scattered technology news

Firefox Tip: Usefull Extensions - Friday, October 28, 2005

This a list of the Top 10 most usefull Firefox Extensions I have seen. Many of these extensions are “must have” items, which everyone should always have installed. Most of these can be found on Mozilla’s Update page, but all have been tested and all function perfectly with Firefox v1.0.7.

1) Adblock - (most required item) blocks most ads on webpages.
2) Autofill - fills out forms on webpages and highlights “fillable” fields.
3) NoScript - (great security feature) blocks Java scripts from running on any webpage, unless you mark the site as a trusted site.
4) IE View - (windows only) re-opens the page you are on in IE.
5) miniT - allows draging and dropping tabs in any order.
6) TabBrowser Prefs. - gives tons of features to controling tab functions.
7) LiveBookMarkThis - right-click on an RSS feed & add to bookmarks.
8) SubmitToTab - right-click on a “submit” button and open in new tab.
9) ScreenGrab - takes a clean screenshot of the webpage you are viewing.
10) Colorfull Tabs - Adds random colors to all your tabs.

Link: Mozilla Update | Most Popular Extensions
Related: ThunderBird Extensions | Mozilla.org
Recent Posts: GTA PSP in Stores | Free iPod Nano

GTA: Liberty City Stories In Stores - Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories 4 PSP will be in most stores by Wednesday. (10/26/05) This is expected to be one of the biggest hits for the PSP as well as one of the top selling games for the holidays. GTA: LCS will take advantage of the PSP’s WiFi capabilities by allowing up to six players to participate in multiplayer games. This edition of GTA actually has better multiplayer games than previous mini-game style games that had no relation to the actual game. The game will hit store shelves by tomorrow and it will sell at $49.99. The only other game I reccomend purchasing other than this one, is SOCOM: US NAVY SEALS, which will go for sale next month.

Links: Sony PSP Giga Pack | Where 2 Buy
Recent: PSP v2.50 FirmWare | October ‘05 Game List

Weakly-Deals (2) - Sunday, October 23, 2005

• Sandisk 2GB Ultra II Memory Stick Duo Pro for $129 from Dell. ($149 - $20 MIR = $129) Coupon code is “$?89Q0$SJ4D?1S” (w/o quotes). - link
• Get 10% of all purchases on Target’s Online Store. Great for purchasing items like Cameras, PSPs, iPods, or etc… Coupon code is “TCLWBDYS”. - link
• Verizon Online DSL for $19.99/mo (1st month free) and 3Mbps/768Kbps + a choice of either MSN or Yahoo! Premium memberships. - link
• 1and1 Packages w/ a domain (.com) and hosting starts at only $4.99. - link
• 70 Free Songs from Apple iTunes through Stanford - link
• Costco Online selling 4GB iPod Nano for $239. (6-month return policy, so don’t worry about having to be stuck w/ a scratched iPod!) - link
• Free iPod Nanos from FreePay (I got both an iPod Nano (4GB) and a Sony PSP) Please sign up through my conga line to get yours faster - link
• Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories for PSP to be released on Monday 24, 2005. Stores: Amazon - CircuitCity - WalMart - BestBuy
• Maxtor 250GB HD (7200RPM, Internal HD) from CompUSA for $99! (NO MIRs required!) - link
• NetGear USB Mini Print Sever for $9.99 ($69- $10instant - $50MIR = $9.99) - link

Link: Fatwallet | SlickDeals | TechBargains
Recent Post: Sony PSP Giga Pack Announced

Sony PSP Giga Pack - $299 - Saturday, October 22, 2005

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) just announced that a PSP Giga Pack would be released just in time for the holidays. This new pack will be sold for $299, while the current “Value Pack,” will continue to being sold at price of $249. The Giga Pack will include a 1GB Sony Branded Memory Stick Duo Pro, a transparent PSP Stand, and a USB cable in addition to the regular accessories. (power, softcase, batterty, cloth, headset, controls, and the PSP) Sony also announced that they will start to sell a Sony/PSP branded 1GB Memory Stick Duo Pro separately for people that already have purchased PSPs.

“As we approach our first holiday season with PSP, offering consumers a new value option in the Giga Pack demonstrates our commitment to allowing consumers further control and customize their entertainment options,” - Jack Tretton VP of Sales SCEA

Other changes include the PSP coming with Firmware v2.0 pre-installed, which means it comes WebBrowser ready. (but no homerbrew apps will function without downgrading) The 1GB card will also make the PSP ready out of the box to put Music, Photos, and Videos onto. These can be placed onto the 1GB card using the USB cable that is provided. Another reason Sony has decided to create a new package is to attract customers to their unit over Apple’s brand new iPod “Video,” which is also priced at $299.

The PSP was originaly launched in March ‘05 and has over 2.2 million units [until ~October] in North America. There are 45 games that have been launched in the U.S. so far and over 200 UMD Movies. Games such as Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories are expected to be launched soon, which should attract a large amount of customers towards purchasing more games as well as PSPs.

