This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 12-27-09. 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.
Happy New Year Everyone!
AlaskaJoe
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Links From The Gregg Zone
1) Starting off the last Gregg Zone of the decade I thought it fitting to begin with a link that seems to me to be the best most promising since I started writing the zone. I like this so much in so many ways, when I first saw it last year it made me rethink my whole concept of technology saving us from ourselves. It is such a small and simple idea it makes me wonder why it took so long. Imagine a wind generator so simple it uses no propeller, no fancy bearings, no turbine. You can build one on your desk for between 10 and 15 dollars, with no special tooling, parts, or skills. Scaled up in size I could see these on the roof of my house, the roof of my car helping to recharge the batteries, almost anywhere. If the air flow can be transformed to liquid I can even imagine them using tides, water streams, everywhere. I think the concept of low tech being the next high tech is a very real possibility. http://www.scribemedia.org
2) Now keeping along the same low tech tinkering leading to new and fantastic high tech ideas. If you are not up on the latest digital sixth-sense concepts coming down the pike. You really need to check this out. I was very impressed to find that a home project type person can build this for about three hundred dollars, off the shelf. The other thing that caught my ear at the end of the first video was the inventor saying he planned to put out the software in open source next year. http://www.pranavmistry.com
3) With the new movie Avatar coming out last week I thought this link I ran across about how to watch it in 3D or Imax and avoid getting a headache or hangover from the special effects might be helpful. I watched a video on peoples impressions of the film and was struck by several saying they felt very disoriented leaving the theater. That got me looking around and I found this. http://blog.gsmarena.com
4) Keeping with my interest in medical advancements and reading about these guys and their anti-aging research, I'm wondering if I was just born a few years to early. Oh well luck of the draw and all that, but it looks like the next few generations may be around for a long time if there is anything to all this. http://blogs.zdnet.com
5) Geek link for the week something I read about coming from Ford the ability to turn your car into a wi-fi mobile hot spot. Allowing anyone in the car access from iPhone, to lap tops, sounds like a real boost for car pooling to me. http://news.cnet.com
2) Now keeping along the same low tech tinkering leading to new and fantastic high tech ideas. If you are not up on the latest digital sixth-sense concepts coming down the pike. You really need to check this out. I was very impressed to find that a home project type person can build this for about three hundred dollars, off the shelf. The other thing that caught my ear at the end of the first video was the inventor saying he planned to put out the software in open source next year. http://www.pranavmistry.com
3) With the new movie Avatar coming out last week I thought this link I ran across about how to watch it in 3D or Imax and avoid getting a headache or hangover from the special effects might be helpful. I watched a video on peoples impressions of the film and was struck by several saying they felt very disoriented leaving the theater. That got me looking around and I found this. http://blog.gsmarena.com
4) Keeping with my interest in medical advancements and reading about these guys and their anti-aging research, I'm wondering if I was just born a few years to early. Oh well luck of the draw and all that, but it looks like the next few generations may be around for a long time if there is anything to all this. http://blogs.zdnet.com
5) Geek link for the week something I read about coming from Ford the ability to turn your car into a wi-fi mobile hot spot. Allowing anyone in the car access from iPhone, to lap tops, sounds like a real boost for car pooling to me. http://news.cnet.com
Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals
Sears has the Samsung PN50B430 50" 720p Plasma HDTV for $700 for in-store pickup only. Features 720p resolution, built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner, 2x HDMI inputs, 600Hz refresh rate, and a 2000000:1 dynamic contrast ratio.ENERGY STAR
Electronics Expo via Buy.com offers the Haier 47" 1080p Widescreen LCD HD Television, model no. HL47K, for $699 with free shipping. That's the lowest total price we could find by $15. Features include a 1920x1080 (1080p) native resolution, 1,500:1 contrast ratio, 500 cd/m² brightness, 6.5ms response time, three HDMI inputs, and VGA, component, and other video inputs.
Dell Home again offers the Samsung 46" 1080p Widescreen LCD HD Television, model no. LN46B500, for $797.99. Coupon code "BQ?GSVLT3DNGVC" cuts it to $777.99. With free shipping, that's tied with our mention from two weeks ago and the lowest total price we could find by $21, although Fry's had it for $140 less back on Black Friday. Sales tax is added where applicable. It features a native resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), 40,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 6ms response time, two HDMI inputs, and VGA, component, and other video inputs. Coupon expires January 2.
Newegg has the Rosewill RNX-N4 IEEE 802.11b/g/n Wireless-N 2.0 Gigabit Router for $40 - coupon code EMCMNNT68 [Exp 01/01/2010] + $2 shipping = $32 shipped. It has decent user reviews, especially for a 'house brand' router.
Staples has the Toshiba Satellite L505D-S5996 15.6" 3GB Laptop for $480 with free shipping. AMD Turion II Dual-Core M500, 3GB, 320GB HD, DVD SuperMulti ATI Radeon 4100, Webcam and microphone, 802.11b/g/n, 6-Cell, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit AMD Turion™ II Dual-Core Mobile Processor M500the Internet 6-Cell lithium ion battery; up to 3 hours, 30 minutes Face-recognition software for added security Dimensions: 15.1"W x 10.2"H x 1.40"/1.55"D (6.2lbs) 1 year warranty
Newegg has the refurbished Linksys WPC600N-RM IEEE 802.11a/b/g, IEEE802.11n Draft 32-bit Cardbus Dual-Band Wireless-N Notebook Adapter WEP, WPA Personal, WPA2 Personal, WPA & WPA2 Enterprise for $15 with free shipping.
Western Digital 640GB SATA 3Gbps Internal Hard Drive for $63 + free shipping
SuperBiiz.com offers the Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 3.5" Internal Desktop Hard Drive, model no. WD6401AALS, for $69.99. Coupon code "SNOWMAN10" cuts it to $62.99. With free shipping, that's $0.10/GB
$16 SanDisk 8GB Cruzer Micro USB 2.0 Flash Drive for $16 + free shipping
Back at Abe's of Maine is the SanDisk 8GB Cruzer Micro USB 2.0 Flash Drive, model no. SDCZ36-008G-A11, for $15.95 with free shipping ($1.99/GB).
Electronics Expo via Buy.com offers the Haier 47" 1080p Widescreen LCD HD Television, model no. HL47K, for $699 with free shipping. That's the lowest total price we could find by $15. Features include a 1920x1080 (1080p) native resolution, 1,500:1 contrast ratio, 500 cd/m² brightness, 6.5ms response time, three HDMI inputs, and VGA, component, and other video inputs.
Dell Home again offers the Samsung 46" 1080p Widescreen LCD HD Television, model no. LN46B500, for $797.99. Coupon code "BQ?GSVLT3DNGVC" cuts it to $777.99. With free shipping, that's tied with our mention from two weeks ago and the lowest total price we could find by $21, although Fry's had it for $140 less back on Black Friday. Sales tax is added where applicable. It features a native resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), 40,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 6ms response time, two HDMI inputs, and VGA, component, and other video inputs. Coupon expires January 2.
Newegg has the Rosewill RNX-N4 IEEE 802.11b/g/n Wireless-N 2.0 Gigabit Router for $40 - coupon code EMCMNNT68 [Exp 01/01/2010] + $2 shipping = $32 shipped. It has decent user reviews, especially for a 'house brand' router.
Staples has the Toshiba Satellite L505D-S5996 15.6" 3GB Laptop for $480 with free shipping. AMD Turion II Dual-Core M500, 3GB, 320GB HD, DVD SuperMulti ATI Radeon 4100, Webcam and microphone, 802.11b/g/n, 6-Cell, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit AMD Turion™ II Dual-Core Mobile Processor M500the Internet 6-Cell lithium ion battery; up to 3 hours, 30 minutes Face-recognition software for added security Dimensions: 15.1"W x 10.2"H x 1.40"/1.55"D (6.2lbs) 1 year warranty
Newegg has the refurbished Linksys WPC600N-RM IEEE 802.11a/b/g, IEEE802.11n Draft 32-bit Cardbus Dual-Band Wireless-N Notebook Adapter WEP, WPA Personal, WPA2 Personal, WPA & WPA2 Enterprise for $15 with free shipping.
Western Digital 640GB SATA 3Gbps Internal Hard Drive for $63 + free shipping
SuperBiiz.com offers the Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 3.5" Internal Desktop Hard Drive, model no. WD6401AALS, for $69.99. Coupon code "SNOWMAN10" cuts it to $62.99. With free shipping, that's $0.10/GB
$16 SanDisk 8GB Cruzer Micro USB 2.0 Flash Drive for $16 + free shipping
Back at Abe's of Maine is the SanDisk 8GB Cruzer Micro USB 2.0 Flash Drive, model no. SDCZ36-008G-A11, for $15.95 with free shipping ($1.99/GB).
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Microsoft makes the best free anti-virus software
According to anti-malware testing group AV-Comparatives.org Microsoft Security Essentials got its top rating.
Previously it said that the software was very good at removing malware, but now it is saying that it is also the best in terms of performance too.
If you would like to read the report here it is. This link goes right to the .pdf.
I'm not sure I want to leave my computer security to Microsoft alone.
The article does go over a lot of things I say all of the time. As I was reading it, I read a little to Gregg and he asked "If they were listing to the show?"
AlaskaJoe
Previously it said that the software was very good at removing malware, but now it is saying that it is also the best in terms of performance too.
If you would like to read the report here it is. This link goes right to the .pdf.
I'm not sure I want to leave my computer security to Microsoft alone.
The article does go over a lot of things I say all of the time. As I was reading it, I read a little to Gregg and he asked "If they were listing to the show?"
AlaskaJoe
Monday, December 21, 2009
OnComputers Radio show Podcast 12-20-09
This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 12-20-09. 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.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Links From The Gregg Zone
1)Starting off the week an article I ran across promising to solve multiple problems in the environment puzzle. Seems there is a professor from Tarleton State University who is getting ready to set up a factory to turn cow manure into ethanol. His primary focus is not to make fuel, but rather to solve the pollution problem created from waste at dairy farms. This sounds great to me. http://www.wacotrib.com
2)I like these top ten, twenty, hundred list type sites, because they seem to cut to the chase. While I also like to look at the items that did not make the selection, if I am looking for a movie I missed, or researching the best inventions of the year, whatever the subject they just seem to condense the subject matter. This site is one of those titled “Ten Science Stories That Changed Our Decade” as usual I could add one or two, but these are all great, and make for a good read. http://io9.com
3)Speaking of science stories and advancements, here is one that we had to know was coming, though I personally did not expect to see it for another ten years, or more. Time really seems to fly in the technology world. The bionic eye will be starting animal trials in the next couple of years, human trials shortly after. At this time they are not looking to solve all eye problems, the person must have been born sighted, and it will not repair all optical problems, but we went from windows 98 to windows 7 in only 11 years, so who knows. http://thefutureofthings.com
4)I have to admit this kind of caught me off guard, I am refering to dark matter. I some how thought they were looking for it is space, I thought that was where it all was, out there someplace. So when I saw this article that they may have found some at the bottom of a mine in Minnesota, well lets just say I realized that I need to do some more reading. Anyway if this turns out to be the real deal, it will be a really big something, not sure what, but really big. http://www.minnpost.com/this_could_be_big_have_researchers_found_dark_matter_at_the_bottom_of_a_mine_in_minnesota
5)Wrapping things up with something geek related, it is often something sent to me by Troll, this is another of those "thanks Troll" weeks. And another of those top of the heap lists, this time the top five. Namely the top five worst tech products of 2009, I feel lucky to have avoided every one of them. http://blogs.techrepublic.com.
2)I like these top ten, twenty, hundred list type sites, because they seem to cut to the chase. While I also like to look at the items that did not make the selection, if I am looking for a movie I missed, or researching the best inventions of the year, whatever the subject they just seem to condense the subject matter. This site is one of those titled “Ten Science Stories That Changed Our Decade” as usual I could add one or two, but these are all great, and make for a good read. http://io9.com
3)Speaking of science stories and advancements, here is one that we had to know was coming, though I personally did not expect to see it for another ten years, or more. Time really seems to fly in the technology world. The bionic eye will be starting animal trials in the next couple of years, human trials shortly after. At this time they are not looking to solve all eye problems, the person must have been born sighted, and it will not repair all optical problems, but we went from windows 98 to windows 7 in only 11 years, so who knows. http://thefutureofthings.com
4)I have to admit this kind of caught me off guard, I am refering to dark matter. I some how thought they were looking for it is space, I thought that was where it all was, out there someplace. So when I saw this article that they may have found some at the bottom of a mine in Minnesota, well lets just say I realized that I need to do some more reading. Anyway if this turns out to be the real deal, it will be a really big something, not sure what, but really big. http://www.minnpost.com/this_could_be_big_have_researchers_found_dark_matter_at_the_bottom_of_a_mine_in_minnesota
5)Wrapping things up with something geek related, it is often something sent to me by Troll, this is another of those "thanks Troll" weeks. And another of those top of the heap lists, this time the top five. Namely the top five worst tech products of 2009, I feel lucky to have avoided every one of them. http://blogs.techrepublic.com.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Google testing its own phone, 2010 release projected.
Google Inc. is letting employees around the world test what is expected to be its first branded phone ahead of a planned release next year.
Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals
$7 8 Rayovac 4.0 AA Rechargeable Batteries for $7 + free shipping
Adorama via Amazon.com offers two Rayovac 4.0 AA Rechargeable Battery 4-Packs for $7.49 with free shipping.
Staples offers the $160 Seagate BlackArmor 110 1TB NAS for $160 + free shipping $0.16/GB). That's $20 under our November mention and the lowest total price we could find by $40. Sales tax is added where applicable. This network attached storage device is designed to provide centralized storage and data backup for up to 20 PCs, enables automatic data mirroring with RAID 1 configuration, features two USB 2.0 ports, event email notification, can function as an FTP server for remote file access, and can stream media to DLNA-compliant devices and computers running iTunes software.
$100 AOC 22" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display for $100 + free shipping
Buy.com offers the AOC 21.5" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. 2236VW, for $129.99 with free shipping. Pay via PayPal and it drops to $99.99. native resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), 60,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, 5 ms response time, and both DVI and VGA input. Deal ends December 19.
Newegg has the refurbished Netgear WNR834B RangeMax NEXT Wireless Router with draft 802.11n support for $45 - coupon code EMCMNMW37 [Exp 12/24] + $2 shipping = $27 shipped. A good price for a refurb, considerin these sell new for $70 or more. This is a firewalled router/access point. See Specs.
