Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Dell Small
Business offers the Dell Vostro 230
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Slim Tower Desktop PC bundled with the Dell E2010
20" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $429
plus $8
for shipping. Features include an Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz dual-core
processor, 2GB RAM, 250GB 7200 rpm hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, Gigabit
Ethernet, and Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit.

Adorama
offers the Sony 2500mAh Rechargeable AA Battery 4-Pack, model no. NHAAB4E, for $6.95 with free shipping.
Adorama offers the Sony 2500mAh
Rechargeable AA Battery 4-Pack, model no. NHAAB4E, for $6.95 with free shipping.

TigerDirect.com
offers the OEM Seagate
Barracuda LP 2TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s Internal Hard Drive, model no.
ST32000542AS, for $119.97. Pay via Google Checkout
and the price drops to $114.97. Then, this $30 mail-in rebate
further cuts it to $84.97.
With around $5
for shipping, that's $0.05/GB 5900 rpm and features a 32MB cache. Rebate
ends June 11.

Target
offers the Apex
40" 1080p Widescreen LCD HD Television, model no. LD4088, for $499
with $32.18
for shipping. Add it to your cart and apply coupon code "MT9ZC7RW" to
cut it to $449.10.
It features a native resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p), 1800:1 contrast ratio,
three HDMI inputs, VGA, component, and other video inputs.

For its
"M" Club members only, mwave.com offers the Hitachi 500GB
Serial ATA 3Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive, model no. 0F10381, for $39.99
with free shipping ($0.08/GB). ("M" Club membership is free; click here to
sign up 500GB SATA 3Gb/s hard drive. It runs at 7200 rpm and features a 16MB
cache

Dell Home
offers the Dell Studio Hybrid Pentium Dual-Core 2.2GHz Mini Desktop PC
(no monitor) in Promise Pink for $299
plus $19
for shipping.. It features an Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4400 2.2GHz processor,
2GB RAM, 160GB 5400 rpm hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, media card reader,
Gigabit Ethernet, DVI and HDMI outputs, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. Deal
ends June 26.

Office Depot has the
Toshiba Satellite L515-S4010 15.6" Notebook on sale for $430 with
free shipping. Click Here

· Intel
Pentium T4400 2.2GHz, 3GB DDR3, 320GB HDD, Windows 7 HP x64

Intel GMA 4500M, SuperMulti DL, 14" LCD (1366 x 768), 802.11b/g

SuperBiiz has the
Toshiba Satellite Pro L450-EZ1510 2.1Ghz 15.6" Notebook for $500 - $15 off
with coupon code GRAD15 [Exp 6/8] = $485 with free shipping.
Click Here· Intel Core 2 Duo T6570 2.1GHz Processor, 2GB RAM,
250GB HDD·
Intel GMA 4500MHD, 1366x768 Display, DVD-R/RW, Win 7 HP x64, 6 Cell

Click Here

SuperBiiz has the Super Talent SM STU32GSMBK 32GB USB 2.0 Flash
Drive for $60 - 15% off with coupon code GRAD15 [Exp 6/8] = $51
with free shipping. Features an impossible to lose steel swivel lid and comes
with a lifetime warranty. [Compare]

Click Here

Radio Shack has the HP Officejet 4500 Wireless All-In-One Inkjet
Printer (CN547A#B1H) for $130 - $60 off in cart = $70 with free
shipping. Features printing, copying, faxing, and scanning functions, 802.11b/g
Wi-Fi, built-in ethernet, and up to 28ppm (black) and 22ppm (color) print
speeds.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) A new world distance record for an all electric car has been demonstrated, they are even asking to get into the Guinness Book of Records. Hard to believe how fast the electric car advancements are moving forward. They came in at 623 miles on a single charge, the average speed was only 25, MPH but none the less this is pretty good. I wonder what the average speed might have been for 250 miles that is about what I get for a tank of gas with my Ranger.
http://news.cnet.com
2) This is a topic near and dear to my heart, the end of the plastic grocery bag. Anything that aids the demise of these things I am for. There seems to be more, and more states, cities and countries pushing to get rid of these eyesores. They are taxing, and outlawing them at an increasing rate. Now California is doing it and that’s a very big one, I hope Nevada is next. When I was working as a grounds keeper on windy days there could be twenty of them in every tree top, a total pain to get to them. When we drove to Utah to visit a friend they dotted the desert as far as you could see, it seemed every bush had one or two. I say good, glad to see them go. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/
3) The finding life elsewhere in the solar system may have just taken a jump. They are looking at Titan a moon of Saturn, scientists are saying it looks like the may have found the signs of life. While they are referring to what sounds like microbial life, and I say I want a picture, or a stuffed critter in a museum somewhere on display. I guess we have to start someplace. http://www.dailymail.co.uk Another link at NASA http://www.nasa.gov
4) This is one wills sent me early in the week. I liked the Back to the Future movies; well I like anything to do with time, twisting it, tweaking it, traveling in it, whatever. Anyhow, in the movie there was a hover board, like a cross between a skate board, and a flying carpet. Well it seems someone has built one, at least a demonstration prototype illustrating the technology. http://dvice.com
5) With everything going on in the gulf the oil spill and all, everything I see in the news either depresses me, angers me, saddens me, it just makes me sick in general. I hope they put people in jail, reduce BP to a corner gas station, one without even an AM PM. Anyway, this story just pushed all of my buttons. It really illustrates how things are done in our new computerized world. http://abcnews.go.com

Five super-secret features in Windows 7 | Tech Sanity Check | TechRepublic.com

. Dual-boot software to run Mac OS X, known as ‘Training Camp’ Apple opened the door to more users - especially IT pros - in recent years by building Boot Camp into its Macintosh computers to allow them to run Windows along side Mac OS X in a dual-boot configuration. Not to be outdone, Microsoft as a secret dual-boot loader in Windows 7 that allows it to emulate Mac hardware and configure Mac OS X as an alternative boot option using the standard off-the-shelf Mac boot discs. In a fit of cleverness, Microsoft has decided to name it “Training Camp,” which I found out when I uncovered the Help file. However, I’m not sure what it is training for...

Microsoft Patch Tuesday for June 2010: 10 bulletins

According to the Microsoft Security Response Center, Microsoft will issue 10 Security Bulletins addressing 34 vulnerabilities on Tuesday.
Once again it's time to do your windows updates. Next Tuesday sometime after 10 AM Pacific time your computer will be receiving new Windows updates. I always do the Custom install so I can get the updates that are not deemed "Critical"
This article said there are 10 updates, however if you only do the "Critical" updates you will only get 3... MAYBE.

AlaskaJoe

Patch Tuesday heads-up: 10 bulletins, 34 flaws (IE, Windows affected)

Microsoft's Patch Tuesday this month on June 8th will be a big one: 10 bulletins fixing 34 vulnerabilities in Windows, Office and Internet Explorer.

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 05-30-10

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 05-30-10. 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) Sometimes there are glimmers of hope arising from future generations in the news, that give me a sense that somehow we can innovate our way through the sea of uncertainty looming before us. A while back I posted about a student at a high school science fair who engineered a breakthrough process dealing with plastics decomposing, or not, in landfills. Well here is another similar story; it is about a young Canadian winning a science fair for finding a way to use old vehicle tires to power a fuel cell. Looks promising to me, short but interesting story http://www.edmontonjournal.com
2) It was a year or more back I posted about a site called Galaxy Zoo. Where they were trying to enlist the computer oriented public to help scientists identify, count, and categorize galaxies in pictures from Hubble. It seems when I was not paying attention they started separate sites looking for merging galaxies, and super nova. Well they just started another trying to get people to help map the moon. Using super hi-def photos they want us to locate, and size, creators on the moon. Also locate and size boulders, and look for space junk like remains of objects we sent there. Looks like an interesting pass time if you are looking for something to replace your Mafia Wars, or Farmville habit. http://www.moonzoo.org/
3) I ran across several stories on the net about an artificial object approaching Earth from space, they were quoting the story as originating from NASA. The object is referred to as 2010 KQ. I had to investigate this a little further, it is a true story I found it at NASA. Most of the articles left out the fact that NASA thinks it is a rocket body that escaped orbit and is returning, however NASA did leave the door open saying it was ‘probably’ space junk. Might be worth keeping an eye on this one. http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov
4) With so much negative news out there about the oil spill in the gulf, I thought it might be nice to post something of a positive nature regarding the clean up. Seems after filming Water World, Kevin Costner motivated by the Exxon Valdez spill started on a fifteen year path investing a lot of time and money into oil clean up machines, and technology. Looks like it may be paying off now, they are using his equipment in the clean up. Very interesting article I hope it can make a dent in this disastrous situation. http://www.stltoday.com
5) This business of gaming is becoming more and more ingrained into our society; this article is talking about its addictive nature affecting our youth, and a few adults I know for that matter. They say two hours of intense gaming has the equivalent effect of snorting a line of cocaine on the brain. I think it falls into the same category of addiction that we see here in Las Vegas with casino gambling. There are probably other similar activities that have a similar effect. I suppose it is like they say here if it is causing a loss of productivity, difficulty with relationships, or unwanted behavioral changes in one’s life you just need to learn to say no. http://www.lep.co.uk
6) I thought due to our short staff for the show this week I might post an extra link or two. This one is about a soon to be coming phone technology. I am talking about a micro projector for your phone, want to show some one a picture on your phone? Just point it at a blank wall and click, get a two foot by three foot or larger hi-def projection. Easier to read stuff also I would think. Everything is hanging on the green laser, and it looks like they got it. http://www.popularmechanics.com
7) Okay just one more geeky advancement upcoming technology type story, coming out of Japan. It appears they have found a new metal oxide compound to make discs from, looks like a big deal and coming soon. One of these discs can store 200 times more data than a current blue-ray disc. And, it is much cheaper, uses commoner materials, and is even cheaper to manufacture on top of all that. http://mdn.mainichi.jp

