Author: Rochelle Sy Chua

5 Things I’m Excited about iOS 4

Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On June 9, 2010

Most of us gadget freaks who are based in Manila must have lacked some sleep yesterday. This was because Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) was held 1-3AM Manila time early Tuesday morning. So many people, including myself, just wanted to know exactly the new great things that Apple would show us. There were a lot of things that were expected but then the event ended up being solely about our beloved iPhone.

I own 2 iPhone units, the 1st generation iPhone & iPhone 3GS. Steve Jobs presented the new iPhone 4. As much as I want to have one, I’ll stick with my 3GS. What I’m really excited about is the iPhone software update called iOS 4.

Here are 5 reasons why I’m so excited to download the new iPhone OS when it comes out this month:

Multi-tasking
This just shows that Apple is listening to us. We have been complaining for 2 years that we wanted to be able to switch between applications. We thought it would never happen but then, finally here it is! Apple is just making sure that when they do that, it would be perfect. They assured us that with this capability, application & battery performance won’t be compromised. I’ve been using Skype heavily on my iPhone. It has always been a challenge whenever I receive a text message while in a Skype call. I can’t read text messages & when I accidentally press read, my Skype call would automatically be cut off. I’ve been wishing for this to be fixed. Plus, I would like to be able to read text messages, read emails or even surf the net while using Skype. iOS 4 fixes that personal need of mine. I’m so happy! Can’t wait to download the updated OS. Please let time fly fast. I need it now, please?
Folders
The page limit in the iPhone is such a pain for iPhone addicts like me. With thousands of awesome applications available for the iPhone, we can’t access them all in our phone. I have to either perform a jailbreak on my iPhone or just choose my favorite apps to keep on my phone and let the rest be in my iTunes application folder.
Another reason why I so want this feature is because I’m a bit OCD (Obsessive Compulsive). I want my iPhone screen to be clean. I would really love to organize all games into one folder, all productivity applications in one folder, all social networking apps into another and so on.. This is a must-have for me! Finally, I don’t need to go through the tedious task of jailbreaking my iPhone.
iBooks
Ever since the iPad came out, I have been wishing that iPhone would have iBooks as an application too. Wow, Steve Jobs must have heard me (don’t know how though hehehe!). I used to spend thousands of pesos buying books every year. I stopped buying a few years ago and ended up just downloading eBooks instead then I ventured into audiobooks. With iBooks though, being such an eyecandy, it seems Apple is really trying to bring the convenience of reading eBooks to all its loyal customers and fanbase. With colored screen, you can just use your finger to flip through pages, awesome bookshelf design, I have found the solution that I have always wanted! Instead of keeping all my books in the shelves or tirelessly trying to find better audiobooks or ebooks, we now have iBooks! A one-stop shop to look for books & have the ability to bring all of them on your phone? It’s just wow!
Improved Mail
I have several mail accounts although my official email is my yahoo. With the current iPhone software, we have to organize our emails separately by account. With the improved mail in iOS 4, we can now see all our emails in just one screen and have the ability and the option to organize them and treat as one! Apple is just pure genius!
Home Screen Wallpaper
Another wish came true for me. Not being able to change the background image of our screen is just plain boring. I would probably change it every chance I get, and would want it to match with my current mood. Great that we can do that soon with our iPhones! One more wish that I hope will come true are themes! Be able to change the application icons and match it with the background image. Will it come true? Let’s see, maybe for iOS 5?

The 5 things I mentioned are not the only ones we should expect with Apple’s iOS 4. There are more improvements & updates such as being able to create playlists on our own iPhone, 5x camera zoom (sweet!), video focus, faces & places in photo (it’s not exclusive to iPhoto anymore!), spellcheck, wireless keyboard support & the ability to give apps as gifts to friends/family.

I wish time would really move faster, I really want those features ASAP on my iPhone! It’s sad that it won’t have an effect on my 1st generation iPhone but at least I still have iPhone 3GS! 😀 Better things ahead for us iPhone users!

