Saturday, January 3, 2009, 5:45 AM
Hey everyone who even reads this blog, this post is probably going to be my final post since the precious holidays are over and it is the final article that is required for a School Homework. It is about the recent Israeli Airstrike in Gaza which had killed a Hamas Leader. Here as usual is the report by Fox News.
An Israeli airstrike Saturday killed a senior Hamas commander, Reuters reported.
Hamas said the airstrike in Gaza killed Abu Zakaria al-Jamal, a senior leader of the armed wing of the militant group.
The Israeli army would only say it carried out a series of air attacks through the night.
Israeli warplanes and gunboats blasted more than two dozen Hamas targets Saturday, including weapons storage facilities, training centers and leaders' homes as Israel's offensive against Gaza's Islamic militant rulers entered a second week.
The Jerusalem Post reported the home of al-Jamal was a target of the raids. He was the third senior Hamas operative to be targeted.
In a strike Friday the Israeli Air Force bombed the house of top Hamas operative Imad Akel. The Israeli military reported hearing secondary blasts at the house, indicating the presence of a stash of weapons and explosives in the home, the Jerusalem Post reported.
On Thursday an Israeli warplane dropped a 2,000-pound bomb on the home of one of Hamas' top five decision-makers, instantly killing him and 18 others.
The airstrike on Nizar Rayan was the first that succeeded in killing a member of Hamas' highest echelon since Israel began its offensive.
The Jerusalem Post also reported Saturday that Hamas declared its members foiled an attempt by Israeli forces to move within the Gaza Strip.
Hamas claimed the soldiers retreated after they were targeted by mortar shells.
Israeli forces, however, claimed the "incident never happened."
Senior leadership in Israel had given the thumbs up for a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, sources told FOX News, though it didn't mean such action was inevitable.
A ground invasion could happen soon if international diplomacy fails to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, who have been trading cross-border fire for the past week.
As ground troops massed on the border Saturday, waiting for a signal to invade Gaza, the cease-fire efforts were gaining momentum.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is visiting the region next week, and President George W. Bush and U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon both spoke in favor of an internationally monitored truce.
Israel launched its new round of airstrikes on Gaza in response to renewed missile attacks by Hamas after the two sides' six-month cease-fire ended last month. A ground invasion of the territory has looked increasingly likely, as Israel has been bringing artillery, armor and infantry to the border.
Israel bombed a mosque it claimed was used to store weapons and destroyed homes of more than a dozen Hamas operatives Friday, but under international pressure, the government allowed hundreds of Palestinians with foreign passports to leave besieged Gaza.
Exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said from Damascus on Friday that his militant group was prepared for an invasion and could abduct more soldiers if Israel attempts the incursion.
"If you commit a foolish act by raiding Gaza, who knows, we may have a second or a third or a fourth Shalit," he said, according to Reuters. Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was kidnapped by Hamas in a cross-border raid more than two years ago.
Hamas, whose charter specifically calls for the destruction of the state of Israel, had ordered a "day of wrath" against Israel on Friday over the killing of a senior commander.
In last 48 hours, the U.S. government has helped 27 Americans get out of Gaza, and has heard no reports of any Americans being injured during the assault, according to State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid. Evacuated Americans were taken by bus to Amman, Jordan, but more Americans are believed to be in Gaza.
President Bush, in a radio address taped Friday, accused Hamas of an "act of terror" in its rocket attacks into Israel and suggested that no cease-fire would be acceptable without monitoring to halt the flow of weapons to terrorist groups.
Israel launched the aerial campaign last Saturday in a bid to halt weeks of intensifying Palestinian rocket fire from Gaza. The offensive has dealt a heavy blow to Hamas, but failed to halt the rocket fire. New attacks Friday struck apartment buildings in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, though no serious injuries were reported.
The United Nations estimated Friday that around 100 civilians have been killed in Gaza in the past week, around 25 percent of the 400 estimated killed in the bombing campaign.
The Israeli military called at least some of the houses ahead of time to warn inhabitants of an impending attack. In some cases, it also fired a sound bomb to warn away civilians before flattening the homes with powerful missiles, Palestinians and Israeli defense officials said.
Three Israeli civilians and one soldier have also died in the Hamas rocket attacks, which have reached deeper into Israel than ever before, bringing one-eighth of Israel's population of 7 million within rocket range.
Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and many other Western nations. From 2001 through May 2008, Hamas launched more than 3,000 Qassam rockets and 2,500 mortar attacks against Israeli targets.
Opinion: I feel that wars such as these are really uneccesary since in the end, there is really no winner. There were reports from both sides that the other Country is in the wrong, but I won't comment on that. A simple attack such as this probably shattered many families, and had caused much grief, imagine if a War breaks out, what would the the consequences be like. Both sides should give in a little to be honest, and I hope that Foreign Influence such as the Frenceh President's intervention will help to prevent this disaster.
, 1:09 AM
This is the fourth article for my School homework. It is about the newly elected President of America Barack Obama's preperation to tackle Domestic and Foreign Crisis. Here is Fox News' report on it.
After a holiday vacation in Hawaii, President-elect Barack Obama is rolling up his sleeves to tackle a crumbling U.S. economy amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas.
Obama will meet with congressional leaders on Monday to discuss his economic stimulus plan and he will talk with President Bush and former presidents at the White House on Wednesday, FOX News has confirmed.
Obama plans to meet with GOP leaders as well as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the start of the week.
The first order of business for Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress is to enact the still-emerging economic recovery plan as soon as possible.
The plan, which some Obama aides think could swell to about $850 billion after negotiations with lawmakers, would be the largest investment in public infrastructure since the federal highway system was established in the 1950s. It also would provide tens of billions of dollars in aid to financially strapped states.
Political analysts say one of Obama's early challenges will be to solicit bipartisan support to push his plan through Congress.
"The shape of Congress is such that the Republicans in the Senate can stop anything because we don't have 60 Democrats in the Senate," Democratic strategist Michael Meehan told FOX News. "So Republicans have to come to the table to help with this."
Former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating gave Obama credit for not jumping into the fray until he is sworn in as the nation's 44th president on Jan. 20.
"I think as he said, there's only one president at a time and I think it's appropriate for the president-elect to let the current president to resolve these issues, make public declarations, handle agendas and the like," Keating told FOX News.
Shirley Anne Warshaw, a professor of politics at Gettysburg College and a fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told FOXNews.com that Obama needs to work closely with lawmakers unlike his predecessor.
"The Bush-Cheney years created an imperial presidency when they said presidential decision making is supreme. They said they didn't need Congress," said Warshaw, who is writing a book on the legacy of Bush and Cheney.
"What Barack Obama needs to do is reengage a legislative relationship and say we need to work together," she added. "He needs to work with Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi and build a relationship that was seriously lacking in the last eight years."
Warshaw said she expects Obama to make the effort because he was a sitting senator when he was elected president and because he named Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel his chief of staff.
"That's a big statement," she said.
During his holiday, Obama stayed largely out of the escalating hostilities in the Middle East, where Israeli troops have launched an offensive against Hamas leaders who fired rockets from Gaza. Aides say there is only one president at a time, but Obama received security briefings and spoke with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and his incoming national security team.
Matt Levitt, a senior fellow and director of The Washington Institute's Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, said the Gaza conflict is an opportunity for the incoming Obama administration to lead an international coalition bent on empowering Palestinian moderates and weakening extremists.
"The Obama administration will be in a good position to take advantage of the opportunity that this situation provides," he said, referring to Hamas potentially losing political control of Gaza.
"I think the larger lesson here is that radical Islamist groups from Hezbollah in Lebanon to pick your group in Iraq is watching the international community's response to Hamas," he said.
Opinion: I think that the current Financial Crisis is the best time for Barack Obama to show the World what he can do, and what changes he can bring into the country. There are many criticisms of him, but I believe that since he is elected as a President he should be one who can lead the country well. Although I do agree that the current situation should be handled by the President now, I believe that this recession will last for a long time, even after Senator Barack Obama is sworn into the office. I hope he brings some changes that will benefit both the US as well as the world.
This is taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7176255.stm, it is PURELY for Educational purposes only and NO Copyright Infringement is intended.
, 12:21 AM
This is the third report of the News Article about a Student who was shot dead after dressing up as a German Soldier and defying orders by the Police Officers who had shot him to drop his weapon. Here is Fox News Report on the incident.
SEATTLE — A college student dressed in a vintage German military uniform who was fatally shot by police on New Year's Day was a harmless, eccentric history buff, his family and friends said Friday.
