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HUMOR: Vista Upgrade Decision Making Made Easy
2007-02-01 17:13:00
I don't know about you, but I've been torn about upgrading some of my PCs to Vista . Sure, I've played with it on a test box and in a virtual PC, but am I really ready to make the commitment? On the one hand, there's better security; on the other, there's the intrusive, draconian DRM for HD technologies. Now, thanks to the guys at BBSpot you can walk through the decision making process in a few simple (and humorous) steps: Vista Upgrade Flowchart. - Hutch
More About: Humor , Decision , Made , King

HACKING: CHEAP BUT NOT FREE
2007-01-18 21:43:00
I am what you might call, frugal.  Okay, maybe you'd call it stingy, but I just can't bear to part with my money (or my department's money) when I don't have to.Today at work our HP cp1700 informed us that the yellow ink cartridge had expired.  Mind you, it didn't say it was "low", just "expired".  Never mind we were printing a black and white text document and didn't need yellow.  The printer refused to continue in its duties until we coughed up some coin for its alma mater ("Don't make me call the mother-ship").  Funny thing is the cartridge is still half full.Now, I had heard the horror stories online about this issue and read about the lawsuits, but I had never experienced the utter frustration that is HP customer satisfaction for myself.  Thankfully, my mighty minions of meta (READ: people  on the Internet) were able to rescue me from the terrors of pointless purchase peril.Doing a quick Google search (no, it's not a verb), I came across fixyourownprinter.com an...
More About: Free , Hack , King , Cheap

WEB APPS: Houston, We Have a Vision
2007-01-10 05:43:00
Apollo.  No, we're not talking about the god of Greek mythology, nor the U.S. manned missions to the moon.  No, not even the fighter pilot from Battlestar Galactica (both original series and SciFi channel version).  No, Apollo is the code name for Adobe's venture into taking Flash and Adobe Reader out of the browser and onto the desktop [see video here].  They're not alone.I've been anxious to see things like goowy or iscrybe come to fruition as local clients that work seemlessly online and off.  I may be connected to the net 99% of the time, but as a laptop user that 1% is still important to me.  I can't commit to google calendar if I can't get to it 100% of the time.  Now it sounds like ajax developers, java developers, and adobe developers are seeing the opportunity to be everything to everyone, regardless of their online status.  Since these development platforms are all mutli-OS compatible, you can develop one app and get it out to everyone at once.  And you ca...
More About: Have , Sion , Houston , Visi , Vision

iPHONE: Add Me To The List...
2007-01-10 05:26:00
Yes, I will probably be one of those sheeple who charge down to the Apple store the first day the iPhone is available.  I've been waiting for a smart phone, and my Razr (though I love it) just doesn't cut it.  I've gone the PDA route and found that to be too limiting and slow--besides, the ham hocks I call hands just weren't made to hold a stylus.After all the waiting and hype I was honestly expecting the iPhone to disappoint.  Other than the knowledge that I'm going to have to find an extra $50 in my monthly budget for EDGE connectivity, I was severely impressed with Mr. Jobs announcement.  When he said the iPhone was a monumental leap forward, he wasn't kidding.  I'll be anxious to see what the other guys do in the intervening months before the iPhone's release.  Guess it's time to slow production on those Treos and Qs.- Hutch
More About: Iphone , List , The List

GAMING: Greetings, Dr. Falken. Do You Want To Play a Game?
2006-11-08 03:28:00
I've been reliving some of that cold war, 1980's, Red Dawn angst by watching Jericho on CBS, and I recently screened Wargames for my teenage son (who, quite to my surprise, enjoyed it immensely).  So imagine my post-apocalyptic joy when Macworld mentioned a game (PC only for now, but available for the Mac soon) called DEFCON: Everybody Dies.  It's the old Global Thermonuclear War game (which I sorely loved on my C64) on steroids.  The downloadable demo has both single player and online multiplayer modes.  I haven't fired it up yet only because I knew that if I did, this post would have been delayed...significantly.  Just remember, in a game where everybody loses, it can still be fun to try and lose the least.- Hutch
More About: Gaming , Play , Greetings , Game , Want

