Techno Cop

How to hit Back at SMS Spammers

Do you get SMS messages in the middle of the night informing of big discounts on sleeping pills? Or while in the middle of a heated argument, you get a message saying you won a trip to the Bahamas. 

With the ubiquity of the cellphones comes a major source of annoyance - SMS Spam. In my last count I have received SPAM messages from at least 40 different numbers. Before, my only recourse was to immediately delete them. But just the same, I have already been distracted. 

Of late, I have been receiving on the average a minimum of 2 to 3 of these SPAM messages a day. Nothing too serious you might say. But they are still 2 to 3 distractions per day that I simply do not need in my busy schedule. 

It is now time to hit back at these SMS spammers.

Enter SMS Spam manager for the S60 5th ed Symbian.

   

The software is very easy to use. All you have to do is to populate the BLACKLIST group with the numbers of your most persistent spammers. After that, every time a spam arrives they are immediately directed towards the software’s blocked log without any notification (read: distraction). The messages are in the block log available for viewing if you so desire. In my case however I simply delete all of them.

If like me, you are starting to be bothered by SMS spam, I highly recommend using the SMS SPAM Manager by Webgate. As my way of hitting back at these spammers, I have convinced a number of my office mates to install the software to put an end to these unnecessary distractions.

This is just my first response to all you spammers out there. I am seriously contemplating on publishing all your numbers and your products in all the websites, blogs, social networking sites of which I am a member.

N97 Updated to New OS 11.0.021

In a blog I wrote some three weeks ago I noted some minor annoyances with the N. 97 that I feel could be addressed by a firmware update. The long wait is over. While syncing the N97 to the desktop this morning, I was prompted with the dialog box below:

I have shown below the different dialog boxes that I had to go through for this install. It took all of 20 minutes to complete the download with no issues whatsoever.

The following are just some of my initial impressions after the update:

• The install went smoothly with practically all data and settings saved and running in the updated N97. Even the third party software's I have installed are all working fine.
• the issue with having to pull on the side lock twice in order to unlock the device has been solved.
• The touchscreen now seems to be more responsive and, unlike before, I do not need to exert extra force when scrolling down screen menus.
• Even the accelerometer (for switching the phone between portrait and landscape modes) seem to be more sponsored.

Thanks so much NOKIA.

My Productivity Secrets

My Productivity Secrets

David Pogue of The New York Times fairly recently wrote about his productivity secrets. I was not surprised that I too use a good number of these so called “secrets.”

Below is our side by side comparison:

Productivity Secrets	POGUE	TECHNOCOP
WORKPLACE	I work at home	Mostly @ THQ
I use typing-expansion software	TapIt4Me	Autohotkey
I use dictation software	Dragon NaturallySpeaking	Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10
I know where everything is.	iD3 database	Windows 7 (W7)Search , N97 Search App on the phone & SUGARSYNC
Keyboard Shortcuts	macro software	W7 & JumplistLauncher
Calendar Program	standalone calendar program	Google Calendar. Also Outlook just to sync with the N97 phone.
I don’t waste time	3 lb machine	Macbook AIR, 1 home & 1 Office Desktop, Pen X and the N97 smartphone.
Have others take care of administrative stuff (booking airline tickets, hotel reservations, etc) for you.	Let’s his wife handle most administrative tasks.	To coordinate my TEAM’s Activities, we use a Wiki. Minimizes emails and reminders.

* I also work at home. That’s two, three or four hours more work time each day that I don’t spend commuting.

* I use typing-expansion software. You can read more about the software here by Pogue. Pogue says, “but the point is that I type only the first couple letters of many common words, and the software expands the rest. Since so much of my writing is technology-related, a lot of these words come up often—and they tend to be long ones.” I use AutoHotkey.

* I use dictation software. When I have long-form writing to do, I dictate into Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10. I was already happy with version 9. But version 10 is simply incredible. I am getting 95%++ accuracy. This entire post was written, er, dictated using DNS 10.

* I know where everything is. Pogue uses a software called iData 3. It’s a freeform database, meaning that the “cards” in this database don’t have separate fields for Name, Street, City and so on; instead, you can type or paste whatever you want into each freeform card. In my case I only use the powerful search of windows 7 to find almost anything in my computers.

* I use macro software. Pogue says,”Shift-Control-W to open Microsoft Word, Shift-Control-C for my calendar program, and so on. The less I have to use the mouse, the faster I fly.” I agree that is why I use W7’s own. I press WINDOWS +1 for Firefox, WINDOWS + 2, for MS WORD, and so on. I also leverage the power of Jumplist Launcher for other shortcuts.

