Coffee Tools

Blackberry

2008-08-05T05:31:00.000-07:00

Another useful tool man made up...

Quick question though...

how do i configure it? I'm talking about the blackberry client for mobile phones.

(sorry, such a geek right now...)

Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3

2008-07-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

Finally, albeit the wait, ( which has now reach 8 years or so ), I am still looking forward to Starcraft 2 and Diablo III. I'm gonna get my grubby paws on that dark old keyboard again and beat the crap out of Diablo, and finish the mission voer and over again with Protoss (while controlling both Terran and Zerg)... Only this time, I would have lesser cheat codes.

Hmmm... now that has got me thinking... I played the games and in the middle part of the whole scenario, I tend to go to my trusty character editor... maybe I should try playing the game over and over again without the cheat... hmmmm...

Thinking....

Thinking....

Nahhhhh... Some other time I say...

The Dark Templar

2008-07-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

Zeratul is a dark templar, a renowned psionic warrior and assassin whose forbears were exiled from the protoss homeworld of Aiur over a thousand years ago. The dark templar refused to submerge themselves in the communal protoss mind link, the Khala, preferring instead to strive as individuals. Zeratul holds the rank of prelate and is probably best known for his role in the ensuring the survival of the protoss since the zerg threat first became apparent.

It was Zeratul who overcame the prejudices of Executor Tassadar when they met on Char, and thus began to heal the rift between the Aiur protoss and the dark templar. It was Zeratul who was the first to slay a zerg cerebrate although the cerebrates had been thought immortal. Most of all it was Zeratul who returned to Aiur with Tassadar and set into motion the events that would rejoin the sundered halves of the protoss race and overthrow the oppressive rulership of the Conclave.

Silverlight

2008-07-07T23:14:00.000-07:00

With Bill Gates no longer at the top of Microsoft. What else does the Demi-God of a company have in store for us?

War I say. As MS has been battling with other software and developers across its inception. Companies like Apple, Netscape and Google have waged war with Microsoft, I know, this is such old news. But then again, why not add Adobe to the bunch?

Adobe has acquired Flash (as far as I can recall, Macromedia is now under Adobe) and Microsoft is not going to rest until they can't have flash or the industry that comes with it. If you may review the web, most sites contain and run on Flash, thats how big it is and that how big of a deal it is for Microsoft not to have this industry staple. Think of it as having the cake without the icing.

So, being the ever envious company that it is (not that its a bad thing of course), it said to itself: "Hey, if I can't have flash, might as well make something as good as Flash". And with all the resources that Microsoft has, why not?

I tried to access some sites with Silverlight running them but i still have to install the application. Now that might come as a handicap for Microsoft, trying to change the staple of the industry with something so new. If they could have made this platform run on Flash as well, then they might have a fighting chance against Adobe (note that this is for the module only, Flash).

Basically what Microsoft is trying to do is to replace the ever ubiquitous Flash. That is like saying that cheeseburgers and fries will be replaces by turkey sandwiches. Not that Microsoft is a big turkey of course, but because it's hard to convince people who have become adept to something to just turn 180 degrees.

Anyways, if its any consolation, if there is one company that could do it, it would be Microsoft. Albeit previous attempts to overthrow industry leaders in some categories have proven futile, you never know right?

I guess, we just have to wait and see then.

Until then, CIAO!

Motorola ROKR E8

2008-07-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

Motorola does have an affinity for music phones. Maybe it's because with the current generation that we have, one of the staple devices are the MP3 players, (see iPODs success?).

Come on, admit it! The phone looks so cool! It has this bad ass aura about it.

Ok, back to reality.

Lets dig deeper into the controls of the E8. This is the Modeshift technology that Motorola has been bragging about. You can use the keys that are necessary through this feature, which means that all unnecessary buttons are not usable when in specific modes.

The camera, well, as we all know is only 2.0 megapixels, as bit on the downside as average phones now have 3.2 as a staple, but since this is a music phone, i guess that was the trade off. And based on experience, picture quality with Motorola is a bit disappointing at times. But they make up for it with the other aspects of the phone.

3G or 3G-less for that matter. This phones is not 3G capable. But will that be a downside? 3G costs a lot here in the Philippines so might as well cut it out from the features as we have minimal users for this feature (or do we?).

Memory, ah, the crowning glory of this phone. It has a built in 2 gigabyte memory. A handful i say for music geeks. With an expandable slot that can accommodate up to 4 gigabytes worth of songs as well.Let my ears rest i say.

