AD's Techs - Connecting Technology to You

PlayStation Vita out in October, says Blockbuster UK flyer

2011-08-01T00:39:00.000-07:00

Blockbuster may have had its share of trouble here in the States, but that doesn't mean its British brother isn't doing well enough to have (and leak) a big-shot release date or two. According to a flyer brandishing the Blockbuster logo and that good 'ol co.uk extension, the PlayStation Vita will land in the United Kingdom on October 28th. That's ominously close to Halloween -- not that we're suggesting anybody is having pre-holiday PSV boot-shakes, or anything -- and the flyer's fall release prediction squares up nicely with Sony's "end of 2011" launch window. As always, we suggest taking rumors and leaks such as this with a grain of salt -- but considering Sony's sinkable record regarding loose lips, we'd understand a low sodium approach. Hit the break to get a peek at the Blockbuster UK flyer -- ready and waiting for your judgement.

Congressional leaders reach agreement to raise the debt ceiling

2011-08-01T00:12:00.000-07:00

Republican and Democratic leaders have agreed on a plan to raise the debt ceiling, President Obama announced Sunday night.

The announcement arrives after months of intense closed-door negotiations, and just two days before the deadline set by the Treasury Department.

According to the details available, the agreement would slow the growth of government spending over the next decade by $2-$3 trillion and allow enough borrowing to put off another vote to raise the ceiling to 2013. About $1 trillion will be cut immediately, and the details of the remaining spending reductions will be handled by a bipartisan committee of 12 lawmakers from both chambers, who will recommend cuts for Congress to vote on. To appease the GOP's conservative wing, the deal would also require a vote in both chambers on an amendment to the Constitution requiring the federal government to balance its budget each year.

"I want to announce that the leaders of both parties, in both chambers, have reached an agreement that will reduce the deficit and avoid default--a default that would have had a devastating effect on our economy," Obama said. "Now, is this the deal I would have preferred? No. . . . But this compromise does make a serious down payment on the deficit reduction we need, and gives each party a strong incentive to get a balanced plan done before the end of the year."

House Speaker John Boehner held a conference call Sunday evening with House Republicans in which he urged them to support the package, declaring that the deal in place "meets our principles of smaller government."

"There is a framework in place that would cut spending by a larger amount than we raise the debt limit, and cap future spending to limit the growth of government," he said, according to a transcript provided by Boehner's office. "Now listen, this isn't the greatest deal in the world. But it shows how much we've changed the terms of the debate in this town."

With the approval of leaders of the House and Senate, and Tuesday's deadline looming, Congress must act quickly to convince enough members to seal the deal with a vote on Monday. The deal will require bipartisan support due to the opposition within factions of both parties.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Majority Leader Harry Reid will both present the deal to their caucus Monday at 11 a.m. with a vote expected afterward.

HTC: Apple lawsuit not cause for concern

2011-08-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

HTC has attempted to calm worries that it will be destabilised by the ongoing Apple lawsuits, stating the company can weather the impending storm.

Apple is seeking to stop sales of HTC phones and tablets it feels infringe on its patents, and is likely seeking royalties on each relevant device sold in the future.

However, despite stating it is willing to meet with Apple to thrash out the problems within the suit, HTC CEO Peter Chou still maintains the Taiwanese firm is merely a victim of its own success.

We're just too good

"Many lawsuits nowadays are results of being successful; it's part of the business," said Chou in a telephone conference according to Reuters. "We will not bring the company to a dangerous position."

HTC's share value dropped in the wake of the announcement of a lawsuit from Apple and have yet to fully recover. The firm is already paying a license fee to Microsoft to use elements of Android, and further royalty payments to another company would have another impact on its bottom line.

Let's just hope all these patent issues get solved in the next year or two and we can get back to publishing blurry pictures of possible phones that may be the next iPhone/Galaxy/Desire killer.

ew Product Lauch - Easy Internet Sales & Marketing Suite!!!

2009-02-07T16:26:00.000-08:00

FREE Internet Sales & Marketing Software!!!
Do you want to boost your internet sales many times their current levels?

*Increase your website traffic!!!!!

*Build valid email marketing list!!!!

*Increase your service or product sales many times their current levels!!!!

With its easy to use graphical interface, and simple point and click wizard
you'll have an income generating and customer retaining resource in no time!!!
For more information visit:

For more details please visit Extraordinary Blogging

Kaspersky Internet Security 8.0 License Key

2009-02-07T16:22:00.000-08:00

Anyone out there looking for any Kaspersky Internet Security 8.0 OR kis 8.0 license key can private message me.

I have some for KAV and KIS keys too.

Microsoft strikes back ... softly

2009-02-07T16:16:00.000-08:00

Microsoft Corp is ramping up its antipiracy campaign but this time it is taking a slightly different approach — it wants to be gentle.

The software giant calls its new non-intrusive approach Office Genuine Advantage (OGA) and claims that it’s mainly intended to protect users from becoming victims of pirated software.

“We want to help users who have inadvertently installed an illegitimate copy of Microsoft Office,” said Annabelle Co, Microsoft Malaysia senior product marketing manager.

Microsoft expects to go live with OGA on Jan 27 in 27 countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Spain.

Its previous Windows Genuine Advantage antipiracy initiative caused users’ desktop to turn black if they were using pirated copies of Windows XP.

The OGA notification, on the other hand, will display a dialogue box prompting the user to buy a genuine copy of Office.

Microsoft said users have unknowingly purchased pirated copies of Microsoft Office because they have been fooled by the packaging and price which is similar to the original.

OGA will be rolled out through Window’s automatic update service and users will be given the option to not install it. It will verify the authenticity of Office 2003, 2007 and XP.

However, OGA will not stop the user from continuing to use Office.

