TEK-KON: THEIR TEKNOLOGY - MY KONTENT

N86 - Phone memory full

2010-03-15T13:21:00.002+05:30

I am, currently, using a Nokia N86. It's a nice phone, with a huge amount of internal memory, 8 Gb. I always saved everything in the mass memory, photos, videos and messages.

One fine day I saw a message on the phone's screen which made me skip a heart-beat. The message told me to delete some data from the phone memory as it was almost full!

WHAT??!!!??

But I thought I never saved anything in the phone-memory. Well, I was right. I never did save anything in the phone-memory. But still the message showed up. Again and again!

I deleted the cookies, emptied the cache, checked for installed apps in the phone-memory, did everything I could to make sure that my phone-memory was not being used by something large. But all in vain. I just could not find the reason.

I turned to the internet for help. Looked at a lot of pages in various forums in the hope of finding a solution. I found nothing that could help me.

Then I turned back to my phone. Using the phone's file manager I accessed every folder and sub-folder, opened it to find out what was inside. And there I found it. The problem.

The phone memory has a folder named wscache which has a sub-folder named diff which houses some folders, three of which are callogs, contacts and messages. This trio was the culprit.

What happened is that these folders saved logs of every dialled call, received call, missed call, every message and every contact that I saved on the phone!!!

Clearly, the heaviest of the three folders was callogs. I tried to empty the folder but could not. The amount of data in it was huge! The phone used to hang while doing that. I turned to my computer for help. I connected my phone to it and accessed the three folders one by one and emptied them all.

VOILA!

The message stopped appearing.

Relief!

Now I make sure that I regularly empty these folders, to keep my phone-memory from getting all used up.

Prevention, as they say, is better than cure!!!

N86

2010-03-15T02:49:00.003+05:30

Nokia's first attempt at a serious camera-phone. It has been a long time since it was launched, even here in India. As one of the phone's users, I would like to highlight some Pros and Cons.

Pros:
•The camera - 8 MP (3264*2448 pixels), Auto-focus, Dual-LED flash, Video @ 30 FPS and video-light
•The memory - 8 Gb (internal) and upto 16 Gb (card)
•The processor - 434 MHz
•The battery - 1200 mAh
•3.5 mm audio-jack
•smooth slider

Cons:
•Heavy - 149 gms
•very slow Text messaging service
•GPS does not function satisfactorily, is very slow in attaining a connection
•Loudspeakers - very poor quality

My verdict: if you are looking for a phone with very good camera functionality, go for this.

Read more about the phone: Here, here and here.

TECHCRUNCH20

2007-04-17T08:52:00.000+05:30

TechCrunch has today launched the official website for their conference to bring together 20 new startups in 2007.

The conference and website are conveniently and aptly christened TECHCRUNCH20. The conference will take place in San Francisco on September 17th and 18th, 2007.

The startup models will be selected based on merit alone (by a panel of 20 experts) and the owning companies will not be charged anything for participation.

TechCrunch20 has already gained a sponsor - Sequoia Capital and also, has its official blog up and running.

Read about it HERE, as well !

Inter - GPRS - net

2007-04-16T08:39:00.000+05:30

Internet / the World Wide Web - its a passion for some people!

Some people just have to be connected to the NET! All the time !!

But sometimes, one has no way to get connected. Maybe you are on the move and donot want to bear the cost of a Wireless Internet Data Card. Maybe, just like me, you stay in a locality with no Broadband connectivity. Or maybe one uses it only for a short duration of time at no particular time, wants to have a connection available anytime and doesnot want to make any committments to any service provider.

What do we do ?

Well, if we have a phone featuring GPRS; a phone connectivity software like NOKIA PC SUITE installed on the computer and preferably, bluetooth support in both the devices, there is hope !

We would need to get the GPRS service activated by contacting the service provider, first.

If we have all that, we can connect to the internet using the phone as the modem and the computer.

For a NOKIA phone, here is how we cook it up:

Ingredients - An active GPRS connection enabled mobile phone with bluetooth facility.

NOKIA PC SUITE with bluetooth connectivity.

A bluetooth enabled computer with the SUITE installed.

Procedure -

Using the SUITE, connect the phone to the computer (via bluetooth; a connectivity cable will also do)
Once connected (it will show connected at the bottom left), click on "Connect to the internet"

The ONE TOUCH ACCESS wizard will then run. We will need to click on SETTINGS; if SETTINGS is not highlighted then most probably we are not using the administrator user account.

