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Disappointed with the Razer Onza

So today is the day where I no longer use the Razer Onza yet alone any other future Razer product.

I preordered the Onza the minute it was made available for preorder back in January 2011. I had been waiting to play with it for over a year since it was announced. It was finally shipped to me just over 2 months ago. I loved it at first, but will not even bother to love it anymore. Read on as to why.

I was actually told to contact Min-Liang Tan on Twitter via email, the CEO of Razer, week ago about my issues with the Onza. I was actually going to email a lot of what I said below in an email to them, but decided not to. Why? Because I do not feel as if these issues have been fixed, not only does my brother’s controller and girlfriends have the same issues but people online around forums and other comments elsewhere have reported the same issues as mine or similar. Plus I would be without the controller for who knows how long aside from using the main Xbox 360 controller.

Now that that has been said, I will get to the main reasons why I am disappointed with the Razer Onza, Razer and just overall think the product is terrible to purchase.

  • 1st issue (big issue/main problem): The left joystick will always stop you from running in games. To be more specific, games such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, where when the left joystick is clicked, this allows you to run. It is always a damn problem, usually a hit or miss each time you use it, for me, it has frequent use. I have tried disconnecting and reconnecting the controller to regain control of the left joystick but that does not work. The only time it starts to work right for a short while it when I have shut down the Xbox 360 and turned it back on.
  • 2nd issue (big issue/main problem): The right joystick (very rarely the left joystick) will sometimes physically get stuck in a position. The position it nearly always gets stuck in is towards the right and slightly downwards, think of it getting stuck around the 0 degree angle towards 320 degree. It actually gets stuck, it does not move back into position if I let go over the joystick.
    This does not happen on a constant basis but I can almost always get it to happen and it will normally happen about 6 times (guessing) over a course of around a 5 hour gaming session.

    • What happens in-game with this above, 2nd, issue?
      I use the controller for all games, but its main purpose is for each Call of Duty title online/multiplayer, right now it is Black Ops. When the right joystick gets stuck, it causes me to spin in the game until I physically remove the joystick from being stuck at that position.
  • 3rd issue (minor problem): The X button feels like it has begun to act like it has worn out when it is touched/pressed. It feels different when “touched/pressed” versus the other Y, B, A buttons that feel perfectly when pressed/touched. I hope this makes sense.
    It has not rendered the X button inoperable though, it still works just fine and the response time just does not feel the same anymore over the last 31 days of usage when pressed.
  • 4th issue (minor problem): After the first week of using the controller, the sticker on the back containing the serial number among other information has started to peel off. I have tried to stop this process from happening but with no luck. I definitely try to avoid touching that area but I do have big hands and I cannot just constantly think about making sure I am not touching it and have to play the game. How I use the controller is how I hold the controller too, so I cannot just easily change how I hold it, it should never start to peal off within the first week anyways.

    • I would personally suggest to avoid purchasing the Onza controller. I also do not see them fixing the above issues anytime soon, and even if they did, I am sure people like myself and others who have had these problems are screwed anyways.

    So with that said, what issues have you had with your Onza controller? Do you still use it? Please comment!

Linksys WUSB600N v2 on a Hackintosh

I recently just put a cheap, but also great hackintosh system together while also dual-booting with Windows 7. It is my first hackintosh, however, not my first Mac.

This post will explain how to get the Linksys WUSB600N v2 to work with your Hackintosh build. There is just 1 minor problem that exists with this wireless usb device, and that you will have to replug it in each and everytime you either restart/boot or awake from sleep. Otherwise, I’ve had absolutely no other issues and no disconnects or slow speeds.

Real quick, here is my build specs for the hackintosh running Snow Leopard 10.6.6:
GIGABYTE GA-H55M-S2V Motherboard
Intel Core i3-550 Clarkdale 3.2GHz Processor
XFX nVidia GT240 1GB DDR5 Graphics Card
G.SKILL 4GB DDR3 Dual Channel Memory
Samsung Spinpoint F4 HD322GJ/U 320GB Hard Drive

Now you will first need to install the Mac drivers for an Ralink RT2870, which is what is inside of the Linksys WUSB600N v1 and v2 (version 2). You can grab those from downloading them at Ralink’s website.

