Free Computer Consultant ………. Daily Insights

It was about 5 years ago that I finally ended the misery of my worn out, broken hinged, Windows based PDA with a shot from a .45 auto.

My unit folded over like a laptop and had a pretty decent sized keyboard. Shortly after I bought my first laptop and I decided I wasn’t going to have both. But so many times I would like to access information but don’t want to take the time to fire up the laptop, open Outlook and wait for Outlook to figure out I don’t have a network connection so it will let me navigate to the data I want.

So I bought a Verizon XV6700 with Windows Mobile 5.0. The Verizon network isn’t everywhere, despite the incessant “can you hear me now” commercials. But where it works, it’s cool.

This little device can not only make a phone call, but allow you quick access to Outlook contacts, email and tasks. Simply plug it into your PC via USB cable and it both synchronizes the data and charges the battery.

There is built in WiFi capability and even IPSec and PPTP VPN connectivity. There are a host of applications written for these devices; how about GPS using a bluetooth GPS antenna? Or using the built in Remote Desktop (it’s a small screen, but it works).

One of my favorites is software that allows me to view my Axis IP Network Cameras when away. I’m a reseller of hardware and software for one of the pioneer firms in DVR and Network Recording Systems for the security and surveillance market. This is incredibly hot!

When you aren’t on the Verizon EVDO network getting downloads approaching 700k, you can connect and even view cameras or do whatever at about 56k modem speeds. Slower, but it still works. In fact, one location where I would be doing good to make a phone call from I was able to plug in to my laptop and use the phone as a modem with speeds of about 46k.

Speaking of which, according to Verizon, this phone is incapable of acting as a modem, so they won’t sell you that service for an additional $15/month. That’s ok, because it works anyway. Just Google it and you will find pages of detailed instructions with photos. Follow the instructions and you’re in business. Only catch is that you can’t use the device as a phone at the same time. Heard of Skype?

I’m sure I’ve barely scratched the surface of this XV6700’s capabilities. The new phones coming out are using Windows Mobile 6.0, but who knows, maybe the 5.0 is more stable. This phone does a lot more than what I know how to do now, maybe by the time I catch up to it I can trade for a Windows Mobile 6.0 phone.

Connectivity is what it’s all about. If you want to be connected, look into a device like the XV6700 and a data network like Verizon’s EVDO. I think you will be impressed.

P.S. - It even plays mp3’s and movies like you might expect; just load them onto the optional miniSD card and take them with you.

The first decade of the 21st Century will come to be known as the decade of the camera. Not just digital cameras and camcorders, but surveillance cameras. Axis cameras are some of the better respected and known, now in the flavor of IP camera as well.

Surveillance cameras aren’t new, but IP cameras are. If you don’t mind opening your firewall, you can install a camera and have it available worldwide via the web in about 10 minutes.

I never cared too much for CCTV cameras. The coax cable and those sometimes finicky connectors don’t excite me. Nor do the limiting cards to attach to a PC.

IP cameras change all of that. And better yet if they are PoE (Power over Ethernet). PoE means just a Cat 5e cable run to the camera is all it needs. Monitor and record anywhere you like. The limits of that coax cable are gone.

I wish I could say that the Axis 207 IP Camera were PoE, but it isn’t. It “supports” PoE but requires a $100 splitter at the camera end to do it. And, oh by the way, no one seems to have that handy dandy splitter in stock.

The Axis 207 IP camera sells for about $250, is compact, easy to install and does a great job delivering color video. Comes with software to allow for recording, triggering events and emailing a photo. (The free software only supports one camera, however. Upgrade for a fee if you want one PC to monitor more than one camera).

Visit 2mcctv for the latest and hottest security cameras & surveillance systems available today!

The emailed photo sometimes is blurry; they actually need a delay factor between the motion and the photo in my opinion. But the recorded video should easily do the trick.

Video is viewable as either motion jpeg or mpeg-4. The mpeg-4 is fickle to get to work and keep working. I haven’t had time to trouble shoot it, the motion jpeg seems fine albeit with more bandwidth required. Internet explorer is the preferred web browser to view the camera, but nothing’s perfect. Firefox usually works, but I have had a time or two when it didn’t want to.

A multitude of independent software is available to connect to and record the camera’s output with no problem.

A heard a presentation by a bloke from the UK recently about all of the cameras on that island. About to outnumber the people it sounds like. He even had pictures of the rack of cameras across the street from his home.

The Axis 207 IP Camera is a great option for home or business; and I’m all for people keeping an eye on their stuff. I’m just not at all crazy about our “guv’ments” keeping all these eyes on us.

Axis 207 Network Camera

Windows Vista is so secure, you can’t use it. At least not without Microsoft’s permission.

On August 24th and 25th, 2007, a software failure in Microsoft WGA caused many Windows Vista users, including myself, to receive a message like this when booting up:

Beautiful, eh?

With Microsoft, paying for the software just isn’t enough. You have to keep proving to them, over and over, that you paid for it. (In the first revision, I wrote own it. But we all know you don’t own any software, right? You license it.)

In current internet parlance: This SUCKS!

I don’t know to what degree this may have hampered businesses, but I hope that if it did a class action lawsuit against Microsoft ensues.

For me it was on a dual boot machine where I had been in XP for a couple of weeks testing some Axis Camera software and I didn’t feel like being a beta tester by using Vista. Since it’s only a test machine it had no real ramifications for me, I just booted back to XP. My time available to screw around with Microsoft problems is limited, you know.

Apparently the fix comes from entering slui.exe -4 at a command prompt and calling a phone number to manually validate Vista. I repeat, this sucks.

Microsoft should eliminate WGA (Windows Genuine Authentication) immediately and guarantee that nothing of this sort will ever happen again.

Email Steve Ballmer (steveb at microsoft dot com) and tell him what you think.

Then check into Ubuntu.