All Posts by Paul

Samsung unveils Super-WriteMaster 16x DL DVD burner

Paul

Samsung has rolled out its fastest DVD burner yet, with the Super-WriteMaster (ha!) SH-S203N running at 20x for DVD±R discs, 16x for dual layer DVD+R variants, 12x for DVD-RAM, and progressively slower for other disc standards. It’s all kitted up with a SATA connection standard, and supports LightScribe burning so you know what the hell’s on that disc you just burnt. Samsung says this is the fastest dual layer DVD burner out there: we don’t know if that’s true, but we do know it’s faster than our crappy 8x DL burner. Pick it up anywhere from now for $79.99.

I hope they come up with the DVD Burner for the Laptop, that would be sweet!!

SanDisk starts shipping 8GB microSDHC and M2 cards

Paul

SanDisk was trumpeting its 8GB microSDHC cards all the way back in June, but it’s taken until now for the company to ship the little buggers — but we’re also getting an 8GB Memory Stick Micro (also known as M2) version as a reward for our patience. The 8GB SDHC card will set you back $139, while the M2 stick is $149, and both should be in stores worldwide now, according to SanDisk.

That’s not bad now we can have even more movies on our smart phones!!

Use Exploratree to Plan A Project or Idea

Paul

exploratree.png

Plan a project or map an idea with Exploratree, a free online library of “thinking guides” you can either print out or use online. Templates include the Futures Wheel pictured above, thinking boxes, compare and contrast, and a lot more. Each template is customizable; you can also use them to collaborate on projects with other people.

Exploratree
I’ve not checked it out but I will later this week!! I looks kinda cool!!

Microsoft apologizes for Windows Update snafus

Paul

Microsoft has been having all sorts of problems with automatic Windows updates lately. First, it was reports of users who had turned off automatic update installations finding that their computers had installed and rebooted anyway without their consent, then some enterprise Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) users found out that Windows Desktop Search (WDS) had been installed without administrator approval. Microsoft acknowledged the first problem but denied the second, then relented and issued an apology via WSUS product manager Bobbie Harder’s blog.

The explanation of the WSUS issue is a tad confusing, but it revolves around a WDS update from February that was an optional update that only applied to people who already had WDS installed. So far, so good. Then last Tuesday, Microsoft revised that same update package to be applicable (but still optional) for all XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003 SP1+ systems. Unfortunately, WSUS users who did not have WDS installed found that they got this “optional” update automatically, because WSUS is set by default to automatically approve update revisions. Confused yet? I sure am.

Harder apologized for the error and posted instructions on how to remove WDS, which adds fast hard drive searching to the Windows desktop at the cost of RAM and CPU resources. For the time being, the distribution of WDS through WSUS has been suspended completely, so the only way to get it is by going to the Microsoft Download Center and installing it manually. Harder added that Microsoft is “working on improving our internal publishing processes to ensure this does not happen again in the future.”

As for the desktop users who experienced unexpected reboots when they thought they had set Windows Update to install manually, the culprit may have been Microsoft’s own OneCare. According to the product team, Microsoft OneCare automatically changes the Automatic Update settings to automatically download and install. This behavior is briefly alluded to in the first dialog box of the OneCare installation screen, but many customers were unaware that installing OneCare would change these settings.

Can you say “OPPS’ i wonder how many of them decided to go to another platform!!

Display the Date on the Menubar

Paul

macdateinmenubar.pngMac OS X only: If you don’t want to install a whole other piece of software to see today’s date in your menubar, you can add it manually in System Preferences. It’s not an obvious checkbox or dropdown, so bear with me. After the jump, the step by step.

  1. In System Preferences, open International and go to the Formats tab.
  2. Next to Dates, click the Customize button. Arrange your date in the format you want to appear on your menubar. Use the down arrows on each element to choose between formats (January, Jan, 01, 1, etc.) I chose [Oct 29], as shown.customizedate.png
  3. Now, select the entire date format and copy it to your clipboard (Cmd+A, Cmd+C). Hit OK.
  4. Hit the Customize button next to Times. Choose the “Medium” format.
  5. Paste the date format on your clipboard next to the time format, and hit OK. You’re done!

Note that the day of the week (like “Mon”) will appear next to your date and time by default. To turn that off, in System Preferences, go to Date and Time, and uncheck “Show the day of the week.” Thanks, Snowmoon!

Easily add the date to the menubar [macosxhints.com]
Now you can add date without adding another software!!