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LeTxt Review (Send FREE International SMS)

LeTxt is quite a new site, dedicated to send international SMS for free. Most free SMS sites only allow you to send local SMS and usually not internationally. LeTxt, however, allows you to send sms globally (they support a lot of networks internationally).

LeTxt allows you to send 5 FREE SMS per day and claims that they support 340 international providers in over 140 countries worldwide. I honestly can't tell whether whomever you are trying to send SMS to are in their supported network, so best is to register yourself and find out!

There is no catch at all with this site (I've used their services for a few months now). On the FAQ, LeTxt will send you an advertisement email every now and then to earn the "GOLD" credits (which you can use to further send extra SMS or other extra stuffs). I, however, haven't got any email yet so far. I assume probably because they are still new.

SENDING SMS

You can send an SMS to a contact number (which you can type manually) or using the address book (you add/edit numbers, names, etc and can also group them together!).

At the end of your sent SMS, however, they will put an advertisement text:

"FREE SMS from Letxt.com.au"

which I think is alright, considering they are giving a free SMS service for nothing. Their sites have a lot of ads though, but still considerably fine.

At any time, you can view the outgoing SMS reports (when did you send it, to who/what number, and also whether it's being delivered properly. So far, it only takes seconds for my SMS to reach its destination, which is fast. Hopefully, they maintain this good service when they get more customers onboard.

CONCLUSION

So far, this is the only service which can send FREE SMS to international mobile that I know of, which is reliable and hassle-free.

The only drawbacks are the advertisement text at the end (which limits your characters to about 130) and only 5 free SMS per day at this stage. However, this is more than you can get for a FREE international SMS service!

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Lunarpages web hosting review

Are you looking for a cheap but good webhosting? I've been using Lunarpages for years on a few websites and I've never regretted it.


At this moment, LunarPages is offering a hosting with 350 Gb of data, and 3500 Gb of free bandwith per month for just USD$6.95 for a 1-year webhosting! This also includes a free domain name of your choice (.com, .org, etc). If you already have your own domain name, there is an option to transfer your existing domain name to LunarPages.

If you let LunarPages "maintain" your existing domain name (or if you create a new domain name when hosting with them), they will waive the domain name renewal fee, as long as you host your domain name on LunarPages! This is what they called the "Domain name for life" offer on their website.

They also upgrade the space and bandwith every now and then. You, as existing customers, can simply email them and say you want to be upgraded too, and they will upgrade yours for free.

I never have any problems with them so far. You can have hundreds of email accounts set-up easily using the CPanel (the administration control panel), among with other features.

Their technical support is top-notch, and you will enjoy being pampered by them, where all of your support tickets are answered in minutes (or the worst, a few hours only).

They also have an affiliate program (you refer your friend to LunarPages, they sign up, you get around USD$65) and reseller programs.

Check their site here and sign up if you haven't got a host yet :)

You can contact me if you have other questions about them or post them in comments here, I'm happy to answer (and No, I don't work for LunarPages :))

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Australian Free SMS Sites

4th September 2007
These are some of the free SMS
sites that I've used or currently using. They are Australian-based and can only send to Australian recipients at the moment.



SMSPup
Sending one SMS will cost you 1 point. You earn points by clicking an email ads that they send you periodically (usually once a day or every several days). You need to send the SMS from their site only.

Address Book: Yes


Ads: Yes (link to their site at the end of your SMS)
Sender: Your mobile number





FreeSMSMate
Gives you 5 free SMSes daily. It will auto-refresh back to 5 free SMS every day. You can get further free SMSes by joining their promotions on the site.

Address Book: Yes
Ads: Yes (link to their site at the end of your SMS)
Sender: Your mobile number








MotoCrew
Gives you 50 free SMSes weekly. However, if there are too many people sending SMSes at a given time, you need to wait for half an hour for the "pool" to be refreshed/emptied.

Address Book: Yes, but only allows to save 10 numbers.
Ads: Yes (the sender is from 'Motocrew')
Sender: "Motocrew", so the SMS can't be replied to your number directly.




Youtext.com.au
After logging in, type in a number, your message, and then send. Fast and easy! I'm not sure what's the limit of daily SMS that you can send per day, although I've heard it's 5 SMS per number.

Address Book: No address book feature yet.
Ads: Yes (link to their site at the end of your SMS)
Sender: Your mobile number.

Conclusion

I usually use FreeSMSMate until I've wasted all of the SMS, and then start using the other ones. With SMSPup, you can just accumulate the points (by receiving the ads email and clicking them to get 1 point) until you need extra SMSes.

Check out my blog about Letxt as well here (they offer free 5 SMS per day (and not just to Australian mobile numbers).


