Technology & Opinions: My Views on Android VS iOS

Android vs Apple
Image from imagesexplore

I used to have a strong stand as to why Android is better than iOS, and why Android devices are better than the Apple devices. I used to think people should all switch to Android devices, but now I'm happy to say, I no longer think the same. I have learnt to appreciate Apple more and the importance of having Apple in the smartphone industry. That doesn't mean I have switched away from Android or Samsung, I will still choose Android or Samsung over iOS or iDevices, but good things must be appreciated, and here's my new perspective in this technological smart mobile tug-of-war.

"People see what they want to see." -- Gregory House M.D.

If you remember that in an earlier article, I posted a video of Americans actually given an iPhone 4S while being told it was an iPhone 5 subconsciously thought the "new" phone was better, lighter and faster.

Some may think that is really funny to watch, but being capable of implanting this idea in so many people's heads, Apple had to do some miraculous marketing in order to reach this level of mindset altering. Creating Halo Effect is easier said than done, but Apple managed to achieve this with immense success.

The iPhone 5 has been mocked by many as being nothing special but longer and harder; the Apple Map was so terribly inaccurate that Tim Cook has to publicly apologise;

the design cannot be distinguished even if I look at the 4S and the 5 side by side, I even think the longer-yet-not-wider iPhone 5 looks laughable,

Which is 4S and which is 5? No cheating with the connectors!!!
Image from Locky's English Playground

but undeniably, the iPhone 5 has improved its toughness by a dozen times making this even-thinner (but not the world's thinnest as claimed, because the Motorola RAZR XT909, the Motorola DROID RAZR and the Motorola RAZR XT910 are the world's thinnest at 7.1mm) iPhone highly drop-and-scratch resistant. From a hardware design's perspective, this is truly game-changing! Even if the HTC Evo 4G can match with the toughness of the shell, it too cannot match iPhone 5's hardness of the glass and its slimness. Fighting back from the defeat by the Galaxy S2, iPhone 5 has really surprised me this time round!

Image from Tat Fung

The box of iPhone 5 is the best iPhone box design since iPhone! I have always disliked the earlier versions of box design, so dull, so flat, the phone's so over-enlarged, so non-minimalist, but I really like the iPhone 5 box this time as we finally see the entire phone at an angle, the shading, and the larger white background, truly minimalist for the post-Steve Jobs iPhone. Two thumbs up!

Good points must be credited.

Sharp's new 443 ppi 5-inch smartphone displays on show at CEATEC 2012
Image and caption from Engadget

Wait, am I being stingy with my praises for the Super HD Retina Display (326 ppi)? Why didn't I mention it? Well, that's because the Retina display is actually manufactured by Sharp, a well-known Japanese company, which just showcased their own 443ppi 5-inch smartphone and their 498ppi 6.1 inch panel at the CEATEC annual trade show in Japan 4 days ago. iPhone 5 was the sharpest smartphone for about a week, but it is not the sharpest any more. In this case, Sharp takes the credit.

Plus, does that mean the iPhone 5 display is better than HTC ONE X or the Samsung Galaxy S3? Well, it really depends on your requirement. XDA Developer TV Erica has a very very detailed comparison video of the screen technologies of these devices, listing out all the strengths and weaknesses of all the displays. A video highly recommended!!

She definitely gave 100 times more information than I did in my article, Technology: Phabletious!! Samsung Galaxy Note II.

But at the end of the day, why do I still choose Android over iOS? I'll reserve my answer for a little longer, but XDA Senior member Zedomax has some of my keys reasons (from 3:50) for liking Android much more. 

And here's my answer now.

If you like giving more than taking or if you are someone who long for freedom, you will naturally like Android because Google Android allows sharing and the freedom of making changes as most of the codes are open-sourced. Everybody can own a copy of the software code and modify it, change it, make it fit your personally needs.

