And so he has arrived...

This is a professional review on my new man >> here.

I read all about him. I went around searching for him (to have a test ride). When I finally found him, but my initial thoughts was he was quite a handful, as in he took up the whole of my palm! He wasn't the easiest to mind read; I kept pressing on his wrong buttons, at times I almost gave up. He doesn't has a manual, the only way to know him is still to keep pressing those buttons till I get them right. A pdf could only go this far. Forums do help.

To date, it has been a little over 2 weeks, 17 days old to be exact. I'm still figuring him out, it probably will take me quite a while. I don't think I know everything about my BB whom now sits by my bed as my alarm. His rubber parts have all fallen apart making him prone to dust invasion, so I have to tuck him nicely in a pouch. I still recall having a spare samsung phone which I need to bring out on special occasions, e.g. attending a wedding dinner, a party or anything I wouldn't have much time on the phone! Now, how many phones is considered too many??

Anyway, why did I choose this man? It's very simple, I pick anything free* that goes with my plan. My desired brand this time round is HTC, and there are only 2 choices - Wildfire S and Incredible S. The only thing keeping me back from the purchase was the HTC support in Singapore which I read is horrendous. I hope I never have to use them. I would have considered HTC ChaCha just for the keypad but they are only limited to SingTel, so one choice down. I later saw it in reality and thought I would never give up BB for ChaCha if you saw the way it looked.
*Means I only pay a nominal fee 2 years later if I keep this phone.

While it has a few things I'm still getting used to, such as a touchscreen keypad, highly sensitive touchscreen, pressing the power button everytime I need to unlock it... Also many that Android can possibly improve, having folders in "All apps" instead of on home screen, enhanced address book and other built in apps but these we can easily replaced with the others we choose to install.

I'm not a big iPhone fan, but I don't hate them as well. I think they are good if you just want it like a bundle, just like a packaged tour, it comes all inclusive with many add-ons. I do like to point out a few things my handful man can do (I'm not an iPhone user, so correct me if I'm wrong if iPhone can do that as well):

1. Weather widget
My favourite built in app. It rains and shines on my screen, it never fails to brighten up a gloomy day.

2. Customisable apps and themes
I have now Go SMS and Go Contacts to replace the default SMS inbox and address book. Sorry B, Handcent SMS interface doesn't appeal as much to me as this one does. I can even use a different theme everytime! I have a few now. I'm looking forward to change it to the Christmas one when time comes.

3. I can stick a post-it note on my home screen as a reminder!

4. I have 6 screens to play around with to place my favourite short-cuts, or widgets from the apps, e.g. daily horoscope, weather or news feed.

I can't think of more now, but I will tell you later if I find out more new features. I never thought anything of widgets until I'm now an Android user! They are godsend inventions!! By now, I have already 7 pages of apps from the inital 2-3 provided, I'm becoming an apps whore. The 8mp camera also comes with default lomo effects which I can readily apply. But who needs them when there are too many free apps around! Mr. Incredible S is also lighter than iPhone 4, I have allowed my surrounding iPhone users to have a comparison test.

So he's really quite a handful, isn't he!

BB I miss you!

I really do.

If you ever see me blog from mobile, I am using my BB. It's almost impossible for me to type on a touchscreen without feeling like throwing it against the wall. Nothing beats a real keypad. I do love my new phone for all the other functions, except accidentally tapping on my data usage! Other than that, it serves me pretty well. Ebooks, games, camera applications... The awesome weather widget, the ability to bookmark news for offline reading, free messaging with my oversea friends... There's definitely a lot more, so I can close one eye about the keypad. It just means I would write lesser, but I still can with my BB I guess :) I want to tell you all about the new phone but I shall leave it to another time.

Have a good holiday everyone!

Letting go

I have decided on my new phone!!

