Bluetooth vs wifi/Wlan usage on mobile phones

We recently featured Dukto a free and easy way to send and receive files using wifi between pc and mobile devices, but does that mean we should ditch bluetooth transfer in favor of wifi? Lets find out.

Bluetooth VS WLan - pros and cons


As you can see from the table below, Bluetooth's low power consumption and ease of use is ideal for mobile phones and other small devices. Example of usage is bluetooth headset and headphones, sharing of small files etc.

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How to connect to internet on pc or laptop using nokia phones - via USB or bluetooth

What you need

• A nokia phone with internet connectivity and is supported by Ovi Suite. Ovi suite - Organize and share content effortlessly between your Nokia mobile and desktop computer.
• Ovi Suite application from ovi.com (most smartphone from nokia has a CD installer included on the retail box).
• GPRS/3G settings from your Telecommunication provider/ISP.
• USB cable (for usb connectivity) or Bluetooth dongle/adapter (for bluetooth connectivity)
• Prepaid credits or available internet time/bandwidth 

Pre-requisites

• Make sure that ovi suite is installed on your pc or laptop.
• Save the GPRS/3g settings given by your telco/isp on your mobile phone.
• Phone drivers are installed on the pc or laptop. Drivers are software installed on the pc or laptop in order for it to be able to talk to the connected phone. They are usually initially installed during the first time you connect your phone via usb or bluetooth.

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HTC sense, TouchWiz, Rachael, Motoblur, Stock Android - Understanding Android UIs

From left to righ: HTCSense, TouchWiz, Stock Android, Rachael, MotoBlur

works like themes or skin on windows operating system, customizing look and feel

The basics
HTC sense, Samsung TouchWiz , Sony Ericsson Rachael and Motorola Motoblur are UI replacements for the stock Android user interface.

Almost every android phone manufacturers includes their own custom UI or skin on top of the android operating system to differentiate them from other android phone manufacturers and to also give branding to their phones.

Aside from the look and feel, some custom UIs also provide more functionality to the phone. One good example is HTC sense' Friend Stream Widget which aggregates all Twitter, Facebook and Flickr information on your phone contacts. Motoblur on the other hand is focused on social (includes a variety of widgets which combine various social networking portals such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter as well as other services) and push based technology (feeds and data are regularly pushed to these widgets). Sony Ericsson's Rachael integrates media -using mediascape and communication system-using timescape application - that aggregates all the activity of the device owner and his or her friends.

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Ovi maps for mobile v3.06 beta on Nokia N8 - review

First of all, I would like to apologize that I can't provide any videos or images for now to support my claims. This is due to the fact that I don't own another camera and that I gave my previous phone to my sister that's why I don't have any means to capture things that I do on the N8 itself. Can someone please give me a device to take picture or record my N8 experience ?


Ok, so I have tested the Ovi maps application that comes default on the nokia n8. Its a great application, it works the way it supposed to work (help in navigation). GPS initial lockdown is faster (around 1-2 mins) than what I experienced with N97 and E71 (ranging from 3-10 mins). Overall, its working good.

Then I saw an update on betalabs about the new Ovi maps version v3.06, I quicly headed to the website and downloaded the application update.


Here is the list of improvements and my feedback (anyway before I start, the tests I did is done within a city Metro Manila, haven't tested it on provinces yet):

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Nokia N8 and Apple iPhone 4 picture comparison, look and feel of the hardware

Disclaimer:  All reviews being done on this post is based on my personal opinion.


The Look

This is my N8 and a friend's iPhone 4

N8 is a little bit longer than iPhone 4

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Nokia N8 problems [update]

You may want to see first what N8 can do before reading this post

Nokia N8 is not the perfect phone. This post will enumerate the problems (N8 itself or the apps installed) I encountered (or my friends') while using this phone:

1. Opera Mobile 10 suddenly closes when some website, not all.
2. Sometimes, it takes a while before you completely switch current application using the Task Manager.
3. There's no official internet radio application supported by nokia. Alternative that I uses is TuneWiki but its difficult to learn/use.
4. Its difficult for beginners to use ovi's music sync. - a friend
5. The default S^3 browser opens a full screen keyboard entry when entering values on text fields. Its difficult when you want to see page (entering captchas, or responding to comments/wall post) - a friend.
6. Sometimes the rotation of UI when the phone is rotated does not respond quickly.
7. There are numerous report of N8 suddenly restarting or crashing or turning off. If you are experiencing this problem inform your dealer/nokia care center immediately. (incl my first n8 freeze).
8.  Sometimes, when you lock the phone, the screen's back light doesnt turn off. Try restarting to phone to fix the problem.

I'll be adding more to this list.

