This is the 3rd part of Nokia N97 Sneak Preview series, it’s about the main applications in the phone such as the A-GPS (with Nokia Maps), Web Browser, 5 Megapixel Carl Zeiss Camera and the Music Player.

5 Megapixel Carl Zeiss auto-focus Camera

The first thing I tried when I got the phone in my hands was the camera.

The auto-focus is amazing as it smartly detects your shooting object automatically and it’s fast! The white balance is good too. No obvious bluish/greenish/reddish effect which some camera phones may have. I don’t expect the flash of a camera phone to be as powerful as a Xenon, so N97’s doesn’t disappoint me as it does its job just fine.

Click for larger view.

As for Video Recording, one noticeable thing I need to mention is that the voice captured is quite clear even if the voice is coming from about a meter away.

Continue Reading »
Nokia N97 Sneak Preview – Part 3 (Applications)!

Here comes the part 2 of Nokia N97 sneak preview, it’s all about the software the phone uses.

Let’s have a look what we have on the main screen of the phone :-

Click for larger view.

You will be able to add up to 6 favourite widgets on the main screen and you can even arrange them according to your preference (see screen shot below). All widgets will load automatically if you have an active data plan or you are hocked up with a wireless (WiFi) network.

Click for larger view.

Some of the applications in N97 are specially developed with the collaborations between Nokia and 3rd parties such as Facebook, Bloomberg, Reuters, etc. How thoughtful that is!

Continue Reading »
Nokia N97 Sneak Preview – Part 2 (Software)!

I was invited to attend the sneak preview of, the real iPhone Killer (at least I think so), Nokia N97 in Kuala Lumpur (KL) last week. It was my pleasure to meet up with the people from Nokia, David and Erna. Special thanks to David for getting in touch with me and given the chance for me to have first hand experience with this long-awaited mobile phone.

Well, let me tell you all that Nokia N97 will be available in Malaysia real soon. :-)

Let’s take the first glimpse of 2 black N97 side by side :

Click for larger view.

The size of the phone is unexpectedly smaller than I thought and it’s lighter that I thought too. I don’t have a big palm and the phone definitely doesn’t look bulky at all when I’m holding it.

Click for larger view.

Continue Reading »
Nokia N97 Sneak Preview – Part 1 (Photos)!

Just received an SMS yesterday evening from my mobile service provider, Maxis, informing the launch of the official iPhone 3G in Malaysia.

Well, after about 2 years since its first launch in the US, the long-awaited iPhone has finally hit Malaysia… a little too late.

Last December, I wrote a post about the failure iPhone 3G suffered during its launch in India. Frankly, I would expect the same will happen in Malaysia.

Below are my top 8 reasons why official iPhone 3G would fail in Malaysia :-

• 1. The hype of iPhone is certainly over. What iPhone? It’s all about recession right now!
• 2. Many iPhone killer (mostly touchscreen mobile phones) are freely available with no string (the stupid subscription plan) attached.
• 3. One of iPhone rivals, Nokia XpressMusic 5800, is selling at less than half of the iPhone 3G’s price. Would you pay around RM3,000 for an iPhone 3G, while you can get a XpressMusic 5800 for only RM1,400?
• 4. Too costly, for a mobile phone with only 2MP camera, no MMS, lack of Bluetooth support, no Flash support, no cut&paste function, etc.
• 5. No unlimited data plan. The maximum data usage included is 3GB and you have no other choice to make it unlimited using their subscription plan.
• 6. Reading through the lengthy terms & conditions before signing up makes me dizzy. The killer is actually the last term saying “Other Terms and Conditions apply.“! o_O”
• 7. You can get unlocked smuggled iPhone 3G easily, at a much lower price. This is Malaysia, you know! You may then top it up with an unlimited data package for only RM120 RM99/month from the same provider (Maxis). LoL!
• 8. The real iPhone killer is launching soon! The price is about the same too.

I understand iPhone fans may not agree to any (if not all) of the reasons above. Anyway, tell me what do you think.

I bet you don’t have a clue when you see the title of this post. :p
Honestly, I had no idea when I came across the term “mobile living furniture“. Theoretically, how can a furniture be mobile, right? Now I know it certainly can!

Casulo Mobile Living Furniture

Basically, Casulo is an innovative concept of making living furniture as compact as possible so that they can be easily shifted when we move houses. Somehow, Casulo still exists prototype even though it is originated in June 2007 by Marcel Krings and Sebastian Mühlhäuser.

I understand words are not enough to tell you how creative the concept can be, so let’s check out the pictures below!

Open up Casulo.

Continue Reading »
Casulo Mobile Living Furniture

So you heard them! Intel has completed the development phase of its next-generation 32 nanometers (nm) processors. They are now planning to roll out an entirely new 32nm processor in the fourth quarter of 2009! No sign of slowing down in processor development despite cutting its next year revenue forecast by 1 billion.

In fact, it’s always the plan in Intel to introduce an entirely new processor micro-architecture with a cutting edge manufacturing process about every 12 months. They proudly claimed such achievement to be an effort unmatched in the industry, this I totally agree with no doubt at all.

Besides, producing 32nm chips next year would mark the fourth consecutive year Intel has met its goal.

You may ask what’s so fascinating about 32nm?

Well, it simply means by using such technology Intel is able to use more energy-efficient, denser and higher performing transistors on a processor. Hence, giving you more power with less energy consumption.

Hopefully we’ll also see price dropping for older processors, which will be a bargain for the consumers.

On a side note, AMD just released their first 45nm Opteron server processor last month, now Intel is talking about manufacturing 32nm processors next year. Looks like AMD still have a long way to catch its main competitor’s tail, huh?