launch

iHave iPhone 4

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maxis iphone launch

Yes, I was one of the people who went for the much anticipated iPhone 4 when Maxis launched it at Gardens, Midvalley.

I arrived there at about 10:30 pm on Thursday 23rd September and there was already a huge queue of people waiting to be the first in Malaysia to get their grubby paws on the iPhone 4. (The video is actually a tour of the inside before the crowd shots)

panoramic queue

The iPhone 4 is due to be released at the stroke of midnight so all the Apple fans were there in droves!

maxis iphone vip party

I was there early so I could go around and check out the scene. There is an area inside where the features of the iPhone 4 is displayed and explained.

ibooks

iBooks! I would so totally love this since I read a lot.

maxis cakes

Check out the Maxis cupcakes!

violinist

The Maxis iPhone 4 launch had no shortage of entertainment – I really liked this violinist who played at the lounge.

I’m revealing my age here, but I love this song! It’s Rednex’s Cotton Eye Joe. smirk

food

There were also food and drinks galore. I love this lamb kebab they had. It tasted delicious with the dip that went with it.

group shot

We were hanging out at the lounge until the press conference was slated to start.

launch

The end (of waiting) is nigh! w00t!

The Maxis people launched the iPhone 4 right on the stroke of midnight and we went to the rooftop to catch the official launch.

queue

I managed to get my iPhone 4 at about 2 am. I hear some people had to wait till 4 am and wore their next day office attire to get it. smirk

vip

iPhone 4. I haz it! I got the micro SIM last weekend and the initial impressions I have of the phone is very positive. I’m lovin’ it. Full review coming up soon!

entertainment

It feels good to be the first in Malaysia to get my hands on it.

iphone4

The only downside to it is that I have to beat back all my friends who want to buy it off me. 🙁

Get it yourself la can! Go to Maxis, they have stock. I want the iPhone 4 to complete my collection of smart phones!

Blogger’s Night Out

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DO RIGHT AND FEAR NO MAN

do right

That’s my personal message in Windows Live Messenger. It’s the inscription on a US coin and I love the phrase. It’s uplifting – kinda like the Serenity Prayer, but without the…erm, less-than-positive connotations. 😉

friendster

I went to the Windows Live Messenger on DiGi sneak preview at Friendster Café last Saturday. I was impressed by the effort that went into the event management aspects. The place was adorned with various larger-than-life sized emoticons…

schwag

…and schwag, which caught the attention of everyone. PSPs, USB drives, headphones and more were to be given away that night. Everyone on the guest list got an exclusive Windows Live Messenger on DiGi t-shirt and a lucky draw number when registering.

board

I loved the replica Windows Life Messenger poster at the entrance. We’re supposed to write our names on it. It wasn’t too hard, being narcissistic bloggers and all. 😉

snacks

The event was slated to start at 7 pm but the good people at DiGi thoughtfully gave us some snacks before the preview.

beer

…and there isn’t a shortage of the amber fluid either. There were two beer towers in attendance and both were kept full so no one was left wanting. =D

food

It was decided that hungry bloggers don’t make good listeners so dinner was served before the actual presentation.

plate

The food at Friendster Café was pretty good. I liked the spaghetti and the fish with tartar sauce. Awesome!

tvc

The sneak preview started with a TVC on Windows Live Messenger on DiGi. You just have to check out the commercial, it’s hilarious! I won’t spoil it for you – DiGi always has great commercials and this one just takes the cake. The ending is priceless! 🙂

demo

We were the very first to try out Windows Live Messenger on DiGi. Celia went through the features with us. It’s exactly like Windows Live Messenger on your PC. The look and feel will be familiar to anyone who uses MSN on the computer. You can even set your status, use emoticons (w00t!) and chat with multiple people at the same time. However, the best feature has gotta be this:

files

Check this out: You can even send files (!) via your cell phone!

