amaztype (seeing is understanding)

It is an interesting web site, that uses images from amazon products to create letters. It is more interesting then my description.

Star Wars Episode III Website (w/Trailers)

This is a cool Star Wars site, it has a music video called 'A Hero Falls', it also has some great picture and movie trailers for Episode III.

find-a-human

"Don't you hate waiting on hold, and navigating through IVR menus trying to reach an actual human?" (excerpt from site.)

Do you hate those IVR phone systems that say press this button, then that button, and so on, and so on? This site can help you to find a human by bypasing the IVR system.

Stage two of the podcasting revolution (Article)

I have ignored podcasting for the longest time, excusing it as another Internet fad without really examing it. Well, I recently started playing with the technology and I love it. It is not a perfect technology, but it is getting better. If you need to kill a few hours, and own an MP3 player this is a great technology to blow some time.

The audio productions that I have heard so far and very amateurish but there is still some good content. Don't discount the technology because it doesn't remind you of the what you hear on the radio. This stuff can be raw and uncensored.

Batman Begins - Trailer

Watch the Batman Begins trailer, it looks pretty cool...

SanDisk’s 8GB Cruzer Mini USB flash drive

I personally own a 1GB SanDisk’s Cruzer Mini USB flash drive that I take with me always. It was the largest USB flash drive available a few months ago. Now there's a 8GB version of this flash drive.

Cool Victorinox Swiss Army Knife

Here are some very cool Swiss army knife out there for geeks:
- CheckCyberTool: It has an awesome little tool set for repairing a computer.
- SwissMemory: A very cool like pocket knife, that has a detachable USB drive (up to 1GB)

An Example of a Badly Managed Project

Baseline Magazine reports the FBI spent a half billion dollars on a paperless office system, and it is still not completed. Here is an excerpt from the article: "So far, the FBI has spent $581.1 million for the Trilogy project, some $201.3 million more than originally budgeted. Of that total, Mueller has said the FBI invested $170 million to replace the Automated Case Support system, and must write off $104 million as a loss."

Episode 2: The Revenge of These Green Saviors

If you liked the Screen Savers, check out the ROTSS (Revenge of the Screen Savers). Here is an excerpt from the site: "Episode 2 of the podcast formerly known as ROTSS has been posted. This week join Patrick Norton, Kevin Rose, and me, as we discuss journalistic credibility, car stereo support for iPods, LAN Party addiction, and more."

If you have not had a chance to listen to the first show here it is.

Why Geeks and Nerds Are Worth It...

This is an interesting post, about the advantages of daiting geeks and nerds. It reminds of me a post that made it rounds on the Internet several years ago with a similar subject.

Dueling Dual-Core Systems: Overclocking Goes Mainstream (Review)

ExtremeTech reports: "Velocity Micro ships a 4GHz Intel Dual-core system, while Dell now lets users overclock its Pentium Extreme Edition 840 XPS system. We test the performance and stability of both."

Dual-Core Opteron Review by ExtremeTech

ExtremeTech reports: "Intel may have been first to the market with dual-core CPUs, but AMD is right behind them with its dual-core Opteron. We take a look at the performance of AMD's chip, compare it to Intel's, and find out who really has the best dual-core solution."

Dual-Core Opteron Review by ExtremeTech

ExtremeTech reports: "Intel may have been first to the market with dual-core CPUs, but AMD is right behind them with its dual-core Opteron. We take a look at the performance of AMD's chip, compare it to Intel's, and find out who really has the best dual-core solution."

Windows Longhorn 5048 Screenshots

This site has the most screenshots available, so far.

Longhorn Developer Preview (5048) Screenshot Gallery

Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows, has about six screen shots of the new Longhorn Developer Preview. The new interface looks pretty cool, but it still looks like Windows XP.

The BBC's H2G2 Project

"h2g2 is an unconventional guide to life, the universe and everything, an encyclopaedic project where entries are written by people from all over the world.

The Guide is written by visitors to the website - www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/ - and already it has thousands of entries on all sorts of subjects. It's a living, breathing guide that's constantly being updated and revised.

h2g2's inspiration came from Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy . Back in 1971, Douglas imagined a time when we'd have hand-held electronic devices that could access information about almost any place, object, time or event. This vision is now a reality in the form of h2g2 Mobile."

