My Tech chat

Comparison of Samsung Galaxy SII and Samsung Galaxy Note

2012-01-29T07:44:00.002+08:00

Topic : Samsung Galaxy SII versus Samsung Galaxy Note

My friends ( not IT savvy types ;-) ) sometimes ask me about Samsung Galaxy Note, and what's the hype about. They also ask me what is the difference between Samsung Galaxy Note, and Samsung Galaxy SII. So, I made a comparison table below to help explain the differences.

Comparison table of Samsung Galaxy SII and Galaxy Note
References : Wikipedia
(click to enlarge)

As you can see, the Samsung Galaxy Note is designed as a tablet/smartphone to be carried anywhere , and offers a stylus interface for quick notes & sketches on the go.

Refer to below link for details :

Compare Cell Phones : Samsung Galaxy Note vs Samsung Galaxy SII

Android market share rising .... as of Oct 2011 (US only)

2011-12-14T22:29:00.000+08:00

Topic : US Android market share rising , US iOS market share , US RIM market share

Article summary, as of October 2011 (US only) :
a. Android market share = 53%
b. iOS market share = 29%
c. RIM Blackberry market share = 10%

I am happy ....... because ANDROID RULEZZZ !!!

Refer to below link for details :

Engadget : Android leads US market share, iOS may have stopped growing, RIM is still falling

Tango video call software (move over Skype !)

2011-12-12T12:34:00.001+08:00

Topic : Tango video call software, Tango mobile, Tango desktop, Tango for Samsung Galaxy Ace GT-S5830

My father-in-law introduced me a very cool video call software for smartphones. It is called Tango. It is available in the Android Marketplace , and also for IPhones.

The way it works is similar to Skype, but :
a. It depends on phone numbers to register users in the Tango contact list ( future email ID suppport is in the works )
b. It uses your Internet connection (3G, WIFI, etc) to make video calls
c. It supports a lot more Android phone models compared to Skype. Skype does not support video calls on my Samsung Galaxy Ace GT-S5830 (only voice calls), but Tango does support video calls , via my rear camera. Have to use a mirror to see the screen as this phone has no front screen camera. In fact Tango runs on any Android smartphones with camera(s).

I really love this software. It is very user friendly and works on my Samsung well. I am planning to use it on a regular basis, as my video calls are not restricted to my laptop !
The Tango software now also comes for Windows desktop PC & laptops with cameras.

Check the links below for details !

TANGO website

New Facebook app for Android - new version 1.8

2011-12-09T07:36:00.001+08:00

Topic : Facebook for Android app update - v1.7.2 to v1.8

As of yesterday , the Facebook for Android has been updated with the following features :
a. new user interface , similar to Facebook Touch (http://touch.facebook.com).
b. sidebar links on the left , frequent links on top.
c. New layout allows checking messages & notifications without interruption to current news feed reading.

As far as I am concerned , the new updates are cool, and it gives more flexibility to the content without interrupting my current read. I always liked the Facebook mobile touch site (http://touch.facebook.com) , so this is a welcome addition for me !

Trying Windows Phone OS on your phone .... free !

2011-12-01T23:22:00.001+08:00

Topic : Try Windows Phone OS on your Android or IPHONE phones

Here is a interesting way to see how Windows Phone OS 7.5 looks like in your phone .. using your browser !
No need to install any software, your browser will open the site and the page consisting of the Windows Phone GUI will show as if you are using a Windows Phone !

In short, just go to "http://m.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/demo/index.html" and see the magic , as long as your browser support HTML5. Take note that the demo site is designed for touchscreen phones.

See link below for more details :

Video: Windows Phone on iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy SII. Try Windows Phone on your browser!

Gartner's Q3 2011 smartphone figures : Android first, Symbian second !

2011-11-15T22:56:00.001+08:00

Topic : Gartner report for smartphones , Q3 2011

The below link shows the Gartner report for smartphones, dated Q3 2011.

In summary , based on the Gartner report below, Android & Symbian leads the pack, eventhough Apple Iphone IOS been pushing to go up the ladder.

Gartner report for smartphones , Q3 2011

Gartner report for Mobile Data protection , September 2011

2011-10-29T00:19:00.000+08:00

Topic : Gartner report for Mobile Data protection , September 2011

The below link shows the Gartner report for Mobile Data protection , dated September 2011.

In summary , based on the Gartner report below, McAfee & Sophos leads the pack in terms EPP (endpoint protection platform) & MDP (mobile data protection) , and cosolidation of EPP & MDP into one single package.

Gartner report for Mobile Data protection , September 2011

Samsung GT-S5830 update to Android Gingerbread version 2.3

2011-10-09T15:36:00.000+08:00

I have read in Android Advices website last month (http://androidadvices.com/) , about an Android Gingerbread update from Samsung for it's Galaxy GT-S5830 phone. The phone was shipped with option upgradable to the latest Android Gingerbread OS v2.3 . I was eagerly waiting for the update as I observed that the current Android Froyo OS v2.2 has the following weakness. I was hoping Gingerbread will fix all this. :

a. Sometimes lagging in GUI response.
b. Seems to consume battery power a lot, especially when WIFI is switched on.
c. Sometimes screens goes blank and become unresponsive, and this forces me to do a soft or hard reboot. This usually happens when there is several third-party apps running at the same time.
d. Messaging (SMS) is becomes slow when there is a lot of SMS conversation threads, and sending SMS takes about 10 seconds sometimes. Also , there is a few seconds delay , when you press the home button on your phone to go to home screen from the Messaging (SMS) screen.
e. Taking screenshots by pressing the home + power button together , ONLY works on the home screen & does not work on other screen views.

