Just when I thought that I could sit down and breathe a little. Things have to come in all directions to just mess things up!

First, at work, I have this bunch of ingrates who thinks that they own the country just because they paid ten stinking dollars to watch a movie on the weekends.

Any little 'issue' that those ingrates bring up, they threatened to sue the company, they blackmailed me to get me to give in to their 'needs', and then if all else fails, they want the company and its 'rude'(?!) employees down on their knees in C.A.S.E. (Consumers Association of Singapore).

They flame us for giving them front row seats to our movies, they point their fingers (with ingrown nails) at us for wetting the seats, then they tell us in the face that we are rude and should be sacked and/or closed down since we cheated them of the time and money.

Oh, and they do come up with all sorts of reasons to let them in if they 'lose' their tickets. Has anyone actually stopped and thought they these people are the real cheats?

I know it's the recession and everyone is in doom and gloom mood, but seriously? This is just unacceptable behavior. 'Customers are always right." I have something for you Harry Gordon Selfridge: This people are NOT always right!

And back at home, things were looking good until my aunt (Gladys) decided that my father spoke one too many times at the cafe, which she recently set up with her husband in hopes of turning their fortune around; and she fought back.

C'mon, who was she kidding when she said her purpose was to foster family bonds by opening this cafe...? It was her little game to set it up with minimum costs involved. Nicely done, I must say. She had almost everyone involved in her facade.

Yes, my father left the cafe on the day the fight broke out. But did it cross those idiots' minds that they were in the wrong in the first place?

You were the bi-atch who asked for help. Your savior came and literally jumped into your open arms. Then you thought the help was too much. You simply could not take the critique. You thought you were stressed and the whole world was out to get you.

You then fabricated the story and made yourself to appear to be the innocent party and letting my dad take all the blame.

You took sides with the customers and your money and then dumped the help - that got you there in the first place - for a petty little crime that you thought happened BUT did not.

It seems to me that this got personal rather than staying professional. If you cannot take the critique from both sides, then do not start anything at all. Defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

An advice from me, my dear aunt: Do not put yourself too high up on the pedestal, you might fall to your death - if you are not careful. Others are always watching your mistakes. And at those point(s) of weakness, your death might just come pre-maturely.

Do not say I did not warn you. You may not like what you have heard; but you may not like what can be done to you either.

I learnt one other thing today: "People make use of other people. Then they throw you away when they do not need you afterwards. Period. Sad but true; sad and true."

Goodness, payday couldn't have come on a better day. I cannot believe I spent two hundred and eleven dollars on Biotherm Homme products. Wilson, thanks for the recommendation from your friend of a friend.

For you people out there just waiting on the sidelines for Sony to come up with something that will up the competition for portable consoles, the wait is (almost) over.

Rumours are being zapped around the "big pulse"(otherwise known as the internet) that Sony will be coming up with a SLIDING (!!!) touch-screen portable gaming console. It is not an upgrade to the current versions (i.e. PSP 3000 series), but a new console altogether.

Isn't this the kind of news just exciting on a boring and really dull Thursday? I'm sure you all out there would also like to know that it will still retain all the current features, and possibly some added features from their other line: Sony Mylo.

Though Sony Mylo could not make it to this area of the world, I'm sure its features in the PSP 2 would be a very cool way to start things off for the competitors (Apple and Nintendo) in the portable gaming arena.

With the new (and very possible) technology in the PSP 2, I can finally kiss goodbye to Apple (and its accelerometer-ed games and tools), and Ninetendo (for the really lousy on-board MP cameras and recently thought of SD expansion slot).

So, imagine this: a 3" (hopefully 4") sliding touch-screen with a 5 lines display (after you slide up the device) with two analog thumbstick controls, accelerometer, instant messaging service (I'm just guessing for this two functions - but a guy can dream, right?), enhanced web browsing, skype, and also the much extended battery life. With a device as such, who needs another iPhone?

Reality just struck me: you cannot expect too much of a thin portable device with those expectations and specifications, can you? So Sony, if you are reading this, mind making the PSP 2 wafer thin as well?

Meet the new technology of the world - offered by none other than the American based Microsoft.

It is a table, a touchscreen (a huge one), and has a soul. Yes, it is the Microsoft Surface.

