ashley chan ashley chan

SHOUT!
www.cfm.my
quarterly newsletter
KDN PP 17752/11/2013 (033132)
published by the Communications and Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia
THE WORD WITH...
ASHLEY CHAN
Tunesmith, singer and Capital FM radio DJ
talks about dancing to her own tune
You’ve Got Mail...
4 Great Gmail
Alternatives
Webmail services with a twist
Free Copy
Talk Of The Town
Minds.Com
Find out about Facebook’s latest privacy
oriented competitor
consumer.forum.malaysia
CFM_Malaysia
Q 4 2 014
1
INTRO
Quarter 2 2015
EDITOR’S NOTE
3 THINGS YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS ISSUE
5 EXCITING MUST-WATCH SHOWS ON
iFLIX
Malaysia’s hottest movie streaming service offers dramas,
movies and more
4 GREAT ALTERNATIVES TO GMAIL
Explore these four options to the big ‘G’ that offers you
additional privacy, disposable addresses and more
3 AWESOME SUB RM1000 NOTEBOOKS
Discover three affordable notebooks that cost less than
RM1000
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome back Dear Readers to the latest issue of Shout!
Magazine.
THE NUMBERS
3
In this issue, we have the pleasure of interviewing the
bubbly and witty Ashley Chan, a radio announcer as well
as a talented songstress. She talks shop about what an
announcer with Capital FM radio goes about in their daily
routine and shares more about her aspirations and dreams
on p8.
ON THE WIRE
4
SOCIAL MEDIA LIFE – MINDS.COM
6
TOP GEAR – SUB RM1000 NOTEBOOKS
7
In TopGear this month, we have sorted the wheat from
the chaff and picked three fantastic affordable laptops that
get you a lot of pixel crunching punch for under RM1000.
That’s all for now.
THE WORD – ASHLEY CHAN
8
See you all next issue readers!
CONNECTED – EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
Malaysian Instagram star Azlan Sulaiman shares his aesthetic vision
and how he sees and captures beauty in every image he captures
10
ISSUE OF THE QUARTER – A BRIEF HISTORY OF COMPUTER STORAGE
11
SHOUT! is published on a quarterly basis by:
Communications and Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia
6-02, 6th Floor, Wisma Straits Trading,
No 2, Lebuh Pasar Besar, 50050 Kuala Lumpur
T: 03-2692-3800 F: 03-2693-2288 W: www.cfm.my
APPZONE – 4 GMAIL ALTERNATIVES
12
Printed in Malaysia by:
Ultimate Print Sdn. Bhd
Lot 2, Jalan Sepana 15/3, Off Persiaran Selangor,
Seksyen 15, 40200 Shah Alam, Selangor
Hands On
Readers get their most pressing questions answered
13
DIGITAL LIFE – NIGHT AT THE MOVIES
14
If you are, like many users, connected to Facebook, the de
facto social media site on the planet and are bemoaning a
lack of alternatives, do check out our feature where we give
you the lowdown on Minds.Com; a new privacy oriented
social media site with a difference. Check it out on p6.
Megat Ishak
Editor
KDN PP 17752/11/2013 (033132)
Distributed by:
Hotpaper Media
2
Q2 2015
Malaysians are one of the most social media savvy people in the
region. See how we stack up in terms of social media usage with
everyone else
The latest happenings and events within the Consumer Forum of
Malaysia
Find out more about alternative to Facebook that emphasises
privacy
It’s not a pipe dream. Decent workhorse notebooks can indeed be
had for under a grand
Thespian, dancer, artist, singer and DJ Ashley Chan talks about living
life to her own tune and her work at Capital FM radio
Discover how data storage solutions have improved in size, speed
and performance from the dawn of computing to the present day
Explore four different webmail services with a twist
It’s movie night every night with Malaysia’s newest contest
streaming service iFlix that offers movies, shows and more in the
comfort of your own home
the numbers
Infographics courtesy of TNS Global
www.tnsglobal.com
ON THE WIRE
Contestants for ‘Name the CFM
Mascot and Win’ contests win big
On 31st March, several weekly winners of the “Name
the CFM Mascot and Win” Facebook contest visited CFM
headquarters to claim their prizes. The winners were selected
based on their participation in penning a creative name for
CFM’s soon to be unveiled mascot on social media. Arrays
of prizes were given out to the winners ranging from movie
tickets to CFM collectibles. 40 of these winners will enter a
grand final where they stand a chance of winning even more
valuable prizes like the iPhone 6, iPad Mini and more.
CFM weighs in on Analisis Awani
Buletin Utama TV3 interviews
show on the ASTRO Awani channel CFM leadership
On the 15th of May 2015, CFM was invited to participate
as panellists on the Analisis Awani TV program on the ASTRO
Awani cable channel. During the course of the program, CFM
Deputy Chairman, Mr Megat Ishak and CFM Director, Mr
Ahmad Izham Khairuddin chimed in on a number of critical
topics, the role and initiatives of CFM as well as announcing
a new CFM mobile app currently in development that will
facilitate communication between CFM and the public. The
app will be available on the iOS and Android platforms once
it has been launched.
