CSL LTE/DC-HSPA+ USB Modem

CSL LogoIn technology we are use to dealing with the chicken and egg scenario. Where one technology break through cannot happen until another happens.

With LTE (4G), many carriers are waiting for consumer hardware manufactures to catch up before they invest in LTE infrastructures. Consumer hardware manufactures are waiting for mass consumer acceptance of LTE before they develop LTE consumer hardware. The consumers are waiting for contents that require high bandwidth to be available before they invest in LTE hardware or carrier plans. Finally content providers are waiting for the general availability of consumer LTE carrier infrastructure, hardware and tariff subscriptions before releasing content that require LTE class content.

So it was a delight to find out CSL Hong Kong decides to make it’s first move to break the stalemate of LTE development in Hong Kong with its launch of Asia’s first commercial LTE network back in November 2010.

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A Reader’s 3 HK Troubles

Several months ago a reader (Kit) told me about his ordeal with 3 HK; one of the 7 mobile carriers in Hong Kong.

From my non-scientific analysis, 3 HK is disliked by many of its subscribers, many of them are friends of mine. Some of them even created Facebook groups, 聲討 3HK iphone 服務奇差 !!!, 3HK PCCW 李氏大財團屈錢噤住黎搶申訴專區, and I love iPhone but I hate 3HK !! to share their dislikes for the company and its service.

Now let me share with you Kit’s experience with 3 HK. It started off with his purchase of the iPhone 3G in July 2008. He bought the subsidized iPhone 3G from 3 HK by subscribing to their most expensive tariff plan at HKD498/month, with a 24 months contract. This gave him a “free” ($0 payment up front) iPhone 3G.

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Rogers is Hearing the Call. When Will Smartone-Vodafone

Several weeks ago I published an Open Letter to Smartone-Vodafone asking them to create a new tariff plan. Unfortunately, I have yet to receive any comments from SMV regarding my suggestions. Instead, it appears that Rogers in Canada is hearing my cry. The data plan that Rogers is considering is not specific to Apple’s iPad or iPhone, but they did mentioned Apple’s new device by name.

Too bad Rogers is a Canadian carrier who only operates in Canada. In the past carriers in North America had not taken the lead to innovate and change with the times. So it is a present surprise to see this from one of the older carriers in Canada.

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Review: Hong Kong Weather on iPhone

HK Weather - LogoI had always praised the talents of Hong Kong iPhone development community. The iPhone application, Hong Kong Weather, from Conceptable is no exception.

HK Weather - Home ScreenYou may say, don’t we already have enough weather application for the iPhone. Just going to the Weather section in the iTunes App Store you will find 20 pages of applications in the section. Plus what’s wrong with the default Weather application that came with the iPhone OS? Nothing really, if you live in North America.

The information in the default Weather application comes from Yahoo.com and is not that accurate when dealing with cities outside of North America. The advantage of the default Weather application is its ability to set up weather information for multiple cities, which is great for the frequent travelers. But for those who do not travel as much and live in Hong Kong for an extended period, the default Weather application is fairly basic and borderline useless.

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Street Washer




Street Washer

Originally uploaded by Vinko T.

Like many other metropolitan cities around the world, you will also see street washers and street washing trucks on Hong Kong streets, which come around either early in the morning or very late in the evening.

This is a blessing for many of these streets, because being selfish is one of the worst traits for citizens of Hong Kong. Unfortunately, there are either not enough of them or not enough funding to cover all the streets that need washing.

City hygiene is a community efforts, we all have a role to play and cannot simply rely on a handful of individuals to clean up after you. So, I scream loudly to anyone who reads my posts and lives in Hong Kong, please do your part and help keep our crowded streets clean.

Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon Disgrace

Each year on the third Sunday of Feburary there is a marathon in Hong Kong. Several years ago Standard Chartered Bank took over as the primary sponsor of this marathon. Such that it is now called the “Standard Chartered Marathon”.

Like any other marathon this is a charity event, but to which charity it is raising money for, very few people know or remember. One of the direct results of the heavy emphasis on Standard Chartered the company, bank and what it brings to Hong Kong.

This commercialization has caused it to route the marathon through the heart of the city. Going through the heaviest trafficed areas. Closing down roads to vehicles and pedestrians. Causing thousands of stores to shut their doors until the marathon has passed, which took hours. Cutting into the primary business hours for this location; even on a Sunday.

In Causeway Bay, one of the world’s busiest location, has its major artery closed down. Delivery trucks could not get to make their deliveries. Hundreds of bus routes have to be rerouted. Even pedestrians are forced to go through a round about way, into the mazed of MTR’s (Hong Kong subway) Causeway Bay station, just to cross the street. Along the way no signage of any kind to inform the pedestrians how they can get to where they need to go.

The lack of the organizer’s, Standard Chartered, care for the citizens of Hong Kong is further evidence, by the lack of prepareness of Hong Kong Police and the MTR to deal with the confusion and congestion this closures would cause.

Eventually MTR had to invoke crowd control and ask the police to manage the crowds at the affected MTR exits.

If it wasn’t for the heavy commercialization there would not be a need to route the marathon into the heart on the city. Is this the only way for a city to organize events like this? The answer may be obvious, but I am not sinical, as events like the Olympic and Soccer World Cup can be evidence.

Are there really no more desire for corporations to be caring citizens of their communities? Does it always have to come down to money and what this participating entities will get out of their effort?

I hope all parties concern will see this post and reconsider their plans in future events.

Make Over

PlasticSurgery

I was sitting at Starbucks enjoying my English Breakfast tea. Next to me was two ladies speaking of plastic surgery as if they are choosing the latest pair of shoes.

Pouring over plastic surgery before and after photos as excited as little boys looking over the latest edition of a comic book.

Are these ladies exceptions in the our female populations? Are there just as many young women contemplating the same surgical procedures as these middle age ladies?

My opinion is that people should be satisfy with their looks as they are born with. There are various cosmetic surgery that are justified for recovery of accidents, but other reasons for cosmetic procedures should be considered very carefully.