Goodbye 2009, Wecome 2010

Sometimes I wonder why time passed by so fast. I can still remember the first day I started my blog is at the end of Aug 09 and now it is the last day of the year. And I thought I won't be able to keep writting / updating my blog and eventually it will die some days. But what? Miracle did happened? I blog until now.

During November I was hoping that December can arrive sooner. I like this month because it is a month that's full of joys and happiness. There are quite a number of public holidays around and the work weeks are short, don't you feel that this is great?

I was a bit busy and tied up during the last week of the year, I only manage to draft the "year-end review" , Hannah Tan's charity concert and Camwhoring with friends but still not finalizing them for posting yet.

Stay tuned for more blog posts from me and thank you for reading my post all these while. Thanks again for the support, your viewing and comments are the energy for me to move further.

The naughty Beagle

Continue from my previous post of Golden Retriever, here’s the photos for the hyper active and naughty Beagle. There weren’t many photos for this bugger (ya, I call her this way because she is cute but darn hyper active) because it keeps moving, running, jumping here and there. I got to admit that this is the first time I was invited to take photo for dogs and my skill wasn’t being trained up yet. Perhaps I need more practice on photo shooting of “non-stop” moving objects.

Look at how she ran.

Even you had got her slept on the floor, she still want to move some other parts, which is her mouth.

How to make her stand still or limit her movement? We found a big rock and put her up there. Oh yeah, her movement has been limited and it is a lot easier for me to take her photos. And here’s the outcome.

Starring at me: “Hey, you better put me down else I will bite you!”

Microsoft Cibai

Hey, I am not scolding bad words or something like that. When I come across this term that MS used, I was stunned there, just can’t believe what I have seen. Oh gosh, MS, how can you use this term to name your new product. Okay, my friends, if you still don’t believe, why not take a look here.

All right back to the technical details of this thingy, it is actually an abstract interpretation-based static analyzer for modular analysis and verification of Java classes. I know it sounds a bit bombardstic and the description is not in layman term. It simply means this is a class (not the classes in school) that used in Java programming language.

Maybe to the Ang Mo, this word sounds nothing but just a new technical term in a programming language but it sounded very wrong in Malaysia, Singapore and etc.

Image that when you are attending a Java proramming class in college, the lecturer came in to the class:
Lecturer: OK, everyone I am going to teach you Microsoft Cibai now.
Student A: (Sound in disbelieve) Cibai?!?!?! And you gonna teach it?
Student B: Who want to volunteer for the class?
Lecturer: This Cibai is not the Cibai that we know. It can help us a lot!
Student C: I thought all Cibais are same?
Lecturer: …

Furthermore, there is this book called dummy for “something”. You can always see these books in those common book stores like Popular, MPH, Times and you name it. And you know what? There is a publication under this title called CIBAI for DUMMIES. Oh my god, do you think you can find this book in Malaysia or Singapore’s book store? If you do, please let me know. I would like to know how long can it stay at the shelf.

Whoever want to improve their performance while working with the Cibai, remember to look for this book ya. I am not kidding, it is printed on the cover.

Hopefully Microsoft will change the term later, or else you try to ignite your imagination again, in an IT office:
Colleague A: How’s your CIBAI today? Is it working now?
Colleague B: Of course! Since day one I was born.
Colleague A: …

Tamarind Hill Restaurant

I have been hearing this name for quite sometimes and for those who went there before keep telling me it is a nice restaurant to dine at. I browsed the internet then only I found that there are a few Tamarind restaurants around in KL. The one I went is at Jln Sultan Ismail, remember not the others.

I was invited to this restaurant for a friend’s birthday dinner. I arrived there quite early because I wish to take some shots before the sky turned dark. Personally, I felt that the environment is not bad, it gave you a very good mood for dinning. The design of the restaurant is a mixed of Burmese and Thai but some people told me it is a bit Bali feels. I guess you should be able to imagine how it looks like but if you can’t, why not go there and take a look?

Don’t ask me how about the food, forget it, just use the environment to compensate… Haha… OK, I found that the food is normal only, maybe you can get a lot cheaper outside in any chinese restaurant with the same or better quality.

I was thinking to bring my grandma to enjoy dinner here. Before reaching the entrance, I need to climb up the staircase and look at them, so many steps and not user friendly for disabled people at all.

