Animated Key Chain

The Animated series is already cute, but this key chain set is even more cute. Japanese style super deformed figures are always nice. No complain except the price. Lets see the detail of these little guys.
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The manual sheet.


Optimus Prime


Bumblebee


Bulkhead (or Ironhide the Japanese name)


Ratchet


Prowl


Starscream. Cute but evil!

pepsi NEX x Paramount Japan BE@RBRICK

TF Bearbrick strikes back! Do you still remember the 2 limited editions TF Bearbrick VS sets? They really cost me a lot! This time the little Bumblebear comes with Pepsi NEX. It is less expensive than the old ones, and more easily to get. However, I still need my friend in Japan to get it for me. Though this mini bearbrick is much cheaper than the big one, its paint job is even more detailed than the big ones! I love this little guy!
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The package. It was attached on the Pepsi NEX bottle. Of course the Pepsi was already drunk by my friend...


Very nice painting.


50% Bumblebear & 100% Bumblebear. After 3 years, the bear shrinks but get better coloring.


"Come and watch the movie!"


The Pepsi NEX campaign poster.

MOSプリプリ3本エビバーガー

還是海老カツ比較好吃 :P

Hearts of Steel Optimus Prime

Lets welcome the steam engine Optimus Prime! The Hearts of Steel story sucks, but it introduced the awesome steam engine Prime. I am sure every TF fan want to get one. I really appreciate Mastermind Creation brings this design to product. I do find a number of problems with the figure, but at least it gives me the chance to own this Prime. I'll leave my complaints later, and now lets enjoy this gallery.
(click to enlarge the photos)

I like the neat package.


Very clean inner package. All accessories are part of the steam engine, except the extra pair of fists stay underneath.

Steam Engine mode











The moving cannon base.
The cannon actually turns into the jet pack and lance.




After putting the jet pack onto robot's back, we can put the gun on the shortened cannon.

Nice robot mode..., for decoration.



The lance is really nice. I love it.


He even comes with the Matrix! Definitely he is a Prime!


Western Knight VS Japanese Samurai

OK, what's the problems with this steam engine Prime? First, it is expensive! This is only a voyager size figure, but costs me 2.5 times the price. Second, it looks like there are lots of articulations in robot mode, but he can't even raise his arms! The shoulders cannot turn up and down! It really limits the figure from posing nice actions. Moreover, the headband cannot fix in place. I don't know why Mastermind Creation made such design detail on the head sculpt but didn't do it right on the figure. I'd rather not put it on. I have these complaints just because I expect more with this price. If it is selling half the price, I might accept these defects.
Anyway, this steam engine Prime is still a nice figure. However, I will not say this is a must have with this price tag.

EEEPC back to life! Ubuntu rules!

自去年替EEEPC 701安裝了Ubuntu 9.04 NBR後, 玩了不到2星期又將它封印了. 今次決定把服役近7年, 已積勞成疾, 遍體鱗傷的Desktop換掉, 又捨不得買新的Desktop, 就想到我的701了.
雖然舊的Desktop配置也不是很強, 只是AMD Althon XP 2500+, onboard display還要從512MB RAM中分享, 但比起701的Celeron 900MHz還是跑得快很多. 但我在家中基本上只會用Browser, Newsgroup Reader, MSN之類的, 慢一點也不差. 最重要是要配回原來的19" monitor, 不然800x480的7" display真的很痛苦!
Ubuntu(Linux)讚的地方是可讓701這麽差勁的硬件, 發揮到最強的表現. 竟可讓701以1440x900+800x480 dual display輸出! 要做修改的也只有加一句Modeline到xorg.conf, 真方便! 比以前要將舊Desktop輸出1440x900還簡單.
正式將701當入Desktop來用, 也有點點改動, 也有碰到麻煩. 改動就是把Desktop Mode轉回Classic, Netbook Desktop不太好用; 另外是把Maximus關掉, 否則每打開一個window都Maximize太討厭了!
麻煩事是當我update了所有package後, 發覺RMVB播不了! 明明以前可以的啊! 當我重裝smplayer, w32codecs後還是不行, 再找其他RMVB file一播, 又可以了! 原來之前放在701內的RMVB file播不了, 但以前明明是全片播過一遍的... 不過算了. 另外由於monitor resolution高了, full screen播放是不行了. (sdl output driver是可以, 但沒有smoothing, 只是單純放大, control又消失了)(*已解決!)
另外舊的emesene又login不了MSN, 因為Microsoft改了protocol, 要安裝新的1.61版才可以.
看上圖就知我的701成功轉型了, 以前在Desktop常用的Application都有齊: Firefox, GIMP, emesene(MSN), Thunderbird, 等等. 暫時也沒有什麽不便. 把大大件的舊Desktop丢掉, 把半張書桌解放了出來呢! 多出來的空間可擺放下一個目標: NAS!
雖然跟EEEPC關係不大, 但還是要再讚一下Ubuntu. Microsoft真的是一個帶來問題多於方便的怪物, 不論是工作還是生活上! 工作上已被SMB server弄得煩死了, 怎料把家中舊Desktop做Share folder也一樣氣人! 舊Desktop是Windows XP SP2, Notebook是Windows XP SP3. 我不論由那一方Share folder, 另一方也是Access不了. 最後我是以Ubuntu Live CD把舊Desktop bootup, 再由Ubuntu mount Noteobok的Share folder, 才成功把舊Desktop的data backup到Notebook中! 竟然是以Linux的方法去解決Windows的問題, Microsoft你慚愧嗎?

* 4th May Update
原來701真的很厲害! 1440x900 full screen播RMVB也可以full frame rate的! 之前原來是X11的configuration有問題, 而且會引致701的webcam不能用! 嘗試用webcam時, 會出現這error,
"Fatal IO error 11 (Resource temporarily unavailable) on X server :0.0."
而且smplayer不能用xv output driver, 只能用x11(slow), 所以不能full screen播RMVB.
要如何解決呢? 真是想也沒想到, 是不能enable Display Preferences的Panel icon! 即是不要把"Show displays in panel"打勾! 想不到這個東西會有這樣大的影響, 花了我2天研究這問題...