Since I sold off my previous Garmin (here), I’m kinda lost. Since using the Garmin 1350, I’ve been relying on the GPS unit for unfamiliar destinations. So without one, I’m as good as lost. And I’m totally against reading the map while driving, unless someone else is doing the driving, which is a rare case for me.
The unit itself
I went to Penang last year for a seminar. I still can’t move around town without referring to a map. There are too many roads, too many junctions and too many road signs for such a medium-sized island. The last time I went to Penang, I got my 1350 as a guide. Just punch in the destination and you’re all set.
At the back - mini USB port for connecting to PC/Mac and to provide power/charging
Then I decided to get another GPS unit, and it must be Garmin. Money is a bit tight at the moment, but this gadget is a must-have. I’ll wasting a lot of money and time if I get lost again. Shopping around, I found out that Garmin 1250 is the best value for money, given the situation.
What's included in the box...
The 1250 is smaller than the 1350 in term of size, but not power. Power-wise, it supports the various maps function and able to provide lane assist and etc.
The in-car charger
In my opinion, the option to upgrade your map is important. I’ve visited an area that had been developed for the past 2 years, but the map in the 1250 is blank.
Updated: You can always use the map from malsingmap.com to update yours.
Quick start manual
Reading material is not enough. You have to go online to find out more about your Garmin.
Vehicle mount
Pros: Cheaper price; small and light; a lot of accessories included in retail box; Malaysia has its own support team/authorised dealer.
Cons: Maybe too small for some people; battery quoted as 4 hours but in reality it’s more like 2.5 hours; no lifetime free map updates; updating of map is not so straightforward; relying a lot on online documentations and updates.
The event above happened during last Ramadhan (last month). A group of eight “Mat Rempits” (five in the shop and another three stood standby outside) stormed into a Mamak restaurant in Section 15 Shah Alam and grabbed laptops, money and the cash register from the shop. It happened at 4.00am, while the patrons are having their “sahur“.
This is a very rare event, and hardly heard of. But now, the “grab and run” style of robbery has become very common. The question is, what can we learn from this?
To avoid all these, we should:
Never go out so late at night (early morning is definitely a no-no);
Have your late supper (or “sahur” in Ramadhan) at home;
Never, ever bring your laptops/tablets/smartphones out with you to the restaurants;
Don’t surf the internet at open areas. Mamak’s restaurants are considered open areas as they lack the proper security and the venue is very open to public (Starbucks in the other hand is considered closed areas, as they have walls and proper doors. And most of Starbucks are located within the vicinity of shopping complexes);
But from the video and what had happened, it makes me wonder whether the Mamak’s restaurant (or any other Mamak’s) is safe for us or not. Please consider my arguments:
Security camera – is it used to monitor the security of patrons or to monitor the customers who wouldn’t pay?
Shop assistants – are they doing enough, other than run away earlier than the patrons?
Opening hours – should the authorities limit the opening time of restaurants?
Insurance – do the patrons received coverage against theft or other crimes INSIDE the restaurants?
Responsibility – since the restaurant is offering its services to customers, should they be responsible to what ever happened IN the restaurant?
I think the proprietor of the restaurant is not doing his/her part of the bargain. The owner should be responsible to all his/her paying customers and to ensure their safety. Not to run away and left the customers alone in the restaurant, when the robbers came. It looks like that your main (and only) priority is to get money from your patrons, and nothing else. After you get your millions from us, is that the best you can do? Irresponsible!
If you have read my previous post here, you might knew that I was in the market for a smartphone. Well, I have decided and bought a neat smartphone – the BlackBerry Torch 9800.
Lemme be clear on this again. My posting is not a detailed review of the Torch 9800. If you wanna a review, you can click here, as Crackberry.com has a very thorough and detailed review of the unit.
The black box
You must be wondering why I have chosen this phone, especially that this Torch version has been upgraded to Torch 9810 (or Torch 2) that comes with BlackBerry OS 7. Honestly, this is more like an economical choice. Being a year older (Torch 9800 was launched on August 2010), the price has dropped from RM2,499 during launch date to about RM1,700 now (or even cheaper if you shop around).
Cherry red Torch!
I’m not too worried about the phone being obsolete and all, as I felt that the phone design and the BlackBerry 6‘s interfaces are still fresh and relevant. And getting the red cherry colorway really makes the experiences fresh and new.
My first BlackBerry - the Bold 9000
My last BlackBerry was the Bold 9000 (known as Bold 1 now), which I bought new in 2009 for about RM2,199. It’s a little special as the Bold is white, which is rare at that time. And for that, I have to pay RM200 more than the normal silver/black version. And at that time, being different is a premium in the sea of silver/black Bolds. And I’m the only one in the office (and among my non-office friends as well) that used my own set instead of given by the office.
Ahhh, the memories….
Touchscreen and slider keypad
Anyway, back to the Torch. I’ve specially picked the colour red to adorn my Torch, as red is my favourite colour. And red too looks awesome on the Torch (see it for yourself and get ready to be awed).
Full-sized BlackBerry QWERTY keypad
Since I’m really into QWERTY keyboards, getting the Torch is some sort of a no-brainer kinda decision. Don’t get me wrong. I simply adores the new technology of touch screens and can’t wait to have one for myself. So why not get it from both worlds – touchscreen and a keyboard?
