Entries Tagged 'Wired' ↓

Its been a while since I got my Asus EeePC and no, I did not forget to write about it. You know how it is about techy gadgets? As soon as you get one, a new better improved version will appear in the market. Damn geram I tell you!

My EeeePC was the early 7″ screen one with 4GB of space. In non-geek speak, that’s barely enough space to swing a cat in (not that I will in case I get lambasted by animal rights activists!) So, I don’t store anything on my PC at all. That’s what 4GB and 8GB thumbdrives are for right?

The new version is the EeePC 900 which boasts a larger 9″ or 10″ screen and 20GB of space. Sure, it also boasts a bigger price tag, but still….

Anyway, green-eyed bitching aside, what do I think of the EeePC? I won’t go into specifications and techy talk - that’s what geek review sites are for. This is a fluff site right? So, I’ll tell you instead 7 ways an EeePC is a useful tool. Continue reading →

Its been an exhausting week.

Ever tried cheerleading for 7 days in a row? Over the telephone?

Shake your pom poms! Rah! Rah! Rah!

Cheerleading during my time in school was really tame compared to the acrobatics that I see these days. I was never a cheerleader though and being optimistic in order to lift others out of the doldrums is just so taxing when you don’t exactly quite feel that way!

But all that cheerleading may yet pay off because I’m seeing some results. The clouds might yet lift for the sun to shine through!

Whew!

Since everything’s been dark and gloomy and silent here last week, let me showcase some pictures I’ve been taking:-

I have been playing around with my new Canon Ixus 860 in the past weeks. Its a nifty little thing and I’m really loving it. Dare I say my picture taking skills seem to be improving? I hope so!

I’m still taking mostly pictures of food (for Pink Parisian) and learning every day how to take a better food photo for the food blog. I spent the weekend reading loads of sites that offer tips on taking good food photography and am trying to put theory into practice. Its not easy and I’m so pleased that my whole family has accepted me as a food blogger!

We went out for dinner and when I whipped out my camera, my dear ol’ Dad actually stopped halfway to putting his chopsticks into his ramen, just so I could snap a picture of it! What would I do without the support of my family! Unfortunately for me, all the pictures turned out too dark and now that I have a proper camera, I am getting pickier about the pictures I put up online of my food.

There is no more excuse for me to put up mediocre or crappy dark, out of focus pictures online when I know that with a bit of practice and patience I can actually have some proper drool-worthy photos. Yes, I’m turning into a perfectionist. My Canon might be a simple little point and shoot, but it is good enough for me (I’m not yet in the league of the food bloggers with SLR cameras) for now. Its also rekindled my interest in photography so yay! Something new to learn!

Anyway, here are some stuff I learnt about food photography over the weekend that I’m sure will help those of you who are also into writing about food:-

• The Macro setting on the camera is your best friend. It allows you to get right up close to your food and still keep it in focus.
• Natural lighting is best. Not direct sunlight though, just enough sunlight to cast some natural light on the food.
• No Flash at any cost. Using the flash washes out the colours and texture of the food and makes it look too stark and unappetizing.

Not much to my surprise, these tips work well if you are taking photos of beauty products too as I have been for my beauty reviews site. So there is a co-relation between food and beauty after all!

The Canon Ixus 860 has a huge LCD screen but no viewfinder. It doesn’t bug me but it seems to bug some people based on some online reviews. I find the focus good and it performs decently enough under low light conditions which was the prime reason I chose this Canon over the Panasonic Lumix. Being a food blogger (reviewer) too, I have to have a camera that works in low light because most restaurants keep their lights low.

I’m worried about the flimsy cover for the AV/USB output as it feels and looks like it could break at any second so I’m extra careful with it. The battery cover too is rather flimsy. I found battery life decent. A full charge lasted me about a week without having to recharge. However I only took about 5-8 photos a day without flash so that has to be taken into consideration.

All in all, I’m loving this little Ixus 860. Its a decent point and shoot camera and I think I’ll just stick to Canon for cameras from now on because I can use the same USB cable as with the old Canon I had which gives me more mobility!