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Who needs 4GS when 3GS iPhones are just $97 ??
Walmart has cut the price of Apple's 16 GB iPhone 3GS by $100 -- to $97, from $197 -- as Apple prepares to launch a new version of the iPhone in a few weeks.
Read more:

Wal-Mart makes splashy price cuts to get mojo back


Dell Home offers its Dell Studio XPS 8100 Intel Core i5 3.2GHz Desktop PC (no monitor) for $649 with $12.95 for shipping. . It features an Intel Core i5-650 3.2GHz dual-core processor, 3GB RAM, 500GB 7200 rpm hard drive, DVD burner, NVIDIA GeForce G310 512MB video card, flash card reader, 15-month subscription to McAfee SecurityCenter, 2GB of Dell Online Backup for one year, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

Beginning today, IKEA will offer a free small breakfast with coffee with no purchase necessary. Limit one per customer. Some locations are excluded. Deal ends May 31.

Dell Home again offers the Dell Inspiron 15 Pentium Dual-Core 2.2GHz 15.6" Widescreen Notebook in Jet Black for $419 with $12.95 for shipping via the directions below.Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4400 2.2GHz processor, 15.6" 1366x768 widescreen LED-backlit LCD, 2GB RAM, 250GB 5400 rpm hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11g wireless, 4-cell battery, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. To get this deal:
1.Click here to start at $379
2.select "Intel Pentium Dual Core T4400, 2.2GHz/800MHz FSB/1MB cache (+$40)"
3.add to your cart for $419

Buy.com offers the refurbished HP Pavilion p6310f AMD Athlon X4 2.8GHz Quad Core Desktop PC, model no. AY018AA#ABA, for $449.99. With free shipping, . AMD Athlon X4 630 2.8GHz quad-core processor, 6GB RAM, 1TB 7200 rpm hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce 9100 256MB graphics, DVD burner with LightScribe, 15-in-1 card reader, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

HP Slimline s5580t Intel Core i5 3.2GHz Desktop PC (no monitor), model no. BS049AV#ABA, for $649.99. Coupon code "SVMB39487" cuts it to $624.99. With free shipping, It features an Intel Core i5-650 3.2GHz dual-core processor, 4GB RAM, 640GB 7200 rpm hard drive, dual layer DVD burner with LightScribe, Gigabit Ethernet, memory card reader, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. Coupon ends July 31

DELL Small Business offers its Dell Vostro 230 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Mini Tower Desktop PC bundled with the Dell E2010H 20" Widescreen LCD Monitor in Black for $419. With $8 for shipping, Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz dual-core processor, 2GB RAM, 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive, DVD burner, integrated graphics, keyboard, optical mouse, Gigabit Ethernet, and Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit.

Dell has the Dell 24" ST2410 Widescreen LCD Monitor for $259 - 30% off with coupon code XZK78GP3HB1QVC [Exp 6/3] = $181 with free shipping. Sports a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 50000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 250 cd/m2 brightness, and 5ms response time. Uses a TN panel with 2 CCFL tubes for back lighting


Newegg has the Western Digital Elements 1.5TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive WDBAAU0015HBK-NESN for $105 - $10 off with coupon code EMCYSNW42 [Exp 6/3] = $95 with free shipping. USB 2.0

Analyst expects iPad to pass Mac - CNET News

The iPad is set to surpass Apple Mac computer shipments by September, while production levels for the yet-to-be-released iPhone 4G will hit 12 million by that time, according to an analyst.

Google Describes Wi-Fi Sniffing In Pending Patent

Google out there sniffing open WiFi networks..........

New King of Technology - Apple Overtakes Microsoft - NYTimes

Wat??? Apple is now worth more than MS???? They say it's true.............

Also at Slashdot - Apple Surpasses Microsoft

Foxconn worker dies in China; 10th in a year - Yahoo! News

Police have yet to determine if the victim, Li Hai, 19, committed suicide after working at the plant for only 42 days, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Foxconn did not immediately comment on the death.

Does anyone else think they do things funny over there? Do you want to work for Foxconn?

AlaskaJoe

The Hacker, the Con Man, the ATM -- and You - PCWorld

Last month, the FBI arrested a 19-year-old grocery store employee for trying to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from ATMs. He planned to use default passwords he found online to reprogram the ATMs, convincing them they held $1 bills instead of $20 bills.
This article goes on to say: Moral of the story:Change your default passwords.
I was reading the rest of the story and love how the guy learned to hack the ATM.
However he should have looked closer at what he was doing. He had a lot of things going against him!

They did have a good point at the end: "Never, ever get your security advice from YouTube."

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 05-23-10

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 05-23-10. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) My green contribution for the week was sent to me by Joe, dealing with where to recycle your old electronics. The article was in honor of Earth Day, so it is a little dated, but the information should be good. I think the date they selected for Earth Day 4-22 each year might have been better thought out, as many people may have not recovered from the celebration two days earlier, even if they did their memory may still be in a in limbo. http://blogs.computerworld.com
2) This is an article on some very a Star-Trek type technology coming out in the medical field. Using lasers instead of stitches to heal wounds, and spray on skin, more examples of how Sci-Fi leads science fact. It is amazing how many examples of this there are. Unfortunately when it comes to advancements in getting our military back into combat, and bringing them home in as good of physical condition as possible, what is missing is that so many are coming home with their mind in a basket. It is not the same as it used to be, a soldier used to know who the enemy was because he was wearing a uniform, and they knew they were not children, or innocents. Now they have to make the ‘friend of foe decision’ on their own in a split second, with very few clues and with their life on the line, burying that what if I am wrong question deep in their memory. How does one deal with the dreams about the possible mistakes. It is one thing when they are in the combat zone, but when the adrenalin slows after coming home and in the still of the night reliving the events of the war in their minds, how do they deal with the questions, doubts, and justifications. http://www.wired.com
3) It has been a while since I have posted anything in the field of crypto-zoology news. I could not pass this one up as it also qualifies in the WTF and OMG categories as well. This is out of Ontario Canada, and I have no clue, nor did the comments help much. Someone’s dog found it in the water and dragged it ashore, according to the local natives it is very rarely seen, they just call it the ugly one. I could not agree more, if I was to wake in the night look outside of the tent and see this it would be a Sanford and Son “it’s the big one” type event. The natives say it is very rare and a bad omen to even see one; I can’t wait to find out more about this. http://www.vancouversun.com
4) This is one of those interesting developments in virtual reality world stories. Advancements in this field seem to be very interesting. I posted something a few months ago about transferring a person’s perception of self into an avatar. I suppose this is quite similar, but with a psychological twist, I will side step the obvious J Edgar Hoover joke here, but it seems to me the research in this area has merit. For a lot of people it is difficult to “walk in someone elses shoes”. I am for anything that creates a better understanding between people, whoever they are. I see other areas of this research that look promising to me, like understanding racism, empathizing with the disabled, along with the mentioned gender sensitivity referenced here. http://www.guardian.co.uk
5) I know I have posted a lot about the social networking technologies, and privacy lately but when I heard someone talking about this on the radio the other day I just had to look into it. The scary thing to me about this is the implications, and the fact that even if Google does not go there someone will. I’m talking about advancements, and implementation, of facial recognition search software, and offering it for mobile phones. The person on the radio was hypnotizing on what could be done. She was saying, for instance a girl is sitting in a restaurant, impresses the serial weirdo across the room. He takes her picture on his phone and searches the internet. Goes to her face book page, learns where she went to school, gets some details on her school friends, learns her current interests and/or problems from her last hundred or so Google searches, goes to street view to see what kind of house she lives in, notes the address, then either approaches her as an old school chum, or just stalks her for whatever reason. Or, I walk into a store; someone runs my picture comes up with my doppelganger overseas somewhere who happens to be on a terrorist list. I walk out wondering what the swat team is doing there, and then find out it’s me, and I get a free trip to Guantanamo. http://www.ft.com

Has ASUS abandoned netbook Linux? - Linux Today

Asus seems to have closed down its Linux netbook lines at least in the United States.

