Silicon Gulf

Upon seeing the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet, the first question that came to me was “where do I place my SIM card?”. But sorry Nokia cellphone fans, this gadget is not a cellphone nor it has any mobile phone capabilities.

At first it was very odd and confusing that a $350 gadget from a leading cellphone manufacturer is not equipped with any phone capabilities. It was even more surprising since Nokia’s N-series boasts a line of feature-packed mobile phones. Since the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet is not a mobile phone, but it does not intend to replace them but to complement them instead.

According to TabletBlog.com,

The Nokia N800 Internet Tablet is not a PDA, ultra-mobile PC, smartphone, or eBook reader. It is an Internet Tablet…the device was built from the ground up to focus on Internet functionality.

The Nokia N800’s main purpose is to provide its end-users Internet functionalities such as web browsing, email, instant messenging, internet radio, and internet calling.

Physical Design

The Nokia N800 is a classy and elegant-looking device. I love the combination of black plastic and metal. The material used in this gadget is also rigid. You can be assured that the device won’t creak or break with ease.

The limited number of buttons gives the Nokia N800 a clean and uncluttered look. The ergonomics of the over-all design is also good. The position of the buttons were also appropriate.

When browsing, the Nokia N800 can utilize both the stylus and the navigational button to navigate across the page. When using the navigational button, what it does is to change and high light the active item (or link) which is a bit stressful when viewing pages loaded with links or pages with a very long vertical length. Though the problem can be solved when using the stylus, but it can sometimes leave annoying scratches (can be wiped off) when dragging the stylus across the LCD screen. It would have been better if the device is equipped with a jog dial (similar to Sony Ericsson’s).

Operating System and Interface

The Nokia N800 runs on a Debian GNU/Linux distribution called Maemo. This makes the Nokia N800 more robust in terms of software functionality. A lot of software binaries for Maemo are distributed online for FREE.

The interface is also easy to navigate. The home screen features an interface where you can mount different applets on your tablet’s desktop. Navigational buttons are also available for web browsing, internet communication and for installed software applications.

Built-in Software Applications

The Nokia N800 is pre-installed with an e-mail application, instant messenger which can accommodate text, audio and video, skype application, and an opera web browser. Most of these applications are easy to use. The Nokia N800’s Email application can support both POP and IMAP email communications. I tried using GMail and Google Apps Email on the N800 at it works fine.

The instant messenger used by the N800 supports GTalk and Jabber. Since I’m using the Google Apps’ Jabber feature, I tried connecting to my service using the Jabber option. It can be used to chat with your contacts using text and voice. It also retrieves your contacts list and automatically integrates it with your contacts application and email application.

The web browser uses Opera as its engine. For the firefox fans, you can also try replacing the Opera engine with a Mozilla distribution for Maemo. You may see it here.

The Skype application can support both audio and video chat. I have not figured out yet how to operate the video feature but the voice chat is quite good.

Speakers

The Nokia N800’s stereo speakers are also good. The sound doesn’t have distortions at high levels. The maximum volume level is also loud enough to be heard on a public place. (Of course this evaluation is relative to one’s hearing capacity and environment). The device is also equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack socket where you can plug your earphones, unlike with other mobile phone models which use a different connector for the earphone.

Display

The tablet’s screen is 4.1″ which is big enough for browsing. It operates at an 800 x 480 screen resolution. The thing, it can only 65k colors which is very small compared to other devices available in the market. My mobile phone alone can display 256k colors.

Camera

The gadget is also equipped with a VGA camera hidden at the upper left corner. The camera is not that good. Distortions and noise are visible on the image taken by the VGA Camera. I hope Nokia can work on this one.

Connectivity

The N800 can connect using WiFi and Bluetooth. The device can support both 802.11 b/g types of WiFi networks. Aside from the WiFi, it can also connect to the internet using your bluetooth connected phone as a modem for internet communications.

I also tried using Microsoft’s Internet Sharing feature to share my wired internet connection from my laptop and it works fine.

Conclusion

The Nokia N800 offers better Internet experience compared to other mobile phones available in the market. The N800 is also robust that it can be used beyond its internet functionalities. In terms of mobility, the N800 is comparable to an office computer on top of your palm. It can perform basic PC operations while you are on the go. This gadget is best suited to those heavy internet users like me.

