If you are an avid Android fan like me, you are going to be a flasher. before your mind start wondering to places you should not be, let me pull you back to reality and explain to you what a flasher (in Android) means. A flasher carries the meaning of a person who constantly flash a new firmware, rom or kernel to his Android. So what does flashing does actually? Well, it could easily be defined as wanting a more customized look, running different firmwares or even trying to as unique as possible from the rest. And being said that, the biggest and most important thing is to have a even better battery life than just stock version!

Android is one of the biggest platforms in the world for both smartphones and tablet compared to Apple iOS, Blackberry and even Window mobile. Lately, dual booting is getting more common among Android users and have you ever wonder what dual booting is all about?

What is dual boot?
Dual boot is a feature specially for several big kernel developers which are willing to take the trouble to get that fixed in your release. In other words, dual boot feature is a method where you can run your android smartphone with two different roms without needing to reflash or reinstall. And yes, this means that you can easily install two roms at the same time!

Imagine you want to have:

1. Sammy rom now. Want to use aosp as secondary.
2. Sammy rom now. Want to use aosp as primary.
3. Aosp rom now. Want to use sammy as secondary.
4. Aosp rom now. Want to use sammy as primary.

What you need to install dual boot feature?

1. Flash latest siyah (at the moment only Siyah has dual boot option)
2. Flash alternate recovery provided by GokhanMoral.
3. Have any sammy rom zip downloaded.
4. At least 90% battery left (optional but recommended).
5. 2 GB free on internal SD (at least).

Here is how you do it the right way:

1) Present sammy, setup aosp as secondary:-
Method 1:
i) Reboot to recovery. Clone 1st rom to 2nd rom. (Sammy is now secondary as well as primary)
ii) Flash ICS rom with a full wipe. Boot to the rom. Reboot to recovery.
iii) Full wipe and install the JB aosp.
iv) Swap 1st Rom and 2nd Rom in recovery.
OR
Method 2:
i) Nandroid backup sammy rom.
ii) Flash ICS rom with a full wipe. Boot to the rom. Reboot to recovery.
iii) Full wipe and install the JB aosp.
iv) Clone 1st Rom to 2nd Rom in recovery.
v) Restore the nandroid of sammy rom.

2) Present sammy, setup aosp as primary:-
Carry out first three steps in Method 1

3) Present aosp, setup sammy as secondary:-
i) Nandroid backup your aosp rom.
ii) (Without exiting recovery) Full wipe and install sammy rom. Boot to rom.
iii) Reboot to recovery. Clone 1st Rom to 2nd rom in recovery.
iv) Flash ICS rom with a full wipe. Boot to the rom. Reboot to recovery.
v) Restore nandroid of aosp rom.

4) Present aosp, setup sammy as primary:-
Carry out steps as above, then swap 1st rom and 2nd rom from recovery.

NOTE: Makes sure to flash your zips (themes/scripts/mods/apps) to your second rom before cloning it to secondary using "clone 1stRom to 2ndRom" option. And flash Siyah again after setting up db, just to be sure.

4. "How to boot into primary rom?"
A. Wait for the 3 second timeout or press volume up to skip 3 second timeout.

5. "How to boot into secondary rom?"
A. During the 3 second timeout, press volume down or power button.

6. "Is kernel partition shared?"
A. Yes. Same kernel boots both roms.

7. "If I flash another kernel (that doesn't support db) do I lose dual booting?"
A. Yes

8. "I lost dualbooting after flashing another kernel. I didn't do anything to second rom files in sdcard/.secondrom. How can I get db back?"
A. Just flash the latest Siyah.

9. "Will there be any performance degradation on the rom used as secondary?"
A. NO

10. "Will my phone run slow overall because of db?"
A. NO

11. "How to flash a newer version of 1st rom?"
A. As usual, just flash it from recovery.

12. "How to flash newer version of 2nd rom?"
A. Swap 1st and 2nd rom in recovery, flash the newer version, swap again.

13. "I miss the recovery I used before, so much.."
A. After you have setup dual booting, you can odin flash any recovery you like. It won't break dualbooting. But when you wanna play with db settings later on, you need GM's alternate recovery.

14. "User apps of 1st rom are automatically available for second rom?"
A. NO. However, if you had backed them up using Titanium Backup or similar apps, just restore apps while on second rom.

15. "I wanna keep separate backup for apps in both the roms, since I use one Rom for say entertainment and other productivity."
A. Setup different backup directory in Titanium Backup in 1st and 2nd rom.

16. "I don't see Stweaks app in second rom."
A. Delete /system/.siyah/stweaks-installed file in 2nd rom. Reboot to second rom.

17. "Do I need to anything special before flashing a newer Siyah?"
A. NO. Just flash kernel as tar or in recovery - whichever you used to do. Kernel image is copied to the unified kernel partition.

18. "How can I run same STweaks settings of 1st Rom in 2nd Rom?"
A. While on 1st rom, copy /data/.siyah/default.profile to /data/media/data/.siyah directory.

