Huawei Echolife BM622i "Baklas Kabit" Experiment

The best remedy for Huawei Echolife BM622i 4G WiMAX wireless broadband modem router from being cooked when servicing the unit and re-flashing if bricked is to avoid the "Baklas Kabit" method. This idea is taken from Symbianize forum by member with screenshot below credits to the owner.

This is how the brilliant Filipino is, the great thinker, very creative, salvaging scrap from scrap to make it useful.

Read More

Huawei U9000 IDEOS X6 battery HHB4Z1

The Huawei U9000 IDEOS X6 actually uses same battery with Motorola Triumph. However its battery has a new code HHB4Z1 instead of FB0-2. Additionally the Sharp 8188 also uses this battery.

Part Number: ML-M071
Type: Li-Ion
Voltage: 3.7V
Capacity: 1400mAh
Replace Code: FB0-2

Compatible with Motorola Triumph, Motorola WX435, Huawei U9000, IDEOS X6, Sharp 8188, CSL Spice Mi4100 Slim, Cherry Mobile Magnum HD.

Read More

Motorola TRIUMPH aka Huawei U9000 IDEOS X6?

Virgin Mobile looks to have gotten some love yesterday at the Motorola event as well, with the new launch of the Motorola Triumph (which looks just like a Motorola Droid). The Triumph won’t have any triumphant features, but it has a 4.1 inch display screen, 2GB internal storage, Android 2.2, a 5 megapixel rear camera, and HDMI output. It’s a prepaid device, and for that reason, this makes for a formidable handset to add to their roster.

Motorola TRIUMPH
The First Motorola Available on Virgin Mobile

Tech savvy customers will appreciate the feature-rich Motorola TRIUMPH, exclusive to Virgin Mobile USA,
as one of the hottest phones with the added flexibility of a no contract plan.

Motorola TRIUMPH boasts a vibrant 4.1-inch WVGA touchscreen, dual-facing cameras, a super slim design
at less than 0.4 inches thick, HD-Video (720p) capture and HDMI output to allow for image sharing on
your HDTV. Motorola TRIUMPH is the first handset to come preloaded with the Virgin Mobile Live 2.0 app
used to access the Virgin Mobile branded music stream.

Virgin Mobile Live 2.0 is a social networking music application which will provide all Android users free
access to the company’s critically acclaimed music stream hosted by DJ Abbey Braden, as well as live
music performance videos, and “check in” features at special events. All status updates made using the
app will also sync with Facebook and Twitter.

KEY FEATURES:
• 5MP back-facing camera and VGA front-facing camera
• HD video capture and playback in 720p, both on device or over HDMI
• Massive 4.1″ display (800×480 WVGA) and ultra-thin at .0.4″
• 1400 mAh battery
• 512MB RAM with 2GB ROM and SD card slot for extended
• Froyo (Android 2.2) with Flash support for enhanced browsing
(download from Android Market)
• Soft touch design for comfort in hand

SPECIFICATIONS:
• Software Platform: Android – Froyo
• Messaging/web/apps: MMS, SMS, email
• Camera: 5MP AF with flash, VGA front facing
• Video: 30 fps @ 720 p decode
30 fps @ 720 p 14 Mbps encode
• Connectivity: microUSB, 3.5mm , HDMI port
• Browser: Android Webkit Browser
• Bluetooth: BT V2.1 + EDR
• Memory: 512MB RAM/ 2GB ROM, uSD Slot
• Location Services: aGPS
• Form Factor: Tablet
• Experience Category: Media Centric
• Baseband: Qualcomm MSM8655
• Weight: 143g
• Dimensions: 4.8″ x 2.5″ x 0.4″Display: 4.1″ 800 x 480 WVGA
• Battery: 1400 mAh
• Bands/Modes: CDMA 1900 MHz EVDO RevA, 802.11 b/g/n

Read More

Unroot the Huawei Ideos X6 U9000

Looking for an easy way to unroot your Cherry Mobile Magnum HD, CSL Spice Mi410 aka Huawei Ideos X6 U9000 smartphone but can’t find the procedure anywhere? No problem, in the following guide, we’ve compiled all the steps you should follow to unroot your smartphone. It will flash the stock firmware on your device so you can have a pure Android device, let’s see how you can do it.

I. Before You Begin:

1. The procedure will wipe off all the data on your device. Therefore, take a backup first and then go ahead.

2. You must have a SD card formatted in FAT32 file system.

II. Downloading Required Files:

1. Stock ROM (Download link’s given in the first post)

III. Unrooting the Huawei Ideos X6 U9000:

1. Place the Stock ROM file on your Desktop.

2. Unzip files from the Stock ROM archive to your Desktop. You will get a file called UPDATE.app.

3. Connect the smartphone to your PC using the USB cable. Make sure that you have SD card inserted in your smartphone.

4. Using Windows Explorer, create a new folder on the root of your SD card called dload.

5. Transfer the UPDATE.app file you extracted in Step-2 over to the dload folder on your SD card.

6. Disconnect the device after the file has been transferred.

7. Turn OFF the device.

8. While your device is turned OFF, press and hold the Volume UP+RED+Power buttons together.

9. The Stock ROM should begin flashing on your device. The progress bar will be shown on your screen.

10. As soon as the flashing is done, your device should reboot.

11. You’re now unrooted !

Congrats! Your device’s now running on the Stock Firmware released by the Huawei itself, with no root access.

