Wednesday, November 8, 2023

What is Nigerian scam?

A Nigerian scam is a type of fraud in which a person, usually from Nigeria or another African country, contacts a potential victim by email, phone, or mail and offers them a large sum of money in exchange for a small fee or a favor. The scammer claims that the money is trapped in a bank account, a lottery, an inheritance, or some other source, and that they need the victim's help to access it.

The scammer promises to reward the victim with a percentage of the money or some other benefit. However, if the victim agrees to help, the scammer will ask them to pay various fees, taxes, bribes, or other expenses, and then disappear with the money. The victim will never receive the promised money or benefit, and may lose a lot of their own money in the process. This scam is also known as an advance fee fraud or a 419 scam, after the section of the Nigerian criminal code that prohibits it.

Signs that an email, phone call, or letter may be a Nigerian scam

  • The sender claims to be a government official, a bank officer, a business executive, a lawyer, a lottery agent, a relative of a deceased person, or some other person with access to a large amount of money.
  • The sender asks for the victim's personal or financial information, such as their bank account number, credit card number, password, or identification documents.
  • The sender requests a small amount of money to cover some fees, taxes, legal costs, or other expenses related to the transfer of the money.
  • The sender promises a large reward or benefit for the victim's cooperation, such as a percentage of the money, a donation to a charity, a business opportunity, or a romantic relationship.
  • The sender usually uses poor grammar, spelling, or punctuation, or uses an unusual or unprofessional email address or phone number.
  • The sender pressures the victim to act quickly, or threatens them with legal action, violence, or bad luck if they do not comply.

What to do if you receive a message that appears to be a Nigerian scam

  • Do not reply to the message or provide any personal or financial information.
  • Do not send any money or agree to any favors.
  • Delete the message or report it as spam or phishing.
  • Contact your bank, credit card company, or local authorities if you have already sent money or shared your information.
  • Educate yourself and others about how to recognize and avoid Nigerian scams and other types of online fraud.

Saturday, September 30, 2023

What is better - Ninebot Max G30D 2 or Ninebot Max G2D?

Dear reader, if you want to purchase blog articles like this, please contact me for a quote.

What are the major differences between the Ninebot Max G30D 2 and Ninebot Max G2D?

They are a relatively new phenomenon in electromobility: street-legal electric scooters have recently become an indispensable means of transport in our cities. You don't have to be a professional, because driving an e-scooter is child's play. Learning takes no longer than ten minutes.

The number of road-legal e-scooters available this year has become almost overwhelming, and new models are constantly being added. They differ in their performance, range, but also in equipment and quality.

This large selection can be confusing, especially for newcomers to the world of new electric mobility. That's why we took a closer look at two of the new scooters - the Ninebot Max G30D 2 and Ninebot Max G2D.

Which products are we looking at?

Ninebot Max G30D 2

The Max G30D 2 from the manufacturer Segway was developed specifically for the German market in order to obtain road approval in accordance with the StVZO. It has a top speed of 20 km/h. It can handle inclines of up to 20% on its own. An independent braking system ensures a safe stop to zero; An electronic brake acts on the rear wheel and a drum brake on the front wheel. The speed can be adjusted over 3 speed levels.

With its 350-watt motor, the scooter is in the mid-range price range. It has a short-term “peak power” of 700 watts. Its battery has a capacity of 15.3 Ah, which gives the scooter a range of around 65 kilometers. The included 3‑amp power adapter takes around 6 hours to fully charge.

The G30D 2 weighs 19.5 kilograms and measures 120 × 47.2 × 117 cm. It is also foldable, which is particularly useful if you want to combine it with public transport or store it in a limited space. Its ground clearance is 8.5 cm. The maximum load capacity is 100 kilograms.

Its electronic display shows information about the current speed, the battery level and the selected driving mode, and whether maintenance work is required. In addition, his computer can be connected to the smartphone app, which allows access to additional functions.

The inside of the tire tube is also coated with a gel, which reduces the risk of a tire burst and thus contributes to driving safety.

Two built-in LED lamps, one at the front and one at the rear, are equipped with E & Z MARK reflectors, which make the KickScooter clearly visible to other road users even in poor lighting conditions. This ensures safety on all journeys.

