TINDO'S TECH SPOT

30 Days With Android - Day 1: Choosing the Handset

2011-09-04T14:54:00.000-07:00

It seems everyone now is always talking of how phenomenal Android is. I read recently that it now accounts for more than 40% of all smartphones in the US and for such a relatively young OS that counts for much. It is for this reason that I decided to give the mobile OS a spin.

To give a brief background, I cut my smartphone teeth on a Symbian platform, a Nokia N80 to be exact a phone that I still think was far ahead of its time. After losing the phone I decided to jump to the Windows Mobile platform with the HTC TyTN ll. Then it was a premium phone selling then for around R7500.00 (or around $US1050). After about ten months I changed to a Toshiba TG01 a phone with impressive specs even standing toe to toe with today’s smartphones in terms of specs. After losing the phone in a freakish incident, I migrated to the Blackberry OS.

To cut the long story short, I have been using Blackberry phones for like a 14 months and during that period I have changed like 4 Blackberry handsets. Of late, people have been mentioned how great Android is and in the same breath how Blackberry is sliding backwards. It is for this reason that I decided to buy an entry level HTC Wildfire Android device running Android 2.2 so that I could get a feel of the OS.

As a disclaimer, first im starting to use Android for the very first time on device running Froyo so I have no idea how previous versions looked like or what improvements have been made so far. Secondly, I am running a phone with the custom Sense UI so my comments or observations need to be views in that light. Lastly, most of the comments I make will be comparative in nature putting the Blackberry OS and Android head to head. OK let the journey begin...

How to download torrents on Blackberry Phone

2011-06-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

How to download torrents from your Blackberry phone.

Although this post is intended for Blackberry users on how they can download torrents on their phones, the ways described here can work on computers as well or any phone for that matter with decent specs. The emphasis on Blackberry phones is that most people who own Blackberry phones subscribe to the BIS (Blackberry Internet Service) which means they have unlimited internet on their devices. However, it is wiser to check with your carrier / operator first but generally the rule of thumb is that internet traffic via the phone browser is free if you are subscribed to BIS. Normally the technology with torrents is you need a torrent client like Vuze or utorrent to download them. Things get a bit tricky if you are behind a proxy server for example if you are at work or college where you have unlimited internet but cant install torrents because of blocked firewalls or limited administrator privileges.

Now getting to the stuff that matters, first thing that you need to do is go to www.torrific.com and create an account there. They only need your email address and password. There is a free account and there is a premium account but we’ll get to that later. After creating the account, you can go to your favourite torrent sites. In my case my favourites are www.thepiratebay.org and www.isohunt.com. When you find the torrent that you want you just copy the download link of the torrent and paste it in the search bar at the Torrific site and click ‘Get’. You will be shown the file extension of the type of file that you want to download and if its a zipped file you can also see the files inside the compressed file. Click on the button which says ‘Initiate bittorrent download’ and the torrent will be queued. After the torrent seeding is complete, the use will receive an email from Torrific saying the download is complete. The user will receive a link where the seeded file can be downloaded. In my case I use a Blackberry 9300 3G running OS6 and it performs admirably and even allows for multiple downloads. The browser in OS6 also has a basic download manager build in to resume broken downloads but in my case it was a case of hit and miss as it didn’t resume all broken downloads. I have heard that some previous versions of Blackberry OS have file size restrictions but im not sure of that.

However, it is important to some few things here. When Torrific downloads the files for you its ‘cached’ for 24hrs which means you have to download it within that time period. However, for popular content you will find that it can be ‘available’ on your account for several days, presumably because several people will be requesting the same file hence the need to keep it ‘cached’ for downloads. Also, most shared files are copyright material and the user does this at his / her own risk. The other thing to note is that if you have a free account you are given a 10GB bandwidth limit every 24 hours. After you reach your limit, you cannot download anymore stuff. Because Torrific acts like a bittorrent client, some files take long to be seeded on Torrific servers before you can receive the download link. Besides the flexibility of downloading content on one’s Blackberry.

Elonex 500EB Colour Reader Review

2010-12-13T05:18:00.000-08:00

PROS:

· Attractive Price

· Decent ebook reader

· Responsive

· Access to Filesystem

· Supports DRM books

· Chargeable via USB

· Expandable storage via memory card

· Smooth and stutter-free video playback

· Battery Perfomance better than advertised.

CONS:

· Poor brightness levels

· Poor volume levels

· No way to take notes

· No way to add functionality of Reader via 3^rd party apps

· Reader cant remember last page you read

· Limited settings in video player

· No playlist option in music player

· Limited multitasking

Normally reviews start off with specs, UI etc but in this case I will start with the buying experience. This only applies to South African readers / customers so if you are not from South Africa you can safely skip this part. I bought my device from Kalahari and on the page it is listed that delivery is 24 hours if you place your order before 12PM and the next day is a working day. However I need to add a word of warning here. I bought the unit on a Thursday late afternoon on the expectation that I would receive it Monday. However I paid via EFT from my Nedbank account to Kalahari's ABSA account and the funds were cleared on Monday, with the device being delivered on Wednesday the following week(I do not live in the 'main urban areas). So unless you are paying with a credit card (or perhaps if you are paying via EFT from an ABSA account) the 24hr delivery option doesn't work. Also I could not track the package online once it was dispatched. If the option is there I missed it. Now we can go back to the review of the reader.

Design wise the Elonex Colour EBook Reader is sturdy though most might not agree that its pretty. There are no wobbly or shaky parts on the device and it feels solid and secure in the hand. The front part is covered by the 5' screen whose readability in direct sunlight is above average though not comparable to the E-ink type. Below the screen are a total of nine buttons (page moving buttons, menu key, return key, four way trackpad and the enter key. there is also a dedicated music key and a font size key), obviously making up for the lack of a touchscreen. The top part features the Power button and an SD card slot. You will need the SD card adapter because the slot is not the small smartphone size slots. The right side has the volume rocker and the bottom part has the slots for DC power, mini USB and a 3.5m audio socket. The left side is blank with no slots or buttons. The reader is capable of audio and video playback but has no speakers of its own so if you want to play some movies on the long trips you might need some earphones or external speakers of some kind. The other notable absentee is the lack of a power / charging LED indicator. Similarly, when charging the unit there is no indicator so there is no clear way to know if the battery is full (when charging in off or standbye mode). When the reader is on there is no LED indicator to show whether its on or off or in standby. The battery is also not accessible to the user as the back is sealed with no removable parts. Normally I get around gadgets pretty much on my own without the manual but this time I was forced to pull out the manual.

When you boot up the Reader (which in my case takes something between 5 and 10 seconds) you are taken to the EBook Reader interface. I'm not sure if the interface can be changed to boot into the Video player by default for instance but from the limited settings this seems very unlikely. You get a list of all the books and their corresponding file formats. Opening ePub and PDF files was painless and the loading time was decent, not instant but also not so long that you take notice. Pressing the Menu buttons brings up the pull down sub menu where you can open the music player and picture viewer app. All things considered this is a gadget that's primarily designed for ebook reading with multimedia playback thrown in as an afterthought. The whole interface is Spartan though it does everything that the Reader claims to do.

Since this is largely an eBook reader I think there si need to specifically look at the eBook reader app since this is the meat and gravy of the device. All the eBook formats that the device claims to open did so like ePub, PDF and TXT files. There was no lag whatsoever when moving between pages which I found to be a big plus especially when you are absorbed in to the book. However when you read a page say to page 5 of Book A and then go back to have a look at Book B when you go back to continue where you left on Book A the device doesn't seem to remember the page that you were on, rather placing you on the first page. Obviously this can be resolved by way of bookmarks but having gotten used to reading books on my phone where the app remembers all the page of the books I reader I found this to be a minor annoyance. Jumping pages is another possibility though it's a chore largely because of the absence of a keyboard. Changing text colour and background is possible though only for the TXT format and I am not sure if that will have any impact on battery life. Luckily changing font sizes is painless and there is a dedicated button for that. Besides natively remembering page numbers (which is in my case is important as I am always looking at several books at once) my biggest problem is the inability to take notes, which some eBook readers are incorporating. However considering the price of the device this isn't a feature I can't complain about though having it would have been an absolute bonus.

Multimedia playback is not difficult. For example opening the Video player app shows all the available videos and their file formats same way it shows the list of books in the book reader app. Since the device claims to play .avi files only (and I was not able to play anything else) I see no point of displaying the file format on the video player. The only options that you have in the player are to change the brightness settings, loop or repeat the video and a windowed or full screen playback. The music player isn't much different, displaying the found music players. The only multitasking I managed to achieve with the device is listening to music while reading a book which worked well without stutter in either app. The photo viewer works as advertised and so far I have found no problem with it. You can scroll through the pictures or you can choose to have slideshow playback.

Battery life is one area where the device ticked all the boxes. The device is advertised as having a 6hr battery life when reading books but on my tests I managed to achieve 8hours and 17minutes on maximum brightness while reading an ePub file and averaging around 250 page turns. Opening the eBook app and leaving it alone without any page turns averaged 8hours and 16minutes which means page turns have negligible effects on battery life unlike E-ink devices who consume power only largely through page turns. The video player is advertised as having a battery life of up to 4hours but in my test I managed 9hours and 1minute on a looped episode of Big Bang Theory with a resolution of 624x352 with the video player in full screen, maximum brightness mode. The music player has a claimed battery life of 20hrs with the backlight off but I think if experience on the other apps is anything to go by you can even get more from the battery life. However I strongly suspect that Elonex deliberately kept the contrast, brightness and volume levels down to maximise on battery life. The overall screen quality is below average and it takes serious beating from my Blackberry Storm display with a lower screen resolution. However to be fair, the display shortcomings are not much of an issue when reading books for which the device is primarily intended.

