Information Technology Thoughts & Observations

Yet Another Reason Why Users Will Hate Windows 8

2012-01-28T13:58:00.000-08:00

What is one of the first things a person does after installing Windows? Customize it of course! Colors, backgrounds, icons, screensavers, and fonts. Ever since Windows 95 the end user has had hundreds of possible ways to make their system... theirs. I know very few people who stick with the options that Microsoft includes in their O.S. There are hundreds of sites with art and software which you can use to modify elements of your desktop that even Microsoft hadn't expected anyone to want to change. One of my favorite programs was Microsoft's DreamScene introduced in Vista. It allows you to use a video clip as your desktop background. I sometimes use a video of my puppy friends chasing each other around as my desktop.

Windows 8 News says that Microsoft won't allow custom Metro UI backgrounds once Windows 8 is released. There will be eight included styles - maybe more once the final release ships. Their reasoning is because of "the dynamic nature of the Metro UI which increases or decreases in size whenever apps are added or removed. Photos added as wallpapers would have to be scaled, stretched, or repeated as users add or remove apps. Plus, those desktop backgrounds would hardly be visible anyway according to Windows 8 director of communications Chris Flores."

Is Microsoft saying that they don't trust us enough to make our own decision about how we want Windows customized? What if someone works with only a certain set of apps and doesn't need to change their background all of the time? Why can't someone use photo streams instead of just one photo? What about the app developers? Doesn't Microsoft think that one of them could come up with a way to fix this?

I'm pretty sure that someone will come out with a "hack" for this issue but usually these are meant for only experienced Windows users. If it's too hard to do then the average user will most likely avoid these "hacks" and just reluctantly forced into being satisfied with what Microsoft hands out.

The more news that I see about Windows 8 the more I'm thinking that many will be happy with just sticking with Windows 7. While many consider Windows Vista to be a failure, Windows 7 can be considered as "Vista fixed" and are very happy using it. Will Windows 8 be another Vista? Actually, I think it's going to be as big of a flop as Windows ME unless Microsoft makes some drastic changes to it before it gets released.

Chrome Breaks Outlook

2012-01-08T18:12:00.000-08:00

The other day I decided to give Google Chrome a try. Everyone else is doing it so why not? I downloaded, installed, and played with it for awhile. Then I realized that Roboform didn't work (it claims to but there are many pissed off Roboform users saying otherwise) so I uninstalled it. Later, I went to open a link in an email I received and got this message: "The operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Contact your system administrator". So I contacted myself, I am the only user on this computer and I AM the Administrator, and then proceeded to scratch my head...

Google to the rescue. I find it ironic that I used their own search engine to discover that Chrome messes things up when you uninstall it. It apparantely messes with some Registry keys and it doesn't replace or delete these modifications during the uninstall process. The Registry keys affected have their entries changed from "htmlfile" to "Chromehtml". The following Registry file can be created by opening Notepad, pasting the text below into it, and save it as All Files (not .txt) with any name you choose followed by .reg. For example: Outlookfix.reg

Do this on your desktop so you know where to find the new file.

(copy and paste the area in between the dotted lines)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.htm]
@="htmlfile"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html]
@="htmlfile"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.shtml]
@="htmlfile"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.xht]
@="htmlfile"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.xhtml]
@="htmlfile"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click this new .reg file and say yes to the UAC prompt. It's fixed. Take that Google! Now if I can just figure out why my Google SafeSearch settings won't lock. I doesn't work in the three different browsers I have tried - even Chrome. I'm beginning to wonder if Google is getting sloppy because they have grown too big, too fast.

DISCLAIMER: The Registry is a dangerous place to mess with. You can ruin your whole Windows installation by doing the wrong thing. I am not responsible for any damage done to your system if you use the above steps to attempt to fix your computer. If you don't know or don't feel comfortable messing in the Registry then find someone to help you.

Edit: I have since found a solution for Roboform and Chrome and all is well for now. I'm still getting used to it but I'm liking it so far.

If They Are Selling It On TV, Then It's Probably A Scam or Worse

2012-01-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

You see them on TV all of the time. Commercials stating that their websites can provide "free" or ridiculously reduced prices for products or services. Let's take a look at a couple of these "awesome" offers and what is really going on when you attempt to use these offers.

I'm sure that you've seen commercials advertising QuiBids.com. Their claim is that you can buy stuff through their online auctions for outrageously low prices. They show iPods for $20 and even a new Ford Mustang which supposedly sold for $800 and some change. Sounds too good to be true? It is. Yes, you can join for free but you can't start making bids until you buy a "bid package" - 60 bids for $60 bucks. You can only bid in one cent increments so you can spend your entire bid package and still not win that iPod. If four people were bidding on that one iPod and all 60 bids are used before a winner is announced then quibids get's $240 plus the $20 that the winning bidder still has to pay. They entice you by starting you off in their "beginners" zone. All of the items are cheap things such as $10 gift cards and low dollar amount pre-paid credit cards. Usually you win but again if it takes more bids at 60 cents each than what the card is worth then you really didn't "win" anything. There are also many complaints on scam reporting sites that claim that when they are winning and the auction reaches close to the end sometimes they get booted from the auction before the timer runs out, the timer skips seconds and goes to zero near the end of the auction (keeping you from making a potential final winning bid), or someone comes in at the last second and makes a winning bid over yours (a bot?). The biggest slap in the face? If you lose your bid QuiBids offers to sell you the item and shows an inflated retail price as it's offering to you. You already lost $60 bidding. Why not just buy the thing for more than anyone else is selling the same item for? Sounds stupid to me.Yes, if you read the fine print you can find out all how their system works but it's not explained in the TV commercial. All you hear is (to quote Charlie Sheen) "winning" - and they use a really pretty girl to persuade you too. Web Of Trust (find out about these guys at http://www.mywot.com/ and ad WOT to your browser!) shows this site all in red. Stay away! These guys are baddies and are raking in the dough on unsuspecting consumers.

