This is a flashback when I was in Singapore a few weeks ago. It was my first visit to Comex 2012 which is the biggest IT expo in Singapore. According to The Strait Times, Comex 2012 raked in a record $72 million in just four days *Woowww* That’s just an astonishing feat by the organisers and I only spent 0.000000012% of that sales *lol*

More than 830,000 visitors showed up during the 4 day event and they had 830 exhibitors at Comex 2012. I’m definitely coming here again and I hope it will be the same weekend as Singapore Toys, Games and Comics Convention too 😀

It’s not as crowded here at one of the telcos’ area

Did you know that they are only allowed to give brochures or leaflets at a specific zone area?

Hard disks and memory cards selling like hot cakes

Crazy prices but hard to choose from

Printer included (not the models)

Canon presence is massive at Comex 2012

Canon presence is massive at Comex 2012

It was all about hard selling

The hourly deals were the best attraction for the crowd

PS3 consoles selling pretty well too after great bargains

Toshiba LCD screens were pretty affordable

There were tons of Android promoters in the building

…. and in the end, I bought myself an Android box

Are you sick of Gangnam already?

I love the booth and the lay out

A great gimmick to entice new users

The Sony mascot

Promoters are everywhere

Accessories were selling dirt cheap too

I realise how they used papers and maker pens to make a statement

Phone casings are selling at ridiculously low prices

Super massive crowd at Samsung booth

It was so crowded that it was hard to clean up

Cameras were pretty popular

These guys almost made me buy one

I was checking myself

Can you imagine that both Samsung cameras were selling at an awesome price of $299?

The Casio booth were attracting the crowd

Just check out the crowd

On the way down…

Even the usher had to control the traffic slow

This guy was probably enjoying himself during the STGCC 2012

Baiduri Bank recently embarked on a project to landscape a vacant piece of land and transform it into a garden as a gift to the people of Brunei in support of the Government’s “Bandar Seri Begawan City in the Garden” green initiative. The completed garden was officially handed over to the Municipal Department in a ceremony held this morning at the same venue.

Accompanied by Baiduri Bank’s CEO, Pierre Imhof, the guest of honour, Awang Haji Ismail bin Haji Abd. Manaf, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, cut a green ribbon to signify the official opening of the garden. Prior to cutting the ribbon, Awang Haji Ismail led guests in prayers to bless the new garden.

The guest of honour then formally launched a newly erected signboard that displayed a warning on littering and the penalties that will be imposed on offenders. The visitors were then taken on a tour of the garden, led by Pierre Imhof.

The garden is on a piece of land belonging to the Government of Brunei located between the Hassanal Bolkiah Highway and Baiduri Bank’s Head Office in Kiarong. Besides furnishing a wide variety of plants, the garden also has a paved path where visitors can take walks and a gazebo complete with garden furniture. Solar-powered garden lights and trash bins have also been provided for the convenience of visitors.

Guest of Honour, YM Awang Hj Ismail cutting ribbon with Mr. Pierre Imhof, CEO Baiduri Bank

CEO having a light moment with the Guest of Honour at the gazebo

Commenting on Baiduri’s green project, Mr Pierre Imhof said, “Baiduri Bank has always actively participated in community projects, and this garden is one of them. For this garden, we have taken care to select plants that are weather sustainable and can withstand going without water a few days. This is so that we will not have to resort to constant watering thus helping conserve water. We have also chosen solar-powered garden lights in order to conserve energy.” He went on to pledged Baiduri’s commitment to continue maintaining the garden.

“The public is welcome to enjoy our garden facilities”, Mr Imhof said, adding, “but I hope that they will do their part in keeping the facilities in good order and dispose of trash in the proper manner”.

Accompanying Awang Haji Ismail were the Chairman of the Municipal Department, Pengiran Hj Abd Rahman bin PSI Pg Hj Ismail and senior officials from the Municipal Department.

Also present at today’s event was Mr. Ti Eng Hui, Deputy General Manager, Retail Banking and Branch Network; Pg Azaleen Pg Dato Hj Mustapha, Senior Manager Treasury; Veronica Chong, Senior Manager, Human Resources and Finance Division and Ms. Dorothy Newn, Head of Corporate Communications and Marketing and staff of Baiduri Bank Group.

The “Bandar Seri Begawan City in the Garden” Campaign is an initiative by the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Department with the objective to portray Bandar Seri Begawan as a green and clean city. Text and images courtesy of Baiduri Bank.

Promotion at Tasek Brasserie

Alan Inspiration

Contracts were signed recently between the Event Organiser InfoCom Federation Brunei (IFB) and Event Manager Sunlit Advertising Sdn Bhd for the TechXpo 2012.

Signing on behalf of InfoCom Federation Brunei (IFB) was its Chairman, Abdul Ghani Pg Hj Metusin, witnessed by IFB Executive Committee member, Mr Vincent Chok. Signing on behalf of Sunlit Advertising was its Executive Director, Dato Haji Danial bin Haji Hanafiah, witnessed by its Managing Director, Mr Jackson Ting. The ceremony was graced by Yang Mulia Awang Abdul Mutalib Bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohamad Yusof, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications. The ceremony took place at the Seri Kerna Hall, AITI Building in Anggerek Desa.