If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here and here.

If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below.

Read More

Cherry Mobile Magnum HD Snap Review

The Cherry Mobile Magnum HD in the Philippines is a repainted Android smartphone from Huawei Technologies aka Huawei U9000 IDEOS X6, it is also re-branded by CSL Malaysia as CSL Spice Mi410 Slim. By looking closely to this smartphone physically from its default manufacturer it has been unchanged except the boot image.

The original Huawei U9000 IDEOS X6 unrooted

CSL Spice Mi410 Slim in Malaysia by CSL

Cherry Mobile Magnum HD in Philippines

The Huawei U9000 IDEOS X6 specifications you can find it here, Cherry mobile magnum HD here, CSL Spice Mi410 Slim here.

Read More

Moto X

The first thing I would like to bring up is that a lot of these features are vaguely described – we sort of know what to expect, which makes me wary of coming up with rumors on exactly what they mean. Especially because I have a tendency to be very, very wrong (which isn’t so bad when I’m wrong for all the right reasons, i.e. expecting HTC to set themselves up for failure with the One when they’ve done very well given their resources) but I digress. Since they have given us some details, I’d like to at least touch base with them a little bit.

The first thing I read was that the Moto X is being built in a factory in Texas, making it the first smartphone to be built right here in the good ol’ US of A. I’m excited at the hope that this will provide a few more good jobs for American citizens in the economy that we are slowly rebuilding. The phone will be about 70% American-made, as different parts of the phone will be imported from the help of countries like Taiwan, Korea, and more. As the first smartphone to be primarily American-made, I wish it the best of luck in its production and hope to see great quality come of it.

Speaking of great quality, another intriguing quote from Mr. Woodside during his interview came off as very Google-esque: According to The Verge, Woodside mentioned that, “… one of the areas Motorola sees as promising is in high-quality, low-cost devices.” Sounds almost like they’re working on the next Nexus line, but I wouldn’t place any bets on this device turning up to actually be featured as the next Nexus. Not to mention, Motorola arguably has the skin that’s closest to stock Android over any other manufacturer, so even if it doesn’t turn out to run stock Android it’s not that big of a turn off. Regardless, at least we can kind of anticipate a premium device that’s also cost-effective.

And quite frankly, the little details we’re getting about this phone makes it seem like it is very much aiming to be as "premium" as possible, with Woodside stating that it would be in direct competition with devices like the Galaxy and the iPhone lineup.

There are some peculiar features that stand out about this future device, one of which sounds sort of eerie once you think about it, but is also my favorite quote: “… we know when it's in your pocket, we know when it's in your hand, it's going to know when you want to take a picture and fire up the cameras.” Sounds futuristic, but no real details on what it really means. The article from The Verge even says that the phone will know when you’re in your car. Creepy or cool? Maybe a little of both.

I really hope that the music played at whatever launch event is hosted for this phone consists of “Every Breath You Take” by The Police and “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell.

But I digress.

One of the last main components of the article also mentions that Larry Page, co-founder of Google, has put a lot of focus on breakability and battery life in the new Motorola device – which is practically music to my ears. Despite always putting a case on my phone, you can’t go wrong with a little extra armor added in to the phone itself – you know, in case whatever perils it endures ends up hitting that Achilles’ heel that every device has. I’m also keen for extra battery life, even if that means sacrificing a lighter, thinner phone.

There’s still a lot of details being spared about the device, but I’m sure more will surface for us to cover in the following months up until its release in the summer, which Motorola has confirmed. Nonetheless, it’s an exciting time for us in the mobile industry now that we know that the Moto X is a real thing. I know I'm pretty jazzed about it, and it sounds like "multiple carriers" are also pretty jazzed about it, which hopefully means the whole carrier exclusive thing is really starting to phase out. Hopefully.

Read More

Will Edward Snowden accept Anna Chapman marriage proposal?

The rest of the world may not want him, but NSA leaker Edward Snowden has at least one potential taker: Anna Chapman. The ex-spy tweeted yesterday, “Snowden, will you marry me?!”

The former Russian spy may have sympathy for the man who spilled top-secret documents. Chapman, after all, is no stranger to run-ins with government authorities.

The 31-year-old had been posing as a real-estate agent in the United States in 2010 when she was accused of gathering intel for Russia. She and nine others were deported back to Russia in a prisoner swap.

Now the ex-secret agent has become a celebrity in her homeland, most recently as host of the TV show, “Secrets of the World.”

Snowden may have caught Chapman’s attention since he landed at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport to seek refuge. “@nsa will you look after our children?” She posted later.

But Snowden seems to be unavailable at the moment -- and may be rejected by Russia as well. After 11 days, the AP reports that “Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia had received no request for political asylum from Snowden and he had to solve his problems himself.”

The NSA contractor has been on the run since he spilled secrets on the classified NSA surveillance programs to the press. He has been in diplomatic limbo since having his passport revoked, and has had countless requests for asylum refused.

