Earl's Cyber Steals And Deals

Seagate FreeAgent Desk 1.5TB USB 2.0 External Desktop Hard Drive
Costco offers its members the Seagate FreeAgent Desk 1.5TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive in Silver, model no. ST315005FDA2E1-RK, for $109.99 with $4.99 for shipping ($0.08/GB). (Proceed to the checkout page to see this price. Non-members pay $7 more.) Deal ends May 3.
Dell E2209W 22" Widescreen LCD Display for $152 + free shipping
Dell Small Business offers its Dell E2209W 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $169. Coupon codes "WNL1B1$R1W0P16" knocks the price to $152.10. With free shipping,
PC Connection offers the refurbished ViewSonic 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. VX2433WM, for $184.95 plus free shipping. native resolution of 1920x1080, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, 2ms response time, and HDMI, DVI with HDCP, and VGA inputs.
Acer 23" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display w/ HDMI for $180 + free shipping
newegg.com offers the Acer X233Hbid 23" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. ET.VX3HP.002, for $189.99 with free shipping. Apply coupon code "EMCLRMT52" to drop it to $179.99. 1920x1080 (1080p) native resolution, 5ms response time

Patch Tuesday heads-up: 8 bulletins, 5 critical | Zero Day | ZDNet.com

"Microsoft plans to ship 8 security bulletins next Tuesday (April 14, 2009) to fix remote code execution and denial of service vulnerabilities affecting Windows, Office and Internet Explorer."
Remember the best way to keep your system running right is to do your Windows Updates.
AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 04-12-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 04-12-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) To start off the week I decided to use a site that originated from something Troll sent me a while back dealing with human powered flight. While this is not that site it is one I ran across while googling around looking for some current information. The link is to a section of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s main site, dealing with human flight and the Kremer Prizes. Has me wondering if the design factors running around in my head would qualify, and of course if they would work. Anyway I very much like the idea of riding a bicycle twenty feet off the ground, what a smooth, and quiet experience that must be, http://www.raes.org
2) This is a link that is admittedly “loosely” connected to the holiday, suggested by Joe last week to post something on Easter Eggs. I thought I would look for the definitive site on the subject. This has to be it, 13,112 eggs, and of those 31 new ones in the last two weeks. They are broken down into 7 categories, DVD, Software, Movies, Music, TV, Books, and Art. I think they missed a category as I have heard of them being added to circuit boards. Anyway if this is something you like to look for this is a great place to start. I have a friend who used to have Easter egg parties; they would get DVD’s then watch the movies and eggs, just another excuse for wings, and beer. Anyway, here is the link http://www.eeggs.com/
3) This one comes compliments of JohnnyK26 via the show, thanks Johnny. It’s those guys at MIT at it again, this time they have found a way to build batteries on a nano scale using a virus. I mean just how cool is that, they grow them in just plain water, and at room temperature, can there be a greener way to build a battery, I don’t think so. While they did not get into the details of using them on a nano level, saw an article on the worlds smallest motor once, it was a tenth of the width of a human hair, if I remember. But needed external power source, this would solve that also. Anyway this is a must read, and it is from a NPR page with an audio link to the story. Thanks again JohnnyK. http://www.npr.org/

4) This is another sent to me by Troll as a follow up to a subject I referred to last week, the Rod links. I have always liked to read both sides of a story, if the story is solid it should stand up to the debunkers, and if we are unwilling to consider other points of view we limit ourselves, and our understanding. I like weird stuff, conspiracies, and any thing on the edge of the accepted paradigm. But, I also like to read the debunkers, and weigh both sides. This link to Wikipedia article I must admit seems to have the Occam’s razor explanation of the phenomenon, and has pretty much put it to rest for me. Thanks Troll, check it out here http://en.wikipedia.org
5) This is a stretch for a geek link this week, but it does involve the use, or better put misuse of computers, and facial recognition software. In a new, and on some level disturbing way. How about a new billboard sign that is personally aimed at you. The camera gets your picture analyses your features, categorizes your features, runs a logarithm, and then offers a tailor made ad just for you. Stop the planet I want off. http://www.engadget.com

Earl's Cyber Steals And Deals

24" HP De-Branded Rotating Widescreen LCD Monitor w/HDMI & USB Hub (Black) - Rotates to Portrait or Landscape View! $229
You can find this monitor by clicking the above link to Oncomputers.info and clicking on the Geeks.Com Piccture and Link at the right side of the OnComputers Home Page. Search on HP 24
Western Digital Caviar "Green" 750GB SATA Hard Drive for $60 + free shipping
The Western Digital Caviar GP 750GB Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. WD7500AACS, again costs $59.99 with free shipping at newegg.com ($0.08/GB).
Dell Vostro 220 Intel Dual Core 2.6GHz Desktop PC with 19" LCD for $409 + $35 s&h
Dell Small Business offers its Dell Vostro Intel Pentium Dual-Core 2.6GHz Mini Tower Desktop PC with the Dell S1909WXF 19" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $419 plus $35 for shipping
Acer 22" Widescreen LCD Display for $143 + $9 s&h
MacMall.com offers the Acer X213Wbd 21.6" Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. ET.YX3WP.001, for $142.99 plus $8.99 for shipping.

Rosewill 4-Port USB KVM Switch for $35 + free shipping
newegg.com offers the Rosewill 4-Port USB KVM Switch, model no. RKV-4UC, for $34.99. With free shipping, it's $5 under last month's mention and the lowest total price we've seen. This self-powered KVM lets you manage four computers (Mac or PC) with just one keyboard, monitor, and mouse. It includes four sets of non-detachable cables.

Texas Plans Ban of Vista From Government PCs

Even though Windows 7 is nearly upon us, the Texas state Senate gave preliminary approval to a budget that would include a policy to ban the use of Windows Vista on government computers. Jack would have loved this one...

Time Warner Actions Bait and Switch (Geek News Central)

"Time Warner should be simply ashamed of themselves and I encourage consumers to pick up the phone and complain to Time Warner directly, email the company and file complaints with your local public utilities commissions demanding more choices in the broadband networks."
I just posted how in Japan the cable company is upgrading to 160 Mbps, here Time Warner is putting a low cap on their users.
Are they missing something or is this their way of getting back at us?
AlaskaJoe

DailyTech - J:Com 160 Mbps Internet Service Upgrades Cost Company Just $20 per Household

Does Japan know something the USA doesn't? I want my 160 Mbps service for only $60 USD per month. I have the fastest cable in Alaska and it's 10 Mbps for $100 per month.
Why do the ISP's in America think we don't need the speed? "Many providers state that there just isn't much demand for such "super-high speed" internet service." Have they asked you? No one ever asked me if I wanted a faster connection.
AlaskaJoe

DailyTech - IBM Walks Away from Sun Negotiations

It looks like IBM and Sun have come up against a wall. Maybe IBM isn't going to buy Sun!
AlaskaJoe

Report: Microsoft to give free Windows 7 upgrades to XP downgraders

April 6, 2009 (Computerworld) Microsoft Corp. will provide free or discounted Windows 7 upgrades not only to users who buy Vista PCs between June 2009 and January 2010, but also to people who buy systems that have been factory-downgraded to Windows XP, according to a report on the Web.
For those of you waiting to buy a new computer, here is a chance to get Windows 7.
So far I like Windows 7 better than Vista. (I'm running both in 64 bit)

