LET’S EAT! 開飯啦! Gala Premiere and Movie Review

SYNOPSIS

Ah Yong Café, a reputable cafe famous for its Hainanese Chicken Rice, has been a popular eatery since the 80’s. While business now is nowhere near its heydays, it still attracts a steady flow of regular customers. Showing signs of dementia, restaurant owner Ah Yong (Lo Hoi Pang) decides to retire, he entrusts the café to his apprentice cum head Chef Dai Hung (Chapman To) and his daughter Rosemary (Aimee Chan), who has just returned from Europe. 

Rosemary is adamant about revolutionizing Ah Yong Café to cater to a younger crowd and has no qualms about using lower-grade ingredients to bring costs down. This infuriates Dai Hung, a principled chef who only serves food made from the freshest ingredients and focuses on keeping the tradition of the café. The two soon becomes loggerheads as they disapprove of each other’s style of working. 

Initially, the revamped Ah Yong Café bustles with business with the newly introduced menu and gimmicks, however, the lack-lustre food soon causes the business to suffer and draw flakes from customers and critics. One particular harsh review from the infamous but anonymous food blogger Michelin caused the dwindling business to suffer even further. The regular customers stop patronizing the café and the new customers are turned off. 

Indignant and determined to save the reputation of Ah Yong Café and revive its business, Rosemary decides to enter a cooking competition organized by a regional television channel. In the face of predicament, Dai Hung and Rosemary make up and join forces to create a dish for the competition. Rosemary finally understands the true meaning of good food and love, yet, Dai Hung goes missing on the day of the competition…

CASTS

CHAPMAN TO 杜汶澤 ( Direct and Act )

Chapman To started out as a TV actor in Hong Kong and got his big break after acting in the popular TV series My Date With A Vampire. A multi-faceted artiste, Chapman was also a TV host, a radio DJ and a singer at one point of his illustrious career, but he is best known for his roles in high profile movies such as Infernal Affairs, Initial D, Isabella, and Vulgaria, amongst many others. Chapman’s film career got its biggest boost when he was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Hong Kong Film Award for Infernal Affairs (2002). In 2006, he was also nominated the Best Actor in the Internationalen Filmfestspiele Berlin for his leading role in the movie Isabella. His latest works include Vulgaria (2013), Golden Chickensss (2014) and King Of Mahjong (2015).

AIMEE CHAN陳茵媺

Former beauty queen Aimee Chan is a Hong Kong actress who rose to fame after acting in the highly acclaimed TVB sitcom Best Selling Secrets. A fast-rising star, Aimee went on to earn nominations and win awards for her work in Burning Flame III, Off Pedder and Emergency Unit in the early years of her career. Aimee took a hiatus as an actress after she married fellow actor Moses Chan in 2013, pausing her successful career at its height.

LO HOI PANG盧海鵬 

Lo Hoi Pang is a Hong Kong comedian and television personality who is best known as one of the hosts of Hong Kong’s longest running live variety show Enjoy Yourself Tonight. He joined TVB in the early 1970’s and has continued acting ever since. Recent notable works of Lo Hoi Pang include Z Storm, Golden Chickensss, Iceman, Firestorm, The White Storm and Rigor Mortis. In 2012 Lo Hoi Pang won the Best Supporting Actor for his widely lauded performance in Life Without Principle at the 31st Hong Kong Film Awards.

Patricia Mok

Patricia Mok made her debut in Singapore’s arguably most popular and long-lasting comedy show Comedy Nite, which also propelled her popularity. Later, she moved on to host and act in various shows; her acting was recognized when she bagged the Best Supporting Actress Award in the Star Awards 2003 for playing a dowdy and meek wife in popular MediaCorp drama series Holland Village. She also earned two nominations in the Asian Television Awards in 2006 and 2008.

C KWAN C君

C-Kwan, one of the members from Hong Kong hip-hop duo FAMA, is an established lyricist in the canto-pop scene. He is also a familiar face for movie audiences as he has done cameo and/or supporting roles in movies such as I Love Hong Kong, and All’s Well, End’s Well, and dramas such as Just Love II and Ghost Of Relativity, TVB’s most popular drama series of this year.

TOMMY KUAN關棟銘

Tommy Kuan is a versatile actor but known mainly for his comic performances in various Malaysian and Singapore co-productions. Some of his recent works include Ice Kachang Puppy Love, 2359 and King of Mahjong.

