My 2 Cents: Now this is a feature that I know that a lot of you have been waiting for, especially with all of the talk about the pitfalls of cloud computing. I guess that it was just a matter of time before this feature made it into Google labs…now we just have to wait for folders :O) I guess everything in time…
One of the many, many, many problems with webmail can be found right in its name – “web”. Accessing your email using a web interface can definitely be convenient as it’s accessible from any browser you happen upon. At the same time however, if your internet connection drops you’re basically left out in the cold. As opposed to local email management solutions that can store your messages on your machine such as Outlook, you have no way to view old messages and work with what you’ve got.
Sure, Gmail supports POP and IMAP but at this point we think it’s safe to say that POP is dead. IMAP works well in some cases but Outlook and Gmail’s IMAP implementation never seem to get along very well thanks to the way Gmail threads conversations.
Enter the aptly named new service fresh from Gmal Labs, Offline Gmail. When you enable Offline Gmail, a cache of your messages will be stored locally and will become accessible even when your internet connection drops. You can read, compose, star and do just about anything else you would normally be able to do. When your connection comes back, all of the actions you performed offline will sync with Google’s Gmail servers and you’ll be good to go.
Of course you won’t be able to receive new messages while offline, but at least you won’t be left twiddling your thumbs until your cable company finally gets around to fixing your problem. Hit the Labs tab in your Gmail settings to get rolling with Offline Gmail and hit the jump for a video explanation of the service.
My 2 Cents: This is a heads up for all ya MAC user out there…If you are one of those people that like to have the most current apps on you machine you might want to make sure that you have not been infected by the newest in Mac Trojans. There is a way of fixing this but it does involve wiping you system…
Mac users who think they’ve stumbled upon greatness in the form of an alleged copy of iLife 09 on torrent sites take note – it contains a nasty trojan known as OSX.Trojan.iServices.A. First identified by Integro Security, the trojan works like so:
When installing iWork 09, the iWorkServices package is installed. The installer for the Trojan horse is launched as soon as a user begins the installation of iWork, following the installer’s request of an administrator password. This software is installed as a startup item (in /System/Library/StartupItems/iWorkServices, a location reserved normally for Apple startup items), where it has read-write-execute permissions for root. The malicious software connects to a remote server over the Internet; this means that a malicious user will be alerted that this Trojan horse is installed on different Macs, and will have the ability to connect to them and perform various actions remotely. The Trojan horse may also download additional components to an infected Mac.
It’s important to note that while this is by no means the first trojan virus outbreak that Mac users have had to deal with, it is of special interest. Unlike trojans of years past, this is the first time hackers have taken the time to concoct a malicious script to be embedded in software that a lot of people are keen to get and actively contact remote severs to cause even more damage to infected systems. If you think your system is infected, there is a simple process to cleaning your system but it does require a complete wipe unfortunately. Open Terminal and enter the following:
My 2 Cents: Now I have been watching this brand for a while and I am a little disappointed that they are not going to be coming out with an actual product till next year, 2010. The technology seems sound and the way it has been enabled seems to be very in a very good form factor.
The only thing that worries me if that with Sony and others have been displaying similar technologies which includes color, will this product be left behind? I hope not because it does seem too nice in its initial designs…
If you’ve been waiting (and waiting) for Plastic Logic‘s ultra-durable e-reader, you’ll have to stick with recycled paper for another dozen months or so. According to a company representative at the outfit’s CES kiosk, the device is now scheduled for an "early 2010" release, and as expected, final pricing has yet to be determined. Though, Mr. Joe (seriously, that’s his first name) did admit that it would be "competitively priced for rapid adoption" and that the company would be pushing hard to get this into corporations / enterprises. Don’t believe us? The full five minute interview is there in the read link.
My 2 Cents: If you are looking to speed up your browser, here are a couple of simple adjustments that can be made that should help out especially if you are one to use a lot of tabs ;O)
Firefox users take note: You need to do this. Now. As in, this instant.
More savvy users are probably already familiar with editing Firefox’s configuration file but whether you’re a computer rookie or a seasoned veteran, Gnoted has issued a handful of tweaks that really get Firefox cooking.
As much as we all love the fox, it can get a bit slow on occasion – especially if you’re like us and have 35 open tabs spread across four windows at any given time. By tweaking the way Firefox handles some caching functions, you can dramatically improve page load speed and even prevent Firefox from hogging your system resources while minimized. If you don’t currently have any experience playing with your configuration file, don’t be scared. Just follow the simple instructions, take your time and if you want a security blanket to squeeze, jot down each setting before you change it so you can always restore the default configuration if need be. So without further ado, hit the jump and get tweaking – just remember to restart Firefox when you’re done.
