Oasis, The New Kindle E-Reader

The new Kindle is here – called Oasis, this is a thinner, more powerful, albeit significantly pricier than its older brothers, Kindle Paperwhite and Voyage.

What’s new?

Ergonomic design – the new Kindle Oasis features a handgrip on one side so that the weight of the device is near your palm, just like when you’re holding a book. The display also rotates so it doesn’t matter whether you’re right handed or left handed – the grip will sit comfortably in your hands.
It is the lightest Kindle at 131 to 133 g, thats around 50 g lighter than Voyage. It might be small, but this matters, especially when you like to read while lying down. This is also the smallest Kindle in terms of dimension, but it still keeps the 6″ display as with older models.
Page turn buttons are back. Personally, I prefer this over the touch screen in the older versions of Kindle.
You get 10 LEDs for a better reading experience in the dark.
Apart from the battery built within the Kindle itself, you also get significantly additional battery life from the cover. Amazon puts battery life at “months”, but according to other sources, this could last up to over 2 months (TechCrunch).

Is it worth the higher price tag? Well, if you read a lot of books – this could be worth it. The smaller size and lighter weight makes it easier to carry the device around in a small bag. Also, the extended battery life (using the charging cover) is a big advantage for those who are always out and about. Although you can already get a tablet at this price and you can do more with a tablet – those can hurt your eyes if you read a lot. Nothing beats the paper-like display of E-readers. If you’re just a casual reader who reads every now and then, I don’t recommend upgrading. You can stick to the older and cheaper models or use your smartphones/tablet.

Personally, I am tempted to replace my (very old) Kindle Keyboard, but since I don’t also get to use it as much as I want to, I’d probably just waste my money upgrading.

For those of you who want to get this latest Kindle, head on over to Amazon and pre-order the device. They will start shipping April 27, which is quite soon. For those in the Philippines, unfortunately, they don’t ship here yet. But, fortunately, you can use LBC’s Shipping Cart and they will be the ones to make sure you get your device to your doorstep the soonest possible time.

Cosmic Explorer, Perfume’s New Album

Perfume’s new album – Cosmic Explorer is finally out! This took more than two years to make, and personally, it does not disappoint! I liked all of the new songs, although the for the remixes, there were some songs where I preferred the original. I have been listening to the album on repeat for the past days and here are some of my thoughts for each of the song on the album.

Tracklist:

Navigate – 1:19
- This intro conjures up images of a space ship getting ready for take off, with the sounds of the buttons on the ship panel building the anticipation for the whole album. This intro blends well into the 2nd track – Cosmic Explorer.
Cosmic Explorer – 5:22
- You’ve finally taken off and you are at that point where the blue sky turns slowly turns into outer space. And then stars! Enter the melodic instrumental hook that’s so good. You already get an idea that the whole album was going to be filled with heavy beats and melodic hooks. You’re just crusing in space, exploring the cosmos. And then you see something spectacular, like a new born star, or comets – and the melodic instrumental hook enters again! I love this song.
Miracle Worker – 3:39
- Miracle Worker is one of the songs that you can’t get out of your head after listening to it. That “Oooh oooh oohhh oooh oooh ohh” is so hard to forget, and so easy to sing. You still get a nice electronic music that makes you feel like you’re still cruising up there in space.
Next Stage With You – 4:38
- This song sounds like a dance song from the 80s or early 90s, still some heavy electronic beats. And that line that says “next suteeji with you” and the “aah ahh aahh ahh” – genius.
Story – 5:22
- I have to admit, this is my least favorite song in the album, only because it sounds like your usual rave music where it’s all beats and very few lines. Although I can imagine this is where all the cool visual effects would be when played in the concert.
Flash (album version) – 4:35
- Chihaya Furu! I’ve been looking forward to the full version of this song since I saw the trailer of the movie. Apparently, this is also a remixed version, in the sense that it’s not the same Flash you hear from the movie. It’s a bit on the heavier side, with so many beats and drops. But I’m not complaining, I like this a lot!
Sweet Refrain (album version) – 4:41
- This is a more heavy version of the original Sweet Refrain from almost 3 years ago.
Baby Face – 4:00
- The first “light” song of the album. This song has a bit more singing and you can hear the girls’ voices more clearly as it is not overpowered by the music. This brings up an image of them chilling, and I think is a good teaser to Relax In The City which comes later in the album as it has a similar vibe.
Tokimeki Lights (album version) – 4:23
- This song was the B-side to the Star Train single. This song doesn’t stand out that much to me and is probably the song I skip most of the time (after Story). I just probably need to listen to it more.
Star Train (album version) – 4:42
- I love this song! I loved it when it first came out showing the events of the 3rd Perfume World Tour. It is close to my heart since I flew to Singapore to watch the concert!
Relax in the City – 4:15
- One of my favorite Perfume songs, just because it’s not the usual Perfume song. This is a very chill song that I like to listen to on a warm afternoon with a glass of iced tea or something. I’m glad they used the original mix for the album!
Pick Me Up – 3:51
- This is perfect partner of Relax in the City, they did come out together in one single. I’ve always thought this song required more singing, with the high notes – but Nocchi did a great job!
Cling Cling (album version) – 3:53
- I love Cling Cling, but I didn’t like this version. It lost its original “oriental” appeal because of the heavy beats, but I guess it was done to make the whole album more cohesive. Still, I prefer the old Cling Cling.
Hold Your Hand – 3:36
- Hey baby, I wanna hold your hand. I also love this song and its message. For me, it’s the perfect way to end the album, like a thank you song to the fans, and telling them to keep holding their hands and support them as they release more music in the future.