* I have a great calendar program. Pogue uses a stand alone cross-platform calendar program. I just use Google calendar. It also auto syncs (both directions) with OUTLOOK only for purposes of syncing with the N97 smartphone.

* I don’t waste time. Pogue uses his 3lb laptop as his primary workhorse, “so that I can be productive during any little blob of downtime.” I use a Macbook Air and 2 desktops. All the files across all 3 computers are synchronized using SUGARSYNC. So, it does not matter which computer I am using, in a matter of seconds, files are synchronized across all of them provided I have internet connection.During the very few times that I am using MAC OSX Leopard of the Macbook AIR, files are synchronized there too. When I don’t feel like working on a computer, I simply input everything (schedules, notes, todo’s) in the N97. I also use the ADAPX PenX for all handwritten notes.

* Admin Stuff.  Pogue writes, “and I’m lucky enough that I don’t spend time on bills, taxes, travel arrangements, kid-activity scheduling, and so on; my sainted wife takes care of all that administrative overhead.” I on the other hand use an online collaboration software – Google Sites. I just post a particular requirement on our What’s New page and every member of my team automatically acts on the required attendant tasks to complete the same. No need for individual emails, telephone calls, or meetings. Members of my team simply leaves a comment on the same page should they require further elaboration.

These are my productivity gems. They have allowed me to effectively manage simultaneous projects, several business endeavors, career, family, and even leisure.

How to Search for Anything in Your Nokia N97

I have been using the N97 for about a month now and I am just loving the device. As I have stated in my previous blog, it replaced the iPhone in my gadget bag. The N97 packs all the features that I am looking for in a smartphone.

Just recently, I discovered yet another powerful feature, application, in the N97.

The Application SEARCH.

Inside the applications folder is where you can find the web search icon that will give you access to the search engine built into the N97. I stumbled upon it while trying to look for a particular SMS message from the hundreds that I have archived. After spending an eye straining 10 minutes searching, I said to myself, there must be a better way to try and find that missing SMS. That was when I started to press the search icon hoping that it will give me options other than searching the Internet. Lo and behold, it presented me with options as to which folder to search from. 

After highlighting the message folder, and typing my search criteria, I was presented with three SMS messages almost instantly. Guess what, one of those messages was exactly the one I was looking for. In terms of implementation and execution the N97's Search feature reminds me of the powerful search engine that comes with Windows 7. The N97's search engine may not be as fast when compared to that of my desktop speed demon, but it is close enough.

The N97's search application could be used to search just about anything on your cell phone. And as I've said getting results is almost instantaneous.

The same feature is also available in most S60 phones just like the E75 that I also use. Then how come I did not know about it? Duh. I guess I just did not have to use that in the E75 as I have included in my previous workflow the moving of certain SMS to their assigned folders. With this new found feature, I can just move all important SMS into a single ARCHIVE folder and let the search feature do the rest when needed. With this new workflow, once my inbox is getting full, I could simply erase all of those knowing that all the SMS that I may still need are residing in my ARCHIVE folder.

So if you have an N97 and you did not know about this search feature, go to your applications folder now, double-click on the web search icon and give it a spin.

Plantronics 925 Bluetooth Headset

It has been a while since I bought the Plantronics 925 Bluetooth headset. With its multi-point technology, which allows simultaneous use with up to two Bluetooth devices, it is simply the best Bluetooth device I have ever used.

The 925 is extremely comfortable to wear and use.The combination charging/carry case is also stylish and convenient offering extended battery life without needing to hunt down a power outlet. Audio quality in all was completely satisfying for a headset.

 But the best feature that  I love the most is its ability to be carried in the lanyard that came provided. Despite its being very light, there are just times when I don't feel like carrying it in the ear. I could simply attach it to the lanyard and carry it around the neck just like a jewelry.

However way I decide to carry the 925, it sure is a head turner as it is pretty noticeable due to its long boom and innovative design.

Although still not a deal breaker for me, I am now having difficulty connecting to to cell phones, the N97 and E75, simultaneously. I now have to turnoff the Bluetooth connection in one before I could connect a headset to my second phone. This is something I never had to worry about when using the headset with the iPhone 3G and the E75. This is a minor distraction that I can live with given the high quality audio, the long battery life, and the sleek design of the device. It will stay as a permanent fixture in my gadget bag.

Highly recommended.