“The dialogue box will pop up twice a day for a period of 30 days if the user chooses to ignore it,” Co said.

After the 30-day period is up, there will be a permanent star icon on the toolbar to remind the user that it is an illegitimate copy of Microsoft Office.

Because it doesn’t interfere with the functions of Office, some users will continue to ignore it, Co said.

“Some may even think it’s cool to have a star on their toolbar but I believe they would be embarrassed if they were to do a presentation and the audience spotted it,” Co said.

Microsoft even claims that if a customer had paid a large sum of money for a pirated copy of Office, it will replace it with a complimentary copy of Office Professional regardless of the edition of the illegitimate copy.

Users will have to fill up a form online, which they have to print and mail with the fake CD and receipt to Microsoft’s headquarters in the United States.

Also, the CD must bear the Microsoft hologram. “If you send a CD-R with the words Microsoft Office on it, you won’t qualify for the complimentary copy,” she quipped.

Nokia N79 Not just a pretty phone

2009-02-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

Modernity is the theme of this flashy N-series addition, the Nokia N79. Does this modernity translate to value for money?

Despite Nokia’s recent “dual-slide” design trend, it has still been dedicated to producing quality candybar phones.

This particular model surprised me in ways no candybar had for a long time. It is different in ways both large and subtle.

Bright white

The first thing you will notice about the N79 is the white frontal outline. I found this to be a very aesthetically pleasing feature as it reflects light more gently than silver or black outlines.

BRILLIANT: The dual-LED flash is magnificently bright and the picture and video quality is excellent.

The keypad comprises of all-flat depressed buttons save for four rice-like keys and the N-series trademark silver media button.

The navigation wheel is more squarish but performs both the wheel and cursor functions very effectively depending on the context of usage.

In the middle of the navgiation wheel there is a sufficiently large “execute” button which seems to massage the tips of your fingers.

The rice-like keys take some getting used to though, especially if you have nails that are anything but short.

From time to time, I did slide off the limited surface area to accidentally push a flat key next to it, which was a little annoying at first.

My favourite part of the design is the sliding lock/unlock button at the top of the phone.

It makes locking and unlocking so more quicker and easier with just one swift move required. You do not see this feature often outside of slider phones.

Cover story

When you first open the box, you will see two extra covers of different colours next to the phone which will certainly come in handy.

There is a nice surprise waiting for you when you decide to change your cover.

What I mean by this is that all the covers provided have a built-in chip that, when clasped on, will change the wallpaper colour of the home screen to match the colour of the cover. I personally thought this was quite cool.

Also, the camera has a sliding cover which protects the camera while closed and turns on the camera when slid open.

This is quite a practical feature but I do feel that the cover is too easy to slide open.

I have accidentally activated the camera on many occasions when pulling the phone out of my pocket.

Down to business

Having used a few N-series models in the past, I was quite impressed with this particular model’s fast response time.

Also, it did not hang on me at all which was a nice change.

With updates to its firmware, Nokia has improved the user-friendliness of its GPS application significantly.

It is quick, easy to use and the maps are very accurate. It is good if you are looking for landmarks and other major places.

Where it is lacking is the specific searches especially when it comes to the lesser-known places of interest.

In that situation, it will probably never replace a standalone GPS system.

To be fair, according to Nokia, it is in the early stages of a new map system and will have more detailed map updates and features in the future.

In any case it is hard to use while driving, at least, hard to use safely and without arousing the suspicion of the authorities.

Web browsing is also really fun on this model, mainly because of the well designed navigation wheel.

Also, this model has a tilt sensor which changes the screen view to landscape mode when tilted to its side.

It is great for Internet surfing but an inconvenience otherwise (sometimes it tilts while placed flat on the table).

Media matters

The camera on the N79 is really good. The focus time is about one second and the dual-LED flash is magnificently bright.

The picture and video quality is excellent with very few pictures coming out blurry or dark.

Nokia provides a USB cable so you can upload your media to your PC. Four gigabyte of memory is not considered massive these days but it is more than enough if you are consistent in uploading your content.

For music lovers such as myself, 4GB is not a world of space.

The speakers on this model are decent. It is much more enjoyable, however, to listen to music using the earphones/handsfree set provided.

I had a little trouble with transferring the music. The manual says to use Windows Media Player 11 but that does not really work so well since some of my synchronised files went missing in the phone.

What the booklet does not tell you is that you can actually use Nokia Music to sync the files. Even with Nokia Music, it took a few tries before all my music was where it should be.

N-gage me

I must say, getting a free activation code for LucasArt’s mobile version of Star Wars: Force Unleashed was really great.

I think it is the first mobile game I got really engrossed in and was impressed with the detail of the graphics and the complexity of the gameplay.

I am generally not much of a mobile gamer but I found this particular game to be challenging and very entertaining.

Conclusion

I have to admit this phone really impressed me. It is elegantly designed and its features are mostly top of the line.

Its price tag is significantly lower than many of its N-series counterparts and it has almost all the same features, albeit reduced in some areas.

Pros: Stylish design; good response time; excellent camera features; cool covers; fun games.

Cons: Rice-like keys are difficult to use; loose camera cover; limited memory; file synchronisation is troublesome.

Sony Ericsson goes WinMo

2009-01-27T16:21:00.000-08:00

Sony Ericsson dips its toe into the world of Windows Mobile with the Xperia X1.

When it was announced many months ago, the Sony Xperia X1 looked like Windows Mobile’s answer to the Apple iPhone, with its cool-looking animated custom screens and icons.

What got everyone to sit up and listen was a promotional video that Sony Ericsson uploaded online.

The video showed an incredibly fancy interface, with icons that zoom in and out and flip around — in essence, the promise of a flashy interface over the normally staid Windows Mobile menus.

