Technically Speaking

Not our fault

How would you handle your day without internet access? For some, it would mean just annoyance, for other, their business would be in peril. Luckily, in Canada, we are fairly sure that our government won't just close down 'net access to keep us quiet (I hope). However, in Burma, the powers that be are doing all in their power to close all access to the outside world so they have complete freedom of action and repression. Unfortunately, it seems to be working - you can only be shot at so many times before personal safety wins out over civic anger. The trouble is, as many totalitarian regimes fail to realize, that information (visual and aural) has a way of getting out and even Google Maps is being used to keep an eye on the proceedings. In these days of global access to information including cellphones, the internet, satellite surveillance and plain old telephones, the bad guys have less places to hide their nasty little plans. it's also interesting how governments will always blame outside agitators for their own home-grown troubles- look at Zimbabwe for another example.

Game on?

Well, that's that then. After 3 days with Halo 3 my son has finished the game on 'legendary' level. Seems a bit of a waste really. That's the trouble with these new heavily hyped game releases; over in a flash and then left in a corner somewhere. Some companies take advantage of the short life span of these 'blockbuster' games: e.g Electronic Boutique is already offering up to $50 in trade-in value. When asked if the game is a good as he thought, the answer was, 'it's OK, I guess', hardly a ringing endorsement. The main issue seems to be that there is a lot of 'glitz' and 'flash' in terms of eye-candy, but little gameplay depth. It's time for game designers to realize that the fun in in the GAME not the outward appearance and glossiness. I know that the real attraction of these games is the online play, but within a few weeks, if not days, there is something else and your favorite has vanished. Maybe it's just our modern world and the speed of change allied with a lack of attention span. As Gandhi said, 'there is more to life than increasing it's speed'.

I need more time

Well, isn't this an admission of failure. Microsoft was scheduled to stop selling Windows XP on 30 January 2008 to leave the field clear for Vista. Now the date on which many sellers of XP will no longer be able to offer it has been lengthened to 30 June 2008. Microsoft said the change was to help those customers that needed more time to make the switch to Vista. More time - yup, that's it. It certainly appears that Windows Vista has not been the huge success that Microsoft hoped for. In fact, it hit the market with a resounding thud. Some companies actually caved in to consumer requests to supply units with XP and not Vista. The main issues with Vista, in my opinion, are the difficulties with drivers for older devices and the pain in reloading your software and relearning to use your PC. Vista really isn't that bad, I've been using it on my laptop for about 6-7 months now and all seems OK. There are some minor changes in the interface, but nothing to get bent out of shape with. The only hardware issue was my webcam - got a newer one and all OK (touch wood). I don't think I will be switching to Vista only for a while.

Told you so!

As predicted, Apple's firmware upgrade 1.1.1 is out and hacked iPhones are falling like ninepins - what a surprise. Shooting yourself in the foot is never a pretty thing. On a happier note, Gateway's new PC was announced as expected - no real surprises here; not particularly powerful units, but very nice looking and being more a piece of furniture or high-quality hi-fi equipment. Other news that is surfacing is that involving shady practices at Best Buy. Oh, you didn't know? When you go online to check prices, you may find various sale prices and rebates that entice you into the store. However, when you checked the in-store internet site, these lower prices had vanished. That's right, they had their own in-store site with different prices - sneaky, eh? Well, they have solved that issue with a nice little disclaimer label on the in-store kiosks. The warning will say something like 'this kiosk displays in-store prices - which may differ from national internet prices' and advise customers to see a sales associate if they have any questions. You have been warned.

The one and only?

Keep an eye on the ‘net tomorrow for the announcement of Gateway's ‘One’ at Digital Life. From what we understand so far, the Gateway One all-in-one PC includes a slot-loading DVD burner, the usual inputs and even wall-mounting capabilities. The One hosts an easily-replaced hard drive and memory, along with a 5-in-1 card reader. The One will be available in one of three configurations, starting at $1,300 for a 1.5GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB HDD and Intel X3100 integrated graphics, and going on up to the $1,800 unit with a 2GHz processor, 3GB of RAM, 500GB HDD and Mobility Radeon HD 2600 dedicated graphics. The third version splits the difference on specs for $1,500. Apparently there's even a webcam hidden somewhere in the unit. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

You can't do that

Apple are warning purchasers of the iPhone that any recent and future software upgrades may 'brick' their new toy if the user has unlocked it for use with non-authorized providers. Because of the heavy restrictions placed on who can support the iPhone (AT&T in the US and Rogers here), the rise of software 'hacks' to allow, for example, use of Fido or Telus as alternatives has been going gangbusters around the world. Apple has denied that it is 'doing anything proactively to disable iPhones that have been hacked or unlocked'. Yeah, sure, we believe you, don't we? It appears that Apple is planning to release its next software update - which will allow users to purchase music from the iTunes store via a button on the iPhone - next week. It seems to me that Apple should just let things be and allow users to unlock the devices - after all, it increases sales and gets more people into the Apple 'fold'. However, big business greed will take over and set out to 'protect itself' - against what, I don't know. This, from Apple, will make you laugh however; Apple has said it wants to 'continuously delight' users with new iPhone features. Yes, update your hacked iPhone and say goodbye to $350 or more - thanks for coming out!

A bit behind the times

Good old Dymo has announced a wonderful new label making device. It will allow you to print directly onto printable CD's without messing around with those annoying sticky labels and weird plastic 'thingies' to align them properly. The new DiscPainter will print a full CD in about one minute at 600dpi at a cost of around $279 for the unit and $30 for a cartridge (100 prints). Hang on! Am I in a time loop here? Hasn't this option been around for a while with most mainstream printer manufacturers such as HP and Epson? Damn it! There is even LightScribe now, printing direct to the CD. I think that Dymo will have a warehouse full of these things and no buyers. That may mean lower prices and a good Christmas gift. Someone better tell Dymo this is 2007.

Down memory lane

It's the weekend and a perfect time to chill out and kick back for a while. If you are fed up with the standard garbage on TV, then I have a really nice solution. How about a selection of hundreds of TV shows, films, cartoons, documentaries and music videos for absolutely free? Sounds good, doesn't it? Well, I have a treat for you - tv-links.co.uk - this is one amazing site and has some real hidden gems. Many older British comedy shows are here - check out Rising Damp and Porridge for fine examples. There are many older films, some classics you may remember, many others you're glad to forget. Many newer films are also available and a huge Anime selection. You can spend hours just exploring and having those 'oh my' moments and the refreshing of old memories. Just make sure you have plenty of time as the hours will just vanish. Just make sure you have a nice high-speed connection to get the most from this site.

She's a model

My son has just got into the world of plastic models (mainly cars) and has found, to his dismay, how expensive this hobby is. After the initial purchase, he found that the cost of supplies, paint and glue, escalated very quickly. If you have 'stuck' with me (pun not intended) from the start of my blog you may recall I mentioned card and paper models as a much more inexpensive modeling solution. Other than glue and scissors (liquid UHU is awesome) there isn't much more you need. Here is a really nice collection of nearly 50 spacecraft from Star Wars to the Muppet Show - Pigs in Space! I have made some of  these and the build quality is very good and most go together with little fuss - just take your time. Oh yes! They're FREE!!

Think pink

Those crazy people at Hello Kitty are at it again! They are releasing a new series of notebook PC's from Epson (yes, Epson) in those wonderful 'subdued' colours and motifs we have come to either love or hate. The PC's are rather wimpy, but they are going for effect not quality and horsepower. These machines weigh in at 6.6-pounds and include a 1.73GHz Intel Celeron M processor, 80GB of hard drive space, 1GB of RAM, and Windows Vista. See what I mean, not the most powerful of beasts are they? Little blog today - slow news day.

How to get traumatized

While trolling around within the wibbly wobbly web, I found a really awesome site (quietearth.us) that is dedicated to the end of the world as we know it. There are reviews and links to dozens of obscure and well known horror and post-apocalyptic films and books. There is one film, however, that really 'got' to me even after 23 years when I first saw it on TV. I was able to find the whole film - in 16 pieces - on YouTube. If you have ever seen the film The Day After, you may think that it's a gritty and devastating experience - compared to the UK film, Threads, it's Disneyland. Threads is a close as you will ever be to a nuclear holocaust and thank the good lord it never happened. Although the gore level is low (it was for TV in the '80's), this film will horrify, disgust and frighten you and the last scenes will stay with you for ever. Don't look for lighter moments, black comedy or even hope - it's not there. It was so terrifying that I immediately watched a comedy show afterwards to lighten my mood (Blackadder). I urge you and you children to see this film, it will change your life and your attitude to the war-mongers that wrap themselves in flags and slogans.

So long, been nice to know ya'

It’s interesting how what are touted as the ‘new standard’ are soon superseded and become ‘old news’. Intel's recently announced USB 3.0 specification could push throughput beyond 4Gbps (300MBps) at the application level allowing support of HD video streams. Besides supplanting Firewire once and for all, a clear goal of the new ‘SuperSpeed USB’ is to keep up with the transfer speeds of flash chips. Intel, HP, Microsoft, NEC, NXP, and TI will present the initial spec for a design review in November with first silicon to be stamped in ‘early 2009’. While the USB 3.0 cables will remain backward compatible with USB 2.0 and prior devices, new cables laced with an optical link and a max length of 2-meters will be required to take advantage of those high speeds according to a senior engineering manager with NEC. It sounds that the days of Firewire are numbered with Apple running Intel inside, Sony putting USB in their camcorders, and eSATA for external disks. It’s reminiscent of the Micro-channel debacle, SCSI and the now deceased parallel and Appletalk connections.

Happy snaps

Man, oh man, this is one heck of a camera. Hasselblad has the reputation as makers of the best cameras in the world; these are the cameras that went to the Moon. Their new camera releases include the 39 megapixel H3D II DSLR – yes, that’s right, 39 megapixels! This camera includes a new 3-inch display, which promises both a clearer view of images and lower power consumption, as well as an apparently revamped menu system that'll let you tweak settings using the thumbwheel controls on the camera. Otherwise, you can expect just about everything you could ask for in a camera, including 48x36 mm CCD image sensors (the largest currently available), a Global Image Locator that tags photos with the exact geographic co-ordinates at the time they were taken, and an array of features that promise to keep your shots free of noise and moiré effects, to name just a few. Mind you, this will set you back a huge wad of cash - $37,000 to be precise. If, however, 39 megapixels and $37k is just a bit too much for you, you can opt for one of two lesser models that Hasselblad's also just introduced, including the 31 megapixel H3D-31II ($30,000) and the 22 megapixel H3D-22II $37,000 ($25,000). Christmas is coming – just mentioning.

Hold your hand out, naughty boy

No surprises here. In front of the European courts Microsoft has lost its appeal against a $690m fine imposed by the European Commission in a long-running dispute. The European Court of First Instance upheld the ruling that Microsoft had abused its dominant market position. A probe concluded in 2004 that Microsoft was guilty of freezing out rivals in server software and products such as media players. Microsoft has two months to appeal at the European Court of Justice. Microsoft has now been ordered to pay 80% of the Commission's legal costs, while the Commission has to carry a specific part of Microsoft's costs. This reinforces the earlier ruling made in 2004 ordering Microsoft to ensure its products could operate with other computer systems by sharing information with rival software companies. It was also ordered to make a version of its Windows operating system available without Microsoft's Media Player software. Today's ruling upheld that order, saying it was ‘beyond dispute’ that Microsoft obliged customers to buy its Media Player software along with the operating system. As I have mentioned before, Microsoft are not the only company to act so protectively. For example, Apple ‘said’ they were willing to license its OS to other PC manufacturers and then made it impossible for them to compete: most 3rd-party companies just gave up – remember UMAX and Power Computing?

2 + 2 = 3

Three is the new four according to chip maker AMD. They have announced a soon to be launched 3-core CPU as an alternative to the expensive 4-core offerings from Intel. AMD say that by 'turning off' one core of a quad chip they will increase performance and lower cost. Sounds like a good idea and may be a good alternative, however, this just may be a way of unloading defective quad core CPUs. It's been done before with the 386SX and 486DX chips in years gone by. Mind you, if they are stable, work as advertised and are cheap - then it may be worth considering.

The saddest day

I think that in any work environment, the saddest thing is the death of a co-worker and friend. Today a small group of family and friends said goodbye to a woman who was taken too soon. This little blog today is in memory of and dedicated to Barbara Alexander who passed away at the age of only 42. Although I only worked closely with her for about 9 months, I came to respect her and to see her as a good confidant and, I hope, friend that I could talk to and rely on. I think, however, that to talk about her as just another drone working for 'the man' is wrong. The important thing about Barbara was her love and dedication to her only daughter. Everything she did was for her and Barbara would do without just to ensure that her beloved Jessica had the best she could provide. Please remember her as a good mother, an inspiration and guide for what promises to be an extraordinary young lady. Barbara, may you truly rest in peace.

Who are you kidding?

Can you say hypocrite? I thought you could. Google has called on governments and business to agree a basic set of global privacy rules. Without global standards the health of the internet was at risk, the firm's privacy chief Peter Fleischer told a UN agency conference in Strasbourg, He said that the rise of the net meant vast amounts of personal data was now regularly shipped around the globe. That information often passed through countries with insufficient or no data protection laws, he said. Google has previously come under repeated fire about its own privacy policies. In June, rights group Privacy International rated the search giant as ‘hostile’ to privacy in a report ranking web firms by how they handle personal data. A month later, the firm said it would change its policies so that its cookies, tiny files stored on a computer when a user visits a website, would auto-delete two years after a user's last visit to its site. Previously they were set to delete in 2038 (!). This from a company that allowed China (amongst others) to heavily censor and control ‘net use in that country and, even worse, defended its decision to the World. It’s like George W saying he’s reducing troop numbers in Iraq – sounds good until you realize it’s just the soldiers that were sent there in ‘the surge’ – just propaganda.

Here, rover!

Google and the X-Prize Foundation is getting together to offer another multi-million prize. This time, it’s not just to launch a reusable spacecraft, but something much, much bigger. This time it’s up to $30 million to go to the Moon. To claim the reward, any craft reaching the lunar surface must perform a series of tasks such as shoot video and roam for specific distances. Firms interested in trying for the prize have until the end of 2012 to mount their Moonshot. In a statement announcing the competition, Google and the X-Prize Foundation said it had been created in a bid to stimulate research into low-cost robotic exploration of space. The top prize of $20m will be given to the private firm that soft lands a rover on the Moon which then completes a series of objectives. These include roaming the lunar surface for at least 500m and gathering a specific set of images, video and data. A prize of $5m will be given to the second firm that manages to reach the Moon with a rover that roams the surface and shoots some pictures. Google said it would give bonuses of $5m if the rovers complete other objectives such as traveling further on the Moon, taking pictures of Apollo hardware, finding water-ice and surviving the freezing lunar night. The $20m prize will be on offer until 2012. After that a smaller sum of $15m will be offered and, if the cash goes unclaimed, the competition will end in 2014. The prize is the third offered and administered by the X-Prize Foundation. The first was run to encourage private space travel. The $10m Ansari-sponsored prize was won in October 2005 when the Spaceship One rocket plane climbed to an altitude of 100km twice inside seven days. In October 2006, the X-Prize Foundation created the $10m Archon X-Prize for Genomics, which will be given to the first private research group to sequence 100 human genomes in 10 days.

Please help me

I am sure we have all been in this situation before. Your wonderful gadget is not doing what it's supposed to. Your printer doesn't print, scanner won't scan and 'where the heck did that file go to'. I have found a really useful website (free!) that will certainly ease your worries and may save you a call to technical support, which can be costly if you are out of warranty. Just post your question on  Fixya.com and a ever expanding network of 'experts' will do their level best to answer your problem. I look at it this way - it doesn't hurt to have as many people as possible on your side to solve your particular issue. Yes, I am there as well and will do what I can to help you with your Epson printer issues. Remember though, if you are in warranty, call the manufacturer - after all you paid for the warranty and the support.

It's not just the wind that moans

Whiners unite. The UK government has responded to an electronic petition that called on it to ensure the BBC's new iPlayer works on non-Windows PCs. More than 16,000 people have signed the petition since it was created. In its response, the government said the BBC Trust had made it a condition of launching the iPlayer that it worked with other operating systems. The iPlayer on-demand TV service lets people catch up with BBC programmes by downloading them. Launched on 27 July the iPlayer currently only works with Windows XP. The BBC has said that a Mac version of the iPlayer will be released in the autumn followed by versions for Windows Vista and mobile gadgets. As well as an e-petition calling for cross-platform versions of the iPlayer, the BBC has also faced criticism from organizations such as the Open Source Consortium (OSC). This group wants to see versions of the iPlayer that work with open source software such as Linux. I am willing to bet good money that the majority of these complainers are Mac users – boy, can they complain or what?

I have the key

Let the legal wars begin! After many delays and fears of being ‘vaporware’, it looks like the iPhoneSIMfree iPhone unlocking software is finally available for purchase from four online retailers around the world. Wireless Imports in the US, iPhoneWorldwideUnlock in Australia, 1digitalphone in Germany, and iPhone4arab in Saudi have all purchased bulk licenses from the iPhoneSIMfree team and are selling individual unlocks for around $100 in the US – cheaper elsewhere. In Canada, as usual, we will have to wait for our chance to buy and use Steve Jobs new toy.

Back in the saddle

Is this man incredibly brave or a complete and utter moron? One of the hosts of the increasingly popular BBC TV series, Top Gear, Richard Hammond was almost killed in a horrific crash in September last year where he spun out when a tire burst on his jet-propelled car traveling at almost 300 mph. Hammond was airlifted to hospital, where he was treated for swelling to the brain and bruising, but eventually made a complete recovery. He received a hero's welcome when he returned to the show. Now he has taken part in another high-speed stunt for the BBC show – does he ever learn? The 37-year-old Hammond drove a Bugatti Veyron as it raced a Typhoon fighter jet. The stunt saw Hammond behind the wheel of a car capable of speeds of more than 250mph, and which can travel from 0 to 60mph in 2.5 seconds (I WANT this car!). The stunt involved driving the Bugatti for one mile each way down the runway, while the Typhoon flew one mile over the runway, headed vertically for another mile and then turn around. I can’t wait to see this one.

What was that?

And I thought my 1000 watt Logitech sub-woofer was a monster. When my son and I decided to test the thing (the Chemical Brothers are the best!), we found that the windows rattled and the floor tiles began to loosen - and that was at about 30% volume. Man, my ears still remember the ache. Now, of course, someone has to go waaaay over the top. Enter the Elemental Designs eD D1 Dodecasub -a mere $2,500 to you, sir. The beast has 10 subwoofers built into a 12-sided polygon of absolute deep down sound. Each subwoofer will throw out 600 watts on its own, potentially creating enough bass to rupture not only your bowels, but your sanity as well. Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase 'how low can you go'. Maybe we should use this instead of a wrecking ball.

Red, white and blue

Tomorrow night will be the time for all you Anglophiles to stand up and sing. It's the last night of the Proms. Whats that, you ask? Shame on you! Every summer in the UK and specifically in the Albert Hall in London, there is a full summer of classical concerts (the Promenade Concerts) for all tastes that culminates in an orgy of patriotism on the last night. Running from the epic hymn to Britain 'Jerusalem' to the sheer exuberance of 'Rule Brittania', I defy anyone listening with even a pinch of Britishness not to have tears in their eyes. So make a date for Saturday afternoon, go to the website above, turn up the volume, sing your heart out and damn anyone else. God save the Queen!

So that's it

What is this sign? Well, I'll tell you a story. Are you sitting comfortably? Good, then we'll begin. Once upon a time there was a Welsh village with lots of little roads all around it and one big smooth main road that, shall we say, wandered a bit. In the past, the big bad trucks took the main road although it was a little 'out of their way', however, with the advent of Satnav and GPS, things began to change. You can see where this is going can't you? Truckers who rely on their GPS to get them to their destination quickly have been guided towards the smaller side roads that appear more direct - unfortunately, they also have poor traction, tight bends and tend to go up and down mountains. In the village and the local district, they are fed up with trucks getting stuck all over the countryside and are advising truckers to turn off their GPS while driving through the area. THAT'S what this sign is - 'turn of your GPS if in a truck'. If you are in a car, well that's your own look out, isn't it?

Every little touch

Yes, Apple are at it again - nice shiny new products. Their main release, other than revamped 'regular' iPods, is the brand new iPod Touch. Very pretty and, wait a minute, this looks very familiar. It's just a different take on the iPhone! Well, if it worked before it will work now - it looks awesome. So now we have the Nano, the Classic and the Touch with, I understand, the demise of the 4GB iPhone. Busy days indeed in the Apple home. I recommend you slide over to Apple's website for full details - oh come on! You know the web address surely? Oh, OK then apple.com. Don't say I don't do anything for you.

Toasty warm

I thought I'd seen it all, but obviously not. Is this an idea whose time has come? The transparent toaster uses heated glass elements to brown your bread allowing you to see exactly how 'done' it is. I like this! It's clever, looks good and is so different than the normal - just like me really (stop laughing). I understand that they haven't quite solved the heating of the glass and I can see issues with safety and cleaning. So, I don't suppose we will see these in homes for a while - if ever, but it certainly make you realize what clever ideas are floating around out there.

Stop press!

Dr. Who has now won two, count 'em, two Hugo's. Yay! Remember, 'don't blink'.

Not again!

Oh dearie me! Poor old Sony has confirmed a recently discovered security flaw in some of its products that could leave PCs vulnerable to attack by hackers. The firm said that the fault, which affected software packaged with memory sticks, was developed by a third-party – that’s right – ‘it’s not our fault’. The vulnerability, found by security firm F-secure, was similar to one found on CDs sold by Sony BMG in 2005. That led to the discs being recalled and several lawsuits against the record label. The flaw affects three models of Sony's MicroVault USB sticks with fingerprint readers. The program on the USB stick uses virus-like techniques to create a hidden directory on a computer's hard drive. Researchers at F-secure said that a hacker could then infect a computer as any files stored on the hidden directory would be invisible to the user and also from some virus scanners and security software. Researchers at both F-secure and MacAfee (the antivirus people) expressed surprise at the flaw, as Sony has faced similar problems in the past. Surprised? I’m not. In 2005, Sony BMG sold CDs bundled with XCP digital-rights management (DRM) software, installed as an anti-piracy measure. It also left machines open to malicious programmers and computer virus writers. In addition, researchers found vulnerabilities in another program, known as MediaMax, used by the firm on other CDs. A Sony spokesperson said: ‘while the software at the issue was developed by a third-party vendor in conjunction with our outsourced device manufacturer, as a precaution and to alleviate any potential concerns, we will be issuing downloadable software patch to address the situation by mid-September’. Yeah! Don’t hold your breath and don’t expect this is the last we will hear of this sort of thing. They don’t seem to learn, do they?

I see you, watching me, watching you

Over the years I have noticed that there is more and more surveillance of people in their everyday lives and some countries seem to be taking this to extremes. In fact, the possibility of someones whole life being recorded and stored, much like 'The Truman Show', is now a distinct possibility. I have read a number of sci-fi stories over the years that predict something like this - everything from recording a personality into a computer for later retrieval - think of retrieving someone like Lee Harvey Oswald and asking him if he really did shoot JFK - to a security device for the general public. Just think of the influence on crime if we all carried a recording device that was always on and couldn't be tampered with. Of course, we would have to forget a little thing called privacy - I don't think we can do that easily, do you? The trouble is, with so many countries scared of internal dissent and the threat (real or imagined) of terrorism, increased surveillance is being forced upon us. Do you trust the government or the police enough to handle this information in a legal, ethical and moral manner? No? Didn't think so.

We haf vays of vatching you

The cyberwar is hotting up quickly. We have all been aware of malicious e-mails containing Trojan, worms and all other nasty little software surprises. Now this practice is to become official as the German government plans to spy on terror suspects by deploying malicious e-mails. The e-mails would contain Trojans - software that secretly installs itself on suspects' computers, allowing agents to search the hard drives. German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble is quoted as saying the spyware would be used only in a few cases and for a limited time – we believe you don’t we? The measure would form part of a new anti-terrorism bill. A spokeswoman for the opposition Free Democrats called the proposal a totally unacceptable intrusion into privacy. But a spokesman for the Chancellor said she supported the measure. According to German media reports, the malicious e-mails could appear to come from different official bodies. I must admit I am surprised that they are actually telling us about this; I’m sure that many government bodies are either already doing this or thinking about it. Big Brother may not be watching you, but he is eying your computer.