Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year from mytechisland

Sorry for the delayed greeting guys, this is prolly one of the most busiest Christmas Seasons I have ever had, but hey, I am not complaining, I am loving it!!

Wohoooo!!!

New Baby, our first born, and I have two new pets as well, my Bearded Dragons! It's like someone gave me a box full of new Gadgets!

Speaking of Gadgets, let me leave you with my top 10 gadgets on my Wishlist for 2009:

10.) Full Pan & Tile Security Camera System with 16 Cameras that can be monitored online. I currently Just have one Camera due to budget constraints :)

9.) I touch - 64GB I know you are just around the corner!

8.) Dual 24" Multi-Touch Screen LCD Monitors for my Home/Office Setup. Yep, I said, MULTI TOUCH, when I saw and tested them in Computex Taipei 2008, I fell in love. Why 2? Having multiple blog sites, editing my photographs, maintaining my online "friend-connection accounts" and moderating multiple forums is not an easy task :-)

7.) 52" LCD TV to replace my good old 40" 720P Sony Bravia in my HT room.

6.) Logitech DiNovo Mini for the HT room as well.

5.) HTC Touch HD- Need I say more?

4.) Canon 18-200mm Lens, Canon 100mm F2.8 Macro Lens, Canon 10-22mm Wide Angle Lens

3.) A canon G10 for the need for extra portable trips!

2.) A full electronically Operated lighting system for my Bearded Dragons Enclosures

1.) A stand alone Multi-Terrabyte NAS storage device for my Multi-Media Collection shared and can be fully operated all over the rooms of my house. A second one to backup the first one (lol) Yeah, I am not kidding!


Ho ho ho ho hoppping for the New YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Intel Core I7 Launch- The fastest processor on the planet?

Just read this on a forum, to all you intel addicts out there, this is for you :-D


Intel Core i7 Launch

Here is sample of the latest motherboard from DFI.. hopefully my future board!

Silverstone TJ04 Case Christmas Trade in Promo

Silverstone Technologies, one of the best manufacturers of PC casings in the world has just released a Christmas promo here in the Philippines. This will give those people who have always wanted that Sweeet black Minimalist style TJ04 Casing a chance to buy it at a very affordable price.

The Deal:
Bring your old dirty casing with you and trade it for the TJ04, this entitles you to a P1,000.00 Discount!!!

MECHANICS:

1.) Customers
may trade-in their old standard ATX casing with back plate and get
1,000.00 pesos off upon purchase of a brand new & multi-awarded
SilverStone TJ04B or TJ04B-W (non-modified) casing from any Fine Upgrades'
participating dealers.

2.) Once
casing has benn checked, customer may purchase the SilverStoneTJ04B or
TJ04B-W (non-modified) at a discounted price.

Participating Dealers:

CEBU:

Asia Pacific Computers, A.I. Logic Computers, CBX Corp.,
CompuShack, MTO Technotrends, NUTech Marketing, PCQuickbuys, SkyNet, &
Wired Systems

MANILA:

Arriola Enterprises, PC Reform, VIvoCom, Camshow of
tipidpc.com

Here you will find a good review of the casing

For more details of this promo check this link out:
SILVERSTONE TRADE IN PROMO, NEW CASE FOR THE NEW YEAR
Give your PC that Righteous make over it deserves!

Google Android G1 spotted in Greenhills, Manila

About two weeks ago I was in Manila, I found this shop that often times always has the latest HTC Devices available and low and behold, it was there.

The famous T-Mobile Exclusive Google G1, surprisingly it was OPEN LINE. Meaning, you can use it with local networks!.

Google G1 is Googles first flagship PDA/Phone that sports the latest Mobile Operating System called ANDROID.

The HARDWARE of the G1 is also made by HTC, the Taiwanese company known for revolutionizing the Windows Mobile Device.

Its price tag was P37,500.00. Similarly priced to the XPERIA X1 which has also been released here in the Philippines.

For those of you who want try it out, head on over to Greenhills, Theatre mall!

Apples Iphone like winmobile a few years back?

Picture Source: MVP discussion list.

I use to hate winmobile when it started. I was a PALM lover as I mentioned in one my old articles here. For me, it took winmobile a very long time to catch my attention. Even when there was a breakthrough, a really milestone on its evolution, when it was able to store all your data even the battery ran out, I still didn't switch. Well frankly, from PALM I switched to Symbian UIQ with Sony Ericsson's P-series.

After I did an episode with Mr. Brian Chua, a WM enthusiast and my cousing in law, He made me convert, at that time I was suffering from one UIQs biggest disasters, the Sony Ericsson P990, I Spent Php 42k and after 4 months it was down to half the price, after 1 year it was being sold less than Php 20k. As gadget enthusiast, I usually just sell my old gadgets in order for me to have a budget to buy new ones. I couldn't do this with the P990. That experience just sucked.

So I shifted to winmobile, the HTC touch DUAL and I say, I am back to the glory days of palm! All the aps you could ever need. Yes it has the occasional quirks, but bearable, after my experience with the P990, this is heaven.

So to answer to my title, is Apples Iphone like going through what winmobile went through?

I hope not, if so its going to take them years to fix it and they are going to loose their marketing share. They better be careful with what they are doing right now, hiding all those bugs with HUGE MARKETING cover ups.

Apple: Our Ads Don't Lie, But You're a Fool if You Believe Them

Apple in Court Case: No Reasonable Person Would Believe Our Ads

I dont know what went wrong though, their first version of the iphone had some quirks like having to store two phone numbers to get the names to appear both in SMS and when calling someone (+63917.. & 0917..) to being unable to forward messages, which were quickly solved by third party applications.

This time on the Iphone 3G, it's a system breakdown. Hangups, hiccups, screen alignments issues that result to ALL DATA LOSS, so I've heard.. I have never owned one so it's not really fitting of me to say too much about Iphone 3G issues but this should help you out:

Google

Isn't it just Ironic, when you see all the Anti-Microsoft, Pro Apple ads dissing MS for crashing etc.. and most of it is happening on the Iphone 3G?

