The Beanster Blog

I finally got the hard case for my Microsoft Lumia 650. NFC works through the case and it has a lip so you can place the device face down and the screen won't touch the surface. All the cut-outs are there and the case is very affordable. Highly recommended.

If you're a returning reader you know that I was heavy into PocketPC / Windows Mobile before jumping to iOS & Android. I have been having issues with the RedMi 1S messaging app always crashing, and I have always been curious on how far Microsoft has come after they reset their mobile device program. So the prodigal user returns...  A ( few days) few weeks ago I decided to purchase a Microsoft Lumia 535 Dual SIM. Yes, you read that correctly: Microsoft Lumia, not Nokia. Product page: http://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/phone/lumia535-dual-sim/ The orange color was not in stock so I went with boring black. Price ₱ 5,990.00 (US$ 133).  The display is 5in with a resolution of qHD (960 x 540), IPS LCD, all in all it’s ok. The finish feels plasticky and slippery. I suggest you get a case, speaking of cases, I can't find any in both Greenhills and Megamall. Goes the same for screen protectors, so I had to get stuff from eBay, which will take up to a month or more to arrive....

I'm a huge fan of LifeProof I have been using their cases since the iPhone 4 and I have had every version of their iPhone cases. So when I bought my 5S, I naturally ordered the fre for it. The LifeProof fre for iPhone 5S. Is basically the same as the fre for iPhone 5 with some slight modifications on the design. So I will be discussing those changes. #1 The lanyard loop for hand-straps is now gone. It has been replaced with a plastic attachment to hold the washer. While this is convenient and will certainly help keep your washer from getting lost. I still miss the lanyard loop. Lanyard loop is gone but your washer is secure #2 The flash optics has a bigger window. I do not usually use the flash but I think it is an improvement over the fre for iPhone 5. Bigger piece of glass for the flash optics #3 Of course the home button covering is the biggest change. It is a very thin plastic membrane which allows TouchID to work with the case. In my limited testing I got it to...

New from @ NextLevelGuys ! FLY EasyShot - Remote shutter for iOS / Android - PhP 1,800.00 http:// fb.me/3u07GAWGY  

I've been using the iPhone 5 for a little over a week and here are my thoughts on AAPL's newest phone.  I won't bore you with specs, if you need it here is a link to the specs http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html Got these images off Apple's website so they own the images blah blah blah. It comes in Black & Slate or White & Silver. I like to alternate colors on my iPhone so this time I got Black & Slate, I got a 32Gb model from Singapore (thanks Rad) because when I had an iPhone 4S 64Gb I could not fill it up. Decided to get a smaller capacity device and save some moohlah.  First impressions. When I took the device out of the box the first thing I did was slap a screen protector on it and then put a GelaSkin on it. After I applied the skins I noticed that the device already had a scratch near the screws (bottom) I suspect this small scratch came out of the box. So yes the finish is gorgeous, yes the finish is very nice to the touch BUT it is s...

I purchased an htc chacha about a 3 weeks ago. I must admit that it was a moment of weakness I have been using an iPhone 4 for about a year already and wanted to tinker with something else. I chose the chacha over a Samsung Galaxy Pro (also a QWERTY bar device but with lower specs). I postulated that the chacha would A.) have more ROM chefs B.) htc Sense. C.) better resale value over the Samsung Galaxy Pro I've had some experience with htc Sense the skin that the Taiwanese handset maker puts on top of Android and found it beautiful. The device is a QWERTY bar form factor with the lower portion curved (the htc Hero had a similar chin) the logic for this is to keep the screen elevated and off the surface when you put the phone face down on your desk and to move the mic closer to your mouth when on a call. The screen is a tiny 2.6inch touch screen I must admit that I have been spoiled with the larger screen of the iPhone, and I found myself going back to the iPhone when I wanted t...

