Tech Tips Radio

Flooding disrupts 25 percent of world's hard drive supplies

2011-11-03T12:15:00.000-05:00

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook told financial analysts last week he was “virtually certain” that the flooding in Thailand would lead to an overall industry shortage of hard disk drives.

See http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/thailand/2011/10/30/321363/Flooding-disrupts.htm

Hard drive prices will be going up in the short term!

Apple Email to Text

2010-10-04T22:44:00.003-05:00

This is a handy dandy applescript to convert your email messages to text files..

This works great if you want the new Dragon Dictate program to learn your Style / vocabulary.

It is free!!

http://veritrope.com/tips/export-apple-mail-messages-and-notes-to-text-files/

AppleJack Link

2010-08-07T13:50:00.001-05:00

AppleJack is a user friendly troubleshooting assistant for Mac OS X. With AppleJack you can troubleshoot a computer even if you can't load the GUI, or don't have a startup CD handy. AppleJack runs in Single User Mode and is menu-based for ease of use.

Canon Streaming Video Camcorder Setup

2010-08-04T19:13:00.006-05:00

Current setup:Canon CAHV40 VIXIA HV40 High Definition Camcorder From B&H Camera $650.00
IEEE-1394 FireWire iLink DV Cable 6P-4P M/M - 10ft (BLACK) From Monoprice $3.35
9 PIN/ 4PIN BILINGUAL FireWire 800 - FireWire 400 Cable, 15FT From Monoprice $8.36
Rode VideoMic Directional Video Condenser Microphone w/Mount From Amazon $150.00
Flashpoint Shoe Mountable LED 70 Video Light with 4 Leaf Barndoor. From Amazon $70.00

Below are photos of the setup:

Streaming Video Best Camera / Camcorder

2010-08-04T14:26:00.003-05:00

I have been looking high and low for a camcorder that can stream well and not cost an arm and a leg!! To give credit where credit is due, Leo Lapor te the tech guy, recommended the

Canon VIXIA HV40 High Definition Camcorder.

I have used a link to B&H camera because that is where I bought it. $650.00.
Even after Leo's recommendation, I spent days looking for other options. I didn't find anything better for less!
The main items needed:
Firewire - this is a must!External microphone. ( the Canon has a built-in stereo mic, a jack for ext. mic, AND a hot shoe option!)
HD
Good optics
Reasonable price.
This one has all 4.

It does use Tape, to some this could be problem, I don't mind. Actually, it provides a cheap archive.

I will be adding posts w/ the additional accessories I purchased to get the streaming project up to speed. Sound, lights, cables etc...

Canon HV40 photo:

Info:

Sensor: 2.96 Megapixel 1/2.7" CMOS

Lens: 6.1-61mm
f/1.8-3.0

Zoom: Optical: 10x
Digital: 200x

Filter Size: 43mm

Recording

System: NTSC

Recording Media: MiniDV Cassette Video/Image
MiniSD Image Only

Recording Time: MiniDV Cassette
SP: 80 minutes (HDV, DV)
LP: 120 minutes (DV)

Video Format: High Definition
1920 x 1080i, 1440 x 1080 (60/24/30 fps)

Still Image Resolution: JPEG: 3.1 Megapixel

Audio Format: 2-Channel Stereo

Display

Display Type: LCD

Screen Size: 2.7"

Touchscreen: No

Add-on Lens

Features

Image Stabilization: Optical

Lux: 0.2 (Night Mode)

Built-in Mic: Yes

Built-in Speaker: Yes

Built-in Light/Flash: Light - Yes
Flash - Yes

Accessory Shoe: Hot

Tripod Mount: 1/4"

Input/Output Connectors

Inputs: 1x 1/8" (3.5mm) Stereo Mini
1x FireWire

Outputs: 1x USB 2.0
1x Component Video (out)
1x Composite Video (out)
1x HDMI
1x FireWire
1x 1/8" (3.5mm) Stereo Mini

Microphone Input: Yes

Headphone Jack: Yes

General

System Requirements: Not Specified By Manufacturer

Battery: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack

Power Adapter: 100-240VAC, 50/60HZ

Dimensions (WxHxD): 3.5 x 3.2 x 5.4" / 88.90 x 81.28 x 137.16mm

Weight: 1.4 lbs / 635.03g

Mac Journal from Macheist

2010-03-05T17:41:00.000-06:00

Works pretty well for a novice like me but my image did not post in the prior post??

I will have to work on it.

In any event the MacHeist for $19.00 is a great value for me...check it out maybe the apps will work for you. 5 days left.

Working with the MacHeist Nano Bundle

2010-03-05T17:30:00.000-06:00

This is the Mac journal software package. My first thought is to see how well it will post to my blogs.

http://www.macheist.com/

Blackberry Storm OUT Droid IN !!

2009-12-06T12:20:00.002-06:00

I have suffered for over a year now with the Blackberry Storm. Hard to believe that an "iPhone killer" could be nothing like an iPhone..? In fact the Storm, in my opinion, has got to be the biggest phone flop of all time.

I couldn't wait until my renewal date to ditched the Storm. So when the Droid was released, I hopped all over it!! So far so good. It isn't without foibles. The email program locks up once a day. Actually, a number of apps will lock up the phone. I can live w/ its problems, I couldn't live w/ the Storm.

The droid screen is great. Battery life is just OK. Lots of fun apps..many free. The docking station, for 30.00 extra is worthwhile.

Funny thing, I sold the Storm on Craigslist for $150.00 even after I told the guy it was the worst phone I have ever had. ( I told him he should look at the Droid ) I hope he has a better experience w/ the Storm than I did.

For more info goto Verizon at:

http://phones.verizonwireless.com/motorola/droid

Free online virus scanner

2009-07-20T10:06:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Leo LaPorte ( The Tech Guy )

Eset

Nice to have a second opinion when it comes to viruses.

Give to Charity and YOU get over $600.00 in MAC software!

2009-04-02T12:18:00.001-05:00

Give to Charity and YOU get
over $600.00 in MAC software!
Click here for more info

So, what exactly is MacHeist?

It begins with the missions....

MacHeist's missions are an opportunity for our members to live out some of those secret agent fantasies, including mission briefings, simulated web espionage, and a storyline packed with tech-mystery intrigue, while earning free Mac software.

Over 300,000 MacHeist members have experienced the Mac themed, puzzle filled missions, receiving millions of dollars worth of free Mac software so far.

....but it all ends with the MacHeist bundle

The MacHeist bundle was introduced in December 2006 to huge success within the Macintosh community. The software bundle offered 10 of the Mac indie development community's best offerings, and was available at the end of the MacHeist promotion for one week.

The bundle was called the greatest Mac software deal in history, and has never been available since then. Customers snapped up over 16,000 copies, and donated 25% of their purchase to various charities. After over $190,000 was raised by customers by the end of the sale, MacHeist topped it off and $200,000 was raised in total.

But we didn't stop there... in 2007 we held MacHeist II and it became the biggest Mac shareware event ever. Quite possibly the biggest software event ever on any platform.

We had more of everything: more missions, more puzzles, more free Mac software, and more of you... and the community grew to become one of the largest Mac communities on the net!

Then we topped it off with a truly amazing deal... 14 Top Mac apps worth right around $500 for the same low $49 price. How did it do? Well, we sold over 44,000 bundles and $500,000 was raised for charity. Truly amazing!

Now we’re back in full-force with MacHeist 3, and we’re here to bring you the most spectacular Mac software event in history.

For further information, we recommend the MacHeist member created Wiki.

