My iPad Review - After 7 Days

When I decide to buy the Apple iPad, my mind is set on what role the device would play in my life. The iPad is going to be a family entertainment tool for gaming, for information browsing, a bit of music and photography creation and editing, all in the comfort of my private moments. For that reason, I choose the 16GB Wifi model.

The iPad is my first Apple device I have owned. Prior to this, I have never used an iPhone, so the iPad is a whole new experience for me. 7 days later, here are some of my comments.

1. Screen quality
Needless to say, it's impressive. When I showed my peers the device, the most common response I get is that they love the vibrancy of the screen. The images are sharp and when low-res images are extrapolated, they still look smooth and not pixelated.

2. Weight
The iPad is heavy. It feels like a hardcover book. If you hold it with one hand while using the other to navigate on the screen, and it gets tiring after a while. Balancing it behind the device is a no-no unless you have installed a protective case that gives you some grip.

3. Protection
Protection is the first thing you should do if you want to upkeep the newness of the iPad. I went to Sim Lim over the weekend to look a suitable screen protector and a case. After browsing the shops, I decided to buy an OEM unbranded case from Million Mobile for $39.90. It's actually an imitation of some branded casing that costs double. The case is very thick, sturdy and adds some weight to the iPad, but it's well-built, protects the iPad very well, and doubles as an adjustable stand. I think you really need a case that can support the iPad as a stand, because it would be tiring for you to always hold it on one hand and navigate on the other. When you are seated and place the iPad on your lap or on the table, the angle would not be right.

4. Input Methods
Although the iPad touch experience is unlike any competitors, it is only good for apps that rely on finger gestures. It's a challenge to navigate if you require pin-point accurate actions, like drawing or selecting text. Granted, Apple designed a few innovative ways to assist in the text selection, but nothing beats the speed of keyboard and mouse.

Text entry becomes more challenging with the iPad's soft keyboard. At any one time, only one finger can contact the screen, so you are not able to type in the natural way as a hardware keyboard. And when you pull up the soft keyboard, you have less screen space to view the content. With these inconveniences, I feel discouraged to do lots of word processing or write long emails.

5. The App Store and the Apps


The iTunes App Store is the one and only site that you go to for all your app needs, and the only way to install apps (except, ahem, eh... ok I shan't say more). The benefit of a single store is that you do not have to visit multiple sites to find the apps that you need. You will also be automatically notified via the App Store app on software updates, which you can download for free. The App Store also remembers your purchases, so if you try to download a previously-paid app that you have perhaps deleted, the App Store will inform you and you can download the app without paying again. And if you already have the app, the App Store will also indicate that.

There are many ways to find apps and download. You can visit the iTunes App Store itself, or visit many of the independent websites that compiles and recommends apps. My personal favourite is http://appshopper.com/ipad/ , it updates you on any changes to the apps, particularly price changes. Once a while, some apps will offer as free download for a limited time and you have to grab it before the price reverts again. Another site, http://www.freeappaday.com/ , displays the worthy apps in icons and clearly marks which apps are paid and which are free. This site, http://ipad.freeappalert.com/ , shows you the list of free iPad apps that were paid iPad apps yesterday.

You don't have to pay a lot to get loads of apps. I already have more than 100 apps downloaded on my iPad and so far I only paid for one app: Angry Birds HD at US$4.99 (S$7 at time of purchase). Finding good and useful apps can be rather rewarding, since it's the apps that gives you the iPad experience, without which the iPad is just a piece of soulless device.

For the frequent web-surfer, be warned that the iPad cannot load web pages running on Flash (thankfully, there is a dedicated app to run Flash-based Youtube videos). To a layman, that could catch them unaware because one doesn't know if the sites is running on Flash (until one encounters problem).

6. Multi-tasking Limitation
As of version 3.2.1, the only application that can multi-task is Safari. To work around this, most apps are designed to remember where you left off and will attempt to resume the session after you run the app. Some third-party apps that logically require it to run in the background, for instance, IM or Twitter apps, support push notification. When there are new messages, you will be notified by a pop-up window, and you can choose to run the app which will connect online to update the content before they are displayed in the app.

Personally, I find this terribly limiting. It basically means that whatever I do on the current app, I have to finish the session and I cannot run another app at the same time. Some apps developers circumvent this limitation by including a web browser within their app so that the app need not be forced to exit to run the Safari web browser. Other apps developers, for instance, Internet radio apps, pass the radio station link to the Safari web browser so that audio streaming can run in the background, via the web browser, while the user runs other apps (pretend multi-tasking).

