December 9th, 2014
We visited Team Elemonators in the third and final week of their 3-week production. The girls were going at completing their 1-minute animation by the end of the week. Erin reports.
The team Elemonators, with their two fluffy mascot bears, courtesy of Leanne.
It’s the third week and team Elemonators are speeding ahead hurriedly, close to the completion of their task!
The tools of the trade which occupy Esther’s workspace. To the right, near the NEWater bottle, is a Wacom Intuos Graphics Tablet, and a Lenovo computer.
The clock is ticking away for CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School’s Elemonators as they finish up their animation, already three-quarters through.
All they had to do was to finish animating the last few scenes of their animated piece, and then render it.
When we dropped by, the team was focused on the rotoscoping segment of their animation journey.
What is rotoscoping?
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Tags: animation, competition, education, Elemonators, N.E.mation!, N.E.mation! 9, production, St Nicholas
Posted in After Effects, audioVisual, Contest, Education, Events, events, Video, Visits, Wacom | No Comments »
December 6th, 2014
The vision of Intel Education’s initiatives is: Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators. Here’s a peek into how Intel is plugging into the education scene.
From left: Eileen Lento, Ph.D; John Galvin; Sam Al-Schamma – key education advocates and leaders in Intel.
To most people, including myself, Intel is the leading chip maker that manufactures the processors in the computers that we use.
The company is also heavily involved in helping educational organisations and government bodies harness technology to reinvent teaching and learning for the younger generation.
Intel’s contribution to Education
To improve education in more than 70 countries, Intel and the Intel Foundation has, in the past decade, invested more than US$1billion, contributed more than 4 million employee volunteer hours, trained 14 million teachers, and helped 5 million people gain digital literacy.
I had the pleasure of listening to key executives in Intel Education over lunch earlier this week during the Bett Asia Leadership Summit in Singapore at the Marina Bay Sands.
John Galvin – a vice president of the Sales and Marketing Group and general manager of Intel Education at Intel Corporation – hosted the lunch and shared his experience in setting global strategy and implementation of innovative technology solutions to advance education worldwide.
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Tags: Bett, education, Intel, Intel Foundation, Tech Focus, technology
Posted in Brief, Education, Enterprise IT, Events, events, Intel, Tech Focus | No Comments »
December 5th, 2014
The new 8-inch, Android 4.4 (KitKat) ruggedised tablet is now available in Singapore at S$698 (LTE) and S$598 (Wi-Fi).
The Samsung GALAXY Tab Active is available in Titanium Green and it comes with the Ruggedized Cover and the “C Pen”.
Samsung has launched its first ruggedised tablet, with anti-shock protection to withstand a 1.2-metre drop (with ruggedised cover on); and water/dust resistant to IP67 certification.
The Samsung GALAXY Tab Active is now available in Singapore at $698 for the LTE version and $598 for the Wi-Fi version at IT retailers, Samsung Experience Stores, and from authorised Enterprise channel partners.
The GALAXY Tab Active is developed specifically for the business environment with professional functionalities and reinforced security.
Weighing 393g and measuring 213.1 x 126.2 x 9.75mm, the tablet has 1.5GB RAM and 16GB memory, with MicroSD slot for a further 128GB.
The GALAXY Tab Active is driven by a 1.2GHz Quad Core processor and powered by a 4,450mAh user replaceable battery.
The following accessories are also available for purchase with the GALAXY Tab Active:
- Gear Circle (SM-R130) available in Black, Blue and White at S$168.
- 9500mAh Battery Pack (EB-PN910) available in Black and White at S$128.
- USB/LAN Hub (ET-UP900) at S$98.
The 8-inch WXGA (1280 x 800) TFT LCD touch screen has 16 million colours.
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Tags: Galaxy, prices, ruggedised, Samsung, Singapore, Tab, tablets
Posted in Android, Announce, Availability, Business IT, Gadgets, gadgets, Galaxy, newArrivals, Prices, Samsung, Security, Specifications, Tablets, tablets | No Comments »
December 4th, 2014
Collaborations with key industry heavyweights will see AFA debuting in Thailand as part of SEA’s largest popular culture festival in May 2015. Photos in this article are courtesy of Anime Festival Asia 2014.
(from second left to right) Koichiro Natsume (CEO, Aniplex Inc. and Founder of Anime Japan); Shawn Chin (SOZO’s Founder, Managing Director and Anime Festival Asia’s Executive Festival Director); Ongard Prapakamol (BEC-Tero True Visions’ Managing Director); and Hidetoshi Takigawa (South East Asia Region Head, Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong Limited Singapore Branch).
Industry partners spoke during the press preview for AFA 2014 in Singapore which takes place at Suntec City starting tomorrow till Sunday (5-7 December).
Key announcements include:
- AFA: AFA announced a partnership with BEC-Tero True Visions (BTTV), a joint venture company formed by Thailand’s largest pay TV operator True Visions and the country’s largest concert and live events promoter BEC-Tero – to grow the popular culture markets in Thailand and Indonesia. AFA Thailand will be held with Bangkok Comic Con in April 2015, with an event in Indonesia slated subsequently.
