Daniel Vining - alpha geek

My Wish List

Daniel Vining — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:01:04 +0000

My Wish List

If only I had a few hundred thousand dollars, I too could be as set up as the great Leo Laporte. Sadly, I don’t have that kind of cash rolling in. If I did, here are some of the things I would buy to get me started.

27 inch iMac

Apple just refreshed its line of iMac computers during this month. I could be totally greedy and wish for a Mac Pro, but considering what you get, and for the price point, I feel that these new iMacs are just right for me. The biggest reason that I would choose iMac over Mac Pro is the form factor. Sleek and sexy, few wires, and that beautiful screen. If money were no object I would order my iMac fully loaded from the Apple Store. In reality, however, I will be getting the Intel i7 model, then upgrading the RAM myself later. Besides a RAM upgrade, the only other thing I would change is the keyboard. I would much rather have the full size Apple keyboard with numeric keypad, even if it means being wired.

Magic Mouse

I know, the Magic Mouse comes standard with every new iMac. I am writing this post on a MacBook, so that is why I have the Magic Mouse on my wish list. I love the glass trackpad on the MacBooks, but there are many times when I would rather be using a mouse, and the Magic Mouse is what I want to use. As inexpensive as they are in relation to the rest of the items on this list, I think I will be crossing this off the list very soon.

Time Capsule

Next on my list is Time Capsule. This is Apple’s eloquent combination of a superb wireless router and external hard drive. I would be using Mac OS X’s Time Machine to backup my computer data, as well as making it available to other computers on my network. On a side note, I would recommend that everyone use a service like iDisk, Mobile Me, Carbonite, Amazon, etc. to back up your data in the cloud as well. I relish the concept of having a great wireless router and external backup as well as off site storage.

Drobo

The Apple Time Capsule provides a 1TB or 2TB solution to external storage needs. At some point, however, that drive will fill up. When it does, I want to use the Drobo external storage system for long term archival storage. You can have four drives recording your data that can be replaced when full. Basically, I would use the Time Capsule for immediate backup via Time Machine, and then use the Drobo for data that will not be accessed as regularly.

Bluetooth Headphones & Speakers

In keeping with the sleek and sexy theme, it would be very nice to have a nice set of wireless Bluetooth speakers surrounding my work area. They don’t have to be the top of the line in sound technology, just nice, reliable and wireless. Headphones are another matter. I spend a great deal of time watching podcasts, TV shows and movies on my computer. I am usually playing catch up when others are sleeping or when it would be impolite to have loud noise coming out of my room. As a find myself wearing headphones for longer and longer periods of the day I also find that the damn cord never wants to cooperate. Wether it is tangled in the arm to my chair or trying to pull my laptop off of the table, the cord always seems to get in the way. A nice set of Bluetooth wireless headphones is a must have in my opinion.

Powered USB Hub

Even though technology like USB 3.0 and Lite Peak are just around the corner of being mainstream tech, USB 2.0 is still the standard. I have a lot of things that fight for the two USB ports on my laptop. Printer, iPhone, cameras, external hard drives, flash drives, mouse dongle, microphone… this list goes on and on. I have found a few powered USB hubs online ranging from 4 to 13 ports. If I could, I would get a 13 port hub to future proof, even if for only a while. Since so many devices are now powered by USB, it makes perfect sense to own a powered USB hub.

Software

I dabble in various areas of technology, so software is a constantly moving target. One thing I would love to own if I could would be the Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection. It is every major program in the Adobe lineup and would give me the tools needed for any project.

To go along with the Master Collection I would like to own a tablet screen. Wacom seems to be the leader in this genra but maybe by the time I can afford one, Apple will have introduced the iPad, and given it functionality that will allow it to be used with applications like Photoshop.

Camera Equipment

I am an amateur photographer. I have a mid-range DSLR, the Nikon D-50. While nice, I would like to upgrade to a camera body with a better sensor, and video functionality. To go with my new camera body, I want a couple of lenses that will allow me to take almost any picture I want. I’m thinking of the Nikor line of lenses. A remote control and sturdy tripod would round out this segment nicely.

Sound Equipment

Other than listening to podcasts and TV shows, I don’t really listen to a ton of music. I do, however, like to dabble in content creation. This will eventually mean that the built in microphones on my cameras just won’t cut the mustard. A set of nice dynamic mics to go along with my condenser microphone, the appropriate hot shoe mic for my camera, and a set of lapel mics would add nicely to the content creation process.

Lighting Equipment

This is something that is on the low end of my wish list. I know good lighting is very important to making a good video presentation, but I can get by with shop lights and photo umbrellas until I have checked off the other items on my list. It is on my mind though.

There are a ton of items I haven’t mentioned on this list, and a ton more that I haven’t even thought of yet. This list is a compilation of the items that are on my mind most often. I have already removed and item off the list thanks to my recent purchase of the iPhone 3GS. I will update this list periodically as I find cool new gadgets or obtain items already on the list.