Despite that my Blackberry is slowly disintegrating after 20 months of frequent usage, I still can't bear to let it go. I will miss the typing with the keypad, its awesome music and video on the little screen when viewing Youtube and the touchpad. I dread moving on a new phone, having to learn all over again, and the horror of visiting the service centre if anything goes wrong. Fear. It only inhibits new experience. I know I will overcome it, but it's just my reluctance to let it go.

Blackberry, don't die (even though you are!) :( No matter how much others dislike you (my colleague seems to be against BB, he's been psyching me to join the iphone gang), you'll still be in my fond memories.

Gift for myself ;)

While everyone else is busy earning money, I'm spending my hard earned savings... Yes, bad, I know. I will make sure I'll fill up the gap later. But recently, I'm in the mood to spend, by that it often means I'm feeling a little grumpy and thus the shopping mood.

So I am making this purchase as my own birthday present. Ha ha. A bit early, yes.

It's something I have always wanted. Don't kill me please!

A flip phone or some call it a clamshell!!!! And a Samsung GT S3600i! My only spare phone is a malfunctioning 8 years Samsung lady's flip phone or clamshell, which has already lost its antenna. I guess, a good enough reason for me to get one??? Well, I do have my favourite Blackberry at the moment, but it's under M1 contract which is I'm literally loaning from them for 2 years till I buy it off them at the end of my contract (still more than 1 year to go!). I remember how miserable I was when I lost my last phone and was struggling with the 8 year-old spare phone which would lose calls halfway through.

I had been searching for a red or gold Motorola Razr for the longest time, but a brand new will cost me maybe over S$300... I didn't want to spend that much for a spare phone. Or I call it a holiday phone. Guess what? This is less than half the price of a Razr. I walked by the Samsung shop some days back, saw it, and was captivated. It was not till I had walked into the store for 3 times at least before I finally decided to buy it. Yes, I did think for quite some time, walking back and forth. I love this sleek phone and its color. It's like champagne gold, with dark brown theme when you open the flip. A very basic and simple phone, no wifi, no 3G, lousy camera... but most importantly, it is a flip phone! I need just that, and the basic calling and messaging. It should satisfy me :)

p.s: I love Samsung, they are pretty long-lasting in my experience. I also love Blackberry & Sharp (not in Singapore sadly).

My new toy :P

I bought my 3rd digital camera today!!! It's a little sudden but I have the intention anyway, supposedly to purchase at the next IT fair before my Taiwan trip. But it just happened.

Mummy dearest is not very pleased with me buying a camera. She said I have gotten one in Hong Kong last year, but that's a lomo camera (using 35mm film). She doesn't see the difference, to her, a camera IS a camera. I reckon she needs some retail therapy too, so she won't be too upset that I have spent my money on something :p Mummy, let's go shopping then.

My first digital camera was 3MP Canon Powershot that lasted me 5 good years before the repeated batteries I bought died on me and the buttons became faulty. It costed me S$780 on the camera alone!!! But I believed I spent near S$900 to add on those accessories, etc. I must be insane, but those were the days gadgets were so costly because technology was still very new!

My second camera was 6MP Fujifilm Fd31 which produced excellent colored photos till it became sick on the last day of its 1st year warranty. Since then it broke down on me twice during my holidays despite the repair. I was very affected by it, it never really gives me any sense of security anymore. It worked well in Hong Kong but I am still very hesitant about bringing it to Taiwan for 2 weeks! What if it breaks down again, I am so going to cry :( It costed me S$480 but was a very worthy buy as it included all the accessories with extra memory card as well as battery! That's about half the price of the first camera. It also features manual control and will work as a good back up still for now :)

So my latest toy is a 12MP Panasonic Lumix DMC FP8, not something I will usually look at. I wondered if I'd regret this impulse purchase as I usually do tonnes of research before going to a shop. Today I just happened to come across this COURTS sale at the Expo, sister was the one buying her virgin camera. I was giving her advice, and I ended up getting one too! Well but after testing the camera and was given a good price, I just gave in to it :( The camera was even up for bidding, only 10 sets at a further S$20 discount. It was almost ending when I put my hand up - can't believe I did that! But now yes, this pocket camera is mine at barely S$280. After reading the reviews, I am quite glad I did, because it's sounds like a perfect fit for my upcoming trip! Can you imagine how big the price difference is for a camera at 12MP and one at 3MP years ago... gosh.

