Gadgets Apps Hacks

Well, I'm not sure this falls under the category of products that I'm passionate about. But it is something I've just added to my network, and so far seems to work. Netgear PS121 USB Mini Print Server Now that Heather and I both use notebooks as our primary workstations, and we use a Linksys NSLU2 for network storage, the only purpose that my old Dell workstation was being put to was as a print server for my usb attached HP PSC 1210 printer/scanner/copier. So I've been looking around for an inexpensive print server. The cheapest I found was a refurbished Netgear PS121 from overstock.com for $24.95, which came to $27.90 with shipping. It arrived today, and I've spent the last few hours installing it. Not because of any problem with the print server itself. Setting that up was very straightforward. Connect to Printer; Connect to Power; Connect to Network; Install Software from CD; Follow instructions. That was easy. The problem came when it prompted me to select the p

I know several people with home networks hosting gigs of movies, photos and mp3s, only a few of whom have any kind of backup strategy, and only one of whom (that I can think of) has an offsite backup strategy. I've been familiar with the concept of offsite backups since I started working in the software industry. I suppose companies developing open source software don't have the same problem, but companies writing commercial software have to keep their source code secure from prying eyes, but at the same time safe in the event of a disaster such as fire or flood. But despite this familiarity, a personal experience losing data, and a growing number of important files on my home network, until 1998 I still had no backup strategy at home. I thought about it from time to time, but I knew that if I just got a tape drive and tapes, and relied upon myself to do it manually on a regular schedule, I would start forgetting, and eventually give up altogether (I'm the same way about ex

My new Dell XPS M140 Laptop arrived a little under 48 hours ago, and so far I love it. I've used several Dell Laptops in the past for work, but this is the first one that I've owned. In fact, it's the first Laptop period that I've owned. Heather has had a Gateway 200-ARC Laptop for a couple of years, and I've increasingly found myself using it so that I don't have to disappear upstairs to my office when I want to be online. And my Dell PC was beginning to show its age, so I've gone for a desktop replacement. Actually the Dell XPS M140 is classified a Thin & Light, although as the Dell XPS M140 CNET Review points out it's pushing it on weight. Especially with the nine-cell battery which I chose. This was a concern for me, because I've become accustomed to easily grabbing a laptop in one hand as I move from room to room following my daughter. Heather's Gateway weighs in at 4lbs and my current work Laptop, a Dell Latitude D600, at 5lbs. The XPS