I checked for any updates yesterday night (6/Oct/2011) using the Samsung Kies software. Ah at last ! The update is here. Without wasting time I proceeded with the update.

Model : Samsung GT-S5830

BEFORE UPDATE
Android version : 2.2.1
Kernel version : 2.6.32.9-perf
Build number : FROYO.DXKC1

AFTER UPDATE
Android version : 2.3.4
Kernel version : 2.6.35.7-perf-CL562111
Build number : GINGERBREAD.DXKPD

Note : The above OS info can be seen in "Settings" -> "About Phone" menu

Ah yes. My phone is now running Android Gingerbread !
I noticed the following improvements on my phone after the update:

a. Phone GUI is smoother , faster transition from menu to menu, or to home screen.
b. Messaging (SMS) is now fast, sending SMS is now fast.
c. So far the phone screen does not go blank and become unresponsive.Need to monitor on this.
d. I can now take screenshots on ANY screen view by pressing the home + power button together.
e. Battery power consumption has slight improvement (lasts longer), but still drains when using WIFI extensively switched on.
f. The screen fonts is now more pleasant & rounded. I am not sure what is the font type.

Check out below for the related links and the update screenshots using Samsung Kies :

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

STEP 7

STEP 8

Great & free Android apps.....

2011-10-07T00:16:00.004+08:00

Here are links to some wonderful great Android apps details, for users of Android (newbies too!):

CIO.com Blogs : 8 Essential Android Security Apps
http://www.cio.com/article/675084/8_Essential_Android_Security_Apps

CIO.com Blogs : 15 Best Google Android Apps for Newbies -- All Free
http://www.cio.com/article/669913/15_Best_Google_Android_Apps_for_Newbies_All_Free_

Android Security : Best practices summary (rev 3)

2011-10-07T00:08:00.002+08:00

This is the third revision of my summary of best practice for increasing security for your Android phone.
I would recommend this to all Android users.

a) Switch off WIFI when not in use. This is to reduce chances of attack , and saves your battery consumption.
Believe me it saves battery power a LOT.
My Samsung Galaxy Ace would last only 1 day when used heavily with WIFI internet access, but it lasts 2 days when the WIFI Internet access is not much used and is switched off when not being used.

b) Switch off Bluetooth when not in use. This is to reduce chances of attack via anonymous Bluetooth connections from other phones. Users will suddenly be prompted that someone you don't know , wants to connect to you via Bluetooth, once allowed it infects your phone with virus/malware. I had a lot of this attack on my Nokia phone.

c) Install only authorised & signed apps from Android Market. This can be done by unticking "Unknown Sources" option in the Settings -> Applications settings menu. It makes sure you are downloading only signed apps from the Android Marketplace ONLY, and blocks other third-party marketplace sources.

d) Install mobile antivirus software ( example : Lookout Mobile Security, AVG Mobile Antivirus ). The two examples are good antivirus software for the Android phone which scans apps , content & SMS. A must-have.

e) Implement a screen lock password for your Android phone. Use complex password to make it difficult to guess ( alphanumeric, upper/lower case ). You also use the initials of a sentence you like as a password . Example : I love the way you look tonight , my darling - take the first letters of the sentence as the password --> iltwyltmd

f) Implement a SIM card password for your SIM card

g) Do not root your Android device. If you are rooting your smartphone, you're significantly reducing your device's existing security safeguards.

h) Customize locked home screen with Owner Info. This will enable any good samaritan who have found your lost phone, to contact you. See the article link below on how to do this.

Reference :
CIO.com Blog : Android Security: Six Tips to Protect Your Google Phone

http://www.cio.com/article/675129/Android_Security_Six_Tips_to_Protect_Your_Google_Phone

Note : this post will be updated when required.

Security flaw in Android OS - 6/Oct/2011

2011-10-06T23:47:00.002+08:00

I often read articles in CIO.com, and here is an article on 2 recent Android security flaws, very serious ones too. It concentrates on 2 specific flaws :

Security Flaw 1 :
Type : Unauthorised access to user data (emails, SMS data, GPS info, last-visit history, phone logs & phone numbers)
Affected : HTC model smartphones (Android)
Source : HTC tool from recent software update

Security Flaw 2 :
Type : Unauthorised lock/password bypass of smartphone - gain access to all phone data physically
Affected : AT&T's version of the new Samsung Galaxy SII smartphone
Source : Android OS security (specific source unknown)

I really hope Google give some serious attention to Android security in future updates & releases , as this OS has very good potential.

