Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

BackTrack is a Security-Focused Live CD Packed With System Tools [Screenshot Tour]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/Tb-AvcGT1_Q/backtrack-is-a-security+focused-live-cd-packed-with-system-tools

BackTrack was the winner of our recent Hive Five for best Live CD, so we decided to take it for a test drive and show off a few of the features for everybody else.

BackTrack can be installed to a regular boot cd, a USB drive, installed to the hard drive, or even downloaded as a VMware virtual machine. For our testing, we used the BackTrack 3 stable release instead of the Beta 4 version since most commenters directly mentioned version 3 in the original call for contenders.

After inserting the LiveCD and starting the boot process, you'll be prompted to choose which window environment to load up—the distribution includes the more graphically pleasing KDE, or the trimmed-down Fluxbox window manager.

Once you've booted to the desktop you'll notice the default resolution is 800x600, but can be easily changed through the system tray icon to any resolution.

The slick system monitoring application on the right-hand side of the first screenshot doesn't get started automatically—to open it, you'll need to use the Alt+F2 shortcut key and type leetmode into the command window. You can unlock the position of the monitors through the context menu, and drag them wherever on the screen you'd like.

One of the more interesting features in the Live CD is the inclusion of the excellent and previously mentioned Yakuake drop-down terminal window, which can be launched through the Alt+F2 dialog, or found under the System menu. Once started, simply use the F12 key to toggle the slide-down terminal.
Connecting to any network resource can be done easily with the Network Folder Wizard, found in the menus at Internet -> KNetAttach. You can easily map to a Windows share, SSH, or FTP server using the wizard—which is nothing more than an easy front-end to the Konqueror browser's rich connection support.

Since this distribution is focused on security, you can find a ton of security-focused tools under the Backtrack menu, although there are far too many to mention every one of them here—you'll have to explore them on your own.

One of the more useful security tools for everyday use is the chntpw utility (found in the menus under Privilege Escalation -> PasswordAttacks) that can reset any Windows password easily from the command line. For more on this command, I've previously written an article about ch! anging y our forgotten Windows password.

BackTrack 3 is a free download, works almost anywhere Linux does. Be sure to check out the original Hive Five for the rest of the Live CD choices from your fellow Lifehacker readers, or learn how to rescue files with Knoppix.

Songbird 1.1 Grabs Album Art in One Step, Runs Lighter and Faster [Downloads]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/jpvKLjT5qAA/songbird-11-grabs-album-art-in-one-step-runs-lighter-and-faster

Windows/Mac/Linux (All platforms): The free, multi-platform iTunes assaulter (if not quite killer) Songbird busts out great improvements for a 1.1 version, including a one-click album art grabber, performance improvements, and loads o' little tweaks.

The killer new feature is a single menu option, under "Tools," that scans your entire music collection and grabs the relevant album art from Last.fm's web site. That alone makes the oft-improved, awesomely extensible music manager worth a look. But most of the big improvements in this release have been under the hood, so to speak:

We made some substantial gains this release:
* Reduced memory use with a large library by 40%
* Cut CPU usage during playback by half
* Fixed playback memory leaks
* Made library caching configurable
* Added batching to the media importer, reducing memory use by 60%
* Reduced Mac download size 45%
* Fewer Crashes: We've worked hard to identify and fix ten of the most common crashes in Songbird.

Songbird certainly doesn't suffer from a little tighter operation—it's competing, after all, with the 800-lb. gorilla named iTunes, so having a clearly distinct profile is a good stance.

Check out Songbird's more visible improvements by clicking through our short gallery:

Songbird 1.1 is a free download for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.

Songbird 1.1 is here [Songbird Blog]

Take Pinhole Pics with Your Digital Camera [DIY]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/xy-PlgWvx5E/take-pinhole-pics-with-your-digital-camera

Nostalgic for the good old days when a cardboard box, a pinhole, and some film meant you had a camera? The DIY junkies at weblog Make update the pinhole camera to work with your standard digital camera.

For your digital version of the pinhole camera, you'll need some black paper, aluminum foil, a rubber band, and tape. Ah right, and the digital camera. From there, the essence of the pinhole camera remains the same. You block out all the light around your camera, make a pinhole, and then set your camera to an ultra-long exposure. It may seem silly to turn your digital camera into a pinhole camera, considering that it already is a camera, but it's a fun project. If you give it a try, be sure to read through the comments for a few helpful tips on optimal pinhole size.

$0 digital pinhole camera [Make]

Dealzmodo: T-Mobile G1 for $98 [Dealzmodo]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/bpClKG3Mjk4/dealzmodo-t+mobile-g1-for-98

Amazon has a deal today for anyone interested in the G1. Currently, they are offering the black version for $98 with a 2-year T-Mo contract—a savings of $82. [Amazon via Androidandme via andronica]

Frost Snow Sport Car Changes Tires for Treads [Concept]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/fwlv-mP0m68/frost-snow-sport-car-changes-tires-for-treads

I don't know how fast the Th!nk Frost—an electric car that uses treads instead of tires—could go. But since it's a concept, I'd just drool over how cool it looks.