Network Monitoring Tools

2009-03-31T14:25:00.001-05:00

DSniff

Intermapper

Webscout and Websense

GFI Network Server Monitoring

Talk to your ITouch! Use Skype / Long Distance Phone Calls with your ITouch. Dictate with your ITouch..etc

2009-02-27T20:15:00.006-06:00

I was very happy to find out that my I-Touch (2nd gen) will work with a 3.5mm Stereo headphone/mic jack! I tested it w/ the Griffin Italk lite and Skype. Both worked but the Skype connection duplex ed and was a bit weird. As you can see( on the left..Italk lite ) the volume bar has moved and so does the record counter!!

The mike / earbud combo I am using even has a pause button that works. I can listen to music..press the button ... switch to chat..press the button..back to where I left off in music.

I looked online and did not find much info on this and maybe it is ho hum, but this can be handy for dictation and is not advertised as a feature on the Apple site.

Also..The way to take a screen capture on your ITouch is to press the home button and power button at the same time.

Domain Tools

2009-02-22T18:43:00.000-06:00

SEO Tools - free

2009-02-22T18:41:00.000-06:00

Free online network utilities

2009-02-22T18:38:00.001-06:00

This site is a collection of Internet utilities developed by Hexillion using its HexGadget components. Most of the utilities have ASP or ASP.NET source code available.

DefCon 15 - T107 - Tactical Exploitation

2009-02-22T18:23:00.000-06:00

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8220256903673801959

DownloadHelper is also a free Firefox extension for downloading and converting videos from many sites with minimum effort

2009-02-22T17:42:00.001-06:00

Download helper is a Firefox extension to help in downloading media files from the Web. In particular, it is able to store on your disk movie files for which the web site does not provide a "Save File" feature. In addition, DownloadHelper can download, in 3 user clicks, all the image and video files linked from a Web page.

Guide to removing Spyware from your PC

2009-02-22T15:27:00.004-06:00

Most of the time the only way to be sure a virus or spyware is gone, is to "bare metal" reinstall your system. ( Format the HD, re install your OS, re install your programs and data.) However, if you would like to try and remove your infections, this site has guides on how to remove these nasty little programs!!

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/

If that does not work, you could try combofix.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix/how-to-use-combofix

The #1 free, powerful and all-in-one utility in the world market!

2009-02-20T12:54:00.000-06:00

The #1 free, powerful and all-in-one utility in the world market!

Glary Utilities

	Optimize, clean and boost the speed of your Windows.
	Protect your privacy and security.
	Block spyware, trojans, adware, etc.
	Fix certain application errors.
	Simple, fast and User friendly interface
	For only private use

Acronis version 9 and 10 do not backup MSI Wind w/ OSX

2009-01-31T18:40:00.002-06:00

It would be nice to make a back up of the Wind w/OSX. SuperDuper will backup the drive but even though it says that it is making it bootable, it is not. You can boot the SuperDuper backup only after booting w/ generic / Darwin bootloader.

I tried Acronis w/ v9.0, v9.1, and v10. It gave an error saying that it does not backup "EZ drives"???

MSI Wind running Mac OSX install tips

2009-01-30T11:40:00.004-06:00

Thank you to all the people on the Msi Wind Forum!! They did all the work. I am just combining posts into one place.

For the most part the Msi Wind Forum is a great place for help. For my tests I used the MSI 432U w/ 160 GB hd, 2 GIG RAM, original wifi card. These were my Steps

1..Load generic.iso Link Press fn11 select you external DVD
2..I then put in my newly purchased Mac OS press enter, then boot the dvd ( my device name was [ef] the default
3.. goto disk utilities:
select 1 Partition
give the partition a name
Mac OSX Leopard (Journaled)
***** Important************ GUID partition table
Apply - Install OS, Skip Disk check, 35 minutes or so
Will error at the end or hang w/ a cursor
4..Reboot w/ generic.iso CD Type "Graphics Mode"="640x480x32" (don't forget the blank)
this will bet you by the "Do you have a MAC loop" and send to to the desktop
5..Install MAC OSX 10.5.6 Combo Update Link
6..From "My Package" you downloaded before mount the Chameleon_DFE_for_harddisk.dmg
7..You will see a black window you should se an icon with something like Extra Contents open it find the Extensions folder and delete ApplePS2Controllet.kext now in my package go to the Sentelic Trackpad folder and extract new ApplePS2Controller.kext and add it to that Extensions folder.
8.. Install the Chameleon by clicking on another icon in that black window something like install
Chameleon DFE.pkg or something similar..., Disconnect your DVD drive
Reboot
there will appear a loader enter -f -v its like -f space -v final result is this: -f -v
press enter

Finish by:

**I had to create a admin account with password before these next steps worked

open terminal in Applications -> Utility and enter:
**I had to create a admin account with password before these next steps worked
sudo su
cd /Extras
chmod -R 755 *
chown -R root:wheel *

Keep terminal running
Now go to yourdiskname/Extra and run MSIWindDrivers.mpkg there is a customize button click it and select JUST Video,System,Audio,Network install it
THEN back in Terminal:

cd /System/Library/Extensions
chmod -R 755 *
chown -R root:wheel *
touch /System/Library/Extensions

REBOOT and you should have everything working except correct resolution ....

now go to my package in Paulmodacos folder and find Kexthelper in utilites open and drag
these 3 kexts to the window (AppleIntelGMA950.kext AppleIntegratedFramebuffer.kext and Clamshelldisplay.kext) install reboot...you should have 1024x600.

DECISION

1) You can keep these graphics settings which means no artifacts and no VGA MIRRORING
2) You Can reinstall MSIWindDrivers.mpkg as I described before (yes with terminal as well)
to gain VGA Mirroring a bit artifacts and stable 1024x600 resolution

Phase 4 Some minor things...

1) U can enable the dead key next to left shift by running kexthelper from my package there select install Kexts and install ApplePS2Keyboard.kext u can find it in my package

2) U can change About this mac processor name from 1.6 Ghz unknown to whatever you want just run OSX86Tools and select About This mac edit...

3) To enable Audio Out Jack install CHUD in my package and install Audieee 4 Wind then u ll be able to switch between speakers and headphones dont forget to set Audieee to run every startup..

4) Installing TRACKPAD drivers for Sentelic Trackpad: (Synaptics ones should see trackpad menu in their settings if not, search the forum its easy to fix)

mac/driver-for-sentelic-touchpad-msi-wind-t7558.html

At the end I had a black bar on the right hand of the screen and did not have hi-res so I downloaded 10.5.6 upgrade pack v2, I then used Kext Helper to load these files AppleIntelGMA950, AppleIntelIntegratedFramebuffer, and LaptopDisplay ( from the first folder ) and reloaded the GMA950.pkg from the second folder. That did the trick.

More info at:
http://forums.msiwind.net/mac/how-upgraded-starting-from-bios-t6555.html

The only things that I have fix are the audio out and the web cam..

MSI Wind U100 Works well with OSX Great Hackintosh!

2009-01-28T13:06:00.006-06:00

I have gone through the process of testing the MSI Wind and its ability to run Mac OS. I will out- line the process I used and links. A great place to start is:

http://netbooks.modaco.com/content/msi/270099/pauls-complete-guide-to-installing-osx-leopard-on-your-msi-wind-advent-4211/
and/ or
http://forums.msiwind.net/mac/everything-you-need-index-important-links-t7295.html

General Overview w/ examples:
http://pcwizcomputer.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&Itemid=32

Without a USB drive or stick:
http://forums.msiwind.net/mac/how-install-osx-with-and-without-usb-stick-usb-dvd-t4701.html

Drivers to get the wifi going on the MSI Wind w/ network card Ralink RT2700E use (RT2860) the 3rd one on the list:
http://www.ralinktech.com/ralink/Home/Support/Macintosh.html

Dual Boot tips:
http://forums.msiwind.net/mac/super-easy-dual-boot-install-osx-u100-432us-t5291.html

Hi-res video driver:
http://forums.msiwind.net/mac/video-drivers-t7016.html

Tool for post install to finish up the install easily:
http://pcwizcomputer.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=149&Itemid=48

To install a new retail copy of the OS, you may need to purchase and replace the wireless card. (Along w/ the OS!) Dell 1500 a/b/g/n, dell 1390 , dell1400

The external DVD reader REALLY needs to be a "real" external reader. NOT, a ext. USB HD device w/ a internal DVD drive attached. Samsung and I/O magic ( I got one at Target) work.

