A Very Nerdy Christmas: Gifts for your geek

The holidays are approaching and once again it's time to buy a gift for that special nerd in your life. They're usually the hardest to shop for. Everything they like is expensive, confusing, and they usually have really harsh opinions on brands, features, etc. Plus, any gadgetphile worth their salts probably already has one of whatever you're planning to get them. But fear not, your blog captain will guide you to some inexpensive (most under $100) gifts almost sure to give your geek a happy holiday experience.

Roku Streaming Media Player

Let's face it, your nerd already has Netflix and probably already has it set up to stream to their game console, work computer, and phone. But is that really enough? I'm sure there is a TV or two in their life that doesn't give them access to the holy grail that is Netflix. In addition, Roku will connect to several other streaming services for a wide variety of content. Best of all, prices start at just $59.99

Botanicalls Kit

The Botanicalls Kit involves soldering, social networking, and talking to plants. There's no way a nerd can resist. This is a DIY kit that creates a network connected device that when inserted in a plant will detect moisture levels and send out a Tweet when it needs some help. Your plant will tell you when you last watered it, if it needs water, or if it is over-watered. You'll need a soldering iron and some basic tools to assemble it but your geek should already have those. Throw in a potted plant and you've got yourself a fun and unique gift.

AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker

Something has got to keep a nerd awake during late-night Firefly marathons and it might as well be good. The AeroPress will produce some of the finest coffee around. It has the rich, smooth taste of a french press without the sludgy leftovers lurking at the bottom of your mug. Quick, delicious, gadgety coffee.

Nixie Tube Clock Kit

Nerds like to build things. Nerds like to build potentially dangerous things. Get them a Nixie Tube Clock Kit and let them fashion a piece of desk candy with some awesome vintage looks. Nothing looks better in a guitar amp than a set of glowing vacuum tubes and the same holds true with clocks. Soldering, customization, and the risk of electrocution = awesome.

Free Stuff You Should Download v1.2

The Mobile Geek: Holding yourself accountable

Look at you. You're a mover and shaker in the world who can't be bothered with the doldrums of traditional financial responsibility. Who has time for checkbooks and utility bill statements? Insert Pageonce Personal Finance. With just a quick glance at your smartphone you'll know if you have enough cash in your checking account to cover that next overpriced pint of microbrew (smugness included in price), enough space on your credit card to finance that vintage Apple-1, and whether or not you remembered to add every episode of Mystery Science Theater to your Netflix Instant Queue.

From Pageonce:

If you find it difficult to remember the username and passwords for all of your online accounts, or are looking for a solution to help coral all of your accounts in one place to make online management an easier and less stressful experience - look no further – Pageonce Personal Finance is the answer to organizing your online life! Aggregate your bank accounts, portfolio information, credit card transactions, Netflix information, cell phone usage and even flight information onto one easy to use dashboard. Say goodbye forever to the hassle of going to multiple websites to keep an eye on your accounts!

It's free, it's good, and it's available on most mobile platforms. Check out the link for a full list of features and then head off to your respective app store.

Pageonce Personal Finance

Windows Phone 7 launch event is today at 9:30am

Microsoft is taking over NYC just like TRL back in the glory days. But instead of introducing awful music videos and dating Tara Reid they're going to be announcing details of WP7 launch dates and available devices. That's right, a launch event to highlight the launch of a product. Redundant? Absolutely, but we all know how us nerds feel about single points of failure. For those of you without jobs, important jobs, and lives Engadget is hosting a live blog session. Hit the link to check it out.

Engadget LiveBlog here!



I hope Microsoft can get a better spokesperson than this guy from now on.

Nerds-on-the-prowl get a new tool to find girls!

Be A Single Nerd No More!

I just don't get it. I have intense computer skills, a usb rocket launcher, and an original Empire Strikes Back metal lunchbox but I still can't seem to find the perfect girl. You'd think all of my pop-culture references and my movie-riffing ability would drive the ladies wild. Who would have thought that most girls don't like riveting conversations about "who shot first" and ultra-awesome simplified deployment of Windows 7?

Luckily the computer casanovas at TechCrunch have sniffed a great website. Wheretheladies.at uses Foursquare updates to in fact tell you where the ladies are. There's no better way to improve your odds than to increase your sample size (insert male enhancement joke). Check it out, find some ladies, and get to creepin'. There is bound to be one that will appreciate your sci-fi screenplay and acne.

Wheretheladies.at

"19 Gadgets That Changed The World"

Take a quick break from your work day and read an article on InformationWeek.com titled "19 Gadgets That Changed The World".

Check out "19 Gadgets That Changed The World"

Periodic Table of the Elements. . . .HTML5 Style

Perk up web devs, HTML5 is here and bringing some new tags along with it. The nerd superiors at DownloadSquad.com have rooted up a cheat sheet of HTML tags formatted in a way sure to make your inner-geek swoon. A guy named Josh Duck put this together and it's definitely worth a look. Check out his blog too. He's got some great posts mostly themed around programming.

Click here to check out the Periodic Table of the Elements

"Own Your Space--Keep Yourself and Your Stuff Safe Online" Digital Book for Teens

The fearless leaders at Microsoft have decided to send down from Mount Sinai a digital book on computer and internet safety. I read through a couple chapters and I'm pretty impressed. This is the kind of thing I wish users at companies would have to study and be tested on before they were unleashed on the network.

The guide is geared towards teens but the easy-to-understand writing is perfect for the not-so-tech-savvy among the population. Best of all, the guide is free for download in friendly PDF format. Check out the link and let the Gods of Redmond, WA drop some knowledge.

