Papago Z1 On the Road Review..

Ok.. so I have been using this beautiful Papago Z1 for 5 days now.. here’s what i have to say.

Before I start, let me explain a little bit of my background with GPS.. i first started to use GPS on my Nokia N95 smartphone, using Mapking, and eventually Garmin Mobile XT. i even wrote a guide on how to install MapKing and Garmin Mobile XT previously.

I then upgraded my phone to Nokia 5800, with obviously Garmin Mobile XT, and occasionally Nokia Maps. It was around this time i bought myself the Garmin Nuvi 205w when i was on vacation in Taiwan. So, yes, I am rather pro-Garmin guy and only recently got my hands on Papago devices. Having only Garmin 205w to compare the device with, i will be making comparisons here and there..

For those who are new to my blog, here’s my post on me unboxing the unit..
http://www.haroldchia.com/2012/02/unboxing-papago-z1-south-east-asia.html

OK.. lets start with the device.. Start up time is rather slow.. about 7 seconds, compared to my obsolete Garmin 205w. Next, SATELITE LOCK IS SOOOOOO SLOOOWWW… and i am not talking about initial lock.. even this morning, 5th day of using this papago in same area, took 30 seconds to get a satellite lock! it will normally take my garmin 205w longest 10 seconds to get a lock.

In my opinion, this is where Papago looses out to Garmin.. even loosing to a 3 year old Garmin Nuvi 205w.. Device Start up and satellite is VERY important for a GPS unit.. but papago isnt that bad.. it is slow, but still way faster than most of the CHINA GPS branded units out there..

Next.. the interface.. I must say.. Papago has a very different interface compared to Garmin.. Papago is more.. umm.. matured.. compared to cartoon-ic garmin.. but it depends on personal taste.. some likes papago interface some prefer garmin.

Although i prefer to cartoon interface, i simply love this screen.. has everything i need on display.. estimated time of arrival, distance remaining, travel time remaining.. u get this too in garmin, but only 1.. u have to choose which one you want..

papago with junction view..

Some other screens..

“Travel Computer” & “POIs Nearby”

Another version of “junction view”

Ok.. overall, the Papago is comparable to Garmin.. it has some pros and cons.. However, to me, besides satellite lock and boot up time, the MOST IMPORTANT THING, is the mapset.

Garmin uses Malsingmaps (MSM) where-else Papago uses Malfreemaps (MFM). Malfreemaps is by far much better than Malsingmaps in terms on POIs and new area availability (MFM maps covers much more areas compared to MSM)

MFM does have maps for garmin.. but garmin does not allow junction views to be enabled on non MSM users or non South East Asian Garmin unit (i’m using taiwanese unit.. it is so much cheaper there).. so it really sucks.. i have been using MFM on my garmin for a long time, but no junction view..

so here i am, using papago.. happy to have the more up-to-date MFM map and junction views on my unit..

Papago Z1 is a great unit.. and the mapping community behind the map is great and supportive.. (http://www.malfreemaps.com).. i would say, i do not regret buying this GPS PND.

Board Express for Tapatalk- WP7

Board Express Pro for Tapatalk allows you quick access on more than 8000 forums that are supported by Tapatalk. With Board Express Pro you may access to forums, threads and personal messages, furthermore, you may also post into existing threads as well as creating new threads and send personal messages.
Features
• Access to more than 8000 forums (vBulletin, IPBoard, phpBB and SMF)
• Read and create posts, threads and private messages
• Optimized for your Windows Phone 7 screen
• Tapatalk is traffic-efficient, because it allows you to quickly access the information you want
• Ability to use the search function in forums
• Search for threads in which you posted
• Search for unread posts
• …and much more



[Link Removed]

Weave- Best RSS Reader Available for WP7

RSS Evolved Presenting Weave – the world’s best news reader, exclusively for Windows Phone 7! Featuring an attractive interface and lightning-fast performance, Weave offers a fresh take on RSS. Try it now for free!

Full list of features:
• 33 pre-loaded categories including world, financial, deals, fashion, videogames, technology, and sports news just to name a few!
• Add new categories at any time
• Over 180 pre-loaded, high-quality news sources including CNN, Wall Street Journal, ESPN, Engadget, USA Today, NY Times, IGN, Entertainment Weekly, and many more!
• Feed search – you can search for new feeds by topic or website name
• Easily manage your feeds and categories via the settings screen
• Preview articles with a touch of a finger
• View full articles at your leisure
• Share articles with your friends, via email!
• Post an article to your Facebook wall!
• Tweet an article to your Twitter followers!
• Send an article to Instapaper!

We pre-loaded Weave with 33 categories of interest – from sports to technology, politics, world news, videogames, wine, comic books, art, celebrity gossip, movies, travel – just to name a few! For every category, we went and found the highest quality blog and news sources, the ones with the best content, the most interesting articles, and the best images.

