TechCOW - The Geek Within

Lessons From Mozilla With Gen Kanai

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:08:00 +0000

The gods and goddesses of Olympus have listened! I was so lucky to have been able to go to one of the most reputable management schools in the world the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) last April 15, 2011 let alone be in the presence of Mr. Gen Kanai the Director of Asia Business Development to talk about "Lessons from Mozilla" and how the global community created a popular free software for over 400 Million people worldwide!

Yes, take that out of your head now... I am in the presence of people from Mozilla; so I've got to listen since this is professionally in my niche. Management of people and communities is pretty hard and if the actual technological group that they have would involve millions of programmers, software engineers and computer enthusiasts; it would be information overload. We probably all use Mozilla and some add ons of it on our computers; and isn't it a great choice over the highly commercialized and overrated Internet Explorer? I personally love Beta 4.0 (the one I'm currently using) and they already have it tested and ready for release in a few months.

One of the key points that I liked is pushing "decision making procedures" to the edges.

Being Open source has a lot to do with Mozilla's success because the feedback and general work cut out for the browser and other software from the same company is made for and by people who joined the organization. This also includes bug reports, code releases and versions upon versions of the browser if a fix or two comes along. Managing these people would take a keen eye for those that can be accepted as fact and those which you just shrug off because it wouldn't work. Mr. Kanai showed us several people ranting off on issues regarding the famous browser and even if they (Mozilla) knew some of them (already) were just known issues they still listened to some of it since it made sense. The community they have plays an important role in where the project/software development was heading; and it is how these things converge without having conflict for all those who contributed in these projects. I can imagine if my inputs would just go to the bin if I felt that it would have made a difference and they just didn't take me seriously I'd probably be mad and call for a military junta. If they can do it with this management model they must have been doing something right. I'll try to employ it on the communities I manage and see if the outcome would turn out to be the same or relatively very different.

These are some of the things we got to touch on in very detailed examples throughout the talk with Mr. Gen Kanai.

While this talk was happening I had a few questions in mind. Good thing someone asked it for me... how do they finance operations in Mozilla? (which makes sense since they need to pay for CEO's, Directors and whatnot) he said it simply; that search engine Google played a big part of it since this defaults as their webpage every time the browser launches. The answer to the question every one asks though as to "What does Mozilla do?" is simple... they promote CHOICE and INNOVATION on the Internet. That does make them a better browser than anything I've seen; hence, I choose to stay with them too! =)

What make this organization unique is their standing Non-Profit status. If I owned a corporation this big I would have wanted to still earn something from it since in the real world (let's face it!) you need to get paid for what you work for. I'm very impressed though that they have kept it this way since the early time of browser wars and with nobody holding them down they are still doing great in spite of the joys and wonders of economic instability in the US and elsewhere in the world.

A realization: You can get a lot of ideas from the community and you should learn to listen to what they have to say no matter how small or preposterous it could be with other people.

Thank you so much to Asia Society Philippine Foundation Inc. and AIM for hosting the event.

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About Asia Society "Asia Society is a non profit organization with a mission to promote understanding of Asia through education,lectures, films, exhibitions, conferences, seminars and travel- study tours." About Mr Gen Kanai "Mr. Gen Kanai is responsible for business development for Mozilla in Asia, community marketing and development. He was also part of the organization responsible for the launch of Technocrati Japan. He also worked for Sony Marketing of Japan, Sony Electronics, Inc., and Toyota Motor Sales, USA Inc.among others."

To get in touch with Asia Society and their projects simply call (+632)7524374 and (+632)8108938 or visit their website at http://asiasociety.org/centers/philippines

Cisco Gives Up FLIP Video, Sends UMI to Enterprise

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 14:02:00 +0000

Networking giant Cisco has sent 550 pink slips this weekend to employees of FLIP Video, the most popular hand held video camera in the US. I own a couple of these and I am also shocked about this decision by John Chambers and his men but this is apparently the only thing they can do in this situation. The Flip hasn't been selling well in the US Market since a lot of competitors also ventured into the same gadget. The price difference is huge with Flip pegged at under 200 dollars and the profit from it wasn't as it was expected to be. Though I have been a huge Flip Ultra user these past few years, I thought they were stable and can provide after sales support. They didn't concentrate on providing so and the technical issues of each unit were piling up. The forum was their only channel and things like these can't be manually fixed. They usually throw it out if it is broken. Not a good investment even for a cheap camera.

