Calvin's Hub » Think About It

The deal with the 0.7 megapixel camera of the iPod Touch 4G

Calvin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:24:18 +0000

Everybody knows already how good the new iPod Touch is but being ordinary people that we are, there’s always something left to complain about. In the Touch 4G’s case, it’s the crummy 0.7 megapixel rear camera.Apple didn’t openly say 0.7 megapixel on their website. Instead, they just stated “still photos (960 x 720) with back camera”. To get the effective megapixel count, just multiply 960 by 720 and you get 691,200 or roughly 0.7 million. Do also note that it can’t take 16:9 widescreen photos (only 4:3) with that maximum resolution.

But my first digital camera has 2 megapixels!

Yeah you’re wondering why your old trusty Canon Powershot has 2 megapixels yet Apple can’t even go 1mp. You’re thinking 0.7mp devices should not be introduced in 2010.

Apple doesn’t want the iPod Touch to be your main camera. The still photos feature is there mainly for mobile uploads to your favorite social networking sites. It’s not made to take photos that you would want to print.

But the iPhone 4 has 5 megapixels!

Before you compare the iPod Touch’s camera to the iPhone 4′s, you should be reminded that the iPhone 4’s camera also has 3x zoom and auto-focus. Not the iPod Touch. Apple says that it’s a size and not a cost issue. They have to make the Touch thicker in order to accommodate a camera similar to the iPhone 4’s.

But how can it take HD videos with a 0.7 mp camera?

The iPod Touch can take 720p HD videos (1280 x 720). As long as a camera can do 720 pixel on the short end, it can do HD video provided that the sensor permits it. You don’t need a huge megapixel count to do HD recording, you’ll ran out of space easily if you’ll use 10mp per frame on your video.

So how good is the camera on the iPod Touch 4G then?

Ahh, that’s the biggest question. If 0.7 megapixel is not that big of a deal, what kind of shots can you take with the iPod Touch? Fortunately, Engadget has some sample still photos taken with the new Touch. Here’s a sample that I resized to fit my blog:

It’s ok for blog posts such as this. And maybe for Facebook and Tumblr or what have you. Check out Engadget’s Gallery for the full size and more samples . You will notice the graininess in the photos. It’s not that great but for mobile uploads, it’s serviceable.

Conclusion

Apple positioned the iPod Touch not to be a portable camera but instead more of a portable HD video recording device (probably killing Flip). There’s a reason why the Apple website didn’t highlight the Touch’s rear camera that much. Or maybe Steve is holding off the 3mp and 5mp version of the Touch for the next two years? Hehehe.

Of course, is just one of the lesser features of the iPod Touch (coming from an old iPod Touch user). You buy the iPod Touch because you want a really portable device to connect to the net, read books, watch videos and to play games all under the big Apple ecosystem.

Oh do check out Engadget’s formal review of the iPod Touch 4G.

Real Leaf Green Tea: What’s in a name?

Calvin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 11:30:41 +0000

Anybody ever wonder how products get their name? Like for example the green tea drink called Real Leaf, does it really have real tea leaves as one of the ingredients? Or is everything artificial as what most people originally think?

According to my languid research, Coca-Cola claims that the benefits of natural green tea leaves that by the way, are sourced all the way from Zhejiang region of China are retained in their drink. Yes, I checked online that Zhejiang is a real province in China where 70% of the total green tea output in the world are produced.

Well anyway, I also realized that this is the only green tea drink that I know of that uses honey. Honey Lemon, Honey Lychee and Honey Apple. Now I don’t know if the honey used here is real honey but if it is, it’s a nice substitute for sugar in drinks. At least you don’t have to stick with sugar-free green tea drinks anymore. It also helps prevent seasonal allergies and is a good source for antioxidants.

Now I’m not promoting the Real Leaf drink. I was just curious why they decided to call it Real Leaf instead of a code word like uhmm… D3. Hahaha. If you love Real Leaf though, you can like them in Facebook or even follow them in Twitter.

