DR KOH KHO KING

I just bought a PC recently, not for myself but for my staff. After coming back to Malaysia, I have bought a Dell PC (few months back). This time I decided to go for DIY (I have assembled PC before, but that was many years ago).

Cost = Around RM2500, buy parts and DIY.

Specs:

• Intel Core 2 Duo E7300 2.6Gz (RM425)
• Seagate 500GB Sata 3 32MB (RM185)
• Kingston 2GB x 2 (RM65 x 2)
• Intel DQ45CB Mainboard with 2 DIV output (RM350)
• Viewsonic 22″ VX2233WM monitor (built in speaker, full hd 1920 x 1080 resolution, dynamic contrast.) RM545, very worth buying.
• Logitech laser mouse (RM45)
• Logitech keyboard (RM25)
• I-Cute Casing (RM230)
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (RM259)
• Kaspersky Internet Security (RM70)
• PK AVR (RM59)

The above system is fast…very fast indeed. You don’t need the best specs in the market, but above average is already able to give you very satisfying performance. The key is DO NOT install rubbish software, make your computer simple and install only what you are using. Install and uninstall will still slow your computer down, so do not use your working machine as a software testing machine.

Went to Dell Malaysia website just now…looking for good bargains, found the Dell Inspiron 530s to be of good value and interesting.

After 30 mins, ordered one.

Highlights (the one that I ordered)

• Intel(R) Pentium(TM) Dual-Core Processor E2180 (2.0GHZ, 1MB L2 CACHE, 800MHZ FSB) - I have never been a fan of super fast processor. As long as it is fast, then enough. You don’t have to waste or allocate most budget into the processor.
• Dell(TM) SE198WFP 19″ Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor - Good enough, wide enough for normal use
• Genuine Windows Vista(R) Home Basic 32 bit SP1 Edition (English) - Too bad Windows XP no longer available…
• 2GB (2X1GB) NECC Dual Channel DDR2 667MHz SDRAM Memory - will add more memory when needed, cheaper to buy memory outside than Dell
• 250GB SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive with Native Command Queuing
• 16X DVD+/-RW with Dual Layer Write Capabilities -It has been a long time that I did not copy or burn DVD…
• Integrated Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 3100 - Since no PC game for this computer…so an integrated is good enough…
• Integrated Sound Blaster(R) Audigy ADVANCED HD Audio
• Dell(TM) AX210 USB Stereo Speakers
• Dell(TM) USB Quietkey(R) Keyboard with Silver Trim (English)
• Dell(TM) Optical USB Mouse
• 56K PCI Data/Fax Modem - Thanks to Streamyx…
• Integrated Fast Ethernet 10/100 - must have…again, thanks to Streamyx…
• Microsoft(R) Works 9.0 (Does Not Include Microsoft(R) Office 2003/2007 Software) – OEM-Word Processor/Spreadsheet/Database/Calendar/Powerpoint viewer/Email Tools - Original software is good, don’t use pirated one.
• Dell Inspiron Desktop(TM) Slim Tower - I love the small clean design tower!

I have just seen a very nice Dell computer in a local store in Japan two days ago, yes, the same Inspiron 530s slim tower type that I ordered just now. Dell really makes very nice computer, clean and sleek design, much better than those DIY CPU casing that I have seen out there. Yes, I have been a fan of Dell computer, my current notebook (use by my wife) is a Dell as well (Latitude D800).

Yes, I added a Data / Fax modem to the system, as with the unreliable streamyx service in Malaysia, better get a dial up as backup. Internet is essential to me/my wife.

Total damage? RM2139.00, charged to credit card. I think that is a very reasonable price! I have not follow PC pricelist for a long time, but I think DIY a computer with 19″ LCD monitor will not be that much far off from the specs and price above. This one, you get Dell service and warranty for one year, better for the peace of mind.

The above system is not for me, but more for my wife. I will get a better PC when I reach Malaysia in Oct.

I read about a friend’s blog recently, that her company is still using and providing her a “stone age” computer for her to use.

