Facebook, the world largest social networking site, is hiring software engineer in Malaysia.

Published on Facebook Software Engineering jobs, the position titled “Software Engineer, Growth – Malaysia (Contractor)”.

The Growth team is looking for experienced Software Engineers who can build and maintain services that are relied upon for growth-critical processes. This position is full-time and located in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

There are many job benefits to work in Facebook that make Malaysia IT stuff jealous.

Apply jobs at Facebook

My two cents

It is interesting to see the Facebook development in Malaysia. Not sure if he/she is the 1st ever Facebook stuff in Malaysia, though.

Currently, Malaysia has over 4 million (and growing) Facebook users, which is about 1% of Facebook active users.

Update: The new position could be working in the Facebook recently acquired 2 employees Malaysian company — Octazen. (thanks to everyone who tip this!)

Hat Tip: Saad Kamal

Apple iPad will be released in US on April 3. People can start pre-order the iPad from the Apple Online Store on March 12, 2010.

How much is Apple iPad? Starting from USD$499 (16GB), 32GB is $599 and 64GB is $699. You adds USD$130 to get the WiFi + 3G iPad.

Also, Apple airs the first ever Apple iPad Commercial during the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. Here is the iPad commercial video:

From the video, it seems like the Apple iPad size is too big to be used while you are standing or walking. Everyone in the video was required to put up their legs to hold the iPad.

That’s not a comfortable position, at least for me.

Will you buy the Apple iPad? The previous poll shows that the total answer of “Yes” and “No” are identical.

Buy Office 2007 today and you can download Microsoft Office 2010 for FREE!

If you buy Office 2007 from March 5 till September 30, 2010, you can download Microsoft Office 2010 FULL version for FREE when it is released later this year.

You only need to install and activate your Office 2007 by September 30, 2010 to be qualified for the free office 2010 upgrade.

Once Office 2010 is available, simply go to www.office.com/techg to download it for free. You also have an option to purchase a DVD for a fee.

Office 2010’s release date will be June 2010.

Click here to buy MS Office Home and Student 2007 for only USD$109.49 (27% off).

Chitika Select is an upgrade to Chitika Premium ads to give you more revenue by more impressions.

While Chitika Premium only displays to search engine traffic, Chitika Select will be displayed to a select group of your non-search traffic as well.

How does Chitika Select work?

Chitika Select will display ads on your site based on user’s intent. When Chitika’s “click prediction engine” says there is a “high probability of a click”, an appropriate advertisement will be displayed. Otherwise, Chitika Select will collapse entirely without leaving any blank space.

The following is the comparison chart of Chitika Premium VS. Chitika Select

Click here to apply for Chitika Select

What you need to know about Chitika Select

• Same as Chitika Premium, Chitika Select still can be used together with Google AdSense on the same page.
• All current Chitika Premium ads will be automatically upgraded to Chitika Select beginning March 8th, 2010. You don’t need to do anything.
• Chitika Select ads will show both Pay-Per-Click and CPM image/banner (pay per impression, whether a user clicks or not) ads.
• You can disable Chitika Select by adding ch_select = "disabled"; to the Chitika code block or vice versa.
• Chitika Select only works for US and Canada traffic.

My two cents

It happened that Chitika announced Chitika Select after my Chitika Premium testing (read “how to make less money with Chitika Premium“).

With CPC and CPM ads, Chitika Select is very similar to Google AdSense, except that Google AdSense is contextual ads but Chitika Select is not.

Since it is not contextual ads, Chitika Select ads difficult to be relevant to your website content. It’s all depends on the Chitika’s Click Prediction Engine to select the best earning ads for your site.

I’ll test Chitika Select and let you know the result.

Click here to apply for Chitika Select

Time flies. I have been blogging here — liewcf.com for 6 years. The first blog post was published at March 8th, 2004.

I started blogging earlier on another domain but moved to this “liewcf.com” in 2004.

6 years.. never expected I could stick to this site for such a long time… it has even become my job (well, I’m a full-time blogger!) and part of my life now.

