Tech News Radio

Is there a Apple Mac mini {@Amazon} competitor ready to roll out into the North American marketplace?  Apparently so ... both Network World and Computer World have recent mentions of the new MiniPC from AOpen America that should be on retail store shelves in Nov05 [more info via this link].  The unit looks good for the consumer home market but does it have an enterprise play?

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GotoMeeting & TechPocasts.com event for November 2005 being planned.

Show 37 has finally been finished and uploaded ... HTML show notes (thanks OmniOutliner) minus great links (maybe later?) are below (plus an OPML file is available also):

(00:00-03:17) Introduction

Intro: Jeremy Wright (Thanks!)

Primary content for todays podcast (7): MaximumPC, eWeek, Network World, Computer Reseller News, Government Computer News, Forbes, and InfoWorld

Official Beer of the Show ... is San Diego's Karl Straus (www.karlstrauss.com) Oktoberfest

(03:18-30:32) Primary Content

MaximumPC (www.maximumpc.com)

Koolance (www.koolance.com) Exos 2 [external water cooling kit]

eWeek (www.eweek.com):

ShoreTel 6 VoIP/SIP Server system plus switches and handsets

FileMaker Pro 8 ($299) and Advanced $499)

Network World (www.networkworld.com):

Network storage testing: ReadyNAS 600 (www.infrant.com); Yellow Machine (www.anthologysolutions.com); 200d with Rev drive included (www.iomega.com); Storage Central SC 101 (www.netgear.com). With ReadyNAS 600 score 4.5 out of 5.0 and a "Clear Choice Award).

EMC has released a new version of Recover Point (previously a product from Mendocino Software).

Mobile Linux for Handhelds & Handsets (www.osdl.org—mil) with support from MontaVista Software, Motorola, PalmSource, Trolltech, and Wind River Systems

Keith Shaw's CoolTool = Scores the Sony Vaio T350P a 4.5 out of 5.0. Key reasons: integrated wireless comms (Bluetooth, WLAN, and Cingular EDGE) and DVD/CDROM at 3 pounds with 10.6-inch widescreen LCD

Oregon State University's Open Source Lab

Computer Reseller News (www.crn.com):

Microsoft has plans to in Spring 2006 to get into the hosted CRM business and then follow with ERP.

Government Computer News (www.gcn.com): The U.S. Air Force on behalf of the DOD's Enterprise Software Initiative has signed a 5 year $182 million agreement with Symantec for a host of products for all DOD organizations including Coast Guard, Intelligence Agencies, and some Defense contractors.

Forbes (www.forbes.com):

Stephen Manes in his Digital Tools column for 31Oct05 examines "Flat's Where It's At." Some products mentioned: Sony MFM-HT75W, HP f2105, Dual Planar PL1910M + Ergotron DS100 stand

InfoWorld (www.infoworld.com):

TeleCommunications Systems (www.telecomsys.com) SwiftLink 2300 gets a 8.3 out of 10.0 (Very Good) Score in their Test Center report for 10.10.05. Also examined was the SwiftLink 5110 (GSM cell phone), and SwiftLink DVM-90 (VSAT)

Also examined in the 10.10.05 edition was identity management solutions from: Courion.com, IBM.com, Microsoft.com, Novell.com, Sun.com, and ThorTech.com. Novell Identity Manager 2 scored 8.2 (Very Good) just beating out solutions from Sun and Thor Technologies.

Moving back in time a little to 09.05.05, enterprise search was tested: ISYS Desktop 7, X1 Enterprise Edition, dtSearch 7.01, and Google Desktop Search for Enterprise. All of the solutions ranked VERY GOOD (between 8.4 and 8.6 out of 10.0).

(30:32-37:30) Ending The Show

Music for the show from a band that Dave Slusher turned me on to from his podcast Evil Genius Chronicles (www.evilgeniuschronicles.org)

Song: BubbleBee

Artist: Coconut Monkey

Thanks to Harold Reed @ the DarnPC podcast for continuing to support the bandwidth needs of this show.  I really appreciate it.

You can call in comments to: 206-337-1533 or go over to FriendsInTech.com and post a comment to our Forums (forums.friendsintech.com).

Take $5 off any order of $30 or more at GoDaddy.com! [Use code "TECH4".]

GotoMeeting & TechPocasts.com event for November 2005 being planned.

The podcast for Friday, October 28, 2005 - Tech Rag Tear Outs #037 has been completed, but I am having some hosting and post production issues.  I am trying to get it uploaded ASAP.  Thanks for understanding.

