a new view of the world around us

Q1 / 2013
ì Free Copy
ì www.cfm.org.my
KDN PP 17752/11/2013 (033132)
CONNECTED
LIFESTYLE
IN-APP PUrCHASES pg 9
SOCIAL LIFE
IN SEARCH OF
LOVE ONLINE pg 13
BLOGGERS WORLD COMMUNITIES
ONLINE
VKEONG’s FOOD BLOG
EAT, SNAP, BLOG pg 14
PHOTOMALAYSIA pg 15
MOBILE TIPS
TURN YOUR PHONE
INTO A MOUSE pg 26
AUGMENTED
REALITY
A NEW VIEW OF THE WORLD AROUND US
2
editor’s message
EDITORIAL
Editor-In-Chief
Mediha Mahmood (Astro)
[email protected]
Content - Services
Megat Ishak (TuneTalk)
[email protected]
Content - Consumer
Bahma Sivasubramaniam (MMU)
[email protected]
Distribution
Jamaludin Abdullah (Celcom)
[email protected]
Promotion & Advertising
Mohd Mustaffa (PPIM)
[email protected]
Mediha Mahmood
Secretariat
Athirah Tan Abdullah
Lim Hui Shan
EDITOR
SHOUT! QUARTERLY
KDN PP 17752/11/2013 (033132)
“The only way that we can live, is if we grow.
The only way that we can grow is if we change.
– C. JoyBell C.
SHOUT! is published on a
quarterly basis by:
We welcome our readers to the new and improved Shout! Magazine as the editorial team works
on its target to create a magazine that will simultaneously educate, entertain and empower
Malaysian consumers.
There are now more articles that will be useful for our readers. From book reviews to mobile tips,
Shout! magazine is packed with content that we hope will guide consumers towards beneficial
content on the Internet.
Our cover story is about a technology that is about to go mainstream. As the Internet of Things
take shape, expect augmented reality to be one of the next big trends in the connected world.
The cover story has all the facts you need to know about this exciting technology.
At the same time, we have also focussed on features that can help consumers deal with their
challenges in the connected world that we all live in. The feature on dropped calls is a good example
of such articles. Moving forward, we would like to cover more of such articles and your feedback
will be invaluable. Do drop us a note on issues that you would like us to feature and we will do
our best to do so.
We hope you would enjoy reading this issue as much as we had putting it together for you.
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Multimedia Consumer Forum
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3
CONTENTS
Q113
COVER STORY
06
Augmented Reality –
A new view of the world
around us
04
Event Updates
09
In-App Purchases
10
Mother,
Baby and
an App
14
Vkeong’s
Food Blog
Eat, Snap, Blog
15
Photomalaysia:
A Community of Shooters
11
How to
know if your
computer has
a virus
12
More input tools
on Google Products
for non-English language users
13
In Search
of Love Online
24
Book
Review
16
Social
Media
Lifestyle
We speak with Ryan and Jin; the pair of
zany radio deejays of Hitz.fm Morning
Crew slot.
18
The Expert Speaks
On… WiFi
20
Dropped
Calls
22
Prepaid Plan
for Social Media
Lovers
The Parent’s
Guide to Texting,
Facebook, and
Social Media
25
Album
Review
26
Turn your Phone
into a Mouse
27
Bits & Bytes
28
There’s
Money in
Personalisation
29
Industry Moves
30
Privacy on
the Internet
© Copyright of Communications and Multimedia Consumer Forum Malaysia
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording
or any storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the publisher. All rights to brand names, registered trademarks, logos and images remain
with their legal owners.
4
UPDATES
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
(right, white shirt) arriving
at the event venue
EVENT
UPDATES
1
2013
1 CFM exhibits at the Christmas
Open House 2012 and the National
Chinese New Year Celebrations 2013
Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur
11 & 12 January 2013
2 CFM took part at the Pelancaran
Klik Dengan Bijak, Nilai-Nilai Murni
dan Himpunan Kasih Sayang
Peringkat programme in Sabah
Padang Pekan Menumbok, Kuala Penyu,
Sabah
2 & 3 February 2013
3 CFM booth at the 1Malaysia
Broadband Carnival, Miri, Sarawak
Padang Parkir Kereta, Giant Hypermall
Permyjaya, Miri, Sarawak
Visitors avidly
listening to CFM
representative’s
presentation
16 February 2013
4 CFM booth at the 2013
Chinese New Year Open House
Taman Puchong Utama
(nearby Puchong Carrefour)
22 & 23 February 2013
5 CFM Exhibits at 1Malaysia Broadband
Mini Carnival, Gua Musang
Mukim Bandar Gua Musang, Kelantan
8 & 9 March 2013
6 CFM exhibits at the ‘Klik Dengan Bijak’
Terengganu State Launch
Sekolah Kebangsaan Lembaga Kemajuan
Tanah Persekutuan (LKTP), Felda Bukit
Bading, Hulu Terengganu, Terengganu
2
16 & 17 March 2013
7 CFM display at the 1Malaysia
Broadband Carnival, Lawas, Sarawak
Taman Awam Lawas, Sarawak
School students eager to
know more about CFM
YB Dato’ Seri Utama Dr. Rais
Yatim giving his opening
speech for the event
3
Carnival visitors
finding out more
about CFM
YB Dato’ Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui
(middle, white & orange coloured
shirt), Minister of Energy, Green
Technology and Water Malaysia
visiting the booths
UPDATES
4
Great turnout during
the open house
5
Good crowd at CFM’s
exhibition booth
Visitors are eager to
learn more about CFM
YBM Tengku Tan Sri
Razaleigh Hamzah in
attendance to officiate
the event
Dato’ Mohd Shafie
Harun (left) was
among the
attendees at the
launching of the
programme
Audience filling in survey
forms with guidance from
CFM’s representative
6
7
The crowd listening
to YB Dato’ Seri Utama
Dr. Rais Yatim’s speech
Young visitors listening
carefully about CFM’s
roles and responsibilities
5
6
AUGMENTED
REALITY
A NEW VIEW OF THE
WORLD AROUND US
Get ready for a view of the
world around you augmented
by wondrous technologies.
No longer the domain of futuristic movies and
technology nerds; augmented reality (AR) has
become a hot growth area in mobile and wireless.
A combination of forces –powerful smartphones, fast wireless
networks, the Internet of Things and advances in sensor technologies
– have combined to create what is starting to become a mighty
tsunami of augmented reality applications.
Consumers appear to be excited with its possibilities – as evidenced
by the huge consumer interest in the Google Glass wearable eyeglasses.
Even in Malaysia, AR applications have begun to emerge and centres
of research have been set up.
Google Glass
7
Telepathy One
Google Glass
Augmented Reality
AR is the enhancement of the real world by the inclusion
of data and visuals layers on top of the natural view. It may
sound hard to understand but if you are a moviegoer you
have probably seen futuristic visions of AR in science
fiction movies. For instance, one of the most memorable
depictions of AR in the movies is seen in the Terminator
movies where the cyborg assassins from the future receive
real time data of their targets and locations continuously.
The information that is fed to them enhances their ability
to make decisions and battle with their targets. Other
memorable AR scenes can be seen in movies like Minority
Report, Wall-E, Predator, Robocop and Avatar.
In the real world, AR can be delivered over many
platforms and through various devices. The most common
ones currently are smartphones and wearable devices such
as glasses and headsets.
On mobile phones the user will typically launch an
application and then hold the smartphone up to get useful
data for their location. For instance, tourist friendly AR apps
can be found for many cities. Travellers to Hong Kong can
download the DiscoverHongKong series of apps on their
phones. These apps have information for attractions, retail
stores, food, heritage sites and other points of interest. The
Lonely Planet travel publishing company, well known
among backpackers, also have their Compass Guides apps
with AR features.
Today’s AR world
AR is seen by big companies as the next natural step in
the creation of a smart connected world. The company
that has attracted the most attention for its AR product is
Google with its Google Glass headsets that will soon reach
eager consumers.
