Rblprd's Blog

Webhosting

rblprd — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:38:48 +0000

Seems I am in the market to change web hosts for my primary domain Rblprd.Com

Looking at using Powweb.com

will see how they stack up, hopefully they are faster then my current host (who has been slowing of late)

Couple others I have been looking at, but Powweb seems to offer a lot of click installable apps that I would be interested in using.

From the Hall: GmailThis!

rblprd — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:01:39 +0000

This is probably one of the most used little hacks I have found on the net

From the Hall: GmailThis!
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
GmailThis!

What is GmailThis! ?

GmailThis! is an easy way to make a Gmail email without visiting mail.google.com. Once you add the GmailThis! link to your browser's toolbar, emailing will be a snap. Or rather, a click. Clicking GmailThis! creates a mini-interface to Gmail prepopulated with a link to the web page you are visiting, as well as any text you have highlighted on that page. Add additional text if you wish and then email or save as draft from within GmailThis!

Big, Important News! Recent changes in Gmail have broken GmailThis! in Safari and Firefox (and possibly more, those are all I've tested in). I updated the script, delete the old one and use this new link the same old way!

Logitech - Pure-Fi Mobile™

rblprd — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:54:36 +0000

Logitech > Speakers + Audio > iPod/MP3 > Pure-Fi Mobile™
Enjoy big sound from a small, portable speaker. Play music from your stereo Bluetooth® (A2DP)-enabled phone on the Pure-Fi Mobile™ wireless speaker. Or use as a wireless speakerphone.
Pure-Fi Mobile
Performance

* Advanced acoustics: Dual 2-inch (5.1 cm) Max-X™ high-excursion drivers deliver full, balanced audio, while 2-inch (5.1 cm) pressure drivers maximize the bass response.
* Stereo XL™ technology: Optimizes acoustic levels for the fullest, richest sound.

Pure-Fi Mobile
Convenience

* Bluetooth wireless technology: Supports Bluetooth®-enabled devices with stereo audio (A2DP) and Hands-Free profiles.
* Wireless streaming: Enjoy stereo performance from up to 33 feet (10 m) away from your phone.
* Integrated microphone array: Use the Logitech® Pure-Fi Mobile™ as a wireless speakerphone with two integrated microphones. One mic picks up vocal nuances, while the other mic blocks unwanted background noise.
* 12-hour rechargeable batteries: Go longer between charges.
* USB connectivity: Listen to music or make calls from your PC with the included USB cable.
* Auxiliary input: A 3.5 mm stereo jack provides connectivity for iPod and other MP3 players with the included cable.
* Soft travel case: Protect and store your speaker, charger, and cables while on the go.

Pure-Fi Mobile
Control

* One-touch simplicity: Call-answer and call-end controls enable easy speakerphone operation.
* Input selection: Easily switch between Bluetooth, USB, and Aux. modes.

Technical Specifications

- Bluetooth® wireless technology: Stereo Bluetooth® 2.0 (A2DP) + Enhanced Data Rate
- Range: Up to 33 feet (10 m)
- Frequency: 2.4 GHz
- Transmission format: Digital
- Rechargeable batteries: Charged via power adapter or USB cable (both included)
- Speakers: Dual 2-inch (5.1 cm) active drivers and 2-inch (5.1 cm) pressure drivers
- Voice input: Discrete microphone array

Package Contents

- Logitech® Pure-Fi Mobile™ Bluetooth® Speaker and Speakerphone
- AC power adapter (100–240 V)
- Soft protective travel case
- USB cable
- 3.5 mm auxiliary audio cable
- Quick-start guide
- 2-year limited hardware warranty

Derale 20561 - Derale Jeep Wrangler Direct-Fit Transmission Coolers - summitracing.com

rblprd — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:41:03 +0000

Derale 20561 - Derale Jeep Wrangler Direct-Fit Transmission Coolers - summitracing.com
Versatile cooling power for your Jeep Wrangler.
Take the heat off of your Jeep Wrangler's automatic transmission and extend its life with Derale's direct-fit transmission cooler kits. The high-efficiency aluminum fin-and-plate coolers clamp securely to your Jeep's frame without drilling and they even rotate for maximum cooling! Plus, a powerful, thermostatically operated (on 180 degrees F/off 170 degrees F) reversible Tornado fan moves 400 cfm of air for extra cooling when you need it most. You also get pre-assembled, high-temperature/high-pressure hose with tight-sealing -6 AN fittings, black powdercoated steel and clear anodized aluminum mounting brackets, a wiring harness, installation instructions, hardware, and step-by-step instructions. The coolers measure 10 in. tall x 12 1/2 in. wide x 4 in. thick overall and fit stock-height and lifted 1987-95 YJ Wranglers and 1997-2006 TJ Wranglers.

