Friday, March 31, 2006

Is Microsoft about to collapse?

Thats a pretty bold question when you ask it about a company with $56 billion in cash, but just take a look at it from a business standpoint fortunately we have a solid example for comparison. GM makes cars and trucks which fewer and fewer people want except for a few enormously bloated, expensive, and resource-hungry SUVs.
What people want are comfortable, safe, low-cost, efficient, well-designed and, above all, reliable products which are readily from other vendors.
GM needs a minimum of 3-5 years to produce a new product and those are so similar to older products that most potential buyers dont see any difference. See the connection?

What is a Proxy Server, what is an anonymous proxy server?

Proxy Servers

A proxy server is a kind of buffer between your computer and the Internet resources you are accessing. They accumulate and save files that are most often requested by thousands of Internet users in a special database, called “cache”. Therefore, proxy servers are able to increase the speed of your connection to the Internet. The cache of a proxy server may already contain information you need by the time of your request, making it possible for the proxy to deliver it immediately. The overall increase in performance may be very high. Also, proxy servers can help in cases when some owners of the Internet resources impose some restrictions on users from certain countries or geographical regions. In addition to that, among proxy servers there are so called anonymous proxy servers that hide your IP address thereby saving you from vulnerabilities concerned with it.



Anonymous Proxy Servers

Anonymous proxy servers hide your IP address and thereby prevent unauthorized access to your computer through the Internet. They do not provide anyone with your IP address and effectively hide any information about you and your reading interests. Besides that, they don’t even let anyone know that you are surfing through a proxy server. Anonymous proxy servers can be used for all kinds of Web-services, such as Web-Mail (MSN Hot Mail, Yahoo mail), web-chat rooms, FTP archives, etc. ProxySite.com - a place where the huge list of public proxies is compiled. In a database you always can find the most modern lists, the Proxy are checked every minute, and the list is updated daily from various sources. The system uses the latest algorithm for set and sortings of servers by proxy, servers for anonymous access are checked. Results of Search always can be kept in file Excel.



Why Should You Use Anonymous Proxy Servers?

Any web resource you access can gather personal information about you through your unique IP address – your ID in the Internet. They can monitor your reading interests, spy upon you and, according to some policies of the Internet resources, deny accessing any information you might need. You might become a target for many marketers and advertising agencies who, having information about your interests and knowing your IP address as well as your e-mail, will be able to send you regularly their spam and junk e-mails.

A web site can automatically exploit security holes in your system using not-very-complex, ready-made, free hacking programs. Some of such programs may just hang your machine, making you reboot it, but other, more powerful ones, can get access to the content of your hard drive or RAM. Everything a web site may need for that is only your IP address and some information about your operating system.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Help, im addicted to online games

A worried comrade asks: 'A friend of mine has had what many of us (his peers) are starting to consider a serious problem that we are becoming very worried about. He is addicted to World of Warcraft, and not in the same way the rest of us are. While most of us are able to disconnect from the game to take care of our own affairs, he plays to the exclusion of his friends, his job (he calls in sick a lot, it is starting to get noticed) and his life. How do you help someone who is actively throwing their whole life away to play a game?'

The Man Who Said No to Wal-Mart

Charles Fishman, senior writer for Fast Company magazine has recently published a book entitled The Man Who Said No To Wal-mart. It's an excellent book (Yes, I've read it) that talks about the intersection of making good stuff, the commodization of products, and the changing world that we work in; not exactly high tech, but tech nonetheless

Beginning Ubuntu Linux

Ravi writes 'Anybody who have heard about Linux would be aware of Ubuntu which is a very popular flavor of Linux created by the South African firm Canonical founded by the space tourist Mark Shuttleworth. In fact, they set the precedent of supplying free CDs of this very popular OS to any one interested in installing and trying out Linux on their machine. Recently, I got hold of this wonderful book named 'Beginning Ubuntu Linux - From Novice to Professional' authored by Kier Thomas. Being a Ubuntu user myself, I was pleased to see a Linux book specifically concentrating on Ubuntu, finding its way to the book stores. This book is aimed at people who are new to Linux and who wish to start their Linux journey by installing Ubuntu on their machines. Read the rest of Ravi's review

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

PHP Form Handling

If your PHP program is a dynamic web page (and it probably is) and your
PHP program is dealing with user input (and it probably is), then you need
to work with HTML forms. David Sklar, author of Learning PHP 5, offers
tips for simplifying, securing, and organizing your form-handling PHP
code

Secure Your Linux Server

Linux is a powerful and popular operating system kernel. That popularity
means you might be running it even if you're not a dedicated Unix
administrator or high-powered programmer. That doesn't mean that
rock-solid security is out of your reach, though. Aaron Brazell shows how
to make Red Hat 9 (and other Linux distributions) much more secure in a
few easy steps

Setting the Application Startup State to STOPPED in Websphere

Uncheck the checkbox in:

Application Name / Target Mappings / Server Name / enabled

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Curl has a lot of amazing options

Looking for a powerful download program that's fast, versatile, and very easy to use? Look no further than Curl. It can download files via HTTP or FTP with or without authentication, it works over SSL, and it works without interaction.
Being able to download via FTP without interaction is a definite boon over scripting other command-line clients. For instance, to download the latest nmap sources, you could use:
$ curl -O http://download.insecure.org/nmap/dist/nmap-4.00.tar.bz2
This would download the file and save it in the current directory.
Curl has a lot of amazing options, such as being able to set cookie data for HTTP downloads and 'suck' down entire pages and linked pages. It's even useful for other things, such as automated tasks. For instance, to have a custom piece of code on your Web site updated with information from your local computer, you could build an HTTP request locally to a specific URL (the custom Web code).

TechRepublic Blog: Most Powerful Job Seeking Tip I Know

Here's what is probably the most powerful job seeking tip I know of, and it almost always works, sometimes too fast, with nearly any type of job, from CEO to janitor. Consider yourself pinged.

THE TIP: Hang out there.

That's it. Yes. That's all there is to it, and it works almost every single time. Let me explain in further, suspenseful, nerve-wracking detail.

First, because there is always some sourpuss who hates good news and proven techniques, I must rush to state this: I am *not* advocating any form of systematic stalking, trollish malingering, or unprincipled lollygagging. But to get your sleepy, Starbucks-deprived butt in gear, I must always state my views and insights with extreme, theatrical, Dada-esque language.

THE TIP (CLARIFIED): Hang out as a paying and good tipping customer,

or...a free advice-giver, helper, usability analyst, beta tester, bodyguard, computer fixer, printer disjammer, hail-fellow-well-met, comedic relief, floor sweeper, human surveillance camera, jackslabber, whatever...at the place you wish to work

10+ things you should know about troubleshooting a slow PC

User complaints are minimal when new PCs are rolled out. They start up quick, and programs seem to open in a snap. But over time, users begin to notice that their system is slow or that it hangs up often. While the possibilities for system slowdown are endless, this download identifies 10+ common troubleshooting areas you should examine first before you suggest to management that it's time for an upgrade

Learn to surf the Web anonymously

Anonymity has nearly become a thing of the past on the Internet. With cookies, adware, and spyware, most users are constantly being tracked when they surf the Internet. This can pose a variety of problems, especially in high-security industries. If you'd like to learn how to surf the Web anonymously, take a look at this short chapter from Windows XP Hacks, 2nd Edition. This is a great training resource for users in your organization who need to browse the Web without leaving a trace

Return better results using full-text search in MySQL

Many Web applications offer full-text search capabilities, wherein the user can locate matching records by using a word or word fragment as the query term. Behind the scenes, these applications are often performing this search by using a LIKE clause in a SELECT query. While this certainly works, it is an extremely inefficient way of performing a full-text search, especially with large volumes of data.
MySQL offers a solution to this problem, in the form of built-in full-text search. Here, the developer need simply mark certain fields as needing full-text search, and then use special MySQL functions to run searches on those fields. This is not only more performance-efficient (because MySQL indexes these fields differently to optimize the search) but also results in higher-quality searches, because MySQL intelligently ranks the results using a natural-language algorithm to remove irrelevant items.
This document will show you how to perform full-text searches in MySQL

Monday, March 27, 2006

Windows Vista: Gadgets are back in full force

The Sidebar is essentially a toolbar that can appear on either the left or right side of the desktop and provides you with a place to store and organize information that you regularly need, or want, to access quickly. The information is presented via little tools called Gadgets, which are actually customizable mini programs that can display continuously updated information, as well as provide shortcuts to common tasks. In the first category, Gadgets can bring you regularly updated weather forecasts, news headlines, or stock tickers. In the second category, you could have links to your favorite Web sites or a Web search tool

Choose a network management tool that can also help secure your systems

Most management tools do an excellent job of keeping track of your network interfaces, server processes, and network statistics. But you can get the maximum benefit from network management tools by selecting the right tool and using it to keep your network secure.

Know what you're looking for

When researching network management tools, keep in mind that the best tools have three key features.

One simple interface:

All of the information you need should be on one interface; you shouldn't have to switch between different screens. The interface should be Web-based and customizable for each administrator who needs to see the information. By giving system administrators, managers, and department heads a customized view that they can work with, they can become another set of eyes for your network operations.

Ability to recognize normal operations:

Most security-related events occur outside of the normal operating parameters of your network. Your tool must be able to tell the difference between normal traffic and abnormal traffic, and it should be able to report that information accurately.

Actionable information:

If you're going to use the tool to manage the security of your network, you must be able to act on that information from the same screen that delivered it. In other words, you should be able to detect a security-related event and then use the same tool to deal with the problem

Indexing and statistics strategies for DB2 UDB for iSeries

On any platform, good database performance depends on good design. And good design includes a solid understanding of indexes and column statistics: how many to build, their structure and complexity, and their maintenance requirements.
This is especially true for DB2 UDB for iSeries, which provides a robust set of choices for indexing and allows indexes to play a key role in several aspects of query optimization. On the IBM eServer iSeries platform, the use of indexes is a powerful tool, but also requires some knowledge on their application.
This paper starts with basic information about indexes in DB2 UDB for iSeries, the data structures underlying them, and how the server uses them. In the second part of the paper, index strategies are presented. Part three discusses additional indexing considerations related to maintenance, tools, and methods. Parts four and five cover column statistics and statistics collection strategies. And finally, the appendices provide examples and references

as400 Query performance and query optimization

The goal of database performance tuning is to minimize the response time of your queries and to make the best use of your server's resources by minimizing network traffic, disk I/O, and CPU time. This goal can only be achieved by understanding the logical and physical structure of your data, understanding the applications used on your server, and understanding how the many conflicting uses of your database may impact database performance.

The best way to avoid performance problems is to ensure that performance issues are part of your ongoing development activities. Many of the most significant performance improvements are realized through careful design at the beginning of the database development cycle. To most effectively optimize performance, you must identify the areas that will yield the largest performance increases over the widest variety of situations and focus your analysis on those areas.

In this topic, you will find the following information

What's new for V5R3
This describes the new topics in V5R3

Print this topic
This describes how to print

Query Engine Overview
This describes query engine overview

Data access on DB2 UDB for iSeries: data access paths and methods
Find out how the server determines the most efficient access method and what factors determine their selection by the server.

Processing queries: Overview
Describes how to design queries that leverage the query optimizer's cost estimation and decision-making rules.

Optimizing query performance using query optimization tools
Describes how you can use query optimization tools to improve data retrieval times by gathering statistics about your queries or controlling the processing of your queries. With the results that these tools provide, you can then change the data access method chosen by the server or create the correct indexes and use them effectively.

Creating an index strategy
Describes the index-based retrieval method for accessing tables and how to create effective indexes by avoiding such things as numeric conversions, arithmetic expressions, character string padding, and the use of like patterns.

Application design tips for database performance
Describes how the correct design of user applications can improve performance. Application design considerations include parameter passing techniques, using live data, reducing the number of open operations, and retaining cursor positions.

Programming techniques for database performance
Describes how the correct programming techniques can improve performance. Among the techniques covered are: using the OPTIMIZE clause, using FETCH n ROWS, using INSERT n ROWS, controlling the database manager blocking, optimizing the number of columns selected with SELECT statements, eliminating redundant validation, and paging interactively displayed data.

General DB2 UDB for iSeries performance considerations
Describes some general server considerations and how they affect the performance of your queries.

Database Monitor DDS
Reference information about database monitor DDS

Query optimizer messages reference
Reference information about query optimizer messages

You can also find more information about the V5R2 query engine in the Preparing for and Tuning the V5R2 SQL Query Engine on DB2 Universal Database™ for iSeries™.

Friday, March 24, 2006

How to set up a home FTP server

A home FTP server is useful to anyone who wants to save and retrieve files on their computer from anywhere. Ever forget a Word document on your home desktop that you really need at work? Ever download a PDF that explains how to fix something at work and you realize too late you left it at home that morning? If you have a personal FTP server, and you can reach your computer from any place on earth, your files will never be captive on your hard drive at home again

Lindsay's Technical Books

Books for curious people - Highest quality books, new and old, for experimenters, inventors, tinkerers, mad scientists, and a very few normal people..." A Maker writes "The books cover the spectrum of DIY- machining, mechanics, electronics, wood working, cooking, and everything in between. The books range from excerpts of old technical manuals to new publications

CutePDF - Create PDF for free, Save PDF Forms, Edit PDF easily;.

Portable Document Format (PDF) is the de facto standard for the secure and reliable distribution and exchange of electronic documents and forms around the world. CutePDF Writer (formerly CutePDF Printer) is the free version of commercial PDF creation software. CutePDF Writer installs itself as a 'printer subsystem'. This enables virtually any Windows applications (must be able to print) to create professional quality PDF documents - with just a push of a button!

Modding the Xbox in 10 Minutes

Xbox modification has come a long way in the past couple years. With the introduction of the TSOP mod, potential modders no longer had to shell out money for a modchip; rather just bridge two points on the Xbox motherboard. Now one doesn't even have to open up his Xbox. Welcome to the world of soft modding. Using code exploits in certain games, a user is able to load a phony gamesave that will boot into a Linux based operating system and allow a user to mod his Xbox... in under ten minutes

Beer mat knows when it isrefill time

Two German students have created a device that will stop beer lovers having to get out of their seats for a refill.
The 'smart' beer mat, created by Matthias Hahnen and Robert Doerr from Saarland University in Saarbruecken, southwest Germany, can sense when a glass is nearly empty, sending an alert to a central computer behind the bar so waiters know there are thirsty customers

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Recommended PHP reading list

This list of recommended reading material on PHP is compiled from a variety of online sources by Web application developers in IBM's Global Production Services organization. These resources have been selected with the intention of introducing IT specialists and architects to PHP, providing specific information about development and maintenance, and helping to integrate the technology with IBM products.
PHP is an interpreted programming language run in an environment provided by an open source core engine and extensions whose development is driven by many companies and individuals. As such, this list describes resources that apply to writing PHP programs and to customizing the interpreter's environment. It links to material published by IBM and content provided by others

Slashdot | Automatix Kicks Ubuntu into Gear

With the growing amount of talk on the usability of Linux for beginners, there have been quite a few people who have mentioned a script called 'Automatix' for Ubuntu as a means of easing the average joe into a life of Linux. Linux.com's (a Slashdot sister site) Tina Gasperson takes a closer look at Automatix and how it could help soften the blow of a Linux switch, at least in the short term. From the article: 'Automatix lives up to its reputation. It's worth any time and small frustration it might take to get through the script. And it's even worth that 'over-the-shoulder' time you might spend with a new Linux user to walk them through it. I don't see any reason why a beginner would not be delighted with Ubuntu after a magic touch from Automatix.'

UK Demands Sourcecode for Strike Fighters

Slashdot

"An anonymous reader writes ''The UK has warned America that it will cancel its 12bn order for the Joint Strike Fighter if the US does not hand over full access to the computer software code that controls the jets' Lord Drayson, minister for defense procurement, told the The Daily Telegraph that the planes were useless without control of the software as they could effectively be 'switched off' by the Americans without warning.' "

Iseries High speed link cable options and loop maximums

Tables show the high speed link (HSL) cables available for the system units, expansion units and the maximum number of expansion units on an HSL loop

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

The Modern Age

The Modern Age

Embracing The Mobile Hacker Ethic

As mobile phones become more powerful and pervasive, it was inevitable that theyd spawn the same kind of homebrew hacking culture as computers and the Internet. While the locked-down nature of cell phones and the closemindedness of wireless carriers has stunted that cultures growth, a few developments are afoot that promise to give a big boost to DIY mobile programming. Whereas programmers must typically pick up platform-specific skills to develop for mobile, a number of ways for independent and casual developers and even enthusiasts to use skills theyve already got or can relatively easily learn to build applications

Building a Car Camera Mount

UV-Tube for Disinfecting Water

This UV-Tube has been getting some press in the wake of hurricane Katrina. It is a low-cost water disinfecting system, which basically consists of a plastic tube and an ultraviolet light bulb, which can be run on solar power. It processes about five liters of water per minute. Ultraviolet light has been used to disinfect water for quite a while now. The inventors say the UV-Tube differs from other systems because it is inexpensive and less energy intensive

Game of the Week - Oregon Trail

www.classicgaming.com

Have you ever heard older, stupider, smellier people rambling on about how computer games rot the brains of impressionable youngsters? Not so! Sure, there may be a few games that hyperactive six-year-olds can complete simply by pressing a button over and over again, but there are also games that make learning fun! Actually, that's pretty much bullshit, but some educational games don't suck. Probably the unsuckiest (now there's a word) educational game of all time is Oregon Trail.
Back in the early 80's, Apple II's were the most groovin' thing to hit elementary schools since the lunch box \ thermos combination. Nearly every school in the country had at least a few Apple II compatible computers, some had one in every classroom. Of course, educators weren't about to let kids pass the time by playing Choplifter on these babies, so they bought (of all things) educational software. Quality ranged from 'programmed in two minutes and only teaches kids that eating snow is more entertaining than computer games' to 'not horrible.' Only a few really stood out as being really popular with the kiddies, and most of them were MECC games. The two most popular ones probably being Math Munchers and (of course) Oregon Trail

Announcing the Preview Release of Ubuntu 5.10 (Breezy Badger)

The Ubuntu team is proud to announce the Preview Release of
Ubuntu 5.10 - codenamed 'Breezy Badger'. The Preview Release
includes both Install CDs and bootable Live CDs for three
architectures.

Ubuntu is a Linux distribution for your desktop or server, with a
fast and easy install, regular releases, a tight selection of
excellent packages installed by default, every other package you can
imagine available from the network, a commitment to security updates
for 18 months after each release and professional technical support
from many companies around the world

Vintage Projects

Make Blog

...free project plans cover farm machines, the woodshop, machine shop, boats, and more. These vintage plans come from a half-century ago when do-it-yourself enthusiasts turned wood, metal and old motors into useful workhorses, functional tools, and toys

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Someone went through a lot of trouble to very accurately depict the Simpsons intro with real life actors

Bigger mobile bundles reduce 3G charges - IT Week

Orange is trying to simplify its corporate mobile data tariffs by merging charges for international roaming calls, data and text into a single monthly pricing plan. Meanwhile, rival operator 3 has launched its first 3G data card for notebook PCs.
The Orange Business Advance plan contains six different tariffs, ranging from £400 to £10,000 per month. The tariffs can be shared among up to 200 employees on the same contract. The cost of voice calls varies from 5p to 27p per minute but the operator remained vague about data prices

3 to deliver MSN on 3G phones

Microsoft and 3 Group announced plans to deliver seamless access to Microsoft's communication services, MSN Messenger and MSN Hotmail, through the 3 portal and installed software clients on 3G handsets. These services will provide millions of customers with different ways to stay in touch using their 3G mobile phone

Monday, March 20, 2006

Messy daughter fights back by humiliating dad

An exasperated father has discovered to his cost that cyberspace is not the ideal arena for family feuds. Two weeks ago Steve Williams became so fed up with his daughter's messy bedroom that he built a website featuring pictures of his slothful offspring's lair in an attempt to shame her into action.
But the public humiliation proved a short-lived victory. While it did spur his daughter, Claire, into tidying up her room, it also whet her appetite for revenge. With the help of her father's friends, the 20-year-old business student has now set up a rival website that displays photos of him in a variety of compromising situations

ATI unwraps first 1GB graphics card | Reg Hardware

ATI today unwrapped its latest pair of workstation-oriented graphics chips - including what it claims is the first ever board to support one gigabyte of graphics memory

Microsoft takes on Craigslist in battle for classifieds | CNET News.com

Craigslist has taken on many giants. Can it survive a challenge from Microsoft?

The software behemoth late last month started Windows Live Expo, another node in its growing network of Internet services--and a direct stab at Craiglist's vital organs: free, local classified ads

Bus Driver sacked for playing PSP at wheel

A BUS driver has been fired for playing computer game Grand Theft Auto while at the WHEEL.

Steve Allcock was reported by terrified passengers who heard the screams of characters being butchered as he drove between stops.

Bosses fired him after on-board CCTV footage showed he had the handheld device on his knees

Intel's mobile phone plans still on hold

Intel's latest attempt at the mobile phone market has found its way into only two devices thus far: a BlackBerry phone and a networked vending machine

Samsung hits 10 megapixels with the SCH-B600

Samsung launched the first 5-megapixel camera phone in 2004, and the first 7- and 8-megapixel camera phones in 2005, so it's no surprise the Korean electronics giant has launched the world's first 10-megapixel camera phone at CeBIT 2006. Like its predecessors, the SCH-B600 looks like a regular handset from the front, but when you activate the camera application, a large lens extends from the back. You won't want to make calls at this point, because you'll feel like an idiot with the lens sticking out of your ear, but if you turn the phone horizontally and frame up a shot, passers-by won't realise you're using a phone -- it looks just like a compact camera

On the downside, once you get over having more megapixels than anyone else, you're stuck with a big, ugly phone that transforms into a big, ugly camera

Samsung SGH-E770

We like:
Small size; easy to take shots using front screen; good sound output through headset; plenty of built-in memory
We don't like:
Poor sound output through handset speaker; speaker port and volume rocker too close together

3 fires up high-speed Super 3G network, News at CNET.co.uk

3 has finished off the UK's HSDPA roster with the announcement it is to roll out a high speed third-generation network.
The third-generation operator, which recently celebrated its third birthday, has revealed it has completed trials of the super-fast 3G technology HSDPA (which stands for 'high speed downlink packet access').
3 has been testing the technology, also known as 3.5G and Super 3G, for four months around Maidenhead and has found users are getting downlink speeds of around 1.4Mbps. The trial will be extended in May and HSDPA connectivity will be rolled out to all 3's customers from the second half of the year.
O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone have already committed to trials or full scale rollouts of HSDPA

LG P7200



This is a nifty camera phone that makes taking photos very simple -- it has a 2-megapixel camera with flash, dedicated shutter button and autofocus. We particularly like the brightness and sharpness of the screen, which makes using your phone to take photos easier and less embarrassing than on other camera phones

Sony Ericsson Z520i



CNET.co.uk judgement:

The quad-band Z520i offers Bluetooth, infrared and some other interesting features. However, the loop aerial is unnecessary and 16MB internal memory just isn't enough. It also mysteriously takes pictures when it's in your pocket. That said, it is a good phone for the price and we like the easy-to-use interface and speakerphone

Slow your Iseries server with one press of a key

i5blog

"Upon review, I realized that the core tuning principles for the server are truly the same - with some refinements, and with a definite improvement in the automatic tuning process. My presentation has three basic steps:
1) Tune your system values
2) Tune your timeslices
3) Tune your shared pools - using the auto-tuner to your advantage.
This is all wrapped into a performance methodology - monitor, review, change (if needed), rinse and repeat"

IBM iSeries System: Take Back Control with i - Podcasts

'Take Back Control with i' is IBMs continuing series of podcast interviews with iSeries clients who are using their iSeries systems to streamline IT and maximize results

Customer and IBM specialist interviews reveal how companies are taking advantage of the iSeries legendary reliability.

This episode: Twitchell Corporation; Triple A Cooper Transportation; Moraine Valley Community College; Greg VandeCorput, IBM

Customer and IBM specialist interviews reveal how companies are using their iSeries system from IBM to help improve IT security.

This episode: Kirkland & Ellis; PDQ Solutions; Missouri State University; Tom Barlen, IBM

Customer and expert interviews conducted at the iSeries user conference in Orlando, FL reveal how companies are using their iSeries system from IBM to help simplify IT.

This episode: Vistar; Missouri State University; Client Server Development; Erwin Earley, IBM

machinehead: IBM water cooled racks

machinehead

"Real funny coz i sat through a ibm blade presentation today and at the end they were introducing the water cooled server racks. (oddly enough was an idea i had 5 years ago).

Anyway, i mentioned it looked quite cool and all it was missing was the blue neon lights. I didn't think anyone else found it hilarious because i didn't get any laughs"

Windows XP: Get Started Using Remote Desktop

Remote Desktop, included with Windows XP Professional, enables you to connect to your computer across the Internet from virtually any computer, Pocket PC, or Smartphone. Once connected, Remote Desktop gives you mouse and keyboard control over your computer while showing you everything that's happening on the screen. With Remote Desktop, you can leave your computer at the office without losing access to your files, applications, and e-mail. Your sales force will be able to access the latest pricing sheet from on the road by using Remote Desktop in Windows XP Professional

Too rich to care? Bill Gates mocks MIT's $100 laptop project

Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates on Wednesday mocked a $100 laptop computer for developing countries being developed with the backing of rival Google Inc. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The $100 laptop project seeks to provide inexpensive computers to people in developing countries. The computers lack many features found on a typical personal computer, such as a hard disk and software

Are You Pondering What I'm Pondering?

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Saturday, March 18, 2006

c-jump: Discover fundamentals of computer programming by playing a board game

Discover fundamentals of computer programming by playing a board game!
c-jump helps children to learn basics of programming languages, such as C, C++ and Java"

Ghetto-GPS

A simple DIY GPS device

Free MIT courses....Become a mad scientist today!!!

A free and open educational resource for faculty, students, and self-learners around the world. OCW supports MIT's mission to advance knowledge and education, and serve the world in the 21st century. It is true to MIT's values of excellence, innovation, and leadership.

MIT OCW:
Is a publication of MIT course materials
Does not require any registration

Buld your own working Lego Computer

DIY Arcade Machine for home

This is a budget arcade cabinet. Instead of a computer running the MAME software, the gaming is provided by a Namco TV Games 5-in-1 game controller, hacked for real arcade controls. So, instead of spending a few hundred on a computer, the controller is $20. Also, inside is a 14' TV, saving money there too.

Tour of the Xbox manufacturing facility

Getting to know LILO and GRUB

Most Linux users, from the casual desktop user to the Linux system administrator, have used a utility known as a boot loader. Different variations of this utility provide varying levels of support and functionality. In many cases, the default boot loader installed with a Linux distribution is not always the best for your needs; the same can be said for the default settings of each boot loader. In this article, Laurence Bonney discusses the pros and cons of two of the more popular boot loaders -- LILO and GRUB -- and suggests a number of configurations to get the most from your machine

DIY Cheap GPS receiver

Heres a short guide for converting a Palm III GPS sled into a normal serial GPS receiver. The Palm III is old tech so its accessories can be picked up cheap and modified for other purposes. The GPS receiver needs to be separated from the Palm specific board and a few components need to be transfered between the two. Once thats done you should have a standard serial GPS receiver

HOW-TO: Portable car pc

A practical, portable car computer design it is intended to be easy to use in the car, but also easily removable

HOW-TO: Laptop resurrection and upgrade

Follow along as reader [Seth] combines two i1400 Thinkpads. He refreshes the batteries, fixes the keyboard and trackpad, removes the floppy, adds USB ports and WiFi to end up with a ghoulish, but functional machine: The Franken-laptop

How to perform a clean boot on XP to prevent background programs from interfering with Games

This article describes how to use a clean boot to start your Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me), or Microsoft Windows 98-based computer. When you use a clean boot to start your computer, Microsoft Windows loads only basic devices and services when it starts."

50 Strategies for Making Yourself Work

Could be applied to many areas, not just writing!

Microsoft to go mano-a-mano against IBM in large-business computing

Ever since the dawn of the info era more than 50 years ago, IBM (IBM) has been the 500-pound gorilla in large-business computing -- supplying technology and services to coordinate communications, process transactions, and manage information. Well, another big gorilla just charged into IBM's jungle. Microsoft (MSFT) Chief Executive Steven Ballmer on Mar. 16 laid out his vision of an expanded role for his company in the $1 trillion business-computing market

Rules to Better Google Rankings

Confirmed: PlayStation 3 will ship with 60 GB HDD - Joystiq

To clear any confusion, a Sony representative, speaking with Yahoo! Games, has confirmed that the PS3 will ship with a 60 GB HDD, with an option to upgrade. No PS3 bundles will be sold without a hard drive. However, it's unclear if by upgrading, purchasers will have the option to buy the console with a larger hard drive, or if they'll be forced take the 60 GB HDD and buy an additional, larger drive separately we guess the latter (at least, at launch), but aren't ruling out the possibility of two bundles with different sized hard drives (for example, 60 GB and 100 GB bundles)

Lost Ernst & Young laptops exposes IBM staff to identity fraud

Ernst & Young has lost another laptop containing the social security numbers and other personal information of its clients' employees. This time, the incident puts thousands of IBM workers at risk

Super $500 Myth Project

Build a super-optimized, high performance MythTV box completely from scratch for a maximum of $500

Diabetes breakthrough may end insulin injections

Bioengineers at the University of Calgary have successfully grown insulin producing cells in a lab, marking a major breakthrough in diabetes research.
The team of scientists hope to eventually transplant lab grown, insulin producing cells directly into the bodies of patients with Type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes makes the body unable to produce enough insulin, requiring those suffering from the disease to inject themselves with the hormone.
In theory, the transplant would eliminate the need for daily insulin injections by patients who suffer from the disease

Friday, March 17, 2006

How To Build A Wireless Antenna Without Spending Much Money

Looking for an affordable way to increase the range of your wireless network? Trying to reach dead spots inside or outside a home, sharing a signal with your neighbors, or maybe for a point-to-point link with another network? Are you suffering from weak cell phone (photo) reception? You have come to the right place to extend the range of your wireless device, wireless gaming console, wireless network or connect to other wireless networks in your neighborhood. We look at hacking and modding a variety of wireless antennas and related hardware. Make your own wireless antenna!

Wifi hifi in my bathroom

I had a dream.. a dream about music.. music and soap... and water.. hot water.... Music, soap and hot water combined in a joyous.. er... combination that would rock (and cleanse) the unwashed masses (me and my flatmate)

I wanted a stereo in my bathroom

How To Build A Wireless Antenna Without Spending Much Money

Looking for an affordable way to increase the range of your wireless network? Trying to reach dead spots inside or outside a home, sharing a signal with your neighbors, or maybe for a point-to-point link with another network? Are you suffering from weak cell phone (photo) reception? You have come to the right place to extend the range of your wireless device, wireless gaming console, wireless network or connect to other wireless networks in your neighborhood. We look at hacking and modding a variety of wireless antennas and related hardware. Make your own wireless antenna!

Backup Del.icio.us with Excel

If you have Excel 2003 and use the social bookmarking tool Del.icio.us, you can backup your bookmarks in Excel

DIY Gaming Router / Firewall 101

If you share the bandwidth in your home with family members, kids, spouses, friends, roommates, or just about anyone else, you will know the headaches caused by unexpected downloads right in the middle of your online application of choice. Instant jump of ping, disconnects, and many other nasty things that can happen as a result of sharing bandwidth. Recently, companies have been coming out with routers specifically designed to aleviate this problem. But for the most part, they are hard to find, and hard on the cheque book.

With this article, you will walkthrough how to set up your own firewall / router from old computer parts laying around the house. And include all the nifty features you will find with a commercial router

Online Text to HTML Converter

This is a simple text to HTML converter. It will do the best it can to create URL and mailto: links, headings, lists, and paragraphs. You'll probably want to touch up the code after the conversion

Tardis Shed - Its bigger inside

Paper Steam Engine


This paper steam engine is based on his cad drawing of a Riches and Watts nominal 2.5 horsepower vertical A-frame double acting simple slide-valve steam engine circa 1870-75. The original engine was used to drive a water pump to irrigate the fields of Norfolk. If this model had a scale, it would be roughly 1:19

Be (a programming) GOD - code your own programs that evolve!

Using simple evolutionary models, it's easy to create algorithms that 'evolve' solutions to problems, such as fitting a function to a dataset (one of my applications) or creating an optimum antenna (one of NASA's applications). The concept I used is simple: sequences of 'DNA', strings that consist of the characters A, T, C, and G (from real biology), map out to some sort of algorithm. Sequences are then ranked, such that the 'better' or 'stronger' algorithms they represent achieve a better rank (in EPTK, lower ranks are 'better'). The EPTK frontend then proceeds to cull the algorithms by rank: the top algorithms reproduce, creating a pure copy and two mutated copies (with either a letter change, insertion, or deletion), while the weaker algorithms are randomly weeded out. Thus, a strong algorithm will either continue its lineage, mutate into something weaker and die out, or mutate into something stronger and perhaps become the new dominant algorithm. In the end, you're left with a strong algorithm

Elevator Hacking 101

TheDamnBlog.com - Humor, Jokes, Media:

'The designers of some elevators include a hidden feature that is very handy if you're in a hurry
or it's a busy time in the building (like check-out time in a hotel). While some elevators require
a key, others can be put into 'Express' mode by pressing the 'Door Close' and 'Floor' buttons at
the same time. This sweeps the car to the floor of your choice and avoids stops at any other floor.
This seems to work on Most elevators that I have tried! Most elevators have the option for this to work,
but on some of them the option is turned off by whoever runs them. This is a rather fun hack, so the next time you are on an elevator, give it a try, you have nothing to lose, And this concludes Hacking Elevators 101!

Elevators that have been tested and worked on:
Otis Elevators (All But The Ones Made In 1992),
Dover (Model Numbers: EL546 And ELOD862),
And Most Desert Elevators(All, But Model Numbers ELD5433 And ELF3655) '

TheDamnBlog.com - Humor, Jokes, Media

TheDamnBlog.com - Humor, Jokes, Media:

'The designers of some elevators include a hidden feature that is very handy if you're in a hurry
or it's a busy time in the building (like check-out time in a hotel). While some elevators require
a key, others can be put into 'Express' mode by pressing the 'Door Close' and 'Floor' buttons at
the same time. This sweeps the car to the floor of your choice and avoids stops at any other floor.
This seems to work on Most elevators that I have tried! Most elevators have the option for this to work,
but on some of them the option is turned off by whoever runs them. This is a rather fun hack, so the next time you are on an elevator, give it a try, you have nothing to lose, And this concludes Hacking Elevators 101!

Elevators that have been tested and worked on:
Otis Elevators (All But The Ones Made In 1992),
Dover (Model Numbers: EL546 And ELOD862),
And Most Desert Elevators(All, But Model Numbers ELD5433 And ELF3655) '

Elevator Hacking - 101

TheDamnBlog.com - Humor, Jokes, Media:

'The designers of some elevators include a hidden feature that is very handy if you're in a hurry
or it's a busy time in the building (like check-out time in a hotel). While some elevators require
a key, others can be put into 'Express' mode by pressing the 'Door Close' and 'Floor' buttons at
the same time. This sweeps the car to the floor of your choice and avoids stops at any other floor.
This seems to work on Most elevators that I have tried! Most elevators have the option for this to work,
but on some of them the option is turned off by whoever runs them. This is a rather fun hack, so the next time you are on an elevator, give it a try, you have nothing to lose, And this concludes Hacking Elevators 101!

Elevators that have been tested and worked on:
Otis Elevators (All But The Ones Made In 1992),
Dover (Model Numbers: EL546 And ELOD862),
And Most Desert Elevators(All, But Model Numbers ELD5433 And ELF3655) '

Make a Home made, open source mp3 Player

The main goal of this project is to create an open design for a portable MP3 player, in both hardware and software. The secondary goal of this project is to make it as simple to construct, and as cheap, as possible.

Systm Episode 3 - Making High Quality A/V Cables

Revision3

In this episode we teach you how to make the same cables that most broadcast engineers use for their own projects and talk about why they don't buy those expensive cables at the stores. We show you the tools and how to use them so that you can become the cable making professional you were meant to be. Finally, we show you how to organize the rat's nest behind the TV for that professional look and a broadcast quality signal

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Building your own OS kernel

Brians Kernel Development Tutorial takes the reader through the steps of building a basic operating system. One can learn about assembling and linking, linking C programs, printing the data out, Global Descriptor Table, Interrupt Descriptor Table, Interrupt Service Routines, interrupt requests and PICs, Programmable Interval Timer, keyboard interaction and ideas for future development.

It looks like Google's Buying Sun After All

The prospects that search engine giant Google is due to buy the U.S.'s most sophisticated hardware company 'have been swirling around trading floors and Silicon Valley for more than a week,' reports the credible periodical in the Deal Book's blog. 'Shares of Sun, which has a partnership with Google to develop and distribute each other's technology, spiked up about 4 percent last week as a result of the rumors

Nifty Corners: rounded corners without images

The basic idea of Nifty Corners is to get some coulored lines to get the rounded effect

Star Wars, the TV series, is GO!

The new Star Wars TV Series will have more than 100 episodes, and is expected to debut sometime in 2008.

Xbox 360 hacked?

Word is out on the street that a flaw in the Xbox 360 DVD firmware may allow a hacker to install his own custom firmware in there unchecked, and as such gain full control of what the DVD will or will not accept. In practice, this would mean that the drive could gain the capability to boot backups of original game DVDs by flashing a self-built firmware in there which ignores the mandatory disc signing

PHP for Beginners - By a Beginner

PHP tutorials written for beginners. Very Easy to understand... a great intro to PHP scripting

Mexico discovers 'huge' oil field

Mexican President Vicente Fox has announced the discovery of a new deep-water oil field, which is believed to contain 10bn barrels of crude.
The field is in the Gulf of Mexico, and Mexico says it could be bigger than its largest oil field, Cantarell"

Round-up of 30 AJAX Tutorials

There are quite a few AJAX demos and examples on the web right now. While these are invaluable to learning AJAX, some people need a bit more information than just a raw piece of code. In todays environment there are many ways to learn AJAX including, books, classes, conferences, workshops and tutorials. Of these the only one that is free and accessible to everyone are web-based tutorials"

Boot Camp - Mashing for Beginners

The term 'mash-up' or 'bootleg' (or, more commonly, just 'boot') describes the result of mixing together two or more records to create a whole new track. Though originally performed live using turntables and DJ mixers, recent advances in sequencing software have taken this art-form to a whole new level. This document outlines how mash-ups can be made using the software package Tracktion

How To - GIFs

Making GIFs is actully pretty easy to do. Making them look good is the hard part.

Router Design Project - Is it hard to build a router?

Is it hard to build a router? Not really, it just takes time and patience. If you're already running a router, then you're probably the type of person to enjoys tinkering with things, so why not try making that router look good? If you're stuck or need advice, then just search for help here in our FAQs, Guides, and forums. Someone will always try to help you in the forums! If you want to do more of the advanced stuff, then some experience with tools like a Dremal & soldering iron is recommended and basic knowledge of computers & electronics

Homemade Large 17' diameter wind turbine

These pages serve as a brief summary about building and flying a 17' diameter wind turbine from scratch

DIY Home Projector

o DIY home projectors are nothing new. For years people have been trying to make their own projectors due to the high cost of real LCD projectors. So what makes this guide practical? Simply put, the theory behind projection coupled with the breakdown of costs for each main component of the projector. We let you decide what components are right for you, but give you a fully functional example

Spy Phone!

The cheating spouse "spy phone" has reached the adultery capital of the world: France. I first told you about this phenomenon in September, 2001, and again in December, 2004. Here's how it works. Aftermarket cell phone companies alter the electronics of a cell phone to enable you to activate (without ringing the phone) the microphone in the phone, so you can listen in remotely. A company in France is now offering a modified Nokia 3310. (props to I4U)

Linux on board: Blowing the lid off of TiVo

Everyone's heard that the TiVo 'runs Linux'. In this installment of Linux on board, Peter takes a look at the Linux system installed on the TiVo. Examining the TiVo system reveals how one company made the transition from desktop operating system to embedded system

Rip DVDs to DivX on Linux�

If you are a Linux user and want to rip your DVD movies to DivX4, DivX5 and Xvid seamlessly, this article is for you. We will use a single ripping tool (DVD::Rip) to extract DVD movies and encode them to the compression formats mentioned above. All you need is a DVD drive, a DVD movie, an Internet connection and a Linux machine. You need to download files about 7 MB for it. We used PCQLinux 2004 with a full install

BestCashCow: comprehensive set of resources and tools to earn higher, safe returns on your cash

BestCashCow.com is a free website. Owned and operated by BestCashCow.com, LLC, it provides the most comprehensive set of resources and tools to earn higher, safe returns on your cash. There are simple ways to make your cash work better for you and to put more money in your pocket

Vodafone 3G TV Phone


Vodafone K.K. announced the development of the Vodafone 905SH by Sharp, a new 3G handset capable of receiving One Seg terrestrial digital TV broadcasts. The new model is planned for June 2006, a time scheduled for international football matches

Use these four Registry tweaks to accelerate Windows XP

There are plenty of third party programs that claim to tweak or optimize Windows. However, what most of them ultimately do is to simply make Registry edits. Here are four tweaks that experienced IT professionals can manually make to improve the speed of Windows XP

No Nonsense XML Web Development with PHP

Alex Moskalyuk writes 'PHP and XML seems like a marriage made in heaven. Powerful manipulation functions and support on the core language level in PHP5 combined with universal extensibility of XML make it a technology of choice for quite a few Web enthusiasts and companies out there. However, anyone inspired by PHP's ease of use can probably find a good cure from insomnia when facing with XML specs. With all the DTD's, XML Schemas, XSLT and XPath queries one can easily get the impression that the world is changing on them, and perhaps sticking to hard-coded HTML with PHP statements combined with SQL statements for data retrieval would be within the zone of comfort.' Read the rest of Alex's review

Five reasons why you should never use PostgreSQL -- ever

Within the past two years, Oracle, IBM and Microsoft have all released freely available versions of their flagship database servers, a move that would have been unheard of just a few years ago. While their respective representatives would argue the move was made in order to better accommodate the needs of all users, it's fairly clear that continued pressure from open source alternatives such as MySQL and PostgreSQL have caused these database juggernauts to rethink their strategies within this increasingly competitive market.
While PostgreSQL's adoption rate continues to accelerate, some folks wonder why that rate isn't even steeper given its impressive array of features. One can speculate that many of the reasons for not considering its adoption tend to be based on either outdated or misinformed sources.
In an effort to dispel some of the FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) surrounding this impressive product, instead, I'll put forth several of the most commonplace reasons companies have for not investigating PostgreSQL further

How to use Gmail as your SMTP server - Lifehacker

One of the little-known freebies Gmail offers is a portable SMTP server to send mail from any network for any email address

The Ridiculously Thorough Guide to Making Your Own Pizza

There are a few 'secrets of the trade' in making your own pizza; once you know them, it is not hard to make your own and it takes very little time

Shooting Fireworks with a Digital Camera

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Mozilla's Millions?

Mozilla's Web browser applications have been downloaded over a hundred million times for free. But that doesn't mean the spawn of AOL isn't turning a profit.
Thanks to Google, Mozilla is raking in millions of dollars of revenue, which is used to pay the employees of the recently formed Mozilla Corporation and fund project and infrastructure development

VM Rootkits: The Next Big Threat to Windows and Linux

Once the target operating system is hoisted into a virtual machine, the rootkit becomes impossible to detect because its state cannot be accessed by security software running in the target system, according to documentation seen by eWEEK

Create your own audio studio for under $100.

Creating your own audio studio has never been easier. There are so many great products around today that will allow you to produce high quality audio for a fraction of the price it used to cost

O'Reilly -- The Ultimate Portable Studio

If youre a musician, producer, engineer, or songwriter and have considered creating a professional studio to go, heres all the information you need

The Ultimate Portable Studio

If youre a musician, producer, engineer, or songwriter and have considered creating a professional studio to go, heres all the information you need

Pig Doo-doo Converted to Crude Oil

Crude oil and gasoline prices are near an all-time high. But don't despair. One scientist has found an alternative source of energy: pig manure

Pig Doo-doo Converted to Crude Oil

Crude oil and gasoline prices are near an all-time high. But don't despair. One scientist has found an alternative source of energy: pig manure

Make a Glowing, Wearable, EL-Wire, Blinky Light Using Open Source Tools

Using your old plain telephone to call over the Internet

How to rebuild a Li-Ion battery pack

When the battery life drops significantly it's time to search for a replacement, but you will recently find out that most of notebook batteries cost almost 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the laptop at the time you will need to replace the battery. So if you want to keep your laptop but don't want to spend much money for battery replacement it's time to think about rebuild it your own, replacing each individual cell inside the pack

DIY Router

One of the most used things in homes, business and small offices (other than the internet) is routers. Although routers are inexpensive, you can build and configure a router for free, if you have the necessary parts

Fit in to the hacker community with these 10 laws of the geek

This sample chapter, taken from 1337 h4x0r h4ndb00k, discusses ten of the most popular geek laws, and what you need to do to walk-the-walk and talk-the-talk of the elite hacker community

How to Crimp Connectors

This is a little how-to guide on crimping connectors for various electronics projects. The art of crimping is sometimes a difficult one, but necessary for 1) reliable and 2) decent looking connections. Breadboards are nice for quick wiring projects but in the long run they are unreliable and look pretty nasty

James Gosling: "Java Is Under No Serious Threat From PHP, Ruby or C#" @ SYS-CON BELGIUM

'There have been a number of language coming up lately,' noted James Gosling today at Sun's World Wide Education & Research Conference in New York City when asked if Java was in any kind of danger from the newcomers. 'PHP and Ruby are perfectly fine systems,' he continued, 'but they are scripting languages and get their power through specialization: they just generate web pages. But none of them attempt any serious breadth in the application domain and they both have really serious scaling and performance problems.'

Setting JVM version for Java UDF invoked in SQL

set the java.version property in/QIBM/UserData/Java400/SystemDefault.properties (whole system)

or

Set the property in SystemDefault.properties in the users home directory work (user specific)

10 Things You Should Know About Photoshop

A list of ten items that will answer the majority of the questions received

Assemble an Open Source IPTV Production Suite

The Open Source IPTV Production Suite is an ensemble of high-level animation, 3D, compositing and editing tools that are available as free, open source GPL applications. However, this is not a direct attempt to duplicate the production tools found in Apples Final Cut Studio. Its an attempt to create a fully functional, professional software suite that is capable of generating high end VFX and 3D animation like those found in Shake and Motion and Maya. Dont be fooled, just because the software is open source doesnt mean that it isnt of professional grade

How to make a solar power generator

Using parts easily available from your local stores, you can make a small solar power generator for $250 to $300. Great for power failures and life outside the power grid. Power your computer, modem, vcr, tv, cameras, lights, or DC appliances anywhere you go. Use in cabins, boats, tents, archaeological digs, or while travelling throughout the third world. Have one in the office store room in case of power failures in your highrise

IBM WebSphere Session Management

WebSphere Application Server V5 provides a large number of options for configuring the behavior of the session manager portion of the runtime. The default is for these options to apply to all applications running inside a given application server, but they can also be configured on a case-by-case basis for each enterprise application running on an application server or web applications within an enterprise application. By tuning at the application level, you ensure that the application behaves in the same fashion, regardless of the configuration of the application server. Customization of the session manager for a web application or enterprise application is performed by selecting the Overwrite Session Management check box for the enterprise application or web application

Samsung SGH-i300 - Windows Mobile smart phone with 3GB hard drive

The hard drive provides acres of storage space, the Windows Mobile smart phone features keep you organised, and there are enough buttons to keep gadget fans happy

Nokia N70 Review, Reviews & Prices at CNET.co.uk

The N70 is an unassuming handset. No flashes of bright colour, no twisty swivels, no oddly shaped buttons or curvy design. But the 640x480-pixel resolution front camera gives away the N70's 3G pretensions. To get to the main 2-megapixel camera you have to slide a very large plastic cover, which consumes around three quarters of the back of the casing, and is heavily disguised as a design feature

Four Hundred Guru--iSeries Security Journal Receiver Management, Part 1

When iSeries security monitoring is activated, the operating system logs security events that occur on your system. These events are recorded in special system objects called journal receivers, which are 'attached to' or exclusively associated with the QAUDJRN journal in library QSYS. You can set up the audit journal receivers to record different types of security events, such as a change to a system value or user profile, or an unsuccessful attempt to access an object. The following values control which events are logged:
The audit control (QAUDCTL) system value
The audit level (QAUDLVL and QAUDLVL2) system values
The audit level (AUDLVL) value specified in the user profiles
The object auditing (OBJAUD) value of the user profile objects (and all other system objects as well)
As I'm sure you've read somewhere before, the information that is recorded in the audit journals can be used:
To detect security errors and violations
To plan migration to a higher security level, say from level 30 to level 40
To monitor the use of sensitive objects, such as powerful commands and confidential files

IBM - Instructions for Modifying a Workstation Customizing Object (WSCST)

Several documents have been created on specific modifications to workstation customizing objects (or WSCSTs) for use with Host Print Transform (HPT). This document was created to provide standard instructions for:
o deciding on the appropriate workstation customizing object to use,
o retrieving the source for the system-supplied workstation customizing object,
o modifying the workstation customizing object source,
o creating the modified workstation customizing object, and
o using the modified workstation customizing object with a *LCL or *RMT device description, a *LAN device description, a remote output queue (RMTOUTQ), a Personal Communications 5250 (PC5250) printer session, a RUMBA/400 printer session or a Workstation Function (WSF) printer session.
Note: The section on using the modified workstation customizing object consists of links to other documents (for example, one document is for using the modified workstation customizing object with a *LCL or *RMT device description, and another document is for using the modified workstation customizing object with a *LAN device description, and so on

Use Workstation Customizing Objects to Control Printing

So what is a workstation customizing object (or *WSCST)? A *WSCST is IBM's way of letting users have complete control over a printer's behavior. Think of *WSCSTs as a way to build a custom printer driver for the iSeries. The *WSCST object itself is built from a source member.
The *WSCST source member will contain the escape sequences (sometimes called 'escape codes' or 'hex codes') for every command the printer is capable of accepting. It will contain, for example, the commands to start or to stop printing in boldface type, to start and to end subscript, and to print portrait or landscape. Having this kind of control over the printer, the iSeries should be able to take advantage of just about any feature a printer has to offer. "

Google News Credibility Foiled By 15-Year Old Boys Prank

Sometimes the most well thought out practical jokes trigger an uneven brand of justice that falls under the laws of unintended consequences. While not formally codified and ill defined, the law of unintended consequences is very real, as a Google-focused prank pulled by 15-year old Tom Vandetta amply illustrates.
Reading through SEO focused blog entries, Vandetta found an article that explained how to fool Google's news system by writing fake press releases. Sensing an opportunity to experiment and play a joke on his friends, the self-described 'Google fanboy' decided to see what would happen if he submitted a fake Google press release claiming the 15-year old New Jersey student was Google's youngest employee

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

It's 'Official': Windows Vista to Launch in November!

University of Wisconsin deploys nearly 200TB of Xserve RAID storage


The University of Wisconsin - Madison has deployed 35 5.6TB Xserve RAID storage arrays in a single research installation as part of an ongoing scientific computing initiative.
The storage is primarily used to act as a holding area for large amounts of data from experiments such as the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) and ATLAS experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.

Google Buys Sketch Up

Is Vista Microsoft's last OS?

Gates says services are the future for computers -- and Microsoft

Company makes plans to move away from prepackaged software and into web-based applications

The Net's New Age

Technology that aims to revolutionize how surfers use the Web is fueling a new wave of Internet investment and challenging established media

Carriers plan high-speed 3G for summer

Mobile carrier T-Mobile has announced that its Super 3G, High-Speed Download Packet Access (HSDPA) service will be rolled out in the UK in the third quarter of this year. Separately, Vodafone said its own HSDPA rollout is on track, and that it will launch a service in mid-2006

The WiDRIVE WiFi drive enclosure

Feisty Singapore startup EDS Lab is showing off their WiDRIVE in a small booth tucked deep in the bowels of CeBIT. The WiDRIVE is an 802.11b/g WiFi drive enclosure for 1.8 and 2.5-inch drives. There are other wireless disk solutions available, but WiDRIVE claims theirs is the only portable solution

IBM eServer - IBM Virtualization Engine - iSeries

Virtualization is delivered natively in IBM ® iSeries™ as400 servers. IBM Virtualization Engine systems technologies can be used to help simplify your IT infrastructure, without disruption. You're then able to focus on continued business innovation and growth.


Key technologies


Dynamic logical partitioning (DLPAR): Dynamic logical partitioning increases flexibility, enabling selected system resources like processors, memory and I/O components to be added and deleted from dedicated partitions while they are actively in use. The ability to reconfigure dynamic LPARs enables system administrators to dynamically redefine all available system resources to reach optimum capacity for each partition.

Micro-Partitioning™: Micro-partitioning provides additional, more advanced, partitioning support. It gives you the ability to assign fractions of a processor to a logical partition. Before micro-partitioning, a computer system could use only whole numbers of processors. However, the POWER Hypervisor can divide the total processor capability of the iSeries server among the logical partitions on the server. This ability is known as time slicing. This allows you to specify the processing power for a logical partition in the hundredths of processors. This also allows you to assign a logical partition as little as one tenth of a processor in cases where the logical partition does not need a full processor.

IBM Director: IBM Director enables monitoring and event management across a heterogeneous IT environment, including Windows®, Intel®, AIX, I5/OSi5/OS and Linux®, from a single Java-based user interface. From one access point, you can monitor system resources, inventory, events, task management, core corrective actions, distributed commands and hardware control for your servers and storage.

IBM Virtualization Engine console: Many editions of iSeries and i5 servers feature the Virtualization Engine console. The console is based on the IBM Integrated Solutions Console framework to provide a consolidated view for managing your virtualized enterprise resources. The Virtualization Engine console works with IBM Director to present a comprehensive view of individual platforms.

Virtual Ethernet: A virtual Ethernet enables interpartition communication without the need for physical network adapters in each logical partition. The virtual Ethernet allows you to define in-memory point-to-point connections between logical partitions. These connections exhibit similar characteristics as high-bandwidth Ethernet connections and support multiple protocols. You can also configure the operating system on a logical partition to connect a virtual Ethernet adapter with a physical Ethernet adapter. This allows the logical partitions on the virtual Ethernet to access external networks through the physical Ethernet adapter.

Virtual I/O: Virtual Serial and Virtual SCSI devices allow AIX and Linux logical partitions to use I/O resources that belong to an i5/OS logical partition. This allows you to create AIX and Linux logical partitions without assigning full disk drives or I/O devices to the logical partitions. In turn, this allows you to create more AIX or Linux logical partitions than you would ordinarily have been able to create, and it maximizes I/O resource utilization on your system. Also, when you back up the i5/OS logical partition, all of the data for the other logical partitions is also backed up.

Capacity on demand: Capacity on Demand (CoD) features, optionally available on selected iSeries systems, enable clients to respond quickly to their workload demand by permanently or temporarily activating processors or memory when required. There are multiple Capacity on Demand possibilities offered, such as Capacity Upgrade on Demand, On / Off Capacity on Demand, Reserve Capacity on Demand, and Trial Capacity on Demand.

More as400 virtualisation tips to follow

EclipseZone - Using WTP for HTML Authoring with Near-Instant Preview

Identifying Remote Server

CFGTCP
- option 10 (Work with TCP/IP host table entries)
- option 1 (add) you supply the IP adress of the remote server
- Enter the host name (like www.domain.com)"

10 things you should know about Windows XP's System Restore tool

If a crash or some other incident renders your WinXP system problematic or unbootable, you can use System Restore to return it to a previous working state. These pointers will show you how to effectively use this valuable safety net

How about a few classic clueless-TECH stories?

Anyone else done 'endsbs *all *immed' on an as400 by mistake when they meant to end just one subsystem?

pSeries and AIX Information Center

Wanted: iSeries Platform Innovators, will pay $50,000

IBM will provide up to $50,000 in new services to lure more partners and tool developers to write software for its eServer iSeries system.
In what one official called the company's most comprehensive push on the platform in a decade, the eServer iSeries Initiative for Innovation program is an indication of Big Blue's persistence in building support among more than 2,500 partners and developers for its mid-market server.
iSeries, which includes hardware, middleware, storage and security, is targeted at small and medium-sized business customers, which IBM believes has the potential to be a $370 billion market.

IBM Takes Collaboration on iSeries Education to Deepest Level Yet

Rochester rolled out its first AS/400 college curriculum in 1998 with high hopes of creating a new generation of techies who would cut their teeth on the platform in college and go on to become AS/400 converts. Since then, the iSeries Scholars Program (previously Partners in Education) has had its share of ups and downs.
In 2000, for instance, IBM reported an enrollment of 425 schools teaching AS/400 topics to students. However, attrition from the program over the years has taken a big bite out of that community, as many schools have had to drop out due to poor interest among students or lack of resources. IBM puts the current total of PIE schools at just over 250, mostly community colleges and technical schools. More than a few of those schools run older technology

Perform the Impossible: Update a Multi-Table View using INSTEAD OF Triggers on Iseries

On the iSeries, limited support for INSTEAD OF triggers was delivered by PTF SI16101 for i5/OS V5R3 systems. Unfortunately, data manipulation against multi-table views involving Joins or Unions was not yet supported, limiting their usefulness to single table views. This limitation has been lifted in V5R4.
The examples shown in this story were originally developed on DB2 UDB for Windows V8.2.1 and required very little modification to run on the iSeries. It's good to see the iSeries continue to receive the enhancements that other versions of DB2 have

Search400 - Readers respond to iSeries hiring trends

"Today a young recruiter told me he was proud, with six years of recruiting experience, to consider himself a 'professional sales person'. He had no tech background whatsoever and I know this person is not alone in the recruiting field. It is surprising that corporations would put the filtering process of potential IT candidates into the hands of individuals within/without who have zero IT background"

Tango/04 Adds Record-Level Auditing to iSeries Security Tool

iSeries and Windows shops faced with regulatory compliance initiatives are the intended users of Tango/04 Computing Group's VISUAL Security Suite version 1.5, which was unveiled last week. By adding support for record-level auditing for DB2/400 and SQL Server databases, and, shortly, the Oracle database, the Spanish software company hopes to attract small and medium-sized businesses faced with new requirements to more closely monitor changes to their data

mrc online lab for anyone who wants to try their hand at building Java servlet applications

London-based iSeries development tool specialist mrc has launched the mrc online lab for anyone who wants to try their hand at building Java servlet applications.

The lab can be accessed at www.mrconlinelab.com and the company says that it only takes about an hour to complete two Java applications from start to finish. Mrc says that the online lab teaches users to generate a couple types of basic Java applications to get a feel for them, but users should keep in mind that much more complex business application systems and e-commerce sites are also built with this method

Monday, March 13, 2006

Taking a look at PHP 6

While most web hosts are still in the PHP 4 era, the PHP developers are already planning and working on PHP 6. Lets have a look at what’s been keeping them busy

Hostility between ATi and NVIDIA staff starts to become physical

C'mon guys, it's only graphic chips...

Introducing KNOPPIX version 5.0

Constructing a MAME Arcade Machine

Nice Tutorial on how to construct a MAME cabinet for your home using various methods. For those of you that don't know, MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) is a free emulator that can emulate thousands of classic arcade games authentically. Great Read

Samsung unveils new mobile TV phone, B5200


SPH-B5200 offers a 2megapixel camera, T-DMB and buttons installed only for 3D games that appear when the slide is moved to side. It enables users to enjoy one-on-one game on Bluetooth network and motion capture games using acceleration sensor

Samsung unveils new mobile TV phone, B5200


Samsung Electronics unveiled a 'Wide Dual Slide(SPH-B5200)' at CeBIT fair in the Hanover, northern Germany. The phone has a 3-inch wide LCD screen and a slide moving up and down and side-to-side

Mobile with a Better Camera than your Camera: The Megapixel Race Continues: Samsung's 10Megapixel SCH-B600


At the CeBIT show, Samsung launched the latest product of their philosophy of "more must be better", the SCH-B600. This new device for its home Korean market sports a massive 10 megapixel sensor mated to a 3x optical zoom auto-focus lens that telescopes out of the back of the phone when activated - just like a normal, dedicated point and shoot camera. The thing is, even dedicated point and shoot cameras aren't using 10 megapixel sensors. A microMMC memory card slot offers plenty of expansion for those massive photos.

Rewrite URLs to host multiple domains on a single IP address with Apache - TechRepublic

It's not absolutely necessary to purchase a separate hosting account and IP address for each of your domains. Instead, you can use one of Apache's less well-known features to host multiple domains on a single IP address

A free fully functional database is yours with Microsoft's SQL Server Express

SQL Server 2005 Express Edition does have requirements and limitations.

Its requirements are fairly light:

Windows 2000 Service Pack 4; Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1; Windows XP Service Pack 2
Computer with Intel or compatible Pentium III 600 MHz or faster processor (1 GHz or faster is recommended.)
Minimum of 192 MB of RAM (512 MB or more is recommended.)
525 MB of available hard disk space
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0

The limitations of each application are what make them free when compared to the other versions of SQL Server 2005.

Limited to 1 CPU
Can only use 1 GB of RAM
Limited a Maximum Database size of 4GB
Log Shipping is not supported
Full-Text Search is not an option
SQL Server Agent Scheduling service is not available

Vodafone Quitting Japan

Vodafone Group Plc said on Friday it was in talks to sell its struggling Japanese business to Internet communications conglomerate Softbank Corp

Vodafone's Japan unit has been struggling to recover from a tumultuous few years in which sales of its highly anticipated third-generation (3G) phones fell flat, its leadership changed twice within a year, and it suffered an industry-record monthly loss of customers.

Script Kiddies 1 - Symantec 0

Symantec said Wednesday it plans to tweak the behavior of its Norton Internet Security and Norton Personal Firewall products so that they are no longer vulnerable to an annoying but otherwise harmless prank that 'script kiddie' hackers have been using for the past week or so to knock users off online chat channels.

Turns out that if someone types "startkeylogger" or "stopkeylogger" in an IRC channel, anyone on the channel using the affected Norton products will be immediately kicked off without warning. These are commands typically issued by the Spybot worm, which spreads over IRC and peer-to-peer file-swapping networks, installing a program that records and transmits everything the victim types (known as a keylogger).

As Expected, Origami is Just a Small Tablet PC

As predicted, Microsoft's mysterious Origami project is simply a hardware reference design for a new generation of small Tablet PC devices now called the Ultramobile PC. First revealed at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in 2004, these devices will run on Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 and feature 7-inch touchscreen displays. Though touch screen support will be built into the Tablet PC software included with Windows Vista, XP had to be augmented with additional software for this feature to work.
Ultramobile PCs are true tablets, without a keyboard or pointing device. Instead, the onscreen cursor is controlled via a stylus, as with any Tablet PC device. Three relatively unknown companies in the PC realm, Asustek, Samsung, and The Founder Group, will release Origami-based devices between April and June this year

USATODAY.com - Caller ID spoofing becomes all too easy

In the last few years, Caller ID spoofing has become much easier. Millions of people have Internet telephone equipment that can be set to make any number appear on a Caller ID system. And several websites have sprung up to provide Caller ID spoofing services, eliminating the need for any special hardware.
For instance, Spoofcard.com sells a virtual "calling card" for $10 that provides 60 minutes of talk time. The user dials a toll-free number, then keys in the destination number and the Caller ID number to display. The service also provides optional voice scrambling, to make the caller sound like someone of the opposite sex

O'Reilly -- Building My MythTV Box, Part 1: Hardware

PB Wiki - Free Collaborative Editing & Publishing

Make a free, password-protected wiki as easily as a peanut butter sandwich

Batteryless and wireless mouse

The NB-50 mouse pad does have a cord, and it connects to the computer via USB. So in a sense, the NB-50 is not truly cordless and is constrained by the length of the mouse pad cord, but the mouse itself is cordless.

Homemade Linux Windows hard drive switch

Windows to Linus is just a throw of a switch away!

DIY Das Keyboard - a keyboard with completely black, unmarked keys



Call it nerd street cred, hacker machismo, or whatever closes your circuit

What is Project Darkstar

Sun Microsystems will be at the Game Developers Conference (Booth 1510) demonstrating a new technology

Understanding Java class loading

Are you thinking of writing ClassLoaders? or are you facing 'unexpected' ClassCastException or LinkageError with wierd message 'loader constraint violation'. Then, it is time to take a closer look at Java class loading process

Contrary to Java, browser apps can 'just work', be they written in JavaScript or Flash, while with Java you're stuck in slow, ugly, deployment hell

Rock Solid Java: Preventing OutOfMemory Problems

Is your IDE *too* helpful?

I want to figure out where I've been called from - Java

If your software needs to know this kind of information you can use the getStackTrace of the Thread class

First 3G Mobile Handset with VGA Display


Vodafone K.K. announced the Vodafone 904SH by Sharp, the first mobile handset to feature a VGA liquid crystal display (LCD). The 904SH is scheduled to go on sale in late April 2006 as a new 3G handset.
The 904SH�s VGA LCD has four times the resolution of current QVGA*3 LCDs, making it possible to reproduce visuals and render small characters with more vividness and clarity than before

Best 3GSM Handset 2006 is the Motorola RAZR V3x


Motorola is proud to announce that its RAZR V3x handset has been recognized by the GSM Association as the 'Best 3GSM Handset - 2006'. The stunning Motorola RAZR V3x was the talk of town when it secured the most prestigious award at the Association's annual awards ceremony at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona.
With its ultra-slim clamshell form and clever integration of the design features that made the RAZR the company's most globally acclaimed product, the Motorola RAZR V3x is the ultimate in mobile entertainment devices. Delivering an impressive range of multimedia tools, including a 2-megapixel camera, real- time two-way video calling, still and moving image capture, progressive downloading and 3D graphics this UMTS/3G handset has it all

Fujitsu Siemens Confirms 3G PDA with Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0


With Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 software and UMTS functionality, Pocket LOOX T series users always have access to their e-mails, appointment calendar and other familiar Microsoft Office applications. And its user-friendly, with a standard QWERTY keyboard and brilliant TFT display. Incorporating these devices into the corporate network is straightforward, ensuring secure and reliable data transfer, while the integrated GPS makes sure you never get lost. The new high-end handhelds will arrive at shops in July for prices of approximately 700 euros

New Sony Ericsson 3G Handset, K610


Sony Ericsson announced the K610, a slim, lightweight and affordable UMTS imaging phone that opens up the world of 3G for a much wider population. Just 17mm thick and weighing 92 grams, the K610 is the size and weight of a typical 2G stick phone and will be one of the smallest and lightest 3G phones to come on the market. It packs into its slender frame a suite of advanced communications, business and entertainment applications plus a 2 Megapixel camera, Memory Stick removable storage and Bluetooth connectivity

Sony Ericsson takes digital imaging in camera phones to new heights today with the launch of the K800 and K790 phones


Sony Ericsson takes digital imaging in camera phones to new heights today with the launch of the K800 and K790 phones, the first handsets to carry the Cyber-shot brand, a true mark of imaging quality. Both handsets look physically the same as above.
Both are highly capable mobile phones with integrated 3.2 Megapixel digital cameras with Autofocus, Xenon flash and BestPic - Sony Ericsson�s unique imaging technology that allows you to capture exactly the moment you desire. K800 and K790 combine advanced image capture capabilities with high speed data transfer, making them perfect tools for shooting and sharing high quality pictures and videos. K800 is a dual-mode UMTS/GPRS phone and the K790 is a Tri Band EDGE phone. Both are available from Q2 2006

World's First 8GB Hard Disk Embedded Phone


Samsung Electronics is reinforcing its technology leadership by unveiling the world's first 8GB Hard Disk embedded smartphone (model: SGH-i310)

DIY Replacing motherboard chips

When Dell wanted to charge $1100 for a replacement motherboard Wayne started looking at other options. When he found out that the chip that got fried only cost $5, well, Project Oxcart was born

Bristol Switches to StarOffice

Ultimately, the council decided to move over to Sun's StarOffice suite. Based on the open source OpenOffice.org suite, StarOffice provides a complete, supported, cross-platform office solution. Although StarOffice itself is not available under the same Open source license as its OpenOffice.org brethren, the move to StarOffice signaled a key win for open source supporters. StarOffice not only opens the door to open source, but it also firmly closes the door to the dreaded vendor lock-in that plagues its closed source counterparts. This vendor lock-in is evident in closed source file formats (such as those of Word and Excel) and would help to keep the user base locked into those applications to continue to be able to open the files. StarOffice and OpenOffice.org's support for the OASIS-standardized Open Document Format (ODF) and adoption of that software in Bristol eliminates vendor lock-in

World's First 3G Digital Mobile Broadcasting Phone to Debut in Europe

LG Electronics announced that it will launch its DMB (Digital Mobile Broadcasting) phone business in Europe with the first release of handsets in Germany in May.
The LG-V9000, which was developed by LG last October, is currently being showcased at CeBIT 2006 which opened today and runs until March 15. A giant-sized mock-up of the sleek handset -- equipped with a real, spinning LCD monitor -- is on show at the LG booth and has already been drawing the attention of visitors who have been looking forward to the launch of the DMB service and the release of the phone. DMB is scheduled to be in test service in Germany during May and commercialized in June

FIFA World Cup Live to T-Mobile 3G Phone Users


T-Mobile will be the first mobile operator to broadcast twenty matches from the 2006 FIFA World Cup live to its customers cell phones, thereby ensuring that football fans will not miss a single goal, penalty or pivotal scene when on the move. All T-Mobile customers in Germany who are not able to watch the games live can watch the latest analyses by Premiere World Cup experts, interviews, opinions and entertaining information in a 15-minute format on the Premiere channel shortly after the end of the match. What�s more, by providing a wide range of information and entertainment, as well as extensive MobileTV service, MMS and SMS goal ticker and download services, T-Mobile leaves football fans free to enjoy every day of this huge event, while making sure that they have plenty to do between games

New Samsung SGH-Z400 3G Phone


With the technology achievements of the world's first 3.6Mbps HSDPA technology demonstration at CES in January and the introduction of Europe's HSDPA phone at 3GSM, Samsung further enhances its leadership in 3G market with its powerful 3G model, the SGH-Z400 and reinforces its leadership 2.5G mobile phone market with the world's slimmest slider, the SGH-D870 at CeBIT 2006

New VK 3G Phone Attracts Attention


VK mobile phones received a lot of attention from visitors at CeBIT 2006, the world's largest ICT trade fair, in Hanover, Germany last week.
VK's sleek design has been highly recognized worldwide; the 8.8 mm super slim model, the VK 2000, received the 2006 Red Dot Design Award from Germany. At this exhibition, VK unveils a variety of devices with thin design and advanced convergent functions, receiving excellent reviews from individuals involved in the industry and other visitors

Black Diamond concept from Sony Ericsson


This new Black Diamond concept is looking incredibly hot, especially the borderless screen effect

How to Run Linux on a USB Drive

Getting Linux to run on a USB Drive may easily seem to be an overwhelming process, but we put together a very simple guide that an absolute novice could follow

Samsung unveils 8GB hard drive phone

Samsung has taken the wraps off a mobile phone that boasts the biggest hard drive seen on such a device to date

A Cellphone in the Shape of the Iconic Red Telephone Box


A USA based handset retailer has designed a GSM handset that is in the shape of the infamous UK public telephone box. But why make a cell phone that looks like a phone booth?

VK Mobile VK5000 - Another phone with more memory than most desktop PCs!

The VK5000 has an amazing 1GB of internal flash storage built-in. That's great news since the VK5000 has a 1.3 megapixel camera and the ability to play MP3, AAC, AAC+, and eAAC+ music files, as well as record video at 15fps.
Other features of note include Bluetooth, an email client, JAVA MIDP 2.0 support, and 40 voice polyphonic sound. Pretty amazing for such a small handset

msmobiles.com - CeBIT 2006: hands-on with Microsoft Origami (Ultra Mobile PC) - is it worth all that buzz?

CeBIT 2006: Fujitsu Pocket Loox C, N and T Series Pocket PCs


Fujitsu had featured their upcoming Loox releases at CeBIT 2006. These Pocket PC devices are just really nicely designed, very sleek looking. The Loox C550 basic Pocket PC, Loox N520 GPS/Wi-FI integrated Pocket PC and Loox T830 Pocket PC Phone, Wi-Fi and GPS Pocket PC were all on hand. If you need a Pocket PC that can simply do everything, the T830 is tough to beat -- it even has dual cameras, one of which is 2.0MP auto-focus, built-in

Loox N Series N520 Pocket PC:
Integrated GPS
High quality navigation bundles, based on NAVIGON MobileNavigator 5, for all market segments
Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Premium Edition
SD-I/O / MMC slot for backup and additional applications
Integrated Wireless LAN 802.11g Wi-Fi certified (Pocket LOOX N520)
Intel PXA270 312 MHz processor
64MB RAM and 128MB flash ROM
SD-IO or MMC card
3.5-inch, 240 x 320 (QVGA) color transflective TFT Touchscreen.
Dimensions: 116 x 71x 14 mm
Weight 160g
Integrated GPS, bundled with the NAVIGON MobileNavigator 5 software
Wi-Fi (802.11g)

Fujitsu Loox T Series T830 Pocket PC Phone:
Integrated SiRFstar III GPS module for navigation
E-mail push based on Windows Mobile Direct Push
Windows Mobile 5.0
UMTS based 3G
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, VoIP software included
Bluetooth 2.0
USB 1.1 with host capabilities
SDIO capable SD/MMC card expansion slot
2.0 Megapixel camera with auto focus camera
Front-mounted 0.3 Megapixel camera for
240 x 240 pixel 2.4-inch, 262K color screen
416 MHz Intel processor
64 MB of RAM and 128 MB

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Level 3 leaked, water, not memory!

Internet giant Level 3 sprung a leak yesterday at its Braham Street data centre in London. According to emails leaked to El Reg, the water may have damaged customer kit although so far Level 3 has declined requests to explain exactly what happened or how many customers were affected

1 Terabyte of disk for your desktop anyone?

If you're in need of a humongous external drive that performs as fast as an internal SATA drive, then this is the one for you

Vonage cries foul over Canada VoIP 'tax'

Consumer IP telephony service Vonage has filed a complaint to Canadian regulators over plans by local telco, Shaw Cable, to charge a C$10 ($8.60) a month premium to customers of VoIP service. The charge ostensibly covers to cost of providing a higher quality connection to VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) users. Vonage describes the levy as a 'thinly veiled' VoIP tax

Virus names as dangerous as virus

In early February, anti-virus firms warned customers about a computer virus programmed to delete files on the third of each month, but almost every company called the program by a different name.

You're taking the p*ss, Europe tells Microsoft

Microsoft continues to flout its antitrust order, the European Commission said Friday in two strongly worded statements. The EC has again written to Redmond explaining where it's failing to comply with a 2004 decision by the competition office.
Further study of Microsoft's submissions - it's obliged to document its protocols and interfaces - revealed them to be "entirely inadequate". For good measure, the EC compared Microsoft's protocol documentation to bloatware, and implied that Microsoft hadn't read the decision it was legally obliged to obey.

Hands on with Sony's first Walkman smartphone

In a show bereft of show-stoppers, Sony Ericsson's new W950 'Walkman' phone drew plenty of interest from other handset manufacturers, with the company's stand crowded to near sinking point

Tracing Premium Rate Numbers - UK

Found some very strange and expensive premium rate phone calls on our phone bill, and wanted to trace them, as everyone denied all knowledge.

ICSTIS have a facility where you can search for phone nos,
http://www.icstis.org , and I found out that one of the numbers was for Sky Active, and given that we have a sky box, a light went on, and realised it was the kids playing interactive, apparently free games on the sky box! Not so free after all!