Sunday, July 11, 2010

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) With the obvious direction we need to move in concerning getting off of oil there are so many interesting articles out there it is a little overwhelming at times. This one grabbed me; imagine 1,500 miles on a single gallon of gas. That is what a team in Ottawa achieved in a contest for most miles per gallon. The catch they came in second because as they put it they had an enormous gas leak. What gives me hope with this kind of research is we will need to use gas for at best another ten years; it is encouraging to think we may get the mileage high enough to make the transition easier. http://www.ottawacitizen.com

2) I rarely use links involving doomsday projections, but this one just seemed to be needed. It is a very current article talking about just how bad the gulf oil situation may turn out. I have heard and read several stories on the net speculating along these lines. But, this one just sort of put into perspective how bad it could be. I guess I will just have to hope it is not going to turn out that way, but the idea that there is a precedent for this type of event I have been hearing about is scary enough. http://www.americanpendulum.com

3) Hope I am not stealing a little thunder from our newest show segment here, heck they may have beat me to the punch already. Anyway this is an article about a phone app the people at MIT have come up with that may bring a major medical boost to third world countries. They have come up with a simple device that clips onto the screen of a cell phone to analyze the vision of a person in the field. We seem to be getting a little closer to Star Trek technology every day. http://web.mit.edu/

4) If you think it is just cars that are moving into greener technology pastures this might make you think a little different. A electric bicycle company has new product prototype they are in process of trying out, a hydrogen powered bicycle. Looks to be a while before they can get it into production, but nice to know it may be in our future. Maybe next a Mr. Fusion bicycle running on banana peels, and old sandwiches like in Back to the Future. http://asia.cnet.com

5) I think this is a first a crossover geek link and a medical link. Just thought it was interesting that a computer game could save a child’s eyesight. Although it sort of makes sense, I have a feeling this will not be the last story we see about this treatment. Kind of makes me wonder if there are not more of these simple fixes out there. http://kotaku.com

Friday, July 09, 2010

Microsoft to patch critical Windows, Office flaws - TUESDAY patch

Microsoft said that it expects to issue four security bulletins as part of next week's Patch Tuesday, closing critical holes in both Windows and Office

Run Android on Your Windows Mobile Phone

Your Windows Mobile phone may already have the capability of running Android. This article shows you how to do it and the type of phone you’ll need.

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Apple Battles Frauds in iTunes - WSJ.com

Apple said its iTunes servers weren't compromised, but starting Tuesday it will require more frequent entry of a user's credit-card security code when making purchases on iTunes or accessing the service from a new computer. VIDEO

Sunday, July 04, 2010

Happy Birthday USA

Happy July 4th everyone.

Today's broadcast is a replay from the past. Enjoy.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Got 37 Bucks? Have a Laptop - The 7-inch eBay netbook really does cost under $40

It's actually $37!! The 7-inch netbook runs on Windows CE and has 2GB storage. "What's the catch (apart from the extraordinarily underpowered internals)?" asks Charlie Sorrel. There appears to be none

Monday, June 28, 2010

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 06-27-10

This was a short show because of technical problems. Next week is the 4th of July and we will be playing a rerun. Have a safe and sane holiday!

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 06-27-10. 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.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Today's App Corner: Hurricane

We have 2 paid apps this week because there are no free apps in this category.

Hurricane season is here. Whether you are tracking because the storm is approaching you, or you just study weather, check out the app Hurricane. If that is too pricey for you, a less expensive and less elegant app, Hurricane Tracker will do much of the same.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) I have been sort of quiet in regards to the oil spill in the gulf, I have been interested in the effect of our basic destruction of our planet for long time. I have been seeing some incredibly disturbing stories lately. I am worried that this is going to be much worse than what is being presented to us. There seems to be some real concerns with the dispersants I have posted one article, and one news story on Youtube. http://www.sfgate.com

