Archive

Archive for May, 2009

Dell Della

May 11th, 2009

If you’re in the market for a new computer from Dell and need help finding the right computer that will match your bedroom curtains, this site is for you.

Dell’s new Della site focused on helping women or the women in you find the right Dell product.

At the bottom, you’ll find links to popular social networks so you can discuss your choice.

Alas, the days of the huge square beige computers are long gone. Long live vibrant colors and abundant choices!

http://content.dell.com/us/en/home/della.aspx

Author: Categories: News

New AOL Desktop 10.1

May 11th, 2009

I’m not a big fan of AOL’s software other than the IM. That being said, I found the new 10.1 to be much improved over previous offerings. The 9.x and below took up too much space and added too many ‘hidden’ programs that sucked your computer’s resources. If you are one of those people who still can’t be weened from AOL, you know who you are doctors and lawyers, then give 10.1 a try. First off, it is a fairly lightweight program. Once installed it only has one program that runs all the time instead of like five in the previous versions. You won’t find things like ‘Pure Networks Port Magic’ sucking the life out of your system. I find the speed of the browser surprisingly fast but only because they cache graphics and other often accessed resources. The email part is probably the weakest here. It is peppered with giant ads that take away from an otherwise cleanly laid out program. You can import your other online address to this mix and have it all come into the inbox. If this was five years ago, I was technically challenged and colorblind, I would probably use it if I used AOL for dial-up. But it being 2009, I don’t see a real practical use for this other than to check my @aol.com email. If I had such an address I think the geek police would come and revoke my computer privileges…aol keyword NOOB.

get it here at:
http://daol.aol.com/software/desktop

Author: Categories: Software

MPAA wants you to record your television with a camcorder

May 8th, 2009

The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) wants educators to stop ripping DVDs. Their solution is for teachers to play the DVD on screens of TV or computer and record it with a camcorder. Martine Courtant Rife of media literacy research likened this to

typing up a quote from a book, taking it outside, chiseling the words in a rock, photographing the rock, scanning the photo, and running OCR on it. And for what?”

Here is a video of how they want us to approach this great new idea http://vimeo.com/4520463

Author: Categories: News

I caught a mouse tonight!

May 7th, 2009

You’re wondering what does this have to do with a computer site? Funny thing though, it has everything to do with a computer. I was sitting at my desk working away when my wife calls me into the living room. Behind our fish tank she points with an excited look in her eyes. I went to investigate our little intruder. I blocked off the kitchen to where I figured his escape route was and waited. Our little friend darted the other way and went straight into the entrance way closet. Quickly we built a barricade around the door to the closet and was ready to open it up. When we finally opened up the door, our mouse ran straight into a black antec three hundred steel atx mid tower computer case. It had went into an open 5 1/4 bay that use to house a CDROM. This case was one of the pieces of my barricade. I took the case into the bathtub (thinking the slick sides would make it virtually impossible for our friend to escape) and extracted him into a clear plastic container. Right now he’s eating some crackers and peanut butter while sitting in some shredded phone book paper looking up at 6 holes in a lid of a blue tuple-ware.

As for the computer case, it now has another use added to its’ already impressive features. If you ever build a computer on your own, or something happens to your case and you can salvage the inside of an already working one, I highly recommend this case.

It has plenty of fans to cool the components inside and the design is top notch. Unlike most computer cases, this one has the power supply sitting below everything so that the heat it dissipates rises to the top. Most cases has a power supply relatively close to the top back where already hot air is rising to meet it. This can significantly reduce the life of the power supply unit. Finally, this case has plenty of room for as many as 6 internal hard drive including three 5 1/4 bays available. It comes with two fans and no powers supply.

Our little mouse is probably thinking ‘I hope he doesn’t take me on his desk and drag me around a small gray mat while looking at a computer screen all day’

Author: Categories: Misc

Twitter went to s@#t

May 6th, 2009

Twitter has been pretty popular lately. It has gotten lots of media attention and is in the target sights of many bigger fishes. A rumor has it that Google was shot down trying to acquire it. The latest buzz is Apple is looking into purchasing this service. Just like anything that shoots quickly to the top, the race to the bottom begins. This time literally bottoms. In comes twishitter. I’ll let the name and the link speak for itself.

Author: Categories: Internet