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I thought I'd go for a provocative title, but let's say from the outset that the iPhone is clearly better in many, many ways than the device I'm about to 'ramble' about... My girlfriend, Birgit, has an iPhone. What's more, she has a contract where you can pay €30 once, and you get a second SIM card. A second sim card, with unlimited data plan!? Now this seems like too good an opportunity to miss. My original motivation for this was receiving a new laptop that had a sim card slot, for mobile internet (my workplace is not quite so kind as to put something in it...). Part of the motivation too was the length of time it took to get internet in my apartment (its hard when there's no telephone socket...). At first I put the sim card in and had a lot of fun. A little too much fun: T-Mobile SMS'd Birgit to say her usage was unreasonable and they were reducing her bandwidth. Of course, seeing this iPhone all the time got me thinking... in America I could use a little bit of free WAP from T-Mobile, but I'd inherited Birgit's old American Nokia which claimed to do real web browsing. Also, knowing a tiny bit about phones, I knew there were these things called data cables and that maybe I could get mobile phone internet and mobile laptop internet all at once. This had the slight disadvantage that I had to use another phone/sim card to actually phone, otherwise I'd be calling on Birgit's number. I'll spare you the fun of how this all worked out, suffice to say:

• The Nokia web browser was unbelievably slow

• It was missing the radio band that T-Mobile use outside of cities... so it wasn't much good for my frequent train journeys

• Don't underestimate how capable your old phone might be with a data cable and a data plan - if it hadn't have been for this band issue I might have been happy

At the same time, Birgit didn't need her old iPaq anymore - after all she had an iPhone now (but actually I'd used it long before she had the iPhone, she is someone who firmly believes that everything should be in one device instead of two, so the idea of carrying a phone and a PDA didn't appeal). Now, this iPaq is quite old - no wifi, no sim card slot, no camera, and the Bluetooth profiles don't support connecting to the internet over an access point, but they do over a connection to another phone. But... the Nokia didn't have Bluetooth. One can browse the internet if you use activesync over bluetooth... but that isn't exactly mobile. There were initially two options I considered. One was to build a cable to match the serial ports (lots of signal conversion that has to be done), and the second was to buy an extension pack to take a sim card and turn the iPaq into a phone. The former was complicated (though I didn't rule it out) and the second was difficult because the packs are few and far between: to buy them new/refurbished was approaching $299, and the Ebay opportunities usually involved buying an iPaq with them, which seemed a bit silly! So, after realizing I really liked the Windows Mobile platform, some more pondering and automated ebay searching, I picked up a much newer iPaq (Windows Mobile 2003 instead of 2002) for around €50. This particular model (an hw6510) was usually selling for much more than that, and the one I got was in a real state - dirty, and the screen doesn't show green. After some cleaning it was a lot less disgusting, although the green was still missing(!) Apart from that it worked great, as a modem, as a note taker (it has a built in keyboard, with real keys), a radio listener, and as I recently discovered, a GPS-powered Google Maps navigator, just like an iPhone! The main subject of this post is about getting Java working on the phone, not because that's the most interesting thing necessarily, but because it involved so much googling that I felt I should archive the steps and useful info somewhere so I don't forget them. It's also a vaguely interesting issue in general for mobile technology, because Java 'MIDlet' packages were a really good way for services to provide cross-platform applications for phones. However, the future now looks quite bleak. Microsoft never supported them explicitly, the iPhone doesn't support them, and the Blackberry provides extra classes so that the system still works as a delivery mechanism, but only for a Blackberry. The big supporter of MIDlets is Nokia. So, my iPAQ didn't want anything to do with MIDlets. The previous one had come with a 3rd party JVM called Jeode, but my new iPaq didn't come with a CD, and the internet suggested the CD that would have come with it did not contain the wealth of goodies that the old one possessed (for example, a Sega Game Gear emulator!). And alas, the old software would not run on the new iPAQ. For a good overview of what the options are, I refer to this pretty comprehensive post. The conclusion is that most available JVMs have some defficiencies, but that Esmertec Jbed is the best, but only if you have Windows Mobile 5 or better. Next one down, and basically the only option for me, is the IBM J9. Jeode appear to have disappeared completely off the radar. Obtaining J9 is a little tricky, unless you're willing to part with $25 (or possibly $5.99, I can't tell which version I'm supposed to buy) and hope that it works (again, I can't tell which one I'm supposed to buy...!). I'm not sure if IBM have removed it completely or if its just for people outside of the US (I believe its the former), but it was never designed to be free as such. IBM gave it away as part of a 30 day trial of a larger development package which included software for mobile device deployment, WebSphere Everyplace Micro Environment MIDP 2.0. Some might already call it a grey area, but out of curiousity and fear that it wouldn't work, I searched for provision of the necessary files elsewhere. Eventually I was successful (that part I won't link to here... ) and after a lot of pain with a .cab file that wouldn't work (I had to expand the files and add the registry keys manually), it worked! So... why!? I thought I'd leave this part to last. There is one main reason people try to get this working on their phones: Opera Mini. As opposed to Opera Mobile, which is also a great browser, it is free, and the webpages are compressed and formatted via Opera, so it runs very fast. Of course in some cases you might not want pages to be squished into one column, but there are many cases where you might, and for pages already formatted that way, all you see is a speed/phone bill advantage. So far I also found a few other cool MIDlet apps: GMail, Mobile GMaps and RMV2Go (which will only be of interest if you live in Frankfurt). The links for GMail are below, as they don't tend to direct you to it anymore: http://gmail.com/app/v1.0.0/en/gmail-g.jar http://gmail.com/app/v1.0.0/en/gm-Generic-Advanced_MIDP2.jad A little tip: with the IBM software, it will accept .jar files directly aswell as .jad, and if you want to installed directly from the phone (which is sometimes easier), use file:/// (with 3 slashes!) then the path on the phone. Markus Brosch's blog gives a nice background/history using the J9 software, and also gives some example of how to create a link in the Programs menu to launch a particular app directly. I'm still seriously considering buying a copy, if I knew exactly what I should buy - the Handango links below all claim the software isn't compatible with my device: http://www.handango.com/catalog/ProductDetails.jsp?storeId=2218&productId=140968 http://www.handango.com/catalog/ProductDetails.jsp?storeId=2218&productId=140997 http://www.handango.com/catalog/SearchResults.jsp?storeId=2218&Ntt=ibm So in conclusion, why does the iPAQ kick the iPhone's ass? Well, it doesn't really, but here's a few advantages I've found so far:

• The main topic of this post: I can run software, any software that someone cares to write, such as a JVM. It sounds like SUN have a JVM ready for the iPhone, but they are prohibited from releasing it.

• Apps run in the background automatically, so I can tune in to the radio on Windows Media Player and then go do something else

• Syncing with Outlook is easy

• Tethering is easy, in fact it will now be prohibited on Birgit's phone on iPhone OS 3.1, even though she is one of the early customers who are actually allowed to do it (and getting it working on OS 3.0 wasn't easy either)

• I can access any part of the file system

• I can insert SD cards

• I can access Bluetooth access points (though this is hardly an advantage when you consider I can't access wifi access points without a plug in card...!)

• I have a REAL keyboard as well as a touchscreen (though not multitouch, of course)!

I think I'm still finding this last one the biggest difference. As for the coolest thing, I'm still finding the GPS incredible, its one of those things I never thought I'd need, but it makes finding things in a city I don't well very easy...

There is a bug in the f-spot facebook extension included with Ubuntu Gutsy and Intrepid (F-Spot crashes during authorization exporting to Facebook if friend IDs are large).  Didn't want to wait until Jaunty to upload pictures to Facebook, so I've compiled FacebookExport.dll using the upstream patch and copied it over /usr/lib/f-spot/extensions/FacebookExport.dll (making a backup of course!).  Works for me, but no gaurentees.

Simple Answer Use Right-ALT + 3 to type a # on Linux using a UK Apple Mac Keyboard. The Slightly Longer Answer The UK Apple keyboard layout does not have a Hash (#) key on it, and in mac it is typed by pressing ALT+3. This didn't appear to work in Xubuntu, until I ended up mashing the keyboard with anger and found out that you need to use the right alt key, then it works. No, it's not that interesting, but if someone is as silly as me, and googling for an answer, I hope they find this :)

ntpd is now working on mallard (so the clock is nolonger 3min slow). Apparently restrict -4 default ignore was to strict to actually synchronise with other servers, but restrict -4 default noquery nomodify nopeer notrap seems to work.

