knighthawk's nest » tech

Fixed! Yahoo Not Connecting to Pidgin

The Knighthawk — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:38:55 +0000

For the last month and a half I have had an issue with Pidgin (the open source multi IM client on my windows Vista machines at work and at home) connecting to Yahoo mesenger. I had done a few Google searches and came up with the same fix. It was to replace the server information which by default is “scs.msg.yahoo.com” to one of various ip addresses that were listed. Unfortunatly that did not work for me. After a few weeks of frustration, I decided once again to search but found the same fixes. I dug deeper and I found this post on a Ubuntu forum. As a windows user much of this info did not help me but I did stumble across another address that wasn’t one of those ip addresses from earlier posts. I figured I’d give it a shot. Bam! It worked. If anyone is having this issue try replacing scs.msg.yahoo.com with cn.scs.msg.yahoo.com in your account settings –> advanced window. Disclaimer: it appears that this is a chinese address so I’m not sure what Yahoo is doing here but the messages may be getting routed through China?

Everything you need to get started with your new Netbook

The Knighthawk — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 23:11:03 +0000

After a lurking interest for the past year I finally broke down and purchased a Netbook. It was one of those right time right price type of situations and now a few weeks later, I’m confident I made the right decision. One thing that has surprised me as I have been setting it up has been the lack of resources out there. These aren’t your normal laptops and there are some things that should be considered. So I figured I’d document my experiences to help those that may be in the same boat I was in.

First off, we really need to think about what the netbook is. I wont get into technical details and history, there are plenty of resources out there and you can start at the wikipedia entry But I do want to point out a few things. Repeat after me: “A netbook is not built for running processor intensive applications.” I have heard from so many who purchased one only to complain about how slow it is. It’s very efficient and can be a speedy little workhorse but don’t expect it to run Photoshop or outlook like your quadcore desktop does. A netbook, is great for surfing the web, checking email, sending instant messages, lifecasting, creating a quick audio podcast and listening to music.

The netbook I purchased was an Asus Eee PC 901. It came with the following:

Processor - Intel Atom Processor - Now a standard in most netbooks. If shopping, make sure it has the Atom processor.
Memory – 1gb DDR2. I wouldn’t go less than 1gb especially if you have Windows XP though I’ve read that 2gb isn’t necessary. I can’t vouch for all netbooks but adding memory to the Asus is a very easy process.
Operating System – Windows XP. I have years of experience with XP so this is very comfortable for me. Many netbooks come with a verson of Linux optimized for the netbook/web experience. Linux does run a bit faster and I would have been okay with it. Some manufacturers such as Dell also give you the option of having it installed with Microsoft Vista. This is a BAD IDEA and will slow down your computer considerably!!
Storage – 12gb Solid State Drive (SSD) – This is different than a traditional hard drive. They involve less moving parts which means the potential for less failure and can be accessed much faster meaning better performance. Currently netbooks can be purchased with SSD or with traditional hard drives. The traditional drives will be much larger in capacity. Unless you plan on storing your entire music collection and every photo you ever took, I’d advise on the smaller but faster SSD.
SD Card Slot – This is a great feature and is found on most netbooks. You can use this to move items from other devices that take an SD card such as a digital camera or pick yourself up a 32gb SD card and double your computers storage.
Battery – 6 cell = 6 – 8 hrs life. 4 cell batteries are common and lighter but they will give you 3hrs maybe 4. With my 6cell the computer still only clocks in at a feathery 2.4lbs! Most of these netbooks will allow for battery upgrades.
Webcam – Integrated 1.3 mega-pixel webcam. I love this feature for video chat, quick snapshots etc. I wouldn’t have bought it if there were no webcam.
Screen - 8.9-inch wide TFT LCD with a 1024 x 600-pixel resolution – this is the average sceensize fro most netbooks. I wouldn’t go smaller.
Bluetooth – this is a great feature for tethering your mobile phone for Internet and transferring data. It wouldn’t have bothered me if the computer didn’t have it.

I had a pretty good idea of what software I was going to install when I got my Netbook. I had done the research and found apps that would optimize my experience without taxing my processor or hogging a bunch of storage space. I also set up many web based apps that eliminate the need for any installation on your computer. I utilize these “cloud” based apps when I can. They allow your data to be stored on their sites with your account as opposed to your computer. This is great because not only are you not using up storage space but your info can be accessed on any other computer. Below is a list of the top 5 installed and cloud based applications that I am using.