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 04-05-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 04-05-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Acer 23" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display with HDMI for $190 + free shipping
Buy.com again offers the Acer X233Hbid 23" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. ET.VX3HP.002, for $189.99 with free shipping.
Western Digital 640GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive for $58 + free shipping ZipZoomfly.com offers the 2-platter Western Digital Caviar SE16 640GB Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Desktop Hard Drive, model no. WD6400AAKS, for $57.89 with free shipping.
IOGEAR 2-Port USB 2.0 KVM Switch for $20 + free shipping
newegg.com again offers the IOGEAR Hybrid 2-Port USB 2.0 KVM Switch, model no. GCS22U, for $19.99. With free shipping,
TRENDnet 802.11n Wireless Router for $30 + $8 s&h
TigerDirect.com offers the TRENDnet 802.11n Wireless-N Broadband Router, model no. TEW-652BRP, for $29.99 with $7.99 for shipping.
Seagate Barracuda 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive for $90 + free shipping
newegg.com offers the OEM Seagate Barracuda 1TB Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. ST31000333AS, for $89.99 with free shipping ($0.09/GB).

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Here is another of those articles that give me some hope that we are moving in the right direction. Kind of like the advances in battery charging i put up the week before last, that link being about the major problem with electric cars dealing with charging time. This is kind of the same deal for solar, the main problem with solar is the storage of power, to compensate for cloudy days, and night. The guys at M.I.T. are at it again, this is not one of those in twenty years promises. They are saying in the next few years, this is a system that will work as well in New York City as in rural Africa. And, at a reasonable cost, they express it as instead of thousands of dollars, tens of dollars. Very interesting here is the link http://web.mit.edu
2) It has been a while since I got into one of those over the top story’s, I heard reference to a documentary movie coming out dealing with Rods, or Sky Fish as they are sometimes called. So I thought I would post something on them, I am putting up three sites, first a YouTube news story http://www.youtube.com/ . Next an article from About.com, there are even instructions on how to film them yourself on page two, they say anyone can film them. http://paranormal.about.com And, last the main site from the people who originally discovered them, they are the people coming out with the movie. http://www.roswellrods.com
3) Now for a new twist on the flying car, this is one that is currently out there, they are flying it, planning flights across the channel, across the Sahara, and it is green. Looks like a lot of fun. While I can’t see them flying around the city, I sure think it will not be long before I see them flying around the countryside. First link a Google video of the maiden flight, http://video.google.com And, a link of the spec’s and future plans http://www.skycarexpedition.com/
4) This is an article about what they are doing to attempt to narrow the field for contacting intelligent life out in space. Now that we have methods of detecting planets, and sort them into types capable of supporting life. They are planning to target those locations, makes sense to me. http://www.universetoday.com
5) For my geek link I could not resist this story about the Google street van being mobbed by a small village across the pond. Seems they wanted to maintain their privacy, looks like it has backfired. If they had any tech savvy at all they would have realized when they called attention to themselves on the internet it would be seen as a challenge. Should mention that the name of the village has some connection to one of our hosts, not sure how deep that rabbit hole goes though. http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Google Makes It Easy for Blind to Dial on Touschscreens - Eyes-Free Android Project

Here's an idea whose time has come. Finally a touchscreen for a phone that blind users can use. It is good to see Google taking the lead on this.

Howto Stop Conflicker In Its Tracks Immediately | Daily Cup of Tech

Everyone is in full Chicken Little mode these days with April 1 just around the corner and the Conflicker virus poised to bring down civilization.
It's easy to protect your PC from Conflicker.
AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 03-29-09

This is re-post the On Computers Radio show podcast for 03-29-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Microsoft accidentally confirms Windows 7 RC date in May

Microsoft has posted prematurely a download page for the Windows 7 Release Candidate.

Seagate ST3640323AS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive $60

Seagate Barracuda 640GB SATA 3Gbps Internal Hard Drive for $60 + free shipping Faster than the Green WD below, more cache and 110gb smaller..

Western Digital Caviar "Green" 750GB SATA Hard Drive for $60 + free shipping
Slower at 5400 RPM and less cache but more storage and quieter.

AMD Phenom II X4 2.8GHz Quad-Core Socket AM2+ CPU for $134 + free shipping, morenewegg.com offers the AMD Phenom II X4 920 2.8GHz Quad-Core Socket AM2+ Processor (pictured), model no. HDX920XCGIBOX, for $164. Coupon code "AMD32530" drops the price to $134. With free shipping, that's $40 under our mention from last month and the lowest total price we've seen. This retail-boxed CPU includes a heatsink and fan and features four 512KB L2 caches and a 6MB L3 cache.

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83GHz Processor for $232+ free shipping
Dell Small business offers the retail-boxed Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83GHz Processor, model no. BX80569Q9550, for $309.99. Apply coupon code "5NSKFK1HL?CRDN" to cut the price to $232.49. With free shipping,

Acer 22-Inch Widescreen LCD Monitor
22-Inch LCD Monitor 2500:1 Contrast, 16:10 Aspect Ratio and 3-Year Warranty!
$14999 http://www.compusa.com/

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Starting off the week I need to do a follow up on the Earth Hour link I blogged on earlier in the week. I put it up on the blog early before the show, because I wanted anyone who found it to be able to observe it. The news of the event has not been easy to find tonight, as it is still going on some places. The link I posted is from the local paper about the strip, I shut down most of the house and went to the roof of the parking garage at the Palms, I hate to say it but I was disappointed. From where I was I could not see much, but I was not moved enough to go to the strip, in retrospect I should have, maybe next year. I will try to find more during the week, maybe report back next week, R.J.'s link here http://www.lvrj.com Also a cool picture of what the night sky should look like, http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov also a very cool site, for astronomy geeks to find wall paper.
2) Speaking of darkness, I ran across mention of “New England’s Dark Day” in an article a while back that set me to Googling, turned out to be an interesting read. This was May 19th 1780, reported in all the papers of the time, it was pitch black at mid day. The cause has been speculated on ever since, main contention forest fires. Seems like if that was the cause it should have repeated many times since then. Link is to the most complete article I found on the subject, http://www.johnhorrigan.com
3) My next link is for those who just cannot quit smoking. Seems like you may not have to, enter a technological solution. Well maybe, electronic cigarettes are hitting the market. I remember when I was smoking they came out with several fake cigarettes, they did not impress me much, maybe these are better. It has been so long I find the whole thing kind of humorous, but then I no longer have the problem. http://www.wbbm780.com
4) For my Troll link of the week, thanks for the help Troll. I like this one a wind powered car that set a speed record, 126 mph no less that’s moving right along. While not practical for the road, I still think it is pretty cool. http://news.bbc.co.uk The power of the wind presents a fascinating array of possibilities. There is a venturi tube effect at one of the casinos caused by the shape of the building that just amazes me every time I go there.
5) Geek link of the week also thanks to Troll; seems that streaming gaming is getting a boost. An article dated last Tuesday says a new start up company OnLive launched at the game developers conference, will offer high quality gaming on low end machines via the cloud. Sounds very cool, even to me, I mean I’m still on Spider, and Minesweeper, but the article impressed me, so check it out here. http://news.bbc.co.uk

Windows Run Commands

There always seems to be less and less time each day to get things done. So, whenever I can, I try to find quicker ways to perform various functions on the computer. One way to do this is to be able to start different applications in Windows from the command line or the run box.
This is a very handy list if you use the Run command.
AlaskaJoe

JBidwatcher - a Free eBay Sniping Program That Will Bid, Monitor Auctions and Snipe For You

I have been using JBidwatcher to snipe my bids on eBay for about four months now and it works great. If you like your bid to activate in the last few seconds of an auction this tool does it very well. It can also monitor multiiple auctions and bid on only one of many auctions to get you the best price. Download and information at the above link. Available free for Linux, Macintosh and Windows since it's Java based & Open Source.

