Last week I told you about how to destroy a hard drive (see Destroy Your Hard Drive -- Permanently.)
Here's something else you can do with your collection of hard drives...
Have you tried YouTube's new Warp Speed? While watching a video, go to full screen by clicking the rectangular box in the lower right corner of the video's control panel. Once you're at full screen, click the triangular button to the right of the Pause button.
Click the rectangular box to go full screen
My buddy, Michael M., from Texas, who told me about this YouTube, said, "the video stopped and up popped floating visual bubbles of other videos related to this one. As I moved around, I was kind of relocating into other topical areas -- it's hard to describe.
"If I floated my cursor over an individual circle, some would explode with other related videos. Clicking one of the circles plays that video in a center screen; close the video and a line appears connecting the videos you've viewed. And each time you open a video, a dot appears in the upper-left corner offer a breadcrumb so I could navigate back to other videos. Very cool."
I'm not as enamored with the new tool -- I had trouble keep track of what was what. [My two cents... this gave me a headache. Ran smoothly on my old laptop, but all the floating bubbles were more annoying than useful. -- Editor]
You can try out YouTube's Warp Speed by following the instructions above -- or heading to YouTube's Warp Speed page.
YouTube's dizzying Warp Speed in action
Talkback
Have something to say Warp Speed? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
I liked the way http://www.swarmthe.com/ worked.
Steve, I've got to agree with you. Graphically speaking, the bubbles look really cool, and the whole premise of the idea is a solid one. However, in execution, it's just too hard to follow.
Follow these steps:
Just where is Chuck Norris...?
very amusing indeed. Now I'm worried.
Lol
that was good for a laugh. i wish i had time to sit around trying to find stuff like that
Last summer my colleague Erik Larkin went to Defcon, the security conference. He learned how to unlock card-protected, locked office doors with a homemade $10 gadget. (He blogged it -- see Simple Hack Can Unlock Most Any Office Door.)
I found the story fascinating. Coincidentally, I was sitting on a similar story, trying to decide whether it was a good thing to blog it. I talked with lots of people, including a locksmith, and decided that it's better for you to know about the topic.
Bumping Locks
Lock bumping is a technique that's easily 50 years old and gives just about anyone a way to open a deadbolt lock without damaging it. All it takes is a special key (they're readily available on eBay) and a plastic tool called a Tomahawk, though the handle of a hammer or screwdriver could work, too. The key essentially bumps the pins in the lock, allowing it to open.
Key used for lock bumping
Tomahawk tool for bumping the key
Here are a few resources for you to understand more about lock bumping.
Not to Worry
Overall, I don't think it's anything to worry about.
I asked my locksmith -- he's been doing this for 40 years -- and said it's more likely a burglar will kick in the door. In fact, we've been burglarized twice. The first time, the back door was jimmied out of the door frame with a screwdriver; the second, the burglar cut a circle out of a window, opened it, and just waltzed in the house.
David B., a buddy of mine from Florida, handled the security and lock system in a portion of the Miami Dade airport. He said, "If [lock bumping] were as easy as it is claimed to be, I wouldn?t need a $100 set of lock-picking tools and a lot of patience and luck."
A blog entry on the San Diego Lock and Safe site puts lock bumping into perspective.
Me, I haven't done anything differently. I still have the piranhas in the moat and six guard dogs roaming around the yard.
Talkback
Have something to say about lock bumping? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
I don't always jump when I hear about an updated software version. I'll wait and see what others have to say, especially with antivirus, anti-spyware, and firewall apps.
I consider WinPatrol one of those critical apps I depend on, and don't want to mess with. Yet WinPatrol just added keylogger detection to its paid and free versions, and because I trust Bill Pytlovany, the author, I encourage you to grab the upgrade. (I definitely did!)
Check for keyloggers by checking this box
You can grab a copy of the free WinPatrol 2007 at Downloads; if you just need to upgrade (for the free and paid versions), it's here.
Quick aside: You may be interested to hear why Bill was so incensed about keyloggers that he decided to add the detection feature; see Ex-Husband Gets Jail Time for Keylogger.
Talkback
Have something to say keyloggers -- or winpatrol? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
thx for the update
.. of the update lol
For an interesting post about keyloggers, you may want to read: http://ideastorm.com/article/show/63923/No_WGA_preinstalled
It's January, so it's nice and cool in my office. Catch me around summertime and my PC's roasting.
