Computers & Networks / My Thoughts / Tips & Tricks — 1 comment
26
May 13

Building a Home Server/HTPC – Part 2 (Picking the right OS)

This is continuation of my epic guide writing a step-by-step guide for Malaysians (and people from other countries too) on building their own Home Server/HTPC or something in-between. If you have not read my first part , kindly do so by clicking here

In this part , I would be focusing on the software aspect. Assuming that you have built your HTPC/Home Server or a hybrid. Now we want to get it to run. There are two options that we can go for either taking the Windows route or taking the Linux route. I’ll briefly explain pros and cons for each of the routes.

Continue reading →

Computers & Networks / My Thoughts — 1 comment
21
May 13

A Closer look at HyppTV for Streamyx & Mobile Devices

I was fortunate enough to be invited to TM’s exclusive preview for bloggers on their next big thing – which was HyppTV for Streamyx and for Mobile Devices. I am not going to bore you with the details , but what I am here is to share few nifty things on HyppTV for STB

 

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TM is conducting trial runs for 8Mbps Streamyx users as we speak. The new STB (Setup box) has a WiFi card built in and as well supports regular ethernet connection . The setup box is much smaller compared to last time , but what attracted me is that the new box runs on Android

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Yep , that’s right. I was amazed that TM decided to go with Android or linux instead of using some proprietary software . They have got this right – kudos. I’ll explain further on how probably TM (hope if they are reading this) can improve this new HyppTV and take it to the next level

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The box itself has USB ports (you are able to connect USB drives , keyboard  and mouse and it works) , you have SPDIF/Out , HDMI , Ethernet connection and as well as WiFi

 

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It also allows you to playback various different file formats. Yes 3GP is included and you know what that means right *wink* *wink* . It also supports mkv up to 1080p. So it doubles as a media entertainment box for you to playback movies. I am not sure if it supports DLNA that allows you stream content from your PC to the STB.

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The device itself has 1GB of flash space , this is used for the OS and for TM to push new updates to the device.

 

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Yes they have a few applications installed – mainly Calculator , E-mail and Internet Browser

 

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The Internet Browser is the default browser (Chrome) that you get with Android phones .

 

Now I am not going to go much on HyppTV for mobile , but they have done a pretty amazing job that allows you to change channels on the fly without needing to go back and change. I’ll try to review it later if I get the chance

 

Now if folks from TM are reading this , there are few suggestions from me in order to make HyppTV the next-big-thing

1. Open up the market – kudos on using Android. Now get local developers (I mean Malaysian)  to develop applications. I think developing for Android is pretty easy thus allowing them to easily port it to HyppTV. This means that people can enjoy apps that they use in the phone as well. If possible get Google Play Store or probably come up with your own play store . Another example is would be for Muslims whereby it would send out push notification on prayer times which maybe handy dandy – i know such app exists in Android eco-system , bring it to the big screen :)  

2. With Android it opens up a potential , now with a web camera + wireless keyboard and mouse , entire TV + HyppTV would be a skype box. It would be easier for kids who are overseas to easily communicate with their parents. Who wouldn’t mind seeing it in the big screen ? Instagram anyone ? Put these two in it and you have it

3. Make it accessible for hackers (like myself :P ). We want to explore what this little device could do – probably we would root it , install Jelly Bean and tweak it. Please do this

I see that HyppTV is heading towards the right direction – combine that with content and ASTRO would have a serious competitor . What it means for me and you – more choices , more content , lesser price. We are the winner at the end of the day when there are lot of choices for consumers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Computers & Networks / Reviews / Tips & Tricks — 2 comments
19
May 13

Building a Home Server/HTPC – Part 1 (Hardware)

When it comes to your digital life things are different.  These days , we use smartphone , notebooks , tablets , desktop computers. Our lives are revolving around digital stuff and part of that is making sure all of your digital stuff is kept safe and sound, but along with that is making it equally easy to access.

 

HTPC - makes your dumb TV into a smart TV Picture taken from pablotron.org

HTPC – makes your dumb TV into a smart TV Picture taken from pablotron.org

This is where the home server comes it . Frankly , it is  is nothing new – you might be running one already,(without you know). Home server is a PC that is going to run 24/7 , keeping all of your data , files , flims , music , photos (and even porn :P ) .This PC would be running 24/7, so it is always going to be on. Don’t worry about power consumption , we would be going green That’s besides providing any network capabilities or streaming servers you might like to add such as streaming to your iPhone wirelessly , PS3  etc.

