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Monday, December 31, 2012

clearFix for all browsers

A new micro clearfix hack.

Conditional stylesheets vs CSS hacks

An intesting article on Conditional stylesheets vs CSS hacks.

Nine Techniques for CSS Image Replacement

CSS image replacement is a technique of replacing a text element (usually a header tag) with an image. An example of this would be including a logo on a page. You may want to use a <h1> tag and text for this for the accessibility and SEO benefits, but ideally you'd like to show your logo, not text.

CSS-Tricks presents Nine Techniques for CSS Image Replacement.

Steve Jobs’s Patents - Interactive Feature

An interactive compilation of Steve Jobs's Patents by The New York Times.

How to Download Google Docs With a Click?

If you were to open up any file, be it docs, spreadsheet, or even an unsupported file format, on Google Drive, you will either be brought to view or to an another page where you can perform a "File > Download". There is no direct and straightforward way to download a file.

This gets even more troublesome if your intention is to share a file to a friend through Google Drive. Your friend will not be able to download the file immediately without doing a "File > Download".

Luckily, there is a simple trick to share a link and your friend would be able to click and download immediately. Here's how to do just that.
  1. Find out the file id
  2. The download link will be as such: https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=[FILE ID]

Make and Design Your Own Room

An interesting web application.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Keep Your Google Contacts Updated with a Simple Google Script

An interesting method to get your friends to fill in their own personal information and have them synced back to your Google Contacts, all by running a Google Script.

The Google Script, provided by Digital Inspiration, can be found here.


» Keep your Google Contacts Up-to-date with a Google Script | Digital Inspiration

Friday, December 28, 2012

Yahoo! testing new home page interface

Yahoo! testing new home page interface, simplifying it. In my opinion, it looks very Google News to me.

Friday, December 14, 2012

2012: A Year of Microsoft Milestones

As 2012 winds down, here’s a video and slideshow highlighting how Microsoft has built its devices and services foundation for the year ahead.


Microsoft blog on 2012's milestones.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Saturday, December 08, 2012

Samsung Galaxy S III Premium Suite Upgrade (Part 1)

Samsung has announced a Premium Suite upgrade for its flagship Android smartphone, the Galaxy S III.

A full list of features can be found here.

Thursday, December 06, 2012

PM Julia Gillard Addresses the End of the World

Australian PM Julia Gillard addresses the Australians that the end of the world is near and is to set to be the end of the Mayan Calendar.

Do you believe in it?

Saturday, December 01, 2012

Google's Horowitz says Facebook is a social network of the past

In an interview with Business Insider, Google VP of social products, Horowitz, mentioned Facebook is a social network of the past and Facebook "sandwich" way of jamming ads to its users.

Watch the 15-minute conversation is as follows:

Friday, November 16, 2012

2 young guys refused to leave breastfeeding room

The below 2 young guys were videotaped for refusing to leave a breastfeeding room in the Woodlands Regional Library despite after being told to leave. They even made a vulgar gesture in the video.


The full story can be found at TNP.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

A Text-only Browser Powered by Google Scripts

Interesting Google Scripts by Digital Inspiration capable of displaying a webpage in text only display and also double up as a proxy server to retrieve restricted webpages.

Goodbye to the Windows Live Messenger soon

It has been donkey years since I last used Windows Messenger as my main IM. A few days ago, the Windows Live team blogged that the Windows Messenger will be retiring soon in all regions except mainland China, making way for their just-bought-1-year-ago Skype.

A post on the Skype blog announced the integration of Messenger into Skype. Millions of Messenger users will be able to reach their Messenger friends on Skype. By updating to Skype, Messenger users can instant message and video call their Messenger friends.

President Obama teary thanking campaign staff

Friday, November 09, 2012

How to dual boot Windows 8 with Windows 7?

Mashable has an article with screen captures on how to dual boot Windows 8 with Windows 7 without having the need to ditch Windows 7.

A brief summary on what are to be done:

  1. Create a new empty partition.
  2. Download Windows 8 from Microsoft as an ISO and burn it into a DVD.
  3. Run the Windows 8 installer.
  4. Choose to install into the new empty partition.
  5. That's all!

Sunday, November 04, 2012

Apple post apology but made sure it needs scrolling

Apple first published its first 'Samsung did not copy' notice on UK site but was criticised for its inaccuracy. The UK court ordered Apple to revise the apology within 24 hours but Apple said it would take 14 days to make the change. The court of course didn't accept the argument and questioned of the technical difficulty faced by Apple.

Today, Apple finally relented and posted a more correct apology but it comes with a caveat. Any user, coming with any screen resolution and any device, visiting the UK site will have to scroll down before spotting the very non-obvious short apology statement, below the page footer. This is made possible because of some rather clever piece of JavaScript code.

In case the apology is taken down for whatever reason, read on below for the revised apology.

Samsung / Apple UK judgment

On 9 July 2012 the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ruled that Samsung Electronic (UK) Limited’s Galaxy Tablet Computers, namely the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9 and Tab 7.7 do not infringe Apple’s Community registered design No. 0000181607-0001. A copy of the full judgment of the High Court is available from www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Patents/2012/1882.html.

That Judgment has effect throughout the European Union and was upheld by the Court of Appeal of England and Wales on 18 October 2012. A copy of the Court of Appeal’s judgment is available from www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2012/1339.html. There is no injunction in respect of the Community registered design in force anywhere in Europe.

Now then I know why it took so long for Apple to put up a 2nd more correct apology.

Saturday, November 03, 2012

Google Translate improved - Now with reverse translations for suggestions

Google Translate is now improved! After completing a translation, Google Translate will now provide reverse translation back to the original language for their suggestions so the user can better determine which of the translated terms are more appropriate.

Our users often tell us that they check our translations by translating them back into their original language. Reverse translations can distinguish translations of different meanings and reveal subtle differences among similar words. Each translation is now annotated with its most frequent reverse translations.

This is an excellent update. Do note that for now, this feature is currently available only when translating from or into English.

» A Smarter Dictionary for Translation | Google Translate Blog

iPad Mini Commercial

Showcasing the history of their iProducts at the same time. And, it's FUNNY!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Photo Sphere on Google Nexus 4

Forget about panoramic shots. Photo Sphere lets you capture images that are literally larger than life. Snap shots up, down and in every direction to create stunning 360-degree immersive experiences.

Watch the Weather Channel Live on YouTube

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Yahoo will not recognize "Do Not Track" (DNT) from IE 10

In a Yahoo policy blog, Yahoo indicated they will not support the "Do Not Track" (DNT) setting from IE 10 because the DNT feature will come enabled by default. Yahoo believes the opt out should be by user intent and not by the browser creator. This reaction was echoed by Apache's founders.

