Month: January 2009

I like to have backups…spares…alternative plans. Today, I realized have allowed myself to become much too trusting…again.

This morning, I dragged myself over to one of my computers to search for…something…it really doesn’t matter what it is. I’m sure I’m no different than others who are too lazy to look in whatever they use for bookmarks, and find it easier and quicker to search for a website and webpage they want. Google has become my default “spell-checker”, as well…

ALL of the results from Google showed, “This site may harm your computer”. All links available from the searches would not allow me to move forward to the websites. I thought that it must be something I was doing: my browsers have been up for a very long time. But, it was happening on both of my computers. Well…I haven’t restarted them in a very long time…so I did. Same problem. Could it be my internet service provider? I have long suspected problems with their service…I only use them because I can’t afford a different one.

Then I noticed that on Twitter that I wasn’t the only technology related media personality that had the problem (I suspect the reason his post beat mine is because I was troubleshooting, and he wasn’t). I was in no rush to learn what had happened…I went back to being ill with influenza.

Later, I found Google’s explanation: an update had caused the problem. I think we can all empathize with them. I can’t imagine anyone not updating, upgrading, or installing something that did not work correctly…and/or made what was working cease to.

What really bothered me about me was I had been so conditioned, I forgot that Yahoo! has a search engine!

With that in mind:
Wikipedia has a list of search engines…
visit Search Engine Watch to try to stay on top of the latest search news…
and, allow me to suggest we use meta-search engines (“…a search tool that sends user requests to several other search engines and/or databases and aggregates the results into a single list or displays them according to their source…”).

We received this Press Release this Morning from the Consumer Electronics Association, It leads me to wonder if Manfacturers that support Apple products are looking for a new place to show products, there has been much talk on the future of MacWorld, could this be a sign of changing times?

Arlington, Va., January 29, 2009 – The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® today announced that the iLounge® Pavilion, a unified iPod®, Phone® and Mac® exhibition area at the 2010 International CES®, has quadrupled in size since its official launch last week. The iLounge Pavilion, co-sponsored by CEA and iLounge.com, will feature manufacturers and retailers of iPod and iPhone accessories, related products and services, and based on requests from vendors, will now grow to include leading Mac developers and retailers as well. Owned and produced by CEA, the 2010 International CES, the world’s largest tradeshow for consumer technology, is scheduled for January 7-10, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“We have received an incredible response from companies interested in exhibiting in the iLounge Pavilion at the 2010 International CES,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president, events and conferences, CEA. “In fact, the original space allocated for the pavilion sold out in less than one week – a CES show record – and we’ve quadrupled the space to accommodate the overwhelming demand. This exciting new CES Pavilion brings momentum to the consumer technology industry and reinforces the International CES as the global hub for the latest innovative technologies.”

“Leading Apple developers and retailers are excited to have such an outstanding stage at the 2010 International CES,” said Jeremy Horwitz, editor-in-chief, iLounge. “Whether they’re showing off iPod accessories, iPhone applications, or the latest and coolest new Mac products, they know that they’ll find the world’s largest audience at this great new pavilion.”
The iLounge Pavilion, originally floored with 4,000 net square feet of exhibit space which sold out in the first week following the launch, has increased to 18,000 net square feet. Exhibiting companies in the 2010 CES iLounge Pavilion, which will be housed in the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 2, include Griffin Technology, Mobis Technology, Pro Clip USA, Scosche, Incase Designs, Incipio Technologies, iSkin and GelaSkins.

Just thought someone would like to know that I dropped the beta DVD I made into the drive of my 4 to 5 year old Dell Latitude D810. Booted. Ran Full install and was AT DESKTOP and running Win7beta in less than 30 mins!

Not a single driver was requested…So something MUST be busted, right?

Nope. (At least I haven’t found it yet)

Win7beta immediately went online and d/l’d the update for itself…two clicks and two minutes later I was able to join the laptop to my network domain (I’m the ITGuy at Southwest) and was crusin’ the WIRELESS system without a hitch.

Another couple of clicks and I’ve got the company’s enterprise antivirus running (not a single complaint about version issues from Trend Micro’s Officescan) and no noticable performance hit. (will check on that more during an acutal scan)

All the “comes with” programs I’ve tried so far have only barked at me a couple of times about my security habits and seems to be learning quickly when to pipe up and when to shut up! LOL But over all, not a hitch. (What’s the catch? When’s the other shoe gonna drop?)

So now I’m at my HOME…popped open the laptop…signed in. Click the wireless icon in the tray, there’s more wireless networks available then I’ve ever seen before in my neighborhood! And my secure router at the top of the list – click – passkey – internet. Bam!

I think I’ll blog about this and/or try World of Warcraft (from my portable USB drive) next! 🙂

Diamond Dave
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