Sigalon's Lockergnome Soup

Prototype Pipe Dreams and Social Lubrication

I’ve got to get on a plane to Las Vegas soon — always a bunch of fun when under the influence of a stupid head cold. Diana was kind enough to brew me up a little tea to soothe my body’s aches and pains and make my voice sound more like Mel Torme and less like Alva Miller.

I think I sound more like Kurt “Call me Snake” Russell. It’s a sort of happy medium, I guess.

Would a Scotsman throw you under the bus? Are there advantages to owning an older computer over the latest and greatest? Can an Android smartphone keep you healthy? Can technology keep you educated (in spite of its tendency to distract)? Does Windows 7 try to get you branded as a tattletale among your peers? Can a registered Gnomie get big benefits on Empire Avenue? Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

Logitech Driving Force GT Review

You wouldn’t drive a bus with a ping pong paddle or a joystick, right? So why should you settle for driving a simulated bus with inadequate controls? You shouldn’t — and you don’t! Here, new-to-the-fold LockerGnome writer John McKinlay gives us the skinny on the Logitech Driving Force GT wheel and pedal controls that were designed with driving games (and simulations) in mind. Sure, it’s made for the PlayStation 3, but with the right drivers (appropriate, right?), you can make the thing work with your PC.

Five Advantages to Owning an Older PC

It can be difficult to feel good about your computer when you read articles about the latest and greatest technology. Add to that every tech-minded podcast or YouTube channel in the world holding up these expensive and seemingly magical devices in front of you and talking about how great they are. Here, we take a look at why owning an older computer may actually be better for you than the latest and greatest the world of tech has to offer.

Top 10 Health Android Apps

We need to stay healthy if we want to live a relatively long and productive life. With the introduction of smartphones, there has been a demand for applications based on anything and everything. One of the major categories is health; everyone wants to stay healthy and apps can help keep track of information and help diagnose problems that you might have with your body. We’ve compiled a list of our top 10 health-related Android applications that you should keep handy on your phone.

Five Tech Tips to Help You Study

Being a student in today’s technologically connected world is a double-edged sword. While students have immediate access to more information now than ever before, they also have access to countless distractions that can pull a student’s attention away long enough to render study time ineffective and pretty much useless. After all, how easy would it be for you to tear yourself away from a chapter of your biology book for a round of Angry Birds or some back-and-forth with your classmates via Facebook? Probably too easy. To counter this, here are five tech tips to help you study — six, actually. You’re welcome!

How to Disable Error Reporting in Windows 7

You know the rules of the playground: Snitches get stitches. Also, a kid who tells on another kid is a dead kid. So if Microsoft tries to get you to tattle on Windows for doing something wrong by filing an error report and sending it along to its secret headquarters, you may have second thoughts instilled in you from your rough-and-tumble schoolyard days. If you feel that the right thing to do is just disabling error reporting in Windows 7 altogether, we can tell you how.

The Gnomies Empire Avenue Achievement

Are you an Empire Avenue addict? Are you a registered Gnomie? If you can say yes to both, then enjoy these two great tastes that go great together! On Empire Avenue, registered Gnomies enjoy the following benefits: (e)PIRILLO will buy 200 shares in you. You will receive 200 shares in (e)PIRILLO (currently selling at 523.91 per share!). You’ll gain access to a private, Gnomies-only community on Empire Avenue. You’ll be sent Gnomies-only missions regularly. Oh, and you’ll also receive a one-time 100,000 eaves bonus! Intrigued? Find out how you can unlock the Gnomies Empire Avenue Achievement!

Back Link of the Day

In spite of misspelling Craighton Miller’s name, it’s still super nice of Morris Malakof of The Unhindered Traveler to mention his LockerGnome article in a recent post about using an Android phone for travel preparation. If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Prototype Pipe Dreams and Social Lubrication

It Begins with a Bark, Continues with a Soup, and Ends with A…

Well, technically it began with an 8-bit ditty by resident Gnomie MagicTrax. Then one of the dogs barked (the canine equivalent to applause, I think). Then I had some Mexican soup, which is good for fighting the head cold that seems to be going around and that I somehow managed to pick up — never mind that I almost never leave the house.

I’m not going to say it ended with a bang, but a certain ammunition maker wound up being Gnomie of the Day today…

But that’s how TLDR (The LockerGnome Daily Report) goes. You just never know what’s going to happen!

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

How Technology Can Help You Sleep

Insomnia is no picnic, pilgrims. Many factors can contribute to a lousy night’s sleep (or lack thereof), but thankfully, technology has enabled us to overcome such obstacles to a great degree. Special headphones, analytical tools, and even mobile apps have enabled millions of people to get off the couch and back to bed. Not nodding off just yet? Here is a look at how technology can help you get a better night’s sleep.

Amazon or Google: Who Will Win the Tablet Price War?

LockerGnome’s Ron Schenone — who has experience with the Amazon Kindle Fire, another Android tablet or two, and the Apple iPad — recently stumbled across an article in PC World about an upcoming tablet price war between Amazon and Google. The assessment concluded that Amazon can’t win such a war, but do you agree?

Five Useful Robots You Can Own for Under $500

The dream of one day having a robot in every home has gone from wishful thinking on the part of a science fiction writer to a reality we are rapidly approaching. In fact, there are plenty of useful robots that you can employ in your home right now for under $500. Sure, they may not have the spit and polish of one of the updated models in the blockbuster movie iRobot, but they won’t turn on you, either. At least, that’s what the manufacturers claim. Here are five robots you can buy right now and put to work in your home.

How to Install XP Mode in Windows 7

When it’s 2012 and you’ve gone through the trouble (and paid the cost) of installing Windows 7, you might wonder (and rightfully so) why you might want to use something called an “XP Mode.” After all, when you went through the upgrade process, didn’t you figure that XP was something you’d be leaving behind as a quaint relic of a bygone age? Why regress when the high-paced world of high tech is constantly screaming at you to progress? Well, as it turns out, there are a few reasons to do such a thing. And if you find one, here’s how to install XP mode in Windows 7.

Where is My Flying Car?

The dream of flying cars has long been a staple in the world of geekery, emphasized in the 1980s by the Back to the Future series, and solidified as a dream through countless prototypes and inventive hopefuls. Unfortunately, that dream has yet to become a reality. Or maybe it’s fortunate when you think about how a lot of drivers can’t seem to handle driving on the ground, let alone adding the dimension of up and down to the equation. Bo and Luke Duke sort of drove a car that could fly all the way back in the late ’70s and early ’80s, but I’m not sure that’s exactly what we had in mind when looking toward a future of flying cars.

How to Create a Professional Social Media Presence

Potential clients and potential employers will look at your social media profile — just assume this is true. They need to see signs of support that you are who you say you are, looking at everything from spelling correctly to having proper job history on LinkedIn, et al. Your messages, photos, conversations: all of these matter. Learn how to create a better social media presence for yourself with this Wednesday’s webinar. Register for the series by signing up here and showing up at 5 PM PST on Wednesday, April 4th, 2012. The webinar, like all other Gnomies webinars, will be recorded.

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to The Tech Dogs for mentioning LockerGnome in a post about updating the Amazon Kindle Fire to its newest version (6.3)! If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

It Begins with a Bark, Continues with a Soup, and Ends with A…

I’m Not a Garden Gnome – I’m a Lawncare Ninja

“Hey, fever!”

It kind of looks like I’m greeting a temperature-raising malady like an old friend when I write it that way, right? Alas, I’m really just talking about hay fever, which is what my doctor likes to call my allergies. The funny thing is, I don’t need to be around hay at all to get a walloping case of the sneezes (actually, it’s not all that funny now that I think about it — but the faces I make during such fits sure make Diana laugh quite a bit). It’s triggered by just about anything in the great outdoors, which is a big part of why I’m the Great Indoorsman.

But I’ve still got a lawn that’s not going to take care of itself. As I learned growing up, there’s no such thing as being spared from yardwork (not in my lifetime, anyway). One way to cope with this grave injustice is to shield myself against the elements with a ninja-like facemask (presumably to sneak up on said allergies). Having something like the Scotts Snap Spreader System helps quite a bit, too.

Sure, I could hire some neighbor kids to take care of business, but child labor laws are really strict in my neighborhood. I found that out the hard way when I needed to bring up some coal from the mine in my backyard…

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

Amazon Kindle Fire: Updates, Plus New Tips and Tricks

Amazon recently released the latest version (version 6.3) of its Kindle Fire, and with it come several features that have been requested by its users. But how can you hop on the update bus and see if you like it (and hop off again if you don’t)? Here are some new Kindle Fire tips and tricks to help you out!