19. "How do I remove everything related to DB and run single boot again?"
A. Delete .secondrom directory in /data/media while on 1st Rom.

20. "DB architecture?"
A. Like you know, every rom has a /data, /system, /cache partition and a kernel to boot.
For primary rom, it's
mmcblk0p12 = /data
mmcblk0p9 = /system
mmcblk0p8 = /cache
And these won't change whether you're single booting or dual booting.

For secondary rom, data and system is stored in internal sd, cache in hidden partition. Note that internal sd in our device is mounted to /data/media.
We have data as a directory, System as an image in data/media/.secondrom. Cache in mmcblk10 which is hidden partition and not used otherwise.

- When second rom is booting, second rom data is bind mounted to mmcblk0p12 as /data/
- data/media/.secondrom/system.img partition is mounted as /system.
- mmcblk0p10 is mounted as /cache.

21. "If second rom files are kept in /data/media, will wiping data in recovery erase second rom files?"
A. NO. /data/media is skipped in CWM recovery.

Android is one of the major and leading platform for smartphones nowadays. If you are already planning to get one, then welcome to the club! If you ask me, I know what it feels like to spend much money on a smartphone and it is normal for all of us to have certain worries such as if there is any dead pixels, camera functions etc.

If you are having an Android smartphone, you should (if you have not) be very addicted to flashing the latest roms and kernels. Okay, for those who are relatively new to Android, this lovely platform is one of the best for you to learn how to modify your devices. Unlike the almighty Apple iPhone, most Android devices are has their bootloader unlocked which you can easily customize the phone.

A rom is like an OS for Android. Different roms can be created according to performance, battery saving etc. A kernel on the other hand can be considered the muscle to get things done. Of course, these are merely example for your easy understanding!

Requirement to install custom roms and kernels on Android:

• Download your selected rom or kernel
• USB cable (optional)
• Odin (optional)
• Rooted phone (having Clockwork Recovery a.k.a. CWM)

, If you are a serious hacker or rom flasher, getting your Android unable to turn on is pretty common I would say. Well, there are many reasons on why such occurs such as flashing the wrong kernel, rom or even wallpaper! 

Okay, it is an undeniable fact that Galaxy S 3 is the next big thing and I believe you have probably already planning to get one by one. I am using Samsung Galaxy S 3 Pebble Blue and I am seriously in love with it. If you are following my blog, I have been seriously in love with technology. I know you are happy with your device now but do you want to get the best out of your device?

Android is very flexible and you are able to 'modify' the phone completely. The process of 'modifying' is called rooting. In another word, rooting can be considered like jailbreaking (for those coming from iOS). SO what is so great about rooting? When you root your device, you are open to many custom ROMs and Kernels which could make your phone perform better, saves more battery and you could even theme your phone accordingly to your liking.

Alike jailbreaking, rooting will void your warranty. However, worry no further as you could easily undo it if you need to send to the nearest Samsung Service Centre and that is not a problem! Pretty amazing I would say :)

Okay, I am assuming that you are already scratching your head like crazy and can't wait to know how to root your Samsung Galaxy S 3 and this is how you can do so step by step.

Requirement:
Working Samsung Galaxy S 3 (i9300) ~ duh
CF-Root
Odin firmware

Note: Feel free to click here for links to download them. Please read the disclaimer below before you start rooting for your own safety.

Detailed instructions to root your Galaxy S 3 for newbies:

1. Unzip the attached Odin3-vX.X.zip file
2. Download and unzip the CF-Root-SGS3-vX.X.zip file (see posts below this one)
3. If you end up with a recovery.img and cache.img file, you've extracted twice. You need to end up with a .tar file - don't extract that one
4. (USB) Disconnect your phone from your computer
5. Start Odin3-vX.X.exe
6. Click the PDA button, and select CF-Root-SGS3-vX.X.tar
7. Put your phone in download mode (turn off phone, then hold volume-down + home + power to boot - if it asks you to press a button to continue, press the listed button, or run adb reboot download command)
8. (USB) Connect the phone to your computer
9. Make sure Repartition is NOT checked
10. Click the Start button
11. Wait for Android to boot
12. Done 

Simplified introductions for rooting for experienced users:

1. Unpack the ZIP download, you will end up with a TAR, flash this in ODIN as PDA, and optionally install and run Triangle Away afterwards to reset the flash counter. Beware that this should boot your device into recovery mode (for a few seconds to install SuperSU and CWM Manager) after flashing. 
2. Sometimes it doesn't, just flash it again in that case and you are done!

Disclaimer:

1. DO NOT PROCEED if you are having doubts on this and always make sure you have a backup before proceeding. I will not be responsible for anything that happens to your device.
2. This method will only work for GT-i9300 and GT-i9300T. It will not work for other devices and in order to check on this, you could head to Settings -> About device -> Model number
3. CF-Root is the root for "rooting beginners" and those who want to keep as close to stock as possible. CF-Root is meant to be used in combination with stock Samsung firmwares, and be the quickest and easiest way for your first root.

