This is my boy. He's 9mths old. Looks exactly like his charming daddy.

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Transforming business (NST Appointments, 23/04/2005)

Title: Purple Cow - Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
Authors: Seth Godin
Publisher: Penguin Books
Availability: Major bookstores
Price: RM38.50

MARKETERS for years have used the five Ps (or more) of marketing -product, pricing, promotion, positioning, publicity - as guidelines forselling their products and achieving their company's goals. Most of them may also experience the reality that making the right marketing moves - with all these elements in place - doesn't guarantee success.
The dynamic of marketing is changing. It became clear that following the Ps is just not enough. This is why, according to marketing guru Seth Godin, an exceptionally important "P" has to be added to the list, and it is Purple Cow.
Cows, after you've seen one, five, or 10, are boring. A Purple Cow, though, would be something! Purple Cow refers to a product orservice that is different from the rest and somehow remarkable. Something remarkable is worth talking about. Worth noticing. Exceptional. New. Interesting. Boring stuff is invisible. It's a brown cow.
In Purple Cow, Godin urges readers to put a Purple Cow into everything they build, and everything they do, to create something truly remarkable and noticeable. It's a manifesto for marketers who want to help create products that are worth marketing in the first place.
As consumers nowadays are too busy to pay attention to advertising, marketers and business owners are advised to stop advertising and start innovating. If a product's future is unlikely to be remarkable, it's time to change the game. Instead of investing in a dying product, take profits and reinvest them in building something new. Also, intimately knowing your customers (especially your potential customers) will tell you how to reach them.
Purple Cow is a thought-provoking book that will have you thinking and rethink your business plan, and products or services. Each chapter ends with a key takeaway point that will leave you thinking hard about how you can implement the ideas into your own business or life.
The book is an easy read. Marketers, business owners and individuals will surely benefit from the remarkable coverage.

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Visual treat Lemony Snicket fans (CompuTimes, 07/03/2005)

BASED on the best-selling children's book by author Lemony Snicket, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events is set to be a big-screen blockbuster to top our cinemas' playlist for the next few weeks.
Nominated at the recent Oscar for visual effects and a winner in the Best Makeup category, the movie promises audiences spectacular and picturesque sets, unique costumes and make-up, as well as stunning visual and special effects.
The character of Sunny, an 18-month-old baby alone was developed withlots of visual effects.
For shots of having her dangling from a table by her teeth and catchinga wooden spindle in her mouth like a dog snagging a Frisbee, Industrial Light & Magic was drafted to work wonders with computers what Kara and Shelby Hoffman (who played Sunny) couldn't pull off on camera.
The visual effects team used a computer-generated imagery (CGI) double, where little motion-capture suits for the cameras were used to choreograph Sunny's intricate performances, and finally made "digital" Sunny blend seamlessly with the shots of the Hoffman twins.
CGI can also be seen in most shots in Uncle Monty's (Bill Connolly) reptile room and Aunt Josephine's (Meryl Streep) cliff house.
At the reptile room, both animatronic and CGI were used for scenes where a deadly viper escaped from the cage and petrified Monty and the Baudelaire orphans, and where Sunny played with the viper.
Watch out for the eye-popping sequence of how, with the help of visual effects, a huge hurricane destroyed Aunt Josephine's house. It looks real and convincing.
Interestingly, the film was shot entirely indoors. There are some amazing panoramic views in the movie such as a huge cornfield with endless train tracks, the Britney Beach and Lachrymose cave.
The filmmakers incorporated innovative combinations of painted backdropsand forced perspective, creating the illusion of more space.
The opening sequence featuring the Little Elf is hilarious. The cuteclaymation segment sets the mood for audiences to embark on a fast-paced yet exciting plot in discovering one unfortunate event after another.
The movie is now showing in cinemas.

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Electrifying visual effects in comic book adaptation (CompuTimes, 27/01/2005)

COMICS-TO-FILM adaptations are not new in the movie industry. We've seen anumber of famed comic characters, especially those from comics powerhouse Marvel Comics, being brought to life on the big screen over the past fewyears - X-Men, The Hulk, Spider-Man, Daredevil, to name a few. Now Marvel Studios is adding another to its stable with the introduction of the movie Elektra.
Jennifer Garner is Elektra, a highly paid assassin who recovered fromher mortal wounds (in Daredevil) with the help of her blind martial artsmaster Stick (played by Terence Stamp).
Elektra's assignment is to kill Mark Miller (Goran Visnjic) and Abby Miller (Kirsten Prout), a father-and-daughter team on the run from The Hand, a powerful syndicate whose members practise dark magic.
When Elektra changes her mind and decides to rescue Mark and Abby from The Hand, she ends up in a confrontation with the evil swordsman Kirigi (Will Yun Lee) and his team.
Kirigi's sidekicks comprises Tattoo (Chris Ackerman), who derives his magical powers from the animals engraved on his skin; Typhoid (Natissia Malthe), whose femme-fatale breath is so frigid it can slay; Stone (Bob Sapp), a 374-pound man with rock-hard body; and Kinkou (Edson T. Ribeiro), a man who can't be knocked down. From here, Elektra must tip the balance between good and evil.
For a movie with a kick-butt heroine, visual effects is bound to come inserious play. The effects for Tattoo were absolutely amazing - see howeagles, wolves and snakes materialise out of his tattoos and attack people.
The computer-generated imagery blended the images so well and theoutcome seem real and convincing. The behind-the-scenes tattoo process,which involved transfers, ink drawing and airbrushed colouration, took the special make-up effects team about six hours to apply.
Visual effects was also applied to other members of The Hand - Typhoid's fatal kiss and deadly touches, and the members vanishing into green smoke.
The fight sequences, especially the climatic battle between Elektra and Kirigi, were spectacularly choreographed with the aid of visual effects.
Director Bob Bowman applied a similar technique used by Hong Kong's Zhang YiMou in his highly acclaimed movie Hero and The House of Flying Daggers - an elegant dancing white sheet sequence in slow-mo style. The result is beautiful cinematography and lively and vibrant colours.
The movie opens today.

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On personal accountability (NST Appointments, 08/01/2005)

Title: QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability in Work and in Life
Author: John G. Miller
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Availability: MPH bookstores
Price: RM54.95

WE all experience this sick culture: There's too much finger-pointing, blaming and procrastination going on in our daily lives, be it inorganisations or society. The lack of personal accountability, accordingto the author, is a problem that has resulted from such culture. Therefore, we all need positive change, and it begins with individualschanging themselves by asking better questions when a problem exists.
"The Question Behind the Question (QBQ) is built on the observation thatour first reactions are often negative, bringing to mind incorrectquestions. But if in each moment of decision we can instead discipline our thoughts to look behind those initial questions and ask better ones (QBQs), the questions themselves will lead us to better results," explains Miller. In other words, "The answers are in the questions".
There are three simple guidelines for creating a QBQ:
1. Begin with "What" or "How" (not "Why", "When", or "Who").
2. Contain an "I" (not "they", "them", "we", or "you").
3. Focus on action.
For example, replace "Who dropped the ball?" to "What can I do todevelop myself?" or "How can I contribute?".
This book tells readers that blame and "whodunit" questions solvenothing. They create fear, destroy creativity, and build walls. Don't complain about things beyond your control.
Personal accountability is not about changing others. It's about makinga difference by changing ourselves. Remember, "I can only change me!".
We need the QBQ so our organisations can be places where, instead offinger-pointing and procrastinating, we bring out the best in each other, work together the way teams are supposed to and make great things happen.
This book shows us how to become more effective and successful. Using succinct, light-hearted stories and easy-to-read chapters, Miller gives usa practical method for putting personal accountability into daily action which can bring astonishing results: problems get solved, internal barriers come down, service improves, teamwork thrives, and people adapt to change more quickly.

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How to set up seminars (NST Appointments, 27/11/2004)

Title: How to Set Up and Run Seminars and Workshops - Get It Right FirstTime

Authors: Tow Khee Kin

Publisher: Leeds Publications

Availability: Major bookstores

Price: RM28.90

SEMINARS and workshops play important roles in today's businesses. Companies send their employees to attend seminars or workshops to developtheir skills so that they will be efficient in doing their jobs.

Individual learners, meanwhile, attend seminars or workshops either toextend their existing knowledge and skills to obtain information and learnmore about the subject they are interested in, or simply to network withother participants.

Regardless of whatever the reasons are, it is vital for organisers toensure that their participants achieve the expected outcome from attendingsuch events.

"Seminars and workshops can be the most effective and efficient way of putting a message over, often to a very large number of people, in a veryshort period of time. However, if badly organised, they can be disastrous. Staged for the wrong reason, at the wrong time, with wrong content, to the wrong people, they will result in wasted effort and resources, and have adetrimental effect on the company image and staff morale," says the writer.

And that's why this book comes in handy as it summarises different approaches needed to conduct a seminar or workshop based on the author'smore than 20 years of hands-on experience.

This highly practical book provides readers with useful advice on how toset up and run seminars and workshops successfully.

