Li Xiang is more familiar when it comes to designers, so I will just quote what she say:

This is his first time in Singapore, specially for HP Mini launch. His works are mainly nature inspired and highly stylised partly because his mum teaches art and textiles. He also bring this continuous theme into the netbook design. The white HP Mini is covered with white flora and fauna prints design by Tord. Embedded within the intertwining prints are more than 30 endangered animals. Tord also realises that HP has been greatly involved in environmental programs, therefore he suggests an added message, an awareness to be more environmentally responsible for these endangered species.

Tord & I

Tord Autograph On My Umbrella

For more information check out Li Xiang’s Blog Post: HP Mini By Studio Tord Boontje or my Facebook Gallery: HP Blogger Event With Tord Boontje.

The decoration in Orchard road is divided into three zones, the blue zone covering from Tanglin Mall all the way to Shaw Center, the orange zone covers from Ion Orchard all the way to Heeren and lastly the red zone covers from Orchard Building till the end of Orchard Road.

Blue Zone

Orange Zone

Red Zone

Some trivia, the Christmas light-up launch mechanism was constructed from recycled wood panels with crystal ornaments from previous years Christmas decorations.

Personally I think the this year decoration is better than last year, my personally favorite is the “snowing effect” simulating by white LED lights.

Visit Singapore

For more information, check out Celebrate 2009 and for more pictures check out my Facebook Gallery: A Christmas All Decked Out.

Thanks to Benjamin from STB for the invite =D

The bag is compatible with most netbook of screen sizes from 8.9″ to 12″. Here are some netbook models that are compatible.

• MSI Wind U100
• Asus Eee PC 900 901 4G
• Asus Eee PC 1000HE
• Asus Eee PC S101
• Acer Aspire One A150X 8,9″
• Acer Aspire One D150
• Medion AKOYA Mini E1210
• Samsung NC10
• Dell Inspiron Mini 10
• Lenovo IdeaPad S10e
• Toshiba NB100

Packaging View

The bag contains four compartments, there is one in the front and at the back. The back compartment is using magnetic button instead of zip.

Front View

Back View

The two compartments are so called the main ones. One of them allows you to put up to four cards and there are two velcro pouch holders in it allow you to put your USB drive, broadband mobile modem and maybe a Swiss army knife if you carry it along.

You can fit in an A4 size paper inside the bag if you do not mind not zipping the top portion.

You can consider putting your netbook charger in this compartment.

Main Compartment

The other compartment holds your netbook of size 8.9″ to 12″. The velcro flap is elastic and hence it is flexible. There are cushion in it but it is very mild but it should be able to withstand the shock if you drop it. Also because the cushion is mild, the bag does not feel bulky like my Crumpler messenger bag. There are additional 2 pouches which allows you to put in your mouse and 2.5″ portable HDD.

Netbook Compartment

Netbook Compartment With Netbook In It

The build quality of the zip and strap hook is pretty good but of course this being a netbook bag, try not to put in too heavy items.

Zip

Strap Hook

Bag With Strap

The Cool Bananas Netbook Organiser Bag is meant to be a casual bag. Netbook is pretty small because it is meant to be portable. But if we need to bundle accessories along with it like a charger, mouse, portable harddisk drive or broadband mobile modem. This bag makes the perfect fit to carry your netbook as well as those accessories.

You can get the Cool Bananas Netbook Organiser Bag from Gear Zap for £28.95 (including taxes but excluding shipping).

Just would like to share the stuff I did on this website to improve it’s SEO:

• Age of domain does matter, I bought lesterchan.net way back in 24th January 2004 which makes this domain close to 6 years old.
• I am using Google XML Sitemaps to send sitemaps to various search engine.
• Post title always appear first in the browser title bar before the domain name or website name, eg “Site Traffic October 2009 « Blog | lesterchan.net”.
• I allow bots to crawl my whole website using <meta name=”robots” content=”all” />
• From a user perspective, I always think what search term might the user Google for and I use that as the post title. eg “Windows 7 Pricing in Singapore” or “SingTel iPhone 3GS Price Plans”. All these post has become my most viewed posts.
• Produce content that users really want in order to get them to link back to you. Example, my highest viewed page is my WordPress Plugins Page.
• Register your website with Google Webmasters Tools.