Just how hot is it inside the case?
I'm now able to find out because of a handy little product I discovered at CES. I just pop off the cap, press the button, and the ThermoHAWK 220 displays the temperature.
The gizmo measure temps from 27- to 230-degree Fahrenheit and takes a second to display. I measure the temp by infrared, so the device doesn't need to touch the item it's measuring. The ThermoHAWK 220 discounts for about $26.
Stick the in your PC case and see how hot it really is...
Talkback
Have something to say? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
Almost all motherboards nowadays have temperature monitoring built-in. You can read the CPU and motherboard temperature in any modern operating system: both Windows and mainstream Linux distro's (Ubuntu, Fedora, OpenSUSE, Mandriva). Simply install a little monitoring program. That's all.
Greetz, Pjotr.
@Pjotr: But I can also take the temperature of a bottle of wine, the inside of my BBQ, and the refridge in the RV. Besides, I'm a hit at parties whenever I show it to people; it works much better than when I did the lampshade thing... --Steve
I was busy with Firefox last Friday and from the e-mails, it's pretty clear many of you need your Friday fix of nonsense. So here's today's collection.
Coincidentally, our downloads editor, Laura Blackwell, wrote and said, "My husband has been singing the praises of Word Sandwich. I tested it, and I almost wish I hadn't. It's a highly addictive game. You just try to guess the five-letter word through process of elimination, but it can be tricky. Scoring really well takes some trategy, too."
Watch this: I'm striking an old SCSI hard drive with a hammer and sending it to byte heaven. Up until now, I thought that was the quickest and easiest way to destroy a hard drive.
Actual artist's representation of a low cost,
hard drive destroying service
"A hammer's terrific for onesies or twosies," said my buddy, an IT guy at a local school district. "But what about getting rid of a big collection -- like, 100 drives?"
The guy was seriously unhappy about my hammer idea, so I wasn't about to suggest he start an artificial reef off the coast of California.
Destroy the Data
At CES, I found a perfect way to guarantee a hard drive is completely and utterly destroyed. It's the Norazza Hard Drive DataDestroyer, model DD7000. Just insert the drive, pull down the lever, and in less than five seconds, the device bores four holes into the drive, effectively destroying the platters. If you need a heavy duty, fully automatic version, check it out in the YouTube video.
Now for the reason you might want to keep using a hammer. The automated version costs $8000 and the manual one is $4000.
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This hard drive's destroyed with
four piercing holes
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The Norazza Hard Drive DataDestroyer in action
Hello Blu-ray ... adios, HD DVD. There was no doubt in my mind when I heard that Universal studios lined up with Warner Bros in their support for Blu-ray.
Don't misunderstand. The decision is only in principle. I'm too cheap to run out and buy a Blu-ray player. Besides the cost of a player, I'll also have to buy new cables. Then there's the hassle of installing it and dealing with the schmutz behind the big screen TV. So I'm waiting for the price to plummet.
I realize I may not have convinced you and you'd rather do your own research. Sure, I agree, and here are a stack of articles for you to scroll through.
Best of Both Worlds
Of course you can hedge your bets and get a combo player.
Samsung has one -- the UP5000 HD DVD/Blu-ray combo player. It has high-end features like HQV processing and the ability to decode DTS-HD Master Audio. You can read a review: Samsung Dual-Format High-Def Player Does Blu-ray and HD DVD.
So whaddya think you'll do -- HD DVD or Blu- ray?
Also, the guy who posted about the profiles is confused. Yes, there will be new features that don't work on the older players.. for example, a 1.1 spec player can show a picture-in-picture commentary. A 2.0 spec can connect to, and download and store, a certain bit of content from the internet.
However, the films on those 1.1 and 2.0 discs will play just dandy on a 1.0 spec player. No, you won't get video commentary, you'll have to settle for audio-only commentary, as on today's DVD players (no PiP hardware). You can't download content with the 1.0 player, but given the extra 20GB, perhaps there's more space, so less need for that.
No question: Sony screwed this stuff up. They've spent some effort shooting themselves in the foot, but with all that, HD-DVD is still doing worse at present. And much of the win may be nothing more than preception -- if Blu-Ray is seen as a winner now, it will likely become the winner by consumer proclamation.
