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The post IXORA HOTEL PENANG WELCOMES ANDREAS BOURDON AS ITS NEW GENERAL MANAGER first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>Andreas joins Ixora Hotel Penang after spending many years developing his career in various cities around the world. Most recently, he was General Manager for the Everly Group, overseeing the operations of the group’s 400 rooms flagship hotel in Putrajaya. Under his leadership, the hotel was awarded best business hotel by Malaysia Airlines Readers’ Choice Award and received the Golden Circle Award by Agoda, issued only to the top 1% of all Agoda listed hotels for consistently exceeding in excellent customer reviews.
Andreas has held senior management positions for over 15 years and has extensive Asia working experience, starting with Singapore, Taipei, Hong Kong, Macau, Manila, Yangon and Phnom Penh. He is excited to be coming over to Penang, the food capital of Malaysia, which was also named the 2nd Top City in 2017 by CNN Travel recently. He looks forward to his new role and towards enhancing the service standards and overall quality at the well-established hotel, Ixora Hotel Penang, located minutes away from the historic Georgetown.
“We are excited to have Andreas leading our hotel’s management team, with his proven performance track record and broad hospitality experience from various cities and well-established hotels & resorts around the world,” says David Cheng, Director of Ixora Hotel Sdn. Bhd..
The post IXORA HOTEL PENANG WELCOMES ANDREAS BOURDON AS ITS NEW GENERAL MANAGER first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>The post STEPS ON HOW TO RENEW YOUR VEHICLE’S REGISTRATION CARD (RC) TO THE NEW VEHICLE OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE (VOC) IN MALAYSIA first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>According to the Road Transport Department (JPJ), the expectation date for all vehicles to switch to Vehicle Ownership Certificate (VOC/Sijil Pemilikan Kenderaan) is by 1 Jan 2020. Since I’ve difficulty in getting more knowledge online on how to get the new VOC and ended up messing up getting my VOC for another year, I might as well share my experiences with everyone here. Please take note that effective 1 June 2016, all renewals for the vehicle’s Registration Card (RC/Kad Pendaftaran Kenderaan) won’t be updated with the latest transaction as before. Here are the basic steps to renew your road tax (as verified by the personal at JPJ, Batu Uban, Penang):
1. Make sure you get your agent to renew your vehicle insurance at least ONE MONTH BEFORE it expires. From there, everything would be registered online in the JPJ’s system for any relevant personnel to renew your yearly road tax.
2. YOU MUST GO DIRECT to the nearest JPJ to renew your road tax WITH your old RC as all JPJ’s representative agents DO NOT HAVE the limited VOC printout available.
3. The renewal of your RC to VOC is FREE at all JPJ (unless you lose your original RC in which RM50 would be compounded). This is EXCLUSIVE of the road tax renewal fee (fee varies depending on your vehicle’s engine power).
4. At the moment, for those TRAVELLING ACROSS THE BORDER with vehicle REGISTERED UNDER YOUR NAME, you have to obtain a SEPARATE FORM from the JPJ counter to state your reason of bringing your vehicle out to another country. The VOC does not have enough details to allow your vehicle to cross any border. The form is FREE. However, there’s a cost of RM20 PER YEAR to perform an online search to print out the FULL DETAILS of your vehicles, which would include the date on which your insurance would expire. WITHOUT this ADDITIONAL PRINTOUT, you won’t be able to cross any border (at the moment until further notice). Please note that it’s not a must but it’s advisable if you could get an official stamp from JPJ to certify the authenticity of the printed documents as they are computer generated and won’t have any signature on them.
I'm thirsty for a drink now. Would you be kind enough to treat me?The post STEPS ON HOW TO RENEW YOUR VEHICLE’S REGISTRATION CARD (RC) TO THE NEW VEHICLE OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE (VOC) IN MALAYSIA first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>The post ANLENE MOVEMAX FEEL YOUNG FEST 2016 AT QUEENSBAY MALL PENANG first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>Public can pay a visit to the ground floor concourse of Queensbay Mall, Penang, to get FREE mobility checks (worth RM120) at the respective MoveCheck counters, thereafter, getting FREE consultation to know how to improve your bones, joints and muscles.
If you are in for more FREEBIES, you could always join in for more fun at 3 more action games corners, namely dance arcade, trampoline and tyre swinging. Just remember that youth has no age and always trust in your own abilities when you think you can’t. Do stay positive mentally and physically, then you would realize that there’s no such thing as IMPOSSIBLE. It’s always I’M POSSIBLE.
Moreover, you would also get FREE try outs of Anlene MoveMax plain & chocolate beverages plus yoghurt (4 flavors available). Though the beverages were really nice when served chilled, my preference was the yoghurt which was thick and flavorful to my liking, especially when they were frozen and taken just like ice cream.
On top of that, you would get more options to purchase RM20 worth of products and get MORE FREEBIES at the “Spin to Win” counter or Buy RM98 worth of products to claim a beautiful 500ml Stainless Steel Flask. Anlene with MoveMax contains important nutrients such as Calcium, Collagen, Protein, as well as other nutrients such as magnesium, zinc, and Vitamins B, C, D & E in a nutrient bundle to help care for your bones, joints and muscles. Anlene MoveMax is available in all leading supermarkets nationwide and is available in the powdered form as well as in the yoghurt form. The powdered form comes in two flavours – plain and chocolate and is available in 1kg, 600g and 175g packs. Anlene Movemax Yoghurt is available in 4 delicious variants, namely plain, mango, strawberry and mixed berries.
