Google Toolbar Beta

Google Toolbar Beta

Personalizing your Google Toolbar with your own buttons. I love these people. Too bad Google Toolbar is not yet supported with Siebel. :-(

Gmail out of office

Gmail: Help Center - How do I set up an automatic vacation response?

So Gmail now has an "out of office assistant." It's actually kinda cool. It'll e-mail people when you're on vacation, but it only e-mails them your vacation e-mail once every 4 days. Also, you have the option to only activate it for people in your Contact list so it doesn't send it to just anyone who e-mails you.

600Mbps WiFi

Wired News: Blazing Wi-Fi Zips Toward Reality

I'm drooling...

StopBadware.org

StopBadware.org

For a site sponsored by Google and Sun, you would think it would be a lot cooler. Looks like a 15 year old threw it together one night. Also, it really doesn't offer any solutions. I was hoping Google and Sun were going to be announcing an Antispyware software. No such luck...

Yahoo! gives up quest for search dominance

Yahoo! gives up quest for search dominance

Ah, the headline I've been waiting for for years has finally come at last...

Google News Out of Beta

Techtree.com India > News > Internet > Google News Out of Beta

I actually gave Google News a shot and it's not too bad. I like the fact that it will learn what I like to read about. However, I'm still not one to spend a lot of time looking at the News. I'm partial to my favorite blogs...

How to Make a Microchip

Applied Materials, Inc. - How to Make a Chip

This will either be fascinating to you, or extremely boring. The third option is that you'll already know this stuff. I'll leave it to you to decide. I feel smarter having watched it...

Convert your pics to text

TEXT-IMAGE.com

This is just cool....

How Much RAM Do You Really Need? | Tom's Hardware

How Much RAM Do You Really Need? | Tom's Hardware

Good article on how much RAM you really need. I constantly monitor my usage and I bounce anywhere from 800MB to 1.15MB. It largely depends on whether I'm using PHP Live and Microsoft Visual Web Developer or not (recently, using neither.)

Gmail Gives Up, Adds Delete Button

BetaNews | Gmail Gives Up, Adds Delete Button

They were big fans of the archive idea. So am I, but sometimes people like Stember send insanely large sized pictures that I can't stand sitting around taking up precious mailbox space...

ashes and snow

ashes and snow

This is some pretty incredible art. I'm not much of an art guy, but I really like this stuff. Check out the portfolio...

eBay.ca: BC YARD GRASS

eBay.ca: BC YARD GRASS - Own Yard Grass. Fresh from BC

The fact that this has 3 bids baffles my mind...

MIT Advertising Lab: future of advertising and advertising technology: Advertising with Google Maps

MIT Advertising Lab: future of advertising and advertising technology: Advertising with Google Maps

Advertising on Google Maps. Nice!

eBay.com Changes

eBay.com Pricing Information

Got my e-mail from Bill Cobb this morning. Looks like they are making some cool changes. Check out the link to the letter he sent, which is posted on ebay.com.

Google stands up to telecom

Networking Pipeline | Blog | Google: We Won't Pay Broadband Cyberextortion

Good for Google...

Google stands up to Bell South and Verizon

Networking Pipeline | Blog | Google: We Won't Pay Broadband Cyberextortion

Good for them (Google)

Free copy of Linux

Buy.com - Xandros Desktop Standard Edition - DSKS300NAEN

Wanting to try to enter the world of Linux? Try easing into it with this version of Linux. Aimed to help a Windows person fit into Linux. $35 with a $35 mail in rebate and free shipping...

MythBusters: Lost Experiments

Discovery Channel :: Video :: MythBusters: Lost Experiments

MythBusters is one of my favorite shows, so this was a great find!

Milliondollarhomepage

Milliondollarhomepage

Another "why didn't I think of that?" moment...

Remember The Milk

Remember The Milk

For those of you without a good task list / reminder program such as Outlook. This actually sends reminders via email, instant messenger, and text messages. Kinda cool...

Symantec, Kaspersky criticized for cloaking software

Symantec, Kaspersky criticized for cloaking software - Computerworld

Sony's not the only one with rootkit problems I guess.

STAR WARS ASCIIMATION

STAR WARS ASCIIMATION - Main Page

Wow, some people have a LOT of time on their hands...

