Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Hong Kong- Concrete Jungle and Asia's Finest

Ceddy April 23, 2024 0 Comments

Hong Kong- Concrete Jungle and Asia's Finest

I have no plans to visit Hong Kong as I want to travel to the United Kingdom. However, due to visa rejection, I am not able to fulfill my dream to visit the UK. My sister in the UK suggested Hong Kong but I was not planning to go there, for some reason, My other sister in Hong Kong reached out to Me and offered to explore Hong Kong.

Hong Kong was colonized by Britain for almost 156 years. Its glory from the past such as old structures tourist spots, temples, and all were still in good shape and highly maintained. Double-decker buses and MTR ( their subway system ) are the choice of transportation for commuters. And of course, I tried all of them and it was such an experience.

The picture above: The Peninsula Hotel built in 1928

The picture above: The Chi Lin Nunnery: A large Buddhist temple complex located in Diamond Hill

The picture above: With my Sister at Hong Kong International Airport

It happened to be that my Sister is also a resident of Hong Kong. So She offered me to visit her since we haven't seen each other for the past 25 years. A brief background about myself. My mom is half-Chinese and half-Filipino, whereas my sister is married to a Hong Kong citizen and has been living in Hong Kong for more than 21 years. And the best part? Philippine passport holders can stay in Hong Kong for 14 days visa-free.

The picture above: Gloomy Weather at Tsim Sha Tsui

The picture above Chilly Early Morning at Sai Kung, Hong Kong

The picture above Waiting for the golden hour at Fuk Man Garden at Sai Kung, Hong Kong

The picture above: Just a normal day in the countryside of Sai Kung

The picture above: Locals of Hong Kong on their daily life

Hong Kong has a humid subtropical climate with dry winters, so to give you an idea, it's the same weather during the summers in the UAE or in the Philippines. I went there last October of 2023. The temperature in the city center ranges from 36 to 38 degrees Celsius and the humidity is paramount. I have to bring an extra T-shirt since I'm sweating a lot. compared to Sai Kung ( located in the eastern coastal area of new territories. My sister resides.) Where the temperature goes down to 20 degrees and it's quite chilly since it's situated below the mountain and waterfront with a luscious water canal coming from the mountain. It is a sight to see and relaxing especially early in the morning.

Pictures above: Food trippin' at Mong Kok

The most sought-after go-to place for food is Mong Kok. I went to Mong Kok several times and I deeply fell in love with the food choices there. Fresh chow mein noodles, roasted pecking duck, Japanese cuisine, and assorted street foods. It was heaven! I'm not a picky eater so I tried everything as much as I could. One thing that I noticed there is that some local sellers are impatient, I guess maybe because of the language constraint. Good thing that Google Translate is handy.

The picture above: Chi Lin Nunnery Temple

When it comes to free tourist spots, one thing that I highly recommend is to see the Chi Lin Nunnery located in Diamond Hill. Free entrance, and dressing appropriately are needed since it is a sacred temple. It's a retreat for Buddhist Nuns. The camera is forbidden inside the temple.

Pictures above: At The Peak

I went to Victoria Peak riding via the famous tram, sounds classy right? Riding in the tram is such a surreal experience, the higher the tram reaches the peak, you get the chance to see the entire skyline of the city. The exhilarating view at the peak took my breath away. It's surreal.

Pictures above: Hong Kong Monetary Authority

The next place to visit for free is the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Located in Two IFC towers next to the pier where you can ride a ferry going to TST. Hong Kong Monetary Authority is Hong Kong's central banking institution. I got the chance to learn about the country's monetary history and showcase the country's trading notes and coins.

Up next is the Tsim Sha Tsui, (some residents would abbreviate it to TST, it's a mouthful to say so they put it that way) situated in the Kowloon district a shopping and nightlife heaven for everyone. It's where the Victoria Harbour is also located. If you want to experience and appreciate the Hong Kong skyline view, this is the place you should not miss. And best of all, it's free. However, you need to cross to reach Victoria Harbour via ferry at Wan Chai Pier or Central 7 Pier.

Pictures above: Tsim Sha Tsui

I got to experience the local seafood of Sai Kung. I mentioned that it's situated on the waterfront. It is mainly dubbed as the back garden of Hong Kong since most of the locals there work at the coast. The local restaurant sells seafood. When I say seafood, anything that the ocean can offer and will bring to the table. Fresh seafood that you can imagine. I cannot eat crustaceans since I am allergic to them. But it came to the point where I wanted to try their Lobsters. But, thanks but no thanks. Lol.

