Its a geek fact that east asians are obsessed with USB and would put any thing to USB.
Finally something that normal people can use, a USB credit card. The USB credit card is setting the blogosphere on fire. If you didn;t know already this is created by a company called Shinhan Korea's bigggest card company and will enter your credit card details when inserted to the computer for you.
But what will make this an awesome innovation if this can be made the only financial card you ever need ! Here are some of my suggestions:-
Any technology faces the big test of standardizing and somehow a new technology isn't adopted unless backed by huge companies. A mobile phone credit card was a great concept yet it is still in trial and used in very few countries.
Source [etnews]
December 30, 2007
Credit Card Goes USB way - Will it work ?
December 19, 2007
Make your own Desktop USB Fridge
We have told you about desktop cooler and USB fridge and now we present how to make one for yourself for under $5 !
Here is a nice DIY video for making a jazzy USB power Fridge that works on the the peltier effect.
Also check out the Instructable link.
Tweak and Customize your Windows Xp
We had shown earlier how to hack, tweak your Windows Xp. Here is another one to customize your windows Xp and its called Group policy Editor, and if you didn't know about this earlier then you would wonder why didn't give this in Control panel !
How to launch it ?
Go to Start Menu > Run > Type gpedit.msc
Or Hit Windows + R and then type gpedit.msc
In this there are various options to customize and tweak not just your Windows but also components such as Task Scheduler Programs such as Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player !
This is perfect way to enable/disable features in Windows and other windows component.
Here are some of the things you can do with Group Policy Editor.
Start Menu and Taskbar options
- Prevents users from starting Task Manager (Taskmgr.exe).
- Prevents users from locking the system.
- Enable the Windows Media Player to be shown only in skin mode, using a specified skin.
- Specify the MMS proxy settings for the Windows Media Player.
- Specify that the selected protocols are used when receiving streaming media from an mms:// URL.
Internet explorer
- Prevents users from viewing the HTML source of Web pages by clicking the Source command on the View menu.
- Remove the Security tab, Content tab, Programs tab, Advanced tab from the interface in the Internet Options dialog box.
- Disable Save as from the Menu and prevents user from saving Web pages from the browser File menu to their hard disk or to a network share.
- Prevent users from opening a new browser window from the File menu.
- Prevent users from closing Microsoft Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer.
- Prevent users from adding, removing, or editing the list of Favorite links.
- Prevent users from opening the Internet Options dialog box from the Tools menu in Microsoft Internet Explorer.
- Prevent the shortcut menu from appearing when users click the right mouse button while using the browser.
- Prevent users from saving a program or file that Microsoft Internet Explorer has downloaded to the hard disk.
December 16, 2007
Computer inside the keyboard !
With most All-in-one you find the monitor and CPU attached together without the keyboard and mouse. At cybernetman they do things a little differently. They have a PC that is inside a keyboard. Click Here
At first glance you might mistake it for a laptop that is missing its monitor but in a a weird way that is exactly what it is, a laptop without the monitor.
According the description:-
This new generation All-in-One PC in a keyboard takes up far less space than a traditional PC, and its ease of deployment makes it simple to install or to move to different workstations. Simply plug in a monitor and plug the power cord into an outlet. Speaking of power, the ZPC-9100™ uses less of it, thanks to its 150-watt power supply. Now, power it up, and let the Pentium 4-powered ZPC-9100™ handle all of your PC workflow.
Knol - Google's attempt takes on Wikipedia
Now its is so true that it must be a law that Google loves to control content. The want be part of content so bad that they buy of any company that deals with massive content (e.g Feedburner, blogger) if they can't they create their own and by the might of their dominance they get they product through.
Now Google aims at wikipedia and its called knol, I guess it must be causing an insatiable itch in google's butt that wikipedia doesn't show google ads and even more that they don't show ad at all !!
They must be wondering they they send way too much traffic to a site that they can't profit off and its better off creating their own wikipedia, its now as if wikipedia owns the content. The authors of the content wikipedia wouldn't risk ignoring google would readily duplicate the content into the knol environment.
