Traffic was to the minimal, there are still quite a number of cars on the road at this hour, but less than day time.  Dawn arrives when we almost reach Ipoh, my wife ask to go for Dim Sum, I had promise her earlier that we would.  Not wanting to queue too long to pick up phone, I took a rain check on the dim sum and whiz pass Ipoh.  As we enjoy dawn and the beautiful scenery, the whole world lighted up and the sun came.

We arrived at the Gardens at 8.30am and started to queue up.  There was more than a hundred people in front of us.  We queue up to the car park and I was drench with sweat by 10am when they started to give out numbers.  We receive 3130, not sure if we were the 130 customer for the day.  Once we got the number, we get to go into the foyer to play around with demo sets, have apples and drinks and wait for our number to be called.

At 11 something am, our number were up and we proceeded to the registration counter, once that done, we go to another payment and phone collection counter and finally that done, there is the activation counter.  Plenty of Maxis staff helping along the way, they try to make this as painless as possible and try to accommodate as many patrons as fast as possible as the previous day, they went home after 4am.

There were 25% discounts on the phone covers, and we got a nice leather flip cover and went straight for lunch.  I tried to restore the 3GS backup to the iphone 4, but itunes need to download the latest OS4.1 to do it.  The download speed was so slow that I cancel the restoration and finish up lunch and head back.

We reach Tapah at about 5pm and went to have Curry Chicken Bread.  One huge bread shared by 3, stuff with carbohydrate and loads of curry chicken, we continue our journey home. We arrived at home at 8pm and the day is yet to be concluded.

I am currently restoring the 3GS backup onto iPhone4, and it is taking forever…

There and Back Again for iPhone 4….

Jailbreaking, I have been wanting to jailbreak the phone mostly because of the GPS function.  I am going to Hatyai, which does not have 3G coverage, this makes the phone google maps useless.  A lot of the phone functions that requires high speed internet like the google maps are useless without 3G.  So, for me to use the GPS function on the phone, I have to either purchase an App for USD79 to safe maps onto the phone, or jailbreak it.  Guess what, I choose the jailbreak option.  If the apps are much cheaper, like say USD19.99, I would have purchase them.  I recently purchase the Farm Frenzy for USD0.99.  A worth while purchase, we have spent hours on the game, and currently still not finish yet. 

Then again, the risk of jailbreaking, so I have been putting it off, maybe till the lastday before I go to Hatyai.  I now have other priorities, rather than spending time to understand how to jailbreak and how to restore. ..

Ok, someone screw up somewhere, those who pre-ordered from the north will not get the phones tomorrow.  If like this, why get people to pre-order and promise to deliver on 31st July? Now, its been delay, only ‘I’m Sorry’ from someone who was not responsible does not seam to be comforting enough.

Fine, the unit got delayed, what can we do rite, so that’s that.

Then, at dinner time, I got another call, oh, its been delayed to Wednesday, instead of Tuesday… wow, seams like this is getting worst by the minute.  Ok, this time, the Maxis guy  said they are working some ‘Mystery Gift’ out.  Oh, if you are giving me some merchandize with your logo on it, I am not interested.  An original iPhone accessory would only do justice.

So, ok lor, delay already, another day push out, what can we do at our end.. I was already starting to be depress…

Then, when I check my mail just now, I got a mail from Maxis.  I thought they were nice to send me a mail of apology of the delay.  Oh wait, my name ain’t Ng It Cheng… Another screw up.

They can’t get the date right, now they can’t even get my name right, well, they mix up me and other customer.  That’s Maxis for you… And they are going for IPO?

Oh by the way, Maxis says, it is worldwide shortage, so it is because of Apple late delivery…

I still thought Maxis should have handled the ‘crisis’ better.  Firstly, offer apology and offer something nice to the customer for the mixup.  Secondly, if you are going to commit a new date, make sure it is right, and not to push out again a couple of hours later.  Finally, get your customer name right.

Update:

Finally on Aug 2nd, I got a call from the collection center to come collect.  Got my unit, got yellowish tint as reported by many Low Yat forumers and no crack on the white body.  The collection process was about 45 minutes without hassle, just need to wait for the guy to do his thing behind the counter.  Confirm the package, the unit, confirm the Imei number, lock it in and unbox the unit.

Initially, I got my friend to buy from HK for me, then the price in the US was also attractive, but then the phone from US needs to be unlocked, which is troublesome and the state my friend was has a 9% tax, so it worked out to be just a little cheaper than HK, so I decided to get from HK.  Now, no need already, cause the price here are also comparable and I can have the option to get with a plan.. Now, the big question… when can we get the phone once we ordered…??

Making the Apple Lemon Enzyme was dead simple, just 3 ingredients, and loads of time, and you will have a very smooth and sweet Enzyme.  Before making you will have to ensure that everything is dry, including your hands and utensils.  This is to avoid contamination that would lead to fungus or molds, which I have read to be bad.  Cut the Apples up, my mother inlaw cut them up into 4 pieces per apple, we just slice them up.  Then Slice up the lemons.  Layer the lemons and apples into the bottle and pour in the honey.  I am not sure why honeys are sold in kilograms or grams as they are liquid, nevertheless, a scan across the supermarket counter on all the honey sold there, they are all in grams.  For this batch, we are making two bottles, one with a cheap honey, and another with a more expensive honey.  Both honey taste different, and we are eager to taste the outcome in 45 days time. 

