Good Morning Sunshine

Here's a short silent time lapse video of breaking dawn at my place.

(the camera's quality is bleargh, but you get the basic idea, right?)

Ipad App Review: Blogpress

Right... So i just bought my first app for my Ipad. Blogpress.

Justification for buying the app:
# It is on Sale $2.99 anyway.
# And I am a fervent blogger.
# Nowadays I seldom turn on my PC. Maybe once a week, which explain why i have not post much about my US trip since most of the pics are on the PC.
# Trying to blog using raw methods sucks.
# blogger doesn't have a free app for blogging.
# i am bound to buy this app anyway. I don't think it's going to be free.

So far this app is ok. Maybe it doesn't have the WYSIWYG editor.

Let me upload a picture.


This is taken using the ipad camera on the spot.

Let's see another one.


This one is from the Ipad's camera roll. I used the Instagram app. As you can see, Most people can't spell my name right :p

What else can this app do?
Some basic things, like editing old posts.
Feeds The blogpost to twitter and facebook.
Link to picasa web album, where your blogger post all you pics.

Basic things pretty much.
But beats having to write a post on notes, upload to dropbox, copy link to blogger and post.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Lingkungan Budi,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia

Ipad App Review: Upad for Ipad

Bloggin from the Ipad.

Hello,
My post today is brought to you by the letter "I" and "B". "I" is for the IPAD and "B" is for BLOGGER.com.

A review.
I'm posting this manually via blogger.com because I can't find a (free) blogging app just yet. There's a lot of effort needed to post something on blogger.

One, you can't use the 'compose' mode, so need to fork out some effort to remember some html codes. So i have to keep it simple.

Second, to post a picture on blogger needs even more work. The 'upload photo from folder' doesn't work, so i had to use the URL link instead. This means, i had to upload a photo from the ipad to a server, like photobucket or dropbox, copy the link and paste it in blogger.

The above is a picture of a hot and cold glasses of water taken using Photobooth app using thermal camera mode, which i think doesn't really work, or just need to be calibrated. But i don,t think there's actually a thermal sensor in the ipad, or does it?

What would be nice is to be able to post a 'real time' photo directly into blogger. Like the many twitter apps available.

Thirdly, landscape mode only works for a certain 'height' of the browser. Once your entry goes below the virtual keyboard, you can't see what you're typing. Scrolling doesn't help because it,ll keep scrolling back up. I also can't scroll in the editing box!

So guys, if you know any good blogging app for the ipad that's free, please let me know. I,m in dire need of a blogging app. Otherwise, i have to write to the blogger team about this.

Synching and BackUp plans

For mobile workers who happen to:

• stores important data on a USB stick thingy
• has many workstations (lab, library, computer lab, home office)
• has their work stored in more than one computer (laptop, desktop, computer lab, etc)
• is always on the go

Then please consider these two softwares.

1. SyncToy
   SyncToy helps a lot in terms of keeping my folders up to date. I mainly do my work on my desktop computer at home and before I go to the lab, I will transfer the work Folder into my USB thingy and access and update my documents from there. Before I go back home, I'll repeat this routine again.
   
   Install SyncToy to your computers and you will be able to sync datas in both your USB flash drive and the folder inside your computer by just the press of a button. I've set my SyncToy to sync whatever files that was just added, recently edited or updated on either folder so you don't have to transfer them manually or copy the whole folder again (which takes a long time to wait). There are a few sync options to choose from if you wish to do something different.
   
   
2. Dropbox
   I can be absent minded sometimes. I would sync my USB the night before and planned everything that I wanted to do in the lab the next day, and only to find that I've forgotten to put my USB drive in my backpack. Facepalm!
   Dropbox works like a virtual USB storage online.It gives users 2GB free and you can drop any files into your 'box' and access that file from another computer even if it's halfway around the world, but you must have internet connection. Now, whenever I'm done, I'll save my a copy of my latest work into my Dropbox as a safe measure.
   It's also useful as a back up for image files if you go travelling or just a back up for safe keeping. (you'll never know when you need it).
   