Cornflicker and the April Fool's Day Joke of Doom (Geek News Central)

How many of the geeks out there are safe from Conflicker, a nasty little worm set to go all doomsday on us on April 1st?
This is another example of why you need to run Windows Updates and have a good current Anti-Virus.

AlaskaJoe

Earth hour

Well I cannot think of a better subject for my first non-Gregg Zone post, I would have saved it, but the timing would have been late. I am referring to Earth Hour, link http://www.earthhourus.org/ .This is a world wide effort to show support for saving our planet. At 8:30 PM March 28, 2009 just shut off all of your lights for one hour. That is what ever time zone you are in at 8:30 PM, shut down your lights and what ever else you might want to. Google and many satellites will be following around the world, this is going to be big, if you have not heard about it, look into it. Enough small noises can result in a great roar. A small chance for us all to make a statement, cost you nothing actually you might save a dime. Thanks for listening Gregg

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 03-22-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 03-22-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Wow this just may be it, and I mean the big it. One of the major problems with the electric car concept has always been that nasty recharging time. We have gotten so used to just going to the gas station and filling up in a few minuets. That idea of even four hours, much less overnight just did not cut it. Well there may have been a major breakthrough announced last week. How about a full recharge in nine seconds, if it works as well as it sounds that is faster than any pump I ever pulled up to. It also means you would have charging stations selling electricity instead of gas, so if you were going coast to coast, it would not be a problem, check it out here, wow can we find out where to invest a buck or two. http://www.green-energy-news.com/
2) This is one that Troll sent me a week or two back, I meant to use it last week while Gail was traveling, with a cute remark of some sort, but I forgot. Getting old is a pain in the…..well everywhere. Any way it just reinforces my lack of interest in the whole cell phone thing. Title says it all $27,000.00 to watch a Bear game. http://www.suntimes.com
3) I was at a old favorite site a couple of days ago looking for something new about dark matter, and it dawned on me that I never put it up so I thought I would correct it here. If you have not been to the main Hubble site, you really should check it out, a lot of interesting stuff. http://hubblesite.org/
4) As if my mind has not been sufficiently twisted trying to keep up with what is new in technology, I had to run into this. I have been talking off and on about nano-tubes since week one or two, when I first brought up the space elevator. There have been several applications that I thought were exceptional, but this, wow. The article is about the worlds lightest material, a sheet covering a full acre would weigh one ounce. That is only the beginning, push it one way it is stronger than stainless steel. Pull it another way it stretches more than a rubber band. Apply an electrical current and it can be used as artificial muscles. Anyway here is a link to a most interesting article. http://www.msnbc.msn.com
5) Not sure what to make out of this one, could go in many directions I suppose. On some levels it makes me shutter, and laugh at the same time, but the link seems to be a good fit here. Man has a USB drive embedded in his finger. http://www.maximumpc.com

» GrandCentral Becomes Google Voice » Blog Archive Alice Hill’s Real Tech News - Independent Tech

This sounds like a very cool ad-on to a cell phone (or land line). You don't need to pay for a national phone plan or any long distance with this.

The question is: Do you want Google to know EVERYTHING about you?

How long will it be before we have a chip implanted so we are always connected? Do you want that?

AlaskaJoe

[H] Enthusiast --- enthusiast.hardocp.com

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall on two computers made by Acer. If you own the Acer Predator ASG7200 or ASG7700, you are to stop using the computer and contact the company immediately.
This sounds important, This poses a burn hazard to consumers.

AlaskaJoe

Deals at Dealnews.com and Techbargains.com

Here are a few deals I have found on the web this week........ Buy.com has the Acer X233H bid 23" Full HD Widescreen LCD Monitor for $190 after $10 instant discount, which is a 5% savings from the $200 list price. Shipping is free. The Acer X233H bid 23" Full HD Widescreen LCD Monitor features: 1920 x 1080 full HD resolution, 40000:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness and 5 ms response time. It is Energy Star compliant. New customers of Buy.com may take an additional $10 discount by clicking $10 Coupon, clicking on "Redeem Coupon" button, and searching for 210610714 PC Micro Store: Free 6-foot HDMI cable with $6 or more At PC Micro Store, bag a free 6-foot HDMI cable with any purchase totaling $6 or more via coupon code "FREE6FTHDMI". Plus, bag free shipping on most items. Check out our archive of PC Micro Store deals for some buying ideas. Coupon code expires after 2,000 redemptions. New: Aluratek All-in-One USB 2.0 Card Reader for $8 + free shipping Buy.com offers the Aluratek All-in-One USB 2.0 Card Reader, model no. AUCR200, for $7.99 with free shipping. That's the lowest total price we could find by $8. (We saw it for a buck less in December.) This card reader works with both Windows and Mac. Posted 3 hr 6 min ago New: Seagate Barracuda 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive for $90 + free shipping newegg.com again offers the OEM Seagate Barracuda 1TB Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. ST31000333AS, for $89.99 with free shipping ($0.09/GB). That's tied with last week's mention as the lowest total price we could find by $5. (It was $5 less last month, since expired.) This 7200 rpm hard drive features a 32MB cache. Dell Inspiron 530 Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz Desktop (4GB/500GB) $449, Mar. 19 10 AM if (showPics()) document.write('') Dell Home has the Dell Inspiron 530 Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 Quad Core Desktop Computer for a low $449.00. $35.00 Shipping. Tax in most. no monitor; Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 @ 2.33GHz; 4GB RAM; 500GB HDD; DVD burner; Vista Home Premium; 1yr warranty Dell Vostro 220 Mini Tower Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 2.8GHz Desktop (4GB/320GB) w/ 19in LCD $419, Mar. 21 5 AM if (showPics()) document.write('') Dell Small Business has the Dell Vostro 220 Mini Tower Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 Desktop Computer w/ 19" LCD Monitor for a low $419.00. $35.00 Shipping. Tax in most. Dell S1909WXF 19" LCD; Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 @ 2.8GHz; 4GB RAM; 320GB HDD; DVD burner; gigabit ethernet; Vista Home Basic; 1yr warranty Buy.com $15 off Coupon March 20th, 2009 Buy.com, Coupon BUY.com has a new Coupon - $15 off orders of $50 and more for new Bill Me Later Customers (may end at any time) HOT Dell Vostro 220 Mini Desktop 19” LCD / Core 2 Duo E7400 2.8GHz / 4GB / 320GB $419