http://www.youtube.com


2) I have forever been a fan of illusions they demonstrate so well that what you perceive to be truth is only a factor of your point of view. For me this holds true in everything from political views, to science, and accepted laws of physics. So when I ran across the top illusions of 2010, well let’s just say I felt it belonged here in the Gregg zone. http://illusioncontest.neuralcorrelate.com
3) This is another of those topics that seem to keep popping up in various forms, the idea that technology is reaching some sort of crescendo regarding evolutionary advancement of our species. A blending of mans consciousness and machine, creating a sort of immortality. I find this line of contemplation utterly fascinating. We are privileged in that we live in a time of such speed of progress that the changes are evident to a degree never before observed, we are witnessing either a great beginning, or a catastrophic ending. This is an interesting article on the subject here. http://www.dailygrail.com/
4) As an example of the previous post in the medical field I found this to be interesting in that twenty years ago it would have been headline news. In today’s world with technology speeding along at such an increased rate it only rates a place buried on the back pages of the web. In biblical times this was considered a miracle today it is just accepted, with a caveat like what took so long. http://www.newscientist.com
5) For my geek offering I ran across this and thought it might be worthy I am not much of a gamer other than spider, minesweeper, and the like, but this sounded like it might be a very big deal for games, and other applications, regarding internet personalities like the avatar news anchor post I put up a month or two ago. http://www.gamepro.com

Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

Ends Sunday Specials at Newegg. Western Digital Elements 1TB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive for $100 - $30 instant coupon = $70 shipped. Weighing in at only a few ounces, it fits easily into a pocket or a purse. This drive comes with a USB 2.0 interface which does not require any power adapter as it is powered directly through the USB cable. It is compatible with Mac and Windows. Use Promo Code: EMCYWZW53 at checkout.

ASUS MS236H Glossy Black / White 23" 2ms Widescreen LCD Monitor w/HDMI 250 cd/m2 ASCR 50000:1 for $230 - $50 savings - $20 rebate = $160 shipped. Use Promo Code: EMCYWZW45 at checkout.

Western Digital External 1.5TB USB 2.0 Hard Drive for $120 - $35 instant savings = $85 shipped at Dell. This external USB 2.0 drive is preformatted for immediate use. Simply plug it in to a USB port of your system to add high-speed storage. The WD Elements Desktop External Hard Drive is an ideal choice to manage all your digital content between work and home. June 23rd 6AM CST.

MWave has the OCZ Obsidian 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 PC3 12800 Desktop Memory (OCZ3OB1600LV4GK) for $93 - $10 rebate [Exp 6/30] + $0 shipping = $83 shipped with free "M" Club membership. CAS Latency of 9 with timings of 9-9-9-26. [Compare]


Office Depot has the Toshiba Satellite L555D-S7005 17.3" Widescreen Notebook Computer on sale for $500 with free shipping. [Compare]
• AMD Turion II Dual-Core Mobile M520 2.3GHz, 4GB DDR2, 320GB HDD
• 17.3" LED 1600x900, ATI Radeon HD 4200, DVD SuperMulti Drive
• Windows 7 Home Premium x64, 802.11b/g/Draft-N, webcam/mic

SuperBiiz has the LG GH22NP20 22x DVD+-RW Internal Drive (Bulk) for $21 - $5 off with coupon code POPSICLE [Exp 6/27] = $16 + shipping. Shipping ranges from $7 to $10. A user review indicates that it'll burn at 22x with Verbatim and Taiyo Yuden media. It also supports speedy 16X DVD+R DL burning for those who need the DL capacity.


MWave has the Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive for $40 + $0 shipping = $40 shipped with free "M" Club membership. Western Digital covers this product with a 3-year warranty. [

iMate has the iSwap 1000 3.5" SATA II HDD Mobile Rack Enclosure for $14 with free shipping. Allows for tool-free hard disk installation, fits into standard 5.25" drive bay, and features anti-vibration rubber foot stand and security key lock (with two spare keys).
iSwap 1000 SATA II 3.5 inch HDD Mobil Rack S-ATA II 3.0 Gbps
[IM-FCKF-1000-BK] $28.99 $14.45

