November 2007
60 posts
Master Your DSLR Camera, Part 2: Manual Mode and... →
In part one of this series you kicked your digital SLR camera’s auto mode to the curb with the help of program mode. In doing so, you learned to control the flash, the ISO value, and the white balance. Now in part two we’re going straight to manual mode to learn about aperture sizes and shutter speeds. So let’s do this thing. Put your camera in manual mode by turning the mode...
Radius' noise-canceling earbuds for your iPod nano →
Filed under: Portable Audio
Got a third-generation iPod nano? Looking for a new set of earbuds, preferably with noise-canceling abilities? If so, look no further than Radius’ new set, which plug right into the dock in order to extract all the juice they need to block out extraneous clamor. The radStrap canalphones are expected to ship in black, green and silver, and feature a neck strap,...
Logitec SATA-to-USB rack →
Logitec’s new SATA-to-USB converter comes in an interesting form factor, featuring a cartridge slot design that makes any external hard drive docked within look cool. The semi-transparent case folds up to cover the drive, and there is more than enough back support to prevent the hard drive from toppling over, accidentally or otherwise. Inserting the SATA drive doesn’t require you to...
Use Your iPhone's Internet Connection On Your... →
It’s great that your iPhone has a data plan and a killer mobile browser, but when you’re sitting at the airport waiting to catch a plane with your laptop right next to you, wouldn’t it be nice to use your full-on desktop browser? Out of the box your iPhone won’t allow you to tether your EDGE data connection to another computer wirelessly, but with a little ingenuity on...
Avoid Malicious Command Line Tricks [Linux 101] →
For new Linux users, places like the Ubuntu Forums can be a great way to track down problem fixes and get tips from experienced users. Recently, however, a few really evil jerks have been preying on inexperienced users by suggesting they run terminal commands that delete crucial files, crash systems, and fill hard drives. Luckily, a forum administrator has put together a handy list of commands to...
Learn the Truth About 11 Food Myths [Food] →
Food blog Diethack takes on a number of myths, old wives’ tales, and false claims about the health properties of certain foods and roots out where the healthy truth lies. Among a few oft-quoted properties of prunes, carrots, and other supposed miracle foods was one I’ve heard from a number of (usually newly started) vegetarians:
Two bananas are the equivalent of a beefsteak False:...
Microsoft shows next version of Windows Mobile... →
Filed under: Cellphones
So we can’t really delve into a lot of specifics, but today Microsoft showed off the next version of Windows Mobile at their annual Mobius conference. Nope, it’s not Windows Mobile 7 / Photon, but what we saw “is an update, not an upgrade”, was running on current hardware, and is due to manufacturers Q108. Our first impressions: very slick, and has a...
ies4osx: Run Internet Explorer 5/6/7 Natively in... →
Without using Parallels, Crossover or Bootcamp, or even having a Windows Partition! Today we’ll be using Wine to emulate Windows and run all version of Internet Exlorer, which will make for a much lighter overall system footprint. It will also integrate perfectly into OS X.
I get asked this one a lot by web developers so I thought I would throw this up here for posterity. Not everyone wants to...
USB to SATA/ESATA with USB Hub →
Talk about trying to cram in as many features as possible - the USB to SATA/ESATA with USB Hub not only makes any SATA/eSATA mass storage device into an instant external USB 2.0 drive, it also doubles up as a 5-port USB hub that provides extra connectivity options for your computer. The adapter is compatible with both 2.5” and 3.5” SATA hard drives, SATA CD/DVD drives and eSATA drive...
Simroid robot lets dental students know what hurts →
Filed under: Robots
We’ve already seen medical students operate on robots that bleed, yap and flat-line, but it’s about time dental students underwent the same kind of scrutiny, don’tcha think? If things go as planned, future dentists in Japan could soon be practicing on Simroid, a humanoid that resembles a young woman and can talk back when students hit a nerve. Reportedly,...
What happens on the web does NOT stay on the web →
Filed under: Audio, Internet, Analysis
The voice of the London Tube system lost her job this week after posting funny, but kind of inappropriate fake train announcements on her personal website. Look, how many times do we have to tell you, the internet is not a private place? We understand when teenage kids who aren’t thinking about their future post embarrassing photos on MySpace that...
Google launches GPS killer for mobile phones →
Filed under: Internet, Windows Mobile, Symbian, Palm, Google, BlackBerry, Mobile Minute
Google has just added a new feature “My Location” feature to Google Maps for mobile phones. Basically, it works like GPS, but instead of connecting to a satellite, it gathers information from nearby cell towers to determine your location. So your phone doesn’t need to be GPS enabled, it just...