Anti Virus – AVG Free Edition - This is the perfect free Anti Virus software for netbooks. Lightweight, completely proficient and free! There is a good chance that if your netbook came with antivirus software, it will be a trial edition and will expire within a few months requiring payment to continue. I would suggest uninstalling it and install AVG free Edition.
Web Browser – The fist thing I did when I brought home my Netbook was to install Google Chrome. When you purchase a netbook, it will come installed with Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. Both are sufficient for web browsing. But the fast running, processor saving Chrome was made for these machines. With the idea that people are going to the web more for thier productivity, Google optimized the web experience.
Office Suite – There’s a good chance that your newly purchased netbook is going to have some sort of office suite. My Asus Eee 901 came preinstalled with Microsoft Works and Star Office. Either of those will be sufficient for most document, spreadsheet and presentation editing though I prefer to use Google’s Docs, Spreadsheets and Presentation. This service is 100% webbased and free. It allows me to do the same the other applications do with out using up storage space on my netbook for the application install. Instead I go to the website login and create or edit my work. I can then edit these documents fom any browser on any computer. If you’d rather have something on your machine, Open Office is also great free option.
Instant Messaging – Instead of installing Yahoo messenger, Msn Live Messenger, AIM and so on. Download Pidgin. it’s a lightweight free application that will connect to all of your instant messenging services. With 16+ services available through the opensource application, I’m sure your chat addiction will be covered.
Media – Audio and Video files can take up a lot of space. iTunes is a resource hog so I would think twice before installing it. Make sure you plan well for your media management. Personally I don’t have much of a desire to use my netbook for stored media consumption so the default media player that came with the machine is fine. I will be watching video and listening to music via the web with sites like Pandora, Finetune, YouTube, Vimeo and Hulu. I can even watch movies from my Netflix account using Internet Explorer!

Accessories – You could accesorize your new Netbook till the day you die. These are my top 3.

SD card – For an affordable price you can quickly double your storage space.
Netbook bag – My netbook came with a comfy sleeve and along with my daily messenger bag it’s a cakewalk to haul around. But there are some days I want a smaller bag when I’m carrying just my netbook. At the time of writing this bags specifically for notebooks were scarce though case logic has a nice one. I found a cool daybag called the PR by Mountain Hardwear. It fits my Asus perfectly and has some extra space for any other items I may tag along.
Mini Mouse. The touchpad is usable but im so much moore accustomed to a mouse. Most times when I’m accese sing my netbook, i have no problem navigating with the pad but on those extended excursions it is nice to have a mouse. You can easily find a mini optical mouse for under ten bucks. Pick one up and throw it in your bag. You’ll be glad you did.

So there you have it. I’ve been flying high for a good month with this setup and am loving it. Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be many resources out there yet so please let me know of things you have done to optimize your netbook. I hop your find this info beneficial.

Flickr Does Video

The Knighthawk — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:02:29 +0000

Sigh, Flickr (My Photo community of choice) has officially announced video support. All I can envision is the beautiful creative and artistic outlet that Flickr has become slowly dwindling to the state of YouTube (My favorite video community for quick cheap entertainment) With that said you can see my perceptions of the two communities and I’d prefer they stay that way. Though, upon reading the announcement on their site I am relieved with a slight sense of hope. Flickr is currently limiting video to a 90 second length and only allowing users with Pro (paying) accounts to post video. Their idea, treating video as “Long Photos”

While this might seem like an arbitrary limit, we thought long and hard about how video would complement the flickrverse. If you’ve memorized the Community Guidelines, you know that Flickr is all about sharing photos that you yourself have taken. Video will be no different and so what quickly bubbled up was the idea of “long photos,” of capturing slices of life to share.

It’s going to be a matter of time before we realize the fate of Flickr in its current state. As a consistent money loser for Yahoo and the ongoing buyout news with Microsoft, there are more things Flickr users should be concerned about with their beloved site other than 90 second videos. Well, here’s to hoping for the best.

This Guy was a tad off.

The Knighthawk — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:17:45 +0000

Hilarious article from 1995. If written today it would have been straight from the Onion.

The Internet? Bah!

No Frills Podcast info

The Knighthawk — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:54:21 +0000

After years of knowledge absorption and months of development, our team at RawVoice launched PodcastFAQ.com today. Finally one site that has everything you need to know about podcasting. At least that’s the plan. We know that we couldn’t think of everything, that’s why we left the site open for community/user contribution. Simply click the “submit content” button and let us know what’s missing or inaccurate. Two weeks ago we opened the site up to our community at Blubrry, Podcasternews and TechPodcasts and they have helped us a ton getting it ready for today. So… if your looking to learn a bit about podcasting, get refreshed or just want to see what its all about. Check out PodcastFAQ.com. [http://www.podcastfaq.com/]

ELI Annual 2008 Impressions

The Knighthawk — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:40:43 +0000

The ELI Annual 2008 was an amazing 4 days of collaboration and learning. I managed to pull all the bits of info from my head as well as transcribe my scribblings onto a legible publication. Feel free to enjoy them here. I still need to Yelp Taco Taco and Beto’s.

