Lemuel Jopio dot Com

The Apple iPhone 4 - Another Upgrade Trap

lemuel — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:52:01 +0000

Once again, another over hyped announcement from Apple has come and gone. Steve Jobs and his marketing wizards indoctrinated swooned the masses with their latest cash cow - the highly anticipated iPhone 4.

As a PC hardware junkie, who performs SMART UPGRADES on a timely basis, it makes me giggle when people fall prey to over zealous marketing hype. I begin to shudder when people spend hundreds of dollars to get the latest Smartphone, especially on a yearly basis. Potential customers whine about being locked into untimely contracts, along with predatory pricing from wireless carriers, so they can lay claim to the latest gadget.

Assimilate or Suffer the Consequences!

For most consumer electronics, there will always be new technology releases every year. Each release will have a price/benefit ratio that will determine performance and, most important of all, the overall user experience. The same can be rationalized for commodities such as a Smartphone.

Given the new features of the iPhone 4, a yearly upgrade cycle is not always beneficial for a majority of consumers. After all, most users will not utilize every hardware or software feature to the maximum nor does the iPhone 4 cause a huge lifestyle shift over the previous iPhone 3GS. It’s a meager evolution of previous iterations with no huge jumps in technology.

Unless a new Smartphone forces a big shift in lifestyle, save your money and stay away from the yearly upgrade trap. What’s really important is the ability to maintain your wireless plan or allowing it to expire. Furthermore, choosing the right contract or plan is a lot more important than buying a new Smartphone. And like it or not, each new release, including the iPhone 4, will inevitably become unfashionable within a course of a year.

Oasis of the Seas - Here We Come!

lemuel — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:13:29 +0000

It was bound to happen sooner or later! The Wife and I decided to book another cruise ship vacation. This summer we’ll be cruising with “Royal Caribbean International” on the largest ship in the world. Merrily called ““MS Oasis of the Seas”“, this floating monstrosity boasts jaw dropping amenities, outdoor neighborhoods along with an ability to host 5000+ guests. To make our vacation even more entertaining, we’ll be cruising with a group of close friends!

Oh well, I guess it’s time for me to diet again. Before heading out to sea, I plan lose 20+ lbs within the next couple of months!

A little warning before viewing the following video. It has extremely cheesy music!

Merry Christmas 2009

lemuel — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 21:18:55 +0000

Imaginary Diva and I would like to wish all our friends and loved ones a Merry Christmas 2009. Apart from giving and receiving gifts, we remain grateful for continued blessings that developed over the past year. With a handful of days left for 2009, we also hope you keep safe during this special time of the year.

Barely Alive for Black Friday 2009

lemuel — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:39:57 +0000

Believe it or not. Black Friday 2009 was a pretty quiet time for me. No, I didn’t line up throughout the night as documented in previous years. Yours truly decided to stay away from raucious crowds and overbearing line ups. I purchased a lot of stuff online and, most important of all, from the comfort of my own home.

Like the old saying goes, “Good things come to those who wait”. As a big fan of Left 4 Dead 1, I was grasping to get a hold of the newly released Left 4 Dead 2. After numerous bouts of impatience, I finally purchased a digital copy thanks to a Black Friday sale on Steam. The game was bought at a significant markdown.

I’ll try to post a review in a couple of days. Right now, I need to shoot some Zombies!!!

Geek Candy with Twist of Mario Bros.

lemuel — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:27:26 +0000

I consider myself a pretty good cook. But when it comes to baking, I’m pretty lackluster and downright horrible. Perhaps one of these days, I’ll summon enough talent to bake these super cool Mario Bros. candies. The detail and quality is absolutely stunning! All these tasty treaty were hand baked by super talented pastry chef Ana Fuji. And yes, she has Pokémon characters too!

Source: Ana’s Flickr Stream

NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup: 2009 Edition

lemuel — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:01:36 +0000

I enjoy all forms of motorsports. Believe it or not, I am also a very big NASCAR CUP fan. The close racing and colorful personalities is a big reason why I’ve been a NASCAR follower since my childhood. Two years ago I was really excited when my favorite driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, decided to leave the high glamour world of Formula One to compete in Stock Car Racing. Montoya’s fearless demeanour and high level of skill has garnered him a dedicated following around the world. As a Monaco Grand Prix, Indy 500, CART & F1 winner, Montoya is regarded as one of the best all-around drivers ever.

There are 36 races in a NASCAR CUP season. After each race, points are rewarded based on the drivers’ finishing position, laps led, etc. Montoya currently drives the #42 Target-Chevy for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing; a well known operation with successful Indycar and Sports Car teams.

The “Chase” is NASCAR’s playoff season, where the top 12 drivers compete for the championship. To qualify for the Chase, a driver must occupy a top 12 position after the 26th race. Even though a driver does not qualify for NASCAR’s playoff season, he can still compete in the 10 remaining races. However, only the drivers who qualified for the Chase can accumulate points to win the championship. Montoya was able to qualify for the Chase this year, a first time for a non-American driver. The Chase for the Sprnt Cup will start this week!

