tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55441351026923985542024-02-19T09:12:36.229-08:00Mac PC HarmonyEverything related to Mac, PC, & general technologyNerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-33802168902945635932010-11-16T07:40:00.000-08:002010-11-16T07:40:02.530-08:00Search Engine Optimization: How to get better visibility on GoogleSearch engine optimization is a hot topic for those with websites, and getting to know the in's and out's of it can be a challenge. Though the topic itself isn't directly related to Mac and PC, it does affect all of those computer users who also have a website. I came across this video on YouTube on search engine optimization, and I thought I'd share it with all of you:<br />
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<object height="505" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5GK0aQrCDEo?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5GK0aQrCDEo?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="505"></embed></object>Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-45368032729834435912010-11-15T08:50:00.001-08:002010-11-15T08:50:53.584-08:00Solid State Drive vs SATA Hard Drive : Which one should you choose?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">With the ever-so changing equipment in computer technology, hard drives have been a part of the latest debate. Let's first talk about the match-up.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Solid State Drives </b></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial,helvetica,clean,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Solid State Memory has speeds that are similar to RAM but have the ability to store data like SATA. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">SSDs are distinguished from traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), which are devices containing spinning disks and movable read/write heads. SSDs, in contrast, use microchips, and contain no moving parts.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Pros:</b> Compared to traditional HDDs, SSDs are typically less susceptible to physical shock, quieter, and have lower access time and latency. SSDs use the same interface as hard disk drives, thus easily replacing them in most applications.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Cons:</b> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Solid State Drives have been known to wear out like there's no tomorrow, and they don't last very long. The price for these drive are currently very expensive.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.hardwarezone.com/hwm/2009/09/sandisk-5000-ssd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://images.hardwarezone.com/hwm/2009/09/sandisk-5000-ssd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial,helvetica,clean,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial,helvetica,clean,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>SATA Drives </b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial,helvetica,clean,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">SATA is the method of connection between the motherboard and the drive. This is standard hard drive that is currently found in most systems.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.briscom.com.au/images/products/sata.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.briscom.com.au/images/products/sata.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial,helvetica,clean,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Pros: </b>They are very reliable, and the cost for these drives are very affordable--if you can take advantage of using RAID; however, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">RAID works best if you are using the same hard drives, especially the same brand, same speed, and same connectors. You can use two different kinds of hard drives, but it would make the system unstable.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Cons: </span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">1. Very noisy </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">spin-up is required</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">2. High read latency times,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">3. Low mechanical reliability, moving parts does not eliminate the risk of mechanical failure</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">4. Smaller range of operating temperatures</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">The Verdict:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Tahoma,'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif,Georgia,Courier,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Since the price of SSD drive is so expensive, it really sways the stick to the SATA drive. We all have been used to the noise by now, so I doubt that will be worth the extra $$ you would have to spend. Though the SSD is very fast in accessing data, the read/write the reliability of those drives have been an issue. Once the market settles and the technology gets better, I believe that SSDs will be more prevalent in laptops and desktop computers. </span></span>Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com79tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-86888164378816219782010-11-14T07:00:00.000-08:002010-11-14T07:00:04.320-08:00Looking for a web hosting platform... any suggestions?