LG 23" IPS (IPS237L) Monitor Review

I just couldn't wait for the new IPS monitor to be delivered for review. The box comes with a LG monitor which is light and slim, power cord, a CD containing the user guide and installation softwares,  D-Sub cable and a MHL cable.

Installations was pretty simple as all I had to do was push the stand into place and screw it in place. I tried it out with the HDMI cable( unfortunately not provided) but the result was amazing. My computer had no problem recognizing the new monitor and all I had to install was the True colour finder and the Dual package. The colours displayed are superb.. almost real like. The screen was a bit disappointing. Though it hardly has a frame and the screen looks like a cinema screen, it does not seem to be utilizing the whole screen. I finally figured out what was going on - The screen is not fully utilized with the HDMI cable but its ok while using the D-Sub cable. But the output was highly compromised while using the D-Sub cable. 

The super energy saving setup lets you browse guilt free. The touch menu buttons are sometimes a bit of work to manipulate.  Probably I just need to get used to it a bit more. 

The Dual package enables you to control the display on the monitor through the touch menu screen. The Dual Display feature allows you to either clone or extend the display but the most amazing feature was the Dual Web display. It allows you to open two pages at once splitting the screen in half. Its very good for people who want to have a continous display of data while they are doing something else..eg. share market etc. You dont have to keep switching between pages unlike the regular monitors. I for one found this feature extremely useful and was very impressed by it. 

The picture quality is the best you can get and  the cinema screen feature means you can see the image from any angle without any change to the output. I tried lying down as well as going to the far extreme end but my view was the same from all possible angles. It means I can relax or multitask and see the movies from where I like unlike earlier where I had to sit in front of my monitor if I had to see a movie.  

This monitor does not come with its own speakers which is a bit disappointing as I had to hunt for my speakers. 

But in whole the LG IPS monitor is surely set to please the users.

Lest we forget

Hundreds of people in olive-green

Fight together with their might team,

Sweat glistens on their face

Its a huge life- risking chase

Fighter planes are flying in the air

Its like winning the king's lair

Grenades are hidden in the floor

They all can not take it any more

Poppies placed on the death-bed

Rest in peace the innocent dead

They go back home to the place they stay

They are still remembered today.


Author: My 9 year old darling


courtesy: Fotosearch.com

Nescafe Cafe Style Menu Giveaway

As promised in my earlier blog and with the help of the Soup team and Nescafe, I am holding a competition for all my readers and followers. Catching up with friends is very important and I would like to know what initiative do you take to catch up with your friends. .Be creative and the best answers win. There are 2 movie vouchers worth $ 75 each to give away (Hoyts or Event cinema- the winner chooses) Follow me and leave a comment in 25 words or less below by clicking the link by 10 August 12:00 p.m Sydney time.
  
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGZrVi1GTGJ2MkpCZHNGeU1WZkhpNEE6MQ

For the T&C click the following link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GvDKuRU_zeCB1T_4kCPSIGkrzllxaddzbthOfyD7Pfg/edit

Sorry.. I could not manage to get the link to the T&C work here.. need to learn a bit more on creating links.. in the meanwhile you could check it out by copy and paste in the browser window.. 

I've Got Your Number

I received this book for review from Random House Australia and the first impression I got when I read the title was that this novel was something similar to so many others out there. Some bad girl finds some guy's secrets  and is trying to blackmail him or something... but was pleasantly surprised to find that the story was totally not what I expected.

The story line is about a girl, Poppy, who lost her engagement ring and her phone only to find another phone in the bin. That incident leads to her assumably perfect life in tangles. She gets to know Sam, a businessman. The slow flow of emotions and the messaging between Sam and Poppy leads to feelings which they are not sure off.. and with a movie style ending its a must read.

 The book is fun to read and you cant help but fall in love with Poppy and Sam.. 