Read More

Estimated Tooth Implant Cost

With increasing access to dental care, many people are opting for tooth implant surgery. And why not? According to some reports, almost 70% adults falling in the age group of 35-45 face dental problems due to improper care of teeth, gum diseases, tooth decay, unsuccessful root canal, etc. To fix all such problems, tooth implants are a safer and more effective option than removable dentures or a fixed ridge. Dental implants have been successful than all these surgical alternatives and the result is remarkable. With a high success rate of about 98-99%, the cost of tooth implant is also very high. So consider reading this article, for tooth implant cost and some other aspects associated with this procedure, before opting for it.

A dental implant is a specialized procedure and is handled by an expert dental surgeon. Moreover, there are many other experts involved in the surgery. Tooth implants, on an average, would cost you around $4500 to $5500. The cost actually depends upon the quality of implant, the service provided, the equipment used in the surgery, the number of implants incurred, etc.

A tooth implant is a procedure in which the root of your natural tooth is replaced with an artificial one, by grounding it into a pre-fixed socket in the jawbone. This socket holds your artificial tooth properly in place. Implants are made from a material called titanium, which is tooth-friendly and can be easily incorporated in the bone tissue. Now, you might ask, how is tooth implant carried out? Well, here's the answer to your question!

Before starting a dental implant, the dentist examines your teeth to determine your overall dental health and decides whether the treatment is possible in your case. This examination includes CT scan and X-ray of your tooth. The procedure is described below:

• The gum, where the implant is about to be placed, is cut, lifted and a tiny hole is drilled into the jawbone. The structure thus prepared resembles a socket.
• Now, the titanium implant is fixed into the socket and the gum is stitched over the dental implant.
• Sometimes, the amount of bone material to conciliate the implant is insufficient. In such cases, either a bone graft is employed or implants of smaller size are used.
• Usually, it takes almost five to six weeks to heal, but in some cases it might take as long as six months. Once the healing time is over, the gum is again lifted and a post with a temporary crown is attached to the tooth implant.
• After about four to five weeks, when the adjoining gum tissues mature, the permanent restoration is fixed to the implant.

Benefits

Generally, tooth implants are one of the safest methods of replacing damaged or missing tooth. There are many advantages of a tooth implant. Here are some of them.

• Improved Aesthetics: Your artificial tooth would not stand out as different-looking, after the surgery. It will be very much a part of the original set of teeth.
• Minimum Bone Loss: Bone loss is a commonly observed disadvantage in many dental surgeries. But in tooth implants, fixing the bone graft to compensate the insufficient bone material, minimizes the chances of bone loss.
• Normal Dental Hygiene: Dentures and bridges need special attention and extra care, but dental implants can be taken care of with regular dental care like brushing and dental checkups.
• Healthy Tooth Unaffected: Unlike other dental procedures, wherein the surrounding teeth might face alterations or get disturbed, in dental implants the restoration of artificial teeth is completely independent and your original teeth remain unaffected.

I hope you've got an idea of the cost of tooth implant and its benefits. Remember, if you really need a tooth implant surgery, then consult a dentist and simply go for it. Prevention is better than cure, so be mindful to follow a regular dental hygiene of brushing and flossing properly. Also, go for regular dental checkups to prevent cavities, tooth decay and gum diseases.

Read More

Understanding Dental Implant Insurance

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are a type of fixed prosthesis, wherein a titanium screw is fitted into the jawbone, followed by the placement of a prosthesis over it.

Dental implants are a much sought after treatment option for missing teeth and loose dentures. Considered by most dentists as a near permanent solution for missing teeth and a great way of restoring a patient's dental health, dental implant treatment is highly recommended, especially for cases where there are only a few missing teeth in an otherwise healthy mouth. This may occur when a few selected teeth have been traumatized due to an accident or a sudden impact driven blow.

However, dental implants average cost is one of the main factors that often give patients sleepless nights. Low cost dental implants are still far away from becoming a reality, as dental implant procedures are a relatively costly affair and hence, people often look for dental implant insurance options. Dental implant insurance includes insurance policies that cover the cost of dental implant procedures. This includes dental implant bone grafting and various other surgeries that may also be performed before or after the procedure, depending on the condition of the patient's oral cavity.

Why is Dental Implant Insurance Difficult to Come by?

Most insurance companies do provide dental insurance, but dental implant insurance is rarely included in regular policies. If a person wishes to avail dental implant insurance, it may cost him a lot more than what he would otherwise pay for regular dental insurance. This is because dental implant treatment is looked upon as a luxury treatment option, which they club under cosmetic surgery and hence, do not cover it. It is a proper surgical procedure, wherein the inherent costs, like, cost of the implant screws, the prosthesis, the bone graft material that may be used, itself could go up to a few thousand dollars. Furthermore, when the dentists charges and laboratory charges are added, the overall treatment cost shoots up considerably. Thus, most dental insurance companies prefer to cover treatment charges for other simpler options for missing teeth like removable prosthesis or dental bridges.