Tools used to track my website:

• Webalizer
• Google Analytics
• WordPress.com Stats
• Extreme Tracking (Depreciated)

Feel free to add in more SEO tips in the comments.

• Total Hits: 11,689,658
• Total Files: 11,018,107
• Total Pages: 974,268
• Total Visits: 255,532
• Total KBytes: 46,133,578
• Total Unique Sites: 156,167
• Total Unique URLs: 19,650
• Total Unique Referrers: 40,161
• Total Unique User Agents: 7,102

October 2009 Daily Traffic

• Hits per Day: Average: 377,085 – Max: 426,525
• Files per Day: Average: 355,422 – Max: 401,470
• Pages per Day: Average: 31,428 – Max: 49,795
• Visits per Day: Average: 8,242 – Max: 9,374
• KBytes per Day: Average: 1,488,180 – Max: 2,527,577

Note: Green denotes increase, Blue denotes no change and Red denotes decrease when compared with September 2009.

Previous month site traffic: September 2009

Youreka! treasure hunting is simple. All you have to do is spot a coloured Ticket – Red, Blue or Green – hidden on Yahoo! Singapore. Register online and you’ll receive a confirmation email that you can exchange for a corresponding Tag to redeem a special premium from Yahoo! and adidas.

Claim your premium. Or if you are lucky, you may end up exchanging your eDM for a purple tag that gives you a chance to participate in YOUREKA! Finale Event organised by Yahoo! on November 28 at the Singapore Flyer. Purple tag holders stand a chance to drive home a customised one-of-a-kind 1.3L Honda Jazz.

The first Youreka! hunt pit-stop is at adidas. Red tag holders will receive 20% off adidas products and free adidas premiums – for a limited period only and while stocks last.

Event Details
Date: 31 October (Saturday) & 1 November (Sunday), 2009
Time: 12 pm to 9 pm
Venue: adidas Flagship Store at The Cathay Singapore
Address: 2 Handy Road #02-06/07, Singapore 229233

How to enter
Log on to and start looking for YOUREKA! Tickets. Yahoo! users can start hunting right away, while new users need to register.

Note
Only one coloured Tag can be redeemed with a confirmation eDM coloured Ticket for each redemption period. Redemption items are non-exchangeable and strictly while stocks last.

packaging View

Case View

Inside View

EasyReach System

iPhone Inside

The case fits my iPhone 3GS perfectly. It is still a little tight, but I think once it is season, it will be alright. The EasyReach system allows you to take out your iPhone easier. Just pull the “tab” and your iPhone will popup a little.

You can get the Incipio Orion for SGD$28 from bestpric3 in his WTS: Incipio Orion Leather Cases for 2G, 3G, 3G S iPhone, iPod Touch, Nokia E71, E63, E72, etc. thread in Hardware Zone.

We had a buffet lunch at Carosel at Royal Plaza. It is SGD$45 per pax during a weekend lunch and we get to redeem SGD$10 worth of carpark fees which is equivalent to about 3 hours of parking at Royal Plaza.

The reason we chose Carousel is because Li Xiang and I saw all the nicely displayed Macrons when we walked past Carousel quite sometime back. Another reason is because I was reading a review on it at HungryGoWhere and there are plenty of reviews on it (I sorted by number of reviews). But after trying it out, it is pretty average. The food and dessert variety is alright but the taste is not there. I kinda like the coffee there though. The thing I hate the most is the ice cream, I can tell that they are using some cheap ice cream like Walls because I am very sensitive to ice cream taste. I expect better quality ice cream like Mövenpick at least. Nevertheless the service was pretty good, my iced water was topped up almost instantly once it is goes below half.

I think Straits Kitchen at Hyatt will be better choice if you ask me.

After lunch, we went to Singapore Flyer. It is our first time there after so much procrastination from Li Xiang. We wanted to use the 15% voucher because it was sent to Li Xiang because of her upcoming birthday but didn’t know if you use OCBC or DBS credit card you are entitled to 20% discount. The usual adult price ticket is SGD$29.50 and after the discount, we paid SGD$23.60 for each ticket.

The experience we have on board the Singapore Flyer is pretty good. The service staff are all well mannered and friendly. The Singapore Flyer really gives you a 350° view of the landscape of Marina area and I didn’t know the Marina Bay Sands IR is so big till I am on board the Flyer. The ride lasted exactly 30 minutes because I was subtracting the time I took from the last photo with the first photo.