I’m not a professional music critic – these are just opinions of a normal fan. I have yet to research the actual meanings of the songs’ lyrics (when I have time), but this is the overall impression that the album had on me. I liked the album, and would buy a physical one when I get the chance (support the artist!).

I also hope that they’d bring the Cosmic Explorer concert outside Japan, or that I’d get a chance to watch in Japan – whichever is more feasible. I’m also excited for even more new music and more albums from Perfume! They are the best!!!

Minzy Leaves 2NE1!

This is probably the saddest day for Blackjacks around the world. It’s all over the Internet today that Minzy is no longer renewing her contract with YG and will be leaving 2NE1 permanently. I’m sure Minzy has her reasons, but it will just never ever be the same without her.

With this, here are five 2NE1 music videos dedicated to our beloved maknae, Minzy Gong. I wish you all the happiness in the world, and wherever life takes you, Blackjacks are still here to support you 100%!

Minzy, it hurts.

Minzy, geuriwohaeyo

Minzy, we’re so lonely.

…but know that we Love you, MINZY!

and we hope you’re HAPPY!

We’ll take any good news we can, so we are still happy that 2NE1 is not disbanding. They will continue as a 3-member unit with plans to release new songs this year. I’m glad they don’t have any plans of replacing Minzy. She is irreplaceable. In the hearts of the fans, 2NE1 will always be CL, Dara, Minzy and Bom. #2NE1FOUREVER #2NE14EVER

Buy PlayStation Store Cards on Amazon

A few years ago, loading up your PlayStation accounts here in the Philippines in order to buy games/items online means buying the actual PlayStation Cards from local game stores at a hefty mark-up. You buy a $10 card for more than $10 value in PHP.

Now, you can finally save those few PHP by buying digital codes for their exact price (or even 1 cent lower to be exact) on Amazon! Note that this is applicable for US PSN accounts. Here’s how:

You need an Amazon account (and of course, a credit card/PayPal account to be able to purchase)
You need a US Address to be able to purchase US PS/PSN cards. You can put your relatives’ US addresses, or if you have none – get one via LBC Shipping Cart (you can also use this address to buy actual things from Amazon).
Click HERE. Alternatively, you can search for the denomination you want in Amazon. Make sure you select the ones with “DIGITAL CODE” in the description.
Purchase using your US Delivery Address!
You will receive the PSN Code on your registered email, and redeem this through the PlayStation Store.

You don’t need to worry about fake codes because you are buying directly from Sony (Sony Computer Entertainment America/SCEA).

For Asia accounts or other region/country accounts, I haven’t tried buying digital codes yet. But let me know via the comments if you have, or if you have other ways of purchasing digital codes online!

OYASUMI – JPOP Good Night Playlist

The other day, I tried creating a YouTube playlist of some of the more relaxing Japanese (JPOP) songs that I’ve been listening to since college – and found it quite helpful in making me sleep.

The past couple of months, I’ve had a hard time sleeping at night because my brain seems to be too active. I don’t want to take sleeping pills, so I’ve tried alternative approaches, like setting up a “spa” atmosphere in my bedroom, and listening to a Spa playlist on Spotify. It worked for a while, but it’s lost its effect.

These songs take me back to the old carefree days of my high school/college years – and that in itself was relaxing. I specifically chose songs that were a bit mellow, or had a theme relating to saying “good night”, or those I thought would help me sleep (or think of people having trouble sleeping). I’m just rambling but here goes my short playlist (for now). I’ll try to add more songs once in a while.