Do click on the photo below for a clearer view on the program for the weekend:
The post ANLENE MOVEMAX FEEL YOUNG FEST 2016 AT QUEENSBAY MALL PENANG first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>The post TRAVELLING COMFORTABLY AND CONVENIENTLY WITH UBERX SERVICES first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>During my earlier experience when I was travelling from E&O Hotel Penang to Hard Rock Hotel Penang, the fare was RM24. If you use the same scenario and base on the current rate of RM0.90 (Base Rate) + RM0.55/km + RM0.25/min, the cost would be RM20.55 only. Thus, you would save around 14.38% compared to earlier this year. The amount saved might not be so significant but in the long run, you would still save a lot.
Base Fare (RM0.90) + RM10.33 (18.78 x RM0.55) + RM9.32 (37.28mins x RM0.25) = RM20.55
To share my #UberExperience further, I’ve decided to get two more friends to join me in my little Uber night adventure. It could be due to my area not being in the “hot spot” areas or maybe the demands overwhelmed the supplies, the first message that popped up on my mobile screen was my first experience, though I have never experienced that during day time. There was a “surge pricing” popup of 1.5x higher fare which was not exorbitantly high and luckily it lasted only 2 minutes. I only found out the reasons behind the surge as it was Uber’s way to encourage more drivers to be on the road. Anyway, it’s your decision to accept the surged pricing if you are rushing for time. However, I opted out and eventually my Uber driver was just 10 minutes away. Well, 5 minutes more waiting time than usual was not so bad after all. The best part of travelling via Uber is that the driver would call you up every time to get your exact pickup point. That was so cool!
When the driver arrived, I was impressed with the car. Unlike my luck of getting Myvi most of the time, I was going to be chauffeured comfortably via a sporty Kia Cerato.
The driver was so helpful to assist in picking up the luggage as I was sending one of my friends over to the KTM train station at Mainland Penang. Since I would be passing by my friend’s house on the way to the Penang Bridge, I passed her a gift. So, it meant that you can practically do whatever you like on any Uber trip since everything would be calculated based on the mileage and time you utilized via Uber.
We continued our journey thereafter on a busy and jammed Friday night and reached the KTM Train Station 50 minutes later. The total fare was RM35.49 which was inclusive of RM7 for the Penang Bridge surcharge. I was surprised to be slapped with the extra RM7 since there would never be any toll involved if you were to travel from Penang Island to Mainland Penang. Maybe this was one of the protective measures Uber executed to protect its drivers from losing out when travelling back to the island after their job.
To test out on the news I heard about Uber not having many drivers on Mainland Penang, I’ve decided to hold back my driver and requested him to off his app. This was the result on my mobile screen. Gosh! Uber should really encourage more drivers over there. There was practically none around my vicinity which was quite a hot spot area for people disembarking from trains and ferries.
Since I managed to keep my driver, my friend and I decided to go for a wacky food trail in search of the much heard best Duck Egg Char Koay Teow in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. However, we had decided to “share cost” for this expedition. The calculation was a bit different. Due to the lack of Uber drivers for Mainland Penang, the base fee was at RM1.50 and there was an additional charge of RM1.70 for splitting fees. Eventually, the total cost was RM19.06, meaning each of us was charged RM9.53 for the trip. I quite like this feature as we could split fare without any hassle at all. Moreover, the more people you have in the car, the lesser each person has to fork out. Well, you can have a maximum of 4 passengers (excluding the driver) in the UberX car. Anyway, we treated the driver with a large plate of Duck Egg Char Koay Teow with extra Duck Egg Omelette all for RM5.50nett. It was heavenly good. (Telur Itik Char Koay Teow GPS: 5.351708, 100.441728)
Do you know one thing bad about food enthusiasts? We just could not get enough of good food~ LOL~ Eventually, we decided to head back to the island in search of the best crispy chicken burger at Burger Ayam Goreng Njoy (GPS: 5.277606, 100.270582). It was practically another long 40 minutes journey back to the island and towards Batu Maung district after the Penang International Airport. With all the comfort and soft jazzy music, I dozed off during the journey~ LOL~ The base fare for Mainland Penang of RM1.50 still applied and there was also a RM7 surcharge for travelling via Penang Bridge. The total cost of RM34.43 for a 33km+ distance was rather fair too compared to regular taxi charges of RM50-RM60. However, upon reaching, the stall was closed for no reasons. I only managed to find out that some of the members were down with the seasonal hot weather sickness. Anyway, I would still find one find day to revisit as I so miss their Twin Special with 2 big pieces of fried chicken, a piece of cheese and oozy black pepper sauce, in between strawberry flavored burger bun, all for RM9.00nett per set. If you love sloppy burger with amazingly delicious crispy boneless chicken, you should check them out.
Missing out the burger did not deter us from finding more goodies. I was glad that even at such hour, the base rate went back to RM0.90 on the island. Eventually, we ended up at Nois Café (GPS: 5.359750, 100.293510) for some coffee prior to heading home. If you love a quiet place to chill out with great aromatic yet creamy coffee up to 1.00am, you should check them out.
We drank until the café closed~ LOL~ It merely took about 10 minutes to reach my home all for less than RM6.
It was already late and I was quite sleepy with all the travelling. I managed to get the Uber driver to send my friend back to his hostel at YMCA. I don’t even have to be physically in the car to be billed. Everything was paid via my credit card.
You can practically use the services of Uber for anything legal. I decided one fine night to utilize them for cheap and good “choo char” dinner with a bunch of friends. We headed out to Song Yen Seafood @ Kompleks Lebuh Nipah (GPS: 5.336476, 100.293001), directly opposite the Penang Original Kayu Nasi Kandar, for my favorite Ham Yu Fa Lam Po (Salted Fish Pork Belly Claypot) and other home-style dishes for barely RM40nett. At least, I don’t have to worry about finding parking space which could be quite limited there or getting summoned by the super hardworking municipal parking staff~ LOL~
Since we still have some time before Queensbay Mall closes, we went over to Aeon Jusco to do a bit of grocery shopping. The number of cars queuing up to find parking space, was quite scarily long even though it was slightly over 9.00pm and the mall would close at 10.30pm. I guessed many people were still hunting for super Chinese New Year deals. Luckily, I took UberX there and avoided many hassles. Moreover, I was also lucky the queue at the cashier was not as long as I expected.