Please do not get me wrong, Iphone fans, I like the whole Iphone concept, I just know that there is still a lot of work to be done, and if they don't fix it soon, it's going to get the "Malamine" effect and people will start avoiding their products.


As of the moment, as a power user, I am sticking with winmobile and maybe just get an Itouch 32GB, an iphone without the phone :-D (I am still waiting for them to put Bluetoth A2DP built in, once they do I will get that version)

Three Handed Woman Reviews HTC touch HD

It's a very good show actually, just funny on 4:30+... Check it out!

My two dragons

No not gadgets, real live baby dragons!

After my mom passed away I had the urge to take care of something. Our dog was demoted to the dirty kitchen because of my wife being pregnant and all. So I went ahead and got me some new pets, Two Bearded Dragons. If you click on the link they should tell you everything about it so I wont explain further.

I have always been a reptile lover all since I was in Grade 5. I almost convinced my dad to get me a Green Iguana at a Pet Store in the states but we had a problem on how to bring it back home here.

But when I got to college, I discovered KARTIMAR. A local "All-in-One" Market which specializes in just about everything, Food, Clothes, Tatoo Shops and Exotic Creatures of all kinds. This is where I got my first Mexican Green Iguana names SPUD. SPUD was so cool, I kept him in the dorm with me. Then when it was about time for me to come home, I brought him back to Cebu. I had to secure a permit in Manila to transport him to Cebu. It was so cool the way he popped out of the luggage conveyor belt at the airport in his little Reptile Handy Tank. Everyone was asking me what it was. It was so funny coz the next luggage that came out was my friends Siberian Husky in a huge portable dog tank. After a few months, my best friends brother and mother fell in love with SPUD and asked if they could buy him from me. So I sold him to them. After A few months, I heard he escaped on their beach property.

I took a rest but still always had the urge for a reptile. But after a year of resting I went ahead and got the local Philippine water Dragon othewise knows as "IBID" People were cruelly handling and selling them in the downtown parts of Cebu. I got a few, some died, a few escaped. Then I also got two hug turtles which I eventually gave up coz they had stinky poo so I gave them to one of our helpers.

Later on my Best friends brother got a new Iguana. But after it grew about 8 inches (15" with the tale) they ask me to take care of it and adopt it. So I did. Then I even got another one to keep it company :-D Together with my last remaining Ibid, they lived happily in this huge enclosure that I made for them.

Just this year, there was an accident. Since the cage was an outdoor one and made of angle bars and chicken wires, one of the sides ripped open, the IBID ran off and the smaller iguana followed. The helpers couldn't find the IBID but they did find the Iggy near the gutter, mauled and bleeding :-( My nephew brought them to me and we waited for it to rest in peace.. Poor creature. Really, I almost cried..

None the less, my 4 foot Adopted Green Iguana stayed in the cage and is alive and kicking. My problem is, I don't live with my parents anymore and I had to leave him there because I yet have to find a good spot for him at our new home. His cage should hit the morning sun directly and it has to be in the garden so his poo and pee would wash out by themselves. That is where the problem lies, and until I find a suitable spot for him, he will stay at my Dad's place for the meantime.

Btw, somewhere in between the timeline above I also got a Baby Burmese Puthon, I think this was two years back.. This little guy use to sleep with me in my Bed. He also met a sad faith, after giving him a bath, she dipped in the mildy warm soapy water. He accidentally swollowed some, and after a few hours she passed.. Dammit!! Her name was Sofie.

Now back to Today. Last 3 weeks back I got me some new pets. Like I said at the start of this BLOG and here they are:








Now the nice thing about dragons is they are very Docile and they most of the time even appear to really like the company of Humans. They only grow to about 18"-22" max ( unless you have the German Giant variant which can even grown up to 30" or the Dwarf Rankin Bearded Dragons which only grown to about 10"-12")

If you want to find out more about the Bearded Dragon here's a link to a very good website all about them:

www.beardeddragon.org

That site contains almost everything you need to know on how to take care of them from husbandry, feeding down to emergency medical care.

Some essentials you need to have:
- a good size 50 gal tank atleast, bigger is better, I have a 42"x24"x20" tank.
- UV light (Reptisun 10 or Mega-Ray MVB)
- Heat Lamp ( you need to maintain 100F-110F on the basking area, and atleast 80F on the cooler area of the tank)
- Water Dish
- Basking Spot, driftwood is highly recommended.
- Lots of CRICKETS! Make sure before you get a dragon you have sourced out all its essential food within your area. They kinda are hard to get by here in the Philippines. I do not recommend garden insects because they mite be contaminated with insecticide which can KILL your dragon.

READ THE CARESHEET before you get one, these guys need to be loved a lot!! Don't be cruel animals and let them be. Getting these creatures need responsibility, if you want a reptile that needs less maintenance, get a snake.


Ill add more pics later, gotta go for now! :-D

(This article has not been spell cheked or proof read yet lolz! )

-------------
Watch our for my next blog, about our little princes who was born 111708 :-D

Image Resizer for Vista

I was looking for a solution for this today. I take a lot of photos in full 12.1 Resolution and I often like to upload them or email them on the internet.

I know that most sites I upload too offer auto converting, like multiply.com, facebook.com, friendster.com, flickr.com etc.. It does take time if you have the site convert it for you.

When I was still on Windows XP Pro, there was a free software by windows Powertoys called image resizer. Downloadable here

It was so easy to use. After installing, you then get an option on your right-click menu to resize pictures. So when you right click on a single photo or a group of highlighted photos on your PC, you can resize them all with a just a 2 clicks. It then resizes them and saves them to a different file name on the same directory so it doesn't overwrite your original images. There are also a couple of options in the settings which allows you to save in different directories, change the default size of the pic you want to resize too and even if you want overwrite the original pic.

I miss this. I miss image resizer. and it is not available on VISTA. Such a simple and useful program somehow got erased on microsofts priority list. I am sure many photo enthusiasts are disappointed by this. Try googling "Vista Image Resizer" and you will see.

Well today I found a solution:
VSO image resizer for vista and what's best is, it is FREE!!