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCUl5E-mp2vkPoWaZhl3eTjeg50u73j4OiRsdfjzBgsmWYyBTxv8Do9ksDyh1ryc8gmhq83TkMFPO2C42lqdov5kRbNkP0eE9tjh5JSqzAhgLJScFJXl5Yc6wcGwIMpUxojWKsrLD_4U/s1600/webHosting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCUl5E-mp2vkPoWaZhl3eTjeg50u73j4OiRsdfjzBgsmWYyBTxv8Do9ksDyh1ryc8gmhq83TkMFPO2C42lqdov5kRbNkP0eE9tjh5JSqzAhgLJScFJXl5Yc6wcGwIMpUxojWKsrLD_4U/s320/webHosting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I just bought the macpcharmony.com domain name, and I'm wondering if any of you are familiar with web hosting? I did a quick search on the topic, and I found a lot of services, but I don't know which one to pick.<br />
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If you have any recommendations on web hosting or even domain names, shoot me a message or even an affiliate link via comment :)Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-27400066427001054902010-11-13T08:11:00.001-08:002010-11-13T08:11:51.968-08:00Is VoIP Taking Over?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><i><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SDPAB8AoLdC7s83n5nuysKXpogU-bfexEQwXqERYngPU1LGDCPIgHI3J9DWxp0IbyWtG5PZ3G5Z-qljTQjLpxBg98g9gZu01gm1VLaxRd1yf44ODhAgFPckk3ifRBeNXVdHFtsmOc-M/s320/philips-voip841.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="250" /></i></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This Philips phone can use Skype's VoIP service.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SDPAB8AoLdC7s83n5nuysKXpogU-bfexEQwXqERYngPU1LGDCPIgHI3J9DWxp0IbyWtG5PZ3G5Z-qljTQjLpxBg98g9gZu01gm1VLaxRd1yf44ODhAgFPckk3ifRBeNXVdHFtsmOc-M/s1600/philips-voip841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
As popular VoIP services, such as Vonage, continue to increase quality and go down in price, a popular question is whether or not it's time to discontinue your home phone in favor of VoIP.<br />
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Some households have already ditched their home phones and have gone completely cellular, but for those who frequently call long distance and international, this might not be a practical alternative. VoIP, on the other hand, offers excellent rates for calls.<br />
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A popular complaint about VoIP was that call quality as not always the best, but in recent years, this has significantly improved. I regularly use VoIP, and the person I'm talking to on the phone doesn't know the difference--the crystal clear call quality is most apparent.<br />
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Have any of you completely gone VoIP at home? If so, what VoIP service do you use? Skype? Vonage? Another?Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com70tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-73426797284459865272010-11-12T07:33:00.000-08:002010-11-12T07:33:08.126-08:00Skype Releases VoIP on Android Phones<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjEnz803Z6CMMKMX2qv2Ax7jPYiUAM_re6CDcReAXvDwHAz-O3my-Mhk97msyQXTHbJiPOT7tLS3s7CgiuIVunaY0TNkrg_uBPROGOYVbbVTPg2VYh-IWJmfoykkIO7DndV3bLc960pc/s320/skype_android.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mobile VoIP FTW?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjEnz803Z6CMMKMX2qv2Ax7jPYiUAM_re6CDcReAXvDwHAz-O3my-Mhk97msyQXTHbJiPOT7tLS3s7CgiuIVunaY0TNkrg_uBPROGOYVbbVTPg2VYh-IWJmfoykkIO7DndV3bLc960pc/s1600/skype_android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
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Skype just released its application for all Android phones. Currently, it can be used over WiFi; however, a hack allows Skype calling to be used over 3G for true mobile VoIP calling. If your Skype caller ID is the same as your cell phone number, you can make those international calls at a fraction of the price.<br />
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What do you think about this breakthrough? Do any of you already use Skype for VoIP?Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com86tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-51631231907542868832010-11-11T07:52:00.000-08:002010-11-11T07:52:09.759-08:00Small Businesses: Oursource MS Exchange Hosting or go Gmail?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlubLkDKADdTDOGCXNaTapExUjRhYvmtq4JQnImx7WiXS7r_fRGW_917DliXe88n_xt_RO5rZ9uGdjI5adV2WF1Zd2LwKkZmgm82KlzAhnHUfsw4jnGFwUD49asdA-hL2NvzAg_yaBa3U/s1600/msexchange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlubLkDKADdTDOGCXNaTapExUjRhYvmtq4JQnImx7WiXS7r_fRGW_917DliXe88n_xt_RO5rZ9uGdjI5adV2WF1Zd2LwKkZmgm82KlzAhnHUfsw4jnGFwUD49asdA-hL2NvzAg_yaBa3U/s320/msexchange.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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As soon as a few years ago, if a small business wanted professional and reliable MS Exchange services to push to mobile devices and work with Microsoft Outlook, the easy decision would be to pay for MS Exchange hosting with its annual fee per mailbox. In a business that had a handful of employees (i.e. a small mortgage or real estate firm that lived and breathed with email), this was a smarter business decision compared to having your own Exchange server and hardware.<br />
