Travel n’ Tech Blog

I remember a few years back when I was starting out with developing a web presence. Some of the questions I asked myself:

1.  What language shall I use to develop for the web?
2. How do I present content to effectively communicate to the target audience/consumer?
3. Which hosting platform shall I choose when I finally publish the website?

I, then a novice at this, had to turn to good ol’ google for answers.

During most of my college life, I’ve been exposed to Open Source tools and software for development activities so I arrived at a straightforward answer to my first question. And why not? With open source, the tools are available for free, are perceived to be extremely reliable and secure, and there’s a huge support base of developers around the world. A very popular combination (for web server infrastructure ) being used is LAMP  — referring to Linux (as the operating system), Apache (as the web server), MySQL (dbase management system) and PHP/Perl/Python (programming languages).

Relevant content can go a long way. And it does help if the web interface — the over-all look and feel — is as good. As a beginner then, I started tweaking templates and customizing them. There are content management systems like Mambo and Joomla which are customizable and extensible, and themes that go with them. The web is full of them and it is up to you to decide which best suits the subject and target audience.

Finishing your website with all the needed content and graphics is no easy task. But once you’re done, you will need to find the right solution to host your website. Now whether you choose Windows or Linux hosting will depend on your database and scripting implementation (whether PHP, ASP, ASP.net, Perl), your website features and a lot more. The website Webhostingsearch.com will help you sort out the multitude of hosting providers out there by giving a summary of reliable hosting companies, price points and customer reviews / feedback about them.

For some of you just starting out, my advice is not to shun curiosity — just don’t be afraid to experiment and explore.

It’s just been a little more than a week since I arrived in Singapore and I’m already craving for Filipino food! I browsed the PinoySG forum and got some recommendations like:

     - 7,107 Flavors located at Marina Square, Unit #02-02
     - Jolly-V located at Lau Pa Sat in Raffles
     - Panyeros also at Lau Pa Sat
     - Mack’s Chicken Inasal Atbp located at Lau Pa Sat
     - Jologs located at Lucky Plaza 
     - Barrio Fiesta also at Lucky Plaza
     - Kabayan Restaurant at Lucky Plaza
     - Kamayan located at Tanjong Pagar
     - Kusina de Pinoy at Roxy Square (50 East Coast Road, Unit #01-80)

The last one, Kusina de Pinoy, happens to be just beside Paramount Hotel where I’m staying so I decided to check it out. They have a website at http://www.kusinadepinoy.com/ where they posted their menu and prices. (Just don’t start converting the prices into Peso since it’s above average, but well, reasonable in SG standards). Since they serve buffet every Sunday and offer free delivery around Katong area, I thought I might get my lunch delivered some time.

Being a spicy-food lover, I tried out their Bicol Express; I wasn’t at all disappointed. It is one of the best I have ever tasted. There was just the right combination of pork, coconut milk, sili and bagoong. And the serving size is good for 2 people. To top it off, I got Leche Flan for dessert.

Not bad for my first Filipino food binge in Singapore.

I’ll be working for a new company in Singapore and will be traveling there next week.  The country is the smallest nation in Southeast Asia, and is just a little bigger than Metro Manila. But size does not matter for this island-nation, because (according to Wikipedia) it is the 5th wealthiest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita.

Among the factors that made me consider accepting a job there is its safe, clean and green environment, very low income tax rates (averages at less than 10%), its predominantly English speaking people, and of course, it’s a hub for cheap electronics (Yahoo!). Its proximity to the Philippines (just 4 hours away by plane) means airfare costs are low (thank heavens for budget airlines) and will permit me to go home more often.

I’ve been watching the US Presidential Campaign quite closely. After all, changes in American politics will have a significant impact in global affairs.

When Sarah Palin was introduced as John McCain’s running mate, it was clear the Republicans wanted to leverage on the disgruntled supporters of Hillary Clinton by choosing a woman with executive experience as governor of Alaska. I was initially impressed by her charm and her platform for politics. Well that is, until her first series of interviews.