A Chinese saying:”If you want to have Quality results, you should use Quality tools” (sorry, I do not have a Chinese software to type in Chinese)

For people who use computer daily, he/she should know very well how important it is to have a good and fast running computer in order to have the job done (quality job). A slow and ill working computer might still get the job done, but that is not good enough. Quality job comes from happy employer. If you can keep your employer happy and highly motivated, then you will get Quality job done. Google knows this very well, hence providing a world refreshing working environment to their employers, where everybody (ok…almost everybody…or many people…) wish to get into Google.

This is 21st century now…computer is the very very basic tool that one should be stingy of. As myself is using computer everyday (more than 8 hours a day), personally I can feel how frustrating it is when a computer is slow and irresponsive.

Soon I will get a new PC. I am going to get a 24 inches LCD monitor for myself, while I will get a 19″ LCD new computer for one of my staff. CPU? Anything with coreduo is not going to disappoint in today’s world, but of course I am going to pump the memory to 3GB or 4GB. Can’t wait to build my own PC again!

(Blogged using a 12″ macbook intel duo core 1.83Ghz with 2GB memory.)

I read some blogs registered at BlogMalaysia today…and in one of them I read about the latest (is it latest?) computer game called Age of Empire III.

I still remember the AOE first version, very very nice graphic and very interesting strategy game. Yes, I used to play that, together with Command and Conquer. I am not expert in these game though (one of my room mate was really good in this strategy game, set the game speed to the fastest and he can still manage to conquer).

No…I don’t play computer game anymore nowadays. Not interested anymore. My last PC game was Final Fantasy X. Spent a few months finishing the game…quite tiring and addicted. Waste of time actually…

Instead of computer games, my not so new hobby is actually computer related as well. I kinda like to spend my time in my websites (ShaShinKi, BlogMalaysia, PentaxWorld, PhotoMalaysia…etc.). Today I spent US$20 bucks to purchase some codes and improve the design and features of BlogMalaysia. I have always wanted the Browse by PageRank feature, but can’t justify to spend the money for the codes before seeing BlogMalaysia is going to last or not. I am not a programmer myself, so I can’t write the codes myself. So I will have to get some codes and modify it to my existing BlogMalaysia design. Yeah…still have to spend hours in merging the codes to BlogMalaysia, but the final result is quite satisfying.

Hope more will join BlogMalaysia…we have over 100 blogs now…and we are growing. Be the early bloggers to join us!

I don’t play computer games…I play with my websites.

I have been using Paint Shop Pro program since version 4…that was more than 7 years ago…and I just love this program.

Why not photoshop? One of the main reason for me to go for Paint Shop Pro during the early days is because it is a FREEWARE. Yes, free to download and use on your computer. That was in version 4 and version 5. Version 9 and later is a paid software, but later Corel bought JASC and the last version from JASC was version 10. Version 9 was later given as a free software together with Lexar professional memory card, which is definitely a very very good value!

How is Paint Shop Pro as compared to Adobe Photoshop? For me, it does everything I needed in photo editing. Curve, contrast, brightness, unsharp mask, crop, border, layers, etc. It also is much easier to use and less resource hungry like photoshop. I can start and use my PSP within 5 seconds after launching, but for PS, I have to wait for 10s or more. Of course, if you have very fast PC, you might not notice the difference.

Today, I download the 30 days trial version of PSP from Corel website. I was already about to BUY already (already in the PayPal page, one click away from paying), but since there is a 30 days trial, I thought why not? I clicked the cancel order button and went back to download the software to try out first. The latest version is Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 and my experience with PSP is mainly based on version 6. I want to see how much improvement it has after Corel bought over JASC, and the US$89.99 is worth spending or not.

What I am expecting from the latest version which I think is lacking in the dated version 6:

• Better noise removal
• Faster processing
• RAW file processing (version 6 can process raw file but loading takes ages…)
• More features on borders, templates, effects…etc.
• Smarter one step photo fix (available in version 6 as well, but I wonder if there is any surprise in the latest version)

Basically, that’s it. I don’t really need a software that has tones of features that I don’t use but burden down my computer.