TV3’s top news show Buletin Utama visited the CFM
headquarters on the 19th of May to conduct an exclusive
interview with CFM’s top management. During the interview,
Deputy Chairman, Mr Megat Ishak and CFM Director, Mr
Ahmad Izham Khairuddin answered a number of critical
questions including CFM’s role in resolving communication
and multimedia issues with the public as well as highlighting
the organisation’s ongoing role in informing and educating
consumers on their rights.
CFM draws in the crowd with a
12 Hour Doodle Marathon
The sombre halls of Muzium Telekom were filled with
laughter and joy when CFM along with the Ministry of
Communication and Multimedia (KKMM) and the Malaysian
Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)
organised a “12 Hour Doodle Marathon” at the museum.
A host of talented doodlers produced works of art that
celebrated World Telecommunication and Information Society
Day (WTISD) 2015. The 25 doodlers who participated in the
marathon begun at 10PM on the 22nd of May and finished
on the dot at 10AM on the 23rd of May with the final doodle
completed by Minister of Communication and Multimedia, YB
Dato’ Sri Ahmad Shabery Cheek at the final hour of the event.
44
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on the wire
Digi receives CFM delegation
On the 28th of May, CFM’s councillors and members of
the secretariat formed a delegation that made an official
visit to the Digi head office located at Subang Hi-Tech
Industrial Park in Shah Alam. During the course of the
visit, the CFM delegation were extensively briefed on Digi’s
operations as well as given a guided tour of the facilities.
CFM goes live on Nasi Lemak Kopi O show on TV9
Local television channel TV9’s hottest talk show, the
Nasi Lemak Kopi O show took an interesting turn with
a change to their regular programming on the 29th of
May when CFM Director, Mr Ahmad Izham Khairuddin
dropped by as an invited guest speaker. Broadcast to a live
audience, Mr Izham spoke and highlighted CFM’s role in
guiding and helping consumers resolve complaints with
telco and multimedia providers as well as CFM’s role in
educating consumers on their rights.
Iftar with Malaysia’s
First Astronaut
Some 40 orphans from Rumah Amal Limpahan Kasih in
Puchong had the privilege of breaking fast with Malaysia’s
first astronaut, Datuk Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor at the
Capri by Fraser Hotel Residences in Kuala Lumpur on the
23rd of June 2015. Hosted by Angkasawan Communication,
the event also feted the underprivileged and poor in society.
Delegates from CFM as well as from numerous other worthy
organisations were also invited as VIP guests at the special
event which saw Datuk Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar regaling
fellow guests with his experiences of being an astronaut
as well as his time on board the International Space Station
(ISS) orbiting above the Earth.
CFM Visits IM4U Radio Station
Representatives from CFM dropped by the iM4U radio
station located in Puchong on a fact finding mission on the
24th of June with the overall objective to find ways and means
of collaborating with IM4U as well as to discuss how GST
is affecting the youth. Kartini Kamalul Ariffin, IM4U Radio
Director was on hand during the meeting and also gave a
guided tour and extensive insight on radio station operations.
Q 4 2015
2 014
Q2
55
SOCIAL MEDIA
LIFE
A Mind On Privacy
Facebook’s latest competitor has their minds set on privacy
A
ccording to the latest figures, Facebook is the de
facto social media network of choice on the planet.
Mark Zuckerberg’s wunderkind has a staggering
1.49 billion monthly active users as of June 30, 2015 and this
is forecasted to increase 13% year-over-year (1).
While Facebook is a wonderful way to stay in touch with
friends, it’s also rather Byzantine in how it collects and
uses information. In 2012, Facebook did an interesting
Inquiring Minds
experiment by deliberately manipulating the feeds of 689,003
people to see if their emotions would be altered based on the
content of their news feeds without their consent (2). That’s on
top of their usual monitoring of personal data ranging from
your likes to what you do on the weekends and if it lacks that,
it’ll find what your friends like to fill in the gaps to bomb your
feed with a host of targeted ads. While alternatives do exist,
few emphasise on privacy or anonymity. Enter Minds.Com.
Launched in June this year, Minds is an online social network service. Like Facebook, Minds.com lets users share their
ideas, status updates and information with friends and followers. Where it differs is that it’s a completely open source,
allowing others to examine the code - warts and all - and messages between users are encrypted, such that it can’t be read
by advertisers and governments.
Unlike Facebook where you can buy views and which actively restricts organic views unless you pay for boosts, Minds
instead offers a points exchange system. The more active you are on Minds, the more reach you get. Points are accrued
in exchange for votes, comments and whatnot which you can swap for views on posts that you choose. Getting about in
Minds is relatively straightforward with a rolling stream of updates in the middle and a navigation bar on the left where
you can add or follow other users.
Signing up for Minds is free and you can even be anonymous if you so choose. It’s an interesting take in a brave new
world where information has become a currency of sorts and privacy a luxury. While Minds is still in alpha and it isn’t
completely secure as yet, it’s something worth exploring as a more intimate, private and secure alternative to Facebook.
To sign up for Minds, you can login via their website at www.minds.com or on the Minds app on the Apple app store and
the Google Play store.