In conclusion this is one device thats basic, does its primary duties well and makes little effort to do anything else. I believe this is a device thats best suited to the 'ordinary' people who just love to read their books and have interest on the hardware or platform on which the e-reading takes place. This is because there is no added functionality via 3rd party apps and those who loves to mod have limited options. If you want a solid eBook reader which allows you to read in the dark for hours on end before charging and play the odd movie, this is the device for you. If you want to tinker around with stuff and change settings and install app then steer clear and get an Android tablet instead.

Nokia Enters the Netbook Market

2009-08-27T04:58:00.002-07:00

Just as the case of Google entering the OS market; it was also inevitable that at some point Nokia was going to enter the netbook market, which has been confirmed now. Nokia prefers to call its gadget the ‘Booklet 3G’. This move by Nokia is not surprising as most traditional mobile phone manufacturers like Samsung have entered the netbook market. In an interesting move, traditional PC manufacturers like Dell, Apple and Acer have also entered the smartphone market. Even Garmin which is synonymous with navigation equipment also announced its own smartphone. Many netbooks are sold through traditional Nokia customers, carriers, and, thus, represent a natural extension of the company’s business. In Europe, wireless service providers account for more than 25% of all netbooks sold, according to consultant IDC. Carrier subsidies on netbooks are roughly similar to those for smartphones, which is why, for Nokia, entering this market makes perfect sense. Nokia is entering a market that offers fairly good margins.

The flagship of the new entrant can be said to be the claimed 12 hour battery life. With most netbooks topping at around 7 hours using the 6 cell batteries Nokia appears to have set a new benchmark in the netbook market. Other selling points include 3G/HSPA and Wi-Fi for total connectivity and this is a boon for consumers as few, if any netbooks packs so many features in a single unit. Nokia also claims the new netbook feature a HDMI port for HD video out, a front facing camera for video calling and integrated Bluetooth. Also included is 10-inch HD ready display and integrated A-GPS. While there are no details on the graphics powering the netbook, Nvidia ion chips are a sure bet. More common features include the ubiquitous Atom processor and an SD card reader. Some sources have claimed the netbook will be running Windows but it’s not clear whether it’s XP which is common on most netbooks or the upcoming Windows 7.

From the release pictures it looks like the netbook is much bigger than the ordinary netbook and this will surely make it much comfortable to use. The name Nokia itself is a selling point and unlike other netbook debutants the company cut its teeth by tablets like the hugely popular Nokia N810 tablet which is set to be succeeded by the even eagerly awaited N900. Besides the tablets Nokia is no newcomer to the PC market because way back PCs were among the wide range of products Nokia made before it became a cell phone powerhouse. It sold off the computer division in 1991. Considering that this is a gadget which certainly packs a punch Nokia seems to have stolen the show from Apple which is also expected to release a tablet later this year or early next year. If the Nokia netbook works satisfies customers and the price is not on steroids like the case with Apple products then the Apple tablet will find itself all dressed up with nowhere to go. The fact that the netbook will also have an aluminium casing also makes it a direct competitor with Apple which usually uses aluminium chassis for its M

Nokia has set the pricing date, market availability and detailed specs for the netbook on September 2. However, it is likely the price will be steeper than most netbooks as this is definitely a high end mini-laptop. Inclusion of 3G also suggests some monthly subscriptions which will almost make the ‘Booklet 3G’ a niche product.

Yet Another Browser Enters The Browser Wars

2009-08-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

As if there wasn’t enough competition in the browser wars yet another upstart company named RockMelt has entered the browser wars. Little is known about the company and the founders are not being forthcoming with details. Normally browsers come and go and some of them come to stay but this one has attracted the attention of everyone because of its cast of characters. Most prominent is Mr Marc Andreessen who is reported to be financing the whole project. Marc Andreessen shot to prominence in the early to mid '90s when he co-developed the Netscape browser which is credited as being the first browser which brought the Internet to the general public. Initially Netscape was successful then Microsoft introduced Windows 95 which came with Internet Explorer and in the ensuing battle for supremacy Netscape lost. Also to note is the presence of Eric Vishria and Tim Howes who are said to be the founders of the company. These gentlemen also used to work with Marc Andreessen at Opsware, a company which Marc Andreessen formed and later sold to Hewlett Packard for $1.6 billion in 2007. Previously they also worked with Marc Andreessen on the initial Netscape project.

Considering the fierce competition in the so called browser wars, the first thing to consider will be an assessment on how the new browser will fare on the current landscape. Although the project carries names of prominent people who pioneered the very formation of web browsers, names alone does not matter anymore in the game. Google found this out when their highly marketed Google Chrome browser with the full support of the Google brand behind it has only achieved an estimated 2% of the marketshare despite being a reasonably good and acceptable browser. Internet Explorer on the other hand has the full support of Redmond behind it but has been steadily losing ground to Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Opera and other smaller browsers. It is in this context that one should assess the potential of the new browser.

First, lets face it the project carries the names of Mr Marc Andreessen, Eric Vishria, Tim Howes, Joe Hewitt (iPhone app developer) and Blake Ross (credited as being the creator of Firefox) and these are the kind of names that make the IT industry sit up and take notice when they are mentioned in the same sentence. Second, there is further talk of the new browser being integrated with Facebook probably serving as a pseudo-desktop client of the social networking site. This is further confirmed by the fact that Marc Andreessen sits on the Facebook board of directors. Considering the 250 million plus Facebook users it is conceivable that there can be decent market penetration if the business model is right. Third, it might be possible that the new browser may just polish all the glitches that people found with their individual browsers and come to be the browser of choice for everyone. These days most people always have more than one browser open at any given point. A single browser that satisfies all their needs will be a welcome alternative. Marc Andreessen suggested the new browser would be different, saying that most other browsers had not kept pace with the evolution of the Web, which had grown from an array of static Web pages into a network of complex Web sites and applications. “There are all kinds of things that you would do differently if you are building a browser from scratch,” Mr. Andreessen said. Lastly, maybe one need not read too much in the so called browser wars after all. Google entered the search competition which was already dominated by the likes of Yahoo, AltaVista and Lycos but came up wit a business model that enabled it to become the leader of the pack. If the gentlemen (so far there has been no mention of ladies) at RockMelt are smart they can as well just do that.

On the other hand, to be honest the upstart has almost all the odds against it. To start with there is no denying the sheer amount of ingenuity in Redmond and at the Google Campus (seems the word campus says it all). Here are people who think, sleep and dream browser while Marc Andreessen and his team have side projects to think of. Secondly, as already mentioned, names alone just don’t cut it anymore in the game as people now want real innovation. Even if that is achieved, some people have become so much accustomed to their browsers so much that they will just afford the new kid a casual glance. Third, whatever new innovation the browser comes up with, it is possible we may see it in the next versions of the current browsers. We have seen it with the Private Browsing feature which was started by one browser with the others implementing the same features in their next versions. Even more importantly, the new feature can be added to the existing browser and people will continue with their favourite browsers. Lastly considering the tight integration with Facebook, that’s a 'cool' idea but which has been tried before with minimal success. The Flock browser is one that readily comes to mind.

At the moment one can only go to the RockMelt website and sign up so that one gets updated on the progress of the project and hopefully gets invited for the first beta release. Considering the entry of the new browser one observer was less tolerant, saying the world needs a browser like a fish needs a bicycle. Only time will tell.

Windows 7 Masterkey Leaked

2009-08-03T00:21:00.000-07:00

I am not too sure if the above heading is one that can turn heads. Reason? Microsoft has been compromised many times than anyone cares to care or count. Should I add that Windows is all the most vulnerable OS? Well as I said news that Microsoft has been compromised is nothing new. Rather it’s the way Microsoft responded to the security breach that surprised many. Instead of just issuing a statement that the Windows 7 masterkey has been stolen and please help us find the culprits, went on to make preposterous statements. First, they begin boasting about the advanced technology within Windows 7 which prevents hacks that activates the new OS. Alex Kochis went on to imply that those running the OS activated with the stolen key will be especially vulnerable to security risks like malware.

Looking at brag number one, anyone with above knowledge of computers knows that any Windows version can be illegally activated. I have a machine which dual boots activated versions of Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista Ultimate SP2. I didn’t buy the licenses of the operating systems but through a bit of BIOS modification and simple applications I have them running. Using a specially reverse-engineered copy of nLite I managed a build myself a 'genuine' Windows XP copy and Vista was even much easier. Anyone care to remember the noise Microsoft about how Windows Vista was safe from hack exploits? I even have the Vista Activator executable that I give to my brethrens who are not tech savvy enough to modify their BIOS and the activator goes past Vista updates and service packs unnoticed. Personally I don’t see why I have to buy a $200-300 OS license for a machine that I use sorely to play Grand Theft Auto, Need for Speed and Sega Rally. I know for certain that a few days after 22 October my brethrens will be having activated Windows 7 copies (and Microsoft knows as well) so I wonder where all the bold statements are coming from. Anyone remotely aware of computer security knows that anything which can be protected can be compromised as well.