7. Wifi without 3G
If you plan to use the iPad wherever you go without worrying about Wifi availability, then you would not regret paying $200 more for the 3G model. In fact, many apps rely on internet connectivity to bring you location-based information and updated news. Connecting online also helps you to work around some of the file-management constraints of the iPad.

At times, I do feel handicapped that I am unable to go online. Fortunately for me, there is a free solution. Joikuspot Light is a free application running on Symbian S60 (and a few other OSes). I have it installed on my Nokia E72 and all I do is to start the app and the E72 instantly becomes a wifi hotspot. This is sufficient for me, although regular use will deplete the E72 battery very fast. iPhone users would not be so lucky, because Apple goes all out to prevent any tethering app to work on the iPhone (unless you jailbreak it).

8. The PC iTunes Software and Sync Reliability Issue
During the first week, I already experienced intermittent synchronisation issues between the iPad and my PC-run iTunes software. Eventually it corrupted the contents in the iPad and I had to restore to factory settings. After searching online for solution, it appears there are some reliability issues arising from the USB connectivity. My advise: don't trigger the synchronisation process too often when your iPad is plugged to the PC. I guess I must have synced too many times too regularly during the first week as I attempted to download content to the iPad and make frequent changes.

I also do not like the iTunes PC software. Compared to the iPad, the iTunes software is not intuitive to use. Hearing all the accolades of Apple software, the iTunes software is definitely one that Apple should not be proud of (and I hope they can improve on it some day).

9 . USB Docking Cable
Apple's minimalist design applies even to the USB cable, which is thinner than most PC-based USB cables. The connection port seems fragile and susceptible to damages if plugged at wrong angles. While the design is nice, it doesn't give me the assurance of durability and ruggedness.


Conclusion
 The iPad is a computing device with limited capabilities but unlimited content interactivity. The long battery life, the sleekness of touch controls, the apps that draws limitless and latest information from the world wide web, makes it highly addictive. If you are used to a computer, you have to manage your expectations and to accept the limitations of the iPad. And when you do, the iPad will be your best electronic companion.


The iPad is now available for order at the Singapore Apple online store, so you do not have to queue at the retail shops to get yours.

Nokia E5 launches in Singapore

The Nokia E5 is a new mid-range E-series smartphone that will entice buyers with great interest in the E72/E63 form factor to get it. Meant as a replacement to the ageing E63, the E5 actually has double the internal memory (256MB) compared to E72 (128MB), and an improved home screen that displays social networking and messaging statuses. The keyboard is also modified and the hardware buttons reduced. The front camera is also absent, which means video call is no longer possible. Other than that, most of the specs remain similar to the E72.

This mid-range model lineup replicates the strategy of E63 that was launched with improved features against the E71. That could also mean that a new E-series to replace E72 is in the works. But the model number would not be E73, because "E73 Mode" is already a model released exclusively by T-Mobile in USA.

For now, there is no reason to spend more money on the older E72 unless you can't live without the front camera and you desire more hardware buttons that you can configure as shortcut keys.

Panasonic Lumix Digital Cameras Lineup July 2010

In addition to the well-anticipated LX5 to replace the LX3, Panasonic announced a range of Lumix cameras to replace the existing models.

FX series: Wide-angle 24mm, large aperture f/2.2, HD video recording
The Lumix FX700 is the latest premium FX model that features 14.1 megapixels 1/2.33" sensor, wide-angle 24mm with 5x optical zoom up to 120mm, large aperture, and full-HD (1080i) recording. The large 3" LCD offers full touch control and the image processing is achieved using the new Venus Engine FHD, which claims to produce cleaner images at high ISO and faster frame-per-second (fps).

The Lumix FX75 is similar in spec to the FX700 except half-HD (720p) recording and the older Venus Engine HD II, targeting at the price-conscious buyers.

For comparative purposes, the LX5 uses a 10.1 megapixel 1/1.63" sensor, same 24mm wide-angle, and a large f/2 aperture. It only records video in 720p resolution, though. With a hotshoe that supports attachments like EVF, the LX5 caters for the professionals who desire a compact alternative to carry around.

Wide-angle 25mm, 24X Ultra-zoom FZ series
Similar to the new FX pairing, Panasonic announces the FZ100 and FZ40/FZ45. Both also uses 14.1 megapixel 1/2.33" but FZ100 uses the CMOS while FZ40 uses CCD. The FZ100 can capture full-HD while the FZ40 supports half-HD. FZ100 uses the new Venus Engine FHD while FZ40 takes the Venus Engine HD II.