As soon as you open Weave the first time, you select the categories you are interested in, and within seconds you have created what is essentially a high-quality magazine that is catered just to you! A virtual magazine that is always updated with fresh articles – without you having to do anything at all!

Download (Via Sideloader)

How to Install Mango Beta 2 on Windows Phone 7- without developer account..

Ok.. I was telling myself, I would wait until the official update comes..

But I just cannot wait anymore.. So I took the plunge and updated my NODO WP7 to Mango Beta 2 WP7.

Here’s the steps I took and links to the files which is necessary for the update.
Source: http://gadgetfeel.com/how-to-install-wp7-mango-beta-update/

Step 1 : Download the required files.
i. Windows Phone Support Tools. Click HERE for x64 version, and HERE for x86 version.
ii. Updating Tool which can be found here: WindowsPhoneHacker.com.
iii. Beta version for Zune (made for Mango Beta, other Zune don’t work with mango).
Download it here.

Step 2 : Connect your NODO WP7 to PC via USB.
Ensure that Zune pops up (the old Zune, not the beta version)

Step 3 : Close Zune.

Step 4 : Run the Update.bat

Step 5 : Once complete, Zune will automatically launch.

Step 6 : Check for Updates. You will find ‘Windows Phone 7 Build 7401’. Install it.

Step 7 : Once installed, search for update again. You will find ‘Windows Phone 7 Build 7661’. Install it. Thats Mango Beta 2.

Step 8 : Once Mango is installed, you will need to use the Zune Beta version as the old zune will no longer work on your phone from this time onwards.

However, if you ever want to go back to Nodo, use the ‘restore.bat’ to restore your NODO.
Keep your NODO Backup Safe, as you will need it to return to NODO, before you can update to the official Mango and other future updates.

Update 1 Screen Shot

Update Screen Shot 2- This is it.. MANGO BETA 2!

Almost..

DONE ! !

Disclaimer:
i. This is not the official update. Updating to Mango Beta will void your warranty
ii. I am not responsible for any damage, ‘brick’ of your phone
iii. You will need to be at least, on NODO update for this to work

Good Luck and Enjoy WP7 Mango!

Configure a USB flash drive to be a Windows 7 installation platform

Source: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-windows/configure-a-usb-flash-drive-to-be-a-windows-7-installation-platform/1446?tag=nl.e064
Author: Greg Shultz, July 27, 2011, 12:25 AM PDT

In a recent 10 Things blog, “10 Cool Things You Can Do with a USB Flash Drive,” I presented 10 tasks that you can perform with a flash drive, including booting an operating system. However, I have since discovered a technique on the Microsoft TechNet Magazine site that describes how you can use a USB flash drive to install Windows 7.

This technique is very cool for two reasons: First, a flash drive is much more responsive than an optical drive, since it doesn’t rely on physically moving components, so the installation procedure will be faster. Second, it provides an easy way to install Microsoft Windows 7 on a system that doesn’t have a DVD drive, such as a netbook.

Since this technique would be a valuable addition to the 10 Things list as well as to users planning on installing Windows 7 on a netbook or who want to be able to quickly and easily install Windows 7, such as the Family Pack, on multiple systems without having to mess around with a DVD, I thought that I would examine the technique.

In this edition of the Windows Vista and Windows 7 Report, I’ll show you how to use the DiskPart utility to configure a bootable USB flash drive that you can then use to install the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system.

This blog post is also available in PDF format in a free TechRepublic download.

Getting started

Of course, in order to employ this technique you’ll need a USB flash drive that is big enough to hold the contents of the Windows 7 DVD. The Windows 7 RC DVD is about 2.5GB, and you can expect that the RTM DVD will be at least that if not more. For my test system I am using a 4GB USB flash drive.

Keep in mind that the procedure we will use will completely reformat the USB flash drive. So you want to make sure that you back up any data that you have on the drive before you begin.

The systems on which you want to install Windows 7 via the USB flash drive have to be able to be configured to boot from a USB drive. Most new systems have the capability to boot from a USB flash drive, and the operation can usually be configured in the BIOS or by simply pressing a certain key during bootup. You’ll need to check your specific hardware in order to be sure.

Using the DiskPart utility

As you may know, the DiskPart utility is a command-line version of the Disk Management snap-in and is designed to allow you to manage disks, partitions, or volumes from within scripts or directly from a command prompt. We can use the DiskPart command in Windows Vista or in Windows 7 to configure a USB flash drive to be a bootable device. (Keep in mind that Windows XP’s DiskPart command is unable to create a bootable USB flash drive.)