Dell Home again offers the Dell S2409W 24" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor for $279. Add it to your cart and it falls to $189. With free shipping, that's the lowest total price we could find by $37, although it was $10 less three days ago (since expired). Sales tax is added where applicable. It features a native resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, one HDMI input, and DVI-D and VGA inputs.
FRY's Viewsonic vx2433 24" Widescreen LCD Full 1080P HDMI DVI VGA inputs
Refurbished Netgear 802.11n Wireless 4-Port Router for $25 + $8 s&h
TigerDirect.com offers the factory-refurbished Netgear 802.11n Wireless 4-Port Broadband Router, model no. WNR2000-100NA, for $24.99 plus $7.99 for shipping. Although that's $11 over our August mention, it's still $46 under the lowest total price we could find for a new, factory-sealed unit. It features parental controls, an internal antenna, and more. A 3-month Netgear warranty applies
Adorama via Amazon.com offers two Rayovac 4.0 AA Rechargeable Battery 4-Packs for $7.49 with free shipping.
Staples offers the $160 Seagate BlackArmor 110 1TB NAS for $160 + free shipping $0.16/GB). That's $20 under our November mention and the lowest total price we could find by $40. Sales tax is added where applicable. This network attached storage device is designed to provide centralized storage and data backup for up to 20 PCs, enables automatic data mirroring with RAID 1 configuration, features two USB 2.0 ports, event email notification, can function as an FTP server for remote file access, and can stream media to DLNA-compliant devices and computers running iTunes software.
$100 AOC 22" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display for $100 + free shipping
Buy.com offers the AOC 21.5" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. 2236VW, for $129.99 with free shipping. Pay via PayPal and it drops to $99.99. native resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), 60,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, 5 ms response time, and both DVI and VGA input. Deal ends December 19.
Newegg has the refurbished Netgear WNR834B RangeMax NEXT Wireless Router with draft 802.11n support for $45 - coupon code EMCMNMW37 [Exp 12/24] + $2 shipping = $27 shipped. A good price for a refurb, considerin these sell new for $70 or more. This is a firewalled router/access point. See Specs.
Dell Home again offers the Dell S2409W 24" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor for $279. Add it to your cart and it falls to $189. With free shipping, that's the lowest total price we could find by $37, although it was $10 less three days ago (since expired). Sales tax is added where applicable. It features a native resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, one HDMI input, and DVI-D and VGA inputs.
FRY's Viewsonic vx2433 24" Widescreen LCD Full 1080P HDMI DVI VGA inputs
Refurbished Netgear 802.11n Wireless 4-Port Router for $25 + $8 s&h
TigerDirect.com offers the factory-refurbished Netgear 802.11n Wireless 4-Port Broadband Router, model no. WNR2000-100NA, for $24.99 plus $7.99 for shipping. Although that's $11 over our August mention, it's still $46 under the lowest total price we could find for a new, factory-sealed unit. It features parental controls, an internal antenna, and more. A 3-month Netgear warranty applies
Monday, December 14, 2009
In Shift, U.S. Talks to Russia on Internet Security - Series - NYTimes.com
I referred to this NY Times article on the show talking about the US and Russia possibly agreeing on a Cyberwar arms treaty....
Sunday, December 13, 2009
OnComputers Radio show Podcast 12-13-09
This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 12-13-09. 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) My opening link this week was sent to me from Earl combines several favorite topics, greening up cities, saving money and resources, creativity, and food. We are talking about green; and edible building roofs. While I prefer full blown vertical farming, and I still think that will be our future, this is a great way to get started. This is a trend worldwide now, and not just roofs, I found several sites on green walls to match. http://www.sustainweb.org
2) This is a site for those who like online video clips, this is a list of the top 100 iconic internet video clips, with an additional 14 sent in as obvious omissions. I spent a little time here saw quite a few I remembered and several that were totally new, at least to me. http://www.urlesque.com
3) This is a follow up on one I have posted twice already; I just think it is so cool. “Journey to the Center of the Earth” was a movie I liked and this always makes me think of that. This is the latest on the giant crystal caves in Mexico National Geographic is making a film, and including footage from the caves. This is an article about the shooting of the segment. http://www.ironammonite.com
4) This is an article about one of the more disturbing aspects of the internet, at least for me. I listened to an interview with the author so I just had to post something on it. Seems there are people out there selling political influence via email, using our names and info without our knowledge. Using virtual game money, and surveys to entice us, when we click the submit button for the survey we filled out to get virtual money to buy a machine gun to play Mafia on face book it sends an email to our state senator with out our knowledge or consent. http://www.businessinsider.com
5) For my geek link of the week, I could not resist this. It is about that new fangled thing called the internet, what at the time was a breaking news T.V. video segment, about new technology. Chuckle, chuckle, they had no clue what was coming. But then, it causes one to reflect that sometime in the future they will be looking at our technology of today saying with a chuckle they really had no clue. http://www.examiner.com
2) This is a site for those who like online video clips, this is a list of the top 100 iconic internet video clips, with an additional 14 sent in as obvious omissions. I spent a little time here saw quite a few I remembered and several that were totally new, at least to me. http://www.urlesque.com
3) This is a follow up on one I have posted twice already; I just think it is so cool. “Journey to the Center of the Earth” was a movie I liked and this always makes me think of that. This is the latest on the giant crystal caves in Mexico National Geographic is making a film, and including footage from the caves. This is an article about the shooting of the segment. http://www.ironammonite.com
4) This is an article about one of the more disturbing aspects of the internet, at least for me. I listened to an interview with the author so I just had to post something on it. Seems there are people out there selling political influence via email, using our names and info without our knowledge. Using virtual game money, and surveys to entice us, when we click the submit button for the survey we filled out to get virtual money to buy a machine gun to play Mafia on face book it sends an email to our state senator with out our knowledge or consent. http://www.businessinsider.com
5) For my geek link of the week, I could not resist this. It is about that new fangled thing called the internet, what at the time was a breaking news T.V. video segment, about new technology. Chuckle, chuckle, they had no clue what was coming. But then, it causes one to reflect that sometime in the future they will be looking at our technology of today saying with a chuckle they really had no clue. http://www.examiner.com
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals
HANNspree 32 inch LCD HDTV (1080p) $349.99 Free Shipping , Dec.Newegg has the HANNspree 1920x1080 @ 1080p; 4 HDMI; HD tuner
Dell Vostro 220s Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Desktop PC w/ 22" LCD for $439 + free shipping
Dell Small Business again has the Dell Vostro 220s Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Slim Tower Desktop PC with the Dell E2210H 21.5" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $439 with free shipping. That's $314 off and tied... (more)
Hotness: Posted 2 days 10 hr ago
Refurbished HP Pavilion p6110y Intel Dual Core 2.6GHz PC for $349 + free shipping
JR.com offers the factory-refurbished HP Pavilion p6110y Pentium Dual-Core 2.6GHz Desktop PC, model no. NY429AA, for $349 with free shipping. 6GB RAM, 640GB hard drive, Gigabit Ethernet, dual layer DVD burner with LightScribe, front-side USB and audio ports, 15-in-1 memory card reader, and Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit. A 90-day HP warranty applies.
Newegg has the Asus EAH4350 SILENT/DI/512MD2(LP) Radeon HD 4350 512MB HDCP PCI-E Video Card (Low-Profile) for a low $19.99 Free Shipping after rebate. Tax in CA, NJ, TN, PR.
This video card is both fanless (silent) and low-profile. This makes it a perfect graphics card to use in an HTPC (or home theater PC) build.
Synaps 24" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display from $155 + free shipping
TigerDirect.com offers the Synaps 24" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. 11010230Y3, for $159.99. Pay via Google Checkout and the price drops to $154.99. With free shipping, that's $5 under our November mention and the lowest total price we could find by $32. It features a native resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300cd/m² brightness, 5ms response time, and both DVI and VGA inputs.
Foldable USB Keyboard for $10 + free shipping
eForCity.com offers this Foldable USB Keyboard for $10.99 with free shipping. Add it to your cart and apply coupon code "EFWS120745" to cut the price to $9.99. That's $23 off and the lowest total price we could find.
Netgear RangeMax Wireless Router = $17 w/ code EMCMNML72
Newegg has the Cavalry CAXM Series 1TB eSATA & USB 2.0 External Hard Drive for a low $69.99 after rebate. $1.99 Shipping. Tax in CA, NJ, TN, PR.
Includes eSATA cable and bracket
Dell Home has the Dell S2409W 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor for a low $189.00 Free 2nd Day Shipping. (Be sure to select the 2nd Day Shipping). Tax in most.
1920x1080; 5ms; 1000:1 contrast ratio; 300nits; HDMI, DVI, VGA; 3yr warranty
Dell Vostro 220s Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Desktop PC w/ 22" LCD for $439 + free shipping
Dell Small Business again has the Dell Vostro 220s Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Slim Tower Desktop PC with the Dell E2210H 21.5" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $439 with free shipping. That's $314 off and tied... (more)
Hotness: Posted 2 days 10 hr ago
Refurbished HP Pavilion p6110y Intel Dual Core 2.6GHz PC for $349 + free shipping
JR.com offers the factory-refurbished HP Pavilion p6110y Pentium Dual-Core 2.6GHz Desktop PC, model no. NY429AA, for $349 with free shipping. 6GB RAM, 640GB hard drive, Gigabit Ethernet, dual layer DVD burner with LightScribe, front-side USB and audio ports, 15-in-1 memory card reader, and Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit. A 90-day HP warranty applies.
Newegg has the Asus EAH4350 SILENT/DI/512MD2(LP) Radeon HD 4350 512MB HDCP PCI-E Video Card (Low-Profile) for a low $19.99 Free Shipping after rebate. Tax in CA, NJ, TN, PR.
This video card is both fanless (silent) and low-profile. This makes it a perfect graphics card to use in an HTPC (or home theater PC) build.
Synaps 24" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display from $155 + free shipping
TigerDirect.com offers the Synaps 24" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. 11010230Y3, for $159.99. Pay via Google Checkout and the price drops to $154.99. With free shipping, that's $5 under our November mention and the lowest total price we could find by $32. It features a native resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300cd/m² brightness, 5ms response time, and both DVI and VGA inputs.
Foldable USB Keyboard for $10 + free shipping
eForCity.com offers this Foldable USB Keyboard for $10.99 with free shipping. Add it to your cart and apply coupon code "EFWS120745" to cut the price to $9.99. That's $23 off and the lowest total price we could find.
Netgear RangeMax Wireless Router = $17 w/ code EMCMNML72
Newegg has the Cavalry CAXM Series 1TB eSATA & USB 2.0 External Hard Drive for a low $69.99 after rebate. $1.99 Shipping. Tax in CA, NJ, TN, PR.
Includes eSATA cable and bracket
Dell Home has the Dell S2409W 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor for a low $189.00 Free 2nd Day Shipping. (Be sure to select the 2nd Day Shipping). Tax in most.
1920x1080; 5ms; 1000:1 contrast ratio; 300nits; HDMI, DVI, VGA; 3yr warranty
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Microsoft Discontinues Windows 7 Family Pack, Claiming Sellout
You can still get it but it will cost you more than before. - Earl
Mozilla Releases Thunderbird 3 to Public
Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, the long-overdue Thunderbird 3 introduces several hefty new features and some long-needed improvements, including an overhauled search and message indexing, - Earl
Sunday, December 06, 2009
OnComputers Radio show Podcast 12-06-09
This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 12-06-09. 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
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit OEM $166 at eWiz.com
eWiz.com has the Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit OEM System Builder's DVD for $171 - $5 off with coupon code SANTA5 [Exp 12/7] = $166 with free shipping.
· Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit 1-Pack = $166 shipped w/ SANTA5 [Exp 12/7]
· Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack = $135 shipped w/ SANTA5 [Exp 12/7]
· Windows 7 Professional 32-bit 1-Pack = $130 shipped w/ SANTA5 [Exp 12/7]
· Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack = $95 shipped w/ SANTA5 [Exp 12/7]
· Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit 1-Pack = $95 shipped w/ SANTA5 [Exp 12/7]
2494SW 24" LCD + Logitech MK300 $190 at Dell Business
Dell Business has the Samsung 2494SW 24" LCD + Logitech Desktop MK300 Bundle for $280 - $90 off with coupon code LCR4MW$0BGM3MG [1100 uses] = $190 with free shipping. It sports a full 1080p resolution, 50000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, and built-in speakers.
100 Pack (2x50) Memorex 16x DVD+R Media Spindle Kit $20 at Buy.com Buy.com has the 100 Pack (2x50) Memorex 16x DVD+R Media Spindle Kit for $20 with free shipping
Dell Vostro 220s Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Desktop PC w/ 22" LCD
$439+ free shipping This PC features an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz dual-core processor, 2GB RAM, 250GB Serial ATA hard drive, DVD-ROM drive, Gigabit
VoIP / Skype Mini Flexible Microphone 2-Pack for $5 + free shipping
eForCity.com offers this VoIP / Skype Mini Flexible Microphone 2-Pack for $6.99. Coupon code "EFWS113060" cuts it to $4.99.features a 3.5mm plug that fits the "microphone in" jack on most computers. Deal ends December 7.
ViewSonic VX2433wm 24" Widescreen 1080p LCD $170 at eCost
eCost has the refurbished ViewSonic VX2433wm 24" Widescreen 1080p LCD Monitor for $150 + $20 shipping = $170 shipped. [
· Full HD 1080p display with 1920x1080 resolution, 5ms response time
· Stereo speakers with SRS WOW HD, 20,000:1 dynamic contast ratio
eWiz.com has the Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit OEM System Builder's DVD for $171 - $5 off with coupon code SANTA5 [Exp 12/7] = $166 with free shipping.
· Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit 1-Pack = $166 shipped w/ SANTA5 [Exp 12/7]
· Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack = $135 shipped w/ SANTA5 [Exp 12/7]
· Windows 7 Professional 32-bit 1-Pack = $130 shipped w/ SANTA5 [Exp 12/7]
· Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack = $95 shipped w/ SANTA5 [Exp 12/7]
· Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit 1-Pack = $95 shipped w/ SANTA5 [Exp 12/7]
2494SW 24" LCD + Logitech MK300 $190 at Dell Business
Dell Business has the Samsung 2494SW 24" LCD + Logitech Desktop MK300 Bundle for $280 - $90 off with coupon code LCR4MW$0BGM3MG [1100 uses] = $190 with free shipping. It sports a full 1080p resolution, 50000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, and built-in speakers.