Pictures above: All about Sai Kung

Pictures above: Lady's Night Market

Ladies Night Market is the best place to buy your souvenirs such as graphic tees or key chains, located in the Kowloon district of Mong Kok. Most of the items can be sold here however, there's a focus on selling ladies' clothes and accessories. Locals selling their products here were able to adapt to other foreigners' second tongue. To my surprise, they can even speak Tagalog (the basics related to selling goods)

I stayed in Hong Kong for 14 days and I saved the best for last. The Hong Kong Disneyland.

Pictures above: Hong Kong Disneyland

My inner child of 5 years old was thrilled while seeing for the very first time the entrance of Disneyland. I got teary-eyed a bit. Trying all the rides as much as I could and watching the Disney Parade and one of the highlights of my visit-the Disney Fireworks. It was spectacular. A sight to hold, truly, it is the happiest place on earth.

Here are some tips that I highly recommend if Hong Kong is on your bucket list:

Purchase a data sim. I am using two phones so I use the data sim in my 5G portable hotspot.
Bring a power bank. As per checking with Singapore Airlines before I travel, the max mAh allowed for a power bank is 10,000 mAh (milliamperes)
Download offline maps. Google Maps to be exact.
Purchase an Octopus Card upon arrival at the airport. Octopus is a card that can be reloaded using your Mastercard or Visa card and cash. You can use this card to purchase any goods from small merchants or even McDonald's. If you are running out of balance in your Octopus card, you can top up at any 7/11 or the MTR.
Ensure that you have cash all the time as most small merchants, especially in Mong Kok prefer cash.
Last. Seize the moment!

It was a fun and memorable experience.

That's a wrap. Thanks for reading my blog.

-Ceddy

Monday, September 4, 2023

Rokinon 85M-E 85 mm F1.4 Fixed Lens - Is it worth to buy?

Ceddy September 04, 2023 0 Comments

Rokinon 85M-E 85 mm F1.4 Fixed Lens - Is it worth to buy?

Technology One Leap Ahead...

As the technology moves forward, the photography industry is also innovating, offering a wide variety of smartphones that provide unique advanced optics.

3 of the big smartphone manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, and Huawei are on the rise and filling the gap that traditional cameras can offer.

However, that doesn't stop the third-party lenses for mirrorless and DSLR cameras from offering such incredible lenses.

Trying the Alternative...

I am always using the camera of my iPhone, from on-the-spot usage to travel vlogging, it is very convenient and easy to carry, not to mention its discreet size.

On the other side, I have a Sony Alpha A6100 as well which is perfect for vlogging and taking still shots. But I rarely use it, the disadvantage is that it is bulky, and it's not handy if you use it for a period of time.

However, one thing that I love about this camera even if it is not a full-frame sensor (cropped sensor only) is that you can change the lens and use another e-mount lens.

I wanted to step up my photography skills and take more portrait shots (although the iPhone takes good nice portrait shots) Still the results of using advanced ONLY optics are much better.

Purchasing Decision Matters...

After researching, I decided to purchase a manual f1.4 lens. A brand that is excellent in this field is no other than Rokinon- A South Korean Brand.

In order for me to get that stunning portrait shot with a crisp blurry background. I chose the f1.4 lens. Compared to the kit lens from Sony, which is f3.5 (ideal for normal use). The f1.4 Rokinon with a range of 85mm lens is outstanding. Although it takes time for me to adjust to manual focus, it is pretty easy to control the focus and the depth of field.

The standard kit lens of my Sony camera has a built-in stabilizer and autofocus, so derived from its name, it is easy for me to take still shots as it automatically chooses the object. Unlike the Rokinon which is manual focus, it took me a few seconds to adjust and focus on the subject.

Sony Standard f3.5 kit lens (left) and Rokinon f1.4 85mm lens (right)

Here are some sample photos taken using the Rokinon Lens

All Images are raw files and enhanced via Adobe Lightroom

The Cons of the Rokinon Lens...

This is not ideal for sports portrait shots as this lens is exclusive only for portrait still shots.

When it comes to portability, this is where my standard kit lens from Sony wins. It is small, compact, and lightweight. Compared to Rokinon. This lens is a beast, and heavy too!

Pros as well...

Regardless of its downside for portability, the price of the Rokinon lens is way more affordable compared to its competitors. I purchased it on Amazon for only 524 AED or about 143 USD.

So, the verdict.

Do I recommend this lens?

Yes! if you prefer still shots and a crisp blurry background it is budget-friendly.

Thanks for reading my blog and I'll see you again next time!

--Ceddy

Monday, August 28, 2023

Wifi 6- What's the hype and is it worth it?

