|  |  |
Latest Articles | | |  |
| | |
 |
Latest News | | | |
|  | 5 new Linux support packages
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Five new packages are now available:
Debian 4.0r0 (x86&x86_64) Linux SATA&AHCI Patch
Mandriva Linux 2007.1 (x86/x86_64) guide describing how to build a SATA/AHCI Patch Driverdisk for VT8237R/VT8237A/VT8237S/VT8251
Mandriva 2007.1 (x86/x86_64) SATA&AHCI Patch
Ubuntu 7.04 HD Audio driver installation guide
Ubuntu 7.04(x86&x86_64) SATA&AHCI Patch |   |
| | Totally quiet file server build guide
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Driverheaven.net sends word of a new guide: "Do you dream of a quiet system? perhaps one at home you can leave on 24/7 as a network server? Today we show you how it is possible to build a pc that consumes no more than 11 watts of power, is totally silent and hasn't a single moving part ... yes believe it or not, you can build a PC that under load consumes less power than a lightbulb." The motherboard of choice for their systems was the VIA EPIA 12000EG. | |
| Vista on a VIA UMPC
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
The Amtek T770 has made its review debut on UMPCPortal.com. It features "The 1.2Ghz processor [VIA C7-M ULV], 1GB RAM, SD card slot, Web cam, stereo speakers". There are some nice extras there over the Samsung Q1b - the webcam and the stereo speakers. But that's not all: "Screen quality is very nice with a good color balance and contrast - on par with the Q1b/P screen and VIA have finally sorted out the video drivers too. There are no problems with Windows Media player with any of the demo WMV files. Origami Experience works smoothly and Divx files at 2mbps play with CPU to spare. In fact, the video quality (visuals, not performance) is better than the Q1. There is much less pixelation in full-screen mode. 1024x600 mode is definitely useable too." I must find out what version of the drivers they have. There is a lot more information on UMPCPortal.com, including an unboxing video. | |
| Unboxing the OQO model 02
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
This is the first video we have shot on a new Sony HD camera. It shoots in HD format and saves data onto a hard drive. Problem is it saves it in a Sony-only sort of HD format so I've had to convert it to MPEG, edit in Pinnacle, save it as a large AVI and then convert it to a decent size in Windows Movie Maker. Clearly I have some learning to do to get the system more stream-lined. In this first video, John unboxes a new OQO model 02. It's like Christmas morning with the crackling of tape being ripped and packaging being discarded. In case you've been living under a rock, the OQO model 02 is of course the UMPC with the 5 inch screen and slide out QWERTY keyboard that Bill Gates dubbed the first "UMPC Pro" in January this year. | |
| Windows Vista Wireless Connection Guide
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
"The majority of mobile computer users require the ability to connect to the internet with ease. Windows Vista can often be frustrating due to its unfamiliarity and complexity. This guide will assist users with connecting to a wireless hotspot using Windows Vista and also shows users the similarities and differences between Windows XP and Windows Vista with regards to wireless connections." Good stuff, from Techwarelabs.com. | |
| | Part of a broader technology revolution
Monday, May 07, 2007
Last Thursday I delivered a presentation to my Editing 2 class - part of a Diploma in Professional Writing and Editing. My topic was blogs. I gave an overview of what blogs are, the history of blogs and then went on to tell the story of Engadget which is not only the most popular tech-related blog but also the most read blog on the net, according to Technorati. But my talk needed to be relevant to the students in the class so the rest of the talk focused on the impact of blogging on journalism and traditional media. But a talk about blogging, I found, would be incomplete without putting it into the perspective of the changing nature of the way the Internet is used. I therefore briefly explored the concept of Web 2.0 - user interaction and involvement. That involvement is only set to increase as technology makes more and more people able to contribute in more and more ways.When blogging started in the early 1990s it was the realm of computer geeks only because you had to be comfortable with html and hosting a simple website. But by the end of the 1990s there were at least half a dozen free and easy to use blogging tools available. An ever growing base of people are using technology to record and report on the world around them. Just about every mobile phone has a built in digital camera and people use them to capture shots of news-in-progress or celebrities. So last Thursday I brought a little "show and tell" item to my talk, the OQO model 02. Although you wouldn't want to type out a whole essay on it you could very comfortably be the first reporter on scene to blog about an event, live as it happens. | |
| New video: AI on a dairy farm
Friday, May 04, 2007
In March, John and I traveled to a large dairy farm near a town called Gooloodong in NSW Australia. We went there to take a look at a computer system which maintains a database of the livestock. It's built around a VIA EPIA mainboard. I figured that the cattle station would be weighing the cattle and maybe giving them injections or something. When we got there I realized that the farmer was bringing in heifers - cows that haven't had calves yet. They were monitoring their cycles in order to get them pregnant so that they could start producing milk. "So, how many bulls per heifer?" I asked Mick the farmer. "Just the one!" he said. I looked around at the pen filled with probably fifty heifers, impressed at the bull's stamina. Mick grabbed a glove and pulled it right up to his armpit, covering his whole arm. "Yep just one," he said "me!". And so my introduction to AI on a dairy farm began. And yes, I filmed it. There is some good information in this video about the EPIA based system as well as - well let's just say you shouldn't watch it if you get queasy easily! I have put the last four VIA Arena videos on YouTube and used the free embedded player to host our videos. Check them all out here. | |
| OQO gets reviewed again
Friday, May 04, 2007
"I've been one of the lucky ones to receive an OQO 02 from the first batch that went out in early April. I received it on 4/5/07. I purchased the OQO 02 "Best" configuration with a 1.5 Ghz VIA processor, 60 GB HD, 1 GB of RAM, standard battery, and Windows XP Tablet PC edition. I didn't get the WWAN option since neither Sprint nor Verizon offer service where I live (Alaska), so it's just Wi-fi for me. Now that I've used the machine I feel competent to write a review of my experience so far." The review, on "Kenrick's blog" goes on to show you all of the features of the OQO model 02 in depth as well as an evaluation of the screen, keyboard, heat and pocketability. And that's just part one! | |
|
 |
|
 |
| |
| |
|
| |
 |
|
| Most recent blog entries |  |
| | |
|
|