Sony Cybershot Slims Down with TX55

I can still recall during a course on branding a couple of years ago, the instructor mentioned about how Sony being able to project their brand on the miniaturization concept, as they are known to make things smaller and smaller than their products predecessors on the market. And I can't agree more as Sony is truly a master especially when it comes to slim down their Cybershot digicams. Latest in their offering is these arrays of Cybershot TX55 which tauted to be the world's thinnest digicam clocking to merely 12 mm on its thickness and barely a size of a credit card.*

To be honest, I actually had a definite love-hate relationships with Sony's T series digicams as I also own two of their previous models prior this one: its debut Cybershot T1, which is released back in 2004 and the T700 that I can stamped clearly as 'the pain in the ass' due to it slow-response touchscreen control. I thought I would never ever gonna have a second glance to another Cybershot Ts again; but as Justin Bieber also did said never say never, suddenly the image of ultra-thinness that I saw in the Shortlist magazine managed to lure me in.

So, TX55. I got a chance to test run this camera last week when I visited Sony store at Kinta City, Ipoh. You know, seeing the images of the camera alone make me drool on how pretty this gadget is, yet to be able to hold it on my bare hands make it even more tempting to snatch the camera right that moment. One word: LOVE IT! (Oh, that's two words, lol!). Screw my previous two Ts before, this one could be the 'third time's a charm' for me again.

A couple of points that made me fell in love with TX55:

• very lightweight. OMG, I just can't believe how light it is compared to my T1 and the always-heavy-on-the-palm T700. In fact I think it's lighter than my current Canon iXus 130, making me barely feel that I actually holding it!

• the pebble-like front design which is very sleek and chic. Anything that looks so flushed in and no silly protruding whatsoever features can always count me in to love it. It's really a beauty coz by sliding down the cover, the lens appear as camera is also switched on - just like the previous T1 and T700 too. Though I do feel a bit quirky to slide the cover down coz thinking I might break it as it feels a bit flimsy, yet I manage to do it easily.

• very intuitive and fast-response touchscreen control. Bingo! Alas, Sony did learn something from T700, huh? This one hit right on the mark when I don't have any trouble waiting long to get one menu to appear after another, unlike the slow macam siput T700! To add to that, just with a slight touch on the big LCD screen (which also act as the viewfinder), it managed to function very well. Kudos to that, Sony.

• the 'Sweep Panorama' menu. Awesome! You know if you use DSLR you need to get the lens less than 18mm to really get a wide-angle view? Now with the new Sony digicams including this TX55 the Sweep Panorama can do just that. If you have a very wide space to cover at one go without having to 'stitch' different picture files thru any photo-editing software, with Sweep Panorama you simply 'snap and move' the camera to where you want it to cover the angle. Awesome!

• the 'Miniature' feature, which is absent in the previous Cybershots. I love miniature shot coz it made the thing you capture become toy-like. You can see the example of 'miniature' in my Oxford Street snaps using my iXus 130 [click].

• Goodbye big and stupid Memory Stick, hello SD Card. You know Sony really market their cameras to be solely using their Memory Stick cards, right? This one is a welcome cos you can use the typical SD cards just like other digicams. But one tradeoff though - it's micro-SD only - just like the one I used for my Giorgio Armani phone before, meaning I do need an adapter to be able to transfer the image files into the computer. Still, it's SD meaning for my Samsung N310 netbook, it can always take that card in!

• I didn't try all other features coz the thinness and lightweight of the body alone made me fell in love with it. The size is so ultracompact making it very 'hi-fashion' compared to the other digicams. Suits for those who are very 'image-conscious' - not just about you, but about the gadget you're carrying and the image snap that you took too.

Priced at RM 1400, I think it's a bit eeek! since the Canon iXus 130 that I think is also awesome enough for any point-and-shooter is only RM800, making Sony TX55 on the higher price band. Yet, with five choices of colors - black, silver, champagne gold, rose red and lilac - I think this one could be the choice for any fashionistas and fashionistos to own one. (aku pun nak jugak sebenarnya, tapi kena let go my Canon dulu la! yikes!)

*p/s: Sony thinnest Cybershot is actually T7, which is always seen on the hand of Karl Lagerfeld!

[pix from sony]

My previous relationships with the Cybershots - the T1 and T700. I always love the skinny compact look of the cams. I still think the T1 perform best though it's just 5 MP - the highest resolution that time - as the composition of the photo is splendid. Unfortunately, it accidently get soaked with water that spill from a bottle in my bag and can't be recovered due to the damage on its circuit board.