DAPHNE LOW 劉倩妏

A multi-facet artiste, Daphne Low is actively involved in hosting and acting. Her previous movie - River of Exploding Durians in 2014 is the first Malaysian movie to enter the main competition of the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Gala Premiere

Review

This is Chapman To directorial debut. A pretty good Hong Kong style comedy movie. There  are light and serious moments. Interestingly, each and every character in the movie has something to make your laugh. Even though it is comedy, it has a storyline which affects most old established businesses when the boss's children take over the business. 

Tommy Kuan with his big strong frame, does not really dress properly to cover his belly. Another character who always appear besides Chapman To quite often is C Kwan. He always has a witty answer  which surprises the audience. In the case of the two young slim employees who started with the rolling of the red carpet for Chapman To and gang to walk, they too change with the new implementation by Ailmee Chan by dressing sexily when serving the customers. 

Ailmee Chan, the boss's daughter stressed more on packaging of the cafe such as the Korean food menu, while embracing the use of technologies by getting the customers to use ipad for food ordering. In the case of the chief chef focuses on providing quality food for his  loyal customers. The differences in cafe management lead to conflicts between the long time chief chef and the boss's daughter. The boss, LO HOI PANG, provides some laughter from memory loss. 

Other interesting characters include Ailmee Chan younger sister, Daphne Low, who does not stop snacking. Our Best female comedian, Patricia Mok, also acted as Administrative staff in the cafe. Unfortunately, there is not much acting from her part in this movie. Even the loyal customers of the cafe also perform their role in welcoming Chapman To. At first, I thought it was some sort of musical show. 

Fiona Sit played the role of Chapman To ex-girlfriend whom she slapped Chapman and years later came back to try to reunite with him. Fiona Sit does not seem to age and somehow look youthful than Ailmee Chan ( Ailmee Chan was still a student when Fiona Sit broke up with Chapman To ). 

One memorable statement made by Chapman To which does speak some truth, old dirty food establishment served good food. With years of experience in food preparation, this old food establishment probably came out with their secret recipe and also build up a large number of loyal customers over the years. 

Overall, it is fun watching the movie with the main focus of the two main actors, Chapman To and Ailmee Chan. They acted well. 

I shall rate it at 3.5 / 5. It will start showing in cinema from 5 Feb 2016. 

Trailers

Press

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II redefines professional still and 4K video imaging

Next generation flagship EOS-1D X Mark II brings together the best of EOS-1D model technology to deliver stunning image quality and performance for professionals everywhere

 

SINGAPORE, 02 February 2016 – Canon today launched the EOS-1D X Mark II, the new Canon flagship professional EOS DSLR model and long-awaited successor to the EOS-1D X. The EOS-1D X Mark II brings together the latest developments in imaging technology and innovation in the EOS line to present a next-generation professional DSLR model, empowering users to push their boundaries in capturing the best shots. Professional photographers and video enthusiasts will delight in their ability to achieve stunning image quality with the EOS-1D X Mark II even in high-speed precision shooting scenarios typical to journalism, sports, and wildlife photography.

"To photographers, a moment lost is lost forever. The EOS-1D X Mark II is our masterpiece crafted through close collaboration with professionals in the industry, years of research and innovation, and a relentless pursuit of excellence for our users," said Edwin Teoh, Head of Marketing, Singapore Operations, Canon Singapore. "We're ecstatic to be unveiling the next generation of pro-level DSLRs capable of delivering stunning image quality and an unwavering reliability that professionals demand of their work consistently."

Built for quality high-speed photography

A split second can mean a lot to professional photographers, especially those in the sports, journalism and wildlife fields. Beyond being there in the right moment to capture that one unique shot, professionals require equipment quick enough to capture that split second, in impeccable image quality, with precise focus for a perfectly composed shot – something that the EOS-1D X Mark II is capable of delivering. With its new 61-point all points selectable AF system with 41-points cross type AF, photographers benefit from an expanded AF area (approximately 24 percent vertically) compared to the EOS-1D X.

Its low-intensity limit function at the centre AF is also improved to EV-3, thus ensuring a solid performance even in low-light and low contrast conditions. Beyond the hardware, the DSLR is equipped with Al servo AF III+, a new AF algorithm with AI servo scenes analysis that improves AF precision in scenarios involving fast and unexpected movements. With all 61-points compatible to effective aperture of f/8 or faster, autofocusing is possible even when using teleconverters on super telephoto lenses, equipment common in wildlife and sports photography.