Link: Full Press Release From PlayStation.com
Related: PSP PlayStation.com Home
Recent Posts: iTrip Nano | Downgrade PSP v2.0

iTrip Nano - Griffin Technology - Friday, October 21, 2005

Griffin Technologies is getting ready to release a “iTrip” FM transmitter for the new iPod Nano. This iTrip, unlike any previous ones, is a little backpack for the iPod Nano, instead of just attaching onto the bottom or top. The new iTrip also utilizes the iPod Nanos LCD display and change frequencies, so no extra buttons are on the actual unit. The iPod Nano can be charged/synced while the iTrip 4 Nano is attached onto the unit. The iPod will also save three preset stations to make it easier to use. No batteries are required for the unit, however this means it will rapidly drain the battery life of your iPod Nano. (which is already too short) The iTrip 4 iPod Nano will go on sale sometime next month (November 05), but is currently available for pre-order at a price of $49.99.

Link: Grifin Technology - iTrip Nano
Related: Apple iPod Nano Laynyard Headphones Review
Recent Posts: OpenOffice 2.0 | Free iPod Nano

OpenOffice v2.0 Officially Released - Thursday, October 20, 2005

After being developed for two whole years, OpenOffice v2.0 has finally been released. OpenOffice is a 100% free “MS-Office” like java-based office suite that includes programs like Word, Excel, Publisher, Paint, and Access. These applications are completley opensource, which means it is legal and free for anyone to use. Many non-profit organizations have switched to using OpenOffice because it provides the same features Microsoft Office would, but at no cost to anyone.

“OpenOffice.org [2.0] is on a path toward being the most popular office suite the world has ever seen; providing users with safety, choice, and an opportunity to participate in one of the broadest community efforts [open source] the Internet has ever seen.” - Sun Microsystems President Jonathan Schwartz

This is a major update from the previous builds of v1.0 and now includes a much more powerful user interface and is packed with thousands of features including multi-pane views, floating toolbars, and better PDF creation support. OpenOffice (OO) is a cross-platform application that can be run on Windows, Linux, Solaris, and Mac OS X. (also available in 36 languages) OpenOffice was created independently, but is supported by Sun Microsystems, who now sells a program called StarOffice based off OO. Another step forward is the introduction of a new opensource file format called “OpenDocument”. OO will also have full support for reading MS Office file formats, so you won’t (or shouldn’t) have any issues when working with others. If you don’t want to spend a few hundred bucks on a Microsoft product then I recommend this as the best alternative. (100% free)

Link: OpenOffice.org | Official Press Release
More: Download v2.0 | Get Java Runtime (required)

Recent Posts: iPod Video Released | Free iPod Nanos

NeWs Up^2-DaTe (27) - Sunday, October 16, 2005

1) Apple Releases iMac G5 w/ FrontRow, a new “media-center” like application (still Tiger OS X). This new computer has a new GUI to control Music, Photos, and Videos from a remote control. It also has a built in iSight, so no external units or cables are required to record video or participate in video chat rooms. The iMac comes in both 17″ and 20″ displays which can either run a 1.9Ghz or 2.1Ghz G5 proccessor. (128MB ATI Radeon) Finally it also comes with a built in AirPort card so no external cables or installation is required. See Apple’s website for more information.
Link: iMac G5 | Mac Mini
Related: Apple iMac G5 Keynote Presentation

2) MSN and Yahoo Messengers to be linked up soon. This means that if you log onto either MSN or Yahoo Messenger you will be able to communicate with eachother via text messages and/or voice chat. This new free service is expected to be launched Spring ‘06, and everyone will be able to start to add contacts that are using either MSN or Yahoo!. Microsoft had tried to create an AIM compatible program with MSN Messenger a few years ago, but AOL decided not to allow such a compeditor to have access to their netowork. Thefore, it was soon shutdown.

“IM interoperability is the right thing for our customers, our businesses and the industry as a whole, and Microsoft is delighted to help lead these efforts with Yahoo,” Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer

Also when both these clients are combined they will make up about 44% of the online IM market. (AIM / ICQ make up ~56%) Another reason MSN and Yahoo have turned in this direction is to divert customers from using free VoIP clients such as Skype or even Google Talk
Link: MSN Messenger | Yahoo Messenger
Related: Skype | Google Talk

3) Google Office Soon??? - Google and Sun Microsystems had a meeting discussing the possiblities of creating a new verison of OpenOffice that could be available to all Google users, with special integration features. Open Office is an open-source java-based “ms office” like application that includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, and drawing programs. Google’s motive to push this forward is to get Microsoft Office users away from Microsoft products. Google is expected to do some integration with Gmail, GTalk, and Desktop Search programs with OpenOffice. OpenOffice is free so download it from the link below.
Link: Internet News | OpenOffice

Other:
Earth Image from Space in Winter ‘04 [NASA]
NEW High Definition Movie Trailers [Apple]
Sony PSP vs. Apple iPod (Video) [PSP World]

Recent Post:
iPod Video Released - (Free iPod Video)
PSP Firmware v2.50
Free iPod Nanos Conga

iPod Video Finally Released - Thursday, October 13, 2005

Apple unveiled a new product on Wednesday (10/12/05). The new item was the long awaited Video iPod. There had been rumors about a video iPod for over a year. There were rumors about this product for over a year now and it has finally been released. This iPod is also meant to replace all current standard iPods. The new Apple line-up consists of the iPod Shuffle, the iPod Nano, and the iPod Video.

