The Engineer's Toolbox

Solution : Broken Hard Drive?

2016-06-15T22:21:00.001-07:00

Hi there, It's been a while since I published a blog. Not much have changed, I'm still at it, always doing DIY stuff :)

By now, I already have lots of stuff that I think is worth sharing as these might be useful reference to others seeking for solutions online. Anyway, I would like to rekindle my blogging spirit by sharing what I consider to be one of my great accomplishments involving the use of today's technology and how to recover what is lost (apparently) because of technology itself. I hate hate it when technology fails...

Got a broken hard drive? I mean not just a hard drive, a 1TB hard drive containing your precious backups and valuable information? oh the tragedy...at least that's how I felt about it.

Well, all is not lost, there's still hope (that is, considering if the symptoms of failure is similar in my case) of recovering data from your hard drive. So, first up, let me discuss the possible cause of failure that causes a hard drive to fail.

1) Hardware problem or physical damage to the drive, due to
-Improper handling (i.e. excessive force due to dropping, damage due to static electricity)
-Improper installation (i.e wrong power supply, connectors)
-Wear & tear (i.e. corrosion)
-Broken electronic parts (i.e failed electronic board / circuit)

2) Software problem
-Firmware problem
-OS or Motherboard incompatibility
-Filesystem incompatibility (FAT, NTFS, EXT3, etc)

In my case, It's an external hard drive with a separate power supply. A Maxtor 1TB Basics USB2.0 drive.

I've been using the drive for more than a year already. This is my main backup drive for important documents, videos, movies, etc. The day came when the drive seems not being able to initialize properly, indicator lights just blinking and the drive is not being detected on my PC's (I use to watch movies on my TV direct from this drive and of course, its not working as well). Other symptom include a repeating pattern of sound (similar to the sound of the hard drive initializing) upon power up. My jaw dropped when I smelled something burning from w/in the enclosure, and so I thought, that's it, all my data is trash.

Out of my frustration, I opted to do a "postmortem" examination on the drive. After removing a couple of screws and some prying on the enclosure, I was in like flynn. On the inside, it contains a separate board for power supply (with a 220 to 12v DC adaptor) and USB to SATA interface. The hard drive itself was a Seagate Barracudda 7200.11 drive.

After removing all the connectors, and smelling the drive closer, my heart sank as I confirmed that the drive was fried. So in my case, the problem was hardware related.

I immediately searched online on the possible recovery methods and procedures but it was not readily available on my country. I found a local outlet offering hard drive data recovery but it was so expensive (around $500), has no guarantee of full recovery, will have to wait for a week, and worse, I have to give them the drive and they'll just give the recovered data. I'm not so comfortable on that so, didn't happen.

I also tried possible "software" recovery methods (though i'm pretty sure the hardware was bad) but desperation calls for a miracle at this point. As expected, it did not help, I gave up.

As I was trying hard to accept the loss, my broken drive sat on my stash of junk for months. As I was cleaning my junk and about to "recycle" the drive, I thought of giving it another try to revive it. Searched online for possible solution and I found that a replacement of the main board might work (thought it still is not guaranteed, depends on the nature of damage). I found this site, offering just the thing: http://www.hddzone.com/

After careful consideration and damage assessment (i.e. assumin no damage on the drive platters) and seeing that the price is reasonable enough (around $40), I gave it one last try.

The site only needs the hard drive details like:

Brand / Model
Board Number:
Main Controller IC:
HDD Motor Combo IC:

You might have to remove / uninstall the main board from the drive itself to get these information. Looking on the picture is not enough, other details on the board is available on site. You might want to double check each item before ordering a replacement part.

It's easy enough to remove the main board for replacement. Only tool needed at this point is a Torx (T2 or T3) screwdriver. As always, just be careful in doing this so as not cause further damage to other parts of the drive.

I ordered the replacement board and waited for about a month for it be delivered (postal system here in the Philippines sucks, especially registered mail). The replacement board was delivered on a secure package and was properly wrapped on an anti static bag. Here is the comparison of the old (left) and the replacement board (right).

Upon initial inspection, I know right away that the replacement is not a new board. There were screw marks on the holes and connector marks on the board. A closer looks shows a "chipped" ferrite material on one of the inductors but everything else looks solid. The board has some labels sticking out. Then comes the next step.