In most insurance companies, even if there is dental implant insurance coverage, they have a very long waiting period. A person normally needs to be on the dental implant insurance policy for at least a year before any treatment can be done. Also, they normally have a condition that if there are missing teeth present before or at the time of signing of the contract, the insurance company does not pay for its treatment. But, there may be certain policies that offer a discount on dental implant procedures, even if they don't cover the expenses involved in the entire procedure. There are also certain implantologists that have tie-ups, which may help in getting a good deal.

However, if a person avails dental implant insurance, he should read the policy in details to check for certain important things. One should know that in case of any dental implant failure causes, whether the insurance company will cover the cost or not, or if the prosthesis is damaged, will the costs be covered for a replacement of the prosthesis. Also, one should check if the policy would cover pre and post operative surgeries that may be required for proper and complete implant treatment, and any other dental implants problems that may occur due to any complication.

Read More

Why most users won’t be affected by the latest Android flaw

The vulnerability could allow data theft or the hijacking of a handset and it affects almost all Android devices. However, those sticking to the Play Store should be able to stay safe.

Google has reportedly tightened up security within its Play Store mechanisms, making this flaw less dangerous than it initially seemed. The story has been updated to reflect this.

You may have seen reports out there about a serious flaw affecting almost all Android handsets. But, assuming you’re packing one of said devices, how worried should you be?

If you’re in a hurry, here’s the short answer: not too worried, as long as you stick to apps from the Play Store. If you have time for the explanation, here it is.

Who announced this flaw?

That would be Bluebox Security, a new mobile security startup that’s supposedly in stealth mode.

This isn’t just a publicity stunt, is it?

Probably not. Bluebox’s CTO is a chap called Jeff Forristal, who’s been involved the security scene for a decade or so. And this does appear to be a serious vulnerability – it affects any Android phone released in the last 4 years, which is around 99 percent of them. That said, the post isn’t very explicit about Google having fixed its Play Store security.

So what does this vulnerability allow?

The flaw lies in the way Android app packages – APK files – are verified as secure. It allows the code of these files to be altered in secret. If the app in question comes from the device manufacturer or a trusted partner, it will probably come with privileged access to the device. This raises the possibility of “Trojan” apps that can gain full access to the Android system and to other apps.

This means such Trojans could steal information or take over aspects of the device, or even make the handset part of a wider botnet without the user knowing about it.

Sounds bad. What’s being done about it?

In line with good security research procedures, Bluebox quietly disclosed the flaw to Google back in February. It’s listed as Android security bug 8219321. So Google, which is not openly commenting on Bluebox’s public disclosure, has had at least 4 months to get the word out to Android device manufacturers, who are the ones that are now expected to release firmware updates to fix the vulnerability.

Bluebox will also release proofs-of-concept of its exploit, for each device vendor, at the upcoming Blackhat USA 2013 security conference. According to Computerworld, Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S4 has already been patched, so it is likely that manufacturers have quietly sprung into action.

What’s more, CIO reports that Google has patched its own Play Store so that it can recognize when app updates have been tampered with.

Phew, right?

Yes and no. One of Android’s traditional problems is that many older devices don’t see updates anymore – the evolution of the operating system and the underlying hardware since the Froyo or Gingerbread versions, for example, has been so great that the manufacturers would rather you just buy a newer device.

This situation is changing – the evolution of phone processors is likely to hit a plateau after the leap to quad-core, and the next version of Android, Key Lime Pie, will reportedly cater for low-spec phones, so that older and cheaper devices are covered. However, it’s still down to the manufacturer to make sure the devices it sold 2 or 3 years back get patched, so there’s a good chance that many devices won’t see an update.

However, Google banned Play Store apps from updating outside the Play Store update mechanisms a couple of months after Bluebox told it about the vulnerability. If it has also fixed its Play Store security mechanisms, that should keep most users safe.

The only exception to this is those users who turn to third-party Android app marketplaces. There are many legitimate reasons to do so — for example, the Play Store is understocked in many countries, such as China, and some users may have a taste for apps that Google won’t allow into the Play Store, such as those with pornographic content. So that minority of users will find itself at the mercy of those third-party app store proprietors, and their device manufacturers.

Read More

Huawei Ascend P6: world’s slimmest Android smartphone with a 5MP front camera

Huawei launched the Ascend P6 today, the world’s slimmest Android smartphone with some robust mid-to-high end specs.

The handset was unveiled at Huawei’s ‘Beauty’ event in London, just days before Samsung debuts a number of new Galaxy and ATIV devices at its dedicated ‘Premiere 2013′ event in the city.

The Ascend P6 is just 6.18mm thick and comes with a 1.5GHz quad-core processor in a sleek, metallic body. It offers a 4.7-inch high definition display – no word on the resolution for now – and what the company describes as an “industry-leading” 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

It’s joined by an 8-megapixel snapper on the front, capable of shooting at an aperture of just F2.0 and a 4cm macro view. It also supports 1080p video recording and playback, which is the staple for high-end smartphones these days. Huawei revealed today that the device also uses its new IMAGESmart Enginge with Auto Scene Recognition to help casual smartphone users shoot better images on Auto.

The device runs on the latest version of Android, version 4.2.2, with Huawei’s custom Emotion UI slapped on top. There are over 1,000 pre-generated themes to choose from now, alongside three designs created specifically for the Ascend P6′s new colors. The handset is also powered by a 2000 mAh battery, which is competitive but not industry-leading by any means.

