front door, slight out the caddy, sit the hard disk on it and slide it in the enclosure and close the door. He ain't too bright I guess.

Singaporean expect too much. Expect alot of free stuff. Expect that buying a laptop, no, just a netbook that costs 699 and pretend to buy a home theatre instead. Another gentleman purchased a Samung netbook. If I'm not wrong, the model was N120. As usual, as I took out the unit from the box, I told him the setup would take 30mins. He responded in astonishment. Nevermind. As the setup process when through, he informed that he wants to key in his own name and create a password (which the setup process will prompt). Hey these simple things please do it in the comfort of your own room, thank you. He then enquired about the free antivirus that would be given. Now, all newly purchased sets comes with a 60 day trial version of either McAfee or Norton. Don't ask why it's trial. Nothing is free in this world, let alone premium software. I give you to try, you like it, you buy. As simple as that. So to keep the cheapskates happy, the salesman would bundle an AVG antivirus program, which actually can be downloaded from the Internet. And this fella wasn't happy and felt cheated that the free antivirus software was actually an AVG. So? What do you expect if its free? He approached the salesman who then passed me a Norman software, which isn't free. Well at least it will last for a year.

Then there are some who ask for free mouse, free bag, free thumbdrive, free case, free screen protector, free antivirus, all for a purchase of less than $1K. Maybe they thought buying a laptop is like buying a car. Please people, wake up. You want to buy a laptop or PC, you jolly well be prepared to pay & accept whatever it came with.

2009-11-18T16:51:00.002+08:00

Sometimes service providers can be unreliable, when at times we really need them. I only have a single email address, which I got from a friend whom I known ever since a few years back. It was unique since it only contains my name and a short domain name to remember. When I checked a few days, I found the mailbox cannot be accessed and also the website URL was unavailable. Thinking an outage or maintainance was underway, I waited and tried the next day. Facing the same results, I concluded the company had closed shop. Just like that.

Which leaves me to change every god damn thing that was registered to that address. Thanks very much Azrin. After what seemed an hour, the last step was to mass email the bunch of people on my MSN contact list. I had feared once that this was going to happen, but I did not expect it to come without prior warning. So, those who have not received my email, or it ended up in the junk box or something, please delete the old account and add this: cyph3r@singnet.com.sg

2009-11-12T22:16:00.001+08:00

Gone missing for some time.

Challenger Funan to Host Midnight Win 7 Launch Party

2009-10-15T13:54:00.000+08:00

14 Oct 2009, SINGAPORE - Microsoft Windows, the world’s best-known operating system is about to get a whole new upgrade as Windows 7 arrives in Singapore on 22nd Oct 2009. To celebrate the monumental launch of Windows 7 and to reward its loyal customers, Singapore’s iconic consumer IT chain store Challenger will host a launch party with an unprecedented retail offer at Funan DigitaLife Mall.

For the first 177 customers who turn up at its flagship Funan store for the 12am 22nd Oct launch of Windows 7, Challenger will be offering Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Edition at just S$77 (usual RRP S$219).

After that, a limited number of customers can purchase the same Upgrade Edition for S$147 during the launch event. This promotion is open only to members of Challenger and new memberships can be registered onsite for just S$27 (usual S$30).

And before the clock strikes midnight, there will be a slew of exciting consumer promotions like product auctions and hourly specials within the Challenger store for all customers. More information on other Challenger special promotions for the midnight launch will be available from 16 Oct on Challenger’s website www.challenger.sg

Mr Loo Leong Thye, Chief Executive of Challenger Technologies Ltd, said: “Microsoft Windows has come a long way since the 1980s when we were using monochrome monitors and big clunky PCs. Windows 7 opens up new possibilities with today’s sleek PCs and netbooks. It will give a new lease of life to your computer, whether you are upgrading your existing computer or purchasing a new laptop. We believe it will strongly reinvigorate the consumer IT sector this holiday season and drive a whole new cycle of PC and peripheral purchases.”

Mr Ben Tan, Regional Director, Southeast-Asia and Korea, Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division which manages Windows and Office packaged products at retail, said: “We are thrilled that Challenger, who has long blazed the trail for IT customers with its innovative customer loyalty programs, is once again driving consumer excitement in a big way with this launch offer for Windows 7.”

Mr Haresh Khoobchandani, Senior Director, Business & Marketing Organisation, Microsoft Singapore said: “Windows 7 elevates the consumer experience by making the PC experience simpler while continuing to offer innovation such as multi-touch. We believe our consumers will gain greater value in terms of productivity, security and performance than any previous OS launches. Challenger provides the perfect retail platform to make these experiences real for Singapore customers from all walks of life.”

WINDOWS 7: YOUR PC, SIMPLIFIED

Windows 7 is designed to work better and faster, even on older computers. Packed with new features to make your computing experience simpler and more fun, Windows 7 features the following new innovations:

Aero Shake, Aero Snap and Aero Peek : Tired of moving multiple windows across the computer screen? The new Aero features allow you to move between windows by shaking, snapping, and doing instant live previews of all your open programs at high speed.

HomeGroup: Many homes in Singapore now have wireless networks, and with a few simple clicks, you can now effortlessly share and stream movies, music, and pictures documents between all the Windows 7 PCs and media extenders like the Xbox 360 console in your household.

Power Performance: Apart from a much faster boot-up and shutdown time, Windows 7 offers better power management for longer battery life compared to Windows Vista, and a much improved battery life compared to Windows XP. Lower power consumption means it requires less electricity, making it better for the environment and better for your pocket.

Windows 7 is available from 22 Oct 2009 in Home Premium (SRP S$359), Professional (SRP S$529) and Ultimate (S$549) Editions. Upgrade versions of Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate are available at S$219, S$359, and S$379 respectively. All prices include Goods and Services Tax (GST). See what people are saying in Singapore and find out more about Windows 7 at www.yourpcsimplified.com

Source: HWZ | Systems and Software | Just Announced

2009-09-24T16:07:00.003+08:00

After almost waiting for a week, shipment finally arrived for my replacement hard disk. I have been using Maxtor and Seagate ever since I got my first computer. Well this one failed on me in just a short 9 months from the date of purchase. It's a hassle to transfer all the data out and in back after the drive arrives.

This is what Seagate returns me after the RMA process completes. A drive of the same specs with a "certified repaired" sticker on the front. Now it's time to transfer the rest of the data inside then get back home and install the Operating System.

Excuse me, this one can checking ?

2009-09-07T16:10:00.004+08:00

Sometimes I wonder how come my service centre becomes into a test centre. The locals will come after they have purchased something with a familiar "can I test this" ? While the banglas use the "this one can checking ?" phrase. Products that are popular for this checking regime are: cordless telephones, fans, lamps, portable hdds, speakers, lcd monitors, memory card readers.

I am a consumer too as I shop regularly. And I don't even think to ask for a test before or after I made the purchase. Well firstly, the products come from reputable vendors, have lasting warranty and I know very well the product will not fail, even after I've grown sick of it. I understand some sensitive items like portable hard disks customers want to have it checked. The point is, the product can work now. Can it work for you 1 or 2 years down the road? And some aunties who purchased lcd tvs die die want to see it turned on before they bring home. They don't want to bring it back, even within the stated 7 days 1 to 1 exchange warranty. Well, if it fails 3 days after, you still have to bring back leh aunty. One or two times per day, it's ok. More than that, it gets irratiting especially when you are trying to concentrate on a certain repair work or diagnosis and someone comes with a cheap set of speakers or telephones asking for a test. Heelooo ... this is PC Clinic, a place where computers and notebooks are serviced, not test centre for electronic products, get it?

On another note, this month's salary was much lower compared to previous two months. That's why I hate commision (or incentive) drived jobs. The salary is never static. One month you can get the highest in a year, another month, getting something like ...

Still have so much to commit every month. And each time I planned to say a few hundred every month, it never suceeded.

Gone so young

2009-08-10T23:39:00.002+08:00

It's a title of a song from Amber Pacific. But I'm actually referring to 2 poly students that died after the KTM train him them on a railway track near Bukit Timah. Was it a case of suicide? Or accidental death? We might never know. Sad case.

On another note, I wonder if people purchase items with their eyes closed. Take for example today. A couple came in with a Compaq notebook, stating that it is a display set. Reason being, the Windows account was password protected and the password hint was: "Me and her". I took in the set for CSI-ing. There were no tell-tale signs that the set was on the shelve. Firstly, sets on display were locked and the area surrounding the lock would be scotch-taped. This set was clean on the particular area. Secondly, display sets will be password protected with a unique username and password. And a password hint of "me and her" would not come into place at all. Nevertheless, they would want to change to another model which they actually asked for yesterday. And they pinpointed that the salesman sold them the wrong model. You kidding me? Don't tell me you didn't look at the invoice before signing? Or did not look at the box while collecting the set? Now that's totally absurd. So if the salesman were to actually sell you a display set, I wouldn't blame him because you are totally ignorant. Maybe I should have taken out the 4GB RAM and leave it with 2GB. Nah just kidding. But seriously, I get really irritated that shoppers can't even look properly before making their purchase. And worse if they don't even care to ask if they are unsure. Because it is an extra job for me to do all the paperwork, verifying, blah blah. Yes it's my job, but can't you make my life a little easier?

2009-08-09T02:25:00.001+08:00

BBDC students now get newer cars to drive in! Well not exactly the newest but at least much better than the Civic ESi that I was in a few years ago.

The power of GeForce

2009-08-09T02:19:00.003+08:00

Hooted this last week. I sold off the XFX 9500GT which have been serving me well for over a year. So I decided to get a graphics engine which would sustain today's and the upcoming generation of games. And a GTX 260 came into mind. This is the Core 216 version, which means 216 processing cores, instead of the normal stock. Just think of it as a STi version of a WRX. With more horsepower, this baby is able to run my current batch of games at the highest resolution and at the highest display settings.
Next on my list:

- A second 1TB HDD

- 9500 and above Quad Core processor

Recession ?

2009-08-09T02:13:00.005+08:00

I think the economy situation must be bad. Really bad for some people to be desperate enough to do some shoplifting. A second incident for just over a period of two weeks.

A customer lost a mobile phone some time last week. After the lost was reported, a ground search was carried out by the respective departments around the store. The Nokia phone was nowhere to be found. Instead, I picked up a Seagate external harddisk packaging. The packaging was cut out from the left side using something like a penknife. The harddisk itself and the usb cable was missing. And a few days ago, yet another 2 Samsung 320GB harddisk packaging was found open and thrown on the floor. Whoever the culprit, he/she must have guts to do so admist the CCTVs around the area and among a large crowd. Looks like the sales staff need to be more vigilant.

2009-07-31T00:31:00.002+08:00

2 days of roadshows held and over 30 sets of computers were sold each day. The ordeal finally ended last Sunday with a slashed wrist and a backache.

I haven't been updating for some time now. Reached home after work to only find the bed. Yes it is tiring, but I won't find myself job hopping anytime soon.

Samsung's Latest Full-Touch Phones Hit Singapore

2009-07-15T15:12:00.000+08:00

Following the showcase of its robust range of touch mobile phones for every lifestyle at last month’s CommunicAsia, Samsung will introduce in Singapore two highly-anticipated full-touch highlights – the Omnia II this weekend followed by the i8910 HD two weekends later.

While both boast the world’s largest 3.7-inch AMOLED screen, each brings a unique flavour to Samsung’s full-touch mobile phone proposition – the i8910 HD is the first Symbian full-touch handset featuring high quality HD video recording while the Omnia II offers a highly customisable user interface with 3D effects, providing touch-optimised usability to make multi-tasking convenient for smartphone users.

Packed with outstanding multimedia applications, Samsung’s latest full-touch phones bring the power of multimedia and business performance to consumers.

“Samsung’s latest addition to our full-touch mobile phone portfolio enables us to meet the needs of a growing consumer market that embraces the convergence of the best in business and multimedia functionality into one device, reinforcing Samsung’s aim to deliver innovative full touchscreen mobile devices for every lifestyle,” said Mr. Moon Sung-Hyun, Managing Director of Samsung Asia.

Samsung i8910 HD: Play Director.

First unveiled at Mobile World Congress as the first Symbian full-touch handset to be released by Samsung Electronics, the Samsung i8910 HD provides seamless integration of style, multimedia and business performance into one mobile phone. The sleek full touchscreen device features a 3.7-inch 16:9 AMOLED screen which offers crystal clear images and unrivalled sharpness in tones through its 16M colour QHD display. Users can now enjoy cinema-scale quality HD content via DLNA technology and share real-time live video through their phone.

Equipped with 24fps@HD (1280 x 720p) video recording and video editing functions, users can view and edit videos in high definition while capturing quality photos with their 8 megapixel camera.

The Samsung i8910 HD will be available from 1 August at a recommended retail price of S$1,098 without contract.

Omnia II – Work and play. Upsized.

Building on the success of the Omnia, the Samsung Omnia II provides smartphone users with an excellent array of applications to enhance their multimedia experience.

Like the i8910 HD, the Omnia II provides unbeatable screen clarity through its 3.7-inch AMOLED display which has an advanced R-type touch screen, enabling a faster, more accurate response for a user-friendly touch experience. Equipped with a 5-megapixel camera and DVD-like (480p) video recording and playback, users can shoot and edit their digital images by utilising the in-suite video editing application.

With the high-powered HSUPA 5.76Mbps, HSDPA 7.2Mbps and Wi-Fi capabilities, users of the Omnia II will experience smooth internet browsing and quick content download on-the-go. With ability to store up to 8GB and 32GB of internal and external memory respectively, users will have unlimited access to their favourite videos and web content.

The Samsung Omnia II is available from this weekend at a recommended retail price of S$898 without contract. It will also be updateable to Windows Mobile 6.5.