Ceddy August 28, 2023 0 Comments

Wifi 6- What's the hype and is it worth it?

We live in the digital age and must rely on the fastest and safest Wi-Fi connection. As the years went by, new technologies were introduced to the market and one of the latest Wi-Fi Systems was the Wi-Fi 6.

Most of you need to be made aware of what type of Wi-Fi connection you are currently connected to, and usually, this new technology is kept low-key but gives you the reassurance of privacy and advanced features.

For this content, I will share what is Wi-Fi 6 and whether is it really worth it?

For those who are not tech enthusiasts, I will try my best to explain it in a nutshell and avoid some jargon (or probably less jargon, lol).

Wifi What?

It was developed to address the increasing demands on wireless networks due to the growing number of devices, data-heavy applications, and the need for more reliable connections in congested environments.

How to know if I'm connected?

Most of the new smartphones including the iPhone 13 Pro and later, and the flagship Android smartphone has a built-in Wi-Fi 6.

For iPhone models, there is no indicator that you are connected to a network that has a Wi-Fi 6 system, however, for Android smartphones, especially Samsung, there is an indicator for Wi-Fi 6 at the corner of the screen. It usually appears as an icon of Wi-Fi with a looping 6 on it.

The latest Macbook Air and Pro M1 and M2 SOC have built-in Wi-Fi 6. Curious to know what Wi-Fi 6 settings look like on your Macbook, head on to:

Apple Icon (top left corner) ➔ About Mac ➔ System Report ➔ Network ➔ Wifi

Then you will see the "Supported PHY Modes" which is 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax

Where to find Wi-Fi 6?

Wi-Fi 6 is mostly being used in crowded areas such as malls, crowded stadiums, airports, or public places.

Is it secured?

Since I mentioned about security, Wi-Fi 6 offers enhanced WPA3. WPA3 is more advanced. It is designed to provide encrypted data transfer and communication networks that don't provide passwords (like in malls and airports).

What about the data speed and transfer?

Watching 4k and 8K content via Wi-Fi 6 delivers multi-gigabit internet speeds and less buffer at all. So if you are watching 4K 60 FPS HDR content on Youtube. The chances of buffer are very less and delivers smooth and buttery video. Nonetheless, watching regular content at normal resolution is okay.

Wifi 6- Is it worth it

In summary, Wi-Fi 6 is a significant advancement in wireless networking technology that focuses on providing faster speeds, improved capacity, and better performance in crowded environments. It addresses the challenges posed by the increasing number of devices and data-hungry applications in today's digital world.

Friday, August 11, 2023

iPhone 14 Pro Max 6 Months Long Term Review 2024

Ceddy August 11, 2023 0 Comments

iPhone 14 Pro Max 6 Months Long Term Review

Hello Everyone! Ceddy here and I am back again for another long-term tech review.

And I am going to share my long-term use of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. I choose the limited edition color of deep purple.

Switching from iPhone 13 Pro Max to 14 Pro Max

As you may know, I recently switched from iPhone 11 to 13 Pro Max last year. I've been using the 13 Pro Max for almost a year and decided to switch to the 14 Pro Max 6 months ago.

The overhyped marketing of the 14 Pro Max "Dynamic Island" and its feel-so-good marketing are one of the few reasons why I switched to their new flagship.

I know it's not practical these days to go with the trend especially if the device that you are using is still working perfectly. But as a tech enthusiast, I took a gamble and decided to trade in my 13 Pro Max limited edition Alpine Green. Surprisingly, with almost a year of usage down to 96 percent of its battery life, I am still impressed that the value of trading it is still high compared to its predecessor's Android. I was able to trade in for the value of $405 compared to my original purchase of worth $805. That's half of the value of a year-old flagship device. Do note that upon selling my device, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is selling like a hotcake.

For some reason, I was not able to make an unboxing video due to the system constraints of my old Macbook before.

The Dynamic Island- An Overhyped Marketing?

Well, I was so deeply impressed by the way Apple integrated this new type of technology into their product. The People from its human design interface division invested a lot to innovate. A small pill shape notch that some people would ignore it. Apple decided to utilize this feature so that instead of leaving it on standby, instead, people would interact with it. Though it's a pretty gimmicky feature, this pill-shaped interactive feature was not new at all. I remember the release of the LG V10 way back in October 2015. They have a similar feature but instead of having a small pill shape design, LG V10 comes with a small line bar on the top beside its earpiece. In my opinion, that didn't go well as planned. Apple has almost similar approach as per my observation. The only difference is how Apple innovates this technology. Their marketing is so good that the existing features seem to be new to everyone and people would really entice to get one.

