SE W900i ‘Configuration Error’

A few days ago my phone suddenly displayed this message during startup and refused me further access. I did not abused it in any way but I guess after nearly five years there bound to be hiccups like this. I am not a phone addict. I rarely use it for calls or even short messaging. It stays in my pocket most of the time while making the service provider richer. I am not going to dump it either for the new Android or God forbid me, the iPhone.

Sony Ericsson w900i is a solid built phone. A guy would feel comfortable with it in their hands. After five years it is still in good physical condition. I am truly happy with it except  the lacking of A2DP (Stereo Bluetooth) feature which is frustrating for a Walkman Phone. I have decided to keep it till it truly fall apart.

I have a sound knowledge of electronics and programming but I have never done any phone hacking. I guess hacking my own phone is considered legal compared to giving to a repair shop and they will fix it under five minutes and will charge me 50 bucks for it by just pushing a button. So I Googled my problem and found several answers. Since I am new to this, the lingo I read sounded a bit alien. But after a while I was able to translate it to a dummy perspective. So here are the things you need for the job.

1. The DCU-60 phone-to-USB cable, that came with your phone when you bought it.

2. USB Flash driver. This is a different driver than the one you use to transfer files to and from your computer. This driver is  used to read the firmware of your phone. I used the Gordon’s Gate flash driver. You can download it from SE-NSE.net - http://forums.se-nse.net/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=942

3. XS++ v3.1 Flashing Software. It is used to restore the firmware to its factory default or update it. You can download from http://forums.se-nse.net/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=575. For updates you can go to Sony Ericsson Update Service or just Google for the latest firmware.

This the screenshot of XS++. It is simple and straight forward. To access the flash firmware you need to press the ‘c’ button on your w900i together with the right joystick and connect the USB cable after you press connect on the software. Most of the instructions I have read just mentioned ‘c’ button but never mentioned the right joystick which got me lost for a day. The phone has to be in the off state and the SIM card removed prior to that.

These are the three steps you need to do to revive your phone.

1. Flash the Main Firmware. The latest Main Firmware I have found is ‘W900_R5BC004_MAIN_GENERIC_SA_RED49.mbn’.

2. Flash the File System. The latest File System I have found is ‘W900_R5BC004_FS_EMEA_1_RED49.fbn’

3. Flash the Customize File System or CUS. You can select the phone model the CDA and Region from inside XS++.

Just click ‘Flash’ button under Procedure Control and wait for 5 minutes or so. When it is done, unplug the cable, re-insert the SIM card and turn on your phone. It will go through the setup wizard and your phone OS will look brand new.

If you need more more information you can visit these two sites:

SE Flashing and SE-NSE v5

Technorati Tags: Sony Ericsson w900i,flashing,debranding,configuration error

Muslims in Memphis new logo

Recently I was asked to design a new logo for the ‘Muslims in Memphis’ website. The logo has to include the letter ‘M’ and also reflect a bridge particularly the Hernando de Soto bridge or the Memphis bridge which looks like the letter ‘M’. I used to live in Memphis and have seen the bridge many times but I have never crossed over it. I guess there wasn’t a need at that time. But this time I have to take a closer look and show you the process of designing the new logo.

I downloaded the picture of the bridge and removed the background and converted it to a monochrome. I drew three overlapping circles to divide the length into equal parts. The circles are also the base shape for the overlapping two ‘M’s that I had in mind.

I stylized the bridge and constructed three arcs to make the overlapping ‘M’s. The first ‘M’ is indicated by a red marker. Notches were added to the top of the arcs to make it look like arches of the mosque to have a feel of Islamic where mosques are the central body of the community.

Here is the completed construction with  the first ‘M’ in front of the bridge while the second is behind the bridge. While the ‘i’ is at the centre at the intersection of the two ‘M’s. The logo is well integrated with the bridge just as the Muslim community in Memphis integrating themselves with other communities by building bridges among them.