Now as of this post, I am using driver version 3.0.3.0. These work great, I’ve heard of success with earlier drivers as well though I never tried those nor did I ever obtain links to them. If you are having any issues with later drivers after 3.0.3.0 then please contact me, I will be able to provide you with driver version 3.0.3.0 if you are unable to find them.

Once you have these installed, restart OS X.

Once you have restarted OS X, open Terminal. Follow and type the following commands correctly and then press the enter key after each line listed below.

cd /System/Library/Extensions

chmod -R 755 RT2870USBWirelessDriver.kext

chown -R 0:0 RT2870USBWirelessDriver.kext

cd

cd /System/Library/Extensions/RT2870USBWirelessDriver.kext/contents/

sudo nano info.plist

At this point, you will be asked your administrative password, type it in and continue the following:
Look for the following line below, you will find it faster by using the page down shortcut ctrl+v.

Linksys – RT2870 – 2

Then right under this key, find this line (integer)

<integer>113<integer>

Then change the value of 113 to 121.

<integer>121<integer>

That will be the only line you need to edit and touch in this. Now press the following keys to save what you just did.

ctrl + o

Make sure to use the exact same file name, info.plist, as it will already say. Then ctrl+x to exit out.
There are just 2 more fine steps and you will be able to use a wireless connection!

cd

sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions

Now restart your computer, as I said earlier, you will more than likely have to unplug and plug back in the Linksys WUSB600N device as well as each time you restart/boot or awake from sleep.

You will use Ralink’s Wireless Utility to connect to your network. Save a profile so you do not have to constantly keep typing your security key as well. You may close Wireless Utility once you are connected, you do not need to leave it open.

Special Thanks go out to aldeem over at InsanelyMac for most of this guide, and then myself for the rest of it and additional information.

How to get ALC888b audio working on Gigabyte H55M-S2V

The hardest part of my hackintosh build was to get the audio working. It was probably the most annoying and tedious process I had to do, and hope to never do again. You can find my specs below, but this is how to get audio working on your Gigabyte GA-H55M-S2V motherboard, with an ALC888b audio chip or another motherboard that has ALC888b.

If you have not read any of my other posts related to my hackintosh build, then these are my specs:

  • GIGABYTE GA-H55M-S2V Motherboard
  • Intel Core i3-550 Clarkdale 3.2GHz Processor
  • XFX nVidia GT240 1GB DDR5 Graphics Card
  • G.SKILL 4GB DDR3 Dual Channel Memory
  • Samsung Spinpoint F4 HD322GJ/U 320GB Hard Drive

Before proceeding, I take no responsibility if you end up messing up your hackintosh setup. So proceed with caution, this is the process I did to get it working with my exact setup and more specifically, Gigabyte motherboard.

You might want to either search around more if you have this same ALC888b audio chip, or if you do but it is not the same motherboard, it will still likely work but you could also search around either tonymacx86 or insanelymac forums for a solution to that exact motherboard, if there is one. Otherwise, use this as a reference in order to help yourself out into getting it working out on your own. Good luck!

First you will need to download this file.

Then copy the “GigabyteALC888b.kext” from the downloaded zip file, Gigabyte_ALC888b.zip, above to /Extra/Extensions. Afterwards copy HDAEnabler.kext and place it on your desktop and install it using Applications you can download such as KextBeast or Kext Helper.

Once you are finished with that, you will need to manually delete “AppleHDA.kext” from /System/Library/Extensions/.

Now run “MultiBeast” with just specifically the only following options you select.

  • System Utilities
  • Audio: Realtek ALC8xx + AppleHDA Rollback

Make sure not to select the “ALC88xHDA.kext option. Just select the AppleHDA Rollback (to replace the AppleHDA.kext you deleted above with an older version) and System Utilities (to fix permissions and rebuild your kext caches).

Finally just restart your computer and your audio should be working again.

Froyo coming to Vibrant and Captivate mid-October

Normally I would not write on such a story that Froyo is actually finally even coming to the Vibrant but this is just one of those times where if you put all of the Samsung news, Facebook updates and official tweets together, that you just think that this is actually true and finally going to arrive for us Vibrant users on T-Mobile.

