2010 Football, it has never been this promising!

EPL has never been this interesting. It has NEVER been this tight. Especially in the past 3 years where MU and Chelsea has been so dominant. Now, almost ALL teams are equal.

If there’s 1 person that’s responsible for this revolution, it’s Ronaldo. Thank you for moving out from EPL. Your absence has balanced-out the power across all 20 teams on the table. The world is now at Yin-Yang.

Now, almost every team has a star equal to other team’s star. While I always think Chelsea will probably win the EPL this season with Drogba being a dominant force, the African cup will again balance things up.

But, other than Ronaldo’s absence, why are all the other team doing well? Why is Heskey playing like he’s 5 years younger? Or Rooney like he’s 5 years older? I think there are a few other reasons.

One key influencing factor is 2010’s World Cup. Everybody wants a go at it. So, everyone is playing doubly hard.

Another factor is, the past 3-5 years were development years for the smaller teams. Yes, the past 3-5 years has been nothing but Chelsea and MU punching and kicking the smaller teams. So, within their small little training camps, while wealthy investors pouring in the juices, they've been learning new karate moves. So, now - it's time to show what they've learnt.

But, let’s be real. Chelsea is already there. They have the belief, hunger and maturity. It’s only for them to lose. MU will shadow them as they cope life without Ronaldo. Arsenal, the team who never lies down dead, will also be there. That’s top 3.

Let’s talk a bit about Arsenal. Player by player, it’s like looking at your hometown U-21 team. I seriously can’t get into Wenger’s mind on this. Averagely, they are short too. But these boys have been sending out powerful messages. Always looking like a trophy winner of tomorrow, but sadly, never today. For the past 3 years, I dub Arsenal as the miracle team. Notice that without Bendtner, they can’t play long balls? And without Clichy, we can’t attack from left wing? So flawed, yet so entertaining. And their win-lose ratio is right up there with the big boys. They don’t buy stars. They create stars. Marvel stuff.

Anyway, 2010 is an interesting year for football. EPL is like never before. Champions League is heating up. And World Cup is coming up. Will we see another ‘head-butting’ action? I sure hope so.

Which Camera?

I think we're back to the photography age when there were dozens type of films on a rack. In the old days, there were full-format, medium-format, square-format, 30, 40, 80, 60, 100 series, 35mm, 8mm films etc etc. In fact, Wikipedia needed 27pages to describe all of the formats.

But, average Joes all over the world used the most popular type, which is the 35mm film. It's rectangular. And it's cheap.

Fast forward to the digital age, replacing the films is the IMAGE SENSOR. And we're kinda replicating the exact scenario of having multiple sizes / formats. Right now, as I know, there are already 6 to 7 sizes of image sensor.

1) 1/2.3" (approx.) used by compact cameras

2) 1/1.7" (approx.) - advanced compacts

3) 4/3rd - SLRs, Rangefinders

4) APSC - most SLRs

5) Full Frame* - Pro-grade SLRs, Rangefinders

6) Med Format - specialized SLRs

*similar size to 35mm film where the sensor is 35mm long too.

Size comparison between image sensors.

The simple analogy is that, the bigger the sensor, the bigger the camera is, but the better the image quality. So, if you're serious on upgrading the quality, simple rule #1: go for bigger sensor.

The compromise to image quality comes in when you need portability as SLRs are just huge and heavy. If cost is of no issue, a full-frame Rangefinder will fit the bill. It's small, light, quiet (see Leica M9) but packs higher image quality than the King of SLR, Nikon D3X. But unfortunately, cost is usually the issue.

But good thing is, currently, there are makers who are trying to slim-down the camera form-factor without slimming the image sensor. Notably Panasonic & Olympus (using 4/3rd sensor in a compact camera form) and Leica X1 (using APSC in compact form).

Reality check: The mass market wants portability AND quality images. And Panasonic GF1 and Olympus E-P2 hits the spot. But currently, they are being sold at premium cost as makers are trying to recover the development cost. In comparo, an entry level SLR with bigger image sensor e.g. APSC, is twice cheaper.

Remember that SLR has gone thru the same cycle. An entry level SLR used to be RM4K in 2007. Now it's selling at half of that price! So, I think, over time, the price for 'portable and light SLR-quality camera' like GF1 will drop... but don't hold your breath in 2010.

Canon S90 vs Panasonic LX3

www.neutralday.com

This is a very interesting race. It's one of those classic Schumacher vs Mika Hakkinen.

These 2 camera models are very special. It's a category with not much competition. These are 2 compacts with bigger balls than the rest of the pack.

It has full manual override control and a slightly bigger image sensor. It is also the ONLY 2 compacts that comes with fast f/2.0 aperture lens at wide open that are less than RM1.6K.

So, the big question is: Schumy or Mika?

My vote as of now is the Panasonic LX3. Mainly coz, if you're buying it, it's as good as buying a Leica D-Lux 4. And that says a lot. Another reason is that amazing lens. It starts at an unbelievable wide angle range of 24mm at f/2.0 and locks up 2.5x zoom later at f/2.8!

Lens to lens, the Canon S90 can't touch the LX3's Leica technical growl. For example, at the end of S90's focal range, the aperture drops to f/4.9. Yucks! But being a newer model, it trumps on user interface, especially the yummy 2 ring controls.

And why is Canon G11 not part of this list? Tho earmarked as Canon's flagship compact, G11 is undoubtedly ugly, chunky and can't go any better than f/2.8. Boo!

If you're a Canon fan, get the S90.

If you're a Leica fan but can't afford one, get the LX-3.

Either way, you can't go wrong.

Kenapa saya pilih Siti?

Ramai orang tanya, kenapa Siti?

Suka-hati aku lah, jawapan standed aku.

Tapi, bila Mak aku pun tanya.

Aku terpaksalah bagi risen2nya.

Ish, ekceli... nak stat pun susah.

Tapi... tengok mata dia pun, dah cukup.

Ok lah, sepet sikit.

Tapi aku mmg suka yg sepet2.

Bodi dia, jgn cakaplah. Solid molid!

Tonggek pulak tu. Suka aku.

Tapi takkan nak kata kat Mak aku camtu.

So, aku kata lah aku suka dia pasal dia tu OK.

Cermat, bukan pisau cukur.

Jenis, bulan2 bagi duit, OK dah.

Mak kata 'baik2, jangan lepas 'sain', lain pulak citer.'

Tak kesah lah Mak. Janji aprof!

Ekceli, aku tak suka dia mekap2.