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Recently, Gmail's email services (including calendar, etc) have encroached on the small business email territory. Gmail is free and works with mobile devices. The storage space increases everyday (it's up to approximately 8GB now). However, a downfall to using Gmail for business is that each account is independently owned by the Gmail user, so the email account cannot be shut down by the employer and reviewed.<br />
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Ultimately, serious small businesses will stick with MS Exchange hosting, while small "mom and pop" shops will use Gmail. The gap between the two services in the business world is still wide, but at least Gmail provides a robust and feature-rich service for free.Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com105tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-12805593933473470902010-11-10T06:10:00.001-08:002010-11-10T06:10:46.343-08:00Windows Mobile Messaging (Microsoft Exchange) vs. BlackBerry BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnyZoydde2QQEKO_j7A0N4omCUbEkhcuzCudUJD6kPL1OyM3uQlRp820AeNOI5ZdpuSJFXHYbo74uo88kJX2pPBvz5OZHykkIlZH75KdKJGSHByi2ConvbM3QEUxhgUlaugJWHiKmqSo/s1600/server01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnyZoydde2QQEKO_j7A0N4omCUbEkhcuzCudUJD6kPL1OyM3uQlRp820AeNOI5ZdpuSJFXHYbo74uo88kJX2pPBvz5OZHykkIlZH75KdKJGSHByi2ConvbM3QEUxhgUlaugJWHiKmqSo/s320/server01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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In the enterprise infrastructure, 2 hand held messaging platforms are dominant: Microsoft Exchange and BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES). Windows Mobile phones and the iPhone use the ActiveSync MS Exchange Server information to sync up with your mailbox, whereas BlackBerry phones use a BES server.<br />
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In the current infrastructure I manage, our enterprise phones are BlackBerry devices. The BES links up with MS Exchange. When emails are received, they route to both servers. The main benefit here is if the MS Exchange network account is locked out, the BES continues to be able to send and receive messages.<br />
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In terms of being a user, I still preferred the iPhone over BlackBerry as I like the iPhone's OS. However, from an enterprise point of view, the decision makers seem to be more comfortable with a BES as it has a reputation of being more secure (whether this is true or not is a different story).<br />
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What are you experiences and thoughts on this?Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com94tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-89278398886872645182010-11-09T07:20:00.001-08:002010-11-09T07:20:48.840-08:00Google VoIP? Voice calling in Gmail?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRdy3uboj4yx6Ab81pnvnCppFP9UkYPSAd0_6pHp_UfrSXNlTQ5IWa53kiUpnsp3KDM3w6ixAtC38a9RfRZhC4DumjwBntBMZr2ukQNrFIWCQKVFhEUKlkgnmLiKqj_7dWmi4vnvlmsA/s1600/screenshot2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRdy3uboj4yx6Ab81pnvnCppFP9UkYPSAd0_6pHp_UfrSXNlTQ5IWa53kiUpnsp3KDM3w6ixAtC38a9RfRZhC4DumjwBntBMZr2ukQNrFIWCQKVFhEUKlkgnmLiKqj_7dWmi4vnvlmsA/s400/screenshot2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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At the end of last August, Google added voice calling to Gmail. Basically, when enabled, you can dial any regular telephone number for free in the United States and Canada. Your Google Voice number will appear as the caller ID.<br />
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I've used this service multiple times, and I've found call quality to be excellent. Google is trying to encroach on Skype's VoIP territory.<br />
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The only flaw I've experienced so far with this is that you cannot utilize the number pad while connected on a call. For example, if you are going to call your credit card company, and you need to punch in the numbers, they won't be recognized. Also, if you are dialing into a conference call, and you need to enter in the meeting room number, you're not able to do so.<br />
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Have any of you had experience with voice calling in Gmail? Please share your thoughts...Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com86tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-57694497043694000792010-11-08T08:31:00.000-08:002010-11-08T08:31:29.405-08:00Skype 5.0 and VoIP... the start to service consolidation?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFXMy4r2mK8AAkuCmHaoyQIlJove4mFPiEQjvj6ClBeeEDsGWotaBBy1j4p-FFaM9udj4MTrG9Q3VTyzQfWzX2wAAL0Vw5GUcHG6WdkTxqPOBvX1bIiDcvlw_WUexvL21PVg4YtJRlic/s1600/Skype-and-facebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFXMy4r2mK8AAkuCmHaoyQIlJove4mFPiEQjvj6ClBeeEDsGWotaBBy1j4p-FFaM9udj4MTrG9Q3VTyzQfWzX2wAAL0Vw5GUcHG6WdkTxqPOBvX1bIiDcvlw_WUexvL21PVg4YtJRlic/s1600/Skype-and-facebook.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Skype 5.0 will integrate with Facebook to become an even more powerful, consolidated messaging platform. In addition to the normal messaging, this will bring a VoIP interface when simultaneously logged into Facebook.<br />