Cocktail 4.1.2 (Leopard Edition) has been released

rblprd — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:21:00 +0000

Ekero, Sweden - Maintain is proud to announce the release of Cocktail 4.1.2 (Leopard Edition). Cocktail 4.1.2 (Leopard Edition) is the latest maintenance update for Cocktail (Leopard Edition). It addresses an issue in which font server may not be restarted during clearing of the font caches, adds possibility to disable dictionary and calculator results in Spotlight, fixes a bug in which items in ~/.TemporaryItems folder were not deleted during clearing of the temporary files and improves performance of Pilot scheduler.

The update is strongly recommended for all users of Cocktail (Leopard Edition).

Cocktail 4.1.2 (Leopard Edition) is distributed as a Universal Binary and runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. Cocktail 4.1.2 (Leopard Edition) requires Mac OS X / Mac OS X Server 10.5 or later and is tested for compatibility with Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server 10.5.3.

Cocktail 4.0.2 (Tiger Edition) for Mac OS X 10.4.x and Cocktail 3.7 (Panther Edition) for Mac OS X 10.3.x are available for download from our website.

Cocktail is an award winning general purpose utility for Mac OS X. It is a smooth and powerful digital toolset with a variety of practical features that simplifies the use of advanced UNIX functions and helps hundreds of thousands of Mac users around the world to get the most out of their computers.

The application serves up a scrumptious mix of maintenance tools and interface tweaks, all accessible via a comprehensive graphical interface. Most of Cocktail's major features are arranged in five basic categories. In addition, a Pilot lets you clean, repair and optimize your system with one click of the button.

Maintain Website
Cocktail Website
Direct Download Link
Purchase Link
Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2

Maintain develops tailored applications for Mac users. We work towards creating technical solutions which maintain your computer and make it as efficient and easy to use as possible. In addition, we offer comprehensive consultancy and support services which cover everything from operation of existing systems to purchase and implementation of new technical solutions.

iPresentee presents iWeb Themes for Business

rblprd — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:48:00 +0000

Vilnius, Lithuania - iPresentee presents five new iWeb themes designed for small business - Office, Global, Money, Illusion and Papery. There are a lot of small business representatives that are delaying getting a website for their business and thinking that they don't have the budget, time or skills?

iPresentee has good news for them! Five high quality, easy to modify, great-looking and solid iWeb Themes for Business will help to represent business, band, services, product and more on the web. With iWeb Themes for Business website can be build in minutes and published on the web with iWeb 2.

Each iWeb theme has seven new templates: Home, About Us, Services, Support, Clients, Contact Us and Blank. iWeb Themes for Business includes an installer to make sure the themes end up in the right place. With iWeb Themes for Business website can be build in minutes and published on the web with iWeb 2.

iWeb Themes for Business provides themes and templates which helps to create a beautiful site with a minimum of effort. Each theme provides a different style or look.

Office Theme:
Elegant and clear Office theme is designed to inform clients about company work. Clients invited to online office will be grateful for regarding their time.

Global Theme:
Open your ideas worldwide with Global Theme. Communication is the key for business success therefore company website is not an advantage it is unavoidable part.

Money Theme:
Reveal services benefits to your customers with Money theme and they will return. Money theme design is formal and solid. It emphasises business ambitions.

Illusion Theme:
Illusion theme has eye-catching colors that gives chance for website developer to emphasise the core information. The first seconds when visitor opens website is the most significant. It is important to attract visitor at the first sight.

Papery Theme:
Simple and great-looking Papery theme has light colors scheme therefore you are able to put more text information. Your visitors will not feel confused with contrast of colors while reading it.

Minimum Requirements:
* Mac OS X 10.4.3 Tiger and later
* iWeb 2.0 or later
* 25 MB Hard Drive space

Pricing and Availability:
Each theme is available for $10 USD. The set of five iWeb Themes for Business package may be purchased for only $30 USD. Samples and more information about iWeb Themes for Business are available immediately at the iPresentee website.

iPresentee
iWeb Themes for Business

Located in Vilnius, Lithuania, iPresentee company was founded in 2007 by a group of professional and enthusiastic IT designers. With a focus on the Mac platform, iPresentee' perspective goal is to create high quality, easy to use and fun add-ons for Apple's iWork and iLife applications. Copyright 2007-2008 iPresentee. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, and Apple Keynote are registered trademarks of Apple Computer in the U.S. and/or other countries.