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Media Source:
(1)http://investor.fb.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=924562
(2)http://www.pnas.org/content/111/24/8788.full
top gear
TOP
GEAR
Asus EeeBook X205
From RM 849 asus.com.my
GOOD THINGS COME CHEAP – TOP 3
SUB RM1000 NOTEBOOKS
While good things usually don’t come cheap, this triumvirate of affordable
sub-RM1000 notebooks pleasantly don’t hold true to the age-old adage. Even
though this tempting trio of notebooks come with a low price tag as notebooks
go, they’re notebooks in every sense of the word with a proper keyboard and
are capable of performing most day to day computing tasks such as surfing the
Net, processing paperwork, watching YouTube clips and you can even get in a
spot of casual gaming too.
1
Weighing less than 1kg and relatively slim at 17.6mm thin,
the Asus EeeBook X205 offers a whopping 12 hours of web
browsing time before needing a juicing. The X205 comes with
a 11.6-inch HD display and packs an Intel Z3735 1.33GHz
processor, 2GB RAM, Intel HD Graphics and 32GB of built-in
storage. A variant with 64GB of built-in storage is also available.
It also has a free one year subscription to Microsoft Office
365 while a built-in microSD card slot allows this notebook
to support cards up to 64GB in size. The EeeBook X205 can be
obtained in the colours red, blue, white and gold.
2
Acer Aspire E11
RM 999 acer.com.my
Acer’s take on an affordable Windows notebook offers quite
a lot of bang for the buck. For just under RM1000, the Aspire
E11 comes with all the essentials - an 11.6-inch HD resolution
display, Windows 8.1 with Bing running on an Intel Celeron
N2840 2.16GHz processor, 2GB RAM, Intel HD Graphics and
a generously sized 500GB hard disk crammed within a casing
that weighs 1.29kg. It also has a USB 3.0 and a USB 2.0 port for
peripherals and the built-in 2640mAh battery offers five or so
hours of battery life. The Aspire E11 can be obtained in the colours
silver, blue and a feminine shade of hot pink.
Lenovo IdeaPad 100 15
RM 999 www.lenovo.com/my
3
Coming in a businesslike shade of matte black, the IdeaPad
100 15 comes with a huge 15.6-inch HD resolution display
and runs Windows 8.1 on an Intel Celeron N2840 2.16GHz
processor paired with the usual 2GB RAM, Intel HD graphics
and a 500GB hard disk. If you need it to be a bit swifter, you can
juice it up with up to 8GB RAM over the stock configuration. It’s
a bit on the heavy side though at 2.3KG and the 3-cell battery
gives you enough time to shoot off a few emails and catch a
movie before hunting for a plug point.
Q 4 2 014
Q2 2015
7
7
THE WORD
Ashley Chan
Singer. Tunesmith. Ballet dancer. Musician. Thespian. Self-confessed workaholic and the voice behind some of the
smoothest play lists on Capital FM radio, Ashley Chan is a name that’s heating up the airwaves and she takes time off to
talk about what keeps her going as one of the voices behind Capital FM.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m an only child and grew up in Kuala Lumpur. My
mother’s English and my dad’s Chinese. Currently I’m a DJ
with Capital FM radio on 88.9FM and you can hear me spin
tunes from 1PM - 4PM on weekdays. I sing and dance and
did ballet and salsa since I was four. I say did because I tore
my meniscus when rehearsing for three musicals and I had
to reluctantly give it up. On the music front I sing, play the
piano and the guitar and I love electronic R&B.
Describe yourself in three words.
Crazy. Caring. Loyal.
What does a working day for a radio announcer on
Capital FM look like?
My work hours are pretty flexible I come in a bit earlier, say
an hour or even earlier if there’s a lot of preparation before
the show starts and I can leave once my show is over. I prep
what I need to say, what songs I want to put into my track list
for the day and away I go. Other than that it’s pretty much
a routine and I take time off on weekends to focus on my
music and finish off my diploma in Mass Communications
at ICT College. On the music front I’m working on a new
experimental electronic R&B project along the lines of in
the vein of artists like Kimbra and Little Dragon. Kimbra’s
my spirit animal. I love her so much and really look up to
her musically and artistically. I hope to get a few singles out
and enough material first in order to get an EP out.
How do you unwind on weekends?
I spend time with my family and catch up with friends. I love
hanging out at a café and watching life pass by with coffee.
I also love watching movies, especially comedies – they’re
easy to watch and don’t need much brainpower to enjoy
though I still find ‘Like Crazy’ the movie which is my all-time
favourite. I also love both Western and Korean dramas. My
personal favourites are still Brooklyn 99 and Spring Waltz.
How did you become a radio announcer with Capital
FM? Was it what you always wanted to do?
I was in school thinking about what I wanted to do when I
graduated. I initially wanted to do TV and dabbled in it for
awhile. I did a few shows but nothing happened out of it
though I was always a fan of Capital FM radio even when I
was schooling. An ad came out for a position in Capital FM
and I went for an audition. I didn’t get it initially, so I went
back to school. I got a call half a year later and Capital FM
wanted to get me onboard and here I am ever since.
What’s the best part about your job?
Sharing my love for music with everyone. I’m a musician
myself and connecting with listeners with music and
getting calls from fans saying “Hey, Ashley, thanks for
playing that as the music really touched me” makes my day.
What was the most interesting situation you’ve
encountered as a DJ on Capital FM?