Just an update on the major browsers - The new released Microsoft IE 10 will have the DNT feature enabled by default. Google is in the process of implementing the DNT feature in their Chrome but had been offering something similar in the form of a Chrome plug-in called Keep My Opt-Outs. Mozilla Firefox has got the DNT feature but will need to be enabled manually.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

CSS: How To and Understanding Font Size (em, px, rem)

Confused with which unit of measurement to use for font-size for your CSS? In fact, there are 2 widely accepted ones to use:

  1. px
  2. em

px, e.g. 16px, is used if you wish to give a fixed size mandate on the font.

em is more like in ratio (1.0em is equivalent to 16px) with respect to its parent. One advantage of em is it will scale up or down when the browser zoom in or out is used. Since the ratio is with respect to its parent, 2 occurences of 0.8em can mean different equivalent pixels if their respective parents have different pixels specifications. Here comes the new rem.

CSS3 introduces the new rem unit, which stands for "root em". What the rem unit does is it is now relative to the root—or the html—element. That means that we can define a single font size on the html element and define all rem units to be a percentage of that.

The Jonathan Snook's blog has an article on font sizing with REM in more details.

RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms

Education is modelled on the interests of industralisation and the image of it. Schools are still very much organised on factory lines.

Friday, October 26, 2012

A pixel is not a pixel is not a pixel

A good read on what exactly a pixel in the context of web development means.

Apple published 'Samsung did not copy' notice on UK site

As directed by a UK court, Apple has published a notice on its UK website, stating that the court has ruled that Samsung did not copy the iPad while designing its Galaxy tablet.

The notice is as follows:

Samsung / Apple UK judgment

On 9th July 2012 the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ruled that Samsung Electronic (UK) Limited’s Galaxy Tablet Computer, namely the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9 and Tab 7.7 do not infringe Apple’s registered design No. 0000181607-0001. A copy of the full judgment of the High court is available on the following link www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Patents/2012/1882.html.

In the ruling, the judge made several important points comparing the designs of the Apple and Samsung products:

"The extreme simplicity of the Apple design is striking. Overall it has undecorated flat surfaces with a plate of glass on the front all the way out to a very thin rim and a blank back. There is a crisp edge around the rim and a combination of curves, both at the corners and the sides. The design looks like an object the informed user would want to pick up and hold. It is an understated, smooth and simple product. It is a cool design."

"The informed user's overall impression of each of the Samsung Galaxy Tablets is the following. From the front they belong to the family which includes the Apple design; but the Samsung products are very thin, almost insubstantial members of that family with unusual details on the back. They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design. They are not as cool."

That Judgment has effect throughout the European Union and was upheld by the Court of Appeal on 18 October 2012. A copy of the Court of Appeal’s judgment is available on the following link www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2012/1339.html. There is no injunction in respect of the registered design in force anywhere in Europe.

However, in a case tried in Germany regarding the same patent, the court found that Samsung engaged in unfair competition by copying the iPad design. A U.S. jury also found Samsung guilty of infringing on Apple's design and utility patents, awarding over one billion U.S. dollars in damages to Apple Inc. So while the U.K. court did not find Samsung guilty of infringement, other courts have recognized that in the course of creating its Galaxy tablet, Samsung willfully copied Apple's far more popular iPad.

Evolution of Windows

Source: [via]

Ai Wei Wei Gangnam - 草泥马 Style

Google Search Easter Egg - Type 'do a' On Search

There is an Easter Egg on Google Search when you type 'do a' on the search box. Try it now and see for yourself.

  1. Go to Google main page (http://www.google.com/)

  2. Type 'do a' and see the magic.

If you were to search on do a barrel roll, the effect will be the same as above.

Note: It will only work if you start searching from Google main page and of course you have got Google Instant predictions enabled.

Choosing Windows 8 and preparing your computer for it

Microsoft has officially launched their new revolutionary Windows 8 operating system. But before deciding whether if Windows 8 is right for you, you may wish to first find out which flavours (Windows RT, Windows 8 *, Windows 8 Pro) are right for you.

And especially if you have decided to download and install Windows 8 right onto your existing PC or laptop, this article on How to Prepare Your Computer for Windows 8 would be useful.

Introducing Surface


Thursday, October 25, 2012

Watch Live at Microsoft Windows 8 launch event


Alternative direct link here.

Donald Trump $5 million challenge to President Obama

Donald Trump, American business magnate, throw a challenge on President Obama, announced on Wednesday that he would donate $5m to a charity of Obama's choosing, if the president handed over his "college records and applications, and passport application and records".

But when The Guardian requested from Donald Trump to publish his own college and passport records, Trump's adviser deems Guardian request 'stupid'.


» Donald Trump wants Barack Obama to publish his college and passport records but won't reveal his own | Guardian News

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Creating a self-destruct email using Google Docs

It is possible to create a self-destruct email using Google Docs and of course with a bit of scripting involved. The idea is to stop the self-destruct script once the document is opened.

Watch the demonstration video below:


» Send Self-Destructing Messages with Google Docs | Digital Inspiration

How to crack a Wi-Fi network WPA password?

To learn how to crack a Wi-Fi network WPA password, read more at LifeHacker.

How to crack a Wi-Fi network WEP password?

Read more at LifeHacker.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

2012 Presidential Debate Schedule

The dates and venues for the 2012 Presidential debates between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney, and also for the Vice Presidential debate between Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan can be found officially here.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Short tutorial videos on all the Google+ basics

A compiled list of short tutorial videos on all the Google+ basics.

  1. Google+: Set Up Your Profile
  2. Google+: Sharing
  3. Google+: There's more to explore
  4. Google+: About Circles
  5. Google+: Reading and Responding
  6. Google+: Broadcast Your Hangout To The World
  7. Google+: Getting Started With Hangouts On Air
  8. Google+ Events: Introducing a new way to get together
  9. Introducing Google+ Events
  10. Google+: Organize your photos
  11. Google+: See who a post is shared with
  12. Google+: Edit your Photos
  13. Google+: Manage the content in your stream
  14. Google+: Switching between your profile and page
  15. Google+: Search and trending topics
  16. Google+: Photo tagging
  17. Google+: Mention someone in a post
  18. Google+: +1 across the web
  19. Google+: Visibility of content
  20. Google+: Sharebox and Notifications
  21. Google+: Start a Hangout
  22. Google+: Find People You Know
  23. Google+: Customize Your Settings
  24. Google+ Events: Share event photos instantly with Party Mode
  25. Google+ Events: Make your invitations stand out
  26. Google+ Events: See everyone's event photos in one place
  27. Google+ Events: Creating an event with Google+
  28. Google+: Share Photo Albums

Google Announces a New Meta Keywords Tag Just for News Articles

Google has announced a new meta keyword "news_keywords" just for Google News. Hopefully it won't end up spammy.

