Google is counting down to 2009 with us in its own way : by showing us tips of how to use various Google services on each day in this month.

Today’s tips is to keep an eye on your stocks by searching for its Stock Symbol using Google.
Well, not like there will be any sharp hike in price soon. Haha… :p

Anyway, head over to Google Countdown To 2009 page and check out all 15 tips so far.

In fact, instead of showing us tips for existing services I would love to see them revealing information on new services that they’ll release next year. It’ll be more interesting then, don’t you think so?

I’m now writing in WordPress 2.7 (codenamed Coltrane). Yes, it’s another round of upgrade just 2 weeks after the previous version WordPress 2.6.5 was released.

This version is a major upgrade with various changes and enhancements feature and security wise.
So, it’s recommended to upgrade to the latest WordPress 2.7.
Since it is a major upgrade, you’ll need to do database backup before upgrading because it involves database upgrade as well.

Below are some improvements that I really like :-

• Keyboard shortcuts for comment moderation
• Sticky Posts! (now we don’t need a plugin to make sticky post. Yeay!)
• Dashboard interface rearranging (arrange the Administration Panel as you like)
• One-click plugin installs
• Reply to comments from admin
• WordPress Upgrader!* (download, install, and upgrade all inside the Administration Panel)

*Not all web hosts support this feature.

I’ve checked WordPress Upgrader on our server at IXIY Hosting, it’s running perfectly. So now we can upgrade our blogs with just 1 click! Check out the screen capture I took.

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WordPress 2.7 Upgrade And Some Updates

So you heard them! Intel has completed the development phase of its next-generation 32 nanometers (nm) processors. They are now planning to roll out an entirely new 32nm processor in the fourth quarter of 2009! No sign of slowing down in processor development despite cutting its next year revenue forecast by 1 billion.

In fact, it’s always the plan in Intel to introduce an entirely new processor micro-architecture with a cutting edge manufacturing process about every 12 months. They proudly claimed such achievement to be an effort unmatched in the industry, this I totally agree with no doubt at all.

Besides, producing 32nm chips next year would mark the fourth consecutive year Intel has met its goal.

You may ask what’s so fascinating about 32nm?

Well, it simply means by using such technology Intel is able to use more energy-efficient, denser and higher performing transistors on a processor. Hence, giving you more power with less energy consumption.

Hopefully we’ll also see price dropping for older processors, which will be a bargain for the consumers.

On a side note, AMD just released their first 45nm Opteron server processor last month, now Intel is talking about manufacturing 32nm processors next year. Looks like AMD still have a long way to catch its main competitor’s tail, huh?

It seems that not everyone is anticipating the launch of iPhone in their country. Well, at least not in India.

The launch in Hong Kong and Singapore was fascinating and quite successful. I was there in Hong Kong when the iPhone was first launched, long queues and big crowds were easily to be seen outside the selected mobile phone outlets. So does what happened in Singapore, but unfortunately not in India.

It is reported there were only around 12,000 units sold since its first day launching in India, which is less than a quarter of the imported 50,000 iPhones for sale in India. Is this the effect of the economy slowdown? Or disappointing marketing campaign? Or just merely difference in taste?

Anyway, some say that a flawed sales and distribution model and communications failure contributed heavily to the debacle, such as :-

• Outlets failed to obtain necessary permissions to stay open in midnight for the midnight sale.
• Apple spent very little on marketing for the iPhone prior to its launch
• Apple’s failure to properly communicate how much the iPhone would cost in India

Apple initially announced that iPhone would be selling for about US$199 globally and this news gave potential customers false hope because Apple is now selling 8Gig version for US$700, while 16Gig version for US$825 in India.

I suppose iPhone will be launched in Malaysia next year, which is a year troubled by bad economy. Do you think we’ll see pathetic sale here as well?

WordPress 2.6.5 has just been released this morning. It’s a recommended upgrade as it includes 1 security fix and 3 bugs. This new version is a minor upgrade from WP2.6.3 so the upgrade is almost as easy as the previous WP2.6.3 upgrade.

Please note that there is no WordPress 2.6.4 version released by WordPress, so don’t get fooled by the fake one if you see any.

If you are upgrading from WP2.6.3, you just need to replace 5 files.
You may choose to overwrite these 5 files, or delete them first then upload the new ones from WP2.6.5.

1. Download WordPress 2.6.5 and extract it.
2. Replace the following 5 files:
   • /wp-includes/post.php
   • /wp-includes/version.php
   • /wp-includes/feed.php
   • /xmlrpc.php
   • /wp-admin/users.php
3. That’s it! :D

If you are using any version older than WP2.6.3, then unfortunately the above upgrade method is not for you. You’ll need to follow the full upgrade instructions.

I can’t believe this is the 3^rd post I write about GMail in 7 days. Last Thursday, they rolled out voice & video chat, then I mentioned about GMail Mobile, today they announced another new feature : Change theme for your GMail.

GMail Themes feature is not officially enabled yet, you’ll only see it in coming days. Anyway, below is a sneak peak of the 30+ themes that you get to select :-

If you like the movie Matrix, GMail engineer even came out a theme called Terminal for you :-

Click for larger view.

Besides, the default GMail theme also will have a minor facelift. I just can’t wait to see them!