When Old Merges with New: the Economics of Input and Output

When a new technology seeks to replace an old technology, it’s not something that happens overnight. In fact, some technologies never really become obsolete because they get rolled into new technologies in ways that keep their use relevant. So what happens when the old merges with the new, and how do we process the changes along the way?

What is Stone Paper?

Stone paper is a term that describes a number of different formulas for making paper that have one key ingredient in common: the paper is made primarily of stone rather than tree fiber. Stone paper has a number of properties that makes it a remarkable alternative to traditional options, and a few downsides that should be taken into consideration before purchasing. Here is a look at two of the most popular stone paper products, and how they differ from traditional paper.

Problem Solving — What’s Your Process?

We all have our own ways of going about solving problems. Some of us are more effective at doing so, while others find it to be a struggle. In any case, examining the process whereby we solve problems is probably a wise thing to do from time to time because, let’s face it, what worked well yesterday may not work so well today, and there’s always room for improvement. When you’re problem solving, what’s your process?

The Great Indoorsman Spawns a Lawn

I still remember the day I went to the allergist and learned that I had something called “hay fever.” I don’t know why they didn’t call it “everything-outside fever,” but the affliction certainly didn’t allow me to escape having to complete outdoor chores for the family. My parents still demanded that I mow our front and back lawn on a regular basis — although, under the doctor’s advisement, I could only do it while wearing some kind of face mask that made me feel like a ninja. Mind you, I never actually looked like a ninja. So how did the Great Indoorsman spawn a lawn? Here’s how!

Top 10 Travel Android Apps

Navigation apps help us get around town whether we’re trying to find new restaurants or plot a hike around a national park. The Android Store is filled with apps that can help you get around — so many apps, in fact, that picking the ones that best suit your needs can be confusing. Here, we’ve outlined our top navigation apps that you should take a look at next time you’re in need of getting from one place to another.

How to Get Your Website Promoted

While all registered Gnomies are professionals, some people need extra promotion for their sites, software, and/or services. If you have something you’d like us to promote for you, the $997 Gnomies “Pro” level is perfect. Read on to find out what this value-packed price includes.

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to Erica Sadun of TUAW for linking to LockerGnome in a discussion about accessibility and assistive technology. If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

I’m Not a Garden Gnome – I’m a Lawncare Ninja

Disaster Scam Transformer Obsolescence

How will you fend off hungry hordes when they’re trying to take your food supplies during the zombie apocalypse? Do old scams stick around purely because suckers keep falling for them? Can a die-hard Apple iPad fan be enticed to endorse the Asus Transformer Prime? Ever wonder what’s so hard about running a game server? Can you build a decent website in Windows 7? And does the world even need game publishers anymore when developers can sell their own stuff over the Internet without selling out to The Man? How many registered Gnomies does it take to swing a lightsaber?

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

Five Tips to Help You Prepare for a Disaster

Polar shifts, an oil crisis, nuclear war, major earthquakes, and even alien invasions are on the lists of ways the Earth might suffer a catastrophic event destined to destroy civilization as we know it. There’s even the popular assertion that the world will end when the Mayan calendar reaches the finish line of its current cycle in December of 2012 (despite not accounting for leap year). What will you do when the end is truly nigh? Here are five tips that can help you should you survive the initial brunt of a catastrophic disaster.

Old Scams Never Die — at Least Not While They Still Work

Old standard scams seem to be a reliable source of income or perverted fun for those who are inclined to cheat and steal for a living or who simply have too much time on their hands. They exist in a world where they undergo brutal evolutionary forces. If the scams don’t make any money, they either mutate or die. Here, we talk a little bit about the nature of scams and how would-be victims can help kill them off by not falling for them.

Asus Transformer Prime Review

It may seem to many of you that an Asus Transformer Prime review is passé since the thing was released some three months ago. However, this is Ron Schenone’s tale of going from skeptical iPad enthusiast to giving this new tablet a chance. In other words, his opinion appears to have been “transformed” by the Transformer Prime after having the chance to play around with one for a little while.

Five Tips on Operating a Game Server

The running or operating of a game server is rarely as easy as setting up the server in the first place. Many games, like Minecraft, have easy server setup software — but this isn’t always the case. When undertaking such a task, you should be prepared for what you’re getting into. To help you out, here are five tips for operating a game server so you’ll at least have an idea if it’s something you can handle.

How to Build Websites in Windows 7

Ever wondered how to build websites in Windows 7? Windows can be an excellent environment for Web development, especially for programmers who enjoy working directly with code. After all, does it really matter what platform you’re using when editing code? What can help are several useful apps that may enhance or help the scripting process. Here, we take a look at some of these helpful Windows-only or Windows-primary tools, and explain why they may be of use to the aspiring Web developer as they attempt to get more done on the Windows platform.

Game Publishers Are Obsolete — So Why Haven’t Developers Ditched Them Yet?

Indie developers are cool. They think up an idea for a game. They develop the code and art for a game. And, when the game is complete, they sell the game all by themselves. This makes them cool because they do not rely on any sort of outside funding from a game publisher in order to promote their games through advertisements, or sell the games in retail boxes. With the evolution of the Internet, indie developers have had an even easier time of getting their game out there and into the hands of gamers. It is much easier and much cheaper to offer your game for download on a website than it is to get it on the shelves of a major retailer. The expenses saved by going the digital route can be put right back into making the game awesome, which makes for happy gamers. So does this mean that game publishers are obsolete? If so, why haven’t developers ditched them yet?

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to MiamiShared.com for linking to LockerGnome its third Tech Talk Thursday. The topic? Why you should simplify your tech lifestyle. If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live on Monday at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Disaster Scam Transformer Obsolescence

How Many Licks Does It Take to Reach the Center of a Tootsie Pirollo Pop?

If you want me to answer your questions, it helps if you spell my name correctly. It’s not because I’m a snob or anything, but how do I know you’re actually addressing me? Maybe there really is a Chris Pirollo out there — who am I to assume that you just mistyped my name?

By the same token, this mysterious Chris Pirollo probably winces every time you spell his (or her) name as Chris Pirillo. How dare you?

That being said, most registered Gnomies know how to spell my name. They’re a bunch of wise guys (and gals). Wouldn’t you like to be a Gnomie, too?

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we were all able to chat about today!

Challenges Facing Professional Bloggers

Being a professional blogger sounds like a dream job that requires little actual work and a whole lot of hanging out in the coffee shop down the road. For some, that is exactly the impression they give to anyone who asks how things are. What you don’t hear about are all the challenges facing bloggers, putting their careers and reputations at risk every day. Here are some of the challenges facing professional bloggers today.

Best Android and iPhone Security Software

While the risk of either the Google Android system or any of the various Apple products becoming infected seems slim; it is usually just when we feel all nice and snug in our security virus blanket, with no viruses in sight, that the Devil pops up in a new disguise. Knowing this, it’s wise to employ security protection software, just in case, to protect your information and applications from that one bored hacker who figures out a way to ruin your day by slipping a critter onto your system. Here, we talk about the best Android and iPhone security software currently out there.

How to Make a Bug-Out Bag

Being a geek means more than just knowing everything there is to know about your favorite technology. There are racing geeks, car geeks, music geeks, and even survival geeks. Survival geeks pride themselves on knowing what to do in the event of an emergency, or even an upcoming zombie apocalypse. One thing survivalist geeks pride themselves on is their ability to get up and go with little to no warning. After all, when the end of the world is at hand, you don’t have time to pack your bags. Enter the bug-out bag, also known as an AWOL bag, 72-hour kit, grab bag, GO bag, GOOD (Get Out Of Dodge), or more formally as a Personal Emergency Relocation Kit (PERK). This bag can be useful for a range of situations ranging from emergency evacuations due to inclement weather, zombie apocalypse, or even as a quick grab-and-go camping solution. Here’s how to make a bug-out bag.

Top 10 Social Android Apps

Whether you joined Facebook or are looking for a push-to-talk application to keep in constant contact with your friends and family, we have a list of 10 favorite Android apps for social media that should suit your needs. All of the apps mentioned here are free, so download at your leisure and let us know what you think of them!

How to Get Your Website Promoted

While all subscribers are professionals, some people need extra promotion for their sites, software, and/or services. If you have something you’d like us to promote for you, the $997 Gnomies “Pro” level is perfect. We will review what you want us to promote to our audiences and select the best possible outlet for you. Here’s how to get your website promoted!

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to enigmaticit for including LockerGnome in the discussion about Windows 8 tablets competing with the iPad over at the SharePoint and Mobility blog. If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

How Many Licks Does It Take to Reach the Center of a Tootsie Pirollo Pop?

Formula One Android Swag

SWAG = Stuff We All Get. That’s it. Period. Stop trying to redefine it!

