The AnderNaut

This is my first post and while I have been quite hesitant to start a blog. Mainly because I have a feeling I would get out of the habit of posting I have decided to try and make a go of it. Making it a goal to post at least once a week, hopefully more. So for those of you who read this I hope you like it and visit regularly.

What really got me started with wanting to blog was my revelation that TechTV of sorts has been revived, for lack of a better term. Yes, I know this may sound weird, and quite odd. But then again that's what I am and proud of it.

So back to the reason for writing and rejoicing. As some of you know I liked watching my TechTV. (Please bow your head a take a moment of silence for the former TechTV. I'll save that whole rant for another time.) TechTV, specifically The Screensavers and Call for Help, got me through some tough times, looking for a job was a big one.

Last Sunday I was perusing one of my favorite sites, keeping up on the latest tech news, reading an article linked from it and ran across an add for dl.tv, a web cast program hosted by Patrick Norton, formally of The Screensavers, and Robert Heron, a former Lab Rat for TechTV. This show really hit home and felt a kind of peacefulness fall over me. As for the show(s) they are still getting a few of the kinks worked out, but I'm liking what I saw and hoping that it works out. They stream new episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the episodes archived. I have downloaded the archived episodes and am currently playing catch-up You can also subscribe via RSS, including iTunes and several other formats.

Until next time…
Tech, Love, and Happiness

It appears that I hit the nail on the head. Microsoft is “beta” testing ads advertisement on there Live properties in different contiries around the world, including Itialy and the United States.

(Source: Microsoft tests Live ads - c|net News.com)

Microsoft has been coming out with quite a few new services lately under the Live moniker in the last couple of months, and are slated to being releasing many more, including one for parental controls. Now I am quite impressed with the progress they have made with Live Mail, the successor to Hotmail it would appear, a home page with their “widget” technology called Gadgets, which I believe is also going to be in Windows Vista in some sort or fashion. There is also Live Tool bar, Live Messenger, Live Search (article), a PC Security Center, and a PC Health Center, etc. which can all be reached via the Ideas Live site. At this time they are in there Beta phases. They are also going to be creating other services that bundle or use their other Live services such as the OfficeLive which has some interesting implications.

 The OfficeLive Basic package at this time is free and is also planned to be free after the Beta. With this basic package you get a Domain, site dev tool, 5 e-mail accounts, and basic traffic analyses tool. Now in my mind this service has the ability to take things to the next level, now I have no doubt that there will be advertisements, the e-mail accounts are not accessible via Outlook or Outlook Express, nor can you move a domain name from another registrar, but come on it’s free. Whithout a doubt expect to see similar services from others, if they are not already. So I’m taking the approach of wait and see what’s going to come out of Microsoft here over the next few months. They have been in crunches like this before like the web browser and able to turn it around, but then again they didn’t have the ever present Monopoly Monkey on their back.

Now there could be a reason for this sudden air of “innovation” at Microsoft and it goes by the name of Ray Ozzie. He is known for being the creator of Lotus Notes (now apart of IBM), most recently his start-up Grove Networks (purchased by Microsoft), and now Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft. He is a big proponent of keeping things simple and is the big driving force behind the Live innovations coming out of Microsoft.

(Source: How Office got its groove - The Boston Globe) 

Well I had intended to write something up about the CeBIT but came across this interesting bit of information. There is a new virus, worm, what ever you want to call it, that holds computer files ransom. They are calling it Cyzip, what it does is searches for data files, such as Word, Excel, PDF, etc and then zips them up in to an encrypted, password protected compressed file. It then has a text file that is created telling you where and how to get your files back, for about $300. The transaction is with account created with an e-money site. Now there have not been many reported cases of this, and it was not widely distributed, but that is part of its cover, flying under the radar. There is a classification for this type of infection and they call it, interestingly enough, ransomware. So watch out there could always be an e-ransom in your future.

(Source: Cryzip Trojan Encrypts Files, Demands Ransom - eWeek.com)

I must say that I have been on a real rollercoaster ride with HP over the fate of the iPAQ. Sense this last fall when the Windows Mobile 5 (WM5) was released for the hx2000 series, but was not released for the hx4700 series. In February HP released a notice that it would be available March 1st, I have not seen any announcement of it and went looking for information on it. I found another notice saying the upgrade (source: Brighthand) would be delayed another few weeks. I have been an avid fan and proud owner of the iPAQ line of devices for many years now and have always been encouraged to stay with them even though there have been some tough times for them sense being acquired by HP. I am hoping now that they have been split off into their own group within HP that they can refocus and get there edge back.

Viva’la iPAQ!!!