Have fun

Autoruns for Windows

2009-01-14T09:35:00.001-06:00

Autoruns for Windows v9.38

By Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell

Published: January 12, 2009

Introduction

This utility, which has the most comprehensive knowledge of auto-starting locations of any startup monitor, shows you what programs are configured to run during system bootup or login, and shows you the entries in the order Windows processes them. These programs include ones in your startup folder, Run, RunOnce, and other Registry keys. You can configure Autoruns to show other locations, including Explorer shell extensions, toolbars, browser helper objects, Winlogon notifications, auto-start services, and much more. Autoruns goes way beyond the MSConfig utility bundled with Windows Me and XP.

Autoruns' Hide Signed Microsoft Entries option helps you to zoom in on third-party auto-starting images that have been added to your system and it has support for looking at the auto-starting images configured for other accounts configured on a system. Also included in the download package is a command-line equivalent that can output in CSV format, Autorunsc.

You'll probably be surprised at how many executables are launched automatically!

Screenshot

Usage

See the November 2004 issue of Windows IT Pro Magazine for Mark's article that covers advanced usage of Autoruns . If you have questions or problems, visit the Sysinternals Autoruns Forum.

Simply run Autoruns and it shows you the currently configured auto-start applications as well as the full list of Registry and file system locations available for auto-start configuration. Autostart locations displayed by Autoruns include logon entries, Explorer add-ons, Internet Explorer add-ons including Browser Helper Objects (BHOs), Appinit DLLs, image hijacks, boot execute images, Winlogon notification DLLs, Windows Services and Winsock Layered Service Providers. Switch tabs to view autostarts from different categories.

To view the properties of an executable configured to run automatically, select it and use the Properties menu item or toolbar button. If Process Explorer is running and there is an active process executing the selected executable then the Process Explorer menu item in the Entry menu will open the process properties dialog box for the process executing the selected image.

Navigate to the Registry or file system location displayed or the configuration of an auto-start item by selecting the item and using the Jump menu item or toolbar button.

To disable an auto-start entry uncheck its check box. To delete an auto-start configuration entry use the Delete menu item or toolbar button.

Select entries in the User menu to view auto-starting images for different user accounts.

More information on display options and additional information is available in the on-line help.

Autorunsc Usage

Autorunsc is the command-line version of Autoruns. Its usage syntax is:

Usage: autorunsc [-a] | [-c] [-b] [-d] [-e] [-g] [-h] [-i] [-l] [-m] [-n] [-p] [-r] [-s] [-v] [-w] [-x] [user]

-a	Show all entries.
-b	Boot execute.
-c	Print output as CSV.
-d	Appinit DLLs.
-e	Explorer addons.
-g	Sidebar gadgets (Vista and higher).
-h	Image hijacks.
-i	Internet Explorer addons.
-l	Logon startups (this is the default).
-m	Hide signed Microsoft entries.
-n	Winsock protocol and network providers.
-p	Printer monitor drivers.
-r	LSA providers.
-s	Autostart services and non-disabled drivers.
-t	Scheduled tasks.
-v	Verify digital signatures.
-w	Winlogon entries.
-x	Print output as XML.
user	Specifies the name of the user account for which autorun items will be shown.

The Verizon Storm is it an iPhone killer?

2009-01-09T10:30:00.001-06:00

I have been using the storm now for a month or so and so far I am pretty happy with it. The biggest problem I had with the storm was that the screen was always active. So when you put it in your pocket it would always activate the screen. This certainly reduced the daily battery life. Additionally, I had to put a password on it so that it wouldn't automatically dial while it was in my pocket. This problem was overcome with the use of a Blackberry case; the magnet in the case shuts down the screen. After that the battery life was about two days of normal use.

The software that comes with a Blackberry storm is less than adequate. Media sync is a joke. And the iTunes connector is totally worthless.

I had no problems tethering my storm to my XP notebook. Again, the only problem is with the Blackberry software. If you enable the software on boot up, you'll have a long pause before your computer is ready to go.
A better solution was using Bluetooth to connect to my Mac book Pro.

I have had very few dropped calls in the Minneapolis area. And the data speeds are reasonable.
I spent most of the summer trying out all the phones that Verizon had to offer and either they were toys or they didn't fit my needs. The Blackberry storm covers business and personal needs very well. As with any new device, there are a few annoyances. The inability to flick the screen like an iPhone or Itouch can really be a pain. Voice recognition is not nearly as good as it was with my Q- phone. Hopefully with the next update some of these small annoyances will be addressed. So for now the storm is no iPhone killer.

Great NAS device for $99.00

2009-01-09T10:11:00.002-06:00

Lately I have been working with the D-link DNS -- 321. This is a great little NAS device that I first picked up at Micro Center. They were on sale for $99 after $35 rebate. One of the things that was very important to me as I was selecting an NAS device with the ability to link at 1 Gb. This allows for nice streaming of media. I purchased another unit from Amazon and it was again only $99. (I have also found good pricing at newegg.com) With 1 TB drives around $99 you can have a complete fully redundant NAS device for around $300. For more information see the link below:

http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=666

Both of the units I have purchased runs flawlessly and the throughput is very good. Another interesting feature of this NAS device is the built-in support for iTunes and AV enabled media players. I've uploaded movies to this device and played them with both an Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

If you're into making hacks, you can customize this box very easily. See site below:

http://wiki.dns323.info/howto:fun_plug

The unit is currently shipping as firmware 1.0 and there is a new version of the firmware available to download from D-Link and I would recommend doing that immediately.

Convert YouTube and other online video to pc / iPod / psp for free

2008-11-23T18:03:00.001-06:00

Convert YouTube and other online video to pc / iPod / psp for free
Http://www.vixy.net

Sent from my iPod

Utility to inventory your network

2008-11-23T11:04:00.002-06:00

Spiceworks 1.5

4 1/2 stars by PCmag

Join over 500,000 IT Pros Like You.

Spiceworks IT Desktop is designed for

IT Pros who have admin rights on their network.
Organizations with less than 250 devices on their network. It will work with more but it won't be as fast.
Running on a PC. It discovers Windows, OS X, Linux and Unix but you need to run it from a PC on your network.

We've packed a ton of features into this tiny 12 MB download but there's room for more! Use Spiceworks and then tell us what new features you would like.

WPA has been cracked! Check your routers

2008-11-12T21:21:00.001-06:00

If you are using WPA-TKIP encryption you should change to WPA2 or WPA-AES.

Great product for keeping your data backed up

2008-11-08T20:19:00.002-06:00

Backup local and / or to the web. Even backup to a friend's PC. Small onetime fee. ( on going if you backup to Crashplan servers). ...Free trial...

Here are some of the features:

Backup

Continuous Backup

CrashPlan automatically notes changes to backup and then does so once per day. CrashPlan+ immediately backs up those changes as you work, protecting your files without slowing you down.

Data Compression

Files are greatly compressed using advanced compression technology. Duplicate files and parts of files are automatically identified and stored only once.

