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# Site settings |
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title: myCapsules |
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email: web@mycapsules.com |
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description: > # this means to ignore newlines until "baseurl:" |
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myCapsules? It's a dreamworld of a guy who has opinions about gadgets |
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he has; also disassembly guide for some he needs to fix. |
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He was a big fan of Palm Pilot & Thinkpad. |
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baseurl: "" # the subpath of your site, e.g. /blog/ |
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url: "http://mycapsules.com" # the base hostname & protocol for your site |
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twitter_username: sipp11 |
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github_username: sipp11 |
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|
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# Build settings |
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markdown: kramdown |
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permalink: /:year/:month/:day/:title.html |
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<footer class="site-footer"> |
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<ul class="contact-list"> |
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<li>{{ site.title }}</li> |
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<li><a href="mailto:{{ site.email }}">{{ site.email }}</a></li> |
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</ul> |
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</div> |
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<div class="footer-col footer-col-2"> |
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<ul class="social-media-list"> |
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{% if site.github_username %} |
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<a href="https://github.com/{{ site.github_username }}"> |
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<span class="username">{{ site.github_username }}</span> |
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{% endif %} |
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{% if site.twitter_username %} |
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<li> |
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<a href="https://twitter.com/{{ site.twitter_username }}"> |
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<span class="icon icon--twitter"> |
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<span class="username">{{ site.twitter_username }}</span> |
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</li> |
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{% endif %} |
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<p class="text">{{ site.description }}</p> |
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<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width initial-scale=1"> |
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<title>{% if page.title %}{{ page.title }}{% else %}{{ site.title }}{% endif %}</title> |
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<meta name="description" content="{% if page.excerpt %}{{ page.excerpt | strip_html | strip_newlines | truncate: 160 }}{% else %}{{ site.description }}{% endif %}"> |
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<link rel="stylesheet" href="{{ "/css/main.css" | prepend: site.baseurl }}"> |
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<link rel="canonical" href="{{ page.url | replace:'index.html','' | prepend: site.baseurl | prepend: site.url }}"> |
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<link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="{{ site.title }}" href="{{ "/feed.xml" | prepend: site.baseurl | prepend: site.url }}" /> |
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<div class="wrapper"> |
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<a class="site-title" href="{{ site.baseurl }}/">{{ site.title }}</a> |
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<nav class="site-nav"> |
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<a href="#" class="menu-icon"> |
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</svg> |
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</a> |
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<div class="trigger"> |
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{% for page in site.pages %} |
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{% if page.title %} |
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<a class="page-link" href="{{ page.url | prepend: site.baseurl }}">{{ page.title }}</a> |
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{% endif %} |
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{% endfor %} |
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</nav> |
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<html> |
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{% include head.html %} |
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<body> |
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{% include header.html %} |
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{{ content }} |
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</div> |
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<div id="disqus_thread"></div> |
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{% include footer.html %} |
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<script type="text/javascript"> |
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/* * * CONFIGURATION VARIABLES: EDIT BEFORE PASTING INTO YOUR WEBPAGE * * */ |
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var disqus_shortname = 'mycapsules'; // required: replace example with your forum shortname |
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/* * * DON'T EDIT BELOW THIS LINE * * */ |
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(function () { |
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var s = document.createElement('script'); s.async = true; |
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s.type = 'text/javascript'; |
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s.src = '//' + disqus_shortname + '.disqus.com/count.js'; |
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(document.getElementsByTagName('HEAD')[0] || document.getElementsByTagName('BODY')[0]).appendChild(s); |
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}()); |
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layout: default |
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layout: default |
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<div class="post"> |
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<h1 class="post-title">{{ page.title }}</h1> |
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<p class="post-meta">{{ page.date | date: "%b %-d, %Y" }}{% if page.author %} • {{ page.author }}{% endif %}{% if page.meta %} • {{ page.meta }}{% endif %}</p> |
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<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> |
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<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url={{ page.refresh_to_post_id }}.html" /> |
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layout: post |
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title: Versamail vs Snappermail |
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created: 1141876562 |
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categories: [] |
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--- |
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After 1 month using Treo 650, one thing that bother me is email client, VersaMail. Do not misconceive, it's still work probably and well also. However, There have some dissatified function that make me looking for another client, including missing detach attachment function to free up main memory, irritating screen when enable receive only new message function, and re-receive deleted message. After that I found another popular palm email client, SnapperMail, so I have to use both programs for a week to find out which one is better.. <br><br> That's a tough decision because there don't have a perfect program. Each program has advantages and disadvantages. Let's look at some example that I can found. <br><br><span style="font-style: italic">Reference:</span> <span style="color: rgb(255,153,0)">VersaMail v.3.1b </span>and <span style="color: rgb(255,102,102)">SnapperMail v.2.3 Enterprise Edition</span> <br><br><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255,153,0)">Versamail</span> <br><span style="color: rgb(51,204,0); font-style: italic">advantage:</span> <br>--- easy to use <br>--- clearly interface <br>--- pretty fast operation & preview attachment <br>--- enable CSS but not including downloading link image <br><br><span style="color: rgb(51,102,255); font-style: italic">disadvantage:</span> <br>--- can't detach attachments. <br>--- no card friendly function <br>--- always re-receive deleted mail <br>--- receive only new mail function, such as less than a week, doesn't make any sense. Because it always show awkward popup "There are a new mail but it's too old." For what? <br>--- slow save attach to card <br>--- doesn't have save to handheld function---into other program. <br><br><br><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255,102,102)">SnapperMail</span> <br><span style="color: rgb(51,204,0); font-style: italic">advantage:</span> <br>--- detach attachment function <br>--- smart receive mail function. No annoyed alert like versamail. <br>--- friendly with card storage! <br>--- has a file manager on its own, easy to find an attachment. <br>--- Has a screen to show progression of every operation <br>--- useful receive function; only Message Text or Entire Message or Tag to receive. <br>--- Disable all stylesheet. <br><br><span style="color: rgb(51,51,255); font-style: italic">disadvantage:</span> <br>--- slower operation than versamail <br>--- less clearly interface than versamail <br>--- more complicate function and harder using one-hand operation than versamail <br>--- extremely slow copying attach to card <br><br> Finally, I decide using SnapperMail because of detach attachment function, and no annoyed screen about old messages. Anyway, I can't tell it is my dream program likes Mozilla Thunderbird in desktop. <br><br> ps. I will try to capture both program screen for better understanding ;p but not yet.. <br><br><span style="font-weight: bold">add 3/11/2006: <br>>> </span>Interface Comparion between Versamail and SnapperMail in PDF format <a href="http://sipp11.googlepages.com/versamail-vs-snapper-ext.pdf">download here</a> <br><br><span style="font-weight: bold">add 09/06/2006: <br>>> </span>Sorry, this one is not new at all, I just copy from my blog due to gathering my palm-related article. Anyway, now I got an e-mail client that really cool now! it costs $39.95 but it's worth indeed! coming soon |
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layout: post |
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title: NVBackup |
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created: 1154318353 |
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categories: |
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- palmos |
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- apps |
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--- |
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<p>First of all, this program is only one backup program that's really free and its quality is quite good though. NVbackup is made for NVFS device only to fix any problem that occurs when you use old brand program like backing up such a file like shim log or stuff like that. There are features that every backup programs should have such as scheduled backup, full and partial restoration. It has not only ubiquitous features but also brand new feature like FTP backup, that is, backup all data to FTP server automatically. (Actually, kind of this feature first released by <a href="http://www.backupbuddy.net/">BackupBuddy.Net</a>; however, it's not free.) It's such a great idea to do like this. More place you stored your data means more secure you get as well. Is that sound interesting with outstanding freeware from Alexander R. Pruss? <p><img src="http://one.mycapsules.com/palm/software/013/main_form.png"> <p> Main form is common like every backup programs. It has all details you need to know with a help option in case you want more clear description. In previous version, if you have a chance to try, you will find that every time you make a backup you. It forces you to reset your device first; it's not good for Treo line at all but I don't think it makes a different when you use others. However, this version does not required reset device anymore, it is pretty good job. <p><img src="http://one.mycapsules.com/palm/software/013/selective_restore.png"> <p> By the way, it still has weaknesses like selective restoration and schedule backup. Selective restoration doesn't have comparison between data in backup set and in your device. I think it's a bit tricky for me sometimes when I want to find only particular files.(That's why I still have to use CardBackup) About schedule backup, it offers you only one choice that is daily backup. So maybe it's too less for someone but I'm pretty sure that those folk has more than one backup program, so it's not a big deal, right? <p><img src="http://one.mycapsules.com/palm/software/013/ftp_backup_menu.png"> <img src="http://one.mycapsules.com/palm/software/013/ftp_backup2.png"> <p> backup via FTP is really cool feature. Basically, it's an upload/download all of your data to server via FTP. You have to create a new directory in your server to do this. I mean it's not required but it will be easier for you to find and manage your data either. <p><img src="http://one.mycapsules.com/palm/software/013/upload_progress.jpg"> <p> I tested on my Sprint treo 650 with 1xRTT network is about 9 mins to upload my whole backup set to server; but only 5 min to download that back to my device. It really help to backup the fresh installation to FTP, so when you face a problem that recent backup set doesn't help, you can download the one that you can be sure that it works anytime anywhere you want. <p><img src="http://one.mycapsules.com/palm/software/013/backup_progress.jpg"> <p> Fast operation and interface that shows its progress also cool indeed. <br><img src="http://one.mycapsules.com/main_data/square.gif"> <u>Conclusion</u>: <br> NVBackup that I tested is version 1.12. I quite impressed with this software, then I use only CardBackup and NVBackup and let RescoBackup away. Maybe someone wonder why I chose to left RBackup behind. One simple answer is hard to use, I found that how to partial restore in RBackup is really confused me, somehow it's not happened to others. So it's your choice. <br> Don't forget to try this backup software built particularly for NVFS Device. All I can say is "it's an excellent backup software for NVFS device for now." and "NVFS device owner must have this program". <br><img src="http://one.mycapsules.com/main_data/square.gif"> <u>Reference</u>: download from <a href="http://palmgear.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=software.showsoftware&PartnerREF=&siteid=1&prodID=121637">Palmgear</a></p> |
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--- |
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layout: post |
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title: Replacing Fujitsu S2110 keyboard |
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created: 1178783568 |
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categories: |
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- notebook |
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- repair |
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- disassembly |
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--- |
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<p>This article is 15 step-by-step to replace S2110 keyboard, you may find it useful or use as an idea for your model, esp. Fujitsu that has almost the same method.</p> |
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<div style="float:right;margin:0 25px 0 0"> |
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<script type="text/javascript"> |
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digg_url = 'http://mycapsules.com/replacing-fujitsu-s2110-keyboard'; |
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digg_bgcolor = '#ffffff'; |
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digg_skin = 'normal'; |
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digg_window = 'new'; |
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</script> |
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<script src="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js" type="text/javascript"></script> |
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</div> |
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/repair/001/script.js"></script> |
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<div style="background-color:#fff6da;border:1px solid #FFCC66;margin:0 20px;padding:5px 5px;text-align:center"><a href="" id="prevLnk"><< previous</a> <font style="font-size:xx-small;">(press <strong>o</strong>)</font> | <font style="font-size:xx-small;">(press <strong>p</strong>)</font> <a href="" id="nextLnk">next >> </a> <br /> |
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<div style="text-align:center;"> |
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<img src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/repair/001/white_keyboard.jpg" id="myPicture" alt="SlideShow" style="border:1px solid #DEDEDE;padding:2px 2px 2px 2px;" /> |
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</div> |
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<div id="detail" style="padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;">1. my old keyboard that doesn't match with S2110 in term of color</div> </div> <p>I will show how to replace another part of this notebook in near future, it might be another model as well. I hope this article help anyone who wants to do on our own!</p> |
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|
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<p>For another model, you may find out how at <a href="http://repair4laptop.org/" target="repair4laptop">Repair4Laptop</a></p> |
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layout: post |
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title: Replacing Fujitsu S2110's CPU |
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created: 1181376079 |
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permalink: /disassembly/fujitsu-s2110/keyboard |
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categories: |
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- notebook |
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- repair |
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- disassembly |
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--- |
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<p>The consecutive article about disassembling Fujitsu S2110. This time we will go to replace the CPU or completely take apart this laptop; the thing is I got a newer model of turion 64, MT-37--2.0GHz 1MB L2 Cache--to replace the old one, MT-28 which is 1.6GHz 512kB L2 Cache. It's just a bit better in term of performance, its power consumption is about the same--25W--though.</p> |
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<p><div style="float:right;margin:0 25px 0 0"> |
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</div>I found that taking all part apart is not that hard. The hardest part is to know how to detach the hinge cover and once you knew; that's it. If not, you'd better read <a href="http://mycapsules.com/replacing-fujitsu-s2110-keyboard">this article</a> first. What you really have to do in this time is to know where all the screws were and put them back in the right place. I scratched the screws position in the paper for you guys already.</p> <p>What you have to know for this diagram is I classified types of screws by what they look and how long it is. You may see the right figure to know what A), B), etc.. (even though it's not that clear, you will get an idea :-P) Now I use color to make them more distinguishable. I hope it's easier to get.</p> |
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/repair/002/script-r02.js"></script> |
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<div style="background-color:#fff6da;border:1px solid #FFCC66;padding:5px 5px 5px 5px;margin:5px;text-align:center"> |
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<a href="prev.html" id="prevLnk"><< previous</a> <font style="font-size:xx-small;">(press <strong>o</strong>)</font> | <font style="font-size:xx-small;">(press <strong>p</strong>)</font> <a href="next.html" id="nextLnk">next >> </a> |
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<img src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/repair/002/step/1.jpg" id="myPicture" alt="SlideShow" style="border:1px solid #DEDEDE;padding:2px 2px 2px 2px;" /> |
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</div> |
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<div id="detail" style="padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;">1. If you want to completely take apart, my sugguestion is to unscrew all back first. (Don't forget to keep your screws organized)</div> |
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</div> <font color="red"><b>CAUTION:</b></font> for the screws that hold the case (B-type/blue), DON'T screw them too tight at all because they will break your case. |
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<p>For another model, you may find out how at <a href="http://repair4laptop.org/" target="repair4laptop">Repair4Laptop</a></p> |
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title: Time to shift gear up |
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created: 1197602985 |
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categories: [] |
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<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_2.png"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="919" alt="image" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_thumb.png" width="604" border="0"></a></p> |
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layout: post |
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title: All about mouse |
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created: 1201846757 |
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categories: |
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- mouse |
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- article |
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- accessories |
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--- |
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<p>Since computer was introduced by GUI, Graphic User Interface, mouse has become a necessary tool for all of us. tons of models are available right now with very large price range, $2-$150 or even $200 with keyboard bundled. What I'm going to talk about is how different they are between cheap and good one and surely good one doesn't have to be the most expensive one, and not that cheap.</p> |
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<p><em><font color="#ff8000">What should we consider before buying mouse?</font></em></p> |
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<p>Of course, price tag is the most important. Then size, shape, look, sensitivity, feature, and performance. It's the same method we buy anything else. Okay, I was also like everyone. I was looking for cheap stuffs and never thought of buying an expensive one since I did not believe that there was a large gap between the basic thing like mouse. Unfortunately, I was so wrong.</p> |
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<p>First <strike>irregular</strike> fancy mouse I bought is Creative Fatal1ty 1010, many of you may argue whether it's good, but it has something more than regular mouse indeed. However, I got it when it's $30 plus $30 mail-in rebate ;-P Now you know how I started buying nice mouse. However, the one that's really impressed me is Logitech G5. Oh, man. That is really awesome and makes me want to write this.</p> |
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<p>Now, the factors I would have to buy another mouse are shape, feature, and the last but not least price. I'll do my best to describe one-by-one attribute.</p><ul><li><strong><em><font color="#950000">Size & Shape</font></em></strong>: there are many choices to choose but I found they can be classified in several categories. |
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<ul><li><em>Small mouse</em> - the fingertip grip style, mainly for laptop user. I found that most of them aren't good if you are using for a long period of time. There are some which are very good though. If you want a good one, you really need to have a strange looking--very fat--one because the curve of mouse will suit your palm well. You will not feel pain after using for a long period. The idea behind is like the curve is long enough to hold your full palm (from palm to finger tip.) That's why you will be most comfortable. Otherwise, although you feel cool to have it, suffering will catch you after a while. <br> |
