So, how many cross-references to internet memes were you able to spot in the video?

If you got them all, then consider yourself a nerd. LOL. I didn’t get them all though so I’m considered a geek. Haha. A lot of internet memes are present. Too bad Rick Astley wasn’t there or else it would have been perfect! LOL

Anyway, talking about nostalgia and the dial up era, do you think DSL connection’s days are also numbered because of wireless broadband, 3G and 4G coming to the picture?

Is DSL Connection Dead?

One thing is for sure, the dial-up era is dead! Those were the days I had to wake up in the middle of the night around 1am just to be able to connect to the internet without getting disconnected.

But is this where DSL is also heading? Is this the new era of wireless connections?

Well, it depends on what you’re looking for, but DSL connection is definitely NOT DEAD. In fact, now is the perfect time to get DSL connections as they are getting cheaper and faster!

Based on my own experience, there are 3 main differences between the two.

Speed

Just like when I mentioned the dial up era, this is one of the more obvious difference between a DSL connection and a Wireless broadband. It’s simply faster. It can go from 128 Kbps to 3 Mbps, depending on your service provider.

For wireless broadband, the speed goes from 128kbps to 512kbps. There are 3G services that can reach up to 1 mbps but that is very rare especially here in the Philippines.

For this area, DSL connection is clearly the winner. Whether you are playing DoTA in a GG Client, online games or watching youtube videos, you will significantly notice how much faster it is to accomplish these things with a cable or DSL connection.

Reliability or Connectivity

For this area, we should understand how both connection works. DSL connection uses cables and telephone lines so obviously the connection is more secure in terms of getting affected from outside sources like rain and thunderclouds.

Wireless broadband on the other hand utilizes Wi-Fi which is a local area network that uses high frequency radio signals to transmit and receive data which can be affected by rain or distance.

For this area, a DSL connection is still a clear winner since it almost never gets affected or gets disconnected (Well, it still does but that’s because of the service provider and not the connection itself).

Ease and Portability

For ease and simplicity, getting a DSL connection installed in your home is almost as easy as getting a Wi-Fi router to work in your home for wireless connections. Depending on how good you are, you can just follow the instructions in the wireless router that you bought.

Then again, for portability, a wireless broadband is clearly as winner as you can freely move from one place to another. Which is why 3G and 4G connections are really popular most especially for portable media players or smartphones.

Final Thoughts

So in the end, it’s still basically what you need. If you are an outgoing person then getting a 3G internet plan in your Smartphone can be a good idea and you can just tether it to your computer or laptop to connect to the internet. But then again, that would be very slow and unreliable. I’ve had so many instances of getting disconnected in a middle of a chat.

On the other hand, if you need a connection at home, having a DSL connection is still the best choice. Provided you don’t live in rural areas (that’s one of the reasons why getting a wireless broadband would be a good choice), getting a DSL connection is still your best bet. It’s faster and more reliable, especially if you’re into gaming and downloading. (I am!)

Of course, it also depends on what DSL you get. Based on my own experience, PLDT MyDSL is still the better provider here in Cebu. Speed wise, I think they are almost the same but PLDT has better uptimes and support. I can’t count how many times my Globe Broadband had problems while PLDT MyDSL was still working smoothly.

So do you have a DSL connection at home?

How many cross references to internet memes did you find in the video? Haha

© McBilly for Technology and Gadget Hub, 2010. | Feeling Nostalgic? Find Out How Many Internet Memes You can Identify in this Cool Video was originally posted ony Technology and Gadget Hub

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Remember Smart’s little 18 & Up teaser in facebook? They just pulled the plug on it in their Facebook fanpage and it’s free Mobile Internet today at TGI Fridays! Yep, free 3G surfing and if your phone can tether to your laptop for internet sharing, then you can surf free internet on your laptop too. This will only be available to postpaid and prepaid subscribers. Smart BRO is not included in this promo though.

Some details on this promo:

Q: WHAT IS T.G.I.Freeday?

A: Its Smart’s one-day offer for all subscribers to enjoy using mobile internet services for FREE. That means there are no charges to visit all internet sites using your mobile phone.

Q: When is T.G.I.Freeday available?

