Custom software developer. IT consultant. Geek.
Archive for April, 2006
Eye-Film – A clever application of ever-shrinking technology
Apr 29th
Robert Scoble had a great blog entry this week on a new product in development from Eye-Fi (http://www.eye.fi). This is just such a clever combination of technology and application! The basic idea here is to combine a flash memory card with a WiFi card, so that your memory card can automatically upload images to online photo storage sites (my personal favorite is Flickr). Using this approach, any digital camera can instantly become a wireless-enabled camera. The price looks reasonable too — in the $100-$150 range for a card that normally (without wireless) sells for $60-$100. Functionality is really aimed at complete More >
Box.net – 1GB of free online storage = COOL!
Apr 28th
After hearing a few mentions of it, I gave Box.net a try today. Box.net is a site that gives you a free location to store 1GB of files, which are then accessible via the web. There are higher-capacity plans available for reasonable prices — the highest plan giving you 15GB of space and only costing $100/year.
Up until now, I’ve been using GoDaddy’s OnlineFileFolder offering to handle off-site data storage. This serves as a backup mechanism to my primarily local backup, which I archive using FolderShare to synchronize files between machines. OnlineFileFolder offers the same basic mechanism, with the one advantage of being able More >
Orb.com DVR Everywhere
Apr 26th
I just ran across a great free service from Orb.com that acts as an add-on to your existing Tivo Servies 2 DVR and home computer running the Tivo Desktop called “DVR Everywhere”. It’s free downloadable software that lets you access your Tivo from anywhere to stream video, control recordings, etc.
Setup really couldn’t be easier. You just register for a free account at http://www.orb.com/dvreverywhere, download the software, install, and you’re in business. During set-up, it will ask you what you want to be able to remotely access (MP3′s, pictures, video files, and/or your Tivo). Keep following the steps and you’ll be More >
For home use, we recommend Windows Live OneCare
Apr 26th
The Info et Cetera consultants have been testing Windows Live OneCare (Microsoft’s foray into the consumer antivirus market) for the past couple of months on our home computers, and our verdict — very nice! Therefore, we’re recommending Windows OneCare for all home users. In particular, we like that Windows OneCare has a simplified interface and bundles together the most important aspects of PC security.
The pricing is very reasonable at $50/year, which allows you to install the software on up to 3 computers. If you purchase before the end of April, that price is only $20 for the first year.
For corporate More >
Microsoft’s Shared Computer Toolkit
Apr 17th
Microsoft’s Shared Computer Toolkit is a free tool that I’ve been meaning to check out for some time now. A couple of weeks ago, my friend Rick Gray sent me a link to an article in PC Magazine (dated 11/30/2005) that gives a great overview of the toolkit, what it does, and how to get started. I have to say that I am really impressed with this free offering from Microsoft. Not only does it let you lock down settings for a stripped-down “guest” account, but it also lets you set up the computer so that changes aren’t committed on More >
Just registered for Tech Ed 2006 in Boston
Apr 11th
I just completed my registration for Tech Ed 2006! Can’t wait for the big week!!
Anyone can read what’s on your clipboard in Internet Explorer
Apr 10th
I just read this on Carl Franklin’s blog and wanted to pass this along…
Apparently, the default Internet Explorer 6 settings allow websites to view what’s on your clipboard. While this can seem trivial, it can be a big problem if you ever copy passwords or other secrets to your clipboard in the course of an average day.
The fix is quite easy. Go to “Tools” > “Internet Options”, select the “Security” tab, click the “Internet” zone, and click [Custom Level...]. Toward the bottom of the list, under “Scripting”, change “Allow paste operations via script” to either “Prompt” or “Disable”.