Tapi, mana2 aku pergi dgn dia,

...mesti orang tangkap usya. Tension aku.

Hari tu, aku dah tension sangat...

Aku selamber je raba bamper dia depan orang.

Ha! Usya la puas2!

Sori, sori.

Eniwei, aku sudah cintan sama dia.

Ni, aku ada tangkap sikit gambar dia senyap2.

Eh, tapi, jangan forward pulak gambar nih!

Pasal nampak sikit spotlait dia.

..

..

..

Honda Siti 1.5

Book Review... the professional way

Book reviews are fun. Especially if you're doing it the Coffee Table way. All it takes is a little time and a shallow mind. Here's my Top 5 Round up of my FIRST EVER book review.

Number 5: One Day by Nicol David.

Sometimes I think I have six sense. I know that this is a totally brilliant book by just looking at the cover. Buy!

Number 4: The Flipside by Adam JJackson.

A great mystery book. Recommended for quick reading. Just flip it and you'll find some opportunities at the back cover. Of coz, you can't really see it. Coz it's hidden... ahh, the mystery. Buy!

Number 3: Jane Evanovich by Finger Lickin' Fifteen.

Another great book cover. I rate this highly because of 2 things: (1) It's 20% off (2) The author's name is Finger. Definitely a buy!

Number 2: Nick Hornby by Juliet, Naked

Picturing a hot naked author did not whatsoever influence my ranking. It was the wicked FONT that won my heart. Check out the long tail of the 'Y'. Swervyly cool. Anything with a font like that... buy!

Number 1: Ro.Stone by Mariah Carey, Weezer & More

Oh, this is a great book. It's got a huge collection of stories plus healthy diet recipes and tips for dandruff care. Plus it's foldable! This book is really great. Buy!

Megan who was on the cover? Nah, I'm too professional for that gimmick. So, congratulations, Ro.Stone!

1Malaysia is not something new

Actually, 1Malaysia has been around for the past 20 years. It's just that, only lately, the Gov has decided to put a name on it. Apasal? Tak percaya ka?

We all know that the identity for a country is its language. Tamil is the identity for India, Mandarin for China, English for Sallehland and Bahasa Melayu is for Malaysia. But 1Malaysia is a concept of uniting all those and others into 1. And that would basically means having 1 language of its own.

So, to prove that 1Malaysia has been around for the longest time, ladies and jantanmen, presenting... the B1... or Bahasa 1Malaysia!

1) Tong-tong | To share.
Our forefathers believed that this came from a Chinese word. Whatever lah, as long as it sounds fun. There are those from the big town who prefer to use English to 'jaga' status, but being 1Malaysia, so they say... (see next word)

2) Share-share | as above.

3) Tani | Drink session.
A word popularized during the samsu-haram era. It innocently means, 'let's have a drink.' But of coz, with its origin in mind, it has the widest scope and might confuse people over the venue and drink selection as it can be from a teh tarik stall to a make-believe Cognac made from coconut.

4) Mapley | Teh tarik stall.
A direct tribute to the person who created 'teh tarik', Encik Maplei Tanimalai. Anyway, saying "jom - mapley - tani" is way cool than "mari ke gerai minum".

5) Jom | Ayuh, or let's go!
Used to perfection (see example at no. 4), this word managed to trick all the smart asses in TV3 to think that it's a proper vocab from the dictionary. This word is used extensively. Some believe that it will slowly 1Malaysianize and replace the word 'bye'.

6) Tapau | Takeaway
Extremist would want this to be spelt Da-bao. But it would sound too much like the guy from Pasukan Badminton Negara China. By the way, tapau is used by all from the rich to the cheap.

7) Brader | Dude!
Some thought it came from the English word 'brother'. What were they thinking?? Of coz it's 100% pure Malaysian, just like oksigen. Anyway, used by the whole nation as a reference to men.

8) Boss | Sir
Only in Bolehland. This, ironically, is to describe the mutual respect that every man in Malaysia have towards every other man in Malaysia. You call the Mamak 'boss'. You call the Bangla guy 'boss'. You call your dad 'boss'. Your boss calls you 'boss'. Everyone is 'boss' in the 1Malaysia.

9) Kak | Ma'am.
While the English refers all ladies as 'Ma-am' to revert politeness, Malaysian calls them 'Kak' to up-a-level by making them feel young and somewhat available. However, variations are used to stress the 2 elements; such as Kak Long, Kak Chik, Kak Oi, Kak Hhang and etc.

10) Syiok| To express pleasure.
Syiok is good. You know it when you need to use it. If it's really good, then its 'manyak syiok'. You just know it.

11) Chun | Great!
The 1Malaysia vocab goes as far as importing a word from Japan. Though this one is believed to be Chinese, just that no Chinese has heard of it. But used expansively by 1Malaysia to good effect to descriptively describe 'chunness'. If the food is good, you say 'chun!'. If not so good, you look down but still say 'chun!' to the missus. If your friend just bought an iPhone, you say 'chun!'. And it goes on and on... *to fade...

12) Giler | To the max! (Part 1)
To express maximusness. This is like ajinamoto to cooking. It's used to enhance every word. For example: 'Chun' is beautiful. But 'chun giler' is Megan Foxyful.

13) Kaw-kaw | To the max! (Part 2)
Malaysians love to exaggerate. Everything is 'meletup'. Even when ordering a cup of coffee, they want it 'exegarrated'. But saying exagaratted is as hard as it is to spell it. So... kaw-kaw it is. For example; "raining cats and dogs" means heavy downpour. But "raining cow-cow" means "downpour kaw-kaw".

I think, the list goes on and on. But before I end, the most common identity for a 1Malaysian is the 'lah' word. If you hear a man ending every sentence with a 'lah', that's the 1Malaysia DNA barcoded on the tongue.

So I hope it's enough to prove that 1Malaysia has always been around and not such a new thing after all.

Jom.

English Premier League Snippets

Courtesy of http://gunnerblog.com

It's Week 43 and we've seen EPL going on for a max of 9 games now. As of the results now, it looks like we're going for the most exciting season for the longest time. For the past 10 - or 12 years, it has always been MU and Arsenal or MU and Chelsea. And of coz, flashes of the 'Big Four'.

But this season, the title race is as open as the ovulation process. Any of the current top six could make it there. Where previously it was the case of who wins the most, this season is about who loses the least.

