A sunset picture captured with a compact camera can still look good

But once you get serious about photography, then you might want to consider a DSLR digital camera. With so many choices available, you should try to get a beginner’s model. My choice would be the Nikon D3000 and I recently purchased one. Definitely worth every single cent that I paid for it. You see, the satisfaction you get by “creating” your own picture through the DSLR digital camera is priceless. You can start off with the standard 50mm lens and then move on to other kinds of lenses like telephoto lenses or macro lenses depending on your favorite photograpy subject.

But a DSLR can make it awesome by playing with the exposure

Not to forget color composition too

You might still want to keep your compact digital camera even though you might have purchased a DSLR digital camera. It certainly will come in handy when you need something small and easy to handle like an office party. If you were thinking of whether to get a DSLR digital camera I hope that this post might have helped you in some way.

My favorite DSLR camera – Nikon D3000

What’s yours?

I know this is a web of confusion when it comes to handling the legal aspects of it but something must be done soon to preserve the sanity of big cash rich companies such as Apple. A good patent system should not be a hindrance to development of innovation! Otherwise we might as well be better off with a system such as one in China where there is no system to protect the IP of any company or individual. What’s your thoughts?

Via TUAW

Here’s an extract from the report from International Business Times:

KT priced the 32-gigabyte iPhone 3GS at 369,000 won ($317) for customers subscribing to monthly plans based on the basic rate of 45,000 won ($38). Subscribers paying 65,000 won ($56) in basic rates can have the iPhone for 264,000 won ($227), while premium users signing up for monthly plans based on a 132,000 won ($113) basic rate could have the phones for free.

The 8-gigabtye iPhones were priced at 132,000 won ($113) for subscribers signed on the 45,000 won ($38) monthly plans.

As iPhone made its formal debut in China on October 30 through China Unicom, South Korea is one of the last major countries in Asia to get the iPhone which is also on sale in Japan, India and Australia.

Way to go Apple!

By the way, here’s a video demo of what googlewave is all about.

1. Call for pointless meetings
2. Say “You’re doing a great job” while in fact you’re thinking “Your so screwed!”
3. Arrange for a one to one meeting with your employee. Postpone it 20 times (minimum). Finally meet up with employee. Postpone the meeting again for an hour. Prepare to visit a client. Tell your employee “Can you walk me to the door? We can talk along the way. It takes 2 minutes to reach the door anyway”
4. Keep changing your employees product portfolio but don’t communicate it to him until he learns of it from his peers
5. Give your employee absurd quota numbers to meet
6. Give responsibility but no authority
7. Never ever respond to your employee’s emails until he reminds you at least 3 times (via email too)
8. Ignore phone calls
9. Call him anytime you like
10. Make him your personal technician to fix/upgrade your PC, mobile phone, smartphone

Nice, that makes 10 on the list. I’m sure this list is going to expand since we have so many innovative managers who don’t have any idea about what they are doing. Angry employees with tons of experience on this field can add on too!

For some comic relief, check out this video below. Beware of the pissed off employee!

I have been facing customers in my line of work for the past decade and recently been running my own business too. I’m amazed how I manage to restrain myself given the potent combination of my short temper and the jerks I meet as customers. The reason I tend to believe that the customer is NOT always right is because some of them can be really disruptive for your business and can actually be bad for your profits too. You need customers to make money, but if they’re going to suck you dry you don’t need them. It is even worse when you have a bunch of employees who have to face such jerks and eventually their morale is going to be pulled down as well.

The phrase “Customer is always right” is being used indiscriminately these days. It was initially coined to give the customers a sense of security that the business will provide their best services for them and to also motivate employees to provide excellent customer service. But there are so many customers who take advantage of this and think they are some kind of “God” and deserve to be kissed in the ass. Sorry that’s not going to work. Yes, you will bring money to my business but if you’re going to be disruptive you can take your money elsewhere. Also think how unfair it would be to more “gentle” customers when you start giving in to abrasive customers. Something that you would not like to promote as a precedent in working with you or your business.

It’s definitely not wrong to say that the customer is wrong at times. Stand up for yourself and your employees – they will be motivated to work for you and in fact will improve your customer service in the future. You take care of your employees and the customer service will be taken care of by itself! Let there be a more professionally relationship between you as a vendor and the customer and things will fall in place. If you made a mistake – own up and fix the mess. If you are being taken for a ride stand up for yourself and stop being so spineless. After all money without dignity is nothing in life.