Various Themes for Android devices, install as apps
Image from Google

We Android users need not know anything about programming but yet we can do whatever we want, however we want with the Android devices we own with a few simple taps on the screen. When we go out to the streets, we compare our phones and see how UNIQUE they are in every aspects: icons, themes, layouts, sounds, live wallpapers, speed, even hardware such as metal cases and skins. We like to be different, we want to be different, we enjoy being different, and at the same time, we enjoy the right to be different. Android allows us to do all these.

Various Custom ROMs
Image from blogdoandroid

We Android developers hack our phones for love and for fun! We root our devices, play with customization, install custom ROMs, change kernels, select voltages, overclock them to push their performance to the maximum, and many more. We develop amazing ROMs, kernels, apps for the devices we love, always help out each others' technical needs and share our work with the Android community to create new software that has and will continue to rock the world! The most important thing is, anyone can be an Android developer and anyone can make a difference in the Android world because Google welcomes creativity at the base level.

Apple's doesn't.

Resurrection Remix Custom ROM
Image from Westcrip

Image from Naver LINE

We don't want limited creativity, or creativity that is build upon what is permitted by a company. We don't buy the concept of having just one way to create things -- the Apple way, we want the freedom to explore, the freedom to make changes to something we own, the freedom to simply say "NO!"

That's my answer.

I'm not saying iPhone is not good. I have grown to appreciate iPhone 5 more than ever in fact, because speed wise and design wise, it is really really good! No doubt about that.

I just think this argument between which is better should not go beyond the personal level.

I think iPhone users should love their iPhone for their preferred reasons and Android fans should learn to understand that love, sometimes, just doesn't need an explanation. The iPhone fans, on the other hand, should also realise that not everyone on this planet are satisfied with what has been presented to them while at the same time being told that "this is the best, you can't get anything better than this" and be controlled by that forever, because then there won't be any self-improvement, there will only be spoon-feeding and blind obedience.

Finally, as a summary, iPhone is good for most common users because Apple does a good enough job for those who doesn't need customization and are happy with the given default elegance, whereas Android phones are more suitable for advanced users who likes tweaking ROMs and kernels, adding new things to make his device truly unique.

Hey, the devices that you own really do tell your personalities, don't they?

As for the on-going lawsuits of Apple and Samsung, I think it is bad because no matter who the winner is, creativity will be limited. But in terms of competitions, having Apple, Samsung, LG, Sharp, Nokia, Sony, etc... all  these companies help to push the mobile technology development to go faster and be better, phones will be cheaper and more affordable eventually, so we consumers will always benefit.


Vocabulary:
tug-of-war -- (n) [C usually singular] a type of sport in which two teams show their strength by pulling against each other at the opposite ends of a rope, and each team tries to pull the other over a line on the ground
implant --- (vb) [T] to fix ideas, feelings or opinions in someone else's mind
miraculous -- (adj) very effective or surprising or difficult to believe
altering -- (n) from (vb) [I or T] to change something, usually slightly, or to cause the characteristics of something to change
easier said than done -- informal said when something seems like a good idea but it would be difficult to do
laughable -- (adj) silly and not deserving to be seriously considered
undeniably -- (adv) certainly true
resistant -- (adj) not harmed or affected by something
game-changing-- (adj) 
minimalist -- (adj) belonging or relating to a style in art, design and theatre that uses the smallest range of materials and colours possible, and only very simple shapes or forms


Resources:

Opinion & Technology: Apple's iPhone 5 Fun, Prank & The Halo Effect @  Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2012/09/opinion-technology-apples-iphone-5-fun.html

Apple CEO ‘Extremely Sorry’ for IPhone Maps Frustration @ Bloomberg
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-28/apple-ceo-extremely-sorry-for-iphone-maps-frustration.html

Sorry, Apple – the iPhone 5 isn’t the world’s thinnest smartphone @ BGR
http://www.bgr.com/2012/09/12/apple-iphone-5-not-thinnest-smartphone/

HTC Evo 4G LTE EPIC SCRATCH TEST @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omIcr-YWwW8

Apple iPhone 5 - Hammer Drop Test @  YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgiF2xnFrto

News & Opinions: iPhone 4 Steve? Siri-ously? What about iPhone 5teve? @  Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2011/10/news-opinions-iphone-4-steve-siri-ously.html

