My new shiny toy…

 

With my Washington DC / New York trip just three weeks from now, I figured its high time to replace my old crummy digital camera for a new one. Back then in 2004, my 4MP Canon IXUS served me well, but technology being what it is has evolved so fast, bringing higher imaging quality and more consumer-ready features, rendering it literally obsolete… Hence, now is the time, like Beyoncé always says: lemme lemme upgrade u!

I did only some cursory research on what type of camera that would suit my needs and budget. I have no designs to be a professional or photographer enthusiast, so the DSLR types would just be too bulky and screams of ‘tourist’. So I settled for the next best thing…

Presenting my newest shiny toy; the OLYMPUS XZ-1

 

Winner of the TIPA awards 2011 for the Best Expert Compact Camera and the reddot design award 2011, this ‘semi-pro’ premium compact digital camera offers the right balance of performance and portability. Do not be fooled by its 10 mega pixels image density, for image quality does not depend on bits alone. More importantly is the ability to satisfactorily shoot pictures in low light conditions such as indoors or night time. And this is where the XZ-1 truly shines, by offering an ultra-bright 28-112mm equivalent f/1.8-2.5 aperture range as well as 4X Optical zoom lens courtesy of its heritage Zuiko range lenses which used in all high-end Olympus cameras. Also, the images are made crisp thanks to its larger than average 1/1.63 inch CCD imager with sensor-shift image stabilisation. Equally coveted features are its two control dials (including an S90-style dial around the lens) for manual fine-tuning, the generous 3” brilliant OLED screen and HD recording capabilities. The camera normally retails for RM1,799… but thanks to the PIKOM Digital Lifestyle Expo held last weekend, I managed to obtain the gadget at RM300 less (i.e. at my maximum intended budget) plus loads of accessories and freebies .

 

The proof, of course, is in the pudding. So to test out the camera’s capabilities, I snapped this night-time picture of the majestic Stadium Nasional just outside my window… without the use of flash! (Pretty impressive eh)

 

Naturally my kitty Stokin’ also did not want to miss out on all the fun. And I am more than happy to make her my ANTM model, hehe… (btw, do you think she is preggers or just simply getting fat? )

 

 

Overall, I am quite satisfied by this camera and felt that I have made the right purchase. Cant wait to learn all of the features, especially the basics of apertures and shutter speed. Now I am ready to go snap happy when strolling down the White House or Time Square (and Zurich too!)

 

Olympus XZ-1 specification highlights:

• High Sensitivity 10MP CCD sensor
• 28-112mm equivalent lens
• F1.8-2.5 maximum aperture
• CCD-shift image stabilization
• Twin control dials, including one around the lens
• ISO 100-6400
• New TruPic V processor (as used in the company's PEN series)
• Large 3.0" 621k (VGA equivalent) OLED display
• 720p movie mode (30 fps in Motion JPEG format)
• Micro HDMI connector
• 6 Art Filters (As per the PEN series)
• In-camera RAW conversion
• Built-in flash, hotshoe and remote flash control
• Built-in ND filter

Fiat 500 by Diesel redux

 

A new colour and the second-generation 1.3 Multijet engine make their debut on the Fiat 500 by Diesel

The Fiat 500 by Diesel has chosen "Bread & Butter", the show dedicated to youth fashion in Berlin, to preview of two important new features: "Midnight indigo" blue, a special body colour, and the 1.3 Multijet II 95 HP (Euro 5) with Start&Stop system fitted as standard, the new second-generation turbodiesel, now even more environmentally-friendly and suitable for city driving.

The result of close collaboration between Fiat and Diesel, the famous clothing brand by Renzo Rosso, the model will be limited edition and marketed worldwide. Its success is boundless and from Italy to Japan, to France, almost 6 thousand cars have already been ordered out of the 10 thousand available in total.

In Berlin, within "Bread & Butter", the Diesel stand and the exclusive Fiat 500 will no doubt attract the attention of the visitors, just as they did at the recent Mumbai Motor Show, India. Spanning a surface area of 700 square metres in the Denim Base section, the Italian label will present its 2010 autumn/winter collections and the new "shop-in-shop/corner" concept, conceived as a genuine stage to present and convey the values of the brand and all its creativity even within multi-brand stores. Features which can also be found in the new Fiat 500 by Diesel.