Well, we get really random callers on occasion. Some
people will try to call in acting as two different people and
try to win a giveaway twice. The oddest was one chap who
What are the most important things in your life?
My family comes first followed by my friends, my music didn’t quite grasp the mechanics for the giveaway of a
Michael Jackson CD and was so excited he just rattled off
and, of course, my work. My work is my life, yo!
the named of everyone in the station. He got an A for effort
and got the CD anyway.
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THE WORD
With the advent of alternative media channels and the rise of social media, is there still a place for radio? Where
do you think radio will go five years from now? How would radio stay relevant in an age of instant information
sourced online?
That’s a question we think about a lot. There’s still a place for traditional media like radio as it is still a very personal
medium – there’s someone talking to you and with radio you’re able to carry it with you everywhere on your phone or
in your car. It’s a bit early to tell but five years from now will likely expand the possibilities and potential of online radio
streaming as bandwidth and connectivity improves.
What gadgets do you use on an everyday basis?
I’m an Apple girl so I use a Macbook Air. It’s light and it fits my needs. I used to own a Galaxy Note but swapped it for an
iPhone 6 in silver. I also have a pair of Skullcandy headphones in white.
Have you had any problems with your telco service? Are you aware of CFM and how it can help act as an
intermediary in resolving service issues with telcos and other service providers?
Currently no as I’m quite happy with my telco at the moment. I am aware of CFM and will definitely contact them should
the need arise.
ASHLEY’S FAVE FIVE
What does a top DJ have loaded on their smartphone in the way of apps? Ashley shares her top half score of picks that
she keeps handy.
Soundcloud
Free for iOS and Android
Lets artists upload and share their
work online and reach audience.
A great way to listen and discover
new bands that would otherwise
go unnoticed.
VSCO Cam
Free for iOS and Android
with in-app purchases
Shoot, share and edit shots with
this handy photo editing app.
Offers an array of options to tweak
your shots including cropping,
straightening shots and a selection
of free and paid-for filters.
Spotify Music
For iOS and Android. Free
for basic and RM14.90/
month premium
Lets you browse, search and
stream a wide selection of music
for free. Fork out for the Premium
version and you can enjoy better
quality audio and offline listening.
Waze
Capital FM –
Malaysia
Free for iOS and Android
Listen to a constantly changing list
of tunes as well as catch up on the
latest news and giveaways too with
this official app.
This inestimably handy crowdsourced navigation app lets you
share and receive traffic updates in
real time and helps shave time off
your commute from being stuck in
the jam.
Free for iOS and Android
Q2 2015
9
CONNECTED
EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
Malaysian Instagram photographer Azlan Sulaiman talks about the creative process in his acclaimed images and how
technology has changed the way people take photos
’m currently based in Kuala Lumpur where I’m working as a social media specialist. I’m
originally from Tawau and the fourth of six siblings. In my free time, I love travelling,
practicing Mixed Martial Arts, and of course always sharing my experiences on
Instagram via my @azlansulaiman account! I’ve been gramming for the past two years
and initially I didn’t expect to have many Instagram followers because the original intent
was to stay connected with friends.
Instagram was first created to share important moments instantly with your
smartphone hence the name though many are starting to use DSLRs. While DSLRs offers
a better image quality, I continue using a smartphone because it’s convenient and it is
always with me. Inspiration can strike from anywhere and I used to upload three photos
a day on Instagram. Now, I usually post one a day due to other commitments.
Technology is improving and many smartphone cameras today offer results as similar
to compact cameras or better. With a smartphone camera, you have play to its strengths.
The depth of field (DOF) and zoom on a smartphone camera is limited so you have to go
as minimal and as close as you can. Less is more.
Another thing that has changed in photography in general is the taboo on digitally
manipulating images. Now, it’s accepted as long as it doesn’t look too obvious or having
the original intent of the photo altered. It is also a lot easier to do nowadays with many
smartphone apps which allow you to manipulate images straight off the phone. I use
apps like SKRWT to adjust my angle and composition, Retouch to get rid of unwanted
elements, Snapseed to balance lighting and saturation and VSCO Cam to apply presets
to my images. Editing a picture may take awhile as its a subjective process.
The most prominent stylistic elements in mobile photography can be divided into
object(s), background, angles, shapes and colours. By manipulating these aspects when
composing the shot, bear in mind the capabilities of your smartphone camera so that “Being famous online is like
being rich in Monopoly. It’s not
afterwards with the apps, you may be able to get an Instagram worthy shot.
With all that said, I am very grateful for the attention and the opportunities I’ve real. Fame is fleeting, more so
received via Instagram, including my current job. People recognise me in the streets and with social media.”
have even asked me to take photos with them. I don’t assume that all my successes are
Azlan Sulaiman
triumphs though, as they are only virtually there. Being famous online is like being rich in
Monopoly. It’s not real. Fame is fleeting, more so with social media.
I
Azlan’s Top Tips: Three tips to capture Instagram worthy shots
Lighting is Essential
Try and take photos using daylight for better
overall results. If you take photos after sundown or in low light, ensure you have
enough light sources be it overhead lighting, a lamp or if you find yourself in a pinch,
use another smartphone’s camera flash to
adequately capture your subject.