As we all know, Dropbox has just enabled the new security feature which is 2-steps verification for even safer usage. I would say this all comes from the recent force hack on an iCloud account of a famous blogger cum writer. Furthermore, some accounts have been compromised due to unwanted app hacking etc.

No idea what the hell Dropbox is? This is what Wikipedia says about Dropbox:

Dropbox is a file hosting service operated by Dropbox, Inc. that offers cloud storage, file synchronization, and client software. In brief, Dropbox allows users to create a special folder on each of their computers, which Dropbox then synchronises so that it appears to be the same folder (with the same contents) regardless of the computer it is viewed on. Files placed in this folder are also accessible through a web site and mobile phone applications.

When I heard about this, I was trilled as I was drying to get it done. Guess what?! It took me close to 2 hours to figure it out (on how it works). Well, I don't want anyone of you to have the same luck as mine and thus, here is how you going to get it done...the easy way of course.

Dropbox 2 factors authentication

 
Things you need to enable the Dropbox 2-steps verification:

• A verified and registered Dropbox account
• Smartphone with Google Authenticator app installed
• Some patience :)

Once you have all those prepared, you are now absolutely ready for some easy authentications using smartphone app:

1. On your smartphone, run the Google Authenticator app and leave it on.
2. From your laptop or computer, head to Dropbox > Your login name > Settings > Security > Enable 2-steps authentications.
3. If you are not able to see the option to turn on the 2-steps authentications, then you need to type this on your browser: Dropbox Two Factor
4. Let's assume you have completed all, then you are ready to click on the option 'Use a smartphone app'.
5. The barcode will be displayed and all you have to do is to go back to your Google Authenticator on your smartphone and select Scan Barcode.
6. A special 6 digits code will be visible and all you need to do is to type it in the box provided by Dropbox.
7. Walaa! You have successfully enabled the 2-steps authentications on Dropbox.

  Now, what happens you don't have a super high-tech phone? Is there another way to get this enabled? Of course there is and this is how you can do it:

1. From your laptop or computer, head to Dropbox > Your login name > Settings > Security > Enable 2-steps authentications.
2. Select the first option which is authenticate using a short message system (SMS).
3. Ensure that you get the country code and number right and hit Send.
4. You will received a SMS on your phone with the 6 digits code in it.
5. Key it in the box provided by Dropbox and you are now able to enable the 2-steps authentications on Dropbox for further security.

What do you think of this new security features provided by Dropbox? Are you happy with it? Tell me what you think with the comment box below! Last but not least, do have a quick look at the Amazon Store below for the latest and hottest deals for you!

I know this is something very common among all of us. Especially for those who are new to the Apple and Jailbreak world, you might (or someday come across) wonder where you can download those free Cydia tweaks for free. Well, it is very simple and I am going to share with you these simple steps.

Battle Nations is one of the most anticipated and upcoming free game for iPhone, iPad and Mac. So what is Battle Nations all about? According to Wikipedia, Battle Nations is a freemium turn-based strategy video game developed and published by Z2Live. The game puts players in control of land with limited resources where effective management of resources will be vital to expansion and advancement. Building a productive nation then allows players to form armies which are used as the basis for the game's core: PvP combat in turn-based strategy warfare. Routine updates by Z2Live keeps the game fresh with new units and missions.

Setting up your base
This is just like any other games. Make sure you base is setup well and during the early stages, try not to turn on PvP as this might affect you dearly. Remember that in Battle Nations, you need to have a very balance number of resources, buildings and army. If you can get these three sorted out well, you are probably on your way to some serious fun!

Army is not everything; Strategy is!
During the early stages, try not to have too many armies in your inventory. As you can see, you have a specific number of populations and thus, having too many armies might actually effect you down the leveling path. If you have very limited populations, you will face many issues and the worst case scenario is to shut down some buildings just to cater for your 'appetite'.

Get addicted with Battle Nations on Apple devices

When it comes to army, you need to know your men. Trooper is cheap but try not to have too many of them. They actually only comes useful when they hit Rank 4 and Double Shot comes available. The main armies that you should have are:

• Small amount of long ranged attackers such as Mortar and Grenadier which is extremely useful against armoured personnels and vehicles
• Some Shock Troopers as secondary tankers
• A few Riot Troopers as they are the best 'human shield' in game
• Focus slightly more on heavy vehicles for damage and tanking

Today, I am going to share with you on you can install paid apps for free on iPhone after jailbreaking. Before I start, allow me to emphasize that this is definitely illegal and unhealthy especially for the our dear developers. However, I know this is one of the biggest reasons on why people would want to jail break their iDevices. I am going to explain the steps as simple as possible for your understanding and don't worry, it is completely safe.


