IM client library bug plagues Pidgin • The Register

"Pidgin, Finch, Adium, Meebo, and Gaim are all vulnerable to a flaw that stems from a bug in Libpurple, library software for multi-protocol support that's used by many IM clients. The vulnerability stems from bugs in the software function that handles instant messages from the MSN network. The flaw was discovered by CORE Security whose advisory can be found here."
This article says Pidgin is 2.5.9 I looked and the new version I downloaded is 2.6.1

Always update your software when there are security updates.

AlaskaJoe

Secure Online Banking Discovered at BofA

I have just discovered a way to do online banking very securely. I am sure some of you have this already but my current bank did not do this type of secure banking online that I "discovered" at Bank of America. Not only do they have an ID and password login as WaMu does but they also issue a SiteKey that you set up and use to verify you are "really" at a BofA website. The SiteKey has a custom word and symbol picture that you set up to verify you are at the correct site. But that's only half of it. You can also set up SafePass for your online session. SafePass sends you a 10 minute valid (only) passcode for free via text messaging (or a card). You use it during your login session to make it super secure. And I have a PayAsYouGo (cheap) cellphone without text messaging! You can also set up about 20 different alerts on your account to be sent to email or cellphone. It works great. I will talk more about this on the show. - Earl

Windows 7 can be used for 120 days for free - The Inquirer

"The Vole generally allows punters only 30 days to activate their copies of the company's operating systems, though a little-known command designed for corporate administrators can be used by anyone to reset the countdown up to three times."

Windows Secrets has published step-by-step instructions for using a single command to add an additional 90 days to the stock 30-day grace period.

Now you can try Windows 7 for 120 days before you have to activate, by then you will love it. I can see why Microsoft is giving Windows 7 to people to try.

AlaskaJoe

Should You Be Looking For A Hard Drive Upgrade? : A Hard Drive Upgrade: Is Now The Time? - Review Tom's Hardware

"Most desktop PCs
bought or built in the past five years are probably using hard drives in the capacity range of 80 GB to 250 GB. Recent price drops in the hard drive market mean that most current drive generation is more attractive than ever before. You can get 1 TB hard drives for less than $100 now."

I have always had a problem using used drives. I think nothing of pulling a drive from a computer with a dead motherboard and installing it into one of my machines. I can't tell you how many times I got a computer all configured the way I want it and the drive I used died on me in a short time.

I never though of system performance when it came to hard drives, Maybe I should get a new 1TB drive for my new computer to see it really fly! The only problem I have with large drives for the OS is the amount of time it takes to scan then. (like in chkdsk0

Maybe it's just time!

AlaskaJoe

XP, Vista, or Windows 7: Which OS is more secure? | Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report | ZDNet.com

"Over the past couple years, I’ve been regularly checking in to measure whether Windows Vista is living up to its promise of being more secure than its predecessor, Windows XP."

As a computer tech I make a living fixing XP. Vista doesn't need anyone to fix it. (Other than hardware failures) I can see as Windows 7 get to more users I will be working less and less. (That is OK with me, Retirement sounds good to me.)

AlaskaJoe

7 Good Reasons to Switch to Windows 7 | Gadget Lab | Wired.com

"When scanning our list, we politely encourage you to ask yourself, “Do I really want to continue using an eight-year-old operating system?” Followed by “Don’t I deserve better?” Because no matter how comfortable you are with XP, you do deserve an OS that’s both newer and better, and Windows 7 will deliver. Not convinced? Then read on."

I like Windows 7 better than any other OS Microsoft has built.
AlaskaJoe

Linux Corner

Intro :

Commentators are Greg Jetter (aktrapper) and William Raymon (Buzz).

Please  take a moment  to  let Joe and the  gang know where your interest in Linux  lies. As  Linux is a Very large topic and we  want to focus in on issues that  you listeners  would like more information about. I and Buzz both could talk about  Linux all day long if allowed.


The state of Desktop Linux :

some links :

1.  http://www.desktoplinux.com/index.html

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing

The Linux desktop has evolved , it's getting better and better each day , that  is what happens when you got thousand of  programmers working on a  program .

E-mail ., web browsing ,  writing a  document or  creating a spreadsheet, you cant beat Linux ,  Linux provides the basic services most people want.


Is there too much choice in Linux and is that a bad thing or a good thing?


Some Desk top  Linux distro  that specialise in user friendly/windows type of desk tops

Freespire , freespire.org
Freespire 1.0 is Linspire's free Linux distribution. It was originally a Debian-based desktop Linux operating system

A good starting point is the website : desktoplinux.com
http://www.desktoplinux.com/articles/AT7386380154.html , contains a list of popular distros that  strive to  present a  easy to use  desktop.


Computing Stuff:

What is Cloud Computing ?

this is what wikapeida says
Some successful cloud architectures have little or no centralized infrastructure or billing systems whatsoever, including peer-to-peer networks such as BitTorrent and Skype, and volunteer computing such as SETI@home.


So  Cloud computing basically is  a peer to peer   type of service.
"
Because cloud computing does not allow users to physically possess the storage of their data (the exception being the possibility that data can be backed up to a user-owned storage device, such as a USB flash drive or hard disk) it does leave responsibility of data storage and control in the hands of the provider.
"

O/S :

Good OS , based on google applications

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/25/gos_review/

Last chance to get free Windows 7 test copy | Beyond Binary - CNET News

"Well, at least a free test copy of Windows 7, anyway. Users have until Thursday to download the 'release candidate' version of the software--the final test version of the operating system. It's a good option for those who have a spare machine to try out the software or for Mac users looking to experiment with running Windows either in virtualization software or via Boot Camp."
You can still get a free copy of Windows 7 RC1 It is good until about March of next year.
you need to get a copy by Thursday or you can't play with Windows 7.

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 08-16-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 08-16-09. 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 Doubles Cashback Incentives for Bing Search http://www.pcworld.com/article/169963/geekbargain_microsoft_doubles_cashback_incentives_for_bing_search.html

Samsung 22" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display for $126 + free shipping Dell Small Business offers the Samsung 21.5" Widescreen LCD Monitor in Piano Black, model no. 2243SWX, for $189.99. Coupon code "WKF35JP9FR9BLQ" drops it to $125.99. With free shipping, This pivoting monitor features a 1920x1080 (1080p) resolution, 1,000:1 contrast, 5ms response time, and DVI-D and VGA video inputs. Coupon ends August 20.

Dell S2309W 23" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display for $159 + free shipping , model no. F906G, for $239. Apply coupon code "M18WBZ?FND$BV$" to drop it to $159. 1920x1080 (1080p), 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 5 ms response time, 300 cd/m² brightness, and both DVI-D (with HDCP) and VGA inputs. Coupon expires August 20.

Hitachi 0A38016 1TB SATA Hard Drive $55 at Newegg
Click Here Newegg has the Hitachi 0A38016 1TB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive for $75 - 15% off with coupon code HDDSALE15 [Exp 8/16] - $10 rebate [Exp 8/16] = $55 with free shipping. Features up to 43% idle power savings.

HP Pavilion A6847C Desktop, Pentium Dual-Core E5300 2.6GHz, 6144MB, 500GB/7200RPM, DVD +/- RW, Memory Card Reader, Keyboard and Mouse, Vista Home Premium - Factory Refurbished FREE BUDGET SHIPPING Buy.com price: $419.00


Samsung EcoGreen F2 1TB SATA HDD + Rosewill Dock $70 at Newegg Click Here 1TB 5400 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive and 3.5" SATA to USB 2.0 Hard Drive Docking Station for $80 - $10 off with coupon code HDDSALE15 [Exp 8/16] = $70 with free shipping.

newegg.com offers the Western Digital Elements 1TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive, model no. WDE1UBK10000N, for $99.99. Coupon code "HDDSALE15" knocks to price to $89.99. With free shipping ($0.09/GB), . Coupon ends August 16.