I've never shared an in-box with anyone  in my life. I didn't expect  it to feel so.....intimate. It's as if we're  suddenly sharing an underwear drawer or something. '

             

                'xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

                 xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxox  :)'

Sophie Kinsella has managed to keep the suspense till the last page. Initially though the story line moves a bit slow for my liking but as you reach the middle, it get difficult to put the book down.

Throughout the book Sophie has footnotes in some pages.. little notes which make a funny read at the bottom of the page.  Though at times, you read the footnote and realize that you didn't see any word that was numbered.

Overall a good book and I would certainly read more of Sophie Kinsella's books.

NESCAFE CAFE MENU

Coffee is the first thing in the morn' that helps me start my day and so I was excited to be a part of the trial team for Nescafe Cafe menu conducted by Soup Team (soup.com.au) The delight was obvious and I felt like a child in a toy store when I saw the variety of coffee flavours they had send me to taste. I love coffee and just couldn't resist having a cuppa at that very moment. It was difficult to choose one particular flavour.

The sachets are easy to tear and so you don't need to go hunting for a pair of scissors. That's a plus point as I never seem to find my kitchen scissors when needed. The quantity of coffee powder in each sachet is enormous and you can make a large cup of coffee. Its truly a gift for the coffee lovers. All you need to do is add warm water and mix.Its so easy to prepare that my 11 year old prepares a cup for me now and then. I found it a bit on the lower end of sweetness as I prefer my coffee to be a bit more sweet. I need to add extra sugar. The flavour hits you instantly and its close to having coffee we get in cafes. Its thick in texture and leaves you licking your lips in the end.
There are many flavours to choose from and some come with chocolate shakers..yummo

1. Cappuccino (strong, skim or regular)
2. Mocha (regular or skim)
3. Caramel Latte
4. Vanilla Latte
5. Hazelnut Latte
6. Latte

The Caramel by far was my most favourite followed by the Hazelnut Latte. My daughter loved taking a sip or two from my cup too.

I have truly enjoyed my coffee since I received the sachets and can have a flavourful cup when my heart feels like one. Keep tuned as next week I would be hosting a competition worth $150 thanks to Soup and Nescafe. Till then l'm off to have another one.

Mocha..no, Caramel..no. Something in skim...aaah.. its so difficult to choose.. 

Stare at the red dot on the nose for half a minute, then look at a plain wall and blink frequently. What do you see?

Heinz Squeeze and Stir Instant Soup

Product talk by Nuffnang

Being a part of the Nuffnang team, I got to sample the New Heinz Squeeze and Stir Instant SOup. Was impressed with the packaging as I didn't expect to receive a soup mug, place mat and spoon with the soup sample..



The soup package itself was impressive as its a small tube with a pulpy matter inside unlike the dry powder like stuff you generally find in instant soups. Was easy to make as all I had to do was add boiling water and mix. I didn't like the texture that much though as it was a bit watery. I prefer my soups to be a bit more thick. But the taste was fantastic. I tried the big tomato flavour and the Tomato with vegetables flavour and both were an instant hit in my family. The kids lapped it up quickly and asked for more..



http://blog.nuffnang.com.au/what-is-product-talk/

"Mount Franklin Easy crush bottle challenge"

I received a package of Mount Franklin Easy crush bottles as a part of a survey from the soup team. I was expecting a couple of bottles or maybe six, but was pleasantly surprised to see a pack of 24 bottles for trial. My kids were over the top to gulp down all the water and crush the bottles. We managed to collect a few just before my elder one's birthday party and had it as a competition for the kids at the party. Was a lot of fun watching the kids try to crush the bottles. I personally liked the feel that I was doing my bit for the environment as these bottles contain 35% less plastic as stated by the company. It is a bit flimsy and noisy compared to the other bottles by hey.. if its good for our planet earth then whose complaining.

Before I was a mom 

Before I was a mom -
I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and teeth everyday.
Before I was a mom -
I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations
Before I was a mom -
I had never been puked on, pooped n, spit on, chewed on or peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts
I slept all night.