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Dell Small Business offers the Samsung SyncMaster 24" 1080p Widecreen LCD Monitor, model no. 2494LW, for $229.99. Apply coupon code "MLZBF1Q0CPVSBT" to drop it to $164.99. With free shipping, 1920x1080 (1080p) resolution, 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 300cd/m² brightness, 5ms response time, both DVI and VGA input, and more. Coupon expires May 24.

Dell Home again offers the Dell Inspiron 15 Pentium Dual-Core 2.2GHz 15.6" Widescreen Notebook in Jet Black for $419 with $12.95 for shipping via the directions below. Features include an Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4400 2.2GHz processor, 15.6" 1366x768 widescreen LED-backlit LCD, 2GB RAM, 250GB 5400 rpm hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11g wireless, 4-cell battery, and Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit.
1.Click here to start at $379
2.select "Intel Pentium Dual Core T4400, 2.2GHz/800MHz FSB/1MB cache (+$40)"
3.add to your cart for $419

Dell Studio XPS 8100 Core i5 Dual Core 3.2GHz Desktop PC for $649 + $13 s&h
Dell Home offers its Dell Studio XPS 8100 Intel Core i5 3.2GHz Desktop PC (no monitor) for $649 with $12.95 for shipping. features an Intel Core i5-650 3.2GHz dual-core processor, 3GB RAM, 500GB 7200 rpm hard drive, DVD burner, NVIDIA GeForce G310 512MB video card, flash card reader, 15-month subscription to McAfee SecurityCenter, 2GB of Dell Online Backup for one year, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

OnSale.com offers the refurbished HP Pavilion Elite e9220y AMD Phenom II X4 2.6GHz Desktop PC, model no. NY553AA#ABA, for $467.99. With about $16 for shipping, it's the lowest total price we could find for any refurbished HP e9220y desktop PC with this configuration by $54. It features an AMD Phenom II X4-910 2.6GHz quad-core processor, 8GB RAM, 1TB 5400 rpm hard drive, dual layer DVD burner with LightScribe, ATI Radeon HD 4350 512MB video card, 802.11a/n wireless, Gigabit Ethernet, media card reader, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

Dell Small Business offers its Dell Vostro 230 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Mini Tower Desktop PC bundled with the Dell E2010H 20" Widescreen LCD Monitor in Black for $419. With $8 for shipping, that's $337 off and the lowest total price we could find for a Vostro 230 mini tower / 20" LCD combo with this configuration. (We saw one for $20 less in April, which had a smaller HDD and slower CPU, since expired.) Features include an Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz dual-core processor, 2GB RAM, 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive, DVD burner, integrated graphics, keyboard, optical mouse, Gigabit Ethernet, and Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit.

Newegg has the Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EARS 1TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive (Bare Drive) for $70 - $5 off with coupon code EMCYSNZ48 [Exp 5/23] = $65 with free shipping. These drives use less power and operate at lower temperatures and acoustics than standard desktop drives.

Newegg has the ZOTAC GF6100-E-E AM2+/AM3 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Mini ATX AMD Motherboard for $36 - $10 rebate [Exp 5/24] = $26 with free shipping. Supports AM2+ or AM3 socket type CPUs such as the Athlon 64 X2, Athlon, or Sempron with a maximum FSB of 800MHz.

ZipZoomFly has the Western Digital Caviar Green 1.5TB SATA Hard Drive WD15EARS for $95 - $15 rebate [Exp 6/15] = $80 with free shipping. Features a large 64MB buffer, 100MBps internal data transfer rate, and is covered by a 3-year warranty.
WD Caviar WD5001AALS 500GB HDD for $50 w/ rebate

10 million Verizon iPhone 4G ordered by APPLE ... rumor

Apple has ordered 10 million CDMA based iPhones from Pegatron Technology Corp., a subsidiary of Taiwan’s ASUSTeK Computer.

FaceBook Facing Backlash - Possible 60 percent may quit over privacy

A survey by security firm Sophos shows that 60 percent of Facebook users - yes, 60 percent - are considering quitting over privacy concerns. Apparently, Facebook has crossed a line with its last round of changes to the privacy policy and settings.

Facebook sends user data to advertisers

FaceBook confirmed late Thursday that it has, at least in some circumstances, sent the user name of a Facebook member to its advertising partners. That can be used to glean a person's name, interests, and list of friends.

Google web expansion set to rile rivals

Google announced ambitious web expansion plans on Wednesday, involving video, an application store and cloud computing in moves likely to antagonise further its rivals.

Google issues continue; killing their Generation Y credibility?

Author: I, as a Generation Y member, am starting to doubt the morals, values and incentives of companies like Google and Facebook. I believe that not before long, a ‘privacy revolution’ led by a coalition of the younger generations could well be the end of such web-giants. That is, if the governments don’t indict them first

German prosecutors investigating Google -

Google gets caught with pants down hoarding users' private data off WiFi networks in Germany....

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 05-16-10

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 05-16-10. 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 link from a Coast radio show from a week or two back, if you have stream link and have not heard this show it would be well worth listening to. If this is real it is incredible, it would be a complete solution to our whole energy problem. I am thinking about buying the DVD, or watch the one time streaming video. This is the best zero energy story I have heard since I started this blog. http://www.johnsearlstory.com/
2) With the oil spill so much in the news these days I was looking around reading some stuff on oil, when I ran across this article, while I was aware of the theory that oil did not come from dinosaurs and prehistoric vegetation I had never seen much on it. This is interesting, but as usual a little over my head in some areas I am going to have to look around some more. http://www.semp.us
3) This is about our new space race, the one where it is becoming more and more difficult to understand our direction. The article is unfortunately not about the United States, but about China, if you had any doubt that China intends to colonize other planets in the solar system this should set us straight. Want to be an astronaut in China one of the requirements is that you are married. http://www.csmonitor.com/
4) The whole genetics thing has my head spinning lately; advancements in the medical areas are moving at a frightening rate. Now they are going to mix spiders, and goats. The idea is to cause goats to create spider web silk instead of milk. Lots of uses for the web material, from human tendon replacements, to bullet proof vests. http://www.mnn.com/
5) For my geek link this week I thought I would add this to the Face Book fiasco, seems how to erase your info from face book is the ninth most popular Google search these days. Makes you wonder just how much they will have to deal with, before they change their ways. It should also offer some input to other social networking sites about how people feel about their privacy. http://www.sophos.com
6) Bonus geek link for the week, http://www.kdvr.com/

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Kaspersky Internet Security 3-User for PC for $0 after rebate + free shippingFry's Electronics offers Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 3-User for Windows for $59.99. This $60 mail-in rebate (paid as Prepaid American Express Rebate Card) cuts it to $0. With free shipping, Rebate ends May 20.

HP Pavilion G60t Intel Dual Core 2.1GHz 16" Laptop for $430 + $19 s&h
The HP Home & Home Office Store offers its HP Pavilion G60t Pentium Dual-Core 2.1GHz 15.6" Widescreen Notebook, model no. VU748AV#ABA, for $429.99 plus $19 for shipping.

Toshiba Satellite Intel Dual Core 2.2GHz 17" Laptop for $509 + free shippingToshibaDirect.com offers the 6.6-lb. Toshiba Satellite L550-ST2743 Pentium Dual-Core 2.2GHz 17.3" Widescreen Notebook in Graphite Gray, model no. PSLW0U-05H03T, for $509 with free shipping

Newegg has the EVGA 015-P3-N969-LR GeForce 9600 GSO 1.5GB 192-bit DDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card for $68 - $30 rebate [Exp 5/31] = $38 with free shipping. Features PCI Express 2.0 x16, 1 D-SUB, 1 DVI, 1 S-Video ports.

