Getting a MicroSIM in Singapore for future use

Now that the iPhone 4 is out in the United States, the buzz in Singapore has also start to generate around the use of the microsim in the handset as well as the new iPad.

From this article, it appears that all 3 telcos in Singapore are offering their data plans that comes bundled with the microsim. Judging from the pricing, they seem eager to cash in on the new offerings.

For now, I have to wait and see how the telcos will adjust their plans when the iPhone 4 finally lands on Singapore's shore.

Amazing Japanese Rice Growing Bra

The Japanese are truly an amazing bunch of people on our Earth. They can come up with lots of quirky stuffs that actually turn out to be quite practical in daily life usage. Just like this new Japanese rice growing bra. How did they manage to come up with that kind of stuffs?

Singaporeans are not even close to half of what the Japanese can and have achieved for themselves. Their brains seem to work in a wave that is different and special from normal people like me and you.

I wonder how last will this latest Japanese bra invention goes in Singapore. Most Singaporeans Didn't have freckles but now it's quite obvious. =D

Apple announces iPhone OS 4.0

Wow... Apple is really going places with its hugely popular product, the iPhone. The latest news from Apple announced that OS 4.0 is going to be released for the iPhone 3GS, third-generation iPod touch and iPad.

This new OS will add one critical function to the iPhone, multitasking. Currently, the iPhone is not able to multitasking and each time a new App is opened, the existing App will be closed. In other words, switching between Apps is not possible right now.

Other touchscreen phones are able to multitask without any hitches, so it's high time that Apple should follow suit in its competitors' footsteps. With multitasking, the iPhone is seriously going to kick some ass.

When the new OS comes, I can switch between my Facebook App and eBuddy App without closing either one of them. This saves me lots of trouble in opening and closing Apps all the time.

Hopefully Apple will continue to put in more attractive and relevant features so that the phone will be a better product that rises above its competitors.

iPhone price plans for M1 and Starhub out

Finally we get to compare the pricing plans for the highly sought after Apple iPhone offered by both M1 and Starhub. They have joined the market which used to be dominated by Singtel. How do their plans score?

Cnet has compiled a table for easy reference. The official date launch for both telcos are 9th December 2009, which is this coming Wednesday. Will many Singtel customers make the switch? For me, I am still under a current contract with Singtel and that will only be due next May. So I have got a long wait ahead of me.

Still it wouldn't hurt to start researching and comparing those prices. On the other hand, Singtel has announced they will be making revisions to their current price plans for the iPhone. How much of a difference it will make depends on how big (or small) the revisions are.

I shall be waiting for Singtel's move before making the final decision.

All 3 Telcos in Singapore to carry the iPhone 3GS

The latest news from CNET is circulating around the web, that Starhub is the latest telco to announce that they will start carrying the iconic iPhone. Singtel has been selling the iPhone since August 2008 whereas MobileOne announced in October that they will start carrying the iPhone at the end of this year.

iPhone 3GS

This is nothing but good for all consumers in Singapore as it could mean that the iPhone could come cheaper and more affordable for many people to buy. For me, I won't be able to buy any contract phone as my two years mobile contract is not yet due for renewal. The earliest time for me is next May so I might as well sit back and relax.

This goes to show how big of a success iPhone has proven itself to be worthy of Apple's new cashcow status since the iPod days. Everywhere you go, people can be seen carrying or using an iPhone in one way or another. I think it's only a matter of time before the iPhone will overthrow Nokia as the world's top selling mobile phone ever.

How will the local mobile phone scene play out for the telcos and the consumers? It could potentially lead to a pricing war between the 3 telcos or it may not. However the consumers only has goodness to gain from it all. It's the telcos' fight to earn and keep the consumer dollar firmly in their hands. Only their pricing plans will sway consumers successfully to their side, provided it's the most competitive amongst all.

I can barely wait for the drumroll to start. =D

New Samsung I7500

Besides HTC, Samsung is also coming up with its own andriod-powered mobile phone, the Samsung I7500.



It looks somewhat similar to the HTC Magic, only that it comes in a black colour. But since most of the Samsung phones are also sleek and pretty, I suppose they might score higher in the looks department than HTC.

Again, there is not much information released on this phone but we do have some basic information like connectivity. There's 3G, HSDPA, HSUPA, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPRS/GSM, USB, and EDGE.