LG V10 via Phone Arena

For the first month of using the device, the fun intuitive, and interactive dynamic island works perfectly with a buttery smooth animation depending on which app you will use. For example, Spotify, if you wish to minimize the app, instead of the usual closing down transition of the app, the application goes up to the dynamic island mimicking a " genie in the bottle" effect. It works perfectly that you might want to do it all over, very satisfying. The same goes for the timer in the stock app. The dynamic island is open for developers wanting to integrate their app for whatever reason they wanted to. Some local app that has a feature integrated with the island is real-time tracking. If I wish to order food or grocery online, with the help of always-on display (AOD) and dynamic island, I can easily view what's the ETA of my order in real time.

So far, there are a few apps that I used that do support the dynamic island, but as time goes by, there would be more additional apps would be joining. As per my experience, using the dynamic island is cool but I rarely use it afterward since interacting with the pill shape design can get a lot of smudges or fingerprints that can cause blurry images while taking a selfie since the front camera is aligned with the dynamic island, but this can be rectified by just cleaning the front lens easily.

Front and Main Camera- Is it worth the upgrade?

Speaking of the front camera. The front camera now has a built-in autofocus with an enhanced portrait feature channeling to f1.4 for the depth of field. I'm not going to deep dive into all its camera specs, but as a person using the camera every day. I don't see any major changes with its main camera, though some specs have some changes, for me, it is just the same as adding the telephoto lens from its main camera has some great advantages especially if you are taking some still portrait shots that distance is really needed. Overall, the camera division of the iPhone is always great. The video quality is great too adding Dolby features, 4K, and all.

The ALWAYS ON DISPLAY- Finally! A deal breaker!

I mentioned above as well about the Always On Display (AOD). Among other iPhones. This is the first iPhone that utilizes the AOD feature, though android devices have been using this feature for a very long time, Apple finally utilized this feature. My Samsung M52 5G has a built-in AOD. But it really amazed me how Apple uses it differently. For my M52, the AOD remains pitch black showing the text which is needed. But for the 14 Pro Max, AOD is still active but it is not sacrificing the true color of the wallpaper. It's impressive.

Battery Performance- Devour tasks but sips a little

Battery Life is always a swift, devouring task and sips a little. I charged my phone 100% in the morning around 10 AM going to work, and when I reached home by 10 PM, I still have 30% remaining battery and the battery health is at the highest peak of 100%.

The A16 Bionic IS A BEAST!

via wikipedia

Performance wise. I don't see any lags while using the device. Although it tends to get a bit warm when playing intense graphic games such as Genshin Impact, League of Legends, and Mobile Legends. I joined the beta program for iOS 17 and I noticed that it lags sometimes, not because of its processor which is the Hexacore Apple A16 Bionic processor. The processor is a beast. Adding the 120hz refresh rate. All work flawlessly without any hiccups. I am enjoying watching youtube shorts and Instagram reels on this device, one of the reasons is the 120hz refresh rate. Everything moves so well and it is buttery.

Built Quality- It's OKAY

The overall built quality is great though Apple used a stainless steel frame (previous iPhones use aluminum) and the 14 Pro Max is protected with a ceramic shield. My iPhone fell off a few times but with a protective casing (of course) yet it's still working perfectly. The 14 pro max is IP68 certified which means it can withstand submersion in water up to a maximum of 6 meters for 30 minutes and is dust resistant. I know it is not advisable to use your device inside the shower. But I always bring my phone, ever since I started using iPhone 11 onwards, I don't see any issues at all. Though some experts would advise that the longer you use your device in the shower the chances of condensation will occur because of the warm water from the heater. I don't recommend bringing your devices either in the shower (but I do, haha)

So do I recommend the iPhone 14 Pro Max?

A tricky answer. Yes, if you are using an old iPhone (not the 13 Pro Max). They have almost features minus the AOD and the dynamic island. It's worth the upgrade coming from an old iPhone.

No. If you are using the 13 Pro Max, which I used to have. But, if you have some extra money to shell out. Why not?

Overall, if your device is still in perfect condition, can take good photos and devour tasks as you need. It's not necessarily to upgrade. Again, it's up to you.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you again!

-Ceddy

Friday, August 4, 2023

Macbook Air 2020 M1 (Model A2237) First-Hand Impression and Quick Review

Ceddy August 04, 2023 0 Comments

Macbook Air 2020 M1 (Model A2237) First-Hand Impression and Quick Review

Hello Everyone! Ceddy here and I am back for another tech review. And for today's content, I am about to share my first-hand impression of the new Macbook with SOC processor.

