Awesomely Geeky Halloween Pumpkins

So you might as well know, Halloween is my favorite holiday. But seeing as I am a bit of a geek, I thought I'd share some of these geeky Halloween gems with you while I prepare for my awesome Halloween party tonight. Enjoy!

Best pumpkin carving ever, The Death Star!
The Red Ring of Death pumpkin truly is scary.

I think this pumpkin is a Cylon...or maybe it's just a Pumpkin? I can never tell.

Super creative R2D2 Pumpkin (am I seeing a pattern of Stars Wars and obsessive geeks?)

Who loves Mario? We do!

A favorite of mine, the Pac-Man Pumpkins...

Or some Pumpkin Pi?

Maybe a Dwight Schrute pumpkin?

How about a Firefox pumpkin?

Here's an obligatory Linux Pumpkin to end it all off.

Hope you had fun!

MTV puts ALL music videos online

In a move near and dear to my heart, MTV is putting their entire catalog of music videos online for users to watch or even embed in their own sites. Freakin' awesome!

MTV Music expands upon the music video offerings already posted to MTV.com by offering an entire back catalogue of videos that go all the way to when music videos were born. The library includes more than 16,000 videos, sprinkled with "exclusive" MTV concert footage and MTV "Unplugged" performances that used to be all the rage. And that's just the beginning. According to a blog post on MTV's Splash Page, more videos are being added by the day, so even if your favorite Paula Abdul selections haven't been posted yet, they probably will make it up eventually.

Judging from Today's most popular videos, including Dire Straights, Duran Duran, Talking Heads, the Buggles, and other classics, it looks like this is really speaking to the generation that misses the MUSIC and not the REAL WORLD and other reality nonsense.

Like YouTube, MTV Music allows users to not only watch videos on the site, but to also leave comment, give ratings, and embed the videos on their blogs or personal websites.

Check it out here: http://www.mtvmusic.com/

And now, for one of my favorite videos of all time:

Radiohead |MTV Music

G1 Google Android Phone has major security flaw

From NYTimes.com

One of the researchers, Charles A. Miller, notified Google of the flaw this week and said he was publicizing it now because he believed that cellphone users were not generally aware that increasingly sophisticated smartphones faced the same threats that plague Internet-connected personal computers.

Mr. Miller, a former National Security Agency computer security specialist, said the flaw could be exploited by an attacker who might trick a G1 user into visiting a booby-trapped Web site.

Read the whole article here.

I wonder how serious this really is though, since it requires the user to be tricked into visiting a "booby-trapped" website. I don't think this is as major as people are making it out to be.

6 Tips for getting the most out of Google Android

1. Replace the Bundled Music Player With TuneWiki
Android's bundled Music program is fairly weak and clunky. Our suggestion: Ditch it and pick up TuneWiki off the Android Market. It's easier to use than the bundled Music program, and has a lot more features (such as a fun karaoke function that searches for lyrics online and runs them with your song as it plays). Of course, you can download TuneWiki to any iPhone, but only if it is jailbroken and unlocked (which would void its warranty). This difference is emblematic of one of the key distinctions between Android and the iPhone—Android doesn't ban applications that compete with or replace its own programs.

2. Use "Any Cut" To Put a Shortcut to Goog-411 On Your Home Screen
One of our favorite downloadable Android applications is a little program called Any Cut, which allows you to litter your home screen with shortcuts to any program, phone number, text-message recipient or menu setting. Use this program to create a home-screen speed dial to Goog-411—Google's free directory assistance number—to cut the number of clicks it takes to get your digits-on-demand down to one. Bonus tip: Create a shortcut to text message GOOGLE (466453) for when calling's just not convenient.

3. Play VIdeos in MPEG-4 H.264
The G1 has no built-in video player. That's what the Android Market is for. When we were testing the phone, there was only one true video playback program available: Video Player. And while this program can only play MPEG-4 movie files, we should soon see other video-playing programs that will be able to handle all sorts of codecs. However, even when these options become available, you'll still want to play your movies in MPEG-4 H.264 compression whenever possible. This is because the G1 has built-in hardware acceleration that makes this specific video format run extra smooth. Future programs will probably run Divx and Xvid and all those great files you've collected from Bittorrent, but the programs' on-the-fly decryption and viewing will be far more taxing on the software, which could mean lags.