Personal Note: It is a pretty interesting site, kind of like Wikipedia. There is also a mobile version of the site for portable computing devices (require web access).

Windows XP Professional x64 edition review

CNET reviews 'Windows XP Professional x64 Edition', here is an excerpt : "Microsoft's first venture into 64-bit OSs is not for the faint of heart; only early adopters and those running 64-bit software should give Windows XP Professional x64 a try"

PS3 Concept Images Submitted by Users

This page has some cool PS3 concept images submitted by users. I don't believe any of them are official.

Free Upgrade to Windows XP Professional x64 Edition

Microsoft is offering customers a free upgrade to the Windows XP Profession x64 Edition, under their 'Technology Advancement Program'. This program is designed to assist people who have acquired a new 64-bit Computer with the intention of replacing the older licensed 32-bit version of Microsoft Windows XP Professional. See the web site for all the details.

Gates to Roll Out 64-Bit Windows

eWeek reports: "The release of the Windows XP Pro 64-bit client was the start of mainstream 64-bit client-side computing, Sullivan said, admitting the catch with this 64-bit release is that there are many devices for which 64-bit drivers have not yet been written."

Microsoft released the new version of the Windows XP Pro x64 Edition today. This version of Windows doesn't really add any new functionality with the exception of being able to take advantage of new 64-bit processors from Intel and AMD. Basically, what this means for you is that you can address more RAM and disk storage then before.

IE7 beta 1 – A few details…

Here is the latest news on Internet Explorer (IE) v.7 that I can find. Enjoy...

Best Picture of the Xbox 360

This is the best picture I have seen of the new Xbox 360. There is also this one. The only problem is I am not sure if any of these picture are real.

The Wyoming Winosock, this picture speaks for itself. 

Microsoft Reveals Longhorn Details (Article)

PC Magazine reports: "Allchin described Longhorn as nothing less than 'the OS platform for the next ten years.' It's on track for Beta 1 release this summer and final release for the 2006 holiday season."

This article list even more details on features that will be included with new Longhorn operating system. I wish some one would put together a long list of features, so you can read about everything in one place.

Make yourself look 40 years older.

Make yourself look 40 years older. All you have to do is upload your picture, and make a few selections and your ready to see what you will look like when your older.

The Revenge of The *Beeeep* (TROTSS.COM)

Our friends (Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, Kevin Rose and Robert Heron) from the Screen Savers are getting back together. Here is an except from the site: "This site is truly dedicated to the newly established The Revenge Of The *Bleep* group. To be reminded that this is not the official site for TROTSS, yet .. im dedicating this site for updates and stuff relating to TROTSS. We miss you guys on the show and hope one day you all will be have your own proper show again."

Happiness Is the Best Medicine

Wired News reports: "Whatever brings you happiness, be it lots of money, respect from your peers, a large bar of chocolate, it's hardly controversial to say that happy people are generally healthier than unhappy ones. That conclusion might be intuitively obvious, but just why are happy people healthier?"

This quote was published about three thousand years ago, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22 [NIV]). If there are any anti-God bible hating people out there, please keep your comments to yourself this is my blog.

U.S. Military's Elite Hacker Crew

Wired News reports: "The U.S. military has assembled the world's most formidable hacker posse: a super-secret, multimillion-dollar weapons program that may be ready to launch bloodless cyberwar against enemy networks -- from electric grids to telephone nets."

TROTSS (or The Revenge of The Screen Savers)

One of my favorite shows 'The Screen Savers' was killed by G4. They messed up one the best technology related shows on TV ever. I miss seeing Leo, Patrick, Kevin, and even Shara.

Well it looks like the show refuses to die, it looks like Leo is trying to bring the show back on Podcast (better then nothing).

Misbehaving stationery (Movies)

See misbehaving stationery, and ask yourself if anyone safe from its wickedness? Watch these video, they're hysterical.

FAQ: Getting a handle on Longhorn (Article)

I spoke too soon when I posted my last article on Longhorn, here is an interview with Jim Allchin, 'Windows Chief' (whatever that means). This article reveals even more information is revealed about the new OS, and system requirements.