The final construction was exported to Adobe Illustrator for coloring to make it available for printing works. The white ‘M’ represent sincerity while the red and white stripes were added for that American touch. After all the Muslims in Memphis are part of the American society. Though I have left Memphis long time ago but this logo made me feel close to this community that I love so dearest. I hope with this logo my presence is still felt there.
Link: Muslims in Memphis website

Technorati Tags: Muslims in Memphis

BVI Class of ‘75 Reunion 2012

1973 perhaps a long time ago when I was young and foolish. Uncertain about many things in my life or what the future may brings. But one thing for sure I wanted to be an artist as a career. Perhaps in my rebellious way I could express myself through my art. But it was not art for art. It was advertising art. Coke was the ‘Real Thing’ and blue jeans was not just something we wear, it was a skin. Advertising looks so exciting then. So I rocked on and joined the first School of Design in Singapore. It was uncannily named Baharuddin Vocational Institute. For the first time in my life I entered an educational institution where people spoke the same language which was art with a slang of insanity. It was a pivotal two years which most of us could not forget. It was more than a school. It was like a home. It was more than schoolmates. We were like family. But through the years of free and easy 70s we never did get high or lost our innocence. We were truly happy. But sadly we have to come to term with the law of time. In mid 1975 we finally graduated and moved on with our lives separately. Though some did stayed together but collectively we never did.

After 37 years we finally got together again for tea and dinner. With the magic of internet we found each other, well almost, for some are still missing or passed on.  But the real magic was not the internet or the electronic media, it was us who made the persistent effort. We may have achieved many great things in our lives  and careers but our friendship worth more than gold. It is priceless. For that night we were truly back in 1975. We were young again in our hearts. May we will be forever young.

Thanks to our lecturers who were standing in the centre of the photo above. From left, Mr Richard Wee, Mr. Wee Chwee Beng and Mr. Loh Khee Yew. We the class of ‘75 salute you Sirs.

Look us up on facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BVI.Class75/

Technorati Tags: Baharuddin Vocational Institute

JELITA AZIZ Logo Design

Logo design is not as simple as it may seems. A lot of thoughts go into it. It is not just a graphic or text and colours. It is building an image of a company or organization. That is why some logos can cost thousands of dollars even if the initial idea started on a piece of napkin.

I really don’t design logos professionally nowadays unless it is for close friends and family. The above logo was designed for my sister’s fashion academy. She got a unique name that sells. It inspires the initials effortlessly of high fashion. It has the aura that add the shine to most fashion items. The iconic look  will help business expansion.

As most of my design it started in my head. I was thinking of a sans-serif font. Then I add a blunt hook down the corner of the ‘J’ like a bud stem that represent new ideas. Then I add a wave across the two letters for the flare to bind it together like a family.

For the construction I used my autocad software Rhino 3D instead of Adobe Illustrator. As a 3D artist I am much at home with Rhino and its precision. Then I export it to Illustrator for the printers to use.

This is how the logo been reformatted for the design of the entrance. You can find out the progress of JELITA AZIZ Fashion Academy on the web:

Blog: http://www.jafashionacademy.blogspot.com

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JA.Fashion.Academy

Technorati Tags: Jelita Aziz Fashion Academy Logo

Palm TX - Resurrected

This is not a shot from the past. This is the present. This is my Palm TX shot in  February 2011. It is hard to believe that a six year old device can look this good. It never aged because it did not had a chance to. I only used it for around six months before it went into a comma. The digitizer alignment went off perhaps because of some apps that I had installed to make the GUI looks cool. I thought it was a faulty panel and messed up with it. From my previous experience resurrecting my Palm Vx I realized that if the digitizer alignment went off badly I have to do a hard reset and should delete the ‘backup’ and ‘upgrade’ folders on the PC side before a new Hotsync. Reload all the apps one by one and check which one was causing the problem.

The only way to resurrect my Palm TX is to replace the digitizer panel. Fortunately parts for most Palm devices are still available. I got mine from PDASmart. They have most of the parts except the earlier Palm Pilot models. You can actually put together a new Palm device from scratch if you have some experience in DIY electronics. Probably Palm PDA will be the VW Beetle of the future in term of PDAs.

Replacing the digitizer panel is not rocket science. If you have some experience opening up your toys while you were a kid you can certainly be able to remove the plastic chassis which is in three parts. Though it may sound easy you still have to be gentle with it. The print behind the back that says ‘Made in China’ probably give you some signal that you have to drop that wrenchy approach.

