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Tech news:
Apple announcement news:
Apple rolls out Intel Mac mini. The new mini looks just like the past mini’s but it comes with Front Row and the Apple remote. It comes in both Core Solo and Core Duo versions, which Apple says makes the machine anywhere from 2.5 to 5.5 times faster than the G4 version. New additions include an IR port for the Apple Remote, two more USB 2.0 ports (for a total of four), SPDIF, Gigabit Ethernet, standard Bluetooth and WiFi. The new mini also comes with an updated version of Front Row with Apple’s Bonjour networking technology, which allows sharing and streaming of media, including audio, video and photos, among all Macs on a local network. The Core Solo version, at 1.5GHz, and including a CD burner, 512MB RAM and a 60GB drive, is $599; the Core Duo at 1.67GHz includes an 80GB drive and a dual-layer DVD burner, and sells for $799. Both models are available immediately.
Not the video iPod but it’s the iPod Hi-Fi! Along with the ‘fun’ announcements yesterday, Apple has decided to go after the boombox crowd with the iPod Hi-Fi, a $349 speaker system with built-in iPod dock that runs on D batteries as well as AC power. A rear-mounted auxiliary input works with the iPod shuffle.
Apple releases leather iPod cases. Apple also announced its own $99 leather iPod case. It’s a basic sleeve and only fits the iPod with video or nano. The case does not allow access to the screen or controls unless you take it out of the case. The case from Apple will retail for $99.
Apple kills off G4 Mac mini. Though Apple was selling the mini for full price on its online store earlier, once the Intel version came out, the G4 version vanished. The G4 mini can still be found for about $499 from third-party dealers.
AMD Files lawsuit against Skype. The legal filing joins a long list of subpoenas AMD has filed in search of evidence that Intel has used its dominant market share of x86 PC and server processors to prevent AMD from winning business with certain partners. Intel has denied those accusations, and the companies are preparing for an antitrust trial that promises to reveal loads of details about the inner workings of the PC industry. AMD is now focusing on a feature in Skype 2.0 that enables the ability to make 10-person conference calls only with Intel dual-core processors. Users with AMD dual-core chips or single-core chips are restricted to hosting five-person conference calls because only Intel’s chips offer the performance necessary to host the 10-way call, according to Skype.
Under pressure, TiVo may begin offering free PVRs. TiVo may begin giving away its PVRs to attract more customers, CEO Tom Rogers said. The company soon will begin offering a range of pricing options, including a plan that would offer a free box in exchange for possibly higher monthly charges. Rogers made the comments during the Reuters Global Technology, Media and Telecoms Summit in New York. “We’re continuing to pursue the prospects of zero upfront and all upfront” pricing, he said. In addition to a higher monthly fee, the free-box plan may also require a longer term commitment, he noted.
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Test a geek: This segment will return on a future episode of The Geekcast
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How To: Make MS Word start faster
Reader Damiaan says his copy of Microsoft Word started running “slow as a snail in winter.” It turned out that Word was loading a large number of templates and add-ins at startup that weren’t necessary:
The solution: Move .dot files from
C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP
To
C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
This allows you to prevent Word from automatically opening the templates every time you restart the program. You can then select them through the standard templates and add-ins screen under the “Tools->Template and Add-ins->Add” menu.
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Ask A Geek: This segment will return on a future episode of The Geekcast
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Hack: Remove the password protection from an Award BIOS.
One of the main ways people secure a machine is to apply a BIOS password. The BIOS controls all the basic functions of the PC and without it you cannot get a computer to boot properly. When someone doesn’t want you to change a setting, enable USB, change the boot order, or a multitude of other things, a sys-admin will enable BIOS password protection. Any time you want to enter the BIOS you are prompted for the password. These passwords can be difficult to crack.
Some methods for bypassing this password is removing the motherboard battery or cracking open the case. These methods can work but they are intrusive and if you’re at work, that method is not practical. The best way to bypass this protection is to remove the password all together. The following steps will work on the Award BIOS, which is one of the most common BIOS chipsets on the market. You can check if your computer has an Award BIOS when it first boots during its memory test. This is a password hack but it clears the BIOS such that the next time you start the PC, the CMOS does not ask for any password.
First you must get to a DOS prompt. To do this hold F8 while booting to get to the windows boot screen. Once the menu appears, you should boot to a command prompt.
Next you should type:
DEBUG hit enter
-o 70 2e hit enter
-o 71 ff hit enter
-q hit enter
exit hit enter
Now you should restart the computer. At this point the BIOS should be fully available without any password. All sections can now be changed and you can even put on your very own custom password! Please remember to be responsible with this information and to not do anything illegal. You make the choice to use this information for wrong items, so keep that in mind.
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The geek’s view: This segment will return on a future episode of The Geekcast
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