Android Pie One UI for Samsung

Samsung J7 Prime 2 has almost identical spec with J7 Prime 1 yet it entitled to receive Android Pie with One UI. This is a bit bizarre. Maybe the software support has pass 2 years and Samsung decide not to waste any resource for their customer anymore.

With this decision, it create a huge different between them and Apple. Apple user when they purchase their product, they are secure with around 4 years of software support. The update to newer version is faster than any Android devices.

Event Google only provide 3 years software support.

Slow Mo feature

My Moto G 2014 which have Snapdragon 400 has this feature. It can record 120fps which is similar with iPhone 5s. But unfortunately for my Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1, it doesn't have this features. Same with my Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime.

Reading comics using tablet

Using tablet to read comic is a bit a pain. Due to some books, they have splash page that need to rotate the device to view. Due to the aspect ratio, some devices will have some issue in landscape mode viewing the comic.

As some books, in landscape mode, the perfect aspect ratio would be 4:3 or 2:3 which is the iPad line and Surface line. Android device tend to have 16:10 which shrink the page smaller. This make reading the lettering hard especially those comic which tend to have comic sans in small font size or pages that have full page dialogue bubble.

In portrait mode, any devices is nice to view. But for manga, in portrait mode, the page will felt a bit over blown due to the art style. Advice would be view in landscape mode.

Comic app used to view these books also tend to be a problem. Some comics have first page cover and in landscape mode, it will disrupt the sequence when encounter splash page that is split into individual page. Changing viewing mode from time to time is a bit frustrating as it spoil the mood to read the books. This same applied to viewing PDF.

The bigger the screen size the better but the weight also increase. It might be a bit tired holding devices in long hours.  

Entry Level iPad 2019

Apple is rumored to launch a new size for the basic iPad soon in September. The new size might be 10.2" which increase 0.5" from the previous. Wonder what will be the trade off to maintain the price tag? Surely CPU couldn't have been A12 as it will hurt the iPad Air 2019 but if they maintain the old CPU A10 then the performance will be not much different with current version.
My guess is they keep the current storage option and only increase the screen size and a small bump on CPU which using A11.

Gadget Dilemma...Still

I am having this gadget problem for some times now. For the pass decade, I have own quite a few devices that to today standard, these devices should have been consider as obsolete. A lot is from early 2010an. Due to my carefulness usage, these devices still running quite well. This should have be a good thing but it also stop me from getting the latest devices as it seem a bit wasted if my buy a newer devices that can do quite same thing as my current devices. I never intend to sell my old devices out due to privacy and sentiment issue. Anything that have previously stored my data I will destroy it thoroughly. I know there are software that can restore data even you have format your devices. I wont take any chance of that happening.
Carrying 4 devices around is not so comfortable. But until these devices are totally tornoff, I will have to stick on using it.

Samsung Tab 10.1 2019 Wifi

Samsung launch this device many months ago, I look at the spec and felt not bad. But it still have some design flaw that keep me from considering the device. Its suppose to be a media consumption device but the stereo speaker is located at the same side which felt a bit monologue. This is a bit waste. The screen is not Amoled, which is understandable as to keep the cost down. 

Microsoft's Windows Mobile

Microsoft is one of the largest tech company in the world who dominate the personal computer market. Either you like it or not, you will mostly be using Windows OS compare to others as it is still the cheapest solution for computing. Mobile phone are still far from able to replace it in coming years.

One of the bizarre regarding the company is that they unable to create better consumer level products. Most of their consumer product either way way ahead of its time or far far behind from their competitors. They created the first tablet way before iPad is announced. They are the pioneer of smart devices, way before iPhone exist. They have the largest developer ground that will write any software for their OS.

Windows Mobile is the mobile OS that I had a chance to use it. One of the craziest stuff that I encounter is once your device is out of battery or power, it will delete all the installed software. The UI is in a very very small screen and you need to use a stylus to click the screen or type. It is a very popular mobile devices and dominate the smart devices along with Blackberry. The screen is resistance which mean you need stylus to operate it. The benefit of this is screen is durable.

