News & Technology: Samsung Galaxy SII with ICS

Samsung Galaxy Note
Image from cbsistatic.com

A quick entry on a piece of news from Samsung, and that is after Galaxy Nexus has been rolled out with Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0), Galaxy SII and Galaxy Note will soon as proven by a post on Samsung's Norway Facebook. I wonder why a Korea-based company will allow the news to "leak" on a Norway Facebook.

Image from cbsistatic.com

This news surely sparks off some heat for the long-waited, ice-frozen "anticipants".

Some of you might be asking, what's so special about this Ice Cream Sandwich, well, thanks to my student and friend Angus, here's the video he found,

To sum up, basically I would say, Ice Cream Sandwich is an operating system which trashes iOS 5 so badly, if the Gingerbread 2.3.5 isn't already trashing it.

I've been an anticipant since the day I first got my SII. You too?

However, as mentioned in this article, we might have to wait till April to get the update, and for Hong Kong, it could be even later... fingers crossed! Let's hope it will come sooner, like end of February!



Vocabulary:
spark (off sth) -- (vb) [T] to cause the start of something, especially an argument or fighting
anticipant -- (n) [C] a word created by Locky, from anticipate + participants, refers to someone who has been anticipating to participate in an event or an activity.
trash -- (vb) [T]  informal to destroy or severely damage something
fingers crossed / cross your fingers(also keep your fingers crossed) -- to hope that things will happen in the way that you want them to

Resources:

Samsung's Galaxy Note and S II getting Ice Cream Sandwich soon @ CNet.com
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57368795-1/samsungs-galaxy-note-and-s-ii-getting-ice-cream-sandwich-soon/

Samsung Galaxy S II and Note to get Android 4.0 by March @ The Mobile Indian
http://www.themobileindian.com/news/5025_Samsung-Galaxy-S-II-and-Note-to-get-Android-4.0-by-March

Samsung Norway Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/SamsungNorge/posts/354558884556535

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Introduction video @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrYZDWuBptI


http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/trash_4
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/cross-your-fingers_2?q=fingers+crossed#cross-your-fingers_2__1

Message: New Logo for 2012!!!

Locky's English Playground is changing to a new logo, leave me a message and tell me how you think about it!

Thank you!

Locky

People & Photography: Tom Ang, Books & App

Image from Tom Ang

An Asian who definitely loves Hong Kong (and many other countries in fact), Tom Ang is a highly-experienced photographer with over 42 years of photo-shooting who taught in the University of Westminster for over 12 years, a best-selling author who has written 21 books and more, a true passionate educator!

Here are just some of his best.

I came across this book while loitering in a Joint Publishing flagship bookstore and I found this book Digital Photography Masterclass and I loved it! It only costs $150 after special discount, it was fully written in English and there are numerous descriptive words and photography terms to learn, wonderful photos beautifully colour-printed on every page, wonderfully suits the taste of any English and/or photography lovers.

Image from Tom Ang

I really wanted to get it, but because it was really thick and I didn't have hands to carry, so I haven't bought it. I have yet to return to the bookstore but I  will definitely get it next time!! If you have even a bit of interest in photography, I highly recommend you go to your nearby bookstore and pick up any one of these books and give it a go!!!

Image from Tom Ang

Before I sign off, iPhone users will be happy to get this little gift from me (actually Tom Ang), and that is Tom's Photography Tutorial App with 85 tutorials of the book How to Photograph  Absolutely Everything. It is NOT free but it is not expensive either.


Here's the link: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/dk-tom-angs-digital-photography/id483102633?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4%2522%2520target%253D%2522itunes_store%2522%253EDK%2520Tom%2520Ang%2527s%2520Digital%2520Photography%2520-%2520Dorling%2520Kindersley

More about his books after I have get my hands on them.

Vocabulary:
loiter -- (vb) [I] to move slowly around or stand especially in a public place without an obvious reason
give it a go -- (idiomatic) to try or to attempt
get my hands on sth -- to succeed in obtaining something


Resources:

Tom Ang Official Website
www.tomang.com

Tom Ang @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Ang

Tom Ang Photography app for iPhone @ Tom Ang
http://www.tomang.com/?page_id=112&bookId=13

DK Tom Ang's Digital Photography @ App Store
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/dk-tom-angs-digital-photography/id483102633?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4%2522%2520target%253D%2522itunes_store%2522%253EDK%2520Tom%2520Ang%2527s%2520Digital%2520Photography%2520-%2520Dorling%2520Kindersley

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/loiter?q=loiter
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/give_it_a_go
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/get+hands+on

Sport & People: Bobsleigh & Steven Holcomb

Bobsleigh or bobsled, I dare to say is a sport rarely heard of in Asia, but it is an thrilling competition in the Winter Olympics. I bet there are many things to learn from this sport on another freezing cold day in Hong Kong.

On text, it is pretty difficult to describe what the sport is, according to Wikipedia,

"Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled. The timed runs are combined to calculate the final score."

So, there is no one better than Olympic Gold Medalist and World Champion Bobsledder Steven Holcomb to teach us about his beloved sport,

And how does it look like from Steve's perspective?

Truly exciting isn't it? It may look easy but the training and the danger that one has to go through is anything but simple. Once loses control and fatal accidents are almost guaranteed.

Those of us who live in Asia won't be able to enjoy the fun of this sport unless you visit the countries up North (and be professionally trained), but watching experts like Steve in front of the monitor is still very cool and most importantly safe, unless your friend pranks you with some edited horror videos just as you get into the mood of watching.

Success really doesn't come easy, especially for Steve, and he tells you why.