Tiger Direct has the HP Compaq dc5850 VS728UA Business Desktop for $400 with free shipping.
AMD Athlon X3 2.8GHz processor, 4GB DDR2 memory, 500GB hard drive
• DVD+/-RW writer, Windows XP Pro/Vista Business, ATI Radeon 3100

Newegg has the Hitachi Deskstar HD31000 IDK/7K (0S00163) 1TB 7200 RPM 3.5" Internal Hard Drive for $70 - $10 rebate [Exp 6/27] = $60 with free shipping. Rosewill RX-DU101 2.5" & 3.5" USB 2.0 External Enclosure included with purchase. Features 32MB cache, 7200RPM, an average seek time of 8.2ms, and a three year limited warranty


TigerDirect.com offers the Western Digital ShareSpace 4-Bay 2TB Gigabit Ethernet Network Attached Storage, model no. WDA4NC20000N, for $279.99. With free shipping, It features two 1TB hard drives (for a total of 2TB), multiple RAID configurations, Gigabit Ethernet, three USB 2.0 connections, and more.

AnyBizSoft continues to offer downloads of PDFtoWord PDF Converter 3.0 for Windows for free. It's $20 off our mention from last August (of an older version) and tied with our mention from last week as the lowest total price we've seen for such software. This software is designed to convert PDF to Word with page layout and formatting retained. Note that you'll need to become a "Fan" of AnyBizSoft on Facebook in order to get a keycode.

Staples offers the HP Pavilion p6510f AMD Athlon X4 2.8GHz Quad Core Desktop PC, model no. WW639AA#ABA, for $449.98. With free shipping, that's the lowest total price we could find by $60. Sales tax is added where applicable. Features include an AMD Athlon X4 630 2.8GHz quad-core processor, 4GB RAM, 750GB 7200 rpm hard drive, ATI Radeon HD 4200 128MB graphics, DVD burner with LightScribe, 802.11n wireless, 15-in-1 card reader, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Apple iPhone 4 Antennas

This is a very interesting article about the iPhone 4 antenna and cell phone antennas in general. I have a 3Gs with no 4 in sight. But I can attest to the fact that my phone is not affected by the way in which I hold it. Yes, I've tried to kill the signal and I can't. I've heard some people say they think it is all a software issue. I don't, I think it is an antenna issue. Is it still a very usable phone? Sure. Should you move your hand if you lose your signal. I would. Using a case should help and will probably help protect a phone with not 1 but 2 sides of glass. Is this a design flaw? I'd call it more of a design compromise. Or is that a compromised design?

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

How to upgrade to iOS 4

More fun for iPhone or iPod users ... How to upgrade to iOS 4 and IOS 4 Review <--

Report: A fifth of Android apps expose private data | InSecurity Complex - CNET News

At first read, I'm not sure what to make of this article. On one level it overstates the obvious. When you have an entirely open system, bad guys may use it as a way to get malware onto your phone. You need to use some discernment. Okay. Got it.

Then in the next breath she brings up iPhone with its tightly controlled ecosystem. Sure it is possible that something could slip by, but it is highly unlikely and so far the only malware that has been found to work on an iPhone requires jailbreaking the phone. She didn't specify jailbreaking so I have to assume she means the official ecosystem which at this point doesn't make sense. Even Steve Gibson in an interview with Leo LaPorte on Security Now said that security was an advantage of Apple's closed system with the iPhone.

I almost think the author lumped iPhone in order to sell more copies of SMobile. I wonder where the report that this article was based on came from? Oh yeah, it was from SMobile, a company I've never heard of before. Now I get it.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The Cheapskate - CNET News

It is not often that I see a sale this good. Selected EA titles for iPhone/iPod Touch are on sale for 99 cents through tomorrow. I picked up SimCity.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Bye bye bifocals, hello electronic spectacles

The electronic glasses, developed by US firm PixelOptics, can be adjusted manually to view objects at different distances by pressing a button on the side of the frames

Toshiba launches dual touch-screen laptop - Runs Windows 7.

This new dual-screen, touch-screen mini laptop design has two 7in, LED-backlit touch-screens. Toshiba says its compact size and clamshell form factor provides "unrivalled flexibility".

