It looks like Citibank's ATM's at 7 Eleven's pin's are being hacked and the bank refuses to put a stop to it and continues using them.
6/22/08
6/21/08
Maxtor fail safe Hard drive
Maxtor has developed a fail safe hard drive that is flame resistant and waterproof. Making data storage more reliable when you need it in a disaster.
6/20/08
Keyboard iPhone on it's way
Yes Apple has made a keyboard iPhone similar to our current version of the Blackberry. It's still not final but the iPhone is getting there.
6/19/08
101 Ways to Save Money on Gas
As per cheapstingybargains.com this is the best way to save gas at least for now.
....................................................
101 Ways to Save Money on Gas
Never has the saying “every little bit helps” rung more true than in the quest to save cash when filling up your vehicle.
What follows are 101 ways you can save money on gas, including tips on gas buying, driving and car maintenance, as well as advice on how to stay out of the car altogether. While you probably won’t be able to use all of the suggestions, trying a few of them together could make a big difference in your gas bill.
Gas Buying Tips
1. Compare gas prices; do this in your head as you drive by service stations and other gas sellers or from home using online resources like GasBuddy.com, GasPriceWatch.com or MapQuest Gas Prices.
2. Use widgets such as Gas for Macs and GasWatch for PCs to check current gas prices.
3. Sign up for text messages from gas price tracking companies like GasBuddy.com and MobGas.com.
4. Use self-service instead of full-service.
5. Remember that higher traffic areas usually mean higher gas prices.
6. Buy fuel with a credit card that offers gas savings or even cash back.
7. Sign up for a credit card from a gas company that offers discounts for filling up at its stations.
8. Join a loyalty club of a warehouse or store that gives membership rebates on gas purchases.
9. Find out if any local gas stations offer discounts for paying in cash.
10. Don’t top off your gas tank as that extra fuel will probably only spill out anyway; once you hear that first click, stop filling.
11. Buy gas during the early morning or late evening; gas is densest at those times, ensuring more fuel and less vapor for your money.
12. Don’t use high octane if your car doesn’t need it.
13. In order to be sure that your car still gets the octane level it needs without spending too much for the high level, or causing damage to your vehicle with a level too low, consider mixing octanes you find at good prices.
14. Wait until your tank is a quarter empty to fill up; no need to carry extra weight around in your car (more weight makes your car work harder, using more gas) and waiting until the tank is empty isn’t good for your fuel injection system.
15. Buy gas in the middle of the week as it is usually cheaper than on the weekends.
16. Fill up well before holidays as prices tend to rise.
17. Compare gas brands to determine which gives you the best quality for your money.
Driving Tips
18. Go the speed limit. Aside from being a safe choice, you’ll also get up to 21% better gas mileage at 55 mph than at 70 mph. As traffic lights are time-controlled, you’re also more likely to hit green lights and avoid wasting gas on frequent stops and restarts.
19. Don’t travel at fast rates in low gears as it can use up to 45% more fuel than necessary; shift into high gear as soon as possible.
20. Stay at a steady speed as speeding up and slowing down uses more fuel.
21. On that note, if you have cruise control and you’re in light traffic, use it.
22. Avoid weaving in and out of traffic as you’ll use more gas.
23. When starting out, accelerate slowly; you’ll use less gas and also be kinder to your carburetor.
24. Don’t tailgate. Not only is it dangerous, it also can waste fuel if you need to make a sudden slowdown or stop.
25. When approaching a hill, speed up before you get to it, keep steady on the incline and coast down the other side.
26. Travel well-known, well-paved roads as much as possible; not only do you lessen your chances of getting lost and wasting gas, you’ll also save gas by avoiding dirt or gravel roads, which can drop gas mileage up to 30%.
27. Travel in a straight line whenever possible.
28. Don’t idle. If you’re going to sit still for more than 30 seconds, it is probably better for gas mileage to turn off and then restart the car.
29. If you don’t stop and restart, at least put your automatic car in neutral to allow the transmission to cool down.
30. Avoid driving during peak traffic periods like holiday weekends and rush hour.
31. When possible, coast to stops rather than braking hard.
32. Don’t rev your engine.
33. Roll up the windows when traveling at high speeds; the extra resistance can cost you about 10% of your gas mileage.
34. When passing another car, commit and do it quickly and safely.
35. Use overdrive gears, which keep RPM down.
36. Don’t rest your foot on the brake. Any extra pressure can cause drag that reduces your gas mileage.
37. If you have four-wheel drive and can turn it off, do so until you actually need it.
38. Keep your eyes open for what other drivers are doing as well as for upcoming traffic jams, etc.
Car Maintenance Tips
39. Have your car serviced at regular intervals, preferably those recommended in your owner’s manual.
40. Use steel-belted radial tires, which can increase gas mileage up to 10%.
41. Fill tires to the maximum suggested limit in order to reduce contact area between your car and the road; this reduces friction, which increases gas mileage.
42. Be sure your brakes are in good working order; if they’re dragging, they’re creating more resistance for your car to handle, making it use more gas.
43. Be sure the suspension, tires and chassis parts are aligned properly as anything bent or broken will create engine drag.
44. Make sure your air and fuel filters are in good working order.
45. Change your oil every 5,000 miles or every 3,000 miles if you live in a warm climate.
46. Be sure you’re using the correct grade motor oil for your car; this information should be in your owner’s manual. The wrong grade can increase engine friction and use more gas.
47. Use a fuel injection cleaner when you change the oil to ensure your fuel injection system is working properly.
48. Take off vinyl tops and luggage or ski racks to reduce drag.
49. Clean out your car as carrying around extra, unnecessary items can adversely affect your gas mileage. Keep that spare tire though!
50. Make sure your gas cap fits properly. Every year in the United States, 147 million gallons of fuel are lost to evaporation.
Warm Weather Tips
51. Consider tinting your windows, particularly if you live in a warm climate.
52. To reduce air-conditioning usage, install solar-powered window fans that pull cooler air into the car.
53. If you use snow tires and chains in the winter, be sure to remove them for warmer weather; snow tires have deeper treads that increase friction with the road and cause your car to use more gas.
54. Use your air conditioning sparingly as it can reduce your fuel economy up to 20%; roll down your windows or use the ventilation system instead. Remember tip #33, though, and be sure those windows are up at higher speeds.
55. Choose a car with light colored exterior and interior to reflect rather than absorb light and heat, especially in warm climates.
56. Park in the shade.
57. When parked, have the windows rolled down a bit for air circulation (assuming that is safe to do in the area).
58. If you’re using air conditioning, turn it off five minutes before your estimated arrival.
Cold Weather Tips
59. No need for a long warm-up of the engine in the morning; thirty to 45 seconds will do the trick.
60. Don’t let icicles accumulate on the frame of your car as they can cause drag.
61. Pay special attention to tire pressure in cold weather.
62. Use snow tires and chains as little as possible as they make your car use more gas.
Other Tips
63. Ask yourself whether the trip is truly necessary before hopping in the car and driving off without thinking.
64. Put down those car keys and use your legs instead; walking or biking helps save on gas and keeps you in shape.
65. Or, rollerblade!
66. Get a motorcycle or scooter instead of a car, even just to travel shorter distances when you won’t need storage space.