cindy

It was fun to be among the first to experience Windows Live Messenger on a cell phone. It’s really quite addictive.

hello

It doesn’t really help that our messages are broadcast to a large LCD projector screen in front of the room. That’s me saying “sixthseal.com SAYS HELLO WORLD”. It’s surprisingly easy to use.

win

The games started after that – there was a Q&A session where I won a pair of Logitech headphones. Great! Now I have one for the office and one for home. 🙂

debate

The next game had Yat and Cindy facing off on opposing notebooks (and teams). It was an MSN debate about exes where one party is arguing for (Angel) and the other against (Devil) remaining friends after breaking up. They both won a SanDisk USB drive.

xd

Next up was a game where participants had to emulate the MSN emoticons displayed on the projector. I failed. Miserably. How can anyone do the XD emoticon? It’s impossible. :p

zoe

…some people could though. Zoe won the first prize – a Microsoft webcam with her impersonation of a very improbable emoticon. It requires the skillz of a facial contortionist to pull off some of the emoticons.

shades

The lucky draw got everyone hunting for their numbers. I had 016-25 and up for grabs were Coke (the drink) caps and Oakley and Ray-Ban shades. Everyone was eying (no pun intended) the shades…and a couple of guys snagged it.

booze

There was a “Booze & Mingle” session after that which bloggers usually interpret as…

camwhore

…camwhoring time. 😉

carol

Carol can do the :p emoticon pretty well. I’m impressed.

msn board

I still think the best gimmick during the event is the Windows Live Messenger board. We all loved it!

sneak preview

DiGi is offering a two month FREE trial for Windows Live Messenger and the best thing about it is that even after the trial period is over, it’s just RM 3 per month for unlimited chatting! There will be no additional data charges, which is pretty impressive. You can check out the promo details here.

cindy msn

I love the tagline – “Whatever the topic 2, 3, or 4you can pass it on anytime, anywhere with Windows Live Messenger Now On DiGi.”

event

Anyway, if you’re not on DiGi, don’t be 1. There’s always MNP so you can switch to DiGi. 😉

RM 3 for unlimited chatting per month. I’m on DiGi (most people from Sarawak are) so I’ll be signing up for this. I can now be online all the time so my boss can MSN me and ask me to do work! 5

…eh, wrong emoticon. Why would I be grinning at that prospect?

goofy

Now wouldn’t it be great if you can have a perpetual goofy emoticon at work to hide your frustration? The Mask of (in)Sanity. 😉

…and yes, I *cough* liberated the huge emoticon from the event.

The Second Coming of Hypp.TV

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laundry

Hear ye, hear ye! I stand witness to the latest revolution in broadband TV. It happened not in a manger in Bethlehem but at Laundry Bar, the Curve and instead of three wise kings, we had a motley crew of characters including Captain Jack Sparrow, Elvis Presley, and Princess Leia.

montage

I registered at the Media/Bloggers booth and checked out what they have to offer. Hypp.TV is the first online broadband TV service in Malaysia – exclusively for Streamyx users. There were demo computers showing the service pre-launch but before I checked them out, I indulged in the customary ritual whenever a significant amount of bloggers congregate…

camwhore

Camwhore.

part

You gotta admit, I look the part. I substituted gin for whiskey. Sign of the times, my friends. 😉

ringo

ABBA – Mamma Mia!

st

Elvis has left the Curve.

cynthia

Princess Diana survived the crash.

dance

There was a highly energetic dance performance to hype, er…Hypp.TV up the crowd…

unveiling

…before the official unveiling ceremony was done.

group

I quite liked the short and concise introduction to Hypp.TV – it flits through the channels they have, touches on the new features of the Hypp.TV media player before flicking through the sheer amount of content genres in the system.

pip

The best thing about the Hypp.TV media player is the ability for you to click on a link you’re interested in, which opens up a browser window while minimizing the broadband TV screen (much like the Picture in Picture function on TVs) so you can read the news while watching the latest soccer match. Of all the features, this is the one that impressed me the most. Another click takes you back to the full screen broadband TV screen. Nifty, eh?

