Series60-Remote - Manage your Symbian mobile in Ubuntu

Goddddddddddd! Had I known this by afternoon, I'd have saved half a day.

Finally, I got a tool with which I can manage the messages, contacts & files in my N95 with Ubuntu.

This tool is simply awesome and available for Debian, Fedora, Windows & MacOS. It's based on Python and needs a client to be installed in your mobile. You need to install PyS60 as well on your mobile. I used PythonForS60_1_4_5_3rdEd.sis for my N95 8GB since that was the latest available release. It uses sqlite or MySql in the backend for storing messages/contacts etc.

Apart from these, I had to install obexftp & python-obexftp [both available in Synaptic] as well.

Once all the required software are installed in your PC & in your mobile, you should initiate a bluetooth pairing between PC and Mobile and then open S60-remote in your mobile. I guess only bluetooth connectivity works as of now and you can not use USB mode yet. The client needs to be running all the time so you can not close it in your mobile but minimize it by pressing Menu key.

Then, open up Applications -> Internet -> Series60-Remote in your Ubuntu.

The application will list all available bluetooth devices.

Select your mobile from the list and click Next.

Application will ask if you want to push the client and PyS60 to your mobile if not done already. Ignore that and click next since we have them installed already.

After couple of screenshots explaining how to use the mobile client, application will connect to the phone and Ta-Da!

You'll see the phone is connected to the PC and it shows the battery and signal level of your phone.

From the left panel you can create a new message, manage contacts & files, see device information etc.

To see existing messages, you need to select 'View history' from Messages menu.

Once a new message come in to your mobile, the Series60-Remote in your Ubuntu will show a popup, just like a gtalk or skype chat popup, and ask if you want to continue as chat.

The app seems pretty neat, simple, fast and does a wonderful job. Unfortunately, this is available only for Symbian60 mobiles though! But still, great work by the developer.

So, those who have Symbian & using Ubuntu/Fedora/Mac or those who are not happy with the super slow message management in Ovi Suite, this app is exactly for you guys - GO FOR IT.


-Jeeva

Moved to Gnome for the very same reasons I loved KDE

I moved to gnome today for the same reasons I preferred KDE when I started to use Fedora during pre-[K]Ubuntu days - Graphics.

I personally didn't like the graphics in KDE with Kubuntu 10.04 and had very minimal [you can read it as NONE] success in making my favs like compiz, emerald & awn work in KDE. On the other hand, gnome was super duper with all these and it was pretty easy to configure them all.

I feel the Ubuntu guys dropped the ball [courtesy: Martin :-)] on KDE and are focusing more on gnome these days. Sigh...

Anyway, I'm happy that I got some good effects on my desktop now :D


-Jeeva

How to tune Thunderbird to automatically check for new emails in remote IMAP folders [in Kubuntu]

I was breaking my head with why Thunderbird [in Kubuntu] is not showing up new emails that come into remote folders even after I told Thunderbird to check mail every minute.

Thanks to kb.mozillazine.org, my bad that I didn't search for it sooner, I found the reason and the fix.

All you have to do is

Step 1:

1. goto Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> General ->Config Editor
2. Search for "mail.check_all_imap_folders_for_new" and set that to "true"

Step 2 - this is a bit frustrating, actually:

1. Now right click on EACH, you read that right E-A-C-H, remote folder -> Properties -> General Information
2. Select the "Check this folder for new messages" option, click "OK".

Thunderbird now really checks for new emails in every folder :-)


-Jeeva

Youtube from within Amarok

Discovered a cool feature in Amarok today which allows users to watch the corresponding video [from youtube] of the currently playing song.

All you got to do is add Videoclip applet to your Amarok

Then add the song you want to listen [& view in youtube] to the playlist and play the song.


The videoclip applet will then pull the related videos, from youtube, for the song that is being played. You can either add the clip to the playlist or play the desired clip immediately by right clicking on the clip.


There you are, viewing the youtube video right in your Amarok :-)



-Jeeva

Managed [some how] to sync my iPod with Kubuntu Lucid Lynx

After little struggle and lot of googling, which let me down this time though, I managed to sync my iPod nano 4G with Kubuntu 10.04.

All the articles I came across mentioned abt using Banshee, Amarok etc for syncing iPod. I was desperate that I installed almost all the packages related to 'ipod' in KPackageKit. I kept on looking in Amarok to see if it detects the iPod, it didn't.

Meanwhile, I was able to see my iPod as a data storage media in Dolphin & was able to mount the same and browse through the files as well. This made me to go back to Amarok and try File -> Play media... and then select the iPod which got displayed in the pop-up window. As soon as I selected the iPod, I can see it listed in the Media sources panel under Local Music section. Woohooo...

I am now able to transfer music from/to my iPod, edit the tags for songs in the iPod, delete songs from iPod.........

:-)


-Jeeva

Followup:

Okay, I've been so stupid that I didn't notice the support for iPod was present by default in Kubuntu. The only thing was I didn't know how to use it though.

Just connect the iPod, Open it via Dolphin once [to mount the device] and there you are... your iPod will be available under Local Music section in Amarok!!!

Angaadi Theru - Is survival that hard?

Some movies, I just cant get them out of my mind that quick & Angaadi Theru is one such movie.

