YouTube Scheduled Downtime

Youtbe is undergoing experiments and maintenance so its going to be down for a little bit. In regards to this site, most of the video clips will not be functioning and will not appear, except for the ones hosted on Google Video. I don't want to give the impression that i don't maintain my site or the posts =). Ill try to post as soon as YouTube is back up and running, or you'll notice if the video clips are back up.

101 Ways to Save Money

As computer and tech junkies, most of us have had the horrible feeling of being short and cash and not being able to afford the latest gadget or software that has just come out. This article at Credit Cave describes 101 effective ways to save money, probably enough money to go out and buy that gadget or game/cd/dvd/loaf of bread..... Check out 10 Ways to Save Money at Credit Cave. BTW, items 98 through 101 are probably just a joke.....articles posted on Assorted Junk do NOT reprsent or relfect the ideals, thoughts, or actions of its owners.

Ion Computer Cooler

This is the second build on a prototype the guys at Inventgeek.com had built. The system the developed replaces all moving parts in terms of the cooling system, and utilizes heat-efficient heat sinks and "ion" coolers, devices that physically propel air to certain direction using electricity and NO fans whatsoever. These ionic cooling systems effectivley cool computer systems, produce no sound, and do not consume anymore energy than a conventional fan-cooling system. Check the second build, dubbed "Ion Cooler 2.0", and the original Ion Cooler build.

Windows XP Speed Tweaks

The search for secret and magical methods of making worn out computers run faster has always been a dark and futile one. The general consensus for a slow computer is to re-install the original OS. However, there are several registry tweaks and modifications out there than can boost some aspects of your computer's performance.

Note: registry tweaks should only be attempted by experienced users or users that do not care if they mess up their computer, as any error committed inside the registry editor could result in the system not booting up again. Proceed at your own risk.

Here are some links to articles that might help speed up that old computer you got laying around (or might still be using.....):

TipMonkies have a short and simple article on modifying the registry to make menus and sub-menus in Windows appear much faster.

Extreme Tech has an article explaining the boot process of Windows XP and how to speed it up a notch.

CNET has a general article on making your windows system faster overall by trimming away the unnecessary programs and start-up applications.

Now, if you're the inquisitive type of person that doesn't mind sifting through numerous articles, or you want to speed your system up as much as possible, then visit TweakXP, a site dedicated to uncovering every tweak and modification possible for Windows XP, Windows Media Center Edition, and even Windows Vista.

Windows Vista Ready to Launch

This article was clipped from CNN.com's technology section.

SEATTLE, Washington (AP) -- Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday it has completed work on its long-delayed Windows Vista operating system and plans to release it to consumers January 30.

The announcement means Microsoft is on track to meet its revised release schedule.

Jim Allchin, co-president of the Microsoft division that includes Windows, said in a conference call that Windows Vista's code was released to begin manufacturing copies early Wednesday.

"This is a good day," Allchin said.

Microsoft had previously said it would release Vista to big business clients at an event at the Nasdaq Stock Market on November 30, and make it available to consumers sometime in January.

The release will be the first major upgrade in more than five years to the operating system that powers most of the world's personal computers. Vista boasts improved graphics, more effective tools for finding documents, pictures and other items on personal computers, and a new Internet browser, among other changes.

The system has been plagued by a series of delays, the most recent of which was blamed in part on efforts to improve security.

In its quest to get Vista out the door, Redmond-based Microsoft also has had to scale back some of its original goals, including scrapping a more sophisticated method for sorting and organizing data. Analysts have said that scaling back the system could hurt the company if people don't see enough of a reason to upgrade.

The most recent delays also forced Microsoft to miss the holiday season, potentially dealing a blow to computer makers and retailers who may have been hoping for the new system to boost gift sales.

Microsoft and computer manufacturers are offering holiday shoppers coupons good for a free or discounted Vista upgrade.

Playstation 3 Ad

Another extremely strange PS3 commercial........

Cool Free Junk

Cool free junk is a list i compiled of cool free applications, sites, and services that i have come across over my countless hours of internet surfing and exploring. This list contains entries ranging from the informative and instructional, to the funny and blatanly useless. However, i feel its important to share such findings so here they are:

Techspot.com is a great place that provides informative articles and forums for the latest news in the technological industries.

Web CEO comes in a free version and a paid version, both of which provide tools and utilities to promote, fix, analyze, and even edit your own website or blog for SEO optimization.

QuickTime Alternative provides the codecs and player for Quicktime formatted media without having to install the official Quicktime software

Ultimate Boot CD is a live rescue cd and compilation of pc diagnostics and repair utilities all rolled up into a bootable image, ready to be burned and booted with.

Open Office is a free and high-quality "office suite" that provides word processor software and other apps. comparable to Microsoft's Office.

Altavista's BabelFish translator can translate pasted text, or even full web pages using URLs.

Break.com hosts hundreds of funny/ironic video clips updated often, providing for more variance among the numerous video clip sites.

EasyCleaner by ToniArts is a freeware app. that provides pc tune-up utilities like registry cleaning, uninstall apps, and deleting useless shorcuts, etc.

Process Library has just that; a library of application and service process names and descriptions, useful in identifying shady processes running in the background of your computer.

DriverGuide.com has vast libraries of hardware drivers and other computer essentials that come in handy all too often.

elgooG is a very popular and ACTUAL mirrored site to a very popular search engine...

I'll post a continuation of my Cool Free Junk list later on in a different post. In the meantime, feel free to leave suggestions for my list in comments or through email.