So now that it’s here, does it fulfil Sony Ericsson’s promise of a better smartphone?

In the box

Before we get to the nitty-gritty, we’ll take a look at just what you get for the over RM3,000 (according to official sources) you are expected to pay for the Xperia X1.

Apart from the handset itself, you get a charger, a pair of headphones with built-in microphone and, of course, the usual plethora of manuals, setup CD and quick start guides.

The X1 charges via its USB miniport and the bundled sync cable actually plugs into the AC adaptor to charge the device.

Of course, you can also charge when the X1 is synchronising with the PC so you don’t really need to plug the device into the AC adaptor if you sync with your PC a few times a day and keep the power topped up.

The X1 itself feels quite good in the hands — it’s not the thinnest nor smallest smartphone around, but it’s narrow enough that it fits in the hand nicely.

On the front, the phone has the usual Windows Mobile buttons arranged in a sort of double-X pattern on either side of the directional pad.

Here the X1 reveals the first of its hidden secrets — while the directional pad functions as you would expect, where you navigate by pressing the up, down, left, right and centre buttons, it actually functions like a notebook’s touchpad as well, allowing you to scroll by just running your finger along the surface.

While it is pretty cool to do this, there’s really not much difference between using this method to scroll compared with using the directional pad.

Turn on the X1 and you’ll be presented with a gorgeous screen — the display is a really high-resolution 800 x 480pixel screen, one of the highest currently available on any smartphone.

Thanks to its high-resolution and relatively small size, the screen looks silky smooth with pixels that are really invisible to the naked eye — I can’t stress just how nice the X1’s screen is.

The same can’t be said for the X1’s slide out keyboard, as the keys on the Qwerty keyboard are just too flat and shaped wrong to type with the ball of your thumb or with the fingernail without hitting the keys next to the one you want.

Interface

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again the Windows Mobile interface seriously needs a makeover.

Like HTC’s Touch series, the Xperia X1 has a go at changing the staid Windows Mobile menus with its own flashier interface.

For a start, the X1 mimics the iPhone’s “flick-to-scroll” feature and allows you to scroll through the entire interface by just flicking your finger on the screen.

On top of that, Sony Ericsson has included a few applications of its own including a replacement Today screen with a large analogue clock on the front and shortcuts to the messaging application and wireless settings.

There’s also a flashy X Panel application that gives you a list of animated shortcuts to a number of applications, including the custom Xperia Today screen, the built-in radio and the multimedia player, amongst others.

However, while it certainly looks cool, the X Panel is of limited practical use — for one thing, it only allows you to add shortcuts to only a limited number of applications instead of letting you add a shortcut to any program you want.

For another, all the flashy animation (giving you either a tiled view or a an animated fan view) slows down the machine and doesn’t actually make accessing your programs any faster.

Beyond that, the X1 doesn’t go far enough to get you away from the Windows Mobile interface and you will still have to resort to the clunky Windows Mobile messaging application for all your e-mail and SMS/MMS needs.

While it’s not bad, for example Windows Mobile 6.1 adds a threaded SMS interface, it still requires a lot of navigating in menus to send a message.

The software bundle that comes flashed into the ROM include Google Maps that works together with the built-in GPS in the X1 and best of all, the very latest Opera 9.5 browser for Windows Mobile.

Opera 9.5 is a very solid browser and much better, smoother and faster than Internet Explorer Mobile, allowing you to view webpages and zoom in and out of columns much like Safari does on the iPhone.

Oh yes, while Office Mobileis common in all Windows Mobile smartphones now, the version that comes bundled with Windows Mobile 6.1 allows you to open and save documents in Microsoft’s latest Office 2007format.

As for games, Sony Ericsson has added a couple on top of the Windows Mobile’s default Bubble Breaker and Solitaire, namely Astraware’s Sudokuand Bejeweled 2 — nice, but strangely the games only work in landscape mode.

The 3.2-megapixel digital camera with autofocus produces pretty good photos especially when shooting in bright daylight.

Having the Sony brand name attached to this phone means that you get a music and media player that looks better than plain old Windows Media Player Mobile as well as a nice radio tuner application that works with the built-in FM tuner.

One thing I really liked is that the X1 comes with a regular 3.5mm stereo jack input so you can use third party earphones if you so desire, although the supplied earphones were good enough for me and comes with a built-in microphone for answering calls.

The issues

Battery life on the Xperia X1 is just average — you can get about a day and a half if you don’t use WiFi at all.

If you do a little surfing via WiFi for an hour or two, however, expect to have to charge the X1 at the end of the day.

We also experienced a few problems with our review unit, as the X1 would crash a few times during the day, and the problems persisted even after we hard reset the device and started from scratch.

To be fair, a little sticker on the side of the X1’s packaging indicated that the device is a “trial unit /prototype” so perhaps the stability problems were due to firmware that’s not fully baked yet.

Hopefully this will be fixed in the retail version.

Conclusion

In terms of size and shape, the Xperia X1 is really not bad at all.

Unfortunately, the thing that really lets down the X1 seems to be the Windows Mobile operating system itself, as Sony Ericsson just doesn’t go far enough with its customisations to minimise the problems with the operating system.

My verdict? The hardware is nice, but for the price, Sony Ericsson really needs to look at where HTC is now with its latest Touch handhelds and really bring the X1 up to speed both in terms of performance and cost.

Pros: Nice design; fits well in the hand; beautiful high-resolution screen.

Cons: Interface still needs work; stability issues; thumb keyboard too flat and closely spaced.

One fine camera

2009-01-15T16:29:00.000-08:00

THEY say that great things come in small packages and the Fujifilm Finepix F100d proves that theory, as the compact camera holds its own with a bevy of great features.