Since it was not so late yet and we decided to head to Coffeeric (GPS: 5.322076, 100.282651) @ Elite Avenue for some late supper. You should try their Salted Egg Cheese Cake and light roasted coffee there.
After a hearty supper, we headed back to my house where my friends parked their cars.
As I mentioned earlier, Uber is having a cashless system as everything would be charged to your debit/credit card. The system is so versatile that I can practically use it for any legal purposes such as fetching my brother back home when I was too lazy to drive all the way to the ferry terminal at Weld Quay~ LOL~ Eventually, he got home safely and it wasn’t much hassle at all. All I need to do was to pin point my pickup location and request for UberX service. Of course, you would at least need to know what the pickup person would be wearing and which landmark would he/she be waiting or else you won’t be able to advise the driver when he/she calls you up to confirm the location. The whole journey just cost slightly over RM8 when a normal taxi would cost roughly between RM20-RM30. You certainly saved a lot using UberX compared to taxi.
Overall, I quite like all the Uber services as it saved time and money and the drivers are well trained to provide as courteous services as expected. Moreover, you could use their services as creative as some cases I have heard which never even came across my mind at all. Some companies do engage them to deliver/collect important documents/items as it would be more promptly than most courier services. The most creative case I have heard was that someone delivered lunch to another via this service~ Wow! I would marry him immediately if I were to be his girlfriend~ LOL~
HOW TO APPLY?
Basically you need only two things – a smart phone (IOS or Android) and a valid credit/debit card. Just download the respective app as per link stated and sign up with your contact information. Fill up your credit/debit card information and register. Upon approval, you can use the app straightaway. It’s as simple as that.
FREE TRIAL FOR FIRST TIMER:
Just go to http://www.uber.com/invite/crizl4ue and apply to be eligible for a one-time off RM10 free ride. Any ride above RM10 would be deducted from your credit/debit card.
I'm thirsty for a drink now. Would you be kind enough to treat me?The post TRAVELLING COMFORTABLY AND CONVENIENTLY WITH UBERX SERVICES first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>The post LET’S CELEBRATE 2016 WITH UBER SERVICES first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>To usher in 2016, let’s celebrate the eventful New Year 2016 Countdown at six strategic venues (Auto City, Gurney Paragon, Straits Quay, Queensbay Mall, Karpal Singh Drive & Kompleks Bukit Jambul) in Penang with your family and friends this coming 31 December 2015. Be part of the joyous crowds to enjoy in the many entertaining performances and activities in store for you by the respective organizers. At the same time, do experience the countdown towards a new year by witnessing the colorful and glorious fireworks displays upon the stroke of midnight.
However, there are always the issues of being stuck in the massive traffic jams or the lack of legal parking spaces at these venues. Instead of getting traffic summons which could be a hassle to your clean traffic records, why not engage in the services of UBER? It’s just one tap away from your mobile phone and pickups are always reliable with clear pricing stated. It’s convenient and cashless as everything would be charged directly to your credit or debit cards as stated when you sign up for the app either by Android or IOS phones.
FOCUS ON CELEBRATING AND NOT ON PARKING…
To add on to the excitement, you can use my promo code (ILUVPG1) to entitle yourself for the one-time ride worth RM25 for FREE. You can use the promo code once only up to 31 January 2016. Terms & Conditions apply.
HOW TO APPLY?
Basically you need only two things – a smart phone (IOS or Android) and a valid credit/debit card. Just download the respective app as per link stated and sign up with your contact information. Fill up your credit/debit card information and register. Upon approval, you can use the app straightaway. It’s as simple as that.
The post LET’S CELEBRATE 2016 WITH UBER SERVICES first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>The post ULTIMATE LUXURY AT E&O RESIDENCES KUALA LUMPUR first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>There are two types of suites available as below:
1 BEDROOM SUITE (104 units): Max 3 persons
The 105 sq m/1,131 sq ft contemporary and yet cozy studio suite with separate bedroom is ideal for couple or even a small family with a child. It’s spacious and you can have a majestic view of the city skyline anytime throughout the day. The master bedroom is furnished with a king sized bed and the bathroom is ever ready to become your place of relaxation with the necessary toiletries provided. With the availability of the fully equipped kitchenette, you could pep up a simple meal in no time while enjoying your meal in front of the TV set in your living room or at the dining area.
2 BEDROOMS SUITE (96 units): Max 5 persons
The luxurious city suite (134 sq m/1,442 sq ft) is perfect for larger families with children. It has an open living area, kitchenette, dining area, powder room/additional toilet and even a private study/work room. Both the master bedroom and guest room have personalized baths and wardrobes on top of the comfortable king sized beds. The best part would be being a “couch potato” on the huge sofa with cushions watching the surround sound TV system while enjoy the cool breeze from the balcony. With all your needs catered for, this would be the ideal suite to lodge in away from home.
STANDARD AMENITIES:
Basically, the amenities in both the 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom are the same except for the size of the built-up area and the layout. Inside each luxurious and stylish suite, you would expect to get air-conditioning with individually controlled thermostats, bathroom with shower, free standing bath, ‘His’ & ‘Hers’ vanities, washing machine & dryer, fully equipped kitchen (electric hob & hood, refrigerator, microwave oven, toaster, coffee maker (with coffee powder, tea, sugar & creamer), electric kettle, glassware, crockery, cutlery & utensils, home entertainment system (iPod docking station, television with satellite & cable channels), hairdryer, steam iron & ironing board, IDD telephone, WiFi internet connectivity, in-suite electronic safe, 24-hour security and more. On top of that, your toiletries items such as towels, shampoo, conditioner, body gel, hand lotion, etc, would be replenished on a daily basis.
