There are some applications that may ease while travelling in local or oversea, hereby are seven free Android applications that i recommend for Malaysians:

i) AirAsia by Mobile Travel Technologies Ltd

Market: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mttnow.m2planehybrid&feature=search_result


ii) Maybank2u Malaysia by Malayan Banking Berhad

Market: https://market.android.com/details?id=may.maybank.android


iii) Golden Screen Cinemas by Golden Screen Cinemas Sdn Bhd

Market: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.gscandroid.yk


iv) Waze Social GPS & Live Traffic by Waze

Market: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.waze&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS53YXplIl0.


v) PLUS Toll Rate by Evozi

Market: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.evozi.plustoll&feature=also_installed


vi) agoda.com by smarter hotel booking

Market: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.agoda.mobile.consumer&hl=en


vii) Unit Converter by Wopnersoft

Market: https://market.android.com/details?id=org.wopnersoft.unitconverter&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsIm9yZy53b3BuZXJzb2Z0LnVuaXRjb252ZXJ0ZXIiXQ..

Video below by CGPGrey explained leap year in an easy to understand way.

Home launcher and widgets on Xperia S has leaked out. A package of Xperia S home launcher and widgets is available for download, kindly refer the pocketpc forum for full story: “Thema: Home Launcher und Widgets vom Xperia S geleaked“

I installed every single .apk files into Xperia Arc, all of them works perfectly. Below are my steps on installing:
  1. Download XperiaS Package.zip into Dekstop, Unzip it
  2. Sync files between Desktop and Xperia Arc by using Dropbox
  3. Install every .apk one by one, and chose “replace” for those existing old app
  4. Old stock app such as Home launcher, Music player and Calendar will be gone after replaced
  5. Whenever you launch those app, the new version will be active

Download Links for XperiaS Package.zip:
  i) http://minus.com/me2BDLfmw#1f
  ii) http://hotfile.com/dl/147750631/9d744bc/XperiaS_Package.zip.html
  iii) http://www.mediafire.com/?bkzn5w03dq3qebb

Included in Package.zip are:

On/Off, Weather & Music Widgets

Clocks and Photo Widget

New Icons

Note: GO Launcher EX unable to locate and recognize Xperia S widgets. Therefore, those widgets can’t be apply on GO Launcher EX Home Screen. However, apps such as Live Wallpaper Earth, Music player and Calendar works smoothly if using Go Launcher EX.

Live Wallpaper Earth

Music Player

Calendar

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via:
   Thema: Home Launcher und Widgets vom Xperia S geleaked
   http://www.pocketpc.ch/sony-xperia-s/155451-home-launcher-widgets-xperia-s-geleaked.html

Facebook officially released Messenger for Windows. Currently, it only available for Windows 7, no further news on supporting Windows XP or Windows Vista yet. Below are some screen shots:

Facebook Messenger Login

Facebook Messenger UI

Dock to right side of Desktop

Multiple Tab Chat Box

According to the Facebook official website: http://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-for-windows, some of the features as below:

Messenger for Windows is a new, trial application that lets you use Facebook without being on www.facebook.com. While you surf the web or use other applications on your computer, you can:

    - Chat and message with your friends on Facebook
    - See the latest updates from your friends in ticker
    - Get quick notifications about what’s going on

Here are steps to use Facebook Messenger:
    i) Download set-up file here: FacebookMessengerSetup.exe
    ii) Locate the FacebookMessengerSetup.exe installer
    iii) Install and launch the Messenger
    iv) Key in your Facebook account ID and Password
    v) Log in and Done.

Always wonder what is going on in the mobile processor chip. I only knew it includes GPU (Graphics processing unit) that responsible for graphic display and the CPU (Central processing unit) core units that do all the processing.

Image below is a famous Mobile Processor Chip for both Android tablets and phones (ex: Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, Lenovo LePad K2, Acer Iconia Tab A700, LG Optimus 4X HD), The Nvidia Tegra 3

After read through some articles and Nvidia Blog, based on my understanding, Tegra 3 can be divided into 12 different parts with different tasks as below:
  01. Quad Core Processor (Core 1,2,3,4)
  02. Plus-1 core, Battery Saver Core
  03. GPU (3D Display)
  04. ARM7 (Supports system management functions & several battery life extending features)
  05. HD Video Decoder (Video playback)
  06. HD Video Encoder (Video record and conference)
  07. Audio (HD audio, 7.1 channel surround)
  08. ISP (Image Signal Processor for camera)
  09. Memory Input/Output (Read and write storage)
  10. HDMI (External display output)
  11. Security Engine
  12. Display

On 23 February 2012, Nvidia has official trademarked a name for the unique processor architecture used for its quad-core Tegra 3 chip: “4-PLUS-1“. The “Plus-1″ is referred to the fifth core “Battery Saver Core” that previously called as “ninja core” or “shadow core”. As image below:

It is an additional fifth core that has a variable SMP (variable symmetric multiprocessing) architecture that runs on very low power and executes tasks at low frequency when the chip’s more powerful and power-hungry ARM Cortex-A9 cores aren’t needed.