The Finepix F100d cranks things up a notch with a 12-megapixel sensor and an RP (Real Photo) processor, which the company claims will deliver razor-sharp high resolution shots.

The camera is outfitted with a versatile 5x zoom lens (equivalent to 28mm - 140mm) that covers both the wide angle and telephoto end of the spectrum.

And not only does the Finepix F100d supports high ISO levels but it also is able to take good shots at higher ISO settings.

Other features of the Finepix F100d include a new Face Detection technology that locks on to faces faster and Dual Image Stabilisation which combines both mechanical image stabilisation and higher ISO level for shake-free images.

There’s also a Dual Shot mode that allows users to quickly shoot two images — one with flash and another without — in rapid succession to capture the same great moment without having to snap twice.

The Finepix F100d supports both Fujifilm’s standard xD cards as well as regular SD cards.

Zenni rules

2008-11-21T13:53:00.000-08:00

I know I had spoke about The popular online eyeglasses shop, Zenni lots of time in my blog, but this time I want to share this news with you all again.

As we all know, Zenni Optics is one of the 1st in the world who sell specs to customers online. Besides that, it is one of the online stores that provide cheapest spectacles. Many of you might wonder that why can they selling those specs at such a low price only $ 8 Complete Rx Eyeglasses are they low in quality?

Pirated? 2nd handed? None of them, they can give us such a low price is all because of they get their stocks directly from the manufacturers, so deducting the middleman expenses, we can get the low price but same quality specs!

I found an article from Chicago Tribune, the author also support that buying spectacles from Holiday Glass Frames From Zenni Optical is an ideal solution.

Size Does Matter

2008-11-17T13:02:00.000-08:00

Male Edge’s patented penis enlargement device harnesses the body’s natural propensity for growth. When the penis is under traction, cells divide and multiply and tissue increases. Sounds painful?
It isn’t.

The Male Edge penis enlarger is safe and painless, non-invasive and proven to work. In fact, our independent clinical trials have shown an average 24% increase in penis length and 19% in penis girth.

Now that’s impressive. Find out more at www.maleedge.com

Carlsberg Fun

2008-11-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

Drank any beer recently? How about Carlsberg? The beer is really a nice one.

Recently Carlsberg launches Web-TV channel about football and fan life
Recently Carlsberg Brewery launched a football web-TV-channel www.partofthegame.tv
They launched 5 channels showing all aspects about football from the classic football matches to life as a fan.

Be sure not to miss the video clips about football funnies and rituals from the Football Magic channel.

As an extra feature you can upload your own favourite football moments. Even, if you’ve found the videos on YouTube etc.

Gadgets for You

2008-10-11T23:50:00.000-07:00

The technology world is growing so rapidly now. Electronic stuffs have been so hot and interesting. Cheap also on the other side.

Seen this website recently. Its the new site, but it is growing and becoming established rapidly. The goal of the site is not to list every bit of news from each day. Instead, the site focuses on the product releases and news items that are the most significant, useful, or particularly cool. The items are hand-picked as a "best of the best" resource for computer hardware, software, gadgets, and tech news. Therefore, instead of visitors having to wade through pages of minor updates and other news that is not of interest, the top products and news items are solely presented.

Besides, other useful gadgets include the universal remote control which sounds like the one we saw in the movie Click. Haha!

Other stuffs are the network media player and the online backup services for backing up the important informations in your computer.

Kursk I'm back

2008-08-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

So soon, another 48 hours and I'll be on the plane back to Kursk.

I don't really want to go back, life back there is so boring. Unlike at home, I'm more free. Anyways, another year to go before I graduate. I guess that reason is the only motivation for me now.

Domain names are a hot commodity these days. For some, selecting a domain name is a thorough process that takes a bit of research and time to complete. While it’s extremely important to select one that fits your business best, you can take things a step further by securing variations of your primary domain in advance. Many individuals do this to secure company names and trademarks.

Registering multiple domains is another great way to enhance your presence online. Each of these domains act as individual websites and can be used to generate high-volumes of traffic. They give you the advantage of cross-branding your products and exploring many different avenues. Purchasing multiple domains is also a sound strategy to keep the competition from nabbing up your ideas.

Different people have their own reasons for hosting multiple domains. Each are unique and carry there own set of benefits.

If you want to know more about web hosting rating, web hosting tutorials and web hosting awards. Do visit this site. My personal web host is good though, might think about changing one.

Refinancing!

2008-07-17T00:55:00.000-07:00

Mortgage-mart.com has been online since 1995, helping people find the mortgage that best suits their needs. The purpose of these reviews will be to help increase our exposure to the available marketplace.

It is now. Problems of refinance mortgage are solved easily. The Best Stop for Mortgage Loans are close to you now.

Troubles of buying a home is exciting, but can also be stressful with so many decisions to make regarding which types of loans to have and which lender to obtain it from. Should you deal directly with a lender or have a broker? What's the point compensation for having a broker? How much of a loan payment can you afford? How much should the loan amount and loan term be? Is the interest rate fixed or adjustable? The questions keep rolling in, but you can ease your mind now that you are here. Mortgage Finders Network will help you with your mortgage loan process. We're all you need to get started!

Types of Loans available :

There are so many different types of loans out there to accommodate the many different situations home buyers and home owners need. From first time home buyers to current homeowners, we provide all sorts of loan financing such as mortgages, refinancing, and home equity loans. Be sure to research, shop, and compare all loan types to find which one best suits you.

Money Amazes you

2008-07-17T00:44:00.000-07:00

A payday loan or cash advance is a small, short-term loan that is intended to bridge the borrower's cashflow gap between pay days. We are interested in highlighting the legitimate uses of cash advnaces in a responsible manner.

So get the best choice of the best payday loan now. Forget about the worries of money.