It will then show you a modem, already chosen as we are already connected using Bluetooth (STANDARD MODEM USING BLUETOOTH LINK). We just need to click on NEXT

We will then be given two options: Select the provider / Setup the connection manually, I would suggest using the latter as it is the better one. We then click on NEXT

We then will need to enter the GPRS connection details as provided by the provider: The Access point, Username and the password. In the screenshot you see details for the HUTCH GPRS CONNECTION. And then NEXT

We will then see a the connect screen which will show us the CONNECT button to use and will tell us that the connection will be established using Standard Modem Over Bluetooth Link

When we click on the CONNECT button we view the connection in progress animation, telling us that the port is being opened and then verifying username and password

If all goes fine, it will connect and tell us about it !

Once we are connected, we need to open a browser like MOZILLA FIREFOX and configure the proxy settings if required. The settings will be provided by the service provider. Since, I use HUTCH; I have to use the following proxy settings, I configured them by going to TOOLS > ADVANCED > NETWORK > SETTINGS

Once all this has been taken care of, the connection is all set to be used.

Happy Surfing !

Note: one piece of advice - check the GPRS data download charges with your provider as some might prove very expensive !

May I have extra helpings of the CORE, please ?

2007-04-16T02:54:00.000+05:30

First we had the x86s. Then the Pentiums. And, now, we have the CORES.

Multi-Core is the buzzword today !

Multi-Core processors are best for multi-threaded applications e.g. 3D designing software. They also give us a much better experience while we try to run a virus scan, surf the internet, download music and run an MS Office application at the same time !!!

Intel Pentium D, Intel Pentium Extreme, Intel core duo, Intel Core 2 Duo and Intel Pentium Dual-Core are all members of the Intel Multi-Core Processor's Family.

One family, so many members. And the above mentioned are not the only members of the family. We have quite a few more.

Ever felt confused hearing all these names: core 2 duo, dual-core, core duo etc. ? Well, I sure did!

Come, lets get to know a bit about the family.

Pentium D: This was the first, announced, multi-core processor. The initially released products (Code named-Smithfield) were released in May 2005. The clock speeds ranged from 2.66 GHz to 3.2 GHz.These used 1 MB of L2 Cache per core.
Their later releases with the Presler core ranged from 2.8 GHZ to 3.73 GHz, with 2 MB of L2 cache per core.Pentium D didnot have Hyperthreading enabled.

Pentium Extreme: Introduced in the second quarter of 2005, based on the Pentium D processor, these had hyperthreading enabled, resulting in the operating system showing 4 processors (2 physical cores + 2 virtual cores)! Again, two flavours: Smithfield running at 3.2 GHz and Presler with clock speeds ranging from 3.46 GHz to 3.73 GHz.

Core: Core Duo - code named Yonah was released in January, 2006. This was a replacement for the Pentium M brand using the same technology as the M. With its launch Intel dropped the Pentium brand.This was the world's first low power Dual-core processor. With a clock speed from 1.06 till 2.33 GHz it featured an L2 cache of 2MB shared by both the cores.

Core Solo - this was the same as the Core Duo with one change. One of the cores was deactivated.
Yonah doesnot support 64-bit.
The XEON LV and CELERON M 400 are derivatives of Yonah.

Core 2 Duo: The next generation of Core Duo processors. Their first line was launched in July 2006. Code named CONROE for desktops and MEROM forlaptop use they have a 4 MB L2 cache - there are two exceptions: E6300 and E6400 versions which have half of it disabled.The speeds range from 1.86 to 2.67 GHz

Core 2 Quad: Released in late 2006 and code named KENTSFIELD features 2.67 GHz and has 4 MB of L2 cache. It is basically a 4 cored CONROE.

Core 2 Extreme: Launched in late 2006, it features an L2 cache of 4 MB, four CONROE cores and 2.93 GHz of clock speed.

Pentium Dual-Core: This is a very recently launched processor. It was released in early 2007. It offers clock speeds of 1.6 GHz and 1.73 GHz with an L2 cache of 1 MB (shared). Currently meant for entry level laptops, it is being offered by companies like DELL, Compaq/HP, Toshiba etc.

It is unclear as to why INTEL chose to re-use the Pentium brand name. I am sure, they must have had a very good reason.

Phew ! Thats a big family, wont you say so ?

Right ! We'll peep into AMD's multi-core house at a later time. Thats a promise !

Check the source out !

Double-clicked by GOOGLE

2007-04-15T08:57:00.001+05:30

Google adds another feather to its, wondefully, colorful cap! It has aquired the internet advertising giant DoubleClick for over $3 billion in cash (thats much much more than what they paid for YouTube).

Microsoft was, also(reportedly), interested.

