Monthly Archives: March 2013

Vintage Phones Going For A Song

by Lionel Lam | Leave a comment

It would definitely be a crazy idea to sell a vintage phone for a tidy sum of RM 1499.00, but that is exactly what Digi did. The phones were definitely NOT going for a song, but I had to choose word that rhymed with the rest of the title. With April Fool’s day lurking just around the corner, I just couldn’t help glancing at Digi’s latest ‘offerings’ with suspicions. I’m not sure if the company has done this before, but it seems that the folks at Digi are not without a sense of humor. The first device that caught my eye was the ever-venerable Nokia 3310, which was what Nokia made they married a tank with a microchip (it was tough and state-of-the-art at the time). The phones definitely have their selling points, chiefly being the toughness of the devices, and in their own words, with one model even sporting a ‘super thick’ antenna. Who needs to carry a weapon when you can just use your phone in self-defense? Another selling point? Check.

In no order of specific importance, some of the features found across the range are as follows:

  1. Awesome snake game.
  2. Vibration alert (yeah right).
  3. Real buttons you can press (wow! Long time no see!).
  4. Looks cool when you answer phones (and I thought only BlackBerry users were dinosaurs).

Also, Digi is being such a darling for throwing in a whopping 30GB of Internet for the devices. Internet done right? Maybe, except that it may take till the next Ice Age to spend all 30 gigabytes of the allotted quota, which is hardly surprising since, you know, the phones come equipped ultra-modern WAP browsers. Not.

 

iPhoneography – Part 2

by Lionel Lam | Leave a comment

I decided to take some nice picture of Kuching, and spent the evening scouting around for a nice vantage point that overlooks the Sarawak River, and older parts of Kuching city. In my previous posting, I mentioned that the iPhone has come to be regarded as a ‘serious photographic tool’. By ‘serious’, I didn’t imply that the iPhone was a good substitute for a serious DSLR, but that it was SIMPLE enough to use – camera app MINUS all the bells and whistles that you find in even in some of the basic entry-level compact digital cameras – such that you are left to FOCUS on the creative aspects of photography. Here are some pictures that I took just two days ago.

Tua Pek Kong Chinese temple. Kuching Central Business District at rear, overlooking the Sarawak River.

Old Kuching; with a touch of ‘modernism’ at the rear – the newly completed Plaza Merdeka shopping mall. The street you see to the right of the temple is the famous Carpenter Street.

Old Kuching. The ‘towering monstrosity’ you see at the opposite bank of the Sarawak River is the new State Legislative Assembly building.

Panorama of Kuching. For a larger version, click here.

Panorama of Sarawak River. For a larger version, click here.

 

 

“iPhoneography”

by Lionel Lam | Leave a comment

iPhoneography is an art of creating photos with an Apple iPhone. –Wikipedia

The iPhone needs no introduction as a very capable photographic tool. I, for one, find it a relief to carry around, compared to my D7000, which to me feels like I’m hauling around half a tonne of bricks. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying the iPhone is a replacement for any DSLR, but many will agree that it is indeed a very capable photographic device. I personally use the iPhone 4S for casual snaps, and find it’s camera to be the perfect fit between a DSLR and a compact point-and-shoot camera. Not only does the camera perform relatively well (its low-light performance is better than many compact cameras out there, just to be clear), it’s just about the most pocketable camera (yeah yeah…I know, it’s still a phone) I have ever owned; the perfect tool for practical mobile photography. Below are some pictures that I took with my iPhone 4S. Tell me what you think about them. If you have some of your own that you would like to share, simply post the links in the comments area.

Menu Cover, at Life Cafe. Taken with my Apple iPhone 4S, using Camera+ app.

Bubble Lamps at MBO. Taken with my Apple iPhone 4S using Camera+ app.

I had some time on my hands so I was poking my nose around Flickr, and the search filter turned up some really incredible photos. The photos below were all taken with the iPhone. You can view more examples here.

“The Walk” by whats_ur_flava2000

Sunset Camel Ride by Kirsten Alana

Flatiron Building and New York City Skyline From Above by Vivienne Gucwa

 

Crepuscular Rays

by Lionel Lam | Leave a comment

I was out with my photo buddy Steven Chua just two days ago taking some lovely photos of the evening sky. The original plan was to photograph the new Sarawak Energy building, which was where he worked. The plan didn’t materialize as I couldn’t find a good angle to photograph the building, so off we went to a jetty just next to the toll bridge. The area was overgrown with vegetation so it didn’t immediately strike me as the perfect vantage point, but it did offer a spectacular view of the distant Kuching waterfront. The weather was fine but the constantly shifting clouds meant that we had some overcast with short sunny intermittent breaks, which was what we were really needed. It was there and then, that we saw this wonderful sight unfolding before our very eyes; a giant fluff of clouds with crepuscular rays seeping through, as though the divine had suddenly decided to appear for a short visit at our lovely hometown. A nice day that didn’t go completely to waste indeed. I could use more moments like these.