It also comes equipped with a 5 megapixel camera as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack that allows for use of personal earphones other than the phone's version. It also has a built-in 8GB storage as well as a microSD card slot so overall it's quite a well-rounded phone.

Oh, these phones better come quick then we can have a real look at their functions.

New HTC Magic

Whoa, andriod phones are starting to invade the mobile phone market and the newest model from HTC is the MTC Magic.




It looks so much better than its predecessor, the HTC Dream. So far not much details are known about this phone except that it doesn't come with a slide out keyboard like the HTC Dream.

Based on looks, it sure wins over the HTC Dream anytime but iPhone is still way too sleek for its competitors to catch up to it in terms of the looks.

So far reports are saying that the phone will be selling in Europe but no releases has been announced for Asia yet. By the time that release comes, Apple will probably have released its third version of its hugely popular iPhone, which is slated for an update this July.

HTC Maple, a Blackberry lookalike?

According to CNET, a HTC smartphone is supposedly due to be released and for now, is codenamed as HTC Maple.

Upon the first look, RIM's Blackberry comes to mind as the designs are very similar. See illustrations below for references:

HTC Maple

Blackberry Bold

Judging from the pictures, the 2 phones certainly look alike. Whether HTC will market this phone in Asia is still unknown but it would be interesting to see how its phone will fare against the Blackberry, the king of business phones.

Even my company is using Blackberry for all its managerial staffs and above, which in my opinion is a waste as our company is a statutory board, not a private-owned entity.

Nonetheless, let's see how the mobile phone sector will heat up with this new entrant.

New iPhone Coming Soon?

There are rumours afloat on the internet that Apple might be releasing a new generation of its hugely popular iPhone soon.



If that's the case, I might be able to get my hands on the new iPhone by the end of this year. Hopefully Singtel will get to sell the new phone and at a competitive price so that I can buy it.

I like the phone more for its design rather functionality. However it does not seem to be doing very bad in the funtionality department either. If the latest reincarnation of the iPhone manage to address all the grips that current iPhone users have, then it would be the best phone in the world.

Whether Apple will have a successful 2009 or not probably depends on this new baby. If the new phone turns out to be lousy, then Steve Jobs will have lots of fans to answer to.

Anyway I'm still stuck on contract with my Nokia N95 8GB till next August so it's kind of early for me to buy anything. *sighs*

New Colours for Nintendo DSi

According to CNET, Nintendo has announced new colours line-up for its upcoming DSi as seen in the picture below:



I wonder if there's a red colour version. However these new colours will not be seen in Singapore for quite a while as currently there are no news that distributors for Nintendo products will be bringing them in. *sighs*

Every time Singapore receives the goodies late and we have no choice but to live with it. This is boring, man. Living in Japan seems to be very good as all the things that I like have originated from Japan.

Anyway I am not sure whether I would be purchasing the DSi as I'm still using my Sony PSP Slim which is serving me well. The technology world moves so fast that it's impossible to keep up with the latest gadgets, no matter how drool-worthy they are.

If only I have all the money in the world, or if I just shut down permanently from the internet, then I won't have to agonize over things like that anymore. Haha!

Rumours of an Apple Netbook?

Rumours are abound with leaked news that Apple will be producing its own version of a netbook, the only computer firm that has yet to release any.

If the rumours are to be believed, Apple will release a touchscreen-enabled netbook that will offers the company's signature sophisticated gadgets and operating software.

At this moment in time, one can only hope how Apple won't be pricing the supposed netbook way out of netbook range. Otherwise we are better off with web-browsing on its iPhone. Hey, I just thought of a lame name for the netbook, iNet. Wahahaha!

If the netbook comes out with that name, you know you read it here first.

Treasure found via Google Earth?

Once again, Google Earth is in the news.

This time round, a man was reported to have used the software to find a treasure off Aransas Pass in Texas. Apparently, a shoeprint-shaped had made him believe that what he had found was the wreckage of a Spanish barquentine.

Now the case has ended up in court as the location in which the wreckage was located appeared to be in someone's private property.

If this man can prove that the land beneath which the ship is submerged is navigable waterway, he will get the treasure first, according to U.S. law.

However the lawyers of the property's owner is claiming otherwise. If that's the case, then the owner will get the treasure rather than the man who googled it. Interesting, eh?

