Now, you should back to it, the Nokia Video Manager is rock!

If not because of upgrading N73 firmware to latest version 4.0812.4.2.1, probably I won’t give Nokia PC Suite another try and so won’t realize how wonderful is the latest Nokia Video Manager.

Nokia Video Manager v1.7.0 supports NSeries and many other smart phone models than the v1.1 released last year.

Although it’s not as powerful as Xilisoft Video Converter, this Nokia freeware can automatically convert supported video file to H.264/MPEG-4 AVC (.mp4) video format in suitable screen resolution and bit-rates that is highly compatible to playback on Nokia phone.

Currently, NVM v1.7.0 supports video conversion for high quality mp4 movie from MOV/QT (QuickTime movie file format), WMV (Windows Media Video), AVI, and MPEG video file format.

Nokia Video Manager is a value added software used to convert video file to high definition mp4 movie for playback on selected Nokia smart phone models.

There is no explicit menu option to direct convert movie into MP4 format. The conversion starts automatically for those supported video file formats (e.g. MOV/QT, AVI, MPEG, and WMV). The converted video in MP4 format can be found in the user home directory, in “Videos\Nokia Video Manager” folder:

%userprofile%\videos\"Nokia Video Manager"

As shown in these screenshots, the 700MB AVI file format of a horrible action movie “The Condemned” was successfully converted to H.264/MP4 format with 320×240 playback resolution and AAC 48KHz stereo audio.

I believe that latest N73 firmware v4.0812.4.2.1 worth some credits, because there is no “Operation failed! Not enough memory!” kind of error message when playing the 252MB video file!

Besides, the video playback is incredible slick, even in some heavy action footages! I kinda like it!

One final note, I suggest you to download latest Nokia PC Suite 7.0.7.0 that bundle Nokia Video Manager v1.7.0 (this is what I used to convert movie for my ageing N73).

Question 1: Where do you normally use the laptop computer cable lock? Most likely the answer is in the office.

Question 2: How many people used to scramble or reset the security code after unlocking the laptop for a meeting at next door?

Well, I’m afraid that not many users remember to reset the security code, i.e. leave the cable lock in unlock state.

How to crack a highly secured Targus DEFCON CL laptop lock in just 3 seconds?

So, it happened last week in my office. A 3rd-party office cleaner, who came for cleaning works during lunch hour, stole a premium Dell XPS M1330 that was secured with a Targus DEFCON CL lock (the branded cable lock bundled with most Dell laptop package).

The CCTV footage shows that the guy unlocked the “super secured” cable lock as if he knows the security code.

Is there a master unlock code of this 30 over bucks cable lock, that allowed him to crack it so easily?

(We highly believe that) the answer is the careless of owner. The manager recalled that he used to leave the cable lock in unlock state whenever he took the laptop away his office, especially when rushed for a meeting.

So happen that he used to back his cubic after lunch in case the meeting was in morning session, and the cleaner is so smart to remember his security code of the cable lock that was left in unlock status.

That’s how the cleaner crack the Targus DEFCON CL Laptop lock BY CHANCE in 3 seconds on the next day lunch hour, when the manager left for lunch with his Dell laptop “locked” in office.

This careless could lead someone to break just any cable locks, not limited to the tough Targus DEFCON CL lock!

Verdict: Remember to scramble / reset the security code after unlock the laptop!

First, the multi-touch interface makes it easier to fix a destination and track the progress on the go.

Next, iPhone 3G intelligently power on and off GPS function to ensure battery life last longer for your adventure journey.

On top of A-GPS (Assisted GPS) that could quickly identify your position, iPhone 3G endeavour to use all possible sources of wireless signal (GPS satellites, Wi-Fi hot spots, and cellular towers) to get the most accurate location fast!

iPhone 3G signal a blue GPS indicator when GPS signal in used. If it’s out of GPS signal coverage, iPhone 3G identify its location via Wi-Fi. Otherwise, the last resource for iPhone 3G to know its location is counting on signal from the nearest cellular towers.