Before I was a mom  -
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests or give shots...
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a mom -
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a mom.
Before I was  a mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body,
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.
Before I was a mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache and satisfaction of being a mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a mom.

By Author Unknown.

A man with a frown

There is an old ghost in town
Who is known as "The man with a frown"
He frowns everyday
And only stops in the month of May

He eats a lot of hay
Thirty-two kilos he weighs
He only grins a few times
He does not talk but mimes

Birds are all afraid of him
Because he takes all their eggs with a grin
He used to be really bad
Always rude to his mom and dad

Night time he sits next to his grave
Daytime watches the people who pretend to be brave,
Peaches and plums make him mad
As well as the ugly old cat.

He can camouflage as anyone
Even as a rotten bun
Be careful, watch out for him
He could be your only kin..

(written by my kid as an assignment to write a ghost story about a topic people believe.)

How time flies !!

It seems just like yesterday that my baby was born and she is already started going to school today. A few tears were shed.. by  me.. She was just excited to be in school, meet new people and have new friends.  The house seemed lonely. The TV was switched off and there was silence all around.  I guess that is what every parent  goes through at some point of their lives. But I'm glad I was lucky to spend the 5 beautiful years with her 24/7.. the time that will never come back.. 

Mindset

Nothing much to do.. waiting for the kids to be back home.. and suddenly its starting to rain. I hear the pitter patter of the rain and the chirping of the birds .....It just takes me back to my childhood. I remember those times in summer when I would sit on the window ledge and wait for my papa to come home. The smell of wet mud just before it starts to rain was divine.  I loved sailing paper boats in the puddles, collecting hailstones to eat and simply getting wet in the downpour.  I remember the sun shine after the rain, the hue it cast on the walls, the feeling of being fresh..  Nothing seems to give the same feel thought the rain hasn't changed.. Probably its my mindset that has changed. I've grown too old to enjoy the rain.

Swinging or sliding?

My gate had been dangling on one hinge for quite some time and I dont know how long it could go on. Since its a small job, getting a trades person for the job has been quite a challenge. We finally decided to get a new gate but are unable to decide whether it would be a sliding one or swinging one. Many factors to take into consideration but its mainly the cost. Anyone with any ideas..

Surprise Mom..:)

What gift could ever surpass the surprise given to me by my kids.  They toiled all evening and produced the most beautiful birthday cake I have ever eaten. My elder one hopes to be a Masterchef someday and so I hope too.  She roped in her little sister and both set out on an adventurous evening baking me a trio flavoured chocolate sponge cake. For the topping they melted dark chocolate which is my favourite , vanilla icing and mixed berry jelly.


It was simply the best birthday gift  I ever had.

Road Trip from Sydney to Melbourne

The thought of driving for over 10 hours was daunting but looking at the airfares this was the cheaper option available. We started at around 7: 30 A.M and drove out of Sydney within 30 min. Then the route was pretty empty and straight all the way till we reached Melbourne.  We stopped over at Gunning which is about 2.5 hrs from Sydney.  Its a very small town with hardly 1000 people.  There are toilets on either side of the road.. one at the petrol station and another one next to the court house.

The next break was taken at Gundagai. We passed by the Dog on the Tucker box sign, but did not stop over Maybe next time.

There are fast food restaurants in Gundagai.   There are rest stops throughout the journey though I thought that the ones in NSW were much better than the ones in VIC.

The next stop was at Albury which is roughly 3 hours from Melbourne. A small city but with shopping malls its a nice place to stop.  Its a good idea to stop somewhere in Albury or Wangaratta as then its quite a while before you find some town on the way.  We did not find any coffee shops on the way till we reach Seymour.

Its roughly one hour from there to the northern edge of  Melbourne city . Altogether we took over 12.5 hours to reach Bundoora.

When in Melbourne, a visit to Ballarat is worth the effort . You get to feel the life during the Gold Rush. Its a whole day's programme but fun for all.  Have fun.