As for where those employees will go, no one knows but since it did perform poorly this year I hope their decision to move the UMI into enterprise would bear something good. A lot of UMI users already know how expensive the unit is and with that bundled with Verizon or whatnot for connections it'll be hard to recuperate from the losses the already incurred. If money from this project would not increase this year. UMI might be the next one to say goodbye.

In the meantime.. here's John Chambers calling ducks inside the office... LOL

Cisco Cuts UMI HD Video Conference Prices

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:47:00 +0000

Cisco gave in and announced a new version of it's consumer grade UMI teleconference device. It was supposed to only cater to high end individuals but with dwindling sales and a great competitor by the name of LOGITECH the immediately released a 720p version, got their rates lower and made it work on lower bandwidth requirements. This has startled the network gurus of PC world and Engadget these past few days and they were all praises. Imagine how this would end up on people's living room in the next few years. The promos for partner Internet connection giants were also tempting prompting a great response from consumers in the US. They also had this service work across platforms such as their business grade teleconference services and Google.

People who have sampled this UMI technology just saw their favorite NBA superstars and did you see their reaction? Yeah it was like the person they were talking to was in the same room. This is the actual selling point of the UMI system and if they can deliver this pretty soon with no glitches it would earn the much needed money they invested in it making every Cisco shareholder happy.... your thoughts?!

Blackberry Playbook

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:01:00 +0000

So there goes my fascination with the Apple IPAD. I will never get that gadget since I have tried it numerous times and it just fell to the feel of a BIG ITOUCH and more expensive version of it. I need a tablet and was gearing towards the Samsung Galaxy a couple of days ago but when I saw this preview for the Blackberry Playbook I changed my mind BIGTIME!

I've been a blackberry user for a long time now and the deal is I've learned to love this RIM operated gadget. The thing boasts of a 7 inch display but can rival the best 1024×600 resolution money can buy. Small and compact; but very powerful... that is what I'd like it to be. I don't want anything complicated but just give me the WIFI or 3G-4G capability and I'm ready to go. The portability of it (since it is quite smaller than the IPAD) might have sold me this device but they say this will be sold to consumers this quarter (in the US) and the latter half of the year worldwide. If they finally switch to Windows7 just like Nokia then it would be not my cup of tea.

Mike Lazaridis CEO of Blackberry. Holding that gear in his hands!

Please release this one with a great price! Rumors say that it'll go for around 800 dollars too. That will be too expensive for me ugh! There will be a release of IPAD 2 also in the works which is rumored to be done on March 2 on their Apple event.

As for me I'll go for the galaxy, but if they release this with e different price point I'll go for the Blackberry Playbook.

UMI - You and ME

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:46:00 +0000

It looks like CISCO came out with the latest thing to hit the SOHO market and the called it UMI (pronounced as YOU + ME) which is intended for teleconferencing and reuniting families in their own home. This probably was intended for high end consumers but if all the connections would be upgraded as specified in their specs (which calls for 3.5MBPS) it would be a huge opportunity to see people in HD quality video. Using the TV as a medium in this case was smart and people can send and receive video calls like what we do with web conference technologies. It definitely would be great for home use but the not quite so good news is you have to shell out $599 plus $25 per month in order to get one by November. It is so special since most of them have thought they'll wait for talks between CISCO and SKYPE in the beginning; but since John Chambers announced its release this week... it looks like this promising technology will be at homes in the coming months. I expect this to be a little cheaper just like any console or device that depreciates once more people have it. Tie ups from Verizon FIOS customers and Geek Squad will also make this easier to handle if they customers need help (for tech support).

As for rumors that CISCO buying out SKYPE in this particular field, that maybe still in the works because this technology wouldn't be too far behind to be enjoyed by ordinary people at home. The best thing about it is that SKYPE is free. SKYPE just got their software revved up making the video clearer and the software lighter for the ordinary PC/laptop to handle.

This package includes a camera, TV set-top box and a remote control. You guys in the US better order now at http://umi.cisco.com. I have it on my Christmas wish list now! =)

Web Design Solutions: Get an Escort Site!

