Singtel Mobile Broadband VAS Good Deal!

Singtel:
Best Valued for Existing 3G Mobile Customers who are Not High Volume Internet users. Although I do not have a device fast enough to benefit fully for the plan...I recommend VAS Platinum 7.2mbps 30GB plan for casual web surfers on mobile as well as portable notebooks.

I believe the "Promotion Ends 20 November 2009" is due to a missed data update though well, I still have around 1 month to consider re-contracting from my existing 1mbps 30GB plan (no longer valid) which costs 15 bucks per month. Hope this promotion continues when I can re-contract.

By the way, I use this form of mobile broadband on the phone and laptop. Its valued for money and simply easier to setup than to having modems, routers...

Those considering mobile broadband and is an existing Singtel Mobile 3G user, give the VAS a thought. Others, Mobile Broadband as a separate DATA SIM Plan across our 3 main ISPs is very attractive. Below is the freshly screen captures of both VAS and DATA SIM Plans from the 3 most popular consumer ISPs: Singtel, Starhub, M1.



Starhub:
What I like about Hub is that they capped the excess charges to a smaller limit for subscription Data-Bundle Plans. If we compare VAS vs VAS, sorry to say. Singtel wins.



M1:
Couldn't match up in VAS versus too. M1 tries its best for Internet business, probably the best competitor for mobile phone geeks who like to change their phones every now and then but do not need to own them or spend any additional $.

Conclusion: Looks like Singtel is really beefing up the competition with attractive prices. Hope got more goodies for Christmas.

K610i Dismantled

Actually this is the 3rd time I did this.

1st time: I was attempting to repair the built-in speaker with minor contact problems. A small piece of paper is affixed to marry the contacts between the speaker and the circuit board.

2nd time: Due to the success of the SE T630, in which the camera component is removed without soldering, I peek in to K610i for an attempt to remove its camera as well. Failed. As a 3G phone, it has 2 cameras and both are soldered.

3rd time: It is still a pretty good candy bar phone, I thought I take a picture of it dismantled using my current W910i. Too bad the cameras ain't removable without professional hands.

Microsoft Security Essentials Tryout - Crash Report

Yesterday, I received a tweet update telling me, there's a new Microsoft freeware that just came out from Beta stage. I was excited then. Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 is ready to be used.

It is the first free antivirus product with malware scanning that is from Microsoft.
The best information about Microsoft Security Essentials can be read from this wiki.

Its has only been 1+ days since I used MSE. There has been mixed feelings. First thing in mind is that "How does this MSE fare as compared to commercial AV products from Symantec, Mcafee and others? Is there a formal rating to back this product?"

Performance

1. Significant performance drop in zipped file extraction, viewing of folders with many compressed folders which can cost 100% cpu load for a short while.
2. Quick Scan and Full Scan can have adverse effects on the system. I will discuss this in a while.
3. Scheduled Scan when Computer Not in Use not effective
4. Realtime Protection behaves quite well most of the time, nearly negligible cpu load when there is no disk activity or application launching.

The Crash - The ingredients put in when it happened (I believed is isolated)

1. MSE Scheduled Full Scan was halted after 2hr 20mins, i believe it was still in the midst of scanning the cabs in the Windows Directory
2. Taskmgr refused to open during the execution of the scan
3. Paint.NET hung around 3 times (eventually ended via taskkill.exe) when trying to load the File->Acquire menu
4. Microsoft Excel 2003 hung around 6 times when trying to scroll the page using the mouse (eventually ended via taskkill.exe)
5. Firefox is in use for nearly 8 hrs of continously without closing the browser once. It was closed normally but refused to open again.
6. I have to say that this HP system is booted up while I was testing its quick launch buttons. Normally Quick Launch Buttons should not boot up a system. It may have some form of effects on the session.
   

The Crash - The consequences

1. The system is unable to be rebooted via Start Menu
2. System hung when trying to come out of Windows Security Dialog (Ctrl+Alt+Del)
3. The system HDD LED is still flashing periodically when it crashed.
4. The power button was finally pressed to force the shutdown.

Conclusion
I am not going to uninstall it just yet because of this isolated case. It does have a performance impact due to a doubled antivirus concurrent usage now.

This product has potential in the future of Windows to come. I believe all these can be ironed out to gain back the confidence in the Windows Community.

If this product is to be made a corporate essential instead of 3rd party antivirus softwares, the benefits it brings will be great. I hope Microsoft Security Essential will be able to score high in the commercial ratings if they test it.