I have read/write access to the entire system memory, and HV level access to the processor. In other words, I have hacked the PS3. The rest is just software. And reversing. I have a lot of reversing ahead of me, as I now have dumps of LV0 and LV1. I've also dumped the NAND without removing it or a modchip.

3 years, 2 months, 11 days...thats a pretty secure system

The reaction from the hacker community is first that of disbelief, as there have been many such claims in the past that turned out to be scams. But Geohot’s reputation as an iPhone hacker made the news very believable although some remain skeptical until hard proof comes out of a successful hack.

The hacker remains cautious not to reveal too much info to Sony although he did state that the theory is unpatchable. If you own a PS3, I suggest not updating it any further in case the hack won’t work with newer firmware. A few other hackers close to Geohot have confirmed his hack on the website leading even more credence to the news.

Geohot’s objective of hacking the PS3 is to unsigned code which makes it possible for the homebrew community to have full access to Sony’s hardware. A side-effect to this would be that it would now be possible to run pirated games on the PS3, provided you have the money to invest in a Blu-ray burner and on the Blu-ray discs, both of which are prohibitively priced at the moment.

Some have expressed hope in having the hack allow running ISO games directly from the PS3’s hard drive, eliminating the need to purchase any expensive equipment. For all intents and purposes, the hack that Geohot will release will not feature any of these illegal copy-protection circumventions, although enterprising Chinese hackers will surely come in to fill this massive void.

Finally, the hack was accomplished without using any modchips. However Geohot did not mention whether the complicated setup he has on his PS3 is necessary to execute the hack, or is merely there to help him find the vulnerability that allowed for the hack to happen.

1. GPS

Pai Nian (Visiting friends and relatives house) for Ang Pao is the most important activity during Chinese New Year. Without Pai Nian, the whole CNY will not be meaningful because no Ang Pao = No CNY.

With the help of GPS and Satellite software like Garmin and Tom Tom Navigator, you’re able to locate your friends and relatives house without any hassle. Especially for friends and relatives who stay far away from the city or friends that you’ve lost contact for years, you can simply request for their GPS coordinates and your GPS device will guide your Ang Pao route.

2. Facebook

If you’re wondering what Facebook can do for you during Chinese New Year, here’s a suggestion…

First, wish all your friends happy CNY regardless of race and send them a virtual gift or ang pao. Second, create a RSVP event, gather all your friends to discuss and plan for group visit. An ang pao hunting event! Third, update your status. Tell others where you are and what are you doing so that your friends are able to join you. More people = more fun! Fourth, after visiting a friend’s house, don’t forget to upload the photos you’ve taken and don’t forget to tag them! Fifth, if you hate being visited by relatives and friends (or if you’re anti social) Facebook can help. Ignore them, turn on your PC and start Facebooking (play games). Start Facebooking only after you snatch your Ang Pao.

3. Twitter

Just like what you did in Facebook, you tweet your latest location and event with your iPhone. Let your followers contact you and join for Ang Pao hunting.

4. Digital Photo Frame

Visited by relatives and friends during CNY is pretty usual. Don’t just chit chat with small talk. Share your stories and impress them with your digital photos. A physical photo album is good but not as good as a digital photos frame that can store thousands of photos and stream photos from your computer through bluetooth or WIFI. Forget about your dusty photo album, Digital Photo Frame FTW!

5. Google Latitude

Google Latitude gives you the exact location of our friends and family. With Google Latitude, we able to locate and notify friends and relatives near our place so that we can pay them a visit or visit a place together.

6. Ipod / Mp3 player / Media Player

For those who’re going back to their home town for CNY, a long and boring journey is unavoidable. If you plan to relax or sleep for the whole journey, an MP3 player like iPod or iPod Touch is your best companion.

7. PSP / NDSL

If you plan to stay awake on the way back to your hometown, a portable gaming console is a must! For serious portable gaming, there’s not much choice out there. Try PSP (normally for guys) or a casual game oriented portable gaming console such as NDSL (normally for girls). If you’re bored with your PSP, you can always transform it to a portable media player. 4.3 inch screen for movie FTW!