Sunday, September 09, 2012

Singapore Bank Deposit Rates

For comparison, traditional savings account interest rate is at 0.05% p.a.

As at Aug 12, 2012

Makes browsers render all elements more consistently

A modern, HTML5-ready alternative to CSS resets - Normalize.css - makes browsers render all elements more consistently and in line with modern standards. It precisely targets only the styles that need normalizing.

Normalize.css v2.0.1 (IE 8+, Firefox 4+, Safari 5+, Opera, Chrome)

/*! normalize.css v2.0.1 | MIT License | git.io/normalize */

/* ==========================================================================
   HTML5 display definitions
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Corrects `block` display not defined in IE 8/9.
 */

article,
aside,
details,
figcaption,
figure,
footer,
header,
hgroup,
nav,
section,
summary {
    display: block;
}

/*
 * Corrects `inline-block` display not defined in IE 8/9.
 */

audio,
canvas,
video {
    display: inline-block;
}

/*
 * Prevents modern browsers from displaying `audio` without controls.
 * Remove excess height in iOS 5 devices.
 */

audio:not([controls]) {
    display: none;
    height: 0;
}

/*
 * Addresses styling for `hidden` attribute not present in IE 8/9.
 */

[hidden] {
    display: none;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Base
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * 1. Sets default font family to sans-serif.
 * 2. Prevents iOS text size adjust after orientation change, without disabling
 *    user zoom.
 */

html {
    font-family: sans-serif; /* 1 */
    -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; /* 2 */
    -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; /* 2 */
}

/*
 * Removes default margin.
 */

body {
    margin: 0;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Links
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Addresses `outline` inconsistency between Chrome and other browsers.
 */

a:focus {
    outline: thin dotted;
}

/*
 * Improves readability when focused and also mouse hovered in all browsers.
 */

a:active,
a:hover {
    outline: 0;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Typography
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Addresses `h1` font sizes within `section` and `article` in Firefox 4+,
 * Safari 5, and Chrome.
 */

h1 {
    font-size: 2em;
}

/*
 * Addresses styling not present in IE 8/9, Safari 5, and Chrome.
 */

abbr[title] {
    border-bottom: 1px dotted;
}

/*
 * Addresses style set to `bolder` in Firefox 4+, Safari 5, and Chrome.
 */

b,
strong {
    font-weight: bold;
}

/*
 * Addresses styling not present in Safari 5 and Chrome.
 */

dfn {
    font-style: italic;
}

/*
 * Addresses styling not present in IE 8/9.
 */

mark {
    background: #ff0;
    color: #000;
}


/*
 * Corrects font family set oddly in Safari 5 and Chrome.
 */

code,
kbd,
pre,
samp {
    font-family: monospace, serif;
    font-size: 1em;
}

/*
 * Improves readability of pre-formatted text in all browsers.
 */

pre {
    white-space: pre;
    white-space: pre-wrap;
    word-wrap: break-word;
}

/*
 * Sets consistent quote types.
 */

q {
    quotes: "\201C" "\201D" "\2018" "\2019";
}

/*
 * Addresses inconsistent and variable font size in all browsers.
 */

small {
    font-size: 80%;
}

/*
 * Prevents `sub` and `sup` affecting `line-height` in all browsers.
 */

sub,
sup {
    font-size: 75%;
    line-height: 0;
    position: relative;
    vertical-align: baseline;
}

sup {
    top: -0.5em;
}

sub {
    bottom: -0.25em;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Embedded content
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Removes border when inside `a` element in IE 8/9.
 */

img {
    border: 0;
}

/*
 * Corrects overflow displayed oddly in IE 9.
 */

svg:not(:root) {
    overflow: hidden;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Figures
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Addresses margin not present in IE 8/9 and Safari 5.
 */

figure {
    margin: 0;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Forms
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Define consistent border, margin, and padding.
 */

fieldset {
    border: 1px solid #c0c0c0;
    margin: 0 2px;
    padding: 0.35em 0.625em 0.75em;
}

/*
 * 1. Corrects color not being inherited in IE 8/9.
 * 2. Remove padding so people aren't caught out if they zero out fieldsets.
 */

legend {
    border: 0; /* 1 */
    padding: 0; /* 2 */
}

/*
 * 1. Corrects font family not being inherited in all browsers.
 * 2. Corrects font size not being inherited in all browsers.
 * 3. Addresses margins set differently in Firefox 4+, Safari 5, and Chrome
 */

button,
input,
select,
textarea {
    font-family: inherit; /* 1 */
    font-size: 100%; /* 2 */
    margin: 0; /* 3 */
}

/*
 * Addresses Firefox 4+ setting `line-height` on `input` using `!important` in
 * the UA stylesheet.
 */

button,
input {
    line-height: normal;
}

/*
 * 1. Avoid the WebKit bug in Android 4.0.* where (2) destroys native `audio`
 *    and `video` controls.
 * 2. Corrects inability to style clickable `input` types in iOS.
 * 3. Improves usability and consistency of cursor style between image-type
 *    `input` and others.
 */

button,
html input[type="button"], /* 1 */
input[type="reset"],
input[type="submit"] {
    -webkit-appearance: button; /* 2 */
    cursor: pointer; /* 3 */
}

/*
 * Re-set default cursor for disabled elements.
 */

button[disabled],
input[disabled] {
    cursor: default;
}

/*
 * 1. Addresses box sizing set to `content-box` in IE 8/9.
 * 2. Removes excess padding in IE 8/9.
 */

input[type="checkbox"],
input[type="radio"] {
    box-sizing: border-box; /* 1 */
    padding: 0; /* 2 */
}

/*
 * 1. Addresses `appearance` set to `searchfield` in Safari 5 and Chrome.
 * 2. Addresses `box-sizing` set to `border-box` in Safari 5 and Chrome
 *    (include `-moz` to future-proof).
 */

input[type="search"] {
    -webkit-appearance: textfield; /* 1 */
    -moz-box-sizing: content-box;
    -webkit-box-sizing: content-box; /* 2 */
    box-sizing: content-box;
}

/*
 * Removes inner padding and search cancel button in Safari 5 and Chrome
 * on OS X.
 */

input[type="search"]::-webkit-search-cancel-button,
input[type="search"]::-webkit-search-decoration {
    -webkit-appearance: none;
}

/*
 * Removes inner padding and border in Firefox 4+.
 */

button::-moz-focus-inner,
input::-moz-focus-inner {
    border: 0;
    padding: 0;
}