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Q1
Q2
2015
Subjects & Backdrops
After composing a shot, try and put an unusual
subject or an object in it. It’s more appealing than
simply shooting an empty landscape. Try placing
the object in the centre of the photo for a simple,
minimalist approach though this isn’t a cast iron
rule. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
Follow the Trend or Create
Your Own
Get an idea of current trends in regards to
presets and styles by following popular local
Instagram accounts that feature artists like @
artventurers, @my_genggua, @igersganu and
@themalaya_ig You need to know the rules to
break them and knowing what’s popular will
let you know what to improve on.
ISSUE OF THE
QUARTER
A Brief History of Modern Computer Storage
While man has always sought a means of storing data from paintings drawn by firelight on cave walls down to the written word, it’s only recently that we’ve harnessed the power of computers to store more data than ever before at any time
in our history. It wasn’t too long ago that even sending a single text across a country was a massive technological hurdle
much less automating a machine. Let’s take a walk down memory lane as we explore a brief history of the improvements
in computer storage...
Magnetic
Tape
Punch
Card
Invented by one Basile Bouchon as a means to program
looms. Improved on over the years and notably used to
tabulate the 1890 US census data though it is ultimately
obsolete today for all but legacy applications. The average punch card can store about 80 characters.
TIMELINE
Patented by Fritz Pfleumer in 1928 for recording audio. First used to record data on UNIVAC
1 – the first commercial computer made in
the United States. The magnetic tape reels
were about the size of a dinner plate and had a
density of 128 characters per inch on 8 tracks.
1725
Invented by Philips, Sony, Toshiba and
Panasonic in 1995. Has the dimensions
as a compact disc but with much higher
storage capacity ranging from 4.7GB to
17GB. The term DVD doesn’t officially
stand for anything as there was never a
consensus on what it stood for.
Originally invented by IBM. The first hard disk was
the size of two refrigerators and had a total storage
capacity of 3.75MB. Its successors today are two
million times more efficient and about the size of a
small paperback or smaller with the world’s highest
capacity drive storing 10TB of data.
1956
1951
Zip
Drive
DVD
Hard
Disk
CD
ROM
Floppy
Disk
Made by Iomega and resembled chunky 3.5inch floppy disks with a storage capacity of
100MB that later expanded to 250MB and
750MB. It required a special drive to read and
were prone to becoming unreadable, resulting in the dreaded ‘click of death’. Declined in
popularity on account of flash drives.
Short for – Compact Disc, Read-Only
Memory. Developed to record audio
media by Sony and Philips but adapted
to record data in 1985 and can hold up
to 700MB or 800 minutes of audio. Still
used primarily in the music industry.
A 5.25-inch disk sheathed in a thin, flexible plastic sleeve, hence the name. Able
to store up to 110kb initially and 360kb
when double-sided disk drives were introduced in 1978. Later versions were
smaller and better protected – 3.5-inches in size and able to up to 1.44MB in
later versions.
1994
1985
1971
1995
Flash
Drive
Light and reliable with no moving parts,
rendering them highly portable (and
getting lost), USB flash drives come in
a plethora of designs and in different
capacities up to 1TB. The first flash drive
sold in 2000 only had a capacity of 8MB.
Blu-ray
Disc
This next-generation disc format is the same
size as CDs and DVDs but can hold about 25GB
to 128GB of data and is notably used for Full
HD movies and console games. The Blu-ray in
the name refers to the violet laser used to read
the data on the disc.
2000
Bits & Bytes
While devices state the amount of
storage they have, not all of it can be
used. Smartphones, notebooks and
other devices need part of its storage capacity to function so you’ll get
slightly less than the stated number.
Cloud
Generally refers to storing and accessing programs
over the Internet. Took off when Amazon launched
its Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) in 2006 along with
improvements in Internet speeds and a reduction
in costs of data storage. Offers as much storage
and processing power as you need and can afford.
2006
Storage Sizes
1,024 Bytes = 1 Kilobyte
1,024 Kilobytes (KB) = 1 Megabyte
1,024 Megabytes (MB) = 1 Gigabyte
1,024 Gigabytes (GB) = 1 Terabyte
1,024 Terabytes (TB) = 1 Petabyte (PB)
Storage Equivalents
1 Byte = A single character, eg “A”
1 KB = Three paragraphs of plain text
1 MB = A small novel or a small picture
4 MB = An MP3 music file
650MB = Storage capacity of a CD ROM
1 GB = 256 MP3 music files (4MB each)
1 TB = Over 260,000 MP3 files (4MB each)
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9
APPZONE
Four Great Gmail Alternatives
Four alternative webmail options beyond Gmail
I
f you have a personal e-mail account, odds are you’re most likely using Gmail, what with its ubiquity on almost every Android
smartphone out there combined with a solid and constantly evolving array of improvements and tweaks to enhance its
functionality. Even so, Gmail doesn’t quite offer the proverbial kitchen sink in terms of features though it gets very close to doing
so. If you’re keen to expand your horizons beyond the big ‘G’, check out these four interesting webmail alternatives.