Then there's FreeScore.com. Their claim is that you can check out all three of your credit scores for free. FreeScore.com, however, charges a $1 “processing” fee upfront and after that is only free for for seven days. After that, a $29.95 monthly fee applies. (Many credit-score monitoring services offer free 30-day trials.) To actually get the service for free, a consumer would have to sign up, request cancellation within seven days and ask the customer service representative to refund the $1 fee. I see nothing "free" about this service and really don't like the idea of another third-party having access to my credit info and have my social security number in their databases. WOT also shows this site all in red. Stay away!!! And quit picking on that poor 583 guy in your commercials. I wish my credit score was THAT good!

I will occasionally cover other sites when their commercials bug me enough to do so. I would also like to point out a pattern that these TV commercials use. You will rarely see these types of commercials on during the day or prime time hours. They are usually on when people are sleeping. They are taking advantage of insomniacs and half asleep people who are more vulnerable to these attack ads that try to persuade you to go against your waking judgements. I have read articles about this type of advertising before and these examples hold them to be true.

I will end this on a high note. Not all commercials advertising websites or their products are evil. One of many of my friends favorites is Gamefly.com, the Netflix of video game rentals. They are open and up front in their advertising and you get exactly what is advertised. You can also buy used games at drastically reduced prices. If I had a gaming system (and an income) I would use these guys. Too bad they don't have PC games as well.

Until the next time... and Happy New Year everyone!

Internet Explorer Updates

2011-12-15T13:34:00.000-08:00

Finally, the folks at Redmond appear to have caught up with the rest of the world when it comes to browser security. While other browsers have been doing it for years, Microsoft has never really had many browser updates out-of-cycle. Security patches and "upgrades" have always been something you get once a month from Windows Update. This looks like it's all going to change sometime early in 2012.

Microsoft will be pushing updates harder (still through Windows Updates of course), forcing people still using IE6 (Windows XP) to upgrade to IE8 and Vista and Windows 7 users will be pushed into IE9. You also will still have the option to block the update. From what I have read the updates will be more frequent but other than that I see no reason why every tech site has a story about this today. It's really no different than what they are doing now except the requests to upgrade will be more in your face than before. Does anyone really care about this? If people haven't upgraded and are still using older versions of IE then either it's by choice (a dumb one but it's their choice), or it's by ignorance or stupidity. Most people now seem to be hooked on Firefox or Chrome anyway.

There is a bonus to upgrading to IE 9 right now though. You can get one free month of Hulu+ right now just for running IE9. Of course they want credit card info but you can easily cancel after the free month is over. Find out the procedure to get Hulu+ with IE9 by going here: http://www.hulu.com/plus/ie9.

Now if Microsoft would only make IE10 work on Windows 7 and not just 8 but that's another story.

My "Free" Phone Using Google Voice

2011-12-02T17:34:00.001-08:00

Since it has been pointed out to me that my methods for making/receiving phone calls using Google Voice may be unethical and possibly violates Google's T.O.S. I have decided to scrap the (successful) idea and I WILL NOT be posting my results. Sorry for those of you who might have been waiting for this. Can't do it. Just not gonna happen. To the two of you who keep messaging me for the info - stop. I choose to not divulge or use the info I gathered in any way, shape, or form and I suggest that you do the same if you are trying to figure it out for yourself. I know that I can't afford a lawsuit from Google. Can you?

iOS And Android Get To Try Windows Phone 7.5

2011-12-02T17:14:00.001-08:00

Looks like Microsoft is really trying to push their new "Mango" Windows 7 Phone OS. It's about time too. They only hold about 2% of the whole mobile phone market. Their fans are very dedicated though. Many users are converted iPhone junkies who saw the ability to multitask and a much simpler interface as their main reasons to drop their Apple devices. Unfortunately, due to bad marketing, Windows phones are a scarce animal and if Microsoft doesn't do something soon they might have failed product on their hands.

Enter Microsoft's new WP demo available for iOS and Android. It runs in their native mobile browsers and gives the potential switcher the opportunity to see what Windows Phone 7 can do. The demo covers the basics but doesn't even begin to cover what WP7 can really do - but it's a start.

You can check out the demo here: http://m.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/demo/index.html. This link works for phones only. PC users will get an error saying that their system isn't supported if they try to go there. Give it a try and feel free to comment.

Maybe Microsoft Does Have A Good Reason...