100 Pack (2x50) Memorex 16x DVD+R Media Spindle Kit $20 at Buy.com Buy.com has the 100 Pack (2x50) Memorex 16x DVD+R Media Spindle Kit for $20 with free shipping
Dell Vostro 220s Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Desktop PC w/ 22" LCD
$439+ free shipping This PC features an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz dual-core processor, 2GB RAM, 250GB Serial ATA hard drive, DVD-ROM drive, Gigabit
VoIP / Skype Mini Flexible Microphone 2-Pack for $5 + free shipping
eForCity.com offers this VoIP / Skype Mini Flexible Microphone 2-Pack for $6.99. Coupon code "EFWS113060" cuts it to $4.99.features a 3.5mm plug that fits the "microphone in" jack on most computers. Deal ends December 7.
ViewSonic VX2433wm 24" Widescreen 1080p LCD $170 at eCost
eCost has the refurbished ViewSonic VX2433wm 24" Widescreen 1080p LCD Monitor for $150 + $20 shipping = $170 shipped. [
· Full HD 1080p display with 1920x1080 resolution, 5ms response time
· Stereo speakers with SRS WOW HD, 20,000:1 dynamic contast ratio
Links from the Gregg Zone
I need to start with an apology to anyone who sent me links this week, I had so many and I kept adding them to my bookmark folder I lost track of who sent what. If I did not use something you sent this week, maybe next week. But, thank you one and all.
1) Starting again with a green car technology that looks promising, and seemingly in the near future. This is one that was new to me, called the Wave Disk Engine and Electricity Generator. Just a little over my head in trying to understand the concept, but sure looks like a player in the hybrid market. It improves the standard by a factor of five. http://blogs.zdnet.com
2) As long as we are talking cars, how fast do you think a car is capable of? I was surprised to find this article about a British team with a car they expect to shatter the land speed record with, they are talking about exceeding 1000 mph. I am not sure what practical use there is for such a machine, but I do think it is very cool. http://blogs.zdnet.com
3) This is one of those new so called technological advancements in the way we do things that I find personally disturbing. Kind of falls into that category of generational shifting I often talk about. It just seems to be another step in the direction of news media morphing into something I have more and more difficulty relating to. I miss what I think of as real news reporting, news departments of the past would assign a story to a reporter who would spend a month or two digging into the issue, think Watergate. Those days are gone, I hope this is not the future, but due to cost savings I fear it is right around the corner. http://www.popsci.com
4) Speaking of things that disturb me coming into the mainstream, granted this is in England, George Orwell land. But, these things have a habit of spreading, might take a long time to catch on here, but we seem to be heading in this direction. Only time will tell http://news.bbc.co.uk
5) For my geek link of the week I found this with memory storage growing at such an impressive rate for the last few years the idea of extreme advancements might seem like a dream. This may wake everyone up, and soon. New and improved coming soon to your local computer store. http://www.physorg.com
1) Starting again with a green car technology that looks promising, and seemingly in the near future. This is one that was new to me, called the Wave Disk Engine and Electricity Generator. Just a little over my head in trying to understand the concept, but sure looks like a player in the hybrid market. It improves the standard by a factor of five. http://blogs.zdnet.com
2) As long as we are talking cars, how fast do you think a car is capable of? I was surprised to find this article about a British team with a car they expect to shatter the land speed record with, they are talking about exceeding 1000 mph. I am not sure what practical use there is for such a machine, but I do think it is very cool. http://blogs.zdnet.com
3) This is one of those new so called technological advancements in the way we do things that I find personally disturbing. Kind of falls into that category of generational shifting I often talk about. It just seems to be another step in the direction of news media morphing into something I have more and more difficulty relating to. I miss what I think of as real news reporting, news departments of the past would assign a story to a reporter who would spend a month or two digging into the issue, think Watergate. Those days are gone, I hope this is not the future, but due to cost savings I fear it is right around the corner. http://www.popsci.com
4) Speaking of things that disturb me coming into the mainstream, granted this is in England, George Orwell land. But, these things have a habit of spreading, might take a long time to catch on here, but we seem to be heading in this direction. Only time will tell http://news.bbc.co.uk
5) For my geek link of the week I found this with memory storage growing at such an impressive rate for the last few years the idea of extreme advancements might seem like a dream. This may wake everyone up, and soon. New and improved coming soon to your local computer store. http://www.physorg.com
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Windows 7 family pack starting to sell out | Beyond Binary - CNET News
"'The Windows 7 Family Pack was introduced as a limited time offer while supplies last in select geographies,' Microsoft said in a statement. 'Response has been very positive and in some cases, the offer has sold out. '"
If you want to take advantage of this offer you better go for it before it's all gone!
AlaskaJoe
If you want to take advantage of this offer you better go for it before it's all gone!
AlaskaJoe
Windows 7 10-in-1 Ultimate Steve Ballmer Signature Edition Sold on USB Flash Drives in China
Windows 7 pre-loaded on USB Flash drives for sale in CHina as Windows 7 10-in-1 Ultimate Steve Ballmer Signature Edition"
Botnet continues massive H1N1 malware campaign
Botnet continues massive H1N1 malware campaign :: Hack In The Box :: Keeping Knowledge Free: "A massive spam campaign that poses as a message from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) asking people to register for H1N1 vaccinations remains a big problem"
Friday, December 04, 2009
Patch Tuesday - Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for December 2009
It's Parch Tuesday this coming Tuesday and MS has some important fixes. Microsoft is lining up a fix for a zero-day vulnerability in Internet Explorer as part of the decade's last ever Patch Tuesday update.Tuesday is due to bring six bulletins, three of which are critical. The critical fixes address flaws in Windows and Office as well as IE. The Office update covers flaws in Project, Word and Works 8.5.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
McAfee uncovers riskiest domains | Security - CNET News
"McAfee's third annual 'Mapping the Mal Web' report, released Wednesday, looks at riskiest and safest domains across the globe."
This is a reason computers get infected with Malware and Virus. The generic and widely used .com domain itself isn't much safer, according to McAfee, jumping from ninth last year to second this year in riskiness, with 32.2 percent of its sites potentially hazardous to your PC's health.
I can't tell people how important it is to keep your computer's security up to date. As long as you haven't Disable User Account Control in Windows Vista or Windows 7 you are mush safer. (You still need to be careful) However if you are running WindowsXP or older windows you are in danger all of the time. Another advantage of Linux, Security :)
Interesting report you should look at it. You might stop going on the Internet! :(
AlaskaJoe
This is a reason computers get infected with Malware and Virus. The generic and widely used .com domain itself isn't much safer, according to McAfee, jumping from ninth last year to second this year in riskiness, with 32.2 percent of its sites potentially hazardous to your PC's health.
I can't tell people how important it is to keep your computer's security up to date. As long as you haven't Disable User Account Control in Windows Vista or Windows 7 you are mush safer. (You still need to be careful) However if you are running WindowsXP or older windows you are in danger all of the time. Another advantage of Linux, Security :)
Interesting report you should look at it. You might stop going on the Internet! :(
AlaskaJoe
Sunday, November 29, 2009
OnComputers Radio show Podcast 11-29-09
This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 11-29-09. 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.
Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals
newegg.com offers the Lenovo IdeaCentre K230 Intel Core 2 Quad 2.33GHz Desktop PC, model no. 53594GU, for $449.99 with free shipping. Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz quad-core processor, 6GB RAM, 640GB Serial ATA hard drive, DVD burner, open PCIe x 16 card slot, Gigabit Ethernet, memory card reader, and Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit. (It's eligible for a free Windows 7 upgrade from Lenovo.)
Hitachi 1TB SATA 3Gbps Internal Hard Drive for $65 + free shipping
newegg.com offers the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.B 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. HD31000IDK/7, for $64.99 with free shipping 16MB cache and runs at 7200 rpm.
Intel Core i5-750 2.66GHz LGA1156 Quad-Core Processor $179.99 Free Shipping ,
SuperBiiz.com (eWiz.com) has the Intel Core i5-750 2.66GHz Socket LGA 1156 Quad-Core Processor (RETAIL) for $179.99 Free Shipping after Coupon Code: BFCPU20 (Exp 11/30). Tax in CA. For those lucky enough to live near a Micro Center, get it for $149.99
eWiz.com has the Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit OEM System Builder's DVD for $171 - 10% off with coupon code BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30] = $171 with free shipping. Ultimate includes everything that's found in Home and Professional editions in one package. [Compare]
Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit 1-Pack = $171 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack = $125 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Professional 32-bit 1-Pack = $125 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack = $94 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit 1-Pack = $94 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
NewEgg Black Friday Deals good until 11/29
Dell Small Business offers the Dell PowerEdge T100 Pentium Dual-Core 2.7GHz Server (pictured) for $249 plus $25 for shipping
It comes with an Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5400 2.7GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive, DVD-ROM, and Gigabit Ethernet. No OS is included.
7-Port USB 2.0 "Squid" Hub with built-in cables for $9 + free shipping
Shop4Tech.com offers this 7-Port "Squid" USB 2.0 Hub in Black for $8.99.
Toshiba Satellite L505-S5984 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1GHz 16" Widescreen Notebook for $399.99. With $14.99 for shipping,
CompUSA has the Synaps 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor (11010230Y3) for $160 + $0 shipping= $160 shipped
Hitachi 1TB SATA 3Gbps Internal Hard Drive for $65 + free shipping
newegg.com offers the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.B 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. HD31000IDK/7, for $64.99 with free shipping 16MB cache and runs at 7200 rpm.
Intel Core i5-750 2.66GHz LGA1156 Quad-Core Processor $179.99 Free Shipping ,
SuperBiiz.com (eWiz.com) has the Intel Core i5-750 2.66GHz Socket LGA 1156 Quad-Core Processor (RETAIL) for $179.99 Free Shipping after Coupon Code: BFCPU20 (Exp 11/30). Tax in CA. For those lucky enough to live near a Micro Center, get it for $149.99
eWiz.com has the Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit OEM System Builder's DVD for $171 - 10% off with coupon code BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30] = $171 with free shipping. Ultimate includes everything that's found in Home and Professional editions in one package. [Compare]
Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit 1-Pack = $171 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack = $125 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Professional 32-bit 1-Pack = $125 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack = $94 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit 1-Pack = $94 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
NewEgg Black Friday Deals good until 11/29
Dell Small Business offers the Dell PowerEdge T100 Pentium Dual-Core 2.7GHz Server (pictured) for $249 plus $25 for shipping
It comes with an Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5400 2.7GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive, DVD-ROM, and Gigabit Ethernet. No OS is included.
7-Port USB 2.0 "Squid" Hub with built-in cables for $9 + free shipping
Shop4Tech.com offers this 7-Port "Squid" USB 2.0 Hub in Black for $8.99.
Toshiba Satellite L505-S5984 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1GHz 16" Widescreen Notebook for $399.99. With $14.99 for shipping,
CompUSA has the Synaps 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor (11010230Y3) for $160 + $0 shipping= $160 shipped
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Links from the Gregg Zone!
1) Just to start off let me say if you recently sent me an email with links I apologize for not reading them yet. I am in Southern California for Thanksgiving, and missing most of my usual connections, that coupled with spending a lot of time doing other things here may be reflected in my show contributions this week. But, to start off I ran across this article about potential battery news. They are claiming batteries that last twenty years, discharge like a capacitor, and keep working after being shot up with a machine gun. http://www.greentechmedia.com
2) We all know how I love a conspiracy, and given my tendency’s to gravitate toward the edge of the zone. You have to know I have been following this one with interest, there are some very credible people asking about the possibility that the Large Hadron Collider is being sabotaged from the future. This article is from Time magazine so you know someone must be taking it with more than a grain of salt. http://www.time.com
3) With all these stories about the air lines cutting back on services, when I saw this I thought I would toss it in for a little balance. This seems just a little over the top in the other direction. If you are looking for an air line that offers you over the top amenities this may be for you. http://englishrussia.com
4) This is an article about something I had not heard of, but does not surprise me; it was just flying under my radar. When I saw the article I thought this has probably been a problem for ever, I just never had an occasion to think about it. Anyway I just thought it may hit others the same way. If you commit a crime while sleep walking are you, or should you be responsible? http://www.newscientist.com
5) Geek link for the week is a glimpse of what Intel has on their radar for your future, the idea makes me a little nervous, but then the world of 2020 promises to be way different than today, so why not. http://www.popsci.com
2) We all know how I love a conspiracy, and given my tendency’s to gravitate toward the edge of the zone. You have to know I have been following this one with interest, there are some very credible people asking about the possibility that the Large Hadron Collider is being sabotaged from the future. This article is from Time magazine so you know someone must be taking it with more than a grain of salt. http://www.time.com
3) With all these stories about the air lines cutting back on services, when I saw this I thought I would toss it in for a little balance. This seems just a little over the top in the other direction. If you are looking for an air line that offers you over the top amenities this may be for you. http://englishrussia.com
4) This is an article about something I had not heard of, but does not surprise me; it was just flying under my radar. When I saw the article I thought this has probably been a problem for ever, I just never had an occasion to think about it. Anyway I just thought it may hit others the same way. If you commit a crime while sleep walking are you, or should you be responsible? http://www.newscientist.com
5) Geek link for the week is a glimpse of what Intel has on their radar for your future, the idea makes me a little nervous, but then the world of 2020 promises to be way different than today, so why not. http://www.popsci.com
Friday, November 27, 2009
Five ways to lose your identity (and wallet) this holiday season
"The growth of holiday hackers has annually prompted security analysts, identity theft awareness groups and various government agencies to come up with lists of precautions that consumers can take to avoid becoming a victim of online fraud. Such lists can prove a benefit to consumers, but unfortunately some people ignore it."
If your going shopping online this holiday season, (and who doesn't?) Maybe you should read this article.
AlaskaJoe
If your going shopping online this holiday season, (and who doesn't?) Maybe you should read this article.
AlaskaJoe
Symantec Online Store Hacked - User passwords and product serial numbers potentially exposed - Softpedia
"A self-proclaimed grey-hat hacker has located a critical SQL injection vulnerability in a website belonging to security giant Symantec. The flaw can be leveraged to extract a wealth of information from the database including customer and admin login credentials, product serial numbers, and possibly credit card information."