Supported by The Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Education and Authority For Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI), TechXpo 2012 will be held from 1st to 4th December at the International Convention Centre in Berakas. This will be the third instalment of the technology event and promises to be bigger and better than the previous expos. This year’s TechXpo is in conjunction with the APICTA Awards hosted in Brunei Darussalam.

Another highlight of the TechXpo 2012 will be the first Enterprise Business Matching (EBM) and Product Sharing Session (PSS) which will be hosted by The Asia Oceania Regional Software Park Alliance (AORSPA). Both the EBM and the PSS will be held on the 1st and 2nd December during the TechXpo 2012 in ICC. AORSPA is an alliance comprises of Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Myanmar, Taiwan and Nepal. It is a one stop platform stages for the AORSPA to meet, to exchange, to cooperate and to expand business opportunities, contributing to the development of ICT industry. It will be a great opportunity for the local Bruneians to expand and explore your business network across the region. For those who are interested, you can register online at http://www.aorspaict.com/ebm-pss and closing date will be on 20th October 2012.

Executive Director, Dato Haji Danial bin Haji Hanafiah, witnessed by its Managing Director, Mr Jackson Ting and Hui Chiet in baju kurung of Sunlit Advertising :p

The invited guests at the signing ceremony

Abdul Mutalib (center) was the guest of honour with representatives from IFB, Abdul Ghani Pg Hj Metusin the Chairman of IFB and Mr Vincent Chok, IFB Executive Committee member and Sunlit Advertising’s Dato Hj Danial and Jackson Ting

Are you one of the graduates this year for UBD? It’s happening tomorrow at the Chancellor Hall which will be graced by His Majesty the Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. I shall be there for coverage and hope to see my friends who are graduating as well. Congratulations to those who will receiving their certs tomorrow and don’t forget to smile tomorrow and be featured on RA’s coverage too 😀 Good luck tomorrow.

The pictures below are taken during the full dress rehearsal of the convocation taken last Wednesday. The images are courtesy of Kitty and Neena Mahrub. Thank you ladies!!

Acer full range of products are now featured in Concepts Computer’s Acer Roadshow. Those who wish to purchase or browse for new tech stuff should drop by Concepts Computer’s Acer Roadshow at The Mall Gadong, as part of the four-day School Holiday Expo Sale. LCD monitors, projectors, and slim notebooks such as the Aspire V5 are some of the products on offer until this Sunday.

Acer Branch Manager for Brunei and Miri, Richard Soo, said, “During our four-day promotion, for any Acer brand product that is sold, the customer is entitled to a three-year warranty free-of-charge worth $108,” he said.

In other words, the promotion is only exclusive to the Acer Roadshow booth at the Mall throughout the four-day promotion period.

Richard also announced that Acer is enhancing its service to its customers in Brunei and has established a low cost service provider called On Time Service. For instance, you can send your Acer products to Concepts Computer and they will service your items as quickly as possible so you won’t have to wait for quite long.

“Before, customers had to send their Acer laptop to Miri for repairs and service, but with our local On Time Service, we can have customers’ laptops fixed within three working days” said Richard.

The branch manager said this initiative was an effort to provide better services to customers and that with efficient quality of services, customers will have great confidence in the Acer brand.

Customers should also be on the look out next month for the new Windows 8 launch, where a number of innovative Acer products will be available such as the Acer Aspire S7. Text by Anwar Rosly of The Brunei Times.

Richard Soo (center) with Vincent Pao of Concepts Computer at Acer

Interested in getting an Acer projector?

Find out more about their “On Time Service” from Acer

MASwings is offering ‘Malaysia Day Special’ promotional fares through www.maswings.com.my for its domestic routes, in conjunction with the forthcoming Malaysia Day celebrations. The two days’ advance purchase sales and ticketing period will be from 14 September to 20 September 2012, for travel from 16 September 2012 to 31 March 2013.

MASwings’s Chief Commercial Officer, Shauqi Ahmad, said “MASwings is delighted to offer these promotional fares in conjunction with Malaysia Day, as part of our initiative and commitment to celebrate this joyful and historic occasion with the travelling public especially Malaysians and in particular those in Sabah and Sarawak.”

“Being a community airline serving the people within Sabah and Sarawak, connecting them to the world through our network as well as that of our parent company Malaysia Airlines, we strive to further contribute towards national integration during Malaysia Day by allowing travelers to take advantage of the longer weekend to boost travel within the nation. At the same time, we also allow other tourists to take advantage of the special promotions and enjoy what Sabah and Sarawak have to offer.”

This was my first trip to KK via MASwings last February and it was great…. Maybe I should book my ticket again for next year 😀

During this 7 days promotion, customers will enjoy all-in one way fare from Kota Kinabalu to Lahad Datu, Sandakan and Labuan from as low as RM95; to Bintulu, Sibu, Mulu, Tawau, and Miri from RM105; and from Kota Kinabalu to Kuching at RM115.

Also available are all-in one way fares from Miri to Bintulu, Mulu, Limbang and Labuan from as low as RM85 and to Sibu at RM95.

Those travelling from Kuching will also be enjoying all in one way fare at RM95 to Bintulu and Sibu and from as low as RM105 to Miri and Mulu.

