“Feds shut down NetBank after big subprime defaults”
That’s really not a headline one would want to read about his bank heading into the weekend. Unfortunately, it’s true. The Feds have pulled the plug on NetBank.
The interesting thing is ING Direct, where i have my savings account, will be acquiring the federally insured deposits, including mine, from NetBank. So because of NetBank going kaputt, by Monday, both my savings and checking accounts will be under the same bank!
Here’s FDIC’s notice on the shutdown of NetBank.
Related posts
The highly anticipated version 1.1.1 iPhone firmware update was finally released yesterday. As expected, installing this firmware renders an unlocked iPhone completely unusable, partially bricking the iPhone. There are unconfirmed reports that iPhones unlocked using the paid iPhoneSimFree method could be re-activated with the original AT&T SIM card but the unlocked iPhones are re-locked. So this firmware update basically makes everything back to square one. The iPhone Dev team will have to start everything from scratch: decrypting the 1.1.1 firmware, get write access, activate, enable third-party apps and unlocking.
I am not here to argue whether Apple is intentionally bricking unlocked iPhone in this firmware, though everything that i have read certainly points to that conclusion. I am here to explain that there is absolutely no reason to update to this firmware based on the known new features/fixes. So what are the “new” features and fixes in this update:
- iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store: Lame. I don’t really buy much of my music from the iTunes store anyway and making it possible for me to buy it directly from my iPhone is not going to change that one bit.
- Louder speakerphone and receiver volume: It would be nice if the speakerphone volume is actually quite a bit louder than it is now but according to some on Apple’s support forum, the speaker phone is no louder than before.
- Home Button double-click shortcut to phone favorites or music controls: It’s nice to have this but i can live without it.
- Space bar double-tap shortcut to intelligently insert period and space: It’s nice to have this convenient feature but again, i can live without it.
- Mail attachments are viewable in portrait and landscape: Ok, but i still cannot compose an email in landscape mode.
- Stocks and cities in Stocks and Waether can be re-ordered: Super lame. If someone is actually touting these as new features, i am going to bitch-slap the hell out of him.
- Apple Bluetooth Headset battery status in the Status Bar: Nice, but i don’t have Apple’s Bluetooth headset so this is useless to me.
- Support for TV Out: Yet another scheme to get people to cough up money for something that they don’t need.
- Preference to turn off EDGE/GPRS when roaming internationally: I don’t even have to worry about this since my iPhone is completely unlocked. All i have to do when i am “roaming” internationally is to get a local pre-paid SIM card, without worrying about incurring a $3000-phone bill.
- New Passcode lock time intervals: Yet another lame “new” feature.
- Adjustable alert volume: Good thing to have but can i use another sound for the alert tone, which can be quite easily accomplished with my unlocked iPhone?
So of all the missing required/desired functions on iPhone, the iPhone firmware 1.1.1 update only barely addresses the speaker phone softness issue, and even that is inconclusive among those who have installed this update. So why risk bricking your unlocked iPhone by installing this update when your unlocked iPhone already has access to hundreds of cools native third-party apps like the Installer, Finder, Terminal, weDict, VNotes, TextEdit, Summerboard, VNsea, Chat and ApolloIM? Oh, did i mention that i can ssh to my unlocked iPhone too ?
Other than the security fixes in this firmware, the iPhone firmware update does not really “add some amazing new things to iPhone”, as touted by the iPhone guy. As i am writing this, members of the iPhone Dev team are working hard to repeat their success on the previous two iPhone firmware updates. My suggestion is: why bother wasting time on hacking this firmware update with pathetically minimal number of new features? Wait till Apple has added most, if not all, of the required/desired features, then start hacking.
In the meantime, i am going to be quite occupied with the newly released Halo 3 
Related posts
I am trying reduce my environmental footprint on this planet by generating a lesser amount of non-biodegradable waste. One of the biggest amount of non-biodegradable waste that i have been generating is the PET(Polyethylene terephthalate)-based bottles for drinking water. In a typical week, i consumed at least 15 half-liter bottles of water, mostly while i am away from home on work-related trips. According to the Oakland-based Pacific Institute, the “process of making the plastic bottles for the water bottles consumed in the U.S. uses approximately 17 million barrels of oil per year. The manufacture of every ton of PET produces around 3 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). Bottling water thus created more than 2.5 million tons of CO2 in 2006.” Furthermore, even though the plastic bottles can be recycled (the plastic bottle cap is not recyclable though), most of these plastic bottles actually end up in landfills.
Another reason why i want to have my water bottle is because i want to stop patronizing the concession stores within the secured areas of airports. These concession stores have been making so much money off bottled water sales right after TSA initiated the fluid ban last year, it made me wonder if this is not a conspiracy.
So after visiting SIGG’s website that proudly stated the environmental benefits of its aluminum-based bottles, i promptly ordered one online from REI and picked it up from its flagship store in Seattle on Sunday. When i was packing my bags Sunday night for this morning’s trip to Providence, i realized that TSA may have problem with me carrying this past the security as part of my carry-on luggage. I wanted to make sure that the 3-1-1 rule does not apply to my bottle. According to the TSA Permitted and Prohibited Items list, the 3 ounces or smaller container limitation only applies to container with content (liquid, gels and aerosols). There is nothing on the list that prohibits empty container from being in carry-on bags. That said, i have read occasions where travelers’ empty containers were confiscated.
As i was going through the Sea-Tac airport security, i unscrewed the cap and placed the empty bottle on the plastic bin, along with my shoes and jacket. To my relief, it went through without any incident I am pretty sure i would not have been a very happy man to have my brand new SIGG left at the TSA security. With that worry being lifted, i was faced with another problem. Where could i fill my bottle with drinking water? There is a drinking fountain at the South Terminal but the water there tasted just like unfiltered tap water at home, the unmistakable taste of chlorinated water. So guess what i did? I ended buying a bottle of Dasani distilled water and emptied it into my SIGG bottle!
I really have to get used to the taste of chlorinated water or find a way to bring some kind of portable water filter…
Related posts
I rescheduled my flight to Providence to leave a day earlier instead of Monday. Since i was not able to get a cheaper flight on Northwest Airlines, i decided to fly out on Continental. As i was walking toward the connecting gate for the flight to Providence after arriving in Newark, i noticed this:
I have not had an authentic Nathan’s hot dog for at least two years. OK, the concession stand in Lincoln Square movie theater sells Nathan’s hot dog but it’s just not the same. The skin of hot dogs at the concession stand are not grilled to the same crispiness as a real Nathan’s hot dog store. This is a picture of the mouth-watering two-hot dog meal i bought:
Related posts
About an hour after i added T-Mobile Total Internet plan ($19.99 a month) for my account, i got Safari, Google Map, Weather and Stock working on T-Mobile’s EDGE network.
Related posts
Screen captured using the iPhone screenshot utility by Erica Sadun at tuaw.com.
Related posts
