Busting the Malaysian GPS myths

Why is it that the global positioning system is catching on so extremely well in Singapore, and somehow in Malaysia it's still such a premium "toy" with everyone much too wary about even the most basic understanding of GPS. I'm a very staunch supporter of personel navigation devices, considering I'm really bad at directions. So every so often, conversations with other geeky people would eventually drift to global positioning systems.

GPS maps in Malaysia are free
Yes!! We are fortunate that for Garmin personal navigation equipment, we have free maps for Malaysia and Singapore which are available at http://www.malsingmaps.com. It's actually run by a community of people who constantly add new roads and locations to the maps. Once you get into the rhythm of using the GPS, you can also be part of the mapping community. If you buy a GPS receiver in Malaysia, it is likely you will get a Malaysia Mapset, so it's most likely you would get a free map, whatever brand of GPS you buy.

GPS maps in Malaysia are not accurate
YES, they are accurate, especially in city areas where they are extremely accurate. See the picture at the begining of the post. Even small roads are marked out in the map. Obviously, not all maps in Malaysia are marked out, but you will be able to get around with the maps.

GPS reception in Malaysia is poor
NO... unless you're between some tall buildings. I should mention that GPS works only when the receiver is in sight of the sky. It doesn't work in tunnels and underground parking lots.

GPS bought in Malaysia cannot be used overseas
Oh yes, you can. You just need to "find" the map for the country you intend to use it in. You can buy it. No I don't know how much they cost because I've never bought one before.

So, hopefully, that resolves some myths for wannabe users of GPS in Malaysia.

Iphone 3G in Malaysia?

It’s quite disappointing that after a long, hopeful waiting, Iphone 3G won’t be officially launched in Malaysia. It’s sadder still, our southern neighbor, Singapore, is included in the official release soon. Heck, even Botswana is included.

However, as we already know, Malaysia is full of dedicated Iphone bringers. I myself will try my best to fulfill Malaysian’s hunger of these ’Twice as fast. Half the price’ Iphone. I’ll update with the link to my bulk later.

Update: Many news confirm that activation for the Iphone will be on the spot. Meaning they won’t let you leave the store if you don’t activate your phone. At the moment, there is possible way for me to conduct my bulk yet.

Even more Update: The best place to get Iphone is New Zealand as its iphones are officially unlocked. So no need warranty-voiding hack or sim-adapter hassle. However the price is not very nice and friendly now as it’s retailed at 979NZD and 1129NZD for 8gb and 16gb respectively.

WiFi vs WiMax

WiFi and WiMax are competing wireless broadband technologies that are considered useful for VoIP. What are the pros and cons?

The basic standard for this technology is WiFi. WiFi is primarily used to create a Local Area Network (LAN), which allows users within the network to connect wirelessly. The commonest use is primarily in Internet connectivity, but WiFi is also used for closed-circuit business networking and for connecting consumer electronics, such as TVs and DVD players. WiFi makes connecting to the Internet within a home or business cheap and easy, and it also allows commercial and service venues to provide wireless access to customers and the greater public, within a relatively small service area.

WiMax serves several functions in wireless connectivity, but it was largely created to provide “last-mile” broadband connection to homes and businesses. Instead of using fixed lines like cable or telephone line to bring Internet access into a building, WiMax uses transmitters, like cell-phone towers, to carry its signal. WiMax technology does not require line-of-sight to the user, so several subscribers can connect to a tower, even if it is blocked by trees or other buildings. This makes WiMax particularly useful and cost-effective for rural homes and other locations set in a geography that would make laying a traditional hardwire difficult and expensive.

In short, WiMax technology promises a future of more powerful and more accessible wireless Internet access. For the meantime, however, WiFi will be the mainstay.

Internet1 vs Internet2

Some ITS experts have suggested that for many institutions there is no difference between the Internet and Internet2, except that the I2 pipeline is kept relatively free of traffic so that the full benefit of Broadband can be utilized in select events managed by the I2 Consortium.

While Internet1 is open to pretty much anyone with a computer, access to Internet2 is limited to a select few, and its backbone is made up entirely of large-capacity fiber-optic cables. Rather than Internet1, which is cobbled together out of old telephone lines, Internet2 was built for speed—the roads are all wide and smooth, like your own private autobahn. Internet2 moves data at 10 gigabits per second and more, compared with the 4 or so megabits you'll get using a cable modem. As a result, Internet2 moves data 100 to 1,000 times faster than the old-fashioned Internet.

However, it seems reasonable to think that the demand for swifter connections and more broadband will increase exponentially in the next few years and the record thus far is that the Internet developers have responded to these challenges with creative gusto. We are creating a world wide neural network in which I2 is merely the advance harbinger of a cyber consciousness just now awakening to a new world.

Open Source Advantages and Limitations - Overview

The Value of Open Source Software - Is it Paradise or Hell?

The advantages of Open Source has been advocated widely in many literature's. Obtaining the original source code makes it easy to resolve many problems, and become independent of anyone specific vendors, programmers and suppliers.

One lesson that is becoming clearer is that the design of hardware and software and the governance of the Internet matters. These issues can profoundly affect competition and innovation in markets, the ability of universities, libraries and nonprofits to pursue their missions, and the control that individuals can exercise over their lives.

Click here to read more detail information on Open Source Advantages and Limitations.

IPv4 vs IPv6

IPv6 stands for Internet Protocol version 6. It is the second version of the Internet Protocol to be used generally across the virtual world. The first version was IPv4. IPv5 was a protocol of a different sort, intended to support video and audio rather than all-purpose addressing. IPv6 is also known as IPng, which stands for IP Next Generation.

One of the main upgrades in IPv6 is in the number of addresses available for networked devices. For example, each mobile phone or other kind of electronic device can have its own IPv6 address. IPv6 allows 3.4x10^38 addresses. This is mainly due to the number of bits in each protocol. IPv4 addresses have 32 bits in them and so allow a maximum of four billion addresses. IPv6 addresses have 128 bits.

However, IPv4 is still the protocol of choice for most of the Internet. The transition will be a steady one, and IPv6 is the future of Internet addressing, mainly because industry experts believe that they are close to running out of available addresses altogether.

The American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) has become the latest major Internet organization to warn that IPv4 addresses will run out by 2010. ARIN has now begun issuing letters to ISPs owning blocks of IPv4 addresses, which encourages them to adopt IPv6. The group will also begin making it more difficult to gain new IPv4 addresses via a tougher vetting process.