-->
Step by step guide to install paid apps on jailbroken iPhone

1. The top priority is to get your device jailbroken first before anything. Being said that, if you still have no idea how to jailbreak your iPhone, iPod or iPad, you can use this guide to help you through: The Complete Guide To Jailbreak With Absinthe.

2. Okay, I believe you ready now and congratulation! You are one step closer to success! You have to understand there are a few different methods where you can install those paid apps for free. I am using Installous as it is probably one of the easiest to use out there. Consider this as another version of Cydia Store and with a huge difference where it provides paid apps for free to download.

3. Now, open your Cydia and head to Sources. Basically, you just got to head towards Manage > Sources.

4. Once you are in the Sources page, you will be able to see quite a lot of websites located there. Do not change anything there. Whatever they are there, are good for you! All you have to do is to click on the Edit tap and select Add.

5. Once the pop up window shows up, type in this URL: http://cydia.hackulo.us and select Add Sources. If there is a pop up asking if you are sure to add it, just click Add Anyway.

6. Now, allow Cydia to reboot itself and update. I do hope that by now, you are on WiFi as there will be a download going on background to update all the sources and packages. if you are not on WiFi, you should definitely turn it on right now!

7. Once everything is ready, search for Installous on Cydia and install it. Again, let it update itself for awhile. don't worry as Installous is free.

8. Once downloading is done, you can now fire up Installous which is located on your springboard. Now, every paid apps on App Store is basically in your hands and best part of all, they are all free!

So, how to download paid apps for free using Installous?

1. Search for the apps you are looking for in Installous. Make sure the name is correct though.

2. Select the app found on search results and select Download.

3. A list of downloads will pop up for you to choose and on the right side of the screen, you will be able to see the version number. Of course, the latest would be the best.

4. You will also see the first option which is Magnet. This is a pretty fast download using BitTorrent and yes, it is highly advisable to use it!

Important notes:

1. All those downloading are at your own risk and I am not held responsible for any damage or unwanted incidents happen to you or your iDevices.
2. You are not able to update them (if there is update) from Apple Appstore but you can do it via Installous.

Now, what else are you waiting for? Get your devices ready as you are about to open the world of downloading the best paid apps for free!

*p/s You might also want to have a look at my latest website, eStudioWerk which offers a huge variety when it comes to technology news, make money online, blogging tips and even SEO tips!

The long wait is finally over. Now, it is the launch of Worldwide Developers Conference or WWDC in short and we are all waiting what Apple Inc has for us. Many assume they will be revealing the latest products that will be in stores for the next 12 months. iOS 6 is being highlighted as the most important and anticipated release of the year for many developers and users alike. Here, I am going to give you a quick guide on what iOS 6 will offer and how you can get your hands on one of them as soon as possible!

What are the new features on iOS 6?

There could probably thousands of apps you can download to modify and customize your jailbroken device such as iPhone, iPad and even iPod in Cydia store. In this article, I have complied the best Cydia apps that you must have to make your device even more complete!

Hold on there tiger! If you have not jailbreak your device yet, you can download the latest Absinthe version and here is the complete, risk-free and step by step guide to jailbreak using Absinthe.

There could be thousands of apps available on Cydia store for jailbroken devices

1. SBSettings
Do you wish to have a more customized settings which you can access from your springboard without needing to find the Settings icon? Well with SBSettings, you can easily do that and even more without hassle. If you ask me, this is one of the most important app that you must have on your jailbroken iPhone. Accessing SBSettings is easy simply by swiping your finger to the right on the top bar and you will have immediate access to:

• 3G toggle
• Airplane mode
• Bluetooth
• Brightness control
• Location setting toggle
• Wifi toggle
• Respring
• Power button (consist of safe mode, restart and power off)

2. Activator
Activator is another great free application available on Cydia. One of the best usage of Activator (for me) is that I use that to turn on the flashlight with just double pressing the power button. What Activator does is that you can assign 'hotkeys' to any buttons available on your iPhone. With this, you can easily activate your camera, video recording or even your favourite app with just one or two press of a button.




3. BiteSMS
I know that BiteSMS is very popular among many and I recently had the opportunity to try it out. BiteSMS is very good as it works much better than stock SMS that Apple provide. For starters, you can open Quick Reply straight from your phone without entering the SMS app with BiteSMS. Imagine those times that you wish you can reply the message instantly? With BiteSMS, you do not need to worry about that any more! Besides that, BiteSMS works perfectly well with SBSettings which you can access the app directly from the notification bar.


4. MxTube
Forget about those free downloader you can find on Apple Store. With MxTube, you are able to download up to 10 videos from YouTube with the free version. If you want to have unlimited videos, then you should purchase the licence. What makes MxTube better than any other YouTube downloader is that not only it is reliable, it is very easy to use. Whenever you play a video, it will automatically ask you if you want to save the video into your phone.

5. SpringFlash
If you always find yourself in the dark and needed some assistance, then you should get SpringFlash immediately. For starters, it will definitely save you whenever you are in the dark with just 2 clicks of a physical button. It does what it is said to do and there is nothing more we can ask from it.

