Up Till One » Review

Solo Pizza Napulitana

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:27:34 +0000

I’ve been wanting to try out Solo Pizza Napulitana ever since it opened back in May but every time I passed by the place was to crowded and i’m to hungry to wait for a table. I finally decided to pass by a little early to avoid the rush-hour, so I was there by 6:30-6:45 P.M (it opens from 6-11pm) but to my surprise the place was also full but had a couple of free tables outside.

The menu is small and simple, it will take less than a minute to decide what to order. We got a couple of pizzas and a salad. The pizza was amazing if you are a fan of the thin-crust pizza. The place certainly has one of the best pizzas in Kuwait.

After the main course I decided I would like to try the Nutella piazza, their one and only dessert. It was great but I felt guilty after eating that much chocolate.

I used to consider Pizza Rustica to have the best (and only good) pizza in Kuwait. But Solo Pizza Napulitana certainly is competing for that spot. With other places like Open Flame Kitchen and Pizzetta, now we finally get some decent pizza here in Kuwait.

Opening Hours:

6 P.M. to 11 P.M.

Telephone Number:

+965 94434104

Website:

SoloPN

Location:

View Larger Map

Fast 5: Yes, It’s That Bad

Thu, 05 May 2011 17:19:34 +0000

I posted a parody video by ONN about Fast 5, The new installment of the Fast and Furious series. And I have to say, They were right.

First off, I have no idea where this movie fits in the series’ timeline. As there are some dead characters that supposed to be dead but are alive and kicking in in this movie.

Also, the plot is so idiotic, I really am starting to believe that it was written by a 5 year old.

Portal 2: Best Game I’ve Played in A Long Time

Sun, 01 May 2011 07:34:30 +0000

Portal 2 is a First Person/Puzzle Platform video game that is hugely addictive and fun to play. It is the sequel to the very popular Portal game that was released back in 2007. Its a nice change from the regular FPS’s and other action games.

The game is available on PC,PS3 and XBOX 360. I managed to complete the single player campaign in a couple of days but there is still the multiplayer to waste more hours on.

12 Monkeys – Movie Review

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:42:50 +0000

This is a classic, back when Bruce Willis was cool. 12 Monkeys is a story about the annihilation of mankind after a virus was released in 1996 killing 5 billion people and the rest who survived moved underground to escape the virus. A few years later they develop the a gizmo that can make human travel through time and they send poor old Bruce back to 1996 to “gather information and a sample of virus in its pure form”.
As I said, this is a classic and a must see by any sci-fi fan

Salt – Movie Review

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 07:25:53 +0000

This was hailed as the best action/adventure movie of this summer. The action sequences were also compared to Bourn’s, which in my opinion has the best action sequences. The movie was pretty good action movie, it it kept me engaged during the whole movie. The ending on the other hand was horrendous, I mean it was equivalent to a bad horror movie ending. It was just ridiculous, or maybe its just me. I can’t say any more without spoiling it but overall it was a very good action movie.

Inception – Movie Review

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:33:36 +0000

When I first wrote about Inception a couple of months ago I said that that it might be the best movie this summer, I mean the combination of Christopher Nolan and Leonardo DiCaprio is just bullet proof, right?

Yes, the movie was excellent. the idea of it is so complex and well thought and that is what I loved about it, of course great acting and directing didn’t hurt either. Cant talk anymore about the movie without spoiling it, the trailer already says a lot.

Despicable Me – Movie Review

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:38:57 +0000

Me and 3 and the guys that I met up with here in San Antonio all went to Despicable Me yesterday. The movie theater had more adults than children and for a good reason. Steve Carell (The Office) was just amazing. It was one of the best movies I’ve seen so far its highly recommended for all age groups.

Toy Story 3 – Movie Review

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:54:41 +0000

Me and a friend went to Pixar’s latest installment of the their Toy Story franchise. As expected, the movie was very good and on par with previous releases. And its a Pixar release so of course its good.

Predators – Movie Review

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:27:52 +0000

Nothing spectacular got released last weekend, we wanted to watch Despicable Me but couldn’t find a proper time and so decided to go with Predators. I liked AVP so we thought this might be as good.

Whats different in this part is that the movie takes place in an alien planet where humans are hunted. the movie had its ups and downs and the typical twists.

The Last Airbender – Movie Review

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 05:28:18 +0000

I was really excited to see this movie, as I watched a season of the anime and found it to be OK. I thought The Last Airbender on the big screen would be great especially M. Night Shyamalan even though his last few movie sucked.

During the first 30 minutes I didn’t like the pace of the movie, I felt they were trying to cramp everything in 90 mins and for people who aren’t familiar with the series would easily get lost. Also the movie could have benefited from the action sequences that i think it was a missed opportunity mr. Shyamalan never did an action movie before so I wont hold it against him.

