ASHLEY CHAN ASHLEY CHAN

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Q4 2014 1 THE WORD WITH... ASHLEY CHAN TALK OF THE TOWN Minds.Com Find out about Facebook’s latest privacy oriented competitor Free Copy www.cfm.my SHOUT! consumer.forum.malaysia CFM_Malaysia KDN PP 17752/11/2013 (033132) THE WORD WITH... ASHLEY CHAN TALK OF THE TOWN Minds.Com Find out about Facebook’s latest privacy oriented competitor QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER published by the Communications and Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia 4 Great Gmail Alternatives Webmail services with a twist YOU’VE GOT MAIL... YOU’VE GOT MAIL... 4 Great Gmail Alternatives Webmail services with a twist Tunesmith, singer and Capital FM radio DJ talks about dancing to her own tune Tunesmith, singer and Capital FM radio DJ talks about dancing to her own tune

Transcript of ASHLEY CHAN ASHLEY CHAN

Page 1: ASHLEY CHAN ASHLEY CHAN

Q 4 2014 1

THE WORD WITH...

ASHLEY CHANTalk Of THE TOWn

Minds.Comfind out about facebook’s latest privacy

oriented competitor

free Copy

www.cfm.my

SHOUT!

consumer.forum.malaysia CfM_Malaysia

KDN

PP

1775

2/11

/201

3 (0

3313

2)

THE WORD WITH...

ASHLEY CHANTalk Of THE TOWn

Minds.Comfind out about facebook’s latest privacy

oriented competitor

quaRTERly nEWslETTERpublished by the Communications and Multimedia Consumer forum of Malaysia

4 Great Gmail AlternativesWebmail services with a twist

yOu’vE GOT MaIl...yOu’vE GOT MaIl...

4 Great Gmail AlternativesWebmail services with a twist

Tunesmith, singer and Capital fM radio DJ talks about dancing to her own tune

Tunesmith, singer and Capital fM radio DJ talks about dancing to her own tune

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Q2 2015

EDITOR’s nOTE 3 THINGS YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS ISSUE

Welcome back Dear Readers to the latest issue of Shout! Magazine.

In this issue, we have the pleasure of interviewing the bubbly and witty Ashley Chan, a radio announcer as well as a talented songstress. She talks shop about what an announcer with Capital FM radio goes about in their daily routine and shares more about her aspirations and dreams on p8.

If you are, like many users, connected to Facebook, the de facto social media site on the planet and are bemoaning a lack of alternatives, do check out our feature where we give you the lowdown on Minds.Com; a new privacy oriented social media site with a difference. Check it out on p6.

In topGear this month, we have sorted the wheat from the chaff and picked three fantastic affordable laptops that get you a lot of pixel crunching punch for under RM1000. that’s all for now.

See you all next issue readers!

Megat IshakEditor

INTRO

KDN PP 17752/11/2013 (033132)

Shout! is published on a quarterly basis by:Communications and Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia6-02, 6th Floor, Wisma Straits Trading,No 2, Lebuh Pasar Besar, 50050 Kuala LumpurT: 03-2692-3800 F: 03-2693-2288 W: www.cfm.my

Printed in Malaysia by: Ultimate Print Sdn. BhdLot 2, Jalan Sepana 15/3, Off Persiaran Selangor,Seksyen 15, 40200 Shah Alam, Selangor

Distributed by: hotpaper Media

QUARTER 2 2015

5 EXCITING MUST-WATCH SHOWS ON IFLIX Malaysia’s hottest movie streaming service offers dramas, movies and more

4 GREAT ALTERNATIVES TO GMAIL Explore these four options to the big ‘G’ that offers you additional privacy, disposable addresses and more

3 AWESOME SUB RM1000 NOTEBOOKS Discover three affordable notebooks that cost less than RM1000

THE NUMBERSMalaysians are one of the most social media savvy people in the region. See how we stack up in terms of social media usage with everyone else

ON THE WIRE the latest happenings and events within the Consumer Forum of Malaysia

SOCIAL MEDIA LIFE – MINDS.COM Find out more about alternative to Facebook that emphasises privacy

TOP GEAR – SUB RM1000 NOTEBOOKS It’s not a pipe dream. Decent workhorse notebooks can indeed be had for under a grand

THE WORD – ASHLEY CHAN Thespian, dancer, artist, singer and DJ Ashley Chan talks about living life to her own tune and her work at Capital FM radio

CONNECTED – EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Malaysian Instagram star Azlan Sulaiman shares his aesthetic vision and how he sees and captures beauty in every image he captures

ISSUE OF THE QUARTER – A BRIEF HISTORY OF COMPUTER STORAGE Discover how data storage solutions have improved in size, speed and performance from the dawn of computing to the present day

APPZONE – 4 GMAIL ALTERNATIVES Explore four different webmail services with a twist

HANDS ON Readers get their most pressing questions answered

DIGITAL LIFE – NIGHT AT THE MOVIESIt’s movie night every night with Malaysia’s newest contest streaming service iFlix that offers movies, shows and more in the comfort of your own home

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Infographics courtesy of TNS Globalwww.tnsglobal.com

The NumbeRs

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4 Q 4 2014

ON The WIRe

CFM wEighS iN ON ANALiSiS AwANi ShOw ON ThE ASTRO AwANi ChANNEL

BuLETiN uTAMA TV3 iNTERViEwS CFM LEAdERShip

On the 15th of May 2015, CFM was invited to participate as panellists on the Analisis Awani tV program on the AStRo Awani cable channel. During the course of the program, CFM Deputy Chairman, Mr Megat Ishak and CFM Director, Mr Ahmad Izham Khairuddin chimed in on a number of critical topics, the role and initiatives of CFM as well as announcing a new CFM mobile app currently in development that will facilitate communication between CFM and the public. the app will be available on the ioS and Android platforms once it has been launched.