“Building on the success of our Ascend P series of fashion smartphones, the Huawei Ascend P6 provides unsurpassed technology and a design that is simply stunning,” Richard Yu, Chief Executive Officer, Huawei Consumer Business Group said.

The device isn’t a huge surprise though. Huawei confirmed its existence in May, using a number of teaser images and a post that revealed very little in terms of detail or specs. The @HuaweiDevice Twitter account then posted a high-resolution image on June 14 teasing the Ascend P6 in its black color variant.

It was followed with a second image yesterday, however, that showed a white version of the smartphone with an unusual metallic case:

Huawei is yet to make any real impact with a high-end Android smartphone, in part because it’s always focused on building devices at the lower-end of the price scale. Samsung currently dominates this space with the Galaxy S3, Note II and newly launched Galaxy S4 – which passed 10 million global sales in its first month – and it will take something rather special to knock it from its lofty perch.

HTC, Sony and a number of other competitors have tried to differentiate themselves, but their efforts are yet to resonate at anything like the same scale. Huawei is still a fairly unknown brand in Western markets, but an eye-catching device such as this one – especially if it can boast the title of the world’s thinnest smartphone – would help it stand out from the crowd.

The Ascend P6 has a recommended retail price of €449 and will be available in black, white and pink with matching color cases. It will launch in China later this month before being sold in Western Europe in July through Vodafone, Telefonica, Orange, H3G, O2, Carphone Warehouse, TalkTalk, Media Markt & Saturn, TIM and online with Amazon and CDiscount. A wider international release hasn’t been detailed yet, although Huawei added that “other markets” would soon follow.

Read More

Huawei Echolife BM622 TSOP48 SMD Hardest Part

Being an Electronics Technician is really challenging especially dealing with SMD (surface mount device) such as Spansion S29GL064 likewise the ST M29W640 TSOP48 NOR flash memory for Huawei Echolife BM622 4G WiMAX wireless broadband modem router CPE.

"Baklas Kabit" is really not a good option when removing the NOR flash memory if using the Rework Station hot air espeacially for SMD chips, excessive heat and air pointed by nozzle of the Rework Station will damage the TSOP48.

This option is an alternatively for repairing the Huawei BM622 without using the "Baklas Kabit" method, in other words if you have a new Spansion S29GL0640 or ST M29W640 after programming it and ready for soldering you can test if the chips is working or not to eliminate backward works. 

Read More

CD-R KING CW-5354U Tomato Dual WAN over heat

The CW-5354U is low cost wireless router from Cath-Tec Technologies repainted by CD-R King in the Philippines for SOHO and residential gateway. This cheap device is only 40$ less but full of features.

What I like about CW-5354U is that is it fully supported by third party Linux firmware such DD-Wrt, Tomato Shibby, TomatoUSB likewise OpenWrt. Another interesting features is that it can provide as Load Balancing if re-flashed properly, not only that but also as Dual WAN if you desired to use USB dongled 3G modem plus Ethernet WAN such as PPPoE via DSL dynamic or static IP address. Both WAN port and LAN port1 is also an alternative if you have two 4G WiMAX connection from Globe or Ethernet connection from PLDT, Digitel, BayanTel.

Additionally, it can served as Network Attached Storage (NAS) appliances if the USB port is plug with any USB device storage. Attaching USB Hub is really the best for multiple devices for more USB ports therein it can act as printer server.

The most interesting application for those who are hunger for downloading HD movies is the BitTorrent client without opening your PC/Laptop 24hours this rugged fanless Broadcom BMC5354U chipset, supported with 32MB of DDR RAM and 16MB of flash memory can perfectly handled it 24/7 360.

Increasing the coverage of WiFi and range what I did is I replaced the default detachable antenna with 12dB high gain, to anticipate the heat of the chipset I added headsink taken from old motherboard, you can also use the heatsink of video card it has perfectly same in size.

Read More

Sex For Flight

MANILA, Philippines - Three Filipino workers are seeking government protection after they accused a Philippine labor officer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia of molesting them.

Aside from the abuse, they also accused some embassy officials of selling free tickets to other distressed OFWs.

The 3 alleged victims of the "sex-for-flight" scheme accused Riyadh assistant labor attaché Antonio Villafuerte of molesting and attempting to prostitute them.

Speaking on ANC's Headstart, "Angel", who sought help from the Philippine embassy after she escaped from an employer who raped her, said Villafuerte further demeaned her.

"Tinanong niya ako diretsahan saan daw ako tinira nung employer ko, sa harap ba daw po o sa likod. Masarap ba daw ho," she said. "Unexpected ho talaga dahil mataas siyang tao."

Angel also narrated how Villafuerte offered her to have sex with Middle Eastern men in exchange for a return ticket to the Philippines.

"Tumanggi po ako kasi hindi naman porke't katulong kami hindi naman kami basta-basta papayag sa ganung trabaho. Naapakan na nga po kami, lalo pa kaming aapakan," she said.

"Michelle", who used to work for the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Riyadh, said she even heard Villafuerte's casual remarks to Angel over a phone conversation on loudspeaker.

