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U3 is Gone, and Good Riddance

U3, as we said…is gone. Sandisk, which owns the product…has decided to discontinue the product. We always had a problem with it. It tended to take too long to load…was much too slow.

We had recommended the menu launcher and accompanying open-source software from www.portableapps.com. The menu takes very little in terms of system resources and it is optional…the programs there can run without it.

Sandisk, however, has announced it will replace U3 with a new software and hardware solution. For this, they have joined forces with Microsoft. The new offering is expected to be commercially available in the second half of 2008. It will include TrustedFlash security technology. TrustedFlash embeds digital rights management software on the card instead of the player. We are not about to embark on another diatribe against the inconvenience of DRM…but having it on the media instead of the player can be an advantage.

GigaOm directed us to another product…MojoPac…which we hadn’t previously noticed. MojoPac allows you to install almost any application to a USB 2.0 compliant storage device, including iPods, USB hard drives, USB flash memory drives, etc. One downside is that the current version requires administrative privileges on the Host PC. U3 did not, nor do the PortableApps menu launcher. MojoPac is working on the issue for future versions though…although most solutions require the cooperation of the administrator.

We’ve been experimenting with bootable USB drives that can either act using the PortableApps series of open source portable applications or boot a complete Linux or Windows based operating system…We’ll have more on this later.

Published on May 20, 2007
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The More You Know

Our colleagues at Flight Wisdom have switched to a mostly roundup-based format in order to report on more news that isn’t worthy of a full article…so we decided to give it a try over here.

  • Verizon last month introduced a $2 fee for customers who don’t subscribe to long-distance service and don’t pay for a long-distance calling plan. It is nice to know that it costs money to NOT do business with Verizon as well as all the surcharges we pay for doing business with them. You can get rid of the charge…if you happen to notice it….by disconnecting your long-distance access…but that will cost $6.75.
  • Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs contain mercury…and thus you are advised to dispose of them in compliance with local regulations…The Consumerist has its review of this story which made the rounds in the media…of a woman who broke one of these bulbs and was advised to call a toxic waste team at a cost of $2000 to clean up the mess. The bulb has less mercury than a thermometer. It is unnecessary to have it professionally cleaned. Just take proper care…clean completely and then clean yourself afterward.
  • We got a kick out of this cheap network rack project…which uses cheap Rubbermaid letter trays to keep and stack network equipment in a simple and aesthetically pleasing ways. Have a look here.
  • Vonage has set up a website called Freetocompete.com as a result of their current legal problems with Verizon. They want you to sign their petition to keep VoIP companies from being unfairly hassled by Verizon by claiming they own patents that cover all VoIP services.
  • For those of youwho use or consider using third-party ink refills for your printer(refills not made by the printer manufacturer…check out this investigation by TrustReviews.
  • Popular Mechanics did a test on the light quality of a set of Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs.
Published on May 3, 2007
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FCC Chairman Supports Ala Carte Cable

We support ala carte cable…the idea that you can only buy the channels you want, rather than being forced to buy dozens of channels you otherwise wouldn’t watch. Well…FCC chairman Kevin Martin said it testimony he’d support legislation to force cable operators to allow them to purchase more programming on that basis.

Our current cable provider, Time Warner…with which we’ve had many problems…offers two digital packages…the Value Pack and the Standard Pack. On top of that, you can get sports extras, premium channels, and an HD package. Ideally, we’d prefer some more finely tuned options.

The cable companies insist that ala carte will increase the costs…as channels are often sold to them in blocks. However, they could sell them in much smaller blocks than they do now.

The Consumerist suggests you write John Kerry and have him write a letter to Martin.

Published on April 21, 2007
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Dell to Offer New OS Options

Dell will once again be offering Windows XP on new machines, as well as Windows Vista. On their suggestion website, a plea to restore the option for XP racked up more than 10,700 votes. It will immediately offer XP again as an option for four models of Inspiron notebooks and two models of its Dimension desktops.

