Zamri A Cover Model?

Have you ever dreamed of being a cover model? Well, now you can without the hassle of being auditioned or going through all that go-see process. If you got an iPad, good news for you coz there's a free app called RealCoverHD which can turn your dream into virtual reality. I said virtual coz they won't be made into print, eh? With many magazine cover template to choose from (though you can't change the 'wordings' on them). you can be a cover model in a snap. [click!]

So. Me, a GQ cover star; possible? Ha!

(that right-after-wake-up snap of me really need some 'makeover'!)

Blogging Straight from the Blogger Apps

Okay, here's the deal. You know I'm always with my iPhone and iPad all the times, right? Can't live without 'em, won't live without 'em. And so as my love for blogging. But, as much as I do love updating my own blog, I don't necessarily sitting in front of the PC on a daily basis to bring you that continuous stream of posts. Hell no. Just like what I once told my blogger friend, Intan some time ago that most of my blogposts are actually 'scheduled'. (oops, i think you now know how 'tertipah' you're too, yikes!)

Coz usually in the weekend when I took my time off from working, that's the only time I can actually write most of blogposts. I can write 30, 40 posts without any problem since in my head there's a huge explosion of ideas that is neverending. Yet, i 'strategically' schedule it to be published on different time, different dates coz if I do publish 'em all in a day then you readers might be bored during the course of the week as there's nothing more to read. Right? And that's why some people do mention "rajin giler mamat ni update blog tiap2 hari", whereas the truth is it's not entirely true. That's what I call 'fashion forward'... coz I can project which blogpost might be suitable to be out there on which date.

But of course, at times i do post on 'that particular day' basis esp those breaking news which I can't keep long. For the rest, better do it scheduled instead since to be sitting in front of the PC, to edit those pixs, to write, to find good internet connection for it to be published and etc... on daily basis; well, ko ingat aku xder kerja lain ker? I do have other thing to do too you know. It's called 'LIFE'.

But now with the new official 'Blogger' iPhone app from Google, I think I might blog in realtime, since for sure my phone and iPad are directly connected to the web (via the simcard). The only difference is that, it probably can't do any Italic or bold letters coz there aren't any (or maybe I haven't fully explore the app yet). It also can't do proper aligning of the paragraphs. As for the image, there's a button on the bottom of the page to attach the photos. I hope it might work, though I think the photo might not be blown up to the entire page... here we go.

So, is it a good thing that this free app by Google finally enable bloggers to update their blog in realtime without having to access the PC? I think so. At least when you go out travelling and find something interesting to share straight away, snap the pix and it's ready to be published in the blog.

And oh, fyi... you can still do 'scheduled' post too since there's always that 'save' button. ;)

The BigFat QR Code

Any gadget freaks meet bloggoholic would definitely love this. What more could ask for in any blog? Good layout? Check. Gorgeous people to read the entries and follow your blog? Check. A Facebook fan page? Check. Twitter that auto-linked to your blogpost everytime you update it? That's check either... or shall I say, used to check coz I've deleted my Twitter account (yikes!). What else?

Oh, QR code!

If you don't know what's QR code, then you'll defintely in the black hole no doubt! It's the abstract pixelated image with the squares on its corner that act as an encrypted code to link you into something. Yeah, much like Da Vinci code, but in a much techno version. I remembered back in Autumn 2009, Hugo Boss spreaded different QR codes at the back of The Londonpaper, by which if you took it to their store in Sloane Square and stand in front of the camera by the window display, it'll tell you if you win something or not. I went and tried it actually, but not on the outside because it doesn't work. The salesgirl directed me inside instead and asked me to point that humungous QR code at the back cover of The Londonpaper in front of the camera at one of the podium. And voila... you know what did I get? Nothing. Coz unfortunately the code I'm holding is not "with the prize" in it. Dang! Otherwise I've gotten at least £100 voucher to spent...~sigh~

Anyway. I've generated my own QR code. Introducing the BigFatBlog's own QR code...

But, how to use it? Well, for any smartphone users you should have an application in your phone that can read the code. If no, then download it according to your OS. For iPhone users, one of the free apps is the QR Reader which you can download through iTunes. How does it work?

If you've read the Tesco Finder app I posted last year, it's kinda similar to the Scan function in the app [click here]. Once you point the 'scanner' towards the QR code, there's a red bar light going up and down trying to decode it. In my case, the code will link you to this blog address.... as you can see in the pix below.

Okay, fine... but what's the use of the QR code really? Well, to put it in simple word - promotion. Just imagine if you really wanna make your blog goes viral - or even anything - all you have to do is to print a lot of the codes and stick it to any places you want. Instead of making it too obvious and obnoxious "zabigfatblog.blogspot.com", which is too 'in your face' kinda thing - the code will look much mysterious and very hi-tech nonetheless. Mystery, coz only those who know how to decode it can actually read what it's all about. Brilliant, isn't it?

