I’ve finally begun to scan my old photos. I’ll show you the hardware and software I decided on. I wanted something fast and easy.
[Read more…] about Old Photos – How I Digitized Them
Computer Hardware
Cat6 vs Cat8 cable
I decided to see if replacing Cat6 ethernet able with Cat8 makes any difference. I had my suspicions, I mean it shouldn’t but anecdotal evidence said “maybe”.
So I ran some quick iPerf tests.
[Read more…] about Cat6 vs Cat8 cable
My New Network
I’ve completely redone my network.
I had problems with my old router. I considered replacing the firmware with DD-WRT but I decided against that. After reanalyzing things I decided the old router just couldn’t handle the number of devices and traffic on my network (despite its specs). It simply didn’t have the horsepower. I’ve replaced it with the one below.
[Read more…] about My New Network
Wednesday Random Stuff…
Firefox 68.0.2
A few bugfixes and a security fix.
Download | Release Notes
Good Deal?
I can get this PC for $550. It is 4 years old but is still a really good system. Specs include:
i7-4790k, ASRock z97 Extreme 4 mobo, 16gb G.skill, Nvdiia GTX 1070 8gb, EVO 850 M.2 Sata 500gb SSD, Cooler Master Gold 550w PSU, Silverstone Grandia GD09B HTPC case, Windows 10
I would actually swap the GPU into my system that currently has a GTX 1060 6GB.
I’m tempted. What do y’all think?
Didn’t get it. Decided $500 was all I was gonna do and the guy wouldn’t come down in price.
Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:
Microsoft warns Windows 10 users to update immediately
“The company said the vulnerabilities are potentially “wormable,” meaning affected computers could spread viruses and malware without any action on the user’s part.
There are “potentially hundreds of millions of vulnerable computers,” Simon Pope, Microsoft’s director of Incident Response, wrote in a blog post Tuesday.”
Amazon’s Rekognition software can now spot fear
“The facial recognition tech is also getting better at estimating a person’s age, the company says”
Huge security flaw exposes biometric data of more than a million users
“The breach… included the fingerprint data of more than 1 million people, facial recognition information, unencrypted usernames and passwords, and other personal information of users of Suprema’s Biostar 2 security platform. The information, which included a total of 27.8 million records totalling 23 gigabytes of data, was found in a publicly accessible database, although it’s unclear whether any malicious actors accessed the data while it was unsecured.”
Ring Told People to Snitch on Their Neighbors in Exchange for Free Stuff
“Ring helped people form private ‘Digital Neighborhood Watches’ where they report ‘suspicious activity’ in exchange for free Ring products and discounts, according to a presentation obtained by Motherboard.”
Manhattan DA Got Innocent People’s Google Phone Data Through A ‘Reverse Location’ Search Warrant
“prosecutors sent Google a warrant for phone records near the conflict…the warrant was a reverse location search warrant…Court records show that this dragnet data request captured the location data of multiple people who were put under law enforcement scrutiny, even though they had nothing to do with the crimes under investigation.”
Facebook Paid Contractors to Transcribe Users’ Audio Chats
“The work has rattled the contract employees, who are not told where the audio was recorded or how it was obtained — only to transcribe it, said the people, who requested anonymity for fear of losing their jobs. They’re hearing Facebook users’ conversations, sometimes with vulgar content, but do not know why Facebook needs them transcribed, the people said.”
Someone Modified A Roomba To Curse When It Bumps Into Things And It’s Hilarious
“Technology YouTuber Michael Reeves, known for his colorful language and clever but ultimately pointless robots, decided to take a different approach, however, by responding to his followers’ requests to make a Roomba that screams and curses when it bumps into stuff.”
Not really a new concept. People used to pay me to have their Garmin swear at them back before smart phones had decent GPS. “Turn left dumb f***”…
Blink Cameras “Review”
Short and sweet folks.
[Read more…] about Blink Cameras “Review”
Just Setup My Blink Cameras
A got Blink cameras to monitor my Dad ( see My Dad Has Alzheimer’s – Gadgets, Gizmos, Etc.).
A few quick notes:
– It was the 5 camera setup
– The range of the Blinks did not reach across the house and down a floor. Fortunately I had 2 wifi routers and relocated one to the basement.
– Every unit has a friggin’ BRIGHT blue light that comes on when the camera is recording (XTs allow disable). Seriously, WTF? I found a video that shows how to take it apart and disable it. Screw that, I don’t have the time. As noted in the comments for the video you can stick a pin in and break the light. That’s exactly what I did. Very un-Geek of me I know.
– I put the Android app on 2 Samsung Galaxy S7s and an Amazon Fire tablet. They work OK.
– There is no official desktop app but there is an app out there called Bling Desktop. Works fine for viewing.
Home Page | App Download
***Updated 07 August, 2019
I am NOT liking the Blinks.
When I get a chance I will post why.
more later…
Bad Tweak – Optimize USB Storage
I don’t know why but a setting introduced in Win10 1809 is just recently making the rounds as a performance tweak.