Otterbox  ( @OtterBox )  has been well known for making tough cases for our beloved devices. I used their Defender series for a bit, excellent protection but very bulky and heavy. I gave my Defender case to my good friend he has big hands so it looks fine when he uses it.  When I got wind (on twitter of course) that the local distributor was selling a new series of OB cases. I went ahead and got one. Full disclosure I got a 10% off because I knew the distributor.  Follow: @TenkieBox on twitter and like them on Facebook Description, Photos, Pricing: See the full gallery on Posterous (photos from OtterBox Reflex Series for iPhone4 page ) This a two piece case, with hard plastic and rubber, recessed screen keeps that glass screen from the surface. the top and bottom fit and locks well, although it is very tight with a screen protector. There is some concern that it may scratch the device itself. I chose to keep my protector on. Price is PhP 2,500 (s...

I have a few SCOTTEVEST Tropical Jacket/Vest for sale. I personally own one of these and they are great for travelling (and even daily wear). Check out the pics attached to this email. This would be a great gift to any traveler or gadget enthusiast.  The Tropical Jacket/Vest combines all of the gadget-carrying functionality you have come to expect from SeV Travel Clothing in a lightweight, packable jacket. This design is so versatile you can fold it into itself and toss it in you carry-on, golf bag, or glove compartment. The sleeves zip off so it can also be worn as a vest. It is perfect for traveling to warm climates, the golf course, out for a casual dinner, or for a walk on the beach. The Supplex fabric coupled with the mesh lining and zip-off sleeves will make this your go-to jacket when you need a great looking, lightweight option. The Tropical Jacket/Vest features two interior clear touch pockets that allow you to see and control your iPod®/iPhone...

I have a few SCOTTEVEST Tropical Jacket/Vest for sale. I personally own one of these and they are great for travelling (and even daily wear). Check out the pics attached to this email. This would be a great gift to any traveler or gadget enthusiast.  The Tropical Jacket/Vest combines all of the gadget-carrying functionality you have come to expect from SeV Travel Clothing in a lightweight, packable jacket. This design is so versatile you can fold it into itself and toss it in you carry-on, golf bag, or glove compartment. The sleeves zip off so it can also be worn as a vest. It is perfect for traveling to warm climates, the golf course, out for a casual dinner, or for a walk on the beach. The Supplex fabric coupled with the mesh lining and zip-off sleeves will make this your go-to jacket when you need a great looking, lightweight option. The Tropical Jacket/Vest features two interior clear touch pockets that allow you to see and control your iPod®/iPhone...

So I got my Breffo Spider Podium http://www.breffo.com Breffo Spider Podium VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL   I had almost forgotten that I ordered these. What’s great with this stand / tripod is you can really customize it in a myriad of ways...

Hello Beanster Blog readers! I was a bit bored this afternoon so I decided to play around with my very old (circa 2005) Canon IXUS50 camera.   I installed CHDK and am now playing around with, what seems like, endless lists of features and settings… My faves so far are: I can play Reversi (Othello) … Use an egg timer… And also my low end camera shoots RAW. This definitely breathes new life to my aging camera… now if only I remember to charge and bring it along! That being said… very good job CHDK team.

Nowadays we are consuming a whole lot of content, this means we have a whole lot more files, which in turn means more stuff to backup. With that in mind, I spent most of the afternoon & evening trying to figure out how to connect a USB drive to our Linksys WRT-610N and have this drive accessible to my notebook so I could use it as a NAS or Network Attached Storage. Setup was done in IE using Linksys’s WEB UI which is clunky and hard to use. The Linksys WRT-610N v2 is an OK router but it sucks as a NAS After hours of trial and error, I was able to get my notebook to see my 4Gb USB stick. I then proceeded to offload the contents of my WD 320Gb HDD to prep it for the NAS. After doing that I formatted it with the router and repeated what I had learned from setting up the 4Gb USB stick. After setup I was surprised to see that I could only access 4Gb of the 320Gb HDD. So I decided to redo everything and after 5 or 6 formats and setup cycles I gave up. As an added bonus: my FA...