Source: HWZ | Mobile Soultions | Just Announced

2009-06-29T11:47:00.003+08:00

I'm getting a little hot headed lately. Well probably due to the whole week I haven't been on off. A fellow colleague got called up for reservist, leaving me a one man show for five days. On some days there can be very few people and on some days it's a last minute rush hour. That happens when people start coming to buy things after 9pm, an hour before the store closes. And customers are people who doesn't realise that the person serving is not an android that runs on Energizer 'Never Say Die' batteries. They stare at me blankly when I informed them that their set isn't ready for collection and watch my every move as I carry out the configurations on 4 or 5 laptops or PCs. An uncle even had the cheek to tell me to hurry up since he is not feeling well. What, my problem is it that you are not feeling well? So stay at home and don't shop! I feel like an animal on display at the zoo.

An indian dude ticked me off yesterday. He came the day before to look for harddisks for his company's PC. He insisted on a 1.5TB Seagate brand only. He doesn't look interested in the Western Digital drives that I took out for him to look at the price difference. Apparantly he doesn't know Seagate are recently well-known for having firmware problems on their drives.

Having no choice, he purchased 2 1TB Seagates and left. Morning he called in an urgent tone and stated one of the drive had a faulty connector. I was puzzled. Never before a drive had to be returned because it was faulty. He returned in the evening and I had a look at the drive. The area near the SATA data cable was badly bent and danaged. It seemed that the drive was forced into something. Either that or it must have been dropped or knocked. The man stood his ground that it was like that when he first took in out from the wrapping. I took out another Seagate and showed him how the connector will still be in good condition. The wrappning was in a transparent foil so he should able to see the connectors without taking the drive out. Once I pointed out the rear of the drive to him, he reached out to grab the drive and proceeded to open the wrapping. I snatched the drive back and stated the drive is not to be open unless for sale. He gave me a blank look. Tired to debate with him, I handed over the task to the colleague who started to give the drive a thorough investigation.

Colleague: "How come this other drive was opened ?" (look at me)

Uncle: "Yes I opened it just now because he (me) gave it to me."

Myself: "I took out another to show you how the condition will be. Doesn't mean you can open it." (in a slightly raised voice)

Colleague: "Sir, you are not supposed to open any product without my consent. I can consider that stealing. That I haven't charge you for the packaging charge. For this drive, I have to check with Seagate first."

The man needed the drive by today because of urgent work matters. Finally he relented to wait for an answer from Seagate for the exchange.

Windows 7 Retail Packaging Revealed

2009-06-27T12:56:00.004+08:00

Windows 7 will be hitting retail shelves on the 22nd October this year but won't it be nice to see how the packaging is gonna look like.

Windows Team have an update on that in their recent blog post, the packaging is now cleaner and a simplified look with 3 elements - the plastic case, the paper sleeve and a Getting Started guide. It boasts a 37% drop in weight as well.

Windows Team have an update on that in their recent blog post, the packaging is now cleaner and a simplified look with 3 elements - the plastic case, the paper sleeve and a Getting Started guide. It boasts a 37% drop in weight as well.

ASUS Announced G51 and G60 Gaming Laptops

2009-06-27T12:53:00.002+08:00

Taipei, Taiwan, June 26, 2009 – ASUS today announced the launch of its 15.6-inch G51 notebook, a gaming powerhouse which snared the 'Best Choice' award in the Digital Entertainment Products category at the recently-concluded COMPUTEX 2009.

Sporting a futuristic, robot-inspired 'mecha' design, the ASUS G51 boasts seamless gamer-centric interface elements, scorching gaming performance and advanced audio technologies that combine to provide users with superior gaming experience. Users who appreciate the G51's gaming pedigree but prefer a slightly larger screen can opt for its 16-inch cousin, the ASUS G60.

Absolute Performance Powered by Leading Components and Technologies
With the G51, ASUS' engineers have cleverly circumvented the thermal and placement issues that typically arise from fitting the NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 260M into a 15-inch form factor, making it the world's first 15-inch notebook to boast extreme graphics previously only viable on 17-inch notebooks. The ASUS G51 and G60 each boast a tremendous 1GB of GDDR3 video memory, which is 30% faster than DDR2. Both notebooks also allow users to enjoy instant performance boosts by overclocking their systems through the selection of the 'Extreme Turbo' profile via an intuitive user interface.

Reign Supreme with a Gamer-centric Interface and Stunning Audio-Visual Performance
The ASUS G51 and G60 notebooks incorporate several gamer-centric features that give users an edge over their opponents. Most notably is the generous use of backlighting—such as on the illuminated chiclet keyboard and instant gaming keys—that enables gamers to locate important keys easily as well as play through the night without skipping a beat. The aggressive use of backlighting also gives the notebooks a high tech look, a further reflection of the wealth of cutting-edge hardware and technologies housed within.

The G51 and G60 also provide users with unsurpassed gaming performance, through the ingenious incorporation of industry-leading graphics and audio solutions. Both notebooks are equipped with Creative's industry-defining EAX and CMSS technologies. They are the world's first notebooks to support EAX Advanced HD 4.0 audio technology, which enhances in-game environments and scenarios by providing true-to-life three dimensional sound effects. The G51 and G60 provide up to 64 additional sound effects from the sound library, and in doing so produce ultra-realistic spatial effects in more than 300 supported games. CMSS surround sound, together with high fidelity Altec Lansing® speakers and a 16:9 Full HD display, enable the G51 and G60 to deliver a level of gaming and multimedia immersion that no other notebook can match.

Source: Vr-Zone | Mobile Computing | News

Review: LG Arena LG-KM900

2009-06-27T12:50:00.003+08:00

The LG ARENA (LG-KM900) is the manufacturer's new flagship multimedia phone which was launched in Singapore last month. It features a new S-Class UI with a 3D cube layout that provides users with four customizable home screens. Compared to its Renoir sibling, the Arena is slightly thinner and lighter, though both share the same 3-inch screen size. On top of that, the LG Arena also boasts the world's first Dolby Mobile technology which is capable of delivering superb surround sound experience for video and music playback.

Here's a look at the specifications of the phone:-

Type Touch Screen
Networks GSM(850/900/1800/1900), EDGE,
UMTS(900/2100) HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
Display 3-inch
Screen resolution 480 x 800
Phone memory 8GB
Expansion slot microSD (TransFlash), up to 32GB
Camera 5-Megapixel (2592x1944 pixels)
Zoom up to 4x digital
Connectivity USB, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, GPS
Talk time Up to 3.5 hrs
Standby time Up to 300 hrs
Standard battery Lithium-ion 1000 mAh
Dimension 55.3 x 12 x 105.9 mm
Weight 105g

Source: VR-Zone | Reviews

Complain complain & complain

2009-06-12T19:38:00.004+08:00

For the past few days, most of the customers whom I've come across are the disgruntled bunch. Mostly these people come and purchase products, use them for a few days and the product failed on them. Some were cheap brands so you couldn't really blame anyone but yourself. You get what you pay for. Ultimately, I get the blame for selling such faulty products. Hey, I just sell, not assemble the product.

Then there are those who are plain stupid, dumb, blind, etc, etc. Those who buy without confirming with anyone, buy without doing own research, buy without looking at the packaging in the first place. And once they return for an exchange, they cannot do so because they had damaged the box in the first place. So who is wrong in this matter?

Examples of products returned due to compability issues:
Games - Most current games rely heavily on the type of processor and graphics card. If you plan to install on a notebook, I suggest you forget it. Unless your notebook have been stamped as a gaming notebook, eg; Dell XPS, Alienware.

Softwares - Minimum system requirements are always stated clearly on the box. I always feel like knocking the head of that someone who buys a software and finds that he could not run or install it because he is using Windows 98.

Networking Peripherals - Theses boxes also contains software that you'll need to install if you are a noob at setting up a networking device. Best is to double-check. The problem is, people act smart and don't ask.

I suppose the 7 day exchange policy have been practised by most common retailers here. And the common reasons would be: I just opened the product yesterday, I was overseas, I got no time to test, bla bla. Don't customers understand that this is a strict company policy that we staff have to comply. So shall we please the customer or risk losing our job?

NEC's 43 inch Curved LCD Wonder To Retail Soon

2009-06-04T19:17:00.002+08:00

NEC's 43 inch LCD (CRV43) is no ordinary monitor, sporting a curve design offering close color reproduction

Well, it is not really catered towards gamers and of course, this baby may seem cool but it comes with a hefty price.

Sporting a 2880x900 pixel resolution, this monitor will be retailing in July at hefty price of, well, US$7999.

It has a 200 nits brightness rating, 10,000:1 contrast, 0.02ms "Rapid Response," and covers 99.3% of Adobe RGB color gamut. In addition, there is one USB2.0 jack, supporting d DVI-D and HDMI 1.3 connectors.

Source: VR-Zone | News

3 GeForce GPUs Drive World's Most Powerful 17" Alienware Laptop

2009-06-04T19:14:00.002+08:00

Manila, Philippines -- Alienware, Dell’s premier high-performance PC gaming brand, unveiled today the M17x, with three NVIDIA GeForce graphics processing units (GPUs) to provide an unrivaled visual computing experience. As a launch vehicle for the global expansion of the Alienware brand, Alienware equipped the M17x with a pair of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M enthusiast-class GPUs with NVIDIA SLI Technology along with the GeForce 9400M GPU to create the world’s most powerful 17-inch notebook.

“NVIDIA GeForce GPUs delivered the no compromise performance we demanded from our flagship gaming notebook,” said Arthur Lewis, general manager for Dell’s gaming group. “With the M17x, we will offer gamers in 35 countries the most innovative notebook product Alienware has ever created.”

“Alienware built the M17x specifically for gamers, and gamers want GeForce graphics,” said Rene Haas, general manager of notebook GPUs at NVIDIA. “By pushing technology and design innovation, Alienware strives to deliver the best, most immersive gaming experience possible.”

Built with the gamer in mind, the M17x pushes technology and design innovation, establishing a precedent for combining best-in-class performance with striking design. Alienware M17x laptops deliver scorching gaming performance by combining the horsepower of two discrete GeForce GTX 280M GPUs with NVIDIA SLI technology, and have the option of switching to a quiet operation mode with NVIDIA HybridPower technology. In HybridPower operation, the powerful GTX 280M GPUs are powered down and graphics operation is transferred to the GeForce 9400M GPU to save battery life while still delivering great graphics.

For more information on the Alienware M17x, please visit www.alienware.com. For more information on the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M discrete GPUs, go to www.nvidia.com.

Source: HWZ | Just Arrived

World's First NVIDIA ION Laptop Changes Small PCs Forever

2009-05-28T19:34:00.004+08:00

Manila, Philippines -- NVIDIA Corporation and Lenovo advanced mobile computing today by introducing a low-cost, small laptop that delivers up to 10 times faster graphics performance than today’s small laptops. Featuring the NVIDIA ION graphics processor, the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 offers improved application support while still providing long battery life thanks to its energy efficient design.

Lenovo used NVIDIA ION’s revolutionary design to create a thin, lightweight, low-power laptop with a 12-inch screen and improved application compatibility. The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 has the graphics horsepower to support high definition media and many PC games which will not run on most low-cost small PCs. NVIDIA ION enables these capabilities with the industry’s best graphics performance for low-power CPUs.

“NVIDIA ION is one of the latest technologies available for the PC industry for small, low cost laptop PCs, and we’re excited to be among the first to use it,” said Stephen DiFranco, vice president and general manager of consumer and commercial channels, Americas Group, Lenovo. “With its 12-inch display, full-size keyboard and rich multimedia options powered by ION, the IdeaPad S12 balances an improved computing experience along with the size and affordability many consumers are looking for today.”

“The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 with NVIDIA ION graphics is a game changer for the industry,” said Jeff Fisher, senior vice president of the GPU business unit at NVIDIA. “It’s a powerful testament to what a small PC can do if it’s optimized with ION. The thin and affordable S12 does everything you expect a PC to do including watching movies, playing games, flipping through vacation pictures or editing family videos.”

NVIDIA ION graphics support:

All versions of Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7
Outstanding HD video including 1080p and Blu-ray movies
Stunning HD video through an external monitor via HDMI
Popular games including Spore and Battlefield Heroes
DirectX 10 graphics with advanced digital display connectivity
Accelerated video enhancement and conversion using NVIDIA CUDA technology
The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 with the NVIDIA ION graphics processor is expected to be available later this summer. For more information, please go to www.lenovo.com

Source: HWZ Online | Just Announced

The case of the missing RAM

2009-05-15T21:30:00.002+08:00

A lot of funny cases this week. One of it stood out as "special". I received an Acer notebook from a customer 2 days ago. He got locked out from his Operating System because there was a password that was saved in the BIOS. Firstly he claimed that he did not set the password via the BIOS which is obviously a lie since BIOS passwords are never set by default. He went off leaving the notebook with me.

I set off by unscrewing the cover for the RAM chips in search of the CMOS battery, which by removing and re-inserting it will wipe out the password. Soon, I find myself unscrewing the whole base area of the laptop but I'm unable to gain access to underneath of the mainboard. I screwed back up everything back again. He arrived, I explained the situation and recommended he send to Acer service centre to get it fixed. He returned the next day saying that Acer had fixed it. But he came with another issue. The laptop was supposed to be fitted with 4GB RAM (2x) but upon inspection, the laptop only hold a stick of 2GB inside. The other slot is left vacant. I examined his invoice which was dated April this year. Yes, there was 2GB purchased and was definitely fitted. Desktop and notebook computers after purchased will be upgraded accordingly and shown to the customer before packing it inside the box. But he claimed he wasn't shown of the RAM size when collecting his laptop. And worse, he put the blame on me, since he left the laptop with me the day before and I had opened the laptop without his presence. Hey, I'm authorised to carry out such an operation, with or without the customer around. And why would I bag away the 2GB stick? He continued maintaining that I could have make away with his RAM module.

