Danny's Tech Blog

Long time, No see

2009-04-24T14:55:00.003+06:00

I know its been a terribly long time since my last post, but I'm sorry to say I'm not writing the blog anymore, I'm afraid I can't find the time. I've written quite a few articles here, and they'll stay on, for anyone to find and read whenever they please.

Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to visit my blog. Maybe I'll start writing again later. XD

Cheers,

Oh man! I feel stupid!

2008-09-17T15:27:00.000+06:00

For the past two months or so, the touchpad (and media buttons) for my laptop haven't been working. I tried everything from reinstalling the software on windows, configuring on Ubuntu.... ALL THAT! But it didn't work. I just assumed it must have short-circuited, because there was an electrical problem at home.

So today, I went to the Toshiba Service Centre. I was hoping they could replace the touchpad, and I could have "freedom" with my laptop back. So the technichian turned my laptop on, and I boot it into XP (the default OS on it). After testing a bit, he pressed fn+f9.

And Voila, my touchpad works! Wow. Was I embarrassed!! So to my readers, if you are facing touchpad problems, I suggest trying to use the fn key to activate the touchpad.. Heh.

Too bad the media buttons still don't work. But hey, maybe it has just as simple a solution. =D.

Cheers,

Ubuntu 8.04 Vs Windows XP: Part 2

2008-09-14T15:39:00.003+06:00

In part one I covered the basics of the operating system - performance, the interface and so on. If you didn't catch that, make sure you do: Ubuntu 8.04 Vs Windows XP: Part 1

The second part is all about third party software for the OS. Its useless to say that Windows is a clear winner here, atleast in terms of variety - good and bad. In terms of money, unless you don't mind using pirated / downloaded software, Ubuntu will DEFINITELY help you keep your pocket a lot heavier. Anywhere from $50 upto a $1000 (or even more) heavier.

With 80% of computers running Windows, why would any logically thinking profit-minded company want to produce software for linux? Supply is directly proportional to demand.

The main purpose of this article is to show people that you shouldn't "fear" switching to Linux, because Ubuntu, or any other Linux distribution, has adequate software for your everyday computing needs. It has an alternative to almost every Windows / OSX software.

A great place to know about linux software is linuxappfinder.com . If you find that you need to look up if there is a linux alternative to a certain software, click here.

I wont be talking much here, these screens should give you a pretty clear idea of how well supplied with software linux ALREADY is. Linux is a growing platform. It IS the future.

Media & Internet

Amarok [left] & Listen (right)
Two music players / library organisers, similar to iTunes. If you're wondering, yes you can sync your iPod with linux. However, the only way you can sync an iPhone or iPod touch is wirelessly, which is cool as well. If you can't sync your iPod, just google it!

You're not falling behind in anyway with Ubuntu. But infact getting ahead, including the popular software for Windows, it also has completely free open source software. Shown here: Firefox, Skype & aMSN

Photo Editing

If you're one of those people, like me, who don't like fancy photoediting software, you have for Ubuntu, KolourPaint - basically a copy of MS Paint, but with better features. If you're an advanced user, try GIMP (Photoshop-like). There's a lot of other great alternatives as well. I've written about an alternatives page above. Find a link there.

Office
A lot of people are worried about switching to linux, because they can't work. I have to say, with Office 2007, I am pretty impressed with what MS has done. But I don't think its wroth the $700 for the enterprise bundle. Which is why, this is not a very valid comparison anyway.

The native Openoffice.org that comes with Ubuntu is great and it is COMPLETELY free. No downloading, no installing and no buying- the whole thing comes with the default installation of Ubuntu.

Video Editing

There's lots of great video editing and music production software for Ubuntu. I'll just give u a screen of the one I've used. Avidmuxe, very easy to use, but powerful.

If you're more professional, you've got alternatives to even Aftereffects.

Utilities

CD-burning, DVD burning, name it you got it. And its all built in when you install Ubuntu. Some of these software, however, are installed separately.

Virtualisation

JUST in case you REALLY need that particular Windows software, you can always run it in Virtualbox. Windows effectively runs INSIDE Ubuntu, and it works quite well actually. Its not slow at all (even on my not-so-hot laptop).

Read more of my articles regarding: Ubuntu , Guides or Software

Cheers,

And I thought I didn't like Apple much

2008-09-12T20:07:00.000+06:00

OUCH!

PSP Custom XMB Themes: CXMB

2008-09-10T14:44:00.004+06:00

It seems that the PSP article I wrote a while back was quite popular among my readers. It also brought in a few new visitors! So I thought, why not write another one, and see how the response is.

This time, I'm covering Custom Theme installation, using CXMB. Once again, this is for CFW (modified) PSPs only! If you're not sure what I mean by "Custom Theme", read on to find out.

What are custom themes?
Custom themes for the PSP are those which COMPLETLEY change the look of the interface. There are .ptf themes (these aren't custom ones), and they only change the icon and backgrounds.

CXMB themes, or .ctf themes change not only the icons, but everything from sound, fonts, to the waves and sometimes music player visualisations. They can also be installed through copying files to flash0 (PSP's 'memory'), but I won't be covering that, because its slightly risky. Check out the pics.

Using CXMB for themes is completely risk-free, by the way.

The Walkthrough

Download CXMB from here and extract it:
A) For 4.01m33: http://dl.qj.net/CXMB-plugin-4.0-for-CFW-4.01-M33-PSP-Homebrew-Applications/pg/12/fid/17264/catid/151
B) For others above 3.71m33: http://dl.qj.net/CXMB-v3.2.1-PSP-Homebrew-Applications/pg/12/fid/17309/catid/151 {this will work on 4.01m33 as well}
Copy the folder "cxmb" to your memory stick
If you don't have any other plugins, you can just copy the seplugins folder to the root of your memory stick.
If you do have plugins, add the line ms0:/cxmb/cxmb.prx into the text file vsh.txt. It is inside the seplugins folder. Look HERE for clarification. Its just adding the path to the next line.
Turn off your psp (not stanby). This means holding the power button for 2 seconds.
Turn you PSP back on, while holding the R button. This will boot into the recovery menu.
Go to Plugins -> and simply enable the cxmb.prx
Press back, and exit the recovery menu. You PSP is now ready for custom theming
Copy the theme you want into the Memory Stick >> PSP >> THEMES folder. Remember it has to be .ctf file for an XMB theme.

