Finis SwimP3 fix..

Finally able to get it reload the firmware into the unit. It's been months since I got it fix.. should have done it earlier and apparently the software tools does not works with XP.. blind me. .seriously need to upgrade soon. Now I can go to the pool with my favourite music again.

Surprisingly my left leg is getting so much better after KK climb!! I became very concern that my tendonitis achillies might strike during the climb.. I guess the drymax and brooks ghost 5 does wonders!! Hahaha..

Had signed up myself for River Jungle Marathon.. will hopefully able to pop the cherry with this one. Love the nature so much these day.. dont care its aging or what but definitely love nature more and more!!

Gonna set foot on KLCC Park soon.

Recapping 2012

Its Perfectly long overdue for this.. haha..anyway will just update as nothing much for the year 2012 as was being lazy :-

1. I actually got two major ads in my pockets last year at the beginning of the year which is MAXIS tvc at Langkawi and also OTWC which I almost soaked up the screen by myself. and also two Corporate video and extra talent for Biozip.. I also did a small role in Douglas Lim sitcom.. nothing to shout about.. haha..Not a bad year lah.. haha.. am quite happy for all these tvc and corporate video thingy and don't mind to saukong.. satisfy with all the fun. But it does come by will not resist. I really want to try something different in year 2013!

2. I went to Guangzhou for exhibition and pretty happy to achieve something in the midst beside the sightseeing. It was quite a fun and tiring day actually.

3. Went to Cameron Highland twice and able to snap some pics though not up to my expectation but do learn much.

4. I bought a wide angle lens.. the much desired 11-16 tokina.. its a beast and love it!

5. I joined Bersih 3.0 .. and the second time of Bersih.. though its a huge turn out. Its not as excited as Bersih 2.0 with those lari lintang pukang encounter!! :p

6. I worked part time as a despatch.. ahaha.. really thought it happen but give up ample of space and time for other stuff.

7. I did and Epic with Khoo to Taiwan and it was one of the best thing ever happen. Would want to do again next year and hope it will be more epic.

8. I did Malakoff finally on 31st but rush back for work on the 1st Jan.. Anyway, I would not have the energy to do 1st after the gruesome 188km ride.. Haha..

That's wrap up for 2012. Leg is getting better in 2013 and I hope to be able to do more this year.

Sony Xperia Active

 The Endomondo is kinda cool but the logo and the name seems to be suited for some cutie zombie game. Kinda cool the interface.. There are strava which is quite cool as well.. but let me start with this first. The sony xperia ICS new update also come with the imapmyFITNESS software as well.

 One of the main reason that got me to get this a bit outdated phone is that it has this map right where you can see it while am riding outdoor.. everything at the finger trip when going for a long ride into the unfamiliar territory.. 

 Here is a simple view .. 

One of the best thing is that it will able to upload all the workout to the endomondo site without the hassle of transferring the data via usb.. get am getting very greedy.. dont have to upload my garmin 305 and read the data.. all in a matter of seconds I can read and analyze it from the website..and pretty cool is I could export the route in gpx format as well.. haha.. I could use this for Taiwan ride with ease.

I was hoping for the Sony Xperia Go to be really a total upgrade version of the Sony Xperia active. Well.. first the let down there is not ANT+.. This 3.5 inches screen could be perfect for outdoor user with the better resolution.. and second the 1230mah super duper under zealous!! which the battery could not be readily to change like other phone.. It is screw down I guess for better waterproofing... however there are friends already express disssatisfaction with the battery life!

Now it leave me no choice but to reconsider this active. I am greedy and who is not.. want everything all in the package!! Now the first very sad sad thing about this active is the 3 inches screen.. damn!! If it is 3.5 inches will be perfect right? I got to really really pay attention to it to get the details.. haha.. anyway the bravia engine does really improve the overall display despite the super low res.. as compare with my CSL mi-300..

Now of course the benefits does weight off the let down. First I almost got everything I want to pack into one device!! I got a phone and sms .. data comm such as whatapps and facebook chat.. facebook.. all that a smartphone meant to be.. though its a single core 1ghz.. but it is more adequate as an outdoor phone.. grrr.. the size of the screen comes in again.. grrrr... Haha..

Now the main stuff about this phone is it got ANT+.. yes.. I could pair my garmin HRM strap and get the reading.. and I can get the garmin cadence sensor at an affordable price..and get all the reading!! with android offering quite handful of software.. everything is so convenient.. I even found and bought a silicone strap that could attach snuggly to my bicycle handlebar for the phone. On top of that I could take it to the pool to record my laps timing.

Yup!! Everything I ever need as smartphone and outdoor device though the screen size is still a huge setback.. Oh.. the standard battery juice out pretty fast.. I guess I need to check out the 1800mah or 2430 mah ..

Lets see how it perform it real life in a month or two..

Oh.. I got this phone from a young chap who sold it for RM400.. current AP set is around RM490.. just found out from the receipt he bought it on 25/8.... and I guess he never really use it as it is so new!! not really a huge saving.. but enough for me to get extra battery and some meals from the extra.. :p

FINIS SWIMP3

* here is what is in the package except for the goggle of course..The unit is made in China and the hard box inside exactly like what you get from most chinese own produce product packaging. Well, not too concern though as I am more concern for the mp3.