To begin, connect your USB flash drive to a computer on which you will be preparing the drive. For my example, I’ll be using a Windows Vista system.

Now, locate the command Prompt shortcut on the Start menu, right-click on it, and select the Run as Administrator command. Then, respond appropriately to the UAC. You can now launch the DiskPart utility by typing DiskPart on the command line. You’ll then see the DISKPART prompt, as shown in Figure A.

Figure A

DiskPart has its own command-line environment complete with a special prompt.

Now that you’re in the DiskPart environment, you’ll need to locate the USB flash drive using the List Disk command. As you can see in Figure B, the List Disk command has identified my USB flash drive as Disk 5. I can verify that my USB flash drive is indeed Disk 5 by checking the Size column, which lists the size as 3906MB, which is roughly 4GB.

Figure B

Using the List Disk command displays all the disks in the system.

(If you have difficulty identifying your USB flash drive using the List Disk command, you can try the List Volume command, which will provide the drive letter as well as the label, both of which can help you to identify the drive.)

Once you identify the drive number of your USB flash drive, you will need to set the focus of the DiskPart environment on that disk. (This is an extremely important step–Make sure that you select the correct drive or you could accidentally destroy valuable data!) On my example, the USB flash drive is Disk 5, so I will use the command Select Disk 5, as shown in Figure C.

Figure C

To shift the focus over to the USB flash drive you’ll use the Select Disk command.

Now that your USB flash drive has the focus, you need to remove all the partition or volume formatting information from the disk. To do that, you’ll use the Clean command. The Clean operation should occur rather quickly. When it is done, you will see a success message like the one shown in Figure D.

Figure D

In order to start with a clean slate, you’ll use the Clean command to remove all partition and volume information from the USB flash drive.

You’ll now use the Create Partition Primary command to create a primary partition on the disk. After you create the partition, you will see a success message and the focus will automatically shift to the new partition. You’ll use the Active command to mark the partition as active, as shown inFigure E. Marking the partition as active will essentially allow the BIOS to recognize that the partition is a valid bootable system partition.

Figure E

Using the Create Partition Primary and the Active commands, you’ll create a bootable partition on the USB flash drive.

With the partition created and active, you’re now ready to quickly format the drive and set up the FAT32 file system using the Format fs=FAT32 quick command. (While you could format the drive as NTFS, the typical way to format a USB flash drive is to use FAT32.) Once the drive is formatted, you’ll use the Assign command, as shown in Figure F, to allow the drive to be assigned a drive letter.

Figure F

To complete the preparation, you’ll format the drive and assign it a drive letter.

The USB flash drive is now ready. At this point, you can use the Exit command to exit the DiskPart environment and then close the Command Prompt window.

Copying the Windows 7 files

Copying the Windows 7 files is easy. Just open Windows Explorer, access the Windows 7 DVD, select all the files and folders, and then drag and drop them on the USB flash drive icon, as shown in Figure G. Keep in mind that the copy operation will take a little while to complete.

Figure G

Once the USB flash drive is ready to go, you can copy all the files and folders from the Windows 7 DVD to the newly prepared bootable drive.

Installing Windows 7 from the USB flash drive

With the contents of the Windows 7 DVD on a bootable USB flash drive, installing the operating system is a snap. Just boot the system from the USB drive and the installation procedure will begin as it normally would, as shown in Figure H. However, the installation procedure will actually run quicker off a USB flash drive since it doesn’t contain any physically moving components.

Figure H

Once the system boots from the USB flash drive, the Windows 7 installation will begin as normal, but it will actually run faster.

WP7- Installing Paid Apps without Paying for it..

Disclaimer: I came across some information from the internet, and decided to post this out to all my friends out there who are in the same situation as I am. As much as I love my WP7, I am vastly disgusted and saddened by Microsoft’s inability to enable most of the people in the WORLD to purchase apps from marketplace, which i have posted in my blog here. I have been using ‘free’ and ‘trial’ apps for a long time, and now, I want to share to people how to get to use the apps for free. Please do take note, that I am willing to pay for each and every app i use this method to download, if the method is make available to me in Malaysia.

This is a short guide on how to install paid apps from Microsoft’s Marketplace and installing them in your phone. Before we begin, you will need a developer unlocked phone, which I have covered here:
1. http://www.haroldchia.com/2011/03/how-to-developer-unlock-wp7-without.html
2. http://www.haroldchia.com/2011/01/unlocking-windows-phone-7-via-chevron.html
Note: the 1st link only works for LG handsets while the 2nd method only works on Pre-NODO update handsets. Those with NODO updates, i am sorry but i do not know how to unlock your phone.