Pay day loans the perfect solvent for financial problems. When ever you are strapped for cash, you can always rely on a quick and easy pay day loan, washing all those bills and worries away.
Payeveryone.net online makes it even easier for you to acquire a debt saving pay day loan.

All you have to do is sign up for our free painless pay day loan search. It only takes seconds.
Within a day, if you are approved, you will be contacted and will discuss what kind of pay day loan that you should use. After deciding the right course of action and the deal has been finalized you will then receive your pay day loan usually by the next business day.

It's that simple and easy! If you need the money, don't wait sign up now!

Nice Specky!

2008-07-17T00:39:00.000-07:00

Its time to check out the latest, modern glasses from the Incredible Stylish New Frames From Zenni.

Moreover, what makes it so popular : Zenni Optical was on FOX news! Imagine that!

Zenni Optical $ 8 Rx Eyeglasses. How cheap is that! And, ZenniOptical.com Sells Stylish Prescription Glasses Online. You will find huge selection of frames, with single vision lens, sunsensor (potochromic)lens, tinted sunglasses lens, bifocal lens and progressive lens. The Secret to Zenni’s Low Prices is that they sell only their own manufactured frames direct to the customer, with no middlemen and virtually no advertising budget.

Why wait anymore! Get yourself one now

Earnings!

2008-06-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

Do you have a blog and want to make some extra money? Then bloggerwave gives you the opportunity. Bloggerwave is aiming to be Europes biggest advertising media on blogs and you can help us grow so more and more jobs will come.

Do grab this golden opportunity to create new revenue for your blog! Any questions and suggestions please feel free to ask me. Thanks

Kaspersky Antivirus 7.0 Crack

2008-05-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hello

hi there, if you have any problems with the latest license key, please use this activation code

Kaspersky Activation Code:

K5PXQ-X1SW6-2RAMR-ZBM2X

Thanks to Mohikiller.

How to Switch from an Analog to Digital TV

2008-04-24T00:30:00.000-07:00

That's the question a lot of people will be asking after installing one of the converter boxes that will keep their older TV sets tuned in to over-the-air broadcasts after February 17, when most stations will switch from analog to digital transmission.

The National Association of Broadcasters estimates that 70 million sets are in danger of losing their picture.

We tested two boxes and found them to produce a picture quality far better than any analog channel we could find, giving a whole new lease on life to a tube TV that lacks cable or satellite service (which will still work with older TVs after February 17). The boxes also gave us access to more channels than analog reception.

But the boxes also have a peculiar problem: Unless users manually change settings from show to show, the picture from many stations either won't fill the screen or it will be so big that parts of the picture are cut off by the edges of the screen.

We tried the Digital Stream DTX9900, sold by RadioShack Corporation, and Insignia NS-DXA1, sold by Best Buy. Each costs $59.99, which can be partly defrayed by a $40 coupon available from the government at www.dtv2009.gov.

Both boxes, with some programs, produced "windowboxing" or "the postage-stamp effect": The TV picture occupies the center of the screen, leaving black bars above, below and on either side of the picture.

This occurs because the digital broadcasts of network stations are in most cases formatted for widescreen HDTVs. When shown on a non-widescreen TV, the image will be "letterboxed," showing black bars above and below.

But it doesn't end there. A lot of these digital broadcasts are actually of non-widescreen content. Practically no daytime fare, like syndicated shows and reruns of old sitcoms, is widescreen.
The stations deal with this by inserting black bars to the left and right of the image to pad out the widescreen frame. On a non-wide TV, the result is windowboxing. That nice 32-inch TV you got five years ago is turned into a 24-incher.

The solution is to press the "Zoom" button on the remote that comes with the converter box. That will expand the picture so it fills the screen. Everything good now? No. When the next show comes on, it might have been shot in widescreen. The "zoom" mode will still be on, which means only the center of the image will be visible. The left and right sides will fall outside the screen, but you won't know that, unless you start mashing the Zoom button again to cycle through a few options until you get to the letterboxed mode.

Now, a lot of people might accept that they're going to be missing part of the frame, especially since many stations use a "center cut safe" principle, which means they try not to put important information on the left and right edges when shooting widescreen content. But when we watched "Everybody Loves Raymond," having the zoom engaged cut Raymond's brother out of the frame. I don't think Robert appreciated that.

The converter boxes have another issue that may affect some people. It has been widely reported that all analog broadcasts will go away next year. That's not quite true. More than 2,900 low-power stations and about 4,400 signal-relay stations known as "translators" that extend broadcasts to rural areas will not be required to go digital by the deadline, and may lack the resources to do so.

The converter boxes we tested don't let analog broadcasts through to the set, so these low-power signals will be blocked. None of the other converter boxes carried by the big U.S. electronics retailers have analog passthrough either. One model sold by online stores, the Philco TB100HH9, has passthrough, but it was sold out at the sites that listed it.

Lack of analog passthrough may not be a fatal flaw. You may not miss the low-power stations. If you have a TV that takes a "composite" input, usually via a yellow socket, you can plug the converter into that, leaving the antenna socket free for a second antenna, which you can use for remaining analog broadcasts. (Even if you don't plan to use a second antenna, plugging the converter box into the composite jack is a good idea, because you'll get better image quality.)
The two models we tried are quite similar, and opening them up reveals that their major components are in fact identical.

We preferred the RadioShack's Digital Stream model for its user interface, which contains a program guide that allows you to look ahead at a channel's programming for up to 24 hours. It's bare-bones compared to the program guides that come with cable or satellite subscriptions, but hey, it's free.

The Insignia also has a program guide, but it only tells you what the current and following shows are.

Another minor difference is that the Insignia remembers the zoom setting for each channel, while the Digital Stream applies the same setting to all widescreen channels. Either way, you'll be using the zoom button a lot if you want to watch TV the right way

Internet addictions: A real medical menace?