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:06:00 +0000

Web design is very complicated. Putting up a decent web site these days would take quite a while because you need to understand basic HTML codes and have the architecture fixed too. Planning the content, places to put the photos and videos are also a problem. This is crucial because it makes or breaks how the site would look like. This is the time where people should turn to places like the escort site and get with the professionals. I must say I am impressed at how they could get the process so easy for a beginner to understand. Never would you have to understand the codes; but by just merely moving widgets here and there you can put up your own professional looking web site in minutes. These are quite good features indeed!

For any industry to match the design they prefer, the site has dozens of templates available. The web masters can control what albums or videos they can get onto a page and how deep public access can be. Privacy is never compromised and escort web design makes sure of this. They have all the things a company needs to innovate and make their services presentable to the market they belong to. They can save a lot since making these usually cost thousands of dollars. Anyone can do this now and have the things they personally want on it. You can get one for free if you want one without paying a penny. It's just that easy! What more can you ask for right?!

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Skype and Cisco Merger

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:51:00 +0000

This just in. It looks like Cisco is going to buy Skype. I really do not know of any perfect combination but the two right now. Cisco is investing on huge VOIP structures and is still the leader in Routers, Switches and Hub market. If the price to pay is going to be around 5 Billion then they could probably get this to the works soon. Skype was initially bought by Ebay a couple of years ago but was literally sold to the public like much of its wares. Skype did not earn a lot before hand but it is picking up slowly this year after the financial crisis. Cisco is currently using technologies such as WEBEX for meetings and video conferencing. This is one area that Skype may be able to transfer its consumers too. Even if there are only quite a number of people using the service, 8.1 Million subscribers for Skype Out is no joke. The rest uses their free service. If a lot of people harness this particular brand still, there will be a huge demand for VOIP structures which Cisco can benefit in. Cisco bought Pure Digital and Linksys a few years back in an attempt to penetrate the SOHO market. It is but a great investment if they can control this one too. Maybe Oprah can get into the groove once Skype and Cisco gets together. I'm sure her Video Streaming technology would WOW anyone if they saw what Webex can do too. It is after all professional and way better than Skype. If the technologies merge as expected, it will get more advertisement and space in this industry. Although one drawback is Cisco may have to battle it out with their current biggest customers like Verizon and AT&T.

I will be working with these people soon. I hope everything turns out right and get the Skype shares to double or triple the price. It would also be nice to buy stocks as early as now.

Video Editing: Need to Learn More

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:05:00 +0000

I think I need to learn a couple of tricks in video editing. I have been a fan of a couple of Filipino videographers and I haven't tapped this side of my brain since last year. I always did a video right after a photoshoot but I guess I was too busy. It's a very complicated field and I need to know the basics. I might consider enrolling in video editing classes when my weekends free up around late this year.

That and the Spanish languages lesson that I'm planning to also take hahah. I've got a lot of things on my list.

Video editing is like a package with photography and since I have been serious about fashion I have to take matters in my own hands and get me some of these lessons too. Catching up is going to be hard but I need it so bad that I am willing to pay for it. If Adobe would not be able to perform well to the specifications of my laptop, I'll get another one just so I could get better at it.

Who knows?! I might get my own studio soon with all the lights and strobes that I'm wishing for today. If I get to have this as my business then so be it. I'll have to concentrate on the least priced things to buy first. The high ticket items will follow soon. Strobes are going to be one of them. I hear Tay Hua has some which are affordable, I'm probably going to check that out and the quality. Ask around Phipho and DPP.

Face Media Group - Technology Saved Me With Business Cards!

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:25:00 +0000

Technology definitely saved me. I haven't been able to take care of minute details about my business dealings these past few months. I know it is tantamount to a success of a person to get what is needed for easy transactions; and we know how hard it is to go out of your way to get supplies and get the deal done in the same time. This has been a week of dilemma for me and I'll tell you why.

I went to a short meeting the other day with a former boss of mine who practically wanted my services since I did a good job working for him in the past. All the details were fixed and I did have a good time sharing stories on where I ended up these past few years. He did share some stories about the people I worked with in his office. There were some short rumors here and there for some of them that I needed to confirm. In short, I had a blast and a ton of laugh!

