Twister in Cebu!

It was July 30, 2008, 4:30 pm on that gloomy Wednesday afternoon at Lapu-lapu City, Cebu, an unusual site at the office window brought about a mix of curiosity, excitement, fear, and minor shock from the unexpected visitor from nature.

The Silver Snapper

Released late 2007 by huge market eating mobile phone giant Nokia, it was I would say an unusual launch of something deserving a big one. Since months after they went out with the N95 model, tagged as “This is what computers have become.”, it was the high end phone that had it all, including the hefty price tag. But with the candybar snapper born to the consumers market, it was I would say to good to be true. It was like, people could not handle it, could not expect something like it, could not even believe it? I present you the N82. Yes some of you may say or would comment how come I made this personal review just now after like 8 months of its debut? But what the hell, hope you’ll still read into this gadget’s character.

The N82 in summary has it all I have to say – for now at least until some new techno thingy has come along. Let’s talk features – 3G, HSDPA, WiFi, 5 megapixel camera with xenon flash, GPRS, ngage, tv-output, 3.5 mm audio jack output, 30fps video recording, what else, lots more, but these are just ones that I remember due to my needs and use. Now lets talk details –

Aesthetics. Dubbed as the “Silver Snapper” because of the silver like plated plastic cover on the front with elegant business beige strips along the rest of the body. Well it maybe classy, but not the most awesome compared to those skinny Samsung models. But it kicks around a little bit of oomph to get your eyes glowing with curiosity. Keypad and button functions are laid out correctly. Wished they’d place the cable port, micro SD card slot and charging slot at the bottom end rather than on the left side portion. Its like an incomplete design at that view. Totally ruins the whole flawless image. But image isn’t everything, the least to worry about.

As a Cellphone. This thing is quite decent, not the best but would say has met my demands. The keypads I do like, it the best ergo design so far of the other phones right now – Yes I know you might say – “how the hell can you type on those keys that look like staples on the phone? I have a big long candle like fingers, and the thin pads with spaces far apart from each other makes this a typing prodigy. You might just have to try the quick brown fox on this yourself.

As a Camera. About 80 percent of all mobiles have built-in cameras, ranging from different mega pixels. And you’ve seen the results from the everybody’s posts at socializing network sites e.g. friendster, those noisy blurred night pics, or small sized portraits. But with the N82, with camera functions such as auto, portrait, macro, nightmode, sports, xenon flash, digi zoom, AWB, color, EV compnsations, ISO, and what else, self timer – you would honestly think of a point and shoot cameras. Yes Sony ericsson rolled out the first decent camer phone with the cybershot having the xenon lights going on, but I believe for this year, the best camera phone goes to the N82. And plus, Carl Zeiss lenses, just see the samples below. To see is to beleve. But it still of course and obviously cannot replace DSLRs, it definitely can do away the powers of point and shoot digicams of lets say 2 years ago. Flaws of the camera I would are, the group shots. It’s focusing power just can’t yet get the job done on far out objects with multiple detections. The portrait, and macro scenesare very averagely nice. Would not differentiate from a normal 4mp digicam. Oh before forgetting, the TV out feature is quite useful. Just plug it to any tube or flat crystal displays and whoala! WYSIWYG on the screen, except though for the slide show on the gallery – doesn’t work. Don’t know if it’s something wrong with my unit but can do without it.

Portrait...

Landscape...

Macro...

Nightmode...

Group...

As a Music Player. With boom in MP3 players hugely dominated with ipods, the most important thing to look into is the quality of sound it produces. Quality on this is very good, sounds even better than an ipod if using those ipod or notable earphones. The earphones that came with the box are downright very bad. Its like music has no body and saoul, no balance no nothing. Just great for taking calls and that’s it. Do suggest to put-on your best earphones in the house, balance out the equalizer coupled with stereo widening, cramp up the volume and your set. With the free 2gig micro sd card, the 300 plus songs you can store are just enough to get you through the day.

As a Video Camera. Specs read 30fps. Need I say more? That’s the best you can get. I do hand this feature out to the LG Viewty with their boast of 120fps. Below is a sample shot. You be the judge. Well, you tube since then is the way to go, doesn’t really matter. As long as the memories are sealed in an MP4 file. Works for me.

As a surfer on the web. This feature was one that I really did not expect. Pardon me for my ignorance, but never expected to be able to surf the web just like any computer only in the a tiny phone screen – miniature to what you have on your regular PC. With Wifi, can go everywhere and get every piece of information as long as we have hotspot ranges. Its pretty great. I’ve read emails, opened my multiply accounts, googled some things, pretty neat. Makes all those boring time waiting for boarding time at the terminal seem to short already. And nights at coffeeshops are lot more fun, especial knowing you can do what those guys with laptops are doing in one handy candybar device that you can just keep in your pocket after. Love this phone as well as the information super highway.

That’s all I have to say or finally say about this lovely thing. Never was an all out techy and fashion prio guy, more of a function backed by good value and usability. For those who’d like to have the all in one gadget at a price that’s on the mid-range, I do recommend this Nokia Snapper. It will surely fill your conceptual digital world with your life.

Sleep Through The Static by Jack Johnson

Brand new snooze music from Mr. Laid-back Acoustic Surfer. This time around, songs present more to his love to his family as well as anything that pokes under the trustful sun. This album gives something new to the avid JJ fans with a handful of sounds from an electric fender telecaster. Although no one can expect that he'd pull-off licks and solos with this thing, its still that familiar music that we have come to grow with and spend time with on days with friends or simply alone by the beach. More like with the tune and the way the song is expressed explains what its about even though you haven't completely understood what he is sayin at all. His 5th effort in the music industry, proves to the public that with his own style that it can make waves in expressing his inner self and - evolving even deeper on it.

Axis Bold as Love by Jimi Hendrix

The 3rd and last album by the late great Jimi, this album entails a new meaning to what his music usually brings to the listener. More of evolved tunes and honest feelings for the songs that in a way is softer to the ear but harder to the heart. Regarded by some as his best work of his three studio albums, it would be just fitting to leave this masterpiece for the next generation of soon to be greats to listen by and be engulfed by its lovely bold gypsy blues music.