It also provides practical pointers, examples and models on how toconduct high-impact presentations and demos, how to work with adultlearners, how to set the objectives and draw budget, and how tocommunicate effictively with the target audience.

The author also includes an evaluation form and sample format of theparticipant's report, thus offering readers an insight into organising andrunning seminars and workshops.

Written in simple, easy-to-understand English, this book is targeted atorganisations, managers and human resource executives who want to refinetheir skills in making their seminars and/or workshops a great success.

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Planning for success (NST Appointments, 25/09/2004)

Title: The Highly Effective Marketing Plan: A Proven, Practical, PlanningProcess for Companies of All Sizes

Author: Peter Knight

Publisher: Pearson Business

Price: RM61

Availability: Major bookstores

YOU'VE got a product or service that you want to sell or tell peopleabout, in the most effective way, at the lowest cost. As customers becomeincreasingly sophisticated in their expectations, the diversity and rangeof products and services on offer get even wider. So how can companiesensure that their products or services are customers' preferred choice andmore importantly, that they continue to be? The key is to develop a highlyeffective marketing plan (HEMP).

HEMP is a process that should dramatically improve your chances ofprofitability by selling more of your products and services. It is astraightforward 15-step plan which you can use to address problems andopportunities. Each step is detailed in this book, with explanations as towhy each step is necessary.

Also, as HEMP is a sequential process, you should read this book inorder if you're creating your HEMP as you go.

The writer has combined all you need to know for a HEMP in thispractical and easy-to-read book. And at the end of the book, there aretips for a successful implementation of HEMP based on hundreds of realcase studies, complete with great pictures, graphs and evidence of peoplemaking lots of money.

All in all, this is the book that will help you to:

* create a highly effective marketing plan that works - in just onehour;

* really understand your business and what it is that makes people buyfrom you;

* learn from the relevant case studies and examples (the successes ofothers), and apply these insights to your business;

* identify the real obstacles to your plan - and how to overcome them; and

* gain tips on how to make sure your plan is successfully implemented.

As what the writer says: "The key to HEMP is to keep it simple, relevantand above all bullshit free!"

The book can be used by small start-ups and multinationals alike. It isalso suitable for general reading.

If you would like to put the practices into action, visitwww.phoenixplc.com/hemp/ to down-load a HEMP template of your choice, free of charge!

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Action-thriller through digital takes (CompuTimes, 30/08/2004)

ONE night. It all happened in one night, from sunset to dawn in the city of Los Angeles.
Collateral opens with Vincent (played by Tom Cruise) exchanging a briefcase with a stranger at an airport. No one knows that Vincent is actually a contract killer. His mission: To kill five personalities involved in a lucrative court case in one night.
He gets into Max (Jamie Foxx)'s cab and hires him for the night when he discovers that Max is savvy about the streets. And this is where the story unfolds.
Touted as an action-thriller, director/producer Michael Mann (The Insider) has a nose for technology. Knowing that the standard 35-millimetre film will never be able to capture Los Angeles at night the way he wanted the audience to experience it, he became the first director to shoot a major motion picture almost entirely on digital with a modified
Thomson Grass Valley Viper FilmStream camera.
Mann explains that the primary benefit of the Viper FilmStream is the way it records the distinct colour palette that defines the city at night.
"The Viper records colours in a whole different way, particularly orange, yellow and red."
Collateral actually turned out to be a multimedia film project.
Approximately 80 per cent of the film shot digitally with high-definition video cameras, including the Viper FilmStream and Sony CineAlta, and the results (with help from cinematographers Paul Cameron and Dion Beebe) are
impressive. The film really captures the look of downtown Los Angeles at night.
Another highlight is Cruise's new look in the movie. At the beginning of the movie, you'll notice a dress-to-kill "silver fox" coming to town.
Well, Cruise's appearance - steel-grey hair and stubble - is more than just a look. Mann actually came up with the whole visual design of Cruise's character - the hair, the beard and the suit - on the computer first.
Though most of the conversations between Vincent and Max take place in the cab, moviegoers will still enjoy the movie, thanks to the good performance of the two leading actors.
Collateral is now showing in cinemas.
(END)

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Impressive visual effects in `I, Robot' (Computimes, 29/07/2004)

By Lee Chiew Lan

IT'S Chicago in 2035, where robots are a trusted part of everyday life. Toprotect humans, the robots are trained to be docile servants andprogrammed with three laws: they cannot harm humans, must obey humans, andcan only protect themselves by following the first two laws.
Enter detective Del Spooner (played by Will Smith), who is prejudicedagainst the robots. With the suicide of Dr Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell), a pioneer in thedevelopment of robotics, Spooner is sent to investigate. This puts him incontact with Robertson (Bruce Greenwood), the head of US Robotics (USR), which is about to roll out its new model - the NS-5 automated domesticassistant.
Spooner suspects Sonny (voiced by Alan Tudyk), Lanning's latest creationwhich is programmed without the three laws, as the murderer and he has toconvince robot psychologist Dr Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan) to helphim.
I, Robot, directed by Alex Proyas (Dark City, The Crow), is packed witheye-popping visual effects, thanks to its strong behind-the-scenes team,including production designer Patrick Tatopoulos (Dark City, IndependenceDay) and Academy Award-winning visual effects supervisor John Nelson (Gladiator).
The design of the NS-5s, including Sonny, consists of threecharacteristics - transparency, a human-like form with a unique musclestructure, and a perfect symmetrical face.
Sonny's face has three levels - mechanics on the inside, an under-skullsimilar to human skull bones, and an outer clear layer. On top of theskull is soft skin. To distinguish Sonny (and the rest of the NS-5s) from previous cinematicrobot incarnations, "futuristic muscles" for Sonny's joint mechanics werecreated. In creating the musculature, Tatopoulos was inspired by recentadvances in artificial limbs, including new materials that respond toelectrical impulses and react like real muscles.
The visual effects team made the action sequences - escape from acollapsing building demolished by a "demo-bot", chase sequences throughtunnels, and robots and humans fighting - come alive on screen in aconvincing manner. With the impressive technological advances, visual effects artistsdeveloped a new level of photo-realism that seamlessly integratescomputer-generated images with practical sets of human characters. Thesestate-of-the-art tools include Global Illimination Lighting Models (akaBalls & Bots), High Dynamic Range, Robo-Tile and Encodacam.
I, Robot's futuristic transportation systems are also critical to itslook. All the cars were designed exclusively for use in the film, withGermany-based Audi collaborating to build Spooner's "hero" car.
Technology is what makes I, Robot truly exciting as it enhances the filmand the fear-of-machines plot. Coupled with Smith's impressive performanceand tons of visual effects, this movie is a must-see. The movie openstoday.

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In pursuit to transform minds (NST, 24/07/2004)

Reviewed by Lee Chiew Lan

Title: Changing Minds: The Art and Science of Changing Our Own and Other People's Minds
Author: Howard Gardner
Publisher: Harvard Business School Press
Availability: Major bookstores
Price: RM107.80

MINDS are exceedingly hard to change. Ask any manager who has tried tokeep a workforce from resisting a significant change, or any salespersonwho has tried to convince customers to switch brands, changing the mindsof others is not an easy task. How can one's opinion, rooted in years ofpersonal experiences, learning and culture influences, be changed?
In Changing Minds, eminent Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner, whosework over the last 30 years has revolutionised human thinking aboutintelligence, creativity and leadership, offers a framework forunderstanding exactly what happens during the process of changing a mind,and how to influence that process. He shows how we change our mindsgradually, in identifiable ways that can be actively and powerfullyinfluenced.
Gardner identifies seven factors - he calls them levers - that areeffective in influencing a person to change his mind: reason, research,resonance, representational redescription, resources and rewards, real-world events, and resistances. According to him, to change someone's mind,we must produce a shift in that person's "mental representations", theparticular ways in which that person perceives, codes, retains andaccesses information. In other words, "know thine audience".
Readers will benefit from Gardner's in-depth analysis on behaviour ofseveral individuals, including politicians such as US President GeorgeBush, Britain's Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, South Africa's Nelson Mandela, as well as artists, writers, musicians andteachers in their pursuit to change people's minds.
Changing Minds is written in an easy-to-comprehend style. The book issuitable for managers and thinking leaders of the current age.

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Learning from a war strategist (NST, 22/05/2004)

Reviewed by Lee Chiew Lan

Title: Sun Zi Art of War: An Illustrated Translation with Asian Perspectives and Insights
Author: Chow-Hou Wee
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Availability: Major bookstores
Price: RM59.50

SUN Zi, real name Sun Wu, is a well-known strategist from the state of Qiin the Spring and Autumn Period. Appointed by the king of the state of Wuas the general of his army, he eventually helped the Wu king defeat thearmy of Chu and capture its state capital during his service; notsurprisingly, he was also named the "great commander" of Wu.
Sun Zi's famous philosophy of war, Sun Zi Bingfa, in which he summed upthe experiences and lessons of many great battles in history in 13 chapters, is known as the oldest and most distinguished book on warfare inChinese history. It garnered worldwide attention and interest and has beentranslated into various languages such as English, Japanese, and German.
Sun Zi Art of War: An Illustrated Translation with Asian Perspectives and Insights is written in English, but peppered with Chinese words forelaboration purposes. The writer offers different dimensions in exploringthe real philosophy of Sun Zi's art of war. These include using the hanyupingyin method to help readers understand the Chinese characters;explaining and illustrating difficult Chinese words to help readersappreciate the beauty of the Chinese language.
The commentary part after each chapter would be helpful for readers togain more depth into the chapter discussed. For the Chinese-educated, this book will provide a better understandingof the nuances of each word and phrase. And for those who cannot readChinese, it will provide better insights to Sun Zi's leadership style.