What’s the best thing I can give to this site? A new look (web design)! (Aiseh… it has been talking about for YEARS! *forehead slap*)

What else can I do to improve this site?

[image courtesy of alancleaver_2000]

OK. The title should be “How to browse privately using Opera 10.5″.

Opera 10.5 has been released to be the fastest browser on Earth. One of the new features is the Private Browsing.

Private Browsing allows you to surf web privately without leaving any trace of the websites you have visited.

It is useful when you are surfing using public computer, do online banking, surf sites that you want to hide from other people.

How to turn on Opera Private Browsing mode?

Opera 10.5 private browsing support both private tabs and private windows.

Open a private tab: right click the “+” icon on the tab bar, then select “New Private Tab”. Private tab got a lock like icon at the right side of the tab icon. Any browser activity within the tab is private.

Open a private windows: Click “File” menu, then select “New Private Window”. The Opera 10.5 private window is in red colour. Any tab opened in the private window is a private tab.

My two cents

Regarding the “fastest browser on Earth”, my friends and I do not agree. The speed benchmark might prove it but user experience says differently. I don’t “feel” Opera 10.5 is faster than Google Chrome on PC.

Private browsing is the feature you can find on every modern web browser nowadays. But the Private Tab in Opera, which allows open a site privately in normal browsing mode, is not found in other browsers.

I only use Private Browsing when using not-mine-computer.

Over to You

Have you updated to Opera 10.5 yet? Do you agree that it is the FASTEST browser? When will you use the private browsing mode, or not using it at all?

Please tell us in the comment below.

There is a Cinderella in my home — the TMNet Streamyx broadband connection I have.

Recently, my Streamyx connection always disconnect in the midnight (my working hour). Once it is about midnight, the connection will disconnect, reconnect, disconnect, reconnect.. every minute or two.

A very frustrating experience.

It only disconnects in the midnight. The broadband connection is fine in the day time and after 1am. It sounds weird but true.

I have no idea why the Streamyx connection only disconnects in the middle of night. A Cinderella inside!?

IF anyone has any idea, please tell me in the comment below. Thank you.

Chitika heavily pushes the Chitika Premium product, does it really make more money than Google AdSense? Read on to find out the simple test result on my own blog.

Info: Chitika Premium search target advertisements which can work together with Google AdSense. Sign up here.

AdSense vs. Chitika Premium

I was using the combination of Chitika Premium (450×90) and Google AdSense large rectangle (336×280) under the blog post title.

The combination seems ok but the earning is not up to my expectation.

With Chitika’s recommendation, I applied the super large Chitika Premium MEGA unit (550×250) just right below the page header. The Chitika earning had a boost but greatly affect the AdSense earning…

OK. How about not apply Chitika Premium at all?

As soon as I removed the Chitika Premium from my blog, the AdSense earning had a boost and the total is even more than the previous combination of “Chitika Premium + Google AdSense”!

What I learned from the test?

Most of my blog traffic comes from search engines and Chitika Premium should work well. However, the Chitika CPM is lower than Google AdSense. Therefore, even with the BIG Chitika Premium MEGA unit (high click-thru-rate), the earning is still lower than Google AdSense.

So, Chitika Premium is useless?

No. It was a simple test of a few days and every site is different. You should test on your own sites to see the result.

I’ll still apply Chitika Premium but the best ad placement spot will be reserved to Google AdSense, at least for the moment.

What works now doesn’t mean it will work forever. We should always do testing, testing, and testing.

Sign up Chitika Premium now to make money from BOTH AdSense & Chitika.

Learn how to make money with AdSense and Chitika.

In response to DiGi iPhone, Celcom Axiata is considering to sell iPhone in Malaysia too.

Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri Shazalli Ramly said the company would study the viability of the plan carefully as it required a dedicated end-to-end system for the iPhone.

“Unlike normal GSM phone, the iPhone requires lots of after-sales service and a good support and customer service system,” he told reporters at a briefing of the company’s 2009 financial results.