/*
 * 1. Removes default vertical scrollbar in IE 8/9.
 * 2. Improves readability and alignment in all browsers.
 */

textarea {
    overflow: auto; /* 1 */
    vertical-align: top; /* 2 */
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Tables
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Remove most spacing between table cells.
 */

table {
    border-collapse: collapse;
    border-spacing: 0;
}

Normalize.css v1.0.1 (Includes legacy browser support)

/*! normalize.css v1.0.1 | MIT License | git.io/normalize */

/* ==========================================================================
   HTML5 display definitions
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Corrects `block` display not defined in IE 6/7/8/9 and Firefox 3.
 */

article,
aside,
details,
figcaption,
figure,
footer,
header,
hgroup,
nav,
section,
summary {
    display: block;
}

/*
 * Corrects `inline-block` display not defined in IE 6/7/8/9 and Firefox 3.
 */

audio,
canvas,
video {
    display: inline-block;
    *display: inline;
    *zoom: 1;
}

/*
 * Prevents modern browsers from displaying `audio` without controls.
 * Remove excess height in iOS 5 devices.
 */

audio:not([controls]) {
    display: none;
    height: 0;
}

/*
 * Addresses styling for `hidden` attribute not present in IE 7/8/9, Firefox 3,
 * and Safari 4.
 * Known issue: no IE 6 support.
 */

[hidden] {
    display: none;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Base
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * 1. Corrects text resizing oddly in IE 6/7 when body `font-size` is set using
 *    `em` units.
 * 2. Prevents iOS text size adjust after orientation change, without disabling
 *    user zoom.
 */

html {
    font-size: 100%; /* 1 */
    -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; /* 2 */
    -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; /* 2 */
}

/*
 * Addresses `font-family` inconsistency between `textarea` and other form
 * elements.
 */

html,
button,
input,
select,
textarea {
    font-family: sans-serif;
}

/*
 * Addresses margins handled incorrectly in IE 6/7.
 */

body {
    margin: 0;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Links
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Addresses `outline` inconsistency between Chrome and other browsers.
 */

a:focus {
    outline: thin dotted;
}

/*
 * Improves readability when focused and also mouse hovered in all browsers.
 */

a:active,
a:hover {
    outline: 0;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Typography
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Addresses font sizes and margins set differently in IE 6/7.
 * Addresses font sizes within `section` and `article` in Firefox 4+, Safari 5,
 * and Chrome.
 */

h1 {
    font-size: 2em;
    margin: 0.67em 0;
}

h2 {
    font-size: 1.5em;
    margin: 0.83em 0;
}

h3 {
    font-size: 1.17em;
    margin: 1em 0;
}

h4 {
    font-size: 1em;
    margin: 1.33em 0;
}

h5 {
    font-size: 0.83em;
    margin: 1.67em 0;
}

h6 {
    font-size: 0.75em;
    margin: 2.33em 0;
}

/*
 * Addresses styling not present in IE 7/8/9, Safari 5, and Chrome.
 */

abbr[title] {
    border-bottom: 1px dotted;
}

/*
 * Addresses style set to `bolder` in Firefox 3+, Safari 4/5, and Chrome.
 */

b,
strong {
    font-weight: bold;
}

blockquote {
    margin: 1em 40px;
}

/*
 * Addresses styling not present in Safari 5 and Chrome.
 */

dfn {
    font-style: italic;
}

/*
 * Addresses styling not present in IE 6/7/8/9.
 */

mark {
    background: #ff0;
    color: #000;
}

/*
 * Addresses margins set differently in IE 6/7.
 */

p,
pre {
    margin: 1em 0;
}

/*
 * Corrects font family set oddly in IE 6, Safari 4/5, and Chrome.
 */

code,
kbd,
pre,
samp {
    font-family: monospace, serif;
    _font-family: 'courier new', monospace;
    font-size: 1em;
}

/*
 * Improves readability of pre-formatted text in all browsers.
 */

pre {
    white-space: pre;
    white-space: pre-wrap;
    word-wrap: break-word;
}

/*
 * Addresses CSS quotes not supported in IE 6/7.
 */

q {
    quotes: none;
}

/*
 * Addresses `quotes` property not supported in Safari 4.
 */

q:before,
q:after {
    content: '';
    content: none;
}

/*
 * Addresses inconsistent and variable font size in all browsers.
 */

small {
    font-size: 80%;
}

/*
 * Prevents `sub` and `sup` affecting `line-height` in all browsers.
 */

sub,
sup {
    font-size: 75%;
    line-height: 0;
    position: relative;
    vertical-align: baseline;
}

sup {
    top: -0.5em;
}

sub {
    bottom: -0.25em;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Lists
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Addresses margins set differently in IE 6/7.
 */

dl,
menu,
ol,
ul {
    margin: 1em 0;
}

dd {
    margin: 0 0 0 40px;
}

/*
 * Addresses paddings set differently in IE 6/7.
 */

menu,
ol,
ul {
    padding: 0 0 0 40px;
}

/*
 * Corrects list images handled incorrectly in IE 7.
 */

nav ul,
nav ol {
    list-style: none;
    list-style-image: none;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Embedded content
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * 1. Removes border when inside `a` element in IE 6/7/8/9 and Firefox 3.
 * 2. Improves image quality when scaled in IE 7.
 */

img {
    border: 0; /* 1 */
    -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; /* 2 */
}

/*
 * Corrects overflow displayed oddly in IE 9.
 */

svg:not(:root) {
    overflow: hidden;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Figures
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Addresses margin not present in IE 6/7/8/9, Safari 5, and Opera 11.
 */

figure {
    margin: 0;
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Forms
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Corrects margin displayed oddly in IE 6/7.
 */

form {
    margin: 0;
}

/*
 * Define consistent border, margin, and padding.
 */

fieldset {
    border: 1px solid #c0c0c0;
    margin: 0 2px;
    padding: 0.35em 0.625em 0.75em;
}

/*
 * 1. Corrects color not being inherited in IE 6/7/8/9.
 * 2. Corrects text not wrapping in Firefox 3.
 * 3. Corrects alignment displayed oddly in IE 6/7.
 */

legend {
    border: 0; /* 1 */
    padding: 0;
    white-space: normal; /* 2 */
    *margin-left: -7px; /* 3 */
}

/*
 * 1. Corrects font size not being inherited in all browsers.
 * 2. Addresses margins set differently in IE 6/7, Firefox 3+, Safari 5,
 *    and Chrome.
 * 3. Improves appearance and consistency in all browsers.
 */

button,
input,
select,
textarea {
    font-size: 100%; /* 1 */
    margin: 0; /* 2 */
    vertical-align: baseline; /* 3 */
    *vertical-align: middle; /* 3 */
}