The Nokia N97 vs E75 vs iPhone 3G

About a year ago, I wrote a raving review of the Nokia E71. I was so happy with that model that it in fact became one of my longest staying smartphones. I particularly fell in love with the QWERTY keyboard despite it being a bit cramped even for my average fingers. Also, the very intuitive handling of the Symbian OS for anything SMS despite it being outdated (hey, I still reside in the SMS capital of the world).

The N97 caught my attention in late 2008 and I had been waiting for it since. Basically, the following are my must have features in any smartphone:

· QWERTY. I just cannot live without it. It is for me a must have feature for SMS and the infrequent emails (I always have a laptop for that).

· Symbian OS. I’ve only had good experiences with it syncing with Outlook. I am also particularly attached to this OS mostly because of the 3^rd party softwares ACM (advance communication manager) and SMS SPAM. I find both software to have significantly reduced my distractions due to unwanted calls and SMS.

· LARGE SCREEN. Almost as wide as the iPhone 3G.

· MULTI-MEDIA. Just like the iPhone, the N97 could play video, music, and take decent pictures.

· Email. A nice to have for me, really, as I always have a laptop with me for handling emails.

In march of this year, with the delay in the release of the N97, I replaced the E71 with the Nokia E75 just out of curiosity and nostalgia. The way the QWERTY slides out reminded me of my old DOPOD 838 except that the E75 is a lot less hefty.

I found the E75 after a month of use to be very much the same in features and handling as the E71. And so the wait for the N97 continues.

In the last week of June, when the N97 was finally launched in the Philippines, I decided to get one.

Here is my quick observation:

What I liked

Symbian S60 5th edition OS. The comments are aplenty that the Nokia N97 still falls short of the noted slickness of the iPhone. IMHO, this is true as it is simply more fun and easier to move around in the different applications of the iPhone 3G. But the one thing I like with the OS of the N97 is the ability to customize just about anything in the homepage. All my most used apps are just a touch away.

QWERTY. As you can imagine, messaging is where the N97 shines. While the QWERTY keypad might be a little more flush and ever so slightly smaller than other efforts, it's still very easy to hit with my average sized hands, and within minutes I was typing at around 70% speed compared to a normal keyboard, which is excellent for a mobile phone. However, others that tried the keyboard were less impressed, stating that it was harder to hit the keys and the flush nature of the keyboard made it harder to find the right button each time.

Wifi/internet. Webpages like Wikipedia appeared superbly fast on the screen, and even heavier mobile sites that use a lot of Flash animation loaded much faster than I expected.

BATTERY LIFE. The quoted 20 days of standby seems a little optimistic, given that I could get around 1.5 days out of the phone on an average charge.

ORGANIZER. The organiser on the phone is obviously tailored more towards the business user especially since it took to touchscreen well. It was a no brainer for one who is coming from the E75.

OVI which replaces the Nokia PC suite. The Ovi Suite was a lot more intuitive than previous efforts, encouraging me to sync across all my media, back up contacts and even throw it all online to make it safe forever as Nokia tries to integrate all its services. The only problem that I have is that I would still need to use the old Nokia PC Suite when syncing my other phone- E75.

Touchscreen. It may not be as nicely implemented as the iPhone 3G but for me it is close enough. I also liked the way the screen is angled when you slide open the keyboard.

Build Quality. The N97 may not be a head turner when it comes to design. It is solid but not as much when compared to the E75. It is still relatively well-built although in a plasticky way.

MULTI-MEDIA. It does a good job in handling music, videos, and even You Tube. And with the 32gb built-in storage, I was able to transfer all of my iPhone files to include my audiobooks. The sound quality of the external speakers is the best thus far that I have listened to in a smartphone. The sound quality from the included headsets are comparable if not better that the iPhone 3G.

What I disliked:

The somewhat buggy software. Not a deal breaker for me since the only problem that I am having is when engaging/disengaging the rocker lock keys. I have to pull it twice in order to unlock the phone. This is something that the OS upgrade is supposed to address. It’s just that the upgrade for my particular release model is not available for download yet (c’mon NOKIA).

The Verdict

Nokia fans will see this as a definite upgrade from what's been offered before, and those that appreciate a decent form factor in a phone will definitely do so too.

But there's just some annoying parts to the Nokia N97 that needs to be addressed by the much talked about OS upgrade.

Be that as it may, the N97 will now replace the iPhone 3G, in my gadget bag, as my primary phone with the E75 serving as the secondary (a second phone is a must for a project that I am currently working on).

I do not say that the N97 will be the iPhone killer. It is just that the most useful features that I loved in the iPhone 3G I now also have in the N97.

