A new version of Torpark, the portable anonymous web browsing tool, has been released.
If you are new to Torpark, it uses the Tor network to route your information through different systems so that it becomes more difficult to track where you are coming from. From the Tor website:
Tor is a toolset for a wide range of organizations and people that want to improve their safety and security on the Internet. Using Tor can help you anonymize web browsing and publishing, instant messaging, IRC, SSH, and other applications that use the TCP protocol. Tor also provides a platform on which software developers can build new applications with built-in anonymity, safety, and privacy features.
One thing of note. There appears to be some changes with Torpark coming with the company that is now formed which owns Torpark. They will be offering some premium services and even secure notebooks that appear to piggyback on the Tor network. I hope that the company finds success in this market because if they do not, there is a good chance that they will end up stopping all work and Torpark will either disappear or end up as an abandoned project.
The registry is the nerve center of the Windows computer system. It contains extensive information about how your system works and the way that it is set up. So, if something were to go wrong with your system and the registry becomes damaged, it would be good to have some of those setting readily available on case you need to recover them.
One really easy way of backing up select information in the registry is exporting that information using the Registry Editor that comes with Windows. This is a relatively easy process that can save you a lot of time and effort.
For our example, let’s assume that we are working with the programs that start automatically when we start the computer. We want to be sure that we don’t mess up these registry entries so we want to back up the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run registry key. To do this, we would perform the following steps.
Start the Registry Editor by going to Start→Run…, typing in regedit and then clicking the OK button.
Browse to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run registry key and click on it.
Under the File menu, click on Export…
Save the file as Startup.reg on the desktop.
You have successfully saved the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run registry key as Startup.reg.
The Startup.reg file is actually just a text file and you can open it up in notepad to see what iis in it. If you want to add these registry settings back into your registry, simply right-click on the Startup.reg file and select Merge.
Note: When you merge a registry file back into the registry, it will overwrite any settings that are in that registry key. Use with caution!
Sony Slices Its Blu-Ray Price, Cheaper Model Confirmed - Carib Journal
The world’s largest consumer electronics maker, Sony Corp said today that it is planning to sell a cheaper Blu-Ray player model to consumers this summer.
Corel releases beta of WordPerfect Lightning - CNET News.com
Corel introduces its free, downloadable WordPerfect Lightning public beta, designed to serve as a key component in its online services model.
Youths Confess: They Tracked MySpace Users - ABC News
Defendants Shaun Harrison, right and Saverio Mondelli, appear in a Los Angeles courtroom Monday, Feb. 26, 2007. The New York computer programmers have been accused of plotting to extort money from the operators of MySpace.
Going backwards - The Age
The outrage and disappointment surrounding the removal of hardware-based backward compatibility from the Australian and European PlayStation 3 is understandable.
Google set to challenge Microsoft’s office monopoly - Register
By Robin Bloor, Hurwitz & Associates → More by this author. Comment Google is now head-to-head with Microsoft in the Office Apps market, as you may have guessed from the recent Google Apps announcement.
An Apple TV a day is only a few weeks away - iTWire
Expected to ship in February, last-minute delays to Apple’s TV set-top box should now see it launch in mid-March instead to genuine worldwide interest.
Conan Game Confirmed For PlayStation 3 And Xbox 360 - Playfuls.com
by Stokky. The Conan gaming franchise has a long history that goes way back to 1984, and yet over the last two decades only three games have taken advantage of Robert E. Howard’s barbaric character]
Wi-Fi Access Increases Time Spent Online - ClickZ News
Americans increasingly access the Web via Wi-Fi from work, home, and elsewhere. Roughly 34 percent of Internet users have gone online wirelessly, according to a report on wireless Internet access released by The Pew …
Dell Starts Selling Linux-Powered Desktops and Laptops - Playfuls.com
by Dan Nicolae Alexa. After last year’s estimated $1 billion deal with Google, Dell is now providing customers with another type of pre-installed software on its desktops and laptops: the Linux OS.
File-sharer that plagued Hollywood goes legitimate - Independent
BitTorrent, the file-sharing technology company which unleashed a wave of illegal downloading of music and video, has gone legitimate, with the launch of its own Hollywood-approved film store.
Parallels updates virtualisation suite - ZDNet.com.au
Virtualisation software vendor Parallels has released an update to its Parallels Desktop virtualisation software for Intel-based Apple Macs.
Firefox, IE7 open to URL spoof - Computerworld
Although Mozilla Corp. patched one more Firefox bug last week than first reported, the researcher whose work has plagued the open-source browser for weeks has released details about another flaw.
I have been amazed with some of the work and talent that goes into computer moding. Here is a great video tutorial on how to mod your computer with vinyl.