The Google Glass is a tiny computer that looks like a pair
of spectacles but without lenses. On the right side of the
frame is a small display. A Google Glass will also have an
embedded camera, microphone, GPS and sound. Users get
enhanced views of their surroundings and are also be able
to interact with the Google Glass device by just speaking
to it. For instance, the user could say, “Take photo” and the
camera would take a photo. Other voice commands will
enable users to share that photo, send emails and carry out
many other tasks that one would normally do on a
smartphone.
Users will see enhanced information for known items
when they look at them (a classic case of science fiction in
Terminator movie coming true) or get directions to where
they want to go. Check out Google’s cool video of their
vision for Google Glass at http://goo.gl/IBmkl.
Of course, Google is not alone in working on AR
products. Sony has its own smart glasses in the works.
Instead of just one display on it, the Sony product will have
views on both sides of the frame as well as a host of other
features and add-ons.
Microsoft is rumoured to be working on its own AR
glasses too. Apple is nothing if not notoriously secretive
but rumours of an iWatch product, a smart wearable watch
with AR features have been intensifying recently.
Lesser known companies have emerged too with their AR
wearable products. The Telepathy One (www.tele-pathy.org)
headset from Japanese startup looks to be even more
advanced than the Google Glass. It can connect wirelessly with
both smartphones and tablets and project its 5-inch display
in front of a user’s eye. Another device, the Golden-I looks
like a telephone operator’s headset (www.mygoldeni.com)
and it too has a display and other smart features.
Chinese Internet giant, Baidu is also working on its own
Baidu Eye, a glass device with voice control, image recognition
and audio. Not to be left out, Olympus has its own AR glasses
called the MEG4.0. Finally there is Vuzix, another glasses
project that has attracted a fair bit of attention. Their new
1200XLD device has HDMI support, motion tracking sensors,
full HD camera and the ability to track and recognise real
world objects. The glasses will show a display that will look
like the user is 10 feet away from a 75-inch TV screen.
Most of these products were announced over the last
one year, which indicates that the AR market is about to
explode and that there will be many more AR products
arriving in the near future.
8
Back home
A Centre of Excellence in Semantic Technology and Augmented Reality (COESTAR)
has been set up by the government at UNIMAS in Sarawak. It is spearheading
advanced level research work in AR with the aim of coming up with intelligent
AR applications and products that can benefit the nation.
Very recently, a team from COESTAR developed a Qiblat indicator app for
smartphone users which won the Gold Medal at the British Innovation Show.
The Mobile AR-Solat app shows Muslims the direction of the Qiblat when
performing prayers as well as other information such as nearby mosques and
other points of interest.
Melvin Ong, CEO for the Faster Advertising company says that their ad
agency is one of the first to use AR in their projects. Their client Bunkface, the
popular music group, wanted something different for the launch of their new
album. Users had to download an app and after that, point their mobile devices
to the Bunkface record label and the mobile device would immediately start
some content such as videos and music. A video on this project can be seen at
www.fasteradvertising.com.
Melvin says that AR solutions are costly currently, “It can cost between
RM100,000 and RM500,000. We have to do production work and integrate it into
the app.” His company’s solution can be used for any product. “It could be a
T-shirt, a printed page, a billboard or just about any product. However the high
costs mean that only larger companies can currently put AR onto their products.”
Nevertheless Melvin says that “AR is a catchy medium with a wow factor. It is
perfect for companies that want to keep surprising and exciting consumers.”
Elsewhere, the Proton Prevé car launch was accompanied by an AR app
(protonpreve.com) that enabled potential buyers to view the car in 3D from all
angles. Malaysia Airlines also came out with an AR app in 2010 which showed
potential fliers special flight fare offers based on their locations. The users simply
had to point their phones and the app could identify airports and display the
latest offers.
Another local app is Masatu which uses some elements of AR within it.
Location based technologies allow users to place ‘future’ messages for friends
and the public. Other Masatu users can unlock those messages when they
point their devices in those areas.
Melvin Ong
The future
Augmented reality technologies can
potentially revolutionise many fields.
Education, tourism, health, gaming
and publishing are likely to be the first
to be transformed. But that will only
be the beginning.
AR is definitely shaping up to
become a megatrend. The arrival of
devices such as the Google Glass will
fuel consumer interest and this in turn
will spur the creation of even more AR
devices and applications. While most
of the current projects involve headset
like devices, the future may be very
different. We could be wearing AR
smart devices on any part of our
bodies and the world will look very
different to our eyes.
Qibla AR
Proton Prevé AR
Bunkface AR Demostration
Connected Lifestyle
“Smartphone owners can also
disable in-app purchases and
this is especially recommended if the
smartphone is used by young
children or multiple users.”
In-App Purchases
If you are an avid user of mobile applications, it is likely that you have been asked at one
time or another while inside an app if you would like to purchase additional content or
features in that app. The selling of stuff inside a mobile application is known as in-app purchase and it is becoming
very popular.
App developers typically have three ways to make money. They can sell the app, keep it free but make money from
ads or they could adopt the ‘freemium’ model in which the app is free but users are enticed to make purchases when they
are inside the application.
Content and Features
A lot of mobile games rely on in-app purchases to make
money. Users typically can play the game for free but have
the option to gain additional powers, buy more powerful
weapons or jump to new levels by paying money.
Avid gamer Sukhvir Singh says that he comes across in-app
purchases very regularly. “I am currently hooked to the Candy
Crush game and when my five lives are gone, I have the
option of waiting for more than two hours to regenerate
my character, get a friend to send me lives over Facebook
or pay money to get extra lives.” I usually don’t take up the
in-app purchase offer but there have been times when I have
made purchases in other games.
Shamsul Shafei is not a gamer but he makes in-app
purchases very regularly. “I’ve bought in-app purchases from
Path (a social network) and also from magazine apps like
WIRED, Inc and EMPIRE. He adds that, “The in-app purchase
in Path is straightforward. Path is a personal social network app
with built-in picture taking availability among other features.
Path already gives you free filters to use for pictures but they
also offer users filters for sale that they sell for USD 0.99. I also
quite regularly purchase digital magazines. It’s easy to use. “
Anan Saminathen also purchases content from
applications. On his Apple device he normally pays for
magazines like Wired and Businessweek. He has also made
in-app purchases from apps like Skype. “It is very convenient.
I don’t need to key in credit card details and I find it safe.”
A Caution
Nevertheless, users need to exercise caution because they
may end up spending a lot of money when many small
purchases are totalled up. Furthermore there is also a
danger that children and teenagers could end up hitting
their parents with high bills at the end of the month because
they accepted in-apps purchase invitations without quite
realising that payments are involved.
To address that issue, mobile companies have added in
extra safety measure. Users are prominently told that they
are purchasing an app with in-app purchase enabled inside it.
Smartphone owners can also disable in-app purchases and
this is especially recommended if the smartphone is used
by young children or multiple users.
As in any other useful tool, there are benefits as well as
dangers in the in-app purchase marketing model. Users
will find it very useful when buying things like magazines
but will have to be very cautious when playing games on
their mobile.
9
10
CONNECTeD FAMILY
MOTHER,
BABY AND
AN APP
BabyBump Free
Free
These days, mothers and mothers-to-be
carry a mobile phone everywhere they go.
So, why not make the phone a device that
will help the expectant mother and the new
mum with a baby? Here is a selection of mobile
apps to that end.
BabyCenter
My Pregnancy Today
Android & iOS – Free
Like the above app, this app also helps the
pregnant lady keep up to date on the daily
state of her pregnancy. It will show her how
her body will undergo changes as her
pregnancy period extends. She can also find
useful information of the baby developing
inside her.
Fertility and
Pregnancy Calculator
iOS – Free
Even
though
this app
will help
her
follow
the
progress
of a
pregnancy, it can also help other women
trying to get pregnant. For women who are
planning a pregnancy, it will help them
calculate ovulation date and fertile days. It can
alert women about their fertility cycle to
increase their chances of getting pregnant.