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

Android Development for Beginners Course — 45% Discount for Gnomies

Unless you’ve been sleeping for the last couple of years, you know that mobile is H-O-T! And the most popular mobile platform in the world? That’s Android. Do you have a great idea for an app that you’d love to get on the market? Does your company need an app to grow its online audience? Perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn Android development for fun? Whatever your reason, Android Development for Beginners is for you! Registered Gnomies get a 45% discount. Not a registered Gnomie? You could be!

Five Things to Consider Before Starting a Podcast

Starting a podcast can be a great first step towards a rewarding and even profitable hobby. Careers have even been made through podcasting, as this new form of media has changed the dynamic of how we share viewpoints, information, and news forever. When planning how you’re going to proceed, there are some considerations to make, regardless of your budget or general experience, that can assist in creating a better overall experience for you and your audience. Here are five things to consider before starting a podcast.

Top 10 Shopping Android Apps

Whether you’re shopping for groceries or the next technological gadget that you have to have, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 shopping apps for Android that are a must if you’re a frequent shopper or just want to find the best deals.

Why You Should Simplify Your Tech Lifestyle

Keeping up with the world of technology can be very difficult to do unless you spend every waking hour scouring the Web for the latest news, rumors, and super secret leaked photos to hit the presses. It appears that every day, a new phone is introduced to the world, computers fall into obsolescence and are replaced by another complex line of products from a company that has no concept of product branding, and at least a dozen rumors get reported as facts by blogs from one end of the Web to the other. Here are some areas in which we, as consumers, can simplify our technology lifestyle.

KERS and DRS: Formula One Technology

Formula One is the pinnacle of motorsport, and the technology that is injected into the sport, usually by regulation change, will end up on your car in the near future. What is KERS? What is DERS? New LockerGnome writer John McKinlay (aka ThisDamnScotsman) goes over this Formula One technology that keeps the wheels turning.

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to Arron from Razorianfly for weighing in on his thoughts about Matt Ryan’s post at LockerGnome about Windows 8 tablets competing with the iPad. If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Formula One Android Swag

Vader Tots Via Wife-Fi

When you join The Dark Side, you get cookies. Or so you’re told. At first bite, though, it’s clear by the wooly taste upon your tongue that you may have just misheard the word “Wookiees.” An easy mistake to make, I suppose. Either way, you’re in for a sweet-tooth-soothing explosion of flavor.

Some initiates may opt for other treats, such as Ewok-fried rice, tauntaun bonbons, spare Bib Fortunas, or a soothing cup of chocolatey delicious Swiss Chiss.

But I’d avoid the Mon Calamari unless you’re 100% sure it’s fresh.

Me? I go with Vader Tots. I’d advise dining on them in moderation, however, as they’re heck on anyone with asthma.

10 out of 11 registered Gnomies wrap savory strips of Gamorrean around just about everything — from chocolate to hot dogs. “Tastes just like bacon!” I’ve been told. Mmmmm, bacon.

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

When You Share Your World, the World Shares You

Macintosh enthusiast and video broadcaster Christopher Hills doesn’t let a nuisance like cerebral palsy cramp his style. With assistance of special software, he’s able to accomplish more with only the use of his head and a switch than a crew of us at LockerGnome on the busiest of days. Sadly, because the company that makes this software has said that it’s not doing any further updates, Christopher is unable to upgrade his Mac’s OS X! What can the community do to solve this problem?

Top 10 Photography Android Apps

Who needs a big, bulky camera anymore? Today’s Android devices are getting to the point where they are comparable to point-and-shoot cameras. If you’re a casual shutterbug, your Android device can take some pretty amazing photos; there are some great applications out there to help enhance your camera and the photos that you take. Here’s our top 10 photography Android apps.

Why I Switched from Rhapsody to Spotify

Music streaming services aplenty exist on the Internet to suit every taste — no matter how eclectic. Whether you like Last.FM, Spotify, Rhapsody, Pandora, Magnatune, or one of the others, you probably have your reasons for sticking with your preference. Here are some reasons why Matt Ryan made the switch from Rhapsody to Spotify.

Mozilla Launches BrowserQuest – a Look at the Possibilities of Modern Web Technologies

We’ve known for a long time that HTML5 and other modern Web technologies have made it possible to do some remarkable things in a browser. Angry Birds has been available as a Web app, as have productivity apps such as Google Docs. But what about a massively multiplayer online game that allows you to fight creatures, build up your character, and adventure with friends? Mozilla has released an answer to this question with BrowserQuest, a massively multiplayer game that showcases what a modern browser can do without the needs of any additional downloads, plugins, or extensions. Here is a look at some of the Web technologies used to build BrowserQuest.

Only Spiders and Jerks Don’t Adhere to Web Standards

Remember when websites would all but sabotage your attempts to access their content if you dared to wind up there by using a browser that the site’s webmaster didn’t like? While sometimes the only nuisance was in how poorly this content would appear in your maligned browser, some malicious sites would include code that was designed to actually crash your browser (if not your whole operating system) as punishment for being so clueless! Nowadays, with so many browser choices available, it’s clear that site creators who can’t adhere to the simplicity of Web standards must be sort of cluless, themselves.

Wednesday’s Webinar: What to Consider Before Starting a Web Show

If you have ever considered starting a Web show for yourself or your company, you may be wondering what needs to happen to get your show started on the right foot. While it may be easy to ask yourself countless questions about various small details that may or may not actually matter much in the long run, there are some important considerations to take into account before any Web show records that first episode. In Wednesday’s webinar, we’ll discuss what you should be asking yourself before you record your first episode.

Are you connected with your fellow Gnomies?

Are you a registered Gnomie? Don’t be a wallflower! Get involved with the community!

Back Link of the Day

Thanks (once again!) to lijrobert for linking to LockerGnome and the secret to getting more Twitter followers! If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Vader Tots Via Wife-Fi

The Patron Saint of Mispronunciation

You told me to switch from iOS to Android and now my wife won’t talk to me. Thanks a bunch, guys. People are always telling me that something I love isn’t as good as something else, or that their operating system of choice is “better” than what I’ve had a misguided preference toward.

And when I tell people why I like certain things that Apple does in comparison to the way that Microsoft or some other company does things, I’ll invariably be called a “fanboy.” The truth of the matter is, I’ve slammed Apple in favor of Microsoft products before, too — and will likely, again. As consumers, we should be happy — even relieved — when one company doesn’t get it right 100% of the time. What fun would a world of tech be without competition between the companies that bring us our new toys? The fact that I like things one way and you like them another is a good thing. It gives us choices. It drives technology in directions that are more tailored toward our individual needs. More diversity means more of us — not less of us — are capable of being happy as new innovations are delivered to us constantly.

Context is everything! I’m not going to judge you because you find that Android-powered devices work better for your needs — even though it may boggle my mind because I happen to like iOS in its current state more.

Diana still thinks you’re very silly, however. You must not be a registered Gnomie? You can change that!

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

Why Are Stolen Phones Being Reactivated by Wireless Carriers?

Have you ever had your cellphone stolen? If so, you know the frustration of having lost all your contact information and the general overall inconvenience and expense of having to replace it. Apparently, however, these problems are of little concern to the big corporations that are only worried about the almighty dollar. Instead of trying to recover pilfered smartphones by tracking them, these corporations allow thieves to sell the stolen units and even grant them new phone numbers despite the fact that a victim may have been beaten, kicked to the ground, and injured in order to steal their smartphone. The simple question without a reasonable answer seems to be: Why are stolen phones being reactivated by wireless carriers?

Can Windows 8 Tablets Compete with the iPad?

Microsoft is putting a lot on the table with the upcoming release of Windows 8. Not only will it be the most significant change to the platform’s UI since Windows 95 first appeared almost 20 years ago, but it also signals the latest in a long history of attempts by Microsoft to get a firm grip on the tablet and mobile markets. Currently, the iPad holds rank at an astounding 96% of all enterprise tablet computer purchases, and Microsoft wants nothing more than to grab some of this very profitable market for itself. Mobile phones are also an area in which Microsoft is losing ground, with the iPhone holding 53% of the enterprise market Can Windows 8 tablets compete with the iPad?

“Better” is Relative

Since the dawn of time, we have argued over which is best. There is no doubt that our ancestors argued over which animal skin was better for keeping you warm or over whether it was better to cook your beef or leave it raw. Now we argue over which fast food outlet is better or which unnamed cola brand is the best. We even argue over which technology companies produce the best phones and phone operating system. The truth is, and always will be, better is relative.

Why Web Apps Might Beat out Native Apps on the Mobile Front

Many “modern” developers and programmers can say that they began with a language of the Web, and expanded out from there. Based on this, it seems that the most recognizable languages are those used to build Web applications. So what are the benefits of utilizing the languages of the Web to build mobile applications? Here’s why Web apps might beat out native apps on the mobile front.