4. Search Google Maps From Front Page Widget
The G1's default home screen features a Google search widget. While this obviously makes Google Web searches quicker, it is also is a quick way to tap into Google Maps. When you type the name of a place or location, you are given a typical Google search results page, with a map location at the top. Click this result, and the phone asks you whether you want to switch out of the browser and into the Maps program to finish your query.

5. Use the Hard Search Key
If there's one company that understands the value of search, it's Google. And one of the best parts of the G1's physical keyboard is its hard search key (the one that looks like a little magnifying glass.) Pressing it from the home screen brings up the Google search bar. This is great, but what's more interesting is its use within individual Google-made programs like YouTube and Maps, where pressing it brings up a search bar specific to that program, allowing you to find what you're looking for in an app easily and quickly.

6. Focus Before Shooting
Camera phones are notorious for their blurry shots. The G1's autofocus tries to change this: When you half-press the camera button on the side of the phone, it engages the autofocus (anybody who has autofocused with a stand-alone camera will find this familiar). When it's done focusing, a green circle pops up in the corner of the screen, letting you know it's time to take the shot by completely depressing the button. So remember when shooting to wait for the green circle for better, Facebook-worthy results.

Krunking you can believe in - Obama/McCain Dance-Off

I don't know exactly how they do this, but this is awesome enough for me to post.


Unbelievable McCain Vs. Obama Dance-Off - Watch more free videos

How to easily sync iCal with Google Calendars

Google has finally opened up their calendar system to sync with iCal and Mozilla Sunbird. That's good news for us out there who want to keep our calendars up to date wherever we are.

There is capability for real two-way sync of your online Gmail calendars with iCal. You can set up multiple calendars with what appears to be full iCal functionality, and have them "push" changes to Google.

To set up CalDAV support for Google Calendar in iCal, follow these steps:

1. Open the iCal application by going to Finder > Applications > iCal
2. From the iCal menu bar, select Preferences.
3. Under the Accounts tab, click the "+" sign to add an account. (Do not select any checkboxes in the Accounts tab.)
4. In the pop-up screen, enter the following information:

   Description: This will be the title for your CalDAV calendar list
   Username: This is the complete email address you use with Google Calendar (including the part after the @ sign). If you're using Google Apps, be sure to enter your Google Apps email address.
   Password: This is the password you use to sign in to Google Calendar

5. In the Server Options drop-down, enter [ https://www.google.com/calendar/dav/ [ your Google Calendar email address ] /user ] as your Account URL.

   For example, if the email address used to access your Google Calendar is calendarfriend@gmail.com, the Account URL would be https://www.google.com/calendar/dav/calendarfriend@gmail.com/user

   Be sure to use https in your URL, as an http address will not work.

   

6. Click Add, and wait five to seven minutes while the initial sync takes place. (All subsequent syncs are instantaneous.)

Your Google Calendar will now appear in iCal's list of calendars, and iCal will sync any changes to and from Google Calendar.

Event information will automatically refresh every 15 minutes. You can change this interval by opening the iCal > Preferences > Accounts menu and selecting a new refresh interval under the "Refresh calendars" drop-down. Keep in mind you can also force a refresh by pressing the "Apple" and "R" keys at the same time.



Add secondary calendars

To view secondary calendars in Apple's iCal, follow the instructions below for each calendar you'd like to enable:

1. Sign in to Google Calendar.
2. In the calendar list on the left, click the down-arrow button next to the appropriate calendar, then select Calendar Settings. (Alternatively, click on "Manage Calendars" at the bottom of the calendar list, then click on the name of the appropriate calendar.)
3. In the Calendar Address section, locate the "Calendar ID."