2011-11-17T18:40:00.001-08:00

If you read my earlier post about running Linux on UEFI/Secure Boot PCs then you might find this particular bit of info interesting. A security researcher has developed malware that's able to load up during the boot process on a Windows 8 machine by bypassing the Windows User Account Control. Peter Kleissner said Stoned Lite, as the latest version of his bootkit is called, doesn't bypass defenses that will be available to people using Windows 8 on newer machines - newer machines with UEFI/Secure Boot. This means that UEFI/Secure Boot stops his bootkit from messing up the machine its trying to infect. Not a bad thing if you ask me. Maybe Microsoft is on to something and Linux just needs to step up their methods a bit. If you want to follow and keep up with Mr. Kleissner about this topic you can on Twitter by going here: https://twitter.com/#!/Kleissner/status/137274722281979904

Steam Hacked!

2011-11-15T10:44:00.001-08:00

Looks like Sony isn't the only company having troubles with security on it's gaming sites. Now Steam has been reporting troubles too.

Steam, the online gaming network run by Valve, reported last week that their forums had been breached and warned its users to watch their credit card statements for any strange happenings. Valve's co-founder Gabe Newell officially issued the warning last Thursday on the company's forums. Originally the concern was just for the forums database but later was revealed that all forum passwords will be reset and adding that the attack “goes beyond the Steam forums.”

There have been no reports of any Steam accounts being hacked. The forums require a separate password than the Steam login so as long as you didn't use the same username/password combination for both then you should be O.K. Credit card information was encrypted on their end and they are reasonably confident that the info hasn't fallen into the wrong hands. Either way, Steam is recommending that you change your passwords for both the forums and the game.

If it bothers you that it seems lately that online businesses are having issues with your privacy then I would recommend using one of those disposable credit cards found at most retailers nowadays for making your online purchases. Change your passwords once in a while too. I have had a Steam account for over five years and didn't realize until this incident that I hadn't changed mine since I got it. My email address was also one I hadn't used forever and was no longer valid. Keeping your email address updated will allow a company to contact you in case of account issues such as this.

Many kudos to Steam/Valve for being on top of the issue rather than take the Sony approach by not telling its users about it until it was too late.

Pantech (p7040p) Link Review

2011-11-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

The looks of those pay as you go phones have never been something to brag about. Most are an older, soon to be discontinued model with limited features. Some are specific to their home network and cannot be found anywhere else except for those "unlocked" ones found when searching the internet. Most are just plain ugly and look like something from 1990. This is understandable because if you could afford $300 on a new phone, you can probably afford to have a plan with it instead of paying as you go. The Pantech Link from AT&T (goPhone) is one exception. This Blackberry looking phone doesn't require a data plan to use so you aren't going to wear the battery down staying connected all of the time either.

Looking at the specs...

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Operating Frequencies & Network Technology

North America	Compatible Networks
850 MHz 1900 MHz	GSM GPRS EDGE UMTS HSPA (HSUPA/HSDPA)
International
900 MHz 1800 MHz
Refer to International Services for equipment, roaming partner, pricing, and available services information.

Physical Characteristics & Battery Info

Dimensions	4.54 x 2.40 x 0.39 inches
Weight	3.21 ounces
Talk Time	Up to 3 hours
Standby Time	Up to 250 hours

Operating System & Manufacturer Support

Operating System	Proprietary / Vendor-Specific
Updatable - Firmware Over the Air (FOTA)	Yes
Updatable - PC Cable Connection	No
Updatable - Wi-Fi Connection	No
Manufacturer	Pantech
Detailed Technical Specs	AT&T Developer Program

Browser

WAP Formatted Page Support	Yes
HTML Formatted Page Support	No

Camera

Rear Facing Integrated Camera	Yes
Rear Camera Resolution/Zoom	1.3 Megapixel / 4x Digital
Front Facing Integrated Camera	No
Front Camera Resolution/Zoom	N/A
Camera Graphic Support	JPEG
Video Recorder	Yes

Connectivity

Bluetooth	Yes / Bluetooth Headset Connect
Bluetooth Version/Streaming Audio Support	Ver. 2.0 /
Data Cable	Vendor-Specific
Headset Jack/Type	Yes / Vendor-Specific
Infrared	No
Wi-Fi	No
Wi-Fi Protocols	N/A
Wi-Fi Security	N/A

Downloadable Content & Storefront Support

Applications	AT&T AppCenter
Games	AT&T AppCenter
Music Downloads	AT&T Music
Ringtones	AT&T AppCenter
Ringback Tones	AT&T AppCenter
Wallpapers	AT&T AppCenter

Global Positioning System (GPS) & Location Based Services Support

GPS Enabled	Yes
GPS Technology	Integrated

Interface

Primary Display Type / Size	2.4" TFT with up to 260K Colors, 320 x 240 Pixel, Internal Display
Secondary Display Type / Size	N/A
Standard Keys	Yes
Touch Screen Keys	No
QWERTY Keyboard (Physical/Virtual)	Physical

Memory

Internal Memory	128MB
Expandable Memory Support/Type/Capacity	Yes / microSD / 16GB
Ringtones Max Size / Capacity	600KB / Up to available memory
Graphics Max Size / Capacity	600KB / Up to available memory
Applications Max Size / Capacity	No Max / Up to available memory
Video Max Size / Capacity	600KB / Up to available memory

		(specs from AT&T http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB108854&cv=820#fbid=SsLgCj5OZ1O)

I won't be doing any reviews on internet connectivity with this phone. I got it as a gift (thanks sis!) and I'm in no position to shell out extra money for a feature I never use. I am one of those soon to be extinct individuals who uses his phone mainly for a quick text or a short conversation. I don't surf the net or care about updating my status on Facebook from my phone. I will state that this phone comes with Mobile Opera as a choice of a web browser though you have to dig to find it. AT&T wants you to use their own Mobile Web browser and is set to use it as default. The phone is capable of 3G speed so it probably works as expected.