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<img alt="Microsoft Mobile Memory Mouse 8000" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/ms-8000.jpg" border="0"> <a href="/review/logitech/vx-revolution"><img alt="Logitech VX Revolution" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/vx-thumb.jpg" border="0"></a> <img alt="Kensington Slimblade Ice Blue" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/kensington-thumb.jpg" border="0"> <img alt="MoGo Mouse Bluetooth" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/mogo-thumb.jpg" border="0"> </li> |
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</ul><ul><li><em>Full-sized mouse</em> - like mainstream mouse, suit for everyone since it has a long rest area for palm. However, things that could distinct between good or bad would be what material it is, how good it is built, and how smooth & precise it responds. It has been improved so much for the time being. You would know what I'm talking about if you were using ball mouse. Now you should know that laser mice are very by the model as well. Some might be able to use on only particular surfaces, some may be able to use on almost any surface. That's what you should know before buying one. <br> |
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<img alt="Logitech MX Revolution" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/mx-thumb.jpg" border="0"> <img alt="Microsoft Optical Mouse" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/ms-optical-thumb.jpg" border="0"> <img alt="Apple Bluetooth Mighty Mouse" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/mighty-thumb.jpg" border="0"> </li> |
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</ul><ul> <br><li><em>Gaming mouse</em> - this is mostly the same as full-sized mouse, but better and sensitivity is the most concerned thing. Thus, mouse in this category mostly come with adjustable sensitivity on-the-fly button. Fast and precise mouse can help you win the game indeed. |
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<br><img alt="Logitech G9" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/g9-thumb.jpg" border="0"> <img alt="Logitech G5" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/g5-thumb.jpg" border="0"> <img alt="Razer CopperHead" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/razer-cu-thumb.jpg" border="0"> </li></ul> |
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<ul><li><em>Touchpad</em> (aka mousepad, trackpad) - this is mostly coming with notebook, you may find some model of keyboard have this as well though. Touchpad can have cool gestures to make more wow factor like what Apple did to their TrackPad, but I find this category is out-of-my-favor since I could use it comfortably no matter how hard I try it to be. At least, you may adjust to the highest sensitivity to get the optimal performance. That's what I feel though. Yours could be vary. </li> |
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<li><em>Trackball</em> - only advantage I can see of this category is saving space. If you know more, I would love to hear :-D |
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<br><img alt="Logitech Cordless Trackman Wheel" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/trackman-thumb.jpg" border="0"> <img alt="Logitech TrackMan Marble FX Trackball" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/marble-fx-thumb.jpg" border="0"> <img alt="Logitech Optical Marble Mouse" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/marble-thumb.jpg" border="0"> </li></ul></li></ul> <ul><ul><li><em>TrackPoint</em> - originally ThinkPad mouse, saving space and very comfortable if you can type on keyboard. I posted my opinion <a href="http://blog.10ninox.com/2007/12/10/whats-so-good-about-trackpoint/" target="_blank">here</a>. <em>Marvelous</em> is just the right word. </li> |
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<li><em>Tablet Pen</em> - I don't know whether this belongs to the right category but it's pointing device as well. So it should be related in some ways. </li></ul> |
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<li><strong><em><font color="#950000">Features</font></em></strong>: there are so many thing you couldn't even think of. |
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<ul><li>Wireless Mouse: Bluetooth, radio signal, or whatever it is. One thing I could recommend is searching for a review about battery life. That's vital factor as far as I'm concerned. The advantage of Bluetooth is if you have Bluetooth build-in, you don't have to waste your USB port at all, but comparing to wireless mouse (radio freq.,) it's a bit slower and does have a lag right before working condition.</li> |
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<li>Many customized buttons: This will be useful if you have a good bundled software. </li> |
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<li>Bundled software: You might have no idea why we need this, but you'll like it when you meet a good one. It doesn't like bloatware, features it provides really make a different.</li> |
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<li>Weighting tool: a heavy mouse for precise moving, and light mouse for faster movement. You can choose! </li> |
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<li>Adjustable sensitivity or DPI: I have no idea if this is really good feature. I use only to set as DPI I want and that's it. </li> |
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</ul></li></ul><p>Okay, there are too many choices, but what I could recommend is choosing whether you want regular-sized mouse or small one. Then from my experience I will not regret choosing these models! </p><p>Firstly, <em>brand</em>, I bet most of people will not surprise why I choose factor first since brand can tell so many things about products. Most of the time, you could even decide if this is good item or not by its logo. I know this is not applied to every gadgets, but when we talk about "mouse", it is. And you may be able to guess which brand I'm going to talk about. Yep, it is <font color="#ff8000"><em>"Logitech."</em></font> No matter how hard you are going to argue me. Logitech is still the best mouse manufacturer; in the other words, if you choose mouse from Logitech, you are less likely to get disappointed. I don't know whether I could say this because the second that flashes on my mind right now is not clear really. If I have to say, I would say <font color="#0080ff"><em>"Microsoft"</em></font> could take that place. I found that some models are great but most of them are decent. Nevertheless, I couldn't find another brand to beat this up. <font color="#800080"><em>Razer?</em></font> yep, I agree it's good, but it's mainly targeting gaming mouse too much. Kensington? they are expensive and I had expected them to be at least above par, but unfortunately my palm just doesn't say that. It's probably because their shape is just not right for my palm. <em><font color="#ff0080">Targus?</font></em> that's far from the league we're talking about. <em><font color="#ea1199">Creative? Apple? or else?</font></em> That's the minority which is hard to make an real impact.</p> |
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<p>Next, there is nothing but model to show:- |
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</p><div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="480"><tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" bgcolor="#ffb871" valign="middle">Wireless small mouse</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 113);" valign="middle" width="240"><img alt="Logitech VX Revolution" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/vx-big.jpg" border="0"></td> <td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 113);" valign="middle" width="240"> <p> <a href="/review/logitech/vx-revolution"><strong><em>Logitech VX Revolution</em></strong></a> is greatest small-sized mouse I have ever use. Firmly touch, long battery life, plenty of customized button, very good SetPoint controlling software, and absolute-zero-fiction wheel. Although its USB receiver is still big, it can be pop-in the mouse easily. The only drawback is only for right-handed folks.</p> |
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<p>$60-$79.99</p> |
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</td> </tr> <tr style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(70, 163, 255);"> <td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 113);" valign="middle" width="240"> <img alt="Logitech VX nano" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/vx-nano-big.jpg" border="0"> </td> <td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 113);" valign="middle" width="240"> <p> <a href="/review/logitech/vx-nano"><strong><em>Logitech VX Nano</em></strong></a> is almost the same technology, but the shape is different which has an advantage as two-handed support. The selling point like such a tiny USB receiver is so small that you could always leave in USB port. The sacrificed feature is small number of extra buttons.</p> |
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<p>$50-$69.99</p> |
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</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 113);" align="center" valign="middle" width="240"> <img alt="image" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/razer-pro-big.jpg" border="0"> </td> <td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 113);" valign="middle" width="240"> <p>This is <strong><em>Razer Pro Click Mobile Mouse</em></strong> which support Bluetooth rather than radio frequency. I have no idea how good this is since I haven't seen and tried in person, but Razer brand could guarantee the level of quality.</p> |
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<p>$59.99</p> |
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</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" bgcolor="#ffb871" valign="middle">Full-sized mouse</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 113);" align="center" valign="middle" width="240"> <img alt="image" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/g5-big.jpg" border="0"> </td> <td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 113);" valign="middle" width="240"> <p>There are so many great features to talk about <em><strong>Logitech G5</strong></em>, such as Adjustable DPI (up to 1800DPI) and weight, lengthy and durable wire, size and shape which are just right for everyone. Whoever have this would be pleased. This is really good mouse. It could be use as left-handed mouse but you may feel awkward click the side button.</p> |
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<p>$45-59.99</p> |
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</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 113);" align="center" valign="middle" width="240"> <img alt="Razer Copperhead Tempest" src="http://one.mycapsules.com/com/article/003/razer-cu-big.jpg" border="0"> </td> <td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 113);" valign="middle" width="240"> <p><em><strong>Razer Copperhead Tempest</strong> </em>(up to 2000DPI) is another popular mouse for gaming folk. It's different than G5 in term of feeling and it's two-handed support by align every buttons symmetrically. So, I find it's hard to press right-sided button. I don't really know if that's the cons though.</p> |
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<p>$50-$69.99</p> |
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</td> </tr> </tbody></table></div> <p></p> |
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<p>These are not all great mice around since people do have different taste and favorite. But all above are model I like and it's likely for you to like them too. To choose your mouse, first thing I would recommend is finding one that's easy for your palm. Other Features are plus. From this standpoint you will feel positive about your mouse and be enjoy using computer more. I will try to review in depth of any interesting mouse as much as I can; stay tuned.</p> |
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<p>ps. As you could see, the price tag is really high for almost every models. However, if you are patient enough waiting for promotion/coupon/rebate, you will get VX Revolution for $19.99, G5 for $25, or Razer for $35 like I do. Just wait for the right time :-P</p> |
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title: new myCapsules landed |
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created: 1210397067 |
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categories: [] |
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It would not be as cool as much as you expected but all I can say that it will be better by the time. Since I couldn't and haven't had enough time to improve my old code, then I choose to return to basic, build up from the scratch again. |
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Yet, it has and works as I want it to be. If you have any suggestion, don't hesitate to let me know. |
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For old articles, I'm in hurry transfering data from the old site; it's a bit difficult since I was doing really odd stuff at the time. As an alternative, now you could go back to <a href="http://one.mycapsules.com">an archive site here</a>. It's still the same, but perhaps contains some bugs from changing sub-domain. For moved article, you may just hit "Recent posts" at side bar. After completed moving, I will find better way to walk through them, besides "search." (remember that you need to <a href="http://mycapsules.com/user/">register & login</a> to be able to use search) |
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Woo-Hoo I'm so happy that myCapsules is alive again! |
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layout: post |
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title: renewal is almost over |
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created: 1211327052 |
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categories: [] |
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"So far so good" is the exact phrase for myCapsules right now. I have done most of thing for any user-convenience to find the old article in previous version of myCapsules. I hope most of the link/bookmarks you have would work well as it used to. In addition, search ability could help you quite a lot after I deicided to put for everyone. |
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Yet, it still has plenty of things to do from category link and put some new article in queue on. Please be patient, I finished all exams now; I should have much time to do so. |
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For any suggestion, please welcome =) |
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layout: post |
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title: Gizmo! Jr 4GB flash in darned tiny package |
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created: 1216167090 |
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categories: |
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- review |
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- computer |
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--- |
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<p>Nowadays USB flash is a common thing everyone have. However, this one--Gizmo! Jr 4GB USB flash drive--is come in a very very tiny little package which makes me wow every time I look at it. 4GB on this thing is really showing how far we have come in semiconductor world.</p> |
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<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/07/SNV10263.jpg" target=" "><img height="180" alt="two little Gizmo! Jr vs Logitech G5" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/07/SNV10263_1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a>  <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/07/SNV10268_1_0.jpg" target=" "><img height="180" alt="Gizmo! Jr 4GB" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/07/SNV10268_0.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>As you can see it's so small and it looks like chewy gum indeed. This is probably the smallest flash drive could do for USB 2.0 because of limiting of USB port size.</p> <p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/07/gizmo-vs-sd.jpg" target=" "><img height="180" alt="Gizmo! Jr vs SD card" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/07/image_4.png" width="240" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/07/gizmo-inuse.jpg" target=" "><img height="180" alt="Gizmo! Jr in use" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/07/image1.png" width="240" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Did I say this thing is darned tiny? It's not that small when I saw in the picture as well; you will amaze if seeing this in person. Thanks to Gizmo! that they don't forget to have a lanyard hole so that we will have a chance to impress this longer--make it easier to find & not get lost too easily :-P Or you could even put this flash drive in your key chain.</p> <p><strong>Performance</strong>:</p> <p>We will take a look at the performance side. You are expecting this to be lightning fast, ain't you? you were wrong. This is just plain USB flash drive, yet not very slow.</p> <p><img height="321" alt="HDTune_Benchmark_Crucial_Gizmo!_JR." src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/07/HDTune_Benchmark_Crucial_Gizmo!_JR._3.png" width="400" border="0" /> </p> <p>I don't know if HD Tune could show anything about flash drive better than real hard drive, at least, you see transfer rate is quite good for this small thing and the access time is excellent as expected. Then I decide to benchmark with SiSoft Sandra to get in depth detail, here is what I got.</p> <p><img height="250" alt="Gizmo! Jr 4GB Performance" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/07/image11.png" width="480" border="0" /> </p> <p>As you see, this drive's throughput on smaller file is mediocre; which is not pass Vista's ReadyBoost requirement. Thus, if you expect to use this as ReadyBoost stick, go find something else.</p> <blockquote> <p><strong><em>ReadyBoost Requirement:</em> <br /></strong>The device must be able to do 3.5 MB/s for 4 KB random reads uniformly across the entire device and 2.5 MB/s for 512 KB random writes uniformly across the device.</p> </blockquote> <p>Its performance is quite good on the bigger file though. Imagine copying one CD image file to this in 1 and a half minutes to 2 minutes, it should be alright in daily basis work.</p> <strong>Conclusion</strong>: <p>It's quite good, isn't it? It's tiny, yet acceptable performance. If you are looking for an USB flash drive, this one--$9.99 at the time I bought--is really good one. You can even use this as a gift--it's damned cute--I really mean it. The only thing I found that is not really good of this tiny design is the plastic envelop. It's really easily to loose and doesn't have anything to hold it on tight. Probably they don't design to give any protection to this drive anyway since it's already durable by itself.</p> <p><strong>Pros</strong>: <br />» tiny <br />» cute <br />» Did I say it's very small yet?</p> <p><strong>Cons</strong>: <br />» so-so performance <br />» easily to get lost</p> |
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layout: post |
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title: 'New to Outlook: Take one--backing up' |
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created: 1217635932 |
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categories: |
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- apps |
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- outlook |
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<p><img height="140" alt="image" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/outlook-fight.png" width="163" align="right" border="0" />Like most people out here, I'm not really a fan of Microsoft Outlook since I know how big, fat, and sluggish it is. I used to ask ones that use Outlook regularly why you have to use and how you live with it. The answer I always got, unsurprisingly, is they didn't know either whether they had another choices or they need to use it with an Exchange account.</p> |
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<!--break--> |
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<p>Either ways, that's what I have to deal with also; many of my clients want to get things done in their own ways. In other words, using in the same--familiar--environment. Although they want to speed thing up, learning new things--like switching from Outlook to Thunderbird--is much less productive--than slow Outlook that they used to. Thus, the way to improve overall speed & performance is not that much--yes, one way is doing clean installation, but it just normally scares people when talking about this. Tweaking all configuration & clean all messes should be preferred path in any cases. </p> <p>In order to fix any possible problem which might occur, the best way is to be with it--understand it--by myself. Therefore I could get the most from it. I will write a series of switching to Outlook based on my usage--normally with Thunderbird. You'll see, in the end, if Outlook is worth switching from Thunderbird in my scenario.</p> <p>From what I have experienced, most of my clients have >4GB mailbox with Outlook and it ran really slow. More and more stuffs makes things slower; it's just the fact, we couldn't do anything about it. What we might try to alleviate this problem is separating the big file into smaller pieces. It's sadly that I still could find the way to separate an Outlook file in case we are using on multiple machine. If you are using on a single machine, there is a good way to do this =) As you will see later on.</p> <p>Nonetheless, the first important thing we should have done with Outlook is backing up! It would be great if you know that you would never lose all your important archives--thousands of e-mail in Outlook specifically. This leads to the take one: all about backup and file location of Outlook.</p> <p>For the traditional way, you can use import/export feature in Outlook which is a straight forward. Anyone could do that. However, this feature is not really built-in (from/to another format, besides .pst)--some might not able to do this without an install disc. So, an alternative will take this role--just find its source and copy it!</p> <p>Basically, Outlook data has 2 main parts: mailbox & auto-complete e-mail list.</p> <p>1. <strong>Mailbox</strong> -- Outlook will separate file by mail folder. For example, it always has Personal Folders--this stores in "outlook.pst" file as a default. If you have an archive, it will be "archive.pst" or if you have IMAP account, it will be each file (.pst) for each account too. All this will store in:-</p> <blockquote> <p>%localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook <em>or</em> C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook <em>or</em> <br />C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook</p> </blockquote> <p>While the first one is of Vista and the latter is of Windows XP. %localappdata% varible is only valid in Windows Vista though.</p> <p>2. <strong>Auto-complete e-mail list file</strong> -- this might be the vital stuff for some people. It is stored in Outlook.NK2 file, but in different place which is</p> <blockquote> <p>%appdata%\Microsoft\Outlook <em>or</em> <br />C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook <em>or</em> <br />C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook</p> </blockquote> <p>%appdata% variable can be used in both Windows XP and Vista in this case; which gives you a different location by each OS--<em>AppData\Roaming\ for Vista</em> and <em>Application Data\ in XP</em></p> <p>If you keep these files safe, you will have no worry at all!</p> <p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/scanpst.png" alt="click to see more detail"><img height="75" alt="image" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/image_thumb_1.png" width="83" align="right" border="0" /></a>In case you find the popup, </p> <blockquote> <p>The data file 'Personal Folders' was not closed properly. The file is <br />being checked for problems.</p> </blockquote> <p>You may take a look at the utility coming with Office 2007, "SCANPST.EXE" in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12, you will be able to fix that without opening Outlook. It might not operate faster, but surely better than having frozen Outlook on the background =) I'm not quite sure if this is available separately in Office 2003 or not though. Thus, I wrapped this program (2MB) up for grab <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/scanpst.zip">here</a>, just in case.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>So far, you are not likely to lose your data. Then we will talk about how to use it in the next part!</p> |
||||
|
||||
In brief, Outlook has good solutions enough comparing with Thunderbird. It might not cover every settings like backing up Thunderbird profile's folder, but it's up to par in my opinion. Thus, <em><strong>Outlook 1, Thunderbird 1</strong></em> in this round. |
||||
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|
||||
--- |
||||
layout: post |
||||
title: Red Logitech V450 nano review |
||||
created: 1218612225 |
||||
categories: |
||||
- mouse |
||||
- review |
||||
- mouse |
||||
- review |
||||
--- |
||||
<p><img height="83" alt="V450 package" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/v450.jpg" width="300" border="0" align="right" />This mouse might not give any new or exciting feature, but it could be the one you like to get. With the value & reliability of Logitech could give you enough trust to have this as one choice of budget mice in the market, as you'll see later on.</p> |
||||