Mothers-to-be would love this app as it will
help them keep track of their pregnancy,
by setting up a pregnancy countdown as a
graphic bar. While they’re doing that they
can also find out about common pregnancy
symptoms, bodily changes, and keep track of
their daily weight gain and symptoms.
I’m Expecting
– Pregnancy App
Android & iOS – Free
This app monitors her pregnancy by tracking
symptoms, weight gain, doctor’s appointments,
baby’s growth and development. She can
get expert advice on problems like common
pregnancy symptoms. As her baby grows
inside her, she can update the growth and
development with weekly updates, by taking
pictures and showing them off as a slide show.
Pregnancy Buzz
by the Bump
iOS – Free
This app
will give
her tips
and
advice
about
the
types of
food to
eat and avoid when pregnant, what she can
expect when she goes to your doctor on
prenatal visits. If she needs any other answers,
she can do a search of typical questions
expectant mother always ask about. Not only
this, she can shoot her personal queries to
the community at TheBump.com.
Pregnancy Tracker
from What to Expect
Android & iOS – Free
This app is actually a mobile version of
a pregnancy book, What to Expect When
You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff. It has
a due date calculator, weekly baby’s growth
and development, pictures of her baby’s
development. It will update her on what to
expect with regards to body changes. She can
keep track with a countdown to the big day.
Baby Care – track
baby growth!
Android – Free
This app
will help
a mother
keep track
of her
baby’s
growth by
tracking his
baby feeds,
sleeps, poops, and growth. There is also a
reminder for the mother to take care of the
baby when busy. There are also charts for
Breast feeding/Bottle/Solid/Diaper/Sleep/
Wake/Pumping milk chart; scheduler chart;
temperature chart; and teeth chart.
Consumer TIPS
How to know if your
computer has a virus
You feel something is wrong with your personal computer or laptop
but you can’t figure out what’s wrong? You might need some tips to know
if your computer has a virus.
Your computer
slows down
suddenly for
unknown reasons
You received an
unexpected
request asking
you to confirm
a new change
of setting
You might see
a new alien
icon appear on
your desktop
Your antivirus
software is
unable to run
You may experience
programmes
starting up
or closing down
unexpectedly
You can’t run
Windows
Update
Your system
has become
unstable
and freeze
completely
How to remove
a computer virus?
i. Update your antivirus software – it is important
to make sure your antivirus is always up-to-date as
new viruses are being written all the time
ii. Use online scanner – The scanner cannot help you
to prevent virus but it can help you to detect and
remove viruses that are already in your computer
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-MY/windows-vista/
how-do-i-remove-a-computer-virus
You try to
delete some
unrecognized
files but
you can’t
How to Prevent Infection
from computer viruses
i. Install antivirus software – Reinstall the antivirus
program if it has stopped working
ii. Use Internet Firewall – A firewall helps to guard
your computer against malicious users, computer
viruses and worms
iii.Update your computer – Updates can help
to shield your computer from vulnerabilities
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940831
11
12
ONLINE TOOLS
MORE INPUT TOOLS
on Google products for non-English
language users
Selamat pagi
‫ريخلا حابص‬
早安
Good news for those who use
languages like Chinese and Tamil
to access the Internet. There are now
more ways for you to enter text when you
use Google Products.
Those who type in English when they use
the Internet may have difficulty appreciating
how difficult accessing the Internet is for
those who have to use other languages to
access online tools and applications. They
could even be forgiven for assuming that it is
a small problem as almost everyone uses
English on the Web.
However, the facts are different. The diversity
of languages around the world means that
there are plenty of people who only understand
a language which is not English. To take three
major examples; Russians have their own
language and script. Hindi is a widely used
language in the Indian subcontinent. And then
there is the Arabic language used across the
Middle East.
These are languages widely used but there
are many more languages used across the
world. Internet companies are constantly
working on improving access to the people
who use other languages. Google is one of the
companies that have to lead in this area, simply
because its services such as Translate, Search
and Gmail are used widely across the world.
Google Translate supports an astounding
65 languages. While Google has always made
possible different ways to input in those
languages, the options have not been many.
In most cases, there has been only one
alternative input method. For example, only
one of four popular input methods for
Chinese was previously available.
Now Google Translate has announced
that new input tools are available to these
script, the most popular way to enter text is
through transliteration; where they type on
a Latin-alphabet keyboard (the ones English
speaking people use) and the output is
converted into their script.
The complexity that some users face
is enormous. For example, the Chinese
language has over 80,000 characters. Try
fitting them all on a keyboard. With the right
transliteration input tools turned on, users
Google Translate has announced that new input tools
that greatly expand the set of available input methods
for many languages are now available.
users. These new input tools greatly expand
the set of available input methods for many
languages. In Malaysia, users who type in
Chinese or Tamil will benefit.
As mentioned earlier, those who use
English may not understand what the fuss is
about. But for non-English users the choice
of input tools is important, because the best
way to input text with a keyboard varies from
language to language.
Every language has its own set of popular
input methods, each familiar to its own
subset of users. For example, the Portuguese
keyboard has two common layouts, one
popular in Brazil and another in Portugal. In
addition, for languages that use a different
can simply type “tieng chao” for tiẽng chào,
and “nihao” for 你好.
It’s easy to start using these new input
tools. Once you have chosen your input
language, you will see the input tools icon at
the bottom of the text area. Click the icon to
turn on the input tool or switch to another
input tool in the drop-down menu.
The new input tools are now also
available in other Google products, including
Gmail, Drive, Chrome and Android as well as
in Windows.
SOCIAL LIFE
IN SEARCH
OF LOVE
ONLINE
No one would disagree that
smart devices have become part
of our life and that Internet
surfing is now part of our daily
routine. We use the Internet for various
purposes, from leisure to work to socialising.
It is not an exaggeration to say that people
will find it hard to go back to the time when
the Internet was not around.
According to a global survey by Nielsen in
2011, Malaysian netizens spend an average
of 20 hours online every week and 53% of
them surf the net every day. The statistics
climbs up higher by the years.
Social media have become very big over
the last few years. People are connecting
with one another on social media sites such
as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and
Instagram and chat applications like WhatsApp,
WeChat and Line.
Love on the air
Many would use these social media tools
to make new friends. Some even fall in love
online. One cannot help but be curious about
how someone can trust and fall in love with
a person they have never met in real life.
Love Scam
Red Flag
1. The person will confess undying love even
though both of you have never met.
2. The person will avoid having webcam chat
with you.
3. The person will share a very sad story
about him/her to gain your instant
sympathy.
4. The persons will have reasons for not
meeting you in person.
5. The person needs money from you because
of some ‘emergency’ or ask you to transfer
money for an air ticket to come over to
visit you.
6. The person claims that he/she wants
to send you a gift or parcel and ask your
help to wire money.
Scammer: How are you?
Victim: I’m fine, thank you.
Sample scenario:
Scammer: I think you got great looks. I think I’m really falling in love with you.
Victim: Oh…you’re so sweet…
Scammer: I wish to marry you so that I can see you everyday… My dear, I’ll send a gift to you to
show my sincerity and love. But dear, you need to pay for some duty fees to pick up the parcel.
Victim: What is the gift?
Scammer: It is a surprise, you will know when you get it.
Don’t forget to get the the duty fees to pick up the gift.
My gift is my love for you.
There are a few reasons why. Sometimes
true love can happen at first sight, even if it
happens to be the sight of a Facebook profile
picture. Secondly, online relationships take
place because they reduce the feeling of
loneliness. Thirdly, some people do not have
the confidence to approach people in real
life and find it easier when done over the
Internet. Or people could also be plain
gullible and they meet someone online who
appear to fulfil their fantasy.
So, while there are some online relationships
that have really worked out, more often than
not, cases of people hit by love scams are the
ones that make the news.
The police categorises love scams under
its category of parcel scams. According to
Royal Malaysian Police (RMP), 876 cases of
parcel scam happened in Malaysia in 2011
and 613 cases in 2012 resulting in the
Cases
1000
Victim: Yes, I will. Thank you so much.