I hope everyone had a good weekend too and thank you all for your kind support over the last week!

With this latest fuel price increase have you considered what lifestyle changes you have to make other than counting the pennies and tightening your belt?

I’m working on the belt tightening. But before I do, there was one budget busting item I had to get, and then I’m done with the spending money like water for a while. There are a couple of things I’m working on that need the money more than mere frivolities.

Behold!

Eeks! Yes, I know I was asking about a Lumix previously. I went and made many enquiries about the various Lumix models until I was so sure I was about to buy one.

Then I saw this one and suddenly all thoughts of a Lumix flew out of my head. I’m so fickle! I knew it was a Canon for me. Never mind that my first and only digicam thus far was a Canon that died on me. I knew after testing it that it was “the one”.

So, I’m all gadgeted out now. But at least I know I’ll now have better looking photos instead of having to rely solely on the phone camera!

Speaking of lifestyle changes, I’d like to steal a question off the evening news. With this present price incease in fuel to RM2.70 per litre of petrol, are you prepared to take the public transport instead of drive?

My answer is simple.

Even with the price incease, and even if it means pinching a penny till it squeaks, I will not take the public transportation because:-

1. Public transportation is non existent. The buses are never on time and bus stops are never properly designated. The buses stop anywhere that someone sticks their hand out. Trains (in KL city) are a nightmare. Not all lines service every part of the city and all the lines do not intersect at any point. If I were to take the trains, I’d have to change 3 times for what would be an 8km drive to work.  Taxis aren’t an option for me because (see reason 2)
2. Security. I’m paranoid about personal safety on the public transport and while going to the requisite stop. Some bus stops are isolated and walking to the bus or train stop may prove to be dangerous. While on the bus or train, you have to watch out for pickpockets or people with octopus arms. In a taxi its even worse - strange car + stranger = disaster.  I’m not saying all taxis are bad. I just can’t feel comfortable enough to ride in one alone.
3. Wasted Time. With the uncertain timetables of our public transport system I’d probably need 2 hours to get to work when I can drive there in 10 minutes. I guess at the end of the day, it is how much that time saved is worth vs the money  spent on petrol.

And so, public transport is just not an option for me. I know I’m polluting the environment with my single occupier vehicle, and that driving is eating into my monthly income. But I’d rather have the security, peace of mind, mobility, convenience and time saved by driving myself places.

Would you consider switching your car for the public transport to save money?

With this point to ponder, here’s wishing everyone a happy weekend!

How a trip to have my hair cut in between having to work on a Sunday ended up with me nursing a brand new notebook in my hot little hands in the evening is quite beyond me. Seriously, what does hair have to do with notebooks, except that my excellent hairdresser happens to be based in Low Yat Plaza - the mecca of all things digital.

Looks just like any other notebook, but it isn’t. Continue reading →

Last week, I had 2 iExperiences, both of which made me think of LB and his love for the Apple Mac. One was the iPhone - can anyone say drool-worthy? and the other was an ad in the papers for the iPod Touch.

I’ve been doing a bit of traveling lately for work and am mostly relying on 3G to access the net on the go. But I thought having wifi on the phone would be better won’t it? And then, I opened the newspaper and lo and behold! A half page ad on the iPod Touch!

Internet browsing! Email! Stocks! (not that I know how to deal with the latter)

I was smitten. It was iLove at first sight. So during the weekend, I took my brother, dressed down significantly and trooped off to the Apple store in Bangsar Village II.

First of all, let me rave on about the gadget. It was so slim but I did not expect the weight. It was heavier than it looked and heavier than I expected. The screen resembles the iPhone and basically, other than the phone and camera function, it is halfway there to being an iPhone.

I was super impressed by the way the screen switches to landscape mode when you flip the gadget on its side, and the way you can zoom in and out just by touching the screen. All very iGadget-y. I could see myself messing around with it in a wifi hotspot, reading my mails, updating my blogs (ahem!), surfing the net… but 8MB costs RM1399. Ouchies!

Now, for the rant. Don’t read if you don’t like rants. Continue reading →