Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Okay, back to starting off with my favorite subject green cars. I was watching Jay Leno earlier in the week when Jay mentioned the new Aperta car. I have always liked clicking around his site anyway so I thought I would take a look at it. This is an extremely interesting car, looks like the future to me; even if it does not fly I sure would like one. The link goes directly to the video on the car, short commercial 30 sec. but worth the wait. http://www.jaylenosgarage.com
2) I think it was Troll that got me started on this, usually I would say thank you, and this time I am not so sure. Warning if you are a half hour either side of eating dinner, you might want to wait before opening the page, photos are not exactly easy on the eye. This is the official site of the Montauk Monster, these keep popping up in the news, from Texas to Long Island New York. I have not settled on an opinion yet, but if Big Foot, Yeti, Nessy, etc. why not. Seems to be more proof on this than those. Anyway, an interesting read, albeit with some mighty ugly pictures. http://www.montauk-monster.com/
3) The fields of science, religion, and metaphysics seem to be blending more and more these days. Science seems to come closer and closer to answering the question, though I still think it is the understanding of what the question is that more precisely defines the quest. This is a link to an article in Discovery Magazine with the title, “Is Quantum Mechanics Controlling Your Thoughts?” Quite an interesting article gets into some rather interesting areas. Some of the things going on these days are just stunning, I am so happy to have the opportunity to live in this time of enlightenment. http://discovermagazine.com
4) I am sorry if I am getting in a little deep this week when it comes to the big questions, but when I found this I just had to pass it on. The concept of human consciousness has been one of my biggest interests as long as I can remember. The knowledge that every atom in my body has been replaced many, many times over my life time without any notice of the process in my conscious thought, just makes me want to know where in/or out of the body does my awareness of self reside. This has to be the most extensive site on the net for perusing this subject over five thousand free on line papers, not pages full papers. Fantastic if you are into learning about who you really are check this out http://consc.net/online/
5) Geek link for the week, Google is switching to tricycles for their street view mapping. In some areas that are just not right for the vans, if it was not human powered, I could see myself enjoying this job. Just touring around the countryside in the open air, this would have to be on the coolest job list. http://www.autoblog.com

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Free subscription to NASA Tech Briefs Magazine TradePub.com, get a free subscription to NASA Tech Briefs Magazine in exchange for information about you and your company. NASA Tech Briefs Magazine has exclusive reports of innovations devloped by NASA

Plantronics Explorer 222 Bluetooth Headset for $14 + free shipping New Ad Sunday Morning Buy.com offers the Plantronics Explorer 222 Bluetooth Headset, model no. PLAN222, for $13.99 with free shipping. It's the lowest total price we could find by $8, This 0.5-oz. headset features up to six hours of talk time, 200 hours of standby, and an AC charger.

USB 2.0 to IDE / Serial ATA Converter Cable for $12 + free shipping
eForCity.com via Buy.com offers this USB 2.0 to IDE / Serial ATA Converter Cable, model no. PCABUSBX0017, for $11.99 with free shipping. 2.5" or 3.5" IDE or SATA hard drive into a USB hard drive.

New: Westinghouse 26" Widescreen LCD Display from $200 + $15 s&h, Costco offers its members the Westinghouse 25.5" Widescreen LCD Monitor (pictured), model no. L2610NW-SP, for $199.99 plus $14.99 for shipping. (Non-members pay $10 more.) 1920x1200 native resolution, 5ms response time, 3,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, HDMI and VGA inputs.

TWO Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1.5TB Internal SATA Hard Drive (2-Pack) $199.99 Free Shipping, Dell Home has the Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1.5TB 7200RPM/32MB ST31500341AS (2-Pack) for a low $199.99 after Coupon Code: P0HD43$HB$DLDR (Exp 5/26, 1500 uses). Free Shipping.

D-Link DES-1105 5-Port 10/100 Ethernet Switch $4.99AR Free Shipping, Newegg has the D-Link DES-1105 5-Port 10/100 Ethernet Switch for $4.99 after rebate. Free Shipping. Tax in CA, NJ, TN, PR.
$10 rebate Exp 6/30/09

New: D-Link DPH-50U Skype USB Phone Adapter for $5 after rebate + free shipping Frys offers the D-Link DPH-50U Skype USB Phone Adapter Plug any standard phone into the adapter and connect it to your computer to make Skype calls. Not compatible with 64-bit versions of Windows Vista. Rebate ends June 30.

