I am sure by now everyone has seen or heard about the TechCrunch Internet Tablet – they’ve just updated the tablet and provided some great pictures and videos of the newest version.  You can view the pictures and videos:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/19/techcrunch-tablet-update-prototype-b/

As I was reading the article, and looking at the product there are a few things that they need to do to make it more attractive (physically) and to lower the cost.  I wouldn’t spend $299.00 on it since I could buy a cheap-o laptop for around that much or even a netbook or for $100.00 or so more a fully fuctioning netbook with more bells and whistles.

Things they should consider:

• Make it slimmer – cut out more plastic from the case.
• Drop the camera.  I’ve been using computers for around 20 years now and never really used the camera – perhaps I’m the wrong demographic, but if I’m surfing the web I don’t need a camera.
• Why is there a port for a monitor?  Get rid of it.

I don’t know if this will drop the price to the $200.00 mark – but it will go some ways to lower the price to bring it in at the $200.00 mark that they initially wanted to sell the product at.

Mohamed

Technorati Tags: techcrunch, techcrunch internet tablet

So where am I with my digital picture frame?  Not where I expected to be.  I took me a little longer to get the mat made.  I thought I’d try it myself – but it’s about $30.00 for the mat.  If I mess it up – it’s garbage.

Oh here is the link to the first part of this post – That’s Soooo Geek! Making My Own Digital Picture Frame!

So I headed over to Michaels (Arts & Crafts Store) and had them create a custom mat for me.  It will take about 5-7 days before I get it then (and only then) will I start cutting the backing where the LCD will be held along with the motherboard and other stuff.

The cost of the mat with all taxes is about $40.00 — twice as much as the frame!!!  So this better come out good.

So total cost so far has been $23.00 for the frame, and around $38.00 for the mat for a total of $61.00.  I have to spend a little more on plastic (or wood) risers so that I can mount the laptop and probably some additional stuff to ensure that the LCD stays in place.  I figure another $20.00 – $50.00 (max) on the additional items.

The image to the just above is a mock-up of what it will look like when it’s done.  The LCD is 12×9 so the frame is MUCH bigger than that, so what I decided is was to keep about 3″ from the top, left and right and center it there.  I’ll put some random black and whites along the bottom as I’ve shown.  This will keep things in balance, and hopefully look good.

The mat is white, can’t remember the exact color though but it is slightly off-white.  Although I’ve shown color pictures along the bottom, they will probably be black and whites that I’ve taken of my son (those pictures are of my son).

I’m going to start loading software onto the hard drive this week, but first need to dig up my copy of Windows 2000 – it’s somewhere in a box as that is what I used on my old desktop.

I tried some sample placements of the frame, and found that I may need to create some flat cables for the LCD because of how everything fits together.  I’m not using a heat sink, so I hope that the sucker doesn’t overheat… it shouldn’t.

I will also need to purchase a longer IDE cable because there will not be enough room for the HD otherwise.  So while it won’t be as simple as I expected it to be – it’s slowly starting to come together!

Technorati Tags: build your own digital picture frame, digital picture frame, diy digital picture frame, how to make a digital picture frame, make your own digital picture frame from an old laptop, wireless digital picture frame

I’ve mentioned a few times about what I do, as Director of Customer Service and Operations I manage a team of 30 people in a few different areas.  One of my key responsibilities is to provide support and be in touch with the office.  When I first started, I had a plain-jane cell phone.  Nothing very cool.  I was then upgraded to a Blackberry.

First few weeks I ended up getting Blackberry thumb.  My thumb ached from using the scroll wheel on the side.  Eventually I got used to it.  It was a great phone, just bulky.

Most recently the company phones came up for upgrades through our cell carrier, so I was given a few choices:

• BlackBerry World Phone
• BlackBerry Curve

I ended up picking the BlackBerry Curve.

Initially I wasn’t quite sure about it since it’s a bit wider than my old BlackBerry but it is much thinner and it had a few great features that my old BB didn’t have:

• Email and Text Messaging
• Instant Messaging
• Organizer
• Browser
• Advanced Phone Features – Voice Activated Dialing
• Advanced Phone Features – Quad Band SmartPhone
• Camera – 2mp with built-in flash, 5x digital zoom
• Video Recording
• Media Player
• Social Networking
• BlackBerry Maps
• GPS – subscription service
• Wi-Fi
• Expandable Memory – I added 2gb mini-SD
• Trackball

I’ve tried most of the features on the phone.  Love the camera and video recording – quality is not bad for a phone.  The voice activated dialing is GREAT!  Works with my Bluetooth headset, though I always try not to take or place calls when I’m driving.

The GPS subscription service is good, but I’ve noticed that it is a bit slow at times and sometimes you get the weirdest directions.  My favourite is:

• Go .5 km and make a u-turn

The problem is the road that I was on doesn’t really permit u-turns as it’s pretty damn busy!!!  Got a chuckle out of those… Otherwise the GPS system is great, however at $10.00/month you are better off buying a dedicated GPS unit for your vehicle.  Of course the advantage with having everything on your phone is just that – ONE DEVICE, not phone + GPS + PDA etc.,

Text messaging is as you would use it on any other phone – but having a full QWERTY keyboard is a godsend (ok, so I exaggerate…).  But seriously, it’s much better than hitting one key a million times to get a different key.

