16 May, 2008
I recently had the pleasure to review the Garmin Colorado 400t. When given the opportunity to purchase the new Microsoft Streets & Trips 2008 (S&T) with a GPS Locator included, I jumped at it. I take my laptop everywhere, literally. For me, turning my laptop into a turn-by-turn GPS seemed like the right thing to do.
I have used the Streets & Trips family of software for a few years now. I like the software. It’s always been easy to navigate, had good directions, some great features, and is easily configurable. Older versions of S&T were real heavy and burdensome on the system, but the more recent versions are lighter and run with a smaller footprint. Read the rest of this entry »
13 May, 2008
Trying to update your Zune software to the latest release (Version 2.5.447.0) and getting an “Installation Failed” message? If you are, try turning the Windows Firewall on. Yes, that’s right folks, you have to turn on a firewall to update a media player. Those power users who choose to use an alternative firewall, or an external firewall are being forced to enable the built-in Windows Firewall before the software will install.
In their infinite wisdom, Microsoft has decreed that you should enable a completely separate piece of their Operating System to be able to update your Zune Media Player. This is nothing new, its been a requirement for a few releases now, but I would have thought by now that Microsoft would have learned the error of its ways.
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7 May, 2008
Before someone gets to win it, I get to play with it. The HP Dragon arrived on my doorstep this morning. This thing is huge. By huge, I mean enormous. Literally gigantic. This is a notebook of epic proportions. You can’t call this thing a laptop, because no one has a lap this big.
This notebook will be given away via our contest. We are part of the 31 days of the Dragon sponsored by HP. Each day for 31 days, HP is going to give away one of these notebooks through a blog or other participating website. GeeksToGo.com was lucky enough to be chosen to be part of the contest. Our contest begins May 13th and will end May 20th.
On to the review. Did I mention that this notebook is big? They don’t call it a “Desktop Replacement” system for nothing. The standard size for a desktop monitor is still 17″. This monstrosity has a 20″ widescreen display. Even by desktop standards, this monitor is still big.
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2 May, 2008
Update: We have a winner! Please be sure to checkout the other contests!
GeeksToGo.com has been chosen to be part of the 31 days of the Dragon sponsored by HP. As part of this marketing campaign, each participating site creates their own contest to give away an HP Pavilion HDX Dragon notebook. If purchased, the package value is over $5,000! Package details here.
Contest Overview
Simply print the Geeks to Go logo. Take a picture or video of it. Reply in the contest submission forum topic (free registration required) with your picture or video. From the pool of contestants who properly enter the logo competition, a random entry will be chosen as the Grand Prize, HP “Dragon” notebook winner… In addition, the entries judged as the Most Creative Photo and Most Creative Video will be awarded Windows Vista Ultimate (full retail), courtesy of Geeks to Go. Have some fun with it! Take the logo somewhere interesting, exciting, or strange. Submit only a photo OR a video, not both. One entry per person.
Have fun creating your submissions, and enjoy viewing other entries. You can view contest rules, find logo downloads, and instructions for submitting your photos and videos in this topic: http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/31-Days-Dragon-Contest-Submission-Topic-t196838.html
Other contest have begun already, be sure to check them out!
http://www.31daysofthedragon.com/
28 Apr, 2008
Update: We have a winner! Please be sure to checkout the other contests!
It’s only fitting that one of the biggest notebooks I’ve ever seen, is sponsoring one of the biggest contests I’ve ever seen. HP has partnered with BuzzCorp and 31 sites to give away 31 HP HDX Pavilion Entertainment Notebooks! (a.k.a. The Dragon) 31 days, 31 sites, 31 notebook prize packages. This is HUGE!
As configured, the retail value of the notebook is $4,500. Including movies and software from other partners the total price if purchased would be $5,196! That’s over $160,000 in total prizes to be awarded!
Yes, we’re one of the participating 31 sites, and you can win one here! Find more details on the system, and how you can win yours after the break.
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25 Apr, 2008
Still searching for that perfect Mother’s Day gift? For a while now, I’ve been thinking about getting my wife a portable picture viewer she can carry around. With all our photos being digital and only having family pictures taken once a year, she’s been wanting something for those in-between moments, something to help her showcase our little one. Maybe a thoughtful addition to one of those lovely gift hampers you’ve been considering?