It involves some soldering and component replacement from the old board to the new board. If you notice the "BIOS" label on one of the component, this must be removed and replaced by the same component on the old board. This is an important step since the BIOS chip contains important "drive mapping" information so the new board can read the drive platters properly. As this was a surface mounted component, I cannot perform "surgery" using just my soldering iron, I need a hot air knife*. So I brought the board to my good friend who has an electronic repair shop and asked for his help to transplant the BIOS chip from the old to the new board.

After that, we assembled the drive, plugged it in and it was pure joy.
The drive came back to life as if nothing happened and all data was intact :)

I prefer not put the drive back onto it's original enclosure. Remember the power supply, USB-SATA board in the enclosure? I'm suspecting a primary failure on that part that fried the hard drive electronics so I just bought a new external USB-SATA hard drive dock then it was all good.

After this incident, I opted not to buy large capacity hard drives again. Instead, I buy 500Gb drive, as the drive gets used up (i.e full), I buy another drive. This, so I can avoid a massive data loss from a single drive failure. This may not be economically efficient but considering the higher reliability and data security, I think it's worth it. Besides, hard drive prices are fairly cheap nowadays. I'm also considering Solid State Drives (SSD) as an alternative.

I might not be lucky next time and the damage might be internal to the drive heads or platters, I'm not sure yet of how to recover from that. I think it's possible though but I'll be needing a forensic lab and military grade tools for that already :)

'till the next post. bye!

*As of this writing, with help of my good friend, I was able to get a good set of hot air knife, . Now i can perform surgery on surface mount electronic components as well.

Do-It-Yourself

2012-11-09T09:18:00.000-08:00

Another weekend is coming,what can I do to be productive? What else, another DIY stuff!

So what is DIY? Wikipedia says:

The DIY ethic (do it yourself ethic) refers to the ethic of being self-reliant by completing tasks oneself as opposed to having others who are more experienced or able complete them for you. It promotes the idea that an ordinary person can learn to do more than he or she thought was possible.

That is why I love Do-It-Yourself stuffs, I become continuously productive. Would love to share my story on how it all started. High school, when I was introduced to computers and electronic stuffs. The time we're taught how a computer works. Well, it sort of started a spark in my interest from that green monochromatic monitor and large, soft floppy disks.

From that point on, I have gone a long way trying out different do-it-yourself stuff's that involve electronics,computer programs, household improvements, and anything that requires assembly and repair. It gives me an extraordinary sense of fulfillment watching the "electrons" go to work. I started out programming using the old GWBasic programming language. It amazes me on how you can instruct a machine (or computer) to do what you want it to display, perform automatic calculations, draw lines or play a note. Of course, that is very very far from what the computers can do now but the principle hasn't changed. You're still in command. It came to a point where I have to ask, "How exactly does a computer do it?". And so, my quest for hardware stuff began. From the first time I saw a circuit board and all the stuff in it, the spark became a burning interest.

As I look at this (an 8086 motherboard), I wondered how those little (and so I thought it couldn't be smaller) things work? How are they made? Where do they came from? I know almost instinctively that those copper traces connect them together but how and why are they connected that way. As soon as i got my hands on a resistor, I immediately destroy it to see what's inside of it. Same goes for that transistor, capacitor, IC's and those bright LED's (which only comes in green,red and amber that time). So where's the DIY stuff? It's my answer to the question, "Can I make one?".

For a school project, we were asked to make a regulated power supply. Although I really didn't understand on how it actually works, all I know is it will regulate the 220V household AC power to a lower 3V-12V DC supply, we were given a schematic diagram that look like this:

Now my interest has gone way up so I have no problems understanding that I have to connect the components like the one in the drawing. I just want to connect it one by one using wires and see if it will do the job. But then, we have to use PCB (as it should be) to connect the components. So we made a PCB design, etch it ferric chloride solution, drilled holes in it and assemble the components by soldering it on the PCB. The relatively simple process amazed me. I was then introduced to my favorite electrical tools of all time, the soldering tool. Soldering was fun but it was a total mess at first. I will post some pictures of it if I can still find some of my "baby" projects on my stash. Anyway, I did manage to assemble it despite the messy looks. The big question is, "Did it actually work?". Of course it did. I just love turning that knob and watching that voltmeter go up and down indicating the varying voltage output of the project. Got good grades for that project as well. Then, I connect it to anything that runs on electricity from a flashlight bulb, transistor radio, even my toy cars. From that point on, I became a DIY buff. Saving my allowance that time is my priority so I can buy those electronic stuff for my projects. Some of it includes a wireless microphone, transistor radios, amplifiers, running LED lights, proximity sensors / alarms, mosquito repellents, you name it. By this time, it was evident that I have this skill in electronic and electrical repair so I immediately became a self taught electronic technician. Driven by my deep interest in electronics and electricity, I began to buy books for appliance repairs, component data sheets, and electronic project magazines. It could have been much more fun if internet access was as convenient back then. As I entered college, it was easy to decide on what course should I study. I enrolled for a degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering. After passing the board exam, I got my professional license.

