URLs from 11/29/05

Apple Broadband Tuner

Testing your network speed

Programs that allow you to securely delet files and securely erase the hard drive
--Listeener Steven from Dublin, IN had this followup: "There is a free program called "Darik's Boot and Nuke" available from sourceforge.net. I am not an expert but have been told this is very good. . . it is available in versions that boot from either floppy or CD-ROM. One problem with this type of program is that a doing a complete erase takes a long time. Normally this is not an issue unless there is a need to get rid of the PC immediately."

Used Macintoshes for sale

Used Mac prices

'Gifts for Geeks and Others' + URLs from 11/22/05

Bryan Powell's suggestions for holiday gifts:
X-Box 360
Moto Razr V3i (RAZR with iTunes software)

Wayne Stone's suggestions:
1) TiVo video recorder for your TV or cable
2) Upgrade your TiVo with a much bigger hard drive; they even tell you how to find your model -- pretty cool
3) Build your own PC! -- or a gift certificate
4) CNet's holiday gift site is a favorite

Cleve Callison's suggestions:
1) Mini flash memory drives by Cruzer and other makers
2) Recommend Canon cameras, Pixma series printers, and camcorders for quality & value
3) iSkin protective coverings for the iPod line (also other manufacturers)
4) Multi-format (memory stick, Compact Flash, etc.) USB card reader for under $10
5) Westinghouse digital big screen (DVI interface only) for around $229 (recommended by MacWorld). Note Bryan Powell's suggestion to buy a DVI monitor even if your computer has the older VGA output; you can buy a VGA-to-DVI converter, and your monitor will still work when and if you upgrade your computer.
6) iTrip LCD FM converter for iPod -- broadcast iPod tunes to your car radio
7) EyeTV EZ USB 2.0 TV receiver -- convert cable TV signals to your Mac
8) Stocking stuffer: can of compressed air to keep keyboards clean
8) QX5 Computer Microscope -- USB interface to your computer to view and control images ($80, recommended by MacWorld)

From Guy Moore:

Finding the right memory:
http://www.ramjet.com/
http://www.techworks.com/
http://www.crucial.com/

Recording your cassettes and LPs:
http://aroundcny.com/technofile/texts/tec060803.html
MAC - http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,116507,00.asp
Windows - http://www.cyberwalker.net/columns/feb02/150202.html

DVD Regional Coding

Countries that use PAL

Geek Gifts
Portable XM Satellite Radio
Sandisk Cruzer USB Flash Drive

Lots of stuff at the following URLS:
http://www.extremetech.com/category2/0,3971,720064,00.asp
http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,4148,11182,00.asp
http://www.computergear.com/
http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2004Dec/fea20041217028321.htm

Question about how to play European (French) DVDs on an American computer or DVD player: region-free software DVD player for your computer, or hardware-based for your TV

Recommended by John from Cincinnati: SIMA CT-200 converts NTSC to PAL and vice versa for video and DVD incompatibilities between North American and European standards.

Herbert from Oxford says: Most of Europe used PAL, but France has a different standard called SECAM. One way to play European DVDs is to buy a region free DVD players. You can find some them on the internet in the $20-$200 range. Those units also have PAL/SECAM to NTSC converters built in, so you can play the DVDs on a regular American TV.

World's smallest XP computer

WMUB podcasts

WMUB is now podcasting! The Help Desk podcast as well as podcasts of our other talk shows are now available, generally within 24 hours of first airing. For more information, visit our Podcasting page.

You could click on the Help Desk XML link -- however, not all browsers display XML properly.

If you have a podcast aggregator (Apple's iTunes, for one, is free for Windows and Mac -- you need 4.9 or above), copy and paste the following link in the podcast address field: http://www.wmub.org/rss/HelpDesk.xml

We'd like your comments as we roll this out, so go to our Feedback page.

URLs from 11/15/05

(Windows) What are the processes that are running on my computer

Words to the Teddy Bear Picnic song

Setting the default media player in FireFox

Upgrading Blue & white G3 to OS X?
One solution
Another solution

Backweb server problem: Download Stinger and use it to clean out your virus

URLs from 11/8/05

Pumpkin computer

Butler Rural Electric Internet service

WildBlue through Butler Rural Electric

Shellcon

Component Level mother board repair

Password Generation Technique

Protecting your self from identity theft:

NPR

FTC

Identity Theft Org

Printer Spooler not working

URLs from 11/1/05

1) Photos of a pumpkin computer

2) Outlook Express can't save attachments

3) Outlook 2000 Error- "the message interface has returned an unknown error"

4) Can't delete outlook email