CDR King USB: Curve Card Reader

My old card reader suddenly stopped working while I was transferring some photos from my camera to the desktop computer. Thus, I was forced to buy a new card reader. I went to the nearest CDR King branch to buy the card reader. I remember that I complained about the CDR King USB extension cord that I bought the last time. CDR King is notorious for having products that malfunction for no apparent reason. CDR King is also notorious for very long queues and ultra-slow service but those are for another blog post.

I told the sales clerk that I need a CDR King USB product that can be used to connect the SD Card of my camera to the laptop. She told me that the CDR King USB product that I need is a card reader. Then she showed me a wide selection of CDR King’s card readers.

Of course I chose CDR King’s Curved Card Reader. I almost didn’t believe that this CDR King USB product only cost 50 pesos. I even told the sales clerk that this CDR King product will not last because it is very cheap.

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CDR King Curve Card Reader

My Curve Card Reader is already 5 months old but it still works fine. It is quite different from another CDR King USB card reader that my brother bought. It malfunctioned in less than a month. Well, I think that buying CDR King USB products is a sort of lottery. If you are lucky then you get a good product. If not then you’ll get the malfunctioning one.

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Nokia C3-01

When my Nokia 5130 Expressmusic cellphone finally conked out, my beloved decided to give a Nokia C3-01 as her birthday present for me. I have a hint what her gift would be days prior to my birthday because she is asking the specs of the cellphone that I want (I answered “any cellphone as long as it has good camera”). What surprised me is that her gift is a silver Nokia C3-01.

Nokia C3-01 Specs

I wanted a cellphone that has a camera that I can use to capture photos for my blogs. My Nokia C3-01 has a 5 Megapixel camera with integrated flash. Nokia C3-01's camera can also take photos at 3.2 megapixels and 2 megapixels. The camera can also take photos in sepia tone or grayscale. C3-01's camera can also be used in taking videos.

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Sample photo taken by Nokia C3-01's camera.

Nokia C3-01 has a metal casing that can protect the cellphone's sensitive parts from a nasty fall. My C3-01 once fell at a height of about a meter but it still works fine thanks to its metal casing. Battery life of this cellphone can last for more than a day if you just use it for typing and sending text messages. Battery will not last a day if you are using it as an mp3 player or if you are making calls continuously.

Nokia C3-01 has 2.4” touch screen. I had a hard time using the touch screen at first because it is too sensitive to my fingers. This touch screen became a convenient way of navigating my cellphone after I got used to using it.

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Connectivity with Nokia C3-01

Nokia C3-01 has two modes that can be used to connect with other devices. This cellphone can also connect to the Internet through the “wireless local area network” (WLAN).

What I like about my Nokia C3-01 is that is can easily be accessed by the computer. It doesn't require special software like my old Nokia 5130 Expressmusic just to access the files stored inside the phone and the microSD. I can easily transfer picture and music files between my Nokia C3-01 and a computer using USB cable connection. The USB cable can also be used to transfer files between Nokia C3-01 and a USB memory stick or flash drive.

Nokia Ovi Suite software can also be used to access the files stored in Nokia C3-01 from your computer. Unfortunately, the installation CD for Nokia Ovi Suite is not included when you buy the Nokia C3-01.

Another way to connect Nokia C3-01 with other devices is through Bluetooh. This mode allows the wireless connection of Nokia C3-01 with computers, headsets, car kits and other cellphone.

I experienced using C3-01's WLAN functionality while I was inside an SM mall. SM Foodcourt has free WiFi, which I used to test my cellphone's WLAN. Nokia C3-01 uses Opera Mini as its browser. Surfing the net in Nokia C3-01 is easy as long as the WiFi connection is reliable.

Other Features of Nokia C3-01

Other useful features inside Nokia C3-01 are the Calendar and the Media Player. Calendar allows me to remember birthdays and special occasions. I also used this to remind me of my appointments and tasks that I need to do.

Nokia C3-01's media player can be used to play mp3 music files. This cellphone can also be used to listen to FM radio stations.

Other features available in Nokia C3-01 are the voice recorder that can also be used to record phone conversations. Games are also available in Nokia C3-01 and new games can be downloaded from Nokia Ovi Store.

My beloved gave me a good gift for my birthday. Nokia C3-01 has the camera that I need. It is lighter and more durable as compared to my old Nokia 5130 Expressmusic. All in all, Nokia C3-01 is a good phone for me.