- Sony PlayStation: PlayStation is celebrating its 20th Anniversary and has unveiled the limited PlayStation 4 20th Anniversary Edition and an online contest.
- Anime Japan: Anime Japan 2015, to be held on 21st and 22nd March 2015, will work together with AFA to cross-promote and introduce AFA to visitors during the event. Anime Japan 2015 will feature a new area to target trade visitors keen to discuss business collaborations and programmes.
HoriPro artistes May’n and Hayato Kakizawa, who plays Light in the musical Death Note that’s premiering in Japan in 2015.
Below are more details from the press release.
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Tags: AFA, anime, Bangkok, events, festival, Japan, Singapore
Posted in Brief, Events, Gadgets, Gaming, PlayStation, Sony, Tickers | 1 Comment »
December 3rd, 2014
Only 12,300 units of the limited edition PS4 will be available worldwide. It will be priced SGD689 in Singapore, IDR7,399,000 in Indonesia, RM1,779 in Malaysia, PHP26,999 in The Philippines, and THB20,990 in Thailand.
Update from AFA 2014 (4 December, 2014):
There will be a “PlayStation 20th Anniversary Online Contest” for customers in Southeast Asia to get a chance to win a purchase pass to buy the PlayStation 4 20th Anniversary Edition.
Participants will also get a chance to win a PlayStation Plus 3-Year Membership and PlayStation 20th Anniversary Limited Premiums in addition to the purchase pass.
In addition to the contest, SCEH Singapore Branch has created some special premiums to give away to customers for purchase of PlayStation console or software.
There will also be some specially designed PSN prepaid cards featuring different classic game titles to commemorate PlayStation’s 20th anniversary.
The contest will be held from 4th December to 21st December, 2014.
Customers can log in to the “PlayStation 4 20th Anniversary Website” from now on and register to participate in the contest within this period.
The participants will need to use their creativity to express why they should be given the purchase pass to buy the PlayStation 4 20th Anniversary Edition.
They can share any photo or video on Instagram to celebrate PlayStation 20th Anniversary with a specific hashtag.
The themes can be:
- Your special PlayStation collection
- Your best moment with PlayStation
- PlayStation related cosplay
- Anything you can think of!
All winners will be determined by the number of likes on Instagram (50%) and selected by a judging panel according to creative, inspiring and styling factors (50%).
An appearance reminiscent of the original PS: The PlayStation 4(PS4) system, Wireless Controller (DUALSHOCK 4), PlayStation Camera, vertical stand and the mono headset all come in “Original Gray,” a limited color that replicates that of the original console. The PS family mark labels are on the PS4 system, DUALSHOCK 4, and PlayStation Camera. The combination of colors is similar to that of the original PS.
The number 12,300 reflects the launch date of the original PlayStation on 3rd December, 1994.
The PS4 itself as well as the surface of the DUALSHOCK 4 controller’s touch pad are embossed with the “△2○×□” pattern, a special arrangement of the “△○×□” logo mark with “○” resembling the number “0” to indicate the 20th anniversary.
The limited edition PS4 – which resembles the original PlayStation – and included accessories will come in “Original Gray” colour, packaged in a special commemorative box.
The original PlayStation was the first home console in video game history to reach a milestone of over 100 million units in cumulative worldwide shipments.
The limited edition PS4 offers a sense of nostalgia to long-time PlayStation fans, while also providing a fresh experience to those who never picked up the original console.
The PlayStation 4 20th Anniversary Edition includes the following:
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Tags: contest, games, gaming, PlayStation, prices, Singapore, Sony
Posted in Accessories, Announce, Events, events, Gadgets, gadgets, Gaming, Gaming, Launch, newArrivals, PlayStation, Prices, Software, Sony, Specifications | 1 Comment »
December 2nd, 2014
This week, Commonwealth Secondary School’s wasd powers full-steam ahead in the production of their SAF-themed animation masterpiece. Erin Tan was on site to get to know the team members and to get the latest updates on their progress.
The team, wasd, with their mascot – Penguin the penguin.
Last Friday, we visited N.E.mation! team wasd, working studiously away in their cubicle in Nanyang Polytechnic.
They have been keeping very strictly to their schedule, as created for them by their mentor, and have made much progress in the making of their animation piece.
Niger and Zhi Qing talking enthusiastically about their progress of the previous week.
So far, the team has been able to finish most of the animation sequence, and were able to show us a fully-coloured, fully-animated sample of the final animation.
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Tags: animation, Commonwealth, competition, education, N.E.mation!, N.E.mation! 9, production, wasd
Posted in After Effects, audioVisual, Contest, Education, Events, events, Video, Visits | No Comments »
December 1st, 2014
CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School team Elemonators are working away diligently at creating their animation piece. Erin reports.
Leanne and Esther of the Elemonators hard at work!
Last Friday, we visited Elemonators in their cubicle in Nanyang Polytechnic.
Their mascot bears, courtesy of Leanne. They accompany and motivate the team on this difficult journey towards animation stardom!
This being the middle of the 3-week production phase, the Elemonators are going at full gear with their animation.