But then, my DIY adventures doesn't end there. I also enjoy other DIY stuff's like home improvement and automotive projects. And this is where weekends make me productive. I can replace those loose doorknobs, repair leaks, unclog the drain, make a filter for my aquarium, replace busted brake lights, oil change & radiator flush for my car, repair my daughters electronic gadgets, fix a broken mobile charger,you name it. It brings a lot of satisfaction to me being able to do things that is not part of your daily routine. Furthermore, It gives me a greater sense of accomplishment but most of all, It's a lot of fun! Saves money too.

I'm now reading how to's on welding & metal works, interesting.

I really recommend doing some DIY's. Just try it, you'll get hooked. I will share some ideas on DIY's on my future posts. For some ideas, I recommend http://makeprojects.com/ and for learning, you might wanna visit http://www.howstuffworks.com/.

How to root the ZTE Blade (SMART Netphone)

2011-12-03T23:06:00.000-08:00

Hi there, I've had a lot of inquiries regarding the newest android phone from SMART, the Netphone701. This includes how to root the device. But what is "rooting" actually? And what can you get from a rooted phone?

Well, rooting your phone simply means being able to have administrative access (and therefore, total control) on your android phone. It's like having administrator rights on your windows pc or superuser access on linux machine. Android is an operating system for mobile devices such as smart phones and tablet computers. It consist of a kernel based on linux kernel. So, if you are familiar with Linux OS, working with android shell is like working with linux. It's not always necessary to have root access, but besides being cool (especially for tinker fairies like me), it allows you to install useful applications not available on non-rooted phone. One such application I like is the Titanium backup. Well, it's just another backup utility but since it requires root access, it can do more than just secure your backup, that's a complete backup of your apps and application data. If you visit the market often, you might have stumbled upon a really cool app but, it requires root access. If you wanna try it, read on.

Disclaimer:
If you should attempt to follow this guide, please note that the author will not be held responsible for whatever abnormal operation (software / hardware) your mobile device might experience after tweaking it. The procedure involves using soft wares from android development communities and maybe considered unknown or untrusted by your mobile operator. Also, please note that this procedure automatically voids the warranty of your phone, so if you're completely unfamiliar with what are you doing, I suggest that you don't try it.

OK, let's get it on.
First, you'll need these soft wares (I recommend downloading them from the links below).

1) rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin &
2) Superuser package
http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/wiki/ZTE_Blade_(Gen2):_Root_and_Recovery
3) ZTE Blade Windows Drivers
http://support.zte.com.cn/support/uploads/ZTE_Android%20USB_Driver_For_Microsoft_PC.rar
4) Android SDK
Just follow the procedure on how to install adb shell. Alternatively, you can just google how to get adb server running on your pc, after all, you don't really need the whole SDK package if you're not an android developer.Read more here:

http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html

I suggest storing all the files in one location, preferably the \tools folder of the SDK path.
C:\Program Files\android-sdk_r10-windows\android-sdk-windows\tools
Now we're good to go.It's a relatively simple procedure if you have your pc setup just right. I provided some screenshots for easy reference. Just click on the pictures to enlarge.

First, set your phone debugging and unknown software installation options from the settings page. Make sure both options are checked.

Next, verify that adb server is properly installed. On the command line, type:
>adb start-server
This should display the output that looks like this:

Verify that the phone is connected and recognized by your pc. To do this, type the following commands on the command line.

>adb devices

This should display the output that looks like this:

If the phone is connected and recognized by your pc,then run the following commands. Please look at the screenshot below for the summary and output of the following commands.

