eBay sell Skype

Is almost four years later, eBay finally sell Skype to a group of investor lead by Silver Lake, other investment venture include a new venture by Marc Andreessen. eBay sell 65% Skype share for about $2 billion, which is a good price, compare with 2.6 billion acquire price in year 2005.

eBay want to sell Skype for a long time, there are rumors saying that Skype co-founder Niklas Zennstrom wanted to buy back Skype. It seems like a wrong for eBay, because after 4 years time, Skype doesn't really help eBay sales. When eBay buy Skype, eBay thought that their users may use Skype platform to discuss the buy/sell transaction.

Skype is a good product, when Skype first launched it was very popular for its good voice quality stream over through the Internet. Skype not just run on Windows, Mac and Linux desktop platform, it also run on mobile like Windows Mobile, Symbian and iPhone.

Skype has added other services including Skype in and Skype out (online number), so user can use Skype to dial a normal phone number, or receive call from a normal phone number (Skypein).

Skype is a very potential software platform and service, I think it just lack of a good lead. Skype have more competitors like Google Talk and voice chat from instant messenger.

Apple talk August 2009

Is unavoidable to talk about Apple this year (actually for all these years). First Steve Jobs, the important man behind (and in-front) of Apple Corp., take six months "leave of absence" to fight with his recurrence cancer illness. Is so important to the public, investors and board of directors complain that Steve Jobs shouldn't hide his health condition, which is not just a bug bites or "hormone problem" that causes Steve Jobs' slim down.

(steve jobs looks thin, flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/plasticbag/2197013436/ )

Steve Jobs just came back from his medical leave, but still not shown his face in the public, especially not on WWDC event last June, which he usually give the opening keynotes.

Apple iPhone has a new version, it runs faster and with more features, like the missing "copy and paste" function which was asked by most of the users. This is the 3rd version since iPhone launched 2 years ago, the second iPhone was named 3G, so they name this iPhone 3GS, 'S' should be means of speed.

What's next? Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard is going to be released on this Friday 28 August. The upgrade price from Leopard is just USD29, but a new version could cost more. Upgrade with iLife is is USD169, family pack is USD229. You can pre-order online now. As I know many of the developers and tester already running the new Snow Leopard (developer version) on their Mac.

Problematic Honda CVT gearbox

I did noticed, there are more Toyota Vios than Honda City on the road these days, even though people keep criticize the ugly Vios outlook. I am just comparing Toyota Vios and Honda City here because these two companies have a lot of supporters here.

I have heard from some peole telling me, don't buy the Honda City, because the problematic gearbox will cause your wallet to bleed a lot. The gearbox will give you problems within few years time, it cost about RM20k to change the gearbox, which is about 25 percent cost of the car. This is ridiculious. Most people choose to sell the car than just replacing the gearbox.

The Honda CVT gearbox problem refer to the blog and forum here, here, detail description of the problem here and here

The problematic gearbox is refering to the Honda CVT gearbox. What is CVT gearbox? A Continuously Variable Transmission gearbox, in simple words it smoothly change the gear, so you don't really feel it. Handa use CVT gearbox (not just) in their Honda City 2003-2005 model, which is a 7-speed gearbox.

Not all CVT gear box will have problem. Nissan is another car manufacturer who use CVT gearbox, but their CVT is a different technology call x-CVT, which has good comment on Internet. Honda gearbox have more problems probably because the technogy is not matured enough.

There are people complain on the Internet, why use a unmatured technology? Because time to the market is important. May be the top management under estimate the problem, obviously who ever make the decision has made a mistake.

While I was doing software development, it happen many times that even we know there are some improvements that we can do to the code, but we still need to release the software earlier? Why? Simply because time to the market is important.

Surprisingly some big IT company will do the same thing like Honda did, push an unmatured product to the market. I have used a batch of HP netserver during year 2001 which give me a lot of problems, the engineer take weeks to solve it. Imagine you are paying 20k to 100k for such an unmatured product.

