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How you recover your lost data
After going through the process of reinstalling the operating system, I mounted the backup hard drive and discovered that it was empty. I had some how mixed up the hard drive I used to back up all the data with a hard drive that I wanted to wipe. Because I had done such a poor job of retaining backups on external media, I did not have any backups of my pictures and videos.
This is a lot of work, and it would help if you are an experienced Linux user. Though, the process laid out is completely free, which beats any $500 software out there.
Dell and Nokia the Most Green (Tech) Companies
Greenpeace has ranked top electronics companies on their attitudes towards ecology. In addition to what toxic materials are used in manufacturing, the report on “greeness”, for example, considers how the recycling of old products is handled and how ecological issues are considered in company processes and decisions. Idea is that the ranking is updated quarterly, and companies would like achieve to the top position. Dell and Nokia take the top position with a rating of 7/10, with Apple, Acer, Motorola and Lenovo falling behind with ratings worse than 3/10.
Even 7/10 doesn’t seem incredible. That’s one test that’s hard to score in!
GIMP vs. Photoshop – What still needs to be done?
We all know that the GIMP is more or less the de-facto standard for image editing in Linux, where Adobe Photoshop is the standard on the Mac and Windows (and some Linux boxes using Crossover Office) The question is the following: Does GIMP have what it takes to dethrone Adobe Photoshop as the standard?
There are a couple good points made here, the primary being the name. Granted, the GIMP is not that professional sounding, so I have to agree. In the end, I’d rather see Photoshop ported to Linux reliably.
Review Roundup for August 28
- Antec NSK1300 SFF Case – DragonSteelMods
Cases & Enclosures
- Enermax Marathon Enlobal 120mm Fan – Think Computers
- Hiyatek Laptop Cooler with Card Reader – Big Bruin
- Jetart VC2600 GPU Cooler – XS Reviews
- Thermalright SI-128 CPU Cooler – ModTheBox
- USB Notebook Cooling Pad with 4 USB Ports from Brando WorkShop – DragonSteelMods
- Zalman ZM-STG1 Super Thermal Grease – Tweak News
Cooling
- ASUS P5W DH Deluxe – Tech Spot
- ASUS P5B Deluxe WiFi-AP – Virtual-Hideout
- ASUS P5WD2-E Premium 30-day Test Drive – techFEAR
- Biostar TForce 570 U Deluxe – Overclockers Online
- Overclocking Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 – Nordic Hardware
- Overclocking the Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 – Legit Reviews
- Tyan Tempest i5000VF & i5000VS – Phoronix
- Ultra Products Uninterruptable Power Supply – XYZ Computing
Motherboards & Processors
- be quiet Straightpower BQT E5-550W – Technic3D
- Microsoft Lifecam VX-6000 – Hi-Tech Reviews
- Saitek Eclipse II Illuminated- Think Computers
- USB Little Mice Speakers from Brando WorkShop – DragonSteelMods
- Vizo Lan Dock – Red & Blackness
- XClio GREATPOWER X12S4P4-650W – Pro-Clockers
Peripherals & Power Supplies
- Asus EN7600GT Silent Geforce 7600GT – PC Stats
Displays & Video Cards
- Acronis True Image Workstation Version 9.1 – Bjorn3D
- Alienware Area-51 7500 PC – Hexus
- Games Convention 2006: Girls – techPowerUp!
- Samsung A990 Mobile – Digital Trends
Complete Systems, Competitions & Etcetera
Man Gets 3 Years for Botnet Attack
Weeks after NANOG subscribers argued whether or not mitigating botnet command and control systems was a worthwhile endeavor, the LA Times reports that the old fashioned method of arresting and prosecuting criminals still works. Prosecutors successfully prosecuted a 21 year old who had conspired to create botnets that attacked the Department of Defense, a California school district, and a Seattle hospital before being arrested. He plead guilty and was sentenced to 3 years of ‘supervised release.’
Clearly, the DoD seems like a safe enough target. I mean, what could backfire from this?
PSA: Do Not Flush iPod
Clearly the bar for what is deemed as a security threat has had to be lowered — but should it be this low? When a rather embarrassed passenger loses his iPod in the lavatory — even admits to the crew his mistake, the plane is diverted to Ottawa and a bomb squad is brought in to investigate. Read the iPod owner’s story and take one lesson from this kid’s plight — clearly the iPod is not flushable.
Yes, anything to do with an iPod will make news nowadays. I can imagine how embarrased this guy must’ve been!
See where the Internet lives
Equinix is responsible for holding massive amounts of data, including storage for popular sites like MySpace.com. Take a tour of the facilities, and see how much energy it takes to keep the Web alive. CNET News.com’s Neha Tiwari reports.
C|Net has a seven minute video that takes a look into Equinix… and this place is amazing! It has five levels of security and uses over 21,000 volts worth of power. Even if you are not interested in servers or data centers, it would be hard not to be impressed.
