U-Pustaka, The Ubiquitous Library?

Ubiquitous Library? What is that? First time I've heard about this ubiquitous library : U-Pustaka was presented by Assoc. Prof. Madya Indahsah Hj Sidek, Technical Advisory from MCMC for WITSA Global ICT Excellence Award.

What is ubiquitous? The ubiquitous availability of knowledge is crucial to the development of a nation. The role of the ubiquitous library context of development, national unity as well as global competitiveness is vital for any nation today. In transforming Malaysia into an inclusive knowledge society, unlocking knowledge resources using innovative information delivery service could foster an engaging lifelong learning experience anytime, anywhere for continued enhancement to quality of work and life.

Ok, that's a bit of definition on ubiquitous library. What I would like to share is, the noble initiative by Prof Indahsah of creating U-Pustaka. U-Pustaka is an innovation that manifests a collaborative synergy from the Ministry of Information Communications and Culture (KPKK) through Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), with the support of the National Library of Malaysia (PNM).

Front view of Perpustakaan Raja Tun Uda

Last Friday, I've visited Perpustakaan Raja Tun Uda in Seksyen 13, Shah Alam. Perpustakaan Raja Tun Uda is one of the U-Pustaka consortium member, as the U-Pustaka provides their members with efficient, integrated, seamless, "anytime, anywhere" access to content and services. U-Pustaka also fosters an engaging lifelong learning experience for all its members and on-line members through the provision of web publishing, collaboration, content management and inter-lending services components.

Overview of U-Pustaka
Source : U-Pustaka Portal

Other services provide by U-Pustaka are as below:

1. U-Pustaka Inter Lending Service
2. Search Scenario
3. Returning Scenario at the U-Pustaka Consortium Libraries - Perpustakaan Raja Tun Uda
4. Returning at the U-Pustaka Book Drop Station
5. Returning book from home 
6. Renew any borrowed items via U-Pustaka Portal at anytime, anywhere
7. Reservation on any item via U-Pustaka Portal anytime, anywhere
8. RFID Enabled Equipment

Being an era of knowledge economy is great news for research and scholarship and will give unparalleled access to our vast collections to anyone, anytime and anywhere. The cool part about U-Pustaka is, we can easily lend a book via online, without we physically go to the library. Once we are a member of U-Pustaka, we can easily search books with they will advise us which library has the book through Catalogue Search.

Catalogue Search
Source : U-Pustaka Portal

With the collaboration with Pos Malaysia, books will be send to our home, not only that, we are able to set when to return the book and Pos Malaysia will come to our home at collect it. Else, we can return the book at any Drop Book Station and at any Consortium Library, i.e Perpustakaan Raja Tun Uda.

Source : U-Pustaka Portal

Development of ICT has brought us limitless information resources and distraction alike, with U-Pustaka it will develop the good habit of reading for our present and future generations. 

My Dad and Facebook

What a day for me today at work, with the deadline of work that need to be fulfill as our company annual dinner is just around the corner, it is a stressful day. While I'm browsing through my facebook, surprisingly, I’ve found this photo from my dad's facebook. Wow, since when that he know how to do this??

1 of my dad artwork..his fav sate from his hometown at Baling, Kedah..

FYI, my dad used to scold us (me and my siblings) that too much concentrate on phone to facebooking. Whenever my cousins asked him do he has any facebook account, he will reply with : “pakteh takde facebook, muka buka 555 ada la”.. But, thing change honestly, he just bought his Samsung note few months back. After he got his new android with 3G; now he is the master of everything with the apps in his Samsung Note.

Honestly, we did ‘happily’ influence our dad to be part of social media. What we did is we start to create a facebook account for him. Not only that, even create an email for him so that he can register his facebook account. When we created the account for him, he did mumble to us saying that what is that for, he doesn't need that.  Things change after he attended a reunion with his ex-school mates, what surprising us he started to ask us on how to use the facebook.  And why did his so much interest in facebook out of sudden, this is because his friend start to tell him that: “eh, ada facebook tak? Nanti add la, then can upload gambar harini on facebook”.. =)

Source: PicsArt_photo_studio_android

Ever since that day, my dad active in facebook, or should I say addicted to it (which I think it is a bad news to us as he will know what are the little secret things that we did behind his back! Opps..sorry papa..) but come to think at the positive side, it is a good exposure for him to the social media and also technologies. At least now he even can whatsapp us instead of calling us to check where we are (sigh).  Now, my dad is addicted to this app called picsART. Taking photo is one of his interests, with Samsung Note with high megapix of camera, he can snap photo by using the phone and edit plus upload it straight to his facebook account.

Well, what I’m trying to say is, it might be difficult for them (baby boomers) to adapt technologies and all this social network thingy. But, if they found things that really can helps them to enhance their skills, I think they are willing to learn, no matter how complicated it was, they will definitely able to adapt it.

Huh, thank god my dad don't blogging, only if he knew I'm uploading his facebook page here.... love you pa!

Kampung Tanpa Wayar with Mi-WiWi?

What is this Mi-WiWi? 
Sound familiar to a used to popular singer Mawi right? This is not about Mawi, I would like share with you guys with a ‘product’ or should I say a software (sorry with all this IT jargon, honestly not really good with it).  Every service provider nowadays aims to enrich Internet Broadband Access throughout the entire population enabling wireless internet and IT services to customers, if possible, for free.

