macasia.com tag:www.macasia.com,2007-08-20://1 2008-08-14T07:53:37Z Movable Type Pro 4.21-en iPhone Apps tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.24 2008-08-14T07:47:22Z 2008-08-14T07:53:37Z Apple reports that it's App Store is generating a miilion dollars a day in revenue for the past month since it opened its virtual door. That's a lot of people paying for these apps. I and my circle of friends... kingsley Apple reports that it's App Store is generating a miilion dollars a day in revenue for the past month since it opened its virtual door. That's a lot of people paying for these apps. I and my circle of friends have all downloaded a bunch of them on our iPhones, but they are mostly free. I, being the big spender, have paid for only two apps (Super Monkey Ball and Ambiance). I guess it's a numbers game. The more people using the iPhone, the bigger the chance they will eventually pay for an app or two. I also noticed the Apple stock price has gone up each day following the announcement on August 11th. Let's hope it keeps it up, the stock price and the apps sales. iPhone 3G exceeds expectation tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.23 2008-07-08T11:36:31Z 2008-07-10T09:18:16Z Ming Pao reports (in Chinese) that iPhone 3G online preregistration at 3 Hong Kong is at 60,000, demand far exceeding the 500 iPhones alloted for launch on July 11. There was supposed to be a list out today of those lucky... kingsley Ming Pao reports (in Chinese) that iPhone 3G online preregistration at 3 Hong Kong is at 60,000, demand far exceeding the 500 iPhones alloted for launch on July 11. There was supposed to be a list out today of those lucky 500 random individuals who get their iPhones on the eleventh, but I can't find the list on 3 Hong Kong or Apple Hong Kong websites, yet. Cross my fingers and hope my name is on that list.

[Update: 09 July 2008] The list is out. Neither I nor any of my friends or family got on the list. Another news source states there are actually 10,000 iPhones for Hong Kong, but the number still doesn't match up interested buyers.
]]> iPhone 3G with no unlimited data tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.22 2008-07-06T18:23:26Z 2008-07-08T11:54:23Z Just when I thought price of the iPhone 3G unlimited data plan is pricey at HK$498 a month, I learned that some countries' carriers don't offered unlimited plans at all. On top of that, their plans are *really* pricey. For... kingsley pricey at HK$498 a month, I learned that some countries' carriers don't offered unlimited plans at all. On top of that, their plans are *really* pricey. For the 1GB data plan, it costs HK$1,120 in Australia, and HK$418 in Switzerland, plus HK$3.08 per hour talk time for the latter. Wow, it makes my unlimited data plan here in Hong Kong seems too cheap. [via Daring Fireball]]]> MacBook Air SSD now US$500 less tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.21 2008-07-06T13:13:24Z 2008-07-06T18:21:49Z It's good news for those waiting for a cheaper MacBook Air with SSD, and bad news for those who already got one. Less than 3 months after I received mine, the price of the MBAir SSD is now US$2,600, a... kingsley It's good news for those waiting for a cheaper MacBook Air with SSD, and bad news for those who already got one. Less than 3 months after I received mine, the price of the MBAir SSD is now US$2,600, a full $500 less than the previous price. I had always expected the price of SSD to go down, but did it have to be by that much and so soon? Now I know how suckered the first batch of iPhone buyers felt when Apple lowered the price shortly after it came out. But, hey, like I said, it's good news for those looking to buy one, unless you can wait another few months for the price to go even lower, or the capacity of the SSD to double. I love and hate technology at the same time, sometimes. Dropbox - What iDisk should have been? tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.20 2008-07-03T08:40:16Z 2008-07-03T12:51:15Z I just got to try out Dropbox, an online storage that's still in beta. It has a Mac and Windows client that works like any folder on your desktop. Throw files in them and they will sync automatically. Then access... kingsley Dropbox, an online storage that's still in beta. It has a Mac and Windows client that works like any folder on your desktop. Throw files in them and they will sync automatically. Then access your files on different machines that have Dropbox, or not, because you can also access them in a browser. You can also share files and folders inside Dropbox with others. What sets this apart from iDisk is that Dropbox is fast, which makes all the difference in the world--the difference between using it frequently or only on occasion. 