Reduce the amount of RAM Firefox uses for its cache feature
1. Type “about:config” (no quotes) in the adress bar in the browser. 2. Find “browser.sessionhistory.max_total_viewer” 3. Set it’s value to “0“;(Zero)
Increase the Speed at Which Firefox loads pages
1. Type “about:config” into the address bar and hit Enter. (Normally the browser will make one request to a web page at a time. When you enable pipelining it will make several at once, which really speeds up page loading.)
2. Alter the entries as follows: Set “network.http.pipelining” to “true” Set “network.http.proxy.pipelining” to “true” Set “network.http.pipelining.maxrequests” to some number like 10.
This means it will make 10 requests at once.
3. Lastly, right-click anywhere and select New-> Integer. Name it “nglayout.initialpaint.delay” and set its value to “0“;.(Zero)
This value is the amount of time the browser waits before it acts on information it receives. If you’re using a broadband connection you’ll load pages faster now. Optionally (for even faster web browsing) here are some more options for your about:config (you might have to create some of these entries by Right Click –> New– > Interger or String
network.dns.disableIPv6: set “false” “content.notify.backoffcount”: set “5“; (Five) “plugin.expose_full_path”: set “true”. “ui.submenuDelay”: set “0; (zero)
Reduce RAM usage to 10MB when Firefox is minimized:
This little hack will drop Firefox’s RAM usage down to 10 Mb when minimized:
1. Open Firefox and go to the Address Bar. Type in about:config and then press Enter. 2.Right Click in the page and select New -> Boolean. 3. In the box that pops up enter “config.trim_on_minimize”. Press Enter. 4. Now select True and then press Enter. 5. Restart Firefox.
My 2 Cents: Here is a very nice write-up on the different Netflix streaming options there are currently out there. These solutions not only implement Netflix but also additional streams as well…
I truly think that it is only a matter of time before most content will be streamed allowing for instant anytime access…
Netflix seems to be doing things right when it comes to the streaming game, partnering with several hardware companies in an attempt to make its service more or less ubiquitous — a pretty sharp break from the proprietary hardware approach taken by most of its competitors. That means Netflix subscribers have quite a few choices when it comes to streaming, and we thought we’d put the ones available now head-to-head and try to crown a winner. The good news? There isn’t a mediocre choice out there. The bad? Well, read on. Update: We shot another video to answer some lingering questions about the Roku player, check it below.
Roku Netflix Player
Roku’s Netflix Player is the granddaddy of this group, originally launched back in May of 2008. It’s been updated with some interface tweaks and HD support since then (and it’ll soon work with Amazon), but overall, it’s the still the same Netflix streaming experience it’s been from the start, sleek and minimal. Dedicated hardware means setup is fast, the interface is snappy, and streams buffer in quickly — our only complaint is that the video hardware in the unit is slightly but noticeably inferior to all the other boxes we looked at. It’s not bad, mind you — it’s just not as great as on the Samsung or the TiVo. Of course, you can only ask so much from a $100 box, and you might not even notice the drop in picture quality on a lesser TV, but if not having the absolute best bothers you, you’ll want to step up. Otherwise the Roku is perfect for parents, bedrooms, dens and so on — it’s cheap, it’s wireless, and it’s ridiculously easy to use.
Update: There were a few questions about the output mode of the Roku player, so this is a newer video to show it off playing in HD.
TiVo HD
Netflix on TiVo is a somewhat new thing — it just launched in December 2008, and it was just the second device to handle HD streaming. We said it was our favorite Netflix implementation when we first tried it out, and that’s still true — although it doesn’t look quite as good as the Samsung in our opinion, it’s close, and it’s the most consistently reliable at getting HD content to stream in HD. If you’re like us and a TiVo is your primary living room device, this is by far the most convenient way to get your Netflix streams — and TiVo’s riff on the Netflix playback controls make it accessible for anyone in your family that’s comfortable with the remote, which is a big win in terms of usability. Of course, getting a TiVo requires a fair bit of CableCARD drama, so if you’re happy with your exisiting set-top we’d say you should look elsewhere, but if you’ve already got a TiVo or have decided to get one, you’re doing just fine. We just wish TiVo or Netflix would tweak the interface to show us what content is in HD — it’s incredibly frustrating that it’s not displayed.
