Do You Believe in 6th Sense?

6th sense, believe it! I am seriously amazed with this Indian genius. Watch the rest of the demo and be amazed.



Amazing kan?

MARSHAL Navigation System

My colleagues nicknamed me "Gadget Man", knowing that I love to toy around with gadgets. I am also invited for the latest S-Class UI LG Arena launch and will be one of the reviewer for the latest LG flagship phone.



My gadgets parade (L-R): LG Prada 2, Apple 2G iPod Touch 32GB & the latest MARSHAL 4.3" Navigator

Let's not sway into LG Arena today, I wanna introduce a happy addition to my gadgets today, the MARSHAL Navigation System. The most well known navigation system in Malaysia now is certainly under the brand name Garmin. However a 4.3" Garmin navigation system is retailing at about RM999 and the price is pretty steep for a navigation system especially when most of the PDAs now in the market are GPS-enabled.



I got hold of my toy today. It is new in the market, specially custom-made GPS navigation system on Mapking platform. Mapking is popular among PDA users using Windows Mobile OS. It is fully custom made and manufactured in China and do not be judgemental on the quality of the product as it comes with a one(1) year warranty and three(3) months one-to-one exchange warranty policy. And mind you, my ipod touch is also manufactured in China. Most importantly is that this gadget is a good bargain especially during this time of recession where we want to stretch our every dollars & cents.

So what is in the box?



1. MARSHAL Portable Navigation Device
2. AC Adapter
3. Car mount system
4. User Manual
5. USB Cable (for charging via USB)
6. In car charger
7. 2GB SD Memory Card
8. Carrying pouch
9. Screen protector
10. Ear piece
11. Warranty card



For half the price you are paying for Garmin, it is definitely a value buy as it has multimedia functions which I will explain later with more photos. IMHO, the design is pretty sleek and slim. The buttons shown here is the on-off button and the menu button.



On the left side of the device, you will find the SD Card slot, small pin hole for master reset, AV in which allow other devices with AV out such as portable DVD player to hook it up, earphone jack in that allow you to listen to your favourite MP3s & watching movies and lastly the mini USB for charging purposes.



Let's look into the main menu of this device. The main menu is pretty interactive and this navigation system comes with 2 different models, one with bluetooth and another one is non-bluetooth (I will explain later on the bluetooth function). Once you are in the main menu, you will be greeted with the colorful interface with smaller function tabs on the bottom panel of the screen. On the top panel, you will see smaller icons lining up, starting with power indicator, GPS satellites status, bluetooth, microphone, speaker & time.



Let's start from the first tab, the GPS. Double click on it will execute the Mapking software. Once you are in the Mapking menu, you can select to navigate, select route, find locations by landmarks or road names, settings, etc which I will not elaborate further. As per the screen shot, the map is showing my last stop route which is in Selayang.





As for the second tab on the main menu will be the music function. Load in your favourite songs in MP3, WMA & WAV file format and enjoy the song from the device itself. Play your music at its best with the equalizer function included. The device also supports WMV, ASF & AVI video file format so you can load your favourite movies onto the SD card and watch from the same screen itself. You can also download e-book in txt file format and do your reading there. It also play flash file & most of the photo file formats.











To make this device even more interactive, it comes with a pre-loaded games. Games that may be lame but can be really good to kill time.





All the above functions are both available on bluetooth & non-bluetooth models. What I had with me now is the bluetooth unit. So what is the bluetooth function all about? I will not go into detail on this but basically the bluetooth unit allows you to pair with your bluetooth enabled phone and once it is successfully paired, the device will act like the screen of your phone so you can in fact do the dialing & receiving calls from the device. The bluetooth unit comes with a built-in microphone so it is pretty convenient while you are on the wheel. I have not fully played with the device as I had just got it today and I will share the in depth once I am hands on this device.

On top of all this, the settings menu allow you to select the default language & volume. Plus it has a FM transmitter function so that in the event that you feel the built-in speaker is not loud enough, you can always transmit the audio via your car stereo system using the FM transmitter.