No pricing information has been posted. I hope Microsoft doesn't screw up and charge an arm an a leg for it.

If you're like me, I can't see to get enough information on the subject. Inquiring minds want to know.

Update: Also check out: An early peek at Longhorn

Microsoft: Why Longhorn Matters (Article)

Eweek reports: "The doubts of naysayers aside, Longhorn is going to be a heck of a lot more than just Windows XP Service Pack 3."

This is one of the better articles that I have read on Longhorn, it has some new features listed that I have not heard about before that will be included in the OS on the second page. It also has a timeline/roadmap to when it will ship.

Windows 64-Bit Release Date Set (News)

Microsoft reported that it will begin shipping the 64-bit version of Windows XP Pro on the opening day of WinHEC on April 25th.

FAQ: Wi-Fi alphabet soup (Article)

Are you confused by all the different types of wireless networks out there? Do you know the difference between a 802.11b and 802.11n wireless access point? CNET News.com has a great article that explains all the latest Wi-Fi technologies (such as: 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11a, 802.11n, etc.).

Firefox 1.1 Scheduled For Beta End Of May (Article)

TechWeb News reports: "Besides general bug fixes, version 1.1 is to include tools for Mac users migrating from other browsers (including Apple's Safari), enhancements to Firefox's installing and managing of extensions, and improved patching procedures."

Firefox Patch on the Way for JavaScript Engine Flaw

eWeek reports: "The flaw, which puts users at risk of information disclosure attacks, already has been fixed in nightly builds, and volunteers at the foundation said a final release on Firefox 1.0.3 could come as early as Friday evening."

Are you ready for another update for Firefox? First there was v1.0.1, then v1.0.2, and v1.0.3, I think it only has been a few weeks between each of these updates. Now that Firefox is starting to become more popular, hackers are now attacking it. Any flaws it has will really be exposed, but it is good that Mozilla is fixing them as fast as it can.

Microsoft sets date for Xbox 2 debut (Article)

CNET News.com reports, "Microsoft will give the public its first glimpse of the next Xbox during a global MTV broadcast next month." So when is this event going to happen, "The program will air at 6:30 p.m. PDT Thursday, May 12 in the United States and at various times Friday, May 13 in other parts of the world. The show will be hosted by actor Elijah Wood, best known as Frodo in the "Lord of the Rings" films."

IBM pours a shot of methanol for ThinkPads (Article)

CNET News.com reports: "IBM and Sanyo Electric have put together a prototype of a fuel cell system for ThinkPad notebooks."

Fuel cells being used to power laptops is not a new idea, but it is great to see that the technology finally coming to the market. The methanol-based fuel cell are designed to provide power for laptop for up to eight hours.

The Feds can own your WLAN too (Article)

TomsNetworking reports that the FBI can hack a 128 bit WEP wireless connection in 3 minutes. Here is an excerpt from the article, "Millions of wireless access points are spread across the US and the world. About 70% percent of these access points are unprotected—wide open to access by anyone who happens to drive by. The other 30% are protected by WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and a small handful are protected by the new WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) standard."

Longhorn Delayed Again

Yahoo! News reports that Longhorn is going to be delayed until 2007. Analyst feel this is going to be good news for the Linux community, it will give them more time to develop and improve their software. Read the article for more information.

Microsoft Patch Day is Coming...

Microsoft Patch Day is coming, and I don't think anyone looks forward to it, unless they need to fix a widely exploited vulnerability. As part of Microsoft's Advance Notification Service it MS announced plans to release eight security bulletins on Thursday April 12. Some of these patches are marked as 'critical' fixes for security flaws in different applications.

Inside Intel's First Dual Core CPU (Article)

Have you heard about the new dual-core processors available from Intel (like: Pentium D and Pentium Extreme Edition 840 for the desktop) and AMD. These are the next generation processors for gaming and PC workstations. These CPUs are great for processor intensive applications, such as: video games, video editing, etc...

Also check out ExtremeTech's "Intel Dual Core Pentium Previewed", the article includes specifications and benchmarks.

Feds finally complete Internet traffic report (Article)

This is an interesting article about how well American tax payer dollars are being put to good use (I am being sarcastic). Congress requested a report from the National Research Council about the Internet in 1998, and they just received it recently. They were originally only given nine months to complete the report.

