Vihara Gunung Timur, The Biggest Temple in Sumatera

Setelah tanya-tanya orang di Kampung Keling, akhirnya sampai juga saya ke Vihara Gunung Timur diantar Pak Fajar. Hehehe. Vihara Gunung Timur adalah kelenteng Tionghoa (Taoisme) yang terbesar di Kota Medan, Indonesia dan mungkin juga di pulau Sumatra. Kelenteng ini dibangun pada tahun 1930-an. Vihara Gunung Timur ini terletak di Jalan Hang Tuah, sekitar 500 meter dari Kuil Sri Mariamman dan berada persis di tepi Sungai Babura sehingga dianggap sebagian oleh orang, mempunyai fengshui yang baik lantaran dekat dengan air.....

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Vihara Gunung Timur merupakan vihara milik semua orang, bahkan mungkin tidak hanya umat Buddha. Sebab, vihara yang dibangun tahun 1960-an didirikan dari banyak sekali penyumbang yang tidak bisa disebut satu per satu namanya. Tidak ada yang lebih menonjol dari penyumbang yang lain. Pada awalnya, vihara itu merupakan rumah petak dengan pelataran yang luasnya tidak lebih dari 50 meter persegi.
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Sekarang tanah curam di tepi Sungai Babura sudah berubah menjadi area vihara dengan luas sekitar satu hektar. Suasananya langsung mengingatkan saya waktu kunjungan ke vihara-vihara di Hong Kong saat Mensa Annual Gathering di sela-sela Mensa IBD 2007 yang lalu.
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Menarik juga klo kita perhatikan, dan ini salah satu yang membuatnya terkenal, bahwa Vihara ini didirikan secara bersama-sama. Seluruh orang yang berkomitmen membangun vihara memberikan sumbangan. Selama bertahun-tahun, akhirnya bisa terbangun. Jadi, benar-benar gotong-royong. Saya jadi ingat waktu kami dulu gotong-royong membangun gereja HKBP Palembang. Saya suka sekali semangat gotong-royong ini.
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Bagi warga Medan, Vihara Gunung Timur disebut-sebut sebagai bangunan yang dilindungi dan selama ini kerap menjadi kunjungan para wisatawan baik dalam negeri maupun luar negeri. Salah satu daya tarik vihara itu adalah ornamen Tionghoa yang kental. Mirip banget sama vihara-vihara yang saya lihat di Hong Kong.
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Patung naga dan ikan berkepala naga dipadu dengan patung empat dewa menambah daya tarik bangunan. Warna dominan vihara sebagian besar berwarna merah menyala berpadu kuning emas. Tepat di pelataran vihara terdapat dua patung singa indah.

 

sumber :http://jalanjalandiindonesia.blogspot.com/2010/04/vihara-gunung-timur-biggest-temple-in.html#more

Menyelami Ketakjuban Sawit Di Kalimantan

KALIMANTAN TENGAH - "Hati-hati, Kalimantan itu masih hutan semua", pesan Ibu yang disampaikan dengan nada cemas sebelum keberangkatan saya itu kembali terngiang ditelinga saat melanjutkan petualangan di tanggal 18 Oktober 2010 untuk menelusuri Kalimantan. Tetapi pesan itu justru bertolak belakang ketika sopir yang membawa kami sehari sebelumnya menuju Sampit mengeluh kepada kami : "Hutan disini sudah gundul, sudah banyak yang jadi kebun sawit Mas..", sebuah ungkapan yang diiringi dengan senyum canda itu membuat saya penasaran akan faktanya.

Saya dan Berka sempat berkunjung ke perkebunan sawit di Sungai Rungau yang dimiliki PT. Smart Tbk, dan di benak saya terpikir keluhan terkait perkebunan sawit yang diucapkan oleh sopir tersebut, tapi ternyata hasilnya mengejutkan, saya takjub dengan apa yang saya temukan disana. Rupanya selalu ada dua sisi dari setiap cerita.

Ketika saya naik ke Fire Tower di dataran perkebunan yang tinggi, saya lihat dengan mata kepala sendiri bahwa perkebunan ini justru memanfaatkan lahan “gundul” atau istilah profesionalnya lahan yang sudah terdegradasi dulunya untuk menanam sawit. Dengan demikian lahan di daerah tersebut bisa lebih produktif, kebun sawit ini menjadi detak jantung pertumbuhan ekonomi di sekitar pedesaan. Selain kebun, sarana pendukung lainnya seperti jalan, sekolah, rumah ibadah, puskesmas yang bisa dinikmati gratis bagi penduduk.