Sunday, June 20, 2010

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 06-20-10

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 06-20-10. 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

Ends Sunday Specials at Newegg. Western Digital Elements 1TB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive for $100 - $30 instant coupon = $70 shipped. Weighing in at only a few ounces, it fits easily into a pocket or a purse. This drive comes with a USB 2.0 interface which does not require any power adapter. Mac and Windows. Use Promo Code: EMCYWZW53 at checkout

ASUS MS236H Glossy Black / White 23" 2ms Widescreen LCD Monitor w/HDMI 250 cd/m2 ASCR 50000:1 for $230 - $50 savings - $20 rebate = $160 shipped. Use Promo Code: EMCYWZW45 at checkout.
--------------------------------------------------

Western Digital External 1.5TB USB 2.0 Hard Drive for $120 - $35 instant savings = $85 shipped at Dell. This external USB 2.0 drive is preformatted for immediate use. Simply plug it in to a USB port of your system to add high-speed storage. The WD Elements Desktop External Hard Drive is an ideal choice to manage all your digital content between work and home. Ends June 23rd 6AM CST.



HP 17.3" Notebook PC Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 2.20GHz / 4GB RAM / 320GB Hard Drive / Intel GMA 4500MHD / DVD+/-R/RW Drive / Webcam / 802.11N / HDMI / Windows 7 Home Premium Save 29% This Weekend Only $529.99* Was $749.99 *After Mail-in Rebate

Dell Small Business offers the Dell Vostro 230 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz Slim Tower Desktop PC bundled with the Dell E2010H 20" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $429 plus $8 for shipping. 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.

Dell is taking 30% off five Dell monitors with coupon code BWMHLGDHF9CP3R [4000 total uses]. They include:
Dell ST2310 23" 1920 x 1080 LCD for $161 shipped w/ code
Dell ST2410 24" 1920 x 1080 LCD for $182 shipped w/ code
Dell SP2309W 23" LCD w/ Webcam + USB Hub for $210 shipped w/ code


Buy.com has the refurbished Samsung P2770H 27" 2ms Widescreen LCD Monitor for $279 with free shipping. • 1920x1080 resolution, 70000:1 contrast ratio, 2ms response time 170° H 160° V viewing angle, 300 cd/m2 brightness, DVI-I & HDMI inputs


Newegg has the EVGA 01G-P3-N958-LR GeForce 9500 GT 1GB 128-bit DDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card for $45 - $20 rebate [Exp 7/10] + $2 shipping = $27 shipped. Features 550MHz core clock speed and up to 2560 x 1600 maximum resolution.

Today's App Corner: AroundMe

AroundMe

With travel season upon us, we are taking a look at this handy app that will help you find the stuff around you!

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) The idea that a transition to alternate energy sources needs to be some super complex ten decade process seems to me to be missing the point somehow. I think it will be the smaller less complex devices that will lead the way. We always seem to think in terms of paving over half of the Mojave Desert installing square miles of solar and wind generators. Then rebuilding the entire grid to accommodate them. I think it will be a more basic movement, one roof top at a time. To me the simpler the process the more likely the success. Another thing that seems apparent to me is that the developing world will lead the way. They do not need to replace their infrastructure, because it has not been built yet. For them local solar, or wind makes more sense that running thousands of miles of power lines. Here is a great example of a cheap solar lighting product, I would like to get one also in case I decide to go camping again. http://news.cnet.com
2) This is one of those make you think articles, it would make a great Sci-Fi story line. The trouble is that in today’s world it does not sound so far out there. If you have not heard about the Artilects I am not that surprised, it was new to me. But, I realized that somehow the idea has been lurking in the back of my mind for a while now. They are talking about the ultimate evolution of man, robot, and cyborg. Article here http://www.technofascismblog.com
3) This as an article that illustrates a concept I have held for a long time. Every time I try and grasp a new theory in physics, I have thought this is most likely the problem facing man and science. The idea that the human mind just does not have the necessary capability to comprehend the problem. Our world has gotten more and more complex, the more we learn, the more obvious it is we have not yet managed to identify the question. Personally that is the way I like it, take away the mystery and all you have is boredom. http://www.edmontonsun.com
4) This is one that Joe and I found almost at the same time, I found several interesting points in the story. The headline that got me was “How Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison Killed the Electric Car”. I first learned how far back the electric cars went watching a video clip on the Baker Car at Jay Leno’s Garage site. A lot of people just do not know the history of the electric car, odd to think we could have been there many years ago, it would have saved us a lot of trouble. http://jalopnik.com
5) Now for my geek link I found this article about a concept computer Sony thinks will be in our future. It looks to me like it would be enough to make Dick Tracy roll over in his grave. It seems somehow odd to me to think it was within my lifetime the idea of a two way wrist radio was so advanced to be thought of as science fiction. But, the really strange idea is by the time they actually develop something like this, it will be obsolete. http://www.yankodesign.com

