Hey Twitter I Have A Few Questions Too
Lately Twitter has been cleaning house, raising money, doing interviews and actually talking to users. In a blog post last week they did a Q&A session, directly answering questions about Twitter’s architecture.
So I have a couple of questions, too, based on a couple of discussions I’ve had with people who say they’ve seen Twitter’s architecture.
- Is it true that you only have a single master MySQL server running replication to two slaves, and the architecture doesn’t auto-switch to a hot backup when the master goes down?
- Do you really have a grand total of three physical database machines that are POWERING ALL OF TWITTER?
- Is it true that the only way you can keep Twitter alive is to have somebody sit there and watch it constantly, and then manually switch databases over and re-build when one of the slaves fail?
- Is that why most of your major outages can be traced to periods of time when former Chief Architect/server watcher Blaine Cook was there to sit and monitor the system?
- Given the record-beating outages Twitter saw in May after Cook was dismissed, is anyone there capable of keeping Twitter live?
- How long will it be until you are able to undo the damage Cook has caused to Twitter and the community?
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Google To Launch Large Scale Geo-Services
Our sister publication Techcrunch UK noticed that a Location services API had been added to Google Gears. The developers behind Gears have been plotting out future API additions for a while, and those plans have included having Geo-data available to mobile app developers (see the spec here). We found out today that Google is backing up their Location API with a large effort to map out cell-phone towers and wifi hotspots, so that a users location can be pin-pointed more precisely.
While some cell-phones have an internal GPS, the data is inaccurate indoors and not available on all devices. The other non-GPS method for accurate location data is to use the location of cell towers. Google can store the lat and long of a particular cell tower in their database, and when their software in the future sees that cell tower on a phone, they know exactly where the phone is. To boot-strap the database, both Google and Apple have been using a company called Skyhook, who drive around pin-pointing the location of cell towers. By using this method Google bypasses the need to have deals in place with network providers for positioning data. In addition to cell-phone towers, Google is also mapping out Wifi locations to form a large rogue base station almanac, which is used for both additional accuracy in location calculations, and also to point users to the nearest available access point.
Once the database has been boot-strapped with initial data and launched to developers via an API, users of the service will further refine and improve the service by having devices submit information on towers and signal strength (along with location) back to Google. This means that over time, the service improves itself and will be able to work almost anywhere in the world, regardless of local regulations, network providers or restrictions.
It is expected that the service and associated data will be made available for free to developers using Google Gears (specifically the new Windows Mobile version). For developers of mobile applications, it means that they now have a very accurate way of not only calculating a users position, but also an easy way to pinpoint other locations as a basis for a location-based service. There is also an effort to develop and define a standard API for accessing Location data and services in the browser. As with local browser storage, Google is leading the way here by implementing first and then working with other browser developers on a standard.
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Current Tracfone Bundles / Retail Tracfone Deals / Tracfone Discussions – Newest Deal LG3280R w/60 Min Card $19.99
Rating: 76 Posted By: jimates
Views: 217504 Replies: 1946
Free shipping still applies and promo code 23444 is still good for $3 off.
CDMA phones now only offered in the CO market. No longer offered in the COGSM4 or COGSM5 markets.
Tracfone often offers particular phones or bundles to only certain market areas. It is very common to see a bundle offered in one zip code and not in another. This does not mean you cannot obtain this offer outside that market area. (See detailed info below)
If you enter a zip code and want to know what market area you are in, look at the url in the address bar.
You can see the "Market= " as part of the address.
- http://www.tracfone-orders.com/bpdirect/tracfone/Start.do?action=view&market=GSM4........
This tells you what market area the zip code you entered is in.
GSM4 =AT&T, GSM5=T-Mobile, GSM5AT=T-Mobile & AT&T
CO =CDMA, CO GSM4 =CDMA & AT&T, CO GSM5[ =CDMA & T-Mobile
Tracfone's phones work on two different technologies. CDMA & GSM. CDMA phones do not have sim cards. GSM phones use sim cards. If you are familiar with cell phones, you know it is not that simple. If you are not familiar, that is all you need to know at this point. Tracfone's CDMA service providers are Verizon, Alltel & USCellular. Their GSM providers are AT&T & T-Mobile.
CDMA phones are much more flexible than GSM because all you have to do is enter several strings of codes into a CDMA phone to reprogram it for use with another Tracfone CDMA carrier or to change the phone number.
GSM phones need the appropriate sim card for the GSM provider in the area where the phone will be used. Sim cards can be identified by a carrier designation code on the sim card itself. TFSIMC4 or TF64SIMC4 designate AT&T, TFSIMT5 designate T-Mobile. If you want to change the phone number of a GSM phone you will need a new sim card in order to do so.
TRACFONE provides nationwide prepaid wireless service. They use the nation's leading cellular providers to create a national footprint covering 99% of the U.S. population. This gives you service everywhere cellular service is available. You can use your TRACFONE across the U.S. and if you move, you can relocate your wireless number with just a phone call.
Most of the major cellular providers, AT&T, Verizon & T-Mobile, have a different service area for their prepaid customers versus their contract customers. Their prepaid service areas can be much smaller and can also have other limits. This is not the case with Tracfone. You get the same service areas and service levels with these carriers that their contract customers get, not the limits of their prepaid service. This means you get better service from the same carrier than their own prepaid customers.
Tracfone may not advertise/offer CDMA phones in your area, but that does not mean you cannot order a CDMA phone or use one there. You can buy any phone from Tracfone even if it will not work in your area. I give the proceedure on how to order a phone/deal that is not advertised for your area near the end of this post, after the individual market area lists.
They always get a better rate from GSM providers and therefore would prefer that you use a GSM phone in any area that has full GSM coverage available, even if a CDMA provider is available there also. There are times when there may not be phone numbers available from the GSM carrier because of so many users in the area. I have not had that problem with CDMA.