6. WinterBoard

For most Apple fans, jailbreak is a very common household term. In fact, some considered jailbreak as one of the 'speciality' that Apple could offer. For newbies or new Apple users, one common question is "How worth it jailbreak is?" With this article, I hope that you get an insight of what jailbreak is all about.

How worth it is Jailbreak?

For starters, jailbreak is also known as JB for most Apple fans. What jailbreak does is just like rooting an Android. Basically, when you jailbreak your iPhone, iPad or iPod, you can install programs and applications which are not signed by Apple. In another words, you can basically install anything on your device and even have Administrator access to the core of the Apple product. Well if you ask me why Apple doesn't approve jailbreaking in public, the answer is simple. Messing around with this delicate settings could be very fatal and could easily destroy your device if you are not careful with.


So, what are the advantages of jailbreaking?

Access to a larger number of applications and customizations
Whenever you jailbreak your device, you are going to be spoilt with thousands of apps that Apple doesn't allow. We all know how strict Apple is when it comes to applications and programs. Therefore, for those who love tweaking their iPhone, iPad or iPod, jailbreaking is a must as without jailbreak, you are not going to be able to tweak and customize your device.

Jailbreak to unlock a locked iPhone set
It is very normal nowadays for people to buy iPhones from other countries and to be brought back to their own countries. Mainly is because of the high cost and shipping fees. However, buying such iPhones are mostly locked set which means that, you are not able to use the iPhone with other carriers. Thankfully for jailbreaking, you can now unlock your locked iPhone and you can start using it with any carrier of your choice.

Deleting the irritating newstand and many more
One of the most hated basic app for most Apple users is the newstand. Without jailbreaking your device, the newstand have to be placed on the springboard and you will have no option to remove it. Now when you jailbreak your device, you can install tweaks that basically delete the unwanted newstand and clear your screen.

As you can see above, here are the three most common advantages and purposes of jailbreaking an Apple product. Every good thing has its own disadvantages as well and I know something is still turning in your head.

How about Jailbreak disadvantages? Does jailbreak bring any side effect?

Jailbreak effect on battery life
Sadly, jailbreak has its own disadvantages and one of them is the battery life. I wouldn't consider this completely an advantage by jailbreaking as when you jailbreak, you are able to install those customization especially on themes. Some themes are really battery suckers and simply by installing them, you might ended up having more issues with your battery life. If you want to get out of battery life issue, always make sure you install what is needed only.

Jailbreak makes iPhone and iPad lag!
This is another very common thing I hear every day. Jailbreaking DOES NOT slows down your phone but the number of mods and programs you had installed will do so. So, why am I blaming on jailbreak? The answer is simple. Most of these apps comes from Cydia and thus, I would consider the core of the problem coming from jailbreaking itself. Again, remember to install whatever you need and not everything you need.

Display error caused by jailbreaking
Last but not least, it is very normal if your app icon loses its colour or image when you jailbreak. Usually a respring will solve the issue but again, we all wish to have a complete and working product right? As much as jailbreaking can do good for us, display error is still one of the biggest problem that comes along with jailbreaking.

My review on jailbreaking

Jailbreaking is definitely fun and I been using both JB and non-JB iPhones for sometime now. If you ask me, I wouldn't say jailbreak is that bad but certainly, there are things you should know about before jail breaking. Also, there is no such thing as all pros and no cons regardless of what you do. Therefore, you have all the right to jail break but make sure that you install only the necessary apps and programs to ensure your Apple device is running smoothly.

Absinthe 2.0 series had just been released and it is definitely one hell of a good news for all iPhone lovers around the world. When Absinthe 2.0 was released few days back, every one was so crazy about it and the server on Cydia nearly went down due to the enormous traffic!

Use Absinthe 2.0 for jailbreaking iPhone

If you do it correctly, Jailbreak button will lights up

Great! Jailbreak completed!

The famous Cydia icon for jail breaker

Vapor pro Royal Purple - Limited Edition

It really took sometime for me to decide if I really want to buy an OEM or genuine casing from Element Case. As we all know, Element Case is one of the most talked about product of all time and the design is superb. However, all these come with a huge price tag with it. So, I asked myself if I would really want to spend more than RM 400 just for an iPhone case. I think the answer is pretty simple.

I checked around and I came across this site called as Cases Will. This site is pretty cool sinde everything here are very cheap. Even better, the cases sold are way cheaper than most of the Element Case providers here in Malaysia. I was really tempted to buy it since I could easily get one Vapor Pro for just below RM 80. What a bargain right?!


Okay, so I purchased my first case, Vapor Pro Royal Purple from Cases Will and I am pretty sure you are not able to find it on Vapor official site now. The last time I checked, it was sold for a 'limited time' only. Okay, so here's the full review of it plus juice photos for you!

I placed my order and paid using PayPal on 16th April 2012. I am just being choosy and did not want to spend more dime on the express courier. So, I sticked to China/Hong Kong Express Parcel service which was free. It is said to take about 14 to 21 working days to reach Malaysia.