Notes jotted down about ‘pegging’.
It’s not all work and no play though, as the team had lots of fun, socialising with the rest of the participants and teams in NEmation, especially the team (Millennium Dragons, also from St Nicholas Girls’ School) in the cubicle next to theirs.
A common pastime was taking group photos in their workspace, with the assistance of members from other teams.
It appears that NEmation has been a great platform for them to socialise with people from other schools and standards, and gain new friends!
The team is creating a digital 2D animation sequence using Toom Boom Studio, based on the premise of four people performing acts of kindness for people around them, and in doing so, inspiring others to be kind too.
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Tags: animation, competition, education, Elemonators, N.E.mation!, N.E.mation! 9, production, St Nicholas
Posted in After Effects, audioVisual, Contest, Education, Events, events, Visits | No Comments »
November 28th, 2014
Earlier this year, LG Singapore worked with three individuals – a photographer, a doctor and a pharmacist – to provide Pocket Photos, LG’s smart mobile printers, for a self-directed medical mission where they provided free medical care to the people living in the slums in Chennai, India.
The delighted looks on the faces of the kids were priceless when they saw the prints of their photos. Photo credit: LG Electronics.
How did the the Pocket Photos help?
The LG Pocket Photo 2 (PD239) was a huge attraction and helped to break the ice with the local people and keep them entertained as they queued to seek medical treatment.
The photos served as ice-breakers to help remove the reserve of the locals towards the volunteers. Photo credit: LG Electronics.
The locals loved to be photographed and were mesmerised that something as small as a portable battery pack was able to print photos instantly.
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Tags: Chennai, CSR, India, LG, photos, Pocket Photo, printers
Posted in Accessories, Gadgets, gadgets, LG, Photography, Photos, Printers, printers, Visits | No Comments »
November 26th, 2014
The Casio EXILIM EX-MR1 (S$429) is available in Singapore at SITEX 2014 and selected Casio authorised retailers from 27 November 2014.
The front surface is mirrored with the lens directly behind it.
The 14-megapixel EXILIM EX-MR1 is the latest in Casio’s EXILIM range of compact digital cameras.
Designed to optimise the user experience when taking self-portraits, the EX-MR1 has a novel front-facing mirror so that ladies can adjust their appearance to their liking when taking selfies.
The Casio EXILIM EX-MR1 comes in Green, Pink and White (shown here).
The mirrored front surface of the EX-MR1 is has special coating that allows light to pass through to the lens while also reflecting it out to the user.
With the camera lens directly behind the mirror, ladies are able to snap away while looking directly at their reflection and maintain eye contact with the lens.
Subjects are able to check their appearances and experiment with different poses while the photographer views the image through the LCD monitor.
Weighing ony 133g, the EX-MR1 is simple, chic and ergonomically designed to fit nicely in a lady’s palm.
The shutter button is placed along the side of the camera.
The EX-MR1 has a 21-mm wide angle lens suited for ‘selfies’ and an Auto Rotation function to easily preview both landscape and portrait images.
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Tags: cameras, Casion, compact, EX-MR1, EXILIM, selfie, Singapore, SITEX, SITEX 2014
Posted in Announce, Availability, Cameras, cameras, Casio, Compact camera, EXILIM, Gadgets, gadgets, newArrivals, Prices, Specifications | No Comments »
November 25th, 2014
Microsoft Devices offers the 5-inch Windows Phone 8.1 phablet at an affordable S$199. The budget phablet comes with a 5-megapixel front camera and dual SIM.
The Lumia 535 Dual SIM will be available in a range of colours including orange, white, cyan and black. Bright green and dark grey are not available for Singapore.
First announced on 10 November in the US, the Lumia 535 will debut in Singapore on 5 December, at an affordable price of S$199.
The Lumia 535 offers five free integrated Microsoft experiences:
- Make memorable Skype video calls and seamlessly switch between voice and video with built-in Skype integration. Fit more memorable backgrounds or add more friends into Skype video calls and selfies with the 5 MP wide angle front facing camera.
- With Microsoft Office Mobile, you can now access, edit and share Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents and OneNote notebooks wherever you are, with the pre-installed Microsoft Office suite.
- Save and sync photos, videos and Office documents securely with 15GB of free OneDrive cloud storage.
- Connect with work and personal e-mail while on the go, with built-in Microsoft Outlook.
- Add a whole new dimension to your console entertainment with Xbox One SmartGlass, the perfect companion app if you want the best of your Xbox One from both in your living room and on the go. Connect and control your Xbox One and stay connected with the games and gamers you like.
Lumia 535 sports a 5-inch qHD (960 x 540 pixels, 16:9) IPS made of Gorilla Glass 3 with capacitative touchscreen at resolution of 220ppi.
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Tags: availability, Lumia, Lumia 535, Microsoft, Nokia, phablets, prices, Singapore, smartphones, Windows, Windows Phone
Posted in Announce, Availability, Gadgets, Lumia, Microsoft, Microsoft Devices, newArrivals, Nokia, Phones, Prices, smartphones, Specifications, Windows Phone, Windows Phone 8 | 1 Comment »