I’m a bit optimistic as first to try the touch-type combo, but hey, the technology won’t wait for you. So let’s embrace the technology and use it now.
I’m imaging myself being a RIM designer and was tasked to create a new BB design. That’s would be a lot on my shoulder. That’s why I must applaude the geniuses at RIM for coming up with a product that people (or users) will like. I, for one, is in love with the Torch’s design.
Right side of the Torch
To combine the phone with a slider is very difficult. There are a lot of manufacturers that came up with slider phones before, but RIM has perfected it. The slider slides with a reassuring tiny ‘click’.
On the right side on the Torch, there are three concealed buttons (not exposed like previous models) – the volume buttons and dedicated shutter button for the camera (RIM called it ‘convenient key’), and the earphone 3.5mm socket.
Left side of the Torch
While on the left side, there’s only the mini USB charger/communication port, and this time it’s exposed (where normally on other phones, there’s a rubber cap to cover the hole).
The position of the charger port is a little weird, as for my previous phones, all of them have charging ports either on top of the phone or at the bottom. So, this is something to get used to.
Ribbed battery cover
Other than the slider and touchscreen, the other best part of the Torch that I like is the back battery cover. It was designed to be ribbed for easy gripping, and it looks great in cherry red.
Bundled accessories
My only wish is for RIM to bundle the leather case (like my old Bold) together with their packaging (charger, mini-USB cable, earphone and literature). It is sadly missing. What an obvious omission, and a stupid one on that.
Anyway, I like the Torch very much, and after using it for several weeks, I’m happy to say that RIM at least can partially compete with other manufacturers in the smartphone war. But I can’t guarantee that RIM can maintain the 21% share anymore. Buckle up – increase your processor to duo-core, higher RAMs, better camera, quality apps and cheaper phones.
I will write a long-term review (if you would like to call it that) in a couple of months. And I’m also looking for some leather covers or something like that, and would post an entry once I bought one. Stay tuned!
Pros: Cheaper price now; solid build; best of both world (touchscreen+keypad); stable OS 6; a lot more quality apps nowadays; BBM is a killer app; all telcos now offer cheaper BIS.
Cons: Start price of RM2,499 during launch is farking ridiculous; touchscreen a heartbeat slower than iPhones or Androids; no bundled leather case/cover; body is easily scratched; thick & heavy; long charging time; touchscreen sometimes freeze; long update cycle; need to reboot after every software installation (wtf?); battery-hungry; original accessories are expensive & not many around.
The long-awaited Mac OS X Lion has finally arrived to consumers yesterday. The last big update on the OS was about 2 years ago. The Lion has many new features (you can it ‘em all here) that can make our experiences with Mac better.
Am I upgrading? Well, I’m fully satisfied with my current Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and why fix it if it ain’t broken? The Lion might be riddled with bugs since it’s just a day old and real world test with real world users IS the actual test.
I might wait for a while until the dust has settled, and thinking of paying US$29.99 for Lion makes my heart skips a beat. Moreover, I’m not eligible for the free upgrade as I bought my MBP last April.
Nevertheless, being a gadget guy, it won’t be long for me to embrace Lion. Heck, maybe tomorrow I’ll be downloading it from App Store. Now, where did I put my spare US$30…
BTW, did anyone tell you that you can’t buy OS X Lion from the stores? Well, you have to download it from Apple App Store and it’s about 4Gb! If you’re lucky enough to have unifi, then happy downloading!
Ever since I saw someone poking her iPad with a pen at Starbucks, I always wanted one too. It looks so cool using your iPad with a pen, and not an ordinary pen that is. It’s a specially designed pen to be used with iPads or iPhones, or anything with touch screens. The tip should be made from rubber (for obvious reason).
Ozaki's logo
Searching the web yields several models and choices for that particular specialty pen. I’ve chosen three different models and brands, but found out that only Ozaki is available in KL. Ozaki is a well-known Japanese brand with some innovations on its belt. Other than the iStroke, they also got iSuppli (iPhone docks), iCoat (iPhone & iPad cases), iMini (digital clocks for iPod), iUFO (digital dock for iPhone) and some other stuffs.
iStroke's rubber tip
If you’re lucky enough to use a PDA years ago, you can relate this pen to a stylus. The only difference is the rubber tip. Stylus would have a hard tip, as the PDA’s screen was designed to be touch with a pointed hard tip (not your nips, people!), and not your fingers. Whereas the iPad was designed to be used with your fingers (touch not poke), hence the logical choice of a rubber tip.
Looks just like a normal pen
Hey, it looks like a normal pen! And can be used on your iPhone too!
Ozaki's
Ozaki said:
Soft tip provides a more sensitive touch than your finger and avoids fingerprints and smudges on the screen. Relieves finger pressure while reading, marking iBooks or playing games. Lightweight aluminum body and weight only 20 gram.
It's also a real pen!
Handy built-in with shirt clip and ball point pen. You can poke and you can also write (not on the screen!).
Now you can poke with your pen...
After using it for a while, I can report that it’s very easy to fall in love with the iStroke. Using your finger to swipe (or poke or touch) your iPad might be tiring if you’re doing it for long period of time. The iStroke mimics the usage of a normal pen and you can use it like a pen too. You’ll naturally be comfortable using ‘em.
Want one? Ozaki’s iStroke L retails for RM79.99 and available at all major IT retailers in KL.
Me and My Nike Air Force 1 