Penang Technopreneur Dialogue & Web 2.0 Sharing Session @ Bayview Hotel, Georgetown (1feb08)

This will be the first event of its kind in Malaysia specifically on Web 2.0 & RubyOnRails development platform, in addition to the many Technopreneur Forum/dialog over the past couple of years. At least a hundred web-enthusiasts, technopreneurs, ICT graduates, academicians are expected to congregate in Penang and share knowledge as well as concerns on the road-ahead vision on web & technopreneurship development arena especially in the northern region of Malaysia covering the states of Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak (northern), which were recently grouped under North Corridor Economic Region (NCER) for balanced and progressive overall development.

This event has been initiated and funded by Multimedia Development Corporation Malaysia (MDeC - the government agency overseeing the Multimedia Super Corridor initiative), and is to be co-hosted and co-organized by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and InvestPenang Berhad.

A long time technopreneur who's now taking the key operations of technopreneur development at MDeC, Mr Roslan Bakri Zakaria, in his capacity as General Manager of TeDD-MDeC, having had a personal crash overview of Web 2.0 revolution through visits to Web2Expo San Francisco & Tokyo just last year, will spark the fire which hopefully will continue to burn and push technopreneurs to embrace the information revolution (2nd generation, supposedly) that's taking over the world especially since "You" has been named as the TIME Magazine Person of the Year in 2006.

Web 2.0 enthusiasts including Nasir (ICTpenang.net & Pajamanation Malaysia) and Azrul Hasni (a Java "sifoo" who's now with BillAdam as its CTO) will then take the floor to share their own personal experience and observations.

Master developers including KhaiLee (Mindvalley) and Kamal Fariz (Ruby Brigade) will then share their technical expertise and visions on web development trend and strategies.

After some wild ride on buzzwords and codes, and a good Friday afternoon rest, we'll get back to reality on funding for tech projects. Mr Colin Wong (Seattle-based Prosperati) along with Ashran Ghazi (NEF), Lilyana Latif (Asiastream), and Rizal Azwani (Cradle) will share with the attendees, some insights on funding or getting funded for their bold projects.

Add the event to your calendar

or subscribe to calendar.ictpenang.com for more related events pertaining to ICT and technopreneurship, especially in Penang.

There are still a few more seats left. Register today!

Asia Pacific Wireless Broadband Forum 2008, today (25jan08)

The dialog on the state of broadband, and sharing of experience between participants and attendees is about to start this morning at Nikko Hotel, with guests from various countries especially Japan to enlighten us with their exciting progress in this unchartering of digital territories.

The following is the complete agenda for the day (photo below shows early birds registering at arrival counter as early as 8am):

Asia-Pacific Wireless Broadband Forum 2008

(AP-WBF ‘08)

Objective: To promote the sharing and dissemination of the most up-to-date wireless communication technology, service, market and business information and trend among various stakeholders and industry.

Theme:

Broadband Communications: The Enabler of Knowledge Society

Friday, 25 January 2008

Junior Ball Room, Level 2, Nikko Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Programme

Morning
Registration
8.00am – 9.00am
Keynote Session Session Chair: Dr. Ewe Hong Tat (MMU)
9.00am – 9.25am	Keynote address 1	“"Moving a Major Broadband Agenda - Implementing High Speed Broadband and Broadband to the General Population” Mr. Zamani bin Zakariah Senior Director, MyICMS886, Technology and Standards Division, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission
9.25am – 9.50am	Keynote address 2	“Current Status of Mobile Communications in Japan” Mr. KATAGIRI Koichi, Director for Promotion of ITS Land Mobile Communications Division Radio Department, Telecommunications Bureau Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Opening Ceremony
Opening – Broadband Communications: The Enabler of Knowledge Society
Time	Events	Speakers
9.50am – 10.50am	Opening ceremony	Welcome speech by Prof. Dr. Zaharin Yusoff, President of MMU Dr. Hiroyo Ogawa, Executive Director New Generation Wireless Communications Research Center, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Japan Officiating speech by Minister of Energy, Water and Communications, Malaysia.
10.50am – 11.20am	Tea break & Press Conference
Session 1 Session Chair: Dr. TOKUDA Kiyohito, Oki Electric Industry, Japan
Time	Events	Speakers
11.20am – 11.40pm	Invited Speech (Session 1 – 1)	“Monetizing WiMAX in Malaysia” Mr. Michael Lai CEO of Packet One Networks (M) Sdn Bhd (Subsidary of GreenPacket) Green Packet, Malaysia
11.40pm – 12.00pm	Invited Speech (Session 1 – 2)	“ARIB’s Activities on Systems beyond IMT-2000 and Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) Systems” Mr. WACHI Yasuhiko Director, Land Mobile Communications Group, Research & Development Headquarters for Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB), Japan
12.00pm – 12.20pm	Invited speech (Session 1 – 3)	“Research and Standardization Activity for IEEE802.15.3c mmW WPAN” Dr. KOJIMA Fumihide National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Japan
12.20pm – 12.40pm	Invited speech (Session 1 – 4)	“Current Mobile and Wireless R&D Activities in KDDI R&D Laboratories” Dr. SHINONAGA Hideyuki Executive Director, Strategic Planning Division KDDI R&D Laboratories Inc., Japan
12.40pm – 2.30pm	Lunch Break