What Anti-Virus do you use? Other than slowing your PC down and not protecting it, Why are you running Symantec?
AlaskaJoe
What Anti-Virus do you use? Other than slowing your PC down and not protecting it, Why are you running Symantec?
AlaskaJoe
Ancient Martians were carried to Earth: Scientific American
The above link is from Scientific American and not some weirdo tabloid.
Monday, November 23, 2009
BLACK FRIDAY early DEALS this blog updated until Black Friday
Categories at BlackFriday .info
Black Friday Ads at BFads.net
BlackFriday.com
More BlackFriday Ads
D-Link® DIR-615 Wireless-N Router $20 Free Shipping
eWiz.com has the Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit OEM System Builder's DVD for $171 - 10% off with coupon code BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30] = $171 with free shipping. Ultimate includes everything that's found in Home and Professional editions in one package. [Compare]
Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit 1-Pack = $171 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack = $125 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Professional 32-bit 1-Pack = $125 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack = $94 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit 1-Pack = $94 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
NewEgg Black Friday Deals good until 11/29
THere must be FIFTY HardDrive BlkFri Deals here.
http://www.cheapstingybargains.com/ has lots of Dell systems, $184 Dell netbooks and computer accesories as well as tech deals.
newegg.com again offers the Western Digital Caviar 1.5TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. WD15EADS, for $89.99 with free shipping
Dell Small Business offers the Dell PowerEdge T100 Pentium Dual-Core 2.7GHz Server (pictured) for $249 plus $25 for shipping
It comes with an Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5400 2.7GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive, DVD-ROM, and Gigabit Ethernet. No OS is included.
7-Port USB 2.0 "Squid" Hub with built-in cables for $7 + free shipping
Shop4Tech.com offers this 7-Port "Squid" USB 2.0 Hub in Black for $8.99. Add coupon code "BF18" to your cart to cut it to $7.37. With free shipping,
Toshiba Satellite L505-S5984 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1GHz 16" Widescreen Notebook for $399.99. With $14.99 for shipping,
Newegg has the refurbished Microsoft Zune 30GB Digital Video MP3 Player for $90 + $0 shipping = $90 shipped.
CompUSA has the Synaps 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor (11010230Y3) for $160 + $0 shipping= $160 shipped
Troll sent this one Get a 10-inch Netbook for $199
Wills sent this link - $39 Dell All In One Printer/Scanner
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Black Friday Ads at BFads.net
BlackFriday.com
More BlackFriday Ads
D-Link® DIR-615 Wireless-N Router $20 Free Shipping
eWiz.com has the Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit OEM System Builder's DVD for $171 - 10% off with coupon code BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30] = $171 with free shipping. Ultimate includes everything that's found in Home and Professional editions in one package. [Compare]
Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit 1-Pack = $171 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack = $125 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Professional 32-bit 1-Pack = $125 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack = $94 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit 1-Pack = $94 shipped w/ BLACKFRIDAY [Exp 11/30]
NewEgg Black Friday Deals good until 11/29
THere must be FIFTY HardDrive BlkFri Deals here.
http://www.cheapstingybargains.com/ has lots of Dell systems, $184 Dell netbooks and computer accesories as well as tech deals.
newegg.com again offers the Western Digital Caviar 1.5TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. WD15EADS, for $89.99 with free shipping
Dell Small Business offers the Dell PowerEdge T100 Pentium Dual-Core 2.7GHz Server (pictured) for $249 plus $25 for shipping
It comes with an Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5400 2.7GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive, DVD-ROM, and Gigabit Ethernet. No OS is included.
7-Port USB 2.0 "Squid" Hub with built-in cables for $7 + free shipping
Shop4Tech.com offers this 7-Port "Squid" USB 2.0 Hub in Black for $8.99. Add coupon code "BF18" to your cart to cut it to $7.37. With free shipping,
Toshiba Satellite L505-S5984 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1GHz 16" Widescreen Notebook for $399.99. With $14.99 for shipping,
Newegg has the refurbished Microsoft Zune 30GB Digital Video MP3 Player for $90 + $0 shipping = $90 shipped.
CompUSA has the Synaps 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor (11010230Y3) for $160 + $0 shipping= $160 shipped
Troll sent this one Get a 10-inch Netbook for $199
Wills sent this link - $39 Dell All In One Printer/Scanner
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Google Press Center: Press Release
"Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced that it is working with airports across the country as well as Boingo Wireless, Advanced Wireless Group, Airport Marketing Income and others to provide free Wi-Fi as a holiday gift now through January 15, 2010. The gift currently includes 47 airports, including Las Vegas, San Jose, Boston, Baltimore, Burbank, Houston, Indianapolis, Seattle, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, St. Louis and Charlotte. Additionally, as a result of this project, Burbank and Seattle airports will begin offering airport-wide free Wi-Fi indefinitely."
This is a very nice gift from Google, if you're traveling this holiday season use it while you are waiting. (70 minutes, on average)
Happy Traveling!
AlaskaJoe
This is a very nice gift from Google, if you're traveling this holiday season use it while you are waiting. (70 minutes, on average)
Happy Traveling!
AlaskaJoe
Is it OK to Use OEM Windows on Your Own PC? Don't Ask Microsoft - SuperSite Blog
"Is it OK to Use OEM Windows on Your Own PC? Don't Ask Microsoft"
This is interesting I don't know many people that read the EULA these days. (I do know someone that took 3 days to read the EULA for Skype.)
I'm a registered system builder with Microsoft so I'm OK. I don't think Microsoft is enforcing this part of the License.
I like Windows 7 better than any other OS from Microsoft. Try it you'll like it! :)
AlaskaJoe
This is interesting I don't know many people that read the EULA these days. (I do know someone that took 3 days to read the EULA for Skype.)
I'm a registered system builder with Microsoft so I'm OK. I don't think Microsoft is enforcing this part of the License.
I like Windows 7 better than any other OS from Microsoft. Try it you'll like it! :)
AlaskaJoe
Sunday, November 22, 2009
OnComputers Radio show Podcast 11-22-09
This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 11-22-09. 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) Green is an interesting subject; it can run from paying attention to habits at home, to the steady supply of new products and processes. Then there is those things we usually don’t think about here is an example of one of those, green rocket fuels, an interesting concept. http://www.astrobio.net
2) This is an amazing subject from Gizmondo they condensed several articles and videos into a new section called “This Cyborg Life” you can spend some time with this one I know I did. http://gizmodo.com
3) Bordering on the edge as far as useful products are concerned, at least for home use, or at least for home use living in Las Vegas. You guessed it I am referring to bomb proof wallpaper; I don’t suppose it will be coming to my local home depot soon. But then, considering tornadoes, and hurricanes maybe it will. http://nextbigfuture.com
4) This is one I hooked up with, thanks to Joe, we seem to be seeing a lot of things going on with the FCC lately. This is just one more, but kind of interesting and one of those things that seem like they were inevitable, when you think about it. http://mobihealthnews.com
5) Last up an offering from Troll, who often saves me when it comes to trying to find something geeky. Titled “Inside The Google Chrome O S Security Model! Zero Day” When I read that title I knew two things, I had the link I needed, and I would not be able to understand 80% of it http://blogs.zdnet.com
2) This is an amazing subject from Gizmondo they condensed several articles and videos into a new section called “This Cyborg Life” you can spend some time with this one I know I did. http://gizmodo.com
3) Bordering on the edge as far as useful products are concerned, at least for home use, or at least for home use living in Las Vegas. You guessed it I am referring to bomb proof wallpaper; I don’t suppose it will be coming to my local home depot soon. But then, considering tornadoes, and hurricanes maybe it will. http://nextbigfuture.com
4) This is one I hooked up with, thanks to Joe, we seem to be seeing a lot of things going on with the FCC lately. This is just one more, but kind of interesting and one of those things that seem like they were inevitable, when you think about it. http://mobihealthnews.com
5) Last up an offering from Troll, who often saves me when it comes to trying to find something geeky. Titled “Inside The Google Chrome O S Security Model! Zero Day” When I read that title I knew two things, I had the link I needed, and I would not be able to understand 80% of it http://blogs.zdnet.com
Saturday, November 21, 2009
No Telecommuting Allowed!
Trial/crapware banished from PCs bought from Microsoft store
"That's not really a great way to show off your new OS. After all, customers are expecting to get their new machines home and see performance from the get-go. While Microsoft can't control what makes it out the door at other retail stores, they're putting PCs they sell at their own store on an application diet."
A lot of people are buying new PC's now that Windows 7 is out. Your Windows XP PC is a bit long in the tooth! Now for under $500 you can get a new PC and LCD monitor, sometimes less.
When you get that new PC it's full of Trial/ crapware, this article has a link to help you remove it and help you install the apps you want and need, apps like Firefox, Skype, Open Office, ETC. In case you are to lazy to read this article here is the link to remove crapware.
Enjoy your new PC with Windows 7, I love mine!
AlaskaJoe
A lot of people are buying new PC's now that Windows 7 is out. Your Windows XP PC is a bit long in the tooth! Now for under $500 you can get a new PC and LCD monitor, sometimes less.
When you get that new PC it's full of Trial/ crapware, this article has a link to help you remove it and help you install the apps you want and need, apps like Firefox, Skype, Open Office, ETC. In case you are to lazy to read this article here is the link to remove crapware.
Enjoy your new PC with Windows 7, I love mine!
AlaskaJoe
Backup Your Ubuntu Machine Easily with SBackup :: the How-To Geek
"Your computer’s data is very critical and losing it can can occur due to variety of reasons. A complete (or even partial) backup of your system is always a good idea. SBackup is a tool that’ll help you backup and restore data on your Ubuntu machine with utmost ease."
With so many people trying Ubuntu these days, I though this would be a good article to post.
This is an easy way to protect your data. We all know we should always Back-Up our data regularly. ;)
This is just a copy and paste to install SBackup.
AlaskaJoe
With so many people trying Ubuntu these days, I though this would be a good article to post.
This is an easy way to protect your data. We all know we should always Back-Up our data regularly. ;)
This is just a copy and paste to install SBackup.
AlaskaJoe
Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals
Categories at BlackFriday .info
Black Friday Ads at BFads.net
BlackFriday.com
More BlackFriday Ads
Shop4Tech.com has a 7 Port USB 2.0 Hub with USB Cables for $9 - 15% off coupon code NM15 [Exp 11/21] = $8 with free shipping. It is powered through either the USB Bus or unobtainium.
Dell Business has the Vostro 220s Slim Tower plus Samsung 2494SW 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $419 + $35 shipping = $454 shipped. Add computer to cart to receive monitor. Pentium Dual-Core E5300 2.60GHz, 2GB DDR2, 80GB HDD, 16X DVD-ROM Integrated GMA X4500HD Video Card, Integrated 5.1 Channel Sound Card
Dell has the 15.6" Inspiron Laptop core Duo for $499 - $100 off coupon code 40M?6?W03KFH93 [Exp 12/4] = $399 with free shipping. Intel Pentium Dual Core T4200 2.0GHz, Windows 7 Home, 3GB, 250GB HDD Intel GMA 45 00HD video, CD/DVD Burner, Wireless, 6 Cell Battery
ZipZoomFly has the Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EADS 1TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive for $90 - $15 rebate [Exp 12/10] + $0 shipping = $75 shipped. These drives use less power and operate at lower temperatures and acoustics than standard desktop drives.
Acer Core 2 Quad 2.5GHz Desktop PC for $400 + free shipping
PC Connection again has the Acer Aspire M5700-E5801A Intel Core 2 Quad 2.5GHz Desktop PC, model no. PT.SB90X.009, for $399.95. With free shipping week ago for the least expensive Intel Core 2 Quad desktop PC we've seen. It features an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.5GHz quad-core processor, 4GB RAM, 750GB Serial ATA hard drive, dual layer DVD burner, integrated video plus one PCIe X 16 slot, Gigabit Ethernet, and Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit. Of note, it's eligible for a Windows 7 upgrade through Acer
Dell Small Business offers its Dell Vostro 220s Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Slim Tower Desktop PC with a Dell E Series E1910H 18.5" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $399 plus $35 for shipping. . Sales tax is added where applicable. This PC features an Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz dual-core processor, 2GB RAM, 160GB Serial ATA hard drive, DVD burner, Gigabit Ethernet, and Windows 7 Home Premium
Black Friday Ads at BFads.net
BlackFriday.com
More BlackFriday Ads
Shop4Tech.com has a 7 Port USB 2.0 Hub with USB Cables for $9 - 15% off coupon code NM15 [Exp 11/21] = $8 with free shipping. It is powered through either the USB Bus or unobtainium.
Dell Business has the Vostro 220s Slim Tower plus Samsung 2494SW 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $419 + $35 shipping = $454 shipped. Add computer to cart to receive monitor. Pentium Dual-Core E5300 2.60GHz, 2GB DDR2, 80GB HDD, 16X DVD-ROM Integrated GMA X4500HD Video Card, Integrated 5.1 Channel Sound Card
Dell has the 15.6" Inspiron Laptop core Duo for $499 - $100 off coupon code 40M?6?W03KFH93 [Exp 12/4] = $399 with free shipping. Intel Pentium Dual Core T4200 2.0GHz, Windows 7 Home, 3GB, 250GB HDD Intel GMA 45 00HD video, CD/DVD Burner, Wireless, 6 Cell Battery
ZipZoomFly has the Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EADS 1TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive for $90 - $15 rebate [Exp 12/10] + $0 shipping = $75 shipped. These drives use less power and operate at lower temperatures and acoustics than standard desktop drives.
Acer Core 2 Quad 2.5GHz Desktop PC for $400 + free shipping
PC Connection again has the Acer Aspire M5700-E5801A Intel Core 2 Quad 2.5GHz Desktop PC, model no. PT.SB90X.009, for $399.95. With free shipping week ago for the least expensive Intel Core 2 Quad desktop PC we've seen. It features an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.5GHz quad-core processor, 4GB RAM, 750GB Serial ATA hard drive, dual layer DVD burner, integrated video plus one PCIe X 16 slot, Gigabit Ethernet, and Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit. Of note, it's eligible for a Windows 7 upgrade through Acer
Dell Small Business offers its Dell Vostro 220s Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Slim Tower Desktop PC with a Dell E Series E1910H 18.5" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $399 plus $35 for shipping. . Sales tax is added where applicable. This PC features an Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz dual-core processor, 2GB RAM, 160GB Serial ATA hard drive, DVD burner, Gigabit Ethernet, and Windows 7 Home Premium
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Anyone can try out the Office 2010 Beta for One Year
MS Office 2010 Public Beta is yours to try out for one full yuear. Here is a link to download it,
News: OCZ Technology Announces 3.5″ 1TB Colossus SSDs
Can we start throwing hard drives away now? I have not yet seen an SSD in a standard desktop system but supposedly OCZ will soon make a 1 TB SSD.....