This is Macbook Air 2020 with an M1 processor. As you may know, I recently purchase its brother Macbook Air 2020 with a different processor of Intel Iris Plus Graphics i3 processor. To learn more about this intro spec laptop, head to this link.

So far this is the third Macbook that I had. Adding the iMac 2017 which still I'm using this far at home. The first one was a Macbook 2015 with an i3 dual-core processor and packing up with a 256 SSD, which I used for more than 6 years. As the battery started to weaken and with the demands of the processor from the apps which I used. I decided to purchase the latest Macbook Air 2020 5 months ago.

For some reason, the tasks and the software tools that I used got a major update, right after my Macbook has some difficulty processing the tasks which leads to its fan making a lot of noise. Slight editing and rendering via Apple Final Cut Pro or developing some X-Codes metadata will freeze for a matter of minutes that I need to restart it. This affects my day-to-day productivity and my submissions of my projects got delayed. Streaming via OBS to Facebook, Youtube or Twitch has seen a major dropped frame and a lot of CPU usage. I am using an internet speed at home of 500 Mbps of download and 400 Mbps upload. Despite tweaking the obs settings, still, the lagging issues remain the same. I overestimated its specs since it's only for basic usage.

However, just basic browsing the net, video streaming has no issues at all. I decided to send my Macbook 2020 with Intel graphics plus in the Philippines. Right after a few months of using it.

And then I take the leap. Before purchasing the Macbook Air M1 2020 (A2237), I watched a ton of reviews. Especially the review of Marques Brownlee. Most of the reviews that I've watched and read were positive. This Macbook that I purchased comes with specs of 8 Gigabyt of unified memory (RAM), has a 256 solid-state drive (SSD), and the Apple M1 Chip that brings incredible performance, with power efficiency.

Due to the excitement, I unboxed it without pressing the record button of my camera. And that sucks! I know! Hahaha. But no worries, I took some pictures the same day when I unboxed it.

Aesthetic Packaging

I purchased my Macbook at Noon.com (e-commerce which is based here in The United Arab Emirates)

Truly to see on its packaging. Simplicity is beauty. Who else wouldn't get excited to unbox an Apple product? I bet all of you can be excited!

What's in the box?

Well, of course, the 13-inch Macbook Air with M1 Chip. I love the color. It's space gray! Contrary to the previous Macbook, my first Macbook 2015 comes with a glowing Apple logo on its back. That's the last Macbook with a glowing logo on it. 2016 and later started with an aluminum body design. Apple didn't give any reason why they discontinued it but some speculations might be about the production cost or it was done for design reasons.

A USB-C Cable (Yes!) But I wish they implemented the Magsafe charger. I like it and it's easy to connect to the port magnetically. But it is what it is. Apple later this year bring back the Magsafe charge on its new Macbook Air 2023 15-inch model.

A 30 Watt power brick. Yes, it's normal for Apple to provide a decent power brick but I hope they can provide a faster charging brick. Needless to say. It's decent and can charge the device instantly.

Some documentations. Oh, I don't know how to operate my new Macbook. I guess I'll be needing this to read on. (hahah just kidding)

And the infamous Apple stickers. They partnered with the color of the Macbook to its stickers. So they included space gray stickers.

And here's the Beasty! Have a look.

So far, when it comes to the design, there was no change at all. All that you've seen from my previous Macbook Air 2020 with i3 is the same. Except for the color and its processing ability. Switching on the Macbook for the very first time, there is juice for about 40%. Performance to watt is one of the highlights of the new M1 SoC.

Photo: Apple

In a nutshell, it gives you a robust and efficient usage of the system with a little sip of its power. As previously mentioned. My Intel Macbook has a hard time processing its tasks which leads to battery consumption and the high noise fan takes its capacity to cool down the system.

Speaking of noise, the Macbook M1 works silently. Yes! you heard it right. With its new thermal technology, the M1 can deliver efficient processing without noise.

I started to export videos via Da Vinci Resolve, opened multiple tabs via Chrome (which consumes a lot of rams), safari browser, and streamed via OBS. And I did not hear any fan (because there is nothing haha) or any rising temperatures! It's cold as the temperature of my room! Comparing this to my previous Macbook with Intel, I guess it's already freezing. Battery-wise, it's better than my previous one. Writing this content was about 2 hours and I left home with 90 percent battery and now it's 81%.

I was surprised! Truly it's a wonderful machine. If you are looking for a laptop to edit your videos, photoshops, or live streaming via obs. Then this laptop is the best recommendation.

Once again, thanks for reading my blog and I'll see you again next time!

-Ceddy

Doramode Daily Vlog

Tuesday, April 23, 2024