8. Wii / PS3 / Xbox360

If you have kids visiting you, a gaming console is a must. Keep the kids and teenagers entertained. I’m not advocating violence but fighting games like Tekken and Street Fighter are always fun. Better live with the noise than the kids breaking all your other stuff.

9. PayPal for Angpau

If you can’t visit your kids or relatives during CNY, the least you can do is transfer some money to them. Besides Western Union and Maybank2u, PayPal is simple and fast, but note there is a 3-4% charge.

10. Skype / GTalk / MSN / Yahoo Messenger

Unable to visit your friends and relatives – Fret not! Audio and Video Conference with Skype, GTalk, MSN or Yahoo Messenger…  do an online virtual Pai Nian (visit) and renew your friendships

But for the millions of Apple fanatics out there, the iPad will be the next best thing since sliced bread.

First, Apple is not marketing the iPad as a netbook, and has openly criticized the format as a cheap device that will eventually fail due to the cheap price. Apple may be right on this one as recent research shows that one in three netbooks will fail, and that’s just the nature of having to keep prices low while trying to cram what is essentially a laptop computer into a small envelope.

The iPad will be running on the iPhone OS, which is hardly surprising and brings the iPad squarely into the iPod Touch and iPhone product lineup. Apple is placing the device as an expanded version of the iPod Touch offering eBook capabilities via the iBook application as well as games developed to run with the bigger screen.

But if it’s eBook that you want, Amazon’s Kindle with superior battery life has a sizable headstart already. Good luck to Apple… getting music listeners to read books!

The interface on the iPad has been made to deliberately resemble the experience of the iPhone, but with all the extra screen space, several interface tweaks have been made, most notably the contextual drop-down menus that makes navigation a breeze. As for the specs:

• CPU: Apple’s custom 1GHz A4 SOC, manufactured by Samsung.
• Display: 9.7-inch, 1024 x 786 (132 PPI), LED backlit IPS with capacitive touch and oleophobic coating.
• Storage: The iPad will come in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB variations.
• Wireless: The devices comes standard with 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1. You can also purchase a version which has 3G connectivity (UMTS / HSDPA 850, 1900, 2100MHz and GSM / EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz). Sorry everyone, AT&T only here in the US — and if you’re thinking about using your iPhone SIM, think again. The iPad uses new micro SIMs.
• Other sensors: The iPad has a digital compass, there’s AGPS on-board in the 3G version, and both versions have an accelerometer and ambient light sensor.
• Ports / input / output: Headphone jack, 30-pin dock connector, built-in microphone, built-in speaker.
• Battery life: Apple claims “up to” 10 hours web surfing on WiFi, listening to music, or watching video, and over a month on standby.
• Dimensions: height: 9.56-inches, width: 7.47-inches, depth: 0.5-inches, weight: 1.5 pounds (1.6 for the 3G model).

The interesting point to note here is the new custom Apple A4 chip, which has been described as blazingly fast by those who’s had time to sit down with an iPad. We’re not sure how much faster this chip is compared to the current leading champion, the 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, but the A4 can power the iPad up to 10 hours continuously, something the Snapdragon will never do due to the power requirements of that processor.

The new 3G version offers data connectivity for the iPad, but it seems that those outside of the U.S won’t be able to fully utilize this feature, which is just as well because the iPad doesn’t really have voice/sms capabilities yet, that remains the sole domain of the iPhone. There is of course NO reason why Apple couldn’t integrate these features in the iPad, but probably they choose to go down this path to artificially differentiate their products.

iPhone OS hackers have already discovered references to webcams, SMS and voice features buried inside the iPad’s operating system, so expect to see the next incarnation of the iPad to have all these. But for now, this is the official stance and those who wants to use the iPad like a phone will need to get an iPhone.

The hardware is impressive and certainly a joy to hold, touch, and feel. It’s described as ‘weighty’ and ’solid’, spanning nearly 10-inches, rather like holding a stack of A4 papers. It also means that the device is anything BUT portable and you can’t slip it into your pockets, although it will certainly go well into a women’s handbag.