67. Use public transportation (buses, subways, etc.) whenever possible.
68. If public transportation doesn’t serve your entire route, use “park and ride” services where offered.
69. Carpool with coworkers or others going in the same direction and split the cost of gas.
70. If you don’t have anyone to carpool with, try ridesharing.
71. Instead of owning a vehicle, car share through a group that rents cars for as little as an hour at a time.
72. If you have a job you can do from home, see if your employer will agree to let you telecommute.
73. Another option to explore with your employer is flex-time that may let you avoid traveling during peak traffic times.
74. Four ten-hour day work weeks are also something you might propose to your employer to help you drive less and avoid rush hours.
75. Move closer to your job (assuming you’re looking for a new place to live anyway, of course).
76. Make a list of errands and combine them into as few trips as possible.
77. Try to do only one big grocery shopping trip a week; if you need to do more runs per week and are close enough to walk or bike, leave the car at home.
78. If errand stops are relatively close together, walk between them instead of parking and re-parking your car.
79. Speaking of parking, pull into the first spot you find and get on with your errands; you’re wasting gas going around and around the parking lot only to save yourself a few steps.
80. Park forward-facing when possible; reversing takes more gas.
81. If your children are old enough, send them on the errands—on foot or bicycle.
82. Don’t have children? Pay a local kid and encourage her entrepreneurial spirit as well.
83. If your neighborhood allows for it, have your children walk or bike to school.
84. Consider a train for your next trip instead of taking your car.
85. Get GPS if you make frequent trips to new places.
86. If you can’t afford GPS or don’t want to invest in it, use online or old-fashioned maps to plan out routes before leaving the house.
87. If a merchant offers delivery, it just may save you money to have them bring merchandise to you than for you to pick it up.
88. Plan trips in advance and leave plenty of time to get to your destination; this can help avoid wrong turns (and wasted gas) as well as speeding, which we’ve already said uses more gas than going the speed limit.
89. If you have more than one car in your household, use the one that gets better gas mileage whenever possible.
90. Keep a track of gas purchases and mileage; this can help you track ebbs and flows in gas prices at certain stations, alert you to possible fuel-related problems in your car and come in useful during tax time if you can deduct any travel expenses.
91. Listen to radio traffic reports so you can steer clear of traffic jams and other problems on the road.
92. Look for shopping bargains from home by using flyers, newspaper advertisements, online resources and your telephone.
93. Get a hybrid car or have yours converted to one; while it costs money up front, you’ll soon see the savings.
94. Get an electric car.
95. Get a diesel car, which can actually get better gas mileage than a hybrid.
96. Explore other fuel sources like ethanol, flex-fuel or biodiesel.
97. If you don’t truly need an SUV or truck, go for a smaller vehicle, which weighs less than a large vehicle and, in turn, gets better gas mileage.
98. Following the same principle, if you’re renting a car, go for the smallest for your needs.
99. If your car is old and gets horrible gas mileage, consider buying a new one. Again, this will cost you up front but save in the long run.
100. Skip the drive-thru and just park and go inside the restaurant instead; remember what we said about idling in #27?
Now, last but certainly not least . . .
101. Share this list with fellow gas-buying friends and see what ideas they can add to it. You can never have too many weapons in your arsenal of money-saving gas tips, so why not have a brainstorming session with others also looking to save money on gas?
Just remember to carpool to get to the meeting!
By Michelle Fabio
..................................
....................................................
101 Ways to Save Money on Gas
Never has the saying “every little bit helps” rung more true than in the quest to save cash when filling up your vehicle.
What follows are 101 ways you can save money on gas, including tips on gas buying, driving and car maintenance, as well as advice on how to stay out of the car altogether. While you probably won’t be able to use all of the suggestions, trying a few of them together could make a big difference in your gas bill.
Gas Buying Tips
1. Compare gas prices; do this in your head as you drive by service stations and other gas sellers or from home using online resources like GasBuddy.com, GasPriceWatch.com or MapQuest Gas Prices.
2. Use widgets such as Gas for Macs and GasWatch for PCs to check current gas prices.
3. Sign up for text messages from gas price tracking companies like GasBuddy.com and MobGas.com.
4. Use self-service instead of full-service.
5. Remember that higher traffic areas usually mean higher gas prices.
6. Buy fuel with a credit card that offers gas savings or even cash back.
7. Sign up for a credit card from a gas company that offers discounts for filling up at its stations.
8. Join a loyalty club of a warehouse or store that gives membership rebates on gas purchases.
9. Find out if any local gas stations offer discounts for paying in cash.
10. Don’t top off your gas tank as that extra fuel will probably only spill out anyway; once you hear that first click, stop filling.
11. Buy gas during the early morning or late evening; gas is densest at those times, ensuring more fuel and less vapor for your money.
12. Don’t use high octane if your car doesn’t need it.
13. In order to be sure that your car still gets the octane level it needs without spending too much for the high level, or causing damage to your vehicle with a level too low, consider mixing octanes you find at good prices.
14. Wait until your tank is a quarter empty to fill up; no need to carry extra weight around in your car (more weight makes your car work harder, using more gas) and waiting until the tank is empty isn’t good for your fuel injection system.
15. Buy gas in the middle of the week as it is usually cheaper than on the weekends.
16. Fill up well before holidays as prices tend to rise.
17. Compare gas brands to determine which gives you the best quality for your money.
Driving Tips
18. Go the speed limit. Aside from being a safe choice, you’ll also get up to 21% better gas mileage at 55 mph than at 70 mph. As traffic lights are time-controlled, you’re also more likely to hit green lights and avoid wasting gas on frequent stops and restarts.
19. Don’t travel at fast rates in low gears as it can use up to 45% more fuel than necessary; shift into high gear as soon as possible.
20. Stay at a steady speed as speeding up and slowing down uses more fuel.
21. On that note, if you have cruise control and you’re in light traffic, use it.
22. Avoid weaving in and out of traffic as you’ll use more gas.
23. When starting out, accelerate slowly; you’ll use less gas and also be kinder to your carburetor.
24. Don’t tailgate. Not only is it dangerous, it also can waste fuel if you need to make a sudden slowdown or stop.
25. When approaching a hill, speed up before you get to it, keep steady on the incline and coast down the other side.
26. Travel well-known, well-paved roads as much as possible; not only do you lessen your chances of getting lost and wasting gas, you’ll also save gas by avoiding dirt or gravel roads, which can drop gas mileage up to 30%.
27. Travel in a straight line whenever possible.
28. Don’t idle. If you’re going to sit still for more than 30 seconds, it is probably better for gas mileage to turn off and then restart the car.
29. If you don’t stop and restart, at least put your automatic car in neutral to allow the transmission to cool down.
30. Avoid driving during peak traffic periods like holiday weekends and rush hour.
31. When possible, coast to stops rather than braking hard.
32. Don’t rev your engine.
33. Roll up the windows when traveling at high speeds; the extra resistance can cost you about 10% of your gas mileage.
34. When passing another car, commit and do it quickly and safely.
35. Use overdrive gears, which keep RPM down.
36. Don’t rest your foot on the brake. Any extra pressure can cause drag that reduces your gas mileage.
37. If you have four-wheel drive and can turn it off, do so until you actually need it.
38. Keep your eyes open for what other drivers are doing as well as for upcoming traffic jams, etc.
Car Maintenance Tips
39. Have your car serviced at regular intervals, preferably those recommended in your owner’s manual.
40. Use steel-belted radial tires, which can increase gas mileage up to 10%.
41. Fill tires to the maximum suggested limit in order to reduce contact area between your car and the road; this reduces friction, which increases gas mileage.