Waterproof FT series
FT10 is Panasonic's latest waterproof camera model, a lower-spec version than FT2. Sporting 14.1 megapixels, the lens spec is f/3.5 (vs. f/3.3 on FT2) with 4X zoom (vs. 4.6X) from 35-140mm (vs. 28-128mm). Minimum focusing distance is 50cm (vs. 30cm on FT2). The FT10 is certified waterproof up to 3m (vs. 10m on FT2) and drop proof up to 1.5m (vs. 2m on FT2). The FT10 is not certified freeze proof unlike FT2. The mini-HDMI connector on FT2 is also absent on the FT10.

3D Camcorders and Digital Cameras for Consumers

Early this year, Samsung led the pack with 3D televisions and bluray players.

Barely 6 months later, Panasonic announced the ability to record 3D moving and still images for consumers.

The model? Panasonic TMT750/SDT750, the world's first 3D camcorder. This is achieved by filming 2 images simultaneously across the single image sensor, each with 960x1080 pixels. The 2 images are then processed to output to 3D-compatible TV as a single 3D image.

Panasonic also announced the development of the world's first interchangeable 3D lens for the Lumix G Micro Four-thirds system. No news on whether the current MFT cameras can support 3D imags, but what's interesting is that photo-editing developers would have to create a tool specifically to process 3D, as they did for HDR (high dynamic range) images. 3D images (by Panasonic definition) are captured side-by-side in a single sensor. The photo-editing tool, therefore, needs to process 2 planes simultaneously, and to allow subtle shift in the lighting angle between 2 planes.

Sneak peak on the Panasonic Lumix LX5 by Shawn Chung

Shawn Chung from T3 Singapore offers the following report "live" from Sapporo. He is there for the Panasonic event. In this article, he shares with us, first-hand, the latest Panasonic Lumix LX5.







Sneak peak on the Panasonic Lumix LX5!
By Shawn Chung

Konnichiha from Sapporo Japan.

After a 12 hour trip from Singapore via Narita that involved 2 flights and 2 bus rides, we're now at the Sapporo Park Hotel for Panasonic's regional Digital Imaging Seminar. Panasonic will be showcasing their latest Lumix digital cameras and camcorders.

But first, a sneak preview and first impression at the new Lumix LX5 (we had 5 minutes to check it out) - the much anticipated replacement to the iconic Lumix LX3, the prosumer compact camera that's been the benchmark for the last few years.

Note that this is an engineering sample and not the final production model, which I will probably have an extensive try out with tomorrow.

Here's the LX5 in my not so large hands!

The LX5 is a solid piece of kit. While it comes in at just slightly slimmer than the LX3, it has a pretty good heft to it, and in the metallic white version seems almost like a Lumix GF-1 or Olympus EF-1 that's been hit by a shrink ray.

By the way... I think this may be the first white version of the camera actually seen outside of press images!

Note the aspect ratio switch on the lens. The autofocus/manual select switch is on the left of the lens by where my thumb is.

There's a new 'my colour mode' on the selection dial. That's something similar to what you'll find on many Olympus 4/3 and m4/3 cameras - the ability to enter creative modes like Film Grain and Pinhole with a simple selection.

At the back, you'll notice the flash shoe cover also protects the input port for the electronic viewfinder. The controls are pretty straightforwards, although the zoom's a bit slow but smooth.

As I mentioned, this is an engineering unit, and the LCD screen isn't as sharp as it's supposed to be.

Here you can see the new 3.6x optical zoom, and how easy it is for a lady to hold the camera with its improved grip.

The iPad Adventure

Ever since Fred let me have a try at his iPad, my mind is set to get one. For weeks, I had been monitoring the grapevine and hoping that the iPad will be released at the earliest date possible.


Finally, on 19 July, Apple announced that the iPad will be launched in 9 countries on 23 July, and Singapore is in the list.

The iPad is so highly sought-after by Apple fans and techie-consumers, that a queue is guaranteed to build up at all of the 30 reseller locations.

And I actually applied time off from work just to make sure I get my local warrantied iPad the very first moment it is officially launched in Singapore. (And was I glad I did)

My original plan was to head to the nearest reseller to my house: Junction 8 Best Denki. When Philip also expressed his interest to get one, I decided to head to the reseller near to his house: City Square Best Denki. I was told that these small outlets would not have sufficient stocks, but I'm willing to take the risk. It's not as if the iPad is in limited production quantity: worst case is wait another few more days or weeks.

I arrived at the Best Denki entrance at about 8.40am. There were about 10-odd people in the queue already.

I then went to buy breakfast while Philip queued for me. When I returned, the queue grew to about 20.

