Moving to Google Apps based email - here's how

Get the Sync program
tools.google.com/dlpage/gappssync

With a new user, with Office 2010 installed, but not in use, choose a New Profile. Otherwise use an existing one to grab all the email off the local PST or Exchange Server.


Restart Outlook.
Done!

If you use Sharepoint (for a shared Company listing of contacts for example, Click on Actions, and Open in Outlook.

Form the client's address book, choose Options, and set the Shared Contacts list to appear first and search though first if required.

Is there life beyond Galaxy 2.1?

So you, too want to upgrade the firmware on your Samsung Galaxy GT-I9000T?

Are you very brave?

To upgrade the firmware, as I understand it, this is done using a USB connection to PC Linux or Mac. (Only PC requires the drivers, the others just work).
The KIES software provided by Samsung is crap, but is just used to make sure you have the driver working so can go ahead with the coms using ODIN3 software.

Backup of phone data should be done first (ie grab ALL you photo, video, etc off the internal memory andoff the SD card - even though you're taking the SD card out...

The phone has to be put into download mode which is done by:
Powering off phone
Remove SIM, remove microSD
Hold up and down volume buttons while powering on (older phones apparently used to have to hold 3 buttons: VolDown, Home and Power all at same time) (?)
Keep holding them till you see an Downloading Android logo.
Connect USB cable to the phone.
Windows will install the usb download mode drivers.

To flash the phone with the newer firmware

As above, but run ODin3 on the PC/Linux/Mac
Connect your Galaxy S using USB (Still in download mode)
Odin3 displays a connection on Com7
Select the pit file and the PDA file you require
Only select the PDA / Code file.
Start the download and hopefully get to 100% , reset the phone before disconnecting the usb cable

(Thanks mainly to
http://samsunggalaxysforums.com/showthread.php/91-Tutorial-How-to-debrand-and-flash-newer-firmware-to-your-Galaxy-S )

My milage
I backup up (copied all the visible content of the two drives that appeared when I Mounted the drives in plain USB mode (not KIES). 400odd MB of the 512MB microSD and 880MB of 1Gb onboard (internal SD).

Removed SIM and microSD, put phone into Download mode (required downvol, home and on butons) - this occurs instantly
Connected USB, Win7 automatically deteced a Gadget! and downlaoded the driver:

I chose the PIT and PDA files, Clicked Start - nothing happened apart from the first line 0/0 in screenshot.

Dicsonnected and reconnected USB, got as far as screen shot for 5 or more minutes - nothing happened..
Reopened Odin3, same thing, tried all 3 files - see second screenshot.

Had to hard power off the phone, but it booted ok despite all this - but I'm still no further and still on the original firmware version :(

---

Notes:
To see your signal strength and channel frequencies
*#0011#
On Telecom my phone currently show
WCDMA850 Band 5
Reg PLMN 530-5
Freq DL 1062
Freq UL:837
PSC:51
RSCP:-85 ish ECIO:-7

To view your current firmware version type *#1234#
As supplied by Telecom May 2011 my IS9000T displays:
PDA: I9000TDOKA1
PHONE: I9000TDOJL1
CSC: I9000TTNZJL1

the phone itself reports
Firmware 2.1-update1

Kernel version 2.6.29

Build Number ECLAIR.DOKA1

My Apps
Voice Dialler
Voice Search
Shopping List 1.3.15
Swiftkey X 2.0.5.109
Dolphin Browser 5.1.0
Silent TIme Lite 3.3.4
Sim Toolkit
PDF Viewer (Dolphin addon)

Why "Android"?

My experience moving from Nokia Symbian 60 to Android 2.1 on a Galaxy I9000

Reasons for going with the Android ...

In a Google-centred world, using Google's own phone operating system just makes sense.
It simplifies setup and use. It took me 2 minutes to have all my Google contacts visible on my phone, my Google calendar visible, be able to send and receive emails and do all this whether on the road (using my 2GB data plan), or through wifi at home or work or anywhere else I can get a connection.

By contrast, the iPhone needs to have the SMTP server specified exactly right to be able to connect, and seems to need another set of settings for 3G versus wifi, and wifi thru different ISPs!
Not sure how the Windows phone compares here.

The battery life does not seem to be reduced by having wifi turned on, but I have yet to test leaving Bluetooth on. (My previous Nokia didn't last the day if I left Bluetooth on)

Open standards. Even the most ardent Microsoft fanboys know deep in their bones that open standards are a good thing, at least I hope they do ;)
Having a multitude of applets created by the community allows the best to shine through. You may have to invest a bit of time finding the best, and possibly go through some pain if you test too many poorly written options on your own phone. But that what the factory reset is for after all. (I wonder if the apps I have paid for from the Market will reinstall after a reset, not having tried this yet?!)


Before moving to this new Android, as I was sure I would still need my laptop when on the road. As a result my choice of handset was determined by which model could be "tethered" to my laptop ie act as a modem. Now I find that I can do just about everything on the Android and don't really need the laptop for internet access (there are still some static pdf manuals I refer to on a regular basis, but these are stored on the laptop). The 4" screen and my fat fingers cope well enough to update jobs in my jobs system, input billing details, keep my calendar current and email brief, txt-like cryptic messages.
So the choice of handset was made for me, as the cheaper handset option did not offer the tethering capability (and I just wanted the big, fast handset so I had sufficient grunt and memory to actually use).