After removing the plastic chassis then you have to unplug the LCD assembly from the motherboard. It has to be plugged out rather than slide out. You still be able to work with the LCD remain plugged but it will be cumbersome with things dangling around. It is also safer to work because the battery is permanently soldered to the motherboard. You will not get electrocuted but the circuitry might get short circuit if you accidently drop a metal tool on the board. So you have to keep those things away in a safe place.

This is how it look from the back with the motherboard still attached. As you can see the back panel of the LCD assembly is fully insulated to protect the motherboard. After you have separated those two then you have to peel off all of the insulation materials from the LCD pack panel to get access to the digitizer connector.

Underneath you can find the flex ribbon cable and connector for the digitizer which is on the left side.

Flip up the black locking part and pull the flex ribbon cable out. Insert the new digitizer cable in and lock down the connector. Make sure the copper track of the flex ribbon cable is facing down. All the packing insulation for the digitizer has to be peeled off before attaching it to the front face of the LCD panel.

Before you plug back the LCD panel to the motherboard make sure you paste back the insulation material on the back panel of the LCD unit. Before closing everything up you need to turn on the device to make sure the device is properly assembled. The most important thing is to test if the digitizer works. If the device has been lying on the shelf for a long time you need to recharge the battery. When everything works  normally then it is time to reattach the plastic casing. From my experience putting it back is more difficult than opening it up. To get everything snap in right takes some patience. Screwing back the four screws is easy but make sure you don’t loose it because it is so tiny. I lost one of it somewhere in the carpet and couldn’t locate it. I went to the phone repair shop and got it replaced.

Now I am having the second honeymoon with my Palm TX. I reloaded my old favourite apps and even bought a couple of new ones. I got a new cookbook software evidently named PDACookbook from WakefieldSoft. It is much more elaborate than my old one. It is loaded with 1000 recipes plus my own and I can insert photos. But most of all I am excited with Softick’s Audio Gateway, a Bluetooth solution which allows a stereo Bluetooth headphone to be paired with Palm TX. Because of that I bought a Sony Bluetooth stereo headset MW600 which includes an FM Radio.

All these were not possible when I first bought Palm TX six years ago. Hi-Fi Bluetooth was still new and it was a pain to get things to work together. I could say Palm TX was quite ahead of its time. I have tried recently connected to Facebook with it and even YouTube via Wi-Fi. It works flawlessly. Though it do not have those glossy features of present devices, the Palm principal of ‘keeping things simple’ that makes it a charm. There is a special beauty in simplicity. Sadly many people prefer complication in life.

Technorati Tags: Palm TX,PDACookbook,Softick Audio Gateway,Sony Ericsson MW600

Eid Fitri 1431 @KL Convention Centre

Thank you MSC Malaysia for inviting me for the Eid Fitri Open House at the last minute. If I was invited earlier I could have come in my Baju Melayu (Malaysian traditional dress). But it is kind of strange to wear Baju Melayu and attending Eid Fitri event after 2 weeks. Well Malaysians take Eid celebration quite seriously compared to other Muslim countries. One month of celebration even to the very last day. Some women even bought extra new dresses and shoes during this month to attend all the open houses. The economy must be booming.

When people asked me where I am from I just say that I am from JAZ Multimedia and we are creating intellectual property targeted for animation. I am here to show my gratitude to MSC Malaysia and MDEC for their help. It is a kind of party talk but it is the truth but behind the truth I will attend any event where there are plenty of nice food where I can eat the whole night. That separates the young ladies and the senior ones. The young ones can eat the whole night because their metabolism is still working well while their seniors are counting their bites. Well me as an advanced youth who are not afraid of extra kilos because my metabolism always take good care of me.

That is Yang from MDEC and Beverly from MRCB Technologies in the background helping themselves with the food. So which category they are in? The young or senior? I will not comment on that because they might chase me out of the incubator the next day. Let say they look great that night.

It is time to show the MSC logo in this post. Look world this is the organization that been helping me for the past three years. They have helped me with the incubator space for developing my Palestine 3000 A.D.. Find out more about them on my Palestine 3000 A.D. blog. There are also links on MDEC and MRCB Technologies who collectively manage the incubator at KL Sentral.

