Using mobile internet, iPhone or iPad in Japan for tourists This April I am planning a trip to Japan, and as we know Japan is one of those countries where there aren’t that many English speakers around. Given how complex the city itself is with language issues, an internet connection which tends to be my last resort of survival in a foreign country, is needed. Here comes the problem: Japan is a country that doesn’t primarily use GSM mobile phone technology, which means obtaining SIM cards isn’t exactly the easiest thing for short-term traveler. I also heard that obtaining and filling down local paperworks isn’t one of the things I’d love to be doing on a 8-day trip either. After an extensive research (yes, I did spend 2 hours on this), the easiest and the cheapest option for me is to rent either a SIM card or a device from this company. The rates are probably the best you can get if you live in Japan for less than a month and they even let you rent devices.  Since I’ll be traveling with my parents this time, I’ll just go with the Mi-Fi that lets me connect five of the devices to the internet on the go since I can route all the calls via Skype or Viber anyway so there really is no use to get a plan with local calls. And after seeing what my hotel is going to charge me for 24-hour internet access, it’s a no brainer. Oh, and the link: Global Advanced Communications

Using mobile internet, iPhone or iPad in Japan for tourists

This April I am planning a trip to Japan, and as we know Japan is one of those countries where there aren’t that many English speakers around. Given how complex the city itself is with language issues, an internet connection which tends to be my last resort of survival in a foreign country, is needed.

Here comes the problem: Japan is a country that doesn’t primarily use GSM mobile phone technology, which means obtaining SIM cards isn’t exactly the easiest thing for short-term traveler. I also heard that obtaining and filling down local paperworks isn’t one of the things I’d love to be doing on a 8-day trip either.

After an extensive research (yes, I did spend 2 hours on this), the easiest and the cheapest option for me is to rent either a SIM card or a device from this company. The rates are probably the best you can get if you live in Japan for less than a month and they even let you rent devices. 

Since I’ll be traveling with my parents this time, I’ll just go with the Mi-Fi that lets me connect five of the devices to the internet on the go since I can route all the calls via Skype or Viber anyway so there really is no use to get a plan with local calls.

And after seeing what my hotel is going to charge me for 24-hour internet access, it’s a no brainer.

Oh, and the link: Global Advanced Communications

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Mac users, don’t you just hate the way Windows render texts? It’s been a week now with my new gaming rig. It’s a desktop PC that runs Windows 7, and I love it very much—mostly for its gaming capability, but not really anything else. Using Windows for some kind of work for just less than a few hours can give you massive headache for how unintuitive it is. One of the issues I have with Windows machines is the way texts are being rendered on screen. Texts are incredibly jaggy! They just look ugly and it’s as if Microsoft is trying to tell everyone fuck off and print everything you wanna read. Here’s the solution: install gdipp, and turn off ClearType and you’re one step closer to the ultimate on-screen reading experience. An important thing to note here is that this isn’t really Windows fault. It’s just about two different approaches to font rendering taken by two parties. But apparently, I agree with Steve Jobs who said that Microsoft just has no taste. P.S. This site has been made to look especially good on Quartz based texts. Install this, restart your machine and come back to this site.

Mac users, don’t you just hate the way Windows render texts?

It’s been a week now with my new gaming rig. It’s a desktop PC that runs Windows 7, and I love it very much—mostly for its gaming capability, but not really anything else. Using Windows for some kind of work for just less than a few hours can give you massive headache for how unintuitive it is.

One of the issues I have with Windows machines is the way texts are being rendered on screen. Texts are incredibly jaggy! They just look ugly and it’s as if Microsoft is trying to tell everyone fuck off and print everything you wanna read.

Here’s the solution: install gdipp, and turn off ClearType and you’re one step closer to the ultimate on-screen reading experience.

An important thing to note here is that this isn’t really Windows fault. It’s just about two different approaches to font rendering taken by two parties. But apparently, I agree with Steve Jobs who said that Microsoft just has no taste.

P.S. This site has been made to look especially good on Quartz based texts. Install this, restart your machine and come back to this site.

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Reflection on 2011 As much as I hate writing about myself, I think this is the most appropriate time to have a yearly self-reflection. What will 2011 be remembered for about myself? Has I spent the time well? Have I done something for the greater good of myself, people around me and the world? 2011 was supposed to be a gap year. It’s a year of self-discovery. I tried working with my parents in our family business. I struggled through a nine-to-five culture of the corporate world. I got out of it and thought that I would be able to go back to school, doing something I really enjoy doing: being a student, just like how a pal said to be that if I ain’t in a hurry I should go back to school. Unfortunately the plan was interrupted by something totally out of my control. I am not short-listed for the program I’d like to do, instead I got a second preference which I don’t intend to do, so I chose not to; and where I am now is in the position I was at the end of last year, what’s next then. It feels as if I am trying to avoid asking myself this question and to make decisions. Going back to school seems to be the easiest option which gives me what I needed: well-defined goals. After spending a bit of time doing what my parents do, I felt, things are obtained far too easily. It lacks motivation and it felt as if I am jobless. On the other hand, I know I couldn’t cope well in a corporate ladder culture. Having spent considerable amount of time in a nine-to-five job, I felt weak and powerless. My ideas were nothing to my superiors and I was always unable to make choices even for the greater good of the company. And with the amount of work they gave me, I didn’t even need to be there in their office full-time at all. So what’s next then? I’ve come up with three possible options now and they shall be revealed later this year. Happy New Year 2012 everyone. 

Reflection on 2011

As much as I hate writing about myself, I think this is the most appropriate time to have a yearly self-reflection. What will 2011 be remembered for about myself? Has I spent the time well? Have I done something for the greater good of myself, people around me and the world?

2011 was supposed to be a gap year. It’s a year of self-discovery. I tried working with my parents in our family business. I struggled through a nine-to-five culture of the corporate world. I got out of it and thought that I would be able to go back to school, doing something I really enjoy doing: being a student, just like how a pal said to be that if I ain’t in a hurry I should go back to school.

Unfortunately the plan was interrupted by something totally out of my control. I am not short-listed for the program I’d like to do, instead I got a second preference which I don’t intend to do, so I chose not to; and where I am now is in the position I was at the end of last year, what’s next then.

It feels as if I am trying to avoid asking myself this question and to make decisions. Going back to school seems to be the easiest option which gives me what I needed: well-defined goals. After spending a bit of time doing what my parents do, I felt, things are obtained far too easily. It lacks motivation and it felt as if I am jobless. On the other hand, I know I couldn’t cope well in a corporate ladder culture. Having spent considerable amount of time in a nine-to-five job, I felt weak and powerless. My ideas were nothing to my superiors and I was always unable to make choices even for the greater good of the company. And with the amount of work they gave me, I didn’t even need to be there in their office full-time at all.

So what’s next then?

I’ve come up with three possible options now and they shall be revealed later this year.

Happy New Year 2012 everyone. 

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