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Computers
Computer hardware or software
Microsoft DirectX Vulnerability
May 31st
A bit about Microsoft Security Advisory 971778, Vulnerability in Microsoft DirectShow Could Allow Remote Code Execution (does not apply to Windows Vista, Server 2008 and Windows 7).
According to what I’ve read there is a vulnerability being exploited in Microsoft DirectX’s DirectShow in the form of a specially crafted Quicktime Movie. I don’t suspect any foul play on Microsoft’s part, but I find it very interesting that the vulnerability affects a Microsoft competitor, and that the fix is to disable movie playback on that competitor’s video product.
READ: Microsoft Security Advisory 971778
FIX: KB Article 971778 – has a Microsoft Fix it button to do the leg work for you
READ MORE: ZDNet’s Article on Dangerous Microsoft DirectX vulnerability under attack
Google Sync Improved for Cell Phone
Feb 9th
Google’s announced that their beta version of Google Sync to help organize your address book, calendar, and just basically all of your digital and non-digital contact info with your iPhone & Gmail.
This is some of the most important things I took away from that post:
- iPhone users: Google Sync will remove all existing contacts and calendar events from your phone, so make sure to back up (PC instructions, Mac instructions) your data before you set it up.
- Remove contacts that you don’t want to sync to your phone. From the “My Contacts” section of the contact manager, select the contact you want to remove, click “Groups” and then “Remove from My Contacts.”
- Merge duplicates so friend@theirgmailaddress.com and samefriend@theirworkaddress.com both belong to the same contact. To do so, select both contacts, and click “Merge these 2 contacts.” When you merge contacts, your address auto-complete won’t work as well as before. We’re working on a fix for this, but until that’s out you might notice addresses showing up in a suboptimal order in auto-complete, e.g. your friend’s work address coming up first when you’re used to emailing their Gmail address.
– Google’s Gmail Blog
Get your contacts organized in Gmail and your devices, read Sync your contacts and calendar with your phone now!
Online Shopping Uses Robot-Powered Warehouses
Jan 29th
Wired.com’s Autonomous Robots Invade Retail Warehouses was a very interesting read, and the Youtube video (below) is really cool. Zappos, Staples, Walgreens and the Gap have warehouses that use robots that pull products to fulfill orders and perform other warehousing chores. In the future, all of your online shopping may have robots on the other side helping manage the fulfillment of your order, and do it faster than conventional warehouses can now.
Wired.com: Robotic Distribution
The wifi-networked robots, built by Kiva Systems of Woburn (woo-burn), MA, bring products in the warehouse to human workers. These special warehouses, more densely packed warehousing spaces incorporate interesting workstations where the orange robots bring racks containing products to be shipped. A laser points the worker to the product to be shipped, the worker picks the item up and scans it, and if its the right product the robot takes the rack away, and a light above one of 3 boxes waiting to be filled and shipped indicates where the product goes. The same light also indicates when an order is complete, and ready to be shipped.
Online shoe seller Zappos says their Kiva warehouse has a lower defect rate, higher productivity, plus a better safety record and quieter work environment than their traditional warehouse. You might think that working in an environment like this would require lots of training, but the system actually reduces training time for new workers.
These autonomous robots can also rearrange warehouse stock to place faster selling items closer and moving slower selling items farther away as orders come in. I also thought it was really cool that the robots find time to check their charge level – they run a self-test, check their charge, and if necessary dock with a charging station for some extra juice.
The relatively small space where the workers are needs climate control and lighting, but this is not the case in the majority of the warehouse since the Kiva systems robots don’t need either. This translates to a huge cost savings since most of the warehouse can remain unlit and doesn’t need to be climate controlled.
For more videos on the Kiva systems robots in action, see the “Press Videos” secion at the bottom of their Resource Library’s Video page, or their Demo page (video automatically begins playing).
Apple Grows Up – Ditches Macworld
Dec 19th
The Apples VS PC commercials have made such a statement they’ve spawned copycats (see Mac VS PC parody on Youtube). They’ve opened stores, the iphone is a big hit, etc etc. Recently Apple announced they wouldn’t be doing Macworld any more, and the Apple community is in a small uproar (I know that makes little sense – but you get it).