We bought the sovereign photo at SGD$18 because I don’t think we will be sitting the Singapore Flyer anytime soon and even we did, we will not be buying the photograph again. Most importantly the photography have a date stamp on it which marks today’s date. Li Xiang said the typography of the date could be smaller.

Came back home about 4pm and we played Wii Sports Resort!

Facebook Gallery: 5th Anniversary

Looking Back

• 4th Anniversary
• 3rd Anniversary
• 2nd Anniversary
• 1st Anniversary
• 0th Anniversary

Here is a snippet of the post:

We approached one of the staff, nearer to us, and ask him to take the product down for us. He is wearing an orange color t-shirt which is significantly different from the rest of the staff there (they wore black) and he do not bear a name tag but just the word “Promoter” so we assumed he might be a part time staff working on the weekends.

Judging from his reply stated on top, he is not very sure of the product himself either. To make matter worst, he has problem communicating with us. He seems to have problem understanding our English and his replies in English to us are often very short.

Check out Lester & Li Xiang: Sound service for the full glory details!

The first 177 customers gets to buy Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Edition at SGD$77 (RRP: SGD$219). After that, a limited number of customers can purchase it at SGD$147 during the launch event.

Full Install Prices

• Windows 7 Home Premium – SGD$359
• Windows 7 Professional – SGD$529
• Windows 7 Ultimate – SGD$549

Upgrade Prices

• Windows 7 Home Premium – SGD$219
• Windows 7 Professional – SGD$359
• Windows 7 Ultimate – SGD$379

OEM Prices (Full Install)

• Windows 7 Home Premium – SGD$190
• Windows 7 Professional – SGD$255
• Windows 7 Ultimate – SGD$350

I have been using Windows 7 for quite sometime since it was available in my school’s MSDN AA on 14th August 2009. I am very satisfied with it, definitely an improvement over the failed Windows Vista or the long running Windows XP.

*UPDATE* Updated post with Windows 7 OEM prices from Fuwell.

Source: DK and VR Zone

• Bright 21.5″ display or 27″ LED-backlit display
• Wireless Keyboard & Magic Mouse
• Intel Core i5 or Core i7 “Nehalem” (for 27″ iMac)
• 160GB, 320GB, or optional 500GB harddrive
• Price (21.5″): SGD$1,788 (3.06GHz Core 2 Duo/500GB) or SGD$2,288 (3.06GHz Core 2 Duo/1TB)
• Price (27″): SGD$2,588 (3.06GHz Core 2 Duo/1TB) or SGD$2,988 (2.66GHz Core i5/1TB)

Official Website: iMac
Apple Singapore Store: iMac

Mac Mini

• 2.26GHz or a 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 2GB or 4GB RAM
• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor
• 802.11n wireless technology
• 160GB, 320GB, or optional 500GB harddrive
• Price: SGD$948 (2.26GHz/160GB) or SGD$1,249 (2.53GHz/320GB)

Official Website: Mac Mini
Apple Singapore Store: Mac Mini

MacBook

• Durable unibody enclosure
• Built-in 7 hours battery
• Brilliant LED-backlit display
• Spacious glass Multi-Touch trackpad
• Price: SGD$1,588

Official Website: MacBook
Apple Singapore Store: MacBook

Magic Mouse

• Seamless Multi-Touch Surface
• Laser-Tracking Engine
• Wireless
• Price: SGD$98

Official Website: Magic Mouse
Apple Singapore Store: Magic Mouse

Apple Remote

• Control your Mac, iPod, or iPhone from afar with the sleek aluminum Apple Remote. Play, pause, adjust volume, move forward and back, and access menus while playing music and video.
• Price: SGD$28

Apple Singapore Store: Apple Remote

It fits my iPhone 3GS well. You do not need a iPhone 3G Universal Dock Adapter because there is a support at the back which you can adjust so that your iPhone 3GS can lie on it comfortably.

Sound quality was not bad but it is lacking in the bass department. FM radio reception was pretty good despite it being placed a distance from my closed windows. Love the remote as I can use it to control from my computer desk where I usually sit.

There is a backup battery (included) at the bottom of the device just in case your power went down. This will ensure that the alarm and clock will carry on functioning.