The supervisor finally relented and installed for him another RAM module, with an installation charge of $20, which he paid and left shortly. For the RAM price, I'm made to pay it. Is this fair? There is a CCTV in the area where I work. Why isn't investigations carried out before making any decisions? It's not as though I stole it or misplace it. Yes the cost could be $70++, but the cost doesn't matter. What matters is how the company or senior staff handles such matters and just push the blame on its employees of fellow juniors. Oh I'm no junior by the way. What can I say, just that they are totally fucking plain lazy to go through what should be a correct procedure. This is just isn't justified at all.

LG Arena Now Available in Singapore

2009-05-09T16:37:00.002+08:00

Singapore, May 7, 2009– LG today announced the release of its new fully loaded multimedia phone, LG ARENA (LG-KM900) in Singapore. ARENA is LG’s new flagship model for 2009 that offers an exhilarating audio and video experience with top-of-the-line multimedia features made possible by LG’s intuitive new 3D S-Class User Interface.

Brilliant Sound and Incredibly Vivid Screen with More Storage

ARENA includes the world’s first Dolby Mobile technology for a globally released handset, delivering an exhilarating surround sound experience for video content and also enhances the sound of music content. Its 3.0-inch WVGA screen has four times sharper resolution than standard QVGA screens for superior movie viewing experience on-the-go.

Hundreds of music and movie files can be handled with expanded 24GB storage, including 8GB of internal memory and a micro SD slot. Its powerful battery offers up to 30 hours of MP3 playtime and 300 hours of standby time.

Users don’t have to sacrifice high quality picture for their unforgettable moments due to ARENA’s 5-megapixel camera with auto and manual focus capabilities. Videos and photos can easily be shared on social networking sites, thanks to 3G HSDPA 7.2 networks and Wi-Fi. FM transmitter and 3.5 mm audio jack always leave space for users who want to enjoy their music in the car, at home on a stereo or anywhere with preferred ear phones. Other advanced features include Google Packages, A-GPS and geo-tagging.

Fast, Intuitive, and Fun Way of Enjoying Your Multimedia Life

Debuting on the ARENA is LG’s new S-Class UI, offering the most exhilarating gateway to enjoy these countless multimedia features. At its core is a 3D cube layout that provides four customizable home screens. Users can have much faster and easier access to all features by flipping the cube with just the flick of a finger. The Elastic Lists feature is one of a kind with list items being stretched like a rubber band when touched, eliminating the extra step of switching to a new screen for other choices.

Fast yet smooth 3D transitions between menus are made possible with the help of a powerful AMD processor. The quick touch response and multi-touch capabilities greatly enhance the web surfing experience for users.

Price and Availability
LG ARENA comes in silver colour scheme and will be available for purchase from May 2009 at all major mobile retail outlets priced at SGD768 (without operator contract).

Down with flu again

2009-05-05T00:00:00.002+08:00

It always hit me with a 3-in-1 package. Flu, headache and fever. Which explains why it seems like a long walk to home even though it is just 2 blocks away.

The new ASUS Eee PC

2009-04-29T08:56:00.002+08:00

It comes in a small box, almost like a pizza box. When opened, the contents looked kind of similiar to my LG Secret's box when I first opened it. The Eee PC, one of the pioneers in netbook computing, have evolved in its looks as well as features. So tempting that if I were still a student, I would definitely purchase one.

Nokia E75 Available in Stores

2009-04-27T00:52:00.002+08:00

The Nokia E75 has arrived in stores, bringing Nokia’s best efficiency and productivity solution to the market. The Nokia E75 is the first device to ship with Nokia’s new email user interface, offering full desktop email functionality, and complete integration of Nokia’s email and messaging services.

Made from the quality materials one expects from Nokia Eseries, the Nokia E75 has a slide out QWERTY keyboard and efficient three-step email set up. This simplicity is achieved with the integration of Nokia Messaging (http://email.nokia.com), which ships with a device for the first time in the Nokia E75. Nokia Messaging is a service that opens up the world's leading consumer email accounts - including Yahoo! Mail®, Gmail and Windows Live Hotmail – and is joined by Nokia’s corporate email clients, Mail for Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Traveler, which provide direct access to over 90 percent of the world’s corporate inboxes as well.

The richer email experience in the Nokia E75 brings all of the owner’s accounts into one simple to access and easy to use UI, which supports the most common features for desktop email including expanding views, one click reply and sub-folder and HTML support. Added to the enhanced email functionality, upgraded personal information management features such as the ability to create and respond to meeting requests, and contacts lookup and auto-complete also make their debut in the Nokia E75.

The Nokia E75 also integrates tightly to other Ovi services and ships with Ovi Files, for storing files online, Nokia Maps, which works with the onboard A-GPS and Nokia’s games service N-Gage which is supported for the first time in a Nokia Eseries device.

Other key features include:

Email and Messaging

Nokia Messaging supports thousands of existing ISP and Email providers including Yahoo, Gmail, and Hotmail.
Nokia Messaging provides Push Email
Nokia Messaging allows you to have multiple inboxes and view HTML email
Ability to download, edit, or create email attachments
IMAP IDLE support for fully synchronised access between your device and email
Distribution lists for messaging
Nokia Mail for Exchange for access to your Corporate Microsoft Exchange Server (based on your company's access policy)
Keys and Input Method

Full QWERTY keyboard
Dedicated one-touch keys: Home, calendar and email
Speaker dependent and speaker independent voice dialing
Intelligent input with auto-completion, auto-correction and learning capability
Accelerated scrolling with Navi™ Key
Memory

4GB microSDHC memory card included, hot swappable, support up to 16GB
Personal Information Management (PIM)

Advanced contacts database: multiple number and e-mail details per contact, contacts with images
Support for company name search
PIM information viewable during call
Photography

3.2 megapixel camera (2048 x 1536 pixels)
8X digital zoom
Autofocus
LED flash
Share photos with OviShare
Maps and Navigation

Integrated A-GPS
Nokia Maps application

For full technical specifications of the Nokia E75, please visit http://www.nokia.com.sg/e75/technicalspecifications

Source: HWZ | Mobile Solutions | Just Announced

Free Coke!

2009-04-26T09:35:00.002+08:00

On a hot Saturday afternoon. What could be better than getting a free bottle of coke? Yes free! Within minutes of setting up a miniature stall infront of Cheers @ Jurong Point, people came forward only to be handed out with a free 400ml bottle. In a few hours time, you can see almost everyone holding the same bottle in the mall.

HP TouchSmart tx2

2009-04-13T11:07:00.002+08:00

Brand name changes often mean something - and in the case of HP's series of tablet notebooks, a shift to the TouchSmart branding comes with the additional capabilities of multi-touch and a darker color that just looks great. The overall design though, remains essentially the same, so don't go looking too hard for any differences.

You've Got the Touch

If you've played with the newer multi-touch capable TouchSmart IQ devices, then you'll find the interface familiar. The basic gestures found on current multi-touch devices like the iPhone are found here. You can pinch to zoom, or use two fingers to rotate an image. With only two gestures supported, it's a pity that the tx2 just doesn't live up to its potential though we're hoping for updates to the software to do so.

Multi-touch obviously isnt the only thing that's added to the system. HP has also imported the elements of the user interface (UI) found on the larger desktop onto the tx2. In what may seem to be a gimmicky move, the TouchSmart UI is activated by making a "M" with two fingers. This causes a launcher to pop up, allowing you the choice to play music, watch videos, internet TV or view your pictures.

The Inner Hardware

Apart from the addition of a multi-touch capable screen, HP has stuck to the same formula that's found on the older tx2500 series for the hardware and have used AMD's Puma platform again. While the base model shares the same specs as the previous HP Pavilion tx2515au model that we reviewed, the TouchSmart tx2 goes one up with a slightly faster Turion 64 X2 ZM-82 (2.2GHz) processor. RAM and HDD space has been increased to 3GB and 320GB respectively, though the graphics chipset remains the same and very decent, integrated ATI Mobility Radeon HD3200.

So how does this hold up in our benchmarking tests? Well, for a start, thanks to the zippier processor, the tx2 scored 3934 marks on PCMark05 compared against the 3381 marks of the older tx2515au. 3D performance was similar however, as 3DMark06 showed that the tx2 scored 1731 marks, similar to the 1713 marks of the tx2515au. Battery performance was also decent with a time of 2 hours and 17 minutes, but do note that this was on the extended 6-cell battery.

Touch me Baby, One More Time

If you are yet to be sold on HP's tablet notebooks, now's probably a good time to pick up one of these babies. The TouchSmart tx2 has come a long way but it looks like it's finally found its unique selling point in being a multi-touch capable tablet notebook. With a base starting price of S$2499, you'll be getting a decently portable notebook that will give your fingers something to touch and feel.

2009-04-13T11:05:00.000+08:00

Manila, Philippines -- A-DATA Technology, the leading manufacturer in DRAM Module and Storage device industry, announced to launch its new SATA 2.5-inch A-DATA X25-M series SSD - targeting power users who demand ultimate performance for notebook PC. The A-DATA SSD X25-M series is Co-logo with Intel, combining the best product quality with the best channel support for customer service. Every piece of A-DATA X25-M series SSD have been tested and verified on latest Intel-based notebook and desktop platforms. Incorporate with A-DATA’s solid customer service, A-DATA X25-M series is definitely the first choice for customers who care performance the most.

Making Your Notebook A Powerful Workstation With Less Power Consumption

Featuring Intel Multi-Level Cell (MLC) NAND Flash Memory, the A-DATA X25-M series Mainstream SATA Solid-State Drive (SSD) brings a new level of performance and reliability to laptop and desktop PC storage. Well-constructed by 10 Parallel Channel Architecture with 50nm MLC ONFI 1.0 NAND, the A-DATA X25-M series SSD achieves remarkable read speed up to 250MB/sec while write speed up to 70MB/sec with only 85 microsecond read latency. Compatible to 2.5-inch SATA interface, A-DATA X25-M series SSD are available in capacity of 80GB and 160GB – both enable massive data saving. With powerful Native Command Queuing to enable up to 32 concurrent operations, A-DATA X25-M series SSD deliver higher input/output per second and throughput performance than other SSDs on the market today. These drives also feature low write amplification and a unique wear-leveling design for higher reliability. In addition, A-DATA X25-M series SSD is equipped with advanced Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART) technology, enable user to monitor its reliability. With A-DATA X25-M series, you can easily upgrade your notebook to a powerful workstation with little power consumption. For more information, visit www.adata.com.tw.

Source: HWZ | Just Announced

Veyron arrived in Singapore?

2009-04-10T01:06:00.005+08:00

I received the mail today from SGCarmart showing an article about a Bugatti Veyron spotted in Bukit Batok. 16 cylinders, 4 turbocharges, 10 radiators. Top speed? 407km/h. Some say, it is on a transit to Malaysia.

Source: http://www.sgcarmart.com/news/article.php?AID=2034

Project Origin (continued)

2009-04-03T08:32:00.007+08:00

Cables still messy after clearing the mess. Believe me, it was messier than this previously. I moved the cathode ray tubes from the front panel to the mainboard tray.

How the Guardian looks like in total darkness. The front lights were not lighted yesterday. I might have missed some wiring.

System Specifications

Chasis: NZXT Guardian 921

Aerodynamics: 1 front intake fan, 1 side intake fan, 1 rear exhaust fan

Engine: Intel Quad Core Q8200 w/ 4MB L2 cache

Electronic Control Unit: ASUS P5GC-MX

Fuel: AeroCool HorsePower 750W

Wheels: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200RPM

Accessories: CCFL Green Kit

Project Origin

2009-04-02T19:21:00.006+08:00

I've stated before that it's been years since I set up my first DIY. The system was based on the Packard Bell casing, which then housed a Pentium III mainboard, 2 sticks of 512MB PC133-SDRAM, and 2x 40GB hard drives.

Since January this year, I started gathering price lists from retailers at the IT heaven, Sim Lim Square. I have decided to move on to quad processing to meet the demands of future applications. Hence, the Quad 8200 was my target. I paired it up with the cheapest mainboard by ASUS, got a 750W power supply and a Guardian 921 by NZXT. I'll be using the XFX 9500GT which is still very much alive and the 1TB Seagate hdd which was purchased last year.

The faithful 160GB have been sold off

This will hold all the applications and whatever nots

just after inserting all the hardware. the red thing is the heatsink and fan for cpu

I shall update with more pics and maybe a video later on.

Big project part II

2009-03-14T23:33:00.005+08:00

The mainboard was deemed faulty. Even after taking the whole thing out from the casing hoping that it would work, it didn't. Frustated, I chucked the whole thing aside and used an ASROCK.

System successfully installs XP and boots to desktop. Customer collected the old board back and went back to the shop for an exchange. In the meantime, I ran tests to make sure the processor and the RAM is in perfect condition.

After somewhat past 10pm, I finally closed the lid of the casing. As of now, it is still running 3DMark 2006, a benchmark program for the graphics card.
Case closed.

Big project

2009-03-13T23:10:00.004+08:00

It's been years since I've set up a DIY PC. Still, DIY is the way for personal customisation on the PC if you plan to choose your own parts, instead of buying a preset package from a manufacturer. And yes, you might spend a tad lesser depending on the parts that was chosen.

Years ago I set up my own DIY based on a Pentium III 733 MHz with 1GB RAM. Less the old casing, the rest of the parts were purchased from Sim Lim. Today, I had the liberty of carrying out a similiar setup for my customer. His Pentium 4 was already considered obsolete, so was his graphics card. He chose to shop at the IT Show for a Core 2 Duo 3GHz processor and a mainboard capable of SLi from nVidia. He also purchased a 9800GT GPU since I don't carry it in the store at the moment.