Where do I get .ctf themes?
3 words, Get them here: http://www.consolespot.net/psp-themes/

You're Welcome,

What?! No new Macbook or Mac?

2008-09-10T00:05:00.005+06:00

Aaah! I'm a bit dissapointed, Mr Jobs, didn't announce anything about a new mac at the Let's Rock Event in San Francisco. So many rumors with the glass touchpads and all, I was really looking forward to this. Even though I'm a linux person, I would've given the macbook a thought, if it was 'pretty'. And the event wasn't even "Rocking" (apparently) with Jack Johnson (I like!) playing his soft acoustic music. The irony.

Atleast we've got a revamped iPod Touch and a nice lil nano eh? It seems Apple's trying to promote the touch as a new gaming platform. Look out Sony & Nintendo! I like the fact that Apple is trying to go green, with all that recycling talk about the nano. However, I have a feeling thats just to attract more customers. =D. I'd be really impressed if Apple did its role in charity, like Bill Gates does with his and his wifes charity organisation. Although I don't like Microsoft, I admire Mr Gates as a person.

You know what I find the weirdest? Why does someone as brilliant as Steve Jobs, being such a wealthy, influential man always dress like that on stage? Some kinda sack and jeans?! Doesn't suit the CEO of the company with such fancy, pricey and stylish products. Gives a bad impression don't you think? With that thought, I leave you to ponder. New posts coming up soon! Thanks for visiting!

Apple Event

2008-09-08T18:08:00.004+06:00

There's going to be some kind of Apple event tomorrow, the 9th of September. According to Apple, its going to be big! Some people are expecting a new line up of Macbooks with the new centrino 2 chipsets, while others speculate the release of a Macbook "Touch" - a touchscreen macbook. Although not officially confirmed, its pretty much clear from the spy pics and info, that a new iPod Nano will be released though. So keep a look out!

I'm a huge hypocrite when it comes to this. A part of me wants to stay away from Apple products, while another part of me can hardly resist. I was thinking of getting a new laptop, and I constantly keep thinking about a mac (although a Sony Vaio is another interest of mine). I don't know why, since I used my brothers Macbook (Pro) i'm strangely attracted to it!

One of the reasons I want to avoid Apple is because I get the feeling that they're an "evil" company, with their overpriced products and the fact they patent everything angers me. They stop technoligical progress that way.... not letting others develop on it. Sometimes the technology isn't exactly their 'own' anyway. On the otherhand, they have developed a lot of great revolutionary products themselves- the iPhone, iPod and OSX.

Owing to the fact that most of my visitors are American, I'd like to know your views on Apple. Help me out here!

Cheers,

VNC: Remote Controlling Your Computer

2008-09-06T02:00:00.004+06:00

If you don't know already, learn how to remote access / control your computer from another pc, mac or even the iPhone (I don't know about other phones). Its really quite useful, but I must warn you, it does make you somewhat lazy. Before you get scared and run away, its a very easy procedure actually. It doesn't really need much tech-know-how.

Keyterms you should know to understand the article better

Server: computer / device used to control the other PC. It is, effectively, the remote control
Client: computer being controlled. Its like the TV.

So why would anyone ever need it, you ask?

You can use it to change tracks while listening to music, pausing/playing a movie you're watching and sometimes, even playing pranks on your unsuspecting sibling or friend. I'll tell you about how I scared the wits out of a friend in the next post. At the height of laziness, some people (ahem... I didn't say me) also like remotely controlling their computers from a different room in the house.

Method 1: Using RealVNC on a PC

This is a great method for remote control. VNC is great when you have WiFi set up at home. Lets you wirelessly control your pc. The following guide is for Windows.

Ubuntu already has a VNC server / client program, so installation is not necessary. Check back for a guide on how to VNC on Ubuntu.

Download RealVNC from HERE. Its a very small file, only about 800KB.
Install it on both the client PC [the controller] and server PC [the one being controlled]
Find out your IP address: This is, as the name says, the address of your computer. Note this down. IN this case lets consider it 123.456.0.1

A] Just double click the internet connection icon on your taskbar, as shown.

B] And Then,

4. On the server PC: Double click on the VNC icon on the taskbar. then password protect the VNC server. Make sure its a good password, to prevent hacks.

You're done with the set up! Now all you have to do, is to access the server, using the client computer.

On the client PC:

Run VNC Viewer from Start >> All Programs >> RealVNC >> VNC Viewer 4
Type in the IP Address you noted down earlier. Type it like this: 123.456.0.1:5900
the :5900 is the port you will be accessing through. This is the default port on RealVNC. You can change this if you like from the server.
Remote Control your computer!

Method 2: Using Touchpad pro or VNSea on iPhone or iPod Touch

Follow Method 1 instructions for setting up the server PC.
Install Touchpad Pro or VNSea through installer / cydia. I don't know if it is available through AppStore. Touchpad Pro is paid, but nicer. You'll also find it on cracked sources for free. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5QNhTu3Yxs
Just add the servers IP Address, which you noted down earler. Type it like this: 123.456.0.1:5900
the :5900 is the port you will be accessing through. This is the default port on RealVNC. You can change this if you like from the server.
Voila! Control your PC!

Note:
Now there is a slight complication here, if you're going to try and remotely access your PC when you're not at home, you''ll need a real IP. Easy way to know if you have a fake IP or not is to look at it. If its 192.---.---.--- then its probably not a real one.