Sharp's iPhone 5 screen shipping underway after initial hiccups @ techradar.phones
http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/sharps-iphone-5-screen-shipping-underway-after-initial-hiccups-1097120

Sharp's new 443 ppi 5-inch smartphone displays on show at CEATEC 2012 (eyes-on) @ Engadget
http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/01/sharp-443-ppi-5-inch-smartphone-display-ceatec-2012/

Truth About Mobile Device Screens -- Explanations, Comparisons, Misconceptions @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uypD7QUgcyM&feature=g-u-u

Technology: Phabletious!! Samsung Galaxy Note II @
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2012/09/technology-phabletious-samsung-galaxy.html

Technology & Economics: Nothing Is Too Big To Fail @  Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2012/03/technology-economics-nothing-is-too-big.html

Redsn0w Can Jailbreak iOS 5.1.1 On iPhone, iPad, iPod touch (A4 Devices) [How-To-Tutorial] @ Redmond Pie
http://www.redmondpie.com/jailbreak-5.1.1-ios-on-iphone-ipad-ipod-touch-using-redsn0w-tutorial/


Android Development and Hacking @  XDA Developers
http://forum.xda-developers.com/filter.php?cat=Android#

Threads in Forum Galaxy S II Android Development @ XDA Developers
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1204

[Rom]GT-I9100 Resurrection Remix JB v3.0.9[02/10][AOKP JB B4](AROMA+OTA) @  XDA Developers
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1436854

Samsung Galaxy SIII Forum @ XDA Developers
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1563

Dual Booting FAQ @ XDA Developers
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=24233085&postcount=2

What Samsung's success means for Apple @ MSN Money
http://money.msn.com/technology-investment/post.aspx?post=03c0cdb6-4f1a-4a33-aa36-94da1ed64e06

Why You Should Choose Android Over iPhone/iOS! @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wYgofunq3OE#!

Asian winners ready to take on the mighty Apple @ The Standard
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=9&art_id=126138&sid=37550200&con_type=3&d_str=20120905&fc=8

Why I won't be buying the iPhone 5 @ Neowin
http://www.neowin.net/news/why-i-wont-be-buying-the-iphone-5

Samsung hits iPhone 5 in eight patent lawsuit @ SlashGear
http://www.slashgear.com/samsung-hits-iphone-5-in-eight-patent-lawsuit-02249984/

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/tug-of-war
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/implant_2
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/miraculous?q=miraculous+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/alter_1?q=alter
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/easier-said-than-done?q=easier+said+than+done#easier-said-than-done__1
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/laughable?q=laughable+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/undeniable?q=undeniably+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/resistance?q=resistance+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/minimalist_1?q=minimalist

Learning Psychology & Methods: Learning Q & A

Image from susky.me

Everyone has their moments of confusion in life. 'Everyone' of course includes myself too. Normally if the trouble isn't serious, I might

1. take a stroll, 
2. look at the blue sky and some green trees, 
3. close my eyes and feel the breeze, feel my own existence, 
4. free myself from work and talk to myself in the head,
5. tell myself that none of these matters to me because they aren't worth my time and energy,
6. tell myself that I am not the first and won't be the last to face such trouble, thus there is nothing to fear,
7. write a blog entry to share my feelings with all my friends and readers,

Sometimes, helping others to solve problems actually helps myself too, especially when I face similar situations.

Here are some of the questions my students have raised, and I shall read out my thoughts. Hopefully you can find your answers here too if you also feel the same.

Concern 1:

Being a non-native English speaker, I feel (for a while already) that no matter how hard I try, I still not as good as others, or quite far behind others (my colleagues studied overseas). Know its normal but its quite frustrating sometimes. Seems like completing with others on my weak area..haha! Not easy just like what you said. It really need patience and belief that it worths!

Suggestion: Here's the thing, you are right, it can be a bad bad feeling to be inferior. There are several ways to look at this. You can either try to let this difference settle peacefully in your mind, and continue your life as usual, or you can take a more optimistic approach, turn this weakness of yours into a power to continue learning. For me, I think the later one will help you more if you really cannot control that competitive sense in you.