GENERAL FACILITIES:
Other than the in-suite amenities and facilities, there are within the confines of the E&O Residences for you to explore, whether for personal usages or business needs.
Gym & Exercise Room (Yoga & Aerobics) – Available from 7.00am until 10.00pm daily, you would get to tone up that body of yours with the available equipments. Other than that, you can always check at the reception on the availability of any classes.
Landscape Garden Courtyard & Children Playground (outdoor & indoor) – Accompanying children would surely love the courtyard and it’s a safe place for them too as the ground had been treated with Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) flooring, a durable synthetic rubber material that would prevent children from having high accident risk. There’s also the indoor playground for children with lots of toys.
Swimming Pool & Jacuzzi (private gazebo & public) – The swimming pool is public accessible by both residents of St. Mary Residences and E&O Residences. It’s available from 7.00am until 10.00pm daily. There are many sunbathing decks scattered all around the pool for your relaxation while watching the skyline, namely the Petronas twin tower and Menara KL. You could even lie on the few swinging beds around. The best part is the availability of many jacuzzis, whether you want to utilize the public area or enjoying the water massage in the set up gazebo in privacy.
Resident Lounge, Business Center & Function Room – There are many resident lounge areas within the vicinity for your personal use. In case you would need to have some work done with some basic printing and internet usage, you could always use their Business Center located near the receptionist area of Tower 2, over some coffee too. For more formal meetings, you can check with the reception on the availability of the Function Room.
Basement Car Park – There would be ample parking bays at the basement for the occupants. Entering and exiting would be via the mode of your suite’s key card.
Concierge Service – For your leisure or business needs, you could always consult the concierge counter for advice and arrangement such as calling in a taxi, arranging a tour, make restaurant reservation and more. They are there to assist you to make your stay a pleasant one.
Dining – Delicious @ St. Mary Place is located in the next building just across E&O Residences. They would cater to your dining needs from 7.00am until 9.30pm daily.
ATTRACTIONS: With the easy access of rail transits as shown in the KL Rail Transit Map below, you can practically visit any places in your wish list. All you need is a Touch n Go card or cash to use the rail transport facilities. For those places without rail transit access, you can always go the receptionist and request for a taxi. All taxis in KL are metered and I can assure you that the rates provided are reasonable.
CRAZY MONKEY SALES 2016: Book from 1-10 January 2016 and enjoy your stay from 10 January 2016 until 30 June 2016. Check out the promotion here.
Name: E&O RESIDENCES
Address: No. 1 Jalan Tengah (Off Jalan Sultan Ismail), 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Contact: +603-2023 2188
Website: www.eoresidences.com
GPS: 3.151728, 101.708619 (entrance to E&O Residences & St. Mary Residences)
DIRECTIONS:
For those from outstation/overseas and won’t be driving into KL city, the best way to reach E&O Residences is via the KL Monorail. Find your way to KL Sentral and from there transit via KL Monorail (KL Sentral) to KL Monorail (Raja Chulan). From the Raja Chulan Station, just walk about 400m via Jalan Tengah and you would see the entrance to the residences. If you are still unsure, just switch on your Google Map app on your mobile and key in the GPS (3.151728, 101.708619).
To ease you in finding your nearest rail transit station, you can refer to the map below. Do click on the map for a better view.
RATING:
Ambience: 9/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Cleanliness: 8/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Noise Pollution: 5/10 (1-4 quiet, 5-7 average, 8-10 noisy)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
I'm thirsty for a drink now. Would you be kind enough to treat me?
The post ULTIMATE LUXURY AT E&O RESIDENCES KUALA LUMPUR first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>The post ENDLESS ENTERTAINMENTS VIA THE 1OTT SOCIAL TV BOX first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>With our hectic lifestyle in chasing our dreams in providing better living standards for ourselves as well as our family members, we tend to forget that we are not robots and would need to spend some time to recuperate and reenergize our bodies for better performances. Other than having the required exercises to keep our body healthy, we would also need a relaxed state of mind to be more analytical in decision makings. Therefore, there’s always the need for some sort of entertainments, may it for our own self or together with your family members. That’s the reason you would need to own the 1OTT Social TV Box for the utmost entertainment experiences of your life time. It’s as easy as Plug-Connect Network-Play.
You may ask how the “1OTT Social TV Box” could be of benefit to you. Well, it’s the state-of-the-art device that would enable you to easily stream thousands of your favorite movies, shows, news and more through their public apps as well as viewing other third party public apps. All you need is a minimum of 2Mbps internet connection for most contents or a minimum of 4Mbps for Live TV and you will be on the way to experience your sought after relaxation on your big screen. It’s as simple as that!
You are in luck now as the appointed reseller, Ban Hin Bee (BHB) group, an established electrical & electronics retail chain stores in Penang, together with its affiliate companies, Sincere Zone (M) Sdn. Bhd. in Selangor, are having an introductory offer that would be too great to resist. Each unit of the 1OTT is now retailed with a “ONE TIME PAYMENT” of RM479 (inclusive 6% GST) at all BHB and its affiliate outlets (excluding Kitchentech outlets). In addition to the overall warranty, a “90 days 1-for-1 exchange warranty” and a “free remote control upgrade to V8 back-lit and long range remote control worth RM30 (while stocks last)” are provided EXCLUSIVELY through all these outlets (excluding Kitchentech outlets). Please check the address and contact information as per link.