Guerilla Mail
www.guerrillamail.com
Guerilla Mail is browser based so it’ll work with almost any device though it has an app on the Google
Play store. Each incoming e-mail lasts for an hour before being deleted. Once created, e-mail addresses on
Guerilla Mail don’t need a password to login. Instead, you issue out a scrambled e-mail address to recipients;
essentially the same thing with randomised letters but which points back to your e-mail address for security.
You can even send BitCoins via Guerilla Mail.
Zoho Mail
www.zoho.com
On the surface, Zoho’s free e-mail option seems somewhat paltry at 5GB of storage for e-mails and 1GB
of document storage but what makes it unique is that Zoho is ad free and works with an optional array
of tightly integrated business oriented apps for both iOS and Android that run the gamut from project
management to expense reporting as well as offering seamlessly smooth integration when managing e-mails
from multiple web domains.
ProtonMail
protonmail.ch
If you have a burning need to keep the contents of your e-mail absolutely private, you’ll find ProtonMail
ideal as there’s no advertising bolted on , e-mails offer end-to-end encryption and you can even set e-mails to
self delete from a recipient’s mail box after a time limit has passed. The servers are in the middle of a former
military command centre in the Swiss Alps and all that stored data is encrypted; ProtonMail doesn’t even
have access to it. One problem though – ProtonMail has a very long waiting list to get an account.
Microsoft Outlook
www.outlook.com
A strong contender for Gmail, Microsoft Outlook has many of the same features as Gmail albeit optimised
with native integration for Microsoft applications like Microsoft Word documents, Excel spreadsheets,
OneDrive cloud drive storage and the like. It also has a few interesting tricks of its own like the ability to
create aliases – additional email addresses that link to your inbox as well as the ability to create customised
time-based rules so you can automatically sort your mail box more efficiently. Outlook also has an app for
Android and the Apple App store for easier use.
12
12
Q 4 2015
2 014
Q2
HANDS-ON
THE HELP DESK
LETTER OF THE QUARTER
PoRTING WAYS
Q
Despite several complaints, my current telco
has no plans to upgrade their existing network
which has bad coverage where I am staying. I’m planning
to port over to another telco but intend to retain my
existing phone number. How do I port my number over
to another telco? I need to retain this number as I have a
lot of friends and family on it.
Amelia
A
Before you port out from your existing telco,
you can check the service coverage area of the
telco you wish to subscribe to on their website, by visiting their nearest service branch or calling their customer
service hotline. Once you’ve decided, you can port your
number over with the Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
service at any service branch of your new telco. Make
sure that your personal details with your current telco are
the same as per your IC when registering your port over
details. Before you port over, please ensure that your
account is in good standing if you’re a postpaid user with
all outstanding amounts paid up or you have existing
contract with current telco. If you’re a prepaid user, do
utilise your remaining credit or it will get forfeited when
you port over to a new telco provider. For more details,
you can check at http://mnpcheck.skmm.gov.my/
Got a problem? Write to us!
Do you have a query, concern or dispute regarding your fixed line, mobile, Internet, TV or radio
service? Write in to the Consumer Forum of Malaysia at [email protected]. The best letters
and our solutions will be
shared here at the Help
Desk so that readers can
understand more about
their rights as consumers.
COMMUNICATIONS AND MULTIMEDIA
CONSUMER FORUM OF MALAYSIA
UNFAIRLY CHARGED
Q
I have just switched to another telco recently after
Christmas last year. A few months ago, I suddenly
received an SMS from my prior telco that my name was
blacklisted and that I owe them an outrageous amount. I feel
it’s unfair as I’ve stopped using their services since last year.
Please advise.
Alan
A
When you terminated your account with your
previous telco, there should be a final billing
statement before the termination takes effect. If you are a
postpaid customer, additional charges may have been incurred
if you terminated your account after your billing date that you
will have to pay for. Once your account is officially closed, you
should request and receive a final settlement letter from your
telco to indicate that your account is officially closed. Please
contact your prior telco to resolve your billing issues amicably.
Should you have any difficulties, please do give CFM a call.
DATA CRUNCH
Q
I have a data SIM on my tablet solely for web surfing,
playing casual games and Facebook. While my
costs have remained predictable in the past year or so, they’ve
recently spiked up to very high amounts and I used up my
data quota in a matter of days. What gives?
Ali
A
Unfortunately, streaming videos online uses up a lot
of data. and recent updates in Facebook have it
automatically streaming any video on your Facebook
feed. This may be the cause . You’ll have to get inside your
Facebook app settings and disable the ‘Videos Play Automatically’ setting. That should help though you should moderate
your video streaming while using data. You will also want
to check what else is using up your data – likely culprits
could be recently updated or installed apps. Also install a
data management app like 3G Watchdog for iOS or Android
(http://3gwatchdog.fr/)
*Letter have been edited for grammar and clarity
QQ2
4 22015
014
1313
9
DIGITAL LIFE
Movie Streaming in Malaysia Hits the Big Time
I
f you’re a movie aficionado but lack the time to catch a flick at the cinema,
or more likely don’t have the space to store a huge library of old fashioned
DVDs for your home movie collection, odds are you’re out of options
unless you’re content with watching decade-old reruns on terrestrial telly
at odd hours.