Next, you will need a very handy tool, from Microsoft themself, called ‘Application Deployment’ which is part of the Windows Phone Developer Tools 7 (get it here free: http://create.msdn.com/en-us/home/getting_started)

Next, you will need Zune, required to enable your PC to communicate with your handphone.
http://www.zune.net/en-US/

Alright, next you will need this 2 application, one to download apps from marketplace, and the other to ‘patch’ the XAP file.
1. WP7-MktPlace (http://s317073502.onlinehome.fr/b.a.s.e/?p=225)
2. WP7-app (http://www.mediafire.com/?qv7y567p6r27yg4)

The steps is rather simple.
1. Install all the software mentioned above.
2. Make sure your phone is connected to PC via USB, and Zune detects your phone.
3. Use WP7-app to search and download the XAP file of the software you intend to install.
4. Use WP7-MktPlace to patch the XAP file (the steps to do that is covered in the place where you download it)
5. Use the Application Deployment tool to send this to your phone, and DONE, you have the app in your phone.
Note: From personal experiance, this method doesn’t work for larger XAP files and most of the LIVE games. However, you CAN find and download the XAP for those games already on the internet. Just google it.

Good Luck!

Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Team’s Ignorance & Arrogance..

Here is a short rant that i have been keeping to myself, and recently seeing an application i really want to buy, i cannot take it anymore..
Being a proud owner of LG Optimus 7, I was disappointed when i first open the box. After a day or 2, got used to the phone and started to love the phone for its simplicity, ease of usage the obvious research and development Microsoft have put in this phone’s predictive input (much better over iPhone, Android & Symbian).

I am extremely disappointed, however, being unable to purchase ANY apps from the market place on my wp7 in Malaysia. This is something i do not understand. I can make credit card purchases online, via MasterCard or visa almost everywhere.. why cant i make app purchase online just because my country is not supported? why do you need to support Malaysia in the first place? Amazon does not support due to shipping reasons (amazon does not ship to Malaysia), its not like Microsoft is going to ship their applications to Malaysia.. so what is the problem with Malaysians (and a lot other 'non-supported nations').


Best thing is, i see from tech forums around the world saying apps developers is unhappy to the low sales of their applications.. WELL, the sales could have been MUCH better if WE COULD PAY for them, rather than relying on trial versions..

first, the delays in updates. This i do not understand, because my phone is not branded, not locked.. and my network operator doesn't even test it unlike many other operators.. so the delays, are solely Microsoft.. WHY THE DELAYS?! i would have received NODO update only 2 weeks ago if i didn't use the Canadian gateway method to update my phone.

Now this.. I am stuck with free apps (i am lucky to be using LG, due to their large amount of free apps for LG phones) and trials. I cannot even enjoy a decent game! for example, PES, NFS.. i love those games.. and would love to buy them.. but i cant. for some reason, when trying to enter my credit card details, the billing address field for 'country' is locked to Singapore!! since my card is Malaysian, it is obvious why my card failed its authentication.

emails to Microsoft fell on deaf ears.. even postings in their forum produced no help, except 'Microsoft's marketplace team is hard at work to bring support to more countries'.. can they be more specific? How long has wp7 been out? I personally have been using since last Christmas.. do i have to wait for the next Christmas? or the one after this?

there is tonnes of great, cool & useful applications in the marketplace, but i cannot use any of them due to being unable to pay for them. Some of those tools are really cheap and wont even cost a dent to my wallet yet I am not able to use them..
In modern days, the sole difference between smartphones, besides the OS (the O/S is all similar nowadays), is the applications and support. Looks like Microsoft has a lot more to improve before it could ever catch up to Apple or Google.. including revenue. It is always bad for business to ignore potential paying customers..
by this Christmas, if they do not fix the marketplace app, I'll b selling off this phone.. no point in keeping it if i cant even purchase proper apps. I love this phone, but the inability to purchase apps is killing me. Android & iPhones has no problems with their payment gateway.. why only Microsoft? and support for customized ringtone comes in 3rd party jailbreak & hacks.. this is nonsense.. unable to play video's sound via BT headsets.. this is another major issue that should have been address in NODO.. not sure if its even IN mango update..

How to ‘Developer Unlock’ WP7 without Chevron, and keep it Unlocked- for LG WP7..

Source: http://www.lg-phones.org/lg-optimus-7-hidden-menu.html
Source: http://www.wp7forum.com/windows-mobile-store/lg-unlock-and-prevent-relocking-using-mfg-app/

1.   Enable the hidden menu ‘MFG’
In call menu enter ##634# and press call button
in the application menu use MFG and enter the password: 277634#*# and press enter

2.   Go to Engineer Menu -> Other Settings -> Edit Registry
3.   Set your ROOT PATH to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE"
4.   Set your input path to "\Comm\Security\LVMod"
5.   Set your input key to "DeveloperUnlockState" and set to DWORD
6.   Hit Query. Output result should return a "0". If it does continue.
7.   Set your input data box to "1" and hit SET. Output result should be 1

How To Keep Your Phone Unlocked

You can keep your phone unlocked and prevent Zune from re-locking it.