After 2 weeks, I was shocked as I did not receive my parcel yet. Of course, I checked the tracking code provided and it is all written in Mandarin and the last was said 'Send out from China' and the path went cold. I was not afraid it was lost but rather, I do not want the parcel to stucked at Malaysian Custom at Shah Alam!

I received a notification from Pos Laju on 2nd May 2012 that I have a parcel to be collected as there was no one at home to collect on behalf of me. Now, let's head over to some pictures shall we?




Complete review of Vapor Pro Royal Purple by Element Case (OEM version)

1. Design of the OEM version (score 9/10)
Very well made. That is what I can say! Well, it does look 'around the same' with the original one except for the black colour finishing on the side.The OEM version from Cases Will is matte type while the original one has glossy finish.

2. Does the size match? (score 7/10)
When it comes to matching the iPhone size, I would give a 7 out of a possible 10. Yes I am very choosy and thus, it is hard to achieve my expectation. After tightening the screws, the case seems to be a little bigger than the phone. Well, there is no shaky part at all but you are able to see some silver lining of the iPhone close to the edge. Refer photo for more details.

3. Effect on signal (score 8.5/10)
I tried both WiFi and mobile data and the signal for the phone is still good. I don't see much effect with this so-called 'high quality' metal on my phone. However, there are some time where WiFi connection drops suddenly when I am on idle. Pretty Impressive if you would asked me.

4. Touch and feel of OEM Vapor Pro (score 9/10)
I would say the finishing is great and it feels great. This is my first metal casing and thus, it does felt a little weird holding it. However, it will not be fair for me to mark down this Vapor series just because of my 'lack of experience'. The edges are very smooth and no edgy feeling felt throughout the phone and corners. Again, another huge surprise by a product made from China.

5. OEM vs Genuine Vapor Pro (score 9/10)
Honestly, I would say if I place both the OEM and genuine one side by side, I would have a hard time deciding which is the real one. In fact, this OEM version of Vapor Pro made by Cases Will is very good and honestly, I highly recommend them all to anyone who is interested to buy an affordable but high quality Vapor casing.

Grand Total Score: 42.5 out of a possible 50 points

Summary
So, what do you think? For me, the case is definitely a great choice especially when you are in need of a high quality case with an affordable price. Highly recommended for all and yes, I am loving it every moment now.

If you are interested, you can check out the website here: CasesWill.com

I already got my first BE campaign this week as said here My First Nuffnang Buffered Earnings. So what's next? I know what it takes to get those highly said CPM campaigns and it was well proven with my blog being chosen as one of the lucky ones.

Well for starters, I tested with this blog and of course it took me close to 3 weeks with all my writing backlinks techniques and many more. So I asked myself, what's next after My First Nuffnang Buffered Earnings? Well, I ain't getting enough with these Buffered Earnings and I really hope more to come!

Traffic for this blog has always been great. Honestly, I have no idea what is making the crazy unique traffic daily but whatever method I did, they are really making the mark right now. This going to be a pretty short post this time around and I hope to see more BE coming soon!

I was pretty busy lately with my new job and with my new website which causes me many sleepless nights. I still remember on Monday, I checked my Nuffnang's earning and there wasn't any increase. That was pretty harsh on me as even though I had very less update recently, I received quite a spike in traffic recently. It could probably be the backlinks I done previous months.

Anyway, it is crazy 12.30am right now as I am heading to be for my day two at new work place (something I am very fond of) in like 7 hours time, I decided to open my Nuffnang account and checked if I receive any BE (Buffered Earnings or Metered Earnings). There was already something hitting my head hard at the back saying "Nah, maybe you ain't getting anything thanks to your BUSY and NEW website".

I didn't wait for the website to open but just continue normal browsing on additional tabs on Google Chrome. Suddenly, I saw something 'not so familiar' and I was took a double looked at it. I was WTF?!

Okay, that was shocking. I didn't expect that honestly. I was too busy with my new dot com (duh I am so proud of it) and this totally caught me by surprised. Of course, the BE was for Big Fat Reality and I wish was for both this blogspot and even BloggersDeck.com.

Oh well, I can't be greedy right? Okay, I am heading off to bed and I would like to thank you Nuffnang for everything especially this. Is a great present for me and there is not a better time it could come! I need it so much right now :)

Oh ya, if you have the time, do have a look at my new website and give me ideas, would ya? Here you go: Bloggers Deck - Tips To Help You Earn Money Online.

In the wake of Google coming up with Google Drive and giant Dropbox giving out random free storage to members, MSN SkyDrive decides to give out 25GB memory space to all its loyal members. The terms of 'loyal members' is pretty general if you ask me but one thing is for sure, new members do not get free upgrade!

