TFC #1 Is On The Air

Yes everyone, the first ever podcast from T3K is on the air. The podcast can be downloaded from the new jump page at http://thet3k.wordpress.com Its fun stuff, so take a look. Listen and let us know what you think. Thanks everyone for your support.

techferret

T3K Is Now On

So what have I been up to? Well first off, I didn't get the job with Apple (@#!#-ers), still won't stop me anyways;). Could a job with CALtrans be up in the air, who knows. I'll keep you posted.

I am now closer with that podcast I was dragging on-and-on about. I have decided to call it The T3Kcast, and the first podcast will be on Bit-torrent. I know, whats Bit-torrent? Well, I will dispel the word and tell you why it is important. It will be fun, promise.
And another one will be accompanying The T3Kcast, an un-named project that I am currently planning with a dear friend of mine. Lots of fun coming from the T3K crew.

T3K is my new company, a small start-up of sorts. I thought, well since I am doing all of this, might as well keep it all under one umbrella company. So T3K will take you to other areas yet unexplored by the techferret right now. So I'm excited about this, a bit scared as well, but T3K is the start of this huge venture I am going towards.

Alright everyone, I have got to continue designing the T3K website so until you hear from me again, take care.

tf.

Apple Ushers in The iPod, iTunes 6, & More Useful iMac

Oh boy Stevie! The iPod, you dog you. Yes, The iPod now handles 150 hours of video, is thinner than the 4g iPod, 20 hours of battery life, a larger screen, and it now comes in black. Woo-hoo…now I can watch Lost and Desperate Housewives anytime of the day. Good-bye TIVO, TIVO-To go, PSP, and Archos! All The iPod come at their usual price…$299 to $399 (20gb and 60gb).

On that note, Apple also released iTunes 6, now with support for videos selling for $1.99 (US) each…kinda cheap don’t you think? Besides TV shows, you can also download vidcasts and music videos for the same price. Huh…Could this be the beginning of a second coming for Apple?

And finally, Stevie released an updated iMac which is remarkably thinner than before, feature a built-in iSight (web camera) and lighting, Mighty Mouse is standard, Bluetooth, Superdrive (DVD Burner), and the all new Front Row software, their answer to the Windows Media Center, which allows you to use their new Remote Control to…well control your iMac from a far distance. All I have got to say is…right on! The 17in is $1,299, while the 20in is $1,699.

Well, you might be wondering why post this twice...or what are you talking about? I have another blog which I am considering to use now as the new pad for "The T3K by techferret". It runs under Wordpress, and I do like it. Their options are pretty, and they can match on Blogger for many things. I still haven't made a decision on it yet, so please bear with me. I'll make another post soon so that everyone doesn't have to be in the dark anymore on what the techferret is up to.

Are You Curious????

What is this???????????????????????????????????????????

Daily Tech for Sep. 22, 2005

Hello again! Its the again with your daily news...Let’s see....

1. Steve Jobs Says No to Raising iTunes Prices
   Well, well. About time Steve defended his pricing scheme...at the Paris Apple Expo, his quote can explain this story well: "If the price goes up, they will go back to piracy and everyone loses." Kudos to you Mr. Jobs. iTunes will get my hard earned pennies anytime...
   
   original story: Apple's Jobs warns on 'greedy' music pricing


2. The Continuing Drama of Processor Names...
   It seems like Intel is going to introduce another naming scheme, which in my opinion, is the dumbest move yet by Intel. Apple was smart, but this naming scheme is way too confusing, and I am a computer user for some number of years...So what is the best right now, Pentium 4 Extreme Edition with Dual-Core Technology 3.5 GHz and 950 nm...all I have to say is to read the original story...@#&!
   
   original story: Intel to dump numbering scheme, start new one


3. Mozilla Firefox 1.0.7 Released
   Update your Firefox so that the latest fixes can be made. Updates are a must!


4. Anti-Theft Measures by IFPI...Stupid!
   So the IFPI (like the RIAA) campaign to end pirates (ARRRR!) is moving towards uninstalling software. How stupid must you be IFPI! There are other ways to download besides the WinMX and eDonkey...;)
   
   original story: Anti-Swapping Tool Launched


5. Opera's Free!!!
   A great alternative browser to IE, Opera, was finally released free this week, no longer requiring a fee to remove an ad banner they embedded into the browser. A great browser to use, I have it on my computer besides Firefox. Great stuff!

