December 2007 Archives
A personal review
iPAQ 110 / 112 (Trad.Chinese version) is a much neglected fast, slim and affordable pocket PC, amid the rising tide of PDA phones.
It is based on XScale PXA310 processor at 624Mhz, so it is faster with almost no delay even running several apps in background. It is power saving. Mine is 112 (Chinese ver.) I can play with it for 2 hours and still more than 70% battery remains. I am happy with it playing downloaded Youtube videos smoothly and I can grab many free music videos there. I enjoy much watching Karajan's concerts with my 3.5mm earphone on 3.5-inch landscape mode screen (using TCPMP). I've inserted a 2GB SD for programs and storage. It can be a MP3 player too. I installed GSplayer for music. I placed the iPAQ in my pocket & listen with earphone while on the road. The sound quality is good though my iRiver MP3 is better.
For connectivity, WIFI set up is easy and speed is good. I can login Facebook to meet friends, as well as ebanking. While WIFI is not available, I connect it to another smartphone (Dopod C720W) via bluetooth. I activate the Bluetooth PAN on the mobile. The iPAQ can surf the net via bluetooth (GPRS). I don't have HSDPA available.
There is a new "Windows Update" feature by which I can check online if there is any update. There is currently no update, as it returns.
I like reading ebooks on PDA. iPAQ 112 has a bright crispy screen for reading text. It renders PDF files faster but reading PDF on 3.5" screen is still not a happy experience. However, it is good for reading CHM files. I installed Fast CHM program and transferred a 74MB Photoshop CS Bible to SD. I can navigate different parts of the book smoothly (while older models or PDA phones lag). CHM is certainly more legible than PDF on this PPC.
Given its current price HK$2,3XX, it's a lot cheaper than high-end PDA phones (e.g. TyTn II costs about $5,900 & bulky). The difference is more than enough to buy another decent 3G mobile. The iPAQ 112 has the potential of becoming a multimedia portable player as well (with additional software). I also look forward to the coming of the 210 model (4" VGA screen) ...!
It hangs if I switch tasks too often; some programs may freeze it (e.g. task manager apps) probably due to compatibility or WM6 issues. That's quite common among ppc gadgets. Somehow program installations messed up things & I decided to hard reset it. I found the way to do it but not easy with 2 hands only.
While power on:
1. press Win + OK + record buttons together
2. while doing that, press reset hole and hold for 3-4 seconds
3. release reset, then release buttons
4. the screen shows "CLEAN BOOT" and enters the iPAQ introduction screen....
Verdict
It depends on if you need a PPC nowadays given so many PDA phones out there. I suppose if you want speed, stability, power saver, smooth video, to try many programs, and don't mind carrying an extra mobile, iPAQ 110 is perhaps the only affordable choice on market by the end of 2007.
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如果你只一個人做hard reset，將ipaq一邊頂住，然後一手3 手指按下3制，另一手插住reset button... or u need another hand.