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Guidelines to career success (NST, 10/04/2004)

Reviewed by Lee Chiew Lan

Title: How to Shine at Work
Author: Linda R. Dominguez
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
Price: RM59.80
Availability: MPH and major bookstores

EVERYONE deserves a career that brings out his or her best. In today'sworkplace, what will it take to survive, deliver results, succeed, moveahead, lead others and find satisfaction? To achieve career success, weneed to have the correct strategies and proper guidance. With How to Shineat Work, you can look to coaching guru Linda Dominguez and be on your wayto a rewarding life.
This book is designed for anyone in any industry. It is divided intofour neat parts, which discuss issues from how to get along in yourcurrent work environment, create a plan for moving ahead in your career,recognise options, and take smart risks, to create visibility withoutarrogance and know when it's time to move on.
I find the chapter on Cranky Coworkers an interesting read. I've gotfriends complaining of being bullied by their bosses and how annoyed theyare with the "cranky" co-workers in their workplace. Well, to handle suchsituations, the writer concisely listed down examples of cranky co-workers(the critic, the bulldozer, the quiet type, the accomodator, the thied,the backstabber and the control freak), along with interesting discussionson how to deal with them.
I'm sure the guidelines will definitely help you take control in mostsituations while building bridges (and your reputation).
Creating healthy workplace relationships is difficult, but it is notimpossible once you have the tools. You will find case studies and real-world examples taken from Dominguez's clients, along with valuable self-assessments, worksheets and checklists, to help you learn more about whoyou are and what you want.

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Guide to being a serving leader (NST, 17/01/2004)

Reviewed by Lee Chiew Lan

Title: The Serving Leader: 5 Powerful Actions That Will Transform Your Team, Your Business and Your Community
Authors: Ken Jennings and John Stahl-Wert
Price: RM79.80
Availability: MPH and major bookstores

WE all are familiar with the term "leadership". It signifies the abilityto manage a group of people to achieve certain goals. But how many of usknow the truth that a great leader is actually a servant leader?
First presented as an idea 30 years ago by Robert K. Greenleaf, servantleadership is based on selflessly serving one's team, organisation, orcommunity rather than power, domination, or self-interest.
The Serving Leader presents the simple truth of this idea in a freshparable about a son answering his dying father's call to help him out witha few projects. It turned out to be that the father is actually teachinghis son some leadership and life lessons. The son keeps a journal of hisobservations and reflections concerning the leadership approaches used inPhiladelphia. The five lessons he learns from his father - run to greatpurpose, upend the pyramid, raise the bar, blaze the trail, and build onstrength - can be applied equally to life and work.
The Serving Leader is both a practical guide to the tools and techniquesof effective leadership and, perhaps more importantly, a book about thepersonal journey of growth that real leadership requires.
The authors draw on real-life examples and present them in an easy-to-read, easy-to-absorb story. Other than the strong insights on servantleadership, you'll also enjoy the journey of the father and son and howthey learn to better serve each other. This brings out the idea that wemust not only be a good leader in our workplace, but also in our ownfamilies.
This volume is captivating and wonderfully written. Its exciting story,lovely characters and deep impact make it as exciting as it iseducational. It is a small book, but the impact is huge!

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Practical industrial relations guide (NST, 29/11/2003)

Reviewed Lee Chiew Lan

Title: A Practical Guide to Grievance Procedure, Misconduct and Domestic Inquiry
Author: M.N. D'Cruz
Publisher: Leeds Publications
Availability: Major bookstores

HOW many of us know exactly the proper procedure of grievance, misconductand domestic inquiry? If an employee has a genuine grievance, where andwho shall he bring the grievance to? If there's a misconduct in industrialrelations, how should the management or employer deal with it? Does anemployee have the right to bring along a representative if he is requiredto attend a domestic inquiry? Well, you can find all these answers in thisbook.
This pragmatic guide provides you with a sound understanding of thetopics discussed - grievance procedure, misconduct and domestic inquiry. The first chapter discusses the various aspects of grievance, such as whatconstitutes a grievance in industrial relations, procedure for resolvingindustrial and collective grievances, the role of supervisors and managersin handling grievances, do's and don'ts in settling grievances, to name a few.
The subsequent chapters (chapter two and three) explain and examine misconduct and domestic inquiry in details. An interesting features is that the author has followed a contextualapproach by annotating each topic with relevant Industrial Court Awards, High Court judgments, and quotations from reputable authorities. Indeed, these extra information give readers an insight into topics discussed. Besides that, issues pertaining to condonation are also highlighted.
Written by an experienced consultant on labour laws, this book is aperfect reference for human resource personnel/practitioners. It providessome useful guidelines for HR personnel to not only understand the complexities involved in dealing with grievance procedure, misconduct and domestic inquiry, but also helps them to decide what to do or not to dowhen dealing with their employees.
The book is also suitable for those who are interested in knowing moreabout industrial relations.
Using easy-to-understand English, it should not be difficult to understand what the author is presenting.

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Cultivating creative Asians (NST, 11/10/2003)

Reviewed by Lee Chiew Lan

Title: Why Asians Are Less Creative Than Westerners
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Author: Ng Aik Kwang
Availability: MPH and Major bookstores
Price: RM65

TOO often we hear people discussing about being creative in everything wedo. However, the challenge of being creative is tightly connected to thetype of society we live in. Asians are always described as "a close-mindedsociety", so it's not surprising that Asians are said to be less creativethan their Western counterparts.
In this book, the author presents his view that Asians in general areless creative than Westerners. He is not implying that Asians are notcreative, but that it is harder for Asians to think, feel and act in acreative manner compared to Westerners. He puts this down to how Asians behave in society.
This "tell-me-why" book can be an intellectual guide to liberate Asiansfrom uncreative patterns of behaviour which they have become used to. Toassist them in realising this goal, the author has provided 10 guidelines towards becoming creative Asians.
The book is divided into nine chapters. I especially enjoy chapters sixand seven, where the author delves into how Asian and Western studentsstrive for success and deal with conflict, with real examples fromdifferent societies in the East and West, such as the Chinese system ofrelationships, the kiasu syndrome of Singaporeans, the Japanese concernwith group living, the American emphasis on individual rights and freedom,etc. Readers will be able to better understand the workings of thesesocieties and why Asians are less creative than Westerners.
This book will no doubt open the minds of many readers. Technicaljargons are minimal, and the style of writing is engaging and interesting.

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Fast-paced action with hi-tech touches (Computimes, 04/09/2003)

By Lee Chiew Lan

IT'S very enjoyable to watch the 2003 version of The Italian Job. Comparedto the 1969 original, the remake offers more action - heaps of chases andplenty of plot twists - not to mention state-of-the-art technology.
The scene is Venice, where a gang of thieves plan to get away with RM35million in gold bars via the city's canals. Among them are DonaldSutherland as John Bridger (safe cracker), Mark Wahlberg as Charlie Croker (mastermind), Seth Green as Lyle (computer whiz), Jason Statham asHandsome Rob (driver), and Moss Def as Left-Ear (explosives expert). Thejob was executed perfectly and the escape was clean, but the payoff wentmissing. It turns out one of the thieves Steve Frizelli (played by EdwardNorton) double-crossed the team. One year on, Bridger's daughter Stella(Charlize Theron) joins the team which wants to get back what's due tothem, and this is where it gets interesting.
The BMW Mini Cooper is the star vehicle for the movie. With its smallsize, the Mini can easily get around big-city traffic.
Audiences get to see the Minis carrying the 5,000-pound gold and racingthrough traffic jams, sidewalks and into subway tunnels, or escape duringa car-and-helicopter chase when the helicopter hovers over a Mini withonly a foot between them and making a 270-degree turn.
Though audiences will see only three Minis - red, white and blue -filming the getaway with the gold during the peak of rush-hour traffic inLos Angeles took 32 Minis. Due to the elaborate sequences, some of thecars were rigged for jumps and others were fitted to withstand numerousbullet hits while the "hero" cars stayed pristine throughout.
The Italian Job is a beautiful-looking film, with its scenes of theVenice canals, Italian Alps and the streets of Los Angeles, credit todirector F. Gary Gray (A Man Apart) and cinematographer Wally Pfisher(Insomnia, Memento).
Producer Donald De Line (Pretty Woman, Armageddon) recalls the days filming in those canals as the most challenging of all.As Venice is a historic monument, city officials put a lot of restrictionson the shooting team. "We had to put off some of the most action-intensivework involving visual and special effects, and some extraordinary stunts,especially the boat chase in the Venice canals," says De Line.
However, there are still some superbly choreographed chase sequencesthrough the canals of Venice and the streets of Los Angeles.
There are some good comical moments, a number of them provided by Green,who insisted that he had the idea for Napster (the music downloadingprogram) and it was stolen by his college roomate while he was "napping"at his computer. Shawn Fanning of the Napster fame makes a cameo appearance, helping to perpetuate the joke.
The film also indirectly highlighted the use of hi-tech tools to get thejob done. Such was seen through Green's role as a hacker who can tap intothe Los Angeles' traffic control system and reprogram the signals tocreate havoc on the streets of LA, and leave only desirable pathways forhis teammates to escape.
The Italian Job opens today. More details athttp://www.italianjobmovie.com.