It basically gives you the same comfort as image resizer by windows powertoys.

To explain further, it provides a you tube video link on its site:


Hope this helps!! :-D

Mobile Royal Rumble -What? No iphone?

For clarification, I removed the word "windows" from the title :-D

Well, I have been using my first windows mobile device, the HTC touch dual for quite awhile now and it seems to be give me great satisfaction in comparison with how palm made me feel a long time ago. The Sony Ericsson P800/P900 gave me the same feeling as well but sorta died out when I changed to the SE P990 :-(

The HTC Touch Dual does everything I need on a mobil computing device and has all the software you could ever ask for. It is still missing a couple of features that I WANT to have. It is more of a want really and not a NEED, but WANT most often times tips the scale and makes us upgrade faster than expected lolz!

Here are the mobile wrestlers!
- HTC touch pro
- HTC Diamond
- Samsung Omnia
- SE Xperia X1 - Also made by HTC
And the latest player which is running GOOGLE's latest Mobile project- Android also housed in a beautiful HTC made Chassis
- Tmobile G1


Now I don't have any of these devices so just link your self to each of the products site to get the details and google reviews.

What I would do though is rank them according to which I think would sell the most:
1 SE Xperia X1 (if it lives up to its hype)- Definitely getting one.
2 HTC Touch Pro - If X1 does not do well, this is definitely my second choice coz it does have all the features of X1 except for the SE GUI and it also comes in a smaller, slicker package.
3 HTC diamond - If you don't like slide out keyboards then this is has everything you need without the KB. It can do everything the X1 and the touch pro can do.
4 Samsung Omnia - This could also be placed in number three but I decided to put it on #4, although it has 8gig built in storage I think its to iphony looking and would just get the iphone if I wanted something looking like this. I have 8 gig MSD SDHC card on my touch dual and I haven't even fully used 1/4th of it.
5 Tmobile G1 - This could even beat number one if it doesn't do what all windows mobile devices do- slow down or crash at least once or twice a month. But this to me is still an experiment, let us wait and see for first impressions before we tackle this device.


Sorry guys, iphone is not on my list as of the moment, until I try it myself I will not recommend it because of all the horror stories I have hear about the IPHONE 3G. If I want to enjoy the Iphone Experience though I think the 32GB Itouch will do for now.

Logitech DiNovo Mini- Ultimate HTPC Accessory

All I can say is I want one. The DiNovo edge was really cool but this is more practical. Definitely an addition to my to-buy list :-)

Specs wise I am loving it. Bluetooth, back light, full keyboard and mouse functionality, size is perfect for the home theater room.


System Requirements

o PC with Windows® XP or Windows Vista®
o USB Port
o This product is compatible with PLAYSTATION®3.

Technical Specifications

o 25 mm (.98-inch) dual-purpose ClickPad. Works as a touch pad and a 4-way directional pad
o Thumb-operated keypad design
o 63 backlighted keys
o Backlighting for two modes—orange for touch-pad mode, green for media-center remote mode
o Ambient light sensor measures current available light and turns off backlight, if necessary, to conserve power
o Troy gloss silver with midnight black design
o Dedicated Windows Media® Center button
o Range: up to 10 m (33 feet)

Connectivity

o Bluetooth® 2.0 wireless technology
o Point-to-point technology pre-paired with DiNovo Mini keyboard. (Does not act as a hub.)

Power and Battery

o 30 days (battery life)
o Full-charge: Takes about 4 hours.
o Fast-charge: Takes about 10 minutes for 1 day of use
o 950 mAH lithium-ion battery

Dimensions and Weight

o 152 mm by 90 mm by 27.5 mm (cover closed) (5.98-inch by 3.5-inch by 1.08-inch)
o 152 mm by 152.8 mm by 65 mm (cover opened) (5.98-inch by 6-inch by 2.55-inch)
o 170-175 g (with battery and receiver) (5.99 – 6.17 oz)
o 59.5 mm by 18.5 mm by 9.1 mm (receiver size) (2.34-inch by 0.73-inch by 0.36-inch)
o 7 g (receiver weight) (0.25 oz)

Package Contents

o Logitech® diNovo Mini™
o USB Mini-receiver
o Power adapter
o CD with software, comfort guidelines and help center
o User’s guide
o Cleaning cloth
o 3-year limited hardware warranty
o Full product support


I don't have it so I'll let these guys show you how it works:







The DiNovo Mini Rocks!

Google's G1: Android is Finally Coming to town

Google's G1:Android is finally coming to town, and hopefully it will hit the shelves here in Asia by December! :-D

Android is the name of the software that google has been developing to power their new mobile phone. The hardware is manufactured by one of todays leading PDA/Mobile phone manufacturer, HTC, famous for there Windows Mobile Devices. The name of the device will be G1 (I think it means, Google 1)

Bluetooth, GPS, Accelorometer, 3.0 Mega Pixel, track ball similar to blackberry. These are just some of Google's G1 Mobile contraption.

Here is a demo of the software in action:


android is open source, like linux. Here is the development site:
http://code.google.com/android/

Industry Braces for Google G1 on Android
Print All Articles Letter to the editor Podcast Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com
on 22 September 2008, 18:21
by Lalee Sadighi

T-Mobile on Tuesday will release the first mobile phone to use Android, Google’s mobile operating system, in a launch that could win the search giant 4 percent of the smartphone market.

The T-Mobile/Google phone, dubbed the G1, is the newest agitator in a fast-moving U.S. smartphone market so far dominated by Research In Motion with 16 million BlackBerry subscribers, followed by newcomer Apple, who in 15 months has already sold over 10 million iPhones.

“T-Mobile could sell 400,000 phones this year, giving Google about 4 percent of the U.S. market for "smart" phones,” research firm Strategy Analytics wrote in a report earlier this month.

The G1, which is expected to retail for $199 and carry the Google brand, should be available for sale in a few weeks. Details are scarce--other than the obvious web browsing and e-mail capabilities--but the phone is expected to be an iPhone/BlackBerry hybrid of some sort, with a touch screen and a full tactile keyboard.