Pretty cool isn't it? Anyway, the only down point that I have to be frank will be the battery life of this device but heck care when you are equipped with the in-car charger provided in the package. Product brochure as follow, click for larger view.

Interested? As of today, I am already sold out of the non-bluetooth unit. What is available now will be the bluetooth units which are limited. The next shipment will be in 20 days from now. I can assure you that the price will be a killer. Email me at songm@hotmail.com for serious buyer and I will reply accordingly. Trading will be by COD in Klang Valley & Melaka only. I have not been thinking of shipping to other states as yet but it can be arranged.

So place your order now!

My New Toy : Acer Aspire One D150

Getting ready for the upcoming online job that I had took up, I bought myself a new toy. Acer Aspire D150. This will be my first post using the Netbook. I am amazed by its cili padi size, typing is a joy but I still need time to adapt to its pointing device, too small for my fat finger.

I will be heading back to Melaka tonight, an early Cheng Beng, time for prayers for my ancestors. It had been a while since I last follow my dad to pray. Shall be updating from Melaka too with my new toy.

Blog post using Acer Aspire D150
Picture using LG KF 900 Prada 2

The LG Secret

Those who went for the All Blogs 100 Days event were given a 1GB thumb drive courtesy from LG. I plugged it in, and by default it has some folders with LG latest line-up for their mobile. Some lucky chick won the above pictured phone.

Not to say I am working in LG and I am praising and writing this, in fact, I am not even paid to do this posting. My 2 cents, LG phones improve a lot since the very first launch of their Black Label Series, the Chocolate.

I still regard them as accessories phone catering for yuppies who are trendy and fashion conscious.

The latest phone, The Secret, amazingly come with a 5MP touch media & shockingly with carbon fiber back casing. I have yet to lay my hand on the phone as yet and if any of the LG Mobile team who are reading this post can be kind enough to lend me a phone for review, I will be happy to do so no worries, I am not as big as Kenny or Jeff, so it will be free :P

I shall be back with posting on my participation in PROTES next!

MikeMmery's Windows XP Successfully OS X-ed!!!

This is my print screen shot. I played a bit with my desktop and a bit of tweaking and taa daaaahhh... my windows XP got OS X-ed. Few commented that it slowed down the whole system but my experience with it looks smooth *touch wood*, or perhaps my machine is of the latest chipset, that is why it ran well.

With a few widgets from yahoo.com and the OS X wallpaper, my desktop GUI now looked neat and sweet ;)

Happy trying. The step-by-step idiot guide is here.

B2B Commercial Seminar & Roadshow

Short Note: Typhoon Level 1 Red Alert in Hong Kong today (18/04/2008)



My trip to Macao was not all fun like in the previous post. This post will elaborate more on my 2nd & 3rd day in Macao in more details. The seminar officially started on the 14th April, basically it was a seminar for the internal LG staff and the roadshow was on the next day on the 15th April. I came with a co-worker in my department. Unlike the consumer electronics business, this seminar I attended, stressed on Biz-2-Biz (B2B), more leaning towards commercial or corporate sales. Many would not have know the importance in Malaysia yet but we soon to see a booming as we all know Malaysia is always slow in adapting new stuff.



So what actually is the product we talking about here? It is more on digital signages & TV with hotel mode. In many other more developed countries, fluorescent light advertisement board & neon lights slowly extincting. Welcoming LCD technology into digital signages world. It is amazing to see how software does magic to these screens.





From left to right. The very first large screen of 4 pieces is what we call the video wall. It can go as many screens combinations as you like, imagine 9x9 42" screens across or 1x16 screens horizontally, how impressing it is to onlookers. Fluorescent box & neon lights are so dull & plain and the consumers now are much sophisticated than before, go to Venetian, you will see more LCD screens than any other hotel in the world. The second screen from the left is pivotal 3-sides, one of its kind. Too technical and interested party can always contact me. The third kinda of screen is more towards special stretched screens where it will replace those LEDs signages, or even be used in casinos, many casinos in Vegas already start using this kinda screens.



Besides the digital signages screens, we were introduced to the new hotel mode LCD TVs. With the extension of Visit Malaysia Year 2008, many hotels are doing revamping, who still want to stay in hotels with CRT TVs? LCD is the in thing now.