Dell has the new Studio XPS 7100 Phenom II X6 Desktop PC $699 + $13 shipping = $712 shipped. [Compare] AMD Phenom II X6 1035T 2.80GHz, 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1TB 7200RPM, 16X DVD+/-RW, ATI Radeon HD 5450 1GB Windows 7 Home Premium x64, multimedia keyboard/mouse TechSpot Article on this system.

Cellularfactory.com has the itouch Mini Microphone Recorder for $3 with free shipping with coupon code freeship19. Allows you to record with your iPod or iPhone for lectures, interviews, and spy meetings.

HandHelditems.com has the HTC Droid Incredible Skin Case in black, blue, purple, pink, green, red, clear, smoke, and orange for $6 - $3 off with coupon code htcincredibleskn [Exp 5/31] + $3 shipping = $6 shipped

NewEgg.com has the Koutech PCI to USB2.0 Card Model IO-PU520 for $15 - $5 off with coupon code EMCYSZR62 [Exp 5/20] + $1 shipping = $11 shipped. Kuotech's 5 port card lets you add a lot of USB ports in one simple step. This 5 port card will plug right in and give you the ports you need.

: HP Pavilion dv6 Core i3 2.13GHz 16" Laptop for $580 after rebate + free shipping
Staples offers the 6.34-lb. HP Pavilion dv6-2150us Intel Core i3 2.13GHz 15.6" Widescreen Notebook, model no. WA779UA#ABA, for $629.99. This $50 mail-in rebate cuts it to $579.99. Features an Intel Core i3-330M 2.13GHz dual-core processor, 15.6" 1366x768 LED-backlit widescreen LCD, 4GB RAM, 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner with LightScribe support, 802.11n wireless, Bluetooth, 5-in-1 media card reader, built-in webcam, four USB ports (no FireWire), ExpressCard slot, HDMI output, 6-cell battery, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. Rebate ends May 22.

Today only, IHavetoHaveThat.com offers the Master Mechanic 25-Foot Powered Tape Measure for $7.99 plus $5 for shipping. It features an automatic extend and retract button and a built-in LED light. Four AAA batteries are required (included).

Today only, ThingFling.com offers the Poly Brite LED Safety Vest with Extra LED Strips, model no. IVRO-3R_IVRK-3R, for $13.99 with free shipping. That's tied with last week's expired mention and the lowest total price we could for any LED safety vest by $3. It features detachable Velcro LED strips, illumination for up to 200 hours, flashing and constant modes, and operates on an included 2032 battery

Dell Small Business trimmed its price on the Dell Vostro 230 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Slim Tower Desktop PC together with the Dell E2210 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor to $449 $8 for shipping.

Having problems sleeping? Blame your iPad (or laptop)

Very interesting article on the effect of the bright light of a laptop affecting your sleep cycle.

Patch Tuesday: Microsoft plugs Windows worm holes

Microsoft today issued patches for a pair of critical (remote code execution) vulnerabilities in Windows and Microsoft Office and urged affected users to apply the fixes as soon as possible.

More Reasons Why You Should Still Quit Facebook - Facebook - Gizmodo

I have been thinking about quitting Facebook, here is another article on Facebook's changing privacy policy (they don't think you have any privacy if you sign up with them.)

I do like the idea that a friend from my distance pass found me on FB, I don't have many friends from my Jr. High School days. However I don't think it's worth giving up my privacy for this,
What do you think?

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 05-09-10

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

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) I was caught by the name Tesla, a tease I always fall for, it seems this guy improved an old patent of Tesla’s for a wind turbine without blades. Not sure what is up with this the article sounds like a lot of hype, but short on details. Be interesting to keep an eye on them, or at least research this it a little more. http://www.ecogeek.org/wind-power/3151-solar-aeros-bladeless-turbine
2) I had 2 site referrals here lately one for the Mach20 Glider, and the X-37B, both are major concerns for some people worrying about the weaponization of space. This I think is going to be our next race to doomsday, when it comes to controlling the high ground military minds all over the planet understand what is at risk here. I have mixed feelings, like the “end game” in backgammon sometimes moves that look pretty risky and scary are the only way to win. http://www.foxnews.com
3) Sometimes we see something and it just causes a little warning light to come on saying hey what’s up with that. Well this was one of those I saw it, I said that looks like an inevitable part of the future, the idea will grow and morph into who knows what…and I don’t like it!! I was reading some stuff on electric cars and ran across this article. Electric cars are silent, ergo dangerous; we need some noise so people will know they are there. Creative sounds for my car to make, sounds like ring tones to me, in the article they even reference the ability to change the sound while you drive. http://www.dailymail.co.uk
4) Not sure if I remember any reference to smart dust in the past, the concept has been around since the 90’s, but now it is having a revival of sorts. The idea is millions, if not billions of very small data collectors reporting back wirelessly, their position, conditions, and whatever other data they were designed to record. That way we could monitor everything. Sounds a little grandiose, but evidently there are applications. http://www.cnn.com
5) Not very geeky, but I thought something on the light side to end up the week. I have a friend who went to see the movie “Iron Man 2” in Palm Springs last week, I have not got a review on the movie yet. But in case you want to take a shot at building a suit, here is what you can expect to spend http://io9.com

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

TECHNET Plus Subscription - 25% OFF - Software Evaluation & Technical Resources
Moicrosoft has a Deal going on for Technet Plus subscriptions at 25% off the normal price. Good until July 31st.

Dell Home again offers the Dell Inspiron 15 Pentium Dual-Core 2.2GHz 15.6" Widescreen Notebook in Jet Black for $419 with $12.95 for shipping via the directions below. Features include an Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4400 2.2GHz processor, 15.6" 1366x768 widescreen LED-backlit LCD, 2GB RAM, 250GB 5400 rpm hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11g wireless, 6-cell battery, and Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit.
1.Click here to start at $3792.select "Intel Pentium Dual Core T4400, 2.2GHz/800MHz FSB/1MB cache (+$40)"
3.add to your cart for $419

AMD Dual Core 2.9GHz Desktop PC for $425 + free shipping
The HP Home & Home Office Store offers its HP Pavilion p6350z AMD Athlon II 2.8GHz Desktop PC, model no. AZ208AV#ABA, for $424.99 with free shipping via the directions below. That's Features include an AMD Athlon II 245 2.9GHz dual-core processor, 4GB RAM, 500GB 7200 rpm hard drive, DVD burner with LightScribe, Gigabit Ethernet, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. To get this deal:
1.Click here to start at $449.99
2.select "FREE UPGRADE! 4GB DDR3-1066MHz SDRAM... (+$0)"
3.select "FREE UPGRADE! 500GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive... (+$0)"
4.in-cart, apply coupon code "SVMB39487" and it drops to $424.99

SuperBiiz.com offers the ASUS 23" 1080p Widescreen LCD Monitor, model no. MS238H, for $199.99. Apply coupon code "ILOVEMOM" to drop it to $184.99. This $20 mail-in rebate knocks it to $164.99. With free shipping, Features include a 1920x1080 (1080p) resolution, 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 250 cd/m² brightness, one HDMI input, and both VGA and DVI inputs. Deal ends May 9.

Batteries.com is offering 20% Off Everything with coupon code MOVE10 [Exp 5/16]. May not be combined with other discounts. Free shipping on select laptop batteries.

Through May 31st, National Geographic is offering 20% off all DVDs sitewide with coupon code AF10115 [Exp 5/31]. Shipping starts at $5. Available titles include The National Parks 7 DVD Collection, The Ultimate World War II DVD Collection and more.

ZipZoomFly has the Hitachi Travelstar 5K500.B HTS545050B9A300 (0A57915) 500GB 5400 RPM 8MB Cache 2.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Notebook Hard Drive (Bare Drive) for $70 - $10 rebate [Exp 6/15] = $60 with free shipping. Features an average seek time of 12ms


Tiger Direct has the Caviar Green Western Digital WD20EARS 2TB SATA Hard Drive for $140 - $40 rebate [Exp 5/20] = $100 with free shipping. Features 64 MB cache and SATA 3.0 interface in a 3.5" form facto

ZipZoomFly has the Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s Hard Drive for $100 - $15 rebate [Exp 5/31] = $85 with free shipping. This drive uses the new generation SATA 6.0gbs interface that features increased transfer speeds as well as updated power efficiency and native command queuing

$348.00
Was: $399.00
Proscan 32" Class 1080p 60HZ LCD HDTV, 32LB45Q
This is at Walmart so you can ship to store for free or ship to you. I think the shipping is free either way....
Proscan 32" LCD HDTV:
•32" LCD panel
With a 1920 x 1080 resolution
•Built in ATSC digital/NTSC analog tuner
Watch conventional and digital broadcasts, including HDTV programs where available
•High brightness of 500cd/m with 6 ms response time
Place your Proscan 32" LCD HDTV anywhere
•1300:1 dynamic contrast ratio
•HDMI Inputs: 2

New U.S. Push to Regulate Internet Access - WSJ.com

It was difficult to get the ultimate importance of this new rule but it looks like a good thing for us users......see the video enclolsed.....at above link. Earl

TECHNET Plus Subscription - 25% OFF - Software Evaluation & Technical Resources

Moicrosoft has a Deal going on for Technet Plus subscriptions at 25% off the normal price. Good until July 31st.