Scheduling

Control when CrashPlan backs up, or when your friends are allowed to back up to you.

Multi-fork/stream

Back up everything about a file, not just its data.

Works Out of the Box

CrashPlan uses high technology to help computers connect with minimal configuration fuss.

Unlimited Versioning*

CrashPlan automatically backs up the latest version. With CrashPlan+, you can move backward in time, restoring alternate versions of files that have been changed many times.

Multiple Destinations

Back up to multiple destinations at no extra charge: on-site, off-site, and across the country! CrashPlan intelligently prioritizes backup to those destinations that are furthest along.

Unlimited File Size and Backup

Supports files larger than you'll ever need, plus there's no limit on how much you can back up.

Smart Prioritization

Files that are most recently changed get backed up before those that are older.

Exclude Files

Specify which folders and filenames you do not want backed up.

Restore

Move Back in Time

With CrashPlan+, you can restore previous versions exactly how they looked at a particular time of day. CrashPlan limits you to the last backup.

Quick Recovery

Easily recover accidentally deleted or saved over files.

On-site or over the Internet

Restore large amounts of data locally in just minutes! To restore 100GB of data over the Internet takes weeks for most people. With our local restore feature, you can have your data back in minutes!

Search

Where was that file? Use the built-in search feature to locate files to restore.

Guaranteed Restore™

Unlike hard drives, DVDs, CDs, and tapes, with CrashPlan you know your data can be restored. How? Each night CrashPlan verifies that all your backup data is still valid and can be restored. If CrashPlan discovers an error,it recovers automatically or notifies you if it cannot.

Any Machine, Any Destination

Are you on your laptop and wish you had a file from your desktop? Not a problem! Just restore it to your laptop.

Internet

Bandwidth Throttling

Easily limit how much bandwidth is used while you're at your computer and while you're away.

Remote Web Administration

Remotely manage your backup through our secure web interface.

E-mail Notification

When a machine hasn't been backed up, you can optionally be notified.

Security

Choose your Backup Destination

Back up your files to somewhere you know and trust. This way, you can get your data back in hours instead of weeks, and your data isn't mixed in with everyone else's, making it a prime target for identity theft.

Off-site

Only off-site backup secures your files against theft, fire, and other local disasters.

Encryption

Your files are encrypted and compressed before they are transmitted to another destination. Encryption protects your files (and privacy) by preventing others from knowing anything about your data.

Price

No Monthly Fees

Simply purchase a one-time license for each computer you want to back up and you're set.

Unlimited Backup

Unlike other services, the cost of CrashPlan doesn't increase if you have more to back up.

Free Version

A license is not required for the computer receiving a backup from CrashPlan. We call this the free version, and you're free to install it in as many places as you want to back up t

Blog Live with Coveritlive

2008-10-31T12:19:00.005-05:00

Finally, an alternatives to WebEx. This is a great free service for anyone that wants to have online forums Or live blogging.

Another interesting use would be holding online classes. You can create preset polls. You can create material/text in advance even in build a media library. Try it out it's easy to get started.

To see a demo click on the link below
Demo

Data mine the Web with a free tool called Maltego

2008-10-31T11:59:00.003-05:00

Maltego is an open source intelligence and forensics application. It allows for the mining and gathering of information as well as the representation of this information in a meaningful way.

Coupled with its graphing libraries, Maltego, allows you to identify key relationships between information and identify previously unknown relationships between them. It is a must-have tool in the forensics.security and intelligence fields!

Maltego offers the user with unprecedented information. Information is leverage.

Information is power. Information is Maltego.

NaturallySpeaking version 9

2008-10-28T11:58:00.002-05:00

Today I am testing out a product made by Dragon called NaturallySpeaking version 9, Preferred. I am using the software to dictate this blog entry. I am using my Bluetooth jawbone headset to do the dictation. I went to Amazon and read some reviews on speech recognition software to help narrow down the choices. The current version for NaturallySpeaking is version 10. However, the reviews on Amazon did not speak highly of version 10. Most of the reviews on version 9 were good. I have been using the software for three days and so far so good.

If you make an effort to speak clearly and concisely the software works remarkably well. In dictating this blog entry(To this point) it has made no mistake so far. I have yet to become an expert at the Voice Commands portion of the software. Once I do I'm sure it will make any correcting very easy.

I purchased the software from an affiliated vendor at Amazon (used). The cost was about $62. I received the product in four days and it was as described... in like new condition.

So in the future I am hoping to do all my blog entries via Dragon naturally speaking version 9.

Structured Wiring - How To - wire your own home network, video- Project

2008-08-24T16:10:00.006-05:00

The weekend is coming to a close and I need to get things working again. I have pulled the coax and attached the needed cables to the 8 port splitter. I used the media brackets to mount my Vonage VOIP router, and main router. I cable tied the unconnected coax cables along with the CAT 5 cables. The CAT5's at the top and the coax runs down the right side. I placed a power strip along the bottom. It all works (thankfully). I need another switch so I will be done with this for a bit.

The cluttered wall now looks like:

This is what it looked like at the beginning of the weekend..

Tools for rewiring your home's Cat5 and phone using Leviton Enclosure and Media Panels

2008-08-23T21:30:00.003-05:00

Ok..I have had some nice tools to help me with my project. They have really come in handy but in no means needed to do the job..

See photo below:
On the left: Fluke 620 LAN Cablemeter w/ #1 plug
This thing works GREAT! Plug the #1 plug ( the small plug at the bottom of the screen) into one end of a cable run and the tester into the other end. The Cablemeter will tell you how long the run is, if there are any breaks in the cable ( and at what distance ), and tell you if you wired the cable right!!! It has many other features but the beeeeep that says the cable is done right is really great...

The tools in the middle is a high grade punch down tool. Leviton sends along a plastic tool that will work, but I happened to have the upscale model. I think it is about 25.00. However, I bought it many years ago...

The tool on the right is a cable tracer. The one I have is a Progressive Electronics, Inc 200EP inductive amplifier and the 77HP " The Tracer". I have had these for many years and as I recall, it cost about 30.00. This tool is helpful in finding the right cable. If your cables are not labeled you just connect the Tracer to one end of the cable. It sends out a signal on the cable that the 200EP can hear. The cable will make a whooping noise when the 200ep gets near to it. This is a great tool and well worth the money.

Adding a NAS device to my Leviton media enclosure

2008-08-23T21:01:00.008-05:00

I need to add my NAS device before I quite for the evening. I will use another of the Leviton brackets I purchased and use some cable ties to hold everything in place.

That should do it for today. Actually I have about 8 hours into it today. Here is the before and after so far...(far from complete).

BEFORE:

So far:
The new wire enclosure looks like:
Not bad for a days work... ( The video connections come next...)

Re-wire the house. Low voltage products from Leviton. Phase 3

2008-08-23T20:37:00.005-05:00

I have been at it for 3-4 hours. I decided to swap the first two panels and run the phone line to the block closest to the middle. ( next to the phone module).

I have the data ports on the left most and right most modules. I used the Leviton supplied patch cords to connect my phone runs to the phone module. I also connected my Vonage line as line 2. It is hooked up that cable that runs off to the lower right. This is temporary. I just need to get my business line back running...
Here is the temp. location for the Vonage router...on top of the water softener...

It is time to wind down for the day. I need to cobble up some fixes to keep the network happy.

I need to hookup a switch for the business network and rewire for the home network... I will use one of the brackets I purchased from Control Cable ( see prior post) to mount a 5 port gig switch.
All systems go!!

Here is a closer view. I have a few more items to add...see next post..