Ninebot Max G2D

The Ninebot Max G2D is an e-scooter that, like the G30D 2, was designed specifically for the German market. It has a StVZO-compliant road approval, which allows it a top speed of 20 km/h. This can be regulated over 5 speed levels. Thanks to the powerful motor, it can handle gradients of up to 22%. Its empty weight is 24.3 kilograms and its dimensions are 121 × 57 × 126.4 cm. It folds up to take up less space when transporting and storing.

Its Li‑Ion battery has an output of 551 watt hours. The new brushless high-performance motor brings 450 watts, or a short-term “peak power” of 900 watts, to the road. Its range is around 70 kilometers with a fully charged battery. However, this depends on the loaded condition, the terrain encountered and your own driving style. The battery charging time is around 6 hours. The maximum permissible total weight is stated by the manufacturer as 120 kilograms.

The two brakes used are drum brakes at the front and electronic brakes at the rear. The ground clearance of the G2D is around 12.5 cm. The LED lamps with E & Z MARK reflectors at the front and rear ensure you can see and be seen well, even in poor lighting conditions. Practical: The rear lamp is also a brake light.

The display built into the handlebars provides, among other things, information about the current speed, distance traveled, battery charge status and other information that may be important on your trip. The free Ninebot app, which is available for Android and iOS (Apple smartphones and tablets), expands the display to include additional useful information.

If you hit a nail or other sharp object, the gel layer inside the tire prevents the air from escaping.

What are the main differences between Max G30D 2 and Max G2D?

Max G2D has better driving characteristics

Thanks to the approximately 30% higher ground clearance, it can handle rougher terrain than the G30D 2. In addition, its more powerful engine overcomes a 10% greater incline. This means you can use it in terrain that is not suitable for the other one.

The range on one battery charge is around 7% greater than the G30D 2. This means you can cover slightly longer distances or have to charge it less often.

Its shock absorbers help to absorb or at least absorb most impacts when driving on uneven surfaces and over curbs. The G30D 2 does not have a shock absorber, so we felt a lot of bumps in the handlebars during our test.

Max G2D has better features

Because it is around 20% lighter, it is easier to transport. This advantage will be particularly noticeable if you plan to travel part of your journey using public transport.

Thanks to the 20% higher permissible total weight compared to its competitor, heavier people and more luggage can be transported.

Max G30D 2 is currently available at a better price

The G30D 2 is currently available for around ¼ less than its competitor.

Conclusion: Which is better – Max G30D 2 or Max G2D?

Although the Max G30D 2 is getting a bit old, it still offers sufficient performance and comfort for people who want to get from one place to another comfortably. Switching to buses and trains is easier with him than with his brother thanks to his lower weight and smaller size. However, the most important point for the purchase decision is probably the 25% lower price.

Ninebots Max G2D beats its older brother in driving characteristics and comfort: Not only does it accelerate faster, have a longer range and can climb steeper paths, but it also has a shock absorber system and greater ground clearance. Advantages that make it look better, especially on rough terrain.

The Ninebot Max G2D gets our recommendation because it is simply more fun thanks to its better comfort and driving characteristics. But the Max G30D 2 also allows drivers to get from one place to another comfortably, but at a lower price. It's up to you to decide whether the G2D's better driving characteristics are worth its slightly higher price.

Advantages Max G30D 2:
  • The Max G30D 2 is currently around 25% cheaper than the G2D.
  • It is around 20% lighter than the G2D, which makes it easier to transport on public transport, for example.
  • Its dimensions are slightly more compact than those of its competitor, so it is easier to find a place to store it. It also takes up less space for fellow travelers when transporting on buses and trains.
Advantages Max G2D:
  • Thanks to its approximately 30% greater ground clearance, it can be used to drive on rougher terrain than the G30D 2. Even steeper curbs rarely pose a problem for him.
  • Thanks to the G2D's approximately 7% higher range, it has to go to the charging station less often than its brother. And you can travel longer distances with it.
  • It can climb 10% greater gradients on its own than the G30D 2, which otherwise requires the use of your muscles.
  • The permitted load (weight of the driver and any luggage) is 10% higher than the model compared here.
  • An integrated brake light is standard. With the G30D 2 this isn't even available for an extra charge.

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

What is better - Powerline Devolo Magic 2 WiFi Starter Kit or TP‑Link WiFi TL‑WPA8631P?

