Robinleung’s Corner (v2.0)

the dits and bits of robin’s life…MAYBE MORE!

New Shortcuts (cmd-N)

So, as the semester rolls to an end. There’s the horrific’s of finals peeking in the corner. For some reason, I’m not too frightened by this finals symptom yet. Maybe it’s because mine doesn’t start till next week. In the meantime, I think I’ll rant more about my new experience with my Mac.

If you’re asking me where in the journey I am with my Mac right now, I’m probably at the age of 12. Not bad considering that I got this thing for less than a week ago. Now why do I say 12, and not any other number. Cause at the age of 12 is when kids start asking silly questions (or what we [adults] think are silly questions). For example, why do we use this? What is this for? How do you do this, do that? On and on… And I thank you…for those who are patient with me as I zoom through this adolescent stage of my mac life!

I’ve got a pretty good grasp of what “Preferences” are like now. Especially “System Preferences”… that was like my 1-5 years old stage of life. And I’ve got a whole lot of programs ..wait…“Applications” running all at once now. So, what next? SHORTCUTS

After you learn how to crawl, walk, and I think now is the time I start runnning. I need to engrave these “SHORTCUT KEYS” in my head. So, I can actually run a Mac and not walk a Mac. Aside from the normal “quits” and “minimize”. I’m saying specific programs such as Mail. I actually had to look online how to click the SEND button with a shortcut key, cause “Alt-Enter” ain’t working no more. It’s “cmd+shift+D”. See, there are complications to Mac.

And with the new MacBook there is ONE thing I don’t get…why are all the controls on one side and all SQEEZED together? And while the other side, you see one lonely DVD-drive. I haven’t noticed this at first, but there is actually a battery reader on the side of the new MacBook (with a push of a button) which is quite unique. But, the question is…why on the side?

Anyhow, with the time I had learning all these new shortcuts…I did feel smarter…and I guess I am still yet learning. So, instead of re-learning materials from the textbook for my finals in a week. I’m learning new materials for my Mac!!! That’s the way to go.

Hint of the Day:
“Ctrl+Alt+Delete” = “cmd+Shift+esc” FORCE QUIT!

Here’s some funky things you may not have known even if you were a mac user!
- 4 fingers on touchpad, swipe down = ALL WINDOWS
- 4 fingers on touchpad, swipe up = HIDE WINDOWS
- 4 fingers on touchpad, swipe across (left/right) = “ALT-TAB” for Windows users.

Interesting…

Source: @heavengoloo


The Big Transition: PC -> MAC

Today I’d like to tell you about my personal first experience as a mac user. Bought this MacBook Unibody yesterday at one of the local dealers and well to be honest, I’m very surprised how minimal the design of the package is. It’s smaller than a briefcase. So, I wasn’t ashamed at all carrying it around the whole day since I still had plans and meetings…and the feeling was overall mm…”showoff” …with that big Apple sign on one side and that big MACBOOK picture on the other.

The WOW

Once I got my MacBook, I first announced to @anothersamchan and then my Tweeps on Twitter. Then of course…also connected to Facebook…and the rest of the world. Pretty anyone that can see my Profile or are following me will know…it was an experience. I know my close friends have been dying for the minute I switch to thie Apple Book. Well, the moment has arrived. And I actually felt a little proud how much Apple has influenced on the world and even my closest friends. It was amazing! I loved the support. I love the community and social group. It’s very mm…welcoming and helpful. And even before I decided to get this MacBook, there were so much rant and support. How could I resist peer pressure? Well, besides peer pressure, I also trust my judgement and it was definately an investment. An investment well worth $300.

The Ripping and Tearing

I think this part took more effort on my part, trying to figure how to dig the MacBook out without scratching it. Believe it or not, it took me a whole 5 minutes to figure out how to get this thing out of the box. Because Apple packaged it so well in its box, it fitted perfectly in the rectangle case and it almost seemed impossible to take out unless you dug your hands deep in. But, all this time I didnot realize there was a tab/piece of cardboard sticking out…and all it took was a lift! How stupid is that?

The Opening of the MacBook

The experience wasn’t really a big “WOW”. Instead, it was just opening any other notebook. But, plugging in the extended adapter was a joke. I spent two minutes figuring out how on earth you’d plug the extender adaapter to the current adapter. I am not joking…it was quite entertaining for my friends to watch me trying to figure it out. Right, @anothersamchan and @rainonasunnyday.

Powering it on.