FUN: Find a Career in Law Enforcement
2006-11-02 20:20:00
I'm not a cop, but I play one on TV. In my pre-teen years I remember getting hold of a detective kit. It came with fingerprinting powder, cards and tape, evidence bags, crime scene logs, and a face-kit for building suspect pictures based on witness descriptions. Well now, thanks to the Interweb and a little German ingenuity, you too can play detective and help your witnesses build a suspect sketch. Check out the flash tool at flashface.ctapt.de. You're supplied with a bevy of eyebrows, facial hair, and noggin shapes that'll make your head spin. So grab your badge and go find that "person of interest" with renewed confidence. - Hutch
More About: Fun , Men , Force , Find , Care

NEWS: This Isn't Your Father's RSS--Or Is It?
2006-10-31 17:39:00
I love my RSS readers (yes, I use more than one), however I despise truncated content. I know that these poor, old web sites need traffic for advertising revenue, but that's what the ads at the bottom of each feed are supposed to help with.On the other side of the information equation, I get tired of subscribing to e-mail newsletters. I get too many of them. I don't have time to read them. By the time I do read them, they're no longer fresh news. Sadly, I often lie awake at night worrying about what possible nugget of knowledge I've lost when I hit the delete key. Not really.So what's a news-hungry, RSS-savvy, e-mail-newsletter-hating tech guy like yours truly supposed to do? Well, according to Scott Bourne on a recent episode of MacBreak Weekly, you turn to SimplyHeadlines.com. SimplyHeadlines lets you pick from various pre-screened feeds, or add your own. So, I took the plunge and subscribed to a daily digest of one of my favorite blogs, and here's the result:Now, you'll no...
More About: News , Your , This , Father , Our Father

MEDIA: TV for Your PC
2006-10-26 06:17:00
Granted, if you have a modern desktop computer, a good size monitor and a comfortable viewing area, you've always had a way to watch TV via your PC: hardware add-ons.  Media ready PCs and laptops are now even available with built-in tuners and Tivo-esque recording options.  However, in the age of iTunes, bit-torrent, and the downloadable movie, where is commercial TV going?  The answer is quite simple: online streaming.I've recently had issues with my Comcast broadband service giving me intermittent connectivity, but even so these online streaming options have been worthwhile.  Say, for example, the IR blaster on your PVR decides not to change the channel and record the latest episode of your favorite show?  Or maybe you don't have enough money for the generation 3 Tivo, and your PVR won't record two shows at the same time on different channels.  Well that knock on your door isn't opportunity, it's the networks looking to retain some advertising revenue.I am of those peo...
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NOSTALGIA/GAMING: Admiration for Aging Emulation
2006-10-25 16:59:00
Back in the day, I was the proud owner of a Commodore64. And while the sound and graphics (especially on my 19" color TV) seemed to blow away the competition, I have to admit that I always suffered from a bit of Apple II envy. Quite frankly the Apple II had the games that appealed to me (Wizardry, Time Traveler, Ultima), and most of these never made it to the C64. Well, envy no longer, VirtualApple.org has all this and more available for free (donations accepted) online. I heard about this on a recent episode of TWIT, but evidently this thing has been on digg and slashdot for a while too. Sadly, you will have to use IE on Windows to play (this is the reason God created Parallels for your Mac). I plan on spending a rainy day living in the 80's soon. You should too. - Hutch
More About: Gaming , Nostalgia , Aging , Mira , Ming

SECURITY: FEMA For Your PC
2006-10-23 17:04:00
Perhaps my titular comparison is a bit unfair, but it helps make the case. On a recent episode of Security Now, Steve and Leo were discussing the issues related to zero-day exploits--those nasty security bugs that get released into the wild with no notice from the evil-doers and little or no anticipation by Microsoft. And they have little possibility of being patched quickly. So what's an average user to do? Prayer definitely comes to mind, but remember, when the floodwaters are rising consider the boat and helicopter you're sent to be signs of divine intervention. A group of heroes has risen to the challenge and come to our PC's rescue: ZERT, the Zeroday Emergency Response Team. If you're a super surfer, rely on public wifi for connectivity, or just need to make sure you're safe from the daily onslaught of nefarious ne'r-do-wells that roam the cyber highways, you need to check them out. Now I've been trying not to be too cocky about such security issues since I've ma...
More About: Your

FREEWARE: App Hungry?
2006-10-23 06:39:00
Whether you're frugal, or (like me) just plain cheap, you need to check out Software for Starving Students at www.SoftwareFor.org. A huge list of amazing open-source, freeware, and donate-ware software is available for download in ISO (for Windows) or DMG (for Macs). You can check out links to the homepages of individual apps if you just like to browse, but if you want it to feel like Christmas has come a bit early, download the whole thing, burn it to a CD, and wrap it up. - Hutch
More About: Free , War , Freeware , Ware , Hungry

