"Equipian"

The return was imminent. Now, it has arrived. Please flow to: http://web.mac.com/nfung

Check it out..

Previously on Numark's new Mark, we talked about the iDJ with two iPods replacing regular turntables and CD's. the digital revolution has changed the DJ scene in many ways, but having 2 iPods on your cross fader looks pretty lame. the original white coloring was designed to match the softness of the iPods, but music is not always about being soft and looking posh. the new iDJ 2, on the other hand, makes a giant leap by using on ONE iPod. this makes a lot more sense, and yet, it can be playing 2 songs at the same time, enabling the same mixing power, looping, pitching and cross fades. It also accommodates other mass storage like memory sticks, another iPod, and external USB drives. there's "line in" for turntables, CD players for the older school, and the graphical interface makes everything quite intuitive. the bonus? it can also record to the iPod at the same time. Did i mention that this thing looks a LOT better than the previous model? it's black and mean looking, with knobs that are functional and durable. [equipbug]
photo:www.numark.com

The world cup frenzy is abound and anyone who isn't into it must live in a cave. like me. i haven't gotten into the frenzy, but probably because i'm held inside a hospital without a TV. luckily i have the internet, or maybe not so luckily... in any case, Paul Smith seems to be getting into the spirit in a fun way. The designer came out with 4 World Cup soccer balls, my favorite being the traditional looking brown leather ball, with a twist. each piece is different in pattern, but looks like one brown ball from a distance. the others look kind of lame... and expensive. what do you expect when a fashion designer tries to do sports? [equipbug]


photo: www.paulsmith.co.uk

Being a diehard Mac fan, i've always trusted their hardware. From the days of Apple IIe to the powerbook G4, i've stuck to Macs. After my last purchase of the 12 inch powerbook G4, i've noticed that the hard drive really whined and buzzed. i wasn't even sure if it was the drive or not, but it was all noisy. of course, i let a month pass, then 6 and finally i had to reinstall the entire operating system... everything was going dead. so i backed things up and reinstalled. the computer started to work wonderfully and everything back to normal, except that buzz. then another 3 months, reinstall... then 2 months... reinstall. it was getting painful. by the time it broke down again last week... i was sick of it and took it into Apple. they said it's the hard disk. i need to pay them 500 USD to replace and install a new HD. obviously, i should have done it BEFORE the apple warranty expired, but i wanted to give them a chance... perhaps it was just a software thing... i thought. (500 USD... that's insane...)

Well, i took it back, wrote into the Macrumors forums and got help. most people told me that it's not Apple's fault, they outsource their drives etc. it was very helpful and i went around to www.ifixit.com and found out how to take apart my 12 inch G4 powerbook. it was a hell of a lot of screws, but eventually i made it to the drive. to my dismay, i found out the reason why my drive broke down and why it buzzed!
Apple had left out 2 vital screws which held down the drive. instead, it was left hanging out loosely in my laptop this whole time. check out the photo HERE: [click to enlarge]

Now, i've replaced the drive and put in new screws. it's as quiet as a sleeping baby and no trouble so far. it's only been a week, but hey, i'm keeping my fingers crossed. Now, when people give the excuse that Apple outsources the parts and it's not their fault when things break... i would be much more suspicious if there's an underlying problem. it doesn't take a genius to know that a loose drive spinning at over 5000 rpm would get damaged if it's not stable.

How about the recent Macbook Pros? people have been complaining about that as well and Apple better do something about buzzes and whines, because it would really suck if people had to go through a year of buzzing just to find out 2 screws would change their lives. [equipbug]

Going to Cambodia? Siem Reap? for some tomb raiding? or to Hawaii for some beaching? maybe i'm going to Africa on a Safari, but perhaps i'm just lost in translation over in Tokyo... whatever the case i carry a lot of goodies with me when i travel. it's the airport time that gets me most worried. the more bags and jackets i carry, the more likely i'll leave it some where in the lounge, terminal or airplane. i might even drop stuff in the security check. recently, i came upon a vest, and jacket, from Tumi, known for their indestructible luggage. This vest has pockets all over the place, front, back outside, inside... where ever. It's got a nicely cushioned neoprene collar, mesh side panels to keep cool, and a headphone port for the iPod. basically, i can imagine wearing this and ditching the bag. passport, books, music, everything in there and get on the plane. everything else in the suitcase.. on arrival, i can use this with the addition of a trusty camera. sure, it looks quite "safari" to take everywhere, but in places like Siem Reap, i would have loved to ditch an additional pack. Since i'm a fly fisher, i know what a handy vest can do... now i'm just taking the concept to traveling! think MIssion Impossible not James Bond [equipbug]
Cost: 150 USD:


