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Mecool KI+ Satellite reception

2019-10-07T23:44:00.001-07:00

The DVB app on android OS in the KI+ allow user to do blind scan of satellite signals for TV broadcast. As we know our Astro dish is pointed to Measat 3 (91.5 E) satellite. A blind scan on this satellite unveils Astro channels signals and surprisingly, neighboring country channels!. Yes, it shows the name of the channels but not view them as Astro channels are scrambled. This entry will show how to do the same on TVHeadend. *Take note that this is for educational purpose only. I am not planning to watch the shows/channel but just to try out if the tuner is capable of delivering the channels. FYI, I am already Astro subscriber so I can see the channels legally on TV (via their decoder) & also via their Astro-Go app.

To get the channels scanned into TVHeadend is pretty simple. Assuming you have already read my post on setting up Malaysia FTA DVB-T2 channels, the steps are similar. Define, new network by going to tab Configuration->DVB Inputs->Networks. Now enter appropriate datas as per screenshot below.

Nothing much to config here. You can actually fill in with anything you like. This is just to organise channels according to their respective providers. Don't forget to link these networks to correct tuner. Go to Configuration->DVB Inputs->TVadapters, enable the tuner and link the 2 networks.

The important data is in the next step in tab Configuration->DVB Inputs->Muxes. Add these 2 Muxes to the config and voila!.. All other muxes (for astro) will automatically appear. Note that there is only one mux for K-Vision carrying all 40 services. While Astro runs 437 services on 29 muxes. Below are the setup to add.

Remember to select correct Network when adding new mux..

Note that Astro runs on DVB-S2

While K-Vision is on DVB-S

Once saved, you should see newly tuned services under the tab Configuration->DVB Inputs->services. You need to map selected services to be view as channel..Take note that Astro services are encrypted (scrambled actually..) i.e ticked under 'encrypted' column (next to column filled with 'overide disabled'). Once mapped, you should be able to view the channels in your favourite client.

Once the services are populated, (and you have VLC installed), you can test-play the channel by clicking on the play button on the far left column.

Below is screenshot of Quran TV (K-Vision Indonesia) running in VLC.

Mecool KI+ Streams

2019-09-30T20:10:00.005-07:00

In my previous post, I show you how to view the channels already preset in TVheadend to local Kodi apps. Apparently, TVHeadend is a server app, therefore it can also stream to Kodi installation in other box - as long as the other box can reach to the TVHeadend box via TCP/IP - i.e in the same network. In this case the other box just need to point the IP address in TVHeadend HTSP client to the correct IP address. I.e. From the HTSP configuration page below, just replace 127.0.0.1 with the external IP address of the box hosting TVHeadend.

Since I have a Google certified androidTV stick in my bedroom, I used androidtv native liveTV application to view the channels. AndroidTV native liveTV allow you to watch network based live TV. I have Haystack TV installed and have 9 channels on top of Google Play Movie trailer channel.

TVheadend client can be downloaded by clicking the icon below:

Youtube video below shows how to set it up. Credit to the youtuber - not mine.

After following the steps, we can have all mapped tv channels from TVheadend running in native androidtv live TV app.

Mecool KI+ TVH Streams to Kodi (internal)

2019-09-26T00:51:00.002-07:00

Upon successfully configuring TVHeadend on my KI+ Coreelec box. The next step is to link the channels to Kodi. This is done by installing Coreelec pre-built Kodi Add-ons and link it up to the internal TVHeadend.

This is quite simple to do. Just installing another add-ons to kodi. Please refer to my previous guide on how to get to the add-ons library. The next step are:

1. After selecting install from repository, dive in to PVR add-ons.

2. Then scroll down to select TVHeadend HTSP Client.

3. Once the add-on is installed, click on it to bring these options. Select configure.

4. On the config, use 127.0.0.1 as IP address. This is a loop back IP that points to the local machine. Leave all other settings as is.

5. Click ok and Kodi may prompt that a restart is needed. Just restart Kodi to take effect.
6. Once restarted, TV page shall appear (if it was not there before). Go on and click on channels or EPG. Something should show out.