I had promised myself I would not spend over S$500 on the next camera since Fujifilm died on me after only a year. I have also been wanting a Panasonic Lumix, and now I have chosen this above all the others I have been eyeing on including: GF1, LX3 and even FX37. I just didn't want to pay so much more for a toy I carry around for a couple of years, besides a lot of the times, what you need is a good photographer ;) My sister bought herself a Nikon Coolpix S620 at half its original price too - was such a bargain!!

I know, I know, I should stop... but yes, I promise no more major purchase till Taiwan!

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iPhone war

I just realised at least 30% of my friends on Facebook possess an iPhone! Is this touchscreen phone by Apple really so spectacular or many simply can't resist the temptation?

Few days ago, Starhub and M1 finally started to sell iPhone after successfully sealing the distribution deal. SingTel no longer dominates the local iPhone market... I was walking down Orchard Road Tuesday evening, the day before the two service providers launched iPhone. Promoters carrying baskets of green apples were giving out them out to spread the message. It's a cute idea by Starhub, but someone had used this before. I remember getting a free green apple during a beer promotion, I can't remember the brand now but they were promoting the new green apple flavour.

I felt a bit retarded asking myself why Starhub chose green apples, before I soon realised red ones would have represented SingTel! M1 wasn't doing anything though but I reckon they already have a list of loyal customers queueing up for them. If M1 was to use "apple" promotion too, they would have to coat caramel on the apples - probably the closest thing I can think of ;)

Look at the pictures I captured of the green apple. I actually thought they really did something to the inside of the apple!!! But to my disappointment, the star they meant was actually the apple core when cut into halves.

For people eyeing an iPhone, probably now it's the best time to get one with the competitive rates offered by all the 3 service providers! SingTel has also adjusted their plan prices accordingly!

"Der" love of my life

My BlackBerry. My baby.

The one.

I found him and life suddenly seems complete. Just like the "auto-complete" function on google search. It's an instant connection, wonderful chemistry and complementing combination.

I figured him out without the help of a manual. To be honest, I haven't even used a BlackBerry before him nor did I try the phone out. All I know is that I have been waiting for him after I read all about him. And immediately I knew. He doesn't take the best pictures yet he is already everything I am looking for. He wakes me up in the morning, entertains me in the train, feels good in my hands, writes down my thoughts late into the night and whenever he's by my side. How can I ever ask for more?

Although I sometimes pressed "s" as "a" and occasionally pressed the wrong key when typing out a sms because I thought I was still on a normal numeric keypad phone... but I've more or less adapted and now he's an important part of my life. Before him, I was thinking how well I was surviving without a phone, but since I had him, my life has since changed.

There is love in my life now;)

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Mobile blogging

I have decided that blogger isn't the most friendly mobile blogging tool and now I have resorted to sending this to an email that will publish it almost immediately for me. Too bad, though hotmail is definitely much friendlier, it doesn't do word wrap!!

This is something I've been wanting to try for the longest time. To be laying in bed and writing a blog entry as and when I feel like it without having too much hassles. Sorry Toshiba baby, I'm really too exhausted from ten hours of computer monitor but rest well because I'll work you hard on other days.

Even though typing on a BlackBerry isn't exactly the fastest thing and I would be typing ten times faster with a keyboard! I want to write about this wonderful gadget I got (also my new man, that's what I usually refer to them as) and about this plan I took up with M1. Maybe I'll just come online afterall. LOL.

p.s: Those in italics are corrected after I come online on Toshiba (hurray baby!).

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Jealousy kills wi-fi

Seriously, I'm typing this with my new BlackBerry while it's charging. Ever since I got this new gadget, my laptop starts to get screwed.