NBC/Universal is likely to be behind HD-DVD to the bitter end, largely because NBC has longstanding ties to Microsoft. And it's Microsoft really pulling the strings behind HD-DVD.
Every HD-DVD player is also a Microsoft Windows CE machine. This is one reason they got the ethernet right first crack -- MS has some experience in this. Microsoft is terrified of any non-Windows platform gaining a foothold in your livingroom... that's one reason for the X-Box, even though their games division has yet to turn a profit.
The Blu-Ray player is such a threat. Even the 1.0 units have twice the flash storage of the HD-DVD players, and they run BD-Java, which is a real programmable platform, not the simple stuff MS has put into HD-DVD. Sure, this is not a PC, but in time, they could well start to do some PC-like things. And Microsoft hates that idea.
More viral marketing for sony. For an industry insider i'd expect more backbone and a touch more clarity on the issue. If this site pays you for work like this i have some old rope for sale.
And really, fancy sourcing this Universal comment? Since you have written this, nothing has come from them suggesting that your comment was correct. Another sheep with a PC it seems.
Heading for the water with your digital camera? You can stick it into a Ziplock bag, but there's no guarantee it'll stay dry if it takes a dunk. A better bet might be DicaPac's plastic, waterproof enclosure.
The enclosure costs about $40 and has an unbreakable optical lens frame that fits your camera's lens; it's UV coated and scratch resistant. It comes in four sizes, including a style for SLR-type digital cameras, and can handle cameras from most companies, such as Canon, Casio, Nikon, and Kodak.
The company promises your camera will stay dry up to about 16 feet, but at CES, the company representative said they tested it to 99 feet and the enclosure kept the camera dry. Maybe, but it's not a test I'd try with my camera.
BTW, if you're looking for a waterproof camera at a price that won't drown you, take a look at our review of the Olympus Stylus 770 SW. And if you happen to drop your gear into the water, here are two articles that may save your day: How to Survive the Worst PC Disasters and my Hassle-Free PC column, Four Fixes for Memory Card Misery.
Talkback
Have something to say about waterproofing cameras? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
Here are the rest of the Firefox add-ons and extensions I promised you.
Yahoo Toolbar for Mozilla Firefox: Search Yahoo from Firefox, without opening a new tab or window.
LeechBlock: Limit your access to the Web's time-siphoning temptations with this fine-control site blocker.
FlashGot: Make your favorite IE download manager work with Firefox, Mozilla, Seamonkey, or Thunderbird.
NoScript: Protect your PC by customizing your JavaScript preferences in Firefox, Flock, or Mozilla.
ThumbStrips: Browse your Firefox session visually with thumbnails of recently visited sites.
IE Tab: Open pages that require Internet Explorer without using IE, thanks to this Firefox extension.
Hyperwords: Turn every word into a hyperlink with this Firefox add-on.
Tab Mix Plus:This add-on provides a raft of useful tab controls for Firefox fans.
Snap Links: Open or save multiple search results with one mouse stroke.
MeeTimer: Curb your Web procrastination with this eye-opening Firefox extension.
StumbleUpon: This supreme time-waster and Firefox favorite is now available for Internet Explorer as well.
Zotero: Firefox extension to help you collect, manage, and cite your research sources. (Thanks, Todd and Leo.)
Firefox Environment Backup Extension: Backs up your Firefox extensions and produces and handy report after the backup is complete.
Fasterfox: All the best performance and network tweaks.
Forecastfox Enhanced: Keep track of the weather with 12 radar images for US locations and four for international locations.
Mr. Tech Local Install: This power user tool gives you a way to install and manage themes and extensions.
Minimize to Tray: View your favorite Firefox features from the System tray.
Firefox Showcase: Lets you view your tabs and windows as thumbnails.
Firefox Google Bookmarks: Creates a menu to access Google bookmarks from any computer
FoxyTunes: Control your media player from a Firefox window.
Talkback
Have something to say about Firefox? Or maybe you have a few favorite add-ons. You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
Having used Firefox for several months now, I just want to pass on a word of advice.
There are hundreds of extensions .... don't get too carry away adding stuff you really don't need. And read the descriptions, some extensions conflict with others. And some are older and haven't been updated.
Best idea is to install a couple, run your browser for awhile, then add a couple, etc. etc.
