Raphael's Computery

My Review: Military history in your mp3 player

2008-08-05T16:06:00.000-07:00

If you're a history-buff like me, I can suggest two very well-produced podcasts in mp3 format. You can either go to iTunes and search for the podcast for subscription or you can go to their respective links to get the files. All the audio files are free for download.

The History Network's Military History podcasts present the topics in a straightforward, sort of textbook manner; nevertheless, you'll relive the foreground and background sceneries of significant warfares that changed world history. They're mostly less than 30 minutes (the longest I know is 25 minutes) in length. It already has more than 500 episodes tucked in its library, with its early episodes being sold in DVD format. In addition, they also have podcasts in Ancient Warfare. To find out more, click on the image above. I score this a 4 out of 5 stars.

The Pritzker Military Library's podcasts are taken from live interviews of well-known military historians, fiction and non-fiction authors, and well-known military figures. Although most topics are seen in the American perspective, you can still learn much on the people who saw, felt, heard, and smelled war. With these considerations, I give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars. The mp3 files can be downloaded in iTunes, or from the website. Streaming audio is also available. Click on the image above to go to the website.

iTunes Update

2008-08-05T15:41:00.000-07:00

If you happen to use iTunes as your media player and/or to synchronize your iPod, don't forget to update it. The latest version is 7.7.1.11 and fixes some bugs from its predecessor.

You can update it either using iTunes updater, or go to Apple's iTunes+iPod page, or another site like Filehippo or Majorgeeks to download the update.

Click on the links given above to go the download pages for your convenience..

2008-08-03T19:20:00.001-07:00

Just posted another Materia medica blog inviting everyone to visit mediccast.com: http://ping.fm/GqeKO

2008-08-03T18:39:00.001-07:00

We must consider house dust mites as an universal allergen, that means this can cause asthmatic and allergic attacks to susceptible persons.

2008-08-03T02:38:00.001-07:00

Studying with daughter for her exams this coming week...

2008-08-01T22:30:00.001-07:00

Just had a female elderly patient departing for Canada who suddenly had to cancel her flight for health reasons...

RealPlayer security upgrade available | News - Security - CNET News.com

2008-07-30T16:00:00.001-07:00

If you have a RealPlayer version 11 media player that runs your mp3 and video files, you might have to update it right now since this addresses some security issues.

For more info, click the link below.
RealPlayer security upgrade available | News - Security - CNET News.com

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Is this the new iPod Nano 4G?

2008-07-30T01:28:00.000-07:00

the iLounge website has heard from sources that Apple will be introducing sometime in the near future a new iPod nano--the 4th generation, 4G--which will be designed almost like the older iPod nano and a far cry from the current wide-bodied 3G model. The picture above is from the iLounge website and rendered by an artist. They have observed that the 4G nano (green) is almost like the Microsoft's Zune Player (pink).

For more info, click here.

Top 10 Mobile Phones in Asia for June 2008

2008-07-22T03:34:00.001-07:00

Top 10 phones for June - CNET Asia The Nokia 6500

Lovin' it: The Earthalbum

2008-07-21T22:49:00.000-07:00

Google Earth + Flickr = Earthalbum

Earthalbum is a feast of beautiful photos taken from Flickr. The interface is cool, awesome. When you press "enter" you're going to get a satellite view of the world from the Google Earth engine with the names of some countries labelled on the interface.

Click on a certain country or location and you will find a line of photographs taken from the Flickr website and which are geotagged for that particular location. When I first visited the site, I was struck by how beautiful are the photos are that I'm tempted to put my photographer's hat back again.

Enough said, just go to the site and have a feast of colourful and artistic photographs.

The Palm Treo 800w

2008-07-17T18:07:00.001-07:00

Palm Treo specifications:

Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system
320x320 display size, touchscreen
Connectivity consists of a Wifi, EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized used in CDMA phones, more like the High-Speed Downlink Packet Access or the HSDPA in GSM phones, to give broadband speed in mobile phones)
Integrated GPS
Memory: 256 MB with 170 MB for user apps and media. It also supports expandable memory using the microSD card format up to a maximum of 8 GB.

Downside is that this is yet for Sprint and uses the CDMA format but I hope this would be later produced for GSM network phones.

For more information and review, click here.

Asus Eee PC 1000H

2008-07-17T03:37:00.000-07:00

What I like with this:

Faster processor speed 1.6 GHz, Intel Atom.
80 GB hard drive for the Windows XP version and a 40 GB solid state Linux model. Not much of a problem with me for the Linux OS.
Wireless LAN that is already compatible with the Wifi-N. Most average laptops and notebooks only support up to the wifi-G. This means faster wifi speed but is also compatible with the older wifi versions (B and G).
A widescreen TFT screen.
A VGA output for external monitor use (for example when you're presenting a business proposal or teaching)
A card reader (SD and MMC).
A multi-touch mouse pad, you can use two fingers to navigate (just like in Apple's Macbook Air)
Keyboard is a bit bigger than the older models, good for regular typing projects.
Integrated bluetooth dongle so you won't need to use an external USB bluetooth dongle to connect with your phone.
The price! The price! The price! Cheaper than a decent branded notebook in the market, especially if you're going with the Linux model.

What I don't like:

No 3G, we need this especially if you're not in a Wifi zone.
Card reader is limited, I like to optionally use other kinds of cards such as the XD and CF.