Reference :
CIO.com Blogs : Major Android Security Flaws Spotlight Growing Mobile Threat

http://blogs.cio.com/smartphones/16535/major-android-security-flaws-spotlight-growing-mobile-threat

Android Security : Best practices summary (rev 2)

2011-09-10T22:38:00.000+08:00

This is the second revision of my summary of best practice for increasing security for your Android phone.
I would recommend this to all Android users.

a) Switch off WIFI when not in use. This is to reduce chances of attack , and saves your battery consumption.
Believe me it saves battery power a LOT.
My Samsung Galaxy Ace would last only 1 day when used heavily with WIFI internet access, but it lasts 2 days when the WIFI Internet access is not much used and is switched off when not being used.

b) Switch off Bluetooth when not in use. This is to reduce chances of attack via anonymous Bluetooth connections from other phones. Users will suddenly be prompted that someone you don't know , wants to connect to you via Bluetooth, once allowed it infects your phone with virus/malware. I had a lot of this attack on my Nokia phone.

c) Install only authorised & signed apps from Android Market. This can be done by unticking "Unknown Sources" option in the Settings -> Applications settings menu. It makes sure you are downloading only signed apps.

d) Install mobile antivirus software ( example : Lookout Mobile Security, AVG Mobile Antivirus ). The two examples are good antivirus software for the Android phone which scans apps , content & SMS. A must-have.

e) Implement a screen lock password for your Android phone. Use complex password to make it difficult to guess ( alphanumeric, upper/lower case ). You also use the initials of a sentence you like as a password . Example : I love the way you look tonight , my darling - take the first letters of the sentence as the password --> iltwyltmd

f) Implement a SIM card password for your SIM card

Note : this post will be updated when required.

Best Social Media Tools

2011-09-10T22:21:00.000+08:00

I found this article to be interesting :

MRSAYS.COM : Best Social Media Monitoring Tools

Android Security : Lookout Mobile Security part 2 ( backup/restore, missing device alert features )

2011-09-01T00:04:00.011+08:00

As mentioned in previous blog post , the Lookout Mobile Security has several features only offered in premium version :

Free version
a) Antivirus/malware security.
b) Backup and restore phone data (Contacts only).
c) Missing device alert ( alarm trigger scream on the phone, location pinpoint via login to MyLookout.com ).
d) Privacy Advisor (not available in free version, only in paid premium version)
d) Safe browsing (advises whether the site is OK or contains malware, not available in free version, only in paid premium version).

Premium version
a) Backup and restore phone data (Contacts, Pictures , call logs - up to 1.5GB space limit).
b) Missing device alert ( alarm trigger scream on the phone, location pinpoint via login to MyLookout.com, LOCK phone, WIPE PHONE DATA ).
c) Privacy Advisor
d) Safe browsing (advises whether the site is OK or contains malware, not available in free version, only in paid premium version).

Note : I was only evaluating the free version , so I could not test the premium version features.

Testing on the phone location pinpoint
Based on my testing of the location pinpoint feature using the MyLookout.com site , the location pinpoint works well, but accuracy is more towards 1KM area.
Please refer to the green circle in the screenshot below, that is the accuracy range.
/
Testing on the phone alarm screen trigger feature
Based on my testing, the phone alarm sound was triggered successfully within seconds, and the sound is similar to a US police car siren. The sound generated was almost at max volume. Please refer to the screenshot below, which shows the trigger was activated successfully.

The MyLookout page

The green circle is the phone location possibility , accurate within 1KM

Android Security : Lookout Mobile Security

2011-08-31T02:08:00.004+08:00

Android Security will concentrate on :

a) Review of any interesting Android app
b) How to improve on Android security in your Android phone

I have installed the Lookout Mobile Security software ver 6.4 rel 8660 free version, for my Samsung Android phone (Samsung Galaxy Ace GT-S5830 - Android 2.2.1 Froyo).

It offers :
a) Antivirus/malware security.
b) Backup and restore phone data (SMS, contacts, etc).
c) Missing device alert ( alarm trigger, location pinpoint via login to MyLookout.com ).
d) Privacy Advisor (not available in free version, only in paid premium version)
d) Safe browsing (advises whether the site is OK or contains malware, not available in free version, only in paid premium version).

It scanned my phone and reported my phone is in perfect health.

The software is good, it has received CNET Editors Choice award as of February 2011.

Will update later on the backup / restore feature & missing device alert feature.

See ya .........

Lookout Mobile Security website

Android Security : Best practice summary

2011-08-31T01:55:00.003+08:00

This is my summary of best practice for increasing security for your Android phone.
I would recommend this to all Android users.

a) Switch off WIFI when not in use. This is to reduce chances of attack , and saves your battery consumption.
b) Switch off Bluetooth when not in use. This is to reduce chances of attack via anonymous Bluetooth connections from other phones. Users wil suddenly be prompted that someone you don't know , wants to connect to you via Bluetooth, once allowed it infects your phone with virus/malware. I had a lot of this attack on my Nokia phone.
c) Install only authorised & signed apps from Android Market. This can be done by unticking "Unknown Sources" option in the Settings -> Applications settings menu. It makes sure you are downloading only signed apps.
d) Install mobile antivirus software ( example : Lookout Mobile Security, AVG Mobile Antivirus ). The two examples are good antivirus software for the Android phone which scans apps , content & SMS. A must-have.