If you already have the E75 and use your phone mostly for business and do not need the extras like a larger screen, better sound quality, and a higher storage, then there is no need to upgrade.

If I can only carry 1 phone with me, what would it be? The iPhone 3G, the E75, or the N97?

Definitely, the N97.

Resources:

http://www.symbian-guru.com/welcome/series/n97-review

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/06/12/nokia-n97-review/

http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/mobilephones/0,39051200,62049008-2,00.htm

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/nokia-n97-606466/review?artc_pg=1

N97 Video by jkkmobile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp_MWYaPLkM

Yet Another Gadget Bag

In a recent post I wrote:

Back to the HK trip, my long-time friend and mentor, MARTIN CEPEDA, asked me to accompany him to a Montblanc shop to buy a pen. We went to the branch in Pacific Place and he went inside the store as I wandered through the other signature shops nearby. When he finally got out of the store, he was carrying a huge shopping bag with the store’s logo emblazoned on it. So I asked, “ boy, that must be a hell of a lot of pens that you brought there.” To which he replied, “Nope, this is my gift to you.”

As promised, here is what my friend got me from the MontBlanc shop;

It is an elegant messenger bag made from deer skin. It does not offer much support to a laptop that is why I always have to carry the Macbook Air in a Speck hard shell case. However, It is spacious enough to fit my daily mobile gear. Here is what I always carry with it:

L-R: MontBlanc Messenger bag, Macbook AIR, USB modem,  Minimax speaker,  Plantronics 925  bluetooth headset, notepad, VGA adapter, Nokia E71, iPhone 3G, and Bang & Olufsen A8 earset.

Windows7 on the Macbook AIR

In a previous post I wrote that, “2009 will be the year where I will be less distracted by new gadgets.” Well, compared to years before, I can say that that has been quite true. We are almost at the end of the 1st quarter of the year and I have not added any new gadgets to the TECHNOCOP HQ. In the cellphone department alone, I have stayed with my very sleek E71 and iPhone 3G.

But all that has changed and I would have to blame Windows 7 and a recent business trip to Hongkong together with a close friend. After being extremely happy and productive in Windows 7, I found myself walking the streets of Causeway bay looking for a thin and light netbook. You guessed it, a thin and light netbook that will sport Windows 7 just as soon as I lay my hands on it. Heck, I even brought with me the installer and an external DVD drive. Let us cut through the chase, I bought a Macbook Air 1.86 GHZ Core 2 Duo with 128 gig SSD and 2 gig RAM. At 3 lbs, it is just as light as any netbook on the market.

The Windows 7 install (Using Bootcamp) on the AIR went without a hitch as expected. I simply followed the very well-written step by step guide in Simple Help. Here is my quick take on the experience thus far:

• My eyes are thanking me for the AIR’s very crisp 13 inch screen.
• I enjoy using the trackpad that I do not carry a mouse with me anymore.
• The processor speed is decent. It boots Windows 7 in just 40 seconds and WORD 2007 in 3 seconds. 
• The battery is good enough for my regular day of use. The meter shows 3+ hours but I will have to validate that some more.
• Even with its brick power adapter, the AIR hardly occupies space in most of my bags.
• All my software are running without any issues (Office 2007, Photoshop, TextAloud, Windows Live writer, Firefox 3 beta, Sugarsync and the Mindmanager Pro).

As I put the AIR with Windows 7 to the test in the days to come, I will report here other experiences that you may find helpful.

Back to the HK trip, my long-time friend and mentor, MARTIN CEPEDA, asked me to accompany him to a Montblanc shop to buy a pen. We went to the branch in Pacific Place and he went inside the store as I wandered through the other signature shops nearby. When he finally got out of the store, he was carrying a huge shopping bag with the store’s logo emblazoned on it. So I asked, “ boy, that must be a hell of a lot of pens that you brought there.” To which he replied, “Nope, this is my gift to you.”

In my next post, I will tell you what the gift was. (HINT: it is perfect for the Macbook AIR).

Windows 7 Experience Index

In my previous blog I wrote about why I am now seriously considering switching back to windows after almost two years of quite satisfying and productive experience with Apple’s OS X (both Tiger and Leopard). The dilemma was primarily a consequence of my amazing experience with the beta version of Windows 7.

Ever since I downloaded the beta version, I have already installed W7 in 3 computers:

1. HP 2710P Tablet PC. 1.2 ghz Core two Duo with 2 gig RAM.
2. Netbook. Asus EEE 1000H with 1.6 intel Atom proc and 2 gig RAM.
3. Desktop. The most recent addition to THQ, a $500 powerhouse sporting a Quad Core 2.4 ghz proc (Q6600) with 4 gig RAM.

