racoma.com.phJ. Angelo Racoma on technology, economics, writing, problogging, and getting things done

I’m a known HP fan. I’ve actually owned four HP laptops and netbooks so far. I like HP for its design and for the relatively affordable prices of its consumer-oriented models.

With regard to warranty, HP hasn’t failed me. Its distributor MSI-ECS has serviced my computers twice. First, when my Compaq V2617TS had a defective fan, HP replaced the fan, as well as the entire lid and front bezel. I got a new LCD, plus a previously non-existent WiFi antenna. Second was when I had my B1256TU battery replaced. Both were done at the 11th hour, right before warranty expired.

However, HP’s service seems to be on the decline. Popular laptop club and retailer Cooltoyz wrote about how they have lost confidence in HP because of issues with the Compaq CQ-40 line. This was allegedly due to the “Line of Fate” issue with the LCD, in which the screen will eventually–and inevitably–flicker and just die out.

photo credit: Mendhak

When I bought my Compaq B1200 about two years ago, I got an OEM copy of Windows Vista Home Premium with it. I knew Vista had bad reviews, especially with its huge system requirements and bloat. But my notebook could handle it, I thought. On my netbooks, I ran Windows XP (I even got a free downgrade from a Vista Business to XP Home from HP).

When Windows 7 had a free beta release, I didn’t bother to try it out. I thought I would only be troubling myself with having to install and reinstall, and un-install the software when the beta expired. Looking back, I think I should have taken my chances. I could only imagine how much productivity I lost due to a clunky XP or slow Vista interface.

Now I’ve upgraded all of my Windows-based computers to Windows 7, including my main workhorse (the B1200), an Asus EeePC 900 and my four-year-old Compaq V2617 I’m really beginning to appreciate Windows 7. It’s quick. It’s lightweight. It’s easy to install. It also has a markedly improved interface.

Still, being able to compare Vista with 7 makes one better appreciate the improvements, especially with the performance. The new way the taskbar shows applications can save time and clicks. Also, I particularly like how you can tweak application settings for compatibility with older Windows versions. This can be useful if your computer doesn’t have Windows 7-specific drivers, but you have drivers for XP or Vista.

Most comparisons and reviews would agree that Windows 7 performs better than Vista and XP in most instances. It’s what Windows 7 should have been, they say. Suddenly, I feel silly for having purchased Vista. MS should’ve had offered a free or cheaper upgrade program for Vista users.

At any rate, if you’re buying a new computer sometime soon, go for Windows 7. If you have an older computer (with at least 1 GB RAM and 8 GB of hard drive space) then it’s probably worth the upgrade.

Last time I reviewed a Smart Bro plugit prepaid kit, with the intent of trying it out first before plunging into a postpaid subscription. I had submitted documents for an unlimited subscription last week, but I’m having second thoughts already at this point.

First, I’ve been submitting all kinds of financial documents, but the approving officer/s don’t seem to consider my finances enough to sustain the unlimited PhP 1,500 plan (or even the lower plan, for that matter). Not only is it disheartening, but for someone who pays for almost everything in cash, this is really frustrating. I even asked if I could pay for the subscription for the entire two-year lock-in period in outright cash (which translates to PhP 36,000) and they said I couldn’t do so.

I’m somehow glad I didn’t get approved. At least not yet. Reading around and from my own tests using my 3.5G-enabled Nokia E51, I’m thinking Globe Visibility is the better option.

I picked up a prepaid kit for PhP 2,500. This came with PhP 30 in prepaid load.

Here’s a comparison with Smart, based on my experience.

Pros

Convenience. For me, Globe is the more convenient option, since I use a Globe prepaid as my main mobile phone line (my alternate phone is a prepaid PLDT wireless landline). Smart BRO can only be loaded either via electronic load, or by scratch card. With the scratch card option, you can only reload by texting some codes using a Smart cellphone.

With Globe Visibility, I can just pass (or “share”) credits from my phone’s own. This simplifies things, and this is probably cheaper in the long run, if I’m just a light user. Also, I’m a big fan of Globe’s share-a-load because of its flexibility.

Speed. Based on my speed tests, Globe 3G and 3.5G connections are generally faster than Smart’s. I read somewhere that Globe’s 3G network is a “true” 3G network, whereas Smart’s is not (or something to that effect). So this means that while the point-to-point connection may be the same for both, the actual throughput is faster from Globe’s network. Speed test results below.

Hardware. Smart’s black USB dongle looks sleek (it seems to be made of aluminum or some light metal alloy, too!), but I generally find Globe’s ZTE MF626 better because of the brand and support. Because these are more widespread, you have better support (both official and community-based) for ZTE, in terms of firmware upgrades, driver upgrades, and even drivers for open-source OSes.

Also, the Visibility package’s ZTE MF626 has a slot for a micro-SD card. I know most laptops and netbooks these days come with multi-card readers, this can be handy for those who don’t have a micro-SD to SD converter, or those who don’t have a slot at all.

SIM Functionality. The Visibility bundled SIM card can be used for calling and texting. Smart Bro’s SIM can not. And so while the bundled software cannot let you make calls from your Globe Visibility SIM, you can use it to send and receive SMS. I doubt if you want to do this, though, since I think receiving SMS or calls can usually cut off data connections.

Cons

Now Visibility has some disadvantages over Smart BRO.