I think this website can help our older generation and this site really needs a hug of two or more.

BetterCaring.com a website that specializes on answers for crucial questions about caring for themselves or giving cares to their most loved ones. It its designed to suit everybody needs and really have sections to what you are looking for.



One section that they are really expert is the Care information section. It provides resources for all the right choices you want to make for yourself or for you loved ones. It will help you understand the background of the care system and guide you through the range of choices available to help you plan for the future. To specify you to what you want, the care information has 3 categories: Care at Home, Residential Care and Finance. Each of these section contains Fact Sheets that are compiled with the assistance of the Elderly Accommodation Council and Counsel for Care.

The site has Frequently Asked Questions section that will answer you the most basic query for you needs.

The site has been designed with pro-accessibility in mind. Thinking to their most valuable customers, the Elders.

For a better care of life, BetterCaring.com is a great website.

Theres a lot of things we should be thanking Japan for; gamers for the Super Mario and Final Fantasies, female anatomy enthusiasts for Yua Aida and Anime lovers for pretty much everything. But if you’re a food lover, you should be thanking Japan for something that tastes so distinctly and uniquely their own. Cuisine that emphasizes raw and healthy ingredients and creative preparation, Japanese food is clearly one of the more recognizable world cuisines. Imagine my delight when Blogie invited me to a popular Japanese restaurant as part of Davao Bloggers’ Food Trip.

Zakoya is a fairly new restaurant that has slowly but steadily been getting buzz amongst the local food lovers. I actually missed the memo stating to bring your own camera, fortunately Batang Yagit was gracious enough to take pictures for me. We sat at the Tatami area and use chopsticks to put ourselves in a Japanese mood. I wasn’t able to have lunch that day so I was first at the buffet table. Different variations of tempura, Oysters, wasabi, Sushi, skewered garlic and Sashimi were laid out on the the first table. I like how they are being prepared right in front of you across the table.

The next table was where the main dishes were laid out. My favorite was the miso soup which reminded me of taho except its warm and full of veggies. Teriyaki, kamameshi, black seaweeds, veggies in Kimchi (skipped it) and a beef plate. There was a third table full of fruits and desserts but I never got around to it due to me having no space left in my tummy after devouring the meal.

The teriyaki was good, the Black seaweed despite its appearances tasted harmlessly, the beef dish was also good, the coleslaw sushi was delicious, the fried fish was delectable, and that miso soup? still my favorite among the bunch along with the oysters.
I neglected to order sake and instead blurted out Iced tea. We had a great time talking amongst ourselves and that speaks to Zakoya’s conversation friendly atmosphere.

Now, on to my verdict -
The Good:

• Different dining areas
• cool table design (bubbles in glass)
• beautiful Men’s bathroom, I was going to check out the Women’s but I wasn’t drunk enough
• not too cramped
• conversation friendly
• a few Great dishes(miso soup, oysters)
• relatively affordable price

The Could-Be-Better:

• Food tags would’ve been nice, I didn’t know the names of what i was gobbling up.
• Food was mostly Ok, but lacked freshness on some dishes
• The plates were heavy
• Stones on the steps to the tatami area could be cause of accidents
• wouldn’t it be cool if there was a Geisha or a Samurai greeting you at the door.

In summary, for a great Japanese resto that won’t break the bank go to Zakoya.
Here are the restaurant’s info lifted straight from DavaoDeli:

Open all week for lunch and dinner. There’s a bar in a separate room. They close at around 2 AM. There’s also an open-air area out front.

The restaurant is located at Door #3 DavCon Autoville, Torres St., Davao City. It’s beside Coco (formerly Regine’s) and the Davao Convention and Trade Center. Tel.: (82)227-7760.

Plot

The Golden Compass is set in a world where everyone’s soul are tangibly represented by animals called “daemons” and sinful tendencies represented (or misrepresented) by something called Dust. In here an authoritarian government named the Magisterium rules all. Having amassed an inordinate amount of lies and deception, (not unlike any government) they seek to destroy those who can expose them. Of which there are two, firstly Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), a globe trotting muscular scholar(heh) who just discovered the real nature of Dust and the church’s, err, Magisterium’s integrity might suffer for it. Secondly are the alethiometers also know as a golden compass, these are clock-like devices that reveal the absolute truth. Thought to be destroyed by the Magisterium, one is in fact left intact. The last golden compass is in the possession of a rascal orphan girl named Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards). Lyra’s life is turned upside down when Marisa Coulter (Nicole Kidman), an alluring and powerful woman closely associated with the Magisterium took a liking to the girl and decided to bring her on a trip. What happens next is a grand adventure involving air cowboys, gypsies, witches and warrior polar bears.