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Are we heading towards a service consolidation concept in which a person can maintain and entire social network and contact them via text, email, or voice all via an Internet connection? It seems like it's getting closer and closer everyday. <br />
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What are your thoughts on this?Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com98tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-32421927012822931162010-11-07T00:44:00.000-07:002010-11-07T00:44:14.074-07:00Computer Insurance?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXL8DRa_xu1_MdBUiDElgd7_UEwKBLlRl0fd3khxz20-kBlaJoN2d8kLgbSkpQgwQZHaRospOyupdOXNvdt1GQoO4Yp1XMB4Z8JZEHh4-NupyOZcQQcV61PC-h5Pu-8OcF_R2ZZZWq4g/s1600/1846232321_65e3e697fe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXL8DRa_xu1_MdBUiDElgd7_UEwKBLlRl0fd3khxz20-kBlaJoN2d8kLgbSkpQgwQZHaRospOyupdOXNvdt1GQoO4Yp1XMB4Z8JZEHh4-NupyOZcQQcV61PC-h5Pu-8OcF_R2ZZZWq4g/s320/1846232321_65e3e697fe.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br />
In recent years, as laptop ownership has become more and more mainstream, some people have gone towards purchasing computer insurance to protect their technological investment. <br />
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As for me, I've never been tempted to purchase such insurance as the factory warranty is sufficient for me, and I have the ability to open up the laptop or desktop computer and fix myself. When doing so, there's the cost and time factor... does computer insurance ultimately make life easier?<br />
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I think it ultimately comes down to the technological ability of the computer owner. If you don't know much, you're better off having a professional service/insurance take care of it. If you are very knowledgeable, it could be more convenient and safe to do it yourself.<br />
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What are your thoughts on this?Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com98tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-23077576698571102382010-11-02T23:15:00.000-07:002010-11-02T23:16:02.138-07:00Wrecking computer equipment and going to court... The People's Court (no attorney needed)I came across an episode of <i>The People's Court</i> where two computer nerds who look like they still live with their parents took each other to court. When appearing on <i>The People's Court</i>, attorneys or lawyers are not needed because you represent yourself. Check out the below videos for the funny episode :)<br />
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<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/T3-D65CrD8I?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/T3-D65CrD8I?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />
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<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kbKMSgCJGEA?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kbKMSgCJGEA?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-33517209277471237522010-10-30T17:30:00.000-07:002010-10-30T17:31:06.752-07:00Bankruptcy Attorneys using the Internet to increase business prospects<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhEQC6l3bwM9ZPqQ8qN4mmeqGY2l1aeGQlX4Ssf2m966WtBUfe9xUKeyhKuyDdjc6EgoCdzkXqYcqLbKrOLCY0dOdmkpmvSRPb4BkOjqPUhFgNH8DeufSeU2X0tJuqIfDFomoMag8otc/s1600/global-marketing-and-product-development-of-emerging-technologies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhEQC6l3bwM9ZPqQ8qN4mmeqGY2l1aeGQlX4Ssf2m966WtBUfe9xUKeyhKuyDdjc6EgoCdzkXqYcqLbKrOLCY0dOdmkpmvSRPb4BkOjqPUhFgNH8DeufSeU2X0tJuqIfDFomoMag8otc/s320/global-marketing-and-product-development-of-emerging-technologies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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The Information Age has brought on ways to market products not seen in earlier times. Professionals, such as attorneys, are doing this as well. A recent study indicated that bankruptcy attorneys have budgeted at least $5000 to $10000 per month on Internet advertising campaigns aimed to drive business to their local practice. Divorce attorneys can do the same thing too.<br />
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Once the prospective bankruptcy filers (from all states) make contact with the bankruptcy attorney, the attorney can then advise whether or not a Chapter 7 or Chapter 11 bankruptcy is necessary. A decade ago, a bankruptcy attorney would only take local cases, but they can now get business from as far as the Internet can reach (albeit in the United States).Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com117tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-52067880148998005502010-10-29T14:50:00.000-07:002010-10-29T14:50:36.805-07:00China now has the world's fastest supercomputer<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwR7kgbtjnOXMj3u2JM0QIJSrkSLBCKs7iilHq9Oqv1rQcN_EaX-vg7Hz2lQzEINhtKh9wtg4GZjeq8adpMwiIiRnKn3nAVTDUWrZ6F7P14smFU3V71Az2pHDN52-e8lMwTFmXs3BfFDA/s1600/China_Tianjin1Supercomputer_full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwR7kgbtjnOXMj3u2JM0QIJSrkSLBCKs7iilHq9Oqv1rQcN_EaX-vg7Hz2lQzEINhtKh9wtg4GZjeq8adpMwiIiRnKn3nAVTDUWrZ6F7P14smFU3V71Az2pHDN52-e8lMwTFmXs3BfFDA/s320/China_Tianjin1Supercomputer_full.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Tianhe-1A in the flesh...</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