Dear reader, if you want to purchase blog articles like this, please contact me for a quote.

Where are the main differences between Powerline Devolo Magic 2 WiFi Starter Kit and TP‑Link WiFi TL‑WPA8631P?

Powerline adapter
If you live in a house or a larger apartment, you are probably familiar with the problem: the range of internet coverage is actually always too short. This is where adapters for the socket help - called Powerline adapters - to increase the area covered by the Internet in your rooms.

Powerline device sets usually come in pairs per set. Some sets may also have three or more units. In addition, most systems can be retrofitted with additional devices.

In this comparison, we want to go into the main differences between a system from Devolo and one from TP‑Link.

What products are we looking at?

Devolo Magic 2 WiFi Starter Kit

The Devolo Magic 2 WiFi transmits the high-speed Internet from your Internet provider via the power supply in your apartment or house to any socket. Thanks to Powerline technology, you can use this router to make speeds of up to 2,400 MBit/s available in the power cable for every room. The range in the power grid is specified by Devolo as 500 meters.

The access point of the Devolo Magic 2 router allows WiFi connections of up to 1,200 Mbit/s, which we were able to confirm in our test setup.

Two gigabit LAN ports are integrated in the powerline adapter and another in the connection adapter. Both allow you to connect three wired devices at the same time.

The set has a loop-through socket in each unit so that the electrical consumers that were previously plugged into the wall sockets can continue to be supplied with electricity after they have been reconnected.

Accessoires of the Devolo starter kit includes two units (a WLAN adapter and a connection adapter) as well as a German quick start guide.

Devolo gives a 3-year guarantee on its product.

TP‑Link WiFi Powerline TL‑WPA8631P

The theoretical data speed for devices connected to the power cable with the TP‑Link router is 1,300 Mbit/s with a range of around 300 meters.

Installation is quick and easy: the units simply plug into mains sockets on the same circuit. After pressing the "Pair" button, all adapters in the same circuit will automatically connect to each other.

Loop-through sockets: The basic set comes with two adapters, each with its own integrated socket. This allows the electrical consumers previously plugged into the wall sockets to be reconnected.

Both units have four Ethernet ports.

The content of the package consists of the adapters themselves, two Ethernet cables, and an English-language quick start guide.

The guarantee period is 3 years.

What are the main differences between Devolo Magic 2 WiFi and TP‑Link WPA8631P?

The TP‑Link kit has the better equipment

The TP‑Link set has four LAN ports, but with the Devolo package you have to make do with three ports.

There are also benefits when expanding the system: each newly purchased expansion adapter has three LAN ports. A single expansion unit from Devolo, on the other hand, only has two.

The Devolo Magic 2 WiFi offers the better features

The Internet signal of the Devolo Magic 2 device reaches almost 200 meters further in the power supply than that of the TP‑Link system, which is an advantage in many and larger rooms into which the signal is to reach.

The device from TP‑Link is currently cheaper

The TP‑Link kit currently costs around 20% less than the Devolo set.

Conclusion: Which is better now - Devolo Magic 2 WiFi or TP‑Link?

The data transmission rate of the Devolo Magic 2 system via the mains is around twice as high as that of the TP‑Link system. The Internet signal also reaches around 60% further than with the WPA8631P, which quickly becomes an advantage in larger apartments.

If the fastest possible Internet is important to you, even in rooms further away from the provider router, you should take a closer look at the Devolo Magic 2 system.

With the TP-Link Kit you get the opportunity to provide four of your wired devices with Internet access at the same time. The speeds in the power cable and via WLAN are sufficient if you do not want to run WiFi 6 compatible clients. The range of the signal over the power grid is also more than sufficient for small to medium-sized apartments.

If you want to connect a larger number of wired computers to the Internet, TP‑Link's device offers more options thanks to its larger number of LAN ports. In addition to the larger number of connection options, the WPA8631P is also around 20% cheaper than the Devolo router.

Benefits of Devolo Magic 2 WiFi

  • With the Magic 2 WiFi from Devolo, you can transfer data to and from your clients around twice as fast via Powerline connection as with the TP‑Link device.
  • The Internet signal of the Devolo Magic 2 in the power cable reaches around 60% further than that of the TP‑Link system.