   

4. Copy the email address displayed after "Calendar ID:"
5. Open the iCal application (Finder > Applications > iCal).
6. Follow steps 2-4 from the Enable Google Calendar in iCal section above.
7. Under Server Options, enter [ https://www.google.com/calendar/dav/ [ Calendar ID ] /user ] as your Account URL.

   (e.g. https://www.google.com/calendar/dav/7oddefoo1ltvq0psfhbp8vs4gc@group.calendar.google.com/user)

Make your own iPhone app in minutes from any RSS feed

AppLoop launched a mobile application generator which lets you turn any RSS feed into a mobile application for either iPhone (available today) or Android (coming soon). The new new Mobile Application Generator, a creates iPhone ready application in less than two minutes.

Using the tool is simple: you just enter in a blog URL or RSS feed in the box provided in order to get started. Next, you enter in the name of your application. There's an option for you to upload your own image to use as the logo which appears on the launch screen. If you choose not to add an image, the AppLoop logo will display the app launches.

The generator will automatically select a color scheme that matches the first image found in your site's code. You can customize this color scheme if you wish by selecting one of the preset schemes available or you can create your own.

Read all about it here.

T-Mobile's G1, Google Andriod Review Round-ups, Verdict: Wait.

The first reviews of T-Mobile's G1 Android phone are in. Check it out.

The New York Times: “So there’s your G1 report card: software, A-. Phone, B-. Network, C. But get psyched. Although the ungainly T-Mobile G1 is the first Android phone, it won’t be the last; Android phones will soon come in all shapes and sizes, and on all kinds of networks. With so many cooks, it’s unlikely that any of them will achieve the beauty, simplicity and design purity of the iPhone…. Even so, Android itself is very successful. Clearly, there’s a sizable audience for phones that have the touchy, easy-to-navigate fun of an iPhone, without such an extreme philosophy of feature minimalism. If that’s you, then you should welcome the Android era with open eyes and ears.

CrunchGear: “If you’ve been waiting for Android then I suggest you keep waiting. The overall OS seems to be held together by duct tape and needs a lot of work…. The hardware design is dated and while the touch-screen and keyboard are great you can’t just forget about the wretched battery life, horrible GPS and the overall ergonomics of it. I wish the G1 were better in every respect because I don’t think the iPhone is that great, but I find myself wishing it were more like it. It’s the best alternative to the iPhone, but it’s just not there yet.”

Engadget: “The G1 isn’t going to blow anyone’s mind right out of the gate. Looking only at the hardware, there’s nothing here that’s particularly impressive, yet nothing that’s particularly bad (though the GPS needs some work). It’s a fine, solidly designed device that has enough style to please most users — but it won’t win a ton of beauty pageants. Think of it this way: if it were running Windows Mobile, it’d be a footnote in HTC’s history. At the end of the day, however, this isn’t about the hardware, and really never was. The story here is Android and what it promises… though doesn’t necessarily deliver on at first. Like any paradigm shift, it’s going to take time.”

So let's see, bulky hardware, buggy software. I'd say wait until a slimmer device has been released with more solid software and immediately available apps.

40 of the Best Finder Keyboard Shortcuts for OS X

Anybody who has used OS X for a short period of time knows that keyboard shortcuts make your life much simpler. Here's a collection of 40 OS X keyboard shortcuts that you should know. It turns you into a power user, and helps speed up your everyday workflow.

