Internet Shopping

"How do I buy stuff online?"

"How do I ship my stuff from USA/UK to Kuwait online?"

These are only a few of the many questions that I come across when people are talking about shopping online. So this is how it all goes down.

Suppose you want to buy something online say Amazon, now almost all of the products offered on that website offer no international shipping, so here's what you do.

If you do not already have a credit card (VISA, MasterCard) and this is not the usual bank ATM cards that are offered here in Kuwait when you open an account with them. If you have an NBK Shabab account, then you can goto your branch and ask for an Internet Shopping Card. Its basically an electronic credit card which you cannot swipe. For more info contact your bank. I took the example of NBK because this is my bank and I do not know what other banks offer this service. (I am sure other banks have this kind of offers)

Now that you have your credit card, you have the option of 3 popular shipping services who will ship your stuff from USA to Kuwait; Aramex, DHL, and U Shop We Ship(USWS).

You can get more info about them through their websites or numbers provided on their website.

These companies give you a physical mailbox number (a physical address in the US) which allows you to have your stuff shipped to that location and then forward it to Kuwait (Aramex and USWS go one step further and deliver at your doorstep). So when you are asked for Shipping and Billing address on Amazon, you can enter this new physical location and your order will be processed as any other US Domestic order.

After you stuff is in your mailbox, you have the ability to track it till it arrives in Kuwait. These companies however charge you with a price to ship it to Kuwait

DHL (known to be the fastest yet) price calculator, Mailbox Cost = $37

USWS: KWD 2.750 for first half KG of your package and every other half KG will be KWD 2.250

Aramex: ~KWD 10 for a new mailbox, KWD 3.000 for the first half KG and every other half KG will be KWD 2.500

London Trip and Updates

Okay people so I have not been blogging because I am using twitter alot (see right column of this page for my tweets). I think twitter did the job for me, but since I had more than 140 characters to type up to tell about what's happening I chose to come here and write about it.

Well I am in LONDON now! and the timings couldn't have been better. Considering I come from Kuwait I could look at this in 2 ways (both are good). One, Kuwait is much hot now (50ºC) and coming here the weather is only nearing 14-20ºC, which is pretty good for me.

OR I could come in winter in which i will experience snow which would be pretty awesome as well.

For me, I think the first perspective takes precedence!

Well, Some of my UK friends are in US so I told them to buy me

a Canon XSi (450D) which is pretty cheap in US, because UK is much expensive but they are not responding to my FB messages and emails, so I think i will order a less-expensive Canon XS (1000D) from Amazon (UK)

So last night for the first time, I went to Trafalgar Sq. Didn't goto the Big Ben because friends said it was night and it would close soon and then I would need more time than there was to spend. So I will probably go there today. I am here for a month (returning 26 AUG). So I will have time for most of the things if not all.

Thats about it for now folks.. As I said, i want to buy a camera, i have this one now, but it doesn't get the best quality that I want, but i will still leave you with two pictures that I think are very good (un-edited versions)

Air Force going siick!

So apparently the folks at Air Force aren't interested in flying planes anymore. Well not exactly but they are customizing the Mustang and Challenger to the limits to lure potential students to the Air Force. 

Read

Laptop on your Lap may hurt

If you didn't know this already then get this. If you have a laptop, and you have it balanced on your lap, the heat emitted by the battery of the laptop might actually reduce the male fertility.

Read

Transformers 2 and Chevy

As thousand of people already are eagerly awaiting for the badass movie like me. In curiousity have already youtube'd the movie and feeding their thirst. For those who have no idea what I am talking about, its the long awaited, Transformers 2. The movie will hit theatres officially on 24 June this year.

Below are the two official trailers:

1.
(Embed is Disabled by request so click here)

2.
(Embed is Disabled by request so click here)

If you haven't already figured it out, Chevy is showing off its new and future models already in this movie. Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Concept is for Sideswipe, Beat and Trax as the Twins, Volt as Jolt and Camaro as Bumblebee. There is a video featuring all of these in the movie to see check it out below:

New PS3 Slim by E3?

According to Engadget, A new PS3 is rumored to be available by the next E3. Now maybe just maybe, Microsoft would be thinking, what if it beats XBOX 360, should we make a new version on the XBOX? (720 probably?)

Read

Top Gear Season 13 - Coming Soon!

Transmission, a Top Gear blog pointed out that the popular BBC TV show, Top Gear's Season 13 will air sometime around late June 09.

They say its because Hosts are kinda last minute people and its tentative. Furthermore, it states that amazing stuff will be coming onto this season of TG. So hold your breath and mark you calendars. Errr... around the end of June.

Read

Fallout 3 Guide

So you bought yourself a copy of Fallout 3 and don't get the right gaming experience you wanted because your system isn't meeting the recommended requirements and now, you want to buy a new system. Gamespot explains what do you want in your next PC to get the best experience. 

Read Here

Firefox logo

Was firefox logo inspired from this?