Another great post on things that Firefox can do for you. Just helps you to find extensions that can be really useful: http://www.mozila.pl/blog/50-things-that-firefox-can-do-for-you/
Excellent advice, Nuttysman; worthwhile link, tojan3. Thanks to both of you for contributing. --Steve
Okay, I exaggerated, but I today and on Monday, I do have tons of freebies, extensions, and add-ons for you to download and try out.
Most are available right here on PC World's downloads site; others are favorites of some of my Firefox-aficionado buddies.
Firefox Portable: The Firefox browser customized to run from a USB drive lets you have your bookmarks, passwords and history on any Windows PC.
Foxmarks Bookmarks Synchronizer Firefox Extension: Seamlessly synchronize your Firefox bookmarks between multiple computers.
01vlog Firefox search Plugin: Search for video blogs directly from your Firefox browser.
iMacros for Firefox: Firefox Add-On for Auto-Form Filling, Web Scraping, Scripting and Web Testing
Gmail Notifier Firefox Extension: At-a-glance browser indicator for new Gmail messages.
Loki for Mozilla Firefox: Turn your laptop into a virtual GPS device with this customizable toolbar for Firefox.
Del.icio.us Bookmarks for Firefox: Fully convert to social bookmarks with the latest del.icio.us Firefox plugin.
1-Click Answers for Firefox: On-line reference software for quick info on any word or phrase on your screen.
MR Tech Local Install Firefox Extension: A powerful, but complicated, metatool for managing Firefox add-ons.
Chromatab Firefox Extension: Colorize Firefox tabs for quicker navigation.
Tweak Network Settings Firefox Extension: Change Firefox internal settings to potentiall speed page loads and downloads.
AllPeers: Firefox add-ins lets you easily share files online.
Powware InstantOn for Firefox: Start Mozilla Firefox instantly. For those Web surfers that love Firefox, but hate waiting for it to load. Speed the load time dramatically by starting Mozilla Firefox instantly. Runs as an icon in the system tray and is always at your fingertips -- ready to launch Firefox instantly!
Search Plugin Manager: Change the order of the search plugins in Firefox.
Snap Shots Add-On for Firefox: Upgrade the websites you visit every day, like Google, MySpace, and Wikipedia.
Monday: More add-ons and extensions for Firefox.
Whenever I blog about Firefox, I get tons of mail asking for more. So I spent some time digging up a few things you could use.
Tomorrow: Firefox extensions and add-ons.
You haven't heard the last of the gadgets and products I found at CES, not by a long shot. Here are two more I was intrigued with...
Cover Your iPhone (and Other Gear)
I don't have an iPhone and even if I did, I have to tell you that I wouldn't plaster anything on it. Like skins. I'm a function over form kinda guy -- I worry about how something works rather than how it looks.
Nonetheless, I understand that your iPhone sensibilities may differ, so I offer you GelaSkins, a collection of removable skins. Besides art, the GelaSkins also protect your device from scratches. And I have to admit the art is snazzy and fun eye candy (as were some of the CES booth babes, but that's another story).
Take a look at one of the collections for the iPod and at some for the RAZR cell phone. There are bunch for notebooks, too, but I won't go near them; my notebook's a happy plain-vanilla, uh, black. Pricing varies from about $7 through $15; laptop covers are $30. [These are too cool... They've got Ralph Steadman laptop covers! I might be too cheap to spring for one of these. --Editor]
Nifty Monitor and Lens Cleaning
You say there's a fine patina on your monitor? I hate to tell you, Bunky, but that's dust. There's probably some on your digital camera lens, too, and maybe on your eyeglasses.
Alpine Innovations has an array of Micro-Fiber cloths, both big and small, and they call them Spudz, God only knows why. They do a good job at removing schmutz from lots of digital and electronic surfaces. You can order direct from the company; most prices are under $10.
You can watch a video of the screen cleaner in action -- and listen in while the dope with the video camera forgot to hit the stop button.
Clean your monitor with a Spudz
Yep, the gems from CES are in the eye of the beholder, so you get to decide which of these are hot -- or cold.
Blister Pack: Clip and Snip
Did I ever tell you how much I hate those plastic clamshell and blister packs? The retailers clamor for them because they reduce theft (the lingo they use is shrinkage); I end up bringing out a pair of pliers and a razor blade, and risk life and limb trying to open the freaking thing. And often slice a finger.