The sombre halls of Muzium Telekom were filled with laughter and joy when CFM along with the Ministry of Communication and Multimedia (KKMM) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) organised a “12 Hour Doodle Marathon” at the museum. A host of talented doodlers produced works of art that celebrated World telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) 2015. The 25 doodlers who participated in the marathon begun at 10PM on the 22nd of May and finished on the dot at 10AM on the 23rd of May with the final doodle completed by Minister of Communication and Multimedia, YB Dato’ Sri Ahmad Shabery Cheek at the final hour of the event.

TV3’s top news show Buletin Utama visited the CFM headquarters on the 19th of May to conduct an exclusive interview with CFM’s top management. During the interview, Deputy Chairman, Mr Megat Ishak and CFM Director, Mr Ahmad Izham Khairuddin answered a number of critical questions including CFM’s role in resolving communication and multimedia issues with the public as well as highlighting the organisation’s ongoing role in informing and educating consumers on their rights.

Q2 2015

CONTESTANTS FOR ‘NAME ThE CFM MASCOT ANd wiN’ CONTESTS wiN Big

CFM dRAwS iN ThE CROwd wiTh A 12 hOuR dOOdLE MARAThON

on 31st March, several weekly winners of the “Name the CFM Mascot and Win” Facebook contest visited CFM headquarters to claim their prizes. the winners were selected based on their participation in penning a creative name for CFM’s soon to be unveiled mascot on social media. Arrays of prizes were given out to the winners ranging from movie tickets to CFM collectibles. 40 of these winners will enter a grand final where they stand a chance of winning even more valuable prizes like the iPhone 6, iPad Mini and more.

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ON The WIRe

On the 28th of May, CFM’s councillors and members of the secretariat formed a delegation that made an official visit to the Digi head office located at Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park in Shah Alam. During the course of the visit, the CFM delegation were extensively briefed on Digi’s operations as well as given a guided tour of the facilities.

Representatives from CFM dropped by the iM4U radio station located in Puchong on a fact finding mission on the 24th of June with the overall objective to find ways and means of collaborating with IM4U as well as to discuss how GST is affecting the youth. Kartini Kamalul Ariffin, IM4U Radio Director was on hand during the meeting and also gave a guided tour and extensive insight on radio station operations.

Some 40 orphans from Rumah Amal Limpahan Kasih in Puchong had the privilege of breaking fast with Malaysia’s first astronaut, Datuk Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor at the Capri by Fraser Hotel Residences in Kuala Lumpur on the 23rd of June 2015. Hosted by Angkasawan Communication, the event also feted the underprivileged and poor in society. Delegates from CFM as well as from numerous other worthy organisations were also invited as VIP guests at the special event which saw Datuk Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar regaling fellow guests with his experiences of being an astronaut as well as his time on board the International Space Station (ISS) orbiting above the Earth.

Local television channel TV9’s hottest talk show, the Nasi Lemak Kopi O show took an interesting turn with a change to their regular programming on the 29th of May when CFM Director, Mr Ahmad Izham Khairuddin dropped by as an invited guest speaker. Broadcast to a live audience, Mr Izham spoke and highlighted CFM’s role in guiding and helping consumers resolve complaints with telco and multimedia providers as well as CFM’s role in educating consumers on their rights.

Q2 2015

digi RECEiVES CFM dELEgATiON

iFTAR wiTh MALAySiA’S FiRST ASTRONAuT

CFM gOES LiVE ON NASi LEMAk kOpi O ShOw ON TV9

CFM ViSiTS iM4u RAdiO STATiON

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6 Q 4 2 014

sOCIAL meDIA LIFe

A MiNd ON pRiVACyFacebook’s latest competitor has their minds set on privacy

Q2 2015

According to the latest figures, Facebook is the de facto social media network of choice on the planet. Mark Zuckerberg’s wunderkind has a staggering

1.49 billion monthly active users as of June 30, 2015 and this is forecasted to increase 13% year-over-year (1).

While Facebook is a wonderful way to stay in touch with friends, it’s also rather Byzantine in how it collects and uses information. In 2012, Facebook did an interesting

experiment by deliberately manipulating the feeds of 689,003 people to see if their emotions would be altered based on the content of their news feeds without their consent (2). That’s on top of their usual monitoring of personal data ranging from your likes to what you do on the weekends and if it lacks that, it’ll find what your friends like to fill in the gaps to bomb your feed with a host of targeted ads. While alternatives do exist, few emphasise on privacy or anonymity. Enter Minds.Com.