/*
 * Addresses Firefox 3+ setting `line-height` on `input` using `!important` in
 * the UA stylesheet.
 */

button,
input {
    line-height: normal;
}

/*
 * 1. Avoid the WebKit bug in Android 4.0.* where (2) destroys native `audio`
 *    and `video` controls.
 * 2. Corrects inability to style clickable `input` types in iOS.
 * 3. Improves usability and consistency of cursor style between image-type
 *    `input` and others.
 * 4. Removes inner spacing in IE 7 without affecting normal text inputs.
 *    Known issue: inner spacing remains in IE 6.
 */

button,
html input[type="button"], /* 1 */
input[type="reset"],
input[type="submit"] {
    -webkit-appearance: button; /* 2 */
    cursor: pointer; /* 3 */
    *overflow: visible;  /* 4 */
}

/*
 * Re-set default cursor for disabled elements.
 */

button[disabled],
input[disabled] {
    cursor: default;
}

/*
 * 1. Addresses box sizing set to content-box in IE 8/9.
 * 2. Removes excess padding in IE 8/9.
 * 3. Removes excess padding in IE 7.
 *    Known issue: excess padding remains in IE 6.
 */

input[type="checkbox"],
input[type="radio"] {
    box-sizing: border-box; /* 1 */
    padding: 0; /* 2 */
    *height: 13px; /* 3 */
    *width: 13px; /* 3 */
}

/*
 * 1. Addresses `appearance` set to `searchfield` in Safari 5 and Chrome.
 * 2. Addresses `box-sizing` set to `border-box` in Safari 5 and Chrome
 *    (include `-moz` to future-proof).
 */

input[type="search"] {
    -webkit-appearance: textfield; /* 1 */
    -moz-box-sizing: content-box;
    -webkit-box-sizing: content-box; /* 2 */
    box-sizing: content-box;
}

/*
 * Removes inner padding and search cancel button in Safari 5 and Chrome
 * on OS X.
 */

input[type="search"]::-webkit-search-cancel-button,
input[type="search"]::-webkit-search-decoration {
    -webkit-appearance: none;
}

/*
 * Removes inner padding and border in Firefox 3+.
 */

button::-moz-focus-inner,
input::-moz-focus-inner {
    border: 0;
    padding: 0;
}

/*
 * 1. Removes default vertical scrollbar in IE 6/7/8/9.
 * 2. Improves readability and alignment in all browsers.
 */

textarea {
    overflow: auto; /* 1 */
    vertical-align: top; /* 2 */
}

/* ==========================================================================
   Tables
   ========================================================================== */

/*
 * Remove most spacing between table cells.
 */

table {
    border-collapse: collapse;
    border-spacing: 0;
}


Some references:

Nokia PureView Controversial OIS Video

After announcing the new Nokia 920 and faked the video that allegedly demonstrated the camera's "PureView" optical image stabilization (OIS) capabilities, Nokia issued an apology over the lack of a disclaimer.

The controversial video is now re-uploaded with a disclaimer "Simulation of OIS technology".


If you were to go straight to the 0:26 to 0:27 seconds frame, you should still see the reflection of a van, video showing someone video shooting the scene using a much larger camera and accompanied by a lighting crew.

Saturday, September 08, 2012

Dinner Etiquette 101

Source: [via]

Standby Power Summary Table

A summary table on power usage for electronics devices, including computers, TVs and radios.

10 surprising things that age you

An article on Yahoo! talks about how unknowingly one can actually quicken the process of ageing. The top 10 things that brought about premature ageing can be surprising.

  1. Watching TV

    While we all know that spending hours in front of the television is bad for your waistline, you may not know that it can also shorten your lifespan. Researchers from the University of Queensland found that for every hour you watch TV you may shorten your life by as much 22 minutes. Furthermore, research has suggested that watching TV could increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

  2. Drinking from bottles and through straws

    You probably know that what you drink can affect your looks, but you may be surprised to hear that how you drink can also influence how well you age. In fact, sucking on straws and drinking out of sports bottles causes the same pursing action – and therefore the same fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth – as smoking. Try drinking directly from the glass whenever you can to help keep the wrinkles at bay.

  3. Too little (or too much) exercise

    The benefits of exercise are immeasurable for keeping you looking and feeling young. Not only does a lack of exercise shorten your life and increase risk of obesity and heart disease, but exercise can also keep your brain young by protecting against Alzheimer’s, boosting your mood and leaving you feeling alert and energized. Furthermore, increased blood flow to your skin can help keep your complexion clear, bright and youthful-looking. On the flipside, while we should all make an effort to stay active, too much exercise can cause stiffness in joints and increase risk of arthritis.

  4. Central heating

    Many of us spend a fortune on anti-ageing skin products, yet we may regularly accelerate skin ageing without even being aware of it. The central heating and air conditioning systems that many of us use at home and at work can severely dry out skin, leading to premature ageing and wrinkles. To help keep skin youthful and soft, try turning down the heating and wearing more layers to stay warm. Keeping a glass of water in the room can also increase humidity, while wearing a protective face cream can help relieve dryness.

  5. Sugar

    Eating too much sugar is clearly bad news for your waistline; however sugar consumption is also up there with sun exposure and smoking when it comes to the major causes of wrinkles. When blood sugar levels are high, a process called glycation occurs which damages the collagen in your skin. Once damaged, the normally springy collagen hardens, leading to wrinkles and sagging.

  6. Listening to an iPod

    Hearing loss is a common symptom of ageing, yet many of us may suffer from diminished hearing early on due to listening to loud music through headphones. While listening to music sparingly and at a moderate volume is unlikely to do you much harm, a study has shown that listening to music on headphones for an hour can temporarily affect people’s hearing, while some researchers have suggested that listening at full volume could put you at risk of permanent damage.

  7. Your job

    While having a job is pretty essential for most of us, it can also be one of the biggest causes of premature ageing. Firstly, work is a big source of stress for many people, which research has found can increase risk of heart disease and speed up cell ageing. Secondly, spending too many hours in the workplace can mean you have little time for essentials such as exercise, proper meals and sleep. To help minimize damage, try to avoid working exceptionally long hours and make the most of your evenings and weekends as times to relax.

  8. Soap

    While you may think that soap is your skin’s best friend, this is actually not the case. The reason for this is that your skin has an acid mantle which is a natural protective barrier of the skin. When you wash with soap – which is generally alkaline - it can remove this protective layer of oils and dry out the skin, eventually leading to wrinkles. While it is not advisable to stop washing entirely, try swapping the soap for a PH-neutral and chemical-free cleanser, and bear in mind that there is such a thing as over-cleansing your skin.