“Customers are urged to book early to enjoy this limited Malaysia Day Special offer and avoid disappointments as seats are subject to availability.” Shauqi further added.

Sairol of DPMM FC scored one of the goals in DPMM FC 3-1 victory over Courts Young Lions

Pressure was on DPMM FC after losing points at home to Harimau Muda and Gombak recently. They turned their fortunes against Young Lions with a 3-1 victory with goals from DPMM FC captain Rosmin Kamis, Sairol Hj Sahari and Ivan Jerkovic. The coach was happy that DPMM FC was back to winning ways and now their focus will be against Tanjong Pagar United FC (23rd September) and Home United FC (29th September). The coach target is still a top 5 finish in the Singapore League and anything more than that will be a bonus.

It was good to know that Pg Salleh is back playing after coming back from injury. Azwan Salleh didn’t follow the trip as he was still nursing a knee injury. Now DPMM FC is lying on 3rd place in the Singapore League.

Sunlit Advertising Sdn Bhd’s another scholarship local citizen recipient left for the UK on Wednesday to pursue an undergraduate degree. NurAmal ‘Izzati @ NoramalIzzati Hj Kamsani will undertake a three-year BA (Hons) Interior Design programme at the University of Birmingham City. Upon completion of the course, Izzati will serve at Sunlit Advertising.

Sunlit Advertising’s sponsorship of Izzati allowing her to further her studies is in adherence with His Majesty Sultan Hj Hassanal Bolkiah Muizzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s titah to enhance human resource development in Brunei Darussalam, as well as being part of the company’s corporate social responsibility. Images courtesy of Sunlit Advertising.

Izzati the scholar with Jackson Ting, the Managing Director of Sunlit Advertising before Izzati’s departure

Group photo with Izzati’s family and friends with Sunlit Advertising representatives

The first stardom was a smaller scale last year. This year it looks bigger and better because of the number of local agencies supporting the event especially with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources. Talent shows in Brunei haven’t been given much of a push and I remember the days of Paspot to Fame (P2F) which was well received by the local community but then again it all boils down to support from the local agencies and it’s not easy to make one if you don’t pull the right strings.

In come Danny Tay, the Managing Director of Dreamz MKZ, who is the main behind the big project. His intention was clear – to build a whole new family entertainment and support the contestants and bringing everyone to be part of the show. He also hopes it will path a new career for the future of Brunei and increase opportunities in the field of Creative Arts.

He thanked the government agencies and sponsors and supporters namely Fitness Zone, Hui Huang Enterprise/You C1000, Kingston Creamery & Beverage (Pepsi), IA Salon, KFC, Deseo and The Faceshop.

They will be going to four districts to search for talents but I’m not sure of the venue and schedules just yet. The competition song can be in Chinese, English or Malay. The application form can be obtained from the business outlets of the event’s sponsors and also on Facebook. The registration fee is $20 for non-students and $10 for students.

The judges of the competition are Racheal Malai Ali, Mohd Sharif, a representative from Sony Music Label Company and Roy Li of Imagine Music Singapore.

All proceeds of tickets in the finals will go to DANA (The Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah Orphans Fund).The cash prizes are $3,000 for the first prize, $2,000 for second prize and $1,000 for third prize. There are also other cash ‘vouchers and gifts by sponsors. The theme is ‘One Music, One Family, One Brunei’.

Danny Tay delivering his welcoming remarks

Cecilia with partners of IA Salon

Denise Chai of Deseo

Ruby of The Faceshop

Jonathan and Erwin of KFC

The sponsors and supporters of the event

Jonathan sharing a smile

Neldi and Tauffek will be the emcees during the show

…. while she was the emcee for the signing ceremony *hehe*

HSBC Spot, Send and Win. Click image to enlarge.

Screen shot of iPhone 5 from Apple.com

So finally the wait is over!!! Tim Cook and his team from Apple had unveiled what the latest iPhone 5 can offer and its uniqueness. I believe smartphones particularly has reached its cycle span in terms of design and its multi-touch screen features. How else can you top all that? Samsung has done its best, Nokia has jumped into the bandwagon of smartphones and the latest iPhone features are definitely a great upgrade as compared when 4s was introduced.

The iPhone 5 is thinner and lighter. Another difference is the height and instead of the usual 4 rows of icons, it now has 5 rows. That’s nothing to shout about but it’s good to see some changes in the layout in the iPhone 5.

The other notable difference is the connector which is now called the lighting connector and it replaces the usual 30-pin connector. But not to worry, there’s an adapter for it. The camera features is what amazes me because its able to shoot in low light mode and I always love a feature where while video recording, you can snap photos away. Well, that works for me 😀

You can check out the complete features of the new iPhone 5 by clicking here. I won’t say that I’m like super WOW but it’s definitely a better upgrade than the current 4s I’m using. I’m off to sleep and it’s already late. If you’re asking, yes, I will get the next generation iPhone for sure.. Thank you, Apple!! I won’t say the features are innovative and some features are already available on android phones anyway (then again, iPhone doesn’t release their phones until now until Android phones). Innovation is not right word for this keynote but I was surely impressed by this powerful iPhone 5.