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A Review of a Cheap Nokia Battery BP-5M

In a previous post, I gave out some tips on how to buy cell phone battery that may not be the original but cheap. In that post, I said that I bought a China-made Nokia Battery BP-5M after I discovered that the original Nokia Battery BP-5M is too expensive.

After 9 months of using my Nokia Battery BP-5M, maybe it is time for me to give out a review. The battery that I bought is the BP-5M battery that was made by Lim Hong. I bought the Nokia Battery BP-5M at a stall in SM so as to make sure that I will get a warranty if the battery that I bought malfunctioned.

The Lim Hong BP-5M battery functioned well since the time I bought it. That Nokia BP-5M Battery is not easily drained and can last for more than a day if I just use my cellular phone for sending text messages
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So far, my Lim Hong BP-5M battery is functioning well. Maybe the reason for this is because I make sure that I don’t overcharge it. I stop charging my cellular phone if I notice that the battery is already full.

Addendum:

July 24, 2011

I said in this review that my Lim Hong BP-5M battery is functioning well. However, this month I noticed some problems on my phone. My phone turn-off for no apparent reason. I am irritated each time that the phone turn-off suddenly while I am typing a text message. Sometimes my phone turn-off just seconds after I turned it on. I went to a technician to check the problem of my celphone. The technician said that the problem is my Lim Hong BP-5M battery. He said that Lim Hong is not a good brand. He told me to buy a battery with the brand name NYK.

If what the technician said is true then I can say that Lim Hong BP-5M battery is a failure. I will avoid buying any Lim Hong battery next time.

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MyPhone QT7 Duo

My brother brought home a new cellular phone courtesy of Sun Network. The new phone is the black-colored MyPhone QT7 Duo. According to MyPhone website, the QT7 Duo is a music phone with trackball. MyPhone QT7 Duo costs 2,990 pesos according to the MyPhone website.

MyPhone QT7 Duo has qwerty keypad and is a dual sim phone. The screen of MyPhone QT7 Duo is a 240 by 320 pixels 2.2 inches pixels QVGA screen. The phone can connect via bluetooth and USB. According to the MyPhone website, the battery of this phone can last 6 hours talk time and 270 hours standby time. MyPhone QT7 Duo has a card slot for microSD so it can be used in storing photo and music files, specifically MP3 files that can be played by the music player in the phone.

MyPhone QT7 Duo also has a 2 megapixels camera located on the back that can be used for taking photos and videos. The phone can also be used as sound recorder and FM radio. Other applications like alarm clock, calculator, e-book reader, calendar etc. that can be found on other phones are also present in MyPhone QT7 Duo.

Source: MyPhone website.

What's unique with MyPhone QT7 Duo or the MyPhone phones in general is that it contains the Pinoy App, which contains files that are distinctly Pinoy. What got my attention is the “My Faith” button inside the Pinoy App that contains prayers, the Rosary, Worship Songs, Mass Songs and other things that are related to the Christian Faith. This is unique because there are few companies out there that aren't afraid Faith in their products and MyPhone is one of those companies.

Other Applications available in MyPhone QT7 Duo is the App for Yahoo Messenger, Friendster, Facebook, Multiply, Twitter etc. However, I think that these Apps cannot be used because MyPhone QT7 Duo isn't WiFi enabled. You can only access the Internet through the expensive 3G and GPRS signal, which is not good considering that there are lots of phones out there that are WiFi enabled.

At a cost 2,990 pesos, I think that MyPhone QT7 Duo is not a bad buy. However, I believe that it would have been better if it is WiFi enabled.

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Be Aware at Cherry Mobile Sale

It seems like Cherry Mobile is regularly doing some promo or discount sales in their stores around Metro Manila. Their sales attract droves of people who want to buy cheap but reliable phones.

I have one Cherry Mobile phone and that is 1202i, which I bought last year and costs about 1,000 pesos. My Cherry Mobile 1202i is still alive and functioning as of this day.

Cherry Mobile sales are good but buyer have something to be aware of when buying during sale period at Cherry Mobile. Here is a story related to me by my brother:

I was looking for a phone last week so I dropped by a Cherry Mobile store at SM. While I was looking at the Cherry Mobile phones at the display, I saw a man who availed the Cherry Mobile phone that is on sale. He already paid for the phone that he bought and the saleslady already gave him his receipt. The man asked the saleslady if the Cherry Mobile that he bought has a warranty. To the dismay of the man, the saleslady answered that there is no warranty for Cherry Mobile phones that are on sale.