It honestly hates rivalry I guess. Especially with something lighter, smaller and slimmer. Please don't throw me tantrum Toshiba baby, you're just as precious as BlackBerry baby. Now you're punishing me by cutting me off the wireless umpteen times and making me type like a snail crawling up a tree! Gosh, I wanted to hate you but come here to me, I will give you a cuddle. We'll be fine tomorrow, okay?

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DOUBLE YAY

YAY for my friend's kid, Charmaine, to have cleared her scans! YAY for Blackberry Curve 8520 to be out on the market finally (with M1). YAY YAY!!!!

p.s: I'm not too sure when I'm getting or should I wait longer.. but no, I think the wait has already been long enough!!

Where are you BB?

I'm hopelessly dyingly eagerly anxiously miserably waiting for Blackberry Curve 8520 to be out in Singapore. DAMNIT, why is it so damned slow?????? With that, I will have one thing less off my wish list! I need to get this, because I know work will be calling me with it too! SingTel or M1, please just bring the damned phone out!!!!!!!!! I know RIM has already gotten it in Singapore.

New man?

Thank you NTUC Income for the compensation of my lost phone! It's a percentage of the price I paid for 2 years back, but hey, it's better than nothing! Even trading it in now won't get much value. At least, now I have a "Buy a new phone" fund.

I haven't had my eye on any phone yet... pretty sad! I do see something I like but not the kind that I'm dying to have it. I'm using my "ancient" but favourite phone (a black SGH-A400 Egèo) I got almost 7-8 years back. No colors. Pixels. Melody ring tones. But yes I still love it despite it being a little physically handicapped.

I lost him... for eternity

Something that everyone should try once in your lifetime? Lose a phone or a wallet.

If it's a couple of years back, I think I would take it very hard... Almost 10 years back, my wallet was stolen back in school. Even though I still didn't know who the culprit is (but I kept having a vision it was someone in my class), the kind thief had the decency to return the important stuff which of course posted no value to him. I got back my identity cards, bank cards and library card. Wallet was gone, so were the cash and my ez-link card (our transportation pass).

Some days ago, shortly after arriving back in Singapore from Kota Kinabalu... I realised I lost my mobile phone (my little white man). He's gone. I searched for him frantically on the train, couldn't believe I have lost him. I didn't know how it happened but the thing is it has happened... What can I do? I figured there's no point crying over spilled milk after a fruitless attempt to ring my own number. At that point of time, hope sank, heart sank. The next best thing to do is to curse that person who has taken it away!

When I got home, the first thing I did was to call the airport's Lost & Found, but then I realised if someone has taken it or stolen it, it will never come back. Then I rang SingTel to suspend my line. I'm so disappointed why Singapore didn't implement the disabling of the phone with IMEI number! What's the use of having an IMEI number, f****** useless! And when I finally managed to get myself back on my feet, I lodged a police report. I have also informed the airline... and now probably see if I can get any sort of compensation from travel insurance.

Everyone else is saying,"Time to get a new phone." But let me grieve over him first. The 2 years together had been turbulent, especially the first couple of months trying to get him fixed. After that, he seemed to be a very fine companion, always there when I needed him, especially waking me up every morning. That's probably the only thing I am not used to now, no more familiar ringing tone... now I have a human clock - my sister.

I miss that blue light that lit up everytime I pressed his buttons,
I miss how easy he connected to my lappy everytime I on his bluetooth,
I miss how he hanged around my neck and followed everywhere I go,
I miss the sms-es I saved inside, I know I lost them,
I miss all the contact numbers I stored inside, I know they're gone forever,
I miss him, the little white thing.

For now, I'm not contactable, mobile-less and radiation-free. I am quite pleased with the peacefulness at the moment.

Creative zen is ill

I suspect my Creative Zen is sick :(((((((( The display colors turned funny, fuzzy, bright and kinda grainy. Fortunately it's still under the warranty, so I shall bring it to the hospital. I'm having VERY BAD LUCK with gadgets these years, I don't think I can buy my DS lite just yet... SAD.

