But when it comes to the end,

I feel it,

the days when you wake up late but still tired due to the excess sleep,

staying at home the whole day,
no other souls at home to talk to,
no movies to watch,
no good novel to read,
ever lagging and fluctuating internet connection,

Laziness lying in my bones,

I'm found sitting in my chair 70% of the day munching too much cookies and crisps.

Thinking. Of nothing productive.



There's always such thing as the piano sitting downstairs,
But I was simply to lazy move my ass to grab a pencil and study the Bach piece. Or Debussy's Arabesque.



You know, strange devices and machines often appear in my house every now and then. Sometimes its a Nikon camera flash, a pair of portable USB speakers, a camera RC which resembles a cheap piece of plastic, 2 more new China-brand media players, a printer, a Panasonic media player, a china music player, a camera tripod, a HP desktop, a thumbdrive, a couple more of external HDD's,

today I found a glossy-black box thing lying on the living room floor that resembles (yet another =.=) media player from China.

I checked it out, and it looked like a yet another pair of speakers. It had a brand name "sansui" at the left hand corner, which made me think that its from China. On top of it there was the name 'Chopin'; hmm, they knew how to cop pretty good names, I guess. It had 3 pairs of buttons where you can control the volume and stuff, except that the increase and decrease buttons were in switched positions- mistake, all the more I think its another china item in my house.
Wait, there was a connector for the iPod to sit in, I seemed to recognize.
Excited to finally have a pair of iPod speakers, I ran upstairs to get my iPod down.
Plugged it in, played a track from Hillsong's new album. Panicked a little because the volume was too loud, pressed the wrong button- because in other players, the decrease volume would be on the left hand side. And then I left to the kitchen to get my breakfast.

Well, I was truly amazed.
From the kitchen I could hear the bass sounding really awesome, the vocals sounded extremely crisp and clear. It was a Hi-Fi alright- all so compact you would be completely fooled by its looks. Technology came this far to built 2.1 Stereo Hi-Fi in such a small looking box. State of the art!
Dad said, acoustics is black art- an in between of science and art. =)

Eventually I went to Wiki 'sansui'. It wasn't Chinese, it was Japanese. Ahah. It got me right there.


So I spent most of my day sitting down, sipping tea and listening to music!

Dad says I'm enjoying life too much and I should be doing something more productive before I head to Amanda's aunt's office for some kind of internship-


1. Study Bach's Simfonia before Miss Loke comes for the next lesson.
2. Get a recipe to prepare tea- cakes, cupcakes, pasta, salad, my special chocolate strawberry tea. Ah. Scrumptious!
3. Then get items and materials to prepare tea, call Qing Ling over to bake something really nice. ;D
4. Create a blog for my portfolio.
5. Continue my unfinished work of coin polishing and put them in albums.
6. Create a photo/event/travel log for my dad's unorganised photos.
7. Put down my plans on ways to earn money to travel the world!

***
Yes, something less to worry about-
Crit for Primer 2 was finish and done with yesterday afternoon. It was fine, considering Lord Voldemort didn't say anything nasty after I presented- In fact, he kept quiet. Kim was wrong, I didn't die because 6 lecturers were around and awake for yesterday's crit session. xD

'Arthropoda'

I actually had to wait for week before I could present my work after the submission. But it was fine all the same because I had the time (and guts, some say) to join the family barbeque at Romania Coast (Teluk Ramunia)- as Uncle Boey says it, one day before the great presentation and crit!

After church service on Sunday, around 20 of us packed up and left to the outskirts of town for a overnight outing at the beach.
My very old church family friends were there: The Wongs, The Boeys, The Yaps.
Plus the Meatball factory couple and the Lawyer who called me a suaku because I have never had such a pig prawn before.

Well, food was definitely the main highlight of the outing. Seafood Barbeque for the night!
Amused with Squids.

There were snacks around but we were fed with too much good food that there was no room for snacks. And I felt the sore throat syndrome creeping in the next morning- but I was praying that my voice would stay for the crit next day. Thank goodness, it did stayed and Mr Chieu said I sounded clear during the presentation. Ahah! Thanks to BBQ :D


Tried light painting after Uncle Et taught Chris how to do the long exposure 'XD'

Morning Sunrise. I didn't knew that Chris took a silhouette picture after making a jest about my cellphone camera (in which our faces could be seen pretty clearly).
Because I was wondering which pregnant lady did I take a picture with: most likely it was Naomi holding a jacket :)

Oh, how we've grown, since the Christmas of 1997!



Primer 2 had taught me a great deal and forced me in some serious working modes- got to do some self-study and read-ups these holidays I guess~

Cheers to the end of Primer 2 and Semester break!