Plus, being able to speak better isn't everything nowadays, knowing more is. Say you might not be as good in English compared with your colleagues, but you can learn many other things related or not related to work, just to pack that useful brain of yours with knowledge, like what this English Playground is about, then you will naturally feel stronger and have more confidence when dealing with your colleagues.

Remember, we can't always be better than others in everything, but we can always try to be better than ourselves continuously.

Concern 2:

I want to know how to find the topic that you will feel interesting on it. I feel hardly to find my interesting topic and stuff.

You just keep reading and exposing yourselves to everything to find what you like. If you don't see, how do you know? 

A girl might go window shopping for weeks until she finds one thing she likes. Finding a topic you like is no difference. Don't limit yourself by time, don't set a deadline, keep searching. Open your eyes and see more! If you stop at topics which you'll spend longer time reading up, that might just be the hint!

Concern 3:

I want to be able to hear every word of every TV show and understand them. How can I do that?

Well, that is very difficult task indeed. Even at my level now, I can't guarantee I can hear every single word of every TV show.

There are various reasons for us not to hear certain words, the video quality, the sound quality, the speakers dropping their volume as they speak, noises from background, etc. So I will say, no one can really hear 100%.

But for me, I don't keep track of words I don't hear, I just don't feel there are words I don't understand.

When students ask me for this word or that expression they don't hear in videos, I realised I don't actually HEAR them, I follow the story, the context, adding my experience of what people usually say in similar situations, adding with the tones, the answers just APPEAR in my head. In other words, I know the words without actually hearing them clearly as long as the tones are right. Thus my advice is, we can aim 100%, but don't be frustrated when we don't get 100%, just keep going, keep listening, as your experience builds up, you will be able to understand more even without your noticing.

Concern 4:

I have no money. Are there any free English speaking classes in Hong Kong?

Well of course, there are English Corners around the world, people who just want to learn English will gathering each other on social networks and then meet regularly in certain places. I'm not sure who you will meet and what kind of people you will meet, but for some safe suggestions, you can visit universities websites for their open forums, seminars and talks, such as the Big Mouth Corner organised by the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, it is opened to the public and then meet once every Thursday from 7-8pm. For details, please see the link under Resources.

I have written another entry in August 2010, titled, Learning Methods: Have No Fear when Learning, and Learning Method & Psychology: Why Can't I Speak Fluent English?  you may be able to find more questions and hopefully answers from there.

Image from AArambh VIT (VASTRA-SAMAN)

"If you don't try, you won't know." -- Locky

Vocabulary:
stroll -- (vb)[I] to walk in a slow relaxed manner, especially for pleasure
inferior -- (adj) not good, or not as good as someone or something else

Resources:

Learning Methods: Have No Fear when Learning @ Locky's English Playground

http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2010/08/learning-methods-have-no-fear-when.html

Learning Method & Psychology: Why Can't I Speak Fluent English? @ Locky's English Playground

http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2010/02/learning-method-psychology-why-cant-i.html

Big Mouth Corner
http://myweb.polyu.edu.hk/~ecegclub/bmc.html

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/stroll?q=stroll
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/inferior?q=inferior

Photography: Controlling your Canon and Nikon DSLR With Your Android Device!

Canon and Nikon, finally happily useful
Image from dslr-deal

After a few weeks of absence from the photography chat, it is time to get back to the hype. If you remember in one article, Technology: HOLY SMOKE!!! Galaxy SIII As A PC???!!! , you saw the power of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note with a USB On-The-Go cable. I have something more for you if you have an Android smartphone or tablet. This time, you can control your Canon and Nikon DSLR using that USB On-The-Go cable and a few apps.

If you have a Canon DSLR like my Canon EOS 7D or other models, I must say you must get this one, the best app on the market now!

DSLR Controller

Developed by XDA Elite Recognized Developer Chainfire, DSLR Controller is the must-get app for all photographers who want to do long-exposure photography such as firework, lightning, silky flowing water with ND Filter or welding glass, self-portrait etc. That's because with this app, you don't need to spend extra money to buy a remote camera cable or a wireless remote control, and you will get to see exactly what you are taking from the Android device which is excellent for self-portrait!