Seagate, Hitachi Talk Up 3-D Recording Plans (Article)

eWeek reports: "Hitachi Global Storage Technologies and Seagate chimed in Monday on perpendicular recording, a next-generation means of improving the areal density of hard disk drives."

Its a short article, but it is interesting. It talks about the next generation technology for writing data to the disk. You might be surprised how simple the technology sounds. I bet, Implementation is probably much harder.


Update: I found a great video that explains this technology, they should call it 'Perpendicular Recording for Dummies'. It is definitely worth checking out.

Real World Anti-Gravity Experiments

This site shows how to construct simple anti-gravity devices. This technology sounds more impressive then it really is, but I would say that the projects contained on this web site might take top place in a science fair. Although, you have to use care, because the project require the use high-voltage electricity.

Here is an example of one of the projects: "How to build an HexaLifter for your experiments and demonstrations"

The Future of Time Travel

This site includes everything you ever wanted to know about all the different time travel theories, such as: inter-spatial teleportation, causality, Temporal divergence, and more. This site is entirely theoretical, but it is interesting to read.

Windows 2003 Server SP1 is Now Available

Microsoft just released Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows Server 2003. This new update is more the just patches, it includes several security feature enhancements to help you make Windows Server 2003, faster, more secure and reliable.

Some of the new features are a new firewall and a security configuration wizard which gathers information about specific server
roles and automatically blocks all services and ports not
needed for those roles. Another new feature is the 'post-setup' which blocks all inbound connections to the server after
installation until the latest security updates have been delivered
via Windows Updates.

Note: If you have Automatic Updates enabled on your server, SP1 will automatically be downloaded through this service as a 'High Priority' update in July 2005.

Microsoft to plug ID controls into Windows (Article)

Tech News on ZDNet reports: "Microsoft will build software for managing identities into Windows in order to beef up security by giving users more control over their personal information".

The new ID technology is being called 'info-cards,' its suppose to give users control over their own personal information when accessing online services.

Personally, I wonder how well this technology will be accepted. It could be another big Microsoft flop, or it could take off like wildfire. It all depends on two things, one what developers do with the technology, and two if consumers see value in using it.

GMail Now Offers 2GB of Storage Space

Google is not going to be out done by the other free e-mail services like Yahoo, which recently announced that they were offering a gigabyte of storage for users of their service. Google is now giving away 2GB of storage with each GMail account.

If you want a free GMail account, just e-mail me. I have several accounts that I am willing to give away. They will be given on a first come, first serve basis. Use the link on the side of this page to send me an e-mail.

Avalon and Indigo CTP Available to the Public

Microsoft has made beta versions of its Longhorn's Avalon and Indigo technologies available to the general public for download. When this software was first made available, only paying subscribers of the Microsoft Developer's Network (MSDN) could get it.

Indigo and Avalon are the codenames for two of three core technologies that will be available in Longhorn when it ships in 2006. These technologies are only available for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.

If you want to know more about these, technologies here are excerpts from the Microsoft site that briefly describe them:

"Indigo is the codename for Microsoft’s unified programming model for building connected systems. It extends the .NET Framework 2.0 with additional APIs for building secure, reliable, transacted Web services that interoperate with non-Microsoft platforms and integrate with existing investments." ... "Avalon is the code name for Microsoft's unified presentation subsystem for Windows. It consists of a display engine and a managed-code framework. Avalon unifies how Windows creates, displays, and manipulates documents, media, and user interface."

To download this software go to the following web page.

Google New Results Prefetching Feature

Google added a new controversial search feature for Firefox and Mozilla users (Sorry, I.E. and other browser users this feature is not supported yet in your browser). It allows your browser to start downloading the top search results before you click on it. This feature allows your destination pages to load faster than before.

There is some debate about the PROs and CONs of this feature. Some people like it, and others worry about what your browser could be downloading without your knowledge.

Gummi bears defeat fingerprint sensors (Article)

The Register reports how easy it is to defeat fingerprint biometric systems, here is an excerpt from the article: "A Japanese cryptographer has demonstrated how fingerprint recognition devices can be fooled using a combination of low cunning, cheap kitchen supplies and a digital camera."