In such early stage, we've seen Chelsea & Arsenal losing twice. ManU lost and drew once while ManCity lost once and drew twice. Villa and Spurs lost twice and drew once, edging Liverpool who already has lost 4 times. Even then, wins by Chelsea and ManU were hardly convincing. Definitely not a scene we're used to for the longest time.

So in this situation, where all teams were almost technically & motivationally 'equal', the team who has the strongest 'character' will win the title. And the most important person in the team who is responsible for that will be... the manager.

To me, this season is set to be very different.

This season, it's all about the manager.

Google Chrome

http://www.onecomics.it

I recently downloaded this. Sebelum download, I was thinking, how can this be better than Firefox? Lepas download.... damn. Google Chrome is blazing fast... macam lalat!

I'm not sure of the security features. Pasal salah satu kelebihan Firefox is the features to protect you. Hopefully Chrome is somewhat similarly designed.

Impression Day 1:
Wow. Very fast! And I love the simple outlook.

Impression Day 2: updated 18/10/09
It's amazing that you can just 'search' by typing at the same place where you type the URL . So far, all other functions that I use from Firefox is present in Chrome. Beginning to really like this metal.

Impression Day 3: updated 20/10/09

OK. I'm sold. I was a pinch close to downloading Chrome into my company's laptop... but didn't. Anyway, back at home, to sum up, when asked 'Make Google Chrome as your default browser?', I clicked YES.

Oh, trivia! Ever wondered where Google got the idea for the logo?

http://dailycontributor.com

Note: I don't use Microsoft IE because it's crap, so no Chrome comparo.

80% Of Twitter Broadcasters R Narcissists!

http://www.fastcompany.com

Previously, I blogged about Twitter. I said that it's not a micro-blogging tool. Rather, it's a self-broadcasting tool.

There are 2 types of Twitter broadcasters. Organizations and individuals. For organizations, the tweets are of the latest buzz, news, promotions and etc. For individuals, the tweets are about... well, that person.

Now that the hype is gone, I know that I suck at tweeting. My tweets are boring.

I'm much more of a 'twittee'. The recipient of tweets.

I love reading tweets. Armed with a Blackberry (and TweetDeck for my Desktop), I receive latest local and global news via Twitter by following Newsweek, Staronline, KL News and etc. I get the latest score and news on football via Skynews, EPL, Arsenalmania etc. I even get daily dosages of tips on parenting and Blackberry, as well as dirty jokes, daily chillies and many more info via Twitter too.

So, to me, Twitter rocks. In between meetings, I'll be on my phone reading the hundreds of tweets that keeps my on top of the latest buzz. And it's FREE!

Ahh... isn't life sweet with a Blackberry? *free ad for BB hehe*

Anywayyyyy, tho Twitter is good (for me), it has its share of criticism. And its mainly due to unwanted broadcasting from spamming-organizations and boring-uncreative-spamming-individuals.

In fact, an interesting read from Fast Company (the oh-so-cool lifestyle and business magazine), says that 80% of Twitter broadcasters are narcissists, y'know, those 'me! me! me!' kinda people.

I for one, find the article to be very true. I'm saying it coz I think at times, I'm contributing to that 80%. And the regular squint-eye look I get from the missus, followed by a soft murmur that sounds like 'nasisis', probably confirms that.

But as a twittee, the remaining 20% are feeding me with good information. And as long as I lift a leg up from that spamming 80%, I'm vroom-vrooming all the wayyy with Twitter. Rock on!

Link to Fast Company here.

Link to Wikipedia on narcissist here.

A Compact With A Big Heart: Leica X1

This baby has a sensor BIGGER than Canon 50D!

http://www.photographyblog.com

Following the breakthrough trend of digital imaging in 2009, things are looking to be more interesting than ever.

The current kapow! as I've mentioned before, is making the mirrors in SLR looking like a disgusting piece of useless junk. The tech of feeding images direct on the sensor 'live' has evidently made us rethink of how imaging tool should look like.

The interesting bit is, who's bold enough to redefine it?

Most traditional camera makers are... well, traditionalist. What keeps them selling is their heritage. And they would not be willing to risk losing that by offering groundbreaking breakthroughs. As such, their approach will always be baby-steps of improvements as well as keeping up with the current needs by deploying existing available technologies.

So, the answer to above is: makers that has NOTHING to lose.

Enter mediocre or niche manufacturers. Makers such as Olympus, Panasonic, Leica and Sigma in particular. For 2009, they are truly the leaders in redefining how future cameras SHOULD look like.

A Small Man, With A Big Heart (and no mirror to speak of too)

Sigma was among the first to put this principle to the mass market. In a compact form factor, they deployed a DSLR sensor. But due to exploration stage, the DP1 had a lot of rough edges. But, it was a step in a special direction. Their forthcoming DP2 is set to be a success.

Olympus followed suit armed with their existing 4/3 technology. With ques from the classic PEN series, the E-P1 was a phenomenal success. Panasonic too joined the fray and produced the awesome GF1 (earlier, there were G1 and GH1).

And the next maker to join the party is one that makes my heart melt. Leica, a niche imaging specialist, has produced a truly special compact camera with a 1.5x DSLR sensor.

Go to www.dpreview.com for more images!

I'm planning to get the GF1 next year. And the Leica X1 probably... ermm... in my dreams.

Kulim Di Serang

Ya, berita gempar. Kulim diserang.

Perkara ini sebenarnya telah berlaku secara perlahan-lahan sejak beberapa tahun lagi. Namun, berbekalkan dengan radar canggih tahun 70-an, ianya tidak disedari oleh para pemimpin kita.

Sejak setahun lalu, serangan ini telah menjadi amat jelas. Namun, perhatian kita semua telah dikaburi oleh mekanisme kerajaan seperti Enjin Pangkabur Rakyat CSL (Chua Soi Lek) dan pengulangan melampau iklan MyeG.com.

Apa yang haram-jadahnya ialah, semua ini ialah penyerangan red-carpet. Yakni berpunca dari sikap pemalas dan tidak endah rakyat pemimpin-pemimpin.

Sungguh sedih walaupun rakyat telah membayar segala jenis cukai di bawah matahari seperti pendapatan, tanah, jalan, tingkap, pintu, jamban di samping eksais kereta (atau dikenali sebagai subsidi rakyat untuk kerajaan), tol lebuhraya, duti servis dan RM1 untuk setiap borang kerajaan yang bernilai 5sen.

Memang Bolehland betul, dari ertikata; Boleh Blah!