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 03-15-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 03-15-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Well for the green link of the week, a little doomsday stuff concerning the global warming issue. This is an article talking about the ice sheets in Antarctica; the whole issue would bother me a lot more if I was twenty years old as opposed to my current sixty-two, none the less the numbers are a little scary when you add them up. This one says that in Antarctica just the west sheet can raise levels two hundred feet, if you toss in the east sheet, the Arctic, Greenland, Etc. we are talking some big numbers. Even if it is only say 5% of that in the next twenty years, be nice if I had 20+ left, well maybe I will see things get interesting. Article here http://www.ctv.ca
2) Talking with Joe today the subject turned to pyramids, he was watching a show on Chariots of the Gods. I was reminded about the Bosnia Valley of the Pyramids, thought it had been quite a while since I checked in on them. They are getting ready to have a conference shortly. Any way there is some new stuff on their web site, so I thought I would throw it up here for anyone who has not been keeping up. http://www.piramidasunca.ba/en/
3) Well here we go again seems science is getting closer to finding God again. Well the God Particle anyway. Namely the Higgs Boson physics is really in a major turmoil these days. I looked at several articles on this, not sure I can understand exactly what they are looking for. But, I find a perverse sort of enjoyment watching the show; it is really amazing how the more we learn, the more we realize how much we do not know. This is just one of the articles, but they are mostly the same, Google is your friend if you want more. http://www.voanews.com
4) I probably should have reversed this one with the first one, but it is late and I am lazy, so the car link goes here. Joe sent me this earlier in the week. The Tata is going to be released this year in Europe. This is that car company in India I wrote about last year with the world’s cheapest car. Well they found some very well off friends, and will be releasing a total electric car in Europe this year. I said a while back I think they will be the next Volkswagen. Would like to see the Think car come out also, but this is an interesting read so check it out. http://www.reghardware.co.uk
5) I was going to use this as the geek link last week, but did not so I will offer it now. From Popular Science an article on Microsoft’s predictions, two videos one from 1992 predicting what we will see in 2004, and the new one predicting what we will see in 2014. The problem is they are almost the same predictions, kind of makes me think about that flying car they promised me by the year 2000. Oh well maybe next time, any way interesting article links to both videos. http://www.popsci.com

OPT OUT of Google's Targeted Ad Tracking system and Yahoo's tracking system in one click

Just follow the above link to opt out of both Google's and Yahoo's Ads that are targeted at your web traffic history and cookies.

Skype 4.0 for Windows hotfix

Released March 11, 2009 in Skype for Windows.

Skype has released a hotfix for Skype 4.0 for Windows.
In this new release they have fixed numerous issues found in the original gold version of Skype 4.0.

List of fixes available at above link

Low processor and harddrive prices at eWiz.com

Here are some low processor prices and HD prices at eWiz.com. I think these are all FREE shipping as well......

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 4600+* (2.4GHz) AM2, OEM $42

Also coupon deals at eWiz.com:

http://bensbargains.net/deal/94328/

http://www.ewiz.com/category.php?categry=1

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=XEON3110BX

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=HD-ST15TAS

Deal: Pick Up Intel Core i7 CPUs for Less than Intel Core 2 CPUs

It looks like the new hot Intel i7 prices are lower than their competing Intel Core 2 Quad or even some Duo prices…..however the prices of the motherboard and RAM tend to make up for it as DDR3 chipsets and memory are not cheap.

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 03-08-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 03-08-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Green link for the week is one that sounds very promising world wide, more reliable than wind and may prove to be much cheaper. There are two links in the first an article explaining what VIVACE is; an acronym Vortex Induced Vibrations for Aquatic Clean Energy. This is basically using the flow of water to create energy. Wow, so what is new about that? What is so cool is that the water flow can be as slow as 1.5 knots. Usually when we think about hydro-electricity we imagine Bolder Dam or Niagara Falls. The applications for this concept are huge. http://www.scientificblogging.com The second link a more technical site, with video of a working model, the simplicity is just amazing. http://www.vortexhydroenergy.com/
2) I thought I would post something about the time change, personally I have always hated it, but no one seems to care, oh well. Anyway, I found many sites I kind of liked this one because it seemed to cover most of the others. http://news.yahoo.com Some of the effects were new to me, but not a surprise. An increase in heart attacks was the main one in that category.
3) Okay time for one of those if only I had a bank account like Bill Gates toys. This is the only way you would find me swimming with the sharks. While I think it is a bit of an over kill type toy, I would not mind knowing someone to take a ride with. It is kind of like a Lear Jet Submarine, looks like a lot of fun. http://www.cnn.com
4) This is one that Joe sent me, I am certain that this is the future of the media, while things look good now; I predict they will change in the future. I am still stinging from being so happy about cable T.V. and their statements that I will be paying for content, but commercials will not be there. But, for now I am encouraged this looks like something I may try. http://news.cnet.com I am also going to throw in one more site dealing with T.V. and the change over to digital. This site will tell you what type of antenna you need for the available stations; you can put in your complete street address it will come up with a directional map showing the direction of all of the towers in the area, miles, signal strength etc. http://www.antennaweb.org
5) The geek link for the week, in the category of I think not gadgets, a five sense virtually reality helmet. Would be the answer to all of those guys on cooking shows talking about smell-o-vision. But, that could sure be a two way street when you are watching something more graphic. http://www.wtfrobots.com

Microsoft plans multiple Windows 7 versions - The Inquirer

What version of Windows 7 will work for you? Or should I ask what version will you buy?
Like in Vista Microsoft is going to be coming out with 7 versions of Windows 7.
It looks like only us Geeks will be using Windows 7 Ultimate. (It looks like we will be paying dearly for it.)
They will start with a very limited version for Netbooks and low power PC's it is called Starter. The version go up from there.
You can read all about the 7 different versions of Windows 7 here.

I am running the Beta 64 bit (build 7000) on one of my computers and I like it a lot. It looks like it is working much better than Vista did.

Not only will Microsoft have 7 versions but they will also have 32 bit and 64 bit versions as well. If you think that is going to be confusing look what they will have for Europe:

"In the EU, which has already required Microsoft to offer its Windows OS without Media Player (MP) bundled, there will be 22 versions. And if the EU further requires Microsoft to unbundled Internet Exploder (IE), as is beginning to look likely, the number of EU versions will jump to 44 - 11 versions with both MP and IE, 11 versions without MP but with IE, 11 versions with MP but without IE, and 11 versions without either MP or IE. That'll be even more fun."

I'm still looking forward to the new OS from Microsoft called Windows 7!

AlaskaJoe

Slashdot | Symantec Support Gone Rogue?

This story is not a surprise.
Rubenking was trying to install Norton 360 version 3.0 on a malware-infested system when the computer crashed with a blue screen error. He connected with Symantec tech support and was told that they could fix the problem, but for a fee of $100!
When this guy contacted support he was told to go get Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, it could fix the computer.

Didn't I tell everyone about Malwarebytes Anti-Malware a long time ago, It can clean a lot of Malware other programs can't. This was the only program I found that could remove Anti_Virus 2008 etc...

AlaskaJoe

10 Tips for Better LCD Image Quality - 3D Graphics, Audio & HDTV by ExtremeTech

"10 Tips for Better LCD Image Quality"
This was an interesting read, I think most of us have LCD monitors now.

If you adjust your display it might take you a few minutes. (I think they said 10 minutes.)
But you will be happy you did. I know I have seen people that needed their resolution set. My monitors are about 12" farther away than they should be from my keyboard.

I hope you enjoy your LCD and remember there is nothing wrong with a 22" or 24" monitor to read your email or surf eBay for a deal!