If you like Google Maps, Apple provides an alternative service called Maps with GPS on iPhone 3G:

• Use keywords to find a list of services around your location or destination.
• Find out all possible routes to destination and watch your progress with live GPS tracking.
• Switch between map view, satellite view, and a hybrid view of both
• Streams live traffic information and indicate traffic speed along the route in easy-to-read green, red, and yellow highlights.

If you plan to get a new phone or GPS device, give iPhone 3G a try. I should have no much complaints for such a nice smart-phone that only selling at $199 (better than my aging Nokia N73 :-)

(When the petro price tag turning upwards days after days, Apple iPhone is an exceptional “commodity”! :-)

According to Apple official website, iPhone 3G will be selling on 11th of July at 25 countries and later will be available at other 48 countries. If your country happens out of the iPhone 3G availability map…question your telcos first before asking Apple :-P

iPhone 3G on 11th of July

Coming soon (after 11st of July). - Is your country out of this map?

I supposed that if Nokia PC Suite detected N73, the Windows Vista should have the drivers installed. So, NSU should be working well too. But, that was not the case, as shown in the Vista Device Manager:

The problem was not resolved even by rebooting Windows Vista, uninstalled followed by reinstalled the Nokia PC Suite and NSU.

When I was about to give up, I thought of the last try - to uninstall all the Nokia software from Vista, reboot the PC, install the Nokia Cable Driver (for Windows 2000, XP and Vista) followed with Nokia Software Updater. Only then, the NSU finally detected my N73 ME in Windows Vista!

If your NSU also failed to detect Nokia N73 (or other Nokia smart phone), try my way:

• Uninstall all Nokia software from Windows,
• Download and install the latest Nokia Cable Driver for Windows 2000, XP and Vista (e.g. Nokia_Connectivity_Cable_Driver_rel_6_85_10_0_eng.msi)
  

  Although Nokia website outline similar statement of the following,

  Important for Windows 2000 or XP or Vista users: Drivers for the Nokia DKE-2, DKU-2, CA-42, CA-53, CA-70, and CA-101 cables are now integrated into PC Suite. Instead of downloading the cable driver separately, we recommend you download PC Suite.

  I’ve no luck at all with this version of Nokia PC Suite/NSU - it keeps on fails to detect my Nokia N73 ME in Windows Vista, until I’ve installed this driver!

• Install the latest Nokia Software Updater (NSU) for your Nokia smart phone model (e.g. NSU for Nokia N73 ME)

By now, the NSU should be ready to detect and deliver the latest Nokia firmware for the connected smart phone.

(Rebooting is of course one of the effective way, but what if there is NO window time to reboot the Linux server or there is no server profile that you could rely on?) Thus, here are the two ways that I’ve personally tested:

Using the dmesg Linux command

At the Linux command prompt, enter dmesg | less and then search for “Physical Processor ID”.

• RHEL4 U5 (kernel 2.6.9-42.ELsmp) differentiates or detects the multi-core CPU by reporting the “Physical Processor ID” and “Processor Core ID”, i.e. Physical Processor ID refers to the physical processor seated in CPU slot of a motherboard and Processor Core ID refers to the embedded CPU cores.

For example, the following dmesg reports first unit of Intel Core 2 Duo CPU as

• CPU0: Physical Processor ID: 0 - CPU0: Processor Core ID: 0
• CPU1: Physical Processor ID: 0 - CPU1: Processor Core ID: 1