Dell Home offers the Dell Inspiron 15 Pentium Dual-Core 2GHz 15.6" Widescreen Notebook in Jet Black for $449 with free shipping. That ties our mention from earlier in the week, although this one includes a better battery. Sales tax is added where applicable. It features an Intel Pentium T4200 2GHz dual-core processor, 15.6" 1366x768 widescreen, 3GB RAM, 250GB 5400 rpm Serial ATA hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11g wireless, 6-cell battery, and Windows Vista Home Basic. Deal ends August 20. Of note, to get a free Windows 7 upgrade (when it becomes available), choose Windows Vista Home Premium, a $30 option.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Starting off this week I am going to give in to something I have kind of avoided for a while, because in the beginning Joe asked me to stay away from politics. I do not see this as political, but have talked to some people who do, but then I know people who consider it a religious topic to discuss which came first the chicken or the egg. Anyway I have been a member of the Pickens Army for quite a while now. There was a clean air national summit here in Las Vegas last Monday. The most interesting point to me was about the 18 wheelers, there are currently six and a half million of them on our roads today. They cannot be powered by electricity, at least not with today’s technology, but if we were to convert them to natural gas; that change alone would reduce our dependency on foreign oil by 50%. That is in my mind a very big deal and something we could do easily, with a minimum of expenditure compared to most proposals. I like videos so the link goes to the video section of the site, but you can always click the home button, if you have not checked this out please do. http://www.pickensplan.com
2) Okay I realize this borders on the frivolous especially for some one who just had their 63rd birthday, by the way is there something about 63 that causes your friends to go over the edge, an electronic birthday card via email is one thing, you can choose to ignore them. But, to pollute a persons answering machine is quite another, sorry for the rant but I just had to comment, lets just move on. This site will give you 15 illustrated ways to lace your shoes. I told you it was frivolous, well maybe not for the young, at my age it just illustrates how complicated simple things can get. http://www.maildumper.com
3) This is one that Troll sent me that caught my eye, thanks Troll always enjoy stuff you send me even if I don’t use it here it’s always a good read. It amazes me how people as a whole ignore the possibilities until they see the proof. There was a time when the prevailing paradigm was the Earth is flat, the Sun revolves around us, more recently we are the only planet with water, ergo intelligent life. In the not to distant past, like months ago, I would still hear how unique our solar situation is, distance from the Sun, size of our moon, position of Jupiter to protect us, and all the rest. Then it seems over and over advancements in our technologies seem to prove we are not quite as unique as we think we are. This is just one more of those examples, we have witnessed the collision of near by planets, much like the one that created, and placed our moon in its current orbit. When you consider time on a universal scale as in billions of years, the odds of us observing such an event in our little corner of the cosmos must indicate it is not rare at all. Story link here http://news.bbc.co.uk
4) This is for me one of those sites that just attract me, during the times when there is nothing on T.V., nothing very interesting going on, chores are all caught up, just looking to sit in my chair and give in to distraction. A very nice radio site, offering a variety of shows covering the paranormal, conspiracies, metaphysical, science, ghosts, and the like. He has 39 radio shows, 1227 episodes, totaling 1994 hours of free online radio. If you like radio on the edge this might be right up your alley. http://www.blackvaultradio.com/
5) Last week I used a link about tactile holograms, new technology coming out to allow a person to feel by touch, or tactile sensation an interaction with a hologram, like feeling the rain on your hand. Well this is another along that same line; this new technology will allow you to feel the tactile interaction of your avatar. The gaming world, and porno people are very interested, but it would also be a major advancement for people who are paralyzed, or use prosthetics. A very interesting article, the implications are endless http://www.newscientist.com

DailyTech - Texas Judge Bans Microsoft From Selling Word in the U.S.

"Microsoft's Office 2003 and 2007 wove XML into Word, with the introduction of .docx, otherwise known as Office Open XML, as the format of choice."

You should notice no more Microsoft Office will be sold until this is worked out. That could be a real boost to Open Office and it's free for the download and most people can't tell the difference between Microsoft Word and Open Office writing program.

AlaskaJoe

First Wi-Fi pacemaker in U.S

Aug 11 - After relying on a pacemaker for 20 years, Carol Kasyjanski has become the first American recipient of a wireless pacemaker that allows her doctor to monitor her health from afar -- over the Internet. VIDEO Article

Panasonic, NEC unveil 9 Linux phones

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Panasonic Corp and NEC Corp unveiled nine new cellphone models on Tuesday that run the open-source LiMo operating system, wireless Linux group LiMo said.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 Is Updated with New Default Options

"Microsoft is offering users the upfront option of making Internet Explorer 8 their default browser, or else staying with a rival browser, as part of a Patch Tuesday update. The new version of IE 8 comes as Microsoft finds itself losing browser market share to Firefox and other rivals, and negotiating with European antitrust officials over the inclusion of IE 8 in the upcoming Windows 7."

Didn't we always have the option of what is our default browser? What is so special about this update? I think we are all getting Internet Explorer 8 weather you want it or not.

Remember to do your Windows updates today!

AlaskaJoe

You Deleted Your Cookies? Think Again

I've known about this for a while, but if you didn't, or if you just want more information about "Flash" cookies, read this.

As to Flash itself, I wish it would go away forever. It has constant security holes, and needs constant updating for security reason. Sadly, half of the web doesn't work without it.

Patch Tuesday Will Soon Be Here - Computing News - Digital Trends

"Five of the patches are deemed critical, three of them affecting Windows Vista, Windows XP and Server 2008 users. Windows 2000 and Server 2003 are vulnerable to four of the flaws, while the last of the critical vulnerabilities affects Office XP, 2003 and the Client for Mac component."
Tomorrow is Patch Tuesday, don't forget to do your Windows updates.

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 08-09-09

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.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) This is a green site that I hope will be a trend setter, I very much like the whole concept of goofing around with stuff in the backyard, I very much like green stuff, I like saving money by doing things cheap using DYI. This guy wraps it all up, and he is even using EBay to support his hobby, this guy could be a hero in my book. The whole thing just fits my style, makes me long to give up my condo for a backyard. http://greenpowerscience.com/
2) This is one that I consider a ray of hope, sent to me by Earl I was very happy to read that there is serious movement going on by the administration regarding changing over to electric cars. The new administration is releasing 2.4 billion in stimulus monies to promote this new industry, news article here http://www.msnbc.msn.com Earl also sent me this from San Diego California, they are testing an answer to one of the major stumbling blocks to setting up an electric car recharging grid, this is a very promising idea http://news.cnet.com
3) A few years back there was a big deal about the “Taos Hum”, a generic term for one of those unsolved mysteries; it was heard in various locations around the country. Well it seems scientists have found what they consider the answer; I like it when they find the answers for these anomalies. Kind of like the traveling rocks in Death Valley, the Nazca Lines in Peru, even if I choose to harbor some doubt, well that’s just me. Story here http://www.wired.com
4) This is one close to the edge, but that is where I like to hang out. Right out of Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey seems a photo of a monolith on Mars has shown up. The site here has a CNN interview with Buzz Aldrin referring to another monolith on Phobos a small moon of Mars. Sometimes the movies seem to predict our future, makes you wonder where the writers get their material. http://www.thesun.co.uk
5) This is another of those geeky, techie items that just sort of blew my mind. Not to sure how many applications this will have, but the implications seem endless when it comes to possibilities. We are talking about a tactile hologram, the demonstration video and article shows being able to feel holographic rain drops on your hand. Sort of adds thoughts of magic motion rides at amusement parks, game writers should have a field day, remote surgery, maybe pet the dog while you are away, I will leave the thoughts of porn sites to your imagination. Anyway a very interesting new technology coming soon, check it out here http://www.itvt.com