Interface and functionality. Hmmm, based on experience again. Motorola is far from Nokia in terms of user interface but better than Samsung. Hehe, so thats a plus again for this phone I think.

Over all, the phone is the normal MP3 phone which just has an awesome feel to it. Haha, I still couldn't get over the controls and the memory it has.

The difference is in the keypad. Basically, there is no keypad, as this is just a smooth layer of glass. Touchscreen my friends, or touch pad for this instance. Unconventional? perhaps, but based on reviews that it got., it was well worth it.

General or Specific?

2008-07-07T12:35:00.001-07:00

In economics we learned about the value of money. We also inherited the concepts of maximizing satisfaction for minimal costs, well we also took this up in accounting and marketing but its an econ thing.

So now I'm starting to get confused by this theory. If maximizing profits through minimal costs is the IDEAL, by how many percent is this always true?

See I was thinking of buying some gadgets right now, call me old fashioned but i still like the Sony Ericsson P1i because it does almost everything.
PROS: It triples as a PDA, Camera (3.2 Megapixels), and Phone. Functions like a USB device. Wi-Fi ready.
CONS: Then comes the decision part, the memory is limited by Sony. You can only have a maximum memory of 4 gigs (and it still costs like hell). So that's the down side on that. After sales is a bit weak for Sony Ericsson.

Then I start to think again, I have always been a music geek and I really need a big chunk of memory for saving music files.

So I think of buying an iPOD, the old school one, because it started that way and i think the other models look dumb. See the iPOD has a bigger memory as compared to the other devices and it currently costs less, but then you wouldn't be able to use basic phone features with it.
PROS: It costs less. Big memory for Songs, Pics and Videos. Functions like a USB as well.
CONS: Er, how can I text/call?

So I search some more for better gadgets, and I see the Motorola ROKR E8, now this is a bit intriguing, as my first 3G phone was a Motorola E398 and now I am basking on the idea of buying another motorola phone.

PROS: 2 Gigabyte built in memory. Cheap memory cards (hehe, a big plus for this one). It looks really cool with mode shift technology.
CONS: Good Luck for the aftersales. Interface is crappy.

So what will it be? General devices or Specific devices. It's like this, they all have downsides, and here are a few common thoughts regarding the general-specific disputes. General Device - Jack of all trades and a master of none basically. Specific Device - Obsolescence is inevitable.

What do you think?

Ponder on that, CIAO!

Diablo 3

2008-07-01T22:35:00.000-07:00

OK,

It has been 8 years since i first met Diablo on my PC (and i was scared of him every time he came out of the seal), and now, he is currently under works. Finally I say, it has been too long and he has remained dormant for quite some time now, it's just fair that Diablo 3 should be under works.

Diablo 3: And the Heavens Shall Tremble was formally announced last June 28. And this, definitely has all the Diablo fans buzzing about the new game. It has been too long, and the technology needed to fully prepare this new game is finally here. Cinematic previews, Screenshot, Concept Art, and Deckard Cain's diary (yes, its Deckard himself who narrates the diary entries) are all present in the new Diablo 3 Website.

Character classes unveiled are the Barbarian and the Witch Doctor. I wish they would still include all the other characters (Druid, Amazon, Necromancer, Sorceress, Assassin, Paladin), as they are all classics and they have already been etched in history. But, nonetheless, a preview of the gameplay and the two classes (with their skills) has got me pumped up into buying the game when it is finally released.

System Requirements however, would definitely be that demanding. Since the game would be operating on a new platform, and based on the previews (on 3D), this would mean that the game (just like Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction) would eat up a hearty portion of your hard drive and memory. Better save up until the game is released, video cards, RAMs and hard disks will need to be upgraded; theoretically.

Question, when will it be released?

Dual Sim Phones

2008-07-01T21:59:00.000-07:00

OK,

Lets face it, we have all been guilty of operating with multiple SIM cards. We used to have the "Dual Sim" attachment to our previous phones, which made the phones even bulkier, and we also had the problems of having to turn off the phones to be able to access the other SIM card. That meant putting the other SIM card on standby mode whilst the other one is operational. Such a pain right? Whats the purpose of calling it DUAL SIM if you can't operate it at the same time?

Good thing technology has worked its magic and we are now at the advent of the Dual Sim Phones.

Actually, we only have two known carriers of Dual Sim Phones. Samsung (a name you might have passed along) and Verzio (something new to your ears, ei?).