So what is actually those cloud share stuff?
As technology is advancing from time to time, we are also getting ahead with those old school methods. Being said that, cloud storage is really taking place among us and is even doing a much bigger role on daily works and file sharing. With these cloud share, we are able to share anything over the internet within seconds if not minutes and it works like charm (and very secure).

Cloud usage for both personal and business alike
This cloud saving methods started a few years back and at that time, not many uses it. I still remember being one of those few who tried DropBox and felt it wasn't that useful. However, as time passes by, I realized the power of such. This is proven as business around the world are even signing up for cloud services when it comes to storage. Like what I said above, imagine sharing a document or material within seconds and towards multiple recipients at the same time.

Unlimited storage
Another great feature of cloud storage is there is no limit on how much you can save on these programs. You can upload documents, folders, files and even notes for sharing or safe keeping. Most programs offers a specific memory space for free and you can (of course) buy more storage if you would need it in the future.

As you can see above, MSN SkyDrive's decision to provide free upgrades for its members proves the importance of these cloud services. So, are you already a member of these cloud services such as DropBox, Box, Google Drive or SkyDrive?

Meantime, something about me:
My name is Reginald and I am a full time blogger. I am also the proud owner of BloggersDeck.com which focus highly on tips and tricks to earn money online and work from home. If you like my work, check out the link above and do give me your comment.

It really took me awhile to consider if I want to have my own dot com again. I remember clearly my first dot com was a disaster thanks to lack of time and having a website is crazy job. I keep thinking and finally, decided to start my second dot com for real. The site is called Bloggers Deck and is focused on provides tips when it comes to earn money online.

At first, I know I need to get my priority straight and I decided to start planning my sites. I planned nearly everything from layout until the type of categories available! It took me just two days and I basically did everything at full throttle. I was determined to make Bloggers Deck a success but I know it would take time and effort.

Right after the preparations, I decided to get my backlink ups and running. I was planning to sling-shot my website straight up from the start. pretty crazy idea but I know it will worked (experience from my first dot com). It was some tough work trying to 'media spam' the world with the new blog title etc.

On 25th April 2012, I decided to get the domain running and started the service. Didn't slept the whole night just to get it running. Within the day itself, the domain was up and every layout was ready. It was action time! I setup CloudFlare and a few additional plugins and now am just waiting for indexing by Google Bots.

Maybe the time was slightly wrong as right before I was able to manually request for Google indexing, Google indexing system went crashing down until now. Therefore, just hope that it will be up soon and for me to rush for my page rank. Yes, I am a page rank freak!

Last but not least, I was happy with the theme (except for the logo) and I am trying to find time to create a new logo for myself. If you want to see a peek of the site, here you go: Bloggers Deck - Useful Tips To Help you Earn Money Online.


Tell me what you think about it and share with me your hosting experience as well!

Every one they could ditch the usual 'nine to five office job' and just escape the traffic jam right after working hours. Many assume the blogging business is very easy and anyone can be successful with. I am going to tell you that you are dead wrong! I know many online writers and a huge majority of them actually give up in less than three months. As easy as it seems, blogging is not a business for the soft souls.

My layout and preparation for blogging - one mug of coffee, tablet, laptop and iPhone (not visible)

As a blogger, I have always try to find what is the best monetization program available for me to earn money online with my blog. I know, we have tons of choices but in this article, I am going to explain to you everything you need to know about the best monetization program that will make earn you some money at least.

How to make money from blogging?

What is blog or website monetization?

Before we start knowing what program best fit for blog monetization, I decided to go back to basics. What is blog monetization? In simple words, monetization is an action where one can actually make money out of his or her blog site. If you are going deep into blogging business, monetization is one of the most important factor in order for you to finance your passion such as paying for hosting and domain rental. If you are using a free hosting site such as blogger, then you may well consider that as a side income generator! Without much waiting, let's head over to the count down for the top monetization programs available for bloggers.

Advertisement based earning programs

Google Adsense
Google Adsense is one of the best monetization program ever. There is no other program that pays more than Google Adsense...hands down. I personally have been with Adsense for close to 4 years now and all you got to do is to select the right code for the advertisement to show. As Google Adsense works with Pay Per Click (PPC), you will only earn your hard earn advertising income whenever there is a click on the advertisement. The revenue gain per click ranged from USD $0.01 to USD $1.50 (the highest I got).

Nuffnang
For those living in Asia, Nuffnang is one of the best alternative to Google Adsense. How Nuffnang works is very similiar to Adsense.

Wait! What do you mean mean with 'very similiar'? Does this means that Nuffnang has something advanatages under the sleeve??! 

Oh yes you are right! Nuffnang offers its members a chance of mCPM or is also know as CPI. What this two alien terms means could actually boost your income by quite a bit. In short, mCPM and CPI means earning advertisement revenue with impression based and not click based. I know I got your head turning now and yes, (if you are lucky), you will earn money with just page impressions. Some also calls this as Buffered Earnings or Metered Earnings.