Anyway I’m just curious, what iced tea drink do you prefer? And is Real Leaf one of the best-tasting iced tea beverage out there?

How much will you spend for a mouse?

Calvin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:21:16 +0000

How much will you spend for a mouse? I’m asking because I just spent P200 on a cheap CD-R King wired optical mouse and it’s giving me the fits.

When I bought it at the store, I made sure to try how it feels on my hand. Turns out it’s not exactly the same feeling for prolonged use. The mouse is a bit on the narrow side and the scroll wheel doesn’t react properly when doing short scrolls. Constant clicking with it was very tasking for my hand/wrist.

But for Php200, what can I expect right? So going back to the question, how much are you willing to spend for an optical mouse? Less than Php500? Less than Php1000? Should the cost be a priority rather than the comfort?

I read this great advice somewhere than if you have a new iPod or any mp3 player, the next thing you should invest in should be a very good pair of earphones. So should it be the same case for desktops or laptops?

Luckily, I was given this Microsoft Arc Mouse on one of the events I attended and I’m more than happy to replace my wrist injury-inducing CD-R King mouse. With a retail price of Php2,685, I should expect a more ergonomic and comfort fit for my new mouse.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

7 things you want to ask your Philippines customs officer

Calvin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:49:17 +0000

I had the pleasure to ask some questions regarding our highly irregular Bureau of Customs to our friendly licensed customs broker, Mr. Phillip. He was very helpful in helping me understand how Fedex and BOC was able to charge me an insane amount for an item I bought online and shipped from Singapore.

Through that post, I saw a lot of people getting irked with how Customs charge them for imported goods. So I compiled a list of questions and asked Mr. Phillip to answer them.

Here is some sort of FAQ if you’re planning to have an item shipped here from abroad.

1. Which method of shipping is better for the recipient? Via post office (regular) or via courier such as Fedex, DHL, etc.?

Both are better but it depends who is best in clearing your shipment on time and will free you of any hassle. My advice, if the goods are only letters, documents, etc. try to send it via EMS. If the items are loose cargo (LCL) or the so called “balikbayan boxes” send it thru so called “Balikbayan Cargo Forwarders”. Take note it will take a month or two for this kind of shipment method because it’s via seafreight!

2. What are the factors that comes into play why I have to pay Php4000 for an item valued at Php6000? Is paying almost or more than 50% of the cost normal?

Customs is implementing the WTO (World Trade Organization) Valuation System called “Transaction Value”. The dutiable value of an imported article subject to an ad valorem rate of duty shall be the transaction value, which shall be the price actually paid or payable for the goods when sold for export to the Philippines.

Usually, the cost of insurance and cost of transport of the imported goods from the port of exportation to the port of entry in the Philippines is also added in your dutiable value (purchased price).

3. Sometimes, people are not being taxed? How come?

There are a lot of scenarios that can happen. One thing for that is that shipment imported has Tax Exemption duly provided by the consignee. But NOT all shipments can be subjected to Tax Exemption especially personal shipments.

4. Are used or free items such as replacement items also taxable?

Yes as per section 100 of Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines:

ALL ARTICLES, when imported from any foreign country into the Philippines, SHALL BE SUBJECT TO DUTY UPON EACH IMPORTATION, even though PREVIOUSLY EXPORTED FROM the Philippines, EXCEPT as otherwise SPECIFICALLY PROVIDED for in this CODE or in OTHER LAWS

Calvin: Bummer. This is so unfair!

5. What is the rate of duty for and how do i know if they applied the correct rate for my item?

The rate of duty is the duty apply on the shipment arrived and based on World Customs Organization’s Harmonized Tariff System. This depends on the item you purchased or imported here in the Philippines.

It would be better if the seller or shipper determine the correct harmonized code so that customs can easily find the correct rate of duty.