Dell has also said it plans to offer Linux as an option…also due to increased demand. It feels the issue is driver support, however. Their goal is to have all open-source drivers, and that means choosing components with such drivers available, or with the understanding the manufacturer will make them available. Currently, Linux device support can be hit or miss. If they sell a system…it must be preconfigured to work with all the hardware.

We have an Inspiron notebook that we loaded with Fedora Core linux…our current preference. It works flawlessly…after a slightly higher learning curve. Each component had to be configured.

Published on April 21, 2007
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Vonage suffers

A Judge has ruled that Vonage cannot service new customers while it appeals a ruling that it violated Verizon’s patents for making phone calls. Vonage will only be allowed to serve its existing customers. Vonage’s stock fell to an all-time low on the announcement. A higher court has stayed that ruling, but it may be reestablished.

For more information, ZDNet has an analysis of the patent infringement. Most feel the language is too general for the accusation of infringement to hold up.

Vonage chief executive Mike Snyder has left the company, and founder and chairman Jeffrey Citron is taking over until a replacement is found. Citron is legally banned from associating with stockholders.

Published on April 14, 2007
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AMD lowers Prices

On Monday, AMD lowered prices on its processors, TGDaily reports. AMD now has three dual-core processors below $100. The price reductions have left AMD without a processor that can compete in the above $300 price range. A complete price list is available on the AMD website.
Published on April 14, 2007
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Experimenting with Operating Systems

We recently started experimenting with QEMU. QEMU is a generic and open source machine emulator and virtualizer.

As an emulator, it can run operating systems and programs made for one machine on another. It currently can emulate the ARM processor(used in routers and other embedded network hardware), SPARC, PowerPC, MIPS, and more are coming.

As a virtualizer, it can create a virtual computer than can run a complete operating system on it. There is an optional drive available to enhance speed.

QEMU runs on the command-line under Windows and Linux-based computers, but pops up a window or a full-screen display for the operating system it is virtualizing. We have used QEMU to experiment and test bootable CDs. These CDs boot a complete operating system and are often used for diagnostic testing on computers.

You can find the latest version of QEMU for Windows here.

To try QEMU out, get a CD image of a bootable CD in iso format, and run the following command:

qemu -cdrom [iso filename] -boot d

That will boot whatever iso you want in a virtualized window.

We’ll have more on QEMU in the future, but it is a great way to experiment with Linux and other operating systems, if you want to try them without major alterations to your system. For more information, try the QEMU on Windows wiki.

Published on April 7, 2007
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Running a Network Server without a Computer

We recently pulled out the Linksys Network Storage Link USB 2.0, aka the NSLU2, affectionately nicknamed the SLUG by enthusiasts. The NSLU2 is actually a Linux-based device, which runs SAMBA, a version of Windows file sharing and has been hacked to run other things.

The NSLU2 is not your only choice for hacking in this manner. You can use the Synology DS101, the Iomega NAS100D, the D-Link DSMG600, or any device that uses the ixp4xxx chipset with attached storage. However, the NSLU2 has the most following, having had an established community for a long time.

There are several options for replacement firmware for the NSLU2. There is Unslung, which allows you to expand the ffunctionality of the NSLU2 without using the original product functionality and compatibility with the original Linksys firmware. However, unlike the stock firmware, Unslung contains support for NTFS(The formatting used for Windows drives), card readers, USB hubs to add extra devices, and other enhancements. Other packages can be installed to a drive hooked into the Slug as it has limited memory and run, for example, a streaming media server.

Alternatives to Unslung include OpenSlug and Debian for the NSLU2, which remove the Linksys functionality in favor of a complete Linux system, and thus are not for the neophyte.

For more information on the various aspects of the NSLU2, visit its unofficial homepage/wiki. We just set one up as a file server at a remote location. It will, as soon as we finish setting up the software, not only backup files from the main server, but allow users at the second site to access local copies of their documents.