Channels

EPG

7. You know how to go from here :)

My setup..

Mecool KI+ Configuring TVHeadend

2019-09-25T23:39:00.002-07:00

Now I have Coreelec running on my KI+ and I have the official Coreelec supported TVHeadend 4.2 server running. The next step is to configure TVHeadend to scan all available FTA channels.

TVHeadend GUI can be accessed via any web browser (IE, Edge, Firefox or Chrome) and using the IP address of the server at port 9981. E.g. https://192.168.1.2:9981

Upon entering the correct URL, TVheadend GUI will appear as so:

The language setting don't matter. Just hit cancel and start to configure TVHeadend

1. Select the tabs Configuration-> DVB Inputs -> TV Adapters. There should be a list of adapters automatically recognised by TVHeadend.

2. Once there are working TV Adapters, especially DVB-T, we can proceed to the next step to define the network. Select Network tab and press Add.

3. Populate network names with anything.

4. Next, move to Muxes tab. This is the interesting part where we got to enter the local TV channel frequencies. Below are frequency references:

Pemancar	MUX 1	MUX 2	MUX 3
Menara KL (Kuala Lumpur)	UHF 45 (666 Mhz)	UHF 49 (698 Mhz)	UHF 47 (682 Mhz)
Gunung Ulu Kali (Genting Highland)	UHF 45 (666 Mhz)	UHF 49 (698 Mhz)	UHF 47 (682 Mhz)
Bukit Sungai Besar (Kuala Lumpur)	UHF 45 (666 Mhz)	UHF 49 (698 Mhz)	UHF 47 (682 Mhz)
Bukit Selindung (Kuantan)	UHF 46 (674 Mhz)	UHF 44 (658 Mhz)	UHF 47 (682 Mhz)
Bukit Bakar (Machang)	UHF 45 (666 Mhz)	UHF 43 (650 Mhz)	UHF 51 (714 Mhz)
Telipot (Kota Bharu)	UHF 45 (666 Mhz)	UHF 43 (650 Mhz)	UHF 51 (714 Mhz)
Bukit Karatong (Kota Kinabalu)	UHF 36 (594 Mhz)	UHF 42 (642 Mhz)	UHF 48 (690 Mhz)
Bukit Trig (Sandakan)	UHF 47 (682 Mhz)	UHF 43 (650 Mhz)	UHF 45 (666 Mhz)
Gunung Andrassy (Tawau)	UHF 47 (682 Mhz)	UHF 43 (650 Mhz)	UHF 45 (666 Mhz)
Bukit Besar (K. Terengganu)	UHF 46 (674 Mhz)	UHF 44 (658 Mhz)	UHF 26 (514 Mhz)
Bukit Bauk (Dungun)	UHF 30 (546 Mhz)	UHF 52 (722 Mhz)	UHF 40 (626 Mhz)
Gunung Kelerdang (Ipoh)	UHF 45 (666 Mhz)	UHF 49 (698 Mhz)	UHF 51 (714 Mhz)
Gunung Serapi (Kucing)	UHF 47 (682 Mhz)	UHF 43 (650 Mhz)	UHF 45 (666 Mhz)
Gunung Jerai (Gurun)	UHF 45 (666 Mhz)	UHF 49 (698 Mhz)	UHF 51 (714 Mhz)
Pulau Pinang U4	UHF 45 (666 Mhz)	UHF 49 (698 Mhz)	UHF 51 (714 Mhz)
Seberang Jaya	UHF 45 (666 Mhz)	UHF 49 (698 Mhz)	UHF 51 (714 Mhz)
Pelangi (Johor)	UHF 47 (682 Mhz)	UHF 49 (698 Mhz)	UHF 51 (714 Mhz)
Skudai (Johor)	UHF 47 (682 Mhz)	UHF 49 (698 Mhz)	UHF 51 (714 Mhz)
Gunung Pulai (Pulai)	UHF 47 (682 Mhz)	UHF 49 (698 Mhz)	UHF 51 (714 Mhz)
Bukit Tampin	UHF 30 (546 Mhz)
Gunung Ledang (Segamat)	UHF 30 (546 Mhz)	UHF 52 (722 Mhz)	UHF XX (738 Mhz)

In my case, in KL, I go with 666Mhz & 698Mhz. Remember to use the correct unit. 666Mhz = 666000Khz. Hit add button, select the network defined in previous step configure these 3 things:1. Delivery system=DVB-T2, Frequency and Bandwidth=8MHz. Leave others as is then hit Create button.

