The TECHLife Post

iolo awarded patent forActiveCare

Eric Jacksch — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:00:14 +0000

iolo technologies announced today that it has been awarded a new patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its ActiveCare® technology. ActiveCare, a unique system and method for proactively monitoring computer performance and automatically repairing and optimizing system configurations during idle periods, is one of the many industry-first innovations for the company [...]

Lost that loving feeling…with your PC?

Eric Jacksch — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Many of us have a relationship with our computer that is best expressed by the Righteous Brothers’ song, “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.” When we first bought our shiny new system it was so much faster than our old computer and we loved it. But a year later, it boots slowly and performance is sluggish. [...]

A New Look

Eric Jacksch — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 04:14:56 +0000

We’re in the process of upgrading to a brand new look — please excuse the dust, and let us know what you think!

New decade, new TLP!

Eric Jacksch — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 12:00:48 +0000

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2011! We’re in the process of making some significant changes at TLP, and we’d like to here from you! Drop us a line, say hello, and let us know how we can make TLP more relevant to you.

Adobe Acrobat X

Eric Jacksch — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:00:52 +0000

This morning Adobe formally announced Acrobat X. While there are several interesting new features, two captured my attention: 1) PDF Portfolios allow multiple documents (including different formats) to be placed into a single file for distribution. If you need to send a client several related documents this allows you to put them together into a [...]

The new SPOT

Eric Jacksch — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:00:00 +0000

As a reviewer and technology enthusiast it’s always nice to see a good product get even better. I reviewed the original SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger back in 2008 and was thrilled. It would have been perfect for my trip to Death Valley the previous year, on family camping trips, and anywhere else there might not [...]

Ten Spring Break Photo Tips

Gregory Flasch — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Whether you’re going on a vacation to somewhere hot and sunny, or staying around town to visit local attractions, you’ll want to remember every moment of the fun. Why not grab your favourite digital SLR camera to document your spring break with the utmost flair? Switch to Manual mode and get creative with your shots. [...]

Marketing in unsettled times

Andy Marken — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:00:00 +0000

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, NOT EMPIRES Up until last year, when things really got tough (fiscally and image wise), it was commonly felt that companies went through two types of management–one that could carry them through the tough start-up period and another that could run a successful enterprise. The same group of people seldom managed the company [...]

Happy New Year!

Eric Jacksch — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:01:00 +0000

Happy new year and best wishes to you and yours for a happy, health and prosperous 2010!

CAD U2 USB Headset Review

Eric Jacksch — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

While there are a variety of ways to get sound in and out of your PC, sometimes a simple way is the best. One of the products that caught my eye recently is the CAD U2 USB Stereo Headphone with Microphone and the manufacturer was kind enough to send one over for review. The U2 [...]

Camera Buyer’s Guide

Eric Jacksch — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Choosing a camera is tough. Choosing a camera for someone else is even tougher. So with Christmas on the horizon, we’ll help you wade through the sea of cameras at your local retailer and narrow down the choices to a more manageable number. The key to choosing a camera is to consider it a tool. [...]

Your software sucks

Eric Jacksch — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Nikon, Digidesign and Garmin have several things in common. They all produce products that I’ve personally shelled out cash for. They all produce high quality hardware that is as good, or better, than their direct competitors. But yet I’m reluctant to purchase product from them again because, to be blunt, their software sucks. My primary [...]

AnywhereUSB

Eric Jacksch — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

A month or so ago I was working on a virtualization article for the print edition of INFOExecutive (formerly Information Week Canada). The article dealt with barriers to virtualization, one of them being USB devices. Or so I thought! My research took me to the web site of Minnesota-based Digi International. Digi originally developed their [...]

H1N1: A case study in poor risk decisions

Eric Jacksch — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +0000

In security circles we often discuss why some individuals and businesses find themselves in a perpetual state of high risk. While there can be complex factors, the bottom line is that many of us make poor risk management decisions in our business and personal lives. Sometimes a high risk position results because we don’t correctly [...]

Panasonic Holiday Gift Guide

Eric Jacksch — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Our friends at Panasonic were kind enough to send over their top suggestions for this holiday season. RP-HJE160 – Ergofit Noise Isolating Earbuds (Green, Pink, Blue, Purple, Orange, Red, Black, White) MSP: $29.99 A Perfect Gift For: Dorm Bound Students, Transit Commuters, High-Tech Tweens Wish List Worthy Features: ErgoFit design and soft ear caps for [...]

uCorder Wearable Video Recorder Giveaway

Eric Jacksch — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:06:08 +0000

The fine folks at IRES Technology Corp have been kind enough to supply a uCorder model IRDC250 wearable video recorder with 2 GB of internal flash memory and PC webcam functionality for a lucky reader. This baby will record up to 2 hours of 640×480 AVI format video on a single charge. The contest is [...]

RECOVERY IN PROGRESS

Eric Jacksch — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:03:46 +0000

We’re in the process of recovering from a major system failure earlier this week. Thanks for your patience and support.

Size isn’t everything

Andy Marken — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

There Are Things More Important Than Size…Just Ask Flash “I’d much rather see you on my side, than scattered into… atoms.” – The Emperor Ming, Flash Gordon (Universal Pictures – 1980) We like things that spin, things that go fast. You know, like flying saucers and rocket ships…drives and flash memory. It’s a good thing, [...]

20 years of freedom

Eric Jacksch — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

(The Berlin Wall, December 1985. Photo by Eric Jacksch) Twenty years ago today the Berlin Wall fell, uniting East and West Germany. Celebrations today include fireworks, concerts, and the toppling of foam dominoes painted by school children. Spiegel Online International has a great collection of historic images and coverage of the 20th anniversary celebration. [...]

Now Think Now

Eric Jacksch — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

A new student-run program in Indianapolis called Now Think Now encourages teens to think and make better decisions behind the wheel. Their web site explains, Now Think Now is a social site where teens and other community members can gather and share their stories, ideas and opinions. Our ultimate goal is getting teens the information [...]

Good year for a merger

Andy Marken — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

If being acquired isn’t part of your business plan…prepare your survival strategy. Nothing focuses the mind better than the constant sight of a competitor who wants to wipe you off the map. – Wayne Calloway When Eric Schmidt (Google) said he paid a premium of one billion for YouTube he spelled out part of the [...]

H1N1, bad information and scams

Eric Jacksch — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

As H1N1 (swine flu) continues to spread, so does misinformation on the Internet. There are several emails in circulation that are simply wrong, and web sites with false information are popping up all over. And scams are starting to emerge. We share this planet with people who still believe the earth is flat, lunatic conspiracy [...]

The office online

Andy Marken — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Making The Transition to a Social Business “Look, I’m all about loyalty. In fact, I feel like part of what I’m being paid for here is my loyalty. But if there were somewhere else that valued loyalty more highly, I’m going wherever they value loyalty the most.” – Dwight Schrute – The Office, ABC-TV Seriously… [...]

Ottawa: It’s all about the lack of competence

Eric Jacksch — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:50:00 +0000

Tens of thousands of pounds of disgusting and dangerous sewage gets pumped into the basements of homeowners in Ottawa, not just once or twice, but three or four times – in what the City claims is a “hundred year occurrence.” The top public servant in Ottawa claims the sewers are working just fine, the way [...]

Canadians screwing Canadians

Eric Jacksch — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I hope that regular readers of my security column will forgive me, but today I’d like to get a few things off my chest. With the holidays approaching, we’ll undoubtedly hear Canadian retailers whinging about how the Internet is costing them revenue and begging us to “shop local.” They’ll tell us how Internet shopping hurts [...]