Woohoo! Finished writing my Botany Final!
And thereby, my third year university life had officially came to an end, formally and peacefully.
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There are a couple things I wish to bring out but overall, the third year university life is one of the most extraordinary experience I’ve ever had. Its simply fantastic, academically, socially, and in terms of general well-being.
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1st Semester
It was relatively disastrous. Selecting Japanese 101 as my art option was one of the move that I regret the most, still I do. I had absolutely no idea how difficult it is to learn another asian language; to be honest to myself, language acquisition is not one of my talents, I probably even suck at it! I held a great grudge over my decision in taking Jap instead of something I am familiar with such as Chinese. But oh well, the brutal period has passed, I moved on.
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And next we have Biology 321, advanced evolution biology. From that I learned that I simply do not have to capability to take an 8am class. Everything starts off nice and easy as any typical student, freshly refreshed from an enjoyable summer break. First few class was fine, the goal of getting a high grade motivated me from the sweet warm bed; subsequently, I failed to get up and ended up missing most of the classes since the midterm 1. Well I still did ok in the final but I guess I took my lesson and there are absolutely no reason for me to take another 8am class, learning about natural history in the sleepy morning.
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Other Psychology classes I took were fine, pretty decent professors and the material are generally interesting. The time slots were perfect for me. One class I want to give my special credit to is Dr. Caplan’s brain and cognition class. It was probably the most interesting class ever. And I ended up doing very great in the class. (Which relates back to my second year where I took another class with him, thats where I learn hes a cool prof).
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2nd Semester
I had probably the best chance in getting a 4.0 in this particular semester, but I failed to. 3.9 is what I got, but Well I am glad that it did. This semester was both challenging and easy-going. Almost no exam based grade, but paper based. Great! I had to take some more art classes because I need the GPA boosting effect (except Japanese) and I need some more art credits.
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I am glad that I signed up for Dr Dickson’s lab although I must admit that he is rather intimating in most of the situations. I admire his ability to make his arguments and his capability to be creative. Intuitive thinking is probably the most essential elements in advanced science, the create something novel, you are required to be intuitive. Lots of work for me, although the grade he gave me was quite unexpected, I was glad that I worked in his lab. In the other hand, Jer Caplan gave me the third A, in this computational memory model class. There were 3 people in the class, probably one of the smallest class ever. But there cant be a better class than this! 3 people + professor investigating at a highly specific topic, there are a lot to learn from it. Presentations were great, I leaned to speak with a little more formal attitude and facilitating a little more professional and scientific terms, which are all critical aspects of my future.
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Chinese? Yes I paid $1600 and took a Mandarin Chinese course. It was one of the most ridiculous class ever. But in a way, getting a good grade is what I demand at that point. Classics? It was a good class, I learned about greek history and different gods. It provided me an deeper philosophical insight into systemic theology and allows me to discriminate between religious myths and the one true religion. Absolutely no regrets taking Chinese and Classics.
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It was probably the best semester I ever had.
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Spring Semester
The only one class I took was Botany, Drug plants. This class got me thinking deep. The combination of doing research in the previous semester and taking this course outputs an entire different perspective in me. Botany is quite different compared to pharmacology, at least in the philosophical aspect. It is safe to say that the Botany I learned is quite similar to the traditional chinese medicine that has 5000 years of history. Initially I had the chance to pick between between this course and another pharmacology class (Drug abuse) which are very related, I ended up with botany. 2 papers and 3 exams, the workload was slightly overwhelming, but it was ok; I was heavily trained to write papers. Good class, good learning.
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I don’t have a particular conclusion I want to make, but I merely want to say: I enjoyed.
SO here I am heading back to Hong Kong in 2 days, hurray!
So spring term had been going on for a week, it was frustrating to get up early in the morning; after-all I did not have any morning classes for the last 6 months! That coffee thing starts to kicks in again in this occasion
I spent a lovely weekend fixing my computer stuff, maybe I should have studied… but oh well its all good for now, five more days till the midterm.
I am sincerely looking forward to go back to HK! JUNE 20th!
So many people wondered how I made my website, while being able to choose my domain name (ie website name). It sounds difficult but it is not in fact. First you need to rent an hosting space which is provided by a hosting server. And after that you upload your scripts and files onto it, and connect them!
