Before tethering, make sure you have 3G or at least EDGE has been activated. For Maxis user, key in *136# and press “Call/Send” to activate 3G. While waiting for 3G activation, download phone settings by key in *100# > Phone settings > Choose Phone model. Save the settings file once received.

JoikuSpot Light Wifi HotSpot

Once you able to browse Internet, proceed to download and install JoikuSpot Light (FREE version). Download button on right sidebar. Select your phone model, it support most of Nokia smart phones.

JoikuSpot Light make tethering as easy as 1-2-3. Launch the app and choose your 3G connection to go. It then create a Wifi hotspot start with “JoikuSpot_xxx” without password. Connect your laptop or iPod touch to the wifi and you are tethering over 3G connection.

By the way, the light version only support basic HTTP/S browsing. For VPN access, email protocol (POP3/IMAP) get JoikuSpot Premium with a small fee.

My Two Cents

Tethering technique is really useful when TM Streamyx line is down. JoikuSpot light almost zero configuration, good for non-techie user.

Since it doesn’t have password, beware of neighbour steal your line. Don’t forget to exit JoikuSpot when not using to save 3G connection fees.

The First iPhone Worm Discovered

Australian iPhone users reported their iPhone infected by a worm that has changed their wallpaper to an image of 1980s pop star Rick Astley. It seems harmless with just wallpaper change, but could mean more serious attacks in future.

Infected iPhone lock screen changed to Rick Astley wallpaper with the message

ikee is never going to give you up

In fact, the message come from Rick’s best known hit song “Never Gonna Give You up”. Perhaps the hacker is one of his BIG fan?

By the way, who is Rick Astley? Check out more at Wikipedia.

Are You in High Risk?

The worm will not affect users who have not jailbroken their iPhone (and iPod touch) or who have not installed SSH. If you have SSH installed and haven’t change the default password, it is capable to break into your phone spread in the same mobile phone network.

What you can do is make sure change the default password “alpine” to something else. I have changed mine. How about yours?

1. Live CD/ DVD/USB Stick

This is the safest way to test drive Linux. You download image file (.iso) of the Linux, burn into CD or DVD. Then reboot your computer and boot from optical drive (CD or DVD).  If it is not set yet, press setup key (F2/ F8/DEL) once Power On. Look for Boot Device Priority, set the first device to your CD/DVD drive.

Don’t want to burn CD? Ok, you can “burn” into USB thumb drive too. Use UnetBootIn to create bootable Live USB drive. Of course your motherboard must be able to support boot from USB drive.

2. Virtual Machine

Virtual machine is an Emulator. It creates virtual computer environment inside your computer. Means you can have two, three or more computers in a physical computer. VirtualBox is a FREE yet good emulator.

Setup virtual machine and install Linux from the image. To run smoother, I recommend at least 1GB memory. You can delete it anytime if you don’t want anymore, without changes on current OS.

3. WUBI Installer

No more partitioning. If you don’t burn CD, don’t want setup virtual machine, then use WUBI to install Linux in your Windows directly. WUBI or Windows Ubuntu Installer install Ubuntu as a program. You may remove it later by using Add/Remove programs. You need Ubuntu live CD ready or else it takes time to download. Don’t expect it run as fast as real Linux!

Hope you enjoy Linux and do let me know if you have more ways to test drive. Nobody should have excuse to not try out Linux.

The previous trainer use manual way to assign trainings . I almost fainted when receive stacks of student profiles in hard copy! Since this is individual training, I have to go through who should be assign in next training, which topic and so on. The look like “simple” job took me at least 1 hour to arrange schedule for a month!

Computerized Training Assignment System

I told myself MUST come out a database system myself no matter how hard it is! Of course the easiest way is Ms Access Database.

From create Table > Query > Form > Report, it recall back my programming skill that almost return back to lecturer. When need some function code or VBA coding, I search in Google to get answer.

I’m happy the very first version of the training assignment system has been accomplished. Now planning for second edition. I found our own small project is more interesting than work, should do it more. No wonder Google Inc want their staff to have their own project too.

What I’ve learned?

I’ve learned some coding that I never use before, such as ” drop down list in query” and “query of the query”. Also, I’ve learned to protect Ms Access database coding. They are two methods: password protected (as normal excel password) and make an MDE.

MDE refer to executable version of Ms Access. With MDE, others can only run the database program without seeing or changing your coding. It can use to protect your code as well as accidentally remove the codes. Do you have your own project? Please share with me, I want to hear from you.

PS: MDE can be run on Ms Access Runtime environment. It is FREE to download and install.

There are 20 different dream cars for purchase, from Nissan to Porsche. You win the race, earn money and upgrade performance like Boost, Acceleration, Speed and Handling. If not, also can upgrade visual looks such as Body color, Spoiler, Body kit and so on.

Best 3D Racing Game

In iPod touch, the racing experience become more realistic. Because you control car by accelerometer, no control pad. Pinch to stop and two finger swipe up to boost, iPod itself is the controller. On top of that, the game performance is fantastic! No lag at all.