  9. Your pillowcase

    You may think you’re indulging in a bit of beauty sleep when you hit the hay at night; however the opposite could in fact be true. If you regularly sleep with the same side of your face pressed against a cotton pillow case this may cause creases on the skin which can eventually turn to fine lines and wrinkles. To help stay youthful overnight try sleeping on your back instead, or switch to a silk or satin pillowcase to create less compression wrinkles and help maintain skin’s moisture levels.

  10. Low fat diets

    Many of us switch to low fat diets to help shed excess pounds. However, cutting out good, healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids could negatively affect the speed and way in which you age. Omega-3 fatty acids – present in oily fish, walnuts and flax seeds – are essential for keeping you looking and feeling young. Not only do they help keep skin supple and wrinkle-free, but they help boost brain health, keep your heart in good condition, and can even increase your lifespan.

» 10 surprising things that age you | Yahoo!

TED: The 8 Secrets to Success, 3 minutes

Richard St. John summarised the 8 secrets to success in 3 minutes in a TED.
  1. Passion
  2. Work
  3. Good
  4. Focus
  5. Push
  6. Serve
  7. Ideas
  8. Persist

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Amazon unveiled on Thursday during a press event held in Santa Monica, California, a new "frontlit" e-ink Kindle, with a sharper display - Kindle Paperwhite.

The Kindle Paperwhite 3G, which will ship on October 1 but pre-orders had already started, is priced at $179 and $119 for Wi-Fi only.


Some of the key enhancements for the new Kindle Paperwhite are 62% more pixels, increased contrast by 25%, and a built-in front light for the perfect reading experience.

Nokia Apologizes for Fake Lumia PureView Camera Demo

Nokia issued an apology after being pointed out that their Lumnia PureView camera demonstration on its optical image stabilization (OIS) technology is in fact fake.

The accompanying demo video, which featured a woman riding a bike, was pretty impressive, but technology blog The Verge soon spotted a glaring error. Nokia made it look like the woman was shot by a companion who was also riding a bike, but a reflection in the video showed that she was actually shot by someone in a van holding a much larger camera and accompanied by a lighting crew.

Watch video by The Verge:



In an effort to demonstrate the benefits of optical image stabilization (which eliminates blurry images and improves pictures shot in low light conditions), we produced a video that simulates what we will be able to deliver with OIS.

Of course, hindsight is 20/20, but we should have posted a disclaimer stating this was a representation of OIS only. This was not shot with a Lumia 920. At least, not yet. We apologize for the confusion we created.

Nokia soon posted a different video of which they claimed to have taken using a Nokia 920 demonstrating its OIS technology as below:


» Nokia Apologizes for Faking Lumia PureView Camera Demo | PC Magazine

Infographics: The Nokia Evolution: 1984 to Tomorrow

Source: [via]

Vice President Joe Biden Democratic National Convention Speech

Sunday, September 02, 2012

Saturday, September 01, 2012

List of Windows 8 Shortcuts

Lifted from Yash's Blog, the below is a list of Windows 8 shortcuts. Hope it helps.

Windows key: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application
Windows key + C: Access the charms bar
Windows key + Tab: Access the Modern Desktop Taskbar
Windows key + I: Access the Settings charm
Windows key + H: Access the Share charm
Windows key + K: Access the Devices charm
Windows key + Q: Access the Apps Search screen
Windows key + F: Access the Files Search screen
Windows key + W: Access the Settings Search screen
Windows key + P: Access the Second Screen bar
Windows key + Z: Brings up the App Bar when you have a Modern Desktop App running
Windows key + X: Access the Windows Tools Menu
Windows key + O: Lock screen orientation
Windows key + . : Move the screen split to the right
Windows key + Shift + . : Move the screen split to the left
Windows key + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications
Windows key + Shift + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications in reverse order
Windows key + PrtScn: Takes a screenshot of the screen and automatically saves it in the Pictures folder as Screenshot
Windows key + Enter: Launch Narrator    
Windows key + E: Open Computer
Windows key + R: Open the Run dialog box
Windows key + U: Open Ease of Access Center
Windows key + Ctrl + F: Open Find Computers dialog box
Windows key + Pause/Break: Open the System page
Windows key + 1..10: Launch a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows key + Shift + 1..10: Launch a new instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows key + Ctrl + 1..10: Access the last active instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows key + Alt + 1..10: Access the Jump List of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows key + B: Select the first item in the Notification Area and then use the arrow keys to cycle through the items Press Enter to open the selected item
Windows key + Ctrl + B: Access the program that is displaying a message in the Notification Area
Windows key + T: Cycle through the items on the Taskbar
Windows key + M: Minimize all windows
Windows key + Shift + M: Restore all minimized windows
Windows key + D: Show/Hide Desktop (minimize/restore all windows)
Windows key + L: Lock computer
Windows key + Up Arrow: Maximize current window
Windows key + Down Arrow: Minimize/restore current window
Windows key + Home: Minimize all but the current window
Windows key + Left Arrow: Tile window on the left side of the screen
Windows key + Right Arrow: Tile window on the right side of the screen
Windows key + Shift + Up Arrow: Extend current window from the top to the bottom of the screen
Windows key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Move the current window from one monitor to the next
Windows key + F1: Launch Windows Help and Support

PageUp: Scroll forward on the Modern Desktop Start screen
PageDown: Scroll backward on the Modern Desktop Start screen
Esc: Close  a charm
Ctrl + Esc: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application
Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Activate the Semantic Zoom on the Modern Desktop screen

