A while back I posted about how I purchased the Sony DSC-W300 from a store in Muthana Complex and how I got a free memory stick with it. Well I don’t know how many readers went and purchased the camera from that store (I know of at least 3) but I just wanted to inform you that there is a very high chance that you ended up with a fake memory stick just like I did.

I first noticed a problem when some photos were turning up distorted. At first I thought it was a defect from the camera and was going to return it for another one when I realized the memory stick was a fake. Here is a link with details on how you can tell its a fake, I found out mine was a fake from the way the packet was sealed.

Anyway another thing you should know is that the camera shutdown speed is effected by the type of memory card in the camera. The shutdown speed is calculated from the moment you press the off button till the lens retracts. I did a test using three different memory cards and here are the results:

Sony 2GB Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
First try: 1.62
Second try: 1.68
Third try: 1.65
Average is 1.65 seconds to shutdown.

SanDisk 1 GB Ultra II Memory Stick
First try: 2.61
Second try: 2.5
Third try: 2.54
Average is 2.55 seconds to shutdown.

Fake Sony 1GB Memory Stick Duo
First try: 5.25
Second try: 4.67
Third try: 4.92
Average is 4.94 seconds to shutdown.

So if you purchased your camera from Digital World in Muthana Complex and you got a free memory stick my advice is to throw it away and get an original one. Other than the high risk that you might lose an important photo the performance of the camera also suffers greatly.

I am not really a “lets save the world” type of guy but I don’t mind helping out by using less energy as long as it isn’t a hassle for me. With not enough electricity in Kuwait for everyone its even more important to try and save energy just so we don’t end up stuck in a 50 degree heat wave with no AC. Thats why I decided to finally try energy saving light bulbs. I used to hate them because I thought they all emitted white light which I don’t like but I just recently found out their are versions that emit warm colored light which matches regular light bulbs we are all used to. So, I passed by Ace Hardware today and picked up two 20w bulbs to try out. At KD1.050 a pop they are around 10 times more expensive than regular bulbs but they last 6 times longer and use around 4 times less energy. A 20watt energy saving light bulb is equivalent to an 85w Tungsten bulb.

First thing I did was try them out to see if the color of the light is fine and it is. It matches the color of regular light bulbs so I am now going to go back to Ace and buy a whole a bunch of these so I could start replacing all the bulbs in my house. If you’ve held back on buying these light bulbs there really isn’t a reason not to get them anymore unless its because of the price. But even the price shouldn’t be a factor, seriously how many bulbs do you have around the house? 10?

I heard a lot of bad stuff about Toshiba hard drives yet somehow I ended up buying one. Back in February Nataly needed a larger drive for her MacBook and I ended up going to Red Star in Walla Complex in Hawalli to see what they had available. I usually buy my stuff from Red Star or SoftIsland across the street since they both usually give me the best prices. The largest drive they had in my budget was the 160GB Toshiba. I didn’t want to get it but the salesman there convinced me that unlike the old Toshiba drives that were made in China and were prone to failure, the new drives are now made in Philippines and were supposedly of much better quality. I bought into that and went ahead and purchased the drive.

Just before we sold her MacBook the drive ended up dying. Luckily she had everything backed up on her old drive and so was able to recover her work but the Toshiba drive was dead. I put it aside and forgot about it until a few days ago I accidentally found the original invoice. There in very clear hand writing it stated “6 months warranty”. I checked the date and realized it had only been 5 months since I bought the drive so I headed to Hawalli today and got the drive replaced. I wasn’t to sure if they would replace it for me or not since most of the places there are pretty shabby but Red Star were pretty cool and after testing it out told me I could come back tomorrow and get a replacement. Since I didn’t want to come back the next day and since I also didn’t want another Toshiba drive I ended up settling on a 120GB Seagate and a nice discount on a decent HDMI cable.

I just installed the drive in my PS3 and its working perfectly. I will never buy another Toshiba drive ever again and I would not recommend them to anyone. They are cheap which makes them tempting but you really should stay away from them.

I passed by Marina Mall today to pick up my MacBook from the Apple store Digits. My computers logic board died and last month they told me they would fix it under warranty but it would take around 2-4 weeks for the part to arrive. Well it ended up taking 3 weeks and my Macbook is back from the dead. The whole thing only cost me KD10 which I believe was for shipping or customs. Now I’ve got three completely different sized laptops. I’ve got the 15″ MacBook Pro for work which I am finding extremely enormous. I’ve got my Asus Eee which I am finding super tiny compared to my MacBook Pro. Finally I have my perfectly sized 13″ MacBook which lies somewhere in the middle. It feels good to be back typing again on my MacBook.

