BlackBerry Z10 Battery Life

No Doubt BlackBerry Z10 is One of best Device released in first Q 2013, running Qualcom Snapdragon S4 Processor, Dual Core 1.5 Ghz krait with 2 GB RAM is powerful device, Blackberry 10.0 OS make the device butter smooth. Physical appearance is beautiful, slim and slick, capcative touch screen covered by anti scratch glass made the device having luxury appearance. 4.2 inch screen size is really fit with my taste. I do like medium screen size and do not like large screen, what I mean medium screen size is between 4.0 - 4.5 inch. Z10 casing material is minimalistic plastic, personally I thought, it is NOT make Z10 look like budget phone, the appearance still great and great to hold on hand.

Well, in Indonesia, before officially available on retail shop, some addicts hoke up the device at IDR 12,000,000.- price which is ridiculous ( in average about USD 1,200.-) At the point of time of Pre-Order opened, in bundle with operator (but NOT CARRIER LOCKED), released price is IDR 6,400,000.- equivalent to USD 640.- in August 2013, the price maintain at IDR 5,000,000.- up to IDR 4,300,000.- (usd 500 - usd 430). Indonesia is the country with biggest blackberry users, at City like Medan, Jakarta, Bandung, Jogya, Semarang, Surabaya, Makassar, manado, Balikpapan, Samarinda ... we can easily see a lot or people actively using their BlackBerry in Sjopping Mall, offices, halte bus, coffee shops. BlackBerry is like one of urban symbols

I have been Android user since very beginning, but social environment pressure pushing me to hold BlackBerry, most of my college, working partners, friends and family are using Black Berry. I hoke up Z10 for about four months with almost 2 months, I let Z10 laying down in my drawer. I personally pissed with Z10 battery life, I was one don't wanna to carry power bank or spare battery went everywhere, it's really annoying. As a member of CrackBerry Forums, I went there recently, many of complaining posts relating to battery life, but some user experienced GREAT BATTERY LIFE, standing for 10 - 12 hours in moderate usage is considering great. My Z10 only having 5-6 hours on low usage on official update 10.1.0.4828. Okay .... My Set up : Network 3G & 2G auto, Wifi OFF, Nfc OFF, Tethering OFF, Bluetooth OFF all times, 2 email account with push feature off and update interval every 24 hours, 6 BBM Groups with I personally Active for 2 group only, almost No web browsing, NO facebook, NO LinkdIN, NO Twitter, NO evernote, (I'm far away from social networking addict), 5-6 voice calls @ average 2-4 minutes every call, 30-40 text message, NO MMS, WhatsApp account which is only 3-5 chat everyday, 2074 contact syncing on google CardDAV protocol , with 10.2.0.1371 I got 7-8 hours, Now I flash with 10.2.0.1371 I got 6-7 hours usage.

According to forums, in updating BlackBerry Z10, need certain ceremony. Hmmm ... okay, I will follow. This is my update ceremony

• Full charged of battery
• Connect to BB Links and perform back up
• Security Wipe and let the device off
• Since I'm on Win 7 x64, running as administrator for BlackBerry OS Update utility, where I DID NOT CONNECT the device to PC via USB
• At the point on PC screen, windows terminal informing ... connect to bootrom. I connected the OFF device to PC via USB
• Device updating the OS smoothly
• Device ON herself
• Security wipe post update (as suggested)
• Set up BlackBerry ID
• Reboot
• Device swithced ON, connect to Links via PC
• Perform Restore data only, No Setting restore, No Media Restore
• Rebooting
• Set up two email account, CardDAV online contact with Google
• Redownload whatsapp and resetting up
• Switched OFF, ALL LED ALERT, sound alert on for Personal BBM, Text Msg, PIN Msg, the rest ALL OFF, including other applications
• Rebooting
with all above, I disconnected from electrical wall plug with full battery at 07.00, the device die at 15.00, I gest the usage duration less than 5 hours, since most time the device lay down in my pocket or on office desk

I have TWO SIM card, one for personal usage which is 24 hours stand by, one for office usage which is I switched off at 22.00 - 05.00. I wish to put my personal SIM in Black Berry since this is prepaid scheme, and very handy to manage subscription ON DEMAND. My personal SIM is also binding to whatsapp, line chat account, wireless Banking.Now I toke un-announced SIM Card just for make BalckBerry online, and use my Lenovo P700i with dual sim to make my TWO Sim online. I have No problem to carry TWO DEVICES, but NOT THREE DEVICES, thus dual sim device is current best solution. I still able to deactivate official SIM at 22.00 - 15.00 ... the problem Lenovo P700i is not really a device I want to use as daily bullets. I'm interesting in S3 mini, otherwise I will be happy to use HTC One V. I will test this Z10 with 10.2 leaked OS for a month and let see what happening ....