AlaskaJoe

Sanity check: Are netbooks quietly driving us to thin clients and cloud computing? | Tech Sanity Check | TechRepublic.com

We talked briefly for a bit about Netbooks during the show this week, and what it meant for corporate types.

Techrepublic released this article today discussing some of the same points we made on the air.

I find this all very interesting.

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 03-01-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 03-01-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

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Interesting News from Tom's Hardware and Some Good Deals from Seagate Outlet

>>Windows 7 RC1 Shooting for April 10 Release?<<

AMD Unveils 'Istanbul' Six-Shooter Opteron

Ballmer: No Microsoft Phone, But WinMo 7 Coming

Microsoft Working on Windows 7 for Netbooks

Microsoft Announces SP2 RC for Vista, Server 2008

Asus' Mammoth 18.4" W90 Laptop Now Available

Windows Beating Linux Netbooks
It ought to be something of a watershed moment for Linux, right? The scalable OS was finally given its due, being sold right alongside Windows as a configurable option on the wildly popular mini notebooks. Something happened along the way though--something, which, when you think about it, isn't all that surprising. People stuck with Windows. In a big way

- Microsoft Reveals New Windows 7 Changes February 26 –
Seagate.com Outlet Sale: Hard drives from $30 + $8 s&h

Seagate.com knocks up to 62% off a selection of internal and external hard drives in its Outlet Center. Shipping starts at $7.99, but orders of $150 or more ship for free. Sale ends March 2. The deals:
Seagate ST3160023A-RK 160GB IDE 3.5" Internal for $25.99
Seagate ST900803FGA1E1-RK Freeagent Go 80GB USB 2.0 for $29.99
Seagate ST3300631A-RK 300GB IDE 3.5" Internal for $39.99
Seagate ST303204N1A1AS-RK 320GB Serial ATA 3.5" Internal for $39.99
Seagate ST305004FPA1E2-RK FreeAgent 500GB USB 2.0/FW800/eSATA for $64.99

The Netbook Effect: How Cheap Little Laptops Hit the Big Time

I have been thinking about getting a Netbook for some time. I like the fact they are small and easy to carry.
I also have been saying for years "How fast does our computer need to be? I can only type so fast."
On that note "Regular computers are so fast, you really can't tell the difference between 1.6 giga and 2 giga," says Andy Tung, vice president of US sales for MSI, the Taiwanese maker of the Wind netbook. "We can tell the difference between one second and two seconds, but not between 0.0001 and 0.0002 second." For most of today's computing tasks, the biggest performance drags aren't inside the machine. They're outside. Is your Wi-Fi signal strong? Is Twitter down again?
I have a Dell D600 laptop that has a 1.6Ghz processor and it does everything I need. My email is on my main computer at home, so when on the road I access it here. The same with most of the things I do. I use Firefox and use FoxMarks so all of my bookmarks are the same no matter what computer I'm on.

My laptop works very well and I can't justify just going out and buying a Netbook just because I think they are cool.

My decision is, do I want a Netbook or a smart phone? I can see that having access to the web all of the time is an advantage. With a flash drive it boots fast so you don't have to wait for 3 minutes before you can look something up.
The next question for most people is: Windows XP home or can you live with Ubuntu? There is about a $50.00 difference in price. (I'm thinking Ubuntu will work for me.)
I have just found a new Netbook online for $285 with Windows XP Home and 1 GB of RAM. It even has a web cam built in. (Acer Aspire ONE A110-1834 Atom N270 1.6GHz 1GB 16GB SSD 8.9" XP Home w/WebCam, it is from the link on our web site for Geeks.com.)
The biggest question I have is: Do I want to spend the money when my Dell works great for me?

Is a Netbook in your future?
AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 02-22-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 02-22-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) To start off the week an article I ran across that may offer some good news on the environment. It seems the jungles takes over abandon farm lands rather quickly. As more and more people are moving to the cities in search of what they perceive as better life styles, the land they leave behind reverts very quickly. This trend is causing some environmentalists to reconsider the severity of rain forest loss. http://www.iht.com
2) Troll sent me a really nice link on black holes. Trying to comprehend the idea of a black hole is one of those exercises that leave me with a total brain drain. This site can help, but I still have trouble comprehending the concept. A very detailed site though and well organized. Thanks, Troll you really do send me some interesting stuff, I appreciate your effort and time. http://hubblesite.org
3) I saw this article with what I thought a rather sinister title “ Scientist Looks to Weaponize Ball Lightening”, I mean this sounds kind of biblical to me. I imagine Thor, or some other God hurling lightening bolts at people he does not like. I am sorry but I don’t like it. Anyway here is a link to the article http://blog.wired.com When I read it I realized my understanding of ball lightening was very limited so I Googled some found this very cool site all about ball lightening, even how to make your own, now just where did I put that liability disclaimer. Anyway do not blame me if you lay waste to the neighborhood. http://www.eskimo.com
4) This is one Joe came up with, we were sitting here talking on Skype when he found it and sent it to me. An article about a guy that thought he had found Atlantis on Google maps. Turns out to be much ado about nothing, but it was interesting to be able to load the coordinates, and within minutes be looking at what started the whole deal. Two links first one the article, the second the location on Google Maps. http://www.telegraph.co.uk ……At the map site you need to set the slide bar about mid way. http://maps.google.com/
5) Trouble finding a geek link this week, so I will post a link sent to me by a geek, thanks again Troll. This one has been in my blog folder for a while I just have not gotten around to using it yet. Goes to show you just how much you can find on the net if you look. This is a state by state, city by city listing of all the speed traps in the neighborhood. Great read for anyone you know that drives a cab, truck, or anything else with four wheels. http://www.speedtrap.org

Anonymous Caller? That's What You Think

A new service set for launch Tuesday allows cellphone users to unmask the Caller ID on blocked incoming calls, obtaining the phone number, and in some cases the name and address. The service, called TrapCall, is offered by New Jersey's TelTech systems, the company behind the controversial SpoofCard Caller ID spoofing service. The new service is likely to be even more controversial — and popular. .....

Vista to Windows 7 Free Upgrade Plans Leaked?

As was what Microsoft offered prior to the release of Windows Vista, the software giant is plotting upgrade options for those who want to purchase a new PC soon, but without being left in the dust once Windows 7 ships.ZoomFrom reports of the beta experience, Windows 7 is the new Microsoft OS that everyone’s been waiting for -- for both XP and Vista users. Some consumers can’t afford to wait, however, need to purchase new hardware soon. For those such consumer, and those on the fence, Microsoft will offer a program where those who purchase a new PC

Microsoft Puts $250K Bounty on Worm Author
Microsoft is putting on the pressure in a movement that could see the catch of the Conficker worm author – the worst Internet worm outbreak in years. A bounty payment of $250,000 is on the table
Microsoft is also working with security researchers, domain name registrars, and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in efforts to take down all of the servers that have been launching the Conficker attacks. ICANN is a non-profit corporation that oversees Internet addressing


Judge OKs Psystar's Countersuit Against Apple
Earlier in the week we reported that a German company was following in the footsteps of Mac clone company Psystar, and offering machines running OS X on non Apple-branded hardware. A federal judge last week signed an order giving Psystar the OK to amend its countersuit against Apple. On Friday U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup ruled that Psystar may change that countersuit, which originally accused Apple of breaking antitrust laws, to instead ague that Apple has stretched copyright laws by tying the Mac operating system to its hardware.The OS X EULA states that the software can only be installed on Apple-branded machines and according to Apple, Psystar is violating that licensing agreement. However, Psystar says that’s akin to saying Honda owners can only drive on Honda-approved roads and filed an anti-trust suit.