Rewire the home project using Leviton Enclosure and Media Panel

2008-08-23T20:14:00.006-05:00

Well, all my stuff has arrived. ( short 1 8 port video splitter). No problem, I will find another when the time comes..

My brother Steve gave me what he calls the greatest tool ever made..

This tool nicks the cat5 casing. Just clip it on about 2-3 inches from the end then spin it around a few times. Take the tool off the wire and just pull off the sleeve.

I pushed through a few cable ties and added a twist tie for temporary positioning.

Phase one is to get the home phone line working! Mom needs the phone! Just punch down the run from the demark ( the run from outside the house ). I then punched down the run from where our cordless phone plugs in...then realized I punched each wire set in reverse...ooops.

Starting from the top of a section you need to start with blue/white then blue. If you look close at the photo I reversed them.....This is for just "phone" not data so it really dosen't matter but I will have to fix it...

Tested the phone and we are "on-line"

Additional parts for the Leviton enclosure.

2008-08-19T11:19:00.007-05:00

The way the panels snap into the enclosure is pretty cool. Small pins push through the back of the enclosure and expand to hold the module in place. Pulling on the pin releases it from the back.

These pins are called Push-lock pins part number 47615-nyl and cost about 4.60 for a bag of 20.

I am ordering them from Control Cable Inc. ( it was the best price I found )

I was planning to re-use the coax splitters I had and create my own bracket but the 8 way splitter from Control Cable was pretty cheap so I bought 2 of them for $29.25 each.

To help mount other items in my enclosure I purchased the Multi-media Adapter bracket ( part 47612mma ) I bought 4 of them at $8.65 each from Control Cable Inc.

So my cost so far is about $460.00

Installing the Leviton 42 inch enclosure

2008-08-19T11:07:00.005-05:00

Installing the enclosure is pretty straight forward. First knock out the top where your cables will go. Place the foam tape over the holes and use a razor knife to cut a X in each foam strip. Bend out the mounting tabs and you are ready.

Make sure that the box is level.

I have the 24-port structured media panel and I have snapped it in place.

I ordered the 42-Inch Leviton Enclosure

2008-08-18T21:30:00.006-05:00

I placed my order for the enclosure and while I wait I can do some prep work.

I need to route the cat5 and video coax through the 2x4's not over them. Doing so will allow sheetrock in the future.

Time to drill some holes:

As you can see the cables go over the 2x4's...bad!

Now I will be able to route the cables inside the walls.

Got wire closet blues? I do. How to rewire your home's video, ethernet, and phone system

2008-08-18T20:51:00.009-05:00

My goal is to get the wire mess cleaned up for under $500.00.

First the list:
I have :
PCT-MA-1015-1p Video booster. ( Provided by my friends at Comcast )
Vonage VOIP router
D-link DES-1024d ethernet switch
Coolmax NAS drive
Netgear WG-602 Wireless access point
Gigafast GE500-S Gigabit switch
Dlink DIR 625 Router
Sony Location free Video Router
D-link external antenna
Cable modem

I have 16 home run cat5 runs, 16 coax runs, and 3 active telephone connections.

With this much stuff I figure I better go for the 42 inch Structured Media Enclosure + lid. While I am at it I will start off with the 24 port media panel.

After searching for the best price on the Leviton 42 inch enclosure and panel I found Smarthome to have the best price. total cost for the Leviton enclosure, media panel and flush mount cover...

$330.97
Shipping to Minnesota was $25.99
total $356.96

I am going to have to be creative with the TV/coax to keep under $500.00.
More photos of the project:

This is the home for the Leviton enclosure. This is the backside to the wire mess. I will have to drill some holes in the 2x4's so I can route the cables and allow for sheetrock in the future.

How to clean up cat 5 and video cables using a Leviton structured media panel

2008-08-18T20:20:00.003-05:00

Here is the mess that needs fixing. As you can see it is quite a cobbled mess. Funny, It all seems to work.

Part one in this series is to define what we have here. That way I can determine what I will have to purchase to get it all cleaned up.

Finally something really cool for the playstation 3

2008-08-02T18:48:00.002-05:00

Little Big Planet

Get answers via text message use ChaCha

2008-08-02T13:31:00.000-05:00

ChaCha is like having a smart friend you can call or text for answers on your cell phone anytime for free! ChaCha works with virtually every provider and allows people with any mobile phone device - from basic flip phones to advanced smart phones - to ask any question in conversational English and receive an accurate answer as a text message in just a few minutes.
What’s your question?Simply text your question to 242242 (spells ‘ChaCha’) or call 1-800-2ChaCha (800-224-2242) from your mobile phone to ask any question. What are you waiting for? Ask away!

Talk to a real person

2008-08-02T12:28:00.000-05:00

When you're tired of wasting money and time due to phone systems that require you to press 10 or more options in order to reach a real person and spending many minutes or even hours on hold, consult the GetHuman database of secret phone numbers and codes that immediately get an actual, live person on the line for customer service at nearly 1000 major companies

Free open-source disk encryption software for Windows Vista/XP, Mac OS X, and Linux

2008-05-28T17:55:00.001-05:00

Molly,
Here is a link to free software to protect your computer just in case it walks off!
I enjoyed your presentation!!

http://www.truecrypt.org/

The Wifi Predator

2008-05-26T14:36:00.002-05:00

Details at:

http://www.i-hacked.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=261

The Chumby. Super cool multi function device.

2008-05-15T10:56:00.003-05:00

alarm clock

Set alarms and wake up to anything you like — internet radio, photos, news, horoscopes

free Chumby® Network

NetworkOver 600 widgets and growing! New content and features are constantly being added at NO additional cost to you.

internet radio

SHOUTcast, Radio Free Chumby and more! Get thousands of internet radio stations, and you can add your own.

chumby specs

3.5" LCD color touchscreen

Two external USB 2.0 full-speed ports

350 MHz ARM processor

64 MB SDRAM

64 MB NAND flash ROM

Stereo 2W speakers

Headphone output

Squeeze sensor

Accelerometer (motion sensor)

Leather casing

AC adapter included

Wi-fi connectivity

Access to the free Chumby Network

Over-the-air software updates

what it can do

Catch the latest news headlines, sports, weather, stock prices.

Play iPod® mp3 and m4a files through built in speakers. Charge it too. (Not currently compatible with Apple iPhone, iPod Touch or 6th generation iPods.)

Enjoy your Flickr and Facebook photos as a digital picture frame.

Stay updated on new Netflix releases or view your movie queue.

Make and share e-greetings, photo mash-ups, goofy animations.

Wake up to the multi-tone alarm clock.

Track any eBay auction or Craigslist items.

Monitor incoming email on any POP3 account.

requirements

Broadband internet connection

Wireless router

Computer

Security checker

2008-05-12T23:15:00.001-05:00

Lists of freeware security services

Free Linux-based operating system with desktop

2008-05-12T13:40:00.002-05:00

Ubuntu is a community developed operating system that is perfect for laptops, desktops and servers. Whether you use it at home, at school or at work Ubuntu contains all the applications you'll ever need, from word processing and email applications, to web server software and programming tools.

Ubuntu is and always will be free of charge. You do not pay any licensing fees. You can download, use and share Ubuntu with your friends, family, school or business for absolutely nothing.

We issue a new desktop and server release every six months. That means you'll always have the the latest and greatest applications that the open source world has to offer.

Ubuntu is designed with security in mind. You get free security updates for at least 18 months on the desktop and server. With the Long Term Support (LTS) version you get three years support on the desktop, and five years on the server. There is no extra fee for the LTS version, we make our very best work available to everyone on the same free terms. Upgrades to new versions of Ubuntu are and always will be free of charge.

