Having used the Apple iPhone for many years, I decided to switch over to the Nokia Lumia 900 smartphone to see what the new kid on the block has to offer.
The Nokia Lumia 900 Windows 7.5 smartphone, fresh out of the box.
I was given a Nokia Lumia 900 smartphone when it arrived in Singapore, so I’ve been using it for a while now, and I’m still with it.
I find the physical design of the Lumia 900 handsome and masculine. More importantly, the user interface is intuitive and smooth, while web-surfing and mail-checking performance is excellent. Social networking with the People Hub is also convenient and hassle-free.
To sum up, I ended up using my 7” tablet much less often than before.
What I like
Firstly, the design. I know the striking colour is the cyan, but I’m glad I had the black version. It’s a solid slab of masculinity.
If you need turn-by-turn navigation especially when travelling overseas, the Lumia 900 already pays for itself.
At 11.5mm thick, the Lumia 900 is definitely not the most svelte model on the scene. If thin is your thing, go for the HTC One S instead.
I like the solid feel and heft when I hold the Lumia 900 in my palm.
The solid unibody and glass is really robust, despite the rough handling – like throwing the car keys and the Lumia in the same trousers pocket, and dropping it a coupla times – it’s got nary a scratch on body nor screen.
Display is bright and clear, even under strong sunlight.
The blacks are really black. Fonts are so clear that sometimes the red text appear receded below the other-coloured fonts (it’s an optical illusion).
Photos and video appear really vivid on the phone’s screen.
The Olympus Tough TG-320 is 3m waterproof, 1.5m shockproof and -10⁰C freezeproof for the adventurous. The 14-megapixel compact digital camera is available in blue and red in Singapore at S$348.
The Olympus Tough TG-320 is available in Singapore in blue and red for S$298.
Looking for a rugged camera that you can bring for that white-water rafting trip? Check out the Olympus Tough TG-320 digital compact camera.
Olympus Tough TG-320
Megapixels
14 MP
Optical Zoom
3.6 x
Wide angle
28mm
Max zoom
100mm
LCD
2.7″, 230k dots, TFT colour
Movie
1280 x 720 px
Waterproof
3m
Shockproof
1.5m
Freezeproof
-10 deg Celsius
Flash
Built-in
RAW
No
Image stabilisation
Dual IS
Size /mm
96.3 x 63.4 x 22.7
Weight
155 g
Price
S$348
It is waterproof up to a depth of 3m and shockproof against falls from up to 1.5m, with Olympus’ distinct lens barrier and a sliding double lock mechanism
To prevent picture blur due to camera shake and subject motion, the TG-320 features DUAL IS uses a CCD-shift image stabilisation mechanism and high-sensitivity image capturing, by an equivalent of up to 4 shutter speed stops.
The TG-320 records HDTV (1280 x 720 pixels) movies in MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 format.
The camera comes with 8 Magic Filters – Pop, Pin Hole, Fisheye, Sketch, Soft Focus and Punk inherited from the previous model, and the newly-added Watercolour and Sparkle.
Magic Movies recordings are available in Pop, Sketch, Fisheye, Soft Focus, Punk and Watercolour, giving them a distinct look and artistic feel.
You can shoot dynamic 3D photos in any mode from macro to landscape. You can view the 3D effect on 3D-compatible TV sets or computers.
The camera also includes a face-detecting Pet Mode and is compatible with Eye-Fi SDHC memory cards.
SingTel has launched the second season of TGIS – the popular lifestyle series on YouTube. At the moment, the plan is to have 12 bi-weekly episodes hosted by Joanne-Marie Sim, the svelte host from Season 1.
Joanne-Marie Sim, returning host of SingTel TGIS Season 2.
With a new look for its second season, TGIS aims to entertain and educate young Singaporean adults on infotainment news with local and international flavor.
TGIS kicked off its second season on August 8, 2012 with a National Day special episode, featuring popular Singaporean artists and personalities like Hossan Leong, Tay Kewei, Ginette Chittick and Alvelyn Alko.
Joanne-Marie Sim with Tay Kewei, Singaporean singer-songwriter on SingTel TGIS.
They were being interviewed by Joanne-Marie Sim, who was voted Singapore’s next social media star during last year’s SingTel Facebook casting call.
On the show, they shared their views on what it means to be Singaporean and also their fields of work.
Upcoming episodes will include uncovering some of Singapore’s emerging technology and entertainment talents.
TGIS features things Singaporeans are passionate about and helps viewers make sense of the world of gadgets, social media and technology.
“With Season 2, SingTel continues to give viewers a fresh perspective on the latest technologies and gadgets, and how they can enhance their everyday lives,” said Miguel Bernas, SingTel’s Director of Digital Marketing.
In addition to an exciting line-up of personalities and stories, viewers will be able to shape the episodes for Season Two in the coming weeks.
Through SingTel’s YouTube page, they can provide comments to influence how the episodes will play out.
The second episode of TGIS will go live on August 29, 2012.
The Android version of the free CanonSGLens app is now available on Google Play.