Five-port USB hub does SATA and eSATA, too →
Filed under: Peripherals, Storage
Brando, e-tailer of products that you didn’t even know existed — and some that probably shouldn’t — has just released a new USB hub capable of handling SATA and eSATA drives to boot. That’s right, along with hooking up five USB peripherals of your choice, you can also use the combo hub as a quick and easy way to swap out external...
How to disable automatic reboots with Windows XP... →
Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware
Windows has this way of not just telling you when it’s a good idea to reboot your computer, but nagging you incessantly until you apply. These little messages pop up after installing some software, and quite often after installing Windows Updates, especially if you’re running Windows XP. Last year, we gave you some tips on disabling or at least...
ShoveBox: The Clutter-Catcher For Your Mac →
At school, when I simply don’t have time to look over that test, I throw it in my desk. After a while, this becomes a big mess and clutter. With ShoveBox, you can do the same on your computer, but in an organized, easy and effective way. Shovebox is an organzier for almost anything you want to keep track of but just can’t look at right now.
You’re not expected to remember everything said to...
Sony announces PSP Extended Life Battery Kit →
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds
Some three years ago, everyone and their PSP-lovin’ cousin was moaning about the miserable battery life of Sony’s PlayStation Portable, and while the outfit did unveil the Stamina Battery for the original PSP-1000, we’re quite pleased to see an extended pack being offered up for it and the new, oh-so-slim PSP-2000. Apparently, the simply-titled...
Sink or Swim: Managing RSS Feeds with Better... →
Besides baseball, coffee, and my music collection, I probably obsess over how I read RSS feeds more than anything. Sometimes it feels like I tinker with the setup more than I actually read the news, but I’m making progress. I won’t claim to be completely satisfied with how or why I try to consume so much information from the internet, but lately I’ve been as content with the process as I can hope....
Ensure a Fast Internet Connection When You Need It... →
Your internet connection is an indispensable part of your life, but between BitTorrent, Xbox Live, web browsing, and VoIP, sometimes there’s not enough bandwidth to go around. But rather than running around the house shutting down all of your computers next time you’re experiencing a little lag on Xbox Live or Skype is breaking up on you, you can set up Quality of Service (QoS) rules...
Open up almost any file with Universal Extractor →
Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware
One of the first applications we install on every Windows PC and portable flash drive is 7-Zip. This handy little application has never met a ZIP, RAR, or otherwise archived file that it can’t extract. But one thing 7-Zip can’t handle is archived files that it doesn’t think are archives. That’s where Universal Extractor comes in...
Ensure a Fast Internet Connection When You Need It... →
Your internet connection is an indispensable part of your life, but between BitTorrent, Xbox Live, web browsing, and VoIP, sometimes there’s not enough bandwidth to go around. But rather than running around the house shutting down all of your computers next time you’re experiencing a little lag on Xbox Live or Skype is breaking up on you, you can set up Quality of Service (QoS) rules...
Synchronize Folders with SyncToy 2.0 [Featured... →
Windows only: Synchronize the contents of two folders, either across your home network or on the same PC with a free utility from Microsoft, SyncToy. The 2.0 beta’s been released and gotten smarter since the first time we pointed out SyncToy, adding smart drive letter detection (for when your USB drive gets assigned a different drive letter when you plug it in) and a more robust mechanism...
Synchronize Folders with SyncToy 2.0 [Featured... →
Windows only: Synchronize the contents of two folders, either across your home network or on the same PC with a free utility from Microsoft, SyncToy. The 2.0 beta’s been released and gotten smarter since the first time we pointed out SyncToy, adding smart drive letter detection (for when your USB drive gets assigned a different drive letter when you plug it in) and a more robust mechanism...
Keep Your Browsing Private with Ten Firefox... →
Linux.com has put together a good overview of Firefox extensions that keep your browsing, searching and emailing secure and private. A few of these, including Privoxy and SafeHistory, have been cited here before, but this list includes a few new ideas, like using the PetName extension to leave “reminder” notes on trusted websites to defeat phishing attempts. For more secure browsing...
Sink or Swim: Managing RSS Feeds with Better... →
Besides baseball, coffee, and my music collection, I probably obsess over how I read RSS feeds more than anything. Sometimes it feels like I tinker with the setup more than I actually read the news, but I’m making progress. I won’t claim to be completely satisfied with how or why I try to consume so much information from the internet, but lately I’ve been as content with the process as I can...
