Life UAT

cFos Speed is a unique utility that I stumbled upon while looking for a way to optimize my Internet connection. I was getting frustrated at just simply browsing the Internet while downloading a large file or watching a Internet based video while talking to my wife on Skype.

Basically what this utility does is something called “‘Traffic Shaping”. Traffic Shaping is the process of looking at the data that is flowing in and out of your computer to the Internet and regulating that flow to optimize your experience. So for example, in my first scenario of downloading a large file while trying to browse the Internet, the process of downloading that large file ties up the computer not because the computer can’t handle it, but because the large string of data coming down is so long that the computer cannot send something back out (for instance a browser request to go to google.com) in a timely manner. It may take several seconds for the browser to get a break in the long stream of downloading data to send out the request. What you end up seeing is a very sluggish or even non-responding browser. With cFos speed installed, when the browser requests something, cFos Speed will temporarily stop the download stream, send the request out from the browser, and then resume the download. This all happens very quickly and the end result is that the download doesn’t appear to stop and the browser is very responsive. cFos Speed does this by assigning priorities for programs and protocols giving high priorities to the programs that deal with short sporadic data requests and low priorities for programs that handle large data strings. cFos Speed is easy to install and for basic needs configures itself  over the course of a day or so of your normal activity. You will see no loss in download speeds and you will see dramatically decreased ping times and crisp browsing while downloading large files or watching bandwidth-hogging video. For gamers, this utility will reduce or even eliminate lagging in your Internet based games.

cFos Speed is highly configurable and  is compatible with all versions of Windows including the new Windows 7 and has native versions for both 32 and 64 bit Windows.

This is probably THE most useful utility I have ever installed and is now my number one install after building a new system, even before I install an anti-virus! (Although I do install the anti-virus RIGHT after cFos Speed) ;o)

cFos Speed: For $23, don’t surf without it!

tim Productivity, Tech, Utilities, Vista64, WEB, Windows 7

Dedicated readers like Kindle or Sony Book will never become ‘big’… They are missing two key features: COLOR and versatility. Why do you need color? This was the same question asked when computer monitors only came in monochrome. This was the same question asked when printers only printed black & white. The answer is the same: HUMANS LIKE COLOR. I’ll stick with my iPhone, arguably the best gadget ever designed. I get a small, yet readable size, COLOR (dark red on parchment is EASY on the eyes), I can read in the dark (it IS very helpful such as on dimly lit subways), AND I can get books from almost anywhere such as eReader.com. Of course, the iPhone is also a phone, browser, media player, scheduling center, entertainment center, database, etc. etc. etc.

tim Entertainment, Life, Music, Photography, Productivity, Tech, WEB, iPhone

One of the first orders of business for my new iPhone was to protect the case and screen from scratches. Zagg has two products for the iPhone; a screen shield and a full body ‘armor’ both using a specially formulated film that resists scratching and rub marks. The fully body armor includes the screen shield. I purchased both kits and attempted installing just the screen shield first. The process uses a special spray on fluid and a squeege. The fluid allows you to adjust the film until it is precisely positioned. Unfortunately, I did not use enough fluid, although the instructions state ‘lightly spray’, and the screen stuck in several places and getting it unstuck resulted in ruining the film. So if you decide to use this product, spray HEAVY not lightly. I contacted Zagg about getting another screen film, but they never responded. Only ONE film is included in the kits so the money paid for this kit was wasted. I then took the full body armor kit and, learning my mistake from the first kit, used a lot of fluid to position the screen film. This worked quite well and I was able to very accurately position the film. Using the same technique with the fluid, I positioned the body armor film and squeeged it down. Getting the corners to stick was another matter, but a quick look into Zagg tech support revealed that letting the fluid semi-dry first then press the corners on would work, and it did. My iPhone is now covered in the new Zagg shield. One of the side benefits of the body film is the ‘grippiness’… the iPhone is much less slippery and I feel more confident in holding it.

In summary: use lots of fluid for this product and view the install videos on line at Zagg.com… they were a great help. I’ll report again on this product in several weeks to tell how this product performed.

tim Productivity, Tech, iPhone Zagg shield

I have to laugh at all of the people who ‘camp’ in one OS or the other…they really don’t understand OSes at all!! ALL of them have problems…ALL of them have advantages… ALL of them have disadvantages… ALL ofthem have quirks. I’ve used them all… Windows from version 2 to Vista Ultimate, Unix System V, Linux (any distro you can name), Mainframe Oses, Mac, proprietary mini-computer OSes like Motorola’s Unix-like OS9 and IV Phase’s Data 4 and Vision… no one is ‘better’ or ‘more secure’ than another… If you understand OSes you can get into them easily and you can take advantage of what they have to offer…

The boot process on a PC has nothing to do with the OS: it’s a process that STARTS the OS, was defined in the early ’70s and has never changed. If your looking for total control over this process look into Bootit NG from Terabyte Unlimited… Iv’e tried all of the boot managers and this one gives the best control and invades the target OSes the least. … I’m still laughing….

digg Life, Productivity, Tech, Utilities

Version 7 of the most comprehensive virus and internet security package is out.