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

newegg.com offers the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.B 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. HDT721010SLA360, to $74.99 with free shipping. This $10 mail-in rebate chops it to $64.99 ($0.07/GB). . It features a 16MB cache, runs at 7200 rpm

SuperBiiz.com offers the Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. HD103UJ, for $83.99 with free shipping. Coupon code "SUPERSTEAL10" drops it to $73.99 ($0.07/GB). That's tied with our mention from July and the lowest total price we've ever seen for this hard drive. This 3.5" drive features a 32MB cache and runs at 7200 rpm

HP Pavilion a6724c Desktop, Phenom-8550 2.2GHz, 6GB, 640GB, DVD+/-R/RW, GeForce 9100, HD audio, Keyboard and Mouse, Vista Home Premium - Factory Refurbished FREE SHIPPING Buy.com price: $379

FREEware DriveImage XML 2.10
Images are stored in XML files, allowing you to process them with 3rd party tools. Never again be stuck with a useless backup! Restore images to drives without having to reboot. DriveImage XML runs under Windows XP Home, XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 only. The program will backup, image and restore drives formatted with FAT 12, 16, 32 and NTFS


SuperBiiz.com (eWiz.com) has the Thermaltake BlacX Hard Drive SATA Enclosure Docking Station w/ eSATA for a low $19.99 Free Shipping after rebate. This is the higher-end model, which connects any 2.5" or 3.5" internal SATA hard drive to a USB 2.0 or eSATA port. $15 rebate Exp 8/14/09

Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 Yorkfield 2.66GHz 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor Your Price: $159.99
With Promo Code EMCLWLT22

newegg.com trimmed its price on the Auria 23.6" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. EQ236, to $159.99 with free shipping. native resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), integrated speakers, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, 5ms response time, one HDMI input, and both DVI and VGA inputs. Rebate ends August 9 TODAY

Deals at BestBuy:
Laptops starting at $350 [Exp 8/15]
5% - 46% Off Select Printers [Exp 8/15]
Desktop Packages starting at $350 [Exp 8/15]
$30 - $100 Off Select GPS Receivers [Exp 8/15]
20% Off Select Laptop Bags and Mice [Exp 10/31]
Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 for $100 [Exp 8/15]
Free $15 iTunes Gift Card with Select Western Digital Hard Drives [Exp 8/15]
10% Off Select Antennas and Flat-Panel TV Mounts [Exp 8/15]
10% Off Select Accessories with Any Netbook [Exp 8/29]
5% - 33% Off Select Digital Camcorders [Exp 8/15]
Free $15 Gift Card with 8GB iPod touch [Exp 8/15]
5% - 17% Off Select Digital Cameras [Exp 8/15]
5% - 15% Off Select HDTVs [Exp 12/31]
10% Off All Bose Headphones [Exp 8/22]
$6.99 DVD Sale [Exp 8/29]
$9.99 - $14.99 Blu-ray Movie Sale [Exp 8/15]
$14.99 DVD and $24.99 Blu-ray Movie Sale [Exp 8/29]
$10 Off Any Video Game $29.99 and Up with Select Video Game Pre-Orders [Exp 8/15]
$10 Off 12-Month Live with Madden NFL 10 for Xbox 360 [Exp 8/15] (Starts 8/14)
Free $25 Gift Card with Xbox 360 Pro Gaming Console [Exp 8/15]
10% Off Select Upright Vacuums $99 and Up [Exp 8/15]
5% - 10% Off Select Major Appliances [Exp 8/15]
Free $5 Gift Card with TV on DVD [Exp 8/15]
$12.99 - $19.99 TV on DVD Sale [Exp 8/29]

Judge rebukes SCO, blocks sale, appoints bankruptcy trustee

You were wondering what has been happening in the SCO case, haven't you? Well, SCO is still on life support.

"These bankruptcy cases have been pending for 23 months. Were the Court to approve the Sale Motion, Debtors sole business would be the Litigation, putting aside the Mobility business which is of de minimis value. There would be no plan of reorganization and instead, all that the Debtors would have to show for their millions of dollars of post-petition losses is the Litigation," the Judge wrote.

Comcast adopts DNS hijacking, imposes irritating opt-out

Despite knowing the ways in which DNS hijacking can cause problems for non-Web clients, Comcast has rolled it out in an attempt to make money off misspelled URLs. To make matters worse, opting out is a hassle

Gmail flaw shows value of strong passwords

This article made a true believer out of me. I just beefed up my Gmail password. After reading it you may want to, too. I think some of her suggestions carry things to extremes, but I also think that putting a stronger password in Gmail is a good thing to do.

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 08-02-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 08-02-09. 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

Dell Small Business offers the Dell Vostro 220 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8GHz Mini Tower Desktop PC bundled with a Dell E2210H 21.5" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $409 plus $35 for shipping 3GB RAM

WalMart and Staples are slashing laptop prices and expanding their selections for the back-to-school shopping season

Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 Preferred for PC for $50
after rebate + $7 s&h, more TigerDirect.com offers the OEM Dragon NaturallySpeaking v.10.0 Preferred with Headset, model no. A109A-K07-10.0, for $99.99. This $50 mail-in rebate knocks it to $49.99.

Buy.com offers the Kingston 4GB PC2-5300 DDR2-667 SO-DIMM 200-Pin Dual Channel Notebook Memory Kit with two
2GB SO-DIMMs, model no. KVR667D2K2SO/4GETR, for $48.54. With free shipping,

newegg.com offers the Kingston 2GB
PC2-6400 DDR2 Dual Channel Desktop Memory, model no. KVR800D2/2GR, for $23.99 with free shipping. That's the lowest total price we could find by a buck. Deal ends August 3.

Refurbished HP Pavilion Intel Dual Core 2.4GHz Desktop for $370 + $21 s&h Tiger Direct Presario Desktop $300 with dual core AMD CPU & 3gb RAM AMD Athlon X2 4450e 2.3GHz with 3GB of pre-installed system memory. The Compaq Presario SR5710y Refurbished Desktop, Vista Home Premium. 250GB (7200rpm) HD

Dell Home offers the Dell Inspiron 15 Pentium Dual-Core 2GHz 15.6" Widescreen Notebook in Jet
Black for $399 with free shipping. Intel Dual Core T4200 2GHz
processor, 15.6" 1366x768 widescreen, 3GB RAM, 250GB HD, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11g wifi, 6-cell battery, and Windows Vista Home Basic. Ends August 6.

J&R offers the Lexar Media 8GB
Secure Digital High-Capacity (SDHC) Class 2 Flash Card, model no. SD8GB711, for $11.99 plus $2.95 for shipping

ZipZoomfly.com offers the ASUS 23" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. VH236H, for $174.99 with free shipping. This $20 mail-in rebate cuts it to $154.99. 1920x1080
(1080p) resolution, 20,000 :1 contrast ratio, 2ms response time, 300 cd/m² brightness, built-in speakers, one HDMI input, and both VGA and DVI inputs. Rebate expires August 31