Review
Let me preface this review by stating coming into the film I had no clue about the book this movie is based on, Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. But based on the hullabaloo I can surmise its hugely popular in Caucasian land and its decidedly anti-Christian but I’m here to review a film and not talk about controversies. And review it I will.

The film made me grin with delight, not at the majestic polar bear, nor at the ultra cool witch or the dashing explorer but by the main character, Lyra. Seldom has a movie’s protagonist be a delightful rascal who can lie and steal with the best of them and be a girl at that. Dakota carries the film real well, considering this is her acting debut, its quite an achievement. It helps that she is surrounded by great actors, namely Ms. Nicole Kidman, who seems to relish in playing a ruthless but motherly character, Daniel Craig who unlike Pierce Brosnan seems to shake off that Bond smell easily and the Great Sir Ian Mckellen which voices the polar bear, Iorek Byrnison.

The world is a mish mash of Jules Verne inspired contraptions against old English buildings. It works as the wonderful things are not gawked at but rather inconspicuously. The daemons, represented by talking animals, are done adeptly. Having said that there is quite a laundry list of what’s wrong with the film.

First and chiefly, the film is impatient. There is seldom build up to scenes with important plot point and conversely emotional scenes are cut abruptly as opposed to letting it linger to achieve empathy with the viewers. The film botched in establishing the significance of the Golden Compass and similarly the Dust. One can blame this to economics, as this film costs $180 million, running time had to give in. Another significant problem is too many characters are introduced and glossed over, this might not be a problem if the characters are not so intriguing. Eva Green’s witch is so visually mysterious, I could sense some rich backstory. Daniel Craig’s Lord Asriel begs a few flashback on his exploits traveling the world. The film assumes that all the viewers have read the book and that is never the case. The last major flaw is the final battle scene is anticlimactic, and frankly, anaemic. It was such a shame that we didn’t get to see impressive moves from the characters or any formidable opponent. Perhaps all these will be mitigated when I have read the book.

Nonetheless, I was transported to this beautiful world where people have animal souls, I was amused by the waif Lyra dealing with problems with cunning and wit, I was roused when the polar bear got his groove back on. While the similarities here and there from Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Narnia might be offputting to some. It stands on its own. Delightful, magical and at times heady (which I like) Golden Compass lays the foundation for the next film quite well. Let us hope the box office is in a good mood for another fantasy film.

Last November 25, my in-laws invited me and the lady to go to Tagum city with them for one of their friend’s, the Yparaguirres, fiesta celebration. After attending Mass at the Redemptorist church, we proceeded to Tagum. But not before an idiot gasoline attendant poured diesel into the gasoline run van. After about an hour of draining and refueling we were on our way.

We arrived in Tagum around an hour later (my dad in law drives like a maniac). Turns out the Yparaguerris own one of the larger cars and trucks leasing/selling shop in the city, Emelou’s. We were ushered into a beautifully furnished house with a large LCD tv, pool table, mutliple sala sets and fine furniture. When most of the guest already there we started the fiesta tradition, thanking the Lord and proceeded to devour the glorious assortment of yummies laid out in front of us. After upsetting my stomach with eating lechon, chicken, shrimp, crabs, fish fillet, goat meat and drinking just water (I haven’t touched a soda drink in 5 years), we thanked the gracious hosts and proceeded to visit the famed cathedral that is the Christ the King.

We arrived in the cathedral and was treated to a grand spectacle. The cathedral is certainly bigger than any church in Davao City. The architecture is reminiscent of castles with all the gold and towers. The front is adorned with a large and intricate fountain with the water pouring out of the mouth of fishes. Over the side of the cathedral are the station of the cross that are laid out in with real crosses and garden landscape. At the back holds a gigantic statue of Jesus Christ with his sacred heart.

Christ the King cathedral looks majestic and well thought out. The vibe I got was more of being in a religious park rather than in a meditative place and theres nothing wrong with that. It would’ve been great to attend a Mass there but maybe some other time.