Should I... Should I not?

Camera is finally discharged today. So happy to have my baby back!

They didn't charge me any diagnostic fee because they couldn't diagnose what is wrong with it. I'm in good mood today, so am still considering if I should lodge the complaint. It has been almost 2 weeks, and my anger has simmered down. I can either lodge the complaint and phrase it nicely because I wouldn't want the poor guy to lose his job, maybe just change his bad attitude. OR. I can also forget about it and blacklist Fujifilm from the camera brands I will be buying (in future) all together. I shall think about this tomorrow.

I told you God is always testing my patience, and sometimes I wonder how long this is all going to last.

Super bad service @Suntec City FUJIFILM Digital Corner

I want to complain, I want to complain, I want to complain...

I will make sure this guy's evil presence is made known to the world... or at least to his employer. I'm so anxious, eager and tempted to make a complaint right now. But what will that a** do to my camera??? I'm so worried for my poor camera. Please remind me to lodge a complaint once I get my camera back!!


Okay, the story goes like this...

My camera ran into trouble 2 days out of the 5 in Cambodia, it was devastating to go on a holiday and unable to shoot those pictures as part of the memory to bring home!! My heart almost dropped the moment "zoom error" message came on the LCD and I couldn't snap anything. It came on almost every few times I turned on my camera, and it was only mere luck that I got it to work some of the times to take a few precious shots. Coming back home, my camera suddenly was back to normal. But having such a bad experience in Cambodia, I was considering to send it for a check (since it was only repaired near 3months ago - similar problem).

Yes I really should. The 3months warranty for the replaced part is up yesterday(15/08/08)! I could have it replaced for free if it's faulty. So on Tuesday, I brought it in to the service collection centre at Suntec. There was a guy and a girl at the desk... so I went up with the camera and told them the problem. The girl took my camera, kept on testing the zoom and was clicking away. I told them, the problem is intermittent, so it IS okay now but it still has a problem. Not convinced, the guy refused to take it in for me, and insisted that the repair centre will be doing the same testing as what they did earlier to assess it. I decided to test it the next few days and probably come back again.

So yesterday(15/08/08) I went back with the camera, this time I took out my battery and memory card knowing he would do exactly the same thing he did the other day. I told him I WANT to send it in for a check, because I have rang Fujifilm up and they said it was better to send it in since I have it under the warranty. That a** was reluctant, he was fiddling around to see if he had a spare battery to test it on the spot (AGAIN, god's sake), so I SAID IT AGAIN, the camera IS okay now but the problem is still there. I am very disappointed with the service, the previous time I sent it in, the girl handling was so prompt, polite and provided excellent customer service. But both this girl and this guy are horrible at it! How can they deprive customers their rights to send in for a repair?!? What rights do they have to stop ME from having my camera fixed at my own costs (hey, I bought it from your company/manufacturer, mister)??? I'm extremely unhappy about this...

SO I WILL WRITE IN TO COMPLAIN!

Hilf mir.... :"(

I'm sad because of this stuck pixel on my Toshiba LCD... well I didn't notice it till yesterday. I saw this little cyan rectangle, about 2 pixels tall and 1 pixel wide. I pray it's not dead because then in no way can I remove/fix it. I have been trying all sort of ways to fix it but till now I still see it!!! :"(

It looks invisible in black/green/blue but on white or other coloured background, it just stuck out there. I can't help to look at it each time I'm on my lappy... arghh.

Perfecting the home

I finally convinced myself Toshiba Portege is for me, actually I need little persuasion as my heart has already been set on it. That little rascal ibook-alike has stolen my heart, right from the beginning... LOL. Well, the older 12.1" model was what I have been eyeing on for a long along time! It used to cost S$2699 and today it is only selling at S$1599 at Sitex (the PC fair). And this newer model M600 is retailing at S$2299, managed to get it a little lower than that. I can't reveal how I manage to afford this, but somehow I'm very lucky and thankful to someone:))

Vista isn't really my cuppa tea but the thing is it does work or even look a little like Mac operating system! My heart with Apple has died along with my ibook and even today I have little yearning for a Macbook, let alone a Macbook Pro!