On a serious note we finished the details of the work being negotiated then he reached for his business card and gave one to me. I was startled and didn't talk for a few seconds because of all the time in the world that I needed to forget about something, I forgot to get business cards. It was another oh my god moment in such a long illustrious career. I was a little humiliated bar none.

Business Card Printing should have been easy and these are things that you can get on line. I should have known that in the first place. There are awesome companies like Face Media Group that got professional cards made for people like me. I got them to print accurate great looking ones and it was so awesome. I laughed alone in my room thinking that it would have been all good if I went to them first before I got into the business. I would have saved a lot and eliminate some of the stress behind it. Need I say more?!

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Blackberry Blogger Application

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:15:00 +0000

I need a blackberry application that would be able to let me post through blogger via my blackberry. I am trying to check if Google has answers for me but apparently they don't have one yet. The option is to email the post through the email option on posting. I have been doing that in the past and it is not a viable procedure for me. I want to have a better way of doing it while mobile and it seems to me there are no plans by blackberry or the good people from crackberry too. It also needs to be free because people like me are in dire need of it!

I wish there was some special GPL code given to programmers so they can start modifying applications and engineer something that would work for people like me. I know there are millions of users that go through blogger but if they do not conform to the needs of mobile users this would definitely be a hindrance to the adaptability that blogger boasts since its start.

My blackberry will be my buddy in the next 2 years. Hopefully it doesn't die on me or a cooler touch phone would suffice in the market and sweep me off my feet with the perks. I don't want to pay for things that I don't need and so far the wifi capability of my Blackberry Curve is doing good.

Rug Making Technology

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Wed, 19 May 2010 15:22:00 +0000

There are a lot of things to consider in purchasing things for our living room. I'm not the one in charge of redecorating because my Mom usually meddles if I do; so we let her do all the things she wants. I know how to look if the rug is handmade or not so when we went to a Persian Rug store she asked me to identify the ones she liked. We immediately went to the discount area rugs because I know Mom was on a tight budget. The real Persian ones were a little expensive but the machine made rugs that can fool even the designer's keen eye are right for this challenge. It's okay for me even if the stitching is seen on the edges because some of them only have the small ones.

I also suggested some bold colored ones that pop on neutral palettes if she decided to go that path on the wall paint. I never got to discuss with her the plans she had for that either. She wanted to have a new section separated from her current house arrangements and let me choose on the earth tone rugs she chose for the house. Even if I know the stitches were all too even and this was made by machines I went ahead and got her a red, maroon and black color combination. The technology behind this very clean and quality rug is awesome. Even if it is generated by machines; it makes me feel safe in choosing any design or make just as long as it comes from great institutions in rug production. I would also feel safer if I bought it from on line stores since I expect more discounts there too! It's so hard to tell which one is authentic with the current rug technologies. It's all for the best!

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35mm Nikkor Lens: Awesome DOF!

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Wed, 19 May 2010 14:19:00 +0000

I guess I did buy the right lens for my D60 Camera. It has this awesome depth of field and I probably have aced all the shots from testing this 35mm lens that just came from the US. I love it when I do the right thing.

I am having problems with setting the ISO though because on AUTO the output seems too dark and it does not follow the original setting as indicated on manual mode. It adjusts to it automatically but the iso range is so different it sets itself on a different one even if it is not on the right light.

As for the sharpness I wouldn't complain about it because even at its peak F4 it still performs quite remarkably. I love how vivid its pictures come out at that rate. I haven't been able to use it yet for modeling stints but once that we get to the photo shoots I'll really try this out. Fashion week is near too so if I would be able to get an invite to any show I'm surely going to use this aside from my zoom lens.

Small Form Factor Desktop CPU

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Mon, 17 May 2010 22:29:00 +0000

I am looking for a small form factor Desktop CPU and I found out that there are only a few choices available in the market. I am trying to minimize things in my room since and since my current one occupies almost an eighth of the space, this would probably be the better solution. I am trying my best to have a more powerful but less bulky set. Flat screen monitors probably would fit the small tables I have so the deal here is to find a branded Desktop CPU that can fit the small cramped space I have for it too.