As these are seminar for distinguished guests from Asia Pacific including Middle East, Australia & New Zealand, there were sharing of ideology on how to improve the business and many success stories all over the world. Anyone interested in these screens in Malaysia, please drop me a mail k.



And for lowyat.net forumers who are following my blog, just a teaser on the LG Voyager phone to be launched in US.





And for those 2-days of seminar & roadshow, my next post will be on a short city tour in Macao. More photos coming along.





Out of topik sikit - I was following on some other political blogs in Malaysia and I got a message to this old man who started blogging sebab pasal BN kalah internet war at the GE-12. Ali Rustam, jangan sekadar nak rakyat komen yg bagus, dan tak terima yg tak bagus, pakai otak sikit kalau nak blog, get your facts right, kalau nak blog, terima lar kritikan juga, penakut macam you, bagus tutup blog site you. Malu oi Melaka! I am a Malaccan you know, though you win, I never regret my vote went the other way. If you guys got no idea what am I ranting about, this Mat Ali wrote about piggy story bashing the new Selangor government, after Malaysiakini found out who spearhead the project, this mamat deleted his post and disabled his comment but kita rakyat bukan bodoh, nak menang undi internet bukan senang mat, check here to read the 300+ bashings from the rakyat before this mamat deleted the post. Hadiah kandang babi tu sebelum ni satu lagi projek Barisan Nasional. BERANI KERANA BENAR!!!



Kandang Babi Thumb Up!

LG KF600 : Mikemmery's Review

My fellow forumers, here the special request on the review. Please note that I am not a professional reviewer of a mobile gadget, I am reviewing the unit as a mobile user and this is not an advertorial.



Since I am a user of a full touch screen phone, I have real difficult times to get use to this new interface. LG KF600 is a slider phone, rather innovative of them to embed a partial touch screen on the main LCD. When it is not slide up, the phone shows full wallpaper on both display LCD and touch screen LCD.



When slided up, it reveals a set of touch screen LCD menu and the chess board lookalike keypad. Like any other LG mobile, this runs on a LG sole proprietary OS & UI. Nothing much to shout about on the menu & applications. But one thing which I am impress is that the phonebook memory. A higher end LG Viewty only comes with a 500 entries phonebook memory whereby KF600 comes with a massive 1,000 entries.



Unlike the conventional slider phone, where you have the navigation cursor that tag along with the keypad, navigation made easier with the touchscreen and since LG PRADA, the touchscreen improve hell a lot as it allows both fingers & stylus access to it.



It also supports handwriting recognition for both alphabets & chinese (traditional & simple). It gives a new dimension altogether for messaging and characters input experiences. It supports up to 2GB MicroSD external storage. For detailed specs, please see here.

Now, let's talk a bit bout the camera. It comes with a 3.0MP AF camera, which I believe would be able to take decent picture for a camera phone that is available in the market now. As I am currently using KS20 (2.0MP), I took some pictures using my phone & KF600, let the pictures do the talking ya.



Unlike the pictures of the phone above which was compressed, the following pictures are original, unedited and uncompressed in whatsoever way. Click to enlarge.


Indoor pictures (Atria Shopping Mall 03/04/2008)


KF600, settings: 3.0MP, auto-focus, white balance incandescent


KS20, settings: 2.0MP, auto-focus, white balance indoor


Outdoor pictures (03/02/2008)


KF600, settings: 3.0MP, auto-focus, white balance cloudy (rainy day today!)


KS20, settings: 2.0MP, auto-focus, white balance cloudy


Macro pictures (03/04/2008)


KF600, settings: 3.0MP, auto-focus, white balance cloudy


KS20, settings: 2.0MP, auto-focus, white balance cloudy


All in all, KF600 is a decent phone but for its price, my 2 cents, it will be good if it is a 3G phone. And I believe many experience poor soft MP3 & ringtones playback on LG previous models, but since Shine, it had improved tremendously. Too pricey though, retailing RM1,138 in the market now.