Dari sini masihkah kita memandang negatif keberadaan perkebunan sawit yang ada di indonesia, yang kini justru mengangkat martabat bangsa sebagai produsen minyak sawit terbesar di dunia mengungguli Malaysia dan negara-negara lainnya? Mari sisihkan prasangka yang buruk atas realita sawit yang telah membantu pembangunan Kalimantan.


sumber: http://aci.detik.com/read/2010/10/29/070325/1478295/1001/menyelami-ketakjuban-sawit-di-kalimantan

The Teacher

Stories like this, always have a way of putting the right perspective on life.
Jean Thompson stood in front of her fifth-grade class on the very first day of school in the fall and told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her pupils and said that she loved them all the same, that she would treat them all alike. And that was impossible because there in front of her, slumped in his seat on the third row, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were unkept and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy was unpleasant.
It got to the point during the first few months that she would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then marking the F at the top of the paper biggest of all. Because Teddy was a sullen little boy, no one else seemed to enjoy him, either.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's records and put Teddy's off until last. When she opened his file, she was in for a surprise. His first-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright, inquisitive child with a ready laugh." "He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."
His second-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy continues to work hard but his mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class. He is tardy and could become a problem."
By now Mrs. Thompson realized the problem, but Christmas was coming fast. It was all she could do, with the school play and all, until the day before the holidays began and she was suddenly forced to focus on Teddy Stoddard.
Her children brought her presents, all in beautiful ribbon and bright paper, except for Teddy's, which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper of a scissored grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents.
Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of cologne. She stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume behind the other wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed behind just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my mom used to."
After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing, and speaking. Instead, she began to teach children. Jean Thompson paid particular attention to one they all called "Teddy."
As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. On days where there would be an important test, Mrs. Thompson would remember that cologne. By the end of the year he had become one of the smartest children in the class and...well, he had also become the "pet" of the teacher who had once vowed to love all of her children exactly the same.
A year later she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that of all the teachers he'd had in elementary school, she was his favorite. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy.
He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still his favorite teacher of all time.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson she was still his favorite teacher.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still his favorite teacher, but that now his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.
The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that Spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering...well, if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the pew usually reserved for the mother of the groom. And guess what, she wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And I bet on that special day, Jean Thompson smelled just like...well, just like the way Teddy remembered his mother smelling on their last Christmas together.
THE MORAL: You never can tell what type of impact you may make on another's life by your actions or lack of action. Consider this fact in your venture thru life.

sumber : http://www.rogerknapp.com/inspire/teacher.htm

Mother Dog Doing What She Does Best

In 2003, police in Warwickshire , England , opened a garden shed and found a whimpering, cowering dog. It had been locked in the shed and abandoned. It was dirty and malnourished, and had clearly been abused.

In an act of kindness, the police took the dog, which was a greyhound female, to the nearby Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary known as a willing haven for animals abandoned, orphaned or otherwise in need.  http://www.warwickshirewildlifesanctuary.co.uk/

Geoff and the other sanctuary staff went to work with two aims: to restore the dog to full health, and to win her trust. It took several weeks, but eventually both goals were achieved.

They named her Jasmine, and they started to think about finding her an adoptive home.

The dog had other ideas. No-one remembers now how it began, but Jasmine started welcoming all animal arrivals at the sanctuary. It wouldn't matter if it was a puppy, a fox cub, a rabbit or, probably, a rhinoceros, Jasmine would peer into the box or cage and, where possible, deliver a welcoming lick.

Geoff relates one of the early incidents. "We had two puppies that had been abandoned by a nearby railway line. One was a Lakeland Terrier cross and another was a Jack Russell Doberman cross. They were tiny when they arrived at the centre and Jasmine approached them and grabbed one by the scruff of the neck in her mouth and put him on the settee. Then she fetched the other one and sat down with them, cuddling them."

"But she is like that with all of our animals, even the rabbits. She takes all the stress out of them and it helps them to not only feel close to her but to settle into their new surroundings.

"She has done the same with the fox and badger cubs, she licks the rabbits and guinea pigs and even lets the birds perch on the bridge of her nose."

Jasmine, the timid, abused, deserted waif, became the animal sanctuary's resident surrogate mother, a role for which she might have been born. The list of orphaned and abandoned youngsters she has cared for comprises five fox cubs, four badger cubs, 15 chicks, eight guinea pigs, two stray puppies and 15 rabbits.

And one roe deer fawn. Tiny Bramble, 11 weeks old, was found semi-conscious in a field. Upon arrival at the sanctuary, Jasmine cuddled up to her to keep her warm, and then went into the full foster mum role. Jasmine the greyhound showers Bramble the roe deer with affection and makes sure nothing is matted in her fur.


sumber : http://www.rogerknapp.com/inspire/MotherDog.htm

Plum Pretty Sister

Justin was a climber. By one and a half, he had discovered the purple plum tree in the backyard, and its friendly branches became his favorite hangout. At first he would climb just a few feet and make himself comfortable in the curve where the trunk met the branches. Soon he was building himself a small fort and dragging his tractors and trucks up to their new garage.

One day when he was 2, Justin was playing in the tree as usual. I turned my back to prune the rosebush, and he disappeared.

"Justin, where are you?" I hollered.

His tiny voice called back, "Up here, Mommy, picking all the plums for you!"

I looked up in horror and disbelief. There was Justin on the roof of the house, filling his plastic bucket with the ripe juicy plums from his favorite tree.

When Justin was 3, I became pregnant. My husband and I explained to him that we were going to have another baby as a playmate for him.

He was very excited, kissed my tummy and said, "Hello, baby, I'm your big brother, Justin."

From the beginning he was sure he was going to have a little sister, and every day he'd beg to know if she was ready to play yet. When I explained that the baby wasn't arriving until the end of June, he seemed confused.

One day he asked, "When is June, Mommy?"