How Can You Help Clients Protect Themselves when They Will Not Listen?

You can repeat good advice countless times to someone and it just never sinks in. While this can be frustrating if you’re the one dispensing the advice, sometimes you just have to resign your efforts to the fact that some people just never learn a lesson until its consequences arrive the hard way. Sherman DeForest was recently put in the position of having to give one of his computer repair clients the sad news of a failed hard drive and the complete loss of all data in spite of having warned the client about the hazards of not backing up a system. But how can you help clients protect themselves when they will not listen?

Microsoft Censors Pirate Bay Links in Live Messenger

Love it or hate it, The Pirate Bay is one of the largest and most recognizable sources for BitTorrent files on the Web. Essentially acting as a magnet link host rather than a content host itself, the question of The Pirate Bay’s legality has been debated throughout the International press and in courtrooms around the world. Recently, Microsoft began censoring links to The Pirate Bay in its Live Messenger service, and people have been crying foul! However, there are more than a few good reasons why such so-called censorship may be fully justified.

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to Craig Duffy for referencing LockerGnome in his post about how to use the Windows 8 start screen! If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

The Patron Saint of Mispronunciation

It Says That UFOs Don’t Spin, Or Else It Gets the Probe, Again

Another Friday, and another TLDR! We made it here together, folks. Couldn’t do it without the LockerGnome readers, TLDR viewers, and registered Gnomies! I thank you! I kiss you!

Today, we’ve got computers that demand fair treatment, aliens who run on a very strict timetable (or do they?), Windows passwords that have gone missing and how to find them, the reason why successful ninjas avoid eating spicy Cheetos, tech used in everyday life, and how Britannia is plotting to rule the colonies once again.

Want details? Fine! Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

Can You Use the Internet to Predict an Alien Invasion?

To set the stage, suppose you are outside at night with some friends, or a potential special friend that you want to impress in a private way. You start the event by saying you have a hunch about a nova that might light up the night sky right there (pointing). Novae are rare and very special, so seeing one would be the treat of a lifetime. As you point, a sudden light appears right there in the sky, and it is more than 10 times as bright as Venus at its brightest! The light lasts for a few seconds while your audience gasps and then disappears. “Not much so far as novae go…” you shrug, assume a nonchalant air, and immediately change the subject. With luck, they will not notice a slight motion of the light, which would immediately show that it was not a star, but a satellite. But how can you predict when a satellite will be going overhead at that exact moment?

How to Deal with a Forgotten Windows Password

Forgetting your Windows 7 Administrator password can leave you without access to your system, or worse. This could happen out of honest forgetfulness, the result of idiotic roommates with nothing better to do, or any number of other situations that could result in a total loss of access to your system. Thankfully, being locked out doesn’t mean you can’t regain control through one of several different tools available to you free of charge. In fact, all you really need is a USB thumb drive and/or another computer to install the recovery software on. In many cases, you can recover your Windows administrative password in just a few minutes. Here are some methods to help you regain access to Windows when you’ve forgotten your password.

Computers Are People, Too

It doesn’t matter how much of a tech guru you are; sometimes a computer will frustrate you so much that you will want to throw that computer out a window. You may then want to take a different route outdoors yourself to where that computer landed and proceed to take a sledgehammer to the parts that failed to properly disassemble during the computer’s meeting with the ground. You may then even want to load the stubborn remains of that computer with strategically placed M-80 firecrackers and proceed to light those firecrackers and watch your old friend explode. Parts will always remain, inevitably, so you’ll want to take those remaining parts and toss them into a Blendtec, essentially incinerating what’s left. If you’re like me, you’ll be feeling guilty at that point and will want to take the dusty remains out to sea for a proper burial. But should you really be so harsh to this infuriating technology? Remember: computers are people, too.

Technical Questions: How Should You Respond?

Just 10 years ago, technical questions were fairly simple to answer. Today, that has changed. One must remember that, back then, home consumers had few choices while businesses were more or less tied to their servers that were accessed via either a dumb terminal or a desktop system running Windows. With the introduction of Windows XP, we geeks found ourselves in the enviable position of being able to recommend a computer system loaded with XP for both personal and business computers alike. However, as simple as this made it for us, technology continued to move forward and today’s computer scene has changed dramatically with the introduction of laptop systems that are now just as powerful as our desktops once were. When trying to ascertain a computer user’s needs, how do you respond to technical questions?

What Tech Do You Use Every Day?

What computer do you use? What kind of phone do you have? Do you use a specific camera? These questions are common because folks love to find out what other people work with while making their own buying decisions. What tech do you use on a daily basis? Is there a particular computer, phone, camera, or other electronic gadget or gizmo that you would absolutely recommend to your friends and family?

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to Windows 8 News and Views for including LockerGnome in its roundup of Windows 8 consumer preview discussions! If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live on Monday at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

It Says That UFOs Don’t Spin, Or Else It Gets the Probe, Again

Throw the Trolls Down the Well

Trolls? What trolls? Some people mentioned that today’s TLDR got visited by a little troll stroll marched out by one of those countless (and useless) websites that are followed by uncreative malcontents who fancy themselves as “hackers.” Sure, I guess gooping up someone’s YouTube stream with a flood of troll comments because your hacker overlords tell you to do it is sort of like hacking. Just like wetting your pants in public and sitting on the unfortunate department store Santa’s lap is sort of like Matthew Broderick breaking into NORAD on an Etch A Sketch: edgy and really, really clever. Sadly, pressing the “dislike” button over and over again won’t get hungry trolls any magical food pellets from the sky.

“Gosh, we’re all really impressed down here, I can tell You.”

Poor kids. In spite of my geek issues, I don’t remember being so ticked off by life when I was attending elementary school. I guess I was just lucky that my parents loved me? But whatever. I didn’t notice any trolls because I was too busy interacting with the fine LockerGnome viewership and registered Gnomies community. I hope we can all keep our chins up when the weather threatens us with a little gloom every now and again. We’re better than that, yes?

Yes!

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we were all able to chat about today.

Photoshop CS6 Beta: New Interface and Features

Adobe Photoshop has been the big name in industries that rely on heavy-duty image editing — from print media to Web design — for over two decades. Recently, Adobe released the public (free) beta of Photoshop CS6. It’s got a number of performance improvements, but its biggest changes from previous versions include an interface overhaul, new crop tools, content-aware moving and patching tools, filters, adaptive wide angle settings, and even full-featured video editing! Guest blogger Matthew Sabia gives us his take on the Photoshop CS6 beta so you can decide if it’s something that you might want to check out.

Helpful Windows 7 Shortcuts

Knowing how to get by in a Windows environment is something most people have to deal with at the workplace these days. Whether you’re a fan of Windows, OS X, or even Linux, there are plenty of great ways to get any one thing done. That’s part of the draw of Microsoft Windows in a business environment. No matter what you’re doing, there are different routes you can take to get to any one function you need, making it a little easier to find your flow and get things done efficiently. While Microsoft did add quite a lot in the way of shortcuts in Windows 8, there are plenty of them available for Windows 7. These shortcuts make it easier to manage applications, zoom, control multiple displays, search, and even open multiple instances of a given program in Windows 7.

Windows 7 Troubleshooting (White Paper)

Your Company has finally migrated to Windows 7. Congratulations! And now you have your first support call. This free Microsoft white paper will tell you all you need to know about the new troubleshooting tools that are bundled with Windows 7 and provide you with the knowledge to quickly figure out what’s happening “under the hood” on a Windows 7 computer. The selected tools described in this free Microsoft white paper are a subset of the tools available on Windows 7; the focus is on timely troubleshooting of the operating system and software applications.

Getting Ripped off at the Gas Pump and Doing Something About It

When you get ripped off — whether it’s at the gas pump or any other place of business — you don’t have to take it. But sometimes doing something to make amends requires an approach different from what your initial (and possibly anger-clouded) reaction might be. Here, LockerGnome’s Ron Schenone tells us about the time he was short-changed at a local gas station and got his revenge!

CrowdsEye Shows You What You Missed at Big Events

When you’re at a big event — whether it’s SXSW, Burning Man, Coachella, a Russ Meyer film festival, or whatever — you can’t help but shake the feeling that you must have missed something that happened when you weren’t looking. Simultaneous things are happening all around you, and it’s impossible (so far) to take it all in. CrowdsEye is a site that focuses on bringing people together who have attended (or are attending) events and gets them to share their experiences with others there. Matt Ryan talked to Matt Braun, the co-founder and CEO of CrowdsEye to get his perspective on this unique service.