On top of that, you can also use the code provided here (CL8001) or just mention my name, Criz Lai, and you would be able to claim an additional Sarowin HDMI Cable worth RM68 for FREE. This offer is until 31 December 2015 while stocks last. So, hurry up to get your unit today.
Here are the specifications as well as items which would come with each set of the 1OTT Social TV package:
ALTERNATIVE CONNECTIONS
Though it’s highly recommended for those owning HDTV to purchase the 1OTT player for clarity, it does not mean that you can’t watch using other mode of display. For those still owning the older box type of TV, you can still use the product by purchasing the HDMI-Composite Breakout Cable. As for those without any TV but with PC monitor or laptop, you can still use the player if the unit is of higher range with a DVI-D (dual link) slot or HDMI slot with the purchase of a HDMI-DVI/HDMI-HDMI Cable. If you are using the DVI-HDMI cable for visual, then you’ll need to plug in the external speakers into the composite slot on the player for audio. However, you would still need to have a minimum of 2Mbps internet connection to view most of the Video-On-Demand (VOD). In case you are unsure of how those slots will look like, I have attached a photo below.
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES
Let me share with you my experiences on some of the channels I’ve gained access to during my review on the product. Wow! I’m impressed with the quality and quantity of online entertainments which I can stream at ease with this product. On top of that, there are so many series and movies that I had missed out in the recent months and I could just watch them all at my convenience through their ever updated and comprehensive listing. The best part is that I can use the Resume Playback, Fast Forward & Rewind features without missing the action parts of the show, unlike viewing through certain paid channels.
Once you have plugged in and gone through the selection of either WIFI or Ethernet, the main screen will pop out. The first thing to do is to enter the first code “VHTBWGC” into the “Enter Package Code” space on the top right hand corner of your screen via your remote control. After entering the code, press “OK”, then press “Agree” on the Terms & Conditions and you would be on the way to watch all the programs available on the set.
After the first step, you would get the benefit of using the “Announcement” to check on more updates. This is where you would get more package codes shown for latest shows. Just follow the steps above to enter as per your selection. These are 1OTT Video-On-Demand (VOD) package codes where the private apps are developed by Third Party developers. The library which pulls FREE contents from 100+ websites for direct streaming, has more than 12,000 titles from US, Hong Kong, China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Indonesia, etc. It’s updated on a daily or weekly basis.
Firstly, let’s have a look at the LIVE TV channels such as the Malaysian 1TV. There are all together 18 channels namely TV1, TV2, Bernama and more.
For those who love watching English movies, you are in luck to catch up with the movies that you have missed. Just click the “English Movies” icon and it would lead you into another page. This is where the fun part is. The first 5 icons are where you could watch more movies within based on their category. If you take a closer look at the top right hand corner, you would notice that there’s a counter to show you the quantity of movies available. With 100+ latest movies available, it would take me months before I could finish all. By that time, there would be more updated ones. That’s what I like about the 1OTT Social TV – endless entertainment!
As for the “English Series”, it’s also another category with almost a hundred series to view on, not amounting to the number of titles you would get to view in each of the series. OMG! That’s another few hundreds of titles to catch on.
For those who love to watch “Malaysian Dramas and Movies”, you are in luck too as there would be quite a number of interesting shows that you have missed. Currently, there are 24 movies and 35 dramas in these categories. I felled in love with the acting of Nur Suhada binti Jebat (commercial name Ayda Jebat), an actress cum singer. In the drama, M.A.I.D., she was so natural and comical, especially when she was in panicking situations.
You could also watch some “Thai Movies” with over 40+ titles here, which include horror, romance, friendship and more.
For “Japanese Anime” lovers, there are over 70+ titles with hundreds subtitles for you to explore. It’s really a heaven in here.
There are also some channels on Health and you could learn many beneficial tips on daily healthy lifestyles to applying Traditional Chinese Medication (TCM) into your life. I quite like these titles as I’ve learned some interesting tips to boost up my immune system as well as maintaining a general wellbeing.
1OTT Social TV player is not short of Documentaries too. It indeed had widened my knowledge on a lot of aspects in life, especially in the culture, tradition, history and science of other nationalities.
PROS:
– It’s a portable unit that with enable the user to endless entertainments on-the-go as well as at home as long as there’s a minimum of 2Mbps WIFI/Ethernet internet connection.
– It can be set at 1080p for HD quality and has a build in detector to adjust the quality from 480p, 720p and 1080p based on your best internet connectivity.
– There are over 10,000 titles to watch each time and it’s a never ending process as the system will update the titles on a daily or weekly basis. Thus, endless streaming for the user.
– It’s a one click convenience to watch most of the shows you have missed without having to search for them online.
– The player has Resume Playback, Fast Forward & Rewind features, which you can have all the control within your own grasp.
CONS:
– It’s not a TV Decoder, thus you can’t control the language for the subtitles. What you see on the screen is what you get. Unless you understand the language spoken, you might have some issues digesting the whole show.
– Unless you have the patience to wait for the upload of the latest drama which might be 24-48 hours later, some might find it irresistible to hunt for the updates online.
– For those who are equipped with the latest HD gadgets at home, you may find the quality to be below par as not 100% of the titles are in 1080p qualities.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1) What is 1OTT?
1OTT is an Internet Connected TV Box that enables direct streaming of Audio & Video Contents to your big screen TV. This product is the brainchild of Cloud Media, a company pioneering in Connected Entertainment Market, responsible for powering the World’s First Internet Connected TV – the HP MediaSmart and developer of the Award-Winning Popcorn Hour Networked Media.
2) How many channels are currently available on 1OTT?