Guitar geeks might be interested in this. Finally finished my first all valve amp. It's basically a 70s Marshall 2204 JMP Master Volume (which then became the original JCM800 in the early 80s) with a couple of tweaks to the tone stack and a power amp direct in so I can use my JMP1 pre amp with it if i ever desire to. The wooden box was made from an old door that was kicking about my dads garage. Not sure if i'm going to leave it pure wood or paint it/tolex it. I'll have to see. The mains transformer is a weird one and seems to be giving pretty high B+ and heater voltages on its output (about 7.2V rather than 6.3). From what I can tell, it warms the tubes up alot more than usual, which means more electrons will be dissipated from the cathode which will either mean earlier saturation or MORE VOLUME! It will mean a shorter tube life, but I think I can live with it. Can't really do a thorough test as my neighbors and house mates are sleeping but watch this space for sound clips.. In a bit.. M

After poking about on the net for a bit, I was amazed to find no free drum replacement software for Intel OSX. I decided to make my own audio unit but got put off by the learning curve I would need to undertake for such a simple threshold->play sample effect. It's something I fully intend to do, but in the mean time - here is a little ditty i threw together in Reaktor. I have no idea why I didn't make this months ago. V simple concept but might save some of you ten of fifteen mins if your kick drums suck and you'd like a quick fix. Max Drum Replacer

I figured I should do something useful with my self so I built two Austin style ribbon mics out of some brass tube. The only thing I bought pre made was the transformer from Edcor and XLR connector. They're kind of in between an SM57 and a small diaphragm condenser. Have a listen for your selves. Building these was the most fiddley thing i've ever done. It took me a total of about 5 hours just to get the 0.6 micron think aluminum leaf cut right and maneuvered into place. It took like 15 tries per mic. The design was taken from a really mint guide that a guy called Rick Wilkinson made up (http://www.rickshawrecords.com/ribbonmic/). It consists of some 1 1/2 inch brass pipe with some grill holes cut out, with a ribbon motor made from acrylic rod mounted in the middle with some weather proofing tape. This then connects to an output transformer and out through the XLR connecter. All in all, i've spent about £55, which for two pretty good sounding ribbon mics isn't bad at all. Due to the ultra thin ribbon and the transformer - the output is also alot greater than chinese import things. This means i'm not going to have to get special preamps. Don't get me wrong, they're certianly no Royer killers, and the craftmanship is no Ben Askem, but they do the job nicely. Have a listen (excuse playing...): Mic tests Stereo overheads on drumkit in my middle room Stereo on acoustic guitar about 2 feet away. Mono on transistor fender stage 100 amp, center speaker, 2 inch away with telecaster, clean then distortion. No processing on any of them. Have a look: One of the mics (gaffa only temporary): Ribbon Motor:

Ian and I were walking along lawrence street, and had got half way across James Street, when a black car with a load of equipment on the top of it turned out of James Street towards town. We then spotted a small Google Maps logo on the side of the car, and promptly began to wave at the camera on the roof of the car. Yes. We were that sad. At least we didn't run after it though...

Obviously I am very cautious in making such strong statements, particularly with certain people browsing the blog... But I may have found something that I prefer in XP!

So here's the situation, I have my iTunes music folder on my mac, where any new CD or download (all perfectly legal... please don't remove my internet, Virgin Media) is kept. I limit this folder to a maximum of 8GB, so it syncs to my iPod nicely. When I run out of space, I have to decide which albums get relegated to being only on my server. I therefore need to keep the two folders synchronised.

In XP, it would be possible to drag the contents of the music folder on my laptop, to the music folder on my server, where I would be given the option to 'merge' the folders, so no time is wasted by replacing albums which I would forever keep on both laptop and server (i.e. Deloused in the Comatorium)

The only option given in Finder, is to replace the folders that have identical names. Which would probably end up in the Metallica folder on my laptop (containing only Kill 'Em All [hey, it's a great album to play along to]) replacing the Metallica folder on my server (containing all their work pre-Load [nostalgia]). Disaster!

Now, a little research tells me I can sort this out via Terminal, using the 'ditto' command.... I used:

ditto ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes\ Music/ Music

Whilst in the directory on the server. This does exactly what I want it to, so I guess there's not too much need for complaint, it's just a shame that I can't dot this through Finder, since I'm not very experienced with Terminal

So there it is... if anyone else had been wondering about this. Just make sure to add a few more commands to that line so you can keep an eye on progress.. I didn't, and had to keep checking through the folder on my server, trying to remember which albums were new. As we speak, I'm somewhere between M.I.A. and Roots Manuva (my God, I'm so fly)

If anyone can give me a heads up as to what extra bits I could add to the command, it will be much appreciated

Ben

Yep it was me. Instead of going all the way down to London to do it though, I stayed in York. Having seen no queue at about 1am there, I decided I may as well get some sleep beforehand. So I returned at 6:30am to find a queue of 19 people. I was #20! 3 and a half hours and a million technical problems later I was on my way out of O2, iPhone 3G in hand! (I even got a small round of applause for being the the first one to walk out with a smile!) Above image by Matt Gray
...and for those that haven't seen them yet, here are the pics of Mike that I've seen in the press :P Above image taken from this usatoday.com article
Above image taken from this yahoo news article