This week’s Command-N sees Amber and Mikey hanging out outdoors on a lovely day to give us webdesign tips and tricks, discuss Google’s new blog searching tool, the new Yahoo! Mail Beta and how to get in on the new digs (and of course, if those new digs are worthwhile), news about the iPod Nano, the weekly web picks, and much much more! Check it out:
Command-N Episode 15 // September 18, 2005 – [ episode notes and download links ]
The man commonly known as the architect of the plan to absorb TechTV, dismantle it, remove the technology programming and lay off the TechTV staff, and relocate to Los Angeles has been removed as CEO of G4 Television. If the rumor is true, personally I think this is good news, regardless of whether it means something good for G4 television or the rebirth of any technology programming on television, it’s good to see that Hirschorn’s bad decisions have finally caught up with him and something is being done about it. One can only hope that in the future other network executives won’t make similar mistakes.
Everyone who said that Hirschorn would rue the day he dismantled and destroyed technology on television, and it would seem that now that day’s actually come around.
[ http://krose.typepad.com/kevinrose/2005/09/g4_ceo_fired.html ]
I knew I was forgetting something! And how could I, when Digital Life is such a wonderful show! Patrick Norton’s new net tv show, Digital Life TV, airs every Tuesday night at 9PM, and this week was no exception, but for those who missed it (like me) no need to worry, the media is available for download in various formats after the show on-demand!
Head over now to download episode 5 and learn more about the iPod Nano and how everyone loves it (including me), the Firefox 1.5 Beta, the lowdown on the seven (7, count ’em SEVEN) versions of Microsoft Windows Vista that will apparently be released, the Open Office 2.0 beta, and more!
Digital Life TV Episode 5 // September 13, 2005 – [ episode notes and download links ]
And guess what? TechTVForever.net is already up there! Isn’t that sweet?
Ahem. Seriously. The ability to only search blogs is kind of interesting, and I think it’s a step towards affirming blogging as a legitimate and valuable source of information and news. I find that some of the best unfiltered and personal on-the-ground information and reporting comes from blogs, especially in situations like the wake of hurricane Katrina, and personal experiences from journalists working on the ground in Iraq; and now Google if the first (again) to give us a tool to help us search all of that information! Read more about it:
[ http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122549,tk,dn091405X,00.asp ]
Try it out!
[ http://www.google.com/blogsearch/ ]
A new Weezy and The Swish, up and ready to fly! This week the dynamic trio interview Ron Zonen, the prosecutor who laid out the charges against Michael Jackson and fought him in court. Everyone asks Zonen questions, he gleefully responds, and the entire thing is both informative and hilarious! If you were ever curious about how the trial actually went, this is what you need to hear. Enjoy!
Weezy and The Swish Episode 14 // September 12, 2005 – [ episode notes | download ]
In what I think is really just a teaser until the next Systm comes out, Kevin Rose examines the brand new (you guessed it) iPod Nano [ http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/ ] and gives you a tour of its features, its feel, and of course, what makes it tick. Kevin takes the Nano apart to show you the insides and all the goodies that lie beneath that slick, shiny interface. Enjoy!
SubSystm Episode 1 // [ episode notes | download links ]
Another TWiT in the can! This week, episode 22, your fine hosts are Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, Roger Chang, Alex Lindsay, and John C. Dvorak, recorded live at Noonan’s Bar and Grill in Larkspur Landing, California. Hope the drinks were on the house! Of course the guys start out by chatting up Apple’s announcements last week, the iPod Nano, the Motorola ROKR, Quicktime 7, and more, including the fact that the ROKR’s DRM seems to have been hacked already, the crew ponder if we’ll ever see a video iPod, then move on to discuss the seven different flavors of Windows Vista that we’ll see when it’s finally released (boy, that’ll be fun), and not to mention the fact that for hi-definition protected content, Windows Vista will force you to buy a new monitor. Yes, you heard me right. I’ll wait for the hack on that one. Next, the gang chat up IPTV and bittorrent, a new security flaw in Firefox, and much much more-no sense in me giving away the whole show when you can download the podcast and listen to it! Check it out:
This Week In Tech [TWIT] Episode 22 // September 11, 2005 – [ episode notes | download ]
A brand new DiggNation is up and ready for download! Forget that Thursday thing I was talking about earlier, this week’s episode had the audio and video up at the same time early this morning. This week the guys talk about, of course-the hot topic everyone’s chatting about, Apple’s new iPod Nano, iTunes 5 and the final version of Quicktime 7 for Windows, NerdTV, holographic projection, the Superman Returns trailer, and more, along with the witty commentary, tangential stories, and beer reviews that you’ve come to love from DiggNation!
DiggNation Episode 11 // September 8, 2005 – [ episode notes | download links ]
This week is the reunion of Amber and Mikey, back together hosting the show again! This week the dynamic duo take on Apple’s newest addition to the iPod lineup, the iPod Nano [ http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/ ], the new iTunes 5.0, the Motorola ROKR-the first iTunes compatible cell phone, NerdTV, and much much more, including Amber and Mikey’s weekly webpicks! Check out all of the new segments as well and head over and download the new episode!