Kampung Tanpa Wayar is a project run by MIMOS in order to supporting Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Plan’s (ETP) flagship for Communications, Content & Infrastructure  (CCI), Quantum Intelli Code used by MIMOS to afford broadband infrastructure via wireless access device technology to villages nationwide. Now, with Mi-WiWi, the villagers are able to enjoy seamless wireless connectivity and value-added broadband services.

Here’s some info on Mi-WiWi: 

Mi-WiWi Outdoor Access Device provides a complete range of products based on modular design to cater for comprehensive solution from simple WiFi Hotspot to a complex metropolitan network (Metronet). The modular design provides flexibility in the choice of wired or wireless (WiFi, WiMAX, HSDPA), provides for outdoor deployment with robust design and has been deployed over 250 sites nationwide.

Mi-WiWi is integratable with existing telecommunications infrastructure and has features such as: 

• Water and Dust-Proof - These features of the Mi-WiWi ensure that the access device survives harsh environment conditions and delivers distortion-free Internet access.
• Modular Plug-and-Play - Users can directly access the Internet via Mi-WiWi by simply connecting to its Hotspot. For ISPs, this access device supports fixed DSL, 3G, WiFi and WiMAX.
• Enable Value-Added Services - Multicasting and IPv6 provide end users with fast streaming features or wireless IPTV, localised content or advertising, surveillance services and local community VoIP communication; generating additional sources of revenue and value to ISPs and end users.
• WeMS and OTA - Mi-WiWi Element Management System (WeMS) and Over-The- Air (OTA) system provisioning technology allow centralise device administration and updating of software releases for all access devices and related devices within the network withou having to physically upgrade each unit manually.

Applications:

Mi-WiWi is able to extend enterprise Internet access, local IPTV applications, local community web accross and service packages to new and existing customers because its ease of setup and affordable cost of deployment. Mi-WiWi can be applied to provide wireless Internet access in these areas:

• Residential - Broadband in housing neighborhoods or personal home broadband such as Kampung WiFi, which has been deployed nationwide.
• Commercial - Free Internet in a shopping complex, coffee shop or campus such as Minicipal WiFi in Melaka.
• Vertical - Internal wireless network in a large company for surveillance, meter reading, sensor reading, port management or transportation.
• SME - Free Internet access to employees of a campus or enterprise, or WiFi Internet services for a region.

This technique actually will help away with the more labour and cost intensive installation of cables for connectivity. The relay technique is also easier to maintain. Currently, MIMOS is testing the proof concept at Ulu Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan.

Mi-WiWi AP for Kampung WiFi project
Source : MIMOS Berhad

New Kiddie Tablet in Town – LeapPad

LeapPad2 by LeapFrog Enterprise, is a new kiddie tablet which parents can get from their kids and now is already in town. With Christmas season is just few months from now, this will be one of the best present that parents can buy for their kids. With all the learning games and apps, helps the children to learn and play at the same time. 

Tablet is a common gadget between the adults. As we can see most of the parents nowadays, willing to spend not only to have a tablet for their own, but also a secondhand tab for their kids to play games and watch movies. With LeapPad in the market, it actually solves most of the parent’s problem, which is they don’t have to spend more, but to spend wisely. To buy a secondhand tab it will cost them est. RM1,000 but with LeapPad, it only will cost them only RM300. With such reasonable price, parents also don’t have to worried about the apps that need to be installed, wondering if the games and apps is suitable for their kids. LeapPad2 will be the solution which it is a friendly learning tablet that content learning games and apps that provide an educational and interactive for each child.

What else in LeapPad2? Well, let me list down what good about it:

Five Apps included!

The LeapPad2 learning tablet it come with 5 apps that encourage creativity and non stop learning fun. Create and nurture your very own pet in Pet Pad, direct your own animated cartoons in the exclusive Cartoon Director app, learn and sing along to LeapFrog Learning Song and make master pieces in the interactive Art Studio. You can also select one of four popular apps to download free to your tablet.

The highest-quality educational content!

LeapFrog learning apps and games are designed by educational expert, who create innovative, immersives experiences that keep kids challenged and inspired.

Experience a new way to read

Characters spring to life with amazing animation, reading levels adjust the challenge to keep kids engaged and learning, while touching the text sounds out words to help build phonics, comprehension and vocabulary skills. Voice recording, motion-based play and other innovative features turn reading into an interactive experience as children progress through our new Learn to Read series and other exciting Ultra eBooks!

Imagine, create and share!

With a new front-and-back camera and video recorder— plus 4 GB of memory—the sky’s the limit for creative play! Children can create masterpieces in the Art Studio, edit pictures they’ve taken in the Photo Studio and create, direct and narrate their own animated movies in the new included Cartoon Director app!

See and share achievements

Our groundbreaking LeapFrog Learning Path lets you see specific details of your child’s play and learning, including areas where your child excels or needs more support. Emails provide tailored learning tips and let you share your child’s progress and achievements!

Learn in style—everywhere!

From fashionable skins and cases to kid-friendly headphones and more, choose from a range of accessories to make LeapPad2 your own. The AC Adapter and all-new Recharger Pack help extend the play, for endless fun and learning everywhere you go! 

Well parents, let choose what best for the kids and let them experience the new technology.J

*Source by http://www.leapfrog.com/leappad2