The 2-seat Frost was created by Norsk designed Anders Gloslie as a concept proposal for Th!nk, an electric car company from his country. The cracks in its surface hides the lighting system, while the rear includes massive fans for adjusting the temperature of the electric engine and the interior, as well as sensors that send precise information about weather conditions to the cockpit's screens. [Think Frost via Dvice]

New iPod shuffle requires extra adapter for third-party headphones

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/new-ipod-shuffle-requires-extra-adapter-for-third-party-headphon/

We were wondering why the new voice-enabled iPod shuffle even has a standard 3.5mm headphone jack since it's controlled by proprietary headphones, and we just got the answer: non-Apple headphones will require a special dongle that includes the new three-button controller, and Apple says it's working with third parties to bring other compatible 'phones to market. Yes, Apple's cheapest iPod is now the most needlessly complex, and far from cost-effective if you want to use your own cans: assuming the adapter will cost between $20 and $30 like most other Apple accessories, you're looking at minimum $100 outlay for the new shuffle, and at that point you might as well pick up a $150 iPod nano, which is also VoiceOver-enabled in addition to having twice the storage, dongle-less controls, a screen, and numerous other features. We'll see if this thing is so tiny these concerns wash out when we get one in our hands, but does anyone actually feel like the numbers tip in favor of the shuffle here? We're all ears.

P.S.- Yes, we know $100 can get you any number of fine non-Apple players, we're just talking about Apple's price points. Feel free to suggest your favorite alternative, though!

Update: Apple called to clarify that the nano doesn't have the exact same VoiceOver feature, which is shuffle-exclusive; the nano does "spoken menus" but doesn't say track names as you skip around. We're getting a full list of differences between the two systems, we'll let you know if there's anything else major.

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

New iPod shuffle requires extra adapter for third-party headphones originally ! appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Screen Grabs: '24' offers up OQO, Mac mini BOGO special

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/screen-grabs-24-offers-up-oqo-mac-mini-bogo-special/

Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com.

We'll be honest: we haven't seen 24 for many a season now, but, thanks to a few sweet tips, we decided to take a look at a recent episode, and bam! Right after a nefarious-looking doctor suffocates an elderly gentlemen in his hospital bed, the evil chap shoots over to the nurses' station on the down low to download some hyper-rad schematics from the terminal. So... he whips out his OQO (not the device's first appearance on Screen Grabs), plugs 'er into the nearby Mac mini (ditto) and goes about his suspicious, suspicious business. Dude, we gotta get to this magical hospital, where technology rules and the "doctors" are plotting stuff. Jack into some more evidence after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Screen Grabs: '24' offers up OQO, Mac mini BOGO special

Filed under: Desktops, Handhelds

Screen Grabs: '24' offers up OQO, Mac mini BOGO special originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

T-Mobile G1 available at Amazon for $97

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/t-mobile-g1-available-at-amazon-for-97/

If you've been hoping a deal on the T-Mobile G1 was imminent, well then you're in luck: Amazon's got a sweet deal going now, whereby you can grab one for $97! Well, you'll have to be a new customer, and you'll have to sign up for a new, two-year contract, but it's still worth thinking about if you really have a hankering. You might wanna pick up a copy of the G1 for Dummies while you're there, too. Oh, by the way -- the white version in the photo? Just for show. Amazon's only offering the black one for this deal.

[Via Mobility Site]

Filed under: Cellphones

T-Mobile G1 available at Amazon for $97 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Packard Bell drops "dot" netbook in favor of new, unannounced model

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/packard-bell-drops-dot-netbook-in-favor-of-new-unannounced-model/

Well, it looks like Packard Bell's "dot" netbook just didn't capture that trademark Packard Bell flavor the company was looking for, as it has now officially ditched the netbook in favor of a new, as yet unannounced model. As you may recall, the dot was essentially just an original Acer Aspire One in disguise, with it packing an 8.9-inch display, an Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and an optional 3G module, among other standard fare. Unfortunately, Packard Bell doesn't seem to be saying anything at all about the new model just yet, with it only going so far as to tell Pocket-lint that there will be "some changes made to the brand."

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Laptops

Packard Bell drops "dot" netbook in favor of new, unannounced model originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fusion-io breaks out roomy, nimble ioDrive Duo SSDs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/fusion-io-breaks-out-roomy-nimble-iodrive-duo-ssds/

While it's going to be tough for Fusion-io to get its ioDrive any faster in the near term, it ain't so tough to make the world's fastest storage more capacious. Shortly after pulling The Woz in as its chief scientist, said outfit has just revealed the next-generation ioDrive, predictably coined ioDrive Duo. The PCI Express-based solution throws 160GB, 320GB, 640GB or 1.28TB of stupid fast SSD storage directly onto your motherboard, enabling it to boast sustained read bandwidth of 1,500MB/sec and write bandwidth of 1,400MB/sec. The smallest three will be available next month for prices we don't even want to guess, while the 1.28TB model is slated to ship shortly after OCZ's 1TB Z Drive in the latter half of 2009.

