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I turned my computer OS inside out. I’ve been considering this for a long time and I finally did it. Previously, I was running Windows 7 and from time to time I would play with Ubuntu 10.04 (Linux) in VirtualBox (instructions here). Don’t get me wrong; I like Windows 7… a lot. I just happen to like Ubuntu more and I’ll tell you why in the next paragraph. If you’re at all curious about Linux, I share some tips about trying Ubuntu in this post and I’ll toss in an impressive video of a heavily customized Ubuntu system.
I switched to Ubuntu for a few reasons. First, most of the software I use exists in Linux form and often runs better under Linux than Windows. Google Chrome is a great example. It is screaming fast in Linux and clearly performs better than it does in Windows. Second, the only products I couldn’t adequately replace were high end Adobe products. (Office 2007 runs in Ubuntu with some tweaking, if that’s your preferred office suite.) In order to run these products, I run a Linux version of VirtualBox with Windows 7 inside of Linux or I boot up the computer into my Windows 7 partition (which I preserved from before… better safe than sorry). Second, Ubuntu has a one click “update everything on this computer” service. Windows updates the OS only and each program must be updated individually. In my opinion, this is a huge advantage to Ubuntu. Third, Ubuntu is more secure and doesn’t require virus checkers and spyware software bogging down the system. Fourth, Ubuntu is much more configurable than Windows. It’s somewhat analogous to what I wrote about the whole iPhone vs. Android debate. Configurable systems are not inherently better than less configurable systems. It depends on whether you prefer to tweak a system to your liking or prefer simplicity. Fifth, I really believe that Linux is the future and Windows is the past. Android is Linux and Google’s Chrome OS is Linux. I expect widespread adoption of both. Sixth, Ubuntu comes bundled with good, powerful software like OpenOffice, Rythm Box and many more goodies but it doesn’t come bundled with commercial bloatware. Seventh, Ubuntu and many other Linux distributions are absolutely free. You won’t have to pay for upgrades either.
There are some drawbacks to moving to Ubuntu. As I mentioned above, not all software is available in a Linux flavor. Linux isn’t backed by a single, unified entity like Microsoft. Documentation and discussion boards are scattered throughout the internet (hint: Google is your friend when you have an issue). Additionally, the kid down the street who solves all your computer problems might not be well versed in Linux.
If you’re interested in trying out Ubuntu without making a permanent decision to move to it, I recommend that you choose from the following options:
- Create a “Live CD” or USB stick which can boot up Ubuntu. By doing this, you can check your hardware for Ubuntu compatibility. You can download the ISO for Ubuntu from Ubuntu.com.
- Download wubi.exe from http://wubi-installer.org. This installer is interesting because it doesn’t even partition your hard drive. It basically creates one large file in Windows that serves as the hard drive. It creates a dual bootup option for loading Windows or Ubuntu upon powering up. If you decide you don’t like Ubuntu, run wubi.exe again and it will clean everything up for you.
- If you have a reasonably powerful computer (dual core or better with > 2 gigs of RAM), you can virtualize Ubuntu within Windows following these instructions.
- You can partition your drive and install Ubuntu into a partition by burning the ISO to a CD and booting from the CD. This is a somewhat more permanent install than the methods above and I discourage this method for computer beginners or people who don’t know whether Ubuntu will play nice with their hardware.
Check out this impressive video of Ubuntu. This shows off Compiz which is a set of eye candy visual effects that are possible in Ubuntu. I also like this video because it shows Windows XP and Adobe software virtualized in Ubuntu.
Do you like personalized radio players? Check out Last.fm. You’ll be glad you did. Like Pandora and Slacker, Last.fm builds personalized radio stations. Last.fm, which is entirely free in the U.S. and many other countries, offers the following advantages over the competitors:
- The Android Last.fm player will also play your own mp3s.
- Last.fm uses “Scrobbling” to build your custom radio stations. Many mp3 players can report to Last.fm the tunes you like.
- Unlimited skips. Can’t beat that! This is a big advantage over the free versions of Pandora and Slacker.
- Ability to completely ban a song from ever playing again.
- Ability to network with friends and share music interests. My Last.fm name is jonmallin. Feel free to send me a friend request.
This is where Last.fm can improve:
- Larger music library. While Last.fm does have a vast library of music, it does repeat some songs including some you may not want to hear again.
- Last.fm tends to overemphasize groups that are currently on tour. While this is a good way to monetize the app, it can be annoying.
- Better music preference prediction. Pandora uses the Music Genome Project which seems to predict my music tastes somewhat more accurately.
All in all, this Last.fm is my favorite personal radio player. Check it out at www.last.fm.
This is just plainly ridiculously amazing.
Wicked; Bad/Good, depending on your vernacular; Sweet; Awesome. Pick your favorite superlative. You get the point.
Watch the video and do it in full screen mode. Crank it up to HD resolution if your bandwidth and monitor can support it.
Told ya so.