Note : this post will be updated when required.

My new Samsung Galaxy Ace

2011-08-30T16:24:00.052+08:00

I have to say that I just love this phone. It is like mini computer. It can do the daily Internet tasks (twitter,facebook, calls, SMS, excel editing) as good as my laptop.

Below is the features of the new Samsung Galaxy Ace ( Android 2.2 Froyo) .

Note that I had my first phone in September , 2000. Since then until now I have had a Nokia 3120, a Nokia 3310, a Nokia N73 (arguably Nokia's slowest phone!), a Nokia 6120 Classic and a Nokia E61. 10 years , 5 phones. Which means , I get a new phone every 2 years by average.

I loved Nokia-Symbian, but I dumped the brand as soon as I found out that Nokia will phase-out Symbian. The details below is based on my experience so far I had with Nokia phones.

Advantages - Samsung Galaxy Ace GT-S5830

1	3.5inch screen is just large enough for me. It is large enough for reading PDF documents.
2	It has Thinkfree office suite which opens and edits the standard Office documents and PDF documents.
3	a VERY customisable home screen ( much better than I had in any Nokia phone so far).
4	It's a touchscreen. I never had a touchscreen phone before this (eventhough I do miss the QWERTY keypad in the Nokia E61 sometimes).
5	Text inputs include the choice of touchscreen based QWERTY keypad, 3x4 keypad, handwriting recognition input and Swype based keypad input.
6	Extensive apps selection in Android Market ( I even saw an app that teaches you on how to successfully get a girlfriend !).
7	Camera is decent ( 5Mbps is good enough for me ).
8	I loved the calendar synchronization with my Google account ( Google users will love this phone !)

Disadvantages - Samsung Galaxy Ace GT-S5830:

1	I notice the battery finishes fast when I use WIFI & browsing extensively ( lasts 1 day only ). Otherwise it lasts more than 2 days.
2	I have to complain about this one : Many times I mistakenly adjusted the ringing volume using the volume buttons on the left side of phone , when trying to lock the phone using power button on right side of phone. The human hand cannot avoid putting pressure on the left side of phone to press a button on the right side of the phone. Those two buttons / knobs should not be at same level on the phone. I am sure other users face the same issue.
3	There is a several seconds time delay in the camera ( between when the shutter button is pressed and actual photo taken), which causes split second moments be missed.
4	The GPS navigation connected to Google Maps , as such to use it you need a broadband data connection package ( ah man !).

I am now loving the Android platform . The only main concern about this platform is security. As such I will now concentrate on reviewing the 2 topics below extensively :

a) Review of any interesting Android app
b) How to improve on Android security in your Android phone

See ya .......

Telekom Streamyx ADSL upgrade 0.5Mbps -> 1Mbps

2011-08-27T00:57:00.008+08:00

Let me highlight to you in summary , how long did Telekom Malaysia (TM) took to upgrade my Streamyx home ADSL line from 0.5Mbps -> 1Mbps :

a) Applied for upgrade via phone call to 100 TM support : 29/July/2011 (Friday)
b) Telekom promised upgrade completion duration : 10 working days , thats about 12/Aug/11
c) Actual upgrade completed : 27/Aug/2011 (Friday) --> Thats about more than 20 working days !

What do you think about that , folks ?

The bandwidth reading from my laptop using Colasoft Capsa 7 network tool -- 1 MBPS !

Android OS - the most vulnerable mobile OS?

2011-08-27T00:20:00.003+08:00

I have to admit , I disliked it when I read the following article from McAfee, which indicates Android OS is the most vulnerable to malware attacks among all mobile OS.

Since I am a new adopter to Andriod Froyo due to my recent switch to the new Samsung Galaxy Ace smartphone, I am inclined to find some light of guidance which will show me that Android is a beautiful and secure OS by following basic and advanced steps to secure and harden the OS to reduce attack holes available, like any other OS such as Windows OS hardening...............

My quest begins......... :-)

Android attacks now outpace all other mobile platforms, says McAfee

Mozilla 3.0 & above - store data in SQLite embedded database

2011-08-14T23:13:00.002+08:00

I have read before one of the security bulletin from CyberSecurity ( the IT arm of Malaysian Ministry of Science , Technology & Innovation), for Q2 2010.

It mentioned that it is possible to extract user browsing history information from Mozilla 3.0 version browsers & above. This is because browsing history data is stored in the embedded SQLite database, of the Mozilla browser.

Check the article "Mozilla Firefox: Forensic Examination Using SQLite Manager" , in the Q2 2010 edition of the CyberSecurity e-Security bulletin.

CyberSecurity e-Security Bulletin Volume 23 (Quarter 2/2010)

Google Toolbar - sends information to Google

2011-08-14T22:55:00.003+08:00

I think it is safe to say, that the majority of people who surf the Internet, have browsers which has Google Toolbar installed.

Did you know that the Google Toolbar sends certain information back to Google? There is some companies which prohibits usage/installation of Google Toolbar in their company PCs or laptops, because of this reason. Eventhough the information sent primarily consists of your browsing habits & sites visited, it is good enough reason for companies to prohibit usage of the toolbar.

