Blackberry history

I'm so happy today, it's worth a blog entry. Aku selalu minat kumpul benda-benda yang pelik. One of my obsessions I've blogged about obviously are toys (specifically from the cult hit M.A.S.K.) from the 80s. There's also Gucci - but since I'm not exactly swimming in money, that 'hobby' is a little harder.

Another love of mine - of course, is Blackberry.

My first phone was Motorola. And I was stuck on it for years. I tried almost every model that came out - managing to get my hands on the latest. And then - I discovered Nokia. Motorola stopped innovating - and Nokia was top dog. There were occasional flirtations with other brands like Siemens, Alcatel... etc.

My last Nokia was the N95 - and then I discovered Blackberry with my Blackberry Bold 9700.

Needless to say - even though I started a little bit late, I've been hooked on Blackberry since. No matter what anyone said about it - I loved it, because it works for me. Fuck apps and shit. Who needs 800,000 apps on a phone that lasts only 4-6 hours (clue : iPhone)

So up to now, I've had the 9700, 9780 (sold), 9900 - and of course the Playbook and the Porsche Design P'9981 apart from my latest in the Z10. It's sad of course that my P'9981 got its screen broken 0 so that's RM6,400 down the drain. It still works, but the touch function doesn't work. 

Blackberry Malaysia and Singapore tried calling around but they can't find a replacement. So it's just part of my collection now.

For the last two weeks, I've been happy over my Z10.

 And of course, I'm waiting for the next release in the Q10 - I've always loved the Qwerty function more. But I'm definitely holding on to my Z10 - it is the BEST smartphone in the market - and even if you hate the Blackberry - you MUST check it out. Screw Androids and iPhones. It doesn't even come close.

Today however - after two weeks (12 days exactly since a friend sent it from the States), I received a package. I've been waiting for it, worried that it may get lost, misdirected and so on. You know the postal service...

But surprising that past 7pm today, there was a delivery!

Guess what it is!!!!

Want to know what it is? Here's it is. TAA-DAA!!!!

And now a little history lesson. Beginning from the bottom photo.

This is the RIM - Blackberry 957 released in 2000. It's one of the earliest models of Blackberry handheld devices. Blackberry began with the Inter@ctive Pager - and moved on to PDAs. The first four models were the 850 - then on to the 857, 950 and 957. So this is a little piece of history in my hands.

Next, RIM released the monochrome Java based series - the 5000 and 6000s series. This is the Blackberry 6750 - among the first of Blackberry's smartphones. This was released in 2002.

And then Blackberry began releasing its first batch of colour series phones - 7200, 7500 and 7700. This is one of the earliest models - the Blackberry 7230 released in 2003.

And last but not least, this is the Blackberry 7730 - the last of the series before the current crop of Bold, Curve, Storm, Torch and Tour after the 8800 lot. 

I am EXTREMELY proud to have one of the healthiest collections of Blackberry history in Malaysia. All of these Blackberrys - if I'm not mistaken were never released in Malaysia. We started with the 8*** series.

And just a little extra - as you can see in the photos, the 7730 works fine - as I managed to get a charger for it since it uses the old charger yang kepala besar sikit ala ala yang Bold 9000 nya.

The funny thing was that masa member kat US snapped a photo of it, he had the phone on. And despite it being in the box for TWO weeks - the phone was STILL on when I opened the box and it had 10% battery left! Awesome!

The rest I'm not sure if they work, but they should be. Just need to find the chargers for it.

And that - is the little happiness that I have to share with for today. Joy!

I love Blackberry!

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klubbkidd.com freebies alert!

So you guys read a lot of Blackberry and HTC products on my Twitter and my blog. No, I'm not paid by them.

Beginning with Blackberry, I've always been a big fan. And everyone knows I can't live without my Blackberry. And after years of loyalty to Blackberry, and a slight level of fanaticism, I am lucky enough to be a friend of Blackberry. Not an ambassador (again, I'm not paid). They just keep me in the loop of their products and I get first dibs at it cause I'm a fan.

Likewise with HTC. I'm a friend of HTC because the HTC Sensation XE was my first Android experience. And an excellent way to lose my Android virginity (sounds so wrong). But yes, it is awesome! In this day and age where people carry two phones, I carry three. And apart from my Blackberry, my HTC has become a must!

So guess what? I'm giving away a Blackberry Playbook, courtesy of Blackberry AND a HTC Desire HD!

Yes, you read right. GIVING AWAY!

Not buy one get one free. Not buy one at a discount. FREE FREE FREE! We all like the word free right?

So how do you get the Blackberry Playbook or the HTC Desire HD?

Very simple. This Saturday on 22 October 2011 - the #OctTwtFest will be held. What is it? It's the biggest gathering of Twitterjaya, or Malaysian Twitterers. We're aiming for the Guiness Book of World Records.