What are some of the things on your tech wish list? Let me know, I’m interested in seeing what other people want to have.

iPhone 3GS << I GOT ONE :0)

This story was originally posted on http://www.danielvining.com. Contact Daniel via email; dan at danielvining.com -or- on Twitter by following @danielvining.

Follow Drew, LIVESTRONG!

Daniel Vining — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:19:56 +0000

I know this is not a new topic, but I feel like everyone needs to be reminded. Drew Carey, popular from his ’90s hit sitcom “The Drew Carey Show”, and as the current host of “The Price is Right” is spearheading an initiative to raise money for Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG Foundation. The way that Carey is going about doing this is pretty interesting. He has committed to donate 1 dollar for every Twitter follower he has up to 1 million dollars/followers.

As of October 25th, Carey has 114+ thousand followers. That is just a drop in the hat compared to the millions that other users, like new American Idol judge Ellen Degeneres have. We, the geek community at large, can do a lot to help this cause reach its goal. Let us be the grass roots Twitter effort to encourage others to pledge to this cause.

Being a part of this cause if free. Drew has committed the dollars for you, so all you have to do is take action, and follow him on Twitter. Follow http://www.twitter.com/drewfromtv and spread the word by adding him to one of your lists (if you have that feature) and mentioning the cause to your friends, co-workers, fellow bloggers, and of course, Follow Friday.

Sure, 1 million dollars is just a small drop in the bucket, but 100,000 dollars barely makes a ripple. We have until the end of the year to get this done, so let’s do it!

Please add your comments below, or contact my via email: dan at danielvining.com -or- send me a tweet @danielvining

This story was originally posted on my personal blog at http://www.danielvining.com

Google Tips & Tricks #1: Crazy Image Search

Daniel Vining — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:42:22 +0000

While surfin’ the net today, I came across a nice tech blog by a blogger named Xavier Lur at Kid Tech Guru. The first post on his blog today was another cool trick that I am calling Crazy Image Search. This little Easter egg has no point whatsoever, except that it shows what a geek can do in his spare time when he is bored. From the Kid Tech Guru Blog:

I stumbled across a Google Image trick on YouTube and was excited to share with you guys. To start this trick, simply go to Google Image and search for a particular image. Click on ‘See full-size image’ and replace the URL in your address bar with the code below…and you’ll see something interesting…

javascript:R=0; x1=.1; y1=.05; x2=.25; y2=.24; x3=1.6; y3=.24; x4=300; y4=200; x5=300; y5=200; DI=document.getElementsByTagName(’img’); DIL=DI.length; function A(){for(i=0; i-DIL; i++){DIS=DI[ i ].style; DIS.position=’absolute’; DIS.left=(Math.sin(R*x1+i*x2+x3)*x4+x5)+’px’; DIS.top=(Math.cos(R*y1+i*y2+y3)*y4+y5)+’px’}R++}setInterval(’A()’,5); void(0);

Enjoy!

See more great content including videos, photos, web links, and more at:

http://www.DANIELVINING.com — Home of One Geek World!

Find me in the chat room at live.pirillo.com — Nick: Comickey

Coaxial Crisis: Top 5 Cable Tips

Daniel Vining — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:07:30 +0000

I recently decided to swap my office and my bedroom, opting to gain more workspace at the loss of a little living space. In the process of the swap, I relocated my PC to a new room. The coaxial cable running from the wall jack to the router proved to be too short, and as a result, I ran new cable to the new location. At the same time, I downloaded and began using Skype. Shortly after I began to use Skype, I noticed a severe lag in my internet connection speed. I could not figure out what was causing everything to be so slow. At first I thought it was Skype, so I researched its affects on connection speed, discovering that Skype is one of the better non-resource hogs to choose from. Next I tried dumping one of the apps I installed to use with my Skype phone. Strike two. Then, realizing that I couldn’t remember when the last time I cleaned out my browser was, I deleted cookies, and passwords, thinking it would free up RAM. Strike three. Finally, I figured it out. In addition to a new location, I added a new TV to my office mix. The PC and TV split the same cable line. I used an old segment of cable I had from a few years ago to connect from the splitter to the PC. Eureka! After changing out the old segment of cable with a brand new, never used segment, my internet speed was back to normal. I never realized the importance of a simple string of copper. Here are my top five tips for using coaxial cable:

1. Buy a quality product. I tried using an old cheap cable, and it failed me miserably. Stick with a name brand, such as Philips, Monster or Radio Shack. Better yet, get your cable from the cable provider. In most cases, it is of great quality. To go a step further, have it installed by them as well.

2. Consider upgrading to a HD optimized cable line. As the rest of the media world makes the transition to High Definition, now is the best time to swap out your lines even if you don’t use HD. Generally speaking, HD coax is of a higher quality and can carry more information, thus improving connectivity.

3. Keep quality on your mind when selecting connectors and hardware. I suggest using the same brand splitters, elbows, and extenders as the cable itself. As with most every electronic item the old adage that you get what you pay for still applies. Make sure all connections are tight and fully connected. Not doing so will cause a loss in signal strength.