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to Swiss Army Librarian extraordinaire Brian Herzog for referencing LockerGnome in his post, Pinterest is the New Black. If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Throw the Trolls Down the Well

Does This New iPad Make Me Look Fat?

Reports have come out lately that the new iPad is too hot to handle. I would contend that it’s somewhere between there and too cold to hold — which means that it’s warm, yes. But not too warm. Especially if the threat of sterility from holding it on your lap doesn’t scare you in the least bit.

Who needs kids when you can have pets, right? Pets and iPads! So do you really need a new iPad? (Or a new pet, for that matter?) Would you get free 4G mobile broadband service from NetZero? What will Mozilla’s Boot2Gecko Mobile OS give us that the other mobile OSes aren’t already giving us? And how much is your opinion worth?

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

A (Very) Early Look at Mozilla’s Boot2Gecko Mobile OS

When Eddie Ringle got the news that Mozilla was planning to enter the Mobile OS battlefield, he had to admit that he was shocked. Mozilla does not seem like the organization that would be interested in the mobile space that Apple and Google have so spectacularly dominated. However, what really turned his head was when Mozilla boasted that its new mobile OS, coined Boot2Gecko, would be built entirely from Web technologies. Here’s what he has to say about a very early look at Mozilla’s Boot2Gecko Mobile OS.

NetZero Offering Free 4G Mobile Broadband Service

Free isn’t a word you hear very often in the world of Internet service providers, but there are occasions where it comes up, typically with pages of disclaimers and hidden charges. Recently, NetZero introduced its latest service option featuring 4G mobile broadband with no contracts and a liquid plan selection allowing you to switch between plans as needed. One plan, offering 200 MB of monthly data, features a monthly cost of zero. How is this possible, you might ask? How can you have what amounts to free Internet service, especially mobile service through a 4G hotspot?

How Much is Your Opinion Worth?

When was the last time you got a call from Microsoft, Apple, IBM, Enron, G.E., Lockheed, or any major American corporation asking you and you alone what your opinion was regarding any of their products? For that matter, have they ever asked you your opinion on how they could improve upon a product, making it more user friendly, and then actually implemented the ideas you recommended? As a consumer, it’s easy to feel like “the little guy” — ever wonder how much your opinion is worth?

Five Reasons Not to Buy the New iPad

While graphics performance has improved, the camera technology was significantly upgraded from the iPad 2, and the screen is certainly different, is there really any reason to pick this one up over the original iPad or iPad 2? After all, when are you actually going to use that built-in camera for more than an occasional shot or two you could very well take from your smartphone or digital camera? Here are five reasons not to buy the new iPad.

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to G. Power of G. Power’s Tech Opinions for including our thoughts about Windows 8 in the article Strong Windows 8 Prejudgements Are Silly… for Now. If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Does This New iPad Make Me Look Fat?

Is There a Better Time to Broadcast The LockerGnome Daily Report?

Are you able to tune in often to TLDR (the LockerGnome Daily Report, aka Too Long; Didn’t Read) at our regularly scheduled time of 3:00 p.m. Pacific, or would there be a better time for us to broadcast? Obviously, we know we can’t please all of the people all of the time, but we’d sure like to please as many as we can. It just makes sense for us to fine-tune our daily time slot according to the loyal LockerGnome audience. We’re all over the world, after all, and it would be unfair for me to cater purely to the people who live in my time zone!

So let me know what works best for you. I’m all ears. Well, eyes, really, because you’ll likely be contacting me in the comments of the TLDR video, this entry on my site, or IRC chat if you’re a registered Gnomie.

Help me help you! Then we can help us, together.

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

Who Do You Trust when Buying Electronics: Web Reviews or a Salesperson?

One of the biggest changes in our digital lives is the way that most of us do our shopping. Many of us, including me, spend our time shopping online for the products that we wish to purchase. One of the main reasons for our compulsion with online buying is that there is no need to be involved with a salesperson. No offense to those in the retail business, but I would rather depend on my own analysis and judgment in making a purchase than on your limited advice, no matter how well meaning it may be. So how about you? Who do you trust when buying electronics: Web reviews or a salesperson?

Why More Bloggers Don’t Write About Linux

Almost every post we put out there about OS X or Windows is met with a comment, email, or a private message from someone who feels the need to point out that Linux did whatever it is we wrote about first and better. Undoubtedly, with such unbridled enthusiasm from the user base, you would think the market share of Linux on home desktop computers would be significantly higher than it is. Sadly, it isn’t. Here are some very good reasons why more bloggers don’t write about Linux (even if we agree that, in concept, it can be pretty awesome).

Lenovo Brings Dual Displays to the Mobile Office with USB Powered ThinkVision Monitors

LockerGnome columnist Matt Ryan writes: “Let’s be real here: No one wants to bring their entire home office with them on trips — even if it means sacrificing productivity in order to stay mobile. Enter the Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 14″ USB monitor. This 14″ display has immediately become a key component in my home and mobile office during video editing, collaboration, and other tasks that are just too difficult to do on my MacBook Pro’s 13″ screen. Using a USB port alone, I’m able to extend my desktop to another monitor, giving me more than double the window space without adding a ton of bulk to my desk. Here are some thoughts on the Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 14″ USB monitor, and how it changed the way I get things done.”

Why Linux Can’t “Sell” on the Desktop

Why would anyone want to use Linux as their everyday desktop (or laptop) operating system? It’s a fair question, and asked often of Linux. Even the Linux evangalist may want to take a step back and examine the reasons they could give to a non-Linux user in order to convert them to the cause — or at least better understand the reasons for their own convictions when trying to “sell” this open source way of doing things to the masses.

Childcare on a Double Income or Stay at Home on a Single Income?

Making a go of it in today’s economy can be rough for a family that’s trying to survive on a single income, but when children are involved, there may be unconsidered benefits when one of the parents is able to stay at home to raise them. So if you’re ever faced with the decision to raise your own children but lose half of your household income or surrender the children to the mercy of childcare outside of the home and keep the double influx of financial resources, which would you choose?

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to MACNATICO for linking to the video of my dad showing how real people will use Windows 8. If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific (until we tell you otherwise based on feedback that you send us!) for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Is There a Better Time to Broadcast The LockerGnome Daily Report?

Tired? There’s a Nap for That

Ah, Monday! The beginning of what I’m sure will be another eventful week of TLDRs ahead. I know I started off on a series of wide yawns, but please don’t mistake my sleepiness for boredom! After all, I’m a firm believer in the “if you’re bored, you’re boring” philosophy.

I could probably do with a little more sleep on a regular basis, though; I wish I could be more in control of when my body wants to let me. It can’t decide if I should consistently be a morning person or a night owl, so I hover between the two. Do any of you have this problem?

My dad popped in for a little FaceTime, I talked about why I returned my AT&T-aligned iPad, and here are some of the other things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

Draw Something Tips

I grew up playing games like Pictionary on actual sheets of paper (and enjoyed every minute of it). Over time, I mastered the art of simplicity; why draw some elaborate scene when a stick figure would suffice? Those doodling skills have brought me to a series of successes in “Draw Something.” Unfortunately, many of my fellow players really suck at it. Maybe they can use these Draw Something tips and share them with all the people they play with, as well?

Do You Trust Your GPS? Do You Trust Your Anti-malware App?

Being too trusting of our technology is an easy trap to fall into. Just as there’s no such thing as an anti-malware app that works 100% independently from human interaction for its best results, trusting a computerized GPS (global positioning system) to get from point A to point B may get you into trouble if you don’t have a backup plan if something goes awry. On a recent trip to Australia, a group of students from Japan found out just how dangerous putting full faith in a GPS system can be — and almost didn’t live to tell the tale!

4G: Is it Worth the Cost of Buying a New Phone?

As smartphones have become more sophisticated, many of us have found that the 3G experience has proven satisfactory — but now we wonder if 4G is just hype or really worth the extra cost. Here, we try and examine whether or not 4G capability is worth the cost of purchasing a new smartphone.

Can an iPad Really Replace Your Laptop?

Every week (if not every day), people ask me if they should buy the new iPad (and that’s been since before there was even a new new iPad). I know that I really like my iPad — but you might not. It really all depends on how you might like to use such a device. Could it make a good replacement for your laptop? Again, that’s an answer that can vary from person to person. So, can an iPad really replace your laptop? Here are a few key usage areas to consider.

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to Gnomie Michael Sitver, who did a cool stop-action Tetris animation and linked to LockerGnome as inspiration! If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Tired? There’s a Nap for That

O’Pirillo’s Augmented St. Paddy’s Day (Not St. Patty’s Day) Plans

Happy Friday, everyone!

