Sites Blocked in China

While in Shanghai for the World Expo 2010 the following are sites that I cannot access.

  • My Posterous Site – although I can send posts to my Posterous site via email, I cannot see how these posts appear on the site as I cannot load it.
  • Facebook – I have several comments I like to reply to on my Facebook Wall, but I cannot log into Facebook to do so.
  • Twitter – as I had mentioned in my post Internet Deprived in Shanghai, I cannot access any Twitter services or related sites.
  • FriendFeed – I cannot post anything to FriendFeed because the entire site is block. This may be because it is now own by Facebook.
  • YouTube – I cannot see any videos on YouTube referenced by articles/posts I read. Therefore missing much of the content of a post. This lack of access also eliminate my sharing of interesting videos found on YouTube.

Without the above makes it hard for me to share. Fortunately, I still have Google Buzz and Google Reader.

iPad WiFi+3G Version Available at US Apple Store

Just received an email from Apple Marketing to let me know that the iPad WiFi+3G version is now available for order at the Apple Store US and Apple retail stores in the US. In the same email, Apple reminds its readers that there is an “iPad order limit: two per customer. While supplies last.” I wonder if this means the entire iPad line or two per model? From the reports throughout the Internet there may indeed be a 5 units “life time” limit per person.

Going to the Apple Store US indicates that the estimate ship date for the iPad WiFi+3G is May 7th, which is the previous rumored date of availability.

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Smartone-Vodafone Attempts to be Chic

Being one of the most critical users of Smartone-Vodafone (SMV) I am also someone who believes SMV can do better.

With the introduction of Zendgo on the SMV mobile network it is definitely a sign that SMV wants to be chic, whether it is time will tell. Using substitutions in place of Chinese or English characters in a message is not new. Taiwanese and mainland Chinese use numbers to represent phrases in SMS and IM. Japanese mobile and iPhone users have Emoji. Mobile handsets and carriers around the world had adopted Emoji as an alternative form of expression in SMS like emoticon‘s use for IM.

Why SMV invents a new form of emoticon, especially when its users have to subscribe to a tariff plan to use. Not to mention the recipients of these Zendgo message will either have to install a Zendogo client and/or subscribe to the SMV Zendgo plan to view the incoming message.

Can someone explains to me why SMV doesn’t simply promote the use of Emoji instead? It is free for all handsets that support it (ie. iPhone, Samsung selected models, LG selected models, and many others).

Internet Deprived in Shanghai

As I stay in Shanghai on my 6th day I am staring to get Internet withdraws. It is not that I do not have access to the Internet. I do have access to my online store, my emails, my blog and some of my favorite sites.

Although this is possible the mainland Chinese government has effectively killed my net social life. Access to Facebook, Twitter and all Google feeds for blogs are blocked. For the latter I have to figure out the original site, visit it’s Home page and then locate the story I’m interested in. Yes, VPN is one way to get around the Great Firewall, but I am not that addicted to my net social life to pay for VPN service during my short stay in Shanghai, and the free services like Hotspot Shield is not helping.

For Twitter I use it more for sharing interesting finds on The Net and breaking technology related news. I hope my followers will not give up on me during my short period of hiatus. I guess I can only tell when I returns to Hong Kong.

Continue reading “Internet Deprived in Shanghai”

Internet Deprived in Shanghai

As I stay in Shanghai on my 6th day I am staring to get Internet withdraws. It is not that I do not have access to the Internet. I do have access to my online store, my emails, my blog and some of my favorite sites.
Although this is possible the mainland Chinese government has effectively killed my net social life. Access to Facebook, Twitter and all Google feeds for blogs are blocked. For the latter I have to figure out the original site, visit it’s Home page and then locate the story I’m interested in. Yes, VPN is one way to get around the Great Firewall, but I am not that addicted to my net social life to pay for VPN service during my short stay in Shanghai, and the free services like Hotspot Shield is not helping.

For Twitter I use it more for sharing interesting finds on The Net and breaking technology related news. I hope my followers will not give up on me during my short period of hiatus. I guess I can only tell when I returns to Hong Kong.

Continue reading “Internet Deprived in Shanghai”