Happy New Year 2011 - Be Spectacular

Time flies and we have come to an end of 2010 and we are ready to welcome 2011 in the next few hours.

New year always marks a new beginning… Here I like to wish all my friends abundant prosperity, great health, happiness and lots and lots of fun… Be Spectacular in 2011.

Happy New Year !!!

Merry Christmas

Time flies, 2010 is coming to an end soon and I like to wish all my friends Merry Christmas, have a fun holiday and not to forget to enjoy great food during this festive season… ;-)

Happy Vesak Day 衛塞節快樂

Apple iPad

Apple finally announced the long anticipated tablet PC, which they called it – iPad. Before it was released, many people or analyst anticipated this gadget might become the “Gadget of the Year in 2010″ and it has indeed created a Hype.

After looking through the features it offers now, I think the only feature that I like best is the Multi-Touch Capability. It has indeed brought a whole new way of user experience that fit nicely into our life.

Multi-Touch Capability is Just So Cool

Look at the following photo, as iPad is now offering you a 9.7 inch screen that you can now physically typed on a virtual keyboard like a real keyboard. This is cool user experience.

iPad Multi-Touch Keyboard

iPad also offers a new photo organizing feature called stack. I used a similar feature on Aperture and I like it a lots on Aperture. iPad now brings it to a new level, you can stack photos using your thumb and index finger. This is another Cool user experience…

Stacking Photos on iPhoto

For people who like gaming… as the iPad is now much larger compared to iPhone or iPod Touch, integrating with the accelerometer, you can hold it with your both hands like a steering wheel and start racing on it… Plus, you can use your thumb to control on the screen too.

This has no doubt added another level of coolness to user experience.

Gaming like a Steering Wheel

Finally, together with the iPad announcement, Apple also introduced a new store. That is iBook store. There is an iBook app in the iPad that you can purchase book and read it. Using the Multi-Touch technology, you can now flip books on the iPad screen just like you are flipping a book.

Apple has raised Multi-Touch technology to a new level. Typing on virtual keyboard, stacking photo, gaming and flipping iBook are 4 COOL user experience on the iPad that I like.

Have fun…

Flipping on iBook

Wordpress 2.8.4 Security Issued Fixed

There has been an outbreak on WordPress community throught the weekend… Many wordpress blogs were hacked by a worm due to a security loophole.

Upgrade WordPress to 2.8.4 NOW

What is the security issue? Frankly, I do not know and I could not bother to find out too… as I could not understand it anyway. As a user, I have just completed upgrading my wordpress to 2.8.4… just to make sure I can now sleep with peace at night… ;-)

To know more about the WordPress loophole, check out the following post:

• Old WordPress Versions Under Attack
• How to Keep WordPress Secure

KokPinLab now Upgraded to WordPress 2.8

After a few hours of hard work, I have finally upgraded my blog to wordpress 2.8.

I was running on wordpress 2.5 for the last one year. I was hesitated to upgrade because my older theme does not work with wordpress 2.8.

Finally, I decided to spend few hours today to do something about it. I have heard lots of new features on new wordpress and I really do not want to miss that.

I re-edited the images, re-configured the theme files and now, KokPinLab.com has Gone LIVE!!! This is just a new little milestone for myself.

Upgrading to WordPress 2.8

I am now updating my blog to WordPress 2.8 and I am also re-configuring my theme to fit the new wordpress. I hope to be able to bring a new feel and experience to you on this blog.

During this period of time, please bear with me as there might not some disruption you might see on the blog during this period.

Now the question is: What’s inside Steve Job’s mind? Why is he making such a bold and drastic decision?

Here are a few scenarios and possibilities:

• His health condition
• Apple succession planning for someone else to start taking over
• Apple has NO product to launch

Steve Job

Can Apple Sustain The Hype without Steve?

Regardless whatever reasons behind this decision, I am sure this signal that Steve Job’s presence and era in Apple is coming to an end. Apple has experienced a difficulty situation while its founder Steve was not in the company. Will history repeat itself that Apple will be taking downhill again?

Although Steve has been instrumental to turn Apple around, there is increased acceptance of Apple products, but I think the big success really came from its iPod, iTunes store and its latest iPhone devices. Some improvement on the Mac unit sold but it has reported to be no growth for Mac compared to PC last month.

It might have come to a point that Apple has to reinvent itself to bring some new innovation to the table. But if without Steve Job, can Apple Do it? I have doubt now!

Macworld without Apple Is NOT Macworld

On its face, Apple announced in the press release that Apple (AAPL) has cheaper and more effective venues for reaching its audience — on its own terms and its own schedule. This was cited as the reason for the Macworld exit.

My first impression is that this decision will be a BIG blow to IDG. Why is Macworld called a Macworld without Apple presence? Apple is the inventor of Mac. If Apple does not support or endorse the event, why would other support it? I am always looking forward to see the news of Macworld for only one reason, to listen to Steve to see what are the new product lineup that is coming up. Being an engineer myself, that’s the most satisfying moment to see how technology innovation is changing people life.

So, will I still follow Macworld news if not new announcement from Apple? Probably not!!!

There was already some friction between IDG and Apple dated back in 2002 while IDG decided to move Macworld from San Francisco to Boston. IDG chief Charlie Greco, apparently thinking at that moment Jobs needed IDG’s expo more than the expo needed Jobs from the following quote:

“You know how badly they want to do San Francisco,” [Greco] said. “We don’t have to let them.”

Maybe Apple is taking revenge and stab IDG for its arrogant ;-)