www.tumi.com

Previously mentioned, the Panasonic D-Snap is not going away. in fact, several new models have popped up, despite the dominance of the iPod. Perhaps the iPod is all the rage in the US, but in Asia they do not hold such a monopoly.
This little number, the SV-SD370D or SD310, is an SD flash music player. It is the worlds smallest removable flash player and has some super stats. for one, it can play up to 115 HOURS on a full charge, or 3 hours on a 10 minute quick charge. besides playing music, it has a global FM tuner, microphone recorder, and acts as a storage device for files. It has an EL display, and plays AAC, WMA and MP3. comes in silver, pink and blue. Click HERE for the Japanese Ad with Ayumi Hamasaki. [equipbug]


photos: www.panasonic.jp

travel season is nearly here and some do it in style. Coach makes some nice leather goods, but lately, i've noticed a nice tote bag they have. sure, tote bags are not exactly the manliest things, but if you're taking it on a yacht, to a secluded beach in the South East Asia, to the local country club... then who's going to say anything? i prefer messenger bags and shoulder bags myself, like the Crumpler, but i can see how the tote can work out. stuff a large beach towel in, sunblock, sunglasses, a magazine or book and some music. put on a pair of nice sandals and board shorts, it's time for vacation!
The full size Hamptons canvas tote and the drafting tote are versatile and perfect for the excursion. suede and leather lined, bright dyed canvas body and all quality. it doesn't come cheap, but i'm sure it will last many seasons. [equipbug]
Drafting Tote: 298 USD in red or light sand

The Canvas Tote: 448USD in Cobalt or light sand

Beach excursion tools:
Sunglasses
Board Shorts: search "boardies" on equipian
Sunblock for the ladies
Sunblock for the guys

Kodak initially tinkered with the idea of having two lenses in one camera a few weeks back. Now they have recently introduced the V610 which uses that idea and incorporates 10x optical zooms into the compact camera. With the two Schneider-Kreuznach C variogon all glass prism zoom lenses, the camera covers 38-380mm! It also has a large 2.8inch LCD, bluetooth connections, and ISO 800. with the unique system, the zoom range is automatically merged and you would never notice the when the camera is using one lens or the other. It can also do video with 30fps, an on camera photo album, panorama capabilities, on camera editing (cropping, colors) and some manual controls. The camera has 28 MB bilt in, but with 6MP resolution, you'll need to add that SD card in there. looks like Kodak is finally moving away from film and getting into the digicam market. too late? we'll see.. [equipbug]
cost: 449 USD

looks like there's a docking printer available as well: 149 USD

photos: www.kodak.com

Sony released the basic portable DVD with the label of "walkman". Unfortunately, it's nothing more than a DVD player with a 7 inch screen and a docking system. Fortunately, it looks awesome, has over 3 hours of run time, two headphone jacks, DTS sound, plays DVD's, VCD, CD's, MP3's, JPEG's and CDR or DVD-R. Many people may think that it's not a PMP and portable DVD players are things of the past, but that's not true. bringing a DVD player on any trip would mean that you can connect it to a TV and play DVD's on the road or in a hotel room. It also means you don't have to spend hours ripping DVD's to your HD and transferring to the PMP. rent or buy a DVD on the go, bring DVD's, borrow... whatever... just put it in and play. sometimes simplicity and old technology can last a long time. Also when it looks as good as this (only 2.8 cm thick), i'm sure people will be buying it. I can imagine using this in commutes as well as longer trips. Comes with a remote and dock which also doubles as a charger. Pair it with an Apple Hi-Fi? one problem is if this was a region locked product. who knows. [equipbug]

photo: www.ecat.sony.co.jp

My friend bought me a pack of Camomile and told me that it helps to relief stress and promote sleep. i tried it for about 2 months and i think that it really calms me down after whole day of work. recently, i read an article saying that cold Camomile tea can be applied on allergic skin for soothing too.
What's more, some UK researchers believe that drinking camomile tea can fight a cold and banish menstrual cramps. they observed that the level of substances that are anti-inflammatory and ease muscle spasms are elevated in the urine of people drinking camomile tea, but a controlled clinical trial is needed to prove their observation. anyway, it's time for tea now ... [equipchic]