The free CanonSGLens app is now available on both iOS and Android.
The Android app features detailed lens specifications of all 66 Canon EF and EF-S lenses sold in Singapore with a unique interactive simulator that allows users to compare the field of view of two camera-lens combinations.
CanonSGLens Android app on Google Play.
It also contains interactive educational content about depth of field and exposure, which is useful for DSLR users, whether they are beginners, amateurs or professionals.
The CanonSGLens for Android app now comes with 7 new lenses for users to test out. It is compatible with smartphones and tablets running Android 2.1 and up.
Canon Singapore first launched the CanonSGLens app for DSLR users as an iOS app on 22 December 2011.
Based on monthly averages, the app has been in the top 50 downloads for iPads and top 100 downloads for iPhones in the Photo and Video category.
Fuji Xerox launched in Singapore today 5 new monochrome laser printers from the DocuPrint 255 and DocuPrint 355 series. Prices range from S$199 to S$659. All will be available from 30 August, 2012.
Clockwise from top left: Fuji Xerox DocuPrint P355 db, M355 df, P355 d, P255 dw, M255 z monochrome laser printers & multifunction devices.
It was only two weeks ago that Brother launched its slew of monochrome laser printers and multifunction machines in Singapore.
Today, Fuji Xerox has launched its own collection 5 monochrome laser printers, which are compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux platforms.
Fuji Xerox DocuPrint
Prices
P255 dw
S$199
M255 z
S$399
P355 db
S$359
P355 d
S$479
M355 df
S$659
All five printers launched today feature duplex double-sided printing, print speeds of up to 30 pages per minute, and print resolutions of 1,200 x 1,200 dpi.
DocuPrint 255 family
The compact DocuPrint 255 family combines exceptional print quality with low cost of ownership. They are ideal for small businesses or the home office.
The DocuPrint M255z is a multifunction printer that prints, scans (with OCR), copies and faxes. It is able to store scanned data easily and quickly without the need for a PC.
DocuPrint 355 family
Fuji Xerox DocuPrint M355 df prints and scans duplex.
The three printers in the DocuPrint 355 family are targeted more at small-to-medium businesses, with the multifunction model providing enterprise level functionalities at an affordable price.
These printers are able to print the first page in six seconds from ready mode. Both the DocuPrint P355 d and DocuPrint M355 df can have wireless networking by plugging in an optional wireless module (S$105).
The DocuPrint M355 df is able to automatically scan double-sided documents.
The DocuPrint P355 db is a basic model that only has a USB port and does not have any networking capability.
Notes:
The prefix P or M indicates whether the device is a single-function printer or a multifunction printer.
The suffix d, b, f or w indicates whether the machine has duplex, basic, fax, wireless network capability. A suffix of z means the printer can do everything above.
All prices include GST. Pictures of the printers are not shown to scale with each other.
This year’s theme is “Have a safe journey” and features thought leaders such as Jim Reavis from CSA and Tim Grance from NIST, in a full day’s programme bringing CXO attendees through security issues surrounding Cloud Computing.
CloudSec 2012 was held at Raffles City Convention Centre in Singapore on 15 August.
I sat through a panel discussion over lunch that shed some light on the thoughts that Reavis, Grance and Nicholas Tan (VMware) had on cloud security.
Jim Reavis, Co-founder & Executive Director Cloud Security Alliance (CSA)
One opinion that may come as a surprise to many people is Reaves’ belief that the choice of whether a company should adopt a private, public or hybrid cloud should not be driven by security alone, which is what most people would use as the immediate and main consideration, if not the sole determinant for their decision.
He felt that security could be a red herring in deciding between the different types of cloud implementation.
Instead, the decision should be based on compliance (regulations on cloud use and location of data centres), performance (whether on-premise servers are needed to reduce latency) and legacy support (transition from existing IT architecture).
Timothy Grance, Senior Computer Scientist, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Grance added that all the models are viable and the choice also involved the need for scale, which has to be balanced with the risk appetite of the organisation making the choice.
All the panelists were unanimous that, in reality, the considerations for security for cloud is no different from traditional systems, although the specific technology employed may be different.
Whether your systems are on a cloud or not, you would be facing threats, you still need to be vigilant, you still need to be rigorous about security, and you’d still need quality people to design and operate the system.
Last year’s CloudSec 2011 at The Sheraton Towers saw more than 300 participants examining the theme of “Have a vision not clouded by fear”.
This year, Trend Micro made the event bigger with more than 500 showing up at the Raffles City Convention Centre on 15 August.
The Wanted’s first concert in Singapore will be on 16 September, 2012. Stand chances to win free tickets and meet-and-greet passes when you shop at Nubox.
The Wanted will debut its first concert in Singapore at the Max Pavilion on 16 Sep 2012.
The Wanted, one of Britain’s biggest and most brilliant pop band, will present its first full-length concert debut in Singapore at the Max Pavilion.
“Nubox presented The Wanted’s private showcase last year and it was very well received. This year, The Wanted’s full-length concert promises to be even bigger and better,” said Evelyn Chua, Chief Marketing Officer of Newstead Technologies.