Podcasts and IPTV for this week:
This Week In Tech Ep. 22
Diggnation Ep. 12
NerdTV Ep. 3
DigitalLifeTV Ep. 6
Alright everyone that is the Daily Tech for this week....

So for anyone wondering what the is up to, I have finished my interview on Tuesday with Apple and I am now just waiting for the results. It went well overall, and they quizzed me on everything, so hopefully I have done well. I just finished my first set of midterms as well, not so well as I hoped it would be, but that just means I have to try harder.I am close to planning my first podcast soon, just deciding what should be the first episode...fun stuff that’s all I can say! Alright everyone, take care!

Mac Time!!!!

Ok, this really isn't important news but....I am writing this currently on an iMac! I have reciently applied for a job as a Mac Specialist at a local Apple store, and of course this means I have to bone up on my Mac lingo. Ahh Apple, you have treated me well. Its really funny really because the Mac, or Apple II, was my first experience with a computer.

Enough about that, yes I'm going up for a final interview, yes I'm nervous as heck about it, and I am trying everything I can so that I can have a shot at that awesome job. Who knows, one day I may be able to call my self a Mac Specialist;) Well, one day at a time.

P.S. Oh yeah, I forget to say thank you to all my readers who have supported me throughout these last nine months. You have made my time writing this blog fun. Alright, until next time...

Apple Releases nano and ROKR

Well…I seem to be a little late to announce this but Apple has released its new items:

• iTunes 5 – All new interface, with an updated smart shuffle and parental controls.
  
  
• MotoROKR – The elusive iPod phone finally came, and it can hold about 100 songs, ala iPod Shuffle. Partnered with Cingular, the only way to get music on your ROKR is by syncing with your PC. No middle man, I like that!
  
  
• iPod nano – Ah yes, the fabled iPod mini with color screen arrived, but not as a mini. The new iPod nano comes in two sizes, 2GB and 4GB, not much different from the iPod mini, but now sports a color screen, about the same thickness as a wooden pencil, and extremely tiny!

All info on prices can be found on their website at apple.com

R.I.P. iPod mini…you went way too fast.

Our Prayers Go Out To The Gulf Coast

All of our prayers go out to everyone that has been affected by Hurricane Katrina…If you can, help our fellow Americans by donating to American Red Cross.  Even a dollar will help us recover from this tragedy.  Thank You.

Apple Loses Lawsuit Involving iPod Battery Failure

News for everyone that owns an iPod from the 1st to the 3rd generation- a recent lawsuit involving Apple’s faulty batteries has come up to the consumer’s favor.  1st and 2nd generation owners will get half of their replacement fees from apple or $25/$50 credit for the battery.  3rd generations owners are fortunate, they get the battery fully covered if it’s faulty.  The claim form can be found on the Apple iPod Settlement website.  About damn time.

Tech News for Aug. 24, 2005

Welcome back people! This is the weekly column that I write on Wednesday spotlighting the biggest news in the tech world. Hmmm….a short burst of news I’m afraid to say:

• PSP v2.0 Is Released
  Sony Electronics have released the update to their sleek PSP today, which added much need features that hackers were doing already. Now there is an official web browser, as well as needed updates…but what about the dead pixel problem????
  
  Link: PSP Update Page
  
  [thanks engadget]
  

• Protect Yourself Against the Zotob Virus!!!!
  Virus scanner, spyware scanner, firewall, and firefox people. Period.

Alright, that is all I found….gees, the computer industry is going a bit slow I guess…Oh well…Alright everyone, stay informed….<tf>

Google talk BETA Released!

