How to Customize Your Galaxy Tab without Hacking and Voiding your Warranty

 Mobile Computing, Mobile Devices, Tips  No Responses »
Jun 062011
 

So now you got that little nifty tablet that you’ve drooled over for so long. But your shiny new toy isn’t unique: it’s as plain as the next one. What can you do to make you device stand out? You customize it! But before you go on and start rooting and hacking your Tab, let’s look at the ways you can pimp your Galaxy Tab without voiding the warranty.

Here’s a short list of things you can do to personalize your Samsung Galaxy Tab:

Hardware

Let’s start with the hardware. You can avail of the following items to create a style for your Galaxy Tab that reflects your personality.

Screen protectors

You have three options for screen protectors: the standard clear and glossy type, the matte and anti-reflective/glare type, and the privacy screen and mirror like type.
The standard clear and glossy type is virtually invisible if applied properly. But, like the original screen of the tab, this type of screen protectors attract fingerprints and oil smudges like sugar attracts ants, flies, and dieters. Use this when you want to preserve the clarity of the LCD and protect it, too.
The matte and anti-reflective type helps reduce fingerprints and reflections but reduces the clarity of your device’s LCD. Use this if you find it hard to read from the screen with all the reflections.
The privacy and mirror-like screen protectors only lets you see the screen if you are looking at it straight on. Anyone trying to peep at your LCD will only see a mirror like surface. Use this if you often view your Galaxy Tab in public and you don’t want people seeing your screen as you browse your facebook account or view your favorite porn site, while sitting in a cafe in the middle of the day…or something to that effect.

Cases

Cases provide great protection for your Galaxy Tab. You can use a soft case or hard case, depending on what you prefer. One thing you should check before getting a case is the fit and the cutouts. You want a case the covers most of your tablet but still have cutouts that let you access the ports and slots.

Soft cases
Soft cases provide enough protection for your Galaxy Tab against light bumps and scratches but don’t expect them to withstand drops and strong bumps.
Here’s a list of common soft cases:

  • nylon sleeves
  • (memory) foam sleeves
  • silicon and rubber jelly cases

Hard cases
Hard cases provide the best protection against bumps and scratches. But, make sure that the hard case you buy is made from good materials. Some materials, like cheap plastic, crack and may scratch the Galaxy Tab.
Here’s a list of common hard cases:

  • Firm Jelly Cases – these covers protect the back and sides of the Galaxy Tab while leaving the screen totally exposed. They also have cutouts to allow access to the ports and slots of the Galaxy Tab.
  • Firm Jelly Cases with stands – offer the same protection as the the firm jelly cases and they have the additional benefit of having kick stands at the back.
  • Galaxy Tab Notebook/Folio Cases – the main advantage of notebook or portfolio cases is that they offer a wrap-around protection for the Tab. They are usually made of leather or faux (fake) leather. Some of these notebook cases even convert to stands so you can prop your Galaxy Tab for viewing videos or for typing.
    If you do get one of these notebook cases, make sure that it has a correct snug and fit. Also check that all sides are covered and that the cutouts match the ports and slots in the Galaxy Tab.

Expansion options

Aside from getting accessories for you Tab, you can also expand its features by adding this hardware expansion options:

  • Additional memory card – Unlike the popular Apple iPad, the Galaxy Tab has a microSD expansion slot. You can use up to 32GBs SDHC cards which will bring your total storage to 48GBs.
  • Bluetooth devices – You can also pair the Galaxy Tab with a huge selection of bluetooth devices. One good addition is a bluetooth headset if you want to use your tablet as a phone. Another device is a keyboard so that you can type easier and faster. Some users have reported using a bluetooth mouse with the Galaxy Tab with success.

Software

NOTE: By default, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is not rooted. This means you won’t be able to run Apps that require root permission/access. But don’t worry, if you just use the Tab for average purposes you won’t ever need to have root access.

Launchers

Launchers give you the option to further customize  your Samsung Galaxy Tab’s user interface (UI).  They give you options for changing screen animations, desktop layouts, and themes! Yes, using launchers will also give you themes. You can spend hours customizing your Galaxy Tab just by installing a new launcher.

Here are my two favorite launchers:

Widgets

Widgets are great for displaying information in your Tabs screen. One thing to remember about widgets is that they can drain your battery faster if they refresh their information in frequent intervals.

More Apps!