The release comes less than a year after Google lifted the veil on Android--an announcement that pushed Google’s stock to a record $747.24.

In a then unique move, Google had announced a free software platform and operating system for mobile devices based on Linux, which would be available to mobile carriers under the Apache free-software and open-source license. The Android OS now has the muscle of the Open Handset Alliance, a group of 34 software, hardware, and telecommunications companies.

The enthusiasm for Google's mobile plans was evident and analysts predicted that the Mountain View, California-based company would use the platform to dominate the world of mobile advertising, just like it had with web advertising. It also came as the search player was making moves at FCC spectrum auctions to open up a swath of airwaves for new rivals.

"Consumers deserve more competition and innovation than they have in today's wireless world," Google CEO Eric Schmidt said in November of last year when the company applied for the FCC auction.

That same month an analysts at Oppenheimer & Co predicted that Google would make nearly $5 billion in revenue from the mobile market within three years after Android's debut and stuck a whopping price target of $850 on the company’s stock. A few weeks before the release of the first Android phone, the search king’s stock is languishing at $430.14.

But since Google started its Android effort the industry has seen the launch of two other free, open-source mobile software platforms, heating up the competition for web advertising domination.

Symbian, the world's largest supplier of software for smartphones--with 57 percent market share--was bought by Nokia in June, and like Google the Finnish company decided to make the software available to other phone makers for free.

Mobile Linux developer LiMo is another Google rival. The LiMo alliance counts founding partners Motorola, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Orange, Panasonic, Samsung, and Vodafone. In May, Verizon Wireless said that starting next year LiMo, would be the software of choice for its phones.

But Google remains the undisputed king of web advertising, a precious advantage over any rival, and it already counts T-Mobile and Sprint Nextel on its side.

AT&T, the leading U.S. phone carrier and distributor of the iPhone--which runs on Apple's operating system--remains undecided if it will sign up an open-source mobile operating system.

Waiting for Apple CEO Steve Jobs to offer an open-source version of his operating system and license it to others might be a long wait.

Taken from here

BAB- Back and Busy

Well, here I am, back and busy. While my mom, our angel, passed away, my wife got hospitalized.

My brain went on a roller coaster ride really.. I swear, I have never been so stressed out in my life. Non the less, I am back.

WARNING: DO NOT EAT AT MANA STK AT SUTUKIL Lapu Lapus Monument in Mactan Island (Near Shang Rila).

I have yet to call up the owners. My wife, 7 months pregnant got infected with a gram-neg bacteria. An Intestinal Bacteria. She Had LBM, then on the next day, she had serious chills with her fever going up to 39+. We immediately admitted her to Cebu Doctors, a day after she had Anemia, her hemoglobin count was dropping fast. 9.0, down to 8 then down to 7.. all the doctors were scared, they ran all kinds of tests on her, and imagine her being pregnant with out first baby and my I could not go to my mom's wake :-( They searched for signs of internal bleeding, but non was found. We were in the hospital for almost about two weeks. The Bacteria was so strong that it caused all of these. Good thing the baby was not affected. All her ultra sound showed that she was ok and everything was normal. I know for sure that my Mom was there protecting her.

My Aunt and her Son from the US also got sick with LBM accompanied by Nausea. They ate there together at the restaurant. Apparently, it was because of a seaweed called "Lato" which only the three of them ate.

I tell you they are going to get a taste of ME. A REALLY BAD TASTE OF ME.


I wonder if I can sue them? Sigh..

My wife now has to have complete bed rest until she gives birth..

That is it for now.. Remember DONT EAT AT MANA STK SUTUKIL.

Blog Break- May She Rest In Peace..

My mom passed away yesterday, Sept. 10, 2008, 9:50AM.

What better way to go to heaven than within a mass. We were all complete as a family and close friends. Just after the first reading..I noticed her catching her breath.. and then she left us with a smile.. Everything seemed to be all planned. Our mass was supposed to be in the afternoon, but one of my mother's favorite priests flew in from Manila, Fr. Sonny Ramirez, so we have a special mass for her. Fr Ramirez also brought in a relic from our Lady of Manaoag and placed it over my mom while having mass. The cross of St. Benedict was also on her chest.. On her hands were placed a Rosary from Rome from our cousin, Fr Jun Yu and a Rosary Bracelet from a famous healing priest, Fr. Suarez.Like guiding lights on airport strip, God planned out the way my mother should go to heaven..

She was a perfect mother, an angel to my dad, the best grandma to her grand children..

She is a Saint in our hearts.

It's nice to know we now have a direct contact person in heaven ;-) Mom, you are there, closest to God, Jesus, Mary and all the angels and Saints in Heaven. We know you are praying for us always.

We love you. Thank you Mom.

God Bless You, Mama Mary Loves you.

Jabra BT8040 Bluetooth ANT bit my ear..Ouch!

First an update, our mother Concepcion Ongking Yu, could go anytime now.. But we know she is in good hands. Jesus and Mamma Mary is at her side...

Thank you for being the Perfect Wife to papa, thank you for being the perfect mother and grand mother to us all ma. You are our greatest teacher.

We Love You!!!
------------------------------------------

On my way to visit my mom at the hospital the other day I heard a "rubbing two papers" together kind of sound in my right ear. I was driving alone and was near Redemptorist church (to those of you who are from Cebu, you know where this is) when this happend.

I immediately removed my Jabra BT8040 Bluetooth headset and put a finger in my ear and rubbed it a little but it only worsened the sound, it felt like something very small was running around inside. Aside from being ticklish, it was very irritating, I didn't know what to do. I placed my finger and popped my ear with it (the act of putting your finger inside covering the hole, then pumping sucking the air inside and pulling the finger out), something worse happened after, it bit me, it felt like it bit my ear drum. You know the feeling when you accidentally clean your ears to deep? Yah that's how bad it felt, I repeated the process because I didn't know what else to do, on the back my head I was already thinking of going to the ER when I get to the hospital, it bit me again, around 4-5 times more, ouch, oh no, I'm going to go deaf.. I turned the aircon on full blast then I semi crouched sideways putting my ear by the blowers while still driving, it stopped, so I kept at it for a couple of minutes.. When I pulled back up I saw an ant on my finger, so I carefully plucked itss little head off with my finger nail and so on and so forth with the rest of it's body (cruel, but hey, what would you do?!) :-D

Man what a situation. The only way it could have gotten there is it piggy backed on my bluetooth headsets earplug. Lesson learned? Check your headset first when you leave it on a desk for a long time. Who would have thought huh? It was painful man, it left the stinging inside me ear that lasted till the next morning! I could already feel small pain on my throat which was connected to the ear somehow. Ouch!!