So it seems like Google has gotten into the IM/Phone industry.  Today, Google released Google talk BETA to the world, and I have to say, the absence of ads makes it worth while.  The ability to talk to someone who has a Gmail account is very nifty and is a great alternative to Skype, just imagine the possibilities this can bring.  Is something up their sleeves?  I won’t ponder that question, so have fun talking to other Google-heads!

iPod (20GB) For $189

Ooooo….I just wanted to inform everyone out there in the Blogger world that a good place to find cheap iPods is in The Apple Store clearance section. Just stumbled across an 3Gen iPod for 189.00 (20GB), a 4Gen iPod for 219.00 (20GB), and a iPod mini for 179.00 (4GB). I would pick one up if I had the money…;)

Edit- Well, it seems like my link has expired…..so here is the directions to get to the clearance section: Go to The Apple Store, then scroll down until you see the red tag that says sale and asks “Looking for a great deal?”. Click on it, and voila, discounted products besides the iPod. Happy Hunting!

From The Shadows Appears a....Ferret?

……’door opening’……’tap on mic’…….1….2…..1….2…..ok!  Well it sure has been a while, don’t you think?  Where have I been?  Well, I have been around in so cal, exploring the world, which leads me to stray off the path that I once followed.  No, your favorite Blogger was a bit occupied, what with finding a job and all, family troubles, and just wandering the globe (so cal) to find answers to life’s toughest questions like…how many licks does it take to get to a center of a tootsie pop?  I don’t know exactly since the owl was not co-operating at all.  After a little fling with the web (Myspace, flickr, filefarmer [sucks], and website creation) I am ready to come back to the Blogger.  I am debating whether I would like to start podcasting, it would make it much easier for me to do what I like to do, talk to a person.  The freedom would be awesome, and the ability to post at any time with reports would be great…amateur podcasting and reporting.  I would like to hear opinions about this topic, since that is one topic that I am not familiar with at all.  Alright my friends, your leader did not disappear, nor was he dead.  I was just relaxing, taking a break from all the high tension….well, until I talk again, remember this…’                ‘.  That is what we need to think when we are stressed.  Alright y’all, take care….<tf>

Some Ol' Tech News

Well, first off I would like to say pardons to all my readers, it has been a busy month. I guess life gets a bit harder when you get older. None-the-less I still want to blog, so less talking, more writing....

• Apple and Intel Together Now
  I know I covered this on the 14 of June, but just a reminder to everyone out there that Apple will begin using Intel processors in the middle of 2006. What will this do to their PowerPC line I don't know, but it could cause a discount from those high prices. A few sources are saying that the Mac-Intel can run Windows out of the box, since developers have already recieved their testers. What does all this say about the rivalry between Apple and Microsoft? It means that we are getting to the next huge battle in the PC world.

• iPod + iPod photo = iPod color
  Today marked the anouncement everyone was looking for, the combination of the iPod lines. The iPod just got a color screen, dropped the 30GB version, left the 20GB at $299 and the 60GB at $399. Not much difference this time around, but the death of the B&W iPod which was the start of it all is a bit sad, but changes are needed. You can get your iPod at Apple starting today.
  
  [via engadget]
  
  Update: Looking at digg and seeing the Apple website, it seems like the iPod shuffle has dropped in price as well, now at $129. Oh, it is a good day.
  

• AMD vs. Intel
  Well it looks like AMD and Intel are at it again-this time in court. AMD has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Intel, stating that Intel has a monopoly in the industry and uses its status to prevent manufacturers from buying AMD processors. I guess AMD really wants to eliminate Intel from the picture. But why fret AMD, you have Microsoft working with you. That's why Intel is going to work with Apple. See, everyone is happy, especially the consumer;)
  
  
• MGM vs. Grokster - Trouble in Paradise
  If you have not been following this case, well downloaders using P2P are in trouble. The Supreme Court decided on June 27 that Grokster is responsible for what their users download, striking a huge blow to the illegal download community. As Patrick Norton said about this, its a victory if you didn't realize that bittorrent is difficult to control and that offshore companies will pick up the P2P slack. What does this mean to P2P users, get into bittorrent!
  
  Note: I am not supporting illegal downloading in anyway. It is your own decision whether you want to download illegal items or not. Thank you.
  
  
• iTunes 4.9 Released/Podcasts
  Now with Podcasts support. Podcasts are fun to listen to, and do yourself. I am getting interested in doing a Podcast for my readers. It would be simple and short, but it would be fun to be an amateur news anchor. I listen to tWiT, how about you? Remember to update iTunes my friends.
  