Be sure to confirm that the phone will work in your zip code prior to purchase.
There is plenty of help on this forum if you ask. It is always quicker and easier if you can provide the zip code when you inquire about phones or service for your area.
Here is a list of phones currently offered by Tracfone.. The links will take you to the detail page for each phone. You can view the user manuals from the detail page.
CDMA Phones currently offered by Tracfone.
GSM Phones currently offered by Tracfone. Not All Web enabled phones will access the web outside Tracfone's web site.
- Motorola C139
- Motorola W175
- Motorola V170 FREE incoming text messages
- Motorola C261
- Motorola W260g
- Motorola W370 Double Minutes for Life
- Motorola W376g Double Minutes for Life
- LG 225 Double Minutes for Life
- LG 600 Double Minutes for Life
- Samsung T301g Double Minutes for Life
- Samsung T401g
- Samsung T101g
Here are the individual market areas and everything currently offered in each one.
GSM5AT Market = TMobile & AT&T
COGSM5 Market = CDMA & TMobile
Tracfone is still offering Free Shipping on phone or phone bundle orders of $19.99 or more on their web site.
And use promo code 23444 when ordering to save $3 on any phone or phone bundle order of $19.99 or more. You still have to choose your shipping method but the shipping will be credited on the very last page of the order process.
If you do not see a particular phone on one of these market pages then it is not available.
To get a Tracfone offer that is not advertised in your area.
- Choose the bundle or phone you want and note the market area that it is offered in.
- Select a zip code** from the Quick Summary (the next post on this thread) for the market area where the offer is available.
- Go to the Tracfone web site using Fat Cash 9% Rebate
- Enter the appropriate zip code in the space provided & confirm on the next page.
- Add the desired item to your cart.
- Edit the quantity if desired and proceed to checkout.
The zip code you originally entered will be pre-filled in your shipping address. Change the zip code to match your shipping address.
When you submit this page it will ask you to confirm the zip code change. Choose YES.
Complete your checkout.
Be sure to confirm that the phone will work in your zip code prior to purchase.
There is plenty of help on this forum if you ask. It is always quicker and easier if you can provide the zip code when you inquire about phones or service for your area.
**Since Tracfone only shows you offerings based on certain market areas you have to use a zip code for that market, not your own. The use of this zip is only to make the offers available for purchase on the site, it will not affect the phone number of the phone.
You can find specific zip codes for the different market areas in the Quick Summary (next post) of this thread).
A lot of markets have changed from GSM4 to GSM5AT. If you are looking for a zip code to use to insure you get a phone with an At&t sim card here are my recommendations.
24874 is a COGSM4 market and definitely has no T-Mobile coverage, so any phone ordered for this zip should be a P4 model.
If you want a phone that only shows up in the GSM only markets your best bet would be to use 65046. It is a GSM4 market and there is no T-Mobile service there, so Tracfone shouldn't send a phone other than At&t. 76825 is also a GSM4 zip code but has some T-Mobile roaming coverage. I don't know if Tracfone would send a T-Mobile phone for a roaming market, I personally doubt it.
All Tracfone sold on WalMart's web site are P4 models, meaning they all come with At&t sim cards.
Use 24870 to see the CDMA offerings
Activation:
You can transfer your existing number or get a new number. Any new number will be assigned by a zip code that you provide at the time of activation.
Bundled Cards:
If the phone comes bundled with an airtime card or any other card such as dmfl or 1 year card, you are free to use that card on any phone, not just the one tha comes in the bundle with it. You can buy the bundle and use the card on your existing phone and then do whatever you want with the bundled phone.
COVERAGE MAPS FOR TRACFONE SERVICE PROVIDERS
GSM Carriers
TMobile Coverage Map
AT&T Coverage Map
CDMA Carriers
Verizon Coverage Map
Alltel Coverage Map
USCellular Coverage Map
Net10
Market Areas
CO Market
GSM4 Market
GSM5 Market
GSM5AT Market
Google Outed As Anonymous Ebay Critic
The Google Checkout/Ebay Paypal wars continue.
Ebay Australia currently allows merchants to accept credit cards, direct debit, money orders and checks for purchases, but from June 17 they want to allow only PayPal or cash on delivery. When the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) asked for public comments on the proposal a lot of of people responded. But an anonymous 38 page document that is highly critical of Ebay’s move was submitted on May 26, leading to speculation on who the author might be.
It turns out, the title of the document, hidden in the PDF metadata, gave a very good clue “Microsoft Word - 204481916_1_ACCC Submission by Google re eBay Public _2_.DOC.” An Australian named David Bromage first discovered it.
The document is still available on the ACCC’s website (and is embedded below), with the title stripped out. But the Australian newspapers are all over this now.
Google’s competing product to eBay, Google Checkout, is only available to merchants in the US and UK, so they don’t directly compete yet with PayPal in the Australian market. Apparently, that hasn’t stopped them from trying to keep their options there open.
In the document, Google says Ebay’s actions are anti-competitive, that the public benefits claimed by Ebay are “illusory” and that the proposal will result in significant public detriment. They also request that the ACCC ban Ebay from the action under the Australian Trade Practices Act.
Will eBay retaliate? Last year they temporarily pulled all Ebay advertising on Google after they announced a Google Checkout party at an Ebay event. If they get that mad over a party, I can’t imagine how they’ll respond to this 38 page treatise on the evils of PayPal.
The full document is below. And in other news, PayPal was finally able to fix that drop down menu bug that plagued users for over ten days and was ignored until the press and blogs started to pay attention.
Google Objection To Ebay AustraliaPayPal Proposal - Find Documents
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