English learning links

English learning links to tutorials, test, podcasts:

• Englishpage.com
• 
  

Moon's photos

Factory Canon firmware JPG format

CHDK firmware RAW format

These both pictures has been taken by Canon SX100 IS camera. First picture has taken as usual camera photo in JPG format. Second has taken with helps of CHDK firmware in RAW (CRW) format.
As you can see it has a lot difference. Second is more detailed.

Now I'd like to talk about CHDK firmware. CHDK is a firmware extension for Canon Powershot / Digital IXUS cameras. It's internal camera software in addition to standard, it has a lot improvements and various settings, many of these very useful. More detailed descrition you can see there http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK_firmware_usage/AllBest. Information about installation there http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK_for_Dummies.
Latest version can be downloaded there http://mighty-hoernsche.de.

After shooting you should do something with your CRW image, it isn't easy because needs some knowledge in photographic area.  I've used RawTherapee software, it's under GPL, so is totally free now.

HotSpot Navigator 0.3 beta

New version of HotSpot Navigator has been released is 0.3 beta.

List of added features:

• travelled track will be saved then you closing HotSpot Navigator
• shows distance between current GPS position and panned centre of map, like Google Maps
• you able to load any of saved tracks that sorted by date of start recording
• some track analisys tools: view distance from start to any point on a track, view speed, altitude, timestamp at any point on a recorded track
• view overall distance from start of travelling route
• view current altitude
• save any point at map as landmark and show this one on map
• working with landmark categories has been improved: set up visibility of categories
• landmark management via main menu

Feel free to download latest version. It will works until 1-st of July 2010.

Nokia 5800 tricks and tips

There are a few tips and tricks with Nokia 5800 that unclear, not intuitive without advice or not documented.

Voice commands
For activating voice command do long press on green button.


Quick answer
After firmware v40.0.005 you can answer to incoming call by sliding your finger over the screen from left to right even phone is blocked, or unlock the phone by sliding from right to left and do something else like rejecting, send a message.
Red and green arrows appeared on the screen will helps you.

Alarm After firmware v40.0.005 you can stops alarming by sliding your finger over the screen from left to right even phone is blocked, or be in snooze awhile by sliding from right to left. Red and green arrows appeared on the screen will  helps you.

If something wrong
If one of application hangs your phone you can perform next steps sequentially:

• Try a long pressing on white button, application manager will appear hold finger over buggy application. Small menu with "Open" and "Exit" items will appears. Choose "Exit". If this advice doesn't helps look farther ahead;
• Try to switch off the whole phone by pressing on/off button upon the phone. Switch on phone again. If this advice doesn't helps look farther ahead;
• Last chance for reboot is to remove the battery and plug it again then switch on phone with on/off button.

If you feel that your phone became a buggy try to do next steps:

Revert to factory settings (Soft reset)
The reset will restore all the phone’s settings to factory default without delete user info
Use the dialer to enter this code:
*#7780#
This is equally Menu > Tools > Settings > General > Factory settings

Hard Reset
If you feel that your phone became a buggy try to do hard reset.
Make a full backup before applying this type of reset, since it will restore the phone’s settings as well as erasing all the data in the phone memory (it will format drive C).
The reset will restore all the phone’s settings to factory default and delete all user info. You can use the dialer to enter this code.
*#7370#

If doesn't work do hard reset with buttons:
Switch off the phone.
Press GREEN + RED + CAMERA + ON simultaneously until you see the "Select Country" option.

Note:
The default password is 12345. You need to press and hold the key until the number appear.
Also you can format your flash memory card (drive E), but I didn't done that ever.

Podcasts

I like to listen podcasts while I've walking somewhere. It may be a radio show or a music and it's easy with my bluetooth headset Jabra BT8040. I've written there how to tune your Nokia 5800 for podcastings.

1. Click "Music"->"Podcasting"->"Options"->"Connection", be sure that "Search service URL"& points to http://podcastdirectory.nokia.com/pc/ search/?appid=NokiaPodcastingApplication1& keywords=#&format=rss&sort=rel& searchsource=all
2. Go back, and back again
3. "Search"
4. Type interesting topic in edit field, e.g. "English"
5. Touch "OK"
6. Select any podcast from the list to subscribe that

My favourite podcasts list for learning English, all of these are free:

• English as Second Language Podcast
• Fun English Lessons
• Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

My favourite technological podcasts:

• This Week in Google
• The Java Pose

My favourite music podcasts:

• Via The A-Hole | Punk Podcast
• Rocket Fuel

Links

I think it's nice place for collection of some useful links about my hobbies. I'd like teaching myself, so links go to pages with self-learning sites, instructions, articles, tips.