Come one come all, because everything is free. Free food, free drinks, free entertainment, free giveaways. Just CLICK HERE for more info.

So anyway, at #OctTwtFest, my friends in Blackberry and HTC have kindly offered these two items for me to giveaway. The mechanism will be announced over Twitter LIVE as it happens.

Don't have a smartphone? Live feeds of the #OctTwtFest will be all over the place, as will there be PCs with connection.

Are you interested yet? After clicking HERE for more info, click HERE to RSVP! It looks like we're going to break the world record with more than 1,999 already confirmed (when I posted this entry).

So what are you waiting for? See you there!

PS - Amir Jahari who is also a friend of Blackberry will also be performing at #OctTwtFest! Come watch him if you are a fan, or just curious to know who he is.

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Tanpamu

If you've been following my Twitter, you would have noticed aku asyik promote Amir Jahari. Siapa Amir Jahari?

Aku kenal Amir masa dia ujibakat untuk Akademi Fantasia 9. Of course dia masuk tapi digugurkan. I was against it, but hey... it's just a TV show and it's not a measure of one's talent.

Amir ni memang talented, and memang for those of you don't know, dia juga top three protege Noh untuk Mentor yang lepas, tapi terlepas. This was before Akademi Fantasia.

So once abih Akademi Fantasia, aku memang nak prove yang dia ada talent, so aku pun sign him on to my management. Sebelum ni, aku penah naikkan Nikki dan Hazami (for those of you who know, tau la keja sbalik tabir aku ngan ramai termasuk Ning Baizura, Misha Omar... and event non-singers like Fazura.

Selepas lapan tahun tak scout talent bebetul, aku pon take on Amir as a challenge. Challenge sebab first step, tanak pakai nama 'AF' balik nama dia. So Amir Jahari it is.

Aku start grooming in terms of music, vocals and communications and bak dia merata tuk witness how it is to be in the industry.

And then we signed on to Kasi Gegar, for the production of Amir's first single, yang ditulis sepenuhnya oleh diri sendiri. It was a gamble, tapi aku yakin pada bakat Amir. Seriously, dak ni old soul when it comes to music. Baru umur 19, kalau ko dapat tengok proses dia cipta lagu, memang... amazing.

My choice of Kasi Gegar, pas consider Anas dan Aizat sendiri nak produce the single. Skali ngan Datuk Amdan, yang pujuk kami join Kasi Gegar, aku pon stuju pas discuss ngan Amir.

So he put the finishing touches to the song, Anas did more arrangement on it, and they laid the tracks. Jap...iklan, ni pic dia with a singer-songwriter I respect, and I blogged about too in Lee DeWyze.

And then, we got down to work. Ni Anas, Ully dan Amir kat studio Kamar Seni milik AG.

Ni some pics behind the scene of the recording process. Aku thank semua orang yang terlibat - termasuk Anas, Aizat and their wonderful band in Pito, Mizzie, Ruvi...and everyone else yang sessioned for the recording.

Layan gambar bebudak menggila kat studio.

Dari work in studio, aku yakin the whole way sebab memang Amir focused, and everyone involved in production memang support gila babiks because they believe in his talent.

And the last three months (tolak bulan puasa and a couple of weeks sebab Raya) it has been amazing. Tanpa promosi, Tanpamu telah berjaya menawan hati ramai. Sapa lom dengar, layan ni...

Amir jahari - Tanpamu(Full Version) by Amir Jahari

The song sudah pun masuk carta XFM, Era FM - and juga carta harian Hot FM (baru start dimainkan) manakala Suria FM pon da start.

Amir has been invited for performances in TV programmes over RTM (Hello On 2), TV3 (tamu Muzik Muzik yang baru tayang hari ni), ntv7 (Bella) as well as radio programmes on XFM dan juga sebagai tamu Carta Era FM.

Mereka yang di Sabah Sarawak dapat tengok Amir perform single dia masa baru release ketika opening Borneo Tour Aizat Amdan. Siapa yang tak dapat tengok, ni yang aku rakam ngan Blackberry Playbook aku. Ni masa kat Kuching.

By the way, Amir ni friend of Blackberry. Heh... kira dia duta la.

Kalau korang minat, sokong lah Amir ngan request lagu atau undi kat semua stesen radio kegemaran anda. Memang happy response has been good, despite us being independent and with very little promotion.

Kalau korang minat, Khamis ni Amir akan perform di Moonshine anjuran Reza Salleh di Laundry Bar. Come! Also Pada 21hb hari Jumaat dia akan perform kat wedding sebuah rakan artis (rasanya kalao sapa tau tarikh ni tau sapa nya wedding), Sabtu dia akan perform kat October Tweet Fest (sapa hantu Twitter mesti tau gathering Twitterers Malaysia terbesar di Malaysia) dan Ahad dia akan perform kat Konsert Muzik Fiesta Indonesia.