Currently 1OTT delivers more than 140 Live Channels and VOD (Video On Demand) contents comprising of Recipe & Cooking Shows; Health, Wellness & Exercise Programs; Education on Demand & Documentaries; Lifestyle & Travel Channels and many more. In addition, you can also access to THOUSANDS of TV Shows & Dramas, Variety Shows and Movies through 3rd party/external apps.
3) What is the monthly / yearly subscription fee for 1OTT?
NO Subscription Fee is required. 1OTT is currently retailed at BHB outlets with ONE TIME PAYMENT of RM479 (inclusive 6% GST).
4) Is 1OTT HD (High Definition) enabled?
1OTT have both SD (Standard Definition) Channels and HD (High Definition) Channels. Availability of 1080 HD video is subject to provider and Internet broadband connection speed.
5) What is the Internet speed required for streaming video?
A minimum of 2MB is required for most contents, while 4MB is needed for better Live TV streaming and experiences.
6) Will the contents be updated in 1OTT? If yes how frequent?
We have a dedicated team to maintain and update the contents from time to time. Contents are updated on both daily & monthly basis subject to online availability.
7) Does 1OTT have ASTRO channels?
No. 1OTT is not a TV Decoder for paid channel. We do not host any contents whatsoever. 1OTT merely aggregates Public Contents and acts as an Open Platform for third-party developers to share their Private Contents.
8) Is 1OTT sold in other countries?
In Malaysia, 1OTT is SIRIM Certified and is sold in many countries including USA, Australia, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, etc.
9) What are the differences between 1OTT and other similar devices in the market? (e.g. Android box etc.)
1OTT runs on Linux platform not Android. We constantly thrive to deliver the BEST Media Streaming Experience by offering Easy Browsing of content titles via Remote Control, Convenient & Speed of Direct Streaming without Downloading and Technical & Content Support. Furthermore, you can browse content using your smart phone simply by downloading our Remote Control App to iOS or Android devices.
DOWNLOADABLE 1OTT REMOTE CONTROL FOR SMARTPHONE:
– Android Play Store: Popcorn Hour Remote Control by Cloud Media Sdn. Bhd. (http://bit.ly/1OsaNh4)
– iPhone App Store: MobileRC by Syabas Technology Inc. (http://apple.co/1JmWHWE)
10) What is the warranty?
Each unit will have a 1 year Limited Warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. All other new accessories (remote and cables) are entitled to a 90 days Limited Warranty
ONLINE SUPPORT
For any enquiries regarding your 1OTT Social TV, you can always private message them at their 1OTT Facebook Page. You are assured of a response within 24 hours.
INTERNATIONAL RESELLER OPPORTUNITY
VidCrowd is always interested in expanding their international reseller network. If you are interested in marketing 1OTT products or other range of media players in your country, we would be interested in hearing more about your current operations and your proposed plans for our products at leslie@vidcrowdmedia.com
Thanks to Vidcrowd Media Sdn. Bhd., each of us was presented a WIFI based version of FreeOTT for our personal usage. The unit is a premium giveaway by the company and would not be available for sale. It’s as good as the 1OTT Social TV with the exact features and quality streaming.
DISCLAIMER
The reviewer or any other related business entity or website (hereinafter “Company”) associated with the manufacturing and/or distribution of the 1OTT product (hereinafter “Product”) is not responsible for any miscommunication that may occur regarding channel and content listings and availability. You agree to understand that the channels and content are provided via 3rd party app developers (hereinafter “external apps”) and is streamed over the internet via these external apps. You agree to understand that the Product is merely a device that allows you to connect through your own internet provider and stream any content that is available via these external apps that are available through the Product.
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]]>The post PAMPERING YOURSELF WITH ASIA’S FIRST RHYTHM & MOTION SPA TREATMENTS AT ROCK SPA @ HARD ROCK HOTEL PENANG first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>Located at beach front of Hard Rock Hotel, Penang, is a little tranquil yet natural sanctuary by its own named Rock Spa. Upon nearing the premises, you would smell a nice scent lingering through the air. That’s the spa’s way of welcoming you into their little haven with the free flowing of relaxing aromatherapy essential oil called “Perk Me Up”, a combination of lemongrass, peppermint and eucalyptus oils to soothe your mood prior to your spa treatments. Other than being the natural deodorant, it also acts as an analgesic, antidepressant, antimicrobial, antipyretic, a digestive support agent, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, decongestant, antiseptic, antibacterial, stimulating and other medicinal qualities. What a great scent to have especially during this cold and hazy weather~
Upon your acceptance to experience the spa treatments at Rock Spa, you would first be served with a hot cup of Ginger Tea. It’s a relaxant beverage which would help in relieving your stress level, strengthen your immunity, improving digestion on top of it other anti-inflammatory and anti-respiratory health benefits.
There are 3 packages, namely Synchronicity, Face the Music and Heat Wave, available for your Rhythm & Motion Spa Treatments as shown on the menu below. Basically, these 3 options are add-ons to their existing spa treatments (a gentle Hard Rock Massage/a more pressure point concentrated Traditional Malaysian Massage, a facial concentrated Essential Aromatherapy and the more energy points focus Hot Rocks treatment for the seasoned spa-goers) with the usage of the state-of-the-art music systems.
You would also be given another option to choose the type of massage oil you would want to utilize during your massage session such as Balance (detoxification: rosemary + orange + basil), Energize (relieve muscle stress: ginger + grapefruit + eucalyptus) or Chill (relaxation: lavender + geranium + cedarwood).