In addition, the state of Texas' lawyers are sure that there's no commercial waterway there. Therefore, as far as they are concerned, if it's in water, it's in Texas's water. That adds an interesting mix to the claim equation.

How will all these pan out? Let's wait and see.

Now it's time to start using Google Earth since it has brought us many interesting nuggets in the technology world.

Ahoy! I bet Captain Jack Sparrow is teething with jealousy right now. Haha!

Wow, Google Earth looks so cool now

According to CNET, the latest version of Google Earth is now able to let users go right into the deep oceans for an unusual exploration.

There's even a picture of an underwater mountain that is found off the coast of Hawaii, taken by CNET. See below:



It's so cool being able to peep right into the ocean without getting out of the house. But of course, nothing still beat the real thing of going down personally into those oceans, eh?

It's really interesting to work for Google, seeing that all these sorts of fascinating softwares are coming from them. Such innovativeness is certainly useful in keeping them ahead of the competition.

Way to go, Google!

Microsoft Makes its First iPhone App

According to CNET, Microsoft have just rolled out its first iPhone application, Seadragon Mobile, which was added to Apple's iTunes on Saturday.

Seadragon Mobile is a free image-browsing app that allows users to quickly "deep zoom" images while online and is intended to demonstrate what is possible with a mobile platform.

Hmmm, looks like the iPhone is starting to get attractive as the days go by. Many interesting and fun accessories and apps have been made specially for the iPhone. So much so that even I have been tempted to want to buy an iPhone for myself.

Too bad I had bought my Nokia N95 8GB way back in August and if I want to do a handset upgrade, I have to wait till August 2009. However, I have got another phone line to my name but its of a lower value and the number is different. I wonder if I could use that to upgrade my handset but limit it to my own mobile number?

That sounds very complicated, doesn't it? Oh well, at least I could wait till Apple releases a third version of the iPhone. That's when it would be the most ideal handset to purchase. Hopefully it would be end of next year, then I could trade in my N95 8GB for that droolicious iPhone!

w00t!

HTC Touch HD comes to Singapore!

According to CNET's Crave, the HTC Touch HD will be coming to Singapore and Starhub will offer the phone in November this year. The rest of the authorized distributors will offer the phone from December this year.







I just flipped through the Saturday's The Straits Times and to my disappointment, there was no advert for the Touch HD yet. According to the website, the phone will be priced at $1,388 and will be categorized as a premium phone.

Oh boy. I hope the telcos will cut the price down reasonably enough. If the reviews of the phone are very good, I might just buy it to replace my current Nokia N95 8GB. Will the Touch HD be a successful iPhone killer? Stuff.TV has put the Touch HD and the iPhone side by side for a picture comparison. See below:




Only time will tell.

If it fails to beat the iPhone, then it's not a big problem to me since I'm sure there are still good virutes about the Touch HD. There's the generous screen with its 3.8-inch WVGA display touchscreen. Plus multiple wireless connectivity options that makes this baby absolutely a techie's dream. The gorgeous design also helps to increase the droolicious factor for this baby.

The only thing that might, a huge MIGHT at that, be a deal-breaker for me would be the keyboard. See illustrations from Stuff.TV below:




The setup of the keyboard is, unfortunately, not a QWERTY version but a conventional one. How well the screen will survive on my heavy SMS usage will be a constant question in my mind. I have not yet tried a touchscreen phone and have no idea how good or how bad the keyboard will interfere with the mobile experience. I hope everything is not as complicated as it may sounds. I just want a phone that works and works well.

So far, it's still early days yet and there are other soon-to-be released models by other phone makers and it remains to be seen who will eventually win the consumers' heart, and also my pocket money. Hahaha!

Blackberry Storm Looks Awesome

CNET Asia has gotten a new report on an upcoming phone from Research In Motion (RIM). Pictures of the new phone, Blackberry Storm, has been posted by CNET for easy reference:

The date on the phone happens to be my birthday!Cool!

It's a touchphone with RIM's new technology, Clickthrough. Rather than provide haptic feedback like Samsung's Omnia, RIM uses a suspension system that lies beneath the display, so that when you select an application or enter text, you actually push the screen down like you would any other tactile button.

That's so cool but wouldn't that makes the screen more vulnerable to scratches and thumbprints? Since it's still too early to say, RIM probably might improvise the screen further. If the price is attractive and the phone functions are impressive, then I might change my phone to this Storm.

