My Crappy Life | Syed ™

Having to face extreme pressure and stress due to your deadline and complication when undergoing research, would burden anyone. That goes with me !! Won't lie about that. Worse case scenario, the direct effect of over stress, would limit your creativity to write. WHERE YOU'LL BE STARING AT A BLANK PAGE THINKING WHAT TO WRITE !!  Has that ever happen to you? For assignments? projects?

The best remedy that i believe to counter this problems, is by having a break. An hour or two to calm your mind. In my case, I would be hitting the gym or playing games just to take that burden away. Different people have different style, though which is the best is still based on individual preference.

So don't give up and put your head up guys.

Another day, let's change to topic for the day on investment prospect in Malaysia.. I believe, proper plan is needed to obtain a better financial stability in the long run :)

Gosh! It has been age's since i blog a post. Life back as a student really takes up time. To many things to do, so little time. *face palm*

After 7 months undergoing PhD, I've realized "time is management CRUCIAL". Without proper planning, you are actually  doomed to fail. Well as you have a proper day plan, mine would be 4-5 hours work and the rest would be MY TIME (either hitting the gym, PS4, just chilling at home streaming free online movies or TV series) "THANK YOU KODI !!". That's the best way to kick that stress all away :p

Though the main question people keep asking:

1. Is PhD difficult? Nothing is easy in life guys. I would say it may be difficult on the early stage, getting use to the new environment and learning various research technique for a quality research paper may be grueling, and I won't lie if is never asked myself repeatedly "What the hell i'm doing here? PhD for what? Feel like giving up now? Duhh!! Stress!! Stress!!". However, i believe with hard work and dedication and motivation from family, friends and not forgetting GOD. You'll do fine. Some people believed PhD is all about luck (Example having a good supervisor? Problem in term of health and resources to support your project? etc.). To me luck does not play a role, BUT YOU DO !! HOW YOU PERCEIVE THE JOURNEY IS THE KEY ROLE TO SUCCESS. FURTHERMORE NOTHING IN LIFE IS DIFFICULT AND IMPOSSIBLE, UNLESS YOU PUT YOUR HAT DOWN AND SAY "I GIVE UP". 
2. What is PhD all about? Well thank god, my supervisor suggested me getting a book entitled How to get a PhD. Worth every pound. Well, lets make it as simple as possible. PhD IS ALL ABOUT, GROOMING YOURSELF TO BECOME A RESEARCHER. Through out the journey you'll be taught of various research techniques, proper procedure and ethical rules that you have to abide (though i never give a damn! about it in the past, but now i perceive it differently).
3. Should i take it? If your'e interested in learning and exploring a research study further on, go for it. However, if you just want the status"Dr.", then it ain't a good idea. I still remember what my professor asked me when we first sat face-to-face. "Why PhD?" and I answer "Due to my interest of knowing more". The best tip would be, selecting a topic that you're really into. It be a 3-4 years research (that's in the UK, not sure in Malaysia). You'll be reading the articles within the research field, go for conferences and present in-front of your colleague. Thus, IF YOU SELECT A TOPIC THAT IS LESS INTERESTING TO YOURSELF, YOU MAY BE HAVING DIFFICULTY FACING ON THE LONG RUN.
4. Overseas or Malaysia? That would be based on your $$, though i prefer the overseas, due reason most overseas supervisors are knowledgeable in their specific field (taking their tacit knowledge and make into your own, would be a great strategy), exposing yourself with a new environment would further encourage you to grow and provide a better prospect for your working career in the future.
5. What University? Conduct research, see which top 10 University best suit your research field. I WOULD SUGGEST CONTACT POTENTIAL SUPERVISOR DIRECTLY THROUGH EMAIL ON YOUR IDEAS AFTER YOU DID A BACKGROUND CHECK ON EM (E.G. PAPERS THEY HAD PUBLISHED) << JUST IMAGINE YOURSELF AS A STALKER LOL!
6. How to get fund? There are many options in Malaysia, Google it.. :p Though i was funded by MARA. I had prepared an early proposal and got the University placement before the interview. That could be the reason why i'm selected OR just luck .