[Read more…] about Bad Tweak – Optimize USB Storage
Thursday Random Stuff…
You can go here and see how to manually enable Retpoline in Win10:
Mitigating Spectre variant 2 with Retpoline on Windows
I did this and the only change I see is I can no longer complete a PCMark10 benchmark. Could be related to this:
Microsoft confirms latest Windows 10 update causes issues with certain games
AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.3.1 Optional (06MAR2019)
Download | Release Notes
New Intel drivers:
Intel PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers for Windows 7
Intel PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers for Windows 8.1
Windows 10 Wi-Fi Drivers for Intel Wireless Adapters
Intel Wireless Bluetooth for Windows 7
Intel Wireless Bluetooth for Windows 8.1
GPU Driver Updates
AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.2.3 Optional (25FEB2019)
Support Ryzen mobile and Dirt Rally 2.
Download | Release Notes
Intel Graphics Driver for Windows 10
Version: DCH 25.20.100.6577 (Latest) Date: 2/25/2019
Support for Dirt Rally2, Civ VI, Apex Legends
Download | Release Notes
Monday Morning Random Stuff…
O&O AppBuster
New app uninstaller from the same folks who make O&O ShutUp10:
Download & Info
When setting up Windows 10, Microsoft not only installs the operating system alone, but also a whole range of additional apps – some useful, some less so. O&O AppBuster allows you to remove the unwanted apps easily and quickly. Or, if you accidentally uninstalled one of these apps, you can also retrieve them with one click.
Over a clear and concise interface, O&O AppBuster shows you which of these Microsoft-supplied apps with Windows 10 are installed on your computer and which you can install on request – even hidden apps are displayed here.
Take back control of Windows 10 again with help from O&O AppBuster!
More control over your operating system
Uninstall apps pre-installed by Microsoft (also the hidden Apps!)
Remove pre-installed third-party apps and protect your privacy
Reinstall accidentally deleted apps
Undo changes at any time by creating a system restore point
Nvidia Geforce Game Ready WHQL Driver 419.17
Provides the optimal gaming experience for Anthem and DiRT Rally 2.0
Download | Release Notes
Bigger, Faster SD Cards
Western Digital Unveils World’s Fastest 1TB UHS-I microSD Card
&
microSD Express unlocks hyper-fast data speeds for mobile devices
Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:
Anger Can Be Contagious – Here’s How To Stop The Spread
“We were able to show that as one person became happy or sad, it rippled through the network,”…It’s not just happiness that spreads, unhappiness and anger can be contagious, too…There’s evidence that emotional contagion can spread through our digital interactions, too…So, just how far does this go? A study of nearly 700,000 Facebook users suggests we can pick up on — and mirror — the emotions we encounter in our social media feeds, too…”We found that when good things were happening in your news feed — to your friends and your family — you also tended to write more positively and less negatively,”…And, the reverse was true, too. Viewing more negative posts prompted people to write more more sad or angry things…One study finds there may be a little bit of troll in each of us. If you read a nasty message from a troll that dishes out sarcasm or a personal attack, and you happen to be in a bad mood, the research shows you’re more likely to copy the troll-like behavior…Bottom line: It’s easier to be mean from behind a screen. The rules of face-to-face interactions don’t exist.
Be nice.
#DeleteFacebook
Microsoft workers’ letter demands company drop Army HoloLens contract
In a letter addressed to top executives, a group of Microsoft workers is demanding the company drop a controversial contract with the United States Army.
Fire them.
Warning issued over attacks on internet infrastructure
Key parts of the internet infrastructure face large-scale attacks that threaten the global system of web traffic, the internet’s address keeper warned Friday.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) declared after an emergency meeting “an ongoing and significant risk” to key parts of the infrastructure that affects the domains on which websites reside.
“They are going after the internet infrastructure itself,” ICANN chief technology officer David Conrad told AFP.
“There have been targeted attacks in the past, but nothing like this.”
“There is evidence that it is coming out of Iran and being done in support of Iran.”
Iran… what a surprise.
With women in combat roles, a federal court rules male-only draft unconstitutional
But U.S. District Judge Gray Miller ruled late Friday that while historical restrictions on women serving in combat “may have justified past discrimination,” men and women are now equally able to fight. In 2015, the Pentagon lifted all restrictions for women in military service.
All or none. I had posted this a month ago:
Should Young Americans Be Required To Do Public Service? Federal Panel Says Maybe
Should the U.S. require its citizens to perform public service? Should its young women register for the draft?
A federal panel says it is working on answers to those questions — and is considering how the nation could implement a universal service program and whether it should be mandatory or optional.
Panel says “maybe”, Eric says, “You’re damn right they should”. Military, Peace Corps, Public works…Everyone. Period. No deferments for any reason.
Bid to curb Virginia drivers’ handheld cellphone use dies in session’s final hours
Under current Virginia law, drivers cannot use their phones for emails or texts, but it does not cover a multitude of other potential smartphone uses ranging from social media to video streaming.
Inexcusable
Buffett says wealthy Americans are ‘definitely undertaxed’
from a couple of weeks ago:
‘I’ve paid $10bn in tax but it should have been more!’: Microsoft founder Bill Gates, 63, says he and the rest of the world’s richest ‘don’t deserve’ their fortunes
Two of the richest guys on the planet say the rich aren’t paying enough. Hmm…