Do you also happen to experience the same problems? Feel free to share your experiences too, on the comments section below


Thanks caloy for feedbacks #4 and #5.

update: Azlansm mentioned his problem "The phone has the potential to crash and dead for no reason even after hard reset due to motherboard failure". And like i said, its a possible manufacturing problem and is only encountered on few handsets. Rances also experienced this. I remembered i occasionally encounter the same  problem on my n97 before and a firmware update resolves the problem.

update: added feedback #8

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To apply for unlimited mobile internet plan (Philippines) or not ?

As smartphones or small internet devices are becoming popular and popular, at the same time wireless internet connection is becoming ubiquitous and cheaper, it's now easier for everyone to be connected to the internet. While being online is fun and productive, it also incurs costs.  One of the most ask question to me by my friends is "should I apply for an unlimited mobile internet plan?". This is what I usually ask them before giving any advice:

On average, how many hours do you NEED to spend online everyday?
Will you be using it mainly to download large files?
What network are you subscribed now? are you willing to change network?

Before I start explaining, check out my previous post on Unlimited mobile internet from globe , sun and smart - prepaid version. (use this as reference) .

One major consideration in deciding is the frequency of usage. Frequency of usage is directly proportional to data cost incurred.
Smallest denomination of mobile internet billing is from globe which is 5 pesos per 15 mins (sun and smart offers 10 pesos per 30 mins).

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Nokia N8 clone spotted on Philippines, how to know one

I've checked one of the leading site for buying and selling products and services on Philippines (sulit.com.ph) in search of cheaper Nokia N8s compared to the pre-order SRP price of Nokia PH. Unfortunately, I saw N8 clones along the way (pictured above).

Some people have difficulty distinguishing kirf items from authentic items, and many sellers are taking advantage of it, so here is a list of things to remember before buying your N8 or any other Nokia phones.

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Nokia C7 is now shipping, C7 vs N8

Image taken from GSMarena

C7 is now shipping worldwide, less than a month after it was announced at Nokia World. This handset is almost identical to n8 if not only to some features and functionality. I listed out some differences you can find from C7 over N8:

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Nokia N8 - powerhouse device , why I chose this from a selection of popular smartphones [updated]

People have been asking me a question why I like Nokia N8 so much. Why would I choose and wait for this device instead of other popular smartphone thats currently in the market. Well, my answer is that N8 is the best..


.. in terms of specifications

(it may not have 1ghz processer) BUT N8 has the fastest GPU for a smartphone. That's why it does not need ghz scale processors cause the GPU takes most of the load already from the CPU.

N8 has the best camera sensor on all smartphones. It's even comparable to some DSLR and best several point and shoot cameras. Here is a link of some pictures taken using n8.

N8 supports dolby digital sorround sound. - Aside from mobile Dolby surround that creates a virtual surround when you are listen to your stereo headphones , and can hook up to your home theater :) in 5.1 surround sound.

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Envisioning my home network - close to completion

I'd like to share how I envision our home network would be and how close we are to completing.
Basically, my goal here to remove as much wires as possible to be able to make the devices portable and easy to set up (wireless). I want that the devices can be able to connect anywhere in the house. Of course there are connections where in you can't remove the physical wires,for now (such as hdmi pc-hdtv, dvi pc-monitor, outside phone line to filter, dsl modem cat5 cable to wireless router etc).

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Killer iPods or other gadgets, people tend to ignore these warnings

from jameschip.tumblr.com/ 

I've decided to post something about this topic because its becoming alarming that deaths caused by , not necessarily iPods, but also other media players are rising.

I did a research on some famouse incidents and here is the list:
1. Man killed by a plane while listening to iPod
A man in Georgia who was running on the beach on Hilton Head Island, S.C., listening to his iPod, was struck and instantly killed by an airplane that had lost its propeller and was making an emergency landing.

2. A 46-year-old Sydney woman who walked in front of  speeding ambulance on Saturday night while "reportedly wearing headphones" 

3. Just now , 12-Year-Old Killed by Train While Listening to His iPod 

2-Year-Old boy Caesar Muloki was killed yesterday by a New Jersey Transit train at 3:15pm. According to the train's engineer, Muloki was listening to his iPod and had his back to the train as he crossed the tracks.

and many more.

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Globe launches cc: (email) like service , great but not for all

Globe Telecom and SMS GupShup (an india based company which is world’s largest social SMS network where users are allowed to create mobile communities and broadcast messages to them) launched a "SMS Reply-all chat service" . The service enables subscribers to simultaneously communicated with several people through SMS.


This is the first time i've heard this kind of service so lets examine the details and its probable success in the country.

What is SMS Reply-all chat service

Are you familiar with cc: (carbon copy) functionality of email applications? The cc field dictates the email to be sent to the people entered on the cc: list aside from those specified on the to: list. In simpler words, the To tells the target recipients of the mail and the CC tells which people to keep informed on the conversation, much like an FYI.

