The Geek Brewery

Hey guys, if you are looking for the latest PSP Custom Firmware (relative to press date), then you are on the rightest page on the universe.

PSP Custom Firmware (CFW) 4.01 M33-2 has just been released about two weeks ago. M33-2 is an update of the previous 4.01 M33. Updating to M33-2 is recommended as it contains patches to 4.01 M33 security holes.

To install PSP CFW 40.1 m33-2, …

CFW 4.01 M33-2 is compatible to both PSP Fat and Slim.

You may download the firmware thru PSPCrazy –> link.

On one of my previous posts, I wrote on my intention of getting my very own HP Pavillion TX1210.

eBay-ing

Last Sunday (May 25, 2008), I won the item at eBay. The seller and I agreed to settle the payment within two days and have it shipped right after the payment. Tuesday (May 27, 2008) afternoon, I officially owned the item after settling the payment. The seller had it shipped right away after confirming the payment. Since the package was shipped under LBC D1 package, it was expected to reach our home within twenty-four hours.

Banco de Oro Deposit Slip — receipt side

Spoiler — a sneak peak

The Laptop Adventures: Flying from Manila to General Santos

Tuesday night, I slept very early; not the usual 8am sleep. Early to sleep, early to rise. I woke up by 3am with my growling stomach. And so I fulfilled my stomach’s request. I tried tracking the package using LBC Track and Trace web application. I was not able to track it due to some ASP.net errors. I also tried emailing about 10 LBC outlets nationwide to track my package.

The sun rose and still I kept wasting my time surfing the Internet. Since the first commercial plane bound for GenSan arrives at 9:05am, I tried to call the local LBC outlet by 10:00am hoping for available information but to no avail. About 9:30am, I kept on refreshing the LBC Track and Trace page of my package and by 9:45am the information was already available. The results dumped that the package already reached Mindanao Exchange the previous day and it was already shipped to General Santos. By 10:00am, I received an email from one LBC branch I contacted stating that the package was already shipped to GenSan 11pm the previous day.

When my little brother woke up, I convinced him to watch Witch Yoo Hee on YouTube to waste some time. We enjoyed the series while waiting; woot!

Then the clock struck 11am. We were still waiting for Men in Red. Tik-tak-tik-tak. Watched the show again then by 11:51am, one of our household members told me that the Men in Red were already outside. I raaaaan my way out of the house and received the item by myself.

Unpacking

I’m tired of writing. A picture tells a thousand words. For those with slow internet connections, the pictures show how I wrestled with the very secure and hard-to-mutilate packaging.

Before Unpacking

FRAGILE! (more…)

Hello.

I’ve been seriously considering HP Pavillion TX1210 as a laptop.

Photos from Amazon.com

Here are it’s specs.

• Processor: AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology TL-58 / 1.9GHz (64bit dual-core)
• Cache: 1MB L2 Cache
• Hard Disk: 160GB SATA-150
• Installed RAM: 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 SDRAM
• Optical Storage: DVD±RW (+R DL) / DVD-RAM — supports LightScribe
• Card Reader: 5-in-1 (supports Memory Stick, MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card, XD-Picture Card, Memory Stick Pro)
• Display: 12.1 TFT active matrix (max. resolution: 1280×800)
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 video with 128mb dedicated video
• Audio Device: Altec Lansing + Dual Mic and Dual Audio Jacks
• Interfaces: Bluetooth with Enhanced Data Rate, 802.11n/b, Fast/Gigabit Ethernet, 3 x Hi-Speed USB – 4 pin USB Type A, 1 x Display / video – VGA – 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15), 1 x Display / video – S-video output, 1 x Modem – Phone line – RJ-11, 1 x Network – Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T – RJ-45, 1 x Remote control – Infrared, 1 x Docking / port replicator
• Other: Biometric fingerprint security, HP Remote Control

The laptop can also be converted to a tablet (stylus provided).

• Dimensions:12in x 8.8in x 1.5in
• Weight: 4.2lbs or 1.91kg

What do you think?

The custom firmware 3.95 GEN-2 update for PSP has been released less than a week after the release of it’s parent version 3.95 GEN.

The update fixed the following items, as promised by their developers at PSPGEN:

• Fixed issue which crashed the PSP if you had vshmenu mode ‘None’.
• Fixed SNES emulator issues, now works fine.
• Fixed few homebrew issues with the Slim.
• Last version of the SNES emulator, PSPTube and many other homebrew using ME now work fine.

For everyone who wants to install 3.95 GEN, you must be on at least 3.71M33.

• Download the package with 3.95 GEN and the popsloader.
• Note: When installing, all your plug-ins will be disabled.
• Connect your PSP to your computer via USB.
• Extract the file you downloaded by right clicking and choosing the option ‘Extract Files To…’.
• Extract the files to your PSP’s assigned letter (for example, X).
• Leave USB Mode.
• Goto GAME > Memory Stick > 3.95 GEN

Here’s the download link: CFW 3.95 GEN-2.

Have fun!

Hey guys, I got my new phone after 8 months being phoneless. It’s a part of the 3-cellphone bundle (all Nokia 6230s) offered by one of Sun Cellular’s plan packages.

