Nokia 200

Mar 142012
 

I was looking for a dual SIM phone due to my traveling and hopefully I could save money on phone calls especially private phone calls to home. Skype isn’t the solution because not all hotels provide free and good quality internet, furthermore, most of the time I would be out of hotel with no internet access at all, thus the more economical and convenient solution is to get a local mobile number.

However, non of the smart phones/ high end phones provide dual SIM solution (I do not want to carry 2 phones with me!), and finally I settled with Nokia 200 after the sales guy kept assuring me that Nokia basic phones are okay and not as problematic as their smart phones.

The Nokia 200 is really a very basic phone though it does look “high end” with a QWERTY keyboard; it lacks Wifi & 3G, comes with only a 2 mega pixel camera, and though it has a mini USB port, you cannot charge the phone via the port. Well, I can live with these*. The phone is slow, well, surprisingly, I can live with that too*.

The main gripe is there is no option to synchronize with 3rd party server such as Google for contacts and calender, erm, well, I can live with that too after I figured that I could copy contacts from another Nokia phone via Bluetooth. What I did was to synchronize my old and unused Nokia N97 mini with Google, then copy the contacts over to this new phone*.

Having said so much negative stuff about the phone, now comes the good stuff. Dual SIM is really great, and you can even hot swap the 2nd SIM. It saves a lot of money by calling out using a local SIM while still have the convenience of carrying only one phone and able to receive calls from people who knows only your other number. The cost saves can easily justify the cost of the phone which is very low. Nokia 200 also provides a function for you to select which is the default SIM to use for calling, SMS, data, and MMS or set to “ask” whenever you make a call or send a SMS.

The other thing I like about the phone is the QWERTY keyboard, it is really a good return to the good old fashion way of typing messages and keying phone numbers. What I do not like about the current smart phones is I always seem to have trouble writing SMS and emails using the “soft” keypad.

Another plus over the current smart phones is the battery life, the battery meter still show 3/4 full after a full day of usage. Cool.

Finally, true enough, Nokia basic phones are really problems free (so far), and brings back the old glory days of the Nokia 6110, 6150, and etc.

Having said all these, I still hope to see a modern day high end smart phone with dual SIM capability, anyone? I would buy it even if it is an iPhone or, ahem, a Nokia smartphone with Windows OS.

*Disclaimer: I can live with the lackings is because this phone is a secondary phone and it is used like at most 5~10 days in a month when I travel to Malaysia. The contacts/ calendar need not be most updated and synchronized as I would carry an iPad with me. I do not visit other countries frequent enough to justify signing up a local mobile line. In future I might consider getting a pre-paid SIM when I travel, which means I will carry this phone more, which also means my opinion of it might change.

The new iPad

Mar 102012
 

Just as expected, the new iPad, so it is called, will not come with features that I have been yearning, and Apple is happy to make it just a consumer product rather than integrate some business features into the iPad so that it could become a truly post PC device.

I am not sure whether I am really disappointed, but when my current iPad life time is up, which is soon I presume, as it is starting to lag after upgrading to IOS 5.01,  I will be in a dilemma — to continue with a new iPad or drop it completely and switch to another tablet.

One on hand, the amount of money I have spent on Apps is a deterrent factor to switch, if I were to use an Android tablet, I will have to re-purchase all the Apps. Furthermore, I am quite “entrenched” in some Apps that though I might find Apps in Android Market with similar functions, it will be a time consuming task to re-key all my data, such as password vault, my diary, my voice recordings, and etc…

On the other hand, limiting features such as no folder access, no network access (just a simple access to NAS and I will be happy), and easy data sharing is limiting my use of the device as a full mobile office that I could carry around with me instead of a laptop when I am on the road.

I am relieved that at least for Contacts and Calenders, I am using Google to synchronize with my iPad & Android Sony Ericsson Arc phone. As for other tasks such as todo list, cloud storage, notes, I am using 3rd party applications which are independent and can be accessed from Android and web based PCs.