Now…let’s see some examples that I run through PSPPX2 just now. The photos below are taken using Nikon D200 at IS3200, I set the camera at high ISO the night before and forgot to set it back to low ISO. My wife used the camera the next day to take Megumi’s photos… Originally posted at: 看我笑得见眼不见牙

(Take note that the before images are already of some processing previously…which used automatic batch process…hence the quality still not so good and some sharpness already lost)

Before

After PSP

Before

After PSP

You have to click the photo to appreciate the difference. There is a nice Skin Smoothing command in PSPPX2 which I find it delivers good results. The above is just a quick test…I will have to get some RAW files to test it further, but I think I am definitely going to buy one before the 30 days trial period ends up.

Got a new PC yesterday…what a surprise!

They said I am the senior in the laboratory, so the new PC is for me. Yes, there is only one new PC, but there will be another few coming in April 2008 (few months away), which will be given to to the other few “seniors”.

Just managed to migrate all my data and files today, also have to remove all sensitive information in the old PC…

Specifications?

• Intel Core Duo 3.00GHZ – E6850
• 3GB Memory
• 300GB HDD
• 19 inches LCD monitor
• Microsoft optical mouse 3000
• Speaker
• Keyboard
• DVD-RW

Very fast as compared to my previous PC…I am a happy man.

How fast is your memory card? How fast is your camera writing and reading speed? How fast is your computer writing/reading speed? How fast is your card reader?

Does it really matter?

A friend of mine, Aaron Kok took up the trouble and spent time to do the test below. Hope you will find it useful.

Camera – 1D Mk3

PC – Sony Vaio notebook – Centrino 2ghz

Card Reader Tested

- Buffalo PCMCIA CardBus (RCF-CBA)

- Buffalo MCR-A27

CF Card Tested

- Sandisk Extreme IV 4GB

- Sandisk Extreme III 2GB

- Lexar Pro 2Gb 80x

- PenDrive 4Gb 155x

SD Card

- Kingston 2Gb Elite Pro SD

Tests are NOT scientific, just done to satisfy myself to purchase cheaper cards . Tho keep in mind on reliablity. So far only cards have failled me is kingston CF and Lexar Pro. Kingston was exchanged for Sandisk and Lexar was replaced. Lexar works fine now.

Buffer Clearing Tests. 6 shot burst. Time calculate from 1st shot till camera stops writing via the write light..

Test done by taking photo of a clock and taking final shot when buffer clears. Error of approx +-1 sec. All these are done via eyes and just the windows clock, not an actual timer.

Compact Flash

- Sandisk Extreme IV 4GB - 6 seconds

- Sandisk Extreme III 2GB - 6 seconds

- Lexar Pro 2Gb 80x – 10 seconds

- PenDrive 4Gb 155x – 20 seconds

SD Card

- Kingston 2Gb 50x Elite Pro SD - 6 seconds (it feels as it it clears much faster, will need to do more bursts to test)

There are differences in some card when it clears the buffer. Some will show the buffer dropping smoothly, some clears 1,2, then wait, then clears another 3, then wait and clears ones.

Card to PC – 200MB Multiple RAW Files

Buffalo PCMCIA

- Sandisk Extreme IV 4GB - 20 seconds

- Sandisk Extreme III 2GB - 20 seconds

- Lexar Pro 2Gb 80x - 25 seconds

- PenDrive 4Gb 155x – 30 seconds

Buffalo USB

- Sandisk Extreme IV 4GB - 15 seconds

- Sandisk Extreme III 2GB - 13 seconds

- Lexar Pro 2Gb 80x - 20 seconds

- PenDrive 4Gb 155x - 18 seconds

Credits to:

• http://www.aaronkok.com/ 

Can receive email but can’t send out email using Outlook Express?

Can send email previously, no changes to the OE setting, suddenly can’t send email today?