Interested? Getting started is just 3 easy steps away!

1. Sign Up for a Hypp.TV account
Register a user account for free under the Free SIGN UP tab.

2. Launch Hypp.TV Media Player
Launch Hypp.TV Media Player under the Watch NOW! tab.

3. Sign In on Hypp.TV Media Player
Once Hypp.TV Media Player is launched, just sign in to watch!

press

There is another press conference after the public unveiling, but before I could digest all that information (no pun intended) I needed some food first.

food

The Hypp.TV relaunch is explained in further detail in the press conference, which we were privy to. It costs RM 9.90 per month for a full subscription to the service, which allows you to watch more than 30 channels. You’ll be spoilt for choice with channels like Al-Jazeera English (great for the occasional Osama videotaped broadcast), Channel NewsAsia, CCTV 4, WOW TV, Fashion TV, Wedding TV, Yoonic Fight Club, X-treme Video and even the 2010 FIFA World Cup broadcast for the Europe playoffs.
 
There are just too many channels to type – that’s just a small part of the 30+ channels Hypp.TV has to offer. There’s something for everyone! It’s perfect for the “I want it now” generation with its freedom of choice of what to watch and when to watch it.

nice

Gone are the nostalgic days of eagerly waiting by the TV at 9:45 pm armed with a mug of Milo to catch the 10 pm action movie every Thursday. It’s a whole new generation now, thanks for the extensive penetration of broadband, and the choices and options that comes with it. I digress.

hair

The best thing about Hypp.TV is the rich media integration – web, broadband TV, everything but the kitchen sink in one media player that’s so easy to use my grandma can probably navigate it with her eyes closed. Well, probably not with her eyes closed, but you get the point.

girl

Hypp.TV has a very user-friendly interface without any stop and start buffering in the video. That’s either great compression or just the nature of the system – I’m on Streamyx and Hypp.TV is hosted on their servers.

group end.

Hypp.TV – Freedom & Choice. Just a click away!

ruumz launch @ Mist, Bangsar Avenue

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mist bangsar

I went to Mist at Bangsar Avenue to attend the ruumz launch a couple of days ago. Mist has this really nifty tagline – Invigorate Intoxicate Impeccable. 🙂

ruumz

I have learned the advanced art of camwhoring. It is the hidden technique lost to man for many, many eons and recently rediscovered – the age-old sucking-your-cheeks-in-to-make-yourself-look-thinner stance. 😉

siao ling

I met Siao Ling, the Tuborg girl right after entering Mist. I’m not sure she appreciates being called that, but you must admit, it’s pretty catchy and easy to remember. 😉

ruumate

Be your ruummate? Can.

launch

The list of the usual suspects were there…

ginny

Got names dy. L-R: Natalie, Huai Bin, Jane, Ginny. This is the first time I met Nat and Jane.

zoe

Zoe who is hardly old enough to get into a club.

zoe cheesed

I prefer this photo. Haha! She looks so cheesed off. 😉

get in

Get in.

nuffnang

The Nuffnang people. Yee Hou is damn pro at camwhoring.

timothy

Timothy

nicholas

Nicholas

pinky

Pinky. This one got boyfriend liaw, cannot kiss. 😉

robb

Robb. Was it as good for you as it was for me? 😉

mellissa

Mellissa!

carol

Carol!

pillow

Rachel won this ruumz pillow but was kind enough to give it to me. I took it to camwhore with various people coz I like the tagline – my ruum or yours? I’m still wondering where that pillow ended up. I borrowed it to someone who never returned it. *cough* !

loved

Oh, it feels so good to be loved…

lasting

Unfortunately, the arcane art of camwhoring that I was practicing had the unintentional side effect of lasting the entire night. Oops…my bad. 😉

firdy

Firdy has mad skillz, yo. He can do the Matrix bullet dodging thing.