Intel's 32nm Core i7 Coming this Year
On a telephone briefing today, Intel announced that its 32 nm processors will begin production later this year, specifically in the 4th quarter of 2009.
Intel is in the process of bringing Core i7 down to a 32 nm fabrication process and will begin production and shipping of the processor in the second half of 2009. The new 32 nm platform is codenamed Westmere and is comprised of two 32 nm Core i7 processors and a new chipset family called the Intel 5-series (P55 and P57). With the move to 32 nm, Intel will free up room on the package to integrate graphics. With Westmere-based Core i7 processors, the first series of products will come with a 45nm integrated graphics core and memory controller, on a separate die, on the same processor.

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 02-15-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 02-15-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) I was caught by the headline here, “The Next Big Green Industry?” thinking it would be some fancy new solar twist, new car or hi-tech advance of some sort. Not so they are talking about a ground level easy to get into industry. This is an interesting article if you are looking for a new career, or know someone who lost a job and in need of a new start. The timing seems to be about perfect, anyway an interesting read will be interesting to see if the field develops as well as they predict. http://www.cbsnews.com
2) Crop circles, is a subject that has intrigued me for a long time. They are still popping up world wide, still more in the U.K. than anywhere else. This is another of those anomalies like U.F.O.’s, there is just too many for it to it to be just a couple of guys faking everything to spoof the rest of us. For starters it seems they would have caught more than one or two rather low tech guys with ropes and boards. This is about the best site I have found to keep up with what’s going on with the subject. http://www.cropcircleresearch.com
3) For a future tech link I thought I would use this one, I caught Jay Leno the other night he referenced being able to watch T.V. on your contact lenses. You know me that demanded a Google; sure enough they are saying within the next ten years we will be able to watch T.V., videos on a pair of contact lenses. I would imagine that will include internet also, not that big of a leap. I cannot imagine what that would look like, nor can I decide if I would be interested. But when you think about it, hook it up to a pair of digital binoculars, bingo see for miles, or a digital microscope you can read the fine print on anything. More I think about it the cooler it sounds. http://uwnews.org
4) This is a quickie for the cooks out there. Got a favorite restaurant item, wish you could cook it at home, rather than pay the high price. There are several of these sites out there if you want to Google, this is just one I found that I liked http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com
5) Last up how about a green phone, well blue phone that is green, actually I am talking about a new phone being unveiled next week at the Mobile World Congress next week in Barcelona. The phone is solar powered no more recharging nightmares. Interesting concept; may be a problem with purses and pockets, but who knows how long it needs to charge. http://news.cnet.com

On Computers Radio Show Podcast 02-08-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 02-08-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances that today's show was a replay from January 4th, 2009.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Due to unforeseen circumstances, today's show will be a replay from January 4, 2009.

Enjoy

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 02-01-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 02-01-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) This is not the first time I have used Google for my opening green link, and I need to check in and see what happened to the last one, that was the geothermal technology research project they were involved with. This is something from their monthly news letter, I subscribe to that caught my eye. They have a new city transit overly on Google maps, right now only available in limited city’s world wide one of them Las Vegas so I had a chance to play with it, I liked it very much, will be interesting to see where it goes. Check it out here http://www.google.com.
2) Okay this one opens a question that I find extremely interesting, just a short article but it in my mind it opens a rather large can of worms. I am referring to UFO’S of course. Obama has pledged to open government, ease freedom of information restrictions, to inform the people, well does that include UFO’S. It will be interesting to see, several of our past presidents have waffled around this issue. Saying one thing then being reigned in and back peddling, appearing to yield to a higher power of some sort. Well England released their case files; I did a shot on that a few weeks ago. France preceded them, and Mexico has always been very open, this is going to be very interesting indeed. http://www.stomverbaasd.com
3) Sometimes our entry into the world seems to be just a little out of sync. If I only were I just a little younger, when the internet decided to do its thing. I have always have had an interest in ghost towns, metal detecting for relics, looking for those lost treasures. In my youth, you know another way to say when I had the spunk, energy, and strength to follow that path, locating information was always so difficult. This is one of those sites I wish were available to me thirty years, okay forty years ago. Thanks Troll for a trip down one of those might have been lanes, well maybe I will still find the time, heck they are close enough. http://www.ghosttowngallery.com
4) While I am not to sure how many of you are even aware of this controversy, I just had to post something about it. There is quite a bit of concern in the astrological community about the swearing in of our new president. It was done twice due to the mix-up in the wording. That meant two different times and locations. How will history possibly deal with this, seems to me to be something worth following, if for nothing else just to see how they handle it. Fairly good article here http://politicalastrologyblog.com
5) Okay the geek link here is granted a little weird, but if you consider the implications of this type of applied research, you will have to admit that it is interesting at the very least. This is a video about reassembling robots, but if you let your imagination run a bit I am sure you could come up with a decent plot for a sci-fi movie, maybe two. http://www.boingboing.net

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 01-25-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 01-25-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) While not exactly a green link to start the week, this is a site that just appealed to me. One of the factors of green technology is to make things that are just more efficient. This site sort of fits that bill, somewhat like consumer reports without the subscription price. And, I am sure they do not get into super detail, like consumers, but check it out I think you might like it. http://www.metaefficient.com/
2) Not to sure how I feel about this article, about one of the most likely very few uncontacted tribes left in the world. While interesting, and on some level necessary I suppose to protect them and all. I am not sure why we have to do a paparazzi style fly over, to take pictures and all. This must have shaken them very badly; I remember reading about a tribe in Borneo that started worshiping airplanes because they did not have the ability to understand what they were. http://www.dailymail.co.uk
3) I sort of warned you a while back that the 2012 topic will be a reoccurring event, well not to disappoint. This is an interesting link with a 24 min. video on Terrance McKenna’s Time Wave Zero, a mathematical logarithm dealing with the ebb and flow of novelty, based on the thousand year old Chinese I Ching. http://video.google.com , here is a Wikipedia link for the I Ching, for those not familiar. http://en.wikipedia.org
4) I am still looking for information about the latest advances in online television, I have had a lot to say about my Roku, I ran across a pretty interesting review might answer any remaining questions. Link http://reviews.cnet.comI found a few other reviews on different boxes, the Apple T.V., and PopCorn, I am still looking for news if you run across something new. This is going to be the trend, like people giving up their land line phones; they will be giving up their cable T.V.
5) Kind of an Art Bellian geek link, I was looking doing some reading up on the Webbot Project, and ran across a link with some predictions for 2008. Kind of interesting if you do not ask for a lot of detail, several of them seemed to be a ding to me. Better than most if not all of the human predictions I ran across. http://www.godlikeproductions.com

My Windows 7 Experience

When Peter posted the links for Windows 7 Beta, I went to download it. Then I though I have a membership in Technet so why not download it from them. I downloaded the 64 bit version and installed it on my Athlon X2 4400 w/3GB RAM and a 256MB Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT Video card.