Launched in June this year, Minds is an online social network service. Like Facebook, Minds.com lets users share their ideas, status updates and information with friends and followers. Where it differs is that it’s a completely open source, allowing others to examine the code - warts and all - and messages between users are encrypted, such that it can’t be read by advertisers and governments.

unlike Facebook where you can buy views and which actively restricts organic views unless you pay for boosts, Minds instead offers a points exchange system. The more active you are on Minds, the more reach you get. Points are accrued in exchange for votes, comments and whatnot which you can swap for views on posts that you choose. Getting about in Minds is relatively straightforward with a rolling stream of updates in the middle and a navigation bar on the left where you can add or follow other users.

Signing up for Minds is free and you can even be anonymous if you so choose. It’s an interesting take in a brave new world where information has become a currency of sorts and privacy a luxury. While Minds is still in alpha and it isn’t completely secure as yet, it’s something worth exploring as a more intimate, private and secure alternative to Facebook. to sign up for Minds, you can login via their website at www.minds.com or on the Minds app on the Apple app store and the Google Play store.

iNquiRiNg MiNdS

Media Source:(1)http://investor.fb.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=924562(2)http://www.pnas.org/content/111/24/8788.full

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TOp geAR

gOOd ThiNgS COME ChEAp – TOp 3 SuB RM1000 NOTEBOOkSWhile good things usually don’t come cheap, this triumvirate of affordable sub-RM1000 notebooks pleasantly don’t hold true to the age-old adage. Even though this tempting trio of notebooks come with a low price tag as notebooks go, they’re notebooks in every sense of the word with a proper keyboard and are capable of performing most day to day computing tasks such as surfing the Net, processing paperwork, watching YouTube clips and you can even get in a spot of casual gaming too.

ASuS EEEBOOk X205From RM 849 asus.com.myWeighing less than 1kg and relatively slim at 17.6mm thin, the Asus EeeBook X205 offers a whopping 12 hours of web browsing time before needing a juicing. The X205 comes with a 11.6-inch HD display and packs an Intel Z3735 1.33GHz processor, 2GB RAM, Intel HD Graphics and 32GB of built-in storage. A variant with 64GB of built-in storage is also available. It also has a free one year subscription to Microsoft Office 365 while a built-in microSD card slot allows this notebook to support cards up to 64GB in size. The EeeBook X205 can be obtained in the colours red, blue, white and gold.

ACER ASpiRE E11 RM 999 acer.com.myAcer’s take on an affordable Windows notebook offers quite a lot of bang for the buck. For just under RM1000, the Aspire E11 comes with all the essentials - an 11.6-inch HD resolution display, Windows 8.1 with Bing running on an Intel Celeron N2840 2.16GHz processor, 2GB RAM, Intel HD Graphics and a generously sized 500GB hard disk crammed within a casing that weighs 1.29kg. It also has a USB 3.0 and a USB 2.0 port for peripherals and the built-in 2640mAh battery offers five or so hours of battery life. the Aspire E11 can be obtained in the colours silver, blue and a feminine shade of hot pink.

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TOPGEAR

Q2 2015

LENOVO idEApAd 100 15RM 999 www.lenovo.com/myComing in a businesslike shade of matte black, the IdeaPad 100 15 comes with a huge 15.6-inch HD resolution display and runs Windows 8.1 on an Intel Celeron N2840 2.16GHz processor paired with the usual 2GB RAM, Intel HD graphics and a 500GB hard disk. If you need it to be a bit swifter, you can juice it up with up to 8GB RAM over the stock configuration. It’s a bit on the heavy side though at 2.3KG and the 3-cell battery gives you enough time to shoot off a few emails and catch a movie before hunting for a plug point.

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8 Q 4 2014

The WORD

AShLEy ChANSinger. Tunesmith. Ballet dancer. Musician. Thespian. Self-confessed workaholic and the voice behind some of the smoothest play lists on Capital FM radio, Ashley Chan is a name that’s heating up the airwaves and she takes time off to talk about what keeps her going as one of the voices behind Capital FM.

Tell us a bit about yourself.I’m an only child and grew up in Kuala Lumpur. My mother’s English and my dad’s Chinese. Currently I’m a DJ with Capital FM radio on 88.9FM and you can hear me spin tunes from 1PM - 4PM on weekdays. I sing and dance and did ballet and salsa since I was four. I say did because I tore my meniscus when rehearsing for three musicals and I had to reluctantly give it up. on the music front I sing, play the piano and the guitar and I love electronic R&B.

Describe yourself in three words.Crazy. Caring. Loyal.

What does a working day for a radio announcer on Capital FM look like?My work hours are pretty flexible I come in a bit earlier, say an hour or even earlier if there’s a lot of preparation before the show starts and I can leave once my show is over. I prep what I need to say, what songs I want to put into my track list for the day and away I go. other than that it’s pretty much a routine and I take time off on weekends to focus on my music and finish off my diploma in Mass Communications at ICt College. on the music front I’m working on a new experimental electronic R&B project along the lines of in the vein of artists like Kimbra and Little Dragon. Kimbra’s my spirit animal. I love her so much and really look up to her musically and artistically. I hope to get a few singles out and enough material first in order to get an EP out.