I realized I needed a better explanation; how could a 3-year-old know what "June" meant? Just then, as Justin climbed to the top of the plum tree, he gave me the answer I was looking for . . . his special tree.

"Justin, the baby is going to be born when the plums are ripe. You can keep me posted when that will be, okay?" I wasn't completely sure if I was on target, but the gardener in me was confident I'd be close enough.

Oh, he was excited! Now Justin had a way to know when his new baby sister would come to play. From that moment on, he checked the old plum tree several times a day and reported his findings to me. Of course, he was quite concerned in November when all the leaves fell off the tree.

By January, with the cold and the rains, he was truly worried whether his baby would be cold and wet like his tree. He whispered to my tummy that the tree was strong and that she (the baby) had to be strong too, and make it through the winter.

By February a few purple leaves began to shoot forth, and his excitement couldn't be contained.

"My tree is growing, Mommy! Pretty soon she'll have baby plums, and then I'll have my baby sister."
March brought the plum's beautiful tiny white flowers, and Justin was overjoyed.

"She's booming, Mommy!" he chattered, struggling with the word "blooming." He rushed to kiss my tummy and got kicked in the mouth.

"The baby's moving, Mommy, she's booming, too. I think she wants to come out and see the flowers."

So it went for the next couple of months, as Justin checked every detail of his precious plum and reported to me about the flowers turning to tiny beads that would become plums.

The rebirth of his tree gave me ample opportunity to explain the development of the fetus that was growing inside me. Sometimes I think he believed I had actually planted a "baby seed" inside my tummy, because when I drank water he'd say things like, "You're watering our little flower, Mommy!" I'd laugh and once again explain in simple terms the story of the birds and the bees, the plants and the trees.

June finally arrived, and so did the purple plums. At first they were fairly small, but Justin climbed his tree anyway to pick some plums off the branches where the sun dappled near the rooftop. He brought them to me to let me know the baby wasn't ripe yet.

I felt ripe! I was ready to pop! When were the plums going to start falling from that darn tree?

Justin would rub my tummy and talk to his baby sister, telling her she had to wait a little longer because the fruit was not ready to be picked yet. His forays into the plum tree lasted longer each day, as if he was coaxing the tree to ripen quickly. He talked to the tree and thanked it for letting him know about this important event in his life. Then one day, it happened. Justin came running into the house, his eyes as big as saucers, with a plastic bucket full to the brim of juicy purple plums.

"Hurry, Mommy, hurry!" he shouted. "She's coming, she's coming! The plums are ripe, the plums are ripe!"
I laughed uncontrollably as Justin stared at my stomach, as if he expected to see his baby sister erupt any moment. That morning I did feel a bit queasy, and it wasn't because I had a dental appointment.

Before we left the house, Justin went out to hug his plum tree and whisper that today was the day his "plum pretty sister" would arrive. He was certain.

As I sat in the dental chair, the labor pains began, just as Justin had predicted. Our "plum" baby was coming! I called my parents, and my husband rushed me to the hospital. At 6:03 p.m. on June 22, the day that will forever live in family fame as "Plum Pretty Sister Day," our daughter was born. We didn't name her Purple Plum as Justin suggested, but chose another favorite flower, Heather.

At Heather's homecoming, Justin kissed his new playmate and presented her with his plastic bucket, full to the brim with sweet, ripe, purple plums.

"These are for you," he said proudly.

Justin and Heather are now teenagers, and the plum tree has become our bonding symbol. Although we moved from the home that housed Justin's favorite plum tree, the first tree to be planted in our new yard was a purple plum, so that Justin and Heather could know when to expect her special day.

Throughout their growing-up years, the children spent countless hours nestled in the branches, counting down the days through the birth of leaves, flowers, buds and fruit. Our birthday parties are always festooned with plum branches and baskets brimming with freshly-picked purple plums. Because as Mother Nature--and Justin--would have it, for the last 15 years, the purple plum has ripened exactly on June 22.