– Bernama

My two cents

Still considering? Isn’t it a bit too late? Or, Celcom is afraid that their customer service is not good enough to handle iPhone users?

To myself, the statement of Celcom CEO sounds like jealousy, “We wish we got the iPhone deal too”.

What do you think?

For Malaysians only. Exabytes is offering Malaysia .MY domain registration from as low as RM18/year (.NAME.MY) to RM38/year.

The offer is valid till 26th March 2010, and for the 1st year registration only. You can register few years at once to save more.

Please note that only .NAME.MY and .MY domains are available for Malaysian individual registration. .COM.MY, .NET.MY and .ORG.MY required company registration number.

This is a chance to save you a few bucks on .MY domain registration (Malaysians only) but remember to calculate the domain name renewal cost too.

Do you have a .MY domain? Mine is http://LCF.MY

Malaysia breaking news. DiGi Malaysia is to be the 2nd telco to offer Apple iPhone in Malaysia. Maxis Malaysia iPhone exclusive will end within the first half of 2010.

1st March 2010, DiGi announced that the iPhone deal is coming soon at http://www.digi.com.my/iphone/.

Despite the big “Soon.” word, DiGi did not real much information about their coming iPhone deals.

We only know that DiGi iPhone 3GS will be available within the first half of 2010. Period.

DiGi to offer cheaper iPhone 3GS?

According to the recent AppleInsider news, a new iPhone model with new functionality and lower cost is expected in June 2010.

iPhone 4G, maybe?

DiGi iPhone availability date is close to June, could DiGi offer the latest iPhone (and cheaper)? We’ll see.

Switching to DiGi?

I planned to switch from Maxis to DiGi since last year. I’m now paying RM50 to Maxis each month for 500MB iData plan.

DiGi has a better offer of Internet Unlimited data plan (quota of 3GB) for only RM58/month, even though its 3G coverage is still limited (only EDGE in my home area).

My two cents

Competition is good for consumers. Like in Singapore, the more competitors the more affordable an iPhone is. I’m glad to see that Maxis is no longer the iPhone exclusive.

DiGi, surprise us with your coming iPhone deals!

For Malaysians & Singaporeans. Google will hold the annual Google Analytics Master Class in both Singapore (March 9, 2010) and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (March 11, 2010).

You will get tips and insights from web analytics professionals and Google Analytics speakers in the afternoon event. It’s FREE!

Related book: Google Analytics, 3rd Edition

The Google Analytics Master Class in Singapore will be held on Tuesday, 9 March 2010, 1.30pm – 6.00pm, at Meritus Mandarin Orchard, Ballroom 1. Get the map, agenda, and registration form here.

As for Kuala Lumpur, the event will be held on Thursday, 11 March 2010, from 1:30pm to 6pm, at Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Register here instead.

Since I am using Google Analytics to track my websites, I think I will be there (KL venue) to learn more tips to understand my blog readers (you!).

Will you be there too?

Have you quit Friendster? is a followup poll to my previous blog post “How to cancel Friendster account?“.

According to Feedburner’s feed stats, my tech blog, LiewCF.com, now has over 7000 feed subscribers! A new milestone!

But, how many are real feed readers?

Although I have over 7000 feed subscribers, but there is merely 400 reach for the feed. “Reach” means the total number of people who have viewed or clicked on the feed content.

60% of my feed subscribers are from FriendFeed and Google Feedfetcher (email, google reader & iGoogle). I think most of them are not active subscribers.

What is your feed stats? How many feed subscribers you have? and how many “reach”?

Tips: How to get 2000 feed subscribers in 12 days.

The once popular social website, Friendster, is fading out. It’s traffic is dropping constantly since 2009. Many people have quit Friendster and switched to Facebook.

Here is the step-by-step tutorial (with screenshots) to tell you how to cancel your Friendster account, permanently.

How to cancel Friendster account?

