Colin Charles Agenda

Reading Dave Hall’s experience with 3, I can attest to their horrendous service. I never looked at Virgin offering cheap rates, but from their website, it seems that on a post-paid account, I can get 300MB of data for $10/month. I’m currently paying 3 $29 for 200MB of data (and yes, they’re cheaper than what Optus can offer).

Which certainly has me interested in becoming a Virgin post-paid customer. From their website, it seems that if I just want a SIM, I’ll be a pay as you go customer. Which works out well for me, as all I really want is data + any excess (at 1.5c/KB).

However, what Express Card can I buy outright or via eBay, that will work with Linux (and preferably, OS X)? The Novatel Merlin U530 that Dave has is a PCMCIA card, not something that most newer laptops have. What are my ExpressCard options? And does Virgin charge for roaming rates? 3 charges you extra if you’re not within their 3 Broadband Zone and are Roaming [via Telstra]. 3’s advertised MobileBroadband card now apparently offers an Express Card option.

Technorati Tags: data, 3g, virgin, 3, expresscard

I have deeply started liking to use my Jabra BT20V Buletooth headset, as its just dandy for hands free communication, and it was ridiculously cheap.

However, I have also found out that the device does not pair with multiple devices. So, if you have two Bluetooth capable phones (like I do now, but not when I first wrote that “review”), only one phone can actually be paired to the headset at any given time. This is, rather inconvenient.

A review of the Jabra BT8010 basically states that it can pair with 2 devices, but was buggy (firmware fix helps). But it also costs USD$149!

If anyone has any idea about Bluetooth headsets, please do assist in recommending one. I’m after largely one that will pair with at least 2 devices. If it does more, say 2 mobile phones and 2 computers (I’d ideally like to pair my headset with four devices eventually) and works seamlessly, i.e. it can answer calls from any device (I don’t expect it to make calls), I’m definitely in the market for such a device.

(for reference: bt250v review at dealtime, google says that older headsets had this feature and newer ones don’t - why’d anyone remove such a useful feature? hbh-30 works, but newer headsets suck)

Technorati Tags: bluetooth, jabra, jabra bt250v, nokia, multiple devices, pairing

Most of the software I use is open source software. However, some software I use is just plain free software that has no source associated with it (like Skype and Gizmo Project). I took the challenge of wanting to run a 64-bit desktop, and I guess there are problems, but thats the beauty of Linux - you’ll want to fix said problems.

Google is always helpful - I found the Cedega wiki on how to setup a clean 32-bit chroot with debbootstrap. I improvised a little. I now have Skype running.

Setting up a 32-bit chroot on your 64-bit Ubuntu

• sudo apt-get install dchroot debootstrap
• sudo mkdir /chroot (/chroot is arbitrary. You can call it /feisty32 or /hoary32 or whatever you please depending on your requirements.)
• echo “feisty /chroot” > /etc/dchroot.conf
• sudo debootstrap –arch i386 feisty /chroot http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
• sudo chroot /chroot
• dpkg-reconfigure locales (I chose en_AU, you probably want to chose whatever else you use)
• Edit /chroot/etc/apt/sources.list and make it so that its:

  deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu feisty main restricted universe multiverse
  deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu feisty-security main restricted universe multiverse

• Now, perform the apt-get update; apt-get upgrade routine
• Out of the chroot, there are some interesting files to copy into the chroot:

• sudo cp /etc/passwd /chroot/etc/
• sudo cp /etc/shadow /chroot/etc/
• sudo cp /etcgroup /chroot/etc/
• sudo cp /etc/sudoers /chroot/etc/
• sudo cp /etc/hosts /chroot/etc/

/home   /chroot/home    none    bind 0 0

/tmp    /chroot/tmp     none    bind 0 0

/dev    /chroot/dev     none    bind 0 0

/proc   /chroot/proc    none    bind 0 0

#!/bin/sh

/usr/bin/dchroot -d "`echo $0 | sed 's|^.*/||'` $*"

That’s it. You’ve now got a 32-bit chroot environment, and can install any 32-bit apps you please.

Installing Skype
First up, go download the .deb file from Skype. Then:

• dchroot -d
• dpkg -i skype.deb (Now, it will complain about missing debs. Then, I ran sudo apt-get install libstdc++5 libqt3-m. It will complain, so just do a sudo apt-get -f install.)
• Excellent, Skype is now installed. Exit the chroot.
• sudo ln -s /usr/local/bin/do_dchroot /usr/local/bin/skype
• Now, run Skype!

I did this similarly for Gizmo Project. Sound works a charm (thanks to /dev being mounted). The applications seem to run just fine.

Technorati Tags: skype, 64bit, 32bit, chroot, gizmo, debian, ubuntu

Its 2007, I’m tired of driving around and not being able to pick up my handset (or doing so, and looking over my shoulder), and its just so much fun chatting into blank space (to onlookers). Okay, all that’s a lie. Stewart & I were looking for a power adapter for his laptop, and we found a closing CompUSA store; Bluetooth headsets were going off for about 50% discount, so I only paid USD$30 for this baby. Go Jabra BT250V!

I hesitated in its purchase, not sure if the charger will blow up when I bring it back to Australia, but the store clerk was ridiculously helpful in finding out. The Motorola headset that was for sale was about half the size of the Jabra, but according to the store clerk, he’s received complaints about the Motorola. Plus the Jabra advertises that it performs better against wind. So I picked it up on a whim.

No returns for me (considering I was going to hop on a plane in a couple of hours after said purchase). Charged it up yesterday, paired it with my Nokia N73, and I’m a happy caamper. It just works. In fact, I can voice dial using the Jabra as well.