Calvin: You can determine the rate of duty on the Tariff Commission’s website. Mobile phones don’t have rate of duty by the way while garment has the highest at 15%.

6. Is there an online calculator on how you can estimate how much Customs should charge you?

Not that I know of. But if you need to know the basics how to compute the duty and tax, you have to seek assistance of a licensed customs broker. Few courier companies has their own system of computing the duties and taxes.

Calvin: We’ll see if we can program one for you guys.

7. What happens if I can’t or I won’t pay for the item because the tax is too high?

Customs will treat the shipment as abandoned as per section 1801 to 1802 of Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines (PD1464) as amended by RA 7651.

There is 30 days period starting from the date of discharge of the last package of the shipment and not extendible and 15 days after filing of the necessary import entry. Abandonment can be categorized as:

Express Abandonment – expressly signifies in writing his intention to abandon the shipment to the Collector of Customs.
Implied Abandonment – the importer fails to file necessary import entry within 30 days from discharge of the last package OR importer is duly notified and filed an entry but FAILS to claim his importation 15 days after the FINAL ASSESSMENT or notice to claim his importation.

Once abandoned, Customs will auction the abandoned goods as per section 2601 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines as implemented by CMO 5-2003 or the Rules and Regulations on Public Auction or Negotiated Sale.

Calvin: Or… sell it on eBay.ph?

I’m going to ask our friendly and helpful customs broker to subscribe to this post so if you have any more questions, maybe you can ask them in the comments.

LBJ, Wade and Bosh not enough to win NBA title

Calvin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:42:10 +0000

I guess most of you already know the hottest news in sports today is LeBron James moving to Miami to join all-stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Bosh came from the Toronto Raptors and agreed to team up with Wade earlier this week while LBJ just announced his decision today.

Individually, these three are very versatile. Bosh can do 4 and 5. Wade can do 1 and 2. While James can do 1, 2, 3 and 4. For my non-basketball fan readers, the numbers 1-5 represent positions or roles in a team (point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center in ascending order).

Yes they are strong collectively, but are they enough to win a championship?

In order to win a title, they should compete well against the current champions. The Lakers are very much complete even without making any big moves in the off-season. Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, Odom and Artest already know their role in their team and it’s going to be extremely hard stopping them barring any injuries.

I don’t think the Heat could win it all at least this season. Not unless they get some really good back ups and role players which is difficult considering the amount of money the organization has already spent on their contracts.

They also need to address two weak points: a perimeter threat and a decent defensive-minded rebounding center.

Center Jermaine O’ Neal already signed with the Celtics. Dependable Udonis Haslem is still a free-agent and so is Q-Rich. Haslem is still a decent player off the bench while Q-Rich can be the shooter they need only if he becomes consistent again.

It was a good move getting rid of 2008 No. 2 pick Michael Beasley. Although he’s a very talented scorer in his own right, he’s an odd fit with the Heat and is not really a favorite of the coach. At least they cleared some money by moving him.

They still have their point guard Mario Chalmers but I don’t know what his role would be if LBJ or Wade can both handle the ball. If only he can shoot it from the outside with regularity.

Free agents who would fit

Center. Too bad Brendan Haywood already re-signed with the Mavs. He would be a good fit with the Heat. Now if only they can land Marcus Camby. Aside from that there’s nobody else left… Josh Boone perhaps? Gasp!

Shooters. Next they need somebody that they can rely on to hit ALOT of them open shots. Mike Miller is the one they’re aiming for. J.J. Redick is also a nice option. Serviceable choices are Kyle Korver, Luke Ridnour and Rip Hamilton.

Roleplayers. Usually for defensive purposes who has no problem not being in the limelight. Udonis Haslem comes in mind. Tyrus Thomas too and I wonder if LBJ would like to play with Anderson Varejao again.

Coach will have his hand full

The toughest job is still with the coach. Fil-am Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is good but he’s no Doc Rivers yet. Let’s just hope the three young stars really want to play together which will make the coach’s job somewhat easier.