Now let’s recite: We LOVE Apple products! 😀

Prince of Persia Movie Review

Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On June 8, 2010

I was finally able to catch the movie Prince of Persia last weekend. And oh men, movies at Greenbelt, Makati were so jampacked last Saturday. Would you believe we arrived at 7pm and were already queueing at the movie ticket section? When it was our turn, all 5 theaters were fully booked. Only the last full show had open slots & there were like less than 10 slots left! So we bought tickets for the 11PM showing. After dinner, Jen & I spent time roaming around greenbelt 3 & 5.

You know I was about to ask if we could watch another movie. Just glad we ended up with Prince of Persia. I was in total awe after the movie. I was like, WOW! It was done perfectly. As a viewer, I couldn’t think of anything to make the movie better or even think of anything to criticize it for.

Prince of Persia is based on the video game of the same title, and actually the video games are a trilogy with some cinematic appeal as well. I’ve never played any of those Prince of Persia video games, but I’m thinking that those games must have been some great games too.

The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina & Gemma Arterton (remember the girl I said before that was too pretty in Clash of the Titans? that’s her).

Jake plays an orphan named Dastan, who was adopted by the King of Persia after showing great courage in the marketplace. The king really treated him as his own son. A few years later, all grown up, Dastan together with his foster brothers attacked the city of Alamut because they had learned that the city was illegally providing weapons to their enemies. The attack on the city was eventually successful and princess Tamina of the city of Alamut was captured along with a dagger that would eventually be the centerpiece of this story. Tamina was offered to be the wife of Dastan’s oldest brother, Tus, thus making the city of Alamut as part of the Persian empire.

During the celebration, Dastan was fooled into presenting a poisoned gown to the king. The king died as he was burned to death when he wore the gown, and it was Dastan who was blamed and accused of killing his father. Dastan manages to escape with Princess Tamina along with the dagger. The pair however come in conflict as they have different motives in their escape. Dastan just wants to prove his innocence in the death of his father, the king. And Princess Tamina has the duty of guarding the dagger.

If you’re looking for some great movie action with some great sword fights, and even a little romance between the leading characters, as well as some great movie effect, then you will really love this movie. What’s also important with Prince of Persia the movie is that although it may have been based on the video games, you need not even have played or even know a single thing about the video games to truly appreciate this movie. They did a great job in making the movie able to stand by itself just as a movie and not having to strictly follow the video game structure at all.

I was definitely glued to the screen all throughout the movie & it was actually a first that I didn’t even glance at my watch for even one bit. The great parts of the movie include what the dagger is capable of doing, who the real villain is in the movie, the love story of Dastan & princess Tamina, the genuine love & trust between brothers, loyal friendship between Dastan & his best friend & the overall flow of the story.

Now, I will reveal the importance of the dagger, which is really the great and centerpiece of the movie. With the dagger, the holder can travel back in time and change the past. But the dagger is not only used for time travel, but it is also the only thing that can pierce the sandglass which is located underneath the city of Alamut, if the sandglass is pierced it will unleash the Sands of Time which will mean the end of the world.

The plot is complete, unpredictable & overall entertaining. I came out of the movie happy & very very satisfied. While the movie is still out, I suggest you go watch it. Prince of Persia is a movie you cannot miss! For the guys, I think the action in the movie is just outstanding, the pace of the movie is just enough to keep you engrossed in the film. And for the girls, you’ll love Jake Gyllenhaal. He was too cute! I actually didn’t think he was cute before but after watching Prince of Persia, I’m now a convert! Jake’s hot, hot & hot!! 😀

This movie really does have it all, with a cute leading man, a pretty leading lady, great movie effects, an original plot and storyline gives the viewer one of the best movie experiences I’ve had in a long while. Don’t be put off by the fact that it’s based on a video game, because this movie stands perfectly by itself. It’s a definite must-see!!

My Rating for Prince of Persia: 5 out of 5 stars.