It amazes me how eloquently they elaborate just the point that they are creating yet another wikipedia which is totally pathetic.
It is getting to a point where in the internet if you are not with google you are labeled being against google is this cold war of the internet, which is making me and I am sure many other resent Google's attempt to monopolize internet and almost subservient view of other internet enterprise.
And in this monopolistic world of internet allegiance it has become even more important for users, (who have the ultimate power) to be judicious and exercise balance in their use of the service ! Don't use Google everything just because they have it, see for options support the underdog cuz for people just like that made google what it is today......who knows you might find a better service.
So would you use Google's wikipedia Clone ?
December 15, 2007
USB endoscope : WWTT Gadget
Who needs to go to the god damn doctors to get a endoscopy done when you can do it yourself at home thanks to thanko ! All you needed was a tiny camera attached to USB and presto you have this 1.3 MP camera the WWTT gadget ready to be inserted into any body crevice you want to !
I really don't what goes inside the weird Japanese mind to have come up with such products for such weird uses !
り替えれattachment to the skin, teeth, skin condition, hair done until I checked the wonders of micro-scope.
実は気になる耳の中、歯の磨き残しや、化粧を変えたら肌が荒れたみたい。 Actually worrisome in the ear, tooth brushes and left, like makeup変えたらrough skin. 肉眼では分からない部分も、パソコンの画面に拡大して表示ができるので、一目瞭然。 Not even partially naked eye, the computer screen displays can be extended to the self-explanatory. 通常のマイクロスコープは、用途にあわせて購入する必要がありますが、本製品を使えばどんな用途でも、アタッチメントの交換でご利用いただけます。 Micro normal scope of the application where you must have purchased the product can use any application in the attachment available in the exchange.
Pardon me but if I had a "worrisome in the ear" I would go visit the guy we call doctor rather than sticking a 17,000 yen 1.3 Mega pixel in my ear hole !
Just wondering what will they do if they have "worrisome in the ass" ???
In light of the holiday season just a doubt:-
So if santa were to give you this as your gift, what will you do with it ???
December 14, 2007
Flexible Keyboard : Cure for keyboard abusers
Now computer can be a frustrating creature specially the ones with much to be desired RAM's running on Windows, and the object that bears the wrath of our awesome temper is unfortunately the keyboard when its the CPU that you should be kicking !
For our gentle readers who don't know what a Keyboard abuser looks like Click Here (its just a act). Now you could go to anger management classes but whats the fun in that ?
Here is the solution:
Its a Flexible USB/PS2 Keyboard made from silicone ! Apart from being near indestructible it also is water proof dust-proof and any other proof you can think of ! That means you can just roll it along with your laptop and type comfortably rather than reaching for the keyboard.
Who needs a dorky stress-toy when you can bang at the keyboard !
You can get this keyboard one for $11.91 with Worldwide shipping free at Dealextreme...Sweet !
December 13, 2007
Using Laptop Lying down - SWEET !
We had posted about the Gliding Laptop Dock and now we present the perfect gift for a geek ! Thanko isn't know for making worthwhile stuff but finally they got one thing right Geeks are Lazy and Geeks want to use laptop everywhere!
According to the poorly translated page:-Directly, when the notebook PC is put on the foot, burden is tend to fall on body at such as heat and weight of the personal computer itself. If you set "racketeer sleeping de スクアルミ", completion of the comfortable note desk. On the sofa and, fine of the flooring and the tatami mat, the "racketeer sleeping de スク aluminum" does not choose the place where you use.
Because the materialof the deskhaving utilized and using the aluminum, it has happened to have also the function which cools the heat of the notebook PC, with the "racketeer sleeping de スク aluminum" itself.
What they are trying to say is that it is made of aluminum!
Its just a table costing $77 but with half a dozen joints that lets you adjust to any god damn ergonomic position you can imagine ! This product page describes the various styles and position you can your laptop ! Hmmmm.... different styles, positions and even in your bed !(why it doesn't sound like Iam talking about using laptops?)
