My trusty PC crashed yesterday. Drives totalled. It just refused to boot.

That was strange, considering I was using genuine Windows XP patched to the latest security updates. McAfee Internet Security 2006 and Spyware Doctor ran in the background- fully online with the newest databases.

That’s not all. My PC undergoes regular defragging with DiskKeeper 9. I clear all crud and trash files once a week.

And YET, it crashed.

I attempted a reinstall with my original XP discs, but no matter what, I get an error messge

“NTLDR not found”

What the ^@#&*!(@#

Oh well. That finally forced me to give a run with a demo copy Windows Vista.

My buds who run one of those software testing centers lent me an eval copy of Windows Vista Ultimate. Yep. I know I’ll have to purchase my own soon enough, but that doesn’t matter.

I loved it!

Unlike my XP discs, the Vista installed on my corrupted harddrive. The “NTLDR” error disappeared and Vista installed within 11 minutes. That’s fast, considering my laptop is only a core duo 1.83Mhz with 1.5GB ram.

I don’t know why all those techboys at anandtech etc say you’ll need a very fast PC to make the most of Vista. My PC practically screamed through installation and the subsequent software additions I made.

The pros:
Startup and Shutdown came in fast. Really fast.
Interface is damned slick. It’s like the laptop reads my mind by giving me access to everything without clutter; that Gadget bar is a dream! Better than google’s. XP, in contrast is clunky and creepy.
Everything appears automated- from system maintenance to security. I loved that Windows Defender thang.
Oh and about security: you get a whole slew that can frustrate a hacker. Everything from crippling admin rights, to Explorer protected mode and spyware protection. I got zero popups and hangs from browsing the cracker sites like astalavista! WOW!
Every peripheral, from USB thumb drive to DVD burner enjoys native support. No clunky third party interfaces. Just copy docs to where you want- and go!

Cons:
Aside from the price tag… none!

I must hand it to Bill. Finally: the first windows since 3.11 that actually got me my mojoes

Like many of you, I’ve been scouring the web for great ways to scrape an extra buck. Folks who first get their internet feet wet think that the only way to go is to

1) Develop a Product (digital or otherwise)
2) Sell a product.

This can work… after years of good product development and viral marketing. It costs a lot too.

There’s an easier way… and you can do it with almost no capital Continue Reading »
CPA, CPC and other Methods of Earning

Do you want to get rich?

Really really really rich!??

Rich enough to buy one of these?

Then you must visit Stupid Ebook

According to the ebook, the secret to getting rich encapsulated:

It couldn’t be easier! Here’s all you need to rake in millions:

A computer
A snorkel
Toilet paper
A can of Pringles
A ferret

Google Sidebar gives darn easy access to information on your computer and from the web. It’s a desktop search application that provides full text search over your email, computer files, music, photos, chats and web pages that you’ve viewed.

Once you make your computer searchable, Google Desktop puts your information easily within reach and frees you from having to manually organize your files, emails and bookmarks.

It makes searching your computer as easy as searching the web with Google! How’s that for lazy blokes?

Google Sidebar doesn’t just help you search your computer; it also helps you gather new information from the web that shows you your new email, weather and stock information, personalized news and RSS/Atom feeds, and more. Sidebar is personalized automatically, without any manual configuration required. It’s a simple matter of adding widgets. Simply visit the google widgets page and drag and drop! Over a thousand widgets available to spruce up that loserly looking windows XP desktop.

Here’s what the Sidebar looks like:

Grab it here: http://desktop.google.com/

Did I mention it’s free?

That’s right!! The sidebar and its thousand widgets cost ZERO. Nil. Zilch!

Think of all the productivity your PC can get you now. Plus, you look cool doing it.

Coolness!

Are you a tech head? Love strange gadgets?

You can’t lose with this site. They carry everything from light sabers to cutting lasers and really queer weapons and modes of travel. (think: jetpack)

Just browsing this site got me a hard on. Hey- I got technolust! Continue Reading »
Futurehorizons.net

Hackers and crackers are after your critical documents. Once they circumvent your virus scanners and firewalls, it’s a cakewalk from there to your financial documents.

Imagine yourself losing your bank accounts, passwords and credit card details. Just like that?

What a nightmare.

Good thing there’s a Free and Indomitable solution.

TrueCrypt

Imagine taking a needle, stuffing it into a haystack, mixing it with sand then submerging it all into a murky lagoon. Do you think that you will ever recover the needle? That’s the amount of protection that truecrypt affords your critical data.

Truecrypt creates a secure data file on your hard disc from 5MB to 1GB. When this file is mounted by Truecrypt, it is read like a virtual drive. You can store things on it like a normal flash disc. When you dismount it, 256bit encryption makes it unreadable that even NASA computers will take centuries to decipher.

Go grab it for peace of mind at truecrypt.org.

OSIM uMoments Page

Does the boss drive you up the wall? Here’s a nifty gadget that can take the edge away at the end of the day. No funky light-sound goggles required.

THE OSIM uMoments.

What is it? A damn funky sound generator in the best of its class. I’ve tried the boring white noise generators from toolsforwellness.coma and they don’t come close. Here’s one that truly immerses you in the happy-happy realm of bliss! Continue Reading »
OSIM uMoments Review

In the tradition of JUNK like the Turbo Stormy, the Eco-Tek and the Turbo-Zet comes the newest miracle gas saver that lightens your wallet and actually increases total cost of ownership!

THE KHAOZ

The Khaoz is an air-bleed device, created in the 70s by Pablo Planas from the Philippines. Air-bleed devices are by no means new. Companies have been peddling crap like this for years and promising whopping 50% gas savings!

Despite some attempts at pseudo science, the operating principle of the KSTC is clear. It contains a regulating valve and also a spring-loaded (vacuum-operated) valve, which in combination allow variable air to flow through the gadget and into the engine. This khaoz bled air does not pass through the carburetor, so it introduces less fuel, and the overall effect is a leaner air/fuel mixture. Continue Reading »
Khaoz Super TurboCharger Review

I’m a kid at heart, and being a kid, I harbored a fascination for lasers.

Since elementary, I collected laser pointers of all kinds. It was the next best thing to pretending I was a Jedi. Swoosh swoosh! I’d wave my lasers in the evening, trying get a glimpse of its shaft.

Today, I’m a 40+ year ole bloke and I still love lasers- especially those made by wickedlasers.com Unlike the weak old laser pointers that you can barely see, these gadgets produce a beam so vibrant, you can see them sizzling into the dark side of the moon. Now how about that?? Continue Reading »
Wickedlasers.com Review

Want traffic? Lots of traffic? Well an SEO solution “RankAttack” stormed the market promising maxxed search engine rankings and traffic for just $80. Before you swipe that credit card, there’s bad news. Industry experts such as Google God Matt Cutts, denounced the the software as not only bogus, but unethical.

RankAttack alleges to creat a “persona of popularity” for websites, and offers a partner program that claimes to de-Sandbox the UnGooglable. How does it work? RankAttack creates a “persona of popularity” by creating bogus referrals to influence search engines. Continue Reading »
RankAttack Crud of the Month Dec 2006

It’s like the defunct AlexaSurf, but supposedly better with a beefed up algorithm.

It’s mission: to boost your alexa rankings.

Rationale: so you can brag that you have high rankings of course. Continue Reading »
UpMyRank Review

Following rules can be boring. Did you notice how gals dig the bad guy? Black jacketed toughs exude this certain mystique. And boy do they have power that can get things rolling.

The same goes with search engine optimization. Sometimes you need the dark side of the force to court the lovely damsels Googletta and Yahoohia.

Continue Reading »
SeoBlackHat Blog Review