As regards the new colour, the Centro Stile Fiat (Fiat Style Centre) worked once more with the creative team at Diesel to create a dark blue which recalls the denim used to make jeans. The use of a micaceous rather than a metallic shade offers at first glance the feeling of iridescent colour which varies according to the light, very similar to stone washed fabrics. And this thanks to a finer texture of paint and its ability to create an almost 3-D effect. This new blue also, like the black and green already in the range, perfectly matches the matt paint chosen for the finishes which characterise this model.

The 500 by Diesel is distinguished by some bold aesthetic features, starting with the exterior. Everything is exclusive for this version, the result of the creativity of two teams of designers: the aggressive 16″ alloy wheels, the rear trim with imitation air intake where one of the most famous logos of Italian fashion is set, the yellow brake calipers (only on the 1.4 100 HP version) and the satin chrome painted features, including the mouldings which, with their bosses, revoke the atmosphere of the Diesel fashion world.

The interiors are also highly customised, thanks to the dark denim style fabric with yellow stitching, the fifth pocket with the unmistakable Diesel brand, the head of the famous Mohican on the gear lever knob and the specific satin chrome coloured dashboard.
The range of engines, in addition to the 1.3 Multijet 95 HP mentioned above, includes three Euro 5 power units (the 1.2 69 HP engine, the 1.3 Multijet 75 HP engine with DPF and the 1.4 16v 100 HP engine), each with their own different qualities, all exploited to the full in combination with 5- or 6-speed manual gearboxes (petrol engines can be combined with a 5-speed Dualogic robotised sequential gear box).

Diesel goes virtual

Virtual reality is coming of age

by Alexander Walters // guardian.co.uk // 31 December 09

If you want evidence of how virtual worlds are breaking into the mainstream, look at how commerce is taking hold within them

__________________________________________________________

I'm standing outside a branch of Diesel and a colourfully dressed man is dancing the robot in front of me like Peter Crouch on steroids. Browsing through the items on offer in the window, I spot a pair of jeans that I like the look of. The price tag says £1.59. A licensed, authorised, branded pair of Diesel jeans for £1.59. The only catch is that they're made of pixels, not denim, and they belong in a fictional universe that could be the future of advertising, social networking and gaming combined. Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of PlayStation Home.

 

The concept of PlayStation Home is simple. It's a free-to-use, beautifully rendered, fictional universe in which anyone who owns a PlayStation 3 can reside. Once a user loads up their profile they are dropped into an apartment with a balcony that overlooks something resembling Monaco. In the town outside lie a communal square, a bowling alley, a pool hall and even a shopping mall in which to buy real estate or clothes.

This brings us to the jeans. Inside the shopping mall lies a branch of the real-world clothing brand Diesel. In it, users can buy any number of pixelated replicas of Diesel's real-life ranges for real-life money. Diesel is by no means the last brand that will set up shop here, because PlayStation Home has just announced reaching 10 million users. Home isn't alone either, it's merely the latest in a long line of virtual reality (VR) worlds that are now springing up all over the internet.

Is this all a waste of time? Conventional wisdom states that we should have better things to do with out lives than spending hard-earned pennies on pixelated pairs of jeans. Critics will argue that these worlds are populated by nerds, geeks and middle-aged recluses with all the social skills of a road accident. Perhaps years ago this was the case, but the popularity of VR environments has seen a staggering rise. World of Warcraft now has over 11 million subscribers worldwide. Second Life has an economy so large that their Linden dollar is tradeable currency in the real world to the tune of $29m per quarter. The games industry now generates more revenue than its cinema counterpart. It appears that, one by one, we're all becoming geeks.

With so many people now taking part in these environments, it's just not possible that they are all losers. I've dipped my toes into Second Life, Home and (briefly) World of Warcraft. While they didn't hold my attention for long, the people I met there were, by and large, friendly and interesting. Perhaps tellingly, most of them admitted that they kept their VR identity a secret in the real world for fear of mockery, so a VR enthusiast might be closer than you think. Admittedly, these worlds still have a long way to go. Anyone with a reasonably busy lifestyle probably can't spare the time to indulge in them and wouldn't see the point. This was my initial reaction, and the one that still holds me back from diving in to VR headfirst. But pause a second, and imagine the possibilities that VR might enable in the future.