Above is the picture of the mainboard that I've just taken out from the box. I fixed the processor and fan shortly afterwards.

The picture of the graphics card. With 512MB DDR3 of RAM, it is powerful enough to run most of the current generation of games.

Ok. Mainboard, GPU, hard disk and cd rom plus most of the wiring done. It's time to boot up and install XP. My excitement was cut short. The installation stalls halfway at 64%. I inserted another cd but still the PC shows same results. I ran a test on the old hard disk but the Maxtor shows no results of failure. The time was almost 10:30pm. I put the screwdriver aside and decided to call it a day.

Random pics

2009-03-12T23:18:00.003+08:00

The Lenovo LS300.

What bird is this?

2009-03-12T23:16:00.000+08:00

The man and his phone

2009-03-08T09:00:00.003+08:00

I was checking the price lists of certain products when a fellow colleague from camera dept ushered an indian customer in. He showed me a HTC Touch phone which was purchased in January and could not send out SMSes and emails.

After verifying, I proceeded to take out his SIM and put in mine. Might be his network settings, or so I thought. During the procedure, he rattled on about how he paid 600 bucks plus for the phone and have travelled all the way from India to Singapore to buy electronic products and eventually the product failed. I explained that since the product is still under warranty, he have to bring the set to the local agent for warranty claim. The location (previously at Red Hill, SiS building) was now at HabourFront.

He rattled on again about how he could not take leave from his job to go to the service centre and that his boss would fuck him (yes, there are customers beside my counter when he said this) for taking leave and send his phone for servicing. Since he insisted that I send the phone, he have to pay a delivery to and fro charge of $80, which he replied that "we" are always ready to take money, but not to help the customer. By now, I have already inserted by SIM and waiting for the phone to enter the home screen. I told him the location of the service centre and even offered to print out a map for him. He cut me short that he do not know how to go and have no idea where the place is. It puzzles me then that he knew how to use a PDA operating on a Windows Mobile 6 and yet unable to travel by MRT to HabourFront.

The phone have already retrieved the network settings from my M1 SIM so I navigated to the message menu and proceeded to type in the message. He made a move to get the phone from me and I stopped him in his tracks, stating I had used a HTC (well before it was known as Dopod) phone before and he has nothing to worry about.

That action kinda ticked me off but I played cool with his antics. I sent out a message to my own mobile number and an error message could not be sent out. The phone was deemed faulty then and I re-directed him again to the service centre. He raised his voice a little again about my staff willing to get customers to buy their products but not willing to help them and how he would tell the world on the Internet about the company, so on and so forth. I let him finished before I gave my final statement. He had 2 choices: to bring down the set himself by all means neccessary, what is he a CEO that he is too busy to get off time from work? And if the MRT railway system is too complicated, there is always the TAXI. Either that or hire our services to get the product delivered to the service centre for him, with a charge of course. Hey, petrol, ERP and carpark charges ain't free. He's not taking any of it so I let my HOD took over while I served another customer.

He gets annoyed when asked what was the problem with the phone about. He left shortly after.

All in a day's work.

Story of a PC

2009-02-25T00:13:00.002+08:00

I haven't met a fussy machine before. Not like this one. It's an Aspire 560. All because it could not run a game. I tested all 4 graphic cards running on the nVidia platforms and the mainboard would take none of it. Frustrated, I plonked a Radeon HD4800 series. Nevermind it is abit expensive. The system booted up and I proceeded to install the drivers as well as test run the game. Test Drive Unlimited struggled to maintain even 30 fps at the lowest resolution. This might be due to the microprocessor itself being the main bottleneck. I have already upped the RAM size to 2GB. Alas, this system could not make it. The whole upgrading cost is reaching almost 500. Another few hundred to a new cpu. The uncle finally relented and chose just to upgrade the RAM instead. I say that is a good choice for long term basis.

2009-02-20T09:09:00.002+08:00

Picture of the Skyline R34 zooming down San Francisco. Screenshot is from my latest accuired racing game: GRID. I'll write more on that later on.

Drama by the road

2009-02-15T22:55:00.002+08:00

I was walking to McD after finishing work when I observed a tail of vehicles and blaring of horns. Just before the traffic light, a tipper truck was seen inching his way through. Just a few centimetres from the left of his vehicle, a Comfort Sonata cab was stationery, its blinkers were on and the driver nowhere to be seen. There were visible dent marks on the left side of the cab's arc wheels.

I thought the accident was between the truck and the cab. It seemed not to be. Walking further down the road, a Honda Stream was spotted rammed into the back of a van. And on the right side of the Stream, a Toyota Picnic. I stood by the side and surveyed the scene. There were some bystanders too. The drivers of both vehicles were seen exchanging particulars and taking pictures on their mobile phones. Both MPVs spot the 'P' signage on their windscreens, but their drivers ain't young. Well probably wrong judgement. I myself had collided with my friend's vehicle, 200m away from where this happened. Well that was last year. Must be very careful especially at night where our visibility is lowered.

Lenovo All-in-One IdeaCentre A600

2009-02-14T09:11:00.003+08:00

Finally Lenovo have decided to compete against HP with its new design of the all in one desktop pc. Unlike HP's TouchSmart MediaCentre, Lenovo offers a more subtle design plus a remote control have been included. HWZ have written an article on this product. I like the face that the remote control can function just like a Wii and can be used in games such as bowling!

Source: here

Samsung Ultra Touch S8300

2009-02-10T12:15:00.001+08:00

Today, Samsung announces the launch of their UltraTOUCH S8300 touchscreen slider phone, ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona which the manufacturer will showcase more of their latest phones.

As the newest flagship edition to the Ultra range, the S8300 is a beautiful multimedia-enabled mobile that features 12.7mm slimness, durable brushed metal frame and a 2.8-inch AMOLED anti-scratch touchscreen display that provides bright and vivid images.

The UltraTOUCH comes with a 8-megapixel camera with dual power LED flash and smile shot mode for superb photography. It also offers GPS navigation, high quality 30fps VGA video recording, music player and supports HSDPA 7.2 Mbps Internet access.

Link: http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-17506-Samsung+Ultra+Touch+S8300%2C+Official+announcement.html

Source: Vr-Zone.com Reviews

Cisco Media Hub NMH305

2009-02-09T10:54:00.000+08:00

Compatible with PC or Mac, the NMH305 can store thousands of songs or photos, or hundreds of movies and allow you to access them conveniently from your home and also remotely from anywhere in the world.

It offers two USB ports, gigabit LAN, supports RAID1/JBOD configurations and has two bays with SATA interface; the first bay is pre-installed with one 500 GB. In addition, the NMH305 is also DLNA 1.5 certified, which means you can streams content to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 or other UPnP DMA devices.

The Media Hub is also very easy to set up and use. It comes with a user-friendly, browser-based Media Browser to view JPEG pictures, play MP3 and WMA music, and manage system configuration.

Linksys by Cisco Media Hub NMH400

The NMH400 has all the features of its NMH305 sibling, except that this one has the additional media reader that supports CF/MD/MS/SD/XD/MMC memory cards, and a 1.8-inch LCD screen that display system status, configuration and media card backup or
import progress.

Configurations and Availability

Both the NMH305 and NMH400 will be available from 18 February 2009 from Best Denki (Ngee Ann City and Great World CIty), Challenger Superstore (Funan DigitaLifeMall and VivoCity) and Copernicus Interactive (Sim Lim Square), at SGD499 and SGD599 respectively with 500GB hard drive.

Source: VR-Zone Reviews

The freedom of movement (le pakour)

2009-02-05T20:52:00.003+08:00

Stuck with NFS Undercover, I sourced around for other game titles. Not that I don't enjoy driving the Evo around getting chased by cops, but sometimes the challenge does not last long.

I have already tried out existing new titles like Crysis and Call Of Duty: World At War. Both are fantastic. And Left 4 Dead had left me looking for new online khakis - the rest disappeared to nowhere. So I came across EA's upcoming title "Mirror's Edge" last month. From the in-game footage, it seems good. Now that I have already completed a few levels, I must say this is something new for a first person view adventure. Relying on free movement, I am in control of the game's main female character who goes by the name of Faith. Check out the game's own information on Wiki.

The game rules are simple: Escape the cops that are hot on your tail or risk dying after hiting bullets. This can be achieved by using the building's structures as your playground. It is exciting and constantly keeps you thinking about the next escape route. I would highly recommend this title to anyone who wants a different FPS.

Windows 7 on mini notebooks

2009-01-30T13:54:00.004+08:00

If you own a mini notebook (used to be called netbooks) and wishes to install Microsoft's latest Operating System on it without using a cd, fret not. HardwareZone have published a DIY guide for installing Windows 7 via a thumbdrive. Yes a thumbdrive! Head over to the DIY guide over here.

LG and PRADA Debut the Latest PRADA Phone by LG in Singapore

2009-01-23T16:05:00.000+08:00

Singapore, 14th January 2009 – LG Electronics (LG), a worldwide technology and design leader in mobile communications, and PRADA, world’s leading fashion brand, today announced the launch of the highly anticipated successor to the PRADA Phone by LG in Singapore.

The latest edition of the PRADA Phone by LG (Model: LG-KF900) offers a collection of technical upgrades catering to today’s highest mobile needs. The new PRADA Phone by LG preserves the original minimalist exterior design that has now become a key inspiration for design of touch screen handsets worldwide. A significant modification seen in the new handset involves a set of aesthetic keys that slide out to form a more professional look that not only grazes an elevated level of sophistication, but is also a highly efficient communication tool that complements the latest PRADA Phone by LG’s technology.

The handset’s user interface also receives a powerful improvement with LG’s latest active flash UI technology and haptic feedback on touch input enhancing the experience of the phone’s exclusive contents offerings. Dynamic upgrades to the software is well complimented by hardware extensions that include 3G capability with HSDPA up to 7.2 Mbps and advanced 5 megapixel camera featuring slow motion video recording and DivX playback. Other features include Wi-Fi, full HTML browser, and video calling capabilities.

“LG’s technology heritage and PRADA’s design credentials have once again met to produce an ultimate style icon that delivers strong emotional appeal. The two companies have once again worked together seamlessly towards a shared vision of developing stylish handsets that combine innovative mobile technology with high fashion,” said Mr. Cheh Jin Hak, Managing Director of LG Electronics Singapore.

Reinventing the most exclusive form of mobile sophistication and style, the latest version of the PRADA Phone by LG magnifies the heritage of the predecessor with exclusive PRADA elements including ring tones, wallpapers, and video clips that are carefully selected for users to fully experience the handset inside and out. Each of these unique contents displays PRADA’s extraordinary artwork dedicated to the company’s visionary design philosophy. Contents include the PRADA Fall/Winter 2008 Lookbook, new PRADA animation films dedicated to the PRADA Phone by LG, and wallpapers illustrating principal themes from PRADA’s annual design collections dating back to 2001.

This time around, LG and PRADA reinvents mobile trend with another stunning offering, the ‘PRADA Link’ (Model: LG-LBA-T950). This sleek and elegantly packaged digital timepiece is a Bluetooth device that can remotely monitor phone calls as well as read full SMS text messages without having to extract the phone from a bag or pocket. Extending the handset’s luxurious exterior beyond the device itself is a new wearable type accessory; the PRADA Link not only revolutionizes the conventional methods of mobile communication, but adds practicality and convenience to a fashionable statement.

The new PRADA Phone by LG and the PRADA Link will be available at all major mobile retail outlets in Singapore priced at $1,288/- and $688/- , respectively.

For further information, please visit www.pradaphonebylg.com

The new Windows is here

2009-01-22T23:38:00.006+08:00

Microsoft used to give numbers to its line of Operating Systems. From 1.0, 3.0, 95, 98, 2000. Then it moved on to glamour names like XP and now the current Vista. So now back to Windows 7. I got the beta several weeks ago when it wasn't released to the public yet. Since today I'm on off, I took the opportunity to install and test drive it.

The upgrade process from my current Vista Ultimate took a total of 2 hours. Once I meddled with the desktop's refreshing look, I took a look under Device Manager and found all the drivers are working well. As of now, only my Norton Internet Security 2009 could not run. A check on Symantec website states that they will not fully support Windows 7 until the beta have finished. Users of the beta program who wants AV to be installed need to get AVG (purchased), Kaspersky (purchased) or Norton 260 (beta). As I'm typing this down the Norton 360 is installing in the background. Other compability issues I have encountered are with my MS Office 2003. The application could launch but I could not retrieve mails on my POP server.

Multimedia wise, Windows Media PLayer 12 works fine, I just have to reinstall the various codecs. I have yet to install Steam and see if the games will run fine. Performance wise, I don't experience any lag so far launching several applications. Shutdown takes 13 seconds and startup takes an average of 40 seconds, both of which are 2 seconds faster than Vista. Anyway this is still a very early beta stage and there will be bound to be further improvements down the road. Anyone keen on getting the beta can head over to Microsoft website and get it. You are advised to backup your data before proceeding with the upgrade. Below are some screenshots.

Action Centre and Notification Area

Start Menu

Windows 7 desktop

Stuffs h00ted

2009-01-20T00:13:00.005+08:00

Logitech Illuminated Keyboard

It's close cousins will be the Reclusa from Microsoft and Lycosa from Razer. One thing it does not have in common - it is not a gaming keyboard unlike the other two. And it does not come with a glamorous name to pull people towards it. But the design, the style, the comfort are all in the box. This is how it looks like in the dark:

Belkin Wireless N Router + USB Adapter Bundle

Arrived today. This is the new New Year bundle with a special price. Finally, out goes 802.11b and in comes 802.11n. Setting up takes 10 mins 20 secs including unwrapping of the product and installing drivers. I wonder how there are so many complains that the product is not working. Haiz.