876
613
500
Losses (RM)
RM34,179,505.02 RM25,897,028.68
Year
2011
2012
shockingly high losses of RM34,179,505.02
and RM25,897,028.68 respectively.
Although it shows that the case have
decreased from year 2011 to 2012, however,
the figure is still very high. In other words, many
are still unaware of it and easily fall prey to
a love scam.
You may think that it would not happen to
you but prevention and awareness are always
the best for anyone. If that dream love looks
too good to be true, it probably is!
13
14
Bloggers world
By looking at him, you will not know that he
is the hands and mouth behind the popular
food blog. That’s mainly because he almost never shares
his personal life or photos of himself on his blog. That might
be what separates him from the many Malaysian food
bloggers out there.
“I would say my blog compared with the others is more
straightforward. I don’t write a lot of my personal stuff and
I don’t put up my pictures in there.” Voon Keong believes that
the reader would only be interested in the place and the
food and not his personal life.
Lum Voon Keong, 29 or vkeong as many would know him
as, is a software engineer from Bukit Mertajam, Penang with
a passion for food, travelling and photography. He first
started writing his blog about food in 2006 after a food blog
of a fellow Malaysian caught his attention.
“I used to read a blog started by a housewife in Penang and
she was also blogging about food. I found it quite interesting
so I tried to start up my own using her as a reference and
somehow it [the blog] grew and people started reading it.”
He is passionate about trying out new eateries and
taking pictures and expressing his views on local and
international food. When he first started blogging, he would
often accept invites by restaurant owners to try out their
restaurant. As fun as that sounds, he realised that he was
putting himself in a difficult situation when the food was
not to his liking. He had to write in a way that would indicate
that the food was not up to par but at the same time not too
obviously so that the owner would not feel too offended,
“…when restaurants invite you, they expect you to write
good stuff but sometimes the food is really not that good…
I have to twist my words so that I do not directly say it’s
bad but somehow the readers will be able to process for
themselves and see that it’s not good. If it’s not an invited
review I can straight away say it’s not good.”
Although he has not gotten into any trouble other than
a few emails from restaurant owners for not writing highly
of their restaurants he decided to not accept anymore
invites and instead just go back to what his do best: Eat,
snap and write.
vkeong is no stranger to harsh critics and comments by
readers. Most of the time, he allows comments to be
Scan the QR Code!
published as he believe that they, his readers, have freedom
to say whether they agree with him or not.
Being a popular food blogger has its benefits. He got a
chance to co-host a program for 8TV and is also regularly
invited to go for food trips by companies to countries like
Macau and Hong Kong.
VKeong’s
food blog
EAT
SNAP
BLOG
http://www.vkeong.com
In case you are wondering what he,
as a food blogger for many years,
think are the must try foods in Malaysia.
Here are some of VKeong’s top
must-try.
He is passionate about
trying out new eateries and taking
pictures and expressing his views
on local and international food.
Charcoal
Char Koey
Teow,
Siam Road,
Penang
Opus Italian
Restaurant,
Bangsar
Heng Kee
Bak Kut Teh,
Kepong
Aunty Koh
Melaka Cendol,
Bukit Rambai,
Melaka
1
4
2
5
Dim Sum at
Chuai Heng
Restaurant,
Jalan Bukit
Bintang,
KL
3
And the one food
that he won’t eat?
“Kimchi”
COMMUNITIES ONLINE
The PhotoMalaysia
community is very friendly
and members share their
knowledge and tips freely.
PHOTOMALAYSIA
A Community of Photography Enthusiasts
The Internet has been a boon to hobbyists and enthusiasts from all fields and likes.
Forums and social networks have enabled people to locate and connect with fellow enthusiasts easily. In the case of the
photographing community of Malaysia, the online roost of those in love with the art of taking photos is PhotoMalaysia.com,
which bills itself as the ‘First and Largest Online Community’ for Malaysian photographers.
The community
Digital cameras have made photography affordable and
accessible to many more people than previously. What this
means is that there are a lot of photographers these days.
As a result of that, PhotoMalaysia is a very lively community,
with plenty of postings daily.
While there are world class photographers – a fair number
of members have won prizes at world level photography
awards - the vast majority are advanced amateurs and semi
professionals.
But this is not to say that beginners are not welcome. Far
from it; newbies are made to feel welcome very quickly.
The PhotoMalaysia community is very friendly and members
share their knowledge and tips freely.
The action
Just about every specialised field of photography has its
own sub forum at PhotoMalaysia. Macro photography and
black and white photography have their own followers.
Other popular sub-forums are Landscape and Cityscape.
General Photography is another popular sub-forum which
is used by the members to share their photos with the others.
Most major photography brands such as Canon and
Nikon are given their own spots at PhotoMalaysia. Since
photographers also love to trade their photography
equipment, PhotoMalaysia has an active section dedicated
to the buying and selling of equipment. There are always
bargains to be obtained there.
There is also lots of news on the recent developments
in the world of photography. Members are kept abreast
of international and local happenings. PhotoMalaysia is
also a great place to find and join photo outings. There are
always some or the other outing planned and everyone is
welcomed. There are also plenty of seminars and training
programmes publicised on PhotoMalaysia, both free and paid.
Images Heaven
Perhaps the most enjoyable part of joining the PhotoMalaysia
online community is being able to enjoy the numerous
beautiful photos posted by photographers. There are
plenty of eye catching photos posted everyday and it is
easy to become addicted to the site and keep returning
simply to view the latest photos. Every month, a Featured
Photographer who is usually an accomplished photographer
with accolades under his or her belt is highlighted.
If you are serious about photography, head on to
www.photomalaysia.com to join your peers. We promise you
will make many friends and improve your shooting skills.
Scan the QR Code!
15
16
SOCIAL MEDIA LIFESTYLE
SOCIAL MEDIA LIFESTYLE
Shout! is kicking off a new regular feature where we seek out celebrities
and get them to share their online lifestyles. The first celebrities we speak
to are Ryan and Jin; the pair of zany radio deejays who recently took over
the Hitz.fm Morning Crew slot.
Shout!: What do you usually do on the
Internet?
Jin: Research for information that will help
our show and I search a lot for K-Pop fashion.
I think I spend most of my time on YouTube
because you can search for anything on
YouTube, such as tutorials, interviews,
celebrities, anything…
Ryan: Music, sport, and YouTube. Honestly,
YouTube is such a massive part of everyone’s
life in a day.
Shout!: Which is the preferred gadget
you like to use to surf the Net?
Jin: I prefer a laptop but it depends on the
situation. The easiest is a phone and the
easiest application to use is Twitter because
you can get to know everything you want to
know from it. I use the mobile phone the
most because I use Twitter.
Ryan: For convenience, it is definitely the
mobile phone because it is on the palm of
your hand but I would enjoy a desktop at the
end of the day.
Shout!: How do you safeguard your
privacy online?
Jin: I take precautions. I change my YouTube
and Twitter passwords every month. There
are a lot of hackers who want to dig into your
personal lives. If they get in they will know
what you are doing.
Ryan: I will just clear History on the Internet
browser and files. That is how I am keeping
safe.
Shout!: If you have to tell a kid how to
keep safe online, what would you say?
Ryan: “If you don’t know the person, don’t
talk to them.”
I would make sure they know that Facebook
is personal and about communicating with
friends. Some people use it as a medium
to engage with people they don’t know. You
can’t go safer than having your own circles
of friends.
Jin: If I have kids, I would not allow my kids
to go online until they are old enough to
actually understand what the Internet is all
about. There are precautions and there are
ways to keep kids from doing what they
want to do, but it is a grey area because
when you try to limit kids from doing
something they will do even more. Being at
such an age is so vulnerable. I have seen
some cases of kids being bullied. They get
attacked online and they would not tell their
parents.
Shout!: Any useful apps on your phone
that you would like to share with our
readers?
Ryan: Waze. It got me out of so many
situations. I’m not a massive application user
but I use apps for convenience, like WhatsApp
where we get free texting.
Jin: Twitter. Most of the apps that I use in
my phone is for social networking. Another
one is Snapseed which allows me to store
my entire photo library, edit the details and
entire photos.