SPOILER ALERT
The movie just covers the first season of the animated series, so this should be a trilogy but I don’t think it will generate enough profit to convince Paramount to do the next 2 part.

Knight and Day – Movie Review

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:04:47 +0000

It’s been a while since I went to a Tom Cruise movie I feel that the guy lost his touch and his movies aren’t that great anymore. This movie is no different. It tries to mix action and comedy but it fails in both I would recommend watching The A-Team if you are looking for that sort of movie.

Grown Ups – Movie Review

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 06:03:58 +0000

Me and Zidaneoo went to see Grown Ups yesterday as our first movie in Houston, The movie is packed with all the big names of comedy as Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Kevin James, David Spade, Rob Schneider and Salma Hayek. But that didn’t make the movie exceptional it is a good movie that started pretty stronlgly but the tempo came doen as the movie went along. Its filled with one-liners that really made us laugh.

Jonah Hex – Movie Review

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 22:15:36 +0000

I have nothing to say about this movie other than it was really bad. I’m giving it a 1 star cause one of the guys says that its the best movie this summer so far :s

The A-Team – Movie Review

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 15:36:14 +0000

ME and the guys went to see The A-Team yesterday. After seeing the Karate Kid, it was a blast from the past weekend. The Movie had a pretty good score and based on one of my favorite show as a kid. So I had high expectations.

The movie follows the roughly the same insane vibe as the early 80′s TV shows with outrageous plans, stunts and its filled with comedy. Keep in mind this is not a proper action movie. Its just outrageous and unbelievable so don’t go to this movie expecting a believable storyline and escapes. But it was very entertaining.

The Karate Kid – Movie Review

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 05:38:48 +0000

I first mentioned the Karate Kid back in February. I’ve been looking forward for the remake of the classic 1984 movie of the same name. I don’t know about you but our generation grew up with that movie an the “Wax on wax off” phrase.

The movie was very good
(what Jackie Chan movie isn’t?), I didn’t expect it to be this good actually. it was entertaining, and filled with lines from the original.

The movie is highly recommended for both fans of the original and new comers.

Get Him To The Greek – Review

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 07:12:50 +0000

Get Him To The Greek was on my list of ” movies to watch” but it moved to the top of the list and I went and saw it today after it got recommended by NJ yesterday.

It might not be the funniest movie of all time but it might be this years funniest movie.

Jonah Hill (Super Bad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Funny People, and a ton of other movies) along with Russell Brand the weird British dude from (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) make a good team in maintaing the level of comedy in this movie.

Thanx NJ

Date Night – Review

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 05:34:34 +0000

Yesterday, with no major plan set for the day. I decided to go see Date Night as I was told not to even thing of going to see it in Kuwait because of censorship. After watching it I can see why and imagine how the movie was in Kuwait.

Its a decent movie, its not one of the classics for Steve Carell nor Tina Fey. nut still watchable. And yes it is still showing in the cinemas here.

David Copperfield Show – Review

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 00:14:39 +0000

This is the last of the shows I saw in Vegas I promise, its been hectic seeing 2 shows a day and just eating burgers :/

If you don’t know who David Copperfield is then to put it in a few word: “he is the best magician of our time” if you seen some of his previous work you would agree.

The show was filled with people fro china that where a part of a group that didn’t speak any english. As he brought people up the stage they couldn’t understand him and just stood there staring at him which made the show a little frustrating.

As fort the illusions there was some really cool ones that keeps you puzzled. but there was no “WOW” factor.

David’s show just couldn’t compare to what Vegas have to offer and is the lowest ranking show I’ve seen in this trip.

Cirque Du Soleil: KA – Review

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:33:23 +0000

As part of my shows marathon in Vegas is another Cirque Du Soleil production. KA is one of the new shows in Vegas and considered relatively new, premiered in 2005, this had a better story line and better stunts in my opinion. The way the use the moving platforms is just amazing.

The show took $220+ million to produce and one of the best shows I’ve seen so far in Vegas. Its highly recommended.

Cirque Du Soleil: O

Mon, 31 May 2010 23:03:42 +0000

While I was inquiring about the shows, a lot of people told me that Cirque Du Soleil’s: O was the best show in Las Vega, and it is conveniently located in the Bellagio so it had to be on my list for shows to see.

The show has an aquatic theme to it, its mostly based on water in a 1.5 million gallon water tank that shifts during the show from a deep to shallow to hard surface. it looked really amazing.