Michelle said she was also molested by Villafuerte inside his office.

"Sinabi niya 'O, sana sinubo mo na lang.' Nadampian niya po ng konti yung labi ko pero sabi ko huwag po. Mext move niya hinawakan maselang bahagi ng dibdib, minash po niya," she said. "Mamaya, tinataas na yung abaya ko. Doon na ako nagpumiglas."

"Analisa", who also sought help from the POLO office after escaping ill treatment from her employer in Riyadh, said Villafuerte also made sexual advances on her.

"Mukhang mabait siya hindi mo akalain na gago," she said. "Sinabihan niya nahipuan ka ba ng employer mo, nung sinabi ko hindi, sabi nya gusto mo ba ako na muna ang humipo dyan."

They allege that plane tickets intended by government for the repatriation of distressed OFWs were supposed to be free but were being dangled by embassy officials for undocumented OFWs desperate to go home.

Analiza said one OFW was forced to pay 2,400 riyals or P50,000 for her ticket home.

The three have submitted their sworn statements to the Labor Department and are seeking protection for themselves and their families.

They also appeal to other victims to come forward.

The Labor Department, meanwhile, has recalled Villafuerte amid ongoing investigations by government. source

Read More

iPhone Concrete Charger

Wireless induction chargers don't need to look like space-aged objects circa 1984 — as evidenced by the Concrete Charger ($TBA). This piece of modern art won't look out of place in your apartment thanks to a minimalist aesthetic that doesn't draw too much attention to itself. Two induction chargers (based on the Qi standard that accommodates a range of devices) let you charge a tablet and phone at the same time, while a soft cork top won't scratch or chip your tech. Available in July.

Read More

Mextures Apps for iPhone

There are plenty of iOS camera apps out there — an App Store search yields over 12,000 results. While most of these are just a refactoring of the same tired ideas, Mextures ($1) does things differently. Like a lot of camera apps, it includes a library of original textures, including gradients, grunge, light filters, and film scans (70 in total). Unlike other camera apps, it allows you to combine different textures on separate layers, using blending and opacity to create an original style. Once you're happy with your combination, you can save it as a formula to reuse as much as you like.

Read More

Streaming Media with DLNA

These days we all have lots of devices in our home that are connected to the internet. From a connected smart TV to a Console, and from mobile phones like Android and iOS based devices to a simple hi-fi set, they are all connected.

Although many manufacturers tried to make their devices compatible so you could for example stream a youtube video from your phone to the TV, it still can be a pain to get every device talking with each other without having to worry about what format something is in.

DLNA

For this, Sony and a lot of other manufacturers created DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance). The DLNA is a non-profit collaborative trade organization established by Sony in June 2003, that is responsible for defining interoperability guidelines to enable sharing of digital media between consumer devices such as computers, printers, cameras, cell phones, and other multimedia devices. These guidelines are built upon existing public standards, but the guidelines themselves are private (available for a fee). DLNA uses Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) for media management, discovery and control. UPnP defines the types of device that DLNA supports (“server”, “renderer”, “controller”) and the mechanisms for accessing media over a network. The DLNA guidelines then apply a layer of restrictions over the types of media file format, encodings and resolutions that a device must support.

DLNA members have stated that the common goal of using standards-based technology is to make it easier for consumers to use and share their digital photos, music and videos. As of January 2011, over 9,000 different devices have obtained “DLNA Certified” status, indicated by a logo on their packaging and confirming their interoperability with other devices. It is estimated that more than 440 million DLNA-certified devices, from digital cameras to game consoles and TVs, have been installed in users’ homes.

So how does it work?

The biggest problem with all of this is that a lot of the connected devices these days do not support every single file format that you want to play. For example a Sony Bravia TV will play MPEG files but it will not directly play MKV (x264) movies. There are multiple solutions however to make this work. The thing we are going to talk about today is a DLNA mediaserver.

DLNA Mediaservers

Over the last couple of months I have been testing a lot of these so-called DLNA mediaservers and each one of them has their pros and cons but, I could finally make a top 3 for you all where I can ensure you it just works. Right now there are over 30 different DLNA servers available for all platforms. Problem is however that some do not transcode on the fly, which you definitely want if the device you are going to play to does not support a specific file format, for example MKV. Down below the top 3 DLNA Mediaservers that will actually make sure that whatever file you throw at them, will be auto transcoded on the fly so all your devices can play whatever you have stored.

The List

1) Plex Media Server (Free)

Plex (also known as “Plexapp”, “Plex Media Center”, or “PMC”) is a partially open-source freeware media player and server with a 10-foot user interface, which is available for multiple platforms like Windows, Mac, Linux and NAS devices. Its source code was initially forked from XBMC Media Center on May 21, 2008; this fork is used today as a front end media player for Plex’s back end server component.

Plex’s front end media player, Plex Media Center, allows the user to manage and playback video, photos, music, and podcasts from a local or remote computer running Plex Media Server. In addition, the integrated Plex Online service provides the user with a growing list of community-driven plugins for online content including Hulu, Netflix, and CNN video.

The cool thing about Plex is that you start by building up your media library on centralized server or pc. This media library can then be accessed by any Plex enabled device or DLNA over your LAN.

