Disqus - Latest Comments for vinko

Re: Smartone-Vodafone Tethering Now Exposed

vinko — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:33:09 -0000

I believe the "SMC-Voda Broadband" is the APN for SMV's Home Broadband and Mobile Broadband services. The latter is the service utilizing their USB Modem, USB Stick or built-in Vodafone notebook. These two services have different pricing plans and broadband services.

Re: Speed of 3G Network in Hong Kong

vinko — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:29:49 -0000

Oh no... that's not a good idea. Testing using dslreports.com and a server outside of HK will bring in too many variables.

I use SpeedTest.net's iPhone app, SpeedTest. It is more reliable because I am testing the network speed using a server in HKG and SpeedTest is only testing the latency, downlink and uplink between the server and the iPhone 3GS.

Re: Smartone-Vodafone Tethering Now Exposed

vinko — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:43:57 -0000

It appears that Smartone-Vodafone had corrected their APN settings so that it is no longer case sensitive. Another one of my suggestions to them resolved.

Re: Smartone-Vodafone Tethering Now Exposed

vinko — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:23:35 -0000

I had spoken to Smartone-Vodafone about monitoring and/or throttling traffic through their regular IOM tariff plans. They assured me that they do no do neither.

Also, the APN for Smartone-Vodafone mobile data is "Smartone-Vodafone" (note that upper case "S" and "V"). I don't understand why any SMV customers would use another APN value. Where did you see this mention of another APN in the "Terms and Conditions of the $238/month Unlimited Integrated Combo Plan".

BTW: I too am a subscriber to this Unlimited 3G Integrated Combo Plan.

Re: Twitter Client Faceoff: TweetDeck vs. Seesmic Desktop

vinko — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:45:19 -0000

I was going to add a comment to the poll but it would not let me to do so. Here is my comment about the two Twitter clients.

Given the upcoming 0.6.3 there appears to be one feature, Twitter List, that Seesmic Desktop will have over TweetDeck Desktop.

Although, given the popularity of Twitter List and its future with regards to Twitter, I'm sure TweetDeck will have that feature in its upcoming version.

I wish Seesmic Desktop will allow its user to convert its local Userlists into private or public Twitter List.

Re: Disney’s Going Digital: Buy Once, Watch Anywhere

vinko — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:49:38 -0000

This is very exciting news for the consumers. Apple/Disney efforts will allow consumers to enjoy their contents sooner than the DECE solution.

In my opinion the Keyset is more consumer centric than the DECE approach. I just hope that it Keyset will not have the issue of Microsoft Music Store and cuts off the consumer access when the power-to-be decides that the service is no longer viable as a business.

For this sort of digital purchases, there must be some form of protection for the consumer in the long run.

Re: Twitter CEO ‘Desperately Want to Kill’ Controversial ‘Suggested Users’ List

vinko — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:10:47 -0000

I agree with Evan, please invite more users (like myself) to the Twitter List function.

Also, during the beta phase of the Twitter List feature, it should allow people to add tweeples who currently do not have the Twitter List feature.

Re: WhatBlocked - Tracking the Great Firewall of China

vinko — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:31:56 -0000

I was just told by someone in Shanghai that Flickr is blocked by the GFW. Can someone please confirm that is the case?

Re: louisgray.com: Designing the Perfect Twitter Client Is Impossible, But Tweetie Is Close

vinko — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:47:06 -0000

Louis, from your post it sounds like you had not use the iPhone Twitter client SimplyTweet.

I too had used many Twitter clients over the years. At the moment my Twitter client of choice on the Mac is TweetDeck. Except when I have to manage multiple Twitter accounts and/or schedule tweets, I will use CoTweet.

On the iPhone I was using EchoFon (formerly TwitterFon) until TweetDeck released its iPhone client, that was until I came across SimplyTweet.

SimplyTweet has all the functions of Tweetie 2 an more. That was when Tweetie was still at version 1.xx.

You can see my review of SimplyTweet in my blog.

http://blog.vinko.com/2009/09/29/review-simplyt...

Re: Smartone-Vodafone & iPhone in Hong Kong

vinko — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:01:42 -0000

That post of mine you commented on is when I was still using firmware 3.0. Although the revised hack for firmware 3.1 is suppose to be available very soon. Stay tuned here on my blog for more details when it becomes available.

Re: Movie Review: 500 Days of Summer

vinko — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:04:19 -0000

Glad you like the movie and particularly happy that you share your opinions here.

BTW: it was Saturday that I watched the movie, but my system published the post on Sunday. Sorry for the confusion

Re: Capdase Professional Screen Guard Review

vinko — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:14:19 -0000

As a convenient you can find all the different versions of Capdase Screen Guards at http://shop.vinko.com/catalogsearch/result/inde...

The differences between the models of Screen Guards are straight forward:

ARIS = the protector that offers a ultra clear protection of the LCD screen.
KATA = the protector that offers an anti-glare protection of the LCD screen.
MIRA = the protector that turns the LCD screen into a mirror when the screen is off, but crystal clear when it is on.
Privacy = the protector that prevents straying eyes from seeing the content of your LCD screen from all sides.