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Office 2010 hits retail shelves (images)

When Office 2010 hits retail shelves on Tuesday, one of several new options will be for new PC buyers to purchase a product key card that upgrades their machine from a limited free version called Office Starter to the full version. Though good for only a single machine, the product key cards will be cheaper than the full boxed copies of the software, which can be used on either two or three PCs, depending on the edition.

The Live CD list

I stumbled on this. Lots and lots of live CD links. Check it out, more good ones then I can mention. (hope I didn't post this already LOL).

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Nasa warns solar flares from 'huge space storm' will cause devastation

Britain could face widespread power blackouts and be left without critical communication signals for long periods of time, after the earth is hit by a once-in-a-generation “space storm”, Nasa warns

YouTube Removes 'Flotilla Choir' Video despite 3 million hits...

Citing copyright infringement, YouTube removed Latma's "We Con the Word" on Friday, despite the video having received over 3 million hits in one week! Is this Net-Neutrality?

Sunday, June 13, 2010

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 06-13-10

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 06-13-10. 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

Today only, Shnoop.com offers the Rayovac AAA I-C3 15-Minute Rechargeable Battery 12-Pack for $11. With free shipping, These
batteries purport to offer a charging time of 15 minutes or less. Note that they're bulk packaged and will arrive without the Rayovac I-C3 charger, which enables 15-minute charging times.

TigerDirect.com offers the Lexar 32GB
JumpDrive TwistTurn USB 2.0 Flash Drive, model no. LJDTT32GASBNA, for $49.99. Pay via Google Checkout and it falls to $44.99.

For "M" Club members only, mwave offers the Samsung 22x Serial ATA Internal Dual Layer DVD Burner with LightScribe, model no. SH-S223L, for $19.99 with free shipping.(Click the "M" Club banner to sign up for a free membership.) The SH-S223L burns DVD+R and DVD-R media at 22x, DVD-RAM media at 12x, dual layer DVD+R at 16x, dual layer DVD-R media at 12x, DVD+RW media at 8x, DVD-RW media at 6x, CD-RW media at 32x, and CD-R media at 48

At Blockbuster
Express kiosks, get any 1-night DVD rental for free via the coupon codes listed below. (You can enter these codes online or at the kiosk itself; each is only valid once per account.). Search for a Blockbuster Express kiosk location near you. Valid codes include "GT14A," "GL14A," "GT14A," "GL14A," and "GL15A."

HP
Home & Home Office Store offers its HP Pavilion Slimline s5370t Intel Core i3 2.93GHz Desktop PC (no monitor), model no. AZ214AV#ABA, for $549.99. Coupon code "SVMB39487" drops it to $524.99. With free shipping, that's tied with our mention from four weeks ago as the lowest total price we could find for this configuration, although we saw it for $13 less in February (since expired). Sales tax is added where applicable. It features an Intel Core i3-530 2.93GHz dual-core processor, 4GB RAM, 640GB 7200 rpm hard drive, DVD burner with LightScribe, Gigabit Ethernet, 6-in-1 media card reader, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

