Apple-FM News

One Party Game

2012-02-09T16:30:16Z

Anyone who has seen the BBC TV series “Yes Minister”, episode called “Party Games” will recognise the process going on in Hong Kong leading up to the “Election” of a new Chief executive.

In Party Games, the Prime Minister resigns and the party has to go through a selection process to find new leader and hence PM. There are two main candidates, who would tear the party apart if either won. But one was OK as Chancellor of the Exchequer (British finance minister), even though he had had some girl friends, including a shady lady from Argentina. The other was Foreign Secretary, but he had some shady financial dealings which would not be good if he was First Lord of the Treasury (Another name for Prime Minister).

This is mirrored in the present situation where one candidate has had make that walk to the cameras and microphone with his wife gripping his hand tightly to explain that the affair that has been exposed in the press is all over and her has explained to his wife, who understands and there is no problem with their marriage.

The other candidate, coming from a business background and ahead in the polls, is dogged by allegations about his finances and conflicts of interest in his previous public life.

In the TV series, Jim Hacker becomes the compromise candidate and Prime Minister after talking to the two front runners and getting them to stand down. But in present day Hong Kong, the third candidate will need something better than the “Euro Sausage”, to propel him into a winning position.

But what would be an equivalent of the Euro Sausage in Hong Kong? Well as anything Euro in the UK is about bashing Europe and if possible the French, the Hong Kong answer would be mainland people, so there are plenty of targets available and growing every day. From the distortion of home prices by mainlander buying homes in Hong Kong, to mainland women coming to Hong Kong to give birth in A&E, and the recent name calling over Local People objecting to a mainland girl eating noodles on the MTR, which is not allowed. The MTR is a clean, nice smelling place, not at all like the smell of urine on the London underground. Local people would like to keep it that way and there are regular announcements that “Eating & Drinking are not allowed in the paid area of stations or on trains”. So when news of the Hong Kong people objection to the girl eating reached Beijing, one academic rounded on Hong Kong’ers calling them “British running dogs” and supporting the mainland people’s right to make a mess anywhere they please. Thereby reinforcing the view that you can take the mainlander out of the village, but you cannot take the village out of the mainlander.

So number three may have a chance, with so many open goals to shoot at, but then he would have to work with the mainland government. Not a problem for a UK Prime Minister, who can veto European decisions, but a big problem for a Hong Kong Chief Executive.

The “Election” process here does not take anything as long as electing an American president, but is still due to drag on a little more as we wait and see who gets to replace Bow Tie looking for Snakes next February 10th.

The Weekend Visitors

2011-12-07T08:03:11Z

It used to be that it was only on Friday that a large portion of China (population more than you can count to in your lifetime) descended on Hong Kong (the small dot at the bottom of China, population 7 million) to buy up all the mobile phones and baby milk they can carry, push up hotel prices and generally get up the noses of the locals. But now it seems to be any day of the week, and why aren’t their children in school? Or is this an educational trip?

They can be easily spotted by the way they walk so slowly, spread out across the full width of any walk way they are on, are always pushing suitcases, and as I said, have lots of kids with them.

This has meant that hotels at the weekends are full and more are being built to lodge them. If you have relations coming to Hong Kong for a family event, the cost of accommodation will make you wince. It also has the effect of making other visitors trade up. Some of the mainlanders go into the bottom run of places to stay, displacing the visitors who would have stayed there upward to the next tier up of hotels. That results in overseas visitors get bumped upwards, and making their visit more expensive, discouraging tourist from stopping over on their way from Europe to Australia.

There have been other consequences of this mainland invasion is that property prices are rising. But then Hong Kong people have done the same, with weekend apartments in southern Guangdong province, just across the border. But in Hong Kong the cost of housing was already high, and land is limited.

So there is the age old problem of the prosperity from the RMB the mainland people spend here, versus the inflation they are causing. Their rudeness against the jobs they create managing the queues outside Gucci & LV.

There is also the continuing question of where do they get the money from? A job that in Hong Kong would pay $8,000 or $9,000HKD, in China would only rate 1,000RMB ($1,200HKD), so how can they afford all the mobile phones and the handbags?

New Web Site

2011-11-17T07:20:25Z

The new Apple-FM website is now online @ www.apple-fm.net (or .com)

Please take a look and let us know what you think of it.

The audio server will be moving soon too. We hope on December 1st. This, we hope, will improve the audio quality and stop the breaks we have had in the past few weeks.

The machine we have used for Apple-FM has been the same for the past 7 years. So it has done well.

(c) Apple-FM.Net blog.apple-fm.net

New test stream

2011-11-03T08:08:54Z

Not yet in our LISTEN page is a new test stream

48K AAC+ Stereo

http://174.37.194.139:8188/listen.pls

Please give it a try.

We would welcome your comments on the quality.