I still love my Jabra though and I am not blaming it for the what had happened :-D



Product Site
The Jabra BT8040 is a multipoint ready bluetooth headset (Supports two bluetooth Devices at the same time, eg: two cellphones or 1 cellphone & bluetooth enabled MP3 Player.)

I have 3 phone numbers, 1 Globe Regular Post paid, 1 Sun Cellular Network line and 1 PLDT landline+. I have my Sun and PLDT on one MyPhone B22 DUAL sim phone and my globe on a single sim HTC Touch Dual(its called a Dual not because it supports two sims, but because it has touch screen and a slide out keypad.) I have a friend who has 4 sims and two dual sims phones!!! Hahaha. That is why the Philippines is the texting capital of the world?!

What's great about this multipoint headset is it also supports A2DP. A2DP allows you to listen to stereo music on your MP3 Player or Cellphone. This was one of the reasons why I replaced my very trusted Plantronics 640. It already had perfectly implemented multipoint but didn't have A2DP. I like listening to music while in the grocery and when a call comes in, you can switch to it with one click of a button.

So I have my two phones connected via bluetooth. Both of my phones support A2DP as well so I can listed to music from any phone and switch back to calls on both of these phones as well. Cool huh?

There are couple of things that I still think should be improved on the Jabra 8040. Sound Volume is a tad bit low, or maybe it was the new eargel design that couldn't send the sound thoroughly through. I have to push it deeper sometimes and keep a finger there to make the sound clearer, only on crowded or noisy places though like the mall etc..

Another is the way it handles multipoint. When a call comes in one phone, it automatically disconnects the second phone. When you are done with the call it takes a few seconds to connect back. The disadvantage being, when a call comes in the second phone while your are still on the first call on the first phone and then you end it, you have to wait a few seconds for the second phone to connect back to the bluetooth headset, sometimes it doesn't connect, it also makes you look stupied because the phone is ringing, and people will be looking at you wondering why you haven't answered it yet because you are still waiting for it to patch through the bluetooth headset. It takes about 2-5 seconds to connect. It varies.

Unlike the Plantronics Multipoint technology, this is seamless. Both phones connected all the time. When you are in a call on one phone and a call comes in the second phone you will hear a beep on the bluetooth headset, pressing it once ends the first call, pressing it for the second time answers the second call from the second phone.

Although we're just talking about a matter of seconds, it can still be annoying. I had to make the sacrifice just for A2DP. It does make of for its shortcomings on other very useful features like A2DP and Being smaller in size. Still a worth upgrade from my 2 year old BT headset.

A lot of studies are emerging proving cellphone radiation can cause cancer, so be safe, protect your self from cancer and driving accidents, use a blueetooth headset,it is more convenient than a wired headset.

That being said, I give the Jabra BT8040 an 8/10.

Carefull of the ants, not in your pants but in your ear! :-D

Sony PSP3000 to Launch in October, Pre-release woes

If you have got the hots for the new Sony PSP 3000 then this is for you.
Take note though as I have mentioned previously, that the PSP3000 has a more secure system. You will not be able to play pirated-downloaded games unlike the current PSP. I am sure hackers cannot wait to get their hands on this baby. One of the main points of the PSP 3000 though is it will have a built in mic. What will you use a mic for on a "gameboy"? Well, Skype is now one of the major functions of the PSP, I am sure they've figured that since we are already bringing the PSP a long us, why not have skype on it. Well, it is a plus to have skype, I think I would stick to skype on my Windows mobile device (HTC touch Dual)

Pre-release woes:
- No Bluetooth
- 64mb Built in Memory, Really, 32GB flash drives are already out, couldn't they have just increased it to 1 gig?
- No TouchScreen- Rather than skype competing with a skype enabled device, I think they should aim to compete with the itouch instead.
- Built in GPS- I know this mite be too much to ask for, but this would have been way better than a built in mic. I would buy it right away and see it as a GPS device with gaming capabilities ;-)

People will still definitely be buying this product, but as for me, I'll stand by my PSP Slim (2000).



Here is the official Sony Press Release:
SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT JAPAN TO INTRODUCE
NEW PSP® (PLAYSTATION®PORTABLE) WITH
ADVANCED HIGH CONTRAST LCD THIS OCTOBER IN JAPAN
Introduced to the Japanese market at 19,800 yen
along with a variety of entertainment packs and peripherals

Tokyo, September 2, 2008 – Sony Computer Entertainment Japan (SCEJ), a division of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. responsible for business operations in Japan, announced today that it would release the new PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system (PSP-3000) featuring an advanced high contrast LCD and a built-in microphone on Thursday, October 16th, 2008, in Japan at a recommended retail price (RRP) of 19,800 yen (including tax). The new PSP system will come in three basic colors of “Piano Black,” “Pearl White” and “Mystic Silver,” with plans for additional colors.

SCEJ will also release “PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) Value Pack” for the Japanese market at a RRP of 24,800 yen (including tax), comprising a new PSP system (Piano Black, Pearl White or Mystic Silver), a 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo™ (Mark2), an original PSP pouch, a hand strap and a cloth to meet users’ various purposes in using the PSP systems such as playing games, watching movies, listening to music and downloading content through the network.