I am dropping by the computer store later to take a look at the ACER ASPIRE X1200 which already has an installed Windows VISTA Home Basic plus an AMD ATHLON X2 Dual Core Processor. I do heavy photo editing and I need this processor rate to stay within that speed or more. If ever it is not possible to achieve that within budget constraints then I would definitely go with a notebook or a lower form just as long the programs I need for editing can be installed. Memory also plays a very important part in my choice so if the NVIDIA GEFORCE chip set does not succeed getting my needed video/graphics requirement I have to think of other alternatives. I need a Desktop computer now but if it is possible for me to get a laptop computer instead, then I'm all for that!

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The Samsung GT-E2120

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:34:00 +0000

I got this phone off of a promo from Globe Telecom Inc. which is one of the providers here in the Philippines. I know it is free but hey it should work as a phone at least. I was disappointed it did not function well the first time I tried to call someone. No one could hear me or if ever there was some who could, it was too soft. They barely could hear me. I wanted to have it replaced so I went back to Globe. They talked to me there but you know, I felt they were just suspecting I wasn't telling the truth. For a cheap phone why should I go back there in the middle of the afternoon while I was on my day off?! I am not happy Globe and this is not the first time I had a nightmare with you.

After a few mock calls she initially did not believe the mouthpiece was damaged. I used another phone and got through nicely. She believed after she used her own phone and talked to me after wards. It took me a couple of hours there and even then she looked as if she was still not convinced to swap it with a new one, but she had no choice I wasn't going anywhere for a phone that didn't work.

There are a few things I didn't like about the phone. It's too small. Mouthpiece was too far from the real place to talk. The display was mediocre. It sounded off every time you open and close it. The battery life was great but it always turns the back light and handset off when you don't press anything on the keypad for a few seconds. I haven't tried the mp3 or radio yet but I will once I get home. Samsung should pay me for these tests, but I can't complain on free phones!

Frame Design Software

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Wed, 12 May 2010 17:45:00 +0000

I have been using graphic design software and I must say that at this day and age there are a lot of improvements. I must also admit that not all of them function well but there are several that remain very impressive. I use CAD software for most designs I make for clients. I have been using them since college to design furniture and works of art. I mainly use them for structural engineering and architecture. I remember the time when I made my first rendered object. Nowadays it is not that much expensive. There are even free ones like this Aluminum frame designer; and you can form various things with it. Imagine very powerful software that you can use and download for free. In just a few minutes, this very special software can also generate schematics, fabricated renders once you are finished with your design!

The 3D view is also great as it shows every detail of the frame and you can never go wrong with the measurements since it follows the indicated scale. FRAMEXPERT is specialized CAD software that can be used to build frames with limitless possibilities while having the option of getting it all shipped overnight. When you need some shelving or containers for your gadgets and tools this is the right thing to have. This is indeed a designer's dream software! I love it!

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35mm or 50mm Nikkor Lenses: I bought it!

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Wed, 12 May 2010 15:26:00 +0000

I wanted to have sharp strong images plus the bokeh via a big 1.4 or 1.8 aperture. I was choosing between the 50mm f1.4, 50mm f1.8 or the 35mm f1.8. All of them are Nikkor so I don't really have problems as far as quality is concerned. A prime lens would be perfect for me since I do fashion spreads and portraits. The deal is I only was able to hold 50mm lenses with a Canon and Nikon. I haven't touched the 35mm but judging from the output I saw from a peer I think it would be the best one for me.

Comparing the shots that were from the 50mm 1.8 this is actually better and the plus side is I can definitely use it with my D60. The autofocus option is important much so with low light conditions. The 50mm 1.8 apparently would not autofocus because it doesn't have any motor inside and comparing their output, the images look more sharper indeed.

I already bought one from AMAZON this morning and I'm waiting for it to be delivered this 17th. I am so excited about this new purchase. I know it is kind of another impulsive purchase but hey I've been a good boy this year so why shouldn't reward myself right?! =)

Easy Dating: The Internet

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:33:00 +0000

If there was something that I regret not doing when I was in the US, it was probably not going out that much in LA. There were really fine young women; and I wasn't surprised because even before I had a lot of friends who attest to the black dating scene in the west coast. To tell you the truth I find them really awesome and sexy. On line dating sites that concentrate in our preference were not that quite seen in the US or elsewhere in the world; and if there were some places like Black Singles who would cater for that... I'm all for it!