Of course there's a solution and I found it at CES. For about $11, you can buy the Open It, a pair of clippers that snips open these annoying packages. One handle has a screwdriver, the other a small, locking razor for cutting open boxes. [Steve, this looks tremendously useful for removing toys from their ridiculously complicated packaging... -Editor]
I looked around the Lowes and Home Depot sites, but couldn't find a pair of traditional workshop snippers that came close in price, so the Open It may be a good deal. And sure you can use a pair of scissors (don't run with them, okay?), but then what would I have to write about?
The biggest laugh: Watching the company rep show me the Open It packaging (it wasn't blister-packed) and listening to him complain about how easy it was to remove the snipper from the packaging and steal it.
Snip open those annoying plastic blister packs
Wristwatch These Pictures
Doesn't it bother you having to whip out your wallet to show pictures of your kids? (I know, you're probably using an iPhone, but go along with me on this, okay?)
Now you can carry around your images on a wristwatch. Yep, you heard right: a watch that stores up to 100 images on a 1.4-inch (128 by 128) LCD screen. Connect the Neutrano Photowatch to your PC using a USB cable, download the images to the watch, and you have 8 hours to view the pictures. In between showing off your darlings, you can check the time. One downside: This honey is big -- and almost an inch thick. The 100-image version runs about $70 and a 40-image version is $50.
Check out the video to see the camera in action (and yes, the voice of the director in the vid is me).
Carry around your images in a wristwatch
Steve, I use an old can opener to open those blister packs, works great-try it some time.
I still have stacks of products I found at CES and like it or not, I'm eventually going to pass along each one. Here are two more:
Grab a Video
I spend most of my vacations with a camcorder in front of my face. It's how my wife can spot me.
At CES, I spotted the VieVU Pro, a personal video recording camera -- and if I could afford it, I could leave my camcorder at home. (More on the price in a sec.)
The gizmo clips to your shirt and records whatever you're doing. It's about the size of a small mouse, weighs 5 ounces, and can capture four hours of 640 by 480 MPG4 videos on a single charge. The camera's waterproof -- take it in the rain, but don't submerge it. In additional to outdoor videos, you can record in low light and, according to the company rep, in complete darkness.
You know there's a catch, right? This sweetie will set you back $500. (You, I said, because I certainly can't afford it.)
Here's a short video I took (not using the VieVU) that will give you a feel for the product.
Notebook Platform
One product I just don't get is the Cricket Laptop Stand. The Cricket lets you set your notebook at an angle that's better for viewing the monitor. That makes sense because, as the company rep said, you don't need to hunch over because the screen is at eye level.
"What about the keyboard," I said, with that skeptical tone. "Aren't my hands going to be at a strange angle?"
Sure, the guy said, but you bring along a portable keyboard. Uh, sure, right, another piece of equipment to schlep in my suitcase. Thanks, but I'll pass on the $40 gadget.
On the other hand, the company has a stack of other LCD mounts and arms that may be worth a look.
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Last year I wrote about the Quick Pod, a handy tripod monopod that let you attach your digital camera to an extendible tripod monopod. You can read about it here.
The downside was it couldn't handle my Nikon D80, a heavier DSL digital camera. The new Quick Pod DSLR solves the problem -- it can handle SLRs camcorders, and portable lights. The $50 Quick Pod itself weighs nine ounces and extends from 18- to 53-inches.
Watch the video of the gizmo in action.
It's not a Tripod it only has one leg LOL HA HA
_____________________
@donewell: You're right -- and I fixed it. Thanks. --Steve
Steve,
I have a Manfrotto monopod that has been on 3 continents, Hawaii and about to make its 2nd trip to Europe. No it is not 3.5oz, but less than 16 oz and it does collapse to approximately 18 inches, extends from ground to my eye level, and hangs nicely on my belt or backpack with a large binder-type snap ring. More typically, as it is sturdy enough, I use it as a walking stick between shots rather than dead carry weight. This makes it worth the weight and size. A quick release mount allows me to quickly attach and detach multiple cameras. Darn near as steady as a tripod with practice and not banned (so far) in museums and the like that permit patrons to use canes.
Rather than take along the seldom used ball-head, I recently purchased a Gorilla Pod (starting at $10 at OfficeMax, depending on size) with 'fingers' that wrap around a pole - as in my monopod. I can even mount both quick-mount shoes simultaneoulsy on my new digital camera and switch between both devices.