Cintaku Dipermainkan

2009-01-19T00:04:00.001+08:00

Tidakkah kau tahu sayang
betapa ku sayang padamu..
Engkaulah insan yang ku cinta untuk selama-lamanya..
Tapi disebaliknya apa yang kau berikan padaku
kasih dan sayang kini tiada..
pilunya di hatiku..

Kini kau berubah..
kau tak seperti dulu..
Mengapa sayangku mengapa
engkau jadi begini..
Kini aku menyesal menyintaimu
kerana cintaku dipermainkan secukup-cukupnya..
Hampalah hatiku dalam percintaan..
Engkau membuatku tidak mahu bercinta lagi sayang..

Mengapa engkau permainkan cinta yang sudah kita bina..?
jikalau tak sayang lagi berterus terang padaku..
Janganlah engkau menyiksai aku..
Tak sanggup lagi ku menanggung
dugaan cinta yang kau beri terhadap diriku..
Sakitnya hatiku sampainya hatimu....
kau tidak melayan diriku seperti dahulu..
Cuba kau rasakan apa yang telah ku rasa..
kini pasti kau juga akan menyesali cintaku..

Kini airmata pun mula mengalir..
Engkau masih belum berubah.. engkau tetap sama..
Kini aku meminta maaf kerana hatiku dah tertutup untuk dirimu sayang..
Lepaskan aku, bebaskan aku.. pergilah sayang, jangan kembali lagi...

Notebook/PC Diagnostic and Repair Services

2009-01-13T00:25:00.000+08:00

Do you have a notebook or a laptop that does not seem to function well? Your operating system is corrupted and needs to be reinstalled? Or looking for upgrades to speed up your computer? Or you are not sure what the problem is but no one to turn to for advice?

Walk in to PC Clinic, your one-stop servicing centre. We do servicing on all models and makes of your notebook or PC. Below are the range of services we provide:

- Basic diagnostic

- Purchase of motherboard/DDR2 RAM/SATA & IDE harddisks

- Hardware upgrade (RAM/Harddisk/Graphics Card)

- Reinstallation of Operating System (WinXP/Vista)

- System Recovery from a virus/spyware/malware attack

- Data Backup to another harddisk or external media

A charge of $64.00 will be applicable for hardware diagnostics and system recovery only. Specific charges shall apply for additional services.

We also provide free consultation/advice if you have enquiries on how to setup your home wired/wireless network or if you want to know more about certain electronic products that you may want to purchase.

Only carry-in service is available. Do visit us for a non-obligable quotation now. We are located at the new Jurong Point Centre, Basement 1, PC Clinic @ Challenger Superstore.

Contact: Faizal

Latest Windows operating system ready

2009-01-10T11:58:00.002+08:00

LAS VEGAS, Jan 7, 2009 (AFP) - Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer announced Wednesday that a test version of the US software titan's Windows 7 operating system will be available worldwide on Friday.

"We are on track to deliver the best version of Windows ever," Ballmer said while making an opening keynote speech at a premier Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

"We are putting in all the right ingredients: simplicity, reliability and speed."

“I’m thrilled to announce the availability of the Windows 7 beta, which is on track to deliver simplicity and reliability,” Ballmer said.

“Windows 7 and Windows Live are part of an incredible pipeline of consumer technology that is making it easier than ever for people to communicate, share and get more done.”

The beta version of Windows 7, Microsoft’s next-generation PC operating system, can be downloaded by consumers who want to test-drive the beta beginning January 9 at Microsoft's website.

"On Friday we will make the beta available worldwide so users can come online and try Windows 7 at home. I encourage you all to go out and download it" Ballmer said.

The eagerly-anticipated successor to Microsoft's Vista operating system will streamline everyday tasks, cut boot-up times, extend battery life and make it simple to weave "smart" devices into home networks, Microsoft said.

Also announced by Microsoft, the global availability of Windows Live, a free suite of communications and sharing applications.

The new and enhanced Windows Live services — including Windows Live Messenger, Mail and Photo Gallery are designed to work seamlessly with more than 50 popular Internet services including Facebook.

Source: CNA

Hello? Take calls on Bond mobile and recycled plastics phone

2009-01-10T11:57:00.002+08:00

LAS VEGAS - Whether you like life shaken or stirred, there is a phone out there just for you, and more so at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Catching the green wave, Motorola, has unveiled the first mobile phone made from recycled water bottles. That's right, start saving your mineral water bottles!

The MOTO W233 Renew previewed at the show in Las Vegas on Thursday won't be just a novelty off the drawing block.

Officials said the Renew will be available through T-Mobile USA in the first quarter of the year.

Capitalising on the trend towards more environmentally friendly products even further, Motorola also made sure its new product was green in more than one way.

"Not only is the plastic housing of Renew made from plastics comprised of recycled water bottles and 100 percent recyclable, but it is also the world’s first carbon neutral phone," Motorola said.

Through an alliance with Carbonfund.org, Motorola said it "offsets the carbon dioxide required to manufacture, distribute and operate the phone through investments in renewable energy sources and reforestation."

"Today, natural resources, energy and time are more precious than ever before," said Jeremy Dale, corporate vice president for Motorola Mobile Devices.

"We wanted to ensure that this device makes the right impact with consumers and the environment," he said.

Motorola said the "greening" of the new phone applies also to the packaging. "The box and all of the materials inside are printed on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper," the company said.

"In addition, a postage-paid recycling envelope in box makes it easy to return your previous mobile phone for recycling at no cost," Motorola added.

Also among the more than 2,700 exhibitors of high-tech gadgetry from around the world was South Korea's LG which is set to make all wannabe Bonds very happy.

Without letting on if the legendary Bond scientist 'Q' had been recruited, LG Electronics chief technology officer showed off the world's smallest watch phone.

While speaking at a news conference Paik Woo-hyun paused in mid-sentence, raised a hand and spoke to his wrist as he took a call on the slim black "smart phone" watch.

So it's not polite to take calls while speaking to an audience, but no one was complaining.

"This is really something you'd expect to see James Bond wearing in a 007 movie," Paik said Wednesday after taking a wristwatch mobile phone call during a CES press conference.

The phone links to high-speed 3G networks and can be used for email and other online activities.

It also serves as an MP3 player for digital music.

Oh, and it tells the time.

Paik says the mobile phone watches will be in production the later part of this year.

The devices have 3.63-centimetre (1.43-inch) screens and are 13.9 millimeters (0.56 inches) thick.

Source: CNA

Where are my free gifts???

2009-01-07T03:47:00.004+08:00

A disgruntled customer arrived this evening. An indian couple. They had purchased an LCD tv that came with a hi-fi set as a free gift. At the point of purchase, they were to told to collect the free gift from Samsung in a few days. The man was extremely annoyed that they went on the stated date and was told that Samsung do not have the products yet.

He called up my HOD, who then confirmed Samsung did not have stocks at the moment and that shipment have been delayed so he could only collect a month later. The man wasn't too happy. He demanded the reason of not informing his about the delay at the point of purchase and that he wanted to cancel the whole invoice and get a refund. He raised his voice and explained the hardship that he went through and that the tv was delivered to his house without being mounted onto the wall. I was doing normal configurations for a certain laptop that was just purchased and left my counter because it was too deafening. His voice could be heared even if I stand at the cashier counter. Yes, he had the right to voice out his opinion, but didn't he realise that this is a retail outlet and other customers were in the vicinity? Lucky he wasn't vulgar or else he'll be escorted out by the boss straightaway.

And my HOD tried to explain the situation for a good 20 mins. To summarise what he stated, Challenger was just a reseller of Samsung products and that shipment of products will be controlled at Samsung's endpoint. He rephrased it a couple of times and promised the free gifts will be delivered to the customer's doorstep, but a month ahead. I had to say he wasted his time. In this kind of scenario, he should have called in the manager and let him handle the situation. The manager came in and after just a few minutes into the conversation, the couple left with 2 vouchers as compliments from the manager himself. Yes my HOD can make decisions, but this time round, all he got back were complains.

Excuse me, I need to buy an ADSL modem, but my ISP is STARHUB

2009-01-07T03:21:00.002+08:00

Roughly that was what one of my staff was told when approached by an indian couple. They were seen browsing for some wireless modems of the likes of Linksys, Aztech and D-Link. The salesman recommended him the cheapest model from Aztech.

A day later, I received a call from the uncle. He stated the ADSL light on the front of the modem is not blinking and that the installation of the modem via the cdrom failed. He told me that his Internet Service Provider (ISP) was Starhub and that he needed a modem that uses a telephone line from his residential wall socket. He even confirmed that he needed an ADSL modem for Internet access. I told his to leave his contact and name while I grabbed the product from the shelve to have a look.

Yes, the device will work on ADSL lines, but since when Starhub as a cable operator, have ADSL plans for its customers? I called him back and confirmed his physical installation. He did run the telephone line directly to the modem and the line from his telephone goes through the microfilter and to the wall socket. Still puzzled that he confirmed Starhub is his ISP, I asked him to bring down the complete packaging and receipt.

He arrived the next day as expected. His wife took a seat behind while he re-enact the installation of the modem. He pinpointed that the salesman might have sold him a wrong product instead. I called the salesman over and confirmed that he had sold the modem since the customer requested for a modem that uses the telephone line (all ADSL modems uses the RJ11 cable). And again he stressed that he had previously used a modem, running on his Starhub connection. I asked about the physical characteristics of his previous modem. He stated it was small and that he needed to enter a user id and password when connecting online. That it hit me. He was using a dial-up modem. This I reconfirmed by re-enacting the dial-up tone which the modem makes when dialing up to the ISP. I held my laughter for a while. The salesman smiled and I told him I'll settle the matter. Apparantly, he had two choices: (1) switch to cable broadband and I'll exchange for him with a cable router from Linksys, (2) get other products in the store with the same price or higher than the original purchase.

He left to do some shopping. I took the time to giggle and reflect back on the times I first signed up with Singnet. My first 56K modem was blue-colored also from Aztech. And the frustation when I need to hangup when someone in the house needs to use the phone. Soon the customer returned with a pair of speakers. Once the product exchange have been done, he left happily. It's 2009, and there are still on dial-up connections. Don't be surprise. So I couldn't blame my salesman at all. Perhaps next time should ask the customer whether he is using broadband or dialup so it is easier to pinpoint the right device for them. Sometimes the customer himself is unsure of what he needs to get.

Bright Delight - Nokia N85

2009-01-03T19:00:00.002+08:00

Services and devices. The two core focus of the Finnish mobile phone giant, Nokia, have recently come full circle. And to showcase another well-equipped N-series device, we spent some quality time with the new Nokia N85 and here's our own assessment.

Finger Delight (Not)

There's much we'd like to discuss about the N85's basic design. With a streamlined and contoured layout, the slider phone has the usual navigation buttons as you might have seen on various slider phones such as the Nokia N81.

In particular, it adopts the dual sliding model akin to the Nokia N96 that hides four other buttons at the top of the device, which acts as the multimedia and dedicated gaming keys for the user. Like most of its recent devices, the N85's five-way navigation pad doubles up as a scroller for the Navi-wheel. As usual, we decided to switch the Navi-wheel off and do it the old fashioned way.

What we had no preparation for, is the stiffness of the navigation keys. This isn't an isolated problem either, as we found ourselves facing an unresponsive and flat keypad. It took us up to 40 seconds to type out a full test sentence. The device's sides and its back, however, are loaded with buttons that are easy to access, and are in fact useful.

Though you can easily unlock the phone with a slide of the display, the N85 also comes with a dedicated lock key on the right. This allows you to unlock your phone without requiring to slide the phone up or press buttons to awaken it. Its 5-megapixel camera located at the rear is well-protected by a sliding lens cover, but there are times when the cover accidentally slid open as we took it out of our pockets.

Power Efficiency Delight

With Nokia devices, it's gotten to a point when we are rarely surprised by the design and features of its newer devices. But the N85 did toss us a bone here: a 2.6-inch OLED screen. To say the least, we were wowed by the richness of the colors and screen brightness from the 16M colors OLED screen. This bodes especially well for Nokia's N-Gage platform, and we did have a good run with the screen's 240 x 320 resolution, though the stiff keys dampened the fun.

Music playback was the usual standard fare as with its other N-series devices, and with the introduction of its OLED screen, we took a closer look at its video playback capability. Video watching, even on a bright day out in the sun, was definitely possible but you won't be able to fully enjoy the well balanced colors due to the sunlight glare.

Also, OLED screens are supposedly more energy efficient. With a combination of multimedia playback, cellular usage and having Wi-Fi and Bluetooth active for a moderate amount of time, the 1200mAh battery performed as usual, lasting up to two days of usage, with no discernible improvement over other devices that comes close to its specifications.

A Delightful End?

If you are feeling as overwhelmed as we are with the number of Nokia devices, that's not the end of it, according to a possible development that was leaked on the web recently. But ultimately, we do hope there'll be more to look forward to. The Nokia N85 does bring something fresh to the table with its OLED screen on top of the usual N-series features, but stiff competition means Nokia needs to up the ante in the very near future.

Product Specifications

Network: GSM 850/900/1800/1900; HSDPA, WCDMA 900/2100
Operating system: Symbian OS 9.3, S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2
Display: 320 x 240 pixels, 2.6-inch OLED, 16 million colors
Camera: 5-megapixel Carl Zeiss lens with auto-focus and dual LED flash
Memory: 85MB internal memory, microSD expandability up to 8GB
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, 3.5mm AV connector, USB 2.0 (microUSB), TV out, GPS with A-GPS, HSDPA
Battery: 1200 mAh
Standby time: Up to 363 hours
Talk time: Up to 6 hours 50 minutes
Dimensions: 103 x 50 x 16mm
Weight: 128g
Price: S$928

Another new year

2009-01-01T13:13:00.002+08:00

Resumed business as usual today, 1st January 2009. Lost of shoppers, should result in more profit. More profit = more pay. Many have asked: What is your new year resolution? Well, to find a soulmate. That's my first priority. 2nd would be getting a better paid job. Not that I hate my current one, it's just that it's not sufficient to support myself.