And two days ago, I switched my host server from Hostmonster to iPage. I was pretty happy with Hostmonster until they start jacking up the prices to like $8.95US per month
And now I pay iPage $2.99US per month. (I also share the cost with a friend) iPage is a wonderful server in its price, in its features, in its consistency, in its security, and it is super environmental friendly! 100% Wind Energy powered! Their tech support was pretty efficient too!
Well despite all that, it took me a while to transfer the domains and reconnect it with the new ftp space and database. And by mere chance iPage was experiencing traffic issues yesterday, taking me mad long to re-upload all my stuff.
You are looking at Apple’s next iPhone. It was found lost in a bar in Redwood City, camouflaged to look like an iPhone 3GS. We got it. We disassembled it. It’s the real thing, and here are all the details.
While Apple may tinker with the final packaging and design of the final phone, it’s clear that the features in this lost-and-found next-generation iPhone are drastically new and drastically different from what came before. Here’s the detailed list of our findings:
What’s new
• Front-facing video chat camera
• Improved regular back-camera (the lens is quite noticeably larger than the iPhone 3GS)
• Camera flash
• Micro-SIM instead of standard SIM (like the iPad)
• Improved display. It’s unclear if it’s the 960×640 display thrown around before—it certainly looks like it, with the “Connect to iTunes” screen displaying much higher resolution than on a 3GS.
• What looks to be a secondary mic for noise cancellation, at the top, next to the headphone jack
• Split buttons for volume
• Power, mute, and volume buttons are all metallic
What’s changed
• The back is entirely flat, made of either glass (more likely) or ceramic or shiny plastic in order for the cell signal to poke through. Tapping on the back makes a more hollow and higher pitched sound compared to tapping on the glass on the front/screen, but that could just be the orientation of components inside making for a different sound
• An aluminum border going completely around the outside
• Slightly smaller screen than the 3GS (but seemingly higher resolution)
• Everything is more squared off
• 3 grams heavier
• 16% Larger battery
• Internals components are shrunken, miniaturized and reduced to make room for the larger battery
We’re as skeptical—if not more—than all of you. We get false tips all the time. But after playing with it for about a week—the overall quality feels exactly like a finished final Apple phone—and disassembling this unit, there is so much evidence stacked in its favor, that there’s very little possibility that it’s a fake. In fact, the possibility is almost none. Imagine someone having to use Apple components to design a functioning phone, from scratch, and then disseminating it to people around the world. Pretty much impossible. Here are the reasons, one by one.
It has been reported lost
Apple-connected John Gruber—from Daring Fireball—says that Apple has indeed lost a prototype iPhone and they want it back:
So I called around, and I now believe this is an actual unit from Apple — a unit Apple is very interested in getting back.
Obviously someone found it, and here it is.
The screen
While we couldn’t get it past the connect to iTunes screen for the reasons listed earlier, the USB cable on that screen was so high quality that it was impossible to discern individual pixels. We can’t tell you the exact resolution of this next-generation iPhone, but it’s much higher than the current iPhone 3GS.
The operating system
According to the person who found it, this iPhone was running iPhone OS 4.0 before the iPhone 4.0 announcement. The person was able to play with it and see the iPhone 4.0 features. Then, Apple remotely killed the phone before we got access to it. We were unable to restore because each firmware is device specific—3GS firmware only loads on 3GS devices—and the there are no firmwares available for this unreleased phone. Which is another clue to its authenticity.
It is recognized as an iPhone
This iPhone behaves exactly like an iPhone does when connected to a computer, with the proper boot sequence and “connect to iTunes” restore functionality. Xcode and iTunes both see this as an iPhone. Mac OS X’s System Profiler also reports this as an iPhone in restore mode, which is a natural consequence of remotely wiping the phone, but report different product identifiers (both CPID and CPRV) than either the 3G or the 3GS.
It uses micro-sim
The fact that it uses a micro-sim is a clear indicator that this is a next-generation iPhone. No other cellphone uses this standard at this point in the US.
The camouflage case
The case it came inside was a fully developed plastic case to house this phone to disguise it like a 3GS. This wasn’t just a normal case; it had all the proper new holes cut out for the new switches and ports and camera holes and camera flash. But it looks like something from Belkin or Case-Mate. It’s a perfect disguise.
