Third World Geek » Featured

Have You Upgraded To WordPress 3.0?

3WG — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 01:43:14 +0000

If you haven’t done so, well you need to think about updating to the latest version– WordPress 3.0. Having the latest wordpress version means that whatever vulnerabilities in the earlier version will have been addressed by the most recent release. Aside from the obvious security reasons, it may be worthwhile to upgrade to the latest version of wordpress because, well, for lack of a better phrase, its sexy new default theme – Twenty Ten. Can’t wait to sink my fangs into that one!

Check out the video below:

The New iPhone 4

3WG — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 01:28:48 +0000

Take out your wallet boys and girls, it’s time to splurge once again. If you’ve just bought into the Android hype, you might want to cry once your buddies start whipping out their iPhones. See the iPhone 4 video below and weep.

What I Look Forward To In The iPhone 4

5mp camera
FaceTime (see video)
Multi-tasking
iMovie
Longer battery life

The only downside with the iPhone for Filipinos is that we can only get it 4 months from now. The upside is we still have time to save!

Win!

3WG — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:50:34 +0000

I couldn’t contain my happiness upon learning that two of my elves are now doing well for themselves working online. I think all those times showing them the ropes on the intricacies of link building, commenting, blogging and some very basic SEO techniques are actually working!

The kids have finally grown and are now flying by themselves. Way to go!

This only strengthens my belief that blogging and basic search engine optimization should be offered as an elective in colleges nationwide. I find it too depressing that we have a lot of out of school youth wasting away playing DOTA after graduating from college.

Really, how easy could it be for colleges to offer this very basic course. Heck I’d even volunteer to teach for free.

My little elves are now employed online and are earning a minimum of $300/month working from their home computers. I mean, what job in barrios would allow them to earn that much?

Now I’m just babbling. :)

SkyBroadband Lag Problems

3WG — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:42:55 +0000

Last night I had my first real problem with Skybroadband. Actually it’s still happening as I write this. I’ve been a subscriber of Skybroandband’s 6Mbps connection for almost a year now (I think) and this is the first time that I’ve experienced this much of a lag. For an Internet addict this is almost too much to bear. I waited for hours for their service to come rushing back up but it seems that this time the problem was severe.

I thought at first that perhaps somebody was hijacking my wireless connection in my area. I checked online for ways to see whether somebody is on my wireless network without me knowing it. I was directed to an app but I thought it’s too much of a hassle to install and God knows what malware would be associated with it. Besides, I’ve set up a really intricate network password for my wireless network so unless I have a neighbor who’s a whiz at hacking then my network is probably safe.

To check if somebody is actually hijacking my wireless connection causing the slowdown in internet connection, I removed my wireless router from the equation and connected directly with my cable modem. Nothing changed. Internet connection was still lagging like a delayed period. It was a source of exasperation and relief. I was exasperated because I couldn’t get my nightly anime fix and relieved at the same time with the thought that at least I know nobody is jacking my connection.

I tried calling skybroadband’s 24/7 hotline at 6310000 but only got an automated voice message saying that they are experiencing technical problems. I guess a lot of people were calling so they had to set that up.

Now here’s a fun fact, if you want to vent and you need a lot of people to see that you are really displeased with Skybroadband’s performance, you can actually hit them at their own Facebook page! Didn’t know that they have a Facebook page? Oh well, you can go there via http://facebook.com/skybroadband. There you can let loose to your heart’s content. Of course they’ll actually know who’s venting or hating so unless you’re a brave soul, you might want to create a dummy facebook account.

I actually have a very good experience with Skybroadband. Well, at least until last night when my connection turned comatose. As I mentioned I have a very strong connection (very expensive too!) so most of the time when I’m not hitting 6Mbps, I’m still doing great at 3Mbps, not my money’s worth I know but that is really fast; and I want things to be really fast!

Here’s a speedtest I checked a few minutes ago.

MANDALUYONG SERVER

I know this one is just in Mandaluyong so no biggie right?

So here’s another from faraway Russia (I think):

Not bad huh?

I also tested with other speed checkers just to be safe. These are from auditmypc.com speed/broadband/internet tests.

I’ve had experiences with Globe and Smart so I know where people are coming from when they complain. In my experience, the Skybroadband problem I’m currently having is not the exception with Globe and Smart, rather this thing is the norm. lol.

Having lag problems with Skybroadband is nothing compared to the days where I practically had no internet connection with Globe and Smart. So what if I have lag problems once every three months? Shit, that happens all the time with other broadband providers. The problem I have right now is like a walk in the park compared to the problems I had before.