1	Command-A	Select All Items
2	Command-C	Copy Selected Items
3	Command-D	Duplicate Selected Items
4	Command-F	Search with Spotlight
5	Command-G	Find Next Matched Search
6	Command-H	Hide Window
7	Command-I	Open Get Info (Property) Pane
8	Command-J	Show View Options
9	Command-K	Connect to Server
10	Command-L	Make Alias of Selected Items
11	Command-M	Minimize Window
12	Command-N	Open New Window
13	Command-O	Open Selected Items
14	Command-T	Copy Items to Sidebar
15	Command-V	Paste Items
16	Command-W	Close Finder Window
17	Command-Z	Undo Action
18	Command-1	View as Icons
19	Command-2	View as Lists
20	Command-3	View as Columns
21	Command-4	View as Coverflow
22	Command-Shift-A	Go to Application Folder
23	Command-Shift-B	Open Bluetooth
24	Command-Shift-C	Go to My Computer
25	Command-Shift-G	Open Address Bar
26	Command-Shift-H	Go to Home Folder
27	Command-Shift-I	Connect to iDisk
28	Command-Shift-J	Open Journler (If Any)
29	Command-Shift-K	Go to Network Folder
30	Command-Shift-L	Go to Safari
31	Command-Shift-N	Create New Folder
32	Command-Shift-Q	Log Out
33	Command-Shift-U	Go to Utility Folder
34	Command-Shift-Y	Attach to Stickies
35	Command-Option-D	Hide the Dock
36	Command-Option-M	Minimize All Windows
37	Command-Option-O	Open File and Close Finder
38	Command-Option-T	Hide Toolbar
39	Command-Option-W	Close All Windows
40	Command-R	Show Original (From Alias)

Firefox 3.1 Beta is now available to download, and it's FAST

Firefox 3.1 Beta 1 is now available for download. This milestone is focused on testing the core functionality provided by many new features and changes to the platform scheduled for Firefox 3.1. Ongoing planning for Firefox 3.1 can be followed at the Firefox 3.1 Planning Center, as well as in mozilla.dev.planning and on irc.mozilla.org in #shiretoko.

New features and changes in this milestone that require feedback include:

• Web standards improvements in the Gecko layout engine
• Added support for CSS 2.1 and CSS 3 properties
• A new tab-switching shortcut that shows previews of the tab you’re switching to
• Improved control over the Smart Location Bar using special characters to restrict your search
• Support for new web technologies such as the

More information about new web developer features are available in the Web Tech blog post.

Testers can download Firefox 3.1 Beta 1 builds for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux in 36 different languages. Developers should also read the Firefox 3.1 for Developers article on the Mozilla Developer Center.

Steve Jobs says Blu-Ray is too complicated, will most likely delay it on Apple products.

From Steve Jobs' notebook keynote today came an interesting quote:

"Blu-ray is just a bag of hurt. It's great to watch the movies, but the licensing of the tech is so complex, we're waiting till things settle down and Blu-ray takes off in the marketplace." Phil chimed in with "We have the best HD movie and TV options in iTunes."

Jobs also replied, when asked about the dearth of HDMI in his introductions, that HDMI was "limited in resolution,". Philip Schiller further elaborated by saying that "for typical computer use, DisplayPort is the connector of the future."

That puts fear in the heart of many Apple loving home theater enthusiasts. Seems Blu-Ray support is a ways off for now.

How to setup a Speed Dial Homepage on Safari and Firefox

It is now possible to have nine of your most-used sites as a homepage in Safari, quickly accessible by pressing numbers 1 to 9, just like the Opera browser. Unfortunately, unlike Opera, Safari Dial is an online app.

The sites are presented with screenshots of the pages. No registration is necessary, and your unique homepage can be accessed from multiple computers. This online app also works fine on Firefox (and probably other browsers), and makes a good alternative to Firefox's Speed Dial extension.

Another option for FireFox is to use Fast Dial.

Happy browsing!

OpenOffice for OS X finally goes native on Intel Macs

OpenOffice has released version 3 of its eponymous open-source alternative to Microsoft Office, which finally includes a native version for Mac OS X, although it does appear to be Intel powered systems only - no PPC.

According to Insanely Great Mac, the software includes:

• ODF 1.2 Support
• Microsoft Office 2007 Import Filters
• Solver component which allows solving optimization problems
• Support for displaying custom error bars and regression equations
• Improved Crop Feature in Draw and Impress

The software is only available for Macs with Intel processors. There are projects for converting OpenOffice for PowerPC, but an official version was not included in this 3.0.0 release.