Shout!: How has the advent of Internet
changed the way radio deejays work?
Jin: It just doesn’t limit your horizon anymore;
like last time we have to rely on magazines
which are probably outdated, but with the
Internet, everything is current and live.
Ryan: The biggest impact has actually been
inside homes, where people are consuming
less and less television and radio as they have
the Internet.
Shout!: Do you use social media to help
you in your career?
Jin: Yes, definitely. I would say YouTube
does help me a lot in my career in terms
of building a brand for myself and also for
the station. But the thing is that YouTube
happened by accident, it wasn’t planned.
Of course when unexpected things happen
and they happen for good, it is a good thing.
Ryan: Yes, social media plays a massive role
as it lets us interact with listeners though
apps like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
SAVVY TIPS!
1. Find the social media that
works for you and limit only
to what you need
2. Enjoy the Internet as what it is
3. Browse different sites for topics
that interest you
4. Try to find credible sources
Social Media Lifestyle
17
EXPERT SAYS
E ER T
H
T EXP
K S ON
A
PE
S
18
WiF
i
Wherever we are, whether in our homes or
in public spaces, a WiFi connection is never
far away and often free. To help us all understand
this technology a bit better, CFM spoke to a wireless
networking expert who told us the facts about WiFi.
Innergia Group International Chief Technology Officer &
Executive Director, Nik Hanif knows WiFi in and out. He has
been working with WiFi technologies since 1999. After
completing his studies, he worked in the telecommunication
industry in USA for some years before returning to Malaysia.
He and some friends then set up Innergia, a company that
provides WiFi solutions to telecommunication and other
organisations with large areas to cover, such as shopping
centres. Among the many public areas where his company
has installed WiFi for telecommunication service providers
like Telekom Malaysia is the Sunway Pyramid Mall.
Here is what we learned about WiFi from the expert.
NIK HANIF
CTO &
Executive
Director,
Innergia Group
International
“Over the years, there have been WiFi
standards that have been released…
Each succeeding standard improves
the technology, usually by allowing faster
data transfers and better security.“
What exactly is WiFi?
Everyone knows that WiFi is a wireless technology that
allows us to connect devices to a network. What many
people don’t know is that it is a public technology in that it
operates in the unlicensed area of the spectrum, making it
cheap and easy to deploy. WiFi networks may be small and
private – such as those in your homes or they may public
and large, like those you come across in shopping centres.
Over the years, there have been WiFi standards that
have been released such as 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g and
802.11n. Each succeeding standard improves the technology,
usually by allowing faster data transfers and better security.
Buyers should of course try to buy equipment that can run
the latest standards.
How safe is WiFi?
While the first generations of WiFi in the nineties were not
very secure, WiFi connections today are almost as secure as
cable connections. They have strong encryption technologies
like WPA, WPA2 and AES. Hackers could break these
encryptions but it would take large processing powers and
thus not easily or often done.
Safety is also affected by the sites you visit. If you visit
unsafe websites, your PC may be compromised not because
of the WiFi connection but because you went to the wrong
site or clicked on a malware link. The good news is that
most major sites as well as those that involve financial
transactions have safety features built in. For instance,
online banking sites use secure connection known as SSL
which encrypts the data being transmitted. SSL connections
are also used by other major sites such as Facebook or
Gmail during the time when you login your passwords.
EXPERT SAYS
SAVVY TIPS!
How to know if you’re in a
secure web page?
a. you see the words https instead of http
b. you see a ‘padlock’ symbol in the locked
position
c. make sure your URL is the site you plan
to visit
Consumers should always look at the URL. If you see the
word https instead of http, it indicates you are in a secure
SSL page. Make sure also that the URL is that of the site you
planned to visit, not some bogus site. You should also be
able to see a ‘padlock’ symbol in the locked position.
I am thus comfortable with using public WiFi connections,
even for occasional online banking transactions. But users
are advised to be always cautious and use services they
really trust. A good banking service will surely put in
adequate protections for their users. Always check the URL
they are using to make sure that they are on genuine sites.
You could also limit the use of public WiFi for non essential
work and leave stuff like online banking to the safety of
your private home connection.
Can someone break into my home WiFi or use my
broadband connection to surf?
Yes, WiFi networks that are not properly secured are open
to hacking attacks but that happens very rarely. They are
however more likely to be used by WiFi leechers, who are
people who connect to the Internet by using other users’
unsecured WiFi networks. This happens when the WiFi
networks are left open and are without password protection.
If you have the proper security set up such as WPA2 and
so on, your connection should be safe from hackers. If you
still believe that your home WiFi is being used by others,
get to know the configuration module of your router. That
will allow you to see who is connected to your WiFi network.
All devices like computers and phones have unique MAC
addresses. These are Media Access Control addresses that
identify each and every device on a network. If you come
across a strange MAC address connected to your WiFi
network, block it.
What can affect the performance of WiFi networks?
In homes, signals can be interrupted by appliances such as
microwave ovens. Concrete walls with steel reinforcements
inside them are also unfortunately quite effective at
blocking or interfering with WiFi signals. If you face
problems at your house, try moving the router somewhere
else in the house.
Do note also that not all routers are the same. Some
cheaper routers do not have good rules for managing
multiple connections. If you have a connection that is
downloading a large file such as a movie, a mediocre router
will simply give that connection all available bandwidth
and leave other users starved of speed. Better routers that
are usually higher priced are designed to provide better
experiences to its users.
In public spaces, WiFi signals can be absorbed by
human bodies and other items, affecting quality. If you find
your connection patchy when there are a lot of people
moving about, consider moving about to get a better
signal. Sometimes you can get a much stronger signal just
by moving a few yards.
WiFi is a public technology that operates on a free
spectrum. There are limitations of course when compared
to wireless technologies that are operating on licensed
spectrum but its benefits far outweigh these limitations.
It is easy to setup, enabling companies to be able to
deploy free WiFi for consumers. Imagine a world without
WiFi. Your wireless experience will be much less enjoyable
without it.
!
DO YOU KNOW?
!
Media Access Control
According to Solar Winds, Media Access Control refers to technology that
controls access to physical media, such as multiple virtual machines accessing
a single shared physical disk. Media access control algorithms aim to prevent
conflicts by ensuring that objects or users can only reach physical media if they
have current access rights. Media access control tools can help administrators
maximize utilization of physical resources in virtual environments.
http://www.solarwinds.com/it-management-glossary/what-is-mediaaccess-control.aspx
19
20
FEATURE
DROPP
ED
S
L
L
CA
DroPped calls are frustrating no matter
January when and why they happen. The inability to complete
February
a call, the sudden cut-off when talking to someone
or when a call in progress simply goes silent happen to all instances
March
of dropped calls. The industry categorises dropped
calls as calls that were cut off before the speaking parties had finished
April
May up.
their conversation and before one of them had hung
June
It is worth pointing out that every single day, the
average user makes or receives 8 calls, which means that more than
July
150 million calls are made daily in Malaysia. Statistically
August then, the number of dropped calls are very low. However, even
September
one dropped call is one too many as users rightfully expect every call they make or receive to be completed without any
October
problems.
November
December
As many users are likely notMonth
to take
0
the trouble to complain or highlight
their experiences, it is fair to assume that
the rise in reports indicate the fairly
widespread nature of the problem.
Growing Problem
Unfortunately,
the instances
of dropped
2
4
6 calls in Malaysia
8
NoThe
of Cases
have also been on the rise.
statistics from CFM show
that the number of reports of dropped calls in 2012 rose from
virtually zero early in the year to ten cases in December.
As many users are likely not to take the trouble to complain
or highlight their experiences, it is fair to assume that the
rise in reports indicate the fairly widespread nature of the
problem. Anecdotal evidence gleaned from social
networks also shows that all mobile operators appear to be
plagued with this problem.
