Setting for Yahoo! Mail on Android handsets

Yahoo Mail can be automatically configured by Windows Mobile and iPhone handsets, but reportedly many Android-based handsets have problem during the set-up process. Copyright 2010 by http://GeekTechPost.com
When you set up a mail account in Android, you cannot choose "automatic" configuration, since the automatic default will setup the POP3 server connection to Yahoo, which usually deny your access. This is due to Yahoo's POP3 connection is a feature of Yahoo Mail Plus, which is apparently not free of charge.  Copyright 2010 by http://GeekTechPost.com
To get around the pesky restriction, instead of POP3 connection, you can set-up an IMAP account with Yahoo using the following parameters:
IMAP Server:

imap.mail.yahoo.com

SMTP Server:

smtp.mobile.yahoo.com

You should be able to connect to the server by now.
Tested working on HTC Hero, HTC Magic, Motorola Milestone, Samsung Galaxy and Google Nexus One.  Copyright 2010 by http://GeekTechPost.com

Samsung S8000 Jet (S8000H) Silent Camera Hack

- In dialpad, enter *#0002*28346# (No backspace/delete), to the engineer mode
- When you see a menu with TMCommand:811, press the return button on the lower right corner.
- Press (5) Audio, then (2), then (3)
- Press (6) for Camera volume
- Press (6) again, (SPK) (Camera vol.) read will become (SPK) (Camera vol.) White
- Change RX:75dB to RX:-46dB

Note: We have moved to http://geektechpost.com

Disclaimer: A silent camera might be illegal in some countries, please ensure you can do this legally.

Nexus One Order and shipment / APN address Hong Kong

Google Nexus One order and shipping arrangement
http://geektechpost.com/google-nexus-one-order-shipping-arrangement

APN addresses for Hong Kong operators
http://geektechpost.com/apn-addresses-for-hong-kong-operators

Screen Capture method for Android, WinMo and iPhone

While it's easy to take a screenshot in Apple iPhone, it seems very difficult to screenshot in an Android handset.

iPhone and iPod Touch

In iPhone and iPod touch, to screen capture:

1) Press Home

2) then press Power
3) the screen flashes white to indicate a successful shot, then you can release both button

This should work for iPhone, 3G, 3GS, Touch 1st Gen and Touch 2nd Gen alike.

Android

In Android, there are two options, both option require some advanced knowledge to achieve.

Option 1) Use the Android System Development Kit, there's a screen capture function, but this will require downloading and unzipping plus a lot of instructions to follow.

Option 2) Just use the App from Market named "ShootMe".  This application requires rooting (superuser request, or SU request).  If you have a custom ROM, chances are you already have it rooted.  This little app not only can take screenshots by shaking the phone or shouting and save it into PNG files in your SD card, it is also capable to record your series of actions as a "clip"! (it will take a series of pictures continously, so you will have to stop the recording once finished)
Download ShootMe in Market with this QR-code:

Windows Mobile

WinMo handsets and WM powered PDAs can try Ilium Softwares's "Screen Capture" (direct link here).  The software is pretty straightforward, just download and install it, run the program and follow the short instruction.  When you press the defined key, a screenshot is made.

Please visit our new site at http://GeekTechPost.com

Disk benchmark of SanDisk Cruzer Slice and SL Swing Duo

SL "Swing Duo" 2x8G USB Flash "Ultra High Speed"
In the disk benchmark test of this dual-sided USB flash drive, it's around 6650KB write and 29000KB read (results of both sides are close). Reading Speed is high, but Writing Speed is just mediocre. We were getting a couple of non-separateable flash memory in one stick for less than 18 euros. Indeed, it's nothing new (look at the decolored package in the picture), as this product was actually a winner of Computex Taipei design & innovation Award back in 2008 Mobile Magazine reported it at June 2008.





























SanDisk Cruzer Slice USB Flash (8G)
Next time we will add a couple of euros to buy an microSD card with a card reader of the same brand. They should get better results than this. Write at around 5200KB and read at 17500KB. Good thing is that there's no forced preinstalled U3 system in the flash.

Sanyo Energy Booster USB Output Charger

This is nothing new, since it's at least one year old, but we decide to write an simple introduction for this cute item.

The Package
The sealed package comes with a charger, 2 eneloop AA-sized rechargeable batteries, and a dual-use USB battery cable.

The Magical USB Cable
The USB cable has two simple uses - charging and discharging. When you plug in the USB side into the charger, you can charge most phone mobiles with the standard mini USB and USB-ext. Otherwise, you will need the original charging cable.
Conversely, you can plug in the USB side into the computer, and the mini USB side into the "DC IN 5V" slot of the charger, this way the charger will blink in blue, indicating the AA batteries are recharging.
Note: The USB cable is not capable to transfer any data, and is solely for charging/discharging purpose. The cable can, however, be substituted by another USB cable - in fact you must change the cable if you want to charge any device other than those with mini-USB jack.