One of the most important benefit of having an Android phone is having access to all those apps! so go and explore the Android Market; your Samsung Galaxy Tab can handle a lot of them courtesy of the 2Gb internal memory. At one time I had 85 different apps installed on my Tab, yet the internal memory still had 1.5GB.

Try out all the apps you want then just uninstall the ones you don’t use. This way, you don’t clutter your app drawer.

There you have it! Simple solutions to customize your Samsung Galaxy Tab because you don’t always need to root your Samsung Galaxy Tab to enjoy it.

How about you, how have you customized your Samsung Galaxy Tab?

 

Gadget Addict Anonymous No More

 Daily Life, Mobile Computing, Mobile Devices, Mobile Phone, Technology, Thoughts, Tips  No Responses »
Apr 112011
 

Hi I’m Russel, I’m a gadget addict. I like to have electronic devices that make my life more enjoyable, more efficient, and more convenient — or so I thought.

As I tried more devices, I got more and more obsessed with getting the latest and the greatest. I became addicted to upgrades. Eventually, when financial resources started to run out, I decided to cure this addiction.

Now I can confidently say that I’m no longer a gadget addict. I am now reformed.
Because of my experience, I have resolved to help others kick their gadget addiction and start living near normal lives.

This blog will now be directed towards that quest of providing practical advise for those with the addiction and to those who have to live with people with the addiction. This site is for you.

 Posted by on April 11, 2011

Kodak Portable Charger KP100-C+2 Review

 Daily Life, Mobile Devices, Mobile Phone, Tips  No Responses »
Mar 252011
 

Being mobile means most of the time you are away from the power outlet. You must have a power supply that can last as long as you are out in the field.
Unfortunately, battery life isn’t always the best feature of our mobile devices like smartphones. We either need to buy expensive long life batteries or stay in places that have available power outlets.
Fortunately, Kodak came out with a very useful and affordable alternative power source for us, the Kodak Portable Charger KP100-C+2 kit.
The kit is a combination of an AC Charging Base and an external Power Pack. If your device can be charged from a USB port, then you can use the Kodak Portable Charger KP100-C+2 Power Pack as power supply.


Here’s a list of included items in the kit:

  1. AC Charging base – this charges your device through a USB and it also charges the Power Pack. This charging base needs to be connected to the power outlet.
  2. Power Pack – this is the external battery. It can charge your devices from its USB port.
  3. Two Rechargeable AA batteries – each rated at 2400mAh.
  4. Power Cord
  5. User guide

Advantages

Portable - this unit is small enough to fit in you laptop bag. If you just take the Power Pack it becomes smaller.

Reusable - the fact that it uses rechargeable batteries makes it reusable again and again.

Replaceable batteries – unlike some external battery packs with built-in batteries, the Kodak Portable Charger KP100-C+2 uses rechargeable AA batteries that you can replace anytime.

Affordable - at USD11.50, this unit only cost as much as 4 cups of Frappuccino in Starbucks.

Real-life Performance

The packaging of the kit claims being able to give up to an additional 40 hours of charge for your devices. That would mean almost 2 days of additional power to your device.

I tested this with my Motorola Milestone Android smartphone. To get a base reading of how long my smartphone usually lasts, I fully charged it, used 3G Internet only (no wifi), watched a couple of movies, and listened to music till the battery emptied.

I then connected it to the Power Pack and turned it on. Again I used the phone and timed how long it will survive with the Power Pack.

And here are the results:

Motorola Milestone with default battery: 7 hours 40minutes

Motorola Milestone with Power Pack: 10 hours and 38 minutes.

More than 10 hours of additional power is not bad. And, this is from when the phone’s battery was empty. The phone was continuously being charged until the Power Pack emptied.  What’s nice about this is if I wanted to continue charging the phone, I can just replace the batteries with freshly charged ones.

Personal Practical Uses

I’ve been using the Kodak Portable Charger for a couple of weeks now.  Here are some of the ways I use it:

  1. I use my Android 2.2 phone as Wife hotspot, and the Kodak Portable Charger KP100-C+2 gives the phone extra power to last longer. This is very important since using 3G drains the battery fast.
  2. When I want longer MP3 playback outdoors, this kit is a good solution.
  3. I use the Power Pack as additional backup battery for my Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera.
  4. I use the Power Pack to charge my mobile phones. I have USB Power Tips that let me charge my 2 Myphone dual SIM phones and Android phone.