There is huge misconception that PhD is difficult and person who get the title "Dr." must be  genius. My answer would be NO. IT'S ALL ABOUT HAVING YOU TO NEVER GIVE UP, AND FIGHT BACK WHEN EVER YOU WANNA GIVE UP. WITH HARD WORK AND DEDICATION, YOU'LL DO GREAT.



SO GOOD LUCK !!

Fans of fitness will have to look elsewhere if they hope to track their daily activity via their Android phone, as Nike has confirmed it currently has no plans to develop a FuelBand companion app for Google’s mobile platform. Shame, shame. The news first came by way of Twitter but was later confirmed by a Nike spokesperson.

“[W]e are focusing on the FuelBand experience across iOS and nikeplus.com,” the statement reads, “At this time we are not working on an Android version of the app.” That app, which is available for iOS users, provides a means to interact with the minimalistic FuelBand, tracking activity, setting fitness goals, and sharing results with friends.

The lack of FuelBand support for Android doesn’t mark the first time Nike has snubbed non-iOS users. The standalone Nike+ app was available for those with Apple-branded smartphones for years before it finally came to Android last summer. It’s really quite surprising that the global brand is choosing to actively ignore the largest smartphone userbase in the world. It isn’t as though the sportswear company can’t afford to hire the necessary software engineers.

While the confirmation comes as a disappointment, the silver lining is that Nike did not expressly deny the possibility of the app coming to Android in the future. It may take years, just like the Nike+ app, but someday we might be able to count ourselves among those tracking daily fitness goals by way of NikeFuel.



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After months of waiting, the Nexus 4 Wireless Charger is now on Google Play. According to the product page, the Nexus 4 Wireless Charger weighs 130g and measures 76pi x 53.05(T) (mm). While Qi inductive chargers are technically compatible with Qi certified devices like the Droid DNA or the Nokia 920, the angled surface and unique design pretty much grantee that the Nexus 4 is the only device which will be able to use the charger.

If you have $59.99 to spare or simply don’t want to hassle with charging cables any more, we suggest you hit the source link below and order your Nexus 4 Wireless Charger. You never know, this thing could be sold out before the end of the day.



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Maxis being the first to offer 4G LTE service in Malaysia has finally announced its 4G LTE smart phone bundling. Initially Maxis 4G LTE was only launched with its Wireless Broadband service offering. There are 2 devices being offered – Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC One XL which both supports 2600MHz frequency.

The 4.5″ Nokia Lumia 920 is offered as low as RM1,099 while the 4.7″ HTC One XL will be offered from as low as RM1,199. Both devices will be tied with either Maxis SurfMore 75 or TalkMore 78 with 3GB bolt on data plan. The HTC One XL looks identical with its One X sibling but instead it runs on dual-core Qualcomm Krait processor as opposed to the One X’s Quad Core Tegra 3 processor. The devices will be available at Maxis centres at KLCC and TTDI.

In terms of speeds, Maxis 4G LTE offers up to 75Mbps with average speeds hovering around 10-30Mbps. Currently its 4G LTE coverage is limited to Klang Valley including areas such as TTDI, Damansara Utama, Desa Sri Hartamas, Bandar Puchong Jaya, Bandar Sunway and Putrajaya with more areas to be covered soon.





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Galaxy Ace 2 is a popular mid-scale smartphone that has attracted many for its affordability and features. There have been reports that Samsung will update the Ace 2's firmware, which will enable some functions and fix some of the glitches of its current firmware and already, the Galaxy Ace 2's loayl patrons are anticipating the upgrade.

Samsung pre-released the Jelly Bean firmware for the Galaxy Ace 2 today and provided screenshots to tease fans and enthusiasts. Users can update to Jelly Bean on March or April. Some of the Samsung smartphones such as the Galaxy series, namely, Beam, Music, Ace Plus, Mini 2, and Chat have also been reported to be possibly upgraded earlier on. Furthermore, all of these units will already feature the full touch interface, TouchWiz Nature UX, along with other devices by Samsung that run on Android operating system.