No doubt there will be entire new lineups of fashion accessories designed for men to carry and differentiate their iPad.

The inclusion of iWork for the iPad makes it an interesting productivity tool, but for most of us who do our spreadsheet and slides using Microsoft Word, this will be more of a novelty than anything serious. It is a great strategy to expose the Windows user to the world of Apple productivity applications though, and may even win over a convert or two.

Finally, the product will be available in about 2 to 3 months from now, with the cheapest 16GB version coming in at $499, which is the price point of the iPod Touch 64GB + some extra dollars. Nothing revolutionary, and I definitely don’t expect the iPad to sell as many units as the iPod Touch, which still remains the gadget to beat in terms of functionality, usability and portability.

Commercially, perhaps the iPad will fare slightly better than Apple TV. But I really don’t see it becoming the next iPod or iPhone for Apple’s growing treasure chest.

Here’s a preview of Ang Pao design:

To make your own DIY Ang Pao, download your Ang Pao packet design over here.

Instructions

1. Download Ang Pao Packet Design printable version here.
2. Buy 80 or 100gm of normal paper (not advisable to use thick paper as it is difficult for folding – you can also buy grain paper to achieve the grain effect if so desired.)
3. Open in Photoshop
4. Print in A4 size paper.
5. Cut out using pen knife
6. Fold according to the number sequence as given, then glue the highlighted part.

7. You will get your Ang Pow.

If you like, send Monkey Kong an Ang Pao with some money in it

1) The GPS Navigator! Forget about ever getting lost again! GPS-based navigators are the in-things of the moment, with plenty found either separately or incorporated with your GPS-receiving mobile phones. With the utilization of excellent navigation software such as Garmin to guide you along the paths, finding your way in a new city would be as easy as ABC! This eliminates the need for paper-maps, or you ever stopping at petrol kiosks or police stations any more, asking for directions. Find restaurants of your choice, shopping malls, or even hotels! Useful? You bet!

2) Sony’s evolutionary PSP! Handheld gaming consoles have come a long way since Nintendo’s legendary GameBoy and GameBoy Advance. Sony’s PSP is the craze of the moment, and you would not regret it one bit if you get your hands on one of these. Choose from a wide range of games such as NeedForSpeed Most Wanted, RPG selections such as Final Fantasy or for the football-crazy, FIFA 2010 is available on PSP as well! Never feel bored during short or long journey any more, simple turn your console on, and indulge in the gaming pleasure that it offers until you reach your destination! And with added-on-devices, your PSP could also function as a digital cam, GPS-navigator, media player, translator and even an internet browser! Now is that cool or what?

If PSP is too serious for you, Nintendo DSi might be your cup of tea. Nintendo DSi is the best interactive gaming console ever in human history (Aside from Nintendo Wii). Casual games like Cooking Mama, Mario Cart and Warioware will kill your boredom in no time! You can also browse the internet with Nintendo DS Opera browser just like what you do with a PSP.

3) A digital camera (better still if you have a DSLR). Travelling would always present you with opportunities of coming across beautiful sceneries as well as unforgettable moments and memories. My Nikon D3000 is a little beauty indeed. It’s a good compact DSLR that makes an amateur like me look good. But if it’s still too big, you might want to try the Panasonic Lumix FZ35.

At around RM1,599 it is slightly cheaper than the entry level DSLR yet gives you the versatility of a Leica 27mm lens with 18x Optical Zoom (equivalent to 486mm Telephoto). Power OIS Anti-shake protection means that you won’t have to worry too much about handshake even in telephoto range, while the HD video capability delivers an impressive 1280 x 720 pixel resolution.

Having a digital cam with you during these moments helps you capture and immortalize them, preserving them so that you can reflect and reminisce upon them in the future.

Ever wonder how you can take a photo of you and your girlfriend by yourself? Then check out the Samsung ST550 Dual LCD:

Now you never have to worry that there is no passer-by to help!

Ah the Digital Camera…. one of the best travel gadgets ever-created!