Don’t forget you can also keep up to date with Apple-FM via our twitter feed @applefm or our facebook page at facebook.com/applefm.net

The way you listen to us has changed

2011-09-07T08:10:41Z

We have been working on the Apple-FM distribution servers, the way you hear us. Ever since we started Apple-FM, we have rented servers from other people, but now we have enough listening to run our own servers.

So from now we will be our own masters, and dealing with the data centre directly.

So, hopefully without you noticing, all the settings that send you to a stream have been changed and if you listen to us now you will get the new machines.

However this may take 24 hours or more to get to all corners of the world as local DNS servers update. PCCW here in Hong Kong is all ready connecting to the right machines.

The old servers will work for a few days, until we are sure the world has caught up.

A new Italian Steak House in Causeway Bay

2011-07-18T04:06:37Z

Manzo is the newest of Dining Concept’s chain in Hong Kong.

This Italian steak house not only features Dining Concepts (DC) usual high standard of décor and service, but grass to plate management of the meat served.

In the past Dining Concepts have brought restaurant formats to Hong Kong from the USA and worked with top chefs to create a new unique experience. But for their new offering they have contracted with a cattle ranch to bring their Angus beef to the tables in Causeway bay, ensuring total control over quality.

The beef we were served was top quality not only in texture but also taste, and was being snapped up as fast as they could cook it by the other guests.

The other great quality of Dining Concepts meal is the staff. We have all been to eateries where they concentrate on the food and the staff makes you feel that a return visit can be missed. But the staff at Manzo and the other DC establishments do make the visit. Smiles, care and “never too much trouble” attitude shine through to make it a truly repeatable experience.

Chef Antonia Ferreira, hailing from Hong Kong, has spent 2 weeks at the ranch where the choice beef is reared, and we can vouch for the quality proving that Canadians can make more than just bacon.

Manzo can seat 120 on the 11th floor of Time Square, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, from noon to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm, and noon to 11pm at weekends and holidays. Call 2735 3980 for reservations. As well as the contracted beef, you can also choose meat from Australia and the USA, with a set lunch starting at $98HKD.

Audience Growth

2011-06-13T14:56:21Z

Another bumper month in May. Our audience grew over 40% (depending on how we measure it). 41.31% or 44.21%. Think I prefer 44.21%

This Audience figures research is interesting stuff. Looks like, if we keep on at this rate of growth, we will have more listener hours than some UK commercial stations next month.

The side effect of the rise in listener hours is that Apple-FM costs more to run. We have to pay more for the data we send to you, our listeners, so the 44% growth is in the amount of data we are using, so is real growth and not an estimate.

Some of the growth in the past month is from the Android App, and from iTunesRadio listing us. Apple-FM, right now (as this is posted), has listeners in Turkey, Sweden, German, Italy, Norway, Russia, Australia, China, Brazil, the USA & Canada, amongst others.

(c) Apple-FM.Net blog.apple-fm.net

Android App 1.6 available

2011-05-12T15:57:00Z

Version 1.6 of the Apple-FM Android App is now in the Android Market and ready for you to download and install. This fixes small problems with Android v2.2. With over 1000 downloads we hope you find it of help.

We would urge all users who already have the app to upgrade to the latest version.

If you have any problems please email us or use the contact forms on the websites. Also if you have a review, please post it to the Android Market.

The Apple-FM App is developed by AndroidHK.com

(c) Apple-FM.Net blog.apple-fm.net

Download Stats

2011-05-02T10:38:00Z

Interesting looking at the stats for downloads of the Apple-FM Android App. Looks like we are popular with Samsung Tab users, the largest product group with 13.5% of the downloads.

Only 18.7% of the downloads are here in Hong Kong. Welcome to our South Korea users as well as those in Russia, India and The Netherlands.

The Apple-FM Android App is being refined and improved for some versions of Android that have some problems.

The Apple-FM App is developed by AndroidHK.com

(c) Apple-FM.Net blog.apple-fm.net

Listenership grows

2011-04-29T16:07:00Z

It is not many stations in the world that can boast a 61% year on year raise in listenership. Well Apple-FM can.

Looking at the listening figures from a year ago and March 2011 we had 161.09% of last years listening minutes. The number of listeners grew by 65.32% in the same period.

With listeners now spread over 99 countries, we really do broadcast around the world.

Thanks to all our listeners everywhere and keep spreading the word.

Android App update

2011-04-28T16:09:00Z

We have updated the Apple-FM Android App to version 1.2

If you already have it installed, you may like to update. If you have not already installed it on your Android device, Why Not? Go along to the Android Market and try it out now.

The Apple-FM App is developed by AndroidHK.com

Update to the Android App

2011-04-25T15:16:00Z

Version 1.1 of the Apple-FM Android App is now available in the Android Market. You can search for “applefm” or click HERE

V1.1 fixes a small issue for Android 2.1 users.