Apple and SUN are the two companies who selling good and reliable products, including both hardware and software. Even you pay a higher price for it, you fell worth paying it, it does not mean all other products are not good. I just share my experience here.

I heard Honda City has used a new gearbox to replace the CVT gearbox, which is 5-speed automatic, the old one is 7-speed. You better check if you plan to buy a Honda City.

I like P2 than P1

Is a painful process to talk with P1, the WiMax provider.

Before you sign up, they can promise you anything, but after you sign up, and you have problem with the network, you can't even get through their help line. It could be the same and common to all broadband providers here.

Before you sign up with P1, they allow you to trial for two weeks time, for a fee of $50, this is reasonable as for the $99 per month package. I heard from friends and Internet forum, the first two weeks trial will always fast and stable. After the trial period, is not always the case.

For my case, network problem (line drop) only happen after four months time. I call to the help line, they promise to give me some rebate for the few days that I was not able to connect to the Internet. The line drop problems still happen very frequently.

I decided to hold on my payment till P1 solve the network problem. The collection department call me personally, ask me for the late payment. I told them I am having network problem, they say network problem is the responsibility of the other department, they just call me to remind my late payment, but they will forward my problem to the responsible department. I received a dead line notice after this, but my broadband problem remain unsolved.

I just go to their HQ in a Saturday morning, and told their customer service that I am having network problem. First they check that I have reach the 20G usage quota (What! I don't even know that there is a 20G quota), so my bandwidth will be limited. The problem is I can't even connect at all! Later they found out that my line has been suspended, because I didn't made my payment. That's is one day before the payment dead line!

I keep complaining to the customer service, I didn't get a good service from P1, and P1 want to collect the full payment without solving my network problem. I encounter line drop very frequent and sometimes can't even connect to the internet. Seems like the earlier complain through the phone call doesn't seems to appear in their report system!

I still experience line drop and connection problem, after I clear my payment. I go to the HQ customer service for the second time, and inform them my problem. Their reply is, I have reach the 20G usage quota. After talk talk talk for a while, they told me that P1 network at my area is congested (Wow! New excuse). I look at the slogan that they put on the wall, "we are here to listen". Yes, I think they just listen and no action. I request for a rebate, and they agree. This is the second time they have agreed to give me rebate.

The network support give me a call, few days later. They told me that my problem is caused by the congested network in my area (Yes! I already know the problem), it will take them about one week time to solve the problem (they did solved it). My complain is, I can not use my Internet and I still have to pay for it. They agree (again) to give me rebate, this is the third time in my record.

Is already two months time after P1 offer me the first rebate, but I still don't see any rebate on my bill. I really feel very tired talking to P1. The holding company of P1, Green Packet just reported a higher net loss of RM27.9 million for the secod quater of 2009, compare with the net loss of RM4.9 million of the same quater last year.

Green Packet posted a higher net loss of RM27.9 million for its second quarter ended June 30, 2009 compared to the same quarter last year of a net loss of RM4.9 million.

In contrast, revenue grew 151.5% to RM56.5 million in the quarter.

The company said the net loss in the quarter was mainly attributed to heavy promotional activities and subscriber acquisition costs for the broadband business.

Is a heavy investment in telecommunication and broadband business, I can understand their loss, but they still need to improve their service. I really prefer P2 than P1, at lease P2 have the sexy Rachel Nichols.

Facebook acquired FriendFeed

Facebook just acquired FriendFeed, the announcement was made on Monday, news are everywhere over the Internet. Since Facebook and FriendFeed are both privately held company, the acquisition amount was not reveal. According to TechCrunch, the acquisition cost about 50 million in cash and stock. (please refer to Wall Street Journal, photos from Paul)

Before Facebook acquired FriendFeed, there are rumors about Facebook offer 500 million to buy Twitter (mainly in stock, refer here). FriendFeed is providing streaming status data, similar with what Twitter does.

I always like to emphasize that Facebook and Twitter are both community website, but they are different. Observation is Facebook becomes more and more Twitter-like website, or may be FriendFeed-like website.