Then Apple launch the iPhone with iOS. How they solve the stylus? By creating a large button to allow user to click it using finger as they use capacity screen that is a creation of Nokia. The world go nuts when Apple provide the simple solution for user to operate a small device. It is the Columbus Egg of IT world.

The rest is history. Apple then launch App store that storm the developers to create apps for the devices. After a few years since Windows Mobile is disappear in the consumer world, left in industry level as Apple didn't involved in that area.

Microsoft tried to fight back the market with its belated Windows Phone but that is another epic decision disaster that finally kill of Nokia.

Lottery - A symbol of HOPE

I have a habit of purchase lottery. I get a lot of critic for the habit. Most of the reason is that it is a wasted money. The percentage of winning is very low. The percentage of winning to me is simple, 50% 50%. Either you win or you lose.

The lottery is a symbol of hope in life. It make people have something to hope for even if the current situation is misery. People have something to hope for when it is the lottery day.

People who play lottery are mostly optimistic as they always see the brightness side of it as compare to those who doesn't like it see it as confirm lose even they never tried before.

All it need is just once to hit the mother load of jackpot.

Once you win, those who object you for playing lottery will be shameless came to you ask for the benefit.

iPadOS

iPadOS is currently under beta mode and it gain a lot of praise from those who review or use it. The latest OS finally enable the iPad do what everyone envision it can do during iPad 2 era.

Better late than never, right?

MacBook

Once Apple launched a super thin laptop that is fanless. It has a single port for charging and others usage. Nobody know what is the usage of the device beside look cool. The CPU is weak due to the fanless. The battery is no where impressive.

My friend at that time ask my opinion on whether to get the MacBook or MacBook Air that is consider a bit outdated but still way way more powerful than the MacBook. I said no matter what I said you will choose MacBook. He asked me why, I replied that because it more cool. He didn't like my answer.

So in end, I saw him purchase the device but he complaint that it is under power and cannot much on the device, he end up still using his old MacBook Pro.

iPod 7th generation

In 2019, Apple surprise the world by launching the new updated spec iPod with its outdated A10 chipset. It device is already at the blink of obsolete at launch. Even thought iPad 2018 is also using A10 chipset but we can never know how long will Apple keep supporting these old chipset.

Beside the CPU, the rest maintain the same with the 6th generation iPod which no surprise to anyone who know who Tim Cook is good at, recycle old spare part.

Android Tablet

Recently I notice that Samsung has a brand new tablet, Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 LTE which seem like a not bad devices with its pricing at below 600. Consider it as a large version of my Samsung J7 Prime. It is stated that it is using TFT screen and not IPS and the resolution is 1280x800.

I went to Samsung Outlet to see the actual device and what surprise me is that the screen seem very wash out. The color is a bit dull and pixelated. It is a bit unbelievable at that time that make me turn off to purchase the device. Beside there is no promotion for the device. I get nothing except the device along.

The device is a bit heavy and thicker than I expected.

8" seem still consider as small to my usage. I felt that with the pixelated screen, it will make my situation much worst than when I own the Asus Memo Pad HD 7 which is IPS screen and the screen doesn't felt pixelated. Maybe that's how Samsung able to cut the cost.

iFlix

iFlix feel like a localized version of Netflix. Even the logo look and feel like a ripoff. I able to gain a deal that is RM1 a month for the subscription.

At first it seem like a good deal but after I tried to view it, I notice a serious issue. A lot of the drama that available is not complete. We can only view what they have. Some drama you can only view one season out of its many season. Maybe it is due to license but in this case, how an audience able to watch it? This is more common on USA drama.

If you love local content, then it is a delight. Too bad I am not into it.

I tried to watch some old movies from Thailand but in my shock, these movies doesn't come with subtitles which is very bizarre. How many people will understand  the content of the show or movies? Or the movie was never to be meant for others to view?

I was hoping I can view more old local Malay movies that around 80an which to me is the Golden age of local movies but due to its limited search function, it is very hard to find it.

Until now, I only watch a few shows from the apps. I also notice that the offline down can only allow you to download maximum 25 shows only and after you watch or play the show, it will self delete in 2days regardless if you have finish watch it or not. Not sure if this is a good way to force people to finish watching the show.  