The T700 is one of the very shortlived model by Sony. Not even a year, it's being removed from the shelves which I dunno why. I bought it at Tottenham Court Road in London but truly disappointed with the performance. Though it's slim fantastic, the camera is so power-hungry, battery-draining. Not to mention it's quite weighty on the palm, as well as the less intuitive touch-screen panel. Slow macam siput wa cakap lu... siput sedut pun kira lagi cepat dr camera ni! Thankfully, I got to 'inherit' it to my niece coz she've lost her camera and need a new one for her Final Year Project. So, ambiklah camera ni...sbb mmg aku x suka pun! Yet, I do like it's cover btw - very ultrathin.

Wordless Wednesday : Prezzies...

Time Machine

Have you ever wished that you could turn back time; go back to the yesteryears and mend all those mistakes that you have done? Just like in the movie Back to the Future, where you could ride the DeLorean car, surpass the 88 mph and shoot up to the time when you could do things the right way? Have you ever thought of someone could really invent a time machine so that you can do all those stuff that you wish you would in the past? Have you...?

If given a choice, I don't wanna go back to my past coz past is past. Things happens for a reason. History is so important in my live coz it lets me learn from all the mistakes that I've done in order for me to proceed into the future. Whatever happened in my past, I have no grudge at all. In fact I thank for every moment I've gone through, and to everyone that has involved in it - good or bad. Either those people who celebrated with me for my winning moment. Or the one that involves in all my successes and achievements. Or the bullies that made my life quite a challenge in my school years. Or my good friends who've been there in my college period, experiencing my ups and downs. Or my teachers and lecturers who've been teaching everything I need to know about life and what I could be when I grow up. Or even the time when my vocal chord is not functioning for almost two years, only to happen I suddenly got such an amazing voice now - I really cherish every moment in my past. Whetever happens in the yesteryears, I have no regret. In fact it made me even stronger. When I looked back, I love that I had an amazing story to tell which I'm loving it, and that's what life should be!

Yet, if given a choice, I wanna travel to the future coz I wanna see what my future hold. Why? Coz future is yet to happen ... so it may be a blank canvas. What will happen in the future can definitely be changed, NOW. And that's what excite me the most - to change my future, once and for all right this moment.

Anyway. I dunno what I've been merapu, again. What I wanna say really is that I'm excited to receive a time machine as a birthday present. Oh no, not the DeLorean car or the phone booth like in the Dr Who show, though... but the Time Machine - the Sonic Gear iP12 iPhone dock-slash-alarm clock. It is one splendid gadget, which I am utterly ecstatic about! I can't believe that the thing I dreamt of having suddenly appeared right before my eyes.

What is awesome about the Time Machine is how the iPhone really flushed nicely into the 'cavity' in the middle. Once fit in, the whole numbers lit up indicating the numbers 1 to 11, as what an alarm clock would. And it also charges the iPhone through the pin at the bottom. To get the number 12 pops up on the iPhone screen, I need to download its app called DualAlarmClockFMRadio from iTunes, which is also the main app to control the features and for the 'analog' clock arms to appear.

I love the look so much: black and silver combo in squarish design that is very ideally chic. As the name is 'alarm clock', I can wake up either to the typical alarm sound from the iPhone, the mp3 songs stored or either to the local radio channel which can be set via the app. The sound from the speaker located at the backside of the stuff is quite awesome as it gives off a loud sound that can be heard even 10 meters away (at full volume).

Some other features....

On the top, there're two buttons - power and snooze.

The speaker is located at the back; small but powerful. Not so much of bass though, more to lots of treble that may sound a bit 'pecah'. The stand can be swiveled both directions, which made watching video much easier.

It is DC-powered only, so it may not be suitable to be taken when you travel away from any electrical socket.

The iP12 Time Machine comes with a remote control, that can be used to switch it on/off, control volume/play/pause/rewind/forward for your mp3 and radio channel, and dim the numbers to three different levels. Though it is quite compact, the volume is appreciably loud.

Bottom line. The Sonic Gear iP12 Time Machine is an awesome gadget. Not just looks good on the bedside table, but it functions extremely well. Definitely one great b'day present that I received this year! (present #3, :D)

ok, nothing to do with Time Machine.. just me getting silly taken my own pix! =)

Kelate Goes Upmarket: Are You Kidding Me?

Ok, this post is probably not a fashion talk, but I think it's part of the 'gadget' which is what I love as well.

