A difference of opinion.

I'm such a girly girl in so many ways!
Girl first, geek second. ;)

The Perils of Social Networking

4 iPad2: blogging blues

Ok so this damn thing is damn fidgety when it comes to blogging. The keypad is an ok size - I find I'm learning to type fairly quickly. I'm sure that I'll figure out how to navigate the damn auto-corrector too, eventually.

However, if you want to post en entry with a YouTube embedded,  i would recommend you poke yourself in the eye for fun instead. 

Problem 1: No YouTube embed code. 
The pad is designed to overcome the flash problem by automatically switching to a separate YouTube program, which does not come with embed codes. You could copy that from previous entries, you think? That leads me to ... 

Problem 2:  YOU CANNOT SCROLL IN THE HTLM FRAME.
Need an updated version of safari to be able to use the compose tab on blogspot. That's ok though. I edit HTML only anyway. 

However, infind that the damn entry frame is a no scroll zone! WTF?? Which means, to circumnavigate problem 1, if your prev entry is of any substantial length, you have to access the edit screen of the prev entry with the youtube embed, select all, copy, paste in note, delete the flak, reselect & recopy, and paste in the HTML edit frame of blogspot. 

And heaven help you if you go to a previous paragraph and want to go back to end of the piece. NO SCROLLING, remember?! I'm doing this entry in Note as we speak =p

Problem 3: the YouTube program does not give you the video URL.
Open a separate safari window, find the same damn YouTube video, and copy the URL from there. No, by the way, no embed codes here either.

Facebook notes function.
OK this isn't technically blogging, but I use it that way too, when i think the audience is appropriate, or if I'm tagging someone... so I'm putting this here.

Problem 4: cannot write notes.
Yes, at all. I'm using safari here, not some fancy app. Just good ol HTML. Can't do it. You can, however, key in the subject & tag the note... You just can't do any actual writing.

That's all I've come across so far... But then this was my first blog entry. I haven't even attempted anything fancy. =p

3 ipad2: case files

I decided on the C.E.O. Hybrid case from Marware.
It's as close to bullet-proof that I can get for under RM200.

Click here for website

Case is tough, reassuring in its stoic, ultra conservative finish. It's injection-moulded, and feels solid enough to be Lyn-proof... *laugh*

A brow-furrowing design fault: the clips are tight - as they should be, you may think... but the corner clips closest to the hinge are a little bit too much so, considering that you're constantly prying the ipad out of them so that you can fold it into easel mode.

I expect they'll wear out soon. This will replace my stiff upper clip (pun MOST DEFINITELY intended) problem for the "will it drop out" worry. To be fair, I expect the other 2 clips will prevent that, really...

That being said, now I'm having problems getting the anti-glare, smudge & grease-resistant, reusable, re-washable & colour-swap screen protector that I want: the iVisor because the iPhone.my review leads me to believe that the case may be too tight for the iVisor to fit.

Ricky's solution? "Don't need a screen protector loh..."
My response? "Fuck no! Can't live without one! Already wipe that thing kabillions of times a day. My OCD will KILL ME!"

So...
Step 1: find a local distributor of iVisor.
Step 2: take my toy over & find out once & for all whether it will fit.
Step 3: Pray that it doesn't cost more than the casing *pout*

2 ipad2

This little thing has taken over my life.
Ok it hasn't been a week yet even, so I can be excused for focusing on my shineeyyyyy new toy now, can't I ?! ;)

Tablets make you really anti-social.
Ok, that's both true & false.
When you're focused on the tablet & ignoring the ppl around you, you could be accused of being anti-social... as much as texting/reading the papers at the table does.

However, tablets being the shineeyyyyy toy that it is, you find yourself engaging with the people you're with, talking about it & playing games on it, and that counts as being social doesn't it? *laugh* It does in my circles!

Most of the games I like are not free *pout*
But then again, the games I like are the adventure type where you find things & collect things & go off on quests... in HD... so I don't expect them to be free. The pirateer in me doth protest though *sigh*

The levels I *have* played though, I must say, have graphics worth mentioning! Really smooth rendering & edges, provided you install the ipad versions (as opposed to stretching the iphone ones).

Having said that, with all the games & apps I've been trying out, the fingerprints on the damn screen is driving me CRAZY. Can't wait for the matte screen protectors to be available here.

1 ipad2

I managed to get iTunes to upload all my epub ebooks so I'm Really happy with iBooks, even though they don't really have a lot of free books in the store. I can basically read anything that I want, and the GUI is completely intuitive. Next will be to uplaoad some of the badly done ebooks I have to see how it handles poor conversion - will the ToC work, etc.
These are tiny, miniscule details though.