2008-03-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

Alcohol, drugs, food, sex, and even shopping are all candidates for medical treatment and are recognized as genuine mental disorders, so what about the Internet? Internet addiction -defined as "excessive gaming, sexual pre-occupations, and email/text messaging" - is becoming so common that at least one psychiatrist says it merits inclusion in psychiatry's official handbook of mental illness, the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders."

Dr. Jerald Block of the Oregon Health and Science University is the latest voice pushing for this inclusion, noting that tech junkies display genuinely debilitating behavior, including drug-like cravings, withdrawal, and a constant need for more and better gear - just like a substance addict might exhibit.

But other doctors comment that Internet addiction, while it may be real, is too new of a condition and needs further study before being medically classified. There might be something to this: No one wants people being medicated or institutionalized if they aren't genuinely ill.

The "Manual of Mental Disorders" won't be published again until 2012, but an early draft will arrive for public comment in 2009. Meanwhile, mind docs say the problem is growing, now possibly affecting up to 10 percent of Internet users. Recent studies are surprising, indicating the problem is worst not among game-obsessed teens, but rather among middle-aged women who stay at home, constantly on the computer as a way of connecting to the outside world.

Is computer use (or computer downtime) causing a problem in your life? If so, you might be an addict. But you'll have to wait a few more years to find out for sure.

So how much time do you actually spend on the internet per day?

PhotoHunt 101: I Spy

2008-03-15T03:08:00.000-07:00

A quick look into the tech geek's desktop, not really good specs but still suitable for gaming.

And yeah I know its kind of dusty inside..haha

MALAYSIA ELECTION DECIDES 2008

2008-03-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

Abdullah sworn in as PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was sworn in Monday as the prime minister before the Yang diPertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, following the victory of the Barisan Nasional (BN) in Saturday's general election.

Abdullah took the oath of office and oath of secrecy at the ceremony which was held at the Balairong Seri of the Istana Negara here at 11.10am after he was presented the instrument of appointment.

Abdullah, 68, assumes the office of prime minister for a second term.

The Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tuanku Nur Zahirah, was also present at the ceremony.

Abdullah arrived at the Balairong Seri at 11am, accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor as well as other VIPs were present at the event.

Among the VIPs were former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad and several new members of parliament (MPs).

At the ceremony, which took about 20 minutes, Abdullah signed the instrument of appointment before Chief Justice Datuk Abdul Hamid Mohamad, which was witnessed by the Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan.

Barisan won 140 of the 222 parliamentary seats in Saturday's general election, enabling it to garner a simple majority and form the government.

Abdullah retained his Kepala Batas seat in Penang by defeating Subri Md Arshad of PAS with a majority of 11,246 votes.

Quick look into Latest Internet Explorer 8 beta 1

2008-03-06T21:44:00.000-08:00

Perhaps acknowledging its declining market share among Internet browsers, Microsoft is borrowing several popular features from Firefox and Safari in its release of Internet Explorer 8 beta 1. Although intended primarily for developers, the beta is public and should be used with caution.

We downloaded the 14.4MB file, then waited as Microsoft downloaded any missing Internet Explorer updates, checked for malicious code on our machine, and finally installed the browser. We then had to reboot. Our system crashed during the reboot and had to be manually restarted (but remember, this is a beta).

After restarting Windows, we were not prompted to do anything. Only after clicking on Internet Explorer did we find that version 7 had been overwritten with version 8 beta. A first-time use wizard walked us through configuration and personalization. There's the express settings option, which accepts the settings from your previous Internet Explorer installation, and there's choose my settings. We chose choose my settings, and we were asked to:

change default search engine (we kept ours Google)
change Activity Providers (see below)
enable Safety Filter (yes)
make Internet Explorer 8 beta 1 your default (no)
import settings from another browser (yes)

Activity Providers, according to Microsoft, are default pages for maps, encyclopedia information, and social networks. Accepting Microsoft's defaults puts you firmly within the Microsoft universe of Windows Live spaces: Blog with Windows Live Spaces, Define with Encarta, Translate with Windows Live, and send with Windows Live Hotmail. We chose not to install any of these. Later we found that Microsoft has partnered with Facebook, eBay, StumbleUpon, Yahoo, Windows Live, and MSN, and provides "activities" associated with each. By choosing StumbleUpon, for example, we found that we can set Internet Explorer to always check StumbleUpon for reviews of a Web page, for related content associated with a Web site, for up-to-the-minute feeds of popular sites, or StumbleUpon itself. If you check for more Activities, you will find a Page Not Found.

The Safety Filter exists in the latest release of Internet Explorer and is the antiphishing part of the browser. In version 8, Microsoft adds malware prevention, actively scanning a downloading page for malicious content. Unlike other safe-surfing applications we've seen, Microsoft displays a warning. We think it might be better to flag the user, say in a pop-up window. Efforts to find what Microsoft found objectionable were futile; you could either block the threat or allow it without ever knowing what "it" is.

When we typed in maps.google.com, Internet Explorer 8 beta 1 crashed. Fortunately, Microsoft has borrowed the Session Recovery feature from Mozilla Firefox. Dubbed Automatic Crash Recovery (ACR), the Microsoft feature only crashes the tab, not the whole browser, and attempts to restore the tab individually. Apparently Google Maps did not crash the page, but our Google Toolbar did. After several attempts to recover the page, Internet Explorer 8 beta 1 asked if we wanted to close the tab.

Another borrowed feature is Web Slices. At the moment, only a handful of sites offer slices, so it's hard to judge how well this works in the wild. Apple Safari has a similar feature, allowing you to create applets on your desktop with snippets from live Web sites. Microsoft isn't that ambitious, as the site snippets only work within the Internet Explorer 8 beta 1 browser.