I just found out about a new online electronics store called Feeezo. They don’t have a very large collection of electronics but if this is just the beginning then the idea sounds promising. The website looks like crap, and I think most of the items are from Alghanim except Feeezo is more expensive. But, its a nice idea which I think Alghanim should implement themselves. [Link]

Thanks Rakan!

I was at Alghanim today and saw this portable Humax satellite dish. It comes with a 17inch screen on the front and the dish mounted on the back. You just setup the tv/dish anywhere and point it in the right direction using the built in compass and thats it, live satellite TV where ever you are. Costs around KD300.

After a very difficult decision I went ahead and purchased the Sony DSC-W300 digital camera. It was a difficult decision to make because the other camera options I was considering were all exceptionally good. I really wanted the Canon G9 for its SLR like features, the Ricoh GX100 for its strange look and the fact it took beautiful film like shots while the Sigma’s image quality alone was enough to tempt me to buy it. In the end though I REALLY needed a camera that I could carry around in my front pocket and I wouldn’t be able to do that with the three cameras I just mentioned. That brought down my choices to the Fuji F100fd, Nikon S600 and the Sony W300. The Fuji’s interface and usability I read would be a problem, the Nikon S600 lacked in certain features and I tried the S700 version at a Nikon dealer and didn’t like the feel of it so my final decision was to go with the Sony. I own two other Sony cameras at the moment, the Sony N1 and the Sony cult favorite the F717. Both cameras really exceeded my expectations and I never had problems with them so it only seemed fair I go with another Sony.

I purchased the camera from a store in Muthana Complex. The Sony dealer didn’t have the camera in stock and they were selling it for KD124.900, Carrefour also ran out of stock on the camera but they were selling it for KD123.900. But, I found a Sony reseller in Muthana who had the camera in stock and I managed to haggle my way and get the camera for KD118 with a 1GB Sony memory stick. The store if you are interested is located on the Mezzanine floor of Muthana between Andalus and the official Sony store.

First impressions so far is great. I’ve only taken shots in my office under the neon lights but the white balance did a good job. I also don’t need to turn on macro mode for macro shots, the camera automatically turns it on for me which is a nice little feature. I also shot inside at 1/30 with fairly shaky hands and the steady shot feature automatically came on to help keep my pictures sharp. The camera turns on and is ready to shoot in like under 2 seconds. Powering down takes around 3 which I actually find annoying since with my older Sony N1 I would hit the power off and then straight away put it into my pocket. Now I need to wait a second or two longer which means I have to change my habit. Other than that the only problem I can see at the moment is with the rear screen. With my Sony N1 the rear screen had a raised border around it which helped protect it from scratches, with the W300 the screen doesn’t have this border which makes it scratch friendly. This will only be an issue for me for the next week or two while the camera still has its “new smell” after that I won’t care much about it.

I will try to take a bunch of shots today in various conditions and post my second impressions. For now though I think I made the right decision. The camera has a ton of features and most importantly it fits into my pocket easily.

FYI: The reason I didn’t purchase the camera from Amazon was because after taxes it would cost me around KD100 then if you include shipping it would be around KD105 which isn’t a major saving. I would rather pay KD118 here, get the free memory stick, have a 1 year warranty and support a local store.

Update: This is a random shot I took outside on my way back from lunch. You can download the full untouched straight from the camera image by clicking [Here]. I shot this at the 8MP setting and not 13MP.

Update 2: Here is a shot of Nats MacBook Pro’s keyboard. It was shot at 13.6MP in macro mode using iso 1600. I am really impressed, keep in mind this is a P&S camera not a DSLR. The JPG is 4.38MB so its better if you right click and save as. [Picture 4.38MB]

I enjoy photography a lot and I have a whole range of cameras each serving a different purpose. The problem with most of my cameras is that they are just too big to carry around all the time. While in Munich although I had a lot of fun shooting with my old Nikon FE the fact remains it weighed a ton and I had to carry it around in a shoulder bag.

