General Information

[QUOTE=Don Roberts; 1117341]My handheld computer just arrived- It has an HSDPA SIM slot which will accept a standard SIM. It's an international- (triband) unit. It runs Windows XP tablet edition.

I want to use it in Cebu for texting & data access. I have used unlocked triband cellphones in the Philippines for voice calls & texting (SMS) with no problem. I also use a Smartbro USB dongle to connect my laptop to the internet. No problem. It contains a different SIM. It connects over local cellphone service towers, via Smartbro supplied software.

What software may help me connect my computer in the Philippines?

PS- I put my USA AT&T SIM in my computer but the supplied Novatel software didn't find it.

Has anyone done anything like this? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I arrive in Cebu next week for a month or so- I hope to visit several of my favorite bars after I recover from jetlag. I'll try to pay up my dues for this board before I leave so I can send & receive PM's.

Regards to all- Don[/QUOTE]You should be able to use the smartbro sim in the PC. Not sure on required software, you could try going to Smart store in SM mall and asking. The SmartBro has 1 day unlimited internet / data for 50p if you send a text, see their website for details. Let me know how this works out for you because I may try the same thing in a few weeks. Also, some bars have free wifi, believe it or not. I know Liza's Sea fun pub has it, I have used it before.

[QUOTE=Riverman;1119692]I thought the a casa would be the perfect thing and she agreed, so I put us in a taxi and asked the driver to take us to a casa. He sadly informed me they have all been pretty much shut down in the past few months becasue of a crack down by the mayor. Hopefully, this is only temporary.[/QUOTE]There are a couple of excellent casas on Mactan so have a look see if you strike out in Cebu City.

[QUOTE=Cyber Whip;1120432]You should be able to use the smartbro sim in the PC. Not sure on required software, you could try going to Smart store in SM mall and asking. The SmartBro has 1 day unlimited internet / data for 50p if you send a text, see their website for details. Let me know how this works out for you because I may try the same thing in a few weeks. Also, some bars have free wifi, believe it or not. I know Liza's Sea fun pub has it, I have used it before.[/QUOTE]Thanks for your reply- I have had some progress- I installed my smartbro SIM- (not a cellphone SIM but the one that comes in the smartbro dongle). & I was able to connect to yahoo messenger, but the connection terminated almost immediately- So I will have to find out how to get the software to recognize the smartbro connection-

Last Sunday I toured about 20 plus bars- Very Late- all bars very empty- Coliseum very funny- all the few girls who were left werefast asleep with their little heads on the bar. No surprise with 4000 peso barfines.

I went out to the same 20 bars on Tuesday & again on Thursday with better results,. I will try to post a longer report later.

[QUOTE=Don Roberts;1122647]Thanks for your reply- I have had some progress- I installed my smartbro SIM- (not a cellphone SIM but the one that comes in the smartbro dongle). & I was able to connect to yahoo messenger, but the connection terminated almost immediately- So I will have to find out how to get the software to recognize the smartbro connection-[/QUOTE]As long as you have the APN set to "smartbro" instead of the "internet" that Buddy uses it should just work.

I was using a smart bro sim in a 2. 2 android phone last night for wireless tethering so my girlfriend could use her wifi phone at the same time I was using my notebook.

[quote=mongrinastrlnd; 1122846]as long as you have the apn set to "smartbro" instead of the "internet" that buddy uses it should just work.

i was using a smart bro sim in a 2. 2 android phone last night for wireless tethering so my girlfriend could use her wifi phone at the same time i was using my notebook.[/quote]ok great, this is similar to what i want to do. i would like to use the usb dongle in a netbook, then use the wifi in the netbook as a wifi hotspot. have you tried that? i have an ipod touch i would like to get on the net. i have read that should work with the wifi hotspot activated in windows 7, kind of like adhoc network.

also, have you tried sun internet dongle in cebu? was thinking about switching, i see they have better deals but not sure the service availability or the speeds.

[QUOTE=Hairy Wonder;1119590]Cebu is not the only place where this happens. I got the same response from taxi drivers in Manila, and in many areas of Korea as well. I'm sure it also happens in many places around the world. But I thought the Philippines had a telephone number you could call to report actions like this. If the driver upsets you that much, get his name and taxi number, and call the number to report him. If enough calls are made about this type of action, maybe the drivers will change their attitudes.[/QUOTE]Manila has one. 09175618709, but I have never seen a number for Cebu.

Robb

Anyone been in Liza's lately? Getting ready to make a trip to Cebu. I tend to like Liza's when there is a crowd in there. The girls tend to get a little crazy. I hear she has picked up a few new girls, and a few old ones. Was kind of dead there last time I was there, last month.

[quote=cyber whip; 1122929]ok great, this is similar to what i want to do. i would like to use the usb dongle in a netbook, then use the wifi in the netbook as a wifi hotspot. have you tried that? i have an ipod touch i would like to get on the net. i have read that should work with the wifi hotspot activated in windows 7, kind of like adhoc network.

also, have you tried sun internet dongle in cebu? was thinking about switching, i see they have better deals but not sure the service availability or the speeds. [/quote]i did a bit of experimenting this trip, but i didn't really have enough time.

i have not had great luck with sun for data in either tacloban or cebu. testing with a p10 "winner" sim plus p30 of load was enough to make the determination i didn't want to use it. unfortunately i only had dongles for smart and globe so my comparison on sun was not apples / apples since i was using it in a phone and wifi tethering to the pc.

overall in both tacloban and cebu i had better luck with globe for data in the places i tried (as always, ymmv and you may have a hotel in a place right next to an uncongested smart antenna).