CPU0: Physical Processor ID: 0
CPU0: Processor Core ID: 0
CPU0: Initial APIC ID: 0
CPU: After all inits, caps:        bfebf3ff 20000000 00000000 00000040
Intel machine check architecture supported.
Intel machine check reporting enabled on CPU#0.
Enabling fast FPU save and restore... done.
Enabling unmasked SIMD FPU exception support... done.
Checking 'hlt' instruction... OK.
CPU0: Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU            5160  @ 3.00GHz stepping 06
per-CPU timeslice cutoff: 3519.22 usecs.
task migration cache decay timeout: 4 msecs.
Booting processor 1/1 eip 3000
CPU 1 irqstacks, hard=c03ef000 soft=c03cf000
Initializing CPU#1
Calibrating delay using timer specific routine.. 5999.99 BogoMIPS (lpj=2999999)
CPU: After generic identify, caps: bfebfbff 20000000 00000000 00000000
CPU: After vendor identify, caps:  bfebfbff 20000000 00000000 00000000
monitor/mwait feature present.
CPU: L1 I cache: 32K, L1 D cache: 32K
CPU: L2 cache: 4096K
CPU1: Physical Processor ID: 0
CPU1: Processor Core ID: 1
CPU1: Initial APIC ID: 1
CPU: After all inits, caps:        bfebf3ff 20000000 00000000 00000040
Intel machine check architecture supported.
Intel machine check reporting enabled on CPU#1.
CPU1: Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU            5160  @ 3.00GHz stepping 06
Booting processor 2/6 eip 3000
CPU 2 irqstacks, hard=c03f0000 soft=c03d0000
Initializing CPU#2
Calibrating delay using timer specific routine.. 6000.14 BogoMIPS (lpj=3000070)
CPU: After generic identify, caps: bfebfbff 20000000 00000000 00000000
CPU: After vendor identify, caps:  bfebfbff 20000000 00000000 00000000
monitor/mwait feature present.
CPU: L1 I cache: 32K, L1 D cache: 32K
CPU: L2 cache: 4096K
CPU2: Physical Processor ID: 3
CPU2: Processor Core ID: 6
CPU2: Initial APIC ID: 6
CPU: After all inits, caps:        bfebf3ff 20000000 00000000 00000040
Intel machine check architecture supported.
Intel machine check reporting enabled on CPU#2.
CPU2: Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU            5160  @ 3.00GHz stepping 06
Booting processor 3/7 eip 3000
CPU 3 irqstacks, hard=c03f1000 soft=c03d1000
Initializing CPU#3
Calibrating delay using timer specific routine.. 6000.09 BogoMIPS (lpj=3000045)
CPU: After generic identify, caps: bfebfbff 20000000 00000000 00000000
CPU: After vendor identify, caps:  bfebfbff 20000000 00000000 00000000
monitor/mwait feature present.
CPU: L1 I cache: 32K, L1 D cache: 32K
CPU: L2 cache: 4096K
CPU3: Physical Processor ID: 3
CPU3: Processor Core ID: 7
CPU3: Initial APIC ID: 7
CPU: After all inits, caps:        bfebf3ff 20000000 00000000 00000040
Intel machine check architecture supported.
Intel machine check reporting enabled on CPU#3.
CPU3: Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU            5160  @ 3.00GHz stepping 06
Total of 4 processors activated (24003.76 BogoMIPS).

Using the server management console



Most of the branded Intel servers come with server management toolkits to monitor server health/performance and reports the basic system information. For example, the HP NetServer used to have an small LCD module for such purpose.

If you’re away from the physical server, the HP Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) is another way to draft basic server profile, such as number of processors installed, multi-core or single core processor, server serial number, number of RAM slots, total RAM installed, etc.

Thus, PCI-COM card or USB to Serial port are still available for sale in computer peripheral shops, to compensate the missing of built-in serial port controllers on latest motherboards.

However, as there not many users using COM port in the recent years, it’s a bit difficult to handle or conduct preliminary troubleshooting on serial interface related problem.

Not only NKOTB, old man like me as well “black-out” this morning, when a serial port receipt printer fail to print out single piece of paper! :-(

But, thanks god that I’ve a partner who know a bit of this. :-)

If you want to prove the first COM port is working fine, attach a known good dial-up modem to that COM port. Then, open up Windows Command Prompt window and enter this simple echo command (compatible with MS-DOS Command Prompt and maybe applicable to UNIX or Linux command prompt as well)

echo ata > com1:

The echo ata command will signal the good modem to raise squealing sound, which can be stopped by executing another echo ath command as this

echo ath > com1:

Other than dial-up modem, you can also rely on a RS-232 loopback connector with LED wired to the RS-232 signal pins. If the COM controller in question is working, then the LED will light up, otherwise nothing will happen.

Anyway, both dial up modem and loopback connector can hardly be seen nowadays, as many have been using broadband modem.