The only complain I have is that it can’t turn off the display lighting. There are 3 levels of brightness for the display. Despite after setting it to be the lowest, it is still bright when the room is dark.

Box – Front View

Box – Back View

Box – Right View

Box – Left View

Box – Top View

Box Contents

Front View

Top View

Back View

Remote Control

Alarm Controls

Snooze and Preset Radio Stations Controls

Radio And iPod Controls

iPod And iPhone Dock

iPhone 3GS Docked In

On My Bed Side Table

The platform consists of two services, namely Citi Mobile and Citi Alerts.

Citi Mobile
Citi Mobile is a customized version of Citibank Online, Citibank’s Internet Banking Platform. The functions available on Citi Mobile are the most popular functions on Citibank Online, such as bill payment, funds transfer and account summary.

Citi Mobile is available to all Citibank’s customers who have Internet access on their mobile phone. You can carry out transactional activities including funds transfers and bill payments using the same Citibank Online login access with your card number and PIN. It is browser-based, and no registration or software download is required.

Here are some benefits of using Citi Mobile:

• Simple and convenient login – No enrolment, registration, or software download is required to access mobile banking on your browser, providing you with the flexibility of accessing your account details and managing your banking transactions and activities anytime, anywhere.
• Secure process with end-to-end encryption – To ensure the highest level of security, the two-factor authentication is used.
• Flash SMS – Transactions are protected via the One-Time PIN (OTP). Citibank sends the OTP via Flash SMS to provide superior usability. Flash SMS works similar to the normal SMS but it is not delivered to your SMS inbox. It is used to provide the best user experience, as the SMS will be sent as a layer on top of your browser, saving you the hassle of closing your browser to retrieve your OTP from your SMS inbox.
• Citibank Gourmet Pleasures – Citibank Gourmet Pleasures is a dining privileges programme that offers Singapore’s widest selection of dining deals with Citibank credit cards. With Citi Mobile, you can search via cuisine type or location on the go to identify the best dining deals offered with Citibank credit cards, as well as the latest promotions and offers.
• Optimized mobile banking offering – Citi Mobile is optimized for standard mobile devices, as well as the iPhone, to enhance the end user experience.

Here are some of the services provided by Citi Mobile:

• Card and bank accounts balance enquiry
• Card and bank accounts transactions enquiry
• Credit card payment due date and credit limit enquiry
• FX rates information
• Funds transfer & bill payment
• Information on the best Gourmet Pleasures dining and other deals from Citibank Gourmet Pleasures
• ATM and branch locator via FindMyCiti

For more information on Citi Mobile, check out www.citibank.com.sg/citimobile.

Citi Alerts
Citi Alerts is an SMS service that notifies you automatically when a banking activity such as a salary credit or a credit card charge occurs. It also allows you to access your banking and card information on-demand via two-way SMS.

There are two ways you can be alerted using Citi Alerts.
Alerts on Demand allows you to request a variety of information via an SMS to a pre-set number, including your account balance, outstanding credit card bill, and last four credit card transactions.
Here are some examples of Alerts on Demand:

• Card and bank accounts balance enquiry
• Card and bank accounts transactions enquiry (for last four transactions)
• Available credit line and outstanding credit card bill

Alerts offer you SMS notifications when you receive a GIRO credit of a specified amount, or when a charge above a pre-set amount is swiped on your credit card. You can customize which alert you wish to receive.
Here are some examples of Alerts:

• Receive an alert whenever a GIRO credit is made to the account
• Receive an alert whenever a transaction occurs on the credit or debit card
• Receive an alert when an online payment or transfer is made
• Receive an alert when a cheque has bounced, or when it has been cleared
• Receive an alert when a credit card / Ready Credit payment has been received
• Receive an alert when a Premium Account expires, Time Deposit is due to mature, or Time Deposit has matured

For more information on Citi Alerts, check out www.citibank.com.sg/citialerts.

Interesting Facts
3 most popular functions on Citi Mobile

• Checking of account details and account summary
• The search function for Citibank promotions and deals
• Funds transfer

2 most popular mobile devices used to access Citi Mobile

• Nokia
• Apple iPhone

More Screenshots

Singapore, 9 October 2009 – SingTel and Acer today jointly announced the Singapore launch of Acer’s first Windows phones, Acer neoTouch and beTouch E100, exclusive to SingTel customers from 17 October 2009. They will be among the first in the world to enjoy both smartphones, which run the new Windows Mobile 6.5.