Zipzoomfly.com 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). 32MB cache. Rebate ends August 20.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Well last week we were talking electric bicycles, this week I’m offering a link to a very nice electric motorcycle. Top speeds of 65 mph, 100 mile range, operating cost $0.003 per mile, the batteries last 2000 recharges or/for about seven years. That sounds pretty good to me. The link opens on the home page click on products I’ve been looking at the X-Rider, click on the details page. I followed the buy links to learn the price, the full price is $8,000.00, they are asking for a $3,000.00 deposit, so it may not be readily available. Need to check into it, but it does demonstrate the direction of the market. http://www.xtremegreenproducts.com
2) I have been into this project of severing myself from Cox Cable, to save myself a dime, and because they have been doing their best to make me hate them. Anyway, because of this I have been looking at online video stuff. Looking around for more content I remembered was looking for X-Conference Disclosure Press Conference video, it was back in April I looked for a week or two after it came out, and then forgot about it. Well I found the complete video yesterday. If you are curious about U.F.O.’s you should check it out full video here http://www.vimeo.com/4267335
3) This whole business of cloaking or invisibility seems to really be taking off. I have a lot of trouble wrapping my mind around the whole concept. The idea of something being in front of me in plain sight, and then disappearing somehow just does not compute. I have seen several articles on this, I am afraid this is just one more, but interesting. http://news.softpedia.com
4) Always interested in new products, and concepts coming out, some times I wonder why, and sometimes I am just totally wowed. Here is a slide show with captions of New Scientist’s favorites from the 2009 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) just released. Very cool I especially like the Braille converter for printed text, I also like the cheese grater, really makes me wonder what took this one so long to come out. http://www.newscientist.com
5) For my Geek link, after reading this I was left wondering how big the threat is to life on line as we know it, and how we may be affected by this. Skype has been so ingrained into my world I am not sure what I would do without it. I am not sure what to think about the risk to me, us, the show, who knows how this will shake down in the end, it sounds pretty scary to me. http://www.theage.com.

Microsoft sticker shock: Anytime Upgrade, Family Pack details

"The upgrade prices from consumer editions are reasonable; the prices for Ultimate edition are not."

Here's all the info on Windows 7 pricing you've been waiting for from Ed Bott. For those who skipped the Pre-sale in early July in favor of the family pack, it's basically a wash.

P.S. though similar, this article has more information than the article Joe posted a day or so ago.

Jury awards $675K in Boston music downloading case

Boston student who admitted downloading, sharing music ordered to pay $675K to record labels

How to avoid the “500 worst passwords of all time” - SmartPlanet

"A strong password should be two things: easily recalled by its owner and difficult to guess by someone who doesn’t know it. So even non-hackers can guess a few on the worst list."
We have talked about using a secure password on the show. Here is a site that talks about some things to do and some things not to do, in making up a password and or secret question.

AlaskaJoe

Remove the usage restrictions from Adobe PDF files by sending to Gmail account

You can lift the usage restrictions from Adobe PDF files by simply forwarding them as attachments to your Gmail account and opening them in HTML mode right from your inbox. That way, you can copy whatever the ’secured’ PDF contains to a text editing program

GeekDad Parents, Kids and the Stuff We Obsess About 100 Things Your Kids May Never Know About

Very interesting article as to tomorrow's generation.....

CCleaner

"CCleaner (or Crap-Cleaner as it is also known) describes its function in the title of the software. Simply put, CCleaner helps you get rid of junk and unwanted files from your PC. There are three different functions which the software can perform, two of which are very useful indeed:"
I have been using and recommending CCleaner for a while now, I like it and it does work. The new version even has an system restore button.

AlaskaJoe

Windows 7 Family Pack and WAU pricing - SuperSite Blog

"Details confirming both the availability and price of the Windows 7 Family Pack and three Anytime Upgrade products for Windows 7 ... a set of product listings from Expercom includes a WINDOWS 7 FAMILY PACK/ HOME PREMIUM UPGRADE (GFC-00236) with a listed price of $136.95."

This looks like a good deal for someone that needs 3 licenses of Windows 7.

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 07-26-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 07-26-09. 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.

“Electric Bicycle Links”

CURRIE Technologies

E-Zip 2008 Mountain Trailz Hybrid Electric Bike $298


Currie Electro-Drive Electric Bicycle Motor Conversion Kits From ElectricScooterParts.com Pictures Specifications and Information

The Electric Commuter Bike – Ezip Trailz

Blogger’s Review - E-Zip Trailz electric bEicycle

New Electric Bike Federal LAW

Electric Bicycles: Best Buys in Add-On Kits – Old Prices

Electric-Bikes.com Electric Bicycles - Older but good INFO

Rise and Fall of EV Global Motors

EV Global Motors Co. Announce Recall of Lithium Batteries in Electric Bikes

Electric Star article on the Rayos Electric Bicycle

Electric Bike Conversion Kits, Crystalyte Phoenix, RoadRunner, Sparrow Hub Motors

EV Deals Motor Replacement Kits and Parts

UK Ebike with stackable Li batteries

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Canon Laser Multifunction ImageClass D480 Copier $299.99 $149.99 after rebate at Fry’s
Kingston 8GB SDHC Card (Class 4) $17.17 Free Shipping, Jul. 23 12 PM Buy.com has the Kingston 8GB Secure Digital High Capacity (Class 4) Memory Card for a low $17.17 Free Shipping.
Dell Inspiron 546 AMD Quad Core 2.4GHz Desktop PC for $429 + free shipping via 1-day
Dell Home offers its new Dell Inspiron 546 AMD Phenom X4 2.4GHz Mini Tower Desktop PC) for $429 with free shipping via overnight delivery. (You must select "Next Business Day Delivery" at checkout.) AMD Phenom X4 9750 2.4GHz quad-core processor, 4GB RAM, 500GB 7200 rpm hard drive, ATI Radeon HD HD 3200 video card, DVD burner, Ethernet, and Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit. Deal ends July 30

Finepix Z200fd 10MP 5x Zoom Digital Camera for $110 + free shipping Best Buy offers the Fujifilm Finepix Z200fd 10-Megapixel Digital Camera in Silver, model no. 15831038, for $109.99 with free shipping.. Features include 5x optical zoom, face detection, trimming mode, image stabilization, video mode, xD-Picture and SDHC card slots, USB connectivity, and more.

Samsung 22" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display for $135 + free shipping, more
Dell Home offers the Samsung 21.5" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. 2233SW-Dell, for $134.99. (Add it to your cart to see this price.) With free shipping, that's the lowest total price we could find by $25. Sales tax is added where applicable. Features include a 1920x1080 (1080p) native resolution, 15,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 5ms response time, 300 cd/m² brightness, and DVI (with HDCP) and VGA video inputs. Of note, this $20 mail-in rebate is available that could potentially reduce the price to $114.99. However, the rebate lists the model number as "2233SW", and the Dell product page lists this as the "2233SW-Dell". Rebate expires July 31.
Seagate Barracuda LP 1.5TB SATA 3Gbps Internal Hard Drive for $110 + free shipping
newegg.com offers the OEM Seagate Barracuda LP 1.5TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. ST31500541AS, for $119.99 with free shipping. Coupon code EMCLVNP28" knocks the price to $109.9
.
newegg CPU Roundup: AMD Phenom II X3 2.5GHz for $109 + free shipping, more
newegg.com discounts select retail-boxed Intel and AMD processors, as listed below. Those with coupons are for newsletter subscribers only, and expire July 29. With free shipping, each is at the lowest total price we could find. The deals:
• AMD Phenom II X3 705e Heka 2.5GHz Triple-Core AM3 CPU (pictured) for $109 after code "EMCLVNP39"
• Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 Wolfdale 2.93GHz Dual-Core LGA 775 CPU for $119.99
• Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 Yorkfield 2.66GHz Quad-Core LGA 775 CPU for $169.99
• Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 2.66GHz Quad-Core LGA 775 CPU for $189.99