More astute cinephile have less than legal options in the form of
torrenting or rooting about dodgy websites to find a movie download
though what you’ll get is often a dodgy bootleg version captured on a
smartphone camera or worse, a virus. Savvier fans may opt to go the
roundabout way of getting a movie streaming service like NetFlix or Hulu
though this requires you to get an overseas credit card for billing purposes;
an onerous task indeed. Fortunately, there’s a simpler and legit solution that
lets you watch not only movies but much more. Enter iflix.
for the kids
All You Can Watch
Launched earlier this year, iflix is a movie streaming service that offers an
‘all you can watch’ monthly subscription package that allows you to enjoy
content on up to five devices of your choice be it your smartphone, tablet,
PC or your TV. For just RM8 a month, you can stream unlimited content at
any time, anywhere from up to two devices simultaneously.
Currently, iflix has an extensive library of content that ranges from movies
of recent vintage, American and Korean dramas, local Malay movies and
even anime too. Content is constantly added so you’re never short of things
to watch and, depending on the content, comes with subtitles in Bahasa
and English. There’s even a kid-friendly content on offer and a handy
Parental Control Feature to ensure safe viewing for younger audiences.
Payment for iflix can be made through a variety of options, including
credit or debit cards and even online banking via all the major Malaysian
banks. One recent inclusion is billing for both pre and postpaid Digi
accounts. Signing up is a stress free affair. You can opt to login via Facebook
or by e-mail and once you’ve signed up, you can give iflix a test drive for a
limited time before opting for a subscription. For now, you’ll have to remain
online to continue watching iflix content but they aim to fix that in the
future. To find out more, swing by www.iflix.com
Ben 10: Ultimate Alien
Adventure Time
THE SHOUT TEAM’S TOP PICKS
The Americans (Drama)
14
Q2 2015
Orphan Black (Drama)
My Love From the Star (K-Drama)
Q 4 2 014
15
-English version
-Bahasa Melayu
do you know? adakah anda tahu?
As a responsible consumer, get to know the right channels for addressing your complaints. Different
agencies and authorities are appointed based on different type of services. Jurisdiction empowered
to these agencies are also limited. So, be savvy and save time by complaining correctly.
Sebagai pengguna yang bertanggungjawab, ketahui saluran yang betul untuk menangani aduan
anda. Pelbagai agensi dan pihak berkuasa yang berlainan dilantik berdasarkan jenis perkhidmatan.
Bidang kuasa untuk agensi-agensi ini juga terhad. Jadi, fahami dan jimatkan masa anda dengan
melaporkan aduan kepada saluran yang betul.
The COP stands for Complaint
Online Portal which is a
self-managed complaint portal
designed to allow you the
consumer to monitor for yourself
the status of your complaint,
looked at or responded to by
cers. It gives you
a transparent access to the
status of your complaint.
TheCOP
COPmerujuk
stands forkepada
Complaint
Online Portal
whichPortal
is a
Complaint
Online
di mana portal
aduan
self-managed
complaint
portal
diuruskan
sendiri
direka
designed to allow you the
untuktomembenarkan
consumer
monitor for yourself
pengguna
the status
of youruntuk
complaint,
melaporkan status aduan
anda, sama ada fail anda
lookeddisemak
at or responded
to by
telah
atau dikenal
cers. It aduan.
gives youIa
pasti oleh pegawai
a
transparent
access
to
the
memberi anda laluan telus
status status
of youraduan
complaint.
kepada
anda.
Get help from customer service /
DAPATKAN BANTUAN DARIPADA PERKHIDMATAN PELANGGAN
FREE TO AIR TV /
PAY TV /
TV BERBAYAR
TELECOMMUNICATIONS / TELEKOMUNIKASI
SIARAN TV PERCUMA
Media Prima Berhad
Calls to 1300-111-000 from
your Celcom numbers
Dial 1111 if you’re calling from
your Celcom mobile
https://www.celcom.com.my
https://www.celcom.com.
my/personal/helpsupport/
contactus/contactus-form
Hotline: 1-800-82-1123
Or dial 123 from your
Maxis mobile.
International calls:
+60374922123
Fax: +603-7492-2950
http://www.maxis.com.my
http://www.hotlink.com.my
+6016-2211-800
http://www.digi.com.my/
[email protected]
Hotline +6018-388-1318 /
UM1318
[email protected]
+6018-333-0000
[email protected]
Dial 13100 or +603 2772 0000
[email protected]
+6018-0011-0800
[email protected]
www.redone.com.my
https://www.facebook.com/
RED1Mobile
+603 2161 9032
[email protected]
+6018-0018-1818
+603-5021-2122 (Oversea)
[email protected]
+603- 2613 3888 or dail 13388
from Altel line
http://www.altel.my/
TM Call Center:
100 (Malaysia)
1-300-888-123 (mobile)
+603-2241-1290 (Overseas)
UniFi Call Center: 1-300-88-1222 (pre sales)
1-300-88-1221
(current subscribers)
[email protected]
1-300-03-1300
+603-8800-8888 (kl)
+604-722-8888 (penang)
+605-811-8888 (perak)
+606-733-8888 (melaka)
+607-293-8888 (JB)
+609-293-8888 (kuantan)
http://www.p1.com.my/
http://www.p1.com.my/
customercare/form/
[email protected]
1-300-888-010 from Malaysia
12273 from XOX mobile
+603-7962 8000 from abroad
+603-9543 3838
[email protected]
+603-2303 4988
http://www.buzzme.com.my
/content/default
https://www.buzzme.com.my
/content/contact-us
Call 1-300-88-1222
Call 100 (Malaysia)
+603-7832 6081
[email protected]
Pertubuhan Berita Nasional
Malaysia (Bernama)
[email protected]
+603-9543-8888
[email protected]
+609-624-1008 (Conty)
+609-626-2255 (Office)
[email protected]
al hurahmedia
corporati0n
TV AL Hijrah (TWAH)
+603-226-01600
[email protected]
RADIO
BERNAMa RADIO24
1-300-800-188 for local
+603-6275 8233 for overseas
(10am – 7pm daily)
[email protected]
+603-80616140
[email protected]
+603-7885-1188 (Office)
+603-7710-3988 (Hotline)
[email protected]
+603-9543-8888
[email protected]
HUSA NETWORK
SDN. BHD.