These two phones will be the first of Acer’s second generation 2009 models to be launched in Singapore. The devices continue Acer’s goal to break down the barrier between technology and people, and form a cornerstone in the company’s strategy towards becoming a leader in the ‘mobility market’.

“The neoTouch is Acer’s flagship smartphone model of 2009 and will spearhead our highly anticipated range of devices that will be launched in the fourth quarter,” said Mr Roger Yuen, Vice President Asia Pacific, Smart Handheld Business Group of Acer Inc. “We are very excited about this partnership with SingTel. With neoTouch’s powerful 1GHz processor, we see this as a perfect fit for SingTel’s customers who want a mobile device that can meet their need for speed and real-time internet access. The other device we are launching exclusively with SingTel is the beTouch E100. This device is a great, intuitive smartphone that allows people to network with their friends on Facebook, Flickr and Instant Messaging. It is the perfect device for the young who are tech savvy and demand connectivity with their contacts on the go.”

He added, “We are confident that the neoTouch and beTouch E100 will be highly appealing to tech-savvy SingTel customers who are looking to upgrade from a feature phone.”

“We are pleased to partner Acer on this exclusive launch of the latest Windows phones. The next generation features like My Phone syncing service and Windows Marketplace for Mobile, coupled with its high-speed processor will allow our customers to enjoy an integrated and richer mobile experience, similar to that on a PC,” said Mr Shane Da Silva, SingTel’s Vice President of Consumer Sales.

“In addition, customers will enjoy a differentiated and hassle-free Windows phone experience with SingTel’s one-stop Windows Mobile Support where they can call a centralised hotline for enquiries and assistance. With SingTel’s MobileM@il Exchange service, bundled with 1GB data and PHONESafe security service, customers can have peace-of-mind while surfing to their heart’s content,” added Mr Da Silva.

Pricing, availability and promotions
Customers who purchase any of the two phones will enjoy the following:

• Sign up for MobileM@il Exchange 1GB at $9.95/month (50 percent discount off normal subscription of $19.90/month). The data plan comes with 1GB of bundled data, allowing customers to surf the Internet and access their emails on-the-go affordably. MobileM@il Exchange customers will also enjoy free access to PHONESafe service, a mobile phone security solution that allows customers to lock their handsets and backup important data remotely.
• Customers who purchase the phones with any of SingTel’s Youth plans will enjoy free IM on Mobile for 12 months, PHONESafe for 6 months and 50 per cent discount for BroadBand on Mobile Plus (1GB) (normal subscription is $19.90/month). This is on top of the youth perks of Free Unlimited SMS (to any service provider) and Free Camp / Campus Calls.

neoTouch and beTouch 100 will be available for pre-ordering at https://www.singtelshop.com/ from 10 October, Saturday. Both phones will be sold island-wide from 17 October 2009 at SingTel Shops, hello! stores, selected SingTel Exclusive retailers and its online store, www.singtelshop.com.

About Acer neoTouch
The Acer neoTouch is an iconic product that brings together performance and style. The flagship Acer smartphone promises high speed Internet connectivity and processing – providing a full PC experience on a mobile handset. It runs on the new Windows Mobile 6.5 platform which was officially unveiled on 7 October, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip which allows for up-to-double processing speed over current industry standards. It is anticipated to be a leader in the Windows phone arena and is a fully touch-operated smartphone that will provide seamless user-experience.

The neoTouch will appeal to the top range of smartphone users who want a light and convenient device that can function seamlessly as a PC (Personal Computer), employing both leisure and business applications. Pragmatic users who value a reliable smartphone that is effective and efficient, will also be attracted to the neoTouch, particularly for its ability to access and manipulate word processing and spreadsheet applications.

About Acer beTouch E100

The beTouch E100, also known as the ‘C1′, will appeal to both feature phone users looking to upgrade to a smartphone, and customers looking for a fresh and bold design. With a variety of colours to choose from, the beTouch E100 features a large touch screen with Acer’s intuitive user interface, a whooping 3.2″ touch screen and a 5-way navigation wheel.

The beTouch E100 comes in white, and customers can choose battery covers that come in lime green, red or pink to further personalize their phones. This phone will be especially appealing for the youth who want a smartphone that is trendy and easy to use.

