Tech by Victor

Your favorite multi-platform messenger Whatsapp might not get be supported Oη the  Blackberry 10 platform according to a member of the Whatsapp team. If indeed this turns out to be the case, then it's definitely going to be a disappointment for  Blackberry fans who still enjoy interacting with friends Oη other platform. Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

Thinking of buying a phone on a budget that also ensures your social online presence? The Nokia Asha 205 might just be what you really need. This QWERTY keyboard phone's design may not really be all that, but what's one to expect from a phone intentionally made affordable? A great bargain in my opinion as it wouldn't cost more than N1,000 to purchase this dual sim phone armed with features such as a dedicated Facebook button, threaded view sms ~Blackberry feel~, FM recording, in addition to being deeply socially integrated. It comes with a selection of popular social networking apps: Facebook, Twitter, eBuddy messenger, even Whatsapp(single SIM version). Definitely a phone to watch out for from Nokia.

A few of the Service Providers I have been fortunate enough to use their internet or data plan includes MTN, Airtel and Etisalat. From my experience MTN has been quite unreliable, the few times I subscribed for their data plan my data usage ran faster than my browsing speed. Airtel on the other hand had been manageable up until a couple of days ago my remaining data allowance mysteriously disappeared from my phone, before that I had already noticed a discrepancy between the data balance I got using *123*10# and the one returned using *141*712*0#. The only Communication Service Provider that hasn't disappointed me yet data-wise is Etisalat. They have the most pocket friendly data plan and their data plan readings has been quite accurate to the best of my knowledge. Which of 'em has been reliable to you?

MTN has lauched a Mobile TV Service that would allow it's customers to enjoy live TV streaming, the service is said to be accessible from any data-enabled device ~in broken words: any phone wey fit browse~ irrespective of whether it's a Nokia, Blackberry, HTC, Samsung or an Apple device on the MTN Network. No special requirement would be needed. Service Portal Link: www.mtnonline.com/imoovtv With the high cost of accessing the internet in this country, guess a lot of consumer's wallet would be doing some "working out" in other to get this service "working on" their devices.

While conversing with a friend I was asked the differences between GPRS, EDGE and 3G, decided to share my little knowledge about the topic in case you might be confused about it too. Before advancing, it should be known that 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G etc refers to the different generations of wireless communication technology characterized by having a defined range of speed. GPRS(General Packet Radio Service) GPRS is a packet-based* wireless communication service. It is a 2G technology network that support a download speed of up to 114Kbps. Limitation of GPRS is that GPRS data cannot be sent while a voice call is in progress. EDGE(Enhanced Data GSM Evolution) GPRS and EDGE are both 2G technology but EDGE is significantly faster with a dowmload speed of up to 384Kbps. EDGE is sometimes called a 2.5G network as it also has some characteristics of a 3G network but it doesn't satisfy the specification. 3G Introduction of 3G network made video calling and seamless streaming o...

Words in the air is that the Administration of Abuja plans on spending about N295 million on Spy Balloons, in a bid to improve security. Wonder why Spy Balloons would be required when cctv are installed in every nook and cranny of the capital city, not forgetting that we also have a functional satelite in space. Spy Balloon is such an obsolete technology, considering that they have been around even before World War I, hence would be a waste of valuable resources.

Apple's latest mobile operating system iOS 6, is now available for download online. The OS has a whole lot of new features like a new map, improved Siri, Facebook integration, redesigned Mail, Guided Access etc. The YouTube app and the Google Map has been removed from iOS 6. iOS 6 is compatible with iPhone 3GS, 4, 4S, 5, iPod touch(4th and 5th generation) and iPad 2.

Development kits sent to developers give the impression that Playstation 4 might be armed with up to 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage(preferably SSD). Playstation 4 would likely be shipped with all standard inputs/outputs that came with Playstation 3 including HDMI and Wi-Fi. I know I'm not the only one hoping it'll be affordable.

Microsoft Releases Windows 8 ------------------------------ The much anticipated Windows 8, a successor of the Windows 7 OS was released into the technology world. Windows 8 features a new Start menu, a new Metro interface and a new File Explorer interface with ribbon, in addition to a host of other features. Apple unveil iPad mini ------------------------------ A smaller and more portable version of the iPad with a 7.85 inch liquid crystal display set to hit the shelfs November 2. Samsung Galaxy Note 2 ----------------------------- A massive 5.5inch display mobile phone termed phablet(not sure whether it's a phone or a tablet) was released into the smartphone market by Samsung.