A: T.G.I.Freeday will start from 12:00 am of July 30, until 11:59pm of the same day. If you start browsing at 10pm, you only have 11:59 pm to enjoy free mobile internet.

Q: Do I need to register?

A: No registration needed. Just open your web browser, your Uzzap or GoMail application and go!

Q: Is there a special keyword or URL to visit?

A: No need to key in a keyword or a URL to use mobile internet. For as long as you have a data capable handset, you can do mobile surfing all your want. To get more information, text FREEDAY and send to 211.

Q: I don’t know how to use mobile internet. What’s the first thing I do?

A: You need to configure your 3G settings. Text SET send to 211 to get your 3G configuration for FREE. Save the configuration and then launch your mobile web browser to start browsing. As simple as that.

Q: Can I use 2G to browse the internet?

A: Yes you can. But for a faster and better experience, it is suggested that you take advantage of Smart’s nation widest coverage by using Smart’s superior 3G, HSPA, HSDPA network.

Q: I want to avail of a daily surfing package on Friday. Will this be allowed?

A: No. You will receive an SMS notification that today is a free day and that you will be able to use the service you wish to avail unlimited for the entire day.

Q: Will I be allowed to avail weekly and monthly package of the data services that I register to?

A: Subscribers can still avail of weekly and monthly packages every Friday but they will be reminded of T.G.I.Freeday Promo and they have to confirm their purchase before transaction is completed.

Q: I have a weekly/ monthly package. Will I be given additional 1 day extension as a result of T.G.I.Freeday?

A: Subscribers with current weekly and monthly packages that traverse on a Friday will not be given extra one day as a result of the free day Friday. The existing validity of their availed package will be retained.

Q: Is there a limit as to the number of services that I can avail for free?

A: For as long as subscribers have a data capable handset, there is no limit as to how many services subscribers can avail of for free.

Q: Is there a minimum maintaining balance?

A: Prepaid subscribers should have minimum balance of P1 to avail of the free services

Q: What if I browse after 11:59pm of Friday?

A: Should subscriber continue to browse even after 11:59pm, default charging P10/30 will commence and transactional fees for chat services will apply.

Q: What are the sites that I can access?

A: You can access all the sites that you want. All the Web Unli Sites offered currently at P20 per day by Smart will be FREE on TGIFreeday!

Looks like there’s going to be a LOT of people in TGI Friday’s tonight. If you’re going though, make sure you’re more than 18 years old, alright?

© McBilly for Technology and Gadget Hub, 2010. | T.G.I. Freeday: Smart Unveils 18 & Up Rumor with Free Mobile Internet This Friday was originally posted ony Technology and Gadget Hub

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Stumbled upon this Facebook ad from Smart which is something new. They’re cooking up something BIG and FREE which is not unusual but what’s striking is that you need to be at least 18 years old or older to be eligible. Is Smart going to start providing adult content?

Personally, I think Smart wouldn’t want to taint their wholesome brand with extreme and sleazy adult services but who knows. There are adult contents and services that are in the “Grey area” like gambling or alcohol. It might be a new mobile game or online adult magazine?

We’ll have to see. Check out and like the facebook fan page for updates on this.

© McBilly for Technology and Gadget Hub, 2010. | Smart Communications Cooking Up Something Adult? was originally posted ony Technology and Gadget Hub

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But even though 3D is the new craze, I still don’t see the point of watching regular tv in 3D which is why I still prefer going for 1080p LCD high def movies. I’ve tried going to Best Buy and checking out the 3D tvs myself and it hurts my eyes and I get dizzy when I watch for around 15minutes. Imagine what it would do if I have to watch a full 2 hour movie.

So my money is still on 1080p Full HD TV. So what exactly do you need to look out for? What are the top choices for 1080p tvs? Well, let’s see.