現在時興PDA phone, 純pocket PC市場縮減。HP 也不賣IPAQ 112廣告; 它是被忽略了的好機器。速度快，不hang機。我玩弄了2小時，還有>70%電。 不要裝Collins CoBuild 1.0 dictionary 在中文版(112)上，因它會使某些介面變亂碼。我亦期待iPAQ 210誕生市場。
這是大陸的I.T.商戰故事,一共三集,我全看過。頭二集在網上看的,第三集第一時間在深圳買的。故事頗緊湊,不像一些大陸小說八股口水多過浪,流暢,少悶場(近期的「市長秘書」則相反,還說得了甚麼獎),一看便知作者是圈中人,非空想「老作」,不像TVB無線白痴商業劇。當中可學到一些職場策略,說話的智慧，中外商業文化之互動交戰。家人不是IT界的也讚好看。
"小說中所涉及到的IT行業的殘酷商戰和外企圈子內幕均以真實事件為原型，基於作者深厚的生活積澱，生動描寫了在華外企高層的各地各色人物。"
第三集附有作者王強的講座實錄DVD。
書的網上版可在新浪讀書找到。
高中時我以為自己知識豐富,入大學後才知自己無知。圖書館汗牛充棟。同學來自江湖四海,一過招便知自己不足。交了首份功課後,全班被講師訓了一頓。無法呀,都無人教如何做。那是我唯一一份通宵做完的功課。
在大學裏世界彷彿擴大了,面對知識的海,若無名師指點,頓失方向,不像中學時老師把你餵飽,要自己主動充實自己,不然就像學妹說好像學不到，抓不著甚麼。
其實學妹的疑問從另一角度看也是「事實」。太多可以學的,書本的,人際的,總覺時間有限,三年大學生活如白駒過隙,便覺得自己學不到多少。
我常對後輩說,大學中不在乎學了多少,首要學懂如何為學。(Learn how to learn) 畢業不是終結,而是進入「大學」之門。HKU校訓不是提供一方向嗎?大學之道,在明明德。現今都說終身學習,大學畢業只是一生學習之始。雖然效率下降,我仍不斷自學,保持對求知的雀躍。Internet實在提供不盡資源,這較上一代學習方便很多。
唐君毅在「青年與學問」談學習的階段,讀書的不同境界,是我年青時喜歡的書。如有好老師指導便可少走彎路,兼吸收功力。可惜我在學時遇不著甚麼好學者。也許那時HKU不像現在,講師像很優悠,少做研究,一些華人講師還"寸"過老外。回憶我那屆同學成學者的,都負笈海外而有所成。反而哲學系的講師清一色外國人,各有風格,叫我印象深刻。那時Professor Moore置了一部Apple II電腦,我們圍在一起玩機;也許它正啟蒙我對電腦的興趣。
回首三年,我也有點像學妹所說,學到的不多,除非留在大學做研究(也輪不到我)。大學時期只建立了基礎; 在日後的鑽研中學的會更多,包括人生的不同科目。
Another UMPC with dual OS - Windows Vista and Windows Mobile 6. Really want to try it.
Platform
- Mobile Notebook
- Microsoft Windows Vista Business
Processor/Chipset
- Qualcomm MSM 7200, 400 MHz
- Intel low power processor, 800 MHz
Memory
- ROM: 128MB
- RAM: 1GB DDR2 microDIMM for Vista
- HDD: 40GB with G sensor
LCD Module
- 7” 800*480
- Color TFT LCD with LED backlight
- Touch Screen
UMTS/HSDPA/GSM/EDGE Data Function
- Internal antenna
- UMTS/HSDPA (tri-band, 850/1900/2100 MHz) and GSM/GPRS/EDGE (quad-band, 850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
- HSDPA
- 3GPP Release 5 compliant
- UE category 5/6, QPSK, 3.6Mbps peak rate
- EGPRS Functionality
- EGPRS class B
- Multi-slot class 10
- PBCCH
GPS
- Internal GPS antenna
- Standalone GPS
Wireless LAN (manufacture option)
- WiFi 802.11b/g
Biometric Security
- Finger Print Reader
Digital Camera
- Color CMOS VGA Camera for Video Conference
小時家中曾有部唱片機，放的是大人聽的貓王Elvis及Cliff Richard。中學時聽卡式帶接觸古典音樂。那時買了一套讀者文摘的套裝,首先接觸的是John Strauss的圓舞曲,容易聽。雖然畢業時音樂科failed得了個G級,無礙我後來對它的興趣。高中時首次與同學去大會堂聽concert(也看過數次香港話劇團鍾景輝,何文匯等演出)。到現在我仍只會看簡譜,不懂五線譜的,故我不奢言懂音樂。我愛聽而已。
