Feb
5
Applying the Cyanogen Rogers 911 Fix on a HTC Dream
February 5, 2010 | Leave a Comment
I am sorry if the following notes Greek to you, but if it is then you should probably get a bit more acquainted with the Android updating tutorials at the XDA Developers Forum. After all, you don’t want to brick your phone – not a pleasant situation I would imagine (knock on wood!)
So tonight I followed the instructions to update my HTC Dream’s radio in order to bypass having to install Roger’s extremely annoying 911 update. The ultimate goal is to get data functionality back on my phone and since everything worked perfectly I can now confirm I have the right radio version – no problem at all.
Here is the tutorial I used: Updating Rogers Dream Radio
The rest of these notes are based entirely on that tutorial which worked like a dream (pun intended). Also, you may wonder why the heck I published this… the fact is I don’t always recall all of my previous steps and this seems like a great way to post something like a journal entry for myself later while also showing (anyone interested) how my process went. Oh, and if you want to jump to the one little piece of help I provide in this post, just jump to the content in red.
Part 1- Prerequisites Read more
Feb
4
How to Get Data Back on Your Rogers HTC Dream – 911 Fix Workaround
February 4, 2010 | Leave a Comment
If you HAVE NOT applied the Rogers HTC Dream update fix yet then you are in luck! Thanks to Cyanogen there is a work-around that will allow you to get your data back online without you having to apply the root-locking crap that Rogers is forcing you to use.
What is the 911 fix work-around? You have to update your radio to the version that Rogers is looking for and then you will have your data back after Rogers sees you have “complied” with their fascist tactics. Here are the instructions for the Rogers HTC Dream Radio Upgrade on Cyanogen’s website.
If you HAVE applied the Rogers update fix and you want root access again… you should follow this thread within the XDA-Developers forum where they are currently working on how to get root back again – it is proving a lot harder than expected but these guys are VERY bright so I expect they will get it rooted soon.
A Little Background on How Roger’s Screwed Their HTC Dream Users
On January 24th, 2010 Rogers shafted all HTC Dream & Magic owners by turning off the data connection for all HTC Dreams & Magics until the owners’ had complied with an upgrade request from Rogers; an unprecedented, entirely inexcusable decision. Read more
Feb
2
Examining the Humboldt Squid
February 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment
This is a great video I came across on YouTube. Excellent reporting!
Why post this now? Well, there is a lot of chatter about the amazing numbers of Humboldt Squid taking over the California coastline. Here is a popular article on the issue at the Los Angeles Times.
Jan
31
News for BC from Real Journalists
January 31, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Are you as sick as I am with the crap on the news these days? Perhaps you haven’t even thought to think of the issue? After all, we are all pretty overwhelmed with our busy lives on a daily basis and the morning/evening news has become more background noise than anything. Well, let me point you to the path of enlightenment because I was in the same place you were until I started reading the blogs of a few respected independent journalists.
Who are these REAL journalists?
- Alex G. Tsakumis: http://alexgtsakumis.com
- Harvey Oberfeld: http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/
- Norman Farrell: http://northerninsights.blogspot.com/
After reading just a few articles from these journalists, I felt a bit more clarity than I did before. It was like a shroud of fog parted long enough for me to remember what real reporting was; unbiased, fearless, and genuinely intelligent. I honestly can’t recall how long it has been since quality reporting was the norm on TV but I must have seen it at some point to feel the way I did. Anyway, I can tell you now that I am going to try to find even more journalists with the same ethical reporting skills as these gentlemen and I look forward to broadening my critical thinking skills and knowledge of issues I am so used to hearing just one side of on TV. Will you do the same? I honestly believe we are collectively getting dumber by watching the repetitive garbage on our local TV newscasts. Really! Who needs to see THAT much “news” about the weather and is it just me or does the news seem painfully biased and lame?
Perhaps you know of some great BC journalist blogs which you can share? Please feel free to add a comment and I will be sure to post the results.
Dec
17
Tracking Brain Functions During Video Games
December 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment
My friend Dr. Phillip Zeman has been conducting some pretty amazing research over the past 7 years tracking how the brain functions during 3d video games. Seems kind of useless if you think of it in that way (at least to a layman) but then consider that he is taking it to the next step by then seeing how pharmaceuticals effect spatial interpretation. Very cool stuff.
Here is a video from a recent news interview with Phil:
For more information check out his website http://www.spatialbrain.com