I’m not a Heat fan yet because I really think LBJ should’ve went to Chicago who could give him a better chance for a ring. But I really want to see how the Heat will evolve and how James, Wade and Bosh play together in a non-international event.

I just hope that they won’t turn out like the 2003 Lakers when Karl Malone, Gary Payton joined Shaq and Kobe’s Lakers. At least there’s no “James and Co.” anymore.

The clear winner is the Heat as an organization. There’s a very strong possibility that all tickets will be sold out. Biggest loser is Cleveland of course. Aside from losing James, they will be facing him four times in the coming season.

Philippine’s or Philippines’? What should I use?

Calvin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:46:09 +0000

I’ve been searching the net for proper usage of “Philippines” but I couldn’t find any so I’m going to post it here with the hope of some journalist or writer graduate may enlighten us with the proper usage of Philippines.

Our country’s name is among the elite group of countries who name ends in “s”. Did you know that there are only four other countries that ends in “s”? Belarus, Laos, Bahamas and Honduras.

With Philippines, sometimes it can be used with or without an “s”. Philippine, without the “s”, is the proper adjective of Philippines. Example would be Philippine economy or Philippine delicacy. Just like Japanese is the proper adjective of Japan in phrases like Japanese paper or Japanese food.

But what about if used for ownership? Do we use Philippine’s? or Philippines’? For example, is it Philippine’s leading newspaper or Philippines’ leading newspaper? Which one’s correct? Or are they both correct? As a local blogger, I think it’s important that we’re consistent in using our country’s name properly.

Help?

Underwater camera or underwater camera case?

Calvin — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 06:51:00 +0000

Underwater photos or shots from the water is a must for any travel vacations involving water. Your vacation will be more memorable if you have photos while snorkeling in the water or just plain goofing at the pool.

I still rarely see casual photos taken from the water and it’s something that people who likes being close to the water should consider.

Shots taken from the water are still uncommon but they are fun and make good photos

The question is this, would you rather buy an underwater camera or just an underwater camera case? I already tried using both in different occasions and here’s my take on the issue.

Underwater camera

What’s nice about underwater cameras is that they are portable and you can easily shoot in and out of the water without having to deal with a case. They are usually built ruggedly so dropping it from a table won’t scare you.

Major disadvantage is the price. They’re quite expensive especially those that can shoot well which is important for underwater scenes. I also heard that a certain brand of underwater camera typically breaks down after a year just when the warranty is over. Screws or panels loosen up and next thing you know you will be getting water bubbles inside.

No matter how rugged or how waterproof a camera gets, it won’t stay that way over time especially if you use it underwater a lot. Better purchase extended warranty if you can.

Underwater case

Underwater cases can be as cheap as your snorkeling gear (Dicapac cases) or as expensive as the camera itself. But those expensive ones are really built to protect the camera and are perfect for diving photography. Unlike underwater cameras, you can use a really fine-shooting camera for your shots.

A big disadvantage is the size. Sony lent me MPK-WD marine pack and it’s really bulky and heavier than the camera inside. Lugging it around can be cumbersome but the protection it offers to your camera is worth it I guess.

It’s also quite a hassle to remove the case from your camera in case you want to use it on land or if you need to charge it. Good thing we have a separate camera for land shots.

If you’re wondering just how well-protected a camera can be inside those expensive marine packs, check out this story where a camera inside an underwater case traveled from Aruba to Florida. (Thanks Li for the link)

Photos

Whether you have an underwater camera or underwater case, the most important thing is still how good the camera takes photos. I used the Olympus 1050SW during our whitewater rafting adventure and the lack of image stabilization only allowed me to take mediocre shots.

It’s hard to keep steady when shooting underwater so use cameras with real image stabilization (optical not digital).

