When it comes to things like cameras, phones, and laptops, I pretty much make my decision there and then. I am not one to do a lot of research, go around scouting for the best price or model. I depend a lot on hearsay, friends' recommendations and perhaps to a certain extent, the reviews I read online.
I bought my MacBook Pro this year purely through the influence of my bf, S. He has always been very pro Apple and he loves almost everything that is Apple. Whilst I am very in tune with the Steve Jobs history and I love the Apple design, I wouldn't have taken the plunge and converted from a regular MS Office computer to the MacBook Pro I now own. I would say I have no regrets and in fact, now that I am a convert, it is UNTHINKABLE for me to ever go back to a regular computer. Now I know why MAC users swear by it. There really is a difference. Aside from the gorgeous exterior design, the stylish keyboard and accessories that come along with getting your Mac, the interface is really nice to use and the trackpad is a genius. If you love your iPhone, you are going to love a Mac. The OS is also a lot more stable than MS. Start up and Shut Down is really fast too. It's really nice to use and I encourage everyone to give it a try.
I haven't quite decided on what phone I will be getting yet but again, my current Blackberry BOLD was purchased under the influence of my girlfriends. All of them were using a Blackberry and at one point of time, most of my close gfs were working in HK so the blackberry messenger (BBM) was a Godsend really. It allowed us to share pictures, what we were doing then and there, and have group chats etc, instantaneously. It was easy and fun to use. The ease of email was also very appealing. I loved the ergonomics and the executive exterior appealed to me. I loved my BB Bold and in fact I am still loving it! iPhone has its pros but my BB has been very functional and effective for all purposes that I need it for - Email, BBM and Bloomberg. (Making phone calls too of course!)
2.5 years ago when I was looking to buy a new camera, I considered the sony as a friend of mine was using it and I thought it was pretty good. Picture quality seemed alright and the camera was a nice, pretty, RED. I was set on it. I went with S to buy the camera and S already had a keen interest in photography at that time. He did some research online, printed some reviews of various cameras for my consideration and eventually convinced me to get the Canon IXUS 80. It is a good camera and has been serving me well till today. Many people think my food shots on foodgossip.wordpress.com are taken using some high-tech professional camera, but it really was taken using my humble Canon IXUS 80.
An affordable camera that is idiot proof and takes good shots. Value-for-money.
My camera has been dropped many times and I find the picture quality less than satisfactory these days especially shots taken without flash which tend to be "grainy" so I decided to get myself a new camera. It was a toss up between the Canon IXUS 130 which is again affordable and value-for-money given that it takes decent shots and costs about $400ish. I was actually eyeing the Canon IXUS 300 and the Canon S90 which are slightly more powerful and high brow but that would set me back by about $600ish to $700ish. And I didn't even like the exterior design. I wanted something that was more heavy duty. For better, more serious shots. I wanted to have a good camera with me when I go over to Spain so that I can capture the scenery and the holiday and do them justice. I have been eyeing the Panassonic LUMIX LX3 for some time. The quality is really good even for non-flash shots. The colours are clear and real, and the images are sharp. This is a more techy camera and less consumerish which is also what I love about it. My only qualm was that it costs about $600ish and that's quite a lot to pay for a camera especially when I am in the habit of changing mine every 2 years or so. BUT I have convinced myself that I used my camera often enough to have a good rate of against depreciation and since it's such an awesome camera, I may not change it after 2 years. Plus with all the pictures I take for FoodGossip and for FB, events, this blog etc; I think getting a good camera is a justifiable investment. :) So here it is, my new LUMIX LX3!! LOVE IT!! :))
PS: If you are looking to get a camera, you might want to check out ALAN PHOTO at Funan Centre. I hear they have an outlet at SIM LIM too. Their prices are reasonable and cheaper I think. The service is good and the staff are very knowledgable and helpful. The guy serving us today was even teaching S how to take better shots!
-germaine-
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