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References:
  i) Nvidia Tegra 3 Quad-Core processors for Mobile Platforms
  http://www.qualitypandits.com/nvidia-tegra-3-quad-core-processors-for-mobile-platforms.html

  iii) TECHNOLOGY FORMERLY KNOWN AS VSMP GETS NEW STAGE NAME: 4-PLUS-1
  http://blogs.nvidia.com/…/technology-formerly-known-as-vsmp-gets-a-new-stage-name-4-plus-1-2/

Pure awesome.

Received a flyer from my mailbox today. It draws my attention because i never see an Online Gundam Model Store flyer distributed in to mailbox, as below:

So, i google it and collect information about the company. It seems like a new company/team and their details as below:

    Company: Sekai Hobby Enterprise (002086576-U)
    Billing Method: iPay88 (ex: credit card, maybank2u or paypal)
    E-mail: info@sekaihobby.com
    Official Site: http://sekaihobby.com/
    Facebook Site: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sekai-Hobby/227766733961586

My guessing is that Sekai Hobby are based around Bandar Sungai Long or Mahkota Cheras. From my observation on the distribution of their flyers and the forum thread as below:

7) Sekai Hobby在以下地点提供cash on delivery:
  - PJ (Amcorp Mall, 1 Utama, The Curve)
  - Cheras (Jusco Cheras Selatan and Bandar Sungai Long)
  - Kajang (Ice Room, opposite SMK Yu Hua)
  - Seri Kembangan (Mines Shopping Mall)

By going through their official site, one good thing about Sekai Hobby is that they have all the famous model with price listed in first page. Price is quite reasonable by comparing to others (some model listed might be pricier, some cheaper), and also note that the price listed already includes shipping fees (above RM50, within Malaysia).

Look at price comparison on two models at below, between Sekai Hobby and two other sellers:

  a) 00 Gundam Seven Sword/G (MG), Scale 1/100
    - Sekai Hobby: RM 203.90 (http://goo.gl/6KpgB)
    - Lelong.com.my: RM 218.00 (http://goo.gl/AMr7t)

  b) RX-0 Full Armor Unicorn Gundam (MG), 1/100
    - Sekai Hobby: RM 314.90 (http://goo.gl/9cBzR)
    - XL-Shop: RM 298.00 (http://goo.gl/nfkLU)

If you are looking for another online seller that can provide shipment, check out this post from lowyat.net: “[WTS] Gundam PG/MG/NG/HG/GFF New Year Sale, New Stuff 21-Feb New Arrival for sale“

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Links:
  i) XL-Shop: http://www.xl-shop.com
  ii) Toy Garden/ Toy Wizard: http://www.toywizard.net
  iii) Toy Shop list around malaysia: http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/392450/all

Foxconn, Apple’s main Chinese manufacturer. The factory that assembly Apple‘s “i” products (iPod, iPad and iPhone), located in Shenzhen, China.

“For the first time ever, Apple allowed a journalist onto its production line and to witness the labor conditions inside Foxconn, which have sometimes been reported to be unfair and unsafe.” (Joanna Stern, abcnews.go.com)

a) The original news article released on Monday, “A Trip to The iFactory: ‘Nightline’ Gets an Unprecedented Glimpse Inside Apple’s Chinese Core“, news video as below:

b) On Tuesday, expanded version of the original report was aired. Nightline Special Edition, a full 15-minutes video into Foxconn by ABC’s Bill Weir. Detail as below:

      Episode: 237
      Nightline 2/21: “Apple’s Chinese Factories: Exclusive.”
      News Link: An exclusive look inside Apple’s factory in China.

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Via:

  i) A Trip to The iFactory: ‘Nightline’ Gets an Unprecedented Glimpse Inside Apple’s Chinese Core
  ii) Foxconn: Nightline goes behind the scenes at Apple assembly line in China
  iii) Foxconn, Apple, and the Fair Labor Association Respond to ABC News’ Exclusive Report
  iv) Photos: Inside Apple’s Factories in China