Gadget Lust
Today I got to fiddle around with an officemate's Nokia N91 mobile phone, which was pretty fun. The N91 is the Finnish developers' answer to the Ipod and Sony Ericsson Walkman phones- a Series 60 Symbian-powered Smartphone loaded with a 4 Gigabyte Hard Drive, music playing capabilities and a nice, professional-looking stainless steel exterior. I wanted to see if it was as good in person as it was in paper, and to test the video-playing capabilities (which is pretty much my first priority with mobiles).
For one thing, the N91 is pretty big- it's not heavy but the top-heavy bar shape fills your hand pretty much... and I have large hands. The phone is longer than my O2 Mini, but a bit thinner. On the good side, the phone feels firm and solid.
Loading music onto the N91 is a drag-and-drop affair; plugging it into a laptop or desktop computer with a mini-USB port will turn it into a hard drive. About 3.5 Gigs are yours to use, which you can fill up with photos (shot with the 2M Cam) or vids, or with tunes (the phone supports MP3, WMA and AAC files). While the music played fine (in fact, quite excellently), I unfortunately wasn't able to test video since the phone didn't have Smartmovie installed (which is an additional app, after all... ah, Smartmovie... my best friend in the pre-Betaplayer days...). On the other hand, it's just as well... the N91 has a dinky little screen that hearkens back to the 6600 and 7610 days... watching movies on it would be painful for me now, used as I am to relatively enormous PPC screens.
And so, while it was pretty cool to hold and play with the N91 for a while, Nokia's latest stunner won't be replacing my Mini. Fortunately. Anyone else who is interested in the slick new music phone (and it's 3G capable too, if that floats your boat) should go try one out for size... it's quite a nice gizmo.
Friday, June 9
Wednesday, June 7
A Night of Extinct Ice Monsters and Fiery Food
I finally got to get to Megamall after a two-week gap from my last visit. I have to say that the place seems to have changed a bit since I last saw it. For one, the Ice Monster shop near the Skating Rink is gone... replaced by a carpet kiosk, of all things. That made me feel kind of sad. While Ice Monster WAS really just a glorified Halo-Halo stand, it was pretty cool (pun intended). It's strange... these fad things usually go out of business due to competition stealing away sales. But there really weren't any copycat Ice Monster businesses that popped up ala the Zagu and Shawarma debacles of years past. Maybe people just got tired of icy whatever-snacks and it's time was just up. Anyway, I think there are still Ice Monsters elsewhere in other malls, so no worries if you get a lychee or sweet potato or mango on ice craving.
I got my bunch of comics for the last couple of weeks, and picked up the latest issue of UNO Magazine, which has Meiling Melancon on the cover and inside. Miss Melancon, if you would remember, played Psylocke (all ten seconds of her) in the recent mutant blockbuster X-men: The Last Stand. At least the mag gives her a bit more... exposure (heheh). Too bad she won't be coming back for any possible sequel, given that Psylocke was scattered to atoms by Phoenix. Oh, and finally I got my copy of Gerry's Elmer, which I'll read and review as soon as possible.
I finished the night with a dinner of spicy Butter Chicken and Hot & Sour Soup at Lemon Grass (Fire Nation food, as the Avatar fan in me would say) which was quite filling. With my stuff in hand and a hot, full tummy, I was off home. My downloads were waiting. Heh.
I finally got to get to Megamall after a two-week gap from my last visit. I have to say that the place seems to have changed a bit since I last saw it. For one, the Ice Monster shop near the Skating Rink is gone... replaced by a carpet kiosk, of all things. That made me feel kind of sad. While Ice Monster WAS really just a glorified Halo-Halo stand, it was pretty cool (pun intended). It's strange... these fad things usually go out of business due to competition stealing away sales. But there really weren't any copycat Ice Monster businesses that popped up ala the Zagu and Shawarma debacles of years past. Maybe people just got tired of icy whatever-snacks and it's time was just up. Anyway, I think there are still Ice Monsters elsewhere in other malls, so no worries if you get a lychee or sweet potato or mango on ice craving.