Benefits of TP‑Link WPA8631P

  • The TP‑Link adapters have a total of four LAN ports. Together, the Devolo units only have three LAN ports.
  • Up to three additional wired devices can be connected to each extender purchased at a later date. If you purchase additional units of the Devolo system, you have to make do with one less connection.
  • The TP-Link set is currently available for less money than the Devolo set.

Friday, August 4, 2023

Bitcoin scam and blackmailing

You probably found this blog by doing a web search after the following ids after receiving a mail from a Bitcoin spammer. They are also used in Nigerian (419), sextortion and romance scams.

1A4p8F5pS79Voi4MD3JP2Si1RaeMVodooD
1KfYK9Nve88jsEbefRGKKV93yVp2bef2ro
1MFQZKZ4YgT8wQzv1dt5GQcEr7bqDYuuF3
15Aq9jP5ATC5baaYuh8CU3iyQegDnsaDWT
13KFphsUk1MQCzr1gcyHpzbfadb37fdf3m
19gjxoZ2x8xzNC18FYtLxCL3FWRi15cP39
1FzffEZwQYMqRp38NAYXD3Zo8RRsjbLYsa
3LRH7Nsdp23m9DwEGQZxnYXPBUFfsFJLDL
1FRoqN2qUEqNKM7e2xwNd9yoGxx5LSaeao
1Pg24ty78etsG23AqqbwkJUxANNNxhc96W
32jEPoe7XcoXv3LajJs1StF7o3jUfjsTHg
1qpyxyYSeQ3rUTQzhispMcuKzWRn9uqvC
bc1qu4kdetl2zjz0l4gkjxv4237jcpu6t5gal4wqna
3PfP7RRHi58R5qSCj9ZzXhCok1KDdpvsT9
bc1q35k52yyusmhmrlr7pjegvd5llm4lr9elprwspf
12kwSrHUUnZ6Yhxp2k6qckkidW5d8971gv
bc1qtmqm2rvyayka5svg7qm0x93xmwxut5luwn4wfa
bc1q5hs655qx0ndm8nqdqyl200uthp42nma8a4v43v
3m7bey1ugmwgx3cubn5viei53cikd6qs65
bc1qfagdmjeqdmqf0s2mlkm3u4edghp8anw8daxrhx
bc1q5mdrw6zsnumwk7hsy4vyd2c528tugzdyq3u2sa
1PNWAfqoNQhTR2jCpcSPL6P5XrCxCofqB3
1LJ6vaXHoG7qk4mKvqMGGMFDjTDY5BHxqQ
1J7Vjrw1mfUcm3nobDz27WyMaWibDymSoc
1CB31kKUB6kA1cQE3Hyz7P2LqKL93nd8Wi
bc1qtt7h6zlgk5f44j9nnay5udzys5pq2kyw3etmmv
bc1quj26a9nm3nqa9ey30gt9jj5hepavsqwp47c2nu
1KJzkYG937PmUy3QF9PFta3TXd17cXcweC
13jKLyAFhjVRiWyg1TTPVjweFBAyUyBiy8
TP36d7HFdu4xGerTUeYRm1rQmjnXY9TkgP
14wjFULmPSW9X5o6LRfLvCpDDaHXYstYeZ
1ND3JTwUaYWhDjTuaAK8idmpmuRQGqAkB1
3FfyxALPEw8tR5YNPh2eka4t1ytBqUtjEt
bc1qmer78dujeg5wq5kjawtrvrqdccec9lj3w5pltn
1MW4maqRuqi62YiRNMaBiHT65WJJMEAvQw
1MXxjLGvPjZSKsr1RhYfdw2DCE7pySUAA2
1HB6CPkMo43UmZCNR7mmReXqpDNtfEg85L
bc1qyvku5uq63zhvwmhtf58rh0jca97cfvg8d83usk
1NYCdN9eBXhT4tPSpu4EhpjC9gHXLzipLL
bc1qfashs642ung87z27gvts0wus8zrkmvdxuqpuk2
16QmBYmFimib3BgsU9j1cdKo3SsZEndtzn
13CeboyoiqUnJ4wJuujQcF8gMdWRmRrCzn
12djMjPKd6Bv2BaXUNVuAjnuusKA66qCkX
16hvsuvmPt65A6ahE9hf3RbhrJzsnuEcww
12kieSEdCV4ikxdXXXC23ZsDcNmmKrRmwA
1665CsfFELrfiiubFZtLsGHGuqbUz1wXcz
133gp7wGpKFaB2C593B2MCk2G4abYnEj9j
13dk8JbVeEKGmHq7aevbdVxjg2cHYFT4kg
16aqr3rXxCtxa8AK3ErftnBQLfzyyhjpXJ
17nRB68nKvFGgKWJom2R6NZJDARK3BDuNg
19A5rdrxb4MREtyGWo944uRoNDBxBPNNG8
1DJ1mLv7zeCuTpK3Fq858SAL5h17nSixpP
1FH4HU6xhQnCbzYosP2N5HAa5aPJd7XxYZ
1FH4HU6xhQnCbzYosP2N5HAa5aPJd7XxYZ
1Hjpu99iHc3oi55ZJKf6RHhKbwit8vEzTS
1KLWVPD2UQJ7riZuaUBF6u4u8GTzhcypHo
1L6XxPRuLJdr6JCqw8dwNUm1wFLisrGREL
1LsTK4bKaUGMXgbqo4n3Vc7quu6UvATjfz
1MZ6avTVhzxsyZvyNxFVWMutZwjQUhLpYo
1xPr18gM8YKsaiUkGz9MgpjtwcBQcME2i &60; There seems to be a missing digit
33FY4c6TuCkS71Jg2PZAqCvpG5pMyFhdHk
37nDMVLyBafNVj9Jok5SBUdDzkpJ3Ubr2B
3CVucYjbRnbRKZ7AaSJQS1h64t5mKzqvxp
3EtS5KTmQJrjKDiTmPnhYbJqk5H3HAoWY4
3QHNJ3rWKFFppYLaqNqw4rfF1qZEKgKFYQ