Time-based charging. Globe does offer time-based charging, so you don’t get charged according to the amount of data transferred. With Smart, the charge is PhP 10 (or about $0.20) per 30-minute block. For Globe, the charge is PhP 5 per 15-minute connection period. Now with Smart, the moment you connect is considered the start of a 30-minute block, and you can reconnect an indefinite number of times within that 30-minute period, and you will only be charged once. So this means you can use your Smart BRO connection on different devices and you only get charged PhP 10 for a 30-minute period.

With Globe, you get charged each time you connect. So if you get disconnected in the middle of a session, you start with your PhP 5 per 15 minutes again. The moment you connect, that’s PhP 5. If you get disconnected after 5 minutes, and reconnect again, you get deducted PhP 5 again for the first 15 minutes.

This is generally good for those who only need quick bursts of connectivity through a day, like for checking emails, twittering, or the like, since you only spend PhP 5 for that 15 minute period. But if you tend to get disconnected a lot, then it will end up more expensive.

Update: Since early 2009, Globe has implemented block-based charging. You only get charged PhP 5 per 15 minute block, regardless of how many times you re-connect during this period.

Image compression. Globe Visibility uses image compression technology to make downloads and page loading faster. The downside is that you sometimes get ugly, pixelated images! Sometimes images even get resized so websites look bad. One workaround is by using tunneling software or local proxy software such as toonel.

Software Overhead. In general, Globe Visibility’s dialer takes longer to load than Smart BRO’s. and the footprint of the Globe connection manager is about four times that of Smart’s. Globe’s will eat about 20 megabytes of RAM, while smart will only take 5 megs.

Other observations

From my tests, it seems that both Smart and Globe allow access to non-HTTP ports like FTP, telnet, and IM ports. But I haven’t tried downloading torrents from either.

Price-wise, both prepaid kits seem at par with each other:

Globe Visibility
* Kit price: PhP 2,500
* Inclusive of PhP 30 prepaid credits

Smart BRO Plug-It
* Kit price: PhP 2,500
* Inclusive of PhP 100 prepaid credots
* Must purchase a PhP 300 prepaid card along with kit

So Smart BRO ends up more expensive nominally, because you are required to purchase a PhP 300 prepaid card. But the kit itself has more inclusive credits out of the box (PhP 100 for Smart and PhP 30 for Globe).

A PhP 300 load from either network would expire within two months if not used. The good thing with Globe is that you can transfer credits to another Globe prepaid subscriber (whether Visibility or not). Also, if you decide to load thru card, you can actually use the free SMS credits that come with PhP 300 or 500 cards (you would have to load by plugging in the Visibility SIM on a regular phone, though).

Images

3G connection earlier today:

HSDPA connection from my home office:

Globe Visibility dialer:

Globe Visibility prepaid pack:

Globe Visibility MF626 plugged into Compaq B1200:

Plugged into HP mini note:

Smart BRO plug-it USB dongle and Globe Visibility prepaid USB dongle:

SIM card just peeking out:

My verdict

Having been a longtime Globe user, I would go for Globe Visibility. The image compression issue is bad, but it’s not a dealbreaker for me, since there are workarounds. But if you require raw access–perhaps you’re into graphics design or web development–then maybe you would want to think twice before going for Visibility, unless you are okay with tweaking your system a bit. Speed-wise, Globe is generally better, with more 3G-enabled cell sites. Smart may have a wider coverage, particularly in the provinces, so you might want to take this into consideration if you’re outside of the metro areas.

Globe Visibility does not have an unlimited postpaid subscription, but the closest is the PhP 1,499 plan, which gives you 100 hours mobile connectivity per month plus unlimited Globe WIZ WiFi access. Perhaps this is worth looking into. If Globe launches an unlimited account, then that would be better.

Apparently, Microsoft has realized that a lot are shying away from Windows Vista due to bad experiences, the steep hardware requirements, or simply because of bad reputation. HLWT and Ars Technica report that comedian Jerry Seinfeld has signed on to endorse Windows Vista in a $300 million ad campaign.

“If a book about failures doesn’t sell, is it a success?” Perhaps not, but Microsoft hopes that a new $300 million ad campaign about the flailing Windows Vista will somehow turn it into a success with the help of comedian Jerry Seinfeld. The campaign will be one of the largest in Microsoft’s history, and is expected to begin on September 4.

In fact, Seinfeld may not be the only celebrity involved in the new Windows Vista campaign. The ever-popular “people close to the situation” have informed the Wall Street Journal that Seinfeld is simply “one of the key celebrity pitchmen” that will appear alongside Bill Gates to discuss Vista’s merits. According to the WSJ’s sources, the company has also considered Will Ferrell and Chris Rock among a multitude of other personalities, although there was no indication as to whether they had also been hired as part of the campaign.

I guess this is similar to Apple’s Get a Mac ads, with Justin Long and John Hodgman. I know Justin and John’s celebrity status is nowhere near that of Jerry Seinfeld’s, but the Get a Mac ad series has gained cult status because of its in-your-face humor. Especially when bashing Windows Vista.

I’ve been a regular Vista user since I acquired my Presario B1256 but on my netbooks, I use Windows XP. Vista is just too power-hungry for those small critters.

Above: laptops and netbooks stacked for size reference. Asus EeePC 900 12G, HP 2133 Mini Note, HP Compaq Presario B1256TU, Compaq Presario V2617TS

Above: laptops and netbooks rounded up for size reference. Clockwise from left: HP Compaq Presario B1256TU, Compaq Presario V2617TS, Asus EeePC 900 12G, HP 2133 Mini Note

Send me more review units, guys!

(These are for my reviews over at koobten.com and myasuseee.com.)