Thursday, February 25, 2010

Checking built-in Webcam on HP Notebook

I got HP ProBook 4410s from my new office and running Ubuntu 9.04 Live CD on it. To test whether the built-in webcam was working I opened a Terminal and typed:
gstreamer-properties

A GUI window with title 'Multimedia System Selector' opened in front of me. I clicked on video tab and clicked on Test under Default Input.

The webcam indicator showed light and I could see my image in front of me. I could take a screenshot of the image.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Using Tata Docomo Nokia Mobile to surf on Ubuntu Laptop.

Many readers of this blog are not aware that I am a Power Plant Professional. I joined at 4x600 Thermal Power Station at Jharsuguda in Orissa on 18th Jan and could not get net access except for a few minutes every day through Reliance Data Card in the new office.

Then I got Tata Docomo post paid connection on Nokia 5302c which is web enabled phone. Initially I used Opera browser on the mobile connecting through GPRS. Today I connected the Mobile through USB port to Ubuntu Laptop. The Mobile asked what to use the USB connection for and I selected PC Suite. Ubuntu opened the Network setup wizard automatically and I selected Tata Indicom (Plug2surf) and Ubuntu configured it for me. After connecting the Mobile asked me to subscribe to Data Packets. In the Mobile I selected Connectivity and set up the access point as tata.docomo.internet in Packet Data.

I could connect to internet through the Mobile and posting this through the connection.

Update on March 1, 2010
GPRS charges on post paid Mobile on Tata Docomo were very high (1p/KB). Today I received an SMS from Tata Docomo Customer Care that I could activate a day pass for Rs 5/10 MB for the day. I activated it and using it now.

Air India direct flight to San Fransisco has flown through China today.

 My sister in law left for San Fransisco by AI 173 flight which flows over North Pole. I tracked that flight on flightstats.com till it land...