EDDIEWONG

And there you have it! The new Nikon D80 with a new ED 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 lens which will go on sale here in Japan from September 1st.

The official Nikon websites have not yet been updated with the D80 info but this Japanese website has it with a minor comparison chart against both the D70S and the D200. The D80 definitely seems to be a major improvement over the D70S but it is not quite where the D200 stands, although I’d say it’s pretty close (and for that price, it’s well worth it, imho). Now…, all I need to see are some sample photographs produced by this new baby.

• 10.2 megapixel DX format CCD
• 3D Color Matrix Metering II, 420 pixel sensor
• 11-area AF system
• Configurable high ISO and long exposure noise reduction
• Mechanical only shutter (maximum 1/4000 sec, flash sync to 1/200 sec)
• Larger, brighter pentaprism viewfinder
• Support for SD-HC
• Higher capacity EN-EL3e battery
• Wireless flash integration

→ Keep reading…

Well, as you can see from the image, which is captured from the official Nikon Japan website, the D80 countdown has now reached 000 days! Man, didn’t these 20 days just fly by? It is now 3am in Tokyo therefore by the time I wake up in the morning, the announcement regarding the specs should have been made. As for the industrial design, well, I guess the whole world has already seen these leaked images.

Because this new Nikon uses SD cards, I doubt it is targeted towards current D70 users. I believe it is more of an upgrade for current D50 users whom have acquired better photo-shooting skills and need a bit more control (and some first time D-SLR users). For current D70 users, it’s only natural to go for something with more controls like the D200, rather than jump onboard an upgrade with a minor megapixel bump and slightly tweaked controls.

→ Keep reading…

Darn! Apple pulling that sh*t again :evil:! Using the same darn enclosures (G5) for the new Mac Pro just like what they did with the MacBook Pro (although, slight modifications are made). Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it’s great that they’re using the Xeon (Woodcrest) CPUs instead of the Core 2 Duo (Conroe) and that there is now actually much more internal space for kitting it out with HDs, etc., etc. But still, as a designer and Mac user, I get most of my thrills from the look of the industrial designs! Sigh, no orgasms for me then! I’m seriously bummed!

Btw, what’s with the standard configuration’s graphics board? Isn’t that suppose to be jarg?

Remember those silly iPod socks by Apple that sold like hot cakes (I have ‘em too)? Well, some maker has caught on with the ever-so-popular Ninendo DS Lite and released a similar product named, Lite Slipon. And, thank god, unlike Apple’s “you have to buy all 6 colours in a box for ¥3,500″, you can buy only the colour you desire. Just for a mere ¥660!

In this shop, I only saw these five variations: pink sock, grey sock, blue sock, gold leather-like pouch, and silver-leather like pouch. There is no price difference despite the difference in materials used. So far, my sister’s kids in England have asked me to get them a grey and blue one. I’m a little tempted to get one too despite having given them up the last time around…

As soon as I finished watching the trailer for this movie, the brilliant HK movie, Infernal Affairs (無間道), came to mind. And a quick research on the web reveals, The Departed is indeed the American film remake of the popular Hong Kong crime thriller.

The Departed is directed by Martin Scorsese, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio (in Andy Lau’s role), and Matt Damon in (Tony Leung’s role). Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm…

To be honest, not sure I like the look and feel of this remake, though. The original had a much more atmospheric touch (mood, settings, colour, etc.) which made it look serious, gritty, dark and mysterious. Oh well, when did Hollywood ever re-make a foreign movie to better the original anyway…? Oh, oh, oh, and should we expect everything blowing up and lots of bloody gun battles too? Hee…

Synopsis
Undercover cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is assigned to bust the syndicate run by mob boss Costello (Jack Nicholson). Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is a criminal who has infiltrated the police department as an informer. When the two are in danger of being exposed, each must race to uncover the identity of the other man in time to save himself.

Election 2 is this years sequel to last years hit Election (some may remember from my old blog, my friend Mike in HK sent me the Election 1 DVD earlier this year). For those that don’t know this movie, Election is a 2005 Hong Kong movie telling the story about the internal process of selecting a chairman to lead the Wo Sing triad society (triad is the name for HK gansters. Just like Mafia for Italy, Yakuza for Japan, Ganster for US, etc.). Strangely, the Cantonese title reflects nothing regarding an election, but is plainly dubbed 黑社會 (Hak Se Wui), which translates directly into English as black society (cantonese for triads).

→ Keep reading…

And yet another, another, another, another, another, slick looking T-series digicam from Sony, the DSC-T10. But again, if design is what they’re thinking about here, they need to seriously get rid of the slider! OK, maybe it’s a great mechanism for turning the cam on and off but it leaves permanent streak marks on the body! Hardly cool-looking when that happens.

It was this exact flaw that put me off the original T1. I remember seeing images of the T1 a good few weeks before it came out and I was stoked by it’s good looks, the thin-ness, and the huge LCD screen. But when it finally came out, I went to see it a day later at Sakuraya in Shibuya and I was horrified by the streak marks! From just one day! Damn, I hate imperfections!

Anyway, here are some specs for this new T10:

• 7-megapixel
• Up to ISO 1000
• 2.5-inch Clear Photo Plus LCD screen
• Long battery life - up to 250 shots per charge
• A choice of colors - pink, white, black or silver
• Debut 2006 August 28 (Japan)