If you load Internet Explorer 8 beta 1 and then decide you don't like it, you can click the Emulate IE7 button to return your browser to the look and feel of the current version. Check back to see our take on beta 2 and the final release expected later in 2008.

Friendship Chain

2008-03-05T13:49:00.000-08:00

Thanks Denz for the tag, doing it now, nice job you've done.

~~Begin Copy~~

This is the easy way and the fastest way to :

1. Make your Authority Technoraty explode.
2. Increase your Google Page Rank.
3. Get more traffic to your blog.
4. Makes more new friends.

Rules :
1. Start copy from "Begin Copy" until "End Copy" to your blog.
2. Put your own blog name and link.
3. Tag your friends as much as you can.

1. Picturing of Life
2. Juliana's Site
3. Hazel-My Life, My Hope, My Future.
4. Jeanne-The Callalily Space
5. Starz in De Sky
6. Denz Techtronics
7. Denz Recreational
8. Only the Strong Survive
9. AD's Techs

Now my turn to direct this tag to all the bloggers out there, and that's if you get tagged by me. Lol

~~End Copy~~

Wordless Wednesday

2008-03-05T00:13:00.000-08:00

My post of the day : A friend of mine. Looks really funny, Haha !!

Intel introduces Atom for mobile devices

2008-03-02T23:17:00.000-08:00

Intel Atom processor will be the name for a new family of low-power processors designed specifically for mobile internet devices (MIDs) and a new class of internet-centric computers arriving later this year.

The company has confirmed Intel Atom as the name for its processors previously codenamed Silverthorne and Diamondville.

Intel also announced the Intel Centrino Atom ("Menlow") processor technology for MID platforms, consisting of multiple chips that enable this Internet experience in a pocketable device. Intel Centrino Atom processor technology includes the Intel Atom processor, a low-power companion chip with integrated graphics, a wireless radio, and thinner and lighter designs.

The Intel Atom processor is based on an entirely new microarchitecture designed specifically for small devices and low power, while maintaining the Intel Core 2 Duo instruction set compatibility.

The design also includes support for multiple threads for better performance and increased system responsiveness. All of this on a chip that measures less than 25 mm², making it Intel’s smallest and lowest power processor yet.

These new chips will be manufactured on Intel’s 45nm process with hi-k metal gate technology. The chips have a thermal design power (TDP) specification in 0.6-2.5 watt range and scale to 1.8GHz speeds depending on customer need. By comparison, today’s mainstream mobile Core 2 Duo processors have a TDP in the 35-watt range.

With personal computing increasingly going mobile and the computer industry rapidly developing new classes of products to connect the next billion people to the internet, the Intel Atom processor offers customers the unique ability to innovate around the new low-power design. In addition to the MID opportunity, Intel believes the demand for a new category of low-cost, internet-centric mobile computing devices dubbed ‘netbooks’ and basic internet-centric desktop PCs dubbed ‘nettops,’ will grow substantially over the next several years. The Intel Atom processor is perfectly suited to meet these new market segments.

Intel said the Intel Atom processor also has potential for future revenue opportunities in consumer electronic devices, embedded applications and thin clients.

Photohunt : Party

2008-02-29T21:57:00.000-08:00

As the election is coming on the 8th of March in Malaysia, different political PARTIES are now doing their best spreading their propagandas, hoping to do the very best they can to win more votes.

As you have known, Malaysia is a diverse countries with different races of population, the majority being Malay, Chinese and Indian. The picture shown is the party which wins the majority all these years, the National Front Coalition ( also known as Barisan Nasional in Malay) .

Other parties being the alternative front and the other parties of opposition, the strongest is DAP (Democratic Action Party).

Haha, will not comment here about who I will vote for, who I hope could have won, can't risk to be caught by the Security Act. Haha !!!

PhotoHunt

World's Thinnest Notebook now with Multi Touch Trackpads

2008-02-29T03:07:00.000-08:00

Apple has beefed up its line of MacBook and MacBook Pros this morning with three new MacBooks and three new MacBook Pros. Most notably, the upgrade sees more powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processors and 802.11n wireless networking. Also MacBook Pros get the multi-touch trackpad first seen on the MacBook Air and 802.11n wireless networking.

The MacBook upgrades include a 2.1 GHz model with a 120GB hard drive and 1GB of memory for $1,099. A 2.4 GHz MacBook with 2GB of memory and a 160GB hard drive is available for $1,299. And finally, a black 2.4 GHz MacBook with 2GB of memory and a 250GB hard drive is available for $1,499.

Optional customization includes up to 4GB of memory and 250GB hard drive on all of the MacBooks.

For the line of MacBook Pros, a 15.4-inch widescreen, 2.4 GHz model with 2GB of memory and a 200GB hard drive is available for $1,999. A 15.4-inch widescreen with a 2.5 GHz processor, 2GB of memory and 250GB hard drive is available for $2,499 and a 17-inch 2.5 GHZ modem with 2GB of memory and a 250GB hard drive is available for $2,799.

The MacBook Pro line also includes the LED-backlit screen and keyboard not included in previous versions. Further customization options include up to a 2.6 GHz processor, 300GB hard drive and more.

For those looking to find something to complain about regarding this release, Apple is no longer including the Apple Remote free with its laptops.

These upgrades by Apple aren't mind-blowing, but its definitely nice to see a little speed boost, but even better to see the multi-touch trackpad to be included in Apple's MacBook Pro laptop selections.

Tip of the Day !! Speed up logon on Windows XP Pro

2008-02-15T04:10:00.000-08:00

Some people like me is always stuck with slow logon to windows domain. Its takes me approximately 3-4 minutes. Here are some tips :

You may experience extremely long delays (up to 5 minutes) when logging into domains using Windows XP Pro. This is caused by the asyncronous loading of networking during the boot up process. This speeds up the login process in a stand-alone workstation by allowing the user to log in with cached logon credentials before the network is fully ready.