The fact that it’s in the wild right now
Logic can also narrow down why this phone is this year’s iPhone, rather than next year’s model or one from the previous year’s, just because it was found in the wild right now. It makes no sense for Apple to be testing 2011′s model right now, in super finished form—they wouldn’t be nearly finished with it. The phone also can’t be last year’s test model, because last year’s model (based on the iPhone 3GS teardowns) components were way different. No micro-sim, much bigger logic board, no flash, no front camera, smaller battery and an inferior camera. That only leaves the 2010 model.
The guts, the definitive proof
And finally, when we opened it up, we saw multiple components that were clearly labeled APPLE. And, because the components were fit extremely well and extremely conformed inside the case (obvious that it was designed FOR this case), it was evident that it was not just a 3G or a 3GS transplanted into another body. That probably wouldn’t even be possible, with the size constraints of the thinner device and larger battery.
The New Industrial Design
At first sight, this new iPhone’s industrial design seems so different from the previous two generations that it could be discarded as just a provisional case. Even while the finish is so perfect that it feels right out of the factory, some of the design language elements that are common to all Apple products are not there. Gone is the flushed screen glass against the metal rim. Gone is the single volume button, replaced by two separate ones. Gone is the seamless rim, and gone are the tapered, curved surfaces.
Despite that, however, this design is not a departure. Not when you frame it with the rest of the Apple product line. It’s all the contrary: This new iPhone gets back to the simplicity of the iMac and the iPad. In fact, you can argue that the current iPhone 3GS—with its shiny chrome rim and excessively curved back—is out of place compared to the hard edges and Dieter-Ramish utilitarianism of the iMac and the iPad. Next to the iPad, for example, the new iPhone makes sense. It has the same feeling, the same functional simplicity.
But why the black plastic back, instead of going with an unibody aluminum design? Why the two audio volume buttons? Why the seams? And why doesn’t the back have any curvature at all?
Why the plastic back?
The plastic back is the most obvious of the design choices. The iPad, with its all aluminum back, has seen its Wi-Fi reception radius reduced. The 3G version comes with a large patch on the top, probably big enough to provide with good reception. But the new tiny iPhone doesn’t have the luxury of space: It needs to provide as much signal as possible using a very small surface. I’m sure Jon Ive is dying to get rid of the plastic back, and go iPad-style all the way, but the wireless reception is the most important thing in a cellphone. A necessary aesthetical-functional trade-off.
Why separate volume buttons?
This new iPhone uses separate buttons for the volume instead of the single button that you can find in the iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. It’s one of the factors that may indicate that this is a provisional case, until you think about one of the most requested features for Apple’s phone: A physical button for the camera. The new iPhone has a bigger sensor and a flash, which means that the camera function keeps gaining more weight. It’s only logical to think that Apple may have implemented this two-button approach to provide with a physical shutter button. It makes sense.
Why the seams?
The seams are perhaps the most surprising aspect of the new design. They don’t seem to respond to any aesthetic criteria and, in terms of function, we can’t adventure any explanation. But they don’t look bad. In fact, the whole effect seems good, like something you will find in a Braun product from the 70s.
It’s doubtful that the seams are arbitrary, however. Either they will disappear from the final product, or they have a function we can’t foresee at this time.
Why no tapering or curves?
As you will see in a future article, the new iPhone is so miniaturized and packed that there’s no room for the tapered, curved surfaces. Everything is as tight as it could get, with no space for anything but electronics.
The hardware specs
The phone measures 4.50 by 2.31 by 0.37 inches. It weighs 140 grams. The 3GS weighs 137 grams on a postal scale (and 135 on Apple’s official measurements). So, in comparison, it’s 3 grams heavier. The battery is 5.25 WHr at 3.7V, compared to the 3GS battery, which is 4.51 WHr at 3.7V. On the back of the phone, it said it was XX GB, but since we were unable to get the phone to a running state, we couldn’t see exactly how large it was.
How it feels
Freaking amazing. As a person who never really liked the round mound of a back in the 3GS, the sleeker, flatter, squarer design is super welcome. It feels sturdier than the 3GS, and much less plasticky. The metal buttons give it a heftier feel—less of a toy—than all previous generations. The closest analog to it would be the original iPhone, which is more square and heavy than its newer brothers.