1.  Open the MFG app and use the password to open it. If you don't know it's (appmfg#*#)
2.  Go to Engineer Menu -> Other Settings -> Edit Registry
3.  Set your ROOT PATH to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE"
4.  Set your input path to "\Software\Microsoft\DeviceReg"
5.  Set your input key to "PortalUrlProd" and set to DWORD
6.  Hit Query. Output result should return data. If it does continue.
7.  Keep your input data box empty and hit SET. Output result should be 0
8.  Keep this screen open and continue to Part 2

NEXT

1. Set your ROOT PATH to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE"
2. Set your input path to "\Software\Microsoft\DeviceReg"
3. Set your input key to "PortalUrlInt" and set to DWORD
4. Hit Query. Output result should return data. If it does continue.
5. Keep your input data box empty and hit SET. Output result should be 0
6. Backout to the password screen and shutdown the phone via powerbutton.
7. Reboot and sync. Your phone should stay unlocked.

How to Re-Lock your Phone

1.   Open the MFG app and use the password to open it. If you don't know it's (appmfg#*#)
2.   Go to Engineer Menu -> Other Settings -> Edit Registry
3.   Set your ROOT PATH to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE"
4.   Set your input path to "\Comm\Security\LVMod"
5.   Set your input key to "DeveloperUnlockState" and set to DWORD
6.   Hit Query. Output result should return a "1". If it does continue.
7.   Set your input data box to "0" and hit SET. Output result should be 0
8.   Your phone is now locked. To Unlock the phone redo the above steps but set back to "1"

After making these changes, chevron will not see device to relock or unlock..

4th & Mayor- Alternative Foursquare App for Windows Phone 7

Source: http://www.4thandmayor.com/

Embarrassed to say, the official FourSquare app for Windows Phone 7, has never ran well. There is many complaints at the review page in market place, but looks like no one has taken any initiative to get it fixed (until recently, foursquare announced they will be launching a new app for windows phone 7, after launching its new version for iPhone & Android). The bugs are: unable to log in, crashes (the crash is so severe that you have to re-install the app to get it running again. I myself must have re-installed this app 5-6 times before giving up)

But currently, the foursquare app doesn’t work anymore. We can’t even log on to foursquare.

It is then, we found 4th & Mayor. A 3rd party FourSquare app developed by Jeff Wilcox.

Jeff Wilcox is a software developer who lives in Seattle and loves client software development. Passionate about tech, great user experience, and a good challenge, he can often be found traveling the world speaking at conferences and meeting with technical developers everywhere - checking in to foursquare along the way.

Jeff maintains a blog dedicated to Silverlight and Windows Phone development. You can find that online at http://www.jeff.wilcox.name/, and Jeff's on Twitter as @jeffwilcox, too.

4th & Mayor was initially created to be a ‘Premium’ foursquare app for windows phone 7, but unfortunately, with the sudden death of foursquare official app since 11th March 11, Jeff Wilcox decided to make the app, free.. Which, to me, is damn good.

Here’s some screen shots.

     

This app is currently awaiting pending Marketplace Approval, but is available for public download (for those whose phone is unlocked or ‘Developer Unlocked’)

Please click here for instructions to unlock your phone

Please click here to download the XAP file for 4th & Mayor by Jeff Wincox

Enjoy!

Custom Ringtones on WP7.. using ChevronWP7 RingTone

As promised, this is my guide on how to create your very own custom ringtones.

NOTE, YOU WILL NEED TO UNLOCK YOUR WP7 BEFORE YOU CAN CUSTOMISE YOUR RINGTONE.
if you still have not unlock your phone, here’s a guide I’ve written yesterday on how to unlock your phone: http://www.haroldchia.com/2011/01/unlocking-windows-phone-7-via-chevron.html

Okay.. lets start with the guide.

First of all, you will need the following tools.
1. Zune Software (http://www.zune.net/en-US/products/software/download/default.htm)
2. Chevron WP7 Ringtone (http://www.mediafire.com/?j816yv06f07fhox)
3. Windows Phone 7 SDK (http://create.msdn.com/en-us/home/getting_started)
4. Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Free Edition (http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/Encoder4_Overview.aspx)

Step 1: Choose what songs you want. You can select up to maximum of 5 ringtones everytime you send it to your phone.
Step 2: Run Chevron WP7 Ringtone application. It will then build a xap file named: ChevronWP7.Ringtones.xap
Step 3: Connect your phone to your PC via USB. Make sure Zune is running in the background and is connected to your phone.
Step 4: Run the application ‘Application Deployment’ (Free application that came with Windows Phone 7 SDK)
Step 5: From ‘Application Deployment’, select the XAP you created earlier and click on DEPLOY.
Step 6: Go to your WP7, look for the application ‘Chevron WP7 Ringtone’. Run the application.
Step 7: You can now see the custom ringtones in your list of ringtones.

