The Geek Brewery

Last year, the search-engine giant Google launched Google Map Maker in the Philippines. It is an online mapping tool where people collaborate to map the world. Since it’s launch in the country, there has been a lot of moderated user-generated content that Google decided to push the Philippine Map Maker street-level data in some cities to Google Maps. Relative to other online collaboration tools such as Wikimapia, Google Map Maker has lesser vandals courtesy of their reputation and moderation algorithm designed by Googlers.

So what does this mean to the Philippines? To be short and concise, better Google Maps (Google Map Maker, and Google Earth) for us!!!

Google Maps Mobile can be easily installed on Sony Ericsson, Nokia and other compatible phones. All it takes is to download the mobile Java application and poof, you have a map in your hand! That was a lie; the data still lies on Google’s end so you need to have an active data packet connection (preferably 3.5G or 3G but GPRS would do) which I think all telcos in the Philippines offer for a competitive rate (despite different pricing scheme, it still sums up to 20/hour).

With Google Maps, you search, browse and hop thru different cities around the world. You can even plot your location on the map without an embedded GPS on your phone although having one gives more precise coordinates. In the absence of GPS or weak GPS connection, Google uses the cell information [further reading, Youtube video] on the header data of the packets sent by your handset, although this one gives less precise measurements.

There has been a countless times where I personally found this tool useful. I’ve used it to find buildings in the wilderness of the long Ayala Avenue. Another potential use of this app is for route mapping, which sadly isn’t supported yet in Metro Manila.

What do you think about Google Maps on Mobile? Have you used it? Share your insights.

Lately, I have been trying to amaze myself doing some weird stuff on Linux. Gladly, I thought of connecting my mobile phone to my Linux-running laptop for Internet.

I’d like to share it in case anyone might be concerned on how to do so.

Prerequisites

1. A Bluetooth, GPRS and/or 3G (but preferably with 3G) capable mobile phone.
2. A machine with a Bluetooth adapter.
3. Bluez Bluetooth GNOME applet (the Bluetooth icon on your system tray).
   1. If not installed, may be obtained by typing sudo apt-get bluez-gnome.

This works pretty well on my Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron and Linux Mint 5.0 installation.

Here’s how to do it:

1. First of all, enable Bluetooth for the mobile phone and workstation (laptop, desktop, etc). Make sure both devices are discoverable.
2. On your workstation’s terminal (on Ubuntu, go to Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal), type hcitool scan .
3. You should see your mobile phone’s name and address.
4. Now, let’s bind your device to rfcomm. Type sudo rfcomm bind /dev/rfcomm0 <replace_this_with_address_of_device> <replace_with_channel> .
   1. Replace <replace_this_with_address_of_device> with the address you obtained from hcitool scan (the ones on the left of your phone's name).
   2. Try the values 1, 2 or 3 for <replace_with_channel>. In case the whole process doesn’t work, just unbind your device to rfcomm by typing sudo rfcomm unbind rfcomm0 and repeating the whole process again with another value.
5. After doing so, click on the network icon in your system tray (near the clock) and choose manual configuration. Unlock it with your password. Change the settings of point-to-point connection by double-clicking the option.
6. Check “Enable this connection”.
7. Choose GPRS/UMTS as Connection Type. Change access point name to “internet” without the doublequotes. For account data, just enter any username and password.
8. On the second tab named “Modem”, type /dev/rfcomm0 to modem port field.
9. On the third tab, check “Set modem as default route to internet” and “Use the internet service providers’ nameservers”.
10. Hit OK.
11. Now, check the checkbox of point-to-point connection.
12. By this time, you should have an internet connection on your workstation. If it doesn’t work, repeat the process. Note to try other channels (described in the fourth step).

That’s all. Hope it works.

Smart Bro is a wireless internet service provided by Smart Telecommunications, one major player in the Philippine mobile services arena.

Smart Bro connections differ in two types: the fixed antenna and modem usually installed above the house and the USB 3.5G modem, the more handy and truly mobile option.

I happened to use the second type, the USB 3.5G modem, which is actually capable of using 2G (the old-school voice and text), GPRS, EDGE, 3G and 3.5G (HSDPA) signals. I borrowed the 3.5G modem from a high school classmate. I tested the connection at Kalayaan Residence Hall of University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City Philippines.

Specifically, I used Smart Bro’s service in my room which is located on the basement and at the newly renovated lobby. First off, I’ll discuss my internet experience on my room.

Smart Bro @ the basement of Kalayaan Residence Hall

The connection was virtually dead even if it was connected to Smart’s servers. A high school batchmate earlier reported that she can’t connect to the Internet. The inner geek in me went out and suspected the DNS server to be the culprit. I switched to OpenDNS and tadaaa, it worked. (more…)

It’s official, iPhone is coming to town. At last, we’ll see functional non-cracked iPhones in the country.

Here’s an excerpt from Globe Corporate Blog:

Globe, SingTel, Bharti Airtel and Optus to bring iPhone to the region
Manila, 12 May 2008 – Globe, SingTel, Bharti Airtel and Optus today announced that they have signed an agreement with Apple to bring the iPhone to the Philippines, Singapore, India, and Australia later this year.