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Month
0
2
4
No of Cases
6
8
10
10
FEATURE
Why Dropped Calls Happen
Dropped calls can happen for many reasons and
investigations show that there are three main reasons why
dropped calls are happening. The top reason has to do with
network issues. As mentioned, a complex mobile network
spans the country, with backend equipment handling
hundreds of millions of calls every few days. When a network
goes down somewhere along the chain, customers are hit
by dropping calls. If a single base station is down, only that
area will be affected. But occasionally, a wider part of the
network could be down, affecting many users.
The second major reason has to do with network
upgrades. When your mobile operator upgrades its network,
some inconvenience is to be expected.
The final reason identified has to do with base stations
that have been decommissioned. Mobile operators are
constantly realigning their services and sometimes they
close a base station because another one has been
commissioned nearby. Unfortunately, some users may end
up getting fringe coverage.
Mobile operators have not been ignoring the issue. All
reports are taken seriously and mobile operators are working
to minimise dropped calls incidents. This is achieved by
improving the capacity and coverage of the network.
If dropped calls problems persist, do report them as that
will enable the operators to identify where the problems
are and take remedial actions.
A CASE OF CONSUMER EXPERIENCE
Q: I always experienced dropped calls at my home. Sometimes,
I feel very frustrated because I could not finish important calls
with my clients because the signal is so bad.
This happens not only to me; my other family members also
face the same problem. They tell me that the connection is
always disconnected halfway during a phone call. This issue has
been ongoing for more than one month. I don’t know why it
happens and I don’t know what I should do. Could you please tell
me what is happening and advise me what to do?
A: We acknowledge your problem and understand the frustration you
feel when experiencing dropped calls. The first step to solve the issue will
be by lodging a complaint with your service provider for further
investigation and clarification. You may need to provide information
when lodging the complaint such as:
• The exact location (it will be better if you could provide full address with
post code).
• Please specify date, time and duration of the call made/ received.
• Your handset model.
• Numbers or signal bars on the handset.
• Whether the dropped calls happen every time or only at certain times.
• Any two examples of mobile numbers which are facing the issue.
After lodging a complaint with your service provider, you should
expect a response or solution from the service provider. However, if the
complaint is still unresolved and you still experience dropped calls,
you may redress unresovled complaints to CFM by lodging a complaint.
Lodge a complaint directly to the Online Complaints
Portal (CoP): www.complaint.cfm.org.my
Write in to: Email: [email protected]
Call to complaint or enquire to Consumer Hotline:
1800-18-2222
Fax in to: +603-2693 2288
Walk-in or write to:
Communications & Multimedia
Consumer Forum of Malaysia
6-02, 6th Floor, Wisma Straits Trading,
No. 2 Lebuh Pasar Besar, 50050 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
21
22
ADVERTORIAL
Prepaid Plan
for Social
Media
Lovers
A new plan from Maxis gives
prepaid users unlimited access
to key social media apps
Malaysians apparently spend one third of
their time on social media. Now prepaid users
who take up the Hotlink Social Media prepaid edition
will not have to worry about data charges when they use
their favourite social media apps. They can now tweet,
share, like and connect with one another with greater
freedom because the Hotlink Social Edition by Maxis is
the first 3-in-1 social media prepaid plan to be launched
in the market, with free unlimited access to Facebook,
Twitter and WhatsApp.
How the Hotlink Social Edition works
Purchased at just RM10, the Hotlink Social Edition pack
offers customers the following services that have a
combined value of RM18 over a 5 day validity period.
A new
SIM
UNLIMITED
Free
Access to Facebook, Twitter
and WhatsApp;
of airtime for calls
RM5 & SMS to all local
networks, as well as all
International Direct Dialing
(IDD) calls, all day long; and
All day data
of up to
50MB
for
Internet browsing.
These services come with a 5-day validity period. Existing Hotlink users are not left out
as they too can purchase the Social Edition Hot Ticket to enjoy the services and more.
All they need to do is purchase the special Hotlink Social Edition Hot Ticket, also for
RM10, to enjoy the following services for five days that have a combined value of RM20:
UNLIMITED
Free
Access to Facebook, Twitter
and WhatsApp;
All-day data
of up to
100MB
RM7 worth
of airtime to all
local networks;
1GB of
data between
2am and 7am.
However, users who purchase the Hotlink Social Media
packs need to take notice of a few terms and conditions.
To get unlimited access to Facebook and Twitter, users
must log in their Facebook and Twitter accounts through
their browser on the phone. The free access is only
available via the Facebook Java Application or across
all mobile browsers via m.facebook.com, m.twitter.com
and pic.twitter.com. Otherwise they will use up the
50MB/100MB general data quota. They will also be charged
if they log in through smartphone apps or others. They
also need to ensure that they use the genuine WhatsApp
app from the app store to get the free unlimited access.
To learn more about Hotlink Social Edition,
customers can visit their nearest Hotlink dealer or visit
www.hotlink.com.my.
ADVERTORIAL
23
24
ONLINE READS
BOOK
REVIEW
The Parent’s Guide to Texting,
Facebook, and Social Media
Understanding the Benefits and Dangers
of Parenting in a Digital World
by Shawn Marie Edgington
You can run, crawl or sprint,
but you will never be able to
get away from the Internet.
You see people going online
everywhere. Young kids are seen
playing with smart gadgets, even more
proficiently than the youth. They are far
more exposed to the Internet and the
younger they are, the more so.
The Internet has fundamentally
changed the game. It has torn the barriers
between boundaries of knowledge and
information flow. It makes all sorts of
applications and knowledge accessible
to users, starting from the very youngest.
Parents face tremendous challenges in
protecting their children against dangers
on the Internet in the scenario of such
heavy usage.
Tips on how to use the Internet in a
safe manner, such as empowering them to
protect themselves from being threatened
online and preserve their online reputation
are desperately needed. Parents looking for
some tips and guidance on how to stay safe
online and how to keep their children safe
during their online activities may find this book
helpful.
This book is mainly targeting parents who
want to keep their children safe online. It warns
of the dangers inherent when children use the
Internet and teaches them how to protect
themselves. The book depicts the various dangers
of using the Internet and what exposes user to
those dangers.
The book also explains the dangers of using
location tracking websites which could place
children in a situation where the information
gleaned could be abused by people with malicious
intentions. Even adult Internet users oftentimes
provide personal information to websites recklessly,
especially so on social media sites. The risks are
compounded in the case of children who have not
yet acquired the ability to sense potential dangers.
Not surprisingly, this book focuses on Facebook.
It contains detailed explanations of the features of
Facebook, such as Report, Block, Ignore and Tagging.
This book is suitable for common readers wanting to gain knowledge about the social media world
in the context of its dangers and threats. Overall, this book is useful for parents who are clueless on
how to keep their children safe in cyber space. One can never emphasize enough the importance
of learning how to safeguard one’s privacy and staying safe online, more so the young users of the
Internet.
ONLINE MUSIC
Justin Bieber
Believe Acoustic
DOWNLOAD
Malaysia Top 10 Music
Download Chart
1
Teman Pengganti
2
Ku Sujug Pada Mu
3
Gangnam Style
4
Sayang
Black & Malique
Teman Pengganti (Single)
Eddie Hamid & Wanie
Ku Sujud Pada Mu (Single)
PSY
Gangnam Style (Single)
Shae
The First
5
Aku Suka Dia
6
Tentang Rasa
7
Tuhan Jagakan Dia
8
One More Night
9
Lebih Dari Indah
10
Ainan Tasneem
Aku Suka Dia (Single)
Astrid
Lihat Aku Sekarang
Motif Band
Tuhan Jagakan Dia
Maroon 5
Overexposed
Nikita Willy
Lebih Dari Indah
Oru Paadhi Kadhavu
Thaandavam
This recent album, Believe Acoustic
released months ago would give Bieber’s
fans an unique musical experience. Fans can
further experience his star quality. ‘Boyfriend’
sounds just like a song of confession that will
move your heart. While ‘Nothing like us’ that
comes as bonus track will definitely jog
your memories. Apart from it, the pop love
song ‘Beauty and the Beat’ featuring Nicki Minaj
would pu you on party mode. The new track ‘Yellow Raincoat’
brings the nostalgic feeling of love sickness.
