Windows Genuine Advantage Notification

My preferred way to deal with good-for-nothing programs, such as, Windows Genuine Advantage Notification.

Using your Nokia with Softbank

The aim of this post is to help you to get your Nokia phone work with Softbank, a mobile provider in Japan.

Situation:
In Japan, Softbank – preveriously known as Vodafone – and the rest of the phone companies such as Docomo do not support using a mobile phone not bought from them. So, let's say that you bought the latest Nokia phone in Europe and you want to use it with Softbank, you will find out that the MMS and WAP browsing will not work. The reason for this is:

1. Softbank does not provide the proxy settings for MMS and WAP to the user.
2. Softbank will check the User Agent of the phone MMS software / WAP browser in order to check whether it is provided by Softbank or not.

Note: Softbank provides certain Nokia models; however, these models are locked, flashed and renamed. For example, the Nokia N73 becomes 705NK, etc.

Note 2: It is important to note that if you buy a certain phone from Softbank and later flash it with any firmware that is not Softbank, then you will automatically lose the ability to use MMS and WAP.

To get your Nokia phone to work with Softbank, you need to input the correct MMS settings; moreover, you need to spoof your User Agent. One easy way to do this is by using YaPN which a Python script / SIS created by a Hiro-san, a Japanese programmer.

I will use the instructions provided on Tech[dot]Blog and edit it to make it applicable to Softbank subscribers.

Instructions

1. First install the following on your mobile:

• Python for S60 (PyS60)
• Python Script Shell
• appswitch103

Note: As you download the different programs, you need to make good note of your mobile model. For example, if it is a Nokia N73, then it uses S60 3rd edition (Symbian 9.1); any other edition will not work.

2. Install YaPN on your mobile phone.
At the time of this writing, the latest version of YaPN is 0.0.5.

3. Create a folder on your the memory card (drive E:) called Python

4. Inside that folder save the file yapn.conf file in E:\Python
One configuration example of yapn.conf that works with Softbank is the following settings from earlesscat,

wap-proxy: vfkkwapproxy.vodafone.ne.jp
wap-proxy-port: 8080
mms-proxy: vfkkmmsproxy.vodafone.ne.jp
mms-proxy-port: 8080
mms-server: mms
User-Agent: Vodafone/1.0/V702NK/NKJ001 Series60/2.6 Nokia6630/2.39.148 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1
x-wap-profile: http://nds1.nds.nokia.com/uaprof/N6630r100.xml

5. Now, we will need one access point for MMS / WAP browser to be configured as follows (again from from earlesscat)

Connection name: VFJP
Data bearer: Packet data
Access point name: mailwebservice.vodafone.ne.jp
User name: vodafonelive
Prompt password: No
Password: qceffknarlurqgbl
Authentication: Normal
Homepage: http://mms/
Option > Advanced setting
Network type: IPv4
Phone IP address: Automatic
DNS address: Automatic
Proxy serv. address: 127.0.0.1
Proxy port number: 1234

6. After creating your access point, you can now now run YaPN. You should configure YaPN to use the access point created above.

Now, you can use MMS and WAP on your Nokia.

Another Dirty AntiSpyware Page

Many companies are using totally unethical methods to get the novice Internet users to install their products.

Today I was browsing the Internet when I came across this page with from the domain clearantispyware dot com. Things to note:

• The page promotes some uknown XP/Vista AntiMalware 2009 product. They failed to notice that I was using GNU Linux system.
• Yet, despite the fact that I am on a GNU Linux system, their page managed to find many many infected files on my computer. (The trick is simple, this flash advertisement shows some recorded animation to trick the user into thinking that an actual scan of his system has taken place and that real serious threats were found. They lie about malicious code being found in order to sell some unknown product from hell.)
• They are so full of ****; you can see on the upper right "Encrypted/Secure Site" logo while their page is plain http.
• I didn't have time to further test their advertised product; however, usually this product itself is malware and once installed it will keep bugging the user about registering. The registration process will require the user to use his credit card to pay a certain amount of money.
  

Theme of the story, block popups. :p

Canon Open Source Firmware

I came recently across CHDK project that provides an open source firmware for several Canon Point and Shoot cameras. Installing their CHDK firmware on your Canon will provide you with new possibilities not possible with the official firmware image.

From CHDK website:

The current set of extra capabilities fall into six categories:

a. Enhanced ways of recording images - you can capture still pictures in RAW format (as well as JPEG), and for video images you can have increased recording time and length (1 hour or 2 GB), and a greatly increased range of compression options.

b. Additional data displays on the LCD screen - histogram, battery life indicator, depth of field, and many more.

c. Additional photographic settings that are not available on the camera by itself - longer exposure times (up to 65 seconds), faster shutter speeds (1/25,000 sec, and faster in some cases), automatic bracketing of exposure, etc.

d. The ability for the camera to run programs ('scripts', written in a micro-version of the BASIC language) stored on the memory card - these programs allow you to set the camera to perform a sequence of operations under the control of the program. For example, a camera can be programmed to take multiple pictures for focus bracketing, or take a picture when it detects that something in the field of view moves or changes brightness.

e. The ability to take a picture, or start a program on the memory card, by sending a signal into the USB port - you can use the USB cable to take a picture remotely.

f. The ability to do a number of other more useful (and fun) things, such as act as a mini file browser for the memory card, let you play games on the LCD screen, etc.

I am looking forward when a similar project is realized for the Canon DSLRs.