tech | microsoft Serial Verification cracked in 24 hrs

From BoingBoing and the Inquirer…

Link

web | flickr search app

Ran across this Flickr search app today. It’s built in flash and has a very smooth interface. But, in addition to search, it also shows you related tags based on your inquiry. Excellent implementation of the API.

technorati tags :: web | flickr | search | tag

saturn’s creepy radio emissions

If you haven’t heard this, you should really listen to it. It’s kinda spooky.

Posted Here.

technorati tags :: saturn | space | tech

tech | stealing wifi

As there’s more and more buzz concerning the Florida man being arrested for stealing wifi, I decided to comment on it.

Now, this is real simple: If you don’t want people piggybacking on your WiFi signal, LOCK IT DOWN.

1. Don’t broadcast your signal. If you do this you’ll take care of all the non-technical piggybackers who cannot find a signal unless it’s broadcasted. This will take care of about 90% of the freeloaders.

2. Use Authentication and encrypt the connection (WAP/WEP). This is very easy for anyone using commercial interfaces like D-Link’s, Netgear’s, or Linksys.

3. Authenticate machines with MAC address. This is a very effective way of not allowing any computer to connect but the ones you specifically want to connect.

I don’t understand why this has to be an issue. It’s just ridiculous. Don’t blame people for using your connection if you don’t take the proper steps in protecting it. If you take the above steps and someone uses your connection than a complaint is at least admissable.

CNN Article
O’reilly — Very nice interpretation
BoingBoing
Endgadget

technorati tags :: tech

web | tag cloud is cool

Implemented Tag Cloud today. See it here. I really like what this does. Hopefully I’ll have some time to play around with it more. One thing I would like to see is the ability to view the results in my page in a custom format. That would really make this thing a lot cooler. But, it’s still in beta.

Update: I emailed them feedback about the ability to view results in my own page and they responded nearly immediately. They said they had not planned on implementing such a feature, unless it was overwhelmingly requested by their users. They did say they are contemplating providing an RSS feed with the results, which still would be pretty cool.

technorati tags :: tags | web

biz | Google countersues Microsoft

The battle ensues with Google countersuing Microsoft claiming their non-compete clause is “overreaching and unlawful”. Can’t they play nice?

Google countersues Microsoft | Staff Writer | Computer Business Review

technorati tags :: business | tech | google | microsoft

formatting issues

I am having formatting issues using Blogjet with apostrophes and quotes. It’s just showing question marks. I am working on fixing this issue. Posting through Blogger is fine though, which is odd. There’s also some spacing problems with my technorati tags listings. Working through it. Also fixing the commenting system.

gadgets | new motorola phone

Scoble posted an article about a mobile RSS aggregator. He pointed me to this phone after which my jaw dropped. It’s “The Q”, Motorola’s new smartphone. Wow. Looks like my Audiovox SMT-5600 will be replaced sooner than later.

technorati tags :: hardware | gadget

web | maps and satellites

I?ve been playing around with the various mapping web applications available. Google?s new ?Hybrid? feature shows satellite images with street names overlayed on top of it. It?s very neat. I?ve played with Google?s a lot but just noticed the Hybrid feature this evening.

I also jumped into Microsoft?s virtual earth, which was somewhat impressive at first but after about five minutes of playing around I decided it was no where near as smooth or functional as Google?s version, which MS seemed to copy poorly.

Iowa State University with Google Hybrid.

Iowa State University on MSN Virtual Earth.

Yahoo maps just sucks.

technorati tags :: web | maps

biz | get in line for the next bubble, before it bursts

There was an article in the economist over the weekend about the ‘next bubble’ involving the tech sector claiming “Internet firms are all the rage again”?. In the latest Business 2.0, there was an article concerning the next wave of technology. And today on the B2.0 blog there was a post about how much VC’s are spending this quarter ($5.4 billion on 524 deals).

Get in line because here comes the ‘Internet Bubble, Part II’. Who will be the next Google, Amazon, etc? The line’s growing with new media companies that embrace Web 2.0 technologies that are following what B2.0 claimed to be the ‘Fifth Wave’. It should be interesting to see play out.

Another tech-stocks bubble? | Buttonwood | The Economist
VCs Investing at a Healthy Clip | Erick Schonfeld | B2DAY
How to Ride the Fifth Wave | Michael V Copeland | Business 2.0

technorati tags :: business | tech