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 05-02-10

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 05-02-10. 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) Having been a cab driver in the past I can relate to the concept of test marketing a green, or any other concept that involves moving people around. Utilizing a controlled fleet of vehicles in an urban setting that operates 24-7 makes sense. This is an article about such a project underway in Tokyo, using electric taxis with easy swap batteries. Sounds like a winner to me, hope they do well. http://www.physorg.com
2) Last week I posted about the air forces new space plane, this week I found this article about how the Pentagon lost their Mach 20 Glider somewhere at sea. The phrase Mach 20 Glider caused me to do a mental double take… glider 20 times the speed of sound, did I read that correctly. Well that was what it meant, yes it is a glider, and the test was take off in California, land at an atoll 4,100 miles out in the Pacific Ocean with a 30 min travel time. But, they lost it after nine min. http://www.wired.com
3) Another example of how we are no longer leading the world when it comes to advancing space technologies anymore. Japan has just announced they will launch a space yacht this month, to sail the galaxy powered by solar particles from the sun. Makes you wonder if we will ever do anything like that, no military application why spend the money. http://www.news.com
4) Not at all sure what to make of this virtual currency idea, after all money these days is basically a virtual currency since we went off the gold standard. And, for that matter gold only has value because we agree in aggregate to the concept, same as diamonds. So maybe this is just a first step in creating a new monetary system, look at how some third world countries use phone min to pay for groceries. http://industry.bnet.com
5) This is an interesting article about social media as an addictive problem facing the upcoming generations. I see this all around me these days, I see it as just another arena of the new technologies that do not fit my lifestyle. Personally I don’t have any concern one way or the other problem or no problem all the same, it is an interesting trend to watch though. http://edmonton.ctv.ca

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Dell Small Business offers the Dell Vostro 230 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Slim Tower Desktop PC together with the Dell E2210 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $449 with $8 for shipping . Features include an Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz processor, 3GB RAM, 250GB 7200 rpm hard drive, DVD-ROM drive, and Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit.


New: Polaroid 8GB SDHC Card for $8 after rebate + $2 s&h
Fry's Electronics offers the Polaroid 8GB Secure Digital High Capacity Card, model no. P-SDHC8G4-FS/POL, for $17.99 with $1.99 for shipping. (Free in-store pickup This $10 mail-in rebate cuts it to $7.99 ($1.25/GB).. Rebate ends May 31.

$30
Tiger Direct.com offers the factory-refurbished Corsair 32GB Flash Voyager USB 2.0 Flash Drive, model no. CMFUSB2.0-32GB, for $49.99. This $20 mail-in rebate chops it to $29.99 ($.94/GB). With $6.99 for shipping, factory sealed unit. A 30-day Corsair warranty is included. Deal ends May 13.

Tiger Direct has the Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit OEM for $150 - $20 off with coupon code QUE1891 [Exp 5/7] = $130 with free shipping. [Compare]
• Windows 7 Professional 32-bit = $130 shipped w/ code SCG1888

ZipZoomFly has the Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB Hard Drive for $75 - $5 off with coupon code ZZF1104 [Exp 5/5] - $10 rebate [Exp 5/5] = $60 with free shipping. Sports a 7200RPM rotational speed, 32MB buffer, and 7.7W average power consumption at idle.

Dell Business has the Western Digital Elements 1.5TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive WDBAAU0015HBK-NESN for $120 - $20 off with coupon code R$V4SKSMSNLJ1K [Exp 5/3] = $100 with free shipping. USB 2.0 interface and backwards compatible with USB 1.1.

Tiger Direct has the Toshiba Satellite 15.6" L505-ES5034 Core i5 Notebook for $600 with free shipping.
• Core i3 330M 2.13Ghz processor, Windows 7 HP x64, 4GB memory
• 320GB hard drive, DVD SuperMulti drive, 802.11n wireless, webcam


MWave has the 18" SATA Cables 5 Pack for $2 + $0 shipping = $2 shipped with free "M" Club membership. Features data transfer speeds of up to 150Mbp/s.

Journalist shield law may not halt iPhone probe

"Under a California law dating back to 1872, any person who finds lost property and knows who the owner is likely to be--but 'appropriates such property to his own use'--is guilty of theft. There are no exceptions for journalists. In addition, a second state law says any person who knowingly receives property that has been obtained illegally can be imprisoned for up to one year."

This is the crux of the issue. I'm not sure the phone was actually "lost" either. It may have been lifted. When the identity of the "seller" comes out (police investigation, not from Gizmodo), it will be interesting to the history or background of that person.

No matter what else was done wrong, I do think that bashing in the door in the middle of the night was a bit of overkill. They could have knocked. It is not like the bloggers at Gizmodo are armed and dangerous.

If the charges are true and the receiver of the property is convicted, I think some serious community service time and probation, rather than jail, is warranted in this case.

Thoughts on Flash

The man from Apple himself, Steve Jobs, lays out why no flash will be coming to the iPhone or the iPad.

Considering how many security updates I have to do in a year and how often it crashes, I'd love to see Adobe Flash go. I didn't like it when it was Macromedia Flash. Of course, the first widespread use of it on the Web was for seemingly long loading and boring "splash screens".

Apple, with its large market share of mobile devices may just be able to force the Flash issue. Anyway, "Flash Wars" is sure fun to follow.

1.5 million stolen Facebook IDs up for sale

A hacker named Kirllos has a rare deal for anyone who wants to spam, steal or scam on Facebook: an unprecedented number of user accounts offered at rock-bottom prices

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 04-25-10

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 04-25-10. 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

HP Pavilion p6380t Core 2 Quad 2.5GHz PC for $580 + free shipping
It features an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.5GHz quad-core processor, 6GB RAM, 640GB 7200 rpm hard drive, dual layer DVD burner with LightScribe, Gigabit Ethernet, 15-in-1 memory card reader, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.
1.Click here and choose the top "Customize & Buy" button to start at $599.99
2.select "FREE Upgrade to 640GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive... (+$0)"
3.click "Review & buy" and add to your cart for $599.99
4.apply coupon code "DTAL89741" to cut the price to $579.99 with free shipping

Dell Small Business offers its Dell Vostro 230 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Mini Tower Desktop PC bundled with the Samsung 2494LW 23.6" Widescreen LCD Monitor in Black for $489. With $8 for shipping, that's $307 off and the lowest total price we could find for a Vostro 230 mini tower / 24" LCD combo. Features include an Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz dual-core processor, 2GB RAM, 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive, DVD burner, integrated graphics, keyboard, optical mouse, Gigabit Ethernet, and Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit.

Refurb Apple iPhone 3G for AT&T for $49 + free shipping via overnight, more
With activation of a new account and a 2-year data plan, AT&T Wireless offers deals on refurbished Apple iPhones, as listed below. (To find them, click the size — 8GB, 16GB, 32GB — under the two refurb models.) With free shipping via overnight delivery and free activation, each is $50 under the cost of a similar package with a new, factory-sealed model. Sales tax is added where applicable. Each iPhone features compatibility with AT&T's 3G network, built-in GPS navigation with Google Maps, enhanced enterprise support, a 3.5" touch screen, at least 5 hours of talk time, and more. Offer ends April 26.

SuperBiiz has the Samsung EcoGreen F2 HD154UI 1.5TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive for $95 - $10 off with coupon code IWANT10 [Exp 4/25] = $85 with free shipping. Features an average seek time of 8.9ms, SATA 3.0Gb/s and a 32 MB cache. Less than 6 cdnts per Gigabyte.

