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Contact info: | Feed: feeds.feedburner.com/geekcast | TheGeekcast.com | geekcast@gmail.com | Skype & Gizmo: Geekcast | 206-98-geek-1 | Show notes: send blank e-mail to geekcastpodcast-subscribe@yahoogroups.com | Frappr Map: Frappr.com/thegeekcast
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Items of Note:
The Geekcast contest!!!! Co-host the show!
As we reach the 100th episode of The Geekcast, there have tons of great moments and great listeners. To say thank you to everyone out there who supports the show, I have decided to start a contest. See show notes for episode 90 for details.
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Tech news:
Apple releases big iWeb Update. iWeb’s enhancements are exactly what it needed. In the most recent iLife ’06 software update iWeb received the largest bump of new features and bug fixes; after all, it is the latest to arrive. What’s even better is that Apple’s implementation of comments has some surprising features that most other blog systems can’t even boast. After updating to iWeb 1.1, comments are not automatically enabled on your blogs. To turn them on you need to go to the RSS tab of the Inspector pane where you can toggle comments for each of your blogs. You can also enable your readers to leave up to 5 MB attachments with their comments. iWeb also comes with new themes and much more.
Vonage introduces Free Calls to Europe. Now with Unlimited plans, calling to Europe with Vonage isn’t international, it’s local. By waiving international fees to Italy, France, Spain, UK and Ireland, Vonage treats calls to these countries just like traditional local calls throughout the US.
Dell to Open Retail Stores in Texas, N.Y. Dell has announced plans to open its first two full-sized retail stores this year. The 3,000-square-foot stores will be located at high-traffic shopping malls in Dallas and West Nyack, N.Y. The Dallas store is set to open this summer and the one in New York in the fall, a spokesman said. Sticking with its direct-sales approach, the stores will only carry display models. Consumers will still have to order online or over the phone and then wait for their purchase to arrive in the mail. Dell already operates about 160 tiny “Dell Direct Stores” at malls and airports across the country where customers can speak with sales representatives about computers, digital cameras, printers, televisions and other equipment.
Nike teams up with Apple for iPod products. The two companies announced Tuesday they are jointly developing a wireless system so some Nike shoes embedded with a sensor can communicate with Apple’s iPod Nano to track a runner’s performance and help choreograph songs to the moment. The Nike+iPod Sport Kit, which will be available in two months at $29, has already won an endorsement from Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, who plans to run his first New York marathon later this year. “It will take working out to a whole other level,” said Armstrong, who appeared at the companies’ news conference in New York City.
The co-branded kit comes with a sensor that fits inside compatible Nike footwear — sold separately — and a wireless receiver that attaches to the iPod. Data on running time, distance, pace and calories burned would be stored on the iPod, which could then display the information on-screen or deliver it audibly through headphones. After the workout, the data also could be automatically sent to a personal runner’s log at the new nikeplus.com Web site whenever the music player is synchronized to iTunes. The iPod will also incorporate a new “Power Song” feature, so a user can instantly queue up a piece of music for extra motivation at the push of a button.
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Test a geek: This segment will return on a future episode of The Geekcast.
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How To: Record Skype calls on a mac.
One of the major gripes with Skype is that it doesn’t integrate a recorder function. If you want to record your calls, it can be difficult and frustrating. After much trial and error, I have found a great method for doing this on a mac.
The method of recording the call will involve 2 audio files, one of each person, that will be needed to combined into one conversation. To record Skype you want to use Audio Hijack Pro, which is a fantastic application that can record audio from any application. You will use this to ‘hijack’ Skype. The person you’re speaking to will be in this audio file. For your voice, you want to open up Garageband and record from your microphone into there. The great thing about Garageband is that it will record from your microphone but not take it over so Skype can use it too.
Once you’re ready to go, hit record on both programs and have your conversation. Once it’s done, import the Skype audio file into Garageband as a second track. With just a little bit of lining up at the beginning, the conversation should automatically be synced and now you’re set. The two tracks can be exported as a single file and edited as needed. Best of all, because no conversion is needed, the audio is clear.
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Ask A Geek:
Stephan asks:
I am contacting you about a process on windows called iPodService.exe I know this process is related to the program itunes which I use as a media player. I did some research and found out this is an unnecessary process if you do not have or use an iPod on your computer. But my question to you is how do remove this process permanently without removing itunes?
Answer:
When it comes to processes, Windows has a ton of them. The iPodService is one of those that’s added from iTunes, just in case an iPod is plugged into that computer. This allows the syncing to take place. The process shouldn’t be removed because it isn’t clear exactly what this process does and it could possibly harm the function of iTunes. What you can do is set this process to never run.
Right-click onto My Computer and go to Manage. Navigate to the Services area. When you’re here, look for the iPodService. Once you find it, right-click it and select Properties. The window that appears will give you startup options. Set it to “Disabled” and then click OK. At this point you haven’t removed the process but you’ve stopped it from running whenever it feels. If you ever need this process, just re-enable it.
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Hack: This segment will return on a future episode of The Geekcast.
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The geek’s view: This segment will return on a future episode of The Geekcast.
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