Plato said "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." This is particularly true if you meet someone using a BlackBerry, perhaps the hardest of all battles. But they don't deserve pity. Around BlackBerry users, we must remember manners, courtesy, and a few basic rules of kindness. Don't be a snob. Gadget snobbery is never OK. It's ignorant and obnoxious to tell someone they're a bad person because of a phone (unless that phone is a Galaxy Note). Within the rest of the handset nebula, you should let your fellow man stand by his choice. But BlackBerry owners are different. They were once a haughty, QWERTY-clutching elite—bankers, lawyers, Illuminati chairmen, Yale professors, and various other broad-jawed goons from the corridors of power. No more. The RIM faithful are the people who got left out of the doomsday vault—the Japanese soldiers still wandering around the jungle waiting to snipe GIs. They're at a point beneath teasing. ...

Microsoft plans on storming the Tablets market with 'Surface' which runs on the Windows 8 operating system. The Surface tablet would be available in two versions 'Surface' and 'Surface Pro' running Windows RT and Windows 8 Pro OS respectively, both sports a 10.6-Inch ClearType HD display and will have memory of 32GB, 64GB or 128GB. Release date has been set at 26th October.

Having been a victim of motherboard failure, I decided to share tips on how to prevent my readers from going through the same ordeal I went through. Below are things I should have done to prevent my motherboard from failing. 1. Keep system ventilated to prevent high temperature and ensure the system cooling fan is working each time you turn on your computer system. 2. Blow dust away from your system atleast once every week. 3. Try not to over-task your system processor and motherboard ie using applications requiring higher configurations than what can be obtained on your computer system. 4. Check power rating for power pack before using it with your system, as incorrect rating could lead to the circuit board being fried. 5. Ensure the system is kept away from powerful magnetic field. 6. Keep water and other liquids away from your system.

A close look at Blackberry Aristo and iPhone 5 spec, one would conclude that RIM is trying to imitate iPhone 5 while also wanting to improve on some of its features. Firstly, the adoption of a non-removable battery which is the standard in Apple smart devices seems unnecessary and disappointing to say the least as most Blackberry devices hangs and/or lock-up quite often and removing the battery is a quick wayout which is a norm among its users. Also packing this smartphone with features upon features isn't so much of a good move. DLNA Support, microHDMI out, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer, Altimeter, Wi-Fi direct, NFC, hot swappable microSD slot, 4 microphones, face detection, etc...powered by a 2800mAh battery. I mean what are they trying to makeup for or distract users from? Aristo's hardware maybe mindblowing but it's dead on arrival(DOA) if the OS aint ...

Chipset: Qualcomm APQ8064 (Quad Core 1.5GHz) OS: BlackBerry OS 10 Network: LTE Display: 4.65 inch Memory: 16GB RAM: 2GB Camera: 8MP (2MP Front Camera) Battery: 2800mAh sealed battery with non-removable door Others: NFC, Bluetooth V4, A-GPS, DLNA Support, microHDMI out, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer, Altimeter, Wi-Fi Direct. Note that this phone comes with a non-removable battery, not sure if that's a good thing as most Blackberry phones usually forces its users to own atleast 2 batteries. Aristo means Best in Greek. Sure hope they're talking about the software when they say best, because according to the above listed spec, the phone is by no means the best in smartphone market. Waiting to be surprised by Blackberry OS 10.

Tech by Jay wishes Nigerians a Happy Independence celebration as they celebrate their 52nd Anniversary.

In order to keep your account secure, here's a list of to-do: 1. Strong Password: You should have a unique and complex password for your fb account and keep this entirely to yourself. This password should be different from the ones you use elsewhere. 2. Log out: Ensure you log out when you're done, especially when using a public computer or someone else's mobile device. You should also never check the "Remember Me" box when logging in from a public computer, as this will keep you logged in even after you close your browser window. 3. Secure Email: It's necessary that the email you use for your Facebook account is a secure email since anyone who can read your email can probably access your Facebook account. 4. Log in at Facebook.com: There are phishing sites made to look like the real facebook site in order to get your login credentials. Make sure sure the address on the address bar is ' www.facebook.com '. 5. Avoid Friending everyone A c...

An artist, a lawyer, and a computer scientist are discussing the merits of a mistress. The artist tells of the passion, the thrill which comes with the risk of being discovered. The lawyer warns of the difficulties. It can lead to guilt, divorce, bankruptcy. Not worth it. Too many problems. The computer scientist says "It's the best thing that's ever happened to me. My wife thinks I'm with my mistress. My mistress thinks I'm home with my wife, and I can spend all night on the computer!"