I got my bunch of comics for the last couple of weeks, and picked up the latest issue of UNO Magazine, which has Meiling Melancon on the cover and inside. Miss Melancon, if you would remember, played Psylocke (all ten seconds of her) in the recent mutant blockbuster X-men: The Last Stand. At least the mag gives her a bit more... exposure (heheh). Too bad she won't be coming back for any possible sequel, given that Psylocke was scattered to atoms by Phoenix. Oh, and finally I got my copy of Gerry's Elmer, which I'll read and review as soon as possible.
I finished the night with a dinner of spicy Butter Chicken and Hot & Sour Soup at Lemon Grass (Fire Nation food, as the Avatar fan in me would say) which was quite filling. With my stuff in hand and a hot, full tummy, I was off home. My downloads were waiting. Heh.
Overtime X
Overtime, Assemble!
Who says I haven't been able to do any comics lately? Take tons of overtime, inebriation from soft drinks, a random discussion about Image Comics in the 90s, a digital camera, Photoshop and an inexplicably large amount of free time and you get THIS. The Salt Mines Crew just flipped our collective lids and struck a group superhero pose ala WildC.A.T.s or Stormwatch. It's actually grown into a full-blown digital comic- glorious non-action in multiple panels that you can find here. Unfortunately I'm not really in the issue but what the heck. Heh.
Overtime, Assemble!
Who says I haven't been able to do any comics lately? Take tons of overtime, inebriation from soft drinks, a random discussion about Image Comics in the 90s, a digital camera, Photoshop and an inexplicably large amount of free time and you get THIS. The Salt Mines Crew just flipped our collective lids and struck a group superhero pose ala WildC.A.T.s or Stormwatch. It's actually grown into a full-blown digital comic- glorious non-action in multiple panels that you can find here. Unfortunately I'm not really in the issue but what the heck. Heh.
Tuesday, June 6
Local Comics Stuff
On my end of local comic publication, the Angel Ace graphic novel is still main on my thoughts. I've decided to include the Angel-Kai friendship and the SIVA origin chapter (which is a book in itself) into it, as well as tying up the loose end from Angel Ace Next (which gave rise to K.I.A.) in the book... it won't do for Angel to just let her best friend get sent through hell and back without batting an eye. The book is still in the writing/concept phase, though I am trying to get started on actual pencils. It's hard, I have to admit. But once I get started, this should go fast.
On the flipside, Project KRIS is happening. I am going to say though that this comic is NOT what anyone here probably expects- for one thing, it's not a mainstream release comic and I am only writing it (art is being done by someone else). Once it is done, I may show it here. Suffice to say that Project KRIS is funding Angel Ace, so that's what's making it worth my while.
As for other stuff, I still am seriously considering doing a webcomic. It's just a matter of deciding on the content. Kunoichi Boy and K.I.A. installments are okay, but I want something new. We'll see what I think up of as it happens.
On other local comics releases, I got to see the manga zine edition of Psicom's Otaku! zine. All I can say is... they need an editor, bad. Typos and wrong grammar abound, while the content is all derivative of existing manga/anime with art varying from amateurish to passable in quality. Not even the glossy paper and color printing can make me get into this. Can't fault them for trying, but it's not a good try.
That's that for now. See you on the comic stands, people!
On my end of local comic publication, the Angel Ace graphic novel is still main on my thoughts. I've decided to include the Angel-Kai friendship and the SIVA origin chapter (which is a book in itself) into it, as well as tying up the loose end from Angel Ace Next (which gave rise to K.I.A.) in the book... it won't do for Angel to just let her best friend get sent through hell and back without batting an eye. The book is still in the writing/concept phase, though I am trying to get started on actual pencils. It's hard, I have to admit. But once I get started, this should go fast.
On the flipside, Project KRIS is happening. I am going to say though that this comic is NOT what anyone here probably expects- for one thing, it's not a mainstream release comic and I am only writing it (art is being done by someone else). Once it is done, I may show it here. Suffice to say that Project KRIS is funding Angel Ace, so that's what's making it worth my while.
As for other stuff, I still am seriously considering doing a webcomic. It's just a matter of deciding on the content. Kunoichi Boy and K.I.A. installments are okay, but I want something new. We'll see what I think up of as it happens.