5. Now we are ready to link the network to an adapter. Go back to TV adapter tab. Choose the one with DVB-T. A config section will appear on the right. Tick Enabled and select previously defined netwok.

and

6. Assumming the frequency are correct and we have an aerial attached to correct port on the KI+, available services will magically appear under servive tab.

Now we need to map them to make them available for use.

Hit map services buttom and Channel column will be populated with appropriate names.

7. Switch to tab Configuration->Channel/EPG->Channels to see all mapped channels. You can untick the second column if you wish to skip the cannel. Remember to hit save after making any changes.

8. Check out the EPG (Electronic Program Guide) to see what's on.

9. Under tab Configuration->Channel/EPG->Channels, there are circle play button in the 1st column. Press this button to try each channel over Windows streaming media player, i.e. VLC.

Voila!.. a channel happily streams!..

To be continued...

Mecool KI+ Installing TVH

2019-09-25T20:03:00.001-07:00

So I had Coreelec running on my KI+. Next is to get the tuner to tune into Malaysia FTA TV stations. As Coreelec is basically linux running Kodi, it is able to run the famous TVheadend server to talk to the built-in DTV(Digital TV) tuners. Good thing with Coreelec's Kodi, it has the server available as Add-ons in Corelec Kodi Repository. This makes life so easy!.

Follow this guide to install the add-ons. It is the same step as installing other add-ons. FYI, Coreelec is now running Kodi Leia.

1. From Kodi main page, scroll down to highlight 'Add-ons' at the left panel.

2. You should see Coreleec Repository listed in the next list. Select it and press ok.

3. Select Services

4. Scroll down until you see TVHeadend server. Click on it and wait until it finish installing.

5. Make sure we install Coreelec supported add-ons, i.e. TVHeadend 4.2 and not other version.

6. Disable auto update- so that TVHeadend will stay the correct version.

Done installing TVHeadend!

To be continued..

Mecool KI+ Corelec

2019-09-24T20:23:00.001-07:00

I have a Mecool KI Plus android box since so many years. It has been in a drawer collecting dust after I moved on to an official androidTV stick (CCC Airstick 4k) that I got from japan. The reason being the Mecool KI Plus I is unbearably slow even on its stock firmware (android). I had modded the box to run androidTV in the past but still too slow. Recently I came across Coreelec. It is basically a trimmed down linux (Debian based) just to run Kodi. Kodi is a powerful media player on its own and features can be added via a plethora of add-ons. Coreelec just revived my Mecool KI Plus to a powerful TV server.

The good thing with KI Plus is that is has built-in DVB T2 and S2 combo. T2 is tuner for current terrestrial TV broadcasting system used in several countries including the UK and Malaysia. Malaysian Gov announced migration to digital TV broadcasting and it is on DVB-T2! So my goal is to use the box to tune into local digital TV and stream them over local area network (LAN) to my airstick. This is done by installing latest version of Coreelec (9.2.0). Coreelec also come with TVheadend add-ons. TVHeadend is going to be the server that manipulates the build in tuner and serve the stream to my androidtv stick. Steps to get this done:

1. Download latest Coreelec Build 9.2.0 from their webstite.
2. Prepare a thumb drive. Note that I used a thumb drive instead of a microsd card. I got Sandisk Ultra Fit 16GB for this purpose.
3. Write Corelec to the disk. I used balena-etcher.
4. IMPORTANT: Once completed with balena-etching, copy the correct dtb image file to the root folder of the thumb drive. When you download from Corelec site, select new istall --> then select correct device from the list. In my case, the dtb needed is gxbb_p200_k1_plus. Use 7zip to open the downloaded image and copy from 'CoreELEC-Amlogic.arm-9.2.0-Generic.img.gz\CoreELEC-Amlogic.arm-9.2.0-Generic.img\0.fat\device_trees\' the said file into the root of the thumb drive. MUST rename the file to dtb.img. Hint* use 'Open Inside' in 7zip.
5. Stick the thumbdrive into correct port at the KI Plus. Hint* Top left slot - the one next to sdcard slot.
6. Reboot to Coreelec. I downloaded an app from playstore for this so that I don't have to poke the recovery hole :). Hint* Booting Coreelec == Libreelec method
7. Voila!.. KI Plus should now boot to the new shiny and fast Corelec!!

To be continued..

Amazing 3D Pen Art

2014-08-20T19:35:00.000-07:00

Have your ever wondered if your sci-fi fantasies could turn into reality? Imagine being able to draw objects in the air. We all have tried air writing, but it never materialised! But now it is possible with the lix doodle pen. You can simply use it to write into thin air. Create objects and have fun. It basically uses plastic thread made through a pateneted process which melts and cools while moving through the pen. You can make objects as big as 11 foot with it! Just make sure you provide a base to the object. Because though you can write in the air now, you still can not make them hover in mid air!

More data after the break

Lix was devised by Ismail Baran and Anton Suvorov in Belgium, and Delphine Wood in London. The idea behind the Lix 3D pen, which can draw solid lines through the air with no need for paper. They launched a Kickstarter campaign just recently to get their product off of the ground and have already gathered more than 3 times their initial funding goal. Lix 3D pen enables you to doodle in the air. This professional tool offers you the comfort and pushes your creativity to another level. Watch how this lix 3D pen works. Just follow the link given below.

These are some of the amazing art create by the lix pen. Cool isn't it? As high-tech as the Lix pen seems, the technology behind it is relatively simple. After plugging it into a power source and waiting for it to heat up, the artist or inventor inserts a thin plastic filament through the back that melts as it progresses through the pen – much like a hot glue gun.

This melted plastic is cooled the moment it exits the pen, meaning that it can create lines of plastic rising up from their initial flat surface. With a bit of practice, the pen's creators have been able to create mind-bending works of art illustrating the pen's versatility and capability in different fields.
The components of the pen include a micro planetary motor. The Lix pen charges from a USB 3.0 port. Like 3Doodler, Lix can take ABS (petroleum-based plastic) or PLA (plant-based) filaments, and outputs solid lines as you move the pen through the air.

It is lightweight and portable so you could put it in your bag and travel with it! Have fun and doodle anywhere anytime you want!

Living Paintings

2014-08-20T18:40:00.000-07:00

You think you've seen it all and then something like this comes along. Alexa Meade has made a name for herself by turning real people into walking, talking works of art. Using acrylic paints, she paints on the skin of human subjects in a way that optically flattens them into two-dimensional paintings. Her work has been displayed at the Saatchi Gallery in London, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in DC, Postmasters Gallery in New York City, Galerie Ivo Kamm in Switzerland, and Ingo Seufert Gallery for Contemporary Photography in Germany. She's also been featured on CNN, NPR, and in WIRED, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Guardian. Scroll down to see some of her mind-blowing creations. And keep in mind that every one of these is an actual live person.

More action after the jump

website

. And don't forget to share this remarkable find with your friends

This Artist Takes These Silly Doodles And Makes Them...Awesome

2014-08-20T18:37:00.000-07:00

These are raised from the inane to the sublimely insane!

David Jablow is a multi-media artist. One of the more interesting things he's done are series based on mid-20th century "doodle pads:" notepads printed with suggestive pictures of women in provocative poses. These relics were intended for bawdy scrawlings, but Jablow takes them to a new level ENTIRELY...

He started with this image...

And imagined her fighting crime....

More doodles after the jump

Taking out bad guys...