ZipZoomFly has the Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s Hard Drive for $110 - $15 rebate [Exp 5/31] = $95 with free shipping. This drive uses the new generation SATA 6.0gbs interface that features increased transfer speeds as well as updated power efficiency and native command queuing

Eforcity has the Foldable USB Silicone Keyboard for $11 - $2 off with coupon code EFWS041937 [Exp 4/25] = $9 with free shipping. Fold-up QWERTY keyboard features five rows of full-size keys (including numbers). Can be cleaned with just soap and water

Newegg Mall has the Neiko Stainless Steel 6" Digital Caliper with Fraction Display for $19 + $0 shipping = $19 shipped. Has both metric and SAE markings on the body while the LCD can switch between SAE and metric at the touch of a button

ZipZoomFly has the Western Digital AV-GP WD20EVDS 2.0TB SATA Hard Drive for $160 - $15 rebate [Exp 4/30] = $145 with free shipping. This drive is supposed to be more durable in high heat and always-on conditions

SuperBiiz has the Super Talent 8GB SM Style USB Flash Drive for $17 - $5 off with coupon code DONUT4505 [Exp 4/25] + $2 shipping = $14 with free shipping. You never have to worry about losing your cap since this model comes with a steel swivel lid.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) With so many stories in the news about nuclear disarmament I was kind of googling around reading articles when this story came up about securing a potential Nuke during the earthquake in Chile, that story here http://news.yahoo.com. A spinoff from that article led me to the reason I’m using this as my green link. In the article they were talking about processing the weapon grade material into fuel for nuclear power, I thought why not warheads so I googled and found this article http://www.world-nuclear.org. As much as I am deep down disturbed by the whole nuclear thing, if we can recycle the stuff, it solves many problems.
2) It has been a while since I have put up anything on U.F.O.s so here we go. I have friend in California who went to the yearly reenactment of this event, he liked it a lot. Any way during the conversations back and forth I ran across this video. It is about the “Battle of Los Angles” in this video they use the old radio news casts, show old video of the shooting (big guns), also interviews. Very well done, if you never heard of the Battle of Los Angles, you should check it out. http://www.youtube.com
3) This is one of the more disturbing articles I have read lately, seems we are about to go off planet in a new way. Not so sure it is the military I want to replace NASA in advancing our space efforts. World is getting scary, I mean if we don’t they will, several other countries are on their way. It’s not like the “Outer Space Treaty of 1967” (worth a google) is going to stop anyone. http://www.dailymail.co.uk
4) Thought this might interest the phone group, referring to an article about app’s for the military. Interesting to hear them say their smart phones may soon be as important as their rifles. http://www.defensenews.com
5) Thought for geek I would use this article about Face Book it is interesting to consider just how this clash between freedom and privacy comes down. There are really endless possibilities thinking about the world getting smaller, but the information base getting so much larger. http://social.venturebeat.com

Cyberattack on Google Said to Hit Password System - NYTimes.com

It looks like Google got hit a lot harder than they have admitted so far, when hacked in China....

Ten free apps to install on every new PC • reghardware

Product Round-up You've just taken delivery of a new PC, and you're looking for some good apps to run on it. You'll no doubt have a few in mind, but before reaching for your wallet, check out these ten essentials, all of which we think you'll find darn useful - and they won't cost you a penny.

This is an interesting article. I never though about what free apps I run on a PC, Of the 10 listed here I run 7 and there was only 1 or 2 I didn't know about. The last one to back up your data was new to me.

If you have a new PC and need some software to help you work or play, here is a good place to start.

Happy Earth Day Everyone!

AlaskaJoe

Apple's Next iPhone - Iphone 4 Pictures and video

Go to the link in the title and you will see pics and video of Apple's new iPhone - Earl

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 04-18-10

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 04-18-10. 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

10-Port Powered USB 2.0 Hub for $12 + free shipping
Meritline.com offers this 10-Port Powered USB 2.0 Hub in Black for $19.97. Add coupon code "10pusb12" to your cart to cut it to $11.99. With free shipping, it's the. It includes an AC adapter and USB cable. Deal ends April 20

Dell Inspiron 15 Intel Dual Core 2.2GHz 16" Laptop for $399 + $13 s&h
Dell Home offers the 5.8-lb. Dell Inspiron 15 Pentium Dual-Core 2.2GHz 15.6" Widescreen Notebook in Jet Black for $399 with $12.95 for shipping. This notebook features an Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4400 2.2GHz processor, 15.6" 1366x768 widescreen LED-backlit LCD, 2GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11g wireless, 6-cell battery, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

Newegg has the LG GH22LS50 22X LightScribe SATA CD/DVD Writer for $24 with free shipping. Even though Blu-ray discs and drives are the new hotness, DVDs will still be here to stay for a while

HP has the HP Pavilion G60t Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz 15.6" Notebook for $644 - $100 off instantly - $50 off with coupon code NBS21653 [900 uses] + $19 shipping = $513 shipped. Configured as below to reach $644 ($599 coupon minimum). [Compare]
• Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 2.2GHz, 3GB RAM, 320GB HDD, Win 7 HP x64
• Intel GMA 4500MHD, 15.6" 1366x768, SuperMulti DVD, 802.11b/g/n, 6-cell

Newegg has the Logitech G330 3.5mm/ USB Circumaural Gaming Headset for $50 - $10 off with coupon code EMCYRZT46 [Exp 4/22] - $15 rebate [Exp 4/22] = $25 with free shipping. Ideal for use with all MP3, CD, DVD players and portable gaming systems.


ZipZoomFly has the Seagate Barracuda 250GB ST3250318AS 7200.12 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive for $44 - $10 rebate [Exp 4/30] = $34 with free shipping. Features a 7200rm rotational speed, 8MB cache, and a 3gb/s SATA interface.


Toshiba has the Toshiba Satellite 15.6" L500-ST2544 Core i3 Notebook for $499 with free shipping. • Core i3-330M 2.13Ghz processor 2GB DDR3, 250GB HDD, 6-cell
• Intel GMA HD, DVD SuperMulti, 802.11n, webcam, Windows 7 HP x 64
‘’’’


Dell has the AMD-powered Dell Inspiron 546 MT Desktop for $399 + $13 shipping = $412 shipped. AMD Athlon X2 7550 2.5GHz, 4GB DDR2, 500GB HDD, Windows 7 HP x64
16x DVD Writer, Integrated Radeon HD 3200 video card, 5.1 channel audio


Newegg has the Samsung G3 Station 1.5TB HX-DU015EC External Hard Drive for $110 with free shipping. Weighs 1.96lbs and inside you'll find a 3.5" hard drive. Covered by a 3 year limited warranty.

Newegg has the Hitachi Deskstar HD31000 IDK/7K 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive for $85 - $15 off with coupon code EMCYRZS28 [Exp 4/21] = $70 with free shipping. Features an average seek time of 8.2ms, and a three year parts/labor warranty.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) This is an article about that glacial collapse in Peru that created a tsunami in a lake causing damage to local towns. While the general track of the article involves global climate change, there is quite a bit of general info here, complete with several videos, interesting read if you are interested in the current view about losing our glaciers. http://wwfblogs.org
2) I have posted quite a few links in the nano-tech field in the past; almost all of them were on new possibilities, and advancements in the technology. Well there is always down side to consider this article points to some major concerns about where we might be going with this. http://www.aolnews.com
3) Not sure what to make of a story like this, the implications are pretty much endless, if it turns out to be true. It makes me think of several other stories, subjects from cell memory, to after death possibilities, in other words one of those items that make me think a little deeper. http://www.dailymail
4) This article about predictive software is rather disturbing, and reminds me of a movie plot back there somewhere. Seems they want to predict bad behavior before it happens, they decide you are incline to commit a crime by analysis now they will follow you around just in case? Sounds pretty goofy to me, but I.B.M. dumped a lot of money into it so who knows? http://gizmodo.com
5) This made me wonder just how much have agreed to through that who has time to read all this, I will just click, sign, whatever just give me my toy now. I mean when they trick me into giving up my eternal soul OMG what else did I miss. http://news.cnet.com

Internet Explorer 8's Malware-Blocking Madness - PCWorld

Since its launch, Internet Explorer 8 has blocked access to over 560 million sites that it determined were serving malware, or about 3 million blocks per day, said Brandon LeBlanc in a blog post on Friday.
Some people say not to use Internet Explorer at all, this article talks about how well IE8 works.

Remember today is Windows Update Tuesday so DO YOUR WINDOWS UPDATES!

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 04-11-10

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 04-11-10. 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.