Google Earth menaced by WW2 bomber

Google Earth menaced by WW2 bomber | The Register

Cool find with Google Earth!

Movie Cataloge Software

antp.be > Software > Ant Movie Catalog

I was looking around for a good Movie Database Organizer and I stumbled across this one. The best thing about this software (besides the fact that it's 100% free) is that you can import all of the movie data (including the picture) from the IMDB! It has all sorts of charts and graphs and reports you can run. Good software if you want to keep track of your movies.

You can check out my movie list here. Sorted alphabetically, grouped by media type: DVDs at the top, VHS at the end.

Stamp of approval for disposable camera

Stamp of approval for disposable camera - Breaking - Technology - theage.com.au

Snap+Send Postcard, a disposable digital camera, is so light and inexpensive it can be sent in the mail. All it needs is a stamp. "You would buy it at a newsagent or photo developer, take a few shots and, once it's full, you stick a stamp on it, address it and put it in the postbox," Calvey says.

"Then grandma, or your girlfriend, gets it. They tear open the perforations, fold out a little kick stand on the back and sit it on a bench top. Then it's as simple as pressing a button and it will go through a slide show of images."

Google Talk and Google Local on Blackberries

Research In Motion - News

Got a Blackberry? RIM announced today that Google Talk and Google Local will be supported on the BlackBerry wireless platform!

Not sure why you'd use a BlackBerry, and the way they are getting their pants sued, I don't know how long they'll last, but if you do, this is exciting news!

Google Mobile

Google Mobile

Announced today. Your Google Personalized Home page on your cell phone. An answer to prayer for those without a Treo device in my opinion.

Your Google personalized homepage puts the information you care about on one web page -- and now you can access that page on your mobile phone or device, in a phone-friendly format that's easy to read and navigate.

* Preview your latest Gmail messages
* See headlines from top news sources
* Get weather forecasts, stock quotes, and movie showtimes
*Choose from a variety of popular RSS and Atom feeds.

Blog upgrades

New RSS Feed Link

Ok, so I've discovered the power of FeedBurner. I didn't realize how much cool stuff it could add to your Blog. Hopefully these will make it easier for people to subscribe. You'll note there are now quick click links on the right hand side towards the bottom for some popular readers if you're already an RSS fan. If you currently subscribe to this feed via RSS, PLEASE UPDATE YOUR SITE FEED URL! It is now http://feeds.feedburner.com/hornittechblog! You can now e-mail people right out of my feed if you want to send them a specific post.

For the RSS challenged, I added a way for you to get a daily e-mail which will contain each post from that day. Granted, this isn't as instantly gratifying as having up to the minute updates like RSS, but it does give you a nice way to get updates in a format you're comfortable with.

Oh yeah, and for the true geeks, you'll also notice that I have also changed the RSS icon next to each post header to the new RSS image standard. :-)

Windows Vista: The Features

Windows Vista: The Features

Here's the official test drive for Windows Vista FROM MICROSOFT! No more "leaked" screenshots and speculation. What's here, is what's officially being promised...

AskMeNow - So, what do you want to know?

AskMeNow - So, what do you want to know?

Ok, so I posted on this on October 5th, but it's actually gone live. I had to re-signup, which you will too if you were on it before November of last year. Basically ask it for weather info, movie times, 411 listings, sports scores, directions, flight information, stock quotes, etc. and it will look it up and text message you with the answer.

I did driving directions from my house to a friends house and it came back 33 minutes later with a text message that said sorry for the delay, we'll get with you shortly. 30 seconds after that, I had another text message that said they couldn't give me an answer. 30 seconds later, I got a 3rd text message with some advertising. :-) I tried doing a 411 on a friend in Ankeny. It got someone with the same name, but spelled differently. So I'm sure they're working out the kinks, but a great idea.

For $.49, a human will look up pretty much anything for you...

Song Search by Tapping

Song Search by Tapping - Search for music by tapping the rhythm of the song's melody.

Seriously, who CODES this stuff? I tried tapping in the Bonanza Theme song and they didn't get it. I tried tapping in some of the chorus of Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison. Also no luck. Lady Madonna was a hit on both for some reason. I did the entire first verse of Jesus Loves Me (without the chorus) and it was a match. Of course, so was "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel" which was absolutely hilarious to me...