Nat Seven TV Sdn. Bhd. (NTV7)
+603-7726-8777
[email protected]
Tel: +6019-388-0632 (Joe)
Tel: +6016-915-8281 (Sandra)
[email protected]
+603-7710-8822 (Studio)
+603-7710-5022 (Office)
+603-9543-8888
[email protected]
Ch-9 Media Sdn Bhd (TV9)
+603-7726-6333
[email protected]
Asian Broadcasting Network
(M) Sdn. Bhd. (ABN)
Tel: +603-8947-0222
http://www.abnxcess.com/
http://www.abnxcess.com/enquiry/
[email protected]
+603-9543-8888
[email protected]
+603-7724-1144 (studio)
+603-7710-5022 (office)
Metropolitan TV Sdn Bhd (8TV)
+603-7726-6333(Alt Media)
+603-7728-8282(8TV)
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
eTV Holding Sdn Bhd (eTV)
+6018-0087-9993
http://www.etv.my/etv/
index_en.html
[email protected]
star rfm sdn. bhd.
+603 7885-1885
[email protected]
Sistem Televisyen Malaysia
Berhad (TV3)
+603-7726-6333
[email protected]
+603-7710-0110 (studio)
+603-7710-5022 (office)
SUARA JOHOR
SDN. BHD.
+607-333-1041 (Studio)
+607-331-4104 (Office)
+603-2692-7939
+603-9543-8888
[email protected] [email protected]
CAPITAL FM SDN. BHD.
+603-7885-1885 (Office)
+603-7885-1188 (Office)
+603-7733-5757 (Studio)
INSTITUT KEFAHAMAN
ISLAM MALAYSIA
+603-7724-2115 (Studio)
+603-7885-1188 (Office)
+603-6204-6200
[email protected]
BFM MEDIA SDN.BHD
KRISTAL HARTA
SDN. BHD.
+603-2035-5900
+608-231-1799
+603-9543-8888
[email protected]
+603-9543-8888
[email protected]
+603-9543-8888
[email protected]
+603-9543-8888
[email protected]
MEMBERS OF
CFM
MEMBERS OF CFM
SUPPLY SIDE
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Altel Communications Sdn Bhd
Celcom Axiata Berhad
DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (DiGi)
Malaysian Mobile Content Providers Association (MMCPA)
Maxis Mobile Services Sdn Bhd
*Merchantrade Asia Sdn Bhd
*M-Mode Mobile Sdn Bhd
Packet One Networks (M) Sdn Bhd (Green Packet Berhad)
Red ONE Network Sdn Bhd
Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM)
TIME dotCom Berhad
Tunetalk Sdn Bhd
U Mobile Sdn Bhd
*XOX Com Sdn Bhd
YTL Communications Sdn Bhd
16.
17.
18.
19.
Astro Radio Sdn Bhd
Asian Broadcasting Network (ABN)
Measat Broadcast Network Systems Sdn Bhd (ASTRO)
Sistem Televisyen (M) Bhd (TV3)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Consumer Association of Miri (CAM)
Malaysian Consumers Association (MACONAS)
National Council Women’s Organization Malaysia (NCWO)
Persatuan Ekonomi Pengguna & Keluarga Malaysia (MACFEA)
Persatuan Kebajikan Pengguna Johor (JCWA)
Persatuan Kebajikan Pengguna Melaka
Persatuan Keselamatan Pengguna Kuala Lumpur (PKPKL)
Persatuan Pelindung Pengguna Kelantan (PELINDUNG)
Persatuan Pelindung Pengguna Pulau Pinang (PCPA)
Persatuan Pemilik-Pemilik Telefon Bimbit Malaysia (PERBIT)
Persatuan Pengguna Daerah Kuala Terengganu (PPDKT)
Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM)
Persatuan Pengguna Kedah (CAKE)
*Persatuan Pengguna Komunikasi & Media Malaysia (PEKOMA)
Persatuan Pengguna Melaka Tengah (PPMT)
Persatuan Pengguna Negeri Sembilan (NESCA)
Persatuan Pengguna Pulau Pinang (CAP)
BROADCASTING
DEMAND SIDE
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
*We would like to welcome our new members to the Communications and Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia
18
Q 4 2 014