My desk is covered with business cards, flyers, and dozens of flash drives filled with product information. I'm sorting through it all to get you a roundup of the winners (and some of the losers) I found at CES.
In the meantime, you might get a kick out of our CES 2008 Picks and Pans piece. It's the spot where we give you our take on some of the brightest -- and dumbest -- that CES had to offer.
My TV Stopped Working!!
In a category by itself is Tom Spring's Gizmodo's CES Prank Stirs Big Debate. A few of the Gizmodo staffers had a small remote control that let them turn TV monitors off. Read more about it in Tom's story.
If you want to try it, say, while you're sitting at a bar and getting really tired of the noise, it's easy. Pop out the R2-Mini Remote-n-Go, a tiny remote control (it's a little over an inch wide, by 2.5 inches long, and a half inch deep). In less than a dozen keystrokes, you can lower the volume -- or shut off -- every TV in the room. All that silence for about $10.
There's still plenty of we have to say about CES. Read more at our CES InfoCenter.
Steve,
That is so awesome. And it's got LOTS of applications beyond pranks. Whenever I go to a small gym in a hotel or clubhouse that doesn't have headphones/individual TV's, I'm always annoyed that people have to blast the volume SOOOOO loud... that you wonder whether glass is going to shatter. Finally a tool that lets you "take back the tranquility treadmill!
Plus there's always the waiting room at the doctor's office. Are they actually required to have Jerry Springer on all day long?!?
Oh yeah... then there's the have you ever gone deaf while trying to buy something at a big-box consumer electronics store, because the TV's/stereos are ridiculously loud?!?
Thanks,
Joshua Feinberg
_____________________
@Joshua: I'm going to try it next time I'm in a hotel room with a neighbor blasting their TV. -- Steve
Worried about the drive that holds your backup? SentrySafe has one you can throw into the hot tub or toast on the barbecue.
SentrySafe took an 80GB Maxtor OneTouch 4 Mini hard drive and sealed it in a fire- and waterproof box. Maxtor?s SafetyDrill software handles the automatic backups.
The enclosure can withstand a 1550-degree-Fahrenheit blast for up to 30 minutes and can be submerged in water for 24 hours. The enclosure's permanently attached USB cable connects to your PC.
The 80GB version costs $260; double it to 160GB and you'll pay $340.
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SentrySafe: Waterproof and fireproof
If you want something bigger, you can opt for SentrySafe's QE4531 safe. It's an honest-to-good safe with a little over 1 cubic foot of storage in which you can store your valuables. It's also a hard-drive enclosure with an external, bus-powered USB port. You supply your own hard drive and the safe gives you 2 hours of fire protection for up to 1850 degrees Fahrenheit and water resistance in up to 8 inches of water for 24 hours. If you like it, plan to pony up $420.
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This safe will hold up to one cubic foot of your valuables
Read PC World's ongoing coverage of this giant technology show at our CES InfoCenter.
I can't get a cell phone signal that's worth a hoot, even if I walk outside my house. I've tried different providers, but I'm in a rural-ish area outside of Pasadena, and there just aren't enough towers.
For $170, ZBoost zPersonal makes the problem go away by repeating and boosting the signal. The gizmo is about the size of a cable modem. You'll need to put it near a windows, plug it into a power source, and if you stay within four feet of the device, your cell phone's signal will get a kick in the pants. Read the specs here.
Wi-Ex also sells the zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL, a unit that supports multiple users (the zPersonal handles just one cell phone) and has a wider range, about 2500 square feet. I tried this high-end, $400 product for a short time and it absolutely works.
I'll let you know more about the zPersonal once I get my hands on one.
Read PC World's ongoing coverage of this giant technology show at our CES InfoCenter.
Walking around CES is a killer -- my feet are sore and my back aches. So next year I'm going to buy some iShoes. They weigh about 12 pounds and zip along at 13 1/2 miles per hour; a single charge lets you take a three-hour trip. This puppy isn't cheap -- it'll set you back $600 bucks -- and way more than I'll ever be able to include in my expense report.
I'm still waiting for the Segway to lower its price to within my reach. This one has the same limitations though, it seems: difficult to traverse rough terrain?