I currently have two small point & shoot cameras but they’re pretty outdated. I have a cheap Canon A530 camera which I keep in the car and then I have a Sony N1 which I am currently taking when I’m traveling. Problem with the two is that A530 doesn’t fit into my pocket and the Sony N1 doesn’t do well in dim lit situations. Thats why I’ve decided to search for a replacement. What I would like to have in my perfect camera is the following:

- Small size
- 6MP and up
- Bright lens
- RAW capabilities
- Great battery life
- Great image quality
- Great high iso performance
- Camera controls on top (like SLR’s)
- Character
- Metal body
- Needs to look good
- No budget (ok not Leica M8 budget)

If I was going to get a large DSLR camera I would get the Nikon D300 in a heart beat. Its a very easy decision since there aren’t that many high end DSLR’s to choose from. With a point & shoot camera its a different story, there are like a hundred different cameras to decide from and each has a different advantage. I’ve been doing a lot of research the past few days and so far the following are the cameras I am deciding between:

Canon G9
Great camera, shoots RAW, solid build but has decent high iso performance and I don’t think the camera fits into my pocket so it kinda kills the point.

Ricoh GX100
Its got a retro look, very solid build, shoots RAW, bright lens and great image quality. Problem is RAW shots take 5 seconds to save and has poor high iso performance which is a killer for me.

Sigma DP-1
This camera also has a retro look and also has a solid build. It uses the same image sensor as larger DSLR’s which means the image quality is fantastic. It has great high iso performance but the camera costs more than double the price of all the other cameras I am checking out and it only has a fixed 28mm lens which although I am a fan of isn’t really practical for my purpose.

Fuji Finepix F100fd
Not really a Fuji fan but this camera has excellent low light capabilities. Iso goes up to 3200 and the 1600 iso is pretty usable judging by the pictures online. But, I think this camera is really ugly, lacks character and many people have complained about its interface.

Sony W300
This camera and the next one below are fairly conservative choices. The W300 is a great size, looks good and has a durable black titanium body. It also has a pretty decent high iso performance and was the camera I was going to get except for the fact many users have complained about poor image quality.

Nikon S600
The cheapest camera from the bunch. Has excellent image quality, great size and looks plus a very fast start up time. Main problem with this camera is the shutter lag and no manual option.

Which camera am I going to go with? I have no clue at the moment. Its a tough choice and each camera has its advantage, I will probably do a bit more research and then decide what to get but so far I think I am leaning towards the Ricoh GX100. Once I decide I will post again here.

Update: Ok, the Ricoh GX100 which I had my mind set on will NOT fit into a jeans pocket [Picture]. I thought it was smaller than that. So now the G9, GX100 and Sigma DP1 are out of the picture. The Ricoh though looks like a great camera made for photographers. I was flipping through pictures taken by the GX100 on Flickr and all the pictures feel very film like. [Flickr Pictures]

I signed up for the Cinemizer newsletter early in the year and I just got an email from them now telling me that the Cinemizer is now on sale in Germany.

The Cinemizer for those of you who don’t know is a wearable video display. According to Carl Zeiss the creators, watching movies on the Cinemizer is like sitting in front of a 46″ TV from 6 feet away. What interested me the most in the Cinemizer is the fact that it works with my iPod Video which would make it perfect for watching movies and TV shows while on the plane. Also, if I am lucky I could be mistaken for a blind person and get special treatment from the stewardess since the glasses wouldn’t look out of place on Ray Charles.

Since I am going to be in Germany next week I am going to try and see if I could test the device out before I purchase it. For more info on the Cinemizer click [Here]

In addition to the 3g iPhone, here is a short list of the upcoming phones I am looking forward to:

SE Xpreia X1:
After the release of the iPhone, Sony Ericsson have thrown out their usual styling and gone back to the drawing board with their Xperia X1. How different is this phone from its siblings? Considering that only thing SE about it is the logo, as the X1 is powered by Windows Mobile and manufactured by HTC; it should be a significant shift from previous phones. Which could result in a good thing for hardcore SE fans, as they are throwing in every imaginable concept (multiple panels and navigation) into a fairly cooling looking phone. Truth be told, I honestly have no idea what the phone is capable of (outside of dialing/sms), but it looks pretty cool doing it. And with a name like the Xperia X1, it better live up to the hype.