Now, go and make your own QR code. But do remember, don't vandalise the public spaces with it! :)

You Say Classic. I Say Classical... App.

Ever since my first post that I've already bought a guitar, I've been talking about it on and on. The truth is, I'm still learning to play the instrument till today. And the other real truth is: it's DAMN hard! Harder than learning how to drive. Harder than learning Fluid Mechanics. Or even harder than designing a distillation column! (That's a word to my nephew btw, who's asking me whether he should design a distillation column or absorber for the Design Project - the Chemical Engineering stuff..lol).

And it's true. Playing guitar is so not easy. With all the chords, the frets, the strings to 'pluck'... it's mind-boggling. How you combine all the notes together that make a song - to me, that's like trying to climb Kilimanjaro. So complicated! I dunno how those people out there could make it look that easy ~ and with all the oh-so-endearing tunes that it makes.... I know there's lots of time and effort being spent on this stuff.

Anyway, for those who's a novice like me (or even less than novice!), you now have a choice on whether...

Ruch-front tee @ Asos.

Vest @ H&M

Raw denim @ Uniqlo

Wool fingerless glove @ Marc Jacobs

Studded leather cuff @ He by Mango

Neo-leather asymmetric biker jacket @ Uniqlo

iPad, in the YSL patent leather iPad case.

Brilliant isn't it? Now, for those who have an iPad, you can download the app that resembles a guitar. Codename: Classical Guitar app. And it works! With all the chords that you can scroll down to select, the strings seems to work flawlessly as if you're actually playing a real guitar! And yes, it sounds better of course as compared to how I played. Nggg...

What's more? There's also options to select whether you're right- or left-handed. Or whether you wanna do auto-pluck (so that you won't have to worry about 'recessing' the other strings in a chord). Or even to have a different frets without having to mess around with the actual 'clip'. Brilliant.

And the best part: the app is FREE!

Shop Till Your Battery Run Out!

First and foremost, I wanna give myself a big 'DUH!' and a slap on the forehead coz I've just learned how to 'print screen' from the iPhone/iPod Touch. Yeah, 'print screen' as similar to the one you do at any PC if you wanna save a picture but cannot really 'right click --> save as' kinda thing. Yes, THAT 'print screen'. I've just learned it by chance when I accidentally hit the on/off button together with the home button on my iPod Touch and suddenly came this 'shutter' sound out of nowhere. And voila... when I checked the Photos folder, I found I've just save an image in it. Brilliant. That means, from now on I can actually do more iPhone apps review without the need of a digicam to capture the image. Just awesome. Oh, fyi, it's my old iPod Touch, the one sans  the camera unlike the current gen that comes with dual cam. :)

Anyway, moving on to the review. Now picture this: You are sitting in a board meeting. Suddenly, in the middle of the presentation you start getting bored, and you have no idea what on earth the presenter is talking about. Especially when he started crunching numbers and figures with decimal points outnumbered the populations of China, and the font size 16 that you barely see as if you can use a binocular just to read out from the screen. And you are sitting far, far back there ... where hearing the presenter is also a huge effort to do. Isn't it daunting? Suddenly your mind wandering around, you start having this urge: I wish I could go shopping RIGHT NOW! But you can't coz you are in a board meeting, silly. So what you do? And oh, you have an iPhone too btw... so, what you do?

Don't worry... there's an app for that! (don't you just wanna slap me when i use that phrase again, ahaks!)

Okay. I'm gonna give you some of the app that you can use to shop. The first one is not really an e-shopping app, rather it's an app to help you find bargains out there on the highstreet. It's called: The Fashion Pixie. What it do is basically search for stores that are having discounts either in-store or online, ranging from the departmental stores like Debenhams or Harvey Nicks to the highstreet chains like River Island, Gap and New Look, to even e-shopping sites like Asos and MyBag.

If you touch on any of the list, it'll bring you to another 'page' giving you further details like percentage discounts, validity period of the sale, what you could look for, etc etc. So what you can do after that is to check it in-store yourself right after work or click on the e-shopping websites. Pretty cool.

Another app that I really like is actually originated from it's own website i.e SHOPSTYLE. What I like about ShopStyle is its one-stop shop approach where you can actually find anything which is about everything you wish for coz the site is like an RSS feed that brings together all websites into one, giving you a big time-saving and ease of search. Whether you're looking for a high-end brandname like Gucci and Armani, to the highstreet stores like what i mentioned before - it's all there.

How does the app work?

