Friday, May 30, 2008

Mini N95s? Why not.

Mini M&M, mini Mars, mini SDs, now mini N95? Well not really. China, the country now synonymous with manufacturing mini-sized cell phones have now added the N95 to their catalogue. Let's face it, the N95 is about as slim as an elephant on diet pills. So following the unprecedented success of the N95, China now offers N95 users a smaller, cuter, (and no doubt less functional) option of a mini sized one. They call it "MM95".

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The design is a mixture of the N95-1 and the N95-2, and still keeps that dual slider concept we all love. Of course at this size, don't except a 5meg camera Symbian OS, GPS, you'll be lucky if you can even make calls with this thing. ; )

The device features GSM 900/1800 support, a 2.2 QVGA 260K colour display, measures 76.1x41.1x17.8 mm and weighs 72.8 grams. The device features GSM 900/1800 support, a 2.2 QVGA 260K colour display, measures 76.1x41.1x17.8 mm and weighs 72.8 grams. This little "collectors item" will set you back about $150.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Wake Up Feeling Great!

 

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Here's a very lovely article from ravivora.com

Do visit the site if you liked this article, it has certainly made my days much more pleasant after reading this following some of the things listed here.

Just gives me that extra confidence boost in the morning to face the challenges of everyday life!

 

 

Face it, you hate waking up. You love your bed.

It’s time to change that, though. Here are 11 ways to make the morning your friend just as much as your comfy covers.

 

1. Listen to your favorite song as your alarm clock.

Wake up to a pleasing sound (even if your favorite song is BANANAS, but I hope not) and your day will start off on the right foot for sure. No more annoying beeps and buzzes that make you loath the morning. Use a program like Karen’s alarm clock for PC or Aurora for Mac that take a song from anywhere on your computer or from a CD.

2. Have something to look forward to.

Either the night before, or earlier, come up with something you can look forward to the next day. No matter how simple it is, from a smile to pay day (for me, my beautiful girlfriend), make sure there’s something that makes you happy every day.

3. Lay your clothes out the night before.

What you decided to wear in the morning is like making the decision of how high your expectations are for the day. Don’t do it when you’re tired and groggy, do it the night before. Lay out clothes that will make you happy during the day or give you a confidence boost. After all, you spend 12 hours a day in your clothes. Wouldn’t it feel nice to have them compliment you all day long?

4. Go to bed earlier the night before.

Waking up, rolling over and turning off the alarm clock feels so nice when you’re tired. So get to bed earlier! When you wake up feeling refreshed you’ll be happier and ready to seize the day.

5. Have a happy visual in plain site when you wake up.

Whatever your favorite thing is, have it there when you wake up. A picture of your dog, your dream car, rain in the evening, your significant other, or anything that makes you smile. You can change this every once in awhile to wake up to something that makes you happy every day.

6. Drink lots of water.

A healthy body makes a happy mind. Drinking plenty of water makes sure you’re well hydrated and fluids are running well in your body. If you feel good when you wake up you’ll be happier. Plus, if you’re one of the many that find it difficult to get out of bed, drinking a glass of water before bed makes sure you want to get up.

7. Don’t eat before bed.

Even if you have the late night munchies, try to leave snacks alone. Your body isn’t doing any work as you sleep so the fat will just get stored and make you feel worse the next day. Instead, eat lighter and earlier and you will feel more energetic and happier in the morning.

8. Clear your mind before you go to bed.

Stop thinking about the worries of the day. Turn off the television. Unplug. Relax. It feels so much better when you can just lay in bed and sleep without worry. Let the world pass you by for the night and you can wake up feeling renewed.

9. Don’t stress.

Plan out your morning the night before so you won’t get stuck in traffic or rushing out the door with your shirt untucked and a powerbar half eaten. Make sure you know what you have to do the next morning so that it goes by easily and simply. You will be much happier when you can relax and go through your morning at your own pace.

10. Don’t drink a lot of caffeine.

I used to drink a huge energy drink or two every morning and then another one during the day because I hate coffee but needed the energy. I wouldn’t be able to function without it. Or so I thought. Slowly I weened myself of the constant need of caffeine and started replacing it with water. I realized that my body was already starting to positively react to the water after only a week of cutting down to one energy drink a day. Now I drink only one or two a week when I absolutely need to and feel a thousand times better. When I wake up I can stay awake and still feel great even after I’ve broken the addiction. So I encourage you to do the same, whether it’s energy drinks, coffee, or tea, the caffeine can be helpful, but don’t rely on it.