I am Done with Verizon.

The Knighthawk — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:15:53 +0000

I have had phones from, Cingular, Sprint, AT&T and Verizon and I must say Verizon has been the worst of the bunch. It is obvious that their business model is focused on selling their own half-assed services and preventing you from using any other alternatives. I’ll admit, I love my LGVX9800 but only with the installation of BitPim. With Bitpim I am able to have a lot more access to the phone than Verizon wants you to. In other words I can finally do stuff you should be able to do with out having to pay extra for. Such as: synching with outlook, adding custom ringtones, adding custom video etc. I also pay for the extra web package which allows me unlimited access to the web but not unlimited access to their content. Those crappy videos and wallpapers are extra. The welcome web screen when I am accessing the web seems to be redesigned every few months with the addition of more advertising and less content. There is not much screen real estate to begin with. Oh and Verizon locked the phone so I can’t download cool apps such as Google maps, Google Mail and Yahoo mobile. But if I want to pay and extra 4 bucks a day I can use their map/gps system.

I’ve also noticed that Verizon likes to make the user experience deceptively difficult. All I’m asking for is a a quick summery on their website when I log in that tells me how many text/pix/flix messages total I have sent and how many I have before I go over my limit. What I get is how many pix/flix messages, how many text messages, how many IN messages and how many IN Pix/Flix I have sent. All tallied separate and nothing indicating the amount remaining. (“IN” does not mean incoming messages either, it means people in your network.) It’s all very confusing, a no brainer fix and something that would keep me happy preventing me from leaving their crappy service. Why don’t they fix it? Because they only make money on those .15 message you send after you go over your limit.

The best was a few weeks ago when I received what looked to be a piece of junk mail from Verizon in my mail box. It was so convincing it went right into my trash pile. Fortunately for me I had heard a podcast that mentioned what exactly was hidden behind this mask. In the envelope was a letter from Verizon letting me know that they plan to sell my call information to third parties unless I call and opt out. And if I don’t call within 30 days of receiving the letter they would assume I was opting in. What a deceptive piece of crap.

Early this week Google announced their Android open Handset Alliance. Essentially they are developing a a free operating system for mobile phones that will integrate with the web and other Google type web applications. I am a big fan of simple yet customizable and this has been something I have been keeping my eye on for the last few months. Sure enough… Sprint and T-Mobile Not Verizon will be on board. Come January when my painful 2 year death sentence with Verizon is up. I shall not be returning.

Podcast and New Media Expo Day 1

The Knighthawk — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 15:47:14 +0000

Just woke up. Spent much of yesterday Traveling and setting up the Booth and Podshack. The Gig officially starts today. We had a few stop over at the podshack last night… I can feel the excitement. This should be a good expo.

Going to California

The Knighthawk — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 19:36:49 +0000

Today being a Wednesday is my Friday at the day job. Tomorrow morning I leave for Ontario, California (which may be one of the armpits of the state) for the Podcast and New Media Expo. I am heading there to support my RawVoice teammates for we plan to have a busy weekend. We have launched several New Tools for Blubrry, Podcasternews and Techpodcasts that we will be promoting and demoing at our Booth on the show floor. In addition to our booth, we have several meetings scheduled as well as 3 nights hosting a Hospitality suite (the PodShack.) For anyone heading down to the expo please stop by and say “hi” at Booth 315.

Change is in the Air

The Knighthawk — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:21:57 +0000

After considerable discussion the last few weeks, AK-47 and I made some changes at the house yesterday. We decided that wasting our money and time watching the crap that’s on the cable networks had to stop. We downgraded our cable service to the analog basic package which gives us roughly 5 -10 watchable channels. Most of these are the local over-the-air channels (NBC, Fox, ABC etc) We held on to that only so that we could still benefit from the High Speed internet at a cheaper rate. Ultimately we are saving a about 60 bucks a month with this downgrade. In turn we finally made the move to one of those Online DVD rental services. I spent some time yesterday researching the differences between NetFlix and Blockbuster Total Access. With out going into too many details we decided on the 9.95 Netflix plan. If you have a Netflix account add us as a friend with this link so we can be all Web 2.0 and stuff and start trading queues and reccomendations. I muist admit I’m pretty excited because now when we decide to sit in front of the television we will have a fresh new movie waiting for us to watch instead of Celebrity Fit Club.