Apple machines are less reliable - The Inquirer
"Laptops from Toshiba and Sony were nearly 40 per cent more reliable than those from HP."
This is interesting, I have been saying Dell or HP, I guess I need to rethink my recommendations. "Acer, Gateway and HP had failure rates significantly higher than the average," the report said. I know Acer/Gateway/eMachine support is not one of my favorites. I had a customer with a new Acer desktop in 6 weeks the hard drive failed, I contacted Acer for the customer and was told they (Acer) would not ship me a new hard drive we (the customer) had to ship the whole computer back to them for replacement. That cost my customer an extra $50 for shipping.
I know Riley has a Toshiba and is very happy with it and has been for a few years.
I hope my new Netbook last. I got it from Costco and they give you a 2 year warranty.
AlaskaJoe
This is interesting, I have been saying Dell or HP, I guess I need to rethink my recommendations. "Acer, Gateway and HP had failure rates significantly higher than the average," the report said. I know Acer/Gateway/eMachine support is not one of my favorites. I had a customer with a new Acer desktop in 6 weeks the hard drive failed, I contacted Acer for the customer and was told they (Acer) would not ship me a new hard drive we (the customer) had to ship the whole computer back to them for replacement. That cost my customer an extra $50 for shipping.
I know Riley has a Toshiba and is very happy with it and has been for a few years.
I hope my new Netbook last. I got it from Costco and they give you a 2 year warranty.
AlaskaJoe
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Credit Card Scam Bilking Users of "Club" fees
Just using your credit card at sites like Buy.com can be dangerous if you click on any "extra" offer as the site may give your credit card number to a club that bills you every month. VIDEO
Sunday, November 15, 2009
OnComputers Radio show Podcast 11-15-09
This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 11-15-09. 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) To start off the week as usual something green, or car, or the way I really like it a green car idea, or in this case a reality. Coming soon to Austin Texas, like very soon if not already there. The article I am using is from March this year, and they are calling for a roll out this fall. I am talking about “car2go” kind of like a zip car but better, and easier. With the zip you need to return it, and pay until you do. With car2go you just park it anywhere in the city limits, and you are done, just lock and leave. Sign up on line; locate a car using your phone, or computer. Reserve or just go on the fly, pay by min., hr. or day, gas, insurance, repairs, everything provided. This really sounds like a very user friendly system. http://www.benzinsider.com/
2) Sticking with favorite subjects, I am going to offer one on food. This is a very nice site for anyone who is concerned about what you eat. It is put up by Whole Foods a clickable listing of the worlds healthiest foods. There are 129 foods listed, you click on one and you get, a description, nutrient chart, health benefits, history, how to select and store, recipes, health concerns, and a reference list of where the info came from. I have not found anything as easy to use and informative when it comes to understanding what you are eating as this http://www.whfoods.com
3) Now we are going to step into one of the more interesting areas of the zone. There has been quite a bit of rumor, and speculation floating around the net lately about whether or not Obama is going to be the disclosure president. The entire UFO situation is going off the charts these days, for some reason the U.S. is holding back, activity worldwide is increasing expediently, and a lot of other countries are wondering what’s up with us, why are we holding back? Some of this is coming from sources not usually considered to be that far out. Like the Vatican there are some very interesting links in this article. The main argument is that they are releasing bits and pieces to prepare us for disclosure http://www.examiner.com
4) Here is another extremely interesting link dealing with the subject of computers, and mind. The article titled “Mind Reading (Neural Decoding) Goes Mainstream”. Along with some very interesting reading are four super videos, the first is a segment from Sixty Minutes on what is going on in the field. I liked the part where they read Lesley Stahl’s thoughts and got ten for ten correct. The second is a video from a tech show showing “Geek Girl” using the “Star Wars Force Trainer”. The third is from Emotive on their new headset, I did a link on this last year, but they seem to have come a long way. You can use the headset to give your avatar facial expression to match yours, or in a game change the intensity of the action by its reading your thought process, even control the game with out using your hands, thought alone. And the last video is from Honda connecting your mind to a robot, wheel chair, or your house you think it is a little cool in here and the house reads your thoughts, adjusts the thermostat. Check them all out here, very cool site http://www.hplusmagazine.com
5) This geek link comes from Troll, thanks again. I was particularly caught by the line Intel will pay AMD 1.25 billion dollars in cash within thirty days. Like they will just take it out of petty cash, or what. I have to admit I am not familiar with this action at all, have not had time to read the article in full yet. But, I think tomorrow I will have to check out a graph of AMD’s stock chart just out of curiosity. Sometimes numbers can be a little unsettling. http://blogs.zdnet.com
2) Sticking with favorite subjects, I am going to offer one on food. This is a very nice site for anyone who is concerned about what you eat. It is put up by Whole Foods a clickable listing of the worlds healthiest foods. There are 129 foods listed, you click on one and you get, a description, nutrient chart, health benefits, history, how to select and store, recipes, health concerns, and a reference list of where the info came from. I have not found anything as easy to use and informative when it comes to understanding what you are eating as this http://www.whfoods.com
3) Now we are going to step into one of the more interesting areas of the zone. There has been quite a bit of rumor, and speculation floating around the net lately about whether or not Obama is going to be the disclosure president. The entire UFO situation is going off the charts these days, for some reason the U.S. is holding back, activity worldwide is increasing expediently, and a lot of other countries are wondering what’s up with us, why are we holding back? Some of this is coming from sources not usually considered to be that far out. Like the Vatican there are some very interesting links in this article. The main argument is that they are releasing bits and pieces to prepare us for disclosure http://www.examiner.com
4) Here is another extremely interesting link dealing with the subject of computers, and mind. The article titled “Mind Reading (Neural Decoding) Goes Mainstream”. Along with some very interesting reading are four super videos, the first is a segment from Sixty Minutes on what is going on in the field. I liked the part where they read Lesley Stahl’s thoughts and got ten for ten correct. The second is a video from a tech show showing “Geek Girl” using the “Star Wars Force Trainer”. The third is from Emotive on their new headset, I did a link on this last year, but they seem to have come a long way. You can use the headset to give your avatar facial expression to match yours, or in a game change the intensity of the action by its reading your thought process, even control the game with out using your hands, thought alone. And the last video is from Honda connecting your mind to a robot, wheel chair, or your house you think it is a little cool in here and the house reads your thoughts, adjusts the thermostat. Check them all out here, very cool site http://www.hplusmagazine.com
5) This geek link comes from Troll, thanks again. I was particularly caught by the line Intel will pay AMD 1.25 billion dollars in cash within thirty days. Like they will just take it out of petty cash, or what. I have to admit I am not familiar with this action at all, have not had time to read the article in full yet. But, I think tomorrow I will have to check out a graph of AMD’s stock chart just out of curiosity. Sometimes numbers can be a little unsettling. http://blogs.zdnet.com
Saturday, November 14, 2009
CyberWarfare: The US Central Military and DOD Networks Hacked and Monitored. Electrical Grids Crashed.
The US Dept of Defense, US Dept of Congress, US Dept of Commerce,US Dept of Energy and NASA have all been breached (hacked) and foreigners have downloaded terabytes of information. Even worse:
The firewalls and encryption protection of CENTCOM the most important military network controlling both the Afghan and Iraq war was breached and monitored for days. by foreign spies. Video
The firewalls and encryption protection of CENTCOM the most important military network controlling both the Afghan and Iraq war was breached and monitored for days. by foreign spies. Video
Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals
Samsung 23" 1080p LCD Display w/ Logitech Wireless Desktop for $170 + free shipping
Dell Small Business offers the Samsung 23" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. 2333SW, bundled with the Logitech MK300 Wireless Desktop, model no. 920-000920, for $269.99. Apply coupon "QJV?Q7CB$9J0T7" to drop it to $169.99. With free shipping Good 'til 11/16
Samsung 24" 1080p LCD Display w/ Logitech Wireless Desktop for $190 + free shipping
Dell Small Business offers the Samsung 24" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. 2494SW, together with the Logitech MK300 Wireless Desktop for $229.99. Apply coupon code "8G2FHZ?KVLC1FD" to drop it to $189.99. With free shipping,
Good 'til 11/16
Newegg has the lenovo G550 2958-A4U 15.6" 3GB NoteBook for $400 with free shipping.
Intel Pentium dual-core T4300 2.10GHz, 15.6", 3GB Memory, 250GB HDD
DVD±R/RW, Integrated Graphics, 802.11n Wireless LAN, 6-cell, Windows 7 Home Premium
PC Connection has the Acer Aspire M5700-E5801A Core 2 Quad Desktop for $400 with free shipping. Sports an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.5GHz processor, 4GB DDR2 memory, 750GB hard drive, DVD Super Multi drive, Intel GMA X4500 graphics, and Windows Vista Home Premium x64.
Dell Business has the HITACHI Deskstar HD32000 IDK/7K 2TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive for $144 with free shipping. Has a rotation speed of 7200RPM, 32MB buffer, 8.2ms average seek time, and uses a 5 platter design
Dell Vostro 220s Slim Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz Desktop w/ 19in LCD & Windows 7 $399 , Dell Small Business Dell E1910H 18.5" LCD; Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 @ 2.93GHz; 4GB RAM; 250GB HDD; DVD burner; gigabit ethernet; Windows 7 Home Premium; 1yr warranty
Dell Small Business offers the Samsung 23" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. 2333SW, bundled with the Logitech MK300 Wireless Desktop, model no. 920-000920, for $269.99. Apply coupon "QJV?Q7CB$9J0T7" to drop it to $169.99. With free shipping Good 'til 11/16
Samsung 24" 1080p LCD Display w/ Logitech Wireless Desktop for $190 + free shipping
Dell Small Business offers the Samsung 24" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. 2494SW, together with the Logitech MK300 Wireless Desktop for $229.99. Apply coupon code "8G2FHZ?KVLC1FD" to drop it to $189.99. With free shipping,
Good 'til 11/16
Newegg has the lenovo G550 2958-A4U 15.6" 3GB NoteBook for $400 with free shipping.
Intel Pentium dual-core T4300 2.10GHz, 15.6", 3GB Memory, 250GB HDD
DVD±R/RW, Integrated Graphics, 802.11n Wireless LAN, 6-cell, Windows 7 Home Premium
PC Connection has the Acer Aspire M5700-E5801A Core 2 Quad Desktop for $400 with free shipping. Sports an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.5GHz processor, 4GB DDR2 memory, 750GB hard drive, DVD Super Multi drive, Intel GMA X4500 graphics, and Windows Vista Home Premium x64.
Dell Business has the HITACHI Deskstar HD32000 IDK/7K 2TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive for $144 with free shipping. Has a rotation speed of 7200RPM, 32MB buffer, 8.2ms average seek time, and uses a 5 platter design
Dell Vostro 220s Slim Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz Desktop w/ 19in LCD & Windows 7 $399 , Dell Small Business Dell E1910H 18.5" LCD; Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 @ 2.93GHz; 4GB RAM; 250GB HDD; DVD burner; gigabit ethernet; Windows 7 Home Premium; 1yr warranty
Friday, November 13, 2009
Windows 7
I've revised my opinion of Windows 7 somewhat. I did install it and from what I see, it's very good. Why did Microsoft have to make upgrading so difficult. Why not allow upgrades from XP? Why make upgrading so confusing? If I could upgrade from XP and the price weren't so darn high, I'd do it. MS you've taken a good OS and tarnished it with the upgrade confusion and it wouldn't hurt to lower the price a bit. $174 for a win 7 pro upgrade? That's too much.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Framed for child porn — by a PC virus by AP: Yahoo! Tech
"Framed for child porn — by a PC virus by AP: Yahoo! Tech: "Of all the sinister things that Internet viruses do, this might be the worst: They can make you an unsuspecting collector of child pornography.
Heinous pictures and videos can be deposited on computers by viruses — the malicious programs better known for swiping your credit card numbers. In this twist, it's your reputation that's stolen."
This reminds me a lot of the Julie Amero case. Of course that was a typical adult porn storm (I experienced one on my home computer years ago after accidentally surfing to a "bad" site -- of course I knew how to immediately shut down the computer).
Heinous pictures and videos can be deposited on computers by viruses — the malicious programs better known for swiping your credit card numbers. In this twist, it's your reputation that's stolen."
This reminds me a lot of the Julie Amero case. Of course that was a typical adult porn storm (I experienced one on my home computer years ago after accidentally surfing to a "bad" site -- of course I knew how to immediately shut down the computer).
Firefox turns five: half a decade of Web liberation - Ars Technica
"Five years ago today, Mozilla announced the official release of Firefox 1.0. The open source Web browser has come a very long way since then and has achieved a level of popularity that few would have imagined possible. The success of Firefox and Mozilla's unwavering commitment to open Web standards has helped to usher in a new era of vibrance and diversity in the browser market. To commemorate Firefox's fifth anniversary, we are going to take you back in time for a look at some of our classic coverage of the popular browser."
I can't believe I've been using Firefox for ONLY 5 years. I feel like I've been using it forever. I adopted it because of security concerns and because I wanted to try tabbed browsing. I really can't remember when I last used IE except for things like some Microsoft sites. Occasionally, I still find a site that doesn't render well in Firefox, but that has become extremely rare as time goes on.
I can't believe I've been using Firefox for ONLY 5 years. I feel like I've been using it forever. I adopted it because of security concerns and because I wanted to try tabbed browsing. I really can't remember when I last used IE except for things like some Microsoft sites. Occasionally, I still find a site that doesn't render well in Firefox, but that has become extremely rare as time goes on.