The Ultimate Toilet (Just What You Needed...)

Here is the ultimate toilet, if that is your thing. I don't like posting such weird stuff, but this thing just got my attention.

Here is an excerpt from a brief article on this toilet, "Toto's new 'Intelligence Toilet' system brings health measurements only a bathroom away. For mere thousands of dollars, the Intelligence Toilet system will measure urine sugar, blood pressure, body fat and weight on a daily basis." That's not all, "Sony Online Entertainment has announced the next version of Everquest will interface with this as well, so creating an in-game likeness of yourself is as easy as going to the bathroom."

In my humble opinion this product is just dumb and a waste of money. Who would want to spend a few thousand dollars on a toilet? If you have this much money just burning a hole in your pocket and you want to buy this thing. Go over to your current toilet, open it up put the money in and just flush it. This will save you the trouble of having to install this thing.

World's Smallest Linux Box Fits in RJ-45 Jack

German electronics company Kleinhenz is shipping a network-enabled Linux system built into an RJ-45 Ethernet jack. "Picotux" has a 55MHz ARM processor, 2MB of Flash, 8MB of RAM, a serial port, and five lines of GPIO. It measures 0.75 x 0.75 x 1.4 inches (19 x 19 x 36mm), and weighs 0.64 ounces (18 grams), packaged in a metal housing. A wireless 802.11 version appears to be on the horizon, too.

French Military Victories (Humor)

You have to see this web page to appreciate it. Also check out the cover this new French miltary magazine.

Free Tax e-Filing

Intuit the maker of TurboTax, is offering a free Tax e-Filing service for people who are going to submit a 1040EZ or standard federal tax form (i.e.: 1040 and 1040A).

Although, if you want more advance services you will have to pay $29.95 for their premier service. See the site for more information about your different options.

Note: State tax eFiling is an additional charge.

Optical Camouflage (Believe It, or Not)

Optical Camouflage technology seems like stuff out of science fiction, but at the same time when you first see it looks somewhat primitive.

When I first saw this technology demonstrated, a little less then a year ago. I thought the idea was pretty cool, but I also saw that it had a long way to advance in its current form. The way this technology works is by projecting a background image on to a 'masked object', and it appears that the object is virtually transparent.

Then I visited this web site today. I am not sure if the technology has advanced significantly since I first saw it or if I have finally seen a decent demonstration of its capabilities. Watch some of the QuickTime movies and judge for yourself.

Segway's Next Big Thingamajig

Popular Science reports Dean Kamen's next generation Segway (if thats really what it is). Its hard to describe exactly what it is without seeing it. When you first look at it, you might think it is an adult four wheel bike. You really need to see the slideshow to get a better appreciation for it.

Engineering a Better Bulb (Popular Science)

This is an interesting article that talks about the inefficiencies of modern lightbulbs, and suggests a new alternative. They estimated that we can save about US$35 billion dollars here in America by changing our production away from the traditional tungsten lightbulbs to a newer zinc oxide type bulb.

Here is an excerpt from the Popular Science article: "The lightbulb has remained virtually unchallenged since Edison invented it more than a century ago, but now scientists believe that zinc oxide-the same chemical that keeps diaper rash at bay-could provide a much-needed alternative to the inefficient lights that dominate our homes."

Firefox 1.0.2 is Available

Firefox 1.0.2 is now available for download. This update primarily just contains known security fixes. It is advisable that you download and install this update as soon as possible to ensure that your computer remains secure.

Microsoft Shares Longhorn Networking Details

Here is the latest news that I found on Microsoft's next generation operating system code name 'Longhorn'. This article talks about some of the new networking capabilities of the new OS. Although, it only contains limited details

Phone Phishing, Spoofing and SPIT

Criminals are now using VoIP (Voice over IP) technology to fool caller ID systems by spoofing phone numbers. This could allow fraudsters to impersonate your bank or other financial institutions by spoofing their phone number. Then try to persuade you into revealing your personal information to commit fraud or identity theft.

Debt collectors and private investigators are also using this technology to get people to answer their phones. Then there is the threat of SPIT (SPam over Internet Telephony). This is where telemarketers could use VoIP to send a huge numbers of voice messages to consumers.

