Category: Observation

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WARNING: Mac OS 10.5.6 Breaks Hacked iPhone

Pwnage Tool logoApple released Mac OS 10.5.6 update on Monday (US PST). As always I would suggest everyone follow the instructions on the release notes plus use the Combo Upgrade to upgrade your Mac.

Although, if you are the millions who owns iPhones that had been jailbroken and/or Unlocked, you need to stay AWAY from this Mac OS X update for now. It has been reported that this version of Mac OS X will not recognize hacked iPhones. Until either this report has been independently verified or until the iPhoneDev Team has a method to get around the problem, hacked iPhone users should stay avoid updating their Macintosh for now.

Please stay tuned here, I will update everyone as news develop.

[Update: December 17, 2008]
The iPhoneDev Team has released a note addressing the issue reported regarding the problem with activating the DFU (device firmware update) mode for the iPhone, after the Mac has been upgraded to Mac OS 10.5.6.
The next release of the iPhoneDev Team’s Pwnage Tool is not expected until Christmas Eve (Dec. 31.2008), but there is no mention if this upcoming release will resolve the DFU problem.

[Update: December 19, 2008]
Finally an Automator script that will perform the fix suggested by the iPhoneDev Team. This method will not require a layman to jump into Terminal and fuzz with the inner workings of the Mac.

I have yet to try this so will report when I have.

[Update: December 20, 2008]
Now there are two solutions: one is to connect the iPhone to the Mac via an USB hub. The other is to replace the IOUSBFamily.kext with the version from 10.5. Someone had created an AppleScript to do this for you as explained in the iPhoneWiki forum thread.

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Taiwan iPhone 3G Unlocked Out-of-the-box

Chunghwa Telecom LogoWhen Apple made the iPhone 3G available on the little island, Taiwan, these phones sold through the official carrier partner, Chunghwa Telecom, are all carrier unlocked.

Just to remind readers that, ever since the availability of iPhone 3G back in June 2008, all iPhone sold here in Hong Kong, whether through the official carrier partner, Three (“3”), or through Apple Hong Kong’s Online Store, are also carrier unlocked.

The official price for iPhone 3G (8GB) and (16GB) from Apple HK Online Store are HKD5400.00 and HKD6200.00 respectively.