Top 1080p LCD TV Choices

Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-46XBR9 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV

You can never really go wrong with choosing SONY BRAVIA. Sony as a brand has shown nothing but innovation and quality. You won’t have any problems because you’re paying for the assurance that it’s top quality. The design of the Sony BRAVIA XBR series is also top notch and stylish. A bit sexy I suppose. Here are the specs:

- 16:9 Full HD 1080p resolution panel (1920×1080)
- Has the BRAVIA Engine 3 fully digital video processor
- Motionflow 240Hz
- Live Color Creation technology w/ WCG-CCFL backlight
- USB to view photos, vidoes and music

Pros:

- Simply beautiful display especially when watching in Blue-Ray or HD.
- It has top notch excellent response time and display when watching in High Defintion.
- A lot of personal touches can be be made as there are lot of options
- A lot of extras for this baby. You can accessed most of these extras when you hook up your TV to your home internet network.
- Widgets and videos on the demand features

For the cons, there’s pretty much nothing too major to complain about. I think the black contrasts could still use some improvement and are not the same quality as of Plasmas but then again, it is LCD technology so it’s all good.

Highly Recommended. Order or read more reviews of SONY BRAVIA HDTV from Amazon here.

Samsung LN46C650 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV

Samsung also has the brand recognition you can be assured of. You won’t have any problems and can be assured that you’re buying a powerful and yet stylish multimedia toy. Here’s some run down:

- 16:9 Full HD 1080p resolution panel (1920×1080)
- Up to 43% more energy efficient than ENERGY Star 4.0 minimum standards
- 120Hz Clear Motion Rate
- Customizable widgets give you access to BLOCKBUSTER, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Amazon Videos and more.
- Sceen size is 46 inches

Pros:
- Same with the Sony Bravia, the images/video are crisp and beautiful. Just fantastic watching in Full HD or Blue Ray.
- The sounds are great and with max volume can still be used for a big loud party.
- Awesome widgets that give you access to YouTube, Yahoo, Vudo, Associated Press, Weather, Flickr and more.
- The HDTV exterior looks amazing and sexy in black. The design is exceptional.
- Plug and play media just works fast.

Same with the Sony bravia, there’s not much a negative when it comes to the whole experience with Samsung HDTV. Maybe just the hassle of connecting it?

Best Value for Money. You can ORDER or Read more reviews at Amazon here.

VIZIO SV472XVT 47-Inch Class XVT Series TRULED 240Hz sps LED LCD VIZIO Internet Apps HDTV

This baby is one powerful piece of hardware. VIZIO has done an amazing job almost at par with Sony and Samsung. If you think VIZIO is just playing second fiddle, the SV472XVT 47-Inch LED backlit LCD HDTV can prove you wrong. Here’s some specs:

-47-inch direct type LED-backlit LCD HDTV with full 1080p HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels)
-Connect to the Internet via Wireless-N Wi-Fi or Ethernet to stream video, audio and news content from VIZIO Internet Apps (VIA)
-Smart Dimming intelligently controls LED blocks to produce 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio
-Inputs: 4 HDMI, 1 component, 1 composite, 1 S-Video, 1 PC, 1 RF, 1 Ethernet, 1 optical digital audio output
-Includes removable stand; measures 43.85 x 29.67 x 10.04 inches with stand; Bluetooth remote with slide-out QWERTY keyboard

Here’s some pros:

- Beautiful display and amazing crisp images/videos.
- The exterior looks awesome and stylish. It looks very “modern”.
- Great awesome full qwerty keyword on the screen for full searching through the widgets.
- Great bluetooth connectivity.
- Great easy plug and play set up.

This one is asbsolutly worth it with the price. I think VIZIO has done a great job considering this one is 47-inches. About an inch greater than the usual 46 inch HDTV Sony and Samsung offers in the market.

One of the BEST 1080p LCD for its price. You can Order or Read more reviews at Amazon.

© McBilly for Technology and Gadget Hub, 2010. | Top 1080p LCD HDTVs was originally posted ony Technology and Gadget Hub

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Samsung has been a major player in the mobile market and in the technology scene, heck they’re even entering the laptop market and recently released the Samsung Core i5 NP-R580-JSB1US, but most of their products are a hit and miss for me. Although they have consistently been able to build some good phones like the Samsung Omnia. But those are really expensive smartphones. If you’re tight on the budget and just needs a ‘decent’ phone. Try to consider the dual sim cellphone the Samsung D880. It’s a stylish black (also comes in silver) dual sim slider phone that has a 3.2-megapixel camera or video recorder. So what comes with the package?