Image from Chainfire

Learn how to use it from a guy no other than Chainfire himself!

And here's another video from XDA Senior member Zedomax. Mind you, very shaky hands he's got.

A truly spectacular app! I use this app myself and it works flawlessly!

Helicon Remote (beta)

Image from Google Play

If you are using Nikon, don't be sad, you can also try out this Helicon Remote (beta) is it less responsive, less user-friendly, but less cost too, because it is free!

Image from Google Play

You can still do all those zoom in and out, changing ISO and shutter speed, all basic requirements are fulfilled! I've tried it on my camera, it works alright, Nikon fans can give it a whirl!

Image from Google Play

As for other Canon camera, other than the firmware upgrade for the EOS 7D, there will be more good news coming very soon! Will update you hopefully in the near future!

A final word, Canon EOS 6D is Canon's latest release, Full-Frame!!! But is it really an upgrade?

Do leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Vocabulary:

hype -- (n)  [U] informal when something is advertised and discussed in newspapers, on television, etc. all the time in order to attract everyone's interest
flawlessly -- (adv) from flawless (adj) perfect or without mistakes
give it a whirl -- informal to attempt to do something, often for the first time

Resources:

Technology: HOLY SMOKE!!! Galaxy SIII As A PC???!!! @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2012/06/technology-holy-smoke-galaxy-siii-as-pc.html

Photography: Canon 7D Firmware Upgrade Has Come!!! @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2012/08/photography-canon-7d-firmware-upgrade.html

DSLR Controller App for Android Tablet - DSLR App of The Year! @ Locky's English Playground
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUzJ7Mrlp5Q

Photography: ND Filters & Photography @ Locky's English Playground

http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2012/02/photography-nd-filters-photography.html

Photography: Welding Glass Photography (WGP) Result 2012 @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2012/05/photography-welding-glass-photography.html

DSLR Controller (BETA) @ Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.dslrcontroller

DSLR Controller - Android + Canon EOS - LiveView @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnxvFYza6Y4

DSLR Controller App for Android Tablet - DSLR App of The Year! @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUzJ7Mrlp5Q

Helicon Remote (beta) Helicon Soft Ltd.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.HeliconSoft.HeliconRemote2

Canon 6D full frame DSLR hands-on demo @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnPaHcV8SVo

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/hype_1?q=hype
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/flawless?q=flawlessly
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/give-it-a-whirl?q=give+it+a+whirl#give-it-a-whirl__1

Food & Restaurant: Singaporean-Malaysia cuisine -- Hainan Shaoye

Hainan Shaoye @ Causeway Bay
Image from hong-kong.cityseekr.com

Well, once in awhile, I really crave for Singaporean and Malaysian food, the famed chicken rice, the legendary spicy fried prawn noodles... Yum yum!!!! The Hainan Chicken Rice of Food Republic in Cityplaza is great, but I can't always take my friends there and expect a full South-east Asian Chinese cuisine. I need somewhere I can sit and chat, and eat comfortably without moving around buying food in a food court, and so I found this restaurant, Hainan Shaoye at Causeway Bay.

If you have read my entry Travelling and Living: Locky's Top 10 Food & Drinks in Singapore, you will easily discover some of my favourite Singaporean dishes.

I went there twice. The first time, I ordered...

Hainan Chicken Rice Set (Taken with Galaxy S2)
Image from Locky's English Playground

Hainan Chicken Rice set: Now I'd love to say that the portion of this tasty and juicy chicken is generous, the rice tastes great too, but due to the costly price tag, I better just say, you kind of get the bang for your buck for this set.

Mee Goreng
Image from Locky's English Playground

Mee Goreng: And this is my favourite! I love spicy food, and this one is spiciness of a high level. The noodles are saucy yet not too wet, the prawns are really prawns -- crunchy and BIG! Definitely should try this out if you like spicy food!