OnComputers Radio show Podcast 11-08-09
This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 11-08-09. 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.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
AT&T Ends Internet Calling Ban on iPhones
According to this article VOIP and Skype can now run on IPhones
Links from the Gregg Zone
1) There is something about spending large parts of our lives in given locations; we are always keeping up to some degree on what is happening there. Kind of like Joe checking the weather in the valley where we used to live. I remember in the early years living in Los Angles it was very pleasant, and then came the smog, pollution, and population explosion. I could not adapt had to move out, now I see they have done much to clean the air, granted it’s not enough. They are at least progressively oriented and trying to solve problems. This is something I just ran across that I liked quite a bit worth taking a look, be sure to compare the pictures of the bridge. http://news.cnet.com
2) It has been a few weeks since I put up a link about medical advancement, I ran across this and thought it looked quite promising. Basically they are learning how to grow new organs, bones and tissue using the body of the person needing the procedure. I don’t think it will be many decades before we are able to extend life spans well beyond 100, and do it with bodies that would be aged at 40-50 by today’s standards. http://blogs.zdnet.com
3) When I saw this story I tried to Google around to find an article with a little more information without any success. So I will leave it up to you if you want to dig a little deeper. If you have not seen the movie “Supersize Me” you really should check it out. I remember a segment in the movie where the guy said he suddenly had intense cravings for his McDonalds meal. Said he had never experienced that before. This article really brought that home. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
4) This is about what seem to be a new development in the field of air-metal batteries. I have seen many variations using lithium, aluminum, and zinc. They have great potential, able to store up to 10X today’s lithium batteries. They would make good grid batteries for storing solar to use at night, also cars, and the usual suspects. If this pans out it may be the one we have been waiting for. http://www.technologyreview.com
5) For my geek offering, I thought this was interesting, physicists are saying the speed of computers has a limit, just like the limit for the speed of light. From the sounds of it we won’t have much to worry about for a while though. http://blogs.zdnet.com
2) It has been a few weeks since I put up a link about medical advancement, I ran across this and thought it looked quite promising. Basically they are learning how to grow new organs, bones and tissue using the body of the person needing the procedure. I don’t think it will be many decades before we are able to extend life spans well beyond 100, and do it with bodies that would be aged at 40-50 by today’s standards. http://blogs.zdnet.com
3) When I saw this story I tried to Google around to find an article with a little more information without any success. So I will leave it up to you if you want to dig a little deeper. If you have not seen the movie “Supersize Me” you really should check it out. I remember a segment in the movie where the guy said he suddenly had intense cravings for his McDonalds meal. Said he had never experienced that before. This article really brought that home. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
4) This is about what seem to be a new development in the field of air-metal batteries. I have seen many variations using lithium, aluminum, and zinc. They have great potential, able to store up to 10X today’s lithium batteries. They would make good grid batteries for storing solar to use at night, also cars, and the usual suspects. If this pans out it may be the one we have been waiting for. http://www.technologyreview.com
5) For my geek offering, I thought this was interesting, physicists are saying the speed of computers has a limit, just like the limit for the speed of light. From the sounds of it we won’t have much to worry about for a while though. http://blogs.zdnet.com
Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals
Dell Small Business has the Dell Vostro 220 Slim Tower Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 Desktop Computer w/ 19" LCD Monitor for $409.00. $35.00 Shipping. Dell E1910H 19" LCD; Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 @ 2.93GHz; 2GB RAM; 250GB HDD; DVD-ROM; gigabit ethernet; Windows 7 Professional; 1yr warranty
Joe sent me this link to inexpensive versions of Windows 7. Please double check the version and 32/64 bit and full/upgrade edition on your order.
Acer Aspire AS5732Z-4510 NoteBook Intel Pentium T4300(2.10GHz) 15.6" 2GB Memory DDR2 667 160GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi Intel GMA 4500M - Retail
Comes with Windows 7 Premium $400
Refurbished HP Pavilion s5120f AMD Dual Core 2.7GHz PC for $300 + free shipping
Buy.com again offers the factory-refurbished HP Pavilion Slimline s5120f Athlon 64 X2 2.7GHz Desktop PC, model no. NP187AA#ABA, for $299.99 with free shipping. That ties our October mention as the lowest total price we could find by $30. It features an AMD Athlon X2 7750 2.7GHz dual-core processor, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard drive, DVD burner with LightScribe, modem, memory card reader, and Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit. A 90-day warranty applies, but it's not clear who backs it.
Chocolate.com: Free $5 gift card
At Chocolate.com, subscribe to the company newsletter via this short form and receive a free $5 gift card for any future purchase from Chocolate.com. The gift card can be immediately redeemed by signing into your account and using the coupon code on your first purchase. Of note, you can limit the frequency of the newsletter.
Insignia 42" 1080p Widescreen LCD HDTV for $499 + $70 s&h
Best Buy offers its Insignia 42" 1080p Widescreen LCD HD Television, model no. NS-L42Q-10A, for $498.99. Shipping adds $70, or choose in-store pickup. Even with shipping, that's a $151 overnight drop and the lowest total price we could find. Sales tax is added where applicable. It features a native resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), 1,400:1 contrast ratio, 450 cd/m² brightness, four HDMI inputs, and VGA, component, and other video inputs.
ZipZoomFly has the Western Digital Caviar Green 1.5TB SATA Hard Drive WD15EADS on sale for $110 - $15 off $100 with eBillme [Exp 12/16] = $95 with free shipping. Features a 32MB buffer, 100MBps internal data transfer rate, and is covered by a 3-year warranty.
.
Joe sent me this link to inexpensive versions of Windows 7. Please double check the version and 32/64 bit and full/upgrade edition on your order.
Acer Aspire AS5732Z-4510 NoteBook Intel Pentium T4300(2.10GHz) 15.6" 2GB Memory DDR2 667 160GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi Intel GMA 4500M - Retail
Comes with Windows 7 Premium $400
Refurbished HP Pavilion s5120f AMD Dual Core 2.7GHz PC for $300 + free shipping
Buy.com again offers the factory-refurbished HP Pavilion Slimline s5120f Athlon 64 X2 2.7GHz Desktop PC, model no. NP187AA#ABA, for $299.99 with free shipping. That ties our October mention as the lowest total price we could find by $30. It features an AMD Athlon X2 7750 2.7GHz dual-core processor, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard drive, DVD burner with LightScribe, modem, memory card reader, and Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit. A 90-day warranty applies, but it's not clear who backs it.
Chocolate.com: Free $5 gift card
At Chocolate.com, subscribe to the company newsletter via this short form and receive a free $5 gift card for any future purchase from Chocolate.com. The gift card can be immediately redeemed by signing into your account and using the coupon code on your first purchase. Of note, you can limit the frequency of the newsletter.
Insignia 42" 1080p Widescreen LCD HDTV for $499 + $70 s&h
Best Buy offers its Insignia 42" 1080p Widescreen LCD HD Television, model no. NS-L42Q-10A, for $498.99. Shipping adds $70, or choose in-store pickup. Even with shipping, that's a $151 overnight drop and the lowest total price we could find. Sales tax is added where applicable. It features a native resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), 1,400:1 contrast ratio, 450 cd/m² brightness, four HDMI inputs, and VGA, component, and other video inputs.
ZipZoomFly has the Western Digital Caviar Green 1.5TB SATA Hard Drive WD15EADS on sale for $110 - $15 off $100 with eBillme [Exp 12/16] = $95 with free shipping. Features a 32MB buffer, 100MBps internal data transfer rate, and is covered by a 3-year warranty.
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Saturday, November 07, 2009
Mozilla releases first beta of Firefox 3.6 |
Among the features in the new version, - • Personas, which lets people customize the browser appearance. • Faster execution of Web-based JavaScript programs, better browser responsiveness, and faster startup time. • The ability to drag and drop files from the computer to the browser. This is useful for uploading files to Web sites, as will a feature not in the beta • Expanded support for geolocation technology • The ability to detect the computer's orientation for machines that offer accelerometer support. • Video built into Web pages with the HTML5 "video" tag now can be viewed full-screen. Earl
Microsoft will release six updates next patch tuesday - The Inquirer
"MICROSOFT HAS announced that it will release six security updates, with three for Windows labelled as 'critical', next Patch Tuesday, the 10th of November."
This coming Tuesday is Update Tuesday. Don't forget to do them.
AlaskaJoe
This coming Tuesday is Update Tuesday. Don't forget to do them.
AlaskaJoe
Verizon announces $350 Early Termination Fee!
Verizon announced yesterday that they are doubling their early terminations fees, to reach as much as $350 for some users. YUK
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
McAfee says piracy has tripled and spam is up. Malware comes free with pirated files.
McAfee says piracy has tripled even in wake of Pirate Bay prosecution. Spam is up and malware travels easily with pirated files.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
OnComputers Radio show Podcast 11-01-09
This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 11-01-09. 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.
Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals
Joe sent me this - Black Friday starting already:
http://www.blackfriday.info/sales/sears-black-friday-ad.html
Acer P235Hbmid Black 23" 5ms HDMI LCD Monitor $170 at Newegg
Newegg has the Acer P235Hbmid Black 23" 5ms HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 50000:1(ACM) Built-in Speakers for $180 - coupon code EMCMLNX45 [Exp 10/31] = $170 with free shipping.
Dell PowerEdge T110 Intel Xeon 2.4GHz Quad Core Server for $320 + $25 s&h
11. Dell Small Business offers the Dell PowerEdge T110 Intel Xeon 2.4GHz Quad Core Server for $320 plus $25 for shipping via the directions below. It's $318 off and among the least expensive new Xeon-based Dell servers we've seen. (It was $20 less a week ago, since expired.) Sales tax is added where applicable. It comes with an Intel Xeon X3430 2.4GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 160GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive, DVD-ROM, and Gigabit Ethernet. No OS is included. To get this deal:Click here to begin scroll down to the hard drive section and change the quantity to "1"; click "Update" click "Continue" and add to cart for $300
Western Digital 1.5TB USB 2.0 Hard Drive for $100 + free shipping via 2nd-day
Dell Small Business offers the Western Digital Elements 1.5TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive, model no. WDBAAU0015HBK-NESN, for $99.99. With free shipping via 2nd day delivery, that's $0.07/GB and the lowest total price we could find by $39, although we saw it briefly for $11 less last week (since expired). Sales tax is added where applicable.
Acer X223WBD 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor $130 at PC Connection
PC Connection has the Acer X223WBD 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $130 with free shipping. Enjoy life with 1680 x 1050 resolution, 2500:1 contrast ratio, 300cd/m2 brightness, 5ms response time, DVI with HDCP.
SAMSUNG SH-S223C 22X SATA DVD Burner Black Drive $26
ZipZoomfly Part#: 10011470
Manufacturer SKU: SH-S223C
List Price: $29.99
Circuit City has the Olympus FE-26 12MP Digital Camera for $80 + $7 = $87 shipped. Features 3x optical zoom, a 2.7" LCD viewfinder, digital image stabilization, 20 shooting modes, AF tracking, face detection, and automatic shadow adjustment
Fujifilm A150 10MP 3x Digital Camera for a low $70 Free Shipping 4.5oz; 10 Megapixels; 3x Optical Zoom; 3" LCD; SD/SDHC; 2x AA
I-inc iH-252HPB 25" Widescreen LCD Monitor
I-inc iH-252HPB 25” (24.6" Diagonal) $189.99
http://www.blackfriday.info/sales/sears-black-friday-ad.html
Acer P235Hbmid Black 23" 5ms HDMI LCD Monitor $170 at Newegg
Newegg has the Acer P235Hbmid Black 23" 5ms HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 50000:1(ACM) Built-in Speakers for $180 - coupon code EMCMLNX45 [Exp 10/31] = $170 with free shipping.
Dell PowerEdge T110 Intel Xeon 2.4GHz Quad Core Server for $320 + $25 s&h
11. Dell Small Business offers the Dell PowerEdge T110 Intel Xeon 2.4GHz Quad Core Server for $320 plus $25 for shipping via the directions below. It's $318 off and among the least expensive new Xeon-based Dell servers we've seen. (It was $20 less a week ago, since expired.) Sales tax is added where applicable. It comes with an Intel Xeon X3430 2.4GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 160GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive, DVD-ROM, and Gigabit Ethernet. No OS is included. To get this deal:Click here to begin scroll down to the hard drive section and change the quantity to "1"; click "Update" click "Continue" and add to cart for $300
Western Digital 1.5TB USB 2.0 Hard Drive for $100 + free shipping via 2nd-day
Dell Small Business offers the Western Digital Elements 1.5TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive, model no. WDBAAU0015HBK-NESN, for $99.99. With free shipping via 2nd day delivery, that's $0.07/GB and the lowest total price we could find by $39, although we saw it briefly for $11 less last week (since expired). Sales tax is added where applicable.
Acer X223WBD 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor $130 at PC Connection
PC Connection has the Acer X223WBD 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $130 with free shipping. Enjoy life with 1680 x 1050 resolution, 2500:1 contrast ratio, 300cd/m2 brightness, 5ms response time, DVI with HDCP.