When a mobile device is placed on it, it will give you all its retail information. It's comparable to the Ez-Link tech in our local train stations where you place the card on the sensor and you can track the last twenty trips that you have made.

It gets better than that with your mobile device is on it. You can even drag and drop (via the screen) files on one device to another. It is that effortless.

For some of us tech geeks, you might wet your pants (maybe not) if you could afford one in your own living room, but as one of the representatives mentioned in a reply to my query:

"Today, we have limited international availability of Surface and unfortunately Singapore is not a market where are able to sell nor ship units into. Microsoft Surface is available for purchase in the U.S. and Canada and we are in a “Seeding” phase in the following countries only : Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Spain, Sweden, UAE and the United Kingdom. International availability of Microsoft Surface is being rolled out via three waves of market availability and we have announced only the first wave of that plan and in these countries we are accepting orders. These markets will officially “Open for Business” later this year."

Oh, and let's not forget:

"Currently we only provide access to the SDK, and community site, for customers and partners who have purchased developer or commercial units."

You may want to wait a few years before there is a consumer unit available to us - the little people - in the SEA region. But I hope the wait won't be long.

In the meantime, (Microsoft) just make us jealous with the official website. Do have a look: http://www.microsoft.com/SURFACE/Default.aspx

I was expecting nothing more mind blowing than a big face watch (which seems to be the very fashionable accessory at the moment) from the UK manufacturer: Storm Watches. I have never been much more of a fan until I gotten hold of the MK2 Circuit from the same watch company earler last month.

Then, I got addicted. Pretty much like my addiction for the latest phones. I gotta have it, I gotta have it in my hands; I gotta have it in my hands and lust after it. Wow, I am such a stalker.

I checked out Fossil, Timex, Citizen, Red Army, Ralph Lauren, Mont Blanc and then finally TAG Heuer. My my, I was just beginning to open my eyes when I started out with Storm. Like I mentioned, I am just addicted. Addicted.

I was expecting this phone to be at least a thousand dollars or so especially since it was said to be running on WM 6.1. But I got this phone and have been pretty impressed with the plug-in from Motorola.

Without the plug-in, the device is obviously another WM device. Typical tiny fonts, not finger friendly.

To kill all rumors and uncertain replies from the staff, this device has the Wi-Fi function. Both M1 and Starhub are both carrying this mobile at the moment; always give them a call before heading down to the outlets to avoid any kind of embarrasment or disappointment.

Crystaltalk software - I'm not so sure, but with my Plantronis Discovery 925 (as a comparison for call quality), it seem the Motorola A3100 has some kind of technology for optimising calls, similar to the software onboard the Plantronics device.

Battery wise, I am very impressed. From my initial charge till now, with my low to mid usage of the phone, I have only charged this phone once. It is comparable to the Samsung INNOV8 that I traded in for this device. I do not really fancy using WM over Symbian, but the dust collection on my INNOV8 was really just getting to me.

The set that I purchased from M1 Shop Plaza Singapura on the 28th last month does not include the softwares (indicated on the box). Unless they were hidden in very deep folders of the device - which I don't think is possible. I was really looking forward to the GPS and the "Spore" game (from EA games, I think) though.

Last but not least, the camera is pretty normal. They could have included a 5MP camera, IMO. That would bring in the crowd. Now that reality shows me that it is only a 3MP, I've not bothered to test out image quality. I'm more using the flash on the device as a flashlight (very bright!) in the night, before I go to bed. Haha...

Right now as the world seems to be in some kind of turmoil due the economic despair, I cannot help but notice that people that I thought that I knew well has changed. Not exactly worth mentioning, but they changed for the worse in my humble but judgemental point of view.
Much as I like to admit that it can have its very negative effects, I would also say that it is very harmful for their close ones lest they reach in to part advice.
If the advice falls on deaf ears, they may not be able to suceeed as they planned.
That is just the beginning of a very long road, spiraling without any control or drive. It will be like falling forever, but not quite yet. Very likely that you may hit a bottom, or maybe not.

Good day peeps. It is a new year and with my newer 24" Samsung SyncMaster T240 and Razer Arctosa keyboard, I am typing this to inform you all tech geeks and (wanna-be) fashionistas of the new phone that may be going to be launched this month: The latest LG Prada II phone (http://www.pradaphonebylg.com/).