CircuitCity.com has been relaunched as a shell site powered by Systemax,

In Store Fry's Deals
FREE USB to 2.5" IDE drive adaptor Free after rebate

Lawyer: RIAA must pay back all $100M it has collected

Harvard Law professor Charles Nesson is active in a case, where Nesson and a former student demand the RIAA pay back all $100 million it has collected in settlement money over the years.

New bill wants fiber conduit built into every road project

Here's a great idea. Lay conduit for fiber when the road is torn up anyway. This still won't solve the so-called last mile problem, however if this idea were adopted on a more local level it could help.

Where is Vista SP2?

The title says it all. Where is it? When will we see it? Does anybody out there really care? Hey, "Earth to Redmond"...

Windows 7 RC's 'free' reign to end with auto-shutdowns Starting March 1st

Users must buy the OS by March 1, 2010 or face no-warning reboots

Verizon Expands 7Mbps DSL Availability to 9.7 million households in 21 States and DC

Verizon announced this morning, May 20th, that they've continued to expand availability of their 7Mbps DSL service. According to the telco, by July, 9.7 million households in parts of 21 states and the District of Columbia will be able to order the faster DSL service -- quite a jump from the 400,000 or so users back in December of 2007.

Transformers USB flash drive is ready to ravage your files, bring carnage to your desktop

Prices have been dropping on USB drives so at $42.99 for 2 GB it is pretty pricey. But it is a cool as it is pricey. So for those who need to relive their childhood, or who simply like this awesome cat, here is a USB drive to reckon with.

Web attack that poisons Google results gets worse

Another attack that makes safe sites unsafe. Once again the advice to keep your system updated and use a good anti-virus, is still good.

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 05-17-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 05-17-09. 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.

Windows 7 RC 32 bit gets its first bug, and it is sigificant

The first documented bug in the Windows 7 Release Candidate (build 7100) is a doozy. Microsoft provided details of a problem that affects the 32-bit (x86) English-language version of Windows 7 build 7100: a problem in which the installer incorrectly sets access control lists (ACLs) on the root of the system drive.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Okay right off I am going to use my green spot to bring up an old worldwide improvement that the advent of the computer promised us years ago. But, seemed to miss the mark. Supposedly there would be a major reduction in paper usage due to e-paper, well that sounded good; unfortunately along with computer advancement came printer advancement. Now I ran across this announcement yesterday and I think the future they promised may be emerging at last. I would like to have one of these if they can get the price down http://www.amazon.com This is an article on whats coming to improve them with color http://www.newscientist.com
2) That old question about us being alone in the universe may have an answer very soon now. Seems the new telescopes coming out will have the ability to spot exo-planets by looking at the atmosphere and detecting traces of air breathing life, This should offer an easy method to map out a few places to go when we burnout the Earth, if we are still around, and providing we also find a way to get there. A interesting new technology though, article here http://www.sott.net
3) In the event you thought the happenings in the Bermuda Triangle are just something out of the past, and put to rest due to weather anomalies, this is a serious site with some interesting reading. They keep up with the latest news on the subject, along with explanations of past events. http://www.bermuda-triangle.org/
4) The advancement of technology verses the size and scope of the world population may cause some interesting questions regarding the evolution of man, and ethics. The question of our splitting into different lines of the evolutionary tree at an increased rate due to the have-have not aspect of our society. Who gets the new medical treatments is already an issue, just look at the difference between us and most third world countries. Now enter the abilities to increase brain power with new technology and we may see a new area of separation in our own country with even greater implications. Very interesting article here http://www.newscientist.com
5) For my geek link this week I am going to pose the hypothesis that the next world war, if we have one, and providing we are not in it at the moment. Will be fought entirely by geeks. Look at what is going on in Afghanistan right now, the air attacks being flown right now are piloted by people here in Las Vegas. They drop a bunch of bombs on targets that were determined by surveillance of the countryside, all from here. Then stop for a buffet on their way home, every thing is done remotely. This article is not about that, but helps make my point we do not need tanks, and AK-47’s anymore. We need geeks sitting in little dark rooms looking at monitors, using computers to keep us safe from the other guys sitting at their computers. http://news.cnet.com

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Samsung Spinpoint 1TB SATA 16MB Cache Drive $75 at NewEgg.com Click Here
NewEgg.com has the Samsung Spinpoint F1 HD102UJ 1TB SATA 7200 RPM 16MB Buffer Hard Drive OEM for $75 with free shipping. Covered by a 3-year warranty. Average latency of 4.17ms, average seek time of 8.9ms.