SAMSUNG SH-S223C 22X SATA DVD Burner Black Drive $26
ZipZoomfly Part#: 10011470
Manufacturer SKU: SH-S223C
List Price: $29.99
Circuit City has the Olympus FE-26 12MP Digital Camera for $80 + $7 = $87 shipped. Features 3x optical zoom, a 2.7" LCD viewfinder, digital image stabilization, 20 shooting modes, AF tracking, face detection, and automatic shadow adjustment
Fujifilm A150 10MP 3x Digital Camera for a low $70 Free Shipping 4.5oz; 10 Megapixels; 3x Optical Zoom; 3" LCD; SD/SDHC; 2x AA
I-inc iH-252HPB 25" Widescreen LCD Monitor
I-inc iH-252HPB 25” (24.6" Diagonal) $189.99
Links from the Gregg Zone
1) Starting off with another of those stories that give a little hope for solving some of our pollution, and congestion problems. When it comes to the inter-cities cars really do not make much sense. I read somewhere that the average speed for a car in London is about the same as walking speed. Just the cost of parking in most downtown areas of larger cities should prove a major deterrent, but people just put up with it. This is a really nice solution for cities with decent weather, and to a lesser degree on a seasonal basis for other areas. A zip car concept using bicycles, has just been unveiled in Vancouver, really looks like a good idea, story here complete with video. http://www.paulhillsdon.com
2) Here is a discussion of an idea for launching cargo in to space, much cheaper, and more environmentally friendly than our current procedures. Think Alaska, a very big gun with a barrel over a mile long buried into a mountain. Now all you need is a viable alternative to gun powder. The three discussed here to power an Orbital Gun Launching System; Light gas power, Ram Accelerator, and Nuclear Cannon. This sounds like a workable idea to me, the major cost of space development is launch cost, while this will never be for people, due to the G-force, water cost 10,000 dollars a gallon, and satellites cost mega-millions. For cargo to build stuff like hotels, space stations, even interplanetary spacecraft not requiring spec’s capable of launch stresses, it sounds perfect. Technical but a good read, and food for thought check it out here http://nextbigfuture.com/
3) I was looking at a site referring a project called Sietch Nevada, basically building an underground city, based on the concept from the novel Dune. Anyway, it got me to thinking about a link I put up a year or two back about vertical farming. Thought I would check in and see if anything new was going on there, just because I think it is such a great idea. Putting up the site again, at least I think it is the same one. If you are not familiar with this check it out, this will be our future food source for vegetables, just a matter of time. I was happy to see that there is still a lot of interest, recent news stories and interest. If you are into the subject and would like to learn just how important it is, be sure to read the essay’s from Columbia University. http://www.verticalfarm.com
4) One more ecology article here, for those who thought my talking about investing a few bucks into the emerging fields of green technology for the last three years (wow has it been that long, almost), check out this article about the Eco Barons. There was another article that the top ten wealthiest in China are into green tech. Good read, encouraging http://business.timesonline.co.uk
5) Had to throw in something for Halloween real Quick. http://www.guidespot.com
6) For tech link this week a new search tool for Google in case you somehow missed it, Firefox has a new goody to combine a Google search with Wolfram Alpha. Looks pretty cool to me, but then I am easily impressed. http://www.howtogeek.com
2) Here is a discussion of an idea for launching cargo in to space, much cheaper, and more environmentally friendly than our current procedures. Think Alaska, a very big gun with a barrel over a mile long buried into a mountain. Now all you need is a viable alternative to gun powder. The three discussed here to power an Orbital Gun Launching System; Light gas power, Ram Accelerator, and Nuclear Cannon. This sounds like a workable idea to me, the major cost of space development is launch cost, while this will never be for people, due to the G-force, water cost 10,000 dollars a gallon, and satellites cost mega-millions. For cargo to build stuff like hotels, space stations, even interplanetary spacecraft not requiring spec’s capable of launch stresses, it sounds perfect. Technical but a good read, and food for thought check it out here http://nextbigfuture.com/
3) I was looking at a site referring a project called Sietch Nevada, basically building an underground city, based on the concept from the novel Dune. Anyway, it got me to thinking about a link I put up a year or two back about vertical farming. Thought I would check in and see if anything new was going on there, just because I think it is such a great idea. Putting up the site again, at least I think it is the same one. If you are not familiar with this check it out, this will be our future food source for vegetables, just a matter of time. I was happy to see that there is still a lot of interest, recent news stories and interest. If you are into the subject and would like to learn just how important it is, be sure to read the essay’s from Columbia University. http://www.verticalfarm.com
4) One more ecology article here, for those who thought my talking about investing a few bucks into the emerging fields of green technology for the last three years (wow has it been that long, almost), check out this article about the Eco Barons. There was another article that the top ten wealthiest in China are into green tech. Good read, encouraging http://business.timesonline.co.uk
5) Had to throw in something for Halloween real Quick. http://www.guidespot.com
6) For tech link this week a new search tool for Google in case you somehow missed it, Firefox has a new goody to combine a Google search with Wolfram Alpha. Looks pretty cool to me, but then I am easily impressed. http://www.howtogeek.com
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Dear Microsoft: What's the deal with Windows 7 upgrades?
"One group at Microsoft seems to be stuck in 1999. For some inexplicable reason, the technical team responsible for packaging and manufacturing and selling Windows 7 has decided to clam up about a product it is selling by the truckload."
If you bought Windows 7 Upgrade media (mine was in my mailbox today) you will want to read this article by Ed Bott. He and Paul Thurrott (http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/upgrade.asp) are by for the most vocal of the Windows experts about Windows 7 upgrade issues.
If you bought Windows 7 Upgrade media (mine was in my mailbox today) you will want to read this article by Ed Bott. He and Paul Thurrott (http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/upgrade.asp) are by for the most vocal of the Windows experts about Windows 7 upgrade issues.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Google’s New Mobile App Cuts GPS Nav Companies At The Knees
It is not a standalone navigation app. Rather it taps into a lot of the resources Google makes available on the Web, including Google Maps, Streetview, voice recognition, and sophisticated search. Google says its navigation will come to iPhone, if Apple approves (AppleInsider.com)
Droid arrives on Verizon Nov. 6 with Google Maps Navigation Here is a YouTube unboxing and demo video of the new DROID by Motorola-Google-Verizon that comes loaded with Google's new Navigation software using the Android OS,
Droid arrives on Verizon Nov. 6 with Google Maps Navigation Here is a YouTube unboxing and demo video of the new DROID by Motorola-Google-Verizon that comes loaded with Google's new Navigation software using the Android OS,
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
How I'm installing Windows 7 - Geek News Central
This is the way I would do an Upgrade to Windows 7. They call it an upgrade but it really isn't. This way you can avoid any problems in going from Windows XP to Windows 7. I don't run dual boot systems, I have Ubuntu on another computer so when I want to play I just use a KVM switch to change OS.
I have heard and read that some folks have had problems upgrading from Vista to Windows 7. I don't believe in upgrading an OS, one reason is you bring any problems along with the upgrade. If your computer isn't running right, an upgrade might not fix it. Another reason I don't upgrade is if you want to go from a 32 bit OS to 64 bit (I have been running Vista and Windows 7 in 64 bit for a couple of years.) you could run into problems.
I think a clean install is the only way to go. Saving your old hard drive is not a bad idea, in case you want to go back. Once I went to Windows 7 RC1 I turned off my Vista computer and are saving it in case a customer needs help and I need Vista, Otherwise it stays off. I don't even have a Keyboard, monitor or mouse connected to it. I remote in when I need it. When I received my copy of Windows 7 RTM from Microsoft I again did a clean install. I have all of my data backed up on my server here at home. An off site back up is a very good idea, I don't do it because I'm lazy.
I think when you go to Windows 7 you will be very happy. I did notice Saturday 10/24/09 Microsoft's Update servers were busy, I would think that was because that was the first Saturday after the release of Windows 7 and a lot of new computers were sold and connected for the first time. I didn't have any problems connecting to Microsoft's update server on Monday.
Happy Computing and enjoy Windows 7.
AlaskaJoe
I have heard and read that some folks have had problems upgrading from Vista to Windows 7. I don't believe in upgrading an OS, one reason is you bring any problems along with the upgrade. If your computer isn't running right, an upgrade might not fix it. Another reason I don't upgrade is if you want to go from a 32 bit OS to 64 bit (I have been running Vista and Windows 7 in 64 bit for a couple of years.) you could run into problems.
I think a clean install is the only way to go. Saving your old hard drive is not a bad idea, in case you want to go back. Once I went to Windows 7 RC1 I turned off my Vista computer and are saving it in case a customer needs help and I need Vista, Otherwise it stays off. I don't even have a Keyboard, monitor or mouse connected to it. I remote in when I need it. When I received my copy of Windows 7 RTM from Microsoft I again did a clean install. I have all of my data backed up on my server here at home. An off site back up is a very good idea, I don't do it because I'm lazy.
I think when you go to Windows 7 you will be very happy. I did notice Saturday 10/24/09 Microsoft's Update servers were busy, I would think that was because that was the first Saturday after the release of Windows 7 and a lot of new computers were sold and connected for the first time. I didn't have any problems connecting to Microsoft's update server on Monday.
Happy Computing and enjoy Windows 7.
AlaskaJoe
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Fake Facebook e-mail contains Trojan
"A new variant of the Bredolab Trojan horse is attached to a fake 'Facebook Password Reset Confirmation' e-mail, security firm MX Labs is reporting.
Some users are receiving the e-mail from 'The Facebook Team,' according to the security firm. The sender's e-mail address displays 'service@facebook.com.' In reality, the address and sender were spoofed."
Just FYI. I know none of our readers would fall for this one.
Some users are receiving the e-mail from 'The Facebook Team,' according to the security firm. The sender's e-mail address displays 'service@facebook.com.' In reality, the address and sender were spoofed."
Just FYI. I know none of our readers would fall for this one.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Hasta la Vista, baby: Ars reviews Windows 7
"With much fanfare and even a few parties, Windows 7 has arrived. In this extensive review, Peter Bright dives deep into Microsoft's new OS offering to see what's new, what's still the same, and whether it's worth upgrading."
Windows 7 upgrade paralyzes some PCs with endless reboots
"Some users trying to upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7 have seen their PCs crippled by an endless series of reboots, according to reports on Microsoft's support forum.
A Microsoft engineer writing on the same forum said the company was investigating users' problems, but he downplayed them as 'isolated issues.'
Users began posting messages about the endless reboots Friday, saying that the Windows 7 installation would hang two-thirds of the way through the upgrade. They reported a message on their machines that claimed the upgrade had been unsuccessful and that Vista would be restored. Instead, their PCs again booted to the Windows 7 setup process, failed, then restarted the cycle."
I have one thought about this. While Windows 7 was thoroughly beta tested and the RC had wide public usage, the upgrade version did not. Indeed, Microsoft has kept, up until release, the details of a clean install using upgrade media top secret. So too were secret the other details of the upgrade media. Are these just bad media burns from downloads as MS seems to be contending, or this there a distinctive flaw or incompatibility in the upgrade process? Only time and testing will tell. This is testing that I contend should have been done more widely pre-release.
As most of you know, I do not advocate upgrading even from 32 bit Vista to 32 bit Windows 7. Of course I have to clean install because all the computers I will be upgrading will be going from either XP to 64 or 32 bit Win 7 or Vista 32 bit to Win 7 64 bit. I'm not letting MS off the hook here if they are to blame, but users also have a responsibility to back up their data (or perhaps image their drive if they want to be able to start back at square one) before upgrading. I will be doing both before I do a clean install of course, but it should also be done before an upgrade.
No matter how well designed the Windows 7 upgrade engine is (and I have a question about it in my mind at this point in time) things can go wrong. After all, we are talking about upgrading an OS. It is great when it works, but it should not be all that surprising if it doesn't.
A Microsoft engineer writing on the same forum said the company was investigating users' problems, but he downplayed them as 'isolated issues.'
Users began posting messages about the endless reboots Friday, saying that the Windows 7 installation would hang two-thirds of the way through the upgrade. They reported a message on their machines that claimed the upgrade had been unsuccessful and that Vista would be restored. Instead, their PCs again booted to the Windows 7 setup process, failed, then restarted the cycle."
I have one thought about this. While Windows 7 was thoroughly beta tested and the RC had wide public usage, the upgrade version did not. Indeed, Microsoft has kept, up until release, the details of a clean install using upgrade media top secret. So too were secret the other details of the upgrade media. Are these just bad media burns from downloads as MS seems to be contending, or this there a distinctive flaw or incompatibility in the upgrade process? Only time and testing will tell. This is testing that I contend should have been done more widely pre-release.
As most of you know, I do not advocate upgrading even from 32 bit Vista to 32 bit Windows 7. Of course I have to clean install because all the computers I will be upgrading will be going from either XP to 64 or 32 bit Win 7 or Vista 32 bit to Win 7 64 bit. I'm not letting MS off the hook here if they are to blame, but users also have a responsibility to back up their data (or perhaps image their drive if they want to be able to start back at square one) before upgrading. I will be doing both before I do a clean install of course, but it should also be done before an upgrade.
No matter how well designed the Windows 7 upgrade engine is (and I have a question about it in my mind at this point in time) things can go wrong. After all, we are talking about upgrading an OS. It is great when it works, but it should not be all that surprising if it doesn't.
Microsoft blames Windows 7 upgrade mess on user confusion
"Microsoft yesterday blamed user confusion for the problems many have encountered trying to move from Vista to Windows 7 after buying a discounted upgrade offered to college students."
Pilots Say Laptops Contributed to Distraction - WSJ.com
"The pilots of Northwest Flight 188 have told federal investigators that a bathroom break, chatting with a flight attendant in the cockpit and then taking out their laptops to discuss work schedules created distractions that led to more than an hour of radio silence with air-traffic controllers, according to people familiar with the statements."
"How many cores you got?" 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12 ... 100?
Tilera has announced a 100 core processor, looking to the server market, where server software like Apache Web server and MySQL database could make good use of that many cores.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
No live show today!
Because I have been ill for the past two weeks today's show will be a rerun of 08/09/09 show. We will be back live next week on November 1st.
This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 08-09-09. 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.
I'm sorry about that.
AlaskaJoe
This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 08-09-09. 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.
I'm sorry about that.
AlaskaJoe
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Psystar sells $50 software hack to run Snow Leopard on PCs
Any PC with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, i7 or Xeon Nehalem processor installed can take advantage of Psystar's Rebel EFI software hack to run Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Microsoft Issues eBook on Windows 7 Installation
This is pretty neat. It is geared for enterprise but still has some useful info for tech-minded home users. The fact that it is free is sweet.
If you don't already know (and I know you do), tomorrow is the big day.
Update: Here is a link directly to Microsoft courtesy of Earl: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?SID=1053596-2-0-ARTICLE-0&familyid=EE2A1D38-88A9-43B3-95BC-7E962F0B6030&displaylang=en
If you don't already know (and I know you do), tomorrow is the big day.
Update: Here is a link directly to Microsoft courtesy of Earl: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?SID=1053596-2-0-ARTICLE-0&familyid=EE2A1D38-88A9-43B3-95BC-7E962F0B6030&displaylang=en
Athlon II X3 435: AMD's Three-Core, 2.9 GHz, $87
Athlon II X3 435: AMD's Three-Core, 2.9 GHz, $87 Triple-Threat
Today AMD introduces what might turn out to be the ideal budget CPU, with three cores for multi-threading, a relatively high 2.9 GHz clock speed,
Today AMD introduces what might turn out to be the ideal budget CPU, with three cores for multi-threading, a relatively high 2.9 GHz clock speed,
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Apple Updates MacBook, iMac, Mac Mini and Introduces Magic Mouse
Apple, already on top of the world, after announcing revenues that blew past analyst predictions, updates its MacBook, iMac and Mac mini and introduces the super Magic Mouse.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sorry, The Cloud Ate Your Data!