So what is Hari Raya event without Malay traditional dance. Yes it was a party last night not just of Malay and Muslims. There are other people of different races and religions attended this big event at the Grand Ballroom in the spirit of One Malaysia. It is not a political event just a gathering of technology people in full colour of Eid. Probably art creature like me is a minor here.

Well that is Naz on the left and Linda Onn on the right trying to make some noise that night. They are the presenters of the evening and going around pointing their microphones at people. Caught Linda straight on with my camera. She did not catch me with her microphone. Probably this Palestine activist looked too serious for a fun conversation. Linda you will be safe with Upin and Ipin guys.

The party started at 3 pm after Jumaa and ended at 8 pm. I had sampled most of the food on all four corners. Met some nice people and some strange ones. I hope MSC and MDEC will invite me next year. It seems I will be in their family for a long time. Malaysia is my home now for no other country will support my radical ideas like Malaysia. It is also the best place to celebrate Eid and be colourful.

Technorati Tags: Eid Fitri,Hari Raya,MSC Malaysia,Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

Remembering 2010, Syd Mead & Kubrick

We are in the middle of January 2010 and still too early to look back on the year. I am not referring to the calendar but the Peter Hyams film '2010: The Year We Make Contact' the sequel to Stanley Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey'.

Sequels are usually disappointments. '2010' is one of those. It is a film that shouldn't be made at all. Stanley Kubrick has left his mark on '2001'. Peter Hyams didn't even come close. '2001' is an art film while '2010' is a main stream aiming to make a quick big buck in the age of fast food of 1984. With Roy Scheider in the leading role we are expecting Jaws attacking in outer space anytime. It is a pop-corns and soda entertainment pampered with American patriotism. Soviets were the enemy then and who would have thought that in the year 2010 they are history.

The only name that I respect in '2010' is Syd Mead, the visual futurist. He designed many of the visual concept for '2010'. Though he is my idol but his works for '2010' from my point of view are not his best. His work for Blade Runner which is 2 years prior of '2010' is one of his best.

I met Syd Mead in L.A. in 2001 during the Siggraph Conference. He is the gentleman on the right in the photo. Though he was never involved in Stanley Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey' but as a visual futurist he was invited to give a talk in a special session remembering that film and 1968 the time of turbulent in United States because of war protests and civil rights movement. Young people then were looking for a better future and '2001: A Space Odyssey' gave a certain hope and a warning message. There should be a balance between science and spiritual. Our intellect is limited by our senses. There are things that are beyond our senses. Outer space is just one big distraction. There are so many things that are going wrong on earth. Yet billion of dollars are spend on distractions not only on outer space but wars.

It was unreal to have a conversation with Syd Mead. He said some people were disappointed with what the future turned out to be. That perhaps separated art from life. I am always for the art. I bought my second Syd Mead book that day, 'SENTURY' and got it autographed.

This is one of his illustration for the film '2010' from his book 'OBLAGON'. His signature can be seen clearly here with '2010' just below it. '2010' is the film but not the date of the artwork. It was done in 1984 or probably earlier. There are plenty more in the book but most of it are double spreads and difficult to scan unless I really have to press it hard and flat which might damage the binding. It is just too precious for me.

I had attended Siggraph since 1994 all over United States. I have collected many pins, books, posters, videos and other souvenirs from Siggraph. But the above conference batch is the one that I really treasure most. I have Syd Mead autograph on it next to my name. The date was 17th August 2001, 3 weeks before 9/11 tragedy that changed the future. Liberty is lost and fascism rules finally without any involvement of the Soviet Union. We need a new vision and hope in the cinema. 2010 is not the year we make contact but we remains out of contact and distracted. Stanley Kubrick, we truly miss you.

Technorati Tags: 2010,2001,Stanley Kubrick,Syd Mead,Siggraph

A Stopover In Batu Layar

On our way back from Punggai we made a stopover in Batu Layar. Its ultra wide screen view of the sea and beach will make any traveler want to stop over. A great view to gaze for hours but not to dive in for a swim unless you are a surfer or windsurfer. But there are no surfers around. Probably it is just too way out of reach.

There are many chalets around from single room to dorm. The price is quite reasonable. During this holiday season it is surprisingly quiet. Probably the management needs to add more facilities for guests who are staying in the middle of nowhere.

