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Saturday 3 March 2007

Show Audio

Tech News

Download free ringtones from endangered species.

Mike Lazzazzera came by to talk about free files on the Internet.

Steve Gibson on security:

• Danger of open WiFi networks
  • Unless connection is secure to services is secured, information completely out in the open
  • People getting email passwords to send spam
  • All email servers have ability to give secure connection
  • If you type https://mail.google.com, connection to Gmail is secure
    • Works for most other sites
  • Can use VPNs to secure
    • Leo uses HotSpot VPN
  • Listen to Security Now Episode 10 for more info

Paul Thurott with a Windows Vista tip:

• Can change size of icons on the desktop
  • Click on desktop
  • Hold control key
  • Use scroll wheel on mouse to change size
• Can change DPI
  • Right click desktop & click Personalize
  • On left side, click Adjust Font Size (DPI)

Scott Wilkinson talked about Blu-Ray and HD-DVD

• As of now, subjectively, HD-DVD looks better
• LG BH100 is a great choice
  • Does not support HD-DVD interactive features
    • Started life as Blu-Ray player
  • Not possible to get interactive features via firmware update
  • If you have money, jump for it
• Toshiba is no longer only manufacturer of HD-DVD players
• Impossible to determine winner
• Can get Xbox 360+HD-DVD player, PS3 (which has Blu-Ray player) for exact same price as BH100 player

A middle school teacher in Kentucky accidentally sent a text message to a police officer instead of her pot dealer. Needless to say, she was arrested.

Windows Live OneCare scored the worst in a comparison test with other programs. It scored a measly 82% detection rate.

CompUSA is closing 100 of its 229 stores. They apparently had $100 million in unsellable inventory. The company has a list of the closing stores.

Hour 1

First half hour will be posted after the show.

Q Michael from Los Angeles - Wants to promote book

• Wrote book towards Harry Potter age group
• Wants to promote website: Wish Seekers
  • Wants to self-publish via website
• Post on Harry Potter message boards
• Ask to get on Harry Potter podcasts
• Can release some readings of chapters on Internet
• Lulu is great service for self-publishing
  • Will put on Amazon
  • Will give over 50% profit
• Promotion via mainstream media still more successful than other ways

Hour 2

Q Adrian from France - Making it appear that user from America

• Wants to listen to American radio streams in other countries
  • Advertisers only pay for national ads
• Streaming costs money per listener
• Number of anonymous proxy servers on Public Proxy Servers
• The Onion Router (Tor) routes through numerous proxies and slows down usage a lot
  • Purpose of anonymity

Q Frank from Pennsylvania - Running Vista on MacBook Pro

• WiFi won’t work
• Boot Camp does not officially support Vista
• Need Atheros 5006 driver for Vista
• More info to solve problem at Insanely Mac forum
• Leo prefers Parallels

Q David from Harrisburg - Looking for smartphone compatible with the Mac

• Don’t need mp3 player, camera
• Blackberry 8700g and Pearl offered from T-Mobile
  • Free PocketMac will allow you to sync
• Tmobile Dash also a great choice
  • Need The Missing Sync to sync with Mac

Q Max from Laguna Woods, CA - Wants to swap 123 and 789 keys on num pad

• Need custom keyboard configuration
• Then can swap keys
• Tutorial on annoyances.org to change keyboard mapping

Q Dominic from Anaheim Hills, CA - AVG turned firewall on

• Can’t connect to public network
  • Windows firewall says Norton Worm Protection is on
• Already ran Norton uninstaller
• Try uninstalling everything
  • Then rerun Norton uninstaller
• Not sure why AVG turned on firewall
  • Maybe Windows simply labeled it
• Try running Easycleaner registry cleaner
  • JV Powertools also helpful

Hour 3

Q Brad from West Coast, CA - Outlook not remembering passwords on Vista

• Registry key may be locked or not being saved
• Microsoft has a knowledge base article regarding the issue.

Q Windows Mobile 5 and syncing

• Sync not seeing the device
• Any suggestions? Contact Leo

Q Jim from Covina, CA - Vista not running DVD burner

• May be a compatibility issue
• Try getting latest firmware

Q Tony from Texas - Using same computer for recording and web surfing

• Probably good idea to keep it off Internet
• No viruses for Mac, no spyware for the MAc
  • No real need to worry about it
  • Be careful about downloading
    • To prevent bloat

Q Justin from Lake Forest, CA - Fonts not matching up between Windows and Mac Office

• Need to reset page setup
• Truetype fonts should be moveable
  • Try copying the fonts over

Q Shane from New York City - Syncing email on 2 machines

• Can tell Mail.app to not delete email
• Leo uses FastMail IMAP service