Command-N Episode 14 // September 12, 2005 – [ episode notes and download lnks ]
This week’s episode is all about passwords. Selecting good ones, how to remember them, the importance of passwords, you know the drill. Except Leo and Steve take on the issue from a user’s perspective. Additionally, find out why a microsoft security expert suggests you should actually write your passwords down, and more on this week’s Security Now!
Security Now! Episode 4 // September 8, 2005 – [ episode notes | download ]
If you have to be on the bleeding edge of technology (like I do) then this download is for you. Keep in mind that Firefox alphas and betas are completely without end-user support, so you’ll have to do some digging to find out solutions to problems if you have them, or just go back to the last standard release, which in this case would be 1.06. Anyway, it looks like the beta’s finally made it out in the open, and after downloading it myself, I can tell you it’s a serious speed improvement, especially on Mac OS X. May not beat Safari quite yet, especially on systems with less RAM than they should have, but it’s definitely much much better and i enjoy it.
Anyway, you can download the new beta here:
[ http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/beta1.html ]
And read PCWorld’s announcement here, which covers a points I missed, namely about enhanced security, functionality, and what’s on the horizon for the Mozilla Foundation (namely Firefox 2.0!). Read all about it:
[ http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122459,tk,dn090905X,00.asp ]
Lucky 13th episode of Weezy and the Swish is up and ready to digest. This week the magic trio discuss how on earth they’ll ever get their schedules sorted out, the significance of labor day, Weezy lands a role in a documentary (I’m scared) and much much more! Head over and pick it up!
Weezy and the Swish Episode 13 // September 6. 2005 – [ episode notes | download ]
Two major announcements from Apple today: first of all, Apple is continuing its partnership with Cingular and Motorola to introduce a full on iTunes phone, the ROKR from Motorola, available in the United States only through Cingular, which patches straight into the iTunes Music Store through a dedicated music button on the phone. It’s pretty neat, especially if you dig mp3s on your cellphone and using real songs as your ringtones, and I can only hope that the partnership extends to other cellular providers in the United States. This is definitely the phone for music lovers.
Check out the phone:
[ http://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/rokr/ ]
Pretty sweet, huh? Well, while everyone expected that announcement, and it’s admittedly awesome, it wasn’t all Apple had in store today! Meet the iPod Nano, the tiniest mp3 player on the planet, but beefy on storage: when I first saw it, I seriously thought it was a joke, but it’s not-the thing is thinner than a number 2 pencil, sports 14 hour battery life, comes with a color LCD display, and in 2GB and 4GB models. It’s beautiful, check it out:
[ http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/ ]
Absolutely gorgeous. Starting at $199 US, it’s not too horribly pricey that it doesn’t fit snugly into Apple’s iPod lineup. Now we just need to get our hands on one and we can see the real deal for ourselves. I’m looking forward to it.
UPDATE // iLounge has an excellent first look article at the iPod Nano that’ll blow you away. I mean seriously, this thing is hot. Check it out:
[ http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/super-first-look-apple-computer-ipod-nano/ ]
Another excellent Extremetech article all about hacking your favorite software! Firefox [ http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ ], which is my web browser of choice at least, and the browser of choice for internet savvy browsers around the globe, is probably the most customizable web browsing program ever, and customizing it is incredibly easy. Extremetech has, for those who are willing to make some minor changes, and a few more willing to get a bit deeper under the hood and get their hands dirty, a variety of methods to tweak your browser and get the absolute most out of your web surfing experience. Read on for details!
[ http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1854234,00.asp ]
Extremetech to the rescue! For all the folks who recently bought Macs or just upgraded to Mac OS 10.4, “Tiger,” there are a ton of awesome tools and utilities that’ll let you get under the hood and change the settings in a way that System Preferences never let you do! A lot of these techniques are simply commands that can be issued at the command line in Terminal, if you swing that way, but these tools bundle them up into a neat little GUI that will give you all the pleasure of changing your system settings by clicking checkboxes and moving sliders, if you don’t really dig typing in commands.
Definitely worth a try; the article is a bit lengthy, but it’s only to show you what’s possible with all of the various utilities listed in the article, and the best part is that they’re all free! If you’re a Mac user, this is a must-read:
[ http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1852496,00.asp ]
If you’re like me at all, you want complete and total control over your operating system, and you want it now. Tools that allow you to tweak the look and feel of the OS and even get under the hood a bit are essential on my systems, and X-Setup Pro, suggested to the TechTVForever Yahoogroup [ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/techtv-forever/ ] by member Sanman294 [ blog: http://sanman294.blogspot.com/ ], is a definite winner. Check out the text in the PC World software library describing the program:
Tweak more than 1500 functions in Windows, Internet Explorer, and other common programs with simple button clicks. X-Setup allows you to change the appearance of your desktop or browser, modify memory settings, or bump your security up a notch.