I have had this phone for about a week and I must say I really like it. I wasn't too fond with the "Blackberry" look at first but it has grown on me. The rubberized back makes the phone easy to hold and the whole phone feels very solid. I haven't dropped it (yet) so I don't know how tough it is but I still have no scratches on the screen - even after being in a pocket with a set of keys. The keyboard, though tiny, is one of this phones' best features. The buttons are raised just enough so a person with fat fingers can text with minimal errors. I chuckle at the ".com" key and wonder if this is Pantech's doing or AT&T's. Either way, someone is pushing the user to get on the internet with this thing. The keys are backlit but not enough for an old guy with bad eyes to see very well. The few texts I have made have been error free thanks to having a prediction mode that corrects as you type. For a cheap phone this can be a texters dream.

Bluetooth worked flawlessly and I had no problems connecting it to my CallPod Dragon (http://www.callpod.com/products/dragon) earpiece. Sound quality and range over bluetooth is great. I have been told that my earpiece is clearer than using the phone normally. A slight echo was reported by call recipients when I'm not using the headset.

The camera is nothing much to speak of as is to be expected for a phone in this price range. The 1.3 mp camera is in bad need of a flash. Pictures were soft and grainy and if there is any movement involved it blurs easily. The shutter takes a second to work so it is really easy to move while taking a picrture. It does have a few cool settings such as sepia tone, black and white, and negative. In black and white mode the pictures are actually better than the regular color setting. I personally don't care if I have a camera in my phone or not. If I want to take pictures I'm usually prepared by having a real camera nearby.

It's a good thing that this phone has a memory card slot. The proprietary charging/USB interface requires a cable (not included). They go for around $5 on Amazon but I still would have liked a standard USB port like other phones use. I was able to put MP3's on the card and the phone plays them pretty well. There's no bass to speak of of course, but this phone sounds a lot less tinny than others I have seen. The volume could be louder though. I downloaded a couple of games and tried to transfer then to my phone (Java) but the phone said that the filetype isn't supported even though this phone does support Java. I have a cable coming and Pantech has a program on their website for use with the Link. Maybe this will solve the game install problem. I'll check it out when Amazon gets my cable to me.

AT&T did a spectacular job of messing up this phone with all of their addons and their icons scattered about. The phone comes with 5 games, or so it says. The games aren't actually installed. Clicking their shortcuts brings up a message telling me I have to be connected to the net to use. Huh? I'm assuming it's to download the programs and it's just another way for AT&T to entice you into getting a data plan. Their trick no worky on me! Their mobile email costs an extra $5 a month to use. Someone care to elaborate as to why since this feature is free on almost any other phone I have seen? It makes no sense to charge that much, especially when you still have to pay for data time used as well.

Battery life is good. The battery charges quickly and is easily replaceable. It's about $20 for a new one. Take that iPhone!

There are many accessories (not included) including cases, cables, screen protectors, etc. The fact that so many manufacturers are willing to supply accessories tells me that sales on this phone are doing well. I was able to order a pack of 5 screen protectors (custom fit), a data cable, and a rubber cover that that fits around the phone for extra protection. I'm still afraid of that first drop and these type of cases do wonders to protect the phone. All of these costs me a little over $10 on Amazon. Try getting all of those things for an iPhone for that price!

So far I'm pretty happy with this phone. I'm unable to find it for sale from AT&T with their contract plans but if one wanted to they could put their SIM card in and it will work. I plan on keeping this one for awhile. It's been a definite upgrade over my 5 year old Motorola Razr. Still not ready for the big time? This phone might be just for you. I have seen these given away for free or priced all of the way up to $59.95. Your pricing experience may vary. For more info on AT&T and their goPhone offerings go to http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/go-phones/index.jsp?WT.srch=1#fbid=beSiMVaNJY2

Pros: Keyboard, reception, price, battery life. lots of accessories available

Cons: Weird Pantech Operating System, keyboard backlight, low speakerphone and music volume, AT&T's bundled junk

Update: I got the data cable and screen protectors in the mail right after I wrote this. Unfortunately the software isn't compatible with Windows 7 64-bit. It hasn't been updated in almost two years so it doesn't look like Pantech cares. As for the screen protectors, can you say bubbles?

magicTalk Quit Talking

2011-10-23T04:47:00.000-07:00

I knew it wouldn't last forever. My magicTalk program that allowed me to make free outbound calls (as long as they were less than 90 minutes long as me and my mom found out) has apparantely moved on to try to entice someone else to spend money. I didn't. Their site still says that they have numbers in my area code but they don't. All is not lost though as I found a way to use Google Voice and a software softphone (and a lot of Google searches) to make and receive calls! The results of this project will be posted here soon. I want to give it a go for a few days before I decide if it's worth all of the trouble. Since my cell phone got turned off due to lack of funds I felt compelled to dig a little deeper into the bowels of VoIP and see what I could dig up.

