Blackberry Your Day's are Counted

Last month when the HP 6500 pictures came out, and the geeks started to praise microsoft again (well why?) everyone including large tech blogs called the HP 6500 the Blackberry killer. Are the days of the Blackberry counted.

Look at this



This is the Motorola Moto Q, reminds you of someone.. Well it does look good. But I would not buy a Motorola phone. All you guys who know me.. know why.. I am a big Nokia (Yes I know, they are not the cutting edge guys), phone freak, but not motorola.

This sure looks impressive to me, the Q, though it will not come out till the second quarter of 2006, has a Razor like look, It's one of the first devices in the market that is running Windows Mobile 5 (So if your office like every other big microsoft customer) have upgraded to exchange 2003, then this is good for you. Also a 1.3 mp camera, and some other cool features.

I loved the look and feel of the Razor, sadly the big M on top of it.. kept me away from it.

G

A Can of Chips can Spell Trouble

Cantenna.. The most commonly used, home brewed Wireless access Antenna. Well that is how I would define it. Anyone serious about Wireless usage and willing to experiment a bit has built one. If you dont' know what I am talking about.. well you are not a geek is all I can say. In my experience anyone who has tried a bit of wardriving, or even detection of remote networks would have used a cantenna, but hear this

"Last month in Elk Grove, a high-school student faced eight felony computer-theft charges for allegedly hacking into his school's computer system and changing his grades.

When police searched his home, they found aluminum-lined, cylindrical potato-chip containers that some hackers use as crude antennas to help them intercept wireless signals."

This happened in the Sacramento Bay area in the US. Well what do we learn from this.. not that the can can (ah that sounds funny) can can create a problem, but secure your wireless networks.

All wireless routers that you pick at the store, are capable of sending a signal to some distance outside of your home or office, and by default, these devices (which they call plug and play) don't come with any security enabled. You need to enable security.

So.. go wireless.. but be secure.. G

The ALT Key

A few days back.. i managed to screw up and loose out on my Lattitude V740 from Dell. Merely 2 years old, my Display died on me, I was told. i had lived it's 20,000 hours of activity.. well in less than 2 years or so. yes. i have a bad habbit.. i never switch off my machines..

The dell was my second laptop.. after the sad demise of my Compaq Presario Laptop, 1200 series.. it came with a 12.1" display.. well that was the largest i could afford at that time.. and now.. i hear 12.1" are premium.. anyway.. and now. .am at an R51 IBM Thinkpad..

Anyway, the Big Blue has become a Red Blob. The day I opened the package from IBM, on the 4th of July, yes, the right hand ALT key of my keyboard came out. Well I am a far heavier user than Lenovo thought it designed the machines for... it's impossible.. too tough.. work harder.. to work without the alt key.. especially if you are not a touch typist..

It's firday evening. when i got back into Delhi, after another of my long trips and dont' know what to do with this. I have had other friends hwo have reported similar incidents of loosing keys on their newly made Lenovo / IBM thinkpads.. I have been told that I wont' get a replacement keyboard (god knows how much i will need to pay for it.. but anyway).. unltill when I have time to visit IBM.. and i will need to stand in the queue at the ibm office.. sad service levels.. when you compare it to dell at your home service.. but then.. hey.. i had to give the big blue a chance.. after all my big bro.. the cisco chaps.. carry ibms.. why not me..

G

Searching for a MP3 Player.. Want to read my take on it

Online Edition: Express Money: Monday 25th July 2005

Print Edition: Monday 25th July 2005, with the Indian Express (Express Money Supplement)

I was amazed to see a similar article in the Hindustan Times brunch by someone.. sadly more focussed on why he should not buy the iPOD. From my POV, it is one of the best players that have come out, simple to use, and everything. Well i would not buy one myself.. but the SONY NW507.. that's my bet.

G

Need Help Choosing a Smart Phone - Well read my article Tech2.0 in the Express money

Online Edition: Express Money, 18th July 2005
Print Edition: Mondays, with the Indian Express in Express Money Supplement.

Indian Express and Where I have been !!

For those of you wondering, where I have disappeared from Indian Express Estates, well for the last few weeks, I have been travelling across the villages of Punjab, and enabling Internet services in rural areas. This has kept me away from writing for the IE Estates, while I have started writing for Express Money. (www.expressmoney.in).

You can catch my articles, about Geek advice, in a column called Tech 2.0. The Express money comes out as a supplement with the Indian Express naition wide on Mondays.

For my last column login to Express Money, 11th July 2005

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