This just mean that we will have to be that much more careful about giving out any personal information over the telephone or trusting the caller ID displays.

Spyware Writers Play Cat-and-Mouse with Rootkit Detectors (Article)

If viruses, trojan horses, worms, SPAM, spyware, adware, identity theft, and all the other security issues that we need to worry about are not bad enough. Now, it appears that 'Rootkit' attacks may be on the rise. Rootkits are nothing new, and have been around for years.

SecuritySearch.com defines a 'rootkit' as: "a collection of tools (programs) that a hacker uses to mask intrusion and obtain administrator-level access to a computer or computer network. The intruder installs a rootkit on a computer after first obtaining user-level access, either by exploiting a known vulnerability or cracking a password. The rootkit then collects userids and passwords to other machines on the network, thus giving the hacker root or privileged access."

Rootkits are generally hard to detect, they're designed that way. Well now, Rootkits are being designed to be even harder to detect. This article goes into more detail about the subject.

Yahoo Service Combines Blogging, Social Networking

Yahoo, is playing 'keep up with the Jones' with Google, they're beta testing a new community service that lets users share blogs, photos, music and other content. The new service is called Yahoo 360, and its currently in an 'invitation-only' beta test. It is scheduled to be opened to the public on March 29.

Firefox TV Ad

Here is a Firefox TV ad created by Eric Edwards. It is an interesting watch, althought I don't believe it has ever been aired on regular TV. But thank you, Eric Edwards for your hard work.

Microsoft Considering WinFS Support In Windows XP

Microsoft is considering releasing support for key Longhorn technologies in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Microsoft plans to have a beta-test version of WinFS available when Longhorn ships. WinFS is built on top of the current NTFS File System in Windows and uses relational engine technology from Microsoft's forthcoming SQL Server 2005 database as well as XML.

Indigo, Avalon Community Technology Previews Released

ENT News reports: "Microsoft on Wednesday released its first Community Technology Preview (CTP) of 'Indigo,' the code-name for the company's new communications subsystem for Windows, and a second CTP of 'Avalon,' a new Windows presentation subsystem." For more information read the rest of the article.

Corzine Unveils Sweeping Identity Theft Bill (Article)

With all the instanstes personal and corporate identity theft, Senator Jon S. Corzine (D-NJ) introduced a new bill called 'Identity Theft Prevention and Victim Recovery Act'. This new bill tries to prevent ID theft incidents and provide consumer protections to victims. One of the more notable points of this legislation is that a company's chief compliance officer (or CEO) would have to attest that security systems are in place to prevent theft of sensitive personal data.

Latest Looks at the 64-Bit Future (Article)

Have you been hearing all the hype about the new 64-bit CPUs and OSes. Are you confused about what this means for you? This article gives you a brief introduction to the technology. Although the article doesn't answer compatibility questions, about: software, drivers, and hardware.

Here is an excerpt from the article: "Though 64-bit computing has been around for some 14 years or so, until recently it has been accessible only to those operating high-end servers running RISC-based processors such as Sun Microsystem Inc.'s SPARC, IBM's Power and Hewlett-Packard Co.'s PA-RISC."

DNS Cache Poisoning (Technical Article)

SecurityFocus has published an indepth article on the subject of 'DNS Cache Poisoning'. If you want more information and history on this subject, its a pretty good read. This article is very technical, so if you don't understand DNS and TCP/IP, it might be boring.

Here is an excerpt from the article: "The old problem of DNS cache poisoning has again reared its ugly head. While some would argue that the domain name system protocol is inherently vulnerable to this style of attack due to the weakness of 16-bit transaction IDs, we cannot ignore the immediate threat while waiting for something better to come along. There are new attacks, which make DNS cache poisoning trivial to execute against a large number of nameservers running today. The purpose of this article is to shed light on these new attacks and recommend ways to defend against them."

IBM lets Millipede storage out for a stroll (Article)

CNET News.com does a great job reporting about IBM's MEMS (Micro-Electrical-Mechanical System) technology. Here is an excerpt from the article: "The MEMS prototype can hold the equivalent of 25 DVDs on an area the size of a postage stamp, IBM said." Also , See the slideshow, to get a better understanding of how MEMS technology actually works.

