“General” collection
Access a diverse collection of miscellaneous technology reviews, specialized DIY tool assessments, and unique lifestyle articles. From niche electrical equipment to general digital organization tips, this section covers the broad spectrum of a tech-focused life.
HTD Tech Briefs
View all →October 17, 2006
Windows Update Error 80245003 – Windows Update won’t run on Vista RC2
Updated on 06.25.07: I have added some more detailed steps based on feedback I received. See end of post for further details. I'm playing around with Windows Vista on a test box that I have. So far, it's looking like a fairly nice upgrade to XP. It doesn't feel like a complete overhaul (which, from my understanding, it somewhat is…
Read more →October 13, 2006
Helper apps for the Mac (specifically Remote Desktop Connection)
I'm sure that if you are a mac user and you use Microsoft's Remote Desktop (RDC) to connect to other PCs, that you have become frustrated on how limited the capabilities are. I found a couple of tools that may help with that lack-luster experience. First, there is RDC Menu. " RDC Menu adds an icon to your menubar, allowing…
Read more →October 10, 2006
Fun with PHPSurveyor v1.08a2
I'm finally getting back to testing out other opensource software. I just installed the latest version of PHPSurveyor (1.08a2) and ran into some .htaccess madness. No matter what I did, after initializing the security features (which depend on .htaccess and .htpasswd), I could not get passed the login prompt. Also, I noticed that my .htpasswd file showed my password in…
Read more →October 6, 2006
Apple Care came through with flying colors!
OK, it looks like the saga is over. Today, I finally received my laptop today (see all of the previous posts). Actually, I was pretty impressed with this round. I shipped the laptop this past Monday, it was received and fixed on the same day (Tuesday) and shipped back on Wednesday. I missed the delivery on Thursday, but today, I…
Read more →October 3, 2006
“All your base are belong to us” – 1and1.com’s version…
My grumble factor about one of my hosting providers is getting higher. I have had a series of exchanges with them about the possibility of upgrading their mySQL servers to one that is more current (and one that supports activeCollab and SugarCRM). The saga continues... First, they sent me a link to what versions they currently have installed (which I…
Read more →October 3, 2006
activeCollab releases 0.7RC1…but 1and1.com refuses to comply!
One of the more promising OpenSource apps that I have been following is that of activeCollab (aC for short) has posted the first Release Candidate for their next version. I mentioned this program earlier as a direct competitor to BaseCamp. The new features look great (from reading them). Unfortunately, my hosting provider (1and1.com) has a version of mySQL that will…
Read more →October 2, 2006
Netvibes update – Cinnamon release
Looks like Netvibes has updated their code with a new release "Cinnamon." This is the development track towards their 2.0 release. Some of the new feature/updates include: New Setting panel New Design and color themes New Netvibes digital life assistant Content localization Sidebar reorganization Better performance Browser compatability You can read all about it here. Personally, I'm still having issues…
Read more →September 30, 2006
Cobras are 4-0!
Another good game for my daughter's soccer team, the Cobras! This was one of the closer games with the talent of both sides being fairly balanced. However, the Cobras were able to pull out another victory! I actually tried to document the game. Here is one of the warm-up highlights!
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September 29, 2006
Understanding Phishing Scams…first hand!
This is my PSA (Public Service Announcement) for the week and it is about something pretty scary...Phishing Scams. Several years ago, I was a victim of identity theft. It was not a pleasant experience but it left me wiser and more cautious. It was done the old fashioned way of swiping some receipts and looking up some account information (local…
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September 28, 2006
MORE Apple Support madness!!!
So...the madness continues. After all of the fun as outlined here and here, and thinking that "all was well" when I received the laptop package yesterday...all hopes were shattered when I started reading the form letter in the repair box! The words "RETURN: CUSTOMER DECLINED REPAIR" jumped out at me and I wanted to cry. Quickly booting up my "fixed"…
Read more →September 27, 2006
Newly added function…”Read the rest this post >>”
I found that my posts were getting really long (I guess I have a lot to say). So in order to save the lives of a few scrollbars, I added a function that only shows the first paragraph of the article. So, be sure that you look for (and click on) the "Read the rest of this post >>" link…
Read more →September 27, 2006
Voice call hangups after 4 minutes on Tmobile MDA/HTC Wizard
I figured that I would post this little bit of mobile phone tweaking for any users who may be searching for a solution to the following issue. Ever since I upgraded my Tmobile MDA to the "latest and greatest" rom (v 2.26), I have been plagued with dropping calls after 4 minutes. It was definitely a bug that I had…
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