1. Login your Friendster account. Click the “Settings” at the top right corner.

   

2. At the new page, click on the “Cancel Account” link at the end of “Basic Info”.

   

3. At the Friendster cancel account page, there is a form at the page bottom. Fill in your Friendster’s email address and password.

   

4. Tick one or more reasons why you cancel Friendster account.
5. Tick “Yes, I want to cancel my Friendster account.”
6. Click the “Proceed” button.
7. Done. Say “bye-bye” to Friendster

   

“How to cancel Friendster account?” is a question received from a reader halijah mustafa. Send in your questions and I will answer yours too!

Since my 2nd iPhone left me for repairing cracked screen glass [link], I wanted to get a smartphone as the backup of iPhone. It should have similar iPhone features (touchscreen, 3G, Wifi, GPS..) but at more affordable price.

I found Nokia 5230 touchscreen phone.

It is cheap, around RM600-RM800 (USD175-USD235). Nokia 5230 has a big touchscreen (3.2 inch), supports 3.5G, GPS, powered by Symbian v9.4 (to run latest symbian apps). But, it does NOT support WiFi.

If you need a Nokia touchscreen phone with all features: 3G, GPS, WiFi, and better camera with flash, then Nokia 5800 is the one for you. But it is about RM300 more expensive than Nokia 5230.

Nokia 5230 brief review

By coincidence, my dad too wants to buy a new phone. His requirement is simple: touch screen phone with handwriting (chinese) input and GPS.

With my recommendation (*evil grin*), he bought the Nokia 5230 and I got a chance to play it for a night.

In the box, we got the Nokia 5230 phone (white), a short (7.5 inch) USB data cable, 3 changeable color battery cover (red, pink, blue). Changing the battery cover is not as easy as it seems, it bends like almost want to break when you lift the battery cover.

The user manuals is only available in English and Malay (Malaysia).

The body of Nokia 5230 is quite thick, plastic feel but light weight. The touch screen is sensitive to tap but not so for scrolling.

There is a SIM card slot at the side of Nokia 5230. But, you still required to remove the battery cover and battery before you insert a SIM card into the slot.

That’s a weird design, in my opinion.

Nokia 5230 has all the ports at the top of the phone: USB, 3.5 mm AV jack, power port. There is a slider at the side to lock/unlock the phone.

The 2 megapixels camera of Nokia 5230 is not good. It has no auto-focus nor LED flash. The image quality is bad with a lot of noise.

Nokia free software

The 5230 is a “Comes With Music” phone with unlimited music downloads, but we lost the Comes With Music activation PIN which should be included in the leaflet that came with our device… (no way to recover it?)

Update: Nokia 5230 comes with 2 different packaging: Vanilla and “Comes With Music”. Only the “Comes With Music” package (RRP: RM1010) has the Comes With Music activation PIN for unlimited music downloads. The one I bought is WITHOUT ComesWithMusic…

The first thing we do with the Nokia 5230 is fully charged it. Then, I plug it to a PC, download and install the Nokia Ovi Suite, the Nokia software for desktop. (Nokia Ovi Suite for Mac is under development).

I downloaded and installed Nokia 5230 phone software updates via Nokia Ovi Suite. It is hundred MB download and it updated almost everything in the phone! The Nokia 5230 performance seems increased and touchscreen is more responsive.

I highly recommend every Nokia smartphone users update the phone software as soon as you got your new Nokia phone.

Another good stuff of Nokia Ovi is the FREE Ovi Maps! You can download navigation maps of over 70 countries worldwide for free!

You can download more free softwares for Nokia at Ovi Store.

My two cents

If you want to get a touchscreen phone but with a limited budget, get Nokia 5230.

It has the same touchscreen, same processor, same operating system as the higher end Nokia touchscreen phones but tagged at a much cheaper price. A valuable smartphone, I would say.

Over to You

What do you think about Nokia 5230? What’s your choice of touchscreen smartphone? Do you have a backup phone?

For the first time in my life, the Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day fell on the same day, February 14, 2010.

