Aside from the other useless, non functional, or already implemented by Cydia, a new feature in iPhone OS 3.0 is stereo bluetooth that is something long awaited! Who wouldn’t want to use wireless headphones. What is needed is a pair of in ear buds that support the bluetooth protocol. There are a couple of options.

Motorola Bluetooth Headphones

The uber expensive Sensenheimer earbuds. These are well over 400 bucks; jeeez.

In ear stero bluetooth headphones

Then there is the product I purchased. These are reasonably priced at 120 something:

JayBird bluetooth stereo headphones

Worth posting a screenie again. I have Ubuntu, MythTV capturing HD via Firewire, OSX, and Windows XP all running on the same desktop using the default compiz fusion.

Compiz Desktop

They say the AMD k10 support will be rolled into the k8 modules. Whatever they do in new, upcoming package is independent of chipset support now. After some painful seaching to get the source code for the k10 chipset I found this blog post http://blog.morrigan.ch/?p=9.

It is not an easy to find post but it does walk you through the compilation and installation of the modules. I will repost it here because my blog is very easy to find on the internet due to great Google indexing.

First download the make file:

Makefile

Download the source:

k10temp

Make sure you have build-essential installed:

sudo apt-get install build-essential

Run:

make -C /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build M=$(pwd) modules

Copy to the appropriate system folder;

cp k10temp.ko /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/hwmon

Load the module:

sudo depmod && sudo modprobe k10temp

Reboot. Installation gnome-sensors and you can view the temperature of your system as a convenient applet in your top panel!

The Phenom chips have frequency scaling properties. The only reason to use this feature is to manage temperatures, if the frequency is lower the processor will consume less power and therefore run cooler. My computer with Thermaltake water cooling would run at 28C – 32C with the frequency scaling option enabled in the BIOS (AMD Cool’n Quiet). I currently have the BIOS configured with this feature off. The FSB is scaled to 215 with the multiplyer at 11.5. The processor voltage range is 1.15 – 1.25 and I have gold series OCZ 1066 DDR2 ram. The voltage for these chips are 2.1, and the timing is 5-6-6-18. Enable 2T and ganged mode. I cannot get the chips to operate at 1066, the computer wont post. No worries ram speed is not a major player in the speed of application launching. The FSB play a greater role. Currently the RAM is operating at 900 Mhz, and the processor is operating at 2.54 Ghz. The temperature of the computer is consistently 30C – 32C even under load.

The new iPhone OS3.0 is here. It is completely useless upon its initial release. It was supposed to bring MMS support. Every other feature, ie. clipboard and search has been available via Cydia for a looooong time now, but the MMS was blocked by at&t. Now with the new OS3.0 here at&t still does not support MMS. This is the only substantial reason to upgrade. 3.0 has not been jailborken yet so now users do not have theming features, which pretty much leaves millions of iPhone users very angry.

Its simply incredible the service provided by at&t. 3G is fast, but there is never reception. I mean there is NEVER reception. Sure if your standing in one place youll get reception, but when I drive through town and pass Main Street, and Central Drive bam the signal goes to Zero. and then when I pass Main Street and Shore Road, bam signal goes to zero; call dropped. Reception in Plandome, lol never had it; its simply incredible. Now since at&t is the only official provider of iPhone service in the US, why would Apple issue and update for features that are not even supported by the only official provider? Its counter intuitive, and a guaranteed way to make customers unhappy, or further unhappy with the service provided by at&t. This only leads more and more people to look into unlocking there phone to work with other providers to bypass the monopoly at&t has on the iPhone. Wouldn’t at&t say to Apple, waiiiiit we are not ready for the update!! There is no coordination behind the scenes. The same thing applies to the 3G rollout. Why would at&t sell a phone claiming that the phone is twice as fast, when the service provider cannot provide adequate reception. The claim should be the iPhone 3G is twice as fast, when you can get a signal.

With the 64 bit version of Ubuntu Jaunty I have experienced a substantial prosessor leak causing system crash. When I was just hosting this website in a Debian virtualmachine the system was able to ensure the leak and I used the plugin effectively. Then I added a MythTV system using firewire to record HD, and the system could not handle the leak. I would have constant repeating system crashes after opening Firefox and the plugin loaded. The system would hardlock and I would have to force restart. Very annoying tracking down what was causing the unnecessary processor load, but once the plugin was remove the systems processor load returned to normal load on idle ~1%.

The MythTV package in the default Ubuntu repositories, as of Jaunty, works with built in firewire support. Just connect a firewire cable from the cable box, to your computers firewire (1394) port and configure the backend accordingly. When selecting the device configure it to 400 as the speed and select the 4250hdc model. You do not need an external channel change script as built in channel changing is supported. At first I configured my PVR150 with an external channel change script to control the ir blaster. After spending days upon days figuring out how to get it working just right, I notice the firewire support of MythTV changed the channels just fine. What an experience the PVR150 is; it does indeed work. All aspects of the PVR150 work fine, except the quality stinks compared to HDTV via firewire.

