January 2012 - skunkworks - Skunkworks Site

<O.T> Stephen Hawking turns 70.
by Martin Chiteri 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

Read more [ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16137007 ] Also at [ http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/jan/08/stephen-hawking-birthday-70 ] Martin.

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Who is the best Blackberry Service Provider in Kenya?
by Ken Teyie 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

Hi, Just wondering which local network has the best blackberry service? What are the cost? The shortcomings? Considering to make a switch and would hate to jump from frying pan into the fire! Please share your experiences. Thanks. Ken

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Huawei E160 Unlock/ Linux Modem Unlocks
by Dennis Kioko 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

*Unlock* your *Huawei* E160<http://alaninkenya.org/2010/09/29/unlock-your-huawei-e160> By Alan <http://alaninkenya.org/author/aorth> on September 29, 2010 [image: Safaricom's Huawei E160 USB modem]I use a Safaricom-branded *Huawei*<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huawei>E160 USB *modem* to connect to the Internet over 3G from my apartment in Westlands. It works great but Safaricom has locked the device so it only works on their network (an anti-consumer move they probably learned from the likes of AT&T). We have four different mobile providers in Kenya, each one of which sells their own custom-branded *Huawei* modems. The other providers are small fries compared to Safaricom, but they love to play catch up so they’ve locked their modems too. Wanna browse on Zain? Buy a Zain *modem*! Thanks for nothing… The good thing is that there’s a booming *modem* unlocking industry on the Internet, but you have to be a google ninja to wade through all the garbage results. After some creative googling I got to the bottom of this “*unlock*your *modem*” stuff; I learned that it’s free and trivial to do, which is why I hate to see so many people getting burned by some shady “entrepreneurs” who are making a lot of money from this “service.” I unlocked my *Huawei* E160 in about five minutes on my *Linux* machine, and within another two I was browsing the net with a Zain SIM card from the Safaricom *modem*. Note: I did it on *Linux* because I like *Linux*, but there’s nothing about *Linux* which makes it a “magical *modem* unlocker.” It’s true, Windows sucks, but you can do this perfectly well on Windows too (but I don’t know how, so do some creative googling of your own). Are you ready? All we have to do is generate an *unlock* code based on your modem’s IMEI, then send ONE AT command<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayes_command_set>to the *modem*. It’s not rocket science… Here we go! 1. Make sure the SIM card in the *modem* is the one from the provider (mine is Safaricom), then plug the *modem* in 2. Generate an *unlock* code, two options: - Web-based generator (put your 15-digit IMEI at the end): http://bb5.at/*huawei*.php?imei=351596037539337 - Another web-based calculator: http://a-zgsm.com/*huawei*.php - Much cooler, a python script: *huawei*-*unlock*.py<http://sites.google.com/site/dogber1/blog/huawei-unlock.py> 3. Send the code to the *modem* over serial. Here’s a quite literal step-by-step guide: 1. Start up minicom: sudo minicom -s 2. Navigate to “Serial port setup” and press *Enter* 3. Press *A* to set the location of your device (mine, on Ubuntu 10.04, was /dev/ttyUSB1) 4. Press *Enter*, then *Enter* again to go back to the main screen 5. Press *Exit* to leave setup and initialize the *modem* 6. Enter AT^CARDLOCK="50122162" (using the *unlock* code you generated earlier) and press *Enter* 7. You should see “OK”, after which point you can quit minicom by pressing *CTRL-A Z Q*. If you don’t see “OK” just hold off for a second and re-read the instructions, because you don’t get an infinite amount of tries for this! After 5 – 10 failed attempts your *modem*may be permanently locked to the provider who sold the *modem* to you… You’re welcome, now go help out one of your fellow countrymen. Just remember, I didn’t spend all this time writing this just out so you could go rip some poor sucker off. Also, do yourself a favor and go read Dogbert’s blog<http://dogber1.blogspot.com/>, because he’s the one who wrote the Python *unlock* code generator and there are a lot of great links on his site. Beyond that, I can’t remember what other resources I used… I guess they all got lost in the whirlwind aftermath of my google kung-fu. ------------------------------ Update (November 27, 2011) For what it’s worth, I’ve tested this procedure on the Swisscom-branded * Huawei* E1762 as well, and it’s still working. On this device you most likely want to use /dev/ttyUSB2, as this is the DIAG port for interacting with the *modem*. Here’s how it worked: AT^U2DIAG=276 OK AT^CARDLOCK=55341785 +CME ERROR: 3 OK AT^CARDLOCK? ^CARDLOCK: 2,10,0 The first command (AT^U2DIAG=276) resets the *modem* to factory settings. The last command simply lists the status of the device’s lock, where a “1″ in the first spot would mean it’s locked. Here are a few good references for more information on working with AT commands and serial devices: - E1762 on the Whirlpool wiki<http://bc.whirlpool.net.au/bc/hardware/?action=h_view&model_id=900> - Unlocking the *Huawei* E172… on *Linux*<http://andym3.wordpress.com/2011/07/09/unlocking-the-huawei-e172-on-linux> - *Huawei* E1550 3G *modem*<https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Huawei_E1550_3G_modem> Source -> http://alaninkenya.org/2010/09/29/*unlock*-your-*huawei*-e160 (Google Cache, site was down) -- with Regards: blog.denniskioko.com <http://www.denniskioko.com/>

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Re: [Skunkworks] ITIL Certification
by wambugu esther 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

Dear guys, Could anyone be having notes on ITIL Foundation and intermediate certification. Please assist. -- Best regards Esther Wambugu

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Mobile Extension compatible with alcatel PABX
by Calvin Omari 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

Hi Techies, We would like to procure for the above devices, We generally need them for our IT Support Team such that somebody can still receive his telephone when not on hos desk, like the over over (radio calls) I will appreceate if i can get a quote for 10 pieces With kind Regards -- Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. Calvin Omari Systems Software Developer http://www.facebook.com/barongo

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rear projection screens
by Ian Macharia 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

Hi Skunks, Anyone know where n for how much i can get rear projection screens? Thanks and regards, Ian

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Re: [Skunkworks] M-Commerce platform for international transactions
by Joram Mwinamo 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

Happy new year to you all Is there any current service that intergrates mobile payments to international e commerce transactions? i.e. if im in kenya i can purchase from lets say amazon using mobile money. Is this a huge opportunity for a local company? I know an organisation that will soon need this since it has a large global membership and requires people to pay onto a web platform and africans who dont have Visa could be locked out. Awaiting your views....

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Looking for an IBM Authorized Service Centre
by Chris W. 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

Hi Community, Got a Lenovo laptop with Main Board Issues and want it checked out at their Service Centre hoping they uphold true service delivery. Please send your leads. Regards, Chris_w. dabnix(a)gmail.com

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SCADA
by Oliver Ndegwa 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

Dear Skunks, Happy new year. I am looking for expertise in SCADA, POWER CONTROL AND IMPLEMENTATION . IF ANY ONE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN SUCH A PROJECT BEFORE OR KNOWS A COMPANY or AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SUCH EXPERIENCE. PLEASE CONTACT ME ON 0713777001 OR 0773641464 AND YOU CAN EMAIL YOUR A PROFILE TO business(a)tripleplaylive.net. This is urgent. Much appreciation warm regards, Oliver

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Transcend 320gb external HDD
by calvinebarongo＠gmail.com 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

Hi techies, I am looking for the above hard disk, in town they are selling @ around 10k anybody knows where I can get a nice deal for at lest 7500/- I will appreciate Nice weekend Sent from my BlackBerry®

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