” Dear Sir/Madame, We are pleased to announce the launch of DHL@HOME a new service by DHL which offers you a personal mailing address in the U.S. allowing you to shop online and receive packages such as internet orders, gifts and more. The charges for subscribing to this service are as follows: Lifetime subscription: KD 10.000/- Shipping charges: 1st ½ Kg KD 2.500 and every additional ½ Kg KD 2.000/- (chargeable weight). Custom Duty if any will be charged @ 5% CIF. We can offer Insurance upon request calculated @ 2% C&F. To subscribe you are invited to visit us at our DHL office, Ardhiya during our operating hours 8.30 AM to 6.00 PM. Sunday - Thursday. For further assistance or any clarifications please feel free to contact me.
Nothing special in shipping prices. No details on shipping speed. Custom Duty service, I recall Aramex telling me they charge fixed 30 KD service fee for doing the customs, and it takes minimum 3 days or so, DHL could be better here. 2% insurance might be good when you are ordering dear valuable item. But to what extent they cover? I think I will give them a call and see.
While Wii keeps promising the awaited Wii Fit that will launch in May, that some say would let you cancel your gym membership, others are making things more easy and lazy-proof with their Brain Control headset that would allow users wearing the $299 headset (cheap.. I’m buying one) to move objects by only thinking of their actions! The headset can also detect more than 30 different emotions and actions, and can also use your facial expressions as avatars to the game character.
While this technology is not new, it’s newly brought to end user and in the gaming industry. This headset is expected to be out in the market later this year, so it’s pretty soon. You can see the Brain Control headset link for snapshot and video of it, and also enjoy the other video from YouTub here.
One thing that comes to my mind is, how does outside interference affect the game? Say there is someone talking to you, a baby jumping over your lap, your hear a joke, or see an eye-catchy thing, or even sneeze. And this happens before you give the final boss his mortal combo attack. OUCH!!!
Anyways, you can find all those news story links and more on Buzz Out Load.
So I wake up today to find an email from my in-law, Toshiba seems to be ready to raise the white flag, and hit the last nail into HD-DVD coffen, as CNET Buzz Out Loud like to refer to it. From their side also, rumors are spreading that Microsoft will be introducing a Blu-Ray player add-on to their Xbox 360! Just think how bad it must feel for Microsoft. But what I really feel sorry for is the HD-DVD users who have to buy add-ons or replace their DVD Player, and I have to say, when I bought the PS3 I didn’t really think Blu-Ray will outdo the HD-DVD, even though I was strongly supporting it, enough being anti-Microsoft. Luckily, it did win.
AlJarida is a Kuwaiti new newspaper in the market that started off last year. To get a share of the market, they offered free 1 year subscription in exchange to some information, nothing much personal. I don’t regularly read newspaper, but I thought if it’s FREE, why not try it for one year (Mal moft kather mena… Persian for get more of the FREE stuff!). I asked not to have a delivery box at my door, as I’m not sure I will need it one year later. So for few months it was coming, and they called to confirm I am getting it. That’s nice I thought. So I just asked the lady if they could make sure they deliver it to the front door instead of side doors. And that was it. The newspaper didn’t arrive for months. It was too harsh on them I believe. I should’ve had more morals. Anyways, it was free so I didn’t care. Months later a lady calls, and the following conversation goes on:
Lady: Hi Sir. We would like to ensure you are getting the our newspaper. It’s reaching you right?
Me: No. I’m not getting it.
Lady: You didn’t get it yesterday or the day before?
Me: No, I didn’t get it the last several months.
Lady: Ohh… Are you sure? OK we will try to settle it out.
Me: OK (without any interest in the subject really)
So later that night an Egyptian guy calls to clarify, and he gives me another address saying this is what I gave. I told him no, corrected the info, and asked him to deliver it to frond door. Next day, no newspaper again, and the Egyptian guy calls again. I had to argue with him again, convince him I never changed my address, and swear to God I said front not side door. Eventually he got on my nerve, and I just told him to forget it, and not deliver it again. He never did. Months passed until one morning I wake up to find they have installed a newspaper box at my door! Next day they call, and I start to get angry explaining I’m not getting it, and you guys just installed a box without my permission. So if you don’t have the address, how come you installed the box? Weird really. The guy told me I did confirm on the number 50*** that I did receive it. I never had a 50*** number, so go figure what the hell is going on with their delivery system. What I understood is, I was in the middle of cross fire. Aljarida hired this delivery company it seems, which is not able to do proper delivery. They calling me to verify, then firing at delivery company for their bad service, and the delivery company wants me to take the heat. Some service if that’s what’s really happening.
Anyways, so months passed again and there was no sign of the judgemen… arr, delivery day I mean. The wait was over. Yesterday I stepped outside the house to see this:
They magically figured a way to deliver the newspaper. Here it is
But wait… This ain’t AlJarida newspaper. This is another new one called Al-Shahed! Ohh God! Well, they figured how to make use of AlJarida delivery box at least. :) . A point to make is, I read once before another blogger was having the same problem with Aljarida. Regardless of it’s quality, it’s not a choice to go for as I see it.
Technical Conclusion: Doing some reverse engineering on their part as to how this mess could happen, it would be weird if they are really using a database driven system. How could information go so wrong then. It’s not manual either, you can’t copy/paste data from physical paper last time I tried. My best guess is they use an excel sheet or something like that. So they went on to sort it by Name, or Area, and forgot to do the ordering affecting all columns. So every name’s got a new address. Any more guesses?
The January NPD data report on console and game sales in the US has been released, and PS3 sales have not only surpassed Xbox 360 with 269,000 units compared to 230,000, but it is also going Wii a real chase up with 6,000 units difference only! It’s true ofcourse, Xbox 360 has been in the market for quite some time, and Wii has been selling like candy all the time. On the other, considering the price difference between a PS3 and a Wii, for me this counts as PS3 is outselling right now.
Meanwhile, rumors are spreading of next generations of the Wii and Xbox 360 in 2010. With the delay Sony had in releasing PS3, I think the will have their own show in the next release, probably 2012. But then again, they might enjoy knowing their enemy tactics and countering them.
PS3’s main problem remains so far however, and that is lacking killer apps and exclusive games. Wii is fun for family, Xbox 360 has many exclusive games, and with strong internet multi-player support, while in PS3, and coming from Anti-Microsoft guy, still lacks the games that brings people to it. I am personally downloading many playable demos I find, and I hardly find ay worth of spending $60 on. Call of Duty? Well that’s not exclusive. MGS? Fans are still waiting! I know some people might be loving some games there but there isn’t just enough variety, and the lack of multi-player games there makes it less helpful in gatherings.
This Add-on device that will let PS3 users watch digital TV via their consoles might bring more value to it. There is a video demo of the device if you like. But for me, last week I knew I didn’t waste my money on the PS3 after I watch the first Blu Ray version episode of what I think is the best planet documentary ever made.
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