The The show on the other hand didn’t mesmerize me the way the other shows had. Its not bad but its not the best Vegas have to offer either. Its mostly a circus act with water being under the performers instead of a net for the most part.

I might be a bit hard on this show cause I had really high expectations. It let me down a bit but still a nice show that costed more than $100 million to make.

The Lion King – Review

Sun, 30 May 2010 10:10:48 +0000

The Lion King is the best disney movie in my opinion. It has a great storyline, lovable characters and great songs. all the requirements for making a great show. But thats not all, it takes skill to adapt a great movie to a Broadway show. But The Lion King already been running for 13 years and its been hailed as one of the best shows. everybody that saw it recommended it. My wife has been telling me to see it for a few years now, I finally did.

After seeing it I also highly recommend watching The Lion King. Its not just for kids and families is a work of art. great singing and costumes and of course the story and characters are all there.

Ghost Writer – Movie Review

Thu, 27 May 2010 13:55:12 +0000

A ghostwriter hired to complete the memoirs of a former British prime minister uncovers secrets that put his own life in jeopardy

I really liked the movie. Solid acting, good screen writing and directing. The movie is minimalistic but excellent. Highly recommended for all types of movie lover.

A Nightmare on Elm Street – Movie Review

Mon, 24 May 2010 04:38:47 +0000

Death stalks the dreams of several young adults to claim its revenge on the killing of Freddy Kruger. Chased and chastised by this finger-bladed demon, it is the awakening of old memories and the denials of a past of retribution that spurns this hellish vision of a dreamlike state and turns death into a nightmare reality.

I’m not that big of a horror fan but I usually watch a few of them a year. Its really hard to to find a great horror movie and the are really hard to make in my opinion. The regualar horror movie fan will like it I think.

Robin Hood – Movie Review

Wed, 19 May 2010 04:44:49 +0000

I really had high expectations for Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood. I mean the last time he and Russell Crowe teamed up they did the Gladiator. So I thought this might be the biggest movie of the summer.

When you hear Robin Hood you automatically thing “Bow and Arrow” but thats not the case here. you can count the times Robin uses his bow and arrow in the movie, that ended up making the movie look more like “Brave Heart” than Robin Hood.

I still think its a good movie, I just had really high expectations and was a bit disappointed.

The Losers – Movie Review

Thu, 13 May 2010 01:41:48 +0000

This is another movie based on comics that I recommend people watch. Its about a group of CIA black ops team that gets betrayed by their handler and tries to terminate them after completing a mission. Well you know where it will go from there.

Its a good action movie and I really like Chris Evans (Fantastic Four).

Iron Man 2 – Movie Review

Tue, 11 May 2010 05:24:28 +0000

Just came back from seeing Iron Man 2. The movie was great its filled with action from start to finish I even think its better than the previous part. I just want to know way did they replace Terrence Howard from part 1 with Don Cheadle as Lt. Col. Rhodey.

Go see it

Death at a Funeral – Movie Review

Sun, 09 May 2010 22:36:01 +0000

This movie is a remake of a British movie that had the same name and was produced in 2007. Although Hollywood has a history of making American versions of foreign films, the original versions are usually in a language other than English.

The movie has an excellent cast: Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock, Luke Wilson and Danny Glover. But the strong cast don’t add much to the movie as it turned out to be average, some might find it very funny. I find the humor repetitive and childish at times.

I would still recommend watching it if you have some free time.

BlueLounge Refresh – Neat Charging Solution

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 10:14:14 +0000

I tend not to use the charging adapters that usually come with the my phones or other devices if they can be charged via usb because its much more convenient and practical instead of having multiple wall socket chargers.
I came across the BlueLounge refresh and immediately added it to my cart. Its small convenient and cheap-ish ($50 on ThinkGeek). I really recommend it for people who carry more than one device on a daily basis.

I would really have loved it if it was slightly wider so that gadgets have some breathing space. Its hard to get 3 devices on it if one of the device’s charging port is on the side (think blackberry).

ThinkGeek ($49-$69)
Amazon ($69)

Video review after the break.

The iPad Review

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 19:05:58 +0000

After using the iPad for 5 days I think I have a very good idea on the device and can really give my opinion on it.

Hardware

The iPad design is beautiful and minimalistic. its just like a large iPod Touch (you are going to here this a lot in this review, why? because its true) with metal casing. the screen is great 9.7” LED with IPS technology that has a 1024×768 resolution and a little too big black bezel. Home button at the bottom of the screen a volume control on the right side, also a screen rotation lock switch and the usual power button.

I was a little disappointed with the speaker a bit, its not very low but its only on one side witch make the sound sometimes low especially if you are trying to share the screen with someone.