Syok

Once I was using RAKU apps to listen to Astro radio station. At first it work well then it started to crash, a lot of time it unable to play any music. It is very frustrated.

Then recently Astro has re-launch a newer apps called Syok that seem like a redesign of the old Raku apps. Now it work well and I can listen to my favorite channel, the Jazz channel.

What happen if battery die out

One thing I keep on think is what happen if the Surface Pro 3 battery die out, can I still using it by plugging it?

One thing I notice from time to time is if my Surface Pro 3 has empty battery and I tried to on it by plugging the power cable to it, it will not boot directly. I have to wait around 5 min and then it can. Even that also has issue, when I try to login, and the battery indicator show 0%, it will shutdown again. I have to wait a bit and restart again the device.

My suspect is that the device rely on the battery to power up and if there is not enough power to power the devices, it will cause issue. Or another way of thing is that the power that juicing the device doesn't provide enough power to start the device.

Whatever the reason are, I can only sure of it when the battery is totally die out on me.

Surface Pen and Screenshot

My Surface Pro 3's cheap OEM cover keyboard doesn't have functional Print Screen button which is a problem for my usage. I tried to use the Send Screenshot to OneNote which they said can direct save a screenshot on OneDrive folder. But the method doesn't work and I don't want to use OneNote. Most of my usage is offline mode and I don't have that huge bandwidth to do synchronize.

Now I found a workaround using some coding.
I need to install a software called Greenshot and set the new HotKey to screenshot full screen to Ctrl+D which a hotkey that I seldom use.

Then there is some scripting to do.

Open a notepad and type:
Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.SendKeys "^d"

Then save it as filename.vbs

After that we will create a batch file that run the scripts.
start "filename.vbs"

and save the file to filename.bat

Double click on the .bat file to test the code. If it work, then we will create an exe file using iexpress.exe

In your C:\Windows\System32\ folder, there is a file called iexpress.exe.

Right-click it an Run as administrator.
Create a new SED and select "Extract files and run an installation command."
Add the script you want, and make sure that on the next screen, you set the install program to cmd /c [your_script.bat] where [your_script.bat] is the script file you want to execute. If you don't do this, windows will try to use Command.com (the old version of Command Prompt) which hasn't been in use for quite a while.
Select preferences (you might need to select "Store files using Long File Name inside Package), set an output path (to the .exe file you want to create), and select "No restart".
Click next and you should have your .exe!
Just a note, this file actually only acts as a wrapper for your script, and the script itself actually gets executed in a temp folder created on execution (and deleted afterwards), so make sure you don't use any relative paths.

After all is done, place your exe file to a suitable folder. Open the Setting->Devices->Pen & Ink
At the bottom of Surface Pen setting for double or single click. select open with classic app and brows to the exe. Once done you can test it.

So now I can do a direct save screenshot by clicking my Surface Pen.

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1

Among all the devices that I have own, this is the most disappointing devices that I have own after Surface Pro 3. It stated it has 5000mh battery but the usage is similar with my Samsung J7 Prime which have around 3200mh only.

With the larger battery but below the par usage duration, there s another issue, it didn't have fast charging features. It took around 3 hours to do a full charge. This is madness.

It said it is a pure Android OS but each update took a while to be push to user and when it does, it is full of bug. Once it ship with two Russian Apps that trigger the users to question the pureness of the Android.

The OS is full of bug, especially the hotspot that need a lot of research in order to understand and able to set it correctly. It is not so user friendly. Each update of the OS came with new bug that trigger a lot of users dissatisfaction.

After using this phone, it force me not to consider purchasing new Asus phone anymore in the near future. I don't want to go through the same painful experience.

Samsung J7 Prime

After the Moto G is outdated. I switch to Samsung J7 Prime. At that time I felt the device is worth the money especially when I didn't want to consider China maker phone.

Due to the price tag, I overlook the specs and I started to regret when I found out. It doesn't have compass. I always thought a devices that over RM 1K should have included this features. My old cheaper phone Moto G also have the features. So when I tried to use map, it is very painful.

Aside of the miss out feature, I have no issue with the phone. It work well and felt no lag even after two major updates. The only complaint is the update from Samsung is very very late. It is always one version late. Currently the last Android it received is 8.0.