Preparing to infiltrate enemy camps...

Exploring the final frontier...

And knocking 'em all down.

This "demure" looking figure...

Ends up at a skatepark...

...and serving up law and order in the Wild West.

This is based on an old spanking fetish pin-up trope, but Jablow's pen takes it in COMPLETELY different directions...

From ninja spycraft in feudal Japan...

to riding the rails...

to working tirelessly as an A+ writer....

to watching science go horribly wrong...

to sinking into a time travel vortex...

to being queen of the rodeo...

to moonlighting as a cat burglar... (movie fans will recognize what she's stealing)...

to space travel...

to serving up justice...

And all-around badassery.

These are just some of the examples of Jablow's art. He takes the "objects" of these silly doodles from isolation and portrays them as having agency. Cool stuff, right?

7 Most Terrifying Places Ever

2013-08-28T19:29:00.001-07:00

If you're easily spooked out then this is not for you. If the very mention of 'scary' and haunting' sends chills down your spine then you may not have the stomach to make it to the end of this article. Here's a list of some of the scariest and most terrifying places to be.

1. Aokigahara Forest (Japan):
Aokigahara, a forest situated at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan, is the resting place of more than 500 people. These people were not victim of any calamity but orchestrated their own deaths through suicide by hanging themselves from the boughs of the Aokigahara greenery. The forest is known to be so thick that even at peak sunshine hours, the place is blanketed with darkness. A popular author Seicho Matsumoto
published a novel called Kuroi Kaiju where two of his characters commit suicide there which sparked the trend of self-inflicted deaths. The place is scattered with decomposed bodies and readily available nooses from previous suicides. There are even signboards displaying encouraging messaged such as, "Think of Your Family" and "Life is a precious thing! Please reconsider!"

More scary places after the break.

2. Borley Rectory (Sadbury, UK):
A love story gone awry, Borley Rectory is known to house the ghosts of a nun and monk who commit the forbidden act of falling in love. The so-called nun tried to elope with the monk and were both
quickly tracked down. The monk faced his demise at the hands of the outraged and the nun was bricked up in the cellars of the monastery. It has gained the reputation of being 'The Most Haunted House in England'.

3. Winchester Mystery House (California, USA):

This intimidating structure sprawls over
a 160-room complex built as a death trap with secret passages, dead ends, long
hallways, doors opening to walls and staircases leading to ceilings. Sarah
Winchester, a widow, was told by a medium that her house was haunted by the
ghosts of it's ancestors and if she didn't continue building she would die.
This scary prediction and her grief over the death of her husband and daughter
drove her to create this madhouse. The place was like a pyramid designed to
have ghosts lose their way within it's walls. However, the likelihood that some
poor human would lose their way and starve within the confines of this house,
not being able to find their way out, was higher. Indeed, making it a
terrifying place to visit.

4. Stull Cemetery (Kansas, USA):
Stull is a tiny town in Kansas that houses a cemetery reputed for being one of the 7 gateways to hell. The Devil himself is known to hold courts of his worshippers here. Rumour has it that Pope John Paul II refused to fly over this unholy location on his way to Colorado. This cemetery received it's infamous reputation when a farmer finished burning his crop on the land only to find the charred body of his son in the remains.
Another occurance was when a man went missing and was later found hanging from a tree there.

5. Prypiat (Ukraine):
Prypiat, in Ukraine, popularly known as the Chernobyl disaster site is one of the scariest known locations to man. Prypiat became a ghost town almost overnight when the 50,000 residents, that is the families of the Chernobyl employees, were evacuated due to a malfunction in the Chernobyl Reactor.
This radioactive nest gives you the creeps immediately with it's eerie abandoned look.
The place is dead save the strewn belongings of previous inhabitants and a big ferris wheel that nobody uses giving you the sense that something is lurking within the shadows. While the city is open to people, by an announcement from the governement that the radioactive levels have gone down (because a little

radioactivity is okay!), it's not top on the list of places to travel to.