Plex works with apps that you install on the iPhone, Android, LG TV’s and many other devices. Since the beginning of 2012 the Plex team has integrated DLNA support in their server version which allows you to play all files in your library directly to any DLNA device in your home.

Plex Media Server seamlessly connects your Plex clients with all of your local and online media. The combination of centralized library management, streaming of online content, and powerful transcoding functionality provides an unrivaled level of flexibility and ease of use. Plex Media Server runs on your Mac, PC, or compatible NAS device and serves your media to all of your Plex clients and DLNA devices.

With Plex Channels, you bring online media to all your Plex clients, from over one hundred popular sites. New channels are developed continually, so there’s always something to watch. Want to watch YouTube videos on your TV? You can do it through Plex.

Now onto the pros and cons:

Pros:

• Amazing looking GUI that just works
• Works across many devices both apps and DLNA
• Ability to install plugins/channels for extra functionality
• Ability to resume videos on another device
• One central location for all your media

Cons:

• Right now DLNA is in beta stage and not all devices are supported yet
• With a huge library especially on Music files, it can take while to scan through everything
• No support yet for transcoding in subtitles to all devices (only some supported devices that can play subtitles itself)

Read More

HANA and DLNA home networking comparison and coexistence

Developing a home network is not simple. To be broadly accepted by consumers, manufacturers and service providers, it must operate over existing wiring, protect the high value content being exchanged and connect a wide range of devices and services. The real challenge is to make it simple for home owners to install and use.

The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) and the High-Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance (HANA) are both working on home networking solutions that can distribute video entertainment. Both recognize that simplicity is the number one goal. However, the definition of 'simple' in the PC world is not the same as it is for watching a TV.

HANA & DLNA: The differences

DLNA approaches home networking from a PC perspective. Though a PC is not required, the DLNA network was created to solve many of the issues a PC deals with. Those issues have roots in the vast array of devices that come not only from different manufacturers and service providers, but also from different industries, each with their own way of doing things. Connecting to these devices requires a set of protocols and device drivers that constantly change with each new generation of devices, processors and operating systems.

Television is a very well defined and unified platform. Cable, satellite and online content providers, as well as CE manufacturers, all come from different industries. However, the rules are already well defined and rarely change.

The second difference comes from the ways in which PCs and TVs move data between devices. The PC has traditionally received a file from some source such as the Internet, CD or DVD, and then either used the file itself or moved it to a printer, MP3 player, or other devices to use. The TV operates in a world of real-time streaming. Whether it's over-the-air broadcast, cable, satellite, DVD or PVR, the TV receives an uninterrupted, real time stream of bits. Any interruption in the stream means an interruption in the viewing or listening experience.

Another difference is in security. We are all aware of PCs' security problems including viruses and hackers. Operating systems and other programs are constantly updated to plug security holes. The potential for a hacked system to allow content theft or illegal copies to be made is a major concern for content owners who zealously protect their products.

Protecting content in a PC environment is extremely difficult and often carries with it many restrictions on usage. The end result has been for most hardware and content providers to use proprietary solutions that only work on their platform, such as Apple TV, TiVo, and NetFlix. On closed systems such as TVs, DVD players, or set top boxes, protecting content is far easier than in a PC environment.

Finally, in a world of software and firmware updates, consumers are never certain that two devices can work together. Even if they are compatible, issues may arise, due to the ever-changing software and device configurations.

By contrast, the TV viewing population can be relatively certain that if something does not work, it's not an incompatibility or missing software issue, but a question of correctly connecting and controlling the devices.

With TV having less complex problems, HANA has been able to focus its efforts on creating a standardized solution with one network connection (FireWire -- the industry name for IEEE 1394), one remote control and one consistent User Interface. (See Why HANA, Why Now for additional information.)

Thus it is the starting point -- PC versus TV -- that defines the problems that HANA and DLNA attempt to solve, and that creates the difference in their definition of 'simple'.

Read More

Get a Smarter TV with Netgear NeoTV Streaming Player

If you are not ready to spend big on a Smart TV or you want to extend the features on your existing Smart TV, then these latest releases from Netgear could be the answer. The company has release three new Netgear streaming players (NeoTV, NeoTV Pro and NeoTV MAX) that give you access to some of the best on-demand and subscription services.

NeoTV(NTV300)

The Netgear NeoTV range can upgrade your standard TV to a Smart TV. Also, if your existing Smart TV is limited in features you can attach a NeoTV to get the additional services or features. With NeoTV you can access thousands of movies, TV shows or songs from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu, Best Buy, You Tube, Phapsody, Pandora and many others and stream them to your TV at full 1080p HD and listen in 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound.

NeoTV Pro(300S)

You can connect any other players to our home network using Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet. They all have their own remote that offers one-touch Quick start buttons, but if you want you can download Netgear’s free remote app from Google Player for Android devices and Apple Store for Apple iPhone, iPad or iPod. The app turns your Smartphone and tablet into a simple touch screen remote control of the NeoTV Streaming Players.