Samsung D880 Duo Review

Here’s a little run down on this little Samsung gadget toy:

- 3.2 Megapixel camera / video
- 2048×1536 pixels for pictures and has autofocus
- Can run Java
- Dual SIM (second SIM is for text messaging and calling)
- MP3/MP4/AAC+ player
- It has document viewer for word, powerpoint, excel and pdf files
- Voice memo
- Can output to TV
- Standard battery is up to 360 hours
- Talking time on the phone is up to 4 hours
- It’s not 3G. It has GSM 900 / 1800/ 1900
- 1,000 phonebook entries

It has an internal memory of 60mb. If you think about it, it just does what it’s suppose to do. No fancy things although it plays MP3 for you. To be clear, this phone ain’t no iPhone or smartphone. But it’s also cheap. And if you’re a cheapskate that’s in need of a good extra phone, maybe because you have a lot of cellphone numbers or in a lot of network that wants to take advantage of unlimited texting or unlimited calling in the same network, then this phone kind of delivers. All in all, it’s an okay phone.

Check it out here: Get one from Amazon

© McBilly for Technology and Gadget Hub, 2010. | Samsung D880 Dual Sim Review was originally posted ony Technology and Gadget Hub

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Searching for a good and reliable LCD monitor can be a bit of a pain. The usual suspects are Samsung LCD Monitors and AOC monitors. But if you’re looking a cheaper model, try considering Starlogic LCD Monitor. They have the 24″ model that has a full HD resolution, perfect for video game players or HD movie watchers.

Starlogic LCD Monitor Review:

First of all, the good thing about this model is that it simply does what it’s supposed to do. It has good clear pictures, crisp details and good video quality. I did have to adjust the contrast and brightness a bit. The screen kind of looks a bit washed out right out of the box but it’s good enough.

The monitor is lightweight and makes it easy to lift and set up. You can see the monitor from all angles with no reflection problems whatsoever. That’s pretty much a green light for me.

Now for the cons.
- The bright blue LED in the front of the monitor is kind of distracting. It’s a bit annoying when you’re watching a movie and you keep seeing a bright light flashing to your eyes.
- The stand is not as sturdy and can wobble a bit. You can feel it being a bit flimsy.
- No adjustments of the stand even though there’s no problem with the viewing angles of the monitor. But the concern here is if you are viewing from a lower or higher vantage point, there’s no vertical angle adjustments.
- Most of all, if you’re after style and design, it’s better to just go for Samsung because starlogic is definitely not sexy. But it does get the job done.

So all in all, it depends on what you’re after. It’s cheap though compared to Samsung LCD Monitors. It costs around $180-$200 compared to Samsung LCD monitors that could cost you around $300 to get the big Full HD size.

© McBilly for Technology and Gadget Hub, 2010. | Starlogic Lcd Monitor 24 Inch Review was originally posted ony Technology and Gadget Hub

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This is an awesome YouTube video from Addidas Originals that features a lot of whos-who and quite frankly, I think it’s a win. I think just having Snoop Dogg wielding a light saber is awesome enough, but Addidas just went all out on this one. They even used a high definition Star Wars A new hope footage and meshed it with the new one. It’s actually pretty cool.

Adidas Originals invites you to join David Beckham, Daft Punk, Snoop Dogg, Franz Beckenbauer, Noel Gallagher, Ian Brown, Ciara, Jay Baruchel, DJ Neil Armstrong and some of your dear, old friends for an intergalactic 2010 FIFA World Cup™ viewing party that you’ll never forget.

Awesome and great job Addidas. You can see the YouTube video here. Quite frankly, I thought the Nike FIFA World Cup video was simply awesome but this yutube video simply blows it away. The Nike video was pretty awesome too anyway. You get to see Kobe Bryant doing some soccer foot work.

© McBilly for Technology and Gadget Hub, 2010. | Awesome Adidas FIFA World Cup Video Featuring Snoop Dogg Star Wars Daft Punk and More was originally posted ony Technology and Gadget Hub

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So what can be your alternative software? You might just be asking how to install daemon tools in Windows 7? I recently bought a new laptop and I have files saved in ISO so I need to have a virtual drive in order to run it. The problem is that I’m using a windows 7. So I searched and googled for possible answers. Here’s what I found.

