Microsoft has proclaimed today to be Global Anti-Piracy Day… so lets all take the day off
Don't Pirate Software Today
Android Debut, Palin Email Hacker, Contractless Verizon
Here are some interesting links from today:
- Google phone to cost $179, debut Oct. 22
The first phone that harnesses Google Inc.’s ambition to make the Internet easy to use on the go was revealed Tuesday, and it looks a lot like an iPhone. T-Mobile USA showed off the G1, a phone that, like Apple Inc.’s iPhone, has a large touch screen. But it also packs a trackball, a slide-out keyboard and easy access to Google’s e-mail and mapping programs. - On the Palin e-mail hacker trail
Keeping you up to date on the privacy invasion that the privacy absolutists don’t want to talk about, here’s the latest on the Sarah Palin e-mail hacker case – A grand jury in Chattanooga could hear testimony this week into the break-in: - Verizon Offers Contract-Free Wireless Service
Have a fear of commitment but want to reap the benefits of the Verizon Network anyway? Take comfort, Verizon announced today that beginning immediately wireless customers can sign up for month-to-month service, without a contract. The new Month-to-Month agreement will allow consumers to purchase new handsets at full-retail price (or use their own CDMA devices) without the commitment of a one- or two-year contract. Additionally they can terminate their agreement at the end of any month without paying an Early Termination Fee.
The Latitude E4200 fits in an envelope too!
You may remember me posting this spoof video of a Dell desktop fitting in an envelope. Well, now Dell has released a real response to Apple’s Macbook Air commercial with a new laptop that is actually smaller by some comparisons.
Take a look:
Firefox Relative Tabs, Google Newspaper, Zune 3 Free
Here are some interesting links from today:
- FINALLY – Tabs Open Relative Puts New Tabs Next to Your Current Tab
This is the feature I’ve been waiting for FF and IE7/8 to include forever. If I’m in a tab and want to open a link in a new tab… why would I ever want it to go all the way to the right 4 or 5 tabs over? Finally that little piece of annoyance is out of my life! - Bringing history online, one newspaper at a time
Today, we’re launching an initiative to make more old newspapers accessible and searchable online by partnering with newspaper publishers to digitize millions of pages of news archives. Let’s say you want to learn more about the landing on the Moon. Try a search for [Americans walk on moon], and you’ll be able to find and read an original article from a 1969 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. - Zune 3 is a free upgrade for current Zune owners
Finally, the Zune’s Wi-Fi feature does something worthwhile. With the ability to access public and password-protected Wi-Fi hot spots, your Zune can now update itself on the fly and download tracks directly from Zune Marketplace. Zune Pass users will get the most from this feature since they’ll be able to stream as much music as they want directly from Zune Marketplace as an added value. Pair this feature up with a speaker dock and you’ve essentially got a killer commercial-free jukebox.
Jerry & Bill Take 1 – Action!
Here’s part one of the new Microsoft Ad campaign featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates. Guess they’re just building the characters right now.
Can you spot the Bill Gates mug shot?
88% of SysAdmins Would Steal Passwords
This article was going around last week. Pretty interesting study, but geez who are these people? Not only would 88% of them steal passwords and sensitive information but 88% of them actually admitted they would. Or do you think this survey was somehow corrupted by untruthful IT staff?
- 88% of SysAdmins Would Steal Passwords
A staggering 88 percent of IT administrators admitted they would take corporate secrets, if they were suddenly made redundant. The target information included CEO passwords, customer database, research and development plans, financial reports, M&A plans and the company’s list of privileged passwords.The research also revealed that, of that 88 percent, a third would take the privilege password list to gain access to valuable documents such as financial reports, accounts, salaries and other privileged information.
Awesome Free Screen Capture Utility

If you haven’t heard of the JingProject, head over to the site right now. I’ve been using Jing for several months (since the initial beta) and I use it all the time.
Jing is a free product by TechSmith, the makers of the premier screen capture product Camtasia Studio and screenshot app SnagIt.
Here at my day job I use it to make little How-To videos or document a process. It’s so much easier for me to just record the steps with Jing and send a link to the video to an end user, colleague or friend than to write out the steps in an email precisely enough for them to follow. With Jing’s instant publishing integration it takes no time to upload the video to the web and send the link or save it locally as documentation.
Jing does have a 5 minute limit so therefore is only good for quick, informal screen captures. If you’re wanting to make a longer or more polished video stick with Camtasia.
Here’s a quick lesson on how Jing works and the ideas that spawned it. Take a look.
GMail for BlackBerry & Hulu Challenger
Here are some interesting links from the past couple days:
- Mobile Gmail 2.0 for BlackBerry
Gmail’s mobile client for BlackBerry has been updated and you can now download version 2.0.5 at http://m.google.com/mail. One of the most important changes is that you can add the credentials for multiple accounts and switch between them without entering the password. There’s also support for Google Apps accounts, which previously required a separate application. - The WB Rises To Battle Hulu
Warner Brothers has resurrected its defunct WB television network as TheWB.com, a hub for its television shows that launches tomorrow. While a number of networks have offered ad-supported streaming shows for some time, TheWB.com is significantly more feature-rich than its competitors, offering an advanced search engine and allowing users to mashup selected clips from each show.
Firefox Tweaks, Extensions, Updates

The lastest Firefox news:
- Web apps faster with Firefox 3.1
Firefox 3.1 will run many Web-based applications such as Gmail faster through incorporation of a feature called TraceMonkey that dramatically speeds up programs written in JavaScript, Mozilla said Friday. JavaScript has been very broadly used to add pizzazz or flexibility to Web pages over the years, but in recent years, it’s also become the plumbing for many rich Internet applications. However, because JavaScript has been hobbled by pokey performance, Web-based applications often struggled to work as responsively as “native” software running directly on PCs - Useful Firefox 3 Configuration Tweaks
Firefox keeps its advanced settings in a giant configuration file in your Firefox directory, and even offers an advanced interface to edit that file in the browser itself. To make these changes, type about:config in Firefox’s address bar. You’ll get a half-joking, half-serious message about voiding Firefox’s warranty if you change any settings. Press the “I’ll be careful. I promise!” button (because you will be) and you’ll be on your way. - How to Skip the Installation Delay for Firefox Extensions
As you may know, Firefox tries to protect you from malicious attacks by setting up a delay before allowing you to install a new extension. But if you’re confident in your browsing habits and you want to avoid the wait, just enter about:config in your address bar, then paste security.dialog_enable_delay into the filter box. Double-click that preference and change the value to 0.
Digital Textbooks?
Want your backpack to lose some weight. Amazon is trying to help -
- Report: A Kindle for college kids?
Amazon sees a chance to cash in by marketing the Kindle to college students, according to McAdams Wright Ragen analyst Tim Bueneman, by way of Seattlepi.com reporter Andrea James. A collegiate version could be just one of a number of potential Kindles-to-be, apparently. “There are already several new, improved versions of the Kindle in the works,” Bueneman wrote in a note Friday, per James.