Miles Murphy, a University of Washington senior, was shot several times at his apartment early Thursday after police said he pointed a rifle affixed with a bayonet at officers and refused orders to drop the weapon.
Seattle police had converged on Murphy's apartment after receiving complaints that several men were firing rifle and shotgun rounds into the air. Murphy emerged from inside and pointed what was later identified as a World War II Kar 98 German infantry rifle at the officers, police said.
When he refused several orders to drop the weapon, two officers fired seven shots, police Officer Jeff Kappel said. Murphy was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he died.
A witness told some officers at the scene that Murphy had been firing blanks that night.
Police searching the house found alcohol, live ammunition and a large collection of German, Russian and Nazi memorabilia including photographs and uniforms, Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said.
But Murphy "wasn't a Nazi," Hattie Taylor, a friend, told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "He was just fascinated with the past... He liked to dress up and have fun."
Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske called the situation "truly sad" but stood by the officers' actions. "Right now, I don't see any other choice that they had," he said.
The two officers who fired at Murphy were placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure.
Murphy, 22, was a senior Germanics major, university President Mark Emmert said in a statement Friday mourning his loss.
Murphy wanted to be a German literature professor and had a large collection of WWII memorabilia, said his friend Spencer Bray.
He was "a peaceful and loving young man," his mother, Dianne Murphy, told the local newspaper.
This report is taken from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,475505,00.html, it is PURELY for Educational purposes only and NO Copyright Infringement is intended.
Opinion: Personally I feel that this is a really sad story. And that the influence of the previous World Wars is very high even in our Modern Society. As despicted in the News Report, the boy was a fun-loving and peaceful student, who was only fascinated by the past, much to the point where he defied the orders by Police Officers. Its really a pity that his life ended because of a moment of recklessness, and he seemed to have a bright future until such a tragedy had happened. Police should look into the case and try to learn from this incident so that in the future the same thing will not happen again.
, 12:00 AM
This report is about the second news article for my School Homework. It is a report about the current Financial Crisis or Recession that the World in currently experiencing. This is BBC News' report about it.
It said that Friday's employment report, which sent shares tumbling worldwide, confirmed that the US is in the first month of a recession.
Its view is controversial, with banks such as Lehman Brothers disagreeing.
But a reserve member of the committee that sets US rates warned that it could do little about the below-trend growth expected in the next six months.
"I am concerned that developments on the inflation front will make the Fed's policy decisions more difficult in 2008," Charles Plosser, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said.
He was referring to the problems faced by the US Federal Reserve, which might want to cut interest rates to avoid a recession, but is worried about inflationary factors such as $100-a-barrel oil.
'Significant decline'
An official ruling on whether the US is in recession is made by the National Bureau of Economic Research, but this decision may not come for two years.
The NBER defines a recession as "a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months".
It bases its assessment on final figures on employment, personal income, industrial production and sales activity in the manufacturing and retail sectors.
Merrill Lynch said that the figures showing the jobless rate hitting 5% in December were the final piece in that puzzle.
"According to our analysis, this isn't even a forecast any more but is a present day reality," the report said.
'Actual downturn'
But NBER president Martin Feldstein denied Merrill's claims.
"I think we're not in a recession now," he told CNBC.
"But I think there is a serious risk that it could get worse and we could see an actual downturn," he added.
Merrill said that the current consensus view on Wall Street that there is a good chance of avoiding a recession is "in denial".
It also objected to the use of euphemistic terms for the state of the economy.
"To say that the backdrop is 'recession like' is akin to an obstetrician telling a woman that she is 'sort of pregnant'," the report said.
Housing figures
There were further signs of the housing slowdown that has sparked off the problems in the US economy in home sale figures.
Pending sales of existing homes fell 2.6%, according to the National Association of Realtors, which saw its pending sales index drop to 87.6 in November, 19.2% below the point it was at a year ago.
The figures were better than expected, however, because October's index reading was revised upwards from 87.2 to 89.9.
Meanwhile, US phone giant AT&T said it was now disconnecting a growing number of home phone and broadband customers for failing to pay their bills.
This is taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7176255.stm, it is purely for Educational purposes ONLY and no Copyright Infringement is intended.