<!--break--> |
||||
<p><strong>Opening box</strong></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Although it has been packed in a regular package, it's pleasure to see the improvement in this area!</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="V450 package" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/package1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="V450 package" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/package2.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>From now on, we don't have to put so much effort tear this down anymore =) and this is what you will get--only missing here in the photo is 2*AA battery.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="V450 package" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/package3.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>For this mouse, the selling point should be the nano receiver which is exactly the same as you saw with <a href="http://mycapsules.com/review/logitech/vx-nano">Logitech Vx Nano</a>, only the serial & frequency or channel which are different perhaps--as shown below.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="nano receiver: Vx vs V450" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/receiver1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /><img height="180" alt="nano receiver: Vx vs V450" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/receiver2.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>They--<a href="http://mycapsules.com/review/logitech/vx-nano">Vx Nano</a> on the left & V450 on the right--are almost identical really!</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><strong>Design</strong></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Logitech V450 is just a plain notebook mouse which is around for a while. There is no significant change at all--at least I can't tell.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/v450-vx-nano2.jpg" target="_blank"><img height="180" alt="Vx Nano vs V450 nano" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/v450-vx-nano2-thumb.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/compare.jpg" target="_blank"><img height="180" alt="Vx Nano vs V450 nano vs G5" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/compare-thumb.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> <img height="180" alt="V450 nano" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/v450-back.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/v450-vx-nano1.jpg" target="_blank"><img height="180" alt="V450 nano vs Vx Nano" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/v450-vx-nano1-thumb.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>It's pretty close to Vx nano, but a bit taller (or fatter?) The weakest point of nano receiver in my opinion is when you have to pop in and out of the silo in this mouse and from USB port. That's why they recommended to leave this in your USB port at all time.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="V450 nano" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/v450-2.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="V450 nano" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/v450-1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="V450 nano" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/v450-3.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="logitech nano receiver" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/nano-receiver.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>You have to push the switch on the bottom then you will be able to access the silo. If you have ever use Vx Revolution, you'll know why I don't like this design.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><strong>Usability</strong></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Because there is no any customized button, Logitech SetPoint is useless--truly plug-n-play here. I really disappoint here since I usually assign right scroll as middle button, but I couldn't do that with this mouse since SetPoint doesn't even support it.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="left-hand V450" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/left-hand.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="right-hand V450" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/right-hand.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>With ambidextrous design--which I don't really care of, it feels the same on both hand. Rubberized texture on the side give you a comfortable feeling. However, as you see above, notebook mouse is just too short to rest your whole hand on it. I think it's more comfortable than <a href="http://mycapsules.com/review/logitech/vx-nano">VX Nano</a>, but not even close with VX Revolution. One more thing, it's heavier than any laptop mouse I ever have since it packs with 2 AA battery while VX Nano uses 2 AAA and VX Revolution uses only 1 AA. As a result, Logitech claimed that the battery life is up to a year! I bet it's close since the claimed of 3-month battery life on VX Rev and 6-month on VX Nano are real. </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>What I don't like on this mouse is the glossy feeling. It just don't feel right to me when click the button--I much prefer the matte finished if possible. Your mileage might differ though.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>With the price tag around $30 or $20 AR, it's a good value. It's not easy to find the better mouse at this level. You won't be disappointed unless you are expecting full-feature mouse =)</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><em>Pros</em>:-</p> |
||||
<ul> |
||||
<li>good value </li> |
||||
<li>nano receiver </li> |
||||
<li>a year battery life </li> |
||||
</ul> |
||||
|
||||
<a href="http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&sku=A1623623" target="dell-450" alt="V450 designed for Dell"><img height="140" alt="V450 designed for Dell" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/v450/v450-dell.png" width="142" border="0" align="right" /></a> |
||||
|
||||
<p><em>Cons</em>:-</p> |
||||
<ul> |
||||
<li>glossy finished! **</li> |
||||
<li>it's quite heavy </li> |
||||
<li>not supported by Logitech SetPoint</li> |
||||
</ul> |
||||
|
||||
(**) I just found that there is matte finish version as well, but it's exclusive by Dell! |
||||
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|
||||
--- |
||||
layout: post |
||||
title: Replacing Compaq V5000us' CPU |
||||
created: 1221470445 |
||||
categories: |
||||
- notebook |
||||
- disassembly |
||||
--- |
||||
<!--break--> |
||||
<p>Well, this notebook is quite old due to rapidly changing of semiconductor's world. It's equipped with a budget CPU and few of RAMs. Sometimes, it's just not quite good enough for everyday usage. However, it's still in a great shape; why we have to buy a new one while upgrading some components can extend its life for at least a few years. Yes, I know that this days you have choices of budget notebook for less than $400, not including popular netbooks though since that's not in the same category or target.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>How about spending about $75 and getting a decent performance from your old laptop sound to you? It's good, isn't it?</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>This time, it's time of <strong><em>Compaq Presario V5000</em></strong>, 2004-2005 model, packing with AMD Sempron and 512 MB of DDR-333 RAM. To boost the performance, we have to max these 2 main factors. For RAM, it might be a bit hard to get a good deal since this is DDR-333, not currently DDR2. But you will be able to grab 1GB stick for around $30 with a bit efforts. For CPU, in this case, the only choice you have is upgrading to Turion64 series, at the time I'm writing, I can find a deal for AMD Turion MT-37 for $45 on eBay.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><u>Note</u>: MT uses lower power than ML and DDR-400 is fully backward compatible, it just ran at lower frequency here, but possibly better timing than normal DDR-333</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Now it's time for finding these two. Remember, finding old stuffs, eBay and Google are your very good friends. For me, I already have a spare Turion MT-37, so let's begin. </p> |
||||
|
||||
<style type="text/css"> |
||||
div.liImage { border: 0px solid #666; padding: 4px; } |
||||
span.caption { font-size: small; } |
||||
</style> |
||||
<?php |
||||
|
||||
$caption = array ( |
||||
1 => "Most of budget notebook doesn't require any knowledge to take them apart, besides unscrewing. So, turn it around and take them all out! -- just keep them in a good place. They are tiny and very prone to be missing. Also, you have to know that notebook doesn't build to be modified really, so don't rush doing all these steps. Although it looks fragile, it's quite tough with little care.", //1 |
||||
"First thing first, take the battery out.", //2 |
||||
"Then, take out all things you can.", //3 |
||||
"Easy with the hard drive, once you drop it, it's gone. Such a fragile part in solid chassis. *here is another significant factor effecting the performance, but in my opinion it's not worth paying around $100 getting 7200rpm 2.5\" IDE hard drive for such a old lappy.", //4 |
||||
"WLAN card", //5 |
||||
"Just pull the antenna wire vertically, so we can take out this card.", //6 |
||||
"We've done with easy parts.", //7 |
||||
"Then, start taking screws out.", //8 |
||||
"This magnetic screw driver comes in handy here.", //9 |
||||
"CD drive is out as well.", //10 |
||||
"Keep them in a safe place", //11 |
||||
"Now, we have to flip over to the top side and get ready to disassemble it.", //12 |
||||
"First, the top panel, if you find difficulty taking out, use your very thin card and try each side. Slowly and patiently--don't force it too much, you don't want to break the lock. I'm pretty sure.", //13 |
||||
"Now, we can take keyboard out, unlock the cable first though.", //14 |
||||
"", //15 |
||||
"", //16 |
||||
"Be careful with these antenna wire while you are taking things out. It could be damaged easily.", //17 |
||||
"", //18 |
||||
"Here it comes, CPU", //19 |
||||
"Trying to take heatsink out is not that easy, nor too hard.", //20 |
||||
"There is a glue around the vent + fan too.", //21 |
||||
"taking out", //22 |
||||
"At this point, you will be able to pop the new one in, don't forget silicone (arctic silver is recommended, but don't put too much since the older CPU package reveal core solely and spilled arctic silver is not a good idea indeed) Be sure that you wipe out the old silicone on the heat sink, it's not a good idea to leave it since when you applied this back on CPU (+new silicone) you will have a lot of spill and non-unified thermal conductivity.", //23 |
||||
"After assemble it back by reversing the procedure. You will get same old brand new faster notebook. ^_^ Enjoy!" //24 |
||||
); |
||||
|
||||
|
||||
for ($i=1;$i<=24;$i++) { |
||||
?> |
||||
<div class="liImage"> |
||||
<a href="/sites/default/files/2008/09/compaq-v5000us/large/<?php echo $i; ?>.jpg" rel="lightbox[v5000us]"><img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/compaq-v5000us/thumb/<?php echo $i; ?>.jpg" /></a><br /> |
||||
<span class="caption"><?php echo $caption[$i]; ?></span> |
||||
</div> |
||||
<?php |
||||
} |
||||
?> |
||||
@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
|
||||
--- |
||||
layout: post |
||||
title: Acer Aspire One vs MSI Wind |
||||
created: 1221682899 |
||||
categories: |
||||
- notebook |
||||
- preview |
||||
--- |
||||
<!--break--> |
||||
<style type="text/css"> |
||||
div.liImage { border: 0px solid #666; padding: 4px; } |
||||
span.caption { font-size: small; } |
||||
</style> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Today, there is a comparison between 2 popular netbooks on the market now. First, it's Acer Aspire One, 8.9" screen, with the most reasonable price tag, $329 for regular version, and around $399 for bigger battery and hard drive which is the one here. Another one is MSI Wind, it comes with 10" screen, approx 1" extra from Acer Aspire One; However, they use the screen resolution. I believe it's such a tough call indeed.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Besides these 2 netbooks, I also stack this up with <a href="http://mycapsules.com/review/fujitsu-p7230" target="fujitsu-p7230">Fujitsu P7230</a>, 10" screen sub-notebook with DVD burner and everything packs in it. You'll see how they are =)</p> |
||||
|
||||
|
||||
<a href="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/large/acer1-wind-p7230-1.jpg" rel="lightbox[acer-wind-fujitsu]"><img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/acer1-wind-p7230-1.jpg" /></a> <br> |
||||
<p>Fujitsu P7230--top, MSI Wind on the left and Acer Aspire 1 on the right. Looks like they are almost the same right, huh?</p> |
||||
|
||||
<a href="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/large/acer1-wind-p7230-2.jpg" rel="lightbox[acer-wind-fujitsu]"><img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/acer1-wind-p7230-2.jpg" /></a> <a href="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/large/acer1-wind-p7230-3.jpg" rel="lightbox[acer-wind-fujitsu]"><img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/acer1-wind-p7230-3.jpg" /></a><br> |
||||
<p>Now you can see clearly that Acer Aspire One is really small. [Aspire on top, Wind in the middle, and P7230 as a base.]</p> |
||||
|
||||
<a href="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/large/acer1-wind-p7230-4.jpg" rel="lightbox[acer-wind-fujitsu]"><img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/acer1-wind-p7230-4.jpg" /></a> <a href="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/large/acer1-wind-p7230-5.jpg" rel="lightbox[acer-wind-fujitsu]"><img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/acer1-wind-p7230-5.jpg" /></a><br> |
||||
<p>Adapter size is varied by the output power: 60W, 40W, and 30W consecutively from left to right</p> |
||||
<p>Next, we will compare the netbooks together to see what the differences between these two.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<a href="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/large/acer1-wind-1.jpg" rel="lightbox[acer-wind]"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/acer1-wind-1.jpg" /></a> <a href="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/large/acer1-wind-4.jpg" rel="lightbox[acer-wind]"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/acer1-wind-4.jpg" /></a><br> |
||||
<p>They are almost the same size really!</p> |
||||
|
||||
<a href="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/large/acer1-wind-2.jpg" rel="lightbox[acer-wind]"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/acer1-wind-2.jpg" /></a> <a href="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/large/acer1-wind-3.jpg" rel="lightbox[acer-wind]"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/acer1-wind-3.jpg" /></a><br> |
||||
<p>Acer Aspire 1 could give you a little more space in your bag; that might be a deal breaker for someone.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/acer1-screen.jpg" /> <img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/wind-screen.jpg" /><br> |
||||
<p>Glossy vs matte screen: that's your choice of preference.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<br> |
||||
<a href="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/large/acer1-keyboard.jpg" rel="lightbox[acer-wind]"><img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/acer1-keyboard.jpg" /></a> |
||||
<a href="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/large/wind-keyboard.jpg" rel="lightbox[acer-wind]"><img src="/sites/default/files/2008/09/aspire1-wind/thumb/wind-keyboard.jpg" /></a><br> |
||||
<p>As you see, although Aspire 1 is smaller, the keyboard layout is so much better! At least, Acer let us know that we can really have usual keyboard on netbook, not only a handicap one.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>I hope you would get an idea which one you like from these quick comparison. If you ask me between these two netbooks, I might take MSI Wind since I hate glossy screen, but the thing is I prefer more usable keyboard. I just hope newer netbook would follow what Acer has done here with the keyboard. Good job, Acer! [What a surprise since I rarely found I liked things Acer did.]</p> |
||||
@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
|
||||
--- |
||||
layout: post |
||||
title: HP tx2500z -- build & design |
||||
created: 1222594820 |
||||
categories: |
||||
- tablet pc |
||||
- review |
||||
--- |
||||
<p>Well start with build and design of tx2500z. Since it has HP logo on the lid, you know what you can expect. Some kind of imprint finish with glossy all over the machine that's HP design. I don't prefer glossy finish much, but that's not bad. We'll see later how it goes.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/1.jpg" target=" "> <img height="188" alt="HP Pavillion tx2500z" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/1-thumb.jpg" width="250" border="0" /></a><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/2.jpg" target=" "> <img height="188" alt="HP Pavillion tx2500z" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/2-thumb.jpg" width="250" border="0" /></a><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/3.jpg" target=" "> <img height="188" alt="HP Pavillion tx2500z" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/3-thumb.jpg" width="250" border="0" /></a> </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>The machine is black, only keyboard & palm rest side are silver. Sometimes I just wonder why HP doesn't do all black or all silver :-P</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack1.jpg" target=" "> <img height="148" alt="stack1-thumb" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack1-thumb.jpg" width="300" border="0" /> </a><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack2.jpg" target=" "> <img height="148" alt="stack2-thumb" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack2-thumb.jpg" width="300" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack3.jpg" target=" "> <img height="148" alt="stack3-thumb" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack3-thumb.jpg" width="300" border="0" /></a><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack4.jpg" target=" "> <img height="148" alt="stack4-thumb" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack4-thumb.jpg" width="300" border="0" /> </a></p> |
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|
||||
<p>Comparing to others Tablet PC, its dimension is similar to other widescreen machine, but THICKER. I believe it's because of 2 things: choosing to use thick DVD burner & HP design style.</p> |
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<p><img height="158" alt="remote" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/remote.jpg" width="419" border="0" /> </p> |
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|
||||
<p>Windows Media Center mini remote can put in Express/34 slot as a storage place, I like that, but I have no idea whether there is a chance to use it in practice?</p> |
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|
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<p><img height="226" alt="tx2500z - blue LED" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/blue-led.jpg" width="300" border="0" /> <img height="225" alt="tx2500z -- power-led" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/power-led.jpg" width="300" border="0" /> </p> |
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|
||||
<p>On the screen side, you will find a lot of blue indicator all along the bottom edge from left to right which I found it's just too much and by the fact that they choose to use blue LED is sometimes too bright and give you a fake feeling or try too much to be fancy. If they could dim a little bit or put thicker cover that might be awesome. For now, it's just too much for my taste. Also when you close the lid, you will find hardly to see the power status.</p> |
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<p><img height="225" alt="sticker" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/sticker.jpg" width="300" border="0" /> </p> |
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||||
<p>All labels on this is imprint, but the arrow for turning the screen is sticker. I don't really get it. Just 1 arrow why HP hasn't done at first place. Forget?</p> |
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<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/latch.jpg" target=" "> <img height="123" alt="latch-thumb" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/latch-thumb.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a> </p> |
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|
||||
<p>Latch mechanism -- I just feel more secure with the latch while this day notebook manufacturer trend to like hinge mechanism more. HP choose to use magnetic latch here; when I first tried this, I'm just surprise that there is like something haul the screen to the body and stick to its place. Nice design here.</p> |
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|
||||
<p><strong>Tablet features</strong></p> |
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|
||||
<p><img height="226" alt="HP Pavillion tx2500z" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/tbutton1.jpg" width="300" border="0" /> <img height="226" alt="HP Pavillion tx2500z" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/tbutton2.jpg" width="300" border="0" /> <img height="226" alt="HP Pavillion tx2500z" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/tbutton3.jpg" width="300" border="0" /> </p> |
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|
||||
<p>I don't know if this should be a dedicated subject here for this machine since as you see, most of buttons along the screen edge is not productive buttons. They all are built for media centric; QuickPlay, Play, Pause, Forward, Backward, and so on. I never use them really. Only rotate screen and mobility center buttons are what it deserves to be here really. The reason why I said like this is I can't imagine anyone who put tx2500z in tablet mode to watch movie while in notebook mode is far more comfortable and any button functions can be replaced pretty easy by tapping on the screen (play, pause, fwd, or that stuff). HP should just swap all these buttons with volume and mute buttons. It would make more sense. </p> |
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|
||||
<p><strong>Screen</strong></p> |
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|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/horizontal-view.jpg" target=" "> <img height="154" alt="horizontal-viewing angle" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/horizontal-view-thumb.jpg" width="600" border="0" /></a> </p> |
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|
||||
<p>This is the part I was very concerned when placed an order since I found that screen on tx2000 has such a narrow viewing angle on both horizontal and vertical which seems to be such a deal breaker to me. However, when I got tx2500z, I could say that I satisfied with a screen. It has pretty good horizontal viewing angle--only glossy finished make it worse because the color doesn't invert or washout, you just couldn't see it because it looks more like a mirror.</p> |
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|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/vertical-view.jpg" target=" "> <img height="265" alt="vertical-viewing angle" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/vertical-view-thumb.jpg" width="250" border="0" /> </p> |
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|
||||
<p>Vertical view is not so good as expected. It has only narrow view angle before color starts to be invert/washout or the screen turns to mirror instead. That makes me wonder why they don't just put the best screen and raise the price a bit or have that as an option. I believe most people are willing to pay extra for that--$100 should be a nice point.</p> |
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|
||||
<p>Besides viewing angle, I'm lucky enough not to get any dead/stuck pixels on both screen of 2 systems since I am very likely to get one bad pixel on recently monitors I purchased. It doesn't bother me much, but just annoy to see it there. That's a good thing not to have, but down side is this screen is grainy--this is the first time I noticed it. In my opinion, it's because the passive digitizer layer; it somehow refracts the color from LCD a bit. Although, it's not a serious issue, but it's better not to have.</p> |
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||||
<p><img height="188" alt="HP Pavillion tx2500z: Glare" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/glare.jpg" width="250" border="0" /></p> |
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||||
<p>Glare. This is a serious issue indeed. It is a problem with all glossy coating screen, I believe. You will be able to see yourself clearly if you dim the screen lower than 40% or you are in room with a lot of light sources. That's killing my eyes. When I was in that situation, my eyes were pain after using it 3-hour continuously. It's just the matter of taste; your mileage might different though.</p> |
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|
||||
<p><strong>Input devices</strong></p> |
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||||
<p><img height="188" alt="tx2500z - pen" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/pen-thumb.jpg" width="250" border="0" /> <img height="188" alt="tx2500z - pen-tip" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/pen-tip.jpg" width="250" border="0" /> </p> |
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||||