6. Byberry Mental Asylum (Philadelphia, USA):
Burberry used to hous the Philadelphia State Hospital which was notoriously famous for it's ill-treatment of patients. It housed over 7,000 patients, from the mentally challenged to the criminally insane. It was shut down due to their barbaric treatment of patients. The scary thing about the place is the terror wrecked there during the time that the asylum was being run. The place was running over-capacity so patients slept in
hallways lined with excretion they were constantly abused and exploited by the staff. There was an incident where a staff member killed and dismembered a female patient, leaving her body parts strewn across the property. The killer, Charles gable was never found but the place because a hot spot for Satan
worshippers, vandals, arsonists and all kinds of miscreants.

7. Leap Castle (Ireland):
The Castle belonged to the O'Carrolls's and when the last of them died, two brothers went to war over control of the castle resulting the the murder of one by the other in front of the family. This gave the name Bloody Chapel to the place for reasons most obvious. Rumour has it., that there is a hunched beast , that stalks the halls of this place, called Elemental. The appearance of this creature of proceeded by the smell of rotting flesh and sulphur.
There is also a dungeon filled with spikes where people who were thrown in and forgotten about were impaled to death. There were also more than 2 dozen human remains found in these dungeons and the ghosts of all the victims are said to haunt the place till date.

10 Lazy Ways to Stay Slim

2013-08-28T19:25:00.000-07:00

Its never easy to slim down to that desirable size, people usually do it the
hard way but here are some tips and tricks for all you lazy coach potatoes who
don't wanna put too much effort into slimming down.

Indulge yourself:
Don't deprive yourself from your favorite foods no matter how anti
slimming they are, but enjoy them in healthy moderations and you are golden.
More important that the food you eat are the portions you eat them in.
Don't stuff, Satisfy:
You do not have to eat until every last bite is cleaned off of your plate. Your
stomach is made up of smooth muscle and when you overeat, it will stretch out
and your appetite will increase. You only want to eat until you're
satisfied, not until you are full. If you already have a large appetite, then
it's going to take a little bit more control at the beginning, but it is
imperative that you decrease your portion sizes.

More tips after the break!

Know yourself:
If you can't limit pick-able foods (chips, nuts, grapes, candy, etc.),
then make sure you stick to single serving portions, such as handheld fruit,
individually-wrapped hummus, nut or nut butter packets. Moderate what you eat
and know how much you can take before it starts showing.

Salads and Soups:
These initial orders won't completely satisfy you, but they will fill you
up with low calories and leave less room for your main course, thus making sure
you don't become a glutton and overeat.
Don't finish, while dining out:
When eating out make it a point not to finish the whole meal. These servings
are made for 3 people instead of 2 (keeping in mind you are out on a date). So
leave a little left over so you make sure that you are stuffing yourself to
avoid wasting, you will be doing more damage than good if you polish it all
off.
Hydrate yourself:
Hunger can often be confused for thirst. So if you're feeling peckish
late afternoon, ask yourself: how much water did I drink today? Dehydration can
prompt hunger pangs, headaches, congested skin, and even constipation. So try
to drink at least two litres of water per day. For an extra nutrition boost,
try drinking green tea (rich in antioxidants), liquorice tea (to beat sugar
cravings), or cinnamon tea (which regulates blood sugar levels).
Don't eat in front of the TV:
How you eat determines to a large extent how much you eat. If you watch TV
while eating lunch, you're likely to snack more later in the afternoon.
Appetite psychologists discovered this when they did an experiment with sixteen
female students. Distraction increases our food intake. If you listen to music
or watch TV while eating, you eat more. It seems that distraction delays the
process of reaching satiety in the brain.