Note: This still could be a problem for Brunei though because it used a nano-Sim standard which is 40% smaller the micro-sim card used in 4 and 4s. This is the LTE network that Apple has included in the phone line and LTE is the next wave after 3G network. Problem is that we don’t have such network here in Brunei just yet though there have been talks about it as mentioned by Idris, CEO of DST, a few months ago and also Ericsson (in Brunei) has been running some trials in Brunei using LTE network. 

Now this will be pressure for both b•mobile and DST to come up with LTE network in Brunei and yes, LTE will one day replace 3G. For your info, HTC will be giving some tough time for Apple because of the LTE features. So do expect something interesting to happen in the courtroom again *lol* As for Apple’s strong brand, this will give a push to telcos to roll out LTE features in Brunei and also regionally. Now the question is when will LTE be made available in Brunei.

Image below are taken from mashable and gdgt live updates.

Tim Cook of Apple doing what the late Steve Jobs was good at

Ok, boasting numbers about iPads

Good to see an improvement on battery life though SIII is still way better

A better camera feature and now the front camera is HD too. Cool for Facetime 😀

Ok, LTE is something new which capitalises on fast internet. It’s not available here in Brunei but I won’t be surprised if this will come out in the near future. LTE is the future anyway.

The new connector for iPhone 5 … Gone are the days of a 30-pin connector

How the new iPhone 5 looks like

Screen shot of iPhone 5 from Apple.com

Some of the features of IOS 6 and I love the 3D mapping *thumbs up*

Now with the IOS 6, you can create and share pictures with your close friends and family. Treat it like another instagram but more private.

The new type of earpiece called EarPods

Ok, this is awesome.. that Singapore is one of the countries that will have the stocks pretty early than other countries

Apple also unveiled the new iTunes look which will be ready by October

The new Nano iPod was also announced

Now the 5th Gen iPod has features of the 4s

…and it has a loop where you can put your strap

LANEIGE Brunei Darussalam officially launched its corporate and social responsibility initiative, ‘Laneige Health Campaign’, in an event underlining their concerns held at The Mall, Gadong on September 9 recently.

Themed “Beauty through Healthy Lifestyle”, the health campaign is a movement supported by the Health Promotion Centre, Ministry of Health, Korean Embassy of Brunei Darussalam, JPMC Fitness Centre and Susan’s Fitness Studio.

Highlighting the event was its Healthy Snack Making Contest which carried the concept “Korean Fusion Food” supported by the Korean Embassy in Brunei. Seven out of 34 recipes were chosen for their Korean inspired themes. The seven dishes were:Rendang Roasted Beef with Mushroom and Sesame Rice Cake, Four Flavours Kimchi Salad, Korean Vegetables Pancake, Aisah Mixed Salad, Beef Roll, Egg Pancake topped with Steamed Seafood and Vegetables and Green Papaya.

The judging criteria was based on their nutrition value, presentation, low salt, low sugar, low fat and taste. The Korean Ambassador’s wife, Madam Kyung Soo Kim was present to hand over the grand prize of Laneige products worth $400, an exquisite set of Korean traditional costume called ‘Hanbok’ and a one month free membership to JPMC Fitness Centre to winner Susan Fong Sia Sun for her rendang dish.

The idea of Korean Fusion is to encourage the creation of new healthy dishes that blends Korean dishes with the local cuisines. The aim of organising the event is to educate the public about the importance of a balanced daily diet together with a regular exercise schedule and proper daily skincare regimen.

Another reason for such an event, according to the organisers, is to follow up from LANEIGE’s Waterful Sharing Campaign aimed at providing clean water to the children in Mali, Africa, by building water tanks. Throughout the event, the organiser encouraged people to participate in fitness challenges and games by JPMC Fitness centre. Text by Ammirul Adnan of The Brunei Times.

The winners of Healthy Snack Making Contest

Grand winner – Susan, Fong sia sun – Rendang Roast Beef with Kimchi, Mushroom and sesame rice cake
1st runner up – Aiza Zorina Rivera – green papaya archar
2nd runner up – Onn Fai Tee – 4 flavors Kimchi salad

Zumba-ing during the ‘Laneige Health Campaign’

Zumba-ing during the ‘Laneige Health Campaign’

After the Zumba session

The judging began for the Healthy Snack

The finalists showcasing their own creation

The judges were pretty tough

2nd runner up – Onn Fai Tee – 4 flavors Kimchi salad

1st runner up – Aiza Zorina Rivera – green papaya archar

Susan, Fong sia sun – Rendang Roast Beef with Kimchi, Mushroom and sesame rice cake

Group photo with finalists and judges

A new shop in town that has comics and collectible figurines which opened its door last Saturday. For those interested to check it out, it’s right after Le Apple at Menglait. It was such a great turnouot last Saturday when it opened its door at 5pm. Congratulations to shop owners Khairul and Amirul on the new venture.

Salmon Craze at Grazie Mauri

This month is the Salmon Month Craze at Grazie Mauri and they are having a 50% discount at Grazie Mauri. Chef Mauri came up with different styles of salmon such as Salmon Burritos, Chervice Salmon and Salmon Teriaky to name a few.

So make way your way to Grazie Mauri and enjoy the Salmon Craze. Call 244 7471 for more details.