Everything you need on one CD, which provides a complete working environment. Additional software is available online.

The graphical installer enables you to get up and running quickly and easily. A standard installation should take less than 25 minutes.

Once installed your system is immediately ready-to-use. On the desktop you have a full set of productivity, internet, drawing and graphics applications, and games.

On the server you get just what you need to get up and running and nothing you don't.

Zboost Cellphone repeater. In home cell booster

2008-05-08T15:16:00.003-05:00

The Wi-Ex zBoost cell zone™ signal booster is a revolutionary, patent-pending new product that improves indoor cell phone coverage. zBoost captures the wireless signal outside, brings it inside and enhances, or boosts it – Extending a Cell Zone in your home or office or your car.

Unlike other devices, our patent-pending technology protects the carrier network.
zBoost repeats and amplifies the signal and is frequency dependent. zBoost works with most phones and carriers (except Nextel) and comes in 4 models. Check this website to know what frequency your carrier is operating in your zip code. http://www.wirelessadvisor.com/.
zBoost YX500-PCS – works with all phones on the 1900MHz frequency. Includes Sprint, T-Mobile and others – more
zBoost YX500-CEL – works with all phones on the 800MHz frequency. Includes some models of Verizon and Cingular and others. more
zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL – works with all phones simultaneously at both frequencies CEL - 800MHz and PCS -1900MHz. -more
zBoost zP YX300 – Dual Band for your personal workspace- covers 4-6 ft and works with all phones at both frequencies CEL - 800MHz and PCS -1900MHz. (Does not work with Nextel.) -more

See the installation video:

SIW System information for Windows

2008-05-07T12:38:00.001-05:00

SIW is an advanced System Information for Windows tool that gathers detailed information about your system properties and settings and displays it in an extremely comprehensible manner. SIW can create a report file (CSV, HTML, TXT or XML), and is able to run in batch mode (for Asset Inventory Tracking, Computer (Software and Hardware) Inventory, PC Audit, Software Audit, Software License Compliance Management

Free Download at:http://www.gtopala.com/

The system information is divided into few major categories:
Software: Operating System, Installed Software and Hotfixes, Processes, Services, Users, Open Files, System Uptime, Installed Codecs, Software Licenses (Product Keys / Serial Numbers / CD Key).
Hardware: Motherboard, Sensors, BIOS, CPU, chipset, PCI/AGP, USB and ISA/PnP Devices, Memory, Video Card, Monitor, Disk Drives, CD/DVD Devices, SCSI Devices, S.M.A.R.T., Ports, Printers.
Network: Network Cards, Network Shares, currently active Network Connections, Open Ports.
Tools: Password Recovery, Reveal lost passwords hidden behind asterisks, MAC Address Changer, Monitor Test, Shutdown / Restart.
Real-time monitors: CPU, Memory, Page File usage and Network Traffic.
SIW is a standalone utility that does not require installation (Portable Freeware) - one less installed program on your PC as well the fact that you can run the program directly from an USB flash drive, from a floppy, from a network drive or from a domain login script.

Microsoft Online beta program

2008-05-06T11:58:00.002-05:00

I just got my invitation to try out the new Microsoft Online. I will start the admin process and comment as I go.

La Pavoni PA-1200 Napolitana Stainless Steel Automatic Espresso Machine

2008-04-23T12:17:00.005-05:00

Product Features
Stainless steel baskets
Built-in conical bur grinder and coffee press
16 bars of pressure
100 oz water reservoir and removable drip trays
Marine brass boiler

I will be ordering one and will review the performance

One Device to Archive, Organize, and Easily Play All of Your DVDs, VHS, and Video media Open Source!

2008-04-22T09:43:00.004-05:00

http://www.neurostechnology.com/

The Neuros OSD connects to your TV or home theater system and allows you to archive all of your DVD and video content.Plug the Neuros OSD into your TV, connect your DVD Player or VCR, and hit play. Your movie will be safely and legally transferred into a digital library! It works with home movies too. Just plug your video camera into the OSD, push play, and your memories are digitized.With the Neuros OSD, you can store hundreds of hours of video in one location (like an external hard drive), get rid of those bulky cases, put an end to DVD damage, and instantly access any of your videos with the push of a button on a remote. You can even transfer your video content to a portable device (video iPod, PSP, mobile phone, etc.) to watch on the go, or email your home movies to friends and family.

Free open source 3D Modeling Rigging Animation Rendering UV Unwrapping Shading Realtime Game Creation

2008-04-22T09:30:00.003-05:00

Blender is the free open source 3D content creation suite, available for all major operating systems under the GNU General Public License.

http://www.blender.org/features-gallery/features/

Revolutionary non-overlapping and non-blocking UI delivers unsurpassed workflow
Flexible and fully configurable window layout with as many screen setups as you prefer
Undo support on all levels
Anti-aliased fonts with international translation support
Windows for animation curves/keys, outliner, schematic scene diagram, generic node editing system, non-linear video sequence editing, character animation action editor, non-linear animation mixer, image/UV editing, file/image selection and file management
Built-in text editor for annotations and editing Python scripts
Graphical user interface for Python scripts
Custom themes
Consistent interface across all platforms

A range of 3D object types including polygon meshes, NURBS surfaces, bezier and B-spline curves, metaballs, vector fonts (TrueType, PostScript, OpenType)
Very fast Catmull-Clark subdivision surfaces with optimal iso-lines display and sharpness editing
Full multiresolution sculpting capabilities with 2D bitmap/3D procedural brushes (Paint, Smooth, Pinch, Inflate, Grab) supporting symmetry
Modifier stack deformers such as Lattice, Curve, Armature or Displace
Mirror modifier with middle vertices clipping and automatic deletion of inner faces
Non destructive real time Boolean and Array modifiers
Mesh modeling based on vertex, edge and/or face selection
Smooth soft selection editing tools for organic modeling
Python scripting access for custom tools

movie Expelled - exposed

2008-04-12T11:30:00.001-05:00

Get the balance on Expelled!

http://www.expelledexposed.com/

Convert file types free

2008-04-11T15:32:00.003-05:00

http://www.youconvertit.com/
Online file conversion here is a short list.

AAC
AIF
AIFF
MP3
OGG
RA
WAV
WMA
CSV
DOC
EPDF
BMP
XLT
MP3
MP4
JPEG
JPG
MPEG
RM
MOV

Great open source programs

2008-04-11T14:59:00.003-05:00

1. ZScreen screen capture program

2. PDFCreator create PDFs from any program that can print

3. KeePass securely stores and manages the login information

4. HandBrake DVD to MPEG-4 converter
use it in conjunction with DVD43

5. Notepad++

6. Peazip compression/zip utility

7. BonkEnc CD ripper, encoder, and audio converter

8. Launchy press Alt + Spacebar, and then type a few letters in the program name and press Enter.

9. Cabos file-shaing

10. GnuCash financial programs

11. RSSOwl RSS reader

12. VirtualDub free video capture and processing utility

13. Eraser Eraser securely shreds your sensitive data by overwriting several times with multiple, carefully-selected patterns

14. Paint.NET

15. InfraRecorder InfraRecorder can burn audio/data discs. It can handle multi-session discs, creation and burning of disc images (ISO and BIN/CUE), and can even save audio/data track information to separate files

16. AutoHotkey automate practically any repetitive task

17. GanttProject GanttProject will help you get everything organized

18. MP3Gain to automatically adjust MP3 files so they all play at the same volume

19. Filezilla file transfer

20. Battle for Wesnoth Battle for Wesnoth is a single/multiplayer turn-based strategy game

21. Alien Arena a deathmatch-type game along the lines of Quake III

22. CCleaner

23. Twhirl - AIR-based Twitter client for any OS

24.RSSBandit - .Net RSS reader

25. Truecrypt

others...Firefox, Thunderbird, GIMP, OpenOffice, and VLC.

