Dave’s Good Stuff

Over on the Google Mobile blog, they’ve a post about public transportation on the mobile Google Maps app.

I’m not one to use public transportation, for no other reasons than I fell out of the habit after college. Routes may very well run near or to where I need to be, but I’ve just not looked.

So, check it out if it’s for you. It’s one more spoke in the wheel, and one less gallon in the tank, if nothing else…

I don’t know how honestly useful it will be, but it’s geeky cool factor is off the charts. As seen on /., and straight from my childhood… Goosh!.

It seems the parts that have gone bad on my Alienware laptop are hard to come by.

I need the following:

1. LI ION Rechargeable Battery Model # W83066LC
2. Keyboard Model # MP-03753US-839

So far, everywhere I’ve looked shows both parts as out of stock. Bah.

Noah was kind enough to offer assistance replacing the keyboard once I found the one I wanted for the price of a beer. I couldn’t get it apart, so I asked for help. Thing is, I had to get it apart to find out which exact model I needed. Knowing now how to get it apart, we’ll just have to make time for that beer outside of laptop repair. I done figured it out. Thanks again, all the same, Noah! Keep riding!

Anyone know where I can take my Alienware Aurora m9700 to have the keyboard repaired in the Kansas City area? The control key on the left side is dead. I’d fix it myself, but I can’t figure out how to get the thing apart, and don’t want to start wrenching at things.

I’m not interested in negative comments about [pick your vendor/brand]. I’m really just looking for positive comments regarding trusted shops where you’ve had good experiences. It’s out of warranty, so I expect to have to pay.

Thank you!

Ok, it’s time.

The laptop, an Alienware Aurora m9700shining example of dual video card, mirrored drives, and gorgeous WUXGA 1,920X1,200 display though it is, has been acting up a bit of late. Just weird little things. Though I’ve had my phone and my Edge 305 plugged in and interfacing fine numerous times, every time I plug either in, it wants to install the drivers… again. Some devices (such as the Collectorz.com Laser Barcode Scanner) simply won’t work anymore. Random videos and sound files (and even some games) will cause the OS to freeze up hard, requiring a hard boot. Read the rest of this entry »

After about the 50th spam I’ve received either referencing careerbuilder.com, or directly to the e’mail alias I’d set up for careerbuilder.com, I’ve decided not only to delist my resume with them, but to delete my account entirely (insofar as I can).

I got this gem today:

Hope you have a good day. You disturbed by the company ” E-exchange Finland ”
We are looking for the work US resident and living in the USA.
We can give you earnings from 2k $ in a month and more, the part-time work.
If you have interest in our offer, contact us by e-mail: xxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx
Our agent reply to you in short time and will give you all details concern our offer.

With the best regards ” E-exchange Finland “.

Now, I don’t know if they’re just spamming me and assuming I have a careerbuilder account, if my contact information was sold (no, I didn’t read the privacy agreement, and yes, I did check the “please don’t send me sponsor e’mails” box), or if careerbuilder is somehow a victim of another jobsite comrpomise. It doesn’t matter. I tire of the spam from scammers and employers who can’t be bothered to communicate properly (or even understandably… seriously… “You disturbed by the company…”?!).

Buy bye. Thanks for playin’.

Just so you know, the ransomware trojan encryption may have been defeated. Check here for details…

Over at Sunbelt, there’s a report of a new (at least to me) take on malware, ransomware. Read the rest of this entry »

This is damn good advice…

Why You Should Encrypt All Your Google Activies

Not a review, per say, but a thought. As much as I’m enjoying Neverwinter Nights 2, and know that I AM enjoying the game, I find myself pining for the more, shall we say, rudimentary graphics of Aurora vs. Electron.

That’s just my personal preference though. I like the more "cartoony", iconic graphics vs. the (sad) attempts at realism I’ve seen lately. While I certainly wouldn’t consider the graphics of the Electron "sad", in fact, they’re quite nice… but just not… my preferred style. Of all the games on the market, at least those I’ve seen video or screen shot of, Worlds of Warcraft has the most engaging and absorbing graphics. Is it real? No. Is it a system-buster? No. Is it pretty? No. It’s gorgeous.

Don’t know jack about the game-play though.

Seems to me that if game companies would take a page from Ye Olde Book of Game Development and spent more time on game play, story and features, and less on fantabulistic graphics that push modern systems damn near to meltdown, they might just find their audience expanding.

More later…