China now unofficially has the world's fastest supercomputer. The Tianhe-1A hits 2.507 petaflops, which easily crushes the Cray XT5 Jaguar located in the United States.<br />
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The reason why this news is important is because it shows that China's processor technology might surpass the technology in the United States, meaning that Chinese chips could replace US built chips. <br />
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What are your thoughts on this?Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com103tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-59013972795558480152010-10-28T15:40:00.000-07:002010-10-28T15:40:06.287-07:00Is Microsoft going to buy Adobe?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPt5QTdxLbHIHdoBAM9efytWEYeC2SbhaqvwTJ-aVHWadPBp-OKHWNBOFz_EpyUzhnpqKSAEdY3hiCqBmQBhfYtxz3QIkmGjyt_yekHUYgnKV4jFoX5uHQqVN9ctBR92UuTN2wGvVwzU/s1600/adobe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPt5QTdxLbHIHdoBAM9efytWEYeC2SbhaqvwTJ-aVHWadPBp-OKHWNBOFz_EpyUzhnpqKSAEdY3hiCqBmQBhfYtxz3QIkmGjyt_yekHUYgnKV4jFoX5uHQqVN9ctBR92UuTN2wGvVwzU/s320/adobe.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><br />
There have been rumors around Microsoft possibly buying Adobe. If this happens, how will this affect Adobe CS5's offering on the Mac?<br />
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Since Adobe released it's Creative Suite for the Mac, it has long been considered (along with Final Cut Studio) to be the premier professional editing suite for media. Microsoft would be foolish to not cater to the Mac market. Adobe Creative Suite 5 works flawlessly on OSX, and I find it to be just as stable as the offering for Windows 7. <br />
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Do you think Microsoft will really buy Adobe?Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com89tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-55504811225566325362010-10-26T19:11:00.000-07:002010-10-26T19:11:58.727-07:00Update: Windows Server is up and running... now I'm thinking about installing Ubuntu Server<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NbhBwNy0L0bsP5uyEC8h_Pj0r0BDIEmf8HOvo3RGD56wZ-aBCS2fFR-Dmqcrd9sDC763VdkUB1g0dHFQMIXoCS0AiG3s5RmXYmg3Tf-RHIiRux_zJckumgrjwVLGUDmPJFpRDEBWzeU/s1600/server-2008-unleashed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NbhBwNy0L0bsP5uyEC8h_Pj0r0BDIEmf8HOvo3RGD56wZ-aBCS2fFR-Dmqcrd9sDC763VdkUB1g0dHFQMIXoCS0AiG3s5RmXYmg3Tf-RHIiRux_zJckumgrjwVLGUDmPJFpRDEBWzeU/s320/server-2008-unleashed.png" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>As an update to my post last week, I have Windows Server 2008 R2 up and running on my spare computer at home. I've barely gotten around to messing around with it, but since a lot of you suggested that I do the Linux server, I have that stuck in the back of my head. I'm pretty familiar with Windows Server, but there's always the intrigue of learning something new (this is why I also run OSX).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2mdG25J9nXaoZuTANprNqE89YVULjJIyWHQgZM8pChp9bJm-CV9-UR11hy0HOY9AbHLWjSiR9CORhk2w3_C7bzynB3OY66iuRTjuQ4y7YmtZvXRbkuYMaL82aSQNuIy6YywEOeQJCSw/s1600/126410755_dc51163ed4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2mdG25J9nXaoZuTANprNqE89YVULjJIyWHQgZM8pChp9bJm-CV9-UR11hy0HOY9AbHLWjSiR9CORhk2w3_C7bzynB3OY66iuRTjuQ4y7YmtZvXRbkuYMaL82aSQNuIy6YywEOeQJCSw/s320/126410755_dc51163ed4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Now I'm thinking that I should go the Linux route? Is it fairly simple and easy to maintain? What are your thoughts?Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com105tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-71979122075341575302010-10-23T23:10:00.000-07:002010-10-23T23:11:07.472-07:00Bose QuietComfort 15 Noise Cancelling Headphones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKo6Pif27zxubfxlT55YC7zkiQFahGKV642OtybRi2ZMjTcJe968rgM7rzVmUm5hUIOIFmJ83um6u5Zj3t745lzhmcBUUVjExidlMZ1xff6pW_dY7XL_4px3wIRe7jP5a7acMj_pcvjI/s1600/Bose-QuietComfort-15-290x300.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKo6Pif27zxubfxlT55YC7zkiQFahGKV642OtybRi2ZMjTcJe968rgM7rzVmUm5hUIOIFmJ83um6u5Zj3t745lzhmcBUUVjExidlMZ1xff6pW_dY7XL_4px3wIRe7jP5a7acMj_pcvjI/s1600/Bose-QuietComfort-15-290x300.png" /></a></div><br />
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I recently picked up the Bose QC15 headphones for a great price (brand new in box, local pickup from eBay). The pros on this set of headphones are that they're comfortable, good a class-leading job of noise cancellation, and the sound is crisp and clear.<br />
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The only con is the price; however, I got mine for very cheap. Actually, if these had a microphone (I know, I keed), this set would be perfect because I'd be able to use these on VoIP calls on Skype or Google Chat. <br />