So for those who’re about to have an aneurysm with their Skybroadband connection, chillax, nothing going to be solved with your hemming and hawing. You’ll only burst an artery. Wait it out and if you’re really really angry, then why not jump to another network, see how far that gets you.

WD TV Live HD Media Player Now Compatible With Windows 7

3WG — Mon, 24 May 2010 11:05:23 +0000

I kept thinking about Google Internet TV and how lame it would be if I can’t have something like it in my living room. I know I wouldn’t be replacing my 42″ Panny soon with a Google TV so that’s totally out of the question. The Logitech device that would allow ordinary TV sets to the Google TV platform seems a tad expensive ($400 I think). Plus there’s the IR Blasters. With the way things are going, I don’t think I’ll be announcing that I’m doing Google TV any time soon.

Then I got this press release from Western Digital announcing that WD TV Live HD Media Player is now compatible with Windows 7. Golly gee whiz that’s great! But err, what’s the WD TV Live HD Media Player again? Well, simply put it’s a device that will allow you to play media stored on USB and network drives, any PC on the home network, as well as content from popular websites, on your big screen television. This means that I can finally watch my favorite Eyeshield 21 and Naruto Shippuden episodes on TV! And the really cool thing about this device is that it only costs around $166. That’s a pretty sweet deal! I do hope I get a discount though. lol.

Here’s the press release from Western Digital.

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WD TVTM LIVE HD MEDIA PLAYER IS THE FIRST NETWORK MEDIA PLAYER COMPATIBLE WITH WINDOWS 7 Consumers Can Use “Play To” Feature to Stream Music, Videos and Picture Files Stored on Their PCs and Home Network to Their Big Screen TVs

Manila, PHILIPPINES – May 24, 2010 – WD® (NYSE: WDC), the world’s leader in external storage solutions, today announced that the WD TV Live HD media player, featuring network capability and Full-HD 1080p resolution, is the first network media player compatible with Windows 7. The WD TV Live HD media player makes it easy for anyone to play media stored on USB and network drives, any PC on the home network, as well as content from popular websites, on the biggest screen in their home — their big screen television.

Using the Windows 7 Play To feature, users can initiate and control the streaming of video, music or photos to the WD TV Live HD media player and home entertainment systems from any Windows 7-based PC on their network. Any compatible media file accessible from the PC – located either on the PC or the network – can be played to the WD TV Live by right clicking on the file name in the folder or directly from within Windows Media Player 12 and choosing the WD TV Live HD media player as the playback device.

Current users of the WD TV Live will need to update their WD TV Live HD media player to the latest firmware in order to use the Windows 7 Play To feature. Instructions for updating the WD TV Live HD media player can be found here.

“Microsoft is pleased that Western Digital has earned the Compatible with Windows 7 logo and is supporting the Play To feature with WD TV Live HD media player,” said Mark Relph, senior director, Windows Ecosystem Product Management at Microsoft Corp. “Now more than 100 million Windows 7 customers will have an affordable and easy way to play files to their HD TVs and other devices from their PC.”

“We regularly engage with WD TV Live enthusiasts in our online community. Many have been asking for a way to “push” media from their PCs to their TV or home theater system, especially from laptops. With the new Windows 7 Play To feature, users can select music or movies from their laptop and play it on an HD TV connected to a WD TV Live HD media player, whether the HD TV is across the living room or in a different room altogether,” said Dale Pistilli, vice president of marketing for WD’s branded products group. “WD worked closely with Microsoft on this exciting new feature to ensure the seamless compatibility of the WD TV Live HD media player with Windows 7 PC’s and deliver WD TV Live users what they want.”

WD TV Live HD Media Player

Features of the Windows 7-compatible WD TV Live HD media player include:

Full-HD 1080p video playback and navigation with the included remote control and crisp, animated navigation menus;
Play a wide variety of file formats including support for the most popular file formats with no need to spend time transcoding;
Play videos, music and photos from the Internet on your big screen TV and discover new music with Pandora® Internet radio or listen to thousands of radio stations via Live365 Internet radio;
Ethernet port for wired or WiFi® connection1 to access files anywhere on the network to play movies, music, and photos from any PC or drive on a home network;
Turns a USB drive2 into an HD media player and plays content from most popular USB drives, and digital cameras, camcorders, and portable media players that can be recognized as mass storage devices;
Unlimited media collection, just add more USB drives for more space;
Two USB ports for seamless media playback from multiple USB drives and ability to access them simultaneously while a media library feature collects the content on all the drives into one list sorted by media type;
Transfer files by copying, moving or deleting files stored on a USB drive, a network drive, a camcorder, or a camera to the attached USB drive using the on-screen menus;
Picture Transfer Protocol support to show photos and movies directly from digital camera or video camera and/or any digital imaging device that supports Picture Transfer Protocol;
Advanced navigation options including thumbnail and list views, media library and search;
Photo viewing to create custom slide shows, zoom and pan and search;
Movie viewing with fast-forward, rewind, pause, zoom and pan, view subtitles, and search;
Music playback with fast-forward, rewind, pause, shuffle, repeat and search; File copying between USB devices;
HDMI® 1.3 port, composite video and component video output for the highest quality HDTV or home theater;
SPDIF digital output that sends digital signals to your AV receiver for the best surround sound experience;
and, Ultra-compact design to fit easily into a home entertainment center.

Pricing and Availability

The WD TV Live HD media player is distributed by Axis Global Technologies, Inc. and ATP Peripherals (Phils), Inc. and is available now at select retailers in Philippines. Covered by a 1-year limited warranty, the MSRP for WD TV Live HD media player is PHP 7,500.

About WD

WD, one of the storage industry’s pioneers and long-time leaders, provides products and services for people and organizations that collect, manage and use digital information. The company produces reliable, high-performance hard drives that keep users’ data accessible and secure from loss. WD applies its storage expertise to consumer products for external, portable and shared storage applications.

WD was founded in 1970. The company’s storage products are marketed to leading systems manufacturers, selected resellers and retailers under the Western Digital® and WD brand names. Visit the Investor section of the company’s Web site (www.westerndigital.com) to access a variety of financial and investor information.

1 WiFi adapter sold separately.
2 WD TV media players are optimized for use with My PassportTM portable hard drives.

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Western Digital, WD, WD TV and the WD logo and My Book are registered trademarks; WD TV, World Edition and My Passport are trademarks of Western Digital Technologies, Inc. Other marks may be mentioned herein that belong to other companies. All other brand and product names mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies. One gigabyte (GB) = 1 billion bytes. One terabyte (TB) = one trillion bytes. Total accessible capacity varies depending on operating environment.

Toshiba Satellite P505 – S8011 | Another Giant Laptop

3WG — Sat, 22 May 2010 14:06:52 +0000

Here’s another option to consider if you’re in the market for big laptops, i.e. laptops with a screen size of at least 17″. A couple of days ago I featured HP Envy 17 here. It’s a high performing laptop that packs a processing speed of 2.2Ghz.

This time Toshiba Satellite P505 S8011 gaming laptop takes center stage.

First off, this laptop is being passed as a gaming laptop. It’s most distinct feature is an 18.4 inch screen. That is gigantic! I thought a 17″ laptop is already huge but I have yet to see an 18″ laptop so I’ll reserve my opinion for now.

http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=l2kpDKJIzBI&bids=166833.10000181&type=4&subid=0

Anyway the basic specs of the Toshiba Satellite P505 18.4″ includes;
- 1.6GHz Core i7-720QM processor
- 4Gb of DDR3 memory
- 500GB SATA hard drive
- Window 7 home premium
- DVD Super Multi drive
- integrated memory card reader
- ExpressCard slot
- four USB 2.0 sockets
- NVIDA’s GeForce 310 M (512MB)

After coupon discount this laptop is priced at around $690.

Comparing this with the HP Envy 17, Toshiba’s giant laptop is priced way way cheaper. Looking at the specs however, we can see why. The P505 only has 1.6Ghz of processing speed, compare that to HP’s 2.2, there’s a heck of a difference. The videocard also shows a marked difference 512 Mb for the P505 versus 1Gb for the Envy. I believe many of these specs are upgradeable but will cost a lot more.

The reviews on the P505 weren’t so hot so I guess I’ll have to stick with the HP Envy 17 for now.

Google Internet TV

3WG — Fri, 21 May 2010 02:32:23 +0000

In the very recent past, everything was quite simple. You watch your favorite television shows on your TV, and you browse the web on your computer. When some folks became disgruntled because some shows that they can only watch on the internet appear really small on their computer screens, tech companies came up with a solution: they built bigger monitors. Apple for example, came out with the 27″ iMac. If you can’t afford an iMac, you go for standalone monitors with retail prices starting at $300. Problem solved.

But you know, it’s not that simple. We like things to be multifunctional. For example, we don’t want our mobile phones to just be able to talk to people. We have to listen to music, take pictures, and even surf the web with our phones, otherwise, it just won’t do. What can we do, we are complex people after all.