Happy New Year everyone.

Very sianz

2008-12-24T09:38:00.003+08:00

A very boring day yesterday. The whole day, nothing to do. No servicing done, only a single setup of the Macbook above. I chose to walk around the store instead of just sitting down in front of my counter. At least, I can be of help to other fellow staffs, some of whom were quite new and unsure of certain products they were selling. Well must be the recession.

2008-12-23T09:01:00.002+08:00

It's been four months ever since I've started work in Challenger. From the intensive training at Funan, transferred to Jurong Point. Things have not been going smoothly as it seems.

Firstly, the crowd is alot. But the ones that actually come in is quite little. Well maybe this is the first month. Second, the method of carrying out the tasks is totally different from Funan. Up till date, I still don't understand why there are double standards of doing things. I don't take reason that Funan is the HQ, Funan is a bigger place so that's why it's done like this, like that. Hell, it's still under the same company what?

It's back learning from lesson 1. Basic, step by step. I felt a waste of my first 2 months back at Funan. So frustrated that I just left my workplace when my senior (there were just 2 of us) went for his dinner. I just got up and left because I could not stand sitting down there starring into my lcd monitor, nothing to do. Unlike at Funan where every moment we are busy with anything.

But after that, I began to accept and overcome it. I'm eager to see the next paycheck. As promised, incentives will be more than what I had at Funan. One thing for sure, I like working as a big team at Funan. There are several others that you can ask for help, opinions. Not to mention the companionship. We should learn to treasure the things we had, because we might not have them for long.

Shh...it's a Secret

2008-12-16T14:54:00.005+08:00

My contract with M1 have finished, and since it's the Chrismas season, I looked around for a new phone. Tired of PDA phones, which are rich in functionality, but takes ages to perform tasks, I resorted to a normal phone. I ditched the Asus P320 because there is no keypad, trade-in the Sony Ericsson since well just got sick of it. Well one that has decent camera features, music playback is a must, and the necessary connectivity opptions. Not forgetting a keypad without sacrificing screen size.

I settled for the LG K750, or the glamour name: Secret. It came with a free 1GB SD card from M1. From my research done, the phone will take up to 8GB even though LG only states it will handle 4GB. From the looks of the packaging, LG lives up to its brand as a designer model. After a day of testing, I am satisfied with its performance - albeit the touch screen. It is too sensitive that even a slight brush will say change a music track for example if the phone have not been locked. Other than that, I'm quite surprised at the video camera feature which records and plays back videos with ultra smoothness. The bundled stereo headphones provide decent sound quality together with the music player software which has equalizer function. I grabbed an I-Tech bluetooth stereo headset instead. Because the bluetooth antenna is located near the mouthpiece, I suspect that could be the cause of interrupt audio when I connect it to the I-Tech headset. It could be irritating, and that could only be solved if I clip in on my belt, from its previous location which is on my collar. Now that is abit surprising because bluetooth devices do not need line of sight to communicate and the distance from my collar to the handphone pouch on my belt is much less than the maximum radius bluetooth technology can go. Well not all products can be perfect and it goes the same with the Secret. Lack of WiFi, limited touchscreen features and unpredictable bluetooth connectivity. But it makes up for its clear lcd screen, tempered glass and its solid build. For LG that was known for its refrigerators, it have gone a long way in a designer handphone maker.

Being low profile is the best

2008-12-04T00:52:00.003+08:00

As stated earlier, here is the newly-arrived XFX 9500GT (low profile version). Fits nicely into the casing. Well, this is far as I can go to push my system to its limits. It won't be long before I have to change the microprocessor itself, which is the main bottleneck right now.

2008-11-30T03:16:00.002+08:00

My new game, Need For Speed: Undercover does not run well on the existing XFX 8600GT so I decided to shop for a new graphics card. Went over to the peripherals dept and got a few cards. Opened up one by one to check on the size. Well yes size does matter. I settled on a Point Of View GeForce 9600GT. Brought it home immediately and tried to fix it in. No it won't fit. Not without removing the heatsink on the microprocessor chip itself. I removed the heatsink and found that the front panel casing fan spins aggressively and the whole system auto shuts itself off. Understanding that this is a safety method applied to prevent over-heating of the microprocessor, I reluctantly fixed back the heatsink and removed the new GPU. It's now on e-Bay. Well... looks like an XFX 9500GT will be in tomorrow.

Lelong lelong !

2008-11-19T20:37:00.003+08:00

I have gathered most of the old electronic items and put them on sale online. So far, I have so for a month and only managed to sell 1 item. Therefore, I would like to extend the invitation here. Visit the URL: http://www.phing.com/user/bytesize and have a look around. Please bear in mind that I do not gain much on selling from the advertised items so do not offer me ridiculous prices.

Sound realized experience

2008-11-19T14:10:00.002+08:00

Brought the thing back from Sim Lim by cab. I was actually looking for the Evo7 speakers by Sonic Gear. The Evo 7 and Revo 3 look almost the same, albeit different wattages. Now I can blast tunes to my heart's content. Just make sure the neighbours don't complain.

Lots of problems

2008-10-26T23:20:00.003+08:00

Scene 1

Aunty and uncle and family came back with a Zone Alarm software, stating that the software caused their Singnet internet connection to be unaccessible. Created a dramatic scene and demanded a refund for the software. Now as SOP for softwares, staff have to retain the software to check for activation status with the vendors before proceeding with other actions.

Aunty and uncle wouldn't take no for an answer, resulting in junior and senior staff negotiating with them. What they failed to take note is that, the software does work. Zone Alarm was my 1st free software firewall that I downloaded during my dial-up days with Singnet. And it never failed to perform. What might happen was, after installing the software, it'll ask for the user's permission for certain programs, Internet Explorer (iexplorer.exe) to go online (port 80). A user can just select yes or no as a reply.

They might have selected no, resulting in unable to access the Internet. This will happen if you are too engrossed to buy a software firewall, without knowing its functions well. Aunty argued about the software being too technical for her. Well Aunty, why don't you just stick with Windows Firewall if u're looking for something basic for layman usage? No point blaming the software or brand or retailers or resellers or vendors if you don't know how to use in the first place.

Scene 2

Ang moh came to me with a GPS that utilises the Mapking software. The system (Windows CE) hangs while in navigation. Also demanded a refund on the spot - reason being this was the 2nd time he exchanged it and disliked the product. Ang moh didn't even bring any packaging along - he threw everything away, and left the SD card sitting at home. After some hoo-ha, managed to persuade him with a new set, minus the SD card.

Scene 3

Mr Muthu (not his real name) came with headphones that are broken off on one side. His reason: it broke after he pulled it off when the thing was under the weight of his laptop. Complained that this is a poor product quality and we should not have selled this. Well what can you expect from something that costs close to $10? Try tugging at earphones provided from Apple and see.

Lock it up with Maxtor BlackArmor

2008-10-23T23:20:00.000+08:00

Extending its lead in providing solutions to protect business and personal data from loss or theft, Seagate Technology today introduced the Maxtor BlackArmor encrypting storage solution that provides AES government-grade encryption protection against unauthorized access to valuable and private information. The Maxtor BlackArmor solution is a portable storage device that delivers the confidence and reliability of robust security in a compact consumer-friendly design.

Designed for those who have valuable information they wish to keep secure and private, the new Maxtor BlackArmor product is an attractive, portable solution that provides unparalleled security for direct attached storage devices. Using Seagate Secure technology, Maxtor’s BlackArmor drive is designed to keep data locked up and protected in the event of loss or theft. Seagate Secure technology is a hardware-based encryption, making the encryption transparent to the user and free of complicated installation and use procedures required by software based security.

The Maxtor BlackArmor external storage solution uses a government-grade AES encryption certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to deliver the strongest commercially available data security available for external storage. The Maxtor BlackArmor product provides transparent, real-time encryption of all the data on the device, not just selected files; providing performance and ease of use advantages over manual software-based security controls. The BlackArmor product also puts all security keys and cryptographic operations within the device, delivering stronger protection against hacking and tampering than traditional software alternatives. The BlackArmor product’s key encryption technology can also securely wipe out the data for simple, cost-effective redeployment or disposal of the product – an important capability for organizations of all sizes.

The introduction of the Maxtor BlackArmor solution comes as growing reports of compromised computer information continue to alarm consumers, underscoring the growing need for storage solutions that provide security and privacy for personal information. Since January 2005, more than 215 million computer records have been compromised, many the direct result of a lost or stolen desktop or laptop system or hard drive, USB thumb drive, smart phone or CD, according to The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit consumer information and advocacy organization.

“Government regulations on organizations that manage confidential and personal information continue to get more stringent, making security of sensitive information a mission-critical requirement. As of January 2006, twenty-three states have enacted identity theft laws,” said John Oltsik, senior analyst of Information Security at Enterprise Strategy Group. “Unfortunately, this is a monumental set of tasks that organizations are faced with, when confidential data is created, copied, and stored across the enterprise at an ever-increasing rate from data center systems to desktop and mobile devices.”

“Maxtor storage solutions are focused on security and back up of your valued digital assets,” said BanSeng Teh, vice president and managing director of Seagate Asia Pacific. “BlackArmor is an innovative new product that delivers on the promise of providing our customers with a level of security that is both reliable and robust, for a plug-and-play, easy-to-manage portable storage device.”

Maxtor BlackArmor Storage Solution

Built for those who are serious about data protection, the elegantly designed BlackArmor external storage solution is a compact package weighing only 208g with dimensions of 131mm in length, 84mm wide and 16.5 mm depth. The BlackArmor product interfaces with the computer over a USB 2.0 connection. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is $169.00 SGD for 160GB and $239.00 SGD for 320GB. Maxtor BlackArmor also includes the award-winning Maxtor Manager software suite from the popular OneTouch 4 product family. The software includes capabilities such as automated back up and multiple computer synchronization.

New toy ... for the time being

2008-09-30T22:34:00.002+08:00

16GB iPod Touch. Fits all my mp3s, plus a few music videos and pictures. Excellent WiFi connectivity, typing URLs slightly difficult due to no stylus (only your fingers will work). Other than a thin piece of fingerprint magnet, this one is a fine piece of art from Apple.

Off to a good rest

2008-09-30T17:19:00.002+08:00

Just got back from work. It's Hari Raya tomorrow. I don't feel the spirit of the festive season anymore. I used to get excited, awaiting the day where I can meet the family members in one big gathering. Not anymore. Because while they are out there visiting, I'll be in the office, typing. It's a sad thing that the management can't even spare me a day.

Samsung's First 8-Megapixel Camera Phone Launches this Weekend

2008-09-27T23:48:00.002+08:00

The Samsung innov8, Singapore's first eight megapixel camera phone that blends top performance camera functions with essential mobile telephony features, will be commercially available from this weekend.

First unveiled at the World Cyber Games this year, the Samsung innov8 features the latest imaging applications such as Smile Shot, Blink Shot and face recognition functions, as well as image editing and personalization capabilities with the Movie Maker and Story Board applications onboard.

Beyond imaging, the innov8 is also packed with powerful multimedia features including multiple video format support, external dual speakers and 3D surround sound supported by DNSe 2.0.

The 8GB Samsung innov8 will be available at all Singtel, M1 and Starhub shops and authorised mobile phone outlets from this weekend at a recommended retail price of S$1,098 without contract.

Photos taken at the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix this weekend with the Samsung Innov8 can also be found at www.singtelrace.com.

Windows Mobile 7 Delayed by 6 Months

2008-09-25T14:20:00.000+08:00

Windows Mobile 7 was expected to see the light of day in early 2009, but Microsoft has officially stated that the mobile operating system will be delayed for at least 6 months, with a new projected release date in the second half of 2009. Whilst the current Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard edition did raise the bar and improved the user interface from its earlier Windows Mobile 6 iteration, touch-screen devices will definitely do better when Windows Mobile 7 does come to fruition. With the announcement of the Google Android phone, the HTC G1, and the upcoming Nokia Tube which utilizes the S60 touch UI, Microsoft will have its hands full in the next few months with stiffer competition.

Newlaunches - Microsoft has reportedly delayed the release of Windows Mobile 7 until the second half of 2009. The company has informed cell phone makers and partners that the operating system update, originally expected during the first quarter, will not be ready. Microsoft has never publicly cited a release date for Windows Mobile 7.

For more information, click here.

SPARKLE Announced GeForce 9400 GT Low Profile Graphics Card

2008-09-22T23:42:00.002+08:00

SPARKLE Computer today announced the SPARKLE GeForce 9400 GT Low Profile Graphics Card, delivering unsurpassed 3D and HD value to HTPC enthusiasts.
55nm Process

Combing advanced 55nm chip process from TSMC and brand new G96 rendering architecture from NVIDIA, SPARKLE GeForce 9400 GT Low Profile Graphics Card can provide higher working speed and 3D horsepower for HTPC enthusiasts, at same time, it keeps lower power consumption, to achieve reduction of carbon emission and energy efficiency.

Low Profile Design

Consummately designed low profile, the PCB height of SPARKLE GeForce 9400 GT Low Profile Graphics Card is 6cm,only half the height of ordinary Graphic Cards with full profile design, which makes GeForce 9400 Low Profile Graphics Card to be the best partners for HTPC. HTPC enthusiasts don't need to worry about the inconvenience caused by narrow space HTPC chassis and full profile designed graphics cards. With low profile design, SPARKLE GeForce 9400 GT Low Profile Graphics Card not only can easily meet the HD video playback and DX10 gaming demand from HTPC users, but also can easily satisfy the requirements from SSF, mini-chassis and industry PCs which demand compact and practical graphic cards.