Ah, the Xbox. It’s easy to think of the 360 as Netflix’s secret weapon: it’s got a huge installed base that’s probably already subscribed or interested in subscribing to the service, it’s plugged into a vibrant network that enables interesting planned features like Xbox Live party video sharing, and — most importantly — it’s free. It’s actually a pretty great proposition: if you’ve got Xbox Live Gold, you’ve got a Netflix box, no questions asked. So it’s too bad the Netflix experience on the Xbox doesn’t always live up to its potential. Although the interface is by far the flashiest and prettiest, video quality can be extremely dark, the fan runs constantly, and using the controller for playback controls doesn’t necessarily feel intuitive for non-techies. To cap it all off, the 360 appears to be somewhat more particular about streaming in HD: although several Engadget editors have consistent success, during this test we never managed to pull down an HD stream, even when plugged into directly into the exact same 10Mbps cable connection as the other boxes. We’re not sure if it just hates certain connections or something else is wrong, but it seems like the 360 is just more finicky than the other boxes. Our verdict: if you’ve got an Xbox, try it out and see how you feel. If you’re happy — like lots of people are — that’s great. If not, chances are a $100 upgrade to the Roku will bring a world of difference.
The Samsung and the LG represent a whole new front in the streaming war — it’s one thing for Netflix to put out dedicated boxes and sneak onto game consoles, but it’s an entirely different proposition for mainstream Blu-ray players to support the service. This is where Netflix really thinks it’s going to make a play for the hearts and minds of the consumer, and while the experience on the Sammy isn’t perfect, we can see why there’s so much enthusiasm — streaming video on BD-P2500 looks amazing. It runs a very slightly tweaked version of the Roku’s interface, but the HQV video hardware in the box is so obviously superior even things like the cover images in the menus look better. Of course, the real reason the 2500 needs all that horsepower is for Blu-ray playback, and that’s where the tradeoff comes in — we’ve always found Blu-ray players to be slow, and the Samsung is no exception. While it’s definitely faster than other BD units we’ve used, it’s still rather, uh, thoughtful, and it takes the longest to buffer up a stream. (Don’t even ask us how long it took to pull down a firmware update when we first turned it on.) If you’re only interested in Netflix, you’ll have to decide whether the dramatic bump in image quality over the Roku is worth the $250 premium and longer load times — we’d say the BD-P2500′s $350 pricetag is only worth it if you’re serious about Blu-ray as well.
(Ben Drawbaugh from Engadget HD tested the BD300 — he and Nilay have extremely similar Pioneer Elite receivers and Kuro plasmas.)
The LG is substantially similar to the Samsung — they’re both Blu-ray players that feature slightly tweaked versions of the "standard" Netflix interface found on the Roku player. Although we’ve heard mixed reviews of the LG’s Blu-ray quality, the unit’s video hardware produced solid video quality when streaming HD, and the interface was snappy and responsive. However, the BD300 had the hardest time connecting to the network of any of the units we tested — we eventually had to manually configure it with a static IP so we could enter a DNS server address, since DHCP wasn’t working with our router. From what we can tell, this is a common problem with the BD300, but once we got it working the overall Netflix experience was more or less indistinguishable from the Samsung. Seeing as the two decks are priced almost identically at retail, we’d say the Sammy is the obvious winner between these two at the moment, but if you’re willing to play network tech, the LG will certainly do the job.
Before we crown a winner, it’s important to note that Netflix streaming involves a pretty major tradeoff — a huge part of the movie experience is sound, and Netflix doesn’t offer any surround audio at all. You’re stuck with stereo no matter what, and while we know Netflix is working it, stereo audio just doesn’t cut it compared to the 7.1 and 5.1 surround we’ve become accustomed to. If you can deal with that (and the limited selection of content), you’ll find that picture quality in HD at its best can rival that of broadcast television HD — it’s certainly not Blu-ray and there are occasional compression artifacts, but it’s eminently watchable. Things in SD aren’t bad either: at best it’s DVD quality, still watchable at worst. Think about it this way: you’re going to want to do The Dark Knight and Iron Man on Blu-ray with seven speakers and a sub at full tilt, but if you’re just looking to spend a lazy Sunday watching movies under a blanket, you’ll be pretty happy with Netflix.
