Asus Eee Pad Transformer Tablet Review

Asus Tablet Review

First Published Date: September 14, 2011

I spent roughly two months researching all new tablets and checking out some of them physically at stores.  It’s very hard to decide on a tablet these days as manufacturers are flooding the market with new models every few months.  During my research, I ruled out the iPad due to its high cost and restrictive hardware/software.  I also ruled out the BlackBerry Playbook and the HP Touchpad due to their inferior operating systems.  I decided that I’d be buying an Android tablet, and I narrowed down the list to three finalists with 10 inch screens that would fit my needs and lifestyle:
– Samsung Galaxy Tab
– Toshiba Tablet
– Asus Eee Pad Transformer

I was already leaning towards one of these, but I decided to ask my nephew Shim to do another round of research and pick the best of the three. And guess what? We both came up with the same pick: the Asus Eee Pad Transformer 10.1.

Why Not Toshiba Tablet and Samsung Galaxy?

Here are the reasons why I did not pick the above mentioned two tabs:
– Samsung Galaxy does not offer any ports like MicroSD, SD, USB, or HDMI.
– The Galaxy’s back is too smooth and starts slipping out of your hand if you hold onto it for a while.
– Toshiba’s front camera sticks out (as it is shiny and not blended  
  into its own color) and looks ugly.
– Toshiba tablet is heavier, bulkier, and ugly looking. If I want a tablet, I want it to be a slim and good looking.
– The option to add a keyboard doc and transform Asus Eee Pad Transformer to a laptop was my main plus point to go for Asus.

Hardware Pluses for Asus Eee Pad

-Beautiful, clear screen
-Easy to grip
-HDMI port
-Extra Storage (MicroSD)

Software Pluses

- Android’s Widgets are a huge plus, and iPad lacks them
-Flash video, which the iPad also lacks.

Hardware Minuses

-No USB Port on the pad itself (its on the dock)
-Screen gets fingerprints very easily (worse than the iPad)

Software Minuses

-Honeycomb still needs some fine tuning, browser sometimes crashed when playing video
-No built-in task killer, software must be downloaded to enable this
-Android Market doesn’t have as many free apps as Apple’s app store

What I Like Most About Asus Tablet

Its price and the option to use it as both a tablet and a laptop.

What I Don’t Like About Asus Tablet

Its power supply cord is too small. 

As I write this review, stores in Canada are getting ready to launch Sony’s new Tablet. In 2-3 years, expect to see even more great tablets on the market.  The fierce competition will drive prices down and make them much more affordable.

Beware of The FBI Nigerian Letter Scam

FBI Nigerian Letter Fraud

First Published Date: September 22, 2011 ADawnJournal.com

Scammers, or con artists, are in relentless pursuit of innovative products to lure their prey. A few days ago, I received a so-called “FBI Warning Letter” asking me to obtain a “Clearance Certificate” within 24 hours. Otherwise, I was told, the international court of justice will issue a warrant and charge me with terrorism, drug trafficking, or money laundering. To avoid this, I need to contact a Rev. Frank Tim Kelly at this email address: revkelly1@blumail.org. The cost to obtain the clearance certificate is $350. The letter was made to look like it was coming jointly from the FBI and EFCC (The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission).

I have attached this letter on the top left for your review. A lot of us can easily tell that this is a scam. However, I am sure a small percentage of the population will fall for this and will lose money. As we get to know the common techniques scammers use, they become more innovative and come up with new scams. You need to be vigilant and use your common sense. Also, keep yourself updated with the latest news and publications on fraud and scams. I am going to list some resources for you. Save this article and visit these resources mentioned below at your convenience.

If you ever believe you have been a victim of identity theft, here is what you can do:

– Call your local RCMP detachment or your Police Department

– Report your situation online through Reporting Economic Crime Online

– Visit PhoneBusters, send an email to info@phonebusters.com, or call 1-888-495-8501

– Visit FBI’s Be Crime Smart Section. Lots of useful info.

Global Income Inequality is on the Rise

Global Income Inequality

First Published Date : September 29, 2011

According to a report from the Conference Board of Canada, Global income inequality is on the rise and Canada has the 4th largest gap income inequality gap among its 17 peer countries. The board uses Gini Index to measure income inequality that shows the distribution of income deviates from a perfectly equal distribution zero to a totally imperfect distribution of 1. In other word, 0 means every person has the same income and 1 means one person has all the income.  

Let’s look at some of the Board’s findings in brief:

– U.S. has the largest income inequality among its peers.
– Canada has the fourth largest income inequality increase among its peers.
– 42 percent of the total world’s income goes to the richest 10 percent.
– 1 percent of the total world’s income goes to the poorest 10 percent.
– South American and southern African countries have highest inequality.
– European countries have low inequality.
– U.S. and Canada have medium inequality.
– If you are lucky to born in a rich country (like Canada) even with a low income,    
   your   income will be higher than most of the world’s population
– Canadians with low-income are richer than 75 percent of the world’s population.