流行音樂會令我興奮,但不像古典音樂(不在此論其定義)能觸及人心靈根處,feel感覺不同的。例如看Youtube上貝多芬(Beethoven 9th Symphony)第九交響樂時,總是很感動。這Bernstein 1989柏林版本我有CD版,但沒有video, 故Youtube真是分享的好平台。我記得八○年代時我買了很多古典音帶,連店員也認得我。那時一盒好像要四五十元。記得大學時買了第一部三洋牌walkman($400-500?), 工作第一個月出糧後花了三千元供了一套愛華牌微型音響(頗貴,我當時月薪四千塊,現在買一千可以吧?). 之後Sony出了第一部discman,我第一時間跑到旺角買了一部(HK$1,600,無電池送)。我還記得店員戲言CD耐用,可以墊火爐。之後有一段時間常去尖沙咀通利買碟,有時一買五六張,每張約一百元,挺貴的(1980s)。那些碟仍在,一部份失蹤了;但那對花了一千元的英國喇叭(音響友不入眼的)現仍可用。好在我重音樂，不重音響，沒拋掉。
有些音樂我仍是聽不懂的。很奇怪,我也不愛opera歌劇。我偏愛Baroque, Classical & Romantic時期的作品。近來也聽某些new age音樂。我去年放了一段Vivaldi四季在Youtube, 點擊率甚高,個個讚。入門者可聽巴洛克時代作品。不要只聽本地膚淺音樂,擴展一下心靈空間吧。
可惜中國沒有「古典音樂」,這點中國真的不如別人。
The blog is not something innovative. Forum & discussion board have been there since DOS times and perform similar functions. Blog is just a personal CMS & 1-to-many. Its commercial value is not as high as expected, and probably becomes another web fad. It will remain as a means of individual publishing. It may attach to or be assimilated by social webs in coming days. Some predict in 2008 the rise of integrated TV-mobile-web platforms and how'll the blog play its role?
I am writing this blog because I want
- to try out myself the practice of blogging and how it feels.
- to see how effective it is in sharing and communication.
- to see its implications in education, say, as student portfolio.
- to try how blogging systems / programs work and evolve, in dual languages.
- to treat it as a diary or personal records
樂見立法會補選Anson Chan勝了葉劉。有人說陳是忽然民主，那葉劉就更加是了。至少葉劉從來給我的印像更差!
吾相信民主(黨)雖非完美,仍是較佳選擇。Democracy is the lesser of the evils.
吾不屑攪假民主諂媚之輩。民主乃潮流,亦民心所向也。
就算今之CCP中央亦非「我說了算」便能成事的。老毛時代,俱往矣!
Yesterday 忽然上不到網，打上去與support談了15分鐘都不能找到問題所在，Netvigator話今朝send人來看看，都未出現。昨天整天都唔掂，間中上網10數分鐘便斷，但modem燈長亮，連NOW TV都死亡。他們說無工程進行。
今早7:00am仍然上不到網，10am時又OK了。
12時了, 技術人員仍未到...我看是他們昨天在弄工程...浪費我的時間。
無錯，PCCW的人剛來電說近日在這一帶及商場更換儀器，說有email給了我(都無收到)，還讓我今天不要關ADSL Modem讓他觀測。，昨天phone support又話無工程，他們之間都無collaboration。
David Tang criticized Lang Lang's UK concert as "definitely and indubitably a distraction and an unwelcomed sign of egoism ". 郎朗技巧高超但仍須摸索音樂的靈魂，懂音樂的要聽好的，非身體動作表情。現在不少人忽略音樂，只愛看歌手外型舞姿，那些新上位年輕歌手，歌藝真一般，只靠包裝，然後伸手入你袋搶錢。我則聽歌聲，不重外形，新一代要看"表演"多過音樂本身。
郎朗20多歲，學習上還有長路走，如鄧永鏘說"There is an enormous amount of scholarship on every piece of classical music. There is no substitute for some proper study of it..."
No interpreter is bigger than the music itself. 詮釋者不能僭越音樂旨趣。
Widgets 小玩意