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Past week’s Twitts

  • will call it a relatively early evening for me. Watch a few episodes of CSI then to bed. #
  • new MacBook arrived, but I forgot that my external drive only has a Firewire & no USB2.0. Therefore not able to restore the previous image:( #
  • Reach up to 600,000 followers with your message – http://be-a-magpie.com/fz57qi #
  • I’m at Cyberport RdHong KongHong Kong IslandPok Fu Lam, Hong Kong (Cyberport Rd, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, HK) – http://bkite.com/02... #
  • off to get a bite to eat #
  • still in the office and yet to get anything for lunch. #
  • done work @ Cyberport for the day. Will now head to Wanchai. #
  • change of plans, now I will head to CWB. #
  • I’m at Cyberport RdHong KongHong Kong IslandPok Fu Lam, Hong Kong (Cyberport Rd, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, HK) – http://bkite.com/02... #
  • I’m at Burgeroom (Hong Kong, ?????7???) – http://bkite.com/02Sow #
  • Introducing urgediom to a friend. #
  • I meant to say “introducing Burgeroom to a friend” #
  • I’m at Cyberport RdHong KongHong Kong IslandPok Fu Lam, Hong Kong (Cyberport Rd, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, HK) – http://bkite.com/02... #
  • Had not had breakfast as usual. Now all the smell of others’ lunches are making me very hungry. #
  • I wish more search engines do what Google does and focus more on the quality of content for page ranking. #
  • finally have a chance to catch a bite. #
  • Another Starbucks lunch, but it is too late in the day so they ran out of all hot stuff #
  • did TWiT Army go down? #
  • done work @ Cyberport. Now heading back to Wanchai. #
  • I’m at ???? (Hong Kong, ????303???????A?) – http://bkite.com/02TzE #
  • Just read that the Tribune is filing Chapter 11 protection. /http://tr.im/23kn I wonder how this will effect people like @Ihnatko #
  • porn queen Christie Hefner steps down as Playboy Chairman, CEO and Board posts. http://tr.im/23l0 Was suppose to lead Playboy Mansion Macau #
  • @tathei who or what is a dita? How did it go? in reply to tathei #
  • Another Hump day is over. See you all tomorrow. #
  • Reach up to 600,000 followers with your message – http://be-a-magpie.com/fz57qi #
  • I’m at Cyberport RdHong KongHong Kong IslandPok Fu Lam, Hong Kong (Cyberport Rd, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, HK) – http://bkite.com/02... #
  • back @ the grind in Cyberport. Would have posted this earlier but Ping.fm was down. #
  • What is happening with Ping.fm? #
  • WordPress just released the real 2.7 http://tr.im/24px Be careful with all the fake 2.7 out there. Go to WordPress.org to get yours. #
  • @outsanity the best and safest place to get a carrier unlocked iPhone 3G is in Hong Kong. Where are you located? in reply to Outsanity #
  • @Fred I hope your symptoms don’t turn into a flu. http://tr.im/253j #
  • done work @ Cyberport. Now heading to Wanchai #
  • I’m at Hong Kong – http://bkite.com/02UPy #
  • Hadn’t had KFC 4 some months. Surprise how good it tastes. Had attempted to order by phone but it was a bad experience so I went in person. #
  • Checking out Mr. Tweet, a personal assistant for discovering great followers and influencers in my network http://mrtweet.net!(Please RT) #
  • @laughingsquid were you successful in upgrading to WP2.7? I encountered problems even without any plugins accept for akismet in reply to laughingsquid #
  • @kylehase I normally don’t like #KFC biscuits or any biscuits for that matter. Why does Tokyo biscuits have a hole in the middle though? in reply to kylehase #
  • Anyone have problems with upgrading to WP2.7 as I do? I only had one plugin, akismet, and it still could not start. #
  • Yes, @kylehase I too feel that #WordPress 2.7 is great, from the video and write-ups, that is why I am eager to get my blog upgraded. #
  • will call it another, as I will have to start all over in 8 hours. #
  • I’m at Cyberport RdHong KongHong Kong IslandPok Fu Lam, Hong Kong (Cyberport Rd, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, HK) – http://bkite.com/02... #
  • Soundcast http://ff.im/-gKAC #
  • Liked “YouTube Greeting Cards” http://ff.im/-gLSG #
  • come join me at Disneyland. They have honored me for one day only http://tr.im/26nv #
  • I am always skeptical about online financial services consolidator. How does one know it is safe? re: http://ff.im/dZQi #
  • Canadian fries’ Hong Kong Debut http://ff.im/-gNi9 #
  • @laughingsquid strange that I encountered more problems than you. in reply to laughingsquid #
  • @PreetChandhoke no I am not in reply to PreetChandhoke #
  • RT Canadian fries’ Hong Kong Debut http://ff.im/-gNi9 #
  • Mint.com http://ff.im/-gNKL #
  • out to lunch in Cyberport. #
  • I am talking to Thomas about a new #Twitter application as if don’t already have too many #
  • just back from lunch. Finally gets the Fall weather feel as I’m used back in Canada. Only thing is that it is now Winter in HK. #
  • just returned home after helping a friend with his Mac #
  • I’m at Hong Kong – http://bkite.com/02W8d #
  • SurfTheChannel http://ff.im/-h3YM #
  • SideReel.com http://ff.im/-h4h8 #
  • Friendfeed iPhone http://ff.im/-h4h7 #
  • Reach up to 600,000 followers with your message – http://be-a-magpie.com/fz57qi #
  • woke up early, as I have to get ready to head to Macau with friends this weekend. #
  • On route to Macau #
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Developments of Hybrid

Recently I notice both Toyota and its Lexus brand have made hybrids. These are not the typical hippie boring family car, but the Highlander and Camry models for Toyota and GS and RX models for Lexus. Honda did not stand still either, they have hybrid models of their Civic models. There are other American manufactures who also produces hybrid models. Luxury manufactures like: Mercedes and Porsche also have respective hybrid models at a even higher premium.

Continue reading “Developments of Hybrid”

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iPhone on Smartone-Vodafone Hong Kong [Nov. 1 Update]

I have now confirmed with Smartone-Vodafone that the Internet Browsing plan; now known as IOM plan, indeed only cover HTTP and the corresponding HTTPS traffic. So any web traffic through Mobile Safari on your iPhone and any applications; whether it is downloaded from the Apple AppStore or unauthorized 3rd party, that uses the HTTP Posts and Gets will be covered in the Internet Browsing plan.

