Identifying Fake R4DS cartridges

Okay folks, before you ask whether how or why you had problems upgrading your R4DS software, better be sure that you actually have the real thing.

I tried numerous times and the R4DS kernel update from the R4DS site works for mine, so I'm pretty sure I have the real R4DS cartridge -- or at least a very good fake! LOL! :))

Okay, so how do you know a real one from a fake one?

Real R4DS cartidges are shaped exactly like any NDS Lite game cartidge. Therefore, it should fit snugly in place when inserted into your NDS Lite.

Real R4DS don't have internal memory.

Real R4DS requires standard MicroSD(TF) -- up to 2GB is supported.

When you peel off the R4DS sticker, the real R4DS cartidge has only one chip in it.

You may want to check out this video:



Please note that in my previous posts, "R4DS" should not be confused with the new "R4III", which supports 4GB MicroSDs. There was confusion before as to whether R4DS actually supports 4GB cards. It doesn't.

Note: There's a difference with "what you can do" and "what is supported". In this context, R4DS does not support 4GB cards, BUT nothing is stopping you from actually using R4DS with 4GB cards. For some it works, for some it doesn't. If it works, good for you. If it doesn't, well, IT IS NOT SUPPORTED. So don't go bitchin' around complaining that it doesn't work. IT IS NOT SUPPORTED, capiche?

Anyway, with the release of R4III and Nintendo DSi, I guess it's worth exploring the combination of those two; that is whether R4III works well with DSi at all. Then again, I would have to buy those stuff again, but that would be quite painful for me at this time :)) Oh well...

But for those who would rather stick to R4DS and NDS Lite (like people who don't have disposable income for buying DSi and R4III like me), just be careful of what you buy. Don't get suckered in by people who are selling fake R4DS!

My Blogger's Block

Been a while since I last posted something... I'm having that blogger's block again... So many things I want to write about, but I just can't put the words together...

Can't concentrate...

Guess this sniffles is getting to me... It comes and goes for the past two weeks... Not enough time to recharge my body I guess... By my count, assuming that we need 8 hours of sleep a day... uhm, I think I'm behind by 5 hours on some days -- usually when I'm on night shift.

Oh well....

I think I'm rambling again... Am I really awake when I'm writing? Guess I'll know in a few days or so....

Susan Boyle - Britains Got Talent

Came across this inspiring story in the news -- i think it was CNN -- a few hours ago, courtesy of our overhanging silent TV in the office. :) (Yeah, no sounds; just watch.)

You'd be amazed by how talented this unemployed and unassuming 47-year old lady is. Everyone was very cynical and ready to laugh her off the stage. Then when she sang I Dreamed a Dream (from Les Miserables), she blew everyone's minds... The surprise in Simon Cowell's face was priceless! :)

Guess you're never too old to reach for your dreams. :)

Check out the video here. (Unfortunately, embedding was disabled by default, so, just click on the link. :)

Enjoy!

BTW, here are the lyrics, taken from the above link as well (contributed by NewHotdox).

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving.

Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used
And wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung
No wine untasted.

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame.

And still
I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms
We cannot weather...

I had a dream my life would be
So different form this hell I'm living
so different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed
The dream I dreamed.

And in case you,ve become a fan, better check out these Susan Boyle fansites:

http://www.susan-boyle.com/
http://www.susanboyle-bgt.co.uk/
http://susan-boyle.britains-got-talent.co.uk/
http://www.susanboylefansite.com/
http://www.bebo.com/WeLoveSusanBoyle
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=72212861218

:)

Back in Manila March '09 - Day Ten - Return Flight

April 3, 2009: It's the last day. 5:30, I'm already awake. My flight, PR507, will be on 10:05 AM, but I thought it's better to be ready earlier than later.

My dad and my brother's family are the ones who took me to the NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) Terminal 2 this morning. I'm glad that they were the ones to take me there. :)

Anyway, I was at the airport by 7:45 AM. I immediately went to the check-in counter. My worst case scenario happened: my baggage was over the limit, at 25KG+. I need to drop to at least 22KG. I took out one unused bag and three bags of dried mangoes. The weight dropped to 22KG+, which was already enough. Well, at least I didn't have to unload alot from the baggage.

I was already at the gate by 8:15; relatively quick, considering the long line on Immigration. Got a little hungry so I bought the "cheapest" food I could find: 4 siomais for PHP70!!!! (Usual price is PHP32). It felt like hi-way robbery, but I didn't really have any choice. Either I wait it out until food is served on the plane, or I cough up the friggin 70 pesos.

Made a few text messages and calls to family and friends. Most of them replied. I still had 200+ load on myn cellphone so I wanted to make use of most of it.

Time flies by I guess. The gate was open and I made my way to my seat on the plane. I knew the plane would be large, since my seat number was 47H, an aisle seat as I have requested (I tend to pee a lot during fligths). Most of the recent flights that I have only 6 seats per row, with an aisle in the middle. This time, the plane was huge -- it was an airbus 340, I think. two aisles, two seats on either side, and four on the middle. Not only that, many seats were not taken. When people realized that there were many seats available, some of them changed seats to be with their respective groups.