Westinghouse M2401 24in Widescreen Flat-Panel LCD Monitor with 3.5in Digital Photo Frame $199.99, BestBuy has the Westinghouse 24" Widescreen Flat-Panel LCD Monitor with 3.5" Digital Photo Frame for a low $199.99. Free In-Store Pickup. 1920x1200 in 16:9 format; 5ms; 1000:1; 300nits; DVI w/HDCP & VGA;

Magellan Maestro 4200 Portable GPS System $93 at Buy.com Click Here
Buy.com has the refurbished Magellan Maestro 4200 Portable GPS System with 4.3" Wide Touch Screen for $93 + $0 shipping = $93 shipped.

IOGEAR GCS14 4-Port MiniView Compact KVM Switch Kit w/Cables - Retai Price: $29.99 Free Shipping at Newegg
With Promo Code
EMCLSMS27

EU slaps a record fine on Intel

From the BBC:
Computer chipmaker Intel has been fined a record 1.06bn euros ($1.45bn; £948m) by the European Commission for anti-competitive practices.

New Zune ad: It costs $30,000 to fill up your iPod | Technically Incorrect

The title of this article should have been "Higher Math" or "Do You Really Want to Listen to Coldplay When You are 167 Years Old?" Anyway, enjoy this trip into the world of Zune vs. Ipod.

Sony: Had We Been Open, We Would've Beaten Apple

This is quite an article. Of course, only time will tell if Sony has really changed. I still remember back 20 to 30 years ago when buying something with the Sony name on it, with a few exceptions, meant you had chosen quality over price.

Somewhere along the way, somewhere post Walkman (you know, the cassette tape ones), they lost their way. Now they are trying to find the road back. Building stuff people want at a price they can afford is a start. Not pulling any more DRM tricks would help, too. Not making everything proprietary (memory stick) would be a finishing touch.

I read the word "control" in the article. I do think Sony tried to control their customers, and their customers said, "no thanks".

You have no rights, so buy windows 7

This is a rather harsh rant, but at least some of it is justified. Remember all the hype last week? Windows 7 RC was good for a year? Well, not so fast and not really. There is a surprise in store starting in March 2010. The surprise that means in effect the "goodness" ends then. Read the whole rant for that and other thoughts.

I don't take as hard a line as the authot, but the author does make some points.

Baby monitors killing urban Wi-Fi

Here's a story from the UK. If you are having trouble with your WiFi, read this.

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 05-10-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 05-10-09. 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) As usual starting off with green, and when ever possible involving transportation, where it seems to me the action is. First an article that I found mildly enlightening in that it illustrates the crux of the problem we have had in the past. Seems with all of the whiz bang performance enhancements we have made in the last thirty years relating to fuel savings. We just used the added efficiency to create more gadgetry. If we had used the technology we created to save fuel, on saving fuel, it is estimated the average car in the U.S. would be getting over 38 mpg. We, as usual chased the short term goals of sales, and profit by going for more power, and bigger and heavier vehicles. According to the article where we can save the most the quickest is to reduce the way we perceive what we need in a vehicle. It all makes sense to me. Article here http://www.wheels.ca
2) Well that last one was a little depressing so let me offer something a little counteractive to sort of inject a little hope about our future. I just do not believe the answers will come from the big auto companies. They have grown so much red tape, stock holder worries,distractions into unproductive research, and government appeasing policies, in general they have got to big to be innovative. It seems to me they stifle productivity, by requiring everything to fit their current paradigm. Here is a web site that offers some hope, it is about a high school, the X-prize, and some serious possibilities talent wise. Click around the news links, what they have already done, and what they are doing, they seem to have a shot. http://www.evxteam.org
3) Okay this is a sort of update on several past links all wrapped up in one. Quite a while back I did some stuff on prototype inkjet style printers that could print up objects. Then there was the team that grew a human ear on the back of a mouse. Two weeks back the magic powder that could regenerate the growth of a human severed finger. Well here is a link that sort of brings those together. Seems a team in Sweden has found a way to use a 3D printer, to grow a human thumb bone, Looks like they can just grow whatever bone they want to replace. I am amazed more and more everyday, if we can keep the planet together there is no stopping us. http://www.newscientist.com
4) Now here is an interesting site for the camera buffs out there. I was just blown away by this. Of course I am easily impressed, but if you have not seen this take a look. Called gigapixel photography it is a commercial site offering this product which seems very cool to me. Take a look and play with the zooming in on details, I found the whole thing kind of surreal. http://gigapixelphotography.com
5) My geek link offering for the week also is an update on something I used several months back. That being the mind interface headsets. They are coming out very soon, and quite cheap. Soon we may not need a keyboard at all, seems some of them will soon allow you to type just by thinking. OMG where is all of this headed, I can’t wait to see the next decade, check the article here, lots of interesting video links. http://www.newscientist.com