I really have some inkling with African American women that I never could explain. I am Hispanic and Asian looking so it would be quite difficult for me to get a solid match in this side of the world. It is so amazing how technology today can span countries and goes through barriers which were actually so literally unimaginable a few years ago. Internet has been the best medium for romance; it makes everything look so easy!

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CANON 550D Rebel 2ti

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:48:00 +0000

A friend of mine asked me this morning about the CANON 550 Rebel 2ti and frankly I did not know that much of it because I am a loyal NIKON user. I researched about it and found out that this is the greatest camera CANON has in terms of the Rebel series. This is the camera that they released to challenge the NIKON 7D in power and performance. The camera boasts of higher HD quality and resolution with the additional ability to crop videos on cam. Before I forget, this camera is at 18MP so you kind of understand how clear and crisp the photos would be.

I told him to get it but he was worried about what lens he should get. 50mm lenses do have very good depth of field and so does the 35mm. If you get the 1.4 aperture lens for the 50mm it will be well worth it for portraits and glamor shots. I have seen it also perform under low light conditions and it did get quite good photos too. This goes the same with the 35mm or with any prime lens at that fact. The only draw back I think is the ability for you to take the shot. On some instances you need to be a little near the subject before it focuses. Manual focusing is easy but then again it would not pick up what most sensors would be able to. I have seen a sample of the video capability and it seems that even the FLIP video can give it a run for its money. It has the zoom capability with the L Lenses they have but it looked so ordinary with the camera shake HD cameras still have. Is it worth the price? I don't think so. Would I choose this over the NIKON 7D? Not either... in the end what matters most is your preference and what you plan to use it for in the first place.

Game On!

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:48:00 +0000

I have been downloading lots of games from different sources and it is not going to stop soon. I currently am a little addicted to MEGAMAN and the series he has for my console which is the PLAYSTATION PORTABLE. I love the game play and without the constant reminder I am a little old for this, I run out screaming for more ISO and CSO games. I could not kick this habit because when life found me I was already playing arcade games religiously. I championed several games when I was in high school and specifically no one can beat me in SAMURAI SHOWDOWN. I was a professional in STREET FIGHTER II but of course with the millions playing that game there are some who are better than me. Until now, I still have that gut feel to play this game all throughout my lifetime and I wouldn't be doing that by buying and spending thousands of dollars for a single machine. I turn and look for a search engine that would be able to get me information about these file types and the corresponding simulator so I can play anywhere, anytime!

I usually get them for free on sites like RAPIDSHARE, MEGAUPLOAD, MEDIAFIRE and FILESBAY.NET. I love how they can do this with options of purchasing a different connection for a couple of dollars. It makes you want to jump for joy every time you get a file off their servers and play it instantly on your computer or console. The rapidshare search engine also performs quite well under these circumstances. The comments sections that they have are also very helpful in determining what is safe or not for your computer. If all else fails, there is a torrent search engine you can go to so you can get these files from other people in real time. The live connections and seeds are all there for you to get! You just have to search for it and it's yours!

35mm or 50mm Nikkor Lenses?! HELP!

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:26:00 +0000

Since I was in the Hidalgo area last Thursday I had the chance to canvass for my well wished 35mm Nikkor lens. It did actually surprise me that it goes around 11300 to 11500 pesos which is a little higher than the one in MOA in Camerahaus. I had a slight feeling and urge to buy it from them but that simple price difference stopped me. Aside from that, a friend of mine from the same photography club took photos of me too using a 50mm plastic lens from the same manufacturer. I was impressed about the output just check these out!

See how creamy the bokeh is on this one?! I had similar shots seen from my peers who use the same lens and I must admit I like the way how it looks. I will be trying it out in a few hours from now because I will borrow the one my officemate is using. I hope the images turn out well. I had another shot but my small bulges were showing I wouldn't want you to see that LOL.

So the question is, should I go with the 35mm I was wishing for since I started all these things or should I go with the 50mm one which is way cheaper in price too?! Help!

Awesome Downloads!

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:53:00 +0000

I need a couple of files and music tracks so I could start editing my videos. I also need some templates and action files for PHOTOSHOP. The ones I saw on line were all being sold for a fee and I haven't been surfing that much to find the perfect treatments I have to do with the photos and videos I have right now. I stumbled upon a download forum called RAPIDSHARELIST.NET and it looks very promising. Now I have everything I need in one roof and even have other people to interact and ask when I need to do some effects but have problems with the software I downloaded. The latest music I enjoy is also linked there and I'm sure I would find the right song for my projects in no time!