>adb push rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin /data/local/tmp/

>adb shell

$chmod 755 /data/local/tmp/rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin

$/data/local/tmp/rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin

Once the exploit finishes, in terminal, run the following commands:

>adb kill-server

>adb start-server

>adb shell

NOTE: As you enter the adb shell, you should see a "#" at the command prompt. If you see a "$", then the exploit didn't work, please repeat steps 2-5. Else, proceed to the next step.

#cd /system

10)

#ls

NOTE: If you see xbin at the output, perform the next command,if not, proceed to step 12.

11)

#mv xbin xbin.bak

12)

#mkdir /system/xbin

#exit

>adb push su /system/xbin/

>adb shell chmod 4755 /system/xbin/su

>adb push Superuser.apk /system/app/

Below are some screenshots of what we've done so far. These will show the commands and the output. Click on the picture to enlarge. As you may notice, the windows directory is different, that's because I opted to install the SDK files to a different directory.Just make sure that the required soft wares are in the current directory in the command line as you perform the procedure.

Congratulations! you're done. You now have root access on your Netphone. Verify this by installing root checker app by joeykrim from the android market.

Now you can install apps which require root access. Just be sure to allow the application as it requires root access elevation.You now have the superuser app installed on your phone, click on it to see apps with root access.

Here are additional screenshots before and after the rooting procedure.

Installed titanium backup which requires root access.

Enjoy your rooted Netphone, please follow & comment.
God Bless!

SMART Mobile Eye Battery Replacement

2011-12-02T22:50:00.000-08:00

It's a Saturday, another great day for a weekend project.

Lately, I've noticed that my "SMART Mobile Eye" is always turning off even after a full night of charging. After more than 3 years of good use, we'll it's very obvious that it needs battery replacement. I tried looking for a repair center but with no luck. Some people are not even familiar with the mobile eye. Well, what is a mobile eye anyway?

Mobile Eye is a Digital Life solution offered by SMART Comm. Inc., the Philippines' leading wireless service provider. Simply put, this gadget enables you to remotely monitor you household, business or anything you value the most just like a CCTV camera on your mobile phone. Anywhere you have a good 3G signal, ensuring security is just as simple as a video call. This device is very simple but it has a lot of cool features. One of the coolest feature I like is that you can pan & tilt the camera using the keypad on your mobile phone. This enables a wider range of view unlike expensive CCTV installations that only has a steady view. You can even use it like an ordinary phone because it has a built-in speaker and microphone. Another cool feature is it's infrared camera, yes, you can see everything it covers even in total darkness. It also enables you to record what it sees for a preset time of the day, stores it in a T-Flash memory card which you can download and view at a later time.As for me, I installed it a "strategic" location in our apartment just so I can monitor how my cute little girl is doing every time me and my wife is out. With the pan & tilt feature, I can adjust the view to cover almost 70% of our home. I can hear the conversations and even say hi to my baby. OK, I guess the next thing you want to know is "How much do I spend for all these neat features?" The answer, almost nothing. As I've mentioned earlier, It's just like another video call (which I usually use, so the standard rates apply) especially if your on a postpaid account. You can use any Sim card (postpaid or prepaid) provided by SMART for the device and you just have to ensure it doesn't run out of credit. I just have to load it Php 1 every month to ensure continuous service.

You can read more on http://smart.com.ph/corporate/newsroom/SmartUnveilsDigitalLifeSolutionMobileEye.htm

http://smart.com.ph/corporate/support/FAQs/MobileEye.htm

So, let's get down to the MacGyver stuff. Please be reminded that I'm not responsible for anything that might happen to your Mobile Eye if you should attempt to repair it. Moreover, SMART may void the warranty if you attempt to tinker with the device so if you think yours is still under warranty, I suggest you inquire with SMART first. As I've mentioned earlier, mine has more than three years of good service so I think it's way off the warranty period. Besides, I don't want any repair or replacement charges so I took the risk of doing the repair myself. And so,after a successful procedure (It's been doing OK for a month now), I thought of sharing what I've done on my blog, this might be be helpful for some other tinker fairies out there.

OK, here we go, below this is the mobile eye fully assembled.

Oh by the way, you'll also need a precision screwdriver, tweezers, side cutter and a soldering iron for the repair. On the picture, you can see the mounting bracket.It looks like an astronauts helmet showing the camera, the infrared LED's, the status light indicator & the microphone holes on the front and just on the left side is the speaker. OK, just look at the pictures for the tear down procedure.