   
3. Or something else. SugarSync.
   This is similar to #2, but it gives 5GB free to users. I haven't tried this one yet.

Have a go and see if your productivity and efficiency improves. No harm done, they're all free.

Photobook review

Here's one thing that I'm excited to share with all you people out there, especially photo enthusiasts. Now there is an alternative way of printing your beautiful pictures for display, rather than printing 4R size photos and slot them into generic photo album with tacky design covers, we now can print it on a shiny glossy paper and bind it nicely into a book. We can also arrange the pictures the way we like it, 4R, 3R, 8R, square, oval... you name it. It's like your very own published magazine, how wonderful is that??

It was my mum's birthday last month and I decided to give her a photobook as a gift. Coincidentally Photobook was having a special offer, 40% off that month, which was really good bargain. The service was quite fast (considerably for Malaysian standard), I've submitted the files on 31 March midnight and it arrived in front of my doorstep 7 days after.

Here's the verdict:

I decided to go with the debossed hardcover book with 40 pages. The linen hardcover that binds the book looks very good and keeps the pages intact. I don't think the pages will easily comes off with that kind of binding.

Also the cover material gives it a 'professional' look (at least for a layman like me). And the front cover pic seems to be embedded inside the cover. Let's hope that doesn't peel off easily too. Haha! Oh ya, the theme for my first photobook was babies. It's a collection of baby pictures of us adik-beradik (siblings) from all different years. All 6 of us.

The content was hundreds of baby photos (I'm not sure if there's a limit to the number of photos) on 40 pages of thick and smooth silk paper (to be precise it's 148gms silk). As you can see below, the book spine holds the pages properly.

The best thing about this book is that it gives your total control on how you want to arrange the pictures in each pages. This can be done by using the software that I've downloaded from the site. Big, small, rectangular, oval, diamond shaped borders, you name it. It's up to you honestly. Below is an example of the pages inside the book.

It took me 4 intensive and very focused days (and nights) to scourer through a dozen of albums just to find the right pictures, scanning them (fortunately the scanner is brilliant enough to be able to scan 6 pics at the same time and saving it as 6 different files), editing and restoring old, dull and damaged photos using Photoshop (now I have created a customised set of action for automation that's quite reliable for batch processing) and arranging them into the book. Phew.. that's a lot of mumbo jumbo.

So, here's a good tip...
Honestly if you ask me, it would be easier to just create a photobook with photos that are already in digital format, you can cut 75% of the process I've mentioned above and just focus on the photo arrangements. Which will eventually be the final outcome of your book.

I know a lot of wedding photographers includes this kind of photobook in their service, but why just limit it to just weddings?? You can create a book about your travels, your family, even your cat, anything! And why let other people do it for you when you yourself can design your own book. Get that creative juices flowing!

Go on to Photobook, have a look and try it out for yourself.

(ps: Photobook didn't paid me a cent for this promo, I'm just a customer who's happy with the service provided).

Experimenting with Photo Story 3

Thought I'd try my hands on doing a photo presentation. Used Photo Story 3 (downloadable at Windows webpage for free) to compile and set up the presentation.

Have a go at it... I know you want to... watch.

(Note: No animals were hurt during the photo shoot)

Software Review: Rainlendar

I am compelled to share with you all a software which I think is great.

It's called Rainlendar.

What came first into my mind was, why do I need a calendar that denotes rain pattern? How silly of me! It's actually a software that serves as a managing tool, which includes a calendar, To-do list and Events reminder (with alarm too!)

Overall usage comments:
1. Easy to install. Just extract the zip file in your computer and double click the .exe file and it's ready to run.

2. Downloadable skins! Choose whatever skin you want, be it themed like a casual clipping on notice boards, a LED board or with background picture. You could also edit the skin that you are using to fit your liking.

3. You'll discover a lot of cool things when you explore the Config. settings.
What I like most is that it can synchronise with my Outlook and insert all the meeting schedules, to-do lists.

4. Un-obstructing, when you make the calendar a little bit transparent.

Furthermore, it's a Freeware! Yeay!
If you're eager to try, download from here: http://www.snapfiles.com/get/Rainlendar.html