Sony settles 'rootkit' class action lawsuit | CNET News.com

Sony settles 'rootkit' class action lawsuit | CNET News.com

This is actually old news, but I heard a rumor today that an IT person was actually UNAWARE of the Sony rootkit problem. I use the term IT person very lightly here. Anyway, settled, but not forgotten...

*****

The lawsuit against Sony for including rootkit software with its music CDs has been settled. The company agreed to compensate those who bought the CDs that had the XCP copy protection and provide them with utilities to uninstall the software from their computers. Buyers can exchange the XCP CDs for non-copy-protected versions, download free albums and/or receive a cash payment of $7.50 plus an album download. You have to return the XCP CD to Sony or send them your receipt where you returned it to a retailer.

Exploding Overclocking Extreme AMD Duron Vaporizing - Google Video

Exploding Overclocking Extreme AMD Duron Vaporizing - Google Video: "They overclock a cpu over 4ghz, remove the heatsink, and boom! 'Theres a hole in the motherboard!' "

FolderShare.com

FolderShare.com - sync files, sync folders, transfer files, share files, web download, access files anywhere

Ok, I saw this program earlier, but I didn't want to blog it until I had tried it. From what I can see so far, this is an excellent way to access files on your PC from any web browser. I originally wanted it so I could keep a folder on my home pc in sync with a folder at work, which I'm not done testing, but so far everything else seems to work great. Uses advanced searching like Google Desktop and the company was successful enough that Microsoft bought them. It's free for now, but who knows how long that will last now that Microsoft owns it. :-)

Free PDF Converter - create high-quality PDF from any printable file type

Free PDF Converter - create high-quality PDF from any printable file type

This is like PDF995, but it's even more free. No pop up ads. I haven't felt the need to try it yet since I have a paid version of PDF995 at work, but I'll be trying it at home...

The Spammies

Did anyone see the Spammies Award Ceremony on Saturday Night Live tonight (1/7/2006)? Oh man, those were hilarious. My favorite was the sick boy who would only get better if you forwarded the chain letter. Maybe you can Google the transcript or something later, I'm sure someone will post one...

Google Pack

Google Pack

Ah, the newest from Google. It's a program that manages all of your Google programs (plus Norton, Adobe, Firefox, etc.) It keeps them all up to date and gives you one place to manage them. If you already have the newest version, it won't redownload it or affect your install. It will only download the applications you don't already have (you don't have to download them, you can select to remove some.) I like the screensaver, but otherwise I had all of the programs already. :-)

Newest Bluetooth Headset

Best of CES - Forbes.com

Motorola H5 Miniblue

This might just be the smallest and lightest Bluetooth headset ever made. It's just .26 of an ounce and 33 millimeters wide, so strangers walking past you on the street will have no clue why you're muttering to yourself. The device is barely visible because it fits inside your ear like an iPod earbud. At the same time, you won't look like a geek wearing it in public while you wait for an incoming phone call.

Because it has no microphone protruding over your ear or around the side of your head, the Miniblue relies on other means to pick up sound. From inside your ear canal, the device registers your voice vibrations via bone conduction.

The H5 Miniblue is due in stores in mid-2006, but prices haven't been announced yet by Motorola.

Windows OneCare Live - Home

Windows OneCare Live - Home

Well, it's here, it's beta, and it's free. Might as well give it a shot and see what you think. Haven't installed it yet myself, but I just might...

Free e-mail DNS

Windows Live Ideas � Product Page

Ok, this is a cool idea. You don't want to get a Hotmail account because it ends in @hotmail.com. Well, if you have a domain name (www.hornit.net), you can actually have Windows Live Domains manage your e-mail DNS so you can have a free hotmail account that uses your bob@hornit.net e-mail address. I do it with GMAIL and it's capability to send as if it's coming from my hornit.net e-mail address (which I just have forwarded to my gmail address), but this is cool too.

XM Passport

XM Satellite Radio - America's #1 Satellite Radio Service

I've been learning more about the whole "XM Radio" thing since my wife's truck had it built into the stereo system and now her parents have a subscription. This XM Passport things seems like a no brainer that took way too long coming. Who wants several devices that they have to pay a subscription fee for each device on? This makes a LOT more sense...

A very techie Christmas

A very Cisco xmas [wmv]

Was anyone as lucky as this girl this Christmas? :-)

Oh yeah, Happy New Year to all my tech loving geeks out there!