Her talk with Katie Couric was a disaster and gave me a glimpse of how inexperienced and how small her grasp is of national and foreign affairs. This sparked a number of spoofs on youtube which I found hilarious. My favorite is the skit done by Tina Fey on SNL. Here’s the encore:

This is the spoof of the actual interview:

Source: http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/couric-palin-open/704042/

I was playing around with the latest version of Google Maps (currently at version 2.2) and noticed a number of enhancements.

Google has a good tagline: “Download the application to your mobile phone, and never carry a paper map again.” And indeed I agree. With Google Maps Mobile, you can check out map views or satellite views of locations around the globe through your mobile phone. You can also get your current location using your phone’s built-in GPS receiver or using triangulation of cellular towers (if GPS is not available, but not as accurate though). The best feature for me is its search capabilities.

You can search for malls, restaurants, businesses, shops, roads, and a lot more. I tried it out with different places in the Philippines and it works quite well!

Searching for Pizza Hut in Metro Manila, you can get a list of results, pinpoint them on the map and zoom in:

Searching for Glorietta and Enchanted Kingdom:

More Satellite Views (Manila, Quezon City, Cebu City, Philippines, Eiffel Tower, Hong Kong and Window of the World):

Currently, Google Maps for Mobile supports the following phones: Blackberry, Windows Mobile (such as HTC, Palm W and more), iPhone and iPod Touch, Nokia S40 and S60 Phones (including N95, N Series and E series) and other Java-enabled phones such as Motorola Q, Sony Ericsson , Samsung (Blackjack or i600 series).

I find this app very handy, though there’s just one downside. You cannot operate Google Maps without an internet connection. This means that you can’t access the cached maps in offline mode but if you search the net there are some workarounds to this limitation.

To download Google Maps Mobile, point your phone browser to m.google.com/maps or http://www.google.com/mobile/default/maps/index.html on your PC browser.

Apple designs are such a beauty to behold. Even more so with its software and user interface. I never imagined migrating to a Mac would be such a painless experience.

Out of the box, my Macbook came with all the necessary basic applications such as iTunes, QuickTime, Safari for web browsing, iMovie for editing videos, iWeb for creating websites, iPhoto for organizing photos, Address Book, iCal and Boot Camp.

In the process of migrating from Windows, I scoured the web for these basic collection of free apps that I installed to keep me equipped while using Mac OS X:

- Filezilla (FTP client)

- Firefox (Web browser)

- Gimp (professional photo editing)

- Real Player (media player)

- Flip4Mac (QuickTime component for playing Windows Media files)

- DivX Player (play DivX videos)

- Tomato Torrent (torrent client)

- TextMate (all-around text / software code editor)

- ScratchPad (simple note taking app)

- Eclipse (software development platform)

- Yahoo! Messenger (chat and voice app)

- Skype (make free internet calls)

- Microsoft Messenger (another chat and voice app)

Some other commercial apps I use which are essential:

- Microsoft Office 2008

- Warcraft III (my all-time favorite game)

You may have already noticed that I didn’t list any antivirus program. That’s because with a Mac, you don’t need one. Not even anti-spyware or firewall software.

These are good sites I check out with listings and reviews of applications for the mac:

Apple Downloads - http://www.apple.com/downloads/

OS X Freeware Apps - http://www.myosxfreeware.com/

Cool OS X Apps - http://www.coolosxapps.net/

For over 5 months now, I have maximized the use of features of this phone - 3G, Wi-fi, GPS, Accelerometer, TV-out and mobile browsing. It has been a pleasurable experience so I want to share my compilation of useful applications for the N95 that makes your handset more than just a phone — it is, after all, a mobile computer.

1. Widsets - at the top of my list, this free app is my one-stop website aggregator. Widsets uses mini applications called widgets to push updates from your favorite websites directly to your phone. Stay in touch with email, blogs, news, information and even play games.

The library of widgets include Wikipedia, AccuWeather, Push e-mail, Flickr, Sudoku and over 4000 more. Before I leave for the office, I use it to ‘push’ content from my favorite news sites like Inquirer.net, CNN, BBC, Time, and favorite blogs like Engadget, Yugatech and Digg, for later offline reading.

