Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Microsoft kicks fake security software off 400,000 PCs

"In the second month of a campaign against fake security software, Microsoft Corp. has booted the rogue application 'Antivirus 2009' from almost 400,000 PCs, the company recently claimed."
This is a good thing Microsoft has done with their updates, the question is will people do the updates?

AlaskaJoe

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

YouTube - NVIDIA: Mythbusters explain parallel processing on GPU's

This is a couple of very cool video's from the Mythbusters it explains a CPU and GPC in something easy to understand.

The second video Jamie takes one for us to see!

I hope you enjoyed the videos.
Happy Holidays from all of us at the OnComputers show.

Monday, December 22, 2008

DailyTech - Fake Tech Gifts One of the Hottest Items of Holiday Season

Fake Tech Gifts One of the Hottest Items of Holiday Season: "Sure, you could buy phones or video game systems -- you could buy cameras or even a high-tech washing machine for the holidays. But why not get the hottest tech items, like the iFeast or a nice USB toaster?"
I want a USB toaster doesn't everyone?

Does that mean we will need a kitchen computer so we have someplace to plug in our USB toaster?

Happy Holidays everyone.

AlaskaJoe

Researchers sound alarm about bug in free antivirus scanner

Researchers sound alarm about bug in free antivirus scanner: "A bug in Trend Micro Inc.'s free online virus scanning service can be used by hackers to hijack Windows PCs running Internet Explorer, security researchers warned."

Like I say you get what you pay for in a free Anti-Virus.
I know NOD32's online scanner uses ActiveX and that is a problem. But so far it works.
AlaskaJoe

Sunday, December 21, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 12-21-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 12-21-08. 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.
Remember next Sunday 12/28/08 we will be playing a best of the OnComputers show.

Have a Very happy and safe Holiday season from,
AlaskaJoe and the OnComputers host

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) For my eco-start this week, I have one of those how did everyone miss this, what should have been obvious energy producing idea. This is a great idea; the only drawback I can see is the obvious cost of starting it up. Not sure the numbers work out as far as return verses investment, but I sure like the concept. Would be something that should be considered in new construction, and that’s for sure. It’s a simple idea install piezoelectric generators under roadways, railroads, and air ports. Here is a link to the company with the patent. http://www.innowattech.co.il/ The video although having no audio explains it well with graphics and text.
2) This is a link for those who like odd stuff. The link opens to some of the most bizarre buildings in the world, but on the side bars you can find a ton of links to other oddest in the world subjects. One of those fun sites to spend a few minuets tripping on just how weird we humans are. http://www.oddee.com
3) I am involved in one of my projects concerning changing some of my eating habits, lose a little weight, eat healthier, and all that. While researching some sites on healthy foods I ran across this one. Very extensive the link opens on a page listing the top 100 healthiest foods. If you click on anything in the list it gives you extensive information on that particular food. I was thinking about printing the info on one of the items for a neighbor, I thought before I hit the button I would check to see how much information there was on that item. It was 35 pages needless to say I changed my mind. http://www.whfoods.com
4) I just had to put up at least one link about something innovative regarding a car. I just seem to be attracted to the changes in this field, after all the cars we have driving around today will be the Model A’s of tomorrow. Check out this one a very interesting concept, they have taken the body exterior and are making it out of a cloth type material, as in flexible. Looks very cool, not sure how practical. But, it is by BMW and that means they must be seriously considering the concept. http://www.37signals.com

5) Well for my geek link I resisted the new geek toys for Christmas concept; you know the USB coffee warmer for $15.00 and all that, for something a little more serious. This is a site with some very interesting articles about how computers are affecting human evolution as a species. This is an interesting line of study for me, the concept that our evolution is moving at an exponentially increasing rate because of technology. The article that brought me here was on whether the digital world is causing the rewiring of the human brain. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much additional information on the subject is here. http://www.drgarysmall.com

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Add Any Application to the Desktop Right-Click Menu in Vista :: the How-To Geek

"Add Any Application to the Desktop Right-Click Menu in Vista"
This is a very cool trick, I use Notepad a lot to keep notes etc..
I don't know if it works for Windows XP.
This web site "How-To Geek" has a lot of helpful things.