4. Remember signal strength. Most people have a single coaxial line running into their house from which they split off to all of the different cable sources. Keep in mind that the more you split your line, or the longer the line is, the weaker you signal will be. If you can afford to, have more than one line installed to separate TVs from computers. If you experience signal degradation in your TV signal or are having connection issues that you cannot resolve, call your local cable company and ask for a technician to boost your signal. As more and more customers are added to the cable system, the companies must periodically adjust the signal strengths to accommodate the added users.

5. Finally, stay organized. Run your cable along the wall and attach with cable clips to give a finished look. If possible, run in the ceilings or along the wall under the carpet. If exposed, I suggest purchasing cable the same color as the background. At corners, be careful not to have too tight of a radius in your turns. Accidentally crimping your line can cause signal degradation.

Vista isn’t that bad

Daniel Vining — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:04:04 +0000

Call me un-educated, or mis-informed. Call me naive, or ignorant. Call me what you will. I just don’t see the problems with Windows Vista that everyone else seems to see. I have had a computer with Vista for about eight months and have yet to have any serious concerns. In fact, compared to my 2004 model computer which ran on XP, my new computer is awesome. My old computer was a Geo Metro, and the new one is like a Cadillac. The only complaints I have are centered around the user interface of Vista and Internet Explorer 7. I find the UI to be be rather clunky and unyielding. The orientation and location of items throughout Vista doesn’t seem to be as user friendly as XP, and moreover, Mac’s OS X. Furthermore, Internet Explorer constantly decides to stop working every time I have more the ten windows open. This, of course, happens when I am working on a large project and need all of those windows. I think I will switch to Fire Fox before all is said and done. Overall, however, I have not had the compatibility problems or driver issues, or crashes that I expected to have to tackle. I think that maybe I benefited from waiting a year after its initial release. Most of the serious bugs, that I can tell, have been worked out. That said, I think my future lies in the integration of running Vista in a virtual machine within Mac OS X.

Top 5 Password Tips

Daniel Vining — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:33:51 +0000

Security. Even in an age where we have eye and fingerprint scanners, we all still use passwords. Without taking proper security precautions, one could find themselves facing identity theft. Here are my top 5 tips for protecting your passwords:

1. Don’t use familar names or dates as passwords. Take the time to create a password that is totally unique and yet is still rememberable for you, and only you.

2. Use all parts of the keyboard. For example, instead of using a word, use a series of characters on the keyboard such as two lower case, two upper case, two numbers, and two special characters like ! and @. Also, try to use the entire keyboard, not just one small area. This may help prevent a hacker from lucking into your password.

3. Don’t write down your password! The execption to this is in the event of emergencies. Create a list of passwords for use only in an emergency, such as the bank or possibly important websites that can help authorities find you in the case of and emergency ie: myspace or twitter. Do this with the greatest caution. Seal the list in a security envelope, and sign the seal. Place that into another larger envelope, and seal and sign. Only give this list to someone who you really trust like a spouse or parent.

4. Change your password often. I change my passwords every six months or sooner. The longer you stick with the same passwords the more vunerable they become. Also periodically delete your cookies on your computer. This will prevent someone accessing your info because the computer remembers your password. Never use the auto fill features of the internet browser. This is just plain unsafe and leaves you open for identiy theft.

5. Finally, don’t use the same password for everything. If a hacker figures out that password, he will gain access to all your password protected areas. Have a plethera of passwords to choose from that are not simualr to each other. Also be careful when using a password generator. Never give out personal info to generator sites, and make sure the generated password meets or exceeds all the other criteria.

Hopefully using some of these tips will enable you to have a safer experience in today’s tech world.

Meet Daniel Vining

Daniel Vining — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 22:07:18 +0000

Age - 24

Hometown - Pensacola, FL

Current Residence - Minot, ND

Occupation - Aircraft Paint & Body/ Fabricator United States Air Force

Hobbies: Amateur Photography, Graphic Arts, Web Design.

Passion - Auto Racing! I have been an avid racing enthusiast since the early ‘90s. I follow NASCAR, Open Wheel racing, Formula 1, Sprint Cars, ect.

Community - Aside from Lockergnome, I can also be found on Myspace, YouTube, and my own site at www.danielvining.com

Hello world!

Daniel Vining — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:35:30 +0000

This blog post has been generated automatically. The blog owner can either edit this post or delete it altogether (as well as the sample comment). Having a blog on Lockergnome is a privilege, not a right.

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How to Handle Remote Tech Support

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Network Tools for Windows

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Get Your Own Web Site

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VMware and Parallels for Virtual Machines

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

It doesn't matter if you're running on Windows or Mac OS X - every power user needs either Parallels or VMware (or both). There's never been an easier way to test software without destroying your primary operating system's stability. Think of how many times you wish you could press a 'reverse' button on your computer. Plus, there's no easier way to try new Linux distributions - see what all the fuss is about. Run Windows in OS X, run Linux in Windows, but the best way to do either is with VMware and/or Parallels.

Coupons for Online Shopping

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