<p><font color="#ff8000"><em><u>Pen</u></em></font>, I included this as an input device this time since I haven't done this with X61 Tablet PC review because I just don't have anything to compare with. But this time, I could miss this part. Well, from the left image, the longer one with a red tip is X61T's, the smaller one is tx2500z's. I am not quite sure if it was my experience with X61T's one or not, but I just feel that tx2500z one doesn't feel that comfortable in hand. First, its material is glossy plastic while X61T's is coating with rubberized material. A lasso button also is flat with the surface and doesn't have a good feedback when pressing. I think it also causes from the button itself is wobble. The pen also comes with lanyard preventing a loss, but I found it jumbling around preventing me from inking rather than helping a thing. Overall, HP designed this not very well although tip and erase tip are nice--just right amount of pressure to use. Additionally, writing on glossy surface is strange, slippery, at first, but once you get used to it, it's quite good, a bit faster perhaps? Frankly this feeling makes me feel I should buy a screen protector sometimes while I never feel I need this when using X61T.</p> |
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||||
<p><img style="margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px" height="188" alt="tx2500z -- touchpad" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/touchpad.jpg" width="250" align="left" border="0" /></p> |
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<br> |
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||||
<p><u><em><font color="#ff8000">Touchpad</font></em></u> </p> |
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||||
<p>Most people would love to have this tactile on touchpad since you will feel like you are touching something besides only flat surface. Moreover, HP include scrolling area as a separate bar next to touchpad, so you don't have to worry setting it no more. Even though I'm not really a touchpad user, I could tell that it gives very good feedback and feeling while using it. It's pretty responsive and have a nice size + speed for controlling throughout the screen. A nice addition from HP is the button which you can disable touchpad on-the-fly, as far as I know, this comes with every HP machines for a while now. When you turn off, an indicator will turn red and it will turn blue again if you turn it on. Very nice implementation.</p> |
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|
||||
<p> </p> |
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||||
<p><u><em><font color="#ff8000">Keyboard</font></em></u></p> |
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||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/kb1.jpg" target=" "><img height="188" alt="tx2500z - keyboard" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/kb1-thumb.jpg" width="250" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/kb2.jpg" target=" "><img height="188" alt="tx2500z - keyboard" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/kb2-thumb.jpg" width="250" border="0" /></a> </p> |
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||||
<p>Size is nice, layout is good. You will find this keyboard has almost no flex throughout the keyboard. All buttons give a nice tactile feedback, although it's not as soft as Thinkpad's keyboard, but it's real nice.</p> |
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|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/kb3.jpg" target=" "><img height="188" alt="tx2500z - keyboard" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/kb3-thumb.jpg" width="250" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/kb4.jpg" target=" "><img height="188" alt="tx2500z - keyboard" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/kb4-thumb.jpg" width="250" border="0" /></a></p> |
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||||
<p>However, it still has something to comment/complain. I have no idea why on earth HP put touchpad on the middle of the machine instead of middle of both hand. (think of when you are touch-typing.) It's like touchpad is around your right hand about 80%. It's just not right if ergonomic is what you concerned.</p> |
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||||
<p>In addition, grave accent button is faaaaaar too small to press comfortably. They might think it is used less frequent than the rest, but they have no idea that Thai people use this as language switcher. Thus that's my issue!! If you look at the keyboard for a while, you may notice that buttons on the right edge: "backspace", "|, \", "enter", "shift" are very very big while the buttons on the left edge is smaller than usual. If they just make it more equal, touchpad would be in the center and there would be no small button issue like this.  For arrow keys, they all are half-height like esc and all function keys. I think it's small, but acceptable. Nevertheless, I would prefer to have PgUp, PgDw, Home, and End as a function of these 4 arrow keys instead of having dedicated button in somewhere, some place that you will not ever be familiar with like this. You know? I always have to find where PgUp & PgDw are although I use it more than a week. It's good, but should have been better!</p> |
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|
||||
<p><strong>Array of ports</strong></p> |
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|
||||
<p>tx2500z provides you good amount of ports available around the system.</p> |
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||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/right.jpg" target=" "> <img height="99" alt="tx2500z - right side" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/right-thumb.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></a> </p> |
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||||
<p><em><font color="#ff8000">Right</font></em>: Pen silo, 1*USB port, lanyard hole,  Ethernet Port, Expansion port, VGA and S-Video port.</p> |
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||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/left.jpg" target=" "> <img height="195" alt="tx2500z - left side" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/left-thumb.jpg" width="400" border="0" /> </p> |
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||||
<p><em><font color="#ff8000">Left</font></em>: Power jack, SD slot, Express/34 slot, and DVD-burner (you can swap this with the cover to decrease weight and theoretically power consumption.) </p> |
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||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/front.jpg" target=" "> <img height="83" alt="tx2500z - front side" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/front-thumb.jpg" width="400" border="0" /> </p> |
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||||
<p><em><font color="#ff8000">Front</font></em>: Power switch, Infrared receiver, SPDIF, headphone, and microphone jack.</p> |
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||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/back.jpg" target=" "> <img height="171" alt="tx2500z - back side" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/back-thumb.jpg" width="400" border="0" /> </p> |
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||||
<p><em><font color="#ff8000">Rear</font></em>: Air vent, battery, phone jack, 2*USB port, and Kensington lock.</p> |
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||||
<p><img height="225" alt="cd-plastic-cover" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/cd-plastic-cover.jpg" width="300" align="right" border="0" />This day, esp. packing with powerful graphic card, it at least should have included HDMI port along with others. At first I'm glad to see ports on the back again since my X61T has only ports on the side which I don't like much. However, instead of putting Ethernet port on the back, they choose to put in on the right side tend to front which is really awkward position if a cable is plugged. That makes Gigabit LAN useless indeed. HP might want to see increasing of HP Notebook QuickDock selling rate probably, but as far as QuickDock features is concerned, there is nothing worth to pay $100 extra at all. It's only a replicator without any thing extra. I don't think HP does a good job here. Anyway, I'm happy to see a plastic cover for replacing DVD burner included in the package.</p> |
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|
||||
<p> </p> |
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|
||||
<p><strong>Audio</strong></p> |
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|
||||
<p><img height="225" alt="HP Pavillion tx2500z" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/speaker.jpg" width="300" border="0" /></p> |
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|
||||
<p>This is the most significant part of this Tablet PC. Since I never expect a good speaker on 12" notebook, tablet PC is much worse. With swivel screen and all buttons on the screen bezel, there is almost no where to put adequate speaker on, but HP manages so well and puts stereo speaker on the bottom on the screen. They are relatively loud--as loud as 15" notebook's one seriously. Also, by the fact that this speaker is on screen side, no matter how you are using it--notebook or tablet mode, you will be able to hear it clearly. Unlike X61T which you will hardly hear while using Tablet mode.</p> |
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|
||||
<p>Have a break a bit, but it's not over yet. Let's go on with HP tx2500z -- spec & performance next.</p> |
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@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
|
||||
--- |
||||
layout: post |
||||
title: HP tx2500z -- spec & performance |
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created: 1222594897 |
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categories: |
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- tablet pc |
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- review |
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--- |
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<p>By the fact that I have 2 different configurations--highest and lowest possible. No only performance if tx2500z you will see, but you also see what is a difference between 2.0GHz, 250GB, 4-cell battery and 2.4GHz, 320GB, 6-cell battery. This is both synthetic & practical benchmarks to get all the idea how they perform and which suit you and your budget best. Let's repeat the specification again for both system.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" width="565" border="0"><tbody id="spec"> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">CPU</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213">AMD Turion X2 RM-70 (2.0GHz)</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="229">AMD Turion Ultra ZM-86 (2.4GHz)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Operating System</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">Vista Home Premium 32-bit</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Display</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">12" WXGA (1280x800) Multi-Touch Glossy finished Screen</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Memory</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">2GB (2*1GB) PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Graphic card</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">ATi Radeon HD3200</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Chipset</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">AMD 780G + ATi SB700</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Hard Drive</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213">250GB 5400rpm SATA</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="229">320GB 5400rpm SATA</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="121">CD/DVD drive</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Networking</td> <td valign="top" align="center">802.11a/g, Gigabit LAN</td><td valign="top" align="center">802.11a/g/n, Gigabit LAN</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Extra</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213">Webcam, Array Mic, WMC remote</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="229">Webcam, Array Mic, Fingerprint, WMC remote</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Battery</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213">6-cell battery (53 Wh)</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="229">8-cell battery (73 Wh)</td> </tr> |
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||||
<tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Dimension (LWH)</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">8.82" x 12.05" x 1.23-1.52"</td> </tr> |
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||||
<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Weight (lbs)</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213">4.59</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="229">4.7</td> </tr> |
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||||
<tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Power adapter</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">65W (PA-1650-02H)</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>Well, what we got, what you can expect, is following:-</p> <p><em><font color="#ff8000">Windows Experience Index</font></em> - </p> <p><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="300" alt="tx2500z: WEI" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/wei.png" width="419" border="0" /> </p> <p><font color="#ff8000">Start-up time - </font><em>[from first windows splash screen to be able to open ie8 with fully loaded myCapsules.com (only Home Page) page. It's not necessarily complete loading everything though.] </em>For this machine, I had a chance to clean install, but the strange thing is all benchmarks were lower, more specifically PCMark05. So I decided to use HP factory image for testing throughout the review. I think it is drivers' problem, but couldn't figure out what caused this exactly yet.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" width="300" border="0"><tbody id="spec"> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">RM-70 system</td> <td valign="top" align="center">61 seconds</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="121">ZM-86 system</td> <td valign="top" align="center">53 seconds</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p><font color="#ff8000">Sleep/Resume time</font> -- I measured from closing lid to all LEDs were gone for sleeping time and opening lid to fully function for resuming time. </p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" width="350" border="0"><tbody id="spec"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="100">system</td> <td valign="top" align="center">sleeping time</td> <td valign="top" align="center">resuming time</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">RM-70 system</td> <td valign="top" align="center">4.31 seconds</td> <td valign="top" align="center">4.92 seconds</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">ZM-86 system</td> <td valign="top" align="center">4.55 seconds</td> <td valign="top" align="center">5.30 seconds</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p><font color="#ff8000"><em>wPrime 1.63</em></font> -- multi-thread testing solely for CPU </p> <p><img height="289" alt="wprime" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/wprime.png" width="458" border="0" /> </p> <p>As you can see, that's almost 7 seconds gap between RM-70 and ZM-86 </p> <p><font color="#ff8000">CrystalMark</font> -- it's a bit dated, but it's pretty easy to understand. </p> <p> <img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="236" alt="crystalmark" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/crystalmark.png" width="350" border="0" /></p> <p>From the result, CPU part is the most significant improvement. Along with a bit better for 320GB. </p> <p><font color="#ff8000">PCMark05</font> -- This is overall performance benchmark. </p> <p><img height="140" alt="tx2500z: pcmark05" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/pcmark05.png" width="280" border="0" />  </p> <p>You guys may think I put them in wrong place, but this is what happened in reality. I suspected that the better configuration one has too many thing--too many services run--too many processes, so that's the reason why it got less score in PCMark.</p> |
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||||
<p><font color="#ff8000">3DMark06</font> -- As its name, main purpose of this test is how good you can play "games." </p> <p><img height="140" alt="tx2500z: 3dmark06" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/3dmark06.png" width="280" border="0" /> </p> <p>Since its biggest factor here is GPU which is the same, the score is similar. Results are in the same trend as PCMark05.</p> |
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<p><font color="#ff8000">HD Tune Pro</font> </p> <p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/hd-tune-pro.png"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="166" alt="hd-tune-pro-thumb" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/hd-tune-pro-thumb.png" width="550" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Unsurprisingly, 320GB does slightly better job since it uses (a bit) bigger platter and they are both running at 5400rpm. Nevertheless, when I saw this system on paper, one question that popped up into my head is how good ATi southbridge does recently since I have moved to Intel or nVidia platform recently. Last time I experienced ATI southbridge is with Fujitsu S2110, it could achieve only 15MB/s on USB port while I could get around 25MB/s or so with others. Now with the newest southbridge from ATi, SB700. What do you think?</p> <p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/hd-tune-usb.png"><img height="202" alt="ATi SB700 performance" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/hd-tune-usb-thumb.png" width="320" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Still, still and still unimproved; ATi might have pretty solid graphic chipset, but very weak doing southbridge one. It's just never changed. I hope AMD might help in this area, but so far we haven't seen any. After all these tests, you may get the idea how large the gap between the 2 systems are. Nonetheless, if you compare this to another tablet PC like Thinkpad X61T or Dell latitude, it flies on another league. But in a real usage, I just find it as good as others. Just to make it clear--I'm no more gamer, so my perspective on powerful machine is just a plus, not main thing I'm looking for. Yours might differ, it's just a difference. </p> |
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<p><font color="#ff8000">Network Performance</font> </p> |
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<p><a href="/sites/default/files/2008/10/tx2500z-2/broadcom.jpg" rel="lightbox[tx2500z-network]"><img height="188" alt="tx2500z - Broadcom WLANs" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/10/tx2500z-2/broadcom-thumb.jpg" width="250" align="right" border="0" /></a>You may know that HP favors Broadcom chipset for WLAN which some prefer Intel's one. At first, I don't have any expectation about this Broadcom chipset since I heard that so many folks don't have any better experience than Intel 4965 chipset (802.11a/g/n). By the way, when I transfered some clips to both machine, the gap between 802.11a/g and 802.11a/g/n is such a big. Thus I have a further test by swapping Wireless PCIe card to test on the same system & same driver to eliminate all possible distinguish factor. So we will get an idea how good Broadcom 802.11n performs. Here is the practical result:-</p> |
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<a href="/sites/default/files/2008/10/tx2500z-2/wireless.png" rel="lightbox[tx2500z-network]"><img height="249" alt="tx2500z - Broadcom WLANs performance" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/10/tx2500z-2/wireless-thumb.png" width="500" border="0" /> |
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<p>The transfer rate is normally drop to some steady point; as you see above, Broadcom did pretty good job with my router. That's better than Intel 4965 in this situation as well. It's not on the same system though since HP will not allow to use stange wireless card with their machine. Although Gigabit LAN is always preferable since its throughput is about 45-70MB/s at all time, the port on this machine is located in such a awkward plce to use in practice.</p> |
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<p><u>Note</u>: All this test is transfering from Vista 64-bit with Gigabit LAN connection; Router is D-link DI-625 rev. A; Wireless connection for 802.11n is 130Mbps at 2.4GHz</p> |
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<p><strong>Heat & Noise</strong></p> <p><img height="170" alt="tx2500z - HWMonitor" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/hwmonitor.png" width="458" align="right" border="0" /> You all may know that AMD is hot in both price per value and in temperature sense. It's still keeping this trend persistently. CPU itself could go up to the boiling point (100ºC or 212ºF) when full load (idle around 54ºC or 128ºF--very large gap between idle & full load) and I'm pretty sure that GPU would be the same; however, to alleviate this kind of problem, only 1 thing they could do is making better cooling system. In my opinion it's a main factor that tx2500z is thicker that it could be. As a result, if you run pretty intensive program continuously, you will be familiar with jet sound from the fan and very very hot air from the vent around right rear of the machine. However, that means 2 things: first is annoying because of the noise, another one is your system is cool and I mean it. It's like all hot air went out pretty quickly so that the system was able to keep cool--which you would not feel just a bit warm around right side of palm rest and keyboard and believe it or not, the left side of the machine is cool seriously. <del>I don't have an IR thermometer right now</del>, but I can say that you can rest your palm comfortably without notice. Don't be scared though, in case you are using regular tasks--surfing the web, doing some documents, or similar--heat and noise is just minimum--acceptable rate. Below are the temperature on the surface; ambient temperature is about 87°F while measuring. Please note that all data are in °F (+/- 1.5°F)</p> |
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<div align="center" style="margin-bottom:1em;font-size:0.8em;font-family:Verdana, Arial;"><img height="225" title="tx2500z - temperature upper side" alt="tx2500z - temperature upper side" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/temp1.jpg" width="300" border="0" /> <img height="225" title="tx2500z - temperature on the bottom" alt="tx2500z - temperature on the bottom" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/temp-bottom.jpg" width="300" border="0" /><br>[Note: ambient temp = 87°F/30°C; low = 88°F/31°C; high = 122°F/50°C]</div> |
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<p>In contrast, if you are using tablet mode and holding this in your hand, it's HOT! The bottom chassis is such a hot part of the system. Also the screen is a much hotter than I expected. As you can see, it doesn't design to use in tablet mode much, you may just put in table but put on the table to ink something, not recommend holding it in your arm really since both bottom side and screen heat up so easy. Also the vent on the top right which is going to be bottom right in tablet mode (90 degree CW from primary landscape) make you uncomfortable when holding in your hand. By the way, if you need to use it, you probably need to put it in Power Saver mode to make it as cool as possible.</p> <p><strong>Battery Life </strong></p> <p><img style="margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px" height="225" alt="tx2500z - batteries" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/IMG_0657.jpg" width="300" align="left" border="0" /> This is one of the drawback of every high performance machines. With 55/73Wh battery, they couldn't provide enough juice to last lovely 5-hour point like some machines can. Sadly but expectedly since PUMA platform puts ATI Radeon HD3200 as integrated GPU. We probably never see performance and energy-wise come together anyway. </p> |
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<p>Another drawback of AMD (or HP?) platform is we can't really find information on real-time power usage. In other words, you won't have any estimated time remaining on the battery. Only experience can tell you how good it performs. I don't know if I'm the only one who think the 6-cell battery is too big physically while gaining only 33% in term of capacity over the small one. HP probably concerned about an ergonomic in tablet mode, which is not practical for this machine, too much, so that the design turned out to be the limit like this.</p> <p>For 4-cell battery, it lasts only about less than 2-hour with normal usage: Wifi on, brightness 60%. For 6-cell battery, it probably lasts about almost 3-hour with power saving mode, Wifi on, brightness 40% (this's the lowest brightness I could do on this machine since the screen is so glare, so in order to alleviate this issue you have to bright up your screen. Otherwise you will see only yourself (or light source) on the screen) From all these experience, I just feel unsecured a bit while on the go. I have to look for power outlet and charge anytime possible. Nonetheless, if you plan to put this mostly on your desk, then it's not an issue. </p> <p><strong>Service</strong>: </p> <p>I haven't had any experience contacting HP yet, but I surprisingly got $50 coupon after a shipment delay (only a week delay) without asking. You won't have any of this with another manufacturer indeed. So I'm still positive about HP. </p> |