The best and most versatile vnc client for linux is xtightvncviewer. Its easy to install and gives a variety of options. When using it with compiz the fullscreen option, most annoyingly, takes up all the viewports. To clarify compiz take a single workspace and expands it in x and y dimensions. Therefore for viewport 2, the second face of the cube to the right, beings with your desktop resolution +1. My desktop is 1920 x 1080 therefore my viewport 2 starts at 1921. Though not entirely relevant it is important when trying to place different windows automatically on different sides of the cube.

While searching for a solution or an alternative to xtightvncviewer I tried many different clients. In the end I didn’t like anything other than xtightvncviewer. Many don’t have x cursors locally, and others dont allow defining the compression type or level. Ultimately I found a ubuntuforums post dealing with placing an xtightvncviewer entirely in a workspace. I see how this is useful using metacity along with the workspace switcher, but very comveniently it is also applicable as a bug workaround!

Here is the link to the forum post, but since the availability of internet content is always in question I will make a local link to the perl script, and abbreviate the procedure.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=3465085&postcount=1

First install some files:

sudo aptitude install wmctrl xtightvncviewer zenity perl

The forum post provides a link to xtightvncpasswd a renamed passwd file that is compiled for a specific kernel, I think 32 bit which is why it didnt work on my machine. There I recommend to simply compile it yourself.

Install build essential and your headers if you dont have then installed.

sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r)

Then the remaining build dependencies:

sudo apt-get build-dep xtightvncviewer

Download the source code from http://www.tightvnc.com/download.html:

Here is a direct link to the source, but the version will eventuall change which is why the main page is linked to above:

http://downloads.sourceforge.net/vnc-tight/tightvnc-1.3.10_winsrc.tar.bz2

Unzip it on your desktop. cd to the directory in a terminal. Then compile with:

xmkmf
make World

Copy the passwd file to /usr/local/bin and rename it to xtightvncpasswd so the script will work right.

sudo cp ~/Desktio/vnc_unixsrc/vncpasswd/vncpasswd /usr/bin/xtightvncpasswd
sudo chmod 755 /usr/bin/xtightvncpasswd

Download the perl script that user Felson so awesomly wrote!

vnc_ws

Copy it to the /usr/local/bin directory:

sudo cp ~/Desktopvnc_ws /usr/local/bin
sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/vnc_ws

Now your probably going to want it to open the vnc fullscreen on a viewport other than your main. You have two options. The compiz plugin Place Windows, which works fine for this type of window, or a manual wmctrl. I describe use of wmctrl in my previous post.

http://www.bgevolution.com/blog/compiz-auto-move-a-window-to-another-desktop-viewport/

Simply configure the compiz plugin Place WIndows to move the vnc fullscreen window to viewport 2, or any viewport that you want.

My start vnc quicklaunch button looks as such:

vnc_ws -h 192.168.0.102 -p 5900 -P password -w 1 -e zlib -o '-x11cursor'

The scripts takes a variety of parameters. Use vnc_ws –help for all options. -h is the ip of the host machine. -P is the password to automate the login process; please note that this is not secure at all and if security is an issue only use this script on a local network behind a fiewall or a properly configured router. -w defines the workspace, this should be one because your compiz cube is in workspace 1. You can use multiple workspace(desktops) but this will just make your headspin unnecessarily. -e is the compression type. -o passes options directly the xtightvncviewer. I use the x11cursor option to render the cursor locally for performance purposes. Fire it up, and fill a viewport with a fullscreen vnc connection.

I use this script because I want my headless mac as a viewport. Heres a post with a screenie!

http://www.bgevolution.com/blog/ubuntu-mac-tiger-windows-xp-and-mythtv-on-the-same-desktop/

There is no reason to be hassled to enter login usernames and password when accessing a terminal via ssh. SSH has built in rsa key authentication mechanisms. First build the private and public keys.

ssh-keygen

This will create your private and public keys in the .ssh folder in your home folder.

You then copy the public key to the .ssh folder on the target system. Use scp for this.

scp .ssh/id_rsa.pub 192.168.0.100:.ssh/authorized_keys2

Change the ip address of the target system accordingly.

Then login to the target system and change the ssh daemons configuration file.