Conclusion

As we become more mobile with our electronic gadgets, we face the “battery empty” problem more often.
The Kodak Portable Charger KP100-C+2 is an affordable and practical solution for that problem. With its price, there’s no longer an excuse not to get one even if you already have one. In fact I’m ordering one these kits again.
I don’t know where to get it here in the Philippines, but I got mine from Amazon.com. To know how I got it shipped fast and affordable, read my article here.

Do you think this kit will be helpful to you? Le me know what you think by commenting below.

Photos of the product

Why Apple Is Great – Part 1: The iPod

 Mobile Devices, Technology, Thoughts  No Responses »
Jan 052011
 

However fanboyish it may sound, Apple has done a great job at innovating and revolutionizing consumer electronics.

I’m a technology junky. I enjoy using the latest gadgets and technology. What I’ve noticed is that Apple has been a catalyst for innovations and revolutions in the mobile computing industry. When Apple gets into the game, they make it look cool.

You can say that it all boils down to marketing, but it does have its advantages, not just for Apple but also for the consumers.

Here is one example:

The iPod.

There are thousands of music players available on the market. Often times, when we mention music player or MP3 player, the first image that comes to mind is the iPod. Yes, the rounded square MP3 player that allows you to store and play thousands of songs anywhere you are.

To be clear, the iPod wasn’t the first MP3 player. That honor goes to the world’s first MP3 player — the MPMan F10 manufactured by Korea’s Saehan Information Systems and was launched in March of 1998 at CeBIT.

What Apple did was create a sleek-looking device driven by a revolutionary user interface. The iPod became so popular, it became part of modern day culture. Because of its popularity, thousands of MP3 players have been created to rival or at least eat at the market share of the iPod.

Now here’s my take on the iPod phenomena: Music players wouldn’t be popular if Apple didn’t create the iPod family of music players. In my opinion consumer electronics should thank Apple for marketing the music player to the masses. Honestly, did you give the MP3 music players any thought before the iPod came? Most of the people I asked said no.

It was Apple who spent a lot of money to market the iPod as a necessity and as a cool gadget to have and be seen with. Once the iPod became popular, other companies started to make their own players. Microsoft’s Zune and Sony’s MP3 Walkman are just a couple of the media players that came out.

As other companies started to compete in this niche, consumers got more MP3 or media players. These days, almost everyone I know has a media player and iPod has a lot to do with that.

On my next post, I’ll share my insights on the next great product of Apple: the iPhone.

Note: Before the Apple fanboys rejoice because they have another supporter, or before the PC fanboys start thinking I’ve changed camps, let me be clear: I DON’T CARE. I am not a die hard fan of any of these camps. I buy and use the brand that fits my needs, and not because of the marketing materials that’s pushed to me.

I’m writing this article to express my observation. Take it as it is.

————-

Is Your Laptop Roasting Your Testicles?

 Daily Life, Mobile Computing, Thoughts  No Responses »
Nov 262010
 

One of the best benefits of mobile computing is the option to work anywhere. But sometimes we take this benefit for granted and abuse it unknowingly. A good example is text messaging and mobile emailing. Due to these two activities a lot of people have strained thumbs and hand joints requiring therapy. Another good example is how men unknowingly roast their private parts with their laptops.

In a recent study done at the State University of New York, researchers has concluded that using your laptop on your lap can raise the temperature around the scrotum area. This increase in temperature can cause sperm production to be lowered.

Dr. Yefim Sheynkin, a urologist at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, led the new study.

The test was done by attaching heat sensors on the scrotum of the test subject and temperature data was collected. After an hour of using laptops on their laps, the temperature in men’s testicles has increased by 2.5 degrees Celsius, which was beyond what experts consider safe.

You may think that this research is hilarious. Any man in his right mind would know that if you put something hot on top of your crotch, it won’t be good. That was my initial reaction too. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.

The increase in temperature is not instant but is gradual which means it won’t feel that hot first. As you use your laptop on your lap longer, you adjust to the heat. By the time you realize it’s hot, you’d been roasting the family jewels for quite some time already.

Lap pads can keep your laptops cool and lessen the heat being transferred to your skin, but they do not help lessen the general temperature of your testicles.

Here are some tips to prevent cooking your testicles with your laptop:

  • Avoid putting your laptop on your lap.
  • If you’re going to put the laptop on your lap, put something between your lap and the laptop, preferably something thick, like a cushion or a pillow.
  • Work on a table.
  • Work on a table.
  • Work on a table.

With proper prevention and retraining, we can make working with laptops on the table a habit. Mobile computing can be a productive and safe experience if exercise correct working habits and avoid practices that eventually will burn us.

Read a full article at http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6A457320101108.