How Microsoft and T-Mobile betrayed over a million users of the Sidekick smartphone.On October 1st literally every user of the Sidekick data service lost the private personal records – emails, notes, calendar entries, contacts, etc. — they had stored on the system.
Note - MS now says most users will get their data back - Microsoft & T-Mobile says lost Sidekick data to be restored
Apple-Insider's excellent analysis of what happened with insider info.
Note - MS now says most users will get their data back - Microsoft & T-Mobile says lost Sidekick data to be restored
Apple-Insider's excellent analysis of what happened with insider info.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
On Computers Radio Show - October 18, 2009
Hi all.
Today's show will be a rerun from August 2nd. Enjoy.
Today's show will be a rerun from August 2nd. Enjoy.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Wi-fi to get a whole lot easier with Wi-fi Direct
Wi-fi Direct will let wi-fi devices like phones and laptops connect to one another without joining a traditional network. The Wi-fi Alliance - whose members include Intel, Apple and Cisco -may release it as early as middle of 2010.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Top recording engineers explain why music sounds awful | The Audiophiliac - CNET News
From the aritcle: "It seems like the main problem comes from record company pressure to make perfect recordings. Vocalists' off-pitch and out-of-time singing is tweaked with Auto-Tune; music-making is largely technology-based. That is, technology has replaced musical talent, and singers like Britney Spears were cited many times as to where it's all headed. Not so musically talented, her music has to be patched together in the studio. There's not a lot of there there."
Monday, October 12, 2009
Windows Vista: A Review Recap
Here is an interesting trip down memory lane about the initial reviews for Windows Vista. While the reviews were generally lukewarm to positive, there was a lot more qualification and trepidation. Could anyone have really predicted that the public would not only not embrace Vista, but that it would prefer to downgrade to XP in many cases.
I've made a kind of a peace with Vista on my laptop, but it came that way and it was a year after Vista' release when the driver availability was better and many of the most nagging problems had be improved. It also had horsepower to run Vista. It has been okay, but I'm still really looking forward to upgrading it to Windows 7.
I've made a kind of a peace with Vista on my laptop, but it came that way and it was a year after Vista' release when the driver availability was better and many of the most nagging problems had be improved. It also had horsepower to run Vista. It has been okay, but I'm still really looking forward to upgrading it to Windows 7.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
OnComputers Radio show Podcast 10-11-09
Remember the show for 10/18/09 will be a rerun, the host will not be available for the OnComputers Radio show.
This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 10-11-09. 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.
This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 10-11-09. 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.
Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals
Refurbished HP s3700y AMD Dual Core 2.6GHz Desktop PC for $300 + free shipping
Buy.com again offers the refurbished HP Pavilion Slimline s3700y AMD Athlon 64 X2 2.6GHz Desktop PC, model no. PNC689AAR, for $299.99. With free shipping, that ties our mention from three weeks ago as the lowest total price we could find for this refurb by $16. It features an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ 2.6GHz dual-core processor, 3GB RAM, 320GB Serial ATA 7200 rpm hard drive, DVD burner with LightScribe, memory card reader, and Windows Vista Home Premium.
: Refurbished Dell OptiPlex GX280 Pentium 4 2.8GHz Mini Desktop PC for $99 + $25 s&h
Today only, Dillyeo.com offers the refurbished Dell OptiPlex GX280 Pentium 4 2.8GHz Mini Desktop PC for $98.97 with around $25 for shipping. It's $48 under our June mention and the lowest total price we could find by $4. This system features an Intel Pentium 4 2.8GHz processor, 512MB RAM, 40GB hard drive, CD-ROM drive, Gigabit Ethernet, wired keyboard and mouse, and Windows
CREE 110-Lumen LED Flashlight for $11 + $2 s&h
GoldenGadgets.com offers the CREE 110-Lumen LED Flashlight, model no. F-NF07, for $11.99. Add coupon code "ENDSUM09" to your cart to cut it to $10.79. With shipping at $1.73, it's tied with our mention from four weeks ago as the lowest total price we've seen for this particular model. It features a CREE XRE LED bulb and a glow-in-the-dark tail cap.
Dell OptiPlex 360 Intel Dual Core 2.6GHz Desktop PC for $312 + $35 s&h
Dell Small Business offers the Dell OptiPlex 360 Pentium Dual-Core 2.6GHz Desktop PC (no monitor) for $312 plus $35 for shipping. That's $135 off and the lowest total price we've ever seen for an OptiPlex 360. Sales tax is added where applicable. Features include an Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5300 2.6GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 80GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive, no optical drive, 3-year warranty, and Windows Vista Home Basic.
Canon PowerShot 12MP Camera + $50 Gift Card for $130 after rebate + free shipping
Staples offers the Canon PowerShot A1100 IS 12-Megapixel Digital Camera in Gray, model no. 3444B001, for $129.99 with free shipping. Plus, this mail-in rebate yields a free $50 Gift Card. Although that's $10 more than last week's mention of the camera alone, the addition of the $50 gift card makes this one of the best deals we've seen for this camera. The A1100 features a 4x optical zoom, 2.5" LCD, SDHC slot, face detection, red-eye correction, and more. Rebate expires October 17
Portable Solar Charger for $18 + $2 s&h
GoldenGadgets.com offers this 2000mAh Portable Solar Charger, model no. S-ZWT01, for $19.99. Add coupon code "ENDSUM09" to cut it to $17.99. With $2.41 for shipping, it's pennies under our June mention and the lowest total price we seen. It includes interchangeable power tips compatible with several portable electronic devices, built-in 2000mAh lithium-ion battery, and USB connectivity
Western Digital Green 1TB SATA 3Gbps Hard Drive for $72 after rebate + free shipping
ZipZoomfly.com still offers the OEM Western Digital Caviar GP 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. WD10EADS, for $87.99 with free shipping. This $15 mail-in rebate chops it to $72.99 ($0.07/GB). That's the lowest total price we could find by $13, although it was offered for $2 less a week ago (since expired). This "green" product promises reduced power consumption compared to other models by up to 50%; it features a 32MB cache and runs at 7200 rpm. Rebate ends October 31
Buy.com again offers the refurbished HP Pavilion Slimline s3700y AMD Athlon 64 X2 2.6GHz Desktop PC, model no. PNC689AAR, for $299.99. With free shipping, that ties our mention from three weeks ago as the lowest total price we could find for this refurb by $16. It features an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ 2.6GHz dual-core processor, 3GB RAM, 320GB Serial ATA 7200 rpm hard drive, DVD burner with LightScribe, memory card reader, and Windows Vista Home Premium.
: Refurbished Dell OptiPlex GX280 Pentium 4 2.8GHz Mini Desktop PC for $99 + $25 s&h
Today only, Dillyeo.com offers the refurbished Dell OptiPlex GX280 Pentium 4 2.8GHz Mini Desktop PC for $98.97 with around $25 for shipping. It's $48 under our June mention and the lowest total price we could find by $4. This system features an Intel Pentium 4 2.8GHz processor, 512MB RAM, 40GB hard drive, CD-ROM drive, Gigabit Ethernet, wired keyboard and mouse, and Windows
CREE 110-Lumen LED Flashlight for $11 + $2 s&h
GoldenGadgets.com offers the CREE 110-Lumen LED Flashlight, model no. F-NF07, for $11.99. Add coupon code "ENDSUM09" to your cart to cut it to $10.79. With shipping at $1.73, it's tied with our mention from four weeks ago as the lowest total price we've seen for this particular model. It features a CREE XRE LED bulb and a glow-in-the-dark tail cap.
Dell OptiPlex 360 Intel Dual Core 2.6GHz Desktop PC for $312 + $35 s&h
Dell Small Business offers the Dell OptiPlex 360 Pentium Dual-Core 2.6GHz Desktop PC (no monitor) for $312 plus $35 for shipping. That's $135 off and the lowest total price we've ever seen for an OptiPlex 360. Sales tax is added where applicable. Features include an Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5300 2.6GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 80GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive, no optical drive, 3-year warranty, and Windows Vista Home Basic.
Canon PowerShot 12MP Camera + $50 Gift Card for $130 after rebate + free shipping
Staples offers the Canon PowerShot A1100 IS 12-Megapixel Digital Camera in Gray, model no. 3444B001, for $129.99 with free shipping. Plus, this mail-in rebate yields a free $50 Gift Card. Although that's $10 more than last week's mention of the camera alone, the addition of the $50 gift card makes this one of the best deals we've seen for this camera. The A1100 features a 4x optical zoom, 2.5" LCD, SDHC slot, face detection, red-eye correction, and more. Rebate expires October 17
Portable Solar Charger for $18 + $2 s&h
GoldenGadgets.com offers this 2000mAh Portable Solar Charger, model no. S-ZWT01, for $19.99. Add coupon code "ENDSUM09" to cut it to $17.99. With $2.41 for shipping, it's pennies under our June mention and the lowest total price we seen. It includes interchangeable power tips compatible with several portable electronic devices, built-in 2000mAh lithium-ion battery, and USB connectivity
Western Digital Green 1TB SATA 3Gbps Hard Drive for $72 after rebate + free shipping
ZipZoomfly.com still offers the OEM Western Digital Caviar GP 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. WD10EADS, for $87.99 with free shipping. This $15 mail-in rebate chops it to $72.99 ($0.07/GB). That's the lowest total price we could find by $13, although it was offered for $2 less a week ago (since expired). This "green" product promises reduced power consumption compared to other models by up to 50%; it features a 32MB cache and runs at 7200 rpm. Rebate ends October 31
Links from the Gregg Zone
1) Starting off the week with some encouraging news in the solar field. Seems a new solar power plant entered the grid in Southern California. The only thermal solar plant in the U.S. it is only able to handle about 4,000 homes at the moment, but it is easily expandable. The thermal solar concept is pretty interesting in that it does not require solar cells, rather uses tracking mirrors to concentrate heat. The other advantage to what they are doing is by making everything factory produced bolt together modules; they keep coast down, but can act quickly. http://www.esolar.com/
2) Now here is some news that may make everything obsolete, how about nuclear batteries. The size of a penny last hundreds of years, and millions of times stronger than conventional batteries, sounds too good to be true somehow. But, in the “what if” game, it would make a nice car, not needing fuel for a hundred years or so. A forever lap top, survival flash light on steroids, or how about my whole house. Got to be a catch, check it out here http://hardware.slashdot.org
3) Here is a new prototype sent to me by Wills, how about a roll up computer. That’s right the entire computer, monitor, keyboard; everything rolls up into something that looks like a mailing tube with a shoulder strap. Got to wonder where all of this is heading, R&D must be incredibly frustrating these days; your idea is obsolete before you start drawing. Anyway check it out thanks Wills. http://tech.msn.com/
4) One of the things they have trouble with when it comes to nano-scale designs is power. How do you get mechanical power to an incredibly small machine? Well it seems they may have had another of those breakthroughs. A big wow for me, just trying to understand the scale they are dealing with. The smallest possible motor and be able to demonstrate it can do useful work, consisting of only two atoms, circulating around in a round lattice of laser light. My dick Tracy watch, and transporter must be right around the corner. http://blogs.zdnet.com
5) For a geek link, how about using computers to amplify and demonstrate ESP. This is really pretty weird they have used three computers, and the internet to communicate using only the power of thought. Very basic but who knows where this may lead, to me this is right out of a sci-fi novel. The implications of just what this means is amazing. Granted I have put up a lot of links that probably were the ground work for this, at least on the sending end, the receiving end is a little more muddled. Anyway check it out there is even a video. http://blogs.zdnet.com
2) Now here is some news that may make everything obsolete, how about nuclear batteries. The size of a penny last hundreds of years, and millions of times stronger than conventional batteries, sounds too good to be true somehow. But, in the “what if” game, it would make a nice car, not needing fuel for a hundred years or so. A forever lap top, survival flash light on steroids, or how about my whole house. Got to be a catch, check it out here http://hardware.slashdot.org
3) Here is a new prototype sent to me by Wills, how about a roll up computer. That’s right the entire computer, monitor, keyboard; everything rolls up into something that looks like a mailing tube with a shoulder strap. Got to wonder where all of this is heading, R&D must be incredibly frustrating these days; your idea is obsolete before you start drawing. Anyway check it out thanks Wills. http://tech.msn.com/
4) One of the things they have trouble with when it comes to nano-scale designs is power. How do you get mechanical power to an incredibly small machine? Well it seems they may have had another of those breakthroughs. A big wow for me, just trying to understand the scale they are dealing with. The smallest possible motor and be able to demonstrate it can do useful work, consisting of only two atoms, circulating around in a round lattice of laser light. My dick Tracy watch, and transporter must be right around the corner. http://blogs.zdnet.com
5) For a geek link, how about using computers to amplify and demonstrate ESP. This is really pretty weird they have used three computers, and the internet to communicate using only the power of thought. Very basic but who knows where this may lead, to me this is right out of a sci-fi novel. The implications of just what this means is amazing. Granted I have put up a lot of links that probably were the ground work for this, at least on the sending end, the receiving end is a little more muddled. Anyway check it out there is even a video. http://blogs.zdnet.com
Saturday, October 10, 2009
The Intel Museum: Fab-ulous
I'm spending my weekend in Santa Clara CA, and just a little way up the street from my hotel is the Intel campus.What is very cool is that they have a small but excellent museum there that is open to the public. There you can not only experience the history of Intel; but the history of computing, especially in the last 30 years.
Intel was founded in 1968 by two guys, Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore (Moore's law), who worked for Fairchild Semiconductor. They thought better of naming the new company Moore-Noyce (more-noise) and so Intel was born.
There are displays of everything from how chips are made to a trip through Intel's marketing strategies. One really neat thing is that the entire floor of the museum is made of perforated "clean room" tiles.I wandered the museum by myself. Then I took a free docent-led tour that was both fun and informative.
One of my favorite things in the museum was an original Altair 8800. After all, it is the computer that started it all for the home user.
My other favorite thing was the
silicon ingot. The docent told us that it was just like the ones they actually make the wafers from, but that is was shorter than the ones they use in production. The ingot on display would produce 12 inch wafers.The museum is free and is open 6 days a week. There are both static and interactive displays that are fun for all ages. If you find yourself in Silicon Valley with an hour or 2 to spare, the Intel Museum is a great way to totally geek out.
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