They even throw in a cooler fan now that is mashup!
USB Thermometer - WWTT Gadget
Now I know temperature is a sensitive issue for many of us with a meteorological incline, I am cool with that ! What what makes this gadget WWTT material is not the gadget itself but the settings and design of it !
Let me start but their description :-This USB Therometer let you get easy to measure the indoor temperature and capture the data into your computer.
# Features: Powered by USB
# Temperature Range: -20° ~ 100°
# Temperature can be captured from every second to 12 hours
# The logged data can be pasted to Word / Excel easily
# Size: 50x17x8mm
# Weight: 8g
# Support Windows XP / Vista
Now I am assuming the reading unit has to celsius, if its what hell kinda of place would be even close to 100°C ?
Powered by USB means the area you can record the temp depends on the length of the lousy USB cable or how far you can lug your computer !
The only thing this crap is good for is measuring the exhaust air from the processor !
Are'nt you better of spending $19 on a sweet portable thermometer with barometer built-in ? Or better still make one at home with this instructables.
December 12, 2007
Spice up your Windows Xp with Powertoys !
Powertoys is cheesy name for widgets or add-ons that you can add to your windows xp to make your windows look like MAC...emm.... spice up windows xp !
We will be reviewing these power toys in our coming posts !
According to Microsoft however :-
PowerToys add fun and functionality to the Windows experience. What are they? PowerToys are additional programs that developers work on after a product has been released.
Hmmmm...... !
Here is quick list of powertoys for Windows Xp.
SyncToy
SyncToy can help you copy, move, and synchronize files in different sources such as digital cameras, e-mail, cell phones, portable media players, camcorders, PDAs, and laptops. Download
ClearType Tuner
Cleartype is technology developed to improve the appearance of text on certain types of computer display screens, especially LCD monitors. The app also allows you to adjust the setting according to your needs. Download (2MB)
Virtual Desktop Manager
This powertoy allows you to manage up to four desktops from the Windows taskbar similar to the Spaces in Leopord. This helps in segregating the different types of applications and switch between them, not for RAM deficient systems. Download (550 KB)
Alt-Tab Replacement
With this PowerToy, the icon of the application window you are switching to is also shown, also a preview of the page is displayed. But even with 256 MB ram the display was laboured and somtimes irritating. Download (534 KB)
One night stand - Use and throw mail id
We all have been through countless sign ups from simple username, email id and password to really complex ones which requires more that magic wand ! One thing that is common to all is the risk of exposing to your email id to plague of spam.
Now we could read the privacy policy each time, before sharing our mail id but whats the fun in that ?
A simple solution is have a temporary email id or a disposable mailbox that is active for sometime just to confirm that stupid mail !
Here are the places you can do just do that create a temp mail id!
Dontreg - This is as simple as it can get just add @dontreg.com the mail id you wish to give the potential spammer e.g temp.mail.id@dontreg.com then go to dontreg.com enter the id presto you get the mail !
Now because the id is not secure(ie doesn't require login) anyone can get your mails only by entering your id so choose the enter the temporary email user id wisely !
myTrashmail - If you want something a little more secure to access the temporary mail then myTrashmail is the place ! you can get the usual quick temporary mail id or the secure one ! Do remember the secure one require sign up and you need to enter a mail id !
Once signed up you can create a temp mailbox and access the mail by logging in !
More options include mailexpire, temporaryinbox and tempomail.fr
The problem with temp mail id's is that they may be blacklisted and the registration may not accept them hence you need to be on a look out for a new domain name!mailinator.com tries to address that problem by giving many domain names !
# mailinator2.com
# sogetthis.com
# mailin8r.com
# mailinator.net
# spamherelots.com
# thisisnotmyrealemail.com
Now spam.la offers you kind of voyeuristical chance to see real time mails of the temp mail id as they come in !
Before you do something real moronish just remember the word IP !