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<p><strong>Drawback</strong> </p> <p>If you want to buy and use it as tablet PC, I think you may regret because in Table mode, this is not so good. From the placement of all buttons around the screen. It doesn't help you anything.</p> <p>Next issue is about driver I believe, I am not sure if this is HP or AMD problem, but it's real pain to track down power consumption of this machine. Thus, we can't really find a solution for prolonging its battery life.</p> <p>Moreover, by the fact that, it has IR receiver for mini Windows Media Center remote. It sucks if you have WMC box around while using this because once you press WMC button, this machine will be gladly opening WMC for you as well no matter how far or what direction the real remote is. Really Annoying.</p> <p><img height="117" alt="HP - Picky BIOS" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-2/picky-bios.jpg" width="478" border="0" /> </p> <p>On more thing is the system is very picky, I tried to swap another Broadcom 802.11ag PCIe in, it alerted that system halted, there was unsupported device and it couldn't be used! That sucks! no freedom at all, please fix this HP.</p> |
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<p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p> <p>As I mentioned earlier, this machine is an entertainment PC with tablet functionality. So it's like it's capable of doing anything, but none of them is the best around. I'm not saying this is not a good machine though. Just think about it for a sec, you can play games well, ink on screen beautifully, watch DVD or whatever comfortably without wearing headphone to be able to hear anything clearly, and be able to touch if you want to do anything real quick. Whoa! that's amazing. I bet only a few system could do anything like this and more importantly with the price range, $800-$1000, nothing can beat this. Bottom line is if you want to try and have fun with tablet PC features without sacrifice the performance, this is just the right choice for you. However, if you are Tablet PC user originally, there is more possibility that you will have to find a new one very soon.</p> <p><strong><font color="#008000">Pros</font></strong></p> <ul> <li>Powerful Performance </li> <li>Versatile features </li> <li>Touch (passive digitizer) requires unbelievably light pressure </li> <li>Wacom active digitizer </li> <li>Very good speaker--loud enough and well place </li> <li>(Features+Performance) / {Price} == FANTASTIC </li> </ul> <p><strong><font color="#ff3e9e">Cons</font></strong></p> <ul> <li>A bit heavy for the size </li> <li>Not so good battery life comparing to its battery capacity </li> <li>Glare/mirror screen </li> <li>Noisy </li> </ul> |
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--- |
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layout: post |
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title: HP Pavillion tx2500z review |
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created: 1222632768 |
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categories: |
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- tablet pc |
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- review |
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--- |
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<p>This is named as HP Pavillion Entertainment PC. I can tell you that it really is what HP wants it to be. Even though it is quite a lot like Tablet PC, it just deserves to call Entertainment PC better. Getting to know this series a bit. It started at HP tx1000 which is based on AMD Turion X2 platform with a swivel screen & touch, passive digitizer, as a plus. I don't know that much detail about this, then later HP decided to add a Wacom active digitizer to this series and named as tx2000. I think that's the only significant new thing. Later on, AMD has released PUMA platform: New Turion X2 Ultra (faster) together with new integrated display card--ATi Radeon HD3200. That's going to be real significant performance boost, especially in gaming area. The question is whether the worst area of AMD platform, power consumption, improve? It's hardly to believe getting better performance and lower power consumption at the same time. You will see later on.</p> <p>I have 2 systems of this model; one with the normal configuration and another one with almost max-out everything. You will see what you will get from extra bucks upgrading it as well.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" width="565" border="0"><tbody id="spec"> |
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<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">CPU</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213">AMD Turion X2 RM-70 (2.0GHz)</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="229">AMD Turion Ultra ZM-86 (2.4GHz)</td> </tr> |
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<tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Operating System</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">Vista Home Premium 32-bit</td> </tr> |
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<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Display</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">12" WXGA (1280x800) Multi-Touch Glossy finished Screen</td> </tr> |
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<tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Memory</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">2GB (2*1GB) PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM</td> </tr> |
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<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Graphic card</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">ATi Radeon HD3200</td> </tr> |
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<tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Chipset</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">AMD 780G + ATi SB700</td> </tr> |
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<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Hard Drive</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213">250GB 5400rpm SATA</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="229">320GB 5400rpm SATA</td> </tr> |
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<tr> <td valign="top" width="121">CD/DVD drive</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support</td> </tr> |
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<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Networking</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213" colspan="2">802.11G, Gigabit LAN</td> </tr> |
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<tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Extra</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213">Webcam, Array Mic, WMC remote</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="229">Webcam, Array Mic, Fingerprint, WMC remote</td> </tr> |
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<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Battery</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213">6-cell battery (53 Wh)</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="229">8-cell battery (73 Wh)</td> </tr> |
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<tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Hard Drive</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213">250GB 5400rpm SATA</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="229">320GB 5400rpm SATA</td> </tr> |
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<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Dimension (LWH)</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">8.82" x 12.05" x 1.23-1.52"</td> </tr> |
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<tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Weight (lbs)</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213">4.59</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="229">4.7</td> </tr> |
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<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top" width="121">Power adapter</td> <td valign="top" align="center" colspan="2">65W (PA-1650-02H)</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="121">Price</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="213">$699</td> <td valign="top" align="center" width="229">$904</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>What surprise me a lot is adapter is the same as 15" HP laptop and the battery is quite big, even the smallest one. As I know, it would not provide enough juice for even 3 hours. Will see if this is true. Here is some photos before getting to <a href="/review/hp-tx2500z/1">build & design</a>:-</p> |
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<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0421.jpg"><img height="150" alt="HP Pavillion tx2500z - box" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0421_thumb.jpg" width="200" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0423.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" alt="HP Pavillion tx2500z - everything" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0423_thumb.jpg" width="200" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0425.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" alt="HP Pavillion tx2500z - accessories" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0425_thumb.jpg" width="200" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0426.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" alt="HP Pavillion tx2500z - lid finish" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0426_thumb.jpg" width="200" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0427_2.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" alt="HP tx2500z - exactly how it comes" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0427_thumb_1.jpg" width="200" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0428.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" alt="HP tx2500z - pretty good looking" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0428_thumb.jpg" width="200" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0431.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" alt="HP tx2500z: Echo Imprint Finish" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0431_thumb.jpg" width="200" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0439.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" alt="HP tx2500z: quite good keyboard" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0439_thumb.jpg" width="200" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0440.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" alt="HP tx2500z: back panel" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0440_thumb.jpg" width="200" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0453.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" alt="HP tx2500z: swivel screen" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z/IMG_0453_thumb.jpg" width="200" border="0" /></a> <img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" title="Dell Latitude XT (top), Thinkpad X61T, HP tx2500z (bottom): adapter" alt="Dell Latitude XT (top), Thinkpad X61T, HP tx2500z (bottom): adapter" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/adapter-3.jpg" width="200" border="0" /> <img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" alt="Dell Latitude XT (top), Thinkpad X61T, HP tx2500z (bottom): adapter" title="Dell Latitude XT (top), Thinkpad X61T, HP tx2500z (bottom): adapter" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/adapter-4.jpg" width="200" border="0" /> |
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</p> |
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--- |
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layout: post |
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title: Dell Latitude XT -- get naked |
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created: 1223505004 |
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categories: |
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- tablet pc |
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- repair |
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- disassembly |
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--- |
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You guys might want to know what the heck are inside both Dell Latitude XT and N-Trig pen, here you go. This is the fastest model available at the time, yet slow comparing to others. More in dept review will come later on. |
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Actually, I had to take apart because the wireless switch was broken, so Dell was kind enough to ship the part to change myself. Kudos to Dell here =) |
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ps. If Flash photo gallery doesn't work for you, check out at <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sipp11/sets/72157607849499689/">Flickr</a> |
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--- |
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layout: post |
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title: How to install and play with Cisco IOS/PIX Simulator |
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created: 1225565184 |
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categories: |
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- cisco |
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- firewall |
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- simulator |
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- pix |
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--- |
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<p>What we need:-</p> <ul> <li><strong>GNS3</strong> - is a graphical network simulator that allows simulation of complex networks which included Dynamips, Dynagen, and Pemu (PIX Firewall emulator) project. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.gns3.net/">Download here</a> </li> <li><strong>Cisco IOS ROM</strong> - if you want to play with PIX, then you need that ROM image. If you like to use router also, then you have to have router ROM image too. Since this is belong to Cisco, Google is your friend, then download it. </li> <li><strong>Serial # of PIX</strong> if you want to use PIX firewall simulator. Again, Google is your best friend here. </li> <li><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_32.png"><img border="0" alt="Turn Windows Features on or off" align="right" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_thumb_12.png" width="225" height="197" /></a><strong>Telnet or SSH client </strong> <ul> <li><em>For Windows XP</em>, you are likely to have telnet turn on by default </li> <li><em>For Vista</em>, telnet is disabled as a default, so go to Control Panel | Program and Features | Turn Windows on and off | check at <em><u>Telnet Client</u></em> the list, then click OK. </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p>In order to use this simulator, you have to install GNS3 first. All you have to do is going through setup wizard which you don't have to tweak a thing.</p> <p><img border="0" alt="GNS3 setup wizard" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_11.png" width="240" height="184" /> <img border="0" alt="GNS3 setup wizard" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_12.png" width="240" height="185" /> </p> <p><img border="0" alt="GNS3 setup wizard" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_14.png" width="240" height="185" /> <img border="0" alt="GNS3 setup wizard" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_13.png" width="240" height="183" /> </p> <p><img border="0" alt="GNS3 setup wizard" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_15.png" width="240" height="185" /> </p> <p>Then you have GNS3 in your start menu.</p> <p><img border="0" alt="GNS3 start menu" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_18.png" width="226" height="136" /> </p> <p>At this point, you will have set some options to let GNS3 know where IOS image is.</p> <p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_20.png"><img border="0" alt="GNS3" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_thumb_6.png" width="223" height="192" /></a> </p> <ul> <li>For PIX firewall, click edit menu | Preferences... | Pemu <ul> <li>then put image file, key, and serial in PIX image, Key, Serial key consecutively. </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p><img border="0" alt="PIX image file" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_33.png" width="646" height="368" /></p> <ul> <li>For Router, click edit menu | IOS images and hypervisors <ul> <li>put image files to Image file field, then save the image of the model you like to use. </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p><img border="0" alt="Cisco IOS image files" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_34.png" width="594" height="489" /> </p> <p>If you are at this point, you are good to go now. You can drag any device from left sidebar to create any topology you want.</p> <p><img border="0" alt="PIX simulator" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_35.png" width="465" height="303" /> </p> <p>Figure above, I am simulating firewall for testing. You have to click start to be able to connect to the firewall (red dot changes to green indicating that Firewall is running)</p> <p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_28_0.png"><img border="0" alt="PIX simulator - start" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_thumb_10.png" width="255" height="233" /></a> </p> <p>For setting, you can click Console to connect to firewall through telnet program.</p> <p><img border="0" alt="PIX simulator -- telnet" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/image_thumb_11.png" width="642" height="422" /> </p> <p>All set. </p> |
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--- |
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layout: post |
||||
title: Configuring PIX Firewall -- part I |
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created: 1226212803 |
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categories: |
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- pix |
||||
- firewall |
||||
- cisco |
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--- |
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<p>Well, after playing with PIX firewall simulator for a while to get used to all command in different shells. Thus, it's time to set on the real one. What I have is PIX 501; I bought off of craiglist.org only $70.  First thing we have to know is removing old password and restoring or clearing factory configuration.</p> <p>Well, what is a requirement in order to remove the password is:-<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/image_6.png" target="_"><img border="0" alt="Cisco PIX Firewall - # show version" title="Cisco PIX Firewall - # show version" align="right" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/image_thumb_2.png" width="240" height="145" /></a></p> <ul> <li>PIX itself for sure </li> <li>Console cable </li> <li>PIX Password Lockout Utility - this is depending on PIX software you are running--beware of BIOS version which is not the same thing, you can see when you try to login to PIX shell as figure on the right. (But surely you couldn't get in because of unknown password) <ul> <li><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/cisco-pwd-tool/np70.bin">np70.bin</a> (7.x and 8.0 release) </li> <li><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/cisco-pwd-tool/np63.bin">np63.bin</a> (6.3 release) </li> <li><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/cisco-pwd-tool/np62.bin">np62.bin</a> (6.2 release) </li> <li><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/cisco-pwd-tool/np61.bin">np61.bin</a> (6.1 release) </li> <li><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/cisco-pwd-tool/np60.bin">np60.bin</a> (6.0 release) </li> <li><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/cisco-pwd-tool/np53.bin">np53.bin</a> (5.3 release) </li> <li><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/cisco-pwd-tool/np52.bin">np52.bin</a> (5.2 release) </li> <li><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/cisco-pwd-tool/np51.bin">np51.bin</a> (5.1 release) </li> <li><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/cisco-pwd-tool/np50.bin">np50.bin</a> (5.0 release) </li> <li><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/cisco-pwd-tool/np44.bin">np44.bin</a> (4.4 release) </li> <li><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/cisco-pwd-tool/nppix.bin">nppix.bin</a> (4.3 and earlier releases) </li> </ul> </li> <li>TFTP server </li> <li>HyperTerminal in Win XP or PuTTy application for accessing PIX </li> <li>Time!! It's actually taking < 10min for whole process. </li> </ul> <p>For TFTP server, I recommend you this, <a title="http://sourceforge.net/projects/tftp-server/" href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/tftp-server/">http://sourceforge.net/projects/tftp-server/</a>, easy to use, freeware and open-source, what else can you ask for. For setting up you, just have to go through installation wizard.</p> <p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/image_8.png" target="_"><img border="0" title="TFTP server status" alt="TFTP server status" align="right" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/image_thumb_3.png" width="240" height="132" /></a>Then, you have to edit a bit in configuration file.</p> |
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|
||||
<pre name="code" class="c-sharp"> |
||||
[HOME] |
||||
c:\myHome |
||||
[TFTP-OPTIONS] |
||||
Read=Y |
||||
</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Afterward, putting PIX Password Lockout Utility in home directory of TFTP server and restart the service or start stand-alone command in the menu to be able to see server status while doing all this.</p> <p>So far, we have TFTP server ready. Now we need to access PIX by connecting console cable and ethernet0 interface to gateway or router which TFTP server connected to.</p> <div align="center"><img border="0" alt="Network Diagram" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/image_2_1.png" width="403" height="308" /><br />Fig 1. Network Diagram</div> <p>Once you set all this up, get yourself into terminal/PuTTY. Then you have to interrupt boot process for monitor shell by pressing BREAK or ESC.</p> <blockquote><font style="font-family: courier; font-size: 9px"> <p>Cisco Secure PIX Firewall BI0S (4.2) #6: Mon Aug 27 15:09:54 PDT 2001 <br />Platforn PIX-501 <br />Flash=E28F660J3 @ Ox3000000 </p> <p>Use BREAK or ESC to interrupt flash boot. <br />Use SPACE to begin flash boot immediately. <br />Flash boot interrupted. <br />0: i8255X @ PCI(bus:0 dev:17 irq:9 <br />1: i8255X @ PCI(bus:0 dev:18 irq:10) <br />Using 1: i82557 @ PCI(bus:0 dev:18 irq:10), MAC: 000d.2370.40ac Use ? for help. </p> <p>monitor></p> </font></blockquote> <p>What you have to do is setting IP address of PIX, gateway, and TFTP server, and Password Lockout Firewall filename.</p> <blockquote><font style="font-family: courier; font-size: 9px"> <p>monitor> interface 0 <br />0: i8255X @ PCI(bus:0 dev:17 irq:9 <br />1: i8255X @ PCI(bus:0 dev:18 irq:10) <br />Using 0: i82557 @ PCI(bus:0 dev:17 irq:9 ), MAC: 000d.2870.L0ab <br />monitor> address 192.168.10.99 <br />address 192.168.10.99 <br />monitor> server 192.168.10.128 <br />server 192.168.10.128 <br />monitor> file np63.bin <br />file np63.bin <br />monitor> gateway 192.168.10.10 <br />gateway 192.168.10.10 <br />monitor> ping 192.168.10.128 <br />Sending 5, 100-byte 0x7206 ICMP Echoes to 192.168.10.128, timeout is 5 seconds: </p> <p>Success rate is 0 percent (0/5) <br />monitor> ping 192.168.10.128 <br />Sending 5, 100-byte 0x7205 ICMP Echoes to 192.168.10.128, timeout is 5 seconds: <br />!!!!! <br />Success rate is 100 percent (5/5) <br />monitor> tftp <br />tftp np63.bin@192.168.1O.128 via 192.168.1O.1O<6><3><3>.<11><11><11> ........................................ <br />............................................... <br />Received 92160 bytes </p> <p>Cisco Secure PIX Firewall password tool (3.0) #0: Thu Jul 17 08:01:09 PDT 2003 <br />Flash=E28F640J3 @ 0x3000000 <br />BIOS F1ash=E28F66OJ3 @ 0xD8000 </p> <p>Do you wish to erase the passwords? [yn] </p> </font></blockquote> <p>There you go, your PIX will be accessible afterward. However, this will not erase any configuration in the PIX. You have 2 choices of doing it though:-</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre name="code" class="c-sharp"> |
||||
1. pixfirewall(config)# configure factory-default |
||||
2. pixfirewall(config)# clear configure all |
||||
</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>What difference between these 2 commands are the first one will restore back factory default value which enables DHCP server for inside and get IP address by DHCP for outside, but the latter is clear everything, so you have to use console to start configuring from the beginning.</p> <p>By the way, if you read up to here, you, might be like me, are starting to understand all PIX commands and configurations. Then '<font style="font-family: courier; font-size: 9px">clear configure all</font>' is the way to go. Next time, we will go through how to set this up in existing network. Stay tuned.</p> |
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|
||||
--- |
||||
layout: post |
||||
title: Dell Latitude XT -- build & design |
||||
created: 1226388749 |
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categories: |
||||
- tablet pc |
||||
- review |
||||
--- |
||||
