I’m now the proud parent (not literally of course) of a Belkin wireless router (BEL1UGPB). Anyway, I’ve had problems with my 2 year old Netgear router (WGR614v4) loosing a signal and just dying every few hours for months now. I had been planning on getting a new one here soon, but my last hope was updating the firmware on the router. After fiddling with the firmware and finally getting it configured again (the build in setup wizard was an extreme nusance) I was online, albeit incrediably slowly. I gave up after that and went to Wal-Mart to buy a new Linksys WG54G or other router. None in stock, so I chose this one. Has two antennas, superb signal, and browsing is much faster now. I can’t believe that I didn’t go out and drop this 65 bucks sonner!

Here is a link to a page with pictures of the new PowerMac G5 Quad taken apart to show the cooling system, etc. A pretty cool page, really shows you how much heat that these processors are putting out for them to require that much cooling hardware. Check it out here.

I’ll try to give a brief overview of what makes Macworld so exciting for those Windows users out there. First, Macworld is one of the two really major times of the year when Mac users can safely assume they will get new products. Apple doesn’t play by other companies rules. There is hardly ever any product announcements before the product is ready. It’s not like other companies. You get it on Apple’s terms, with a veil of secrecy until then. So, this show is a big time of the year because we get new products, a reward to the Mac faithful per se.

What makes this Macworld exciting? Here is a brief list of rumors that float around on the internet. First, the switch from PPC processors to Intel is expected in some shape or form at Macworld. I won’t argue over which machine will be the first to get Intel, but it’s agreed that one will.

New iLife ‘06 and possible spreadsheet application of iWorks. This is exciting especially for me for a few reasons. First, the iLife is rumored to bring Apple’s Frontrow interface (like a Media Center done better) to all computers, not just the iMac. Even though I have an iBook, I use it as my DVD player and hook it up to my TV for watching movies, etc. I would love to have Frontrow and a remote to make my life easier. Any addidition to iWork would be good. Keynote is the best presentation app out there, but the others need help.

Mac Mini. An updated Mac Mini with possible Intel chips and Frontrow with other advanced media capabilities. Ponder on that one.

I’m sure there are other rumors out there, but I don’t know which ones are really that credible. I would bet that we’ll get some kind of Intel Mac and maybe the iLife, but I don’t know about a media center Mac just yet. But then, the rumors for the video iPod were unbelievable until it happened this last fall, so anything is possible with Apple. Just look forward to January 9!

I’m sorry that I find this funny, but the irony of the situation and the stupidity of the seller just make me laugh!!

BERLIN (Reuters) - A 44-year-old German businessman whose digital camera was stolen at a restaurant was relieved when he managed to buy exactly the same model on the eBay Internet auction site to match his accessories.

But he became suspicious when it emerged the seller came from his home town. It proved to be the same camera.

Police said on Thursday they were questioning the 34-year-old vendor who, a statement said, “claims he got the camera at a flea market, but was also offering other cameras on the Internet”.

Source: Reuters UK

As I was sifting through my sites, I came across this link to a page that sells, get this, paint additives that act as a force field!! It is talking about limiting radio waves, therefore giving you greater privacy because in theory that would prevent more people from just jumping on your wireless home network. However, the idea does seem pretty funny so I had to share! Check it out here.

Here is a review of a small computer that looks like a Mac Mini knock-off. Check out the review by The Register here.

For those even remotely submersed in the computing world, the upcoming version of Windows, code-named Longhorn and officially “Vista” is moving along in development. A great review on the latest testing build is available here. Note: This is a great website altogether. The author really nows what he’s talking about and he has information on more than just Windows also.

Just wanting to wish everyone a joyful holidays in the next few weeks and that you may enjoy it with your family.

There were several new TV Shows posted on the iTunes Music Store a few days back bringing some prime time shows from NBC online. Keeping in line with the free weekly content (music) that is available, there are now two TV Shows that are free. One is a SCI Insider episode on Battlestar Galactica and the other is a short Saturday Night Live skit (not much to my liking). Either way, they’re free, so head on over and check them out.

A review of the popular open source web browser, Firefox, is now online here.