To disable this "feature" and restore your domain logons to their normal speed, open the MMC and add the group policy snap-in. Under Computer Configuration-->Administrative Templates-->System-->Logon, change "Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon" to ENABLED.

This can be fed to clients via a group policy from a Windows 2000 server by upgrading the standard policy template with the XP policy template. Since this is an XP only command, non-XP systems will ignore it in a domain distributed group policy.

Hope the tip helped^^

Happy Chinese New Year 2 everyone !

2008-02-07T04:16:00.000-08:00

Wow ! Its finally the Chinese New Year, had a reunion dinner last nite. Had nice dishes, ate along with good friends ! Nice atmosphere though.

My new year resolution to have a prosperous new year and wish good health and success in all your undertakings !!

The anticipated Gaming Console

2008-01-15T23:21:00.000-08:00

I've been playing lots of games since childhood, from the oldest version if Micro Genius, to Sega, Nintendo and now there's Nintendo Wii

Its a nice console, you can play real time games with motions!! Wow imagine that.

Much ado's already been made about Nintendo's new revolution in gaming, the motion-sensitive and online-ready Wii, so we'll spare you the hyperbole and cut straight to the chase.

If you're an HDTV-owning home theater enthusiast who puts surround sound capability, eye-popping technological pizzazz, Blu-ray/DVD support and on-demand access to downloadable music and video content above base game play, this is the point where you can officially stop reading. Beg, plead, whine, cheat… steal from some poor teen who preordered the unit, even. Whatever it takes to get the job done, the system you're looking to lay hands-on this year is the PlayStation 3.

However, should you be a longtime hobbyist chagrined by the industry's recent focus on cookie-cutter sequels, a gaming neophyte intrigued by this growing interactive entertainment fad, a fan of all-time great franchises like Mario and Zelda or simply an everyday admirer with a passing interest in the subject matter, we've got some good news. The Wii is your console of choice, and just the sort of eye-opening kick in the pants the biz has been desperately in need of for, oh, roughly the last half-decade or so.

Merry Christmas !

2007-12-25T01:55:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas guys, have been busy all the time, will keep you guys posted though, having tough time facing the exams, anyways, having a nice white Christmas here, hope that you guys enjoyed yours too..

A quick Look into Sony Ericsson K770i

2007-12-15T06:17:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to get a new cellphone for myself, guess this will work just fine for me

If you are looking for the latest Cyber-shot mobile phone offering from Sony Ericsson, look no further as we bring you a small sneak peek of Sony Ericsson's upcoming star, the K770i right here at www.hardwarezone.com.

Appearing in three different colors, violet, white and brown, with each having its own distinct allure to suit different lifestyles, consumers can easily find a match to complement their fashion sense. For all you fashionistas out there, the phone is impressively slim and lightweight as well. At only 95 grams and 14.5 millimeters thick, this 3G mobile phone from Sony Ericsson is out to cater to all your shutterbug wants and mobility needs.

Holding it in our hands, it feels just right as it fits perfectly into our palms with its small footprint. In addition, the back casing is flushed with no protruding camera parts like the Sony Ericsson K800i, so it should fit into most pockets without being too obtrusive and bulky. For its size, the K770i manages to install a broad keypad design as well, which didn't hurt the fingers when too much pressure was applied, unlike the small buttons on the T650i.

The white colored version.

AD's first tip of all !!!

2007-11-29T05:58:00.000-08:00

Guys if you want a Safer, faster XP, please close unwanted services in your Windows.
How to do that?

To disable unneeded startup services for a safer, faster XP, use the "Services" Admin Tool (Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services). If you are a single user of a non-networked machine, you can disable the following items, with no ill effect.

Alerter
Clipbook
Computer Browser
Fast User Switching
Human Interface Access Devices
Indexing Service (Slows the hard drive down)
Messenger
Net Logon (unnecessary unless networked on a Domain)
Netmeeting Remote Desktop Sharing (disabled for extra security)
Remote Desktop Help Session Manager (disabled for extra security)
Remote Procedure Call Locator
Remote Registry (disabled for extra security)
Routing & Remote Access (disabled for extra security)
Server
SSDP Discovery Service (this is for the utterly pointless "Universal P'n'P", & leaves TCP Port 5000 wide open)
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
Telnet (disabled for extra security)
Universal Plug and Play Device Host
Upload Manager
Windows Time
Wireless Zero Configuration (for wireless networks)
Workstation

Hope this tip could help boost up the speed of your system !

Online MMORPG Craze?

2007-11-18T11:54:00.000-08:00

I have no idea but I don't know why my friends here are so crazy about these MMORPGs, hmm, including me too actually^^
We compare lots of the features of online games, from the quality of the graphics, the PvP (player vs player) combats, the interface of the game, gameplay, and lots of stuff, and one of the most important one, these are all F2P (free to play), unlike World of Warcraft. Haha
I still remember the very first MMORPG I played was 9Dragons by Acclaim, I've seen some other games my friends played including Silkroad Online, and now the new one by Acclaim, 2Moons.
Some screenshots of the game :

This is 9Dragons from Acclaim, medium graphics but nice gameplay and PvP

2Moons from Acclaim too, with nice graphics, gameplay and PvP is kinda normal.

About this, a new game I'm gonna try out, seems perfect graphics for me, Perfect World China is one of the top games in China, spent 4millions developing it, keep my fingers crossed

Lets Start This Thing!

2007-11-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

My first post. I'm gonna give my fullest to this blog. Get ready for updates on latest technologies and computing tips and tricks ^^