Category: Geek Stuff

Forbes Best of the Web Showdown

Forbes Best of the Web logo Forbes posted its pick of Best of the Web a few days ago. I was surprised that under the technology weblog section, I already subscribe to six out of 8 blogs they recommended. Am I at the forefront of blog reading, or there’s just not that many good technology blogs out there?

Given that I already subscribe to 51 blogs, I probably should stick to what I have now. But they do have some pretty good art blogs I will probably check out and attempt to read on a daily basis.

God damn it, I am a blog whore!

Discover Your Roots

Linode logo Kyung got me hooked on Linode a while ago. The company offers a virtual private server (aka virtual dedicated server) service that’s actually pretty amazing. It basically takes a server, divide it up into multiple mini-servers and provides root access to its customers within the perimeter of the VPS. Unfortunately I only know of services that provide Linux-based VPS for public use. Linode stood out for me because it offers a good variety of Linux flavors to choose from. For Windows, I believe VMWare or Microsoft’s newly acquired VirtualPC do similar tricks for enterprise level operations.

Linode is probably the best way for to really have a stab at Linux. Its installation process takes literally minutes. So that means, if I ever screw up the server, I can simply reinstall everything within minutes instead of hours usually associated with home-built machines.

Another unique thing about Linode is that it’s based on User Mode Linux (open source) as opposed to Virtuozzo, which is a more popular (but not free) platform.

There are several companies that offer VPS. However, a few were getting a lot of buzz when I was researching for a good VPS service:
Dinix
JVDS
Rimuhosting

I believe the above services are Virtuozzo based and do not have as many variety of Linux installs to choose from. I am sure there are at least a dozen more companies out there. But based on what I’ve read at the time, the above companies came highly recommended via several forums.

I eventually had to stop using Linode because of resource issues. The plan I was able to afford didn’t come with enough resources for me to sustain a fairly high load. But otherwise, Linode was great. If anyone ever wants to build a home-grown “Linode”, tutorials can be found here and here.

I wish there was a company that offered VPS for Mac OSX though. This is one of those times when being a Mac user sucks.

Cell Phone Reception and Tower Search

“Cell Phone Reception and Tower Search” uses enhanced Google Maps to map out towers nearby a given location. Yet another smart use of the technology. For you American users, plug in a location near you to see how many towers are nearby. Maybe it’ll explain why your reception isn’t so hot.

Dang it I like Google.

Plastic Key to the Rescue

AAA Club logo As part of the perk of being a AAA Club member, each household is allowed a free duplicate “emergency” key in case of vehicle lock out. Surely, duplicate of a real key can easily cost upwards $80+. What a deal, we thought. But it turned out that it’s a plastic version of the key that only allows you to open the car door, but it’s not strong enough to be used in the ignition hole. What a disappointment. But hey, it works.

The plastic duplicate is part of cut out of a wallet sized card (AAA calls it CreditCard Key; how imaginative). So it’s very easy to keep in the wallet in case of emergency, which did happen once before. Grace got locked out by mistake when the car washing crew left the key in our car. We bought the car used, so it only came with one set of key and remote; not so coincidentally, both of them were in the car. Dumb ass car washers.

Next up: bid for a spare remote on eBay when a good deal shows up… Loans Now may sound like a solution.

Update: Got myself a keyless entry remote. I had to find the programming instruction separately though. The instruction works for both Infiniti Q45 and J30 series made before 1997 I think. Some people on eBay were selling the instruction for $5 a pop. Jerks. On the other hand, car dealers typically charge around $70 for programming a new remote. Jackasses.

UniPod. Uncool.

Went downtown to pick up our library card from the San Jose Public Library. As we walked toward the library, I finally saw a MP3 player that’s not an iPod, a first for the past six months since I started this observation. This guy was using an iRiver. Obviously nobody bothered to tell this kid what it takes to be hip in this town. Even though the MP3 player itself was white, it can’t fool me with its vertical scroll bar.

Anything else but iPod is just uncool.

Applescripting and Blogging

I have been using Applescript to help me make my blogging easier. Everything from image resize and image format changes are done via my tiny scripts through Tiger’s Automator. And let me tell ya… it’s a godsend not having to keep memory-hogging Photoshop open all the time. Sure, I could have used third-party software that takes up smaller memory foot prints. But why bother when Applescript is so readily available?

Here is a good article to get started on Applescripting. But if you are on Tiger, don’t bother; Automator is all you need.

Vodcast?

