New PSP Go is for REAL! Leaked Photos of PSP Go Before E3

So much for the rumors spreading like wildfire after the initial emergence of the new PSP Go box which shows the new PSP with a slide up screen as opposed to the current single horizon platform. So the PSP Go is really going to be UMDless and it also packs in a whopping 16GB of internal flash memory but no touch screen here right now. It's amazingly 43% lighter than the current PSP-3000, so the PSP Go is speaking for itself, easy and lightweight to carry to anywhere you go. I like! And it's confirmed that Gran Turismo is coming to PSP. And it will be announced alongside the PSP Go at the E3 2009. The PSP Go utilizes the Memory Stick Micro as many of us expected and a new feature is the Bluetooth capability added in, most likely to support wireless Bluetooth headphones.

Sony PSP Go Specifications:
# 3.8-inch display (resolution is undisclosed)
# 43 percent lighter than the PSP-3000
# 16GB of Flash storage
# Bluetooth built-in; supports handset tethering and BT headsets
# No UMD drive
# Memory Stick Micro slot
# New Gran Turismo, Little Big Planet and new Metal Gear Solid (!) on the way
# Full PlayStation Network support (movie and TV rentals / purchases)
# Integration with PlayStation 3 (works the same as the PSP-3000 does)

There you have it, the real shots of the new PSP Go, even before Sony's announcement at E3 2009. The retail price is still unknown, but I do hope it is not more than the current $199.99. Considering no touch screen technology was put into it, I reckon it will not be a big difference.

Manta - SeaWorld's Newest Attraction Ride

I have been to Orlando twice over the past 3 years and on both occasions, I did not hesitate to get my day passes to the SeaWorld. I remember when I was a kid, I watched a lot documentaries on the Discovery Channel and also National Geographic. Many of the episodes covered either the dry African safari or underwater animals. That's why sea aquariums still provide me with awe and excitement even though I am past those years. And when I heard about the latest new ride named Manta at SeaWorld opening this month of May, I thought this is really a must-try. It is in fact the only only flying roller coaster of its kind in this world. Now that's another reason to get on that flying ray.

According to Manta's official website, there are a total of "10 uniquely configured aquariums, you’ll find yourself surrounded by the beauty and mystique of Manta’s underwater elements." View through the thousands of exotic fish and I bet everyone who's been to SeaWorld remembers the giant Pacific octopus.

The next time I book a flight out to Orlando, I'll make sure that I have also purchased my SeaWorld tickets beforehand. And I would expect a huge crowd at this new Manta ride and long queues to get on it and experience the thrill. In conjunction with the newly launched Manta ride, SeaWorld is holding a promotion on its website whereby you could win yourself your front line pass if you complete all the 6 activities or a Manta photo if you complete either 2 out of the 6. It's relatively easy once you're familiar with the general facts about the Manta ride. Why don't you have it started with the quiz and win yourself one front line pass to experience the Manta yourself? Manta - ride the flying ray!

UMDless PSP or PSP Go - E3 2009 Annoucement?

The heavily rumored UMDless Sony PSP is gaining momentum ahead of this year's E3 as many are looking at an almost certain upcoming official announcement for this product. According to insider tips, the slim PS3 spy shots portrayed the real slim PS3 which is now still under development and won't be announced at 2009's E3. However, the very same source did mention that new UMDless PSP, a.k.a. PSP Go, is going to be revealed soon, very soon. This will really hamper my plan to own a PSP-3006. Why would I get one now when I can get the UMDless version in a few months time, and with better battery life and performance I would guess. As you all can predict pretty accurately, it will most probably hit the shelves by year end to catch up with the Christmas sales period provided that it is unveiled at E3 2009. I would bet my money on that.

GM Reportedly to File for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection

It is reported that America's largest automaker, GM is planning to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday June 1st 2009. After months of speculation and scrambling efforts to save the biggest of the Big Three, the journey eventually ended at the same stop as Chrysler, which filed for Chapter 11 just a little over a month ago. With billions of taxpayers money pumped to "save" its famous automotive industry, the US government still couldn't prevent this outcome that many have predicted a few months back.

The question now becomes, how long will GM be in Chapter 11 protection and when can they successfully restructure and come out as a more profitable and manageable company. Will GM filing for Chapter 11 drag the lone standing Big Three member Ford down towards the same direction? Bear in mind that if many of the automotive part suppliers do not exclusively supply to one customer, so if there's a supply chain problem arising from Chrysler and GM going into Chapter 11, chances are that Ford will not escape unscathed. The good news is, GM's European market operations under Opel has found a buyer in Canada's Magna.

PSP Go and PS3 Slim Box Leaked Photos - It Must Be Real

Leaked photos of the box of the rumored PSP Go and PS3 Slim are showing resemblances to each other and that just proves one thing: it's real. 16GB of internal memory instead of the UMD, which turned out to be a failure.