 

Initially , I thought of writing on how to build a home server ,but I am going to tweak it slightly for people who are going to build a HTPC or a hybrid. In this part , basically we would be spilling out the requirement and roughly estimate the cost that needed to build one of these beasts

Continue reading →

Computers & Networks / My Thoughts / Reviews — 2 comments
01
May 13

[Thoughts/Review] Alcatel One Touch Glory 2S (RM 50 Smartphone)

Recently in conjunction with RM 200 Smartphone rebate which I blogged way back , a lot of changes had happened. For instance the limit for smartphones have been lifted (which means you could use the rebate for any smartphone). Various telcos are offering various things. For instance Maxis offers free smartphones when you sign with a contract (postpaid)

DiGi on the other hand seems to be the only telco that is offering a smartphone for RM 50 (after the rebate). The phone is free , you would just have to pay for the prepaid SIM Pack which is RM 50.

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There are a lot of people asking about this phone , if it is good or not. Sadly you are not able to find a review for this phone. So I decided to write up a short review , the time I spent playing with the phone. I did not get the chance to snap some photos otherwise it would be here as well.

To know more about the package , kindly visit here.

Phone specifications 

DiGi’s website does not specify much about the phone and if you Google it around you may not even find a lot of information. The reason being is that the phone is marketed as Alcatel One Touch T’Pop elsewhere in the world

The phone runs on Android 2.3 , 1Ghz processor , Bluetooth 4.0 , WiFi (802.11n) , 3G capable (HSDPA) and a basic screen resolution of 320×480. You can take a look at full specs here 

 

 

First Impression counts…..

At first glance , it seems to be a decent phone (have a look at the YouTube video). However , the screen feels cheap and very fragile (What do you expect – Gorilla Glass ? IPS panel ? AMOLED ?)

There is nothing to rave about quality. Well it is good enough to make home-made 3GP videos . That’s all I would say.

Worth it ?…..

Well if you are looking for a secondary phone or if you are looking for an entry-level smartphone and not willing to spend more than RM 100 , then this is the right phone. You could easily use it to WhatsApp , Tweet , Instagram , Facebook and do light surfing. It could handle CandyCrush too I suppose.

I would certainly pick this phone up and use it as a backup phone , no doubt about it. I’ll try to get the full phone and review it

 

If you have used the phone and have anything to add , please do not hesitate to comment

 

Oh yes keep in mind that the phone is locked to DiGi. You need to contact them to get it unlocked !.

My Thoughts — Leave a comment
01
May 13

myDefrag – Defragging Tool for Windows

It has been a long time since I have updated my blog. If you are wondering, if I am still alive – yes I am. I got myself a job and I am more into tweeting instead of writing articles. I choose to tweet because I can get responses instantly and sharing two-way works wonders. Anyhow , I decided that for some awesome stuff , I need to do a full-write up in my blog so that it stays here for a long time and becomes a point of reference for anyone who wants to learn or to discover new things.

Defrag_icon

Source : Wikipedia

Today , let us take a look at fragmentation and why it happens and learn a little bit more about defragging your hard disk

Continue reading →

Computers & Networks / Tips & Tricks — 1 comment
12
Feb 13

Flashing ClockWorkMod for ZTE Acqua

This guide explains on how to flash ClockWorkMod for ZTE Acqua.  Generally ClockWorkMod is a third-party Recovery Tool that allows you to flash or upgrade your Android easily. You could basically unlock the potential of your android device. It allows you to perform a full backup of your device. On top of that it allows us to upgrade our Android version to 4.1.2. Yes , that’s right folks it is possible for us to upgrade to Android 4.1 and enjoy the new benefits as well. Even if you do not plan to upgrade , you could use this tool to easily root your device which unlocks a whole new chapter (more after the jump)

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Continue reading →

Computers & Networks / Tips & Tricks — 4 comments
28
Jan 13

How To Root ZTE Acqua & Any Android Phones

Remember the review that I posted on ZTE Acqua. Yep , I am now using it as a secondary phone for my work purpose. Now , ZTE Acqua works perfectly as a normal Android phone , however I want to take it further. What’s the point of using Android phones when you are unable to customize it ? In this guide I show you on how to root ZTE Acqua and any other android phone that runs Android 4.0 and above. Before we get into how to root let us take a look at the purpose of rooting

 

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Why Root ?

The purpose of rooting is  slightly different from jailbreaking (iPhone) . In iPhone , the reason why you jailbreak is to overcome the limitation of iOS itself , but the reason you want to root is to make the most of the phone itself. Mostly the reasons why Android device are rooted is to allow you to access the flash memory chip (the operating system). This allows us to modify core files. In my case , I’ve managed to install Xperia launcher on my ZTE Acqua as my default launcher. Plus it allows me to customize and remove bloated applications from the ROM. For instance , ZTE Acqua comes with some bundled stuff like Google+ , Chrome which are installed in ROM. I have managed to remove them and install Google Now.

KEEP in mind that rooting your device may void the warranty 

 

So how do I root ?

 

This simple guide shows you could root. This method works with most of the phones out there and I have tested and it works with my ZTE Acqua. The method seems universal for all Android 4.x phones. All you have to do is to follow this guide located at XDA-Developers. You would probably have to register first in order to download the file.