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

New: ASUS 24" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display with HDMI for $190 + free shipping Today Sunday only
newegg.com offers the ASUS 23.6" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. VH242H, for $189.99 with free shipping. ZipZoomfly.com charges the same. Resolution is 1920x1080 (1080p), integrated speakers, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, 5ms response time, HDMI input, DVI and VGA inputs.

SanDisk 4GB Cruzer Micro USB 2.0 Flash Drive for $8 + free shipping
Meritline.com offers the retractable SanDisk 4GB Cruzer Micro USB 2.0 Flash Drive, model no. SDCZ6-4096-A11, for $10.95 plus free shipping. Add coupon code "MLC122433A" to your cart to slice it to $7.95

D-Link 802.11n Wireless 4-Port Router with Laptop Adapter for $40 + free shipping
Back at newegg.com is the D-Link DIR-615 802.11n Wireless 4-Port Router together with the D-Link DWA-642 RangeBooster N CardBus Notebook Adapter for $39.99 plus free shipping. (Scroll down to "Combo Deals" to find the bundle.)

MyFax free: Send up to 2 faxes per day for free
MyFax.com allows you to send up to two faxes per day for free through its MyFax Free service. Faxes will be sent within minutes of accepting a confirmation email. Documents must not exceed a file size of 10MB or 10 pages in length

How many Intel CPUs will fail the XP Mode test in Windows 7? | Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report | ZDNet.com

If you are planning on running Windows 7's XP virtualization on your existing processor read this. Read this especially if you are running Intel. I'm pleased to discover that both my CPU's, laptop and desktop, will run it if I choose to. If you can't run MS's virtualization the good new is that Parallels is working on their own solution and of course there is always VMWare, but you will need to supply your own XP license where as Win 7 will come with an XP license for the purpose.

Wireless Heart and Patient Monitor Trasmits Info to Doctor Via CallPhone

A new product costing hundreds rather than thousands of dollars that will let your doctor or staff monitor you wherever you are via cellphone. The system will be available via prescription from a physician and consists of the wearable, wireless sensor; a small portable device that transmits vital data to a patient’s physician from anywhere in the world.

SCO to fight US bankruptcy trustee's motion to liquidate it

From the "it couldn't happen to a better company dept.", it looks like after a long tortuous illness, brought about by hubris and greed, SCO is finally going to die a well deserved death. Ding dong.