(c) Apple-FM.Net blog.apple-fm.net

Apple-FM Android App

2011-04-18T16:22:00Z

Just released in the Android Marketplace is version 1 of the Apple-FM app.

Listen to Apple-FM with ease on your Android phone or tablet. Download it for free and test it out. If you find any bug, please let us know for version 1.1.

Go to market.android.com and search for apple-fm.

Bistecca - The Book

2011-04-11T06:58:39Z

Hong Kong’s central district has an area known as Lan Kwai Fong, full of restaurants and bars to spend a happy evening. You can eat all sorts of styles of food there including an Italian style steak house called Bistecca.

Now a book has been published about the restaurant, and we cought up with one of the co-authors, Andrew Sun, at Bistecca.

Bistecca is in the second floor of 15/16 Lan Kwai Fong. And you can call 2525 9018 for reservations or to get your copy of the book.

Listen to the interview here

(c) Apple-FM.Net blog.apple-fm.net

Service Restored

2011-03-30T09:38:00Z

Why is it that the moment we get on a plane, everything breaks?

Apple-FM is working again. We got off the plane to fine Apple-FM was down, due to someone cutting a fibre and that has now been fixed.

Sorry for the break in service.

Apple-FM.Net page on Facebook

2011-03-24T16:00:00Z

You can now find us on Facebook.

Just search for Apple-FM.Net and then “Like” us

Keep up to date will us via Facebook

Apple-FM and Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW).

2011-03-01T14:13:00Z

Apple-FM is now an official broadcast partner with Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW).

RNW is the Dutch world broadcasting system from Hilversum, Holland, and has been on the air in various forms since 1927, when it was known as PCJ. Nowadays it users shortwave, the internet, and local broadcasters to bring the Netherlands to the world. We used to listen on Sunday mornings to the Happy Station show, Tuesdays to His & Hers (Still have the fan club card somewhere) and Thursdays to DX Jukebox.

The agreement means that we will now be broadcasting The Euro Hit 40 each month on Apple-FM. You will be able to hear the hour long show on the second Thursday of each month at 0200, 1000 and 1900 GMT, with a final chance to hear at 1400GMT the following Sunday, beginning March 10^th at 0200 GMT.

There is more about The Euro hit 40 on our website and you can read more about RNW at www.rnw.nl

In addition you will be hearing “Euro Busters” within regular hours throughout the month.

Feb 1st Downtime.

2011-02-01T04:26:00Z

Apologies for the disruption to the service today.

We found that we needed to do some quick maintenance due to a router problem. We also took the opportunity to update the software we use.

This was around Noon Hong Kong time (0400GMT)

Hopefully that will mean that the service will run safely over the New Year holiday period we are just entering.

Gong Hai Fat Choi

What is ahead in 2011 for Apple-FM

2010-12-21T03:58:00Z

We are working on developments for Apple-FM in 2011. We are testing a news and temperature area on the website. There will be a frequently updated World and Hong Kong news page and weather information updated every 10 minutes. We have received permission to broadcast Hong Kong Observatory information and warnings. We are also working on incorporating this into the website and programmes.

We are also on the look out for more programmes from around the world. In 2011 we will have a 14 part look at the history of the Beatles called “On the Beatle Track”

There will be new areas on the website and even more tracks in our playlist. We are busy working on the new tracks right now.

If you have ideas for our station, let us know by using the Contact Us page on the website.

So as we move from MMX to MMXI, may we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! (I wonder is MMXI is rude in Chinese? Better check)

A BLT evening was had by all.

2010-12-03T07:31:00Z

In an earlier entry in this blog we have reviewed BLT Steak in the Ocean Terminal next to the Star Ferry in TST, Hong Kong.

Last night we were there with friends from the UK to sample the evening service, and we found out just why this is such a great location to enjoy a very civilised meal.

The view across the harbour as you sit down will make the heart beat faster. At 8pm each night there is the light show from the buildings across the harbour which can be accompanied by music if you tune the FM radio in your mobile phone into 103.4 (English), 106.8 (Cantonese), or 107.9 (Mandarin).

Then there is the food and service. BLT Steak’s staff are well trained and understand how to generate a happy atmosphere to surround the meal.

As a steak restaurant there is a choice of American or Australian beef. Then build your own meal by adding side orders. If you do not want Beef, the Lemon Chicken and Tuna can be recommended. Also there are Pop Overs which are such a great part of the lunchtime menu too.

For birthdays, or any special occasion you will be hard pressed to beat this as the setting to take pleasure from. For even a pleasant evening out, you will not go wrong as you dine and view.

We will be back for Chinese New Year Fireworks in February and a diet after that.

You can call 2730 3508 for reservations or visit www.bltsteak.com and click on Hong Kong

Apple-FM is off to exercise to work off the expanding waist line due to Jake & the team @ BLT