As I’m always down with muscle stiffness and back pain due to my hazardous working style, I opted for their Heat Wave package plus the usage of their Energize massage oil. Firstly, as part of their Etiquette Rules, all spa treatment seekers had to change to their provided “disposable” undergarments. It felt like putting my “ahems” into an airy recycle bag~ LOL~ However, you don’t have to worry as you are in the good hands of the skilled therapist as he/she would always ensure comfortable and proper draping procedures to protect your privacy. Other Etiquette Rules include punctuality (at least 10 minutes earlier) before your scheduled appointment, no inappropriate behaviors and the advice of not bringing valuables into Rock Spa. The treatment room would also a wardrobe for keeping your belongings, a basin with mirror, drinking water, comb, hair clips, etc at your disposal.
The spa treatment was remarkably an out-of-the-world experience, none that I’ve encountered through my various spa treatments. It started off with some soothing yet TREBLE based beats from the overhead semi-sphere like space-age musical source with ripples of BASS slowing seeping into the body with mild vibrations via the massage table. Wow! This is the kind of therapeutic massage I’ve been seeking for a long time! I was in such a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere that I almost dozed off in zero-stress mental state. The music emitted which I presumed had a balance of frequencies such as Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Theta waves indeed churned out the best in me – energy wise, alertness wise, creativity wise, memory wise and more. My brain cells were totally revitalized and I had a great sleep that night. On the other hand, the Vibration Therapy via the massage table did improve my muscle soreness and my body felt more relax and not in such a tense mode as it used to be. Bravo to the latest spa treatment technology brought in by the Hard Rock Hotel, Penang. My therapist, Vixin, also did a great job in rejuvenating my body with her gentle yet dedicated touches by the mode of hot volcanic stones. Not only were her steady flowing strokes pinpointed all the muscle sores on my body, she did put in the extra effort in soothing the sinus issues I had on that day. Thank Vixin, you are my savior. I would say those volcanic stones do have extraordinary therapeutic energies stored within. With right combination of heat and oil, I can feel that some of my sport related injuries got better and I’m now more energized with a better blood circulation. Moreover, with such a relaxing treatment, I’m now quite stress-free. Thumbs up! Another of their product which the therapist used on me was their Eye Pillow, a pillow filled with flax seeds with a light spray of their Lavender Essential Oil. For those who are suffering from sleep issues, it would be great if you could purchase the products from them. Not only was the freezer-chilled pillow soothed the lethargy eyes, the scent from the lavender oil relaxed my mind and pushed my mental and physical states towards Dreamland.
Overall, I had a great session at Rock Spa as my assigned therapist, Vixin, was skillful in her job and was tactfully knowledgeable in explaining all the processes in the treatment. If you were to ask me to recommend a spa treatment package, I will still choose the Heat Wave Rhythm & Motion Spa Treatment. Though it’s the most expensive package at RM390nett (1.5hours), it’s the most practical one to go for especially when you have gone through years of stressful life without ever finding time in rejuvenating your body to stay healthy for years to come.
Please call +604-886 8071 to make your reservation at least 4 hours prior to your appointment as Rock Spa would need adequate time to prepare to ensure your memorable spa experience. For more information on their other spa packages, you can check out their full spa menu as well as their current promotions with some great bargains.
The Rock Spa is located at the left wing of Hard Rock Hotel Penang. Upon entering, just head for the nearest car park on your left and then follow the left side of the building until the furthest end near the beach area. Alternatively, you can walk into the main entrance of the hotel and head towards the swimming pool area and then walk through a pathway of sands towards the left side of the premises. My advice would be using the former route to avoid getting pebbles of sands on your shoes.
Name: ROCK SPA @ HARD ROCK HOTEL PENANG
Address: Batu Ferringhi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-886 8071
Business Hours: 9.00am-9.00pm
GPS: 5.467659, 100.240869
RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Pricing: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 9/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
The post PAMPERING YOURSELF WITH ASIA’S FIRST RHYTHM & MOTION SPA TREATMENTS AT ROCK SPA @ HARD ROCK HOTEL PENANG first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>The post A DATE WITH AIR ASIA BLOGGERS COMMUNITY IN #AABCPENANGTAKEOVER 2015 first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>After a short morning briefing by Ashman Mahfudz from Air Asia Communication Department at Olive Tree Hotel where the bloggers were lodged in, we were divided into 5 teams. Each team had 1-2 Penang bloggers (Criz Lai, JJ Tan & Steven Goh, CK Lam & Lingzie Khoo, Xherlyn Choong plus Sock Peng & Kuen Hoong) as guides to lead them through the expedition and social media tasks.
To my surprise, I was assigned to my team mates, some whom I had taken out a day earlier for some pre-feasting meals. They consisted of Evelyn Ang Loo, Jason Chan (team leader) and Sally Lai (my new found sister with the surname Lai~ :P) We were then given a chic for the 5 required tasks, a Penang Hop On Hop Off (HOHO) pass and RM300 as our expenditure. Our tasks were as stated below:
1. Best Breakfast in Penang – Discover the Best Breakfast Place
2. Penangness – Resemble Penang?
3. Penang Essentials – Guide for Tourists Visiting Penang for Food & Heritage Trail
4. Heritage Trail
5. Eat Penang Style
The tasks may sound easy but it really needed some sit downs to strategically pen down every ideas and locations we have on our minds. Upon disembarking from the travel coach, which had shuttled us from the hotel to the heritage Chowrasta Market along Jalan Penang, we had decided to head down to the nearest “kopitiam” to brainstorm our ideas. We ended up at Kedai Makan Hoe Peng at the junction of Jalan Penang/Jalan Kampung Malabar to have some light breakfast and at the same time digesting the tasks we were assigned to. Finally, with some painstaking walks towards our planned destinations, we managed to come out with 5 suitable entries as shown below. (All the 5 Instagram photo entries are of courtesy from Jason Chan of www.walauwei.com).