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Generally speaking, I'm anti-Bose because I think they spend a lot of money on marketing and pump up their pricing to pay for it. But the headphones made me change my mind. I fly frequently, and I needed a pair. <br />
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Do any of you have noise-canceling headphones? What do you have and what are you thoughts on them?Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com82tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-79996008670088174102010-10-21T21:26:00.000-07:002010-10-21T21:26:27.132-07:00Anyone run a Hackintosh Computer?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbsCMiwPT_ZuaaUktkcpo4EGApf3P7ivCq3t63evexR-YCZFUZ9ScNTWltf0-UIsBfp35G1UkKooigXJBu3K79Ek-FE7fmIjV8nntnzJOdheLPGnxG2jAItqWOZv9Q197fcPW4P_-GTHw/s1600/694cc_hackintosh_mini9_topcomp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbsCMiwPT_ZuaaUktkcpo4EGApf3P7ivCq3t63evexR-YCZFUZ9ScNTWltf0-UIsBfp35G1UkKooigXJBu3K79Ek-FE7fmIjV8nntnzJOdheLPGnxG2jAItqWOZv9Q197fcPW4P_-GTHw/s640/694cc_hackintosh_mini9_topcomp.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Hackintosh laptops and desktops have been gaining some cult popularity since the Mac went with Intel processors. From what I've heard, you have to jump through hoops to get it setup, but once everything works, you're good to go.<br />
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Is anyone running a Hackintosh? What are your thoughts? Was it worth the trouble?Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com90tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-88375923279690436542010-10-20T22:37:00.000-07:002010-10-20T22:37:24.640-07:00Apple's New OSX Lion... response to Microsoft's Windows 7?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3x6GFk7-avH5uguvaCATY-YJ-HL_0iPKJd89kH3npu5x0U92LR1YE1Xeo9C45yFsUQxSSs0Voo8HmB4j3-VYhl9qvHN71Lwzy7c5p_EjCR-q3pMqOgZLUPPMWpFJ_XIUo1ycu2gnDQA/s1600/OSX-Lion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3x6GFk7-avH5uguvaCATY-YJ-HL_0iPKJd89kH3npu5x0U92LR1YE1Xeo9C45yFsUQxSSs0Voo8HmB4j3-VYhl9qvHN71Lwzy7c5p_EjCR-q3pMqOgZLUPPMWpFJ_XIUo1ycu2gnDQA/s320/OSX-Lion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Apple released the details of their operating system upgrade, OSX Lion. The concept behind Lion is meshing Snow Leopard with an iPad. This seems like a good idea, but I'll reserve my judgment for when I actually use it. Luckily, Apple's operating system upgrades are only $50, so I'll pick it up when it comes out.<br />
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Besides the features of Lion, I'm thinking that Apple is trying to one-up Microsoft. (Yes, I know that Linux rocks, but in the mainstream, it's really OSX vs. Windows.) Windows 7 is just plain good... I love it. When it was Vista vs OSX, OSX won hands down. If you didn't like OSX, you either went to Linux or just stuck it out with XP. <br />
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Once Lion is formally released, we'll be able to accurately compare it with Windows 7.Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-58463241333465182552010-10-19T22:34:00.000-07:002010-10-19T22:34:01.099-07:00Update: I'm going to use Windows Server 2008 R2 for my home server<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVv-WinEg9TtDm-988GzlWxKo1jV_75VWLS-ZdzKA_9Lz8geHAuwhKNxfYqZvc-QOze8IWTHGzOTnitcr-K5Py-ATv5jzxug1EhJ2CReZ-RnVDrK-rPG6y3qa3srhWgrc4ZltKHth1Se0/s1600/ws2008_r2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVv-WinEg9TtDm-988GzlWxKo1jV_75VWLS-ZdzKA_9Lz8geHAuwhKNxfYqZvc-QOze8IWTHGzOTnitcr-K5Py-ATv5jzxug1EhJ2CReZ-RnVDrK-rPG6y3qa3srhWgrc4ZltKHth1Se0/s320/ws2008_r2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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After a lot of thought and suggestions from all of you, I've decided to beef up my old machine a bit and use Windows Server 2008 R2. I was able to obtain a copy of this at a discount, so it makes more sense. Also, it's nice having the version with all of the features... I guess I'm a "just in case" type of guy.<br />
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This is going to be quite a project, and if I can get my hands on Microsoft Exchange 2010, I might put it on there too. It'll be nice to play around with this and host my own Exchange server too. I'll keep you all updated. Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com70tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-71797030245035055762010-10-18T07:58:00.000-07:002010-10-18T07:58:57.687-07:00Setting up a home server?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYLEcUbPT50J6ZeC3IOpU2v_6PF2OnKLHENv-gKQ0eirext3UqGg57gH9utqEIxns8OsTwTRPiaMNfJngPWsIdCOUX8D40A6COvE9u-jgAyZh8EiMgaSYBCb1NNJVNERAB7l3yGuCgQk/s1600/7whs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYLEcUbPT50J6ZeC3IOpU2v_6PF2OnKLHENv-gKQ0eirext3UqGg57gH9utqEIxns8OsTwTRPiaMNfJngPWsIdCOUX8D40A6COvE9u-jgAyZh8EiMgaSYBCb1NNJVNERAB7l3yGuCgQk/s400/7whs.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I'm thinking of setting up one of my old machines at home with Windows Home Server... does anyone have any experience with this? I have an increasing amount of files to store, and I want to be able to remote desktop into my home server from anywhere with an Internet connection.<br />