As the microsite offers us a glimpse into the dramatic life of LG and Prada's newborn, I cannot help myself but wonder if they could actually work on the battery life of the phone. Yes, the accessories like the Prada watch (sold separately, and at a very costly price, I might add) is undoubtedly cool. But if the phone's battery cannot compensate with all that BT tach draining power from it, this two advance tech device may not even last the day of usage.

Which is very sad especially when you have to pay up to SGD$2000 for them. Yes, that is the new mark for wanting the latest (not best) of technology and fashion. Even Emporium Armani and Giorgio Armani ddin't come close to that mark with their phones. And to think their projects offer more standby time and talk time in a charge.

I am suspecting telcos may be getting the phone in a few months from now, just like they did for the Samsung Giorgio Armani phone (to test the waters, I presume?). The phone may then be available with a 2 years' contract within the approximate values of SGD$800-900.

It is pretty basic mathematics when it comes down to it, in my opinion. Oh let's not forget that, with the price that you may have to pay to get your hands on the LG Prada II phone, you would think that they are thoughtful enough to at least include an extra battery (read: Giorgio Armani Samsung phone) or perhaps a decent looking BT headset. But fans be very surprised when you see a wired pair of headphones (mono or stereo, doesn't matter, because it comes with excessive wires!) BUNDLED.

As if that was not jaw dropping enough, can you imagine the horror that the phone still weighs close to a ton. Yes, a whopping 130 grams. It is comparable to a Blackberry device in this scenario. Whatever happened to wafer thin and productivity in one device...?

So there, I hope I helped a little in your decision making for the purchase of the phone, as all the said points are to be improved on. On the bright side, other than the slide out QWERTY keyboard and the cool watch accessory (that allows you to see who's calling and/or texting you before you take out the phone from you pocket), AND if you have that extra cash left over from your annual bonuses, then do get this phone for the glamorous stand of fashion.

But if you are strapped for cash and want the best out of your mobile device (with a QWERTY keypad), then start looking into options like the Sony Ericsson's (first WinMo Pro v6.1 for them) Xperia, or the HTC Touch Pro (battery life for HTC phones for medium to high usage is horrible, btw) for the closeted tech geek in you.

But if you can wait however, do look out for Nokia's flagship touchscreen with side QWERTY phone, namely the Nokia N97, within the first half of this year. Think Samsung Omnia and HTC Shift combined together. The testing stage is ongoing as we speak, tho I didn't manage to wiggle a prototype from the Finnish company just yet. But yeah, you get the drift...

I am just soaking in all the drama this week at work and at home. Nearly drowning in all that crap that came in my general direction. It is really typical of all this weird things happening and as if that wasn't enough, I was prominently captured on someone's mobile device for not giving up a seat in the train for a pregnant lady. And no prizes for guessing here that a*s posted the image he took. (If you need a hint, try google-ing the online media place in SG, called STOMP http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/viewContent.jsp?id=44192 )

First of all, it's the usual cat fight at home whereby I try to get my expenses for the communication bills (i.e. broadband, and cellular services) at home to be lighten up for quite a bit, and what did I get? TWO consecutive days of nagging and blaming for wasting electricity and water and stuff like that. And I kind of took the last straw when my mother reprimanded me at 9am in the morning yesterday, first thing in the morning after my shift - which ended at 5am. And there my sister was, coincidently, asking for fifty bucks. I simply didn't have time for those two to spoil my day at SITEX 2008.

At SITEX '08, it was another story, at the very least, it was somewhere I feel being comfortable at (lest the bumping from some of the people). It is somewhere I can't help but feel...calm at. Even with all the bumping and squeezing. I noticed that as soon as I stepped out of SITEX that all the stepping on, bumping into and shoved away got to me. One more time, I told myself, I was gonna detach someone's neck. That is pretty much what three hours of sleep after a ten hours shift do to a person.

Then at work, it seemingly obvious that my colleagues think I am always not around to help them when they are handicapped. The moment those words reached my ear drums, I could feel nothing except for the murderous rage that I wanted to cold murder every last one of them. I mean, how can those words escape from their mouths and get around like some kind of wild forest fire?!