I’ve also used the Instant Messaging to keep in touch with my team, and a few of the guys in IT that I work with regularly.

I like this phone so much, I am seriously considering getting one for my wife.  She has a LG slider and the battery just sucks on the phone. 

The only thing that I don’t like is the cheap, vinyl case that RIM packages.  Surely a company that is on top of the world can afford to provide a better case?  It’s a $200.00+ phone and to give you a $24.99 case (which probably costs them $0.50 each) is kind of cheesy.  The case that they provide for the World Phone is much nicer…

Otherwise I’m pretty happy with the BlackBerry – the Curve is a great phone!

Technorati Tags: blackberry curve smartphone, blackberry rim

I bought my son a new laptop, nothing extravagant for a 5-year old, it’s an Acer Aspire 5315 that I picked up on clearance from Staples.  Brand new, and in the box for a measly $300.00.  Sure it only has 512mb memory and 80gb hard drive — but for a kid that does nothing more than play around and watch Pingo on YouTube — worth every penny!  The only upgrade that I plan on making is memory, from 512mb to 2gb as it is running Windows Vista Home (basic) – it runs OK but videos really crap out.

I ended up buying 2gb of memory from NCIX.COM for $60.00 – and am waiting for them to deliver it so that I can upgrade the computer.

So now I have had his old Toshiba that I ripped apart.  Literally.  Why?  Turning the LCD into a digital picture frame!  The laptop is a Toshiba Satellite A20 (PSA20C-OCH4DP) – it was time to go.  He spilled orange juice on it a few times, and puked on it once.  Yummy – NOT!  The speakers were starting to go but it was great as an Internet PC.

• Top left – the laptop (Toshiba Satellite A20), fully assembled.
• Bottom right – taking everything apart.  In the background you can see the keyboard, CD-ROM, HD, FAN and Alps Touch Pad.

• Top left – a few of the left overs, the case and other parts are all plastic and now in the trash.
• Bottom right – took the speakers out as well, those are the two tiny pieces.

There it is – all taken apart.  LCD, modem, CD-ROM, battery, speakers, ALPS touch pad, fan, heat sink, motherboard with wireless thingy, etc., etc.,

I put it all together and managed to get it to work!  Woo-hoo!  That’s a good thing…

So next step will be to put it all together into the frame.

I bought a frame from Ikea for around $20.00 CDN (that’s like $20.00 US) and it will work perfect!  I’m now installing software onto the 60gb HD and will start mounting shortly.  I have to get a custom mat made for it as the display is 12″ x 9″ and the mat is 11.75″ x 11.75″ — just a tad too high but length was OK.

That’s the frame I bought – looks really sharp!  As our floors are Oak-colored laminate and most of our furniture is black the frame should go very nicely.  Once it’s done, I’ll post pictures.

As the laptop has wireless, I will be able to have it pick-up photos from my personal website (bhimji.ca) and display them automagically.  I can also link up with Googles’ Picaso — haven’t really decided which yet.  I will also be able to connect to it from my laptop as well as my kids laptop.  Cool!!!

Now remember I’m not a techno-geek, but I knew if I tried to sell the Toshiba laptop I might get $50.00 for it (if I was lucky) so why not turn it into something useful – the digital picture frame is perfect!  And I might score some points with “da-wiff” for actually doing something useful around the place. 

Now you’re probably saying “what a freakin’ geek!  Why not just buy one?” – yah, you are right.  You could also go out and buy one – see that image up there?  That’s a 15″ DPF that FutureShop sells for $369.99 CDN + TAXES. 

Well, I should be able to build one for around $75.00 (or less).  Why buy a measly tiny one?  A 7″, 8″ or even 9″ will still cost you around the $150.00 mark.  Sure this one will be BIG and a little bulky, but it will be sitting in a very nice frame and when hanging on the wall – aside from the ugly power cord – it will look pretty sharp (in my opinion).

Now if all this talk has got you just dying to get the inner-geek out of you and tell the world you could pick-up one of these cool geek t-shirts from over at http://www.BaseAcid.com - they’ve actually got some nice shirts.  And no… I’m not going to buy one for me…

Once I get the software loaded and tested out and get the basic stuff mounted and ready to go, I’ll post some pictures.

I was thinking about going step-by-step in taking apart the laptop – but in reality you don’t need instructions to do this.  Take off all the screws.  Pretty simple.  Then start ripping things apart.  There, all the instructions you need.