How do you unwind on weekends?I spend time with my family and catch up with friends. I love hanging out at a café and watching life pass by with coffee. I also love watching movies, especially comedies – they’re easy to watch and don’t need much brainpower to enjoy though I still find ‘Like Crazy’ the movie which is my all-time favourite. I also love both Western and Korean dramas. My personal favourites are still Brooklyn 99 and Spring Waltz.

What are the most important things in your life?My family comes first followed by my friends, my music and, of course, my work. My work is my life, yo!

How did you become a radio announcer with Capital FM? Was it what you always wanted to do?I was in school thinking about what I wanted to do when I graduated. I initially wanted to do tV and dabbled in it for awhile. I did a few shows but nothing happened out of it though I was always a fan of Capital FM radio even when I was schooling. An ad came out for a position in Capital FM and I went for an audition. I didn’t get it initially, so I went back to school. I got a call half a year later and Capital FM wanted to get me onboard and here I am ever since.

What’s the best part about your job?Sharing my love for music with everyone. I’m a musician myself and connecting with listeners with music and getting calls from fans saying “hey, Ashley, thanks for playing that as the music really touched me” makes my day.

What was the most interesting situation you’ve encountered as a DJ on Capital FM?Well, we get really random callers on occasion. Some people will try to call in acting as two different people and try to win a giveaway twice. the oddest was one chap who didn’t quite grasp the mechanics for the giveaway of a Michael Jackson CD and was so excited he just rattled off the named of everyone in the station. He got an A for effort and got the CD anyway.

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The WORD

With the advent of alternative media channels and the rise of social media, is there still a place for radio? Where do you think radio will go five years from now? How would radio stay relevant in an age of instant information sourced online?that’s a question we think about a lot. there’s still a place for traditional media like radio as it is still a very personal medium – there’s someone talking to you and with radio you’re able to carry it with you everywhere on your phone or in your car. It’s a bit early to tell but five years from now will likely expand the possibilities and potential of online radio streaming as bandwidth and connectivity improves.

What gadgets do you use on an everyday basis?I’m an Apple girl so I use a Macbook Air. It’s light and it fits my needs. I used to own a Galaxy Note but swapped it for an iPhone 6 in silver. I also have a pair of Skullcandy headphones in white.

Have you had any problems with your telco service? Are you aware of CFM and how it can help act as an intermediary in resolving service issues with telcos and other service providers?Currently no as I’m quite happy with my telco at the moment. I am aware of CFM and will definitely contact them should the need arise.

AShLEy’S FAVE FiVE What does a top DJ have loaded on their smartphone in the way of apps? Ashley shares her top half score of picks that she keeps handy.

Q2 2015 9

SpOTiFy MuSiCFor ioS and android. Free For baSic and rM14.90/Month preMiuM

Lets you browse, search and stream a wide selection of music for free. Fork out for the Premium version and you can enjoy better quality audio and offline listening.

CApiTAL FM – MALAySiA Free For ioS and android

Listen to a constantly changing list of tunes as well as catch up on the latest news and giveaways too with this official app.

VSCO CAMFree For ioS and android with in-app purchaSeS

Shoot, share and edit shots with this handy photo editing app. Offers an array of options to tweak your shots including cropping, straightening shots and a selection of free and paid-for filters.

wAzEFree For ioS and android

This inestimably handy crowd-sourced navigation app lets you share and receive traffic updates in real time and helps shave time off your commute from being stuck in the jam.

SOuNdCLOudFree For ioS and android

Lets artists upload and share their work online and reach audience. A great way to listen and discover new bands that would otherwise go unnoticed.

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10 Q 4 2014

EyE OF ThE BEhOLdERMalaysian Instagram photographer Azlan Sulaiman talks about the creative process in his acclaimed images and how technology has changed the way people take photos

Instagram was first created to share important moments instantly with your smartphone hence the name though many are starting to use DSLRs. While DSLRs offers a better image quality, I continue using a smartphone because it’s convenient and it is always with me. Inspiration can strike from anywhere and I used to upload three photos a day on Instagram. Now, I usually post one a day due to other commitments.

Technology is improving and many smartphone cameras today offer results as similar to compact cameras or better. With a smartphone camera, you have play to its strengths. The depth of field (DOF) and zoom on a smartphone camera is limited so you have to go as minimal and as close as you can. Less is more.

Another thing that has changed in photography in general is the taboo on digitally manipulating images. Now, it’s accepted as long as it doesn’t look too obvious or having the original intent of the photo altered. It is also a lot easier to do nowadays with many smartphone apps which allow you to manipulate images straight off the phone. I use apps like SKRWT to adjust my angle and composition, Retouch to get rid of unwanted elements, Snapseed to balance lighting and saturation and VSCO Cam to apply presets to my images. Editing a picture may take awhile as its a subjective process.

the most prominent stylistic elements in mobile photography can be divided into object(s), background, angles, shapes and colours. By manipulating these aspects when composing the shot, bear in mind the capabilities of your smartphone camera so that afterwards with the apps, you may be able to get an Instagram worthy shot.

With all that said, I am very grateful for the attention and the opportunities I’ve received via Instagram, including my current job. People recognise me in the streets and have even asked me to take photos with them. I don’t assume that all my successes are triumphs though, as they are only virtually there. Being famous online is like being rich in Monopoly. It’s not real. Fame is fleeting, more so with social media.