The question of “Do you celebrate with family or girlfriend on the day?” never popped in my mind. Family always has the highest priority then only followed by girlfriend.

Not that I don’t love my girlfriend enough but.. well, she understands it and we will celebrate later. You see, that’s why I love her so much!

“If you are in love, everyday is a valentine’s day.”

(only applies when your other partner agrees too)

After all, why can’t celebrate both Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day at the same day? I don’t see any conflicts between two.

For me, the Valentine’s Day is the “make money day” for businessman. They came out all kinds of so-called special valentine’s promotions to steal money from your pocket.

For my family and I, the biggest day of Chinese New Year is the reunion dinner on CNY’s eve. Every family member must sit together and have the steamboat dinner.

The Chinese New Year day is the vegetarian day. Mom will cook one vegetarian dish and one dessert, and that’s our meal for the whole day. We spent the 1st day of CNY with family and we usually don’t go out on the day.

A peaceful day…

I will have old friends gatherings during CNY too~

How about you?

How did you celebrate Chinese New Year and Valentine’s day? What’s the valentine’s day gift you received/gave? Share with us!

Wish you all Happy Chinese New Year & Valentine’s Day! Be happy and healthy always!

[image courtesy of Mike Licht]

Apple iPhone doesn’t goes well with me. My 1st iPhone from Maxis was dead few months ago. Waited over 1 month for the replacement unit, my 2nd iPhone.

Now, the 2nd iPhone screen glass is cracked!

my apple iphone 3gs with a single line crack on screen glass

How did iPhone screen glass got crack?

Frankly, I have no idea. I just left the iPhone on my table while I was working on my iMac. When I picked up the iPhone, I noticed a line on the screen glass. Initially, I thought it was dusk or dirt but it is not!

“OMG! My iPhone screen glass is cracked!”

It was a single line crack in the center of the screen from top to bottom. The iPhone touch screen was still working fine, didn’t affected by the crack line.

Is iPhone screen glass covered by warranty?

Immediately, I googled for “iphone screen OR glass cracked” and, apparently, it is a common problem of Apple iPhone. There are many users got cracked iPhone screens (but still working), mostly caused by dropping the iPhone, which is not my case.

“Not user damaged” cracked iPhone glass is covered by Apple Warranty.

If you accidentally cracked your iPhone (the broken glass got more than ONE crack line), it is NOT covered by Apple Warranty. Apple could repair it for you at a cost of USD$200-$250.

Or, there are 3rd party services to fix the screen glass at a cost of USD$150-200.

Claim Maxis iPhone warranty for cracked iPhone

Learned from my previous bad experience at Maxis KLCC, this time I went to the Maxis Centre MidValley Gardens instead.

Waited half an hour for my turn. I handed the cracked glass iPhone to the Maxis staff and he checked for couple minutes, made a call to his “boss” then he told me that “It is user damaged and not covered by warranty.” The Apple fixing cost is as high as RM1,000! (you can get another iPhone!)

“What?!”

I told him that I didn’t drop iPhone or something dropped on the it. “It is not user damage.”

The staff picked up my iPhone and examine, very detail, again. He checked so carefully that I wished I got a magnifying glass to lend him.

No scratch on iPhone side

He couldn’t find any scratches on the iPhone sides. Then, he checked the iPhone warranty claim documentation.

At last, he told me that he will send my iPhone to claim warranty BUT no guarantee it will be rejected or not (?!).

The Maxis staff also showed me the iPhone screen glass warranty documentation with a few example of iPhone cracked glass. Glass with many crack lines like the following photo are not covered.

[photo by gregmote]

Mine is single crack line and fall in the category of “covered”.

I did erased all data and settings before hand my iPhone to Maxis, filled the Maxis Customer Repair Receipt Acknowledgement and the waiting time is 4-6 weeks.

Meaning, I don’t have iPhone during the coming Chinese New Year.

With my bad luck with iPhone 3GS, now I wish I could buy the Applecare Protection Plan for iPhone, which is not available in Malaysia.