On the issue of people who use the stolen key being vulnerable Microsoft is lying again. The statement released by Microsoft make it appear like those people who use genuine, or should I say paid up, licenses are safe. Truth of the matter is if you use a genuine copy of Windows you are vulnerable. If you use a cracked/hacked/violated copy of Windows you are vulnerable. If you install all 'security' updates religiously and follow whatever Microsoft advices, you are vulnerable. If you install all the best anti-virus applications in the world with minute updates you are vulnerable. Only way to have peace of mind is to buy a Mac (its not safe buy the risks are minimal) or having Linux (not 100% but chances of you being compromised are same as chances of your wife / husband being a virgin). Now I don’t see why Microsoft should try and scare people into thinking that running a pirated copy of Windows is risky. Considering the number of security holes that Microsoft keeps plugging in its applications especially Internet Explorer I actually wonder if the geeks at Microsoft use Windows and Microsoft applications at all. I really wonder where all the anti-trust lawyers are with Microsoft peddling such mis-information.

It is my opinion that Microsoft is feeling the economic heat just like everyone else and is trying to get all the cash it can and can’t risk the stolen key drilling a hole in its pocket. I have noticed that the trend now in proprietary software is that developed give away a stripped version of an application for free then charge for another version with added features and functionality. I would be the first Windows fanboy if Microsoft can adopt such a business model instead of cowering the public into buying outrageously priced licenses. Maybe first step will be giving away Windows 7 Starter for free on netbooks. After all Google said it will be giving away its Chrome OS for free.

Chrome OS: Google's New Operating System

2009-07-13T00:34:00.000-07:00

After months of speculation and prediction, it’s now official that Google is soon going to launch an Operating System to be known as Chrome OS. The OS will be based on a Linux kernel. Google published this in its blog on Tuesday. Early on in the blog, Microsoft points out that Chrome OS is designed for people who live on the web — searching for information, checking email, catching up on the news, shopping or just staying in touch with friends. Since most people now always keep a browser open no matter what they are doing, Google may well be referring to you and me. According to Google, operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web. Their answer is this new OS with almost all activity revolving around the Google Chrome browser. Basically what the company is offering is a web based OS with web applications taking centre stage. According to Google, the key aspects of the Chrome OS are speed, simplicity and security. Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips (which are used to power smartphones and various internet tablets). Google said it is completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. Considering that the new OS is based on a Linux kernel I wonder what kind of redesigning will done to the Linux kernel considering its long history of being secure, reliable and stable.

Going through the blog, one inescapable thing is that Google is taking a jab at Microsoft and it would be interesting to hear the kind of response that Redmond has to offer to all this. Take this for example, '...the operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web' this is a thinly veiled way of saying Microsoft has lost the plot and Google can do it better. By saying that 'initially' the project is targeted at netbooks, Google is making it clear that this is just the first salvo of a full assault on Microsoft which has by far the largest share in the OS market. The constant reference to security and speed, Microsoft's weka points its clear now that the battle lines are drawn. Considering the relatively steep price of Windows 7, lingering moments of the horrors of Vista and unfavourable upgrading options which has irked most Windows users, especially those who use Windows Vista Ultimate, Google seemed to have picked a perfect moment. After all, Google itself has said the project is open source which means there won’t be additional license fees when it is offered on netbooks which in theory means netbooks running Chrome OS will be relatively cheaper than those running Windows 7. With such a scenario I am sure most people will find it attractive to but the cheaper Chrome OS running notebooks and install Windows later. To further turn on the screws, Microsoft, has stressed that its Windows Mobile and Windows CE operating systems won’t be extended to run on ARM devices which effectively leaves Google to fill that growing niche market with its Android and Chrome OS and have a complete monopoly. Now that Google has set its cross hairs on Microsoft, chances are that the Redmond company will climb down from its high pedestal (Sony recently did by offering a netbook after it had earlier claimed that netbooks were a race to the bottom and I am personally waiting for Steve Jobs to do the same and offer a reasonably priced Mac netbook) and the next Version of Windows Mobile will support the ARM architecture, not necessarily that it will be a money spinner for the Redmond boys but just to light a match under Google’s tail.

If you haven’t seen the mounting signs of Google launching an operating system take a look at the following evidence. First Google started the search business and took away the larger share from both Microsoft and Yahoo. Google then went on to develop GoogleTalk which is far much better and feature heavy than Microsoft's chat app. As if that was not enough Google developed its own online office suite to rival Microsoft Office and went on to develop Android which competes directly with Windows Mobile. If this trend is to continue, Microsoft will soon find itself fighting on every front very soon. It seems Google was reserving the biggest surprise for last and with Microsoft basking in the glory of its supposed Windows 7 success, Google made the Chrome OS announcement spoiling the Microsoft party. The fact that Google intends to use a Linux kernel doesn’t make it any better for Microsoft. Microsoft has largely defeated the Linux community including even the much venerated Ubuntu distro and all its spin-offs. Now that Google is officially on the Linux side of the fence (that is if you don’t count Android which is Linux-based) the Microsoft camp should be very worried, considering that Google campus has enough skill and talent to match that of Microsoft toe to toe despite Google being more than a decade younger than Microsoft.

Personally use Google Apps everyday (Gmail, GoogleTalk, Google Calendar and Google Docs). By virtue of working in an academic environment I also use Google Scholar extensively and Google Earth frequently. If Google is promising me these applications within the Chrome OS and maybe Google Blogger with a face lift then I will have no problem with taking up the new OS. Also remember that Google still owe us the Google Wave and Google Voice both projects which they are playing hush-hush over and which are most certainly like to feature in the new OS as surprise packages for everyone. However if the company plan of running of running everything in a browser is true, then that puts me off completely. Currently I use my computer for far many other things that do not revolve around the internet like media playback and creating documents (my favourite office application is OpenOffice not Google Docs). So far I have not found any major issue with Google applications and now I am seriously scared that maybe the sting was in the tail.

In as much as I use Google apps for most of my tasks a number of things worry me though about this announcement. First, the Linux community is much fragmented as it is now (if you ask die hard Linux fanboys they will say Microsoft is behind all this by secretly sponsoring the splinter projects). The entry of Google in the community add confusion and uncertainty to an environment that already has too much of both. Secondly, it remains to be seen whether Google can attract enough developers to make its Operating System the platform of choice. Thirdly if this is a project that is driven more by a cynical and pixilated desire to spoil Microsoft's day than any financial inclination, this is unnecessarily spreading resources thinly on the part of Google.

In all fairness I use most of my time online and I know of many others who use their computers similarly and it’s an undeniable fact that the web is the future of computing. To this end it is only inevitable that Google was going to release a web-centric OS. With Microsoft using Bing to try and take away the search market share from Google and Google using Chrome OS to take the OS market share away from Microsoft it seems we are heading towards pretty exciting times. Considering that there is already a Linux distro, gOS which is heavily Google biased and which functions admirably and upon which I am typing right now, Google could have just bought the gOS project and replaced Firefox with Chrome but it chose to build something from the ground up. If past performance is anything to go by, this is going to be one hell of a cool OS and I will be one of the first to stand in line when it’s finally released.

You can read the original blog post on this link: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html

Firefox 3.5: An Overview of New Features

2009-07-02T06:32:00.000-07:00

On 30 July the Mozilla Foundation released Mozilla Firefox 3.5. To their credit, the Mozilla servers did not buckle under the pressure of downloads like they did last year when they released Firefox 3.0. I have had the chance to play with since then and I just want to highlight some of the issues I have noticed with the new browser.

The first most prominent improvement to the browser is the support for HTML 5 which is somewhat geeky and light years ahead in terms of web technology. This sees the Firefox 3.5 natively supporting embedded audio and video files without the need for Adobe Flash or other codecs. However before you get too excited, this is only limited to the open source Ogg Vorbis and Ogg Theora audio and video. In simpler terms, the browser does not (yet) support the popular (and proprietary) mp3 and WMA files. Besides the support for media files, Firefox 3.5 now fully supports the HTML 5 offline resource specification. Also supported is the HTML 5 drag and drop API allows support for dragging and dropping items within and between web sites. This also provides a simpler API for use by extensions and Mozilla-based applications. HTML 5 also supports the canvas method createImageData() which allows code to specifically create an ImageData object instead of requiring it to be done automatically. This can marginally improve performance of other ImageData methods by preventing them from having to create the object. Firefox detractors have been quick t point out that HTML5 is rarely used in web design these days and by the time it will be standard Internet Explorer will be having the technology as well. However that takes nothing away from Firefox’s endeavour to bring future technology to its fans.

One other feature which comes with the new Firefox release is the location aware browsing and this has been received with mixed feelings by people. This uses the Geolocation API, which allows web applications to obtain information about the user's current location if a provider for that information is installed and enabled. Users who turn on the optional Location Aware feature allow sites to provide information such as points of interest and return useful data like maps based on the user's location. Code with UniversalXPConnect privileges can now monitor the list of available access points, getting information on their SSIDs, MAC addresses, and signal strength. This can be used in tandem with Geolocation to offer WiFi-based location service. For security reasons this feature is fully optional and the browser won’t share your location without your permission.