42. Be sure your brakes are in good working order; if they’re dragging, they’re creating more resistance for your car to handle, making it use more gas.
43. Be sure the suspension, tires and chassis parts are aligned properly as anything bent or broken will create engine drag.
44. Make sure your air and fuel filters are in good working order.
45. Change your oil every 5,000 miles or every 3,000 miles if you live in a warm climate.
46. Be sure you’re using the correct grade motor oil for your car; this information should be in your owner’s manual. The wrong grade can increase engine friction and use more gas.
47. Use a fuel injection cleaner when you change the oil to ensure your fuel injection system is working properly.
48. Take off vinyl tops and luggage or ski racks to reduce drag.
49. Clean out your car as carrying around extra, unnecessary items can adversely affect your gas mileage. Keep that spare tire though!
50. Make sure your gas cap fits properly. Every year in the United States, 147 million gallons of fuel are lost to evaporation.
Warm Weather Tips
51. Consider tinting your windows, particularly if you live in a warm climate.
52. To reduce air-conditioning usage, install solar-powered window fans that pull cooler air into the car.
53. If you use snow tires and chains in the winter, be sure to remove them for warmer weather; snow tires have deeper treads that increase friction with the road and cause your car to use more gas.
54. Use your air conditioning sparingly as it can reduce your fuel economy up to 20%; roll down your windows or use the ventilation system instead. Remember tip #33, though, and be sure those windows are up at higher speeds.
55. Choose a car with light colored exterior and interior to reflect rather than absorb light and heat, especially in warm climates.
56. Park in the shade.
57. When parked, have the windows rolled down a bit for air circulation (assuming that is safe to do in the area).
58. If you’re using air conditioning, turn it off five minutes before your estimated arrival.
Cold Weather Tips
59. No need for a long warm-up of the engine in the morning; thirty to 45 seconds will do the trick.
60. Don’t let icicles accumulate on the frame of your car as they can cause drag.
61. Pay special attention to tire pressure in cold weather.
62. Use snow tires and chains as little as possible as they make your car use more gas.
Other Tips
63. Ask yourself whether the trip is truly necessary before hopping in the car and driving off without thinking.
64. Put down those car keys and use your legs instead; walking or biking helps save on gas and keeps you in shape.
65. Or, rollerblade!
66. Get a motorcycle or scooter instead of a car, even just to travel shorter distances when you won’t need storage space.
67. Use public transportation (buses, subways, etc.) whenever possible.
68. If public transportation doesn’t serve your entire route, use “park and ride” services where offered.
69. Carpool with coworkers or others going in the same direction and split the cost of gas.
70. If you don’t have anyone to carpool with, try ridesharing.
71. Instead of owning a vehicle, car share through a group that rents cars for as little as an hour at a time.
72. If you have a job you can do from home, see if your employer will agree to let you telecommute.
73. Another option to explore with your employer is flex-time that may let you avoid traveling during peak traffic times.
74. Four ten-hour day work weeks are also something you might propose to your employer to help you drive less and avoid rush hours.
75. Move closer to your job (assuming you’re looking for a new place to live anyway, of course).
76. Make a list of errands and combine them into as few trips as possible.
77. Try to do only one big grocery shopping trip a week; if you need to do more runs per week and are close enough to walk or bike, leave the car at home.
78. If errand stops are relatively close together, walk between them instead of parking and re-parking your car.
79. Speaking of parking, pull into the first spot you find and get on with your errands; you’re wasting gas going around and around the parking lot only to save yourself a few steps.
80. Park forward-facing when possible; reversing takes more gas.
81. If your children are old enough, send them on the errands—on foot or bicycle.
82. Don’t have children? Pay a local kid and encourage her entrepreneurial spirit as well.
83. If your neighborhood allows for it, have your children walk or bike to school.
84. Consider a train for your next trip instead of taking your car.
85. Get GPS if you make frequent trips to new places.
86. If you can’t afford GPS or don’t want to invest in it, use online or old-fashioned maps to plan out routes before leaving the house.
87. If a merchant offers delivery, it just may save you money to have them bring merchandise to you than for you to pick it up.
88. Plan trips in advance and leave plenty of time to get to your destination; this can help avoid wrong turns (and wasted gas) as well as speeding, which we’ve already said uses more gas than going the speed limit.
89. If you have more than one car in your household, use the one that gets better gas mileage whenever possible.
90. Keep a track of gas purchases and mileage; this can help you track ebbs and flows in gas prices at certain stations, alert you to possible fuel-related problems in your car and come in useful during tax time if you can deduct any travel expenses.
91. Listen to radio traffic reports so you can steer clear of traffic jams and other problems on the road.
92. Look for shopping bargains from home by using flyers, newspaper advertisements, online resources and your telephone.
93. Get a hybrid car or have yours converted to one; while it costs money up front, you’ll soon see the savings.
94. Get an electric car.
95. Get a diesel car, which can actually get better gas mileage than a hybrid.
96. Explore other fuel sources like ethanol, flex-fuel or biodiesel.
97. If you don’t truly need an SUV or truck, go for a smaller vehicle, which weighs less than a large vehicle and, in turn, gets better gas mileage.
98. Following the same principle, if you’re renting a car, go for the smallest for your needs.
99. If your car is old and gets horrible gas mileage, consider buying a new one. Again, this will cost you up front but save in the long run.
100. Skip the drive-thru and just park and go inside the restaurant instead; remember what we said about idling in #27?
Now, last but certainly not least . . .
101. Share this list with fellow gas-buying friends and see what ideas they can add to it. You can never have too many weapons in your arsenal of money-saving gas tips, so why not have a brainstorming session with others also looking to save money on gas?
Just remember to carpool to get to the meeting!
By Michelle Fabio
..................................
6/18/08
Mobgas
Want to get the cheapest gas prices in you area. Sign up for Mobgas and get text messages for gas in your area.
6/17/08
Firefox 3.0 is Here
It's here and it's going to revolutionize the way we browse the internet. So if your getting kicked out of other sites trying to download Mozilla Firefox 3.0, give this link a try.
6/16/08
Adobe 9
Adobe just released it's new version 9 with new improvements to it's reader. Upgrading is mostly a user preference, but I still see any reason going to version 9 if you don't use acrobat that often.
6/15/08
Metro PCS bring other carriers
If you have a cell phone and want to switch over to MetroPCS here is great news for you. In some cases you can still use your regular cell phone, when joining up with the MetroPCS service. The new service is an open door for other cell phone carriers to do the same.
6/14/08
Get 42 Gig on a DVD
The concept and idea is here it's just a matter of time before they figure out how a dvd and blue ray player can read these special formated DVD's.
6/13/08
Solar TV
If you are thinking green this year you might be interested to know that solar television has now arrived. The launch date is years to come, but it is nice to know that someone is thinking solar energy.
6/12/08
Zipcar
This is a new concept in car rentals in which you need not to rent a car for a day. With Zipcar you rent the vechicle per hour instead of per day. That way if you only need a car for a specific number of hours, your money doesn't go to waste. Give it a try if renting a car per hour is for you.
6/11/08
My Gallons
Here is a new website to help you save money on gas. Most fuel companies give you rebates and other perks for gasoline purchases. This company let's you prepay gasoline at today's current gas price to be used at a later date. You then use their prepaid debit card at their 200,000 gasoline locations and fill up your gas tank. When your debit card runs out of cash you refill it again. It's that simple.