I would love to tell them that I am not around BECAUSE you inhumane and nonsensical behavior have caused me so much misery that I am still picking up after all the sh*t that you created, so don't mind me if I have no time to 'be around', alright? Gee!

And back at home again, I found out that I have a new pillow and shower gel. Simply put: I do not need all this 'little gestures' after you tell me over two days that I am nothing but a waste of the oxygen supply. By the way, I asked for the shower gel a week ago, and suddenly you remembered? I'm not a virgin in this kinds of mind games.

I'm to sick to care anymore. In fact, I cannot be bothered to be pretending to care. And it's Christmas month. Wow.

I have not seen the things and people for what and who they are recently. Things and people that I have taken for granted and in the slightest - filed at the back of my mind seems to be working itself and themselves out of their own little ways to keep in touch with me, or simply reminding me that they are there.
I know it made some of you reading this breathless (with close to no punctuation) just reading that first paragraph, but I feel I work in a different way than others. I have always known that for a fact, but do the people in this same orbit acknowledge that? I was just toying with all these theories and concepts of how I could have done this better, or made someone felt something else on one occasion; but it all boils down with me missing in the picture at the end.
You know, those sad and lonely scenes in those movies with moral stories in them. So there I thought, maybe it's my subconscious telling me I should try my best to stay connected to the people that came in contact with me before. To try to retain the reason why we got to know each other, even if there's the slightest change in either of the parties.
This recollections are supposed to make me stronger and more able to deal with the problems that I foresee heading my way in the next few weeks.
And that was me, more rambling at the wee hours of the morning. Yep, I just came back from work like a few hours ago, and I'm thinking of such seemingly trivial stuff before my 8 hours of catching up in 'lala-land'.

That actually means something. Believe or not, the quantum of solace measures the amount of love one has for the another. The quantum is sort of a scale use to decide how the chemistry would work out between two persons. If the measurement points to zero, then the two well, are just not meant for each other.
And in the movie acted out by the new Bond: Daniel Craig; the story goes on to tell the tale of James and how he went beyond the lines (he always does, so loyal fans do not worry too much here) to find the killer responsible for his wife's death previously.
So, I dare say that a Bond movie is never a good one without:
1. A good car chase;
2. A hot (female) co-lead; & of course
3. A very interesting plot.
I do not know about you, but I enjoyed this movie very much lest what my colleagues commented.
Probably because they went in with over-the-roof expectations of the sequel to the former release of the famous secret service agent movie.
Well, I also go nto a movie expecting nothing. Which can work both ways for me.
I will not get utterly disappointed if the movie sucked (i.e. Horror movies in general, as the real deal can be much more frightening) in the end especially if I fell asleep; or I could not be as excited as I would like to as compared to a few of my friends for High School Musical 3.
And no, I am not just your typical cynical dude.

Full of life it seems, you can be sane and awake at one point of time and totally zoned out and cold the next.
After witnessing someone fall and tumble outside the cinema hall and probably not get up afterwards (after a totally brainless passer-by walked by), you know you cannot spell the word 'sh*t' like how you would normally.
Fast forward to the incident: one of the floor staff communicated over the walkie-talkie to the office that a man fainted at the foyer.
My colleague on duty went over with another staff to check the situation out. I finished up some paperwork before I headed over to fond out what happened.
When I got there, the patron was on the ground and my staff was administering CPR. I got pretty freaked out and I asked if any of the other people that were around actually called the ambulance. Thank goodness someone quipped a 'yes'.
It took the ambulance another ten minutes to arrive, and my colleagues and I rushed them over to the patron.
Some of the crowd dispersed by then, and my manager and I left for the office to check the CCTV records to find out what happened.
After running through the CCTV footage of the 'scene of crime', my colleagues and I saw for ourselves how some of the local aunties can be so disorientated at times when they see a man lying on the ground.
A middle aged man was seen walking out of the hallway, seemingly drunk and he moved in a manner like he was seasick on a ship swaying left and right. Shortly before he reached the foyer area, he tumbled and collapsed on the carpeted ground.
A young couple saw this but quickly ran into the cinema hall which was presumed to be where their movie was showing.
After another three minutes past, an indian lady, after returning from her loo expedition; assumed the position that one would use to 'talk' to pets or animals less than half their height (like a halfway body bend) to asked the man on the ground if he's alright.
After staring at him struggle to get up, it (may or may not) occured to her that he was not doing so good. But, instead of calling the ambulance, she went back into the cinema to get her daughter to come out and do a peek-a-boo.
By that time, the ten minutes time frame for his survival (assuming the guy experienced a cardiac arrest) ticked away and only another five minutes remained. What's more shocking was that both the ladies continued to touch the man on his assorted body parts to 'diagnose' his condition.
Then a few latecomers came up to the foyer area a minute later and the indian lady began jumping a little and ushering them to help the fallen man.
And you know the rest of the story from there.
While watching this mini drama unfold, I cannot help but wonder what was seriously wrong with those two. The following equation probably didn't cross their mind: 'Someone on the ground not moving much + You are not a certified doctor = Call the freaking ambulance, you idiot!'