The Wanted has released three albums namely The Wanted, Battleground and The Wanted (USA Debut) that topped both retail and radio charts.
The five piece group has registered has received over 50 million YouTube views, touring with Justin Bieber and performing at many sold-out areas.
Nubox, an arm of Newstead Technologies is collaborating with Universal Music Group and will run a series of promotions for customers and Facebook fans to bag concerts tickets as well as meet-and-greet passes to get up, close and personal with The Wanted this September.
Looking for a weekend chill-out to start off the Formula One month of September? Check out the “F1 for Everyone” roadshow at the Big Splash on 1-2 September, 2012. Admission is FREE!
Returning title sponsor of the Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix for the fifth year, has partnered with Singapore GP to organise a series of roadshows across Singapore which will culminate in the final roadshow on 1-2 September.
Date
1-2 September (Sat/Sun)
Time
10am to 10pm
Venue
Big Splash, East Coast Park
Admission
Free
The final roadshow will be power packed with lots of race-inspired activities for everyone – including the first-ever electric go-kart race, and past-year crowd-favourite race-inspired fast feats (i.e the fastest person to suit up like a race car driver and the person who can mimic the sound of an F1 engine longest).
There will also be carnival-style activities to bring the joy and excitement of the races to Singaporeans of all ages and walks of life, including fun-filled activities with race-inspired balloon sculptures, stilt-walkers, caricature artists, winning race photo moments and giveaways.
Highlights
Electric Go-kart races
Race-inspired Fast Feats
2012 F1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix Live Screening
Crowning of the top 3 SingTel Grid Girls
Unveiling of the iconic F1 trophy design
Roadshow attendees will also be treated to a live screening of the race in true high-definition and in 3D.
On the second day at this “F1 for Everyone” roadshow, SingTel will be unveiling this year’s F1 trophy and crowning the top 3 SingTel Grid Girls.
Also in store is an exciting showdown as we conclude the search for Singapore’s fastest electric go-kart race car driver who will win a pair of passes to a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet the F1 drivers in person at the autograph signing session.
Singapore adventurer Khoo Swee Chiow has become the first Singaporean and Southeast Asian to reach the peak of K2, the world’s second highest mountain, and most treacherous peak. Congratulations!
Khoo Swee Chiow at the summit of K2.
A tired but elated Khoo Swee Chiow said, “Reaching the summit of K2 has been a dream of mine for many years. Years of climbing expeditions and training have culminated in this landmark moment and I’m extremely thankful to Seagate and my other sponsors for helping to make this a reality.”
What can a person do in slightly more than a month? It was only in end June that I wrote about Khoo Swee Chiow embarking upon the climb up K2. Before you know it, he’s done it. Bravo!
The Singaporean adventurer and motivational speaker reached the summit at 1020hrs on 31 July 2012 (1320hrs on 31 July 2012 Singaporean time).
K2 is known as the most treacherous and technically challenging mountain in the world.
Utilising unused TV frequencies to provide wireless broadband connectivity increases the range and and penetration of coverage through foliage and reflective water surfaces that traditional Wi-Fi simply cannot penetrate.
Squeezing more more channels from the electromagnetic spectrum.
Currently, the radio spectrum in the TV broadcast bands have been reserved for use by licensed broadcasters and are out-of-bounds for wireless broadband networks.
“Broadband connectivity is the ‘oxygen’ to today’s digital economy, and is fundamental to the wide adoption of cloud computing services that are already part of our daily lives, whether at work, home or play,” observed Jessica Tan, General Manager, Enterprise & Partner Group, Microsoft Asia Pacific.
However, much of these reserved radio spectrum remain unused and are called TV White Spaces (TVWS).
For instance, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia shares out the TV broadcast bands in the region and there are certain bands allocated to Malaysia and Indonesia that Singapore cannot use for TV broadcast.
If these TV White Spaces can be harnessed effectively for wireless broadband connectivity without interfering with the quality of TV broadcast, it will translate to better coverage, lower power consumption and reduced network costs.
“TVWS radio technology will create a new generation of wireless connectivity by unlocking these large, unused chunks of spectrum that will enable more ubiquitous and affordable wireless broadband for all,” said Tan.
The physical characteristics of the 700 MHz band (as compared to the higher-frequency 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands used by traditional Wi-Fi), for example, means that it can reach further, penetrate thick foliage, and transmit across reflective water surfaces with less interference.
In terms of bandwidth, however, both TVWS and Wi-Fi are capable of roughly 2Mbps per MHz. It is the penetrative and low-power attributes of the former that makes it an attractive supplement to the latter.
The spectrum as a precious commodity
Globally, explosive growth of wireless data traffic is putting a severe strain on today’s mobile and Wi-Fi network infrastructure, signalling the need for more efficient management of the spectrum, through policy and technology innovations.
The exploitation of TVWS turns unused TV broadcast frequency bands into premium wireless broadband delivery channels.