Photos of the Acer neoTouch and the Acer beTouch E100 are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/acer_smartphones

Press Release: SingTel launches Acer’s new Windows Phones
GSM ArenaAcer neoTouch S200
GSM ArenaAcer beTouch E100

The cameras presented to us today are PowerShot S90, PowerShot G11, PowerShot SX20 IS, PowerShot SX120 IS, IXUS 120 IS, IXUS 200 IS, EOS 7D, Legria HF S11, Legria HF 21, Selphy ES 40, Selphy CP 790 and 3 new EOS EF lenses.

PowerShot S90

PowerShot S90

• Wide 28mm large aperture f/2.0 lens
• Dual anti-noise system
• Intuitive lens control ring (allows access to manual features)
• New ‘Nostalgic Mode’
• 3.0″ LCD
• Price: Not available yet
• URL: Not available yet

PowerShot G11

PowerShot G11

• 2.8″ vari-angle LCD screen
• 5x wide angle lens
• Dual anti-noise system
• Smart Auto Scene Detection Technology
• Price: SGD$899
• URL: http://www.canon.com.sg/p/EN/1-Digital-Cameras/2-PowerShot/1201-PowerShot-G11/

PowerShot SX20 IS

PowerShot SX20 IS

• Powerful 20x optical zoom with OIS (Optical Image Stabilizer)
• 28mm wide angle, 0cm marco
• 12.1 megapixel CCD
• 1280 x 720 HD movie recording capability
• Scratch resistant 2.5″ vari-angle LCD
• Hot Shoe Adapter for Canon Speedlite EX Series external flashes
• Price: SGD$749
• URL: http://www.canon.com.sg/p/EN/1-Digital-Cameras/2-PowerShot/1209-PowerShot-SX20-IS/

PowerShot SX120 IS

PowerShot SX120 IS

• 10x optical zoom with OIS (Optical Image Stabilizer)
• 10 megapixel CCD
• DIGIC 4 imaging processor
• Scratch resistant 3.0″ vari-angle LCD
• Smart auto mode and full fledged shooting functions (Tv, Av, M & P) for more creative capture of the moments that matter
• Price: SGD$469
• URL: http://www.canon.com.sg/p/EN/1-Digital-Cameras/2-PowerShot/1210-PowerShot-SX120-IS/

IXUS 120 IS

IXUS 120 IS

• 20mm slim!
• 4x optical zoom with image stabilizer
• 12.1 megapixel CCD
• 1280 x 720 HD movie recording
• Scratch resistant 2.7″ LCD
• Price: SGD$499
• URL: http://www.canon.com.sg/p/EN/1-Digital-Cameras/3-IXUS/1202-Digital-IXUS-120-IS/

IXUS 200 IS

IXUS 200 IS

• Touch display 3″ LCD
• 24mm wide-angle lens
• 5x optical zoom with image stabilizer
• 12.1 megapixel CCD
• 1280 x 720 HD movie recording
• Price: SGD$599
• URL: http://www.canon.com.sg/p/EN/1-Digital-Cameras/3-IXUS/1204-Digital-IXUS-200-IS/

EOS 7D

EOS 7D Kit I (With Flash)

• 18 megapixel APS-C CMOS Sensor
• 8 fps image capture
• HD movie recording at 24 fps
• Dual DIGIC 4 processors
• Extended ISO range to 12,800
• Price (Body): SGD$2,699
• URL: http://www.canon.com.sg/p/EN/1-Digital-Cameras/1-EOS/1278-EOS-7D/

EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM (EOS 7D Kit I)

EOS 7D Kit I

• Ideal multipurpose wide-angle zoom lens for travel or event photography
• 4-stop image stabilizer
• Allows for close focusing distance of just 0.35m throughout the zoom range
• Price (With EOS 7D): SGD$3,849
• URL: http://www.canon.com.sg/p/EN/1-Digital-Cameras/1-EOS/1297-EOS-7D-Kit-I-EF-S-15-85IS/

EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS (EOS 7D Kit II)

EOS 7D Kit II

• Great for advanced photographers looking for a wide-angle zoom lens with telephoto capabilities
• 4-stop image stabilizer
• 7.5x super zoom image
• Price (With EOS 7D): SGD$3,249
• URL: http://www.canon.com.sg/p/EN/1-Digital-Cameras/1-EOS/1298-EOS-7D-Kit-II-EF-S-18-135IS/