Unless you have a real IP, you CANNOT use VNC (you can, but its complicated, and I can't be bothered to) to access your computer from another network (e.g. control home pc with office pc). However...

Remote Access from different network:
You can use free software known as LogMeIn or Hamachi for remote access from a different network. Its very simple, and you can follow the guides on their sites. It allows you to control your pc directly through your web-browser. It will also work for an iPhone, but you have to change settings in LogMeIn. Google it, for instructions.

Read more of my articles regarding: Guides or Software

Have Fun,

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Chrome: Google's Little Suprise

2008-09-04T00:16:00.007+06:00

I was just as suprised as you are, right now, if you didn't know about Google's new web browser Chrome. I know that the big guys - cnet, zdnet and what not are all over it. After a couple of hours of use, I thought, maybe you'd like my opinion on it. >>

Well, first of all, I LOVE the name. The name itself makes me want to use it! Truth be told, the moment I saw it, I got a little scared. If you don't know, I'm a HUGE firefox fan. Firefox, especially Firefox 3.1 is absolutely wonderful - the thought of a giant like Google developing a competitor for it gives me creeps. I don't want firefox to lose, but hey, atleast it generates competition.

I'm going to keep this short, I haven't had time to really look into depth of the browser. But so far, its quite stable and hasn't crashed on me yet. Support on sites is good too, haven't had any problems as of now. So here's the round up.

The Good:
A . Simple interface: I think some will appreciate the nice, clean look. Others won't be too happy with it.

B. Tabbed Browsing is great, comparable to firefox. Resource consumption seems quite low as well.

C. Really quick, in terms of browsing. Yes, its even faster than firefox sometimes! :O Remember I've only done a few rough tests. Also, bear in mind that my firefox has many extentions on it, which may slow it down.

D. Open source: yep, this means its free and it means I'll support it.

E. Fast Start up: The light, minimalist interface allows it to start up quite fast. I like that in a browser. I haven't tested it on a high spec PC though.

F. Crash Handling: Although this is something that I've read, the unique thing a

bout Chrome is that if a certain tab stops functioning, you can force quit that tab only, without having to close the entire browser. A useful feature, in my opinon.

THE BAD

Before I start with the cons, I'd like to highlight that Chrome is only in the Beta stage. The final release may or may not solve these issues.

Little Customization: The minimalist interface means that Chrome has very little to change. This is annoying to me, really. It doesn't really let you change the way you handle your tabs, windows, etc; not as much as Firefox atleast.
Unlike Firefox, it doesn't have extentions. This means its even less customisable compared to Firefox. However, I have a feeling Google's going to add an extentions feature.
Windows support for now: The linux and OsX variants are in developement though. I'd like to see how it performs on Ubuntu.
Download management is not as good as firefox. If you close the browser, all downloads are cancelled (not paused). I really disliked that. Plus, there's no queueing.
URL Complete feature: when I'm typing in the URL of a site, it automatically gives a few suggestions. I don't really think its a very useful feature. I find too much writing on suggestions list makes it look cluttered.
No Stop Button: Why? Why? Why?

Conclusion

Good stuff, good stuff. Some of the cons may be an issue, if you intend on making Chrome your default browser. Remember that its just in Beta, maybe the final release will solve these issues.

But for me, Firefox 3 still has the upper hand, and like the Mozilla team says, its still "The Browser that has it all". Its still my default, and favourite browser. The customization allows firefox to become MY browser, and to use it the way I want it.

You never know, Google can change that in their final release of Chrome.

Want to try Google Chrome yourself? Click HERE.

If you want Firefox instead, Click HERE.

Cheers,

Ubuntu 8.04 Vs Windows XP: Part 1

2008-09-03T11:46:00.001+06:00

I'm constantly trying to convince people to change their old habits, and switch to Ubuntu or any other form of linux. I know, for some people, the change will SEEM difficult. But its not, and you'll feel that the 'trouble' was worth it.

So here it is, why I think Ubuntu (or Linux) creams Windows. Both the operating systems run (separately) on the same laptop [through dual booting. XP & Ubuntu are the OS that I actually use- this isn't just a situation I created for the test

Funny thing is, first time I tried Ubuntu, I didn't really like it. It's the second time that I tried, thanks to my dad, that I discovered its THAT good. >>

How are you running both at the sametime? What's dualbooting?
Dual-booting allows a computer to have a choice to boot up into one of 2 installed operating systems. Meaning, when you turn on the computer, you can choose whether you want to start Windows or Linux (or any other combination).

In my case, its Windows XP & Ubuntu. It is not a complicated procedure (thanks to ubuntu's wonderful installation) and if you'd like to try it out yourself, and you need guidance, let me know in the comments section.

The Conditions

This is the laptop on which the test is being carried out. For your info, this is the laptop I use everyday. It is an upgraded Toshiba Equim A110.

1GB Ram
1.86GHz Centrino Processor (single core)
Intel integrated graphics
120GB 5400RPM Hard drive
Windows XP SP3 with Vista Inspirat (theme)
Both operating systems have been in regular use. No modifications from how I use it in a regular basis.
I do not install crap-ware (unnecessary, useless software) on Windows.
Large amount of 3d effects enabled on Ubuntu, using Compiz Fusion.

Start Up / Booting

This test was carried out AFTER I pressed enter in the dual boot screen. I subtracted the time I requied to type in the log in, in Ubuntu.

Windows XP SP3: 93.1 seconds
Ubuntu 8.04: 72.8 seconds

For both cases, +/- 1.5 s is valid.

Winner: Ubuntu

Interface

Some people don't like the initial brown coloured Human theme on ubuntu. But the fact is, because its open-source- it allows you to customize in every way possible. If you're bored of the built-in themes, go to gnome-look.org and find what you like in the "Metacity" area.

The cube workspace switcher, and application switchers are TRUE eye-candy in Ubuntu. Just so you know, you have to enable / install Compiz Fusion. You can then change the effects in System > Preferences > Appearance > Visual Effects. Find out about them in my other article, HERE.