CONNeCTeD

“Being famous online is like being rich in Monopoly. It’s not real. Fame is fleeting, more so with social media.”

Azlan Sulaiman

I’m currently based in Kuala Lumpur where I’m working as a social media specialist. I’m originally from tawau and the fourth of six siblings. In my free time, I love travelling, practicing Mixed Martial Arts, and of course always sharing my experiences on

Instagram via my @azlansulaiman account! I’ve been gramming for the past two years and initially I didn’t expect to have many Instagram followers because the original intent was to stay connected with friends.

Q1 2015

AzLAN’S TOp TipS: Three tips to capture instagram worthy shots

Lighting is Essentialtry and take photos using daylight for better overall results. If you take photos after sun-down or in low light, ensure you have enough light sources be it overhead light-ing, a lamp or if you find yourself in a pinch, use another smartphone’s camera flash to adequately capture your subject.

Subjects & BackdropsAfter composing a shot, try and put an unusual subject or an object in it. It’s more appealing than simply shooting an empty landscape. try placing the object in the centre of the photo for a simple, minimalist approach though this isn’t a cast iron rule. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Follow the Trend or Create your Own Get an idea of current trends in regards to presets and styles by following popular local Instagram accounts that feature artists like @artventurers, @my_genggua, @igersganu and @themalaya_ig You need to know the rules to break them and knowing what’s popular will let you know what to improve on.

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While man has always sought a means of storing data from paintings drawn by firelight on cave walls down to the writ-ten word, it’s only recently that we’ve harnessed the power of computers to store more data than ever before at any time in our history. It wasn’t too long ago that even sending a single text across a country was a massive technological hurdle much less automating a machine. Let’s take a walk down memory lane as we explore a brief history of the improvements in computer storage...

Q2 2015

Issue OF The QuARTeR

A BRiEF hiSTORy OF MOdERN COMpuTER STORAgE

1725 1951 1956

2000 2006

Invented by one Basile Bouchon as a means to program looms. Improved on over the years and notably used to tabulate the 1890 US census data though it is ultimately obsolete today for all but legacy applications. The aver-age punch card can store about 80 characters.

Patented by Fritz Pfleumer in 1928 for record-ing audio. First used to record data on UNIVAC 1 – the first commercial computer made in the United States. The magnetic tape reels were about the size of a dinner plate and had a density of 128 characters per inch on 8 tracks.

Originally invented by IBM. The first hard disk was the size of two refrigerators and had a total storage capacity of 3.75MB. Its successors today are two million times more efficient and about the size of a small paperback or smaller with the world’s highest capacity drive storing 10TB of data.

Light and reliable with no moving parts, rendering them highly portable (and getting lost), USB flash drives come in a plethora of designs and in different capacities up to 1TB. The first flash drive sold in 2000 only had a capacity of 8MB.

This next-generation disc format is the same size as CDs and DVDs but can hold about 25GB to 128GB of data and is notably used for Full HD movies and console games. The Blu-ray in the name refers to the violet laser used to read the data on the disc.

Generally refers to storing and accessing programs over the Internet. Took off when Amazon launched its Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) in 2006 along with improvements in Internet speeds and a reduction in costs of data storage. Offers as much storage and processing power as you need and can afford.

TIMElInE

MagneticTape

PunchCard

HardDisk

flashDrive Blu-ray

Disc Cloud

Bits & BytesWhile devices state the amount of storage they have, not all of it can be used. Smartphones, notebooks and other devices need part of its stor-age capacity to function so you’ll get slightly less than the stated number.

storage sizes storage Equivalents

1,024 Bytes = 1 Kilobyte1,024 Kilobytes (KB) = 1 Megabyte1,024 Megabytes (MB) = 1 Gigabyte1,024 Gigabytes (GB) = 1 Terabyte 1,024 Terabytes (TB) = 1 Petabyte (PB)

1 Byte = A single character, eg “A”1 KB = Three paragraphs of plain text1 MB = A small novel or a small picture4 MB = An MP3 music file650MB = Storage capacity of a CD ROM 1 GB = 256 MP3 music files (4MB each)1 TB = Over 260,000 MP3 files (4MB each)

911

1995

Invented by Philips, Sony, Toshiba and Panasonic in 1995. Has the dimensions as a compact disc but with much higher storage capacity ranging from 4.7GB to 17GB. The term DVD doesn’t officially stand for anything as there was never a consensus on what it stood for.

DvD

1994

Made by Iomega and resembled chunky 3.5-inch floppy disks with a storage capacity of 100MB that later expanded to 250MB and 750MB. It required a special drive to read and were prone to becoming unreadable, result-ing in the dreaded ‘click of death’. Declined in popularity on account of flash drives.

ZipDrive

1985

Short for – Compact Disc, Read-Only Memory. Developed to record audio media by Sony and Philips but adapted to record data in 1985 and can hold up to 700MB or 800 minutes of audio. Still used primarily in the music industry.