I'm back in Japan now, has their been any more dirt on the norwegian guy and his DIA fiancee that were arrested for the kidnap / murder of the little girl a few days ago at Mactan airport? Apparently the arrest happened within an hour after I flew out of the airport on the 12th.

Continues to be front page news every day. In every photo, the poor Norwegian guy just looks completely lost, like he doesn't know what the fuck is going on. According to him and the nurse/fiance, they had never even been near where the murder took place, and have solid alibis. The whole situation is very strange including the crime itself.

[QUOTE=Mongrinastrlnd;1123820]I'm back in Japan now, has their been any more dirt on the norwegian guy and his DIA fiancee that were arrested for the kidnap / murder of the little girl a few days ago at Mactan airport? Apparently the arrest happened within an hour after I flew out of the airport on the 12th.[/QUOTE]My money is on the norwegian guy that he is innocent and I feel really sorry for this guy.

He got arrested just because he looks like the artists sketches of the foreigner and filipina who supposedly kidnapped the girl. A local pimp said he recognised the norwegian guy and the filipina from the sketches and claimed that they have gotten girls from him before. But according to the norwegian guy he was not even in the country during the time when the pimp claimed he met them. How about checking this with the airlines? When the norwgian guy was supposed to be in Barili he was at Waterfront. Also the pimp said the guy was heading for moalboal and apparentley he has not even been there. As stated before so many weird things in this story. Another things that upsets me what about the pimp? He admitted he was part of it. Shouldn't he be arrested or something!

Here is some more articles about this story.

[url]http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/arrest-has-made-our-love-stronger-norwegian-national[/url]

[url]http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/did-police-get-right-couple[/url]

[QUOTE=Blade1; 1123935]My money is on the norwegian guy that he is innocent and I feel really sorry for this guy.[/QUOTE]This seems to back up your views:

[url]http://cdn.ph/i_editorial.php[/url]

I did not get a chance to really monger a lot on this trip. Got a really good rate on Delta, though their service was crap and the inbound flight was delayed 2. 5h so I didn't get out of customs until about 1:30am. Spent most of the time in Leyte with my GF, a DIA contact.

Did manage to get away for 1 day in Cebu visiting a male friend who recently returned there after a long time overseas. Left me with an evening to kill and I was staying at the Diplomat (was a mistake, should have gone with my first idea and tried Elizabeth) so I just walked over to grab dinner and cruise through the Mango bars.

Red Lips. Was dead at 9pm on a Saturday night. Didn't even order a drink here.

Noticed there was a new bar in soft-open on the side road to Red Lips. Didn't go in because it was similarly dead. Wouldn't mind hearing reports about this place for future reference.

Viking. Better than the previous two, but still slow. A few good dancers but most too much belly-fat for me. Just one drink and out.

Sisters. Had a handful of customers, couple girls that I remembered. I stayed about a half-hour here, chatted with one girl who was charming but had a long face rather than the rounder pinay face look that I like. The mamasan here is also fun to talk to and remembered me from my last Cebu visit 6 months ago. Still, this place is pushier on the drinks than I really prefer and the girls like to work the customers for LD in groups (though nowhere near as bad as bars on Burgos in Manila) so I stepped out to my next destination.

Pussycats. Spent a lot of time here on my last trip. I didn't know if my favorite, Miss H, was still working here, and I didn't text or I'm her to tell her I'd be in Cebu this time (last time I was in Philippines I didn't make it to Cebu and she was disappointed). Didn't have to wonder long because barely 10 seconds after I cleared the door there was 5'5" of squealing pinay rushing at me. Unlike the other bars I'd gone in who seem to have had about 90% turnover in the last 6 months, I remembered about half the girls. The girls at Pussycat are just as I like. Superslim and most have the roundish face I like. Ended up taking Miss H back to the hotel with me again, nice extended oral session to start but only ended up managing one pop in the end and a couple hours catching up with each other.

Had a quick meeting with my friend the next morning and then a late afternoon flight out after a little shopping. Just managed to make it from SM (picked up the newest Samsung android phone which is pretty nice) through airport checkin just in time for boarding.

[QUOTE=Python75; 1124050]This seems to back up your views:

[url]http://cdn.ph/i_editorial.php[/url][/QUOTE]Utterly pathetic and just again shows the police will fabricate and not investigate properly when a juicy reward (for a pinoy) is on offer.

If the alibis prove true watch for scapegoats on this. Never trust the police is my view in PI having seen friends shaken down more than once. Maybe am jaded but how can anyone be guilty as the CPPO is "morally convinced" the right couple are in custody and stops the investigation. Am sure that may stand up in a PI court but am sure in USA UK Europe etc it would take more than his say. LOL.

At the same the whole story make me laugh as it goes to show once again why everyone rushes to PI to invest

I don't know what kind of body type this guy is, but I meet the white and right-age criteria, and passed through the airport where he was arrested right at about the same time (minus an hour or two). Granted I was traveling alone but could easily have been hassled about this at the very least.

I've never personally had any trouble with the police but this sort of thing is chilling at minimum based on how tight this guy's alibi looks at the moment (backed-up story placing him in Lahug 30 minutes before and video in the Lahug Waterfront lobby 15-30 minutes after the kidnap took place 15 km away).