Sesame Street Hacked!!!

2011-10-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

Sesame Street's Google page on YouTube yesterday was hacked and videos on the site were replaced with porn videos. The offending material was up for at least twenty minutes and was first reported by the security company Sophos. Google pulled the content due to "repeated or severe violations of our Community Guidelines."

Let this be a lesson for those of us with kids. ALWAYS BE AWARE OF WHAT YOUR CHILD IS DOING ON THE COMPUTER!!! Just because your kid might be watching Spongebob on Nickelodeon's website it doesn't mean that some internet bad guy isn't there to ruin the experience.

Using the Parental Controls in Windows can help you gain some peace of mind when your little darling wants to be a sneak and get on your PC when you didn't notice or for when you are cooking in the kitchen and can't check every five minutes to make sure that they aren't perverting themselves. By using Parental Controls you can control what websites they visit, use time limits to keep them from becoming an internet zombie like the rest of us, block specific software from running (I wouldn't want a 5-year old to play Doom 3), block downloading, and keep a log of what websites they have gone to. There are workarounds that have been posted on the internet and kids these days are pretty computer saavy so using Parental Controls is not a 100% fix if your child is persistent enough. Because of this I will say again ALWAYS BE AWARE OF WHAT YOUR CHILD IS DOING ON THE COMPUTER!!!

If you are running Windows 7 there is a video (less than four minutes long) located at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help/videos/using-parental-controls which will help in setting up and learning how Parental Controls works.

R.I.P. Steve Jobs

2011-10-05T17:04:00.000-07:00

1955 - 2011

Steve Jobs, father of the Macintosh, innovator behind everything "i", former C.E.O. of one of the largest companies in the world, Apple, passed away today at the age of 56. Go to http://www.apple.com right now and be greeted with a picture of a man who was one of the most powerful people in the technological field.

Here is the first Steve Jobs TV interview in 1978 on KGO-TV:

EDIT: Of course, YouTube pulled this video but you can probably still find it by searching.

May you reast in peace Mr. Jobs.

Say Goodbye To Gadgets

2011-10-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

Ever since Window Vista came out I have always enjoyed seeing what new gadgets developers are creating. I have used the ones showing CPU and Network usage and I really like the Facebook gadget on my desktop showing me what my friends are up to in real time.

So today I went to the gadget site at gallery.microsoft.com and was greeted with this message:

"The Windows Live Gallery has been retired. In order to focus support on the much richer set of opportunities available for the newest version of Windows, Microsoft is no longer supporting development or uploading of new Gadgets. However, some of the most popular and highest-rated gadgets are still available on the Gadgets page of the Windows Personalization Gallery.

With Windows Developer Preview, developers can create rich app experiences where customers focus on their important tasks. Apps are at the center of the Windows Developer Preview experience and are alive with activity and vibrant content. Users immerse themselves in your full-screen app while Windows gracefully gets out of the way.

Windows Developer Preview allows you to leverage your existing skills and code assets so you can create great experiences for your customers. Gadget and web developers can now use their HTML5 and CSS3 skills to build native Windows apps. .NET Developers can use XAML, C#, and Visual Basic to build beautiful Metro-style apps. Game developers can use the power of DirectX 11.1 to build amazing, immersive gaming experiences. Driver developers benefit from increased productivity with the new, integrated Visual Studio development environment.

With Windows Developer Preview, you’re ready to imagine, build, and sell the next great app.

See the Windows Dev Center to get started."

So now I'm bummed. Windows 7 (which also includes the gadget feature) is still a fairly new OS. Why retire the gadgets so soon? Talk about shoving Metro UI down our throats. Do they even ask the consumer what they want anymore? I know a lot of people who are going to be bummed about this as well.

My MagicJack Experience

2011-09-29T18:35:00.000-07:00

Like a lot of other people in this day and age I am strapped financially due to unforseen medical issues so it's becoming increasingly harder to keep paying for the "luxuries" in life such as my cell phone (I don't have a home phone) and the internet. I'm always looking for a cheaper way and my sister suggested that I look into getting a MagicJack. MagicJack is a small USB device that plugs into your PC and it uses your own internet connection to make VOIP phone calls. You can use it to make free calls to anywhere in the U.S.A. and Canada. For $19.95 a year you get a phone number, call forwarding, caller ID, voicemail, and directory assistance. Sounded like a great deal but will it work for me? Reviews on the internet were mixed. I really didn't want to waste time messing with a piece of garbage and was about to move on to something else when I discovered magicTalk. The same software that's on the USB in an app form. I installed it, it asked me a few questions, and then this phone-looking interface popped up on my screen.

With this app I could dial out. I tested it by calling my sister in California. The call quality was good considering I was using a piece of junk microphone and my computer speakers. There was one point where my sister thought I had broke up but it might have been because I turned my head away from the mic. Better hardware on my end would improve the sound quality I'm sure. With the MagicJack device you can plug in a standard telephone and use it like normal. I haven't had a regular home phone for so long I'd have to buy some cheapie so this software alternative works just fine for me.

