Digitel DSL service

Yesterday was a wonderful day to me as DSL was installed in my in-law's place in DAET, CAMARINES NORTE, courtesy of DIGITEL's NETVANTAGE. What's good about it is the prompt service and courteous employees. I don't know if it holds true with other DSL service providers, but DIGITEL rehabilitated the whole wirings in the house a day before they installed the ADSL MODEM. Although, I could say that GLOBELINES' technicians did ask me if the wires in my house were ok ( but I think they should have inspected it just the same, but then again, it's another story ). A PROLINK HURRICANE 9000 ADSL modem was installed, although I might say that I don't think it's a brand new unit. The technician has 2 units in his backpack and none of it were in a box. It even has dusts on the cravices of the design, although the power adapter, the phone filter, the telephone cable and the ethernet cables were new. I asked the technician up front if the modem has the router function disabled and he said NO, good thing for me because the unit has 2 ports, one ethernet and the other USB. He did not tell me any username or password for the service. When he left, I started my naughtiness and installed my LINKSYS WRT54GC compact wireless router. Hoping that nothing would go wrong, and that manually setting it up is out of the solution since the technician did not give me any username and password and I was not able to enter the web interfaced modem set up since the default username and password for the modem has been changed, I popped the LINKSYS CD in the bay and left it to do it's work, and in a couple of minutes or so, it has detected the right settings and gave me a go signal to surf the net. I immediately opened a INTERNET EXPLORER in the desktop PC and pointed to THE FIREFOX HOMEPAGE. Then I booted up my VAIO notebook to see if the wireless component works and it does! Now, I'm using my iBook to write this blog using the BLOGGER widget.

Cheap Branded vs. Expensive Branded

Just this year I was asked by not less than 6 friends which notebook computer is ok to buy. I told them and I will tell the next batch that the only difference between the cheap ones from the expensive ones is the quality of the computer itself. At the moment, one of the cheapest notebook PCs out there is the NEO Q-NOTE, actually 2 of my fellow faculties have it. It's a very capable computer, able to match the specs of the expensive ones, but you will see the price drop when you get to feel the whole build of the notebook.Creaks and crakles can be heard when handling the notebook, the buttons feels like those cheap DVD players you could buy for less then P2K, in fact that is a perfect comparison, it does the same job but it feels a bit different than when one has, perhaps a Pioneer or a Sony DVD player. But then again, for a no-fuss user, why not?

Konfabulator for Windows and Dashboard Difference

I have known that Mac users have been boasting of their Dashboard since it was implimented in OS X. But some people still don't know that Apple took the concept from Konfabulator which is now called Yahoo! Widgets. Well anyways, they  serve the same function, using small applets that uses a very small portion of the CPU's resources to run their thing. The main difference that I see between Yahoo! widgets and Dashboard is that...Yahoo! widgets run right in the windows desktop while Dashboard runs at the back of the Mac desktop and one still has to pull it up. Also the it's easier to look for the right Yahoo! widget for the user than the Dashboard web interface. Then again, they both serve their purpose. I will be downloading the Yahoo! widgets for Mac later, but don't you think it's a bit or redundant for my system.

The Windows and Mac Diiference:

As I immerse myself into the "Mac lifestyle" everyday, I am starting to believe that the Mac fans are right, there's really not much difference between the two operating system. The major concern that I am having with the Mac is the "lack" of the right-click of the Windows OS. But it's not that it's really not there, it's just as easy. Then access to the applications in the Mac is much more user extensive than with Windows but then again, as they say, it's just a matter of getting used to.

Internet Addict!

Oh my GOD! I'm an addict! At first I was denying it, but I came to realize it when we went to the province during the Holy Week and there was no internet access in the  house where we stayed. And on the first day, I was staring at the notebooks and desktops hoping that I get connected to the internet to no avail.

The Digital era

Yesterday I attended my niece's graduation and my daughter's last week. You know what I noticed that majority of the parents and guardians, irregardless of how they look (basis for their status in life) are using digital cameras! Though were using handycams, but still the majority are into the digital photography. And they say that the Filipinos are poor.

Mac OS on a Windows PC?

Ok, so now the Boot Camp has been released, and all the spotlights is focused on the said development, how come very little effort is exerted to install OS X into a Windows Machine?

Dvorak predicts Apple will Adopt Windows: A look back!

Today I was browsing the different local forums and this one caught my attention. The PhilMUG (one of the local groups of Mac enthusiasts) had this thread a while back as a reaction to what Mr. John C. Dvorak said a month ago, regarding Apple would pretty soon adopt Windows as it's operating system or very much close to that. Most of the reactions (even from the top moderators of the site) were skeptics and some even labeled Mr. Dvorak as some sort of a nutshell. But then, just yesterday, Apple released "Boot Camp" a software, even in Beta, that would make it possible for Windows to be installed in Intel-based Macs. Without further elaborating on the issue, I think Mr. Dvorak found himself vindicated by Apple's action. And now that portion of the thread in PhilMUG is quiet. But hey it's still too early in the morning.

The SE Z525

Ok, what's up with sonyericsson today, they have announce 2 addition to their line up and the only modifications from the original design are minimal. First, there was the SE W700, which aside from the new colors, it's exactly the W800i. Now, the Z520 got a twin sister of some sort because of the release of the Z525. What's the difference, well, SE has re-mapped of some kind the camera button to function as a PTT (push-to-talk) button and that's it! Duh!

The Sony Ericsson W700

Introducing the new sonyericsson phone, the W700! So what's new with this walkman phone? Except for the Titanium gold and white color variations, everything else stays the same. Then again, there's always those who wants to be different from everybody else. Sort of, exclusivity for the exclusive.