This particular chalets are just beside the beach. Being able to gaze at the amazing view from morning till night is just sheer bliss. Added to that the front space is large enough for outdoor activities. The rest is just limited by your imagination.

The biggest setback of this place is the cafeteria which is under renovation. If you are going to stay here for days you just need to drag along a bagful of canned food. The nearest town where you can buy groceries is around 15 km from here. Probably that is the reason that we did not choose to stay here despite its spectacular view.

A Getaway In Punggai

It was a weekday and there was no traffic on the road. It is not an episode in a dream. I was fully awake. Quite an awe for a city guy like me. But in Punggai, at the east coast of Johor, it is an everyday sight. So last Monday my sister and I decided to pack up and head for this middle of nowhere guided by my trusted GPS unit.

The weather was unpredictable. It rain and shine at any minute. All the photos that were shot here look like the sun was shining all day long. I just dread of the idea sleeping in a wooden hut in the middle of the night. Surprisingly the accommodation at the resort is not primitive as I thought it would be. It is kind of a remote suburb with concrete walls, flushed toilets and air-conditioned. I was expecting mosquitoes and crawling insects all over but it was quite tamed.

Well there is a wooden structure in the middle of it. Not a total concrete jungle after all. Trees are scattered everywhere and the walkway is paved with sand with electric cables hanging from pole to pole. It is looking more like a holiday resort.

Below that wooden structure is actually the cafeteria where we can dine or the food can be delivered to our chalets and we can eat at the front yard under the trees. I was actually prepared to rub two sticks together to make a fire if things fail. Here they have all the modern cooking facilities. The downside is they only serve rice and noodles which are all fried from morning till evening. But you can cook your own stuff at the backyard. If you drag in some kind of meat you could have a barbecue too.

They said the beach is just behind but if you want to be safe and live longer you could splash in the pool. The swimming pool is just in front of the cafeteria. A favourite place for the kids especially my niece. During peak hours the pool may look like a tadpole colony.

Here is the view of the pool and part of the resort from the second level of the 'Mawar' chalet. It is the only one in the resort which is two storey

They do have a kid playground at the backyard but not that well maintained for what I saw. But to a little girl like Sofia a swing of any condition is fun. Though she fell a number of times.The sand on her palms and knees just bewildered her. Not the kind of thing she experienced at home.

With her feet buried in the sand and waves coming on to her with big wave sound which is beyond her home TV speakers. The look in her eyes revealed many questions. For the first time she realized that it is not a small world after all.

The Weddng @Dewan Jubli Intan

Last weekend my family and I were at Dewan Jubli Intan Johor Bahru for a wedding of our neighbor's daughter or was it their son. I was not sure because I had my hand full with Sofia my niece. For all I knew It was her day. Armed with a balloon the hall was her big playground. The king and queen sat helplessly on stage while my little warrior princess was turning the place upside down.

It was a wondefful wedding and it was still Eid. Everybody all dressed up probably for both occasions. My dad had a second serving while my sister took a break as a mom and chat with her friend. While me doing guard duty with food in one hand and my camera on the other with my eyes locked on Sofia. Who said a man can't multitasking?

Sofia is 2 years old today. I could not be with her for I am back in Kuala Lumpur. All I had was a photo of her and me. It was a moment to remember. Happy birthday my little princess.

Masjid Al-Bukhary - Revisited

It is Ramadhan 1430 and Masjid Al-Bukhary is the place to be for Iftar in Kuala Lumpur. Not just because of the best Lambok porridge in town but for the well organized Iftar and the hard working volunteers. Yes my post about Al-Bukhary this year is about the dedicated people behind it especially those who are responsible for the fine food.

When talking about food I definitely have to sneak into the kitchen except that it is not like the normal indoor kitchen. It is a tent erected behind the masjid. This is a large area for preparing the food for the large crowd. All made possible by the generous contribution from a prominent philanthropist as mentioned by brother Yusuf, the head cook. As I heard they received the biggest budget for Iftar in town. There is no need to mention name but jazakallah khair.

Here is brother Yusuf giving some instructions to his assistant brother Ismail. These are the two guys that are responsible for the best Lambok porridge in Kuala Lumpur (Sorry Kampung Baru). They have to prepare three big pots everyday. I was also able to snoop around for the secret recipe. I guessed it right. Besides the porridge they have to prepare other dishes later that involves five cooks.