Out of the box, it's lighter than the iPad, and the dimensions are pleasing. It is heavier than a book though, and I suspect that will be my pet peeve. A peeve I will counter by reminding myself that though it is heavier than the average book, it is MUCH LIGHTER than the 7000 books I could potentially load into it. And I can view manga. :) And it's backlit, so I can read in a bus/car/dark room without external lighting.

The speaker (yes, singular) on the iPad2 isn't bad. Video renders smoothly, and audio doesn't crackle even at max volume. Placing the iPad2 onto the table does boost volume & sound quality a little a it uses the surface to resonate & bounce sound. If you get a case that wraps around the whole ipad, this feature is rendered useless.

The mic is ok, but it would have to be because there is no port for an external mic. You'd need to get bluetooth headset c/w mic & sync that, blah blah blah. (Please see previous rant on how Apple makes you pay for EDT:Every Damn Thing).

The best feature I've found so far is the double click on the menu button, bringing up the task bar. This enables you to close the programs that you've previously minimized & frees up cache & RAM for other apps.

To iPad or not to iPad... that is the question.

Have been quite happy with my iRobot Android tablet... but it's broken :(
It's only been a couple of days, and I miss my ebooks already!
Now that I find that I do use the toy (and use quite extensively), am considering if I should get a better toy.
Better grades of Android tablets are the same price range as an iPad.
So now I'm considering the iPad.

Sigh.

In general, I hates Apple. Innovation notwithstanding, I hate how proprietary they are with almost everything & every part of the iPad/iPhone/iPod. Android is as innovative, as user-friendly, as flexible, without being panties-in-a-wad fanatical about making us pay for every damn part of the machine/accessory/app and controlling use of *ahem* evaluation software/apps/books/music. I really believe in the way Google makes all things possible for nothing (or next to nothing). However, there's no beating the iPad Human Machine Interface. It's mind-boggling & shineeeeyyyy. The gadget freak in me is, as sham says, perpetually Salivating.

For the same price, I have to consider the iPad because I don't believe in cutting my nose off to spite my face. Hence the conundrum.

OK Even I am impressed

For all that I dislike about the i-anything, I must admit that they are blowing people's minds the world over.
This is one of those instances.

Suit Musical

Barney Stinson.
Musical.
About Suits.
OMFG
It's BRILLIANT!!

BaZinga!

Lisa introduced me to The Big Bang Theory. I LOVE LOVE LOVE!! :D

I can't believe I hadn't noticed it before! I allowed 3 whole seasons to pass without notice. How?????? Now I am all over-enthused and giggly over it.
It is smart and geeky and ENTIRELY Hilarious and *SO* me! Not that I'm smart or geeky or hilarious... but you already knew what I meant, right?! *grin*

Jim Parsons as Sheldon is PRICELESS. There are no words to describe how much I adore him. I know John Galecki as Leonard is supposed to be the main character, but it is Sheldon who's all perfect and brilliant and awkward and evil and Spock-like and OCD and I can so see how he is the human C3PO, and I think I'm in love.

They cast Christine Baranski as Lenord's mother. I LOVE Christine Branski and she was PERFECT! *laugh* Yes, I am gushing. This whole damn series was written for Me. Just ME!

The clip below is from the episode where Penny told Sheldon that she bought them xmas gifts. Not knowing what to give to her in return, Sheldon bought a whole bunch of gift baskets from Bed, Bath and Beyond. He plans to open her present, assess the value, and excuse himself to select an appropriate present from the bunch, returning the rest later. However, she presents him with a conundrum. J'ADORE that episode.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog: Laundry Day

Norman: How can you not have seen Dr. Horrible????
It's Barney Stinson.
As a mad scientist.
Out to rule the world.
To music.

4 VERY good reasons to youtube.
And I LOVE.
Bless you, Norman!

Igudesman & Joo

Are coming to Malaysia!! :D

According to their official website:

Monday 16. november 2009
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - with Gidon Kremer
BEING GIDON KREMER: The Rise and Fall of the Classical Musician
Igudesman & Joo with Gidon Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica
Announced : 18-06-2009 17:16:05

Tuesday 17. november 2009
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
IGUDESMAN & JOO: "A Little Nightmare Music"
Announced : 18-06-2009 17:16:22

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - with Gidon Kremer
BEING GIDON KREMER: The Rise and Fall of the Classical Musician Igudesman & Joo with Gidon Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica
Announced : 18-06-2009 17:16:06

I CANNOT wait!! [insert dance of joy here]

For the uninitiated, youtube clip inserted below. :)

Shades of Llaby!

This *so* brightened up a grey morning.
OMFG it's *so* cute & *so* funny... and SO embarrassingly familiar. *laugh*
Dalenn and ... sitting in a tree... You know who you are... ;)
LMAO!