Simplified and Traditional Chinese in Safari

This might be pretty obvious to some, but I just realized that Safari (for Mac) will automatically convert Simplified Chinese to Traditional and vice versa. Just highlight the text to be converted, go to Safari->Services->ChineseTextConverter, and choose the Chinese flavor of your choice.

I have been a die-hard Firefox user for a long time but Safari does seem to handle Chinese and Japanese better. I'm one step closer to switching.

More on the tPhone

It ends up the made-in-China iPhone ripoff, the "tPhone," is made by a Beijing-based company called Qiao Xing Mobile Communications, a subsidiary of CEC Telecom. From their "mission statement":

In the era that information technology fulfilled with humanity, QXMC firmly believes: only when being national can be international. Based on the deeply insight of Chinese civilization and lifestyle, QXMC perfectly mixes the cutting-edge technology with Chinese people’s taste and preference through the forward looking strategic vision.

If I were them, I'd lay off the claim about "Chinese people's taste" if I were making rather tacky products like the tPhone, aka the CECT P168. See a comparison of the two cell phones at iTech News Net.

Or then again, maybe I am speaking too soon. At least one blogger has posted some reasons for preferring the CECT P168 tPhone over the iPhone. People are griping about the iPhone's battery, which cannot (easily) be replaced by the end user, while the tPhone's is replaceable and even comes with an extra. The CECT P168 also features two SIM card slots, which would be pretty cool if you have different plans with different providers or if you travel a lot. (I carry Chinese and Taiwanese SIM cards around--I assume a tPhone could hold both and I could switch when traveling.) And of course the tPhone is not locked to a specific carrier.

We don't have to mention the cost....

Google Books Japan

Google Books Japan is up and running! In addition to Japanese books, there seem to be a lot in Chinese and English.

Pro-Taiwan Metal?

I said in my last post that Taiwan needs to take recognition where it can get it, but even I never expected this Reuters headline:

Ozzy Osbourne to help Taiwan in U.N. membership quest

Don't worry, he's not going to bite bat heads off at the UN or anything. Actually, he is supporting the Taiwanese black metal band ChthoniC's tour around the US. During the tour the band will provide literature supporting Taiwan's bid for UN membership, apparently with the Taiwanese government's backing.

I am not sure if Ozzy could find Taiwan on a map or anything, though. According to ChthoniC's Wikipedia page, it seems that they will merely be a support act on the Ozzfest tour. The article also has the standard "two sides split after civil war in 1949 yadda yadda" stuff. The media: wrong on Taiwan, wrong on heavy metal?