Bitcoin scam often comes as blackmailing. The scammer sends a mail claiming you have been visiting a porn web site. He adds that while enjoying yourself he hacked your computer and recorded a video of you from your web cam while having fun. There might also be a password in the spam as proof. He threatens to send this footage to other contacts he found in your address book and to other sites in the internet, if you don't pay a certain sum to the given Bitcoin id. But don't worry, this is usually not true, although an internet newbie might believe this. It's just a random shot to make money by scaring mail recipients. Don't pay, delete the mail.

There might be a slim chance that it is true though. If the password he mentions looks familiar, and is not something like 123456, he might actually hacked you. Check your computer for malware. If you find evidence the computer is infected, backup data like documents, videos or audio files to an external drive (USB stick or SD card) and wipe the hard disk clean before installing your operating system from scratch. Yes, that might be painful, but in my opinion better than knowing your are watched.

Sunday, June 18, 2023

Should the West sanction the Chinese economy and ban her products because of the thread of a looming conflict?

This is my view from Canada.

Assuming we (people from the "western world") want to continue to consume in our somewhat democratic world order, which suited us well for decades, the bully from China has to be stopped. And be stopped now. Look at the poor Chinese, suffering from the oppression of this Government. I doubt anyone wants this here in Canada.

To stop China its economy needs to be chocked, as China just today showed in the meeting with Mr. Blinken, that they don't want diplomacy to sort things out. An open conflict it looming if China doesn't back down soon.

We're feeding China's economy since decades, and China diverts large amounts of this in their "Great Wall Of Steel" army. Not stopping to buy Chinese products now increases her chance to win the conflict and expand her influence.

Because people want to buy cheap stuff, Governments need to intervene. I wouldn't go for a right out ban already. Keep that if the conflict should start. But put hefty tax on Chinese products. So high, that domestic products have a better chance to compete.

Sure I'd like to not see a hike in taxes or bans for Chinese products. But "we" ("Western people") cannot allow China to win a possible conflict, if diplomacy fell threw one day. In my opinion, the Canadian Government - and these of all "western" countries - should step in as soon as possible to stop us from pouring our money into China's war machinery.

By the way, this is (a bans and sanctions), which we see currently in a much smaller scale in the war between Russia and the Ukraine. So it's nothing new. But will be much bigger, if diplomacy with China finally failed.

Sunday, June 11, 2023

Paypal scam and fraud

Did you find this blog article because you found an address associated with a Skype account? Someone trying to get you pay an item or service? Then the person is most likely a scammer. Make no payments before further evaluation.