The installation went well with very little problems. As I remember I did have to reinstall one or 2 things in order to get them to work. I have Skype Beta 4, I don't care for the new version of Skype. It takes some time to get used to it.

Everything is working as it should, I also installed Office 2007 on the box and did the 355.8MB of updates for Office.

The only problem I have encountered was Windows 7 said there is a problem with my sound, But I was talking on Skype to Gregg so I know it was working. I did have to reboot a few times to get everything to update correctly. I have a free version of Kaspersky 8 for Windows 7 and I needed to reboot again to get it to update.

As I said I am running Windows 7 64 bit version. this computer is not getting a very good Windows Experience because I used an old hard drive I had sitting around. it's only running at ATA100 and slowed the system down a lot. If I feel like it I will try cloning the drive to a new SATA drive I just received.

Just this morning I see that Microsoft wants to test Windows 7 on some slower computers, Microsoft is looking for testers with machines that adhere to the following spec list:

* 1 GHz processor
* 1 GB of system memory
* 16 GB of available disk space
* Support for DX9 graphics
* DVD-R/W Drive
* Internet access
I am happy with Windows 7 so far, if you have a spare machine laying around why not try Windows 7 Beta, You might be surprised.

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 01-18-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 01-18-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) I was at one of the downtown casinos the other day, and noticed one of the car give a ways they were using as a promotion was a Smart Car. It kind of caught me of guard because I thought that might mean they were available in the U.S. I saw one a while back in a casino parking lot, but assumed it was someone’s import. Any way got to looking around found an interesting article about John Doerr one of the investment guys that started Google, and Amazon. He was addressing the government about how our green technologies are behind the world, a very interesting article. http://www.sfgate.com From there I wound up at the American Smart Car of America site, yes they are in America, quite a few states too. Check them out here http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/
2) This one is a how-to, or how they do it item. I have seen several of those David Blaine street magician shows on T.V. one of the tricks he did that fascinated me was the levitation bit he did on several shows. It is called Balducci Levitation, this is a link to a video that will show how to do it, amaze all the kids next door, and make your neighbor think you are a space alien. http://www.livescience.com
3) I ran across this comment in a story some where that we had a solar storm event in the 1800’s that was so strong it fried telegraph lines on earth, starting numerous wild fires all around the planet. The article was talking about possible future events that might cause us major problems. asteroids, pole shifts and the like, anyway the comment about the storm got me to start googling around. After all when all we had to worry about was telegraph, while it was no doubt destructive, it's nothing like it would be to day. A very scary concept, sounds like it would be much worse than anything that was projected with Y2K. http://www.space.com
4) Ever notice how occasionally a single word can catch your eye, and cause some real confusion trying to establish a coherent definition in your mind. Well such word is this one The Noosphere, wow that one set off my spell check. Any way this is defiantly in the “out there” category. Ran across it while cruising through a 2012 site. Yea I know I apologize for last week, this one is in the same category, so be fore warned http://www.lawoftime.org
5) Now for a geek type link, probably nothing new to this crowd, but this one appealed to me because it sounds like a conspiracy theory gold mine. I think almost every world domination theory could get a boost from this. The threads from this are endless, not to mention it leaves me thinking about that cave in the desert again. Sometimes I am glad I am getting older, I really question if I want to be around to see the new world coming in another fifty years. http://www.sott.net

Basics - Want to Get More Work Done? Try a Bigger Screen - NYTimes.com

Basics - Want to Get More Work Done? Try a Bigger Screen - NYTimes.com: "Combining two displays, or using a single huge monitor, can significantly enhance your productivity."
I love having 2 monitors (one is a 22" LCD and the other is my 26" HDTV)on my main computer. I know Aaron has a 24" and from time to time he runs a second monitor.
Thank you JonathanM for this website.

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 01-11-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 01-11-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Well to start the green link this week is going to be one of those that is a great place to read up on what’s new, this site seems to include a non-bias approach with the stories they carry. I have noticed that some news sites seem to avoid carrying some content, when it comes to environmental subjects. I was sort of surprised to find some stories that would usually be only found on off beat, left leaning, or conspiracy sites. It is worth checking out this one as a starting place when web surfing the subject, no telling where it may take you. http://www.energybulletin.net/
2) This is a link to one of the new medical advances brought to us thanks to our advancing technology being applied in ways that help improve life for people with disabilities. We are truly living in a marvelous time in history, cannot imagine what we will accomplish in the next fifty years, providing we can overcome our innate need to self-destruct. http://www.argomedtec.com/
3) I am going to be visiting this subject every week for a while, because it is on my mind. If it gets repetitive I apologize. But what can I say, at the moment it is a big part of my net surfing. I am of course referring to 2012. The thing that fascinates me is how many different ways the date comes up from so many parts of the world. Totally independent of each other, a lot of them the same day. Anyway this is another of those launch pad type sites. http://2012news.com The link opens on a rather esoteric article; I suggest also going to the home page. Granted this is a little spacey in the tin-hat mode. But it expresses a point of view carried by quite a few that are out there.
4) I would be a little remiss if I did not touch on CES here in Vegas. I am sure most of you have been following the products coming out. This one caught my eye 100 high-def movies on a smart cart the size of a postage stamp. Load into your phone, lap top, or even your camera. Well that struck me as fantastic, they are talking about two terabytes storage, and you can just plug it into your phone wow! When I think it was only fifteen years ago I was state of the art with my 1 gig hard drive. It is almost scary how fast things are progressing. http://www.reuters.com
5) Geek link for the week, along the same lines of fast advancement in the tech-world. I thought a few of you may have not seen this yet, as it the article came out today. It may be with-in your pay-grade, I am afraid it is a little beyond mine, like way beyond. http://www.sciencedaily.com

Windows Media Center: 7 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do - OS, Software & Networking by ExtremeTech

"Windows Media Center remains one of Vista's most underrated features, offering a slick, couch-friendly interface for watching TV shows and movies, listening to music, enjoying photo slideshows, and more."
I have Windows Media Center on my Vista box and that is how I watch TV on my PC, Now you can do a lot more. Some of these are cool, some a lame (to me) But they are cool you can watch shoes and other things on your PC.
My question is will this work in XP's Media Center?

AlaskaJoe

HP offers money for old tech equipment | Green Tech - CNET News

HP is taking old computers (and other things like printers, monitors, ETC..) It might be worth it for you to send your old computers to HP, You do have to pay for shipping. "Given this economy, I'd say it's worth your time to look up the value of your electronic junk on HP's site and make that trip to the post office."
This is better than you paying to recycle your old stuff.