PRODUCTIVITY: Busy, Busy, Busy
2006-10-21 22:22:00
I just saw the article about Scrybe on TechCrunch--you owe it to yourself to take 7 minutes out of your busy schedule and watch the video on the Scrybe homepage right now.  I don't know if this will resolve ALL my issues, but this system looks to be quite powerful and resolve some of the problem that many of us face: online/offline availability, powerful task lists, web-based availability with desktop app versatility.Check it out now and sign up for a beta invite.- Hutch
More About: Product , Productivity , Prod , Busy

FAV5: Serendipitous Findings
2006-08-16 01:58:00
Amazingly, the Internet still manages to surprise me once in a while. Here are five of my accidental discoveries of late: Gruntmedia.com - Home of the videogrunt and podgrunt podcasts. Don't even know what a podcast is? Watch the first episode of podgrunt. I haven't gotten through all the available material, but from what I've seen so far I'm greatly impressed.Gotuit.com - Another one of those "catchy" play-on-words sites that hosts media content. But this isn't a free-for-all like YouTube, no here you can watch sports, news, etc., and actually pick a channel to watch. I know IPTV has a long way to go in the next few years, but if you want to see how it might look, check this out.Goggles - No, I didn't misspell Google. Goggles is a simple flying game you can play using Google maps. Give it a try--I managed to crash my plane on the moon.YouOS - Thanks to TechThisOut! for the heads-up on YouOS, the web-based operating system. Now, I've played with Goowy and Netvibes, b...
More About: Find , Serendip

BLOG: Loving the Sound of Your Own Vox
2006-08-08 21:59:00
Posting on blogspot since 2004 has been a great joy, however, there is a new game in town and it may not be a flash-in-the-pan. Vox.com is a new blogging service from Six Apart, the people who brought you Movable Type and TypePad. Blog ging front-ends are nothing new (heh, you're soaking in it), but vox has brought together the worlds of easy-blogging, and social networking. Check it out for yourself: hutchtech.vox.com. I'll probably continue to double-post for a while, but eventually a full switch may be in order--something I thought I'd never say. My only complaints are that I'd like some more themes and that I haven't found an easy way to keep my stats or use my blog-roll for adding my list of links to the site--but hey, vox is still great.A special thanks to Leo Laporte and Amber MacArthur for pointing it out on Inside the Net.- Hutch
More About: Sound , Your , Loving , Ving

TECH LIVING: Knowledge is Power - Be the DIY Expert on Everything
2006-08-07 18:11:00
I am a long time fan of Stephen Colbert (Stranger's With Candy, anyone), and so when his manic grin graced the cover of Wired Magazine this month, I was more than pleased.  Mr. Colbert was supposed to show us how to be an expert on everything.  But my joy was short lived as I realized that he was only writing the lead-in article, funny though it was, to a series of short lists about DIY expertise on various topics: optimizing your web site, how to work smarter, how to shoot like Spielberg, etc.  While each of these was supposed to have been compiled by a well-known expert in that field, I nearly quit reading in quiet protest.  I was promised a helping of Colbert, but was given only miniscule taste.  Good thing I kept reading though--the rest of the stuff is actually enjoyable.  Maybe even useful.  If you don't get the magazine, check out the online version here.  Just promise me that when you do become an everything-expert, you won't let it go to your head.- Hutch
More About: Living , Power , Tech , Everything , Knowledge

TECHTV: Business Week Magazine Diggs Kevin Rose
2006-08-06 19:33:02
Business Week has an interesting read on the new Silcon Valley rich kids [click here], including Tech TV alum Kevin Rose of Digg .com.- Hutch
More About: Business , Magazine

STORAGE: Free Storage at What Cost?
2006-08-04 21:26:00
I love all this free storage we're getting now, but what gives? Is bandwidth the only cost left on the Internet? TechCrunch has a great article [click here] on AOL's new offering (5GB), with links to Streamload (25GB) as well. Don't forget to check out their earlier storage round-up too. - Hutch
More About: Storage , Free , What , Cost , Hat