4) A portable storage device (options would include pendrives and external hard-disks). Although most devices such as digital cameras and mobile phones have internal memories that could go up to 8GB (some even more), but in the scenario of you losing your camera or phone, there goes all your memories too! Safe and secure, keep a portable storage device with you to backup all your important data, they also come in bigger sizes so you would never be short of space if ever you need more than what you have. A truly beneficial invention for the constant-mover!

To do instant backup to your portable storage device, a portable data transfer device just like the Sima Hitch USB Transfer Device Hub is available in the market and that allows you to backup your precious photos and videos anytime, anywhere.

5) Last but not least, having a sophisticated mobile phone would keep you entertained in more ways than one. The best smart-phones in the market today come with excellent digital cameras (forget needing a separate cam), an entertainment centre to play both audio and video files (forget MP3/ MP4 players), a gaming-console, built in GPS receiver, internet browsing capabilities, and several other useful functions. What more does one need during travels? Never forget the battery charger though, or you could end up having nothing at all within a day or two!

Forget i-Pods, get your hands on the above mentioned products, and remember NEVER to leave home without them!

However, no ground-breaking feature was revealed unlike the launching of the iPod and iPhone.
The ultimate browsing and navigational experience seems to be what Apple is banking on this time round, for its success.
Without further ado, here is an overview of the gadget we have all been waiting for.

1)  Powerful, sleek and ultra mobile
-    1GHz Apple A4 processor
-    ½ inch thin
-    1.5 pounds
-    9.7 inch IPS display
-    10 hour battery life (1 month standby mode)

*Get details of full tech specs here.

2)    Cheaper than the $999 we originally expected
Wi-Fi model
-    $499 for 16GB
-    $599 for 32GB
-    $699 for 64GB

Wi-Fi + 3G model
-    $629 (16GB)
-    $729 (32GB)
-    $829 (64GB)

3)    Remarkable browsing experience
-    Able to view entire web page on the screen
-    Automatically adjusts to landscape or portrait views
-    Internet literally at your fingertips
-    Google-powered maps with high resolution satellite and street view images
-    Almost full sized virtual keyboard

4)    Multimedia galore
-    Organise appointments with, calendar, address book and notes applications
-    Watch high-definition Youtube videos, movies and TV
-    Stack, store and share vibrant photos on high resolution screen
-    Powerful in-built speakers for listening to music
-    iBook app (can be downloaded for free) for the ultimate reading experience.

Here are some screen snapshots of the iPad to help you decide whether or not to pick one up when they ship in March.

Your very own virtual library

Aerial view of your destination route

Flip through photo albums with just a pinch or a tap of your finger

At last! Keyboard made for normal sized fingers

All the HD Youtube videos you can watch

iPad iKnow iLike. Is this on your iWish iList too?

Better still. A video game.
A chance for Avatar fans to personally participate in the magical wonders and adventures of planet Pandora. Developed by french company Ubisoft, the game, also titled Avatar, has been released on Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, iPhone, PSP and PC.

Breathtaking scenery

The game is set on the same moon as featured in the movie, with the same beautiful but hostile environment and the same inhabitants. It starts off with the player controlling Abel Ryder, a newly recruited RDA soldier assigned on a mission to locate a traitor within the team. But soon after, he is forced to choose either to continue fighting against the indigenous Na’vi tribe for the highly priced mineral called Unobtanium, or to transfer consciousness into a Na’vi avatar and defend Pandora from her human invaders.

View playing as RDA soldier

According to most reviews, the player would gain an upper hand playing the role of an RDA soldier due to the multitude of advanced military weapons and vehicles available. You will be spoilt for choice with the wide selection of rifles, guns, grenade launchers, flame throwers and also have access to AMP suits, ATVs and missile-equipped aircraft. If you are on a trigger-happy, destructive streak, the RDA will be the undisputed option.

View playing as Na’vi

On the other hand, playing a Na’vi will leave you with primitive weapons such as bow and arrows, knives, clubs, staffs, and a relatively progressive machine gun. Also, close range combat adopted by the Na’vi can be a wee bit disorienting. The cool thing however, is their ability to instantly heal and teleport within short distances. The environment is also not as hostile to a Na’vi as it is to an RDA, thus making it easier for the former to navigate through the dense terrain.

