Daily Life

Dec 13 2011

Samsung Series 7 Chronos 14” Laptop NP700Z3AH Launch in Malaysia

I was looking at this laptop about 2 months ago and was excited by the specifications I saw. It finally launched in Malaysia today (13th December 2011) but the price isn’t competitive in my opinion. Let’s see what we have:

  • Reasonable speed. Dual core i5-2430M processor.
  • Large display in a small body. 14″ 300-nit display in a 13.3″ laptop body.
  • Light. 4.3 pounds which is about 1.95kg. Easy enough to carry all day, especially in a backpack.
  • Large and fast storage. 1 TB hard drive with the 8GB ExpressCache technology that speeds things up in terms of starting up Windows and other programs.
  • Backlit Keyboard!!! I wonder why it’s so hard to find laptops with backlighting? It’s sooooo useful.
  • Outputs are ok. VGA output (with a cable) and HDMI output.
  • Decent graphics. You can play most games at medium setting with the 1GB DDR5 HD6490M.
  • Price is expensive… RM3599

So it’s all pretty good except for the price. Now, I wouldn’t mind it that much if the display were good but all the reviews so far (for overseas models though) say that the display is horrible. If I’m going to be spending half my day looking at that screen, it better be something worth looking at.

Even then, I might forgive the display if the price were accordingly lower. At RM3599, I’d be better off spending my money on a Sony Vaio at the same size and similar specs with a slightly lighter body. Even though people say that Vaios are overpriced (and I tend to agree), at least their displays are awesome. And their keyboards are backlit too.

Oh well, I guess the search for a good laptop goes on.

By Lutfi Torla • Daily Life • 9 • Tags: ,

May 18 2011

Samsung Galaxy S2: I want one!

Some spend tens of thousands on their cars. Some spend thousands on their computers and laptops. Me? I’m a person who’s willing to spend on my phone.

Device Convergence

It’s all about practicality you see. It’s the thing I carry around the most so I keep wanting more and more things to be crammed in it. “Device Convergence” the slogan goes, and I nod my head in agreement.

Ever since  my N95, I’ve been wanting it. The phone that can be my all in one: my phone, browser, ebook reader, gps navigation, organizer, video player, camera and flashlight. That’s right, ebook reader. I’ve been reading ebooks on my phone for the past 5 years! Thank god the rest of the world has caught up. It used to be pure torture reading those old badly designed ebook files. You see, the market wasn’t big enough back then for publishers to format them properly.

The point though, is that my phone can do plenty things and it’s with me all the time. Therefore, it’s worth it for me to spend a bit more on it.

The search

That search first led me to Windows Mobile phones back in 2008 and they were good for a time. Very customizable. Had fun all day tweaking my phone and putting in custom roms. I couldn’t use iphones yet then, they were still very new and unpolished. 2009 i tried the iphone. It was better than windows mobile. Tons more apps.

But then 2010 came. And I got my android phone. The Nexus One. I’ve had it for a year and a half now with no regrets. But the SGS2 is just too tempting.

You have to understand, I love bigger screens. Ideally I’d take a 5-inch screen handphone. But the SGS2 screen is 4.3 inches of pure win. The camera is an awesome 8 megapixel / full HD affair. And it has a dual-core CPU!!! My phone will have 2 computer brains. How awesome is that?

Waterproofing please? Awww!!!

The only thing that would make this the perfect phone (at least for the next year) would be if it was waterproof. Sadly enough only the Japanese make their phones waterproof and even then only for local phones. *sigh* Oh well, everything else is perfect.

I totally want the SGS2!

I wouldn’t even trade in my current (1.5 year old) phone for an iphone 5 when it comes out. And this SGS2 is a good 10 times more amazing than my current phone is. Unfortunately the price is still a bit inflated. Verdict? Wait a little more for the price to go down. I’ve already been waiting since February anyway. What’s a few more weeks?

That’s right, I’m saving up.

By Lutfi Torla • Daily Life • 4 • Tags: , , ,

Aug 27 2010

Forgetting a Facebook password

What happens when you forget your facebook password?

A few weeks ago, I went out with my friends to hangout. So someone said to me, “open your facebook, check some pictures I posted”. So I open the facebook page and start typing in the password. I hesitate a little, unsure of myself. After all I hadn’t logged in for nearly a month already. But I press enter anyway.

PASSWORD INVALID. ACCESS DENIED.

Hmmm, must’ve been the other password. *type* *type*

PASSWORD INVALID. ACCESS DENIED.

Whaaat?! Could it be the OTHER password?

Slowly, tentatively, I press the buttons one by one. Enter.

PASSWORD INVALID. ACCESS DENIED.

I was beginning to hate that message just a little bit.

So what did I do after that? Nothing! Facebook isn’t important enough for me to spend that much time trying to figure out a password. I know I’ve got it saved somewhere. It’s been about 2 months now and I haven’t been on facebook.

There was a short moment when I used a browser that had the password saved so I popped in and approved some friend requests. But then I logged out.  And I can’t be bothered to find out what the password is or to go all the way to that browser just to log in each time.

Anyway, it just means that I have more time that’s not wasted. So don’t find me on facebook, thankyouverymuch. I won’t be there.
P.s. This was actually written last week. I’ve found my password now.

By Lutfi Torla • Daily Life • 0

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