FAV5: Podcasts
2006-08-04 04:16:00
I listen to several Pod casts (and watch a few Video Podcast s /Vidcasts as well). These are a just a few of my favorites: [Note that I've linked the title for each of the podcasts to the iTunes subscription link.] This Week in Tech - As a huge fan of TechTV and Leo Laporte, how could this one not top my list? Leo and an ever-changing hodge-podge of TechTV alumni and other tech savvy guests discuss, you guessed it, the week in tech. By the way, there are a multitude of excellent podcasts on the twit.tv site, so check it out. The Daily Giz Wiz - Though it might be an acquired taste (it does actually make its own gravy), I just can't get enough of Leo and Dick DiBartolo (of MAD magazine fame) attempting to review a gizmo while entertaining one another--and us. If only it were the Hourly Giz Wiz.DL.tv - Digital Life TV is another great podcast featuring another of my favorite TechTV hosts: Patrick Norton (with a little help from his bubbly/demented sidekick Robert Herron). DL.tv is ab...
More About: Cast , Casts

FAV5: Stuff Hutch Just Can't Seem to Live Without
2006-08-04 03:30:00
One of the reasons I started this blog was to share interesting and useful tech stuff (READ: sites, tools, articles, etc.) with my friends and co-workers. E-mail seemed to just get lost in the mix, and wasn't all that appropriate when some of the topics might not be work-related. Blogging was the obvious solution. Even though I've strayed at times from my original format, the intention has remained the same: share interesting and useful tech information with a few thousand close friends.There are times that a simple list of these serendipitous findings will do just fine. Such are the FAV5 - five of my favorite tech-related links on a particular topic. Look for "FAV5" in the title from time to time for these tasty tech tidbits. Times change, tastes change, technology rolls on and so I am certain that these lists will continually change (and the links will eventually break), but I hope you'll enjoy them.- Hutch
More About: Just , With , Stuff , Live , Seem

SECURITY: Airport Starbucks Lead to Terrorism
2006-07-31 22:38:00
My headline may be attention getting, but it is hardly far from the truth.  At least according to Bruce Sterling's recent article in this month's Wired Magazine: Barbarians at Gate 8.  I don't often agree with Mr. Sterling's politics, but his writing is always enjoyable and thought provoking.  While that great promoter of anti-Babel, the Internet, seems to be a Westernizing influence at first glance, it is much more akin to the amoral flame.  The same fire that heats your home from the fireplace, can burn it down if not contained.I don't have any great insight in how to resolve this particular issue (both freedom and liberty can be used against themselves--see Rousseau), but I think this article is worth some pondering.- Hutch
More About: Security , Terrorism , Terror , Airport , Port

STORAGE: Drives, Drives Everywhere, But Not a Mac to Sync
2006-07-28 16:19:00
Space. No, not the final frontier, nor an odyssey, space is something we all need. We've got file servers, NAS, thumb drives, firewire/USB externals; you name it, we've tried it. But sometimes you need (or want) that storage to be available anywhere; or perhaps you just want it to be off-site for safe keeping. The web has always had various file storage/file sharing options, but those available today are simpler, more compatible, and often free. Personally, I rely heavily on iDisk. Sadly, it costs me money. The upside to iDisk (for the Mac user) is that it not only is online storage/backup, it also syncs my calendars, bookmarks, address book, etc. Fine, if you have more than one Mac. But all most of us really need is a file backup/storage solution. While we all wait for Google to release its upcoming G-Drive , what are the options? Here are just a few of the one's I've looked at (if you want more, check out the TechCrunch blog):- FolderShare - While technically NOT an o...
More About: Storage , Everywhere , Rage

GOOGLE: Release Your Inner Draftsman
2006-06-16 21:33:00
I loved architecture and engineering in High School. I wasn't great at it, but I enjoyed it. It probably didn't hurt that our teacher, Mr. Woods, was a fantastic and passionate educator. It just so happens that I was learning about drafting right as the transition from pen-and-paper to CAD was taking place, so I saw the best of both worlds. Now Google is allowing me to re-live those salad days and design things that actually look nice with yet another free tool: Sketch-up (http://sketchup.google.com). You've really got to watch some of the demo videos to appreciate how awesome this tool is. Not only can you create three-dimensional objects, you can place them in other spaces, say, Google Earth. While some of Google's recent beta launches have been met with skepticism, perhaps deservedly so, sketch-up may just help Google regain its reputation for giving away really cool tools.- Hutch
More About: Your , Draft , Release , Lease