“Yes, it does video,” Steve Jobs, Apple CEO

The new iPod (video iPod) looks very similar to the iPod Nanos, except the unit is slightly bigger and has a wide screen display. (Also comes in black and white). This iPod has a standard HD like previous iPods, only the iPod Nanos have flash drives in them. The iPod video is actually thinner than the current 20GB iPod. The unit has a 2.5″ TFT screen and is 320×240 pixels (260k colors). There is a video-out jack for connecting the iPod to TVs to display videos and photos. The iPod Video supports playing MPEG-4 and H.264 codec. There are many programs that can convert to these formats, but if you are an iPod owner I recommend purchasing QuickTime Pro which has specific settings that will ensure compatibility with your iPod.

The iPod video comes in a 60GB model for $399 and a 30GB model for $299. Apple has started to sell high quality music videos on the iTunes music store for $1.99. iTunes also has many TV shows (ABC), which also are currently priced at $1.99. Many iPod Nano owners had constant issues with the screen scratching easily and since the iPod Video has the same surface; Apple has included a protective case to help prevent damaging your screen.

Link: iPod Lineup | iTunes v6.0 | QuickTime v7.0.3
iPod Video: Main Page | Features | Accessories | Specs | 3D View
Coverage: BetaNews | TUAW | Slashdot | Lifehacker | Gizmodo | Engadget
Recent Post: PSP Firmware v2.5 Released

PSP Firmware v2.50 Released - Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Sony just released a PSP Update v2.50 on Wednesday (10/12/05). This is a bigger update compared to the v2.1 released by them a few weeks ago to prevent PSP owners from downgrading their v2.0 units back to v1.5. (v1.5 allows running home brew applications). This version is more stable fix than v2.1, which was aimed directly at blocking using the TIFF image hack to downgrade v2.0 units. No games currently require v2.5 or even v2.1 to play, but games released in December will probably require it.

This update (v2.50) includes :

• Revisions to strengthen security have been added.
• [Location Free Player] has been added as a feature under [Network].
• [Auto-Select] and [Unicode (UTF-8)] have been added as options to [Encoding] under [View] in the [Internet Browser] menu bar.
• [Text Size] and [Display Mode] settings of the [Internet Browser] can now be saved.
• The input history of the online forms accessed through the [Internet Browser] can now be saved.
• Copyright-proctected video can now be played under [Video]. (This applies to video data saved on Memory Stick.)
• [Set via Internet] has been added as an option to [Date & Time Settings] under [Settings].
• WPA-PSK (AES) has been added as a security method under [Network Settings].
• Korean input mode has been added to the on-screen keyboard.

The update is currently only available through the WiFi update, but should soon be placed onto PlayStation’s update page. I reccomend that you do not update to the new version yet. Doing so will definatly lockup the ability to run homebrew applications, but for those that do not plan on using homebrew applications a few new features would be nice. (P.S. If you do not have WiFi to update do this:Download Available Here)

Update: Here are some images of the Location Free Player. This will allow you to watch (stream) TV on your PSP if you have purchased LocationFree Base. Since most PSP owners do not own one of these this will be a completley usless feature for many. Other neat feature I noticed was in the browser. In the past the browser would only connect to the WEB if a URL was entered, but now as soon as you start the webbrowser it takes you to your homepage. The PSP also now syncs your time with Sony’s servers if you choose to set time via Internet. This will be accurate and you can re-sync it once in a while to ensure accuracy.

Note: No downgrade for anything other than v2.0 -> v1.50 is available!

Link: PlayStation SoftWare Update Page
Previous: Downgrade PSP v2.0 to v1.5

Google Reader Launched - Saturday, October 8, 2005

Google just launched an online news aggregator wich can read both RSS and Atom feeds. This service is still in BETA, but is accessable to all that have either a Google or Gmail Account. The iGoogle page already offers a similar feature by syndicating RSS/Atom feeds, but only generates links to the titles. This new service will be similar to NewsGator, BlogLines, Feedster, and Kinja currently offer. My Yahoo and My MSN (and My AOL BETA) are all more like iGoogle than the actual readers. This service can be used as an alternative to programs such as Mozilla Thunerbird. This service will allow you to get all the news that you want anywhere you have access to the internet. This will also make it easier to avoid running into ads and popups by directly accessing RSS and Atom content. Google has also created a Gmail like interface allowing you to leave items as un-read, read, or stared. Google Reader also allows emailing the articles (via Gmail) or blogging it (w/ Blogger). Another neat feature is the way you add feeds into the Reader. You can either search for a website’s name and it will show results of possible feeds or you can just manualy enter the feed url into the applet. This is a great tool even though it is still in BETA. Try it out and add this site in to test it out. (http://skattertech.com/feed/)

Link: Google Reader | Google Labs
Related: More info via GoogleBlog
Recent Posts: Lexus IS 250 | Free iPod Nanos