It’s a Nokia 6230! It is slim and lightweight. Uber-slim that it’s thickness scores at 9.9mm; not even touching the centimeter range. It weighs 66g; far lighter than laptops! But seriously, it’s feather-light especially without the battery pack.

I tried to get the most out of it’s precharged battery juice. I played with it; from its Bluetooth connectivity down to its camera. Too bad I haven’t tried using it’s xHTML web browser; I wonder how my blog will look with my new phone?

It’s VGA camera can shoot up to 640×480 pixels for images and 128×96 pixels for video. All the images in this post were taken using the phone (the phone on the pictures is a different phone; but same phone model). The rendered images are decent; not bad and not that good.

It boasts its basic PDA functions: to-do lists, alarm clocks, currency converter, stopwatch, reminders and calendar. The phone was not too serious that it even bothered to have games!

Audiophiles, this is not for you. It’s built-in loudspeakers doesn’t sound good, just at par for a normal phone. Good thing it has a standard 35mm audio jack on its side; near the USB and charger ports.

It supports polyphonic (MIDI) and MP3 ringtones; you can load it up with your HamburJer and Janina San Miguel ringtones but beware it only has 11MB user-usable disk space! Another bad would be it’s memory is NOT expandable; a music library is a NO NO.

I don’t have anything to say now. If you’re interested to talk to me, just drop your SUN CELLULAR cellphone numbers on the comments and I’ll gladly meet someone on the phone.

This is my first cellphone review so please understand if it sucks! (offtopic: DreamHost coupon codes)

Hi.

I’m now half-finished in brewing up my very own Sony PlayStation Portable. I used a PIC16F873 microcontroller courtesy of the super-kind and generous kuya Butch Tabios.

I’m not done yet programming my very own handheld device yet but I have tried putting a sample program in it. And yeah, it worked. The single green LED blinked at a constant interval.

The blinking of the LED alone made me uber-happy, but I guess its still a long way to go before I get a game work.

UPDATE: Sony PSP Custom Firmware 3.95 GEN is out, finally after the very long wait!

The firmware can be downloaded at PSP Updates.

The custom firmware is compatible with PSP Fat and PSP Slim. At least Custom Firmware 3.71 M33 is needed to install the 3.95 GEN.

—————–

The delayed release time has elapsed. Waaaaaa. This is the moment! Grab your copy now.

Sadly it’s delayed again.

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UPDATE: It was supposed to be released May 31, 2008 12:00am Paris Time (UTC +2) but was moved to June 1, 2008 1pm due to some server problems. It’s past 1pm on UTC +2 but still no release found.

I’ve used Time and Date website to convert the times to major cities in the world: here’s the result.

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Hey guys!

After the very long wait, Sony PSP Custom Firmware 3.95 GEN is going to be released anytime soon this day. 3.95 GEN will be compatible to the official 3.95 Firmware by Sony.

Watch out on this blog for the download itself. Stay tuned.

Another person is closely looking at the release too, you may check his blog entry out for more details in case he posts the firmware before I do.

Tip: Subscribe to my RSS feeds to get updated of the release OR subscribe thru email updates by using the form below (if you’re on the post page).

Many techie people have iPhone (Time Magazine’s 2007 Invention of the Year) on the top of their Christmas wishlist. But I, as a part of the specified group, find them not as techie as a real geek.

Personally, I don’t have iPhone on my wishlist. It does not pass my standards of an ideal mobile phone. Here’s a roundup of reasons why:

• iPhones released in the market are theoretically locked to a certain array of mobile networks. Their list is quite limited so there’s a need to hack the phone if your provider is not listed. Now, for the real downside: iPhone firmware updates blocks these hacks so their is a need to hack it all over again. Real geeks are lazy, right?
• iPhone does not support 3G. A real ouch for mobile Internet users. The fastest capable technology in the iPhone is the EDGE technology, which is far too slow from the industry-standard 3G.
• iPhone users say that they frequently expriences lags. No first hand experience for this. The worst, some units even freeze so there’s a need to restart the phone. (It doesn’t have a Ctrl+Alt+Delete button). ;D
• iPhone is Apple’s first gadget in the field of mobile phones. They’re not that experienced in the field yet.
• iPhone’s platform is something new. To date, there are only a few developers developing iPhones applications (lesser selection of apps). Would you develop something great when it can only ran in one phone?

I believe my points are already sufficient. Now, I’ll ask you is iPhone on your list?

Have you ever heard of a Wi-Fi Detector shirt? It’s right, Wi-Fi detector shirt.

It’s been years when ThinkGeek started to sell such crazy stuff. (more…)

I don’t know if my source is kidding about this but I think it’s an interesting post.

U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory funded a research which resulted to the invention of betavoltaic battery. This battery can supply a continuous power to a laptop for a span of 30 years, without a single recharge. Sounds crazy, right? But who’s keeping a laptop for 30 years? Even today’s latest laptop juiced by that battery’d outdated before the battery runs down. ;D Why didn’t they choose another subject, like an electric car? See the answer (hopefully) after this jump. (more…)