Keratoconus, from Wikipedia, "is a degenerative disorder of the eye in which structural changes within the cornea cause it to thin and change to a more conical shape than its normal gradual curve."

Image from Wikipedia

Even though Steve suffered from Keratoconus, he fully recovered and he did win the gold medal in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics 4-man bobsled for The United States! Congratulations to you Steve, (Hope you don't mind the late words) and thanks for following us!!!

Types of Bobsleigh races:

1. Four Man, 
2. Two Man, 
3. Two Woman

Do "Like" this entry and the English Playground, and catch more Steve on YouTube!!!


Vocabulary:
banked -- (adj) from bank (n)[C] sloping raised land, especially along the sides of a river
gravity -- (n) the force which attracts objects towards one another, especially the force that makes things fall to the ground
beloved -- (adj) slightly formal loved very much
fatal -- (adj) A fatal illness or accident, etc. causes death
prank -- (vb) from prank (n) [C] a trick that is intended to be funny but not to cause harm or damage
keratoconus -- (n) [U] a degenerative disorder of the eye in which structural changes within the cornea cause it to thin and change to a more conical shape than its normal gradual curve."



Resources:
People: Welcome Steven Holcomb To Our Playground!!!
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2012/01/people-welcome-steven-holcomb-to-our.html

Bobsled @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobsled

Steven Holcomb @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_holcomb

Steven Holcomb @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTZ53gpo2wU

Go Pro Bobsledding with driver Steven Holcomb @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPb637T7UEQ

Scary Maze Game® Reaction[Monitor Punch] @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeDd61n0Kqs

2010 Winter Olympics: Steve Holcomb - Bobsled @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzzWUdbQzxU

Keratoconus @ U.S. National Library of Medicine - The World's Largest Medical Library
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002008/

Keratoconus @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratoconus

List of Olympic medalists in bobsleigh @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Olympic_medalists_in_bobsleigh#Four_man

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/bank_2
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/gravity_1?q=gravity+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/beloved_1?q=beloved+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/fatal?q=fatal+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/prank?q=prank+

People: Welcome Steven Holcomb To Our Playground!!!

Must have been the last entry that I wrote which draws the attention from Steven Holcomb, Olympic Gold Medalist and World Champion Bobsledder and probably our first Star English Player, into subscribing to The English Playground's Twitter page.

Image from Locky's English Playground

Since we have already started the topic on skeleton sleigh and we are in the ice field, I'm going to dedicate the next entry to his favourite sport for our English Players to learn a bit more.

Once again, Welcome Steven!!!! Thanks for subscribing!!

Do "Like" this entry and our English Playground!!


Resources:
Listening & TV: Skeleton VS Mini-Cooper @ TopGear @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2012/01/listening-tv-bobsleigh-vs-mini-cooper.html

Listening & TV: Skeleton VS Mini-Cooper @ TopGear

Image from kentfilmoffice.co.uk

Nothing to do in the holidays? Too cold to go out for fun? Want something informative yet fun and even exciting to watch? Here it is!!!! From TopGear Season 17 Episode 1!!!

After watching the show, you should have learnt the following words:

The Marauder
Image from ridelust

moan its passing, Johannesburg,  dashboard, nip off, torque, astonishing, get carried away.

Jeremy with BMW 1M
Image from  richardsf1

hatchback, subsequently, capture the magic of the original, 

3...2...1... Mini cooper Lancer VS Amy Williams
Image from richardsf1

Stomping ground, gold medalist, skeleton bob(sleigh), scraping the ice, 

Jeremy E-Type Jaguar
Image from entertainmentalley

Jaguar Growler
Image from 0-60mag

convertible E-Type, humiliated, understated tribute


Enjoy the excitement!!!!!

Do "Like" this entry and the English Playground!!

Vocabulary:

moan -- (vb)[I] to make a long low sound of pain, suffering or another strong emotion
nip off -- (phrasal verb) sever or remove by pinching or snipping; "nip off the flowers"
astonishing -- (adj) very surprising
be/ get carried away -- (phrasal verb) to become so excited about something that you do not control what you say or do
hatchback -- (n) [C] a car which has an extra door at the back which can be lifted up to allow things to be put in
stomp -- (vb) [I usually + adverb or preposition] to walk with intentionally heavy steps, especially as a way of showing that you are annoyed
scrape -- (vb)  [T] to remove an unwanted covering or a top layer from something, especially using a sharp edge or something rough
convertible -- (n) [C] (also soft top) a car with a soft roof which can be folded back
understated -- (adj) not trying to attract attention or impress people
tribute -- (n) [C or U] something that you say, write or give which shows your respect and admiration for someone, especially on a formal occasion



Resources:

TopGear Season 17 Episode 1 @ StreetFire.net
http://www.streetfire.net/video/top-gear-season-17-episode-1_2278681.htm

Bobsleigh @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobsleigh

Amy Williams @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Williams

Skeleton Race @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_(sport)

Top Gear S17E01 Review @ Richard’s F1
http://richardsf1.com/2011/06/27/top-gear-s17e01-review/

James May Vs British Gold Medalist - Top Gear - Series 17 Episode 1 - BBC Two @ YouTube
http://youtu.be/BzxS-3vO6Gw

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/moan_1?q=moan+
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/nip+off
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/astonishing?q=astonishing+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/carry-sb-away?q=carry+away#carry-sb-away__2
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/stomp?q=stomping+#stomp__3
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/scrape_1?q=scrape+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/convertible_2
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/understated?q=understated+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/tribute_1?q=tribute+