Alt: Display a hidden Menu Bar
Alt + D: Select the Address Bar
Alt + P: Display the Preview Pane in Windows Explorer
Alt + Tab: Cycle forward through open windows
Alt + Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through open windows
Alt + F: Close the current window Open the Shut Down Windows dialog box from the Desktop
Alt + Spacebar: Access the Shortcut menu for current window
Alt + Esc: Cycle between open programs in the order that they were opened
Alt + Enter: Open the Properties dialog box of the selected item
Alt + PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the active Window and place it in the clipboard
Alt + Up Arrow: Move up one folder level in Windows Explorer (Like the Up Arrow in XP)
Alt + Left Arrow: Display the previous folder
Alt + Right Arrow: Display the next folder
Shift + Insert: CD/DVD Load CD/DVD without triggering Autoplay or Autorun
Shift + Delete: Permanently delete the item (rather than sending it to the Recycle Bin)
Shift + F6: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box
Shift + F10: Access the context menu for the selected item
Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box
Shift + Click: Select a consecutive group of items
Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program
Shift + Right-click on a Taskbar button: Access the context menu for the selected item
Ctrl + A: Select all items
Ctrl + C: Copy the selected item
Ctrl + X: Cut the selected item
Ctrl + V: Paste the selected item
Ctrl + D: Delete selected item
Ctrl + Z: Undo an action
Ctrl + Y: Redo an action
Ctrl + N: Open a new window in Windows Explorer
Ctrl + W: Close current window in Windows Explorer
Ctrl + E: Select the Search box in the upper right corner of a window
Ctrl + Shift + N: Create new folder
Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open the Windows Task Manager
Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Use arrow keys to cycle through open windows
Ctrl + Alt + Delete: Access the Windows Security screen
Ctrl + Click: Select multiple individual items
Ctrl + Click and drag an item: Copies that item in the same folder
Ctrl + Shift + Click and drag an item: Creates a shortcut for that item in the same folder
Ctrl + Tab:  Move forward through tabs
Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Move backward through tabs
Ctrl + Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program as an Administrator
Ctrl + Click on a grouped Taskbar button: Cycle through the instances of a program in the group
F1: Display Help
F2: Rename a file
F3: Open Search
F4: Display the Address Bar list
F5: Refresh display
F6: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box
F7: Display command history in a Command Prompt
F10: Display hidden Menu Bar
F11: Toggle full screen display
Tab: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box
PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the entire screen and place it in the clipboard
Home: Move to the top of the active window
End: Move to the bottom of the active window
Delete: Delete the selected item
Backspace: Display the previous folder in Windows Explorer  Move up one folder level in Open or Save dialog box
Esc: Close a dialog box
Num Lock Enabled + Plus (+): Display the contents of the selected folder
Num Lock Enabled + Minus (-): Collapse the selected folder
Num Lock Enabled + Asterisk (*): Expand all subfolders under the selected folder

Press Shift 5 times: Turn StickyKeys on or off
Hold down right Shift for 8 seconds: Turn FilterKeys on or off
Hold down Num Lock for 5 seconds: Turn ToggleKeys on or off

Convert C# to VB or Vice Versa with Visual Studio 2012

Converting from C# to VB or vice versa with Visual Studio 2012 looks cool! Hopefully it will work seamlessly.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Saturday, August 25, 2012

The controversial post on Diner en Blanc event

This is the controversial post that resulted in several Singaporeans bloggers uninvited by the organisers of Diner en Blanc event. Food blogger, Daniel Ang, was told to remove his blog post completely because the list of hawker food recommended for the picnic event were considered too not up to standard and too cheap.

Daniel refusal to remove or edit has its consequences. The event organisers' reasons for uninviting the former and other food bloggers was due to shortage of seats. Do you buy this reason? Daniel Ang has posted his stand here.

How Big Is Infinity?

For the love of Mathematics.

Microsoft New Logo

After 25 years, Microsoft is now changing its logo, from original wavy look to one that is boxy - in line with its Metro-UI.


A history walk on Microsoft's logo changes in its long 37 years below:

Monday, August 20, 2012

Sunday, August 19, 2012

McDonalds' Mocha or Caramel Frappe at $2


Simply flash the above coupon and enjoy McDonalds' Mocha or Caramel frappe at only $2. Promotion is valid from 16 to 22 August 2012.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Vietnam Airline Inflight Bikini Show

Vietnam Airline is being fined for staging an in-flight dance by a troupe of bikini-clad women. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam fined the airline $20 million Vietnamese dong, or about $960, because the show had not received official approval.

A short video clip of the dance is featured below:

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Microsoft Office Supports Apps Now

With Office 2013, Microsoft is going to bring apps into its Office suite. Developers will now be able to create and sell apps in Microsoft's Office Store.

This is really a revolutionary change for new Office 2013 - Windows 8 style look-and-feel and apps!

Thursday, August 09, 2012

Picture of Lee Kwan Yew at National Day Parade 2012

Tan Kin Lian View on Troll

I quote Tan Kin Lian definition on troll from his Facebook post.

Are you a troll?

From Wikipedia: In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.


And Tan's indirect way of crafting how to describe a behavior without directing it at any specific person. Plus how he handle a troll - delete and block.


The Controversial Post by Tan Kin Lian on Facebook Post

With all the rumours piling on a rumoured death of a senior politician (let's admit it, the rumoured figure is Lee Kwan Yew) in Singapore, former Presidential hopeful Mr Tan Kin Lian posted a Facebook post that resulted in several netizens condemn.

But it turned out Mr Lee Kwan Yew is actually fit and healthy! What a great news! He was spotted walking out of SGH and looked okay.

His Facebook post (currently hidden from TKL's timeline) gathered at least 222 comments (would have been more if not for some or many been deleted and members blocked) content and screen capture are below:


A rumor was circulating yesterday that a well known personality in Singapore, who is somewhat respected and generally feared, had passed away. That rumor turned out to be false.

I recall a story told by a Swedish friend. In a speech 20 years ago, he said, "During the dark days of the second world war, Norway was occupied by the German Nazis. Every few days, there was a rumor that the Allies had landed and that Norway would be liberated. It turned out to be another false rumor. After a while, the people became skeptical of these rumors, but felt that it was nice to hear them anyway! "

Ha, ha!. Happy 47th National Day!

What disappointed me was his emphasis that everyone's viewpoint can be different and they are to be respected. But ...


Revision 1
Dawn, you asked about "diverse views". Let me explain in this way.
You have certain views about what is right and wrong. I have my own views that are different from you. You have to accept them as "diverse views".
You do not demand to have an explanation and do not argue over their views that their views are wrong. Their views are only different from yours.

Revision 2
Dawn, you asked about "diverse views". Let me explain in this way.
You have certain views about what is right and wrong. Other people have their own views that are different from you. You have to accept them as "diverse views".
You do not demand to have an explanation and do not pass judgement that their views are wrong. Their views are only different from yours.

But his going around deleting comments and blocking members seem to be contradicting. A post that was edited several times:


Revision 1
I have banned a few members of the lynch crowd from posting in this Facebook. They can express their views elsewhere, not here - and I do not care about their views anyway.

To Hou Loke and other decent people who are genuinely disturbed by the link between the local rumor and the Norwegian rumor, I wish to express my apology. I did not intend to offend you.

Revision 2
I have banned a few members of the lynch crowd from posting in this Facebook. They can express their views elsewhere, not here - and I do not care about their views anyway.

To Hou Loke and other decent people who are genuinely disturbed by the link between the local rumor and the Norwegian rumor, I wish to express my apology. I did not intend to offend you.

For those who want to know my reason to post this "joke", I am sorry to disappoint you. You have to guess the reason by yourself. If you think that I have a hidden message, it will remain so.

Revision 3
I have banned a few members of the lynch crowd from posting in this Facebook. They can express their views elsewhere, not here - and I do not care about their views anyway.

To Hou Loke and other decent people who are genuinely disturbed by the link between the local rumor and the Norwegian rumor, I wish to express my apology. I did not intend to offend you.