And now Google, comes up with the internet TV or Google TV. The idea is simple, aside from using your TV to watch your TV programs, Google TV enables your ordinary TV to act like a computer where you can watch your internet shows via your TV. Of course you can do this now by using the TV as a secondary monitor, though this means lugging your laptop or your CPU and connecting it to your TV. I guess the people at Google thinks that this is too much of a hassle. And like most folks, I tend to agree. Why flip the channel switch when you have a remote control, right?

I think the idea is commendable, though not exactly novel. We like to mix things up, make our everyday objects or status symbols more functional. Nothing wrong with that I guess. My only problem with this is that the internet, at least for me, is personal. If I want some bonding time with my family, then fine we watch cable TV together. If I want to browse the internet, I’d rather do it alone where nobody’s looking over my shoulders.

Do I really need my TV to be able to stream internet shows? Well, maybe sometimes. But will it compel me to buy another TV set or another contraption that I can attach to my current living room TV just to stream these shows? Ermm, I’ll have to think about it.

I think the Google TV will sell. It will most definitely appeal to those folks who are thinking of upgrading their current TV sets, or those with a lot of money lying around just screaming to be spent. The question now will be how much will those TV sets with Google TV bundled in it cost? For sure these TV sets will be sold at a premium compared to the plain vanilla idiot boxes, the important question is by how much?

I guess like the Kindle, Google TV is one of those contraptions that I’m not very excited about.

Lusting Over The HP Envy 17

3WG — Wed, 19 May 2010 16:00:13 +0000

I want one. Real bad.

My 13″ Macbook is nearing its mortality limits and I can no longer take it with me anywhere. I have a backup HP Mini but I have to admit it was a silly impulse buying thing. The only thing redeeming value of that contraption is that it’s ultra-portable.

I have been in the market for a 17″ laptop and although I would most definitely prefer a 17″ Macbook pro over anything, circumstances won’t permit me from getting one in the near future.

The HP Envy 17 however is not a pipe dream. Well maybe it is for me in the very near future but most certainly after a few months of scrounging and once-a-day meals I should be able to get one. This laptop boasts of a 17.3″ diagonal screen. That’s enough for a lot of people. On top of that it has a 2.26Ghz processor, a 4Gb Ram, a 320Gb hard drive and a 1Gb video card that should be more than sufficient for a lot of games.

I guess that some folks would just go for whatever is available. I believe however that the size of the screen plays a whole lot of difference. After gone through a few laptops in my live, I have to say that the size of the screen should be a big consideration in one’s purchase plans.

Another consideration, and this is something that has just come in recent months is a keyboard backlit feature. This is the light that shines below your keyboard keys. This is very handy when you work in your bedroom and you have a gorgeous girl sleeping in your bed and you don’t want to disturb her rest by turning on the light. This way, even without lights, you should be able to see the keys due to the light emanating from below the keypad. I think this is one of the truly useful innovations in todays laptops. Of course the HP Envy 17 has it, which only makes it all the more appealing.

HP Envy 17 starts at $1,399 for the basic configuration. If you need to add additional bells and whistles, of course the price goes up dramatically depending on your preference.

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Full Specifications of the HP Envy 17 (From HP.com)

Power plus beauty

This powerful beast easily handles the most demanding apps, and it looks ultra modern to boot. You get:

• An Intel Core i5‡ processor with Turbo Boost, upgradeable to Core i7 with Quad Core
• Simplified daily PC activities with genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics with 1GB of ultra fast DDR5 VRAM and DirectX 11 support for the best gaming performance
• 4GB DDR3 system memory (expandable to 8GB)
• A dual hard drive that supports up to 1TB or an optional 160GB Solid State drive flash module for better battery life
• HP ProtectSmart, which detects if your laptop is dropped and automatically locks the hard drive to prevent potential data loss
• A slot-loading DVD burner6 or optional Blu-ray ROM drive7
• A comfortable, island-style, backlit keyboard with numeric keypad and oversized clickpad
• A 6-cell Lithium-Ion battery (up to 2.5 hours1), or you can upgrade to a 9-cell (up to 3.75 hours1)

Fast connections

The ENVY 17 offers a wide range of high-speed ports and wireless connections. You get:

• Intel draft Wireless-N Wi-Fi2 with optional Bluetooth
• Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN for a high-speed connection
• An HDMI 1.3c port for connecting a monitor or HD TV3
• A Mini-Display port for connecting a super HD display
• A SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port for data transfer up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0
• Three USB 2.0 ports (one is shared with the high-speed eSATA combo port)
• A 5-in-1 digital media card reader
• HP QuickWeb for connecting to the Web, e-mail, and other apps in seconds4

An exceptional experience

Packed with cool functionality and high-tech touches, this series includes:

• ATI Eyefinity multi-display technology, which lets you connect up to three external displays, tripling the viewing space
• The simplicity of a clean-looking desktop with only the applications you want
• Preinstalled Corel PaintShop Pro and Corel VideoStudio for photo and video editing
• Norton Internet Security 2009 (includes 60 days of complimentary live updates)4

Superb music and video

The ENVY 17 provides the best music and video experience you can get from a laptop:

• A smooth, edge-to-edge 17.3″ (diagonal) HD3 screen with 45% color gamut for crystal-clear viewing
• An optional 1080p Full HD screen with super sharp 1600 x 900 resolution and 72% color gamut
• Premium Beats audio and a triple bass reflex subwoofer for music with virtual surround sound
• An HP TrueVision HD webcam (low light) with digital microphones that optimizes video for any light setting

Entertainment at your fingertips

Our exclusive, preloaded MediaSmart software puts the digital world at your fingertips. Why leave entertainment at home when you can take it anywhere, anytime? Enjoy HD movies, listen to your favorite playlists, edit videos and upload to the Web, plus share memories with family and friends, wherever you go.

Twitter | The Official iPhone App

3WG — Wed, 19 May 2010 12:41:00 +0000

After downloading the twitteriffic app for iPhone months ago, I already stopped checking out what other twitter iphone apps are out there. I mean, I can already send tweets and receive them so what more do I need? Right? Right?

Nah, geeks, even third world geeks like me, must always have the latest, the shiniest, the bestest thing out there (depends on financial capacity of course). So now there’s that latest official iPhone app, Twitter, that’s already making the rounds of Apple Stores worldwide. Why this thing can’t be shown at the same time in all Apple stores I have no idea, and err.. frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn. Heh.

Take note of the word ‘official’. I guess it has to be official if they’re going to name their app Twitter. Otherwise that’s a walking target for an infringement lawsuit.

Anyway, faster than you can say tweet, I was already on iTunes checking out the app store raring to download this latest official twitter app. Hmm, looks like I do give a damn, my dear. Meh.

The only shitty thing is that, them apps don’t propagate that fast. Looks like the propagation thing got stuck in EDSA (major traffic hell hole in the Philippines) and may not reach the Philippines’ iTunes store before oh I don’t know, like 10,000 years?!

Oh well, laters..

Sasuke Dies

3WG — Tue, 18 May 2010 21:28:41 +0000

I just received an email from somebody close to the creator of Naruto Shippuden that in a later chapter of Naruto Shippuden, Sasuke actually dies. Hmm, now that’s a bit of a shocker to Naruto fans all over the world. If it’s true that is. The person who emailed went on to say that he has a grudge against the creator so this is sort of his revenge.

The person actually gave a link to download this very advanced manga chapter and said that to prove his legitimacy I can just download the file and see for myself and even claims that it’s not a virus or anything. He just wants his revenge, or so he says.

The problem with his link though is that although it actually points to a download site (he even said that I should just use the basic download, no use paying for the premium one), there’s a catch; before I can download the file, I have to fill in a survey first. Biatch!

Well, first of all, if Sasuke dies, one of the more dramatic aspects of Naruto goes up in flames. I mean one of the reasons why Naruto Shippuden is so compelling is that there is that brotherly love between Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto feels that he needs to save Sasuke while the other guy scorns him although everyone must be thinking that underneath that vengeful exterior of Sasuke he indeed has a soft spot for Naruto. Then there are those who perceive a homoerotic angle to this friendship, but that’s just trash.

Anyway, for a very successful manga/anime, killing Sasuke would be like the sign of things to come– that Naruto Shippuden could be nearing its end. This is not like the death of Portgas Ace in One Piece where Ace’s death only served to fuel the flame of that also popular manga/anime. Sasuke dying is like having Zorro or Sanji killed. It doesn’t help.

Another thing, talking about revenge and then asking me to fill up a survey so you can line your pocket with the commission that CPAlead will give you? That’s pretty twisted man.. So I’ll pass downloading your supposedly leaked chapter. If Sasuke dies, then what the heck, everybody dies. I don’t feel the need to fill out a survey just to be able to read a chapter that’s coming my way soon anyway.