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November 27th, 2008
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Archive
Archive for November, 2008
Mac Discounts
November 26th, 2008
MacMall and BestBuy has already rolled out discounts. Let’s see what Apple’s own Black Friday sale prices will be.HandBrake DVD Ripper gets better
November 26th, 2008
HandBrake is a multi-platform DVD Ripper. It runs on Windows, Mac and Linux platforms. It just got better with the release of the new version 0.9.3. Now it can rip from any format unlike before it can only rip from DVD.
Now the app that always helped us in converting our files to iPhone/iPod compatible format has just got better. [Download Here]
iPhone OS 2.2 Review
November 25th, 2008
Apple has recently released the iPhone OS 2.2 for iPhone and iPhone 3G and iPod Touch. The new software addresses several issues on the iPhone OS.
The following is a list of what’s new on this new version of iPhone OS:
- New Safari Interface - the search bar is now in line with the address bar.
- Toggle Auto-correction - they already included a toggle switch for auto-correction on the Keyboard settings.
- Street View for Maps - the built-in Maps application now comes with street view.
- Pressing the Home Button now brings you to the first page of your home screen - if you are on another page on your home screen and you want to go back to the first one, all you have to do is press the home button and it’ll bring you to the first page.
- Dozens of Bug Fixes - this new software includes dozens of bug fixes. Details can be found here.
MacBook Unibody Review
November 23rd, 2008
Finally I got hold of my Unibody MacBook. This is my complete detailed review of this new generation of MacBooks.
This review will basically cover the hardware as it still runs on Mac OS X 10.5.5 Leopard.
So, what’s changed in this new generation of MacBook?
- New Aluminum Unibody – the new MacBook’s enclosure is now made of aluminum fabricated from just one sheet. The new enclosure looks sturdy and elegant.
- Now 0.95” thick – the new MacBook is even thinner. It’s now 0.95” from the previous 1.08”.
- New LED Backlit LCD – the new MacBook comes with an LED backlit display from the previous CFL backlit. It’s now brighter than before.
- Button-less multi-touch Glass Trackpad – the new MacBook includes a multi-touch button-less glass trackpad. It’s button less because the trackpad itself is a button.
iPhone 3G Review
November 10th, 2008
I know this is kinda late but it’s better late than never. I want to use the device for at least a month before I do a review. So here we are, a detailed review of the iPhone 3G Hardware and Software.
Apple has made a lot of changes on the iPhone since the release of the original iPhone in 2007. The original iPhone was only released by AT&T in the United States and was available in other countries unofficially.
First off, the Hardware.
The iPhone 3G has the following technical specifications:
- 115.5mm X 62.1mm X 12.3mm - a little thicker and wider than the original iPhone.
- 3.5″ LCD at 480×320 163ppi resolution - still the same as the original iPhone but the color tone is warmer and more yellowish than the bluish tone of the original iPhone.
- UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)
- GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
- Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
- Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
- 8GB and 16GB model - the 16GB model comes in White and Black colors.
- Plastic back cover - unlike the original iPhone, the iPhone 3G now has a plastic back cover. Apple made this change because radio signal reception is better with plastic than metal. Also the back cover is slightly tapered on the edges making the iPhone more comfortable to hold in your palm.
The volume control buttons, sleep button and silent button are still in their original places but this time it’s made of metal and no longer plastic.
VoIP on iPhone
November 8th, 2008
The iPhone is a good device for Voice Over IP or VoIP but unfortunately the iPhone SDK doesn’t have native support for SIP yet and there’s no word from Apple if they will include a ready-to-go SIP stack on their SDK. Fring, an Israel based SIP provider, has developed and released the first VoIP application on the iTunes App Store. The software works on Skype, Yahoo and native SIP over Wi-Fi but not over 3G/2G cellular data network. That’s because the iPhone SDK won’t allow SIP over GPRS or HSDPA/UMTS.
Now the question is, is it still likely to have VoIP application for the iPhone? The answer is yes. SiPhon was able to port PJSIP to the iPhone OS for use with the iPhone and iPod Touch. It sheds light on VoIP development for the iPhone but the technology hasn’t been perfected yet. One problem is the audio driver. Touchmod’s ipodsound.c driver doesn’t work on an iPhone but works perfectly fine on an iPhone 3G.
So, let’s wait until we see a VoIP app on the App Store that runs on Wi-Fi and Cellular Data Network.
iPhone Jailbreaking Pros and Cons
November 7th, 2008
Apple’s iPhone and iPhone 3G won’t work with SIM cards from unsupported carriers. The iPhone was carried only by AT&T in the United States. Here in the Philippines, it wasn’t released at all. For the iPhone to be unlocked, you have to insert a supported SIM card and activate the phone through iTunes. At the current state of the IT age, almost everything is possible. With the help of a tool called Pwnage or QuickPwn, iPhone can be unlocked, jailbroken and activated for use with unsupported carriers. Of course everything has its pros and cons. Now what are the pros and cons of using a jailbroken software? Let’s take a look.
First off, the pros. With a jailbroken software, third party applications that aren’t approved by Apple can be installed through Cydia and Installer.app application manager. These software are not found in the iTunes App Store and are not supported by apple. Modification of the iPhone’s core files is also possible through SSH (Secured Shell) by installing OpenSSH through Cydia.
A fresh start
November 6th, 2008
I was trying to revamp my site the other night when I accidentally deleted my database and all its backup. I tried so hard to dig into the old backups to at least find a working one but to no avail. I’ve been blogging since 2005 and all my entries from 2005 to 2006 were lost in my previous host. Now I lost my entries from late 2006 to 2008 in just a click of the mouse. I learned my lesson after two incidents of database problems.
With all that said, I am back with a fresh new blog. This is my first entry and I am into serious blogging now. Hopefully I can maintain at least a post a day in the months and years to come. I have a lot of things on my plate right now and blogging isn’t one of them. Starting today, I am putting blogging on my plate and write serious and sensible posts.
So, Welcome y’all and I hope you come back and patronize my blog.