Any POP3 traffic will be outside of the Internet Browsing plan allowance and Smartone-Vodafone has a separate POP3 Email monthly plan for HKD30/month. As a result any IMAP or Exchange Push traffic will be count as regular Data traffic. I think this omission of IMAP and Exchange traffic from the Email monthly plan is the wrong thing to do for Smartone-Vodafone. Why would anyone choose POP3 over IMAP or Exchange email is beyond me. Especially when the iPhone is only one of many devices most users will use to access their emails, and definitely not the primary device. I urge Smartone-Vodafone to listen to its customers and change their Email monthly plan.

Please see my original article, “iPhone Hacked in Hong Kong on Smartone-Vodafone” for details of my post and the feedbacks from various readers.

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Emoticons for Life

Some of you may not heard of the term “Lifestreaming”, but it is the term coined to refer to the streaming of ones daily and often hourly events to followers.

Currently the more popular Lifestream networks are: Twitter, Pownce, Jaiku and Plurk. All of these services impose the same 140 characters limit to each message. This originated from the ability to use SMS to post to these services, and SMS message has a 140 characters limit.

Continue reading “Emoticons for Life”

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Is Smartone-Vodafone Listening?

A few days ago I posted an article, Smartone-Vodafone’s Stubbornness, here about the decision of the local carrier, Smartone-Vodafone including a Task Bar on every browser page one visit while using their EDGE network. I will not go into details please, please read it in my previous article.

Today when I accessed these same web pages using the browser (MobileSafari) on my iPhone while on the Smartone-Vodafone EDGE network, this Task Bar is no longer there.

I do wish that I had some part in making this happen. I want to think that my blog is visited by employees of Smartine-Vodafone. Not just any employees, but someone high enough in their company to be able to execute a change in policy.

At the same time there is also a possibility that it was a coincident, and Smartone-Vodafone had always planned this change.

I will just think it is the former. If my assumption is true, this will further re-enforce my believe that Smartone-Vodafone is the only local carrier who make great efforts to serve it’s customers better. By first listening to what it’s customers need, which we all know is the first step in building a loyal customer base. Especially during this tough economic times.

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I Can Afford It

 

It is clear that there are many people who simply don’t care about any social rules; or in this case local laws.

I was walking by Causeway Bay in a very busy area where I see a vehicle with 4 parking tickets on the windshield.

As you can see from the first photo, it is parked along the part of the street that had double yellow lines, plus it is about 5 feet from the traffic light.

I was told by an parking enforcer that as long as there are no parking meter all streets in Hong Kong are no parking, and sections of the road with double yellow lines means no stopping 24 hours a day.

In most cities that I know, 3 is the limit that any parking enforcers will ticket a car, after that either the car is booted or a toll truck would be called to remove the car in question.

When I was a police officer in Canada, after two tickets we would check to see if the car was stolen or worst.

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Battle of the DSLRs



Last week in Hong Kong Nikon released their new DSLR, the Nikon D90 to much fanfare. You can checkout dpReview’s Nikon D90 “preview” report for a detailed look at the camera’s functions and capabilities.

Canon did not let Nikon steal all the fanfare by “arguably” one-upping Nikon to announce the successor to its 5D, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. The significant differences being:

  • Still image size: Canon’s 21 Megapixels –> Nikon’s 12.9 Megapixels
  • Video Resolution: Canon’s 1080p 30fps –> Nikon’s 720p 24fps
  • ISO Range: Canon’s ISO 100 – 6400 range (50 – 25600 expended) –> Nikon’s IS0 200-3200 range (100-6400 expanded)

Note: yes, both DSLR are capable of capturing videos like most point-and-shoot. Of course with way better quality and flexibilities.



Vincent Laforet was lucky enough to be able to obtain a prototype Canon 5D Mark II for 72 hours to test, and his results were stunning. You can download the short movie he made called, Reverie. [Update: currently hosted at Canon and the demand was too great.] from his blog. You can check out the quality of the video and the 5D Mark II’s amazing low light capabilities from clips of the making-of video hosted at Smugmug.

Again you can checkout dpReview’s Canon EOS 5D Mark II “preview” report for details of what this Canon marvel can do.



Of course the other up-and-coming big shot in the DSLR market did not stand still and let the veteran steal all the lime lights. Sony, the company who made the chip that goes inside the Nikon D3, also announced a new DSLR of their own, the Sony Alpha A900. You can read dpReview’s Sony Alpha A900 “preview” report for details and sample images.

With brand new MacBook Pros just around the corner, it is really tough being a guy. I guess it is similar to some women and Manolo Blahnik.

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Signage of No Significance


Today I observe what often happens in Hong Kong, where citizens simply ignore signage displayed and committing the acts right in front of the signs, which describe their violations.