Pharming Out-Scams Phishing (Article)

Wired News reports: "First came phishing scams, in which con artists hooked unwary internet users one by one into compromising their personal data. Now the latest cyberswindle, pharming, threatens to reel in entire schools of victims."

If you're confused about the difference between a Pharming vs. a Phishing attack This article does a good job of explaining the difference between the two type of attacks that are trying to steal your personal information.

RFIDwasher - Zap RFID tags (Privacy)

Here is an interesting product, it is called RFIDWasher. It is a lightweight, handheld device that allows you to deactivating RFID tags. Thus preventing RFID scanners from being able to read them.

I am not sure if this product is works or not. I think it has great potential if you have privacy concerns about products that you purchased, and you want deactivate RFID tags.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 Details Begin to Leak (Article)

Microsoft Watch reports about the new features to be included in the new version IE (v7.0). Here is excerpt from the article: "IE 7.0 will feature international domain name (IDN) support; transparent Portable Network Graphics (PNG) support, which will allow for the display of overlayed images in the browser; and new functionality that will simplify printing from inside IE 7.0, partner sources said. The new browser also will likely include a built-in news aggregator."

Star Wars in ASCIImation

From the lands down under, now you can see Star Wars in ASCIImation. Its pretty good considering its all done is ASCII characters.

Geekfathers: CyberCrime Mobs Revealed (Article)

Baseline did a great article on hacker mobsters. The article gives you a glimpse into the computer underworld activity. Here is an excerpt from the article: "The amount of goods and services purchased with fraudulently obtained personal identification exceeded $52 billion in 2004, according to a release put out last month by the Federal Trade Commission. Businesses, from banks to online merchants—maybe even your company—bear much of the cost. But the initial, direct loss isn't the greatest threat posed by groups such as the Shadowcrew."

Total Recall: Desktop Search Utility Comparison (Review)

PC Magazine wrote a great article comparing the most popular free desktop search utilities available on the Internet. When you compare these utilities to the desktop search functionality that comes with Windows XP, it is primitive in comparison. The 'Yahoo! Desktop Search' utility got the highest ranking, but I would also check out 'Google Desktop Search' and 'Copernic Desktop Search' utilities.

Microsoft to exchange 32 bit Windows for 64 (Article)

The Inquirer reports: "WE MET a senior Microsoft bloke, a member of the Windows 64 bit group and he told us that within three months customers will be able to replace its existing copy for a brand new Windows 64 bit version."

Support Our Troops (Slide Show)

Whether you're for or against the war in Iraq, that is your own personal preference. Although our troops are over their fighting and dying, whether they believe in the cause or not. Our troops need our support, hopes, prays.

This link is to a slide show, which contains some great pictures of our troops in Iraq.

Institute for Backup Trauma (Video)

This is the most hysterical commercial that I have seen on the web for a real product. The commercial stars John Cleese. It does run a little long, about six minutes but it is worth watching. And whatever you do, do not press the third button at the end of the commercial.

All Your Base Belong to Us (Video)

You may have seen, or heard the quote 'All your base belong to us'. This quote comes from the introduction scene of a game called 'Zero Wing' for the Sega Genesis video game console. It turns out that the video game's creater Toaplan did a very poor job of translating the game's dialog into proper English.

The link above includes a video, showing how this simple quote has spread across the country. It also includes the introduction scene from the video game.

All Longhorn, All the Time (Site Review)

If you want to get the latest information Windows Longhorn, Paul Thurrott's SuperSite provides one of the best sources for information on subject. This site has some great pictures, articles and videos.

The Legend of Zelda Updated Impressions

If you're a big fan of the Legend of Zelda series, a brand-new trailer for the upcoming game for the GameCube is now available. The visual effects are very impressive, I don't believe that you will be disappointed. Check it out.

How Fast Can You Type

This is a cool little web page, it provides a typing speed test that shows you how fast can you type. This is not a comprehensive test, but it was fun to take. Although, it does grade you for accuracy.

Microsoft Gives First Key Details on New Xbox (Article)

Reuters reports: Microsoft gave out some key details on the next generation Xbox video game console. The new system will include an emphasis on high-definition content, an integrated media browser and "microtransactions" for in-game purchases.