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Do you think this is a good idea? Please share your thoughts.Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com129tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-34438379207123541862010-10-13T20:46:00.000-07:002010-10-13T20:46:53.344-07:00Adobe Creative Suite vs. Final Cut Studio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsNi9F8DesjQIDdQONoyvymv0QtVGCeIoIURP_wMtnSmDuSSuL0e6BNZ1fm2mQZZ8CwJV-9Kqmy8HE7FssYbZEBG97jvu_V9gF6_xoCooLq936D3JG_4M1NhdUPHF-lImlJ5PA-WiRzI/s1600/10921635-adobe-creative-suite-5-master-collection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsNi9F8DesjQIDdQONoyvymv0QtVGCeIoIURP_wMtnSmDuSSuL0e6BNZ1fm2mQZZ8CwJV-9Kqmy8HE7FssYbZEBG97jvu_V9gF6_xoCooLq936D3JG_4M1NhdUPHF-lImlJ5PA-WiRzI/s320/10921635-adobe-creative-suite-5-master-collection.jpg" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxpv843XcskNBSADfOIhtKh8I4BaS6FMDWb48lO2zi8WnNbBXS638KWQVT6FpKhsqd69H-W6J1xOpgf96kvFTe1HfK6Qm8Rk7pUNxsyp_dNgeXGUDsNDMFBTI9tNFmILk1oKD0n1ypTw/s1600/final_cut_studio_4a686f471d77f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxpv843XcskNBSADfOIhtKh8I4BaS6FMDWb48lO2zi8WnNbBXS638KWQVT6FpKhsqd69H-W6J1xOpgf96kvFTe1HfK6Qm8Rk7pUNxsyp_dNgeXGUDsNDMFBTI9tNFmILk1oKD0n1ypTw/s320/final_cut_studio_4a686f471d77f.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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When it comes to a complete suite of multimedia editing, the two industry leaders are Adobe Creative Suite and Final Cut Studio. Adobe CS is available on both Mac and PC, and Final Cut Studio is only available on Mac.<br />
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Since I use both Mac and PC, I'm partial to Adobe because of the similar functionality. I used Final Cut Studio for a little bit, but I never really put enough time in it to give a full evaluation. I didn't bother because I'm just so comfortable with Adobe CS5 in general.<br />
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Also, there are rumors of Microsoft buying Adobe, so this debate could get interesting in the next year if this is indeed true.<br />
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<b>Which one do you have experience with? What's your preference? </b>Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com95tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-36448910096593650542010-10-11T20:26:00.000-07:002010-10-11T20:26:37.669-07:00AT&T Debuts HTC Surround, LG Quantum, & Samsung Focus as Windows 7 Smartphones... Cellular VoIP to be mainstream in 2011?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDnTVsDZhFWX8PCbhQX0ZoGOLEnbZX4v1VWuC478TXFSwJlPxr68ORDxgZqEyBJ9Gxg08MwaGkyOf6-_KpmNPeKWc67lJYoK1CEYSx0jdC1mqqm75LspwsW271EylVgHybQUxS3Qnb6Y/s1600/htc-lg-samsung-windows-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDnTVsDZhFWX8PCbhQX0ZoGOLEnbZX4v1VWuC478TXFSwJlPxr68ORDxgZqEyBJ9Gxg08MwaGkyOf6-_KpmNPeKWc67lJYoK1CEYSx0jdC1mqqm75LspwsW271EylVgHybQUxS3Qnb6Y/s400/htc-lg-samsung-windows-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Today, AT&T and Microsoft unveiled 3 new devices to run the new Windows 7 mobile operating system. The 3 include the HTC Surround, the LG Quantum, and the Samsung Focus; and the planned release date is during the 2010 holiday season. <br />
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With Windows Phone 7 devices hitting the marketplace, will cellular VoIP become more mainstream in 2011? We already saw Skype's ability to work over 3G on Android phones (albeit with a hack), and it's safe to say this capability will be uncovered with the Windows 7 phones.<br />
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On an Enterprise level, will the Windows 7 smartphones encroach on the territory currently shared by BlackBerry and the iPhone? The Windows 7 smartphones will obviously work with MS Exchange and could offer ease of use with an existing infrastructure. Time will only tell. Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com116tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-17475803064988270782010-10-07T16:03:00.000-07:002010-10-07T16:03:10.820-07:00Cloud Computing and the Future<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLgb5R4tmjn34Fv82wUB59ug4v8zV9uty7HeIAMsAAW9lW_atrDmDkSFuuWKTIP1Hd8E44VsNpVE79nhuMEMHUPcZ4enkYIlWrzEJrSNWjkUyOXxgHBFzNEWjWS21xWP4EPmcZ3Filic/s320/fisheyed_server_room.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"The Cloud"</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLgb5R4tmjn34Fv82wUB59ug4v8zV9uty7HeIAMsAAW9lW_atrDmDkSFuuWKTIP1Hd8E44VsNpVE79nhuMEMHUPcZ4enkYIlWrzEJrSNWjkUyOXxgHBFzNEWjWS21xWP4EPmcZ3Filic/s1600/fisheyed_server_room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
Cloud computing is one of the hot topics in terms of the next evolution of the operating system and how we're going to use computers in the future. In short, cloud computer is Internet-based computing where the accessible data is stored on a server and accessed via the Internet and a secure connection. <br />