It feels completely natural up to your face, and the fact that both the front and the back are glossy makes no difference on how well you can hold it without the phone slipping. And because it’s thinner, it feels even nicer in your pants.
What all this means
Apple has updated the exterior drastically different from the 3G and 3GS. That design is old, it felt out of place compared to the rest of their products and needed desperately to be killed. Now you have a thinner body, a much more pleasant form factor with no wasted space and lots of hard lines. But the design isn’t the most important part that’s changed.
They’ve delivered many of the features people have been waiting for—that damn front camera!—while at the same time upgrading everything else. Flash, better back camera, better battery life and another microphone for better voice clarity. People who bought the 3G two years ago and are now in the perfect position to upgrade and get a dramatically different, and better, phone. If confirmed this summer, and if it performs as we expect, this next-generation iPhone looks like a winner.
Much additional reporting and design analysis by Jesus Diaz. Rosa Golijan also contributed.
Apple today introduced a refreshed line of MacBook Pro notebooks, bringing several new features to the the company’s popular aluminum-clad offerings. Here is a look at some of the changes included in the update:
Processors
Apple stuck with Intel Core 2 Duo processors for the 13″ MacBook Pros, bumping the two standard configuration models from 2.26 GHz and 2.53 GHz to 2.4 GHz and 2.66 GHz. The 15″ and 17″ models, however, saw a bump from the Core 2 Duo line to Core i5 and i7 processors offering Intel’s Hyper-Threading technology that allows for four virtual cores on the dual-core processor. While the processors run at slightly lower clock speeds than the Core 2 Duo in the previous generation, the smaller 32-nanometer process, Hyper-Threading, and other enhancements yield performance improvements of up to 50% according to Apple. The Core i5 and i7 processors also support Turbo Boost, pushing clock speeds for the i7 models as high as 3.33 GHz for single-threaded tasks.
Graphics
On the new 13″ MacBook Pro, Apple debuted the NVIDIA GeForce 320M integrated graphics processor that offers 48 processing cores, three times that of the previous generation. Apple claims a performance boost of up to 80% with the new graphics capabilities while also being able to deliver up to 40% less power usage. The GeForce 320M is reportedly a custom production for Apple, offering greater performance than NVIDIA’s standard integrated graphics without building in discrete graphics capabilities.
The 15″ and 17″ MacBook Pro models utilize the NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M with either 256 or 512 MB of dedicated memory, offering more horsepower while also delivering up 30% greater energy efficiency. The 15″ and 17″ MacBook Pro models also offer automatic graphics switching, allowing system to seamlessly switch between the dedicated NVIDIA graphics processor and the included integrated Intel HD graphics processor for optimal balance of power and efficiency. Previous MacBook Pro models have required users to manually switch between integrated and discrete graphics and log out of their account for each switch.
Battery
All three MacBook Pro models offer greater battery life than their predecessors, a feat achieved through a combination of larger battery capacity and greater energy efficiency. The 13″ MacBook Pro now offers up to 10 hours of power, while the 15″ and 17″ models boast battery life of 8-9 hours. The previous generation of the MacBook Pro offered 7 hours on the 13″ and 15″ models and 8 hours on the 17″ model. The batteries in all three machine sizes are non-user-replaceable and are designed for up to 1000 full charge and discharge cycles. While designed to last five years for typical users, Apple offers a battery replacement service priced at $129 (13″ and 15″ models) or $179 (17″ model).
Display
The 15″ MacBook Pro has gained a new option for a high-resolution display, offering users the opportunity to bump the standard 1440×900 screen to 1680X1050. The high-resolution display is available in both glossy ($100 extra) and anti-glare ($150 extra) versions. Notably, an anti-glare option for the lower-resolution display does not appear to be available. The 17″ MacBook Pro continues to sport a 1900×1200 screen in either glossy (standard) or anti-glare ($50 extra). Apple also continues to offer a single standard glossy display running at 1280×800 for the 13″ model.
