an icepick through the keyhole

... I haven't decided if I'm getting the 3G iPhone yet. It's supposed to be released here in Singapore sometime in September.

It really all depends on SingTel's price plan for it (especially the data charges), which they haven't announced. Right now I'm on Starhub, and their per kB rate is actually a bit cheaper than the current SingTel rate for 3G data downloads.

I'm in no amazing hurry. The Nokia N95 8GB does all I want it to (and it has a very nice 5.0 megapixel camera), and if I wanted iPhone apps I've still got my iPod Touch. Let's just say that right now the thing that will tilt my decision one way or another will be just how attractive SingTel makes it for me to want to lock myself into a contract with them. Call it my fear of commitment.

I don't know what caused this glitch that displays in the Mail application on my iPod Touch, but it's amusing nonetheless. I know spam kind of builds up, but this...

( Cut graphic )

(and yes, my mailbox is empty)

Uploaded a few photos showing off the iPod Touch on Flickr.

Battery life looks pretty good so far, even when surfing - about an hour's worth took down the bar by about a tenth or so.

Thanks to all who put in their suggestions. Based on the various candidates (some of which came through my Facebook page), the new MacBook Pro, which I purchased today — 15" widescreen, 2.2 GHz, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB HD, 128MB RAM graphics card — has been christened Callisto, which means "most beautiful" in Greek.

It was pretty much a toss-up between Cassiopeia and Callisto, but when I laid my hands on the box, Callisto seemed more appropriate. In a way, I like to let my possessions name themselves.

Mildly old news - but in the last couple of days, in case you've missed it, Microsoft announced its version of the multi-touch user interface: Microsoft Surface. Here's a video piece by Popular Mechanics on it, and you can get more info and a higher resolution video with accompanying article from their July issue (and a couple of more videos) at the PM site.

Also, here's the transcript of a fascinating joint interview with Bill Gates and Steve Jobs at the Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital 5 conference (the videos are also available, as a highlight reel or split into a prologue and 7 parts for the whole thing). I don't know about you, but when Jobs and Gates both weigh in on stuff, their joint history, and what might be coming, I find myself paying real attention.

So, you may have heard about this little thing called the iPhone. I know people who are metaphorically (or at least I hope it's metaphorical) creaming their jeans over this one, but I'm one of those who look at it and go... "Nice. Cool, even, but... enhh."

To be honest, I'm more excited about the rollout of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade tomorrow. Outland, baby! Flying mounts, oh yeah! Sexy blood elves (with Mana Tap and Arcane Torrent)! Big blue Punjabi-dancing Draenei! Demons over-running Azeroth for us to beat into little meaty demon chunks! And my level 60 gets to earn XP again!

But more on both later, and why I'm not overly enthused about Apple's latest offering. I need to sleep to get over the jet-lag before I go to work tomorrow.

In the meantime, here's a nice picture of me waiting for the mothership to take me home.

Well, I think I know what I want for Christmas.