_____________________
@JackTinAZ: Yeah, it works best on flat, level surfaces. And at my age, I'd want a helmet and knee- and -elbow pads. --Steve
Forget about waterproof digital cameras. The Underwater Digital Camera Mask lets you snorkel at up to 30 meters -- and grab 5 Megapixel images -- at the same time. The mask, powered by 2 AAA batteries, has a lens right above the tempered glass eye pieces (they double as a viewfinder embedded with cross hairs). Click the red shutter button atop the mask and shoot 55 low-res images, or more with a Micro SD card. Details on the Liquid Image site.
Snap dozens of pics while you're under water
Read PC World's ongoing coverage of this giant technology show at our CES InfoCenter.
I'm in Las Vegas at the big Consumer Electronics Show. I have my hiking shoes on and mapped out a route to a dozen must-see products.
High on my list is a Garmin's new 800 series GPS. It's got speech recognition -- where's the nearest Costco? -- and a connection to MSN Direct for traffic info, fuel prices, movie listings, and other info.
I'll have more details once I get my hands on one, but in the meantime, check it out in this video. And of course, my associate, Denny Arar, scooped me and had a report of her trip from the airport in a Garmin-laden limo. Read it in Garmin's Hands-Free Car GPS.
Just say it to the new Garmin 800
Read PC World's ongoing coverage of this giant technology show at our CES
InfoCenter.
I'm at the Consumer Electronics Show, finding the products that you (and I) can use. I spent three hours at CES Unveiled last night -- along with 40,000 other journalists crammed a too-small banquet room. (Oh, what I do for you?)
I spotted the Invisible Shield, a super thin transparent film that protects electronic devices -- the ubiquitous iPod, iPhone, cell phones, digital cameras? you get the idea.
It has a lifetime warranty and purported to be scratch-proof. I watched as a company rep used a ballpoint pen and tried scratching the Invisible Shield. From the short demo, it worked.
The invisible shield is cheap -- anywhere between $10 and $25, depending on the device. You can buy one on their site and get a 50-percent discount for a period ending one week after the CES show closes.
Protect your iPod from scratches
Read PC World's ongoing coverage of this giant technology show at our CES
InfoCenter.
I missed last Friday's roundup of weird sites, videos, and gaming sites -- and boy, did I get complaints. So to assuage my feelings of guilt, here's today's collection.
Watch This Woman and Lion Bonding: If you didn't know, better, you'd think something awful was about to happen. [Thanks, Ladybug.]
Not impressed with the lion hugging? Okay, sure, so how about Guinness's 10 million dollar "Tipping Point" TV commercial? (Thanks, Kris.]
These pictures from the Endeavour are something else: They make you feel like you're up there with the astronauts circling the Earth. Open screen to full size to see. (Thanks Don. G.)
I never get tired of watching squirrels work their way through obstacle courses.
This site's pushing a bar in Brazil and they're speaking Portuguese. If you speak that language, cool, but even without being fluent I think you'll get the drift.
It takes a couple of minutes to load. When the input screen [fixed] appears, put my name in the first line and your first name on the second line (ignore the last two lines asking for your e-mail address). Now click on "visualizar". (Thanks, Clint.)
Have you ever seen a train plowing the tracks? Watch the video. And then watch a train snow plow getting stuck.
Here are some dirty hotel secrets you probably don't want to know about.
Tunnel Rush is a game that'll take 15 (or more) minutes of your life you'll never get back. My buddy, Moe, got 1755 as high score. Me, I turned in a paltry 900.
Here's a Japanese interview question (or at least that's what the person who sent it to me said). It's going to do your head in, but it can be done. The goal: Everybody has to cross the river.
Click on the big blue circle. The following rules apply:
* Only 2 persons on the raft at a time
* The father can not stay with any of the daughters, without their mother's presence
* The mother can not stay with any of the sons, without their father's presence
* The thief (striped shirt) can not stay with any family member, if The Policeman is not there
* Only the Father, the Mother and the Policeman know how to operate the raft
To move the people click on them.
To move the raft click on the pole on the opposite side of the river
nmanguy: Copy the link and delete the blogs.pcworld.com/ part.
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Thanks for helping me out. The link didn't work because I left off the "http://" -- and I just fixed it. --Steve
wasnt that hard Steve mate, i did the japanese interview thing in 4 minutes....
wasnt that hard Steve mate, i did the japanese interview thing in 4 minutes....
