The WiFi Zone : Technology

NASA to beam Beatles Music Into Space

bowman — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 21:05:22 GMT

"Across the Universe" will be beamed towards the North Star on Feb 4th. I love this idea. Calling ET....

Technorati tags: NASA, Beatles

Don't pack spare Lithium batteries in checked baggage after 1/1/2008

bowman — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:40:21 GMT

According to this US Government site, spare batteries should be packed in carry-on luggage only. Here is the table that appears on the official website.

GUIDE TO RULES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2008
Type Of Battery/Batteries	In Checked Baggage	In Carry-On Baggage:
Lithium Metal Battery, Installed in a Device (up to 2 grams lithium)	Permitted ¹	Recommended ¹
Spare Lithium Metal Battery (Not Installed In a Device) (up to 2 grams lithium) (up to 2 grams lithium)	Forbidden	Permitted in carry-on baggage ²
Lithium Metal Battery, Spare or Installed (over 2 grams lithium)	Forbidden	Forbidden
Lithium-Ion Battery Installed in a Device (up to 8 grams lithium equivalent content)	Permitted ¹	Recommended ¹
Spare Lithium-Ion Battery (Not Installed in a Device) (up to 8 grams lithium equivalent content)	Forbidden	Permitted in carry-on baggage ²
“Special Case” Up to 2 Lithium-Ion Batteries, Spare or Installed (between 8 and 25 grams aggregate lithium equivalent content)	Spare Batteries: Forbidden! Installed in Devices: Permitted ¹	Spare Batteries: Permitted ² Installed in Devices: Permitted ¹
1. Although you may carry some devices and installed batteries in checked baggage, carrying them in carry-on baggage, when practicable, is preferred. Whether in checked or carry-on baggage, ensure that devices remain switched off, either by built-in switch/trigger locks, by taping the activation switch in the “off” postion, or by other appropriate measures. 2. Be sure to take protective measures to prevent against short-circuits. See the spare battery tips and how-to pages.

Technorati tags: travel tips, airline regulations, gadgets, traveling with extra batteries, batteries

Updating Acer Ferrari x64 Ultimate with new BIOS

bowman — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 19:34:26 GMT

Acer refuses to provide a 64 bit winphlash. I finally figured out a quick and easy solution (not wanting to buy a USB floppy). Acer adamantly refuses to acknowledge that 64 bit users want to update their BIOS. And the Ferrari 4000 doesn't support booting from a USB flash key.

So I figured it out. Ingredients, hardware, and instructions:

Hardware

1. Acer Ferrari 4000

2. USB Flash Drive

3. Vista 32 bit DVD

Instructions

1. download the BIOS from ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/notebook/ferrari_4000/vista/BIOS/

2. Unzip to root of USB flash drive (mine was formatted as FAT32)

3. Unplug the USB flash drive and power down.

4. Insert the 32 bit Vista DVD and boot from it (you are not actually going to end up installing it or doing anything, this just gets you to the 32 bit WinPE environment)

5. Click through until you get to the screen with the activate online checkbox and uncheck it.

6. Connect the USB flash key to the computer

7. Press Shift-F10 to open a command prompt

8. Change to the correct drive for the USB flash drive

9. type winphlash and press enter

10. browse to the correct wph file and go for it!

11. after the flash is complete, before letting the machine restart, EJECT the DVD. (remember, nothing was installed and nothing really happened except you had access to a 32 bit WinPE environment which you needed to flash the BIOS).

Technorati tags: Acer BIOS, x64, Vista

Infected job search sites lead to identity theft for 1.6M

bowman — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 19:23:00 GMT

Computer World is reporting that job search sites, including the highly trafficked Monster.com may have compromised visitors who click on malicious ads. Yesterday the report was 40K+ users, now it's 1.6 million.

Technorati tags: security, ID theft, malware

Help Design HP's Next Laptop

bowman — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 09:37:05 GMT

I received an invitation, in part because of some reviews I've done as a blogger, to provide feedback and ideas to HP on what kind of laptop I'd design if I could do it myself. The sky is the limit and I think this is a great opp for MVP's and others to speak up.

This is for real. I will be giving this link to HP and also collecting feedback. And of course supplying my own

If you ever wanted to make an impact, this is your chance. JUST LEAVE A COMMENT!