There are a lot more communities that have some of the features that they have but this one is really complete. If I had to choose between paid and the free downloads that are available on that site, I'll choose this one and you know it!

I am actually downloading console games right now as we speak. This is just awesome!

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Sigma 2.8

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 22:43:00 +0000

I had a wonderful time with my co photographers a while ago. We went to the camera capital of the Philippines called HIDALGO. I had this featured on my other blog here. But to tell you the truth I kinda hate the place because of the stench. The street though is full of awesome camera shops that would make the mall stores cry about their prices. My bro got this lens.

It's a Sigma 2.8 and it is really big and heavy. It is a sure way of getting those bokeh shots perfected and it evidently showed on his test shots. Although I could not post process them yet as of now because I have lots of things to do. If i finish these and the couple of restaurants I have for food review, then I will surely start post processing that for him.

Oh and did I mention that I already have the Flip Video Ultra HD on hand now?! Yeap! I'm so happy I got it this morning! I'm surely going to make more things with it including videos of our photoshoots and gatherings! Weee! ^_^

External Storage Needed

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 22:16:00 +0000

I'm probably going to get this one!

I'm trying to look for the perfect storage solution so I can get all my photos into one drive. I am an expert on network storage devices once and so I thought this was going to be easy. But you know how you also know the flaws on your own expertised device if there was such a word. I kinda am hesitant to buy this one because I have heard a lot of people complain about it already.

I am trying to look for more options as far as external storage is concerned. I need it to be portable and I need it to be ridiculously large since I will be archiving my photos on it. If the photography hobby would take me years before I get to the point of quitting it or handing it down to the next generation, then it would also be sufficient to say that I need a few terrabytes of storage and also one that I could carry around easily.

I think I saw some 1TB storage devices from western digital. This was also being marketed by one of our photography peers and I must say that design wise it was very sleek and cool looking. It had candy like outer covers on it so just imagine how much it would cost too because I see it generally expensive. I hope I get discounts for it since the guy from the photography magazine I frequently buy is now working there too. If they struck a deal then that would be just awesome!

Lateral Drift and Vehicle Technology

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:52:00 +0000

Technological advancements in cars and trucks have been really a sight to behold in shows that I have been to in the last few months. I even have seen monstrous cars in a drifting championship circuit for amateurs and professionals in this side of the world. I was excited to see the trucks jazzed up with full body kits and large shiny rims while doing the drifts just this weekend. Everyone was at awe how this large vehicle was outperforming the ordinary cars too. I am not surprised if pretty soon some American cars like the DODGE would suddenly be in the event complete with awesome dodge truck accessories. I would love to shoot photos all day in the barriers but things were getting very dangerous as it was getting darker. They only had foam and a couple of metal strips as protection inside the circuit. Imagine these trucks spinning all the way in while we are just a few feet with these frail barriers. It was really frightening!

I love how the truck looks like now but in the near future I'm sure there would be more sponsors. They will get their trucks awesome door handles, all made of chrome; billet fuel doors and grilles. It is pretty hard to source these things locally. They can get it easily from on line stores like REALTRUCK.COM and it would really be better, faster and stronger in the track when the next lateral drift season comes!

Disclosure Policy

Flip Ultra HD

noreply@blogger.com (KUMAGCOW) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:05:00 +0000

I am planning to get a Flip Ultra HD that would be able to get me 2 hours of recording. I also wanted to swap my Flip since I think I saw that it had no HD capability. I am going for HD since I am gunning for the clearer picture. I plan to use it for video coverage too so if I would be editing something like a wedding perhaps I would get crisp images on it like what I was thinking when I got one in the first place. Someone just gave it to me and making this on on HD via a short swap (because they prefer a MINO) is indeed going to be great!

The 8 GB storage would definitely matter and since it is dedicated it will regulate itself as far as battery life is concerned. If I use regular rechargeable batteries it would have 2.5 hours worth of recording but if I use Energizer we would have 6.5 hours instead. Now isn't that lovely! Hehehe.