6/10/08
Magic Jelly Bean key finder
This software usually comes up as spyware or a virus because Microsoft doesn't want you to have this great utility that can save you money. If you have a license and want to say the key. This software will help you to do this.
6/9/08
Glass Keyboard
If your in the market for a new keyboard, then you need to look at this new glass design keyboard. Just be careful you don't break it.
6/8/08
iPhone 3G cost only $100 to Manufacture
Apple has made major improvements to it's iPhone 3G and it costs half of what the first generation iPhone was valued at. I just hope that Apple will get reasonable to lower it's price.
6/7/08
10000 Free Legal Albums
It looks like the record industry is giving in and changing their ways of doing business. Right now as it's illegal to download music unless the record labels makes it free and legal. For now everyone has to just wait until that day comes. Enjoy your free downloads.
6/6/08
6/5/08
Change the Product key in XP
As it appears in TechRepulic.com
For most Microsoft Windows XP installs, you’ll never need to worry about the validity of the product key assigned to your copy of the OS. However, software does tend to get installed without authorization, even in the most carefully managed shops, and so from time to time you may need to reset the Windows XP product key.
For example, perhaps a user installed a pirated copy of XP but now wants to go legal. Maybe you’ve been hired by an organization that installed 100 pirated copies of XP but now has a legitimate volume-licensing key (VLK). Perhaps an end user purchased an additional retail license for XP but needs to use his original CD to install the software. When situations like these arise, changing XP’s product key is often the most practical-or only-solution.
Determining if you have a valid product IDHopefully you already know if you’re dealing with a pirated copy of XP. But if you’re unsure, a quick way to tell is to install Service Pack 1. Shortly after releasing Windows XP, Microsoft realized that most pirated XP installations were using two specific VLKs, the most popular of which begins with “FCKGW.” These VLKs produce product IDs that match either XXXXX-640-0000356-23XXX or XXXXX-640-2001765-23XXX, where X is any number.
If you try to install SP1 and get the following error message:
The Product Key used to install Windows is invalid. Please contact your system administrator or retailer immediately to obtain a valid Product Key…”
You are dealing with a pirated copy of Windows. For more information about obtaining a valid product key, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 326904.
You can also directly check the operating system’s product ID by right-clicking on My Computer, clicking Properties, and selecting the General tab. The machine’s product ID will be located under the Registered To section. If the ID matches either of the two models commonly associated with VLK fraud, you’ll need to obtain a valid XP product key before proceeding. None of the procedures described below will work without a legitimate product key.
Two methods of changing Windows XP’s product keyYou can change a Windows XP installation’s product key either by editing the registry or by using one of two Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) scripts. The registry editing method is outlined in Knowledge Base articles 321636 and 328874 and works on Windows XP Home, Windows XP Professional, and Windows XP Corporate Edition.
The script method is outlined in article 328874 and is designed to work on Corporate Edition installations that use a VLK and do not require activation. It may work on a Home or Professional installation, but I have not tested this scenario.
The script method is the practical solution for changing the product keys on a large number of machines. Regardless of the method you choose, make sure to backup important data before changing a product ID, since an unexpected problem could render the machine unbootable and necessitate a complete reinstallation of Windows.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warning
The following instructions involve editing your system registry. Using the Windows Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that require the reinstallation of your operating system and possible loss of data. TechRepublic does not support problems that arise from editing your registry. Use the Registry Editor and the following directions at your own risk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Editing the registryBegin by opening the Registry Editor and navigating to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsNTCurrent VersionWPAEventsIn the right pane, right-click the ODBETimer binary value and select Modify. Change at least one character of this value to either a number from 0 to 9 or to a letter from A to F, then click OK and close the Registry Editor. This renders the current product key invalid and deactivates Windows.
Now, it’s time to reactivate Windows using your new product key. Click Start | Run and enter the command:
%systemroot%system32oobemsoobe /awhere %systemroot% is your Windows directory. In many cases, this command will look like:
C:windowssystem32oobemsoobe.exe /aAt this point, Windows will launch the Product Activation Wizard.
Figure A
Product Activation Wizard
Select the option to telephone a Microsoft customer service representative to activate Windows, as shown in Figure A, and click Next. Now, select the Change Product Key option and enter your new product key as shown in Figure B. Finally, click Update and close the window. If Windows returns you to the previous screen, just select the Remind Me Later option. When the wizard is finished, reboot the system.
Figure B
Enter new product key
When Windows reboots, your next step will depend on which Windows XP version you are using. If you have XP Home or Professional, you’ll be prompted to reactivate your copy of Windows through the normal activation process. If you have XP Corporate, no activation is required and your machine should have a valid product ID. You can verify this by running the %systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a command again. When the wizard loads this time, you should see a message indicating that your copy of Windows has already been activated.
Using a WMI scriptAlthough the registry editing process is effective, it can be tedious and impractical if you need to change the product key on more than a few machines. So Microsoft provides two WMI scripts, one for XP machines with SP1 and one for XP machines without SP1.
View the code for the WMI script, ChangeVLKey2600.vbs, designed for use on XP machines without SP1.
View the code for the WMI script, ChangeVLKeySP1.vbs, for XP machines with SP1 already installed.
Copy the appropriate script’s code into a text file and save it as either ChangeVLKey2600.vbs or ChangeVLKeySP1.vbs. The scripts can act in conjunction with a valid product key as part of a login script to change the product ID on multiple machines. You can also execute the script from the command line to change the key on a single computer.
For example, if you wanted to change the product key on an XP machine without SP1 and had already saved the script to root directory on the C: drive, you would click Start | Run and enter the following command:
C:changevlkey2600.vbs xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxxOf course, xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx in this scenario is a valid product key.
The script should take only a few seconds to run and won’t prompt you for further action unless there’s a problem, such as an invalid product key. As with the registry editing method, you can verify that Windows is now using a valid product key by running the command:
%systemroot%system32oobemsoobe.exe /aThe Product Activation Wizard will load and should tell you that your copy of Windows has already been activated.
For most Microsoft Windows XP installs, you’ll never need to worry about the validity of the product key assigned to your copy of the OS. However, software does tend to get installed without authorization, even in the most carefully managed shops, and so from time to time you may need to reset the Windows XP product key.
For example, perhaps a user installed a pirated copy of XP but now wants to go legal. Maybe you’ve been hired by an organization that installed 100 pirated copies of XP but now has a legitimate volume-licensing key (VLK). Perhaps an end user purchased an additional retail license for XP but needs to use his original CD to install the software. When situations like these arise, changing XP’s product key is often the most practical-or only-solution.
Determining if you have a valid product IDHopefully you already know if you’re dealing with a pirated copy of XP. But if you’re unsure, a quick way to tell is to install Service Pack 1. Shortly after releasing Windows XP, Microsoft realized that most pirated XP installations were using two specific VLKs, the most popular of which begins with “FCKGW.” These VLKs produce product IDs that match either XXXXX-640-0000356-23XXX or XXXXX-640-2001765-23XXX, where X is any number.
If you try to install SP1 and get the following error message:
The Product Key used to install Windows is invalid. Please contact your system administrator or retailer immediately to obtain a valid Product Key…”
You are dealing with a pirated copy of Windows. For more information about obtaining a valid product key, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 326904.
You can also directly check the operating system’s product ID by right-clicking on My Computer, clicking Properties, and selecting the General tab. The machine’s product ID will be located under the Registered To section. If the ID matches either of the two models commonly associated with VLK fraud, you’ll need to obtain a valid XP product key before proceeding. None of the procedures described below will work without a legitimate product key.