OpenOffice's site is running very slowly this morning due to the demand for the new release, but the official download link is here. There are mirrors available, and this one seemed to work for me. For Mac users, the file to download includes MacOSXIntel_AQUA_install in the name.

Hope for Windows Mobile yet, Firefox on Windows Mobile emerge

Firefox Mobile on Windows Mobile is very real indeed, and soon to be out for all of us to try. Reporting an Acid3 Test score of 88/100, the mobile web browser is nearly complete in the screenshots that have surfaced.


The address bar is similar to Safari on the iPhone, but it definitely looks like something from the Firefox 3 family with the addition of website favicons. Screenshots also show a really unique way for web surfers to visualize what tabs are open in Firefox Mobile. Mozilla may be foregoing traditional 'forward', 'stop', and 'back' buttons located in the address bar. Instead, the screenshots show on-page text boxes that indicate these actions.

It might just be enough to make Windows Mobile tolerable.

Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic Reviews

Even though Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic isn't coming out until 2009, the reviews are already starting to trickle in.

Early reviews indicate that call quality is solid, the new touch Symbian OS was mostly stable, and the display was a clear and easy to and interact with. Early reviewers had didn't find anything too negative to say about the phone. The reviewers noted that this is the handset for anyone after a "well-rounded, do-it-all solution."

Reviewers also stated that the Nokia 5800 and the iPhone were really two different types of phones not really worth comparing, and they gave the overall advantage to the Tube (sounds like they did compare then).

...the Nokia 5800's positioning shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out - it's simply the most feature-rich and affordable touchscreen device with a focus on music. Furthermore, you won't find any other phone that can come close to it in terms of price/quality ratio. Windows Mobile devices are by no means "multimedia-ready", so the only other way to go is the Apple iPhone - however, retailing for twice as much, it's not much of a mobile phone per se. And the Nokia 5800 makes it clear that the real price of the Apple iPhone 3G should revolve around 300-350 USD before subsidies. All in all, I suggest we wait until December and see how Apple will alter their pricing policy in view of Nokia's latest efforts on the touchscreen playground.

Let's hope all this new iPhone competition means we'll all be rockin' cheap iPhone style smartphones with endless apps within the next 2-years.

Read the whole review and check out the beautiful pictures here.

Lightbulbs instead of WiFI? I don't think so.

Boston University's College of Engineering researchers are pushing an interesting concept. They want the light bulbs of the future to be the highway your data gets carried along.

A team at the school is working on low-power LEDs which could utilize an optical communication system to carry data wirelessly. Using a technique which rapidly switches the LEDs on and off data transmissions could be made via imperceptible -- yet undoubtedly brain-scrambling -- flickering patterns, and each light would be its own network entry point at speeds of 1 to 10Mbps.

The concept is more secure than current RF techniques because it requires linked devices be in line-of-sight, and the technology would draw far less energy than conventional radios. Says professor Thomas Little, "Imagine if your computer, iPhone, TV, radio and thermostat could all communicate with you when you walked in a room just by flipping the wall light switch and without the usual cluster of wires."

Interesting, very interesting indeed.

Apple is debuting new laptops next Tuesday

The rumors were true folks. Apple is staging an invitation-only Town Hall event in Cupertino next Tuesday, October 14th at 10AM PST. It's absolutely safe to say they'll be showing off new laptops - both MacBook and MacBook Pro systems. Will this be an unveiling of a whole new form factor? Will this "Brick" mystery be put to bed? Will they come in rainbow colors? What's your guess?

Update: Looks like they might be unveiling an $800 laptop - that would be an incredible step forward.

Enable landscape mode for iPhone email client

One of the big problems I have with the Phone is that I prefer to type in landscape mode at all times due to my chubby fingers. As a result, I always end up turning my iPhone sideways when responding to emails, only to find the phone doesn't turn with me. Apple has locked the email app to be portrait only.

Thankfully, a new iPhone application called TouchType fixes the problem. Open the application and you get a landscape mode keypad. type an email, hit the send button and it auto-populates the email application. Type in the email addresses and you’re all set.