First, remove all the screws. All screws are covered by a plastic sticker or a rubber stopper, just pry it using tweezers before removing the screws. There are four screws on top & four on the bottom.

After slightly opening the enclosure, you need to remove two screws just above the camera mounting and the two screws on the infrared LED's to be able completely remove the enclosure and easily pull out the battery. Now you can separate the enclosure in half. Be careful in doing this to avoid pulling on some cables connecting the front LED's, microphone & speaker.

Now here is the complete tear down, you just have to gently pry the microphone, infrared LED's and the speaker from the enclosure. The battery is the circular pattern on the bottom of the camera assembly with the gray and white cable sticking out, we will pull this out later.

Now before pulling out the battery, disconnect it from the main board. Follow the gray/black connector and gently pull on the connector from the main board. Then pull the battery out from the assembly.

Okay, we're halfway done. Below is the view of the original battery and the replacement battery.

So where did I get the replacement battery? After some googling, I discovered "Battery Zone" located in Farmers Center Cubao, QC. I brought the original battery and they offered me a replacement with the same specifications, it's around Php500. They will offer the option of reconnecting the connectors but that would take days (and a service charge) so I opt to do it myself instead. You may also try on "Battery Channel" stores located on some malls.

So now it's time to replace the battery. First you have to transfer the connector. You can use a cutter to strip off the covering of the old battery (note the polarity of the terminals). This will expose the small PCB with some electronic components attached to the side of the battery. Then, you can use the side cutter to pry off the metal connectors from the battery terminal.

As you can see, the original battery is really in bad shape. It already leaked and that's the reason why it will not hold any charge. A simple voltmeter test confirms this. Also, the terminals are corroded as well as the circuit board which I also suspect some damage. Anyway, I just cleaned it with alcohol.

After cleaning the battery circuit board, I'm just hoping that it was not damaged by the corrosion. And so, using a soldering tool, I soldered the circuit board (again, noting the correct polarity) to the new battery. I just secured it using electrical tape. Now here's the circuit board attached to the new battery.

Then, you just have to re-insert the battery to the main assembly. Then re-connect the battery cable to the main board.

As you may have noticed, the final assembly of the battery is a bit different from the original setup. After a quick test, it turned out that the battery circuit board is damaged by the corrosion and is not working properly. And so I thought of removing the circuit board and connecting the battery directly to the circuit board, and it worked just as well. The circuit board attached to the battery is just an added "protector" for the battery against over-charging or thermal runaway but the main board itself controls the charging so it's okay to remove it. Nevertheless, I recommend not always doing this if the circuit board is not damaged. As I've said, it provides added protection for the battery.

After re-assembling the unit, it's charging perfectly using the supplied charger, but a test call confirms all is working fine. Below is the unit starting up (white light indicator on) and charging (blue light indicator on).

The charging automatically stops after about 8 hours and the unit lasts for up to one week on standby depending on how often it is used.

Now that was a lot of fun, and a lot of savings. If you have further inquiries, please follow me or you may send it on my profile email.I might be able to help you.

Have a nice day, God Bless!

Netphone Tips & tricks

2011-10-01T03:40:00.000-07:00

I just got my Netphone, and so, I'm already missing my Samsung Galaxy Tab. Why? because I can do all the things on my Netphone like the tab, so I prefer of using it more often. This unit definitely is a good one for the Smartnet / Netphone service, so I suggest you really must try it. It's both android so I had no problems with the Netphone taking over my tab. But for Iphone users, I think they'll be missing a lot of stuff.
So, if you're a loyal Iphone user, would you just love it if you can have the same interface over the netphone? As we all know, Iphone and Android (Netphone) are very different phones so I thought of mixing the two flavors if it will work out. Turned out, well, maybe not perfect but it looks good. So here's a short video on how you can customize your Netphone's interface to look like an Iphone. Sorry for the crappy video, I'll try and improve on that on my future posts.

Here's some cool screenshots:

So, there you have it. I hope you enjoy more features of your Netphone. I'll post other tips and tricks to make the most out of your Netphone. That's all for now, good day.