Two methods of changing Windows XP’s product keyYou can change a Windows XP installation’s product key either by editing the registry or by using one of two Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) scripts. The registry editing method is outlined in Knowledge Base articles 321636 and 328874 and works on Windows XP Home, Windows XP Professional, and Windows XP Corporate Edition.
The script method is outlined in article 328874 and is designed to work on Corporate Edition installations that use a VLK and do not require activation. It may work on a Home or Professional installation, but I have not tested this scenario.
The script method is the practical solution for changing the product keys on a large number of machines. Regardless of the method you choose, make sure to backup important data before changing a product ID, since an unexpected problem could render the machine unbootable and necessitate a complete reinstallation of Windows.
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Warning
The following instructions involve editing your system registry. Using the Windows Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that require the reinstallation of your operating system and possible loss of data. TechRepublic does not support problems that arise from editing your registry. Use the Registry Editor and the following directions at your own risk.
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Editing the registryBegin by opening the Registry Editor and navigating to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsNTCurrent VersionWPAEventsIn the right pane, right-click the ODBETimer binary value and select Modify. Change at least one character of this value to either a number from 0 to 9 or to a letter from A to F, then click OK and close the Registry Editor. This renders the current product key invalid and deactivates Windows.
Now, it’s time to reactivate Windows using your new product key. Click Start | Run and enter the command:
%systemroot%system32oobemsoobe /awhere %systemroot% is your Windows directory. In many cases, this command will look like:
C:windowssystem32oobemsoobe.exe /aAt this point, Windows will launch the Product Activation Wizard.
Figure A
Product Activation Wizard
Select the option to telephone a Microsoft customer service representative to activate Windows, as shown in Figure A, and click Next. Now, select the Change Product Key option and enter your new product key as shown in Figure B. Finally, click Update and close the window. If Windows returns you to the previous screen, just select the Remind Me Later option. When the wizard is finished, reboot the system.
Figure B
Enter new product key
When Windows reboots, your next step will depend on which Windows XP version you are using. If you have XP Home or Professional, you’ll be prompted to reactivate your copy of Windows through the normal activation process. If you have XP Corporate, no activation is required and your machine should have a valid product ID. You can verify this by running the %systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a command again. When the wizard loads this time, you should see a message indicating that your copy of Windows has already been activated.
Using a WMI scriptAlthough the registry editing process is effective, it can be tedious and impractical if you need to change the product key on more than a few machines. So Microsoft provides two WMI scripts, one for XP machines with SP1 and one for XP machines without SP1.
View the code for the WMI script, ChangeVLKey2600.vbs, designed for use on XP machines without SP1.
View the code for the WMI script, ChangeVLKeySP1.vbs, for XP machines with SP1 already installed.
Copy the appropriate script’s code into a text file and save it as either ChangeVLKey2600.vbs or ChangeVLKeySP1.vbs. The scripts can act in conjunction with a valid product key as part of a login script to change the product ID on multiple machines. You can also execute the script from the command line to change the key on a single computer.
For example, if you wanted to change the product key on an XP machine without SP1 and had already saved the script to root directory on the C: drive, you would click Start | Run and enter the following command:
C:changevlkey2600.vbs xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxxOf course, xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx in this scenario is a valid product key.
The script should take only a few seconds to run and won’t prompt you for further action unless there’s a problem, such as an invalid product key. As with the registry editing method, you can verify that Windows is now using a valid product key by running the command:
%systemroot%system32oobemsoobe.exe /aThe Product Activation Wizard will load and should tell you that your copy of Windows has already been activated.
6/4/08
Clock Watch
Here is a neat Clock Sync software for your computer when you need to have your time in constant sync. This will save you time from constantly resetting your computer or server to keep the accurate time daily.
6/3/08
How to install programs in Vista without UAC
I am one of many user's who hate that annoying UAC prompt to install a program in Vista. The idea is good, but there should be a better way on installing updates with programs that you already have on your computer.
Try This little hack to keep UAC from popping up when doing updates.
Try This little hack to keep UAC from popping up when doing updates.
6/2/08
Wireless Router Upgrade
If you have an old router, here's a great upgrade to boost it's signal, if your willing to risk it all.
Yes, the manufacture will void this upgrade. But if you do it correctly, then your router will gain more on what it currently has now.
Yes, the manufacture will void this upgrade. But if you do it correctly, then your router will gain more on what it currently has now.
6/1/08
Block Cell Phone Spam
It's just going to get worse when it comes to cell phone spam. In the meantime if the spam is coming from an email account, here is how you can stop it for now.
5/31/08
Totlol * Fun *
The online video website for children of all ages that's monitored by parents. You'll be amazed on how many fun and hilarious videos are on this website.
My Favorite
My Favorite
5/30/08
Firefox Mobile
It's an amazing new browser for mobile phones that's similar to the iPhone. One can now have various functions with a single touch.
5/29/08
Survey Monkey
In today's market it's great to know what your customers think about your company and the products you offer. Survey Monkey gives your company a chance to better itself. Start learning what your customers wants to see more of.
5/28/08
Life Expectancy Calculator
Curious on what is your life expectancy, then it's time to find out on how long you have left to live.
5/27/08
Clone Spy
Have duplicate files on your computer but having a hard time finding them. This program should make you job a little easier.
5/26/08
Cell phone's with finger print security
This new technology is set to revolutionize the world. It's just the start of more things to come in the future.
5/25/08
Lunar Properites
I don't know what are the legalities to this registry. All that I do know is that no one yet as claimed it. And if the United States doesn't hurry up, other countries will gain possession to the moon. If you have the extra cash and some sense of sanity take a chance.
Sample Properties Link
Sample Properties Link
5/24/08
Save Money on Electronics
Here is another article to prove my last theory that if you want to save money no-a-days you need to unplug electronic devices that are not in use. Think of all that electricity going to waste on something not even being used.
5/23/08
DWI Robo Teddy
Think of this as a drunk driving Teddy that will save your life. It's a GPS robot that can detect if your driving erratically or are intoxicated. So if your concern that your love one is driving under the influence. Start now before they regret on doing something they wished they never started.
5/22/08
Camera with Eye-Fi-Card
This should stop thieves from stealing cameras.
As the story goes, a couple forgot their camera at a restaurant they were dining in and some thieves stole their camera. Unfortunate for the thieves for using the camera and having the camera post their pictures on the web because of the new Eye-Fi card that the couple had installed in the camera. All that the couple had to do was just to go back to the scene of the crime and show the photo's to the restaurant clerk in which they were able to identify the individuals and get back their camera back. So beware thieves, technology is catching up to you.
Prices of Eye-Fi card are cheap so it's worth the investment Link
or buy through it's web site Here!
As the story goes, a couple forgot their camera at a restaurant they were dining in and some thieves stole their camera. Unfortunate for the thieves for using the camera and having the camera post their pictures on the web because of the new Eye-Fi card that the couple had installed in the camera. All that the couple had to do was just to go back to the scene of the crime and show the photo's to the restaurant clerk in which they were able to identify the individuals and get back their camera back. So beware thieves, technology is catching up to you.
Prices of Eye-Fi card are cheap so it's worth the investment Link
or buy through it's web site Here!
5/21/08
SATA Drive Plus
This multi function port for hard drives comes with extra's. Even though it is still pricey, it still has it's good reasons to buy.