  
• Google Earth
  Well, it seems like Google just released Keyhole free of charge. I'm downloading my copy right now. It seems like fun, what with seeing the entire world on my laptop and all. Get your copy at: earth.google.com.
  
  
• Systm, the broken, & this WEEK in TECH
  If you haven't noticed, I am a huge fan of TSS. Since they have gone, the people have left to do other things. Kev and Foo do System and the broken, a web-zine of sorts. Systm has short segments about certain item, like the reciently posted video about making a tivo-like computer with MythTV. the broken is still in development, as Foo and Kev are moving back to San Fran. This Week In Tech is a new podcast created by Leo Laporte, which reunites Patrick, Kevin, Roger Chang, Yoshi, and David Prager with Leo and they talk about tech. Very geeky entertainment that I enjoy. Links to them are found on the sidebar ---->
  

I think thats enough news for one day so I will end my blogging. Stay tuned for some more news in the coming weeks to come.

techferret out.

Apple and Intel Together At Last

Well, well. It seems like Apple is going to say goodbye to the PowerPC platform and say hello to the Intel platform 'YES'. Steve Job said that there was no future with the PowerPC and that to head into the future, they will need to move on to the Intel platform, which will have more computing power and less power consumption. They say that the Mac OSX operating systems works well with the Intel platform, and what is even more amazing is that the entire keynote speech was with a Intel-Apple computer. For those who dont know what the WWDC 2005 Keynote is, it is a presentation made every year by Apple. It is just really exciting to know that the best operating system will finally be available on Intel systems. Ooooo......Apple and Intel together. In about a year, I'm saying goodbye to Windows and say hello to Mac OSX ;) Switch....you better believe it!

A Simple Question

I just wanted feedback...are you loving the iTunes info or not? I'm debating whether to or not to remove it. Comments welcome.

techferret's back/ Konfabulator2

Today was my last day of finals, so I can finally focus on my blogging again. I'm hoping to do a bit more updating this time around, so look for some good stuff coming soon. I'm currently evaluating Konfabulator2 and I'll tell ya, this is eye candy. They have many widgets which are pretty nifty to work with. Oh sorry, a widget is a type of GUI which uses symbols and program code to do a specific function (Dictionary.com). It is nice for broadband users who like to keep an eye on the weather, or for users who want to see their cpu statistics. It costs money, but using the trial version is no different. I would suggest it if you are tired of your dire windows desktop and want to spice it up a bit. Visit pixoria.com for more information.

It Has Been a While....

I would like to say sorry to everyone who has been coming to my blog for their news these past two weeks. It is that time of the semester where my college likes to have finals, so it has been stressful. I will be back in full form soon, but for now I will take a short break from blogging to focus on my studies. Education is a good thing. Well, until I write again, take care everyone. Keep looking, I may make an apperance now and then.

techferret
signing out.

Bonus Tech News on April 25, 2005

Hi-di-ho everyone! I seem to have more freetime today than usual, so I'll get to some tech news...

• Apple Ships Tiger Early
  Well, well. It seems like we have gun-jumpers around the industry. A fortunate few recieved their pre-ordered Mac OSX 10.4 on the weekend, which caused Apple to flinch. Anyone out there have it installed in their Macs? Leave comments if you like telling us PC users about the good life.
  

• Happy Birthday To You....
  Apple's iTunes Music Store will turn into a toddler this upcoming thursday, reaching the terrible twos. Last year's hoopla involved free music downloads from popular artists. Lets hope that this birthday celebration is a blast, and possibly a discount on thursday (are you listening Apple?).

• Windows XP Professional 64-Bit Edition
  Today, Microsoft has finally released the 64-bit edition of Windows XP Professional. Users of XP who have 64-bit processors will be eligible for a free upgrade. Tom's Hardware Guide has all the details.
  
  Link: Intro. of WinXP 64-bit

Well, thats about it. A short burst of news, I know, but stay tuned for another dosage of Tech News on the normal day, Wednesday. Alright mi amigos....

techferret out.