The cost of producing a single unit of iPhone 5 is said to be around $167 but the phone sells for about $199 to $399 depending on the memory size. This means that Apple would be making over $30 for each and every single unit of iPhone 5 they sell. Normally, this might have or should have been overlooked but the iPhone 5 lacks a single feature capable of making the news, it lacks NFC(Near Field Communication) which is now a standard in the smartphone market, even Nokia featured it in Lumia 920 using it for Wireless Charging. Here is a list of the cost of some of its components; · The 4-inch 1136x640 pixel display costs $18 · The touch screen $7.50 · One battery unit is $3 · The A6 processor $28 · The camera stands at $10 · The built-in WiFi/Bluetooth/GPS is $4 Putting everything into consideration, Is the iPhone 5 a cheap plastic?

Ever wanted to try out an Android OS on your iPhone 2G and 3G. Here are 10 steps to make it happen. 1. Make sure your iPhone is jailbroken. 2. Open Cydia on your device, then click on 'Manage' followed by 'Sources'. 3. Click 'Edit', then 'Add'. 4. Enter " http://repo.neonkoala.co.uk " and click 'Add Source'. 5. Search for 'Bootlace' and install it. 6. Goto the iPhone's home screen and launch 'Bootlace'. 7. Download and install OpeniBoot. 8. Then install(This is the Android OS). 9. Select QucikBoot tab and click on the Android logo. 10. Your iPhone should reboot into the Android OS. NOTE - The OS works in a dual boot config i.e. You can choose to run either the iOS or the Android OS. - Only works on iPhone 2G and 3G - There may be a decrease in your phone's battery life - Bugs might be encountered

Galaxy Note II An amazing device, the galaxy note II introduces Air View, this means that you can actually view stuffs with the S pen like your messages without actually touching the device. This device is packed with so much functions that it could literally almost knock Galaxy S III off the shelf. The downside of this device is the battery life, doesn't last as much as you'd expect. The size of this device can be a plus or a minus depending on your view of a device such as this. The screen is perfect for broswing and watching video on the go but its portability is questionable. Verdict: This is a must-have gadget Specification Os: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Camera: 8MP, 1.9MP Front Display: 5.5inch HD Super AMOLED Network: 4G LTE, 3G HSPA+21Mbps Processor: 1.6GHz Quad-Core RAM: 2GB Memory: 16/32/64GB microSD expandable up to 64GB Others: Air View, A-GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, NFC, S Beam, Screen Recorder, VPN, VMware MVP

Chipset: A6 chip OS: iOS 6 Network: 4G(LTE), 3G(HSDPA) Display: 4-inch Retina display Memory: 16/32/64GB RAM: 1GB Camera: 8MP iSight, 1.2MP Secondary Camera Battery: 8hrs talktime, 10hrs video playback time and 40hrs music play Others: Airplay, Airprint, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, A-GPS, nano-SIM card support only, iCloud, TV-Out, Maps. Release date: September 21st

Following Apple's official annoucement of the iPhone 5, the internet and smartphone market has been dominated by talks of the iPhone 5. Most people are of the opinion that the iPhone 5 isn't much of a game changer as it still has the same old iPhone look that's getting boring despite the change in screen size and also the fact that the iPhone has no news worthy feature. Verdict: Not buzz worthy iPhone 5 is slated to be released September 21st.

Nokia has been at the receiving end of critism lately, over the release of a promotional video containing pictures assumed to be taken using a Lumia 920 which however turned out to be false. The company has since been tendering apologies for misleading it's consumers.

Good news! Airtel users can finally browse using the Opera mini browser, which suddenly stopped working on the Airtel network. No reason was given by Airtel for the disruption of Opera mini service. Enjoy!!!