5/20/08
Missing Money
Every now and then it's a good idea to check your friend and family to see if they have missing money held by the government. Unclaimed funds become the property of the government and only you can claim it.
5/19/08
DNS
What is DNS, the only simple way to put it is that it's a telephone number to that specific website or individual so that you can constantly keep in contact with.
There are many reason for having a DNS and this site explains it and can give you one as well for free.
There are many reason for having a DNS and this site explains it and can give you one as well for free.
5/18/08
Quiet those noisy hard drives
If you have noisey hard drives, try this neat tip and it will isolate most of the hard drives noise from your computer.
Look for rubber dampeners, linerless rubber splice tape or rubber washers. Use a dime as a stencil to outline the hard drive screws and install them before or after the hard drive screws to create a cushion. If you do everything correctly, everytime the hard drive is operating, it's vibration should be absorbed by these new gaskets.
Look for rubber dampeners, linerless rubber splice tape or rubber washers. Use a dime as a stencil to outline the hard drive screws and install them before or after the hard drive screws to create a cushion. If you do everything correctly, everytime the hard drive is operating, it's vibration should be absorbed by these new gaskets.
5/17/08
Use a PDA has a second monitor
I don't recommend doing this on a new PDA but if you have an old PDA, then this is a great project. If you want to use it to read text or watching a video, you'll have a difficult time viewing. But for anything else, it works great.
5/15/08
XP SP3 & Norton Symantec 2008
Problem:
If your doing an Windows XP SP3 upgrade and have installed on your computer Norton Symantec 2008. Extreme caution is required because of an unknown bug that's still exists.
Solution:
I would recommend holding off on the upgrade, until their is a fix, otherwise your computer can be compromised.
If your doing an Windows XP SP3 upgrade and have installed on your computer Norton Symantec 2008. Extreme caution is required because of an unknown bug that's still exists.
Solution:
I would recommend holding off on the upgrade, until their is a fix, otherwise your computer can be compromised.
5/14/08
Enable & Disable Windows Firewall
Depending on the Service Pak this is how to enable or disable the Windows Firewall on your computer. Remember that unless your using a third party firewall. Their should be no reason why you should disable the firewall, unless it inter fears with a program that your currently using.
5/13/08
Update your Album Art
If you have a music collection and want to update your album art. Here a great program that will help you simplfy this task.
At least now your music will have art to go with it.
At least now your music will have art to go with it.
5/12/08
iPod Shuffle replacement cable
Recently purchased the iPod Shuffle and broke the usb cable that it came with. Instead of going back to apple and re-purchasing the cable for thirty bucks. Do something better. Search online for a cheaper replacement cable that works with Apple. In the end it can save you big bucks and you'll have extra money to buy a second cable.
5/11/08
Bluetooth Cassette Tape
If you have an car with an old cassette tape. Here is a technological upgrade to that device. It's called bluetoothing a cassette tape. It's not that modern but at least you can put some use into an out dated device.
5/10/08
Gas Prices Map of the U.S.
It's pretty interesting to see a Gas Price map of the United States and how fast gas keeps on going up. If your trying to save a buck. Get ready and start searching for the cheapest gas in your area.
5/9/08
Microsoft Baseline Security Analizer
A great utility if you have several computers on a network that checks to see what security patches are needed and are already installed on a computer. This software is a times saver.
another easier way is to go this this link direct by typing in
www.microsoft.com/mbsa
another easier way is to go this this link direct by typing in
www.microsoft.com/mbsa
5/8/08
Speed Trap Alert
Here is a new site to alert you when your near a speed trap. It's always updated daily and works better if you have a Wi-Fi or GPS phone. It uses your phone's GPS locator to advise you when your near a speed trap.
5/7/08
More Free Online books
If your a book lover, you should look at this website for free online books. It's a great way to enjoy a paper back online.
5/6/08
Home Monitoring Systems
Looking for good Home Monitoring Systems. Take a look at these and decide which one meets your budget.
Eaton's Home Heartbeat
iControl Netorks
Logitech WiLife
Eaton's Home Heartbeat
iControl Netorks
Logitech WiLife
5/5/08
Photoshop Express
If you love Adobe Photoshop. Your going to love Photoshop Express. It's an online photo editing software to edit your pictures. With 2 gig of storage for your favorite pictures. Sign up today and give it a try. Professional online editing is now free.
5/4/08
Other ways to Lock your Workstation
Here are alternate ways to lock your workstation. It secures your computers from prying eyes and it make sure that no one else tampers with other individual computers.
Manually locking your computer
There are three popular methods of manually locking your computer; choose whichever method is easiest for you or best serves your needs.
Method 1
You can use a key combination of the Windows logo key (If your system has one, you are looking for the flying Windows logo on it.) and it is typically located to the left of the spacebar the. To immediately lock your computer you need to hold down the Windows key and the "l" key (the letter l) simultaneously.
Method 2
Press Ctrl-Alt-Del simultaneously. In Windows 2000 or XP, click Lock Computer. In Windows NT, click Lock Workstation.
Method 3
You can create a desktop shortcut that will lock your computer when you double-click it:
Right-click the desktop and select New, then Shortcut. This will open the Create Shortcut Wizard
For the location of the item, type the following:
%windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation
Click Next
Type an appropriate name for this shortcut and click Finish
You will now have a shortcut on your desktop that will lock your computer when you double-click it
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Locking your computer through the screen saver
To set up your screen saver to automatically lock your computer, follow these directions:
Right-click the desktop and select Properties
In the Display Properties window, select the Screen Saver tab
In the drop-down window, select a screen saver file
In the "Wait:" field, set the amount of time of "no activity" you want to have before the screen saver appears
Check the Password protected (Windows 2000) or On resume (Windows XP), password protect box, and then click OK. After checking this box, when the screen saver appears your workstation will be locked
-compliments of PennState
Manually locking your computer
There are three popular methods of manually locking your computer; choose whichever method is easiest for you or best serves your needs.
Method 1
You can use a key combination of the Windows logo key (If your system has one, you are looking for the flying Windows logo on it.) and it is typically located to the left of the spacebar the. To immediately lock your computer you need to hold down the Windows key and the "l" key (the letter l) simultaneously.
Method 2
Press Ctrl-Alt-Del simultaneously. In Windows 2000 or XP, click Lock Computer. In Windows NT, click Lock Workstation.
Method 3
You can create a desktop shortcut that will lock your computer when you double-click it:
Right-click the desktop and select New, then Shortcut. This will open the Create Shortcut Wizard
For the location of the item, type the following:
%windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation
Click Next
Type an appropriate name for this shortcut and click Finish
You will now have a shortcut on your desktop that will lock your computer when you double-click it
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Locking your computer through the screen saver
To set up your screen saver to automatically lock your computer, follow these directions:
Right-click the desktop and select Properties
In the Display Properties window, select the Screen Saver tab
In the drop-down window, select a screen saver file
In the "Wait:" field, set the amount of time of "no activity" you want to have before the screen saver appears
Check the Password protected (Windows 2000) or On resume (Windows XP), password protect box, and then click OK. After checking this box, when the screen saver appears your workstation will be locked
-compliments of PennState
5/3/08
Remove the Windows Shutdown Button
This is a registry hack on how to remove the Windows Shutdown button. Be very careful on doing this hack. One wrong move and you might have to re-install windows again. Make sure you do a registry backup before you attempt this hack.
First go into the run command type regedit and then go to the following registry keys.