sumber : http://www.plantea.com/plum-pretty-sister.htm

Planting Day

When I was little, I often helped my mother plant our family's garden. As soon as the chilly winds of Chicago winter gave way to spring, Mom would be outside with a spade, seed packets, gardening gloves, and a secret smile that had been hibernating all winter. That smile never seemed to shine as bright as on those first few days in April when she squatted in the mud with tiny seeds in her hands.
I would pull on my grubbiest jeans, choose my shovel with care, and bound across the yard before Mom could say, "You forgot a jacket!" I would kneel by her side for hours, carefully digging holes and cautiously pushing seeds into the earth with my chubby fingers. We would spend hour after hour repeating the process, until the formerly snow-smothered area barely knew what hit it!
Unfortunately, I grew up. Somehow, I found better ways to spend the first days of spring, and I threw my annual April morning job into the growing pile of childish, outgrown activities. After all, I was too old to kneel in the dirt all day planting some silly seeds. I came to the conclusion that the shopping mall needed my assistance more than Mom did.
Surprisingly, my mother never said much about my decision until two years ago, the spring I turned 14. I was on my way to a friend's house, when Mom stopped me.
"Would you please help me with the planting today?" she asked.
"Oh, Mom, I was just getting ready to leave," I pouted. "I'll probably be gone most of the day." "Well, could you possibly come home a little early and join me in the fresh air?" Mom asked.
I mumbled something along the lines of, "Uh, maybe . . . I'll see."
By the time I left the house, Mom was already in the garden. She looked up for a moment as I walked past, and from the corner of my eye I saw a certain pain and sadness in her gaze. At first my heart told me I should stay to help, but as I got farther from home and closer to an exciting day of hanging out with friends, I forgot my impulse.
A few hours later, as the sun started to fall from its place in the warm, spring sky, I decided to leave my friends a bit early and head back home.
"Mom usually finishes planting around six," I thought. "If I get back soon, I'll still have an hour or so to help her." I felt very noble for my selfless decision. But when I reached home, there were Mom's dirty boots by the door and a small pile of empty seed packets on top of the garbage can. I was too late.
I didn't think much about that day until nearly a year later.
One of my father's good friends suddenly lost his wife to cancer. The doctors hadn't discovered Sara's illness until it was too late. She died shortly after the diagnosis, leaving behind her husband and two small, confused children.
Right away, Mom went south to visit the family and see how the children, David and Rachel, were coping with the sudden loss of their mother. She spent a few hours with little Rachel. When she came home, she told me this story.
When Sara had received her terminal diagnosis, she asked her husband, "What should I leave our children? How do I give them something to remember me by, a symbol of my love for as long as they live?"
Mom learned the answer from Rachel.
"Mommy made me my own garden," Rachel cooed, as she tugged on Mom's hand and led her outdoors. Sara had decided to plant her children something that would live on long after she was gone.
Although the children had helped with the original planting, it was obvious that most of the work had been patiently completed by their mother. The result was a masterpiece, with so much more among the leaves and petals than simple foliage. A piece of Sara's heart and soul was left in full bloom for her children.
As I listened to my mother tearfully tell Sara's story, I realized the true power of a garden. How had I missed it? Our annual planting was not about kneeling in dirt, throwing in some seeds, and hoping for the best. It was about kneeling there together, planting potential life, and creating the best memories possible out of those moments together. I was so lucky to have a healthy, vibrant, caring mother who was always there for me. As I suddenly realized how badly I missed seeing her soft hands place seeds in mine, many things became clear. I began to understand that the pain I had seen in her eyes that day a year ago had come from missing the little girl who was once at her side.
A few weeks later, I came home to find several bags of seeds on the kitchen table. I knew spring planting was near. The following Sunday, I woke to rays of sunlight streaming through my window. I looked outside to see a figure stooping in the dirt. I threw on the first clothes I could find and ran outside.
The first rays that encircled me were the ones streaming from my mother's smile. The first water our seeds encountered were the teardrops sliding happily from my eyes. We worked together all day and didn't stop until nightfall.
I won't ever miss planting day again.

sumber : http://www.plantea.com/plantingday.htm

chicken soup :from the Gardener soul

Living in a upside down world

I'm at the top, and not the bottom,
At the head, and not the tail.
Not because I'm super great,
But because truth never fails.

So it doesn't matter if the world
Should think I'm overwhelmed
For I'm seated high with Christ above
In heavenliest realms.

~ Debbie Porter ~    sumber :  http://www.breathfreshair.org/Inspiration26.html

Dua Pilihan Komputer Desktop Ramah Lingkungan

KOMPAS.com - Pengembangan produk teknologi informasi yang ramah lingkungan kini makin gencar termasuk untuk kategori komputer desktop yang banyak dipakai kalangan pribadi maupun perusahaan. Di antara yang beredar di pasaran, tentu ada yang dinilai lebih ramah lingkungan ketimbang lainnya.
Buat Anda yang mulai menerapkan gaya hidup hijau, memilih desktop yang lebih ramah lingkungan bisa jadi pilihan. Setidaknya ada dua produk pilihan yang sudah mendapat audit oleh organisasi lingkungan Greenpeace. Keduanya adalah HP Compaq 6005 Pro Ultra Slim dan Fujitsu Esprimo E9900. Tapi, perlu dicatat keduanya termasuk desktop kelas bisnis.
Berdasarkan hasil Greenpeace Electronics Survei, HP Compaq 6005 Pro Ultra Slim merupakan dekstop dengan poin penilain tertinggi dengan meraih skor 6,06 dari 10 poin. Sementara Fujitsu Esprimo E9900 ada di posisi kedua dengan skor 5,65.
HP Compaq 6005 Pro Ultra Slim memiliki keunggulan dalam material yang digunakan. Bahan bakunya dinyatakan bebas PVC dan BFR, meski belum dinyatakan bebas dari beryllium, antimony, dan phtalate.
Fujitsu Esprimo E9900 sendiri meski memiliki kekurangan dalam hal material dibandingkan HP, namun memiliki kelebihan dalam hal penggunaan daya. Total skor yang diraih Fujitsu adalah 27,8, hanya 2,2 lebih rendah dari skor maksimum. Keunggulan Fujitsu Esprimo E9900 terutama pada energi yang digunakan dalam Off Mode, Sleep Mode, dan Idle Mode. Kategori Energy Star Fujitsu dan HP adalah B. Artinya, efisiensi energi baik, meski belum maksimal.