512MB/1GB Large Video Memory

512MB/1GB DDR2 video memory gives SPARKLE GeForce 9400 GT Low Profile Graphics Card much more bandwidth to satisfy the rigorous demand from today and future PC 3D applications, making it a great solution for HTPC enthusiasts to playback HD video, get online directions through Google Earth or Microsoft 3D maps, or surf the web for photos using an interactive plug-in like PicLens.

2nd Generation PureVideo HD

High-definition video decoder and post-processor delivers unprecedented picture clarity, smooth video and accurate color for movies and video.

Cooling System

Exquisitely made cooling fans or passive cooling sink, which have high performance thermal compound ensures optimal thermal dissipation even after years of use.

NVIDIA PhysX

GeForce GPU support for NVIDIA PhysX technology, enabling a totally new class of physical gaming interaction for a more dynamic and realistic experience with GeForce.

NVIDIA CUDA Technology

CUDA technology unlocks the power of the GPU's processor cores to accelerate the most demanding system tasks such as video transcoding delivering up to 7x performance over traditional CPUs.

Sony to launch new high-resolution PSP

2008-08-27T14:09:00.001+08:00

TOKYO: Sony will launch a new PlayStation Portable in October with a high-resolution screen and a built-in microphone that enables it to be used as a telephone, the company said Thursday.

The PSP-3000, which will be available in Japan, Asia, North America and Europe, has the same basic design of the current PSP Slim and Lite, and comes in three colours -- black, white and silver.

It can be used to make telephone calls through the Skype service, which Sony added to PSPs already on the market earlier this year in an effort to broaden its appeal amid fierce competition with rival Nintendo Co.

The new PSP comes with a price tag of US$199.99 in North America and 199 euros (US$294) in Europe. The price for Asia has not yet been announced.

Sony aims to sell 15 million PSPs worldwide in the current fiscal year to March 2009.

"Demand for the consoles is still strong, especially in the United States," Sony Computer Entertainment Inc spokeswoman Yoko Sakaki said.

Skype, which was bought by eBay in October of 2004, uses a peer-to-peer network to enable users to make free Internet telephone calls to one another through their computers, or low-cost calls to standard telephones.

Sony also announced it will launch the Wireless Keypad, which can slot into Sixaxis and Dualshock 3 controllers for the PlayStation 3, in North America in late November, followed by Japan, Europe and Asia by the end of this year.

Users can use the keypad instead of the onscreen keyboard for text chat.

Sony is also launching a new version of the PlayStation 3 console with a 160-gigabyte hard drive in November in North America for US$499.99, and in Europe from November 1 with a price tag of 499 euros.

Source: CNA

2nd day @ work

2008-08-22T23:19:00.003+08:00

The place was great. I'm now a staff under training at Challenger, Funan IT Mall. I used to visit there often before my NS starts. Things have been pretty boring, with me still tasked to do data entry on membership details. I really want to do hands on stuff. Too bored at times that I have to get out of the office and walk around the outlet. Soon, I become familiar with the staff from other departments and we exchange greetings. While walking back from the tv and home theatre area, I was greeted by a girl whom I thought was a chinese. Well she spoke malay, and I forgot to ask for her name after I told mine. Didn't even catch a glimpse of her nametag. Well, although I can't say she's gorgeous, but she has a sweet face. I started to take a chance to walk back there often, just to catch a glance at her. At least 5 or 6 times we made eye contact. But just a smile will do for today. By the time I packed up and got ready to leave, the entrance to the audio-visual area was closed and I had to make a big walk round the store to get to there. Since it would be too obvious, I gave up the thought and proceeded home, still hoping to catch her on the way or at the train station. I didn't. Perhaps tomorrow.

Well I'm quite fine with the retail hours, but couldn't we have more breaks? I'm just asking for 2. It can be tiring to sit down or walk around in a somewhat confine space. Unlike the retail staffs outside which generally have a bigger space to roam about, the customer service area is quite small. Tomorrow is another working day, which starts 15 mins later than the usual timing. Good thing is, attire will be a polo t-shirt. How I wish this was the uniform during the weekdays. I have been to service centres like Acer, where they wear their own company polo tees, which makes working more relaxed and comfortable. I wish to propose long sleeve shirt to only those high ranking senior staff. We are in the repair centre after all. Another thing, I find the pay was quite small, although Challenger is already a well-established retail outlet. Anyway, I'm here to learn.

It's a roller coaster ride

2008-08-18T21:57:00.002+08:00

One after another. Not even more than 4 months into my current job, I'm desperate to leave and find another one. I like the job. But I hate how my boss operates. Unlike other companies, there isn't a standard way of operating, you know, an office space, ample space to park the vehicles for washing, a single point of location for customers to collect & return the vehicles, etc. With a physical office comes proper operating hours, management of finance and the list goes on. Yes, it's high pay but I feel I'm paying more to be in the company, which should not happen otherwise. I would rather have a job that promises stability, security and flexibility. That's why I'm leaving. But I have to secure another job first. A few applications have already been submitted. I'll just have to wait for now.

Happy Birthday Singapore

2008-08-09T17:59:00.003+08:00

Yet another minor accident occurred yesterday night. After the wedding reception @ Holiday Inn, I sent the mum and dad plus my aunt home, I headed to Jurong East to meet boss. Just some minor claims to get back. I also passed him the photos and a 'RETURNED' stamp I bought recently at Popular. I'm feeling a little hungry so I thought I might stop by a local restaurant to eat.

As usual there were a line of cars parked along the road, so I chose to park at the front of the line. Right behind me was my friend's white Lancer EX. Next to the road, there were Hungry Ghost Festival preparations being carried out. I activated the hazard lights and reversed back. I wasn't sure what speed I was doing. The moment I checked the mirror and wanted to press the brake pedal, I felt the behind knocked into something. I shifted the car in front and stepped out. My friend came soon and I apologised. I surveyed the damage made to his front bumper, grille and fog lights. We sat down to have some drinks and exchanged some particulars. I went back an hour later with the incident etched in my mind. Yet another payment to be made. I do not know how I could crash just carrying out a simple straight reverse manoeuvre. Sometimes, things happen ...
I just wish for the fine time where all my debts are cleared. I hope that time will soon come.

Do your homework before purchasing electronics

2008-08-06T21:41:00.002+08:00

I always keep that mantra in mind whenever I head to Sim Lim to do some shopping. It can be a LCD monitor, or a set of speakers or even an optical mouse. I will go read magazines or check unbiased reviews on a certain product before making actual purchase. Prices can be conpetitive and you'll want to pay the best price for your item. Not adding that you are satisfied with parting with your cash.

I first read in Stomp about a lady who bought a modified PSP for $2600. Give me that amount and I could decorate my car interior resonably well. Unless the PSP can fly or has motion feedback or at least able to function like a mobile phone which sadly isn't, the price isn't justified. And I couldn't believe that she actually agreed to pay that sum after even a bargain.

"On July 12, my niece and her mother were walking around the electronics store in Lucky Plaza to look for electronic gaming console. They chose a decent looking shop, well furnished and displays of game consoles and games were neatly placed."

Just like the saying - don't judge a book by its cover.

The shop gave plain excuses for the high costs such as providing original license and software for the PSP the lady bought. For your info lady, just the shop downloading the games into the memory stick itself is illegal, plus modifying (flasing) the onboard chip (firmware) into a version made by someone (not Sony of course). Please, do some asking around before buying these kind of things. Ask your friends, or family members or colleagues. The PSP have been around for some time and someone should be able to offer a piece of advice. There are shops just waiting for poor souls like these so they were able to seize an opportunity to make a quick buck.

Strange, in this high tech world, still some people are so ignorant...

Woman pays $2,600 for 'upgraded' PSP

2008-08-06T21:33:00.001+08:00

HER 12-year-old daughter wanted to buy a Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) to share with her friends.

On 12 July, a 41-year-old sales assistant, who wanted to be known only as Nicole, went with her daughter to shop for one at Lucky Plaza.

After checking with several shops, she found out that the price ranged between $300 and $600.

She told The New Paper that she went to a shop owned by Yeow Tat Trading Enterprises. She said that the sales assistant there was polite and helpful, and helped her daughter to choose a black-tinted PSP.

He advised Nicole to upgrade the software on the PSP, explaining that this would allow her daughter to play more games as well as surf the Internet, among other things.

When Nicole asked him how much the games cost, he told her that they were free of charge.

He added that she only needed to pay for the PSP and licence for software upgrading.

He then took the PSP away to download the games and upgrade the software, she said.

He returned 15 minutes later with the PSP and the bill - a whopping $3,550.

Said Nicole: 'I was shocked. I thought he had written an extra zero by mistake.

'I told him that if the upgraded PSP was going to cost as much as a laptop, I might as well get my daughter a laptop.'

Nicole said that her daughter agreed that the PSP was too expensive, and said she didn't want it anymore.

But the sales assistant told her that it was too late as he had already downloaded original software onto the PSP and the licences were costly.

AGREED TO REDUCE PRICE

He agreed to reduce the price to $3,100, but Nicole said it was still too expensive.

He then offered reduce it further to $2,610, saying that he wouldn't include anti-virus software.

When Nicole insisted that she didn't want it, he said she still had to pay for the licences of the downloaded games, which would cost $2,000.

Said Nicole: 'Although it was crazy that I had to pay $2,000 for nothing, I thought that I could not expect the shop to pay for the licences.

'I couldn't walk away as it would be irresponsible of me.'

She asked him why other shops sold PSPs for between $300 to $600.

'He claimed that the PSPs they were selling were different because the licences for the software were not original.'

Convinced by the shop assistant, she paid $2,600.

But her brother told her that night that she had paid too much.

They went back to the shop the next day and asked to see the licences for the software, but were told it was confidential.

The shop insisted it did not overcharge Nicole, but agreed to waive the service charge.

After lengthy negotiations, the price came down to $1,400. But Nicole insisted the maximum she would pay was $1,000.

She got her way and received a $1,600 refund.

'It was still very expensive but I did not want to waste time,' she said.

She later went to the Consumers' Association of Singapore but was told that because she had agreed to pay $1,000, it could not pursue the matter further.

'All the while, the sales assistant had an innocent face, and was helpful and appeared sincere,' she said.

She added that she was not intimidated into paying.

When contacted, Yeow Tat Trading Enterprises declined to comment.

'My friends all say I'm so stupid,' Nicole said.

Source: TNP Online

F1 Pit Building hosts racing action ahead of September race

2008-07-26T22:15:00.004+08:00

There has been some racing action at the F1 Pit Building even before the F1 race starts in September.

Two speed machines had the honour of racing on the Singapore F1 track first on Saturday.

The cars, driven by two Japanese Le Mans Champs, thrilled the spectators.

Also showing off their skills were drivers from Team Singapore who did a drifting demonstration.

The event also featured karting, which everyone could indulge in.

The two-day event is the finale of the inaugural K1 karting event which has been making the rounds in the heartlands as a lead-up to Singapore's inaugural F1 race.

I arrived there at 11am. I missed the drift show. Walked around with the digicam and took pictures. View the pictures here. The F1 Pit area was large, as expected, so was the race track. An Audi R8 was parked at a booth, ready to take kids aged 7-12 for a spin. See video below that I uploaded to YouTube the moment I got back home. There were also several videos available on YouTube, but were of poor quality. I just couldn't understand what is so wonderful about taking lousy videos with the handphone and put it up online for others to view. Come on, its as good as just hearing the engine sounds that came out but nothing wonderful to watch. It's hard to admire the cars with such pixelated images.

Sandisk Introduces The Stylish Sansa Fuze Mp3 Player In Singapore

2008-07-24T14:26:00.004+08:00

SanDisk Corporation today announced the availability of the multi-faceted Sansa Fuze MP3 player in Singapore. The stylish music player is loaded with capabilities and features to keep consumers well entertained while on the go. The Sansa Fuze player comes in a wide array of colors (pink, red, blue, black and silver) and capacities (2, 4 and 8 gigabyte (GB)) with an expected starting price of only S$139.00 SRP.

In addition to playing music, video, photos, FM radio and audiobooks, the thin Sansa Fuze is packed with extras, including a microSD card slot to add and transport content with ease; a voice recorder to capture thoughts on the fly, and a bright, 1.9"color screen that allows users to easily navigate their music or watch videos in landscape mode.

The Sansa Fuze is an eye-catching player that consumers will enjoy for its looks, capabilities and incredible value," said Eric Bone, vice president of product marketing for Sansa, SanDisk's audio/video product line. "This new MP3 player combines some of the best features found on other Sansa products, including great sound quality. It's yet another strong offering by SanDisk in the music player market."

A distinguishing feature of the Sansa Fuze player is its microSD card slot. This memory slot provides consumers the ability to quickly add content onto their device and expands storage capacity, giving ample space for thousands of additional songs, hours of video and numerous photos. Plus, by using a SanDisk microSD card, users can easily carry their music and other content from their Sansa MP3 player to their mobile phone, or even their PC.

The Sansa Fuze MP3 player supports playback of a wide range of popular music formats such as MP3, WAV, Audible (for audio books) and Windows Media Audio (WMA) in both unprotected and protected files. Sansa Fuze supports MPEG-4 video and JPEG photos. Its internal rechargeable battery will play up to 24 hours of audio and five hours of video between charges.

The MP3 player works with computers running Windows XP or Windows Vista. It also works with Mac and Linux operating systems (under MSC mode).

Expected Pricing, Colors and Availability

The Sansa Fuze is now available in Singapore stores. The music player comes in a 2GB capacity (holds 500 MP3 songs) with an SRP of S$139.00, 4GB (1,000 MP3 songs) for S$179.00 and 8GB (2,000 MP3 songs) for S$245.00. The 2GB Sansa Fuze is available in black; the 4GB Sansa Fuze is available in black, red, pink or blue, and the 8GB is available in silver.