Have a small snack before partying:
The party snack is also the snack most likely to substitute for a meal, making
variety and nutrition important. Rule of thumb is if you are in doubt, read the
label. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a party snack or snacking before a
party, just make sure you do it within reason. Try a handful of nuts or a piece
of fruit so that you don't show up ravenous and make poor decisions.
Be a part time Vegetarian:
Give your body a break from animal protein and mix things up. Go green once in
awhile and see the difference it will make on your body and physical appearance.The
key is getting the nutrients you need on your two no-meat days while also
satisfying your hunger and pleasing your taste buds.
Whole grain over white:
This way, you don't have to cut out carbs entirely. When put head-to-head
with whole wheat bread, white is a nutritional lightweight. Whole wheat is much
higher in fiber, vitamins B6 and E, magnesium, zinc, folic acid and chromium.
So all the good stuff!

Craziest USB Hubs

2012-12-20T22:43:00.001-08:00

Aphrodite was the Greek Goddess of love and now she can be your Goddess of Hub with the Aphrodite USB Hub. This bust is made of ceramic with a slip resistant base and has 4 ports to charge all the USB gadgets you love.

To put some fun into the daily boring USB's and USB Hubs we see day in, day out, in every home, office and work place.
More USB hubs after the break!

Big ol' jetliner, don't carry me too far away. I really like the design of this USB Airplane Hub with Fan. The aircraft's propeller serves as a real working fan (with an on/off switch just above the cockpit) and the wings each have 2 USB ports to plug your gadgets into. When you plug this airplane into your computer it makes a sound like a jet engine taking off, which is only mildly annoying. Unlike a lot of other novelty USB Hubs, this one doesn't look like they just took some cool object and randomly slapped a few USB ports into it - the ports look like they belong on the plane. Nice one.

Turn your desk into a blooming garden with this pretty tulip USB Hub! Four USB high-speed ports are included, with one colorful red flower for each.

All hail the mighty Roboto, come to conquer our desks and lay siege to our peripherals! Bow before his diminutive wrath! Standing a towering four inches tall, it really does wind up and stomp about your work space when it isn't commanding your accessories with its four USB slots, or controlling your mind with its glowing green eyes. Roboto is available from Fred Flare for $24.

Who in their right mind would NOT want this USB Hub on their desk? The top of the skull is even hollowed out to hold your fave candy (Candy Corn anyone?), keys, spare change, paper clips, razor blades, plastic spiders or even eye of newt! You can pick this baby up at ThinkGeek.com for $24.99. Macabre and yet useful!

Far too many peripheral hubs are cranked out without a single thought given to design, but thankfully, the creators of the Medusa Hub realized that aesthetics do matter. This interesting piece, which is sure to claim a section of prime real estate on your desk, boasts a trendy white finish, four USB 2.0 sockets, a pair of FireWire 400 connectors, a fan, and even a light. Medusa was a mythical creature, a Gorgon woman with snakes for hair that was so ugly, she'd turn anyone who looked at her into stone.

This is a good choice for those USB fans. Shaped like a chocolate bar, the modular USB set could be a delicious device for your computer. Each piece functions as a modular flash drive, and the central hub's touchscreen allows you to organize your files without connecting to the computer.

These stackable LEGO USB Hubs are available from Korean retailer, DCX, for 15,920 KRW ($12 USD).

Ok, forget every USB Hub you've seen before…. these Transformers Hubs are the shit! He doesn't transform into your typical boom box, but into a fully functional USB HUB device disguised as a laptop computer. The USB HUB carries 4 ports and is usable in Windows 98/Me/2000/XP/ Vista and MAC operating systems. When transformed into robot mode, Blaster can be posed in a variety of ways due to the multiple joints of movement, and will surprise anyone passing by your cubicle. Hey, where did that robot go, and why do you have two computers on your desk? This USB HUB truly is More than Meets the Eye!

High Speed Photography

2012-12-20T22:32:00.001-08:00

More photos after the jump

Coolest Displays of Topiary Art

2012-12-20T22:31:00.001-08:00

1. Beijing Olympics Topiary

2. Shanghai 's Century Park Musicians

More topiary after the jump.

3. "Hedge Hogs" at Clarence House, U.K.