You can also check out my Ubuntu 'teaser' video HERE.
Winner: Ubuntu

Performance
I won't even bother comparing Ubuntu with Windows here. The snappiness and 'fluidity' of Ubuntu is simply amazing, given the not-so-flashy specs I have on my laptop.

Multitasking is a breeze, and CPU usage and memory consumption, even with the fancy 3d effects I have are less than that of XP. Everything from COPYING files to video conversion is a lot faster. I haven't really carried out benchmarks, but based on the way I use it, here's how I rate it:

Windows XP SP3: 6.5/10
Ubuntu 8.04: 9/10

I know that this part seemes a bit biased but you'll just have to take my word on this. You won't believe the difference unless you see it for yourself.

Winner: Ubuntu

No Mac OSX & Windows Vista?

For all of you Apple-addicts out there (like my own brother), Running OS X on a regular PC is beyond most people's capabilities, and using an actual Mac is a luxury few people can, or are willing to afford. Hence, it is not a valid comparison.

Vista is severely resource hungry. The last time this laptop ran Vista, it was a nightmare. The results would be so pathetic, it would look like I'm intentionally misguiding people.

Check back for the second part of Ubuntu vs XP, where I will be covering software support and usability.

Read more of my articles regarding: Ubuntu , Guides or Software

Cheers,

The Ubuntu Interface & Compiz

2008-08-30T13:35:00.011+06:00

This is a preview into the interface of Ubuntu. Some of the more fancier effects uses Compiz Fusion. For those of you who ARE using Ubuntu, go ahead and enable the effects. Instructions to install compiz are HERE.

For those of you still wanting to switch, I hope I'm giving you very good (looking) reasons to. Remember, all this, is for free, because its Open Source.

Changing Themes
Remember you can also change the theme, if you're bored with the original "Human" theme, or the other built in ones. As you can see, I have a OSX theme on.

Go to gnome-look.org and find what you like in the "Metacity" area. Then you can install it in System > Preferences > Appearance.
Remember you can change everything from the icons to the shade of the windows. You can find all that in gnome-look.org .

Application Switcher
Enable this in:

System >> Preferences >> Simple CompizConfig >> Effects
and choose Shift Switcher (cover) for coverflow like or (flip) for the Vista effect.

My Computer
It mixes the good parts of Windows Explorer and Mac's Finder. The explorer is called Nautilus.

Easy to use, convenient and customizable.

Cube Workspace Switcher

Enable this in:
System >> Preferences >> Advanced Desktop Effect Settings >>
then check "Desktop Cube".
To use it, just middle click on the desktop and drag. You can also unfold cube with Cntrl+Alt+Down.

3D Windows in Desktop Cube
Enable this in:
System >> Preferences >> Advanced Desktop Effect Settings >>
then Check "3D Windows" under Effects

Increase the animation speed (inside 3d windows settings), if you find it annoying.

Expo:

Enable this in:
System >> Preferences >> Advanced Desktop Effect Settings >>
then check "Expo". To access it, hold Super (or Windows Button) and e.

Well, this article looks better than I thought it would! Hope you enjoy reading and looking at the screens, as much I enjoyed writing this article for you.

Let me know your views! If you still want more convincing check out my Ubuntu 'teaser' video HERE.

Read more of my articles regarding: Ubuntu , Guides or Software

Cheers,

Great Software For Windows Part 1

2008-08-25T16:50:00.024+06:00

Hey! Great to be back! Finally got myself back to writing, so here goes. Even though I've 'converted' to Ubuntu (and linux), most of my visitors use Windows. If you're not willing to switch to Linux (Ubuntu or any other) maybe a few good software suggestions will make your life with windows easier.

I'm going to start with a short review of a very useful application. I won't say I've used this for a particularly long time, but Launchy is definitely one of the most useful applications I have on Windows. A simple, light "keystroke" launcher - Launchy - definitely increases the efficiency of your work. I'm not sure, but I THINK this type of software was first seen on Mac OSX- QuickSilver as they would call it. As you can expect from a linux-geek like me, Launchy is Open source and hence, free, money-wise and spyware-wise.

What does it do?
A keystroke launcher is one which lets you type in the name of the application, document or file you wish to run, and allow you to run it. It allows the indexing of files within folders and subfolders. This means, no more countless minutes lost looking for a certain file or document.

It even saves time by allowing 'quick access'.

e.g. To get to Z normally, you press: Start >> All Programs >> X >> Y >> Z
With launchy: Windows button (on keyboard) + Space, then type in Z, then press enter

Its just saving you many, many clicks and using the keyboard instead of the mouse. Its particularly useful if you can multi-task on the computer.

No good at typing?
Don't worry, I still think it'll be faster than clicking. That is, unless you're super fast with the mouse - which isn't really a practical thought :P. Use it a couple of times, and you won't be able to do without it.

Where can I download it?
Go ahead and use their official site: http://www.launchy.net
OR, if you prefer, head on over to my favourtie freeware site: http://www.filehippo.com

What else?
Launchy has a host of interesting features, most of which I don't use, while a couple I find quite interesting.

Changable Skins: Bored of the same old look? Just change the skin. It was a few ones that come with the installation, but you can also get them at deviantart or through launchy.net .
Smart!: I find it great that Launchy recognises what I actually want, and not just all entries with the letters I type in. For example, if I want Windows Live Messenger; I can just type "wlm" [first letters of each word] and it pops up. Sometimes, you don't even need to type the whole thing.
Customize the index: indexing allows quick searching of files. However, if you don't want some personal stuff to show, you can simply disable indexing of that particular folder or type of file.
Lets you go deeper: suppose you want to directly go to my blog through firefox. This is how you do it: Windows button + Space, type in firefox, press tab, then type in techismything.blogspot.com . Firefox will pop up, and immediately open the address you typed in.

Leave your comments, views and suggestions!