Slysoft Virtual Clone Drive – This is your answer. It’s basically the same with Daemon tools as it creates a brand new virtual drive in your computer. In other words, it tricks your computer into thinking that it has a CD/DVD ROM drive hardware.

Install the software and you will see an icon in the lower right taskbar of your computer. Right click it and select MOUNT IMAGE. Mound your .ISO files and then run.

Good luck and enjoy.

© McBilly for Technology and Gadget Hub, 2010. | Free Daemon Tools for Windows 7 was originally posted ony Technology and Gadget Hub

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Imagine having the processor Intel Core i5, 4Gig RAM, 500GB SATA Hard disk, 15.6 inch widescreen LED screen with 1366 x 768 resolution and it doesn’t stop there. Aside from the already impressive specs and powerful computing power, it sports an NVIDIA GeForce GT 310M graphics with 512MB GDDR3 video memory. This is great for gaming and for video editing.

But it doesn’t stop there. The specs are powerful for gaming and computing but for entertainment, it gives you Blue-Ray player. These things doesn’t come cheap but Samsung made sure that this can also be used for multimedia entertainment. And by the looks of it, it is.

The jackpot and final factor for this great and awesome machine is the price. It’s only $829.99. Judging from the specs, if you buy this from HP, Sony or Lenovo, this might cost you around $1,000 bucks.

Here’s the full specs and review for the Samsung NP-R580-JSB1US Laptop. It comes in both black or red.

Processor: Intel® Core™ i5
Processor Speed: 2.26GHz (with Turbo Boost up to 2.53GHz )
Battery Type: 6-cell lithium-ion
Display Type: High-definition LED-backlit (1366 x 768)
Screen Size (Measured Diagonally): 15.6″
System Bus: 1066MHz
System Memory (RAM): 4GB
Type of Memory (RAM): DDR3
Hard Drive Type: SATA (5400 rpm)
Computer Hard Drive Size: 500GB
Optical Drive: DVD±RW/Blu-ray Disc/CD-RW
Optical Drive Speeds: Drive speeds not specified
Direct-Disc Labeling: No
Digital Media Reader or Slots: Yes, digital media card reader
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 310M
Video Memory: 512MB GDDR3

I highly recommend this laptop and I think it is well worth the price Samsung is asking for. The only concern I see in this is that it only has a standard 6-cell battery so it’s roughly around 3 hours. Not bad.

Also, if you are brand conscious, Samsung is a new player in the laptop market so it can be awhile before they start gaining brand recognition in this market.

What do you think?

© McBilly for Technology and Gadget Hub, 2010. | Samsung Core i5 NP-R580-JSB1US Laptop is Impressive was originally posted ony Technology and Gadget Hub

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Full Specifications of the Samsung R430 Black Laptop:

Processor Brand: Intel®
Processor: Intel® Core™2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.2GHz
Battery Type: 6-cell lithium-ion
Display Type: High-definition widescreen LED (1366 x 768)
Screen Size (Measured Diagonally): 14″
System Bus: 800MHz
Cache Memory: 2MB
System Memory (RAM): 4GB
Type of Memory (RAM): DDR3
Hard Drive Type: SATA (5400 rpm)
Computer Hard Drive Size: 320GB
Optical Drive: Double-layer DVD±RW/CD-RW
Optical Drive Speeds: 6x DVD+R DL; 6x DVD-R DL; 8x8x8 DVD+RW; 8x6x8 DVD-RW; 5x DVD-RAM; 24x24x24 CD-RW
Direct-Disc Labeling: No
Digital Media Reader or Slots: Yes, digital media card reader
Graphics: Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Video Memory: 348MB (shared)

For the price of $629.99, (pricing taken from BestBuy), it’s not bad. I think the advantage of the widescreen (1366 x 768) is enough for me to use this baby. And add the 14 inch size of the laptop, then you have a portable and lightweight device right here.

© McBilly for Technology and Gadget Hub, 2010. | Samsung R430-BLACK 14inch Core2Duo Laptop was originally posted ony Technology and Gadget Hub

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