Here is Ismail and Yusuf paddling their way to a culinary delight of Lambok porridge. Oh those spices and herbs working their magic on me. A year in waiting and I am finally here witnessing a miracle happening before my eyes. Steadfast patient I say and it was just noon on a Ramadhan day.

Here is the porridge laid out on the mat served in a foamed polystyrene bowl at the dinning hall. Though it is not served in fine china like in fancy restaurants but it is delicious and free. I am most humbled by His Grace. Complimented with some starters of curry puff, papaya and dates. That changes everyday and all were surprisingly delightful. But we will always have the wholesome dates and porridge.

Here are some other hard working volunteers serving food for the second session of Iftar after Maghrib prayers. All working like a clockwork. There was actually a long queue on the left. All anxiously waiting for the tasty delight after a long day fasting. The size of the crowd seems to doubled compared to last year. Could this because of my post I did last year? I wonder.

Though food seems to be the focus of Ramadhan that is between refrain and indulgence, but it brought people together from all walks of life. From people who are ever willing to serve and the people who are waiting to be served. It is a synergy beyond any other religious practices or celebrations not just for a day or two but for a full month. It is when friends meet friends and strangers meet strangers that may bloom into friendship in a peaceful and mutual environment. A glimpse of paradise perhaps.

My SX-424 - From Rock To Ramadhan

Recently I had a bit of free time at home with family. Since I was in a mood of resurrecting old stuffs so I laid down my old Pioneer SX-424 receiver on my workbench. It still look good for a vintage. I had not been listening to it for decades. One of the channel was off. The station indicator was broken due to prolonged heat. Below is how the original indicator looks like from a photo I got from the net. It was a long amber coloured plastic with hidden small bulb on top reflecting the light at the bottom tip.


There was no trace of it. Probably it just vaporized. No need to be CSI about it. Lets move on to the millennium. Most of the indicators nowadays are LEDs and some are super bright. I found some of those in my tool box. LEDs work on DC (Direct Current) that has polarity while the original bulb voltage supply of 7 volts is AC (Alternating Current) that has no polarity. All of the bulbs including the bulbs for blue silkscreen panel are AC based. Amazingly those bulbs are still alive after 4 decades. A simple solution of connecting a bridge rectifier to the AC supply did the job coupled with a resistor to the LED. Actually it just need a half bridge but I only have a full bridge in my toolbox. Looking from the top here is the rectifier soldered at the top of the VU meter pins.

Update (19/1/2010): I have found the SX-424 schematics from the net. The voltage supply for the bulbs are DC and not AC. Since I have the full schematics now I can totally overhauled it. More news update in the future.

Here is the assembly with the LED connected to a small strip of Veroboard and wired through a trimmed mixer fader knob. The white wire is the original wire which is attached (not electrically) to a metal slider at the top of the silkscreen panel.

Here is the final assembly properly placed with the Veroboard been pushed inside the plastic fader which is glued to the metal slider. The LED pins are purposely bend in that way so that it stays close to the silkscreen panel and not protrude out.

Below is the shot of the LED been lighted behind the tinted plastic panel. The pins were painted black giving the illusion that it is floating. The super bright LED has a glassy look compared to the normal LED which looks flat. The illumination looks quite close to the original amber plastic but without the long strip.

So what the big fuss about this receiver unit you may ask. It was the most priced item when I was a teenager. Paired with the turntable and the speakers I could stay in my room for hours and perhaps days and annoyed my neighbours. I could feel the earth moved and even my walls. That was how loud it was and it is only 12 watts RMS per channel.

This is how the tuner unit looks like. All analog and mechanical. Those metal plates are the variable capacitors that tune the frequency of the reciever. It had hosted many legendary music and voices. The legendary voices of Brian Matthew, John Peel and even American Forces Radio in Vietnam had gone through it. Those were the real rock days.

The resurrection of the receiver is not for rock. Rock is dead long time ago. It is for the Ramadhan month. I really missed the radio especially listening to the Adzan during Iftar. It was a tradition many years ago before TV and video took over our lives and we are glued to the tube.