Take out your laptop, please

Sherwin Loh tests whether his special laptop bag makes it through the X-rays.

By Sherwin Loh
Digital Life Reporter
sherwin@sph.com.sg

 

AS ANY air traveler can attest: The process of getting through airport customs and security is a slow and painful process.

No liquids are allowed into and through the United States; in some places, you have to take off your shoes and run them through the X-ray machines; and everywhere these days, laptops have to be removed and scanned separately from your carry-on luggage.

So it was just a matter of time before several laptop bag makers try to speed things up with a newfangled product: Bags that eliminate the need to remove the laptop from the bag.

More legroom for lappie users

Irene Tham argues that SIA's $100 legroom charge is good for laptop users.

By Irene Tham
Digital Life reporter
itham@sph.com.sg

 

SINGAPORE Airlines' plans to charge extra for roomy economy-class seats is good news for road warriors who have to hammer away on their laptops even when flying.

They can now pay to guarantee comfort if they haven't had much luck before with such seats (like those on the exit rows), apparently assigned to those who asked for it first. Anyway, what is an extra US$100 for a return trip compared with what they had paid for the ticket?

That's one way to look at it assuming that the booking system is transparent and the seats will not be blocked for premium customers

Blackberry vs Apple in San Francisco

Grace Chng wonders why she hardly saw iPhones in the US.

By Grace Chng
Senior Correspondent
chngkeg@sph.com.sg

 

THE iPhone launch in June 2007 created headlines in the US. Thousands of eager fans queued outside AT&T - Apple's iPhone telco partner - stores through the US on June 29 when the device made its debut. 

Almost a year later, when the iPhone 3G hit the shelves, there was a lot of anticipation. Thousands of people had snapped up the handset. 

So I'd thought that the US would have plenty of users. I mean, if I do just an eyeball survey, I should be able to see four out of 10 cellphone users using the iPhone. 

When the credit card doesn't work

Sherwin Loh worries about credit card fraud while shopping in LA.

By Sherwin Loh
Digital Life Reporter
sherwin@sph.com.sg

 

IT STARTED innocently enough: I was picking up items from the Virgin Megastore in Los Angeles and handed over my credit card to process the transaction.

But what transpired next made me wonder if one credit card can truly be relied on.

The Virgin clerk slid the card through his machine... And repeated it again after 30 seconds. He then handed me back my card and said that the transaction could not go though.

Customer service automated

Grace Chng rates her customer feedback on the spot in Shanghai.

By Grace Chng
Senior Correspondent
chngkeg@sph.com.sg

 

DO YOU ever have anxious moments at the immigration counter? 

I do. I don't know if the immigration officer is going to give me grief or let me through without asking a single question. 

At the Shanghai airport last week, it was a pretty smooth clearance. 

Hands-on with Windows 7

Sherwin Loh previews the new operating system from LA.

By Sherwin Loh
Digital Life Reporter
sherwin@sph.com.sg

 

In Los Angeles

MICROSOFT has caught up with science fiction.

Remember movies like Star Trek where the characters touch their fancy monitors to activate their warp drives, or Minority Report where Tom Cruise starts sliding virtual windows up, down and around with his hands?

Unleash your star power

Sherwin Loh explains the lure of virtual games.

By Sherwin Loh
Digital Life Reporter
sherwin@sph.com.sg

 

IT NEVER fails.

Each time I mention to a group of people that I play the Rock Band or Guitar Hero music game, someone would make a snarky comment on why I didn't bother trying the real thing.

(For the non-gamers out there, both these games feature peripheral music instruments that mirror real life ones – a guitar, drum set and even a mic for singing.)

XBox or PS3 for GHWT?

Sherwin Loh explains why he's sticking to the PS3 for now.

By Sherwin Loh
Digital Life Reporter
sherwin@sph.com.sg

 

WHEN the game, Guitar Hero World Tour (GHWT), is launched here on game consoles within the next three weeks, I'll be aiming to get mine for the PlayStation 3 console. 

Now before you console fanatics start questioning my preference of one console over another, let me explain that the choice is made without consideration of the various console's graphics or processing power. The decision lies on one simple thing - region coding.

More than just technology

Irene Tham examines the efficacy of having good tech services.

By Irene Tham
Digital Life reporter
itham@sph.com.sg

 

AT EVERY technology conference, there's always a message for the season. The 10th annual IBM Asia Pacific Insights 2008 forum held in Shanghai last week was no different. 

The message that IBM speakers did not fail to repeat: The firm's services are good during both good and bad times. It must have thought that it was time for a reminder what with some Asian economies entering into recession and companies possibly holding back IT spending in the quarters ahead.

Big Blue was referring to its largest revenue generator, Global Business Services. The business unit provides consulting services as well as manages customers'

Touchy-feely with phones

Grace Chng weighs up the new touchscreen mobile phones.

By Grace Chng
Senior Correspondent
chngkeg@sph.com.sg

 

TOUCHSCREEN phones are the hottest gizmos today. For many people changing cellphones, a touchscreen phone is always on their radar. 

That is what Apple's iPhone has done for the market here and abroad. Two iPhone wannabes launched before the iPhone 3G touched down in Singapore on Aug 22, were sold out in stores.