FriendFeed is a successful startup, it was co-founded by former Google employees. I doesn't know what will happen after Facebook acquired FriendFeed, but is a good move for Facebook, and a good time for FriendFeed to pull out as a standalone feed aggregator.

Honda Advanced Technology Roadshow

Honda is running a roadshow to promote their car technology (eg. i-VTEC, Hybrid) at 1 Utama Shopping Centre (new wing) - ground floor. It started today, the event will be on all day (10am to 10pm), from 5th to 9th (Sunday).

Personally I like the Civic hybrid and the new Honda City. The Civic hybrid is an environmental friendly car, combine combustion engine and electric power system. In simple word, it uses both petrol and electric to power the car, so it consume less petrol.

The Honda Civic Hybrid is a hybrid electric car like the Toyota Pruis. Both Google founders - Larry Page and Sergey Brin drive Prius (not sure they are still driving now). Prius is not selling in Malaysia here just launch this week (update: price around RM175k).

Here are some photos:

Honda Accord, now came with 3.5-litre version.

New City has 2 model, S and E
This is E model with better spec

Rear view looks nice

Civic Hybrid selling at RM129,980.00

If you don't like the Honda cars, may be you will like the Honda girls.

Day 2 of PC Fair 2009 August

Just for fun. Came back from (day 2) of PC Fair at KL Cenvention Center. It is crowded as usual. I saw few people wearing mask, if you are not buying anything and you aware of the flu, may be you should think twice.

Everything in the exhibition is almost the same as before, but they have a hall for online game. Audio device move to the last hall. Notebook is everywhere, from Acer, HP to Sony. Broadband promoters are crowded at the last hall. What else? Oh! I saw the HTC Android phone, selling at RM26xx.

Online game cosplay.

Feel like going? Tomorrow will be the last day.

Standard breaks easily

Let me tell you why.

Have some discussion with open source friends on why people don't use openoffice (compatibility issues with Microsoft Office), lead to document standard. Standard is always there, but we just don't follow strictly. I am not familiar with the open document standards, but from the html standard, we learn something.

If you are a web application developer, you know the standard, and you follow the standard strictly. A problem was discovered, your boss ask you to solve it by today, and you do not have the solution yet, do you still care about the standard? No, what you urgently need is the solution, not the standard.

What you do is, you search the internet, and take the easiest solution which works for you, even it only works on Internet Explorer and not other browser, you will take it. Standard solution comes later and standard breaks since this day.

Your immediate boss, who knows about standard as you do, doesn't care your solution only works on Internet Explorer. He will accept your solution, because he need to answer to the big boss who knows nothing about standard but money.

Why don't you fix the standard issue later? Because you always have problems with higher priority to be solved. This is how you work as a software developer till the last day you work at your company.

I like standard, I hope everyone follow the standard, but standard breaks easily. If you are a software developer, you will agree with me.

What do you expect from Chrome OS?

What is a Chrome OS? It is a minimalist OS base on linux, target to run on netbook. Target to be ready on 2010 quater 2.

I don't expect much from Chrome OS. For me, Chrome OS is just an extension of Chrome browser, to make it runs faster. V8 engine (to improve the javascript) is one way, Chrome OS will be another way to make Chrome browser faster. Google focus is still on the browser itself and not the operating system. (refer Google build 3D hardware boost into Chrome)

By starting the Chrome OS project, Google not just in control to improve the performance of Chrome browser, but avoid Microsoft making tricks hidden inside the OS. Build on Linux, Google already save years of development, and effort of thousands of developers around the world.

Windows 7, Steven Sinofsky and Steve Ballmer at MGX.
Originally uploaded by brandonleblanc

By announcing the Windows 7 is ready, Microsoft declare Vista fail. There is a three years period (start counting from Vista launched in end of year 2006) given to other operating system a chance to show off and grab some market shares. The available and popularity of netbook, provide a better chances for the operating system vendors, especially the linux providers.

Chrome OS is a good strategy, at the right timing, even though I think that it was late. Many OS vendors miss the opportunity, like Xandros Linux, which runs on the first version of Asus netboook EeePC 701. Google is different from the other Linux vendors by creating Chrome OS project, Google is targetting on the browser and web application, not the OS itself.