Too long to install

I upgraded the Hard Drives of my AMD-K6 boxes today. Well, I'm sort of "still upgrading" since after I replaced the hard drives, I re-installed windows and unfortunately the system is not recognizing the software. So, temporarily, I am installing UBUNTU and would install XP later from the CD ROM. Hope it works.

What's the Point with Macs

I still don't get it with Mac fans. Ok, there's the cult thing, but after that, what else? Excusivity of owning a mac. I don't see anything exclusive in owning something that is relatively cheaper than the what most people has. I don't see any prestige in using something that is basically very hard to use. Admit it or not, Windows is still easier to use than an Apple computer. I for one got myself an Apple computer just for the sake of having one. So I would know what's with these machines. Oh add the fact that it's cheaper then most machines in it's class. Then again, what's the point, when one has to leard things from scratch?

Blogger Widget

At last a widget for Blogger. I've tried a lot of widgets but I can't seem to find the right blogging widget. Now that Google (who incidentally owns Blogger) released a widget for Mac that will make blogging easier. The reason why I am looking of a Blogging widget for the simple reason that the Blgger interface in the web is buggy and sometimes won't publish my blogs, plus of course the fact the tedious work that one has to endure just to post a blog. Well anyways, now that this is here, it's Blogging time!

Alcatel OT-C850

Will you look at this cellphone, this is one sexy uber to the max mobile phone! What's inside? well it has 1.3 megapixel camera, a 65K color 176×220 screen, plays MP3s (256 MB of memory onboard, plus a MicroSD slot) and EDGE. It's basically a phone with very nice looks!

Writely-Google

Remember Writely? It's the on-line word prossesor that could replace Microsoft's Office (Word) because it's free and doesn't take up any space in your hard drive. Well, it's been bought by Google. Now let's just wait and see what happens next.

Nokia E61 Approved!

Ever since the cellphone era dawned on us, I have had only one Nokia cellphone, the Nokia 100, I still have it, but can't use it since it's NAMPS which no local networks support anymore. Anyways, since then, I have only like maybe a couple of Nokia phones, and one of them is the E61, it's supposed to be a Messenging phone which will take on the Motorola Q head-on. I like the style and features because they did not skimp on it. I just hope it's not mediocre. Maybe I would get it, but then again, it still depends.

Smart 3G

Ok, when I learned about the SMART 3G free trial service, I immediately bought a SMART SIM card to test the service on my phone. The immediate problem I encountered was, how to set my phone up to use the service, so I called 8881111 hotline and was told of the settings which were different from my phone. I had to rely on my own reliable GUT feeling to find out how to get a 3G signal at first. When I was able to get that 3G icon on my phone, my problme now was how to use the high-speed internet browsing that 3G is promising. Well, after the NO-help from SMART's Customer Service, I just, again, relied on my intuition and launched my phone's browser, but to my dismay, Globe's GPRS browsing is faster than SMART's claim on their 3G service. I tried it on both, Sony Ericsson's browser and Opera mini but I keep on getting slow connections. Then I tried using my phone as a modem and link it via bluettoth to my notebook and Palm PDA but the attempt was futile. Just like SMART's GPRS settings, I find it hard to connect to the web. When I gave up on it, I now tried Video Calling, again it was a futile attempt. My calls kept on getting dropped. Oh well, what could one expect from a half-baked release, just for the sake that they be known as the first one to launch the service in the country.

D-Link DWL-122 USB Wireless Dongle

Hi guys, I'm back!!!! I'm going to start it slow. I got myself a D-Link DWL-122 USB Wireless Dongle the other day. I did so because I still hasn't got back my Linksys compact Wireless router from work. Anyways, I installed the dongle on my main box, just because it's the only one capable of USB 2.0. But if I have the chance I will change my set-up to a wired one. Why? Well you see, I have one box, has a wired connection and is my downlaod center, it's where I keep most of my downloaded media. Now, with the wireless set-up, I get some flickering every now and then with the USB dongle, my guess is that it can't cope with the bandwidth requirements of the video streaming, oh I use VLC Media player by the way. And I'm not getting 54 Mbps full speed from the dongle, since my wireless router is on the receiving area and my box is in the basement, maybe this is another factor adding to the bandwidth bottleneck. Anyways, dropping down a CAT5 cable is a bit tiring but I'll weigh my options if these flickering keeps on bothering me. 'Til next time!

3G ala Globe & Smart

Smart was the first one to come out with their 3G ads (just days after NTC has officially granted them their frequencies) and just recently, Globe has updated their website now boasting of a 3G ad. But after close scrutiny of both info-mercials, I've noticed that the two ads has very similar content. Not that this is impossible, but I'm wondering, is it collusion between the two competing networks, is it a case of one copying the other (again, what's new with this one), or is it simply a "coincidence" that even the wordings are the same? Nonetheless, both claims that 3G would be a hit and it would not go to where MMS is right now. Although I'm very "optimistic" that 3G would be accepted my a slight majority. I just hope (again, for the nth time) that the price will not be as prohibitive as the GPRS charges. Then again (see!) why not start an affordable unlimited data plan?

You see (there's supposed to be a segway to this topic), Globe could very much incorporate 3G services with their WorldPass service and give a truely seamless connectivity! Just a hint.

IPTV

Sometime ago, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), the largest telcommunications company said that it is interested in diving into IPTV (internet television). Actually, there is really a future in IPTV but, if they are planning to go with subscription services, then what I can say is GOOD LUCK! Right now, since the advent of cheaper Broadband subscription, people, like me, has been introduced to downloaded shows thru the help of BitTorrent. To tell you the truth, I have been using and watching television (cable) less and less after I have discovered the power of the BitTorrent. So, what's the point in going into paid subscription for IPTV.