Eddie Hamid
Jiwang
Jiwang Eddie Hamid is an album that
consists of 28 love songs from various
artists. This album received good responses
with powerful lyrics and soul moving
beats. The most notable song is ‘Rindu
Serindu Rindunya’ by Spoon. The song
not only garners high popularity in
Malaysia, it was a sensation in Indonesia.
Although the vocalist Along has
unfortunately passed on, the song will
always be close in the hearts of Along’s fans. Another must-listen
song in the album is ‘Bila Orang Dah Benci’ by Saleem. With
words of the broken hearted, this tune by Saleem rings a warm
nostalgic note.
2Yoon
Harvest Moon
ALBUM
REVIEW
2Yoon, a Korean girl group formed
by Jiyoon and Gayoon, is actually a
sub-group of 4Minute. Gayoon is the
main vocalist featuring Jiyoon rapping
a few numbers in the album. After
forming the sub-group, they released
their first EP recently, Harvest Moon.
They are believed to be the first Korean
duo who released country-style songs, ‘24/7’.
You will be amazed by the Music Video (MV), a not-to-be-missed
super-duper cute MV. ‘Why Not’ is all about desperation in love and
relationship that is accompanied in dramatic and heavy instruments.
‘Why Not’is an upbeat and soulful number not-to-be-missed.
25
26
MOBILE TIPS
REMOTEDROID
RemoteDroid is an Android app. To use this app
you also have to download the computer or PC
version of the app. After downloading it
(http://www.remotedroid.net), unzip it and run the
RemoteDroidServer.jar file. Make sure you have Java
SE Runtime Environment 1.5 or higher on your PC or
download this Java software and install it in your PC
first. Look out for the IP address, which you will need
to copy over to the Android app on your phone.
The next step is finding the RemoteDroid app on
Google’s Play Store. After installing, run this app and look for a box, which
you will enter the IP address that you got from the PC server software.
And lastly just tap on the Connect button, and you’re good to go.
You will see a red square on your Android phone. That will be your
mouse. Just remember that the left green box is your left mouse button,
and the opposite or right green box is your right mouse button. Tapping
on the small keyboard icon in the middle will open up your virtual
keyboard which replaces the PC’s physical keyboard.
TURN
YOUR
PHONE
INTO
A MOUSE
Some apps that you can
install on both your computer
and your phone can turn your
phone into a mouse.
ANDROMOUSE
MOBILE MOUSE
Mobile Mouse will
work on your
iPhone. It takes
quite a number of
steps to install it, in
both your phone
and your PC. Here’s
the link: http://
mobilemouse.com/
For easiest
installation on your PC, you can let it
run on default settings every time you
start up your PC. Otherwise if you
know what you’re doing, you can
change the default port number, assign
a password, and change the mouse
pointer speed in the settings window.
Furthermore, you can also assign
hotkeys or multitouch gestures; if you
are going to do complicated keyboard
shortcuts or launch programs.
Then download and install the
Mobile Mouse app into your iPhone.
Open it up so that it can try and find
your computer that is also connected
to the same WiFi. Like the first app
above, you can set things up manually,
like the IP addresses and port numbers.
Once you run it, you will see the mouse
on top of the keyboard on your phone’s
display. If you want to use the phone as
just a mouse, all you do is shake the
phone or turn it to landscape mode.
AndroMouse is an app that converts your Android phone into
wireless mouse, keyboard, media remote, file browser and much
more. You connect the app with your computer through the Wifi
or through Bluetooth (if your PC supports Bluetooth).
You can use AndroMouse to replace most of your PC’s mouse
functions such as click, double click, drag, scroll and right click.
The smartphone’s soft keyboard will serve as the PC’s keyboard too.
The app also allows you to ‘speak-to-type’. You can make searches
or type emails instead of using the keyboard.
BITS & BYTES
Tangent Quattro WiFi Alarm Radio
http://www.tangent-audio.com/en/model/68_Quattro-Internet-Radio.html
Now, you can connect to unlimited Internet
radio stations around the world with this
Tangent Quattro WiFi Alarm Radio. All it needs
is a WiFi connection. It not only enables
you to listen to radio, it also can be used as
an alarm clock and sleep timer. It comes in
a myriad of colour range, such as red, black
and high gloss white.
Wireless wooden keyboard by OrÉe
http://oreedesign.com/products/
This wooden keyboard is portable and can be used
with smartphones, tablets, PCs or other gadgets
equipped with Bluetooth. You can even customise
your own wooden wireless keyboard.
WiFi Detector Shirt
http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/991e/#tabs
BITS &
BYTES
I bet you always take out your smartphone,
tablets or laptop to check if there is any WiFi
Internet connection. Now you can save the
hassle because the WiFi Detector Shirt will
tell you if there is a WiFi signal. The bars in
the shirt will dynamically change according
to the surrounding WiFi signal strengths.
Smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop that connect
to WiFi are no longer novelties. These days, if you were
a designer, what products would you like to design or
invent to be WiFi connectable? Perhaps these unique
WiFi gadgets can provide you some inspiration!
Fitbit Aria WiFi Smart Scale
http://www.fitbit.com/aria
You have tried to monitor your weight but you always end
up too lazy to record it down every day. Have you wished for
help? The Fitbit Aria WiFi Smart Scale may be your favourite
product because the smart scale can track your weight, BMI
and body fat percentage and then sync the stats through
a WiFi network to your mobile or online account. It is so easy
to monitor your health status now.
Samsung F457
Front-Load Washer
http://www.samsung.com/us/appliances/
washers-dryers/WF457ARGSWR/AA-features
Have you ever thought about
controlling your washing machine
through an app? Here comes the
product! When you are out for
shopping or dining and not able to
be beside your washing machine, the
Samsung F457 Front-Load Washer will
send you a notification when the
laundry is done. You can monitor your
washing progress without waiting at
home. Unfortunately it cannot hang
up the clothes for you though.
27
28
ENTERPRISE
Given a choice, would you want to wear exactly the same clothes, have the
same hairstyle and put on the same body accessories as everyone else?
We don’t think so. The desire to make ourselves unique is a reflection of the individual within us.
It says there is no one else like me in the whole wide world and we express that by wearing different
clothes, painting our homes in different colours and styling our cars to make sure they don’t look
exactly like that of our neighbours.
Similarly, we also dress up our phones and gadgets to make them an extension of our own
personalities. Satisfying that need to individualise our gadgets is a huge business opportunity and all
over the world, including in Malaysia, companies have sprung up to meet the demand.
For those companies that make it, the mobile accessories industry is a gold mine. In 2012, the ABI
research company estimated that RM20 billion was spent on accessories worldwide. The average
smartphone or tablet user will spend about RM180 on mobile accessories.
What is big?
Consumers are obsessed these days with the many varieties of phone cases and covers
available.They are also likely to grab items such as gadget skins, screen guards and removable
stickers. Whenever a new phone or tablet model is released, the first thing most people do
is to accessorise that device.
The Internet is also a contributor to the craze as sellers and manufacturers are easily able
to reach out to customers looking for the best designs and quality.
There’s Money in
personalisation
Whenever a new phone or tablet model is released, the first
thing most people do is to accessorise that device.
Made in Malaysia
Popmycase (popmycase.com) is a Malaysian company that has cleverly focussed on
mobile accessories. Its first venture, Popmyberry (popmyberry.com), was aimed at
BlackBerry owners. Having found success there, they moved on to producing
cases and covers for other popular models.
Their colourful and unique designs have found many fans among
Malaysians. If you’re looking to get into that business, becoming a distributor of
their products is an option you can explore as they are always looking for more
outlets to sell their products. Creative people can also make money as this
company is actively looking to buy catching designs.
Hydraskins (hydraskins.com) is another local company that will buy your
designs. It makes high quality skins for devices that are removable, reusable,
scratch resistant, water resistant and of course, beautiful. You can also become
a reseller of their products. Hydraskins has become known for producing world
class gadget skins that sell at a fraction of the price of established international
brands.