U-turn kembali ke topik, secara khususnya, pemimpin telah gagal untuk melakukan tanggungjawab asasnya, yakni memastikan kebersihan demi rakyat. Dan ini telah melemparkan red-carpet untuk penyerangan sejenis spesis terhadap Kulim; iaitu LALAT.

Maintenance sistem kebersihan sampah, longkang dan kawasan terbiar amatlah sedih mendayu-dayu bagaikan kisah hidup Zaiton Sameon. Ntah-ntah, sistem pun takde.

Jika tanggungjawab asas pun gagal, yang lain tak tahu lah. 1Malaysia konon. Kedah Maju podah! 2020 prak!

Secara logik, jika kebersihan prak, kesihatan pun prak. Kesihatan prak, hospital pun prak. Hospital prak, kadar kematian dan ponteng sekolah dan kerja pun prak. Productiviti prak, pelaburan asing pun prak. Dan kadar jenayah terus naik bagai nak rak. Wawasan 2020 ntah kemana, 1Malaysia ntah kemana. Time tu, dah habis profit taking, BN pun dengan happynya handover negara ke BA.

Saya melihat kadar kenaikan lalat dan kualiti iklan MyeG sebagai indikator bahawa negara menuju kemusnahan.

Jadi, jika pemimpin boleh menyedarkan diri dari keadaan mabuk duit dan kuasa, dan menjalankan tanggungjawab asasnya, mungkin ada peluang untuk Malaysia menjadi sebagai sebuah negara yang dihormati bukan kerana kemegahan sintetik materialnya seperti KLCC, Litar F1 dan Sunway Lagoon, tetapi kerana mentaliti rakyat dan pemimpinnya.

Bey Bey Emm (BlackBerry Messenger): The Painful Truth

That's how the Indonesian call it, BBM, short for BlackBerry Messenger. Its an IM service exclusively for BB users. But however cool it is, I still think it's very primitive.

And compared to YM, Windows Live Messenger or Google Talk, BBM is a freaking dinosaur.

Why?

One HUGE mother reason. PIN. That is the defining method to recognize a particular user. For example, my name is Iffil. And for you to add me in your BBM, you have to know my PIN, which is XXXXXX.

And the sad part, PIN is device dependent. So if I change device, say I upgrade my aging BB to a newer model, I'd have a different PIN. And I'd lose all of my BBM contacts. And my contacts will lose me.

In fact, if I sell off my old device, someone else will be walking around with my old PIN (wth?).

In comparison to YM, for example, I can log-in into any computer in this world via my username or email, and I will still have my contact list, intact.

So, for BlackBerry, please change your BBM system. Let us log-in via our BlackBerry email account, which is NOT device dependent. Using PIN is sincerely... plain stupid.

Ketsana Tropical Storm

First of all, my sincere condolence to all of the Philippines and Vietnam people who are affected from this trenchant storm.

Sometimes, an event like these, reminds us of just how small the world is. And just how bad it can be if Mother Nature is pissed.

Philippines are often thought to be far away from West Malaysia. Yet, just as the tropical storm Ketsana hit them, it’s very apparent that we are just a pinch away from each other. Right now, as I write this, a weird weather looms Kulim.

The raining pattern is totally different here. Weird actually. It rains mega heavily for a few minutes, then stopped totally. Like TOTALLY. Then it rains again after a few minutes or hours. This is the second day, on my count.

So far, there are ZERO headlines on this from our politicians. I think there should be a heads-up of some sort. We know very well that Ketsana has moved from Philippines to Vietnam. And we've already could see the weird pattern here.

So, just to be safe, even in Malaysia, if I live in a land-slide prone areas, I’d get the heck out. At least until Ketsana is totally gone.

3rd Oct 2010 update: The weather in Kulim has been very stable and quiet for the past two days. It's a tremendously good news.

The similarities between Super Mario and Schumacher

What are the similarities between these two? A lot actually.

If you've played Super Mario before, you'll know that its easy to get eaten by those dreaded winged turtles and the Italian-eating plants with laser guns. And it will take more than 20 attempts to clear a level.

But the funny thing is, once you've cleared a level, it will only take you just 1 or 2 attempts to do it again.

You could say that the vast difference is due to the the learnings you've taken during those tries. But that's actually just the tip of the iceberg.

The real reason is actually the "psychological confidence" that you've gained during each 'little battles' to clear a level. Or you can simply call it the 'X-FACTOR'.

In short, those who have NOT won those little battles, does not yet have the x-factor.

In this sense, its easy to see why Schumacher is a champ. Since he's won on almost every circuits, his winning rate will keep inreasing so long he uses his winning experiences as a foundation. And that's not something that everyone else has. The x-factor.

So, this is why champions will repeat their wins. Frederer keeps winning Slam after Slam. Man United, league after league. Muhammad Ali. The Williams. Tiger.

Aston Villa, Blackburn, Spurs and Everton are great teams. But why can't they break into the top 4 or even win the league? Simply because they have yet to acquire the x-factor. That's exactly what they need to build first. On top of spending £100million on new players.

Unity, Merdeka & Politics

Written in conjunction of 31st August, tapi terlupa nak post ;-)

Unity is when everyone is looking at the same big picture and saying 'yes, let's do that!'. The big picture is a 'vision'. So, as long as there is a 'vision' that everyone agrees and commits to, there is unity.

Abroad, Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech and Kennedy's Lunar vision were 2 great examples of a vision that brought unity.

During those moments, there were no talk of differences. The whole nation would see everyone talking to each other about a common topic. Everyone was united.

Another situation that brings unity is during a sports event or God forbid, at times of war. *that said, never underestimate the influence of sports on patriotism*

So, as mentioned, a shared vision where everyone agrees on, brings unity. So long there's an objective that everyone wants to march to, you'll have unity.

Coalition between 2 political parties will not bring unity. Talking about unity will not bring unity too.

Malaysia needs a vision. Not an idealistic pretentious sort. A true vision that will change the quality of Malaysian life. Coz the truth is, we all truly do not know where the country is heading.

Other nations, even Thailand and Indonesia, are slowly overtaking us. Let alone Korea and Taiwan, that were once inferior to us.

We were once an agro based nation. Transiting to an industrial based nation back in the 80's brought huge unity. Step 2 was to be an IT-based nation, but political scene took the centre stage and India overtook us. Now what?

Our politicians who were entrusted to steer the country forward, unfortunately has stopped all works for the country and people, focusing on political matters only. And it has been going on for quite a while.