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The Samsung Galaxy S II which is turning 2 years old might be dated but that’s not stopping it from getting the latest updates. Earlier on, the Exynos based Galaxy S II (9100 non-G model) has received its Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update but those owning the TI-based 9100G model had to wait a little longer.



Samsung hasn’t forgotten the Galaxy S II 9100G owners and they have been reported to start rolling out Android 4.1.2 updates to these models as well. According to Sammobile, the new update brings a host of new improvements including a smoother UI experience and revamped skin similar to the latest Galaxy S III and Note II. So far there’s no exact roll out dates by countries but we suggest 9100G owners to check for updates now or in the next couple of weeks.



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The Wall Street Journal reports that Google and Motorola are working together to produce an “X Phone” and “X Tablet” for 2013 release. The devices are said to be separate from the Droid line of products, which leads us to believe they could be sold under the Nexus brand.

Dennis Woodside, new Motorola Mobility CEO, told the Wall Street Journal that his company is “investing in a team and a technology that will do something quite different than the current approaches.” He admits that Motorola has ”fallen under hard times,” but it “now has the support of a shareholder in Google that has resources to do big things.”

Google CEO Larry Page is reported to have told the Motorola team to “think big” and wants them to reach the scale of Samsung Mobile’s business. People familiar with the matter said Page has ”promised a significant marketing budget for the unit.”

Details are limited, but Motorola is said to be working on “top-notch features for the phone’s camera and photo software.” Neither Motorola or the Nexus brand has ever been known for great cameras, so this would be an exciting development if true. Motorola is also said to be exploring the use of a “bendable screen and materials such as ceramics”, but they have “run into obstacles associated with manufacturing and supply-chain management.”

A person familiar with Motorola’s plans said they will incorporate new imaging and gesture-recognition features from Viewdle, a company they acquired earlier this year. Viewdle says their computer vision technology “showcases the power of your smartphone through camera-based innovations in augmented reality, device interaction, media management, gaming, and social networking.” Check out the video clip below for a preview of Viewdle’s technology.



We are huge fans of the Nexus brand, so it will be interesting to see what Motorola and Google come up with. Motorola has already demonstrated a focus on improving battery life, and it’s nice to hear that their camera technology will receive some upgrades.

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Acer may be something of a leaky ship. Just days after we saw the supposed V360 smartphone pose for the camera, a possibly related V350 model has reportedly shown up in GLBenchmark's results. Despite the lower number in the naming scheme, the device put through testing looks to be the higher-end of the two. It jumps to a 720p screen, a speedier 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor and even a slightly newer Android 4.1.2 build of Jelly Bean. Without a peek at other details, we don't know what else if anything might be upgraded over the V360, or if this is indeed a real device -- benchmarks aren't definitive proof, after all. If history is an indicator, though, we could get full details of the V350 near Mobile World Congress in February, like with past devices. We just hope Acer is timelier about actually getting to market this time around.



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2013 is going to be the year of Full HD smart phones with displays capable of pushing 1920×1080 pixels resolution. Sony is already known to be working on its next successor – C650X Odin and C660X Yuga which comes with a 5″ Full HD display.

Now word has it that the upcoming Sony Yuga will be called the Xperia Z. Just like the Xperia Acro S & Xperia V, the upcoming Xperia Z is also IP55/IP57 rated for water/dust resistance.

While the launch date is yet to be seen, Russian tech site Mobile Review has managed to get their hands on one which they have reviewed in detail. The device is found running on Qualcomm’s 1.5GHz quad-core S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB on board storage which is expandable with micro SD. At time of their review, the device is running on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean with Sony’s very own sleek UI. In terms of imaging it comes with a 13MP camera although the on screen option only shows 12MP.

Design wise, it looks like a Xperia ion with its clean all black front. Instead of physical buttons, the Yuga uses on-screen buttons like the Galaxy Nexus or Nexus 4. Just like the current crop of Xperias, the upcoming device uses flap covers for its ports which we find them pretty annoying and this time they have loads of them.

You can check out the full Mobile-Review of the device here or head after the break for detail shots of the Yuga.










