Monday, April 28, 2008





(First) Time E-Speed banner that was set up in front of SKH just across the road of The Mall. (Second) A banner shows 512kbps Unlimited E-Speed now costs only $68 compare than the previous price at $68. (Third) B-Mobile’s Zoom Broadband Roadshow booth that was located outside The Mall. (Fourth) Telbru’s E-Speed booth inside The Mall. (Photos: Abdul Rashid Haji Tahir. Taken on 28th March 2008)


p/s: I am waiting for DSTCOM HSPDA has to offer. However, I am not going to upgrade my existing telephone number to HSPDA. I prefer to buy another number or line dedicated to my new(hopefully) HSPDA phone. I hope it will more affordable compare to what B-Mobile and Telbru has offered. In addition, I hope DSTCom will introduce a package that dedicated to mobile internet only. No voice call or video call and SMS. I guess 1GB of data traffic for less than $20 for such package will be okay and expected.

26th April 2008, hari Sabtu – Sebahagian Berakas (termasuk Anggerek Desa, tempat saya tinggal), Batu 1 Jalan Tutong, sebahagian Gadong khususnya kawasan Kompleks Abdul Razak (termasuk The Mall dan Centerpoint) serta Q-lap telah mengalami ketiadaan bekalan tenaga elektrik. Ini menyebabkan beberapa lampu isyarat dan lampu jalan tidak berfungsi. Keadaan ini saya sendiri perhatikan dalam perjalanan saya ke Pasar Malam Gadong.

Menurut laporan RTB (Radio), perkara ini terjadi akibat kebakaran yang berlaku di Sub-Station Elektrik Jalan Tungku pada waktu petang (iaitu kira-kira pukul 4 pm. Tak tahulah waktu tepatnya kerana pada waktu bermula ‘blackout’ saya sedang tidur-jaga. Malaslah periksa jam.)

Keadaan ketiadaan bekalan di atas adalah apa yang dialami oleh penulis sejak ia bermula. Oleh kerana ketiadaan ‘karan’ (nya orang Brunei), penulis pergi ke Pasar Malam Gadong untuk membeli kuih malaya (kuih kegemaran). Dalam perjalanan ke sana, penulis melintas kawasan Kompleks Abdul Razak. Didapati para pelanggan di beberapa restoran makan dengan cahaya lilin. Centerpoint dan The Mall juga mengalami ‘blackout’. Para peniaga di Pasar Malam Gadong menggunakan sama ada cahaya lilin atau cahaya dari kereta atau cahaya ‘ambient’ yang ada.

Bekalan elektrik (di kawasan Anggerek Desa) pulih pada kira-kira pukul 10.18 pm. Oleh itu, sempat juga saya menonton Akademi Fantasia 6 Konsert Ke-6 (walaupun menonton pada pertengahan jalan bukanlah sesuatu yang saya sukai).

(Ditulis dari pukul 10.30 pm hingga 10.50 pm, 26 April 2008)

Friday, April 18, 2008

This evening I went to AV Electronics showroom (Apple Premium Reseller) (website: www.ave.com.bn) to have a look (and touch) at Apple MacBook Air. Too bad, according to one of the saleperson, it was stolen. However, by looking at the price list (about BND3091), it is unlikely I am going to buy it. Unless, of course, I have a lot of extra money and/or I am a mobile worker and/or I always going abroad.

At present, Apple MacBook 2.4 Ghz White should be sufficient for me. I intend to use it for doing my work on MS Word, MS Powerpoint presentation, basic photo editing using Aperture, and internet (web surfing, podcast downloading, and email).

In addition to Apple MacBook, I have my interest on iPod Touch. iPod Touch costs BND514 for 8GB flash drive capacity, BND 720 for 16GB, and BND 874 for 32GB. iPod Touch with 32GB FD capacity is the latest addition to the iPod Touch line.iPod Touch can play music and video for up to 22 hours and 5 hours respectively.

The good things about iPod Touch (equivalent to iPhone without the phone) is its wireless connection wifi 802.11b/g. However, Apple (website: www.apple.com) can only convince me to buy one if only there is Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR connection as well as having necessary software to make iPod Touch works well with the mobile phone (3G or 3.5G phone) – just like what PDAs usually have. And if only, Apple adds CF or SD slot for more memory capacity. CF and SD/SDHC is getting cheaper now and with more memory capacity. No microSD or equivalent, please. Their memory capacity is limited (at present) and it is too small to handle.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008



Photo shows my son, Ahmad Zakwan, shakes hand with His Majesty at one home in Rimba on 16th April 2008, Wednesday. He is so eager to shake hand with His Majesty and his wish do come true. (Photo: PHM)






These are some of the photos that I took during SRTLDB's Prophet Muhammad Birthday Celeberation that was held on 12 April 2008, Saturday.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

12 April 2008, hari Sabtu – Sekolah Rendah Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei mengadakan Majlis Sambutan Maulud Nabi Muhammad s.a.w bagi tahun 1429 Hijrah bersamaan 2008 Masihi di dewan sekolah ini.

Acara dimulakan dengan bacaan Surah Al-Fatihah yang diketuai oleh Ustaz Asmali bin Haji Matali. Seterusnya, peraduan membaca teks Jawi bagi Darjah 2 dan Darjah 3 diadakan. Seramai enam orang masing-masing dari Darjah 2 dan Darjah 3 turut serta dalam peraduan ini.

Acara disusuli dengan peraduan nasyid bagi murid-murid Rendah Atas. Enam pasukan nasyid turut serta. Di samping peraduan tersebut, peraduan mewarna tulisan Jawi diadakan bagi murid-murid Pra Sekolah dan Darjah 1 beberapa hari yang lalu.

Kemudian, penyampaian hadiah bagi semua peraduan sempena sambutan ini dilaksanakan oleh Guru Besar sekolah ini, Cikgu Hajah Rusunah bin Haji Paka, kepada para pemenang. Di samping hadiah peraduan tersebut, Guru Besar juga menyampaikan hadiah penghargaan kepada guru-guru dan murid-murid sekolah ini di atas usaha mereka mengutip derma sempena Readathon 2008 yang lalu.

Majlis sambutan ini diakhiri dengan doa yang diketuai oleh Ustaz Asmali bin Haji Matali.

p/s: Please read Media Permata 15 April 2008, Tuesday, for more photos.

Today I get my copy of Digital Camera Magazine April 2008 issue (Malaysia Edition) for BND8.50 from a bookshop in Lambak. The things that attract me are:

(1) Nikon D60 DSLR Reviews (though it is unlikey I get one, as I am aiming for semi-pro or pro model of Canon or Nikon range),

(2) an article on photo library (where you can sell your photos on-line),

(3) news on Canon Malaysia opened its first Canon EOS Pro Centre at Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur (Address: Canon EOS Pro Digital Imaging Center, Lot 09-47, West Wing, Level 9, Berjaya Times Square, 55100 KUALA LUMPUR. Tel: 03-2143-9148),

(4) this month cover topic is about street photography (though I do not like the idea of taking people photo on the street, except during events such as car show, HM Birthday, National Day, etc), and

(5) lesson on HDR (high dynamic range) and mastery of Adobe Photoshop on potraits (though I do not do much Photoshop or equivalent software other than doing adjustments of curve, levels, sharpness, colour balance, contrast, and noise reduction as well as cropping. The adjustments that I do are what most competitions’ rules and regulations always say. However, I am looking toward trying the HDR technique from taking the multiple pictures and process them using Adobe Photoshop or the alternative).

PeachPit (Pearson Education)

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