Both the above companies will also produce custom made designs ordered
by clients, so if you are looking for some truly unique gadgets or perhaps you
need to make some corporate gifts, check them out. If you think that you too
would like to build your own mobile accessory brand, give it a go. You will
potentially have five billion customers around the world.
Industry moves
CFM has a new Executive Director
CFM welcomes
YBhg Dato’
Mohd Shafie
Harun, our
new Executive
Director. He has
taken over from
February 2013.
Dato’ Mohd Shafie
has fourteen years
of experience with
MCMC spanning
diverse areas
like spectrum
management and
regional leadership of the East Coast MCMC team. He has gained valuable
insights into the communications and multimedia industries. He is also a
Permanent Member Advisor at the MSC Committee of Pahang, Terengganu
and Kelantan state governments.
His years of knowledge in the industry across all levels of government
regulations, his deep understanding of consumer issues offers new perspectives
and energy to drive thought leadership and new strategic alliances at CFM.
We are confident Dato’ Mohd Shafie will take CFM to new heights as a forum
that champions self-regulation within the accelerated industry growth and
builds public confidence in communications and multimedia services in Malaysia.
Everyone at CFM takes this opportunity to say thank you to En Azizan
Afandi, our former Executive Director for his commitment and dedication
to the Forum over the past two years.
INDUSTRY
MOVES
The New MMCP
Council Members
The Malaysian Mobile Content Provider association (MMCP)
recently held their 7th Annual General Meeting at G-Tower
Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. At this AGM, they elected a new
President, office bearers and council members.
Mr Johary Mustapha from Forest Interactive Sdn Bhd
was elected as the new President, while Ms Agnest Chan
from Mexcomm Sdn Bhd was elected Vice President. The
Treasurer is Mr Roy Ng from I-Sentric Sdn Bhd while the
Secretary is Mr Shawn Ng from Ice Mobile Sdn Bhd.
MMCP, in an announcement, said that they hope to be able
to provide a unified voice for the industry when it comes to
mobile content providers and moving forward, they wish to
work together on any issue for the betterment of the industry.
New CFM Representative
from TM
En Mansor Atan from Telekom Malaysia has been
appointed as the new representative for CFM effective
5th February 2013 replacing En Awang Kamaluddin
Jumat. He is an Assistant General Manager at TM and is
currently heading the Customer Service Department.
New Additions to the CFM Team
Safwan
Mohd Safwan joined CFM in February 2013 as
Complaints & Compliance Executive. He
graduated from UiTM Shah Alam with Bachelor
of Business Administration (Marketing).
He started his career as a Sales and Marketing
executive for IT products with Datacom and
later as a Customer Service executive for Celcom.
Safwan is responsible for handling
complaints promptly and responding to
communications from service providers and
also complainants. Aside from that, he also
identifies service issues that require follow-up or
investigation.
He has always liked to help others and he
stands up for causes that he believes in. He feels
that CFM gives him a good platform to do this.
Hanif
Muhammad Hanif graduated in November
2011 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting
& Finance at SEGI College University Kuala
Lumpur. Prior to his graduation, he completed
the Certificate Accounting Technician (CAT)
course at UiTM Shah Alam.
Hanif has worked in the logistic industry
as an account assistant before joining our
team at CFM on February 2013. He is hoping
to gain more experience and learn new things
about the telecommunications industry.
He is currently the newest member of the
Consumer Forum of Malaysia as Corporate &
Codes Management Executive. He hopes to
use his experience and skills to further benefit
our organisation.
Tracey Jan
Tracey Jan graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree
in Communications and Multimedia majoring in
Publishing.
Tracey has worked in various industries
throughout the years; some of the most recent
include ASTRO All Asia Broadcast Network, The
Star Publications and PROTON Holdings Berhad.
She has vast experience in the areas of regulatory
matters, online and offline content management,
and marketing. She gained valuable experience
locally and abroad in the areas of project
management, publicity and communications.
She currently works as Manager for Corporate
and Codes Management and looks forward to
using her experience and skills at CFM.
29
30
YOUR SAY
It is very common to not be
able to spend a lot of time with
friends and family due to other
commitments in life such as work
and study. Everyone can easily recall a
day when they wished they could have more
time for their loved ones.
Like when you’re on holiday, the thought
“How I wish you could see the sunset here with
me, Mom” occurred to you. Or perhaps you
wished that your best friend, who happened to
be tied down with a huge marketing campaign,
was there to enjoy a drink with you.
Instead of just wishing, you post “Wish you
were here for this sunset” along with a photo
of the most magnificent sunset on your
Facebook (or Twitter) account. You can’t hide
your smile and immediately feel happier when
your best friend replies “I have my sunset
here” along with a photo of a huge pizza.
“Enjoy your sunset” you respond.
It sure is nice to feel connected to a loved
one despite the distance. Technology makes
it possible with gadgets and the Internet. No
matter how hectic you and your loved one’s
lives are, it is possible to cheer each other up
with a WhatsApp message or a Facebook/
Twitter update.
But, how easily we forget that “whatever
goes on the Internet stays on the Internet
forever”.
A recent news report tells of an unfortunate
incident where a girl’s photo was abused
on Facebook as an advertisement photo for
call girl services. She had to conduct a press
conference just to clarify that she is not
a call girl.
Posting photos on social media is not the
only thing that may have consequences.
Posting whatever is on your mind may be
equally hazardous. For instance, you may
want to think twice before saying anything
bad about your work.
According to an article in The Star dated
29 January 2012, a Facebook status update of
“A bad day at work” caused a father of three
in Britain to lose his job. His argument that he
did not mention the name of his company
was deemed irrelevant. The Industrial court
judge ruled that his Facebook friends knew
where he worked!
It is hard to refute what the judge said.
Firstly, the company did have an explicit
social networking policy. Secondly, it is
hardly professional and ethical to talk about
work on a public platform such as Facebook.
Making emotional remarks on your Facebook
Posting photos on
social media is not the
only thing that may
have consequences.
Posting whatever is on
your mind may be
equally hazardous.
Opinion:
PRIVACY ON
THE INTERNET
Contributed by: Connie Look
Editor’s
Note
You can read more about Safe Guarding Your Privacy here:
http://cfm.groupsite.com/post/safe-guarding-your-privacy
Read about the latest Facebook privacy policy here:
https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/
page will only project you as an angry and
unstable worker.
Imagine what would happen if your
superior happens to view your negative
comments about work and co-workers.
Would your superior recommend you for
promotion or would your superior rather
have someone who knows better than to
talk ill about the company publicly? You may
be under the impression that the company
doesn’t appreciate your talents whereas it
could really be a case of you having dug your
own grave unintentionally through your
Facebook or Twitter exploits!
Certainly, there is a new generation of
people who are captivated with their smart
gadgets. They take and post photos and
share updates actively on social networking
platforms. This raises the issue of Internet
addiction, but that is an entirely different
topic from what we are talking here.
What is undeniable is that users reveal
parts of their lives on online platforms such
as blogs and social networking sites.
Shouldn’t one think twice before doing
that? After all, you could be unwittingly
uploading photos featuring a company’s
restricted area in the background or leaking
sensitive information about your company.
There is no privacy when you make it public.
You make it easy for people to ‘harvest’ the
photo by uploading it.
In fact, we are not even sure if the photos
still belong to us after posting it. If another
person downloads those photos, does he or she
have the right to use it? In the case of the lady
mistaken for a call girl, catching the culprit will
never be easy. Even if the culprit is captured,
penalising him won’t reverse the damage done.
With social networks being so phenomenally
common, it would be illogical to request
people to stop using them. However, it does
help to exercise a little more caution to avoid
unwanted consequences.
31
Report it to CFM
The second option is to CFM. They can look at texts sent within Malaysia or on behalf of a Malaysian
company. They look at every complaint and the more detail you provide, the better it can deal with it.
It’s best to check their websites to check for information about recent investigations before making a
complaint.
Please write to [email protected] or call 1800 - 18 - 2222 to report your complaint to CFM.