Japan were unified and worked on becoming the huge nation of the world. Their vision was so strong that it even became part of their culture. It basically explained why even a corporation like Toyota has a 300 year plan.

I doubt that our leaders have anything like that in mind other than winning the next election.

Until Malaysians can answer a simple question "where are we heading to now?", I don't think we will ever be united and progress.

Pretend, pretend, pretend

Have you ever pretended to be someone you're not? If your answer is no, you're probably pretending.

We live in a world confined with laws, guidelines, cultures and social etiquettes. On most times, our creative expression will always be limited.

Still think that you're not pretentious?

Remember during your courting days? Laughing at jokes you didn't find funny? Or the time you pretended that it was not you who just farted?

For adults, most pretendings are done in the office. You mostly pretend to 'care' for your colleagues. You even pretend that you care for your company's market share more than your salary's increment. And most often, you pretend to agree to your boss when you think his idea is crap.

Another classic is the time you pretended to 'love' your in-law's cooking and said "Sedaaaap". Need I go on?

Our true self is usually exposed to our mom and spouse. Now, to these 2 persons, we're as transparent as a glass house. Maybe that's why it is with these 2 that we really 'let loose'.

So, in a day, more than once, we do pretend to be someone we're not. By abiding to social norm and cultures , pretentious keeps the world in order.

So if someone says "Why worry what people say about you... unless you're pretending"; just say "Heck yeah, my whole life is about pretending!". Coz if you don't pretend, that means you're perfect. And we know that other than Nabi Muhammad SAW, nobody's perfect.

So, let's keep our feet on the ground

Sent via BlackBerry

Nokia Netbook? Nokia? Netbook?

Sara has been bugging me for a netbook. So, saya yang menurut perintah, went for the hunt. And I was certain that I wanted the N280 Atom powered HP netbook.

Until I saw Nokia's press release. Click here at nokia.com

Nokia, after 25years in the handphone market, enters the PC market without losing its pizzazz in design and innovation. A potential giant killer. Confirm, saya mahu.

Some ask, worth the wait? How does 12hr battery life sound to you?

Eating Pork

Interesting fact on pigs is that they are very smart. More clever than dogs and horses. They are also omnivores, just like humans. In fact, they have the same digestive system as humans. Even their heart valves could be used as replacement for human's heart valves.

But even then, Jews and Muslims are forbidden to eat pork. In fact, swine is considered unlawful and impure by all prophets, including Jesus. These prohibitions were mentioned in the Qur'an as well as in the Bible (book of Leviticus, Deuteronomy & Isaiah).

But religion directive aside, based on logical reasoning, it's easy to rationalize why any humans should NOT eat pork.

Number one, the reason pigs were created. Every living form has its functions within life's ecology system. Pigs were designed to be nature's rubbish incinerator. It's a poo-eating machine. Even in a clean breeding facility, by nature, they'll still enjoy clearing their own as well as their friends 'excreta'.

With that in mind, pigs by nature, have excess fat as well as having thousands of worms. Some of them (e.g. Taenia Trichuriasis) has ovas that will not die even under normal cooking heat. These 'eggs' will travel into the blood stream and cause some serious slow damage to whatever organs it lands on.

So, it's not news that eating pork can cause no less than seventy different types of diseases.

With over breeding, it's actually no surprise that the world will constantly suffer from deadly epidemics originated from pigs. The latest ebola and swine flu are a huge reminder why pork is bad and was never designed to be eaten.

God mentioned it. Science verified it. But, sadly, most people love eating pork too much to let it go and chose to be ignorant.

So, lets just get used to the seasonal epidemics.

Another Micro Four Third: Panasonic Lumix GF1

I've always loved Panasonic. All of the fans, air-conds, water-heater, rice cooker, oven-toaster in my house are Panasonic. When it comes to compact cameras too, I think Panasonic rocks. That basically explains why I've owned 5 Panasonic compacts with current being the FT1.


Anyway, after Olympus released their Micro 4-3rd, E-P1, the next event that I was waiting was Panasonic's respond to it, being another Micro 4-3rd manufacturer. And after a few months waiting, on Sep 2nd, 2009, they announced it; the Panasonic Lumix GF1.

Here are some pics I chedok from dpreview.com. My first impression: Lovely. Not as beautiful as E-P1, but much more macho. And the pop-up flash is a winner.


Will I buy it? Not yet. Mainly coz I'm not really sure how the absence of body-stabilizer will fare on the 20mm prime-lens. But it will definitely be under my radar screen!

2009 Camera Breakthroughs

Gearheads in the photography world must be very happy. Within a matter of months, there have been so many ground breaking releases that will ultimately set the pace for future photography.

First up, the drop dead gorgeous Olympus shook the world with its mirror-less SLR called E-P1. And the fact that they designed it oh-so-beautifully, taking cues from the iconic PEN series, makes this one of the most beautiful prosumer camera there is in the market. Mirror-less SLR was first released by Panasonic few months earlier, but it’s nothing as gorgeous as this. The highs from this camera is the ability to take SLR-quality pics, without the SLR bulk and attention. The lows, well, actually only one; the lack of pop-up flash. So, in short, dang! A winner!

But more profound, is the announcement of new DSLR line-ups from Sony. Since 2008, Sony has been redefining the DSLR market. And no one can deny their influence in creating the sub-RM2K entry level segment when the cheapest entry level DSLR was then at sub-RM4K. Lots of people must thank Sony for this.

And here they go again. With the introduction of A850, Sony is again causing headaches amongst the camera manufacturers by introducing a sub-RM7K full-frame DSLR where traditionally, it has always been in the sub-RM10K bracket. Full-frame is the term used to categorize a DSLR that dons a sensor that’s the same size as the traditional 35mm film. What’s going to happen from this point onward is that, other manufacturers will get back on their drawing board and squeeze their cost down to compete in the same segment. And all in all, the consumers will benefit. Ah, what a wonderful capitalism world.

Another breakthrough is Sony’s upcoming A500/550 model where it will come with an Auto-HDR feature. I can tell you just how much this feature will redefine photography. Wiki up HDR and learn about this. Currently, HDR can only be done via post-processing. Even though this feature has already been embedded in some high-end point-and-shoot, having this in an SLR is truly remarkable.

H1N1, relax... it's just another virus gone amok episode

Taken at Hong Kong just about a week ago. Funny
thing, no such check when entering US.

It's easy for anyone to have their say on this. But my thoughts are always more for the people who are infected with it.