Penilaian dekstop ramah lingkungan ini didasarkan pada 4 kategori. Masing-masing adalah efisiensi daya, material yang digunakan, lifecycle produk, dan faktor inovasi. Produk lain bisa jadi lebih ramah atau bahkan masih menggunakan bahan-bahan kimia berbahaya. Hanya saja, belum ada audit independen seperti dua produk di atas bukan?


sumber : http://tekno.kompas.com/read/2011/01/31/13460425/Dua.Pilihan.Komputer.Desktop.Ramah.Lingkungan

MacBook Air Makin Kecil, Makin Tipis, Makin Murah

SAN FRANCISCO, KOMPAS.com — Apple Inc kembali meluncurkan produk anyar. Kali ini, perusahaan yang dipimpin Steve Jobs ini meluncurkan versi baru MacBook Air. Model terbaru ini lebih murah, enteng, dan lebih cepat dari produk sebelumnya.
MacBook Air terbaru ini terbagi dalam dua tipe. Yang satu dengan ukuran layar 11,6 inci, sedangkan yang satu lagi 13 inci.
Untuk ukuran 13 inci, beratnya hanya sebesar 2,9 pon atau 1,3 kilogram. Ini berkat ketebalannya yang hanya 0,68 inci di bagian belakang dan hanya 0,16 inci di depan. Bandingkan ukuran ini dengan versi sebelumnya yang setebal 0,76 inci.
Adapun untuk ukuran 11 inci, bobotnya hanya 2,3 pon atau sekitar 1,04 kilogram.
Yang menarik, harga MacBook Air ini lebih murah dari produk sebelumnya. Harga MacBook Air ukuran 13 inci mulai dari 1.299 dollar AS atau lebih murah 200 dollar AS dari produk sebelumnya. Sementara itu, yang ukuran kecil berkisar dari 999 dollar AS per unit.
Kedua model produk anyar ini menggunakan prosesor Intel Core 2 Duo dengan kecepatan hingga 1,86 GHz. Selain itu, komputer jinjing ini juga dilengkapi dengan kartu grafis Nvidia GeForce 320M. Kapasitas penyimpannya (harddisk) berkisar 128 GB hingga 250 GB.
Daya tahan baterai untuk ukuran 13 inci bisa mencapai tujuh jam, sementara yang ukuran kecil hingga lima jam.

Selain meluncurkan MacBook Air, Apple juga meluncurkan sistem operasi baru. Sistem yang diberi nama Mac OS X Lion ini akan meluncur pada musim panas mendatang. (KONTAN/Edy Can)

sumber : http://tekno.kompas.com/read/2010/10/21/22223734/MacBook.Air.Makin.Kecil..Makin.Tipis..Makin.Murah

Apple Perbarui MacBook-nya

CUPERTINO, KAMIS – Ah bahagianya penggemar MacBook. Baru saja Apple menyegarkan jajaran konsumernya. Model barunya ini sekarang jalan pada grafis hibrida nVidia dan datang standar dengan memori 2GB dan harddisk 160GB. Selain itu ada trackpad kaca multi-touch baru yang nyaris 40% lebih besar dibandingkan touchpad sebelumnya.

MacBook 13,3” ini tidak lagi berwarna hitam dan putih. Badannya kini dibingkai oleh alumunium, bukan plastik. Seperti saudaranya yang disasarkan pada kalangan profesional, MacBook baru ini terbuat dari alumunium aircraft grade, dengan teknik Brick yang menjanjikan badan utuh yang lebih kokoh.

Keyboard-nya hitam dengan gaya ala MacBook Air. Trackpad kacanya lebih besar dan bisa multi-touch seperti di iPhone, sekaligus merangkap sebagai tombol yang bisa diklik. Fungsionalitas multi-button bisa didapatkan melalui software.

Layar MacBook baru ini mengilap dengan resolusi 1280x800, terkurung oleh border hitam dan kaca, persis iMac. Bagian belakang menghadirkan akses ke harddisk yang bisa diganti sendiri dan juga batere yang bisa dilepaskan.

Seperti MacBook Pro yang baru, notebook ini datang dengan GPU motherboard nVidia GeForce 9400M dengan 16 inti grafis paralel. Menurut Steve Jobs (CEO, Apple), GPU ini 5x lebih cepat dibandingkan grafis Intel Integrated yang ada di MacBook dan MacBook Air sebelumnya.

Fasilitas lainnya mencakup sebuah SuperDrive, Airport Extreme 802.11n wireless networking dan kamera iSight built-in, dengan port-port ekspansi di bagian sisi: konektor daya Magsafe, Gigabit Ethernet, dua port USB, Mini DisplayPort untuk tampilan eksternal, audio in dan out (analog dan optical digital), slot ekspansi ExpressCard 34 dan indikator batere. Yang absen adalah port FireWire 800.

