Month: April 2010

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Sites Blocked in China

While in Shanghai for the World Expo 2010 the following are sites that I cannot access.

  • My Posterous Site – although I can send posts to my Posterous site via email, I cannot see how these posts appear on the site as I cannot load it.
  • Facebook – I have several comments I like to reply to on my Facebook Wall, but I cannot log into Facebook to do so.
  • Twitter – as I had mentioned in my post Internet Deprived in Shanghai, I cannot access any Twitter services or related sites.
  • FriendFeed – I cannot post anything to FriendFeed because the entire site is block. This may be because it is now own by Facebook.
  • YouTube – I cannot see any videos on YouTube referenced by articles/posts I read. Therefore missing much of the content of a post. This lack of access also eliminate my sharing of interesting videos found on YouTube.

Without the above makes it hard for me to share. Fortunately, I still have Google Buzz and Google Reader.

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iPad WiFi+3G Version Available at US Apple Store

Just received an email from Apple Marketing to let me know that the iPad WiFi+3G version is now available for order at the Apple Store US and Apple retail stores in the US. In the same email, Apple reminds its readers that there is an “iPad order limit: two per customer. While supplies last.” I wonder if this means the entire iPad line or two per model? From the reports throughout the Internet there may indeed be a 5 units “life time” limit per person.

Going to the Apple Store US indicates that the estimate ship date for the iPad WiFi+3G is May 7th, which is the previous rumored date of availability.

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Smartone-Vodafone Attempts to be Chic

Being one of the most critical users of Smartone-Vodafone (SMV) I am also someone who believes SMV can do better.

With the introduction of Zendgo on the SMV mobile network it is definitely a sign that SMV wants to be chic, whether it is time will tell. Using substitutions in place of Chinese or English characters in a message is not new. Taiwanese and mainland Chinese use numbers to represent phrases in SMS and IM. Japanese mobile and iPhone users have Emoji. Mobile handsets and carriers around the world had adopted Emoji as an alternative form of expression in SMS like emoticon‘s use for IM.

Why SMV invents a new form of emoticon, especially when its users have to subscribe to a tariff plan to use. Not to mention the recipients of these Zendgo message will either have to install a Zendogo client and/or subscribe to the SMV Zendgo plan to view the incoming message.

Can someone explains to me why SMV doesn’t simply promote the use of Emoji instead? It is free for all handsets that support it (ie. iPhone, Samsung selected models, LG selected models, and many others).

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Internet Deprived in Shanghai

As I stay in Shanghai on my 6th day I am staring to get Internet withdraws. It is not that I do not have access to the Internet. I do have access to my online store, my emails, my blog and some of my favorite sites.

Although this is possible the mainland Chinese government has effectively killed my net social life. Access to Facebook, Twitter and all Google feeds for blogs are blocked. For the latter I have to figure out the original site, visit it’s Home page and then locate the story I’m interested in. Yes, VPN is one way to get around the Great Firewall, but I am not that addicted to my net social life to pay for VPN service during my short stay in Shanghai, and the free services like Hotspot Shield is not helping.

For Twitter I use it more for sharing interesting finds on The Net and breaking technology related news. I hope my followers will not give up on me during my short period of hiatus. I guess I can only tell when I returns to Hong Kong.

Continue reading “Internet Deprived in Shanghai”

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Internet Deprived in Shanghai

As I stay in Shanghai on my 6th day I am staring to get Internet withdraws. It is not that I do not have access to the Internet. I do have access to my online store, my emails, my blog and some of my favorite sites.
Although this is possible the mainland Chinese government has effectively killed my net social life. Access to Facebook, Twitter and all Google feeds for blogs are blocked. For the latter I have to figure out the original site, visit it’s Home page and then locate the story I’m interested in. Yes, VPN is one way to get around the Great Firewall, but I am not that addicted to my net social life to pay for VPN service during my short stay in Shanghai, and the free services like Hotspot Shield is not helping.

For Twitter I use it more for sharing interesting finds on The Net and breaking technology related news. I hope my followers will not give up on me during my short period of hiatus. I guess I can only tell when I returns to Hong Kong.

Continue reading “Internet Deprived in Shanghai”

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Rogers is Hearing the Call. When Will Smartone-Vodafone

Several weeks ago I published an Open Letter to Smartone-Vodafone asking them to create a new tariff plan. Unfortunately, I have yet to receive any comments from SMV regarding my suggestions. Instead, it appears that Rogers in Canada is hearing my cry. The data plan that Rogers is considering is not specific to Apple’s iPad or iPhone, but they did mentioned Apple’s new device by name.

Too bad Rogers is a Canadian carrier who only operates in Canada. In the past carriers in North America had not taken the lead to innovate and change with the times. So it is a present surprise to see this from one of the older carriers in Canada.

Continue reading “Rogers is Hearing the Call. When Will Smartone-Vodafone”

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Rogers is Hearing the Call. When Will Smartone-Vodafone

Several weeks ago I published an Open Letter to Smartone-Vodafone asking them to create a new tariff plan. Unfortunately, I have yet to receive any comments from SMV regarding my suggestions. Instead, it appears that Rogers in Canada is hearing my cry. The data plan that Rogers is considering is not specific to Apple’s iPad or iPhone, but they did mentioned Apple’s new device by name. Too bad Rogers is a Canadian carrier who only operates in Canada. In the past carriers in North America had not taken the lead to innovate and change with the times. So it is a present surprise to see this from one of the older carriers in Canada.

I see SMV as a even more forward thinking carrier than Rogers, so if Rogers can consider it why hasn’t SMV mentioned anything. Is this really that difficult? Are there technical hurdles that cannot be overcome? Is this pure a business roadblock? Does SMV care?

Love to hear opinions for or against my suggestions, whether you’re in the telecom business or not, I love to hear from you. Please leave your opinions in the form of a comment here, on FriendFeed or Facebook.

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Apple Assures Users with Certified Installers

Check out the little icon at the top right of the window title. I just noticed Apple added a certificate to their software installers/updates, to assure users they are installing a package directly from Apple Inc.

Clicking on the icon brings up the standard Certificate Viewer dialog to show details of the attached certificate.

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Twitter BUYS Tweetie

The very popular iPhone app, Tweetie by Atebits (the Loren Brichter’s company) has been purchased by Twitter, the service it’s a client for.

Twitter decided to buy instead of recreate its own mobile client, so it settled on Tweetie. It rename the app to “Twitter for iPhone” and then make it free in the iTunes App Store.

Loren Brichter will join Twitter as a key member of their mobile team.

This has been confirmed by Evan William, one of the founder of Twitter, on their blog.

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