The marine pack was much better during our Coron trip because the Cybershot W300 inside already takes decent pictures. Here are some underwater shots using the Sony Cybershot with a marine pack:

So which do you prefer? I say go for anything that fits your budget. People without means to shoot from the water will be envious of you on your next snorkeling trip.

5 Reasons Why The 80′s Was a Fun Time to Grow Up

Calvin — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 01:09:00 +0000

I grew up in the 80’s and even if I may sound biased, I think it’s the most fun decade to grow up. Technology is not that advance to ruin childhood and times were still pretty safe for kids to go out and play as compared to right now.

I feel sorry for kids of this generation living in the big city with all their PSP’s and Internet that they couldn’t experience the fun that we had growing up during the 80’s.

1. No Cable TV

Having no cable TV before makes it easy for kids to stay out and play. There were only 5 channels and you know what time the kids’ shows starts. Thanks to Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, kids can now stay indoors the whole day watching TV making them lethargic than kids those days.

2. No computers

Yeah, computers weren’t that a big deal for kids before. If kids today aren’t watching TV, they’re on the PC playing some network games of some sort. I really enjoyed the afternoons before when we play outside till dinner time. Kickball, Cops and Robbers, Hide and Seek, tumbang preso, patintero… I wonder how many kids today has ever played those games.

3. No PSP, DS, GBA

All we had before was the Game and Watch with the Octopus (or Firemen) and it was a one-trick gaming device. Kids get bored easily with it so there’s more time to play tag with friends. Now if kids go outside, they bring their PSPs and DS with them so they can play network games with their friends. Bah. We were happy with our GI Joes.

4. Family computer was all that we need

We have our gaming console before and games were simple but fun despite having just two buttons and a D-pad to play with. Now gaming consoles have bazillion of buttons making Street Fighter really complicated to play. Give me my Spartan X and Contra. Even playing Mario in today’s consoles can make you dizzy.

5. We were somehow healthier

I don’t know but despite the advancement in medicine, kids before were much healthier compared to kids today. We don’t need mineral water nor flu shots and we don’t get sick even if we play in the rain or in the mud. I wonder how many kids today got the chance to play in the rain. Maybe it’s because of too much time spent outside playing.

All in all, life was much simpler back then and that what makes it fun to grow up. If ever for some magical reason I’m going to be a kid again, I would still prefer growing up in the 80’s. The only advantage kids these days have is access to Wikipedia.

Cheers to the 80’s kids! Now that’s my idea of fun!

Two kinds of professional bloggers

Calvin — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 06:55:00 +0000

So you’ve been blogging for quite some time now and you think you can grasp the ins and outs of creating a successful blog. Are you ready to quit your day job and go pro with this “blogging” thing? I’m not. But if you are, which path would you choose?

Over the past couple of years I’ve been blogging, I realized that there are two kinds of full-time bloggers. Two distinct styles to make your blog earn for you. One is noble, the other one less noble (but not necessarily illegal). Like the duality in the Star Wars universe but they do not complement nor oppose each other. Just co-exist.

So which path are you going to take?

The True Blogger

Here’s a person who blogs with passion. He treats his blog as his own baby, not wanting its image to be tainted nor compromise its integrity for the sake of easy money. He writes to inform, to share and to inspire and to voice out his thoughts and opinions without malice.

It’s not that easy to gain followers and be successful but once you get the ball rolling it is highly rewarding. And it will only lead to bigger things.

PROS: He earns respect from “netizens” and other bloggers which in turn, indirectly fuel his blog’s success. Visitors leads to advertisers which leads to income and with success comes more opportunity to make a difference in his chosen niche. Consulting offers, talks at seminars, and fame usually follow. Lots of perks actually!

CONS: It’s hard to gain ground. It’s easy to give up. It takes time (years usually) to be successful as a true blogger.

INCOME: $2000 / month is easy once you start having direct advertisers and it can go up to $5000 / month. Not to mention income from side jobs generated by your success.