Now that my DNA results tell me that my genetic makeup is at least part-Irish, I can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day (or St. Paddy’s Day, but never St. Patty’s Day) this year! Of course, this probably will entail Diana and I sitting around being homebodies (I know you’re jealous)! But if we see any leprechauns lurking around behind the fridge, we’ll be sure and have him say a few words for our next TLDR. Promise.

Unless, of course, he’s on a murderous rampage to reclaim his lost pot of gold. Then we may go out for dinner until he works out his issues.

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

Why Can’t Microsoft Afford a Failure with Windows 8?

Okay, that’s enough. After reading this analysis on InfoWorld (Why Microsoft can afford to lose with Windows 8), I just had to set the record straight. The bottom line? Windows ain’t as important as it used to be, and Microsoft knows it. At least, I hope key people at Microsoft take that into consideration before the Windows brand is further relegated. Microsoft can’t afford to wait to fix Windows 8′s mistakes in a Windows 9; it needs to address a massive “Consumer Preview” problem before the final version ships. Why Can’t Microsoft Afford a Failure with Windows 8? I’ll tell you why!

How Do You Email Large Files (Gigs) to a Group?

When one of Sherman DeForest’s clients says there is a problem with the Internet, that can mean almost anything. But in this case, it was a combination of things — one of which actually related to the Internet. It boiled down to two issues: what she wanted to do and how she wanted a browser to behave. But one important question may here be answered: How do you email large files to a group?

Could Windows 8 Destroy Microsoft’s Hold on the Enterprise Market?

Microsoft has a firm grip on the world of small business and enterprise computing. Workstations at offices both small and large are typically filled with workstations pre-loaded with one version of Windows or another. While not everyone uses Windows at home, the business world depends on a level of consistency to keep everything running smoothly, especially when it comes to IT systems. With Microsoft taking a step in the mobile direction with Windows 8, the question remains as to whether or not this operating system will be a hit or a miss in the business world. Could Microsoft actually lose ground in its biggest market?

Will Having Car-makers Block Access to Handheld Devices Work?

In previous articles, I have written of my support for a total ban on the use of any handheld device when one is operating a motor vehicle. In these articles I pointed out my personal view that smartphones, especially when it comes to texting, are a distraction to the driver. In addition, I also believe that to safely operate any vehicle without endangering those around him, the driver should have two hands on the wheel at all times. These are general safety concerns, since texting, talking on your cellphone, or eating can result in inattention leading to the death of others if you are responsible for running a stop sign or veering off the road. To solve the problem, will having car-makers block access to handheld devices work?

Top 10 Music Android Apps

We all love music — it makes the world go round. Sure, you can listen to music that you’ve loaded on to your device, but sometimes you don’t have a song that you like or need something a little more. The Android platform is great for playing music and enjoying the experience of the device; sometimes, though, we need more than just the stock music app. In this article, I’ve outlined some of the top music apps and music utilities that you can get on almost every Android device. This selection of apps is just limited to our top 10; if we could list every app that we like, we’d have an article a mile long. Today we’re keeping it short and sweet with our top 10 music apps on Android.

Borglar Turns Your City Into a Video Game Through Augmented Reality

Augmented reality has been a dream of geeks for decades. The idea of putting on a set of glasses or having a chip implanted in your head that creates a virtual HUD augmenting everything you see sounds like something right out of science fiction. Until recently, it has been. Now, augmented reality apps are available for smartphones and companies are racing to see which one can create interfaces that can exist everywhere from a set of eyeglasses to contacts you can actually put on your eyes. One of these apps hopes to turn your city into a giant video game. Borglar gives you the ability to see and collect prizes and special deals at stores you are actually near. Collecting coins and medallions as you play will also allow you to win real-world prizes offered by sponsors of the app. Matt Ryan spoke briefly with Dave Sanguinetti, the President of Borglar, to find out exactly what Borglar is and why folks should give it a try.

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to Preston Gralla of Computerworld for referencing LockerGnome in his article, Big backlash is building against Windows 8. Will Microsoft listen? If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live on Monday at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

O’Pirillo’s Augmented St. Paddy’s Day (Not St. Patty’s Day) Plans

Greedy Google Gaming Gumdrops

Is Google getting greedy? Is it possible to explain how Sleep Number beds work in a world where even magnets are a mystery to the layman and juggalo, alike? Can one PasswordMaker rule them all? Are you sick of us always talking about iPhone apps because you’ve got some Android device or another? Do you have good reason to activate the parental controls on your Windows 7 machine because you’ve got a sketchy roommate who likes to use it for downloading pictures of celebrity feet when you’re not home? And is paying for downloadable content on a gaming console worth it to you?

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we talked about today!

Is Google Greedy?

Google has introduced its answer to just about every popular Internet technology it can, providing us with alternative operating systems, alternative social networking platforms, and alternative productivity applications. Now Google intends to alter the bread and butter of its operation: its search. Has Google gone too far? Is Google getting too greedy?

How Sleep Number Beds Work

If you’re a bit of an insomniac, you’ve probably seen infomercials and countless commercials about Sleep Number beds. These beds boast giving a perfect night’s sleep through finding and maintaining a firmness level that fits your body’s needs. Taking it a step further, both you and your partner can share the same bed while maintaining a different firmness setting for each of you. If you prefer a firmer mattress than your spouse, this is possible on the Sleep Number bed without putting two mismatched mattresses on the same frame. Admittedly, this is a pretty cool concept, but how do Sleep Number beds actually work?

Keeping Your Online Accounts Secure: The PasswordMaker Method

With password manager PasswordMaker, the concept is simple: one password to rule them all. You hand PasswordMaker one master password along with various other parameters (like a URL or password length), and it will generate a complex and — most important — unique password for the site you are currently visiting. You get all the benefits of a simple “common English” password (ease of remembering and typing) in addition to the benefits of a highly secure permutation of alphanumeric characters and symbols. This means you can generate a password 20 characters long from a phrase half the length. Best of all, your master password is never handed out to anyone; it is yours and yours alone.

Top 10 Gaming Android Apps

We love Android — well, some of us do, anyways. If you thought we’d be all about iOS apps, you’re wrong; it’s just a little trickier to pick out our top Android apps because there are a lot of different Android devices, and this means that some of them won’t support some of the apps that we mention. We’ve done our best to pick out the top 10 gaming Android apps that hit the largest variety of devices out there.

How to Set Parental Controls in Windows 7

Windows 7 has a number of useful features that can help PC owners control what a particular user can do, and when they are able to do it. For example, a parent can block games that possess particular elements that may not be conducive to the environment they feel their children should be subjected to. Alternatively, a general purpose PC shared by a group of roommates (or guests) may be better managed through allowing only specific programs to be executed by certain users. Does that get your attention? Great! Here’s how to set parental controls in Windows 7.

DLC (Downloadable Content): a Blessing or a Curse?

Gamers love the chase and thrill of unlocking new content not available to others — being able to show off such achievements is like displaying trophies in a case. Gaming companies have learned how to use this as a way to lure gamers into paying for additional, downloadable content when they’ve unlocked the ability to do so. So is downloadable content (DLC) a blessing or a curse?

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to Connor Burrows for linking to… well, pretty much everything we write up and share with you fine folks as it happens! If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Greedy Google Gaming Gumdrops

Average Joe Consumer Reviews?

Joe Pirillo (my father, for those unknowing souls) seems to be popular around these parts, so when he’s in town, we love to have him interact with the LockerGnome community on camera. He’s an awfully good sport about the whole thing, and he never shies away from answering questions as well as demonstrating how he doesn’t always have the answers — such as the time he showed us how the average user might respond to a first encounter with Windows 8 (and, since, Mac OS X and Linux Ubuntu).

As he’s such a natural on video, we’ve been throwing around ideas for an angle that would be ideal for him to keep on interacting with the community in his own unique way. Gnomies and the LockerGnome viewers threw around some great names that might provide a direction, and one of the standouts was Average Joe Consumer Reviews. What do you folks think? Good idea? Have any others? Let me know!

In other news, Wicket is a tiny gasbag with no shame. Nonetheless, he’s lovable even when he farts in Diana’s lap. She insists that she didn’t feed him any of her stellar chili pie (in honor of Pi Day), but I’m still suspicious…

Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

Should You Consider Alternative Windows Shells?

If you’re reading this, you’re probably either brand new to the world of Windows shells, or simply want to find out more about changing the Windows operating environment to match something more suited to your needs. The first question you need to ask yourself before undertaking the task of applying an alternative desktop environment to your current Windows installation is whether or not this is really something you want to do. After all, part or all of your experience on Windows takes place within a graphic user interface (GUI) that has thrived through familiarity and benefited from countless dollars of usability research on the part of Microsoft. Changing this experience through installing an alternative Windows shell over the existing GUI will change a large amount of your experience. That being said, should you consider alternative Windows shells?

