Searching for the Perigee Super-Moon

The biggest full moon of the year is a wild ride

Perigee moon May 5 2012 (photo Peter Asquith, New Zealand rights reserved)

Last night I saw the Perigee Moon when I fell asleep early but not at 3:50 AM when I awoke on the east side of the house.

I jumped in my wheelchair and zipped to the west end of the house and there it was, big and butter yellow shining through the trees.

I had to get dressed and go chase the moon for a better picture than from a kitchen window. I would get a picture of the moon, but not as good as the by Peter Asquith from New Zealand.  Continue reading

Windows 8 Preview coming in 1st week of June and SkyDrive apps now

Microsoft President Steven Sinofsky drops news of Windows 8 Preview at Japan’s Windows 8 Dev Days along with new SkyDrive apps

Microsoft President Steven Sinofsky announces June Windows 8 Preview

The Windows 8 Operating System just got another page written when Microsoft President Steven Sinofsky dropped the shoe in Japan at Windows 8 Dev Days.

The new and hotly anticipated operating system will get another preview in the first week of June 2012.

There was not press release, no blog entry – just this photo posted on Twitter and the usual short Twitter message “Announce…Windows 8 Release Preview first week of June. Here’s the announce from Japan’s Windows 8 Dev Days.”   Continue reading

Review – Acer T231H Touch Monitor for Windows 8

Acer T231H bmid is the only reasonably priced monitor capable of multi-touch with Windows 8

Acer T231H Windows 7 and 8 touch monitor

Surprisingly the Acer T231H bmid is the only $300 monitor that delivers a multi-touch in Windows 7.

Once I started using this monitor, it was hard to give it up, so I bought another one to replace an old Samsung.

There is only a small cost premium over a non-touch monitor.  Continue reading

Build a computer with SSD for $199

Tiger Direct sets new low price point for an SSD equipped computer

ECS A780LM-M2 AMD DiabloTek Barebones Kit $199 limited time offer

This is the lowest priced computer kit we’ve seen. At $199 for a limited time, you get a $270 Athlon bare-bones computer kit! The price expires March 31st, 2012.

At that price it’s like getting the SSD for nothing.

It surprised me to learn recently that big companies like Microsoft and Amazon.com don’t buy computers anymore. They build their own computers and servers from kits and parts.

Most of the computers in the stores and from Dell contain parts and software that cost more and slow down the system. Continue reading

Windows 8 It’s All In The Touch

This video helps you learn the simple tricks that make Windows 8 navigation a breeze


Once you get used to the few new navigation tricks in Windows 8 Consumer Preview it seems like second nature.

Watch the video and we’ll cover the basics after the story break.
Continue reading

Windows 8 Consumer Preview boots faster than an iPad

Speed is everything with computers and Windows 8 is headed for the Indie 500 winner’s circle

Updated – Most of the articles that are being printed about Windows 8  imply you must upgrade and adopt Windows 8 this fall. Windows 8 is being designed for new computers.

However, Windows 8 is such an improvement over previous versions of Windows, I predict tens of millions of people will want to make the upgrade. Continue reading

First Look – Acer T231H monitor delivers multi-touch for Windows 8

The Acer T231H bmid LCD Monitor together with Windows 8 Consumer Preview puts a biggie-sized iPad on your desk

Acer T231H 23" multi-touch monitor with Windows 8 Metro home screen (click for larger image) Photo NJN Network

Windows 8 needs two things to be a hit on the desktop – a multi-touch monitor and touch pad. Acer delivers the multi-touch experience with the T231H bmid.  The monitor is stunning. At under $350 retail, it leads the pack of competitive monitors we have investigated. Continue reading

How to Install the Virtual Windows Server 8 Beta

Installing Windows Server 8 Beta on VMware is possible – here are step by step installation instructions

Windows Server 8 Beta Dashboard - Illustration Avolve Technology

By Edith Larkin, Avolve Technology – Microsoft is preparing a hat-trick with Windows 8 in 2012.

Microsoft plans to score three times  with Windows 8 for desktops, Windows Server 8 and Microsoft SQL Server 2012.

To test the new Windows Server 8 Beta, we set up a virtual server on a computer already running Windows 8 Consumer Preview (Win8CP)  Continue reading

First Look – Logitech Wireless Touchpad and Windows 8

Point, swipe and scroll easily added to Windows 7 and Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Logitech Wireless Touchpad (image Logitech)

The Logitech Wireless Touchpad is one of the best and easiest ways to add multi-touch computing to Windows 8 (Win8CP) and Windows 7.

At half the price of Apple’s Magic TrackPad, the Logitech is a no-brainer.

Even better, it has one or two-finger swipe which has eluded me on the Apple TrackPad so far.

Nothing could be simpler than unboxing the Logitech Touchpad, placing it right or left of the keyboard and plugging in the USB 2.4 HZ stub-adapter. After that, the Touchpad just works.  Continue reading

Play the Game of Life with Prius C

Ad agency aims Prius C for City advertising at Millennials


Toyota has just released a “City” version of its highly efficient hybrid, the Prius C.

A series of unique television spots use Hasbro’s Game of Life as a theme to get the attention of the under 35-year old consumers.
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Paul McCartney iTunes Live from Capital Studios Released

The live concert which Apple streamed with release of Kisses on the Bottom is released and the video streaming again for a short time

When Sir Paul McCartney released Kisses on the Bottom last month, it was accompanied by a live event of Sir Paul, Joe Walsh, and Diana Krall.

The Live studio concert is more entertaining that the CD, in my opinion. Sir Paul is interactive and engaging with the small audience.

Continue reading