How to unlock Huawei USB modems

Recently I got the chance to play with a Huawei Dongle. That dongle was locked and I job was to unlock it. I know it is not a big deal, but I took some screen shots and took some notes since I was not able to do a post recently on my blog. OK then that is the story lets do some hack!! ;)

Firstly this is what happen when a dongle is locked for a particular service provider. When we insert a SIM form another service provider it will show a message like the below one.

I taught of a method for unlocking the dongle, I came with a solution and when I do some Google searches people out there has also used the same analogy. What is done by the service providers is they take modem form a third party vendor like Huawei of ZTE and the lock it for their SIM and the sell it. Therefore I taught that updating the firmware will do the magic. My taught was correct buy there was a little problem ;). After modifying the firmware the vendor put a password. When I tried to update the I had to give a password. I do some Google searches and found out some very interesting tool and web site which provide the Unlock code and the Flash code when we provide the IMEI number of the dongle which is printed on it.

Let's look at some jargon.

IMEI - International Mobile Equipment Identity - Used as an identification code for a wireless mobile device like a mobile phone or a dongle.
Unlock Code - As the name implies use for locking and unlocking purposes.
Flash Code - firmware or flash unlock code is required when upgrading the firmware version of a modem

Note that here our interest will be the Flash code since, we are going to unlock the modem. I used the little application call Universal Master Code (do a Google and you will be able to download it) to get the Unlock code and the flash code for the modem. There are several web sites which will offer the same feature. Following shows a screen shots of those.

Then I update the firmware for my dongle. The firmware related to your one can be download (Again do a simple Google search ;) ).

Some of the steps are shown in following screen shots. Please note that you have to use the Flash Code for update purpose, not the Unlock code .

Use the Flash Number as the above password.

At last .... 

Your comments and inquiries are well come on this topic.. Mmm.... I wonder how that simple application calculate those codes.... Is there any algorithm?? It will be interesting to find. I think it is better try to reverse engineer that app and look our selves what is hidden in that application.. That will be an interesting upcoming post... Be with GeekTalkz!! bye!!

How to protect your Laptop Battery (Li-ion battrey) !!

Li-ion battery packs and a Li-ion battery cell

Most of our laptops, PDA's and Cell phone like gadgets are now comming with Lithium-ion batteries. The battery life of a consumer electronic is a very very critical matter. Keeping the battery healthy as much as possible is anther very important matter. But sadly many people doesn't know how to use the battery or how to charge it properly. That is why I was interested in posting this one. Your opinions and comments are warmly welcome on this topic.

With out lot of descriptions I will tell the thing in a nut shell ... Cool know? ;) 

• Point 1 - Do I need to do a 16Hrs (or some silly value) charge at the first time?
• Answer is - NO!!!
• Explanation - Li-ion batteries do not have the "trickle charge" effect which exists in Ni-Mh batteries. Because of that Li-ion batteries really doesn't need a really long painful first time charge like Ni-Mh batteries! :O
• Point 2 - What happen when I charge it before the battery is 100% discharged?
• Answer is - NOTHING!!!
• Explanation - This is also a wrong understanding about the Li-ion batteries. They  do not have the "memory effect" like old rechargeable batteries. Therefore charging a battery when it is 50% discharge will not make the other 50% unusable. But such a charge will also counted as a full charge cycle.
• Point 3 - Li-ion batteries can be charged for a number of times only?
• Answer is - YES!!!
• Explanation - Li-ion batteries can be charged certain number of times only. But don't be afraid it is a big number.. :) . But this has a point which is even though charging after 50% or 60% present of battery drain make no harm it is counted as a charge cycle. That mean it will reduce the time we can use the battery!!. 
• Point 4 - Do over-discharging make any problem?
• Answer is - YES IT IS!!!
• Explanation -Li-ion should never be discharged too low. It may cause the hardware of the battery fail too. 

Lot more to say.. But I taught stopping here.. If any one is interested feel free to raise your questions, your opinions etc. Once again they are warmly well come.. Then.. Bye for now!!!

Star Wars in your console!!! :O

Ger ready with your popcorn!!! Now we are going to watch STAR WARS!!! This is the beta release of the  STAR WARS I  and no one has ever got the chance to watch it in a cinema!!!


OK that is enough!!. The thing today I'm going to talk you about is very cool. It's a good example of the creativity. It is a text version of STAR WARS!! It is nothing but a creative use of the well known telnet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telnet ) and this is that!! (below I will explain how you can see it)

It begins..

How to we can watch it?? We have to do a simple thing.... But you must have two things with you. A internet connection and telnet installed in your computer (for most of the computers telnet will be  installed) 

• In windows - Go to run (Winkey + R)  and paste this  telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl and hit enter or go to command line  and type it and hit enter. Another way is to go to command line type telnet and hit enter. That will open the telnet client and type o 94.142.241.111  and hit enter.
• For other OSes - Invoke your telnet client and telnet to this IP Address 94.142.241.111 or to this domain name   towel.blinkenlights.nl

OK!! that is it for today!! Bye.. !!