I'm sure some of us do continue to take people for granted at certain points of their life. You gramps, your closest friends and on some occassions, your fellow colleagues.
Some things are done in the backstage and they are never brought to light by any reason whatsoever, and the excuse used would normally be a simple: "Oh that. It's in the job description...".
At times, I find it pretty hard to ignore the fact that sometimes even the cock(-iest) of the office bitches have feelings: way deep down. And if you could actually get to that core of those masks, then I am pretty sure that you have someone who is just as good as a friend.
Not exactly a good friend to have around, but the gossip between 'upstairs' and 'downstairs' starts to get a little hotter. And don't you all go denying that gossiping is something taboo in any company. Time for a wake-up call: it is not. Let us all not forget the theraputic effects it has. Been able to talk about (a lot of) someone(s) without them knowing it and effectively consoling and convincing yourselves that the world holds a better destiny for you once the gossip session is over.
My opinion in the end: maybe, maybe not. Depends on how you look at it.

The phone is a beau, I must say. If you have been holding back for something nice after Omnia, this is the one to get. But if you are looking at a touchscreen 8MP candy bar phone, then hold out a little longer, cuz the Samsung M8800 and LG KC910 (8MP phone with Dolby Mobile) will be hitting the streets in the following weeks!

Like I mentioned the i8510 is everything I want in a phone with a camera, plus the Symbian OS is great to use but takes a little time to get used to (since my last Nokia phone was so way back...)

A sentence to describe this phone would be: a Nokia dressed as a Samsung.

Don't hate me Samsung, but the Symbian OS is like a built-in thing for Nokia devices these days, but the keypad as well? Fans might weant to not that the keypad is "Symbian/Nokia" oriented, so there might be a minor learning curve if you do decide to switch.

Last but not least, what's with all the misleading info Samsung is providing? I cannot seem to find a 16GB version of the phone here with the telsos.

I mean seriously, if the widgets were enabled only for the 16GB version, then I feel pretty cheated considering that the amount of money that I paid for the 8GB version of the i8510 is $40 more than the 16GB version of the Omnia.

So users, if you are thinking of switching to this phone (I freaking sold my Blackberry for this... >.<), do check out my review first cuz I got the shock of my life when I saw 8GB on the left corner of my i8510 screen when I got it from M1 Shop Online.

So much for honest advertisements...(look at the image on the Straits Times for the i8510 today: 11 October 2008; the image is for the 16GB version. So lesson learnt: Always check with the telcos...

And it's bold. Yes, that was the brave caption that smartphone manufacturer Research In Motion (RIM) tagged their newest addition with.
All I can say is that people are queueing at the M1 and Hello! Singtel outlets islandwide to get their hands on the BB Bold (9000), whether they have knowledge of what it can do. I won't say the BB has nothing it cannot do though, other than being given a camera upgrade.
Compared to the BB 8820, this new baby has a better QWERTY keyboard, which roughly translates to better grip and a faster but more comfortable typing experience for users. All that, and no fingernails involved in the 'power typing' of a SMS or email.
Email, or rather push email is one of the trademarks of what the whole Blackberry series is all about. The second thing that RIM seems to be incorporating into their mobiles right now is the trackball first introduced on their BB Pearl series. Now, it's almost everywhere.
What BB users I think would like to see is probably the upgrades of the cameras, like I mentioned earlier. Why the plural forms for both of those words, you might ask? It's pretty simple really. A better functional flash (current LED flash technology not inclusive in this blueprint), and possibly a 2 mega pixels camera on the front (for video calls to kill other competition which are carrying only 1.3MP at the moment), and at least a 5MP camera on the back for those special events; the impromtu photo-taking; or for my case: mobile blogging.
Last but not least, if a touchscreen (from the rumours online) version of the BB is gonna be released soon, then RIM, please please please add a virtual QWERTY that is bigger than Apple's when it's on the landscape mode with a larger view so at least 5 lines of words can be seen at any one go. That would really help, considering an accelerometer is also installed by RIM.
It's a dog-eat-dog world out there these days, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