So, who’s the winner? Well, straight up we’d give it to the Samsung for picture quality alone, but really, it depends on your needs, since there isn’t a bad choice in the group. If you’re the sort of person with a stacked A/V rack, you’ll probably find that you’ve got one or two Netflix-capable devices like the TiVo or Xbox 360 already — ubiquity is the company’s ultimate goal. If you’re starting from scratch, we’d recommend the Samsung or LG so you can maximize your Netflix membership — you need something to play those DVDs and Blu-ray discs you get in the mail, after all. If you’ve already got your physical playback situation sorted and you just want to dip a toe in the water, the Roku’s a fine choice — sure, it doesn’t deliver as perfect a picture as some of the other options, but for $100 it’s hard to beat. There is one other thing:
That popped up after we’d been swapping boxes in and out for a while, but since the only device plugged in right at that second was the Samsung, we just had to wait until the servers figured it out before we could watch movies again. We don’t have any problem with copy restrictions on subscription video (especially since Netflix is such a tremendous value) but at the end of the day, DRM is DRM, and wonky things are going to happen. We doubt Netflix’s DRM servers deal with people constantly starting and stopping movies on four different units for the better part an afternoon very often, but there’s no avoiding the fact that if something goes awry, you don’t really have a lot of options to make it better. It’s a just a small issue with a service we think is fantastic overall, but if you’re wearing a cape while reading this on a FreeBSD box, it’s something you might want to think about. The rest of us will be happily watching Netflix’s collection of 80s movies.
My 2 Cents: If you were thinking of waiting a little longer before you get your very own iPhone here are a couple of reasons why you should wait :O) It is a little crazy that some of these issues have not been addressed by now?
Look, we love our iPhones as much as the person, but at this late point in the game, there are some things that are just inexcusable. Here’s our top 10 things we hate about the iPhone, and we’ll post up our top 10 things we hate about the Bold later on. Feel free to chime in with your own! Also note that we’re talking about the iPhone in its default state, not a jailbreaked unit. Here’s our list in no particular order:
1. You can’t use custom sounds for email notifications, SMS, etc.
2. Copy and paste. Sorry, but it’s ridiculous at this point.
3. When forwarding an email with an attachment, the iPhone sends it out locally. That means if you have a 1MB attachment, you have to send 1MB worth of data when forwarding. This doesn’t happen on Windows Mobile or the BlackBerry — it’s sent from the server. Not cool.
4. No unified inbox. At this point, there’s no reason you should have to go through the rigmarole of switching through tabs and endless menus to get to another email inbox. Cut this down, give us color-coded emails that correspond with that particular account — something!
5. Video recording. Again, it’s technically possible, but we don’t have it.
6. The touch screen capture button in the Camera application is horrid. Let’s use one of the volume keys or something to take a picture. It’s not a good setup.
7. You can’t forward text messages. Something that is a no-brainer just isn’t here.
8. There isn’t a way to delete individual calls from the recent call list. Not that we need to hide anything from our girlfriends or anything…
9. No file structure that is user-accessible. That means you can’t save any attachment that isn’t a photo, you can’t download files from websites, etc. Additionally, each application can only access its own file structure so you can forget about doing anything sexy.
10. The push-background notification service is still nowhere to be found.
My 2 Cents: Seems that you are going to have an easier time getting YouTube on you TV with the new web portal that they have created. Seems that is has been re-designed for the Wii and PS3…
YouTube on your PS3 or Wii looks a little sexier with a new portal site designed specifically for console browsers.
(Credit: CNET Networks / Josh Lowensohn)
Don’t have an AppleTV or a TiVo and have been lusting after watching YouTube videos from your couch? If you’ve got a Wii or a PS3, YouTube has just released an overhauled version of its living room-friendly console interface that puts it about on par with those two offerings.
By visiting Youtube.com/TV in your Opera or PS3 browser you get a new layout that lets you browse and search through videos. Additionally videos can be set to go full screen by default, including large, remote-control friendly buttons that don’t make you squint. There’s also an auto-play option that will play the next video in a playlist or from search results after the current one is done.
One thing to note is that the special TV-version of the site cannot be accessed in your PC’s browser without using a special browser add-on like User Agent Switcher, which can trick YouTube into thinking you’re visiting the site from your console. If you’ve got your Mac Mini hooked up to your TV this might be your best bet.
My 2 Cents: Seems that Sony might have bit the bullet and dropped the price of their pretty console. Not sure if its Dell’s taking the initiative but it is nice to see that the price is finally dropping…don’t think that it is low enough for me to get one yet though… SOCOM anyone :O)
Have price cuts finally come to Sony’s (SNE) PS3?