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SMSDiscount Web API code

How does the SMSDiscount Web API works? If you have an SMSDiscount account (see my SMSDiscount review here), you can create your own web page that can send SMSes using your SMSDiscount account. I've created a simple html file that is very useful for sending a quick SMS to your "top" contacts (basically the people whom you send SMSes the most). You just need to upload this html to a folder in your web hosting/server, and then point your browser to this file to start sending SMSes with ease.



Screenshot:



What my script does:

• It will display your list of contacts (you have to edit this in the file)
• You select 1 contact and type your SMS message.
• The script will show the number of characters (make sure your message is no more than 160 chars!)
• Click send, and it will pop-up the status of the message you just sent.
  

Download the file index.html here (right click -> save as)


How to use the file (IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ):

• Open the index.html file in your text editor
• There are lines like these on the middle of the script

input name="to" value="#########" checked="checked" type="radio">Your Contact Name

input name="to" value="#########" type="radio">Your Another Contact Name

input name="to" value="#########" type="radio">More of Another Contact Name

Edit them! The value should be a contact's full mobile number (with country codes, etc). Change "Your Contact Name" to your contact's name.
You can add these lines as many as you want - try to keep it short though :) (or remove the excess lines)
The "checked" meaning that this contact will be the default selected (can only be 1 "checked" contact)

• At the end of the script, find these lines:

input name="username" value="YOUR_SMSDISCOUNT_USERNAME" type="hidden">

input name="password" value="YOUR_SMSDISCOUNT_PASSWORD" type="hidden">

input name="from" value="YOUR MOBILE NUMBER" type="hidden">

Modify the values to match your accounts at SMSDiscount.

VERY VERY IMPORTANT: This script will display your username/password on the browser and YES, people can see them if they view the HTML source code from the browser.
What you need to do, is password protect your folder!! (if you are hosting, there should be a feature to password protect a folder in the control panel)

• So, after you modify them, upload the index.html to your web server (say at http://myownserver.com/smsdiscount/index.html)
• Password protect the smsdiscount folder with your own so other people can't access this script
• Run the script on your browser by typing the URL: http://myownserver.com/smsdiscount/
• It should prompt your with username/password (if not, meaning you haven't successfully password protected your folder!!)
  

Done!

Please note that this is as simple as it can be. If you want address books, etc, then I'm afraid this is not intended for that. Use your SMSDiscount desktop application :) If you know a bit of HTML, you may want to make the page prettier, but I can't be bothered - this is as quick as it can, even if you only have a dial-up connection :)
Also, this script doesn't show you how many credits you have left, so make sure you check your credits yourselves (from the desktop application or from www.smsdiscount.com)

Happy SMS-ing :)


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HTC P3600i / Dopod d810 GPS lock takes forever?

This post is outdated, please go to http://www.michaelaulia.com/blogs/2007/09/htc-p3600i-review.html instead.

Ok, so you just bought this cool PDA, the HTC P3600i or d810 with GPS built-in and you have bought TomTom Navigator or any GPS software for it, only to find that it's not working?

The problem usually lies in the position locking of where you are! This may take minutes and sometimes ages until you've assumed that the unit is faulty.

What you need is another GPS locking freeware that locks your position quicker - there are a few around, but I used GPSTest (search for it on the web). You start it up, and after a few minutes (or seconds sometimes if you are not in CBD area), you will find these green bars going up and down, meaning the satellites are trying to lock into your position! Once you see these green bars going up and down one by one, you can smile as it means that your built-in GPS is working just fine.

Wait until there are 5-6 bars locked and the app will display "GPS is started". Close the application completely, and then, you can now open your Tomtom or whatever you are using, to get a lock. Since you've got a lock before, the GPS software (Tomtom, say) will not have problems locking into your position. It will still take a bit of time, but much much better than before.

Happy GPS-ing!
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How to add games to Vista Games Explorer

4th October 2007

If you have Vista as your operating system and have installed games on it, you must be aware of the Vista Games explorer (Start->Games). Sometimes you do a reformat but you don't want to reinstall your games. There are many ways to do it - manually or using a software/freeware to add games to Vista Games Explorer.


MANUAL WAY (If you are feeling powerful to tinker the registry yourself)

I've tried several guides, with registry file hack, etc and none seem to work, but this one does!
The idea is to overwrite an existing working game shortcut in the Games explorer and replace it with a new one of your choice. Then, let Vista recreate the file again, so you can repeat the same trick with other shortcuts.

