Slim and Sexy

Ni kisah Apple. Walaupun mereka tidak nyatakan kepada umum, tapi saya rasa Apple ni sebenarnya menjual seks dengan barang-barang mereka. Jangan salah anggap. Seks kat sini bermaksud cantik, langsing, mengiurkan lantas menjadi seksi.

Ye, saya menggunakan MacBook Pro Touch yang baru. Saya pada dasarnya tidak suka ia kerana tidak mempunyai pelbagai ports. Tapi, tapi sebab dia seksi saya still sayangkan laptop ini. Serius lain dari laptop-laptop Apple sebelum ni, ini kali pertama saya pakai color space grey. Sebelum ni semua laptop Apple color aluminum silver.

So agak exciting di situ. Jadinya hitam itu menawan bukan ? :)

p/s: Selain MacBook Pro 2017, barang Apple lain semua saya beli Space Grey. Semua sedondon dan seksi. Tapi kena pakai 'baju' properlah.

Hiccup Hampir Sebulan

Sebelum saya dapat setup my dream home office, sebelum ni memang terjadi benda yang agak membuatkan bisnes saya sedikit hiccup. Dia mungkin sedikit berpunca dengan emosi, dan kurang juga sebab machinary. Dalam konteks software ni, komputer yang anda buat untuk develop lah.

Nak dijadikan cerita pada bulan September saya ingat, saya ada buka casing Macbook Pro Retina yang dulu. Jadi nampak lid dan body tidak 'ngam', so apa yang saya buat adalah menghantar komputer tersebut ke kedai yang saya pernah hantar dulu untuk baiki chip dan tukar bateri di OKCS Bangi.

Yang menyedihkan adalah bila saya minta mereka betulkan lid tersebut, dengan tidak semena-mena screen tersebut tidak menyala lagi. Memang pelik lah sebenarnya. Sebelum ni OK je, then entah macam mana depa buat jadi macam tu. So, mereka suruh tinggalkan komputer untuk pemeriksaan lanjut. Tapi saya juga yang tidak bersetuju, nak hantar ke OKCS Seri Kembangan, bagi mereka tengok juga, mungkin sebab lebih dekat.

Tup-tup tunggu punya tunggu dah sebulan juga komputer tu kat kedai, actually mereka hantar ke service centre di Imbi, test punya test still tak dapat baiki juga chip visual ke screen. Lama siot nak test punya test ni. Memang saya rasa macam tak ada dah harapan MacBook ni nak kembali normal semula. Si bos OKCS Bangi ada bagi suggestion untuk jual sahaja laptop tu. Ish ish ish. Sedih gak kan. Gitu lah hidup Macbook Pro tersebut, dah berjasa kepada saya 3 tahun 7 bulan camtu, hampir 4 tahun kan. Pada masa tersebut masih elok dan gagah lagi, tapi apakan daya.

Mungkin kisah sakit Macbook ini start dari hantar ke kedai untuk tukar baterinya. Ini kisah 3 bulan sebelum hantar betulkan lid tersebut. First, hantar dekat kedai MacNote Seri Kembangan, take note, nama kedai MacNote, tapi staff dia cam tak bagus, serius tak da tauliah tentang Mac. First, buka laptop pun masukan skru balik salah. Benda-benda asas ni kalau salah, apa lagi nak buat benda lebih kompleks macam tukar bateri, kalau tak betul cara meraka buat. Walaupun mereka staff bawahan, mereka perlu diberi tunjuk ajar yang betul, cara nak cakap dengan customer. Sebab, mereka boleh pula compare dengan PC, MacBook bateri tak boleh cabut, PC boleh. Memang lah camtu kalau tak tak de korang nak buat MacNote kedai komputer. Kalau macam PC lagi bagus, boleh tukar cam tu je bateri tu beli kat kedai. Sebab pengguna ada masalah macam tu lah, korang buat bisnes tu kan?

Jadi, bukan nak condemn kedai-kedai komputer ini, mereka juga ada membantu menyelesaikan masalah komputer Mac saya yang lain. Cuma, bila comes to my own main machine, in the future, I will not give risk to give them to open it. Memang perasaan tu cam tak best langsung bagaimana mereka handle computer kita. So, kalau boleh hantar kat Authorized Service, walaupun lebih mahal. Sebab risiko dia jika dihandle oleh orang yang tak bagus boleh menyebabkan komputer anda lebih rosak dari kondisi sekarang. Bahaya tu. Kalau anda rasa tak kisah kalau something happen dan anda ada backup, dan bajet anda kurang, boleh cuba kedai-kedai komputer biasa tersebut.

OK, sampai sini sahaja coretan maintaining komputer anda. Sebab, komputer bukan tahan selama-lamanya pun, akan ada masa ia perlu diservice. Jadi sila fikir sewajar-wajarnya. Saya dah lakukan kesilapan dan ini adalah perkongsian anda. Kalau terbaca post ini boleh share juga pengalaman anda service komputer.

Terima kasih, Hijazi.

iPhone X and MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Praise to Allah, as the company has been operated, I have been saving up for the next cycle for the mobile app development. And at some point of time we have to catch up with latest technologies as tool to keep me relevant and to serve better, and create better products.

As the title mentioned, I have a chance to be among the firsts of Malaysian users to get their own iPhone X when it's first launched in Malaysia. I got it at IOI Puchong at EpiCenter on 24th of November 2017.

And recently received the new MacBook Pro 13" with Touch Bar just today. I ordered it on Apple Store in night of 20th November which is my birthday. So it took about 9 days to reach to my hands.

I took some unboxing videos, and hopefully will be able to edit and upload it somewhere. I might think people will not interested in that video but yeah, why not I think as a hobby.