D’ Original Maki Haus

Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On June 7, 2010

Living near Banawe in Quezon City, I’ve often passed by the Maki Haus that’s located there, but just haven’t been able to dine in and try the restaurant until just last week. But boy am I glad that I finally did try because the food is just sooo delicious! And from reading the menu, apparently the recipes that they use go as far back as 50 years ago from their very own ancestors and succeeding generations have tried to preserve these recipes that have been passed on by their ancestors. The result is D’ Original Maki Haus with some of the most delicious and authentic Chinese food that I have eaten.

Their specialty is obviously Maki, so that dish was already one of the dishes that we definitely knew we should get. We also asked the servers what they recommend, and the girl swears that their oyster cake is the best! We followed her advice and I must say, she was right!

Jen said we already ordered enough, but for me, I really always want to try to get as much variety as I can, so we decided to order just one more dish.

We had the ff.:

Maki-Mi (Php 120)

Maki Haus Maki

Maki soup a Chinese soup that is usually made with pork, although sometimes beef is also used. It’s slightly similar to eggdrop soup in consistency, is usually a bit more rich, and the color is brown because of the seasoning and usually because of the added soy sauce that goes into the dish. It is also a cornstarch-based soup which gives it that thick consistency too.

The key to a good Maki, according to those who regularly eat this soup is that the simplicity must never be overdone, and the key to that is to always just use the least amount of ingredients, but always cooked with the right amount of seasoning too. I must say, this Maki soup that we had was just fantastic and perfectly delicious. I can see why they kept their ancestor’s recipe, because there really is nothing to add or take away from it already.

At D’ Original Maki Haus, they have two sizes available. The regular order is at Php 100, but since we were sharing the dish, we opted for the large one. And the serving was generous with ample amount of noodles & meat. I loved the soup though so I asked if they could refill the soup which they did! I loved it! Now, I don’t need to go to Manila just to have the yummy Maki.

Kiampong (Php 35)

Maki Haus Kiampong

Kiampong, for those who don’t know what it is or haven’t tried it yet, is a modified version of fried rice and is actually a marriage of Filipino and Chinese cuisine. It in fact originated in the Filipino Chinese community. It’s really one of those types of fried rice that seems easy enough to make, since it is just fried rice, but always hard to execute and prepare so that will actually come out delicious.

I always miss my mom’s version of kiampong, so whenever I see kiampong in any of the restaurants that I go to, I make sure that I order it. Kiampong is basically rice with meat, mushrooms, onions, and it won’t be complete without the peanuts on top. This restaurant’s version of kiampong did not disappoint, and I was pleasantly happy that the meal was going well in terms of just how delicious even their kiampong was.

Fried Squid (Php 185)

Maki Haus Fried Squid

I love their fried squid! It’s perfectly cooked, breading is not too much and you can taste the wonderful squid (or pusit in Filipino). Sometimes, with fried squid, if the batter is too thick and too much, you don’t really get the full flavor of the squid, and the breading should always just be a compliment to the main ingredient anyway. I liked their style of how they cooked this dish.

However, the sauce was just a little bit off. It tasted good, don’t get me wrong, but just weird in its consistency and flavor. I think they put too much corn starch, which I think can sometimes happen with dipping sauces, and thus it ends up with a starchy taste to it. I think it’s always important to remember that starch is just a thickening ingredient, and should never be tasted in any sauce that you eat. My friend asked for vinegar but I decided to just stick with the red starchy sauce since it still tasted pretty good and went well with the fried squid. 😛

Oyster Cake (Php 155)

Maki Haus Oyster Cake

The oyster cake was definitely my favorite among the dishes we ordered at Maki Haus, and every time that I would bite into it, I just kept thinking that it was great of our server to have recommended this dish. If it were just us deciding on the dishes, I don’t think I would have ordered. Which just goes to show, that whenever you go to a restaurant and you’re not sure of a good dish to try, always ask the servers or the staff since they will probably give you a good idea of what they like or what is popular for diners.