This is a summary of the items and links mentioned in this TechNewsRadio.com annoucment published today:

• TypePad.com
• MoveableType
• Newsgator
• TechNewsRadio listner map
• forums.FriendsInTech.com
• Portable Media Expo and Podcasting Conference
• Steve Gibson & Leo Laporte's "Security Now" #8 (DDOS) and #9 (Rootkits)
• RootkitRevealer
• iPhantom
• Killer Innovations Podcast
• 43Folders.com
• ODEO
• David Allen's Getting Things Done
• Adobe PhotoShop
• PhotoShop Radio.
• PodSqod (audio tools reviews)
• eWeek Podcasting
• CastSource & Yahoo (video and podcast content search tools)

Friends in Tech presents ... "The Server Room of Horrors!" What secrets lurke in YOUR server room? Enjoy!

Wired for Nov05 on page 112 looked at some "non-tape" digital video camcorder units [maximum score was 5]:.

• JVC GZ-MG30, $900  [score = 4]
• Sanyo VPC-C5, $600  [Score = 3]
• Samsung SC-X105L, $600  [Score = 3]
• CVS One-Time Use Video Camcorder, $30 + processing [Score = 2.5]

On that last one, MAKE magazine has an article on how-to hack the CVS unit for future unlimited usuage.

The things to look out for: types of memory, file format, battery life, and look for a charge-coupled device (CCD) that is 0.17 inch or larger.

To compliment the USB segment on Tuesday, these units might be interesting:

• Kanguru Solutions 512-MB Biometric-savvy USB 2.0 Flash Drive [$180]
• Imation 2-GB USB Micro Hand Drive that offers password protection, file sync, compression, version control, and 128-bit file encryption [$180]
• Verbatim Store 'n' Go USB 1-GB Flash Drives that also comes bundled with data protection options [$90]

Take $5 off any order of $30 or more at GoDaddy.com! [Use code "TECH4".]

GotoMeeting & TechPocasts.com event for November 2005 being planned.

Today we look at new ruggedized Microsoft Tablet PCs from:

• Intronix The GoBook Duo-Touch Tablet PC
• Hewlett-Packard (HP) tr3000 {@Amazon}
• Xplore Technologies X104 family of Tablet PCs
• Panasonic TOUGHBOOK CF-18

As a big Tablet PC fan and user, I am glad to see some new innovations in this marketplace.  Tablet PCs seem ideal for: power users & road warriors as productivity boosters; and in standard mobile data collection and access situations like tech support and sales.

Take $5 off any order of $30 or more at GoDaddy.com! [Use code "TECH4".]

GotoMeeting & TechPocasts.com event for November 2005 being planned.

The following podcasts have been enjoyable for me:

• Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte's "Security Now" #8 (DDOS) and #9 (Rootkits).  Two good links from the podcasts: RootkitRevealer and iPhantom.
• Killer Innovations Podcast has some great stuff to make you think about how to innovate better.
• 43Folders.com has started podcasting via ODEO.
• The Mike Tech Show has a good pointer to a PDF about a "recently capture spyware vendor discussion"

Some new stuff that might be worth checking out:

• If you use PhotoShop, you might want to check out PhotoShop Radio.
• PodSqod is published great audio tools (hardware and software) reviews.
• eWeek has started podcasting.
• CastSource is offering video and podcast search options (seems to be teaming up with Yahoo).

If you'd like to add yourself to a Tech News Radio listener map then check out this link.  I think it would be cool to see where everyone lives.

If you would like to participate in a Tech News Radio forum at FriendsInTech.com click on this link.

Tech News Radio will be at the Portable Media Expo and Podcasting Conference.  Send me email at: [email protected] if you are going to be there.

There are some pretty amazing USB flash drive customizations going on out there in geek world.  Recent articles from PC Magazine and PC World highlighted the following:

• Internet Office on the Road [with Portable Firefox; Foxit PDF Reader; Firefox Bookmarks Synchronizer; Portable Thunderbird (email); Portable Sunbird (calendar); Portable NVU (HTML editor); FileZilla (FTP & SFTP); and Trillian Basic 3.1 (chat)].  For more info check out USBKEY @ PC Magazine and JohnHaller.com.
• There are also options for adding OpenOffice.org builds to USB flash drives, plus on the multimedia side both XMPlay and CoolPlayer will play the majority of rich audio content out there also via USB drives.
• If you want to be able to boot from USB disk then check out: FlashBoot 1.2, BartPE, or Damn Small Lunix.
• PC World also noted that virus protection tool AVG and anti-spyware product Ad-Aware can also be configured to work on USB drives. 
• Plus PC World suggested two security tools that might be good for keeping data secure on the USB drive: Cypherix Cryptainer LE and Dekart Private Disk Light 1.22.

Take $5 off any order of $30 or more at GoDaddy.com! [Use code "TECH4".]

GotoMeeting & TechPocasts.com event for October 2005 being planned.