iWant

Yes, its official… The iPhone is out and with it comes the totally killer phone in the market. Everyone wants one, me included. Can’t hardly wait for it and i’m making sure i was on the phone to my friend in US badgering him to inform me the moment its released out there.

I’m sure we’ll see “unlocked” versions creeping its way to our sunny shores once it hits the market in US. Can’t hardly wait.

E70 – One for keeps

Well, its been in my sights for sometime now and i have finally went ahead and bought a decent Symbian phone that seems complete by its absence of any major flaws.

With its unique gull-wing form factor, its bound to attract stares from the general public. If first impressions are anything to go by, the phrase “plain and simple” comes to mind. It looks like any other candy bar phones out in the market. It’s only when you flip open the top of the numeric keypad, does the QWERTY keyboard come into full view. Like a phoenix spreading its wings, the excitement does take your breath away and time seems to pause for a second or two. Which is just as well, for the opening of the keyboard also changes the orientation of the phone from portrait to landscape mode, and that takes some time the first time round.

The slight delay is definitely worth it, for the screen is truly a sight to behold. The clarity, the screen resolution of 352 by 416 puts it ahead of most of its class. To see is to believe, so says the wise men. Well, they might have had E70 in mind when they uttered those words. With such a great screen, it would be criminal if its camera was too far off the mark. Luckily, common sense prevailed and the 2MP camera does its job perfectly. After all, this is the same camera as the N70.

Now the E-series are Nokia’s Enterprise solutions series and living up to its billing are its capabilities to push mail, view & edit Office documents, get onto the Internet through WIFI channels, among others. Then as the saying goes, “all work and no play does a dull boy Jack makes”, thus the people at Nokia have thrown in a whole load of multimedia functionality. How does that sound? Great if you ask me.

In “Symbian OS 9.1, S60 3rd Edition”, we have the latest Symbian OS and that really helps matters in terms of the applications and its functionalities. As i get acquainted with the phone, i will also get into the internals to see what i can do to bring it from Great to Immortal levels. Having said that, it must be said that there are limitations on the RAM side and that really cramps one’s style by a bit. Of course workarounds are available and its only a matter of time before this issue is resolved.

Well, for a start, i shall just stick to basics and know the phone inside out first. There’ll be more coming as i discover this thing of beauty and joy forever.

Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande

What can i say?
I have had the priviledge to be able to sample this great wine which evolves every minute.
After being kept in the bottle for the past 24 years, a breath of fresh air seemed to be just what the doctor ordered.
Hopefully that glass would not be my last ever in my lifetime.

Enter Action with Boldness

If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Your doubts and hesitations will infect your execution. Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity. Everyone admires the bold; no one honors the timid.

Play on People’s Need to Believe to Create a Cultlike Following

People have an overwhelming desire to believe in something. Become the focal point of such desire by offering them a cause, a new faith to follow. Keep your words vague but full of promise; emphasize enthusiasm over rationality and clear thinking. Give your new disciples rituals to perform, ask them to make sacrifices on your behalf. In the absence of organized religion and grand causes, your new belief system will bring you untold power.

Courage & Will

Another year, another run.
We have been gearing up for it more professionally this time round.
There has been more training, more food for thought gone into it
We clocked mileage, we carbo-loaded.

We got there early, we did our warm-ups
We cleared our bowels, we went light.
We were ready for the race of our lives.

By a twist of fate, i was the veteran with three runs under my belt
BH on his maiden run, Wilman and Wai on their second
We started off well on our own terms, on our own pace.
Then the half marathoners came, and they got sucked into the speed.

We were in danger of burning out.
I pulled back. I was not going to last if i stayed.
Wai did the same. Them two others left ahead.
“Its not the destination, but the journey”

Its addictive, the running of the marathon.
Why so? No one knows, but i am kinda addicted.
Maybe its the bragging rights, or the tee-shirt.
Or its just i’m a sucker for pain.

Regardless, i did it. Again.

Keep Your Hands Clean

You must seem a paragon of civility and efficiency: Your hands are never soiled by mistakes and nasty deeds. Maintain such a spotless appearance by using others as scapegoats and cat’s-paws to disguise your involvement.

The Quitter

When you’re lost on the trail with the speed of a snail
And defeat looks you straight in the eye
And you’re needing to sit, your whole being says quit
You’re certain it’s your time to die.
But the code of the trail is “move forward don’t fail”
Though your knees and ego are scarred.
All the swelling and pain is just part of the game
In the long run it’s quitting that’s hard!

“I’m sick of the pain!” Well, now, that’s a shame
But you’re strong, you’re healthy, and bright.
So you’ve had a bad stretch and you’re ready to retch,
Shoulders back, move forward, and fight.
It’s the plugging away that will win you the day,
Now don’t be a loser my friend!
So the goal isn’t near, why advance to the rear.
All struggles eventually end.

It’s simple to cry that your finished; and die.
It’s easy to whimper and whine.
Move forward and fight, though there’s no help in sight
You’ll soon cross the lost finish line.
You’ll come out of the black, with the wind at your back,
As the clouds start to part; there’s the sun.
Then you’ll know in your heart, as you did at the start.
You’re not a quitter. You’ve Won!!

Patrol the River

As we get the call, the dreaded call which we have been forewarned.
One cannot help but curse and swear at the timing of it.
A Saturday, the sixth day of the week.
The first day of the weekend.

Wearing green again, in Full Battle Order no less.
A sense of nostalgia, a sense of pride.
Because we wear red on our heads, we are the elites.
We get the missions which no one else could possibly do.
That’s how good we are.

When shit hits the fan, by the third wave, we’re behind enemy lines.
The guy to the left and right of you will be responsible for keeping you alive.
He will be the father and mother, the only family you got out there.
And the best thing is, we will definitely come back.
For that’s how good we are.

But i digress, it was not that serious yet.
We are just on standby. We equip ourselves with mission essentials and wait.
Wait is a trademark of the military.
Rush to wait, wait to rush.
Time is but a number on the chalkboard.

Within 8 hours, every one is ready to go.
At the pickup of a phone, at the flick of a switch,
we could be off to some “REDLAND”
We are ready! Ready to protect the ones we love and hold dear.
For love is thy weapon.

N+12, half a day has gone, into the wee hours of the morning,
Its been a good exercise. We have achieved tremendous scores.
We have done good. As if there’s any other outcome.
Its now reversing what we have done.
Return all that was drawn out

That is a buggeration, a chore.
The accounting for things always takes longer that the distribution.
Its not good, its slow, things will get lost.
People will forget to return items.
But we get it done all the same.

All done and ready to leave.
We are pleased to have gotten together.
A one day reunion of sorts.
We are pleased to do our part
Singapore is safe for another day.

To Unix or Not to Unix

To Unix or not to Unix.
That is the question
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer slings
and arrows of vast documentation
or to take arms against a sea of buggy OS
and by raping the support lines end then?