They make money. We spent money.

15 October 2008
I receive another apple email.
Apple realeased yet another new product - The new MacBook and MacBook Pro.

tooot.

The new family of iPods came out not too long ago. 2 months, maybe?

I know what they always do.
Coming up with products in base models and better ones.
When all people want is a larger storage space in the iPhones.
When all people want is a DVD burner in the MacBooks.
Thats sort of little catching up to do, you know.
Little, but important stuff.

"New design. New features. New technologies.
All engineered to standards that don’t even exist yet."

That, is what they put up on the website.

New design? yes.

At first I thought the colour was tad out. Like the iPhone.

Like the black glossy glass front and the silver back, which could be also used as a pocket mirror for ladies who wanna touch up on their make up or men to adjust their tie.

I don't know. It was just first glance.

My first love was the first generation MacBook. =D

One day early in 2006 I saw the iBook and I loved it.

A few days later they lauched the first generation Intel Chip MacBook.

And I set my mind on it.

It was probably the sweetest thing saw in my life. XD

All I thought of was getting that pretty white book and migrate to New Zealand and be with the sheeps.

hahah.

Intel Core Duo. 1.83GHZ processor. 60HDD. Very basic, but compatible with the other computers 2 years back then.

Today, those specs are pretty ancient. Technology. No spare parts. Only upgrades. heh.

Its usually Core 2 Duo today, but I reckon a quad core would be out in the 17 inch macbook pro rumor. But it's still hard to guess. Apple leaves out these things and impresses its consumers with the superior industrial design, no doubt, and software engineering. They know what good stuff people want. And they purposely leave little things out.

there's no HD yet, you know.

The firewire port is gone in the MB, but still there in the MBPros.

The videos guys still need it. Big time.

Entry level MB's has no back litted keys. That's the same as the plastics ones.

Oh yeah did I mention that it was aluminium?

Yes its nice aluminium finish is really the Thing.

But gizmodo said aluminium isn't as sensitive the WiFi spots as compared the the plastic ones. They did an experiment on it.

There's the battery indicator on the side now, instead of the bottom which could do a lot more convenience for users.

DVI port is gone, replaced by the mini DisplayPort. I didn't used it anyway. Didn't have those cables that connects to projectors and external monitors.

The whole screen is black, glass, and glossy.

Might smudge the iSight whilst opening the MB. It right where you put your thumb.

The keys are black too, but surrounding is aluminium silver-ish gray. That, was what I thought, wrong. Well it only my opinion. On the whole it still looks fantastic.

The trackpad has zero buttons. That leaves more space for the new one handed finger acrobatics. pinch swipe enlarge 2 3 4 fingers. I know. Its cool.

Nvidia graphic card, 5x faster than its intel predecessor.

Its going to be for the gamers this time.

Spore looks cool on it.

And the user experience has got to be one of the best ones out there in the market, although I haven't get my hands on leopard yet..

Everything was well thought of, engineered, and designed.

I bet they thought of HD too. And they decided NOT to include it this time.

The white MB is in the market though, for clearance I guess. Price is still much the same.

No wonder they mark down the price for that one, implicating that it was "twice the speed, half the price" when they had this new family of MB's in mind.

That, is marketing and business.

They make money.

They really know how to.

The student like white MB.

Although mine is killing me of its speed(needs some upgrades, kind of ancient already=/), it still looks very pretty to me=D

I thought the black keys looked weird.

But aluminium finish is still too pretty.

I won't be thinking of getting one too soon, unless my studies next year requires an upgrade.

Now, McCain dessert:

Sorry, gizmodo again.

Apple Introduces iPhone 3G Videoconferencing Kit, ZOMG!

Those of you complaining about the lack of front camera and videoconferencing in the new iPhone, stop saying words. This July 11 you will be able to buy the Apple Videoconferencing Kit for iPhone 3G at just $29. Press release and an exclusive leaked photo of the user manual—showing how it exactly works—right after the jump.



Apple introduces the iPhone 3G Videoconferencing Kit, ZOMG!

WWDC SAN FRANCISCO—June 11, 2008—Apple® today unveiled the Apple Videoconferencing Kit®, the world's first videoconference accessory for the world's best phone, the iPhone 3G. Using a unique silicon-based mirror material and natural bamboo wood for its handle and base, the Apple Videoconferencing Kit measures an unprecedented 0.5 inches at its thinnest point. Its low weight and unique shape—developed following strict Human Interface tests and anatomical studies—will allow the user to easily hold it in front of the iPhone 3G camera, allowing face-to-face video communication with users all around the world.