VIOLA! its that simple.

Repeat steps 1 to 7 if you want to add more ringtones.

Unlocking Windows Phone 7, via Chevron Unlocking Tools

After several weeks of using windows phone 7, I really cannot stand using this phone without custom ringtones.. they built-in ringtone is really bad..
But I’ll touch on that subject later. First, let me guide everyone through unlocking your Windows Phone 7. I tested it on my LG Optimus 7 E900. And no problems occur.
Background : This works on my system, Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit System and LG Optimus 7.
First of all, this is a list of tools you will need.
1. Zune Software (http://www.zune.net/en-US/products/software/download/default.htm)
2. Chevron WP7 Software [Link Removed]
3. Chevron WP7 Cert [Link Removed]
4. Windows Phone 7 SDK (http://create.msdn.com/en-us/home/getting_started)
Step 1: Install Zune Software on your PC
Step 2: Install Windows Phone 7 SDK
Step 3: Email Chevron WP7 Cert (The Cert File itself, and not the zip file) to your own email address linked to your Windows Phone 7
Step 4: Open the Chevron WP7 Cert file from your phone to install it to your phone
Step 5: *Restart your phone*
Step 6: Connect your phone to your PC via USB. Make sure Zune starts up and can detect your phone properly
Step 7: Disable your phone’s locking screen via settings –> System –> Lock & Wallpaper –> Password –> Off
Step 8: Run Chevron WP7 Software
Step 9: Select both ‘Ensure your phone isn’t PIN-locked’ and ‘Install Certificate blabla..’
Step 10: Click on ‘UNLOCK’
DONE ! !


Troubleshooting: What if I encounter the following screen:

Solution: Make sure it IS connected and that ZUNE is running in the background of your PC and ZUNE can detect your phone.


That’s it.. isn’t it easy? Now I can enjoy an unlocked WP7 device I paid for.
Now your device can handle custom ringtones. My guide on that coming soon.

Five tips for getting a good price on a laptop

 

• Date: November 29th, 2010
• Author: Brien Posey
• Category: Five Tips
• Source: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/five-tips/?p=423&tag=nl.e101

As a freelance technical writer, I buy an astronomical amount of computer equipment each year. Of course, since I have to pay for all of that equipment out of my own pocket, I am always looking for a bargain. Over the years, I’ve figured out several tricks for getting good prices on computer equipment. Here are a few things I’ve learned about getting a good price on a laptop.

1: Stay away from retail stores

If you want to get a good deal on a laptop, stay away from major electronics retailers. I don’t want to name names, but there is one major electronics store within half an hour’s drive of my house. I have noticed that its prices are always the same as the MSRP listed on the Internet. Even the store’s sale prices are more expensive than what you would pay if you were to buy the same laptop online.

Of course, the price isn’t the only reason I recommend avoiding the major electronics stores. Things like high pressure sales tactics and upcharges for things I don’t want (such as extended warranties, setup, software suites, and delivery) are enough to drive me insane. Unless I need a computer immediately I avoid the electronics stores at all costs.

 

2: Decide what’s important to you

If you have to have the latest and greatest laptop, you’re going to end up paying a premium price for it. However, if you don’t absolutely have to have the best, you can save big bucks by compromising on a few features. You may also find that it is cheaper to upgrade a laptop than to buy one with everything you need.

For example, a few years ago, I needed a laptop for a project I was working on. The only real requirement was that I had to have 4 GB of RAM. At the time, laptops with that much memory were really expensive. I was able to save a fortune by buying a 1 GB laptop and then buying the memory for it separately.

Here are some other ways you can save money:

• Buy last year’s model.
• Find a laptop that comes with Linux instead of Windows.
• Buy a comparable system from a less expensive manufacturer.

 

3: Shop the online outlets

Most of the major electronics stores have online outlet stores where you can purchase open box items at a discount. A lot of PC manufacturers have similar online outlets that sell refurbished computers.

Even though some people may look down on those who buy refurbished systems, I have saved an absolute fortune by purchasing refurbished laptops. Not every computer I buy is refurbished. But if I plan to use a computer only as a lab machine, I have no problem with buying refurbished hardware.

 

4: Comparison shop

Several Web sites, such as My Simon (TechRepublic’s sister site) and Price Grabber, will do the comparison shopping for you. Such sites query numerous online stores and show you which store has the best price on the laptop you want. Although I whole-heartedly encourage comparison shopping, there are two things to watch out for.