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Scroll to the password authentication line, remove the pound sign, and make sure its set to no. Also make sure the daemon uses the authorized_keys2 file as the public key reference. Save the file, exit, and reset the ssh daemon.

sudo /etc/init.d/ssh restart

Now your ssh connections will be automated, and powerfully encrypted. You can remove the id_rsa.pub key from your .ssh directory for total security. Now the public key is only on the target system, and the only way to gain access to that system is via direct login or via the private key on your remote system. You can also transfer the private key to a usb drive, and delete the id_rsa key from the .ssh directory. When connecting via ssh use the -i option to locate the key on the usb drive. For example:

ssh -i /media/drive/id_rsa 192.168.0.100

Now the entire sesion will only work with the usb key in the drive. Your usb drive will literally be a key, without it there is no access to the target system whatsoever. Also do not loose the usb key, otherwise the only way to access the system will be directly via a terminal.

If you run a web server, email server, or any server why do you want it in a graphical window on your desktop? I used to have my web/email/ect… server in a VirtualBox window that I would hide using alltray. Then I discovered the VirtualBox headless option. It launches the virtual machine entirely daemonized in the background. With ssh configured I use a gnome-terminal to gain access to the machine. This way the gnome-terminal is fully integrated into my desktop and does not appear out of place what so ever. Simply setup rsa keys to automate the login process; also disable password authentication to really create a secure server environment!

One observation is how the options are called. Start a regular virtual machine with:

VBoxManage -startvm webserver

Start a headless virtual machine using:

VBoxHeadless startvm webserver

Notice the lack of the dash. It tis what it tis.

When you boot your machine you want to open a variety of windows or applications on different desktops, but they only seem to open on the main desktop even with use of the place plugin. The place plugin in compiz works for a variety of applications but does not work for VirtualBox graphical windows. Wmctrl is another plugin that allows you to move windows to different locations on the desktop. For example, if your desktop is 1920 x 1080 you can move a window to the second desktop, in the x direction, by placing it to 1921. For example if you launch MythTV automatically on boot, and you want it on the second desktop use the following in a startup session script. Wmctrl is a package in the default Ubuntu repositories give it an apt-get to install.

wmctrl -r "mythfrontend.real" -e 0,1921,0,1920,1080

There are a variety of option to wmctrl, use wmctrl --help for more info.

This is how I move my Windows XP to another viewport:

wmctrl -r "WindowsXP [Running] - Sun VirtualBox" -e 0,3841,0,1920,1080

In this case I move it to viewport 3.

I have integrated Ubuntu Jaunty, Mac Tiger, Windows XP, and a MythTV PVR into my desktop environment using the default compiz in the Ubuntu repositories. Ubuntu is the host operating system, Mac Tiger is a VNC connection on the local network maximized to fullscreen, Windows XP is running in VirtualBox, and MythTV is capturing HD 720P via FireWire from my SA4250HD Optimum Cablebox.

Yahoo reported a net loss of $303 million, or 22 cents a share, compared with a profit of $206 million, or 15 cents a share, a year ago. Yahoo said it incurred $108 million in charges related to severance of employees and $488 million in write-downs of some of its European assets. [REFERENCE]

The original king of the search engines, Yahoo is getting battered even more. When Microsoft wanted to buy Yahoo the decision was a big NO. Now, from Yahoo’s perspective, that sale would have been the best decision possible. With the stock a mere fraction of the value it was last year Yahoo has a lot of rebuilding to do. If rebuilding is possible at all with all the competition. The main competition is Google. One advantage Yahoo has is advertising on its homepage. Google has always had a simple homepage with no advertisements. Nor has Google provided the various tidbits of information Yahoo is famous for on its homepage. I still believe in Yahoo as a good product, and although there is a tremendous amount of competing search engines the main power of Yahoo comes from its history; it was the first.

I don’t think Yahoo will sell; especially at the low price its at. I think they will try and rebuild to some degree, and then maybe in the future a sale is possible. For now they will remain a separate entity try to expand on the territory they they still control.

This is my first experience with a water cooling system, and its a winner. A leak is the only thing that will make me hate water cooling, but otherwise my system is cooler than ever; pun intended. I operate at 21 – 30 C without overclocking, and overclocked to 2.6 Ghz I’m at around 35 C. Using the newely updated, and incredibly stable Debian Lenny performance is better than ever. With preload installed and a strategically implemented ram disk system performance is surely maxed out with the processor operating at such cool temperatures.