Had fish for lunch. Inflight movie was Adam Sandler's Bedtime Stories. Everyone decided to sleep, I guess; all of the window covers were down. Not a problem for me; I actually prefer it; it's dark, cozy, and conducive to sleep. I coudn't sleep, though, but at least I felt more relaxed.

1:17 PM, teh plane lands, and I immediately made my way for immigration. I also bought some wine from the Duty Free store, as requested by Che. I'm so happy to see here again. :)

She didn't eat anything yet, so we went to Swensen's in the terminal to eat lunch. Wellm, she ate lunch, while I just ordered a sizzling dessert. Then we're off back home :)

Back in Manila March '09 - Day Nine

April 2, 2009: It's my last full day here in Manila.

I actually finished all of the important tasks that I have lined up. What remains is the preparation of the things I'm bringing back to Singapore.

Except for a few items, everything I needed is already prepared. It's just a matter of packing everything up and hoping that I don't exceed the 22 kilogram baggage limit of Philippine Airlines.

Not as easy as you might think. Using a mechanical scale is not really that accurate. And I had to give up some items to make room for the others. It all comes diown to which things are more important; the must-haves.

Speaking of must-haves, I better get that Chicken Joy and Burger Steak, which are in Che's wishlist that I bring... Yeah... Jollibee food items are one of the things that most Pinoys take for granted but is sorely missed by most Pinoys abroad.

Better get going...

Back in Manila March '09 - Day Eight - April Fools

April 1, 2009: Okay here goes. 9AM, I don't have much to do but to get to destination number 1: Glorietta in Makati, which will serve as my base of operations. Being April Fool's Day, I was hoping that nothing *ahem* foolish happens today. Can't afford to lose much time...

My first stop is supposed to be MRT Shaw Blvd station, to process some documents with our former agent. Why not take the car with me? First, that area is filled with buwayas. Second, traffic was probably bad in that area. I don't want to get stuck in traffic in a place I barely know anything about. When I made a follow-up call, though, they informed me that the papers are not yet ready until after lunch. So change of plans.

I proceeded with the processing of my clearance. Lots of legwork and paperwork to do. I had a bananaQ and Mountain Dew first since I did not eat breakfast earlier. I met my friend in the office and gave her my details to process the papers. Everything is in order except that it needed to be notarized. Don't know of any notary anywhere near the area. The nearest ones that I know of are the ones near the other office building where I worked before, about a half kilometer away. I went there on foot; just thought that I might come across some notaries along the way -- which I did by the way. It cost me around 100 pesos to get the docs signed, stamped, and notarized. I went back and submitted the papers and it's all set. One task down. Done by 12 noon.

I then went to a computer shop to get some more documents from my email and have it printed for task number 2 -- this is the one in Shaw Blvd. Coughing up 85 pesos for 30 minutes of PC rental and two printouts, it is a bit costly, but what choice did I have? I needed to get this done ASAP. After that, I went straight to the MRT for Shaw Blvd. It took a while to get there. After arriving at Shaw Blvd, I had to trek for about half a kilometer under the beating sun. I eventually got there, then it was a matter of simply getting the document. No fuss.

I made my way back to square 1 in glorietta. The trip is much much loinger and tiring than the actual task. I returned to Makati by 3:00PM. By this time, I'm not going anywhere without lunch. I went down to the SM Foodcourt. I was actually looking for that Korean stall, KIMCHI, the onw that is serving the spicy beef stew. No luck though. Quite delirious with hunger and no Kimchi in sight, I went for the default choice: Jollibee, C1 (1Pc Chicken Meal).

After getting my wits again after eating, I went to SPI in Paranaque to get some more papers. This time, I'm taking the car since I'm done in that part of the city. Unfortunately, the trip was anything but spectacular particularly the part of the trip in EDSA. The flyover from EDSA to the airport area in Pasay causes a chokepoint -- you woudn't believe the number of vehicles jamming up there -- the two lanes become three, taxis filling up in lines in a Caltex station just after flyover, and a well-known bus stop in Cabrera just about a hundred meters after that. Come to think about it, most of the vehicles jammed there are going to SM MOA, the sough via the Coastal Road, and to Manila via Roxas Blvd -- all of them must pass through the tiny chokepoint under the flyover.

Anyway, I had to go via the flyover (yey!) and escape the fray. After that, the trip was all... peachy... Still a little slow for my liking but still not that bad. After reaching SPI, it's only a matter of picking up the papers again and I'm done for the day! Again, the journey is the long and exhausting part. It's a few minutes before 5:00 PM.

Now is the part of the trip I'm dreading a bit -- Sucat road from SPI/Airport area to home a long stretch of road filled with malls, supermarkets, hospitals, schools, and gas stations -- and it's almost rush hour. Surprisingly, though, it wasn't actually that bad. I was home before 6:00 PM. :)

I ate dinner by 7PM with dad. By 8PM, I was on my way to one additional stop I had to make: visit Mommy Cel and David and Baby Daniel in Las Pinas. (By this time, the drive through the West Service Road was a breeze.) It's nice to see them again. It's the first time I saw Daniel and was soundly asleep most of the time I was there. :)

I went home after the visit. And so ends Day Eight.