My list of must have apps:
Dolphin browser
Swiftkey

Summary: Its a huge leap forward moving form the older style to any new Smartphone, but Android has to be the pick if you want ease of integration with your Google-oriented world.

Recover files after deletion

Recover files after deletion

Had a customer that had deleted the photos on his cameras SD card. File system was fat32. To recover them I used an Ubuntu Linux program called Foremost and it worked really well.

source code http://foremost.sourceforge.net/

Grab foremost:
sudo apt-get install foremost

Have Foremost audit your drive for recoverable files: sdi was the sd card device. Audit.txt was output to /recovery/foremost so you have to su sudo to read it.
sudo foremost -w -i /dev/sdi -o /recovery/foremost

Have foremost recover jpg files:
sudo foremost -t jpg -i /dev/sdi -o /recovery/foremost

files output to directory /recovery/foremost/jpg.

I wish it was all that easy:)

Multimedia, oh Multimedia, be not my master!

Proposed Multimedia Solution for the Slethbridges (First draft)

Audio

MP3s played from hard disc on PC to the Onkyo amp, (or can be sent to the TV speakers from the PC via HDMI. The TV needs to be on for this).

To play on the deck speakers, the Onkyo can be changed manually, and the playlist controlled directly on the PC (to avoid turning on the tv)

Video

Movies played from the PC hard drive (or DVD slot on PC) to the graphics card over HDMI cable to the TV. Sound can either be over this HDMI so the speakers on the TV are used, or the Onkyo can be set to play the sound.

Control of TV is by its own remote control, (and that might be all that is needed for BRAVIA Internet Video  option)

For control of the PC when viewing the TV (in the next room to the PC), a wireless keyboard or universal remote will be required.

Universal Remote Control with touchpad

for example: Logitech Harmony 1000i $540



Wireless keyboard mouse in one

for example: Logitech DiNiova keyboard mouse $290



Graphics Card

for example:  EVGA GeForce GTX 465 HDMI Dual-DVI 1GB   $380



Flatscreen 32"

for example LG 32LD460 $800

or    Sony Bravia KDL-32EX710 $1300

(faster screen refresh - smoother picture, has built-in BRAVIA Internet Video)


or

Suggested checklist when choosing a flat screen:

Fast response time, high contrast

wall mountable VESA

USB input

Memory card input

3.5mm jack input (play direct from iPod)

Internet Radio - not just another little black box!

When you tun on the TV, it just works. Same with the radio. Mostly.

Its now just as easy to get Internet Radio.

My favourite device (last month) was a demure looking little radio. It has two dials, two buttons and a speaker. And a remote.

Difference is, once connected to the internet by wire or wireless, offers seemingly unending choice in free stations from all over the world. Many don't have adverts or other annoyances, some don't even have announcers!

Many of the major real-world radio stations (eg BBC6) have the internet version available. The sound quality is surprisingly good, and the device can be plugged into your normal home amplifier or sound system.

Choice of stations can be made by genre or country or by searching for a known station. Adding a station you like to your favourites is an easy way to build up a list for quick access.

This type of box is perfect for those unwilling (or unable) to use a computer, and would make a great gift for retired folk - or as an addition to the techno hungry home.

Available in New Zealand  are several even more useful versions of this idea. Think of an alarm clock radio with the features above, and perhaps add an iPod dock on top. Surely that's all you need?

The various models available all come with some type of small screen to aid navigation, so for those a bit more adventurous, why not choose from one of multitude of "tablet-ty" type mini computers, that will certainly be able to give you internet radio, as well as your email, what's on tv tonight and the current temperature in Seoul. And there are many to choose from - not just the iPad which you might just have heard of!?

See my blog for in-depth discussion on this : http://www.hha.co.nz/blog/?p=196

Windows Home Server

Having a computer server at home seems like something restricted to a home business or hardcore geek. Well not anymore. Windows home server delivers management, sharing and protection of our increasingly multimedia digital lives. It's a centralized place to store and share files on your home network. Manage digitally recorded TV episodes, downloaded movies and music content and stream these to other computers or provide access to them over the internet. Automatically back up all your computers at home. Log in to the server from anywhere on the internet. There are a large number of free extensions that can provide all sorts of useful services.

MediaSmart Servers when not in use go into standby mode and use as little as 1-3 watts and at a size smaller than a shoe box this is difinately a cool unobtrusive addition to any home multimedia entertainment setup.

I set up the system at home more out curiosity rather than to use a particular feature but quickly found it useful for a number of applications I hadn't considered. One extension I tried was called FirePlay and allowed me to stream my music to any computer. At a friends house talking about a particular song, a couple of clicks and it was playing on his laptop. Managing backups has always been a hassle but the home server made it easy.

This product has been out for a number of years but is only now becoming useful as our lives and entertainment are more and more being stored as digital files.



HP LX197 Mediasmart Server RRP $816.00