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Well, this is very much like CD-R King, which also doesn't issue warranty for their products.

So, if you are going to a Cherry Mobile sale, be aware of the fact that Cherry Mobile may not issue warranty for their products on sale.

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TDK Flash Disk with Flash Lock

Flash disk, which is also known as flash drive, is an important piece of gadget for most of us. Years ago, no one can imagine that all of our items – documents, photos, music etc.- can fit in one small gadget. But now, the flash disk is an indispensable tool for us, especially for those who are working with computers.

The flash disk that I am using now is the 2 GB TDK Flash Disk. The TDK Flash Disk is like the other flash disks in the market. What I like with my TDK Flash drive is its Flash Lock Software.
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TDK Flash Disk

The Flash Lock gives the TDK Flash Disk moderate level of protection to your files. The Flash Lock Software enables you to partition the memory of the TDK Flash Disk into two. One is the non-protected partition while the other one is the protected partition of the flash disk, which can be accessed by using the Flash Lock Software.
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TDK Flash Lock Software

The protected partition of the TDK Flash Disk is password protected and you are the one who will set-up the password. Also, the Flash Lock Software allows you to allocate the amount of memory for the protected partition and the unprotected partition.

Having a Flash Lock Software is good for people who want to hide important files from other people. This is good because flash disks are prone to being lost because of their small size.

So, if you are working on important files or data that you want to hide from peering eyes, then I suggest that you buy a flash disk with a Flash Lock Software.

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WD Elements External Hard Drive

One of the greatest inconveniences that can occur is the sudden crash of our personal computers or laptop. Computers, aside from the functionalities that it offers, serve as the repository of our memories. Computers store the papers that you made in college, the photos of your last birthday celebration or the videos that you made for your report in science. So, when your computer crashes those files that constitute your memories are gone. That is one of my fears when all of my photos are still stored in my home computer. That is why I decided to purchase WD Elements external hard drive to serve as storage for my photos and other important files.

I chose WD Elements external hard drive because it is being used by my American friends in storing valuable data. I believed then that since they trust WD Elements to store valuable data, then it is reliable enough to serve as back-up storage for my files. At least I am correct with that assumption because my WD Elements external hard drive has no malfunction after more than one year of use.

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WD Elements External Hard Drive

What I like with my WD Elements external hard drive is its reliability. For back-up storage, reliability is very important. It is bad if the back-up storage is the one that crashed.

So, if you want to prevent inconvenience and keep your files safe, then I suggest that you back your files up. If you are looking for an external hard drive, I recommend WD Elements.

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CD-R King Card Reader FAIL

In an old article, I complained about CD-R King's USB extension cord with signal booster. The USB extension cord did not work so I went to Binondo Chinatown branch of CD-R King, where I purchased the product, and I tried to exchange the faulty extension to a functioning one. To make the long story short, I exchanged the faulty cord with another product just to make sure that my money is not wasted and I still get the functionality that I need.

There is another a complaint against CD-R King and my brother is the one who is complaining this time. My brother bought CD-R King's Sierra All in One Card Reader.
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CD-R King's card reader has five slots for the various kinds of card readers available. CD-R King's card reader supports CF, MS, SD, T-F and M2 memory cards. CD-R King's M Series card has USB 2.0 interface.

The card reader looks OK and cheap, that's why my brother bought it. However, when he inserted his CF memory card, he is being prompted to reformat the card. My brother is sure that the CF memory card has no problem that's why he went to CD-R King to ask for a replacement. They told him that the product is out of stock that's why they can't replace it. CD-R King doesn’t do a refund so my brother can't get his money back. In frustration, he left CD-R King and went to another shop to buy another card reader. To his surprise, he saw this:
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That is Newmen All in One Card Reader (CR-108). The features are similar with that of CD-R King's card reader but at a higher price. It seems like CD-R King copied Newmen's card reader.

CD-R King's products are indeed cheap but crappy. Whenever I need a gadget, I avoid CD-R King's products because of my bad experiences with them.

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Images taken from the websites of CD-R King and NewmenTech.
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Imarflex Electric Mosquito Killer

I talked about tennis racket-shaped electric mosquito killer in one of my previous posts. That kind of mosquito killer is cheap and easy to use and also fun to use because you could hear the popping sounds of mosquitoes that are being electrocuted.

Now, let me introduce you to another kind of electric mosquito killer. This is the Imarflex Electric Mosquito Killer.

