Hi-Tech ‘Ta Bai!

For another chance, i had a casual chat with Kuya JT in a very unusual place– the bleeding center for the Kapamilya Bloodletting campaign last Saturday in SM City.

I told him about the news that for the very first time in 103 years, Albert Einstein’s e=mc2 is corroborated by a team of scientists from France, Germany, and Hungary. (click here for the news.)

As expected, he guessed it right that it was Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity in 1905 i was talking about.

He was also right when he asked me if i would likened his hyper wage theory to the e=mc2’s fate that would also take at least 100 years for it to be proven right. (lol)

He objected to it and remains hopeful his hyper wage theory would be legislated and implemented SOON…

It’s been a month when i started the “Karaokehan” sa Merkado Patrol every Saturday dawn (2am-4am, Phil).

I am glad that it gained participation from our listeners. Even our stickamers from abroad are joining the fun. Mam Shanti from Las Vegas made it two Saturdays already singing the all-time favorite Karen Carpenter’s songs.

The “Karaokehan” sa Merkado Patrol started when i discussed about the videoke and karaoke machines which are prevalent in many public markets.

I talked about the history of it and the local ordinances regulating the operation of such machines in any establishments.

It was my way of adding colors to the discussion when i played several karaoke songs using some midi and karaoke files in my Van Basco karaoke digital player.

To my surprise many had responded when i offered the listeners to join me singing our favorites.

The Van Basco karaoke is so light. You can download the player from here for free. Karaoke and midi files can also be downloaded from various site for free. Midi and karaoke files are so small that even 35 songs i recently downloaded has only a total file size of 1.02mb. You can start searching for midi and karaoke files from the search box of the vanbasco site.

The SmartBRO booth hadn’t powered us during the Halad sa Kapamilya last Saturday (Nov. 15) after their remote set-up failed to connect to its cell site.

Thus, people in TESDA-IECEP who thirsted for an internet connection were pushed more to the desert.

We, in DYAB, we’re also not able to webcast the event through Stickam. However, i’d found a way to webcast when my turn to handle the air came about. I’d used my Globe Visibility 3G modem on my laptop. The signal was full bars HSDPA but the internet speed was only limited to not more than 200kbps–both download and upload.

Nevertheless, i was able to bring the program to the web through Stickam and our Stickamers were able to hear us once again on that day–live from the UP compound.

Here are some pics of what had transpired in our tent…

More than a hundred cell phones, a number of TV sets and radio monitors were brought into the tent of the TESDA-IECEP technicians for repair during the Halad sa Kapamilya last Saturday/Nov. 15, 2008 at the UP High School grounds in Lahug, Cebu City.

The TESDA-IECEP activity overshadowed what we had started last June– the free Hi-Tech Clinic participated by our volunteer Hitech men. Though, our group still offered their services during the day but it was TESDA-IECEP’s group that catered most of the walk-in customers.

Here are some pictures of the free Hi-Tech clinic.

Although, i’m always complaining about unreliable product, cheap but not-so-dependable alternative gadget, bad customer service, etc…etc… against CDR-King multi-media stores, i still go to their branches and buy some stuffs due to its cheap price.

Recently, i bought a USB Bluetooth adapter/dongle for my laptop. Here’s my initial review for the very few days i’ve been using the gadget. 

Brand: CD-R KING M Series Bluetooth

Model : TM-1042

Version 2.0

Class : Generic Bluetooth Radio

Manufacturer : Cambridge Silicon Radio Ltd.

Size : less than 6mm (tip-to-tip)

Driver : Bluesoleil 2.6.0.8

Specification:

·        Compliant with Bluetooth V2.0, V1.1 & V1.2

·        Supporting Profiles: Networking, Dial-up, Fax, LAN Access and headset

·        Operating System: Windows 98/98SE/ME/2000?Xp/Vista

·        Interface: Compliant with USB 2.0 & 1.1

·        Data transmission rate: 3Mbps (3 times faster)

·        Range: 10 meters

Features:

·        Converts non-Bluetooth PC into Bluetooth enabled_PC

·        Wireless connect to Bluetooth devices such as mobile phones, PDA or PC, for data transfer, networking, dial-up, fax

·        Enables wireless connection to Bluetooth headset

·        Supports Bluetooth Voice Data

·        Supports multi-language

·        Driverless for PDA (Win & S60 0S) under Xp & Vista System

REVIEW:

·        Transfer rate is considerably fast (seconds only for pics)

·        Warranty: 1-week replacement period

·        Durability : can’t say it now!!!!