On other local comics releases, I got to see the manga zine edition of Psicom's Otaku! zine. All I can say is... they need an editor, bad. Typos and wrong grammar abound, while the content is all derivative of existing manga/anime with art varying from amateurish to passable in quality. Not even the glossy paper and color printing can make me get into this. Can't fault them for trying, but it's not a good try.
That's that for now. See you on the comic stands, people!
Hitting Pause
After a week of continuous brainstorming, overtime office stay-overs, delivered fast food and lost weekends, I finally got a bit of a break today. Of course, it's just a day off but these little things are enough to keep a guy sane (even MADmen need to keep a bit of sanity). I'm not sure it it's a sign of age or just of the times, but I'm now pretty content to just stay in at The Sanctum to kick back and enjoy the abundant baubles and pleasures I collected during my more outgoing, impulse-buying days. Maybe it's because of the DSL connection that lets me download my anime and media instead of having to hunt for it in some mall or black market.
Anyway, today is a rest day so the only stress I am allowing myself is to decide on what to do tonight- either traipsing into some musty tomb with my brand new copy of Tomb Raider Legend on the Xbox360 or watch some DVDs. Decisions, decisions.
After a week of continuous brainstorming, overtime office stay-overs, delivered fast food and lost weekends, I finally got a bit of a break today. Of course, it's just a day off but these little things are enough to keep a guy sane (even MADmen need to keep a bit of sanity). I'm not sure it it's a sign of age or just of the times, but I'm now pretty content to just stay in at The Sanctum to kick back and enjoy the abundant baubles and pleasures I collected during my more outgoing, impulse-buying days. Maybe it's because of the DSL connection that lets me download my anime and media instead of having to hunt for it in some mall or black market.
Anyway, today is a rest day so the only stress I am allowing myself is to decide on what to do tonight- either traipsing into some musty tomb with my brand new copy of Tomb Raider Legend on the Xbox360 or watch some DVDs. Decisions, decisions.
Monday, June 5
Finger-licking Good
Click Play to see the Trailer!
From Gerry Alanguilan, comics extraordinaire and creator of Wasted and tons of cool grafiction comes Elmer, a truly unique local comic in these days of generic superheroes and manga rip-offs. What is Elmer all about?
ELMER is a window into an alternate Earth where chickens have suddenly acquired the intelligence and consciousness of humans, where they consider themselves a race no different than whites, browns or blacks, and push to recognize rights for themselves as the newest members of the human race. It tells the story of a family of chickens who live and struggle to survive in a suddenly complicated, dangerous and yet beautiful world.
ELMER is published through Komikero Publishing and Alamat Comics, and will run a projected 4 issues. First issue is 32 pages. 5.5"X8.5" Color covers, black and white interiors.
Elmer is now available in Comic Quest Megamall, Comics Odyssey Robinson's Place Malate and Druid's Keep in Magallanes. For a look, go visit Gerry's Komikero Website.
I've yet to read this, but I'll be sure to grab a copy once I get to pass by CQ. As a lover of fried chicken myself, this is sure to be an interesting read...
Click Play to see the Trailer!
From Gerry Alanguilan, comics extraordinaire and creator of Wasted and tons of cool grafiction comes Elmer, a truly unique local comic in these days of generic superheroes and manga rip-offs. What is Elmer all about?
ELMER is a window into an alternate Earth where chickens have suddenly acquired the intelligence and consciousness of humans, where they consider themselves a race no different than whites, browns or blacks, and push to recognize rights for themselves as the newest members of the human race. It tells the story of a family of chickens who live and struggle to survive in a suddenly complicated, dangerous and yet beautiful world.
ELMER is published through Komikero Publishing and Alamat Comics, and will run a projected 4 issues. First issue is 32 pages. 5.5"X8.5" Color covers, black and white interiors.
Elmer is now available in Comic Quest Megamall, Comics Odyssey Robinson's Place Malate and Druid's Keep in Magallanes. For a look, go visit Gerry's Komikero Website.
I've yet to read this, but I'll be sure to grab a copy once I get to pass by CQ. As a lover of fried chicken myself, this is sure to be an interesting read...
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