Podcast I like to share - "We Were Soldiers Once...and Young"

2008-07-13T05:53:00.001-07:00

This is an audio file I downloaded from the Pritzker Military Library regarding the book that was made a movie last 2002 and starred Mel Gibson as Col Hal Moore, a more in-depth look to the reality of the first major encounter between the American and North Vietnamese forces. First aired in October 2005.

Click on the link below to download the audio to play in your mp3 player or to stream it on this page by using the media player below.

"We Were Soldiers Once...and Young"

Giant Squid dissected and studied...

2008-05-02T05:23:00.000-07:00

A colossal squid being studied in New Zealand a few days' ago after it was accidentally caught in Antarctica more than a year ago. Courtesy of Discovery News...

2008-05-01T02:08:00.000-07:00

A backstage view to one of my favourite weekly podcast for science and technology--the Naked Scientists!

After Vista, it's Windows 7 Build 6519...

2008-04-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

More screenshots from Paul Thurott's Supersite for Windows

The Mac Air I touched...

2008-03-19T18:57:00.001-07:00

I took this 2 weeks ago in the Apple store in Ayala Business Center Mall and the Mac Air is thinly beautiful. Between Macbook and the Air software-wise, I don't think there's not much. I think it's only asset is that it's so light that you can easily break it if you accidentally sit on top of it (bad...) and it's so light that you can put it inside a manila envelope and carry it without sacrificing weight. The CPU speed is only less than the Macbook. Cali Lewis of Geekbrief.tv commented that the Air would be more useful for writers and for casual computer use like writing letters and emailing rather than for heavy duty computer work like video editing.

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP-1) just released...

2008-03-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

This was just received earlier through my RSS...

A new service pack for the windows vista was just released by Microsoft. To be exact, the company released it 18 March 2008 through either the Windows Update or its Download Center.

So what is it for us mere computer mortals? Well, if you're running Windows Vista in one of its many forms from the Basic to the Ultimate versions, you might need a part or all of it, depending on the fixes that this SP1 is tasked to do. Most of the fixes are in the hardware aspects. So the question we are going to ask now is: Are we going to download it?

Here's how Paul Thurrott, a well-known tech journalist and editor of a Windows-related magazine advised...

... If you absolutely, positively have to have SP1 right away, it's available from the Microsoft Download Center and probably from Windows Update as well,depending on your hardware configuration. I recommend hitting Windows Update first regardless, because at the very least you may see some updated drivers. Install those first. If you can install via Windows Update after that, do so: This install will be quicker and involve a much smaller download than the full download that's on Download Center.
If you're not that technical or in no rush..., feel free to wait. Over the next month or so, Microsoft will probably make a number of drivers for your system available via Windows Update....
However you choose to do it, my advice is simple: All Windows Vista users should upgrade to SP1 as quickly as possible. (It) is a major update to Windows Vista that improves the product's performance, compatibility, and reliability.... There's just no reason to wait, especially now that we know how insignificant the previously-reported hardware issues are.

For more info, click on this site: http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_sp1_ga.asp

The perception of beauty is skewed...

2008-03-09T19:28:00.000-07:00

A Preview to an upcoming Worldwide Telescope by Microsoft Research

2008-03-06T04:20:00.000-08:00

Something to drool about: Sony Ericsson's Xperia X1

2008-02-11T06:37:00.000-08:00

This is an upcoming high-end Sony-Ericsson phone featuring a Windows Mobile operating system with an 800x480 screen, max 400 MB internal memory, GPS, and a high-speed internet courtesy of High-speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and High-speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA).

App I Like: Vistamizer, the Power to Change Your Windows Desktop

2007-11-02T17:49:00.000-07:00

Vistamizer is one hell of a software, if you ask me. It basically changes how your Windows XP will look, resulting into a Windows Vista in an XP core. I'm using this and am loving it. Except for a hiccup like I can't click my Yahoo Messenger when the closing dialog appears and I have to exit that. Somehow the window seems to freeze and later on a "domino effect" comes in with the other apps. Probably it's a bug in one of the open softwares that Vistamizer bundles with it.
The software has:

Install and Uninstall feature
Can set and unset the Vista look, meaning you can go back to your old WinXP look if you're already tired.
Can customize what part of the windows system you'd like to vistamize: Sounds, wallpapers, icons and a lot of others to hack with
Applications included are: Thoosje's Sidebar, Styler, True Transparency, among others
Latest version as of this time is 2.0

Overall, I really love the Vista-look and will continue using it for an indefinite time. A 4 out of 5 grade.

For more information and where to download: http://www.public.sytes.net/hoefs/windows/vistamizer.php?lang=en
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Footnote - The place for original documents online

2007-08-28T04:40:00.000-07:00

Footnote - The place for original documents online

An informative historical website for US history buffs and even for the casual US history lover. A subscription is needed to view all of the documents. However, they also have some that are given for free. A free trial is given to access everything. Footnote is listed as one of the 100 Undiscovered Website by PCMag.com

A new blog in the first day of the week...

2007-07-29T18:11:00.000-07:00

There's a new blog in blogtown and it's right here in this page. This is all about not-me but the computer hardwares and softwares and websites and what-nots that live in my tech world (just like anyone who also live in their own tech-world, hi or low). So feel free to read my spots to some interesting softwares that I just came across. Or how about that fantastic website that zooms out of the monitor. Whooo! What about that nifty gadget that you'd really love to own? If I appear to like or hate it, maybe, just maybe, you'll do too. So sit back and enjoy the rides...