Salmon Teriaky – Pineapple and Salmon skewers marinated in soya and honey grilled to perfection

Smoked Salmon Terrine – Cram cheese and smoked salmon gateaux Mamma Mia Buonisimo

Chef Mauri (c) hosting us last week

It’s happening today… So do come and register

The Brunei Economic Development Board (“BEDB”) is pleased to announce the launching of the LEAP (Local Enterprise Applications & Products) Grant Scheme for 2012. It is a program aimed at providing financial assistance to local SMEs, students and researchers to develop prototypes or pilot projects that have innovative technological content, commercial practicality and export potential in both ICT and non-ICT industries.

To assist those eligible to prepare their grant applications, the BEDB in collaboration with Coaching Specialist ‘Money Tree’ will be conducting a LEAP Business Plan Workshop at the iCentre on Tuesday, 11th September 2012. More information about LEAP Grant Scheme will also be available during the workshop.

Following this workshop, grant applicants approved by the LEAP Program Committee will be required to attend Financial and Intellectual Property (IP) Workshops to attain the necessary financial management skills as well as to develop an appreciation of IP and to manage it effectively for innovation and creativity to flourish.

Registrations for those participating in the Workshop will commence at 8:00am on Tuesday, 11th September 2012 and the program will commence at 8.30 am. The Workshop is a full day event with lunch provided. I think you can still register for today if you’re slightly late. Just give it a shot 😀

For details on how to participate in the Workshop, please call Diana at 2230111 ext 146 or email to leap.program@bedb.com.bn stating your name, contact details and the name of your company/ organization. There is no registration fee for Brunei SMEs.

Application form for the LEAP Grant Scheme is downloadable online at www.bedb.com.bn . The application is open from 15th August 2012 and all completed applications should be submitted no later than 3pm Monday, 8th October 2012 to:

LEAP Secretariat
The Brunei Economic Development Board
Block 2K, Bangunan Kerajaan, Jalan Ong Sum Ping
Bandar Seri Begawan, BA 1311
Negara Brunei Darussalam

It’s out now at LARA Corp for $799 and just mention Ranoadidas at the counter and you can get a FREE casing for SIII. All SIII users will also get FREE screen protector.

Ever heard of LARA Corp? Well, they started their business through Facebook (thelaracorp or click here) and they grew from there. They also had a small stall at Times Square previously before they eventually moved to a physical store located at The Airport Mall. The mobile shop is located next to KFC outlet.

I shall highlight the Samsung Galaxy SIII Garnet Red which is one of the rarest colour to get and LARA Corp is only bringing limited stock. As you know SIII is the fastest selling Samsung phone model and this is one reason why Samsung has a bigger market share than Apple in the market and of course, price wise SIII is a few hundreds dollar cheaper than an iPhone 4 or 4s.

Now you can get the Samsung SIII Garnet Red for $799 and comes with FREE casing and exclusive to ranoadidas readers, if you mention ranoadidas, you will get a FREE SIII casing. Good huh? So what are you waiting for? Make your way to LARA Corp at The Airport Mall tomorrow.

The new shop LARA Corp at The Airport Mall on ground floor

I’m quite impressed with the Samsung Galaxy Beam but I’m not sure if the processor is as fast as the SIII. It’s cheaper than the SIII for sure and it’s only $678 only. The great thing about this smartphone is that it’s able to project to the screen on the activities you do on the phone. The projection has an output of 15 Lumen DLP (Digital Light Projector). This comes also with a FREE screen protector and FREE Galaxy Beam Case.

I projected my website on the white surface using the Galaxy Beam.. Awesome!!!

Dermott Mannion, Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines exchanging documents with Dato Jack Ting, CityNeon Displays & Constructions for the upcoming TravelMania 2012 in October (5th to 7th)

I was a bit confused at first because we are very familiar with the brand of Abacus Travel Fair which has been going for many years. This time round, yes, Abacus Travel Fair will still be around but the bigger picture will be the first ever TravelMania 2012 which is organised by Royal Brunei Airlines with the support of CityNeon Displays and Constructions (Event Manager and co-organiser) and Abacus Brunei (Event partner).

So what’s the difference between Abacus Travel Fair and TravelMania? Well, let’s just say that TravelMania 2012 is the overall big scope while Abacus Travel Fair is part of TravelMania. What to expect? A bigger fair than usual where vendors that are related to traveling will be participating during this big event. For instance, suppliers of luggages and bags will be making their presence during the fair which is something new. Another example is travel insurance and even home insurance to make sure your home is protected while you’re away.

So when is the TravelMania 2012? It’s slated for 5th to 7th October at BRIDEX Exhibition Hall. More news on that when the time is near.

Royal Brunei Airlines partnering with Abacus Brunei for TravelMania 2012

TelBru is one of the partners with Abacus Brunei during TravelMania 2012

Baiduri Bank is the official bank for TravelMania 2012

Malaysia Airlines signing with Abacus Brunei

Singapore Airlines signing with Abacus Brunei for TravelMania 2012

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik gracing the launch of BIBD mobile at The Empire Hotel this morning

The event took place this morning at The Empire Hotel and the guest of honour was His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik who officiated the launch of Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam mobile. This is an extended service provided by BIBD and such launch warrants a new milestone for the local bank where it makes it more convenient for BIBD customers to be updated with their banking needs in just in the palms of his/her hand.

