wer zum ersten mal sein neues android handy (zb. htc hero oder htc desire) mit der SIM-karte eines diskont-handyproviders testet wird schnell bemerken, dass die datenverbindung auch nach eingabe der richtigen zugangsdaten nicht aufgebaut wird. stattdessen kommt (wenn überhaupt) eine meldung, dass die konnektivität aufgrund fon roaming deaktiviert wurde:

Die Datenkonnektivität wurde unterbrochen, da Sie ihr Heimnetzwerk verlassen haben und Daten-Roaming nicht aktiviert ist

betroffen sind in österreich u.a. die provider bob, tele.ring, yesss!, eety und tele2, in deutschland z.b. debitel, mobilcom, talkline und drillisch.

der grund liegt in der nutzung infrastruktur: billig-provider setzen üblicherweise nicht auf eigene funkzellen (“handymasten”), sondern nutzen die hardware der grösseren anbieter mit. wie beim roaming im ausland, betreibt man also sozusagen inlands-roaming, allerdings ohne die zusatzkosten für den benutzer.
die technische abkürzung dieser “virtuellen mobilfunknetzbetreiber” lautet MVNO (mobile virtual network operator).

die lösung des problems ist einfach, aber nicht ohne nebenwirkungen: datenroaming muss aktiviert werden. die meldung, dass datenroaming hohe kosten mit sich tragen kann, kann im inland einfach ignoriert werden (vorausgesetzt man hat bereits ein datenpaket beim anbieter gebucht). nahe der grenze ändert sich die sache allerdings wieder: bucht sich das android-smartphone nämlich in ein ausländisches netz ein, wird auch das “richtige datenroaming” betrieben, und das wird tatsächlich teuer.

[more...]

interdisciplinary is a popular word in biology.

courtesy of xkcd

• nasa scientists discover possible evidence for life on titan http://is.gd/cFxyB #
• somebody from eastern austria actually asked us whether there are any mountain passes in tirol that can be traversed by car. #
• this conference really got to me: apparently i was sleeptalking about … #
• …"measuring hydraulic conifer needle conductivity in (angiosperm) tree leaves" last night. #
• home sweet work. #
• i'd say we're ready to fire it up. :) http://twitpic.com/1v2r6i #
• yesyes! #barbecue http://twitpic.com/1v3bu5 #
• xkcd: modern book burning http://xkcd.com/750/ #
• google maps navigation is now also available in most of europe (incl. austria)! http://is.gd/cIGPQ #
• just tested the real-time bus info at http://mobil.ivb.at – it's accurate, but i suggest shortening the url to m.ivb.at. all those useless #
• sweet: google merges street view with user photos http://is.gd/cJk0f #
• i honestly don't know what i would do without google calendar! http://twitpic.com/1vh9s0 #
• flashmob-flashmobbing: taking a bag of red clown noses to a "freeze" flashmob and having some unfrozen fun of your own. #randomidea #

• RT @_LriCh_ I've just purchased my first iBook http://twitpic.com/1s5r2w #
• texas cops mistake actual weed for marijuana, spend hours doing yard work http://is.gd/cxssf –freaky town name, too! #
• RT @aragalie People can now walk on water http://youtu.be/Oe3St1GgoHQ now….THIS is AWESOME!!! #
• a good day starts with a hot shower and a bowl of cereal. #
• a good day starts with a hot shower and a bowl of cereal. and not before 9. #
• aaah – it's 11pm, i've basically been working since 7:45 am, and i'm not even close to being done for today. :( #
• the only good thing about winter weather in june is @htc's lovely full screen weather animation. (today's weather http://twitpic.com/1td8z7 #
• trying to find 4 casual but serious (i.e. not funny) t-shirts in my entire wardrobe: impossible. #
• i hate to repeat myself, but: a good day starts with a hot shower and a bowl of cereal. and not before 9. but certainly not before 6! #
• plant physiology conference in burgenland, austria – with free wifi :) http://twitpic.com/1tjzqq #
• atspb conference schedule: "14:00 excursion to hell." http://twitpic.com/1trjcu #
• you wouldn't believe the afternoon programme of this conference… http://twitpic.com/1u523y #
• you would never guess the afternoon programme at this conference… http://twitpic.com/1u52kb #
• sunset in hell, near illmotz AT http://twitpic.com/1u82t4 #

during our botanical excursion to mallorca, we were lucky enough to find several species of these plants:

mirror bee orchid (ophrys speculum ssp. speculum)

bee orchids (genus ophrys) are specialized orchids from the mediterranean, which basically exploit horny bees.
instead of producing nectar to attract pollinating insects, ophrys flowers show morphological adaptations (including hair!) which make them resemble their pollinators, both in the visible light and ultraviolet spectrum. in addition, they also produce pheromones which further attract the males of their pollinator species.

when, for example, a male bee is successfully decepted, it will land on the flower and attempt to copulate with it. during this so-called pseudocopulation, pollen will get stuck to its abdomen and/or head. this way, the pollen has a better chance of reaching a flower of the same species, rather than just any flower.

if you’ve become curious, wikipedia (german version) has some more information.

photos: bee orchids, mallorca

• very cool: "food about you" (partly stop motion, partly something i have no word for) http://is.gd/cmgTc #
• suicidal caterpillar impaled itself with a pine needle? (mallorca) http://twitpic.com/1qi9ri #
• happy towel day, and remember: http://is.gd/cnJwG http://www.towelday.org/ #
• RT @serafinowicz What came first, the chicken or the egg? — The Cockerel. #
• whenevr i call a colleague on his iphone, i'm identified as sbd betw my brother and itl conf centers. iphone's reaction to android callers? #
• RT @serafinowicz typfing this wiht myt feets #
• RT @serafinowicz typhnipn thi s withr myt f f balls #
• this is how big the mexico oil spill is, compared to austria: http://is.gd/cqB7S #
• scientist infects himself with a computer virus http://is.gd/ctCig #
• breaking news: australian government initiates legal action on japanese whaling. http://is.gd/cubv1 #
• i'd like to convert to tarvuism: http://is.gd/cucie – but then i'd have to return my light saber… #
• gulf coast oil spill: "top kill" fails, bp moves to next option http://is.gd/cv0KX (via @bensen) #
• RT @_LriCh_ Got my iPad, but I don't get what all the fuss is about! http://twitpic.com/1rsd1p #

one of the things i actually don’t like about my htc phone is the fact that htc has decided to remove the option to disable automatic capitalization.
i haven’t found a direct way to turn auto caps off, but there’s a modification of their virtual keyboard that re-adds this feature:

• go to this article on xda-developers.com and download the version that fits your phone (“high res version” for the desire, “low res for android 1.5″ for the hero)
• unzip the package. if you downloaded the file to your computer, transfer the .apk to your phone’s sd card.
• use your favourite android file manager to install. (i’m assuming you can also install through htc sync).
• you’re NOT done yet.
• open up the settings, language & keyboard, and allow “HTC_IME mod”.
• in a text input field (email, notes, sms, wherever), long press the field and choose “select input method”, there choose “HTC_IME mod”.
• if you now go to the keyboard settings (from your keyboard, or via settings), scroll down to the section “Mods by jonasl@xda”. “text input” will lead you to the long-sought option: “disable capitalization”.

this modified input method also adds a bunch of other options, such as: custom top level domains for the “.com” key (long press), a smiley key instead of “hide keyboard”, as well as speech-to-text (android 2.1 only).
you do not need root rights to install.