The oyster cake is mainly an oyster omelette. I do love omelettes, and I am admittedly a seafood fanatic, so the combination of these two was just a great dining experience. I think I was able to finish like half of it. I think I’ll try to eat some of those tomorrow. Writing this blog post just made me crave for it. Grrr!

Black Gulaman (Php 25)

Maki Haus Black Gulaman

If it isn’t obvious to you yet, Maki Haus is a Chinese restaurant, and what is a drink that is usually known to be Chinese drink? Well, it’s none other than Black Gulaman! hehehe! I’m really not a fan of just plain water & I decided to quit drinking softdrinks almost two months ago, so I decided to order black gulaman instead.

The dinner was somewhat a late birthday celebration for me, but I still felt so happy coz I was with a long-lost friend. Jen & I had been out of touch for more than 4 years and I missed her dearly. Glad we were able to catch up. Hopefully, we’d get to hang out more often.

This is me with the food. And who wouldn’t be smiling with all that good food in front of you, not to mention a great and wonderful long lost friend to share the dinner with.

Awwww, I already miss eating at Maki Haus. Their prices are reasonable plus the taste of the food is just so good! You must definitely try out this restaurant which is located in Banawe, Quezon City. And don’t forget to try their oyster cake, it’s a definite must-try aside from their famous Maki soup. Such a great restaurant with homemade recipes handed down from generations!

Roch Maki Haus

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D’ Original Maki Haus
683 Banawe Street, Quezon City, Philippines
(02) 411-8767

Insider Secrets to Google AdWords

Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On June 5, 2010

I got an invite for the Insider Secrets to Google Adwords event in my gmail inbox a few days ago. I guess it’s because I have a Google account. It’s been on the back of my mind for the past few days already. I really want to attend the event as I really want to learn how to improve HeaRty’s Haven especially when it comes to search engine optimization. Currently, I don’t have the slightest idea how to do it. The only struggle I have is that I don’t have a budget for it right now (the Google AdWords event is pegged at Php 10,595.00+VAT). For those who have the budget for it, I urge you to join now. They have pretty good promos like the ff.:

You’ll get discounts if you register on or before June 10, 2010, early bird rate is at Php 9,795.00+VAT.
If you register for 5 or more people, rate will be slashed to Php 9,295.00+VAT per person.
1st 50 registrants will receive a special bonus CD, the Jealously Guarded Secrets of Google AdWords.

I still have 5 more days to decide as early bird rate will end at June 10. Waahhh!!! I really super want this! 🙁 Anyway, to register, you can call (02) 470-1055 or SMS at +639053364486.

Insider Secrets to Google Adwords is a one-time event that is actually a first in the Philippines. Event will be on June 24-25, 2010 from 8:30am-5:30pm & will be held at Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila.

Featuring 2 international speakers that will share the Insider Secrets to a Google-friendly Website:

Simon Leung – retired most senior Google optimization specialist & Google insider for search & advertising results.
Fabian Lim – Asia’s top pay-per-click & search engine optimization expert trainer.

Going to the event for these two speakers I think is worth it enough. There’s just a lot of knowledge that you can’t get anywhere except in a one time event like this. I’m sure there will be questions that will be asked, and considering just how much of an expert these two are, there really is just so much value in this event.

Personally, like many bloggers out there, we love to write, but sometimes writing without a solid readership is daunting, and eventually, one really wants to be read considering the amount of work and love we put into each one of our articles. I think as bloggers, these events should definitely be attended as our readers become the most important part of why we write to.

The Course Outline is pretty interesting… wahhh I really wish I have enough budget for this. Let’s see if I can join. For the kind-hearted out there, you might want to donate to my Insider Secrets to Google Adwords fund hehehe 😛

Understanding The Google Ardwords Fundamentals
Building Relevant Keyword Lists With The Right Research
Writing Converting Ads With Only 95 Characters of Space
Putting Together The Most Effective Account Structures
Planning Your Bidding Strategy To Minimize Costs
Designing Landing Pages That Google Absolutely Loves
Setting Up A Google Friendly Lead Generation System
Converting New Subscribers Into Paying Customers Instantly
Why Search Engine Marketing
Market and Keyword Research
Google Ad Networks
Basic Pay-Per-Click (PCC) Concepts
PPC Campaign, Ad Groups and Ads
World-Class Case Studies
Your Own Live PPC Ads

Some interesting things that I personally would pay close attention to as a personal and lifestyle blogger would be understanding the fundamentals, market and keyword research, as well as a closer look at just what these “World-class case studies” are.