Technorati tags: HP, Dream Laptop, Tablet PC

BBC's Panorama Investigative Show Thinks WiFi is Unsafe

bowman — Fri, 25 May 2007 17:22:10 GMT

The basis for all of this nonsensical conclusion is apparently some unsubstantiated leap between mobile phone technology and equipment and a theorized similarity to WiFi equipment. Say what?

Someone at Panorama is WiFi phobic. My long standing opinion of the BBC as being grounded in meticulous research and analysis has crashed and there are no survivors.

Technorati tags: WiFi, 802.11, Wireless Networking, Technology

Don't take Microsoft's Advice on this one. WEP is not secure.

bowman — Wed, 16 May 2007 14:30:00 GMT

Microsoft recently posted a column on Ad Hoc WiFi Networking on the Vista Community site and advocated using WEP if WPA was not available. This article further gave instructions on entering a 5 or 13 character WEP key without even bothering to explain the weaknesses of WEP. WEP supplies a false sense of security. In my neck of the woods, the kiddies often forego wide open networks because it's "fun and easy" to crack WEP. This is one of those backward compatibility features that I wish Microsoft had not included. Or at least given users an explanation that this is "use at great risk". The author sees the backwards compat angle but omits the red alert on security and safety side. It wasn't so long ago that MS told us all that security was job #1.

WEP is unsafe at any speed. Use WEP in a hotel and share via ICS and turn on File and Print Sharing to save money is an invitation to disaster. Just say no. Buy yourself a cheap travel router if you MUST share your connection among close personal friends (D-Link's DWL-G730AP works quite well). But do not follow the advice here unless you're interested in having your files stolen and possibly your identity as well.

I don't normally raise a red flag on Microsoft content without first having made every effort to contact them first, explaining my case, and suggesting replacement content. Be assured I've done that.

I'm a Microsoft Networking MVP, and if you know anything about me, you know that WiFi is where I live and breathe.

My Velocity Micro x64 & Vista MCE & CableCARDs=Happy Together

bowman — Tue, 08 May 2007 18:06:23 GMT

Some of you may remember that back in December 2006, Microsoft and AMD shipped me a Velocity Micro Cinemagix Pro Cinema Entertainment System.

This AMD Athlon X2 system with an ATI x1950 dual DVI card, 2 gigs RAM and huge hard drive was a wonder. Microsoft installed Windows Vista x64 Ultimate and Office 2007 and I was in, well, computer heaven. It was exactly the box I'd spec out myself. Perfect in every way. And certainly the fastest computer I'd ever had in my home.

It was perfect then, but today it is more than perfect. It returned last week after visiting the Velocity Micro factory where it received a BIOS upgrade and a tune up. Why send it back for a BIOS upgrade? The only thing missing was Digital Cable Tuner compatibility (to use CableCARD technology to view and record high definition TV). That feature was not available at the time I received this computer, but IT IS NOW.

To use CableCARD technology with Windows Media Center in Windows Vista, you need five pieces:

1. A machine with a certified (by CableLABS) DCT BIOS
2. A video card with HDCP compliance
3. A monitor or TV that is HDCP compliant
4. A Digital Cable Tuner (formerly called OCUR device)/DCT (or two if you want to watch and record at the same time)
5. A CableCARD from your local cable company.

Velocity Micro is offering this amazing machine with either an internal or external DCT. (You can add a second tuner as well).

I've got two external DCT's attached to this machine and I'm in, well, high definition TV heaven.

If you've been waiting for the ability to watch and record high def TV on a kick-ass machine, run, don't walk to Velocity Micro and customize one of these. Even if you aren't into high def, this is one great computer.

Technorati tags: CableCARD, Media Center, MCE, Vista

Velocity Micro PC DCT/CableCARD Ready Arriving Tomorrow

bowman — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 19:10:05 GMT

My refitted screamer arrives back home tomorrow. I'm ready!

Awaiting Return of Velocity Micro PC with DCT(CableCARD) Upgrade

bowman — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 18:02:40 GMT

Last week I shipped my screamer VM box back to the company for the upgrade needed to enable cable card support (and to get a few things fixed - busted USB port and screw down the hard drive cage).

I am so missing this computer but when it comes back, it will be without question the meanest, screaming-est pc on the planet.

I wrote about this great pc on another blog last year. I can't believe how much I miss it. So c'mon guys, I'm going into screamer withdrawal.

Technorati tags: Media Center, CableCARD, Vista, Velocity Micro, Barb Bowman