At about 9.15am, the Best Denki staff made an announcement about the procedures in purchasing the iPad, as follows:

1. When the Apple staff come to you, inform them of the model you want and they will issue you with the sales memo.
2. Once the store opens, proceed to the cashier to pay.
3. Bring the receipt to the Apple counter to receive your iPad.
4. Only iPad can be purchased. Any accessory purchase could only be made after 1pm.

Then at 9.35am, the Apple staff started making their rounds. Philip requested for the 16GB 3G+Wifi (S$928) while I requested for the 16GB Wifi (S$728). When the guy after me asked for 16GB Wifi, the Apple staff told him it's sold out. I was like "WHAT? AM I LUCKY!" I was the last person in the outlet to get the 16GB Wifi! I then deduced that there are only 8 sets of 16GB Wifi because the sale invoice I was given had a handwritten code that said "W16-08", which means Wifi version. The 3G version would read "G16-xx".

Eventually, the guy behind me decided to get the 32GB Wifi (S$878). Anyway, he was contemplating throughout the wait between 16GB and 32GB, as we rationalised with him whether the capacity is sufficient.

With the sales memo in my hands, there was nothing left to worry. It is already mine. No need to rush into the store. In fact, a few of the queue-ers loitered around to wait for their friends to arrive so that they could pay for themselves.

When we reached the collection counter, we glanced at all the available stocks laid nicely on the counter. I reckon there are about 60 sets in total. I happen to notice each box had the handwritten code that corresponds to the sales memo, and that's how they ensured each unit is matched to the sales memo. The 64GB 3G+Wifi had 22 sets, because I saw "G64-22" at the end of the stack. As for the rest of the models, I didn't probe.

By 10.10am, we're out of Best Denki with our "trophies". The whole experience was orderly and quiet. There was no hype, no groans. In Philip's words, "disappointing". I told him, "You want action, go queue at Wheelock or 313."

Later the afternoon, I read a Straits Times online article and found that they had reporters going to Parkway and Wheelock to take photos. Fortunately for us, we were spared of the publicity.

At the time of posting this article, my wife is still playing "Angry Birds", a paid app at US$4.99, the first that I downloaded. And up till the time I worked on this article, I was browsing the iTunes App Store to look for free and interesting apps to download.

Many friends have contacted me over SMS, calls, Facebook and Twitter about the iPad. Some asked me for review and comments. All I can say is: the iPad is defined by the apps you use. See, in every Apple device, there is always a primary function: iPod is music and video, iPhone is phone. So, what is iPad's primary function? It's everything and anything.

As a first-time iPod/iPhone/iPad OS interface user, I am humbly impressed by the convenience of iTunes App Store, and truly appreciate how it actually propels these devices to phenomenal successes. Without such a convenient platform, the capabilities of a device stops short of whatever applications it comes with out-of-the-box. In addition, while some other phone makers have tried to set up their own apps store, it is generally met with frustration by the consumer who is unable to find a lot of useful or interesting apps to increase their joy of experiencing the device.

The only time I lose interest in the iPad is the time when I can no longer find apps that are useful to me. And I suppose it's quite a hard feat to achieve, when there are over 225,000 apps in store.

(below are photos of Philip unboxing his 16GB 3G+Wifi at his home-office)

Mayenne Tan Photography

A 3-year-old shot them using the Samsung ST550 dual screen compact camera.

New composition: There Is Nothing Else To Love

I composed this song in one take. It sings of despair and desolation, of loneliness, of lovelessness. Of trying to find a way out, of crying out for attention, for directions. But still, there is no answer.

Listen from last.fm

Inception: The Movie Review

What caught my eye to catch this movie yesterday (the first day of public screening in Singapore) was ST Life's 5-star review.

Is it that good?

Well, let's just say that I was mentally prepared that this movie would be extremely mind-boggling, so I really concentrated on catching every word and sentence in the dialogue to grasp the concept of stealing information from dreams. At the end of the movie, I felt like as if I had completed reading an academic school book.

Indeed, the movie is visually intriguing, the idea is original, the soundtrack (by Hans Zimmer) draws you into the emotions.

But to me, it lacks the entertainment factor. It felt kindda like an art film with a big budget for visual effects.

You know there are some movies that you would like to watch over and over again to enjoy some great moments? For instance, I love to watch The Matrix Trilogy, those bullet-time scenes are so out-of-the-world, the fight sequences with hundreds of Smith is entertaining.