Remember to do your Microsoft Updates, a fix for IE7 came out today.
AlaskaJoe

Sunday, December 14, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 12-14-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 12-14-08. 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 am going to start green, but not with a car, rather the fuel we put into cars and trucks. Seems there has been a fungus found in the rain forest of Patagonia that under certain circumstances can produce hydrocarbons that can be used to produce diesel fuel. There is another side to this story in that it helps to show how important the worlds rain forests are, it is impossible to know what discoveries we have all ready lost. http://www.greentechmedia.com
2) This is another to follow up on the same concept as the last link, providing energy for the planet, but at a much higher cost. Seems soil from the moon is all we need, 40 tons of the helium 3 which is found in abundance there could provide enough clean energy for the entire country for one year. All we need to do is get it, makes things like the space elevator look better all the time. Interesting read here http://www.livescience.com
3) Seems like there will be one of those light shows put on by nature tonight. The Geminid Meteor showers will be prominent tonight; the moon being at a peak will cause some problems. But, according to this article there will be a window early in the evening. Of course for Joe that window will be much longer, I have found something to envy, even with the cold. A lawn chair on his deck, wearing every piece of clothes in the house, some hot chocolate, and a cigar. That would be very nice indeed. http://www.msnbc.msn.com
4) Now for something a little closer to the edge. I have to tell you from the start here this is real science. Not a movie script, I am talking about body swapping yes that’s right body swapping, moving you into another body, I know it sounds extremely weird, I cannot imagine how it must feel. All I can say is read the article form neuroanthropology I am not sure I would want to try this. http://neuroanthropology.net
5) Now for the geek link, I was having some trouble with my media center running to hot, that got me into looking into stuff about cooling. That led to this link to, I love this name, the “Hardcore Reactor Computer” think about a computer in a fish tank. Completely immersed in liquid cooling medium, you pull up the motherboard and set it in its stand at the top of the tank and watch it drip. The site has a very cool video; this is an extreme gamer’s rig that can be over clocked with no restrictions. Not cheap but then for some it would be worth it, I suppose. http://www.hardcorecomputer.com/

Monday, December 08, 2008

Microsoft Patch Tuesday for December 2008: eight bulletins

Remember tomorrow is Microsoft Update day!
Microsoft will issue eight Security Bulletins on Tuesday, and it will host a webcast to address customer questions on these bulletins the following day (December 10 at 11:00 AM PST, if you're interested). Six of the vulnerabilities are rated "Critical," and two are marked as "Important." Seven of these earned their rating through a remote code execution impact, meaning a hacker could potentially gain control of an infected machine. At least four of the eight updates will require a restart.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 12-07-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 12-07-08. 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 hate to break a trend, so once again I am going to start with a green car concept idea. This is kind of cool in that it is not about a car at all. Seems Bridgestone Tire Company has reinvented the wheel. All you need is a couple of these and a power source and you are on your way. The really neat thing about this is the ease that you could convert the car you have now to a new technology. There just may be a future product here, I think we should keep an eye on this one. http://www.hybridcars.com
2) Now that the election is over I am hoping the political climate in the group has had a chance to mellow. I just had to comment on this web site the new president elect has started. I heard mention of the site on the television so I had to go look, I am so happy I did. This is an interactive site actually looking for opinions, positions, and suggestions from the populace. According to the story the comments are actually being read and passed on to the pertinent departments. Being one who likes to write letters to everyone about everything I am in heaven. In addition I think that this is a perfect example of our future, the internet is going to continue to make a major difference in the way the government is run, we only have to look back at the changes in the election process. We can look forward the internet as a tool that has the potential to change everything; we only need to use it well. When you get to the site scroll to the bottom and select your topic of interest. http://change.gov/
3) This one is an interesting article on how the computer and internet is taking over television. While the article beings up some interesting points, and a few links I need to check out, I do not understand the constant referral to being limited to the 12 inch laptop screen. I use my media center and do everything he talks about, watching it on my 42 inch wide screen LCD T.V. But an interesting article anyway, if you are in the T.V. online movie internet thing it’s a good read. http://www.nytimes.com
4) What with the Christmas season nigh upon us, Aaron thought I should list some stuff related he suggested elf your self, you can upload pictures and create cards and stuff http://www.elfyourself.com/ , I remembered the elf bowling game http://www.pcworld.com/ , then I thought why not a universal everything Christmas link site http://linkchristmas.com/
5) Last up a site that I have not been able to get to, tried several times but it has been continually crashed due to much traffic. So I am posting the article I ran across about the site. I will keep trying because it sounds kind of interesting. It is an online reality show where they, well not sure now. When I start to talk about it, it sounds well I don’t know weird they bust cops. You will just have to read the article and make up your mind. http://www.reason.com

Sunday, November 30, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 11-30-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 11-30-08. 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

Not much of a write up this week due to Thanksgiving madness so this week I am just going to post the links, next week I will get back to my normal madness.
1) http://news.cnet.com/
2) http://www.time.com/
3) http://www.reuters.com/
4) http://www.boston.com/
5)http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/

Monday, November 24, 2008

Gift Card Alert

I wanted to give everyone a heads up that if you tend to
give gift cards around the holidays, you need to be careful
that the cards will be honored after the holidays. Stores
that are planning to close after
Christmas are still selling the cards through the holidays
even though the cards will be worthless January 1. There is
no law preventing them from doing this. On the contrary, it
is referred to as (Bankruptcy Planning). Below is a
partial list of stores that you need to be
cautious about.

Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)
Ann Taylor- 117 stores nationwide closing
Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine's to close 150
stores nationwide
Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after
January
Cache will close all stores
Talbots closing down specialty stores
J. Jill closing all stores (owned by Talbots)
Pacific Sunwear (also owned by Talbots)
GAP closing 85 stores
Footlocker closing 140 stores mo re to close after January
Wickes Furniture closing down
Levitz closing down remaining stores
Bombay closing remaining stores
Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January
Whitehall closing all stores
Piercing Pagoda closing all stores
Disney closing 98 stores and will close more after
January.20
Home Depot closing 15 stores 1 in NJ ( New Brunswick )
Macys to close 9 stores after January
Linens and Things closing all stores
Movie Galley Closing all stores
Pep Boys Closing 33 stores
Sprint/Nextel closing 133 stores
JC Penney closing a number of stores after January
Ethan Allen closing down 12 stores.
Wilson Leather closing down all stores
Sharper Image closing down all stor~s
K B Toys closing 356 stores
Loews to close down some stores
Dillard's to close some stores


This was sent to me by Gary O, I thought I would post it here as an up date to my Links from the Gregg Zone as a follow up to the Black Friday post. Gregg

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 11-23-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 11-23-08. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Links from the Gregg Zone

1) Starting with that old familiar green car link that seems to be becoming a trend for me. This is a link to what is granted a niche car; it would not work well in most applications. But, it sure looks like fun, and would keep you and a few friends in shape, so it is not only green, but healthy. I am talking about a human powered car that can hit 60 mph. That seems pretty good to me, it is made for one to four people, the car mechanism is like a cross between the old railroad pump type track cars, and a rowing machine. It seats four people, and up to four can contribute to powering the car. It can also be operated by full electric as a NEV, it is street legal, sells for around fifteen grand, available now. It has an electric motor that can charge on the down hill, and then assists on the uphill. Also can be re-charged as a plug in. http://www.humancar.com/

2) This is another car link I am sorry I found two this week that I just had to use. If you have not been keeping up on the Think car you might want to check out this article from CNN Money this may be the breakthrough electric car for us here in the States. They are talking about selling in the U.S. next year. Starting between 15-17,000 dollars, that’s pretty good considering the lowest price all electric production vehicle in the states now is the Tesela, at 100k plus, and they are only planning to produce 200 units this year. There are some very big names behind this car, and a lot of investment capital. There business plan, and production methodology are fantastic and are going to put the big three at big risk. This may be the next VW bug to hit the U.S. market. I am putting up two links here one for the article in CNN http://money.cnn.com/ And, another for the Sterling engine mentioned in the article, I could have done a segment on this alone, a very good read, with lots of related links. http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp

3) Next up I have three green links sent to me from Troll in the chat room, you know that the NEV market is picking up when you find an online parts store selling replacement parts for several companies, usually the only place you can get parts is from the original manufacture, this site also sells a variety of new units http://www.electricmotorsport.com The second link here about some of the green cars moving into the California market, http://gas2.org/ And the third about green living ideas, I particularly liked the article on Energy Efficient Mortgages what a great idea, I really like that concept. http://greenlivingideas.com/

4) I was following up on the Space Elevator one of my very early links, thought I would post an update on what’s going on for 2008, they just had the 2008 Space Elevator Conference sponsored by Microsoft in mid July I was hoping to find some reference to what went down on the net, not much luck yet. If you happen to run across something please let me know. I am posting two links one to the Wikipedia listing, http://en.wikipedia.org and one for the 2010 challenge, http://www.spaceward.org

5) Last up get an early jump on the upcoming Black Friday sales event coming up on the 28th next week. Plan well, so you get the most for your investments, two sites the first a rather extensive site with lots of ads, http://bfads.net/ here is another this one has the advantage of being able to select a category, or store to help your search http://www.bfgear.com/ google will get you many more for sure, if these don’t fit the bill.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 11-16-08

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 11-16-08. 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.