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Samsung GALAXY S2 I9100 users are patiently waiting for the Jelly Bean update, we saw the pre-released of the S2 jelly bean 4.1.2 a while ago and it was good and very stable but not yet ready. Samsung scheduled the update for a Mid-November release but it was sadly postponed. Now we are getting reports that the Galaxy S2 Jelly bean 4.1.2 update will start rolling-out by January,2013 as a late Christmas present for the S2 users.



The Canadian carrier "Rogers" has also confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Note (N7000) update will be due to Early January and Samsung Galaxy S2 (I9100) Jelly Bean update will start rolling-out by late January, according to their schedule (Photo above). As usual the update will Roll-out to unlocked devices first before it hits the carriers versions which means we can expect the International Galaxy S2 to get the update by Early-January.



Galaxy S2 users has gone through a major update before, ICS 4.0.3 Update, and most of them knows the delays the update gets before reaching their devices, So they have to be patient and they will taste the Jelly bean with all its amazing new features as Samsung promised.



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Toilets & Apps are an easy sources of humor, but in Japan, they take their toilets seriously. In most Japanese households you will find either a Toto or INAX commode that will heat the seat, spray warm water to rinse, and blow warm air to help dry things off... cool huh?

Knowing how technologically affluent Japan is, it was only a matter of time before we would witness the onset of a smartphone app and a compatible toilet to do our bidding via that App. The app does everything from raising the lid, to controlling the bidet or monitoring energy and water consumption.



The INAX "Satis" is a fully featured toilet that also has built in speakers so you can play music to foster your imagination while sitting on the "throne of thought." The Android app, "My Satis" connects via Bluetooth and in addition to controlling all the toilet functions it will also establish a diary of activity which may actually be handy in monitoring one's health.

This INAX toilet cost/ price around $4,500 and the App is available only in japanese, sadly.



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The splash-proof Sony Xperia Tablet S has finally arrived in Malaysia with the 16GB WiFi version being priced at RM1,399. The WiFi + 3G version is also available at RM1,799 for 16GB and RM1,999 for 32GB respectively.



To recap on the specs, the Xperia Tablet S runs on a 1.4GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, 1GB of RAM and comes with 9.4″ IPS display that does 1280×800 pixels resolution. For expansion, the Xperia Tablet comes with a full size SD card slot at the side. In the camera department, it has a 8MP HD camera at the rear and a front facing 1MP HD camera. Design wise, it still retains the similar slopping look and it is 8.8mm thick at the thinnest and 11.85mm at the thickest point.

Compared to its predecessor, the new Xperia Tablet S comes with a aluminium back for better durability. It also has splash resistant capabilities being able to withstand up to 10 litres of running water for 5 minutes. Out of the box, it runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

As a special Christmas promo, those that pre-order for the 3G version will stand a chance to win another 3G unit for free. In addition, they are also giving out a free carrying case for the Xperia Tablet S and cleaning kit worth RM188.

For more information, head over to Sony Xperia Tablet Promo page.



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Still remember the buzz around Proton Prevé? Well, it seems that Proton is not done with the car just yet – say hello to the new Proton Prevé Hatchback!



Said to codenamed as P3-22A, this image was taken by an eagle-eyed driver on a highway in Shah Alam recently who originally thought that the car was a Ford Focus. Still in its disguised form, it should only a matter of time before more shots like this starting to pop up on the Internet given the Proton’s previous track record.

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The ASUS PadFone 2 is finally launched in Malaysia today with the price tag of RM2,799. As the successor of the original PadFone, the new version comes with a larger 4.7″ smartphone which is now powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm S4 processor mated with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The PadFone station which is the tablet dock is now slimmer and lighter at just 649 grams with the phone docked. Also new on the PadFone 2 is a slide-in docking mechanism which is much more seamless.



Other notable hardware specs include a larger 2,140mAh battery, 13MP f/2.4 camera and a better 4.7″ Super IPS+ display that now does 1280×720 pixels resolution. This time around, the PadFone 2 is lacking micro-SD memory expansion slot.