Computer Rage

Computer rage is becoming a big problem in our world today. Men and women are taking out their frustrations on the computer; and unfortunately, sometimes misdirecting it to other people. In the work place and at the home, more and more people are smashing their computer screens, beating on the keyboard, and throwing the computer out the window.

This site is devoted to methods of venting on the primary target of all of our frustration: the computer.

WinFS To Be Available on Windows XP

Microsoft Watch reports: "Microsoft is back-porting its WinFS file-system technology to Windows XP, the same way that it is doing with its Windows presentation and communications subsystems, according to company officials."

Matrox Graphics Card Supports up to for Four Displays.

Matrox introduced a PCI Express graphics card that can support up to for four displays at one time. It supports a maximum resolution of 1600×1200 per display.

Microsoft Interview Questions

This page contains actual questions from actual interviews conducted by Microsoft employees on the main campus. The questions tend to follow some basic themes: Riddles, Algorithms, Applications, Thinkers.

So, if you're going for a interview at Microsoft, you might want to read up on this page.

Virtual Rubik's Cube (Fun)

This is a cool page, it has a virtual Rubik's Cube that you can play with, or you can choose for the cube to be solved. Enjoy.

Buy RIAA Toilet Paper (Its Real)

JINX.com is selling RIAA toilet paper. You can decide for yourself on how you want to use it. :-) Unfortunately, JINX.com currently out of stock on the product.

Real Online Hunting (Extreme Laziness)

Now you can shot animals from the comfort of your own browser. Never worry again, having to setting up camp, clean your kill, getting cold, etc. You can kill all the animals you want from the comfort of your coach with a laptop and a wireless connection.

Come on people, this is extreme lazyiness. Goto the site for more information and prices.

Tracking PCs anywhere on the Net (Article)

CNet reports: "A University of California researcher says he has found a way to identify computer hardware remotely, a technique that could potentially unmask anonymous Web surfers by bypassing some common security techniques."

An interesting article about tracking users on the Internet by using a new type computer fingerprinting technology called 'clock skew'.

TiVo for beginners: choosing the right DVR (Article)

Buying a new Digital Video Recorder (DVR), such as a Tivo or any of the other manufactures can be just as confusing buy a new HDTV. There are several important considerations to make, such do you want to record just regular TV, or do you want to record HDTV. Do you want to want to be able to archive your programs off to DVD?

Check out the article for more information about the different types of DVR technology and available options.

CNET's quick guide to TV types (Tutorial)

Do you want to buy a new HDTV, and confussed by all your options (tube, flat-panels, rear-projections, or front-projection TVs). If the displays options are not confussing enough, the new HDTV terminology can be fussing.

CNet provides a great article with a good explaination of the technology and terminology that you will need to understand before you buy a new HDTV. It also includes the Pros and Cons of each type of technology.

Peeking Into Google (Article)

I have to admit that I am one of those IT geeks. Google probably has some of the most legendary IT infrastructures. This article gives you a great peek inside Google infrastructure.

The Couch Potato Tormentor (Joke)

Couch Potato Tormentor interferes with the operation of different components, by performing random functions on it. For example, it can turn the device off, mute it, or change the channel.

It looks like a great partical joke.

The DVD Rewinder (Humor)

Never pay another DVD rewind fee again. You can own your own DVD Rewinder, for only $21.99. The product is real, but does it really work, check out the video at the bottom of the home page.

The next video game consoles (Article)

For the latest and the best information that I have seen from any source on the next video game consoles (Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft's Xbox 2 and Nintendo's next generation GameCube). Read this article.

Patient Assistance Forms (Updated)

I can not stand to see anyone being taken advantage of. Recently I saw an ad on TV, that promised free pharmaceutical drugs. Well it turns out, the ways the program works is that you send them a certain amount of money, and they will send you patient assistance forms from different pharmaceutical companies.

You can save yourself money, and download these patient assistance forms yourself for free. Just visit www.needymeds.com. You might also want to check out, Medicare.gov's 'Prescription Drug and Other Assistance Programs' (Including Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Cards) web page.

Also make sure to check out www.TogetherRxAccess.com or by calling 1-800-444-4106.