Dexter Morgan uses a Nokia N8

 Mobile Phone, Thoughts  1 Response »
Oct 302010
 

Nokia N8Nokia N8

For those watching the new season of the brutally unique TV series “Dexter”, pay attention to the phone Dexter is using. Yes, it is a Nokia N8, the first Symbian^3 Smartphone. The Nokia is no iPhone killer but it kicks the iPhone’s ass when it comes to video and camera features: a 720p HD video that is so good they’re making short films with them N8′s and a 12MP camera Carl Zeiss lens.

I can understand why Dexter would chose an Nokia N8: it’s slim and has a full aluminum body. Yes the casing of the Nokia is  carved from a single piece of aluminum. Imagine using that solid piece of aluminum to bludgeon someone, possible right? I guess Dexter made a good choice with the Nokia N8: I can’t imagine an iPhone killing someone. Why? It cracks even when it’s in a protective case! Don’t believe me? Go check Google. Oh wait, the iPhone can relatively kill your budget having those cracks fixed. Oh well.

Back to Dexter. He amazingly has 5 million fans in Facebook. Either a lot of people like watching him kill the bad, or they just enjoy following death, gore, sex, and all that evil in the world. A lot of people can’t seem to be satisfied with all that nasty stuff. Now, Nokia got a sweet deal being the “non-official” provider of mobile phones for the characters of the Dexter TV show. Imagine 5 million fans seeing Dexter flashing an N8, Laguerta using an E72, and Deb using another Nokia phone: 5 million potential Dexter wannabes who would be thrilled to use the same phone as Dex. Yup that’s Marketing, alright.

Oh well, it’s nice seeing the bad guys get chopped once in a while. But does it really justify the murders that Dex does? I have my opinion on this but I’ll keep it to myself. For now, I’m just happy seeing the Nokia N8 on TV.

Chill. :)

Check out the Nokia N8 GSM Touchscreen Phone specs and user reviews at Amazon.

Mobile in Tagaytay

 Mobile Computing, Mobile Phone, Phone Apps, Photos, Technology, Thoughts  2 Responses »
Oct 252010
 

When our friends wanted to do their prenup (wait, is it still called a prenup if the couple is already married?) they decided to go to Tagaytay…Caleruega Transfiguration Chapel, to be exact, on a rainy friday afternoon. Small problem was we all didn’t know how to go there.  Fortunately, I had my Motorola Milestone and my Smartbro plug-it SIM card in it. I opened the Google Maps app and to my amazement, it was disappointingly slow. Yes, 3G wasn’t always available on the roads to Tagaytay. It took a long time for the map to load, and Caleruaga wasn’t on the map (or so it seemed).

During those sad moments, I was thinking how much better Nokia Maps on my Nokia E71 was compared to this: at least with the Nokia Maps the maps were pre-cached so you didn’t have to wait for the maps to download. You only needed to download the map  for the country you’re visiting prior to your trip, and then you’re all set.

I then did something which I should have done earlier. Search for Caleruega in Google. On top of the search list was the link to the official Caleruega Chapel site. There was also a downloadable map. Downloading the .pdf map with direction was fast. Soon we were able to find the place.  But—it was already 5pm and the place closes at 530pm. Worse, they don’t allow pre-nup shoots anymore.  And to top it all, you need to pay 30 pesos entrance fee per person which wasn’t mentioned in their website.
To cut the long story short, we only got a few poses in for the prenup, we were drenched by the rain and we were hungry.

[Gallery not found]

Lessons learned:

  • Do your research. It will save you the hassle of trying to look for the map.
  • Have a hard/printed copy of the map with directions/instructions if possible.
  • Call ahead. Ask about permits, fees, and allowable activities before going to the place.
  • Above all, don’t depend on mobile phones for last minute help especially when that information depends on connecting to the Internet.

After Caleruega, we were famished. Our next stop was Bag of Beans. There we had great coffee ( I ordered bottomless house blend). I realized after that if you drink 2 or more cups of strong coffee you’ll have headaches. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the coffee but I just didn’t expect it to be that strong. Maybe next time I’ll be more prepared and starve myself of coffee for a year.

After dinner we did a short shoot. The Bag of Beans yard had a good looking lovers nook. Here’s how it looked:

This image is color corrected in Google Picasa.

