Prakash Advani's Blog

Has it happened to you that you write a nice long email and mention, please see the enclosed presentation and oops forgot to attach? Thank goodness for this extention.

Attachment Reminder for Thunderbird reminds you if you have forgotten to attach a file with your email. It check if you email contains keywords which can be defined by you and will remind you if you missed an attachment. For example If your email says:

“Please see the attached presentation”, and you forgot to attach, then the attachment reminder will remind you.

Attachment Reminder for Thunderbird.

Its been raining extensions

Canon has launched two new models to replace the SX10 with SX20 and the SX110 with SX120. Both the models have image stabilisation built in.

Here is a comparison:

SX20	SX120
12 Megapixel	10 Megapixel
20X Optical Zoom	10X Optical Zoom
High Definiation Video Recording @ 1280 x 720	Standard VGA quality Video Recording
USB + HDMI connectivity	USB Only
4AA Batteries	2AA Batteries
Weight: 560g	245g
Vari-Angle LCD	Fixed LCD
2.5″ LCD	3″ LCD

If you are looking for a point and shoot then SX120 is for you. If you want more zoom and other goodies, then go for the SX20.

Microsoft has been harping about the fact that there are more netbook returns of Linux, this is not true.

Speaking at OpenSource World, a Dell executive deflated Microsoft’s enthusiasm for making a case out of the number of Linux netbooks returned by unhappy customers.

Dell Ideastrom has this excellent suggestion: Standardize Power Cables for Laptops

This will be so cool! You don’t need to worry if you forgot to carry your laptop power cord, hotels/airlines can have direct supply for laptop power and the convenience will be amazing.

Its also necessary to standardise on the power adaptors for other devices. The good news Cellphones will have stand power adaptors by 2012. This has been agreed at GSMA 2009 by Nokia, Motorola, LG, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson. They will use the micro USB port as the standard. Can’t wait for this to happen! Apparently this move will good for the environment as they will save tons on adaptors as they can now be re-cycled.

The European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS), part of the European Commission, has compiled a detailed repor titled: Microsoft A History of Anticompetitive Behavior and Consumer Harm.

“For more than two decades, Microsoft has engaged in a carefully designed and extremely successful campaign to protect and extend its monopolies. Microsoft has repeatedly made market allocation proposals to its competitors and has used a broad range of other anticompetitive and unlawful tactics to eliminate potential rivals, including tying, predatory product design, and intentional deception.

Microsoft owns several monopoly products, including its Windows operating system and Office suite of productivity applications.  These monopolies are extremely lucrative: Microsoft generates more than $60 billion each year, largely from Windows and Office. It has profit margins of 77% and 65% for these two monopoly products. Over the years, Microsoft has carefully cultivated and expanded the barriers to entry protecting these monopolies.”

Read More.
All the more reasons to use Linux

Canon has launched the 500D/T1i, this fits in between the entry level 1000D and the professional series 50D. This also have video capabilities which all the SLRs are now adding.

Key Features

• 15 Mega Pixel. Same sensor as the 50D, which is a good thing but does megapixel  matter any more? Perhaps for some.
• High Definition Video (1080p) recording.This is at 20fps, while you can get 30fps if you shoot in 720p.
• Extendible ISO up to 12800
• Live view with Face Detection
• HDMI output
• 9 Point autofocus
• SD/SDHC Card
• 524g weight

Main advantage over 450D

• Video capabilities
• 15MP vs. 12
• Higher ISO vs 1600
• HDMI connectivity

If these are not important to you, then you could get a 450D at a bargain.

Advantage over Olympus E620

• Video as the 620 doesn’t have video.

Advantage of Olympus E620 over Canon 500D

• Image stabilisation in the Body

Its very easy to get a computer with what ever hardware configuration you want, you can go on-line and configure it with all possible permutations and combinations. Except for one.

Its very difficult to buy a hardware of your choice without Windows. What if you want to use Linux? What do you do? You may still end up paying for the Microsoft Tax, even if your Windows partition is just sitting there and doing nothing.

Solution: Buy a hardware of your choice and apply for a refund. Yes its possible, may not be very easy but definitely worthy a try. Venkat Raghavan managed to get a refund on Windows. Read his blog and enjoy your refund.

Now if more and more people start doing that, not that Bill would become a popper but vendors would give us Linux users a choice.

I have been saying this for a while, why Linux is not affected by Viruses

This is Nice article which explains: 5 Reasons why Linux is Secure against Viruses than Windows

Summary, from the article:

1. User Privileges.
2. No Executables.
3. No Registry.
4. No Internet Explorer (IE)
5. Linux is not soo common like windows.

Don’t agree with the last one but the rest of them makes sense

The Neuros LINK a disc-less PC designed to be connected to your TV comes with a wireless “Keymote”to control the unit from the comfort on your couch. Like a PC, it is customizable and expandable:

• 2.8Ghz CPU
• 1GB DDR SDRAM memory (expandable up to 8GB)
• Up to 1080p H.264 video playback
• Support an extensive list of video and audio formats: MPEG2, MPEG4, .vob, .mp4, .avi, .asf, .wmv, .mkv, .mp3, .aac, .ac3, Flac, Ogg, …
• HDMI (max resolution 1920×1200, 1080p), DVI, VGA outputs
• High-definition 6-channel Audio output
• Optical S/PDIF audio output
• Gigabit Ethernet
• 802.11 g/b WiFi, up to 54Mbps
• Software:
  • Linux Ubuntu 8.10 (intrepid ibex) operating system
  • Seamless integration with the free Neuros.TV= service
  • MythTV as a local media player (and, transitioning to XBMC)
  • Open-source video players (MPlayer, VLC, Totem). A comprehensive list of formats, containers and media can be found on the above websites.
  • Transmission BitTorrent client pre-installed with Ubuntu
• 6 USB 2.0 High-speed Ports, 1 Firewire
• Accessories included:
  • Controller: 2.4 GHz wireless keyboard trackball controller
  • Stand
• Housing: 300mm x 90mm x 326mm (11.8″ x 3.5″ x 12.8″)
• Noise: under 27dB

Read the review on ARS Technica.