Dealing with Spam

Don't you just hate spam? Not edible spam as featured in the photo, but spam... SPAM, those annoying stuff that show up in your inbox, out of topic comments in your blog, crazy IM message from people/bots you don't know (and they usually carry viruses!) and those people and bots who try to join your mailing lists just to wreak havoc in your small community with medicines, adult sites and what-have-you.

Bwisit noh?

This is how I have drastically reduced spam in my online stuff:

1. Mail - I just use Gmail/Google Accounts. I've completely abandoned using another mail service because of spam because I don't want to waste my time just cleaning up my inbox for unwanted mail.

2. Blog - I use Blogger.com for my blog and have activated comment moderation and request for identification. I know it discourages people from commenting sometimes, but I believe if you really want to leave a comment you really would even with these requirements.

3. Instant Messaging - I'm scared of getting viruses. So I mainly use Gtalk for IM-ing. I just log-on to Yahoo Messenger via web, but I rarely do anymore because of all the spammy messages I've been getting the past couple of years.

4. Groups/Mailing Lists - I manage a good number of mailing lists and I've seen an uprise in spam through groups. Because of this I now require people to answer a question before they are approved to join in a mailing list I own. I already got scolded by a nun when she opened a link that opened to an adult site. Hehehe.

Exporting Contacts from Nokia E71 to Your Nexus One

So it took me a couple of days to figure out how to copy my contacts from my Nokia E71 to my new Nexus One.

MAJOR NOSEBLEED!

I've been a Nokia user for about a decade now and because I've been so comfortable using Nokia phones I never bothered to get any other brand. Not even a free offer for an iPhone made me consider changing. Heh. The Nexus One though was something I couldn't resist nor turn down.

It took me a couple of tries to transfer all my contacts to the Nexus One. I just essential followed links from the following:

The Nexus One help forum
The Nexus One page on Contacts
Microsoft's import/export of contacts help page (found this page coz I couldn't find a good, easy to use .csv to .vcf converter)

This is how I successfully transferred all 1,191 contacts from my Nokia E71:

1. Backed up the contacts using Nokia PC Suite
2. On the Nokia PC Suite Contacts tab, I chose "File" and then "Send" then "Contact via Email". Doing this opens a Windows Outlook Express tab and you'll see all your contacts attached as VCF files.
*At this point make sure that your Nexus One is connected to your PC as storage (check this page on how to do this)
3. On the Windows Outlook Express tab, choose "File" then "Save attachments", save it in your Nexus One SD card (I saved it in the "bluetooth" folder because I didn't really know where to save it).
4. Safely unmount your Nexus One from the PC and then touch "Contacts" then touch "Menu" then "Import/Export". Import "all VCF files" (I did this coz I didn't really know how to navigate around).

It took awhile before all my contacts were imported. After it finished I proudly announced to my hubby that I had successfully imported all my contacts to my new phone. Yay!!!

You may also want to check out my post about "Unboxing a New Toy, the Nexus One".

Why Spam was Called Spam

According to Wikipedia the term "spam" was derived from the 1970 Monty Python skit "Spam". Everybody I know is annoyed with spam since it takes time to sift through one's mailbox just to take it out.

Watch the skit and find out how this term evolved -

Ep. 17: The Canon G11

Finally got to see the much hyped, elusive Canon G11 which I have been scouting around for in the past few weeks. I've been curious about it since I've kinda outgrown my Canon G9. I was so mesmerized, good thing Jay got my camera from me and started filming during the demo by Joseph. Here's the edited video -

So what's up with the Canon G11?

- 10-megapixel high sensitivity CCD

- 5x Optical Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer

- 28mm Wide-Angle Lens

- 2.8"PureColor II LCD Screen

- RAW Image Recording

- HD Movie Recording (720p) with HDMI Output

download complete product specs

Price: PhP33,950

Free Wifi at SM Malls

My wish has finally come true! After years of being "offline" whenever I go to my favorite SM mall (SM Bicutan), SM together with Philcom has finallyinstalled wifi at SM Bicutan. The launch was on August 21, 2009. Hooray!!!

I've tried it at the following areas:

Building A 2nd floor - good

Building A Upper Ground - good, you can also surf from McDonald's

Building B 2nd floor - good and you can easily check out stuff while inside Electroworld; gets spotty at the foodcourt

Building B Upper Ground - good, stay near the window if you are dining at Jollibee; none inside SM Hypermarket

Building B Lower Ground - good especially at the middle, you can surf while having your hair done at Going Straight!

SM has free wifi at the following malls: Marikina, Megamall, Mall of Asia, North EDSA, Cebu, Bacolod, Baguio, Pampanga, and Iloilo

Thank you SM for this early birthday gift! I just hope though that next time there won't be a noisy! noisy! band (they were good though) since it gave me a very bad headache.

Hello Kitty Online

So Hello Kitty has began purring online with the launch of the Hello Kitty Online game. It's a multiplayer game where gamers can explore a magical world with favorite Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty, Batdz-Maru, Pochacco, Keroppi, My Melody and many more.

The game looks so cute with areas like the Flower Kingdom, London, Tokyo, Paris, Moscow etc. and since it's integrated with the Sanrio Town web community it gives players a chance to socialize through discussion boards, videos, blogs etc. Gamers can also build their dream home, grow their farm, make craft items and go on expeditions.

Hello Kitty Online is on Founders Beta and you can sign-up for a free account if you want to try it out.

Teach Lola

Last week Bayan launched their "Teach Lola" advocacy program. It aims to bring closer the digital divide between kids and grandparents.

Here's a short funny video of Lolo and Lola internet addicts -

Well, I'm currently teaching my Mom and this is my plan of action:

1. Show Mom what she can do online: watch videos on Youtube, search favorite things on Google

2. How to turn on and off the PC.

3. How to log-in to her user.

4. How to go online (click on Google Chrome icon)

5. How to chat (using the Gtalk gadget first)

6. How to type a document and print it

7. How to search on Google

8. How to watch videos to Youtube

9. How to send mail

10. How to blog (probably "for Dad") -> methinks this would be the ultimate test

Lola Techie said that the key to teaching Lola is to show her how fun the internet is.

More about the Bayan "Teach Lola" launch at An Apple a Day.