All in all the trip was fun because I was with great company. So next time you head out to your next adventure make sure to bring a real map. :)

Things to Consider in Mobile Computing

 Mobile Computing  No Responses »
Oct 242010
 

Mobile computing is the ability to do computing tasks in some or all possible locations. Here, I’ll be listing (in my opinion are) the top 4 requirements for mobile computing and my suggestions/opinions on those requirements.

There are other requirements for mobile computing, and you can check them at Wikipedia.

Portability

It’s common sense: if your computers or mobile devices are too heavy to carry around they are useless for mobile computing. Gone are the days of lugging around heavy laptops the size of attache cases. A good example of a very portable computing device is the Apple iPad tablet: It’s small and thin enough to put in an envelope. Also good examples are the humble netbooks. These small, almost pocket sized computers are small and light enough that you can almost put them inside your coat pockets or purses. They offer relatively good processing power for the basic computing needs, up to 15 hours of battery life (depending on use) and are cheaper than most full size notebooks. Since Asus came out with the original Ultra Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC), the EEEPC, almost all computer companies have created their own netbook line.

Now, with the release of the Apple iPad tablet, Tablet Computing have been put in spotlight again. Major computer brands are following with Samsung releasing the Galaxy Tab and HP developing and hopefully finally releasing the Slate, and Asus announcing the EeePads, that more than out features and out powers the iPad.

Battery Life

Even if you have the fastest and lightest computing devices (laptops, mobile phones, tablets, etc.) but you don’t have enough power to support them, they are practically useless for mobile computing. A couple of hours of power is the current standard for most laptops. If your laptop’s battery last for three hours that’s already above average.

With netbooks, three hours is just the average. Because of the development of low power consuming processors and LED displays, and also the development of higher capacity, compact lithium ion/ polymer battery packs, we have netbooks that can stay powered for more than 8 hours. Example of such laptops are the next generation Acer Acer Aspire One 533, ASUS Eee PC 1015, MSI U160, HP Mini 210 Series. Imagine this scenario: You fully charge your netbook before you start the day and then use it unplugged for the whole day. Now that’s you call “truly mobile computing”. With smartphones, especially those that utilizes a lot of 3G connectivity, a full day of operation is adorable: anything less is just normal.

Internet Connectivity

Staying connected to the Internet is one of the basic requirements for mobile computing. Unless you don’t have any use for the Internet, your mobile computing device should at least have a built-in wireless network adapter, also known as wi-fi card. Another essential device for staying connected with your netbook or laptops is a mobile broadband device like the 3G USB modems, pcmcia cards, and built-in 3G modems in several netbooks and laptops. The latest smartphones take full advantage of 3G networks: they can work outside wi-fi hotspots. The only downside to that is the rapid loss of battery life.

Durability

Mobile computing has the most demanding requirements for devices especially when it comes to durability. Because mobile computing is done anywhere and everywhere, the devices you use should be able to survive the most number of scenarios. And when we talk about durability in mobile computing, nothing beats the Panasonic ToughBook. This line of laptops from Panasonic were designed to handle the most demanding computing environments. Check out the videos in Youtube.

Tips

Before buying any mobile computing device, make sure you research well about the product. The best way to gauge if the device meets your needs and wants is to try the actual device. If you can try the device for a day, the better.

Always buy mobile computing devices with at least one year warranty. That gives you a small sense of security when your device fails within the first year.

When it comes to durability, most mobile computing devices like laptops, netbooks, smartphones, and tablets have operational guidelines that you should follow. If you use these devices outside their perscribe conditions, you risk voiding the warranty. Examples are using the device under the rain, vibrating platforms, sand-prone and water-prone places like the beach, and other uncommon locations.

I hope now you have a better idea on how to choose your mobile computing device. So get out and bring your office with you. :)

We Like It On the Bed

 Daily Life, Mobile Computing  No Responses »
Oct 202010
 

image

It’s not what you think. I’m pertaining to the fact that my wife and I like to use our laptops on the bed.
After spending hours seating, it’s a relaxing change of work area to bring your laptop to bed, put your favorite pillow behind you and just lean back and read emails, the news, do facebook, etc. That’s what I call mobile computing.
Go ahead, try it out!

Posted from WordPress for Android

Angry Birds Rocks!

 Phone Apps, Thoughts  No Responses »
Oct 172010
 

I just finished playing 7 levels of the game Angry Birds. So what can I say about it? It’s awesome! I’m enjoying how this game exercises my physics knowledge (or lack thereof).
If you’re using an Android phone, you’re in luck! You can get it for free from the Android Market.
Go ahead, try it out!

Posted from WordPress for Android

 Older Entries  Newer Entries