The new Apple A4 processor is insanely fast, program installations, app launching and web page renders are all done in a hears beat, well not exactly but very fast compared to my iPhone 3G might not be that much of an improvement over a 3GS.

The screen is a fingerprint magnet, and because of its size its clearly visible but also easily wiped clean too.

Software

Here where I was most disappointed and where I think Apple rushed this product. The interface if too familiar, sometimes sticking with what works is a good idea but it doesn’t work very well here as the iPad is 4-5 times the size of an iPhone so scaling it to fit a huge screen is a big waste of screen real estate. especially in the lock screen and home screens.

Browser

The browser is the main aspect of this device, as Steve Jobs said he would deliver the “best browsing experience you’ve ever had”, I would have to disagree. Why? Lack of flash for one, and don’t say HTML5 until its widely adopted . A large number of websites that you visit everyday has flash content, and you are locked out of this content because its not supported on the iPad.

What adds insult to injury is that Apple removed the Lego brick that shows broken flash content you sued to see on the iPhone and replaced it with……nothing, so you are sitting there thinking either the webpage is loading or that the huge empty space in the middle of the website is just part of the design.

YouTube/Video

Here where the product shines, the new ability to play YouTube videos from within the webpage is great, and the screen make the viewing 10 times more pleasurable.

Also if you have invested in either time or mony on iTunes its a great companion as getting content on it is as simple as getting content on you iPhone. Also as slow as the iPhone.. But if your videos are in AVI format, your out of luck as you have to convert your videos to the M4V format the the iPad recognizes, and its really time consuming even on aa powerful machine. I’ve got a quadcore i7 processor overclocked to 3.6Ghz , 12GB RAM and an overcloacked Nvidia 285 1GB graphic card and its still a chore.

Keyboard

I love it when I’m holding it in portrait mode as I can easily type with my thumbs. But as soon as I rotate it I have to put it down if I want to do any typing as its just too wide. Also, the popups that you get when hitting a key on your iPhone are gone on the iPad. Maybe they felt that the keys are large enough to take that feature away but I really liked it.

Stability (Wifi/Apps)

I had a lot of apps crashing while using them on the iPad, its not just 1 or 2 a lot. hope update form the developers whold fix this, but its also partially Apples faualt for not giving the developers any devices to test there software on.

The Wifi is a big problem for me, as my iPad cant sustain a connection somtimes for more than 2 minutes. In the diwaniya for example in a 30 minute period while using my Mifi the iPad dropped the connection no than 10 times in that short period. For a device that doesn’t multitask this is unacceptable. Lets hope this is software related no hardware related like what happened with the MacBook Air.

eBooks

The iPad is a beautiful ebook reader, excellent screen smooth animation it also has a Kindle app witch is a big plus, especially for those who already invested in Amazon’s platform. not a big fan how the magazine implementation is going so far, but I’m sure it will be improved.

Games

Playing games on this marvelous 9.7” screen is great, and graphics looks stunning. But Choose you type of games carefully, as some of them are motion sensitive and require you to hold the device up and move this huge screen which is simply impractical. also The device is heavy, you might not feel it right away but after holding the device up for 10 minutes you will definitely feel the weight and will get tiered, or maybe I’ve got weak arms.

Battery Life

Battery life is amazing, but take a hit when playing games.

Video Playback = 10 hrs
Gaming = more than 6 hrs
Internet Surfing = 7 hrs

This with brightness fully cranked up.

Conclusion

The iPad is definitely great device but at a starting price of $500 its not for everyone, especially with its limitation. I would not recommend it if you are :

A Heavy reader
Your videos are downloaded from the net (torrented)
using it as a productivity device (due to lack of a physical keyboard)
Using it as your main internet surfing device

This is not a netbook replacement in any way, netbooks are cheaper more productive and not as limited. If you have a netbook I wouldn’t recommend buying this because you already can do everything on it and the iPad doesn’t brig anything new to the table. But if you are a light surfer/gamer/youtuber and already have a laptop/netbook then you can get this to complement them. Especially if you invested in the iTunes ecosystem.

Its a big iPod Touch, faster and more beautiful. if you have the extra cash, you might want to try it.

WordPress – iPad

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 06:42:21 +0000

A couple of bloggers requested that I post about the WordPress app for the iPad. So he is a few screenshots.

The app is very much like the iPhone app, and that’s a bad thing. There isn’t any extra features and they are not using the extra screen size wisely. You have no control over the pictures, only in HTML format which is a pain (also had problems posting landscape images, no option to rotate). They are auto automatically grouped together (same as the iPhone).

I hope WordPress release an update really soon making use of the iPad functionality. This app at the moment has no advantages over it’s iPhone counterpart.

This post was edited using my laptop.