TopViet's Blog

Verizon Data Plan $15 or $30

topviet — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 22:43:42 +0000

Few minutes ago, I called Verizon Wireless’s customer representative to request for change data plan. There is no option to switch to new data plan using the web site. Per our discussion, if I over 150MB, let say 152MB, I will pay another $15.00 for next 150MB. Total 30 dollars for 152MB not 17 dollars as I thought based on the information obtained on the web before Verizon official launched this new promotion.

Verizon’s customer representative looked up my usage and recommended me to stay with unlimited data plan. My average data usage is over 150MB. It’s a good advise. But, I actually use less. Why? When I was forced to pay $30 for unlimited, I used 3G to the max. I turned off Wi-Fi and used 3G only to view You Tube and other videos. Now, I changed to $15 data plan, I will turn on Wi-Fi. Use smartphone with Wi-Fi is faster than using 3G. My phone battery used less power when I have Wi-Fi.

The money I save is the money I make.

Let Vote Out All Incumbents

topviet — Mon, 10 May 2010 05:57:21 +0000

The real change we need is a new face our Congress. Let vote out all incumbents in the Congress regardless they’re in your party or not. Here the first one.

SALT LAKE CITY – Once-popular Sen. Bob Bennett fell victim to a growing national conservative movement with his stunning defeat atUtah’s GOP convention.
(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100509/ap_on_el_se/us_utah_senate)

Sell on the news

topviet — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 02:51:16 +0000

After Google reported first quarter earning on Thursday, April 15, their stock went down 5%. Google beat estimate but stock down. Why? I guest investors or traders took profit. It is sell on the news.

Time to buy Google

topviet — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:07:39 +0000

Per MarketWach Google shares slip on worries about China:

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Google Inc.’s stock came under pressure Wednesday morning as Wall Street expressed concern about the long-term risks that could come if the company follows through on a threat to cease operations in China.

Should we jump in to buy its stock?

Why I should pay more $200 for Google Nexus One

topviet — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:56:15 +0000

According to Reuter’s article ( http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60A4HJ20100112?type=technologyNews )

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Google Inc’s new Nexus One smartphone, which retails for $529 without a service plan, is built from components that cost about $174, according to a research report.

It’s not make sense to pay more than $200 for Google Nexus One.

Ubuntu

topviet — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:57:21 +0000

When I followed Google related news, I noticed many people mentioned about Ubuntu. So what is the Ubuntu? Ubuntu is a GNU/Linux Operating System. I tried it and liked it.

FarmVille is fun

topviet — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 03:21:07 +0000

I do not play game much. I did not pay much attention to FarmVille until last week. Before that, some of my friends in Facebook sent me a FarmVille gift, I just left them out. Somehow, the game catched my eye when I surf the internet. I tried and I liked. FarmVille make me relax and have a lot fun. I like this game.

Cautiously, overseas Vietnamese eye real estate investments

topviet — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 05:53:09 +0000

17:14′ 18/08/2009 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) will be allowed to purchase real estate in their own names from September 1, 2009. However, experts doubt the new policy will cause any immediate changes in the real estate market.

Ownership transfer transactions will increase

Two months ago, Luong’s relative in Germany asked her to help buy another apartment on Hoang Hoa Tham street in Hanoi.

According to Luong, the relative decided to invest money in real estate in Vietnam after he heard that apartment prices in Hanoi keep rising. Luong has purchased five apartments so far this year as ‘authorised’ by her Viet Kieu relatives.

Luong said that when the new policy on allowing Viet Kieu to purchase houses in Vietnam takes effect on September 1, she will transfer ownership to the real owners of the apartments.

Nguyen Van Tam, Director of GTC Real Estate, part of the TSQ Finance Group owned by a Viet Kieu in Poland, also thinks that when the new policy becomes effective, there will be more transfers of ownership than purchases.

In fact, Viet Kieu have been purchasing houses, apartments and time-shares in Vietnam for a long time as investments. They are well-represented in the most attractive real estate market segments.