If you know what I’m talking about…it’s the power-on sound of a Apple computer. It reminded me of those old MacIntosh back in the elementary school days. Old memories…aww!!! The setup was a breeze…didn’t take much brain power and definately a lot faster than PC setup. What I noticed however, you are getting 30GB taken up by Apple existing softwares. I do not know why Apple takes 30GB on it’s own already, but if you have 160GB…you really only have 130GB from start, which was a BIG surprise to me…cause I thought PC 3-5GB on startup already was alot.

First Use

On my first use, well I have used Mac’s before…but this time I’m talking about stuff I want on my MacBook and stuff the way I want it. I would say Mac is not much of an organizer. (Or that I didn’t master it yet). But, as a Mac user I think the first impression I had was how easy it was to setup; install applications, and its speed is absolutely astounishing, no lags, no noise, just peace. The LED screen is astounding, the sun was setting right into my screen and when at MAX I am still able to look at the screen ever so clearly. It’s not a joke. The best thing of all, I am still able to use Windows on a Mac!

Disadvantages

There are disadvantages to Mac’s. (Yes, doesn’t matter how gd a system is…there are disadvantages.)
One of the major disadvantages to Mac is probably the speakers, I think the speakers on Mac notebooks are extremely weak, it’s not for the deaf’s. Even though, I will probably never ever really use the internal speakers, but still this has always been one of the weaker side of Mac’s.

My other complaint about mac is (well, it’s more on BlackBerry)…where the heck is the Desktop Manager for Mac? It’s been forever long…even though many Apple users to carry the state-of-the-art “iPhone” but hey….there are BlackBerry users out there. So, come one! Stick with the program!!

Another weakness of the Apple is its powercord, come on…make it scratch-proof. Even though, I haven’t scratched mines yet, but I can see that it’s impossible to keep plastic unscratch. So, come on! Make it Aluminum or something.

I’m sure there’s more disadvantages out there, but I haven’t used it long enough to see the other side of it. So, stay posted.

I wish I took pictures and videos of this moment, but I had no camera with me at the moment. And well…my Curve…lol…I think it’s time to get a new BlackBerry.

A Beavertail Story

Recently I have updated my Facebook DP and I was intrigued that some Canadians on the westcoast does not know what a Beavertail (also known as BT) is. And I was not surprised…for several reasons:
#1: We do not have a lot of beavertails store in Vancouver. (In fact, I’ve only visited one.)
#2: I guess it’s not as cold here…not the same experience when u’r eating one -20 degrees outside.

But, I do think it’s time I introduce this ‘fried dough’ to you all western canadians! This piece of fried dough is very very temptacious (tempting + delicious). It’s basically a piece of very thin (no more than 1cm) of dough that is deep fried in boiling oil and then topped with butter and sprinkled with sugary sweets…then served HOT.

Now after this short description of what a Beavertail is…why not try one?
Here’s the nearest location if you’re in YVR! (Click Here)

Still not convinced? How’s this:

Me crunching on a beavertail.

Me crunching on a beavertail.

If you’re still not convinced…then I guess you’ll just have to watch the video:

Featuring @alyssapizarro and @heavengoloo. Follow us via Twitter.

Source: Beavertails

It’s been ONE month!

Well…see…it’s one month since I have abandoned my blog. And you would wonder what I’ve been in one month. Aside from the crazy midterms, assignments, moving, networking, papering, and projects…I’ve also been highly invovled with two networking sites: “Twitter.com” and “LinkedIn.com“.

It’s actually pretty neat doing something that I normally wouldn’t find myself doing. The normal me would concentrate on one thing at a time cause I believe in quality rather than quantity. So, multi-tasking…mm…not that I don’t like doing it. But, I don’t see why one would spend a small session of time working on a partial thing. Whereas, one could be concentrating on one BIG thing and making it BIG!

So, for the last month…I’ve been doing exactly not that! And I see the other side of the picture…there’s actually benefits on the other side. You get more time, you get to interact with different peeps, you get a broader view of what’s around you. Sometimes we’re so consumed at what we’re doing that we forget there’s actually people and other interesting things around us.

TIP OF THE MONTH: “Work at it with all you got! But, don’t forget to take your head out of the water for a breath! You’ll see much more!!!” – Robin

Vanoc 2010! – 1 Year Countdown

Today is a special day for the city of Vancouver! Guess why?

Haha…yes…the title says it! It marks the one year countdown for Vancouver 2010 Winter Games!
As excited as other citizens of Vancouver…I’d want to be among the first to welcome the world to the beautiful British Columbia. This is it. This is the place you want to be in the next year…all athletes will be coming down to Vancouver to more or less train for their games within this year. And…as we get closer and closer to the games…I think Vancouver is going to turn into more or less like Toronto and New York. CHAOS!!!