Afternoon
Session 2 Session Chair: Dr. SHINONAGA Hideyuki, KDDI R&D Laboratories Inc., Japan
Time	Events	Speakers
2.30pm – 2.50pm	Invited Speech (Session 2 – 1)	"Next Generation Mobile Access Network - Super 3G and beyond -" Dr. MURASE Atsushi Managing Director, Research Laboratories NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan
2.50pm – 3.10pm	Invited Speech (Session 2 – 2)	“Emerging Wireless Technologies : What is the horizon?” Ms. Y. Fern Ko, Technical Insights, Frost and Sullivan, Malaysia.
3.10pm – 3.30pm	Invited Speech (Session 2 – 3)	“Broadband Wireless Access Technologies” Mr. NIIMI Kenji Chief Manager, Mobile Network Solutions Division NEC Corporation, Japan
3.30pm – 3.50pm	Refreshment
Session 3 Session Chair: Dr. Lee Sze Wei (MMU)
3.50pm – 4.10pm	Invited Speech (Session 3 – 1)	“Next Generation PHS with Micro-cell Technology” Mr. KAMIMURA Osamu Project Manager / Senior Coordinator Spectrum Planning Dept. WILLCOM, Inc./ PHS-MOU Group, Japan
4.10pm – 4.30pm	Invited Speech (Session 3 – 2)	“3G and its Evolution Trend” Mr. Yeow Ooh Sheng Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Malaysia
4.30pm – 4.50pm	Invited Speech (Session 3 – 3)	“Safety Driving Support System with DSRC” Dr. TOKUDA Kiyohito General Manager, Wireless Technology R&D Division Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd., Japan

Strap your seat beat, and prepare to be blazed by high speed surfing.... (or at least examine how our Japanese counterparts do their thang!)

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UPDATE: News report: "KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- The government will concentrate on 2.3 gigahertz (GHz) world interoperability for microwave access (WiMax) and at the same time monitor the development of 2.5 Ghz spectrum, said Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik. Read the entire news article...

Search & Pray...

As the millions of Malaysians continue to pray and be on alert, the search continues for the kidnapped victim, Adik Sharlinie as well as for the sketched suspect. May God help us!

Pajama-Man, the Movie (2008)

It'd be good to have one soon, following the steps of Spider-Man, Superman and the most recent local made CicakMan. Or for Malaysians, perhaps we should have a "Orang Baju Tidur", "Kain Pelekat/Batik Man" or T-shirt Pagoda Man... ;)



Anyway, now that Pajamanation is going through some serious renovations aka resurrection phase, in the midst of refunding through the channels of E.U. or anything else possible, with fresher and bolder leadership, direction, and strategies, it's good to get hyped up again with buzzwords like "Pajama Man" or Pajamaworker... Believe it or not, why many are suiting up with ties and coats and earning low 4-digit pay, many in their pagodas and shorts are working leisurely at home, earning 5-digit and more per month! And soon, many more can... although the images of people working in pagodas aren't too appeasing, eh? ;)

On a good mood, I didn't know before that not only there is a song dedicated to my name, there's also a movie by the name of Sobri! And it turns out that the character is sort of a Hungarian version of the famous "Robin Hood", stealing from the rich to give to the poor! Hmm, that sounds to be a strong connection with Pajama Man!! After all, the Pajama notion by Pajamanation has something to do with empowering the less able and the less rich people with greater access and freedom for work and good living, although in the criminal kind of ways. Oh well, I'm dreaming here, but dreaming while awake could actually be much better than dreaming while asleep!

Back to the Nasir "Robin Hood" Sobri, not only is he observably very patient (self-claimed??), he's also very much of a "savior", hence the (ACTUAL) literal meaning of "Nasir al-Sobri" in Arabic - "the patient savior!" But I still can't get rid of the Smallville hyming of "Somebody save me!!" off my head, and I can't (patiently) wait for another season of the Beauties and SuperBoy comes Fall this year...

God has laid down a mission for me, and so does pop culture! (Now this starting to sound like a movie... ) Just a lighter moment, guys!!

Broadband Communications - the Enabler of Knowledge Society

That's the main theme for the upcoming Asia Pacific Wireless Broadband Forum 2008 that is to be held at Nikko Hotel, Kuala Lumpur on Friday 25 JAN 2008.

My good ol' friend, Dr Yusoff with MMU is co-promoting this event which will welcome guests from our local ministries, various govervment agencies, and delegations & speakers from Japan.

[I've had the opportunity to experience Japan's broadband just recently,
and it's something like 30 Mbps today to homes -- need I say more?)