First, price comparison sites examine a finite number of stores. If you know of some stores that often have good prices on laptops, it may be worthwhile to manually check their prices in case they are not included in the price query on the comparison site.

The second thing to watch out for is that some online stores will charge an obscene amount of money for shipping, just so that they can claim to have the lowest price. For instance, I once found an online store that had a computer for $200 less than anybody else, but it wanted almost $400 for shipping.

Incidentally, if you do decide to purchase a laptop from an online reseller, take the time to check out the store’s reputation. The Internet is filled with charlatans. Many years ago, I was low on cash but I needed a laptop for an upcoming project. After a lot of shopping, I found a place that had the laptop for much less than anyone else. A day after placing my order, I got a phone call from someone in Thailand who told me that the laptop that I purchased didn’t come with a battery. If I wanted the battery, it was going to cost me $200. I figured I could get by without a battery so I told the guy no thank you. Then he told me that if I wanted the power cord it was going to cost me $300. Needless to say, I canceled my order. The next day, I started receiving fraudulent charges on my credit card. I eventually got the mess cleared up, but it taught me the importance of researching vendor reputations prior to making online purchases.

 

5: Beware of buying used laptops

Although I sometimes buy refurbished laptops, I do not buy used laptops. The reason for this is that laptops just take too much abuse. A refurbished laptop is fully compliant with the manufacturer’s original standards and it comes with a warranty. A used laptop has no such guarantees.

If I knew someone locally who was selling a used laptop, I might consider buying it if I could test drive it first. However, I would never even consider purchasing a used laptop off the Internet. You never know if it has been dropped.

Blackberry Torch 9800

After waiting for a long time, tempted many times to buy an AP phone at a local phone shop.. CELCOM is finally launching the BB torch end of this month.

Saw at Nuffnag’s blog it will be at the 29th October 2010.. I cant hardly wait.. I even did a pre-registered for the phone on celcom.

Now, everyone knows there is a subscription for the blackberry internet service (BIS), which I will touch on it further later using my own account for example (I am on Celcom Executive 50 plan with Blackberry Advance package)

Now.. more about the phone.. What is the blackberry torch 9800? AND WHY I REALLY REALLY WANT THE BLACKBERRY TORCH 9800..

OKAAAY.. so the phone looks nice.. but whats so great about it?

 

To answer that, lets ‘virtually’ review the phone.. Here’s some of the pictures I took from RIM’s website, hope they don’t mind, as I have not got my hands on my own torch to write a proper review.. But all I can say, these photographs, looks exactly the same as the actual product.. tried it out at a local phone shop..

 

  

 Features

   Multimedia.. Video and still shot camera.. one thing worth mentioning, on my BB Storm 9500, the camera has an ‘Image Stabilizer’ feature.. not bad.. first time I see such a function on a smart phone, or any phones with an integrated camera.. I wonder why it was not publicized..

 

 

Integrated Social feeds such as Facebook, tweeter, windows live messaging, yahoo messenger etc.. Alright.. so other smart phones can do that.. what so special with blackberry?

The answer lies with the word: INTEGRATED.. it is integrated with the phone’s system.. you can link your contacts in the social networks to your contacts in your phone’s phonebook. So, for example, I want to send a message to my girlfriend.. all I have to do, is search for her name in my phonebook, select send message, and I am presented by a list of ways I can message her, via Facebook, Windows Live, Yahoo Messenger, Email, SMS, MMS.. Oh, and RIM’s own Blackberry Messenger. It is simply something unique in Blackberry.. and no other smartphones can do this.

Other Specifications

Connectivity
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n, WPA / WPA 2 Personal & Enterprise, Cisco CCX Certified
3G: Tri-band 3G UMTS Networks: 2100 / 1900 / 850 / 800 MHz
2G: Quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE networks: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
GPS & Blackberry Maps

Size & Weight
Closed- 111mm X 62mm X 14.6mm, 161.1g
Opened- 148mm X 62mm X 14.6mm, 161.1g

 

 

 

 

Display
3.2” HVGA+ touch screen ( 480 x 360 )
User Selectable Font Size
Light-sensing and proximity detecting screen

 

Battery & Battery Life
1300mAHr Removable / Rechargeable Lithium-ion Cell
Standby Time: GSM- 18 days, UMTS- 14 days
Talk Time: GSM- 5.5 hours, UMTS- 5.8 hours
Music Playback: 30 hours
Video Playback: 6 hours

 

Data Input & Navigation
Trackpad at front face of device, ESC key on the right and Menu Key on the left.
Touch Screen with On-Screen Keyboard: Portrait SureType®, QWERTY and multi-tap, landscape QWERTY.
Slide-out QWERTY Keyboard with Backlighting