With many people joining the bandwagon of smartphones, this is very essential to have a mobile version for BIBD Online. You don’t have to worry about logging in through your desktop computers or notebook. Just grab your iPhones, SII or SIII, HTCs and other smartphones and just type in http:/www.bibd.com.bn/m on your url and walaaa, it looks like an app interface and a simplified version of the normal official website of BIBD.

There are some great features here too where you can top up your DST Easi Prepaid mobile or purchase Electric Service top-up through the mobile version of BIBD Online. Ok, let’s not get confused that the BIBD Mobile is not an IOS or Android apps but it’s a mobile version of BIBD website to make the experience more user friendly. The IOS/Android version will be released later this year.

Congratulations BIBD on the new milestone and I’ve tried surfing it on my iPhone and it looks great 😀

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik being greeted upon his arrival this morning

Were they trying out BIBD mobile then?

BIBD mobile is the right move

Check out bibd web format on smartphones – http://www.bibd.com.bn/m

Alex Ha and Md Hanif of Silverlake Mobility Ecosystem Sdn Bhd (Malaysia) are the guys behind the creation of the mobile version. Alex hinted that the mobile apps version will be ready within this year.

The main home page of BIBD Mobile. Go try it out!!

Dermott Mannion, Deputy Chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines exchanging documents with Dato Jack Ting, CityNeon Displays & Constructions for the upcoming TravelMania 2012 in October (5th to 7th). More updates tomorrow!!

Hasmin Masri, Assistant Marketing Manager of Interhouse Company, was the emcee for the day

There was such a huge big crowd at Radisson Hotel

Photographers getting ready for the competition

He was awarded with a limited edition miniature of a Canon camera

…. And the competition begins…

Remember last year? The first Canon Photo Shootout Brunei? This year’s edition has been renamed to Canon Photomarathon Brunei Darussalam 2012 and it has now become an annual event organised by Interhouse Company. It was such a great turnout as they had more than 300 participants which was a huge improvement from last year’s edition.

According to Vincent Goh, he was very overwhelmed with the responses from the increasing number of participants and it opens barriers to professionals, amateurs and beginners.

Also present was Mr. Heng Ting Guan from Canon Singapore who came to give support for the event. He shared that two winners will be sent to attend a Canon Photo Clinic conducted by a professional photographer.

The competition was divided into three themes – Green, Street Scene and Lights. Hassanal Sulaiman aka Adam showed why he’s one of the best photographers as he won first prize from “street scene” theme and he also won one last year. Other winners were Azri Hj Zainal (Azizi) for “green” theme and Nizal Syahromi Wulidana for “lights” theme. All the top three winners won themselves a Canon 60D EFS 18-55mm kit.

Second places went to Awg Michael bin Ruiz, Awg Anas Afandi bin Hj Md Hussain and Awg Panji Widhiarto, who all won a Canon IXUS 500HS.

Third places were won by Awg Hj Tejuddin bin Hj Sulaiman, Awg Nasrul Hadi bin Hamdan and Awg Sapta IIudaya, who each received a Canon PIXMA MG2170 AIO printer.

Judges and the winners of the Canon Photomarathon Brunei Darussalam 2012

3rd place winner for Green theme

Hj Tejuddin bin Hj Sulaiman – 3rd place winner for Green theme and prize presented by Hj Nadi, one of the judges

2nd place winner for Green theme

1st place winner for Green theme

Azri Hj Zainal (Azizi) – 1st place winner for Green theme

3rd place winner for Street Scene theme

Nasrul Hadi bin Hamdan – 3rd place winner for Street Scene theme and prize was presented by Mr. Heng Ting Guan, Canon Singapore Pte Ltd

2nd place winner for Street Scene theme

Anas Afandi bin Hj Md Hussain – 2nd place winner for Street Scene

1st place winner for Street Scene theme

Hassanal Sulaiman aka Adam – 1st place winner for Street Scene theme

3rd place winner for Lights theme

Awg Sapta IIudaya – 3rd place winner for Lights theme and prize presented by Mr. Vincent Goh, Deputy Managing Director of Interhouse Company

2nd place winner for Lights theme

Panji Widhiarto – 2nd place winner for Lights theme and he bought my classic 400D from me

1st place winner for Lights theme

Nizal Syahromi Wulidana – 1st place winner for Lights theme

There is quite a strong group for Indonesian community of photographers in Brunei. Three of them made it to the top three of the competition.

The competition starts 2:30pm tomorrow (Sunday) at The Mall and I will be one of the judges

Their Majesties hosted dinner for US Secretary Hillary Clinton

Guess who was in Brunei lately? Yes, it was US Secretary Hillary Clinton who was on a quick two day visit to the Sultanate and I wasn’t able to catch a glimpse of her during her stay in Brunei. His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha hosted a dinner at the Istana Nurul Iman two nights ago in honour of Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Also present were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah, His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade and his wife, Her Royal Highness Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Hjh Zariah, Her Royal Highness PrincessHjh Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and YAM Pg Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pg Anak Hj Abdul Aziz and other members of the royal family. Also attending the dinner was US Ambassador to Brunei, His Excellency Daniel Shields.