Sending this thru WWW.PING.FM, This is posted on my twitter, fb, gtalk status, flickr, blogger, and VOX

Apple gets hits

I don't know if people are angry with Apple, bored with themselves (unemployment level is increasing everywhere), or just want to make money off others. These days Apple is in a lot of legal and economic issues:

1. The 9000 iPod Shuffle scam:

   Nicholas Arthur Woodhams, a 23 year old from Michigan, US scammed Apple in getting out 9000 ipod Shuffles. He then sold these at a price which was lower than the sticker. Read more

2. Apple iPhone not giving 3G as promised, Sued!

   Damone Dickerson has filed a law suit against Apple and AT&T for he was not getting any 3G reception on his iPhone. Read more

3. You pay $500 more for just the eaten fruit logo?

   Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, said that "tide has really turned." What he basically means by this that in these tough times you don't want to spend more for anything that you can get for cheap. You pay $500 more for just the Apple logo. Read more (read the comments below on that page)

Audi Assist in Kuwait

Leaving my gym, I saw this vehicle on my way to my car. And it seems that Kuwait has the Audi 24 Hour Roadside Assist service. Only this service car is not on the road. I also saw the Mercedes Service van parked in the area where I stay. Why don't I see any of these service cars on the road in Kuwait?

Nokia 5800 and TWITTERRR

I got my new Nokia 5800 last week for KD 115. I got the red one, and I asked as to why the Blue version was more expensive (KD 129), the retailer told me because it is new and released after the red one. Dumb!

Well since I have wifi at home and university I thought I'd beef up my phone with some nifty applications which will help me stay connected all the more. I have currently installed the following applications on my phone:

1. Stew for twitter

2. Gmail

3. Accuweather*

4. Zip Manager* 

5. Palringo for IM (support all major IMs) (you can also use Fring)

6. Paint Pad for painting* 

*got it through the on board download application

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is a symbian S60 v5 Device.

I currently use the free wifi at univesity and Wifi at home to get online on my phone but I wanna be able to be online at all times. This would be really cool, So a twitter buddy of mine blasha, said that she has a KD14/mo contract with zain for her data plan on her curve 8900. Well thats pretty cool. Will head to zain office today and probably sign up for this. I would also like to see if they have any other cheaper/better offers.

You now can also see the little twitter widget on the blog which is actually a live feed of my tweets

Helpful links for your Nokia 5800 XM:

http://nokia5800.net/

http://www.tube5800.com/

Kuwait National / Liberation Days

Photo: ©Flickr

I am at the university and since the 25th and 26th are official holidays in the country's calendar, the university is celebrating the national days on 23rd and 24th February. Congratulations to everyone (Kuwaitis and Residents in Kuwait). Here's something to read on.

And here's something to cheer on.

More Megapixels (not equal to) Better Camera!

Gizmodo explains why more megapixel'ified camera isn't always the best camera.
Read

Lego Computer

Well seems some modder has taken his computer modding abilities to the next level. The person must be thinking of a gaming PC and made a PC from Lego's
Check it out here

Cultural Differences

As you can see in this image, some one took at the Kuwait airport. This image shows how the signage differs from that of the western world.

Source

Tea Feed

Well I am a tea lover and I haven't posted anything about it. I follow a podcast called Diggnation (you can subscribe through iTunes podcast directory as well). Its only by watching that podcast I got to liking / loving tea. Well one of the host Kevin Rose has opened a new account on twitter just for tea where he posts about tea and related stuff. Check it out here.

Skin your laptop, Locally.

I just stumbled upon a site for the Kuwaiti market which offers skins for your laptop. There are pretty good ones for people who are bored with the plain look of their laptop lid. Well I did not order one as I love my MBP. But you can take a look at it here.

MWC '09 Nearing

As Mobile World Congress(MWC) '09 is nearing, mobile phone manufacturers are prep'ing themselves and releasing all kinds of phones. Here is a round up of most the phones that are sneaked out by phone makers worldwide.

Nokia's 5630 XpressMusic

Sony Ericsson's W395 Walkman and C903 Cybershot

Nokia 5800 North American

Samsung S8300

Sony Ericsson (Code-named) Hikaru

Archos Android phone / tablet

Nokia E75

BlackBerry 9300 "Gemini"

LG Arena (KM900)

Samsung M7600

Windows 7

Downloaded the new OS by Microsoft a few days ago but did not get time to install it. Finally installed it today on my desktop. I have to say Microsoft is stepping in the right direction with this one. Hope they don' t mess it up as they did with Vista. The new OS is awesome. It installed really fast and doesn't hassle you with all those requirements that you had to had when you installed vista. All over, Win7 is really responsive and amazingly faster than Vista. I am triple booting XP, Vista and Win7, and sometimes I feel that Win7 is faster than XP (yes!)

Reviews and Scoops by Engadget

Game to Reality, Myth to Reality

Only considered as a myth that video games could actually help in real life get a skill. Well apparently this 18-year old high school drop out soldier in the US army became a drone pilot by playing on his XBOX. How cool?

Source

Criminal Mii

Seems the warning notification system is changing too. Apparently its too much in Japan. Police authorities in Japan put up a warning poster of a person. Oh did I tell you it wasn't his picture, it was his Mii (Nintendo Wii's avatar). Interesting!

Source

Back Online..

Its been really long since I've blogged and here I am back blogging. The main reason were Christmas-New year break, my short vacation to Mombasa (Kenya), and my Finals.

Well for whats hot and new in Kuwaiti Tech world is the InfoTech '09 Fair at the Kuwait International Fair Grounds in Mishref. This year's fair is tiny compared to last year's. Packed only in one hall (4A) Not much of new tech was seen. Nothing new on the hardware part but the market for internet was really hot.

FastTelco really dropped their ADSL Prices and ended up being the cheapest providers. Their pricing started from KD59/year for a low 256Kbps connection.

More pricing range here