Looking for internet TV and internet HDTV?

2008-04-10T22:20:00.001-05:00

Quite simply, Miro is a free application for channels of internet video (also known as 'video podcasts and video rss). Miro is designed to be easy to use and to give you an elegant fullscreen viewing experience.

There are thousands of free internet video channels that you can watch. You'll be able to download all the videos that each channel offers and when new ones are released, Miro will grab them automatically.

Unlike tiny videos on websites like YouTube, Miro videos are usually very high quality and look great when watched full screen. Since Miro downloads videos completely before you watch, your videos will never skip or stutter while they are playing.

Temporary mail box

2008-04-10T22:12:00.001-05:00

Temporary mail box . Need to download some software but don't want to give out your real email address? Then this is the site for you!!

http://spambox.us/

HTML code info

2008-04-10T14:54:00.001-05:00

HTML code tutor.

http://www.htmlcodetutorial.com/quicklist.html

Dex and Dad in Az Youtube test 1

2008-04-09T16:07:00.000-05:00

Dex and Dad in Az 2008 Google video test 1

2008-04-09T16:00:00.004-05:00

SanDisk Sansa® Fuze™ 4GB for under $100.00 Long battery life Video and MP3

2008-04-09T10:40:00.003-05:00

Listen, watch and play all day with 24 hours of battery life and room for up to 2000 songs1. The new Sansa® Fuze™ from SanDisk® is your portable music machine with 2GB, 4GB, or 8GB of storage. Watch your favorite video clips on the Sansa Fuze’s 1.9" color screen. Jam to FM radio with 40 preset stations, play with the built-in voice recorder, and share your photos wherever you go. Choose from five electric colors: blue, red, pink, black or silver. Incredible battery life in a 0.3" thin device—the Sansa Fuze marks the next wave of music & video players.
18GB model. Approximation based on 4-minute songs at 128 kbps MP3.

PHS300 Personal Hotspot

2008-04-09T10:34:00.002-05:00

UltraPortable
The PHS300 creates a fully portable WiFi Hotspot from broadband-enabled cellular phones and modems. Take WiFi to a new level by 'bringing it with you'.

Secure
Built-in firewall keeps you in control of your Cellular bandwidth, and WEP/WPA security allows you and your colleagues to work in a fully secure environment.

Simple
Complete Plug-and-Play solution. Plug in your phone or USB modem, connect your PC to this Hotspot, then surf the Internet.

Features
A WiFi extension to Cellular Broadband
Compliant with IEEE 802.11 b/g Standards
Tethers to Cellular phone or Cellular USB modem for WiFi access anywhere in coverage
Compact and portable
Charges handset via USB or powers USB modem
Built-in Li Ion battery provides hours of WiFi with your 3G handset
Added firewall prevents unauthorized use of your cellular connection

Sync your notes online with evernote

2008-04-06T19:46:00.001-05:00

Evernote allows you to easily capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes this information accessible and searchable at anytime, from anywhere.

http://www.evernote.com/about/what_is_en/

Create your own social network with Ning

2008-03-29T11:08:00.002-05:00

Some info from Wikipedia:
Ning hopes to compete with large social sites like MySpace and Facebook, by appealing to users who want to create networks around specific interests or have limited technical skills.[5] The unique feature of Ning is that anyone can create their own custom social network for a particular topic or need, catering to specific audiences. At its launch, Ning offered several simple base websites developed internally and by members of a closed beta. In late September of 2006, Ning narrowed its focus to offering a group website, a photos website, and a videos website for people to copy and use for any purpose. Later, these three templates were superseded by a single customizable template aimed at allowing non-developers to more easily customize their copy of the social website. However, Ning does allow developers to have some source level control of their social networks, enabling them to change features and underlying logic.
Ning has announced support for the OpenSocial API that Google announced in late 2007. Developers will be able to run OpenSocial gadgets within their networks.[6]
The websites running on its service are built in standard PHP and the platform itself is built in Java.[7]

Send an email with telnet

2008-03-25T16:38:00.000-05:00

Open the cmd prompt.
Type telnet server.com 25 (where "server.com" is the name of the smtp (outgoing) server of your email provider, such as smtp-server.austin.rr.com). This can be found by checking your account info in the program you normally use for email.
Type HELO server.com.
Type MAIL FROM: you@server.com.
You may get a message saying "250 ok"
Type RCPT TO: Friend1@anotherserver.com, friend_two@someotherserver.org, friend.3three@Someserver.com, etc.
again, You may get a message saying "250 ok"
To write the message, type DATA, followed by your message.
To end the message, put a period on a line by itself and press Enter.
Type QUIT to exit Telnet.

Problems receiving email but sending email works?

2008-03-25T16:09:00.003-05:00

Problems receiving email but sending email works?
If you are using exchange server and your outbound email works but your inbound is being rejected check to see if you are using intelligent filtering. If so, check to see if you are using http://www.ordb.org as a service provider. Disable the relay database!!

Cooperative Linux - colinux

2008-03-20T20:07:00.002-05:00

Run Linux and Windows alongside one another!!

Here is a blurb from the site:

Cooperative Linux is the first working free and open source method for optimally running Linux on Microsoft Windows natively. More generally, Cooperative Linux (short-named coLinux) is a port of the Linux kernel that allows it to run cooperatively alongside another operating system on a single machine. For instance, it allows one to freely run Linux on Windows 2000/XP, without using a commercial PC virtualization software such as VMware, in a way which is much more optimal than using any general purpose PC virtualization software. In its current condition, it allows us to run the KNOPPIX Japanese Edition on Windows (see Screenshots).

Free online storage of files and documents. Up to 1 Gig

2008-03-20T15:26:00.001-05:00

What is DropBoks?
Explanation: DropBoks is a little website that allows you to securely store your files online. No bells and whistles, just simplicity.
Size: Your account has 1 GB of storage space. You can upload/download files (any format) as large as 50 MB.
Security: Log in, and DropBoks switches to HTTPS. Your files are encrypted, authenticated, and secure.

http://www.dropboks.com

Create a portable Wi-Fi with your EVDO connection

2008-03-19T09:47:00.002-05:00

Take your Sprint / Verizon EVDO card and put it in the Cradlepoint to create a portable wireless network. Great for construction sites where you need multiple connections but lack a hard line.

Features
802.11 ‘N’ for 4x the range and 10x the speed of 802.11g routers
Two USB ports and 1 Express Card port for Modem Card connectivity
Works with EVDO, HSDPA cellular networks
Automatic network failure sense with backup prioritization control of all wireless ports
WPS Security allows quick configuration and addition of new network nodes
Also tetherable to wide range of 3G cellular handsets via USB port for emergency backup
Three external 802.11 antenna for optimum WLAN coverage
Added firewall prevents unauthorized use of instant or remotely configured networks

Use your photos to create a video. All online and free!!!

2008-03-18T11:09:00.001-05:00

Super easy free service to create videos from your photo collection. All you do is upload some photos, select from their music or upload your music, then click create. I uploaded some photos of a home we listed. Then automatically posted the video right here on the blog. WOW easy and fun! Try it out...http://www.animoto.com/

Speed up your web browser AND get usage reports FREE

2008-03-18T09:59:00.002-05:00

When you type the name of a website into your browser, the computer needs to look up the "real" address of the web site that you wish to go to.. For Example if you wanted to go to http://www.thebarstads.com/ , you would type that into the address bar. The computer would goto a "DNS" server and find the real address. In this case 64.68.35.17

This "DNS" service is usually provided by your ISP ( eg..comcast). Many times when you have delays using your browser it is because the DNS server is running slow.