Opinion: I think that this crisis may be a test of our perseverence and our lives. The current crisis have caused soaring prices and many job losses, but this is a time to be stronger than ever instead. We should work together and try to build up the Financial Status again and help us grow even stronger before. My heart goes out to all thiose who had suffered the most from this, but we should take the pieces of this and put them together instead.
Friday, January 2, 2009, 11:34 PM
This report is about the first NewsPaper Article that is required for my School Examinations. It is about 2 Californian Football Players who were charged with raping an unconscious woman. Here is Fox News' report on that.
SANTA ANA, Calif. — Two Santa Ana College football players and a friend have been charged with raping and assaulting an 18-year-old woman while she lay unconscious in an Orange County hotel room.
Freshman running back Michael Clemmons, 19, and sophomore wide receiver Luster Lewis, 20, were arrested this week after someone found a 19-minute video the players made of the assault, the Orange County district attorney's office said Friday.
John Paul Foster II, 22, is also accused of helping the players repeatedly rape the victim in July after she passed out at a party at a hotel in Tustin.
The three men each pleaded not guilty to six counts of rape and sexual assault and were being held Friday on $100,000 bail.
Foster was arrested Monday, Clemmons on Tuesday and Lewis surrendered Friday.
Attorneys for Foster and Clemmons could not be immediately reached. A message left with Lewis' attorney was not immediately returned.
Jason Kehler, sports information coordinator for Santa Ana College, said he was not aware of the charges because the school was closed for the holidays.
This is taken from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,475464,00.html, it is merely for educational purposes and NO Copyright Infringement is intended.
Opinion: I feel that such actions are really disgraceful and that the matter should be looked into a investigated well. Sexually assaulting an unconscious women is certainly a very serious crime, and the woman is comfirmed to only be 18 years old, barely reaching an Adult age. Imagine the terror she would feel for the rest of her life. Also, the fact that they had videotaped the entire incident, and letting someone find it meaning that they don't take the video seriously, shows how these Players are reacting to the incident. However I won't judge it based on the report alone, and more investigations should be conducted before a decision is made.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008, 12:48 AM
Hello whoever reads this blog(I think theres no one) today's post is once again about another MMORPG in the Gaming World known as Maplestory or Maple as most would call it. Here's a little description:
Maplestory is a "free" 2D-Side Scrolling Game developed by the South Korean Organisation known as Wizet.There are several versions made for different regions,resulting in a global enterprise with millions of players playing this game. The game revolves around the "Maple World" where millions of players can interact with one another and travel this fantasy world and killing "Monsters" or "Mobs" to gain "Experience" in order to develop their characters skills and abilities like in all MMORPGs.
Currency:
The currency in the game is known as "Meso" which can be obtained by looting various monsters,vendoring items or trading with other players. "Meso" can be used to purchase in-game Items,Gear,Restoration Potions and other items to help the character in the game. There is also another kind of currency known as "Nexon Cash" or "A-cash" or other terms. This new "currency" can only be bought with real money,which contradicts the game's idea of "Free-To-play". This currency gives one the ability to purchase fancy displays on one's characters,to change ones hairstyle or color,purchase pets,etc. Although it may seem innocent,but there are several reports of kids stealing their parents' credit card or paypal accounts to purchase these "cash". The currency can be spent in the "Cash Shop" and in my opinion it is rather ridiculous and its a rip-off.For example,5,000 cash(Around 5 Dollars in real currency) is used to purchase a toysword which provides no stats,but is used to cover one's in-game weapon bought with "meso".And the worse news is that these items which are bought,can only last for a certain period such as 90 Days,60 Days,30 Days or even 1 Day,and that is seriously stupid,we paid for something that we can only keep for a while.
GamePlay:
The objective of this game is to reach the highest possible level to access end-game content and to be able to defeat higher-leveled "monsters". The fastest,and probably the only way to level in this game is to constantly kill "monsters" and gain experience until you level. The quests in the games are usually retarded and give miserable experience and rewards,so the game thus becomes very grindish and forces one to sit in front of the screen and to macro a skill before spamming on it. The experience rate is also very slow,and higher levelled players may have to grind for a month before being able to level up just once. This tempts many people to download "Bots" to help them 'level up" their characters using a automated system,although this is an offence against the Terms Of Service but with the terrible experience rates can one resist this temptation?Another way to speed up ones levelling rate would be to purchase "2X Expericnce Cards" that doubles the amount of experience received and speeds up the levelling process. This however can only be purchased by real cash,which is once again another Rip-off by the company to generate more income for their own use.