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) I heard a rumor that Earl may be including some electric bikes in his segment, so when I ran across this article I thought it might be a good fit. With all of the talk about China becoming the next mega auto pollution country, there may be a ray of hope stirring due to a new popularity in E-bikes, and not just China, India is right there. What I like about this is that, with markets that large; and increasing interest in the U.S. we may see an increase in technology, and design, coupled with a lowering price. http://www.cbsnews.com
2) Ever have doubts about the monies spent for space exploration, thinking we do not get much bang for the bucks we spend. Well I was listening to a radio show someone was complaining about just that. Then the interviewed guest started talking about research, and spinoffs that are regularly given away by N.A.S.A., he mentioned N.A.S.A has a yearly publication listing all of them. The publication is free if you request one, they also have a free searchable archive at the site, great item for those interested. http://www.sti.nasa.gov
3) Medical advancements seem to really be taking off these days; I heard a story on N.P.R. last week about the trafficking of human organs from poorer countries to people who do not wish to wait for a donation. Taking advantage of poor people who get $10,000 for a kidney, but the brokers sell them for $100,000. An even scarier story out of China, they are using mobile death vans for capital punishment by using lethal injection, they leave the body intact for the organ trade, story here http://www.usatoday.com All that made this story about growing organs in the lab, look like a very good thing to me. They have already grown hearts for rats, say people coming soon, http://www.newscientist.com
4) Like those printable batteries this is another one of those discoveries leading to wearing your computer like a undershirt, or maybe just packing a lot of electronics for medical purposes in wearable clothing. Amazing what we can learn from observation. http://blogs.zdnet.com
5) This one has been bouncing around in my maybe folder for a while now, so I thought I would use it to day. It is about the Loebner Prize. While I would guess it is not new to most of you, it was to me. I had no idea they had a prize for A.I., but I suppose it makes sense, the x-prizes seem to get results. I would guess with A.I. realistic robo telemarketers are right around the corner. I may have to regulate my land line to the cell phone drawer. http://discovermagazine.com

Skype singled out as threat to Russia's security | U.S. | Reuters

"Russia's most powerful business lobby moved to clamp down on Skype and its peers this week, telling lawmakers that the Internet phone services are a threat to Russian businesses and to national security."

I'm posting this article so you can see how some people controlling the governments can control the internet we need to keep the internet free!

The savetheinternet.com coalition is more than a million everyday people who have banded together with thousands of non-profit organizations, businesses and bloggers to protect Internet freedom. learn more »

AlaskaJoe

L.A. weighs plan to replace computer software with Google service - Los Angeles Times

"Frustrated by a slow and antiquated computer system, the city of Los Angeles is weighing a plan to replace its e-mail and records retention software with a service provided by Google, a move that could allow the Internet giant to retain sensitive records transmitted by the police and other municipal agencies."

My big question is: Do you want your personal info transmitted over the internet when you apply for a business license or get a parking ticket?

Please leave a comment on this BLOG and we will talk about your answers on the show next week.
Thank you JonathanM for this tip.

AlaskaJoe

The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) : Advance Notification for July 2009 Out-of-Band Releases

"We have just published our advance notification for an out-of-band security bulletin release, with a target of 10:00 AM Pacific Time next Tuesday, July 28, 2009."

This is an Out-of-band Windows update, make sure you get it this coming Tuesday!

AlaskaJoe

RIAA: DRM is Dead - Tom's Guide

"Apparently so according to Jonathan Larry, chief spokesperson for the RIAA."
It looks like the RIAA did something right for a change.
The are admitting that DRM didn't work and is dead! It's about time.

AlaskaJoe

DD-WRT httpd vulnerability (milw0rm.com report)

"Note: The exploit can only be used directly from outside your network over the internet if you have enabled remote Web GUI management in the Administration tab. As immediate action please disable the remote Web GUI management. But that limitation could be easily overridden by a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSFR) where a malicious website could inject the exploit from inside the browser."
If your running DD-WRT on your router get the update!

AlaskaJoe

Michael Fortin: Windows 7 Efficiency | Charles | Channel 9

"The Windows 7 project involved very efficient software engineering planning and execution. It is no surprise that an equivalent level of efficiency exists throughout the OS (efficiency in how the OS deals with faults, threads, memory management, power management, process management, window management, graphics, audio, local search, diagnostics, and on and on - truly excellent, and efficient, engineering)."

This is one of the best interviews I have ever watched. (it has a 28 minute video) You can read it if you want must of the interview is here for you to read.
Gregg turned me onto channel9 and I have always liked to watch interviews from Microsoft Engineers. This is no exception it is a very good interview with Michael Fortin, he is a Distinguished Engineer in the Windows Core Operating System Division.

Michael talks about the inter-workings of Windows 7 how it is bigger bits wise but more efficient in what runs and when, like what services are running and when they turn on or off. He explained in easy to understand language how an OS does what it does.

As I have said many times I like Windows 7 very much and think everyone should go to it. As a computer tech I make a living fixing Windows XP! The only time I have to work on a Vista computer is hardware replacement. (I did have one lady that had to reinstall Vista, she said this sign kept coming up all of the time so she would just click OK.)

You can just listen to this interview while doing your other things, it's a good one! A half hour well spent while playing FreeCell or Spider :)

AlaskaJoe

Open-source firmware vuln exposes wireless routers • The Register

A vulnerable has been found in DD-WRT firmware there is a fix for it. You need to upgrade the firmware on your router if your using DD-WRT.
"Update
DD-WRT developer Sebastian Gottschall just emailed to say an interim fix is available here. 'Consider that this exploit was released without any Report to us,' he added."

AlaskaJoe

DSL has some life left in it as Qwest rolls out 40Mbps tier - Ars Technica

"Qwest today announced its plan to offer higher DSL speeds in 23 markets over the next few months, including Denver, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Salt Lake City, Tucson, Omaha, Phoenix, and Des Moines, Iowa."
This sounds like a very cool upgrade to the dreaded DSL. I would like to hear from anyone that gets this upgrade from Qwest.
AlaskaJoe

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Western Digital "Green" 1.5TB SATA 3Gbps Hard Drive for $117 + free shipping
Dell Small Business offers the Western Digital Caviar 1.5TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. WD15EADS, for $129.99 with free shipping. Apply coupon code "XTHR0RQRXJHQ12" to drop it to $116.99 ($0.08/GB). Coupon expires July 23.

SanDisk 16GB Cruzer USB 2.0 Flash Drive (pictured), model no. SDCZ36-016G-A11, for $24.99 plus $2.95 for shipping.

Hanns-G 25" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display with HDMI for $200 + free shipping
newegg.com offers the Hanns-G 24.6" Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. HH-251HPB, for $199.99. With free shipping, 1920x1080 native resolution, 2ms
response time, 800:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, and HDMI and VGA inputs

Seagate Barracuda LP 1.5TB SATA 3Gbps Internal Hard Drive for $110 + free shipping newegg.com model no. ST31500541AS, for $109.99 with free shipping ($0.07/GB).

Hitachi Deskstar 1TB SATA 3Gbps Internal Hard Drive for $70 + free shipping, more Amazon.com offers the model no. 0A38016, for $69.74 with free shipping ($0.07/GB).
Inspiron 546 at Dell Online Store Upgrade using Dell process to dual 2.5 or dual 2.7 ghz CPU. $269 base and $50 or $70 for upgrades. Buy the memory on your own.

Walmart.com has the Crosman Pulse M70 Full Auto Soft Air Machine Gun for $19 + shipping. Shipping is about $6; free in-store pickup in most locations. Features velocities up to 175 fps, gun holds up to 250 plastic BBs, gun comes with 100 plastic BBs.

Inspiron 546 at Dell Online Store Upgrade using Dell process to dual 2.5 or dual 2.7 ghz CPU. $269 base and $50 or $70 for upgrades.

Inspiron 546 at Dell Online Store Upgrade using Dell process to dual 2.5 or dual 2.7 ghz CPU. $269 base and $50 or $70 for upgrades. Buy the memory on your own.