Moto G 16GB

This is my first so called pure Google Android phone. Moto G is the phone by Motorola after they being purchase by Google. It provide almost pure Android experience.

My version is 16Gb ROM with 1 Gb RAM. It has no expandable storage so storage is an issues in the long run. The resolution is 720p but in 4.5" screen, it still look amazing.

Camera is weak, it take photo, that's all. Nothing impressing.

The last Android that it received is 5.1.

Asus MeMo Pad HD 7 (ME173X)

This is the second android tablet that I purchase. My model is the lowest spec with 1GB of RAM, 8GB ROM . It came with useless camera and single speaker. There is a higher specs with 16GB of ROM, dual speaker and better camera spec.

It can be said to be the cheap version of Gogle Nexus 7 that have expandable microSD card.

Due to the limited storage, around 4GB, there isn't much software you can install. My basic usage for the device is reading comic book. 7" is not suitable for magazine.

The device currently has been in the landfill.

Mac Mini late 2010

It is really a groundbreaking device when I first time saw it. How can a CPU be that compact. The device is just a bigger CD player that have full OS.

At that time, it is the cheapest way to enter macOS.

It shipped with Snow Leopard and end of support at macOS 10.12 Sierra which I think it should be as it really felt lag running the last version of macOS.


Adding the ram to 8GB also not so much help in reduce the lag. Running XCode is so painful that it sometimes make me felt want to just throw the device to sea.

Now the device is in dust mode.

Last year Apple launch an updated version of  Mac Mini which is damn expensive. Many lose interested to the device due to the price tag and its specs.

Kindle 3G Keyboard

It was really a single purpose device which is for reading books only. Not so suitable to read magazine due to the screen size. Even though it has keyboard but I seldom use it. I strictly use the navigate left right button only. Even after so many year, the battery still can hold up to read books for 2 weeks. Now I just charge the device monthly. It has 4GB storage with speaker that some books support read it aloud features. The later model only came with 2GB, which for only eBooks contents, that's still mean a lot of books that it can store.

It also has an "experimental" browser that has limited features. I didn't use it much. Since I live outside the support of Amazon Kindle store, I practically cannot purchase any books. I can only manually upload my books using cable.

The advantage of using Kindle reading books is the battery life and eye comfortable. You will not felt quick tired even after a long hours of reading. It felt like you are reading on a paper.

The weak part of the device is the loading page. At start, it will have to refresh the whole pages which take around 1 second to load a new pages. Then there is an update that have a quicker page loading that will only fully refresh the page after 4 or 5 pages of turning. This increase the speed of the page loading but the trade off is it sometimes will leave some previous pixel on the screen which a bit disturbing.

Surface Pro 3

I was once praising this device as excellent but too pricey. But fate had let me own one with free, I just need to purchase the super slim cover keyboard. I thought I was the most lucky guy in the world but....

Not long after I own the device, Windows 8 and 8.1 has a lot of issues which make the device useless. It is very not touch mode friendly. Not so much apps that support touch.

Then I upgrade to Windows 10 and nightmare start to happen. The cover keyboard die out. I have search a lot of forum for the issue and it appear that it is a common issue that Microsoft ignore. Then the highlight of the issue, the battery drain after shut down. The back of the device keep warm even you have shut down the device. There is no solution for this issue.

A lot of people report the matter but no official fix from Microsoft.

So with draining battery after shutdown, the device is technically can be certified as desktop. It lose its portability. With no keyboard and faulty battery, the device is worst than a normal traditional laptop.

I was once tried to impress my friend who own MacBook with the devices but Microsoft kill themselves with these issue.

Throughout the year, I just leave it in dust hoping that Microsoft can issue a fix for it but one can only hope. I also notice that the same issue for Surface Pro 3 also happen to the rest of future release devices.

Now, even I want to send to repair, Microsoft have ended the repair for the device. I cannot repair the device even I want to pay around RM1.3K. But luckily I didnt, as I read some reports that the same issue keep happening even the refurbished unit. Some already paid a few times end up the same issue.