Rain-proof Umbrella

I received an email from my colleague which shows this witty rain-proof umbrella concept (see pic). This piece of umbrella spells novelty and I think most likely I can only come across it in a novelty shop or something, without having to fly to Japan that is. However, I was skeptical if this qualifies for easy storage for as you can see, there's a lot more material that needs to be packed! Nevertheless, this is one head turner when the rain comes pouring down and it serves its purpose to its best; to keep its user(s) safe and dry under it!

HTC Wizard Cingular 8125 Failed Mozilla Fennec (Firefox for Windows Mobile) Alpha

I installed the latest Fennec alpha on my HTC Wizard 8125 and as expected it didn't work. I didn't even launch successfully. Installation was straightforward with the cab file and once installed, I did not noticed any drop or lag in performance until the moment I tried to launch Fennec. As per the previous release, this alpha version is not supported by the HTC Wizard hardware. I am running Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional on a custom Touch ROM with TouchFLO 3D.

Charter Free Giftcard Sweepstakes is Here

Fancy a shot at a grand prize of $5000 gift card? Charter is currently promoting its new bundle offers which you can mix and match the different types of combination. In conjunction with this tempting promotion, Charter is giving away four weekly prizes of a $1,000 gift card in this month of May, all from Charter's Free Gift Card Sweepstakes. Have you heard about Charter's new bundle offers for your home entertainment? Charter offers customers options to custom build their bundles to meet your needs which gives you only the services that you actually want while helping you to save money without having to pay for bundle packages with services which you do not use. If you're into Windows Mobile ROM, it's like cooking your own ROM. As a customer, regardless current or new, you are automatically entered to win in this Free Gift Card Sweepstakes when you buy anything online at Charter.com throughout May. On top of that, you will receive $75 or $150 worth of gift cards depending on your choice of bundle selection.
Make sure to FollowCharter on Twitter at www.twitter.com/chartercom if you want to receive the latest news, service updates or new promotions and sweepstakes offers. I know I will because last year one lucky customer walked drove away with an all new 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid!

Mozilla Fennec (Firefox for Windows Mobile) Alpha Now Available

I downloaded the earlier Fennec but it didn't work on my phone, at all. Now the software's finally matured enough to hit Alpha 1 status -- although the Touch Pro requirement's still in place, I might still decide to give it another try although the outcome is pretty much known, judging by the standards of my HTC Wizard a.k.a. Cingular 8125. I'd really love to see when the Firefox for Windows Mobile will release its stable version. I hate the Pocket IE. You can download the alpha Fennec here.

New Next Generation iPhone Specs Leaked - 600MHz 256MB RAM

The rumored specifications (specs) of the new iPhone or the so called next generation iPhone are reportedly leaked online, albeit from a Chinese forum. As you can see from the screenshot on the right, all words are in Chinese characters. Seems like this "new" iPhone will slot in a 600MHz processor, up from its 400MHz predecessor. Other fun items include a possible digital compass and FM receiving (and transmitting?) capabilities. It's about time for them to bump of the numbers of its average camera resolution for it's sub par in performance compared to its peers competitors/performance group.
* Model number MB717LL
* 600MHz CPU Speed (up from 400MHz)
* 256MB RAM (up from 128MB)
* Digital Compass and FM
* 3.2 megapixel camera with auto focus
* 32GB size
* No major changes in battery, screen and external casing.

1st Class Stamps Rise 2 Pennies to 44 Cents

It was officially announced that the USPS 1st class stamps will now cost you 2 pennies more. It is estimated that the increase will cost the average household an additional $3-a-year. This the the 3rd concecutive year that the rates have gone up in May under a new system that allows annual increases as long as they don't exceed the rate of inflation for the year before. Now you better start paying all your bills online, which has been my favorite and most convenient solution to various bill payments! I still remember buying the 37-cent stamps at the kiosk inside the University Bookstore a few winters ago!

Therefore, the following changes will take effect May 11 2009:
• The postcard stamp increases 1 cent to 28 cents.
• The first ounce of a large envelope increases 5 cents to 88 cents.
• The first ounce of a parcel increases 5 cents to $1.22.
• New international postcard and letter prices are, for one ounce, 75 cents to Canada; 79 cents to Mexico; and 98 cents elsewhere.

HSN 15% Coupon (Unique) - One Mime Use

I received a 15% discount coupon from HSN. Since I have no use of this, I am posting this up there. Feel free to use it, FOC. Once used, it'd be good if you can leave me a message so others know that it's no longer available. Fineprint about this money saving coupon as follows. *Coupon C77845 is a one-time use coupon and is valid for 15% off your next single item purchase with a maximum savings of $50 from hsn.com only. Coupon number is non-transferable and can only be used once. Coupons must be applied when order is placed. Excludes shipping & handling, sales tax, Today's Special, 'This Day Only', Clearance Department, sale-priced merchandise and can only be applied to the first shipment for Autoship items. Coupon cannot be applied or combined with other coupons or offers. Coupon is not valid for items purchased through “Shop by Remote”, Shoebuy.com and My Wines Direct and cannot be used for TVs, computers or toys. We reserve the right to cancel orders when unexpected coupon system errors occur. Offer is valid May 1, 2009 through May 31, 2009.