By the way, this is just all my prediction.

From Thonet to Firefox

Today I start with a chair design, name Thonet no 14.

Thonet chair is a bendwood chair designed by Michael Thonet (1796-1871), who is a German-Austrian. Thonet chair has a very simple design, is cheap (because it can be mass produce), and you can comfortably sit on it.

Chair no. 14.
Originally uploaded by khio.design

The Thonet No. 14 chair is the most famous and popular model among all the Thonet chair model. It was designed in 1860 (some says 1859) and I heard it is still in production. A design 150 years ago and still available now, it is a classic.

The Thonet chair also known as the coffee shop chair. Its simple design lead to its affordable (cheap) price. Not sure it looks familiar for you, but I saw this similar design very often in many of the coffee shops, during my childhood time.

Some people like complicated things, some people like simplicity, it is just a preference. A very important point, a simple but practical design lead to affordable price. That's is the philosophy and vision of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created the Apple II computer.

A netbook might not as powerful as your desktop or the high end notebook, but as long as it fulfill your needs, and you can comfortably bring it around, it is useful. Most important thing is affordable price.

You think this does not apply to software because software can be reproduced very easily? So you can put it more codes? So it doesn't matter it is a bloated software or not? What do you think that Firefox browser get its popularity which it was just a strip down from Mozilla/Netscape browser?

Palm Pre block by iTunes

Apple just upgrade iTunes to version 8.2.1, so third party product including Palm Pre will not be able to sync with iTunes software. Palm Pre users may be disappointed.

iTunes, its showtime.
Originally uploaded by snowman

We all know that Apple system is a very close up system, but we also know that iTunes is a good software and important platform, it runs on Mac as well as Windows (but not Linux). Apple not just using iTunes as a mp3 management software to sync mp3 to iPod, but use it as a platform to sell mp3, video, movies and iPhone application. Finally Nokia has learn from Apple App store (iTunes), and start up its ovi.

I am not surprise Nokia can start up the ovi service, because Nokia have acquired the necessary technology like starfish software, intellisync. I don't understand why Palm is going backward, they already have a long running synchronization software, Palm Desktop. Palm should keep improving and extend the software, rather than just depending on their competitor (Apple).

Not an Apple fan boy

I promise Mun, I am going to write this post. I have a big laugh inside my heart when I set the title.

I know Mun from the MyOSS monthly meetup, MyOSS meetup is the gathering for those who are interested in open source. Mun told me he has something interesting to show me, other than open source software, he is going to show me open source hardware.

Few days ago, I meet Mun. Mun keep his promise and show me the open hardware platfrom the he was hacking for some time. Mun explains to me in details on the hardware and how it works.

The hardware is call arduino, it is a general platform with a microprocessor, limited memory. It is a simple, extensible, low cost and affordable hardware. There are many hardware modules available, which add on to the arduino platform, extend the functionality, eg. the audio module. In simple word for computer tech geeks, the arduino platform is like the computer mother board, the audio module is like sound card or video card.

Why spend money on such a limited platform? This is something a software people like us will never understand. Mun is a hardware guy, he knows how to modified the circuit board on the arduino platform. Arduino is like a compiler and a programming language for Mun. Other than the hardware platform, need some software programming to power up the hardware, that Mun going to show me next time.

I never meet any hardware guy in open source meetup, Mun is the first one. It reminds me Steve Wozniak (Apple co-founder who design the Apple II computer), too bad he is not in Silicon Valley. See you again Mun.

Malaysia Jewellery Fair 2009

Malaysia International Jewellery Fair is coming again, started from 9 July to 12 July, four days at Kuala Lumpur Convention Center.

Open ceremony by Tuanku Tenku Fauziah

The fair organized by Elite. Elite stated that this is the largest jewellery event in Malaysia. The open ceremony on 9 July morning by The Raja Perempuan of Perlis, Tuanku Tengku Fauziah.