An update for this weekend (effective 20 Sep):

M1 is no longer offering the Blackberry Bold at retail price of SGD$998 like last weekend.
Singtel finally has more stock and they are retailing the BB Bold at SGD$1198.
Starhub Also has limited stocks, and will only be offering the phone with a 2 years voice plan.

It that time of the week again that I'm working day shift and unfortunately for me, I have to rush in with the ridiculously early office crowd.
There is only one word I could think off at this hour to describe such a species of people living among us: Vultures.
Typically, I do not bother myself with these lurking creatures who would wake up before the crack of dawn, powder their plastic features and then start a queue at the 'Today' newspapers stand, after which proceed upstairs to the train platform and form a roadblock at the train doors' entrances - eagerly "reading" the papers, which they waited half an hour for - and glancing at the incoming trains to see if they hit the jackpot with the alternate empty trains.
Considering the amount of work they put into this 'routine', some of these people have the cheeks to clock in at work complaining and moaning about how tired they are. Seriously, get a life cuz who cares? This was the choice you made, so either you stop following it through or just shut that opening on your face.
So much for being responsible and mature thinking adults. Come on people, time to queue up for a few reality checks: from me, I will make sure that you are thouroughly awaken, all primp and proper too.
Now that that ranting's over, time to shift your focus to a new love of mine: the Sidekick series from the US mobile carrier T-Mobile. It is amazing that not a single telco in Singapore is upbeat about the idea and concept of this phone.
With all the response from the data-cum-voice plans that the iPhone 3G created, it is time to look at even more sources of income from this mobile phone series, especially with the phones' robust functions of mobile IM, blogging and messaging. Just a word of caution Singtel and M1, if Starhub hears of this and they decide to tie the 'Chat Anywhere' VAS (Value-Added Service) with their voice plans as a bundle then you probably would see me in line for a new line sign-up. But then again, who knows?

Yeah, so it has been sometime since I last posted here. It's digital dust all the way from the last sentnce.
Well, truth be told I am a little disappointed now that the Blackberry Bold (9000) has been released today by M1, but at a more pricey amount than I initially predicted. A hundred dollars more anyways. $548 for a revamped model of the hottest smartphone for the month (sorry HTC, the phones you produced so far cannot last a day).
After pretty much burning a hole to get the iPhone 3G, this would probably set me back till november before I get the Blackberry.
But, but, but, since about the whole freaking Singapore seems to be carrying the iPhone 3G, I was thinking of doing a trade-in for the Blackberry Bold with the iPhone. Sadly when I called the M1 shop, there's no trade-in price available for the iPhone 3G and they can only get back to me in a couple of days. Geez...the wait will just kill me, and the meantime, it's fingers crossed for me!

Update: M1 is revised the price for the phone this weekend (12 Sep 08), the phone will be sold for SGD$548 with a voice plan (SunSaver) and basic data plan (at an additional SGD$31.03/mth). If you are thinking of getting the device with a voice plan but without a data plan, the phone would be going for SGD$748 (SunSaver). The retail price is SGD$998 for this week.
Singtel is selling it at SGD$628 with a basic price plan (retailing at the same price with M1.) There is a catch though, Singtel is already out of stock for the online store.
Both telcos will charge an additional SGD$100 if you are not past half your 2-year contract period.
Starhub users will have to continue to hold on till late September when stocks arrive.
You may also like to know that all telcos have limited stock in the inventory, so make sure to give a call before heading down.

