Ronald Su dot Com

My First Ever Mac Is a MacBook Pro!

I’ve been talking about switching partly to Mac for quite a while now. Since it’s quite an investment, it took me some time to actually force myself to buy a Mac. I am happy to say that I’ve finally made my move, partly thanks to John Chow’s blogging station showdown.

John Chow’s Blogging Station (From Johnchow.com)

First Impression

Both the exterior and the OS look very nice. It gives me a sense of freshness and exploration. Also quality is the major factor seperating real Macs and HackIntoshes. The Macbook Pro doesn’t make a noise at all when you are not using the SuperDrive. Typing on its keyboard feels good too, it doesn’t make much noise and keys are soft to press. However, I don’t really like the trackpad because it isn’t as precise when moving slowly.

My desk is too messy right now to show everything

It Worked (kind of) Out Of The Box

Macs’ always claim that they work instantly out of the box without additional parts or software. They are right, they work instantly after the first startup. However, there are 3 things that I think are essential if you want your Macbook Pro to work at its full potential. (1) A mouse. You need a nice mouse to work your MBP because the trackpad isn’t as nice as one would expect. I got the Logitech MX620 to use with my MBP. It provides exceptional precision and comfort. I highly recommed it for both Mac and PC. (2) A USB2.0 hub. The MBP has only 2 USB ports. If I want to use my Wacom tablet, Logitech mouse, and an external drive, I am out of luck. More USB ports is a must. (3) Memory card reader. The MBP lacks a memory card reader. I want to transfer pictures from my camera easily and a good memory carder is a must.

Still Learning

I can’t really say anything at this point since I am still learning how to use the Mac properly. However, this is a good investment no matter if you are a blogger, designer, or student. No to mention the long battery life for your work or class. I will post more of my Mac experience once I’ve become more comfortable.

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Tags: macbook pro

Firefox 3 Download Day: A World Record Setting Event

I know most of you fellow bloggers and visitors have ditched the old Internet Explorer because it sucks. What is the most popular browser these days? Firefox for sure. Firefox in my opinion is way better than IE in any way, especially in performance and usability.

You Can Help Set A New World Record

Firefox 3 promises to deliver even better performance and stability. It’s official launch date is June 17, 2008. The team is aiming to set a new world record for most downloads per day for Firefox 3. They name the launch day “Download Day 2008′. They are asking everyone to help out in their Spread Firefox website.

Spread The Word

No problem! I will play my part in this meaningful event. I will download my copy on June 17 and help spread the words. Do you use Firefox? Do you like the performance and usability of Firefox? It’s super nice for Mozilla for providing a top-notch browser for free. Do your part too! Help spread the words!

edit: 8 million people have downloaded Firefox 3 on Download Day 2008. That’s 3 million more than their expected 5 mil. Congratulations to the Mozilla Team!

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Tags: download day 2008, firefox 3

Bugs Can Spit Out Crude Oil

Even though I drive a somewhat gas efficient vehicle, my wallet still hurts after a trip to the gas station. What can we do? Nothing. Maybe drive less, but public transit in Vancouver totally sucks. We, consumers, have to pay for whatever they want at the pump.

According to Times Online, people in Silicon Valley have developed some bugs that can eat away agricultural waste and can excrete petroleum. They are genetically altered bacteria that can produce a truly alternative fuel. What a great invention!

I don’t care what they use to spit out that oil. Let it be animals, insects, or bacterias. Just slash that high oil price I am paying for, then I will be happy.

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Tags: bugs, petrol

Wacom Bamboo Graphic Boards Are Worth Your Money

I had a temptation for buying a tablet graphic board since very long time ago. However, I held my horses because I couldn’t justify the price for one. Now, a decent board costs only around $70 CAD. There is no reason why I should not buy one.

Wacom Bamboo

So I bought a Wacom Bamboo small graphic board today at Futureshop. The salesperson wouldn’t price match for $69 at first (they were selling it for $70). After a few minutes of convincing, he sold it for $69.

I didn’t get the Bamboo Fun package, which includes a mouse, because it looks more like a toy and much thicker than the one I bought.