The income rate here is in the Philippines. Advertising rates (including Google AdSense) differ based on the locality of your blog’s audience.

The SEO Blogger

Here’s a person who blogs just for the sake of earning money. Nothing really wrong with that. He manipulates and maximizes the potential one can earn from different online ad networks (Google, TLA, etc.) to the point that his blog doesn’t resemble anything that he stands for anymore.

One day he will be posting about UFC fights, the next day it’s about Gossip Girl then Naruto then NFL or even lottery tickets. Anything just to gain tons of hits from Google. He writes about the hottest topics out there even though he has no real interest on it.

He creates multiple blogs (splogs actually) with automated instructions to pull content from different sites while earning money from it. Blogspot is the biggest enabler of SEO Bloggers.

PROS: It’s easy once you get to understand how SEO works (which is not that difficult). You don’t need creative juices to write a successful post, just hard, boring work. It is addicting once you start earning $100 a day.

CONS: Burning out is a big possibility. You need to manage your blogs regularly to be on top of Google’s list. Once you stop even for a week, you will feel the difference in your income. You won’t have any real and lasting community. Google WILL penalize you eventually which will hurt.

INCOME: $1000 / month is normal. It can go up easily depending on how diligent you are in scraping content from other sites or how many blogs/splogs you own.

Conclusion

These are the two major distinction on how you can earn money online with your blog. It’s not easy to go pro in blogging unless you want to take the less noble but more travelled road which is being an SEO blogger. In fact, I used to try being one for a really short time but it’s just not for me.

I don’t have anything really about SEO bloggers. Income is income. I just don’t like it when they are classified as real blogs when all you see are TV shows, or diverse breaking news which will point you to their other sites which will eventually ask you to answer a survey before viewing the content. That’s just too low for me.

My suggestion? Stick to becoming a hobby or part-time blogger like me. =P

You might also want to read my post about The 3 C’s of a Successful Blog.

Thanks Abe for some of the insights on this thing.

Resistive vs. Capacitive touchscreen, what’s the big deal?

Calvin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 01:05:00 +0000

I’ve been to quite a handful of tech events already and when it comes to touch-based devices, I still can’t figure out the big deal between resistive and capacitive touchscreens. Until I did some light research.

From tablet PC’s, to the iPhone and other touchscreen phones to gaming devices such as the Nintendo DS, there are only two types of touchscreen as of now: resistive and capacitive. Ok so?

You might see a device’s specification that it has capacitive touchscreen but what does it really mean? Is it better than the other type? Which type should you aim for?

Well both types have their own uses but first let’s look at the technology behind those two, how they are made. Let’s go wiki:

Resistive. A resistive touchscreen panel is composed of several layers, the most important of which are two thin, metallic, electrically conductive layers separated by a narrow gap. When an object, such as a finger, presses down on a point on the panel’s outer surface the two metallic layers become connected at that point. This causes a change in the electrical current which is registered as a touch event and sent to the controller for processing.
Capacitive. A capacitive touchscreen panel consists of an insulator such as glass and coated with a transparent conductor. As the human body is also a conductor, touching the surface of the screen results in a distortion of the body’s electrostatic field, measurable as a change in capacitance.

Boring. Now that’s out of the way, let’s look at the key differences between the two:

Capacitive is the newer technology and more expensive to manufacture.
Too much layers on a resistive panel reflects ambient light so display is poorer against sunlight compared to capacitive.
Capacitive uses your electron-rich finger as contact. Gloved fingers or inanimate objects doesn’t work.
Resistive panels only require pressure. You can use your fingers, stylus or even your fingernail.
Multi-touch won’t work with resistive touchscreen as opposed to capacitive.

So now you know which devices uses a capacitive and a resistive touchscreen. I hope you would also learn that there’s no clear winner here. Each technology has its own use. It is also clear that it is a major disadvantage for capacitive touchscreen-based devices to sell well in cold countries.