Apple Goes Where The Portals Failed: It’s The Hardware, Stupid | Epicenter | Wired.com

Apple morphs itself again -
Most of its money still comes from selling computers, iPhones, iPods and iPads. But with its move into advertising, the spike in revenue from selling iPhone aps (four billion downloads and counting), as well as its move to take a percentage of book and other content sales on the iPad have NEW MEDIA COMPANY written all over them

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Cars that run on air have been a subject of interest to me since I saw a video on Youtube quite a while ago. I was very interested to see a man in Australia who was powering a fork lift in his warehouse with compressed air. I was struck by the fact the engine needed no oil or lubricant of any kind of due to air pressure filling in any and all gaps between moving parts thus zero friction, meaning the engine should last just about forever. This is an interesting site on air powered vehicles that delves into several areas dealing with the pros and cons of the technology. http://auto.howstuffworks.com
2) This is something I have seen mentioned several times lately on the net in different venues. Seems NASA is currently searching for what they are calling the Death Star. There is a lot of evidence pointing to the discovery we have a sister sun; somehow I never considered we might have a duel star solar system. The death star reference comes from the theory that stars gravity is slinging comets at us from a distance. Interesting read here http://www.telegraph.co.uk
3) It would appear there is some rumbling going on with the theory of evolution. I’m not talking about the religious debate, this is pure science. Actually the research is pointing to a challenge in the area of natural selection being the only driving mechanism of evolution. The article is about the new field of epigenetics, and discoveries dealing with environmental information being transferred through the epigenome which is part of DNA causing changes in the offspring. The unsaid thing that struck me about the subject which is of interest to me is how this might relate to the concept of cell memory. This is a fascinating read http://www.guardian.co.uk
4) Time for something a little edgy, over the years I have heard stories about raining fish, frogs, and the like, well it may have happened again in Australia raining fish, in the desert yet. The usual explanation for this phenomenon is a tornado, or water spout in a nearby lake or ocean, they say they eliminated that possibility. The other oddity is the fish were still alive, if they were caught in a massive updraft of some kind at seventy thousand feet they should have been frozen, or died due to lack of pressure. http://www.ntnews.com.
5) My geek link for the week is kind of a bookend link; I could have used it as a green link, that’s a first. Anyway it seems we can save toner and printer ink just by changing the font we use. This article is about how the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay is saving quite a bit of money by changing to a greener font. I think I may do the same heck if I get another 3-5% for what I do it might get me another month or two. http://www.greenbiz.com

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Dell Small Business offers the Dell PowerEdge T105 Athlon 64 X2 2.3GHz Server for $438. Coupon code "Q5QJ$3Z5NS9Z9?" knocks it to $229. With $25 for shipping, it ties last month's mention for the best deal we've seen on this system. Sales tax is added where applicable. It features an AMD Athlon 64 X2 4450B 2.3GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, Serial ATA DVD-ROM drive, and Gigabit Ethernet. An operating system is not included. Coupon ends April 28 or after 200 uses.
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best bet is the Studio One 19 Desktop Intel Dual Core 2.7GHz 18.5" Desktop PC in Charcoal (pictured) for $728 before the coupon, $546 after. With $12.95 for shipping, that's $53 under February's mention and among the best total prices we've seen for any new Studio One 19 system. It features an Intel Pentium Dual Core E5300 2.6GHz processor, 18.5" 1366x768 touchscreen LCD, 3GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, dual layer DVD burner, webcam, keyboard, mouse, and Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit.

Dell Home offers the 5.8-lb. Dell Inspiron 15 Pentium Dual-Core 2.2GHz 15.6" Widescreen Notebook in Jet Black for $399 with $19 for shipping. That's tied with our mention earlier in the week, since expired, for one of the least expensive Inspiron 15 laptops we've seen with a dual-core processor. Sales tax is added where applicable. This notebook features an Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4400 2.2GHz processor, 15.6" 1366x768 widescreen LED-backlit LCD, 2GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11g wireless, 6-cell battery, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

Newegg has the Samsung EcoGreen F2 HD103SI 1TB 5400 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive for $70 with free shipping. Features Samsung's Eco-Triangle technology, designed to use less energy in read/write and idle modes.

Staples has the Acer X223WDbd Black 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $140 with free shipping. Features 1680x1050 resolution, 250cd/m2 brightness, 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 5ms response time, and Energy Star rating

TradePub has the Free How to Choose a Hosting Provider that Fits Your Needs Guide. This guide will help explain the differences between the various hosting options as well as help you understand how much of your time and efforts will be focused on managing servers or driving innovators for your business

Newegg has a 100 pack HP 4.7GB 16X DVD+R Media Model 2041 for $17 + $2 shipping = $19 shipped. Ideal for general purpose recording.

HP has the HP Pavilion Elite HPE-180t Core i3 Desktop PC on sale for $550 - $20 off with coupon code DTAL89741 [Exp 4.30] = $530 with free shipping. [Compare]
Intel Core i3-530 2.93GHz, 4GB DDR3, 640GB HDD, Windows 7 HP x64
IntelHD graphics, Lightscribe 16X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti, 7.1-ch sound
Integrated 10/100/1000, 6-in-1 memory card reader, keyboard and mouse

Newegg has the Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31500341AS 1500GB (1.5TB) 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive for $110 - $15 off with coupon code EMCYRYX29 [Exp 4/11] = $95 with free shipping. This drive uses their 2nd generation Perpendicular Recording technology

Newegg has the Toshiba Satellite L505D-LS5002 15.6" Notebook for $360 - $10 off with coupon code EMCYRYX77 [Exp 4/11] = $350 with free shipping.
AMD Sempron M100 2.0GHz, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB HDD
ATI Radeon 4100, 802.11b/g, DVD-R/RW, Win 7 HP, 6 cell battery

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 04-04-10

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

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) My green link for the week was sent to me by Wills, I thank you. Sometimes I look at these ideas and can only think wow!! The concept is great (I suppose that’s why they call them concept cars), but they all seem to run into that special environment restriction. If you were building a city from scratch with lots of design control it might work very well, in New York City no. Although, it would increase the parking spaces by a factor of ten, and you could have a lot more cabs and they should be cheaper to run, but making sense would never be enough cause to change anything. It is a great idea and I was impressed by the Segway - GM collaboration seems like there is a lot of potential in a union like that. I imagine they have someplace in mind to test market, it will be interesting to follow. http://editorial.autos.msn.com/
2) This is another along the green transportation line sent to me by Troll, thank you sir. A link to a story about electric motorcycles in California being touted by Arnie, they are even offering a rebate. According to the story the cost of operation is about one cent per mile, on average terrain, and speeds. That link here http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com When, I first looked at this story I thought there was something familiar about the bike, then I remembered seeing it on Youtube it was being ridden by a dirt competition rider who was impressed with the bike. I was looking for the video when I found this story about the bike it predates the other link some, in this article they mention that the Zero-S Arnies model is coming out soon and will be equipped for street use. The article is interesting especially about the origin of the motor, this article is about the zero-X my impression is they are same bike, with different equipment. That link here http://www.motorcycle.com
3) This is an article about some new tricks they are working on in genetics, referring to it as Genetic Code 2.0 kind of says it all. They are talking a total rewrite using phrases like synthetic biology, synthetic organisms, almost sounds like a cross between the Island of Dr. Moreau – and a robotics team at MIT. It has the look of a beginning, but I am not sure I want to know the ending. As with most things there is potential for both good and evil, bet you will see it referenced to in a movie soon. http://www.newscientist.com
4) When I saw this I was drawn in because of the neural computer talk noticed in my initial scan. The idea of creating an artificial intelligence has long been one of those fields that arouse my curiosity. The articles early reference to finding “electronics long lost missing link” did not hurt either. Seems that they have demonstrated a working memristor, oops spell check did not like that, but maybe that is going to change soon. This Looks like it is a big deal, and it may make some serious changes in the future. The article has also fostered an interest in slime mold, I will be looking into that after the show. http://hplusmagazine.com
5) Link to a Farmville vs Mafia Wars review, I must admit his description pretty much fits my mental picture of what the games are like. Although with millions playing there must be more to it. I scanned the comments section, but my overall impression is that like a lot of things in the world it is just not for me. http://www.uproxx.com/

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

$474 Dell Inspiron 17 Intel Dual Core 2.2GHz 17" Laptop for $474 + $19 s&h
Dell Home offers the 6.1-lb. Dell Inspiron 17 Pentium Dual-Core 2.2GHz 17.3" Widescreen Notebook in Jet Black for $499. Apply coupon code "HKT766V127L105" and it falls to $474.05. With $19 for shipping, Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4400 2.2GHz processor, 17.3" 1600x900 LED-backlit widescreen LCD, 3GB RAM, 320GB 5400 rpm hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11g wireless, 2GB of Dell Online Backup for one year, 6-cell battery, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. Coupon ends April 9.