According to Richard Freeman, an economics professor at Harvard, globalization and market capital raised living standards for billions and lowered inequality worldwide, but increased inequality within most countries.

Canada’s Best Places to Retire

Best Places to Retire in Canada

First Published Date : October 13, 2011 ADawnJournal.com

The answer to the question “where to retire in Canada?” may sound like an obvious one. However, let me disappoint you by saying that there is no straightforward answer. There are many factors that come into making a decision. You are different than anyone else and the factors you make your decision based on may be totally different than someone else’s.

Where you want to retire largely depends on what really matters to you. You need to do thorough research to come up with a place where you would like to live happily ever after. The advantage technology has brought to us is the Internet. You can research tons of websites on a variety of retirement related topics to help you with your quest to find the most suitable place for you. Today, I am going to mention some factors you need to consider and also we will go through Moneysense magazine’s Canada’s Best Places to Live list to help you make your retirement decision.

Factors Determining the Best Places to Retire

Here are some factors I can think of that you should be looking at before making your decision. However, there are possibly more factors you should research based on your individuality.

– Living costs and other expenses
– Safety, security, and stability
– Family
– Climate
– Does it offer seclusion or a city’s hustle and bustle
– A far-off place from your home or nearby location

Canada’s Best Places to Live

Every year, MoneySense Magazine publishes a list showing Canada’s best places to live. This list can be a helpful tool for your research as there are many cities have been researched based on affordability, prosperity, crime rates, health care, and so on. Here are the top 10 cities for 2011:

– Ottawa-Gatineau
– Victoria
– Burlington
– Kingston
– St. Albert
– Fredericton
– Brandon
– Edmonton
– Repentigny
– Winnipeg

Although this list can be very helpful, keep in mind that it was compiled eliminating cities and towns with populations less than 10,000 and it only looked at 180 cities and towns with populations more than 10,000.

Last Word

In searching for your best place to retire, do not count on any single source or list. A place may be the world’s best place to retire in terms of the factors the publisher is looking at. However, your own deciding factors may be very different than those presented, and that means a list showing the world’s best place to live may not mean anything from your own perspective. Research is key to finding your little heaven and keep researching until you find it. There are lots of retirement articles on A Dawn Journal as well and you can access them here: A Dawn Journal Retirement Articles

Canadian Gold Mutual Funds

Gold Mutual Funds Canada

First Published Date: August 31, 2011

Recently, I discussed Canadian Gold ETFs. Today, I will further discuss some Canadian gold mutual funds. A Dawn Journal has some great articles on mutual funds, and I encourage you to check out ETFs and Mutual Funds section as well.

CI Signature Gold Corporate Class Fund – This mutual fund primarily invests in gold bullion, gold-related stocks, and other precious metals. Fund manager is CI’s Signature Global Advisors. MER is 2.44 per cent.

Mackenzie Universal Gold Bullion Class Fund – This mutual fund is a pure gold play. As of July, 2011, 93.1 per cent portfolio of this fund is invested in gold bullion. MER is 2.58 per cent.

RBC Global Precious Metals Fund – This fund primarily invests in gold, silver, and platinum related stocks across the globe. MER is 2.09 per cent. Its low MER is a bargain.

Dynamic Strategic Gold Class Fund – Invests in gold bullion and gold equities. Fund manager shifts between gold bullion and gold stocks based on their analysis. MER is 2.47 per cent.

BMO Precious Metals Fund – BMO Precious Metals Fund primarily invests in Canadian gold and other precious metals industry. As of this writing, its Canadian holding stands at 76.2 per cent. MER is 2.32 per cent.

TD Precious Metals Fund – Similar concept like BMO Precious Metal Fund, but with a lower MER. MER is 2.22 per cent.

Sprott Gold and Precious Minerals Fund – This fund primarily invests in gold and other precious minerals companies and their certificates. As of this writing, its Canadian holding stands at 94.8 per cent. MER is 2.50 per cent.

Sprott Gold Bullion Fund – Similar concept like Mackenzie Universal Gold Bullion Class Fund, but with a lower MER. As of May, 2011, 99.6 per cent portfolio of this fund is invested in gold bullion.MER is 1.14 per cent.

Disclosure – This article is for information purposes only and No information is intended as investment, tax, accounting or legal advice, or as an offer to sell or buy or solicitation of an offer to sell or buy, or as an endorsement, recommendation or sponsorship of any company, security, ETF, or fund. The author assumes no liability for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. You bear responsibility for your own investment research and decisions, and should seek the advice of a qualified financial professional before making any investment decision. As of this writing, I do not own any of the funds mentioned here.