Conquest Mode

Multi-player Mode

Whether playing for the RDA or Na’vi, the goal and tasks remain the same.  Both sides are able to unlock new skills and level up as they successfully accomplish specific missions. Conquest, a strategy mini-game inspired by Risk is also implemented within the game. Conquest mode lets the player accumulate points to enhance their skills by capturing new territories. There is also a multi-player mode available, enabling head-to-head team battles once having completed the main game twice.

What makes Avatar stand out from the other video games is its 3D capabilities. Hardcore gamers who appreciate equally hardcore graphics now have a valid excuse to invest in a 3D enabled monitor, or maybe they should consider waiting for leading television manufacturers like Sony and Samsung to launch the 3D TV by end of 2010. Avatar in 2D already boasts stunning and impressive effects, what more in 3D!

If you’re not really into the techno jargon, maybe this scenario comparison will help you (we have compiled a list of broadband packages here):

1. I’m a heavy online gamer / media downloader. I need fast and stable internet connection.
   1. Streamyx 1.0mbps / 2.0mbps / 4.0mbps (if your area is being covered) might be suitable for you since Streamyx offers decent internet speed and has unlimited bandwidth limit & usage time.
2. I run a company. I have several PCs in my office. I need a fast and stable internet connection for all my employees to stay online during business hours. / I host a server.
   1. Streamyx for Corporate 1.0mbps / 2.0mbps / 4.0mbps (if your area is being covered) might be suitable for you because Streamyx offers fixed IP address and unlimited bandwidth & usage time.If Streamyx is not your cup of tea, Infolient provides corporate broadband packages that are similar with Streamyx corporate package at a slightly cheaper rate.
3. I’m an insurance agent. I travel frequently and I do not stay in my office. I need wireless internet access wherever I go, so that I can perform online insurance submission. I also surf the net when I’m on the run.
   1. Digi broadband package might be suitable for you. Digi broadband provides high speed wireless internet access with low cost. You get to keep the modem after installment or you can get free modem if you signed up with Explore 10GB & Explore 16GB. And the best news is, there is no contract for subscription, you can terminate the account anytime you wanted.
   2. P1 Wimax Wiggy package might also be suitable for you, since the Wimax modem is portable enough to allow you stay online wherever you are. But from our experience with P1 earlier on in their launch, the coverage area was far from impressive!
   3. Maxis Broadband also offers broadband package at low price starting from RM58 per month and the HSDPA modem is included too. But once again, from several client’s feedback, we hear that the service is not as stable as Streamyx.
4. I’m not an online person but I do online once in a while. I hate the slowness of dial-up. Therefore, I need a broadband solution at the minimum cost.
   1. Celcom Broadband provides tons of packages for people who seldom online and fast connection is needed. Low cost broadband packages from monthly, weekly and even daily is available in Celcom. Do check out Celcom broadband if you need a temporary fast internet solution.
   2. U Mobile also provides daily broadband package as low as RM6 per day and the bandwidth limit is 500MB which is not a bad deal for a “part time” internet surfers.
   3. If wireless is not a concern, you might be interested in cheapest Streamyx package too. As low asRM20 per month, you can access the internet for 10 hours. For additional usage, 5 cents per minute is charged.

Conclusion

In conclusion, to choose a suitable broadband package for yourself, study the package offering – speed, max data transfer and so on and also the terms & conditions (eg whether there is any minimum period, tie-ins etc) before picking up a package. And also make sure you read their reviews and obtain feedback from your friends. Remember that the claimed coverage area may not always prove true. A suitable package might help you save a lot in long term. Let’s go online at the lowest cost possible!

HTC MAX 4G - The first 4G / Wimax enabled phone

This is an effort by Nokia to provide faster and more stable cellular data, and it expects LTE to extend all the way until 2013, while the whole 4G experience to be fully operational latest by 2020.