Man Gets 6 Years for Software Piracy
Danny Ferrer, of Lakeland, Fla., pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy and copyright infringement charges after an FBI investigation of his Web site, BuysUSA.com. Ferrer also was ordered to pay more than $4.1 million in restitution to software makers Adobe Systems Inc., Autodesk, and Macromedia Inc.’ The judge ordered that items he bought with the money, including airplanes, a Lamborghini and other cars, be sold off to pay for the restitution.”
I think that almost deserves an “owned!” Like any crime, it’s bound to catch up with you sometime.
IGE On Why Power-Leveling Is Like Day Care
Gamasutra managed to gain the opportunity to sit down and speak with James Clarke, IGE’s chief operating officer in Asia, during our time in Shanghai (where Clarke is largely based) last month. We had a chance to find out more about not only his role at the company, but also IGE’s plans itself, giving a rare insight behind the curtain into the workings of the MMO trading titan.
Though a good read, words can’t express my disgust with companies like this. It’s truly difficult to play an MMO nowadays without the thought of purchasing in-game Gold just to help give your character a boost. Regardless of what I think, just check out the article and form your own opinions.
OLPC Gets a New Name, New Features
According to a story on Ars Technica, the $100 MIT Laptop is now going to cost $140. It has a new name — it’ll now be called the Children’s Machine 1 (CM1). The added price comes with new features! The laptop will now come with a 400 MHz AMD processor, 512 Megs of Flash storage, an SD card slot, mic and headphone jacks, a built in camera, built-in wireless, and an 8-inch LCD at a 1280×900 resolution.
You know, for $140, I think this thing would be popular over on these shores also. 1280*900! Great stuff. Sad there is a price hike, but at least the machine seems to be vastly improved.
Penny Arcade Game!
Bellevue, Washington (August 25, 2006) — The creators of online ultracomic Penny Arcade have joined forces with Hothead Games, an independent and experienced video game developer, to collaboratively create video games based on the Penny Arcade comic.
It was only a matter of time! Hmm, hopefully it will be good. I’m not usually one for comedy-type games, so I am a tad skeptical.
HL2 Episode 2 Delayed
Half-Life 2: Episode Two and its three-game entourage – on three platforms – has slipped until Q1 2007. February, we’re told. But if you ever really expected to play it this year you were probably kidding yourself anyway.
Well that sucks, but it is indeed better to have a better game than a rushed one. Be sure to check out this interview if you want to see what else is up Valves sleeves.
How Not To Defend Yourself Against An RIAA Lawsuit
There are plenty of reasonable ways to defend yourself against an RIAA lawsuit over file sharing. For example, you can show how your IP address is shared by many others and it’s impossible for the RIAA to know who was actually responsible. However, one thing you should absolutely not do is erase your hard drive — especially when there’s a court order demanding you produce the hard drive as evidence.
Hmm. Yes I could see how this would appear a little fishy. However, was this guy not aware that he could easily write zeros to the remaining free space on his drive? I think that would have helped his case a lot more. Or… handing in a different hard drive could work. It surprises me, that the RIAA didn’t go and grab the hard drive from him, but rather sits back and waits for him to bring it in. Ahh, the softer side of the RIAA.
No HD-DVD, Blu-Ray on 32-Bit Vista
If any of you out there were planning on adding a Blu-ray or HD DVD drive to your PC in the near future to playback high-definition content on your PC, you’re going to be out of luck with a 32-bit processor and the upcoming 32-bit version of Windows Vista. Microsoft Senior Program Manager Steve Riley made the announcement today during Tech.Ed 2006 in Sydney Australia.
While I agree that this is foolish of Microsoft to do, I can’t see it affecting -that- many people. Chances are if you are willing to buy Vista, then you have a 64-Bit computer to begin with. Even budget PC’s sometimes roll in with a 64-Bit architecture! Update: Looks like the dev was wrong!
GEOS: The Graphical Environment Operating System
As we take time to look at the grand variety of operating systems available, it shows us that there is no one right way to ‘do it’. With hardware already a commodity, the way we interact with our computers is taken as a standard, and a given best-practice of design. The joy of alternative operating systems, is the variety of Computer ? Human interface models available.
Computing was so much simpler back in the 80s, and this is a refreshing look at a classic OS. It’s amazing how much actual power GEOS had… from spreadsheets to word and even being able to create custom cursors!
Kevin Mitnicks website isolated
Kevin Mitnick’s Web site has been placed on a special server for continuous monitoring after it was hacked and defaced, Mitnick’s Web hosting company said. Mitnick’s Web site on Sunday displayed a vulgar message, instead of the usual description of the famed hacker, his consulting services and books. The Web site, hosted at Hostedhere.net in Greenville, S.C., ran on a shared Web server, as is common at many hosting companies.
Is it just me, or does the fact that an elite hackers website being hosted on a shared server seem funny? I mean… really.
Apple recalls 1.8 Million Batteries
The announcement affects laptop computers – the iBook G4 and Powerbook G4 – sold between October 2003 and August 2006. It follows Dell’s decision to recall more than 4m batteries from its laptops last week. The recall does not affect the company’s latest line-up of laptops – the MacBook and MacBook Pro.