Sony Plans Cheaper Blu-ray Disc Player - PC World
Sony plans to launch a Blu-ray Disc player this year that will cost $400 less than many current models. Sony plans to launch a Blu-ray Disc player in the middle of this year that’s significantly cheaper than many current models on the market.
Conan confirmed for release on Xbox 360 and PS3 - HEXUS.gaming
THQ have today confirmed that Conan will be make its debut on the Xbox 360 and PS3 in early 2008. “The strength and diversity of the Conan brand lends itself extremely well to the interactive format,†said Jack Sorensen, executive vice president, …
HP takes on Dell/EMC in SMB storage - Computerworld
Competing with Dell Inc. for small business users who needs to back up their data, Hewlett-Packard Co.
Apps Premier intended to complement, not compete: Google - eChannelLine
Google Inc. says the launch of a business version of its hosted communication and collaboration services is more about helping meet customer needs than competing with vendors that have similar offerings.
Dell to Add Linux-Certified Desktops, Laptops - PC Magazine
On Feb. 23, the company announced that, as a result of “the community’s interest in open-source solutions like Linux and OpenOffice… we are working with Novell to certify our corporate client products for Linux…” …
BitTorrent Opens Online Store - PC World
BitTorrent rolled out a paid music and movie download service today, leveraging its fast distribution system infamous for the massive piracy it facilitated when it debuted in 2001.
Apple delays Apple TV - MacNN
Apple has delayed until March the launch of its living room device for streaming video and other content from computers to televisions, but the company would not explain why, according to The Associated Press.
Myspace hackers avoid jail - Inquirer
TWO NEW YORK MEN who developed code that tracked visitors to the online social site MySpace have cut a deal with prosecutors to keep themselves out of prison.
The Online-Video Takedown Smackdown - BusinessWeek
Amateur filmmaker Matt Hawes thought his video spoof of MTV’s The Real World was sufficiently funny to get noticed on YouTube.
IPhone TV Commercial Debuts During Oscars - PC World
Apple began what figures to be a heavy advertising blitz for its iPhone Sunday night, with a 30-second spot that aired during ABC’s telecast of the Academy Awards.
Samsung almost doubles graphics memory speed - iTWire
Korean electronics giant Samsung Electronicsclaims to have increased the data transfer speed of the world’s fastest graphics memory
EA announces Wii & DS MySims - iTWire
Not satisfied with dominating PC sales charts around the world, Electronic Arts today announced MySims for the Nintendo Wii and DS hand held.
Pro golfer sues over Wikipedia vandalism - TG Daily
Professional golfer “Fuzzy” Zoeller Jr. is suing a Miami company over alleged false Wikipedia entries. Zoeller claims a computer at Josef Silny & Associates was used to add allegations of drug and alcohol abuse to Zoeller’s Wikipedia entry.
Norm is new to Daily Cup of Tech and wants to know about the scripting language that I develop in. Norm writes:
I’m very interested in your creative and innovative use of scripts. Could you tell me what language you’re scripting in? I’m not familiar enough to identify what language it’s in.
Thank you!
Thanks for the e-mail, Norm. I have been enamored with AutoIt for many years now and I write pretty much everything exclusively in this scripting language. I used to be a big VBScript guy but switched over a while ago now.
There are several reasons that I use AutoIt as opposed to other languages:
It is freeware.
I am not a developer by trade and AutoIt allows me to create very useful scripts without much difficulty.
Unlike many other scripting languages, AutoIt can create self-contained executables that do not rely on other outside libraries or sources.
I can easily automate repetitive tasks including key presses and mouse movements.
Wii Play the best way to get a 2nd Wii-mote - iTWire
The ideal game to teach family members how to use all the features of the Nintendo Wii’s motion sensing remote control, the Wii-mote.
Get with the programme - Financial Times
About five years ago I bought a Compaq Presario laptop PC. It cost the best part of £800 and at the time seemed a bargain.
Google Apps Premier Edition: Another Way to Get Things Done - Playfuls.com
by Iuliu Blaga. Google Apps has taken the step forward from a non-commercial application, geared towards individual users, to a business software package: Google Apps Premier Edition, which is being offered primarily to small and medium businesses for …
Apple TKOs Cisco in iPhone Bout, Analysts Say - PC World
Some analysts say Cisco got the short end of the stick in this week’s iPhone name deal. Although Apple Inc. and Cisco Systems Inc.
Pay to play - The Age
At last week’s Australian media launch of PlayStation 3, Screen Play sat down with Sony Computer Entertainment Australia’s Managing Director Michael Ephraim to explore issues surrounding PS3’s unprecedented price.
