The DJ who's not a DeeJay

More Than Meets The Eye

Thursday, June 28, 2007
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All Around the Web

Tuesday, June 19, 2007
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Since using the internet in 1996, I've primarily accessing the net via dialup modem. Even though through the years, speeds of dialup increased from the 14.4k modem to the 28.8k, 33.6k and top speed of 56k, I've only been able to reach a max connection of 33.6K

I've manage to survive with this kind of connection ever since. I've created my own system to fully utilize my slow connection. My work ethics is also based on the system I created. The basic premise is that my internet connection must not be idle at any given time. Hence, before I go online, everything in well-planned and ready to execute. Here are some of the rules:

E-mails are answered offline and sent in batches when I go online.

New e-mails are also being downloaded from all my e-mail accounts.

Files for uploading are queued and ready to upload simultaneously while downloading another queue of files.

Websites to be visited are all on a written list and are loaded one at a time in the browser with a maximum of 5 websites.

From midnight to 8am, huge files are queued for downloading (logfiles, database backups, huge file uploads).

Some online tasks are automated and ready to run at certain hours of the day when internet is free or I'm asleep (windows update, anti-virus update, daily site backups).

During weekends, I allow entertainment or non-priority files to be setup for download (video clips, games, trial software).

Enter 2007... Files these days have just grown immensely huge that my queued files are getting longer and longer and my work backlog is simply accumulating. I was able to survive by going to hotspots equipped with wifi and using 3g on my mobile phone for high-speed internet access. A couple of friends were surprised to learn how I could survive simply on dialup, especially being an internet consultant, web site owner and technopreneur.

It was still manageable. However, it was becoming more costly to meet the demands of much needed bandwidth. To make matters worse, our phone line went berzerk which made even the simplest task of sending e-mail unberable.

And so, eventually, I decided to get a broadband connection and thus subscribe to DSL.
I'm so happy with my speedier connection. It changed the way I use the internet now. The rules I've created no longer stand. I can send e-mails immediatley after composing them. I don't have to queue files for download at a later time because I can download them now without waiting for a century to retrieve. I can now watch streaming videos online. I can leave my computer online without worrying if the hours on an internet prepaid account are ticking away. I can send files online faster. Heck even my computer seems to run better now.

I guess the first sign of sadness if ever, I'll be feeling about my new broadband connection is when the first billing statement arrives. Nevertheless, being an internet superuser, I feel it is worth every peso.

Now on to my new set of problems.... gotta have more disk space.

Monday, June 11, 2007
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Newly Invented Pinoy Tongue Twisters (Animal Theme)

animals

Wednesday, May 30, 2007
1 Comments

How Fast Can Money Travel ?

atm

I remember years back, during the pre-internet days, there weren't many options on how to send money to another country.

Sometimes, my dad used to ask for favors from his nephew in Chicago to buy some things which aren't readily available here in the Philippines. He then, gave instructions to have it sent here from the USA via mail, sometimes in a balikbayan box or a smaller sized-box if it wasn't that much. My cousin there had no problem granting the favors and buying the things my dad needed. The problem which usually arose was how do we get to pay him.

Slipping money in an envelope or card sent by regular postal mail was dangerous. Electronic wires from banks to banks were expensive. Also, the currency exchange rate which varied on a daily basis prevented us from paying the exact amount. It was either always more or less. So we had to send more just so our payment wouldn't be short from the actual total. There was also the option of waiting for your relatives to spend their vacation here, wherein you could hand them the payment in person... which of course, had no certainty of pushing through and could take anywhere from months to years before it would happen.

The same was also true for some of our other relatives sending money to us. They had to find ways of sending it over. Most of the time, it was through a friend of a friend who was going back to the Philippines. It felt awkward at times meeting up with a friend's friend cause you don't personally know the individual handing you over the money. And you need a great deal of trust at the least when dealing with money.

As years passed, some new options emerged. However, it still wasn't that easy. You needed to open bank accounts, fill out extensive forms, provide multiple identification and after all that, you'd be issued with limitations on how much to send or receive. You still needed to call the recipient if they got the money you sent still. So it basically involved more steps just to send money.

Come the internet era and more options are now available as technology progressed. Instant Internet Remittances using Credit Cards is a convenient and secure service of sending money now to your loved ones in the Philippines. By being equipped with just your credit card and and internet connection, you can send any amount online to a recipient with a debit card. Your card will be charged with the amount you sent as if it were any other ordinary credit card transaction while the recipient will receive the same amount as if someone has deposited money into their account. Upon receipt, the recipient can widthraw the money from any ATM. SMS notification is also available so the moment the money is added to your debit card, you'll be notified with an SMS text message.

Fast, cheap, instant, convenient... all rolled into one... now makes sending money a breeze.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007
1 Comments

Trinoma, The New Mall By The Block

mall

Tuesday, May 22, 2007
1 Comments

Double Dose Day

double

Saturday, May 19, 2007
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When Your Celphone Puts on Weight

battery

Some people accessorize their mobile phones by adding various cases, colorful straps, flashing lights, cute pouches to the unit. Others are fond of personalizing the phone internally by customizing ringtones, wallpapers, pictures and video. I prefer my flavor to be plain... as plain as the standard unit you see when it's being displayed in a store. I don't carry a celphone to show off to people... just the basics, to use as a tool for communication and transferring data.

A couple of days ago, my celphone unusually morphed itself; or as I pointed it out, gained weight.

I was experiencing frequent charging since my battery would go from 100% to 25% in less than a day. On days with heavy use, a 10 minute phone call would drain half of my battery immediately. It was frustrating enough to have to conserve my phone's battery by turning it off randomly just so I'd be able to use the phone before I could get home and charge. (I don't have a car charger). So I decided it was time to buy a new battery.

I inquired in a nearby mall and got oriented to different classes of batteries. I didn't know this prior to buying. There's a Class B, Class A and the original. They all look the same. Some are made from Finland or China. Some say they were manufactured Korea but finished in China. When I asked the saleslady what's the different, she'd say the exact same thing... this one is made in China, the other one is from Korea, that one is from Finland. It really didn't help me at all so I just based my selection on what my budget could handle.

So I got myself a Class A BST-37 Sony Ericsson which is good for my K608i unit and a K750.

When the saleslady opened my unit, we were both surprised to discover my phone breeding a bloated battery. It looked bulky enough to suspect its either pregnant or mutating. I did ask the lady if that was the reason my phone would easily drain. She concurred and in addition told me it's the combination of overcharging practices and frequent bumps, hits or falls to the ground that could bring a battery's life to a screeching low. She advised me not to use my old battery anymore too cause it might spark a fire or something like that.

I was pretty happy with the new battery's performance which was way better than my old one if you'd compare the two. I did decide to keep the worn out battery in my bag as a spare just in case I need it.

One day, I was out the entire day and forgot to charge it before leaving the house and so by early evening, my phone was already "lowbatt". I remembered the spare battery of mine and took it out of my bag. I was shocked to see that it bloated even more from the last time I saw it. It wasn't flat anymore. It was starting to have curves and wouldn't fit in my phone's compartment like a person trying to squeeze into tight jeans. I wanted to use a hammer to flatten it again.. but that was just the scientist in me wanting to experiment knowing the battery was rendered useless at this point. I knew though that since the battery is unstable, chances are, it would explode the moment it would be struck. I think the reason why my battery bloated even more was becuase I left it in the car one day exposed to the intense summer heat. That's when I suddenly scared myself of that thought. Because of that, I was even scared to throw it away in our garbage can.

So now, I'm trying to practice more strict charging habits. Gotta take care of your battery or it might gain weight.