For a device with 64Gb, it is a scam in current year as the update for Windows is getting larger. I once join the Windows Insider Program and each update will consume around 20Gb. It always keep a backup version that eat up your storage. And without the backup, you will lose the ability to restore your Windows if anything happen, but to be honest, when you need to restore your Windows, you might have a huge chance of unable to restore it as the restore process encounter error which end up you performance a clean reinstall of Windows.

I don't know when I will throw away the device. As comparison, if you use it to read comic, it lack the proper app to read the comic. If you use it to read Magazine, it lack the touch features to navigate the page, Edge is still weak in pdf reading. I was so shocked that it cannot restore the last page you viewed even though this should be the basic feature for any document reading apps. As usual, Microsoft tried to set it as default pdf reading apps that cannot function properly.

As media consuming device, the weak battery cannot allow you to watch in long duration. The battery is only lasted around 3 hours Maximum and you have to charge from time to time which end up kill your battery quicker.

Their strong sales for this device is the Surface Pen that luckily it still ship with the device, unlike currently you have to purchase separately. As input, it does what it does but don't expect Wacom or Apple Pencil level performance when came to drawing as not much apps can support it properly. How ironically. GIMP cannot support it properly, Krita keep getting hang. Others seem very lag and the latency is very noticeable. Drawing in quick will cause the phantom drawing.

Overall, Surface line is just a better design laptop/tablet but not in performance. 

The road is still far and with iPad OS in the horizon, the Surface line is going to have a huge impact. iPad OS is what Microsoft have envision since Surface 1.

iPhone 4s

The reason I bought the device in 2018 is due to I discover that it can be downgraded to iOS 6. iOS 9 for iPhone 4s is very very horrible until it is like iPhone 4 with iOS 7. It technically almost useless due to the serious lag. Podcast list cannot be refresh properly. File reappear even after delete it and it somethings cannot define whether the track has been played or not.

After I restore it to iOS 6, the situation is the same like iPad 2. The usability turn to very limited. Consider it as a better version of iPod 4th with a bit heavy in weight. By trade in with weight, you will get a larger storage, 16Gb, better camera, but still the same battery usage and shortage of App.

You can tried to upgrade it to iOS 8 but situation no better than iOS 9. The lag is very noticeable.

I love the design of iPhone 4 but due to the usability, I have to select iPhone 4s. At least it is much smoother in iOS 6 which iPhone 4 cannot do. Both device is identical except 4s have white variate.

Currently I keep it in dust because I am using iPod in full force hopefully it can die out faster.

iPad 2

It was suppose to be dusted since it is consider as outdated device in the current age. Not much apps can be installed to the devices as Apple mandatory all apps must be convert to 64bits. The last iOS update it can receive is 9.3 which cause the device turn to a bit slow.

It is running A5 chipset, the same chipset as iPhone 4s but weirdly enough is it run iOS 9 better than iPhone 4s. Not to say that it is smooth but just better compare to the device.

I was once give up on the device due to the lag but it appear that Apple allow iPad 2 and iPhone 4s to be downgrade to iOS 6. I reactive the device and restore it to iOS 6.

To be honest, with the version, there isn't much you can do for it.

Due to the lower resolution, reading text or comics will have pixel.

The speaker is a bit issue already.

Now it just laying in dust with its iOS 6.1.3

iPod Touch 4th Generation

Over the years, I have own several devices that still workable until today. This will be a series of though of these devices in current year.

iPod Touch 4th

This is the company devices that was pass to me after it already totally outdated and nobody want to use it anymore. It only have 8Gb which leave less to none for anything in nowadays. It stop receiving update since iOS 6.4.

I use it to listen to Podcast. Have to use iTunes to do sync as using wifi will kill the battery instantly. I use the native Music app to manage my Podcast as only it able to separate the manual insert podcast file into album. The Apple Podcast app unable to separate it.

Fortunately if using the Music app to listen, it still manage to hold up around 12 hours to 15 hours of non-stop playing. The plus advantage of this device is it is very ligtweight at 100g only.

For storage, since it is a 8Gb model, I was left with around 6 Gb with no any apps installed to it. It is still consider enough if just insert Podcast file and several frequent listen music album. Thats all it can. Any further will break the storage.