 

Just follow the simple guide , be sure that you have installed ADB Drivers for it and be sure to turn on Android Debugging functionality for the device. If you need help on turning it on , refer to this guide .

 

I have included a video tutorial [ Credits : BluechipJ]  for people who prefer a video step-by-step guide on how to root their device

 

So where do I go from here ?

XDA-Developers is a great place to check out if you haven’t been. You’ll find tons of customization and even tweak. For starters you may want to get Pimp my ROM [Google Play Store]application . You can pretty much tweak your phone , and may even improve your performance and even unlock hidden things in your phone.  In my next guide , I would probably share the things that I have tweaked in my ZTE Acqua if folks are interested

My Thoughts / Reviews — 1 comment
06
Jan 13

Philips AquaTouch AT750 Review Part Five: Conclusion

Like all great things , there is a start and there is an end to it. In this part of the review , I would be concluding my thoughts on the AquaTouch AT750 . So if you haven’t read my Philips Aqua Touch Review , please do so now. Read from part 1 so that you’ll understand the whole journey and how I am in love with the AquaTouch

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In this segment , I would be answering to some of the popular questions which I have compiled from my comments section and as well as via Twitter with the #Philips50Shaves hashtag or @direct mentions

Questions Asked By My Followers & Readers

Q : Would this make a suitable gift for my boyfriend/husband ?

A : Why not . If your boyfriend is using a razor or even an electric razor and you want to gift him this , it makes a prefect gift anyway. Trust me , I wouldn’t mind one for my birthday

Q : Is it worth it to spend RM 399 (~USD$ 131) on this ?

A: It depends if you have heaps of facial hair. If you do , yes this makes it much much more easier to maintain it. Otherwise I would say, you could stick it to a traditional razor.

Q : OMG I was following your reviews and it is ‘teh sucks’. I know that razors are the way to go , I have tried and electric razor sucks to the max. YOUR REVIEW IS BIASED !!!111oneoneone

A: Uh probably you have tried a different electric shaver and it may not be to your liking. It is unwise to generalize. Anyhow , if you like razors go with it. I am just sharing my experience here with my readers about my experience about the AquaTouch. It can be positive or even negative , but mostly my experience with the AquaTouch is positive 

Q : So what makes AquaTouch AT750  to stand out against other electric shavers ?

A: The word AquaTouch , to be honest , the biggest thing I like about the AquaTouch is that it is 100% water-proof and the ability to do a wet-shave. That’s about it

 

 

My Thoughts & Conclusion 

Well I have been using the AquaTouch for nearly a month and it has been a pretty good experience. Mostly I am enjoying the ability to either perform a wet-shave or a dry-shave. Being waterproof is another bonus as well. To make it easier , I have summed it up for on what are the aspects that I like & dislike about Philips AquaTouch AT750

 

 

Pros :-

  • Lightweight
  • 100% Waterproof
  • Works with Wet Shave (Ideal for Folks who are migrating from traditional Razor)
  • Eco-Friendly/Energy-Star Compliant (Drains ~ZERO Watts When it is fully Charged)

 

Cons :-

  • No Pop-up Trimmer
  • Poor Dry Shave Performance

 

As you can see , there are some drawbacks with the Philips AquaTouch AT750. Firstly and foremost , this model lacks of a pop-up trimmer . The trimmer can be found in higher end models , but however I think Philips should have included that as well as it would be handy-dandy for people like me who would want it to just trim my beard. Another thing which I quite didn’t like about the AquaTouch AT750 is that the dry shave performance isn’t that great. Even my old dad’s shaver outperforms the AquaTouch when it comes to dry shave (remember the small electric shaver – yep that is the one) .

 

Having said that , I think that Philips AquaTouch AT750 makes a great first time electric razor/shaver for those of us (like myself) who want to migrate into the world of electric shaver. It makes as a perfect gift for your son/husband/boyfriend/father (especially if they are still using one of the  old razors). It is reasonably priced well , although I would appreciate if Philips Malaysia would try to price it under RM 300 as it would attract a larger crowd here in Malaysia for people to migrate to an electric shaver. Overall my experience with AquaTouch has been smooth , I did not encounter a single technical problem or what-so-ever during the period of my review

 

Once again I would like to this this opportunity to Philips Malaysia for giving me this review unit and to review an electric razor and thank you to my readers as well for reading and commenting on the Philips AquaTouch AT750

 

 

Acknowledgment

I would like to say that its not a sponsored post by Philips Malaysia but more towards my experience with the Philips AquaTouch itself. The review can be negative or positive as they have spent out that each reviewers have their freedom of expression to express their thoughts. Stay tuned for that

 

My Journey with Philips AT750

Part 1 : Saying Hello

Part 2 : <3

Part 3 : Tips & Tricks

Part 4 : 100% Aqua

Part 5 : Conclusion

 

My Thoughts — 2 comments
02
Jan 13

Feedback on RM 200 smartphone rebate for all

Last week or so , I did post about my thoughts on the RM 200 smartphone rebate. Today , when I checked Amanz , I was shocked to see that the government removed the requirement stating that it can be only used for phones below RM 500. Now it seems that they allow you to buy any phone of your choice with any price. So it means you could buy a Galaxy Note or iPhone 5.