Oyasumi!

P.S. I don’t want to be technical but I’m loosely using JPOP as a term for Japanese music. Some fans would argue that JPOP should be limited for pop music, but I want to make things easier. 🙂

TORIAEZU – Japanese Phrases for First Time Travelers!

I’m going to start off my series of Japan Travel posts with some essential Japanese phrases that would be good for you to know (and hopefully use), when you are traveling to Japan. I am not an expert in Japanese, but I have on-and-off studied Japanese formally and by myself since high school (more self study than formal study). This guide is not supposed to teach you the exact grammatical or native way of speaking, but enough for you to be understood by the person you are talking to.

In this age of the Internet and Google Translate, you can actually do away with learning some Japanese words – BUT – nothing beats the experience of immersing yourself by speaking some of these basic phrases and getting surprised reactions from the locals. I’m sure they’d appreciate the effort you’ve put into learning the language, and it shows the level of your interest in their culture.

Greetings

Good morning (use this early in the morning up to around 10 am) – Ohayou Gozaimasu! (pronounced: o-ha-yo-o go-za-i-mas)
Good day (use this around 11 am until right before sunset) – Konnichiwa! (pronounced: ko-n-ni-chi-wa)
Good evening (use this at night) – Konbanwa! (pronounced: ko-m-ba-n-wa)
Thank you – Doumo Arigatou Gozaimasu! (pronounced: do-o-mo a-ri-ga-to-o go-za-i-mas)
Excuse me (calling the attention of a person); Sorry/Excuse me (passing through and disturbing people) – Sumimasen (pronounced: smi-ma-se-n)
That’s OK/That’s fine, or I’m/We’re OK – Daijoubu desu (pronounced: da-i-jo-o-bu des)

At the restaurant

When entering, you will be greeted “Irasshaimase, nan-mei sama desu ka?” or “Welcome, for how many people?”. You can answer:
- One person – Hitori desu (pronounced: shto-ri des)
- Two persons – Futari desu (pronounced: f-tari des)
- Three persons – Sannin desu (pronounced: sa-n-nin des)
- Four persons – Yonnin desu (pronounced: yo-n-nin des)
- Five – Gonnin desu (pronounced: go-n-nin desu)
- and so on – for more than 5 people, click here!
Ask for an English menu by saying “Eigo no menyuu ga arimasu ka?” (pronounced: e-i-go no me-n-yuu ga a-ri-mas ka)
It’s easier to point to your order on the menu and say: “Kore o kudasai” (pronounced: ko-re wo ku-da-sa-i). You can insert a counter by saying “Kore o xxx kudasai“. Replace xxx with the below (example: Kore o hitotsu kudasai, One of this please)
- One – hitotsu (pronounced: shto-tsu)
- Two – futatsu (pronounced: f-ta-tsu)
- Three – mittsu (pronounced: mi-t-tsu)
- Four – yottsu (pronounced: yo-t-tsu)
- Five – itsutsu (pronounced: i-tsu-tsu)
- For counting more than 5 – click here and refer to Hitotsu system.
Here are some of the usual food/drinks you (a typical Filipino) would order. Use these instead of Kore in the above pattern, or add ga arimasu ka? to ask if they have these.
- Rice – gohan (pronounced: go-ha-n); or you can be specific by saying White Rice – shiro-gohan (pronounced: shi-ro go-ha-n)
- Water – mizu (pronounced mi-zu)
- Coke/Cola – koora (pronounced koo-ra)
- Beer – biiru (pronounced bii-ru)
- Coffee – koohii (pronounced koo-hii)
After ordering, say “That’s all” – Ijou desu (pronounced: i-jo-o des)
To order something “for now” and you plan to order more later, say Toriaezu (pronounced: to-ri-a-e-zu) before ordering (e.g., Toriaezu koohii o kudasai).
To ask how much something costs – while pointing to it, say Ikura desu ka? (pronounced: i-ku-ra des-ka)
When asking for the bill:
- Excuse me (call the attention of the waiter) – Sumimasen
- Please give us the bill/check – O-kaikei onegai shimasu. (pronounced: o-ka-i-ke-i o-ne-ga-i shi-mas)
Give your compliments by saying “It was delicious” – Oishikatta desu (pronounced: o-i-shi-ka-t-ta des), and of course, say ‘Thank You’ (Doumo Arigatou Gozaimasu).