The key benefit of PadFone 2 is its seamless transition between phone and tablet mode. Since the brain is on the PadFone 2 phone, docking it simply transfers your current session onto the big screen with minimal lag. In our review of its predecessor, we find switching between phone and tablet to be rather seamless which also depends on the support by apps. If you carry both phone and tablet around and looking for a better convergence between the two, the PadFone 2 is definitely worth checking out if you don’t mind its rather hefty price tag.

To find out where to get one, you can check the list of participating outlets here.



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The Samsung Galaxy S III is being upgraded to the latest Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean which comes with a host of features that was first introduced on the Galaxy Note II. Dubbed as a Premium Suite upgrade, the S III will get features such as Multi-Window, Contextual Image Tagging, Best Faces, Paper Artist, Low Light Shot and much more.

To get acquainted with the new features, Samsung has released an official hands-on Premium Suite videos.




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UPDATE: Celcom iPhone 5 plans are now live on their website. They use a different plan table format from the one above and an advance payment between RM150-RM450 is required during sign up.



Celcom has finally revealed its iPhone 5 plans and offering to those who have registered their interest earlier on. Instead of the usual “i” plans, the iPhone 5 is now bundled on Celcom First plans with bolt on Mobile Internet.

There are 4 options available:

Celcom First Prime + 4.05GB data – RM98/month
Celcom First Prime + 6.05GB data – RM128/month
Celcom First Premier + 6.1GB data – RM168/month
Celcom First Elite + 6.2GB data – RM238/month

All plans come with bundled Calls/SMS/MMS which varies depending on plan option. In terms of iPhone 5 bundling, Celcom offers either 12 months and 24 months contract. You can get one as low as RM278, which is tied with 24 months contract of Celcom First Elite Plan. If you’re wondering what’s with the weird 50MB-100MB data, that’s actually the bundled free data quota from the standalone First voice plans.

There’s no mention of advance upfront payment at the moment and from the table above, they are giving out extra rebates of 10 months (for 12 months contract) and 20 months (for 24 months contract) that ranges makes the monthly subscription between RM73-RM196 depending on plan and phone model.

To secure a unit, Celcom is offering pre-booking at RM200 which is available at their outlets nationwide. The official availability is on the 14th of December where all 3 telcos are offering it simultaneously.



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Windows Phone 8 devices are trickling into Malaysia with the recent appearance of the HTC Windows Phone 8X and Nokia Lumia 920. If you’re looking for something bigger, the yet to be made available Samsung ATIV S could be your cup of tea.



Seen as a WP8 cousin of the Galaxy S III, the ATIV S comes with a mammoth 4.8″ HD Super AMOLED display, removable 2,300mAh battery and an option to expand storage via microSD.

Unlike its Galaxy S III relative, the ATIV S comes in a aluminium-like design and finish and comes with a dedicated camera button as well. Compared to the rest, the ATIV S is the thinnest among the Windows Phone 8 offering at only 8.7mm.

While waiting for it to be rolled out, Samsung has released their official hands-on video of the ATIV S highlighting the design, UI, social capabilities as well as camera function.





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Samsung has just Officially released the Samsung GALAXY S III Premium Suite Upgrade, the Premium suite is basically some new features that will be added to the the Galaxy S III along with the Android 4.1.2 Jelly bean update very soon.



Samsung went through the trouble of producing a multi-part video (Watch Part 1 below). Under that heading, we have Page Buddy. This is a feature that someone should have thought of before. You can set your phone to recognize when the earphone jack is in use and have your phone automatically go to your music. The Contextual Menu will allow you to see the most frequently used apps first, and with the Contextual Tag, photos are tagged with the date, located and weather.



Enhanced Features include Multi-Windows, a multitasker's best friend. Two apps can be run on the screen which is split into two equal windows. Turn the Auto Share Shot mode to on and share photos and videos by tapping other devices that support NFC and S-Beam. Reader Mode lets you more easily control the size of the text on your phone and share it. Lastly, the Facebook Lock Ticker lets you view your Facebook news feeds on your lock screen.



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