CDROM

1971

A 5.25-inch disk sheathed in a thin, flex-ible plastic sleeve, hence the name. Able to store up to 110kb initially and 360kb when double-sided disk drives were in-troduced in 1978. Later versions were smaller and better protected – 3.5-inch-es in size and able to up to 1.44MB in later versions.

floppyDisk

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12 Q 4 2014

AppZONe

FOuR gREAT gMAiL ALTERNATiVESFour alternative webmail options beyond Gmail

If you have a personal e-mail account, odds are you’re most likely using Gmail, what with its ubiquity on almost every Android smartphone out there combined with a solid and constantly evolving array of improvements and tweaks to enhance its functionality. Even so, Gmail doesn’t quite offer the proverbial kitchen sink in terms of features though it gets very close to doing

so. If you’re keen to expand your horizons beyond the big ‘G’, check out these four interesting webmail alternatives.

Q2 2015

guERiLLA MAiLwww.guerrillaMail.coMGuerilla Mail is browser based so it’ll work with almost any device though it has an app on the Google Play store. Each incoming e-mail lasts for an hour before being deleted. Once created, e-mail addresses on Guerilla Mail don’t need a password to login. Instead, you issue out a scrambled e-mail address to recipients; essentially the same thing with randomised letters but which points back to your e-mail address for security. You can even send BitCoins via Guerilla Mail.

zOhO MAiLwww.zoho.coMOn the surface, Zoho’s free e-mail option seems somewhat paltry at 5GB of storage for e-mails and 1GB of document storage but what makes it unique is that Zoho is ad free and works with an optional array of tightly integrated business oriented apps for both ioS and Android that run the gamut from project management to expense reporting as well as offering seamlessly smooth integration when managing e-mails from multiple web domains.

pROTONMAiLprotonMail.ch If you have a burning need to keep the contents of your e-mail absolutely private, you’ll find ProtonMail ideal as there’s no advertising bolted on , e-mails offer end-to-end encryption and you can even set e-mails to self delete from a recipient’s mail box after a time limit has passed. the servers are in the middle of a former military command centre in the Swiss Alps and all that stored data is encrypted; ProtonMail doesn’t even have access to it. One problem though – ProtonMail has a very long waiting list to get an account.

MiCROSOFT OuTLOOkwww.outlook.coMA strong contender for Gmail, Microsoft outlook has many of the same features as Gmail albeit optimised with native integration for Microsoft applications like Microsoft Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, oneDrive cloud drive storage and the like. It also has a few interesting tricks of its own like the ability to create aliases – additional email addresses that link to your inbox as well as the ability to create customised time-based rules so you can automatically sort your mail box more efficiently. Outlook also has an app for Android and the Apple App store for easier use.

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ThE hELp dESkLETTER OF THE QUARTER

pORTiNg wAyS

dATA CRuNCh

Q I have a data SIM on my tablet solely for web surfing, playing casual games and Facebook. While my

costs have remained predictable in the past year or so, they’ve recently spiked up to very high amounts and I used up my data quota in a matter of days. What gives?

Ali

A unfortunately, streaming videos online uses up a lot of data. and recent updates in Facebook have it

automatically streaming any video on your Facebook feed. this may be the cause . You’ll have to get inside your Facebook app settings and disable the ‘Videos Play Automat-ically’ setting. that should help though you should moderate your video streaming while using data. You will also want to check what else is using up your data – likely culprits could be recently updated or installed apps. Also install a data management app like 3G Watchdog for ioS or Android (http://3gwatchdog.fr/)

Q Despite several complaints, my current telco has no plans to upgrade their existing network

which has bad coverage where I am staying. I’m planning to port over to another telco but intend to retain my existing phone number. how do I port my number over to another telco? I need to retain this number as I have a lot of friends and family on it.

A Before you port out from your existing telco, you can check the service coverage area of the

telco you wish to subscribe to on their website, by visit-ing their nearest service branch or calling their customer service hotline. once you’ve decided, you can port your number over with the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) service at any service branch of your new telco. Make sure that your personal details with your current telco are the same as per your IC when registering your port over details. Before you port over, please ensure that your account is in good standing if you’re a postpaid user with all outstanding amounts paid up or you have existing contract with current telco. If you’re a prepaid user, do utilise your remaining credit or it will get forfeited when you port over to a new telco provider. For more details, you can check at http://mnpcheck.skmm.gov.my/

QuNFAiRLy ChARgEd

I have just switched to another telco recently after Christmas last year. A few months ago, I suddenly

received an SMS from my prior telco that my name was blacklisted and that I owe them an outrageous amount. I feel it’s unfair as I’ve stopped using their services since last year. Please advise.

Alan

A When you terminated your account with your previous telco, there should be a final billing

statement before the termination takes effect. If you are a postpaid customer, additional charges may have been incurred if you terminated your account after your billing date that you will have to pay for. Once your account is officially closed, you should request and receive a final settlement letter from your telco to indicate that your account is officially closed. Please contact your prior telco to resolve your billing issues amicably. Should you have any difficulties, please do give CFM a call.

*Letter have been edited for grammar and clarity Q2 2015

Amelia

Do you have a query, concern or dispute regard-ing your fixed line, mobile, Internet, TV or radio service? Write in to the Consumer Forum of Ma-laysia at [email protected]. the best lettersand our solutions will be shared here at the help Desk so that readers can understand more about their rights as consumers.

got a problem? write to us!