The old meets new in this blockbuster animated film from Robert Zemeckis. “Old” being the ancient poem Beowulf and “new” being the cutting edge 3D technology employed by the visionary director Robert Zemeckis. Here, the pioneering director takes a second stab at the visual gimmickry that he used in Polar Express in where real actors became puppet masters to the digitally created characters. I say gimmickry, because it felt like a solution looking for a problem as the digital veneer offered no advantages over traditional live action/computer graphics combo. In addition, it introduced new problems like creepy eyes and forced movements. The hackneyed story didn’t help either.

Armed with newer, more powerful digital technologies and a meatier story. Will the director, emulate the titular character and emerge victorious over the naysayers and doubters?

Beowulf, tells the story of a Geat warrior who sails to a Danish Kingdom to slay Grendel, the tortured son of a she-devil. With a penchant for nudity, exaggeration, and machismo, Beowulf (Ray Winston) vows to defeat the abomination on equal terms, bare hand and bare naked. Beowulf defeated the monster, monster limps back to mother, who for commercial reasons is fabricated and happens to be Angelina Jolie… in the nude… with a stiletto… Anyway, the last thing mother hears is the name of her son’s killer. Beowulf. Revenge is really best served warm so before dawn breaks, Beowulf wakes up to find his private army, save his right hand man, slaughtered like animals. The rest of the story involves interspecies sex, women, singing, suicide, becoming king and slaying a dragon.

So, to answer the question. It succeeds but mostly because of the solid and entertaining adaptation of the Beowulf epic. As for its lofty ambition as a viable alternative to real live motion films. It failed. While everything is rendered realistically its not convincing enough to make you forget you’re watching digital dolls. The hair sways unrealistically, the gallop of the horses are robotic, the skin, rubbery and everything looks too smooth. It was obvious that more care was given to the characters, Beowulf and Jolie, and this presents a problem. As the scene goes from having Beowulf to other characters viewers will be jarred incessantly at the discrepancy between them. Only when theres only Beowulf(battle scenes, etc) does it takes succeeds in immersing viewers in the story.

The story is good, the action scene exhilarating and the actors mostly great (Malkovich over acted), there is little here average moviegoers will find fault. But put against its ambition of being a watermark in this pioneering technique, Zemeckis, failed. But he failed majestically. One can feel that he is on the verge of something important in film making. He might have failed but I can’t wait for him to try again.

See these guys? Their sole mission is to ruin my productivity.

I admit I watched the 1st episode of Heroes a long time ago but decided not to finish it. Not because of quality issues but because i was in the middle of Lost and I didn’t need another timesucker. But after season 1, Lost seems to meander and became less and less interesting. And I was off the clutch of that mystery island thriller.

We moved to our new house a month ago and having nothing to do, we headed off to the local DVD store and purchased a couple of DVD compilation, she got a Korean Love stories DVD and I got the Heroes Season1. We first watched a film in her DVD and after that we tried Heroes. Needless to say, Heroes hasn’t left the DVD player since then. We watch it every night now and i have a backlog of design jobs sitting in my drive. The clients will not be pleased, I just hope they’re Heroes’ fans.

Here are my observation on the TV series:

1. The casting for the most part works. Peter, Nathan, Claire, Sylar, and especially Hiro. the invisible man reminds me of that icky guy in Notting Hill, Hugh Grants roomie and thats strangely works too.

2. Mohindar took me some time to warm up to, as his character seemed to be overdramatic and overly chatty. The mindreading cop though gets on my nerves, the character is excruciatingly lame, and his back story is uninteresting. Nikki/Jessica was good but the whole shebang is getting a bit overplayed. I am just waiting for her family to go Incredibles and shit.

3. The pacing is great. the plot moves swiftly and the focus switches between the characters enough that nobody is shorthanded.

4. Claire’s expression on her face when she is happy/sad/flirty/listening is very convincing.

5. Sylar is creepy and someone we love to hate.

6. Plot holes are beginning to show. Forgivable but its something I hope I wont see more of.

7. The words narrated at the end/beginning of episode are ponderous and insightful.

8. the episode title are sometimes rendered in the environment. I would love for that little thing to be done each episode.

9. Lastly, I want Simone’s afro back!

Note: this post will be updated as I watch more episodes.

Speaking about TV shows…… MAD TV rocks, SNL sucks