So you tell me – Is the customer always right?

Fearing the worst, my colleague and I somehow managed to catch a train to Ulm and we were reassured that the hotel was right next to the train station. I saw the train leaving Stuttgart and within a good thirty minutes we were passing through some lovely countryside. This was certainly refreshing for me and I couldn’t wait to get to Ulm now. We got to Ulm on time and managed to check in to our hotel which was a stones throw away from the railway station.

After a quick washup, we decided to check out the town of Ulm. The town is quite laid back with some very friendly and warm people. Roads were made of stone and it was like almost from another era. People were well mannered and drivers were disciplined on the road.

The laid back town of Ulm

The place was certainly paradise for me as we passed through numerous micro breweries each with their own brand of beer and dark beer. Anyone who visits Germany has to try the pork knuckles and beer! It is to die for! Ok, back to the story. My colleague and I started exploring this little town and in no time realized that Ulm was actually home to the tallest church in the world. What a privilege it was for us to actually be in this little town which was not even known outside Europe. Not wasting a single moment, we started snapping photos of this wonderful work of art.

View of Ulm Minster from outside our hotel

What a majestic sigh it was to look at the church. The view nearer to the church was even more breathtaking.

Up close and personal with Ulm Minster

I wonder why this beautiful church doesn’t get too much notice outside of Europe. Is it probably because of the fact that it is predominantly protestant? Not sure. But whatever it is, this church is a fantastic work of art. I did some research on the Ulm MInster and here’s an extract about the history of this beautiful church:

Ulm Minster (German: Ulmer Münster, literally: minster) is a Lutheran church, the tallest church in the world, with a steeple measuring 161.53 m (530 ft) and containing 768 steps. Located in Ulm, Germany. Although sometimes referred to as Ulm Cathedral because of its great size, the church is not a cathedral as it has never been the seat of a bishop. (The responsible bishop of the Evangelical State Church in Württemberg – member of the Evangelical Church in Germany – resides in Stuttgart.) Ulm Minster is a famous example of Gothic ecclesiastical architecture. Like Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) – another building begun in the Gothic era – the Ulm Münster was not completed until the 19th century. From the top level at 143m there is a panoramic view of Ulm in Baden-Württemberg and Neu-Ulm in Bavaria and, in clear weather, a vista of the Alps from Säntis to the Zugspitze. The final stairwell to the top (known as the 3rd Gallery) is a tall, spiraling staircase that has barely enough room for one person.

Thanks to Wikipedia.

Unfortunately I didn’t get to visit the inside of the church during this trip. I hope I will be able to make a trip to Germany sometime in the near future so that I will be able to look at the inside as well! Hats off to medieval architecture!

itunes store malaysia takes you to the app store

There’s a little trick that you can employ to get this done. Thanks to Globalitunes you can now create an iTunes account from anywhere in the world. All you need is your credit card or paypal details and you can well be on your way. You can also purchase an iTunes gift card which would mean that you wouldn’t need to enter any credit card details. Here are the steps you need to take to create your account:

1. Go to the itunes application and locate the lower right corner of the application. You will see the Malaysian flag which indicates that you are connected to the Malaysia iTunes store (which doesn’t exist by the way). Click on it and change it to Unites States.

2. Click on ‘Redeem’ on the top right corner of iTunes.

3. Enter the redemption code for the iTunes gift card you purchased and click ‘Redeem’

4. Click ‘Create Account’

5. Click ‘Continue’ to indicate you have read the terms and conditions

6. Create your iTunes account here

7. Now you will be required to fill out your name, address etc. This will have to be a US address. Fret not, you can easily get through this step by visiting fakenamegenerator. This website helps to create a random identity for you with a corresponding US address as well.

Enter the details in the box that appears in iTunes but DO NOT enter any credit card details. Just click ‘None’ and continue.

8. That’s about it! Enjoy downloading music and videos from iTunes.

Step by step instructions reproduced from Globalitunes Setup Guide.

A neat way to create an iTunes account for Malaysians. But I certainly hope that Apple will soon bring the iTunes store to Malaysia as well.

Now, who’s the expert? You tell me!