One day these experiences will be totally immersive. Sony already has a patent on (though are unlikely to be anywhere near developing) a device that replicates sensory interaction via a neural connection to the user's brain. Touch a granite surface in the VR world and it will feel like granite. Drink a glass of Coke and it will taste like Coke. In this kind of genuinely immersive, graphically photorealistic world, the possibilities are endless. Imagine constructing your own dream holiday to a perfectly rendered 1960s London, or ancient Rome. When you combine these capabilities with the attraction such worlds already have for brands and advertisers (imagine a living, breathing VR Paris with your company's banner hanging over the Eiffel tower), the horizon grows broader still.

In addition, the scope for VR worlds goes beyond gaming. What is Home but a graphical manifestation of social networking? The same people who once scoffed at old-world networks such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, but now use those services daily, may one day warm to a VR version. Why Facebook a friend in Thailand when you can catch up in a virtual reality Bangkok? VR has come a long way, but it has not yet broken into true mass appeal. Worlds such as Home do, however, do show how far the technology has come. Personalised fantasy holidays, as popularised in films such as Total Recall, are closer than we think. With new worlds that are graphically comparable to the latest game releases, supported by advertising and almost unlimited in scope, the possibilities for virtual reality are endless.

How to install a doorknob

Simple-to-follow steps... just it case you ever get stuck in such a situation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Install the strikeplate with the two screws.

 

2. Position the deadlatch into its place and screw into place

 

3. The door knob comes in two halves, which slide together and are joined by a pair of long machine screws. Obviously, the outside knob is the one with the key and the inside knob has a button. MAKE SURE TO PLACE IT CORRECTLY... Otherwise it is as good as having no door at all!, hehe...

 

 

4. Twist in the rose insert into place

 

5. Then, lock in the inside knob

 

6. Don't forget to test your work with the key and ensure that both handles twist easily, the knobs don't rattle up against the door (if this happens the screws are too loose) and the door cannot be pushed or pulled open (from either side) without using the handle.

 

7. Voila! Your brand new doorknob... now, who says that DIESELFREAK can't do 'man's' job properly, hehe...

The upgrade

After having 'kantoi' by a friend (Yusras, I didn’t realise you have psychic powers, hehe...) I figured might as well introduce you to my latest gadgetry conquest: the MOTOROKR E8. I have been meaning to change my ol' celly of three years for quite some time know... having seen a number of my friends switching, as well as the fact that wear and tear (read: missing buttons) have finally caught up with my trusty SLVR.

So, during the weekend before Raya break, I found myself at the Motorola store in KLCC and dwindled my decision to two finalists, the RAZR v2 and the ROKR. The latter finally won my affections (haha), as its delivers precisely what I need (specifically mp3 player capabilities) packaged in an oh-so-sexy form factor. Thanks to this phone, my daily commune to office are now infinitely more fun, courtesy of Her Madgesty's sticky sweet tunes keeping me company, hehe...

Winner of c|net best of CES 2008, other bragging rights of this phone is the 'you-must-see-it-to-believe-it' mode shifting keypad, which virtually transforms from phone to mp3 player at a tap of a finger. Plus, I no longer need to worry about any missing buttons, cuz there ait none! Now thats what I call an upgrade,hehe...

Fiat 500 by DIESEL aka my dream car!

This entry is dedicated to all my friends who are forever harassing my to buy a car (jangan marah, hehe...)

Diesel (ironically) comes full circle by fuelling... what else, automobiles! Created through the collaboration between the venerable automaker and Diesel jeans founder Renzo Rosso, the Fiat 500 by Diesel is special limited edition model dubbed as  the 'urban survival vehicle', equipped with a host of exterior and interior upgrades designed to appeal to the cosmopolitan city-dwellers.

Based on the Fiat 500 Sport, the Diesel edition comes in either green, brown, or black and includes unique visual features such as aluminum trim on the bumpers and doors, doorsill protectors stamped with the phrase "for successful living," Diesel badges on the B-pillars, and special 16-in. alloy wheels with yellow brake callipers. Inside, buyers of the limited-edition Fiat are treated to special, Diesel-branded denim upholstery with yellow stitching, a yellow background on the instrument cluster, and the Diesel logo on the shiftknob. The brand logo stands out on the instruments (marked by a yellow background) and gemstone exchange rate while on the side of the front seats, you notice a particular pocket deferring the fifth pocket of jeans DIESEL

ps: Here are some of the pics from the Fiat press release for you to salivate... Though the car  is on sale beginning September 22 2008, only 10,000 are planned to be built over two years (gemparas!). For now, lets play a game: can you spot the Diesel finishing touches?