So, I will always play down its impact. Rather than scaring them that they'll die, I will always say that it's just a flu and that they will eventually recover. I think that's the right attitude that everyone and news tellers should have. Well, at least, that's what we can do to show support to those who are infected.

And the best part of this is; I'm right. The mortality rate of H1N1 one of the lowest in comparison to other airborne pandemics. It has 98% recovery rate. Out of 1.5K cases in M'sia, to date, there are only 6 death.

To the 240,000 infected people around the world, don't be disheartened by the dark side of it. Often, it's more sensationalized than it should be. Fact is, people die everyday, even from normal flu or fever. It's just that, it never made it to the prints.

Oh, and don't ever feel damned. It can happen to anyone.

WHO expects a full vaccine by end of '09 though there are reports that it's readily available now, with pigs being the first in line.

Pigs... if only it's being used for farming needs rather than cutlinery needs, the world will have lesser problems.

Now that the vaccine is on its way, H1N1 should STILL be taken seriously more so for it's financial and productivity impact, not so much for it's mortality impact. The way it's managed should be done positively. The theme should be: Hey, relax. It's just a flu. You'll soon be back kickin'!

Again, to those who are infected, please ignore the death notes. It only weakens the mind. Think about the 98% recovery rate. Beef up your mind. Have faith. Believe. You WILL recover.

Michael Jackson: The Greatest Comeback

Well, I guess, he can rest in peace. His wish for a one-off comeback has actually became his GREATEST comeback. Not only the >30yr olds are reciting his lyrics, even 5yr olds are singing to it!

Fact is, my first ever music album was MJ's Thriller album. This was a big deal coz at that time, a cassette was $12.90. And being consistently either 2nd or 3rd last in class, I had no reason to persuade my dad to buy one for me, other than being consistent.

But, since I looked stupid, it was easy to come up with a muka seposen to con my dad to buying it for me... I mean, who can resist a sad AND stupid face, right?

Anyway, I got the cassette and I promised him to start doing some school work. Eventhough it turned up that my dad listened to the cassette more than me.

In that little cassette, there's an instruction on how to do the moonwalk. That little booklet was always in my back pocket, alongside my yellow comb. Of coz, after some beatings, it usually landed on my big bro's pocket (yes, along with the comb), but it was that lil' booklet that taught me the moonwalk.

Picture courtesy of Azrena's magazines.

O well.

MJ; you have just made a comeback that even the Beatles could only dream of. Not just coz you have funky synthesizers in your music, but more for the lives you have touched with it.

That little moment in that little music store in Penang, where I got that cassette with that little moonwalk booklet, is probably one of the biggest moment of my life. I could never forget that moment, holding on to that cassette... with the face and all.

Dude, it was great knowing you (not that he can hear me, but please just play along, this is a closure for me) and thank you very much for the 'gifts' you've given me.

Heal the worrrld... *sob sob*... make it a bedda plaaaacceee.... *sob sob*... for youuu and for meeee... and the entire human race.... *bubye dude!*

Welcome to the Twitter Age (What is Twitter?)

Smthng just happnd to me. My spellng has gone all wrng. Ths is life on earth; post-twitter age. So, the questn now is: xctly wht is TWITTER? Y izt such a rage tht evn Oprah is ridng on da wave?

Truth is. I really dnt knw. Wht I knw is tht I keep lookng up on my bb evytme it tweets. And tht is actually evry few mins of my livng life.

If u ask me wht do I get frm a twttng, I'd say, "less idlng time". Oh, and "bettr utlztn of my rm120/mth unlmted data plan".

Wld my life be any dffrnt w twtr? For now, defntly not. Its jus anthr additn 2 life's sprficial values. But, in the near future; lets jst say, once my kid has grown into a teenager, i'd wnt her on twtr 24x7. & she nds 2 twt on her evry sngle move. W attchd pic. As long s she does tht, i'd forgv her 4 her rpttve errors in spllng.

Some say twtr is micro-blogging. Sm say its anothr way to sms. Sm evn say twtr is just anthr fb sttus updte. I'd say, twtr is "self-brodcstng".

Jst lke a radio sttn, it brdcsts its pgm based on wht the sttn is all abt. & if u missd the brdcst, it wnt b replyed. Twtr is xctly like tht. But its an indvdual brdcst. If u miss a twt, u'd mssd it. Thts it. & 4 evry brdcst, the airtime is just 140letters at any 1 time.

Intrstng bit abt it is tht.. unlike radio sttn, twtr is intrctve. On this note, my dfntn of twtr has grwn to "intractv self-brdcstng". I convrse w my wife & frens on twtr. I got evry update on Wimbldn & EPL on twtr. I even get live-feed frm the local nwspapr on d latst news! N since its a brdcst, evry1 on the same 'freqncy' can 'c' the tweets or feeds. Whch can b annoyng (in a gud way) yet invitng at times.

Y twtr now? Not ystrdy? Well, it wont wrk ystrdy. Coz ystrdy, internet was only for porn. N mobility was just anthr science fction. Today, we've come to an age of 2.4Ghz, blckbrry, MIDs, netbks & free bloggng. Tho moblty is not yet on full swng, those w blckbrry (whch is moblty at its best) will testify tht they can c the bnfts of twtrng.

MID = mobile internet devices, btw.

So twtr, as simple as it seemed, works today. & its destned to b quite a way of life. I see tht it needs some fine-tuning, w spam n stuff, but just like how diamnds like frndstr were cut into a fine jewel like fb, twtr will b going thru a few evolutns until it bcomes part of a human culture. Till then, pls value the fine crft of spellng. Coz itll b gone soon :P

On Frederer, again (The Greatest Evah!)

This would probably be my last blog on Abang Frederer. Well, at least until the next Slam. But, now that he's a record holder of the most Slam titles, the question of "Is Frederer the greatest ever?" should be put to rest.

To me, he's da man. Holding on to top spot for 237wks takes a lot of discipline and self belief. Especially you have the likes of young strong players lurking on the rear mirror. Of the top 5 longest #1 rank holder of all time, he's the only non-American. In fact, him being Swiss is also a testament of how great he is, coming from a country not known to produce great tennis player.

Being one of the only 3 (in the open era) male singles player to ever won on all 4 Slams is also a testament of how awesome this brader is. Even the great Sampras have never won all 4. The other two are Rod Laver of the 60's and Agassi of the 90's.

And the sucker punch is; he doesn't even have a coach. In the Wimbledon finals, Roddick was an altogether new player. And reason #1; he's got a new coach. Nadal, Murray and almost the rest of the pros have a squadron of coaches, therapists and physicists. Not Frederer. Read here or Read here.