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 05-03-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 05-03-09. 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) For my green link this week I am going back to basics, do we really understand what is causing the problem? I have often noticed that it seems the more sure people are about something, the more likely it is they have overlooked something important. While I am sure we humans fit into the equation in a big way, when it comes to climate change causation it just seems their may be some missing pixels. This is a very interesting article about our current sun cycle, which is nothing like any thing we have seen so far. Of course when we look at the life time of the sun, and do the math we have only been observing it for the equivalent of a nano second or so. http://www.independent.co.uk/
2) For my second offering I am going to the very cool, but with a few little hidden thought provoking twists. This is one of the better illusions I have seen, it looks to be a picture of Albert Einstein, but if you back off the monitor seven or eight feet, from a distance it morphs into Marilyn Monroe. It reminds me of those objects I see by the side of the road in the distance that morph from an animal into a tree trunk. In an odd sort of way it illustrates many things in our lives other than vision. How many points of view have you had about something from opinions of people and politics, to views on theories of science, religion or whatever, only to have them morph into something else upon closer examination? http://www.wired.com
3) I cannot remember for sure who sent me this one, I think it was Troll, but it may have been Joe, as it has been in my show stuff folder for a few weeks. But, thank you. This has to be the definitive site on the Aurora, better known as the Northern Lights. If you have any curiosity about them, or just want to see what Joe is talking about when he refers to them, this is the place to go. The site is put up by Michigan Tech, and has everything from, forecasts and maps, causes and effects, to as many images as you could want. http://www.geo.mtu.edu
4) This is another of those definitive sites covering a subject to the nth degree. If you are at all interested in the Kryptos Sculpture at the C.I.A. headquarters, or if this is new to you and you want to read up on it, view videos on it, well this is the place. It is a fascinating read, I am not to sure what I think about the whole thing, but that is just not unusual. I will leave my opinions lying on the cutting room floor of my mind, and leave it up to you to try and make sense of it. http://elonka.com
5) And now, the geek link of the week, what could be better coming from the zone than the “global warming” of the internet. An article predicting we will run out of band width in the near future. Reducing the internet to an unreliable toy around 2012, funny how that year keeps coming up in the oddest places, usually about something dire. Anyway they make what seems to be a plausible case for a rather unfortunate end to our fun. I also learned another new term from the article though, just when I thought I might digest the concept of a petabyte, now I have to think about an exabyte, (billion trillion). Read it here, http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) PC3 DDR3 Desktop RAM Kit
newegg.com offers the OCZ SLI-Ready 2GB PC3-14400 DDR3-1800 240-Pin Dual Channel Desktop Memory Kit with two 1GB DIMMs, model no. OCZ3N1800SR2GK, for $54.99. This $40 mail-in rebate drops the price to $14.99. With free shipping, . Rebate ends May 8.

Sceptre 24" Widescreen LCD Display for $200 + $2 s&h
CompUSA again offers the Sceptre 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. x24wg-Naga, for $199.99 plus $1.99 for shipping

Acer X183H b 18.5" Widescreen LCD Monitor
$100 (29% off $140 retail) at CompUSA

TechBargains Coupon Page - Hundreds of coupons for lots of Computer, Electronics and assorted Internet merchant sites.

Motorola H680 Bluetooth Headset for $17 + free shipping
newegg.com offers the Motorola H680 Bluetooth Headset for $16.99 with free shipping. Features include nine hours of talk time and up to 300 hours standby.

Free Windows 7 RC1 from MS & Setup Secrets Article on ZDNet

Windows 7 setup secrets On May 5, the general public will finally be allowed to download the official Windows 7 Release Candidate from Microsoft. It’s been up on BitTorrent networks for more than a week. If you have a torrents client you can look for Windows 7 RC1 Build 7100. Then read the article at the above link. This software is valid for more than a year!

Office 2007 Service Pack 2 available for download | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com

"SP2 provides the usual security, performance and reliability fixes that SPs deliver. SP2 is especially tuned to update Outlook and SharePoint Server, according to the company. SP2 also includes support for more file formats, such as PDF and ODF, Microsoft oficials said. Here’s more from Microsoft’s release on Office 2007 SP2:"
As we always tell you, do your Microsoft updates. This Service pack is out and ready to download and install.
AlaskaJoe

Google serves up better demographics, charts

Google has anew search feature that lets you compare data such as unemployment rate for a locality against a region or the whole country.  I haven't pushed the limits of what Google has in its servers, but the ability to find and then do comparative graphs on government data will make many students very happy, as the picture illustrates.

Are Linux netbooks becoming extinct?

The netbook ought to have been the domain of Linux. It certainly started that way, with the inaugural 7" ASUS Eee Linux PC sporting Xandros. Then Windows XP came back into vogue and the vendors backed away. Both ASUS and Dell confirmed today that Linux features little in their future plans

Gateway in the Dead Pool - Geek News Central

"In 2007, Gateway sold off its professional division to MCS, formerly Micron Computer. This mean all small, medium, and large business, as well as education and government contracts, went with it."
I have been saying for some time now that Gateway support is going down hill fast. As a tech when I contacted Gateway for support they wanted me to ship the whole computer to them so they could replace a failed hard drive on a 6 week old system.
It seems it is much easier to send me a replacement hard drive than to spend $50 to ship the whole computer to them.

As the guy that wrote this article said: Buyer beware. I wouldn’t buy a Gateway at this point, not even from a retailer. I agree, let Gateway die in peace!