Remember the times things were really simple and a kid didn't have to ever worry about money? I just had the wildest moment last night. This money combo left me in jitters much after it happened.
So there I was counting my money for closing last evening at you-know-where and I found out that I have a six hundred missed count! My heart skipped a beat but instincts tell me otherwise. Much as I would like to admit it, the internal alarm bells that were making me dizzy weren't much when I figured that it was absolutely not me who misplaced the money. So calmly, I broke the news to my manager (who was on duty with me till then) that I have a little problem.
She thought I was kidding. Well, I wasn't, I remembered telling her. The look on her face then was worth quite a thousand words. Though she didn't showed it much, it was pretty obvious.
I was like: "it's not me, it's not me" all the way. And it turns out I was right with my guts. Ah, the mysteries of the world, lol...
It is summer time, and the things just began to get hotter.

These days you cannot simply just stand in the train and not get:
1. Stared at (read: being visually raped;
2. Stepped on (by aunties with high heels dressed in apparrel still in an illusion that they are still 18; and
3. Shoved (pretty self-explanatory).
The new three sisters of the curt and rude are well: "born". Seriously, noy only does the office crowd bathe in the glory of being able to be packed in a cabin like sardines...wait, I mean tuna in a tin can, they are happy that they can stand around to talk, grind, laugh and bitch at high pitches.
Me? I acknowledge your presence but c'mon, have some decent courtesy to either not talk so loudly and/or move too much. It is distracting enough that you are not that exciting to look at, so stop attracting attention to yourselves.
In other worldly news, the big buzz for this fornight is probably about the Nokia N96, the HTC Touch Pro, and last but not least, the Blackberry Bold.
A simple decision making aid for you is that the N96 is nothing more than an upgrade from the previous N series phone and the HTC Touch Pro is also another new battery sapping hi-tech device just like its precessors the HTC Touch Diamond and the original HTC Touch. With moderate usage, the Touch will need recharging in about 10-12 hours, the Diamond in between 8-10 hours. So let us all pray and hope that the Touch Pro is not heading in the direction of 6-8 hours. That would just really sad.
Last not not least, I have the overall winner of the trio: the Blackberry Bold.
The local telco Singtel had a private party to unveil the device back on 27 Aug, and Starhub was taking in pre orders a few days after with promises of a $100 off the Bold's prevailing price for its first 200 pre-orders. Enticing, I would say since you don't need to sign up for a 3 months contract for a data plan on top of the voice plan (it is mandatory for M1's Blackberry purchases).
This device is boasting a sharper screen as compared to the iPhone or its previous BB devices. Also 3.5G, & 3.5mm headset jack with the trackball feature brought in from the Pearl series. I have seen my share of devices whereby the trackball came off. These users should really go for re-education on how to take care of their devices.
Well, I will take it as the Bold will be more affordable and also have a new UI and better functonalities. The devices are expected to be out this September, so be on the lookout!

At the COMEX this year, Sennheiser released a pair of bluetooth (BT) earphones that costs...(wait for it) SGD$799! It comes at a costly price but is the pair worth the dollars that you could possibly save up for the vacation before the Christmas period? All your answers can only be answered IF you decide that looking like someone from Star Trek is better than looking at the hotties (or not) on the Panama islands.
I can you that I'm absolutely not getting that pair of cans till next June since I just got hold of my iSkin BT stereo headset for my music needs. This babies flew in from the US at a total cost of (ouch) SGD$220 including S&H (Shipping & Handling for those of you who doesn't do internet comparison and shopping for tech toys like moi).
Bluetooth stereo headsets are all the rage at the moment, with Samsung (!)and Sony in the mains; Sennheiser, iSkin, Jabra, Bluetrek and last but not least Plantronics sharing as the minorities the market. The comeptition has been tough for Plantronics, Bluetrek, and Jabra since they pretty much have been the producers of your friendly neightbourhood mono BT headsets. I have also had my hands on numerous mono BT headsets from a few companies like Samsung, Plantronics, and Jabra. In summary, my newest addition (at another pocket scorching SGD$239): the Plantonics Discovery 925, I have not switched back to Samsung B&O edition again. The call quality on a mono BT headset still belongs to Plantronics for me at the moment, just like my iSkin F1 BT stereo headset.
I'm saving you tech-challenged people one at a time. Thanks for reading again, and stay tune for more! :-)