<p>Simple, plain and no flashy, as business line machine would be, still apply to the beginning of the new Latitude series, XT. At first sight, it looks like Thinkpad series of Dell indeed--solid construct, beautiful design (at least to me.) </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/backlid.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-1]"><img height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT" title="Dell Latitude XT" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/backlid.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/SNV10339.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-1]"><img height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT" title="Dell Latitude XT" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/SNV10339.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/IMG_0091.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-1]"><img height="180" alt="Dell XT" title="Dell Latitude XT" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/IMG_0091.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>The machine itself looks slim while it isn't that slim. If it's not a tablet PC and use thin screen, I think it can be fight with Sony VAIO competitively. However, it's tablet PC, then the screen is thick due to the active digitizer which required a circuit to build EMF, electromagnetic field, around the screen to catch a pen for input.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/SNV10560.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-1]"><img height="180" alt="Dell XT -- surface" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/SNV10560_1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/bottom.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-1]"><img height="180" alt="Dell XT - bottom" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/bottom.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a></p> |
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|
||||
<p>Talking about the material a bit, Latitude XT seems to be solid, but I feel it fragile somehow. With the material and so on, it just doesn't feel *tough* like you can find with Thinkpad. It's more like Macbook Aluminum which makes you feel solid and fragile at the same time. Probably it's like the chassis might be prone to scratch or similar.</p> |
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|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack1.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-comparison]"><img height="148" alt="stack1-thumb" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack1-thumb.jpg" width="300" border="0" /> </a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack2.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-comparison]"><img height="148" alt="stack2-thumb" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack2-thumb.jpg" width="300" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack3.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-comparison]"><img height="148" alt="stack3-thumb" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack3-thumb.jpg" width="300" border="0" /></a><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack4.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-comparison]"><img height="148" alt="stack4-thumb" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/09/tx2500z-1/stack4-thumb.jpg" width="300" border="0" /> </a></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>As you see above when Latitude XT stacks up with Thinkpad X61 Tablet and HP Pavillion tx2500z, their thickness is pretty close.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="Dell XT - LED status inside" title="Dell XT - LED status inside" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/led_3.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="Dell Lat XT - LED status on the lid" title="Dell Lat XT - LED status on the lid" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/led-lid.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Black - Blue is theme of this machine and quite a lot of recent machines. It used to be cool to have blue LED while LED technology was boom firstly. But I feel like blue LED's color is too intensive and too bright since I like to use PC in the dark room, so if this is Alienware, I would change it to yellow or anything similar indeed :-P Anyway, regardless the color, I wish I had non-blink dedicated sleep indicator and power-on indicator like Thinkpad because that is much more convenient to see the status. Also I'm pleased to see indicator on the lid; I do like that a lot when using Thinkpad X61T.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Dell XT power adapter is another interesting thing, perhaps Dell think it so good. Thus they don't care that much about battery life :-P As you can see below, it's 45W adapter, very light and slim, yet has pretty long cable suiting any situation. However, it runs hot because of too small heat sink, maybe. Nothing effects performance though. Kudo to Dell for having this.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="Dell XT vs Thinkpad X61T vs hp tx2500z adapter" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/adapter-1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="Dell XT vs Thinkpad X61T vs hp tx2500z adapter" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/adapter-2.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT - adapter" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/adapter-3.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT - adapter" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/adapter-4.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT - adapter - cable" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/adapter-5.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> </p> |
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|
||||
<p><strong>Screen</strong></p> <p>Screen probably is the selling-point for Latitude XT since it is equipped with N-Trig dual digitizer which cannot be found elsewhere. Active and capacitive digitizer are new combination that Wacom are trying to enter, but with unknown reason Wacom still cannot make paper real thing. So N-Trig took the advantage cooperating with Dell producing Latitude XT first. By putting capacitive digitizer on the screen, it does make screen grainy, but fortunately in an acceptable level. If you have iPhone or iPod touch, you know what it's like. When you look at it indirectly, esp. when backlight is off, you will see like the net all over the screen. That's the digitizer. For the active one, it's underneath the LCD layer, thus it's not an issue here.</p> |
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|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/horizontal-view.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-viewing-angle]"><img height="138" alt="Dell XT - horizontal viewing angle" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/horizontal-view_3.jpg" width="450" border="0" /></p> |
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|
||||
<p>When it comes to quality of LCD, XT screen, which is matte, may not have exaggerated contrast ratio like glossy one. It's a choice of preference here. For viewing angle, all tablet PC screen supposes to be a great one; this might not truly right for this screen. Horizontal viewing angle is great. There is no invert or washout color at any angle, but, for vertical one, the viewing angle is just too narrow in my opinion (Probably I expected it to be as great as X61T screen)</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/vertical-view.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-viewing-angle]"><img height="192" alt="Dell XT - vertical viewing angle" title="Dell XT - vertical viewing angle" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/vertical-view_3.jpg" width="179" border="0" /></a></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><strong>Tablet Features</strong></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/tabletmode.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/jog.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-jog-dial]"><img height="180" alt="Dell XT - jog dial" title="Dell XT - jog dial" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/jog.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Jog-dial like what you found on Sony Clie or Blackberry is the navigation I like most for tablet PC. It's real easy to navigate--UP/DOWN, click and back button are so nice. It just works beautifully as we want, nothing more.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT -- tablet buttons" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/t-button-1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT -- LED - light sensor" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/t-button-2.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> </p> |
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|
||||
<p>In tablet mode, Latitude XT flies beautifully. I can tell that I'm enjoy using Latitude XT as a tablet PC more than X61T. I don't know if it is form factor that matters. But it seems XT just fits better in this role. For the buttons on the screen, there are power, ctrl+alt+del, rotate the screen, Dell Tablet setting, and E-mail. 2 latter buttons are able to customize fitting you need with press and press - hold options which is a big plus. If Dell allows to change all 4 buttons freely, that would be awesome. Close to the indicator, there is a ambient light sensor which will help changing screen brightness to suit the environment. However, I found that's not that practical and too sensitive to the light. As a result, screen brightness changes frequently even your hand pass over that sensor. Thus, I choose to disable it.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="Dell XT - fingerprint" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/fingerprint.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></p> |
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|
||||
<p>Fingerprint sensor also is a nice plus if and only if you are changing the default security program, Wave, to UPEK Protector Suite QL. Since Wave can gain nothing from fingerprint sensor, but for logging in. With UPEK Protector Suite QL, you will be able to use you finger as password manager for ie, Firefox and some other applications without any hassle. One drawback of both programs Dell provided is you will not be able to swipe you finger in another direction. In other words, it won't recognize your fingerprint if you enroll your finger by swiping from left to right, but using from right to left. It's just a bad algorithm from the developer which you won't find in Thinkpad X61T. If this is regular notebook, it should be alright because no one will turn notebook around for swiping finger, but that's not the case of tablet PC.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><strong><u>N-Trig Technology</u></strong></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>This review will not be completed if I haven't talked about this. You guys may wonder how good this is comparing to Wacom for both for pen and for finger.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><em><font color="#ff8000"><u>Active digitizer -- EMF pen</u></font></em></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="Dell XT - pen-silo" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/pen-silo_3.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/pen.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-pen]"><img height="180" alt="Dell XT - pen" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/pen.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a></p> |
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|
||||
<p>Although N-trig pen has every features it should have, pen itself has nothing to compare with Wacom since N-Trig is the only provider and that means you don't have a choice like Wacom which you can buy from any 3rd party you like while performing the same. Well, especially lacking the intuitive erase at the top of the pen, that almost every Wacom pens have, and inconvenient erase button size on the pen are killing this pen. Probably because I was using Wacom pen first, so I have a bias about this, but I thought if anyone has tried both of them, more than 70% would choose Wacom pen instantly. However, the weight and balance of this pen is good, not too heavy or light. There also are choice of pen tip which are blue and black one. The blue one is softer while the black one is hard--good to have choices.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>For the feeling while inking, I could tell that Wacom gives a bit better feeling to ink and more importantly much better in term of compatibility such as pen pressure sensitivity in Adobe product family. I would suggest N-Trig firmly that you should work on this immediately if you are expecting to have better market share.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><em><font color="#ff8000"><u>Capacitive touch</u></font></em></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="214" alt="Inkseine - with touch" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/inkseine.png" width="350" align="right" border="0" /> </p> <p>This is the real selling-point of N-Trig and only thing N-Trig cares perhaps. As you may know, that N-Trig released pre-beta Multitouch driver for Windows 7; It SUCKS. No pen support, new features which is good, but the thing is they couldn't even give the quality on par with the old driver for Vista. In other words, when you hold the title of the window steadily by finger, it supposes to be as steady, doesn't it? But the window is jerky around continuously, not even a sec that it sits unmoved. It might sound good to have newer features; however, stability is much more important in order to work. If they can't get back in the right track on time, I expect to see Wacom release its own capacitive touch and N-Trig would be only the history. Nonetheless, Wacom don't have it so far and N-Trig driver in Vista work quite well--not the best you could imagine, but it can keep up your expectation. One thing I like to notice is the matte screen might not give such a fluid experience when dragging finger around like iPhone, but it works reasonably well, I must say.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Comparing to pressure touch or passive digitizer, they all have their own strength. Regardless of how smooth capacitive touch can be when controlling, moving something around or drawing some simple line or curve, it cannot beat passive digitizer in term of precise touch and flicks at all. You may imagine using Windows Mobile with capacitive touch and you have to tap very small icon/option, it just could do comfortably because your finger will block what you see completely. But with iPhone and passive digitizer would be not a good match as capacitive touch too because its interface implements for finger--probably not big fat one :-P, but reasonable size should tap just fine. Flicks in Vista is another I like most for tablet PC; I just can't do that as often as I did with X61T because of this kind of touch screen. So it always ends up with a tradeoff, you have to choose.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Before go to the next topic, I would like to mention that there are 4 modes when using N-trig dual digitizer: pen only, touch only, auto mode, and dual mode. Pen or touch only is straight forward. Dual mode is using both digitizer simultaneously, but when pen is close to the screen, capacitive touch will disable instantly. I found that I have a problem with this mode a lot while inking since my writing behavior is lifting pen up too high sometimes. As a result, my palm which sits on the screen is registered as a dot or line as always. Thus, auto mode is the only solution I have and it works great. Auto mode is a mode which gives pen more priority than finger; which means when pen gets closer to the screen, finger will be disable as expected. However, when moving pen out of EMF range, finger will not be resume yet--no palm rest problem. What you have to do to enable finger again is double tap finger on the screen twice to let it know that we want to use finger to navigate now. Then capacitive touch will work as normal. I think it's quite nice idea.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><strong>Input devices</strong></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT - touchpad - trackpad" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/touch-trackpad.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></p> <p>Dell is kind enough to put both Touchpad - TrackPoint for you to choose what you like best. Touchpad is a regular one; just plain pad with 2 buttons. These 2 buttons are below the palm rest level, which is annoying a bit, but there is no/very minimal click noise from this which is very nice. The sensitivity is nice, no scroll bar as a default like many machine. You, nonetheless, can tweak in Dell TouchPad software for vertical or horizontal scroll bar or even disable the pad and/or any button. It's great to have highly customizable options, but I rather want simpler software which more embedded to the OS than this--that's only my taste though.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT -- trackpoint" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/trackpoint.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>TrackPoint or PointStick or anything you want to call is likely the be the primary pointing device on business machine with unknown/unclear reason. Probably this market used to have only Thinkpad and they get used to TrackPoint, I guess. It's sort of love or hate stuff. Some people, like me, love to use this; some might want to get rid of it completely. But I got to say that this track stick on Latitude is a shame, required too much pressure, less sensitivity, lack of middle button to scroll, and last but not least 2 buttons aren't not well place. They are almost below the level of palm rest which is not so comfortable using it. Like touchpad, you can disable this if you don't want. You might want to know which one I primarily use on XT. Believe it or not, TrackPoint is still my preference over Touchpad any time. (my finger, touching directly on the screen, rules them all though)</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT - touchpad" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/flat-input-1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT - touchpad" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/flat-input-2.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>One thing I like to comment about this is flat design of these 2 devices. I suspected that this might design to avoid the problem that some people face from Thinkpad Tablet which the screen lid touches TrackPoint causing moving cursor while inking. Although I still haven't faced this issue myself, that should be painful while experiencing that. However, with this design, it might be too expensive trade-off between functionality and possible annoying problem. If I were Dell, I might find the way to disable TrackPoint in tablet mode and make this more usable. That should be hell lot better. </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 3px" height="180" alt="Dell Latitude XT -- Keyboard" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/keyboard.jpg" width="240" align="right" border="0" />Keyboard, another important thing for convertible tablet PC, on Dell Latitude XT has a nice feedback, very minimal audible feedback. Although it's far from Thinkpad's level, it's nice enough to touch typing for long article without a problem. Most people may like the fact that Ctrl button is on the left most, unlike Thinkpad which Fn is there. I found using these 2 machines back and forth make me confused and frustrated, not their fault at all :-S For this keyboard layout, PgUp - PgDw are on odd place--next to arrow keys, but very useful. I found myself use it quite a lot. Also, Del, Home, Insert, and End are on the top of backspace which can be complained. I can use all this button w/o seeing it with only a little time practicing. Nevertheless, down side of this keyboard is full of Fn + button. I much prefer to have dedicated buttons for volume control rather than 2 hand-operation for just increasing/decreasing volume.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><strong>Array of ports</strong></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>I like the fact that Dell provides port on the back, esp. Ethernet port, which you rarely find these days. I just think it's much cleaner to plug LAN cable and Power cord on the back and have a clean space around the laptop.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/right.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-port]"><img height="77" alt="Dell XT - right" title="Dell XT - right" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/right_3.jpg" width="440" border="0" /></a><br /><em><font color="#ff8000">Right</font></em>: Wireless switch, Wi-Fi Catcher switch, USB 2.0, SD card reader, Express Card/54 slot, headphone and microphone jack.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/left.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-port]"><img height="79" alt="Dell XT - left" title="Dell XT - left" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/left_3.jpg" width="440" border="0" /></a></p> <p><em><font color="#ff8000">Left</font></em>: N-Trig pen silo, WWAN antenna connector, IEEE1394 4-pin port, USB 2.0, Air vent, and speaker</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/front.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-port]"><img height="60" alt="Dell XT - front" title="Dell XT - front" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/front_3.jpg" width="440" border="0" /></a></p> <p><em><font color="#ff8000">Front</font></em>: Nothing.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/back.jpg" rel="lightbox[dell-xt-port]"><img height="60" alt="Dell XT - back" title="Dell XT - back" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/back_3_0.jpg" width="440" border="0" /></a></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><em><font color="#ff8000">Rear</font></em>: Power jack, VGA port, Gigabit LAN port, and USB 2.0 + power port [as far as I know, it provides 5VDC with enough current to run DVD burner at full-speed, sadly nothing else will work with this special port though]</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="Dell XT - bottom" title="Dell XT - bottom" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/bottom.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></p> <p><em><font color="#ff8000">Bottom</font></em>: Expansion port for Media base/Slice Battery</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><strong>Audio & Speaker</strong></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="180" alt="Dell XT - right" title="Dell XT - right" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/speaker.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></p> <p>Although no one expects portable machine to have a good speaker, it's good to have a nice speaker that's loud enough to work in noisy environment. As usual, bass you won't find here, but I can confirm that mono speaker on Dell Latitude XT is nice and loud both in notebook and tablet mode. Thanks to design team that put the speaker on the side, so it would work well in any situation. By the way, for built-in array microphone, I still am not able to confirm if it's working great or not since I find it too low sensitivity. In other words, I have to yell in front of the screen like insane just to record my voice clearly or on another end will hear me.</p> |
||||
|
||||
Well, this is not the machine of the speed, but I will talk a bit about that in [Dell Latitude XT -- spec - performance]({{ site.url }}/review/dell-latitude-xt/2) |
||||
@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
|
||||
--- |
||||
layout: post |
||||
title: Dell Latitude XT review |
||||
created: 1226336788 |
||||
categories: |
||||
- tablet pc |
||||
- review |
||||
--- |
||||
<p>This probably was the most innovative tablet PC so far since it was the first time capacitive touch was included. However, Dell's decision that chose ULV CPU instead of more powerful CPU like LV one might be a deal breaker for many people that looked over this machine.</p> |
||||
<p>By the way, Dell Latitude XT still has enough potential to be one of very good tablet PC with almost every things you could imagine to have on tablet PC:- good quality build like all Latitude series, multi-touch screen (in Apple's sense, not Lenovo's one), pretty thin chassis. Moreover, on hardware side, besides ultra low voltage, there are plenty of things you could imagine. We'll see how it is later.</p> |
||||
<p>You might feel I compare this machine directly with Thinkpad X61T, but I got to say that it really is. Since Thinkpad X61 Tablet is my 1<sup>st</sup> tablet PC, I just can't avoid doing that indeed. Anyway, I do believe that you will feel and get my idea better this way than just talking what the heck this machine is alone.</p> |
||||
<p>Well, as usual, preview of Dell Latitude XT; just enough for calling your attention:-</p> |
||||
|
||||
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||||
|
||||
<p>And some Norwegian guys, PeliasMobile, did a stress test on Dell XT, it's unbelievably incredibly durable. Check this YouTube clip out!</p> |
||||
|
||||
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||||
|
||||
Now you are ready to begin exploring [Dell latitude - build & design](/review/dell-latitude-xt/1) |
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|
||||
--- |
||||
layout: post |
||||
title: Configuring PIX 501 -- part II |
||||
created: 1229016351 |
||||
categories: |
||||
- pix |
||||
- firewall |
||||
- cisco |
||||
--- |
||||