11. Let the sunlight in.

Sunlight gives you energy and invigorates you for the day. If you wake up to a dark room you’re more likely to want to sleep more. So, open your window at night so that when you wake up to sunlight you can hop out of bed with a smile on your face.

Now go own the world.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Hack An iPod.

image Are you dissatisfied with your iPod's standard capabilities? Why not install one of the two major alternative operating systems: iPodLinux or Rockbox. Both are open source and free, though they have some quirks and aren't for the faint of heart. But don't worry, it's unlikely that you'll damage your iPod by mucking with the firmware. Rockbox, in particular, can help you get access to lots of sound-enhancement and customization features.

iPodLinux is based on a variant of Linux called uClinux; Podzilla is the most popular GUI (graphical user interface) for it. The project's goal is to let you run Linux (and compatible apps) on a portable storage device—simply because you can. There are music player programs for iPodLinux, but these format-specific apps tend to be glitchy. Rockbox, on the other hand, was created from scratch and lets you customize your MP3 player as much as possible. Rockbox is also a bit rough around the edges, but the developers' main focus is the music player, and a growing list of plug-ins gives you access to games and other fun apps.

iPodLinux works with all Windows- and Mac-formatted iPods except the shuffle, though the fifth-generation iPod and the nano are currently unsupported by the iPodLinux team, so things may not work quite right on those models. Rockbox supports only Windows-formatted iPods with the click wheel (fourth generation and newer, as well as the mini and nano), but the installer runs on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows XP.

The good news: iPodLinux and Rockbox can coexist (along with the original Apple firmware) on a single iPod. In fact, having iPodLinux installed makes it infinitely simpler to install Rockbox. Since Rockbox requires a Windows-formatted iPod, we're going to start by formatting your iPod with the FAT32 file system, so you'll need access to a Windows PC. Then we'll install iPodLinux, and then Rockbox on top of that.

Development on these systems seem to be creepy-crawly-paced, and have received little updates over the past few years. Even so, I tried it on my nano and it truly shows how much computing power Apple stuffs into their little devices. The number of add-ons and truly astounding as well and let's just say you'll start spending hours on your iPod... all over again!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

All you'll ever need to (and want to) know about T9

What's T9?

No, it's not a new tech magazine to rival T3.

T9 actually stands for "Text on 9 keys". It is a software that comes pre-loaded on many mobile phones for faster, easier typing.

There's a lot of information straight from the developer's of this technology themselves.

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Click here to go to the website!

T9 is nothing new, but knowing how to fully utilise it surely does make a difference when you're typing on your mobile device. and with today's mobile devices getting more advanced, what better time to master than now?

Go on then.

Monday, May 26, 2008

All you'll ever need to (and want to) know about batteries

Came across this rather interesting article the other day. Some are well known facts but it's still worth the read.

What is the difference between NiCad, NiMH and Lithium Ion batteries?

Batteries in portable consumer devices such as a laptop, camcorder, cellular phone, etc., are typically made using either Nickel Cadmium (NiCad), Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) or Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) battery cell chemistry. Each type of rechargeable battery chemistry has its own unique characteristics:

NiCad and NiMH:

The main difference between the two is that NiMH battery (the newer technology of the two) offers higher energy density than NiCads. In other words, the capacity of a NiMH is approximately twice the capacity of its NiCad counterpart. What this means is for you is increased run-time from the battery with no additional bulk or weight. NiMH also offers another major advantage: NiCad batteries tend to suffer from what is called the "memory effect". NiMH batteries are less prone to develop this problem and thus require less maintenance and conditioning. NiMH batteries are also environmentally friendlier than NiCad batteries since they do not contain heavy metals (which present serious landfill problems). Note: Not all devices can accept both NiCad or NiMH batteries.