NeoTV MAX(NTV300SL)

As added bonus Netgear has added Intel WiDi (Wireless Display) technology to the NeoTV Pro (NTV300S), making it the first streaming player to have it. With Intel WiDi you can wireless display anything on your laptop to your TV in full HD (1080p) video resolution and 5.1 Dolby Digital Sorround Sound. NeoTV Pro can also able to connect to older TVs that don’t have a HDMI port.

The premium model of the range, the NeoTV MAX (NTV300SL) offers more advance features, according to Netgear takes it beyond those of most Smart TVs. In addition to features offer by NeoTV (NTV300) and NeoTV Pro, The NeoTV MAX allows you to access and play media files from an external hard drive, via USB or DLNA media server. The NeoTV also comes with a premium remote control with simple navigation buttons on one side and full QWERTY keyboard on the other, so you can easily type in the tiles of videos, songs or movies you are searching for. To top it off with NeoTV MAX you can stream full 3D movies from Vudu to 3D enable TVs.

What will it cost you, they are available at Amazon.com: NeoTV(NTV300) is priced at $49.99; NeoTV Pro(NTV300S) is for $59.99 and NeoTV MAX(NTV300SL) is $69.99.

NeoTV™ Streaming Player (NTV300)	NeoTV™ PRO Streaming Player (NTV300S)	NeoTV™ MAX Streaming Player (NTV300SL)
In the Box NeoTV player Remote control Two (2) AAA batteries Power adapter Quick start guide Networking 802.11n 150 Mbps WiFi (b/g/n compatible) with WEP, WPA and WPA2 support 10/100 Base-T Ethernet On Screen WPS support for ease of setup Video Outputs 480p (HDMI), 720p (HDMI), 1080p (HDMI) Video Modes up to 1080p high definition (HD) 16:9 anamorphic 4:3 standard Audio Output Digital over HDMI (5.1 surround sound pass-through and stereo) Remote Control Ergonomic NeoTV infrared remote control Power Consumption Less than 2W (typical) when streaming HD video	In the Box NeoTV player Remote control Two (2) AAA batteries Power adapter Quick start guide Networking 802.11n 300 Mbps WiFi (b/g/n compatible) with WEP, WPA and WPA2 support 10/100 Base-T Ethernet On Screen WPS support for ease of setup Video Outputs 480i (composite video) 480p (HDMI), 720p (HDMI), 1080p (HDMI) Video Modes up to 1080p high definition (HD) 16:9 anamorphic 4:3 standard Audio Output Analog stereo (mini-jack to left/right/composite video RCA) Digital over HDMI (5.1 surround sound pass-through and stereo) Remote Control Ergonomic NeoTV infrared remote control Power Consumption Less than 2W (typical) when streaming HD video	In the Box NeoTV player Remote control Two (2) AAA batteries Power adapter Quick start guide Networking 802.11n 300 Mbps WiFi (b/g/n compatible) with WEP, WPA and WPA2 support 10/100 Base-T Ethernet On Screen WPS support for ease of setup Video Outputs 480i (composite video) 480p (HDMI), 720p (HDMI), 1080p (HDMI) Video Modes up to 1080p high definition (HD) 16:9 anamorphic 4:3 standard Audio Output Analog stereo (mini-jack to left/right/composite video RCA) Digital over HDMI (5.1 surround sound pass-through and stereo) Remote Control QWERTY keyboard NeoTV infrared remote control Power Consumption Less than 2W (typical) when streaming HD video

Read More

Alcatel-Lucent Offers New 7705 Service Aggregation Routers For Utilities

Utility companies planning to upgrade their communication network to support the next generation of smart grid infrastructure are being offered a new range of Service Aggregation Routers (SARs) from Alcatel-Lucent. The company has recently announced a new range of routers designed for the part of the grid that distributes power to the energy supplier's residential or business customers, also known as the Distribution and Field Area Network (FAN).

Alcatel-Lucent said, IP/MPLS (Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching) solutions has only been deployed in the transmission and sub-transmission layers of the power grid. To change this they have created a new range of 7705 Service Aggregation Routers (SARs) for the FAN and extend the benefit of IP/MPLS.

The use of IP/MPLS mean that a single, reliable and secure network can remove the need for utilities to maintain multiple application-specific networks. It also offers service consistency and management, across a utility's entire communications network, making it smart from end-to-end. IP/MPLS provides support for teleprotection, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) monitoring and control systems, network distribution automation, advanced smart grid metering, and substation automation, across the entire smart grid.

About Alcatel-Lucent's 7705 Service Aggregation Router portfolio:

Alcatel-Lucent's 7705 Service Aggregation Router portfolio has been extended to include the 7705 SAR-H and 7705-W variants. The 7705 SAR-H has been designed to meet the strict utility substation IEEE 1613 and IEC 61850-3 specifications and incorporate a 'stateful firewall' together with many other built-in security features such as 'Network Address Translation' (NAT) that effectively address cyber security concerns without the need for a separate firewall. Together with its 7750 Service Router (SR) and network management capabilities provided by the 5620 Service Aware Manager (SAM) and Service Portal Express for Utilities, Alcatel-Lucent is able to provide energy companies and other industries with a single reliable, secure, end-to-end IP/MPLS communications network.

Via alcatel-lucent

Read More