Dropbox is a lot like Evernote, my favorite note manager, which lets you access your work simultaneously on a PC, Mac, or on the web. Where Evernote is for notes, Dropbox is for files and folders.

I have several invites to give out. Leave your e-mail in the comments and I'll send you an invite. I have less than 10.
]]> Hong Kong iPhone 3G pricing plans tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.19 2008-07-02T12:50:05Z 2008-07-02T13:27:05Z 3 Hong Kong has come out with pricing plans for the iPhone 3G, to be launched on July 11th. The plans start at HK$188, HK$268, HK$328 and HK$498. The first three include only 500MB of data per month, whereas the... kingsley come out with pricing plans for the iPhone 3G, to be launched on July 11th. The plans start at HK$188, HK$268, HK$328 and HK$498. The first three include only 500MB of data per month, whereas the last one comes with unlimited data. So for most technophile, HK$498 is the only option. My friend has even gone so far as to create a spreadsheet to compare plans. Needless to say, she and I are both getting the HK$498. You can register online to be one of 500 to get the iPhone with a free leather case on July 11th. Let's hope there will be enough to go around, or at least till I and my friends get one. ]]> iPhone 3G for HK$1,550 tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.17 2008-06-10T05:43:09Z 2008-06-15T07:03:08Z I never felt smarter. Less than two weeks of selling my 8GB iPhone for HK$3,000, Jobs unveils the much anticipated, expected 3G iPhone, but for only HK$1,550. I can buy two new ones from the money I got from the... kingsley selling my 8GB iPhone for HK$3,000, Jobs unveils the much anticipated, expected 3G iPhone, but for only HK$1,550. I can buy two new ones from the money I got from the old. Of course I'll spring for the 16GB 3G version for ~HK$2,350, which still leaves me with HK$650. The launch date in Hong Kong will be on July 11th through 3 Hong Kong.]]> Acrobat.com tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.15 2008-06-03T10:50:11Z 2008-06-03T10:59:55Z Adobe rolls out Acrobat.com, an online service to create, collaborate, share files and documents. Also, the new desktop version of Acrobat 9 integrates with Acrobat.com to store, collaborate, and share PDFs with others. Opening an account is free, and it comes... kingsley
Adobe rolls out Acrobat.com, an online service to create, collaborate, share files and documents. Also, the new desktop version of Acrobat 9 integrates with Acrobat.com to store, collaborate, and share PDFs with others. Opening an account is free, and it comes with a generous 5GB of space. If you already have a Buzzword account, it will take you to creating an Adobe ID. Although Buzzword is a slick, online word processor, and a welcome staple of Acrobat.com, ConnectNOW is probably the most powerful component, allowing online meetings with screen sharing and videoconferencing.
]]> Ultra-portables tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.16 2008-06-02T11:02:03Z 2008-06-03T12:01:18Z I'm a sucker for ultra-portable notebooks. That's why I'm using a MacBook Air. But while I was waiting impatiently for my Air, a bunch of other new PC ultra-portables came on the market that was so enticing I almost jumped... kingsley Asus's Eee PC (900) is the first one to get my attention. With a 8'9" LCD and a 20GB SSD for HK$4,000, it costs less than 1/6 of my MacBook Air with 64GB SSD. But when I tried the Eee PC at a retailer, the keyboard and trackpad were too cramped for comfort. Then there's the HP 2133-Mini Note PC. Also an 8'9" LCD, but the keyboard is a lot roomier than the Eee PC. In fact, the whole computer felt more sturdy. It comes with a 120GB hard disk for HK$5,000. And now there's MSI Wind U100, with a 10" LCD and 80GB hard disk for about HK$4,000. Too bad Palm's defunct Foleo, with specs and price similar to these, was introduced ahead of its time. If it were to come out today, it would probably be a hit, too.]]> Free real-time stock quotes tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.14 2008-05-31T03:51:11Z 2008-05-31T04:13:40Z I usually use Yahoo! Finance during trading hours to track stocks, and yesterday I noticed a new feature on its site: real-time quotes. I read in SCMP that it's served by BATS Trading, and it's all about getting the most... kingsley Yahoo! Finance during trading hours to track stocks, and yesterday I noticed a new feature on its site: real-time quotes. I read in SCMP that it's served by BATS Trading, and it's all about getting the most hits. According to the article, Yahoo lost to Google last month for the first time as the most visited websites by Americans, 140.6 million vs. 141 million. Ouch. But what a way to get visitors flocking back to Yahoo. ]]> iPhone comes to Hong Kong tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.13 2008-05-29T17:14:30Z 2008-06-02T14:25:25Z It's official, iPhone will come to Hong Kong via Hutchison Telecom. I used its 3 Hong Kong network before, when it was the first company to offer 3G. Back then (2003-2004) 3G was expensive, and rarely anyone used it. After... kingsley
But even my current contract has long expired, and I just sold my unlocked iPhone, all in anticipation for the arrival of the 3G iPhone. Now I can switch back to 3 HK without hassle or penalty, and buy an authorized iPhone when it comes to Hong Kong. With the HK$3,000 I got from my old iPhone, I might not have to add a lot of money to buy a 3G iPhone with contract.