Published on April 5, 2007
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Let's Talk about X10 and Insteon

Smarthome, Inc.

You may notice our Smarthome button available on all pages. We have not spent much time talking about them. Smarthome is a computer that specializes in home technology…including surveillance, lighting and appliance control, and so on.

They come to our mind today because we called in an electrician to fix the lighting system we’d failed to succeed in installing ourselves. The system uses X1o-based technology.

X10 is a standard that uses signals sent along the power lines. One can also use radio transmissions to trigger the powerline signals. X10 devices include dimmable lamp modules, appliance modules, outlets, and light switches…as well as a variety of control mechanisms.

One of X10’s problems is that is prone to interference from other devices. However, it remains popular despite this. The most common X10 switches are the inexpensive ones sold by X10 Technology, Radio Shack, and even Smarthome itself. These switches are easy to install, but are prone to failure. They are however a good starting point if you just want to experiment.

For reliability, try Leviton or Smarthome constructed X10 switches. They are a bit more expensive, but come at varying levels of quality…all of which are more reliably. Smarthome itself has been promoting its Insteon line of products. Insteon products are backwards compatible with X10, so you don’t have to rip out your existing wiring, should you have it. But they also send radio signals which are repeated by every Insteon device.

However, setting up Insteon is a bit more expensive than their X10 offerings, and their older X10 only lines are being discounted now…so it is a good time to click the link above and buy.

Thus, we come to the reason why we called an electrician. We have no trouble installing single switches, however,  three-way and four-way switches(where two or more switches control a single light) continue to elude us. That and the fact that whoever wired our home originally did it in an…as the electrician put it…”unconventional way.” We hope to master the skill someday. Fortunately, with the diagnostic assistance of the electrician, everything is working perfectly.

We take a targeted approach to home automation. It is set for certain lights. The lights on our exterior porch are set on a motion sensor that trigger the inside hall lights. In one room, remote switching is used to avoid installing a second switch in the room. When combined with a security system, we could extend this even more.

Give it a look. Feel free to comment with your home automation stories or questions. We may feature them in future posts.

Published on April 5, 2007
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More on Piracy

Last month, the Consumerist asked if the DRM phenomenon drove well-meaning people to piracy. We invite you to review the story of one man who did so despite his best efforts.

We may not be the right people to discuss DRM. We have never purchased music from an online store and we refuse to buy an iPod. But when hearing something like this…

There I sat, a loyal music fan who has shelled out actual money to a business that is supposed to be having financial problems, and the best they can do is tell me to wander the streets of Seattle looking for different internet providers who might allow me to download the music that I have already paid for, music that I have spent the better part of three house trying to listen to, and which is still unusable?

We tend to think we made the right decision. We rip our music from CDs, make plans to, but fail to convert our old cassettes and vinyl to MP3. But we have withdrawn from online music downloads because of the above…it just seems too complicated to us. And iPods…well…we bought a 1GB Sandisk MP3/WMA flash memory player for $19.99 after rebate. We haven’t had any problems with it.

There are people who are willing to deal with the restrictions of music in order to buy through these companies. We salute them. There are also people who find ways around it, and those who pirate. We wish them luck in their endeavors as well.

In good news, the EMI Group will be selling premium DRM free music via Itunes in May, excepting Beatles tunes. Higher-quality music files, which will play on any computer and any digital-audio player, will not replace the copy-protected EMI music currently sold through iTunes. They will still offer the standard 99-cent iTunes downloads. DRM-free will be 30 cents more. Existing customers will be able to upgrade. Full albums will costs the same, DRM or non-DRM.

Tests by EMI indicated the higher-quality, DRM-free songs outsold the DRM ones ten to one. Steve Jobs of Apple has advocated the elimination of DRM in the past, and this seems to indicate that the recording companies are reconsidering the current situation.

Published on April 5, 2007
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