We bought a 5 liter bottle from Jusco, 1 kg of grapes, 10 kiwis, 2 large red dragon fruit, 200gm of dried longan and one liter of honey.  The fruits and jars were to be washed and air dried before the process can be started.  This is to prevent molding.  It was expensive, so dont ask how much.  I added the fruits in layers and drench them in honey and finally, I put about 250gm of brown sugar on top.  The enzyme is to be harvested in 15days time and we can’t wait to taste it.  Everyday, we have to open the bottle to let the gas out as the bottle was air tight.  Initially there was only one liter of honey, and almost immediately, the liquid level in the jar start to rise, and now about 3 days in, it has surpass the fruit level and all the fruits are floating up.  i fear the top layer of the fruits will be moldy.  I am now looking for a solution.  I can’t keep pressing them down because the minute I lift the plastic spatula (nothing metal must touch the enzyme – dont know why yet), it floats up again.  Nevertheless, we are truly excited and could not wait for the 2 weeks to complete.  In the mean time, we are enjoying the Apple Enzyme made by my mother in law, which taste terrific. 

Maxis iValue Plans

Commitment of RM100 a month for a year, and pay RM2290 for the phone. Or Pay RM375 a month for a year and pay RM1470.  Then, if you decide not to take the iValue plan, you can just take the 6 months commitment with a minimum of Value Plus 80 and take the phone home for RM2960.  If you break this 6 months commitment, you are only penalized RM100.  This means, the phone only cost RM3060.  And for RM100, you need to be tied to a minimum of Value Plus 80 for 6 months. 

Working along the same line, lets look back to the iValue Plans.  With a 12 month contract and monthly commitment of RM100, you pay RM2290 for the phone.  Which means maxis subsidize RM770 for this plan.  For this mere RM770 Maxis investment, they get to charge you RM0.30 per minute (to all network) and if you exceed 333 minutes, they will charge you RM0.15 per minute.  An existing Value Plus 50 only charge you RM0.10 on same network and RM0.18 to other network.  They get to make 60% more from your call charges.  Isn’t this a great deal for Maxis, and a horrible deal for the consumer. 

Now lets look at our neighbors Singapore and Thailand.  In Singapore, one can take the phone home for SGD 508 from Singtel with a monthly commitment of SBD56/Month.  With an exchange rate of 2.4 (conservative), that works out to be RM1219 to take the phone home and monthly commitment of RM134.  And if you take the premium, which is the most expensive package of SGD205/month, the phone is free.  This works out to be RM492 and the phone is free.  In Malaysia, you take the most expensive package of RM375/month and you still need to pay RM1470 for the phone for a one year contract and RM250 for a two years contract.

*Pst!, I heard can get unlock iphone in singapore for SGD1000, that’s RM2400.  Jailbreak ofcourse.  

In Thailand, you can take the phone home for 28,500 Baht without commitment, that’s about RM2925 (with today’s exchange rate from Google).   You can take the phone home for 27,075 Baht with 599 Baht monthly commitment for a year or 1,599Baht (RM164) for 24months and you can get the phone home for free. 

In Malaysia, one can take home a free iPhone, but with RM 375 commitment for two years and only the 8Gb model.  In Thailand a 2 year contract with commitment of RM164, you can get a 16Gb home and in Singapore with RM492 2 year contract. 

Thailand has the best deal in terms of iPhone cost, but the call charges may differ. 

This is why I am not jumping to get iPhone from Maxis just yet.  I am currently on Value Plus 50, and for me to get the phone, I need to change to iValue RM100 to take the phone home for RM2290.  RM50 more a month, and in a years time, that is RM600, so the phone to me is RM2890 (without the premium call charges with iValue plans, note the call charges is RM0.30/minute for first 333minutes to all network vs Value Plus 50 RM0.10/minute to Maxis and RM0.18/minute to other networks).  Or, I upgrade to Value Plus 80 for 6 months and get the phone for RM2960.  Which means I pay RM30 more every month for 6 months and that total up to RM3140 (RM2960 + RM180). 

Apple is rumor to announce new models in June/July this year.  A 32Gb maybe? And maybe this time, iPhone with MMS, one of the most basic phone feature this expensive brick does not have. 

*Prices are true during time of posting.

A nice set of iPhones icons that look rather realistic created by janosch500.  It comes with the .PSD file, so that you can customize to your own. 

Link

Not so long ago, I came across this nice little iPhone clone in China, and was intrigue by it.  I took it home for a price more than half the Original phone.  This glamour phone of mine had an awfully short life.  In just about a month, I drop my Canon A95 camera on top of the phone screen, and Bam, there goes the screen.  The entire phone still functions, and the screen are still clickable.  But half the screen is blank and the other half is hazy.  The CiPhone has been reduced to a nice looking paper weight.  Fortunately, the functions still operate, so I can still receive calls and the camera still works, which is good, cause the phone makes a great web cam.  It was a cheap glamour phone, and now it has been upgraded to a very expensive paper weight and web cam.  Its interesting how karma works, you never know when you have to pay back.  It would be nice to enjoy the phone a little more, but then again, it is better to pay back now than later.  I guess this is what you get for ripping off Apple.

One of the most formidable rule of shopping is not to settle on the first price you see.  I was looking for a skin for my iPhone, and was browsing at one of the IT mall at Hua Qiang Bei.  As I was going up the escalator on the first floor, I spotted the item I wanted, it was RMB 35 for one, with a simple question,’can it be cheaper’, the price drop to RMB 30.  It was a little more than what I was willing to pay for a piece of rubber.  So I soldiered on to the 4th floor and came across another shop, with many more color choices and the price was RMB 15.  With much haggling, the price remained the same.  So I bought two, for the price that I would pay to get one on the first floor.  This is why, never settle for the first price you see.  You never, know, it might be much cheaper just a few floors up.  Oh, by the way, pink is for my wife, so don’t get any funny ideas.