All skills on PC can be done in iPod too, drift, near escape, boost and more. EA never miss out the car crash graphic and sound effect details. It really worth your $4.99 (USD) to purchase from iTunes Store (download ~ 95mb).

My Two Cents

I’m now driving Mitsubishi Lancer EVOLUTION in third city. Two more cars in my garage: Chrysler Hemi 300C, Mazda Mazdaspeed3 but seldom use them.

Now I hit the bottleneck where it is hard to break the level. I tried many time to destroy $80,000 worth of things in one round but failed. If you’re playing the game, please tell me which stage are you in now?

Microsoft release its Windows 7 earlier than expected to stop Apple grow market share. The fact is it failed to do so. User who want migrate to Mac still insist their mind.

The title of the 8 short ads are:

• Broken Promises
• Teeter Tottering
• PC News
• PC Innovation Lab
• Top of the Line
• Trainer
• Surprise
• Customer Care

Which is your favourite ad? I like Broken Promises and Surprise. The surprise ad make me surprise! Watch Mac ads here.

Let’s see what is new in WordPress 2.8.5 before go to fix my blog’s errors. Headline changes in the release are:

• Fix for the Trackback Denial-Of-Service (DOS) attack
• Fine tune PHP code variables
• File upload functionality to be whitelisted for all users
• Retiring of the two importers of Tag data

No big surprise. Just better security fixes. Then why I take the upgrade?

There are few errors in my blog recently, could be more than a month i think:

• Once publish new post, it turn to blank instead of admin page.
• Can’t build XML sitemap for search engines.

WordPress 2.8.5 Make Better Blog

The errors make me loss traffic from search engines. What I did was deactivated all plugins. Recheck wordpress theme php code don’t have space or line after php close.

After that upgrade to WordPress 2.8.5 with single click (my favourite feature in WordPress 2.8). And yes, I get my blog back to work as normal.

Only reactivate plugins that really need to make blog load faster. Rebuilt XML sitemap and now can publish post without error!

Search is now more meaningful because you can search blog content, Google profile, twitter or FriendFeed status of your friend. Let’s say you want to know how many of your online friends using iPhone, you run a social search and result may give you better idea.

How To Google Social Search?

You need to add your friend’s contact, subscribe your friend’s blog into Google account before you can do social search.

Since it is still under experimental labs, you have to browse to Google Experimental Search (only can join one at a time)  and join Google Social Search.

Open Google search page you may see “Show Options” under the search bar. Show it and click on “Social” to filter results only from your friend. It is specific search result that build for you!

I did a search on iPhone and found 16 results from my friends. Hope you enjoy, have fun!

It is time to explore more power in iPod touch! How good if I can utilise iPod touch “Maps” feature offline. The Maps app detail enough for me, it includes some place of interest, hotel name, location name, and subway station.

Google Map Enhancer

There are so many offline maps app but most of them retrieve map from Open Street Map which is too rough. They don’t have details and even don’t have road map for some locations. The best still Google Maps!

After all, found an app from Cydia named “Maps Enhancer” that cache maps inside iPod touch itself. Instead of app, I should say it is a tweak of iPod Maps app. No need to learn how to use. It auto cache all maps you browsed unless you disable the settings.

My Two Cents

To make it more useful, I browse and zoom as detail as I can on the location I want to visit. Of course it took some time to load and cache, but useful during offline. It work just like online!

The weakness is it doesn’t support search during offline yet. So what I did was bookmark all the places that will be visiting including hotels, place of interest, stations, etc. Just drop pin in Maps then put in your own location label.

Too excited to go through new MacBook features. So glad it has become better with same old price.

Why MacBook 2009 Better?

Basically MacBook 2009 has total upgrade. The upgrade from inner part: processor speed, hard drive capacity to exterior part: cover, screen, trackpad and battery. I’m sure you can’t resist the redesign whether you’re MacBook lover or not.

The six main upgrades are as below:

• Processor: 2.26 Intel Core2Duo, it just got faster
• Hard Drive: Now at 250GB capacity (old MacBook comes with 160GB only). More rooms for your video and photo.
• Unibody – Thinner, lighter and slimmer. It features a new seamless, more durable unibody enclosure just like MacBook Pro in polycarbonate version.
• LED-backlit screen – Upgraded from LCD screen to LED backlighting glossy widescreen for more spectacular viewing experience.
• Spacious glass Multi-touch trackpad – No more button on trackpad. The whole Multi-touch trackpad is a button!
• 7 hours Battery – Now it last longer with new battery. (Old battery is 5 hours)

Further, the MacBook got rounder and cuter due to its unibody. Overall, I’m very satisfied with the specifications, design and features. How about you? Find more technical specifications here.

My Two Cents

Since Apple has already reduce its price early this year. Don’t think the price can go down more. I believe this is the best price, or else wait for Christmas / year-end promotion.

For me, I think this is perfect model for MacBook first time user. Just can’t wait to get one for myself soon. Do you think I should the new MacBook? Or get a cheaper laptop with same specification and save some money?