And here’s the entrance of the restaurant. Staircase again. :(

There are lots of candles in the wall, it made me feel warm under the air-cond because I was sitting near to the wall.

Dim lighting in the restaurant that made you feel comfortable and relax.

I like the way they decorate the dining tables. Looks a bit classic and yet modern (what am I talking about ar?). A bit like what you see in Harry Potter? But definitely this is a lot nicer, right?

Some other decorations in the restaurant.
 

The candle wall.

Oh ya, before I forget, you can see the Petronas Twin Towers as well.

The Swimming Instructor

I am a person who like to watch stage play very much but I don’t have many friends around me are in to that. The last time I watched was 2 years ago and all these while I was watching Chinese version. Usually the stories are not bad, touching, warm hearted and meaningful.

Again thanks to the power of internet and social networking media, Facebook and Twitter. I get to know this drama from twitter and I thought it was over at that moment. So happen that during a conversation with a friend, he told me it was a great show and he watched it. Oh gosh, I was thinking that I am gonna miss it anyway because of knowing it so late. But he told me, the show was up for one whole week, not just one day only. I was like “What?!?! Really???”.

I was asking around and look for a friend to go and watch with me and I was lucky enough to find one. And I was asked what’s the synopsis of the drama. I said I don’t and I really don’t know at all but it won’t be a bad one. Just go and watch it and you will know.

It was a show that talked about love and relationship. 3 of them are strangers and they know each other at a public swimming pool. Eventually, the story goes on and tell us how they fall in love for each other, how confused was Guan (casted by Michael Chen) in the relationship, Dave was nearly became the substitute of Daniel and how Jan approach the swimming instructor.

I like the way Jan expressed herself to the one she loved and made the first move. Frankly, I did notice that nowadays girls are no longer like last time, where she liked someone, she will just sit there and wait for that someone to come and approach her. People might think that she is too desperate if she made the move first. Why the world would think it that way? We are equal, regardless you are a boy or girl and going after to the one you like is not something wrong. Anyway, thanks God, more and more girls are willing to make the first move now.

If the drama without Jan (casted by Davina Goh) and Dave (casted by Niki Cheong), I think it would be pretty boring, dull and gray. Because of these 2 characters, they brought colors and laughter to the audiences. They were so important in the show to make it lively. Dave was funny and cute especially during his first encounter with Jan. The way Dave and Jan speak was really funny and always made me laugh out loud. I will not forget what I saw and heard.

Until after the show, I can still remember this little conversation where Jan ask Dave about his current status:
Jan: Do you have a bf now? Is he a swimming instructor?
Dave: NO! Definitely not, are you insane?
Jan: ……
Dave: (broke the silent again) He is a life guard!!!

I laugh out loud after hearing this! Great!

If the show is still going on, I will recommend it to more and more friends. I can tell you, the money that you paid for the show is worth it.

The Puppy – Golden Retriever

I am dog lover and I like them very much. I remember last time when Swing was with me, he accompany me to do sports almost every week. Usually after work and back at home, I was so tired and the pressure of work is still with me. I was glad that I had Swing with me. He will waig his tail to welcome me back and then I will bring him out for a walk. It was so relaxing.

I would say taking care of a dog is similar to a baby. You need to make sure they are healthy and can always play or have some activities with you. It was once Swing hurt himself and I got to help him to clean the wound, put on the medicine everyday. My mum looked at the situation and told me, you look like a father of a child. I feel so happy to hear that, at least I am “passed” and qualified for that “role”. Hahaha……

Yesterday I was invited by a friend to take some photos of a puppy Beagle and Golden Retriever. I like GR very much especially when it is still a puppy. It is just too cute and adorable. Although the Beagle was only 4 months old, she was very very active. Imagine that even when you hold her in your arms, she still want to move and she just can’t stop for a while to take a rest. I was wondering what kind of “battery” is she using.

Anyway, I am sharing out the photos of GR first and will post that naughty active Beagle’s photo in my next posting, stay tuned. :)

A walk in Lowyat Plaza

Last Friday was a public holiday and I got to bring my friend’s camera to Lowyat Plaza for repair. After sending in to the shop, I told my friend might as well we take a walk here since we already here and paid the parking.