• Right after the first 'cover' page, it'll bring you to the 'departments' like Women, Men, Kids & Baby and Home. 
• Click on one of them, for instance I click 'Men' - it'll bring into another page with another choices to shop: Accessories, Jeans, etc... etc.
• When I click Accessories for example, it'll bring me into another page with the list of either I wanna go for Bag, Belts, Gloves & Scarves...etc.. etc. Now let me try with Bag.
• In 'Bag' section, the true list of available bags out there in the market is laid out in the bare. As you can see there are about 1150 items, ranging from rucksacks, holdalls, totes, so on and so forth. Well, you can browse thru all of that or if you're like me, I choose to further refine the search. I went for 'Brand' i.e. Gucci.
• And voila... there's only 3 Gucci available. Oh, fyi it doesn't really go to the original store. For instance, for that Gucci all the bags are not really from official Gucci site, rather from other webstores like Yoox, Matches, Farfetch and the likes. That's why the quantity is limited.
• Click on one of the bag, it'll further give the details like from where it is sourced at, the price, the size etc.
• If I decided to buy, just click the 'Buy' button and it'll forward me to the respective store (like that Gucci, to Matches Fashion website).
• Or if I wanna wait for it to go on sale, you know to save budget, I can just click on the 'Alert' button. Nope, it won't give you the fire alarm!
• I can also add it into my wish list or 'favorite' if I decided not to buy now. I can even tweet or share it on Facebook too.
• You can also change other settings like to sign in into your account if you have one, and you can also set a new account using the app itself. You can also set the 'Sale Alert', your current location, which twitter account to use for, etc etc.

Overall, it's very interactive, intuitive and easy to use. One thing to make sure, have your credit card ready!

And oh, this app only apply for Japan, US and some European countries. For the previous one, Fashion Pixie, is only valid in the UK. Whoopps..!

Anyway, I just wish these kind of apps would be rolled out to all over the world. Aren't we all love to shop? And no matter where we are - in the board meeting, or on the move or even during holiday by the beach - we can still shop. Why? Coz there's always an app for that! =)

P/S: Just wait for my other iPhone apps reviews...

BigFatSnoop: Midweek @ H&M

There's something new H&M when I made a quick snoop in the midweek. Something that I've been wanting to try ever since I saw it from the H&M Dutch e-shopping site. It's the military boots that is so high that it went to almost mid-calves!

So, what is my verdict after getting my own chance to try? Cheap. Yeah, just cheap. The price is cheap (only £30) and so as the material. My excitement really went down drastically (or shall I say, anti-climax, lol). This boots is a mix of synthetic leather and wax canvas upper, with canvas inner linings. When I said cheap, the pleather really is a very low quality. So low that I think if I ever press any longer on the toe-cap that it'll break any time soon. But, if the look that you're going for and you can't afford a better one at River Island - then you could bag this one instead. I won't unfortunately.

What else new? New jeans? Not really. But new price, yes. I was quite astounded after taking a peek of the tag on the H&M's Sliq denims. They've reduced it to £9.99! What? What a cheap price compared to the previous one that I have about 3 years ago at £29.99. But does the fabric any better? Well, sadly this one is a bit thinner that's why they can lower the price of it. And I hate the fit on the waist - though the one that I took is normally 30", it doesn't fit as better as Uniqlo's. So... dish that out, please! Next...

Next. Oh, the new H&M magazine is now available in store and online with supermodel Anja Rubik on the cover. Is there men's collection be in any spread? Yes, but not really exciting. But it's a good read nonetheless, and great to know that Anja is not just your typical supermodel; she's gonna be a creative director for Austria's 25 Magazine. Plus she's also designs jewellery. This is what I call a beauty with substance!

Another thing to add. For iPhone users, don't forget to download the H&M app from iTunes. Is it any good? Quite ok given that they've just started. Just when I'm about to delete it from my list, suddenly I read from their Facebook page that when you shake the phone (just like when you wanna shuffle the songs), some surprise might appear. And I'm shock: coz I just got 20% off when I do it! AWESOME!

Yet, my advice: don't shake it except you really wanna make your purchase. Coz when you click the close button, that thing will be gone! Don't say I didn't warn you! :)

P/S: More pix on H&M snooping to come...

App to the Level

It was that one occasion when me and the other guy are fixing an equipment in my lab when suddenly he uttered, "do you have the level scale to check whether this thing is perfectly horizontal?". And I just went "erm... I don't think I have".

Then it was a pause.

Suddenly I just remembered that I got the 'level' app in my iPod Touch (it was then, prior to iPhone4...). And immediately I jokingly said, "wait a minute, I think I have an app for that!" (copying the most popular saying). With a cheeky grin on my face, I took out my iPod and tap on the 'A Free Level'. In a split second the app appeared giving the 'level meter' for me to check the angle of inclination of my rig. Voila! It works!

And my friend then was quite impressed. Well, what can I say, right? But the thing is, with iPod Touch (or iPhone 3Gs and before) I have to hold it with my bare hands coz the side of the iPod is curved. Now with iPhone4, I can just leave it stand on the stuff that I'm measuring instead. Brilliant.

And what comes quite handy with the app is the 'centimeters' and 'inch' scale that comes with it. You never know when you need it right?

Hmm.. think I need to check my picture frame now... =)

see... my table is not perfectly horizontal!