I saw the movie on Sunday and few scenes & dialogs keep coming back in my memory even now. The movie deals with the poor youth of South Tamilnadu, who were forced [by situation] to bear their family responsibilities, move to Chennai to work in Multi-Storied stores as sales boys/girls ["offered" by the store owners] in Chennai and their misery livelihood.

There are movies which made me feel in one or two scenes but this one, s#!t. I thought of running out of the movie because I cant stand the sadness [I kinda liked that as well]. One could imagine that life is not that easy, after seeing the movie. Rather I'd say director just focused on the darker side of life, which he's made as his style btw.

There were many scenes in the movie which shows the pathetic conditions of those sales boys/girls that you'll start feeling for them. I'm wondering if I can be cool the next time when I visit these kinda multi-storied stores. I might think about the characters of this movie when I walk through Ranganathan Street [T.Nagar] the next time. It has become a trend now in Tamil cinema for these kind of movies. The problem is that the directors have started exaggerating the reality [like the lunch scene where the boys/girls go mad for plates & food] just to make it "filmy".

I kept asking just one question in my mind while I watched the movie - Is survival that hard for people in this country? If yes, why is it so? I donno, somebody?


-Jeeva

PS: I donno if I liked the movie or not but this left a heavy impression in me. If that's what is meant by a movie's success then I'd say this movie is a blockbuster up to me.

Jeeva - Powered by ICE 1000 VA now!!!

After almost an year since my old UPS [APC 500VA] started dying, I got a replacement for it. And now I can work continuously without worrying about fluctuation, hurray :-D

Though I felt a 1 KV UPS is a bit too much for me, I got convinced with my friend's argument when he referred to the load I put on to my UPS. I normally connect these to my UPS - CPU, Router, Modem, Creative 2.1 speaker, Printer, WD 1TB ext HDD & occasionally charging my mobile ;-)

So far its good with the new one, withstanding the loooooowwwww voltage last night, let me hope this stays healthier for long in spite of all my tortures :-)


-Jeeva

IPL is back & the drama too

Photo Courtesy - http://www.iplt20.com

March 12 2010. "And, I declare the games open", Lalit Modi announced for a third time in front of a huge and eager crowd.

I had a hunch that Kolkata Knight Riders might have something for their fans this season but when they lost 2 wickets for no score in their very first over followed by losing another two wickets, they appeared to have not moved on from last 2 seasons, struggling at a miserable 31/4 at the end of 6 overs.

Deccan Chargers, even in their wildest imagination, would have never thought they could lose the match from that point. But, oh boy, they had to be reminded that this is 'IPL - Manoranjan Ka Baap'. Owais Shah and Angelo Mathews did that reminding job in a slow, steady, silent & a stylish fashion. After 20 overs, KKR had something to fight for with 161/4 on the scoreboard. Still, with a batting line-up that had the big guns like Gillie, Gibbs, Symonds, Laxman, Rohit etc 162 appeared like a cakewalk for DC.

DC did start their innings in style and did well until Laxman slogged one of Murali Kartik to give KKR a ray of hope. Amazingly, KKR started to regroup and everything fell in place for them as DC batsmen gifted their wickets, one by one, with poor shots. With the fall of every wicket I could see an aggression, an attitude & confidence building up with KKR. There was loads of positive vibe for KKR in this match which saw them winning the match comfortably in the end.

As the saying goes like "everything that start well, ends well", I expect KKR to end up in top four, may be more than that, this season.

Let us sit tight & watch the play, after all no one knows what the script writer, Lalit Modi, has in store for making IPL-3 'Manoranjan ka Baap' se 'Manoranjan ka Bada Baap'!


-Jeeva

The most haunting music I ever listened to...

Photo Courtesy: http://bala0123.blogspot.com

I always refrained myself from writing about any movies or albums in this space but I cant really help this.

Man, this guy ARR is awesome! Love you Rahman. He definitely is a magician coz I just cant pull out the earphones out of my ears for the past 3 hours ['tis 2:13 am now!!!]. First time in my life, I tend to prefer listening to the songs whole night than sleep.

He has this habit of surprising you everytime when he comes out with a new album. This one, Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaayaa, I can say is the most experimental album in Tamil till date.

How on earth could he even think about songs like Aaromale, Anbil Avan, Kannukkul Kannai, Hosanna... Each stand apart and get better than others on every hearing. Also, not to forget Omana Penne & Mannippaya. The way he mixes the sounds and uses the singers is awesome.

At the same time, the down side would be the comparison against this album with Gautham Menon's previous, 'Vaaranam Aayiram'. I should admit this might not go well with the masses like how 'Mun Dinam' or 'Adiye Kolluthe' or 'Anjala' did. But still, this is the most haunting music I ever listened to. I mean, Vaaranam Aayiram songs were mind blowing but then it wasn't anything experimental.

To experiment something and still make audience like it is a great job, in which ARR is a master at. I can say for sure that ARR has raised Tamil Music to the next level with this album.

ARR has begun 2010 with a bang.

Hail A.R.Rahman!!!


-Jeeva

PS: If you think this post is very much biased, yes it is coz I love ARR's works and I can proudly say VTV is worth this post.