I came to this booth which sell GPS device (but I only see one unit only). I was asking him to switch it on so that I can test it out and see what else I can do with the device. I have a colleague who showed me his GPS device which can run Garmin, PaPaGo and iGo. Wow…how can you have 3 different systems in one device? That’s why I always tell my friend, China products is amazing. Oh yes, this is a China product, don’t even have a brand name. Even it did, I guess I will never heard the name before. But unfortunately, the sales person couldn’t turn it on because the battery is flat. Oh gosh, I think they don’t want to do business already, how can you tell me no power and can’t turn it on. And I don’t even see his intention or courtesy to take out a charger.

I didn’t manage to see how this China product works but that’s fine, I will look for it some other day at somewhere again.

I came into this computer accessories store to buy a PS/2 to USB port cable. Ya, you didn’t hear it wrong from me, I still can’t believe when I bought my PC, it came with 2 PS/2 ports for my keyboard and mouse. Although this is an old technology, I don’t mind because it can really help me to save up my USB ports and I guess this is the purpose of putting PS/2 ports there.

Oh ya, I suppose to buy that cable but my friend and I saw this plasma ball being displayed there. The first thinking we had in our mind is to buy it! Haha… This is the first time we are making such a fast decision. Usually, this “ball” come with quite an expensive price but this is really selling cheap here. But it draws power from USB port. You can plug it into your laptop or desktop or buy a USB power adapter and plug into it without switching on your computer.

HTC Touch Diamond

I found that my track record of using a phone is not more than a year. Friends always said that I change phone faster than I change underwear, ahem, of course this is not true. Underwear got to be changed everyday but not changing a phone with that frequency unless my dad owns a phone company.

HTC Touch Diamond is the phone that can last more than a year with me. I like the size of the phone, it is so slim. But one thing bad about it is the battery life and slow in response.

There is a promotion for a new more high tech phone (at least to me) in the market and I have decided to go for it. Thus, this poor Touch Diamond has became my secondary backup phone. Until last night I have this urge and decided to sell it away while the price is still good in the market. After considering all the facts, I still love to see cash rather than a device sitting there collecting dust and have its value depreciating every single day.

As usual, I took some photos about the phone and posted it online for sale. From my experience, I knew that I have to wait for a few days before I can get a respond and even worse that people might just ask for the sake of asking or the fun of it only. But unexpectedly, after the posting, immediately I got some replies and guess what? I successfully sold it the next day. This is the fastest record I ever had, selling an item within 24 hours!

Goodbye my HTC Touch Diamond, you will always in my mind and I will always miss you. Just can’t forget how you accompany me when I was down, happy and every single moment in my life for the past one year. Sob sob…(What’d happened to me? It is just a device).

Review of Mophie Juice Pack Air (Part 2)

As promised, this is the second part of the review. It will be more on the UAT and PST.

I read some reviews on the internet before deciding to get this extended battery pack and the reviews are saying that this is the “air” (slimmer design) version so the capacity of the battery is 1200mAh and will be able to charge from 0 to 80%. I was thinking that this is already enough as I don’t expect it to charge until 100% because its slim design.

From the perspective of UAT (User Acceptance Test), I feel a bit disappointed on the device because it can only give another 55-57% to the internal battery. Which means from 0 to 55% only but not as much as what the review said – 80%. I have tested a few times, where I started to charge the phone from 15% and it stopped charging when it reached 72%. It took around 1.5 hours to charge the internal battery before it became flat.

Usually, I will charge my phone and the extended battery pack overnight. By the time, I woke up at 8am, both the internal and external batteries are fully charge and I disconnected them from the power source. I have all the push notifications, push emails, fetch emails switched on. I use facebook, surf the net, twitter, send and receive emails on and off. By the time at 3pm, it left 15% by and I started to charge the internal battery with the extended pack.

Although it can’t fully charge my internal battery but at least it gives me another 55% of battery to use for the rest of the day until I got back home.

From the PST (Performance Stress Test) point of view, it takes more than 2 hours to fully charge everything and I found that this is acceptable. I would say 1.5 hours to charge the internal battery for another 55% is a bit too slow but the good thing is that you can still bring your phone around while it is being charged.

As a conclusion, you still need it for a whole day usage and charging them daily.