18sx

Things started getting a little 18SX after that with a lot of people being inebriated…so we shall stop here to avoid incriminating photos from being posted. 😉

elaine daly

I got a photo with Elaine Daly. =D

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic Launch @ Pavilion

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teaser

Nokia had a teaser setup at Pavilion, KL with the cryptic message “Be here – 090109 @ 7 PM”. It’s the launch of their newest phone, the XpressMusic 5800 and I got the invite last week. I didn’t think I could make it, coz I had something going on at 5 pm, but I managed to hitch a ride with Horng and got there before it started.

reta

This is Reta – bumped into her while registering as a Nokia Insider at the booth. She was there as Media. I first met her way back in 2005.

thorn roses

There was ample time for camwhoring since the event didn’t start at 7 pm sharp. L-R: Reta, Suanie, the thorn amongst roses, Erna. Fate had me running into Erna at the worst possible place. Hush Erna. 😉

huei

This is Huei Juin, who works just beside my condo! Huei, we go dinner next week k?

performance

The Nokia 5800 XPM launch started off with a bang, with confetti flying all over the place followed by a wonderful performance by a troupe playing with various ad hoc percussion instruments like steel buckets, tins and so forth. It’s different and energetic and had the crowd dancing along to the beats.

manager

Vlasta Berka, the GM of Nokia Malaysia himself went on stage to introduce the features of the new Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. It retails at RM 1,499 and features a 3.2″ touchscreen with vibrating feedback. It also comes with a 3.2 MP camera. However, the best thing about this deal is that Nokia is giving away 1,000 DRM free songs for free with the phone!

michelangelos 

Nokia events are very, very well organized and they treat the guests well. The representatives invited the media to Michelangelo’s and I ended up going with them coz I saw Reta and Huei. I didn’t realize they were there as media.

kevin 

I spotted Kevin and sat next to him for 15 minutes before Suanie called me and asked me where the hell I was. I said I’m in Michelangelo’s. She told me everyone was at La Bodega. Oops…

la bodega

It turns out the Nokia Insiders (bloggers) were scheduled to be at La Bodega instead. The press conference for media was at Michelangelo’s. Oh well, best of both worlds. Heh!

beer

Nokia was kind enough to provide us with free flow beer, drinks and tapas throughout the night. The event was really very well organized, and they made sure we were all well fed and not in danger of dying from thirst.

paella

There was also a huge platter of seafood paella for each table and the staff made sure that plate after plate of tapas came in quick succession.

cindy tey

Whenever a significant amount of bloggers congregate, camwhoring sessions are inevitable. Cindy Tey – I have made it a point to take a photo with her in every event that we meet. 😉

ee von

This is Ee Von from Text100.

camwhore

I attempt to self-camwhore with a dSLR. I can’t do it, it’s too heavy. I noticed Jamie can do it like a pro though, and so can Yee Hou.

jamie

Jamie! I swear, she looks just like someone in the film industry, but I can’t recall whom. Check out the tabula rasa pass and the guy behind us.

zoe

Zoe! I need an external flash for my dSLR, I don’t think the built in one is up to the task.

goodies

Nokia gave us each a goodie bag with stickers, a rain poncho, a zip up pouch that I can use as a toiletries bag while traveling and a metal box with a heart shaped item inside.

usb drive

It’s a 2 GB USB drive with a lanyard!

schwag

Best schwag ever. =D

david

Thanks to David Lian of Text100 for getting me the invite. Cheers!

shit 

P/S – I am proud to announce that I did not break my New Year’s resolution. There were jugs and jugs of beer and most of the people around me were indulging, much to my chagrin. I wasn’t tempted though and I swear to God, my lips never touched a drop of the amber fluid during the event. I drank six glasses of OJ instead. 🙂