KasperSky features HOURLY updates and is highly configurable.

admin Tech, Utilities

eBay to go now includes widgets for displaying by sellers and stores in addition to the previous single item, multiple item, and search.
Hooray! Check out the new widget in My eBay Auctions page…

SINGLE ITEM

MULTIPLE ITEMS

SEARCH

SELLER

STORE

tim Application, Productivity, Tech, WEB

Great broadband testing site that is free and allows you to save and compare results. It is also very ‘pretty’ using an ajax interface.

How fast are you connected?

Quoted from http://www.speedtest.net/about.php:

Speedtest.net – The Global Broadband Speed Test

The Global Broadband Speed Test

Speedtest.net is a broadband connection analysis tool with a huge selection of geographically dispersed testing servers. Ookla provides this service free to hundreds of thousands of people every day. If you are experiencing slowness with your Internet connection or are simply interested in testing your speed, Speedtest.net is for you. If you have a web site, please feel free to link to Speedtest.net.

admin Tech, Utilities, WEB

Here is a little trick to enhance the use of eBay’s really nice seller’s widget: append your seller ID on the items description line! Now when you create the Widget for use on your Web site choose the ’search’ mode and then search on your seller ID. eBay plans to add the search on seller’s ID in the future, but this workaround will bring that functionality to you now! Here are my latest items for sale on eBay:

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admin Life, Tech, WEB

I’ve always embraced open-source applications. I find that they are almost always more innovative and versatile than commercial-grown versions. Just look at FireFox and Thunderbird! Anyway, ROCKbox is a great example of open-source at it’s best.

Basically, ROCKbox installs another OS (they call it firmware, but it’s really an OS for the player in much the same way Linux is an OS for a PC.) onto your iPod. The OS completely replaces your original iPod OS in functionality. It would take hours to completely describe to you all of the functions and configurations available in the ROCKbox OS, so I’ll just sum it up: WOW. This OS is named right, it ROCKS.

Completely skin-able via themes, fonts, and icons… it is a whole different and very welcomed change to the old iPod OS. But the real power is in it’s configurability. Every aspect of playing music and operating the device is highly configurable down to the smallest detail. Wouldn’t it be nice to have the Hold switch turn off the backlight? Wouldn’t that be GREAT?!?!? Well, you can in ROCKbox along with setting the backlight to Off, ON, and pretty much any timed setting from 1 to 90 seconds. Want to play OGG files? You can and almost any other non-DRM file type.

You say you still want to play your purchased DRM protected iTunes music? ROCKbox also allows dual-booting into your old iPod OS where nothing was changed!

Installation is fairly simple, but techie:

1. Download the OS for your device.
2. Attach your iPod as a disc drive.
3. Extract the ZIP archive onto the iPod.
4. Download and run the iPod patcher (see instructions on ROCKbox site.)
5. ENJOY.

Don’t have an iPod? ROCKbox also supports Archos, iRiver, Cowon, Toshiba, and SanDisk devices.

Go to the ROCKbox site and read up on this amazing software and give it a try!

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admin DRM, Entertainment, Life, Music, Tech, Utilities

I have iPods. I love iPods. I have iTunes. I love iTunes. I HATE the DRM imposed on iTunes. Purchasing all of that music on iTunes and then you want to play it on a non-iPod… you CAN’T. WHY? You paid for it… why are you restricted to playing it on an Apple device? The Hymn Project answers this with a utility that removes the DRM on your iTunes music thereby allowing you to play this music on your ‘other’ media player.

Warning #1: Yes, it’s your music, but that doesn’t give you the right to give or sell it away! This utility is only to be used for your own use on music that you own.

Warning #2: This utility is not for the faint-of-heart. It is a techy utility and requires some setup, but it DOES work.

Disclaimer: I am NOT liable for any damage to your iTunes library (highly unlikely – especially if you backup FIRST) or am I responsible for any miss-use of this utility (like selling the unprotected music).

I used it on the latest version of iTunes (7.1) and it converted all of my protected music to non-DRM music. The installation is manual, but not too hard and the conversion is slow. The utility removes the DRM from the music and keeps a backup of the original DRM version.

Just follow the instructions that comes with the ZIP archive and you will be on your way to DRM free music!

Horray! Now I’m playing my converted iTunes music on Windows Media Player!

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digg Application, DRM, Entertainment, Music, Tech, Utilities