Along with the launch of the new PSP system, SCEJ will also introduce a variety of accessory packs to meet a wide range of users’ lifestyle; “Accessory Pack” will be released at a RRP of 3,800 yen (including tax) and “Battery Pack (2200mAh)” at a RRP of 5,500 yen (including tax). In addition, new peripherals for the new PSP will be introduced; “Cradle” at a RRP of 4,800 yen (including tax) and “Cradle and D terminal AV cable” at a RRP of 6,500 yen (including tax) for charging PSP battery and enjoying high quality viewing on TVs, and also “PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) Pouch” at a RRP of 1,800 yen (including tax) that matches the color of the new PSP system. All additional peripherals and accessories will become available on Thursday, October 16th.

For the upcoming holiday season market, third party partners will be introducing exciting bundle packs with strong PSP software titles. “MOBILE SUITE GUNDAM GUNDAM VS. GUNDAM” will be introduced from NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. on Thursday, November 20th, 2008 at a RRP of 24,840 yen including tax. “DISSIDA FINAL FANTASY” will be introduced from SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. on Thursday, December 18th, 2008 at a RRP of 25,890 yen including tax. SCEJ will also introduce “PATAPON 2 Donchaka♪” on Thursday, November 27th, 2008 at a RRP of 23,800 yen including tax.

SCEJ also announced today that it would launch a new network service this fall that will allow PSP users to connect directly to PlayStation®Store, and to download entertainment content without transferring them through PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®) or PC.*1 At the launch of this network service, SCEJ will be releasing game content for the PSP system such as “Mainichi Issyo Portable,” developed for PSP from the original PS3 title of “Mainichi Issyo”.

Additionally, another free online service will be launched this fall which enables users to play PSP software titles featuring ad-hoc mode over the internet through PS3 with other online players. PSP software titles such as “MONSTER HUNTER PORTABLE 2nd G” from CAPCOM Co., Ltd. will be compatible with this new online service.*2

SCEJ will further expand the PSP platform and create a world of entertainment with the new PSP system, together with strong upcoming new software titles, and attractive peripherals and network services launching for the holiday season.

※1 Users need to update the latest system software to use the service, and they will also be able to enjoy the service on PSP-1000 and PSP-2000.

※2 Titles and the detailed information of the service will be announced in due course.
Product Name PSP® (PlayStation®Portable)
Release Date October 16th, 2008 (Thu.)
Product Code “Piano Black” （PSP-3000 PB）
“Pearl White” （PSP-3000 PW）
“Mystic Silver” (PSP-3000 MS）
Recommended Retail Price 19,800 yen (including tax)
External Dimension Approx. 169.4 x 18.6 x 71.4 mm（width x Height x Depth）（Excludes largest projection）
Weight Approx. 189g （including battery pack）
CPU PSP® CPU（System clock frequency 1-333MHz）
Main Memory 64MB
Display 4.3 inches (16:9) full-transparent type, TFT drive,
480 x 272 pixel, Approximately 16,770,000 colors displayed
Sound Built-in stereo speakers
Main input/output Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11b)(Wi-Fi)
High Speed USB (USB2.0) (mini-B)
Memory Stick PRO Duo™
Analog Video Out
Microphone
Main Connectors DC IN 5V connector
DC OUT connector
video out/headset connector
USB connector
Memory Stick Duo™ slot
Key/Switches Directional buttons (up/down/right/left), analog stick,
Action buttons (triangle, circle, cross, square), L/R buttons
START button, SELECT button, PS button
POWER/HOLD switch, WLAN switch
display button, sound button, volume (+/-) buttons
Power Sources Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery pack
AC adaptor
USB power supply
Internal Disc Drice Read-only UMD™ drive
Supported Profile PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) Game
UMD® Video
Access Control Region code, parental control
Wireless Communications Infrastructure mode
Ad hoc mode (connects up to 16 consoles)
Supplied Accessories AC adaptor
Battery pack (1200mAh)
Supported Codec (in Memory Stick)
Video ● Memory Stick Video Format
　・MPEG-4 Simple Profile（AAC）
　・H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Main Profile（AAC）
● MPEG4
　・MPEG-4 Simple Profile（AAC）
　・H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Main Profile（CABAC）（AAC）/ Baseline Profile（AAC）
● AVI
　・Motion JPEG（Linear PCM）
　・Motion JPEG（μ-Law）
Music ● Memory Stick Audio Format
　・ATRAC3™
　・ATRAC3plus™
　・MP3
● MP3（MPEG-1/2 Audio Layer3）
● MP4（MPEG-4 AAC）
● WAVE（Linear PCM）
● WMA（Windows Media® Audio 9 Standard only）※5
Photo ● JPEG（DCF2.0/Exif2.21compliant）
● TIFF
● BMP
● GIF
● PNG

OCZ 32Gb ATV flash Drive Review- Part 2

Sorry for the delay guys. We had an emergency meeting today with my mom's doctor and he broke to us some very bad news. My mom has a few weeks. I can't tell you how hard it is really. My wife is giving birth this December and I was really hoping that my mom will be there to help me out through raising up our first child.

That being said, we still believe in miracles and miracles do come at the least expected moment.

Again your prayers are appreciated.

I will be a very busy the next few weeks mostly spending time with the family. I will still do my best though to blog as much as I can.
-----------------------------------------------
Now to the topic at hand:

As soon as I got home, I immediately took some snapshots and ran some tests.


Here are some pictures of the ATV beside other objects like my phone (HTC touch Dual) and a couple of coins.


Another Picture with the ATV attached to my Kohjinsha SR8.As you can see, it also comes with a cover keeper, which of course, allows you to tuck in the cover so that you won't accidentally leave it or lose it.


The ATV lights up Red when it is being accessed. Depending on the orientation of your USB slot, the red led may or may not face you.


I tested this on a Windows XP system. Here are the properties of the ATV 32GB. I have used this for about a couple of weeks already hence, the used space.


Here's the menu of HDTAC. As you can see you have two options, to run quick bench or long bench. I ran it on both ;-D



You can also choose some pre-tested flash drives, there wasn't much to choose from so I just went ahead and picked the first USB 2 device I could find to compare our ATV with. A kingston 1GB data traveler 2.0. I thought this would also be a great comparison since I will be comparing a 1 gig vs a 32 gig flash drive. the 1 gig would definitely be faster in theory. Here are the results.