As a part of the package Google gains access to DoubleClick’s advertising software and ofcourse, their customer base.

Get the details HERE !

Skype dont run with VISTA ???

2007-04-12T10:34:00.000+05:30

"Its not compatible!", they say.

"It aint gonna work!", they say.

Well, a lot has been said about how some software(s) cannot work with WINDOWS VISTA. I have no reason to believe that there is anything wrong with that point of view. And, I am confident that people who believe so have rock solid reasons to believe it.

But, I have a slightly astonishing fact to share.

- a software mostly used to make REALLY cheap international calls, is supposed to NOT WORK with VISTA. Even it's owners hold the same opinion, I reckon. I mean, when you want to download the latest version, nowhere on the site could I see any mention of it's compatibility with VISTA. Infact, all that is mentioned there is:

So, anyone would think that it wont work with VISTA and would cancel the download.

Not me!

I being the crazily, adventurous one carried on with the download. Successfully installed it and have been using it to my utmost satisfaction, till date!

What do I say ? Maybe I was born the lucky one.

Jokes apart, seriously !

SKYPE WORKS REASONABLY WELL WITH WINDOWS VISTA, NO ISSUES !

How do I RUN in VISTA ?

2007-04-12T09:48:00.000+05:30

For the past some days...

Actually, since the time me and my colleagues started supporting MICROSOFT WINDOWS VISTA at work, a question that customers raise often is "Where's the RUN option?". They say "I cant find it. I dont think Vista has it."

Well, Vista does have it. It is there. All that we need to do to be able to use it, is ... READ ON !

Un:

Like in previous versions of MS Windows, in VISTA as well, all that we need to do is use the "WINDOWS KEY+R" combo. Voila, we get the RUN box ! This is the easiest way to use the RUN option without unveiling it.

Dos:

We can seek SEARCH's help to RUN a file. When we click it, right above START - in VISTA we have the WINDOWS LOGO instead - we find the START SEARCH box. We can type in the name of the program and it shows up in the results box above। A single click then causes the Program to RUN !
and
Tres:

We can make the option visible permanently, right where it should be, by doing the following:

a) Right click on the empty space on the TASK BAR (the bar at the bottom of the screen - on the right hand side of the START button) and then left click on properties

b) On the window that pops up, left click on START MENU and then on Customize

and,

c) Then in a new window a list shows up. We need to scroll down that list until we see the RUN COMMAND option. We need to tick the corresponding tick/check box and click on OK and then OK again.
And, thats it ! We are done ! The RUN option will not elude you anymore !

Simple, isn't it ?

The Christening

2007-04-10T21:41:00.000+05:30

TEK-KON

Hmmm ... I wonder what it means

Has that thought ever pestered you ? If it has, let me put your mind to rest !

This site is meant for Technical Content ... or Tech Con in short ... I tried to register techcon.blogspot.com; but it was already taken ... So, I cooked up ...

Teknikal Kontent

Tek-Kon !!!

Simple !

Why Blogger ?

2007-04-10T21:09:00.000+05:30

Well, the reason(s) for this choice is simple.

Mayank used to use it at one point of time (he now owns his own).

Digital Inspiration is still located here ! Good reason for me to start here, wouldn't you say ?

And hey ... GOOGLE owns BLOGGER now !!! Thats the mother of all reasons ! Hehehehe

Yeah .. yeah .. you are right .. I am another one of the GOOGLE fans !

Getting started

2007-04-10T11:37:00.000+05:30

Blogging is something I had been introduced to by one of my ex-colleagues (Sumit Kumar Jain) at Infovision - the company I am currently working for . At that point of time I used to host a space on MSN SPACES - now called WINDOWS LIVE SPACES. It was something I used to do, merely, to kill time between calls. So, as I moved onto other ways the space was forgotten.

Now, about two years later I have been re-introduced to BLOGGING from a monetary point of view by one of my pals - Mayank Gupta. This guy is currently making quite some money with his Techie Dino unleashed.

I like writing. I like the world of computer software and hardware. I like electronics. I like to find out about them. And here, I can share my knowledge with the world. I like sharing my knowledge. I think I can explain things in a very lucid manner. And, if I can get paid doing that ... Hey, there is nothing better that I could ask for.

I, also, visited some blog sites one of them being Mr. Amit Agarwal's. Impressive stuff ! Huge earner !

So, here I tread my first step on an unknown terrain with a goal in sight. A goal far far away. But a goal in sight, nevertheless.

Hoping to reach the MILLION DOLLAR EARNING BLOG mark one day !

Wish me luck !