This is definitely a rare event. If you use the internet for your business, then Google Adwords, the lessons that will be covered are definitely crucial to gaining an online presence. You shouldn’t miss this one-time event in the Philippines!

Lost the TV Series

Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On June 4, 2010

The famous TV series Lost has recently just ended. It started airing on ABC last September 22, 2004 & ended last May 23, 2010. I can’t believe that I really watched each & every episode of Lost for 6 long years. That’s a total of 6 beautiful, exciting seasons. Since I live in the Philippines, I was only able to watch Lost on my laptop 🙂

Lost’s story evolves around a group of survivors whose plane (Oceanic flight 815) crashed in a mysterious island. During the course of the season, I was actually a bit lost with the storyline. Thus, the title “Lost” actually meant me being lost too with what was happening in the TV series. It also meant the survivors being lost in an island.

When I finished the last episode of Lost, it was then that I was finally no longer lost with the storyline. I have to admit that I had to seek help to understand the plot better. I asked a colleague who finished the series, I also searched through the net but it was this video that finally made me understand the story, and the video below is definitely one of the most unique summaries to LOST that I have seen yet. I hope it also helps those who haven’t seen the show, or still don’t understand the plot.

The series has a large cast but I would say my favorite would always be Sawyer (played by Josh Holloway). Well, mainly because he is hot, hot & hot! Any complaints? hehehe!

Here are the main cast:
Lost Cast

Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox)
Kate Austen (Evangeline Lilly)
Hugo “Hurley” Reyes (Jorge Garcia)
James “Sawyer” Ford (Josh Holloway)
John Locke (Terry O’Quinn)
Sayid Jarrah (Naveen Andrews)
Jin Soo Kwon (Daniel Dae Kim)
Sun Hwa Kwon (Yunjin Kim)
Claire Littleton (Emilie de Ravin)
Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan)
Benjamin Linus (Michael Emerson)
Juliet Burke (Elizabeth Mitchell)
Desmond Hume (Henry Ian Cusick)

I’m just glad that even though Lost was one of the most expensive TV series in history, it was still successful enough to actually complete the story. I somehow feel bad that a lot of other TV series was just axed because of low viewers turnout. Really glad Lost was able to retain 11 million viewers till the end. This was I think the 1st TV series I was able to watch from start to finish. Here’s a quick summary of each season.

Season	Summary
Season 1 20040922 to 20050525	this is where it all began. Survivors of plane crash lands on a deserted island. They will need to work with each other to survive.
Season 2 20050921 to 20060524	Conflict between the survivors & “others”-the island’s habitants are seen here. Hatch is explored & Dharma Initiative is revealed.
Season 3 20061004 to 20070523	We got to know who the others are, why they are in the island & who leads them. Survivors made contact with the outside world.
Season 4 20080131 to 20080529	The freighter Kahana has arrived to the island, motives to be known. Six survivors was able to leave the island, they’re called Oceanic Six.
Season 5 20090121 to 20090513	Survivors travel back in time. More Dharma Initiative dealings. Have a peek on the history of the island, about Jacob & his enemy.
Season 6 20100202 to 20100523	All the confusions/questions that we had during the 1st five season can be answered. You’d get to see what happened to the survivors of Oceanic 815. TV series ends.

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Lost was definitely one of the best TV series I have ever watched! One of my top 10 definitely! Hope you were able to catch it too. If not, you might want to buy their complete DVD set. It’s worth it 🙂

My Rating for Lost: 5 out of 5 stars.