What happened?

This is what happening to my computer at home since many months ago. I checked the setting of my OE, everything seems fine. I checked and reconfirmed my username and password, everything seems fine. I did not change anything before this happened. So what went wrong? I can receive email but can’t send out email using my own server/domain name!

I have setup another gmail account in my OE, I can send email and receive email no problem with this gmail account on my OE.

The problem is with my business email account – shop@shashinki.com. Yes, my own domain and my own server.

What is the problem? My problem?

No, it is not my problem. After many months…finally I got the idea last night of what could be the reason. I did some search on the internet and found some clues as well.

It is your ISP that suddenly changed their policy to BLOCK port 25 on all SMTP! I was using Yahoo! BB – broadband service in Japan.

Yes, nothing wrong with my PC or OE setting, but sudden change of my ISP to block port 25 on SMTP makes me unable to send email out through my own server.

Why the block of SMTP port 25?

Simple reason, to tackle spam. Many people send spam messages via their own computer to others, so ISP block port 25 (common port number used by most server by default) in order to reduce spams.

Solution?

Simple, change your server’s SMTP port to other than 25.

Not so simple if you do not have access to EXIM on your server. If you are on a shared server, or rent just a small space from others, then you most probably will not have access to EXIM setting.

If you have access to WHM (web host manager from CPANEL), then you can change or add extra port to SMTP easily! It is under Service Manager. Go to Exim on another port and add whatever number you want (eg. 100 or 2775 or 88) and checked the box to enable this option. Then in your OE, use this same port setting on your SMTP, and viola! You can now send email from your OE via your own email account and server!

For those who do not have access to WHM, contact your server provider and ask them about alternate SMTP port they are using. They should inform you the port number.

Hope this little info helps…

Just to share with you guys the mouse that I am using (bought on 19th Dec 2006, costs me around RM350 or US$95 in Japan):

Logitech® MX™ Revolution

More info at:
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=2135,CONTENTID=12134

My first wireless mouse. Took me quite some time to finally decided on a wireless mouse. I kinda worry of the hassle having to charge the mouse every few days…but after using a cheapo wireless mouse few months ago, I am hooked.

For me, mouse is one of the most important item in PC components, as a unresponsive mouse will make you crazy.

In Japan, they call it LOGICOOL! Yes, it is such a COOL mouse!

Traveling

One thing about wireless mouse is that it is not so convenient when traveling. Though the battery of the mouse can last for nearly 5 days (12 hours use a day), still if you went for long holiday, then you will need to bring the charging unit together. Not so convenient and normally I will just bring a small wired mouse that power directly from my notebook USB port. Read More

Nikon Capture NX photo-finishing software to
be bundled with D3 and D300 digital SLRs
during special release campaign

October 29, 2007 Tokyo – Nikon Corporation has today announced that they will conduct a special promotion in conjunction with the release of the new D3 and D300 digital SLR cameras, bundling the next-generation Capture NX (ver.1.3) photo-finishing software as an accessory to be included in the camera body packages.

Nikon Capture NX is a high-quality image editing and processing application that enables versatile, highly intuitive image adjustments using innovative U Point Technology.

Image adjustments can be made simply by positioning a Control Point on a given image, without having to deal with special tools or layers. Using Nikon’s original RAW and NEF (Nikon Electronic Format) image files, you can edit images while retaining the original file and without decreasing image quality.

Read More

KWSP stands for Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja. Which is the government body that managed the money for workers that can only be withdrew after retired (age of 55). Certain part of the KWSP saving can be withdraw before the age of 55 (eg. for house loan, computer purchase (no longer available), medical expenses…etc.).

Do you know how much your KWSP is?

Quite a lot actually. Every month, both employee and employer have to pay a good amount of money from the basic salary to KWSP. It is illegal if your boss did not do that.