For those who want to know my reason to post this "joke", I am sorry to disappoint you. You have to guess the reason by yourself. It will remain a secret, which I will share with my friends only.

I am lucky that I belong to a crowd of 2 million who didn't vote for Tan Kin Lian.


To Kerine Chen, Diana Liew and many other people who were glad that you did not vote for me. You belong to a crowd of 2 million people, so there is no need for you to advertise your decision here.

Lee Kwan Yew Walked Out of SGH Today

Source: Hardwarezone EDMW forum

I am so glad that one of the founding fathers of Singapore, Mr Lee Kwan Yew, is fine despite all the rumours about him for the past few days.

Happy Birthday to Singapore!

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Google Handwrite - Another Method to Search

Handwriting on mobile devices and then get it to search on Google is now possible. Google will read and convert your handwritten text into words in the search box. This is useful when you are on the move.


Handwrite may work differently on mobile devices, however, it should work best on Chrome on Android devices.

Here's how to try it out:

Step 1: Enable the feature

  1. Turn the feature on or off in your search settings. Touch Settings at the bottom of the Google homepage or a search results page, or visit google.com/preferences.
  2. Go to the Handwrite section, select Enable to turn on the feature, and then touch Save.

Note: You might need to refresh the homepage to see the feature.

Step 2: Use it to search

  1. Tap the Handwrite icon in the lower right corner of the screen on your mobile device.
  2. Use your finger to start writing your search terms anywhere on the screen.
  3. While you write, your handwritten text converts into typeface in the search box. If you need to delete a letter, tap the backspace icon. Press and hold the backspace icon to delete more than one letter at a time. Click X in the search box to start over again.
  4. You'll see a list of predicted queries below the search box as you write. Tap one of them to search for that prediction, or click the arrow to the right to build your query and keep on writing.
  5. Tap the search icon to search.

Google Fiber - Fast Internet Access for Kansas

Google has introduced Google Fiber - fast Internet access for Kansas.

We embarked on a journey to bring ultra-high speeds to Kansas City, Kan. and Kansas City, Mo. And today, we’re excited to announce Google Fiber. Google Fiber is 100 times faster than today’s average broadband. No more buffering. No more loading. No more waiting. Gigabit speeds will get rid of these pesky, archaic problems and open up new opportunities for the web.


With Google Fiber's competitive plans & pricing, local incumbent ISPs must be watching cautiously.

Apples ads during London Olympics

Netizens were discussing on the ads by Apple played during the London Olympics. Comments on them were ranged from, "Not a fan" to "dreadful" to "terrible".

After having watched the commercial ads myself, I personally felt them simple and nothing close to distasteful.

The 3 commercial ads are:



Thursday, July 26, 2012

Malte Spitz: Your phone company is watching

Google Scientific Calculator

When you tried to perform a search for 1+1 previously on Google, it will simply return you the answer in bold. Now, Google actually went one step further by giving you a scientific calculator for you to continue with more mathematical calculations.


This is good!

Chinese Woman and Elderly Lady Quarrel on Bus

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

McDonald and its 30 cents extra charge for extra curry sauce

McDonald Singapore has confirmed the charging for extra curry sauce. It is now official that the days of free unlimited supply of curry, barbecue and sweet & sour sauces is over. This is to discourage food wasting.

Here is the detail on the extra charging.

Source: McDonald

I personally feel 1 curry sauce for 4 nuggets is enough and pretty reasonable. What do you think?

Aurora, Colo., Shooting Suspect: Can He Stand Trial?

Watch video here.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Installing extensions from other websites on Chrome

From Chrome 21 onwards, adding extensions from other websites outside Chrome Web Store is now not allowed.

We're constantly looking out for ways to make your browsing safer. To that end, we recently changed the way you add extensions that are not in the Chrome Web Store to your browser. Previously, any website could prompt you to add an extension into your browser. In the latest version of Google Chrome, you must explicitly tell Chrome that you want to install these extensions by adding them through the Extensions page.

To enable installing of extensions from other websites (outside Chrome Web Store), the following workarounds can be considered.

  1. You may set a command-line flag that disables this feature: --enable-easy-off-store-extension-install. Use the instructions from this page to add the flag.

  2. Download the extension file from the website and save it to your computer and then drag the file onto the Tools > Extensions page.

Shooting in a Aurora cinema at a Batman 'The Dark Knight Rises' movie show

A masked attacker entered into a Friday midnight packed movie theatre showing Batman 'The Dark Knight Rises' show in Aurora, near Denver, Colo, and started a shooting spree, killing at least 12 people and wounding at least 38.

A video captured using a smartphone showed people leaving the cinema.


A witness gave his account on the shooting below.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Accessing Google Services for Slow Internet Connections

Accessing some of the Google services which are rich in content may be frustrating if your Internet connection is slow. Here are some helpful features as compiled by the unofficial Google Operating System blog.

1. Gmail's basic HTML mode

Access inbox using https://mail.google.com/mail/h/.

2. Disable Google Instant and auto-complete suggestions

Disable Google Instant at https://www.google.com/preferences?hl=en and then use https://www.google.com/search?complete=0 for search.

3. YouTube Feather

Access using experimental http://www.youtube.com/feather_beta.

4. The old Google image search interface

Access using https://www.google.com/imghp?sout=1.

5. Chrome's click-to-play feature

Type chrome://chrome/settings/content on your Chrome address bar and press enable "Click to Play" in the "Plug-Ins" section to loads content that requires plug-ins on demand.

6. Google's transcoder

Access website using http://google.com/gwt/n to compress websites before loading.

7. The text-only Google Cache

Load a simplified version of the page directly from Google Cache by accessing http://www.google.com/search?strip=1&q=cache:www.domain.com (replace www.domain.com with the URL of the page) on your browser.

8. Chrome's custom user agent feature

Load webpages in mobile devices user agent does the trick of loading pages quicker.

To change the user agent in Chrome, open the developer tools (Ctrl+Shift+I for Windows/Linux, Command-Option-I for Mac), click the "Settings" button at the bottom of the window, click "User Agent", enable "Override User Agent", select "Android 4.0.2 - Google Nexus" or "iPhone - iOS 5.0" from the list and disable "override device metrics".

9. Google Public DNS

Google Public DNS is a simple way to speed up your browsing experience if the DNS service you're using is slow.

10. Use a browser that supports SPDY

SPDY, a new protocol "designed for low-latency transport of content over the World Wide Web." Right now, SPDY is supported by Chrome and Firefox, while many Google sites use it.

11. Google+ in mobile

Access Google+ using https://m.google.com/app/plus/x/ loads Google+ on mobile version, saving precious bandwidth.

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