Monthly Archives: January 2009

Unlock Emoji icons for iPhone

This is a cool tip from Brian Tong from CNET. He shows you how to get Emoji icons on your iPhone. Emoji is the Japanese term for the picture characters or emoticons used in wireless messages. To unlock this feature you will need an iPhone with firmware version 2.2. When you unlock the Emoji feature, you will get more than just your standard smilies. You’ll see things like animals, food, and smiling stacks of poop.

Jason Chen over at Gizmodo also has a similar tip. Check it out here.

Unlock Emoji icons for iPhone

Toon Spencer by Wong Fu Productions

Wong Fu Productions is branching all over the place. In 2008, They did International Secret Agents Concert with Far East Movement. Another ISA Concert in March 2009 in San Francisco.

They are taking a stab at merchandising now. Coming in February 2009 is Toon Spencer. This cute and adorable stuffed animal is based on Spencer (Toon Spencer’s much bigger cousin) in Wong Fu Productions’ short film “Give and Take”. (You can see it below. The mouthwash scenes are hilarious.) Toon Spencer would make a great Valentine’s Day gift. hint. hint.

Give and Take Part 1

Give and Take Part 2

Back To Us by Kina Grannis

Listen to the latest song from Kina Grannis. Previously, she did a duet with David Choi entitled “My Time With You“. Here’s more about Kina:

In her sophomore year at USC Kina Grannis was selected by the Thornton School of Music to produce a CD, the result of which is the 6-song EP. Then, in early 2007, she was chosen to record a song for songwriters Rachael Lawrence and Deborah Ellen, which was featured in General Hospital in September of 2007. Recently, one of Kina’s songs has also been selected to be included in the independent film, “Glass City.”

In Summer 2007, Kina relocated to Austin, TX, but a victory in the Doritos Crash The Superbowl contest and a resulting record contract with Interscope Records brought her back to Los Angeles in early 2008, where she is pursuing this new leg of her career with as much passion and enthusiasm as ever.

In case you were wondering, Kina Grannis is half Japanese. She is also has English, Irish, French, Dutch, Welsh and Scottish roots as well. BTW – She will be performing at Kollaboration 9. Win tickets to Kollaboration 9.

Back To Us by Kina Grannis

Lyrics for Back To Us by Kina Grannis

all the birds are singing in the whisper winds

everybody’s listening

and the sun is shining like today wont end

nothing here is missing

looking over looking under looking through

what we find every time we do what we do

and we laugh

and we cry

and we live our lives

and we love and we love and we love

and it comes back to us

we carve into the tree our history of love

with dreams of ever after

we can sit beneath the bows and trace the lines

that add another chapter

looking outside looking inside looking away

what we find each and every time you say that you’ll stay

and we laugh

and we cry

and we live our lives

and we love and we love and we love

and it comes back to us

in the evening when we turn in

will you look back with me?

and we laugh

and we cry

and we live our lives

and we love and we love and we love

and it comes back to us

Jennifer Chung EP release

Jennifer Chung just released her first EP yesterday. (Paul Dateh also released his first album yesterday too.). Jennifer’s EP album is entitled “Common, Simple, Beautiful“. Why?

Common cuz she’s a regular person. She doesn’t live the glamorous life.

Simple cuz music is a universal language.

Beautiful cuz of the way music affects the way people learn and grow

The EP album has 6 songs (4 original songs and 2 cover songs). You can get Jennifer Chung’s album on Jennifer Chung - Common Simple Beautiful - EP. If you want to see her live, she will be at Kollaboration 9. Win tickets to Kollaboration 9.

Jennifer Chung album release

Paul Dateh album release

Paul Dateh (aka the hip hop violinist) released his debut album yesterday. The album is simply entitled “Paul Dateh” Physical copies will be available for purchase directly at his live shows. You can also buy his album on itunes and Amazon. You can catch Paul at his album release party. Here’s the info:

Paul Dateh Live Album Release Party

Saturday, January 31st, 2009

Starting at 8pm PST / 11pm EST

featuring Inka One, Ken Belcher, Glenn Red, Plann.B, BZ +special guests

hosted by Derrick Ah Sam

If you miss him there, you can catch Paul at Kollaboration 9. Win tickets to Kollaboration 9.

Paul Dateh

More about Paul Dateh

Originally, Paul Dateh was only supposed to be a violinist. Beginning his violin studies at the age of four, it seemed that Dateh’s future in the classical industry was set in stone. But, on his first day at The University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, Dateh suddenly dropped his major in Violin Performance and enrolled in the Jazz Studies program instead. The move shocked his colleagues as it was hard to understand why anyone would walk away from fourteen years of classical training to begin learning an entirely new musical discipline. But, Dateh knew that he wanted to be more than just a classical musician; his goal was to become a musician, in every possible way.

Today, as a singer, an award-winning songwriter, and an instrumentalist, it would appear that Dateh is on track to achieving his goal. His work can be heard on releases by various artists within both mainstream and underground hip hop circles, and he can currently be seen performing throughout the United States with his band “The Live Movement”.

Here’s the video that Paul Dateh is know for. Playing hip hop on a violin.