It's either I wanna LOL so bad, or to scream 'are you kidding me!?' so loud - I just don't know which one's which. Probably both. Looking at the names of the cars by two of the big players in the automobile industry, it's just so frickin' funny. Funny but proud at the same time. I think those people have spent some time in Kelantan I guess, coz they seem to play homage to the Kelate language too...

The first one is a crossover concept car by Maserati called Kubang. Seriously? Kubang in Bahasa Malaysia translated to 'wallow', the place where animals lie or roll in water, mud or the like for the sake of refreshing themselves. And 'wallow' also means to live self-indulgently or luxuriate... which make sense for the brand name: Maserati Kubang = Maserati Luxury. Not too bad, huh? But when you take the word kubang into Kelantanese slang (pronounced as kkube, or kkubang in Terengganu slang), it means semak, tidak kemas, keadaan tak terurus which normally being associated to the conditions like the messiness of a room, etc. Therefore, the name Maserati Kubang will then means Maserati Messy? Wahahahaha! 

Nonetheless, the car is absolutely to die for... and I don't mind if someone will make fun of it saying kkube instead!

Maserati Kubang crossover

The other one is even funnier. It's Citroen Tubik. Wahahahahaha! Tubik in Kelantan means 'exit' or get out from something. How on earth do they get the name, huh? Is it because the door of this concept van is soooo humungous, that it made easier for everyone to 'get out' of the vehicle that's why they call it Tubik? In other words, this van is sangat sene nok tubik la gamaknya!! Hmmm..... (scratching my head).

Anyhow, any anak Kelate should be proud of these coz your slang goes upmarket y'all!!

Citroen Tubik Concept

Anyway, if in Paris you can find the word 'Sortie' to show the exit door, in Kelantan you can even found 'tubik'! Very the kelakar!!

* On the same note, rumor has it that the word 'Siri' as in iPhone 4S new features is said to means 'butt' in Japanese. So, when you want the 'Siri' reminds you of something, does it it mean you're asking your 'butt' to do it for you? Hmmm.... (LOL, sorry Apple!)

[pix from various sources]

ZIKMU PARROT by Starck

Bertempat di Emax - Plaza Semanggi, pada awal bulan Juni lalu, Zikmu Parrot by Starck meluncurkan produk speaker terbarunya. Design bentuk patung ultra-modern terinspirasi dari arsitektur perkotaan yang bergengsi serta menggabungkan teknologi canggih yang memberikan suara yang intens dan kuat. Dengan speaker ini dapat mendengarkan musik dari iPod/iPhone, serta dilengkapi Wi-Fi dan Bluetooth.

Photo by MRR

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! :)

Jaybird Sportsband Bluetooth Headphone

Earphone cords, I hate 'em! It's always the same thing happen whenever I slipped that typical earphones into my iPhone or iPod to listen to the music. Not only they got tangled which takes time to really get it resolved and such a time-waster - the worst part it always stuck either between my knee when I bent over during exercise or it stuck at the end of the kitchen cabinet handle whenever I try to open/close the door. I dunno how many earphones have got damaged and I have to buy new ones due to the internal wires defect caused by it. Not to mention, if I wanna move around the house while listening to the music, there's no way I can charge the phone at the same time!

So, the quest to find a wireless earphone begins. If previous years I've been having that Philips cordless headphone, that stuff however poses one disadvantage coz it has to be connected to an infra-red receiver, which is then be connected again to a power source. And I have to again fill in two AAA batteries to the headphone to futher power it. What a double triple troublesome. I need something much simpler, coz as usual simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, says Da Vinci. (Da Vinci as in Da Vinci the man, not the code!)

But voila! Thank goodness I found this gadget by Jaybird. Codename: Sportsband SB1 Bluetooth headphone, this one really solve lots of problem. Not only it's cordless (by which it connects via bluetooth), it looks so very cool too. Kinda has that retro vibes to it.

It's very simple to use. On the right there're control buttons like power on/off, forward, reverse, volume up/down. To connect you just need to hold on to the power button in the middle for 6 seconds, and the blue light blinks whereby it'll search for any available bluetooth devices to be connected with. For my iPhone, all I I have to do is by going to the Settings menu, and click on the Bluetooth - as within seconds it connects so swiftly.

On the left side of the headphone is quite similar control buttons - but they're all dummies coz they can't be used. However, the designer is brilliant as he try to balance it in term of its design. 