Like this software suggestion, read other similar articles: Software

Happy launching,

Spam Alert: Fake Bank Mail

2008-08-18T21:32:00.010+06:00

If you've read my last article on Spam mail, you should probably know how frustrated I am with it. In the article, I said that I would be posting a screenshot to show where spamming has come today. So here it is - have a look at this mail I got [click to enlarge]. Hard to tell its not genuine eh? I know the grammar isn't perfect, which gives it away, but look at the logo, layout and colour scheme - looks so professional!

Too bad they didn't figure out that I don't have a Bank of America account!

Happy Spam Avoiding,

Spam mail & Avoiding it

2008-08-17T23:13:00.013+06:00

Spam mail! I HATE THEM! I get almost a 100 of these unbearable mails everyday! They remind me of tiny green monsters, they just keep coming screaming with their high pitched squeaky voices! I swear the people who came up with spamming are wicked geniuses, if only they could use their ideas for good instead of evil. Sorry for the cliched statement! So you want to stop those horrible, worthless emails that you get, every single day of your life? I'll give it to you straight - you can't. Just look at the screen shot on the left, I have more spam than all my inbox mails put together! But hey, if you can't stop em, avoid em! >>

So why spam?
Its just another form of advertising. Junk mail, bulk mail or unsolicited mail - just a few other aliases of spam mail. As I remember reading, in the 7th grade - "Economics does not consider whether the acts are moral or immoral, socially acceptable or not". The image right shows ZDnet's take on what spam mail content is.

My (desparate) failed endeavours
Like I said before, I don't really believe there's anyway of stopping junk mail, but only avoiding it. I've tried adding all the junk mail email addresses to the block list - every single one I got - for a long time. That's until the amount increased 10 fold, to the point it got impossible.

Believe it or not, I was so annoyed, that I actually deleted my account! 3 months later, I re-signed up with the same username, and it turns out, amazingly, the spam doesn't stop.

What CAN we do?
So I thought that my reader's should know how to 'protect' themselves from its horrible nightmares. I'm going to arrange them in points:

Get a spam address: that sounds a bit weird doesn't it? What I mean is, its a good idea to have separate email addresses. One for your official / social use and the other to provide the email to sources which you think aren't trustworthy [the spam address]. Actually, I'd suggest you use your spam address when you sign up for forums, accounts on online shops and even for email newsletters. You never know which site is selling your email off to spammers.
Avoid sharing your email on public sites: its a good idea not to spread around your email add. Just imagine yourself as a really hot girl, all the guys are just waiting to take your phone number. :P Don't let them anywhere near you!
What if you have to?: At times when you need to give your email to someone on forums, or on your blog or site. Use contact forms like contactify or email 'hiders' like recaptha. If you don't like the whole idea: just dont write your address in full. e.g. instead of "nospam@gmail.com", write "nospam at gmail . com". This prevents bots (automated scripts) from collecting your email.
Separate work from play: sometimes, its a good idea to not give your friends your work email address. It just so happens, that they might go about (unintentionally) inviting spam to your account. For example, someone asks for your email add on facebook - your friend just writes it on the wall. That, plus it saves you from getting all the annoying forwards they send!
NEVER click on links in spam: I know at times, it can be very tempting. But DO not. I repeat DO NOT, click on the links in spam mail. The site you are redirected to EASILY allows sensitive information, not just your email, to be collected.
Delete cookies every now and then: although, this is a general suggestion. Clean up your history and cookies. It prevents too much information from being collected.

So we do ALL this in an attempt to prevent spam, just imagine what the US government collects from us! In the next post, I'll have a screen shot of a mail I got. Its hard to believe how convincing a scam mail looks! Leave your comments and views.

Find this article interesting? Check out my other Guides.

All the best,

PSP: Play games while listening to music

2008-08-13T12:59:00.007+06:00

I was thinking about it yesterday, and it seems, I didn't write anything about my PSP till now. You could say, that I'm 'proficient' with my PSP, although, like all of my other gadgets I can't program for it. Before you continue reading, I want to highlight that I will be only talking about modfied PSPs. This means that you either need a CFW or a homebrew enabled PSP. More after the jump >>

There are many ways to listen to your music while you play games. One of them is using the Musicprx designed by Cpasjuste. Remember this is only valid for PSP versions 3.90m33 and over.

What is a PRX?
To cut a long story short, they are plug-ins that enable certain special features on your CFW PSP. This particular one lets you listen to music while you browse the net, play a game / homebrew, or even just browsing through your XMB.

Will it brick my PSP?
Chances are almost 0%, unless you go about messing with settings in the recovery menu. On top of that, if you don't know what you're doing don't lower the CPU speed.

Download Link
http://dl.qj.net/Music-prx-plugin-for-3.90+-M33-Sony-PSP-CFW-PSP-Homebrew-Applications/pg/12/fid/16740/catid/140

How?

Download the file and extract it
If you don't have any other plugins, you can just copy the seplugins folder to the root of your memory stick.
If you do have plugins, copy music_conf.txt, music.prx to the seplugins folder and add the line ms0:/seplugins/music.prx into the text file vsh.txt or game.txt. Look at the screenshot below, if you're confused.

4. Turn off your psp (not stanby). This means holding the power button for 2 seconds.
5. Turn you PSP back on, while holding the R button. This will boot into the recovery menu.
6. Go to Plugins -> and simply enable the musix.prx [vsh] and [game].
7. Press back, and exit the recovery menu. You PSP is now ready to play music, while you play your games.

Controls?
Although this is written in the Read Me within the zip file, I'll still copy it over. Note that for me its the Select button that works. I don't know why. So try using both the Note(or Music) & the select button, whichever works for you.