Download Widsets here.

2. Yahoo! Go - Also a free app, Yahoo Go puts most of yahoo’s services in one application so you can check email, upload photos, download maps, get stock quotes, check breaking news, weather conditions or search the web in an integrated interface.

You can also extend its functionality by adding mobile widgets - be it an eBay widget, MySpace or MTV. This is second on my list since I read my Yahoo mail everyday and I often read them offline with this app.

Currently compatible with: iPhone, Windows Mobile device, Nokia S60 phones.

 Download Yahoo! Go here.

3. Nokia Podcasting - this built-in app for N95 is a podcast client that allows you to download subscribed podcasts (and even vidcasts or video podcasts) from the internet. It is very handy since it also has a podcast directory and even search capabilities.

Some of you might be interested to subscribe to free university podcasts where many universities (including Harvard, Stanford, MIT and Princeton) post their audio lectures through podcasts. There is a diverse collection of academic subjects available from business, governance, to science and technology.

Check out: Free Educational Podcasts

4. Google Maps - with this app you can get both map and satellite views of the area you are looking at, get directions and your current location using GPS and search business listings. This is a great app for travellers. Most Philippine cities (including Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao) are already covered with their database of satellite views, though not many roads, buildings and businesses are accurately named and plotted

Alternatives: Nokia Maps

Download Google Maps for Mobile here.

5. Fring - is an all-in-one IM (Instant Messaging) application that enables you to access and interact, make free calls and chat with all your Fring, Skype, Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger, ICQ, SIP, Google Talk, Twitter, AIM contacts using your phone’s internet connection.

And yes, you can make Skype-to-skype calls for free or make affordable local and international calls to landline and mobile phones using your SkypeOut/SkypeIn account. However, voice calls for Yahoo! and AIM is not yet enabled.

Alternatives:

- iSkoot

- Skype

 Download Fring here.

6. Screenshot - take screenshots of the entire screen with this app

Download Screenshot here.

7. Youtube for Mobile - this app enables access to youtube videos from your phone thru a sleek interface with search capabilities and convenient browsing.

Currently available for Nokia’s N73, E51, E61, E61i, E65, N95, 6120c, 6110n and Sony Ericsson’s k800i and w880i 

Download Youtube for Mobile here.

8. JoikuSpot Light - turns your S60 mobile phone into a WLAN (Wi-Fi) hotspot using the phone’s 3G internet connection. Multiple devices with wi-fi (such as your laptop, iPod Touch, pocket PC) can connect in parallel and share the same 3G internet connection.

Currently supported devices: Samsung i550, Samsung G810, select Nokia phones (N95, N93i, N93, N91, N82, N81, N80, N78, N77, E90, E71, E70, E66, E65, E61i, E61, E60, E51)

Download JoikuSpot Light here.

9. Calcium - an easy to use calculator for S60 phones. Download Calcium here.

10. Nokia Wellness Diary - Monitor and track a range of everyday well-being parameters, including weight, eating habits, exercise, blood pressure, and others thru this application.

 Download Nokia Wellness Diary here.

11. Nokia Step Counter - this app makes your phone work like a pedometer - It counts your steps and determines the distance you’ve covered and energy expenditure. Just carry your phone around whenever you move and the accelerometer tracks your movements and activates the counter. This application works in tandem with the Nokia Wellness Diary.

Download Nokia Step Counter here.

12: Nokia Audiobooks - This beta software from Nokia enables you to play audiobooks while on the go. The difference between Nokia’s Music Player is that you can browse chapters, set bookmarks and automatically continue from where you stopped listening with this app.

Download Nokia Audiobooks here.

So here they are — 12 apps that extend the functionality of the Nokia N95. Thanks to N95 Blog for good recommendations.

Also checkout Nokia Beta Labs for new applications.

