Monday, March 21, 2011

The Falling Price of The Original iPad in Kuwait

Week ago Blink.com.kw was offering special prices for the original iPad (149KD for the 16GB WIFI).

Now, Sheeel.com has another special good deal: 119KD ($429) for 16GB WIFI plus bonuses.


It's cheaper than the US price back in 2010 when we bought ours. But only in a limited time & limited quantity.

More info in Mark's blog.

Monday, March 14, 2011

DIY iPhone 4 Skin



Got the idea from MacRumors forum. And all we need is a clear backside iPhone 4 case like the one from Griffin.

Download the template here. Modify in Photoshop. Print. Cut. And we have Leica camera skin!



Best of all, now we have unlimited skins for our iPhone 4.

Finally, 2010 Price for Original iPad

Special offer from blink.com.kw

Finally, we can get a $499 (+ tax) price for original iPad. A one year too late? Maybe.
But keep in mind that Kuwait has no official business with Cupertino (nor Apple Middle East - AFAIK), so this last year official price is still considered as a good bargain in Kuwait.

I got the 16GB wifi model back in the US last year for $530 ($499 + tax). So now Kuwait can get the same price, 1 year later. Price-wise, shall I wait another one year for iPad 2? :D

Artefact From The Past: MacAddict June 2002

DSCN0144

9 years ago, when Palm was at war with Pocket PC, Apple didn't have any PDA devices. Instead, they built an MP3 player called iPod.
After the death of the Newton, people were hoping for another Apple PDA. iPod was their hope. According to this MacAddict cover edition, people want iPod with camera, video, music & PDAs features.

9 year later, PDA is already dead. And the iPad 2 is born, better than PDA, the iPDA.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

iMovie on Original iPad

When I heard that Apple finally release iMovie for iPad I was so freakin excited.
Then officially they ditch the compatibility for the original iPad. I was like... "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" (doing Anakin's scream for Padme - btw our iPad name is iPadme Amidala.)

So why does Apple ditch the original iPad from iMovie's love?

Jason Snell (Macworld):
I was able to install my sample copy on an original iPad and it seemed to work fine, though as projects got more complex it got a little sluggish. This may be one of those cases where Apple decided that if the product didn't worth smoothly and flawlessly on the original iPad, it wasn't worth supporting at all. (article link)
Sluggish? Really?
Trying to download the iMovie app to the original iPad, this is what I got:


Front facing camera? Really?

iTunes & AppStores are refusing to install the iMovie to my original iPad. This is pure evil!
Then I got this trick. The iMovie finally installed in my original iPad.

After import some footages from iPhone 4, then I begin to edit a short video.
Is it sluggish? Is it good?
It. Is. Beautiful!


iPhone 4 > Camera Connection Kit > iMovie on original iPad



It's only 30 seconds project but at least everything works relatively fine. Not snappy quicky perfect but everything is there. The audio waveforms are there. The scrubbing footages are there. The smooth transitions are there.
And best of all - been doing finger-editing on iMovie for iPhone for months - now I'm doing finger-editing on 10 inch screen!
It. Is. Beautiful!



iMovie isn't built for a long duration/complex/multi layered video editing project. It's only for fun, family video, video-blogging, online video. I think the original iPad is sufficient enough for that kind of task.

So again, why do you ditch original iPad from iMovie's love, Apple?

iPad 2 in Alghanim X-Cite




After we got iPad 2 launch day report from friends in San Fransisco & New York, we're going to Avenues mall for X-Cite's iPad 2 launch event.
At 14:00 they were preparing for tonight event. No crowds no lines. Only some Alghanim crews with iPad 2 t-shirt.




At 15:00 we're going home & I was just to sleepy to going back to Avenues mall at 22:00.

Later, I got these X-Cite's photos from the event at 22:30 (original photos by X-Cite Alghanim here).


Photo by X-Cite Alghanim


Photo by X-Cite Alghanim

Yay! Finally the iPad 2 has landed in Kuwait.
More story in Mark's blog.

Friday, March 11, 2011

iOS 4.3 Multitasking Gesture in My iPad



Here's how. Note: You need to register your iPad UDID to Apple developer program.


UPDATE:
Another way to activate the Multitasking Gesture here (Gizmodo).

iPad 2 Day!

New York by Boy Avianto






West Village, 14th Street - New York.


San Fransisco by @galihwismoyo






Location Market Street, San Fransisco.

Click photos for original link.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

iMovie New Update 1.2





Testing the iMovie 1.2 on iPhone 4.

iPad 2 is Coming to Kuwait This Saturday


Al Ghanim, the biggest local electronic store in Kuwait is posting this teaser on their Facebook page. They have iPad 2 at Saturday night or a day after official launch in US Apple store at March 11. Price? Remain unknown.