The Explorer-like interface makes navigating the tweak options a snap. Optional Record Mode and log files make it easy to retrace your steps and even reproduce your work on thousands of computers. You can view the source code of every plug-in before installing it, or you can set X-Setup to automatically update with new plug-ins.
Thanks Sanman294! Download the program here:
[ http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,6906,tk,hsx,00.asp ]
A new Firefox beta is coming soon, as reported in PCWorld:
[ http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122396,tk,dn090205X,00.asp ]
and listed on the Mozilla Developer News blog:
[ http://developer.mozilla.org/devnews/ ]
it looks like the new beta version (and keep in mind that this is a BETA version, meaning there’s no official support, and it should be only used by developers or other people who can submit feedback to the Mozilla group on real bugs and issues, not “omgthiswebsitedontwork!!!11one”) will be available before the end of the week. Increased Mac OS X supporrt, along with speed increases, and improved popup blocking are among the features expected in this new version. Keep an eye out if you need to be on the bleeding edge of the browser wars, but the layperson can take this as news that we’ll probably never see a Firefox 1.1, and will likely instead see the direct jump to 1.5 in October.
Both Microsoft and Logitech are rushing out their newest generations of computer peripherals, both vying for your upgrade dollars the next time you’re considering getting a new keyboard or mouse to replace those old busted ones, or if you’re thinking about an upgrade, or if you’re a gamer who wants to keep on top of your game with the ultimate peripherals. Microsoft has compeltely redesigned its lineup, focusing on ergonomics and style, but also for the first time really focusing on the gamers in the crowd as potential peripheral buyers:
[ http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122404,tk,dn090605X,00.asp ]
Logitech isn’t out of the game though, among their new peripherals are of course the MX518 Gaming mouse and the G5 Laser mouse(and the G7, it’s cordless cousin), the former sporting over 1600 dpi resolution on the optical sensor and the latter sporting a removable cartridge that allows gamers to customize the weight of their mouse for maximum effect. Also, it looks like Logitech, while Microsoft is targeting the gamers, is going after the regular users a bit more now that they have some serious gaming peripherals on the market with their new MX610 Laser cordless mouse, which promises to come with a light-up “eye” that will flash orange, for example, when a new instant message is recieved, and blue, for example, when a new email is recieved. Poking the eye will bring up the respective program! Sounds cool, huh? Check it out:
[ http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122421,tk,dn090605X,00.asp ]
Regardless of which peripheral will catch your eye, one thing is for sure; more competition in the peripheral market will hopefully mean better peripherals for everyone, and lower prices to boot.
We all know that Andy Walker is leaving Call for Help, although American audiences may not notice the difference until after the new year, when the shows are finally caught up, but those of us who know and respect Andy Walker for the technology guru that he is are more than sad to see him go.
Sadly, the reason Andy’s leaving is simple: contract foo. He’s an incredibly valuable asset to the show, and they tried to fork him a pay cut when it came around time for contract renewals. (sound familiar? TechTV did the same thing to Leo before it shuttered its windows!) And of course, having a life to lead, Andy did what any responsible person did, and declined the new offer, off to hopefully find someplace that would appreciate his talent. Well, we appreciate his talen and we want the executives at Call for Help to know that we do!
Andy has given me the go ahead to post the general Call for Help info email address: [ info@callforhelptv.com ] to send your comments, your disdain for their decision to treat Andy as such, and for you to send your suggestions that they bring him back to the show. Andy suggests that you also cc Leo himself on the messages: [ leo@callforhelptv.com ] because the program execs keep an eye on the info address, and Leo will have a real number of folks emailing if he’s cc’d on the messages-that way the execs can’t downplay it.
Get those keyboards working, everyone! Let your voices be heard!
Patrick Norton’s new project, Digital Life TV, is up and running! I’ve missed a few episodes, but I was expecting something like a downloadable video or podcast, but no need for that at all-it’s much like a TV show in that it airs every Tuesday night at 9PM EST over the Digital Life TV website! You’ll need broadband internet access and the latest Windows Media Player to view it, but it’s there and you can hop on and watch it, and if you missed it you can check out the on-demand version after the fact as well.
This week’s show, aired on September 6, 2005, discusses Intel’s response to the AMD lawsuit, Samsung giving up on the whole HD-DVD versus Blu-Ray thing and releasing a dual-standard DVD player, more speculation on Apple releasing something in addition to the much-anticipated iTunes cellphone tomorrow, the brilliant DVD Jon managed to crack Windows Media Encryption (is there anything this guy can’t crack?), Dell’s 99 dollar laser printer, and much much more! Head on over to the new site, DigitalLife.tv [ http://www.digitallifetv.com/
Digital Life TV Episode 4 // September 6, 2005 – [ episiode notes and show links ]