So now I want a phone number. My sweet sis was going to be nice and pay the $19.95 for me. My only requirement (naturally) was that it was avaliable in my area code. Radio Shack sells these things so I figured that they could help. When I called they said that they didn't know and the customer support at MagicJack sucked. Why does Radio Shack sell these damned things then? I was asked to let them know what I found out so they could let their customers know. Wow.

So sis tries to order this thing for me. Guess what? Their page that lists what area codes MagicJack can use is down. She goes through the process and gets some help from customer assistance and she is told then that only 425 and 509 are avaliable in Washington so I guess no go for me.

Today I get an email from MagicJack saying that they are sending me a "free" MagicJack. "Just click the link to verify my account details." Click. Hmmmmm. They seem to have nothing on record regarding my order. Good. I didn't order it anyway, they have no credit card info. The heck with them. "Please reply to this email in one hour to make any account changes or inquiries." I replied that I didn't want this. PLEASE DON'T SEND ME A MAGIC JACK!!! Now I wonder if I'm going to get one or not.

So now I'm on their webpage. I figured that it's been a week. Maybe they fixed the link. I went to http://www.magicjack.com/areacodes/ and scrolled down the page and there it was! Not only was 360 listed but every other area code in Washington was also. Cool but, not so fast. I want confirmation before I commit. I contacted MagicJack using their Live help feature.

Please wait for a site operator to respond.

You are now chatting with 'Keira'

Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK55409476180X

Keira: Hello, how may I help you?

Brian: The other day I had to use this live chat feature to find out if the 360 area code was avaliable because the link on your page was down. The person told me that only 425 and 509 were avaliable in Washington. Now the link works and it shows 360 as an area code I can use. Which is it?

Keira: Let me check on it, Brian.

Keira: Would you mind if I'll put you on hold for a while?

Brian: http://www.magicjack.com/areacodes/ shows it dows. I even called my local Radio Shack and they couldn't tell me.

Brian: sure

Brian: *does

Keira: Thank you.

Keira: One moment please...

Keira: Thanks for patiently waiting, Brian.

Keira: I have checked all our resources on our end, and as of the moment, 425 and 509 are the only available area codes for Washington.

Brian: You need to fix it on the website then. LOL

Brian: thank you. I do want one but will have to wait and see if you get 360 eventually.

Keira: I am really sorry for the trouble, Brian. Please do not worry as this chat is recorded, your concern will be noted.

Keira: You are welcome.

Keira: Is there anything else I may help you with today?

Brian: No thank you.

Keira: Thank you for stopping by to chat, I hope I did a good job at addressing your concerns. Please take a second to answer a one question survey about the service I provided. Please click the "close" button on the top right of this screen and the survey will appear. Thanks again!

I never saw the survey. My pop-up blocker must have zapped it. Anyway, too bad for MagicJack. I can't recommend this just because the customer service sucks. If the device works as well as the software then it's too bad that their own staff (whether it be the people on the phone or the guy who keeps their website up to date) is going to be the reason why this company fails. Anybody want to start up some competition?

2011-09-23T15:52:00.000-07:00

I now have a way for Facebook users to follow my blog. Just click the "Follow This Blog" link in the box on the right that says "Networked Blogs" and you will instantly be added to the list. Never miss a post again. Follow me now!

Running Linux on a "Certified for Windows 8" PC

2011-09-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Want to dual-boot Linux and Windows 8? You might run into problems by the time the final release is out due to the fact that Microsoft is requiring that "Certified for Windows 8" PCs must have UEFI Secure Boot enabled in the BIOS in order to install. UEFI is a process that prevents booting operating systems that don't have their bootloader and kernel signed by a trusted Certificate Authority. All firmware and software in the boot process must be signed. This process will disallow rogue programs (viruses and trojans) to install and run during the boot process thus sparing the machine from threats. While this is a good idea, Linux has no signed version due to the GPL licensing structure so the only hope is that there will be a workaround issued or there will be a way to disable UEFI in the BIOS. Since UEFI is rather new, only newer hardware will come with it and there are very few models reported that allow a user to turn it off. Current machines dual-booting Windows 7 and Linux should be able to upgrade to Windows 8 without wiping out the Linux install. As Microsoft notes in the Building Windows 8 blog, “We will continue to support the legacy BIOS interface.” However, machines using UEFI instead of BIOS “will have significantly richer capabilities” including faster boot times and greater security. Let's hope that PC vendors aren't eating so much Microsoft dog food that they leave others in the cold by not supplying a way to turn UEFI off or come up with a workaround. Maybe a signed version of a bootloader and kernel for Linux? Doubtful, but we'll just have to wait and see.

Who Broke My Apps In Windows 8?

2011-09-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

Running Windows 8 in a virtual machine can prose some problems if the hardware requirements of the guest OS aren't met or configured properly. Those trying to run Windows 8 DEV on a low quality or older system or a virtual machine with limited graphics may find that some (or all in extreme cases) of the included sample apps won't even start if you click them. Why? Well, it has been discovered that trying to run Windows 8 below the recommended resolution of 1024 x 768 will create the problem. If your system doesn't allow for that setting or higher then it's recommended that you use Windows 8 on another machine.

BTW, have you tried to reinstall or use the new "reset" feature in the Windows 8 DEV Preview you may have been surprised to have seen a screen asking you for a key.

No key was needed to install the Preview so huh?

