Why are you still using Internet Explorer?

For past years, I had been using different web browsers (other than Internet Explorer which IMO, sucked). We have Opera, Firefox, Netscape, Safari and recently Google Chrome. Right now my most used browsers on both my desktop and EeePC are Firefox & Opera. Google Chrome is currently in Beta so I leave it out of the equation. What about Safari? Well, Safari is only available for Windows and Mac, and since I had spent >90% of my time on Ubuntu (Don't know what is it? Click here), Sarafi is out (Steve Jobs would probably tell me to get a Mac LOL)

Why 2 browsers you may ask? Well, while both have the same core purposes that a browser fulfills, both of them have their strengths. For Firefox, I will list down the features of each individual browser based on my own daily use.

FireFox

• Wide selection of themes and extensions to customise or pimp your FF. Personally I used DownthemAll! for file downloads (uber cool download accelerator), Gmail Manager (To monitor my Gmail accounts) and Searchbar Autosizer
• Most of the sites in the cyberspace can be viewed without any HTML/PHP glitches
• RSS Feeds bookmarks can be placed on the personal bookmark bar so i can view RSS updates on the fly
• Comes with security information on every website you visited (while not all have security identity information though)
• Able to perform proper backup of the bookmark in JSON format so every bookmark details (including RSS feed links) are preserved. Restoration of bookmarks on newly installed Firefox is definitely a breeze
  

Opera

• Blazing fast in rendering webpages (main competitor is Apple's Safari)
• Comes with Quick Dial with newly opened tab (shows live preview of the site as thumbnail)
• Bookmark synchronisation with Opera server. Very useful when I want to install Opera on another PC and restore my Bookmarks. Just click on Opera Synchronization and your bookmark collection will appear on the newly installed Opera almost instantly.
• Built in Bit Torrent client. But I don't use it since I had been using another BT client for a while
• Built in Mail Client. It doubles up as a RSS feed reader.
• Support of Widgets that can run within the browser and even the desktop
  

There you go, from my above observations, that goes to show that both browsers provide much more customisations and personalisation without sacrificing the usability. In fact, they make internet surfing more enjoyable, efficient and fun. Best of all, both of the Browsers are Free!

For me, I am still waiting for Chrome to be ported to Linux and gonna try out if it is worth replacing both Firefox and Opera.

Completed

Completed, originally uploaded by Xgrind.

What a run, after a decade lol.

More photos can be viewed at my Flickr site

Blogged with N95 8GB

Back to the bright side again

Back to the bright side again, originally uploaded by Xgrind.

This is the third time I reinstall Ubuntu on the EeePC. Hope I can fix the modem issue once and for all.

After that, Operation Pimp My Ubuntu lol

Blogged with N95 8GB

New Look...

After some time... the blog started to look dull and to freshen things up... a makeover on the Geek Rider's blog! LOL

New Firmware for N95 8GB!

Nokia had released a new firmware yet again for us N95 8GB users. This update comes with some fixes and includes the updated version of Maps (1.x -> 2.0), Share Online (2.x -> 3.0) and N-Gage. The detailed changelog are as follows (extracted from All About Symbian):

• Nokia Maps 2.0 now built-in
• Full N-Gage client now built-in
• Nokia Search 4.0 now with Google plug-in
• Share online 3.0
• Enablers for Comes With Music (watch this space)
• Download! application updated (v 3.1.50)
• Upgrade to Music Player, with new visualisations
• Update for Flash Lite 3 (improved viewing of sites like YouTube)
• Current consumption improvements (for e.g. WLAN scanning)
• New baseline for VoIP (with significant error corrections)
• Incoming call number is displayed in additon to name of the contact
• Realplayer supports FLV format (i.e FLV files can be played directly like MP4)

For those who haven't update their blackie for quite some time, this is a worthy update for you.

Making stickers

Making stickers, originally uploaded by Xgrind.

Mr and Mrs AngKuGuay, together with QuizSilver and Amy, we went down to 888 sticker shop to make some customised stickers for their new bike. Since I'm there, I also made some for myself keke.