Hitachi Deskstar 1TB SATA 3Gbps Internal Hard Drive for $70 + free shipping

Seagate Barracuda LP 1.5TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. ST31500541AS, for $109.99 with free shipping

Hanns-G 25" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display with HDMI for $200 + free shipping

Hanns-G 25" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display with HDMI for $200 + free shipping

newegg.com offers the Hanns-G 24.6" Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. HH-251HPB, for $199.99. With free shipping,

Sandisk SAD SDCZ36016GA11 16GB Cruzer USB Flash Drive

SanDisk 16GB Cruzer USB 2.0 Flash Drive (pictured), model no. SDCZ36-016G-A11, for $24.99 plus $2.95 for shipping.

Western Digital "Green" 1.5TB SATA 3Gbps Hard Drive

Western Digital "Green" 1.5TB SATA 3Gbps Hard Drive for $117 + free shipping

Dell Small Business offers the Western Digital Caviar 1.5TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no. WD15EADS, for $129.99 with free shipping. Apply coupon code "XTHR0RQRXJHQ12" to drop it to $116.99

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 07-19-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 07-19-09. 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.

Microsoft Hits Back Against Apple Ads ad Keeps Swinging

Microsoft has launched its own "I'm a PC" series of ads poking fun at Apple's prices and is not stopping despite Apple's whining legal department. And on top of that MS is opening its own series of MS stores some of which will be nextdoor to Apple stores.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Going to start with a link Joe sent me about a new way to not own your car. I suspect this may actually be the future, because I have seen the concept in Sci-Fi books and movies. However it may be quite some time before it becomes main stream due to its appeal being restricted to how, and where you live. It might have local appeal in today’s world, I wish them well. I think it would play nicely here in Las Vegas, and would be a good fit for electric vehicles, but think it would have problems in Montana. http://www.zipcar.com/
2) Well here we are in Joe’s neighborhood again; link is to an article from the Anchorage Daily News about the Alaskan blob floating off the coast. I think we will be reading more about this for the next couple of weeks. While the mystery seems to be settled as to what it is, the tests say it is a type of algae. The questions about where it came from, why it is there; still remain because it has never been seen before. The obvious connection to global warming, and climate change will need some study. Be interesting to follow the story, looking forward to the answers. http://www.adn.com
3) This is an article about Amazon, Kindel, and ethics. Sent to me by Troll no doubt to confuse my interest stated a week or two back in a link here talking about how I wanted one. Well I have been successfully confused now I am not to sure I like the idea, you know how I love a good conspiracy. I suspect there is more here than what meets the eye. Not sure I like the implications regarding invading my privacy just because they feel the need. I do very much like the irony. http://www.nytimes.com
4) This is another Joe sent me, during our morning coffee and Skype conference he was reading Daily Rotation, and says hey here is a link for you. He was absolutely right this one grabbed me, and there is more here than just the headline subject. We are talking about printing batteries, but they also mention printing flexible electronics. The batteries solve some of the problems with those. This has got me thinking I need to get back up to speed on these prototype printers. There seems to be a lot going on there, batteries, organ replacements, got to find out what is new. http://blogs.zdnet.com
5) For my geek thing this week I thought this was interesting, appears they have taught a computer to read sign language. I am having some trouble deciding what the implications of the technology will be, but they must have had some purpose in mind, other than we did it because we could. http://www.newscientist.com

Mozilla Developer News » Blog Archive » Firefox 3.5.1 update is now available for download

"As part of the Mozilla Corporation’s ongoing security and stability process, Firefox 3.5.1 is now available for Windows, Mac, and Linux users as a free download from www.firefox.com."

I just received my update to FireFox 3.5.1 Update now!

AlaskaJoe

Microsoft Retiring Support for WinXP SP2 in a Year - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

"Microsoft will retire support for Windows XP Service Pack 2 one year from 07-13-09.

Windows XP is not being retired, but support for Service Pack 2 is. It may be the case, and in fact I would guess it would be the case, that from them on you will have to have Service Pack 3 in order get support, including patches to subsequently disclosed vulnerabilities."
I think you should have updated to SP3 long ago.
AlaskaJoe

Windows Update Update Will Require You to Update - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

"If you have automatic updates set to install download updates then you will receive this update as well."
Starting in late August, Microsoft is planning an "infrastructure update" to the Windows Update and Microsoft Update services, requiring changes in the update code on users' Windows systems. As Microsoft puts it: "Updates to the services and Windows code are required from time to time to maintain and improve service quality, reliability, and operations."

Dell's retail game not ready for windows 7 - The Inquirer

"Dell has said that PCs purchased after 29 June 2009 will be granted a free update when Microsoft's newest operating system arrives in October.

However when punters go to register their new PC purchased from third-party retailers like Best Buy and MicroCenter, the date of purchase appears much earlier than the real date."
There is a work around for this problem. read about it here.

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 07-12-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 07-12-09. 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.

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

I-Inc iF-281DPB 28" Widescreen LCD Monitor $280 at Tiger Direct
Click Here TigerDirect.com has the I-Inc iF-281DPB 28" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $280 + shipping.· 28" at 1920x1200, 500 cd/m2 brightness, 800:1 contrast ratio · 3ms response time, D-Sub / NO DVI, HDMI w/ HDCP, 1 year warranty

New: OCZ Diesel 16GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive for $23 after rebate + free shipping newegg.com again offers the OCZ Diesel 16GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive, model no. OCZUSBDSL16G, for $32.99 with free shipping. This $10 mail-in rebate (in the form of a Visa prepaid card) chops it to $22.99 ($1.43/GB). Rebate expires July 16.

AMD Athlon II X2 250 3GHz Dual-Core Socket AM3 Processor for $77 + free shipping
newegg.com offers the AMD Athlon II X2 250 3GHz Dual-Core Socket AM3 Processor, model no. ADX250OCGQBOX, for $87 with free shipping. Coupon code "AMD791" cuts it to $77. This retail-boxed 45nm CPU features two 1MB L2 caches

AMD Phenom 8750 2.4GHz Triple-Core Socket AM2+ CPU for $74.99 via code "EMCLVML33"
AMD Phenom 9150E 1.8GHz Quad-Core Socket AM2+ CPU for $79 via code "EMCLVML32"
Pentium Dual-Core 2.5GHz CPU, motherboard, 4GB RAM for $120 after rebates + $9 s&h
newegg.com offers the retail-boxed Intel Pentium Dual-Core Wolfdale E5200 2.5GHz Socket 775 Processor together with the ECS Intel G31 Socket 775 Micro ATX Motherboard, model no. G31T-M7, and OCZ 4GB PC2-6400 Desktop Memory Kit with two 2GB DIMMs, model no. OCZ2N800SR4GK, for $119.97 via the directions below. With $8.64 for shipping, . The 65-watt CPU features a 2MB L2 cache. The motherboard features one PCI Express x16 slot, one PCI Express x1 slot, two PCI slots, 6-channel audio, Ethernet, four Serial ATA connectors, and more. Deal ends July 15.