Additionally, the mirror on the EOS-1D X Mark II is constructed with a new drive mechanism that quickly suppresses vibration which enables the DSLR to deliver a quick frame rate of 14 fps with AF and auto-exposure tracking enabled, and an even more impressive 16 fps when shooting with Live View, with no screen blackout. With a CFast 2.0 card slot for high-speed writing, the EOS-1D X Mark II can capture up to 170 RAW images and an unlimited number of JPEG images in continuous shooting mode.

4K image quality for EOS Movie

In 2012, the EOS-1D C was the first EOS DSLR to incorporate 4K movie recording. With the EOS-1D X Mark II, users are now able to utilize 4K motion JPEG at 60/50p, resulting in amazingly smooth footages. The EOS-1D X Mark II’s Full HD recording feature comes with a new High Frame Rate mode that allows recording at 120/100, enabling slow motion video recording. The inclusion of a CFast slot caters to these high data-rate shooting modes.

With the addition of the Dual Pixel CMOS AF (DAF), a first in the EOS-1D series, users utilising phase-detection in Live View mode benefit from extremely fast auto-focusing and efficient tracking of moving subjects without aperture limitations. The DSLR also supports EV-3 for all effective AF points within the sensor area when shooting 4K movies. Similar to the EOS 7D Mark II, the EOS-1D X Mark II includes selectable adjustments for Movie Servo AF speed and Movie Servo AF tracking sensitivity, giving users more flexibility in controlling focus racking during video shooting. Additionally, the EOS-1D X Mark II is equipped with touch focus function for its DAF feature. With this, users can easily switch focus by tapping the LCD panel for AF point selection in Live View mode.

With the DSLR’s 4K Frame Grab function, users can also easily extract images[1] of approximately 8.8 megapixels in JPEG format from 4K movies recorded on the camera without connecting to a computer. The camera’s ability to shoot at 60p means sports and wildlife photographers can now pick one out of the sixty images in every second of the video, thereby achieving a much higher image hit-rate and improving work efficiency.

Top-class image quality

The EOS-1D X Mark II breaks new ground for the EOS line with a newly developed 35mm full frame CMOS sensor, Dual DIGIC 6+ image processors, enhanced resolution of 20.2- megapixel images, and expanded ISO speeds of up to 409,600, one full stop higher than its predecessor the EOS1D X. With this, users are able to achieve better shooting results in lowlight. The new 360,000 pixel RGB + IR metering sensor and EOS iTR AF system on the EOS-1D X Mark II also greatly improves tracking precision. For indoor shoots under artificial lighting, photographers can turn on an anti-flicker mode to detect high frequency flickering of lights, thus ensuring better exposure stability. With this feature, irregular exposure and colours caused by flickering lights can be better managed.

A new in-camera Digital Lens Optimizer is now able to process and optimize RAW images in-camera. Previously available only in post-production, this editing function includes chromatic aberration correction, peripheral illumination correction, and for the first time in EOS history, diffraction correction. The combination of these corrective functions allows photographers to obtain higher quality JPEGs directly from the camera without using a computer, enabling fast image productions where time is of essence. The inclusion of Fine Detail picture style also pushes JPEG files to achieve even higher levels of sharpness.

Made to last

Every part of the EOS-1D X Mark II from its mirror to shutter mechanisms is built for endurance and durability, giving the DSLR a shutter life expectancy of 400,000 cycles. The EOS-1D X Mark II is encased in a robust magnesium alloy body and designed to be dust- and drip-proof for enhanced protection against the elements, essential for reliability in the professional photographer’s varied line of work, especially when working at outdoor shoots.

In terms of design and ergonomics, the grip and button operations were improved for greater comfort and operability for photographers of varying hand sizes. The control configuration on the EOS-1D X Mark II also makes the horizontal and vertical layouts more similar, so shooting landscape or portrait will have a similar feel.

The EOS-1D X Mark II uses the LP-E19 battery, which has a 10 percent increase in capacity compared to the LP-E4N used in the EOS-1D X, providing photographers with longer usage while in the field.

Built in GPS function and optional Wireless File Transmitter

For the first time in the EOS-1D series, GPS is built into the body of the camera. This allows all the photos to be tagged with accurate location information, providing users specific location references especially when traveling between assignments and locations. Access to satellite clocks also ensures accurate time-stamp information, allowing for more efficient organization of images.  