<p>After clear all things in part I, now we have to continue setting for our network's safe, but surely before concerning about getting to work first. Well, basically PIX 501, which has only 2 interfaces: ethernet0 & ethernet1, can have only outside and inside network. Security level has been fixed as 0-minimum and 100-highest respectively. This is fixed value for PIX 501. What we have to know next is configuration on the network; assume that we place PIX 501 behind router and we have 1 web server inside the network. Actually we should place web server on outside network, but for learning, we do this way first.</p> <p>Here is our step to get things done:-</p> <ol> <li>Set hostname, password </li> <li>Configure IP addresses on interfaces, then enable them </li> <li>Configure a route </li> <li>Set firewall rules </li> <li>Port forwarding to web server </li> </ol> <p>For setting hostname & password, we need to get into config shell; one thing which is so cool about CISCO IOS shell is no fixed command as long as you can type unambiguous command. For example, 'configure terminal' command can be substitue with 'config t' or 'conf t' or 'conf ter' or even 'con t' but only 'con' will not work since there is not enough information.</p> <pre class="c-sharp" name="code">pixfirewall# config t |
||||
pixfirewall(config)# |
||||
pixfirewall(config)# hostname 10PIX |
||||
10PIX(config)# |
||||
10PIX(config)# password qwerty |
||||
10PIX(config)# |
||||
10PIX(config)# enable password qwerty |
||||
10PIX(config)#</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>After setting basic stuffs, we need to go on next step; IP addresses on each interfaces. First we set link speed, name, and set security which is fixed in this case anyway on each interface:-</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="c-sharp" name="code">10PIX(config)# interface ethernet0 100full |
||||
10PIX(config)# interface ethernet1 100full |
||||
10PIX(config)# nameif ethernet0 outside 0 |
||||
10PIX(config)# nameif ethernet1 inside 100</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Next we have to set IP on each interface and set the route to our gateway (192.168.10.10) to be able to access the Internet.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="c-sharp" name="code">10PIX(config)# ip address outside 192.168.10.11 255.255.255.0 |
||||
10PIX(config)# ip address inside 10.1.1.1 255.255.255.0 |
||||
10PIX(config)# |
||||
10PIX(config)# route outside 0 0 192.168.10.10 1 |
||||
10PIX(config)#</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>What we need next is associating a network with a pool of global IP address.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="c-sharp" name="code">nat [(if_name)] nat_id local_ip [netmask [max_conns [em_limit]]] [norandomseq]</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="c-sharp" name="code">global [(if_name)] nat_id global_ip[-global_ip] [netmask global_mask] </pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>From these 2 commands: nat & global, nat will identify nat_id and global will provide an IP address for each outbound connection for a particular nat_id.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="c-sharp" name="code">10PIX(config)# nat (inside) 1 10.1.1.0 255.255.255.0 0 0 |
||||
10PIX(config)# global (outside) 1 192.168.10.12 |
||||
10PIX(config)#</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p><strong>0 0 </strong>at the end of nat command indicates no maximum connection and limit; all outbound connections will be represented by IP 192.168.10.12 on outside. [it can be represented in a range too] After having the route ready, it's time to set DHCP server for inside network; it's pretty straight forward here.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="c-sharp" name="code">10PIX(config)# dhcpd address 10.1.1.10-10.1.1.31 inside |
||||
10PIX(config)# dhcpd dns 192.168.10.10 |
||||
10PIX(config)# dhcpd lease 604800 |
||||
10PIX(config)# dhcpd ping_timeout 500 |
||||
10PIX(config)# dhcpd enable inside |
||||
10PIX(config)# </pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Up to this point, we almost ready to leave console behind and never have to use it again. There are 2 choices here: <em>telnet</em> or <em>ssh</em>. <em>Telnet</em> is much faster, but <em>ssh</em> is more secure. It's up to your decision what to pick. What we should do really is allowing only inside network to do this job, not outside. So we can make sure of security up to particular level. However, in this case, for study, let's try to allow <em>ssh</em> connection from outside network [which is still private network anyway.]</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="c-sharp" name="code">10PIX(config)# telnet 10.1.1.0 255.255.255.0 inside |
||||
10PIX(config)# telnet timeout 5 |
||||
10PIX(config)# ssh 10.1.1.0 255.255.255.0 inside |
||||
10PIX(config)# ssh 192.168.10.0 255.255.255.0 outside |
||||
10PIX(config)# ssh timeout 5</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>By the fact that, we allowed <em>telnet</em> and <em>ssh</em> connection. It works just fine with telnet since there is no security concern. <em>ssh</em>, however, is another story. <em>ssh</em> required to have RSA key to use secure connection. What we need is to generate an RSA key and save into flash memory; it takes you a while--about half an hour for me</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="c-sharp" name="code">10PIX(config)# domain-name cisco.com |
||||
10PIX(config)# ca generate rsa key 2048 |
||||
10PIX(config)# ca save all |
||||
10PIX(config)# </pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p><img height="368" alt="PIX obtaining RSA key" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/image_3.png" width="642" border="0" /> </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>You may view newly created RSA public key by:-</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="c-sharp" name="code">10PIX(config)# sh ca mypubkey rsa</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Now we are able to connect <em>ssh</em> session; if you have any trouble, then <em>'debug ssh'</em> might be your friend. Next thing we have to do is setting port forwarding; since PIX 501 doesn't have any extra interface, DMZ is not a solution here. Our web and ftp server is on 10.1.1.14.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="c-sharp" name="code">static [(high_if, low_if)] [tcp| udp] low_if_ip high_if_ip [netmask][max_conns [em_limit]] [norandomseq]</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Just remember a bit that, this is for NAT enabled; high is indicated higher security. interface == firewall IP on that interface</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="c-sharp" name="code">10PIX(config)# static (inside,outside) tcp interface www 10.1.1.14 www netmask 255.255.255.255 0 0 |
||||
10PIX(config)# static (inside,outside) tcp interface ftp 10.1.1.14 ftp netmask 255.255.255.255 0 0 |
||||
10PIX(config)# access-list acl_in permit tcp any interface outside eq www |
||||
10PIX(config)# access-list acl_in permit tcp any host 192.168.10.101 eq ssh |
||||
10PIX(config)# access-list acl_in permit tcp any interface outside eq ftp |
||||
10PIX(config)# access-group acl_in in interface outside</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Now we put access-list on as well, just for sake of security because we allow what we shouldn't already. However, that's what firewall for, right? Once we create access-list, we have to apply that on the interface by:-</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="csharp" name="code">access-group <i>acl_name</i> in interface <i>interface-name</i></pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>So far we set all neccessary settings; you may have to play around a bit to understand deeper of how PIX works. To be able to solve a problem, we have to know what is going:-</p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="csharp" name="code">10PIX(config)# show xlate |
||||
10PIX(config)# show conn |
||||
10PIX(config)# show access-host |
||||
10PIX(config)# show running-config</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>This allows you to check what is wrong, then you will be able to start solving from that; one more thing you need to know is to disable our commands. It's damn easy by putting 'no' in front of command we put. You may check by 'show run' which will show every single command you put in.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Have fun with manipulate PIX configuration and have a safe network, of course. =) </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>If you have trouble with PIX, just ask.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><u>Note</u>: very good command resource reference at <a href="http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/iaabu/pix/pix_v51/config/commands.htm" target="_blank">cisco.com</a></p> |
||||
@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
|
||||
--- |
||||
layout: post |
||||
title: NAS selection |
||||
created: 1229212089 |
||||
categories: |
||||
- storage |
||||
- nas |
||||
--- |
||||
<p>Well, after <a href="http://mycapsules.com/diy-nas" target="_blank">DIY NAS</a> last year couldn't satisfy all my need. Throughput could be easily lifted up by upgrading network to Gigabit network which is cheap nowadays.But there is something that couldn't be fixed. Thus, a new better NAS in both performance and look will be waiting for us to discover pretty soon :-P</p> |
||||
<!--break--> |
||||
<p>This time I will concern in any areas which can be categorized into 2: hardware & software:-</p> <p><strong>Hardware</strong> </p> |
||||
<ul> <li>Appearance </li> <li>Power Consumption </li> <li>Functionality </li> <li>Upgradability </li> <li>Cost </li> </ul> <strong>Software</strong> <ul> <li>Features </li> <li>Performance & Security </li> </ul> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Firstly, I thought hardware could be the more vital choice for NAS selection, but I'm totally wrong here because of only one choice, HP MediaSmart EX470. If you choose this, only Windows Home Server is your choice. Yes, you could install Linux, but with 'tons of effort + possible a lot of money' involves yet you still couldn't utilize all features on the box. Why bother choosing EX470? However, EX470 is such a good choice for NAS. After experiencing EX470, I then move 'software' to the most important choice for NAS because it can actually help you filter choices more efficiently.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><strong>Software side</strong></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><em><font color="#ff8000">Features</font></em> - It's sort of decision to make at this point. Table below is tweaked from what I wrote awhile back in <a href="http://blog.10ninox.com/2008/05/05/nas-which-os-should-be-on/" target="_blank">10ninox's blog</a>.</p> |
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<div align="center"> |
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<table style="text-align: center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="80%" border="0"><tbody id="spec" style="font-size: 0.9em"> |
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|
||||
<tr> <td valign="top" width="20%"> </td> <td valign="top" width="20%">dedicated NAS box</td> <td valign="top" width="20%">Unix-based OS</td> <td valign="top" width="20%">Windows Desktop OS</td> <td valign="top" width="20%">Windows Home Server</td> </tr> |
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|
||||
<tr style="background: rgb(238,238,238) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" top?="top?"> <td>Power Consumption</td> <td style="background: rgb(179,255,179) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top">lowest</td> <td style="background: rgb(255,191,191) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top">medium</td> <td valign="top">low-medium<sup>w1</sup></td> <td valign="top">low-medium<sup>w1</sup></td> </tr> |
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|
||||
<tr> <td valign="top">Throughput</td> <td style="background: rgb(255,191,191) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top">slow</td> <td valign="top" width="110">fast</td> <td style="background: rgb(179,255,179) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top">fastest</td> <td style="background: rgb(179,255,179) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top">fastest</td> </tr> |
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|
||||
<tr style="background: rgb(238,238,238) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" top?="top?"> <td>Protocol</td> <td valign="top">FTP, HTTP, SMB</td> <td valign="top">FTP, HTTP, SMB, etc</td> <td valign="top">FTP, HTTP, SMB2, etc.</td> <td valign="top">FTP, HTTP, SMB2, etc.</td> </tr> |
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|
||||
<tr> <td valign="top">Indexing ability</td> <td valign="top">N/A</td> <td valign="top">local only<sup>u2</sup></td> <td style="background: rgb(179,255,179) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top">Yes, Windows Desktop Search<sup>w2</sup></td> <td style="background: rgb(179,255,179) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top">Yes, Windows Desktop Search<sup>w2</sup></td> </tr> |
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|
||||
<tr style="background: rgb(238,238,238) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" top?="top?"> <td>Ease of use</td> <td style="background: rgb(179,255,179) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top">Very easy <sup>(on/off)</sup></td> <td valign="top" width="113">Normal<sup>u3</sup></td> <td style="background: rgb(211,255,211) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top">Easy</td> <td style="background: rgb(211,255,211) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top">Easy</td> </tr> |
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|
||||
<tr> <td>Remote Connection</td> <td valign="top">via web-based mostly</td> <td valign="top">Telnet, SSH, or web-based</td> <td valign="top">remote connection</td> <td valign="top">remote connection</td> </tr> <tr style="background: rgb(238,238,238) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial"> <td>Features</td> <td valign="top"> </td> <td valign="top"> </td> <td valign="top"> </td> <td valign="top" style="text-align: left">» Automatic backup<br>» remote connection<br>» <em>NO RAID support<sup>w3</sup></em><br>» flexible storage size<sup>w5</sup></td> </tr> |
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|
||||
<tr> <td>Cost of OS</td> <td valign="top">Free</td> <td valign="top">Free</td> <td style="background: rgb(255,191,191) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top">$$<sup>w4</sup></td> <td style="background: rgb(255,191,191) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top">$$<sup>w4</sup></td> </tr> |
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|
||||
</tbody></table> |
||||
|
||||
<p style="font-size: 0.8em"><em>u2 </em>- yes it does have <a href="http://beagle-project.org/Main_Page" target="_blank">Beagle</a>, but any remote machine needs to access via web-based which is not that comfort. |
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<br /><em>u3 </em>- there is a learning curve here for most of users. |
||||
<br /><em>w1</em> - although I use the same system as Ubuntu, there is 3rd party for Windows OS, like <a href="http://cpu.rightmark.org/products/rmclock.shtml" target="_blank">RMClock</a>, to undervoltage which is really help. I could drop about 10W or so without sacrificing performance and stability. |
||||
<br /><em>w2</em> - For Vista client, you could just exploring to NAS and find them in the same GUI. It’ll use index on NAS automatically which is so fast & cool. But I couldn’t find client with XP+Windows Desktop Search which work the same way. |
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<br /><em>w3</em> - No RAID support in WHS; however, there is a duplicate feature (2+ drives needed) which copies data into another drive for safety sake considering as RAID 1 replacement--no speed gain feature like RAID 0 or parity error check and correction like RAID 5. |
||||
<br /><em>w4</em> - It’s not free, Vista Home Premium OEM or Windows Home Server is about $99; depending on what you think if it’s worth or not. |
||||
<br /><em>w5</em> - It's truly flexible storage size because you can add/remove hard disk drive anytime. All you see is only 1 large storage place; all processes are automatic.</p> |
||||
</div> |
||||
|
||||
<p>As you can see above, you'll get what you pay for. I used to like having Windows around, but by the fact that sometimes Windows gives me some troubles. Nowadays I just prefer having Unix-based as NAS and SSH for setting up/tuning up. It's just easier and faster than going through all clunky GUI. Believe me, once you know necessary commands in Unix, you find GUI is clumsy--I mean both x-windows in Linux and MS Windows. Another drawback of Unix-based OS is no easy Desktop search like Vista and I could not find any comparable one--It's just a tradeoff. You will have to build hierarchical structure to keep all data in place and easy to find. That would help :-)</p> |
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|
||||
<p>One more thing is feature; most OSes don't have any special thing. Specific OS like Windows Home Server, however, gives such nice features like automatic backup over the network and remote connection over clients. These might be a good additional if you use it. I had a chance being Home Server beta; It's good, but I just prefer backup manually. =)</p> |
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|
||||
<p><em><font color="#ff8000">Performance & Security</font></em> - Speed and security never go along. That's the principle, but how much tradeoff you are willing to take. This is depending on how many features you like to add too. For WLAN, please make sure of that using only WPA2-AES if you are putting security on because otherwise you will lose about at least 20%, normally 30% or so, of throughput comparing to no security one. Another way of dealing with this is applied MAC filter to your router. That would give you maximum performance with no security compromise much.</p> |
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|
||||
<p>Security on each OS? well telling you the truth, Unix-based OS doesn't give you that much more security than what Windows gives you. Anti-virus is what you have to install anyway if security is what you are concerned. Linux & Mac don't give you any extra security over Windows; it might be better if you deleted 'root' after installing, but would regular Joe & Jane do that? I don't think so.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Before wrapping this up, I used to be the one who think one box rules them all. By the fact that turning on NAS 24/7 is preferred--a must for me though :-D The question like why would I have to use another box for Media Center then? Just put them together. Well, I did and it works quite well. The problem I faced was most of the time I got only 2-3MB/s and about 15MB/s throughput over 802.11n and GigabitLAN consecutively. That's only around 50% of what it is capable of. In addition, using Media Center box requires higher performance box which means more electricity consumption. The box I used was about 100W idle and about 13xW active. That's quite a lot for 24/7. However, since I separated into 2 boxes; my NAS box, Shuttle K45, sucks only 40W average and my Media center sleeps most of the time, only about 10 minutes before record schedule and 1 hours after finished recording are the time it's up. The process is totally automatic by Vista Ultimate--Kudos to Microsoft + little software named <em>MCE standby tool</em> here =) So far, I don't think I wasted more energy setting up this way and a big plus is optimal performance on both jobs :-D</p> |
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|
||||
<p>In short, it's all up to your preference. One might think Windows is better/easier, one might think Linux is <em>free</em>dom, another one might think OS X is the best--so OSX86 is the way to go. They all are good if you believe in it. For me, anything is good. I have both Windows Home Server & Linux boxes because I prefer to use Linux to do thing, but EX470 forces me to have WHS. I probably do comparison again, but I bet Windows OS would win anyway since Vista boxes are regular clients in my case and NAS, here, we talk about SMB protocol only! :-P If Windows Home Server are your top-list, I can tell you that HP MediaSmart has a great balance on both form factor & features. Otherwise, go on, there are lots of things we need to go through for hardware side.</p> |
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|
||||
<p>Oops! forget to mention that if Windows is your way, differences between XP/Vista and Windows any server is maximum connection possible. They all can do the job, but how well Vista handles network sessions, i.e. more than 10 simultaneous requests/connections, is questionable. Practically Microsoft just limits workstation OS that way. Thus they can sell server one :-P By the way, you can use XP/Vista as NAS; you just have to accept delegated service that might have happened. That's it.</p> |
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|
||||
<p><strong>Hardware side</strong></p> |
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|
||||
<p><em><font color="#ff8000">Appearance/form factor</font></em> -- how they look might not matter to some, but how big it is could be a big factor here since if it's small enough. We can just put on the shelf or on the corner neatly. You guys might think of ITX form factor as far as size is concerned. Compromises, however, like higher cost, limited choices should not be our limit. Then we probably focus on microATX which is larger, widely used, and cheaper, or mini barebone systems, e.g. Shuttle's, Asus's, or MSI's. If size doesn't matter for you, then go for mid-tower case. There are tons of choices out there.</p> <p>If you choose to go for microATX form factor, the smaller case possible might be approximately 750 inch<sup>3</sup> to be able to put CD and HDD in. It could come in slim tower or desktop or something in between, like <a href="http://www.ultraproducts.com/product_details.php?cPath=13&pPath=439&productID=439">Ultra productst</a>, which I like to call as microwave case. They all are fine, but as my experience, slim tower or desktop is the best choice since it's pretty ease and waste less space.</p> |
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|
||||
<p>Alternatively, Shuttle products, which mostly are small box form factor--which I called toaster form factor, are pretty nice solution too. Their products' size are around < 600 inch<sup>3</sup> which is considerably very small! -- just the right size, I could tell you that. If you can't imagine how small it is, just compare to regular mid tower case size. It's mostly about >2200 inch<sup>3</sup>. What we are looking for is less 1/3 size of regular case. Only downside so far from Shuttle is service; I have contacted about lousy PSU fan; no even reply after almost 2 weeks.</p> |
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|
||||
<p><u>Note:</u> At last, they contacted me to do RMA; everything seemed fine, but such an unfair/non-sense policy below made me feel flat with Shuttle service. We have to send that in which shipping cost for barebone system is not that cheap! Why would we want to waste such a time and effort to lie them about this? We'll see how fast they process is. |
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<br><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="101" alt="Shuttle K45" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/shuttle-rma-policy.png" width="500" border="0" /> |
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</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><u>update on Feb 3, 2009:</u> I got the replacement which is working great just few days over a week from the day I shipped a broken one back.; so far so good.</p> |
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|
||||
<div align="center"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="100" alt="Shuttle X27D" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/image55.jpg" width="150" border="0" /> <img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="100" alt="Shuttle K45" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/image50.jpg" width="134" border="0" />  <img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="100" alt="Shuttle SG45H7" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/image60.jpg" width="123" border="0" /> <img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="100" alt="Shuttle SG33Gx" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/image65.jpg" width="133" border="0" /> </div> |
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|
||||
<p>All about budget it seems, all form factors mentioned above have 1 main drawback is limit space for HDD. If you think 2 hard drives are not enough, you will have fewer choices and probably higher cost. Some of them are just worth to look at though.</p> |
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<div align="center"> |
||||
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="80%" border="0"><tbody> |
||||
<tr style="padding:3px;background: rgb(234,246,255) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial"> |
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<td align="center"><div> |
||||
<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/large/chenbro-1.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="250" alt="Chenbro ES34069" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/chenbro-1.jpg" width="212" border="0" /></a> |
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<div class="highslide-caption"> |
||||
Chenbro ES34069 |
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</div> |
