Our usual meeting grounds – Sunway Pyramid.

Leslie Quak and I were classmates in La Salle School, Klang (3), back in the 1970s. We lost contact after school. It was not until just over 10 years ago that we reconnected through Facebook. Facebook has been and still is a good social media platform to reconnect with old friends, and also make new friends.

Leslie runs a very successful Corporate Services firm. Whenever he has meetings in Subang Jaya (3) or Petaling Jaya (3) and has some free time after that, he messages me (“texts” me, for those who are ultra modern in description) to meet up.

Our meet ups usually take place in Sunway Pyramid shopping mall located in Subang Jaya. The reason is because of its location which is central to most of our activities. We usually meet for coffee or lunch before or after our walk visits to the IT part of the mall to see what’s new. Most times, we have coffee at Starbucks which is located in Sunway Lagoon Hotel. It is at the corner of the hotel just next to the mall. Usually not crowded, it offers the comfort of a relaxed atmosphere.

Leslie and I have several similar interests, the top of the list being gadgets. This would include smartphones, smartwatches and small or mini cameras. Our latest topic of conversation was about Samsung.

Each year with the introduction of the latest line ups in smartphones and smartwatches, we have seen the tapering off of new stuff these things can do. The newest launch was from Samsung, for instance. They just launched their Galaxy Z-Fold 5, Galaxy Z-flip 5 in the smartphone category; and the Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic, among other items which we both, aren’t really keen on.

You will be forgiven to mistake the Fold 5 for the Fold 4 or 3; the Watch 6 for the Watch 5 or Watch 4; and the Watch 6 Classic for the Watch 4 Classic or Watch 3. Whatever improvements these new models come out with, are slight incrementals.

The Fold 5 has cosmetic changes that most people won’t be able to tell the difference. New upgraded chip, slimmer body, folds flush with no gaps is not a gamechanger for most people. I will hold on to my Fold 3 for now.

In this newest line up, the Z-Flip 5 will garner the most interest with its much larger cover display. They are not the first to have this type of display. Motorola and Oppo launched their models slightly earlier in the year. Other than that, almost everything else remains the same.

It is quite interesting how the Z-Flip and other similar models are being targeted (marketed) to the Gen Z adults.

Users say the advantages of a flip phone’s vintage functionality compared to the technical wizardry of today’s smartphones include: helping them escape the always-on anxiety that comes from instant (and constant) communication; ungluing them from their screens so they can more fully engage with what’s going on around (1)

As people become more aware of the potential side effects of excessive screen time and constant digital connectivity, some are choosing to digitally detox. Flip phones are a way people can limit their exposure to digital noise and build a healthier relationship with technology (2)

Before the advent of the smartwatches, when one buys a watch, it is meant mainly to tell (ok it does not “tell”, it shows) the time. This watch will last a lifetime or several lifetimes. Now, the smartwatches encourages you to change or ‘upgrade” to the latest model which is usually every year.

We’ve just each eaten a Starbuck’s “signature fluffy donut” – plain square doughnut, sprinkled with sugar. Quite nice. A fairly big doughnut. Starbuck’s tag line for this donut is, “We don’t cut corners”. Not too heavy a pastry (sort off) with coffee. You should try it. Noticed how I spelt “doughnut”? Or is it “”donut”?

Now, to enjoy another cup of Caffe Americano – iced. Its in the beans and the way they are roasted. Leslie will have a Caffe Latte (pronounced as “Lah-teh”).

NOTES:
1. psychiatrist.com
2. fastcompany.com
3. Klang, Subang Jaya and Petaling Jaya are cities in the state of Selangor, Malaysia.