Don’t think Vancouver has hold an event this big for the world since the EXPO. Well, as a Vancouverite… this is sure exciting. Yet, frightening at the same time. With ppl from all across the globe coming to Vancouver…Vancouver will be even more multi-cultral than before. And I guess…we’ll just see whatchanges the world will bring to Vancouver in the next year or so…

Let the COUNTDOWN begin!!

Reporting LIVE in Beautiful British Columbia

Blackberry owns iPhone

Sources: CrackBerry.com

Fire The Gatekeepers

As John Perry Barlow or John Ptrick once told me (I forget which), the World Wide Web isn’t about pages, it’s about people. It isn’t about information, it’s about the ideas and insights of people around the world.

Regardless of whether you regularly read Salon.com, The New York Times online, or any number of frequently updated blogs and personal Web sites, the true value of your experience, evolutiopn, and insight doesn’t lie in the words you read on the screen but in the minds of the people who write them, as well as your reaction to their writing. We as readers need and deserve to know who those people are. And we need to recognize, reach out to, and embrace them.

In the blog world, on the Web, such outreach is easy. We can see who writes what, and lives of their proprietors and magazines are much the same. For the most part, we can easily and effortlessly make contact, correspond, and collaborate with people like Dan Gaillmor (formerly with the San Jose Mercury News), Eric Zorn (Chicago Tribune), and other with just a few simple keystrokes.

But with most media – inclulding Web sites, newspapers, magazines, books, music, and film – gatekeepers stand between us and the meaning makers. We need to fire the gatekeepers.

Entire industries and professions exist to keep us from interacting with the people we need to know: politicians, business leaders, writers, musicians, and other cultual creactives – people who make things happen and contribute to (and refect) our collective reality.  Traditional media, even, is largely designed to keep us from the knowldge we need, not to facilitate learning. So we must find a way around the approved channgels of communication – the PR agencies, media trainers, publishing houses, record lables, film producers, and so on.

This is already happening online as media and meaning makers reach out to us. But if they’re not reaching out – if it’s not in the vested interest of the organizations controlling the more economically lucrative modes of promotion and distribution – we need to help these thinkers and doers to do so anyway. We need to reach out to them.

In Califronia, Hyland Baron, an indepedent arts, economics, and urban-developement- oriented community organizer, reads the Oakland Tribune religously. She underlines people’s names, details about projects, and other useful information. Then she writes those people e-mails or letter or calls them on the phone with recommended resources, incentives for introductions, and other expresisions of support and congratulations.

I do the same thing. If I read a book I’ve found personally or professionally importatnt and useful, I try to track down the author. If a piece of music affects me, I reach out to thank the artist for their effort. And if I want to meet, learn more form, or help someone I encounter online or off-line, I write to them.

I do this not as a fan but as a comrade, as a coconspirator. Because if someone else’s work has improved my life or my work, it is my responsibility as a consumer, customer, and fellow creator to help imrpove their lives and work in kind. By doing so, I don’t just benefit them, I benefit myself. Perhaps an idea, introduction, or resource will inspire and lead them to create additional media that you – and others – can tap into and use. You never know.

Such an approach to life requires an assumption of indirect reciprocity. We must assume that the people who makes things happen are visible, accessible, and responsible to those who use their tools to make still more things happen. It also suggests that we need to open ourselves to such outreach from those who wish to approach us.

Once we fire the gatekeepers, we can keep the gates of inspiration, implementation, and interaction open.

Source: The Big Moo

Happy CNY

I was going to do my first vlog for this post. But, I guess my busy schedule just didn’t accommodated for that.

Instead, this’ll just be a normal post of  “blah blah blah”. But, still…HAPPY CNY to all!!!

Good Night.

Blackberry Unlock

Here’s your chance to unlock a Blackberry device for FREE!!! That’s right, “FREE!” Until this Sunday.

If you have a locked Blackberry because of your network provider, you can unlock it here for FREE until coming Sunday.

Source: Redflagdeals.com

DineOut Vancouver 2009

Well…Since I’ve started out the week with some advertising for Starbucks…might as well let it continue.

For those of us in Vancouver, we have a tradition every January to have this craving for food. Just like Winterlicious in Toronto. And this year, it has started again! Except, there is a difference in pricing this year…there is a $3 increase to every sets of meals offered. Now, there is many conversations going on, why the increase in prices when there is an economic down turn?

Well, I’ll leave the economist explain that. And as far as advertising goes…here’s a few ways to get connected to DineOut Menu’s and updates:

Feel free to leave comments if you have any suggestions to go for this year.

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