GENTOO ON MAC BOOK PRO 8.1 - BCM4331 and ELSE

Previous STORY and GRUB2 EFI did not give me much problem, but BCM4331 was

Facing a struggle to Install Gentoo on Mac Book Pro 8.1, available home internet access is Just via WIFI, since I stay for long holiday in my sweet home at Banda Aceh, about 1824 km away from Bekasi where I live daily for working. In bekasi I have FastNet Premium Package and my home in Banda Aceh serv by Speedy Hotspot package. Mac Book Pro 8.1 equipped by BCM4331 wifi Adaptor and SysrescueCD 3.7.1 did Not pick up this chipset. I have no option rather then using a help from USB Wifi Adaptor, and luckily I have TP-LINKS TL-WN722N Powered by Atheros 9271 chipset , where Sysrescue CD 3.7.1 picked up nicely

Mac Book Pro 8.1 lspci out put :
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family DRAM Controller (rev 09)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200/2nd Generation Core Processor Family PCI Express Root Port (rev 09)
00:01.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200/2nd Generation Core Processor Family PCI Express Root Port (rev 09)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Universal Host Controller #5 (rev 05)
00:1a.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 (rev 05)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 05)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev b5)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2 (rev b5)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 3 (rev b5)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Universal Host Controller #1 (rev 05)
00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 (rev 05)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation HM65 Express Chipset Family LPC Controller (rev 05)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family 6 port SATA AHCI Controller (rev 05)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 05)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation NetXtreme BCM57765 Gigabit Ethernet PCIe (rev 10)
02:00.1 SD Host controller: Broadcom Corporation NetXtreme BCM57765 Memory Card Reader (rev 10)
03:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4331 802.11a/b/g/n (rev 02)
04:00.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): LSI Corporation FW643 [TrueFire] PCIe 1394b Controller (rev 08)


Mac Book Pro 8.1 lsusb out put :
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0424:2513 Standard Microsystems Corp. 2.0 Hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 05ac:8509 Apple, Inc. FaceTime HD Camera
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0424:2513 Standard Microsystems Corp. 2.0 Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0a5c:4500 Broadcom Corp. BCM2046B1 USB 2.0 Hub (part of BCM2046 Bluetooth)
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 05ac:0245 Apple, Inc. Internal Keyboard/Trackpad (ANSI)
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 05ac:8242 Apple, Inc. Built-in IR Receiver
Bus 001 Device 008: ID 05ac:821a Apple, Inc. Bluetooth Host Controller


I face big struggle in making BCM4331 working on gentoo Linux with Gentoo Sources 3.8.13 kernel. Various configuration tested and No lukcs, finally I deciced to borrow SysrescueCD 3.7.1 with version configuration kernel-3.9.10-alt371-amd64.conf compiled with TONS of Mdoules :-) and picked up BCM4331 nicely. After everything working well, we can gradually reduced un-necessary modules by recompiling the kernel. It was (I thing) easiest way and safe times to compile kernel in Mack Book Pro 8.1

To make BCM4331 wifi adaptor powered by Broadcom Chipset, we need to merge b43-firmware-5.100.138 and b43-fwcutter, at the point of time this pos wrote, the firmware Marked as unstable , emerging b43 firmware :
># echo "=sys-firmware/b43-firmware-5.100.138 ~amd64" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords
># echo "net-wireless/b43-fwcutter ~amd64" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords
># emerge sys-firmware/b43-firmware net-wireless/b43-fwcutter
THAT IT IS ... and Gentoo running on Mac Book Pro 8.1 nicely

Touch Pad
Touch Pad inlcuding right click and THREE FINGERS FUNCTIONALITY worked out of the box with configurations on /etc/portage/make.conf : INPUT_DEVICES="keyboard mouse sysnaptics evdev" and merge mtrack

Keyboard
Worked Out of The Box : Back Lights (in Kernel config), Volume, Brightness, Caps lock buttons ... I did not test other functions, since that's all what I need.