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 01-04-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 01-04-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Thought for a change on my green link this week, and since it is the beginning of a new year; I will concentrate most of my efforts on the future. In the interest of progress toward cleaning up the planet I think the most realistic approach is the X-Prize. The fastest way to get something done on our planet, at this time in history is with a super large carrot. The X-Prize offers that incentive, the link here is the best place I have found to keep up on what is going on with this venue, lots of links, and a nice news story crawler to keep on latest events. http://www.xprize.org/
2) Next up this is a place I found interesting to spend some time, even though I had no real reason to go there. It could be very useful at times for anyone. I am referring to the National Archives site. It is quite amazing just how much stuff is here. If you are in to doing any kind of research it can be a great place to start. You can look up everything from your genealogy, to the voting record of your favorite politician. http://www.archives.gov/
3) We are rapidly approaching a date that has fascinated me for quite a while, and I will be posting more links on this subject in the future, I am referring to 2012 of course. The Mayan calendar is the most popular subject related to the date, so I thought I would start here. This is a site with a video of a lecture about the Mayan calendar, and quite a bit more information than most. I found this same man doing a lecture a few years ago that I thought was better than this new one, but I could not find it Google has taken down the old one. Maybe at the way back site, I will have to try that one of these days. http://www.dreammanifesto.com/
4) This is one that was sent to me in an email from the show, I think it was Troll, but I am not sure if I am wrong I apologize. Any way it is a site of web cams from all around the world, I did not check to see if they had any of the airports in Alaska. Sorry that was aimed at Joe, I am sure I will cover it during the show. http://www.camcentral.com/
5) Now for a geek thing, this is an article that caught my eye. A new syndrome revolving around email, and sleeping, called zzzz-mail. Something that people like Joe who often sleeps in the chair in front of the computer might have to be careful of. http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Happy Holidays Everyone

We are taking the weekend off today, and will be playing a re-run of the Geek Meet2008 show from Las Vegas in April.

We are sorry to tell everybody that Al_K passed away on December 21st 2008. Our condolences to his family we will all miss him.

See you all next week, have a safe and great New Years.

Microsoft kicks fake security software off 400,000 PCs

"In the second month of a campaign against fake security software, Microsoft Corp. has booted the rogue application 'Antivirus 2009' from almost 400,000 PCs, the company recently claimed."
This is a good thing Microsoft has done with their updates, the question is will people do the updates?

AlaskaJoe

YouTube - NVIDIA: Mythbusters explain parallel processing on GPU's

This is a couple of very cool video's from the Mythbusters it explains a CPU and GPC in something easy to understand.

The second video Jamie takes one for us to see!

I hope you enjoyed the videos.
Happy Holidays from all of us at the OnComputers show.

DailyTech - Fake Tech Gifts One of the Hottest Items of Holiday Season

Fake Tech Gifts One of the Hottest Items of Holiday Season: "Sure, you could buy phones or video game systems -- you could buy cameras or even a high-tech washing machine for the holidays. But why not get the hottest tech items, like the iFeast or a nice USB toaster?"
I want a USB toaster doesn't everyone?

Does that mean we will need a kitchen computer so we have someplace to plug in our USB toaster?

Happy Holidays everyone.

AlaskaJoe

Researchers sound alarm about bug in free antivirus scanner

Researchers sound alarm about bug in free antivirus scanner: "A bug in Trend Micro Inc.'s free online virus scanning service can be used by hackers to hijack Windows PCs running Internet Explorer, security researchers warned."

Like I say you get what you pay for in a free Anti-Virus.
I know NOD32's online scanner uses ActiveX and that is a problem. But so far it works.
AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 12-21-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 12-21-08. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.
Remember next Sunday 12/28/08 we will be playing a best of the OnComputers show.

Have a Very happy and safe Holiday season from,
AlaskaJoe and the OnComputers host

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) For my eco-start this week, I have one of those how did everyone miss this, what should have been obvious energy producing idea. This is a great idea; the only drawback I can see is the obvious cost of starting it up. Not sure the numbers work out as far as return verses investment, but I sure like the concept. Would be something that should be considered in new construction, and that’s for sure. It’s a simple idea install piezoelectric generators under roadways, railroads, and air ports. Here is a link to the company with the patent. http://www.innowattech.co.il/ The video although having no audio explains it well with graphics and text.
2) This is a link for those who like odd stuff. The link opens to some of the most bizarre buildings in the world, but on the side bars you can find a ton of links to other oddest in the world subjects. One of those fun sites to spend a few minuets tripping on just how weird we humans are. http://www.oddee.com
3) I am involved in one of my projects concerning changing some of my eating habits, lose a little weight, eat healthier, and all that. While researching some sites on healthy foods I ran across this one. Very extensive the link opens on a page listing the top 100 healthiest foods. If you click on anything in the list it gives you extensive information on that particular food. I was thinking about printing the info on one of the items for a neighbor, I thought before I hit the button I would check to see how much information there was on that item. It was 35 pages needless to say I changed my mind. http://www.whfoods.com
4) I just had to put up at least one link about something innovative regarding a car. I just seem to be attracted to the changes in this field, after all the cars we have driving around today will be the Model A’s of tomorrow. Check out this one a very interesting concept, they have taken the body exterior and are making it out of a cloth type material, as in flexible. Looks very cool, not sure how practical. But, it is by BMW and that means they must be seriously considering the concept. http://www.37signals.com

5) Well for my geek link I resisted the new geek toys for Christmas concept; you know the USB coffee warmer for $15.00 and all that, for something a little more serious. This is a site with some very interesting articles about how computers are affecting human evolution as a species. This is an interesting line of study for me, the concept that our evolution is moving at an exponentially increasing rate because of technology. The article that brought me here was on whether the digital world is causing the rewiring of the human brain. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much additional information on the subject is here. http://www.drgarysmall.com

Add Any Application to the Desktop Right-Click Menu in Vista :: the How-To Geek

"Add Any Application to the Desktop Right-Click Menu in Vista"
This is a very cool trick, I use Notepad a lot to keep notes etc..
I don't know if it works for Windows XP.
This web site "How-To Geek" has a lot of helpful things.

Remember to do your Microsoft Updates, a fix for IE7 came out today.
AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 12-14-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 12-14-08. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) I am going to start green, but not with a car, rather the fuel we put into cars and trucks. Seems there has been a fungus found in the rain forest of Patagonia that under certain circumstances can produce hydrocarbons that can be used to produce diesel fuel. There is another side to this story in that it helps to show how important the worlds rain forests are, it is impossible to know what discoveries we have all ready lost. http://www.greentechmedia.com
2) This is another to follow up on the same concept as the last link, providing energy for the planet, but at a much higher cost. Seems soil from the moon is all we need, 40 tons of the helium 3 which is found in abundance there could provide enough clean energy for the entire country for one year. All we need to do is get it, makes things like the space elevator look better all the time. Interesting read here http://www.livescience.com
3) Seems like there will be one of those light shows put on by nature tonight. The Geminid Meteor showers will be prominent tonight; the moon being at a peak will cause some problems. But, according to this article there will be a window early in the evening. Of course for Joe that window will be much longer, I have found something to envy, even with the cold. A lawn chair on his deck, wearing every piece of clothes in the house, some hot chocolate, and a cigar. That would be very nice indeed. http://www.msnbc.msn.com
4) Now for something a little closer to the edge. I have to tell you from the start here this is real science. Not a movie script, I am talking about body swapping yes that’s right body swapping, moving you into another body, I know it sounds extremely weird, I cannot imagine how it must feel. All I can say is read the article form neuroanthropology I am not sure I would want to try this. http://neuroanthropology.net
5) Now for the geek link, I was having some trouble with my media center running to hot, that got me into looking into stuff about cooling. That led to this link to, I love this name, the “Hardcore Reactor Computer” think about a computer in a fish tank. Completely immersed in liquid cooling medium, you pull up the motherboard and set it in its stand at the top of the tank and watch it drip. The site has a very cool video; this is an extreme gamer’s rig that can be over clocked with no restrictions. Not cheap but then for some it would be worth it, I suppose. http://www.hardcorecomputer.com/