Default Controls:
(The Note button is to the left of select)
Note + Left Trigger = pause/resume playback
Note + Right Trigger = switch playback mode between random and seqeuntial
Note + D-Pad Left = previous song (only in sequential mode)
Note + D-Pad Right = next song
Note + D-Pad Up = Volume up (for the music)
Note + D-Pad Down = Volume Down (for the music)
Note + Triangle = Change CPU speed forwards
Note + Cross = Change CPU speed backwards
Note + Square = Toggle On Screen Display (default off)
Note + Circle = Reload list of mp3 files (needed if you change the files in the music folder using usb)
Note + Home = In game mute (stops the vsh/game from outputting sounds)
Note + Start = Loop the current song, if you press next/prev, the next song will be looped

Any other way?
Sure, there are numerous homebrew software out there that lets you listen while gaming. This includes, IRShell and LightMP3 - the only ones that I have used myself. Personally, I still like IRShell the best, and I will be posting on it later.

Removal of Post

2008-08-11T14:01:00.005+06:00

Some of you may have noticed that I've deleted my recently written article titled 'Appreciating Windows'. I myself am not a Windows person - just try Ubuntu (or even OSX) and I'm sure none of you will be anymore. The post seemed to be misunderstood, and I will have a revised, more clearer version of it up some other time. I was thinking to myself, that I may have been a bit too harsh on MS as well! After all, I do make use of their software. >>>

In article I tried to highlight how Windows is at times, still useful and it has had its share in developing software to where it is today . As I had mentioned in the first few lines, that the post was meant to be taken very lightly. You can see, I was aware that the article might be misunderstood, when I wrote it.

David, the creator of the wonderful Linux launcher, GNOME Do (http://do.davebsd.com/) expressed his dislike on how I seemed to be 'thanking' the wrong people (microsoft). Ofcourse I appreciate the hard work done by programmers of Linux distros and Open source software. If I didn't, I wouldn't be writing articles about them or trying to get other people to realize that open source is the way to go. In fact, one of the reasons I started this blog was to spread the open source ideology.

David, firstly, I'm honoured that you posted on my blog. I hope you are reading this, and I send my sincere apologies, if I have offended you in anyway. I've removed this article not because of your comment, but because I don't want it to seem that I don't support open source developers. My intention was to point out that innovation in the software industry (or any other, for that matter) is due to competition. It is only an opinion, and was meant to be taken as one.

I re-read the article, and I thought it wasn't very well written anyway. I will have a revised version up later.

For the rest of my readers, I want to use this example to highlight the importance of feedback on my blog. If you don't like what I say, or you think I'm wrong just use the comments section. I will always take your comments into consideration. Just don't expect me to delete the post everytime! ;-)

Teaser Video: Ubuntu

2008-08-09T01:36:00.010+06:00

Its what the title explains. A short, teaser video of Ubuntu, the linux operating system. If you still don't know what an OS is, its like Windows, but only in this case, a lot better. I'm just trying to show (off) the fancy features you get with Compiz desktop effects. If you thought Vista had good effects, think again. Double the effects with half the resource consumption. Click the Read more link for the video.

Here it is a small 2.5 minute teaser. The choppy-ness of the video is due to recording and encoding, and not the OS itself, although it is running on a generally low end laptop, by today’s standards (1.8GHZ centrino, intel gfx, 1GB ddr1). Sorry about no sound- just wanted to keep it light. Hope you like it, and think about giving Ubuntu a try.

There's lot more to discover. Need some more convincing? Head onto you tube through this link.

If you're interested, head on to http://www.ubuntu.com and download the desktop edition. Make sure you choose the right version- its the x86 version for most of us. The .iso must be written on a blank cd / dvd. Ubuntu comes as a Live CD (or .iso), and the CD can be used to preview the OS, WITHOUT actually changing your system in anyway. So its safe to try. Send in your views, would love to hear them, in the comments area.

Xbox 360, Overheating & Prevention

2008-08-07T01:56:00.022+06:00

The Xbox 360 is truly a powerful machine, with its impressive graphics and even better line up of hit games, its taken gamers all over the world by storm. Its the first of the 3 next-gen consoles to be released, and also used to be the most buggy one. With Microsoft's billion dollar investment in extending the warranty of the 360s and the use of new cooler, more efficient chipsets, the 360 has improved a lot since its release. The Wii is great, but for hardcore gamers it has to be the 360 or PS3. Remember, I am not in anyway suggesting which is the best of the next-gen consoles, but just discussing something I find interesting. So why does this beast of a machine produced by Microsoft overheat? Well, ofcourse there is the element of poor design (and the lack of an adequate heat sink), but lets go deeper into the matter. Overheating, as indicated by 'the red ring of death' is every 360 owners worst nightmare.

So what's so different about the 360, that causes it to overheat?
Well, for one thing, the machine has a triple core processor at its heart, each running at 3.2Ghz. Yes, that heart beats fast! Then theres the ATI graphics processor with 512MB of GDDR3. For some of us, that might sound like gibberish - what it means is that its really powerful, and its bound to get hot. I know thats not an excuse for overheating (the PS3 has similar specs) but, just clearing up WHY it produces so much heat.

I opened up my Xbox 360 Elite the other day (picture left), and my hunch on it is that the DVD-drive is so big, it may just be one of the reasons the heat cannot escape. Infact, its one of the biggest components inside the already cramped box. Just look at the snap on the left.

Why didn't just Microsoft use laptop DVD-drives? Maybe just to lower costs, but maybe in the future they will. And if you're wondering, the DVD-ROM isn't anything special, maybe slight modifications on the inside, but it works just like any other one.

How do I know its overheating? Will mine overheat?
Now i've never been a victim to the RRoD (red ring of death), but from what I know, it happens when your box just gets about hot enough to fry an egg. I have a feeling its a bit exaggerated... (ofcourse it is). That usually happens when the machine is placed in a confined space with little / no ventilation. I've seen a video on the net, where someone FRIED an egg, using the heat produced from their PC's graphics card. That should give you an idea of how much heat it produces, but it just doesn't (or shouldn't) reach the outershell.