Samsung has a few phones out on the market with Dual Sim capabilities, this means two SIMs on standby, and this allows you to use them at the same time and switch from one network to another with ease (unlimited texting on both networks i think). They already have several phone models but all range from 15-20K at least.

Verzio on the other hand, offers handhelds with Dual Sim capabilities at more REASONABLE prices. These range from 12-15K. Plus, the phones have touch screen capabilities, perfect for office work and business trips, with Wi-Fi capabilities as well.

Now, both carriers have several pros and cons, and we will delve into that a little later on (on later posts), but for now, they both have one common problem. AFTER SALES! Both carriers have minimal or non existing support in some areas, so its hard to find somebody to fix your phone if anything comes up.

Anyways, kudos to both carriers for thinking up of the Dual Sim concept and having it materialized.

Until then, CIAO!

Globe to carry iPhone

2008-07-01T21:48:00.000-07:00

OK,

I heard from the news and from a very reliable source that Globe Telecom will carry the iPhone and release it later this year.

It's good that they finally decided to do so, and this will definitely help Globe compete better with Smart. But then again, we didn't receive word that Globe would be the EXCLUSIVE iPhone carrier/distributor or whatever it is, IF so I think Smart can still make a move and release the said phone.

So now, we all know that Globe would definitely release the phone, question is, at how much? We all have been victims of overpricing when it comes to mobile phones and handhelds, and this, i definitely no exception. Apple's products have been in demand and have already made a mark in the industry, so this would definitely come at a very very steep price. If this would come bundled with a G Plan, then we could expect it at plan 3500 or 5000, or so i think. But if it were sold as a Prepaid mobile unit, then we could see the digits rise up to the 20K - 30K figures.

Then again, it would be good if the mobile carrier would be able to fully utilize and offer all the features of the mobile phone, like the GPS, if not, it would be a waste of a pretty good feature.

Until then, CIAO!

IPHONE 3G - July 11

2008-07-01T21:30:00.000-07:00

OK,

So Apple will be releasing the iPhone 3G this July 11th, should we be looking forward to this release?

With this gadget you get the benefits of a 3G capable phone, coupled with an iPod. How good could that get for us tech aficionados? It would be one of the best gadgets if it could pull off being a phone, and an mp3 player at the same time. This would mean less bulky gadgets in our pockets guys.

Now let's get to the down to the details.

Aesthetics. The iPhone is sleek, with its Multi Touch Display and crisp Black and White release colors. It only weighs at around 100 grams or so (so that would mean that its light, hehe). Its screen is 3.5 inches wide, but that would mean that its a scratch magnet, prepare to shell out some dough for a screen protector guys. Other than that, it looks cool.

8GB - 16 GB Memory. So this is one steep feature i say, a 30-40 GB release would be much better, the bigger the memory the better. Then again, you couldn't finish all the songs in a 40 GB iPod anyways, so i think the memory factor for the iPhone would be substantial enough. The phone, as with Apple's iPod, doubles as a flash drive, so you could store extra stuff other than music and videos. Another thing, there is no expandable memory card slot. So there goes all your songs when your phone breaks down.

Connectivity. UMTS/HSDPA, GSM/EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0. The only this missing is infra red, but then again, that would be useless as most gadgets only have bluetooth as a staple as well. UMTS/HSDPA - this allows download speeds at a theoretical 8-10 megabits per second (faster than the usual GPRS) and this also pushes for seamless transitions between Wi-Fi and satellite. For all mobile people, Wi-Fi is a great plus, coupled with Microsoft Activesync, emails from corporate accounts can be downloaded to your iPhone, now THAT is why its called mobile technology.

Audio/Video. For audio, the device supports AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 1, 2, and 3), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV. For Video playbacks, .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats. Why not support real media files? But nonetheless, it already has an array of supported file extensions. for those files not under the category, might as well download some converters guys, and start converting your files into other extensions.

Other than that, it also sports a 2.0 megapixel camera, good enough for decent photos, but with the 3.2 megapixel being a staple in most mobile phones, you may want to think twice about that.
Now, the big question, HOW MUCH?

Lucky for us, it only costs around $199 (for starters), in the US. So we can expect it to balloon to the 20K range in the Philippines. Might as well call up your relatives in the US and have them buy one for you.

I'm actually thinking of doing so right now. Hee-Hee.

Until then, CIAO!