The US Secretary of State landed here yesterday for a two-day visit, which will see the top US diplomat meet her Bruneian counterparts and visit the country’s main university. The visit to Brunei Darussalam is part of Clinton’s six-nation tour of the Asia-Pacific, which will culminate with the American official attending a summit meeting of leaders from 21 Pacific Rim nations in Russia, according to various media reports.

She is now in Vladivostok, Russia, for the APEC Russia 2012. Images courtesy of Muiz Matdani.

Maktab Sains Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan (MSPSBS) will be organizing the MS Family Carnival 2012. The carnival will be held on 9th September 2012 (Sunday) from 8am to 5pm and will take place on the school campus. The MS Family Carnival is organized by the MSPSBS Student Council and peer group helpers and supported by DANA Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah.

The principle aim of the event is to raise funds for the charity, DANA Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah untuk Anak-Anak Yatim, to which all proceeds earned by the MS Family Carnival organizing committee will be donated. The remaining amount will be donated to Brunei Darussalam AIDS Council, MS Student Welfare and MS Student Council Body Fund.

Other objectives include raising awareness of the role of family in helping prevent social problems and living a healthy lifestyle through playing sport. As well as sports events to support the latter objective, there will be a variety of other activities ranging from exhibitions concerned with social problems, Fun house for kids,rides ATV bikes,horse riding, to stalls selling numerous types of food and refreshments.

Being a community event aimed at raising funds for a specific charity, MS Family Carnival 2012 offers an excellent opportunity to company/business to aide our worthy cause and to generate positive publicity and profit in the process.

All activities are supported by Fitness Zone, My Small world and Brunei Darussalam Aids council.

Carbon Monoxide kills. Photo illustration by Jeff Neumann, The Denver Post; photos: Jupiter Images.

Interesting findings that I learnt (about carbon monoxide) after the recent accidental incident that costs that lives of two young Bruneians who were found in a car parked at the basement of Manggis Hua Ho Mall last Tuesday night.

According to the police report, any foul play was ruled out and it was the excessive inhalation of carbon monoxide that led to their deaths. During the investigation, they found traces of green-coloured liquid at the front area of the car generated from teh air coolant radiator as well as traces of black-coloured liquid under the car.

I was quite naive about how carbon monoxide (CO) are deadly and they can attack you silently and yes, it only takes minutes and even before you know it, you will be unconscious and eventually costs your life. So I kept asking my peers if they know or aware about CO especially when it comes to cars. I was amazed that most of them are aware of this and I wasn’t at all.. So I believe this is pretty important to know and I just wanna share with you guys on the dangers of CO and how you can prevent them especially involving cars.

How CO affects your body

What is carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death.

Where is CO found?
CO is found in combustion fumes, such as those produced by cars and trucks, small gasoline engines, stoves, lanterns, burning charcoal and wood, and gas ranges and heating systems. CO from these sources can build up in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces. People and animals in these spaces can be poisoned by breathing it.

What are the symptoms of CO poisoning?
The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. High levels of CO inhalation can cause loss of consciousness and death. Unless suspected, CO poisoning can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms mimic other illnesses. People who are sleeping or intoxicated can die from CO poisoning before ever experiencing symptoms.

How can I avoid CO poisoning from my vehicle?
• Have a mechanic check the exhaust system of my car every year. A small leak in your car’s exhaust system can lead to a build up of CO inside the car.
• Never run a car in the garage with the garage door shut. CO can build up quickly while your car is running in a closed garage. Never run your car inside a garage that is attached to a house and always open the door to any garage to let in fresh air when running a car inside the garage. So in the recent case, the car was left running at the basement of the mall and it’s also considered an enclosed area.
• Leave your window slightly open when you happen to leave your engine on especially with air-conditioning on.
• If you drive a vehicle with a tailgate, when you open the tailgate, you also need to open vents or windows to make sure air is moving through your car. If only the tailgate is open CO from the exhaust will be pulled into the car.

If you want to know more about CO and its dangers and preventions, you can click here, here and here for more info. It’s better to be aware than sorry. Happy weekend, peeps!!

Katy Perry Rocks!!!

Katy Perry: Part of me I’ve seen This it it (Michael Jackson) but not the Justin Beiber one. This is other movie documentary celebrity that I caught last week with Jessie and I was pretty moved by her documentary. I never knew she is a song writer and how she climbed up the ranks of being a superstar and I was surprised of her upbringing as well. I managed to catch this at The Mall Cineplex before the show runs out as they are only showing on one show in 3D.

Well, if you are not a Katy Perry fans, I still recommend you to catch this movie. I know that Jessie now has changed her thoughts on Katy Perry after watching the show. Yea, I could say we both teared up a bit though she was more moved than me *lol* What inspired me the most about Katy is how she envisioned her dreams and now she’s living her dream. It’s a great reminder to us all that we should be living our dreams and not others. And her unconditional love to her fans is something that it’s not common once you are a celebrity or a star. Great show!! Verdict: 8/10

I want a Teddy bear now!!

Ted Don’t be fooled by this soft toy. The posters doesn’t suggest much but if you see the trailers, you probably be more interested to catch it than just relying on the visuals on the poster. I never saw one as it was never screened here in Brunei and I finally knew why… it’s pretty vulgar and the themes involved are not suitable and appropriate to get a pass from our censorship board *boohoo* So I caught this movie with Cuterabbit during my recent Singapore trip.