The Nokia Lumia 920 promises to be packed with cool features some of which includes; Wireless Charging The Lumia 920 allows users to charge the phone wirelessly using Near-Field Communication(NFC). PureMotion Display This sleek phone is armed with a supersensitive display that will respond to even the slightest of touch. SmartShoot A feature that allows you to remove unwanted people walking around in your photoshots. True Offline Maps No need to download maps before you can use them, Lumia comes bundled with in-built maps for easy navigation. Specifications CPU: 1.5GHz OS: Windows Phone 8 Display: PureMotion HD+(Multitouch) Memory: 32GB(No card slot) RAM: 1GB Camera: 8.7MP(1MP Secondary Camera) Battery: 400h standby time, 10h talk time, 67h music play Others: Bluetooth 3.1, Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, NFC, A-GPS

VPN(Virtual Private Network) is not just used to connect a worker to his/her office's network, there are a whole lots of other ways VPN would be useful to you, even if you are just an average internet user. 1. Extra Security VPN offers some of the best security for internet users and can protects you from third parties sniffing your passwords or other sensitive information. 2. Anonymous Web Browsing A VPN can allows you to browse the internet without the fear of being tracked, as your real IP address is hidden to protect your identity and location. 3. Encrypt VoIP traffic You could use VPN to prevent other internet users from eavedropping on calls you make over the internet. 4. Get Around Restrictions/Censorship With VPN you can access services that have been blocked or blacklisted, if you happen to reside or just visiting a country or an organisation that blocks internet services like Skype, Facebook, Twitter e.t.c. 5. Private LAN Gaming With VPN you can enjoy gam...

Just a few acronyms used when chatting, tweeting e.t.c Awayu - How are you? ASAP - As Soon As Possible AWOL - Absent Without Leave BTW - By The Way CWYL - Chat With You Later DIY - Do It Yourself DPMO - Don't Piss Me Off EPIF - Epic Failure F2F - Face to Face FYI - For Your Information G1 - Good one G2G - Got to Go GBY - God Bless You GR8 - Great IDK - I Don't Know IMO - In My Opinion IMHO - In My Humble Opinion IYD - In Your Dream L8r - Later NM - Never Mind NP - No Problem QT - Cutie TNTL - Trying Not To Laugh TTYL - Talk To You Later TTYS - Talk To You Soon UOK - Are you okay? WB - Welcome Back WE - WhatEver WRT - With Regard To or With Respect To WTF - What The Fuck WTH - What The Hell WTFIYP - What The Fuck Is Your Problem WTG - Way To Go WWJD - What Would Jesus Do? To be updated from time to time. You could add your own acronyms in a comment.

A Port Harcourt businessman has been arrested by the police for being in the possession of a Blackberry phone reported to be owned by the late Cynthia Udoka Osokogu, who was allegedly raped and murder by some suspect. The businessman admitted to purchasing the phone through a friend in Lagos, which was later sent to him through a courier. Police were able to use the BB pin to get the SIM number of the businessman, hence were able to track the phone to Port Harcourt, even though it had already been flashed. P.S. Just one of the many disadvantages of buying a used phone

I notice that the Opera Mini browser app on my phone doesn't connect anymore on the Airtel network. Initially I thought it might have been a problem with the particular browser but later found that the Opera Mini did work on the MTN network. Since I'm currently on a 1 month bundle guess I'd have to go back to using UC Browser or UC Web as it's now known as.

Saw a tweet from someone I follow on twitter asking if it was possible to recover a file deleted from her recycle bin and one of the replies she received was "FOREVER GONE!!" I am writing this to tell you that the file isn't indeed 'FOREVER GONE!!'. Infact it has gone nowhere. From my knowledge of the harddisk, files are not erased when they are deleted from the recycle bin, they are only marked by the Operating System as 'to be written over' but not erased. New data will be written over these files when there are no other free space. Recova is one software that I've tried which worked for me, the software enables you to recover files that might have been accidentally deleted from your system. You can download a free version from www.piriform.com/recova/download Another software that have versions for both Windows and Mac users is 'Data Recovery'. Others you may want to try are Panda Recovery, TOKIWA Data Recovery and Undelete Plus.

Word on the mobile street is that Blackberry 10 devices would be released armed with 1.5GHz dual cord processor. This would actually land Blackberry 10 devices on the same speed range with the likes of Samsung Galaxy SII, Sony Xperia S, HTC One S and LG Nitro HD, these devices are in the 4th place in the list of fastest processor ~mobile phone category~. Smartphones in 1st place are LG Optimus 4X HD and HTC One X, which both possess an impressive 1.5GHz Quad core processor. *sighs*

A man walked into a pet shop and was looking at the animals on display. While he was there, another customer walked in and went over to a cage at the side of the shop and took out a monkey. The shopkeeper fits a collar and leash, handed it to the customer, saying, ''That'll be N50,000.'' The customer paid and walked out with his monkey. Startled, the man went over to the shopkeeper and said, ''That was a very expensive monkey. Most of them are only a few hundred naira. Why did it cost so much?'' The shopkeeper answered, ''Ah, that monkey can program in C - very fast, tight code, no bugs, well worth the money.'' The man looked at the monkey in another cage. ''That one's even more expensive - N100,000! What does it do?'' ''Oh, that one's a C++ monkey; it can manage object-oriented programming, Visual C++, even some Java. All the really useful stuff,'' said the shopkeeper. The man...