COMMUNICATIONS AND MULTIMEDIACONSUMER FORUM OF MALAYSIA

hANDs-ON

913

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DIgITAL LIFe

MOViE STREAMiNg iN MALAySiA hiTS ThE Big TiME

14 Q2 2015

ThE ShOuT TEAM’S TOp piCkS

If you’re a movie aficionado but lack the time to catch a flick at the cinema, or more likely don’t have the space to store a huge library of old fashioned DVDs for your home movie collection, odds are you’re out of options

unless you’re content with watching decade-old reruns on terrestrial telly at odd hours.

More astute cinephile have less than legal options in the form of torrenting or rooting about dodgy websites to find a movie download though what you’ll get is often a dodgy bootleg version captured on a smartphone camera or worse, a virus. Savvier fans may opt to go the roundabout way of getting a movie streaming service like NetFlix or hulu though this requires you to get an overseas credit card for billing purposes; an onerous task indeed. Fortunately, there’s a simpler and legit solution that lets you watch not only movies but much more. Enter iflix.

ALL yOu CAN wATChLaunched earlier this year, iflix is a movie streaming service that offers an

‘all you can watch’ monthly subscription package that allows you to enjoy content on up to five devices of your choice be it your smartphone, tablet, PC or your TV. For just RM8 a month, you can stream unlimited content at any time, anywhere from up to two devices simultaneously.

Currently, iflix has an extensive library of content that ranges from movies of recent vintage, American and Korean dramas, local Malay movies and even anime too. Content is constantly added so you’re never short of things to watch and, depending on the content, comes with subtitles in Bahasa and English. There’s even a kid-friendly content on offer and a handy Parental Control Feature to ensure safe viewing for younger audiences.

Payment for iflix can be made through a variety of options, including credit or debit cards and even online banking via all the major Malaysian banks. one recent inclusion is billing for both pre and postpaid Digi accounts. Signing up is a stress free affair. You can opt to login via Facebook or by e-mail and once you’ve signed up, you can give iflix a test drive for a limited time before opting for a subscription. For now, you’ll have to remain online to continue watching iflix content but they aim to fix that in the future. To find out more, swing by www.iflix.com

The Americans (drama) Orphan Black (drama) My Love From the Star (k-drama)

Ben 10: ultimate Alien

Adventure Time

FOR ThE kidS

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Q 4 2014 15

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do you know? adakah anda tahu? As a responsible consumer, get to know the right channels for addressing your complaints. Different agencies and authorities are appointed based on different type of services. Jurisdiction empowered to these agencies are also limited. So, be savvy and save time by complaining correctly.

Sebagai pengguna yang bertanggungjawab, ketahui saluran yang betul untuk menangani aduan anda. Pelbagai agensi dan pihak berkuasa yang berlainan dilantik berdasarkan jenis perkhidmatan. Bidang kuasa untuk agensi-agensi ini juga terhad. Jadi, fahami dan jimatkan masa anda dengan melaporkan aduan kepada saluran yang betul.

-English version -Bahasa Melayu

The COP stands for Complaint Online Portal which is a

self-managed complaint portal designed to allow you the

consumer to monitor for yourself the status of your complaint,

looked at or responded to by cers. It gives you

a transparent access to thestatus of your complaint.

The COP stands for Complaint Online Portal which is a

self-managed complaint portal designed to allow you the

consumer to monitor for yourself the status of your complaint,

looked at or responded to by cers. It gives you

a transparent access to thestatus of your complaint.

COP merujuk kepada Complaint Online Portal

di mana portal aduan diuruskan sendiri direka

untuk membenarkan pengguna untuk

melaporkan status aduan anda, sama ada fail anda

telah disemak atau dikenal pasti oleh pegawai aduan. Ia memberi anda laluan telus kepada status aduan anda.

Page 17: ASHLEY CHAN ASHLEY CHAN

Get help from customer service / DApAtKAN BANtuAN DAripADA perKhiDmAtAN pelANGGAN

Calls to 1300-111-000 from your Celcom numbers

Dial 1111 if you’re calling from your Celcom mobile

https://www.celcom.com.myhttps://www.celcom.com.my/personal/helpsupport/contactus/contactus-form

+6016-2211-800http://www.digi.com.my/

[email protected]

TELECOMMUNICATIONS / TELEKOMUNIKASI

Hotline: 1-800-82-1123Or dial 123 from your

Maxis mobile.International calls:

+60374922123Fax: +603-7492-2950

http://www.maxis.com.myhttp://www.hotlink.com.my

Tel: +6019-388-0632 (Joe)Tel: +6016-915-8281 (Sandra)

[email protected]

1-300-03-1300+603-8800-8888 (kl)

+604-722-8888 (penang)+605-811-8888 (perak)

+606-733-8888 (melaka)+607-293-8888 (JB)

+609-293-8888 (kuantan)http://www.p1.com.my/http://www.p1.com.my/

customercare/form/[email protected]

[email protected]

www.redone.com.myhttps://www.facebook.com/

RED1Mobile

+6018-0018-1818 +603-5021-2122 (Oversea)

[email protected]

TM Call Center: 100 (Malaysia)

1-300-888-123 (mobile)+603-2241-1290 (Overseas)

UniFi Call Center: 1-300-88-1222 (pre sales)1-300-88-1221

(current subscribers)[email protected]