Although I’ve wanted to do this for sometime, a couple of sites inspired me with picking the frame and how to mount it:

• http://www.grynx.com/projects/laptop-on-the-wall-walltop/
• http://www.ferhoodle.com/index.html

UPDATE July 30, 2008 – We’ve been featured!! Check out the link to our site over at http://repair4laptop.org/disassembly_toshiba.html

Update July 30, 2008 – We’ve updated our series of posts:

• My Own Digital Picture Frame – Part 2
• Digital Picture Frame – Update

Mohamed

Technorati Tags: diy digital picture frame, make your own digital picture frame from an old laptop

It is official!  The iPhone is coming, legitimately to Canada on July 11, 2008 via Rogers.  I know many people that purchased from the US and were using them here on either Rogers or Fido network…

I’m definately looking forward to picking up one of these puppies!  I was going to get a iTouch, but the iPhone has all that + cell phone!  What more could you want?

But now to wait and see how much they will sell the phone for and how much the plans will be going for.  The biggest problem, of course, is that the plans are bloody expensive!  If worst comes to worst, I’ll cancel my Telus contract and foot the $200.00 bill and jump onto Rogers.  With number portability, atleast I can keep my cell phone number!

And NO this is not an early April Fools joke!  Check out the release:

http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=67410

More from http://marketnews.ca/news_detail.asp?nid=3800:

An exact date for the iPhone’s launch into Canada has finally been confirmed: as of July 11, the latest, 3G iPhone will be available through Rogers Wireless stores.

The new 3G model, debuted at the Apple Developer’s Conference in San Francisco, CA today, includes features like built-in GPS, compatibility with “hundred” of third-party applications built with the new iPhone SDK, and 2.0 software with support for Microsoft Exchange Active Sync, which could help to make it a fierce competitor to the popular BlackBerry. Anotherr feature that will appeal to the business customer is called MobileMe, which will effectively “push” e-mails, contact, and calendar information from an online “cloud” to native applications. A MobileMe gallery served as a repository and sharing site for photos snapped using the iPhone.  As icing on the cake, a new “App Store” includes various applications, ranging from gaming to business, sports, health, and travel-related activities.

Like its predecessor, the next-generation iPhone works on WiFi networks, as well as cellular high-speed. The phone has a rated 5-hours of talk time, up to 5 or 6 hours of web browsing, and 7 hours of video playback. Audio can be played back for up to 24 hours on a full charge of the battery.

“We’re excited to be working with Rogers to bring iPhone 3G to Canada,” added Tim Cook, Apple’s COO. “We can’t wait to get this revolutionary phone in the hands of even more people around the world.”

Although I was unable to gather Canadian pricing information from Rogers (TBA), we do know that the device will sell in the U.S. for $199 for the 8 GB model, and US$299 for the 16 GB model.

Update: http://krisabel.ctv.ca/blog/_archives/2008/6/9/3736547.html

Hopefully the plans will not be priced out of reach for most individuals…

Technorati Tags: apple iphone, rogers wireless

There are many vulnerabilities out there, hackers, phishers – you name it.  It certainly doesn’t help that browsers are the key to get at your data.  But there are simple steps you can take NOW to protect yourself.

Step #1 – Stop Phishing

Keep passwords private – don’t reveal them!  Not even to family or close friends. Of course you trust your family and friends but once revealed you can never be sure that they will not unwittingly reveal your password to someone else. There may be occasions, due to sickness or accident for example, when you have to allow family or close friends to access some on-line accounts. Following such occasions you should change your passwords as soon as practically possible.

Step #2 – Stop Phishing

Use secure passwords. Never use a password such as your middle name, your pet’s name, your birthday etc. These may be easy to guess. Nor should you use any word that exists in the dictionary. A good password uses a combination of letters and numbers and symbols. It’s possible to create such passwords in an easy to remember format. For example, the password A$4A10c looks quite random but may be remembered as “A dollar for a dime”.

Step #3 – Stop Phishing

Use good security software (anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam, firewall) and don’t forget to keep it updated.

Step #4 – Stop Phishing

Alway, always, ALWAYS use the most current versions of Internet browsers. Most of the current versions contain their own anti-phishing filters and blacklists to help keep you safe.

Step #5  – Stop Phishing

Never click a link in an email that looks suspicious. This is a classic phishing trick. They name the link to their phishing website with a real one so the link looks like one for your bank or credit card company. Instead of clicking open your Internet browser and type in the website address shown in the email.

Credit card companies, YOUR BANK, banks you’ve never dealt with will NEVER, EVER send you a personal e-mail asking for information.  Check with your financial institutions e-mail policy, but most are quite standard in the banking industry.

Step #6 -  – Stop Phishing

Regularly check your on-line accounts. Log on to your account and investigate any action that you don’t recognize. It may just be that the details of a retailer transaction are not easily recognizable so investigate before you take action.

This is VERY important.  You should be checking your accounts regularly.  Credit card companies do a one up on this, they have very sophisticated software that tracks purchases and can almost assign a “biometric fingerprint” to how you make your purchases.

For example, recently I filled my car with gas and used a credit card to pay for the purchase.  I realized I needed something else, so went into the store and the clerk cancelled the gas purchase so I could make the addition purchase.  He then recharged my card, but immediately my credit card company put my card on hold.  Within 1 hour of the incident they called me on my cell phone to confirm whether it was me that made the purchase and if I was aware of the subsequent credit and re-purchase.  They’re good.  Damn good!

Technorati Tags: hacking, identity theft, phishing, protecting your identity