[Via HotHardware]

Filed under: Storage

Fusion-io breaks out roomy, nimble ioDrive Duo SSDs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | ! Comments

Cupcake Android update coming to G1 in April

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/cupcake-android-update-coming-to-g1-in-april/

Well, after weeks of speculations and false alarms, it looks like T-Mobile's officially saying the "Cupcake" Android update will hit the G1 sometime next month. That's at least the word according to the T-Mo spokeperson Pocket-lint got hold of -- who went out of his way to disclaim any connection with the upcoming launch of the HTC Magic. In any event, we're hoping all this bake time has fixed some of those bugs and lag problems, but we'll see in a few weeks.

[Via Talk Android]

Filed under: Cellphones

Cupcake Android update coming to G1 in April originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Viliv S5 MID detailed impressions, now with video!

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/viliv-s5-mid-detailed-impressions-now-with-video/

We got to play with the Viliv S5 at CES, and now the gang at UMPC Portal have some detailed impressions they'd like to share with the world. The haptic touchscreen device has "one of the best" on-screen keyboards this reviewer's seen, although it pales in comparison to a physical keyboard. Other minor issues include a lack of a microphone and physical mouse pointer, though you could quite conceivably get along just fine without 'em. That said, this bad boy apparently has "an overall good feeling" that makes the reviewer want to use the device more and give the touchscreen typing situation "a chance." Kudos for the "incredibly impressive" battery life, and not even the lack of 3G and an SSD prevents him from declaring it "the best pocketable UMPC," one that "raises the bar." But that ain't all -- check out the video after the break for the handheld in all its glory.

Continue reading Viliv S5 MID detailed impressions, now with video!

Filed under: Handhelds

Viliv S5 MID detailed impressions, now with video! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apricorn rolls out pocketable Aegis Mini 240GB 1.8-inch hard drive

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/apricorn-rolls-out-pocketable-aegis-mini-240gb-1-8-inch-hard-dri/

240GB 1.8-inch hard drives have been out and about for a little while now, but they're still a bit of a rare sight in actual products, which is something the folks at Apricorn look set to rectify with their new Aegis Mini portable hard drive. As you can see above, the whole package isn't much larger than the hard drive itself and, better still, it's available in your choice of USB 2.0 or FireWire flavors, which'll run you the expectedly premium price of $269 and $279, respectively. If that's a bit more than you need, you can also grab an 80GB or 120GB drive, which also pack the same shock protection and retractable cable as their more capacious counterpart, plus Apricorn's own Data Protection Suite software.

[Via iTech News Net, thanks Sze]

Filed under: Storage

Apricorn rolls out pocketable Aegis Mini 240GB 1.8-inch hard drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Mitsubishi shows off "3D touch panel" display

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/mitsubishi-shows-off-3d-touch-panel-display/

Bothered by all the touching involved with touchscreens? Then you may want to keep an eye out for Mitsubishi's latest and greatest bit of technology, which promises to detect the distance between a finger and the touch panel to allow for a whole host of new interface options. That's done with the aid of an array of sensors that can also be used to calculate the speed at which the finger is approaching, and allow for a so-called "mouse-over function," which would essentially let your finger control a cursor without actually touching the screen -- something Mitsubishi says would be ideal for devices with small screens. Of course, it is still just in prototype form (currently a 5.7-inch capacitive VGA display), but Mitsubishi says it's based on panels that are already on the market, which should help ease development and reduce costs. Not surprisingly, Mitsubishi also says that "it will first be used for our products," although it naturally didn't say exactly what those product might be.

Filed under: Displays

Mitsubishi shows off "3D touch panel" display originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Prada Transformer Is Four Buildings In One, Thanks to Massive Cranes [Architecture]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/5Lxpv-ycuLY/prada-transformer-is-four-buildings-in-one-thanks-to-massive-cranes

The Prada Transformer is a huge four-sided open-air building whose floor can be any one of its radically different sides. Massive cranes rotate it into place, leaving the other three to compose its ever-changing ceiling.

This isn't some neat concept, it's an actual construction, penned by Rem Koolhaas and the Office for Metropolitan Architecture, and built by Prada with help from LG and Hyundai Motor. It's framed out of steel and covered entirely with a "smooth elastic membrane" and it will be situated in Seoul, Korea, where it will be used for concerts, fashion shows and other cultural events.

I think the best illustration of it is this piece from Freshness Mag, when the Transformer was only in the planning stage:

As you can see, the hexagonal side is flat, and the square has some bleachers, so it works for "cinema" mode. The circular side has a giant cylindrical platform in the middle of it, which houses a projector when it's in the air for cinema mode, but then is used as a performance stage when it's flat on the ground in "special event" mode.

Shot from the air and as yet unpainted, it doesn't look like much, and reminds me less of the robotic Transformers of the 1980s than it does of the Dungeons & Dragons dice from roughly the same epoch. The question is, how in hell do you ma! ke sure that the thing is on level ground? And while we're talking, who has to hose all the mud off of it when it gets rotated to a new position? And most importantly, who gets to drive the crane? Ooh ooh, me me! [Dezeen]

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)