Asking for directions

As you are causing an inconvenience to the person you are asking directions to, start with saying Sumimasen in calling someone’s attention
And then ask “Where is xxx?” by saying “xxx wa doko desu ka?” (pronounced: xxx wa do-ko des ka?). Just make sure you pronounce the name of the place in a Japanese way (be as syllabic as you can). Keep some of these in mind:
- Train station – eki (pronounced: e-ki)
- Bank – ginkou (pronounced: gi-n-ko-o)
- Police outpost – kouban (pronounced: ko-o-ba-n)
- Convenient store – konbini (pronounced: ko-m-bi-ni)
- Department store – depaato (pronounced: de-pa-a-to)
- Pharmacy or drug store – yakkyoku (pronounced: ya-k-kyo-ku)
- Hospital – byouin (pronounced: byo-o-i-n)
- Bus stop – basu tei (pronounced: ba-su-te-e)
Some common words for directions. You don’t need to understand everything the person is saying – just make sure to catch these words!
- Straight – massugu (pronounced: ma-s-su-gu)
- Right – migi (pronounced: mi-gi)
- Left – hidari (pronounced: hi-da-ri)
- Next – tsugi (pronounced: tsu-gi)
Don’t forget to say thanks – you should know this by now.

Finally, if someone talks to you in straight Japanese (because you attempted to talk in Japanese, and you don’t understand what they are saying – you can just say, Wakarimasen (pronounced: wa-ka-ri-ma-se-n) or “I don’t understand”. They will know you are not really fluent, and will try to speak some English words mixed with Japanese words. When all else fails – Google Translate! It’s not always accurate but it can help on most occasions. Just construct your English sentences in a simple manner before getting it translated.

There is a lot of tutorial on the net on basic Japanese words, but I wanted to put this together for friends who are visiting Japan this year (especially after the recent airline sale), to make the experience more fun for them.

If you have any questions or have anything other phrases you think are essential to be added here, let me know via the comments below! I’m sure you will, but I’ll say it anyway – Enjoy Japan!

10 Must Have Android Apps for the Pinoy Yuppie!

The typical Pinoy Yuppie owns a smartphone but I’m quite sure not everyone is using it to its full potential! Aside from connecting you to your friends through social media, with the right apps, your phone can actually help make your life a little bit better. Here are my list of must-have Android apps (because I own an Android phone) for the busy Pinoy Yuppie!

Uber – The Pinoy Yuppie is always on the go. Uber is the best way to travel around Metro Manila (also available in Metro Cebu). Ever since I’ve discovered Uber, I have never rode a normal taxi ever again. Uber’s drivers are ‘generally’ very nice and professional, and they are way better than your usual (abusive) taxi drivers. You don’t need to pay extra tip, you don’t need to worry about going somewhere far, you also don’t need to worry about getting the exact change (you can charge it directly to your credit card), and most importantly, you’ll feel a lot safer compared to a normal taxi! Customer service is also superb. Grab is also another option, but I personally prefer Uber’s drivers and customer service support.
Looloo – The Pinoy Yuppie is always trying out new places to eat and drink. Looloo is the best restaurant review app in the Philippines and used mainly by Yuppies like you. You can count on their reviews, or even better, give your own review and help out fellow Yuppies in deciding where to eat next.
Keep – The Pinoy Yuppie is sometimes forgetful. It’s understandable, you have a lot of things on your mind. If you don’t have your planner or any notebook around, you can use this app to take notes or reminders. The good part is that it is synced to your Google account (as this is a Google app) so you can access the same notes in any device (your laptop, tablet) as long as you sign in your Google account. Convenient right?
I Owe You – The Pinoy Yuppie is rich on payday, and can lose all that money in a few days. This app will help you track your debt – which people owe you money so that you can collect them during “drought season”, as well as the which people you owe money to (make sure to pay them next payday!). It’s easy to use and can give you a snapshot of your net payables/receivables to/from all of your friends.
foodpanda – The Pinoy Yuppie can be too busy to go out to cook or to eat, especially on weekends when you just want to stay at home and rest. Worry not, you can still enjoy your favorite restaurant’s food by having it delivered right into your house by ordering through this app. The restaurants affiliated with foodpanda is quite diverse and they’re continuing to add more. They also have promos on some day where you can get discounts or free delivery!
30 Day Fit – The Pinoy Yuppie is either health conscious but don’t have time to hit the gym, or sedentary and want to do some exercise without having to go to the gym. This app can easily be your friend, as long as you have the will to exercise. You can chose between Ab Exercises, Bodyweight Exercises, Push ups or Squats, and set difficulty levels and you’re good to go! Just follow the instructions on the app and you’ll be fitter than you are now in 30 days, without having to go to the gym.
Netflix – The Pinoy Yuppie loves his/her movies and TV series. Thank the TV heavens that Netflix is now finally available in the Philippines! You can watch shows on the go, especially while you are stuck in traffic to make your time more productive. Subscription is for a fee though (from 370 to 550 a month), but I recommend you drop your cable TV subscription (since you’re not always in the house anyway), and sign up for Netflix instead!
Airbnb – The Pinoy Yuppie loves to travel, be it domestic or international. With Airbnb, you can get way cheaper accomodations versus booking a hotel or hostel. Plus, you can gain new friends, either your hosts, or your fellow Airbnb guests if you rent a shared room. I have traveled to Japan twice and used Airbnb in both instances – there were even times when the rates were cheaper than the normal rates here in the Philippines!
HPSTR – The Pinoy Yuppie wants to be cool and different from the rest. This app will spice up your Android phones by updating your wallpaper automatically with different Hipster photos. You’ll definitely need this when you’re out partying, just to show off how cool you are, even though you’re really baduy on the inside.
Musixmatch – The Pinoy Yuppie loves music. You probably love to sing too, but you don’t know the lyrics, and you are too lazy to search for it each time you switch songs. Worry no more, Musixmatch will do that for you automatically! Use this as your default music player and the lyrics show up on your phone (even on your lockscreen) while you listen to your music. Use Spotify or other music streaming apps? Musixmatch has a floating widget that will also work on those applications! You don’t need to look at the lyrics next time you go Karaoke with your friends!