Come to think of it, if I were to use iCloud for the above tasks and become dependent on it, I will not have such dilemma because switching to Android will be totally unthinkable. My guess is the iCloud is a way to lock the customers for life and swallow whatever future products that Apple might throw at them.

Upgrading to iPad 3?

Feb 142012
 

Many gadget sites have been circulating this rumor that iPad 3 is going to be released in early March. The local TV news reported the same just a few days ago.

Am I going to upgrade my original iPad? Not very sure, depending on features, and I am 99% sure the features that I wanted will never be implemented by Apple, ever.

I do not need Quad core processor, not even dual core, I thought the applications speed is alright even on my antique iPad.

I do not need retina display. I would rather watch movies on my TV sitting comfortably on the sofa.

I do not need high quality camera on my tablet. What the heck? Why would I need a 9″x7″ camera? As it is I already have a couple of digital cameras lying around in the house, and my phone is equipped with a good camera as well.

There are many features that I would love to see, but if I could pick only one, it is the ability to manage files on the iPad: copy files from PC/ network, create folders, arrange the files, and etc. It wouldn’t hurt if it comes with a SD card slot for expanding the memory too.

Sigh… I guess I am not Apple’s target customer.

SOPA

Jan 202012
 

Just read that opposition of SOPA has sent a very strong message to the various Senators in USA, causing them to re-think of their support of SOPA. Great work!

Just my 2 cents of input on piracy and such, if a person is not going to pay to watch a movie, even if you remove all sorts of access to the movie for that person, he/she will still not pay to watch the movie. Simple as that, don’t they understand? The cost for normal working person to go watch movies is just too expensive and unaffordable to do it frequently. With all the previous clamp downs and so on, do they see an increase in movie goers?

Facebook

Nov 232011
 

Though I always have my reservation about Facebook, and do not log to my account much, I remain skeptical about horror stories such as it can upload your contacts without your explicit permission.

Just read today that Facebook have admitted that they can keep a log of web pages that you have visited for upto 90 days even after you have logged out of Facebook! This super cookie is very hard to detect and remove as the article says.

Now, this is evil. I have put the decision to delete my account on hold because a long lost friend was able to locate me recently via Facebook so I thought it is quite useful in a way, but this is getting too much.

Bye Facebook.

A new IT consultant

Nov 222011
 

I have been talking to another IT consultant recently, and is pleasantly surprised by his attitude. There is actually follow up! Many consultant whom I have spoken to is active only when you have big businesses for them, and if you tell them your minor issues, they are not interested at all and will not call you back.

This guy that I spoke to, is even thinking hard on how to save money for customers– I was baffled at first on his proposal on using pre-owned HP PCs loaded with CentOS to serve as our temporary site offices’ file servers. I asked, “Don’t you sell new PCs?” His reply was my site office environment (construction) was not ideal, and the PCs generally would not last after the abuse, thus he thought of proposing to us to purchase pre-owned PCs for this purpose. Great.

It is worth considering switching our IT maintenance contract over to his company after the current one expires.

Asus eee Slate B121

Nov 142011
 

The Asus Eee Slate B121 caught my eyes recently as it seems like an answer to my search of mobility.

It has USB ports, SD card slot, pen control, and many features that I have been yearning since iPad was introduced. I am also sure that it has no compatibility issues with printers, and other devices as it is running Windows 7.

BUT, a big BUT, who wants to carry this expensive giant with him or her everyday? As it is, I am already complaining about the size of iPad, and think the new tablet form factor of 8.9″ would be perfect. Furthermore, the battery life stated is only 4.5 hours and in reality it will be much less, and lastly, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to guess that the heat generated from this tablet would be enough to fry your eggs… I wouldn’t use it like I am using my iPad.

There are other important features that I am looking at a tablet such as size, easy to use, quick access to my calendar, to do list, and fast boot. So I guess I will give this Eee slate a pass, and continue on my search (or wait). I am sure the next generation of iPad or Android tablets will have USB support.

I am imagining a 8.9″ HTC Flyer with USB support and HDMI output, this, will be my perfect tablet.