Feature over other AA battery mobile chargers
There are many other choices around which enables to convert AA-sized battery into mobile device energy, sometimes as cheap as €3, so why did we pick this Energy Booster?
- the mobile devices with higher energy requirement (like iPod, but not iPhone^) can be charged. Read: Sanyo KBC-E1 can't charge iPhone. With two batteries instead of one, the Mobile Booster is capable to add up the mAh of two batteries, so charging a piece of 1500mAh battery is no challenge. Two fully-charged batteries can charge an iPod Touch to around 55%.
- the charger can also be used as a AA-sized Ni-MH battery charger, albeit the speed is very slow. A full recharge of battery requires an overnight charging.

^ iPhone can't be charged by this charger, but can be charged by the internal lithium battery version. You might be interested in Kensington's Power Booster instead.

Stain issue
The white color might look elegant or beautiful, but its shell is very newspaper unfriendly. A slightest touch of newpaper will dye the machine to a disgusting yellowish color. To make thing worse, if you attempt to wipe the stain with a plastic rubber, the charger's surface might scratch.

Infos
Official Site for Sanyo Eneloop

Call and SMS Firewall (Android/WM/iPhone)

Ever get random phone calls during a meeting or an exam, just to realize they are telemarketing cold calls, persuade you to buy something you absolutely don't need whatsoever? We all do, and their bombardment seems to be unending. Besides yelling the four-letter words to the malicious talk-time killers, we can take a more proactive approach – call firewall.


Firewall for different phone operating systems
All software/apps below have the ability to block specific numbers, block specific prefixs, and block SMS.


Android
aFirewall – This Android app has a special “scene mode”, where different call block policies and be applied throughout specific times of day and days of week. Can be downloaded in Market, the free version should be enough for normal use.


Tested on Google G1, HTC Hero, HTC Magic, Motorola Milestone

Alternate choice: Panda Firewall

Windows Mobile
Call Firewall 1.4 – This WM software is a freeware. Can automatically add blocked call as an Appointment (editable in Notes). The full name of the software is “Novan Digital Labs CallFirewall”, just search Google for a download.


Tested on LG KS20, HTC Touch Diamond, HTC Diamond2 Topaz, HTC HD2 Leo, Samsung Omnia i900

Alternate choice: Mcleaner 1.4

iPhone
MCleaner (should require jailbreak) - download at http://www.mcleaner.com/
Panda Firewall (require jailbreak)
Disclaimer: Jailbreaking iPhone may void warranty and may brick your phone

Android 2.1 for HTC Hero

Official Android 2.1 update for HTC Hero not yet available
Early December, a leak of screenshot shows that HTC Hero will get an official 2.1 ROM, and yes, it's later official that an update will be available in early 2010. Quite a wait, yes. For those who are impatient, we recommend a try on a custom ROM done by behnaam.


Unofficial tryout of an unofficial Hero Android 2.1 Rom
This thread on HTCPedia.com forums has the most stable Hero Android 2.1 build around. It's cool to update if you are impatient to try out all the new features, to use apps only availble to latest versions of Android (Namely Google Goggles).As of today (2 January 2010), the latest ROM, "HERO21 Community" v1.8 lacks the HTC Contact feature in the HTC Sense interface. The speed of the ROM is barely acceptable - and become unacceptable once we acquired the Motorola Milestone (aka Droid). You get some, you lose some. A review on the Motorola Milestone is on the way. (Around 388 euros for Motorola Milestone).

Alternate build for HTC Hero
After a couple of hours of experience last week, we reverted the Hero to the ROM by MoDaCo, which can be found here. (WaveSecure is a great app addition in the ROM)

How to install custom builds to HTC Hero
- Install a patched recovery image (Read how and download here in MoDaCo's forum)
- Download the ROM and copy in to the Micro SD card. Download the latest Radio ROM if necessary.
- Boot the HTC Hero in recovery mode: Start your phone with the home button pressed. Use the Recovery Image to run a "nandroid backup"
- After running a "nandroid backup", wipe the machine, and apply the zipped Radio ROM. If you apply the Radio ROM, after applying, reboot the device, and enter the recovery mode again.
- Apply the zipped custom ROM, reboot after done.
Warning, the above customization might void the warranty of phone. It might also has a chance to brick your phone if some steps were not followed. Use at your own risk.


Click on the respective links for the buying info for HTC Hero white / silver or Motorola Milestone (GSM only, they are not CDMA ones, sorry American friends)