Netgear GA311NA Gigabit PCI Network Adapter up to 1000 Mbps $6

ZipZoomFly has the Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit OEM for $170 - $10 rebate [Exp 4/15] = $160 with free shipping. Ultimate includes everything that's found in Home and Professional editions in one package. Windows 7 Professional 64-bit = $124 shipped after rebate [Exp 4/15]

SuperBiiz has the Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5300 2.6GHz CPU for $59 - $5 off with coupon code FIRE0905 [Exp 4/4] + $2 shipping = $56 shipped. Intel Dual-Core E5400 2.7GHz for $63 w/ code FIRE1105

ZipZoomFly has the PowerColor AX5450 512MD2-SD Radeon HD 5450 (Eyefinity Edition) 512MB 64-bit DDR2 HDCP Ready Video Card for $45 - $15 rebate [Exp 4/15] = $30 with free shipping. Features a 650MHz core clock, 1 x DisplayPort, 1 x D-Sub, 1 x DVI.

During National Park Week, April 17th - 25th, entrance to all 392 National Parks is free. Parks will also offer additional family-friendly activities and special offers on tours, lodging, food, and souvenirs.

ZipZoomFly has the Hitachi Travelstar 5K320 0A56417 320GB SATA 5400 RPM 8MB Buffer Mobile 2.5" Hard Drive for $60 - $15 rebate [Exp 4/15] = $45 with free shipping.

Google changes its name to Topeka

In response to the city of Topeka Kansas changing its name to Google Kansas, Google Inc has announced that as of 1am Central Time on April 1, 2010, the new name of the company will be Topeka Inc, as a way to honor the people of the former Topeka Kansas for changing their name to Google.

Topeka Inc has said that this honor has no bearing on the decision as to which municipalities will participate in the new high speed broadband project, of which Google Kansas has applied.

Microsoft extends 90-day free Windows 7 enterprise trial until end of 2010 | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com

On March 30, the company extended that free 90-day enterprise promotion through the end of 2010.
Here is you chance to try Windows 7 for the price of a download. I love Windows 7 better than any other Microsoft OS. It is the most secure OS to date.

AlaskaJoe

Microsoft patches a gaping security hole - The Inquirer

Microsoft has released an out-of-cycle patch for users lazy or ignorant enough to still be using an old version of Internet Explorer.
If your running an older version of Internet Explorer, you really need to upgrade it.
What more can I say Do your Windows Updates.

AlaskaJoe

Shop Lost $200,000 from Online Banking Scam - SPAMfighter

In February 2010, cybercriminals stole $200,000 from an auto body shop in Ohio (USA), Clarke Collision Center, in a brazen robbery done online. Hackers used malware for unauthentic access of bank account.

Security experts said that small business assumes great responsibility when banking online as banks are not lawfully obliged to compensate losses suffered because of the fake activity. Therefore, business should become more careful in the matters related to IT and should regularly update the antivirus solutions and operating systems.

This is getting worst all over the place, the bad guys are not just getting into people's home computers and banks, but Small business are loosing thousands of dollars, and they don't even know. Unless someone notices something wrong and does something about it. The small business in this article got back some of their money.
If you own a business remember your bookkeeping computer is the one you want the most secure. (Don't use it to surf the internet at all!)

I can't tell customers enough times do your Weekly Maintenance and keep your computer clean and MalWare free.

I have said it many time, I make a living fixing Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 are much more secure and are harder for users to get infected.

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 03-28-10

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 03-28-10. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Newegg has the refurbished FujiFilm FinePix S1500FD 10MP Digital Camera for $140 - $15 off with coupon code EMCYPNT57 [Exp 3/28] = $125 with free shipping.
10 Megapixels, 1/2000 sec max shutter speed, 12x optical zoom
Red-eye reduction, 2.7" LCD display, 23MB internal memory

Price $319.00
This Dell Inspiron 546 desktop goes for $319 with the dual core 2.8ghz Athlon CPU. Make sure that is selected as you go through the menu... VISTA Home Basic SP1, 32-Bit
AMD Athlon™ II X2 240 (2.8GHz, 2MB) 1 Year Basic Service Plan 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz- 2 DIMMs 320GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache™
Integrated ATI Radeon HD3200 Graphics 16X DVD+/-RW Drive 5.1 Channel Audio
Pure White or Black - see menu

HP has the HP Photosmart C4780 Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer for $90 - $20 off with coupon code SVBT557331 [Exp 4/30] = $70 with free shipping. Prints up to 29ppm (black) / 23 ppm (color) and features 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, SDHC / Memory Stick card support, 1.45" LCD with TouchSmart frame.


Dell Small Business offers the Dell Vostro 230 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Mini Tower Desktop PC bundled with the Dell E2210H 21.5" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $449. With $8 for shipping, it's $90 under our mention earlier this month and the lowest total price we've seen for the Vostro 230. Features include an Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz dual-core processor, 2GB RAM, 250GB 7200 rpm hard drive, DVD burner, integrated graphics, keyboard, optical mouse, Gigabit Ethernet, and Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit

Dell Home offers the 6.1-lb. Dell Inspiron 17 Pentium Dual-Core 2.2GHz 17.3" Widescreen Notebook in Jet Black for $499 plus $12.95 for shipping. That's $304 off and tied with last week's mention as the lowest total price we've seen for this configuration. Sales tax is added where applicable. It features an Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4400 2.2GHz processor, 17.3" 1600x900 LED-backlit widescreen LCD, 3GB RAM, 320GB 5400 rpm hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11g wireless, 2GB of Dell Online Backup for one year, 6-cell battery, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

Newegg has the gabyte GV-R455D3-512I Radeon HD 4550 512MB 64-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card for $40 - $20 rebateGi [Exp 3/30] = $20 with free shipping


HP Pavilion p6213w 2.6GHz 6GB Desktop PC $358 at eCost eCost has the refurbished HP Pavilion p6213w 6GB Desktop PC for $330 + $28 shipping = $358 shipped. Intel Pentium E5300 2.6GHz, 6GB RAM, 500GB HDD, SuperMulti DVD+RW
15-in-1 media reader, 10/100/1000 LAN, Windows 7 Home Premium x64


SuperBiiz has the Lenovo G550-2958ACU 2.10GHz, 15.6" NoteBook for $469 - $20 off with coupon code SHINE2520 [Exp 3/28] = $449 with free shipping.
Intel Pentium dual-core T4300 2.10GHz, 3GB, 250GB HDD 5400rpm
DVD+/-R/RW drive, Intel GMA 4500M, 802.11b/g, Windows 7 Home, 6-cell

Buy.com has the Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD1200BEVT 120GB Notebook Hard Drive for $37 with free shipping. Sports a 5400rpm rotational speed, 8MB cache, and makes for a cheap replacement drive for your PS3 or Xbox 360

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) With the Chevy Volt about to make its début toward the end of the year I thought a good review page might be in order. Why has it taken so long for us to get here, I suppose that is a question better answered another time? But, I am sure glad to see progress along these lines, it will be very interesting to see how it is accepted. With a MPG sticker on the window saying 235 MPG in the city I cannot imagine it will not make some interesting waves. I have a cousin who lives in Central America he tells me that cars offering up to 85 miles per gallon are common there, but unavailable in the U.S., I thought we were supposed to be leading. Anyway, a good read here. http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com
2) Really not sure what this means, or how much validity to put into the concept. I think I may need to research it a little further; I just found it today and thought it belonged here. As happens so often I was caught by the headline, “Most Meteorites Contain Fossilized Bone”, the initial article was very short and uninformative so of course I googled. I was thinking it was just a terminology thing referring to fossils of planets, I was surprised to find they were talking about mammal bones in meteorites from Mars. This link is much more substantial in scope, and worth checking out. http://wretchfossil.blogspot.com/
3) You know how much I like Google, and to a lesser degree Bing, I usually use the page that searches both at the same time. When I saw this I was quite surprised, this article is about searching the invisible web. That invisible web thing also got me, seems when we use Google or Bing we are searching the “Open Web”. The numbers are truly staggering, the open web contains about 167 terabytes of information, the “Invisible Web” also known as “Deep Web” or “Deep Net” contains 91,000 terabytes. This site offers info on ten search engines that search that whole data base, along with some interesting information on the subject. http://www.makeuseof.com
4) This is an article about a NASA project to put avatars on the moon; it looks like an interesting idea. The whole idea of using an avatar robot for space exploration seems plausible to me, after all it is about the same thing they did on Mars, just a little fancier, and much cooler. The time lag between here and the moon might make it a much easier project, and still offer a path to necessary advancements for more ambitious adventures in the future. http://gizmodo.com
5) Last up for geek is one I saw about Fire Fox, it is most likely not news to this group as it is four days old already, but just in case you missed it, you might want to check it out, especially if you use Fire Fox. http://news.bbc.co.uk