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 04-26-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 04-26-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Green link of the week takes me back to boy scouts. I remember some sort of a project we did making a solar oven supposedly to bake bread, if memory serves me it did not work so hot, pardon the pun. Well evidently that concept has been revised somewhat, with the Koyto box, named for the summit. This is the - "two cardboard boxes, and some paint that can save the world” Winner of the Financial times-sponsored climate change challenge contest for innovative ways to decrease human impact on the environment. The manufacturing cost of the box is only six dollars, and it can boil water, cook a casserole, bake bread, using solar, but it can also save a rain-forest. The sub-link in the article on the prize is also interesting reading. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com
2) Okay, this is my advancing technology blow your mind link for the week. At least if you are not up on metamaterials. This has been hanging around in my use for the show, maybe folder for a month or two; I just kept skipping over it because I had not taken the time to read it. I am correcting that now, if you have not heard about metamaterials do yourself a favor and read this, I believe you will be hearing a lot about this in the future, maybe under a different name, but this has unbelievable potential. http://discovermagazine.com
3) I don’t know if any of you have picked up on this, it sure was news to me. One more of those mind blowing articals, this brings a lot of thoughts to mind. It is an article about re-growing body parts. Started out with a guy in a hobby shop showing a customer why the propeller on a model plane was dangerous. He went beyond what was expected by cutting off the end of his finger. Lucky he knew someone doing limb replacement research that sent him some magic powder. Grew back his finger, evidently this is for real check it out. http://health.howstuffworks.com
4) I was tempted to save this for my opening link next week, but decided to use it here. Sent to me by Wills of show host fame, it is one more of those how we can really make a difference with small adaptations of what is available around us. I was impressed by this because of its practicability using materials available in the local area to change, or improve a simple human problem. http://www.cbsnews.com
5) Now for some geekyness, spell check did not like that, but had no suggestions so forgive me. Started off by a suggestion from Troll, who seems to find some joy in tweaking my mind, but I like that. The whole idea of cloud computing, well explained here http://www.geeks.com Thanks Troll, now for just a little something more I ran across at Stock Gumshoe, another site I like dealing with those stock offers from the stock touting crowds that show up in our email, I really like this site anyway, just a little additional reading if you are inclined http://www.stockgumshoe.com

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

ZOTAC GF8200-A-E AM2+/AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 8200 Micro ATX Motherboard $49.99AR Free Shipping, Apr. 25 2 PM
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document.write('')

Newegg has the ZOTAC GF8200-A-E AM2+/AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 8200 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard, for a low $49.99 after rebate. Free Shipping. Tax in CA, NJ, TN, PR.
Add a processor: Newegg has the AMD Phenom 9950 Agena 2.6GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor, for a low $104.99 after $25 off Coupon Code: AMD42325 (Exp 4/30) Free Shipping. Tax in CA, NJ, TN, PR.
$15 rebate Exp 4/30/09


Deal at newegg.com Western Digital Caviar GP 750GB Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. WD7500AACS, for $59.99 with free shipping ($0.08/GB). That ties a mention from two weeks ago for the lowest total price we've seen for a 750GB 3.0Gb/s hard drive. This "green" product promises reduced power consumption compared to other models by up to 50%. It runs at 5400 rpm and features a 16MB cache.

Deal at newegg.com Western Digital Caviar GP 750GB Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. WD7500AACS, for $59.99 with free shipping ($0.08/GB). That ties a mention from two weeks ago for the lowest total price we've seen for a 750GB 3.0Gb/s hard drive. This "green" product promises reduced power consumption compared to other models by up to 50%. It runs at 5400 rpm and features a 16MB cache.


Seagate.com Outlet Sale: Hard drives from $50 + $8 s&h
Maxtor OT4 Mini 160GB External for $49.99
Maxtor 500GB IDE Hard Drive Kit for $69.99
Seagate FreeAgent Desktop 500GB USB 2.0 External for $79.99
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 750GB IDE Internal for $89.99
Seagate FreeAgent Desktop 750GB USB 2.0 External for $89.99
PNY GeForce 9400 GT 512MB PCI Express Card for $20 after rebate + free shipping
newegg.com offers the PNY GeForce 9400 GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 Video Card, model no. VCG94512GXEB, for $44.99. This $25 mail-in rebate chops it to $19.99. With free shipping, that's the lowest total price we've seen for any GeForce 9400 GT 512MB by $17. This HDCP-ready video card features two dual-link DVI-I outputs with a maximum resolution of 2560x1600, 550MHz clock