The Quick Bench




The Long Bench


The ATV owned the data traveler by more than half of its speed!

Now now, hang on, I know you are probably saying that it would be better to run the ATV against a non pre-tested flash drive. Well, I have my regular Emtec 4GB flash drive. I love this too with swivel cover and all. I'm not sure if I could save the data of my ATV tests on HDtac so I just went ahead and tested the EMTEC and took snapshots as well.

Emtec Photos:


Close


Open



Let's see how it fairs:




As you can see, the ATV is way faster than the Emtec. Although the ATV is obviously a little bigger, it makes up for it for being more robust.

All in all, the ATV is definitely worth it. Imagine a pocketable 32Gig flash drive. Need I say more? 9/10 From Mytechisland!! the -1 is for the cover, if only they had strap that tied the cover to the back, it would have been a tad bit more convenient. I have been using the ATV for quite awhile and frankly, I still end up leaving the cover behind because I'm just too lazy to tuck it in the cover keeper.

Note: I wasn't able to run chekflash thoroughly coz it told me it would only run flash drives with 4 gig max, it was weird coz after giving me the error, it still ran the test on the ATV. I am not sure if it ran the test only on 4gb of the flash drive but here are the pics anyway:

CheckFlash 1.05 failed test


After the failed message, it still ran



When buying New flash drives I would definitely recommend using HDTACH or Flash drive to make sure you are not throwing your money away :-D

TIP: If ever your flash drive gets soaked in water for whatever reason, do not turn it on or plug to a live USB port for at least a day or two. Dry it immediately with a hair dryer if you can. There have been a lot of success stories of flash drives being accidentally washed and still being usable after, if you want to be one of them, follow this tip and save not only your data, but your flash drive as well!

OCZ 32Gb ATV flash Drive review- Part 1

This Blog is dedicated to my mom. Your prayers will be appreciated. Her name is Concepcion Ongking Yu and is fighting a very rare type of Cancer with Klatskin Tumor.

Again, a call for your prayers please.

Thanks.

We Love you mom. God is with us always.
----------------------

Flash drives have come a long way. from 16mb all the way to 32GB! Yes you hear me right, 32 GIGABYTE of storage. Back in the days, we use to have 20-40GB hard drives, in fact that was still very recent, around late 90's to early 2000. The smallest hard drive you can buy nowadays are 80gigs already and to tell you frankly I think, 64-120GB flash drives are already in place but not yet released.

Flash drives are also very common tools for IT people. Its the easiest and most convenient way to backup, copy or share date from one PC to another.

With the need for flash drives growing here in the Philippines, the increase of "Fake" flash drives grow along with it. If someone asks me where to buy a good flash drive, I always recommend to buy from Legit Sources. I know of a couple of shops here that sell fake ones and most people who get from them usually get stung. But somehow, the lack of education regarding these products just let these people get robbed of their hard earned money. What's even worse is, either, they accidentally buy a fake, or they intentionally buy an original one with an unknown brand.

It's really a matter of how precious your data is. If you are going to be storing very important files and backing up precious data, then I recommend you get flash drives of the Highest Quality.

Now, one of the leading Brands of Memory Manufacturers in the world, OCZ Technology has sent us a sample product to review. Since my time is kinda short now because I have to leave for the hospital in awhile now to visit my mom, I will leave you first with some pics and specs of this amazing device. I have used it for about a few weeks now, for 32 GB, it is very fast! Not only is it fast, its WATER and DEBRIS RESISTAND and SHOCK PROOF as well! Definitely built for the great outdoors!!







The shock-proof ATV features mainstream speeds offering consumers an affordable option and was designed to safely accommodate a wealth of important data and media files. Not only are these premium flash drives aggressively fast at transferring files of all types and sizes, but are optimized for Windows® Vista? Ready Boost, offering true performance advantages to this latest operating system.

Description:

ATV flash drives feature durable and colorful rubber tread housing, which is a 100% weatherproof storage solution to keep digital files safe in any conditions, even fully submerged in water. The attached cap holder will help prevent misplacement of the protective key cover, while the chain can easily fasten to your key ring for ultimate portability.

Specs:

High Speed USB 2.0 Certified
True Plug and Play (Compatible with MAC OS X)
Dual Channel Technology
Available in 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, and 32GB capacities
Waterproof Rubber Housing
Orange LED Status Light
Lifetime Warranty
ATV 32GB - OCZUSBATV32G

I will be using HD-Tach to measure the speed of this device and a new software that I found called Checkflash which is a utility for flash drives.

So watch for part 2.. Hopefully it should be done tomorrow!

PC Case Mod Xtreme! PIMPERRRRIFIC!

The craziest and coolest mod I have ever seen!



I hope this inspires the local modders . Filipinos are known to be good artists, let's show them what we’ve got! :-D

Ultimate Media Player for your home

I was always in the search for the best player in the market.

My Goal:
I have a very small home theater at home, of course :-D It's about 14x15ft in size. This will be my Media Center. I will soon setup an HTPC (home theatre PC) here and that PC will also be the one to download all my media. Then on all my different rooms in the house I wanted to have a network ready Hard Drive based media player that will be capable of streaming video/Music/Photos from my HTPC, meaning, all the files are stored in the HTPC and do not need to be physically copied to the Hard drive of the satellite players. Aside from the player being network ready, you need to make sure you can get a network connection within the area- this is solved by the FU POWERLINE Bridges which gives you network connections anywhere around the house! Of course since it's a hard drive player, it will also be able to store personal videos which can be copied to it via network still or through a USB device. It is also very important that these Players can play MKV or H.264 File Types and of course all the normal Codecs. MKV and H.264 files are the two shells for BLURAY and HDDVD ripped videos. These are the two major file types capable of playing FULL HD 1080P or 720P resolutions. Right now we have a Sony Bravia 40inch capable of 720p wall hanged on our Theater. It's perfect for the size and doesn't strain our eyes. Speaking of which I will blog about the right LCD/Plasma size for your area very soon (once I find that diagram I downloaded ages ago :-D ) We plan to get a 52" (I think this will happen like 3-5 years from now) for our Master bedroom which has the right room size for the TV, to be enjoyed in all its glory ad full 1080P-2 megapixel resolution.