Monthly 

• Employee  = 11%
• Employer = 12%
• Total = 23%

This means that every month you are saving at 23% from your basic salary with KWSP. If your basic salary is RM2000, you are saving RM460 monthly. Every year, you are saving RM5520. With 5% annual interest (most of the time is higher, vary depends on KWSP investment performance) given by KWSP, you have around RM5796 saving per year. Work for 10 years, you have RM57960 at least in your KWSP account.

Say if you started working at the age of 25 (university graduate), average RM3000 salary, retired at age 55, total working period = 30 years, you then got RM260k at least with KWSP. You can take out the money in one big lump sum and enjoy your life…but do remember…RM100 nowadays is probably only worth like RM10 after 30 years, so spend wisely.

It is a shame with this kind of title that makes UTM popular…

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/9/10/nation/18834926&sec=nation�

Below are the quote from The Star newspaper:

PETALING JAYA: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) lost about RM900,000 worth of assets such as computers and LCD screens in six years � because just about anybody could borrow the items and not return them.

The Auditor-General’s report said that there was lax security and monitoring at the university, allowing people to steal easily.

Examples of this included no closed-circuit television cameras installed in strategic areas, no grilles on windows and doors, and too many people sharing the same key to a lab or office, the report said.

It was also reported that almost all offices and faculties did not maintain records on equipment usage.

The AG audited both campuses in Skudai, Johor, and Kuala Lumpur, and found that of the RM854,346 total loss of assets, RM605,761 (70.9%) worth were stolen from 2004 to August 2006.

It also said that the cases increased from three in 2001 to 22 in 2006. Read More

Sony has just announced a new personal computer which might be the Apple’s new iMac killer!

Sony VAIO LT19U

The US$2,899 model sports a Blu-ray burner, a pull-out sled for adding another hard drive and a VESA-standard wall mount input. Besides that, it offers an external ATI Digital Cable Tuner.

Key Features:

• 22-inch widescreen LCD (1,680×1,050)
• 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 CPU
• 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
• 500GB 7,200 rpm hard drive
• 256MB Nvidia GeForce 8400 GT graphics chip
• Windows Vista Ultimate
• 802.11n wireless networking
• Built-in ATSC and NTSC TV tuner
• Built-in 1.3 megapixel Web cam
• 3 watt stereo speakers, and built in 5 watt subwoofer
• various USB, Ethernet, removable media, and audio ports

Due to the popular demand worldwide, Dell has announced the re-introduction of Windows XP in their computer system. Effective immediately, customers can now order new Dell computer from Dell website with the option of choosing Windows XP as the operating system. According to Dell, customers can choose to have either Window XP Home or Windows XP Pro pre-installed on four Inspiron notebook systems (the 1405, 1501, 1505, and 1705 models) and Dell’s Dimension E520 and E521 desktop computers.

This might be due to the recently lots of compatibility issue of Windows Vista with some hardwares and softwares. However, Dell will not offer Windows XP forever, as Microsoft has announced at their website the end of life date of Windows XP as of 31st January 2008.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/default.mspx

Support for Windows XP will be available till 31st January 2009, a year after Windows XP stop selling from retails.

Just read about the news on Intel new processor which will be coming out end of this year that is going to be 40% faster than the current processor.

Intel Corp. said a new line of computer processors due out later this year will be about 40 percent faster than current chips when running computer games, videos and other heavy workloads. The world’s biggest microchip maker, which powers about 75 percent of computers, said the new Penryn processors will have the same basic design as current ones, but the circuitry will be 30 percent thinner — just 45 millionths of a millimeter wide.

“In high-performance computing and bandwidth intensive applications … there will be up to a whopping 45 percent performance increase,” said Patrick Gelsinger, the general manager for Intel’s digital enterprise group. The Penryn would be the world’s first 45 nanometer processor, Gelsinger said at the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing on Tuesday. The new processors will hit the market later this year, but Gelsinger did not provide a timeline.

In a prototype Penryn chip with four processing cores, that translated into 40 percent faster performance in computer games and video processing, while more mundane tasks such as image processing ran about 15 percent faster, Gelsinger said.