The Android UI Lag

Even for a dual-core 1.2GHz device like the Samsung Galaxy S II (SGS2), while running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, I could still really tell the UI lag when scrolling, especially when compared to a single-core device like the iPhone 4.

Take for example the official Twitter app. While swiping your fingers from bottom to top to scroll through earlier tweets in your timeline, sometimes the scrolling would stop at the tweet you last put your fingers to, as if you were trying to select or tap on that particular tweet and not swipe through it. This happened so often it actually got so frustrating.

Andrew Munn has a very good explanation why this is so with any Android device: Read the explanation after the jump »

Instapaper for Android

After more than a month tinkering with my Android device, the Samsung Galaxy S II (SGS2), I’ve come to the conclusion that the one app I missed the most about my iPhone is Instapaper.

From the mail app, Evernote, Twitter (Tweetbot), Facebook, to Feeddler (Google Reader) apps, you can easily send articles to read later (and even offline) via Instapaper. Alternatives like ReadItLater are great, but seamless integration with various other apps are wanting, and some articles, although obviously blog posts themselves, are not loading properly in ReadItLater.

To a lot of people, owning a smartphone means a lot of games. I consider myself to not belong to that “lot of people”. The only games I have on my smartphones are those that are really quick games like, the usual suspects like Fruit Ninja, Fling, MasterCode, Flight Control, and some card games like Poker, to pass the time away while waiting for something or someone like in waiting areas of airports, clinics, offices, restaurants and meetings. Read Further »

Samsung pokes fun at iPhone fanboys

Samsung’s Galaxy S II ad: the next big thing is already here:

Jayvee posted:

This ad is spot on. It’s exactly the reaction I get from people who see the Galaxy S II. As I said in previous posts, the S II is the only phone that turns the heads of the fanboys.

I say, yes, this thing may have really got my head turned when I saw one at gadget stores. But having the first hand experience for exactly one month now, I must say I was a bit disappointed. Details about the experience to follow soon. Continue reading Samsung pokes fun at iPhone fanboys

Deception

The life of an accountant[1. In this context, we will refer to all accountants in different fields/practices as accountants, including general accountants, auditors, tax practitioners, finance, etc. ] is boring. Let me tell you why:

We have seen blockbuster movies telling stories about the lives of lawyers, doctors, military and police personnel, sales people, and even stock brokers. But how many movies have you seen that feature the main character playing the role of an accountant?

Not too many, right? That is, if you can remember one at all. The life of an accountant is so dull that scriptwriters can hardly think of an interesting storyline about it.

However, in the 2008 movie, “Deception“, starring Ewan McGregor (as Jonathan McQuarry), Hugh Jackman (as Wyatt Bose), and Michelle Williams (as S):

An accountant is introduced to a mysterious sex club known as The List by his lawyer friend. But in this new world, he soon becomes the prime suspect in a woman’s disappearance and a multi-million dollar heist.

Source: IMDB

Ewan McGregor played the role of an Audit Manager for a fictional accounting firm “Worth & Berman”. Yet, the movie paints a typical accountant/auditor as living a boring life, working late most of the times, zero social life, and a monotonous home-work-home routine. I believe the movie even portrays accounting as not-so-lucrative profession. Continue Reading »

Why I Find Globe PowerSurf for Postpaid Subscribers a Fraud?

I have complained about how Globe’s PowerSurf for postpaid subscribers was so unrealiable. But that was even before my complete billing cycle was over. Now let me post a follow up on that experience.

First, let me describe the timeline of events during the time I was subscribed to PowerSurf99:

  • September 27, 2011 — subscribed to PowerSurf99;
  • October 12, 2011 — my billing cut-off for October 2011;
  • October 27, 2011 — PowerSurf99 auto-renewed in accordance with its terms;
  • November 12, 2011 — my billing cut-off for November 2011;

I’ve monitored my data usage using an iPhone app as well as the iPhone’s built-in settings and noted that I’ve consumed the 50MB allocation on October 13 for the September 27 subscription, and as early as November 5 for the October 27 subscription. Yet up until now, I haven’t received any text from Globe informing that I’ve reached my quota. Moreover, I’ve constantly inquired with 8888 about the status of my subscription and it responded with an explicit message that my subscription is still active. Continue reading Why I Find Globe PowerSurf for Postpaid Subscribers a Fraud?