I hope the above will help you choose the Capdase Screen Guard that is most suitable for you.

Re: Capdase Alumor Metal Case for iPhone Review

vinko — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:04:57 -0000

I like to drop a note here for all readers to this site.

The Capdase Alumor Metal Case for the iPhone reviewed here had been discontinued a while back.

The new Capdase Alumor Metal Cases can now be found at http://shop.vinko.com/catalogsearch/result/inde...

Thank you to all readers of iPhoneWorld.Ca for your inquiries. We continue to try to bring the highest quality products to you.

Re: First Impression of HTC Hero

vinko — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:17:43 -0000

Really appreciate your real user experience. I hope you will return to share more.

I too agree that the HTC Sense UI is a very good layer above Android from the little amount of time I've spent on it. I also agree that the Android Marketplace will get better.

Re: Movie Review: Overheard《竊聽風雲》

vinko — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:28:13 -0000

Would love to hear your detailed opinions in the form of comments to this post.

Re: iPhone 3G S in Hong Kong

vinko — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:29:33 -0000

Yes, as long as you purchase the iPhone 3GS from an Authorized Apple Reseller.

Note that there are many telephone stores in Hong Kong selling non-HK versions, those are not "officially unlocked" by Apple.

Re: iPhones on Two Different 3G Networks Compared

vinko — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:14:15 -0000

Yes, I had been speaking to Smartone-Vodafone's Lam Pink, the past several days. He also told me that their technical team claims that "network maintenances" were being performed at each of the locations and at the times I was doing my test.

I had express my concerns with this explanation from their technical teams. As you had said, performing maintenance at one location may be believed but al 3 different locations at many different days and time is very hard to believe. Unless they are referring to their main or proxy services.

In either case, they want to perform the same tests I did at the three locations, I agree to do so. Although, I did tell him that if they want to do comparison test with an iPhone on the 3 HK network, they will have to contact you also.

Re: Review: Hong Kong Weather on iPhone

vinko — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:08:48 -0000

Thanks for the referral, I will give iWeather HK a try.

Re: iPhones on Two Different 3G Networks Compared

vinko — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:22:45 -0000

A consistent web site to test is a local (HK) web site that neither belongs to 3 HK or Smartone-Vodafone. Something that reasonable amount of graphics, Javascript and HTML. For that I would suggest CathayPacific.com

Ken, how are you determining the downlink speed? I presume you are referring to the downlink speed.

Re: iPhones on Two Different 3G Networks Compared

vinko — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 06:45:34 -0000

I received a note from SMV today. It said that their "Engineering team is investigating the data..." I had provided them from SpeedTest iPhone application.

They will be contacting me directly when they have finished their investigations.

This is the type of customer service ones should expect from any service oriented companies. Many other companies would have state that the company did not have the same results as we had and simply dismissed our findings as invalid.

For this I compliment Smartone-Vodafone for their continue desire to deliver the best possible service to its customers.

Re: Smartone-Vodafone Unlimited Plan for iPhone

vinko — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 06:19:54 -0000

Indeed a good analysis of what are offered from the various carriers in Hong Kong.

The speed of 3G network on all carriers have a downlink speed of 3.6 Mbps except for Smartone-Vodafone and PCCW. Although, both of these carriers are reserving the faster 7.2 Mbps downlink speed for their HSDPA USB Modem plans. At the moment very few mobile phones currently has the capabilities of supporting the faster 7.2 Mbps downlink speed.

Smartone-Vodafone claims that all locations where 3G coverage is available, their network is capable of up to 14.4 Mbps downlink speed.

Re: iPhones on Two Different 3G Networks Compared

vinko — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 08:23:58 -0000

I had provided SMV the test results from SpeedTest on the iPhone for the months of June, July and August; including Geo-coordinates, time, dates, downlink, uplink and latency for each test. This was when I was still in Seoul. I had asked them to respond to those results and discuss the details on my return to HK.

So far I had not heard back from them.

Re: iPhones on Two Different 3G Networks Compared

vinko — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:41:55 -0000

Yes, Smartone-Vodafone had contacted me directly. I have sent them the setting of results I have from my independent tests using SpeedTest.

I only just return to Hong Kong so, I have yet to speak to SMV in person or on the phone. I expect to do so tomorrow though.

Re: Smartone-Vodafone Tethering Now Exposed

vinko — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:38:53 -0000

You are quite aware of Smartone-Vodafone's tethering plans. I believe you can use any 3G enabled mobile phone to tether your computer.

The reason that I would suggest the iPhone is because using the iPhone; at least with the Mac, does not incur additional cost on your iPhone plan.

Re: iPhones on Two Different 3G Networks Compared

vinko — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:57:21 -0000

You should refer them to my blog post and say that it is being discussed throughout Hong Kong Twitterverse