Dijual US$ 1299 di AS, MacBook ini dipersenjatai oleh prosesor Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz, RAM 2GB, dan harddisk 160GB. Versi lain - prosesor Intel Core 2 Duo 2,4GHz, harddisk 250GB dan backlit keyboard – dihargai US$ 1599 model. Kedua versi ini bisa di-upgrade sampai maksimal 4GB RAM, harddisk 250GB 5400rpm atau 320GB 5400rpm dan SSD 128GB. Sementara itu model yang berwarna putih diturunkan harganya menjadi US$ 999 dengan kelengkapan prosesor Intel Core 2 Duo 2,1GHz, harddisk 120GB, dan SuperDrive 8X

sumber :http://tekno.kompas.com/read/2008/10/16/08450694/Apple.Perbarui.MacBook.nya

PC Kian Tergantikan Laptop

SEMARANG, KOMPAS.com - Keberadaan personal computer atau PC semakin terganti dengan hadirnya laptop atau komputer jinjing. Laptop keluaran terbaru yang memiliki fasilitas lebih lengkap daripada PC membuat konsumen lebih memilih komputer dengan mobilitas tinggi ini.
Permintaan yang semakin tinggi akan produk laptop nampak dalam Super Bazar Computer di Java Mall dan Festival Komputer Indonesia 2009 di DP Mall sejak tanggal 10-14 Juni 2009. Sebagian besar stan, baik toko komputer maupun produsen menawarkan laptop sebagai produk utama.
Ketua Asosiasi Pengusaha Komputer Indonesia (Apkomindo) Dewan Pengurus Daerah Jateng Kadar Pono mengungkapkan, penurunan permintaan PC sangat drastis. Untuk satu toko misalnya, jika sebelumnya rata-rata ada satu hingga lima orang membeli PC, sekarang hanya ada satu peminat setiap minggunya.
"Sekarang orang lebih mengutamakan mobilitas. Dengan spesifikasi yang sama, notebook dapat dibawa ke mana saja yang dikehendaki pemiliknya. Pergeseran ini tidak dapat dihindari," ujar Kadar.
Maraknya netbook yang sempat booming dan peningkatannya mencapai 300 persen pada awal tahun kini juga mulai mereda. Kini semua produsen laptop mengeluarkan produk netbook. Artinya, menurut Kadar, peminatnya tetap tinggi. Namun, masyarakat mulai menyadari perbedaan keduanya. Netbook tidak dapat difungsikan seperti komputer layaknya notebook.
Hartono Gunawan, pemilik HG Computer yang juga Ketua Panitia Super Bazar Computer menyatakan hal serupa. Permintaan PC untuk perorangan berkurang drastis. Namun, PC kini memiliki segmen sendiri, yaitu perkantoran dan lembaga pendidikan.
"Tetap ada peminat PC yang terus stabil. Selain karena harganya lebih murah, ada fungsi PC yang tidak bisa digantikan notebook, terutama terkait dengan sistem di perusahaan atau lembaga," kata Hartono.
Harga turun
Dalam pameran kali ini, Kadar juga menyampaikan bahwa rata-rata harga produk turun sekitar 20 persen. Hal itu disebabkan menguatnya nilai tukar rupiah terhadap dollar AS yang kini berada pada Rp 10.000 per satu dollar AS.
Apalagi pelaksanaan pameran bersamaan dengan kenaikan kelas siswa sekolah. Kadar berpendapat, banyak orangtua yang beralih memberikan hadiah kenaikan kelas pada anaknya berupa notebook atau netbook.

Karena itu, Super Bazar Computer yang diadakan oleh Apkomindo menargetkan transaksi mencapai Rp 5-6 miliar. Sedangkan segmen yang dibidik lebih banyak pelajar dan mahasiswa.


sumber :http://tekno.kompas.com/read/2009/06/10/18345616/pc.kian.tergantikan.laptop

Komputer dalam Sebuah Flash Disk

SAN FRANCISCO, KOMPAS.com - Bentuknya sama saja dengan flash disk pada umumnya. Tapi, produk buatan Spyrus ini bukan sembarang flash disk. Di dalamnya sudah ada sistem operasi Microsoft Windows 7 layaknya sebuah komputer.
Namun, tentu tidak bisa langsung digunakan. Untuk menggunakannya butuh akses USB ke perangkat komputer, notebook, atau lainnya. Colokkan flash disk tersebut, pilih booting komputer lewat USB, dan voila komputer di flash disk bisa bekerja.
Sistem operasi di flash disk menggunakan keyboard, monitor, mouse, dan resource komputer tersebut. Namun, tidak berhubungan sama sekali dengan hardisk sehingga data-data di flash disk dan semua kegiatannya dijamin aman.
Produk yang diberi nama Secure Pocker Drive memang dirancang sebagai komputer mobile yang aman. Salah satu target penggunanya mungkin mata-mata yang bisa bekerja di manapun tanpa terendus orang lain.
Secure Pocket Drive juga dilengkapi micro SD sebagai penyimpan data dan program. Sistem Operasi Windows 7 menghabiskan data 8 GB dan sisanya bisa digunakan untuk aplikasi seperti Office dan sebagainya.
Namun, perangkat tersebut tidak dirancang hanya untuk bekerja bukan untuk menyimpan atau transfer data. Spyrus menyediakan PocketVault P-384 berupa flash disk yang dilengkapi enkripsi untuk mengamankan data.