Blogged with N95 8GB

Google Chrome

Just stumbled upon this new open source webkit based browser from Google (Quizsilver told me about it and I thought he's screwing with me LOL), created using components from Apple's webkit and Firefox. Currently it is still in Beta status but it seems to be stable (I'm posting this entry with it)

What is Chrome different from other browsers you might ask?

• one address box for everything (URLs, Search, etc), hence maximising viewing estate on small screens other than using Firefox's full screen mode, which have to press F11 to activate.
  
• Dynamic tabs: meaning you can dynamically manupilate the tabs in the browser
• Crash Control: seems that the tabs are running in separate processes, this means that when you visits a site that somehow hung up your current tab, the rest of the open tabs remain unaffected
• Incognito Mode: My personal fav. You can now surf those very private sites where you don't wish to store your personal information in the HDD. Yes, I'm posting this entry in Incognito mode :D
• Application shortcuts: You can now create application shortcuts (Google docs or Gmail for example) on your desktop where you can directly access them just by double clicking them
• Import bookmarks: Chrome can directly port your firefox bookmarks so it saves you the hassle of re-creating bookmarks you already have.

While I find the browser stable and speedy, esp when using Google Docs, I kinda missing the RSS feed feature as what you get in Firefox 3. Overall, it is a pretty decent browser to use and its adoption by the masses looks promising.

As I mentioned that the browser is still in its Beta stage, it is only available for Windows platform. I can't wait for Google to release the Mac and Linux version so I can use on my Ubuntu desktop as well. 

To know more about this upcoming browser, click here

And my parting statement for this entry.....

Support open source softwares...... and screw IE (^_^)

Secondary Throttle Plate adjustments

Been reading on the forums that some FZ1 riders had either zipped their sub-throttle plates permanently open or completely removed them and indicated that they had gained significant improvements in the low-mid RPM range. For me, I look at it as a cheap (in fact free) mod and after making sure that doing so will not lean out the air-fuel mixture on my bike, I proceed with this DIY mod.


After removing fuel tank for several times, I finally found an easy way to secure the tank so that I can work on the internals with my 2 hands. Previously I had to work with one hand with the other holding the tank.

With 2 hands, removing the airbox becomes a breeze.

After removing the airbox, the throttle body is now visible. I don't understand why Yamaha engineers designed the airbox in a way that I had to open up the air box in order to remove it. When I see the plates they are covered with oil grime....yuckz....

I switch on the engine to start the initiaisation where the sub-throttle plate servo motor will open the plates and that's where I quickly switch off so as to leave the plate in that position. Just when I am about to remove the connecting arm, I noticed that there is the adjustment screw where it can do adjustments to the tilt position of the plates. After some thoughts and remembered that Ivan's plates are smaller to allow more air to go into the throttle body at low RPMs, I tried by turning the screw to the maximum position where the plates will be tilted, giving a slightly bigger gap to allow slightly more air at low RPM range.

Sub-throttle plate closed position after adjustment (noticed that the gap is now slightly bigger as compared to the previous picture)

After that, I cleaned the oilgrime off the plates and airbox with GT85 (something simliar to WD40) and fix everything back. After a rounding trip with AngKuGuay later in the night, there is a slight but not significant improvement in the lower range of the RPM. Of course, if I want a major improvements in that aspect, I will definitely need to zip the plates fully open... permenantly. Oh well, at least it works :)
Oh, and this is taken in a secluded place (but fun road to ride) when we were resting during our local rounding trip with AngKuGuay's new DRZ keke

If Mythbusters really make this episode

It'll be great to show the folks how easily can RFID be hacked. Apparently, they had been stopped by US credit card companies who uses such technology on their credit card, and have no intention to make this vulnerability known to the public (although it is no secret to some). Oh well, sit back and watch the conference with Adam Savage (and also hear the room reaction when he mentioned spin-offs like Smash Labs keke)



Source from Wired & Engadget

Don't you wish....

You could bring this piece of beauty home?

It's the Aurea TV from Philips, and it's a rare thing that I will refer a Philips product as a Beauty, but this is lol. And it comes with a beautiful price tag too haha.

Blogged with Nokia N95