High Quality And Ease Of Use

After opening the package, it totally gave me a sense of coolness and high quality. The packaging was prepared very nicely and the first thing you see after opening the box is a very nice welcome and thank you statement. The board looks very nice and professional. Much more like the Apple type of feel but in black.

The tablet and pen are very easy to use and customize. I can feel it is very well built and developed. What impressed me the most is its tutorial CD. The tutorials show you step by step how to use the tablet for writing, editing, draw, or whatever you want to use it for. Very straightforward and only took me 10 minutes to begin using it fluently.

Good Investment For Your Digital Life

If you like editing photo or drawing or painting on the computer, you should get this product. It is totally impressive and easy to use. For $70 you can get this kind of well built product, you should get one now!

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Tags: bamboo, tablet, wacom

Mac vs PC

Saw a Mac commercial on TV yesterday. It kind of reminded me of the first time I saw a Mac ad few years ago. The ads still tried to make fun of PC (Windows). What is shocking to me is that I’ve totally changed my view about Mac since the first ads.

They Are Both Good

Right now I have 3 computers to myself. A desktop and 2 notebooks. The desktop and the larger Asus A8 notebook are running XP and the last one is my Asus Eee PC which is running Linux. I am quite happy with XP right now but my desktop is getting ready to retire. A replacement for my desktop will certainly be a Mac. Also I’ve plans to get a Macbook Pro.

Vista Is The Killer Of PC

The reason behind my switch to Mac is mainly because of Vista. It is the worst system I’ve seen since Windows ME. Microsoft will end support for XP and force everyone to move to Vista in the near future. I just can’t see myself running Vista for one day. Also, I want a system that can fulfill my photo and graphics editing needs. Mac is the best choice.

PC Not That Bad

After my switch, I will still keep my Asus notebook running XP because XP still has its use. There are certainly things that you can do on a PC that a Mac can’t, so if you decide to switch too, make sure you keep a computer running XP too. Things like bittorrent and video conversion are still better of using Windows.

Conclusion

Mac extremists may say Macs are better than PC in any way. I don’t think it’s true because they both are useful, they are just better than each other in different ways. The best workstation is a combination of Mac and PC.

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Tags: mac, pc

Good Compact Camera For Your Blog

For those of you who are still using plain text for your blog posts, you need to change now! Since John Chow is already using videos into his blog posts, if you don’t act now you will be left very behind. Most likely your blog will fail too. Who wants to read just plain text nowadays? So do the good thing for your readers and get a good digital camera now!

Compact DC Is Your Blog’s Best Friend

Some of you already know I have a digital SLR and you may ask why I need a compact DC too. A SLR is good for enthusiasts photographers or photo blogs, but doesn’t really do the job for a more general blog. Reason being is because it is quite big to carry around. For a blogger, you want to carry a camera with you to anywhere you go to. Have a quality pocket size DC allow you to take pictures of those you find interesting and the food you eat. Readers love to see what you eat! Also, you can take video with your DC too, so don’t just look for image quality in a camera, look for video quality as well.

Nikon vs. Sony vs. Casio

I’ve used many different brands of digital cameras and I found Nikon, Sony, and Casio to be my favorites. I am really talking about the Nikon S52, Sony T300, and the Casio EX-V8. If you know a little bit about cameras, you may know they all all ultra-compact cameras. As the name may tell you, they are very slim and their lenses do not extend out. They are also at the high end of the price range. However, you really need something light and compact for your blog because it should be in your pocket all the time.

Casio EX-V8 For The Win

I am currently using a Nikon S51 and have used the Sony T300 and Casio EX-V8. I bought mine 6 months ago and simply didn’t do enough research for an overall best camera for blogging. If I am going to buy a new camera now, I will get the Casio EX-V8. Below are the reasons and comparisons. These are the most important specs and my own opinions, I am not going to have all the specs to bore you.

