Technology

Windows XP SP-2???

by

So I sent out a notice to the employee’s not to install SP-2 on any work computers. We still don’t know what it will do to our desktops. We think we are just going to blow away every computer and re-image them with new builds of XP with SP-2 in it. This of course won’t happen for several months. for now no one will do anything, we hope.

I need to walk my dad through how to turn off automatic updates that I turned on his computer when I gave it to him. He is the perfect person for those automatic updates, but who knows what will happen to his computer if he gets SP-2. I would rather turn off auto-updates and take my chances with virus’s and worms vs. installing sp-2 and have him complain to me all the time.

Hey, SP-2 (for XP) may be completely safe. I am just not taking any chances with anyone I know, or any computer that I have to deal with at work…

T-Mobile Customer Service Is Great (Today)

by

I called to unlock my Sony Ericsson T-610 today. They took down some information and are emailing me the unlock instructions. No questions asked. I have been a customer on and off since Sept 2000. I have had my current account since early 2002. You would expect them to treat you right if you have been around for a while? Other carriers I have had for years didn’t, but so far T-Mobile treats me well.

If you have had an account for several months they will unlock the phone if you ask and have a good reason (for me potential travel to somewhere that I will want to put a local SIM card into my phone). Hey, I own the dam phone. They get their money back from the subsidy if I stay with them for a year, or pay the early termination fee. So why then does AT&T Wireless and Cingular not do the same thing? AT&T does not unlock for any reason. Cingular I am not so sure about.

T-Mobile also doesn’t make me extend or setup a contract for changes to my account. I have been running without a contract for over a 1 1/2. I don’t plan on changing carriers, but I would think twice about staying with T-Mobile if I called and asked to change something and they did make me sign a contract. It is the point of the matter that they (Cell phone companies) lock me in for making changes. Verizon, and AT&T were terrible about that. T-Mobile has been good so far.

To sum this post up: If you are a T-Mobile executive, don’t change your relaxed customer service approach. Customers actually do appreciate it. I for one am a loyal customer not because I am locked into a contract (i have paid $175 to break out of other companies contracts because of draconian rules, etc.), but because T-Mobile can keep me without making me sign a contract.

Honestly T-Mobile may not have the best network in NYC, but they make up for it in all the ways I stated above. Verizon in my experience (and I have tried all carriers in NYC except for Cingular) has the best coverage and network. They do, I tell people that when they ask my advice. The problem is they cannot make up for the shitty customer service, and restrictions with good voice quality. They still suck even if they have the best signal strength, because support just sucks.

Pix Is Sold

by

It went in less than a day with buy it now. I love ebay. I am bringing it to work to ship tomorrow. Next up is my old T-68i and my Motorola T720. I have to take pictures of them and post them on ebay this week.

Hosting Provider Gone

by

So this awesome hosting provider I got is gone. They had a great plan, responsive tech support, etc. The only problem is they didn’t support IMAP4 mail. Their marketing info eluded to them offering it, but in fact support said they didn’t. I canceled my trial account after less than a week. I love that a trial account has your credit card charged right away. At least I got my money back relatively quick.

Right now I am hosting my site on Miguel’s web server. He is in the process of building a new box. Once that is done I can host more of my photo album and move my mail to it. So far it is working out ok, and best of all it is free…

Bye, Bye Pix 501

by

I bought a pix a while ago. I blogged about it. It is fantastic. I can tunnel into work, and setup multiple tunnels. The PDM is exactly like the 515’s we have at work. Unfortunately I am selling it on ebay. I probably shouldn’t have spent the money on it when I did, but that is not why I am selling it.

I don’t have time to play with it. I got it so I could continue to explore the Pix and setup some cool functions on it. I am finding I have no time to do any of that. I spent half my day off messing around with it yesterday. I did this by choice, and had a good time doing it, but I need to have my firewall/router at home to just work. Also the lack of wifi for me sucked. I didn’t buy a separate wifi point and I couldn’t use my old linksys 802.11g point/router with the pix.

I am actually unhappy about selling it, but it makes sense, but the Pix is still so cool…

iMac, Gone

by

I dropped my iMac off at the UPS store yesterday. It is on its way to its new owner cutisy of ebay. I really liked that computer but I decided I need to be mobile. So I am sticking with my Powerbook as my only Mac, and as my main computer now that the iMac is gone.

I will miss that computer but I am looking ahead to smaller more powerful portable stuff:)

iMac Is Packed And Ready To Go

by

I am moving fast before I change my mind. I have wiped the hard drive and restored it to the factory defaults. I then boxed it up and took pictures of it for ebay. Now I have to post an auction and sell it before I have second thoughts. I am working off my Powerbook as my main computer for now. My Server and desktop PC’s are still not unpacked.

For now the plan is to sell the iMac and possibly buy a nice 20″ or 23″ flat screen and plug my Powerbook and desktop into it. Or I may just get a bigger powerbook with the 15″ screen. I know I had one 2 years ago, but I am not sure what I want. I love my little powerbook, but it does not have a DVD burner, and it is not super fast. if I am going to use it as my main machine I need more out of it. Especially the hard drive. Even with an external firewire drive, the internal 40 gig drive just wont cut it.

For now I will stay with the 12″ until I sell the iMac.

It Just Works

by

Whoever said that is correct. Mac’s just work. To make a long story short, I have an Eye TV that I have plugged into my iMac. I am moving, so I unplugged it. I packed my TV, DVD, VCR, Tivo and all other gear away. I still wanted to watch tv. I went to elgato’s website and downloaded the latest software for Eye TV and dropped it in the applications folder of my Powerbook and plugged in the EyeTV. I was watching TV in 3 minutes.

I never had that kind of luck with my ATI all in wonder capture card on my PC. The idea of setting the Eye TV up on my laptop is now when my cable company shows up at my new place I don’t need my tv to be unpacked. I just need the Eye TV and my powerbook and I can verify that cable works. Both items are small so they can go in my laptop bag.

I am very happy I didn’t have to spend hours figuring out how to get the dam thing to work. I don’t even want to watch tv now that I know I can when I want for the next few days.

Tivo withdrawal is another story, and another post…

Palm And Entourage

by

I installed the Palm conduit for Microsoft Entourage 2004 over the weekend. After using it for a few days I have no idea why I haven’t been using it for longer. I want outlook like functionality on my Mac. I want free / busy data that works with outlook. Turns out I am a dumbass and have had that all along with Entourage. It makes sense, Entourage is Microsoft’s answer to outlook for the Mac.

I removed the Missing Sync from my Mac and ran the Entourage conduit. it worked great so far. I will put the missing sync back on when the new version 4.0 comes out with support for Entourage. No more iCal & Address book for me. Almost everything sync’ between the palm and Entourage. The only thing that doesn’t is calendar categories. I think that is because the palm doesn’t transfer them, because Entourage has the ability to handle them, and so does outlook.

I am going to try to sync my Treo 600 with my Powerbook today at work, and use the powerbook for my PIM instead of my windows box and outlook. I will see how it turns out. Now all I need is for my Treo to do Bluetooth and I would be a happy camper!!!

Pix Configuration Problems

by

I am having a problem with the new Pix. I think it is a minor issue, but I just cant figure it out. I am trying to make a second static VPN tunnel, and the pix keeps telling me the crypto map is not complete. I am doing nothing different from the first tunnel I created but it still wont work. I am going to call Cisco and try to figure out what the deal is.