AirRadar 1.0 Released - Advanced Wireless Network Scanner

rblprd — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:33:00 +0000

Kamloops, British Columbia - Koingo Software has officially unveiled their new product: AirRadar. This new title allows users to scan for wireless networks in range of their computer, compile favourite and filter lists, and view detailed network information. The highlight being the ability to automatically join the best open network.

Whether you are driving around looking for wireless networks, stuck in traffic, sitting on the beach, or if you are curious how strong your wireless signal is at home, AirRadar provides a more linear approach to network hunting. Setup a scan frequency, and have new open or closed networks have their name spoken, play alerts, or display notifications.

Various other options allow you to customize your network list further, including assigning colors to best open networks and sound cues. The best part - AirRadar is absolutely free!

** ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION **
In some countries, such as Germany, it is illegal to connect to open networks which do not belong to you. Only use AirRadar to the extent your local law permits. We disclaim all liability for your actions.

AirRadar
Direct Download Link
Donation link
Screenshot
App Icon
Large App Icon

Located in Kamloops, British Columbia, Koingo Software has been providing digital solutions for businesses and individuals since 1994. Our award-winning software is now installed on thousands of personal computers worldwide - seamlessly integrating with a modern lifestyle.

Newsweek Web Exclusive — Assaulted Batteries — Replacement Hybrid Battery Costs Plummet

rblprd — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 21:26:49 +0000

Assaulted Batteries

Hybrids are hot, but some drivers are concerned about the high cost of replacing that gas-saving battery.

Keith Naughton

Newsweek Web Exclusive

Updated: 12:48 PM ET May 27, 2008

As I got into my car at my local YMCA recently, I noticed a Prius parked next to me with a For Sale sign in the window. It read: "'05 Prius, $14,999, 97,000 miles." This beige Prius looked to be in good condition. And with gas prices topping $4 a gallon, it certainly seemed like a good deal for a gas-electric hybrid that gets 48 mpg in the city and would cost about $23,000 new. But one question nagged at me: as the odometer approaches the century mark, how much life is left in this car's electric battery? And then an even scarier question occurred to me: if the battery runs out of juice, how much would it cost to replace it? Those concerns short-circuited any interest I had. So I put the key in the ignition of my far less fuel-efficient car and drove off.

Hybrids these days are hotter than a laptop battery, with sales up 58 percent last month. But what happens if the battery on your hybrid goes dead? After all, hybrids have been on the road in America for eight years, racking up hundreds of thousands of miles. Automakers say those big batteries under the seats are holding up well. But when they power down, replacing them will cost you thousands. That thought might have been a caution light for me, but it isn't for the growing gridlock of used hybrid buyers. On the car Web site MyRide.com, the number one search term last month was "Used Toyota Prius"—up 944 percent since January. "People are ignoring the concern about battery life," says J.D. Power auto analyst Michael Omotoso. "Their immediate concern is, 'Oh my God, gas is $4 a gallon. I need a hybrid. I'll worry about battery replacement five years down the road.'"

When hybrids first hit the road in 2000, there was plenty of fear-mongering, especially here in Detroit, where the Big Three were drunk on cheap gas and big SUV sales. Back then Motown execs warned darkly that rescue workers could be electrocuted trying to save trapped motorists who crashed in these high-voltage contraptions. And those giant batteries could cost $10,000 or $15,000 to replace once they ran down, maybe after 100,000 miles or less.

It turns out those safety fears were nonsense. But while the battery replacement cost was overblown, it is not insignificant. Philip Card of Utica, N.Y., says a Toyota dealer wanted to charge him $3,900 to replace the battery on his 2001 Prius, which had 350,000 miles on it when he bought it used on eBay this year for $4,357. Card knew the battery might be running on empty when he bought the car, but the retired engineer hoped to convert the car into a plug-in hybrid that could get 100 mpg. Before he had a chance, though, his Prius had a brownout. "It lost power drastically," he says. "It still moves around, but with no pep at all." He's decided to park the Prius rather than replace the battery. He's going to scavenge parts from it to fix up two other Priuses he owns. What's his advice for other used Prius buyers? "If they're going to take it to a Toyota dealer for service," he says, "they better have deep pockets."