When I’m out of the country I normally use Skype on my laptop to make free calls to my Skype contacts in the Philippines or call using SkypeOut to landline phones or cellphones at relatively cheaper rates. So when I read that Skype has launched its mobile application for the Nokia N95, I was thrilled and immediately wanted to try it out. 

Skype for Mobile already supports a number of phones from Nokia including: Nokia  5200, 5300, 6126, 6131, 6136, 6165, 6239i, 6233, 6234, 6265i, 6280, 7370, N80 and N95. You can download the software from the following link: 

Skype for Nokia: http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/download/skype/mobile/choose/#nokiaTab

The Skype for N95 download is a zip file containing a .jar and .jad file, which you can transfer to your phone and use to install the application. Here are some screenshots I took: 

I was quite disappointed with the dearth of features/functionality of this Beta app.

The good:

- you can add, remove and search for a contact (including SkypeOut contacts)

- edit and view profiles

- use wi-fi to log-in

The bad:

- receiving calls will use Skype credit

- the help menu states that you can use the application to make calls to normal phones using Skype credit, just as it does on your normal desktop PC; however, based on my trials,you cannot make outgoing calls to any of your skype contacts (only chat is available).

Since this is still in its Beta status (version 0.9.6.0), I expect more features to be added. Nonetheless, I found a much better alternative to Skype – Fring

With Fring, you can still use SkypeOut or make free calls and chat with your Skype contacts or use IM with MSN Messenger, ICQ, Google Talk, SIP and Twitter contacts. So far this is the only jack-of-all-trades IM & VOIP application I’ve found for the N95 that has the feature set I am lookin. 

Hardly a day goes by without getting connected to the internet to keep abreast of news and technology or check email. Nowadays, there are so many ways to access the net and the rates have become so affordable compared to the dial-up days. I am currently subscribed to Smart Bro’s Fixed Wireless Broadband for my internet connection at the apartment and when I’m mobile I connect through Smart’s 3G network with my phone.

Lately, I’ve been very enticed into subscribing instead with Smart Bro’s new ‘Plug It’ Broadband Internet, since the rates are as affordable - at Php 799 per month. This already includes 40 hrs of internet use and charges an additional P10 per 30-mins in excess of that. However, there’s an important technical aspect I have to consider - SIGNAL STRENGTH.

(Minus the heavy technical jargon) With Smart Bro’s Fixed Wireless Broadband, the antenna installed at the residence connects through ‘line-of-sight’ to a remote base station for maximum signal strength and speed. Meanwhile, with ‘Plug It’, connection is through Smart’s Mobile network. This means there is more variability in the data transfer speed of the latter due to the variable strength of 3G network signal.

So shall I sacrifice speed of connectivity of Fixed Wireless Broadband with the portability and accessibility that ‘Plug It’ Broadband offers? I guess I’ll have to wait for feedback from users of the service before I finally decide.

While in France, Mike and I have been planning to tour Paris one weekend and decided to go this Saturday.

At the top of my Must See Places are:

• the iconic Eiffel Tower, once the world’s tallest structure and the symbol for Paris worldwide;
• Arc de Triomphe, an arch commisioned by Napoleon Bonaparte to commemorate his victories at war;
• Louvre Museum - one of the world’s great museums, home to a huge collection of artworks including Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa;
• Notre Dame de Paris, a gothic cathedral made more prominent through its reference in Victor Hugo’s novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame;
• Montmartre is the highest hill in Paris where one can get a good view of the city (the place is also famous for their street painters and I plan to buy a painting as a souvenir);
• Champs-Elysees, known to be the most beautiful avenue in the world (also the site of expensive restaurants and the most exclusive brands in the world);

Mike took care of buying our train tickets (with the help of Alain) while I booked our hotel.

For my search of affordable hotels, the site Hostelworld.com proved very useful. Not only can you make reservations and check the price and availability of 15,000 hostels in over 168 countries on your travel date but the site also includes useful customer ratings, pictures, directions and location maps for each hostel.

So after taking care of itinerary, train tickets, hotel reservation and, of course, Paris bus and subway maps, we’re ready to go!