02/24/12 03:04 - ID#56118

Weird business names

And in the category of weird business names, I got this email today:

"Price Protector is now Eyeona"

Eyeona?
Eyeeeeeeyyoooooonnnaaaa?

Like in a wild hyena laugh? What does bargain-hunting have in common with hyenas? Is that supposed to be a riddle? I know I can follow the links on that email and read the back-story and all that in the time it has taken me to write this out here. But really, first impressions are the worst and the most fun.

Permalink: Weird_business_names.html
Words: 81
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/24/12 03:09

Category: android

02/18/12 07:52 - ID#56082

The useful Android app list

In addition to the default apps that came with the Nexus one phone, I have the following additional ones installed:.

estrip
ezPDF Reader
File Expert
GNotes
Opera Mobile
Pomodroido
Maildroid
Quickoffice
Wifi file transfer

Out of that list, I see these as apps with a ton of access and with the potential for troublemaking

Wifi file transfer

Access:
Storage (modify/delete SD card contents)
Network communication: full internet access, view network state, view Wi-Fi state

Maildroid

Access;
Your location (coarse- network-based location, fine GPS location
Your personal information: read contact data, read sensitive log data
Storage (modify/delete SD card contents)
Network communication: full internet access, view network state,
Phone calls: read phone state and identity
System tools: prevent phone from sleeping, automatically start at boot
Hardware controls: control vibrator

MAN! that is a hell of a lot of permissions. But this app is SO useful because it keeps me updated about my work email - a paleolithic MS Exchange server 2007 based system

I think these came with the phone. I don't use them and want them out. Someday, I will root this phone and chuck them out.

Amazon MP3
Car Home
Facebook
Goggles
Magic Smoke wallpapers
Music Visualization Wallpaper
Twitter

Huh? What do these even do?

HTC Radio Info
KickBack
Google Backup transport
Google One time Init
Google Partner Setup
Pico TTS
SoundBack
TalkBack

Permalink: The_useful_Android_app_list.html
Words: 225
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/18/12 07:56

Category: i-tech

02/18/12 07:29 - ID#56081

Android Viruses

Traditionally, it has been very tough or very unsatisfactory for virus-creating hackers to target the Linux OSes because the field is so fragmented. There are as many distributions as there are stars in the sky... and possibly more.

I was recently wondering about the situation in Android because the field is somewhat unified with limited number of variants. Anyone who writes an application can get entry into the Android market and peddle their apps. This is great for reaffirming the open source and free nature of the Android operating system but is quite a nightmare in terms of security.

And sure enough, I spotted this article:

I am kind of spooked. I try out random apps all the time and I certainly am one of those people who just says yes to the permissions screen. No one, apart from expert hackers can actually tell whether or not an app is going to cause extensive harm just by looking at them in a cursory fashion. But everyone can definitely pay more attention when it comes to what apps they choose to install.

I am going to start a running list of apps I have on my android devices here, I started this for chrome apps a while back but it has fallen into oblivion. I need to revive that as well. Hacking chrome is somewhat tougher but the basic playing ground is the same. I think, for non-hackers, knowledge about the apps they are using is 3/4ths of the battle against the viruses. The other 1/4ths is resisting temptation to download chunks of the whole marketplace willy nilly.

Permalink: Android_Viruses.html
Words: 274
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/18/12 07:29

Category: i-tech

02/17/12 01:38 - ID#56076

Class 2? Class 4? Class 10? What?!

I went to check how much a simple 32 GB micro sdhc memory card was. All these choices and classes tumbled out of the closet.

It blows my mind that someone actually took the time to benchmark all these cards:

Sandisk 16 GB Class 2 Read: 7.5 MB/sec    Write: 5.5 MB/sec
Samsung 8 GB Class 6 Read: 16.8 MB/sec    Write: 7.6 MB/sec
Lexar 32 GB Class 10 Read: 20.3 MB/sec    Write: 8.1 MB/sec

And those numbers don't tell the entire story. Apparently the higher classes have a tendency to burn out faster.

Nothing is simple anymore. I should have known that.

Permalink: Class_2_Class_4_Class_10_What_.html
Words: 105
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/17/12 01:39

Category: i-tech

02/16/12 09:44 - ID#56068

Whack that wacom pen stylus!

My wacom stylus has started some crazy erratic behaviour. Its eraser-end works but the pen tip does not. I recently found this "cure" on the internet:

You just whack the stylus against a padded surface (for example, your palm) till it starts behaving. The technique works around 70% of the time. For the 30% of the times it doesn't, even if you are tempted to search ebay and random shady websites for replacements, grit your teeth and whack the stylus a few times more. Chances are, the beating you gave it earlier is not sufficient enough to make the errant stylus realize who is the master here.

Wacom. Whack 'em.

NB: I am really not sure how much more whacking the pen can take. Maybe I should get a replacement.

Permalink: Whack_that_wacom_pen_stylus_.html
Words: 133
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/16/12 10:26

Category: the odes

02/15/12 11:30 - ID#56064

So little time. So much to read

I have to read around 500+ PDFs in the next few weeks or so. I absolutely hate printing on paper and accumulating physical stacks. It inevitably ends in lost notes, lost pages, and lost time.

Reading on the computer screen is nice and all, but I want to be able to interact with the pages like I would with paper. I have a Nexus S and a Nexus One, but the screens are too tiny. I am thinking 10" reading area or more would be a far better idea.

Guess it's time for a tablet. A big generously-size Android tablet. (Apple is out of question). Strongly leaning towards the Le Pan II.

Permalink: So_little_time_So_much_to_read.html
Words: 110
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/16/12 09:45

Category: the odes

02/10/12 05:01 - ID#56044

For Matthew.

From

Other sizes:

Permalink: For_Matthew_.html
Words: 23
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/10/12 05:05

Category: linux

02/10/12 12:05 - ID#56042

sudo updatedb

followed by
locate x
(e:Paul)'s magic trick is incredibly useful. I just have to burn this into my brain as well. find is indeed incredibly and painfully slow and completely non-specific. Got any other tricks that will transform my i-life? :)

Permalink: sudo_updatedb.html
Words: 41
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/10/12 12:07

Category: the odes

02/10/12 11:29 - ID#56041

So this is how it happened

I wouldn't put it past him.

Permalink: So_this_is_how_it_happened.html
Words: 14
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/10/12 11:29

Category: the odes

02/05/12 07:16 - ID#56027

Counting Crows

Unlike the band, the million-strong murder of crows that suddenly decided to alight on the tree outside my window are producing a racket that can only grace the soundtrack to the remake of the ghoulies.