New: Corsair 4GB (2x2GB) PC2-8500 Desktop RAM Kit for $40 after rebate + free shipping
newegg.com offers the Corsair XMS2 4GB PC2-8500 DDR2-1066 240-Pin Dual Channel Desktop RAM Kit with two 2GB DIMMs, model no. TWIN2X4096-8500C5C-G, for $54.99 with free shipping This $15 mail-in rebate knocks it to $39.99

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) I do not remember the last time I was this excited about the possibilities of one of my green links. This is nothing short of revolutionary; the potential for this is nothing short of staggering. The article says it is a paradigm shift comparable to the shift from main frame computers of the eighties to the best present day laptops. And, I have to whole heartily agree. We are talking about advancement in batteries capable of running your house, storing power from any off grid source, wind, and solar, geothermal, temperature fluctuation, tidal, whatever. Capable of recycling over 3,600 times, or once a day for ten years, at a cost of about $2,000 dollars. We are talking about replacing a smart grid technology with no grid, and saving money doing it, you just got to check this out, can you say stock investment this could be really big. http://www.investorvillage.com
2) This is another link I thought to have some serious interest, there seems to be more and more movement into touch screen technology. Even the name has a sort of oxymoron sound when you consider that in order to use it you need to use sight. If you cannot see the screen visually it is almost useless. Well it seems the people at Carnegie Mellon are working on creating a sort of Braille touch screen. This may have some real advantages over the current type of screens, for people across the board. When going to the link be sure to check out the video link there very interesting http://www.crunchgear.com
3) I touched on this last week just as a point of interest when we were talking about search engines, from the comments I guess several people looked into it during the show and were impressed. Because of that, I decided to put up a link for anyone that may have missed it. This is a new search engine that is really cool, aimed at the tech, and math people, but I even with my low pay grade have found t very useful. http://www.wolframalpha.com/
4) I was sort of surprised to hear Joe say he had not heard of this, as I found it on Daily Rotation, and I know he is there daily. Anyway when I ran across it I thought it was kind of interesting from a computer tech show aspect, while I did not follow a lot of what they were talking about, I liked the format. A couple of guys on video talking tech stuff, keeping it short. but when it comes to computer tech my attention span is short, but with links on the side if you wanted more information on one of the topics. http://channel9.msdn.com/
5) For my geek link on a rather geek oriented week I am using this for YouTube fans who may not know about it. Seems if you want to change a low quality video to a high quality video on YouTube you just have to ad &fmt=18 to the end of the url. There are several other tricks dealing with YouTube on this link bottom of page under related links.http://www.mydigitallife.info

Learn How to Type Accurate and Fast Online, For Free

"Have you been meaning to learn how to type, but never seem to get around actually starting the lessons? Wish you could bang out dozens of words per minute, but don’t want to shell out for typing software? Well for those of you who were not lucky enough to spend a few hours per week under the expert guidance of Mavis Beacon during your high school years, TypingWeb is here to fill the gab."

This sounds like something I know some people this could help :)

AlaskaJoe

Smartphoniacs: Addicts of the Information Age

Its penetration in the U.S. is estimated at 18%, and it seems that everywhere you turn, people are using their smart phones in new ways and in new places. Samsung recently estimated that it expects 500 million global smart-phone users by 2012. Actual phone calls are becoming extinct compared with handheld texts and email messages -- whoever thought people would prefer typing to talking? But the evidence appears to say they do.

Do you check your smart phone all of the time in inappropriate places?

Where is this all going? I would rather talk than type to someone.

AlaskaJoe

Three ‘Critical' Fixes For Patch Tuesday - Computing News - Digital Trends

"Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday is rolling around again next week, and the company has announced they have three fixes, all deemed critical."

Remember this coming Tuesday is Update Tuesday, so do your Windows Updates!

AlaskaJoe

Drifting towards Linux

Because of the way I see Windows heading, more expensive and needing more and more hardware. I've found myself more interested in Linux. I don't have very powerful computers. My best is a Semperon 3300+.  Right now, I dual boot 2 boxes and have 3 Linux only. I've tried many distro's. Fedora, Madriva, and Slackware and many other less known ones. They were OK but, updating some was a bear. Others just wouldn't do what I needed. I keep comming back to Ubuntu. It's one CD and so far does what I need, more or less easily. I especially like the online upgrades. I've got Ubuntu 9.04 on various hardware. From a 10 year old power PC imac. To the Semperon 3300+.  I'm slowly learning to do what I need. The most important is sharing a printer and files over a LAN. I find myself using Linux on my main computer most of the time. True, I do have to jump through a few more hoops to do some things, like I make the occacional video CD, but I can usally get what I need. 

Microsoft warns of hole in Video ActiveX control

Microsoft on Monday warned of a vulnerability in its Video ActiveX Control in XP and Server 2003 that could allow an attacker to take control of a PC if the user visits a malicious Web site

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 07-05-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 07-05-09. 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.

10 Open Source Twitter Clients - And Counting...

19 Desktop Apps for Twitter Compared posted by Earl

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz CPU $170 at Newegg
Click Here Newegg has the AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor for $190 - $20 coupon code EMCLTPL82 [Exp 7/6] = $170 with free shipping. Covered by a 3-year warranty

OCZ 4GB (2x2GB) PC2-8500 Desktop RAM Kit for $35 after rebate + free shipping newegg.com offers the OCZ Fatal1ty Edition 4GB PC2-8500 DDR2-1066 240-Pin Dual Channel Desktop Memory Kit with two 2GB DIMMs, model no. OCZ2F10664GK, for $34.99 via the directions below. With free shipping, that's the lowest total price we could find by $32, although it was $11 less in February (since expired). Deal ends July 10. To get this deal:
Click here and add it to your cart for $49.99
Apply coupon code "MEM7156" to cut it to $44.99
This $10 mail-in rebate cuts it further to $34.99

GIGABYTE Radeon HD 4650 1GB PCIe Video Card for $50 after rebate + free shipping
newegg.com offers the GIGABYTE Radeon HD 4650 1GB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 2.0 Video Card, model no. GV-R465OC-1GI, for $59.99. Rhis $10 mail-in rebate cuts it to $49.99. With free shipping, that's the lowest total price we could find by $17. This RoHS-compliant card features DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 2.1 support, 650MHz core clock speed, one HDMI output, and one dual-link DVI output. Rebate ends July 31.

iRobot Roomba 535 Robotic Vacuum for $170 + free shipping
Buy.com offers the iRobot Roomba 535 Robotic Vacuum for $169.99 with free shipping. It's the lowest total price we could find by $64, although it was $15 less during a Woot in May. The Roomba 535-01 features a charger, one virtual wall lighthouse, replacement filter, and more.

Irobot Roomba with Virtual 4210 Walls - Remanufactured (Mfr# ROOMBAVWRM) » only $116.99 (Was: $149.00) at Buy.com

2-Pack Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1.5TB 32MB Drive $200 at Dell Click Here Still available. Dell has the 2-Pack Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31500341AS 1.5TB SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive for $270 - $70 off coupon code 47DGX1L4SS?JS2 [Exp 7/8, 1000] = $200 with free shipping

New: Hanns-G 25" Widescreen LCD Display with HDMI for $200 + free shipping
Ending today, newegg.com offers the Hanns-G 24.6" Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. HH-251HPB, for $199.99. With free shipping, that's $20 under our mention from four days ago and the lowest total price we've seen. It features built-in speakers, a 1920x1080 native resolution, 2ms response time, 800:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, and HDMI and VGA inputs.
Posted 8 hr 2 min ago More 24-Inch LCD Or Larger Newegg Coupons

New: Samsung 23" Widescreen 1080p LCD Display for $162 + free shipping
Dell Small Business offers the Samsung 23" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. 2333SW, for $279.99. Add it to your cart and the price drops to $179.99. Coupon code "22X6DLMFK6K92G" slices it to $161.99. With free shipping, it's $17 under our mention from two days ago and the lowest total price we could find. Sales tax is added where applicable. It features a 1920x1080 (1080p) native resolution, 5ms response time, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, and DVI and VGA inputs. Coupon ends July 8.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Two links here to start, the first one I believe I used a while back, but I am not sure a video on air cars. I wanted to catch up and see if anything new was going on. This is a very interesting concept the information in the second half about the guy in Australia really caught me about no friction, that means no oil, anyway check it out here, http://www.brasschecktv.com The company site for MDI is here http://www.mdi.lu these guy’s have got it going on, wonder if we will be able to get them in the U.S. in this century.
2) I was, and still am very interested in the proposed space elevator, well looks like the may have some serious competition. What has been the biggest problem with the elevator are materials that are still a few years away. These guys may be able to pull it off in the next ten years, using existing materials. Very interesting check out the article here http://blogs.zdnet.com
3) This is one I believe Earl got me started with a while back, one of those things that point out how the web is changing the world. I have always liked books; have quite a few floating around, but nothing like what is available here. Information on over 25 million and counting, with free online full text for well over a million, nice. http://openlibrary.org/
4) This is one of those head shakers, you know the ones, you hear what they said, but have no reference to comprehend how it could be possible. I read the article title and was immediately thinking Yeah Right, or as Michael Angelo used to say “Please, permit me to doubt.” They are talking about using invisibility cloak research (a link here a few weeks ago) to make buildings invisible to earth quakes. If they can pull this off I will definitely be impressed http://www.newscientist.com
5) Okay most of you have probably already seen this, but for those that might have missed it, I thought I would use it here, some suggestions to create your own personal bucket list, for geeks that is. http://www.dailycupoftech.com

Windows 7 to RTM on July 13, 2009?

