Access, Edit and Manage Google Documents in Microsoft Office

Most of us are probably very comfortable with using Microsoft Office on a day to day basis but for many, like myself, we are also quite reliant on Google’s technology.  I have been sharing and using Google Documents (GoogleDocs) for sometime now but have always found the interface lacking, especially in the area of formatting.  Furthermore, each time I upload or download a document, the format is affected.

In comes OffiSync! It is a Microsoft Office plug-in that integrates your Microsoft Office with your Google Docs and Google Apps accounts.

Installing OffiSync adds a new toolbar to any version of Microsoft Office, letting users easily import web content such as images and templates right from within MS Office, collaborate with others in real time, letting users see each other's edits as they work with Office files and share their final documents with others inside or outside the firewall.

After the installation of OffiSync, you will get a new ribbon on your Office application toolbar (this is for Office 2007 and later). On the first time, you will be asked for your account login (ok, I don’t know if this information will be stored at OffiSync or not, so …) or you can go to Settings to edit your profile.

The rest of it is pretty much intuitive and a you can watch a brief introduction to OffiSync (an old version) below.

One note, in order for you to be able to save your Office documents in their native format, so that it is easy to edit and your formatting remains, you need to purchase their Premier version.  It doesn’t cost much, just USD12 per year or USD30 for a perpetual license.

Sony officially announces the A33 and A55 SLT

Well, the rumours are true!  Sony did have more than a media preview, they made a press release on their A33 and A55 DSLT!  It is not exactly a DSLR as it is now a Digital Single Lens Translucent!  What does that actually mean to you and me? In layman terms, the SLT have a “translucent” mirror that lets 70% (in this particular case) of light to pass through to the sensor, and the other 30% to your viewfinder.  In other words, instead of the mirror needing to swing out of the way to allow for exposure, it remains fixed.  This allows for the phase-detection auto-focus capability (which somewhat differentiates new DSLR class cameras now from compacts).

Although it would mean that the brightness of the view finder will be significantly reduced (i.e. dark), this technology allows for quick continuous shooting of up to 10 fps with the more precise phase detection auto-focus mechanism.  How this will actually fare, I have yet to get my hands on it.

Although it is a small camera, it comes with a 3” any angle high resolution LCD that actually gives a 100% coverage!  Sweep panorama and auto-HDR has become standard for Sony, so they are included now.

Both the A33 and the A55 are much smaller in size than a traditional DSLR and they are similar in size with the A230, A330 and A380 siblings.

In a nutshell

• A55 (16MP) and A33 (14MP)
• Auto-Focus Full HD Video, 1080i
• 10 fps
• ISO100 – 12800 (can be extended to 25600)

Coupled with SAM lenses, this camera tries to be both a still and a camcorder.

Sony A33 and A55 pictures leaked

With Nikon starting the current spate of DSLR launching with the D3100, Sony has also not been left out.  The soon to be released A33 and A55 (rumours have it that there will be a media preview on August 24th) have their pictures leaked onto the Internet.

Note the recording button on right of the view finder to confirm that this model will have video recording included.

Although these are not official pictures from Sony, I would think that they are the real stuff.  The A33 and the A55 are probably the entry level models with two other higher end models to be released.

The current expected specifications of the Sony Alpha A55:-

• 16MP sensor (to be used by the Nikon D90 replacement as well)
• ISO range of 100 - 12800
• Full HD 1080i video
• 10 frames per second
• 15 AF points
• Global Positioning System Built-in to tag your photos

“THE SHARING” Photo Exhibition

Come and witness an ongoing visual journey of 18 amateur photography students and their teacher as they will be hosting a photography exhibition to share their collection of photographs. The exhibition will be held at The Annexe Gallery, Central Market, Kuala Lumpur on the 30th August to the 5th September 2010. Admission is FREE.

Date: 30th Aug - 5th Sept (Monday to Sunday)

Venue: The Annexe Gallery, Central Market, KL

Time: Daily from 11:00AM - 8:00PM (Free Admission)

Chicken Chop @ Hailam Kopitiam

Being a fan of chicken chop; whether it’s grill chicken chop, hainanese chicken chop, chicken maryland or breaded chicken chop, they are all good to me.  One of the most confusing things about Hainanese Chicken Chop is “what constitutes it being called a Hainanese Chicken Chop”?  There are some thought behind this;

1. The chicken is deep fried in a batter that is made mainly of egg.
2. The sweetish and slightly sour sauce is sufficient to qualify it as Hainanese Chicken Chop
3. It has to be served with boiled potatoes and peas/carrots/corn combination.

All the above doesn’t seem to be adhered to in many places, and the Hainanese Chicken Chop at Hailam Kopitiam (a competing modern day kopi tiam to Old Town White Coffee) has it’s own version.

It is served with chips, some lettuce, coleslaw, deep fried and have a sweet sauce that’s cooked with the carrots/peas/corn combination.  They claimed that the food recipe is the original stuff from Kuala Pilah and have a small 1944 inscribed beside the Hainanese Chicken Chop in the menu.

Straight to the verdict?  It’s tasty, although the sauce is too sweet for my liking BUT I really don’t think this is eligible to be called Hainanese Chicken Chop.  Anyway, the food selection at Hailam Kopitiam is good and being a regular to Old Town White Coffee, this makes a good change.  I also had a Teh C with it.

Still Trappers seem to serve one of the better Hainanese Chicken Chop.  Maybe I will talk about what constitute a Chicken Maryland sometime.

Pictures from Zoo Negara

After returning from the impressive Singapore Zoo, I decided to visit Zoo Negara in Kuala Lumpur to get an idea of its progress as compared to our neighbouring country’s.

27th December 2009, New Sunday Times - Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas, when asked if the government was considering calls by several Zoo Negara life-members for the zoo to be turned into a government-linked company like Singapore Zoo, said: "We are studying various angles.

"After my visit to Singapore Zoo last month, I found that they have a very interesting model which is among the things that we are studying.

"The Singapore Zoo is a very attractive destination for tourists. This is the direction we want to head to. Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas says the ministry finds Singapore Zoo model is interesting "We want tourists to feel that their visit is incomplete without a visit to Zoo Negara.

"Our vision, together with the Tourism Ministry, is for Zoo Negara to be a must see tourist spot."

He said a paper on Zoo Negara would be presented to the cabinet as soon as all loose ends had been tied up.

Coupled with the upcoming Sony Malaysia’s event on going to the Zoo … sounds like a pre-school trip =), here are some of my Zoo photos from many moons ago …

I always liked photos that shows interaction between animals and humans as it gives it a kind of “humanity” in us.

Two deer having a go at each other.  Couldn’t get the right angle as a lower angle would be good for that shot.

That’s all for now …