"Booking starts from Saturday night 10:30pm."
Sounds they are expecting some long lines for the iPad 2. We'll see!

UPDATE:
First batch: You'll get the iPad 2 after one or two weeks after booking it at Saturday.

UPDATE 2:
Price:
16GB-WiFi Black/White KD199 (US$ 715)
32GB-WiFi Black/White KD249 (US$ 895)
64GB-WiFi Black/White KD289 (US$ 1038)

No further info with 3G models.
Currently, Smart Cover is not available.

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Unofficial iPad 2 Price in Kuwait & Indonesia

Can't wait for the iPad 2? Here are 2 unofficial price info in Kuwait & Indonesia.

macble.com - an unofficial Apple online store in Kuwait

Mailing-list group in Indonesia (photo by @wolwol)

Which one is cheaper? Kuwait! USD 826 (Rp 7200000) for iPad 2 32gb wifi.

UPDATE:
XCite Alghanim iPad 2 price:

16GB-WiFi Black/White KD199 (Rp 6275000)
32GB-WiFi Black/White KD249 (Rp 7851000)
64GB-WiFi Black/White KD289 (Rp 9112000)
16GB-WiFi 3G Black/White KD259 (Rp 8166500)
32GB-WiFi 3G Black/White KD309 (Rp 9743095)
64GB-WiFi 3G Black/White KD349 (Rp 11005000)

note: 1 Kuwait Dinar = US$ 3.5 = Rp 31500

Monday, March 07, 2011

3 Days Before iPad 2 Arrival

Photo by: @galihwismoyo





Location:
Apple Flagship Store in San Fransisco, California

Apple Without Jony Ive

Apple without Jony Ive?

Without Jony Ive, the Apple design will return to the late 80s design? The Snow White design? (Photoshop-ed image)

Video Review: $29 Tele Lens for iPhone 4



Is The iPhone 4 Ready For Video Post Processing?

It depends.
If you're doing it for fun, video-blogging, you may force the iPhone 4 to do video post-processing.
If you're doing it for pro, record on the iPhone 4 then edit it on desktop (yes you can put 'semi' word before 'pro' ^_^)

2 reasons.

1. It's a phone.
Its main function is a communication device. Rendering a video can take forever on this device & some apps are not natively multiprocessing. Anticipate a phone call while rendering. A phone call means interrupted rendering process. Not to mention the battery life. Don't try to render your edited video while far from electricity outlet. "Sorry I can't get your call, my phone is still rendering & the battery is low."


Takes 30 mins to render this 45 seconds video. 30 mins without receiving any phone call :D

And since it's a phone, you have to get used to edit in a small multitouch screen with your finger. iMovie for iPhone is great, but keep in mind that from desktop to tiny multitouch screen is another learning curve: finger editing.

2. Quality matters.
Color-correction is a critical process in video post processing. Without proper compression method, the video file will be 'damaged' due to inappropriate lossy data compression algorithm.
For instance, CinemaFX for video is the coolest color-grading app for iPhone 4. Problem is, by default it compresses the video from the Camera Roll, means that you'll get a video with blocky compressed quality - not the original.

Don't expect some Sorenson, DV-Pal or any professional video compression codecs for iOS anytime soon.


Try watch the video in HD to see the comparison.

iMovie for iPhone on the other hand, is using H.264 compression, which is good enough for final video. But not good enough to do multiple post-procs.

Is it ready for video post-processing?
"Hello? I'm shooting a video right now with my iPhone. Can I call you back?"

Sunday, March 06, 2011

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Oleh-oleh Dari Yerba Buena Center

Tampak depan gedung YBCA San Fransisco beberes untuk iPad 2 launching tgl 2 Maret nanti.



UPDATE:
Di depan pintu masuk YBCA ada beberapa bendera warna warni berkibar. Masih ada hubungannya dengan 'colorful dots' di event Apple? Connecting the dots? Seperti yang selalu diucapkan Steve Jobs "Creativity is about connecting the dots"?
*spekulasi mode on*



Oleh-oleh dari @galihwismoyo (from Instagram)

Monday, February 21, 2011

iPod Touch 64Gb for 1 KD


Ada promosi paket dari Viva: iPod Touch 64Gb seharga 1 KD (Rp 30 ribu perak saja) dengan paket internet 18 KD 2 tahun. Sikaaattt!!!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Video Review: Teddy's Night

Another iPad interactive book for children with beautiful illustration from Auryn Inc: Teddy's Night ($3.99).




Monday, December 20, 2010

Video Review: Teddy's Day

A children interactive book app for iPad from Auryn Inc: Teddy's Day