Well, at least now Dell doesn’t have to feel alone any more. The real target is Sony, since all of the faulty batteries seemed to be manufacturered by them.
NVIDIA 1.0-8774 Linux Display Drivers
Months after NVIDIA’s previous Linux display driver release, they have finally delivered version 1.0-8774 to the public. Of the changes in this latest driver include X.Org v7.1 support, XVideo with the Composite X extension when using X.Org v7.1, and improved interaction with newer kernels.
It’s about time! While NVIDIA is known for having ‘better’ Linux drivers, ATI beat them to the punch with X 7.1 support. At least the wait is finally over.
Review Roundup for August 25
- Akasa Zen – Xtreme Computing
- Enermax Glory External HD Enclosure – GideonTech
- Fantec external SATA LD-H35SU1 and LD-H35SU2- Technic3D
- Scythe Kama Bay – Computing on Demand
Cases & Enclosures
- Kingston HyperX KHX6400D2LLK2/2G – PC Modding Malaysia
- Patriot PDC2G PC-4000 ELK 2GB Dual Channel Kit – Viper Lair
Memory & Storage
- AMD AM2 3500+ Vs. AMD 939 X2 3500+ – Overclockers Club
- Asus P5W DH Deluxe – HotHardware
- Biostar TForce P965 Deluxe – PC Stats
Motherboards & Processors
- PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750W – 3D Gameman
- SilverStone Element ST50EF-Plus 500W – Think Computers
- TypeMatrix EZ-Reach 2030 Keyboard Skins – DragonSteelMods
Peripherals & Power Supplies
- ATI Radeon X1950XTX CrossFire – Legit Reviews
- Powercolor X1650 Pro – Overclock 3D
- ATI Radeon X1950 XTX – Beyond3D
Displays & Video Cards
- Canon Digital IXUS 65 – BIOS Magazine
- Canon EOS 400D digital SLR – Hexus
- Fujitsu Siemens Pocket LOOX N100 SatNav – UK Gamer
Complete Systems, Competitions & Etcetera
Seed Update Announced
We are proud to announce the successful launch of the first major expansion for Seed, the Sickbay Update. The update launched yesterday, while the associated skills were put live a week ago. Basically, the Sickbay Update introduces health, hazards, injuries and treatment to life in the colony. It is no longer without risk to take on repair jobs. Complications may arise that need urgent response, or else your character may get injured.
You can read a lot more about the update right here and also about player-driven projects here.
2K Announces Voice Talent for Family Guy Video Game
New York, NY – August 24, 2006 – “Victory is mine” declared 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), as it announced today that Seth MacFarlane, creator and producer of the popular hit television series Family Guy, and the rest of the cartoon’s main cast will expand their involvement with the Family Guy official video game. MacFarlane, alongside Mila Kunis, Seth Green, Alex Borstein, and Adam West are all on board to provide voice over talent in 2K’s upcoming Family Guy video game, scheduled to appear on current generation systems this fall.
I’m a fan of the show, but I can’t see how it will be a successful video game. Only time will tell I guess. At least they have actual voice actors from the show!
Windows Vista Beta 2 Plagued by Bugs
I have been testing Microsoft operating systems since Windows 95, and this is the buggiest OS I’ve seen this late in development,” says Joe Wilcox, an analyst with Jupiter Research. “Look at the older operating systems, and by Beta 2 there is a stable foundation on which the [independent software vendors] can build. Right now, Vista is like a ship on stormy seas.
How true this is. I’m trying not to be a pessimist here, but it’s going to be difficult for Microsoft to clean up half the residing bugs prior to launch. Here’s hoping.
YouTube could be a steal at $1 billion
By agreeing to pay $65 million for Grouper–a profitless video-sharing company with negligible market share–Sony has helped establish a benchmark for other companies in the space and sent industry insiders speculating wildly about what market leader YouTube may be worth. Sony’s acquisition Wednesday of Grouper, which owns less than 1 percent of the online video market, begs a rather obvious question about its far larger rival YouTube, which owns 43 percent market share: If a company were to buy YouTube tomorrow, what would it have to pay?
Wow, $65M for a site that owns 1% of the marketshare?
OCZ Technology Announces Cutting Edge SD Dual Memory Cards
Sunnyvale, CA—August 21, 2006—OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today announced their exciting new SD™ “Dual” series. Eager to take their premium Secure Digital™ memory to the next level, OCZ’s unique SD Dual cards introduce the ultimate convenience of an SD card and USB adaptor in one unit. Unlike conventional SD memory, OCZ SD Dual converts into a high-speed USB 2.0 connector eliminating the need for an independent card reader to transfer or view pictures or data on any PC.
You can read the full press release here.
Nikon Canada Announces Six New COOLPIX Digital Cameras
Mississauga, ON, August 24, 2006 – Nikon Canada Inc., today announced the addition of six new COOLPIX models to its line-up of affordably priced point-and-shoot digital cameras with advanced features. Four new compact digital cameras join the “S” series, and two are added to the “L” series.
You can read the full press release here.