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Writing tablet for Chinese characters (Computimes, 25/08/2003)

By Lee Chiew Lan

Product: PenPower HandWriter (V9 Wacom USB)
Manufacturer: PenPower Technology Ltd
Distributor: Quantum Optimum Sdb Bhd (Tel: 03-92827233, http://www.quantum-optimum.com)
Price: RM358

INPUTTING Chinese characters into a computer is not an easy task. You haveto know various inputting methods (such as pingyin and symbols) which areboth hard to learn and remember. However, with the PenPower HandWriter,this task is made easy.
You input Chinese by writing characters on a tablet with the digitalwireless pen, and the software will recognise your handwriting and inputthe corresponding Chinese characters into the computer.
The PenPower HandWriter comes with software that contains the AsianEdition feature, which is capable of recognising over 23,000 traditionalor simplified Chinese characters, 4,702 special Hong Kong characters,English letters, numbers, symbols, Japanese and Korean characters.
You can write anything continuously on the screen using the PenPowerFull Screen feature. It allows you to run various software applications atthe same time. Alternatively, you can choose between Hidden or Air Bubble Interface to hide the applications you are running. With hidden interfacefor example, advanced inline input and balloon user interface arecompletely hidden. The function windows will appear automatically when youneed it. However, since the HandWriter comes with a small input screen (measuring five inches by four inches), the number of characters you caninput is limited.
If you are wondering whether the software recognises Chinese inputwithout the correct stroke orders, the answer is yes. With the artificialintelligence recognition core, the software recognises flowing cursivestrokes without relying on stroke orders.
The system can automatically learn personal handwriting and become apersonalised handwriting system. Other than this, the software also comeswith many input-enhancing functions such as words by extension, relatedphrases, built-in vocabulary, precede-subsequence related phrases,homophone, and original handwriting display for result checking.
An interesting feature is the Web HandWriter, which enables users towrite and send e-mail directly to friends via the Internet. The tool consists of a general input area and four input boxes for block letters,small letters, numbers and symbols, and punctuation. You can even savecommonly used phrases/symbols in a folder for future use.
If you are sick of tapping on the interface, you can use the VoiceNavigator feature to launch applications such as Menu, Edit, Option, oreven surf the Internet. All you need to do is to set your commands one ata time and make sure you pronounce clearly, otherwise the software willnot be able to run your commands. You can even bookmark a home page with acommand. The Voice Navigator allows you to save up to 20 frequently-used Web sites.
It is said that by using the Sentence Recognition feature, the softwarecan recognise and read the scanned document sentence by sentence of up to 500 characters. What you need to do is to scan the document in image file,highlight the sentence you want the software to recognise/read, and thesoftware will start its job.
You have many options to choose from, be it from simplified totraditional Chinese or vice versa, mixed sentences (English and Chinese), or adjust image style and content (horizontal, vertical, backgroundcolour, rotate, etc). I found this feature useful for editing. However,when testing it with lyrics from a Chinese song, the software recognised only 50 per cent of the text.
I especially liked the PenPower Notepaper and PenPower Artist features.With the PenPower Notepaper, you can write a Post-It note in handwritingstyle, or drawings, or record a voice message, and save/send out via e-mail. More interestingly, you can also set the alarm to remind you of theimportant events.
The PenPower Artist offers over hundreds of letter paper and cardexamples for letter writing and designing of cards. These allow you tocreate your own cards or write some unique letters and send them directlyvia e-mail.
What's more, you can change your handwriting style to normal or printedstyle. As for me, I received some good comments from friends when I e-mailed them cards with my own handwriting.
You do not have to worry if the recipients of your Post-It note and/orletters/cards cannot view the documents you sent via e-mail, because theydo not need to have HandWriter software installed in their personalcomputer (PC), yet still can view them.
The PenPower HandWriter is a useful device for inputting Chinesecharacters. No battery or mouse is needed, and the device is very user-friendly. All you need is a PC with Windows 98/Me/2000/XP, Pentium orfaster, 64 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM), 180MB free harddisk space, and a universal serial bus (USB) port.

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Guide to better leadership skills (NST, 12/07/2003)

Reviewed by Lee Chiew Lan

Title: Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know
Author: John C. Maxwell
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers
Availability: MPH and major bookstores
Price: RM24.90

DID you know that each one of us can influence at least 10,000 other people during our lifetime? So the question is not whether you willinfluence someone, but how you will use your influence.
Known as America's expert on leadership, John C. Maxwell wroteLeadership 101 to help develop your leadership ability and increase yourpersonal and organisational success. "Anyone can be a real success...whatever you'll accomplish is restricted by your ability to lead others,"he says.
This book contains the essentials gained from over 30 years ofleadership experience from the writer. It defines leadership, identifiestraits that every leader should develop, and shows you the impactleadership can have on your life and those you lead.
This book comes in three parts: The Development of a Leader takesreaders to raise the "lid" on leadership ability and hints on how to growas a leader while The Traits of a Leader discusses the essential qualitiesfor true leadership. The Impact of a Leader guides readers to the truemeasure of leadership - influence - in which Maxwell believes, "Trueleadership cannot be awarded, appointed or assigned. It comes only frominfluence."
Leadership profiles of Theodore Roosevelt, Princess Diana, Roberto Goizueta, etc, also are highlighted, providing readers with insights onthe bottom line of leadership.
Everyone is a leader because everyone influences someone, Maxwell says. Not everyone will become great leader, but everyone can become a betterleader. So are you willing to unleash your leadership potential and useyour skills to better mankind? No doubt this book can show you how.

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Lessons from Sony's success (NST Appointments, 10/05/2003)

Reviewed by Lee Chiew Lan

Title: Business the Sony Way: Secrets of the World's Most Innovative Electronics Giant
Author: Shu Shin Luh
Availability: MPH and major bookstores
Price: RM59.80

SONY is a global household name. Just take a look around your living room.Do you have a Triniton television? Or a Walkman? Or perhaps a Vaiocomputer? Do you own DVDs of Charlie's Angels? Or Men In Black?
If your answer is "Yes" to any of the above, you own a part of the Sonyfamily. And soon, you will be downloading Sony Pictures movie trailersonto your Clie handheld or high-end mobile phone, and transferring them toyour Triniton TV or e-mailing them to your friends through your Vaiocomputer.
Sony's role in driving the evolution of electronics over half a centuryis undeniable, offering the world the first transistor radio, the firstportable stereo and the first home video-game console using three-dimensional graphics, among others.
Business the Sony Way is the story of Sony's growth, and the vision anddrive of its founders, Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita. Beyond narrativehistory, the book serves as a case study of how entrepreneurs, with theright combination of tenacity, passion, creativity and an eye for thefuture, can build a company from a humble operation to a hugemultinational with global influence. The book also examines the way Sony has expanded into areas outside its boundaries of successes, such asbanking, entertainment, and real estate.
Business the Sony Way is divided into 10 chapters. The writer highlights Sony's recipes for success in every chapter, providing readers withinsights on the intricacies of the business world and techniques to stayahead of the competition.
Written in simple English, this book is an interesting read, enablingreaders to gain the knowledge to think out of the box, just the way Sonydid and continues to do so.