Wikipedia entry causes pro-golfer Fuzzy Zoeller to sue - iTWire
Prevented by law from suing Wikipedia, pro-golfer Fuzzy Zoeller is suing the owner of an IP address from where allegedly defamatory remarks were posted onto Wikipedia alleging that he abused drugs, alcohol and his family in what …
Samsung Speeds up Graphics Memory - PC World
Samsung Electronics is using a more advanced production method to push graphics memory chips to a higher speed. Samsung Electronics Co.
Q&A/Hands On: EA’s Sean Penney On Wing Commander’s Comeback - Gamasutra
The Kilrathi are coming to Xbox Live Arcade, with Electronic Arts’ latest news that it will be bringing Wing Commander Arena to Microsoft’s digitally downloadable gaming marketplace.
Survey: Only 1 percent willing to buy iPhone at $500 - Ars Technica
The iPhone’s $499 and $599 price points are still a hot topic of debate in the geek world, and many Maclots have somehow justified to themselves that they can (and will) spend the money on it.
IBM not ready to say Oracle’s Linux compatible - CNET News.com
If Big Blue’s software is incompatible with Oracle Enterprise Linux, it will be up to Oracle–not IBM–to resolve the issue, IBM says.
I’m currently upgrading to WindowsVista. All those doing the same or considering it may have run into multiple conflicts (as I have) with software not wanting to be installed, complaining or just simply not installing at all. This handy list from ieXbeta’s Wiki is very useful. It sorts most software products made for the Windows platform in to 3 categories;
1 - Works
2 - Has problems, but they can be solved / minor unsolved
3 - Heavy Problems, currently
It is updated continuously (the wonders of a wiki) and is quite comprehensive, I hope it is of some use to you.
Are you a hardcore gamer? Can you complete every level of Half-Life in your sleep but still get lost on the way to the bathroom? Do you see an article on how to overclock your system and you are surprised to realize that there are some people who do not overclock their systems? If so, then FiringSquad.com is looking for you!
FiringSquad.com is looking for creative writers and videographers who are avid gamers and technologists to compete in a chance to win cash and prizes and ultimately content contracts with FiringSquad.com.creative writers and videographers who are avid gamers and technologists to compete in a chance to win cash and prizes and ultimately content contracts with FiringSquad.com.
FiringSquad.com is the premier website for the hardcore gamer. From the website:
FiringSquad continues to bring you the absolute latest in the world of PC technology, hardware, and the games that take advantage of them. In these pages you’ll find the rigorous and unbiased reviews and previews, technology guides, and up-to-date events coverage that you’ve come to expect from FS. Our roots have always been in hardcore gaming, and we believe that these gamers will be the ones to shape the communities, competitions, and industries of tomorrow.
The writing contest preliminaries end Wednesday February 28th. The video contest preliminaries end on February 25th and March 18th. So get your entries in now!
LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.
News sites have been noting recently that Myspace and Xanga (and their ilk) have been a place for friends and social networks to grieve for those who have passed away - while this is notable and a very cool use of the technology, it was bound to happen.
If you have been online for a time, you have probably posted here or there in various forums, commented to blog entries, or even (if you are old enough) have posted on various UseNet groups and good old newsgroups (which I still love!)…
The point I am making is that the vestiges of our Internet personas will be, for all intents and purposes, immortal - - well, at least the information will be around far beyond our lifetimes. It is the closest we will be (as far as we know so far) to becoming eternal and be able to prove it to those that are still breathing and logging on to the ‘Net…
With that, I suggest you go Google yourself and see what the Internet has to say about you while you are still here.
There are several articles that talk about this and have great tips if you want to limit or do something about your sensitive information on the ‘Net:
I’m somewhat hesitant to admit that I do this quite often… Usually, my goal is to see if I can innocently catch up with someone. Is this a new form of stalking?
However, I did Google a person that I was entering into an auction transaction with. The auction was for a set of wheels and tires, and I discovered that this person was in a car accident recently, as stated by his local paper (I searched for the name of the person, and the city he was from). Of course, this brought up the question, was the set from the car? Would this affect the transaction?
If I did this with a person I was paying money to, it doesn’t take a stretch to realize that potential employers can do the same thing…be aware if you are job-hunting!
So, if you do find information on yourself that you don’t like - here is an interesting…work-around: A search tool that can create higher-scoring search results with more favorable information that you specify (you can read about it via this Wired article). Particularly useful for the shadier folks among us.
Now that I’ve fed your paranoia bug, go Google yourself!
Oh, I still went through with the wheels and tires - my car looks sharp!
A new version of Torpark, the portable anonymous web browsing tool, has been released.
Norm is new to 
Note: This blog entry is sponsored by 
News sites have 