See the links below for details :
Google.com : Features that send information to Google

Google Toolbar : Choose you configuration

About Norton Power Eraser

2011-08-06T17:33:00.002+08:00

My in-laws PC had a malware issue.

Symptoms :

- Browser windows popping up showing gambling and spam related websites.

- Idle browser windows suddenly redirected to porn sites

These nuisances was affecting the browsing experiences, and it is annoying. I realised I needed to use a anti-malware tool to get rid of it. The PC was already running Microsoft Security Essential (MSE), but that did not detect & remove the malware involved, after running several scans.

As such I used the Norton Power Eraser (NPE) :

a) It goes deep into Windows registry & processes to check malware , spyware & rootkits ( these are tough to remove malicious applications).

b) It is free to use & download , you can Google it to download the software

c) The scanning process does not take long , and it is thorough in removing these malware

After I ran a scan (normal + rootkit option, need PC reboot) using the NPE, some viruses were detected & removed. The scan did not take long , about 5 minutes. Oddly enough , the PC was running Microsoft Security Essential (MSE , a freeware anti-virus from Microsoft ), and MSE did not detect these. Hmmm….

NPE Scan result ( gotcha you viruses !)

Well guys, you can use NPE for quick removal of stubborn viruses/worms/malware/spyware/rootkits which is not detected by your standard AV software.

Ciao !

Six things you can do with your USB thumbdrives

2011-07-31T21:22:00.002+08:00

The article below, titled "CNET How to : Six cool things to do with your USB flash drive" grabbed my attention.

It shows you what you can do with any spare USB thumbdrives you have.

However, most tasks mention is appropriate for USB drives with at least 8GB space or more, as most require a lot of space. Well, thats my opinion.

CNET How to : Six cool things to do with your USB flash drive

LiveScribe SmartPen

2011-07-31T17:16:00.001+08:00

Technorati Tags: LiveScribe,smart pen

I saw an ad in CNET.COM , about a smart pen called LiveScribe.

It can write on a special invisibly dotted paper , and save whatever you are writing in the pen’s memory. You can download the written notes & recorded audio (if any) to your PC.

One cool thing is that it has a digital voice recorder (with microphone in the smartpen), and it can pinpoint the voice conversation in the recording, to the specified notes being discussed.

See the Youtube channel video below :

Links :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livescribe

http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/

Microsoft Windows Live Writer

2011-07-31T17:01:00.001+08:00

Technorati Tags: Microsoft Live Writer 2011,hongkiat.com

I was going through hongkiat.com website, when I bumped into a review of offline blog writers article. After reading the blog article, I decided to try out the Microsoft Windows Live Writer.

It was free, and kind of felt like I was using a simple version of Microsoft Word 2010.

I liked the software , and now using it for all my blog posts.

Below are some screenshots from the Microsoft Windows Live Writer.

Note : This blog post is written entirely on Windows Live Writer.

The Picture Collages Maker software

2011-07-27T23:37:00.008+08:00

Recently I bumped into blogs which showcased tiled / collage based images . And these were personal blogs, the collage images looks good on the blog, establishing a brand look.

I searched the Internet and discovered the Picture Collages Maker software. I downloaded the setup file, and setup was a breeze. Inside the software , you can customize any images to any collage layout or template. It can make professional looking material, and it is easily used by people who are not experts in image editing.

The collage background can be adjusted as gradient color, image background, photo based, pattern and from clipart.

I personally feel this is a great tool for bloggers and professional to create nicely presented images , in a collage !

I have made a few samples of the various picture collage templates, using my son Adithya photos.
The images are superb !

Visit Picture Collages Maker website ( http://www.picturecollagessoftware.com ) to check out this product .

Compilation photos of my son , Adithya

AV-Comparatives.org - F-Secure as 2010 Product of the year

2011-07-25T23:33:00.003+08:00

Based on AV-Comparatives.org , which is an independent testing entity for anti-virus products , has recently concluded the following :

AV Product of the Year
2008 - AVIRA antivirus
2009 - Symantec
2010 - F-Secure

It seems there was a tight race where majority AV excelled is various fields of tetsing, so it was concluded to judge the "Product of the year" based on the product with the most improvements, to encourage AV companies to innovate and establish continous improvement on their products.

I was hoping Symantec would have won consecutively....

Check out the reports as below :

www.av-comparatives.org : Summary Reports

Another one bites the dust .......... more layoffs in the smartphone industry

2011-07-25T23:24:00.005+08:00

I just read about RIM ( the makers of Blackberry smartphones ) has just laid off 11percent of their North America region workforce.

What's worse is that last month, one of the employers accused RIM managers of failing to make bold decisions ........ hmmm ..........

Engadget.com : RIM axes 2000 jobs, changes managers in effort to halt decline

Symantec antivirus on top of Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection

2011-07-25T22:54:00.002+08:00

Based on Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection (EPP) report for December 2010, Symantec Endpoint Protection v12 solution is at the forefront of threat protection.

Key findings :
a) Symantec continues to perform well in numerous tests of malware effectiveness (AV-Test, NSS Labs, PassMark) compared with peers.
b) Symantec provides good port and device controls, mobile device synchronization and the best firewall of any ranked vendor.
c) The software hass large disk footprint, but is very fast and light on memory usage...

Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms (17-Dec-2010)

Website prototyping & wireframing

2011-07-25T22:47:00.002+08:00

Website prototyping & wireframing are used to design a website , whose design is shown as functional description of the clients requirements.

The article below from HongKiat.com shows in much detail on the tools used for website prototyping & wireframing :

HongKiat.com : Website prototyping & wireframing

How to write an IT disaster recovery plan .....

2011-07-23T23:59:00.001+08:00

How to write an IT disaster recovery plan ..... see article below .

Searchstorage.co.uk : How to write a disaster recovery plan

Blackberry here to stay ?

2011-07-23T01:22:00.005+08:00

Personally I feel Blackberry is here to stay, solely because :

a) It still has the best security management & enforcement for enterprises to protect sensitive email data on user Blackberry phones.
b) Easy for company IT admins to wipe out any lost Blackberry phones , to contain data leakage ( literally a press of a button via BES management software).
c) Encrypted transmission ensures email data is secure via 3DES/AES standard encryption.
d) Data transmission is also compressed , ensures faster access on slow networks.

Check out the link below for full details on how some IT geeks think of Blackberry , and why they migrated to other platforms. It is CIO.com article :

Why I Switched to Android: 7 BlackBerry Geeks Speak

Switching to Internet Explorer 9.0 ....

2011-07-21T23:49:00.004+08:00

I am now switching my official browser from Firefox v5.0 , to the new Internet Explorer v9.0. Latest test from NSS Labs Inc., shows IE 9.0 was able to block 100% of malware links and social engineering malware. While Firefox at 13% blocking.

See the report as follows :
Internet Explorer 9 security surpasses rivals in blocking social engineering attacks

The SonicGear Xanadu 1000 headphones

2011-07-12T23:37:00.003+08:00

I had a Sonicgear foldable headphone which had decent sound quality ( for almost 2 years), but got damaged during a listening session while undergoing my car service. So it was time to get a new set of headphones !

I was sticking to the Singapore made Sonicgear brand, which gurantees affordable audio equipment and decent to high quality of sound.

I headed to the new & nearest computer store in Metropoint Kajang last Saturday, and found out they were selling Sonicgear gears! Cool!

I saw the Xanadu 1000 and instantly fell in love with it.

I bought it and tried at home , price at RM55 . Decent sound , enough for casual listener who requires above average details in sound and sound channels/instruments.

Its light and stylish, like the metallic mirror-like shell in the headphones.

However, if you are a serious listener with a critical & discerning taste for sound/music details and channels ( discern each instrument ins the song in detail), I would suggest to go for expensive headphones like AVF , Sony or Dr.Dre headphones !

More details in the SonicGear website :

Xanadu 1000

ZDNET - The Definitive Facebook Lockdown Guide June 2011

2011-07-02T08:57:00.001+08:00

ZDNET - The Definitive Facebook Lockdown Guide June 2011

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/june-2011-the-definitive-facebook-lockdown-guide/11113

Android 2.2 vs Windows Phone 7

2011-02-20T18:29:00.008+08:00

Based on what I read on Android 2.2 & Windows Phone 7 (WP7), both are good smartphone OS in their own right, and I REALLY appreciate the fact that there is good user feedback in WP7 being very much stable in interface & function (no hanging) , compared to it's older cousin, the Windows Mobile 6.5.

However, I would love to see WP7 improve on it's current 1.0 version, as it is still lacking some important features like no multitasking, no Flash support, and no cut & paste. If they fix all this in WP7 version 2 or WP8, then Windows Phone OS will be a very strong contender in the future.

LINKS AS REFERENCE :

Windows Phone 7 vs. Android: Can you choose just one?
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/cell-phones/windows-phone-7-vs-android-can-you-choose-just-one/5024

Mobile OS Wars: Apple v Android v Windows Phone
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/Mobile-OS-Wars-Apple-v-Android-v-Windows-Phone-2770.php

HTC HD7 or myTouch 4G? Which one gets my sim card?
http://www.gottabemobile.com/2010/11/11/htc-hd7-or-mytouch-4g-which-one-gets-my-sim-card/

Android 2.2 vs. Windows Phone 7
http://www.knowyourmobile.com/comparisons/655602/android_22_vs_windows_phone_7.html

Mobile OS Smackdown: Windows Phone 7 vs. iOS vs. Android
http://www.pcworld.com/article/208491/mobile_os_smackdown_windows_phone_7_vs_ios_vs_android.html

Privacy setting in Facebook Mobile

2011-02-05T17:03:00.002+08:00

I was wondering on how to control privacy to individual status updates & notes in Facebook Mobile "m.facebook.com" ( not full site Facebook ), as in the full site Facebook.

Currently, the default privacy settings apply for all types of posts via Facebook Mobile. Thus default privacy settings is customisable , and applies to all posts. I want to able to define the privacy permission for each individual posts from Facebook Mobile, as some posts I want all to see, some only to my friends , and some only to myself.

I did a search , and saw an update in "Using Facebook Mobile" Facebook page, about default privacy settings for Facebook Mobile.