For more information, visit http://go.shopsansa.com/content/fuze.

The flash-based Sansa Fuze player rounds out the Sansa product family, joining the popular, tiny Sansa Clip and video-centric Sansa View. The Sansa audio/video line offers consumers highly affordable, yet fun and fashionable music players loaded with appealing extra features.

SingTel Introduces BlackBerry Unite! to Singapore

2008-07-24T14:26:00.001+08:00

SingTel today announced the introduction of BlackBerry Unite! software in Singapore. The new software from Research In Motion (RIM) is a free download that helps small businesses and families to stay organized, in touch and able to collaborate while on the go using their BlackBerry® smartphones.
BlackBerry Unite! provides greater flexibility and connectivity and is ideal for small groups of up to five BlackBerry smartphone users who may not have access to a centralized email or messaging server. BlackBerry Unite! allows them to share a calendar, contacts, pictures, documents and other desktop content.

"We are pleased to introduce the BlackBerry Unite! software, which provides a reliable and secure platform for our customers to share content," said Mr. Wong Soon Nam, SingTel's Vice President of Consumer Marketing. "As Singapore's leading mobile operator, we are committed to delivering breakthrough mobile applications and services, such as Blackberry Unite!, which will offer greater connectivity and convenience for our customers."

Features of BlackBerry Unite! include:

Easy, wireless access of up to 10 supported email accounts per user, with advanced security options
A centralized address book that integrates wirelessly with BlackBerry smartphones, providing each group member with easy access to email addresses, phone numbers and other details for common contacts
Shared calendar functions, enabling group members to schedule or modify appointments and set reminders
Remote content access from a centralized desktop PC that is running BlackBerry Unite!, allowing users to download pictures, music, documents and other files remotely to their BlackBerry smartphones
Content sharing – BlackBerry Unite! group members can share photos, documents and other files from their BlackBerry smartphones via the centralized desktop PC
Securing smartphones remotely – with simple, centralized controls, powerful security features such as password protection enforcement, or the ability to wirelessly erase content from a lost or stolen smartphone
Smartphone usage management – centralized control of smartphone usage can be programmed for each individual by customizable settings, for example, the ability to restrict long distance calls via area code, or preventing access to the Internet
Backup and protection of smartphone content – documents, pictures and other files stored on a microSD card in a BlackBerry smartphone can be encrypted as well as backed up automatically over the air to the centralized desktop PC
BlackBerry Unite! can be downloaded quickly and easily for installation on a office or home PC. It is available today for SingTel customers at www.blackberry.com/singtel/blackberryunite. A data plan is required, and minimum PC system requirements apply. BlackBerry Unite! is free for SingTel BlackBerry subscribers.

For more information please visit www.blackberry.com/singtel/blackberryunite or call 1626.

ASUS RT-N15 SuperSpeed N Gigabit Wireless Router Provides Versatile Suite of Functions for Easy Networking Solutions

2008-07-24T14:25:00.002+08:00

Catering to users who require a wireless router that can provide quick and easy networking setups for fast Internet connectivity, ASUS, producer of top-quality wireless products, introduces the new ASUS RT-N15 SuperSpeed N Gigabit Wireless Router. Fully supporting 802.11n technology, it can provide super-fast data transfers of up to 300 Mbps – ideal for streaming videos. It can also create secure networking environments with just a push of a button through ASUS EZConfig; while key features like EZQoS and the ASUS Green Network Technology (GNT) provide energy savings for great cost effectiveness.

Fast and Smooth Data Transfers with SuperSpeedN

With 802.11n technology, data transfers of over 100Mbps can be achieved. Incorporating SuperSpeedN, the RT-N15 is able to provide up to 300Mbps of data transfer rates – ideal for wireless multimedia streaming, file sharing and online gaming throughout the home. It is also equipped with four Gigabit ports – allowing for faster local network data and audio/video files transmission.

Full Device Compatibility with WiFi 802.11 b/g/n

Recognizing the value of the new WiFi standard, the ASUS RT-N15 is fully certified with 802.11n draft and WiFi Alliance approved – allowing easy interoperability with all draft-n 2.0 devices. It is also backward compatible with previous 802.11 b/g standards – allowing users to utilize b/g devices without any compatibility issues.

Easily Setup Secure Networks with ASUS EZConfig

Comprising of EZSetup and Windows Connect Now (WCN), users can easily setup a protected WiFi network within minutes. All the user has to do is to connect the RT-N15, push the WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) button, and run the wizard. This wizard will help guide the users to a quick installation of a WPS network. If the user is running a Microsoft Vista™ operating system, when the RT-N15 is connected to the PC, Windows Vista™ will automatically recognize the RT-N15, simplifying the setup.

EZQoS - Bandwidth-On-Demand (BOD)

With Bandwidth-on-Demand, users can easily allocate bandwidth according to their individual needs by simply clicking on the buttons, such as voice or gaming, and assign more or less bandwidth to streamline streamlines multiple network activities (FTP, Games, P2P) to work smoothly at the same time.

ASUS Green Network Technology (GNT)

The ASUS GNT features embedded energy conservation through link down and cable length detection. With link down detection, the RT-N15 detects when a computer is turned off in the network, and responds accordingly by powering down that port into standby mode to reduce power used for that port.

With cable length detection, the ASUS GNT automatically allows the RT-N15 to detect the cable length and adjust the power accordingly. By comparing the cable lengths used, helping alternate power usage to save up to 70% power consumption. This helps save money on energy, and helps protect the environment without reducing performance.

S$1m reward for information leading to capture of Mas Selamat

2008-07-21T23:21:00.001+08:00

A cash reward of S$1 million is being offered for information leading to the apprehension of Mas Selamat inside or outside Singapore.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng revealed this in Parliament on Monday in response to a question on fugitive JI leader Mas Selamat.

The million dollar reward was put up by two private individuals who had approached the Home Affairs Ministry.

Mr Wong said the individuals had asked the ministry to operationalise their proposal because they wished to remain anonymous to protect themselves, families or business interests in the region from becoming a target of retaliation.

The House was also reminded that the Singapore Police Force, as a policy, does not offer cash rewards for information on fugitives and unsolved crimes,
or for assistance from the public.

However, the authorities do not object if private corporations and individuals wish to offer cash reward - as a labour-supply company and a non-government organisation did in March, offering S$50,000 and S$5,000 respectively for information on Mas Selamat.

On the whereabouts of Mas Selamat, the DPM Wong said that up till now, Singapore's security agencies have not received any information from their Indonesian counterparts to confirm that the JI fugitive is hiding in Indonesia.

Neither has domestic intelligence shown that the Singapore JI leader has left the country.

"We obviously cannot dismiss the possibility that Mas Selamat could have managed to escape Singapore for another country. Singapore is not a fortress" added Mr Wong.

However, if Mas Selamat had escaped abroad, DPM Wong said Singapore will work with the relevant foreign counterparts to track him down and bring him back into custody in Singapore.

Parliament was told that given the time since Mas Selamat's escape, the scenario of the fugitive harboured by sympathisers inside or outside Singapore must logically be treated as increasingly plausible. However, there is no intelligence at present to substantiate it, said Mr Wong.

With a S$1 million reward in place, the two anonymous businessmen who offered the cash are hoping for some breakthrough.

"Whatever you say, S$1 million is an eye-catcher, and I hope some people will respond to it and give information to capture the fellow," said the 50-something businessman who is offering part of the reward.

Describing himself as a "good citizen" who is not in it for the publicity, the international trading and consultancy businessman said he decided to be part of the S$1 million reward scheme after being told of it by his friend.

"Actually, I didn’t really give the matter much thought because I sincerely believe that sooner or later, the government will catch Mas Selamat. But when I learnt from my friend of the proposal to give a reward to help catch the man, I thought it was a good idea."

The friend, a businessman with regional interests and investments, said he was motivated by respect for members of the Home Team and the kind of work they put in.

"Singapore has been good to me and my family. I have lived in many places but there is no place safer for my family than in this country," he said.

The businessman, who is in his forties, also revealed that he had long nursed the idea of offering a reward for the capture of Mas Selamat.

"I have thought about it before, but I decided to do something now because after 5 months, it is clear that the authorities are not making much headway," he said. "I hope my cash reward will generate the breakthrough they need."

Members of the public with information on Mas Selamat can call the Counter Terrorism Centre hotline at 1800-262-6473 or the Police at 999. All information received will be kept confidential and will be verified and investigated.

NSman who stole rifle gets more than 9 years' jail, 18 strokes

2008-07-07T18:10:00.003+08:00

SINGAPORE: 20-year-old national serviceman Corporal Dave Teo Ming, who stole a rifle and ammunition, has been sentenced to nine years, two months in jail and 18 strokes of the cane.

The punishment was for three charges - illegally possessing a stolen army rifle and live bullets, and for carrying a knife in a public place without lawful purpose.

This comes 10 months after his arrest in September last year.

Teo was arrested at Orchard Cineleisure, after he disappeared with the rifle and eight rounds of ammunition from Mandai Hill Camp while on guard duty.

His actions sparked off one of the biggest man-hunts in Singapore.

According to the prosecution, Teo was going to use the rifle to shoot his then girlfriend Crystal, who had broken off with him.

Teo had also admitted to carrying a 40cm-long knife on April 14 last year near Crystal's home.

Teo's friend, Ong Boon Jun, who did not report the NSman for possessing the rifle and bullets, had earlier been sentenced to 6-and-a-half years' jail and six strokes of the cane. His appeal against the sentence was dismissed by the High Court in May this year.

Ong, a 22-year-old pimp, was charged with being in Teo's company when he had the illegal items. The two of them were together at the Champagne Hotel in Geylang.

Emergency response service

2008-07-06T18:37:00.003+08:00

I delivered a Fiat Punto to a customer at Compassvale Drive. Wow was she gorgeous. Until I forgot to write her name on the invoice. Lucky I had a photocopy of the IC and license. Well at least the signature is there. I decided to take a cab back home.

Halfway through, she called with a frantic tone. The car was stuck in the middle of the road and refused to move off from the traffic junction. I was somewhere in Redhill. I gave her instructions on how to re-operate the semi-auto vehicle but it still stayed put. I asked her to on the hazard lights and get out of the car for her safety. Then I asked the cabbie to re-route to Pasir Ris Drv. 4. On the way, I called Ang who was somewhere going to Bishan. I reached first and ran over to the vehicle. Luckily this happened not in the middle of a highway. I restarted the engine and still it refused to budge. Ang arrived shortly and called the tow truck. We had a replacement vehicle for the customer and they went off soon after.

Well as vehicles have mechanical and electronic components inside them, sometimes they fail without we knowing it. The main goal is to reach to the customer on time and compensate for their inconvenience.

Record Number of Vistors and Sales Generated at The PC Show 2008

2008-06-28T18:44:00.003+08:00

The 18th edition of Singapore's longest running consumer technology show, The PC Show 2008, drew to a close on Sunday with stunning results, having attracting a record number of 1.12 million visitors and generating $51.7 million in sales.

Ms Gillian Loh, project manager, Lines Exposition and Management Services said, "With strong support from over 600 exhibitors and having doubled the floor space at this year's PC Show, we were confident of exceeding the results achieved last year. Despite possible concerns over higher costs of living with rising inflation, we are pleased that the attractive prices and bundled offers have continued to encourage consumers to purchase the IT products that they need or desire at the show.

"We are thankful to all 1.12 million visitors who made their way to The PC Show 2008 but more importantly, we are grateful to our exhibitors for bringing such great deals to consumers in Singapore year by year. In fact, many of them expressed their intention to rebook at next year's show by the Saturday!"

Exhibitors – both old and new – commented on the high volume of sales generated, and past exhibitors affirmed that sales were as good as if not better than previous years. Mr Andrew Koh, Director and General Manager of Consumer Imaging & Information Division, Canon Singapore commented, "We were pleased with the huge turnout of visitors to our booth and are happy to report an overall 20% increase in sales generated from this year's show as compared to 2007. As a strong supporter of The PC Show, we look forward to participating in the show again next year."

Mr Michael Primalani, Head of Marketing, Parisilk Electronics & Computers Pte Ltd, a first-time exhibitor at The PC Show, said, "Our focus was to introduce consumers to more environmentally friendly products and those that consume less energy, such as the Sharp LCD TVs. Consumers responded very well to our proposition and we achieved much better results than anticipated, despite the current economic uncertainty. We will definitely be back with more great deals next year."

Next year's PC Show will return from 11 to 14 June 2009 at Suntec Singapore.

Free Your Music with the new Philips Bluetooth® Micro Hi-Fi System BTM630

2008-06-28T18:44:00.002+08:00

Do you find it a hassle to use multiple wires to connect your PC, mobile phone or personal music player to your Hi-Fi system just to listen to your favourite songs?

With Philips BTM630 Micro Hi-Fi System, you won't need these wires anymore. Featuring Bluetooth® technology, Philips BTM630 will let you enjoy your music from your personal music players, cell phones and PCs wirelessly. It also has an integrated iPod® portable media player dock that can play MP3 or WMA music from an SD or MMC card.

Philips BTM630 comes equipped with complete audio system functions, including a built-in mic for hands-free mobile calls and auto switching between phone calls and music playback. This snazzy hi-fi system has a sleek and elegant design with a super slim CD slot and speaker-grill design to add style and pizzazz to any room in the home or office.

Recording your favourite music from CDs to USB or MP3 player has never been easier with Philips BTM630's one touch 2x recording speed - all this without the hassle of connecting to your PC. Philips BTM630 is also equipped with Dynamic Bass Boost for deep and dramatic sound, and Digital Sound Control for optimized music style settings.

Availability

The Philips BTM630 Micro Hi-Fi System is retailing at recommended retail price of SGD329 and is available immediately at all major consumer electronics retail outlets and departmental stores.