Smart Cover Knock offs

Smart Covers are over rated and over priced.

Here in Japan, people are laughing at this thing because its not so smart at all.

Nobody knows the name "Smart Cover" here. But if you mention about the Ipad2 case that looks like an "Ofuro" (bathtub) cover, surely someone will recognize it. It is indeed smart but not so smart for people taking Ofuro eversince.

So if you're like me, who cant justify buying expensive apple accessories, and if you plan to use a Smart Cover only in some occasions, then maybe the fake Smart Cover is just right for you.

I am glad using my cheap yet working smart Cover. For 12 dollars, I don't have to worry if the hinges would break someday or if the rubber gets tainted. It actually does perform just as a Smart Cover would. Its also beautiful. Some reviews say its smelly, but mine actually doesn't. The magnets work great and so are the hinges.

See for yourself in the next photos.

Get em here : http://myworld.ebay.com/leosstore2/

Eye-Fi upon A Bisdak's Photography

Once upon a time, I stumbled upon this very smart device which promised to change my photography experience forever. Bundled with compactness and technology, I was tempted by the convenience that it was offering. For 4200yen, I got my EYE-FI X2 connect from yahoo auctions Jp in less than 3 days. Japan's auction site and postal services is quite fast, however, its my dumb Japanese that's keeping me stick to eBay mostly.

The Product is indeed innovative. An SD card with a built-in WiFi is truly genius. I was imagining all the convenience and smartness it would bring.

The first time I tried to use the product was a bit head-scratching. I didn't pulled my judgments right away because I knew I was overlooking at things as I installed the bundled software. I was to excited that my expectations surpassed the performance of the product.

Together with my Ipad2 I tried to make it perform just as it was advertised. After a few minutes of resetting and restarting, I finally got it to load simultaneously with my laptop and Ipad 2. The Direct Mode was a bit frustrating at first because it was a bit slower compared to the videos I've seen in the reviews. Nevertheless, after I offered some of my patience, it did uploaded to my device.

The Product is a indeed Genius, no doubt about it. Genius in way that it supported almost all existing SD driven equipment out there. However, Its still an infant and I'm sure better versions will sprout somewhere soon. The Bundled software is just Honestly a joke. Not to mention the "Hurrays" and "Yays" prompts it shows on the settings. This just shows that users are now assumed to be idiots nowadays. Its slow, it hangs, and its also confusing.

Otterbox Ipad2 Headphone cover Fix

Otterbox Defender Case For Ipad2 had the biggest flaw on their headphone flip-cover design.

It easily flips out whenever I accidentally bump my fingers on it. It sticks out whenever I place it in my bag and also when I take it out. It even sticks out with the device just lying down.

Then, One day, I found a little way of making it stick strongly into the plastic case.

You'll only need the tiniest sewing needle you can find in your house.

Stick it in slowly and straightly inside the rubber flip. This will make the flip straight and sturdy because it will reinforce the rubber vertically.

After it has reached the other end, cut both protruding ends of the needle leaving about 0.5mm from the rubber (use a pair of Pliers cutter for this). Make sure it would fit easily on the plastic latches of the case.

It is indeed too sticky that I need to bend the Rubber (with the reinforced needle) a little to flip the cover off. I don't use headphones often thats why this wont be bothering me a lot.

I'm sure this is not the safest and best way to make the headphone cap stay but It surely prevents the rubber from flipping out.

Just my two cents.

Otterbox Defender series for Ipad 2

I have toddlers in my house.

I had no choice but to get the Otterbox Ipad2 Defender Case because my kids were playing my Ipad2 like it was a Nintendo DS.

So after checking a few reviews, I ordered one and waited for 2 long weeks.

However, A few days before the case arrived, some cons were already starting sprout from some reviews.

Anyway, I waited till it arrived and see for myself.

So here are my thoughts.

For the Pros;

-Its otterbox

-Good quality plastic

-Good quality rubber

-Fits the Ipad securely

-very tight and so easy to hold

-I find the stand and cover very nice to use

-Plastic design on the speaker helps projecting the sound towards the user

-Apple logo is visible

-Very good protection for your device if you have toddlers at home

Now for the cons;

-No Front protector

-the Plastic and rubber design near the home button is so thin it could easily break

-Home button is so hard to push unlike my Iphone 3Gs defender case

-Headphone Flip-cover easily flips out

-China made Camera connector wont fit with this case. I had to get a chord extender.

-the Bezel on the sides tend to bend outward giving a tiny space between for dust to easily enter.

-Takes time to install or remove

- Ugliest case otterbox has ever made

Some Photos:

A week after 3.11

It was My greatest honor to witness the true Japanese Perseverance and Patience.
One week has just Passed and I never thought how fast this nation can get up and rebuild.
In fact, I was expecting for more than a week for rice and food to be scarce.
I was expecting for a month of the daily brownouts.
I also thought that Gasoline would totally ran out.
Worst of all, I also expected the Japanese spirit to fail and eventually the animal in them would come out.

Yet, I totally underestimated them.
Its been just a week since that Notorious 9.0 earthquake.
Its been just a week since that 15m waves of water and fire flushed 400 square-kilometers of land.
Its been just a week since that Nuclear crisis has been lurking on every ones fear and the entire world.
Yet, today, I smiled after eating a good meal of rice with my family.
I also smiled after filling up my car with gasoline even though it took me 4hours and 2km to wait in line.
I felt more safer after knowing that the government has already started building new homes for the tsunami victims. … and the list of good news goes on.