So here it goes:
======================================
Some paths that I will refer to in the guide:

• BoxArtFolder = C:\Users\[YOUR USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\
  GameExplorer\GamesBoxArt
• GamesExplorer = Start->Games (Vista Games Explorer)
• RegistryPath = HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE_\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
  CurrentVersion\GAMEUX\S-something-something\ (different on each machine)

GUIDE:

1. Go to your windows explorer and make sure you tick "Show hidden files and folders" in my BoxArtFolder: there is an image file{0C8E9B05-09E6-4FDA-938F-D22F73AD5CD0}.jpg -> the Half-life source image boxar (It's supposed to be hidden/grayed)
   
   
2. Go to RegistryPath, there will be a list of games, including the half-life source, in my case, the ID is: {F9C9CC58-1D27-44A8-846E-7F1001048DC4} (will be different from yours). Have a browse and try to find which one it is.
   
   
3. There is a BoxArt value on the right, mine is empty when I open Regedit. So update it, point it to the BoxArt folder, to the file, in my case : C:\Users\[YOUR USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\
   GameExplorer\GamesBoxArt\
   {0C8E9B05-09E6-4FDA-938F-D22F73AD5CD0}.jpg
   
   
4. Refresh your GamesExplorer, and the Half-life source boxart will be updated; and "magically", a new image file will appear on your BoxArtFolder, {F9C9CC58-1D27-44A8-846E-7F1001048DC4}.jpg (I think Vista makes a copy of the original boxart and rename it automatically to the application id)
   
   
5. Now download a box art for your new game shortcut (let's say Oblivion), and put it in desktop, named boxart.jpg
   
   
6. Rename it to {F9C9CC58-1D27-44A8-846E-7F1001048DC4}.jpg (which is the Half-life boxart that Vista assigned to earlier) because we are going to replace it with a new game info.
   
   
7. Cut/move the file in the desktop into your BoxArt folder, it will ask whether you want to replace the file, say yes, move and replace.
   
   
8. Now open Regedit (Start->Regedit if you don't know), browse to RegistryFolder, modify the info on the {F9C9CC58-1D27-44A8-846E-7F1001048DC4} game.The basic ones you need to update: AppExePath, ConfigApplicationPath, Title -> update them from Half-life into Oblivion paths.
   
   
9. Go to GamesExplorer, refresh (the oblivion box art should appear, click on it, customize and update the shortcuts to new path and exe file)Voila! Now, to make the half life shortcut back again so you can do this trick to another game.
   
   
10. Run E:\Steam\SteamApps\[Your STEAM ACCOUNT]\counter-strike source\hl2.exe (My steam directory is in E)
    
    
11. Refresh the games folder, and a copy of Halflife shortcut will be re-created again, and it will be assigned a new id again on the RegistryPath.
    
    
12. Repeat this process with other games!! :)

If you don't have half life source, errr I'm not sure but according to marinexx on the other posts, you can double click an existing game (that exists on the game explorer) and Vista will recreate it again. I'm not sure about this one.


AUTOMATIC (Using an application to add games to the registry)

I'd like to thank those who dedicated their time to create an application that is so simple and fun to add games to the explorer. No more tinkering with the registry, etc.

Currently there are 2 applications that can add/edit/delete games from the Vista Games Explorer.

VGE Editor
Game Explorer Manager

I personally use the Game Explorer Manager. It's simpler and works for me. With VGE Editor, you need to have a game that has been added by Vista first before you can add other games.
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SMSDiscount Review

26th September 2007

I've been trying to find a cheaper alternative of SMS-ing rather than using my current mobile phone carrier. Trying out free SMS services here and there (which most of them put advertising texts at the end of your message, which is uncool)

After trying out some paid web SMS services, I'm stuck now at SMSDiscount!


With only 3 cents (in Euro) or 5 cents in Australian per SMS (depends on the country), I can send 5 more SMSes overseas instead of just 1 SMS with the same price! The service so far has been good, messages are sent in a snap, and so far I've encountered no problems on the service.

There are currently 3 ways to send SMS through SMSDiscount:
1) From their website
You can login to the site to send SMS (but there are no characters counting when you type and also no address book yet).

2) From their application
You download their nifty application, install it in your Windows machine (which has an address book, among other features). You can always check your credit here (it's displayed and updated
automatically when you send an SMS)

3) Through their web API
If you are a techy or at least know some web programming, you can then create your own web page to send SMS using your SMSDiscount account. I use this as it gives me the easiest access and quickest access to those friends (or my girlfriend :)) whom I SMS a lot everyday without having to click on her name on the address book, etc.

Please let me know if you'd like my sample code to be used for yourselves!


Screenshots:


Fig 1. SMSDiscount Application


Conclusion

I've tried other paid SMS services, but none gives me the satisfaction of SMSDiscount! Give it a go and let me know if you enjoy it as much as I do!