Selain itu, Secure Pocket Drive juga tidak akan dijual untuk umum. Lisensi dari Microsoft hanya membolehkan distribusi produk tersebut ke organisasi atau sektor publik.

sumber : http://tekno.kompas.com/read/2011/02/18/20202288/Komputer.dalam.Sebuah.Flash.Disk

Mozilla: Firefox 4 Diunduh 7,1 Juta Kali dalam 24 Jam

MOUNTAIN VIEW, KOMPAS.com — Mozilla masih bisa membusungkan dada karena browser teranyarnya, Firefox 4, diunduh 7,1 juta kali dalam 24 jam sejak diluncurkan, Senin (21/3/2011). Artinya, jumlah orang yang mengunduh itu mencapai tiga kali lipat Internet Explorer 9 yang mencatat 2,35 juta kali diunduh dalam 24 jam setelah lebih dahulu dirilis beberapa hari sebelumnya.
"Kami sangat senang dapat melaporkan bahwa selama 24 jam sejak diumumkan, ia telah diunduh 7,1 juta kali," tulis Gary Kovacs di blog Mozilla. Ia mengatakan, kalau dijumlah dengan 3 juta pemakai versi release candidate (RC) yang akhirnya dirilis sebagai versi final total mencapai 10,1 juta orang. Sampai saat berita ini ditulis setelah lebih dari tiga hari sudah ada di atas 22 juta kali diunduh.
Fakta menarik dari Firefox adalah sifatnya yang open source. Browser tersebut memang dirancang untuk mendorong internet yang bebas, terbuka, dan bisa diakses siapa saja. Lebih dari 50.000 orang telah bergabung dalam komunitas Mozilla yang turut membantu pengembangan lebih lanjut browser tersebut dari satu versi ke versi berikutnya.
Namun, hal yang lebih penting saat ini, menurut Gary Kovacs, adalah bukan sekadar jumlah pemakai yang banyak. Firefox 4, menurutnya, mulai memelopori pendefinisian ulang browser, dari sebuah rangkaian kode tradisional untuk menampilkan informasi yang sederhana dan tautan statik menjadi lingkungan yang aman bagi pengguna untuk berselancar di internet.
"Di saat semakin banyak yang kita akses secara online, kita pasti berharap lebih banyak dari lingkungan browser. Kita pasti berharap agar ia tahu siapa kita, ke mana akan berkunjung. Kita tentu berharap browser dapat mengingat sesuatu yang sederhana seperti jejak, password, tab terbuka, aplikasi yang terbuka, dan mengingat apa kebiasaan kita, ke mana biasa online, pakai alat apa, dan tanpa memasukkan apa-apa lagi," papar Gary Kovacs.

Firefox 4 hadir dengan tampilan lebih clean dibandingkan dengan versi sebelumnya, namun tetap memberi kesempatan bagi penggunanya untuk melakukan personalisasi dengan tema pilihan yang beragam. Fitur-fiturnya juga ditambah untuk memberi kenyamanan lebih saat online seperti tab yang bisa dikelompokkan. Kecepatan untuk mengakses web juga lebih kencang dan mendukung tampilan grafis lebih baik.

sumber :http://tekno.kompas.com/read/2011/03/25/14582485/Mozilla.Firefox.4.Diunduh.7.1.Juta.Kali.dalam.24.Jam

Satu Dekade Mac OS X "Mengaum"