The Big Ball of Mud and Other Architectural... →
Mistakes are inevitable on any software project. But mistakes, if handled appropriately, are OK. Mistakes can be intercepted, adjusted, and ultimately addressed. The root of deep, fatal software project problems is not knowing when you’re making a mistake. These types of mistakes tend to fester into massive, systemic project failure. That’s why I’m fond of citing...
Tabbed Remote Desktop / VNC Client for Windows →
Anybody that works in a multiple server environment knows that it can be annoying to have half a dozen remote desktop windows open at any given point. Thankfully there’s a slick application called Terminals that gives you tabbed remote desktop capabilities.
Not only can you do Remote Desktop, but you can use VNC or even Citrix if you choose, and all within the same tabbed window.
When you...
“Get a B.C. Identification card”
– Get a BC Identification card
SliMP3 →
The SliMP3 is a hardware MP3 player originally made by Slim Devices, Inc.. I have a first-generation model that is easily, hands down, the best value for money I _ever_ paid for an MP3 player of any kind.
Links:
Plugins - includes a great Last.fm plugin.
slimfx, a Flash-based theme for the front-end.
Slimserver Lite, a minimal server written in C (and portable to the NSLU2)
Software...
Vim tip - showing line numbers →
Beginner I covered an ultra quick start on how to get into Vim recently, and now it’s time for a related Vim tip.
Being a bit of a geeky text editor, Vim is often used for programming. And in programming, having line numbers easily visible can mean the difference between hunting for a bug for half an hour or finding and correcting it within a few seconds.
Now, it is possible to jump...
Hot Image Your PC's Hard Drive with DriveImage XML... →
You don’t need a complicated boot CD or expensive software to create a restorable system disk image for your PC: free utility DriveImage XML can save a full, working snapshot of your Windows hard drive while you work on it. (That’s hot.) When your PC crashes and burns or just slows down over time, the best insurance you can have is a mirror image of your operating system, complete...
Round Image Corners Online with RoundPic [Image... →
Rounded corners can give a photo album or personal website an elegant look, but only if you’ve downloaded the right software or learned the steps in Photoshop or the GIMP. RoundPic.com, however, does exactly what it sounds like—takes uploaded photos, gives them anti-aliased, graduated curves on the corners and lets you download them in finished form. I haven’t explored enough to know...
BitTorrent: Remotely download torrents to your Mac →
While we’re on the subject of bittorrent, weblog TorrentFreak has posted a relatively simple step-by-step tutorial for remotely downloading torrents to a Mac. All you’ll need is a chat client (iChat or Adium) and your favorite bittorrent client. The author sets up a torrent-only IM account that automatically accepts file transfers only from his contact list, then configures his...
Noise Factory Records - beef terminal →
Some nice music that i recently checked out…
Free Nature-Based Wallpaper [Free] →
Editor alumnus Kyle Pott pointed us toward a collection of striking, high-quality wallpaper images, all available free from Microsoft Technical Evangelist Mike Swanson’s blog. The images are mostly nature based and available in common desktop and laptop resolutions. Most are nature-based, and all of them shot with an eye for icon placement and light balance. For more free desktop dressing,...
Desktopia: Time Specific Wallpaper for Your... →
Everyone wants an interesting desktop. More specifically, everyone wants an interesting desktop wallpaper. Yes, there’s the default Apple wallpaper (the blue aqua one on Tiger or the space-time one on Leopard) but that gets boring after seeing it on Macs all over the place.
The other included images are nice, as are digital photos of friends and family, or even your vacation photos - but what...
SearchBoth →
Filed under: Internet, Search
We know you might find this hard to believe, but Google is not the only search engine out there. No really. There are others. You might even have heard of a few, like Yahoo!, MSN, Ask, and even the oldie, but goody AltaVista. SearchBoth is a website that lets you search multiple sites at once. But unlike Dogpile, SearchBoth doesn’t spit out all the results...
Comodo Firewall 3 - They Did it Again! →
We’ve always been a relatively large fan of the Comodo Firewall Pro software, not only because it is 100% free but also because of its award-winning reputation. The new version pulls out all stops bringing full support for both XP and Vista 32-bit and 64-bit versions! After playing with this for a few hours I would have to say that they did it again … they created another amazing firewall that...
MacHacha: Upload to The Internet With Ease →
Websites like Rapidshare and MegaUpload are used all over the world. They allow people to upload files for anyone else to download. This can make it easier to share home videos and pictures with family and friends.