Click here for the Microsoft download page

My Phone for Windows Phone 7 photographed outside of captivity

The folks over at WMPoweruser.com have a rather revealing picture of My Phone for upcoming Windows Phone 7 devices. Although My Phone isn't exactly the newest thing in the world it's good to get a quick snapshot of it's interface and features.

For those who aren't familiar, My Phone is a web service that you can access anywhere to backup your phone, locate a lost phone, remotely lock your phone, remotely wipe your data, etc. It is a great service that didn't get a whole lot of hype at launch but could definitely be a big selling point for WP7 devices.

My personal favorite feature is the ability to remotely make your phone ring incessantly. This is great for annoying phone snatchers and probably a good way to get a free bag of Skittles if you can't seem to get your hands on a singing rabbit.

Check out the article at WMPoweruser.com

Free stuff you should download v1.1

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

So let's say you're on the internet doing some totally legit things. I mean, nothing shady like scouring torrent sites for a good collection of all Susan Sarandon's topless scenes. Not at all. You'd never do anything like that. But if you were doing something like that and happened to get a virus the good folks at Malwarebytes.org have got you covered. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is free, updated regularly, and does a pretty solid job. It's very effective at removing those pesky rogue antivirus installations. This is from the developers:

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is a high performance anti-malware application that thoroughly removes even the most advanced malware and spyware. With one of the fastest, most effective quick scans and malware removal capabilities on the market, this program is the perfect addition to your PC's defenses.

Do yourself a favor and download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware today. While you're at it, download White Palace too.

Adventures in Tech Support v1.0

So it's been a while since I waxed nerdy about the world. I need to get on the ball. Today I'm going to start what will almost assuredly become a regular category of post, Adventures in Tech Support. Anyone who has ever had to call in to tech support could probably appreciate this.

The first entry comes from an interaction I had in a support chat session with Dell earlier today. I was attempting to get a replacement motherboard for a system that was consistently getting a BSoD and he was very unwilling to do so until this:

(Names changed to protect the FAILed)

Dell Support: "What exactly is occurring?"

Derik Smith: "On startup the system will consistently go to a Windows blue screen but there is no consistent blue screen error code."

Dell Support: "Try to boot up the system with everything removed/disconnected. All memory, expansion cards, and drives."

Derik Smith: "The system did not pass POST and returned with a memory failure since it was removed"

Dell Support: "No blue screen?"

Derik Smith: "You had me remove the hard drive. Windows cannot return a blue screen error code if there is no installation of windows on the system"

Dell Support: "I will replace the motherboard."



SUCCESS! So apparently to get what you want from Dell Support you have to make them look stupid. It's like how catching a leprechaun will net you a sweet pot of gold. But in all actuality, Dell Support is very efficient, helpful, and mostly painless. However, in this instance they made me laugh. +10 nerd points to me.

Free stuff you should download v1.0

Roadkil's Unstoppable Copier

Have a CD or DVD that's all scratched up? A hard drive or flash drive that is about to give up the ghost? Having trouble getting your data off of it? Going into panic about losing all of the Battlestar Galactica fan fiction you wrote (you loser)?

Fear not! Just visit Roadkil.Net and download the Unstoppable Copier.

From the developer:

"Recovers files from disks with physical damage. Allows you to copy files from disks with problems such as bad sectors, scratches or that just give errors when reading data. The program will attempt to recover every readable piece of a file and put the pieces together. Using this method most types of files can be made useable even if some parts of the file were not recoverable in the end. The program can be used as a daily backup system using its batch mode functions. A list of transfers can be saved to a file and then run from the command line to perform the same batch of transfers on a regular basis without having to use the GUI interface. The program supports command line parameters which allow the application to be run from schedulers or scripts so it can be fully integrated into daily server tasks."

The Unstoppable Copier sees regular use by MSCNS techs and has yet to fail. Also, you can submit a picture of your cat (you loser) and it could become the icon for the program.

Warning - Attempting to stop the Unstoppable Copier could result in loss of limbs, loss of life, incontinence, and firing of the Hadron Collider.

Broadband Stimulus gets another $800 million

The fine folks at the White House have decided to bump the National Broadband Plan with another $800 million in stimulus cash. In the process this should help create around 5,000 jobs throughout the country. Definitely an interesting program. Check out broadband.gov for more juicy details. While you're there, read over the FCC's National Broadband Action Agenda. Definitely good stuff.





Sources: Engadget, Information Week, broadband.gov

Quick Fix: Microsoft Excel 2007 won't open files

This is becoming a very common problem. You want to do some serious spreadsheetin', but when you click on the file it won't open! GASP! A lot of workplaces are getting around to upgrading to Office 2007 and finding issues opening their Excel files. Luckily your friendly neighborhood MSCNS Technician has a quick solution for you:

1. Open Excel, click on the File Menu (Sphere in upper left-hand corner) and select Excel options. The following Window should appear.





3. Hit "OK" at the bottom of the window and exit Excel. Now go ahead and open your documents with the same passion and fervor we love you for.

Welcome to the techMix

Open up a bag of geek, pour it on a cookie sheet, heat it up in the oven, and you've got yourself a piping hot batch of techMix!

The techMix is a blog brought to you by Mountain State Computer and Network Solutions. Whether you're looking for news on exciting advances in technology, the newest gadgets, quick fixes to common problems, or just snarky commentary this is the place to find it.

Regular updates to follow. . . .(unless Bryan shuts me down!)

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