KOMPAS.com - Tanpa peringatan khusus, sistem operasi Mac OS X buatan Apple yang dikenal punya kemampuan grafis sangat baik telah berusia satu dekade. Debutnya secara formal baru dilakukan pada 24 Maret 2001 dan sejak saat itu telah keluar beberapa versi dengan nama kode yang khas yakni bermacam jenis kucing besar.
Dalam sepuluh tahun sudah tujuh versi dirilis dan satu direncanakan akhir tahun ini. Masing-masing Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, Tiger, leopard, Snow leopard, dan akan segera menyusul Lion. Awalnya nama kode tersebut hanya digunakan untuk kepentingan internal, namun justru menjadi sebutan yang akrab bagi para pecinta Mac.
Mac OS X sendiri sebenarnya sudah mulai dikembangkan sejak tahun 1994 dengan proyek Copland di Apple. Kemudian platform tersebut disatukan dalam Apple Rhapsody developer Release setelah Apple mengakuisis penuh NeXT yang diriikan Steve Jobs pada 1996. Rhapsody berkembang menjadi Mac OS X Server (Hera) pada 1999. Versi publik beta dengan nama Kodiak keluar 30 September 2002 dan enam bulan kemudian baru dirilis versi pertama untuk publik.
Berikut perjalanan Mac OS X dari waktu ke waktu.
Mac OS X Cheetah
CEO Apple Steve Jobs menyebut Mac OS X sebagai platform penting bagi Apple setelah sistem operasi Macintosh pertama merevolusi industri pada tahun 1984. Saat diluncurkan 25 September 2001, versi pertama didukung 350 aplikasi di antaranya iMovie 2, iTunes, dan AppleWorks 6.1. Harganya waktu itu 129 dollar AS dan dipakai pada iMac, iBook, Power Macintosh G3, Power Mac G4, Power Mac G4 Cube, dan PowerBook.
Mac OS X 10.1 Puma
Apple pertama kali memperkenalkan versi kedua Mac OS X pada Juli 2001 pada acara Macworld dan baru dirilis 25 September 2011. Ini mungkin versi yang selisihnya paling cepat dari pendahulunya karena hanya enam bulan. Apple meningkatkan user interface dengan nama Aqua dan memperluas dukungan terhadap media dan perangkat seperti DVD, MP3, CD, printer, dan kamera digital. Harga satu unit lisensi saat itu juga 129 dollar AS.
Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar
Versi ketiga ini diperkenalkan pada Agustus 2002 namun baru tersedia di pasar 23 Agustus 2002. Untuk pertama kali, nama kodenya dipakai dalam media marketing. Ada 150 fitur baru antara lain iChat, filter junk mail, dan teknologi jaringan yang lebih baik. Dalam seminggu pertama, terjual 100.000 copy. Ada dua paket yang tersedia seharga 129 dollar AS dan paket keluarga untuk lima orang hanya 199 dollar AS.
Mac OS X 10.3 Panther
Keluarnya versi keempat ini selisih lebih dari satu tahun dengan versi sebelumnya karena dirilis 24 Oktober 2003. Ada 150 fitur baru ditambahkan pada Mac OS X 10.3 ini, antara lain Finder dengan satu akses klik ke file dan folder, fitur tampilan Expose, dan iChat AV untuk videokonferensi. Tersedia pula versi Mac OS X Server 10.3. Harganya 129 dollar AS sedangkan untuk server 499 dollar AS untuk 10 klien dan 999 dollar AS untuk jumlah klien tak terbatas.
Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger
Untuk versi kelima, selisih waktu dengan versi keempat malah lebih panjang lagi karena baru keluar April 2005. Namun, ada 200 fitur baru yang menarik seperti fungsi pencarian dengan Spotlight dan Dashboard yang mendukung widget untuk pertama kalinya.
Mac OS X Leopard
Leopard memulai debutnya pada oktober 2007 dengan perbaikan pada fitur pencarian file dengan Stacks, desain ulang Finder, Quick Look, dan untuk pertama kali memperkenalkan backup Time Machine.
Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
Snow Leopard yang muncul Agustus 2009 mungkin perbaruan besar-besaran secara sistem keseluruhan karena Apple menyatakan telah memperbarui 90 persen dari 1000 proyek yang terlibat dalam pengembangan Mac OS X. Ukurannya hanya setengah versi sebelumnya karena cukup dengan media penyimpan 7 GB. Telah mendukung prosesor 64 bit.
Mac OS X 10.7 Lion

Generasi terbaru yang diberi nama Lion direncanakan akan dirilis akhir tahun ini. Namun, Apple telah mendistribusikan versi uji coba kepada beberapa mitra pengembang. beberapa fitur baru antara lain teknologi berbagi file secara nirkabel AirDrop dan desain ulang aplikasi Mail. Juga ada tool interface LaunchPad untuk menampilkan tampilan layar iPhone dan iPad ke Mac. Platform ini juga akan mendukung penuh layar multitouch.


sumber : http://tekno.kompas.com/read/2011/03/25/22072934/Satu.Dekade.Mac.OS.X.Mengaum.

Game Point Blank Lagi Naik Daun

KOMPAS.com - Beberapa pemuda nampak serius di depan puluhan Personal Computer (PC) sambil menggerak-gerakan mousenya. Namun, disela keseriusannya tersebut, tak jarang mereka berteriak dan bersahutan satu sama lainnya, "Ayo... Ayo.. Serang!!"
Mereka adalah peserta turnamen game online 'Point Blank Competition"' dalam acara "HotGame Ville" yang diselenggarakan oleh Majalah HotGame di Ground Floor Gandaria City, Jakarta, 25-27 Maret 2011.
Dalam kegiatan tersebut, Point Blank Competition menjadi salah acara yang menarik minat banyak para gamers. Seperti yang dikatakan salah satu peserta Zacky (24), Point Blank saat ini masih menjadi pilihan utama bagi para Massively Multiplayer Online First Person Shooter (MMOFPS) gamers di Indonesia.
Ia menuturkan, permainan tersebut menjadi menarik, karena membutuhkan kerja sama tim yang baik. "Dalam permainan ini, ada dua hal yang membuat menjadi menarik, yaitu kerja sama tim, dan keseriusan tingkat tinggi dalam permainannya," ujarnya ketika ditemui Kompas.com, Minggu (27/3/2011) kemarin.
Zacky yang berangkat sejak pukul 09.00 WIB bersama lima rekannya tersebut, mengaku telah menghabiskan jutaan rupiah demi menyalurkan hobinya tersebut. "Wah, persisnya saya lupa, sekitar Rp 5 jutaan lah mas saya udah habiskan untuk game ini," paparnya.
Hal senada dituturkan oleh Ricy (28). Dalam tiga tahun terakhir ia sudah menjadi maniak game berbasis First Person Shooter (FPS) tersebut. Menurutnya, saat ini Point Blank telah berhasil menggusur game berbasis FPS lainnya, seperti Counter Strike, Cross Fire, War Rock, Wolf Team, dll.

"Karena Point Blank ini merupakan pelopor game berbasis FPS di Indonesia, jadi saya rasa sulit bagi game-game dengan basis yang sama menandinginya," pungkasnya.


sumber : http://tekno.kompas.com/read/2011/03/28/1523331/Game.Point.Blank.Lagi.Naik.Daun