According to GeekSmack, Microsoft will announce that Windows 7 has hit the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) milestone on July 13. Unsurprisingly, the July 13 date coincides with the kickoff of the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference,

Microsoft Bing Dings Google, Searches Twitter Tweets

Microsoft adds real-time search capabilities to its Bing search engine as it seeks to knock Google from its search perch. Now users can use Bing to find the latest Twitter tweets from celebrities and other persons of note, including high-tech journalists. The move comes as startups CrowdEye, Collecta and others are propagating the Web with real-time search

Some Vista users say they're getting the Ultimate shaft | Beyond Binary - CNET News

"Microsoft promised that by purchasing the pricey Ultimate edition of Vista users would get all kinds of extras.

However, for many, those extras turned out to be little more than a few screensavers and a poker game, prompting some significant grousing."

In my looking around the web I found Costco is taking orders for Windows 7 for Windows® 7 Professional Upgrade for $97.99 and Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade $47.99.
You have until July 11 to Pre-Order your copy of Windows 7.

I like Windows 7 much better than Vista. I have HAD Vista Ultimate.

AlaskaJoe

FireFox 3.5 available Tuesday with massive speed gain.

Firefox 3.5 has plenty of new features that make it worth the upgrade, but the real reason we love it so much is the massive speed gain.

Pirate Bay Bought Out Suddenly Respects Copyrights

Swedish software firm buys The Pirate Bay for £4.7m
Global Gaming Factory X buys file-sharing site The Pirate Bay, promising that copyright holders will get paid

Thoughts on Windows 7 SKUs

It is rare that I link directly to Microsoft and even more rare that I link to a product page, but I thought it was fitting in writing this piece about Windows 7. Beyond that I have some really nice things to say about what MS did this time around.

Let me start with my take on the many Windows 7 SKUs. There are really only three that non-enterprise, US upgrading customers will ever need to think about. They are called Windows 7 Home Premium; Windows 7 Professional; and Windows 7 Ultimate. Each boxed copy includes both 32 and 64 bit DVDs, unlike Vista which only included both 32 and 64 bit with Ultimate.

One of the best sites out there that describes what features each of these SKUs includes is this page at Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows. What you will notice is, that unlike Vista, each SKU is more comprehensive. Higher tier SKUs of these three include all of the features of the lower tiered SKUs. In Vista, for example, Business (Professional) included a fax utility, Home Premium included the Media Center, and only Ultimate included both. In Windows 7 both Home Premium and Professional (Business), includes both fax and Windows Media Center.

The biggest feature that Windows 7 Professional offers over Home Premium is XP Mode. While Professional includes some other nice features, to me XP Mode is the dealmaker. Ultimate offers very little extra for the vast majority of non-enterprise users over Professional, but if you just have to have Bitlocker, Ultimate is the SKU you want.

It is important that users have this information now because the pre-order deal where you can get Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade for $49.99 and Windows 7 Professional Upgrade for $99.99 will end July 11 in the US, or "until supplies last". My personal opinion about the "until supplies last" is that they will last until July 11; but I may be wrong.

I've ordered 2 copies of Windows 7 Professional for our Windows XP desktops, where we will need to have the option of XP Mode, and 1 copy of Home Premium for my laptop where I don't need that function. Had this pre-order special not occured, I would only be upgrading my laptop which currently runs Vista. By selling me $250 worth of upgrades as opposed to $120 worth, I see this as a win for me and a win for Microsoft (even when including their cost to produce three packages as opposed to one). I have no doubt that MS's net profit from me and others like me will be greater than it would have been without this offer.

Of course all our needs vary, so look at the comparison charts, and if you know you want Windows 7 go for it (you can still test drive it by downloading the release candidate now). This special pre-order upgrade pricing is a great opportunity if either Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional will meet your needs. For the vast majority of us, I believe that one of these two SKUs will do what we need and want it to do.

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 06-28-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 06-28-09. 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

Dell G2410 24" Full HD LED Widescreen LCD $188 at Dell Business
Click Here Dell Business has the Dell G2410 24" Full HD LED-Backlit Widescreen Flat Panel LCD Monitor for $209 - 10% coupon code TJJSS8$J2MNJ0P [Exp 7/1] = $188 with free shipping. · 1920 x 1080, Ambient Light Sensor, PowerNap, and Dynamic Dimming· Ultra efficient power supply unit, 1000:1 Contrast Ratio, 3-Year Warranty
http://bensbargains.net/deal/105360/

New: Dell E2209W 22" Widescreen LCD Display for $143 + free shipping
Dell Small Business offers its Dell E2209W 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $159. Apply coupon code "TJJSS8$J2MNJ0P" to drop it to $143.10. With free shipping, resolution of 1680x1050, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, and both DVI-D with HDCP and VGA

New: ASUS 24" 1080p Widescreen LCD Display with HDMI for $180 + free shipping
newegg.com offers the ASUS 23.6" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. VH242H, for $179.99 with free shipping. ZipZoomfly.com resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), integrated speakers, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness, 5ms response time, one HDMI input, and both DVI and VGA inputs.

New: Hitachi 500GB Serial ATA 3Gbps Internal Hard Drive for $45 after rebate + free shipping
newegg.com offers the OEM Hitachi Deskstar T7K500 500GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Serial ATA Internal Hard Drive, model no. HDP725050GLA360, for $54.99 with free shipping. This $10 mail-in rebate cuts it to $44.99 ($0.09/GB)., factory-sealed unit. It features a 16MB cache and runs at 7200 rpm. Rebate expires June 30.

Nextar X3i-03 Portable GPS w/ Text-to-Speech SAVE $70.00 FREE BUDGET SHIPPING Buy.com price: $69.99 List price: $139.99

Western Digital Caviar Green 1TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive - OEM $89.99 Your Price: $79.99 With Promo Code
EMCLTNS34

Two Seagate 1.5TB SATA 3Gbps Internal Hard Drives for $200 + free shipping Dell Home offers two Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1.5TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drives, model no. ST31500341AS, for $269.99 with free shipping. Apply coupon code "QSRDBGRSGP7MFG" to chop them to $199.99 ($0.07/GB). 7200 rpm and feature a 32MB cache

Refurbished Linksys Wireless-N USB Network Adapter for $20 + free shipping eCOST.com via eBay DailyDeal offers the refurbished Linksys Wireless-N USB Network Adapter, model no. WUSB300N, for $19.99. With free shipping

Home Style Outdoor Cordless Rechargeable Bug Zapper for $20 + free shipping Buy.com offers the Home Style Outdoor Living Cordless Rechargeable Bug Zapper, model no. 72043, for $19.99 with free shipping. generates 2,200 volts of electricity and features a rechargeable battery and AC adapter