Nikon S52	Sony DSC-T300	Casio EX-V8
Resolution: 9 MP Image Size: 3456×2592 Manual Settings: No Zoom: 3x stabilization: Yes Video: 640×480 30fps	Resolution: 10.1 MP Image Size: 3648×2736 Manual Settings: No Zoom: 4.3x stabilization: Yes Video: 640×480 30fps	Resolution: 8.1 MP Image Size: 3264×2448 Manual Settings: Yes Zoom: 7x stabilization: Yes Video: 848×480 30fps
Comment: Using S51 and they are pretty much the same. Overall best image quality as details and lights are very accurate. Focusing a bit slow. Face detection feature sucks. Worst video quality. Very grainy video especially in low light conditions.	Comment: Good image quality. Focusing is fast and details are sharp. Exposure can be inaccurate sometimes. Best video quality. Very detail videos and more than enough for Youtube. Also best looking with sleek slider. Expensive.	Comment: Excellent image quality. Very detailed and sharp. Also very fast both startup and focus. Great zoom for size. Good screen and good grip. Very good video quality. Can also capture in wide screen mode. Very good value for money. Best for smart bloggers.
		Ronald’s Pick

I hope this post will help you choose the best DC for your blog. Remember to keep your readers entertained with good pictures and high quality videos. Feel free to drop a line if you want to share your thoughts.

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Tags: blogging, camera, dc

Nokia N95 Internal GPS w/ Garmin Mobile XT

Since my last post on the Nokia N95 Internal GPS, a lot of people emailed me about what they should do and how to get the files. It is quite simple to find files on some mobile forums and websites, but it requires a lot of reading and digging.

So now I am going to post this information here so people don’t have to struggle for days to make their Nokia N95 Internal GPS work for free. Last time I talked about the Route 66 software, but now I have found a better solution for your N95 GPS. It is the Garmin Mobile XT software for Symbian S60. It will also work on N82’s internal GPS too. It is far quicker and more detailed than the Route 66 that I recommended before. So here are the files and step by step guide:

Before you go at it, I have to make it clear that I did not make the files or promote the use of pirated software. This is a collection of information and intend for sharing and learning. If you like what you are using, please buy it.

1) Download the main files here.
You will need WinRAR to unpack the files. If you don’t have it, download it here.

2) Download the maps that you need. (Torrent files and they may take a while to download)

North America Map
Europe Map
Australia Map (David’s request)

After you have finish downloading the map, install the map program. (On your PC. Later you can select which
parts to transfer to phone)

edit: The map source unlock code is (GNG55 - L8WSA - S7YET - 9U246 - GJFQT) for North Ameria.
not sure about others. May also work? Google around to find others. You need to unlock the map to be able to use internal GPS.

3) Connect your Nokia N95 to your computer via USB cable, and set your phone as mass storage mode.

4) Run the support files installation that you have downloaded in the pack. It should install on your phone.

5) Run the free base map file. It should install on your phone.

5) Run the main file that says XT for Symbian S60. It should also install on your phone.

6) Now unplug your USB and run Garmin XT on your phone. The icon should be under applications some where.

7) Within the program, navigate to About page and find the CARD ID. Write down the number.

8 ) Exit the program and connect your phone again to the computer.

9) Now open keygen in the first package and enter the CARD ID and generate 2 keys. One for program, and one for map.

10) Open SW.UNL with notepad and paste your device unlock code. Save and close.

11) Open GMAPSUPP.UNL and paste your map unlocked code. Save and close. (Make sure you choose the right map that you want to install)

12) Go to your phone’s memory in My Computer. Copy the 2 files SW and GMAPSUPP inside the Garmin XT folder.

13) Open the map program on your computer while your phone is still connected. Choose the regions that you need and copy the maps to the file by following the instructions. (May take a while)

14) When that’s done, disconnect your phone and it should say Garmin XT detected, do you want to run. Choose YES.

14) Inside Garmin XT, disable bluetooth GPS and choose to use internal GPS only. Also disable GPRS support. Wait a few minutes and you should have a fully functional up to date GPS system. (Make sure you are standing outdoor if you want signal)

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Tags: garmin, n95 gps

Driving In China

Any of you have been to China? If you haven’t, then imagine the whole population of Canada squished into one city. That’s the case of almost anywhere you go. You see people and you see cars. As Chinese people are getting richer and richer everyday, a lot of them can now afford to drive car. More and more cars go on the streets each day and you have a big traffic problem.