Do you have any other apps in mind that you think should be added to this list? Let me know via the comments! Go have another awesome day, you Pinoy Yuppie, you!

Troye Sivan – Youth (Lyric Video)

Four days left till the relase of Blue Neighborhood – in the mean time, enjoy the latest lyric video from Troye. This is one of his new songs from the new album – Youth! I personally love this song, it’s very catchy and overall just a feel good, chill song!

I discovered Troye from a friend’s post on Twitter, and on the same day, listened to all of his songs and just fell in love with his music. His ability to put emotions into words and melody just blows me away. At his age – I consider him one of the most creative artists in the industry! In fact, I am a little bit envious of his talent. Not that I have any, but I feel like I should have given songwriting a try when I was at his age! Or pursued music as a profession, one way or another. Oh well, I am already happy discovering artists like Troye who write their own music and touch peoples’ hearts!

CL – HELLO BITCHES

When YG posted that teaser on a 11/21 21:00 comeback, I hoped and prayed that it would be 2NE1. I mean, it’s staring at you right in the face, right?

After a day or two though, netizens were already doubtful that it would be the entire group doing a comeback. And then, after some hints posted by different artists on Instagram, it was clear that it’s not going to be everyone, rather just CL. I liked how they teased us with random letters, which you had to gather from everyone’s IG posts (Dara, G-Dragon, Taeyang and YG) and solve like a puzzle.

Anyway, I’m not sure if this is already considered CL’s official debut single in the US (the track is in English except for a few Korean hooks here are there). And what can I say, the song has CL (or Teddy) stamped all over it as it is reminiscent of Baddest Female and MTBD.

Without further ado, the video:

That was hot! But I really wished for a 2NE1 comeback, hopefully soon! YG, please surprise us by January! I miss Bom, Minzy and Dara!

What do you think of the video?

Cebu’s Parthenon: Temple of Leah

Looking for the next tourist attraction in Cebu? This “Greek/Roman” temple sitting atop Busay is not yet fully complete, but a lot of people are already visiting for its “instagrammability” and that overlooking view of the Queen City.

This temple is a man’s tribute to his late wife, very much similar to how India’s Taj Mahal was built.

This is Leah Adarna – so well loved by her husband and family that they had to build this huge temple so that her legacy lives on. I will leave you to visit and learn more about their love story which led to the creation of this magnificent temple.

This place is basically Cebu’s version of Greece’s Parthenon, except that it isn’t really a religious temple. You will however find sculptures or statues of Greek/Roman gods in the area.

And, equally stunning is the view of the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu (and even the islands of Olango and Bohol during clear days).

The place can get crowded so I suggest you avoid the weekends, and visit on weekdays instead. The temple is still undergoing construction and finishing touches, but you can get in for 50 pesos per person. Not bad a price for a “close to Greece/Rome” experience!

Temple of Leah is in Busay. It’s on the same street as Mountain View and Lantaw Busay (go past both of those). For more information, you can visit their Facebook page here.