Paypal scammers usually try to get a person to pay using Friends & Family and offer a bonus doing so. The reason is that Paypal's buyer protection does not apply, thus the scammer gets his money right away. You'll never see your money again, nor receive your item or service. Best shot is to tell Paypal about it ‐ if you can reach their support ‐ to get the account shut down. But the criminal already cashed in and tried to find another vitime using a different Paypal account.

The Paypal addresses here are my personal collection. Some of them come from spam mails where someone asked to pay a fee to receive a larger amount of money. Others I obtained from web pages belonging to a spammer or scammer (they're both terms for the saame criminal really), or in a chat with a scammer where I trick him to reveal his Paypal account by claiming that I cannot pay Western Union, MoneyGram or by other means but Paypal.

Be aware of these Paypal scammers!

gavabstavs@outlook.com
kolvrobertson@gmail.com
onlinebusiness824@yahoo.com
goldbluster@gmail.com
onlinebusiness824@googlemail.com
ksfillingpaper@gmail.com
joseph.murray@aitechworld.com
wholesalebook@gmail.com
getrich24hours@gmail.com
lovcu@msn.com
jmissuepaper@gmail.com
paypal@jamesbrownmarketing.com
smclaren83@gmail.com
paypal@playstarpoker.com
accessgold@gmail.com
computedincome@gmail.com
oosalecom@gmail.com
sale@techie.com
securityboxes@gmail.com
basicearnings@gmail.com
johnliew79@yahoo.com
cbsuperextreme@gmail.com
info@abcnetworks.at
totalearnings@gmail.com
zodiascopie@hotmail.fr
carlosfabiantorre1@gmail.com
paypal@isaventas4.com.ar
packnovedades@yahoo.com
alexdaanunciacao@hotmail.com
paypal@adlinkeur.info
chantal@roseofdignity.com
internetycafe@hotmail.com
hmend.t@gmail.com
achat@power-smtp.pro
info@univirlat.com
nico@webpolis.com.ar
danderian@yahoo.com
info@webpolis.com.ar
sly_el_loco@yahoo.com
morancapo7@hotmail.com
envios@smtpfull.com
info@masserver.com
financeiro@ebookmundial.com
financeiro@digitalafiliados.com
uritorkidas@gmail.com
redglobal777@gmail.com
apemods@gmail.com
serve99@gmail.com
lufedigital@gmail.com
asocveclaboca@gmail.com
comprasseguras012@live.com.mx
cmecanizadosfam@gmail.com
arw16mb@gmail.com
instantmarketingservices@gmail.com
ezequieldelvacchio@msn.com
contato@gestorcentral.com.br
premium4m@yahoo.com
tapajosvip@gmail.com
paypal@staff.pchome.com.tw
magnate.111@hotmail.com
byjunterona@gmail.com
consultoriaempresarialbyd@gmail.com
paypal@blackhatworld.com
achat@facture-express.net
billing@networktechhosting.com
globalmaxine@aol.com
support@pennyauctionwizards.com
carlosfabiantorre1@gmail.com
pagos@smwebgroup.com
paypal@neobux.com
llaquipallayexpeditions@gmail.com
payments@needhelp.com
pzacheo@hotmail.com
zachstefan02@gmail.com
yshoba70@gmail.com
jiaatsjournal@gmail.com
paiement@salaireadomicile.com
service@produitsdigital.com
support@secure-care.co
frankhan068@gmail.com
naeem.akhtar130@gmail.com
ijrdoinfo@gmail.com
seanews0@gmail.com
castorcyrelle@gmail.com
hghfair@yahoo.com

Friday, March 17, 2023

Setup and configuration for Linphone on Android with Sipgate

Linphone is a soft phone program, as well as a SIP client. It's able to place direct calls through VoIP softswitch boxes or IP-PBX. Linphone can also send and receive short text messages (SMS). It incorporates a multilanguage GUI based on GTK or QT. The Linux version also offers a console based (text) client. It's available for Linux, UNIX, Mac OS, Windows, Android and iOS. In this article I want to have a look at the Android version of Linphone and its setup, in special to set it up for sipgate.co.uk.