"We've built the world's best cellphone—again," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO and famed fried tofu fan. "But it didn't feel... complete. So I said to Phil, hey! Phil, yo! Where's the damn front camera? Can we do iChat AV with this shit? He said we couldn't, but then... then he pulled out his hand mirror and said: 'what about this?'"

Phil Schiller, senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing and Apple's Cool Guy at Large, explained how it all went after that: "Steve thought it was ok, but he didn't like the pink plastic and shiny beads, so we asked Jon to come up with an evolution of the design." The team lead by Jonathan Ive was left with the challenge of making the Apple Videoconferencing Kit a reality: "We wanted the design to feel complete, as a whole holistic experience for the user, something that would talk from the inside, and be pure function. It just feels that way now."

The Apple Videoconferencing Kit ultra-shiny surface allows for an extremely clear image, the best in its class, and can be easily customized using any kind of materials, from stickers to Crayola. It will be available in July 11 for $29.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

***

I had a good time laughing my head off and falling of my seat while dropping by Gizmodo. Above is one of their posts on the 'phenomenal' iPhone 3G.
For those of you who don't get it, this is a criticism of the lack of front camera and video conferencing in the iPhone 3G. Looking at the new model, I think it is clear that Apple has decided to milk the current iPhone for another year instead of actually pushing the envelope big time. After all, why rush it when you are still entering the market and you can increase your margins.

While I'm sure that iChat AV-compatible videoconferencing will come to the iPhone, the fact is that Apple has decided we don't need it, expanding the lifetime of the previous generation by adding 3G and new software, in order to get more return out of their original investment. I can't blame them. And it even makes sense from a development point of view, making sure that every step works before taking another.

However, as a consumer and gadget addict who wants it all, that doesn't make me happy.

I may be an Apple Fan Girl and all, but taking critics of Apple products from others: friends and my own gadgety-daddy, isn't very nice. hmm. Pricey, yes; but I love their minimalist yet detailed marketing of products. I'm going to be a famous product designer one day, heh. =D

Whether we like it or not, the cellphone is now such a personal part of our lives that the emotional connection between a piece of plastic and the owner plays a huge part in the purchase decision process.

The proof is that the iPhone still lacks several things that consumers want—in theory—but they can live without them because of how polished Apple's cellphone is, because the attention to all those details, from packaging to user interface.

So then. I won't be thinking of getting one so soon, lest Apple includes a front camera on it, probably called iSight again? , which was so much emphasized on Macbooks and iMacs, but sadly left out on the second generation iPhone. Gotta remember, its pricey.

Check out Gizmodo.com. Its very cool. And one of my favorite gadget sites.

Air on Apple.

How sleek is that preciouss masterpiece. Pricey as usual: USD400 more than a Black Macbook.

The external ports hides itself neatly below a cover. The bigger trackpad acts just like an iPod touch or iPhone's touchscreen - meaning you can pinch it, swipe it, rotate it, etc.


Apple's innovation on industrial design has never failed to let many down.

Salutes.

Fake it.

After the recent WWDC 2007, I'm completely drooling over Mac OS X Leopard.

super cool.

I just know it's gonna be a great operating system.

Better then Tiger.

Which is of course better then Vista, which copies almost all of Tiger's features.

And since I'm not the only one drooling over Leopard, I found these pretty cool apps over the internet to fake Leopard's desktop. Ahah. 

This is how my current desktop looks like:

Transparent menu bar.

No more a glaring white one.

Grass wallpaper, just like Leopard's default wallpaper.

I don't have Stack, but at least I have Overflow that does Stacks' job.

It's keeps all the application icons in a folder in the dock.

And guess what, I faked Spaces.

The virtual desktop.

Like you can have a multiple desktop.

One for work, one for play, one for movies, as many as you want.

It's call you control desktop.

But it's a demo only, means I get to use it for only 15 days.

Sobz.

Almost everything about the Leopard desktop.

Except that freaking dock.

Don't know how to make it look 3D.

Design by Apple in California.

Some matetrialistic things that you get in life doesn't answer all your real needs.
Like me.
I feel so troubled. Especially tomorrow's the first day of school. And I shall prepare myself for more stuff to happen this year. More. Much more. Much Much More.
It's gonna be worst then end of last year when things were so jammed up.
And I don't have time for my own things and likings and hobbies and stuff. arrrrgh.
And I'm sure this is gonna carry on until 2009. Please. Someone. Save me.

But yet when 2009 come to pass I may not be able to be with these people around me. Like now. Almost 24/7.

Arrrrgh. Bullshits.

I want my macbook!

MUMMY I WANT MY MACDONALDSBOOK!

hah. Just take a look at this Beautiful Masterpiece.




my gosh its so bloody cool.