Remember that the newer 360s, with the smaller 65nm chipset (aka falcon chipset) run a lot cooler than the older systems. Forget the lot numbers and production dates. The EASIEST way to identify a falcon chipset, is to pick up the power supply, turn it round and see if its 175W, its written on the sticker. If you're at the shop buying one, look for a tag with 175W written. Remember than with 175W power supplies you're sure to have a falcon (that's how I identified mine). These ones haven't been reported to be overheating. My Elite DOES produce a lot of heat (its normal), but not to the point its going to fry.

How do I prevent it?
I'll put these in bullets so that its easy to follow. And I guess placing it horizontally is better, as less ventilation holes are blocked, and thers no risk of toppling over.

* Do not place in a confined space, make sure theres enough ventilation. Don't keep it under the compartment under your TV, even if it seems its 'perfect' for it.
* Keep the power supply away from it, on a flat surface. Avoid glass (it holds onto the heat).
* Do not use the Niko Intercooler, there have been reports it infact increases the risk of RRoD.
* If you keep it on a table, place it over an inverted basket so that heat can flow out from the bottom (where it gets really hot). Thats my set up on the right. Notice how the meshed basket allows heat to escape from below, while the sides are still open. There is a bit of space at the back as well. And yes, I do have my 360 connected to my monitor simultaneously, with my pc. Like to know how? Leave a comment or request it from the link on the left.
* Most of the heat comes out from the back off the 360, so dont place to too near the wall, where the hot air will just bounce back onto the machine.

Mine overheated, what do I do?
Well, the first thing you do is not to panic. It may not have overheated. Maybe just one of the connections are loose. Unplug ALL the connections, plug them back in. Especially check the connection on the power supply. I freaked out when my cord was just loose!

If it overheated? The best resource would be either YouTube or Google. Just don't pay scam sites out there which claim to give you a permanent fix. Personally, I don't know much on the matter, as I've never experienced it myself. Fixing your 360 isn't as hard as some people claim, there are both easy methods, and those which require skills. All the shops in Dhaka just take advantage of the fact that you're desperate to get your 360 fixed- they'll rip you off as much as they can. With a little research, and a little guts, maybe your $350 (or more) investment won't be a complete waste.

Please leave your comments and views, and tips on the matter.

Apple's failure with iPhone 3G?

2008-08-07T00:14:00.008+06:00

We've all heard of the infamous iPhone 3G and the whole array of problems that come with it. But how bad is it, really? Well, I'm a proud owner of an original iPhone (the 2G one), and I couldn't be happier. Why is there so much controversy surrounding the newer counterpart? Read on to find out.

To my knowledge (which isn't very vast on this topic), this is the first time Apple has gone to this extent of manufacturing such cheap products. They have always sold overpriced products, but people are willing to buy it, just because of four things: 1. Brand loyalty 2. The software 3. Generally good quality (of material) 4. Clever marketing

The iPhone 3G cost $173 dollars to make, I believe (read somewhere). Thats even less than the original, in both price.. and ofcourse quality. Yet I'm sure Apple is making millions from it, and not just from consumers but from the network providers - AT&T, O2, Voda, etc. So here's the list of things wrong with the newer one:

Yellowish Screen: compared to the original iPhone, the 3G has a significantly lower grade screen, and when viewed side by side, the 3G's screen appears yellowish. Check this link out.
Plastic Back: some people prefer it, others don't. I think it just loses the 'gravity' of the phone. Some say its to improve reception, I say its just a way of reducing Apple's costs.
Heating issues: just google it, and you'll find loads of users complaining about this. The picture above seems to be very appropriate for it eh? There have been occasions where the phone being kept inside the users pocket for a few hours, melted and burnt him! The funny part is, the phone was still functional, and used to call the service centre after the incident! Check it out in this link.
No dock: The 3G sells for only $200 [+ monthly according to your price plan], but my original iPhone came in beautiful packaging complete with a dock. I remember telling my mum, as I first opened it (referring to the packaging and the accessories), "You see, this is why Apple sells so much. They know how to make consumers happy...". With no dock and just a transfer wire and headphones, maybe they shouldn't have tried to make it the next Moto RAZR.
Firmware 2.0: I find the 2.0 firmware, with which the new iPhone 3G was shipped, absolutely disastrous. Sure, it has App-store with its fancy apps, but most of it isn't free anyway. I'd rather stick with my jailbroken 1.1.4, with installer. Just love the smoothness and the flexibility it has. 2.0 loses all that.
Activation problems: on release, Apple seemed to have activation issues, as they had under-estimated their own sales. This meant that many new users couldn't use their newly bought, lovely iPhone 3G. What a bummer.
3G issues: On Zibri's blog, I read that after doing a few speed tests through safari, the 3G iPhone simply crashes.

I was never a big fan of Apple, until my brother got me my iPhone. They did impress me with the wonderful software (even with its lackings) and the great hardware. Even with the really expensive macs, I'd have to complement them on the design and overall quality. A rushed release of the iPhone 3G may have been Apple's biggest mistake. I'm sure other companies will be taking advantage of this, taking a big bite off the Apple.

What are your views on it? Let me know!

Cheers,
Danny.

An introduction to Linux

2008-08-04T23:49:00.016+06:00

A lot of people have heard of the Linux operating system (OS) symbolised by the penguin on the left. Some say its too complicated for them, while others say its only for hackers and programmers. You know what I say? I say they are VERY wrong....
Like convertibles, maybe computers are meant to be without Windows (yes, I saw that on the net). If only linux had the support Windows does. Since Microsoft went wrong with Vista, a lot of people have been making the switch to linux or mac OSX with Apple's expensive hardware. Mac OSX is great too, but just not as good as linux (in my opinion). I will have another article on that too.

Linux itself has many variations, and is not the entire operating system. Its the 'base' of the operating system (known as the kernel). The easiest way to think of it is as the heart & brain of the OS. Initially developed by Linus Torvalds, it truly is amazing how such a marvellous piece of software can be free for us to use (its open source).