It helps but no info on individual privacy for separate posts in Facebook Mobile.

Default privacy setting in Facebook & Facebook Mobile
http://www.facebook.com/UsingFacebookMobile?v=wall#!/album.php?aid=238851&id=234232874008

A great RSS reader - FeedDemon

2011-02-02T07:04:00.003+08:00

I use RSS feeds a lot to get news notifications of specific important news which matter to me, whether world news, local news, and IT & security related news. I am currently using Google Reader, which is fine. However , I do not like the layout in Google Reader, totally not my style & it somewhat looks messy and cluttered. I love how the RSS feeds are organized in Microsoft Outlook 2007, simple and nice.

So, I have installed a freeware RSS reader in my laptop, called FeedDemon , highly recommended. The layout is similar to the one in Microsoft Outlook 2007, which is great.

It also has a feature which I unexpectedly find interesting, that is the ability to view the full news article in the same window. It does not need to open a separate browser window to view the full article. Multiple browsing windows are separated using tabs, similar to the Mozilla browser & Chrome browser.

I love FeedDemon !

FeedDemon
http://www.feeddemon.com/

How to download your Facebook profile to your PC

2011-01-30T07:31:00.001+08:00

I have found out that you can actually download your Facebook profile to your PC, to keep as record , or as a offline viewing.

Check the link below to know how :

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20019200-248.html

Internet Connection Sharing (wirelessly) in Windows 7

2010-08-30T23:57:00.003+08:00

The article from Paul Thurrott's Supersite from Windows , shows how to use ICS (Internet connection sharing) wirelessly, so you can connect your PC (or laptop) to Internet WIFI , and share the connection ( let other wirelessly connected people ) wirelessly. Cool article.

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/totw/whn.asp

CACTI - SNMP BASED MONITORING TOOL

2010-08-22T16:17:00.006+08:00

I have done reading on various features of different types of network monitoring tools.
I have concluded to use Cacti (freeware network monitoring tool), due to the following:

a) It is a freeware
b) You can monitor unlimited amount of devices
c) agent-less
This tool DOES NOT require to install additional agents to be installed on the monitored devices.

Eventhough CACTI can monitor basic resources like server NIC usage , CPU usage , disk space usage & memory usage on it's own, it would require a freeware tool like "SNMP Informant", to help monitor more advanced Windows performance counters like disk I/O usage, TCP & IP packet statistics. This tool can be customised to further monitor detailed counters via SNMP response from performance counters. Again, this is optional.

d) SNMP based
A feature I like about this tool is that since it is total SNMP based, it allows monitoring of servers , SNMP enabled networking devices with IP address, and basically ANY SNMP supported device. No reliance on proprietary standards like WMI.

e) can be installed in UNIX AND Windows
I was finding for a monitoring tool that can be installed via Windows, since Windows based tools would be easier to setup & troubleshoot.

Below is the screenshot of my test system using a virtual approach via Sun VirtualBox (also freeware). In the screenshot, VELAN is a another laptop I am monitoring. :

One way to improve site listing in Google ...

2010-07-17T23:37:00.004+08:00

I had a discussion concerning my blog with one of my contacts, and he mentioned one way to improve site visits to my blog, that by using search engine optimization tools.

I had a check in Google , and they had a special page on how to improve site listing & ranking in Google, check links below. I have tried to my blog to Google, using this way. Some improvements was visible, some of my pages were in the results when I searched for them based on key words or tags. Not among the top 10 hits results , but at least my blog pages are in the search result page.

A shout-out "Thank you" to Mr.Khairudy from Hewlett Packard Malaysia.

Google - Search Engine Optimization page
http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35291&ctx=share

Add you URL to Google page
http://www.google.com/addurl/?continue=/addurl

Drawing arrows in GIMP ... so near, yet so far (part2)

2010-06-20T00:38:00.008+08:00

In my blog published 18/June/2010 (Drawing arrows in GIMP ... so near, yet so far) , I mentioned that you have to manually draw an arrow in GIMP.

Well, I was able to find a website offering a script , which can be inserted in GIMP, so you can draw arrows in any size !

Draw Arrow | GIMP Plugin registry
http://registry.gimp.org/node/20269

Screenshots below shows steps taken to insert script, and draw arrows in GIMP :

a) Download the "arrow.scm" script file from the link mentioned above.
b) Place the file in the scripts directory for GIMP , see screenshot above.

c) Place a path in the image file, and then go to Tools -> Arrow ... , to set the attributes for the arrow , and create the arrow (see screenshot).

Thank you "registry.gimp.org" ! .

There is one more way, use WINGDINGS 3, font , to create an arrow ( experiment on which letter creates the best arrow for you).

This screenshot shows an arrow created using letter 'a' , font Wingdings 3.

Note : All this screenshots were take in GIMP version 2.6.8 .

Setting Streamyx ADSL wireless router+modem in your home , part 2

2010-06-19T23:48:00.012+08:00

I had Telekom contractor engineer , install my Streamyx ADSL 512kbps package today, which I have applied 2 weeks ago. Telekom is now using Innacomm W3100 single-port ADSL 2+ WIRELESS ROUTER, as their Streamyx ADSL wireless routers for home users. I managed to get the screenshots of the settings as below (from the Innacomm device) .