Malaysia International Jewellery Fair (MIJF) 2009
Venue: Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur City Centre.
Date: 9-12 July (Thursday - Sunday)
Time: 11am to 7pm
Organizer: Elite
Tel: (603) 90588772

Note:
No un-authorised photo-taking.
Children under age of 12 and visitor with slippers, shorts or singlet will not be granted admission to the fair.
Open to public and trader by invitation or registration only.

Photos on open ceremony event.

Arrival of Tuanku Tenku Fauziah
The Raja Perempuan of Perlis

Emily Poon

DJ KK and Gan Mei-Yan

Red Hat seminar at Shangri-Li Hotel, KL 2009

Red Hat open for business seminar at Shangri-La Hotel, KL 2009

Event organize by ECS and Red Hat
Training-Choice is here as well

Yeak forward me an email from ECS. ECS stated in the email that Red Hat CEO will speak in this event, in this morning at Shangri-La Hotel, so I attended. Seems like like ECS has made some mistake or they do not communicate well with Red Hat, Daniel Ng, Director of Marketing Red Hat Asia Pacific is giving the presentation, not the Red Hat CEO.

Daniel Ng, Marketing Director of Red Hat

Daniel announced Red Hat will have an office to support Red Hat software in Malaysia. Daniel complaints a little bit about users in Asia just downloaded the open source software, but didn't contributed back to the open source community. I think Daniel has misunderstand a bit.

1. There is not much software developers here, majority of the open source supporters are just user and not programmer, so they do not contribute coding and patches.
2. By downloading and using open source software, is one way of supporting the open source.
3. Actually there are people here who contribute to the open source community. The meetup that I attended last week, Izhar Firdaus (aka kagesenshi) is showing us how to package and contribute back to fedora.

I think Red Hat has lost their communication with the local open source interest group. May be the open source market here are just too small to be ignored. I notice that most open source companies including Red Hat are just interested to talk to institution like government sector, and not supporting the smaller community but actually closer to the open source.

So Mr. Jim Whitehurst (or James Whitehurst?), if you are interested to come to Malaysia here to give a talk to the public, we are always here to listen.

Twitter is not a social networking website

I just read a forwarded article from Singapore newspaper The Straits Times, this unknown writer name twitter a social networking website.

Twitter is not a social networking website, at lease for me.

I met many people who just thought that community website is just social networking website, but community website is not just social networking website.

Facebook is a very popular social networking website, and facebook is also a community website. Even facebook and twitter are looks more and more similar now, they are different, you should know they are different not just by their name.

There are many types of community website, like photo sharing, blog, online bookmark, wiki. Social networking is just one of those. Social networking (like facebook and friendster) is a website for users to connect to their friends virtually through Internet, extend their networking through the website.

Other community website serve different purposes, for example twitter. Twitter is for you to share your thoughts (or status) with the others, that's the most common things that people do over there. You might be reading you friend's status or someone who is unknown to you on twitter.

Don't tell me you are a friend of Barack Obama because you know him on twitter. Please don't get it wrong, even is very confusing, twitter is not a social networking website.

Meetup July 2009

All my monthly meetup were set on first week of the month, the MyOSS meetup is one of those.

Is not easy to organize and host a monthly meetup or a gathering. You need to arrange time, venue and most importantly the objective. Everyone is so busy these days, no one is going to spend their precious time with you for nothing.

For a small meetup group, you can start in a coffee shop or cafe like Starbucks, Coffee Bean. If you looking for something cheaper try Oldtown cafe, or PappaRich cafe. McDonald and KFC is not a bad choice as well. Open air mamak stall is Malaysian's favorite.

For a frequent meetup like monthly meetup, try not to have it on weekend, most people is not going to make it. Time and venue is easy to solve, start a meetup with an objective for most people interest is even harder.

I salute to those people who is still attending the MyOSS meetup. Congratulation to MyOSS meetup has pass the four years mark.

Free GSC movies

If I tell you there is an operating system which works like Windows but is free, you are not going to believe it, because is too good to be true. If I tell you there is an office suite which works like Microsoft Office, you are not going to believe it, because is too good to be true.