Now, before I finally get to this story that will make you further believe it, you may already know or not that 2.2 Froyo was leaked for the Captivate. However, you cannot flash this or other versions on the Vibrant, even if the Vibrant barely different than the Captivate. I recommend waiting for the official build, even if leaked before OTA over custom roms unless others have made aware that are safe to flash and no issues reported.

Before I get to the story, this is what one of the Official Samsung Twitter accounts tweeted:

T-Mobile & Samsung hear your questions about timing of Vibrant update. Look for more info on OTA next week. Thank you for your patience.

Scott Young from TalkAndroid made a post today stating that he had bumped into someone from Samsung and after a while of talking he finally asked when Froyo was coming to the Galaxy S. He stated “mid-October” for the Vibrant and Captivate. Though he pointed out that it will take a little longer for the Epic 4G and Fascinate to get Froyo because they have CDMA. On another note, 2.2 was leaked for the Captivate as I stated above if you didn’t know.

Now this is coming from me, but Samsung did promise to have 2.2 shipped out to all Galaxy S phones by the end of this year, so even if you had to wait another few weeks for you Epic 4G and Fascinate users, you won’t have to wait long as long as they fulfill their promise. I am sure they will.

Source: TalkAndroid.com

Gowalla going nowhere, fast

This will be a short post because I could rant on Gowalla, its staff and decisions all day long. Gowalla is going nowhere, fast. Here is just a brief reason as to why.

Earlier today Gowalla tweeted the following: (which are exact copies from FourSquare’s features)

More fun: you can now add notes & recommendations to spots in your trips, plus create twice as many trips as before!less than a minute ago via webGowalla
gowalla

Now, I do not care about the above features, nor will I probably ever use them. However, back on March 17th, 2010 Gowalla tweeted (and shortly later deleted) the following tweet. Which when they first tweeted this, I laughed to Michael about because 2 weeks is more like 6 months to Gowalla when it comes to anything on the Android phone. Gowalla puts their priority into the iPhone and fails hard with the Android. However, just recently, Android passed iPhone users. Will anything change though because of that? No.

Anyhow, like I said already, there is a lot I can write about Gowalla and will save that for another time. But if Gowalla wants to succeed, they need to start making such easy features more wildly available and ready right away, not months later. It took Gowalla way too long to produce a working Gowalla app, after many failed promises it finally arrived and was dreadful. The mobile site was much better than the first initial releases (before beta). Finally they have a working app for the past 2 months but it lacks many features and design issues that the iPhone clearly does not have.

Gowalla is ok with you cheating

Yes, you heard the title right. Gowalla is more than okay with you cheating, not only you but your friends as well, for items. They also allow Street Team Elite Member(s) to cheat as well without any consequences against them.

One of these cheaters is Ryan Graves aka “jonessodarally” on Twitter, Gowalla, and MySpace. He also just happens to be part of the Street Team Elite for Gowalla. A few months ago Ryan Graves openly admitted on Twitter that he was using the Geolocation hacks to check-in at numerous, countless spots that to this day were never removed as check-ins and further more, action, even as a Street Team Elite Member, was never taken on him for doing so.

So this is where Gowalla is more than okay, with you cheating its system and grabbing those items you really want to vault.

Jonathan Carroll of Gowalla tried to reach out on Twitter about the current problem going on but as typical companies, Gowalla just being another one of those, never even responded to the email he was sent after he asked for one. Nice job. Source: Jonathan Carroll’s Tweet on April 12th @ 11:56 AM CST.

Force non-compatible extensions to work with Firefox 3.6

Here is a simple way to get non-compatible extensions to work with the new version of Firefox 3.6.

Just open up a tab to the following page “about:config” without the quotes. Click the button that says “I’ll be careful, I promise!” to get into the configuration file. Then right click anywhere in the list, select New > Boolean and type the following in as its name “extensions.checkCompatibility.3.6” with a value of False.

Restart Firefox 3.6 and your previous disabled extensions should now be enabled. I had to do this because a few extensions I use have not been updated yet, one of them being Easy DragToGo 1.1.2.4 and Super DragAndGo 0.2.6.3d1. However, if anyone is using DragIt 0.6 or QuickDrag 2.0.2.1 this will work for you as well to get them to work.

If you at all encounter any problems and this is not working, in about:config find the name “extensions.checkUpdateSecurity” and set it to false. You should not need “extensions.checkCompatibility” set to false.

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