To remove Windows NT / Windows 2000's / XP ShutDown button from the Start Menu, apply the following registry :
Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Key: Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\ Explorer
Name: NoClose
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1
Also if you would like to remove the shutdown button from the login screen:
Hive: HKEY_LOCAL MACHINE
Key: SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ policies\ system
Name: ShutdownWithoutLogon
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0
First go into the run command type regedit and then go to the following registry keys.
To remove Windows NT / Windows 2000's / XP ShutDown button from the Start Menu, apply the following registry :
Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Key: Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\ Explorer
Name: NoClose
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1
Also if you would like to remove the shutdown button from the login screen:
Hive: HKEY_LOCAL MACHINE
Key: SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ policies\ system
Name: ShutdownWithoutLogon
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0
5/2/08
Change the Product Key on a PC
This is a registry hack on how to change the product key on a computer running Windows Xp SP1. Be very careful on changing the registry key. Make sure that you backup the registry first before you attempt the hack. Anything that you do wrong will result on a computer not booting up at all and you might have to re-install Windows. But for the experienced users read this information carefully.
Other useful
Links
Other useful
Links
5/1/08
On Time
This device is going to change bad creditors. If you have bad credit and purchase a car. The banks will install this device in your car and if your late with your payment. Your car will not start. It's a full proof way for banks to protect their assets.
4/30/08
WinXP SP3
Can't wait for the WinXP SP3 update. Here it is. Even though Microsoft claims there is a glitch in the software. It's really pertains to the retail division - POS software installed on Microsoft computers. So you can install the update and move on with your life or wait after the fix is corrected and download it direct here.
Glitch Info
Glitch Info
4/29/08
WinXP SP3 - Dates
For everyone who has Windows XP ( All Versions ) here is a sweet update for you. Service Pak 3. Let's just say it will give your computer a great performance tweak and it might just have you hold off a little longer on buying Vista.
Here are the official dates:
April 14, 2008:
Support is available for the release version of Service Pack 3 for Windows XPApril 21, 2008:
Original Equipment Manufacturers, Volume License, Connect, and MSDN and TechNet subscribersApril 29, 2008:
Microsoft Update, Windows Update, Download Center
June 10, 2008:
Automatic Updates
4/28/08
Vista Lock Shortcut
Running Vista and hate that it takes too long to lock up your computer. Follow these easy steps to create an icon onto your desktop to quickly lock your computer.
Steps:
Go to the computer desktop. Click on a empty space on the desktop. Click the second key on the mouse and choose New -> Shortcut. Once the dialog box opens up write this command as is "rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation". Then click on Next and Create a name for Computer Lock. Now every time you need to walk away from your computer all you need to do is click on this command and it will automatically lock your computer from prying eyes.
Steps:
Go to the computer desktop. Click on a empty space on the desktop. Click the second key on the mouse and choose New -> Shortcut. Once the dialog box opens up write this command as is "rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation". Then click on Next and Create a name for Computer Lock. Now every time you need to walk away from your computer all you need to do is click on this command and it will automatically lock your computer from prying eyes.
4/27/08
USB Wifi Booster
This has to be the first USB Wifi Booster that boosts signals up to 600%. If your wireless signal is showing up to weak. This booster will sure help you resolve your wireless performance.
4/26/08
Computers in Cuba
It's amazing to know that in this day in age computers are still obsolete in certain parts of the world like Cuba. But at least now, Cuba has a chance to better itself by trying out new ideas.
4/25/08
USB Rechargeable Batteries
I was pretty excited when I seen these great sets of batteries that can be recharged via a USB port. Just plug in the batteries and charge. I just don't understand why these are not yet available locally.
4/24/08
Laptop Attache
If your a laptop lover and want your laptop to be organized. Take a look at this Laptop Attache. It gives you four extra ports while keeping it cool.
4/23/08
eFax for Free
Very interesting article on how to get eFax for free. Let's see how long I will be able to use it and have it for free.
4/22/08
Naked DSL
Yes naked DSL is a new service that AT&T offers for people who just want DSL only service with no land line phone. All you have to do is call the 800 number at 1-800-288-2020 and ask for DSL service only. Rates are reasonable and with no commitment. Take control of your service.
Results:
Today I canceled my land line phone service with Bellsouth and saved $18.53 a month.
I never used my home phone service and since I have my cell phone why even try.
Now with an extra $222.36 a year in my pocket I will guess sooner or later I'll go with Verizon's unlimited plan or save the money until my cell phone minutes gets excessive.
So if your in the same boat paying for service your never going to be using. Give it a try an save the extra buck..
Results:
Today I canceled my land line phone service with Bellsouth and saved $18.53 a month.
I never used my home phone service and since I have my cell phone why even try.
Now with an extra $222.36 a year in my pocket I will guess sooner or later I'll go with Verizon's unlimited plan or save the money until my cell phone minutes gets excessive.
So if your in the same boat paying for service your never going to be using. Give it a try an save the extra buck..
4/21/08
First Blackberry Clam Shape Phone
It's getting closer to the day that you get to see the new Blackberry clam shape phone. No one know's yet the exact date and if this is going to be a hot new item. But we can't live without our Blackberry's.
4/20/08
Free Training CD's
Keep up to date. Order your free training CD to get a better understanding of the programs that you currently use today.
4/19/08
PluggedIn
Watch videos, share music, promote your music, watch live concerts, play downloads and review the music catalog. All on this great new music site.
4/18/08
Vlite
Need to install several copies of Vista. Make Vlite part of your installation. It creates a one button click all unattended installation that you can easily customize to your preference. Saving you money and time. So all you really have to do is set it up once and apply it across the network.
4/17/08
Double Twist
If you are currently using iTunes and want to strip out the DRM code from your music. This program will do the job and a little more. Media syncing has never been easier.
4/16/08
Threat Fire
Here's a nice utility that monitors all your programs from your computer. When a program starts acting funny Threat Fire alerts you of the unusual behavior.
4/15/08
Is Free VOIP Possible
Here the scoop on the free VOIP. Don't believe everything you hear that VOIP is free. Read this article and then decide for yourself what is free.
4/14/08
Never Forget your USB key at work again
This great visual basic script does a perfect job to remind you before you logoff from your computer that a USB key is attached. That's your signal to take the USB key home. It's better than post-it notes.
4/13/08
Magic Jack
This little gadget is so amazing. You need a computer with Internet connection and a regular telephone. All you do is plug the black box to the USB port on your Internet connected computer, plug in your telephone and in minutes your connected. Yearly fee is pennies.
The reviews are not that appealing. But if they make a second generation then I would go out and get one. For now you should wait until the work out their software glitches.
watch the videos
The reviews are not that appealing. But if they make a second generation then I would go out and get one. For now you should wait until the work out their software glitches.
watch the videos
4/12/08
Flash Player Error
If you recently did an update and keep on getting the flash player error. Here is the fix to that error. All you need to do is update your Adobe Flash Player software onto your computer and everything goes back to normal.
4/11/08
Free Music Downloads by MTV
Here's your chance to download music from MTV for free. I just don't understand why they just don't make all music free.
4/10/08
AutoGK software
Looking for a free DVD ripper with audio and video compression. Take a look no longer because this software makes everything so simple.
4/9/08
KeePass Password Safe
Here's an open source password safe to store all your important passwords. It contains AES encryption and can easily be used on USB keys.
