Archive for the ‘Technology’ Category
Monday, July 7th, 2008
Web 3.0 – Could it unseat Internet giants like Google?
Microsoft’s acquisition of Powerset signals the building of a future when the world could have access to virtual “software agents†who “roam†across the Web, taking care of the day-to-day hassles of humankind. It’s called a “Semantic Web” and it really could change the Internet at a fundamental level.
Move Your Business from Windows to Linux
If the cost of Windows is getting your small business down, consider shifting to Linux.
10 Tips for Securing Linux Desktops
You might find these suggestions to be pure common sense, but maybe you’ll see a means of security you never thought of before. If you’re a new Linux user, these tips are a great place to start to ensure that your Linux experience is a good one.
Social Media Sites that Deserve Your Affection
There are so many websites out their that serve the same purpose as Digg, Twitter, and Myspace. The question is; which of these websites are actually worth your time? Since time is one of the most valuable resources that us humans try to utilize, I’ll explain some of the social media sites that are worth using, and why.
Why Don’t More People Use OpenOffice?
Why don’t more people use OpenOffice, the free and open source alternative to Microsoft Office? Microsoft has spent years and dollars engineering creative ways to keep people using its costly software and preventing them from switching to OpenOffice — that’s one explanation, writes Lou Dolinar.
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Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
Boy, that title is pretty long.
Yesterday, Laura and I went shopping. We first went up to Home Depot in Enfield, CT. I got a bunch of stuff, most of which I can hardly remember right now. I am sure I’ll write about it when I start using it.
Then, we went to Circuit City and got some stuff. After that, we went to Costco for food shopping. Just to let you know, Costco in Enfield has a gas station for members. Gas around here is $4.39 per gallon. I paid $4.05 yesterday at the Costco gas station. It averages about 30 cents less per gallon than regular gas stations.
Back to Circuit City. While there, I picked up some Sony bookshelf speakers that I am going to use for the new downstairs. I also picked up some new computer speakers. The computer speakers I was using up until yesterday were Altec Lansing and getting pretty old. I gave them to Laura as a hand-me-down. I got a hand-me-up to the new Bose Companion® 2 Series II Multimedia Computer Speakers.
When I was looking at them in the store, I kept asking the guy (kid) if they had an amp in them. I was worried that they might be like those cheap Dell speakers you get with a new computer. You should probably have someone standing next to you hitting two pans together than using those Dell speakers. Man, if I had a nickle for every pair of them I threw away.
He never gave me an answer. He just kept saying that these Bose speakers were the best brand they had in the store. Since I never quite got an answer out of him, I just bought them and decided that I would return them if they were horrible.
I got home and hooked them up. Right after that, I hooked up the Altec Lansings to Laura’s computer, which made her very happy. Now she can pump the bass. Back to my speakers. I turned on Media Player and was quite impressed. All that stuff Bose says about themselves is pretty true. The speakers are very clear and I can now hear sounds I never heard out of my old speakers. It’s pretty amazing what they can do with half the size and weight of something.
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Friday, April 25th, 2008
Back in the old house, we had DSL for about 2 1/2 years. It worked well with only a few minor issues. Towards the end, I did begin inquiring about more upload and download speed. I called Frontier and they said I was maxed out…that’s all they had. The reason I needed more speed is because I have a few weekly chores I need to do which required downloading about a gig’s worth of files. It has gotten pretty nonsensical.
Yesterday, we had the guy from Comcast cable come over to hook up the TV, phone and internet package. After a while, he got it all hooked up. I did some work last night and then some again this morning, but didn’t notice all that much more speed. I think the DSL we had before had a download speed of 1.5 Mbps (short for megabits per second). I am not sure what we have now, but I do know that a file that used to take about 10 minutes to download now takes about 3. That makes my life doing chores a heck of a lot faster. I think I heard something about 6 Mbps, but I’m not sure.
Come to find out, after talking to my hosting company today, I need a static IP address, not a dynamic one. This is for one reason or another. I called Comcast regarding this and was connected to the business area. I may have to get my package split up…the internet under a business account and the TV and phone under a residential account. They are going to call me on Monday.
What’s the point of this post? I think cable is faster than DSL.
Ok, bye.
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Saturday, April 12th, 2008
I ran out to Circuit City this morning to pick up a new router and wireless card for my desktop computer. We already had a wireless router, but I am afraid that one won’t go the distance in a larger house. Also, I wanted to make my computer wireless like Laura’s and the laptop.
When I got to the store, I browsed through the equipment. I had some stuff in my hand, but then started really looking through everything else. As I understand it, there are a few different speeds and ranges that routers and cards offer. There is the “b” speed that came out first. Then, there is the “g” speed that is now a few years old and a lot faster than the “b.” I thought that was as fast as things got, so that is what I was looking for. After reading boxes for a bit, I realized there is now a “n” speed. This offers 4X the range and 12X the speed of “g.” That’s what I’m talkin’ bout.
I bought the WMP300N Wireless-N PCI Adapter here…
…that came with this massive antenna…
Now, that’s no wimpy little antenna that sticks out of the back of my computer. That sucker sits on top.
The recommended product to go with this card is the WRT300N Wireless-N Broadband Router, which I got too. Now, remember, this router offers 4X the range and 12X the speed of its predecessor. It will also wash your hair in the morning. Here’s a pic…
I hooked everything up and it works well. I like the fact that there is a security feature that stops my neighbors from using my far reaching bandwidth. If you want to connect to my network, you need a long password key. I already set all the computers up with it. I don’t notice any extra speed with my current DSL because I was hardwired into my old router, but once we make the switch to cable, we should see a big jump.
Please write your opinions on this topic, I will try not to argue.
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Saturday, March 29th, 2008
First Algae Biodiesel Plant Goes Online April 1, 2008
PetroSun has announced it will begin operation of its commercial algae-to-biofuels facility next month. The facility will produce an estimated 4.4 million gallons of algal oil and 110 million lbs. of biomass per year off a series of saltwater ponds spanning 1,100 acres.
80 Excellent Adobe Photoshop Video Tutorials
80 excellent Adobe Photoshop video tutorials which you can use as a starting point to improve your skills or observe how other professional do their job. This posts present Photoshop video tutorials about speed painting, design of buttons and interfaces, beauty retouching, digital matte painting, photo manipulation, effects and much more.
ZeroHouse: Automatically Generates Power, Collects Own Water
This completely self-sustaining prefabricated house generates its own power, collects its own water, processes its own waste and is 100% automatic. Versatile, durable and site-sensitive, ZeroHouse can be erected in almost any location in one day with steel frame components and a helical-anchor foundation system that requires no excavation.
Canada Goes Nutso Over Earth Hour
For some reason the entire country has gone a bit crazy over Earth Hour. Earlier this week more people had signed up for it online in Canada than in the entire United States, with ten times the population. The US has slipped ahead by a few thousand right now, but in Canada one in 606 citizens is on board; in the US it is one in 5,347.
Solar Thermal Electricity: Can it Replace Coal, Oil & Gas?
Some people are starting to believe that Solar Thermal Technology can supply over 90% of grid power, while reducing carbon emissions. High-efficiency is achieved because solar thermal plants do not need to convert energy to another form in order to store it. The future certainly looks bright for solar thermal technology!
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Thursday, March 27th, 2008
Top 15 Unexpected Uses For Biodiesel
While virtually everyone is familiar with the use of biodiesel as a substitute for diesel fuel, there are a few novel uses that may not have crossed your radar. Biodiesel can produce hydrogen, clean up oil spills, degrease your tools, heat your home, and more.
Does the Human Brain Possess Potential Super-Powers?
Some of the most incredible minds on Earth lack the ability to filter irrelevant facts and can retain information at incredible rates. Somehow their brains are able to store & access incredible loads of info, even perceiving & relating to this info in an entirely different way. Some scientists even believe that our brains could possess super-power.
Top 10 2008 Hybrids
Hybrid rankings have often been simplistic: Most are little more than lists of the highest-mileage models on the market. Here, we ranked hybrids based on how much fuel savings they get when compared to their non-hybrid version, as well as how much all that saved gas is going to cost you.
Vista SP1: Threat or Menace?
But given how customers who have upgraded from XP have struggled with driver and application incompatibilities, it’s no surprise that many are gun-shy of the latest update.
Paint on Solar Power!
The idea is to coat every piece of steel cladding with a solar cell paint. As steel is passed through the rollers multiple coatings of of the solar cell system are applied to it. Based on the preliminary research, the materials that are being applied are suited to capturing low level solar radiation, which means that they should work just as well.
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Saturday, March 8th, 2008
Tips On How To Choose the Right Recycled Paper
When you go to the store and stand in front of the many reams or packages of paper, it’s hard to know what to buy.
Solar Collecting Roads Heat Buildings in Denmark
Solar is a highly efficient for heating water. Combining it with underground storage, and a year-round system can be created where the system can cover heating requirements in the winter and cooling in the summer.
10 Most Beautiful Bridges in the World
Bridges are stylish: from classical to modern, they are as much a work of art as they are marvels of engineering. To celebrate the wonders of “classic” bridges, here are Neatorama’s picks for the Top 10 Most Beautiful Bridges in the World.
NBC11 First TV Station In U.S. To Be Powered By Wind
As of Friday, March 7, 2008, NBC11 has become the first television in the U.S. to be powered by wind. The station has offset its electricity with 100 percent certified energy certificates, according to station officials.
When To Use An Ultraviolet System To Purify Your Drinking Water
Ultraviolet (UV) light water filtration and purification has been used for well over one hundred years to make drinking water safe. Today it is used by some of the largest cities in the world to purify their municipal drinking water supplies. These cities include New York, Rotterdam, Seattle, and many others in Europe, Asia, and North America.
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Thursday, February 21st, 2008
I have been introduced to Second Life. I would like to say thank you very much. I can feel an addiction coming on.
A few day ago, my Uncle Bob suggested that I give Second Life a try. We could hang out and have a few drinks. It took me a few days to give it a whirl because I was in the middle of so many things. By the way, whenever I don’t write a blog post, it means I am busy. I usually have no trouble coming up with stimulating content. Anyway, I did manage to get online the other night to sign up for a free account. Basically, you go to the website and fill in the usual information. After that, you are brought to a page that asks for you to make up a name. They supply a list of last names, but you have to come up with the first. At first, I tried to use “Jay,” but that was taken already…with every last name they offered. Then, I tried a few more and they were all taken too. I decided to go with my initials. Every last name wasn’t taken and I was offered a list of available last names to go with the first. I decided to go with that last name, “Jones.” So, my Second Life name is Jones, just in case you want to stop by and visit.
After that, they sent out a verification email. Once I received the email and clicked the verification link, I was brought to a web page that had a download link. I had to download the Second Life program for my PC. Then, I had to install it and log in.
I really have to say that I am quite impressed. I didn’t know what all the buzz was about, but after logging in, I soon learned exactly why people were raving. It’s sort of like a video game that connects to the internet. From what I gather, once you are a member, you can buy land and assets…anything you want. You are able to chat with other people that are currently logged into Second Life and you can even voice chat. You are able to do so many things…it’s virtually a “Second Life.” I guess that is why they call it a virtual world.
One thing that you have to remember is that it isn’t a game. People use real money to buy things (converted into Linden Dollars). You can build assets and join groups. There are several high profile companies that have properties in Second Life.
I enjoyed my first visit into the virtual realm very much and plan to return soon. There is a lot to learn.
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Saturday, February 16th, 2008
This morning, the nice UPS man dropped off a little package for me at the door. This has been a busy week for him, because I ordered four things. It’s not my fault, I just keep coming up with these great ideas.
In case you were curious, he dropped off the webcam I told you about in my last post. I was fairly excited to hook it up, but since the whole webcam thing happened yesterday, I already knew what to expect. The webcam I ordered was the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000. Here are the features as per the Logitech website:
* Carl Zeiss® optics: Get more detail and clarity from Carl Zeiss® optics. Logitech’s glass lens designed in collaboration with Carl Zeiss®, the global leader in camera optics.
* Premium autofocus: Your images stay razor-sharp, even in close-ups.
* HD video: Video calling and sharing has never looked so real at 960 by 720 pixels.
* Higher megapixel performance: A true two-megapixel sensor. Up to eight-megapixel* photos (enhanced).
* RightLightâ„¢2 Technology: Adjusts intelligently to produce the best possible images in dimly lighted or poorly backlighted settings.
* Integrated microphone with RightSoundâ„¢ Technology: Enjoy crystal clear conversations, free from echo** and annoying background noise.
* Ultra-wide field of view and intelligent face tracking: Keeps you right in the middle of the action.
I installed the software and hooked it up. I went through all the setting and then plugged in the USB cord (of which ports I have run out of). Then, I saw myself…about 20X more clear than yesterday. Wow. The lighting is really good as compared to the lighting yesterday. The clouds may have caused that. This one is two megapixels and has a nice microphone. It was built just for the purpose I am going to use it for…talking to James.
Now, I am just waiting for Stephanie to call me so I can try it out live.
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Thursday, February 14th, 2008
Who Will Control Advertising on the Web?
Exactly how are companies going to make money on the social web? The path to the next generation of online advertising does indeed remain murky, but two new deals may provide a little light.
Google Experimental Search with Digg Style voting
Straight from google experimental labs, they’re experimenting on search engine ranking which can be influenced by users via a “vote†(sort of like digg).
Overhaul of net addresses begins
The first big steps on the road to overhauling the net’s core addressing system have been taken. On Monday the master address books for the net are being updated to include records prepared in a new format known as IP version 6. Widespread use of this format will end the shortage of addresses that sites can be given.
How Big Is the Web? 155,583,825 Sites – Report
A January Netcraft survey estimates that there were last month 155,583,825 WEB SITES ON THE INTERNET.
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