More info [here]

Google Phone (et al):
Now this isn’t really a phone as much as it is the brains behind it.. Late last year, Google launched Android, their open-source (anyone can tinker away) platform for telephones. Android is the basis for the OHA (Open Handset Alliance), which is also in collaboration with 30 mobile/technology companies (which will bring the Gphone to life).

What this means for the actual consumers? We are getting a phone powered by Google; in which any inspiring programmer can change/add/create applications for the public. In essence, you would be able to buy a compatible android phone, and put together your own phone system (or download one) .

One of the first phones rumored to be released is the HTC Omni/Dream..  And seeing how HTC made the Xperia X1 (above) for SE, it should be a very interesting first attempt at a Google Phone.

More info [here]

Nokia Liam (e71)
Saving the best for last, the Nokia e71 is the successor to the e61i; the best Nokia phone I have used since the days of the 6110/6310i. In addition to having the same reliability, extended battery life and qwerty keyboard of its predecessor, its also rumored to have GPS, Wi-Fi, HSDPA, and 3.2 megapixel AF camera in addition to a faster processor in a slimmer case.

More info [here]

Posted by K.

I got my Nokia E61i last July so its been with me for nearly 10 months and through this time its been really abused. Whats surprised me the most is how well its held up. It must be the metal casing because I’ve dropped it soo many times, had it slammed into the wall and really not much has happened. Now I did manage to crack the screen slightly when I accidentally dropped the phone from nearly two stories high but thats really superficial compared to the damage that would have inflicted lets say an iPhone.

Yesterday I managed to inflict more damage to the phone after dropping it for like the millionth time. Basically the phone stopped charging when plugged in. The new version of the phone isn’t going to be out for a few months and I didn’t want to get another phone so I decided to pass by the doctor in Khalid Bin Waleed street in Sharq to see if he could fix my phone.

The doctor is a popular guy in Sharq who is an expert in repairing phones. He has a small shop in the same building as the store “My Phone” except his store is in the back side. I showed him my phone and told him what was wrong an he quickly opened it up, checked the phone’s board and found the culprit. A tiny resistor was missing and he could replace it for just KD4 (probably cheaper if I haggled). I told him to go ahead and it took him just another 5 minutes to unsolder a resistor from another broken Nokia phone and then solder it onto my phone and voilà, my phone started charging again.

It’s like a drive through phone repair shop. Since the guy is very nice and a real pro I figured I would help send business his way. So if you need to repair a phone, just pass by the doctor, the store is called Life Style (don’t ask) and his phone number is 4455692.

I placed an order for an iPhone a week ago and thought something went wrong when I didn’t receive a tracking number after a few days (They usually ship them within a day). After checking the order status, I found out that the iPhone isn’t going to be shipped out until May 13th; which is almost a month after my initial order.

In addition to knowing Apple’s history of keeping quiet about new products and the pending rumors about the new iPhone .. I am guessing that the 3G iPhone is released next month. If this does turn out to be the new iPhone, I wouldn’t suggest purchasing one until the current unlock method is confirmed to be working.

Posted by K.

I was looking for an ATM machine today morning when I stumbled up this new Alghanim branch in Kuwait City. Its in the mall underneath the new KFH building next to Ahli Bank. The design is very similar to the branch in the Avenues which I’ve mentioned before I really liked. I guess this is their new look which is pretty cool.

Electrozan recently relocated to a new larger location a few buildings away from their original spot. I never passed by the old place since to be honest I hated the name and their logo and for me sometimes thats all I need to stay away from a place. Tonight though I passed by the new store and although I still hate the name and logo, I kinda liked the place.

They don’t have anything special electronics wise and the place isn’t really that big but what I liked about the place was the warehouse look. It reminded me a lot of Costco in the States except without the special offer on the 100-roll pack of toilet paper. According to a banner Electrozan had in the store, they didn’t spend money on the interior design because they wanted to pass on the savings to the consumers. Well I think more stores should follow in their steps since most places can’t get the design right anyway so they might as well just not bother trying and just do it like this, it looks wayy better than a lot of crap out there. Two more pictures after the jump.

Continue reading ‘Electrozan’…

I found this lamp at Sultan Center and its called LivingColors by Philips. The lamp can project light in over 16 million different colors in which you can control by a color wheel on a remote control. It looks really cool but I am still trying to figure out if its worth KD64. You can try it out at Sultan Center, they have a live one on display for you to play with. More information available on the Philips website. [Link]

Here is also a YouTube video of the light in action. [YouTube]