Review of Mophie Juice Pack Air (Part 1)

I have a very bad habit which is reading people’s blog. Oh yea, what’s wrong? Reading blog is not a bad habit at all but the problem is I always read it with my iPhone while I am free. Most of the time when I am free I will not be sitting in front of my pc and yet I just can’t get away from digital gadget even while I am in the toilet doing “business”. Now you tell me is this habit good? Haha…

And I always have one issue with my iPhone which is the battery. The battery just can’t last long enough for my usage. Therefore, I have decided to buy an extra battery pack for it. I have been thinking and considering on this solution again and again.

Today I told myself not to think on it anymore. If I don’t put it into action, I will be still sitting here and continue to dream on it only. But by putting it in action, to make my dream come true, to solve the battery issue, to have a longer usage time, to… (and the reasons go on just to convince myself), I have to pay off quite a large amount of RM for it.

  This is how the packaging looks like.

 
Inside of the box

With the new extended battery pack installed, it worked as a cover for the phone as well, so I don’t have to buy any other cover for it and stop considering (again) on all those fancy punky iPhone covers.

By looking at the photo you will know how bulky is the phone now. And of course with the increase of the physical size, the weight increase too. This is the trade off for a longer uptime? Sigh… nothing is perfect in this world.

There is a battery checker at the back of it. Just press once at the button, it will show you the power status. Thanks God, the designer of this cover used a blue light for the status but not red and green, I just feel that those colors are way too common and old-ish.

  Battery status lights

There is a button and a micro USB at the bottom of the battery pack. The button is designed for user to control when to pump the power stored at the extended battery to the internal battery. I like this mechanism by physically pushing the button to start charging. Sometimes too much of digital control is not good.

   Bottom of the juice pack: Micro USB port and charging switch

One thing I don’t understand why the designer want to use another type of USB port? Why not just use the same one as what iPhone is using or a mini USB port. If it is using mini USB port, I have plenty of cables which can use for that and don’t have to rely on the apple’s USB cable (which is quite expensive to buy another one). Anyway, I think the designer might think that to make the product unique or outstanding, that’s why a micro USB port has been chosen.

  Micro USB port cable is provided as well.

  Side view of the phone after “wearing” the extended battery pack.

Top view: The power button and earphone jack is still accessible.

I will do a UAT and PST on how does Juice Pack work with my iPhone. Stay tuned for the second part of this review.

圣诞节来了

那天应约与友人出来闲逛才发现商场都已经挂上圣诞节的装饰，有些地方还开始播着圣诞歌曲。这时我才发现原来一年又过去了。感觉上好像都没做到什么似的，岁月就此匆匆别过。

很多人看到这些美丽的圣诞装饰当然忍不住拍照咯不然的话好像很可惜。刚好又有带着相机的我当然抓紧机会啦，那里可以放过。

就连外面的装饰也不放过，就来个大拍特拍的，因为它们的确不错。

入夜时分，饰品亮灯之后更显特别。看着看着也不竟为之着迷。

 

对我来说每一年的圣诞节也不外如此，那今年可有什么不同呢？我不知道，可能上天已做好安排，到时给我个惊喜也不定？

Rearrange my room

I believe a lot of people will put the computer in their sleeping room. The same settings go to me too. But suddenly I have this idea of making the room I used for sleeping as “clean” as possible. A computer and its equipments will emit electro-magnetic waves and it is not good to our health (even it is turned off, this is what I heard but not sure true or not).

I have been sleeping with my desktop for so many years why now only realise this? Actually, the reason for me to move my computer and all the equipments to a new room is to make my room looks cleaner and wider only. I don’t care about the so called “radiation” from the machines because I can’t see it or feel it and I always believe that the amount of radiation is very small. I don’t think that it can affect one’s health.

This is before I move everything and whenever I look at it, I always have one word to describe all these, which is “MESSY~~!!!!”.

After moving the machines to a new room, now I can use the empty space for my small christmas tree.

This is the new look in the room where my computer is and I am still thinking whether to name the room or not? Let it be server room, computer room, control room (what to control) or something else that you might think off, you are welcome to tell me. :P

With more spaces in the new room, now I can accomodate 2 screens and a laptop too. This is always what I wanted.

Friends keep asking me what’s the use of dual screens? I can tell you this is very useful, one screen for movie or the hottest drama in the town now, 宫心计 and the other screen to chat with friends, it can be facebook, msn, twitter and whatever social networking tools that you gonna name it. Oh ya, I can use them to play my favorite game too, MS Flight Simulator (did you notice the joystick?). :D