The only local artistes performing for the konsert is actually Jinbara dan Kristal yang wat opening. Amir nya slot lain sket... dia akan wat penampilan khas collaboration ngan... *drumroll please* SHEILA ON 7! Amik ko... yeay! Teramat happy.

Meanwhile pada sapa yang da jadi fan Amir, dia akan bermula rakam lagu untuk album Altimet dan DJ Fuzz yang mintak lagu dari dia tuk recording bersama dalam bentuk acoustic hip hop. Also dia tengah siapkan lagu untuk runut bunyi filem baru Hans Isaac yang akan datang. Adibah Noor pon da mintak nak collaborate, so memang happy lah ramai da mula minat bakat Amir.

Meanwhile kami sudah pun ada tiga baru Amir untuk dipilih mana satu jadi single kedua.

Untuk single kedua, aku tak tentukan dengan pihak mana aku nak berkerjasama kerana aku dan Kasi Gegar agree on mutual agreement deal by single. Sebolehnya aku nak kembangkan bakat Amir dan push him to another level supaya dia leh jadi generasi baru singer-songwriter.

And by the way, siapa sokong kerjaya Amir leh join page dia kat Facebook (CLICK HERE) atau follow blog dia (CLICK HERE) or even follow him on Twitter (CLICK HERE). I leave you guys with a nice fan cover of Tanpamu. Keep supporting Amir ye... ada rezeki ada satu agik talent aku akan kenalkan (sebab tetiba rasa cam nak ubah kerjaya full time carik talent lak... tengok camna).

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Oh my Berrry!

Since I'm backtracking on key events for 2011, this is one that I freaking remember. The special preview of the Blackberry Playbook. Yes, I was one of the few to get my hands on it before the worldwide launch.

I was excited since something like last October, sebab memang aku suka specifications for the Playbook. Of course, you guys would know I was an iPad user (was as is I gave away my iPad to my sister after I got the Playbook). Here are some pics from the special preview.

I matched it up against my iPad, and in every way (ignore just applications alone), and the Blackberry Playbook stacks up better in every single department.

Ni si Daphne pun cuba tangan dia kat the Blackberry Playbook.

And this is the match-up between the Blackberry Playbook, the Galaxy Tab and the iPad. Jauh beza. Dah try tiga-tiga, seriously if you want a toy - get an iPad. If you want something for work, get the Blackberry Playbook. And if you can't afford both - get the Galaxy Tab. Matilah aku kena carut pengguna Tab. I just find it doesn't excel in any department. I mean, iPads rock apps. The Playbook rocks for work and audio and video quality. The Tab is just trying.

And this is mine! My sweet, glorious Blackberry Playbook.

Ok, I snapped more pics of the packaging there. Oh well. Anyway, the first person I added on video chat was Atilia. Dia pun Blackberry Playbook addict (reformed like me from our iPad addiction prior to this)

And it provides me enough for what I need. Something to do work big time, enjoy music and videos as they should (think HD recording and playback capabilities as well as stereo recording AND playback - even the iPad 2 doesn't even come close)

The apps are so-so if you're looking for gaming tablet, but it's enough if you're not into just simply games on a tablet. Full functionality!

And yes, I am proud that because of my immense interest, I am an online friend of Blackberry. Kira macam duta gak la... heh. Tapi hanya selepas aku memang minat ye. Bukan dibayar baruy nak posting pujian melampau.

Back to games, check out the pre-loaded Need For Speed 2.

Matilah ko, dalam jam pun nak feeling layan!

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Obsessing

Ok, so I'm obsessing again about the Blackberry Playbook. Found this video uploaded a couple of days ago on comparisons of web fidelity between the Blackberry Playbook and Apple iPad. And the Playbook kicks ass! I like!

Already the Samsung Galaxy Tab is no where close to competing against these two, and seriously, having an iPad, I am so looking forward to the Playbook. Can't wait for it to be release. I am so going to be among the first to use it here!

Never been so excited about a gadget!

So kalao aku da beli Playbook, iPad aku nak wat apa? Pakai dua-dua sekali lah. Orang pakai hanpon pon dua, apa salahnya tablet pon dua. Heh!

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Dirty Bit!

As you guys know, I'm waiting for the release of the Blackberry Playbook - RIM's answer to Apple's iPad.

And as RIM is slowly starting to tease with more and more details, came across info that the Black Eyed Peas new video The Time (Dirty Bit) features - the Blackberry Playbook!

will.i.am is apparently a BlackBerry fan too, so it's probably worked in for promo.

Funny, since the lyrics has a line that goes “Who’s the baddest of them all, you gotta be the apple, I’m the mac daddy y’all.”

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