4/8/08
Online Movie Downloads
Hollywood has gone into the movie download business to try to lure people to choose a new way of downloading movies and TV shows. User's choose the movies or TV shows they want to watch and instantly the movies are downloaded into a receiver type unit. No one knows who will be the one to take off first. But the idea is good enough to see what happens next.
Amazon
Bittorrent
Cinema Now
iTunes
Movie Link
Vongo
Vudu
Xbox
Amazon
Bittorrent
Cinema Now
iTunes
Movie Link
Vongo
Vudu
Xbox
4/7/08
Hard Drive Health Software
Purchased a hard drive and want to know the health on that hard drive. This software tells you the power on time - life of the hard drive so that you can decide how to use your hard drive effectively. It's a good utility to use with a hefty pricey tag.
4/6/08
Tech Support Switchboard
Tired of buying tech support with hardly any satisfied results. This new site creates a switchboard to other sites and gets you support on any tech issue in less than 30 minutes. It's time to get your moneys worth.
4/5/08
Put Flickr onto your web site
Here is the link to put your Flickr photo's onto your web page. It's user friendly.
Here are the instructions, as per Flickr:
Yes! You can create a dynamic badge of public Flickr photos to add to your web site (outside of Flickr).
Use the wizard to set up your badge and show: your photos, group photos, or photos from everyone. You can also filter images by a certain tag.
Simply choose the display options (which photos, how many, what size) and specify if you want to display your screen name and buddy icon. Then choose either a styled version of the badge (photos appear in a column with a colored background) or one that you can design yourself.
Note: If you choose to customize the badge yourself, you need to know we hold all the photos in an enclosing DIV with the class 'flickrimg.' The images within it are also assigned IDs: flickrimg1, flickrimg2, etc.
Here are the instructions, as per Flickr:
Can I put my Flickr photos on my web site?
Yes! You can create a dynamic badge of public Flickr photos to add to your web site (outside of Flickr).
Use the wizard to set up your badge and show: your photos, group photos, or photos from everyone. You can also filter images by a certain tag.
Simply choose the display options (which photos, how many, what size) and specify if you want to display your screen name and buddy icon. Then choose either a styled version of the badge (photos appear in a column with a colored background) or one that you can design yourself.
Note: If you choose to customize the badge yourself, you need to know we hold all the photos in an enclosing DIV with the class 'flickrimg.' The images within it are also assigned IDs: flickrimg1, flickrimg2, etc.
Reqall
Take voice messages, get daily summaries and reminders via your cell phone anytime.
The easy voice recognition software makes your life complete by remembering your things to remember.
The easy voice recognition software makes your life complete by remembering your things to remember.
4/4/08
Portable Vault
Have a USB drive and want to secure your files just in case you loose it or if someone steals it. This Portable password protected vault secures your USB drive so that if you loose it. No one can use it.
4/3/08
Ping Test Easy
Want a replacement for Windows ping test command. This software let's you test various ip's and it also helps you to save them for future use.
4/2/08
Donate a PC
Here's another site to donate your computer. At least you know it's going towards a good cause. Your old computer is someone's future into the world wide web.
4/1/08
Programmable Tattoo
Let's just wait until we see the First Ad Campaign Tatoo. Then we can say that we've seen everything.
3/31/08
Vista Password Recovery
Cool tip to restore a new Vista password you just created.
If you've spent nights trying to remember that darn old password here is a great tip to remember in the future.
Get your Vista installation DVD and put it in the DVD drive and re-boot your computer. When your computer re-boots choose the language, time and keyboard format. Then when the option Repair your PC pops up choose it and click Next. Now select System Restore option and select the restore point you want to use. This should be the last known date that you have used your old password and created the new one. If you never changed your password, you could be out of luck because this tip will not work. Click Finish and say Yes and let the system Restore to it's previous position. Logon and use your old password.
This does not guarantee all your backup will be saved, but at least it's not that bad and hopefully it's something that your backup recovery software can recover.
Good Luck.
If you've spent nights trying to remember that darn old password here is a great tip to remember in the future.
Instructions
Get your Vista installation DVD and put it in the DVD drive and re-boot your computer. When your computer re-boots choose the language, time and keyboard format. Then when the option Repair your PC pops up choose it and click Next. Now select System Restore option and select the restore point you want to use. This should be the last known date that you have used your old password and created the new one. If you never changed your password, you could be out of luck because this tip will not work. Click Finish and say Yes and let the system Restore to it's previous position. Logon and use your old password.
This does not guarantee all your backup will be saved, but at least it's not that bad and hopefully it's something that your backup recovery software can recover.
Good Luck.
3/30/08
Fix the slow browser in Vista
This is a simple tweak to the Internet Explorer browser in which in Vista you must logon as an Administrator to do. Just click on the Windows icon -> run and type the following in DOS
if the line does not say disable then enter this command
if this doesn't work enter the above command again and end it with this command
c:\netsh interface tcp show global
if the line does not say disable then enter this command
netsh interface tcp set global
autotuning=disable
if this doesn't work enter the above command again and end it with this command
netsh interface tcp set global
autotuning=normal
3/29/08
Cell Phone Radio
Why download and sync music when you can just stream it with your cell phone radio. It gives you hundreds of radio stations via the internet without monthly fees.
3/28/08
IM for Blackberry & iPhone
Yes you too can IM on your Blackberry & iPone with the help of JiveTalk. It's integrated with almost all of the well known instant messaging services.
3/27/08
Can't Read Html Emails on your Blackberry
This software solves the problem and compresses the color, size and style of messages.
3/26/08
Wireless Spectrum Analizer
Getting wireless interference, try using the Wireless Spectrum Analyzer to fix your wireless problems so that your connections stay connected.
3/25/08
Network Tool Suite
Here's an affordable Network Tool Suite called PT 360 that analyzes your network output. The free version goes a long way.
3/24/08
Will Solar Cells save you Money
If your interested is having solar cells for your home. This great web app figures out what it will cost you and how much money you'll save in the long run. The future is solar energy. Let's sit down and absorb some rays.
Give it a try
Give it a try
3/23/08
Have a Garage Sale list it here free
Next time your ready for a Garage Sale. List it here for free so that everyone knows where to go for a bargain.
3/22/08
Skype to Offer International Calls for $10 a month
Let's just say that international calls now look like it's going to cost pennies once Skype begins it's monthly plan.
3/21/08
Solar Cell Phone
This is the first solar cell phone but you'll have to be in China to have one. Hopefully soon it will be in the United States. Just imagine one full hour of sunlight will give you an extra 40 minutes.
3/20/08
XP SP3 Gains
As per the chart the new WinXP SP3 is suppose to be a significant gain on the operating system. It even out performs Vista and it's current SP1 fix. You be the judge when the SP3 fix comes out this year.
3/19/08
Blockbuster & Direct to TV
Online movie rentals just changed dramatically. Online movie video giant is almost in completion on it's new technology to stream movie rentals online to televisions. Hopefully the new technology will be a plus for Blockbusters movie sales in the upcoming year.
3/18/08
Vista Service Pak 1
Help can't find Vista Service Pak 1 and I know that it's already made public but need it to fix these compatibility issues. Follow the link.
3/17/08
Remote Software
Here are a few cool software utilites for Remote Access.
Glideos
Glideos for Mobile
GoToMyPC
LogMeIn
Symantec
Glideos
Glideos for Mobile
GoToMyPC
LogMeIn
Symantec
3/16/08
Netvibes
Need a hub for your RSS feeds. Take a look at Netvibes it works great with Facebook and at least now you can keep in touch with all your friends.
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