4. Neiman-Marcus Dragon Topiary

5. Panda Topiary in China

6. Gravity-Defying Dolphin Topiary

7. Row Boat
Topiary

8. Lawn Furniture

9. Thailand 's Amazing Owls

Horsie Cow

2012-11-28T01:42:00.001-08:00

Well, that appears to be the case for "Luna," a Germany-residing cow who thinks she's a horse and behaves like one too. Schoolgirl Regina Mayer, who lives on a farm in Laufen, Germany, didn't worry when her parents couldn't afford to buy her a horse - she just trained her cow to ride instead.

Yummyliciousss!

2012-11-28T01:38:00.000-08:00

More desserts after the jump!.

Daging Rebus Butter & Kicap

2012-11-28T01:37:00.001-08:00

Daging Rebus Butter & Kicap

1 kg daging fillet
1/4 cawan kicap pekat
1/4 cawan kicap cair
1 sb lada hitam
5 ulas bawang putih
1/3 ketul butter
6 cawan air

Resipi selepas ini.

Cara:
1.Daging dipotong kepada dua atau tiga sahaja dan dibersihkan.
2.Tumbuk lada hitam dan bawang putih.
3.Letak semua kicap, daging, bawang putih dan lada hitam dalam periok.
4.Gaul daging dengan bahan2 tadi dan biarkan dalam 1/2 jam. (marinate)
5.Tambah air dan butter ke dalam periok dan rebus dengan api sederhana hingga daging empuk.
6.Jangan lupa balik2 kan daging supaya mesra semua bahagian.
7.Keluarkan daging dan potong nipis-nipis dan susun dalam pinggan.
8.Jika mahu, pekatkan kuah dengan sedikit bancuhan tepung jagung.
9.Curah kuah atas daging dan sedia untuk dimakan dengan nasi.

Note : Tak payah bubuh garam,dah masin pun.Kicap tu anggaran saja, guna kicap pekat saja pun sedap juga.

Alternatively, boleh juga masukkan daging yang dihiris tu ke dalam kuah, kacau2 dan hidangkan

Mysterious Beads on Beach

2012-11-28T01:36:00.001-08:00

Close-up view of the colored glass beads mixed in the sand at Glass Beach near Fort Bragg California.

More crystals after the jump

Shangri-La's Boracay Resort & Spa

2012-10-17T00:05:00.002-07:00

More photos after the break.

Real Human Acrylic Painting

2012-10-17T00:00:00.001-07:00

More paintings after the jump!.

Aroma ikan bakar, pantai Jeram,

2012-10-15T00:56:00.000-07:00

We just went to aroma ikan bakar again over last weekend. There were 5 of us. We planned to have dinner. We went out around 6.30pm from Cheras and reached there around 7.20pm. Suprisingly all the tables are taken. We had to wait for a while until we get a seat.

The dishes are:

Ikan jenahak 3 rasa (3 flavors of Snapper). The fish is quite big. It was nicely fried. The fish is crunchy on the outside and juicy in the inside.

Ketam cili (Chilli crab). This is one of the reason we kept coming back here. Unfortunately the crabs are quite small this time. So we ordered 6 of them.

More menus after the jump.

Side order is sup sayur. We selected 3 huge squids and 4 small ones. The first idea was to have all huge ones grilled and the rest goreng tepung (flour dipped & fried).

Butter prawn. Not my cup of tea but my kids loves them.

Kepah halia. A simple yet deliciously done.

Another shot of the same fish.

Kerang bakar while waiting for other dishes to come.

You can call them at 017 3163117 for reservation. The location is here

Superb Photos - Part 2

2012-10-14T21:20:00.001-07:00

More photos after the break

Luxurious Cave House in Historic City

2012-10-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

The Domus Civita is a house located on the top of the Etruscan tombs and caves in Italy . Originally built in XIV century, the owners have attempted to preserve all the natural beams, stone walls and floors while transforming this natural cave into a comfortable living space. The house has been fully restored, maintaining all historical value, and now boasts a heated pool and wine cellar.

More pics after the jump.

Cool Creativity

2012-10-11T00:53:00.000-07:00

More creativity after the jump.

Superb Photos

2012-10-11T00:51:00.001-07:00

More pictures after the jump!.