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@lexusboy: Yeah, and I'm jealous... -- Steve
I just took Google Earth for a quick jaunt along the Nile. I was reading Rosemary Mahoney's "Down the Nile: Alone in a Fisherman's Skiff" and wanted to see the author's description first hand -- without flying to Egypt.
I mentioned what I had done to a birding buddy, Hill Penfold, with a tone of ain't this cool!
Yeah, right.
It turns out that Hill is a Google Earth Community moderator and he gently said it's been done -- in Dutch. [Thanks for all your help, Hill!)
Google Earth users, known as geo-biographers, have charted the progression of locations mentioned in books and even pinpointed spots painted by artists. For instance, here are links to keyholes for Shackleton's expedition in Antarctica and C?zanne's geo-biography. The main forum site is here.
Check out the exact location for Cezanne's motivation
If you try any of these, make sure to also check mark the Google Book Search check box (it's in the Layers panel of Google Earth, under Gallery). Do that and you'll see links to documents which mention specific locations.
Here are a bunch more geo-biographies to explore:
Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Matthew Flinders - Exploring Australia
Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin and Patrick O'Brian
Around the World in Eighty Days
Jean Auel's Earth Children Placemarks
Charles Darwin's Voyage on the Beagle
Talkback
Have something to say? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
You have an old PC in the closet? Here's a way to get rid of it: Sell it to Costco.
Costco, the big-box retailer, has contracted with Greensight to recondition or recycle your old, but still working, PC. They'll pick up the tab on shipping the PC to them and pay you for the computer. [Thanks to Brad from Atlanta for this amazingly good tip.]
It gets better: They'll also take notebooks, MP3 players, LCD monitors, camcorders, digital cameras, game consoles, and phones.
It's gets better yet: There's no trade-in value, but if you have an old CRT, printer, or fax machine, Greensight will recycle it for you and pay to ship the item to them.
The catch: You get "paid" with a Costco cash card. If you're not a Costco member, you can use the cash card towards the membership fee; members can use the card to buy merchandise.
I'm taking my wife out to lunch
The Details
Choose the device you want to trade in and answer their questions on an online form. Providing details about the device takes about five minutes. At the end of the process, Greensight will tell you how much the trade-in is worth.
Of course, there's a good chance you won't remember the exact components or CPU speed, so the amount may change once the machine is inspected. If you're not happy, the company will return the PC to you at no charge.
I have to tell you, you're not going to get rich. I priced a 1.2GHz Pentium III with a 40GB drive and 1GB of RAM and picked up $18. But hey, that pays for a lunch and I didn't have to schlep to a city-run electronics recycling center.
Greenlight promises they'll either recondition and sell the entire PC (or just hand-picked parts), or recycle the good parts into raw material. Nothing, they say, will end up in a landfill.
You can read through their FAQ for more details.
Talkback
Have something to say about recycling? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.
Hmm, I get free computers from the dump all the time and recondition them for friends and family. Maybe I'll take the shabbier ones to costco. I wonder if there's a limitation :P
Great tip Steve!
Around here they charge $3 per item at the dump to take used electronics... and it is a 20 mile drive to the dump to drop if off- no curbside pickup.
Even if you don't get a penny you are still money and especially time ahead.
If I ever take a computer to the dump I gotta remember to smash the hard drive with a hammer in case ZenMasta gets it! :-)
What a cool way to get some nominal amount of moola back from the boat-anchors in the closet!
Who doesn't have some old PC components laying around that are SO obsolete most charities won't take them?!?
This reminds me a lot of when Office Depot and Staples very wisely a few years back started offering $3 or a ream of paper for bringing in empty toner cartridges.
Definitely good "green" PR for Costco as well.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
And btw, I'm surprised to be hearing it here first, because I get promotional e-mails from Costco 1-2 times/week and haven't seen anything about this yet. This sounds like something they'll be plastering all over their stores and magazine in the coming weeks.
Best,
Joshua Feinberg
steve:
I have been unable to install m.s. office professional edition 2003 in my new vista machine. The install gets to a point where it says " error 1913 setup cannot update file c:\windows\system32\mapisvc.inf " vertify that the file exists and you have sufficient permission to use it. : The file does exist . And how do i change my permission to run this install ? I believe that i'm the adminerstrator , but don't know for sure.
this program loaded perfectly on my xp machine.
thank you for your help
david h. hills
dhhills@roadrunner.com