Making a Difference with Ethical Hacking

I've only seen the slick and awesome side of a hacker's skills in Hollywood movies, where everything seems to race to the very last second, before the techie guy hacks into the security destruction system to save the day. And every situation seemed to be handled with speed and proficiency. Yet, it looked easy on them, and it's sometimes unreal that every screen which appeared turned out to be quite hacker friendly. However, do you know not all hackers are bad? There are ethical hackers out there who help companies tighten their IT Security. Essentially, they are both doing the same thing, just that the intentions differ.

This is a unique profile which makes use of one's intelligence to protect from those who chose to use theirs to destroy. Through Ethical Hacking, the bright minds of IT professionals are contributing to a more secure World Wide Web.

The EC-Council provides courses for IT professionals to expand their technical expertise and raise their job levels through various choices of specialization. You can help to protect and improve your company's IT security with advanced knowledge. AS you'll be keeping yourselves abreast of the latest technology or trend nowadays, you can ensure any hiccups can be tackled with confidence and ease. But it's not only open to people with jobs or people in the IT industry. If you would like to join just because you're interested about IT security or ethical hacking, you're most welcomed. You can join the FREE 1-Day First Look through its iClass introduction.preview classes that you can join online.

The courses offered by the iClass of EC-Council include Security Fundamentals, Ethical Hacking, Penetration Testing, Computer Forensics (think CSI), Disaster Recovery and Secure Programming. The IT industry has never stopped expanding. And it never will. From the day technology evolved, there will be no end to it as it will only get more advanced, yet complexed. If you're thinking about whether you can make the grade, I'd say just give it a try. You'll be amazed of how useful it will be for the world and your career. Not to mention that the IT job industry is doing well with rising pay and skyrocketing jobs in search of talents across the nation.
Dare to dream of how cool it would be to be a real life hacker?

Influenza A H1N1 (Swine Flu) Symptoms & Protection Advice

Recently there has been a growing concern for people all around the world with regards to the above mentioned flu. The disease has reached a stage where it is now human to human transmittable and more & more has been infected. This disease can lead to death if not treated early. All people across the globe are advised to take stringent steps to keep this flu at bay. Therefore this is a simple post to update you all on the steps to be taken to assist in curbing this disease. Please take note of the public information around you because I am sure that the relevant authorities have posted relevant information on the noticeboards. The following guidelines has been prepared for your knowledge.

Symptoms
1. Fever
2. Lethargy
3. Running nose
4. Cough
5. Sore throat
6. Lack of appetite
7. Vomiting and diarrhoea in some cases

Protection
1. Cover your nose & mouth with a disposable tissue or handkerchief when you cough or sneeze.
2. Practice good personal hygiene. Regular washing of hands with soap & water.
3. Avoid close contact with sick people. If you get sick with Influenza,stay at home. Limit your contact with others to keep from infecting them.
4. Avoid touching your eyes,nose or mouth. Viruses find it easy to get into our system through these parts.
5. Avoid crowded places. Wear a suitable mask if the need arises eg. if you have a bad cough.
6. Stay in a well ventilated place
7. Consult a doctor if you have a fever or flu like symptoms.
8. If you have been overseas (especially Mexico) please inform your doctor.
9. Designated hospitals/clinics to seek treatment

Sam's Club Free One Day Pass, Free Access

Sam's Club offers free one-day trial pass for those without membership valid through May 25, 2009. Click here for the pdf file. Print it out and use it to enter SAM's Club without having to sign up for its membership. This is perfect for those who have doubts over the value of savings you can get by purchasing things from SAM's Club.

New UMDless Sony PSP Coming This Fall @ E3

*Apparently all Sony PSP fanboys have been following up with the rumors/news of the revolutionary upcoming PSP (PSP 2 or PSP-4000). So far, Sony only tweaked the original PSP to have a slimmer body, better LCD and better battery life. Nothing much was changed or upgraded. It still remains a generation 1 PSP. Technology and gaming enthusiasts alike are waiting for the release of the PSP 2 (PSP-4000) or any official words from Sony.

A major hardware change or interface change is what many of us are yearning for. One point which we all believe is going to turn out to be true is the death of UMD. Many rumors have circulated over the past few months about Sony going UMDless in the next generation of PSP. Maybe a 8GB or a 16GB internal memory is going to be used. Rumors are heating up citing reliable sources within Sony that the new PSP will feature a sliding unit while maintaining the current controls platform which is very much a trademark of Sony Playstation. E3 in June is not so long away. We should see the unveiling of PSP 2 at E3....fingers crossed.

*Not actual PSP-2 photo