GrYph0n's Blog

Still Here...

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 17:36:48 -0600

Well, I figured that I would let everyone know that I am still alive and kicking. Still out here in Iraq, and will be for a while to come. Not really much to say about anything since I am really far behind in the realm of the mobile gadget world, but I look forward to catching up when I get back home. I am glad to see that Pocket Quicken has finally been ported over to the smartphone platform, that is really one of the biggest things that I miss that the pocket pc had over the smartphone, but now I will be able to have my cake and eat it too. I can't wait to get back and see all the phones that are out, and then go through deciding which one I want because I am saving up a little change out here for just that.

Here is a little picture of me with two Iraqi Policemen taken just before we stepped out on a patrol. I had difficulties getting in here to post on the blog, so for those of you with myspace (yes, I caved in and created one) (www.myspace.com/eric_d_jones), you can link up with me on there. I really hope all is well with everyone...

Life is Hectic...

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:49:54 -0700

Well folks, I am sure some of you may have noticed that I haven't been around that much lately. I would like to apologize for that. I am around from time to time, but usually don't find a need to post too much (Our great staff and member base usually beats me to it). I really haven't had much time to my self these days, and it is only getting more and more hectic and fast paced. I am in a workup cycle to head over to Iraq this summer sometime. I will be gone longer this time than I was on the last deployment, but you better believe that I will be keeping everyone posted on things (if at all possible), just like I did on my last deployment.

Some may be wondering what I have been up to these last few months. Well, honestly I have been spending a lot of time training or in the field. I have also been attending professional Marine Corps schools (I'm in one now for the next 9 weeks). I get a lot of homework, and there is a lot of field time with this school as well, so I will be around even less in for a while. I am not stepping down or away, just thought I would let everyone know what I have been up to lately. I will leave you with this picture that was taken a few weeks ago, out on a range to become more familiar with foreign weapons (AK-47).

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Just Entered the Windows LiveSpace Network

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 18:51:28 -0600

Well I just recently updated my MSN Passport to an email address that I actually use and have access to. In doing so, I started playing with some of the LiveSpace stuff. I like how I can add, edit, remove, etc. all from my phone, any WM Device, or computer. I have uploaded a bunch of pictures from my deployment, and I am continuing to play with things on there as well. Looks like MS is taking a stab at MySpace as well as everyone else out there. Hmmm... World domination attempt... (maybe). At any rate, if you do so desire, you can check out my LiveSpace at the following link...

http://gryph0n0311.spaces.live.com

It is so great to be back home........

Long time no See...

Thu, 17 Aug 2006 15:45:49 -0600

Well it has been a while since the last time I could post. I am happy to report that I am back home in the good ole U.S.A. Since my last post, I had a brief and uneventful visit to Hawaii. About the only thing I got out of that stop was anxioty of returning home, beer, testing my phone on the Cingular network, and setting up exchange push. I can say that everything with the Smartflip works perfectly in all aspects. I am happy that I am not faced with the same problems as many QTek 8500 owners faced. Things work perfectly here in the CONUS (Contentinal United States) as well. This phone is far superior to my trusty SMT5600, and will be something I will hold onto until something similiar comes out offering 3G. I have a few awesome gadgets to play with as well which I won't get into now, but will later. I have the Parrot Rythm n'Blue car stereo / BT Hands free system (completly awesome, with flawless contact sync, etc.), and the ultra slim new Global-Sat BT359W GPS Reciever (which can lock on under a garadge under my dash quickly). I will get some reviews up soon (I hope, but other more pressing things in life at the moment).

Right now, I just got my laptop reconnected to my home network (D/L'ed Windows Updates and program updates for the last several hours with 5MB speeds, ), and I am sitting on my deck having a few drinks and exploring things with true high speed internet (oh, how I have missed that).

Anywho, just thought I would keep those that only follow my blog, posted on more current events, and also leave you with the new and improved GrYph0n homescreen...

I call it GrYph0nMobile05, and here it is. If anyone is interested in this screen for modifications, etc. let me know and I will post the needed files. Also have another question for SPWM5 users, does your phones come with a homescreen Carrier plugin that will take you to the CommManager or is that an i-Mate thing?

[attachmentid=220]

Let me know what you think, and at any time feel free to PM me or seek me out in the forums...

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Hello From Thailand

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 03:49:01 -0600

Well I am in Phuket, Thailand now, and I am haveing a pretty good time. First thing on my agenda was a prepaid SIM which I got right away. It is a pretty good international card from AIS that provides me with load of data, and international long distance to the US at about $0.26 per minute (beats Cingulars $1.29 per minute they would charge me). Not only that, I get free incoming calls as well. My accomodations are nice, got a junior suite at a four star hotes with a balocony overlooking the pool and out to the ocean (about 300-500meters away). All and all things are going pretty well and the Smartflip is working out great. It is nice to finally have edge going at 200+K instead of the old regular GPRS. Now I am starting to look forward to 3G speeds. At any rate if anyone happens to be in Thailand in the Phuket area, then give me a call at 66 57 899 210, and we may be able to meet up for a few beers.

I am sure that many of you have noticed that I haven't been around much over the last few weeks. That is simply because I can't access the site at all from ship. We changed "hosts" and for some reason on this one MGN is blocked. I imagine that it is a generic block on blogs and what not, though not all blogs are blocked, just most of the ones that I visited regularly. Sorry, but I don't think I will be on much anymore until I am back in the states (lower 48). I wish I could be here to answer any smartflip questions anyone may have. Well I will be home soon enough, and right back into the swing of things where I will have a little more time and ability to invest back into the community. Oh, special thanks to awarner for hooking me up with the AIS data settings in no time at all. Hope everything is well with everyone in your parts of the world.