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700

Intel's new Core 2 micro-architecture has been churning out processors left and right, all of which are fairly impressive and advanced compared to its competitors (i.e. AMD....). As if its Core 2 Duo chips weren't great enough, Intel has released its Intel Core 2 Duo QUAD CORE. If you thought 2 cores was crazy, the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 utilizes FOUR (4)cores on one die.

Check out the QX6700 review at Techspot.com.

Jet Pack Man.......2

'07 Cobra.......crash...already

News at Digg.com

Heres a list of articles provided by Digg.com. Im posting this as a single post, but the lnks are script, so they'll get updated regularly. Check back to this post for newer links from Digg.

Kane and Lynch: Dead Men Trailer

F.E.A.R. Extraction Point

Gears of War Promotional Ad

Firefox 2

Mozilla has finally released Firefox version 2 after a long awaited release and months in beta testing. The revolutionary web browser that was initially released two years ago has taken the internet by storm, uprooting the IE/Microsoft paradigm that had ruled with an iron fist. Known for its ease of use and equal ease of customization, Firefox is now taking more and more users from the IE camp and introducing them to revolutionary changes like simplicity in design, easy to use extensions, and of course, efficient tabbed browsing. Among many improvements, Firefox 2 has improved tabbed browsing features and has better integrated RSS features, according to product description. Whether this release will further encourage Microsoft to attempt to take back the market with improved versions of IE is unsure, however it is safe to say that IE7 is probably a major step in that direction as it looks and feels strikingly similar to an early Firefox....This app. has been added to my personal list of cool free junk, although its not junk, but still pretty cool.

Firefox 2 is available for free download at Mozilla's website

How to host websites from home for free

The general feeling on website hosting is that you have to have an awesomely powerful computer/server, or that you have to have vast experience coding and setting up websites. However, those days of futility are over as installing a server application and dropping in files is as easy as that: installing a server app. and dropping in pages.

The most common, and in my opinion, easiest to work with server application is Apache HTTP Server, latest version being 2.2.3. Currently, Apache is available for download in a .Zip containing the necessary files, or a VERY easy to use MSI installer that pretty much guides you through simple configuration, such as domain name. By default, Apache will use your IP address and port 80 for access to the .html files stored in its htdocs directory. There is also the option of finding a free DynamicDNS (DDNS) provider out there that will provide a hostname that can resolve to your IP, facilitating the use of your webpage by users outside your network. Either, all that’s needed is .html pages, which can be created with fancy site creators like Microsoft's FrontPage or Macromedia Dreamweaver, or just simply coded through a text editor such as Word or TextPad. Next step is manually launching the Apache server from its directory, in which case a cmd window will pop-up displaying current IP configuration, status, etc.. The site(s) can be viewed by typing in your IP address onto your web browser's URL bar, and maybe adding the port number 80 with a colon (:) behind it. The .html files residing in the htdocs directory of the Apache folder should come up if the application has been configured properly when installed or placed in computer. Note: If your internet setup includes a router of some sort (layer 3 device in general), you might have to interface with it and forward some ports like port 80 in order for it to effectively redirect incoming port 80 traffic to the proper port connected to your computer and not some other node on your LAN.

This basic Apache setup can provide an amazing level of quality hosting, while also keeping your wallet happy. However, depending on your computer setup, internet connection, and bandwidth setup and distribution, Apache at home implementations work best in smaller scales, providing efficient ways to publish sites and information for free on relatively old/slow machines. Be wary of keeping applications such as this open without supervision or constant review, as small flaws in configuration or .html security holes can lead to people gaining the wrong type of access to your site, and maybe even your computer.

Halo Wars Trailer

Jetpack Man

LOL good stuff

Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD

This article falls under the category of "insanely expesnsive gadgets that are hard to afford....but are still REALLY cool". A repitition of the VHS vs BETA tape battle makes its way into the '06 in the form of Blu-ray discs versus HD-DVDs, both next generation recording media that claim to offer video quality that has never been seen before.

Blu-Ray (BD-ROM)

Blu-ray media developed by sony (also known as BD-ROM) is a completely new implementation of new technology using new types of lasers to record and read information on the disc. BD-ROMs use blue lasers which ocur at a smaller range of the spectrum than conventional red lasers, working at something like 50-60 nm wavelength range. Current drafts of BD-ROM support 25 GB. and 50 GB. discs, which boast a potential HD video quality of 1080p.

HD-DVD

HD-DVDs are basically an improvement on current DVD technologies that allow for more storage on a single disc. HDDVD is recieving backing from more companies and media conglomorates than Blu-ray, however software giants like Sony are hard to take down. As seen above, the largest capacity, dual layer HDDVD can hold up to 30 GB. which is enough to store movies at resolutions up to 1080p, just like Blu-ray. Overall, both medias have the ability to store massive amounts of data and extremely high quality video. However, a very obvious observation that can be made is that HDDVD media is just an imporvement of old technology and methods, while Blu-ray is a completely new concept that has room for growth. Another thing to consider is the promised 1080p resolution which looks good on paper as specs. but is usually very hard to implement. There are very little 1080p capable hi-def screens out there, and the ones that are available hit price tags as far as $10,000 U.S.. Ultimately, the consumers will decide which media format will survive throughout the next decade as these next-gen medias hit stores during the holidays in the form of home entertainment players and the long-awaited PS3 (Blu-ray) and MAYBE the HD-DVD external drive for the Xbox 360 (again, maybe). w00t

White and Nerdy, foo

Kinda Creepy

More 0wn4g3

Its popular, so we put it here -.-

LOL friend gets 0wn3d