 

PKB_home1Well there is good news to the folks who  wanted to purchase the phone of their dreams. My question is why don’t they do this in the first place , there wouldn’t be any drama or sort or better yet come up with 2 options such as offer phones which are < RM 500 but with some awesome pre-paid plans for the people who really need it. It is that simple , bundle something like UMobile – RM 28 for 500MB data , voice calls and SMS . The second package could be for those who wish to apply for a premium/flagship phones such as Galaxy/iPhone 5. If they would have done this in the first place , I would applauded . Question is why isn’t a proper research being carried out before implementing such a thing

 

Anyway it is never to late and I just hope that it wouldn’t be abused. Knowing Malaysians

 

 

Giveaways — 14 comments
29
Dec 12

[Giveaway]Free Magazine Subscriptions and Holiday Promotions from Zinio

Ho Ho Ho – I am  your santa/father   pleased to announce that the kind folks over at  Zinio is very kind enough to giveaway 9 subscriptions to my readers which I’ll describe shortly on how you could win yourself one. Secondly , Zinio is having awesome holiday promotions whereby you could even win yourself an iPad Mini.

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For those of you who have not heard of  Zinio,  well  they are one of the largest online newsstands and bookstores, with thousands of digital titles from around the world available for reading – right from Readers Digest to Elle  . The beauty of it is that you could download in on your iPad/Android Tablets such as Nexus 7/10 and read while you are on the move. Plus you are going green as well (which is another reason why I like Zinio). On top of that , the Explore section lets you to read thousands of article for free (yep , you do not need a subscription for it).

 

Here are some of the awesome promotions which I think you should not miss.

 

Holiday Sale Part II

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Hurry up – It Ends on the 7th of January 2013 . You get 50% off on all their top 350 magazines , which is totally worth every cent that you pay!

 

My Zinio Holiday Sweepstakes (Psst – You may win an iPad Mini)

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It Ends on the 7th of January 2013 as well . There are 3 iPad mini to give given away. All you have to do is submit a picture of your favorite device and where you would use it to read Zinio. Easy isn’t it ? Click on the link to check out the details . Oh yes , the sweepstakes is only opened to legal residents of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

 

Zinio Subscription Giveaway 

Once again , I am very thankful to the great folks over at Zinio who provided me with 10 FREE full subscriptions to my readers and it is opened to all of my readers. Keep in mind that I would be taking up one , and the rest of the 9 subscriptions will be given to my readers. You’ll be getting the subscription for magazine of your choice and it is opened to everyone who resides in every single part of this world !

 

Cool…so how  do we enter ?

1. Just post a comment here stating your interest (i.e which magazine subscription that you would prefer). For the entire list , please check out Zinio

2. Just keep your fingers crossed ! (Some say that you’ll have do run around in circles to increase your chances of winning. I’m not sure , but just give it a shot)

3. ?????

4. PROFIT ! (if you are the chosen one)

 

So…How are  the winners selected ? 

Simple , I’ll be using Random.org to pick the winners. If you are the chosen ones , you’ll be contacted. Please keep in mind that you are REQUIRED TO PROVIDE YOUR FIRST NAME AND LAST NAME when you are contacted.

 

Terms & Conditions (The Legal stuff)

  • It is opened to everyone  (no country restrictions) 
  • The Winner’s name along with the Random Sequence would be published publicly.
  • Suppose if the winner is not contactable within 48 hours after the draw , a new winner would be selected
  • You need to ensure that your are contactable. Be sure to include your valid e-mail address and if possible include your First Name and your Last Name in the comments section. Alternatively you may use a nickname and I would contact you to gather your details 
  • THIS CONTEST WOULD RUN FROM 29th December – 5th January 2012 
  • 1 entry per participant (If it is found that you have cheated , you would be DISQUALIFIED) 

 

Privacy Policy

As a computer science graduate and as a blog owner , I know I hate spams and I treasure your data as well . So please kindly read our Privacy Policy on how we collect data and how we store them. For winners , basically I would collect your e-mail address ,first name and last name

 

and……*May the Force Be With You*

Good luck !

 

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank the great folks over at Zinio for providing my readers my a chance to win a subscription of their choice. I also would like to acknowledge that I would be be taking up a subscription that was given to my readers personally for my own use.

 

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