What, remains to be seen, is the real cause of Apple’s pullout?
Circuit City on Hard Times and Hard on Consumers?
Dec 3rd
As reported by TG Daily just yesterday there may be more trouble at Circuit City who has filed for Chapter 11 Protection than the recession. Reportedly a Circuit City customer made a purchase online with Circuit City’s “24-minute in-store pickup guarantee” and the store tried to charge their customer for “System optimization and installed software.”
You should read the whole story since it is very interesting (just click the link below the quote). Its bothersome that a store the size of Circuit City would be pulling stuff like this. Here’s an interesting chunk from that very article:
After the credit card was scanned and the receipt was printed, the consumer was getting ready to sign it. He noticed it was about $184 more than expected … When asked “Why the extra expense?” the new clerk … asked the consumer if the original clerk had explained the additional charges incurred due to Circuit City pre-optimizing the notebook? The consumer said, “I didn’t order or want the optimization.” She continued to explain that it had already been installed. As such, he was required to pay the full amount of the installation if he wanted the purchase … At this point the notebook order had already been placed online and held with a credit card for the advertised amount of $549. These were new charges showing up at the store.
- TG Daily (More shady dealings at Circuit City, this time on Black Friday)
Maybe there is more to Circuit City’s financial woes than just a faltering economy? Maybe there are some base issues with training or basic honesty. It seems, as TG Daily’s post mentions that the optimization and installation of software is a Circuit City policy. If that’s the case it should certainly be disclosed at time of purchase online, or even better, since stock is being checked while the customer hits the Circuit City website the price should have been adjusted online – in bold, red print.
CPU Maker AMD Cuts Jobs again
Nov 5th
According to AMD slashes 500 more jobs this is the second time this year CPU maker AMD has reduced its work force. As recently as early October AMD had spun off its fabrication facilities birthing The Foundry Company in an effort to save money and generate an influx of cash. As it turns out, The newly formed Foundry Company is the only department in AMD that will not suffer from this latest round of layoffs.
READ MORE:
Disk Defrag for Windows – Auslogics Disk Defrag
Nov 5th
Written for Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista/2008 Server and FREE I find Auslogics Disk Defrag 1.5.19.330 is a great addition to Windows Disk Defrag, which I’m told is not the best. The only thing I don’t like (I have v 1.4) are the integrated advertisements for Auslogics BoostSpeed 4 for $29.95.
Auslogics Disk Defrag 1.4 lets me set up whether or not to remove temporary files first, whether or not to display removalbe drives (USB drives etc) and I can select the level of CPU usage (Low, Normal, High Highest) which allows me to set faster ro slower speed depending upon whether or not I’ll be using the computer while defragging.
Are Windows Vista, Windows Mojave and Windows 7 One And The Same?
Oct 23rd
Are Windows Vista, Windows Mojave and Windows 7 all the same thing?
I’ve looked at Windows 7 M1 Ultimate Edition screenshots on Feast Your Eyes on the Leaked Screenshots of Windows 7 M1 Ultimate Edition!, watched the Mojave Experiment (youtube) Video below and I own Vista. Now if you haven’t watched the Mojave Experiment video or visited the site, its a promotional gimmick to sell people on Vista. So, Mojave IS Vista. Now, is Windows 7 also Vista? Looking at the Windows 7 screenshots tonight I had to wonder if Windows 7 is Windows Vista with some security updates… no really, check out the screenshots and you’ll see is all very Vista-like.
Quote from WindowsMojaveExperiment.com
Fact: PCs running Windows Vista in 2007 were 60% less likely to be infected by malware than those running Windows XP SP2.
I had to wonder if Vista was 60% less likely to be infected by malware because it was 60% less likely to be installed?
I also read that Windows 7 might be out earlier than projected (New signs point to Windows 7 debuting earlier than expected) and I wondered if Microsoft had finally gotten the idea to say its next version will be out much later than they really expect, thus giving them time to work out the inevitable snags? Also, wouldn’t Microsoft be on schedule if they did some fine-tuning of Vista rather than a major overhaul?
THE WINDOWS MOJAVE EXPERIMENT