 

...and the evil that was once vanquished shall rise anew

 

Something BIG has erupted in the gaming community over the past weekend. After years of speculation and stops and starts, the most anticipated gaming sequel was finally announced: all hail Diablo III!

 

I am of course excited by the announcement. The Diablo franchise was the first that got me into PC gaming, way back in 1997. This action role playing game is perhaps one of the simplest to play: if you can click a mouse, you can play Diablo! No wonder it is one of the most popular PC game in history, with a stagerring 18.5 million copies sold worldwide

The original game Diablo (1997) centres around a lone hero as he battles to rid world of the eponymous Lord of Terror, beneath the town of Tristram, in the land of Sanctuary.

 

 

In the sequel and expansion pack, Diablo II (2000) and Diablo II: Lord of Destruction (2001), we follow a new set of heroes to pursue Diablo (he lives!) as he races across the world of Sanctuary to reunite with his brothers Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred and Baal,  the Lord of Destruction. Twist: How did Diablo reemerged, you ask? none other than from the embodiment of the lone hero in the first game!

 

Now, in the latest installation, we follow another set of heroes (some old, some new) as they reenter  the world of Sanctuary some 20 years later to unravel new mysteries brewing ... is Diablo unleashing his wrath unto mankind once more? Time will tell...

(notice how the graphics get more canggih with each sequel? I like)

Diablo III has no release date yet, and its developer Blizzard Entertainment will only release it when its ready... In the meantime, ill be playing perhaps its closest cousin, Hellgate:London (incidentally created by the makers of Diablo and Diablo II). Let the clickfest begin!

More on my baby

Since im still in the highlight menghilighting mode (jangan mare guys, hehehe...), here are some more pics of my beloved new baby. So far the experiance using my new lappy has been great. No hiccups in accessing the features and evrything's smooth sailing on the OS and software side. I especially luurve the touch sensitive media control panel and the satisfying click response while typing. If there's any slight, is the fact that this model doesnt come with a fingerprint scanner. But since i forsee that my lappy will rarely see the outside world, thats a feature i could easily give a miss... the luxurious Thrive imprit casing

my baby striking a pose

left profileright profile... notice the BLUE RAY disc player!
from down under (motif?)

Specifications

• Processor type: Intel® Core™2 Duo processor T8300 • 2.40 GHz
• Operating system installed: Windows Vista® Home Premium
• Standard memory: 2048 MB
• Internal hard disk drive: 250 GB
• Optical drive type: Blu-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD±R/RW Double Layer
• Wireless technologies: Intel® PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection
• Display size: 15.4” WXGA High Definition BrightView Widescreen
• Video adapter : NVIDIA® GeForce™ 8400M GS (256MB dedicated graphics memory)
• Speakers : Altec Lansing® speakers
• Webcam: HP Pavilion Webcam with Integrated Microphone
• Weight: 2.78 kg

Introducing my new baby

Finally! After almost 9 months of wanting...wishing...waiting... (I like to keep you in a trance, hehe;), I finally took the plunge and delved into the mobile digital realm, Introducing my newbaby: the HP Pavillion dv6774TX SPECIAL EDITION "THRIVE". It was definately worth the wait: not only is this a limited edition notebook (must highlight that part), it came with a promotional rebate exclusive during the PC fair, plus a bagfull of freebies, including optical mouse, headphone, digital remote control and 2G thumbdrive. This is most definately a good deal. Enough about bragging rights, more pics later cuz I'm busy surfin'!

Hell unleashed... and London is calling!

So today on Halloween, 31 Oct 2007, hell is unleashed upon the citizens of London! The minions of darkness has spewed upon the world of the living, destroying and corrupting everything in its wake. Salvation now lies in the hands of a select few (that is you) to defend the last vestiges of humanity from eternal damnation.

It may come as a surprise to many who know me that I, on occasion, do dabble onto a good PC game! Nothing gives me great satisfaction that to annihilate them baddies with a quick click of a mouse or a fancy combo of keys. And there is no game i look forward to more than Hellgate: London, the 'spiritual successor' to the clickfest that is Diablo. I have ordered my collectors edition DVD and now preparing for the sleepless night ahead. Now, if only I have a smacking new PC play it with, hehehe... In the meantime, i will have to settle salivating at these gorgeous screenshots: