Archive for the ‘Geek’ Category
We don’t need no stinking KVM! I Love Synergy+
Those of you who run dual monitor setups know it’s a godsend for productivity with the freedom it gives for multitasking. Granted, some might find it hard to justify buying a secondary display for their day-to-day computing needs. But if you already have a laptop to complement your main rig, or perhaps you do have another monitor but want to keep it attached to a secondary desktop, then there’s another solution for you.
Synergy+ is a cross-platform, open-source application that enables you to share a single mouse and keyboard with multiple computers — somewhat similar to a KVM but without special hardware. Once installed on all systems, you’ll have to pick which keyboard and mouse you want to share (server) and configure the secondary screens (clients) — detailed instructions are available here. The initial setup can be a little confusing, but after you have everything up and running you’ll be able to simply move your mouse to the edge of one screen and watch it seamlessly jump to another.
Of course, it’s not the same as having a multiple monitor setup as you can’t move programs or windows from one PC to the other, but you’ll be able to multitask using two independent systems at once with the same mouse and keyboard combo. Another cool feature that Synergy+ offers is the ability to copy and paste data between your computers.
The program is based on and implements many bug fixes to the original Synergy project by Chris Schoeneman, which hasn’t been updated in a few years. It’s free and available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux systems.
Here is it installed on my Dell Mini 9 with Snow Leopard, PC with Windows 7, and my PPC G5 with Leopard.
Download of the Week: Synergy+ – TechSpot News
Hack Attack: Turn your $60 router into a $600 router
Of all the great DIY projects at this year’s Maker Faire, the one project that really caught my eye involved converting a regular old $60 router into a powerful, highly configurable $600 router. The router has an interesting history, but all you really need to know is that the special sauce lies in embedding Linux in your router. I found this project especially attractive because: 1) It’s easy, and 2) it’s totally free.
After a relatively simple firmware upgrade, you can boost your wireless signal, prioritize what programs get your precious bandwidth, and do lots of other simple or potentially much more complicated things to improve your computing experience. Today I’m going to walk you through upgrading your router’s firmware to the powerful open source DD-WRT firmware.
For an alternative to DD-WRT with a simplified interface and fancy charts and graphs, check out another guide to turning your $60 router into a user-friendly super router with Tomato.
Hack Attack: Turn your $60 router into a $600 router
Moshare: SharePoint for iPhone
For I.T. departments tasked with supporting a wide range of mobile handsets, providing connectivity to internal resources, like SharePoint sites for example, becomes a larger challenge. That’s especially true for handsets that are more consumer-friendly as opposed to enterprise-ready.
But luckily for iPhone owners, there’s an app that can connect you to your company’s SharePoint sites via your device: Moshare. With this application, you can browse documents, send links, docs and texts, access contacts, view calendars and search across all data. Plus, you can access multiple SharePoint sites from the app, too.
Although you can’t edit or upload files using the app, it does provide quick access for read-only, file viewing…and sometimes, that’s all you need. Moshare is affordably priced at $1.99 and is available for download here.
Moshare: SharePoint for iPhone | Sarah In Tampa | Channel 10
If you want to buy a cheaper IPad, better wait for Amazon ?
Why ? Because some said that buying an IPad from amazon is way cheaper than buying IPad from online Apple store because of because tax charged. With IPad order from online Apple store, you’ll have to pay tax for around thirty or forty dollars but If you buy IPad from Amazon you can save more ! and this is not included Amazon’s discount yet.
Microsoft may create Office for iPad
T3 is reporting that Mike Tedesco, Microsoft’s Senior Product Manager for WindowsBU, stated that a version of Microsoft Office for the iPad is "something that we’re looking at." Tedesco stressed that he couldn’t make any official announcement today, but from the sounds of things, Microsoft is at least considering a version of Office for Apple’s newest creation.
The iPad already has the ability to run a productivity suite — Apple has created iPad-specific versions of its own iWork programs, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote for $9.99 each — but as T3 notes, bringing Office over to the iPad would go a long way toward establishing it as a legitimate productivity device. Whether those Office apps would be bundled together, offered individually, or cost as much as or more than iWork is, of course, impossible to say at this point. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more about Microsoft’s intentions.
Microsoft may create Office for iPad
8 Things That Suck About the iPad – apple #ipad
Big, Ugly Bezel
Have you seen the bezel on this thing?! It’s huge! I know you don’t want to accidentally input a command when your thumb is holding it, but come on.
No Multitasking
This is a backbreaker. If this is supposed to be a replacement for netbooks, how can it possibly not have multitasking? Are you saying I can’t listen to Pandora while writing a document? I can’t have my Twitter app open at the same time as my browser? I can’t have AIM open at the same time as my email? Are you kidding me? This alone guarantees that I will not buy this product.
No Cameras
No front facing camera is one thing. But no back facing camera either? Why the hell not? I can’t imagine what the downside was for including at least one camera. Could this thing not handle video iChat?
Touch Keyboard
So much for Apple revolutionizing tablet inputs; this is the same big, ugly touchscreen keyboard we’ve seen on other tablets, and unless you’re lying on the couch with your knees propping it up, it’ll be awkward to use.
No HDMI Out
Want to watch those nice HD videos you downloaded from iTunes on your TV? Too damned bad! If you were truly loyal, you’d just buy an AppleTV already.
The Name iPad
Get ready for Maxi pad jokes, and lots of ‘em!
No Flash
No Flash is annoying but not a dealbreaker on the iPhone and iPod Touch. On something that’s supposed to be closer to a netbook or laptop? It will leave huge, gaping holes in websites. I hope you don’t care about streaming video! God knows not many casual internet users do. Oh wait, nevermind, they all do.
Adapters, Adapters, Adapters
So much for those smooth lines. If you want to plug anything into this, such as a digital camera, you need all sorts of ugly adapters. You need an adapter for USB for god’s sake.
Update: Why stop at 8? Here are more things we are discovering that suck about the iPad.
It’s Not Widescreen
Widescreen movies look lousy on this thing thanks to its 4:3 screen, according to Blam, who checked out some of Star Trek on one. It’s like owning a 4:3 TV all over again!
Doesn’t Support T-Mobile 3G
Sure, it’s "unlocked." But it won’t work on T-Mobile, and it uses microSIMs that literally no one else uses.
A Closed App Ecosystem
The iPad only runs apps from the App Store. The same App Store that is notorious for banning apps for no real reason, such as Google Voice. Sure, netbooks might not have touchscreens, but you can install whatever software you’d like on them. Want to run a different browser on your iPad? Too bad!
8 Things That Suck About the iPad – apple ipad – Gizmodo
Creating a Mac-on-Stick using Mini vMac
Sure, OSX is pretty and functional, but can it fit on a 32mb flash drive? Mac-on-stick is a complete Mac OS 7.0.1 environment that runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, and even Pocket PC. Use it to run old-school apps or classic games like Dark Castle.
Running Linux, Windows or applications like Firefox, Thunderbird, and AbiWord from a USB flash memory device is old hat. How about a Mac 128K or Plus on a USB key? You may think of it as a curiosity, but a “portable” Mac system has a few practical uses:
- Play with old system software and applications without dusting off your old Mac.
- Impress your friends, or show others what the older Mac system looks like.
- Use Mac on Windows and Linux.
Creating a Mac-on-Stick using Mini vMac [LinuxBeacon]
The MakerBotWatch: Build your own watch / arduino
If you didn’t get the geeky watch you wanted for Christmas you should consider building yourself a MakerBotWatch. The watch is an Arduino, using an ATmega328 microcontroller running the bootloader. The watch has two concentric circles of LEDs for minutes and hours. A vertical row of four LEDs adds in the additional resolution needed to get 60 minutes on the watch face.
The schematic and board layout are available from an SVN repository so you can make your own board. The device will go into production as a kit but currently the laser-cut bezel will not be part of it.
[via Adafruit]
Convert Anything To ISO
here’s a list of free tools for converting from various proprietary disk image formats to the universally supported ISO format. Most of these converters are for Windows, though some also have versions for Linux.
Convert From…
BIN to ISO
IMG to ISO
DMG to ISO
UIF to ISO
NRG to ISO
DAA to ISO
MDF to ISO
Converting BIN to ISO
BIN is a very popular disk image format that stores the CD/DVD image in pure, raw form. Typically the .bin is accompanied by a .cue file – you will need both of them to convert the .bin to .iso. You can use one of these free converters :
- CDBurnerXP, a very good CD/DVD burning application with lots of additional features.
- BIN2ISO, a simple no-frills bin-to-iso converter.
- BIN to ISO Converter, an old – no, ancient – converter from the days of Win2K.
- If you’re on Linux here’s a how-to for you – How to convert .bin to .iso image.
Converting IMG to ISO
I’ve looked far and wide but couldn’t find any .img to .iso converters that would be truly freeware. So you’ll have to settle for using a shareware application to convert this format to ISO. Either of these will work : WinISO or UltraISO.
Converting DMG to ISO
DMG files are basically “ISO for Macs”, a different way to store disk images because OS X just Thinks Different™. How to convert DMG to ISO :
- dmg2iso, an old command-line utility (freeware). Here’s the command syntax :
dmg2iso file.daa file.iso
- IsoBuster, shareware. You can open a DMG file using this program and then use the Extract command (right click) to get the contents as ISO.
- If you’re on a Mac, use Disk Utility or hdiutil:
hdiutil convert /path/to/filename.dmg -format UDTO -o /path/to/savefile.iso
Converting UIF to ISO
UIF (a.k.a Universal Image Format) is a propiertary format used by MagicISO. I’ve already written about converting UIF to ISO before, so check out this post : UIF To ISO Converter.
Converting NRG to ISO
NRG files are another proprietary CD/DVD image format used by the Nero Burning ROM software. You can download a free trial of Nero and use that to convert NRG to ISO, or use one of the freeware utilities listed below :
- CDBurnerXP, a disk-burning app with a multitude of additional functions, .nrg to .iso conversion included.
- NRG2ISO – a popular tool, but doesn’t support all NRG files.
- nrg4iso – a more versatile and up-to-date NRG converter.
Converting DAA to ISO
DAA files by PowerISO DVD software. See one of my previous posts to find out how to convert DAA to ISO. Also, here’s a bit more info about the DAA file format.
Converting MDF to ISO
MDF is yet another proprietary format, used by the Alcohol 120% disc emulator/burner (shareware). Notable for the fact that most of the copy-protection info can be correctly saved when ripping a disc in this format. You can convert MDF files to ISO with mdf2iso (might be a bit tricky) or the Iso Analyzer Tool. Both tools have versions available for pretty much any popular operating system.
ø Convert Anything To ISO | W-Shadow.com ø
The iEverything
Thanks to @kirktcampbell for sending this in.
Andy Panda Comic – andypanda.co.uk Archive » The iEverything
Geek Goddesses Thru the Ages (PICS)
For decades, the science fiction and fantasy genres have done more than just inspire conventions and bad fanfic. They’ve given us an array of worship-worthy princesses, bad girls, and aliens.
Geek Goddesses Thru the Ages (PICS)
Brain Toniq – Finally a Drink For Us bigBrains
Brain Toniq is the world’s first organic, kosher, botanical-based, non-caffeinated think drink specifically designed for those who need more mental focus and clarity. Formulated out of plant extracts and natural compounds, the ingredients in Brain Toniq have a long, proven history for their effects on increasing brain power and cognition.
It is all organic, and kosher Brain Fuel.
Brain Toniq – The world’s first organic, botanical-based, non-caffeinated think drink
How to Put Games On Your Zune 2!
Can’t wait to play games on your Zune 2? Here’s what you need to get started. Jump over to ZuneBoards.com and see instructions from a forum member who gives you the step by step guidelines to get started.
They point to two games to get you started, Galactic Wars 3 and Alien Aggressors (if you know of any others, leave them in the comments here.) The first reply in the comments on the ZuneBoards site says "More complicated than I hoped." Keep in mind you’re in the land of early adopting here.
How to Put Games On Your Zune 2! | Sarah In Tampa | Channel 10
Customize Your Own Laptop Skin at Schtickers.com
Schtickers.com is a site that provides stock and custom skins for the back of your laptop. As the name implies, these are stickers, but they are high quality, and to give a professional finish. They have wide variety of stock skins choose from, but the real fun is designing your home. Feel free to order the bigBrains.com laptop skin by clicking on this link.
http://www.schtickers.com/catalog/laptopskins/create/preview.php?id=80247200803110247