With that in mind, we need a good Media Player and as the title specifies, I have found the ultimate- Meaning, it's got all the functions we need at the Right Price. Its competitors, I believe, are priced way higher than this with all the same functionality.

Presenting... (Drum rolls)

The HoneyWld Media Player with HDMI and Digital Optical Out, Plays FULL HD 1080P files (mkv and H.264) and is Network Ready and supports Sata Drives up to 1 TB! Also Supports Media Streaming via network and direct download to device! HoneyWld Power Zest HD-301 by Fine Upgrades.

It's the It thing

It's a Hard Drive Enclosure (transfer via network only)

It's a USB host (plays media files directly form USB drives plugged to it)

It's Network Ready (Download from the internet directly to device, share and stream media)

It's a Media Player (Music, Full HD videos mkv, h.264, WM9, Divx, Xvid etc.., Photos)

It's plays 1080P output

It comes with a Remote control

It has HDMI digital Video/Audio Output

It has Optical Out

It has Ordinary Stereo Audio output

It has Analog RCA Video output as well

It supports up to 1 Terrabyte Sata I/II HD



PowerZest Specs:

1. High Definition Media Player up to 1080p ( H.264,VC1, MKV and WMV9)
2. Trans-code to support most updated multimedia format
3. Instant Access to favorite internet Video/Photo/Radio (Live365,vTuner,etc...)
4. Media Transferable among PC, Mobile and NAS
5. DLNA and UPnP Compliant
6. Multimedia Streaming from PC, Mobile and NAS media storage to PowerZest via Wired or Wireless
7. Projector for Wireless Office Presentation
8. HDMI//Composite Video Output built in support
9. 10/100 Network Device
10. Network wizard support to easily connect to home networking
11. One-TouchColor Coded Shortcut Buttons Remote Controller-for Quick Access to Music,Photo,Video , and online media
12. HDD storage support(Optional) as Personal Media Center
13. Premium Content Protection (DRM,DTCP-IP)

FRONT:


BACK:


INSIDE:






Note: The HD301_EX model available in Cebu does not have wifi. They recommend to use it with the FU Powerline Bridge instead which gives a more reliable and stable connection.

OCZ Dominatrix Gaming Mouse

In the world of Gaming, weapons are brought to life every now and then to arm these "fraggers" with the best tools to swiftly kill there enemies onsite or whack these online monsters to oblivion.

Gaming being one of the biggest industries in the World demands for kickass hardware and OCZ heard their call!

OCZ Technology Unveils the Ultra-Comfortable and Customizable Dominatrix Laser Gaming Mouse



Sunnyvale, CA—August 21, 2008—OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra high performance and high reliability memory and components, today unveiled the latest addition to its peripherals with the Dominatrix, a top-of-the-line laser mouse for PC gamers. The OCZ Dominatrix mouse is built with the hardcore player in mind with a solid design, maximum functionality, and programmable customization unique to each user. The Dominatrix offers a competitive edge with quality ergonomics and advanced features to excel even when immersed in the most challenging gaming environments.


“We continue to rapidly diversify our product range at OCZ in order to offer an end-to-end line of high performance gaming solutions to our customers,” said Ryan Edwards, Director of Product Management. “The new Dominatrix mouse is no exception, offering world-class performance and specifications guaranteed to provide the discerning gamer and enthusiast with an unparalleled tactile control experience.”



Gaming in extremely large resolutions and fast paced battles requires a specialized mouse that is built for comfort and speed, and Dominatrix users can fine-tune the weight and balance of their mouse up to 40 grams for ultimate control. With multiple dpi settings of 2000/1600/800/400, independently adjust both “X & Y” axes for a combined maximum of 3200 dpi for lightning fast responsiveness and fluid gameplay. High speed USB 2.0 delivers a poll rate up to 500Hz and bi-directional connection for breakneck acceleration and control in any first-person shooter.

The OCZ Dominatrix mouse is built with the demanding requirements of gamers in mind with a solid design, maximum functionality, and programmable customization unique to each user.

Dominatrix users can fine-tune the weight and balance of their mouse up to 40g for ultimate control. With multiple dpi settings of 2000/1600/800/400, independently adjust both “X & Y” axes for a combined maximum of 3200 dpi for lightning fast responsiveness and fluid gameplay. High speed USB 2.0 delivers a poll rate up to 500Hz and bi-directional connection for breakneck acceleration and control in any first-person shooter.

The Dominatrix features two programmable buttons with three different modes each for game settings and internet navigation to make the mouse your own secret weapon. The included software allows gamers to record, read, and edit unlimited scripts of complex keyboard and mouse commands, while the built-in memory allows you to save your mouse settings onboard, useful when switching computers. Featuring a special 4-way scrolling wheel-tilt button, the Dominatrix allows you to move either side to side or up and down without ever moving the mouse.

The Dominatrix sports a large, ergonomic, and stylish design with a comfortable, no-slip rubber grip. Whether you plug and play or decide to program the software with your unique specifications, the Dominatrix is ready to take on your next battle right out of the box. Each OCZ Dominatrix mouse is backed by a 3-year warranty and unbeatable technical support so you can always be on top of your game.


Specifications:

DPI Settings: 400/800/1600/2000
500Hz Polling / Report Rate
Max Tracking speed: up to 45 inch / second
Frame Rate: 7080 frames / second
Software Setup Included
Operating System: Windows XP, Vista (32-bit only)
3-year warranty

Special Features:

Set X&Y axes up to 3200 DPI w/ software
Onboard memory (save profiles)
Customizable weight cartridges up to 40g
4-way tilt scroll wheel
3 Custom Modes
Click / Keystroke Recording
Unlimited Script Profiling / Grouping
Import / Export Profiles
Loop and Fire Key Recording Capability
Ability to Record in Intervals / Duration

Here are some more pics:







Tomshardware got there hands on it as well and see's it as the New Gaming Master for some!

I got some internal info that this is going to be available in the Philippines very soon!!!