Compare to Inception. I can recall only a few scenes that are visually mind-blowing. But you won't see those scenes playing as demo tracks in electronic stores. Personally, I felt that the pace is too slow, although that is precisely the intention of Chris Nolan. Some of the scenes were shown in slow-mo, understandably intended to let the audience to "enjoy the visual-effects moment". Unfortunately, it becomes rather repetitive, as if he wants to keep reminding the audience that time and gravity behaves differently in dreams. The early part of the movie already prepares you by explaining the "rules" of how things happen, so when you watch the dreams unfold in strange ways, you don't get the kick at all.

I'm glad to have watched Inception and appreciates the effort Chris Nolan goes to conjure this strangeness in the world of dreams. But I don't think it deserves a 5-star rating. Some movies are driven by the great acting, while others are driven by loud effects. To me, Inception is dominated by "the idea", so much so that I don't really appreciate the acting that much and I don't quite get wowed by the effects.

Seriously, I don't know why I felt so negative about the movie. Maybe because I'm trying to justify why it's not worth the 5-star rating. Well, if the ST Life reviewer had given a 2-star, maybe I would be writing more positive stuff, talking about how original and mind-bending the movie is.

I guess that makes my review a little different. Is there anyone out there who felt similarly that the movie is overrated?

WhatsApp on Symbian - Beta

Woohoo! WhatsApp is now open for public beta for Symbian phones running Nokia S60 3rd or 5th edition. The App (no pun intended) is available free for 90 days, after which US$1.99 per year applies.

Eh, what's WhatsApp?

In a nutshell, it is an application originally developed for Blackberry to allow users to send messages to their peers with the same app via data platform without incurring SMS charges. The application soon developed for iPhone, and just this morning, the Symbian version is released for public beta. Android platform should follow suit pretty soon.

Although WhatsApp appears to be another instant messaging (IM) replacement, the app is exclusive to mobile devices and you use your mobile phone number (MSISDN) as the login identifier, so it's not possible to create multiple login accounts or login using a computer. In other words, you must already know your friend's mobile number before you can communicate with them via WhatsApp. For that, WhatsApp is more like a replacement to your regular SMS than an IM.

This review comes about in less than an hour of installation. Yes, I'm fond of giving instant reviews instead of spending days doing comprehensive tests and write a "formal" review. To me, it's always the first impressions that matters the most.

My review is based on my usage experience on Nokia E72 with v31.023 firmware.

WhatsApp is nicely integrated into my Symbian S60 3rd Edition phone. Upon installation, it will search your contacts and add those with WhatsApp to a "favourite" list. Whenever a message comes in, the phone will ring with the same notification tone as your phone message setting. A notification pop-up will appear at the same time, and if you missed all these notifications, a small icon will also appear at the notification bar.

Already, I have uncovered a bug, but since it's beta, I shall not bug on it.

What I wish for at this moment is that I could change the notification tone for WhatsApp instead of following the same tone I set for the phone messaging, so that I can distinguish between normal SMS and WhatsApp message. It can get rather irritating if friends send WhatsApp messages as if it was IM, then you could get multiple incoming replies and your phone would ring non-stop.

As of now, several advanced WhatsApp features are not ready for the Symbian platform:
- sharing of location
- images
- audio notes
- business cards

Visit www.whatsapp.com/download/ from your phone browser to install the app directly.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice: A Post Before I Catch the Movie

The first thing that came to my mind when I hear "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is the old cartoon where Mickey was the apprentice.

Next thing is I wondered if Disney Pictures is going to remake that cartoon scene-by-scene into an action movie.

I guess they are just using back the title and made it into a completely unrelated story.

And that is why I am blogging about it right now - so that I can win free tickets from Nuffnang to catch this movie and find out what it's all about!!

Everyone loves to create magic, to conjure something special, making impossible dreams become reality. That is what magic is all about, isn't it? If it was something that can be easily achieved, it wouldn't be magical.

So, if I were a sorcerer’s apprentice, I would use my powers to

1. Create content - music, novels, photos, paintings, web sites, whatever - just by thinking, and then the stuff would magically appear in front of me. Saves me time and effort to materialise the ideas in my head.

2. Make my loved ones and myself healthy and free from any physical deficiencies (especially someone I know who can't fulfill her dream because of that)

3. Travel from point A to B without the use of vehicles - save time, save money, save environment.

OK, I'm keeping to 3 items. That's how the laws of magic goes, ya. Everything is in threes.





Catch The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Movie starting from 22nd July 2010 and join the Walt Disney Studios Singapore official Facebook and Twitter page!