Here are the Windows Experience Indexes for each:

HP 2710P

Asus EEE 1000H

Quad Core 2.4 4 Gig RAM

I have already said that Windows 7 turned the the 2 year old HP 2710P into a productivity gem. I can now also say that the same is true with the Netbook which used to run OS X (hackintosh). The only issue I encountered when installing W7 in the netbook was with the wifi. I had to to actually look for the original installer from Asus and installed from the CD the Ralink WLAN driver.

As happy as I may be with my two laptops running W7, I am blown away by the speed I am currently experiencing with my new $500 desktop. You add to that an absolutely flawless install of W7 (all drivers and applications working) and I was thinking why I ever even left Windows in the first place (Answer- a five letter word that starts with a V). This desktop easily beats in every department my sub-$2000 Dream Desktop (circa 2005).

Having all these extremely impressive experiences with this new product from Redmond, these had me thinking as to what I am really looking for in a computer. When you remove the eye candies, form factors and Veblenesque, I am actually looking for only 3 things:

1. It must work like a slave. It sits when I tell it to sit, it works when I tell it to work.

2. It must work with all of my must have applications. Right now, I mean Office 2007, Mindmanager 8.0, TextAloud, Photoshop CS (?), and Firefox.

3. It must provide me with a reasonable degree of immunity to the prevailing threats out of the box.

Let me leave you with this question, how does your present OS measure up in these 3 departments? Please share with me your thoughts.

Windows 7 on the HP 2710p

At about the same time I was experiencing freezes on the HP2710P tablet pc with Vista Business, I decided to download the beta version of Windows 7 (build 7000). Let me say at the outset that the installation and the amazing experience I have had with Windows 7 had me seriously thinking if I should stay with Mac OS X. Of course, it is too early to say if I will do so, but one thing is for certain, switching back to Windows is now a possibility. Even with just the beta version (we all know that the final version will only be better), my experience has been superb to say the least. Most of the things that I like with theMac OS X, I can now see almost flawlessly implemented in Windows 7. W7 has practically turned the 2 year old HP2710P 1.2 ghz Core two Duo into a productivity gem.

The Install. After downloading the ISO image for the 32 bit version, I just followed the steps here in order to have a DVD disc of the beta OS. I then popped the DVD in an external DVD drive and after a restart, I just followed the onscreen instruction. It was defintely the best install experience of any windows OS. I was done in less than 30 minutes. All of the 2710Ps drivers seem to be built into the installer and everything from sound, wireless, and tablet functionality were all working fine. The only issue was with the fingerprint reader but it was handled very well by W7's ACTION CENTER (a notification appeared in the system tray).

Compatibility with my favorite applications. All of my must have applications are installed and are functioning without any issues. I have installed Office 2007, Mindmanager 8.0, Zoundry Raven, Sugarsync, Firefox 3.0.5, Photoshop CS3, and TextAloud. I also installed a trial version of Kaspsersky internet Security as it is one of the 3 being endorsed by W7's Action Center.

Tons of Keyboard shortcuts. One thing I love in the OS X is Quicksilver, a software that allows you to customize triggers to open a specific application or folder. The built-in W7 shortcuts coupled with Launchy is, IMHO, close enough to Quicksilver.

Attention Grabber no More. Using it for 2 days, I find that W7 allows me to work without any distractions which was common (read: everytime) in Vista. Applications would open in a snap, no slow downs, and except for those from Kaspersky, I hardly ever get any pop ups from the OS. However, I would need to give it more time before I say more.

Speed is awesome. At least when compared to Vista and XP. ZDNet actually made a comparison here.

Lots of Eyecandy. From Aero that is no longer a memory hog, to a powerful Windows Media Center, W7 simply has so much to offer in the geek department. Click here for more.

The experience thus far has been great that I also installed W7 in the netbook. I will write about that experience as soon as I finish installing my favorite applications.

Let me just end this blog with this statement for now:

As someone who performs almost every computing task on a Mac (for the past one and a half years) and tells anyone who will listen that the average consumer should be using a Mac instead of a Windows machine because of security and stability, I'm starting to prep myself for the single moment that I thought would never come: I'll be using a Windows 7 machine as my main computer and telling anyone who will listen that, believe it or not, using the latest Microsoft operating system is truly worth it - once again.

UPDATE: I have now installed W7 in two other computers here.