Today, my Nokia N95 8GB died on me for no reason and I'm very pissed off right now as that would leave me phoneless for 2 solid days. Looks like Nokia is losing its touch and the quality of its phones are getting worse.

All I need now is for the new phones to be released asap so that I could lay my hands on them. *drools*

MicroSD Cards to Replace CDs for Music Soon?

According to CNET Crave, the future of the CD generation seems to be heading for extinction if Sandisk were to have their way in the music industry.

MicroSD cards will be the new medium for songs and albums to be released to the consumers in the US and Europe, instead of the traditional CDs that have been around for years.

The new medium is aimed at users of multimedia phones and portable media players that support the flash memory format. According to the report, the tunes will come in 320kbps MP3 format, are DRM-free and the flash media will have USB adapters for use with Windows, Linux and Mac computers.

Whether this new medium will make its way to Asia remains questionable but with so many online music stores making their mark in the music industry, it will be interesting to see who will rule the music industry.

Apple's iTunes already has a very successful online store with thousands of songs, movies, podcasts, audiobooks, etc. Does the microSD cards spell the end for the iTunes store? How will pricing be determined against that of the CDs? An average music CD in Singapore costs around S$20 and the microSD card has to cost cheaper in order to attract the consumers here, who are more price-conscious.

Everything remains a mystery for now. It's up to Sandisk and the record companies to give more details on this new development. Until then, let's wait and see.

Nintendo's New DSi Coming Soon

According to CNEt's Crave, Nintendo is going to release a new successor to the incredible successful DS Lite, the DSi.

Judging from the pictures below, it looks like Nintendo's gotten itself a bestseller. Yet again. But will it help to defeat the almighty Sony PlayStation Portable a.k.a. the PSP?






I personally own a PSP and so far I am very happy with its performance. The games that are designed for the PSP are varied and fun as well. There's no lack of choices of games to choose from.

Now I'm hooked on playing Burnout Legends and it's gotten me crazy over cars too. Just look at the Formula One posting which I did the other time. It's addictive, I can honestly tell you that. Which other car game will let you crash your car and still award you points for doing so? In fact, the more spectacular the car crash is, the more points you will get awarded. It's so fun!

Right, back to the DSi.

For now, it's not yet available in Singapore and so there's not much comparison to make between PSP and the DSi. From the pictures, all I can say is that the new look is definitely much more gorgeous and sexy than before. Nintendo fans would find it hard to say no to this baby.

Furthermore, this sleek baby comes with a SD card slot which definitely is a big plus for the gamer. Besides offering the options to store more games, it also offers music playback as well as images storage.

By the way, it is reported that the DSi will come equipped with a 3 megapixel camera and that seems to put it on top of the PSP right now. The PSP doesn't come with an internal camera, you will need to purchase an external camera which will definitely add cost to your total package.

Nonetheless, it's still early days yet and fans in Singapore will have to settle for wait. Japan will be the first country to get the new DSi since Nintendo originated from Japan (I think). By the time it comes to Singapore's shores, we would have more information to make a comprehensive choice then.

Who will win, PSP or DSi? You decide.

Gorgeous HTC Touch HD Phone

I had just came across a really gorgeous phone on the Internet, the HTC Touch HD. It's really, really pretty and some pictures are attached below for easy reference:


















The pictures are from CNET Asia, which estimates that the phone will launch around November. That's around 1 month's time and I can't wait to get my hands on a commercial set. I'm interested to see how this phone can measure up to Apple's iPhone or will it get blown away by Apple?

The only thing that's not shown in the pictures is the keyboard for text input. Will it be those pc keyboard prototype or will it be modelled after conventional number pad for mobile phone? That would either make or break this phone as I'm more inclined towards the pc keyboard type as I tend to sms more often.

Whatever it is, I shall have to wait patiently for November's arrival.

=)

Another EEE Coming

Another Asus eee pc is reportedly announcing its debut on Tuesday, according to Cnet.UK.

This new baby features a 10-inch screen size, the biggest in the eee pc family. Rumours are saying that it will also probably features the new Intel Atom chips for the processors. So far there has been no other news besides this. I wonder whether it will be a suitable competitor to the MSI Wind.

Let's wait and see how things go. =)