Iron Man Mark 3 Battle Damage 12-inch collector's figure

I recently added another item to my collection of toys and figures. When I buy a toy, an important criterion is that it must fully resemble the character on-screen. Most of the small Iron Man figures have terrible paint jobs and awful details that make the character look, well, disgusting. That explains the awe when I came across this Iron Man 12-inch figure at a hobby shop. I didn't know Iron Man figures of such details exist!!!

Iron Man Mark III is the "first" armour that Tony Stark wore for his battle against the villains (Mark 1 was the primitive bulky suit that led to Tony's escape from the terrorist. Mark 2 was the silver unpainted armour that Tony wore for his first test flight).

The one that I bought is called "Battle Damage", which reflects the state at the end of the movie while fighting Iron Monger. As such, this figure, unlike the other Iron Man variants (also produced by Hot Toys), has the following additional accessories:

- interchangeable chest armour
- interchangeable heads: one allowing the eyes to light up, the other allowing the front mask to be removed, revealing Tony's face
- an additional naked hand (Tony removed his armour glove during the movie when he thought he had defeated Iron Monger)
- a display stand modeled after the rooftop of the Arc Reactor building in the final battle scene, including cracked glasses
- details of scratches all around the armour figure (good thing, so I don't have to take extreme good care of the paint work)

(in some exclusive editions, the package even cos with a crushed helmet. Iron Monger crushed it at the final scene, leaving Tony's head exposed. I didn't get that because it was about $150 more expensive than this edition, not worth it)

What's amazing about this collector's figure is that it comes with numerous articulations and features in the armour that are faithful to the movie.

- light-up eyes, chest and palms
- removing the chest armour reveals internal details
- the face armour reveals internal details
- expendable wrist gauntlet as shield, as portrayed in the final battle scene
- micro munitions pod on both shoulders. He used it during his first battle scene when the terrorists held civilians hostage, the ammo locks only at the terrorists and fires with accuracy.
- countermeasure dispenser at the hips. He deployed it when fired upon by the 2 US planes chasing after him, and also at the final battle scene to temporarily blind Iron Monger.
- air flaps at the back of armour, as detailed as the movie.
- airbrake deployment system at the legs

The figure is built with plastic, metal and rubber, to allow flexibility of posing and still maintain faithfulness to the joint details.

I was actually contemplating between this figure and the Mark 4 version, worn by Tony in Iron Man 2. I like the movie look and toy design of Mark 4, which comes improved with torso articulation and movable fingers. But I like the playability of Mark 3 Battle Damage with more interchangeable accessories. Besides, Mark 4 is still in pre-order phase while Mark 3 Battle Damage is only made publicly available recently. If I were to wait a few more months, this version might be either out of stock or the value might have increased.

We can't blame the makers, Hot Toys, for the delay. It takes months to properly sculpt and develop such detailed figures, and more months to create the mould to mass produce. As of current, the Mark 5 (briefcase version) and Mark 6 (with the new triangular arc reactor chest) is still under development, and probably will reach mass production in 1-2 years. Hot Toys is also the licensee of several other movie collectible figures like Prince of Persia, Terminator, so they have a plate full of projects (and fans) to satisfy.

With much thought and procrastination, I decided to get this Mark 3 Battle Damage before it becomes unavailable.

Generally, I like the quality of the product. My few nitpicks:
- the chest armour colour is slightly darker than the rest of the body.
- the arm articulation is rather restrictive, so there are many poses that I cannot achieve.
- I cannot deploy the shoulder munitions pod unless I remove the armour.
- limited articulation at the hips.
- limited articulation at the neck. I would like the head to be able to tilt even higher so that I can do a pose of Iron Man flying.
- Tony looks "dead" with his eye levels permanently raised.
- naked hand is longer than the armour hand.
- I would love to have the feet soles to be lit up too.

My favourite parts of the figure would have to be the legs and the back. Apart from the details of the airbrake systems, the legs are designed such that the joints are movable and yet there are armour details to cover the ball joints. The back of the armour unfolds to reveal all the intricate mechanical details of the air flaps.

Analysing the design of this figure arouses my curiosity about how a real Iron Man suit could have allowed the wearer to move flexibly. Hot Toys have really made an effort to include all the armour details and yet giving room to allow articulation. And I am proud to own a piece of comic and movie history.

Understanding Lens Focal Length and Aperture for New DSLR and Hybrid Camera Users

New Digital SLR and Hybrid Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera owners take note: you are possessing a precision-engineered optical imaging device that gives you sharp focus on any object that you so choose. To master the use of these optical devices, you need to understand what the numbers on the lenses stand for and what they mean to you. After all, the purpose of owning these cameras is to be able to change lenses, but if you don't know what kind of lenses do what, then you wouldn't know what lenses you need to buy.