Traffic Rules Are Not Rules

If you are used to the traffic style in North America, please don’t drive in China. It takes a lot of practice and confidence in order to drive safely there. You wonder how is that possible. Keep in mind people in China don’t follow traffic rules. Yes, there are 2 way traffic, but often you will see cars driving on the possible side of the street. There are also lanes too, but no one sees them. You will see 4 or 5 cars driving on a 3 lane traffic. Most of the time you are only 10 to 20 millimeters beside the other cars.

The most important tip for driving in China

If you must drive in China, there is one single tip to remember for a safe ride. It is to be more confident and more scary than the others. If you are scared and you follow the rules completely you are in a more dangerous position. Just do what other people do and be even more evil, then they will give you your way.

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Tags: cars, china, driving, safety, traffic

Let’s Help Save The World

Did you know April 22 was the official Earth Day? It is basically a special day created to increase the awareness of global warming and the damage we have done to our planet. Yes, global warming is real and very real.

Will There Be A Day After Tomorrow?

I bet most of you have watched the movie “The Day After Tomorrow”. When I watched it I thought it was way too dramatic. Now I think it is kind of real. Just a week ago, we had snow in Vancouver, I mean in the middle of April! Plus all those ice and snow southern China was getting during the past few months. I’ve never heard of ice or snow near my place in China before, but it was actually snowing and no one was prepared. It is very real that the weather is really messed up.

So What Have We Done?

You don’t need to become a scientist to know why the global is warming up. It’s from the things we do everyday. From driving to manufacturing, we are releasing a lot of gases out to the environment. I don’t think we have really figured a way to save the world though.

What Can We Do?

I think what we must do is educate more people about the problems that are approaching us. Sure, we can stop driving and start conserving more energy. But we must fix the problem from the root. Everyone needs to have the correct mindset to keep the world beautiful.

Alternative Fuel Is Stupid

I know lots of US companies are doing their best to save the world by developing alternative fuel for cleaning air and conserving fossil fuels, but they are also killing people. In order to generate bio fuels, oil companies must use tons of corn crops and grain crops, and they are a source of food! They are driving the prices for such food items to the sky and poor people from third world nations are now starving even more! More and more people are dying each day now because the lack of food. So let’s do something else to save the world.

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Tags: earth, fuel, global warming

Finally Done All My Exams

I feel so very released now because I’ve finished writing all my end of term exams. Other the past month of being inactive online, there are many things I saw happened around the world that I didn’t have time to blog about. These are completely random rambling but I think they are quite interesting.

Say Good Bye To Oasis Airlines

If you came from southern China or a frequent traveler to Hong Kong, you may heard of Oasis Airlines. When it launched the world’s first budget direct flight connecting Vancouver and Hong Kong, it got a ton of buzz. Their prices were extremely attractive and took over the Vancouver Hong Kong route by storm. Before Oasis came to Vancouver, Cathay Pacific and Air Canada dominated the market and they were the only choices. Oasis arrived offering direct flights for almost half of the price of the other two airlines. However, the dream of low cost direct flight between Vancouver and Hong Kong only lasted for about a year. Last week, the airlines suddenly shut down all its operations. They didn’t even give a prior warning! Many passengers are complaining now that the airlines still accepted booking the day it shut down! Good luck to those trying to claim their money back from the tickets they already bought. I even checked their website two days before they closed to check their prices. Lucky me wasn’t in a real need to fly to Hong Kong. I still believe the best, I mean the best, airline for traveling to Hong Kong is Cathay Pacific.

Say Good Bye To Edison Chen and Twins

What a wild ride for the Hong Kong entertainment industry since the beginning of the year. I guess everything is finally settled. The worst part of this whole mess was the loss of two very talented individuals from the HK show biz. For those who didn’t know or didn’t care about the HK show biz, the mess started with leaked sex photos of Edison Chen and Gillian Chung, a member of Twins, and Cecilia Cheung. Then other photos of other famous people started to pop up on the net. Edison was said to have hundreds of sex photo of HK singers/actresses. If you are interested in the whole story, you can Google “Edison Chen” and see for yourself. Edison and Gillian now call it stop for their careers in the show biz. This is a bad news because at least I think Edison is a good singer.

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Tags: airlines, cathay pacific, cecilia cheung, edison chen, gillian chung, oasis hong kong