Friday, April 30, 2010

Apple iPad - is it for you?

I have always drooled about having an item from Apple's wide array of gadgets that you can choose from.

When my cousin got me an iPod Nano. I was over the moon!




iPod Nano Red. Special Edition. Author: o_more...Image via Wikipedia

I immediately took it out of the box and started tinkering with it. I was so fascinated with my iPod that I have stored it with lots and lots of songs, played with the 'name that song' game, checked the calendar and the other features that came along with it.
When I came here in Dubai, again my fascination to own a Macbook got revived that I even begged a friend to sell his 10-year old Macbook Pro to me so that I can have a 'see and feel' kind of thing.
I was there when the same friend who owns the Macbook got his iMac delivered to his home. I watch in amazement how this product dominated the US and is now slowly dominating the UAE.
After seeing the computers, I moved my fascination to the Apple iPhone. Imagine having almost everything that you need in one device - music, documents, emails, contacts and more! It was like bringing everything with you.
Just recently, Steve Jobs, CEO for Apple launched another equipment for Mac Addicts and Mac Addict-wannabe to rush and buy - the Apple iPad.
photo courtesy of http://www.apple.com/ipad/
I have seen it in the news... and to be honest, I was not that impressed. I guess it is Apple's answer to most of the computer companies who manufactured and design, a touchscreen device.
It did not appeal to me because 1) It does not have any use to me at the moment and 2) It looks like a big and I mean BIG iPhone prototype.
I was browsing the news for more information about this device and I saw one comment made by a 'Mac Addict'. He has mentioned that he can use the iPad to sketch his drawings and save them.


Apple's Answer to Amazon's Kindle?
The Kindle has been a big hit everywhere as not only are we saving Mother Earth by not printing books but it has also been handy for bookworms / newspaper readers to have all of what they want to read in one device. Oprah has been gushing about it in her show about how she love! love! Kindle.
However in Apple Insider, Oprah has I guess, found another love - Apple's iPad. With the iBookstore's launch, the iPad is now even more in demand! Imagine taking your lightweight computer with you to read books and then when you get tired of reading, you can play games.
Like what they say, big things comes in small packages :p
With where our technology is going, I think the iPad will probably go a long way... It's just not for me at the moment. I have not convinced myself that I want to use the touchscreen for typing my emails or doing my blogs. I still prefer the old-fashioned clackety-clack sound of a keyboard. 
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Saturday, April 24, 2010

Ukay-ukay vs. Online Auction

I was just watching one of the entertainment shows in the Philippines online when I saw one of their segments wherein KC Concepcion, National Ambassador Against Hunger, opened an online auction for her stuff which she labelled ' KC's Closet'.

In the interview, she said that all the stuff that is being auction are literally from her closet.

Now is this different from an ukay-ukay?


For the regular people, we would go to ukay-ukay stores and haggle (instead of bidding) the price from our suking tindera (sales person). People who are in a budget or just want to buy but cannot afford the designer items in stores now, will be there.

The main objective of people selling their clothes are:-

  • They have too much in their closet already 
  • They want to buy new clothes
  • It does not fit anymore
  • It was part of a past they don't want to remember 
  • They were forced to do so by their family because their things are eating up space in the entire house

During the old days, we usually just give our old clothes to our extended family, relatives, church, charity, etc. There was no price attached to it. We give it away because we know that it will either help them or well we just give it away for the same reasons mentioned above! :P

Now, someone must have seen this as a business opportunity because, at time, people are willing to pay any amount just to get 'that' thing - like when a comic fanatic sees a limited edition copy of Superman or Spiderman - they need to get their hands on a copy. No matter what the cost is.

Ukay - ukay or online auction - give it a try. It will surely leave a good feeling since you are selling items for a cause and besides being a celebrity has its perks. One way or the other, a fan would want to own 'something' her favorite movie star once have.

Happy Shopping! :)

To Strategically Get Myself OUT There

I think I have been writing this blog for a year now and I just noticed that my readers / fan base has not increased - I think it has not moved at all :(

True enough, I have not been promoting this blog as I should. Why? Hmm... I think it's more on the fact that I do not consistently write :(

I might need to start reading e-books, hardbound books and more articles about promoting myself and my writing as well.

Inline with that, I should also include in my goal / to-do list the fact that I need to write a post twice in a week... and make it personal.

While reading through my blog posts, some were personal and some were stiff. I think the posts with personal experiences or where I inject something about myself, that's the time I get people to react or comment about the post.

I guess, at times, I end up like a newspaper (and I have to say the newspaper is more interesting than my posts).

I need to learn more about reaching to people and make them read accounts that will either make them nod or shake their heads (because the post was crazy) or shrug their shoulders because they do not have anything to say.

Maybe I should not waste my time making my blog look attractive to the viewers... that can come later. My readers should be treated with respect because they would like to read more about content rather than appearance.

I should focus more on interesting topics and not post about things just because this blog needs 'some' content.

I know... so let's get it on! :-)

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Dubai’s foot-sucking fish spa launched at Wild Wadi - Travel & Hospitality - ArabianBusiness.com

Dubai’s foot-sucking fish spa launched at Wild Wadi - Travel & Hospitality - ArabianBusiness.com

Now what do you think about this?

An added attraction (I guess) for Wild Wadi as it's competition, Atlantis Water Park is gaining more attention to the tourists of Dubai and its residences as well.

It may be a first in Dubai but this kind of attraction is already visible in other countries like Turkey and Singapore.

The price is for Dhs. 55 for adults and Dhs. 40 for kids. I guess for the experience people might want to try this like the viewing deck of the Burj... but I am not sure if this going to hold up that long.

We will see how this goes :D