Lithium Ion

Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) has become the new standard for portable power in consumer devices. Li-Ion batteries produce the same energy as NiMH battery but weighs approximately 20%35% less. This is can make a noticeable difference in devices such as cellular phones, camcorders or notebook computers where the battery makes up a significant portion of the total weight. Another reason Li-Ion batteries have become so popular is that they do not suffer from the "memory effect" at all. They are also environmentally friendly because they don't contain toxic materials such as Cadmium or Mercury.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Battery Use...

Battery Do's:

Fully charge/discharge battery up to 4 cycles before achieving full capacity of a new battery

Fully discharge and then fully charge the battery every two to three weeks for battery conditions.

Run the device under the battery's power until it shuts down or until you get a low battery warning. Then recharge the battery as instructed in the user's manual.

Remove from the device and stored in a cool, dry, clean place if the battery will not be in use for a month or longer,

Recharge the battery after a storage period

Ensure maximum performance of the battery by optimizing the device's power management features. Refer to the manual for further instructions.

Battery Don'ts:

Do not short-circuit. A short-circuit may cause severe damage to the battery.

Do not drop, hit or otherwise abuse the battery as this may result in the exposure of the cell contents, which are corrosive.

Do not expose the battery to moisture or rain.

Keep battery away from fire or other sources of extreme heat. Do not incinerate. Exposure of battery to extreme heat may result in an explosion.

My new battery isn't charging. Is it defective?

Usually NO. New batteries come in a discharged condition and must be fully charged before use. It is recommended that you fully charge and discharge the new battery two to four times to allow it to reach its maximum rated capacity

It is generally recommend an overnight charge (approximately twelve hours). It is normal for a battery to become warm to the touch during charging and discharging.

When charging the battery for the first time, the device may indicate that charging is complete after just 10 or 15 minutes. This is a normal with rechargeable batteries. New batteries are hard for the device to charge; they have never been fully charged and not “broken in.” Sometimes the device's charger will stop charging a new battery before it is fully charged. If this happens, remove the battery from the device and then reinsert it. The charge cycle should begin again. This may happen several times during the first battery charge. Don't worry; it's perfectly normal.

How can I maximize the performance of my battery?

There are several steps you can take to help you get maximum performance from your battery:

Prevent the Memory Effect - Keep the battery healthy by fully charging and then fully discharging it at least once every two to three weeks. Exceptions to the rule are Li-Ion batteries which do not suffer from the memory effect.

Keep the Batteries Clean - It's a good idea to clean dirty battery contacts with a cotton swab and alcohol. This helps maintain a good connection between the battery and the portable device.

Exercise the Battery - Do not leave the battery dormant for long periods of time. We recommend using the battery at least once every two to three weeks. If a battery has not been used for a long period of time, perform the new battery procedure described above.

Battery Storage - If you don't plan on using the battery for a month or more, store it in a clean, dry, cool place away from heat and metal objects. NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion batteries will self-discharge during storage; remember to recharge the batteries before use.

Sealed Lead Acid - (SLA) batteries must be kept at full charge during storage. This is usually achieved by using special trickle chargers. If you do not have a trickle charger, do not attempt to store SLA batteries for more than three months.

*information provided by the Ohio State University*

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Another Accelerometer Based Game - PandaManda

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PandaManda is motion controlled game for Symbian S60 3rd edition devices that features accelerometer sensor.

Of course it is not the very first accelerometer based game out there but as far as I know it is one of the world’s first commercially-available motion based games for the S60 devices.

Panda Manda is also probably the first accelerometer controlled game that allows you to move through the interactive 3D-like environment. The entire story behind the game is that you have to follow the adventures of PandaManda, a big hero, trapped in a dangerous world, in the search of an exit to his home.

The price of the game is around 7 euros and based on the short video demonstration that you can find below and impressive list of features it definitely worth few euros.

Overview:

  • Control the game without keys, only rotating your phone!
  • Online worldwide ranking.
  • Make and play your own levels with the level editor.
  • Online map sharing community.
  • 22 levels.

Also, the game includes a lot of features as:

Level Editor:
You can make your own levels to play them, and the better... share them with other players around the word!

Online Ranking:
Are you the best playing PandaManda? See the online ranking, and try be the number one!

Online Community:
Making your own levels are funny, but the really interesting thing is share them with other players. Make a good map and see what think the community about it!