Build in Card Reader
Worked out of the box with Kernel Configurations :-) ... at the time of slimming kernel by recompiling, ensure card reader support keep enable

FB Splash : optional
Some persons prefer to know what happening during machine booting by seeing kernel decompression process. Someone who do like little eye candy by having boot splash linux users can use many of application like PLYMOUTH, USPLASH, XSPLASH and FB SPLASH (formerly Gensplash). I choose FB Splash since easier to be configured in Gentoo Linux
Merge splashutils with fbcondecor use flag (Just in case), configure kernel with fbcondecor support. Rebuild : libjpeg-turbo, libpng, libmng, zlib, lcms, freetype, bzip2 and jpeg packages with static-libs use flag for splash theme, I choose livedvd-12.0
/etc/portage/package.use
media-gfx/splashutils fbcondecor
=media-libs/libjpeg-turbo-1.3.0 static-libs
=media-libs/libpng-1.5.15 static-libs
>=media-libs/libmng-1.0.10-r1 static-libs
=sys-libs/zlib-1.2.7 static-libs
=media-libs/lcms-1.19 static-libs
=media-libs/freetype-2.4.11 static-libs
=app-arch/bzip2-1.0.6-r3 static-libs
=virtual/jpeg-0 static-libs
generate initramfs with theme you like mine is :splash_geninitramfs --verbose --res 1280x800 --generate /boot/initramfs-ldvd livedvd-12.0
EFI System will only boot with initramfs build in the kernel, thus rebuild your kernel, by appointing initramfs source uncompressed cpio
># cd /boot
># file initramfs-ldvd initramfs-ldvd: gzip compressed data, from Unix, last modified: Fri Aug 9 18:41:45 2013, max compression
(file is compressed in gzip mode, we need to uncompress)
># zcat initramfs-ldvd > initramfs-ldvd.cpio
Recompile kernel by appointing initramfs source file and changed kernel compression to Gzip, since most external initramfs compression today is in Gzip mode

Finalizing kernel compilation, copying kernel into /boot partition and install built module as usual :-)
Modify gurb2 configuration in /etc/default/grub
# Append parameters to the linux kernel command line for non-recovery entries
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="splash=silent,fadein,theme:livedvd-12.0 CONSOLE=/dev/tty1 quiet"
update grub -> mine to execute ># grub2-efiupdate (I create this scripts to make life easier)

Bingo ... !!!!!

GENTOO ON MAC BOOK PRO 8.1 - Grub2 EFI

My wish is Dual Boot Gentoo Linux and Windows 7 on MacBook Pro 8.1 , I decided to install Gentoo Linux first, preparing a partition for windows 7 for installing later. Thus I need to install GRUB. For someone who wish to have single boot Linux on macBook this Stub Kernel Tutorial is good reference

Preparing Hard Disk

I managed to have 1 MB on first partition, /dev/sda1 unpartitioned marked as bios_grub, 2nd Partition /dev/sda2 for EFI System, Partitioned in FAT 32 mounted to /boot/efi , here is my complete Partition lay out and mount point :

Gentoo Installation

No special thing need to do in installing Gentoo Linux on MacBook Pro 8.1, just follow GENTOO HANDBOOK, well ... it is depending on your Needs and wish, Gentoo known as very flexible. In my case, I'm going to have dual boot Gentoo Linux and Windows 7, I barely need Windows 7 to run some of Cell Phone Repair BOX Helper like GPG-JTAG Pro, Volcano Box, RIFF Box etc and they can run only on Windows Machine.
Important Note : To enable Installing Grub Efi on EFI/UEFI System, we need to boot Machine in EFI Mode, thus during the start in installing Gentoo by using SysrescueCD, hold option Button until you see to boot EFI BOOT (With CD Icon) and Choose EFI BOOT (with CD Icon)

Grub2 Installation

Grub2 is Marked as Stable in Gentoo Linux we just need to configure building Grub efi and Grub Configuration reside at /dev/sda2 partitioned as FAT 32 mounted to /boot/efi :
># mkdosfs -F 32 /dev/sda2
># mkdir /boot/efi (presumed You have completed installing Stage3)
># mount /dev/sda2 /boot/efi
># echo "GRUB_PLATFORMS="efi-64" >> /etc/portage/make.conf
># echo "sys-boot/grub ~amd64" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords
># echo "sys-boot/efibootmgr ~amd64" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords
># emerge grub
Presumed we are on chroot environment during Installation process
># grub2-install --target=x86_64-efi --boot-directory=/boot/efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=grub2 --no-floppy --recheck
Configure your kernel to have EFI aware
># grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/efi/grub2/grub.cfg
... it should be detect your kernel installed in /boot
Note : optional
To make life easier I managed to create a scripts named : grub2-efiupdate and placed in /usr/bin
># nano -w /usr/bin/grub2-efiupdate