Please also refer this link for similar Streamyx ADSL line setup using Dlink DSL-2640T wireless router :
http://velanr.blogspot.com/2010/06/setting-streamyx-adsl-wireless.html

Screenshot 1/7

Screenshot 2/7

Screenshot 3/7

Screenshot 4/7

Screenshot 5/7

Screenshot 6/7

Screenshot 7/7

Drawing arrows in GIMP ... so near, yet so far

2010-06-18T01:27:00.005+08:00

I wanted to try out GIMP , being a freeware advanced image editor and all. One of the first things I want to draw was an arrow to highlight an area in an image. I immediately hit a snag ... there is no option to draw an arrow ! I was expecting something like a Microsoft Powerpoint drawing toolbar to create shapes and arrows or something .......

Instead, I had to draw the arrow manually , painstakingly. See the Youtube video links below as I used as a guide to draw arrows using GIMP (ouch....) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL09Qj0q6vo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-Qn3P5Zo2M

Personally, I think this is a major downside from GIMP as it is difficult to draw shapes in GIMP, you have to go through so many menus to get a simple bordered circle, rectangle, square, etc. Also , there is just no simple way to create an arrow .... :( very bad. Cannot use it to edit & draw quick modifications on an image.

I have used Adobe Photoshop v6.0, a few years back, and that is one GOOD piece of software for image editing. Expensive, but good & comprehensive image design package. Packed with features, tools, and effects. Yet simple, & straight forward interface. I learned to use it myself, minimal training.

Looks like it's back to IrfanView image editor .....

Convert VDI file to VHD virtual hard disk format file

2010-06-18T01:10:00.006+08:00

I had a dilemma , where I needed to run my VirtualBox virtual Windows XP OS, in another PC running Microsoft Virtual PC 2007. As you would know, Virtual PC 2007 would require the virtual OS harddisk file to be in VHD format. But my virtual Windows XP OS is in a VDI format file. So how ?

A check on the Internet shows VirtualBox comes with a command-line tool called VBoxManage, which includes functions to convert VDI files to VHD files. Cool !

Below is the command sequence which allowed me to convert the VDI file to VHD file. Phew !

Problem solved !

Command sequence as below :

a) Location of VBoxManage.exe -> d:\Program Files\Sun\VirtualBox
b) Location of VDI virtual OS file -> d:\virtual_os\Windows_2003_R2_30GB_11june10.vdi
c) Target output filename to D drive -> d:\sharepoint.vhd
========================================

d:\Program Files\Sun\VirtualBox>vboxmanage.exe clonehd d:\virtual_os\Windows_200
3_R2_30GB_11june10.vdi d:\sharepoint.vhd --format vhd
Sun VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 3.1.6
(C) 2005-2010 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
All rights reserved.

0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100%
Clone hard disk created in format 'vhd'. UUID: bfb203e0-c7f0-43fe-a4a3-dcd02877b
b91

d:\Program Files\Sun\VirtualBox>

========================================

Check link below for more info on the VBoxManage command :

http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=687&highlight=convert+virtual

You can also check the Sun VirtualBox Help files included, as it contains extensive documentation on usage of the VBoxManage command & it's parameters.

My experience with Sun VirtualBox

2010-06-18T00:03:00.000+08:00

I remembered of a problem I had when I purchased my Celcom CSL brand broadband modem, worth RM249 , back in year 2009.

For some reason, my broadband would not work in my Windows 7 laptop , & my Windows Vista laptop ! Modem installation & setup went fine, but when it comes to dialing to the ISP, it just would not connect. A check at the local Celcom booth , did not help. They kept saying "Please ue & run the modem in Windows XP, I don't know about Windows Vista".

I searched the Internet for a solution. Eventhough some sites hinted the source of the problem as the firmware of the modem, the CSL website did not offer any latest firmware for my modem (got the hint from articles mentioning Huawei modems require firmware upgrade for Windows Vista support). In fact , there was no section for firmware upgrade download :(.

As such , I decided to run a virtual Windows XP using the freeware Sun VirtualBox virtual OS software. I had chosen VirtualBox over Microsoft Virtual PC 2007, mainly because of the USB support that comes with Virtual Box, which Virtual PC does not have. Besides , deployment of virtual Windows & non-Windows guest OS using VirtualBox is more pain-free, compared to Virtual PC which does not support much Linux/Unix virtualisation , and requires additional preboot parameters.

Using the Windows XP virtual guest OS running from VirtualBox, I was able to connect my USB broadband modem, install the dialer software , and connect to the Internet using the ISP dialup.

You can either access the Internet within the virtual OS itself , or by installing a freeware proxy server (ex FreeProxy), set the host OS IE proxy setting to point to virtual OS IP , and using the host OS ( in this case the Windows 7 or XP) IE to surf the Internet via virtual OS proxy + Internet connection.

Problem solved.

Note : Certain application like Youtube may not download or view properly if using the proxy server method.

The picture above shows a Windows XP virtual guest OS running on my Windows 7 physical laptop.