Happy saving and SMS-ing! :)
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HTC P3600i Review

25th September 2007

Well I'm not a professional reviewer, just a casual user who wants to share his experience with the new P3600i ^^
I was replacing my mini O2 so most of the words I say will unfortunately compare my mini with this one (besides migrating from WM2003 to WM2006). This short review should be useful to those who want to purchase HTC P3600i.

The positives:

The Phone

• The phone itself is sort of similar in weight and size with my mini O2; I still put it in my pocket, even in my jeans pocket (I hate hanging my phone on my belt like some people do)
• It's responsive (due to more processor power + I guess the more stability of WM2006)
• It has more memory to install your programs to (No more headache of "install as many programs as possible in your storage card!). Although I'm still installing some stuffs in my storage card, depends on how crucial the program is to be in memory
• Built in GPS! It may take some time to lock your position (depends on where you are). Have a look at my other blog entry here if you are unsure if your GPS is working or not.
  
• Haven't tried the camera but I'm sure it's much better than my mini O2, but don't expect it to replace your digital camera! Personally think the new Nokias/Ericsson have better cameras. Well it's a PDA, what do you expect?
• Can accept 4 Gb (I saw the sales assistant put a 4 Gb miniSD on it and the file explorer could see it as a 4 Gb storage card). I only use 1 Gb though and it's so much more than enough, but I guess some people require more.
• It really has a power off/shutdown feature (my mini O2 can only put the phone in "standby" mode if you press the power button)
• Doesn't come with any miniSD at all! but with $25 just to get a 1 Gb, I think no one should complain here.

WM2006 and its default applications

• Much much more intuitive then the WM2003 in terms of interface and menu, etc (for calling, sms notifications, etc)
• Built in Voice Commander to those who use it.
• Comes with the latest .NET framework installed.
• WM2006 doesn't suffer from the WM2003 "Non-wake up" bug (alarm doesn't go off)
  

The negatives:

The Phone

• It has 180 Mb memory to be allocated for installed programs and 49 Mb memory for running programs. So far I've had 20 Mb left in the Programs memory and at one time it went so high that the phone "freezes" like my mini O2.. maybe I've installed too many "crap" in there lol.
• The stylus is at the bottom right instead of the top right.. this is not a negative I guess, as I'm used to inserting my stylus from the top of the phone, but I guess it's harder to insert from bottom-up (if you're not careful you might drop it :) )
• Fingerprint magnet like CNET reviews said! But I've put it on the pouch that I used for my mini O2, so no more finger magnet.
• No built in radio (although I don't hear radio much)
• Doesn't come with a regular audio jack, so you may need to get a converter if you want to plug in yours to this baby!
  

WM2006 and its default applications

• The battery power somehow only displays 100%, 90%, 80%? Instead of 87%, 93%, etc
• If you want to sign in to your WLM (messenger), it forces you to add all of your MSN contacts to your phone address book!! This put too many rubbish in there which most of them contains just email address and you'll never gonna call those people around the world anyways!
• A few reviews say that it's bundled with Tomtom navigator?? Definitely not.
• Why Microsoft doesn't allow sync based on Wi-fi? I hate using bluetooth on my Vista and USB cable..It's probably security thingie, but can't they just put passwords connection or something?
• Can't select all contacts in your address book. After the horrible 200 hundred of my MSN contacts added in there, I had to manually select one by one and remove them :(
• Err it forced you to enter your email server/pop3 settings, etc for Email messages (I don't use that phone for emailing, so I entered a dummy account) upon first usage.
• Memory handling of the OS is still not satisfactory. You'll still need to soft reset every now and then because your free memory suddenly drops to 3-5 mb free even though you've closed all applications (I mean, really CLOSED, not minimise)

Photos taken by the built-in camera:





Conclusion

So far, this is the best PDA phone that I've ever had. It's stable, fast, looks sleek and quite affordable. You may want to check other reviews as well if you are still considering to get it. But with built-in GPS, the latest Windows Mobile 2006, nothing can go wrong with this one!

Please feel free to RSS subscribe this post or come back in a few more days. I might add more stuffs here in the future.

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Pic2Color - online color pick tool

This online color picking tool is very useful especially for web designers. It will automatically gives you all of the colors in hex based on the picture file that you uploaded.

The steps are pretty simple, you upload your picture (usually a company or user logo) and then let the tool gives you all the colors combination found on the picture, in which you can use for your pages.

Check my screenshot below:

I'd recommend to use this tool instead of opening your logo in a Photo editing tool and then pick the colors one by one manually :)
The site is at http://www.pic2color.com

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