Kakiis Night Out @ Euphoria, MOS

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euphoria

I went to the Kakiis Night Out event last night at Euphoria by Ministry of Sound. I think it’s the only non-smoking club in town. I went there with KY and Eiling as my team members.

check

I am honored that the organizers felt my 27-year-old self worthy of an ID check for a free voucher of Carlsberg Draft…until I realized they asked everyone for ID.

pinky tham

Pinky Tham! I less than 3 you! OMG, that was so random. Moving on.

interior

I haven’t been to Euphoria before but the place has a great sound system and excellent lighting. It’s operated by the esteemed MOS in London.

The Kakiis event kicked off with a performance by the Break B’Boys. They’re quite good at what they do and it got the crowd pumped up for the games. Kakiis Night Out has 10 booths with 10 games where you go and get footprints. DJ Steve from FlyFM was the MC for the night and briefed the crowd on the challenge.

games

The games range from Kakiis Extreme (with electric shocks and dubious sea creatures and worms) to the more intellectual games like Kakiis IQ. You’re supposed to complete all 10 challenges. I didn’t go there expecting to win, but I was surprised (in a good way) that Eiling is rather competitive by nature and wanted to finish all the games. 😉

beer

I wanted a drink before that though, I just had two and needed a bit more of the amber fluid inside me to be in the right frame of mind. I managed to bum quite a few beer coupons off random people. I didn’t know it wasn’t free flow or I would have started drinking at home first. 😉

team 37

Meet Team 37! We actually won one of the games and walked away with a prize, which we didn’t expect.

The most interesting challenge of the day is the Kakiis Tornado where a blower blows pieces of paper around in an enclosed phone box type contraption and we grab the pieces from the air. We had to wear goggles – watch our team in action!

food

Dinner was provided and we stopped to grab a bite to eat before continuing the games. “Dinner” was mainly finger food without any substantial carbohydrates except for the cakes and desserts. Coke and other soft drinks were free flow but they ran out of ice at one point.

pinky us

Me: Look Pinky, you have like two leng chai sitting beside you!
Pinky: Where? Where got leng chai?
Me: …..

worms

Anyway, we went back to attempt to complete the games after that. The more memorable is the one where you have to dig for coins in covered boxes. Two contains water and eels and the other two contains sawdust and sago grubs. There are four groups and each group of three people tag-teamed the way through.

shock

This is the game where we won (fastest time). It’s a contraption which delivers an electric shock with the two mesh wires inside. You have to reach through and grab a ping pong ball to spell out…

kakiis win

…KAKIIS. I got shocked twice, KY got it once and Eiling didn’t get the electric treatment. I think you need to touch both the wire meshes for it to deliver a shock. We thought we did pretty well on this one but didn’t think much of it.

chill

There was also a challenge called Kakiis Chill where you dip your feet into a small pool of ice-cold water and attempt to fish out ping-pong balls with your feet spelling KAKIIS. Fun.

girls

This is the best-dressed group IMHO – they were wearing reindeer antlers and matching outfits. They won one of the video awards too.

yodel

There was a yodeling competition going on at center stage while we were outside fishing ping-pong balls with our toes and everyone got a 16 GB Pendrive Sliq so our group immediately joined the next game…which was cat walking and showing off our kakis (kaki also means feet in Malay, wordplay on the social networking site).

I’m sure there are at least two compromising videos (and probably some photos as well) of me taking off my shirt and showing my beer belly (potbelly?) for all and sunder to see. I was about to start taking off my belt too before DJ Steve from FlyFM shook his head. 😉

Our team won the Kakiis Shock challenge though. I think we all knew we had a chance and looked at each other before the winner for that challenge is announced…and true enough it was Team 37!

pendrive

We each snagged a 16 GB Pendrive Sliq for having the fastest time in that challenge. Team 37, FTW!

…and no, we did not meet Mr. Fariz there. 😉

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