I tell you that this movie was totally entertaining from start to finish and sometimes I wish I had a live teddy bear like Ted *lol* The movie has its crude moments and yes, this is not a recommended first date movie either. Though it won’t be showing here in Brunei, if you happened to be in Singapore, do catch Ted or you can do the sneaky way in Brunei which it’s not appropriate to disclose here *lol* Awesome flick. Verdict: 8/10

How I wish they were actresses instead *lol*

Magic Mike Ok, this movie can biased if they are my female buddies watching this. Basically for the main reason is that they get to see hot guys dancing on stage and doing stuff that might give you ladies the adrenalin rush. After the movie, cuterabbit couldn’t stop talking about the movie *lol* and I understood why. Yes, this movie won’t be even showing here in Brunei because of the themes and the contents which are deemed inappropriate.

I quite enjoyed the movie as well and no, I’m not biased *lol* It was more of the interesting plot. I realised how popular Channing Tatum is right now after huge hits just as 21 Jump Street and the Vow which raked in more than $250 million and plus this movie was directed by Steven Soderbergh. The movie was a huge hit in the States and showed how he is now one of the A-list actors in Hollywood. If you thought Coyote Ugly was good, then Magic Mike is three times better. Verdict: 8/10

Jonson Lim of Timetech Computer Trading Company, Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer and Zul Abdul Rahman, Marketing Executive of Concepts Computer (right) with the staff showcasing Edifier products

What is a desktop (multimedia) computer without speakers? These sound gadgets do spice up whatever you do with the computer. I’ve always overlooked this area when it comes to sound. My iMac speakers have lost its mojo for the past year or so. Anyway, this morning, I had a quick visit to Concepts Computer as they finally have new range of speakers from Edifier Technology and as Zul Abdul Rahman (Marketing Executive of Concepts Computer) said that the Edifier models range from high end ones to portable ones to wireless ones and of course to speakers that we normally use in our daily lives.

Speakers from Concepts Computer:

Edifier M1250 $19
Edifier R18USB $29
Edifier R600USB $39
Edifer M1360 $49

Mid-range speakers
Edifier M1386 $89
Edifer M3200 $89
Edifier P3060 $89
Edifier X330 $89

Portable Speakers/Blue-tooth
Edifier TickTock Dock $129
Edifier BreatheBT $439

High end speakers
Edifier Studio 7 $299
Edifier S730 $569
Edifier S550 $669

Zul Abdul Rahman said that Concepts Computer doesn’t only emphasise on computers such as Acer notebooks but also on customers satisfaction from the entertainment side. For more information, you can visit their showroom at Kiulap or call 223 3551/2/3 or 244 8102/3

More affordable range of speakers

They even have one ideal for iPhones or iPads

The mother of all speakers. The price includes another box of Edifier speakers

Great design on the speakers and this costs around $89

Now… doesn’t the speakers suit my theme then? *lol*

Critics have hailed Ernest So as a performer who exerts a “phenomenon presence on stage” and who “evokes the romanticism and technical brilliance of a 19th century pianist”. Mr. So’s earlymanifestation as concert pianist brought prizes such as the Best Performer Award in Singapore and later the Beethoven Trophy. His years at the Juilliard School were spent under the artistic influence and instruction of renowned Beethoven scholar Jacob Lateiner (1928 – 2010); other teachers include Solomon Mikowsky, the late Constance Keene, and Jonathan Feldman.

Besides active concertizing in the United States, Europe and Asia, Mr. So is equally devoted to musical education, founding Atelier des Artistes in New York (2000) and then PerformNow in Hong Kong (2005), thus contributing vastly to the artistic scenes in both cities. Mr. So is well-known for his wide repertoire, including not only standard concert works by composers such as Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin, but also masterworks by Scriabin, Godowsky, Medtner, Antheil, Poulenc, Ibert, Bortkiewicz, Catoire, Guastavino, Kapustin, Stanchinsky, Mompou, Viñes, and many other lesser known composers. In 2008, Mr. So was invited to perform for over 20,000 spectators at the celebration of Guangxi University’s 80th Anniversary.

Mr. So has also given masterclasses and lectures on Beethoven, and is the author of numerous essays on music. He additionally uses his expertise to advise as a professional consultant on piano manufacture and restoration techniques, working for various leading piano builders and restorers; he is currently the Chief Technical Consultant for Asia Piano Japan. A personal friend of Paolo Fazioli and Luigi Borgato, two of the greatest piano builders of our time, Mr. So performs regularly on Fazioli pianos and had been invited to perform on a 2007 Borgato piano in Italy.

It’s happening this Sunday and there are more than 200 registered participants. I believe there are still slots for walk-in registration this Sunday. So do make your way this Sunday to Radisson Hotel at 8:30am to register yourself. I think this is open to all photo enthusiasts out there. Good luck!!! I will be there to do some quick coverage and hopefully cover the prize presentation.

This was the event taken last year for the 1st Canon event

Vincent Goh of Interhouse Company with Saifulizam, one of the winners last year

Limited goodies from Cooltones for existing and new subscribers

Check out their roadshow at Times Square

Their official t-shirt for the event

There will be live performances Saturday and Sunday

It’ easy to subscribe to Cooltones but only exclusive to b•mobile customers