At the bottom, there're two holes - the smaller one for the mic and bigger hole for the power source which connects to a USB port for charging. There's no battery required for it to function since internally there's a rechargable battery (which I don't know where it's located) making things even better. And the device also act as a wireless headset, therefore whenever there's any calls you can use the headphone to answer without having to pick up the phone itself.

Function wise, the headphone can take up the signal up to 10 meters (which is according to the manual). But the best thing, it cuts through the walls too to a certain level. Since my house is a two-storey, I try to leave my phone downstairs and tested whether I can still listen to the music when I went upstairs. Surprisingly I can! How brilliant, though at times the sound breaks down at some intervals especially if I entered the room with the door closed , hence the signal became weak. Anyhow, it really does what it says on the box - wireless!

Sound wise, to me it's okay since I'm not that particular on the bass or treble thing. It sounds good coz it's not too bassy nor it squeals like some cheap headphones. The sound has great balance.

The battery life? I didn't really check coz I don't use it the whole day. With a full charge, I'm guessing probably it'll last about 12-15 hours? Which is not too bad after all... When the battery is about to run out, there'll be some 'beep' to warn you, and it'll keep going at some intervals until it stops functioning. It is when you really know you need to connect to the cord provided.

So far, I'm happy with it coz it's truly cordless. No need to mess with any wires and stuff. Very simple to use, very easy to operate, very light and truly mobile, and looks quite good in its glossy finish. They come in many color choices like blue, white, red... so its up to you which color you desire.

Monochromatic Weekend

Weekend. What is the difference between a weekend and weekdays for me? No difference, except that in the weekend I don't have to go to the office. I still wake up at six in the morning. Still have to switch on that PC and crnching those numbers. Still have to communicate with people around me. But the only difference is, I'm at home. And be able to just sit back and relax too, not to worry whether I take my early morning shower, or to dress up in the office attire. I can just enjoy a big mug of coffee with nasi lemak in the morning, pull out the Sunday newspapers to read and later on sipping the afternoon tea - all while in the house, gazing towards my newly coiffured garden (if you call that a garden, still. Ha!). 

And this weekend, it's all about going monochrome. It's not because of the haze outside (the sky is clearing off btw), but it's about feeling simplicity chic. And somewhat, going along with the decor. Monochromatic.Simple. No fuss.

Still, I need to think what should I put into that picture frames. It's been more than four years, the original Ikea Riba artwork is still there. Hmmm...what should I put? Monochrome? :]

Anyway. Why am I sensing some kind of deja vu in this picture? Oh, the theme is similar to the last year's one! [click]

stripes sweater - Benetton

cropped trousers - Uniqlo

bluetooth headphone - Sportsband by Jaybird

... But Dude, Where's my iPad? : Part 6

Oh, dude... my iPad it's on the fridge door! Ahaks!

Remember that once upon a time when LG try to release that internet TV fridge, and it doesn't create that much hooplas to the public? Well, time goes by so very fast coz i don't think that product really work that well. Or perhaps, the fridge was too pricey for average people like us to own one, that's why the response was quite cold. As cold as the fridge inside (no pun intended, nggg...).

Anyway, fast forward, lots of people now own an iPad. More than 14 million perhaps. And that also include people who own a fridge.. which is, erm...billions? So, why not made your own internet TV fridge with this new product instead: the FridgePad by Woodford Design.

Ok, I have one my own - that I stick my iPad onto my Samsung fridge door. The concept is the same as the fridge magnet since at the back of the stuff is a large magnetic 'pad' which is very strong. So strong that even if I slam the door very hard, it doesn't fell. Careful though, coz you do need to fix the screw of the bracket well, unless... erm, the thing will fall nonetheless.

If you think that, uh uh.. it's bad idea to stick any electrical items to a magnetic field coz it'll damage the curcuit of your gadget - don't worry, coz the company ensure us that it is safe. So now, with the FridgePad I can browse the recipes at Epicurious easily... and cook better (I hope!).

Or, while I cook I can follow the dance routine by Shinee thru YouTube - that Lucifer move is so fast pace! Fierceee! =)

[read my Samsung fridge story here and here]

dude...why your fridge magnet got a screen? :)

the pad is made of plastic... careful to not break it while you remove the thing from the fridge.

the magnetic pad that fill almost the entire backside. the brackets are secured with tiny screws.

the FridgePad comes with two sets of brackets : one for iPad 1st gen, and another for iPad2.

Epicurious is now at my fingertips... in my kitchen!

ready to dancercise with Shinee's Lucifer?