#1 Best Breakfast in Penang – Discover the Best Breakfast Place
#2 Penangness – Resemble Penang
#3 Penang Essentials – Guide for Tourists Visiting Penang for Food & Heritage Trail
#4 Heritage Trail
#5 Eat Penang Style
Upon completion of the challenge, we were then shuttled to Queensbay Mall to witness another event – The AirAsia’s Battle of the Year 2015. After spending some time in the mall, we were then sent back to Olive Tree Hotel for freshening up prior to our dinner.
The finale dinner was held at Yeng Keng Hotel, Penang with the serving of Hainanese dishes under skillful Resident Head Chef, Chef Tan.
After dinner, we all gathered outside the restaurant to hear out the final result of the challenge. Prior to that, a lucky draw session was held amongst the Penang bloggers whom had assisted in guiding the guests in the challenge. The top 3 winners for the draw went to CK Lam, JJ Tan and Steven Goh with free flight tickets to Medan, Bangkok and Kota Kinabalu respectively. The prizes were given out by Mr. Kenneth Tan, head of AirAsia Penang. Finally, the crowd grew tensed as the result of the challenge was about to be announced. Team 2 won the challenge and can you guess who were the people in Team 2? OMG! Me and my team mates! Our Team 2 and we won the grand prize of the night. Each of us received a complimentary ticket to Kaohsiung, Taiwan. You will sure be reading a lot of food reviews from me in Taiwan real soon. To my team members… You guys rock! Let’s do it again some time in the near future.
Thanks to AirAsia for bringing the AABC bloggers to Penang and together with Penang Global Tourism in organizing such fun-filled outing. It was great to meet up with some old and new friends. I’ll sure look forward to more events to come.
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]]>The post THE KEY BANGKOK HOTEL AT SUKHUMVIT SOI 19 BANGKOK THAILAND first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
]]>The Key, a 3-star hotel, is not much of a lavish hotel with complete facilities, but it’s just the right one for my basic necessities. Most importantly, a hotel has to be clean. Moreover, I realized that the housekeeping team has been a bit too hard working during my 5D4N stay in the hotel by replenishing all the used shampoo bottles, drinking water, beverage sachets and towels on a daily basis (when they stressed that we should try to go green and avoid changing towels daily). Though small in size, the hotel still has a comfortable sitting area with an indoor coffee house and an al fresco area to chill out.
As for the room, I would say it’s quite spacious for a THB2000++ room with facilities such as a small kitchen (with plates, bowls, cups, glasses and necessary utensils), microwave oven, refrigerator, electric water kettle (complimentary coffee & tea sachets and two bottles of drinking water daily), TV, DVD player, safe deposit box, dressing table, working table, dining table, build-in wardrobe, hairdryer and bath tub with hot showers. Moreover, the washroom came equipped with hair shampoo, body shampoo, spa shampoo, hand wash and hand lotion bottles.
However, there were two major setbacks in the room. One will be the toilet bowl which is too near to the wall. Thus, it will be quite inconvenient for huge sized house guests to do their “business”. Moreover, the blinds were not overlapping properly, resulting in the feeling of insecurity to prevent peeping toms from the opposite building. On top of that, there was no dish washer in the room. Though the housekeeper will clean up those dirty dishes, it would be great if they can provide that for long term house guests. As for WIFI, it’s not as stable as my personal 3G connection (though my Happy Tourist SIM card was not as smooth as it should be outside the vicinity of the hotel).
Overall, it’s still a nice place to stay in with minimal sound pollution and the central air-conditioning can be rather cold. Moreover, Terminal 21 is just few minutes of walk away. You can access to a convenience shop right outside the entrance with two more 7-11 shops along the Sukhumvit Soi 19. Restaurants (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Western), street food, cafes, hair salon, gymnasium and massage & spa parlors are scattered everywhere nearby. Without taking the risk of missing my flight (12.00 noon) to get home, the staff was helpful enough to get me a taxi to Don Mueang International Airport for a mere THB400 at 8.30am.
Here are some peeps of what to expect surrounding the vicinity of The Key Bangkok Hotel.
Name: THE KEY BANGKOK HOTEL
Address: 19-19/1-3 Sukhumvit Soi 19, Klong Toei Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.
Contact: +662 255 5825
GPS: 13.739016, 100.559948
DIRECTIONS:
From Don Mueang International Airport (DMK): Take A1/A2 bus to Mo Chit Station (BTS Sukhumvit Line). Take the Skytrain to BTS Asoke Station. Use the Skywalk towards Exit 1 and walk downstairs towards Terminal 21. Walk straight towards “The Westin Grande Sukhumvit Hotel”. At the road before the hotel, turn right into Sukhumvit Soi 19 and walk about 70m and you will see the “The Key” after a row of shop houses on your left. The main entrance of the hotel is via a smaller alley.
From Suvarnabhumi International Airport: Take the Airport Rail Link (ARL) to ARL Makkasan Station. Walk to the MRT Phetcheburi Station and use the Subway Train to MRT Sukhumvit Station. Walk towards Exit 3 near the entrance of Terminal 21. Walk straight towards “The Westin Grande Sukhumvit Hotel”. At the road next to the hotel, turn right into Sukhumvit Soi 19 and walk about 70m and you will see the “The Key” after a row of shop houses on your left. The main entrance of the hotel is via a smaller alley.
RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Cleanliness: 8/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Noise Pollution: 5/10 (1-4 quiet, 5-7 average, 8-10 noisy)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)
I'm thirsty for a drink now. Would you be kind enough to treat me?
The post THE KEY BANGKOK HOTEL AT SUKHUMVIT SOI 19 BANGKOK THAILAND first appeared on INSIGHT CRIZ.
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