Graphics:
The graphics in Maplestory is unlike most other MMORPGs which are 3D,but it is more like a 2-dimensional game with an anime-like feature in it. The keyboard is usually used to control the characters and the mouse is only used sometimes. It is in my opinion rather childish in a way but to others it may seem very interesting and adorable. Well one man's wine is another man's poison I guess..
Storyline:
There is no storyline to the game,the promotional cinematic only promotes the characters and areas and thus there is no specific clues to whether there is a storyline to the game or not. However there is a Maplestory Anime produced to help promote Maplestory,the storyline is as follows:
Ten years ago, the World Tree that protected peace and order of the world was being targeted by an evil organization called the Zakum. The Human race led four other races: the brave warriors, the intelligent magicians, the agile archers and the sly thieves in a fight against the Zakums. In the end, the World Tree activated self-destruction to protect itself. However, the other races thought it was the Human race that destroyed the World Tree. When the World Tree was destroyed most of the races had nothing left, so a number of them went to Maple Island thinking the ones who stayed would die. They escaped Victoria and lived on Maple Island where living is getting harder and harder. Since then, a never-ending war between the different races began.
Ten years later, the main protagonist, Al, is determined to revive the World Tree. Al and his companions begin their journey to seek the seeds of the World Tree. At the same time, the Zakums reappear…
Ten years later, the main protagonist, Al, is determined to revive the World Tree. Al and his companions begin their journey to seek the seeds of the World Tree. At the same time, the Zakums reappear…
Taken from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MapleStory_(anime)
Classes:
There are four classes to the game, the Warriors,Magician,Thief and Bowman which can later be advanced into higher classes. Unlike in other MMORPGs,characters do not receive their classes at the start of the game,but instead they have to go through the tutorial and reach a certain level before they can select their classes. This could be the only thing that is pushing the millions of people to grind for months without quitting and that is really cheap,making use of such idea to "push" a person to continue playing the game.
Quests:
There are a hundred over quests to allow characters to gain a little experience boost and a small reward. There are many different types of quests which I will not go into detail but there are some quests which change ones hairstyle and hair color which I'd like to mention. Most likely the quest will give a terrible hairstyle and force one to buy Nexon or "A-cash" to change back their hairstyle and color. Yet another cheap way to generate revenue.
Free-Market:
In the Free Market,a character can shout out their trades to any other players in the same map and hope that someone would trade with him/her. Players are forced to access this market and endure its crazy amount of lagging and game-stalling just because there is no "General Chat" or "Trade Chat" to allow one to chat with anyone in the region. But one can do so by using "Megaphones" which is bought by real cash(Jesus,thats another cheap idea?). Also in the Free-Market players can set up "Shops" to showcase their goods so they dont have to actually go into the shop and spam on the chat. The "Shops" however,can only be purchased with real cash...
Marriage:
In the game, a male a female character can get virtually married to one another and thus be known as "Husband&Wife" in game. However,there are several procedures required to get married. Firstly both players must wear wedding suits . There are several wedding suits that are available in the *cough* cash shop... Also invitation can only be purchased with real cash and registration is needed using in-game currency or "Meso"
Game-Masters(GM):
GMs are employees of the compnany that distributes the game in a certain region. Their main job is to organise events during certain dates and to suspend any character who is violating the Terms Of Service. But there are many cases of favourtism where a GM would ban a certain player because he/she has a real-life friend who requests so. This clearly shows how inefficient and how much effort is put in to train these characters. So Kids out there who is reading this,watch out for your cash.