Strawberry Ribs
Image from Locky's English Playground 

Strawberry Ribs: Okay, I don't have time to retouch this picture, but the ribs didn't look this pink, it's the auto-white balance on my Galaxy S2... seems like I have to tweak this otherwise the iPhone fans will go, "Haha!!! See! Galaxy sucks!" Well, I actually have a much much much less extreme perspective towards Apple now, so I will talk about that in another post.

Anyway, the ribs tasted a little too syrupy, a little too fake with the strawberry flavour, but the meat was easy to eat and maybe you should try out the coffee ribs instead. Should taste great.

The second time in visited this restaurant, I ordered...

Fried Morning Glory
Image from Locky's English Playground 

Fried Morning Glory: Nice vege, not too oily, crunchy too, not like it is the best ever but somewhere up there near the top.

Chicken Chop Laksa Set
Image from Locky's English Playground 

Chicken Chop Laksa set: I love the laksa soup, very rich, very creamy, with a tint of spiciness, suitable for anyone. The chicken chop was crispy-skinned and juicy-meated, but the soup really did steal the limelight entirely. Definitely a must-try.

Nasi Goreng
Image from Locky's English Playground 

Nasi Goreng: Compared with noodles, I'm more of a rice person. This Nasi Goreng is a little disappointing in a sense that the portion was not big enough for the price I paid, still it was a nice dish, give it a go if you aren't too hungry.

Deep-fried prawn balls stuffed  with Kaya
Image from Locky's English Playground 

Deep-fried prawn balls stuffed with Kaya: Oh!!! This is a fabulous dish! Crispy and elastic, full and filling texture in the first bite,

Hot, runny, explosive!!!
Image from Locky's English Playground 

burst of hot runny Kaya followed by an emptiness after the eruption, then supported by more crunchiness of a shrimp, a true enjoyment of multi-layered sensation! Definitely must have!!!

Oh! And the Bak Kut Teh was really good too, not too herbal and lots of ingredients!

Overall, the quality of the food is excellent but the price is slightly expensive, still, for a restaurant in World Trade Mall, Causeway Bay, a prime location yet zero waiting time, I think it is definitely a food source to pay a visit.

So, there you have it! My recommendation to you, try it! I'm sure you will like it too!


Vocabulary:

famed -- (adj)  known or familiar to many people
legendary -- (adj) very famous and admired or spoken about
steal the limelight --  to get more attention than anyone or anything else in a situation 
sensation -- (n)  [C or U] the ability to feel something physically, especially by touching, or a physical feeling that results from this ability 
Resources:

Food & Restaurant: Hainanese Chicken Rice -- Food Republic @ CityPlaza @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2012/08/food-restaurant-hainanese-chicken-rice.html

Travelling and Living: Locky's Top 10 Food & Drinks in Singapore @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2010/05/travelling-and-living-lockys-top-10.html

Hainan Shaoye Official Page
http://www.hainanshaoye.com/menu_en.php

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/famed?q=famed
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/legendary_1?q=legendary+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/steal-the-limelight?q=steal+the+limelight#steal-the-limelight__1
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/sensation_1?q=sensation

Academic Research & Song: The Gangnam Style Effect VS The Numa Numa Effect (Updated 16th Oct 2012)

People posting videos of their reactions watching Gangnam Style MTV
Image from YouTube

When a video spreads rapidly like virus on the internet, we call them "viral videos".

When I was writing my paper YouTubating Teaching –The Techno-Behavioural Cycle & Its Influence on Education, I learnt from Dr.Wesch the power of a very heart-reaching song and that was how I began my interest in Digital Ethnography -- 

"...explores how humans use media, how media uses us, and how we can use new media to reveal our insights in new ways." -- Professor Wesch

Dr. Wesch's work is really intriguing and he got me spending hours and hours watching hundreds of videos on the internet over many weekends. The subject is addictive!

I'm not going to go too deep into the core of the subject, if you are interested, do read the links below. As for now, here's a very brief introduction.

According to Dr.Wesch, it all began with Gary Brolsma's dramatic Numa Numa, the first biggest internet viral video success.