More information will be released at a later date.

Woohoo! Smart should also have an agreement with Apple; especially now that 3G iPhones are being released.

[Build that Geek via Migs Mobile Network]

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)

Hey guys!

I’ve recently got this set of 136 Java Games for Mobile available for download. You can get these cool games for a shining $0.00. Yep, read that right! It’s for free.

Prepare your fingers as you jam your phone’s keys.

These games are optimized for Sony Ericsson W550i but are compatible with virtually any mobile phone that supports Java (Nokia, Samsung, etc). More to come so subscribe to my feeds.

DUE TO COPYRIGHT ISSUES, the download links were removed. Sorry.

1. 3D Balloon Race
2. 1000 Words
3. 2004 Real Football Mobile
4. 2005 Real Soccer
5. Age of Empires II
6. Air Strike 1944
7. Alien vs Predator
8. And 1 Streetball
9. Asphalt Urban GT 2
10. Asphalt Urban GT
11. Batman Begins
12. Blade Trinity
13. Block Breaker Deluxe Christmas
14. Block Breaker Deluxe
15. Brain Challenge
16. Brother Bear
17. Brothers In Arms Earned In Blood
18. Call of Duty 2
19. Call of Duty
20. Cannon Fodder
21. Chessmaster
22. Crash Twinsanity 3D
23. Dancing Sweety
24. Deer Hunter By Sorrent
25. Diamond Rush Mobile
26. Disney Pixar’s Cars
27. Disney Pixar’s The Incredibles
28. Dogz
29. Doom RPG
30. Dragonslayer Junior
31. EA Air Hockey By Jamdat
32. EA Tetris Mania
33. Elektra Assassin
34. Etty Wall Ball 3D
35. Extreme Air Snowboarding
36. Fantastic Four 3D
37. FIFA Street 2
38. Friends The One With All The Trivia
39. Gameloft Backgammon
40. Gulo’s Tale
41. Happy Tree Friends HomeRun
42. Happy Tree Friends Spin Fun
43. I, Robot
44. Ice Age 2 Arctic Slide
45. Ice Age Skater
46. KingKong The Official Mobile Game Of The Movie
47. Knight Tales
48. LEGO Bricks
49. LEGO Star Wars
50. LEGO World Soccer
51. Lemmings
52. Lord Of The Rings The Two Towers
53. Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
54. Madagascar Going Wild
55. Major Carnage 3D
56. Marcel Desailly Pro Soccer
57. Medieval Combat Age Of Glory
58. Metal Slug
59. Miami Nights Single In The City
60. Midnight Bowling
61. Midnight Casino
62. Midnight Hold’em Poker
63. Midnight Pool
64. Might & Magic
65. Mission Impossible 3
66. Moto GP2
67. Moto GP3
68. Moto Racing Fever 3D
69. Muppet’s Dance Party
70. Mystery Mansion Pinball
71. Naval Battle Mission Commander
72. Nemo’s Aquarium
73. Paris Hilton’s Diamond Quest
74. Pirates Of The Caribbean Dead Man’s Chest
75. Platinum Sudoku
76. Poseidon Mobile
77. Prince Of Persia Harem Adventures
78. Prince Of Persia The Sands Of Time
79. Prince Of Persia The Two Thrones
80. Prince Of Persia Warrior Within
81. Ratchet & Clank Going
82. Rayman 3
83. Rayman Bowling
84. Rayman Golf
85. Real FootBall 2006
86. Rubik’s Cube
87. Sexy Poker 2004
88. Sexy Poker 2006
89. Sexy Poker Manga
90. Sexy Poker Top Models
91. Sexy Vegas
92. Siberian Strike Episode I
93. Siberian Strike Episode II
94. Sonic The Hedgehog Part One
95. South Park Sports Day
96. Speed Devils
97. Splinter Cell Extended Ops
98. SpongeBob SquarePants Bowling
99. Star Wars Battle Above Coruscant
100. Star Wars Battle For The Republic
101. Star Wars Episode III Revenge Of The Sith
102. Super Puzzle Bobble
103. Superman Returns 2D
104. The Crow
105. The Da Vinci Code – The Quest Begins
106. The Day After Tomorrow
107. The Fast And The Furious
108. The Fast And The Furious Tokyo 2D
109. The Fast And The Furious Tokyo 3D
110. The O.C.
111. The Punisher
112. The Scorpion King
113. The Sims 2
114. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Game
115. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six 3
116. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Lockdown
117. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory
118. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow
119. Tomb Raider Elixir of Life
120. Tomb Raider Quest For Cinnabar
121. Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland
122. Top Gun Air Combat 2
123. Tropical Madness
124. Underworld Mobile
125. Vans Skate and Slam Feat. Geoff Rowley
126. Vijay Singh Pro Golf 2005
127. Wacky Races Mobile
128. War Of The Worlds
129. Woody Woodpecker Wacky Challenge
130. Worms 2006
131. Worms Forts Under Siege
132. Worms Golf
133. Worms Mobile
134. XIII
135. X-Men 3 The Mobile Game
136. X-Men Legends 2

More games to come soon so don’t forget to subscribe to my feeds.

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?