Be advised that it does cost $.99, but if you have large fingers like me, it's worth every penny!

Steve Wozniak, Apple Co-Founder, wants the iPod to die

Steve Wozniak laments about Apple Trends in a recent article with the Telegraph, and specifically indicates that he'd like to see the iPod go away.

The iPod has sort of lived a long life at number one," he says. "Things like, that if you look back to transistor radios and Walkmans, they kind of die out after a while.

"It's kind of like everyone has got one or two or three. You get to a point when they are on display everywhere, they get real cheap and they are not selling as much."

He also rants against the iPhone 3G. Interesting read, if not groundbreaking. What has he really done lately?

Check out the whole article here.

Touchscreen Blackberry, Verizon Debuts the Blackberry Storm as iPhone Competitor, syncs with iTunes

Tuesday night, Research In Motion and Verizon Wireless officially introduced the first touch-screen BlackBerry to the world called BlackBerry Storm. Time will tell if it is truly the corporate answer to the iPhone.


Also known by its code name, BlackBerry Thunder, the Storm features a touch-sensitive display that's unlike that on any other touch-screen smartphone available today, thanks to RIM's own twist (more on this below). There are plenty of other highlights as well, including dual-mode functionality, support for Verizon's EV-DO Rev. A, integrated GPS, BlackBerry OS 4.7, and more.

Specific release date and pricing were not announced, but Verizon said the Storm would be out by the holiday season with "competitive" pricing.

Rather than provide haptic feedback (or none at all), RIM developed something completely new called ClickThrough, which consists of a suspension system that lies beneath the display, so that when you go to select an application or enter text, you actually push the screen down like you would any other tactile button.

In terms of text extry, the BlackBerry Storm features a SureType keyboard when the smartphone is in portrait mode and then switches to a full QWERTY keyboard in landscape mode. The Storm has a built-in accelerometer so it will automatically rotate the screen depending on if the phone is held vertically or horizontally (left- and right-hand support included). The letter/number keys also glow blue when you're typing.

The Storm offers dual-mode functionality, meaning that the phone switches automatically between CDMA and GSM networks to offer seamless international roaming--all while keeping the same phone number. (Note that the phone does not support domestic GSM bands, and a SIM card is included in the box.) It also works on Verizon's EV-DO Rev. A network as well as Europe's 2100MHz UMTS/HSDPA band. There's a full HTML Web browser (no Flash), and the Storm will also support Verizon's V Cast Music and Mobile TV services, though not immediately at launch.

Other wireless options include Bluetooth 2.0 with support for stereo Bluetooth headsets and dial-up networking and GPS but no Wi-Fi. BlackBerry Maps is onboard if you want text-based turn-by-turn directions, but for more advanced navigation features, such as voice prompts, you'll be forced to use Verizon's VZ Navigator service.



Though the BlackBerry is historically known more as a business device, RIM and Verizon hope to attract more consumers with the BlackBerry Storm and it comes with a number of multimedia capabilities. The media player can handle various music and video formats, including MP3, AAC, WMA, WMV, MPEG4, and H.264. The included Media Sync software will also help you synchronize your iTunes files with your BlackBerry. The Storm is equipped with a 3.2-megapixel camera with video recording, auto focus, and flash.

Finally, it will come preloaded with instant-messaging clients (Yahoo, Windows Live, AOL, and ICQ) and a number of social-networking apps, including Facebook, MySpace, and Flickr. You'll also be able to download more programs over the air through the new BlackBerry App Center.

Knowing Blackberry, it will cost an arm and a leg initially, attracting CEOs only for a while, and then eventually filter down to the masses with a $49 contract price 1-2 years later.

Auto Dashboards of the Future

Check out this interesting post at my favorite auto blog Jalopnik on what the dashboards of the future will be looking like. I'm a car guy, and a gadget guy, and this makes me happy. Click on the picture below for more.


Of course, nothing compares to the dashboard of my 1955 Chevy for pure class, but these are pretty cool nonetheless.