For those in the same situation, let’s take a look at the Digital Foci Pocket Album. This keychain weighs in at just over an ounce, sports a 1.5 inch color LCD screen and 8MB of onboard memory. The Pocket Album also comes with its own special software to manipulate photos and transfer them to the keychain.
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21 Apr, 2008
By now you may have seen the commercials for Ford’s line of cars featuring Microsoft Sync, a music and mobile phone platform for automobiles. If not, you can view one here. It chronicles the embarrassment of people who find that treadmills, doors, and curtains do not respond to their voice the way their car does. While I like the concept of Bluetooth capability in cars, and I think voice commands are a safety enhancement over trying to dial a phone or search for a CD while driving, I sometimes wonder if our cars are becoming too electronic and computerized, to the point that safety could be compromised. I actually also wonder if some cars are just becoming too complex.
As vehicles become increasingly integrated with advanced technology, the importance of proper maintenance and repair cannot be overstated. As cars evolve, the potential for electronic malfunctions can rise, making it critical to have a trusted garage for repairs. This is where a reliable service center like Pete’s Garage comes into play. Skilled technicians there are equipped not just to handle routine maintenance, but also to diagnose and repair the sophisticated electronic systems that newer vehicles rely on. You have to work with experts that know how to handle obsolete electronic parts. Regular check-ups are essential to ensure that all systems are functioning optimally, minimizing the risk of unexpected breakdowns.
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13 Apr, 2008
As a kid, I absolutely loved the movie Spaceballs. As an adult (and arguably still a kid) I still love the movie Spaceballs. When I got my mitts on the Corsair Voyager GT, the line “Light speed is too slow?” “Yes. We’re gonna have go right to – ludicrous speed” popped into my head. According to all the Corsair hype, the Voyager GT is supposed to be up to 4X faster than a standard USB key. Let’s see how it stands up during some real world tests.
The first thing I noticed when I got this USB key is the attractive look to it. It’s a good looking unit with its black base and red, yellow and white accents. The activity light is blue, which seems odd for something in black/white/yellow/red, but whatever. This key has a rubberized exterior that gives it a nice rugged look. According to the materials that came with it, it’s waterproof and shockproof! I’ll try these features later; that way if I break it, I at least get to test it first.
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8 Apr, 2008
A researcher by the name of Dan Kaminsky will soon be unveiling an attack that could be used to hijack certain routers. This web-based attack can be used to gain complete access to your router and change settings within. By doing this, a hacker could change the DNS settings to hijack the user to an unknown location on the internet.
A DNS related attack could be used to make a user think they are going to a legitimate website, while actually redirecting the user to a malicious website that can be used to steal identity or track online activity. Both are a serious breach in online safety. The main problem is that the user would have no idea this is happening. The browser would still show that its directing to the correct address. Also, because this attack happens at the router and not on the computer, Antivirus and Anti-Malware solutions can not detect it.
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2 Apr, 2008
What would you do with a 32GB Flash Drive? Mine contains my entire music collection, all of my important documents, my family photos, a restore image of the operating system on my computer, and 6GB of free space. When you’re used to using 2, 4, or even 8GB flash drives, you find yourself looking for stuff to store on this drive…it’s actually tough to fill up! Voyager will hold almost 10,000 6 MegaPixel images, or nearly 13 hours of MPEG-2 video (152 hours of MPEG-4), or 8,000 of your favorite MP3 recordings. Imagine the possibilities – a thumb-sized device that has the capacity to store all of your important data securely in one location, and is accessible from nearly any computer. It even comes complete with an encryption application already aboard. The Corsair Voyager is compatible with Windows ME, 2000, XP, Vista, Mac (9.X and later), and Linux (Kernel 2.4.2 and higher). Pretty much everyone can utilize this device.
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Free Help from Tech Experts
I recently had the pleasure to review the Garmin Colorado 400t. When given the opportunity to purchase the new Microsoft Streets & Trips 2008 (S&T) with a GPS Locator included, I jumped at it. I take my laptop everywhere, literally. For me, turning my laptop into a turn-by-turn GPS seemed like the right thing to do.