My sister has suddenly gone crazy about the idea of getting an oven. It was my plan but somehow it has affected her more than me and she's dying to get one ASAP to start baking Christmas cookies for her "teachers". I told her to spare them from being her guinea pigs! I was easy with the choices but after reading up, I realize choosing an appliance is not as easy as I thought. What method and component an oven uses can greatly affect the quality of the end products, I want my cookies to be nice and juicy, not dry and hard!

The worst is over... yeaaaa

My days after a shit job are definitely more meaningful than serving a boss like a slave and ended up not being appreciated and being accused of a bad hand-over. The boss has no people management skill, not to mention his pathetic interpersonal relationship skill. Now I have no doubt all about the high turn-over, why ex-employees ignore calls from the office number and would rather not mentioned they have ever been in this company at all. This is serious, and this company (especially the boss) should certainly qualify to be in the top 10 blacklisted companies in Singapore.

Anyway enough complaining about that, it is all history. I must say on the last day, I almost screamed at the boss for his desperate, unreasonable and demanding behavior. I'm not going into details as some things are better left untold.

Time spent with my friends are 1000 times much happier than a day at the office. This afternoon, I have done my laundry, researched online about laptop (though still undecided) and made egg mayo sandwiches - pretty happy that I did all that in a few hours.

My biased view towards Toshiba is somehow hindering me from considering Dell, Acer, HP, etc... I don't know why, but after using Richard's (my ex-boss) very old Toshiba Portege machine while he loaned me in London, somehow I felt like I have a debt to repay - To get myself a new Toshiba Portege machine. I know this is hilarious but it is true. I am immensely attracted to that model, and even though the price is a bit steep... I'm praying I can get a good deal on the last day at Sitex.

By the way, John Little Sale is on and unfortunately spending cannot be curbed... I blew a 100 bucks, but mainly on health supplements! Ohh, so did Lisi... Poor us, whenever we go out shopping, we just have to spend!! :(

Who can beat the shortest life span product?

So much luck :(

My MP3 player of 5 months is pronounced DEAD. I'm not really upset over the $69 I spent, but more so, very frustrated with the brand and its distributor. Ok, just in case, you need to know the brand before buying something similar, it's Luxpro (Ez-tangent). Not at all lasting like it has been bragged to be. Bragger!

3 months into the purchase, the battery's life span made a turn for the worse. So I brought it in for an exchange since it is covered under a year's warranty. The new replacement gave me hope and renewed my faith in the brand. The battery life easily doubled that of the previous. My, was I happy...

But good things never seem to last. One day... something went really wrong! My battery didn't manage to take me through my train journey from Tampines to City Hall (which is namely only 24mins). "Christ, not again," I thought. I left it alone for some days.

Wanting to take it out on another train journey, I took it out again yesterday. To my horror, something within has swelled up so huge that it forced open the back of the MP3 player. As far as I know, lithium battery can cause explosion! I decided not to dump it at home, in event that it ignites suddenly... I packed it into the box and decided to bring it back to the distributor (wanting to refund it or lodge a complaint). Isn't that life endangering...!

The whole time I felt like carrying a time-bomb in my bag... to make things worse, I had a 2 hours interview that day. Fortunately I made it through the day after overcoming quite a few obstacles, and quite unfortunately I searched 4 storeys of Harbourfront Centre before I was informed that the Co. (the distributor) has recently moved out (or worse, closed down)!!!

I just suddenly felt a sense of relief, at least things have come to an end.

Dumped the swollen MP3 player in the bin, and more importantly I would like share this with others whom have also purchased the product... please beware!

p.s: It is really really really x 1 zillion times NOT A GADGET YEAR for me!