Try using open DNS a free service at http://www.opendns.com/. The website will show you how to change your ISP's DNS to theirs. ( 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220)

Once you have changed your DNS server, you can sign up for free web statistics. You will be able to track all the websites you visit. OpenDNS also provides additional free services...check it out.

TWIT on your PS3 using the Cordless MediaBoard Pro Bluetooth

2008-03-14T16:21:00.005-05:00

Now that the HD / Blu-ray wars are over, it is time to hookup the blu-ray player. I purchased a PS3 at target for $399.00. Target had an incentive of a $40.00 gift card at the time I purchased. My net $359.00.

The PS3 came with a copy of Spiderman 3 and the quality is just so great!! But...

I wanted to be able to surf the web and found entering URLs via the game controller less then desirable. I found the Cordless MediaBoard Pro on Amazon for about $62.00 and ordered it. After 2 minutes of configuration I was surfing the web and listening to TWIT.TV

Great Site for Free College courses online

2008-03-10T22:19:00.003-05:00

JimmyR has put together a nice page of links to Free online college classes. He has many other useful links as well. http://education.jimmyr.com/

How to download Youtube videos to your ipod

2008-03-10T20:30:00.003-05:00

You enter the URL of the Youtube video you want into Http://www.convertyoutube.com. Select the format (mp4) then Convertyoutube.com will connect to Youtube download then convert the video for you

How to increase WI-FI distance and power cheap

2008-03-10T19:48:00.001-05:00

I stumbled on this cool video to make a cheap wi-fi antenna

WIFI Antenna Hack! - video powered by Metacafe

Create an invisible folder

2008-03-10T11:43:00.003-05:00

Here is a cute trick. Create an invisible folder on your desktop.
1..right click your desktop
2..select new folder
3..hold the alt key and type 0160
4..right click the folder ( now has no name) and select properties. Change the icon to one of the invisible ones.

Just don't forget it's there..

How to find directories of music files on the web

2008-03-10T11:21:00.002-05:00

If you are looking for music on the web, there is no better place then searching just Directories. Directories are folders that contain files. To look for these folders of music, specifically, mp3's type in the google search bar

intitle:"index of" (mp3)
If you want a specific song try:
intitle:"index of" (mp3) your.name.of.a.song
use a . between words eg
sweet.child.of.mine

Search Universities for specific information

2008-03-10T11:00:00.004-05:00

Say I was looking for information on Algebra. Tests, classroom notes, course info etc. I can use google to really narrow the scope. Eg..

In google type site:.edu filetype:pdf algebra

This is what you get for a result

One of the results is..a workbook in Higher Algebra

If for example you wanted lecture videos try typing this:

site:.edu filetype:mp4 class

the mp4 is a video format and I added class ( as in classroom) but you could use any topic...

Wish you had Onstar? Try CarShield

2008-03-10T10:33:00.000-05:00

CarShield works with any car and will provide you with directions, emergency assistance, monitors your car's systems, track your car's where abouts, even unlock your car. Approx cost...$300.00 plus $150.00 per year.

The Webs largest Sweepstakes directory

2008-03-10T09:35:00.000-05:00

Feeling lucky? Enter to win at:

https://sweepsadvantage.com or
https://sweepstakestoday.com or
https://bestsweepstakes.com ( free 3 day trial on this one)

Guitar hero type game that uses a Real Guitar

2008-03-10T09:08:00.000-05:00

Here is an up and coming game that will actually help with learning guitar. Guitar Rising is a promising game for the PC that uses your REAL guitar. You can see a short demo at http://www.guitarrising.com/

Help secure your system with HauteSecure.com

2008-03-09T14:58:00.003-05:00

Protect your browser from Mal ware. Especially the info stealing kind!!

http://www.HauteSecure.com

Sync Outlook with Google Calendar

2008-03-09T14:55:00.002-05:00

Now you can Sync Outlook with Google Calendar...Yeah!
http://calendar.google.com

Eric Barstad flying a Pitts S2b in Chandler AZ part 1

2008-03-09T10:23:00.001-05:00

Me flying aerobatic Pitts S2b

Sagacious words of Tao #5

2008-03-09T10:03:00.001-05:00

Great good is said to be like water,
sustaining life with no conscious striving,
flowing naturally, providing nourishment,
found even in places
which desiring man rejects.

In this way
it is like the Tao itself.

Like water, the sage abides in a humble place;
in meditation, without desire;
in thoughtfulness, he is profound,
and in his dealings, kind.
In speech, sincerity guides the man of Tao,
and as a leader, he is just.
In management, competence is his aim,
and he ensures the pacing is correct.

Because he does not act for his own ends,
nor cause unnecessary conflict,
he is held to be correct
in his actions towards his fellow man.

Interesting quote #12

2008-03-07T18:47:00.000-06:00

People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them

Stream media to the PS3

2008-03-07T18:32:00.002-06:00

This weekends project is to stream media to my new PS3. From the reviews I have read it looks like the Universal plug-n-play (Upnp) software of choice is:

UPnP Entertainment Service's software. Available at: http://sourceforge.net/projects/fuppes

Description as follows:
A free, multiplatform Universal Plug and Play A/V MediaServer (not yet fully UPnP compliant). It supports on-the-fly transcoding from ogg/vorbis, musepack/mpc, FLAC and AAC/MP4 to mp3, mp2, wav or pcm, image conversion/rescaling and video transcoding.

Eric Barstad flying a Pitts S2b in Chandler AZ

2008-03-07T17:35:00.002-06:00

More video of me flying a Pitts Acrobatic airplane part 2...Such fun!!

Website for Mary. The Mind Body and Spirt Channel

2008-03-07T16:02:00.002-06:00

Hey Mary,
This is a pretty cool site. I thought you might like it...

http://www.mypathtv.com/

E

Me flying a Pitts S2B Acrobatic Airplane and Landing in Chandler AZ

2008-03-07T15:31:00.004-06:00

Video ... This was REALLY FUN!!!!!!!

Need to send a huge attachment try this free service

2008-03-04T10:17:00.001-06:00

Just use http://www.mailbigfile.com

It is a free service to 100mb

Hey Steve why does this work?

2008-03-04T10:02:00.006-06:00

Click this link

http://1244130866/index.html

XBOX 360 Playstation3 PS3 connecting to the internet through ISA firewall

2008-03-03T15:31:00.002-06:00

Apparently the port usage for connecting a PS3 to the Internet through a SBS ISA firewall is different than the Xbox 360. I had to make a rule to allow the 360 to access the Internet and have had no problems. I hooked up a PS3 and have not been able to connect. Even after I enabled the use of a proxy with user name and PW the PS3 does not connect. I will have to set up a monitoring session with the server to see what the PS3 is doing.

I will post a solution as soon as I stumble across one.

Link for Voicent - Thanks

2008-03-03T12:15:00.002-06:00

Cut and Paste between computers

2008-02-29T00:00:00.002-06:00

Have you ever been working on 2 computers and need to cut and paste from one to the other? One easy way is to use cl1p.net

Enter a URL that starts with cl1p.net then add your own tag like /stuff
EG.. cl1p.net/stuff

Once the site opens, paste in the info to transfer.

Then click done... That's it!

Now goto the other computer

Enter your URL cl1p.net/stuff to get your info...

Cool

TeleSpy. A phone that protects your home!!

2008-02-28T11:59:00.004-06:00

This is kinda fun...A phone with a motion detector built in. If an intruder breaks the motion detector beam , the phone silently calls you and lets you listen to what is happening in your home!