Delivering "The Best Service"...it matters

2011-09-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

There goes my mobile phone,screaming like "It's Monday morning,wake up sleepy head and prepare for work!". As soon as I reach out to snooze it, I'm already seeing myself in front of my computer analyzing the Weekly Service Surveillance Report. In all my years of being an employee,I learned that it's more stressful resisting on doing the things you have to do than doing it right away. So I always tell myself "It's no big deal,I'm used to it." And so, my day goes on like any other Monday.
Reports were done before my afternoon break. Then, I received an email message informing me that I have a training to attend to, the next day. I was like,"What's this? Service Desk Analyst?." I'm thinking, oh, another one of those mind-setting, brainwash kind of training to make me a "better employee." After some last minute modification of my schedule for the week, I was all set-up. We'll at least I'll have sometime away from my desk,sitting in a hotel chair, pretending to listen from a boring instructor while checking on my facebook account. But in the back of my mind, I 'm hoping this training would be different for my superior told me this will make me a certified Service Desk Engineer. And so, all of my expectations were tested the following day.

First day,I arrived late with a ton of sweat all over me. Good thing we have this nice room with overflowing coffee and very nice people . So I quickly "cooled" down over a hot cup of coffee while browsing this book which is in my impression, kind of thick for this training. I'm wondering if we'll be able to finish covering the topics in this book for three days.After about 10 minutes, I'm settled and it's game time. There was this tall young lady speaking in front of us introducing our trainer. Obviously she's not a native Filipina but I'm really glad that I'm able to understand what she's saying. This made me feel even more comfortable, at least I will not be having a hard time listening, I just have to understand. From then on, I'm sure I'll learn something from this training. And so,there goes "Chris", our trainer. I really didn't get his real name the first time, always was the case every time I go on a training session with foreign trainers. First impressions, oh great, a man who looks like he really know what he's talking about. I was glad to hear Chris said "We're all in good hands". And so, after a bit of introduction and acquaintance with the rest of the class, It's all down to business. But before that, we had this mock exam, I'm glad I got a passing grade (wish this was for real already). That got my my confidence a notch higher that I can pass the actual exam.We go on discussing roles & responsibilities, effective communication, skills and competencies. After the first session, I've come to realize many things about being a Service Desk Engineer, "It's not as simple as you might think". The day ends and I'm looking forward for the next session.

Day 2, I don't know if I'm excited or what but I'm really early this time. So early that I had enough time to go to a chapel and thank the Lord for the blessings. I was the first one to arrive, and so I just did the morning routine over a cup of coffee. Right now I'm even more comfortable with the rest of the class so I had a nice time doing all the activities set for the day. We discussed cross-cultural communication, process management and the service desk environment for the training proper. We had a chance of talking with Chris about other things (politics, culture, cost of living, etc.) during our break, I want to call it my "yosi break" (cigarette break). It was another good acquaintance session.The food, by the way, is really good too. I was a little disappointed knowing we will not be actually taking the exam as part of the training, but then I just focused on being able to pass, learn and be a certified Service Desk Analyst. And so, the day passed by with me having a greater realization of what this training, really, is all about. It's not about the exam or anything, it's about delivering the best service whatever is your profession.

Last day, is was the perfect timing. That's my perfect example of learning for the past two days. We discussed about Problem solving, tools and technologies and managing SLA's. Had a lot of fun doing the activities set for the day. Then we had another mock exam, this time it's a different story. The questions are much tougher and the answers must really be precise. But this is what you have to expect if you are to get a certification. Felt a bit down when I wasn't able to get a passing grade (short of one correct answer to be exact). I'm hoping to leave a good impression to the rest of the class but maybe not this time. I guess I have to try harder and do better on the actual exam. That's another good lesson for me. At the end of the day, It's all about attitude, how you react will depend on how you see the things around you. If you want to deliver good service, then you must first be able to see good things on what you have and what you can do.

Service Desk Analyst Training
New World Hotel, Makati Phil.
Sept. 13-15, 2011
Trainer: Prakash "Chris" Christiansen

SmartNet & Netphone...

2011-09-11T06:30:00.001-07:00

The newest service from SMART Communications, SmartNet, is finally here. This service is now available on the new Smart Netphone. Built on ZTE blade mobile unit, this service is bound to change the way subscribers use social networking and mobile data communications. Of course, basic services like SMS,Voice & MMS are included.

So what is SmartNet?