||||
<div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div> |
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</div></td> |
||||
<td align="center"> |
||||
<div><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/large/chenbro-2.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="82" alt="Chenbro ES34069" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/chenbro-2.jpg" width="70" border="0" /></a><div class="highslide-caption">Chenbro ES34069</div><div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div></div> |
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|
||||
<div><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/large/chenbro-3.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="60" alt="Chenbro ES34069" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/chenbro-3.jpg" width="70" border="0" /></a><div class="highslide-caption">Chenbro ES34069 - inside</div><div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div></div> |
||||
|
||||
<div><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/large/chenbro-4.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="70" alt="Chenbro ES34069" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/chenbro-4.jpg" width="70" border="0" /></a><div class="highslide-caption">Chenbro ES34069 - HDD bays</div><div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div></div> |
||||
|
||||
<div><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/large/chenbro-5.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="70" alt="Chenbro ES34069" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/chenbro-5.jpg" width="70" border="0" /></a><div class="highslide-caption">Chenbro ES34069 adapter</div><div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div></div> |
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</td> |
||||
<td><a href="http://usa.chenbro.com/corporatesite/products_detail.php?serno=100" target="_blank">Chenbro ES34069</a> <br />- 4 Hot-Swap HDDs Mini ITX Server Chassis <br />- External adapter (120W or 190W, 19VDC) <br />- 10.24" x 5.51" x 10.24" (D x W x H) <br />- $170-$200</td> |
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|
||||
</tr> |
||||
<tr style="padding:3px;background: rgb(210,255,240) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial"> |
||||
<td align="center"> |
||||
<div><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/large/ex470-1.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="220" alt="HP MediaSmart Server EX470" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/ex470-1.jpg" width="196" border="0" /></a><div class="highslide-caption">HP MediaSmart Server EX470</div><div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div></div> |
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</td> |
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<td align="center"> |
||||
<div><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/large/ex470-2.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="70" alt="HP MediaSmart Server EX470 - back panel" title="HP MediaSmart Server EX470 - back panel" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/ex470-2.jpg" width="94" border="0" /></a><div class="highslide-caption">HP MediaSmart Server EX470 - back panel</div><div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div></div> |
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|
||||
<div><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/large/ex470-3.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="71" alt="HP MediaSmart Server EX470 - size comparison" title="HP MediaSmart Server EX470 - size comparison" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/ex470-3.jpg" width="94" border="0" /></a><div class="highslide-caption">HP MediaSmart Server EX470 - size comparison</div><div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div></div> |
||||
|
||||
<div><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/large/ex470-4.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="70" alt="HP MediaSmart Server EX470 - size comparison" title="HP MediaSmart Server EX470 - size comparison" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/nas/thumbnail/ex470-4.jpg" width="93" border="0" /></a><div class="highslide-caption">HP MediaSmart Server EX470 - size comparison</div><div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div></div> |
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</td> |
||||
<td><a href="http://www.shopping.hp.com/store/product/product_detail/GG795AA%2523ABA/1?jumpid=in_r329_personalization/browse1/home_PDP" target="_blank">HP MediaSmart EX470</a> <br />- 4 Hot-Swap HDDs Chassis <br />- Windows Home Server <br />- AMD Sempron 3400+ <br />- SiS 761GX + SiS 966 Chipset <br />- 512MB DDR2-800 RAM (1 slot) <br />- 1*500GB HDD <br />- Ports: GigabitLAN, 4*USB, 1*e-SATA <br />- no VGA port (need to do DIY cable) <br />- Internal PSU <br />- $300-$500</td> |
||||
</tr> |
||||
</tbody></table></div> |
||||
<p>Considering these 2 choices, quite interesting, huh? </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><font color="#ff8000"><em>Power Consumption</em></font>-- the less stuffing you are putting in, the less consumption the machine is. Just remember that power supply rating doesn't tell you a thing about real power consumption; the way you can know for sure is measuring it. That's it. However, average rating is depending on each machine each configuration. I'll try gathering as much as possible. </p> |
||||
<div align="center"> |
||||
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" width="509" border="0"><tbody id="spec"> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">Model</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Standby [W]</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Idle [W]</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Max [W]</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">Shuttle SG33</td> <td valign="top" align="center">2-6</td> <td valign="top" align="center">80</td> <td valign="top" align="center">150</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Asus P2-P5945G</td> <td valign="top" align="center">4-8</td> <td valign="top" align="center">85</td> <td valign="top" align="center">130</td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">Regular PC</td> <td valign="top" align="center">2-15</td> <td valign="top" align="center">130</td> <td valign="top" align="center">180</td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr> <td valign="top">Asus P1-AH2</td> <td valign="top" align="center">2-5</td> <td valign="top" align="center">60</td> <td valign="top" align="center">100</td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">HP EX470</td> <td valign="top" align="center">N/A</td> <td valign="top" align="center">65-80<sup>ex1</sup></td> <td valign="top" align="center">100-110</td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
</tbody></table> |
||||
<p style="font-size: 0.8em"><em>ex1</em>- varied by a number of hard disk drives installed. |
||||
</p> |
||||
</div> |
||||
<p>Well, this is based on non-tweaked power consumption. You might be able to lower it about 10W or so with RMClock</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><font color="#ff8000"><em>Functionality</em></font> - Sometimes things might not go on our way when shopping for all things. However, our requirement for NAS is quite small. Gigabit LAN, place to put hard disk drive one or two or four?, good and compatible chipset for any OS you like to, and RAID capabilities. Just so you know, chipset is normally one of 2 most power hungry things in the system which are CPU and Chipset. CPU might not be the most important thing for NAS. Atom/Celeron/Sempron or Pentium/Core 2 Duo/Athlon/Phenom is giving you similar throughput anyway. No worth invests too much on it. Chipset also gives similar effect as CPU; no much different. By the fact that south bridge chipset defines whether Gigabit LAN performs well or not. But 30-60 MB/s throughput is what integrated Gigabit controller can achieve easily, so why bother? If you need perfect performance, then go for add-on controller :-P that's simple. In case you don't care Gigabit LAN and 100Mbps or just sharing over WLAN is what you look for, you don't have to think of anything because anything is enough for your need. Nonetheless, there is one thing effects the performance directly--amount of RAM. The more memory you have, more throughput you can possibly have. For RAID, speed or reliability you can choose :-) But if you have 3 HDD or more, RAID 5 could be a good one since reliability is quite good, reasonable performance and the best thing is you sacrifice only 33% of space or less due to number of you hard drive.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><em><font color="#ff8000">Upgradability</font></em> - Considering of purchasing NAS, I don't know if we are concerned about this much. PCI Express slot? DVI? or even HDMI? They all could be a nice additional, but by the fact that NAS we build will not have anything attached -- only power and CAT5e cable plugged in. Thus extra RAM slot, more SATA port, or eSATA port should be what we concerned more.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><em><font color="#ff8000">Cost</font></em> - summing up as examples should help get idea much better.<a name="comparison-table"></a></p> |
||||
<div align="center"> |
||||
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" border="0"><tbody id="spec" style="font-size: 0.9em"> |
||||
|
||||
<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top"> </td> <td valign="top" align="center">Chenbro ITX Server box</td> <td valign="top" align="center">HP MediaSmart EX470</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Shuttle K45 box</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Mid-Tower ATX</td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr> <td valign="top">Case</td> <td style="background: rgb(179,255,179) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">Chenbro ES34069 <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$170)</font></td> <td style="background: rgb(179,255,179) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">HP EX470 <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$400)</font></td> <td valign="top" align="center">Shuttle K45 <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$90)</font></td> <td valign="top" align="center">Antec NSK4480 <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$75)</font></td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">CPU</td> <td style="background: rgb(255,223,223) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">Intel Atom 330</td> <td style="background: rgb(255,223,223) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">AMD Sempron 3400+ </td> <td style="background: rgb(211,255,211) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">Intel Celeron E1200 <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$50)</font></td> <td style="background: rgb(211,255,211) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">Intel Celeron E1200 <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$50)</font></td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr> <td valign="top">Mainboard</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Intel BOXD945GCLF2 <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$80)</font></td> <td valign="top" align="center">SiS 761GX</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Included</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Foxconn G31MV-K <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$45)</font></td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">RAM</td> <td valign="top" align="center">2GB DDR-800 <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$20)</font></td> <td valign="top" align="center">2GB DDR-800 <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$20)</font></td> <td valign="top" align="center">2GB DDR-800 <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$20)</font></td> <td valign="top" align="center">2GB DDR-800 <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$20)</font></td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr> <td valign="top">Connectivity</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Gigabit LAN</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Gigabit LAN</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Gigabit LAN</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Gigabit LAN</td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">Storage</td> <td valign="top" align="center">500GB 7200rpm SATA <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$70)</font></td> <td valign="top" align="center">500GB 7200rpm SATA </td> <td valign="top" align="center">500GB 7200rpm SATA <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$70)</font></td> <td valign="top" align="center">500GB 7200rpm SATA <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$70)</font></td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr> <td valign="top">Ports</td> <td valign="top" align="center"><em>Int</em>: 2*SATA, 1*PATA <br /><em>Ext</em>: 1*VGA, 8*USB, 1*S-Video, audio ports</td> <td style="background: rgb(255,223,223) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center"><em>Int</em>: 4*SATA <br /><em>Ext<sup><font color="#ff0080">hp1</font></sup></em>: 4*USB, <br />1*e-SATA </td> <td valign="top" align="center"><em>Int</em>: 2*SATA, 1*PATA <br /><em>Ext</em>: 1*VGA, 5*USB, audio ports</td> <td valign="top" align="center"><em>Int</em>: 2*SATA, 1*PATA <br /><em>Ext</em>: 1*VGA, 5*USB, audio ports</td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">OS</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Windows OS <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$100)</font> or <br />any Linux <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$0)</font></td> <td valign="top" align="center">Windows Home Server</td> <td valign="top" align="center">Windows OS <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$100)</font> or <br />any Linux <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$0)</font></td> <td valign="top" align="center">Windows OS <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$100)</font> or <br />any Linux <font style="font-style:italic;font-size: 0.8em">(+$0)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Extra</td> <td valign="top" align="center"> </td> <td valign="top" align="center"> </td> <td valign="top" align="center">1*PCI slot</td> <td valign="top" align="center">1*PCI Express x16, 1*PCI slot, RAID 0/1</td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">HDD Bays</td> <td style="background: rgb(179,255,179) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">4*HDD bay</td> <td style="background: rgb(179,255,179) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">4*HDD bay</td> <td valign="top" align="center">2*HDD bay</td> <td style="background: rgb(211,255,211) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">4+*internal HDD bay</td> </tr> |
||||
|
||||
<tr> <td valign="top">Total<sup>**</sup></td> <td style="background: rgb(255,191,191) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">$340 or $440</td> <td style="background: rgb(255,191,191) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">$420</td> <td style="background: rgb(211,255,211) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">$230 or $330</td> <td style="background: rgb(179,255,179) 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial" valign="top" align="center">$240 or $340</td> </tr> </tbody></table> |
||||
|
||||
<p style="font-size: 0.8em"><em>*</em> Prices based on Newegg.com, hpshopping.com EPP and eWiz.com on Dec 13, 2008 |
||||
|
||||
<br /><em>**</em> Total price above is not included shipping or tax, so actual price might cause around 120% of showing price |
||||
|
||||
<br /><em>hp1 -</em> There is no VGA port.</p> |
||||
</div> |
||||
<p>Comparing to <a href="http://mycapsules.com/diy-nas" target="_blank">DIY NAS</a> I wrote last year, that $330 with much worse spec than all these. It's really showing how fast semiconductor world change! Moore's law is still valid, huh? While 500GB could be a little less, 1TB for $100 can be captured easily. For this table, I tried to make them as comparable as I can to see the difference in term of price each configuration could be. By the price, first 2 choices are worst, but as far as appearance & expandability are concerned they are the best around. Just remember something about buying stuff, a good deal always pops up randomly, I got my HP MediaSmart EX470 only $270 on Black Friday and before that OfficeMax had this on sale for $299 before discontinued I guess. What a fantastic deal that was! In this economic situation, using what you have and staying alert for a great deal are the best strategy.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>All in all, there are tons of possibility building up NAS these days. What we are trying to do is selecting the best one that gives look, performance, and reasonable cost. After this decision, there are still big jobs to do--configure & tweak--for the optimal result. Read & try will show what you have to do :-) I recommend you guys check out <a href="http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/" target="_blank">SmallNetBuilder.com</a>. Over there, there are so many great resources about network & NAS. And stay tuned for <a href="http://mycapsules.com/review/hp-ex470">my HP MediaSmart EX470</a> and shuttle K45 NAS box review :-)</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><a href="http://forum.mycapsules.com/discussion/7/nas-selection/"> >>Discuss more here<< </a></p> |
||||
@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
|
||||
--- |
||||
layout: post |
||||
title: Garmin Mobile PC on Eee PC 7" |
||||
created: 1229797328 |
||||
categories: |
||||
- mobile pc |
||||
- gps |
||||
- garmin |
||||
- eee pc |
||||
--- |
||||
<p>After using Treo 650/700p as GPS navigation system for a quite while; this time will be different. |
||||
Cleaning up dust on my little Eee PC 702, getting Garmin Mobile PC in and now we are ready to go for bigger screen & better performance, but usability?</p> |
||||
<!--break--> |
||||
<div style="float:left;"> |
||||
<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/mobile-pc/SNV10240.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="180" alt="Garmin Mobile PC with Eee PC" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/mobile-pc/SNV10240_1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> |
||||
<div class="highslide-caption"> |
||||
Garmin Mobile PC with Eee PC |
||||
</div> |
||||
<div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div> |
||||
</div> |
||||
|
||||
<div style="float:left;"> |
||||
<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/mobile-pc/SNV10241.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="180" alt="Garmin Mobile PC with Eee PC" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/mobile-pc/SNV10241_1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> |
||||
<div class="highslide-caption"> |
||||
Garmin Mobile PC with Eee PC |
||||
</div> |
||||
<div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div> |
||||
</div> |
||||
<div style="float:left;"> |
||||
<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/mobile-pc/SNV10242.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="180" alt="Garmin Mobile PC with Eee PC" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/mobile-pc/SNV10242_1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> |
||||
<div class="highslide-caption"> |
||||
Garmin Mobile PC with Eee PC |
||||
</div> |
||||
<div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div> |
||||
</div> |
||||
|
||||
<div> |
||||
<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/mobile-pc/SNV10243.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="180" alt="Garmin Mobile PC with Eee PC" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/mobile-pc/SNV10243_1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> |
||||
<div class="highslide-caption"> |
||||
Garmin Mobile PC with Eee PC |
||||
</div> |
||||
<div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div> |
||||
</div> |
||||
<p>Well, look like Eee PC + Mobile PC will be perfect companion for our trip, huh? Touch screen also is such a big plus with Garmin finger-friendly UI.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<div> |
||||
<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/mobile-pc/SNV10244.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img height="180" alt="Garmin Mobile PC with Eee PC -- Trip info" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/12/mobile-pc/SNV10244_1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> |
||||
<div class="highslide-caption"> |
||||
Garmin Mobile PC with Eee PC -- Trip info |
||||
</div> |
||||
<div id="closebutton" class="highslide-overlay closebutton" onclick="return hs.close(this)" title="Close"></div> |
||||
</div> |
||||
|
||||
<p>I will be on the road for about 2 weeks, trip down to Florida. Will see how Garmin Mobile PC performs! The only question is how I will mount this? Seems like I need someone to hold this all along this time LOL</p> <p>Check it out <?php print l("our full review", "node/116"); ?></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><a href="http://forum.mycapsules.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=2">Discuss here</a><p> |
||||
@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
|
||||
--- |
||||
layout: post |
||||
title: Changing MAC address |
||||
created: 1231899123 |
||||
categories: |
||||
- network |
||||
- tweak |
||||
- tips |
||||
--- |
||||
<!--break--> |
||||
<p><em>What is MAC address?</em></p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>- MAC stands for Media Access Control; it might not make any sense to anyone, but it actually is sort of serial number for every NIC. That makes more sense this way, doesn't it? MAC is 48 bits long; first 24-bit is to identify manufacturer. For instance, 00:A0:C9:1E:3E:CD is NIC from intel because 00:A0:C9 is OID--Object Identifier--indicated as "intel corporation."</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><em>Why do we have to change MAC address?</em></p> |
||||
<p>- There are numbers of reasons why we have to change MAC, but most of the time, we have to change to hide something or pretend to be different called MAC spoofing. For example, we have been blocked by school's network because we don't remember user and/or password or we suck too much bandwidth--torrent?. Then they blocked us! The easiest way to get away is to change MAC--it's like changing a badge :-P so, the system will recognize us as someone else. Or we are sniffing something and we don't want anyone to recognize us.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><em>How to change it then?</em></p> |
||||
<p>- Basically MAC is stored in ROM of each NIC, the only way to change that is to re-write on ROM with different number. However, the procedure to ask for MAC address is depending on OS, so why do we have to change physical stuff while software is much easier to change, right? Thus, it's all up to each OS.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><em>For Linux,</em> </p> <p>Well, Linux is powerful of tweaking thing as usual. Therefore, it doesn't need anything else rather the utilities it already has.</p> <pre class="html" name="code">ifconfig eth0 down |
||||
ifconfig eth0 hw ether 00:A0:C9:00:00:01 |
||||
ifconfig eth0 up</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>First command is to disable eth0. Then change the MAC address to 00:A0:C9:00:00:01 and bring it up. That's pretty easy, isn't it? </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>For BSD, </p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="html" name="code">ifconfig xl0 down |
||||
ifconfig xl0 link 00:00:00:AA:AA:AA |
||||
ifconfig xl0 up</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>It's working pretty much the same as Linux =)</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><em>For Windows,</em> </p> |
||||
|
||||
<p>MAC can be changed two ways: editing Registry directly or using Windows itself or 3rd party software. For editing Registry, you have to find in </p> |
||||
|
||||
<pre class="html" name="code">HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002bE10318}\</pre> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Then you will find a bunch of folders (0000, 0001, 0002, ...) You just have to go through everyone until you find NIC you want to change. After that, you will have to add "String entry" named "NetworkAddress" which has value as MAC you want such as 000475123456, no colon or anything between numbers. Then restart once or disable and enable that NIC. It will be all set.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<div><a class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this)" href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/registry-mac.png"><img height="166" alt="NetworkAddress - Registry Editor" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/registry-mac-thumb.png" width="240" border="0" /></a> |
||||
|
||||
<div class="highslide-caption">NetworkAddress - Registry Editor </div> |
||||
|
||||
<div class="highslide-overlay closebutton" id="closebutton" title="Close" onclick="return hs.close(this)"></div> |
||||
</div> |
||||
|
||||
<p>Another way is using 3rd party software. There are tons of software available to do this such as <a href="http://www.gorlani.com/publicprj/macmakeup/macmakeup.asp" target="_blank">Mac Makeup</a> or <a href="http://www.irongeek.com/i.php?page=security/madmacs-mac-spoofer" target="_blank">MadMACs</a>. Mac Makeup is for changing MAC pretty easy while MadMACs will random MAC address and/or hostname.</p> |
||||
|
||||
<p><a href="http://forum.mycapsules.com/discussion/6/mac-spoofing/"> >>Discuss more here<< </a></p> |
||||
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