EF-S 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

EF-S 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

• New hybrid system
• Ultra Low Dispersion (UD) lenses that correct color aberration for high resolution, high contrast images
• Super Spectra coatings effectively reduce ghosting and flare
• Price: Not available yet
• URL: Not available yet

Legria HF S11

Legria HF S11

• Dynamic Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS)
• 64GB Internal Hard Disk System
• New ‘Night Scene’ mode
• 1920 x 1080 resolution video
• Ultra high resolution 8.59 megapixel full HD CMOS sensor
• Price: SGD$2,899
• URL: http://www.canon.com.sg/p/EN/4-Digital-Camcorders/10-Flash-Memory/1205-LEGRIA-HF-S11/

Legria HF21

Legria HF21

• Weighing just 340 grams!
• 3.89 megapixel full HD CMOS censor
• 15x optical zoom
• High speed instant Auto Focus (AF)
• ‘Underwater Mode’ function
• Price: SGD$2,199
• URL: http://www.canon.com.sg/p/EN/4-Digital-Camcorders/10-Flash-Memory/1203-LEGRIA-HF21/

Selphy ES 40

Selphy ES 40

• New ‘Voice Guidance’ function
• Bigger 3.5″ LCD screen and scroll wheel
• 300 x 600 dpi resolution
• Postcard sized photos take only 55 seconds to print!
• Advanced Image Optimizer – adjust any contrast brightness individually
• Price: SGD$329
• URL: http://www.canon.com.sg/p/EN/3-Compact-Photo-Printers/7-Selphy-ES-series/1206-Selphy-ES40/

Selphy CP 790

Selphy CP 790

• Canon’s creative print function – Jazz up your photographs!
• Choose from 6 different background colors and 17″ stamps to print your photographs
• Print resolution of 300 x 300 dpi
• Portrait Image Optimizer – Achieve flattering, natural skin tones and optimum exposures in every photo!
• Price: SGD$249
• URL: http://www.canon.com.sg/p/EN/3-Compact-Photo-Printers/8-Selphy-CP-series/1090-Selphy-CP790/

Press Photos

I bought it on the 18th September 2009 and it was shipped on the next day on 19th September 2009. Took 17 days to reach me, arrived in my mailbox yesterday on the 6th October 2009. This is technically the first item I purchased from eBay. The very first item I bought is the Apple Care for my MacBook Pro =D

Description

• Light-weight, super-slim design to carry with your iPhone or iPod Conveniently charged via any USB ports
• High-capacity, rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• LED indicator for battery power level
• No memory effect, Li-ion battery built-in

Specifications

• Battery Type: Lithium-ion battery
• Capacity: 1900MAH
• Rated input: 5V 800mA
• Rated Output: 5V 500mA max
• Charge time: Around 2 hours
• Dimension: 67×62x15 (mm)
• Color: Black

Compatibility

• iPhone 3GS 16GB/32GB
• iPhone 3G 8GB/16GB
• iPhone 4GB 8GB 16GB
• iPod Touch
• iPod Nano
• iPod Classic
• iPod Video

Packaging – Front View

Packaging – backView

Front View

Back View

Input

Output

Packaging – Front View

Packaging – Back View

Technical Specifications:

• Integrated Ceramic Chip Antenna
• Data Transfer 3 Mbit/s (max)
• 10 Metre Coverage
• Class 2 Specification
• Frequency: 2.4GHz ISM Spectrum
• Dimensions: 12 mm x 13 mm x 3 mm
• Supported Profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, BIP, DUN, FAX, FTP, HCRP, HID, HSP, HFP, LAP, OPP, PAN, SPP
• Security: Pairing Encryption and Authentication

Plugged In

If you are like me and your laptop does not have a Bluetooth adapter, this Bluetooth Pico Dongle is definitely for you. I bought my Fujitsu LifeBook S7110 more than 3 years ago and at that time it did not come have a Bluetooth adapter for some reasons.

I have 3 USB ports on my laptop and normally I will used up to 2 USB ports (1 for mouse and 1 for portable hard disk or thumbdrive). With this settings, I got 1 USB port to spare and I can just plugged in the Bluetooth Pico Dongle to have the Bluetooth functionality permanently.