And then it was the world dancing together with Gary,

Image from YouTube

Basically, Gary has triggered the want, the need and the emotion of celebration of humanity, that people are not framed by countries or separated by colours, distance or boundaries, that can be united as one and be free to share joy and other feelings to anyone who are willing to listen and respond, that there is no ranking, no grading in people, and anyone has the freedom to join in as long as someone wishes to.

We can call this The Numa Numa Effect.

And in September 2012, we have The Gangnam Style Effect,  

A hip, beating song with a weird MTV sung and oddly danced by a not-so-attractive South Korean singer, PSY. When I come to think of it, he and Gary Brolsma resemble each other a lot.

The effect is also pretty similar, people put their own version of dance on the internet for sharing.

Image from LA Times

The difference in terms of production style is that Gangnam Style Effect require more dancers, a lot of pre-production planning and rehearsal, a mix of camera angles and post-editing, whereas the Numa Numa Effect drew netizens to simply switch on their webcams and record their own version of dance of freedom.

Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, center left, joins Korean pop star PSY as he
performs his super hit 'Gangnam Style' during a taping of 'The Ellen DeGeneres
Show' on September 18, 2012. (AP Photo).

Image and Caption from Jakata Globe

Ken Jeong in The Hangover Part I

And many might agree that South Korean rapper PSY, aka Park Jae-sang, has not only made his name on the international scale, but also helped to improve the image of South Korea(n) as a whole! Although there are South Koreans everywhere around the world, and a number of them are also well-known, such as Dr. Ken Jeong M.D. from the movie The Hangover Part I and II, people even in Asia knew little about the South Koreans other than their excellent fast-paced dances, their kimchi, their My Sassy Girl(s), their routine "I have cancer!" tragic dramas, their unbelievably skilful plastic surgery and their earth-shaking mobile electronic businesses. How do people live in South Korea? What is the geography like?

And to explore things deeper than just the music and funny dance, what is the meaning of the song? What is Gangnam really? All these are worth finding out.

My Sassy Girl
Image from lovemeet.tistory

Image from Samsung

The Jakata Globe reported Associated Press's article which includes an interview they did with PSY has the answer to our questions and I highly recommend we all read that to learn the details. But here's my summary of that article for your:

1. 1% of Seoul's population lives in Gangnam, literally means "the south of the river", and they are the very rich people -- the upper class.
2. Gangnam is where all the most luxurious, the best, the tip of the top-notch services and infrastructures are.
3. "Gangnam inspires both envy and distaste...Gangnam residents are South Korea's upper class, but South Koreans consider them self-interested, with no sense of noblesse oblige."  -- Kim Zakka, a Seoul-based pop music critic. 

In the song The Gangnam Style, PSY went against these "norms",

"I'm not handsome, I'm not tall, I'm not muscular, I'm not skinny," PSY recently said on the American "Today" TV show. "But I'm sitting here."

Girls Generation on The Late Show with David Letterman
Image from cloudfront.net

Unlike the other South Korean boys such as Super Junior and Boyfriend, or girls such as the Girls Generation who also made their names known in the States,  PSY's success resembles that of Ken Jeong's,   their images are "less-than-polished", said Jae-Ha Kim, a Chicago Tribune pop culture columnist and former music critic.

Park Ji Sung at Man Utd., another South Korean legend
Image from manutdwallpaper

I think the best of the Jakata Globe article goes to this paragraph,

Instead of cavorting in nightclubs, he parties with retirees on a disco-lighted tour bus. Instead of working out in a high-end health club, he lounges in a sauna with two tattooed gangsters. One swaggering rap session is delivered while he sits on a toilet. As he struts along with two beautiful models, they're pelted in the face with massive amounts of wind-blown trash and sticky confetti.

The song explores South Koreans' "love-hate relationship with Gangnam," said Baak Eun-seok, a pop music critic... PSY isn't, he said: good-looking because of plastic surgery, stylish because they can splurge on luxury goods, slim thanks to yoga and personal trainers.