So SMS Reply-All chat service works the same way, for SMS or text of course.  It lets user to send a message to multiple recipent. I know you have a question in mind and we'll get to that.

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Swamp coolers and philippines

I've been seeing a lot of swamp coolers on electric appliances stores and DIY hardware shops being sold. They are also becoming popular on open air restaurants. But what is this swamp cooler thing?

Swamp coolers , similar to air conditioners, were invented to turn hot air into cool, the science behind each method is quite different.

Let' see the detailed comparison below:

Air-con	Swamp cooler
Needs to power compressor and pump, generally high energy consumption	Only need to power a water pump and a fan to draw the air through the pads
Reliably dehumidify and cool the air, no matter where you live	Unless the relative humidity is less than a maximum of 40%, swamp coolers are not very effective.
Room must be enclosed	keep a window open.
Expensive to buy	Evaporative coolers are less expensive
Repair and maintenance of air conditioning systems should be left to professional service technicians.	Easily be serviced by any home owner with a minimum of mechanical knowledge, a screwdriver and an adjustable wrench

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AMOLED screen , and why not super amoled - a quick guide from Nokia Conversation and me

Layers of an amoled screen

According to Nokia, the 3 main culprits of drawing vast amount of power on our mobile devices are the transmitter, receivers and the screen. The industry was able to minimize the energy drawn by the transmitter and receiver already (but i doubt it with 3g/HSDPA transceivers which still significantly lessens the battery life of phones when turned on) that's why manufacturers are now focusing on screen. They're right because before, mobile phone screens don't usually go larger than 2.5-3" but now 3.5" and above is becoming the normal size for touch screen phone, screen's power consumption becomes critical.

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CFL (Compact fluorescent lamp) , why should we use them?

GE (General Electric), provided some basic information on why we must replace our current incandescent light bulbs with CFLs (or other lighting types - i'll discuss later).

Disclaimer: This is not an advertisement or en endorsement for GE light bulbs. Just wanted to share some information on why should we use CFL, became for sensitive with electric consumption since Meralco slapped my face with a large bill adjustment. gheez


Basic difference of CFL to Incandescent

CFLs produce less heat and have a longer life than standard incandescent bulbs. CFLs have come a long way unlike the first models, modern CFLs don't produce flickering, humming or dim light when initially turned on.

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Quirino grandstand hostage feedback

Earlier this morning, I thought I had a great mishap to start the day when the MRT cart I'm riding suddenly stop causing people to be thrown in front literally (and me taking all the force with only 1 hand holding on to the rails cause I'm the one on the right most part of the cart) but to my dismay, a worse thing has yet to happen...

I'd like to share some information from different people, about the hostage taking crisis that happened earlier . (honestly I have no idea that something that awful has already happened, if not for my officemates though).  Various numbers of killed individuals have been released by the media but according to the latest update, the number is not yet final as the police are still rounding nearby hospitals for statistics.


People's feedback

An analysis from redkinoko:

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Sky broadband's 112mbps for P19k, perfect for condo type houses

Earlier this morning, I saw a post from yugatech "Sky Broadband offers 112Mbps for Php19,999" , I got interested readily so I read the post and look for more information about the service on sky broadband's official webpage. Sadly, the service is not yet mentioned on the website but according to mr abe from yugatech , here are some of the information he learned.

the subscription costs Php19,999 per month and it’s currently only available to residents of Manansala Tower at the Rockwell Center, Makati. They sure do know which condo residents have the cash to afford this service.

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my twifficiency is 47% , not bad

And what the heck is twifficiency anyway?!

According to twifficiency.com,

In a nut shell, Twifficiency calculates your twitter efficiency based upon your twitter activity. This includes how many people you follow, how many people follow you, how often you tweet and how many tweets you read.

So basically, twifficiency is the score of your twitter account's effectiveness (of course in a matter of communication). As you can see from the definition, the considerations for this score are: number of people you follow, number of people who follow you, number of tweets you post and number of tweets you read which simply means the number of activity you do and the interaction you've made and the other poeple/follower interaction with your tweet. agree? But I also think that somehow, retweets of your posts, or replies to your tweets can also affect the score.

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Nokia X3-02 touchscreen keypad phone for the masses , features 3g, wifi and FM radio

This is somehow a late post as most tech blogs out there already gave you information about this phone, but since I want to share my opinion regarding this unique piece of technology, i'll be focusing more on comments and suggestions.

Display

2.4" seems a little small for a touch screen phone. I know the keypad is already there but larger screen size means larger icons which equates to more finger friendly navigation (by the way, i dotn have big fingers but 2.4" from my 5610xpressmusic feels small if you pretend its a touch screen). Just imagine  how much screen state is wasted just because of the thick bezel below and on the side. Utilizing those space could bring up the diagonal length to 2.6" or even 2.7".

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