In terms of privacy, the new Firefox now support Private Browsing mode where nothing is recorded about your session, including cookies, history, form field information and any other potentially private information. This is particularly important if you are browsing on someone’s computer of if you are in an Internet Café. In addition, users can specify whether or not to include history and/or bookmarks in the location bar's automated suggestions, so you can keep private web addresses from popping up unexpectedly while typing in the location bar. Another privacy feature is the Clear Recent History which caters for users who would like to remove all private data or activity from browsing sessions. The feature allows the user to decide what data stays and what is removed. As if that was not enough another feature called Forget this Site allows users to remove every trace of a site from the Firefox 3.5 browser. Since Tuesday when the new browser became available for download there has been some bitter arguments on the issue of the Private Browsing feature. Internet Explorer loyalists argue that Firefox copied the feature on IE8. On the other hand Firefox groupies argue that what has been added to the Firefox 3.5 is an idiot proof implementation (that’s a geek way saying its been made simpler for the common folks) of the feature since it has been around since Firefox 2.0 where you could set the browser to clear everything on exit. Not to be left out Mac fans and Safari supporters in general claim Safari pioneered the feature. It all comes back to which camp you belong to.

Maybe the single most important feature that people have been eagerly looking forward to on the new browser is performance. The speed of Chrome has been a cause of concern in the Firefox camp and therefore a boost in performance was top on the agenda. Firefox 3.5 which is now based on the Gecko 1.9.1 use TraceMonkey JavaScript engine, which advances the performance of complex Web applications by using a technique developed at the University of California Irvine called trace trees that can be used to compile a program in real time. The result is increased speed in both the browser and Web page content. There have been claims that Firefox 3.5 is now ten times faster than Firefox 2.0 and twice as fast as Firefox 3.0 when it comes to executing JavaScript. For those who love the heady stuff that make sci-fiction movies, Firefox 3.5 provides DNS prefetching, whereby it performs domain name resolution ahead of time for links included in the current page, in order to save time when links are actually clicked. Other minor tweaks include "web workers," which is a way for web content to run resource-intensive scripts in the background, a feature that will make the browser feel faster while also helping improve stability. In my personal opinion I think Firefox is now much faster than it was before but still its laps behind Chrome when it comes to raw speed.

As for aesthetics, some tweaks where done to the tabs making them more user friendly to use. Top on my list of favourites is the ability to tear off tabs and move them to new windows, something which Chrome and Safari has been doing natively while early versions of Firefox needed plug-in support to accomplish. Other small features supported include mouse gesture events such as trackpad swipes. Firefox 3.5 also includes support for the multi-touch features of the latest and greatest MacBooks, but opted to leave out a "twist" motion that moves forward and back through browser tabs. However, this can still be done with a little tweaking to the browser. Another significant option is the ability to undo a closed window and this is done by the (Ctrl + Shift + T) keys. Other cosmetic changes include the system restore functionality which has been revamped. Now when your session crashes Firefox doesn’t restore all your tabs but asks you which ones you want to restore, maybe so that you can leave out the offending tab.

While there is a carnival atmosphere in the Mozilla camp due to the release of Firefox 3.5, there are a couple of issues that can dampen the fun. First is Google Gears which has not yet been updated to work with Firefox 3.5. I hope Google won’t employ the gutter tactics of Microsoft by deliberately delaying the update so that either people use Chrome to access Google Gears or stick with the older version of Firefox. Also the much vaunted support for audio and video is limited to the Ogg Vorbis format which most Windows users have never heard off and isn’t mainstream except to the core Linux fanboys. However, considering that Firefox is pioneering this trend, this is a step in the right direction and I won’t be too surprised to see Microsoft offering WMA audio support in IE9.

Moving From Windows To Linux, Painlessly

2009-06-25T02:47:00.000-07:00

To most people Linux remains an enigma, something to be wondered about and rarely experienced. Invariably, you cannot talk of Linux without comparing it to Windows, and that is where the main issue is. Those who have used both operating systems remain deeply divided on which is the best operating system to use. Microsoft Windows has a massive market share so for many people they have prior familiarity with it and little else. On the other hand Linux offers some features not found on Windows and many people become fans once they use it. For those who have never used Linux before but would like to give it a try, I hope this article will give you the opportunity to take that plunge. Some may ask, why move to Linux anyway, after all there is nothing particularly wrong with Windows. If you are one of the people who think this way, l will ask you these simple questions: Do you have an anti-virus program installed and running on your computer? Has it ever occurred that in the middle of working on something your computer just happen to freeze and you have to restart the computer?, Is your computer now slower than that time when you bought it? Do you frequently pay licenses for upgrades, maybe from Windows XP to Windows Vista or from Office 2003 to 2007 just for your files to stay 'compatible'? If you answered yes to any of these questions then surely you should consider giving Linux a chance. Admittedly, any topic on moving from Windows to Linux is best covered in a book, a thick one for that matter. However, I hope this article will ignite the interest and lead to further individual pursuance of the issue.

One single biggest reason that prevents people from successfully adopting Linux into their default operating system of choice is they expect a Windows experience from Linux, which is not the case. Before getting on with the transition, it might be proper to cite this analogue about Windows and Linux. Switching from Windows to Linux is like switching from a car to a motorbike. They may both be operating systems/road vehicles. They may both use the same hardware/roads. They may both provide an environment for you to run applications/transport you from A to B. But they use fundamentally different approaches to do so. Windows/cars are not safe from viruses/theft unless you install an anti-virus/lock the doors. Linux/motorbikes don't have viruses/doors, so are perfectly safe without you having to install an anti-virus/lock any doors. Both operating systems have different strengths and weaknesses: A car/Windows is the clear winner at transporting a family & a lot of cargo from A to B: More seats & more storage space. A motorbike/Linux is the clear winner at getting one person from A to B: Less affected by congestion and uses less fuel. There are many things that don't change when you switch between cars and motorbikes: You still have to put petrol in the tank, you still have to drive on the same roads, you still have to obey the traffic lights and Stop signs, you still have to indicate before turning, you still have to obey the same speed limits. But there are also many things that do change: Car drivers don't have to wear crash helmets, motorbike drivers don't have to put on a seatbelt. Car drivers have to turn the steering wheel to get around a corner, motorbike drivers have to lean over. Car drivers accelerate by pushing a foot-pedal, motorbike drivers accelerate by twisting a hand control. A motorbike driver who tries to corner a car by leaning over is going to run into problems very quickly. And Windows users who try to use their existing skills and habits generally also find themselves having many issues.

When moving to Linux, the first thing to decide on is which version to use (in Linux they are known as distros not versions). They come in many flavours, shapes and sizes, with some which you can run from a CD/DVD and some which you can boot from a flash drive. For the long-time Windows user, this might be a bit confusin. It usually comes with the computer you buy, already installed. In the case of Linux, for normal laptop or desktop use, I recommend Ubuntu Ultimate Edition (these days it is now known simply as the Ultimate Edition. From here on the terms Ultimate Edition and Linux are used interchangeably). This might seem an odd choice to many Linux fans but I believe this is the most complete Linux distro which offers little newbies who need to get their feet wet. If you are installing on a netbook, it’s a toss between Linux Mint, (Intel) Moblin and gOS. Personally, I use Ultimate Edition on my laptop and gOS on my netbook. In the case of netbooks, most come preloaded with manufacturer tweaked distros and I strongly suggest sticking to those to minimise compatibility issues.

Now that you know which distros to install, what is left is for you to get them. In the case of Ubuntu Ultimate Edition you can get it on http://www.brothersoft.com/ubuntu-ultimate-gamers-edition-192127.html. For netbooks, you can get gOS on http://www.thinkgos.com/gos/download.html and if you want to give Mint a try you can download it on http://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/linuxmint.com/stable/7/LinuxMint-7.iso . Ultimate Edition is a fairly large download so you need a reasonably fast internet connection and patience. If your Internet connection is really slow, I suggest you install Internet Download Manager which can boost your download speed by between 5-15 times and can resume download even if you shut down your computer. Depending on your hardware, it may be necessary to check hardware compatibility by running the Live DVD although modern Linux distributions automatically detect most hardware. Hardware drivers may be needed for newer or rare hardware. The Linux community is well-known for writing their own drivers when the manufacturers refuse to release one (chief culprit being Intel).

There are two main ways to install and run Linux on your computer but here we are going to focus on only two which we suppose are the easiest. Here, the goal is to run Linux alongside Windows, so that you are assured of your comfort zone. The first option is to boot from the Linux DVD and follow the on-screen prompts to install Linux. For a step by step on how to do this you can see a related article on this page http://tindothegeek.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-to-run-xp-vista-and-linux-on-same.html which guides you through the installation process. For experienced Windows users they might be surprised to hear that the installation process is a lot easier and faster than the Windows installation process. On my computers, from boot up to full installation this takes on average twenty to thirty minutes. The second option, which is a lot easier, is to pop the Linux DVD in your computer and wait for the autoplay which gives you the option of installing Linux from inside Windows. All you need to do is create a username name and password, point to the folder/drive where you want Linux to be installed and hit the 'Next' button just like you do when installing Windows programs. When the installation finishes, you are asked to restart your computer and on the boot loader you will see the option to load into Ubuntu. Choosing that option will take you to Linux where you will complete the installation process.

Being able to drive a car does not necessarily mean you will be able to ride a motorbike the first time around, even though both have an accelerator, brakes and a steering system. Similarly, you will need to learn a couple a couple of things, assuming that you successfully booted into the Linux desktop. The first thing you will notice is the absence of the 'My Documents' and 'My Computer' on the desktop. The clock, network, volume and battery icons you see on the bottom right hand corner in Windows have moved up and are on the top right hand corner. In the bottom right hand corner is where you will find the Recycle bin now called 'Trash'. If you use the default Start Menu in Windows, you are in covered because the layout is almost similar in Ultimate Edition. To launch Programs you click on the Upper left hand where it’s written 'Applications'. This will open a pull down menu with applications listed under groups. For example under Internet that's where you will find Firebox (the web browser), Thunderbird (the email client) and Pidgin (the IM client). Going through these menus will bring you to the other fundamental difference between Linux and Windows. Here you will find lots of applications already pre-installed. Unlike a newly installed Windows you have a CD/DVD authoring programme, a full office suite and applications to cater for all your multimedia needs. If you are into designing you can find all sorts of applications to tickle your fancy. For example, you can make games and 3D models with Blender which is much better than the commercial and expensive 3D Max (who dare challenge this?) or you can work images with the versatile GIMP which has the same capabilities as the insanely expensive Adobe Photoshop (those who differ raise your hands).

After going through the software(if you are new to Linux you will spend hours exploring these applications and getting surprised at every turn by how much Windows withholds from its basic operating systems) the next place to explore is the one named 'Places' which is besides the button that launches applications. This is where you will find the equivalent of your 'My Documents” and 'My Computer' as they are the default file repository places. The 'Home Folder' right at the top does what 'My Documents' does in Windows, that’s where you are pointed when you want to save files in many programs. Within the Home Folder are several folders like Music, Pictures and Videos which holds and handles the corresponding file formats. Navigating and moving around files within Ultimate Edition is an effortless experience as the layout is similar to Windows. One thing that may appeal to most people is you can access your file from Windows from within Linux just as long as you are familiar with navigating the Windows directory structure, which is pretty much the same as uploading files to Facebook or YouTube.

Those who have installed Windows will testify that there are limited multimedia formats you can play out of the box in Windows Media Player. In Ultimate Edition, users can play almost every conceivable multimedia file thanks to a host of codec pre-installed. Under Sound and Video on the Applications launcher, you even find a number of DVD and CD ripping software pre-installed. Those who use VLC media player in Windows will be immediately comfortable as (in my opinion) this is the best media player around which can handle your audio and video needs in a superior way and is a worthy replacement to the popular PowerDVD application. Even if you are a music enthusiast, you find Audacity pre-installed which will rival all the commercial software that you use for music editing. The ability of Ultimate Edition to cover all your basic daily computing needs without you installing a single piece of software is one reason why I recommend it to newbies instead of the more popular Ubuntu 8.04 and Ubuntu 9.04 as these distros are made with no new users in mind and need extensive configuration and tinkering before a new Linux user can appreciate them as worthy Windows replacements. Actually I pointed this out in my review of Ubuntu 8.04 got some bit of bashing from Linux fanboys. Your can read the review on this page http://www.techleader.co.za/readerblog/2009/03/11/ubuntu-804-a-disappointment/.

Now that you can play your audio files this is the time to get connected to the Internet and have some fun hurling insults on forums. If they told you that Internet connection in Linux is complex then they lied. Just like in Windows, just plug in your cable in the Ethernet Port and off you go. Wireless is not too different either. Clicking on the Network icon will bring up all Wireless networks within range and you can choose the one to log into. If you are into wardriving (going around neighbourhoods looking for unprotected wireless internet access points) then you are lucky because you can wardrive without installing any third party applications. For those like me that tether their phones (connecting to the internet using your cellphone as a modem) the process is simple and requires little effort on your part so much that no tutorial is necessary. It is even much simpler for phones running the Symbian operating system. Unlike in windows you don't need to use your cellphone drivers, (which are meant for Windows anyway). I am told tethering an iPhone 3G is impossible but I have never used one so I cannot aver this). After connecting your phone, right click on broadband, select your country and carrier and you are online. I have heard of people struggling with 3G PCI cards in Linux distros but personally I am yet to face any difficulties. Once you are connected, forget Internet Explore, Mozilla Firefox is your browser. If you are a computer user who pays little attention to the browser that you use, worry not as Firefox will do just fine. For your email, you have Mozilla Thunderbird. This client works as admirably and you can equip it with add-ons that will make Live Essentials look archaic and démodé. When it comes to IM you have Pidgin which is capable of bringing your friends from your Gtalk, AIM, YahooMessnger (and more) accounts into one place. By installing some plugging, you can even import your friends from MySpace, Facebook and Mxit. Lately, I have been reading that Google have ported Chrome to Linux which means even more options for the Linux community.

After exploring 'Applications' and 'Places' and found out that you can still access and manipulate your files in Windows from the later (of course without importing viruses that riddle them) its normal that the next places to click is on 'System' which is besides the 'Places' button. Here you will find all sorts of tools to customise and personalise your computer. From System you can change themes (is it really possible to change themes in Windows, and if so how many options do you have?), screen savers and a whole lot other stuff. The option under 'Administration enables you to configure the system to your liking. If tinkering under the hood and getting your hands dirty is not your thing, worry not as the default options works just fine. The 'System' menu is the equivalent of Control Panel in Windows. The main difference is that in Linux it’s more extensive and easy to navigate, without bumping into techno-jargon each time you select an option.

Now that by this time you have had a chance at playing with Linux, its time to highlight a couple of ‘issues’ that you need to know about Linux. First, you will find that most of your beloved programs and 3D games (Linux has its own huge collection of games though it comes nowhere near that of Windows) may not run natively in Linux. Not that this is a bad thing, as there are Linux alternatives for almost every program that you can think of. Also, on the flipside, more programs also means more malware (viruses, adware, spyware, Trojans). To ease yourself into Linux, I suggest you use OpenOffice instead of Microsoft Office (you might not notice the difference), Mozilla Firefox instead of Internet Explorer, Thunderbird instead of Outlook Express/Live Essentials and VLC instead of Windows Media Player/PowerDVD/WinAmp/iTunes. This way you get a taste of Linux before even getting there. Admittedly, there's more hardware support for Windows. No operating system supports more hardware out of the box than Linux - but Windows drivers exist for close to all hardware. This is not thanks to Microsoft, but of course their market share means any hardware vendor would be out of business quickly without working with them. Unfortunately the same can't be said for hardware vendors not working with the Linux kernel people. However most hardware is supported by Linux and more hardware is supported every day as Linux grows in the market place. Another issue with Linux is that for Windows users who download programs and pound on the 'Next' button to install may find things a bit different in Linux as installation of downloaded programs is usually done via the command line. This may be a shock to Windows users who are at a loss when they are expected to 'do stuff' without a graphical user interface and wizards. Related to this is the fact that to get the best of Linux, you need to have an Internet connection. This is important for installing programs (its easier to install them from the Internet using the Synaptic Package Manager than downloading and installing them independently) However, Internet connection is only a fillip, not a necessity. In fact most operating systems now insist on an internet connection upon installation and those with Windows 7 experience can attest to this. While it is my opinion that if you approach it with an open mind Linux (Ultimate Edition to be specific) offers a far more enjoyable experience than Windows, this cannot be said of all Linux distros. They come from 40MB distros to those with a footprint as huge as Vista. While some come with all the bells and whistle like the distro under review, some are barebones systems where you have to put everything in place yourself. For this reason, the Linux computing experience is not as uniform and seamless as from moving from Windows 95 to Windows 98, or from Windows Vista to Windows 7. Another issue that finicky Windows users may face is that there is no official support for most Linux distros. You can get all the help you need from the forums. Consider this similar like an eating experience. With Windows it’s like eating at a restaurant where you pay for your food and expect good service in return. Shouting and snarling at waiters is not uncommon and the management is expected to try their best to make your meal enjoyable. In the case of Linux this is like eating at your friend's place. You don't pay for the meal and the atmosphere is a bit personal and informal. Common etiquette dictates that the word 'please' features prominently at the table and you don't snap at your host if dinner is late or not up to your liking. After the meal it’s considered good manners to thank your host and complement the meal. Knowing this is one thing that helps ease many people in the Linux mainstream. Obviously more issues can be identified with Linux in general but ultimately these tend to be hair-splitting issues not fundamental flaws in the basic architecture of the basic Linux kernel.

Since you know what to expect from the Linux kernel, its time to open the present and see what you will get from the Linux experience. First, its necessary to point out that the biggest variables that determine choices when computing are cost, performance, options and security, though not necessarily in that order. Talking of cost, the Linux distro used in cited in this article is free (and so are most others). The only cost is your bandwidth. In spite of this zero cost most Linux distros comes with 3D desktop effects, desktop search, desktop widgets, and many other features that you have come to expect from a modern operating system. When it comes to performance, Linux runs relatively lighter than Windows and this means you rare have to wait for two minutes for your machine to boot up like what you do with Vista. This is also the reason why most low-end netbooks run Linux distros because they are relatively lighter and more responsive than Windows flavours. What this means is there no need to upgrade hardware whenever a new version comes in, which pretty much is the case with Windows. Closely linked to better performance is the fact that Linux systems are more stable than Windows. Once you make the switch, you will rarely see the glitches associated with Windows. Also you can be assured that your computer will runs smoothly always unlike Windows which gets slower with time. This is attributed to the absence of a registry in Linux, which is the underlying difference between Linux and Windows. Maybe it also need to be stressed that most Linux system come with all the necessities bolted out of the box unlike Windows where you have to install even a word processing application. For the restless ones, in Linux development is fast, you don't have to wait for two or more years to get a new version which is the case with windows. Some Linux systems even offer daily builds. From an ethical point of view, puritans and prudes will rejoice to know that in the world of open source software where Linux operates everything is free; therefore there is no need to pirate software. Maybe to top it all, if you feel that you cannot migrate to Linux because you have specialised software that you run of which there isn't an open source equivalent, you can install that software in Linux through Wine, software which allows you to run Windows programs in Linux. Some Linux fanboys even claim that tweaking the Wine application enables them to run time-limited demos in Linux though I am yet to explicitly prove this personally.

Contrary to what many people believe, moving to Linux is not as daunting as they believe. I believe getting started with Ultimate Edition builds the platform where newbies can gain experience and get the capacity to make subsequent solid decisions on which distro to use, which desktop to use (Gnome, KDE or Fluxbox)and ultimately, if its worthy booting into windows after all. If you still have doubts that Linux is inferior let me disclose one simple fact: From day one Google has been running on Linux, and I’m sure at some point you used Google to look up something on the Internet.

New Generation of File Swapping

2009-06-11T00:50:00.000-07:00

I have been browsing the internet for sometime and I have seen all kinds of websites from the funniest, the lamest to the outrageous. Recently I came across a website which I can only describe as creepy.

The basics of the website is you upload any file of choice (documents, photos, multimedia files) and after waiting for a while, you get offered a file that another user has uploaded (and in the same way the file that you uploaded will be sent to someone else). Just that. Tried it twice, first uploading a .doc file of a blog which I had posted and later, a rather funny cartoon which a friend had sent me. In return I got a 30 second porn clip and a photo of a young woman, probably uploaded by a jilted lover.

Knowing how much wily Zimbos have become of late, I know some someone will think up of an idea on how to make money from that site. Or better still, how to abuse in a rather cunning and crafty way. If somebody gets some bright ideas, please do count me in the plot but meantime just head over to http://www.file-swap.com/ and see what you will get in return after uploading your files.

Free Yourself From Internet Explorer

2009-06-03T04:49:00.000-07:00

Free Yourself From Internet Explorer

For many people they buy their computers with the Windows OS installed and bundled with whatever version of windows they have is Internet Explorer. For many people, they see no reason why they should change their browser (Internet Explorer). Similarly, most people see no reason why they should use anything other than the default Windows Media Player. If you are such person who use Internet Explorer and see no reason why you should move to Mozilla Firefox, read on and find out why you should so, fast.

First let me give you some stats. Internet Explorer is the leading browser with a market share of about 66.1%. This majority is not surprising considering that Internet Explorer comes with every Windows OS. In second position is Firefox with about 22.5%. These are April figures and are compiled by Net Applications In. a company that tracks web browsers and has been doing that since 2005. However, according to the company, Firefox has been gaining 0.4% of market share every month for the past 12 months. On the other hand Microsoft has been losing 0.7 of the market share every month for the last 12 months. The company forecast that if this trend continues, and there is every reason to believe that it will, Internet Explorer will drop to below 50% by 2011.

Now that I have 'evidence' that indeed people are moving from Internet Explorer to Firefox, let me show you should be one of those people as well. First, the browser has an unlimited number of add on that expands the functionality of the browser to make it by far the most versatile ever. In my case, I have FireFTP which means I can upload files to my website from right inside the browser with no need for third party FTP programs. I also have a download manager add on which means I don't need a separate download manager like Internet Download Manager or Free download Manager. Firefox handles the rest and when I am downloading particularly large files; my download speed can be multiplied by up to nine times. I also have Cooliris which allows me to play media files from right inside the browser without need for a dedicated media player. Some of the add-ons are just exceptional. This includes Xmarks which allows me to synchronise my books across several computers. I can even access my bookmarks over the Internet when using any computer (with Firefox of course). The list of add-ons available for Firefox is inexhaustible and can only be limited by one's imagination. For example, I can send free SMS messages anywhere in the world from my web browser thanks to the SMSalias add-on that I installed.

Another area where Mozilla Firefox soundly beats Internet Explorer is the area of web security. This is mostly because Internet Explorer is tightly integrated with the underlying Windows Operating System. Some companies have even advised their clients to revert back to Internet Explorer 7 due to the security holes in Internet Explorer 8 (http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1051908/security-outfit-calls-roll-ie). On the other hand, Firefox has a number of add on utilities that greatly enhances the security of the browser. These include, in passing, Roboform, which minimises risks of someone getting hold of your passwords when filling out forms. There is also NoScript which prevents malicious code executing itself and launching a phishing attack. There is also AdBlock which greatly frees you from malware. Besides the added functionality of the add-ons, Firefox 3 has Private Browsing, which provides the same functionality and does not retain visited pages, form and search bar entries, passwords, cookies, temporary or cached Internet files, and so forth.

Without the niceties, several tests have proven that JavaScript speed of Firefox 3.5 is about five to ten times faster than that of Internet Explorer 8. Mozilla Firefox even boasts of support for more than 70 languages which is more than that of Internet Explorer. Mozilla Firefox was even the first one to introduce tabbed browsing with Internet Explorer playing catch up. With the release of the new Firefox 3.5 version later on in June, the browser is likely to improve much further. There is even a project of porting Mozilla Firefox to mobile phones, something that Internet Explorer and Opera have had a headstart on. If you really feel that you can’t let go of Internet Explorer and you can’t do without it, you can even run it inside Firefox using the IEtab extension.

Check the follow up article called free yourself from proprietary software.

GOOGLE RELEASES THE WAVE

2009-06-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

With the release of the Google Wave platform now, Google can no longer hide the fact that for the first time it is taking Microsoft head on in the latter’s supposed domain, that of Operating System. It’s only that Google is doing it in another way, and in style. In the case of Microsoft, the hardware is the base of the OS and most things depend on the kind of 'rig' that you have. This is not so in the case of Google whose 'OS' rests on the web. What this means is that whoever has Internet access can access the Google Wave.

What’s interesting is that with this OS on the web theory, it becomes less and less important what’s the actual OS you use. With smartphones that now come will full-blooded web browsers, the actual OS is fast losing ground. This is not helped by the fact that new Operating Systems (point one big accusing finger at Windows Vista) demand an upgrade in hardware, an upgrade which invariably is costly.

With the current popularity of netbooks, the proliferation of Wi-Fi access and the drop in broadband cost worldwide, it is not a brainer that the 'web; is set for a massive growth. As things stand, Google is going to dominate this growth just as much as the Microsoft dominated the first generation of hardware computing which was hardware oriented. Another overlooked ace in Google's sleeve is the default search engine in the Mozilla Firefox browser, which is growing at an alarming rate in terms of market share. On the other hand Microsoft's Internet Explorer is declining at a rate that experts believe it will lose its majority and go below 50% of the market by May 2011.

Now that Google has released the Wave application it all makes sense now the never ending rumours of Google intending to purchase Twitter never came to fruition. Now that there is a social networking and instant messaging component, Twitter suddenly seem irrelevant and in a flash Facebook now has real competition from a giant that has unlimited resources at its disposal.

With Microsoft's Bing in mind, what I find interesting is that each company is encroaching into the other's traditional domain. For example, in Bing Microsoft is eating into search technology which is traditionally Google's territory, followed by Yahoo and Microsoft in that order. On the other hand, Wave promises to bring an OS on the web, albeit a fast one.

I have always wanted a situation where I can have all my Facebook and MySpace friends, fellow Twitters, GTalk, Yahoo Messenger and AIM contacts on one page, just like the way Pidgin tries to do. If Wave can do that, and then add the powerful ingredient of email to the whole mix, then this is the product for me. Imagine, writing a blog and in a blast immediately everyone on your group is alerted, then the exchange of information is really going to be turned on its head.

MICROSOFT UNVEILS THE BING SEARCH ENGINE

2009-06-01T01:20:00.000-07:00

MICROSOFT UNVEILS THE BING SEARCH ENGINE

I don’t know whether it was accidental or otherwise that while Google unveiled it Google Wave application, Microsoft unveiled its Bing search engine, which is said to be answer to Google dominance in search engine. At the moment the project is still in beta but a couple of details have leaked about the project.

The usual features were made about bringing fast search results and refined search. This means you can search information about your neighbourhood with the search engine bringing you localised results. The Image and Video searches are also refined. However, time will tell how refined are the changes compared to Live Search. It’s said its now easier to find movies, music videos and full length TV features. Related to this is another search that will bring you detailed information on a product like images, pricing information, user reviews, expert reviews, and much more from various web sites. Also using technology that it acquired when it purchased Farecast in 2008, Microsoft brings some uniquely advanced technology to search queries involving travel and buying tickets. Farecast, a tool for comparing airfares, uses a predictive algorithm to recommend when you should purchase your airline ticket. Not only is this particular feature related to airlines only but to hotels as well. Bargain Hunters rejoice!!!.

It seems the flagship feature is what they call the Explorer Pane which breaks down your search results into related categories. In a screenshot, the search for 'hybrid cars' brought categories such as 'hybrid car parts' and 'hybrid car repairs'. Another feature that Microsoft added is the Quick Previews feature that provides a text-based synopsis of the pages displayed in your search results. When you drag your mouse cursor over individual search results, a Quick Previews box of data pops up, containing information from the site.

Also added is what Microsoft called the Save & Share which lets you save, organize, and share recent searches. You can share searches with Facebook or Windows Live friends, or save them to your Microsoft SkyDrive folder. The Save & Share function not only allows you to save your favourite searches, but also lets you organize them into folders and add notes to them. In a move following Google, Microsoft also unveils what it calls Instant Answers. These provide things like answers on weather, airline information and time / currency / weight conversions.

It seems the card Microsoft is playing is that it is offering features that are already available in Google, but those features which people know very little about. For example do you know that by tying, 'social network + and typing your passion Google will bring you the social network related to that passion?. Seems this is a wake up all to Google to make an effort to advertise and market the features that people can do from within its innocuous looking search box. If all the features on Bing work as promised, then it appears that Microsoft will have upped the search bar and for the first time Google will have to play catch up.

RELIGIOUS SPAM

2009-05-19T02:54:00.000-07:00

I don't think I am the only one who has noticed the new trend that has invaded our inboxes. From about the beginning of last year I started receiving a very high number of church / gospel / religious emails in my inbox. One thing I noticed is that this increased correspondingly to the increase in the number of my Facebook / MySpace and Twitter 'friends'.

Under normal circumstances there is nothing wrong with receiving a couple of emails from a friend giving you inspiration to conquer the day. Unfortunately, I have noticed a couple of annoying things with this new email habit. First is the volume of the emails. On an average day I receive an average of ten such emails. Going through ten emails on normal day that includes appointments, meetings and deadlines is such a hustle. I am sure a good number of people would agree with me that going through such emails would be time-consuming, not mentioning the workload that might accumulate in the process. The second thing I found irritating with these emails is the message that is invariably at the end of these emails. Most of them end with something like '...send this to all your friends and you will receive a miracle in 15 minutes' or something like '….the President of Chile ignored this email and the following morning five of his children died’. While there is something good and morally upright in everyone of us but it is the extent of the religious fervour that makes one suspicious. The desire for the designers of the emails for us to forward these emails to all our contacts makes one wonder if this is a new phishing spam of some kind. Take the situation where I receive ten of these emails a day, and I forward these to all my friends / contacts I would need the whole morning to do all this. Besides I would be increasing the workload of my friends / contacts unnecessarily by expecting them to read these emails and forward them to their other friends and contacts.

While this blog is not an indirect way to tell my 'friends' to send me 'inspirational' email now and then, I hope this will be done with a spirit of responsibility. What makes this all the more difficulty is most of the time we allow our friend's emails through our filters. It would be very bad if we are to block our friends' emails simply because they are overwhelming us with spam.

'Vodafone' V-X760: A Mixed Bag

2009-05-07T02:36:00.000-07:00

The fact that I put the name Vodafone above is no typo error. Rather it’s something which I did consciously as I believed at first, as most of the phone owners believe, that it is a Vodafone product. The truth of the matter is that the phone is made be a Chinese telecommunications company called ZTE Corporation. Since the phone is marketed in South Africa as Vodafone X-V760 I had a torrid time searching for it on the Internet. The searches turned up very little, except some couple of SA users looking for advice and drivers on forums and those selling the phone online.

The reason why I bought the phone was not because it was a conscious decision but it was more of curiosity. I have to admit that I was in the phone market having lost my Nokia smartphone. Being a bit tied on cash, I was looking for something around the R1000-R1200 range. I had made up my mind to buy the Nokia 5000 as it was a leader in that category and came with the basics when it comes to email and other issues that I believe I cannot live without. That is when I saw the phone being advertised by Vodacom (SA) at R999.00. At Incredible Connections the phone at the time of writing retails for R1399.00. The touch-screen is the one that decided for me and I went on to buy the phone at GAME stores. Below is a summary of what I have come to find out about the phone and what other users worldwide are saying about the phone.

What I immediately like about the phone is the design. The phone is really sleek and a pleasure to look at. Mine is a black/silver variety. Over the week I have noticed people starring the phone whenever I take it out. The other thing I liked is the huge screen, which had made me initially choose the Nokia 5000 amongst other phones in its price range. I also liked the fact that I could charge the phone on my PC via USB connection. Most importantly, I loved the touchscreen with the 3D user interface. Being a novice at touchscreens, I found the screen responsive and rather easy to use (I secretly believe that actual keypads will disappear from phones in the next five years just like what aerials did and flip phones are doing now). Whenever I found myself in a spot when it comes to navigation, I always whipped out the supplied stylus and get the heady geeky feelings. It took me about an hour to navigate through the menu system and customise the phone to my liking. In addition to the things mentioned above which I liked about the phone, I also liked the audio player whose sound reproduction on the supplied earphones is impressive and from time to time I had to turn down the volume. The phone also comes with a FM Radio which is quite intuitive. The manual said the phone can be used as a USB webcam (or in the same way you use a USB webcam) if you connect it to the PC via the USB cable. I have since tried this under Vista and XP but always I just cant get the thing to work.

While I was completely bowled over by the phone visually, it was the functions that left me wondering if I should have stuck to my initial decision to buy the Nokia 5000 instead. Firstly, the phone comes with less than 2MB of onboard memory. I found out this when I was trying to transfer a music track that I wanted to use as a ring tone. This was a real shocker as most entry point phones now offer something above 5MB of onboard memory. Anyway, I was quick to forgive the phone as it had a memory card slot to expand the memory. My next shock was discovering that the phone offered no email functionality of any kind. Being used to a smartphone, this was a big minus as I had gotten used to the idea of checking and replying emails on the go. Since I use mostly Yahoo and Gmail, I thought this was no big issue as I could check my mail from the phone browser and maybe create some bookmarks for easy access. Upon opening the browser, I found it doesn’t run JavaScript and almost always whines and weeps when you try to open most webpages, complaining that it cannot run the scripts on the page. As a result, I couldn’t access my Yahoo and Gmail accounts from the phone browser as it gave me error messages everytime I tried to access the pages. In my infinite optimism, I thought this was no big issue as I have a netbook and can check my emails virtually anywhere. My next disappointment was finding the phone offered no WLAN. In a way I saw this coming but confirming it made it painful all the same. My single biggest disappointment which made me hate the phone instantly was the fact that the phone runs no Java applications. What this means is I cant install games on the phone (the phone comes with one game), I cant install Mxit on the phone and most importantly I cant install eBuddy my beloved IM messenger which connects me with my Yahoo, Gtalk, AIM and Facebook buddies in one package. Being used to a 3.2MP camera on my phone, I haven't taken a singe snapshot with the phone as I am sure it will be a substandard shot even by me very tolerant standards.

To be really honest, I got a phone with a touchscreen and 3D user interface, Bluetooth, USB connectivity, memory card slot, an impressive media player (the phone plays mp4 videos), a huge and high resolution 2.4 TFT display and a 1.3MP camera for a thousand bucks. Very few phones in the price range of the X-V760 boast all these functions in a single package and even the Nokia 5000 falls short as it has no USB connectivity, no memory card slot and boasts a smaller 2' TFT display. On the other hand I got a phone with no email function and no Java (which is installed in the older Motorola V360 for goodness sake) which means I can’t install other programs to boost the phone's functions. Seems the company decided to cut the corners on functions which I cannot live without in a mobile phone. However, I suspect that for the ordinary user who just wants a basic phone to make calls, play music on the go and maybe look up an article on Google on the odd occasion, the phone will be an ultimate pleasure.

Now coming to UK users (the phone is being offered there by two carriers and is known as the Orange Vegas or VairyTouch depending on the carrier) there has been a huge debate about the phone. Firstly, the debate is about two irreconcilable camps with one using such terms as 'crap' and 'utter garbage' to describe the phone and the other camp hailing the phone as the cheapest touchscreen phone on the market with more features than most other phones within its price range. Secondly, the other debate is that the phone is an HTC Touch clone (or rip-off, take your pick!). The people who advance this goes on to mention as evidence the general shape of the phone, the menus, the buttons and the touch screen functionality. The other camp fiercely refutes this, citing a number of iPhone lookalikes that are being acceptable without anyone calling them iPhone rip-offs. The camp that says the phone is a rip-off of the HTC Touch even suggests that UK carriers should never have distributed the phone as it directly violates the intellectual property of HTC, a company that the carriers do business with. Lastly, there is debate on whether the phone is made by HTC or not. While there is a general feeling that the phone is made by ZTE Corporation there is nothing on their website about the phone and a search will reveal nothing. It is not even listed under the company’s products. In fact during my trawl of the Internet, I couldn’t get to find the real manufacturer of the phone. There are some users who even claim that the batteries on their phones carry the HTC logo. They even allege that the phone was made secretly by HTC to revive the fortunes of the once popular HTC Touch brand. Mine has the ZTE logo even though there is nothing about the phone on their website.

The whole debate about the phone above made me think about the netbook debate and how the little laptops came to polarise people's opinions. They sacrificed optical drives, processor speed, drive space and RAM in return for the small form factor and the lower and affordable price. There was a huge cry, especially with the initial Asus EEE range as the people protested that the manufacturers had cut the costs on those products that the customers are most concerned with (especially processor speed and drive space). Most people initially baulked at the idea of using a computer without an optical drive, and with less than 5Gig of harddrive space. However, 18 months down the line people have generally come to accept that netbooks are here to stay and almost every PC manufacturer and their grandmother is making them. Maybe the X-V760 is the netbook equivalent, that's cheap, aesthetically pleasing and affordable, albeit with some rather common features and functions missing.