GoHardDrive.com has the GoHardDrive 3532F 3.5" SuperSpeed USB 3.0 to SATA Aluminum External Hard Drive Enclosure for $35 with free shipping. Features up to 5 Gbps data transfer, backward compatible with USB 2.0, and is lead-free

Today only. Sears has the Fujifilm Finepix XP10 12MP Waterproof Camera for $150 - 10% off in cart = $135 with free in-store pickup. Shipping option is $7. [Compare]
12.2MP, 2.7" 230K LCD, 5X optical zoom, 720p video, underwater mode
Waterproof (3m), shockproof (1m), freezeproof (-10 degrees), dustproof

Mwave has the Western Digital Caviar Blue WD10EALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive for $65 + $0 shipping = $65 shipped with free "M" Club membership. The WD Blue offers midrange performance and sits between the low power WD Green and high performance WD Black.

B&H Photo Video has the Western Digital WDH2NC20000N My Book World Edition II 2 TB (2 x 1TB) NAS External Hard Drive for $179 with free shipping. Features RAID 0/1/Span/JBOD support, remote file access, gigabit ethernet, automatic network backup, and USB port for storage expansion.

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) With everything going south in the economy, and especially with real estate, when I saw this I just thought there must be countless places where the idea may apply. I was reading the next real estate collapse is expected to hit the commercial sector. As specialty stores begin to have trouble meeting lease payments. This may provide a way out for some, and it’s a green solution. http://blog.cleveland.com
2) This is so zone, when I saw it I was just blown away. I am used to science fiction predicting the future by becoming science fact, but usually that is something to do with technology. Seems they have found a monolith on a moon of Mars. Right out of Space Odyssey 2010. http://www.dailygalaxy.com
3) As long as we are talking space stuff this is a couple weeks old, I almost used it a couple of times, but it just kept getting shuffled down the list. I find it interesting when science finds something quite new and unique. They found a new ‘phase’ of water out in space, the ones we usually think about are ice, liquid, and vapor. Now they have a new fourth state created in star formation. http://www.space.com
4) Not too sure what I think about this site, one could say it is a criminal training manual, I suppose it is not as bad as a bomb instruction manual. And, I have to admit I am tempted to play around with it just out of curiosity. It is MIT’s Ultimate Lock Picking Bible, and it is a free download. Billed as a complete necessity for every lock smith/crooks library. http://www.wonderhowto.com
5) This article asks the question does the internet make you smarter. Really a pretty interesting read, points out that the majority of what is printed on the internet as news is created by people not that skilled in presenting content. Then they point out that this is just the way it happens, and has been happening with all new communication forms. http://online.wsj.com

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Bug gives attackers complete control of some XP and Srvr 2003 Windows PCs

The exploit works in XP and Server 2003 versions of Windows and possibly others. The flaw resides in the Windows Help and Support Center, a feature that provides users with online technical support. Malicious hackers can exploit the weakness of Windows by embedding commands in web addresses that activate the feature's remote assistance tool

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Do I Have to Respond to the ACS or Census?

This is mostly a 165 entry Blog about folks that do not want to answer all the personal questions on the census. Most people are learning to just ignore census workers until they go away. Harassment by phone and at your door seems to take place. - As for me I didn't send in the form and now have about 6 notices left on my door. I have never filled out a census and ain't startin now. - Earl
Don't Trust the Census.
Why You Should Abstain from the Census

Monday, June 07, 2010

AT&T throws down usage-based pricing gauntlet

Might send Ipad users to the poor house......
No way to really know. But it’s a good bet that the 65% aren't using Apple iPhones and are more oriented toward e-mail (think BlackBerry) and social networking

Sunday, June 06, 2010

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 06-06-10

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 06-06-10. 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.

The App Corner

This week Aaron and I talked about JiWire's Wi-Fi Finder app for iPhone and Android:

http://www.jiwire.com/iphone

http://www.jiwire.com/android

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




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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

Saturday, June 05, 2010

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...

Friday, June 04, 2010

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.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

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.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

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

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

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

Sunday, May 23, 2010

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