Screen Capture for Android

I have owned an iPhone 4 and probably have gained an in-depth understanding of the iOS system, and its capabilities and limitations. That was easy to do in the first place — to be familiar with the operating system without the need of a detailed manual.

As a disclaimer: I loved my iPhone 4.

Recently, I was provided with Samsung Galaxy S II as a business/office phone. And I got to play with the Android mobile operating system extensively.

And I found out, as advanced Android may be as an OS, it still lack a basic feature like a native capturing screenshots of your screen. Looking through the Android market, you’ll see apps that can only do screen captures if you root your device. If you ever encounter one that needs no rooting, you’ll find bad reviews about it that render it as close to being fake. I mean — there are fake apps in the Android market?

Oh, and there’s another way to do screen capture without rooting — but with the help of a desktop computer. You’ll find the tutorial at Android Central, or otherwise check out this Youtube video.

In my iPhone 4, screen capture is as easy as pressing the sleep and home buttons simultaneously. You don’t need apps for that.

Lytro Camera

A Lytro camera uses Light Field Photography (also known as plenoptic photography) which captures all the available light in a scene going in every direction. It works by breaking up the main image with a microlens over an image sensor. (Source: Wikipedia)

Engadget had hands-on experience with this Lytro camera. Check that out for more photos and videos.

Features of a plenoptic camera include: Check out the features list »

Timing

4,066 out of the total 8,525 candidates passed the recent CPA Licensure Examinations (October 2011). That’s a whopping 47.7% passing percentage — compared to that during our time ten years ago, which was around 17-18% only.

Okay, so now I’m making a bold statement here. But this is just my opinion, and this is my blog.

I personally believe that passing the CPA board exams is not a matter of whether you pass or fail. It’s not you versus the exams per se. Instead, it’s you versus the other candidates to make it to the top whatever percent the examiners wish to pass.

That’s why I find it rather unfair that they only allowed a really small percentage of examinees — less than 20% — to pass during our time. I’m sure some many of our contemporaries would have otherwise made it if they took the exams today, and thus enjoy the status as such — a licensed CPA. Statistics, by itself, does not necessarily mean the candidates of our time in general are any less intelligent/brilliant than the candidates of today.

What Makes Globe’s PowerSurf So Unrealiable?

I was positive about Globe PowerSurf plans for postpaid subscribers when it came out. But then, I concluded that, 300MB per month is too much for my use.

So, I just availed of the 50MB plan instead last 27th of September 2011. I monitored my data usage using two crappy apps like DataUsagePro and DataMan, as well as via the iPhone’s settings.

16 days into the plan, I noted from my monitoring that I’ve reached my allocated data usage of 50MB, and now, 3 days after, I’m running around 75MB of usage.

Let’s check what the Globe’s FAQ say about this: Carry on »

My iOS 5 Top New Features

Maybe the long wait for this brand new OS has somehow diminished excitements about it. We’ve seen these new features demoed by developers.

Nevertheless, having a first hand experience with the iOS 5 today on my iPhone, here are my top “favorite” new features:

  • Notifications center – having all notifications and alerts in one place is one feature that has long been wanting in iOS, that’s why I have it at the top of the list. Yet, just like in Android, I would have preferred to have the quick toggles for cellular data, bluetooth and wifi in the same notification center. Plus, a lot other apps are not yet updated to push their notices to the notification center. Moreover, instead of or in addition to stocks and weather, I wish for an option to have foreign exchange rates and maybe LME prices to be likewise available in there.
  • Wifi Sync – you can now be fully independent from a computer system (either Mac or Windows) once you start using your iOS 5 device, but having iTunes to manage your media and apps is still a neat way to go. Now, you can even sync your device to your computer’s iTunes program via wifi. That’s one less cable system to worry about.
  • Over-the-air future OS updates – this we have yet to experience and find out how seamless it will be. Furthermore, Apple claims further updates will be smaller files compared to the past where it took around 700MB of download file every upgrade.
  • More alert tones via iTunes – now I don’t have to live anymore with the stock ringtones and alert tones of the iPhone. As a matter of fact, I just downloaded Marlon Brando’s “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse” and Acoustic Pluckin alert tones for my use.