Its been my desire to find a real mp3 that is suitable for swimming. It is very boring at the pool watching the mono color tetris like tiles passing by and only accompany by your own bubble sound... especially for an hour or two swim. Nothing keep you entertain except once in awhile some SYT pop by the pool. Anyway, it was just a matter of while to keep you entertain while the paddling start.. all is the same again.

Three years ago got myself Nu dolphin.. is just crappy.. once the water sink in to the ear ..eventually it will.. and fast.. then all is lost.. I had two units wash down just like that.. not to mention the crappy ultra treble is all you can here most of the time..

Not until Jamie Patrick the ultra swimmer that introduces the FINIS swimp3. I was taken aback as how the hell does this technology work.. no earbud into the ear.. its kinda unbelievable at first. just the device attach to the goggle strap and touches the side temple will do.. WOW!! However the unit aim cheap for a country like ours after the conversion. But apparently this one works!!

So I decided that to spend RM300 plus on a swimming mp3 is all worth it as the hours to keep you entertain in the pool.. Have a great bargain deal in ebay and finally got this unit. Well, there is a return policies with it.. :)..

Finally it came two months ago and I took it to the pool.. man this thing work.. it uses the bone conduction technology and comfortably rest on your head and you dont feel any obstacle. However, my unit has a problem with the speaker on the left side.. I had never had any spoilt items that I bought from ebay except for this one. Apparently I think the consistency of product QC is left to be desire as read from other review with other issues as well.

Anyway, the ebay seller is providing excellent service and able to swap a new one directly from FINIS company itself.. So this unit travel back to America again fashionably..

Three days ago I received the replacement.. Viola.. at least this is workable and am delighted.. Took it to Bukit Jalil swimming pool and it is so amazing!!

I had dl couple of Gregorians songs and its so zen like when it is play in the pool. Now I am so looking forward to more swim!

The cleverly simple idea of having the back piece that serve as usb connector is quite a charm to charge and load songs into the unit. Well, hopefully this unit could last for a year at least.

A little Joy

There is a little joy that I found since last week. My leg is getting better!! Yes.. it came as sort of a surprise for me.. I was preparing a decent fund for the ELWT last resort to cure my leg.. yet slowly it is diminishing. I hope it could get better as  I began to lose weight. Then I can really spend the money somewhere else. It is indeed something that I am looking forward to for a long long time.

The other piece of kickstart is the training for TCR. Thought of getting Lam and Alan in the game.. but Lam is too busy with his work at this moment.. So hopefully Alan could stick to the game plan to train together at Putrajaya every Tuesday and Thursday.

I guess I could spend more time in the pool training for my swimming as well.

Hopefully in a few months time my leg will totally heal and get back to some slow run.

Swim in Bukit Jalil again

Its been awhile since I swim consistently already. I am going to make it an everyday affair and looking at improving all area in swimming.

One of the greatest motivation is the hot weather.. A good two hours swim could really prove useful for sleep at night. The cooling effect is there.

I now hydrate myself properly throughout and surprisingly find that I am less fatigue and recover faster!! Damn.. should have know and understand this long time ago.

The good news is I am able to 80% now grab back my swimming technique and manage to slash 5 stroke down to 48 strokes today. A little bit of improvement today..

I am hoping to be able to keep the 48 strokes throughout and increase my lapses more and more and hopefully hitting 60 lapses by end of next week.

Target to slash down to 45 strokes as well..

Tokina 11 - 16 f2.8 first test shot

 Good wide perspective..

 Given the right angle.. it is puncy and deliver.. love every bit of the 2.8 that stand out.

 Tokina possess a certain sharpness at 2.8 which the Tamron does not yield. It depend on your taste. I can say the lens is much more well expose than the tamron lens.. as of this case with Sony mount.

 That seemingly depth of field is well fading away.. love it.

 I wish the bokeh could be a little more creamy at 2.8 but this is quite lovely.

 beautiful contrast and sharpness from this.

 This I think is around 3.5 to 4 I guess..

Was rather busy this few days..and finally able to test a bit of the tokina in the morning. Ironically, this lens was used by the Production company to shoot me for their client.. I was really amazed! haha..

I told them I am getting this lens tomorrow.

Though the unit I got has expired its warranty but the previous two owners took good care of it.. Well, its justifiable to safe RM400 -RM500 from here and secure my lens collection for this year. This is also the most costly lens I had ever bought. Haha...

When I started photography my initial passion is landscape. However, the price of a Sony wide angle and lack of third party lens really put off my dream for awhile. Actually it was quite some years ..since 2006.

All the above have not been PP and come straight out of the camera.

Come to think of it.. luckily I didn't jump for the Sigma 10-20..

CA is visible.. but PP can take care of it and also it was not as obvious as such a distraction anyway.

The vignetting is really well control and love every bit of it.

I hope to be able to shoot some stuff this weekend.