[Update, 02 June 2008] Just noticed in my iCal that I renewed a one-year contract with PCCW set to expire November, 2008. If I remember the terms correctly, I only have to pay the remaining months of the contract should I decide to cancel early, which is at most 5 months at less than HK$100 a month. Not a problem.
]]> Movable Type 4.1 tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.12 2008-05-27T07:44:11Z 2008-05-27T07:54:22Z Finally got around to upgrading to Movable Type 4.1. It's a lot easier to upgrade than to do a new install. Just start up your FTP client, grab all the MT 4.1 files from your desktop and drag them onto... kingsley Finally got around to upgrading to Movable Type 4.1. It's a lot easier to upgrade than to do a new install. Just start up your FTP client, grab all the MT 4.1 files from your desktop and drag them onto your "mt" folder on your server. Let the files overwrite themselves; they'll know your settings and keep your permissions. Then wait until they're done, then you're done. Selling iPhone tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.11 2008-05-26T19:42:18Z 2008-05-26T20:17:18Z I'm doing the unthinkable: I'm going to sell my iPhone. I've read one too many news and rumors that the 3G iPhone will be announced and available on June 9th at the WWDC. Usually I try not to read too... kingsley
More importantly, I just checked the 2nd-hand price of my iPhone and it's still worth HK$3,000, which is the same price I sold my other one 2 months ago. I thought the price would have gone lower by now, but the news doesn't seem to have hit Hong Kong yet. So I'm hedging my bets and selling my iPhone now, then wait patiently for two weeks for the new iPhone to arrive. If I'm right, I would only have to pay up a little more to buy a 3G iPhone, as opposed to paying a lot more, because I didn't sell my old iPhone before it became obsolete. 

The trade-off is I'll be carrying a bulky phone with a built-in digital TV my brother lent me, and a dusted off 4GB black iPod nano--which still looks handsome--while I wait, patiently...
]]> My Macbook Air is the Energizer Bunny tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.10 2008-05-19T11:37:39Z 2008-05-19T18:13:09Z I haven't done any scientific testing--I leave that to all the other geek-out (in a good way) sites--but it seems my MacBook Air can run for hours, easily matching the 5-hour claim by Apple for "wireless productivity." And that's mainly... kingsley I haven't done any scientific testing--I leave that to all the other geek-out (in a good way) sites--but it seems my MacBook Air can run for hours, easily matching the 5-hour claim by Apple for "wireless productivity." And that's mainly what I use it for: I leave on my WI-FI at all times, and am surfing the web and writing. I'm sure without an optical drive and barely a port to draw power on have something to do with it, and perhaps my SSD model adds a notch to battery life. Either way, it runs circles around all my previous notebooks, some twice as long, I'm betting. MacBook Air en route tag:www.macasia.com,2008://1.9 2008-04-19T11:07:15Z 2008-05-19T18:17:06Z My MacBook Air should be on my way to me. I'm ordering it along with the external SuperDrive as well as a 1TB Time Capsule. It's been awhile since I made a sizable investment in Mac products, but its new... kingsley My MacBook Air should be on my way to me. I'm ordering it along with the external SuperDrive as well as a 1TB Time Capsule. It's been awhile since I made a sizable investment in Mac products, but its new line of wireless-enhanced devices runs right up my alley.