The stiff cost of replacing a battery at your dealer helps explain why an underground aftermarket in Prius batteries is emerging. Since last year eBay has seen an 850 percent increase in Prius batteries changing hands. Prices for used Prius batteries—which come from junkyards and auto body shops—range from $450 to $1,700, says Famous Rhodes, director of eBay Motors parts and accessories. "As hybrid vehicles hit the tipping point in age," he says, "the demand is growing significantly."

The hard part about these cheap batteries: once you buy them you have to figure out how to install them. That's labor-intensive work for which dealers can charge $900. But Rhodes does not recommend that amateur mechanics try to tackle this high-voltage repair job. "This is not something where a DIY can just open up an installation manual and put in their own batteries," says Rhodes. "You need to have a mechanic or an electrical technician do it."

Despite eBay's booming battery bazaar, Toyota, Honda and Ford all say hybrid battery failures are extremely rare. Out of more than 100,000 Honda hybrids on the road, the automaker says fewer than 200 have had a battery fail after the warranty expired. Honda, like Toyota and Ford, covers the cost of battery replacement for the first 100,000 miles in most states and 150,000 miles in California and a few other states with tough green car laws.

Toyota says its out-of-warranty battery replacement rate is 0.003 percent on the second generation Prius that debuted in the 2004 model year. That equals about one out of 40,000 Priuses sold, says Toyota spokesman John Hanson. That's a vast improvement over the first generation Prius, which had about 1 percent of the batteries fail after the warranty expired. Hanson says today's Prius batteries are designed to last "the life of the car," which Toyota defines as 180,000 miles. (Toyota and Panasonic announced Friday that they will build a new $200 million factory to produce more hybrid batteries to meet the automaker's goal of selling 1 million gas-electric cars a year.)

For those unlucky few who have to replace their own batteries, the cost is coming down. On June 1 Honda is slashing the cost of its batteries from $3,400 (excluding installation) to as low as $1,968 on an Insight or as high as $2,440 on an Accord hybrid. Toyota also plans to substantially cut battery prices, which now stand at $3,000 (excluding installation), down from $5,500 on the original Prius. Both automakers attribute the price cuts to improved technology and lower production costs. But some analysts think Toyota and Honda are really trying to get ahead of consumer concerns about battery replacement. "PR is a very important factor in the hybrid market," says J.D. Power's Omotoso. "Honda and Toyota have the oldest hybrids on the road. And when a hybrid gets to be that old, you have to factor battery replacement costs into your purchase decision."

So far, the high cost of battery replacement isn't having much impact on the resale value of hybrids. The Automotive Lease Guide (ALG)—the resale value bible—only recently began assessing hybrids. "We had concerns about battery life," says ALG CEO John Blair. "But our analysts told us that battery life was really a nonissue. They found that the batteries have a 10-year life expectancy, which is quite reasonable."

Still, hybrids don't hold their value as well as their gasoline-powered siblings, batteries aside. For example, a three-year-old Honda Civic is worth about $12,000, retaining about 60 percent of its original sticker price of $20,000, according to Blair. But a hybrid Honda Civic holds only 58 percent of its original sticker price after three years, giving it a used price of $13,630, down from a new price of $23,500. "The new car buyer is more into bells and whistles, while used car buyers are all about value," says Blair. "If a hybrid is near the end of its warranty, what could creep into the mind of the used car buyer is, 'I still have a doubt about the battery, and it's just one more big thing that could go wrong.'"

Anytime you buy a used car, there's always a risk that something big and costly could wear out. That's why the experts recommend having your mechanic check out any used car you're thinking about buying. The problem is there aren't that many mechanics who know how to tell if a hybrid battery is running out of juice. "We're on the front edge of figuring out how this all plays out," says Rob Chesney, vice president of eBay Motors. "As a hybrid owner, you're kind of playing a game of Russian roulette." Precisely why I was happy to drive away from that seemingly good deal at the Y.

URL: http://www.newsweek.com/id/138808

Craig’s List Search Agent Greatly Enhanced, 50% off until 6/10

rblprd — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:47:00 +0000

Seattle, WA - Black Pixel Luminance has released an updated version of Agent Craig, the internet search agent for OS X Leopard, with dramatically enhanced search capabilities and a substantially reduced introductory price.