Personal Opinions"
Now it is time for my own opinion on this game. I've been hooked up by Maplestory for a couple of years,maybe 2-3 years. Although in between I switched games here and there but still the addiction towards this game was still there. I was introduced to this game by a fellow classmate of mine and as usual I joined it due to peer pressure. Honestly I didnt really like the game,but it was more of a way to release my anger and also to get "IN" with the crowd. The game had wasted away much of my life,and only now do I realuse how foolish and how stupid I must have been to spend hundreds of dollars on the display items in the game which only lasts for a while. The only memories I had in the game was jumping around and smashing and monsters with my character,using the macros I had for the only skill that I ever use. It was really stressful,tiring and I had no fun whatsoever. The only achievement I have ever had was seeing that terrible level-up animation on my character. It may seem like a free game,but millions out there are spending thousands on this game,its crazy. It targets young children with its colorful features and somehow "hypnotizes" someone into purchasing their so-called cash and buying its stupid cash. I cannot imagine how much I have suffered for this game,and how could I have ever lived in this nightmare before. Other games like World Of Warcraft or Guild Wars or even RUNESCAPE may seem addicting and expensive,but the innocent Maplestory is the real killer,the one that truly siphons away one's life. The community within is bad,with many higher levelled players calling me a "Noob" also known as a weaker and lower levelled character.This is just stupid because people can go crazy over this,it is known as "Cyber-Bullying" by many. I've played Warcraft,Pirate King Online,Rakion,etc and none of these games have as much cyberbullying as in Maplestory,the times in that game was simply...inexplainable. It is like a giant toyland that hypnotizes someone into staying there...forever. I still cannot understand how so many people is addicted to that game. The only reason I still have that bit of respect for the game is because of its originality,and the fact that it did not copy any other MMORPGs too much and also because of my friends inside,the few friends who are truly good and also the best guild ever BBG or Black Bandana Guild. Sorry for offending you guys,really,I was going through some stressful times and didnt know what the hell I was typing. Anyway this review may get me hated and flamed,but the words were from the bottom of my heart. I recommend this game only to those who have self-control and discipline and have alot of time in your hands.
Ratings: 2/10
Maplestory Websites http://maplestory.nexon.com/(Korea)
http://mxd.sdo.com/homepage.htm (China)
http://tw.maplestory.gamania.com/ (Taiwan)
http://maple.asiasoft.co.th/ (Thailand)
http://maplestory.nexon.net/WZ.ASPX?PART=/Main (North America)
http://www.maplesea.com/index_piratelaunch.html (South-East-Asia)
http://www.maplestory.com.hk/ (Hong Kong)
Black Bandana Guild : http://bbg.ebloggy.com/eod4.html
Monday, November 3, 2008, 10:41 AM
Hey everyone...if theres anyone reading. I just want to post about a new phone that I have received after a very long period of tolerance. The model would be the Sony Ericsson W980i(I may have made some people angry but...I've already signed it when I knew about the displeasure) in the colour Piano Black.
After several repairs and repeated smashing of my previous mobile phone(Sony Ericsson W810i) I've received ill news that the phone can no longer be repaired nor can it be traded in for a new phone. Although the phone was considerably "free" as it wasn't paid by my own money,I felt the pain,the anguish. I dragged on for quite a while,thinking that I would pamper myself with a new phone as soon as the examinations are over and when I have saved enough cash. But the tension for the past few months....cannot be described in mere words. As I watched many others flip their phones to send an Short Message Service (SMS) which is a communications protocol allowing the interchange of short text messages between mobile telephone devices,I felt this urge to do so as well. Whenever someones asks for my paticulars,I just cant write down my mobile phone number because I dont have it!! Although no one mocked me directly,I felt the peer pressure myself. Finally I have gotten one through my parents(Which i hate to rely on) and have decided to treasure this baby.Personal Review:
This is my personal review on the phone.The Sony Ericsson W980i has a brilliant outer covering with a stylish glass tip that lights up according to the beat of the phone. However,the inside of the phone is not so glamorous,apart from the small screen,there is also very awekward keypads which is really big and does not fit into the phone. The battery compartment is rather tight and I almost dropped my phone while trying to open it for the first time,but this may also be a good thing. The phone has a screen at its cover which allows one to change music without having to manually adjust it from the inside. The camera is a 3.2 megapixel camera which kind of dissapoints me,it is not as clear nor as great as cybershot phones nowadays. Anyway the camera is also placed at a really wrong spot where a stray finger can cover it,which will leave fingerprints which are NOT good. The phone has an 8GB memory which is amazing,with this amount of memory I dont have to worry about not having enough memory.But the phone has no memory card slot,which makes one unable to expand the memory space above 8GB and this may not be a good thing considering the new IPhone by Apple which offers a mammoth 16GB memory. The W980i has a brilliant sound system which can deliver clear audio soundtracks and are better than most other walkman phones.On the overall,it is a great phone by Sony Ericsson but it definitely isn't the all-rounded,all perfect phone that I thought it would be.