It's a Saturday, I should be at home trying to having some time with my little girl, but then, I'm in the office and it's all hands on deck. It's not something unusual for me, I've been in this business for more than ten years so it's just another saturday in the office. But this day is different, this marks a new beginning in mobile communications technology as we launch our newest service, SmartNet & the Smart Netphone. So what really is SmartNet?

I go around my workplace asking my office mates, "O, may smartnet account ka na ba?" then I get the usual reply, "Ano yun?". And so, I go on explaining for the next 60 seconds on the basic details of the service. Then I get comments like, "Talaga,ok yan ah, try ko nga!". You can visit our site by clicking on SmartNet link above.

Ano nga ba ang SmartNet?

SmartNet is the newest Social Networking Service (SNS) from SMART. Along with the Netphone, this service offers a lot of convenience to mobile subscribers using social networking as their way of life. This is also available via Internet. The web interface offers full access and customizations but it is updated along with the widget running on the Netphone. Simply put, it's just another Facebook, Twitter or Google+ service, but there's more. Not only does it combine your social networks into one but it also comes with features offered only by the largest telecom company in the country. Using SmartNet, you can update your social networks with ease and convenience using the Netphone.It is built with SMART's own applications that makes complicated tasks easier with a touch of an icon. The technology behind this service is truly amazing. You'll be able to enjoy mobile chat, posting Twitter & Facebook updates for free (using Netphone messenger & Social Stream)* anytime, anywhere.

The NetPhone Interface:

The Netphone homepage uses the SmartNet widget which shows your current updates. Information is updated along with your SmartNet profile on the Internet. A press of a button shows you your current balance and other info. Built-in icons make chatting, email, SMS and SNS updates a breeze. A press of a button shows you your current subscriptions and service status.

Another cool feature of NetPhone is the Net Setting widget. This widget let's you control the connectivity of the phone so as to prevent unwanted data charges. A simple touch of an icon enables Internet or safe browsing mode.

Of course, basic services like Voice call, SMS and MMS are available. Additional features like FX are also included. I will share additional details on these services, including the overall user experience,browsing speeds & network related issues on my next post. More features will be available soon for the service is under continuous development. For now, I invite you to try it out.

The mobile unit. - NetPhone701

On a personal note, my overall impression is good if not the best for the choice of unit. This unit compares pretty good against my 7" Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Pros:

Don't be fooled by just looks, this phone has a lot of features considering it's only around Php9K in the market. It's actually a ZTE Blade unit.I like to agree on Sam Pinto's "this is one sexy phone". I like the fact that this this phone can do most of the things that I consider a "high end or high profile" phone can do. This unit is a 2G/3G multi-band (GSM 900/1800/1900 HSDPA 900/2100) phone. Weighs around 110g with bright and crisp 480 x 800 pixels, 3.5" AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display. Also comes with Wi-Fi, USB and bluetooth for connectivity. It has a 3.2MP camera which is enough for really good pictures in lit environments. It's equipped with 600 MHz ARM 11 processor, Adreno 200 GPU, Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset, running Android 2.2 Froyo OS. And to top it all, this unit also has GPS functionality,FM radio,150 MB of storage, 512 MB RAM, 512 MB ROM and an expandable 2G microSD memory card for storing music, videos and other files. One unique feature I really appreciate on this unit is USB and WIFI tethering, meaning this unit can share it's mobile data connection via USB connection or act as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Now how cool is that! And by the way, this unit can also play HQ YouTube videos and music sounds good enough.User Interface is the basic android stuff with home,back,menu,volume side keys and power/display keys. Battery life is on the average,but if you're a "tweaky" user like me, or if you love angry birds,then travel charger at hand is a must. By the way,this unit also charge via any USB port (but slower than the wall-charger), that's another good feature.

Cons:

Well, you can't just have it all. First of all, the camera has no built-in flash, so you won't be able to snap a pose with your friends while hanging out on a dim corner of your favorite bar.But hey,this is no camera (it's a phone). Another thing is some lack of responsiveness from the touchscreen though it may be capacitive. Sometimes,you have to really put a little effort to try and slide those menus up and down. But I think this is due to the fact that it only has a basic processor to accommodate all of what you're trying to do at the same time. GPS drains the battery easily so i recommend you use a mobile charger when using this device with the built-in navigator.

That's all for now, watch out for the latest updates on my future posts. Thanks!

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