The software runs as a background application, providing an unobtrusive way to look out for items of interest during work or at home. Discrete pop-up messages notify the user of new results matching their search terms, and each search campaign can be customized with a distinct audio alert.

"The single largest item of feedback our customers gave us was 'provide searches for more cities, please'," said Dan Pasco, Black Pixel's CEO, "In our initial release we focused primarily on 22 major cities and a short list of major categories. The latest build has support for 598 cities and 130 distinct categories - a huge improvement."

The expanded site list will allow users outside of major US metropolitan areas to effectively use the application. It also allows international users to access Craig's List sites as well, something denied to them in previous releases.

"It's good to have this taken care of," said Black Pixel director of engineering David Brown, "We've been wanting to have this addressed since the day we went live with Agent Craig, but our schedule mandated that we hold off on world-wide support until after the initial release. As it stands, it took a lot of work to get these features in as quickly as we did, but it was a high demand item and we wanted to keep our users happy."

In addition to the expanded search, the new version features performance updates and enhanced tools for collaboration with friends and family.

The updated version of Agent Craig is currently available as a beta and will be distributed as a regular product update by the end of the week. The beta version can be downloaded for free from the Black Pixel website.

Pricing and Availability:
Agent Craig normally sells for $29.99 USD, but is being offered for 50% off ($14.99) until June 10th, 2008. The software can be downloaded for free evaluation or registered at the Black Pixel website.

Black Pixel Luminance
Agent Craig
Direct Download Link
Purchase Link
Screenshot
Screenshot/App Icon

Black Pixel Luminance is a software development group focused exclusively on iPhone and Mac software development. The group, which was founded in February 2008, has created Agent Craig, a collaborative task management application known as Aria, and two yet-to-be-announced applications for the Apple iPhone.

Boinx Software supports iMedia Browser

rblprd — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 10:22:00 +0000

Munich, Germany - Boinx Software announced today that it will join the development team of the iMedia Browser, spearheaded by Karelia Software. Leading independent Mac software publishers teamed up to bring to the platform a standardized way to access media libraries from software including iTunes, iPhoto, Aperture, Lightroom and others. Boinx Software engineers contribute bug fixes and new functionality to the community project. The next version of FotoMagico will integrate the iMedia Browser framework, enabling professional photographers to create great presentations using their photos from Aperture, iPhoto and Lightroom seamlessly.

"The iMedia Browser framework demonstrates the spirit in the Mac developer community to drive the Mac platform ahead," says Oliver Breidenbach, co-founder of Boinx Software. The framework benefits users by providing a consistent way to access media files located across several libraries. Because iMedia Browser is easily extensible, it can be easily augmented to support new assets as required, and users of software such as FotoMagico automatically gain the benefits.

"It is great to have Boinx Software on board with this, and I?m looking forward to the contributions from Boinx that will make it even more useful", says Dan Wood of Karelia Software, the founder of the iMedia Browser framework project. "We are excited about the growing acceptance of the project in the Mac developer community and expect great things from the framework in the future."

About the iMedia Browser framework:
The framework is currently used by third-party developers around the world in a number of applications, including Sandvox, Skitch, MemoryMiner, ?bercaster, iStar Composer, Norkross Movie, and Posterino. The iMedia framework is extensible, allowing developers to add new media types or sources of media. The Karelia iMedia Browser is also available as a free standalone utility from their website.

About FotoMagico:
FotoMagico, winner of the Apple Design Award 2006 - Best Mac OS X User Experience Runner-up, is a presentation tool for photographers. It is easy to use and produces phantastic slideshows that makes the audience want for more. As Derrick Story, host of 'The Digital Story' put it: "FotoMagico makes the kind of slideshows that make Ken Burns envious."

Boinx Software
Boinx FotoMagico 2
Download FotoMagico 2
Purchase FotoMagico 2
Screenshot FotoMagico
Icon FotoMagico

Boinx Software Ltd. is located in Puchheim, near Munich, Germany. Boinx Software develops and publishes fun and easy to use applications for the creative user. Boinx iStopMotion is the leading solution for stop motion animation and time lapse capture for your digital hub and won the O'Reilly Mac OS X Innovators Award in 2003. Boinx iVeZeen turns your webcam into a digital camcorder. Boinx Mousepose is the essential mouse pointer highlighting tool for everyone doing presentations, trainings or demos and those individuals with huge and high resolution displays.