Voice Input & Output
3.5mm Stereo Headset Capable
Integrated speaker and microphone
Handsfree Headset Capable
Bluetooth Headset Capable
Integrated hands-free speaker phone

Media Player
Windows Media DRM 10 for Music & Video
Video Format supports: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV3
Audio Format supports: MP3, AMR-NB, AAC-LC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, WMV, Flac, Ogg Vorbis

MEMORY
512mb Flash Memory
4GB eMMC + 4GB Media Card (Included)

ALRIGHT.. if you are still with me, you will be thinking.. how much will it cost? Well, visits to several local phone shops in PJ area yields: RM2299 (cheapest I can get, from AT&T). Local telco have yet to reveal their prices, perhaps I will update this blog then.. when the prices is out.

How about hidden charges? Well, there is some cost involved but some irresponsible sellers do not tell you that.. but it is not hidden..

This is what Celcom charges me for my blackberry storm 9500 (didn’t get my storm from celcom, but rather 2nd hand from a friend which upgraded to Bold 2)

Here is the breakdown of my Bill.

I am on Celcom Exec 50 with Blackberry Personal Advance and Celcom Broadband 3G Unlimited Package..
So my monthly bills is: RM30 (BB BIS) + RM68 (3G Unlimited) + RM50 (Exec 50) = RM148.00

and of course, there is a 5% service charge.

NOW DO YOU SEE WHY I LOVE TO HAVE THE BLACKBERRY TORCH 9800? I AM ALREADY SOOOO HOOKED ON THE STORM 9500, CANT WAIT TO GET MY PAWS ON THE TORCH 9800

Why celcom? well, previously I was on maxis, and I was VERY VERY frustrated with their network. At that time, I worked in Shah Alam and stayed in PJ. My phone is set to 3G as I use the data often ( I have a unlimited data package then too ). 2 things kept happening.

1. I will suddenly get a call from an angry client saying he tried calling me for 1/2 hour and cant get through, sent me sms and I never replied, causing me to loose my account.. And normally, after receiving that call, I will get the tonnes of SMS from friends and clients saying they cant get me, and also an SMS from maxis saying I have 20+ missed calls.. And the whole while I am at the office, at my desk, with my Maxis showing 3.5G at full bar signal strength.. of course I called maxis and they said they will look into it and call me back. THEY never call me back. I then suspected it could just be my phone.. so I ditched my N95 and upgraded to Nokia 5800.. end result- same.

2. This is the last straw. Towards the last few months I was with Maxis, VERY often when I look at my phone, full signal strength. But I can make any calls (keep saying ‘Error in Connection’) and I cant call my own phone from the office. When  I called Maxis, maxis just said they are sorry for the inconvenience as they are ‘upgrading’ their 3G network and ask me to switch to 2G.. I told the customer service that it would be nice if they would notify the users of any upgrade.. but sadly they still don’t. This happened 5 TIMES!! I kept track.

Finally, the government launched the MNP (Mobile Number Portability) which I believe I am among the first to deport to another network.

Celcom is not perfect either, their customer service cannot seem to do anything and requires you to physically GO to celcom branch/centre. Most of the time blue cube cant do anything as well. However, it is indisputable that Celcom has the best network, and I seldom need to call their customer service.

OH, and another thing worth mentioning, twice I receive a sms from Celcom asking me to switch to 2G as they are upgrading their 3G network at XXX area. FUIYOOOH.. This is what I want and expect from a cellular network. Upgrades of networks are PLANNED.. the least you can do is inform your subscribers at that area to switch to 2G network..

Cellular Pricing
Ok, this may look like a hard-core advertising, but it is true. A lot of people say celcom is expensive.. but honestly it is not.. I did some research before switching, and until today, my phonebill is still lower then my bill when I was with maxis with the same usage..

lets look at the pricing and comparison. Celcom is cheaper with its ‘up to 30% discounts’

Next, if you look at my phone bill, my total bill is RM148. Lets look at Maxis.

SOOO.. the unlimited data package for Blackberry is RM120/month (including blackberry subscription) while for Celcom, is only RM98/month.

Add this with RM50, I will have to pay RM120 + RM50 =RM170/month for Maxis.
Add this with RM50, I will have to pay RM68 + RM30 + 50 =RM148/month for Celcom.

 

Now you see what I mean, celcom is cheaper? and perhaps better..

Note 1: I will not consider Digi, it may be the cheapest, but honestly, their coverage area is too small. I travel often and thus Digi just isn’t suitable for me.

Note 2:  I am not doing any hardcore or any advertising of any kind, this is my past experience and my personal views. If you feel differently or had a different more pleasant experience with Maxis, your really lucky then.