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Technology helps to achieve cinematic vision in `Hero' (Computimes, 23/01/2003)

By Lee Chiew Lan

TECHNOLOGY helps director Zhang Yimou to realise his glorious vision inHero. Famous for his brilliant storytelling and incisive portraits ofChina, Yimou managed to make his martial arts debut flick a feast for theeyes and ears. About a plot to kill the brutal but venerated Emperor QinShihuang who united China in 221BC, the film has an all-star castcomprising Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung Man Yuk and Zhang Ziyi.
The film opens explaining that in the Warring States Period (circa 402-221BC), there were seven kingdoms (later to become unified China), allfighting for supremacy and that the king of the Qin kingdom (Chen Daoming) was the most ruthless and powerful of them all.
Enter a group of assasins trying to prevent the king of Qin fromconquering the six states but none were as fearsome as the trio of Sky(Donnie Yen), Broken Sword (Leung) and Flying Snow (Cheung).
To protect himself, the king promised great power, mountains of gold and a privateaudience with anyone who could defeat the three assassins. Then whenenigmatic county sheriff Nameless (Li) arrived at the palace with theswords of these three assasins, he was granted an audience with the king.Sitting in the palace, only 10 paces from the king, Nameless told hisextraordinary tales, setting the stage for the rest of the film, which isa series of flashbacks detailing Nameless' encounters with the threeassasins.
Yimou has divided the movie into four chapters, each symbolised by aspecific colour. It starts with red, representing the narrow-mindedness ofdifferent positions; blue, the most rational; green, the turmoil; andwhite, the truest and a Chinese colour for mourning.
The film is epic in scope, as seen in sequences when the king sent hisforces against the neighbouring Zhao kingdom. Thousands of warriorsstormed through the desert on foot, wagon and horseback until they reachedtheir target city. From here, we learn that the Qin's devastating powerwas in its vast array of archers, who unleashed volleys of lethal arrowsin such punishing force that nothing could withstand them. One memorable shot has the camera in the midst of "arrow rains" as they sailed highoverhead, focusing on one arrow in particular in its trajectory into acalligraphy school where two of the main characters hid.
Each image is ravishing: from a swordpoint that slo-mo sliced throughdrops of water, to a swordfight in a grove of golden leaves that turnedred, plum and magenta and fell like confetti to a grey landscape of dunesdaubed with Flying Snow's turquoise gown.
The casts are standouts. Take Maggie Cheung for example, she iseffective as Flying Snow, whose graceful and serene fighting style makesher seem like a supernatural entity, particularly in one beautiful forestsequence where she used golden leaves on the ground as a weapon to wipeout Moon (Ziyi).
To shoot a fighting scene between these two actresses at the height ofthe fall foliage, the director and a 300-strong crew had to squeeze theirimaginative juices till the last drop. They travelled hundreds of milesand headed to an ancient oak grove in inner Mongolia. "I had a guy outthere specifically to keep an eye on the leaves," Yimou says. "He madevideotapes of their progress as they turned from green to yellow."
As soon as the leaves turned golden, the crew rushed north. "We usedthree or four cameras simultaneously at different angles and the leaveshad to be perfectly yellow. We even implemented a leaf classificationsystem," Yimou adds. Such obsessiveness is matched by Academy Award-winning costume designer Emi Wada. For the costumes in Hero, Wada tried no less than 30 colours,hand-dying each individual sample. And so meticulous was her control ofthe design that the red costumes were created using 54 shades of colour.
Hero is no doubt worth watching. It's a movie that combines uniqueelements together with a memorable storyline and exquisite camera work.The movie is currently showing at local theatres.

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Experiencing `diva-licious' fun (Computimes, 25/11/2002)

By Lee Chiew Lan

Title: Diva Starz (CD-ROM) (For girls age six and up)
Publisher: Mattel Interactive
Enquiries: The Software Boutique(Tel: 03-7876 3818)
Price: RM109

ARE you thinking of a suitable game for your little girl this schoolholiday? Well, you may want to consider Diva Starz, a CD-ROM that extendsthe fun of interactive talking fashion dolls, providing a refreshingplaying experience with the computer.
Just hang out in the Diva Starz Mall where the Diva Starz - Alexa,Summer, Nikki and Tia - invite you to join them in some of their favouriteactivities. You will get to help them pick out nice outfits, try oninteresting hairstyles and mix up cool tunes. If you make the rightchoices, you'll earn tokens to play in the arcade, which in turn will earnyou credits to buy even more items to use with the Divas. You'll also havea chance to discover Super Secrets about each Diva Starz friend and winspecial gifts.
This game is very user-friendly. The first time you play the game,you'll be asked to enter your name. Once you've logged in, you'll be takento the Coffee Spot where the Divas are relaxing and chatting. Click on the Diva friend you would like to play with and choose a place to visit byclicking one of the three Spot icons at the top of the screen - the MusicSpot, Fashion Spot or Style Spot. These activities can be played in the Diva Challenge mode, where you can earn tokens for the arcade, or Free-style mode.
Diva Starz has a simple premise: The better you understand your Divapal, the more fun the two of you can have together. The key to eachchallenge and more tokens is using the selected Diva's personality toguide the choices you make.
Not all of the girls like rock music, long dresses or having their hairdown. To know the Divas' preferences, you can ask them questions by usingthe miniature chat interface and listen carefully to each Diva's responsesthat will yield clues to help you with the music mixer, fashion decisionsand hairstyle choices. Also, for the perfect suit you've chosen, you'llhear the phone ring and see the Star Communicator (located at the bottomright-hand corner of the screen) lighting up, indicating that your DivaStarz friends are calling you to say you've found the right solution.
After earning a handful of tokens, it's off to the arcade to try thegames that await you - Rollerz, an obstacle course; Power Purse, a simple"catch things as they fall" game; and Diva Starz Mark, a tic-tac-toe game.
With a range of activities intended to serve a variety of ages, DivaStarz's difficulty level is all over the map. Some of the challenges arefairly tough. For example, I found the Music Spot challenge tough as Itried hard to mix tunes by separating the instruments, beats, melodies andsound effects.
Or choosing the right music styles (rock, rap, smooth or dance) as Istill failed to please Tia and Nikki after putting much effort. (I onlymanaged to earn two tokens instead of four.) In contrast, the arcade gamesare extremely simple; one of them is Rollerz, where I was rewarded with100 bonus points as the highest score in 30 seconds.
Diva Starz installed easily and ran fine throughout the review. However, the voices in challenge mode are somewhat lower than the background music,making it hard to hear what your Diva friend is saying, so you may misssome of the hints she is trying to tell you.
I would say the younger spectrum is the best as older kids may find someof the tasks too simple and repetitive, and hence no lasting appeal.
Other than that, the game is a lot of fun. The manual is one of the mostdetailed and informative I've seen. The graphics are superb, thebackground music is cool and all the divas really have personality, with acapital "P"!
Additionally, girls can use the link to the Web site,www.divastarz.com, for more "diva-licious" fun.
The game is suitable for both PC and Mac users. It is recommended thatusers set the colour monitor to 16-bit and screen size to 640 by 480 high colour.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
For PC users
* Windows 95 or 98
* Pentium 166MHz
* 32MB RAM
* 30MB free space
* 8X CD-ROM drive
* 16-bit colour
* Sound Blaster
* 2MB video card

For Mac users
* iMac (G3 processor) 233MHz
* OS 8.1
* 64MB RAM
* 30MB free space
* 20MB available memory
* 16-bit colour
* 24X CD-ROM

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Movie with non-stop fighting action (Computimes, 21/11/2002)

By Lee Chiew Lan

THE partnership between East and West continues in The Transporter, amovie that combines the skills of director Cory Yuen and writer-producerLuc Besson.
Yuen, well-known for his Hong Kong action films such as Fong Sai-Yuk Iand II, starring Jet Li, and Besson, with Wasabi as current release,worked hand-in-hand to offer yet another James Bond-like action and stunt-packed feature.
The Transporter stars Jason Statham (who made his debut in the Britishfilm Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) as Frank Martin, a retiredspecial forces agent who has settled in France to become a freelancegetaway transporter. He will transport anything at a price, no questionsasked.
Martin operates by three rules: one, never change the deal; two, nonames; and three, never look into the package. Needless to say, he breaks all three when he is asked to drive Lai (ShuQi), an apparent kidnap victim, to the home of a gangster known as WallStreet (Matt Schulze). From that moment on, he is on the run with allsorts of bad guys on his trail, with the discovery that Wall Street isoperating a human slave ring with Chinese businessman Kwai (Ric Young).
Egged by Lai and Tarconi (Francois Berleand), a police detective whosucpects Martin's transporting activities are somehow connected to illegalactivities in the area and also a friend, Martin sets out to stop WallStreet once and for all.
Statham is delightfully cool as the transporter. He possesses impressiveathleticism, honed by years of training in boxing, martial arts,kickboxing and scuba diving.
Meanwhile, Shu brings nothing little more than a pretty face and afairly poor command of English to her damsel-in-distress role. However,she was also game for much of the demanding action and stunt work,including riding in the trunk of a car inside a large bag.
The action sequences are virtually non-stop. Every example of hand-to-hand combat features lots of martial arts, a testament of Yuen's creativeleadership. For instance, an ingenious use of motor oil to ward off deadlyassasins as well as a set piece involving a sweater that transforms into adeadly weapon.
Overall, The Transporter is likely to satisfy anyone looking for a B-grade action flick. For details, visit The Transporter's Web site by 20thCentury Fox at http://www.transportermovie.com.
The movie opens in local theatres today.