Acer X233Hbid 23 inch Widescreen LCD Monitor $179.99 + $2 Shipping, Apr. 25 6 AM
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TigerDirect has the Acer X233Hbid 23" Widescreen LCD Monitor for a low $179.99. $1.99 Shipping. Tax in FL, NC, IL.
1920 x 1080; 5ms; 40000:1 (ACM); 300nits; HDMI, DVI, VGA

Windows XP will be Integrated Into Windows 7

Windows 7 is approaching its official release date not too long from now, and this week Microsoft unveiled one of the "secret" technologies that will ship with Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate. Called XP Mode or XPM for short, the new feature essentially virtualizes the legacy Windows XP operating environment within Windows 7

Microsoft Watch - Business Applications - Office 2007 SP2 Arrives in Two Weeks

Office 2007 SP2 Arrives in Two Weeks
"Service Pack 2 adds the ability to open, edit and save documents in version 1.1 of the OpenDocument Format for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. These applications now let users save, open, and edit files as OpenDocument Text (*.odt), OpenDocument Spreadsheet (*.ods), and OpenDocument Presentations (*.odp)."
If your running Office 2007 you need to do your Microsoft updates and get this Service Pack.
AlaskaJoe

Security outfit calls for roll back of IE - The Inquirer

"INSECURITY OUTFIT Kaspersky Labs is apparently so alarmed that so many of its customers are reporting problems with Microsoft's Internet Exploder 8 that it is advising them to roll back to IE7."
Have you tried Internet Explorer 8 yet? You might want to hold off for a little while. I am running IE 8 but only use IE when I need Active X (like in Microsoft updates)

AlaskaJoe

Ubuntu 9.04 as slick as Windows 7, Mac OS X | Business Tech - CNET News

"Here's what the official press release won't tell you about Ubuntu 9.04, which formally hit the streets overnight: its designers have polished the hell out of its user interface since the last release in October."

Here is your chance to play with Ubuntu 9.04 "Jaunty Jackalope" . You will need to download the ISO then burning the image to a CD (I use image burn) then just boot to the new CD you burned. If you want to install it on your computer, just click the icon on the Ubuntu desktop. If you only want to play with Ubuntu, when your finished just reboot and take the CD out.
Have fun with Ubuntu 9.04 "Jaunty Jackalope"
AlaskaJoe

Stop using Adobe Acrobat Reader - The Inquirer

"INSECURITY OUTFIT F-Secure has warned people to stop using Adobe's Acrobat Reader and switch to using an alternative PDF reader until the company sorts out its security.

Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer of F-Secure, told a briefing of journos that nearly half of hacker attacks this year exploited holes in Acrobat Reader, while six vulnerabilities have been discovered that target the program.

He said that users would be better off with an open sauce flavour of PDF reader."

I have been using Foxit reader for years, It's free.

AlaskaJoe

Run Ubuntu as a Portable App on Windows! | Daily Cup of Tech

"Portable Ubuntu for Windows provides the user with the ability to install Ubuntu on a Windows machine and do pretty much everything that you can do on a regular Ubuntu machine! And, you can do the install to a USB device so that you can take your Ubuntu with you and run it from any Windows machine you want!"
This is very cool tool/toy. If you have it on Windows XP: Just click on run_portable_ubuntu.bat and the whole thing will start. In Vista it take a little more, but not a lot.
The second YouTube video shows you how it works. It's very cool!
AlaskaJoe

» Here It Comes: an Internet Sales Tax » Blog Archive Alice Hill’s Real Tech News - Independent Tech

With states needing as much revenue as possible during this recession, it looks like Congress is now ready to move in the direction of creating a sort of “Internet sales tax,”

It looks like the government wants more of our money. A national sales tax. Up here in Alaska we don't have a state sales tax, however now we might have to pay an internet tax for anything we buy online. I don't like it, but I can see the writing on the walls. (or on the invoice)

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 04-19-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 04-19-09. 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.