Let's start with java development:

• www.flazx.com - IT learning center, free computer ebook/book reviews, a huge collection of books in .pdf and .chm formats,

One of the best book IMHO is "Effective Java" by Joshua Bloch;

I like to play tennis, there are some links to tennis-related sites with instructions - how to play, how to hit stokes and so on...

• www.tennis.com - a large site with detailed instructions, articles, tips;

Another my hobby is snowboarding:

• www.abc-of-snowboarding.com - Snowboarding Online Course, your all-out tutorial for basic skills, techniques, and maneuvers;

Snowboard DVD 29 -ground tricks-

Best Java developer tools

If you want start to develop application in java you need some tools.
Firstly is Java Development Kit (JDK) you can download it form http://java.sun.com.
Secondly you needs IDE. Most of popular is Eclipse and Netbeans.
After you can install some useful plugins.

Bulgaria. Pictures from Bansko and Sofia.

Recently I have been to Bulgaria and post there a several pictures taken from Bansko and Sofia.
 
 

Jabra BT8040 review

Recently I have a feel of necessary to use bluetooth headset for my Nokia 5800 XM. Because I like to listening podcasts and music while I'm travelling somewhere and I tired from wires. I have read many articles, reviews, blogs about headsets, and have chosen Jabra BT8040 because it have many positive review, it's small, lightweight, and it supports A2DP it's important if you like listen to music. One thing hinder me from purchasing - it was model of 2008 year and still not cheap. When I went around shops I saw several places where I can buy this.

Finally I've purchase this one for $60. Large yellow-grey package contains: headset, extra ear gels (2x small, 1x medium, 1 medium already fit on headset, mini CD with User manual, quick start guide, AC charger, short micro USB cable. Picture with extra ear-gels posted there. Device fits perfectly in any kind of ear. Also it has absolutely symmetric form and can be worn in the left or right ear or switched if one is tired.

That greats! I'm wondering about that! It was connected with phone without any issues. It's works perfectly.

BTW: Default factory password for bluetooth connection is four zeros: "0000", use it then you connect headset to mobile phone as paired device.

I want to put my phone to the backpack while I'm walking anywhere. So I start to tune phone for using voice commands - it works!
Now I able to know current time and make a call without phone, these function available on headset.

Nokia 5800 XM. Must have software list.

When we done hard reset on the phone we usually start to install several application that we use everyday. I collect there a links to these applications. All application are freeware therefore you shouldn't pay for it.

1. WeFi- useful application for connecting to wi-fi automatically;
2. Nimbuzz or Skype (may be fring, I didn't try it);
3. AccuWeather - will shows you weather in your town;
4. BrightLight - turn your phone in to pocket flashlight;
5. MobilePaint ot Scribble - for making quick scratches;
6. X-plore - is a file manager for symbian mobile phone;

If I forget something leave a comment.

Vacation. HotSpot Navigator became stronger.

Fist of all is a question: Why I use "HotSpot Navigator" on my mobile phone and don't want using Ovi Maps from Nokia.

Answer is simple: Of course Ovi Maps is great navigation application with vector maps, routing and navigation but coverage in my city (Izhevsk, Russia) is weak. I've posted two screenshots there to compare, all is several roads across the city although OpenStreetMap has a good and detailed coverage and it has a community support, it updates everyday.

Now I've got a lot of free time now. I'm should be focused on job-seeking, but focused on HotSpot Navigator development. Recently I added a new features like:

• traveled track will be saved then you closing HotSpot Navigator
• you able to load any on saved tracks that sorted by date of record starting
• some track analisys tools: view distance from start to any point on a track, view speed, altitude, timestamp at any point on a recorded track
• view overall distance from start of travelling route
• view current altitude
• save any point at map as landmark and show this one

Also I have found several tools for map creating (generating). We haven't own internal map format yet. So map it's just couple of files with tile-images placed in some folder hierarchy on flash-disk in handset. You can prepare map of travelling region by downloading necessary tiles from OpenStreetMap before your journey with helps of several applications called: OSMtiledownloader and JTileDownloader or just in HotSpot Navigator. After downloading selected region you should be just copied in to your phone in E:/hsnav/tiles/ folder. This action will be helpful then map scrolling in HotSpot Navigator around region of your travel for automatic downloading maybe hard. If you don't want to spend your money on GPRS/EDGE traffic while you not in coverage of WiFi-area then your should done one of these ways.