Too Busy for March Madness? There’s an App for That

It’s that time of year again, when even C-level execs brush aside all notions of productivity to watch the 2012 NCAA Tournament. For several weeks, 24 basketball teams fight their way for the NCAA championship, and cubicle dwellers across the country bite their nails, hoping they picked the most accurate bracket predicting the winner of each game. Many offices hold pools worth both cold hard cash and bragging rights, which can often be won by the most unsuspecting person — such as the brand new secretary who might not know much about basketball, but got a 4.0 in her statistics course in college. For those who don’t have the time for March Madness — or endless hours analyzing stats the way your secretary is secretly spending her evenings just to prove a point — there’s an app for that.

Why All Device Wall Chargers Are Not Equal

If you’ve ever been disappointed by a wall charger for one device not working to charge another device (in spite of fitting into the same size port), you may be interested in learning why all device wall chargers are not equal.

How to Log in to Bank of America and Other Things You Thought You Already Knew

What happens to be an intuitive process for you may be a mystery to someone else — don’t judge! Here are a couple of Bank of America related questions that people seem to be searching for on the Internet lately, so we figured we’d post them for easy reference. If you’ve arrived here because you asked Google (or Bing, or your search engine of choice) “how to log in to bank of america online” or “how to log in to bank of america credit card,” we’d hate to turn you away without at least trying to help solve your problem. That’s what we do. Welcome to LockerGnome!

Why Wait for Windows Phone 8? WP7 Phones You Can Buy Today

Even with all the rumors about Microsoft testing Windows Phone 8 (WP8) with various CPUs and smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung hoping to demonstrate WP8 phones by the end of the year, there’s a good chance we won’t see many (or any) WP8 devices this year. If you’re not an early adopter, you’ll probably sit out the first generation of WP8 phones anyway, waiting for any bugs in Microsoft’s next phone operating system to be ironed out before you take a chance on the platform. And now that it appears that there won’t be a direct upgrade path from Windows Phone 7 (WP7) to WP8, if you were ever planning on diving into WP7, that time is now. Why wait for Windows Phone 8? Here are some WP7 Phones that you can buy today.

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to Jmurphy Nation for referencing LockerGnome in a post about why students should use Google Docs! If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Average Joe Consumer Reviews?

Sparkly Barkstarter Infobahn

Wicket kicked off today’s TLDR thanks to my Beam-a-Bark technology (patent pending via Barkstarter) that allowed him to speak to — and be understood by — our mostly human audience without anything being lost in translation. The viewership got a kick out of it, and I’m finally able to get him earning his keep around here (the free kibble train is over, my furry friend)!

Is it a good idea to give our canine companions the gift of speech, though? Did we learn nothing from that Charlton Heston movie about the gun-toting simians on horseback rounding up loincloth-clad humans in some nightmare, topsy-turvy world? Could Earth become a planet where YouTube broadcasting dogs evolve from geeks? Will I someday say these words to Wicket?:

“Take your stinking paws off me, you damned, dirty dog!”

Nah, I’m sure that he and his sister will treat us with kindness when they take over the world. He even thanked the Gnomies for their support today, so I’m sure they’re safe, too. But the rest of you? I can’t guarantee anything. Canine clemency only goes so far when the treats run out, so there’s your fair warning.

But it wasn’t all barks and tailwagging at LockerGnome World Headquarters today. Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about.

How To Use Your iPhone to Find Cheaper Gas

Anyone who drives a car in the United States is experiencing more than a little anxiety over the dramatic rise in gas prices over even the past month. Your grandparents, your parents, and some of you elders of the LockerGnome community can probably remember the days of filling up the car’s tank with spare change and thinking nothing of driving a car that was the size of a house and only got about two miles to the gallon. Petroleum seemed to be a never-ending resource back then (but, to be fair, dinosaurs still walked the planet, so it was still being made). Now, most of us can’t afford to be so nonchalant about our habits of conspicuous consumption. If you simply have no alternative to driving, you may want to learn how to use your iPhone to find cheaper gas.

Top 10 Sports iPhone Apps

I make no secret of the fact that I’m not really a sports fan, but don’t mistake that as meaning that I have anything against those of you who are! While I may not be able to share in the bonding trivia and anecdotes of people who really dig the heck out of athletic competitions, I’m lucky enough to have people on LockerGnome staff who can. Here, Craighton Miller goes over his top 10 favorite sports iPhone apps.

GFI Backup Reviewed

Backing up your data regularly is important — you don’t need me to tell you this (though I have plenty of times over the last decade or so). Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to do so, and many of them are free. Here, Ron Schenone gives freeware GFI Backup a try and gives you his two cents’ worth.

Branding is Everything

Have you thought about starting a business, but don’t know how to compete against all the others that are doing what you want to do? Want to stand out from the crowd? Need to be noticed? From becoming a stand-out — to becoming an overnight sensation — branding is where it all starts. What is branding? What is your brand? How can Gnomies help you brand yourself? We are going to explore branding in this Gnomies-only webinar.

Why You Should Consider Buying a Toyota Prius

I drive a Prius, and it never did me any harm! It saves me cash on gas — which, as Kelly Clay’s article above indicates, is something we’re all thinking about as prices have soared to half-a-tenspot per gallon with no end to escalation in sight. It contributes a great deal less pollution to the air of my fair city than a typical vehicle. It’s got nifty features that any geek with an eye on tech would love. And you know what? I think it’s plenty stylish — naysayers be darned! Matt Ryan got on board with giving the Prius a try (in spite of what the haters almost had him believing) and wound up really enjoying the experience. Here’s why you should consider buying a Toyota Prius.

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to Shawn Rainey of Online Video Magazine for linking to LockerGnome in a discussion about Windows 8′s projected popularity (or lack, thereof)! If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Sparkly Barkstarter Infobahn

Wedding Twin Powers: Activate!

If you were around last Friday, you may have been privy to our most matrimonious ceremony wherein Diana and I tied the knot and made it official: We’re now husband and wife! (See the ring?)

Don’t worry. I’m not doing anything crazy and untraditionally bizarre like taking Diana’s last name (it would be confusing to everyone — including me). We considered tossing a coin to see who got stuck having to change their name, but then I realized that Diana would probably try and trick me with one of those fake, two-headed nickels. She looks very sweet, but she’s got a devious streak — don’t be fooled for an instant!

Judy (and Joe) Pirillo didn’t raise no dummy, no how!

And since we just got back from our honeymoon on top of dealing with the missing hour of Daylight Savings Time, I’m going to make this short before I topple over and pass out! Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about today.

Which Operating System is Best? Well, Depends…

Many decisions are compounded by seemingly unrelated events. Today let us consider various operating systems. Selecting one is truly a more complex decision than simply buying a computer with the latest Windows version pre-installed — if you want the best, whatever that is. So here is the conundrum: live with XP until life becomes unbearable; live with it until Windows 8 is released and see if it can be installed on an obsolete system; scrap or donate the old machine and buy a new one.

Now is a Great Time to Buy a First or Second Generation Apple iPad

while it could be easy to find yourself in a quandary when someone starts talking about the different iPads, you should understand that the confusion is just a result of Apple failing to assign different mantras to the three different generations of its popular tablet. This confusion has been specifically noticed with the release of its newest upgrade, which the company is simply calling the “new” iPad. But what’s happening with the “old” iPads? Well, they’re still being sold (and for less than the recent addition to the collection). Here’s why now is a great time to buy a first or second generation Apple iPad.

Beta Ubuntu Vs. Beta Windows: Good Experience?

LockerGnome columnist Sherman DeForest recently tried out both the beta Windows 8 and beta Ubuntu operating systems. When comparing the pros and cons of each beta experience, what was discovered (and which one came out being the preferred operating system)?

Why Regular People May Not Like Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Over the past week and a half, LockerGnome columnist Matt Ryan has been writing about Windows 8 from a first-hand point of view. He still intends to use Windows 8 in a production capacity, though his primary system has been restored and is now back on Windows 7. While Windows 8 is still in beta, his negative experiences may not translate to the finished product (we cross our fingers as we say so). But for now, there are a few bugs that need to get squashed before Matt can depend on Windows 8 for his daily needs. From his point of view so far, here’s why regular people may not like Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

What to Do Before You Use That New PC

When an old computer is so obsolete that it’s more trouble than it’s worth to keep up with its quirks, getting a new computer is what we usually wind up doing. Nowadays, they’re so much cheaper than they used to be relative to the power you’ll get out of the box. LockerGnome writer Harold Johnson recently picked up a new system and it reminded him to share his tips about what to do before you use that new PC.