In other words, being "strangely" different are the keys to his success, Ken Jeong's success, My Sassy Girl's success, and Samsung's Galaxy Note's success (i.e. smartphone with large screen with a pen).

These successes are worth every dime, but we must face the fact that deep inside people's heart, they demand these "oddity", these unexpectedness and differences. Making a difference in life does not only make one feels good or become successful, but it is also one of the fundamental survival requirements in the human evolution (Kremer & Schermbrucker, 2006).

(Updated 16th Oct 2012)
《HongKong Style ! 》SFJ 720P HD

Wanna see Hong Kong director Wilson Chin and other Hong Kong stars with their version of Gangnam Style? Check this out!

Vocabulary:

Digital Ethnography -- (n)[U] explores how humans use media, how media uses us, and how we can use new media to reveal our insights in new ways
intriguing -- (adj) very interesting because of being unusual or mysterious
addictive -- (adj)  describes an activity or food that you cannot stop doing or eating once you have started
rehearsal -- (n) [C or U] a time when all the people involved in a play, dance, etc. practise in order to prepare for a performance
netizen -- (n)[C]informal a person who uses the Internet
sassy -- (adj) mainly US informal rude and showing no respect
noblesse oblige --  (n) [U] formal the idea that someone with power and influence should use their social position to help other people
norm -- [C usually plural] an accepted standard or a way of behaving or doing things that most people agree with
less than... -- describes behaviour which does not have a stated characteristic that is good or attractive
cavort -- (vb)[I] to jump or move around in a playful way, sometimes noisily, and often in a sexual way
strut -- (vb)[I] to walk in a proud way trying to look important
swagger -- (vb)[I] to walk, especially with a swinging movement, in a way that shows that you are very confident and think that you are important, or to act in that way
confetti -- (n)[U] small pieces of coloured paper which you throw at a celebration, especially over two people who have just been married
love-hate relationship -- (n) [C] a relationship in which you have feelings of love and hate for someone or something
splurge -- (vb)  [I or T] informal to spend a lot of money on buying goods, especially expensive goods; splash out
worth every dime -- worth every dollar; worthy
oddity -- (n) [C] someone or something that is strange and unusual


Resources:

Academic Research (Literature Review): YouTubating Teaching –The Techno-Behavioural Cycle & Its Influence on Education @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2011/11/academic-research-literature-review.html

Digital Ethnography @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/mwesch?feature=CAwQwRs%3D

Digital Ethnography - @ Kansas State University
http://mediatedcultures.net/

Numa Numa @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmtzQCSh6xk

싸이 오빤강남스타일 (남자반응) @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp4D0oHEnjc

PSY - GANGNAM STYLE (강남스타일) M/V
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0

What 'Gangnam Style' Means to South Koreans @ Jakata Globe
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/people/what-gangnam-style-means-to-south-koreans/545294

'Gangnam Style' singer Psy, flash mob expected at The Grove today @ Los Angeles Times
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/09/gangnam-style-psy-flash-mob.html

Song & Medical: Stayin' Alive -- Bee Gees & CPR @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2012/05/song-medical-stayin-alive-bee-gees-cpr.html

People: "Mr Chow, Leslie Chow!" -- Ken Jeong @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2011/06/people-mr-chow-leslie-chow-ken-jeong_24.html

The psychology of difference @ Kremer & Schermbrucker (2006)
http://www.juliushonnor.com/catalyst/Default.aspx.LocID-0hgnew0hw.RefLocID-0hg01b00100600g001.Lang-EN.htm

《HongKong Style ! 》SFJ 720P HD @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFJWiwTaisA

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/intriguing?q=intriguing+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/addictive?q=addictive
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/rehearsal?q=rehearsal+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/netizen?q=netizen+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/sassy?q=sassy
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/noblesse-oblige?q=noblesse+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/norm?q=norm
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/less_1#less_1__3
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/cavort?q=cavort
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/strut_1?q=strut+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/swagger_1?q=swagger+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/confetti?q=confetti+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/relationship_2?q=love-hate+relationship+#relationship_2__3
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/splurge?q=splurge
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/oddity?q=oddity