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From an enterprise perspective, cloud computing makes sense because all information is stored on company servers, and this information can be accessed by using ANY enterprise computer, logging into your account, and working away without saving anything on the local computer in use. Deploying such technology is costly, and it's tough for companies to justify this expense especially with a traditional infrastructure in place. <br />
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From a personal computing perspective, one could argue that cloud computing might not be too practical. Personal computers have privacy (of course, to a certain extent), and you can store your personal information locally.<br />
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What are your thoughts on this?Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com101tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-61709972791998895152010-10-06T08:17:00.000-07:002010-10-06T11:18:59.683-07:00Glossy vs. Matte Computer Screens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRWDj19-ySesws-sZtFn2oW97o-hvozmVaqawZf1yej-KXgIYzKobSbfKDbi3tfZzlYkNgZELQEsQU8_P801wPd2G83mJrWsQwMuRUuD0Rl_eQc98n1WFiM4A0z3r7kAq4YR7bQjydcQ/s1600/glossy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRWDj19-ySesws-sZtFn2oW97o-hvozmVaqawZf1yej-KXgIYzKobSbfKDbi3tfZzlYkNgZELQEsQU8_P801wPd2G83mJrWsQwMuRUuD0Rl_eQc98n1WFiM4A0z3r7kAq4YR7bQjydcQ/s400/glossy.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br />
When purchasing a new computer screen, one of the major decision points is whether to get a glossy or matte screen, assuming both are of high quality (i.e. IPS). Both have their pros and cons, which I'll detail below.<br />
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<div style="color: purple;"><u><b>Glossy Screen:</b></u></div><br />
Pros: Glossy screens have a sexier look to them. Colors appear brighter, and the display is very sharp, especially in the Apple iMacs and Apple Cinema Displays.<br />
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Cons: The glare is the most distracting thing about a glossy screen. If your main light source is behind the screen, it can mitigate the glare, but if the main light source is in front of the screen or behind you, forget it. Given the mentioned positives, the glare seems to be the deciding factor for most go who matte instead of glossy. Also, it's difficult to color calibrate a glossy screen... it can be done, but you're much safer doing color editing on matte.<br />
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<div style="color: purple;"><u><b>Matte Screen:</b></u></div><br />
Pros: Little to no glare, and a matte screen is the professional industry standard for all serious photo/video editing. <br />
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Cons: Looks plain and not as flashy as the glossy screen. The glossy screen, especially in the new Apple displays, looks and feels high quality with the glass front. The matte looks more dull.<br />
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<div style="color: purple;"><u><b>Verdict:</b> </u></div><br />
It just depends on what you value. If you can stand the glare (or minimize it to be bearable), and you don't do much color editing work in your photos and videos, glossy could work for you. However, if you're a professional who needs a high-quality monitor, then matte is the best option.Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com132tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544135102692398554.post-20340347338775057592010-10-04T19:10:00.000-07:002010-10-04T20:55:17.532-07:00Xmarks Going Out of Business... Maybe Not?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://jeffrrogers.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/xmarks.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://jeffrrogers.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/xmarks.png" width="320" /></a></div>More than a week ago, <a href="http://macpcharmony.blogspot.com/2010/09/xmarks-sync-your-bookmarks-between.html">I wrote about a free bookmark-syncing service called Xmarks</a>. A few days later, the <a href="http://blog.xmarks.com/?p=1886">Xmarks blog</a> reported that it was going out of business because it could not sustain itself in its current model. Lack of advertising and a method to capitalize on it were the major factors.<br />
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However, shortly after that announcement, users of the popular add-on pledged that they would pay for Xmarks if it meant that the service could continue. Xmarks now has a link on PledgeBank where people can commit to paying $10 US a year for the service: <a href="http://www.pledgebank.com/XmarksPremium">http://www.pledgebank.com/XmarksPremium</a><br />
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According to Xmarks, if they can get 100,000 people to pledge, the company can stay in business.<br />
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As for me, I enjoyed the service while it was free; however, there's no way I'm paying for it. I can revert to other free, bookmark syncing services.<br />
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What are your thoughts on this?Nerd Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557407170033994580noreply@blogger.com150