At first there was an Internet, then came web pages. Then they evolve to blogs and eventually vlogs. Parallel to that, MP3 songs were blooming, then came iPod. Now the two equally important technologies can be merged to become one. Introducing vodcasting for the masses (by way of iTunes). In the near future, there won’t be much we can’t do with iTunes and our iPod. Unless, of course, Steve Jobs’ world domination plan is stopped before it bears any fruit.

vodcasting via iTunes

UFO Paranoia?

BBC News is running an audio interview with the infamous hacker, Gary McKinnon. He reportedly hacked 50 computers that belong to the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army and various other supposedly heavily guarded Defense Department machines in search for UFOs.

Years ago, another fellow named Bob Lazar claimed to have worked at Area 51 and Los Alamos labs and witnessed much of the secrets McKinnon is now telling the world. I saw a T.V. special on this guy and his stories seemed very plausible. He was able to recite details about the labs that only people who have worked there would know. The U.S. government, on the other hand, says they don’t know any Bob Lazar and everything he says can not be substantiated.

Given how seriously the U.S. government is taking the case, one can only wonder if there’s really something to be suspicious of. And the weird thing is, how come most of the computers McKinnon hacked into had blank administrative passwords? If the Defense Department can’t even do what it takes to secure a few computers, it’s no wonder it’s such a mess with what they are doing in the Middle East these days.

Suckers.

MSN Maps

MSN Maps image A while ago, I commented that Microsoft seemed to be MIA in the war of online maps. I spoke too soon. It appears that Microsoft had been hard at work with their own technologies to compete with its biggest rival in the game, Google.

Microsoft finally unveiled its online mapping software, MSN Virtual Earth (beta). It has some familiar features used in Google Maps and Yahoo Maps, but it’s also packed with features not available in other mapping software. Unfortunately for non-IE users, the map won’t work for any other browser types (Safari 2, FireFox 1.0.6, or even their own kin, IE 5.2.3 on Mac). I think that really blows. No Virtual Earth pour moi.

Lifehacker reported that the mapping software also doesn’t display Apple’s Cupertino campus. And it also shows the pre-911 picture of the Twin Towers. Now we know… Microsoft secretly wishes if Apple never existed. Hah, punks.

I can’t imagine how the company can keep restricting itself from new markets by stubbornly making certain sites available only to its bug-ridden Internet Explorer browsers. Its OS and other service departments should be run separately. I mean, if IE isn’t the best browser for the site, then don’t go out of the way to make a site IE-only. By breaking their backs to support a non-standards compliant browser, it’s just more trouble for them in the future. And what about the uses? Have they even considered maybe some users don’t use IE as their browser of choice?

Stupid Microsoft.

iPod v.s. Radio

It seems like more “types” businesses are affected by the popularity of iPod than we thought. I have been hearing a local FM radio station to urge listeners to give their iPods a break and listen to their station.

With the popularity of Podcasting, and on top of that, softwares that allow people to record radio shows as MP3s on their computers for enjoyment later, no wonder radio stations are sweating over their listener-ship. However, more innovative stations are turning this opportunity into gold. Take a popular show on NPR, This American Life; it offers downloadable paid Podcasts through iTunes and Audible.com. Some Most NPR shows, on the other hand, remain to be free for download. If iTunes is installed, those free shows can be subscribed to and be downloaded automatically as they become available.

As Corporate America continues to forge policies that are overwhelmingly corporate-friendly, local TV and radio stations are increasingly being consolidated by large corporations like Clear Channel, which very actively censors contents of almost every one of its local affiliates to make sure their broadcasts are in line with the parent company’s political stance (in case you are wondering, it’s a Republican-friendly company; what a surprise).

Since the mainstream media (a.k.a. mass media) in the United States are becoming more and more polarized (kinda like the political party lines), the only choice people had were underground radio shows, or more recently, web sites or blogs. Now that Podcasting is catching on, the biggest companies are only as big as the size of listener’s hard drive. A number of home-made Podcasts have already caught the attention of listeners. Technology continues to mature and is now more accessible to everyone than ever; we should expect far more varieties of ideas and imaginations mushroom over the next few years. –> (That is, before Clear Channel and other Republican, anti-innovation companies spend billions of dollars on lobbying lawmakers to make Podcasting illegal.)

Google Maps Goes Hybrid

First the map updates in realtime allowing the user to drag, zoom in and out wihtout refreshing the page. Then the map gave the user the ability to see any location with satellite view, retaining its original attributes.

Now Google Maps has kicked it up a notch. It’s overlaying the satellite map over the 2D map (or maybe the other way around). The hybrid mode lives side by side to the other modes we have grown so accustomed to.

God I love Google.

Google Maps goes hybrid