Heard about this term a while back ~about 2 years ago precisely~, when an IT firm that was handling a web design contract of the organisation I was working for came to brief us about their progress. Imagine just being there and nodding having no clue whatsoever and not wanting to appear naive. So I thought I should share the little I know about this term. Search Engine Optimization refers to tweaks and modifications made to a webpage(usually homepage of a website) in order for the page to be easily found by a search engine or someone searching for the site but don't know its address. Optimizing involves editing the content of a webpage ~html and other associated coding~ to includes keywords and other elements detected by web crawlers*, for example adding keyword 'meta tag' to an html document. Search Engine Optimization is usually done to ensure a site is ranked high on various search engines or atleast appears on the first page when you search for a term particula...

Just an highlight of various things we do innocently, sometimes out of laziness, that have far reaching effects than we imagine 1. Using a password for multiple accounts If you're like me that's involved in lots of online activities like social networking, online forums, blogging or you just own gadgets that requires a password, chances are that you use a similar password for one or more of your accounts. The bad thing about this is that once someone gets hold of your password then all the accounts you use the password to access will be compromised. 2. Not logging out of a public computer You're checking your mail in a cafe and just when you're about to log out your time expires and locks you out, so you stand up and walk away hoping the next customer would log you out. I don't even need to highlight the damages this could cause you. Also saving your credentials on a public system is not a good idea. 3. Not updating your Antivirus Frequently Countless ha...

Even though I have only been developing software "professionally" for around two years, there is a ton of information that I can pass on to fledgling developers and hackers. Learning how to program is just the beginning of learning software development and actually becoming awesome at it. If you are taking computer science or MIS/CIS courses at a university, I can imagine that you are learning technical aspects, system design, programming languages, computer logic, and maybe even a little user interaction design. The problem is that with any technical field, there is almost too much to learn. So, here are the top 5 things that every new developer needs to know to prepare themselves for the "real world" of software development. You can't please everyone all the time. So don't. When it comes to designing and implementing new software and systems, you will inevitably have some system users. Also, you tend to have more than on...

Rainmeter A multi-featured desktop customization tool for creating a better looking or atleast geek-like desktop. There's so much you could do with this tool i.e. customizing a calendar , configuring an RSS feeds etc to display on your desktop. VLC media player This is by far the best media player I've come across, highly customizable, flexible and light weighted, users have option of boosting volumw upto 400% and can download skins. I'm yet to come across a video format that can't be played using this media player. And with Windows media player not being included by default in the upcoming Windows 8, all you have to do is download the latest version of the VLC media player and you're good to go. Google Earth This software will fasinate you, but only if you've got a fast internet connection. A friend once told me that you sure could use Google Earth to zoom in on a small goal post ~i believe they call it monkey posts~. Haven't come around finding ou...

Adblock is a content filtering add-on that enables a browser to block or eliminate ads(short for advertisement) on webpages which makes browsing sometimes annoying or less interesting. Ads causes distraction and other times slows down the loading of webpages as unwanted images and other contents ~still talking about ads~ are usually downloaded along with requested webpages. The downside of adblock is that it sometimes blocks innocent webpages but this happens on rare occasions. So if you are having problems with a particular webpage loading, you might want to temporarily disable it. Adblock can be installed as add-on any of the following browsers (listed in order of personal favourite); chrome, firefox, opera, safari and lastly ~ the browser used to download every other browser ~ internet explorer.

Users of blackberry devices all around the world are fast abandoning their devices in favor of Apple and Android devices as RIM doesn't seem to meet the ever changing standard of the smartphone and other mobile devices. Studies shows that Blackberry devices accounts for a miserable 1% of all mobile web traffic with Apple representing over 65% and Android having about 20% of the traffic. What this means is that more and more people are making use of Apple and Android devices in place of Blackberry devices. Also Apps developers are getting less eager about developing for the Blackberry 10 OS, as most are crossing over to the Android platform which many consider as the King of the mobile world. As a result there is likely going to be less range of Apps for Blackberry users to choose from or download for their devices. As a matter of fact, RIM plans to borrow some features from Android in order to compete in the mobile market, a user's contact in a blackberry 10 device will b...