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CD guide to preparing for a smooth wedding (Computimes, 28/10/2002)

By Lee Chiew Lan

Title: Emily Post's Complete Guide to Weddings (CD-ROM)
Publisher: Multicom Publishing
Enquiries: Software Boutique Sdn Bhd (Tel: 03-78763818)
Price: RM39

WHAT makes a perfect wedding? A large crowd at the wedding reception? The radiant couple flashing sweet smiles? Or the whole affair runningsmoothly?
For me, a perfect wedding means all of the above, and planning will haveto begin from the invitation cards. Of course, this is easier said thandone. A complete wedding guide will certainly help. And this is where Emily Post's Complete Guide to Weddings comes into play.
More than just a planning tool, this interactive wedding etiquette guidecomes complete with a video of Peggy and Elizabeth Post acting as yourpersonal bridal consultants. Two of America's foremost etiquetteauthorities, they offer down-to-earth advice on the never-ending detailsof planning a wedding.
Emily Post's Complete Guide to Weddings carries 12 topics on planning awedding - Planning Centre, Attendants, Guest List, Ceremony, Parties andCelebrations, Photography, Budget and Expenses, Invitations, Flowers,Reception, Gifts and Music. Of course, one can always go to the EmilyPost's Online Service program to run the online service you choose duringthe installation for ideas.
The Planning Centre offers advice on formality (the time and day of yourceremony, where the reception is going to be held, size of the weddingparty and the number of guests, etc), cost, setting the date, andarranging reception and appointments. This section shows how to handle the"big" decisions and the little details that will make one's wedding simplyperfect.
If you are unsure of how to choose your attendants, the topic Attendantswill help give you a clear guide on this matter. Here, you can learn aboutthe different types of attendants.
You can also use the Attendants Worksheet to track the information oneach attendant, such as the maid of honour, junior bridesmaids, best man,usherers and the ring bearer.
Having difficulties in deciding who to invite? The Guest Lists willguide you through this problem with the help of the Guest Lists Worksheet. Also available is the division of invitations between the bride's andgroom's families, and advice on inviting children under certain age.
The Ceremony topic comes in handy with advice on meeting a clergy,transportation arrangements, processional and recessional, and specialverses from Elizabeth and Peggy Post. Knowing how difficult it is for acouple to choose a meaningful verse, Post has included selections from Into the Garden: A Wedding Anthology, which can be spoken by the bride,the groom, or both, during the special verses session. Also, you can trackyour appointments and addresses with Ceremony Worksheet, and use theTransportation Worksheet to help with transportation arrangements.
You can view suggestions for pre-wedding parties (showers, bacheloretteparty, bachelor party, rehearsal dinner) as well as engagement etiquetteunder the Parties and Celebrations topic. Make full use of the samples ofletters announcing your engagement, and invitation from one set of parentsto the other are also included. If a picture can paint a thousand words,then photography is a must-have part in your wedding. Helpful advice inphotography and videography coverage, photo and video etiquette as well aschecklists to negotiate with photographers and videographers are availablein the Photography topic.
Tracking expenses. Meanwhile, the Budget and Expenses topic helps youdevelop and manage your budget and track your expenses wisely. I find theguides on who pays for what, division of expenses between the twofamilies, and who's in charge are helpful, especially if you are on atight budget.
The invitation card is another must-have while planning for a wedding.From the Invitations topic, you can learn the details of selecting,wording and addressing invitations, and then later design yours with theInvitation Editor. Tips like ordering an extra 10 per cent of cards andenvelopes since mistakes are made as invitations are addressed and theorder to assembling the invitation, enclosures and envelopes are reallyuseful.
The Flowers topic offers hands-on tips on flowers, from choosing flowers(the bride's bouquet, guests' flowers) to shopping for flowers. You cantrack your decisions and shopping progress with the Floral Worksheet. Reception is another tough event to handle on the big day.
The Reception topic makes handling the event easy with useful guides and advice onreceiving line, seating assignment, reception timeline, dances, placecard, reception reminder, wedding cake, and shopping for a caterer. Together with the Reception Worksheet and the Table Assignment Worksheet,you'll have no mistake about the ins and outs of reception.
Also, learn from the Gift topic on how and where to register, how towrite a thank-you note, and how to handle exchanges or returns. Andfinally, the Music topic includes 10 pieces of traditional wedding musicfor the ceremony and reception. You can use the worksheet to select themusicians and track their contacts as well.
Emily Post's Complete Guide to Weddings is truly helpful, in that itgives the basics for planning a wedding: guest list and responses, seatingarrangements, thank-you notes written, advice on negotiating withphotographers, florists and musicians. This CD-ROM combines text, audioand video in a fashion that removes the anxiety of preparing for thatspecial day.
Unfortunately, nothing is perfect. I was a little disappointed with theguest list program, which, if you do not hit the Enter button after typingin some names and just strike Tab to the next field, you will lose yourentry after having saved the guests' details. Although you can print yourguests' addresses, you are not able to format it to suit your needs.
In a nutshell, Emily Post's Complete Guide to Weddings is an essentialgift for those planning for the big day. Needless to say, the CD-ROM isbased on a Western-style wedding, hence you may want to localise the suggestions accordingly.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
486DX 33MHz or higher
* Windows 3.1/95/98/ME
* DOS 5.0 or later
* 8MB RAM
* SVGA graphics with 256 colours
* SoundBlaster-compatible soundcard
* 2X CD-ROM drive
* Mouse

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Tapping China's growing education market (Computimes, 09/09/2002)

By Lee Chiew Lan

IN a move to further penetrate China's education market, InformaticsHoldings Ltd is offering local organisations and entrepreneurs anopportunity to franchise its business.
Informatics' senior vice president, China, Hong Kong and Malaysia, YewHow Kien says under the initiative, franchisees will benefit from itsrecognised brand name, immediate link with strategic partners, operationalsupport and training, and continual development of new academicprogrammes.
According to him, there is tremendous potential in China as it is one ofthe world's fastest growing markets. Informatics has even partnered withPeking University to run an English medium school since May.
He says Informatics set up its first education centre in Shanghai in1993. Currently, it has 25 centres in China with over 10,000 studentsundertaking courses in information technology (IT) and business.
Yew says the centres have received good response because "parents (inChina) are very receptive in wanting their children to be properlyeducated".
He adds that Informatics College has been a successful programme and inShanghai alone, the centre has 3,000 to 4,000 students.
Among the courses offered by Informatics and its franchisees areIntensive English, Advanced Diploma in Business Administration, AdvancedDiploma in Computer Science, International English Language TestingSystem, LCCI and Dynamic Oral English. Students will take three years tocomplete a particular study, with basic English being taught in the firstyear before they proceed to their main course. So far, only diplomacourses are available and Informatics plans to offer degree courses in thenear future.
Yew says most of the students in China enrol in the business courses (80per cent) rather than IT courses. Informatics, he adds, is also in theprocess of introducing electronic learning (e-learning) through itsVirtual Campus online learning platform.
With roots in Beijing, Changchun, Shanghai and South China (includingMacau and Hong Kong), Yew says Informatics aims to be the largest privatetraining and education provider in China, and hopes to have 1,000 centresby 2006 covering cities like Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Xianand Xiamen.
Meanwhile, Shanghai ShuRen Profession Technology Training School's viceprincipal Yang Ding Ya says private investments in China's educationmarket have grown rapidly. He explains that the boom in the educationmarket is partly because the nation realises the importance of training.

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Illustrated guide on using the computer (Computimes, 15/07/2002)

Title: How to Use Computers (Second Edition)
Publisher: Sams Publishing
Availability: MPH bookstores
Price: RM80

