Saturday 17 March 2007

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Tech News

Microsoft has stuck a back door in the Vista activation system. If you go through the steps documented, it will reset the 30-day activation timer to your liking. There are numerous activation hacks available on the Internet, but this is actually documented by Microsoft for large businesses. Microsoft could patch this, but people could easily avoid it.

The hackers who hijacked a MacBook in 60 seconds over the WiFi turned out to be fake. They had to install a 3rd party WiFi card in order to do the hack.

OpenID is the idea that you can create an identity that will follow you around on the Internet. You’ll go through your OpenID provider, like ClaimID, use one username and password, and access any website that support OpenID.

2idi will allow you to send email to someone using a web-based form so that they can prevent spam. For example, you can email Leo using the service.

Super Genpass will generate a unique password for every site you go to. You only have to remember one password though. The downside to it is that you have to run a script everytime you use it.

Then there is Roboform which will generate and manage passwords and forms. 1Passwd is a similar tool for the Mac.

Guests

Steve Gibson on Security:

• Became interested in security once he saw open ports from his neighborhood on the Internet
• Over 50 million computers have been tested with Shields Up
• Machines not only have identifiable numbers (IP addresses), but also have “ports” which traffic enters and leaves from
  • Web addresses, like amazon.com, are actually reformatted to IP addresses to connect to servers
• If on the Internet, ports shouldn’t be left open
• Routers and firewalls close ports to the outside
• Shields Up will send probe packets to see if ports are open
  • 3 states: open, closed, and “stealth”
    • Would rather not be seen than be told that you are closed

Paul Thurott on Windows Flip3d:

• Alternative to alt-tab
  • Can use it by pushing Windows key+tab
• Can click to a window in the flip3d and it will automatically jump to it
• If you can configure mouse buttons, can configure a button to automatically run Flip3D
• C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe dwmapi.dll #105 command will run Flip3d

Dick Debartolo with the weekly gadget:

• Fun Friends
  • Makes stuffed animal covers for cell phones, ipods, etc
  • Even makes college mascot covers
  • Check out the Leo the Lion

Hour 1

Q Serena from San Diego - Getting new cell phone on Sprint

• Got offer from Sprint to get new phone because contract expiring
• People used to complain about RAZR
  • Gotten much better
• Samsung A900 is a great phone
• Same with the Sanyo Katana
• All 3 phones are very similar
  • Slim clamshell phones
• Leo thinks Sanyo and Samsung are superior to RAZR
• Go with Samsung if you want best camera

Q Chris from Croatia - Step-down transformer burned out

• Was using a Linksys adapter
• Used step-down voltage converter
  • Burned out
• Go with 1000 milliamp converter

Q Mike from El Segundo, CA - Best way to make high quality voice recordings

• Don’t want to use analog inputs
• You want to have digital interface
  • M-Audio Fast Track will convert standard XLR microphone to USB
• Rode Podcaster microphone has USB output

Q Jim from Newport Beach - Hum when plugging audio source into Audigy sound card

• Exactly what Leo talked about last call
• Audigy card not grounded
• Get a USB audio connector
  • Griffin iMic
  • M-Audio Fast Track

Hour 2

Q Julie - Laptop for college for son

• Get a Kesington lock
• Try the pointing devices
  • Most laptops have trackpads
  • Lenovo/IBM Thinkpads have the little nub
• If getting a Windows laptop, getting Vista
• Can also go Mac
• Need to make sure that specific applications college may use will work with Vista
• Leo likes Dell
• In store: Fujitsu, Acer, Toshiba
• In most cases, can get a larger battery
• Want to get a Core 2 Duo processor
• Get a “combo drive”
  • CD burner, DVD drive
• If running Vista, get 2gb RAM
• Office 2007 Student and Home edition does not include Outlook

Q Larry from Palmdale - E-waste

• Epson printer clogged
• In print driver software, can run cleaning routine
• Can buy replacement printer head
• Can also clean printer head
  • At your own risk

Q Erin from Santa Monica - Can’t access hard drive

• Even if you’re admin on computer, won’t let you access files without taking ownership of them
  • Microsoft has a Technote regarding that

Q Jennifer from Eagle Rock - Low end laser printer for Mac

• Looking for color laser printer
• Color lasers a bit expensive
• Konica Minolta 2500w a good choice

Q Joe from Corona - PocketPC phone with features similar to Dell Axim

• Wants a larger screen
• Look at HP iPaq
• HTC has a phone known as the 8525 on Cingular and MDA on T-Mobile

Hour 3

Q Patrick from Michigan - Nintendo DS WiFi Dongle

• Just like adding another WiFi point at your home
• Enjoy it!

Q David from Los Angeles - Taking forever to open/save files on Desktop

• Only in dialog boxes
• May taking a while to parse through icons on desktop
  • Clear out the icon cache
• TweakUI will allow you to clear out the cache

Q Craig from Winter Springs - Flash player not working

• May need to update
• Go to Flash site
• Installs differently on Firefox vs. Internet Explorer
• Probable that installation is corrupted or browser is confused
• Uninstall/reinstall should fix it

Q Scott - Optical scanning (OCR)

• Leo uses an Epson Perfection scanner
• On the Mac, expensive OmniPage Pro for OCR software
  • Readiris Pro
• OCR and Speech recognition 2 areas where Mac lags behind Windows

Q Devin from West Covina - High speed Internet PC card from mobile carriers

• Sprint/Verizon have the fastest networks
• Make sure it will cover where you are located
• HSDPA technology will give you even faster speeds
• Go with the Verizon EVDO Rev A card

Q Darrel - Wants to install Windows XP over Vista

• Doesn’t like Vista
• Windows XP install says newer version available
• Just format the drive, then install XP
  • Afterwards, can partition and install Vista