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Imarflex Electric Mosquito Killer is a good electric mosquito killer because it gets its power from an electric outlet and could operate continuously. Unlike the racket-shaped electric mosquito killer, Imarflex mosquito killer can be left alone to run continuously and it will kill mosquitoes.

Another plus factor is the bluish-light that it emits to attract mosquitoes. There is a small fan at the back of the electric mosquito killer to suck the pests in so as they will be electrocuted for sure.

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This mosquito killer is so effective that I always use it, especially when there is some mosquitoes bugging me while I sleep. Once I open the Imarflex electric mosquito killer, the pests will surely stop bothering you.

So, I recommend the Imarflex electric mosquito killer in making sure that mosquitoes will stop sucking your blood while you sleep.

For better result, I suggest that you turn off the light when using the Imarflex electric mosquito killer so that mosquitoes will only see the mosquito killers bluish light.

I suggest that you read about my tips on how to make your home dengue free. 

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Right On with Cherry Mobile 1202i

In my personal blog, I lamented about how I lost my LG KU380 when it fell to Manila Bay. It is quite sad to lose to lose the phone that have sentimental value (I bought my LG from my first bonus at work).

Because of the incident, I have to buy a cheap phone which I will not feel that sorry in case that it got lost or fell in the sea. My need was answered by Cherry Mobile 1202i.

Cherry Mobile 1202i is quite cheap as compared to the phone of the same specs offered by Nokia. I bought my Cherry Mobile 1202i for 999 pesos.
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Cherry Mobile 1202i is a simple phone. It has colored screen, polyphonic ringtones and single SIM. It also comes handy because it has a flashlight like the same model offered by Nokia. It does not play MP3 music but it has a built-in FM radio application. I like its FM radio because it comes handy when I do not want to hear cheap soap operas shown on the TV inside the bus when I go home.

Cherry Mobile 1202i is a great buy. You got the same features as the Nokia phones of the same specs but with a cheaper price tag.

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Gadget Review: Nintendo DS

Of the gaming console makers of the world, I see Nintendo as an innovative and creative company. My proof is the Nintendo DS.

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Just when most of my friends and officemates are buying Sony PSPs to while their time away, I chose to play games with Nintendo DS. It is agreed that the features of Sony PSP are great. However, Nintendo DS is cooler. What made Nintendo DS cooler? The answer for that is its two screens.

The first screen is like your regular screen where you can play the usual games, just like in Sony PSP. The second or the lower screen is a touch screen that could be used as additional screen or a touch pad to add more interactivity in the games.

The touch screen made the Nintendo DS better than the Sony PSP. Because of the touch screen, Nintendo was able to place more creative games in Nintendo DS that will appeal from youngster to adult gamers.

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Electric Bug Zapper

The rainy season is getting nearer and with it is the season of mosquitoes and flies. Because of this, the threat of illness due to these bugs are on the rise and parents will once again be more concerned about the protection of their children against the diseases like malaria, dengue, dysentery, and cholera. One way to protect yourself and your family is by killing these pests using flyswatters and flypaper.

However, there is a better way of killing these bugs and that is by using the Electric Bug Zapper.

The Electric Bug Zapper is a simple tool that uses electricity to kill insects. It is shaped like a tennis racket with the head acting like an electric fence. Any bug that will be hit by the racket will be zapped and burst. If fully charged, this gadget is strong enough to kill a fully grown house lizard but weak enough not to electrocute a person. Anyone touching the racket head will be zapped but the electricity is not too strong.

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This device is ideal to use when insects tend to swarm in one place, which is usually the habit of mosquitoes. The broad face also increases the chance to hit the target insect, as compared to the normal fly swatter. You also spared of the messy way of dealing with insects, as compared to the fly swatter because the insect tend to burn, which means that they do not leave any entrails.

Where to Buy and How Much

The Electric Bug Zapper could be bought at any public markets, just look for shops or kiosks that sells products for 100 pesos and below and you will find this gadget. I had bought mine at the Commonwealth Market. I heard that some malls, specifically the Ever Gotesco and Robinson Malls, have this product.

The price of the Electric Bug Zapper is around 100 pesos (about 2 dollars). Be reminded though that vendors tend to overprice their products and they sell this gadget for 120 pesos. Just try to haggle with them so as to lower your price. Prices at the malls is higher than those at the public markets.

Safety Reminders

Electric Bug Zapper is not a toy and it uses electricity so keep it away from children. Touching the racket head causes an electric shock that may surprise the kids more than adults.