While this is great, some online sharing services, like Rapidshare for instance, limit upload file size. MacHacha is a very useful utility that can solve that wee problem.
MacHacha...
Bean: A Free Clean & Simple Word Processor →
One thing that most Mac users pride themselves on is the incredible amount of quality software to quickly and easily get a task done. Some of the best Mac software out there is single-purpose driven.
It makes the most sense, and it has been Apple’s philosophy for years. All this being said, however, there is something missing when it comes to word processing on the Mac.
The thought of opening...
Has CAPTCHA Been "Broken"? →
A recent Wall Street Journal describes Ticketmaster’s problems with online scalpers:
The Internet era has brought speed and convenience to all sorts of consumer transactions. For concertgoers, however, it has also led to ever-faster sellouts for hot events. Ticketmaster deploys technology that is supposed to stop brokers from gaining access to large numbers of seats via online sales. But...
Send Email Replies To Another Recipient In Outlook... →
This article was written by MysticGeek, a tech blogger at the How-To Geek Blogs.
Have you ever wanted to make sure that a reply goes back to more than one email address? You might want to have somebody automatically reply to your home and personal address, or you might want to make sure your boss is included on replies instead of having to forward the messages to him.
Outlook allows you to set...
CyberNotes: Windows Memory Usage Explained →
Time Saving Tuesday
Process Explorer is a popular application put out by Microsoft that provides many more details regarding running processes than the standard Task Manager. It has a lot more control over how the processes are organized, and it has won the hearts of many power users out there.
We’ve already shown you how to replace the Task Manager with Process Explorer, and now we want to...
I2C manual from NXP (Philips) →
I found this surprisingly well-written manual for I2C serial communication protocol today. In short, this is a fairly popular message-based protocol that can be found in many embedded systems in consumer electronics, test and automation and automotive fields. There are low-speed alternatives and the structure of the protocol is fairly user-friendly making it a good option for hobbyists. There...
NTFS on your Mac two ways →
Filed under: Software, Switchers
PC-to-Mac switchers are sometimes surprised to discover that while Mac OS X has full support for reading, writing and formatting the older FAT32 Windows disk format, media formatted with the NTFS scheme (NT for “New Technology” a la Windows NT, FS for File System — introduced in 1993, not so ‘new’ anymore…) mounts as read-only...
Mémoires: The Perfect E-Diary →
Diaries are used by people of all ages to keep track of what they have done in their lives. In this era of technology, everything is becoming digital, so why should your diary be stuck in the stone age? Mémoires is the diary of the new age.
With Mémoires, keeping track of your past is easy. After selecting a date, all one needs to do is push the plus button, and begin writing. After time, all the...
MD5 collision demonstration →
MD5, the cryptographic hash function that’s often used to verify that files have not been tampered with, has been broken for a couple of years now. A lot of times when you hear about some algorithm being compromised, it’s not something that’s immediately practical to exploit… an encryption algorithm’s effective strength is reduced by a bit or two, or maybe a hash...
OmniFocus public beta released →
Filed under: Software, Productivity
The Mac platform has an embarrasment of riches with regards to Getting Things Done applications, but the grand-daddy of GTD on the Mac is Ethan Schoonover’s Kinkless GTD, a set of AppleScripts built on top of Omni Software’s OmniOutliner Pro. Omni finally seemed to realize the significance of this and sought out help from Ethan and other GTD-folk...
Master Your DSLR Camera, Part 1: Program Mode... →
Editor: When photographer and reader Scott D. Feldstein offered to write a tutorial on how to put your digital SLR camera to good use this holiday season, we couldn’t pass it up. Our new Canon’s dial never budged from Auto mode—until now.
You ponied up for a digital SLR camera because you hated the shutter lag on your little point-and-shoot. The good news: Your photos have improved!...
Displaperture: Bringing the Rounded Corners to... →
Ah, aesthetics, aesthetics. Apple, you’ve made me a fiend for aesthetics. You gave me the Genie effect when I minimize a window, and translucent menus when I need to open a file. But when you created Leopard, you made a bunch of changes to the aesthetics that I used to love so much.
Some of the changes I like, and some I can live with. But in Leopard, you took away my rounded screen corners....
Gmail's Best New Keyboard Shortcut [Gmail] →
We already mentioned that the recent Gmail revamp includes new keyboard shortcuts, but this one deserves an individual shout: when you’re viewing a Gmail message, you can archive it AND move to the next or previous message in one keystroke. Use the square brackets:
[ to archive and go to the previous message
] to archive and go to the next message
Alternately, you can press y, then...
