I’m not sure how it all happened but the first thing I noticed on this laptop is the inability to start ICS service. All of a sudden I could not access shared files on the network. Aha!

With the help of the internet, I tried searching for answers. One thing I did, which I think I shouldn’t have, was updating the system. After that, the laptop’s system config could not be found. Therefore, I had to repair it.

Although another issue that I looked at before that was the conflict between Ethernet and MAC Bridge Miniport. I was on it already then *tadan!!!* system repair was next to none.

Then someone reminded me about today’s Solar Eclipse. She’s saying that everybody’s acting weird, maybe it was caused by this occurrence. So I thought, maybe it is. And this laptop was one of the weird ones. hehehe.

I’m breaking my rule for a while. I’ll be online this weekend because I was issued by good hearted people with a brand new laptop. It is a Compaq Presario CQ40. It doesn’t come with an OS cause in IT, we can do the job. If we need licenses, we have our own.

The problem is, its hard disk doesn’t go along with Win XP. The latter doesn’t have natively the device driver for it. With my officemate’s message and a few searches on the net, doing a slipstream is the only thing I could do (we could do) if I really want to have this thing working under Win XP.

However, that is not what I have in mind. I don’t plan on doing that slipstream every time I’d re-format this laptop (although I really don’t do that often).

Meanwhile, I’m trying to install different Linux distros and also Windows 7 RC. But we’ll see. I’m just tired already. Needing some sleep I suppose.

I borrowed my officemate’s unused CD-R King  Wireless Lan USB Adapter to have it tested at home and just because I wanted to do that for so many days but only remembered asking for it earlier.

I immediately plugged in the device, put the installer cd for device driver and voila! It’s installed automagically.

What I needed to do next was to allow its mac address to connect to my wireless lan. That took me 1 minute.

In total, I used 4 minutes or less of my time to successfully surf the net on my desktop computer. Easy!

The only thing that freaks me out is it generated heat faster than I thought it would although I only used it for less than 10 minutes.

Anyway, here are the specs:

• 802.11 b/g
• 54 mbps
• usb 2.0

This costs 650php (that would be around 14USD).

To break the ice from all these geekiness, let’s have some fun.

So here is my list:

• 1 – Nokia mobile phone (some have 2 or even 3 phones)
• iPod Nano
• PSP Slim
• WD Passport Essential
• 2 – thumb drives
• bluetooth dongle (for bluetooth-less systems, just in case)
• Notebook (Fedora 10 Powered)
• Nikon L15 point and shoot camera
• Genius point and shoot camera with Video
• Nikon D70 slr
• Nikon FM2 slr
• FM transmitter
• Timex sportswatch (timer, lap count)

There!

All you people reading this, I tag you!

**Not sure if there’s somebody out there who started it already. In any case, you’re still tagged. hehe

Last night, I was able use the what is claimed by AVT to be the first GPS portable device that carries local map support (Philippines).

Specs:
4.3-inch LCD (touchscreen)
Samsung 400Mhz CPU
SIRF-star III chipset
SD card slot

And to describe the entire experience coming from the point of view of an online map user, I was confused at first, hahaha!! It didn’t come with a user manual and my officemate only helped me use the device. Another is I was in a hurry to get to where I was going so I didn’t bother to browse for more. Although I already set my destination.

Anyway, I found it useful cause even how roads look like is rendered. And it can record coordinates too. Then it can be a multimedia player but that’s not what I want from it, hehehe. It can be re-charged via car’s cigarette lighter AND usb port, yup! You read it right.

But I realized something. It is far more difficult to depend on a device rather knowing things that I should. This thought is in general. It’s just that the experience heightened the thought cause I couldn’t help but look at it while driving if there’s any suggestion on where my next turn was. And if don’t, I’d get lost in an instant, hahaha!! That’s why I find online maps useful too. Cause I already have an idea of the entire route that I chose. This device only made it real-time, depending on my car’s coordinates.

However, I’ll try to record my route’s coordinates tonight when I go home. I forgot about it last night. hehe..

**Disclaimer: This is not a product review.