With the economy in shambles, and bachelors degrees decreasing in usefulness, the only obvious and unchanged use for a college education is laying the foundation for post graduate schooling. I make mention of this because a bachelors degree sets a person up nicely to pursue a teaching license. In most states you can enter a fast track program where you can start teaching right a away, and take your graduate classes in the mean time. In either case, with or without a fastrack program teaching is a profession where demand will always exist. With my electrical engineering degree all I need is a semester or two of bachelors level credits to start a master program in adolescent education. What better use is there for a years worth of pizza delivery savings? Also there is always room for part time work at the local GNC

If you have a bachelors degree in Engineering you cannot teach in the state of NY. You must return to school to get at least 36 credits of math, science, english etc… In addition you need 6 credits of a foreign language. Then and only then can you enroll in a masters program to get the requirements for a teachers license. Being that Engineers take advanced calculus, and the most advanced course in high school is basic calculus this seems illogical. I recall my high school calculus courses and they were helpful in preparing me for college. After the high school calc cources I have taken a total of 8 semesters of subsequent material; each increasing in difficulty. Yet still I am not qualified to teach. Other states have fast track programs for people with bachelors degrees. You can begin a teaching career while completing the requirements for a teaching license. This is not the case for New York. New York does have a fellowship program, which after a relatively short application you are informed whether you are accecpted or not. Obviously this program has a tremendous amount of competition; I was not accecpted. There is only one course of action; I must return to bachelors level classes to fulfill the prerequisites of a masters program that will eventually lead to certification. This process should take about 2 years. Then after certification the application process begins. In all to start a career be prepared to wait years and make the best of your part time job doing pizza delivery with your engineering degree. Cheers to maintaining your self esteem and the perceived value of your Engineering degree.

A Wal-Mart employee in suburban New York died after being trampled by a crush of shoppers who tore down the front doors and thronged into the store early Friday morning, turning the annual rite of post-Thanksgiving bargain hunting into a frenzy. Reference

The only reason something as such occured is because the people entering the store were entirely focused on what they were going to purchase. Their mindset was “I need to get that before someone else does”. People were so engrossed on acquiring items they actually trampled over someone else. I have heard the term tunnel vision used and it seems applicable to this occurence. Simply incredible that people could run past another person lying on the floor, most likely not moving, or at minimum apparently in distress. A person does not die instantly from being trampled therefore people continued to run past the injured employee.

This is an example of widespread selfishness. People were incredibly overwhelmed with the idea of saving money during these economically miserable times; so overwhelmed that money was more important than life.

The recent Virtualbox update comes equipped with official iPhone support. There was a previous patch/hack released which modified the usb kernel module in Ubuntu distributions, but this was not an easy fix for other distributions. The new release makes iPhone use with iTunes nice and easy. Linux users have been long awaiting the ability to sync their iPhone in a Windows XP virtual machine; we wanted this to ditch are completely unnecessary Windows partitions and now we can. So go for it everyone, delete that Windows partition and load up some new free space for all those extra tid bits we have on our computers.

With the economy uncertain and Microsoft Vista failing to gain overwhelming acceptance, many IT departments are considering a migration to Linux. Reference

I don’t know when it will be, but its coming quick. The simple reason that companies need to pay for Windows products will lead to abandonment. Why pay for products when you can get the same work done for free. Linux is clearly the solution, and with rapidly developing systems such as Ubuntu, there is no reason in the near future to continue to pay the large license requirements of Microsoft products.

Ubuntu has faster security updates than Windows, and is substantially at less risk to infection and spyware. Right now Linux implementation seems to be a no brainer, but corporation are stubborn and are hanging on to the tail of a dying elephant. Windows products are paid for by corporations because there is an underlying notion that paying for a product gets better support; but this metholodoly is quickly failing. Open source products have the benifit of millions of eyes to fix bugs, and make improvements. Open source will produce superior products by all means, and all that is needed is a little more time for the status quo of Open Source products to reach the stability and reliability requirements of enterprise applications. For servers Apache is the status quo; open source. For desktops Microsoft still reigns because the software requirements are much more daugnting. With projects broken down substantially, such as Gnome, and KDE desktop environments the development of independently stable applications is inevitable.

Started over 100 years ago by Nikola Tesla, the concept of transmitting electricity wirelessly is catching on fast. The dominant player is intel, but smaller companies such as Wild Charge prove that there is something substantive and viable making the recharging of devices easier and more convenient. While Wild Charge does not transmit energy wireless it does substantially simplify the recharging process.

Resonant inductance can sync magnetic fields in such a way that power apparently flows, or jumps, empty space. Based on the fundamental properties of inductors and magnetic fields devices that require recharging will not require a direct connection to draw power. A rechargeable device can be situated nearby the power source, and without a wired connection can successfully draw enough energy to recharge the device.

Tesla was a big dreamer and envisioned this type of technology transmitting energy all over the world. He wanted to sync the Earth’s magnetic field with devices; now thats big. Without a doubt he was ahead of his time, and there were and are definitely effects on biological systems. The extend that genetic, and molecular damage can occur is unclear, but without a doubt the concent originated by Tesla is effective at transmitting energy wirelessly.