#!/bin/bash
grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/efi/grub2/grub.cfg


save the file > ctrl+x > y
># chmod +x /usr/bin/grub2-efiupdate
Every times we modify grub2 or having new kernel compilation just run (by root) grub2-efiupdate
Finalizing your installation and reboot. Here is mine :

I still have 2-3 seconds white screen on MacBook Pro 8.1 before Grub2 present during booting, ... well 2-3 seconds is not annoying for me, and fully acceptable. MacBook Pro 8.1 running nicely with Gentoo Linux

Gentoo On MacBook Pro 8.1 - Story

MacBook Pro 8.1 is Nice piece of Hardware by Apple Inc. I got this second hand Laptop from one of my collegue Mr. Ausep Andrew in Last week of July 2013. The piece is considered old LapTop, released first time in Early 2011. I do like Apple's Products, especially the MacBook Pro design. However OSX is only optional for my daily bullets, I did a lot of things on Linux, as long user of Linux by forking Gentoo Linux Distro and Ubuntu.I have confusion to install the MacBook Pro 8.1. Choice between Gentoo Linux and Shinning Star Ubuntu is really hard. MacBook Pro 8.1 coming in my hand without OSX Installation CD/DVD and my Collegues wants back the Hard Disk inside with his data and OSX Installed. I got New 1 TB Hard Disk and replace 2x 2GB RAM with 2 x 4 GB Ram, I wish to replace with 2x 8 GB RAM one day.

It have been a habbit for most linuxer to surf along with help of Google , before installing an OS into a device. Well we need, sufficient reference to safe time in installing and configuring. After Reading such nice post on several Blogs and forum, Albert Cardona wrote a nice post on his experience installing Ubuntu 12.04 on MacBook pro 8.1 and CK Knows Wayne posted great story on installing Gentoo on MacBook Pro 8.2. I feel comfortable with Gentoo Linux for supporting my work to run a Shipping Company and doing hobbies in tweaking, poking, tempering Android Devices.

Seems vague, to install Linux on MacBook. No doubt MacBook is great hardware with slick physical appearance coming from good design. OSX is great, designated for Mac Book since very beginning, thus the best should be a Mac Book running OSX. My problem is, I never use OSX, thus I'm not familiar with OSX, I have been doing many things serious in Linux machine and some windows where necessary. I do like OSX Interface, shiny and all OSX Physical appearance. But my computer skills is in Linux box and too lazy to learn another operating system, Linux is what I need. No certain reason in installing Linux on my Mac Book apart from ... I familiar with Linux

Well Ubuntu is very popular among Android Developer, but I do like Gentoo Linux. It's not about comparison, it is purely about TASTE of FLAVOUR I decided to pick up Gentoo Linux for MacBook Pro 8.1. After reading some blog post and forums. The following Challenges should be tackled to make Gentoo running nicely on MacBook Pro

• Configuring Proper Boot Loader on EFI Machine
• Wifi Adaptor Broadcom 4331 known bit difficult to be configured
• Fancy Mac Book Pro keyword configuration to achieve nice functions
• Three Fingers functionality Touch Pad on Mac Book Pro
• Built in iSight Camera functions

Installation Medium

SysrescueCD IMHO Is the best Installation Medium for Gentoo Linux, and also the best live CD ever. For sure, a good internet connection is Must. During this Super Holiday in Indonesia to celebrate Lebaran Day 2013, I have to back to "Home Land" Banda Aceh, thus mean about 1824 KM away from Jakarta, where I live daily for working. In my lovely Home banda aceh, a speedy home scheme internet connection is available, but only accessible by Wifi. Meanwhile SysrescueCD 3.7.1 did not Pick Up BCM4331 as the built in wifi adaptor. No choice, I need help a USB Wifi Adaptor, a TP-Link TL-WN722N Powered by Atheros AR9271 USB Wifi is available. SysrescueCD 3.7.1 Picked Up nicely this adaptor

Booted directly into GUI Environment from live CD made installation process free from Hassle and comfortable :=) GUI Environment with Midori web browser make everything easy and comfortable to read web page of gentoo handbook, blog posts, forums, etc etc. Nothing special in Installing gentoo linux, this linux distro maintain using orthodox method in installing linux. Downloading, extracting, finger base configurations. One of the most obstacle installing gentoo linux is high time consumed, today where linux distro like, ubuntu, linuxMint, Fedora, mandriva, Opensuse, Debian by default required about 45 minutes to install from scratch up to booting GUI system, Gentoo will consumed about 2,000 minutes

Most Gentoo users believed, it is worth to spend such time in installing,setting-up, configuring, Gentoo box to have great, fast, stable machine. Installation process went well.

Continue to GRUB2 EFI