·        CD driver : was not immediately installed in my laptop. It was not recognized. Although, i had it installed lately but don’t know why the sudden installation was permitted.

·        Driver application program has so many features. I still have to fully utilize it.

More review SOON!!!!

Below is my email sent to CD-R KING through their website’s email service. I am posting it here without waiting for them to reply to it. Share also your experiences about CD-R KING products and services by posting your comments.

I bought an MP4 player from your branch in SM Cebu sometime June 2007 in the amount of P2,500 more or less.

I’d love the gadget since it has an excellent video. However, after one year the unit was inoperational. It won’t power up. I’m sure i wasn’t abusing it. It just that came to a point where it stop responding.

I had it brought to your branch and the unit was sent to your head office in Manila. After a while, i went back to your branch and was informed that a DAMAGED SPARE PART is not available for replacement. I was made to believe YOU DON’T HAVE A SPARE PART for it. I was told to recheck it after months whether the part is already available.

In my belief, it would be easy to play around with customers by just saying NO SPARE PART AVAILABLE. It’s a monkey business. Are you saying your gadgets are DISPOSABLE? Why can’t you keep a spare part for your products?

I’m not asking for any replacement of my gadget since it’s beyond the warranty period. However, a repeat-customer like me should love hearing from your company that my damaged unit is back to operation after your people fixed it.

I hope you could attend to this observation from me and prevent it from happening again to others . My gadget details:
         Brand: CD-R KING
         Device: MP4 player
                 M29-0030463

JUN TARIMAN
Hi-Tech ‘Ta Bai! radio show
c/o DYAB1512/ABS-CBN Cebu
http://hitech-ta-bai.blog.friendster.com

Globe Visibility and Smart Plug iT or SmartBRO prepaid–both first in offering wireless 3G connectivity–are somehow shortchanging its customers.

Both have a prepaid plan that is attractive on its surface but underneath lies a scheme that sucks up to the last 10-peso of your load credits.

Globe is charging P5 for 15 minutes while Smart’s Plug iT charges P10 for every block of 30-minute duration. Both rate schemes are tricky.

In the case of Smart Plug iT,                           it uses the 30-minute block metering which is very complicated to watch. Take a look at the example below as found in its web site:

3. How much will be the rate per use?

You will be charged P10 for every 30 minutes.  To illustrate the 30-minute block metering, example:

Scenario 1:

Anna connects to the internet at 8:30, then disconnects at 8:50 (total of 20 minutes) -> consumption is already rounded off to 30 minutes (note: this is the first 30-minute block)

Scenario 2:

Anna connects to the internet at 8:30, then disconnects at 8:50 (total of 20 minutes), then reconnects again at 8:55 up to 9:00. (total of 5 minutes). Consumption is only counted as one block of 30-minute since this is within the first 30-minute block.

Scenario 3:

Anna connects to the internet at 8:30, then disconnects at 8:50 (total of 20 minutes), then reconnects again at 8:55 up to 9:05 (total of 10 minutes) -> consumption is already counted as two (2) blocks of 30-minutes, wherein:

usage from 8:30 to 8:50, then 8:55 to 9:00 is for the first 30-minute block (note: that this is the first 30-minute block)
usage from 9:01 to 9:05 is for the second 30-minute block

I would invite you to take a look of the time given as  examples. These are clock times. How do we know that our clock time is exactly the same with their clock? If you connect at 8:30 thinking you can maximize the 8:30-9:00 block but on their clock it’s still 8:29. This would mean you are using the 8:00-8:30 block and your connection at 8:30 will be another block.

Another thing, if you are disconnected while having your last P10 of your load credits, you will not get reconnected despite you just entered your last 30-minute block because your load credit is automatically set at zero balance by the Smart’s system.

Is it not tricky? Since the telecommunication industry is deregulated, the telcos set their own rates. But the government agency–National Telecommunications Commission–that is tasked to protect the public is helpless and inutile.

In the meatime, my suggestion is to avail of the 3G wireless services under the postpaid plan instead. Globe is charging P0.50 for every minute after the free internet hours of 40 or 60 depending on your plan. However, you have to consider your budget and your needs for an internet connection considering the monthly service fee.