At the Microsoft Developer Network forum located at this [link] a MS employee was nice enough to reply with this answer...

Quote:

If you need to reinstall Windows Developer Preview or use the Reset functionality, you might be asked to enter this product key:

6RH4V-HNTWC-JQKG8-RFR3R-36498

If you’re running a server version of Windows Developer Preview, you can use this product key:

4Y8N3-H7MMW-C76VJ-YD3XV-MBDKV

Note: These product keys are only for use with the Windows Developer Preview version of Windows 8.

End Quote

Of course, these keys won't work with any other version other than the DEV so don't bother trying!

2011-09-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Metro UI

Metro UI is what Microsoft is calling their new "ugly" Start interface with all of the boxes which, to me, makes it look like a smartphone OS. I still hate it and apparantely so do a lot of others. It's been hated enough that a guy even wrote a way to disable it with Metro Controller for Windows 8. No Registry hacking or .dll renaming involved. The interface is really simple. If you don't like the Office 2010 Ribbon look you can use it to disable that too. It will also restore your old settings should you change your mind later.

MetroControl

You can download MetroControl here (266.35 kB): http://winaero.com/download.php?view.15

Word Of The Day

2011-09-15T23:34:00.000-07:00

I'm still gonna have to disagree but here's the word of the day Microsoft is over using after the release of the Windows 8 DEV...

Thanks for asking!

Windows 8 Hotkeys

2011-09-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

I figured out a few of these myself and the rest are posted all over the net after yesterdays release.

WIN + Q – look for the application

WIN + W – search on the parameters of the system

WIN + I – open set

WIN + O – disable screen rotation (turn off the gyro reaction to the tablets)

WIN + C – open a simplified "Start" menu and set the date and time

Press ALT in combination with the following key:

A – opens the "special features"

C O – copy the selected items

C P – copy the path to the file / folder

C F – copy the folder (use the drop-down list)

D – delete the selected

E - edit the selected files

H – to show the history of file versions

N – Create a new folder

P S – insert label

P R – open properties

S I – Invert the selection

R – Rename a selected file (s)

T – Cut

V – Paste

W – create a new document, choose the template – using the drop-down list

P E – Open With

S A – Select all

S N – Deselect

M – move the files (using the drop-down list)

F4 - Brings up the Shutdown dialog

I will post more as I find.

Windows 8

2011-09-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

I downloaded the Windows 8 Developer Release last night and I must say I'm not overly impressed. First off, I wanted to run Windows 8 in a virtual machine as I didn't want to "install" it on any of my hardware. You'd think Microsoft would expect this and update Virtual PC to run this release. Not! VMware Player didn't work either. I got some sort of "HAL" error on both. I hate VirtualBox though I heard that others were successful with it but also heard that VMware Workstation 8 would. Workstation 8 is avaliable from the VMware site with a 3-day trial. I'm pretty sure that you could also find it on Bittorrent or elsewhere though I don't condone this (heh).

I finally get it running and what can I say? Can you say "smart phone"? Now I know that Microsoft is kissing ass with touchscreen monitor manufacturers but c'mon! I know absolutely NO ONE with a touchscreen and most of the sample apps only work with a touchscreen. It looks like a telephone OS and I frankly find it rather ugly. It asks you for your MSN/Hotmail account so you can join the "cloud" or you can have a local account which I prefer. Getting a standard desktop is as simple as clicking the "Desktop" box (I'm not sure what Windows is calling them box thingys yet) but it always reverted back on reboot for me. Finding standard Windows functions such as Device Manager or Network were buried and harder to find. Lemme get off my box about the interface. It just sucks to me!

FUGLY!

I will say that bootup times were quick. The VM of Windows 8 actually boots faster than the Windows 7 host it runs on. I installed the 64-bit version, gave it 2GB RAM. I ran the Windows Experience Index test and got a whopping 2.0 due to VMware's lack of video performance options. The rest of the tests ran from a 4 to a 6. Not too bad for a VM. Programs that worked without a touchscreen responded quickly though there was no visible way to close the applications without using the Task Manager. No shutdown button (yet?) either. I had to hit ALT - F4 to bring up the shutdown menu.

DEV edition is still very early and I'm hoping that Microsoft makes things work both with and without a touchscreen. Their appstore isn't set up yet for this edition so downloading other apps is out for now. If you download the full 64-bit edition it comes with developer tools and other goodies (some don't work). I don't really see any reason right now as to why anyone would want to run this crap myself. I'm just not a "cloud" person yet I guess. The fact that Microsoft didn't update Virtual PC to run this on doesn't impress me either.

BTW, for those of you that noticed I have not been using this blog for awhile, I'm back! We'll try to be more active this time around.

SIGMATEL STAC 92XX C-Major HD Audio and Vista On A Dell E1505

2009-03-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

When Windows Vista was first released a certain hardware manufacturer was also going through a change - SigmaTel. In July of 2006 SigmaTel was advised to sell their non-profitable PC audio division and take a loss so that they can concentrate their efforts on their other products. On August 1st of 2006 SigmaTel sold its PC audio division for $80 million to Integrated Device Technology (IDT). What does that mean you ask? Well, the timing sucked. IDT was more worried about the changeover and less worried about the upcoming new OS release so no new driver was made for Vista running SigmaTel audio hardware! Even Windows XP owners had issues with newer boards equipped with SigmaTel audio because there was no option for Stereo Mix included with the latest XP drivers either. So who is affected by this problem? Just about everyone who purchased a Dell, HP, Gateway, Compaq, or Acer PC or laptop with Sigmatel audio. That's a lot of people! That's a lot of complaints! Dell seems to care little about it. They claim that it only affects a small number of people. How about everyone who purchased a Dell computer with a SigmaTel audio chip between December of 2005 and March of 2008?!?! Almost every Dell made during that time used SigmaTel. Dell says that the problem has been fixed in Windows XP - which it was, so why not Vista?