Asus mini router road trial

Nov 122011
 

Brought the Asus mini router with me to Suzhou, China, recently and it works great! I have a WiFi environment immediately once I plug the router to the hotel’s Ethernet port.

The only downside is the hotel’s Internet is slow and very unstable. Great device and highly recommended for frequent traveler. I am going to try it as a 3G router the next time when I am in Malaysia. I have a Malaysia DIGI mobile broadband SIM card, but it does not work with the Huawei 3G router that I own, and hopefully it will work with this Asus router.

Installing Windows

Nov 052011
 

I just re-installed Windows Vista into an unused Dell Inspiron 1420 laptop as I am thinking of selling it off in its original state. I have not installed Windows for a long time, and didn’t realize the process is so long…

  1. Install the Windows OS — took 30-40 minutes.
  2. Install the drivers CD — took close to 2 hours with the constant re-booting after every device driver being installed.
  3. Install the Windows updates. This is the killer, to be fair Vista is an old OS and thus there is a long list of updates available, I really lost count on the hours spent. Probably 4~6 hours or even more as I did not count the 2 nights that I left the laptop to download and install the updates while I go to bed.

Versus Linux? I did an Ubuntu 11.10 installation recently and it took like 30~40 minutes and I have a fully functional laptop with applications in it!

Now, which OS is for geek? Windows of course, you need to know what you are doing by downloading and installing the drivers, do the updates, install the anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, and etc… In Ubuntu, it is just 30 to 40 minutes of work and everything is done for you including the updates if you are connected to Internet during the installation.

ASUS WL330N3G mini router

Oct 312011
 

Small but feature packed

I already own a Huaiwei mini 3G router for accessing Internet from my laptop and iPad when I am on the road. But it becomes useless as soon as I cross border, as 3G roaming is expensive.

Usually hotels will have Internet, and many are providing it for free. My experience so far is most WiFi signal is very weak and very much dependent on the room location. So, I would end up using Ethernet cable for the laptop, while my iPad & Sony Ericsson Arc phone sitting idle even though I would very much love to use my phone’s Skype Apps to call home instead of using a laptop.

So here comes the ASUS WL330N3G mini router to the rescue. Bought this little gadget yesterday, and it seems like it is going to meet my needs. It has 6 modes of operation:

1.  As a router when connected to modem.

2. As a 3G router when the 3G USB modem is plugged in. Function like the Huawei router that I have, but it needs a 3G USB modem.

3. As a wireless adapter if your devices and PC do not have WiFi.

4. Hotspot sharing, that means when it is connected to a WiFi hotspot like Starbucks, the Internet can be shared to your other devices such as tablet and phone, very neat especially some hotspots will charged you on per device basis. This router on hotspot sharing mode will help you bypass such limitation.

5. As a repeater. This is especially helpful when the WiFi signal to the hotel room is weak.

6. As a WiFi access point. When the WiFi signal is so weak (or no WiFi at all) that repeater mode is not working properly, you can plug this thing to the Ethernet jack in the hotel room with a cable, and voila! Wireless for all the other gadgets that you are carrying with you. I have tested this mode at home by plugging it to my router, and it works perfectly.

The feature that I would love to see in this little gadget is battery operation (4 hours of usage like the Huawei will be fine). This router needs to be plugged to power source or USB power from your PC, and thus it is not suitable for pure tablet usage, you will need to bring the power adapter as well, and if there is no power source, example, in a public transport, bad luck.

The other potential little inconvenience from what I gathered from the instruction manual is you will need to set it up to the desired operation mode using a PC, there is no button to choose the operation mode. Example, if the router is set as a wireless adapter, and you forgot to set it to 3G router mode, you will be screwed when you are outside without your laptop… I could be wrong, and will update when I have done tests on this.

In sum, despite little inconveniences, this Asus mini router sure looks like a perfect companion for road warriors, and it comes with a little bag for you to pack all the accessories too. From now on, when I am in my home country, I will carry the Huawei mini router; and when going overseas, I will bring the Asus WL330N3G router with me.

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