Size

As you can see from the size, it is the size of a 5 cent Singapore coin. If you have bought it, I would suggest you plugged it in to your desktop or laptop immediately to prevent it from being lost.

The Atomic Pico Bluetooth Dongle is available at Mobile Fun for £8.95 (SGD$20.22).

Things I hate the most:

• When you ask “Do you have this product in store”, they will answer, “all the things are displayed on the shelves”.
• When you ask “Do you have the other model”, they will answer, “No”.
• Tai-Chi-ing you around. When you ask Person A, Person A ask you to ask Person B, when you ask Person B, Person B ask you to ask back Person A.
• With the influx of FT in Singapore, it is not uncommon to find sales personnel from China. Some of them do not even understand basic English which makes communication difficult and that begs the question, are we suppose to blend into them by speaking Mandarin or are they suppose to blend into us by learning English. This is really getting out of control.

Technically they did not answer wrongly but it is their attitude that pisses you off. For example, instead of answering “No”, they answer “Sorry, we do not have it”. Wouldn’t it make you feel better than saying a no and brushes you off after that?

Anyway, back to topic, following up on my Are You Being Served?’s blog post 3 weeks ago, my mission is suppose to commence on the 28th September 2009 and here are my mission details:

• I will be targeting the retail industry, in particularly the electronics portion.
• I am intending to get the Sony iPod Dock Clock Radio ICF-C1IPMK2 to replace my analog alarm clock while it charges my iPhone 3GS.
• I will be getting it from a local electronics store in VivoCity because it is the cheapest with member’s discount.
• I will be going together with Li Xiang and let her ask all the questions, while I observed the sales personnel.
• I will be observing his/her patience, attitude, product knowledge and most importantly will he go the extra mile to serve us.

PS: I can’t explicitly named the store to prevent unnecessary lawsuit.

• Total Hits: 11,514,395
• Total Files: 10,832,441
• Total Pages: 881,091
• Total Visits: 234,920
• Total KBytes: 43,696,408
• Total Unique Sites: 160,044
• Total Unique URLs: 18,486
• Total Unique Referrers: 33,504
• Total Unique User Agents: 7,675

September 2009 Daily Traffic

• Hits per Day: Average: 383,813 – Max: 426,493
• Files per Day: Average: 361,081 – Max: 405,169
• Pages per Day: Average: 29,369 – Max: 40,079
• Visits per Day: Average: 7,830 – Max: 9,390
• KBytes per Day: Average: 1,456,547 – Max: 1,690,368

Note: Green denotes increase, Blue denotes no change and Red denotes decrease when compared with August 2009.

Previous month site traffic: August 2009

I went to Funan’s Challenger and they are left with Wacom Bamboo Touch and Wacom Bamboo Fun, the Pen and Pen & Touch model was sold out. Went into a few shops and they have not brought in. Finally, I found it being sold at Multimedia Integrated (MMI). The price is controlled so it doesn’t really matter where you buy from.

Here are the prices for the respective models:

• Bamboo Fun – SGD$329
• Bamboo – SGD$179
• Bamboo Pen – SGD$129
• Bamboo Touch – SGD$129

I have used it for 2 days now. I find the pen is pretty much the same as Li Xiang’s Intuos 3 so nothing much to comment. The most attractive part is the multitouch. It only support 2 fingers and not more than that. I have no idea whether it is a hardware limitation or a software limitation. I hope it is the latter as that can be fixed through firmware updates.

The multitouch is not as smooth as a regular laptop trackpad. If you compare it with my MacBook Pro multitouch trackpad, my MBP’s one is much smoother. There is some jerkiness in the cursor when you move it with your fingers. The motion gesture like 2 fingers scrolling, zooming, rotating all works fine except for the text selection. When I move my cursor with one of my fingers to a certain point and if I decided to continue moving it again, sometimes it mistaken me for wanting to select the text and hence when I do that, some portion of the text near my cursor will be selected. It is kinda irritating. But of course this can be disabled in the Pen Tablet control panel. Hopefully future firmware will fix both of this issue.

But for SGD$179, it is very worth getting it.

Here are some unboxing pictures:

Box – Front View

Box – Back View

Box – Inner View

Box Opened

Box Contents

Tablet Wrapped

Tablet