Hotline +6018-388-1318 / UM1318

[email protected]

[email protected] +603-9543 3838

[email protected]

Call 1-300-88-1222Call 100 (Malaysia)

eTV Holding Sdn Bhd (eTV)+6018-0087-9993

http://www.etv.my/etv/index_en.html

[email protected]

Pertubuhan Berita Nasional Malaysia (Bernama)

[email protected]

Asian Broadcasting Network(M) Sdn. Bhd. (ABN)Tel: +603-8947-0222

http://www.abnxcess.com/http://www.abnxcess.com/enquiry/

[email protected]

Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad (TV3)

[email protected]

Metropolitan TV Sdn Bhd (8TV)+603-7726-6333(Alt Media)

+603-7728-8282(8TV)[email protected]

[email protected]@gmail.com

TV AL Hijrah (TWAH)+603-226-01600

[email protected]

Nat Seven TV Sdn. Bhd. (NTV7)+603-7726-8777

[email protected]

MEDIA PRIMA BERHAD

Ch-9 Media Sdn Bhd (TV9)+603-7726-6333

[email protected]

RADIO

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

+603-7710-8822 (Studio)+603-7710-5022 (Office)

+603-7710-0110 (studio)+603-7710-5022 (office)

+603-7724-1144 (studio)+603-7710-5022 (office)

+603 [email protected]

+603-7724-2115 (Studio)+603-7885-1188 (Office)

+603-2035-5900

+603-7885-1188 (Office)+603-7710-3988 (Hotline)

[email protected]

STAR RFM SDN. BHD.

BFM MEDIA SDN.BHD

+603-7885-1885 (Office)+603-7885-1188 (Office)+603-7733-5757 (Studio)

[email protected]

BERNAMA RADIO24

[email protected]

+609-624-1008 (Conty)+609-626-2255 (Office)

[email protected]

+607-333-1041 (Studio)+607-331-4104 (Office)

SUARA JOHOR SDN. BHD.

CAPITAL FM SDN. BHD.

INSTITUT KEFAHAMANISLAM MALAYSIA

+608-231-1799

KRISTAL HARTA SDN. BHD.HUSA NETWORK

SDN. BHD.

[email protected]

AL HURAHMEDIA CORPORATI0N

+603 2161 [email protected]

+603-2303 4988http://www.buzzme.com.my

/content/defaulthttps://www.buzzme.com.my

/content/contact-us

PAY TV / TV BERBAYAR

FREE TO AIR TV /SIARAN TV PERCUMA

+603- 2613 3888 or dail 13388 from Altel line

http://www.altel.my/

+603-7832 [email protected]

1-300-800-188 for local+603-6275 8233 for overseas

(10am – 7pm daily)[email protected]

1-300-888-010 from Malaysia12273 from XOX mobile

+603-7962 8000 from abroad+603-80616140

[email protected]

Dial 13100 or +603 2772 0000 [email protected]

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18 Q 4 2014

membeRs OF CFm

*We would like to welcome our new members to the Communications and Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia

MEMBERS OF CFM

SUPPLY SIDE TELECOMMUNICATIONS

1. Altel Communications Sdn Bhd 2. Celcom Axiata Berhad 3. DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (DiGi) 4. Malaysian Mobile Content Providers Association (MMCPA) 5. Maxis Mobile Services Sdn Bhd 6. *Merchantrade Asia Sdn Bhd 7. *M-Mode Mobile Sdn Bhd 8. Packet One Networks (M) Sdn Bhd (Green Packet Berhad) 9. Red ONE Network Sdn Bhd

10. Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) 11. TIME dotCom Berhad 12. Tunetalk Sdn Bhd 13. U Mobile Sdn Bhd 14. *XOX Com Sdn Bhd 15. YTL Communications Sdn Bhd

BROADCASTING 16. Astro Radio Sdn Bhd 17. Asian Broadcasting Network (ABN) 18. Measat Broadcast Network Systems Sdn Bhd (ASTRO) 19. Sistem Televisyen (M) Bhd (TV3)

DEMAND SIDE NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

1. Consumer Association of Miri (CAM) 2. Malaysian Consumers Association (MACONAS) 3. National Council Women’s Organization Malaysia (NCWO) 4. Persatuan Ekonomi Pengguna & Keluarga Malaysia (MACFEA) 5. Persatuan Kebajikan Pengguna Johor (JCWA) 6. Persatuan Kebajikan Pengguna Melaka 7. Persatuan Keselamatan Pengguna Kuala Lumpur (PKPKL) 8. Persatuan Pelindung Pengguna Kelantan (PELINDUNG) 9. Persatuan Pelindung Pengguna Pulau Pinang (PCPA)

10. Persatuan Pemilik-Pemilik Telefon Bimbit Malaysia (PERBIT) 11. Persatuan Pengguna Daerah Kuala Terengganu (PPDKT) 12. Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM) 13. Persatuan Pengguna Kedah (CAKE) 14. *Persatuan Pengguna Komunikasi & Media Malaysia (PEKOMA) 15. Persatuan Pengguna Melaka Tengah (PPMT) 16. Persatuan Pengguna Negeri Sembilan (NESCA) 17. Persatuan Pengguna Pulau Pinang (CAP)