Here's a very detailed review on the game: Clicky for more details

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Rumoured N95-1 v30 Firmware

As usual, rumours are lose! This time it's about N95 next firmware. Well The N95-1 has received a good number of updates the past few months and Nokia has truly made the device unbelievable, perhaps even the best phone we've ever seen. They've given us better battery life, top-notch GPS, Device Paging with sufficient RAM to work with, the next generation of N-gage Gaming experience, and so much more, but after the v21 update, the phone seems so perfect we can't really ask or hope for more, can we?

Some beg to differ, eyecandy seems like what we're going for next!

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Rumours have been spreading around Syrian Related websites that the Nokia N95 will be getting yet another firmware updater, bringing the N95's firmware up to version 30! The supposed change log sounds VERY interesting and there's one feature that stands out...
These new features should be arriving in the proposed V30 firmware:



• Full NGI
• Video content
• Maps 2.0
• Kastor UI
• Share online 3.0 with Ovi
• Nokia search with Google plug in
• Changes to music Shop and player


• Automatic screen Rotation
• Download 3.1

Impressive, isn't it? You can find more info about Kastor here at TAT's site.
Could you imagine this sort of UI on your S60 device? I for one would love something like this on my N95. However, none of this is confirmed .

1)This Kastor UI seems too good to be true, so good in fact that it looks even better than the FP2 UI... Surely Nokia wouldn't allow their old devices to have superior UIs to their new flagships such as the N96?
2) That video above seems to have been made all the way back in 2005, I even checked TAT's site using the way back machine and there were mentions of Kastor and Syrian back in 2005! Why would Nokia wait a whole 3 years to implement Kastor?

Sounds nearly impossible to me, since Nokia has never changed their UI for all these years. I guess we'll just have to wait and see, stay optimistic people!

Friday, May 23, 2008

N-gage And Konami Teams Up To Make Great Games!

Nokia's N-Gage is preparing to introduce a few timeless titles developed by the famous Konami, such as Pro Evolution Soccer, Crime Life, Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid.

These titles are aimed for N-Gage Japanese market first, boasting the latest 3D graphics enhanced by the latest Nseries devices such as the N95. Surely it will be available to the rest of us in no time, and as a MGS fan I just cant wait to get my hands on the game!

Nokia's press release here

Till next time...................... Game on!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

N-gage Get's back on track...and so does this blog!

Ah!!! Finally my exams are over!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would like to extend my thanks to all you readers who have stuck by this blog even with the lack of updates. This blog will simply not be without you. Well, now 2 full weeks of enjoyment awaits me!! Brining you all the latest tech updates is a definite, and if all goes well I might even enjoy a Click Five concert on the 7th of June! But enough about me, n-gage has got better the past few weeks, so here's the scoop!

First up... remember those of you who took the N-Gage First Access Survey and Nokia promised a free license for Mile High Pinball as well as 1000 N-gage points?

Well no news about the license yet, but the 1000 points is a go!

Here's the 1000 points credited to my N-gage Arena points.

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In addition, Mile High Pinball -though no free license yet- is released!

Click "Continue reading" to read more, because there's truely too much for me display on the main page. : )

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This is a great, great game and it is much more entertaining than i anticipated. The graphics are good, and the game play is certainly better. It really feels as though you are literally climbing higher and higher to "mile high"-dom. After playing the trial i definitely look forward much, much more to getting the free license form Nokia! Screenshots are from my phone btw.

And to add to the holiday gaming mood, Snake Subsonic is also here to keep us occupied.

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Snake Subsonic in my opinion isn't a huge improvement from the original Snake 3D first introduced in the N70, but hey it certainly is still n-gage worthy, no questions asked. Graphics are good, much more colourful the the original Snake and there are little bits and pieces added to make the game much more fun. All in all, still a good game sure to keep you entertained (or occasionally frustrated) for hours!

That's all for now. More to come soon, Stay tuned guys (and girls)!