1) To start off the week something while not to glamorous, but something with great potential, normally the term scum is not greeted with, “gee that might save the world’’, but then think about “the meek will inherit the earth”. It has always been the simplest concepts that have made the largest changes. Most really great ideas have started as simplistic concepts that were improved on to create great advances. This may be just more, after all the oil we use is the same product, except it takes millions of years, as opposed to less than one. Interesting article here http://online.wsj.com
2) I ran across a mention of the Lyrid meteor shower looking for something to post I found this site; it has a daily what to look for in the night sky broken down for the week. I thought that was kind of cool just check in once in a while to see if there is any thing coming up. http://www.skyandtelescope.com/
3) I have a cousin who is an avid railroad guy; I ran across this and could not resist sharing it. While I am not sure how many of you out there have an interest in the subject, maybe like me you know someone like my cousin who shares this passion, if so they would surly like this link. Even if it is not your particular cup of tea, you must admit it is the best of its kind. http://www.youtube.com
4) While I am not to sure what I think about this, when I read it I just had to use it. The idea that space can have a smell strikes me as extremely odd. After all how can nothing have a smell, the whole concept of space actually being a vacuum is being challenged on several levels, maybe there is more to this than meets the eye. Can human senses really be more perceptive than our instruments? Interesting article here http://www.msnbc.msn.com
5) This granted is a pretty strange idea, and most people would just chuckle and go on about their business, to me it shows just how much the internet can be dangerous. After all when one looks at it with just a little bit of questioning, we say this is something that only the severally challenged would be swayed by. But when you look at the numbers it can be a little scary. As an example look at the political inferences put out over the net, the over the top strangeness of what is out there is alarming. No basis in fact at all, but presented as a fact, complete lies where is this headed. This is just an example, but http://www.express.co.uk

Susan Boyle Rocks YouTube Audience for 40+ Million Hits and Growing

Called a bit dowdy and plain, a 47 year old Scottish unemployed charity worker with no professional experience performs live before a large audience on Britain's Got Talent. As she states before the performance "I am going to make that audience rock." After only 7 days her 3 minute act is broadcast on YouTube and other video sites arouhd the world totalling over 40 million hits in its first week on the 'Net.

Pirate Bay four jailed for breaking copyright in Swedish file-sharing trial

Experts believe the ruling could be the first step towards ending illegal downloading, which has cost music and film companies billions of dollars in lost revenue. However the defedants are still defiant!
Founders Peter Sunde and Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, along with two other employees Fredrik Neij and Carl Lundström, were sentenced to a year in jail after being found guilty in a Swedish court of making 33 copyright-protected files accessible for illegal downloading on the website ThePirateBay.org.

Earl's Cyber Steals And Deals

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

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

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

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 04-12-09

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

Links from the Gregg Zone

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

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

Earl's Cyber Steals And Deals

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

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

Microsoft's 196 Megapixel Camera

Do we need to see every pore in Angelina Jolie's face?  No, that's not what 196,000,000 digital pixels are used for.  Microsoft's photogrammetry group has been photographing the world by airplane with the monster, 196 MP camera in order to ... how to say this, out-Earth Google Earth.

The downside of Microsoft's approach is the need to make endless airplane passes over the free world.  Google earth relies on commercially available satellite photos, so you'll see military facilities in Russia that Microsoft is, shall we say, highly unlikey to get permission to overfly.  But when Microsoft can get over a city, campus, or potential amphibious assault landing site, the 196 MP sure looks pretty.

Texas Plans Ban of Vista From Government PCs

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

Time Warner Actions Bait and Switch (Geek News Central)

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

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

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

DailyTech - IBM Walks Away from Sun Negotiations

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

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

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

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 04-05-09

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

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

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

Links from the Gregg Zone

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

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

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

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

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

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 03-29-09

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

Microsoft accidentally confirms Windows 7 RC date in May

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Links from the Gregg Zone

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

Windows Run Commands

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

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

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

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

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

AlaskaJoe

Earth hour

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

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 03-22-09

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

Links from the Gregg Zone

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

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

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

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

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

AlaskaJoe

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

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

AlaskaJoe

Deals at Dealnews.com and Techbargains.com

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

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 03-15-09

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

Links from the Gregg Zone

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

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

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

Skype 4.0 for Windows hotfix

Released March 11, 2009 in Skype for Windows.

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

List of fixes available at above link

Too Lazy to Farm Your Own Botnet? Then Outsource It.

The linked article paints a scary story: malware creators are becoming more businesslike. They are selling software kits to "write your own virus". But the inflection point is that these "independent businessmen selling research software" are willing to provide web hosting, maintenance, and support services.  Like the headline says, you can now outsource your botnet of infected machines.  Sorta looks like this beats selling fake sports memorabilia on eBay as a "work at home" business opportunity.

Low processor and harddrive prices at eWiz.com

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

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

Also coupon deals at eWiz.com:

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

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

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

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

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

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

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 03-08-09

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

Links from the Gregg Zone

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