This article will not go into the technical details, but it should allow the novice to have a flavour of lenses. And if that triggers your curiosity, you can do more detailed research over the Internet or attend photography courses.

The 2 important attributes that make a lens are focal length and maximum aperture.

1. Focal Length
If you are a point-and-shoot compact camera user, you would probably just be concerned about the zoom factor (3x/5x/10x zoom). More camera makers also try to market the wide-angle lens feature like 24mm. With a wider-angle lens, you are able to see wider view without having to move too far back.

On the other extreme, when the focal length is very long, like 200mm, you can zoom-in to the subject without having to go too close-in. Great for shooting wildlife, or become a paparazzi. A handful of compact cameras have powerful zooms, to like 400mm. That would cost thousands of dollars on an equivalent DSLR lens.

The below is a table to describe the common uses for lenses of different focal lengths.

Do take note that the focal length described in all interchangeable lenses are the 35mm full-frame equivalent. On a Four-thirds system, you need to multiply by 2. On cameras using APS-C sensor, you need to multiply by 1.5. Therefore, an Olympus or Lumix lens with 20mm focal length will give you 40mm field of view, while the Samsung lens with 30mm focal length will give you 45mm field of view.

2. Aperture
Aperture determines the "brightness" of the lens, or commonly used to refer to the "speed" of the lens. The smaller the f-number, the brighter the lens. Here's a diagram to explain it all.

To determine what the biggest aperture size, look for the value next to "F" (e.g. F2.8), or next to "1:" (e.g. 1:2.8). If there are 2 values separated by a dash (e.g. 1:3.5-5.6), it means the aperture varies from the minimum focal length to the maximum focal length for zoom lenses. This varying aperture characteristic happens to most low-end lenses and compact cameras, simply because when the lens zooms in, the lens barrel extends and less light reaches the sensor.

From a price point, a large aperture size (i.e. small f-number) instantly translates to an expensive lens, with the exception of 50mm f/1.8, easily the cheapest lens for the aperture size. Even so, prices may vary for the same lens type among brands due to the lens quality.

Here's a simplified table showing the common aperture sizes you might find in different types of lenses.

Other lens information that are just as important:

- lens diamater (front): denoted by a letter o with a stroke  (⌀) followed by the number. This information is useful when you want to purchase lens filters. Buy the correct size so that you can screw the filter to the lens.

- lens mount (back): each lens is built with a lens mount for a specific camera brand or range of models. If in doubt, ask before buying. Third-party lens brands like Tokina or Tamron often manufactures different lens mounts for the same lens model (e.g. 28-70mm f/2.8), so be sure to buy the correct lens mount. Some mounts are specified by the type instead of the brand because the mount is used by several brands. For instance, Four-thirds, Micro Four-thirds, K-mount.

- choosing and testing lens (quality control during production): even with the same lens model, the sharpness may vary during factory assembly. As I mentioned, lens is a precision optic, so any misalignment will result in a less-than-stellar outcome. Some customers would test several lenses to select the sharpest. If you want to do the same, please go to those popular camera shops that lets you do that without qualms.

- lens care: you are recommended to at least buy a neutral filter (e.g. UV filter) to protect the front lens element so that the special lens coating would not get scratched by abrasions. Do not drop the lens, especially if the lens has a built-in image-stabilizer function, because the mechanism is highly sensitive. Do not get so uptight when you spot dust inside the lens, and there is no way to prevent this from happening over time, because the lens is not sealed (unless you never remove the lens from the camera body, which then defeats the purpose of an interchangeable lens system). Dust will NOT affect overall image quality.

Take heart that while you may upgrade your camera body to higher megapixels or improved high ISO quality, the function of the lens remains unchanged. Getting great lenses will last your for decades (and may even cost more than the camera body), so treat your lenses well. A word of caution: hybrid camera lenses are generally less durable than DSLR lenses, cost less, and are made of lighter plastic materials, so try not to man-handle them during shooting.


I hope this write-up provides you some useful info when determining what lenses you should get for what purpose (generally), why there are price differences among lenses, and how to take care of your lenses.

2 Japanese Buffet Restaurants

Last week I went to 2 Japanese buffet restaurants for a meal.

Kiseki, located at The Heeren, is priced only at $19.80++ on weekday lunches. It's kindda like a marketplace: the food is so-so. If you want to try Japanese food and is a big eater, make your way there and eat your fill, but bear in mind that it does not represent the ultimate taste and quality of true Japanese cuisine.