Connecting To The Internet Using A 3G Mobile Handset

2009-01-31T19:35:00.000-08:00

Connecting To The Internet Using A 3G Mobile Handset

I managed to achieve the above feat simply because of sheer necessity and I do not recommend it to people with alternative means to connect to the Internet. First, you need specific pieces of hardware, the whole process is error prone and it is expensive, that is if you are in South Africa where I live. On the upside, you are not bothered with long term contracts (you cant escape these when you need to make an Internet connection these days). Also, once you are connected you are assured of decent speeds.

To make the whole process simpler, I am going to describe my connection step by step so that should it be necessary, you can adopt any part of the process to suit your situation. To start the whole process, you need a compatible 3G handset with bluetooth. Most handsets now come with bluetooth as standard. You also need a bluetooth dongle. You also need a computer running either Windows XP or Windows Vista (if you use anything other than that you are now on your own). In my case I made the connection on both Windows Vista and XP without a hitch. You also need a bluetooth drivers for use with your bluetooth dongle (these are necessary even if your dongle is capable of working with the native Windows bluetooth drivers). You can get these drivers from www.bluesoleil.com. Make sure that you download the drivers that are compatible with your operating system. Lastly, you need airtime in your 3G handset.

To get started, boot up your computer. When you are done, insert your bluetooth dongle first and then install the BlueSoleil drivers. When you are done open the program. Go to start – programs and start the BlueSoleil program (usually its labelled as IVT BlueSoleil) Enable bluetooth on your phone and then double-click the orange circle in the middle of the BlueSoleil window. This will the prompt the program to search for bluetooth devices within range. If you have bluetooth enabled on your phone, the program will pick it up and it will be displayed with a phone icon and the respective name of the device (or the name that you gave it). Once your handset appears, double-click on it and some icons on top of the orange will light up. In most cases, these are the 'Bluetooth Dial-Up Networking Service', Bluetooth File Transfer Service and Bluetooth Object Push service . Once that is done go to the highlighted 'Bluetooth Dial-Up Networking Service' icon and double click there. A new pop up window will appear titled 'Connect Bluetooth DUN Connection'. I suggest you leave the 'Username' and 'Password' fields empty as they are and click on Dial. The computer will dial and in the progress window the computer will display rapid messages like 'opening port', 'verifying username and password', 'registering your computer on the network' and 'authenticated'. Once the 'authenticated' message appears, and you have enough airtime in your phone that is if you are on prepaid, you can start up your web browser or email client and you can start to surf. While the speeds are not entirely blazing, they are decent enough and in my case I had an average of 115kb/s which is fine for web browsing.

Over time I have noticed a couple of things. First, the BlueSoleil drivers are not a full product and as a trial you are limited to a traffic of 5MB per session. Once that is reached, you are automatically disconnected and you have to restart the program to get another 5MB. This is removed once you purchase the program. The other thing is that sometime the program will simply refuse to highlight the 'Bluetooth Dial-Up Networking Service' icon. In all cases I managed to resolve this by reinstalling the BlueSoleil program. The other thing is that this connection option is rather expensive. In the case of South Africa, to use the set up I have described above, you need to part with R2.00 per megabyte (MTN/Vodacom and CellC) and R0.50 in case of Virgin Mobile. This puts a 1Gig at R2000.00 and R500.00 respectively.

FIRE FTP: A Necessary Fool For Web Designers

2009-01-31T19:34:00.000-08:00

FIRE FTP: A Necessary Fool For Web Designers

one thing that really excites me is finding a nugget, especially when I least expect it. This is what happened when I first stumbled upon FireFTP. Like most web designers, after designing my first website, the first FTP program that I sought was FileZilla. For those folks not familiar with the terminology, an FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and this is the process where you transfer your website from your computer to the web server where it will be accessed from on the Internet. An FTP program enables you to do that transfer. Unfortunately, and for some inexplicable reason, the program just failed to connect me with the remote server and I turned my back on the program for ever. But still I had web files to transfer. This is the time when I got to meet FireFTP.

Unlike most FTP programs that you install on your computer, this is a Mozilla Firefox plug in. (Mozilla Firefox happens to be my favourite browser and shame on you who are still using Internet Explorer). When you get to the home page, the first thing you will notice is an option to install and after clicking it, remember to allow Firefox to open a pop up Window. The download is less than 1MB and within a minute the download will be done and the computer will ask you to restart your Mozilla Firefox (not the whole computer). Even when you are in the middle of something don't freak out because Firefox gives you the option to restore your browsing session. You can find Fire FTP on your browser by clicking on Tools and you will see FireFTP.. When you open FireFTP for the first time, the first thing you need to do is input the host, username, password and , optionally, an account name, that is if you intend to use the program to manage more than one website. After that off you go, no frills or jaw-dropping technical terms.

I would recommend FireFTP to anyone who occasionally do web design. While the program is neither feature or bloated with all those extras that you will never get to use, the program get the job done perfectly.

HOW TO RUN XP, VISTA AND LINUX ON THE SAME DRIVE (TRIPPLE BOOT!)

2009-01-09T23:33:00.000-08:00

I took the decision to run more than operating system on my computer when Windows Vista made its debut a couple of months back. First, I wanted to run both Windows Vista and XP on the same machine so that I continue using my XP without interruption, but at the same time familiarizing myself with Vista. Later on, after the release of Ubuntu 8.04, I made the decision to run all three operating systems on the on laptop so that I get to enjoy the relative benefits of all the operating systems. Below im going to show you how I managed to do it. This article in written based on the assumption that you have at some point installed a Windows and Linux Operating System before. Please note that throughout this article, whenever I make reference to Linux, I will be talking of the Ubuntu family.

Please note that in order to load the three operating systems you need an empty and preferably unpartitioned hard drive. It is possible to repartition an existing drive in use using the various disk partition tools but the process is too complex and the risk of data loss is very high. In my case I used a 80gig hard drive so I suppose in you case you can adjust accordingly. What I wanted to do with my drive was to create a 20gig partition to put my Vista and this would also be my primary partition (Drive C). I also wanted a 10 gig partition for Windows XP. Lastly, I wanted to reserve 10gig for Linux. The remaining 40 gig will be reserved for another partition where I will store all my files created from the three operating systems.

My first step was to create the 20gig partition on the hard drive. I wanted to reserve Drive C for Vista because on a drive where there are several partition drive speed decreases as you move out towards the drive (the higher the drive alphabet, the slower speed). Second, I created a 10gig partition on the drive where I was going to put my Windows XP. Lastly, I created a 40gig partition where I was going to put all my files. This left about 10gig of unpartitioned space where I was going to put my Linux.

The next step I did was to first install Windows XP on its partition which in my case was Drive D. After installing Windows XP, I immediately installed Windows Vista on Drive C. Upon restarting, the computer booted into Windows Vista. My next step was to download a little bootloader manager called EasyBCD. This application is available on www.neosmart.net. On opening the application there is a button marked 'Add/Remove Entries'. Click on the tab. On the right of the application near there bottom there are several tabs representing Operating Systems. Click on the Windows tab. You are first presented with a drop down box marked 'Type'. Click on the drop down box and select the middle option which is 'Windows NT/2k/XP/2k3'. Under the drop down box there is a box where you can type the name of the Operating system you have chosen, which in our case is Windows XP. Below that is another drop down box marked 'Drive'. Click on the drop down box and select the partition where you installed your Windows XP which in our case is Drive D. After that click on the button marked 'Add Entry' on the bottom right of the application window. After that, click 'Save' which is on the upper right side of the application window. Shut down your Windows Vista. The next time you computer boots you will be presented with a boot Manager where you can choose to boot into either Windows Vista or Windows XP which we installed earlier.

Now that we can successfully boot into both Windows Vista and Windows XP, the next step is to install Linux. In my case I was installing Linux Ubuntu 8.04. For those of you who haven't before installed Linux, the procedure is simpler than that of Windows (honestly). The whole installation process consists of steps (which are presented as Step 1 of 7, Step 2 of 7 so that you never get lost and you get to know when you are about to finish). The first steps are easy and self explanatory. On the first step you are asked to choose your language. On the second step you are asked to enter your location and time zone. On the third step you are asked to choose your keyboard layout. Here it is important to assume the default option. On the fourth step you are asked to prepare disk space and show the computer where you want to install your Linux. Choose the option written 'Use the largest contiguous disk space' (this may change depending on the flavour of Linux that you are installing). On the next step you are asked to enter your personal information like username and password and from there you are on autopilot as the option are self-explaining and they will in no way disrupt your installation. After Step 7, Linux will begin installation which in most cases takes about half an hour and after completion you are asked to restart your computer. You will notice that on restarting your computer you will be presented with a new bootloader with Linux at the top. Just scroll down to the bottom of the bootloader and you will come to an option written 'Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader). Hit enter and you are taken to the old Windows Boot Manager where you are asked to load into either Windows Vista or Windows XP. So the next time you boot if you want to get into Linux, you hit Enter when the Linux Boot Manager appears as Linux is the default option. If you want to boot into either of the Windows Operating Systems, just scroll down to the bottom of the Linux Boot Manager and choose the 'Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader) option and you will be taken straight to the Windows Boot Manager where you can get to choose if you want to boot into either XP or Vista.

Hopefully by the end of your trial you will have three operating systems successfully running on your computer, In my case, I use Windows XP for my everyday computing as it is faster, Windows Vista whenever I need to use its DirectX10 or many of its diagnostic tools. I mainly use Linux when I go online because of its superior security features that protects me from viruses as well as various malicious spyware and adware applications.