OK, until next post, stay awesome.

Moving Out in Cyberjaya

I have been busy for weeks for moving out phase. I am moving out from terrace to a condo house also in Cyberjaya.

So there is so much help from latest tech that can help mea ease the journey of moving stuff.

To start off, we hunt for the house using apps like mudah and also iProperty. But mudah help us (me and wife) to find a suitable agent.

Then we use MaidEasy to book a move-in package cleaning. It's cost about RM275 for a 1000sqft house.

Then we use theLorry.com app to book for moving in lorry. I tried using their web app and also their native iOS app too. I had problem when to enter the coupon code which can give 10% of the discount, but not working on both on app and website. We used 3-tonned lorry with 2 workers. It cost about RM420.

We bought some boxes about 20 boxes, from the box company.com, we not purchase online but go to their store at Endah Parade, Bukit Jalil. They also sell other things like bubble and wrap for move-out process.

All in all, we are happy of moving out and we can have a better life moving forward.

Till then.

iPad Pro with iOS 11 and Apple Pencil

I got my hands on iPad Pro with iOS 11, which I am using almost a week now. I have iPads before, namely, iPad 2, iPad 3 (with retina display) and the last one is the iPad mini which I bought in Singapore in 2013 while attending iOS 7 Kitchen. Fast forward this year is 2017 and I have not has interest in new iPad like almost 4 years. Because it’s not that compelling so much to use iPad when you have iPhone, and it’s not so mobile and the capability is almost the same like iPhone, right?

Well that’s is pretty much change with iOS 11. Many productivity features has added into iPad, and many are exclusive for iPad. 

Actually I bought this iPad Pro because of the Pencil, and with the new iPad Pro size of 10.5 and iOS 11, all become more attractive. 

Apps that utilize of the Pencils are: SketchBook, Graphic, Notability and Adobe Draw. I am not an artist but still have skill with penciling. 

On the top of that using this new iPad Pro, I can try out some neat stuff with ARKit. 

And, I found out the iPad Pro is very useful to take note when you learn something on the web or tutorial. Like learning programming, or planning app development.

Till on the next post. iPhone 8 / 8 Plus is coming to Malaysia this 20th October.

iPhone 8 64GB ( RM 3,649 )

iPhone 8 256GB ( RM 4,399 )

iPhone 8 Plus 64GB ( RM 4,149 )

iPhone 8 Plus 256GB ( RM 4,899 )

Meanwhile iPhone X (ten)’s price also known on the Apple website for Malaysian market, but yet to know when there are available.

iPhone X 64GB ( RM 5,149 )

iPhone X 256GB ( RM 5,899 )

_____

For comparison to older iPhones.

iPhone 7 32GB ( RM 2,749 )
iPhone 7 128GB ( RM 3,249 )

iPhone 7 Plus 32GB ( RM 3,349 )
iPhone 7 Plus 128GB ( RM 3,849 )

iPhone X and its predecessor

Yes in the middle of this month Apple announced the new super-major generation upgrade since iPhone 2G in 2007, the iPhone X. Back in 2007 iPhone was a revolutionary phone. It was. The iconic home button. Simple yet super powerful, it has been proven for 10 years and counting. 

Along the way Apple has perfected it’s craft. Let’s have some recap:

• iPhone 2G: Home screen, big capacitive screen.
• iPhone 3G: GPS
• iPhone 3GS: Compass, Video Camera
• iPhone 4: Retina display, selfie camera
• iPhone 4s: Siri (virtual voice assistant)
• iPhone 5: 16:9 screen ratio
• iPhone 5s: Touch ID 
• iPhone 6: NFC (for Apple Pay)
• iPhone 6s: 3D touch
• iPhone 7: dual camera, water resistant
• iPhone 8: Wireless charging

Yes almost every iteration of iPhone there is new significant feature(s).

On the iPhone X, it’s about rethinking what an iPhone can be. Is anyway can be better?

Apple’s answer come to your face. Face ID. Face ID is a method to authenticate your phone with your face. 

Another thing is to make the iPhone all screen, and no home button at all. Apple use more gestures to manipulate functions that replacing home button.  

## iPhone as Life Style Produts 

Just like iPod, unlike MacBook, iPhone is an life style product. That is the factor that make the iPhone can be sold in massive number. We carry it everywhere, it’s designed to be not so tough, and become slower over time that we will keep upgrade it. And as we use it socially it impacts people around us to use purchase them too. And the phone is a necessity so people gonna buy it. There are lot of factor to buy iPhone as your next smartphone. Apps also one of them.

But, yet, Android came in, the price is become cheaper yet it’s seem reasonably good to use. For me Android democratise the modern smartphone. And Apple fan still will embrace the technology that Apple provide, well because we love new technology. 

And hey it’s shows when we use new iPhone X. The new vertical dual camera. We can post the animoji in Instagram and Facebook. Don’t forget the studio lighting shots. 

For usability case, it’s not bigger than the Plus version, and it should be easier on the hand. 

## Summary

All in all, Apple has never been healthier nowadays. It keeps learning, R&D new stuff for our exciting future. At the same time, make Apple the biggest tech company, and super rich. 

As app company we understand what is Apple heading, and what kind of business that we can build upon their technologies. 

September 2017: State of iReka

We had several discussion points for app businesses last month: for Cyberjaya city.

For Cyberjaya city, the council seems like the idea of having an app that can communicate among citizens in the city. In addition we can know what's happening and what's inside the city.

We have build a back-end system that stores: events, posts, POI, and push notification panel.

It's still on progress, but surely it's something fun to build and hopefully to be rewarding in the future.