WHEN I went back to my hometown in Siburan, a little village in Kuching'soutskirt, last Chinese New Year, I brought along my old Pentium I personalcomputer. I set up the PC with my niece and nephew around me. I thoughtthe machine would be foreign to them and was prepared to answer anyquestions they had.
To my surprise, my seven-year-old nephew whispered, "Auntie, can I bethe first one to play the Pinball game after you've set up the PC?"
"You know how to play games on the computer?" I asked suspiciously."Yes, my teacher taught us how to play games on the computer." I could seethe pride on his face. "I also know we can use the computer to watchmovies and listen to music, and many more," he continued.
That's remarkable! Even kids from the countryside in a not-so-developedvillage know how to use the PC. This just goes to show how computers haveimpacted our lives. And if a primary school pupil knows how to use thecomputer, what more should an adult.
Willing helpmate. Over the past two decades, the PC has moved from thehobbyist's basement to offices, factories, banks, supermarkets and intoour homes. The PC has become so important that some have said they justcan't live without it.
Unfortunately, there are still those who don't know how to use the PC orsee it as a mysterious contraption that one has to tolerate at work. Nomatter what the reasons are, we need to know how to turn the PC into awilling helpmate. And How to Use Computers is a good book to help you inthat direction.
Author Lisa Biow, in this second edition to the best-seller of the sametitle, says there are four types of readers: people who have recently beenconfronted with a computer, either at work or at home; people who don'thave a computer, but are either thinking of getting one or simplywondering what the fuss is about; people who've been using a computer fora while (a week, a month, a year) without ever feeling comfortable withit; and people who are fairly proficient with a particular program orparticular area of computer use and want to pursue further in computerknowledge.
How to Use Computers offers a straightforward, visual approach tolearning. The steps and graphics guide you through the most common tasksyou'll want to perform with your computer.
The heart of the book is the pictures. All images are illustrated withcartoon-like features/icons, and are useful to help you visualise andremember what takes place inside the PC, not to mention keeping the textand layout interesting.
Many of the pictures even draw analogies between the PC components andthings that are familiar to you. For example, you'll find a part of thecomputer compared to a pail/pool or to a set of mailboxes in a postoffice. You'll also find various PC components and programs personified insome of the pictures.
The book focuses on IBM computers and compatibles, commonly known hereas PCs. When it comes to specific details about programs/software, theauthor uses the Windows XP operating system (OS) as a model.
If you are using an older version of Windows, you will find much of thesame information, but just that it looks different. However, if you are aMac user, you'll probably want to purchase a book on the Mac OS.
How to Use Computers covers just about everything you need to know aboutthe PC in eight handy chapters, with each chapter divided into varioussub-topics. The first chapter touches on the basics of the PC such as PCsare not fragile, what is a PC or PC program, things you can do with yourPC, and basic hardware and software knowledge.
In chapter two, you will learn the anatomy of your computer - processor,memory, random access memory (RAM), floppy and CD-ROM drives.
Learning about these essential parts of the machine helps you to havemore control of the machine because you know how every element works. By the time you finish this chapter, you will know, among others, whathappens when you load a program, where the data you type into your PC goesand what happens when you save your data.
The PC's filing system, including file formats used by variousapplications, folders/sub-directories, is what you will learn in the thirdchapter.
You will also find out how to choose the right type of discs for yourfloppy drives, protect your floppies, use CD-ROMs and ward off PC viruses.
Shortcut keys. Chapter four, Up and Running, discusses the essentialsyou need before trying your hand at the PC. It provides in-depthinformation about keyboard and keyboard layout as well as the ins and outsof some special keys, function keys and shortcut keys.
You will also learn about the full variety of mousing techniques, properways to turn on/off your PC, and some tips for arranging the differentparts of your PC system for maximum comfort and how to minimise back,wrist and eye strains.
Chapter five squeezes in details on the Windows XP environment, fromloading programs within Windows to using Windows to perform diskhousekeeping operations (copying, renaming and deleting files), explorecommon features of Windows (desktop, taskbar, folders, recycle bin) toWindows itself (windows, dialogue boxes and menus). This chapter alsooffers you some useful tools on how to explore Windows Explorer andcustomising windows.
Chapters six and seven are extensions of chapter two - Anatomy of a Computer - focusing on software and hardware, respectively. Chapter six shows you the two most commonly-used application software: word processingprogram and spreadsheet, and database management program. You will learnabout software, plus useful pointers on how to choose one from the manythat you find in the market.
Meanwhile, chapter seven will guide you further on some of theperipherals - monitors, printers, modems and storage devices, as well as abit about multimedia computing (playing audio CDs), portable computers(laptops, notebooks and handhelds) and networks (local area network, widearea network and peer-to-peer network). Also included are some usefulguides one needs when shopping for a notebook.
The last chapter, Getting Online, covers everything you need to knowabout the Internet - from how to select your access route to the Internetto finding resources on the World Wide Web, including understandingInternet address, talking to people on the Internet (chat, e-mail,newsgroup and instant messaging), logging onto the Net, browsing the Web,searching for sites, downloading, installation, and sending and reading e-mail.
How to Use Computers is one of the most comprehensive guides around. Itis an ideal companion for both first-time PC users and the veterans. The author also uses simple English, thus making the book an easy read. So forthose looking for a useful guide to personal computing, what are youwaiting for, go and check out this book.

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Stepping up fight against pirated software (Computimes, 08/04/2002)

By Lee Chiew Lan

THE war against pirated software is intensifying. Locally, the DomesticTrade and Consumer Affairs Ministry is reported to be making headway inits efforts against unlicensed software activities.
Last week, it managed to seize suspected pirated and unlicensed computersoftware worth RM150,000 from an Internet and telecommunications companyin Petaling Jaya. Prior to that, the enforcement officers raided twocompanies in Klang and Muar and seized a total of RM270,000 worth ofsoftware.
Selangor's director of enforcement Zainal Abidin Mohd Noordin said theraids should serve as a wake-up call to the risks associated with usingillegal software.
Speaking in Shah Alam, he said the raids were the direct result ofinformation received from copyright owners.The Ministry, he added, will continue its effort to address the issue ofsoftware piracy in the country, which threatens to impede Malaysia's moveinto the information age.
According to the Business Software Alliance (BSA), a study conductedshowed that the software piracy rate in Malaysia in 2000 was 66 per cent,which translates to an economic loss of over RM360 million to the localsoftware industry.
BSA's vice president Lee Tse Mei said companies which continue to useunlicensed software are using them to make profits at the expense of thesoftware industry. "This is unethical. In the long run, the mutual respectof intellectual property rights is critical to a nation's growth in theinformation age."

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Feel-good movie for romantic junkies (Computimes, 08/10/2001)

By Lee Chiew Lan

LOVE being a timeless and complex subject, it's no wonder that moviedirectors and producers never tire in making movies revolving aroundromance and relationships.
Hundreds of films have been made on this subject, but they have neverbeen able to satisfy the insatiable appetite of movie-goers - audiencesstill want more. Realising the demand for such movies, Hollywood ispresenting yet another flick, America's Sweethearts, which boasts of astrong cast.
At least, if you are not interested in the storyline, there is thepresence of award-winning actors to look forward to.
America's Sweethearts treats audiences to an insider's look at the wackyworld of movie-making where narcissistic megastar, self-centred directors,greedy studio execs and break-up of popular movie star couples are alljust part of everyday Hollywood.
Gwen Harrison (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Eddie Thomas (John Cusack) area married Hollywood couple known as "America's sweethearts" and have madetheir appearances in many popular movies.
Unfortunately, they are heading for divorce after self-centred Gwen hadan affair with a Spanish actor, Hector (Hank Azaria). As a result, Eddieends up in a mental recovery centre.
As Gwen and Eddie's last and yet-to-be released movie Time Over Time wasat hand, anxious studio chief Dave Kingman (Stanley Tucci) had to askveteran Press agent Lee Philip (Billy Crystal) to get the both of themtogether for the movie's Press junket.
At the same time, movie director Hal Weidmann (Christopher Walken) haskept the movie under wraps so that no one gets to see it before the day ofthe Press junket. In order to get the troubled couple "reunited" for the last publicappearance to promote their latest movie, Lee set up the Press junket at aremote desert resort. He convinced Eddie to attend and got Gwen's personalassistant-cum-sister Kiki Harrison (Julia Roberts) to also do the same. At first, it seemed that Lee and Kiki's biggest challenge was tomaintain the peace between Gwen and Eddie and keep their high-profilepublic image intact, but soon Kiki found herself facing a more importantconcern when the course of events make a surprising turn.
America's Sweethearts is directed by Joe Roth, written by Billy Crystaland Peter Tolan, and produced by Susan Arnold, Donna Arkoff Roth and BillyCrystal. The movie is scheduled to hit cinemas nationwide this Thursday.
Personally, though the movie is no Oscar material, it is light-heartedand witty, a worthwhile watch if you are looking for something to feelgood about. Sceptics may find it a waste of time but with such a stronggroup of actors, at least the acting will not disappoint.
Movie-goers who wish to have an insight to the movie can log on toAmerica's Sweethearts' official Web site athttp://www.spe.sony.com/movies/americassweethearts. Fans will be able tosee interesting images, brief video footages of the film and many othergood stuff set to win your hearts.

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Comprehensive bilingual dictionary (Computimes, 03/09/2001)

By Lee Chiew Lan

FRANKLIN B-1100(Electronic dictionary)
Manufacturer: Franklin Electronic Publishers Inc
Enquiries: Foto Millennium (Tel: 03-79579323), Elite Ace (M) Sdn Bhd (Tel:03-41494340)
Price: RM888

