With Ubuntu being as stable as it’s been for me, I decided to install it as a backup OS on another computer here. This one is a Biostar iDeq 200N from a few years ago. The challenge this time was to install to this computer, which has an integrated video chip on the motherboard (the nVidia GeForce4 MX), along with wireless networking. Not only that, the CD-R/DVD drive has been acting up, so I had no way to install it from my LiveCD. Given my issues, I’m glad I was able to boot into Windows XP for troubleshooting!
Category Archives: Gadget Corner
Firefox Add-on: Prism for Firefox
I’ve just discovered a new Firefox add-on: Prism for Firefox. This add-on allows you to turn any web page into an application on your computer. While it may not seem like much at first glance, it allows you to save your current web page view as an application on your computer. If you use something like Gmail or Google Maps, for example, you can make their main pages into applications. What this means is that rather than have it run in a full browser window, the page runs in a “shell” window with nothing indicative of the contents being a browser. (Or in Mozilla-speak, it’s a web page view without the “Chrome”: no menu, no toolbars, no URL or search bars, etc.) It also saves cookies separately: you can set up multiple Gmail applications using Prism, and stay logged in to all of them as they run concurrently. Applications can be installed on your start menu, desktop, and/or quick launch bar. And FYI: Google Chrome has this as a standard feature, and it works about the same. I’ve found Prism to come in handy for many of the Google applications. And I can see its usefulness for many non-computer-savvy users, giving one-click access to web-based e-mail, for example. Very handy!
Ubuntu 9.04
For the third time in as many years, I’ve downloaded Ubuntu and burned the ISO image to CD. 
With Ubuntu, you can try it out by booting up the CD (the LiveCD feature). You don’t get all of Ubuntu’s functionality, or install other software, but you can get a good feel for how Ubuntu looks and feels. Performance is also a bit slow when the OS has to access the CD to retrieve more data, but that’s not a big deal since Ubuntu seems to use memory space to run the OS in LiveCD mode. My first (or maybe I should say “third”) impressions of Ubuntu are below.
Continue reading Ubuntu 9.04
Zune HD: The Next Generation of Zune
I’ve been reading a lot of buzz about the Zune HD online recently. Rather than the squared circle, navigation comes by way of a touchscreen. The screen itself is larger (actually “widescreen” dimensions of 16:9). In addition, the Zune HD will provide full integration with the Xbox 360, and also features a web browser that will work anywhere that WiFi is available.
Still no clue yet as to what suggested list pricing will be, and I also haven’t found out what type of storage will be on board. I’m hoping it’s still hard-drive based, as the flash-based models just don’t have the storage capacity that the drive-based models do. 120GB is a good bet, although 160GB was possible with the iPod, and Toshiba has a 240GB dual-platter drive that will fit in the same space as the 120GB drive (although it’s very pricey right now).
It all looks attractive right now. My only concerns are, first of all, what type of interface the Zune will have for entering text in the web browser. And second, I’m not that fond of touchscreen devices. My current Zune gets smudged enough in normal use; I can’t imagine what the HD will look like after a few hours in my greazy hands. And without a stylus (a la the Nintendo DS), touchscreens can sometimes be very vague to navigate. The browser is a nice attraction, but on the other hand, I may prefer something like a Blackberry that has an actual keyboard, and can be used away from WiFi locations.
We already know that any other player can’t top the industry leader in sales (for now, anyway), but there’s still plenty of innovation out there among competing brands. Those of us who like (and prefer) the Zune have a lot to look forward to with this new model.
Vintage Boombox and Ghetto Blaster Museum
I’ve found a great “time waster” for all of you electronics geeks out there: Pocket Calculator’s Vintage Boombox and Ghetto Blaster Museum. If you ever owned a boombox, this is one site that’ll have you waxing nostalgic over those stereo behemoths of the past. Today’s portables can’t compare to some of these classics. I even owned one of those: the Sony CFD-5, which was the first boombox with CD player (basically, the D-5 Discman guts in a full-featured AM/FM/Cassette boombox). The site features dozens of pictures and descriptions…great reading!