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Busy with mid-year semester exams

imageMy fellow readers, I apologise for my absence on this site and for the lack of updates lately. I'm just been very occupied with my mid-year exams lasting for three weeks. Honestly i find it exceedingly difficult to maintain this site alone, since ck is missing in action all the time. Rest assured after my exams i will get back, and try to get ck back with us as well. My exams will end in two weeks, i will be getting a Nokia 5310 as a spare phone to compliment my N95 and i shall try to do a full video review on this phone (i noticed the lack of proper video reviews on this attractive phone). Not much has been happening in the S60 world as well, but i really want to thank all of you loyal readers who have stuck by this site through think and thin. Recently, I noticed having pop-ups on this site occasionally. I am not sure what caused this, but if you also experienced this please leave a comment and I'll investigate further.

That's all for now, back to my studying. : )

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Windows XP SP3 Officially Released

Finally, the latest Service Pack for Microsoft Windows XP is available for public download. It is available on Microsoft's web site here:

How To Get It?

Download XP SP3 Info Files

Honestly I haven't noticed any problems or obvious changes, whether that's  good or bad thing ; )

 

Description
Windows XP Service Pack 3 (XP SP3) fixes a range of bugs and adds new features to Windows XP. The file is a large download and can be applied to any version of Windows XP Home, Professional, TabletPC or Media Center (32 bit only). In addition, it doesn't matter what XP patches you have previously applied to your system, SP3 will update any unpatched, partially patched or completely updated system (it includes all previously released patches, updates and features of Service Pack 1 and 2). Keep in mind that new patches made available after Service Pack 3 was released will still need to be applied.


Important notes: Microsoft advise uninstalling any beta or Release Candidate versions before installing this final release. Do not install Service Pack 3 on systems running Microsoft Dynamics RMS (this is a specialised version of XP used in Retail sales and will not affect most home or network users - see Microsoft Dynamics RMS (opens in new window). The file will download directly from Microsoft's servers - you may want to shorten the file name.
The advantage of this full download is that it can be used on any system - plus it doesn't require an Internet connection to install. You can download SP3, copy it to disc or a portable drive and use it on multiple PCs. Alternatively, since the file is so huge, you can download SP3 on a fast Internet connection and use it to update a PC with a slow or non-existent connection.
Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes the following:

  • All previous security patches and fixes released for Windows XP.
  • All enhancements and new features that were included with Windows XP SP1 and Windows XP SP2
  • Only two new features have been added: Black Hole Router Detection Windows and Network Access Protection (NAP).
  • The following are already available for Windows XP in stand-alone updates. Windows XP SP3 includes them by default (System administrators must choose to install each of these updates): MMC 3.0, MSXML6, Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1 v2, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) 2.5, IPsec Simple Policy Update for Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP, Digital Identity, Management Service (DIMS), Peer Name Resolution Protocol (PNRP) 2.1, Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2).
  • From the Release Notes: "Microsoft is not adding significant functionality from newer versions of Windows, such as Windows Vista, to Windows XP through XP SP3. For instance, Windows XP SP3 does not include Windows Internet Explorer 7, although Windows XP SP3 does include updates to both Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 7, and it will update whichever version is installed on the computer. One notable exception is that, SP3 does include Network Access Protection (NAP)."

Sunday, May 4, 2008

N78 Built In FM Transmitter Demo

 

image Alright, i admit i'm a few days behind on this, but i've just been really busy with my semester exams. It's a real kick in the gut for me to find out the N78 has this feature built in, because for the past few weeks i've been trying to search for a suitable FM transmitter for my N95-1 as well. I have to say that after owning the N95-1 for just slightly over a year now, this FM transmitter is the first function that i'd really like to have in my next mobile device (though that doesn't seem like it's going to happen soon). Basically an FM transmitter allows you to stream music from your mobile device to your car stereo, wirelessly! From what i heard the audio quality clearly cannot match A2DP, there is a lot of static and conflict with the other radio frequencies. However, like in my case i do not have an A2DP car stereo so having this function would really be sweet. The N78 is not out yet, but here's an early preview of the Fm transmitter feature.

  

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Fullscreen Web Browsing with Nokia's default browser

Was playing with my n95 when i realised this today, perhaps it's a new addition that came with the recent firmware updates.

ON your N95, go to

OPTIONS> SETTINGS> PAGE> SCREEN SIZE> FULLSCREEN

and now you can view pages in fullscreen in the default browser, no need for opera or other 3r party softwares!

Enjoy.