On the other hand, Apple Inc. is expected to unveil the new iPhone 4G sometime this year as well! The new iPhone reportedly has dual core processers with more sophisticated graphics chips to allow you to obtain pictures and videos at higher resolutions.

Verizon Wireless is currently in the midst of testing out a CDMA version of the new iPhone 4G. This awesome new device from Apple is expected to have the capabilities of video chat as well as extreme and multi-tasking downloading abilities. Sleek and elegant is the verdict, we can’t wait! Can you?

My laptop was purchased back in 2007 and upgraded to the 8400M graphics system instead of using the default Intel GMA because of light gaming requirements. A year into its use, it began to develop some quirks such as laptop restarting itself, corrupted display, etc. The charger/battery also died soon after.

A few weeks ago, the entire laptop died. Booting it gives a blank display although I could still hear the fans and hard disk functioning normally. Devastated, I contacted Dell and they told me since my laptop is out of warranty, I have no option but to either pay to have the motherboard replaced, or to get an extended warranty to the tune of RM1000 and then have the motherboard replaced for free under warranty.

I was not happy with the outcome because a laptop should definitely be expected to last more than just a mere 2 years so I did a Google search and stumbled upon the core of the problem: The NVIDIA Defect. This problem first surfaced in late 2008 and affected laptops that have the NVIDIA graphics chip. A total of 10 laptops from Dell are affected and they are:

Other laptop manufacturers such as HP and Gateway also have similar problems. The common problem is that all these laptops have an NVIDIA graphics chip inside.

The problem stemmed from NVIDIA’s engineering fault which caused the graphics chip to operate at abnormally high temperatures. Error in the substrate chemicals used also resulted in the thermal cycles that will lead to the chip detaching itself eventually from the motherboard, thus leading to the ‘blank’ display problem.

Dell have acknowledged the problem and have offered a 1 Year Limited Extended Warranty to cover this defect, and they have also issued a BIOS fix, which forces the fans of the laptop to run at maximum speed for longer periods of the time to cool the laptop down. This led to a very noisy fan with low battery life, certainly not what you expect from the laptop when you first purchased it.

When I found out about this issue, I was very upset and called Dell up and demanded that they do something about the problem. All they did was apologize for the problem and offered me the RM1000 warranty extension and that there is nothing else they could do to me. I threatened to escalate the problem to the Consumer Tribunal but their position did not change. The person on the support line even said, “So are we expected to replace the motherboards of everybody who complained?”. Damn right, if you sold them with a defect!

Regardless, I went to the Consumer Tribunal and got the forms. There are 4 copies that need to be filled. I called Dell again and asked for the name of the person that I should write on the form so that the summons can be served to them. A female came on the line and we danced through the whole issue again, with me complaining about the problem. After putting me on hold for three times, she told me there was nothing she could do to help me because my computer is out of warranty and the system would just reject any request she made to issue me a repair.

I told her fine, just give me the address and name of the person I should serve the summons to. She gave me the address of Dell in Penang but did not offer a name. After I insisted, she put me on hold once more. When she came back on, she told me there’s no need to put a name, but she has conferred with ‘upper management’ and they have decided to give me a free replacement of my motherboard for this issue, because apparently I have never claimed warranty so presumably the money I paid for the warranty will be used to cover this one time fix.

So the moral of the story is, if you have experienced a similar issue, please do not lose hope and try phoning to Dell and demand them to fix your FAULTY/DEFECTIVE laptop. If it doesn’t work, try using the Tribunal to pressure them, and if need be, take the case directly to the Tribunal because no company should be able to sell you a defective product and offer a 1 year extended warranty expecting that is sufficient to cover the problem, especially when the laptop WILL fail, just a matter of how long. I am now happily waiting for Monday for a Dell representative to come over and fix my computer.

If you want to confirm the problem, start the laptop while holding down the ‘D’ key and your laptop screen should flash different colours (confirming its not a LCD problem). Then restart the system holding down the ‘Fn’ and ‘Start’ button and after 5 minutes, the laptop should give a loud beep. That’s how the Dell personnel confirmed the defective chip.