When you stay up very late and wake up very early, the first point that make you look terrible is the eyes. I think the eye concealer is quite important for both women and men to cover dark circles, except you're so lucky enough that you've never had 'panda eyes'. Eye concealer and sunscreen are the must items for me every morning. I have tried 3 brands for eye concealers. However, it may depend on each person for the most suitable one.


photo: www.ettusais.co.jp

Ettusais-Eye Zone Control
The texture is liquid which is quite easy to apply on the eyelids. You have to gradually dab, not wipe. The coverage is quite good but not completely and it hardly conceal when use with blemishes. I always use the artificial tear, so it dissolved this concealer because it's non-waterproof. It costs 2100 yen.


photo: www.shuuemura-usa.com

Shu Uemura-Pro Concealer
There's also Eye-Pro Concealer, which the cream is more suitable with the eye area. However, the color in pro-concealer line is better for me. The texture is thicker than the Ettusais's but the coverage is much better. So it effectively cover blemishes and pimples. It also lasts for day. Although it's quite expensive, 21 USD or 2625 yen, but I touch only tiny bit each time, and that's enough to cover. It's also quicker to apply than Ettusais's.



Canmake-Cover & Stretch Concealer UV
This one is what I want to continue using it. I found this brand in a drugstore in Japan. It's labeled as waterproof and UV-protecting. And it costs only 780 yen. The texture is creamy but can cover as good as Shu Uemura's Pro Concealer. However, I found its homepage available only in Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan.


photos: www.canmake.com

I also bought Canmake's Color Stick for my friend. He's really appreciated that it's very easy to use, just wipe the stick over the dark circles. However, it's not good on other areas. It costs 580 yen.

[equipholic]

According to IWC, their first pilots' watch was launched in 1936, same year as the launch of the British fighter "Spitfire". their resemblance does not end here, as the newly launched Pilots' watch Spitfire edition the dials and numbers are riveted to the dial just like the panels on the plane. The bulging result is rather nice and makes the watch an easy read. the hands on the watch resemble the propeller blades of the spitfire, while the rhodium plated face gives it a clean finish. The model comes in four models, including a chronographic version. Who would have thought back in 1936 that a german-swiss watch company would be making a dedication to a British war plane? how ironic. [equipbug]

photos: www.iwc.ch

once in a while, i go out on my gravity diamond tail for some turns and fun. not to be out done, sector 9 has released the Western, with 7 plys of maple, and 70mm wheels on randall trucks. the same camber and concave as the diamond tail and probably rides very similarly as the dimensions are comparable. i like the sick lines on this board and it has a nice full tail. its a lot thicker than the diamond tail and probably has less give and less bounce. in many ways, that can be just as fun, especially when going down hills at high speeds. less shake and more turns. wish i found these at a younger age :) [equipbug] 170 USD

little mini risers, nice touch.

photos: www.sector9.com

There's just something about panama hats, fedoras... that intrigue me. with summer almost here, i'm spending more and more time dreaming of places to go, beaches to see, hikes to trek and treasure to discover. but during my break, i would sit in a hammock with my white cotton shirt, tweed slacks, and a straw panama hat... just taking a nap in the afternoon breeze, out in a secluded beach somewhere in south east asia... now wouldn't that be nicer than sitting in front of this computer... in a hospital... on a weekend...? sigh... i'll hang on to that image for now. [equipbug]
this one's by Banana Republic. 48USD. not bad, not bad.

The next big thing in camcorders are HD and HD. high definition and hard disk. Sony was the latest to come out with one, but every brand is still into their first generation of hard disk recorders. High Definition, however, is almost the bottom line.

I had the opportunity to mess around with Panasonic's SD card based camcorder: S100. it's a 3CCD camera with 10x optical zoom and a compact design. shoots in high definition and a ton better than Sharps model. It records in MPEG 2, with 3 0.17inch CCDs, onto SD cards (up to 2GB currently), and shoots 3 MP stills (with pop up flash). it's palm size, easy to handle and weighs 8.5 ounces. the camcorder fits into any bag and most pockets, so it's great for those who like to take spontaneous videos. the lack of a tape and hard disk also means that it's more impact resistant, no moving parts. it's a very simple and basic camcorder, no BS, no extras.... just you and the anti shake, with the 1.5 second start up time there's no time to lose. 2.8 inch screen playback, scene presets, white balance and many manual options make this a fun camcorder. just shoot, plug it into a computer and download, then shoot again. simple things come in nice packages. [equipbug]

also in the sporty black:

photos: www.panasonic.jp