Top 10 Navigation iPhone Apps

Why use maps or dedicated GPS units when your smartphone — in this case, your iPhone — can tell you exactly where you need to go? Just remember as you’re reading these top 10 navigation iPhone apps that even the best GPS apps don’t substitute for your brain and drive your car like some kind of self-directed David Hasselhoff vehicle.

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to MikeBed96 for linking to a LockerGnome article about the Windows 8 RSS News app and how it may revolutionize the way you take in your daily dose of information. If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Wedding Twin Powers: Activate!

Caffeine-free Wedding Day Adrenaline Rush

Hi, everyone! I’m Chris Pirillo, and today’s my wedding day. To be fair, it’s also Diana’s wedding day, and I imagine that she’s handling it better than I am. After all, she’s a smooth operator and I’m a nervous nellie. I bounce when I talk and gesticulate wildly on a normal day, but if you didn’t notice during today’s TLDR, I was even a little more jittery than usual — and caffeine free, to boot!

If you’ve never gone through your own wedding day, it’s a little hard to describe the feeling. It’s like a combination of tummy butterflies that you get before speaking in public for the first time, and having your heart flown over your favorite place in the world on a wind-tossed kite while there’s the constant distraction of a loud jukebox next to your head that only plays the best songs ever.

Oh! And imagine that this is happening while you’re trying to tread water in a pond and your toes are being tickled by koi kisses. It’s joyous and frightening and exhilarating all at once, and it’s hard to catch your breath.

Oh, fine. You go get married and see if you can’t describe it better, then — I’ve got a lot to think about today! Here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we chatted about while I fidgeted gleefully!

Frolickin’ Fridays for Swingin’ Singles

Like I said before, Diana and I are getting married today — and that’s a wonderful thing, particularly if you’re pro-marriage. Some people are anti-marriage. All animals are anti-marriage. Well, most animals. If you consider humans to be animals, then we’re the only animal species that participates in this institution we call Marriage (you know, with a capital M for emphasis). We’re the only ones who actually get written or typed certificates that declare our marriage. Animals don’t do that. Is it because they’re smarter? Possibly. I’d also bet that other animals don’t like certificates — or anything that smells like a contract.

Five Big Changes in Windows 8 That Benefit Desktop Users

Matt Ryan has been using Windows 8 as his primary operating system for about a week now, and it seems that every day a new feature or method of getting something done presents itself. Undoubtedly, the programmers at Microsoft have been working overtime since the launch of Windows 7 to create something that redefines the Windows experience. Here, Matt talks about five big changes in Windows 8 that benefit desktop users.

Do You Use Mobile Security for Your Android Devices?

Unfortunately, today we need protection if we have any hope of keeping our identity safe and/or our computers free of infection. However, while keeping up with protection in these areas is often hard enough for the majority of us, it seems that there are those out there who enjoy causing havoc with our time and money. These individuals have apparently become bored with just hacking into the standard Windows programs and are now directing their malicious attacks toward our Android devices. It is interesting to note, though, that the iPad and iPhone, which use iOS, are virus-free and there is no protection needed (knock on wood). Do you use mobile security for your Android devices?

Are Video Games Consuming Our Lives?

Do you spend too much time playing video games? Is the world at large wasting too much time galavanting about in fake worlds when its citizens could better spend that time working out real-world solutions to real-world problems? It’s been said that “Modern Warfare 2 players have invested more than 1.75 billion hours (200,000+ years) of gameplay on Xbox Live alone since release.” Can you even wrap your mind around how much time that really is? Civilizations have risen and fallen (and risen and fallen again a few times more) in that span. Would we be colonizing other planets in other star systems by now if it weren’t for the tremendous waste of time that video games bring to us?

How to Bring Back the Old Start Menu in Windows 8

Windows 8 has received a lot of press surrounding the “missing” Start button and its replacement with the Metro UI. Over the past week, tutorials and third-party software developers have been working hard to remedy this problem. Today, we can recreate much of what the Start Menu once was through the use of third-party software or a little tweaking of a couple integrated features that currently exist on the Consumer Preview. Here are some methods by which you can enjoy Start menu functionality within Windows 8.

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to The Tech Hipster for referencing Harold Johnson’s LockerGnome article about Windows Phone 7. If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live on Monday at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Caffeine-free Wedding Day Adrenaline Rush

Regarding Windows 8, Even Joe Pirillo Thinks I’m Right!

My dad is Joe;
He’s in the know
About a lot of stuff.

Tried Windows 8 –
On touchscreens? Great!
By mouse, it’s kind of rough.

I think Windows 8 will shine in touchscreen situations, but in a desktop setting, I predict catastrophe. My dad agrees with me, and you can see his first experiences with Windows 8 in a video we made yesterday for our YouTube channel. He was a good sport about it, even though I refused to help him through the ordeal. Point proven? You be the judge!

And, no, contrary to what a lot of you seem to think, I don’t live in my parents’ basement. Mom and Dad are in town because Diana and I are getting hitched tomorrow! If you want to join us during the big event, become a registered Gnomie and you don’t even have to board an airplane, rowboat, or dirigible to get here: We’ll be streaming it live for the Gnomies!

But even if you’re not a registered Gnomie, here are some of the things on LockerGnome.com and in our live YouTube stream that we were all able to chat about today — 100% free of charge!

Why is It “The new iPad” and Not “iPad 3? or “iPad HD?”

A lot of people are shocked and appalled and irate and causing a hullabaloo about how silly Apple is for settling on “the new iPad” as the name of its… well, newest incarnation of the popular tablet computer that was announced yesterday. Why isn’t it the iPad 3? Why isn’t it the iPad HD? Why isn’t it the iTouch? Well, here are some reasons that I think the new iPad is a completely fine thing to call… the new iPad.

Five Reasons Windows 8 Could Be a Success

Windows 8 has been in beta for almost a week now, and after having read countless blog posts and user comments about the pros and cons found in the consumer preview, it became clear that Microsoft is doing everything it can to reinvent the way people think about desktop and mobile operating systems. Whether or not you agree with the Metro UI being added in parallel to the Aero interface we experienced in Windows 7, it’s hard to overlook the potential impact this change could have on the consumer market. But that’s not all! Here are five reasons why Windows 8 could be a success.

PC to Mac or Mac to PC: Have You Changed?

I’ve said it many times: There’s no such thing as a perfect operating system. They all have their strengths and weaknesses; it’s how we navigate around them to suit our needs that makes the difference for each of us. Trying to convert someone else to your operating system of choice is a pointless endeavor, because what works well for you may not work well for them. And you know what? That’s okay. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, it’s still interesting to find out the reasons behind why someone has decided to make the change from one operating system to another. Have you ever switched from PC to Mac? Mac to PC? Rusty unicycle to untethered burro? Tell us why!

Is Your Computer Killing You?

You’ve got enough to worry about, right? It’s 2012 and silly people keep insisting that the Maya-foretold doomsday is nigh. But aside from that, there’s air pollution blackening your lungs, carcinogens in your food, space junk falling out of the sky, and earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, brush fires, and other calamities threatening your safety wherever you may roam. And what are Bigfoot, UFOs, and the Loch Ness Monster plotting behind the closed doors of their Illuminati bunker under the Pentagon? Who cares? Your most trusted friend and household appliance — your computer — may be killing you!

How to Set Up Soundflower for Audio Recording

If a Soundflower falls in the Soundgarden and no one’s around to hear it, does it make a sound? I couldn’t tell you. Not because I’m sworn to uphold some vow of secrecy that I made with Bigfoot, UFOs, and the Loch Ness Monster in their Illuminati bunker under the Pentagon, but because it’s a question that’s impossible to answer. Also, Chris Cornell is probably screaming way too loudly for anyone to get a proper reading even with the most sophisticated recording equipment available. But if you want to use the Soundflower software for something mundane like audio recording for a podcast, here’s how to set up Soundflower for audio recording.

Living Behind the Hardware Curve

While it’s easy to envy people who have all the money to get fancy new gadgets, devices, doohickeys, and suchlike on the day they’re launched, there are a few advantages to living behind the hardware curve that you may not have considered. After all, when your horse and buggy breaks down, who are you going to trust to fix it: the local BMW mechanic, or the Amish guy 20 miles outside of town?

Back Link of the Day

Thanks to Shawn Huston of the e-Discovery Solutions Blog for linking back to a LockerGnome post about the growth of evidence from smartphones and text messages being used in divorce cases. If you’d like to be mentioned as a Back Link of the Day, link to one of our posts on LockerGnome.com from your site and — this is the important part — tell us about it!

Feel bad because you missed out on today’s live TLDR? Don’t despair! Join us live tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Pacific for the next edition of The LockerGnome Daily Report!

Regarding Windows 8, Even Joe Pirillo Thinks I’m Right!