This gadget is directly plugged in the wall sockets to be charged. Just be sure to unplug this device before you sleep. Overcharging may cause the rechargeable batteries inside to explode.

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Motorola W156

The Motorola W156 is the least of all my favorites when it comes to cellular phones that I ever set my hands upon. Overall, Motorola W156 is not that bad. However, I have some issues regarding this phone.

Specifications

Motorola WI56 is a bar type 2G phone with a black and white screen. It is designed to be durable, yet not bulky enough to create discomfort and unease inside your pocket. W156 is simple to use and do not have other add on features like am/fm radio or mp3 player. It also features Motorola’s CrystalTalk technology that helps deliver crystal clear voice quality in noisy environments.

Motorola W156 also brags a long battery life. That brag is not without basis since the phone can last for days if left idle. It also last long under continued use during texting and calling.
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Problems

My main problem with WI56 is its keypad, which is not embossed. The keypad set-up makes it hard for me to type my text messages. Oftentimes I hit the wrong key when typing my messages.

Another problem that I have is when I am typing my text messages, I have a hard time shifting from small letters to capital letters and vice versa. Unlike the phones from Nokia, you can only change a letter from small letter to capital letter (or vice versa) if it is highlighted by the cursor.

The Verdict

Motorola W156 is one of the most affordable Motorola phone in the market. However, I do not recommend this phone. It is better that you buy other phones from Motorola.
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Cherry Mobile D30

Cherry Mobile Phone is a new company that offers alternative models of mobile phones that are more affordable as compared to the ones that are being offered by Nokia, Siemens, Samsung, and other big mobile phone companies.

As a gift for my father’s 50th birthday, we decided to look for an affordable 3G phone that has a camera and an mp3 player. We stressed on a phone that can play music because we know that our father likes to listen music (especially the ones that were so popular during his prime). What we found is Cherry Mobile D30.

Specifications and Accessories

Cherry Mobile D30 is a dual-SIM phone. This means that you can insert two SIM cards simultaneously in this phone. Dual-SIM mobile phones are ideal for entrepreneurs who have clients that are subscribers of different cellular networks. This is also good for text addicts who have textmates on either Smart or Globe cellular networks. The dual-SIM capability of D30 will let you keep one cellular phone for two networks, thus reducing the number of cellphone that you have to carry.

Cherry Mobile D30 also has one camera located on the back of the phone.

For music lovers, D30 can also be used as mp3 player. It has a slot for a microSD card, making the number of music files playable in your phone as virtually limitless. The loudspeaker is loud enough that it could be heard even if the environment is noisy. Aside from the mp3 player, Cherry Mobile D30 can also be used as a radio since it has the capability of receiving FM signals. Because of this, you can now listen to your favorite FM radio stations.

Softwares
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Available softwares in the phone are the regular functionalities that could be found on other phones like alarms, a software for converting length and weight units, currency converter, and an E-book Reader. D30 also have a software for calculating your Body Mass Index and monitor your menstrual cycle.

Connectivity

Cherry Mobile D30 has a port that could be used both for charging the phone and for connecting it to your laptop or desktop. Once the phone is connected to the computer, via USB, it will act as a regular mass storage device and will allow you to access the files stored in the microSD card. Connecting the phone via USB is an easy way of transferring picture and music files from the phone to the computer and vice versa.

However, this phone is only limited to the USB connection because it is not capable of connecting to the computer and other phone via Bluetooth or Infrared signal. This is a big turndown for this phone because you are prevented from receiving and sending large numbers of music, picture, and video files with other phones. Bluetooth is a necessity for 3G phones nowadays and the phone that does not have Bluetooth is not trendy.

The Price

We bought Cherry Mobile D30 at a shop in SM Megamall at a price of 3,500 pesos. The price is lower, as compared with other phones having the same functionalities from other mobile phone manufacturers.

The Verdict

The great advantage of Cherry Mobile D30 is its being a dual-SIM phone at an affordable price. We could use one of the SIM slots for a retailer SIM and we will start a cellphone reloading business. Dual-SIM phones, like Cherry Mobile D30, are recommended for anyone who want to start a reloading business.

The mp3 player, FM radio, and camera are good add-on for the phone. The camera, however, is not as powerful as those that could be found on more expensive phones. The obvious disadvantage of this phone is that it does not have a Bluetooth. However, other than the lack of Bluetooth, Cherry Mobile D30 is a nice phone and is recommended for those who are looking for an affordable dual-SIM phone.

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Read my review of Cherry Mobile 1202i.

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