When Rog performance took a blip in 2008, people went like "seee, i told u that u need a coach!". But that statement came in after 4years+ at #1. And now, he's back at the top spot and still, without a coach or mentor. This guy comes up with strategies and tactics himself! Gila!

And to top it up, in '03, he founded the "Roger Frederer Foundation" that focuses on helping the disadvantaged. And with him being an active humanitarian such as UN's Goodwill Ambassador and UNICEF, we all should be happy to have such a champion.

So, a record was broken yesterday and I want to be part of history by blogging about this great man. With all time record of 15 Slam titles, his mastery in tennis should never be question. Do you notice that his power backhand swing is by using just 1 hand, not both hands? How kewl is that?

Enough from me. I'm biased anyway. Let's hear out what the rest of the pros or sport commentators think about him. Click here to bbc.co.uk blog.

Wimbledon '09

Roger Federer won a record 15th Grand Slam after beating Andy Roddick in an epic fifth set 5-7 7-6 7-6 3-6 16-14. (bbc.co.uk)

I followed thru almost every game, one with Frederer in particular. So with it over and out, from Monday onwards, I can now get back to my usual slumber routine at 10.30pm.

But before that, apart from Star Sports Channel, it was great following the event coverage thru Twitter @wimbledon. The guys at the end of the keyboard, or keypad, whatever, have done a stupendous job keeping the tweets interesting & fulfilling. The picture feeds were great. The RTs (retweets) from Serena, fans, whoevers, were like SMSes from friends.

For a game like tennis, where watching full-match replays is psychotic & suicidal, its great to get uplifting news, quotes & feeds via Twitter.

To Roddick & Frederer, it was a great 5-match finals. In the end, Frederer is da man. Even at the declining age of 28, he has again shown the world why he is such a living legend.

A world record of 15 Slam titles.

And still serving.

Why its Frederer over Nadal yada yada?

Frederer, with his 90's boy-band hairstyle, showing off his immense kung-fu
chop-style move without even looking at the ball. Picture from Wikipedia.

I'm very technical.
And my reasons are based on logical explanations.

Frederer, 28, held the #1 spot for a blistering 237weeks.

Nadal, his closest competitor is 23 yrs old. He's been #2 for a frustrating 160 weeks under Frederer's shadow. On Aug'08, Nadal took the #1 spot away from Frederer.

But is Nadal worthy enough to overshadow the great Frederer? Just think:

• Frederer, at 28, is probably past his best and Nadal, 5 years younger, is rightful to grab the #1 spot. But, after '09 Wimbledon, Frederer might reclaim the #1 spot again.
  
• So, the argument is: If Nadal is even as good as Frederer, why can't this bicep-pumping 23yr old defend his #1 spot against a 28yr old for even a year? Mind you, 5yrs difference is mega huge in this sport.

My predictions: Nadal will lose his #1 rank after '09 Wimbledon. Frederer will keep competing until probably 2010 and then retire. By then, Nadal would be happy that he'd have Frederer out of the picture. But, just as he wants to stay at the top spot, 22yr old Andy Murray will snatch it away from him. And come 2010, Murray could very well be the worthy successor of the great Frederer.

Why Murray will be the next greatness? Coz, just like Frederer, he doesn't make that Sharapova's constipating 'uuurrghh!' sound on every shot. Like Nadal does. So, go Murray GO!

Like I said, I'm very logical.

My first blog on Frederer was back in 2007 entitled Darth Frederer. Read it here.

BlackBerry, no added sugar. Just plain natural sweetness.

http://www.airtimemanager.co.uk/news/

Life is sweet. I love RIM.

RIM is the maker of Blackberry. And Blackberry is sweet.

This will be another countless blog on Blackberry. A blog which I never bother to count. Coz its just so sweet.

As hippie as I sound, life is sweet with a Blackberry.

Ok. Over la.

The reason why I'm so Cloud 9 is because I just updated the firmware of my aging, old, calar-balar, comot, huduh and outdated 8310. See the pic at the top, guess which one is mine XX

Fact: My '07 BB looks just horrible against the Curve 8900, Storm or Bold. And while it serves its purpose as a 'dewa komunikasi', it still lags in terms of features.

But recently, RIM has announced a firmware upgrade for its older models. From profitability point of view, I can't see the view nor the point. But from customer relations, let's just say, RIM, I love you.

What OS ver4.5 offer from ver4.2 is mind-blowing. Especially when its free.

For example, 2 functions that I use extensively during my Nokia days were the voice recorder and video recording. Both absent from my 8310. Sob, sob.

Well, not anymore! :-)

And on top of that, my oldie baloney now has the exact interface of a Bold and Curve 8900. And if I can find the neon-looking theme, it would even look exactly like them!



*Send via BlackBerry* <-- another 'over' statement

Cell Phones Galore, how can one follow?

I just realized that I’ve lost track on cell phones. What I know is that people are no longer looking at Nokia and Sony Ericsson. There’s Samsung, LG and HTC too.

Prior to this, my ignorance has made me to believe that there are only 3 phone makers worth mentioning in this world; RIM’s Blackberry, Apple’s iPhone and Nokia.

It’s easy to follow a Blackberry coz it only has 3 existing models. iPhone only has 1. And Nokia has its series such as N, E, MusicExpress and etc. So, it’s very easy to follow.

But, when it comes to Samsung, LG or even SE, I simply can’t follow. There’s Magic, Snap, Omnia, Pixon, Touch, Touch Pro, Touch Here, Touch There. There’s even a model called Hero!??

It's quite obvious that these great competitors are making a fortune playing the mini-me game. Y'know, that "U buat, then baru I buat, just like you". But I sure hope they would not make the classic Nissan mistake (overlapping range of products) and lose money more than could actually make.

Coz, in the Red Ocean world, we do need these makers to keep RIM and Nokia firmly on the ground, producing cheaper and better solutions.

I’m actually NOT a tech geek. But in this case, it’s just too obvious, don't you think?

To iPhone, or to Blackberry? That is the question | SUMMARIZED VERSION

http://www.shinyplastic.com/

My previous blog was written in Microsoft Outlook and posted via email. The format is horrible. So, in fairness, I'm summarizing it here in a non-psychotic manner.

The key for making the right decision is mainly on your priority of usage. Because, in essence, iPhone and BB are totally different animals. But if you biggest priority is making calls and SMS, with a strong need for voice clarity, stop reading further and get the Nokia 1100 for RM99.