[via MobileWack]
Professor Matthew Weathers of Biola University attempts to lecture his math students but is interrupted by his own shadow. With over a half a million YouTube views, this April Fools joke is worth sharing.
He also has an entertaining blog.
[via UrlEsque]
Approaching 1.2 million views on YouTube, AppleGirl peforms Lady Gaga’s Poker Face using four iPhones. Impressive.
I’ve been writing a lot about running alternative operating systems to Microsoft Windows on a PC. Some readers might be wondering why one would want an OS other than Windows. Some reasons one might include:
- Price. Ubuntu and many other Linux variants are free.
- Security. Linux tends to be more secure and requires fewer patches to remain secure.
- Personal Preference. Linux can be heavily customized, much moreso than I’ve ever seen Windows customized.
Some drawbacks to running Linux include:
- Compatibility with Older Hardware. You could run into problems finding the right drivers for your hardware, particularly if own old hardware. Almost all manufacturers now provide Linux drivers on their websites for newer hardware and Ubuntu and other Linux variants come bundled with many of them, much like Windows does.
- Compatibility with Software. With some trickery, Linux can run Microsoft Office 2007 properly using WINE, a free Windows emulator than runs seamlessly within Linux. WINE comes bundled with many Linux variants. Alternatively, one might consider running OpenOffice.Org’s free Windows replacement suite. Some other software packages are incompatible with Linux even with WINE, but generally free Linux alternatives exist for virtually any application. Most of the programs I use come in a Linux flavor, including Google’s Chrome browser and TweetDeck.
If you’re curious what Linux looks like, you should watch the videos below which show off the UI.
The first video shows off the latest features of Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx:
The next video shows off a heavily customized install:
This video demos the Gnome Shell 3.0 interface which comes bundled with Ubuntu 10.04 (to activate for one session: load terminal and type “gnome-shell –replace”):
This is what the Ubuntu Netbook Remix UI looks like:
For more information about Ubuntu, visit http://www.ubuntu.com/
This thing iPad is wild, better than expected. I’ve read the major reviews and the general theme seems to be that this will be a HIT. Most reviewers conclude that the hardware and software live up to the hype. This product is ideal for someone who doesn’t know computers or is simply looking to upgrade from an Amazon Kindle. Nonetheless, I don’t think it’s a great toy for serious techies. An Android or other Linux tablet would be better for that crowd.
The video is 5:33 long but worth watching because it’ll save you a trip to the Apple store and you won’t have to poke around on one yourself. Kudos to PC Magazine for putting out the comprehensive review in lightning speed.
If you’re among the masses considering an Android phone, you might want to borrow a friend’s Android phone or visit a store and poke around on a Droid a bit like I did. The next best alternative is to virtualize Android on a PC using VirtualBox. VirtualBox runs on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Android-x86 Project is a website dedicated to running Android OS on a PC. There are a number of ways of installing Android OS on a computer but I prefer VirtualBox because you do not have to replace your current OS or partition your drive. If you decided you no longer want Android OS on your computer, you can simply delete the virtual Android machine.
Android-x86 Project’s Wiki contains instructions for installing Android 1.6 in VirtualBox. You also need to download the ISO. Sound and internet connectivity work fine if you follow the instructions. The system even comes pre-installed with a few apps.
Obviously, you don’t get a really good feel for Android on a computer screen but you can form a preliminary opinion. I also found the virtual Android helpful in testing this blog’s mobile version for Android, iPhone, Blackberry Storms and WebOS using the WP-Touch plugin.
Thanks to Bill and TopDNBass on Phandroid’s forums for responding to my post about virtualizing Android.
Ubuntu 10.04 “Lucid Lynx” (Beta) is a viable alternative operating system to Microsoft Windows. This post details how you can try out Ubuntu without screwing up your computer or dual booting. The method I use is referred to as “virtualization” and relies upon free Sun VirtualBox.org software. VirtualBox runs on Windows, Mac and Linux.
- Begin by downloading VirtualBox (~70mb) and an ISO of Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx (~680mb). I recommend choosing the 32-bit version of Lucid Lynx (lucid-desktop-i386.iso) because it plays nicer with Adobe software (flashplayer and AIR).
- Install VirtualBox. This requires no instructions.
- Optional: Enable hardware virtualization in your computer’s BIOS. While this isn’t absolutely essential, it will help with 3D graphics, among other things. HP computers come with hardware virtualization disabled from the factory. Other manufacturers may ship with hardware virtualization enabled. In any event, VirtualBox will show you a pop-up box if you have hardware virtualization disabled and proceed to the next step.
- Create a “virtual machine” in VirtualBox: Run VirtualBox. New -> Next -> Name the Machine anything you want -> Select Linux and Ubuntu (or Ubuntu 64 bit if you decided to download the 64 bit ISO) -> go with a base memory of 384 mb (you can change this later and allocate more RAM to the machine) -> Boot Hard Disk -> Create New Hard Disk (don’t worry.. this is simply a large file in Windows, it doesn’t partition your drive) -> Dynamically Expanding Storage -> leave Location alone -> choose 8gb for storage (it expands when needed) -> Voila, you’re done.
