Earl's Cyber Steals and Deals

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


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

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


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

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

Windows XP will be Integrated Into Windows 7

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

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

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

Security outfit calls for roll back of IE - The Inquirer

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

AlaskaJoe

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

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

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

Stop using Adobe Acrobat Reader - The Inquirer

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

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

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

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

AlaskaJoe

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

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

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

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

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

AlaskaJoe

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 04-19-09

This is the On Computers Radio show podcast for 04-19-09. You can listen live every Sunday from 10AM to 1PM Pacific that's 1PM to 4PM Eastern. Join us for the live show and chat. If you prefer, you can download the same MP3 file here via ftp.

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

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

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

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

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

Earl's Cyber Steals And Deals

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

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

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

OnComputers Radio show Podcast 04-12-09

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

Links from the Gregg Zone

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

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

Earl's Cyber Steals And Deals

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

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

Texas Plans Ban of Vista From Government PCs

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

Time Warner Actions Bait and Switch (Geek News Central)

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

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

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