Read the whole story here The 14 Most Futuristic Dashboards On The 2008 Paris Show Floor

My Apple Boot Camp White Screen of Death Experience

So, I use a Sony eReader called the PRS-505. It's a great little eBook that keeps me informed on a daily basis. On problem, I'm an OS X guy, and Sony only supports Windows. That hasn't been a problem because I use OS X/Linux based software called Calibre to manage my eBooks - most of which can be found in a compatible .lit format.

However, last night I noticed the announcment of the PRS-700 included support for DRM Adobe PDF books with reflow. This is big news, because my library supports that format, which means I can check out hundreds of library books without going to the library! For free!

Great news right? Well, in order to make it work on the PRS-505 I need a firmware update, through the Windows only Sony application.

No problem, I have some old registered copies of XP from a previous life, and Boot Camp will allow me to put it on my MacBook no problem right?

Wrong. Boot Camp created a 10 Gigabyte partition, asked for the XP CD, then rebooted. Well, when I tried to install XP, it only shows me the entire HD partition, not the 10 Gigabyte partition that Boot Camp was going to create for Windows.

I immediately cancelled the install, and when the system rebooted I was greeted with a WSOD (White Screen of Death). No amount of refreshing, rebooting, resetting PRAM etc, made it go away. Holding option down only showed me a Windows partition on boot. Screwed.

I booted into the OS X DVD, and the Disk Repair Utility didn't even recognize a single partition on the HD. Only one option, a complete re-install.

Did I backup? Well, not really. I use my iDisk for all my files, so those were safe. But lots of misc files were located throughout the system. All toast.

Long and the short, I had to take a day completely reinstall my laptop, losing a whole day of work. I'm going to try it again tomorrow with a Vista install to see if I can get it to work.

All this to get free library books, and the library is only a 5-block walk. I'm thinking it might not be worth it.

Making house music with PI

This software is called the “Pi House Generator”, and randomly generates house music using the number π . Much like the number itself, the music stream never repeats and constantly continues to evolve.

From Paul :

“The software progressively calculates the sequence of digits in pi, starting at 3.14 and progressing towards infinity. As the program calculates the digits, it feeds the results into an algorithmic music generator containing my structural criteria for house music. The resulting piece of house music is infinitely long and static and never repeats itself.

The number of processor cycles required to calculate pi increase with the number of digits it is calculated to. After months or years of playing the song, any fixed computer hardware will be unable to calculate the digits fast enough for the song to play continuously.

The rate that the number of processor cycles increase per pi-digits is bound by the formula Z*log(N); however based on Moore’s Law, processor power per dollar increases at an exponential rate - doubling every two years. BY upgrading computers regularly with market trends, the song can be played indefinitely.”

You can listen to a sample of the stream right here (mirror ). There is also a one hour long clip here.

If you want to geek out about π , go here .

Check out the project here.

Run a hacked copy of Windows, and Microsoft will hex your PC

According to PC World, Bad Things Happen to Unlicensed Windows Users:

Companies that rely on unlicensed copies of Windows are more likely to experience system failures and lose customer data, Microsoft Corp. said Tuesday, citing a company-sponsored report.

According to the research, which was conducted by the Harrison Group Inc. but paid for by Microsoft, mid-sized firms -- those with more than 24 PCs and fewer than 500 -- were 43% more likely to have had a critical system failure lasting more then 24 hours if they used unlicensed Windows.

Those businesses were also 28% more likely to lose customer data and 73% more likely to lose their own data than firms exclusively using licensed copies of Microsoft's software.

It's the curse of Bill Gates haunting your computer.

Play Hulu.com and any DRM free media on your AppleTV with Boxee

Using this patch, you can enable your Apple TV to play practically any DRM-free multimedia file. The patch can be applied by inserting a USB thumb drive into the box that's been pre-loaded with some open-source software called Boxee.

Normally, Apple TV can only play video and music files that are compatible with iTunes or bought through the iTunes Store, but coder Scott Davilla's patch essentially "Jailbreaks" the TV set-top box from such restrictions by installing an open-source media center called Boxee.