In-text advertising programs

Infolinks
I love Infolinks since day one. It could probably be the lovely blue colour. Okay back to topic and enough of dreaming. I always consider Infolinks as one of the best In-text advertising programs available when it comes to monetizing a site. How in-text advertising works is easy. Specific words on articles are selected as keywords and are 'coloured' like this: Keyword. If you move your cursor to the keyword, a small pop up will appear illustrating an advertisement. Pretty cool huh? So, you get a small bit of revenue for every click you get on the advertisement. From my experience with Infolinks, I usually get about USD $0.01 to $0.10 per click.

Kontera
Kontera is a close competitor to Infolinks and it really does look very professional honestly speaking. How Kontera works is absolutely the same with Infolinks and the only difference between them could be the different software they are using. Alike Infolinks, Kontera keywords are in green colour and does seem more professional compared to Infolinks. Nonetheless, Kontera is definitely great but for some reason, my earnings at Kontera could never beat the one at Infolinks no matter how hard I try. Another reason for me to avoid Kontera is Nuffnang are not really that in-line with Kontera. For those Nuffnang Glitterati members, you may lose your Glitterati status if you run it with Kontera.

Mobile Advertising - new comer on the block

Okay, before you ask me "What the hell is this?", let me explain to you something about mobile advertising. Nowadays (thanks to technology), we surf webs using our smartphones or tablets. Gone were the days we uses computers and laptops even though some of us still do it. What mobile advertising does is whenever you uses these gadgets to check on the web, you will be shown a specific mobile advertising advertisement. And yes, if you view it via computer or laptop, you will not see the advertisement. Easy to understand?

TapIt!
I didn't search for mobile advertising nor used Google to find how to monetize my site. However, I was contacted by the sales team of this company and after several discussions, I decided to give it a try. For users, you are guaranteed a 100% fill rate for all available advertisement spots and for every click you get, you get paid. Pretty straight forward and easy. I am not able to comment much on this yet as I have just installed the code on my page. For users out of United States, you might not be able to view the advertisement for now. After checking with the technical team, they are still 'in the midst' on entering out of US market. So if you have many readers from overseas, give this a try and I will also write something about TapIt once I have enough collected enough information on this.

About the writer: I am an avid blogger and close to a full time online writer. I been writing for many years and The Big Fat Reality is one of my upcoming blogs. I am also sharing all my tips and guides on blogging and my latest writing on blogsphere is Important Things To Know About Blogging Industry.

What it feels like blogging from a tablet?

Technology nowadays are actually taking over our lives. Every where we go, we are basically 'equipped' with our smartphones and gadgets. Coming from a blogger background, I felt it is tough for me to bring my bulky laptop every where I go. okay, I got to admit that I am very...very lazy. Guilty as charged. However, what it really feels like blogging from a tablet? Let me share with you...may I?

Accessibility on the go
This is what I love about using a tablet to blog. Thanks to Google Document, I could easily type and compose my articles without worry. As for the record, I am using a Samsung Gakaxy Tab 8.9 for blogging which is my first tablet. With a small tablet, I am able to head to any Coffee Bean or Starbucks for a quick coffee while enjoying composing. Believe it or not, my tablet last longer than my laptop could stand. Amazing. I could easily go two good days without charge and my tablet is still standing strong. Imagine bringing your laptop and those chargers along wherever you go. Mobility is vital...hands down.

The evolution of tablet
Let's face it. Tablet nowadays are talking over laptop glamorous days. In another word, laptop days are over! Don't trust me? Head to town and look around. Compare how many people are having tablet and how many are using laptops. You get the point. Yes, thanks to technology, tablets are getting even more 'equipped and able to function close to what a laptop can actually do. pretty impressive and sometime, technology just mesmerises me. 




Can you really compare a tablet with a laptop?
I am a serious technology geek and I can tell you this. You just can't really compare both of them. First of all, they are already running in different platforms. Furthermore, comparing a virtual keyboard and a physical one? Give me a break! Both has their pros and cons honestly. What I can say is if you are always mobile, get a tablet as it is much better and convenient. If yo have a nice spot (or don't mind sitting at home), get a laptop as laptop usually works better than a tablet in come way.

My simple verdict: Laptop vs Tablet?
For me, laptop will always be a better choice for me at least for now. Yes I got to amid that it is partly due to the fact that I have been attached to my HP laptop for over 3 years compared to this tablet of 1 year. However, I still see some spots where laptops actually works better than tablet. For example, I am not able to modify much if my blog from my tablet. You get the point. Nonetheless, I am happy with both and yes (again), if you would need to choose just one device, ask yourself whether you are always mobile or static. By then, you would already find your answer.

Disclaimer: This topic is written completely using Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 with the help of Google Docs. Kudos to technology!


About the writer: I am an avid blogger and close to a full time online writer. I been writing for many years and The Big Fat Reality is one of my upcoming blogs. I am also sharing all my tips and guides on blogging in this blog and if you love technology news, you should definitely check this article out: The Best Smartphone Yet - Apple iPhone 4S.