Linphone for Android

While I only know the Linux QT based client otherwise, I thought it might be fun to also have it available for Android. But as with many Android versions of nice Linux programs, Android versions seem often to be neglected and buggy. That is already the case in my opinion in the case of VLC for Android, which long lacked a playlist and still lacks support for audio and video codecs the desktop version handles with ease.

Preparations to setup Linphone for Sipgate

Before you follow these steps you need to have a running account with Sipgate. You could also use the assistant to guide you through the setup. But I preferred the manual method, which also gives me more control.

Manual Linphone configuration for sipgate.co.uk on Android

The configuration for Sipgate needs at least a Username, the domain sipgate.co.uk. You don't need to enter an Auth id, unless it differs from the username.

Last thing you need is to enter the password provided by you from Sipgate. This has six letters (digits and letters), while letters are all uppercase. Then you're almost set.

Connectivity problems

It took me a while to figure out why the connection attempt hung for a while and then reported Connection failed. The reason was that I set the Transport to TLS or TCP. Neither won't work with Sipgate. You need to select UDP. The setting for SIP Proxy is set by the software; don't change it. The entry for STUN Server can be left blank or bogus.

Note

VOIP and softphones are awesome in my opinion. With some providers you don't pay base fees. But note that you often cannot use a VOIP account to add your number as recovery number from mail providers to receive a text message to verify it's you. Often you also cannot receive SMS messages at all. For that you might want to consider a service offering disposable SMS and phone numbers, which is often free of charge.

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Nena celebrates her 40th stage anniversary

Nena is a legendary German singer and songwriter, known for her iconic hit song "99 Red Balloons". Born on March 24, 1960, in the city of Hagen in Germany, Nena's real name is Gabriele Susanne Kerner. She started her career in music in the late 1970s, performing in local clubs with her first band The Stripes.

In 1982, Nena and her band released the single "99 Luftballons", which became a massive hit across the world. The song was a protest against the Cold War and the fear of nuclear war, and it became an anthem for peace. The song reached the top of the charts in many countries, including Germany, the UK, and the US, and it helped to make Nena an international superstar.

After 99 Red Balloons

Nena continued to have success with her music throughout the 1980s, releasing several hit albums and singles. In 1985, she released the album "Feuer und Flamme", which included the hit single "Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann". The album was a commercial success, and it cemented Nena's status as one of the most popular musicians in Germany.

Despite her success, Nena decided to take a break from music in the 1990s to focus on her personal life. She got married and had children, and she spent several years living in the countryside away from the spotlight.

Future success

In 2002, Nena made a comeback with the album "Nena feat. Nena. It was a collection of her best hits, re-recorded with new band mabers. The album was a huge success in Germany, and it helped to reintroduce Nena to a new generation of fans.

Since then, Nena has continued to release music and tour across Germany and Europe. She has also become a judge on the popular TV show "The Voice of Germany", where she mentors young singers and helps to discover new talent.

Nena's peronal life

In her personal life, Nena has been married twice and has four children. She is also a passionate advocate for environmental issues, and she supports various charities and organizations that promote sustainability and conservation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Nena's career in music has spanned several decades, and she has become one of the most beloved and iconic musicians in Germany. Her music has inspired generations of fans, and her legacy continues to live on through her timeless songs and powerful messages of peace and unity.

Sunday, January 8, 2023

How to not pay Paypal fees

How to get around Paypal charges

Paypal was founded in December 1998 in San Jose. It's involved in the money transfer business and serves as an online alternative to the old method using paper for money orders or checks.

Their main means of income is charging customers fees for transactions. While sending money is and was always free in private and business Paypal accounts, charges apply when receiving money. At the start Paypal acquired EBay, and most of the income came from people paying auctions, because this business model deemed to be very attractive for vendors and customers alike, because many could not directly deal with credit cards or forms of local payment methods and currencies varying in different countries.

Receiving money without paying fees with Paypal

Paypal charges private and business customers for receiving payments only alike, with fees being higher in some cases and circumstances for business customers. They claim that one reason is the calculation of the exchange rates to apply when money to be sent needs to be converted from one currency to another. Here lays the opportunity to bypass Paypal charges. When you login to your account and want to send money to somebody in a country using a different currency than yours, set your (outgoing) currency to the of the recipient. Now you have to do the calculation yourself. Also tick the box that your intention is to send money to a friend or relative. Applying the same currency and checking the box that the recipient is a friend should make Paypal waive the fees.

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