File transfer is also made easy with the Wireless File Transmitter, WFT-E8D, available as an option with the EOS-1D X Mark II. The WFT-E8D supports high speed file transfer which supports IEEE802.11a/b/g/n/ac (5 GHz and 2.4 GHz band) wireless LAN. When mounted on the EOS-1D X Mark II, it allows seamless wireless connection between the photographer’s smartphone and the camera, allowing photographers to remotely control the camera for still image shooting, movie recording and transferring of images from camera to smartphone all via Canon’s Camera Connect app. The EOS-1D X Mark II is also equipped with a USB 3.0 port for high speed data transfer.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing and availability of the EOS-1D X Mark II will be announced at a later date.

Product Specifications

EOS 1D X Mark II

Dimensions: Approx. 158 x 167.6 x 82.6m

Weight: Approx. 1340g (body only)

Image sensor: 20.2 mega-pixel 35mm Full Frame CMOS sensor with Dual Pixel CMOS AF

Imaging processor: Dual DIGIC 6+

ISO speed: 100-51,200 (expandable to 409,600)

Continuous shooting speed: 16 fps (Live View), 14 fps (Viewfinder)

Maximum video quality: 4K 60p (max. 30 mins)

AF: 61-point  High-Density Reticular AF System (41-point cross type)

Wi-Fi: Available with WFT-E8D (Optional)

GPS: Yes

LCD: Wide 3.2-inch (1.62 million dots)

Memory slot: CF + CFast 2.0

About Canon Singapore Pte. Ltd.

Canon is a global leader in photographic and digital imaging solutions.  Canon Singapore Pte. Ltd. is the headquarters for South & Southeast Asia driving sales, marketing and service strategies. Besides handling the domestic market, the company leads 18 other countries including subsidiaries in India, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The parent company Canon Inc has a global network of close to 300 companies and employs close to 200,000 people worldwide.  It is dedicated to the advancement in technology and innovation and commits more than 8% of its total revenue each year to R&D.  Canon is consistently one of the top few companies to earn the most number of patents over the last 20 years.  As a Fortune Global 500 company, Canon is guided by its kyosei philosophy that focuses on living and working together for the common good. 

More information is available at www.canon.com.sg

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[1] Saving a still image from a single movie frame does not result in the same image quality as a normal still image.

Sony Introduces First Smart and Ultra-Fast Internal SSD

Designed to greatly enhance your PC’s performance for improved usability

SLW-M Series

(SINGAPORE, 3 February 2016) – Sony is proud to introduce its first smart and ultra-fast internal solid-state drive (SSD) – the SLW-M series. This new 2.5-inch internal SSD expands and value adds to Sony’s current range of SSD and HDD products that aim to meet the needs of users today.  

Running five times[1] faster than conventional HDDs, the new SLW-M internal SSD has an ultra-fast reading and writing speed of 560MB/s and 530MB/s respectively¹. This ensures a quicker boot-up process and greatly enhanced PC performance, so you can work and play with much greater ease.

Additionally, the SLW-M is highly reliable and far more durable in comparison to conventional HDD storage. You can be confident and assured that your precious data will remain safe and secured as the SLW-M is resistant towards external impact and vibration.

Enjoy some peace of mind as you can now avoid reading and writing data errors, and extend the life of the product all thanks to Garbage Collection, a process to help prepare free space in the internal SSD in advance through data consolidation; and other maintenance activities such as Wear Levelling, a function that helps prolong the life of the SLW-M; and Error-Correcting Code (ECC) function, where the internal SSD is capable of detecting and correcting any kinds of internal data corruption.  

Users can also download smart software which consists of Data Cloning function and the Sony SSD Toolbox. Data Cloning is an extremely quick and simple process of backing up the entire data stored in your PC, including the operating system and its applications – great for emergency situations where the SLW-M can replace the internal conventional hard drives in your PC. Furthermore, the Sony SSD Toolbox provides a comprehensive summary of the SSD such as its model name, capacity, firmware version, serial number, and lifespan of your device. The Toolbox also has the S.M.A.R.T function, which checks the detailed parameters of the drive to ensure that performance and reliability is up to speed.

With a quick and easy set up process, the SLW-M series is highly user-friendly, even for the complete tech newbie. For set up details, please visit http://www.sony.net/ssd_internal/[2]

Available in two capacities, 240GB (SLW-MG2) and 480GB (SLW-MG4), the new SLW-M internal SSD is now available at all Sony Stores at the recommended retail prices of S$139 and S$259, respectively.