I personally feel Montoya will perform well during the Chase. However, my first choice to win the championship is Mark Martin, the oldest driver in NASCAR. Like Montoya, I’ve been watching Martin compete for a very long time. It amazes me that he can still drive at a very high level, plus fellow drivers have the utmost respect for him due to his likeable personality and mannerisms on & off the race track. He’s one of the few gentleman drivers left in any racing series. Martin has never won the championship so it would be great to seem him finally claim the cup. He currently drives the #5 Kellogs-Car Quest-Chevrolet for Hendricks Motorsports; a highly vaunted super team in NASCAR.

Regardless of who wins the cup, the 2009 NASCAR CUP season has been pretty exciting so far. There’s bound to be some big changes next year as driver and personnel changes will occur from team to team. Despite all this movement, NASCAR will always provide a thrilling spectable for true motorsport fans and gearheads who love to hear the rumble of those menacing V8 engines.

Alienware M17x Laptop: Extreme Portable Gaming

lemuel — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:01:27 +0000

Since I only work 1 to 2 hours a day, there’s plenty of time for me to pursue other leisurely activities, like sleeping in every morning, watching paint dry, and most important of all, playing video games. After a couple days of intense meditation and soul searching, I finally gave in to my evil desires (again). Yes, I purchased another gaming laptop . However, this is one laptop that you won’t find at a typical electronic store.

As a hardcore PC gamer, I need cutting edge technology to compete on the virtual battlefield. Owning the fastest equipment is the only way to stay ahead of the competition. This is why I recently purchased the hot looking Alienware M17x laptop. Even though Alienware was purchased by Dell a couple of years ago, the company remains true to their roots by building super fast gaming machines for their respective audience.

A Monstrosity Known as the Alienware M17x

To be honest, the Alienware M17x is overkill for most computer users. Don’t expect me to write essays, watch YouTube videos or post Tweets on this machine. With dual nVidia GTX 280M video cards and a beefy quad-core processor, this hefty amount of hardware is built for one purpose; to keep frame rates high and graphical settings at a maximum. My previous gaming laptop is still very fast but pales in comparison to the Alienware M17x.

This is a bad-ass machine! If you want portable gaming with the power of a high-end desktop, the Alienware M17x is a crazy perfect choice for hardcore enthusiasts (at least till the next upgrade cycle).

Star Blazers: An Epic Masterpiece

lemuel — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:12:28 +0000

As a child of the 1980’s, I grew up watching a legendary Japanimation series called “Star Blazers“. It was a very mature cartoon for the time with thought provoking themes and political messages. The arc-based series was an epic adventure of intergalactic proportaions. Soonafter, spiritual successors like Robotech, etc, continued a wave of Anime properties that spawned huge storylines and deep character development.

Even after 30+ years, Star Blazers still has a big fan base. It remains a big reason why I’m a fan of Anime or Japanimation. And thanks to YouTube, past, present and future fans can view all of the episodes.

I recently ordered a DVD set of Star Blazers. It’s going to be a treat watching the entire series again!

Hot! Hot! Hot!

lemuel — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:17:47 +0000

Thank goodness we have centralized air conditioning at home! A record breaking heat wave has turned Southwest British Columbia into a blazing oven.

Despite the hot weather, I would rather soak in the sun than suffer with chilly temperatures! The past winter feels like such a long time ago!

Thank goodness the summer is only halfway over!

3M Scotchgard Paint Protection Film Clear Bra is a Great Product

lemuel — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:23:40 +0000

Rock chips and bug splatter is a reality every vehicle owner must face. A driver can take all the necessary precautions to avoid these objects but sooner or later a nasty rock end up hitting the front-end. In the past, a leather or vinyl bra was commonly used for added protection. Unfortunately, this application is rather ghastly in terms of physical appearance.

I wanted a formidable means of protection while maintaining the natural lines of my vehicle. This is why I recently installed 3M Scotchgard Protective Film on our brand new 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara. It is a clear bra designed to shield surfaces from stone chips. Depending on the installation or color of a vehicle, it is practically invisible.

Here are some pictures of our Suzuki with the 3M Scotchgard Protective film. Protected sections on our vehicle include the hood, front bumper, fog lights, headlights, side mirrors and wheel fenders. A passerby won’t notice anything at all, unless they’re really close to the sheet metal.

The clear bra was professionally installed by 3M Certified specialists. Since I live near Vancouver, BC Canada, the kind folks at Vancouver Clear Bra utilized their services to apply the product. Their attention to detail, service and workmanship is excellent. There’s also a 5 year warranty by 3M.

It is possible to install this product by yourself or with a partner. A novice can save quite a bit of money by purchasing a pre-cut kit. But unless you’re a professional detailer, I’d highly suggest a certified specialist for a quality installation, especially on larger areas with complicated curves. In fact, I ordered a similar protective film (a few months ago) for my 17 inch laptop called the Invisible Shield. It was a real burden to install. I could have gotten into a lot of trouble if the clear bra was installed with my own hands.

How much did it cost me? Well, the total cost is less than a paint job for the front-end. It also saves me a lot of time from applying touch-up paint on a peppered bumper. If you care about the finish of a vehicle or would like to minimize stone chips, I would highly recommend 3M Scotchgard Paint Protection Film as a viable solution. The vehicle will thank you in the end!