The variations to it (or distros / distributions), such as Ubuntu, can be considered the remaining organs. Now, some variations are better at certain tasks than others. Some are made for programmers with no GUI (graphical user interface), while others are meant to run on servers and others for average users, like us. To tell you the truth, its just a matter of taste, and how you intend to use it. From what I've read and seen, almost all linux systems are stable, and there isn't much to complain there. If you're interested in finding out more about linux based operating systems, check the links at the end of the post.

For me, its Ubuntu, with its ease of use and snappy windows-like interface. Its got the best bits of Windows and Mac OSX and the openness of the Linux. I didn't even bother looking at the other linux variations. I won't venture into unknown territory by discussing those. However, you should know that Ubuntu itself has a few variations - Kubuntu, Xubuntu, etc. Each has its specific purpose.

After 13 years of using nothing but Windows, the first time I tried the switch, it was a bit overwhelming. I didn't have the patience or understanding to hold on to it. I switched back to my good ol' XP. A year later, I decided to give Ubuntu another try, and with a little bit of googling, when I got stuck, I fell in love with it. Really, whenever you're stuck, google is your best friend. He will always stand by your side, and always give you answers. :P. Besides, the ubuntu community is always helpful, and the forums will almost always have answers to your questions. If not, just post a new one, or log onto the ubuntu irc network for help.

So what is it that kept me hooked on Linux? Well for one, it isn't as bloody unstable as windows. And second, it runs lightning fast, even on my not-so-state-of-the-art laptop. Thats just two of the hundreds of other reasons. Find out, when I discuss in depth with my upcoming article on Ubuntu.

I just need to find time to take screen shots to make the article pretty. =D. And maybe think about all the things you'd find interesting, to get you to give Ubuntu a try. And if you're wondering, no, I'm not a coder of any sort and I'm definitely not a pro with linux. I just know my way around, and it all started from WANTING to learn how to. :D. You will too, with a little help from me and google.

As promised, here are a few links:
Ubuntu : http://www.ubuntu.com
Fedora: http://fedoraproject.org/
Linux Mint: http://www.linuxmint.com/
Open SUSE: http://www.opensuse.org/
Linux Home: http://www.linux.org/

DISCLAIMER: All ideas expressed in the article are just my personal opinions. I'm not an expert, its just my point of view. If you love your Mac or Windows, then go ahead using it, no ones stopping you. Please don't kill me for calling linux the best. :P. Credits for the image goes to linux.org

Cheers,
Danny.

Open Source Software

2008-08-04T12:41:00.006+06:00

This is my first official post, and I thought, why not tell people about something they don't pay much heed to, although its a huge part of your computer-based lives. Yes, you guessed it, I'm talking about open source software aka OSS.

What is OSS?
In a nutshell, Open source software is free and open to anyone to use and edit (and hence its name, as the source code is open to all).

This part of the definition is what matters to most of us. For a more complete definition, look here.

Why go open source?
One of the things OSS try to achieve is to make software completely free. Now, I don't know WHY exactly they want this, but lets just assume there still are good people left in this world. So using and supporting OSS, benefits everyone.

Its a bit like organic food, only here, you actually get the source code and don't have to pay a premium for it - or pay for it at all, The mozilla team (developers of firefox and songbird) call their software 'organic'. Its because the whole community can contribute, that makes OSS so good. Secondly, it also generates competition, so that payed software is continually improving.

Open & Open source: How are they different?
Open software is when the creators of the applications will release a guide as to how to make use of and modify their software. Its a bit confusing when software giants like apple and microsoft say 'Our software is open'. Sure, open to a lot of criticism, with its whole set of restrictions. With software like that, you have to stick to what they've made for you, and theres no way (unless you're a serious coder) that you can modify it to your own needs.

Open source, on the otherhand, has no restrictions, just as long as you follow the very basic 'code of conduct' (link posted above). Thats probably just to makesure that you don't go about making viruses from the source code :P. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to be modifying OSS, I've modified my Ubuntu OS in various ways, but I don't know the slightest bit of programming. When it comes to these things, or any other sucky situations, Google is your best friend. I just search for what I need to do, and voila, I just follow the instructions on my screen.

Interested?
I'm sure that most of you already use open source software and don't know about it. I will, however, give you a few links to my favourite and most-used OSS. I will be discussing these software in depth in my future posts. Hope you enjoyed the article.

www.getfirefox.com - Mozilla firefox: opensource web browser. DEFINITELY the best in the world.
www.ubuntu.com - Ubuntu. The open source linux operating system. Fast, reliable and completely free. You'll be suprised how good this is.
www.flashget.com - Flashget Download manager. All the features you'd ever need in a simple, clean download manager!
www.openoffice.org - Replacement Microsoft Office that'll help you make your pocket feel a lot heavier.

DISCLAIMER: I am just expressing my views, and what I know about this. Just a concise, easy to understand way of putting what I've learn about it. Did I get something wrong? Should I add something? Let me know through the comments!

Welcome!

2008-08-04T01:37:00.001+06:00

Hello and welcome to my tech blog!

http://techismything.blogspot.com

This is my safe haven, where I blabber on about all the gadgets, software and any form of technology I'm interested in or use myself! Ofcourse, you'll hear about a lot of other random things that I think you might find interesting.

So why my opinions over those of the famous IGN and QJ networks, among others?
1. No ones paying me to write good stuff about their products.
2. I'm not a bigshot reviewer but just another person, like you. Maybe, just maybe, you and I may hold similar interests and points of views. What I have to say, might just be what you're looking for.

I will try to update this blog as often as I can. Feel free to comment on any of the posts.

What can I tell you about my first official post (apart from the welcome note)? I have no idea! I've got loads of things to talk about, just don't know where to start. I'll give you a few key words to my upcoming posts over the few weeks: Ubuntu, Linux, Open Source Software, iPhone, Mac, Xbox 360, Bangladesh.

Cheers,
Danny