There are limitless number of words to described on how the Japanese did it and I cannot write all of these here, but I am very proud to say that I was there during the whole transition.
Now, I can continue to live and tell a great tale of how a nation can survive the greatest calamity.
Its been an honor to live here in Japan.
I don't want to be in any other country besides this one if ever another 9.0 earthquake comes.

Nigel's DS lite Refurbishing

Nigel's DS could no longer handle his owner's hands and it finally broke down a few weeks ago. In the past, It already had a tiny crack at its hinges and the flip hinge no longer functions as a stopper to control the swinging of the systems flap. After, a few months of uncontrolled flapping, the filament wire which connects the upper LCD to the mother board finally broke. Luckily, Ebay sells almost all the parts of Nintendo DS, so I got a full replacement plastics of the body and a new LCD. The buying was pretty easy, just a few clicks on eBay (and fairly cheap, although, its already a replacement so obviously...made in China), and a few days of wait, the Replacements finally arrived. Nigel was my first client as a technician who demanded so much with time. He just can't wait. Honestly, the whole replacing process was so unbelievably tiring. I admire Nintendo design on the hardware but I really hate it how much skill was need just to pass the filament through one of the hinges. Thanks to You tube and a few home video makers, I made it through after an hour. Replacing all the past white plastics into the new black replacement. By the way, the LCD'S need a little skill on soldering and dry fingers. I wish my fingers don't sweat this much, now i have a few smudges inside the monitor. Well, Nigel isn't that particular about his DS, all he will always be needing are his Pokemon's and make them battle.
Now, im off to Pya's Dsi where it's pen got stuck inside. My life will always be the screwdriver.

4th Lim Family Reunion 2010

To: All the Members of the Juliano & Cecilia Lim Family
From: The Chairman: Dr. Erlinda Lim-Juan
Theme: Clean & Green

We will have our 4th Family reunion on Papa Juling’s 104th Birthday and Mama Celing’s 31st Death Aniversary on August 21, 2010 in La Libertad Negros Oriental. Our host is Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Terio and Family. Please wear something green.

Program of Activities
I. Arrival in La Libertad 8:00am – 12noon
II. Lunch at Terio’s Residence - San Jose, La Libertad, Negros Oriental
III. Celebration & Service at the Tomb 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Speaker: Mr. Roderick Lim
Program: Mrs. Ethel Rose Estrellado & Mr. Leo Art Sarmiento
IV. Dinner and Fellowship at La Limar 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Host: Terio Family
EMCEE: Giel Estrellado
Presentation by the Third Generation:
By: Jonathan Julvic Trinidad and Rickne Ian Lim
V. Family Meeting 9:00pm – 11:00pm
1st & 2nd Generation
VI. Sweet Dream (Sleeping time) 11:00pm
VII. Homeward Bound (8/22/2010)

Assignments:
1st Generation:
1. Submit 2 Stories about Papa and Mama
2nd Generation:
1. Video Presentation
2. Plans for the Future
3rd Generation:
1. Prepare for a number (base on theme)
2. Submit your auto biography and for those who cannot write yet parents will be the one to write.

5.12 and 5.13 recipe

Okies, so this will be very short and easy. For those who dont understand what Im talking about, just dont read this. You'all know why im doing this.
1. This applies to any 1phone (3g or 3gs) with either 05.13.04 / 05.12.01 Baseband modem firmware.
2. Jail break your phones.
3. Go to cydia and please update everything that needs updating. You'll know an update is needed when a number on "changes" section appears.3. In Cydia, go to manage - sources - edit. Then click add. Inside the window, enter http://repo666.ultrasn0w.com (remember the "0" in the word "ultrasn0w" is ZERO)
4. Sources will be updated so be patient. If it wont update, read back no. 3 again five times!
5. Once updating is successful, go to cydia again and go to manage - sources then click the newly entered repo666ultrasn0w.com source.
6. Finally, Install Ultrasn0w.
7. Smile at your phone and say to yourself;
buang ang maker nga "Mansanas"
Ato ni nga phone!
Ato ni gipalit!

Changing your Laptop's backlights.

I never new laptops had back lights. Not until mine got busted a few months ago. You'll never knew when this day would come cos I knew how it terribly felt.

Laptop screens are made of very thin materials which emit colors like ink that flood a thin film of glass. In order for the colors to be bright and visible to the human eyes, it needs a good source of light. This light is simply a very very tiny tube located above or below this screens. Reflected by the white background of the LCD, it would produce the basic white brilliance.
I am not sure though how latter laptops are designed with their LCD. However, I found mine to be this back lighted system.

Anyway, you will know if your back-lights are already close to getting busted when the screen gets more reddish by the day. You have a few months to prepare for the darkest day of your laptop. Sooner, that tube (CCFL) will die and your laptops LCD will finally be dark.
You'll know that it was your LCD's CCFL because your laptop will still have power and sounds but you just can't see any bright emissions from the monitor. However, if you point your LCD to a flashlight, you'll see your desktop and everything is still perfectly working. Just no light.
CCFLs are way so cheap. I got mine from Ebay at about 1200yen (600php). However, one stupid thing I did was to not check my exact screen size and the exact CCFL tube length that I'll be needing. First item I bought was 5cms longer. So, I had to buy again.

Anyways, replacement needs more skills than just turning screws and prying lids. Adhesive tapes must be carefully removed and a little bit of soldering is required. Anybody can do the job as long as he gives time and carefulness.

Finally, My good Ole NEC Versapro lives again.