Above: my first round. Tempura is rather bland, the omelette is a little salty, the takoyaki (sotong balls) are edible if only it's pipping hot. And wow they have rosti  - eh, not Japanese ley, remnants of Marche?

Above: my colleague's plateful of sashimi and sushi. No comments, but certainly edible.

The following evening, my NS buddies met up at Kuishin Bo at Great World City. My, what a contrast! The spread is definitely more up-class. Well, at $39.90, the price certainly is too. I must say there are more authentic Japanese cuisine there, apart from the usual sashimi and sushi and tempura. There are even grilled food at the outdoor area. The layout is more restaurant-like, compared to the market-like setting at Kiseki. It's been a long time since I stuffed myself so hard over a meal,but it's worth it.

If you have a bigger budget and appetite, go for Kuishin Bo. If you just wanna wallop some Japanese-styled food for a fantastic value, Kiseki will not disappoint.

It's Timmy Time for Mayenne

Timmy Time is a spin off from the Shaun the Sheep animation which introduced the Timmy character, Shaun the Sheep itself a spin off from the Aardman Animation series Wallace & Gromit, which introduced the Shaun character.

Since the animation was broadcast on Playhouse Disney, Mayenne is hooked. There is no dialogue, just animal sounds, and that's the beauty of it. Even my mother-in-law can understand and would explain to Mayenne about the good and bad things that each character did during the 10-minute episode.

(Mayenne also likes "Special Agent Oso". Too bad, Disney did not manage to get any official merchandise produced to earn money off parents like me worldwide)

Personally, I have always been fascinated by the stop-motion animation technique perfected by Aardman since Wallace and Gromit. Like many less-popular cartoons, local retailers do not carry this toy, but it didn't take me long to find the toys to brighten my daughter's days over eBay. Fortunately, this cartoon was a hit in UK, the country of origin, so there are quite a few official products for me to choose, albeit limited variety. Within a week of order, they arrived safely in my mailbox.

I bought this set of posable figures from the animation (strange why only this 3 out of the 12 animals are available), which costs less than S$30 including shipment. Made of quality plastic. they look absolutely identical to the cartoon, something that pleases me a lot as a collector. The size is good for a 3-year-old, although I wonder if Timmy and Ruffy's ears can withstand Mayenne's rough hands. All the heads, limbs and tails are posable, but not the ears.

Mayenne couldn't keep her eyes and hands off the figures.

Did I also mention that she can sing the theme song already? Let's sing along!



Catch Timmy Time on StarHub Cable Channel 311 Playhouse Disney every weekday at 9am and 8pm.

Nokia E72 firmware update does not wipe your phone

Nokia's E72 firmware v31.023 is already out for months, but I did not do an update because past experience tells me the update will wipe everything off the phone and reset everything to factory defaults. But on a fateful day, I decided to go with the trend of all iPhone users as the new iOS4 is released.

Surprise, surprise. This latest update did not reset my phone. The firmware download of 130+MB took about 10 minutes, but the installation took just a couple of minutes. Initially I feared the update was aborted: after the phone was restarted, my phone looked the same: themes, shortcuts, contacts, messages, everything was intact. After exploring and some verification, I concluded that the firmware had indeed been updated, and a few new apps were added as part of the update. There were no discernible improvements on performance, although officially the update is supposed to fix known bugs and improve stability. I do find new minor bugs, but I can live with that.

Not sure if this update behaviour is consistent for all E72 users, so please backup your phone before doing the update. It would be a big bonus if your phone settings and apps remain intact. It's certainly a time saver.

With all the hype about new iPhone 4 and the numerous brands running on Android, plus the announcement of the new Nokia E5, I somehow rekindled my appreciation for my current E72 phone. It may not be as fancy or trendy or eye-catching or powerful like the competition, but it's a phone that works for me. And that's all that matters. iPhone does not work for me. iPad does. And I'm getting it when it's out in Singapore stores.

iPad Works For Me

http://twitpic.com/21omra - iPad works for me, so im gonna get it. Thanks @winterain44 minutes ago via Gravity

Yes, gentlemen. While I may proclaim that I’m not getting iPhone due to the soft keyboard, I had the privilege to try the iPad during a lunch meetup with my friend Fred (http://www.fred-lin.com/) . The large screen works and I can type very well. The racing car games are fun with the accelerometer and gives realism with the large screen. What impresses me is the piano keyboard app that allows me to play the piano keys like a real piano. The size is just right for the iPad! The experience I had is just like what I felt when Peter introduced the Nokia E71. To me, the iPad is an family entertainment device, not a personal device like mobile phone. The large screen is a major plus for information sharing, playing, web surfing, lazing.