Check out the details of the event here:

http://tinyurl.com/2roxth
or
http://calendar.ictpenang.com

See you broadband enthusiasts there!

or use either of below links to add to your favorite desktop PIM, eg. Outlook, Apple iCal etc:-

XML:
http://www.google.com/calendar/feeds/ree1jri0v5gh74vgdvjo2012g0%40gro...

or

ICAL:
http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/ree1jri0v5gh74vgdvjo2012g0%40grou...

Godspeed for the remaining of January 2008!

Come February, Penangites can check out a Technopreneur Forum to be co-organized by MDEC and USM, and I'll likely be one of the speakers... Details coming up soon.

New Cars for New Year!

Happy New Hijra' Year 1429 to all Muslims and Muslimahs...

Just wanna say that this car looks cool (and cute!):

(Dubbed "The People's Car" revealed today on 1 MUHARRAM 1429H/10 JAN 2008, pictured with Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Group of Companies, India).

And this one retails for just a little over RM8,000! Good for cash buyers, but I'm sure financiers are flocking to approach low-income earners for "take one home today" plans. And for 50 miles per gallon of petrol, it's 'green' too!

But I'm not sure I'd like one without an air-conditioner ;)
'
For many Malaysians, Proton BLM ("Base Line Model" dubbed the "comeback Saga" - I made that up!) would serve as a good new year's gift for well under RM40K - slightly more expensive than an Iswara but cheaper than a Savvy.



Maybe I should get a new car this year...

Rojak RTM: Futej

Siaran media (TV & Radio) nasional, RTM tampaknya terus-terusan ingin mewartakan kepada orang kita betapa wacananyalah yang mempelopori perkembangan bahasa Melayu (atau bahasa Malaysia mengikut Menteri Penerangan semasa, Dato Seri Zainuddin Maidin, selaku pegawai kerajaan yang bertitah untuk saluran rakyat terbitan RTM... Kalau sebelum ini, kita dilemparkan dengan kosa kata tunggang terbalik ala pasembor seperti "infotaimen" (yang kemudiannya ditukar kepada "inforia" hasil gesaan ramai/DBP, kononnya nak lawan dengan "sureheboh" TV3 -- yang juga kemudiannya ditukarkan kepada "jom heboh"), berita perdana jam 8 hari ini pula berkali-kali mengulangi perkataan baru untuk rakyat Malaysia: "futej" yang kononnya sesuai dipinjamkan dari perkataan bahasa Inggeris "footage".

Kreatif? Misalnya "coffee" dijadikan "kopi" -- cukup menjimatkan huruf! Dan "budget" tak lama dulu dicadangkan oleh Tun M, bekas Perdana Menteri Malaysia, untuk dieja sebagai "bajet", lebih ringkas daripada perkataan "belanjawan" (boleh disilapfahamkan sebagai "tukang belanja" kalau dibandingkan dengan perkataan seperti "usahawan" dan "angkasawan") misalnya.

Tapi mungkin tukang kreatif RTM tak cukup faham bahasa Melayu! Yang menjadikan bahasa Melayu tulisan Jawi unik, tak "sebijik" macam bahasa Arab ialah penggunaan beberapa huruf yang tak ada dalam huruf-huruf Arab: "p" (misalnya, orang Arab mengeja "Pepsi" sebagai "bibsi" dan "pound (Ib)" sebagai "bound", "cha" ("jim" bertitik tiga) dan "nga" ("'ain" tiga mata kalau dilawakkan ikut Tan Sri P Ramlee). Justeru, perkataan "coffee" dimelayukan menjadi "kopi", bukan "kofi" atau akan berbunyi seperti perkataan pinjaman Arab: misalnya "fasik" atau nama orang seperti "Faruk" atau "Fatin".

Berbalik kepada perkataan "futej", mungkin, pemelayuan yang betul menjadikan "footage" sebagai "putej", bukan "futej"! Lagipun, kalau digugelkan (di"google"kan), perkataan "Futej" boleh disilapfahamkan sebagai nama keluarga ("surname") untuk orang-orang misalnya di Republik Slovak - Malah, ada syarikat guaman di Slovakia yang didaftarkan sebagai "Futej & Partners"! (Nak kena saman kot RTM ni!!)

Hmm, tapi "ferry" kenapa jadi "feri" dan tak pula jadi "peri"? Apa nak buat... Terlanjur perahu boleh diundurkan, terlanjur kata, rosak bahasa ibunda!

Untuk pakar-pakar bahasa di Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, apa saranan anda? Kalau mengikut kaedah semasa, nampaknya, belum ramai yang menggunakan perkataan "putej" atau "futej" sebagai pinjaman untuk perkataan Inggeris "footage", jadi kita masih perlu tunggu lama dan lihat. Pilih-pilih! "Mari kita tengok SIAPA yang kena..."

Happy 2008 with Love!

Selamat Tahun Baru 2008! Let's make this year full of BANGS!!