The 13 hectare, $59 million ‘Viet Kieu Chau Au (European) Village’ is a 100 percent Viet Kieu-financed project east of Hanoi City, kicked off in 2007. Another high grade apartment project, TSQ’s ‘Euro Land,’ capitalized at $70 million, is expected to cover an area of 8,200 square metre in the Mo Lao new urban area west of central Hanoi.
According to Tam, 35 to 40 percent of the buyers in Viet Kieu Chau Au village are Viet Kieu. Tam claimed that it is not clear if the Viet Kieu buy the houses and apartments for their own use or for speculation. However, he believes that many of them intend to live in the units because they have been keeping a close watch over the implementation of the project and adjusting the plans to their individual preference.

It is estimated that 60-70 percent of buyers now will be buying the apartments from original buyers instead of purchasing directly from the investor. The apartments are offered at $1,000 per square metre, up from $900-920 per square metre. Villas are now on offer at 55 million dong (about $3000) per square metre.
The director of a real estate brokerage said that speculators well understand the new policy and they have put down deposits on a lot of apartments and villas at the projects which they think will be attractive to Viet Kieu. However, they have been discouraged by the lower-than-expected influx of investment money from overseas Vietnamese buyers.
Lam, a real estate broker, said that the market has been quiet over the last month with very few successful transactions.

The market will not see big changes soon

Commenting about the outlook for Viet Kieu buyers, Tam said that more sales will be made, but big changes won’t be evident when the new policy takes effect. In this market, so far characterized by ‘underground transactions,’ investors will spend some time watching to see how the new policy is implemented and defining the market tendency.
Tam has sold units in Viet Kieu Chau Au Village. He doubts that Viet Kieu house purchases will affect the real estate market in short term. Not all Viet Kieu can afford real estate products in Vietnam. Some experts believe that the prices have been pushed up high by speculators.

Tam said that Viet Kieu always think more carefully than Vietnamese people before they decide to purchase houses or apartments. At first, they will want to see how the revised law is implemented, and be confident that the market will develop in a stable way.

According to the Ministry of Construction, only 140 Viet Kieu have officially purchased houses in Vietnam since 2001, when certain categories of overseas Vietnamese were permitted to purchase houses in a trial basis. However, the revised law drops virtually all restrictions on such transactions. That’s why experts believe that in long term, the real estate market for Viet Kieu will see strong growth.

In 2008, the members of the Vietnamese diaspora sent $8 billion in remittances to their relatives in Vietnam, an increase of 19 percent over 2007. Much of this money is invested in small businesses and projects.

It is estimated that some 3,000 businesses which have capital contribution by Viet Kieu and 60 percent of such projects have been going profitably. The figures show the great potentials of the market and make people believe that Viet Kieu investors will put money into many more investment projects.

VietNamNet/TBKTVN

Source: http://english.vietnamnet.vn/biz/2009/08/864073/

Cash For Clunkers

topviet — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 21:31:48 +0000

I don’t think to buy a new car but this program, Car Allowance Rebate System – aka "Cash for Clunkers", from U.S. government sounds good to me. My wife mentioned it during our luch. After lunch, I googled to find more info before head out to car dealers. I can get a voucher of up to $4,500 to trade in my vehicle for new ones that get better mileage.

CARS.gov – Car Allowance Rebate System
CBS5: See If Your Car Qualifies For ‘Cash For Clunkers’
ABC: Is ‘Cash for Clunkers’ for Chumps?
USA Today: Q&A: How the ‘cash-for-clunker’ plan would work
US News: 10 Things You Should Know About Cash for Clunkers
GM: Cash for Clunkers Rebate Program – Fuel Efficient Vehicle Voucher
Ford: Let Ford Recycle Your Ride – Find out if you qualify!
Toyota: Cash For Clunkers – Cars Allowance Rebate System
Honda: Cash For Clunkers Information Guide

Google Voice Invitation To Be Given Away

topviet — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:44:15 +0000

I have an unused Google Voice invitation. I’m thinking to pass this to another. How? When? So, stay tuned here (my blogspot).