I heard from a friend that there are free movies shown in Tropicana City Mall GSC cinema from June 20th to 23rd, as a promotion for the opening of the latest GSC cinema in town. I doubt about it as well, because is too good to be true. What you need is just print out the coupons from the website or use the original copy of the GSC listing on the newspaper, each coupon can redeem for 2 movie tickets, maximum 4 tickets per person.

I like movies, especially free movies. I went alone yesterday afternoon, and redeem 2 movie tickets for "Race to Witch Mountain". I just need one, but they don't allow me redeem for 2 different movies. I try to offer the tickets to some who bring their children and family, may be their kids might like it. Most of them already have tickets and in return they are offering their extra tickets to me.

After 7pm, crowds coming, long queue infront of ticket counters. About 8pm plus, all the promotion cinemas are full. I am consider lucky to get a free ticket. This is a new shopping mall, is clean, there are 8 cinemas available, the seat are spacious, just as good as 1Utama GSC if it is not better.

This afternoon I went again for free movies. I just ask around, "do you have extra tickets?", and yes, there is a kind lady gave me 2 of her extra coupons, so I watch another 2 movies, "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Confessions of a Shopaholic".

By the way, the Tropicana City Mall carpark is free till 30 June, a good move to promote the shopping mall. Is just too good to be true.

Second chance for Palm Pre

Just talk through phone with my friend, he is so excited with the new Palm Pre. Palm Pre is the lastest smart phone by Palm, it has multimedia cababilities, with WiFi, GPS and a multi-touch screen (and more), so it was always compared with Apple iPhone. Pre has very possitive review on Internet.

Palm Pre using new Palm OS call webOS, which is a Linux base operating system. Palm Pre first shown on CES (Consumer Electronics Show) on January 2009, release on early June but CDMA version only. Not like iPhone which was first release with GSM network which is common outside US. Even if you bought a Pre from US, you might not able to use in your area without the CDMA network.

I was a supporter of Palm, I am happy with my Palm Vx but I am very disappointed with the Palm TX which I bought few years back. The Palm TX has a higher storage capacity, SD slot for external storage, multimedia, bluetooth and WiFi connection.

It looks like a good portable device to surf internet, but after sometime, the Palm TX browser just give a blank screen while surfing the Internet, and I experience system crash especially with the network related application (refer here and here). The system crashes so often that I have to back up as frequent as possible, there is no software update to fix the problem after I bought the Palm. The new Palm Desktop software is worst than the earlier version, I have to stop synchronize through desktop and just backup on the SD card.

My friend told me, this is Pre (not TX), and Palm deserve a second chance. Ok, everyone deserve a second chance, so does Palm. I hope Palm don't screw it this time.

Pre-Apple WWDC 2009

Is June, almost half of the year. After six month medical leave, will Steve Jobs came back and show his face at Apple WWDC (World Wide Developer Conference) 2009?

Apple WWDC 2009, at San Francisco

I guess Jobs may show his face but most likely he will not introduce those Apple new products as before. Someone has to take over his place, and this is the good time for a "rehearsal".

What expected to be appeared on WWDC a few more more hours later at San Francisco?

1. Snow Leopard.
2. New iPhone.

What else?

YouTube XL for TV launch

If your website want to go beyond desktop, where it will go? Mobile? ...What next?

Reading techcrunch today, the video war post, Youtube launch a new website YouTube XL specially customize for the TV.

It has been a long time, people try to surf website using the TV, but HD TV is not common at that time, website design go for a higher and a higher resolution. Surfing the net using the TV doesn't seems to be a good choice. Watching video could be different, because the video are normally display at lower resolution.

Youtube optimize YouTube XL, suitable to browse on TV. As long as your living room devices (PS3, Wii, setop box...) with browser support and output to TV, it should works.

This is not the first time Youtube on TV. Two years ago, Apple launch the Apple TV version 2, is able to access internet and show Youtube video. Now Youtube take it one step further, not just on Apple TV, they customize a version which suitable for TV browsing, as long as the device has a browser.

to be continue...