OK, let's start. Here goes.

www.flickr.com/photos/rustybrick/1552267014/

• If connectivity (such as MMS and email) is your priority, BlackBerry* it is. And if you happen to be a huge Facebook, Twitter and Instant Messaging fan, then you can stop looking. BB is definitely your thang.

• If multimedia (such as picture browsing, video playback & music) is your biggest priority, then iPhoneis the better bet, all 16Gb of it. BB can still be a good companion but this is where the iPhone edges.

• If gaming is your priority, stop reading this and get a PSP. But if you think you'd look uncool talking to your PSP, get the iPhone. DON'T even consider BB.

• If internet is your middle name, such as Abdel Internet Kareem, iPhone is for you. Browsing via BB is OK, just like any Nokia, actually.
  

In summary:
For active-connectivity = Any Blackberry
For multimedia = (1) iPhone (2) Blackberry Storm only
For gaming = iPhone
For internet = (1) iPhone (2) Blackberry Storm only

OK, step back a little and think. With the "either this or that" argument, we know now that the perfect phone is actually; an iPhone with Blackberry connectivity. BB Storm was quite close, but without WIFI, it can't even touch iPhone.

Now that we know the 'perfect' formula, a strong performer like Nokia should be in the thick of it. They should try to genetically create an iPhone-BlackBerry device and call it Nyonya Berry 8310. And they should not be discouraged by the China-made imitation called Nyanyok Berry Love.

Since I'm using a BB, I'd say, BB is da bomb. Memang the very best one. Manyak syiok. Apa iPhone?? Itu budak kici punya.

But if I'm given an iPhone, I'd say that passive-connectivity is sufficient for me. And that the UI, internet and entertainment experience from my iPhone will make me go "Apa Beri-beri? Itu primitif punya kotak ah??".

http://taralconley.wordpress.com/

*BlackBerry WITH BlackBerry Internet Service. Which comes with extra cost such as RM120 per month for unlimited data plan from Maxis. I heard DiGi and Celcom is cheaper. BB without BIS is as good as a RM99 Nokia phone, in technicolor.

To iPhone, or to Blackberry? That is the question.

Hearing woeful wolfly cries of “Should I get an iPhone or a Blackberry?” is becoming quite as common as to the "roti canai or nasi lemak" question we hear everyday. So, being a geek, perhaps my 2kupang view will help the crying wolves.

*Disclaimer: This blog was written in a record time of 8mins. So please forgive me for its lower-than-usual quality or work.*

	A good blackberry	Iphone 3g	Hands down winner
Communicator (email, sms, instant messaging)	Hands down. Bb is da bomb. But it comes with rm120/mth commitment for unlimited data plan. In short, IM or email will no longer be confined to being online on a pc. This is truly mobility at its best.	No push email. That means, you need to be hooked up to a gprs or 3g to be able to ‘download’ email or be connected. And itll suck up big momma batt life if youre ‘online’ most of the time.	BB
User interface	I love the trackball. But the interface is plain jane simple.	Iphone’s UI is to die for. Imagine showing off the pics from ur future dslr via iphone, by just flicking ur figgy.	Iphone
As an imaging wonderpiece	Nothing to brag here. It shows off pics like any other phone.	See above.	Iphone
As a video wonderpiece	I like the fact that you can just drag a video into a bb and view it. ok, so not all format can be viewed, but its hassle free. Screen is so-so.	The screen is the size of Buckingham palace. But I think the vid has to go thru the apple s’ware to get there first. And I heard it might get lost along the way.	A draw
Internet browsing	With bb server connected to you all the time, you’re the hottest king of the net. Waiting for the bus, or pooping has never been so productive. But it uses bb browser, which will reformat the page to a mobile friendly face.	Chances are, you’d buy an iphone with a data plan. So, internet browsing will be a boom. You get full desktop internet brwsng exprnce. And combine tht with its screen size and UI, if u ever get hit by lightning, chances are, you were browsing at that time.	Iphone
Internet entertainment	OK. This is tricky. Just what the heck is internet entertainment. To me, its just.. well, watching videos or playing games. Don’t expect anything from bb here.	Ah… a dedicated youtube apps. Full wide screen. Nothing is better than this. And games? Aplenty. Pooping will never b the same.	Iphone
Twitter	Loads of app for tweeting from a bb. I use uber twitter. And its really cool. I don’t even need a twtdeck with it. and as a bb device, I’m twtable 24x7. how cool is that.	Theres tweetdeck apps for iphone. It’s as cool as the desktop version. But, u need to be in a wifi area or be connected to gprs/3g for it to work. So, you’re not twtable 24x7, and might miss out adam lambert’s fart experience.	Bb
Games	Bb for gamer? Get real.	Ok, imagine yourself holding the iphone like a steering wheel, going thru the st of paris in a mini. Thts iphone.	Iphone
Music	Surprisingly, bb is quite an audiobox. I use mine to fill the gym with music. Tho juno soundtrack is hardly a workout music. I hate the fact tht to go to next track, Ive to press N, and previous trck ‘P’. so stupid.	Theres an ipod built into an iphone. Really. I’m serious.	Iphone
Outlook synch	Mine bb is so screwed up tht I cant use btooth to synch. And even with the usb cable, every now and then, I have to reset something. Other thn tht, it synch up very well. Calendar, address book, notes etc.	I heard that synch-up with outlook is a bit problematic. But I don’t really know. so, I’m giving it the benefit of a doubt.	Draw
Facebook	Ahh.. my 62yr old auntie is on fb. So, if u don’t hv one, u must be more thn 62yr old. Bb app for fb is incredibly super. Every conteng on your wall, you’d get a notication to your bb, realtime. Need to log in and wish someone hppy bday? Do it thru bb. The app makes fb much more meaningful. But then again, with such lightning response to every comment, ppl might thnk you’re an fb addict. But its actually from the bb.	I hate the part where when viewing pic using iphone fb app, the captions will be ON the pic. Not below it. so, ended up, you’d rather go to fb via safari than its fb app. Plus, u don’t get realtime notification like a bb.	bb

*UPDATE*

Another point that I miss is: Using your BB or iPhone (thats loaded with huge megawatts of data plan) as a modem for your shiny Netbook or Laptop.

In this case, the iPhone wins hands down. iPhone can be used as a modem. Therefore, if you're on unlimited data plan, you'd hv a 2in1 device. But sadly, BB cant be used as a modem, therefore confining its data plan on BB services only.