- Start the machine -> Next -> CD/DVD -> Select ISO. Boom.. your machine boots up as if it were a computer starting with an Ubuntu DVD in the drive.
- Follow on-screen prompts for time, time zone, username, password, etc. Note: The window will “capture” your mouse pointer. To move about the “host” OS (the non-virtualized OS), hit the right Ctrl key. To return to the “guest” OS (the virtualized OS), simply click the VirtualBox machine window.
- It’ll take about 10 minutes to install Ubuntu but you should have a virtual computer up and running. But, you’re not done yet!
- Install the “Guest Additions” ISO in the VirtualMachine. This will fix the graphics so you can expand the window or make it full size, Right Ctrl+F). To install Guest Additions, Right Ctrl+D. This will mount the Guest Additions ISO for VirtualBox. Next, open terminal by clicking Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal. Then type “cd /etc/mediaVBOXADDITIONS_3.1.6_59338″. Next type “sudo sh VBoxLinuxAdditions-x86.run” for 32 bit Ubuntu or “sudo sh VBoxLinuxAdditions-amd64.run” for 64 bit Ubuntu. Enter your password. After a few minutes you will be prompted to reboot. You can reboot Ubuntu 10.04 by clicking the power button in the upper right corner.
- You should be ready to go explore. If you want to install Google Chrome, simply point Firefox (which comes preinstalled) to http://google.com/chrome and select the DEB package for either 32 bit or 64 bit Linux.
Have fun. If you don’t like Ubuntu 10.04, just delete the virtual machine from within VirtualBox or uninstall VirtualBox.
In the following three videos Google explains its three primary segments: search, advertisements and applications. Google explains:
Search is our core technology; ads are our central business proposition; and apps are the umbrella over our web-based software that you can access anywhere, any time. While each of these has a lot of technology under the hood, the basic tenets for Search, Ads and Apps are very simple.
Although the videos state the obvious, they are well produced and, quite simply, cute.
In the first video, Matt Cutts, a Google software engineer explains the basics of search. I recently became familiar with Matt through Google Buzz. He operates a blog entitled “Gadgets, Google and SEO.” If you want to know about SEO, his blog should be your starting point.
The next video is presented by Nudu Janakiram, a Google Product Manager, addresses search advertisements. It states that “Google search results are always ranked completely impartially by computer algorithm. Nobody can pay Google to improve their position on our results page.” Perhaps this video will also serve as Exhibit A in Google’s response to the European Union’s informal inquiry into Google’s practices which was instituted, in part, based on complaints by a wholly-owned Microsoft subsidiary.
Completing the trio, in the next video Vivien Leung discusses Google Apps and cloud computing. This Google segment is fundamental to it diversifying its revenue stream.
[via How Google Works via Google Operating System Blog]
Click to visit GrooveShark.Com
GrooveShark is a cloud-based music service that works in two different ways. First, you can use it like a custom radio similar to Pandora and Slacker but with unlimited skips (yes, even in the free version). Second, you can upload your MP3s and maintain a cloud library of music that you can stream from any browser. There is a paid version of GrooveShark that eliminates visual ads on the web interface and includes apps for streaming your tunes to your smartphone.
The whole point of this blog is to post things that I find interesting that you also might find interesting. This video is very interesting. It’s not often that I tune in for a 27 minute video on the internet but this was better than some Hollywood movies. The video is silent so you can watch it at work.
The video is a compilation of various security cameras around Dubai that seem to have caught ten men and one woman carrying out the assassination of a high level Hamas member, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh. It was posted by Wired.Com but I was unable to find it on YouTube (so you won’t be able to view the video in full screen mode).
You may be asking yourself, “What the heck does this have to do with technology?” For starters, many of the movements of the group were captured by hidden security cameras. The video also addresses, among other things, encrypted cellphone use, airport security and some type of very small, short-range handheld communication device. The assassination was carried out without any traces of evidence left in the hotel room and the victim was in his own hotel room with the door locked and chained when his body was found. No blood was found. You’ll have to watch the video to learn the apparent cause of death.
Here ya go…
I don’t think I’ve ever had a post dedicated entirely to a Microsoft product but this is awesome. Below is a video from the TED conference which shows off the augmented reality features in Bing Maps. The video is long, around 8 minutes, but it gets better and better as it progresses.
Res ipsa loquitor, Latin for it speaks for itself:
[via The Next Web]
Tired of your cell phone battery running low or conking out? RCA just unveiled a device which can charge a cell phone (or other MicroUSB device) from a Wifi signal. The Wifi “harvester,” pictured right, converts a Wifi 2.4 ghz signal to DC power. Power is stored in an internal battery when the harvester is in a hotspot. When you need juice for your cell phone, you simply connect it to the harvester (somewhat like the AA battery emergency power supplies for cell phones).