DO you find lugging around a dictionary troublesome? If so, then youshould consider the Franklin B-1100 speaking Chinese/English dictionary.This electronic reference comes with a built-in book, plus two domino-sized Bookman II card slots at the back.
At 14.8 by 8.3 by 2.2 centimetres and weighing 230 grams, the B-1100 isable to display characters up to four lines in a movable lid. This easy-to-read option is an advantage as more information can be displayed at onetime.
With this speaking Chinese/English dictionary, you can find over 264,000translations with comprehensive definitions.
There is also a thesaurus, grammar guide, and homophones. The spellcorrection tool allows you to find words that you don't know how to spell.For example, type in "knowlege" and the instant Spelling Correction turnsit to "knowledge", indicating that this word is a noun.
The B-1100 is capable of defining eight languages - Chinese, English,Dutch, Japanese, Spanish, French, German and Italian. It comes with theClariSpeech program that speaks in human voice. You can find the speakernext to the display screen at the front of the unit.
Users can hear the pronunciation of headwords, definitions, and phrasesin both Chinese and English. This is useful in helping users pronouncethe vocabulary correctly, besides learning other languages.
The B-1100 can also be used as a personal organiser. It can synchroniseinformation from your personal computer using Data Link for Windows,Chinese Windows 95 or 98 and Dataguard (an optional feature that protectsdata even if the batteries fail).
Users can make use of this feature to store phone numbers, keep trackof schedules in the to-do list and record anniversaries and other memos.
Calculators. The B-1100 also comes with basic and scientificcalculators, metric and currency conversion, BIN, OCT, DEC, HEX numberconversion and financial calculators.
Users can create lists of study words in the User List and Exam List.They also can save English and Chinese words for personal study or review.And the words can be removed any time from the list to save memory space.
Like any other electronic dictionary in the market, the B-1100 alsocomes with several learning games such as Jumble, Hangman, Word Train,Word Deduction, Memory and Challenges. Besides that, fun games likeRussian Square, Dragon Ball, Number Guessing, Number Puzzle, Checkers and23 Ball are also included.
The dictionary enables users to check several calendar types - Chinesezodiac, solar and lunar. For the frequent traveller, it offers touristinformation and details of various cities worldwide. For example, before aperson travels to a certain part of the world, he can always check theweather, time and accommodation guide from the dictionary. This is goodfor businessmen who are hardly at one place.
For students, especially those in the science stream, will find thePeriodic Table of Elements a great help.
Powered by two AAA batteries, the dictionary comes with a few specialfeatures that include headphone jack, volume control and alternatingcurrent (AC) adaptor jack.
The headphone jack is designed for a 3.5mm, 35-ohm impedance stereoheadphone. Users can use the dial on the right-hand side of the unit tocontrol the speaker's volume.
The AC adaptor is in the three-volt category within a current range of200 to 300 milliamperes.
Unlike other general electronic dictionaries, the B-1100 is capable ofreading additional books by adding Bookman cards at the back. Users canbuy their book of choice from a wide range of categories from health andtranslators to education. With this special feature, users can add a bookin a snap!
All in all, this personal and portable electronic reference is a usefultool for home and office users, business professionals, students and thosewho wish to brush up on their vocabulary. Priced at RM888, the B-1100 isalready available in the market.

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New campaign to combat software piracy (Computimes, 23/08/2001)

By Lee Chiew Lan

MICROSOFT (M) Sdn Bhd, in collaboration with the Education Ministry, haslaunched the Get Real campaign to educate students on the importance ofintellectual property.
Focused on primary and secondary school pupils, the campaign aims atraising the level of awareness of software piracy.
Microsoft Malaysia's managing director Butt Wai Choon said the campaignis part of its Whiz Generation programme, which will be extended over thenext 12 months.
He said throughout that duration, two interesting programmes will beintroduced for students.
Primary school pupils will be invited to design a board or word gamewhile those in secondary schools will have the challenge of developing andmarketing their business on the Web.
These competitions will be announced within the next two months.
Six schools which have pledged support to the Get Real campaign areSekolah Menengah Pokok Sena (Kedah), Sekolah Sri Garden (Kuala Lumpur),Sekolah Kebangsaan Gombak Setia (Selangor), Sekolah Kebangsaan Paya Rumput(Malacca), Sekolah Menengah Sains Sultan Haji Ahmad Syah Pekan (Pahang)and Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Tun Ismail (1) (Kuala Lumpur).
Schools and students participating in the campaign can purchaseMicrosoft Office XP, a software suite that covers word processing, FrontPage image and Web design, at a special price of RM129.
Launched in November last year, the Whiz Generation campaign is anongoing programme to encourage more interactive involvement andparticipation from students and teachers in the use of information andcommunications technology tools.

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Handy Chinese/English e-thesaurus (Computimes, 23/07/2001)

By Lee Chiew Lan

CANON MD-88 (electronic thesaurus)
Manufacturer: Canon Electronic Business Machines (HK) Co Ltd
Enquiries: Canon Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd (Tel: 03-7446000)
Price: RM199

FOR months, I've been on the lookout for a Chinese/English electronicthesaurus (e-thesaurus), and finally I have found one. The Canon MD-88 isa pretty effective translator, especially when you need to do sometranslation work.
Weighing 88 grams and at 12.3 by 8.3 by 1.3 centimetres when closed, or12.3 by 16.5 by 0.9cm when opened, the calculator-sized e-thesaurus isnifty to carry around and can easily fit into your pocket.
Powered by two CR2032 lithium batteries, the MD-88 comes with a 57.5 by21.8-millimetre screen that supports a resolution of 144 by 48 pixels. The screen can display 18 English characters or nine Chinese characters in aline (maximum three lines).
There is a red On/Off button at the top right hand corner. And below itis a function button with up, down, left (backspace) and right arrows foreasy scrolling.
The MD-88 has five main attractive features - Thesaurus, Record, TimeKeeping, Calculation and Others. The Thesaurus button consists of 50,000English/Chinese words, 12,000 Chinese/English words, words/terminologythesaurus, practical conversation, bookmark inquiry, vocabulary creationfunction and access with pingyin or the strokes of Chinese characters.
For the English/Chinese dictionary, you just have to key in the Englishword and the device will translate it into Chinese, indicating verb, noun,adjective, etc, in a bracket. Likewise, for the Chinese/Englishdictionary, you have to key in the pingyin and select the exact Chinesecharacter to get the English translation.
The words/terminology thesaurus contains three major areas - daily life,nature and social science. The daily life thesaurus covers food,transportation, entertainment, education, living and attire.And each menu is divided into many sub-menus. For example, the Food menuincludes meat, vegetable, seafood, drinks, fruits and dining tools.
The nature thesaurus covers animals, mineralogy, meteorology, plants andastronomy. And it is also linked to other related subjects. For example,mineralogy is divided into metal, non-metal and gemstone.
As for the social science thesaurus, it covers human (religion,languages, career), therapeutics (medicine, specialist, human organs) andgeography (area, nation, city).
By looking at the words/terminology thesaurus, you will discoverhundreds of new things, hence enriching your knowledge and vocabulary. Forexample, you can learn that the music family encompasses classical music,orchestra, symphony, jazz, pop, rock and blues, among others. This, Ibelieve, is useful for intuitive minds.
For those who are looking for some basic communication skills, thepractical conversation option will be a blessing. It is divided into threesections - basic conversation, situational conversation and businessconversation.
The basic conversation includes greetings, apology, thanksgiving andothers while situational conversation covers conversation which takesplace at shops, hospitals, banks, airports, etc. A conversation at a bank,for example, may be "What kind of account do you want?" or "Fill out awithdrawal form, please".
As for the business conversation feature, it includes questions andanswers during an interview or meeting, how to make a phone call,sales/promotion, reception, etc.
Creating vocabulary. With the Function button, you can bookmark any wordyou want, just like bookmarking a Web site. You can even create your ownvocabulary (which is not installed in the dictionary) by accessing thepingyin or the strokes of Chinese characters. Another button, the Record button, consists of several functions. Youcan use the Phone Book function to store up to five types of telephonenumbers - home, office, pager, mobile phone and fax. For those with busyschedules, the Alarm function can be used as an appointment reminder.
Also, the Record button comes with a timetable, memo and convertibleanniversary calendar between lunar and solar. As such, the MD-88 is idealas a business travelling companion.
Another thing, you can check the local and international time using a12/24-hour clock display from the Time Keeping button. This buttondisplays the time in year, month, week, day, hour, minute and second of170 cities around the world.
Besides that, the button can function as a daily alarm clock orstopwatch in a variety of units (hour, minute, second and millisecond). Italso enables users to convert time from lunar calendar to solar calendarand vice versa from year 1901 to 2060. For example, if you want to checkyour friend's birthday according to the Chinese lunar calendar, you justhave to key in her birthday in solar calendar and the converter willconvert it to its equivalent in lunar calendar with the Chinese zodiac aswell. Interesting, isn't it?
Another unique feature of the MD-88 is that it also acts as acalculator, which allows for normal and scientific calculation. Thescientific calculation includes trigonometry, deg r rad r grad convertionand logarithm. Besides that, you can find other useful tools such asconvertion table, currency exchange and personal financial management.
Reference menu. Finally, with the Others button, users can always checkthe memory-space usage. There are lots of useful references such ascountry profiles, chemistry elements, constellations and even Englishnames of males and females.
An interesting feature in this reference menu is idiom. There are 120popular idioms installed such as "a bad workman always blames his tools"and "time and tide wait for no man".
In addition, all the settings in the MD-88 can be adjusted within thisfeature too. Among the common settings are keytone, screen's pre-set, autoturn on/off mode, memo setting, brightness adjustment and passwordsetting.
Also, the Others button comes with seven types of interesting games suchas 23 balls, IQ test, dragon balls and word puzzle.
And users can always update their personal details and records in theinformation and communication menu - a truly great function, especiallyfor those always on the go.
Nonetheless, there are some minor shortcomings. The MD-88 does not havemuch Chinese phrases installed, which means you will have to look forother alternatives to translate some Chinese phrases.
Another downside is its speed. When keying in the English characters atnormal typing speed, it takes a few seconds for those characters to appear- this may test the patience of some users.
Overall, the portable MD-88 is a handy device for those who can read andwrite Chinese. With its 360-degree flexible and protective lid, it is agreat business companion tool and even an excellent gift. But the devicewill be more well-equipped if comes with a pronunciation button, so thatit can help users to pronounce both English and Chinese words correctly.
The MD-88 is already available in the market. It is priced at RM199.

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