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Specification Sheet

Model		SLW-M Series
Form Factor		2.5" SATA III
I/F		SATA 6Gb/s
Capacity		240GB (SLW-MG2), 480GB (SLW-MG4)
Speed	Read	Up to 560 MB/s
	Write	Up to 530 MB/s
Temperature	Operating	0°C to 70°C
	Non-operating	-40°C to 85°C
Dimension		100 x 69.85 x 7 (mm)
Weight		Approx. 50 to 60g
Warranty		3 years
Software (Web download)		Acronis True Image 2015 HD    Sony SSD Toolbox
Accessories included		Spacer which can adapt to 9.5mm thickness
Others		TRIM command support

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[1] Based on Sony’s internal testing.

[2] Users need to prepare additional components such as USB-to-SATA cable or 3.5-inch mounting adapter and screws.

Singtel to offer fastest residential broadband experience in Singapore

Singapore, 3 February, 2016 - Singtel will offer a whopping 10Gbps fibre broadband service to residential customers in Singapore starting this month. Leveraging on its Next Generation 10GPON or Gigabit Passive Optical Network, this first-of-its-kind service for residential customers follows the launch of the pilot phase to a selected group of customers last year.

Mr Goh Seow Eng, MD, Home, Consumer Singapore, Singtel, said, “We made a commitment to our customers to bring them the best network innovations, the very latest technologies for work and play. We recognise that residential customers are using greater bandwidth and requiring faster speeds for their online activities. Our 10Gbps Fibre Home Bundle will offer households the fastest fibre broadband experience in Singapore.”

Through a dedicated, ultra-high-speed 10Gbps wired connection[1], tech aficionados with a real need for speed can enjoy bandwidth-intensive activities such as downloading, gaming and streaming at the same time, without having to compromise on connection quality. For instance, a 2-hour Full HD movie can be downloaded within 90 seconds while a 2-hour 4K quality movie can be downloaded in 6 minutes using a 10Gbps connection.

The service, which also features four 1Gbps ports, can serve as a sophisticated home networking solution for multi-user environments such as home offices and large households. This means individuals working from home can conduct multiple video-conferences, file transfer sessions and even run a home business without compromising on connectivity and bandwidth, while families can indulge in simultaneous web-surfing, video streaming and download music with great ease.

To enhance their 10Gbps experience, customers can simply set up Singtel’s latest WiFi Mesh to improve wireless performance and connectivity in their homes. Through client steering technologies, WiFi Mesh ensures consistent bandwidth at high speeds and increased coverage, providing robust wireless connectivity for data-demanding applications.

Singtel’s 10Gbps Fibre Home Bundle[2] is priced at S$189/month and includes a 10G optical network router, a wireless Dual-Band AC router, NLT installation and Singtel weekday installation, a 4G Mobile Broadband 500MB, and for a limited period, a pair of WiFi Mesh devices worth S$240.

To be the first in Singapore to enjoy Singtel’s 10Gbps fibre broadband service, customers can register their interest at www.singtelshop.com/10GbpsFibre from 3 February to 15 February.

[1] 10-GbE copper (10GBase-T) network port to communicate over CAT6 (or 6a/7) copper LAN cable to another 10-Gb-T supported computer or network device. Actual speed experienced using the Service will be dependent on various elements such as the bandwidth of the destination application, performance of your device and other extraneous factors.

[2] Plan comes with 24-month contract. Terms and conditions apply.

Annexe:

10Gbps Fibre Home Bundle – 24 month subscription
Price per month	S$189
Complimentary benefits	·       10G Optical Network Router (ONR) ·       Wireless Dual-Band AC router ·       NLT installation up to S$235.40 and Singtel weekday installation worth S$90 ·       4G Mobile Broadband 500MB
Exclusive Launch Promotion	Complimentary WiFi Mesh Dual Pack worth S$240

System Requirements:

End User	Macintosh	PC
Processor	Core i7 minimum	Core i7-4790K minimum
System Memory	8GB RAM minimum	8GB RAM minimum
Hard disk	SSD	SSD, PCI-E interface
OS	Mac OS X	Window 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10
Cable	Cat6/6a cable	Cat6/6a cable
Required connection port	10 Gigabit Ethernet port (10GBase-T) network card or Thunderbolt™ 2 to 10 Gigabit Ethernet adaptor (e.g. SANLink2)	10 Gigabit Ethernet port (10GBase-T) network card

*Customers can connect a 10 Gigabit switch to the 10GbE ONR port available to share connection to more 10GbE computers or NAS devices

**Customers can utilise the ONR 4x1GbE to distribute bandwidth to multiple rooms with any existing gigabit Ethernet enabled devices/computers/WiFi routers