my Technology Blog Follow @rhatol

I've finally finished this app I'm making on my Pocket PC 2003 Phone Edition (aka Windows Mobile 2003). I made it out of the need to backup my SMS Messages.

One limitation of the Pocket Outlook Phone Ed. (even on the 2nd edition), is that you cannot backup your SMS folders thru Activesync. So, I've been using this freeware app called "Smartphone Studio" to do my SMS messaging, and guess what,... that's what I've been using since my first smartphone, the 02 Tanager (aka Smart Amazing Phone). Cool, huh? :) Once you've tried sending SMS using your PC (or simply typing your SMS), you wouldn't want to go back using your phone to do text messaging.

Then just recently, Smartphone studio just won't work anymore. I call it the dreaded "SMS module init failed" error message...hmmm, I just know that it's a problem on the message stores but I've been doing searches on the net for days now and I can't find any good resources.

The application I made simply displays your SMS folders and message contents and you can output to an XML file. The biggest problem I had was using that deprecated SMSReadMessage method.

If you want a copy of this app, just leave a comment and how to contact you.

Just in case you didn't know, (and kinda my own way of doing public service), Color-coding is now in effect on some parts of Ortigas Center and MegaMall.

Actually since last month, you can't pass by the streets at the back of Megamall, and even San Miguel Ave.....BUT on the southbound lane only. Meaning, all vehicles from Oritgas Avenue, Meralco Ave. or Julia Vargas going to anywhere past the southbound lane of ADB & San Miguel Ave. is covered by Mandaluyong City.

In short, you can't enter ADB, Megamall, the old Medical city, San Miguel Bldg. and even Shangri-La from 7am to 7pm (no 10am to 3pm window. parang Republic of makati).

Here's the complete list...

ADB Ave. -- southbound lane only
San Miguel Ave. -- southbound lane only
Lourdes St. -- from San Miguel to St. Francis Ave.
Julia Vargas -- from San Miguel to EDSA
The whole stretch of Poveda St., Gadix St., St. Francis Ave., and Bank Drive


[tidbits]
a broker friend recommends Philex (PX & PXB) for all you stock market bargain hunters. :)

AMD scored Big Time!!

The Intel rep giving the awards walked out rather than presenting the award.

Particulary for developers wanting to dive into the inevitable world of mobile applications, the Windows Mobile name has caused some confusion. Windows Mobile is the current MS marketing term for the PocketPC/SmartPhone OS.

Here's a quick look at these mobile platforms:
-Pocket PC 2000 / Pocket PC 2000 Phone Edition
-Smartphone 2002
-Pocket PC 2002 / Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition
-Smartphone 2003
-Pocket PC 2003 / Pocket PC 2003 Phone Edition (w/ .NET Compact Framework)
-Smartphone 2003 Second Edition
-Pocket PC 2003 Second Edition

And just to be complete, here's for the Windows Embedded Operating Systems:
-Windows CE (for small-footprint devices)
-Windows XP Embedded (a componentized version of the XP operating system)
-windows NT Embedded (a componentized version of the NT operating system)


Simply put, the basic difference between Pocket PC phone edition and a SmartPhone is the device's intended or primary use. a "Phone-PDA" (Phone w/ PDA functions) if for the SmartPhone and a "PDA-Phone" (PDA w/ Phone functions) Pocket PC Phone Ed.
ie. XDA I/II/IIIi/IIIs and a Smart Amazing Phone (Tanager/Voyager) or an Ericcson P900 and the Treo.

Also an important thing to note here is that PocketPC & Smartphone is WIN CE.


[Quick tips]
For sys ads out there, tomorrow Apr 12, if you purposely blocked XP SP2 ("DoNotAllowXPSP2" registry key) from automatic updates. This key is set to expire tomorrow so XP SP2 will now be automatically downloaded.

Haaay, another one of those days.....I don't know why, but I always get the brunt of these gas price increases. whenever I get a chance to fill-up,...right after fuel prices has gone up.

I remember one time, we checked the prices, drove in, and after driving out the price has already changed and after looking at the receipt we were indeed charged with the new price. This happened to me twice. The first one was months ago and the other on the first week of the outrageous weekly price hikes. (yeah-yeah, I don't read the news often enough)

And just the other day, we drove-in on one of the lanes, were asked to transfer to a new lane because that one was already being calibrated for the new price (daw), so of course we quickly transferred to the next lane but this guy who has just finished filling up, jumped outside his vehicle and started talking on his cellphone. (grrrr!) Assessing that taking time to request the guy to move the hell outta there would consume more time, I just decided to go the other lane. After that, when the nozzle was about to be inserted on my gas tank, tick!... the price per liter on the lcd just changed. Well, I argued that I was there before their supposed time of price adjustment and was just asked to transfer, but they said the prices on the pumps were automatic. (more grrrrrrrr!)


I knew it! they made it look like they were doing us a favor by gradually increasing prices by the week. But on the contrary, it was their sneaky way of getting away with pumping up oil prices even more!! Imagine if they didn't do it weekly, could they have jacked-up the prices upto around 3.50 pesos? I don't think so!!! They know the consumers will not stand for it. (Kelan ba matatapos itooo!!!)

(...More tech blogging on my next posts...) :)