But heck care, I still like my KS20 more :P

Mikemmery's Trading List : Want To Sell (WTS)

*UPDATES: Successfully sold 2 units of the DVD Players*

Hi peeps, since many had enquired me about the price of the phone. I came out with the WTS list here, interested & serious buyer please email me at songm@hotmail.com

My WTS list:

1. LG KS20: RM1,X99 with 1GB Micro SD
2. LG KU990 Viewty with 1GB Micro SD: Email to enquire
3. LG DV270 DVD Player: RM100/unit (2 units only)

The above mentioned is all new unit, CASH sales only. Terms & conditions apply.

I will compile 2nd hand items to be sold as well, stay tune.

Cheers!

LG KS20 Rocks!

More pictures taken with LG KS20, adjustment only to white balance 'Cloudy'. The fact is KS20 takes decent pictures for a Windows Mobile handheld. I had started a LG KS20 owners list in these thread (here & here), if you own one, let's see what experience we can share together ya

For the past few days, these are some applications & add-on I installed for my baby;
1. SPB Mobile Shell (something like extended Today's screen, darn cool! MUST HAVE!)
2. PCM Keyboard (iPhone lookalike keyboard)
3. HTC X-Button (X button that really closes applications from running at the background)
4. Owner Info-X (Extended Owner Info + Display picture)
5. SunGlobe (3rd party application to enable Chinese SMS to be read)

Also, I heard KS20 will be able to support Micro SDHC (not confirm), meaning to say that we can enjoy bigger space like 4-8GB of additional storage. Keep your fingers cross, will update you guys.

This is one of the best phone LG produced so far, my 2cents and functionality so far the best among LG's range of mobiles. And maybe tonight I will try to post a blog with my baby :)

Ciaoz!

LG KS20 : Mikemmery's Review

My weekend was rather occupied, and I believe some got a bit sick with too many posted about the Nuffnang PJ Party last Saturday. I did went, but what actually got me so tied up over the weekend was my new gadget, the LG KS20, LG's first Windows Mobile (WM) based phone.



I would say this model is going to give other WM player like HTC a run on their money. Not only the design look a bit of the overpriced LG PRADA but it is one of the most affordable WM-based PDA in the market now. The retail price is RM 1,888.



When I got my phone last weekend, I had been installing applications, actively participating in forums like LowYat.Net & MyPDACafe, as I am still very much a dummy on WM6. As of now, *touchwood* my phone has not fail me yet, it has not 'hang' like many complained about LG phones.

So what is in the box?
- Handset
- Stylus
- Standard Battery
- Charger
- USB Data Cable
- Stereo Hands-free
- Pouch *very plastic, tend to scratch the front screen, looks cheap, should hav come up with PRADA case*
- Manual & CD

As for the specs, please get it here. As for my personal experience, to be frank, not too bad a phone. Tried going online with HSDPA & Wifi, both works fine - the only minus point I found during surfing is that the connection will disconnect if there is an incoming call or the phone is in sleep mode.

Another minus point - the commercial unit does not bundle with Chinese software - meaning writing and reading in Chinese characters is a NO. Need to find 3rd party software. Personally, I still think the phone needs a bit more tweaking, applications do not close properly even when you tap on the 'X' button, so another 3rd party software needed to solve this problem. One more problem I face and I have yet to find the solution is that, when I insert my SIM card into the phone, I cannot seem to copy all SIM contacts to my phone contacts like any other phone which surely come with the function. So at the moment, I just leave my contacts as SIM and I have limited functionality for the contacts as in attaching pictures & ringtones.

Other than these small issues, the camera I believe will be an attention grabber for the moment. And camera wise, it is 2.0MP and it works quite decently. Below are the pictures taken with my KS20 and I have not edit or compress the pictures, do click to enlarge.





Overall, I prefer my KS20 than Viewty which I previously used. And Viewty phone, no doubt it is 5.0MP but depending on environment & situation of the picture taken, too many settings need to be done to get a quality picture.

If you guys are interested in LG KS20, please drop me a mail ya. Last I heard, it ran out of stock. True ar?

ps: this is not an advertorial, if the phone fail me, I sure condemn wan :P