Hard Drive
Apple is offering up to 500 GB, 5400-rpm SATA hard drives across all three sizes, with the 15″ and 17″ models also offering the option of up to 500 GB, 7200-rpm drives. Solid-state drive capacities have increased with the addition of a 512 GB option, although it carries a hefty price premium of $1300-$1450 depending on which base hard drive the customer is upgrading from.
Inertial Scrolling
The new MacBook Pro offers an enhanced multi-touch trackpad supporting inertial scrolling. The feature, already present in similar forms on Apple’s iPhone OS devices and the Magic Mouse, allows users to “flick” while scrolling as the trackpad senses the momentum of the gesture and smoothly scrolls through long documents and libraries.
In the U.S. and Canada, Apple’s new MacBook Pro line is currently showing 2-4 business day shipping windows for standard-configuration 13″ models, while base 15″ and 17″ models are showing availability within 24 hours. Apple’s international online stores are showing shipping windows ranging from 24 hours to 5 business days for various standard-configuration models, with the 13″ models and the mid-range 15″ model most frequently seeing the longer delays.
To my point of view on the lehman stock crash incident, I must admit that those buyers were merely irrational. I mean, losing money over so-called “gambling”, and blame crap over the government? Total BS. First it was the problematic attitude of those gamblers. And secondly and most importantly, Hong Kong itself is a capitalist roader. Compared to most of the globe, the Hong Kong government authorities CANNOT have much of an influence over private businesses. Hong Kong is a goddamn free city of commerce, the protection lies on the profit maker. So, whats the point of marching on the streets? Ask them.
Next thing is how people criticize Mr chief executive Donald Tsang like a shitbag base on a rather naive statement he’ve made earlier(watch it here). See how those MP lighten up their anger effortlessly and left the legislature without a rational explanation? This is simply a childish act. Not satisfy with an answer, leave and avoid further interactions. The point is not whether Mr Don Tsang thinks he represents the entire Hong Kong, probably a primary schooler can have it figured out – he doesn’t represent the voice of the city; suggesting this is JUST a incorrect statment with the incorrect word choices. The essential point he’ve made it clear – from a capitalistic perspective, it doesn’t make any difference whether we treat 6/4 as a precious mememto. Remember, not that we need to forget it, but to learn from such tragic past as the history always suggests. Some people are just hypocritical.
(講真, 比個特首你做下睇下你點死)
How strange, died all a sudden from a cardiac arrest? But well, to many people he was dead long ago.
(CNN) — Entertainer Michael Jackson died after being taken to a hospital on Thursday having suffered cardiac arrest, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office.
A Los Angeles fire official told CNN that paramedics arrived at Michael Jackson’s home after a 911 call.
Paramedics took Jackson, 50, from his west Los Angeles home Thursday afternoon to UCLA Medical Center, where a team of physicians attempted to resuscitate him for more than an hour, said brother Jermaine Jackson. He said the famed singer was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PT.
An autopsy is scheduled Friday, he said. Results are expected Friday afternoon, according to Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles coroner’s office, who also said Jackson was unresponsive when he arrived at the hospital.
Fire Capt. Steve Ruda told CNN paramedics were sent to a west Los Angeles, California, residence after a 911 call came in at 12:21 p.m.
Law enforcement officials said the Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division opened an investigation into Jackson’s death. They stressed there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing but that they would conduct interviews with family members and friends.
CNN Analyst Roland S. Martin spoke on Thursday with Marlon Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson.
“I talked to Frank Dileo, Michael’s manager. Frank told me that Michael last night was complaining about not feeling well. He called to tell him he wasn’t feeling well.
“Michael’s doctor went over to see him, and Frank said, ‘Marlon, from last night to this morning, I don’t know what happened.’ When they got to him this morning, he wasn’t breathing. They rushed him to the hospital and couldn’t bring him around.”
“Janet Jackson is grief-stricken and devastated at the sudden loss of her brother,” Kenneth Crear, her manager said. “She is … flying immediately to California to be with her family.”
Michael Jackson, the music icon from Gary, Indiana, was known as the “King of Pop.” Jackson had many No. 1 hits, and his “Thriller” is the best-selling album of all time….[....]
At the medical center, every entrance to the emergency room was blocked by security guards. Even hospital staffers were not permitted to enter. A few people stood inside the waiting area, some of them crying
Edward Wong is a Year 3 Neuroscience student at University of Alberta, Canada.