Right now, Dell (DELL) is selling the PS3 for $340 with free shipping. It’s not clear if the discount is coming from Sony or Dell’s side, but there’s no obligation to bundle the console with a TV or PC. (Sony execs told SAI last month the only price cuts planned for the PS3 were for game consoles bundled with Sony Bravia HDTVs.)
It’s hard to say if this is a one-time offer or if Sony is feeling out a new price point for the console. But with December game console sales results expected later today (and with Microsoft’s (MSFT) Xbox 360 expected to trounce the more-expensive PS3 in holiday sales), making the PS3 price cut permanent could put Sony back in the game.
We’re on the phone with both Sony and Dell, we’ll update as we hear more
My 2 Cents: I am so happy that I found this post below because I was trying so many different software’s (paid and free) and none of them worked quite the way I needed them to and even when they did they were atrociously slow, until now.
I defiantly would recommend using HotSpot Shield in order to access Netflix abroad and once you start to add items to your instant queue, you can then watch them through your XBOX360 / RUKO / any Netflix enable device :O) too nice…
The only drawback is since it is free they do push some advertising but for the service provided I do think that this is acceptable…unless it gets a little too much :O)
If you have Netflix and travel outside the USA or go abroad, you still can watch Netflix from outside USA. The method we told you earlier about in how to watch Hulu and American TV abroad also works with Netflix.
Netflix is a great service for watching movies and tv shows on demand. With an 8.99 monthly membership members can access Netflix and watch unlimited movies and shows.
Two Methods for Watching Netflix Abroad
1. HotSpot Shield. Our first recommended method is Hotspot Shield. This free program will disguise your internet to make it look as if you were in the United States. We’ve also been able to watch such internet TV sites as Hulu using Hotspot Shield.
2. Ultrareach. This second method is not as reliable as HotSpot Shield in our opinion, but it functions nearly the same.
My 2 Cents: Well if you were thinking of getting one of these bad boys this might be your best chance…an apple for 1K…honestly I am really considering it but can not justify getting another machine in the fleet ;O)
If you were tantalized by the razor-thin MacBook Air when it debuted a year ago but disheartened by its price, here’s good news: the online Apple Store is selling refurbished MacBook Air laptops for as little as $999 shipped. To put that in perspective, the least-expensive new Air sells for $1,799.
The $999 model sports a 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, and all the other standard Air features: 802.11n, a built-in Webcam, a 13.3-inch display, and so on. Read CNET’s review for all the details.
Needless to say, you don’t get an optical drive, which has been one of the major MacBook Air complaints since day one. You do, however, get a full one-year warranty, same as with new models.
Wow, is that tempting. I always thought the MacBook Air was way cool, but way overpriced. At $999, it’s definitely more reasonable. The lack of a DVD drive doesn’t bother me in the slightest, but I’m not wild about the small hard drive. What about you? Is this the nudge you need to grab some Air?
Sure, Gmail supports POP and IMAP but at this point we think it’s safe to say that POP is dead. IMAP works well in some cases but Outlook and Gmail’s IMAP implementation never seem to get along very well thanks to the way Gmail threads conversations.
It’s important to note that while this is by no means the first trojan virus outbreak that 
Have price cuts finally come to Sony’s (SNE) PS3?
My 2 Cents: I am so happy that I found this post below because I was trying so many different software’s (paid and free) and none of them worked quite the way I needed them to and even when they did they were atrociously slow, until now.
OnLive shows off UI and iPhone use in marathon tech demo (video) — Engadget
A must have app for your JailBroken iPhone – ProSwitcher: Multitasking iPhone App for Jailbroken iPhones is Now Available![Find My Iphone – Lost/Stolen iPhone App [FindMyI]](http://virtuallyjamaica.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/image_thumb.png)
Find My Iphone – Lost/Stolen iPhone App [FindMyI]
Surfacescapes puts Dungeons & Dragons on Surface, makes your d20 obsolete (video)
My List of FREE Tour 9630 / Bold 9000 / Curve 8900 themes (Requests Welcome)
Tour 9630 – 8 Mini-icon | hidden/visible dock | Zen Theme w/ Today (Customizable home page) FREE
Best iPhone app for Video Streaming & Converting from any source – AirVideo
My Top 10 Paid Apps – iPhone
Try Spotify Without an Invitation Code
Curve 8900 & Bold 9000 – 8 Mini-icon | hidden dock | Zen Theme w/ Today (Customizable home page) FREE