It comes with a Mini Gel, and that can be changed depending on which ear I want it configured for. I must say, the behind the ear design is a little odd, so it takes some time to get it on my ear, but once that’s done its a secure fit, and seems rather comfortable. It advertises 8-10 hours of talk time, I haven’t tested it yet, but with a 2 hour to full charge time, I’m kind of impressed. Did I mention, it vibrates, when you’ve got a call - so my phone can be in silent (non-vibrate) mode in my pocket when I sit in the train, and still answer my calls with great ease.

What I do dislike about the charging scenario is that I have yet another American style charger (ick! but not the Jabra’s fault), and you need the little charging dock that comes with the Jabra. You can’t just plug the charger in, which seems a little daft, so this is extra stuff I’ve got to carry when I travel.

Technorati Tags: jabra, jabra bt250v, bluetooth, headset, nokia

Its the end of another month, maybe I’m entitled to be a little peeved?

Thunderbird. In Linux, its Edit -> Account Settings. On Windows and OS X, its Tools -> Account Settings. On OS X, its Thunderbird -> Preferences, on Linux is Edit -> Preferences. Yes, I see the importance of making local users a lot happier about where to find things, but I’d very much like it if it was made easier to support (so no matter what OS I use, I know if said application is to be used, I can guide someone over the air, on what to do).

Ekiga of late, thinks I have a non-full-duplex sound card. Yes, I know, laughable, in the 21st century. Look at this in amazement:

Could not open audio channel for audio reception

An error occured while trying to play audio to the soundcard for the audio reception. Please check that your soundcard is not busy and that your driver supports full-duplex.
The audio reception has been disabled.

Yes, that’s right. I can’t have Rhythmbox playing, and Ekiga working, at the same time. I can however have Rhythmbox playing, and make/receive a Skype call just fine. How ironic.

However, I’m still a big fan of Ekiga. Its not proprietary like Skype. In fact, if more had Ekiga accounts, it would rock (I’m colincharles at ekiga, just like skype). Skype on Linux looks like arse when you’ve used Skype on OS X (or Windows). Not only does it look bad, it actually has so much less features, than the other Skype platforms. Is Skype 1.3 ever going to die, so we can see at least Skype 2 on Linux?

One of the reasons I registered a Gizmoproject account was so I could make SIP calls and GizmoOut calls via my N770. Seemed viable then, but the service quality is pretty bad (sadly, Skype’s actually better in that respect). Skype mentioned that video calling was coming for Linux on the Nokia N800 - is it? On that tangent, I’m glad I still don’t own one, as people seem to be having failures - reboots and window problems.

Technorati Tags: skype, ekiga, sound cards, drivers, sound drivers, full duplex, thunderbird, software

Have an Intel Mac? Rely on SIP soft phones, like X-Lite? Realize that it always crashes?

Try the beta, from CounterPath. It’s not called X-Lite, its beta, so it might eat your babies, but I’ve been using it for a while (because MySQL loves VoIP), and it works a charm. Looks like my office phone is back in business, even when I’m on OS X.

Skype 2.5 Beta is out for Mac OS X. Bottom line is, I’m rather excited and hope that we’ll see more of this in Linux land (webcam support, SMS).

I eagerly tried out the SMS feature, which is something I’ve longed for. It costs 0.071 Euros to send a message to an Australian mobile. At today’s exchange rates, thats about 12 cents Australian. Cheapest SMS sending facility available, I would think (15 cents on the 3 network, 25 cents on the Optus network), save for free services such as smspup.

By default it sends out messages sent out as your Skype name. What they don’t tell you in their default warning is that the custom ID is usually limited to the first 11 characters. For that, you’ve got to learn about setting your sender ID. All fine and well, another 12 cents down the drain and now SMS messages sent from Skype look like they come from my mobile phone!

I can imagine this being annoying when I move between Australia and Malaysia and want my number to be set in a certain way, but I’ll worry about that when the time actually comes.

The Show History feature is completely useless. Last time I used to be able to tell what calls were made, and what the duration of the call was going to be. To make it more useful, it should have shown me how much it was going to cost. Now the only way to get such information is via logging into their web-based interface.

Reviewing the changelog it does seem like some of the bugs that annoyed me (like not seeing any text in a Skype chat window when the main chat window was closed - affectionately known as the grey blank chat window) have been fixed. Maybe it’ll be more friendly with my USB headset (i.e. I don’t have to go to Preferences to “activate” it).

Technorati Tags: beta, macosx, skype, sms, webcam

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has decided that by December, next year mobile number portability will be available in Malaysia. This has been available in Australia since September, and more importantly in Singapore since 1997! (read more on mobile number portability).

A proposal has been floating around since 2004, and its going to take them another year to implement it. Three years to conduct research. Datuk Dr Halim Shafie, heading the Commission and all their research has decided that Maxis, Celcom and DiGi are receptive to the idea - so what’s the reason for the deferment?

Healthy competition between three providers is hard to do. Opening that limit up in itself will encourage more competition (even for service reselling, like how B resells Optus). Of course in Malaysia, its all about protecting the connected companies.

“Telcos in those countries have improved their delivery services since MNP was implemented,” he added.

It seems like Halim Shafie knows what MNP will mean for the consumer. Yet, its been dished about for the last couple of years. Let’s hail the day a consumer rights group in Malaysia will actually be taken seriously or perform useful actions.

Technorati Tags: malaysia, mcmc, MNP, mobile, number, portability