Currently in limited, invite-only alpha testing, the patch automatically installs itself onto a thumb drive and adds a Boxee button to the main menu of Apple TV. Clicking on Boxee brings you to an interface allowing you to view about 30 types of DRM-free multimedia (e.g., DIVX, AVI, MKZ and BIN) from any computer connected to your network; you can even play multimedia through internet streams (e.g. Hulu and ABC.com videos).

What You'll Need

• An Apple TV
• Boxee software. It's currently invitation only, so you'll have to request an invite. Invited users can also share invites, so friends can all sign up in a group.
• A Mac. The current patch can only be downloaded and run by Mac users. Windows and Linux versions will be available soon.
• A bootable USB stick. The patch only works with bootable thumb drives.
• Windows XP users: If your USB drive isn't bootable by default, you can modify it with an HP utility.
• Mac users: Try the free app DasBoot. Instructions on how to use it with a USB drive can be found on ShinyThings.

If you have all of the above, and it sounds interesting, take a look at the video tutorial below:

Then go read the full Wiki here.

How to import CDs without adding track numbers in iTunes 8

The option for naming tracks on import without adding the track number to the front of the filename is missing in iTunes 8.

The good news is that the preference is only hidden and is easy to fix.

Simply quit iTunes, open Terminal, and enter this command:

defaults write com.apple.iTunes create-filenames-with-tracknumber -bool FALSE

On relaunching iTunes, you will find that track numbers are no longer added to filenames on import.

Nokia Brings Out iPhone 3G Competitor

Nokia is finally launching a touch-screen competitor to Apple's iPhone 3G. It looks a lot like the iPhone, but doesn't have multi-touch.

The 5800 has a 3.2-inch resistive touch screen and it's powered by Symbian S60, 5th edition. The user interface will be somewhat familiar to Symbian users, but the company has tweaked the UI for touch control.



"By adding the benefits of touch-screen technology to S60, the world's leading smartphone interface, Nokia is taking the familiar and giving it a human touch," said Nokia VP Jo Harlow, in a statement. "We have used touch technology where it really adds value such as the contacts bar, media bar, and clever shortcuts from the home screen to menu items such as calendar, profiles, and clock."

With a 640 by 360 display, the 5800 can play multiple types of video at a high resolution. Nokia is also emphasizing the handset's audio abilities, and there will be a built-in music player capable of multiple codecs. The handset will come with an 8-GB microSD card for storing this media, and the memory can be expanded up to 16 GB.

Nokia's first touch-screen handset also has a bevy of connectivity options with built-in Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities. These can be used to browse the Internet as well as check e-mail. The 5800 will also have Bluetooth version 2.0, GPS, and a proximity sensor to save battery life and avoid inadvertent touches.

The handset measures in at 4.3 by 2 by 0.6 inches, and it weighs about 3.8 ounces. Nokia said the handset will be available in Europe in the fourth quarter, and it will roll out to other markets in early 2009. The company said a version with its unlimited music download service, Comes With Music, will be available early next year.

Adobe exec confirms Flash for iPhone, says Apple will decide when

CNET is reporting confirmation that Flash will be coming to iPhone soon.

Brynildsen got the confirmation at an Adobe Town Hall meeting session. He reports:

"Upon a direct question from the audience, Paul Betlem for the first time publicly confirmed that Adobe is actively developing a Flash Player for Apple's popular phone. He said (not direct quote) 'My team is working on Flash on the iPhone, but it's a closed platform.' He noted that Apple makes all the decisions, so in other words, the ball is in Apple's yard at this time. If Apple says yes, Adobe will have the player available in a very short time."

In mid-June, Adobe's CEO said that company already has Flash running on an iPhone emulator (presumably the same emulator included with Apple's iPhone SDK).

I'm a bit skeptical though. Flash slows down my desktop, how can the iPhone possible have an SDK that doesn't crash the phone every minute? Safari doesn't go 10-minutes without crashing as it is. Here's to hoping.