Some claim that it has to do with DRM restrictions imposed by the government (thanks RIAA/MPAA bastards!). Disabling or not even having the ability to use stereo mix keeps the user from recording live audio streams without use of a third-party program that usually one has to pay for. You also can't record through your microphone. That leaves out many musicians who like to record and edit their work using their PC's. Did Microsoft do this on purpose? The Conspiracy Theorists would love it if you believed that. My take is that SigmaTel/IDT was just too busy to care or the new company didn't have the technical savvy to recognize the potential for a problem in time and just missed the boat. Because of this the PC manufacturers were forced to modify or write their own drivers to give the unit at the very least least minimal functionality.

I have had my Dell Inspiron e1505 running Windows Vista Ultimate for over two years now and never even noticed that I had an issue until I tried to use Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) to record some audio from a video that I was watching and it didn't work. A quick Google revealed pages and pages of people with similar problems. Now I'm not going to say that I came up with this fix all by myself. I actually spent many hours trying out multiple "fixes" that people had claimed that worked before coming up with this one on my own. I have since found out that others also discovered this method that I used so I'm not going to even try to take any credit on this one.

Disclaimer: The following procedures to restore SigmaTel stereo mix functionality has only been tested on a Dell Inspiron E1505 laptop with SigmaTel 92XX audio. There is no guarantee that this will work on your particular system - even if it's the exact same as mine. Try these methods at your own risk and good luck!!!

Using this method will cause the SigmaTel Control Panel extension to crash with a COM error. You can search your system for the .CPL file for the SigmaTel function and delete it or just leave it and deal with it. It won't crash your system by leaving it there. It's just annoying if you accidentally click it.

The solution:

1. Download the SigmaTel driver (R171789) for a Dell Inspiron E1505 running Windows XP (this is the XP "fix" driver BTW) from here: http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R171789&SystemID=LATITUDE%20PRECISION%20M90&servicetag=&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=8907&devlib=0&typecnt=0&vercnt=3&catid=-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=3&fileid=235761

This file will install driver version 5.10.0.5515_RC22-WHQL, A11 and should state so in the description of the driver.

2. Right-click the R171789.exe file and select "Properties".

3. Go to the Compatibility tab.

4. Select the box that says "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and then choose "Windows XP (Service Pack 2)".

5. Also check the "Run this program as an administrator" box.

6. Close the dialogue and install!!!

No reboot is necessary.

Now go to your Control Panel and choose "Sound" and the "Recording" tab and you should now see Microphone, Line In (which is the microphone jack when it's not being used with a mic) and Stereo Mix. It removes the SPDIF setting but the jack still works using the Stereo Mix settings.

Have fun!!!

Washington or D.C. ?

2009-02-06T13:06:00.000-08:00

[Rant begins]
As a Washington state resident, I am often confused over headlines that I see on the internet and in my local newspaper. Why is it that when a story comes out of Washington D.C. the editor/publisher/writer of the article is too damned lazy to add the D.C. when signifying the source or location of the story?

Look at this link: http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090206/ap_on_hi_te/tec_digital_tv_transition_13 . Notice the very large NEW YORK at the beginning of the lead paragraph of the article. OK, so now I know that it is from or about something in New York. That was pretty easy, no?

Now look at the headline of this article: http://tech.yahoo.com/news/nm/20090206/wr_nm/us_usa_stimulus_internet_1 . State senator from where? Note that Reuters used the name Washington in it's lead-in paragraph. Where? Washington state or Washington D.C. ? Now read the article. One would assume that because this story is political in nature that one should know that it is a D.C. article but not a single reference is made to Washington - D.C. or otherwise. They did mention Maine. I thought that the story was about what a Senator from my state was proposing.

Now the final blow... I got the second story via a link from the Seattle Times. We all know where Seattle is I hope.

So I say all of us Washingtonians should take a stand and let these idiots know that we are people too. And quit referring to D.C. as a state. The state is Washington. I still haven't decided on what the best description for that D.C. place should be. That will depend on how good of a job President Obama does. Hope that the Colombians don't do anything bad to him. Wait. D.C. isn't in Colombia. Well, there's another one for someone else to blog about.

[Rant ends]

Let The Change Begin!

2009-01-21T12:07:00.000-08:00

I'm hoping...

IE8 Beta test cancelled

2009-01-17T22:43:00.000-08:00

Seeing as how I haven't had the time, my test box is too "busy" to be doing any kind of testing right now, and everyone else in the world is reviewing IE8, I feel that another review is unnecessary. An excellent review can be found here.

One thing I will say about IE8 - it's sure looking more and more like Firefox every day. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em I guess.

So what to do here now with this blog? Keep watch and find out soon!