Pics from Dubai (taken with smartflip)

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 11:33:13 -0600

I thought that I would add a few pictures from the Malls in Dubai. All these pictures were taken with my Smartflip and then sized down using photoshop.

Here is a few from the outside of the Ski/Snowboarding slopes and snow park. I wouldn't dare take my new phone in there with me as rusty as I am and as many times I knew I would be falling down.

Here are a few random pictures taken of the inside of one of the malls.

This last one may get a few people drooling so you may want to bust out the bid. This is only one capture of the amount of WM devices that I saw during my stay. Some stores seemed to be wall to wall WM gadgets, and the clerks were VERY egar to assist you in owning one or a few.

The latest i-mates

By the way, I am no longer in U.A.E. There and gone just like that

This Place is Great

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 09:47:29 -0600

On top of Dubai being a Technology hot bed, there are some pretty amazign things to do here. For instance, just today when it was 120 degrees out side, I went to the Mall of the Emirates. While there I went snowboarding in their indoor ski/snowboarding slopes. It was about 21degrees in there, good thing they rent you all the gear you need for a pretty good price. I had a blast for my 2 hour session and plan on getting a day pass for tomorrow. My bum is a little tender though as I have only done it once in the past and that was a couple of years ago, but I picked it right back up.

Ski Dubai

My New i-mate Smartflip

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 07:28:57 -0600

Well I am here in the U.A.E. and just happened to notice that i-mate's headquarters it located here in Dubai. I went out in town last night for a little shopping and was able to pick up a new i-mate Smartflip (HTC Star Trek) along with a 1GB microSD card (for a pretty good price). I have done all the basics in installing the things that I use the most. There are a few things that I need to try to download as well to get everything all set up.

So far, I am pleased with this phone, and I am pretty impressed at it's capabilities. There are of course a few cons to it that have been sited in numberous reviews, like the fact that the microSD card is located under the SIM, but you don't have to remove the battery to get to them. Another weird thing is the arabic (naturally), it is funny because my keypad has english and arabic lettering so it makes it a little more unique I guess. One thing that does bother me is that text imput tries to default to arabic no matter what the regional settings are set to, but there is an option to make it english only, but I have had to do that for each new imput. It does have T9 and it works well (that was something that worried me that I hadn't thought about checking before I made my purchase). One thing that is weird, and I don't know if it has anything to do with screen size or resolution, but TCMP behaves a little differently, as in there is no choice in it going to full screen when playing a movie, I have even disabled that feature. It isn't a huge deal, and it could be something pertaining to 5.0 for all I know. All of my smartphone software is pretty dated since I have been using the 5600 all this time. I will continue to use and play with my new toy as much as possible and keep everyone updated as well as I can. Keep in mind that I am very limited though since I have no data capabilities at all, not even through activesync, so my phone will not meet the internet until I am home. Which is kind of annoying since it came with an anti-virus on it (as recently published on the home page), but the definitions are out of date, so each time I turn the phone on it wants to connect and download the updates. Just a minor annoyance that only happens once each time it is turned on, and that is something that won't matter once I am back home and able to get the updates. Well I guess that is about it for now. Time for me to head out and go play with my phone some more.

*Update*

I almost had a scare with the arabic text yesterday. I popped my Cingular SIM into the phone and decided to send my wife an SMS. Well when I went to compose the messege, it would not allow the english only feature, and T9 was disabled. I finally found the fix though. In the start menu there is an Arabic settings folder that I didn't mess with too much because when I tried before a screen in all arabic would pop up. Well I tried again and got past the arabic screen where the screen was in english. This is where I found the option to change text imput default, and to disable the arabic imput all together. Now my phone is as normal as can be (for a smartphone), except for the arabic lettering under the english on the keys, but I think that just adds character. Too bad all my software is outdated though, none of my PDAMill games load correctly on the QVGA screen, they just load in the top right corner in a "mini screen".

Back on Ship...

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 07:07:59 -0600

Well not much to report really, other than I am back on ship.

I don't know why I never provided the following links a long time ago, but here is another way to keep up with what all we are doing out here.

11th Marine Edpeditionary Unit Home Page

Battalion Landing Team 1/4 Home Page (I am in Bravo Company)

New Toy (Parrot Rythm and Blue)

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 11:29:46 -0600

Don't you hate it when you buy a new toy, but it will be a couple of months before you get to see it or play with it? What, that doesn't happen that often? Well I am in that boat now. Some of you may know that just before I left for deployment, my Jeep was stolen. It was recovered about an hour after I reported it, and it was completly stripped. When everything got fixed, the shop refused to reinstall the Parrot CK3000 that I had installed (suprised that was still there, but they prob didn't know what it was). The insurance company paid to replace my CD player with a factory deck (which just doesn't do). With my recent reenlistment, I got a small (very small) bonus. I decided to pay off a few credit cards and buy myself some new toys (one so far).

I just bought the new Parrot Rythem N'Blue Bluetooth CD player. This thing seems to be pretty impressive, and I can't wait until I get my HTC Star Terk and team them up together (by the way, does that phone support BT Stereo?). My wife should have it already installed for my by the time I get home (August sometime ). I plan on picking up the Star Trek in one of the South East Asian countries we are scheduled to stop in. I will do as much as I can with it to prepare it for the states, but I will be limited with the software I have (All 2003SE centered) and the lack of service/connectivity until I get back in the states and reactivate the internet and such. Belive me I will post what I can about the phone when I have the chance, and that goes for the CD player as well. I just love how there is a dial pad on the face, and I hope that the feature will actually work with the Star Trek.