I’m not too ashamed to admit that I’m still somewhat of a MacBookPro (MBP) noob, only having mine for around 3 months. I’m still finding and trying to find out new tricks on this Apple eye-candy gadget.

A Call For Keyboard Layout Standardisation!

It’s only when transitioning from many years on the PC to a MAC that you really question why a standard keyboard layout isn’t adhered to by both parties. So frustrating when you’ve memorised countless time-saving shortcuts in Windows.

The improved intelligent touchpad on the MBP means that I am less dependent on a mouse these days which means keyboard shortcuts are even more important. I wrote this post both as a reminder for me and to help other people out there who want to know how to change tabs in Firefox (on the Mac).

How To Change Tabs in Firefox [MAC]:

There are two main ways to do this:

1. Command + <Tab Number> e.g. if you have four tabs open it’s Command + 1 for the first tab, Command + 2 for the second and so on…
2. Command + Option + Left / Right – this will toggle through the various tabs that you have open

Hope this was useful. Please share with other Mac users

Here’s the link to the complete set of Firefox Shortcuts.

I’ve been meaning to post about Live Luggage for many months now because I think they will be the next big thing in travel gadgets. Imagine not having to strain your body with a heavy suitcase through the airport or while going  upstairs? This is where Live Luggage shines. It is the world’s first power assisted suitcase. That’s right, the case comes with an inbuilt engine that makes travelling a lot less burdensome. I see Live Luggage as the next logical evolution in suitcases – most have wheels, why not add power? After this I think robots with storage compartments that fold into the size of a suitcase…

Here’s a Live Luggage video by the GadgetShow on Youtube that highlights its main features:

I was speaking to Clive Hemsley, Director of Live Luggage and he’s looking for a distributor in Australia. Contact him immediately if you’re interested through their website especially so I can get a review unit already!

A recent ress release from Live Luggage announced that they now come in different colors. See the image below:

Here’s the Press Release from Live Luggage:

London, 15th October 2009 - Live Luggage has given a brand new look to its innovative cases – the world’s first power-assisted suitcase which was launched by the company in 2008 after six years’ research and development. The Classic PA case and the Hybrid PA Bag feature patented flat motor technology in its wheels, which power up when the built-in sensors in the handle detect a gradient or kerb. Live Luggage cases save strain on the neck, shoulders, back and arms of the user, as all the weight is balanced over the wheels, allowing the case to be pulled effortlessly along with a totally original and very distinctive concept in handle systems – the patented Anti-Gravity handle. This ergonomically shaped anti-gravity handle pivots from the base of the case when in use and enables the weight to be balanced over the wheels. When in “drive” mode, the sensors detect when power is required and the intelligent torque control system powers up and drives the wheels. It is this anti-gravity handle system which gives Live Luggage cases their distinctive and unique look, so different from any other case or luggage system on the market.

Live Luggage customers, whatever their age, tend to be “early adopters” of new technology – they also love something that looks different, so Live Luggage have decided to give customers a colour choice. The anti-gravity handle is now available in a choice of red, pink, white, black and the original yellow.
The Classic Series is a hard case and one of the world’s most secure made from the same material as a car bumper and it includes a TSA recognized lock. The Hybrid Bag is a soft ballistic nylon bag which clips onto a hard frame. It has a laptop bag and an overnight bag zipped on the front which can be removed and zipped together as one piece of hand luggage offering the user maximum flexibility.

Via Live Luggage Website

There may be some of you out there who are thinking about upgrading to Windows 7, but not entirely sure that your current PC is beefy enough. I think you’ll be relieved to see that you don’t need a super-souped-up rig to run Microsoft’s latest version of Windows and that you may already have everything you need.  For example my current Dell XPS M1330, easily surpasses the minimum requirements for Windows 7 and it’s more than 2 years old. Time to throw a party!

Minimum Requirements for Windows 7

If you want to run Windows 7 on your PC, here’s what it takes:

• 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Additional requirements to use certain features:

• Internet access (fees may apply)
• Depending on resolution, video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardware
• For some Windows Media Center functionality a TV tuner and additional hardware may be required
• Windows Touch and Tablet PCs require specific hardware
• HomeGroup requires a network and PCs running Windows 7
• DVD/CD authoring requires a compatible optical drive
• BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2
• BitLocker To Go requires a USB flash drive
• Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM, an additional 15 GB of available hard disk space, and a processor capable of hardware virtualization with Intel VT or AMD-V turned on
• Music and sound require audio output

Feel free to bookmark and share with your friends

Welcome to Windows 7

If you have an HTC smartphone running Windows Mobile 6 or Windows Mobile 6.1, you may want to think twice before connecting to an untrusted device using Bluetooth. Vulnerability in an HTC driver installed on these phones can allow an attacker to access any file on the phone or upload malicious code using Bluetooth. HTC handsets running Windows Mobile 5 are not affected.

For the attack to work, the targeted device must have Bluetooth enabled and file sharing over Bluetooth activated. This connection can be done either by standard Bluetooth pairing or taking advantage of the Bluetooth MAC spoofing attack, a process where the attacking device attempts to convince the target that it’s another device on its list of paired devices.

The directory traversal vulnerability allows an attacker to move from a phone’s Bluetooth shared folder into other folders, giving them access to contact details, e-mails, pictures or other data stored on the phone. They can use this access to read files or upload software, including malicious code.

What can you do to prevent this from ever happening? DO NOT accept untrusted Bluetooth connection. Disable file-sharing over Bluetooth for that extra layer of security. You’ll also want to delete your list of previously paired devices, as nefarious hackers can masquerade as a trusted device in order to gain access to your phone.

It’s unclear if HTC will issue an updated Bluetooth driver.

Bluetooth vulnerability found in HTC Windows Mobile smartphones via IntoMobile.

So you’ve got a really imporant call coming in from your boss or business partner. You don’t have a pen or paper anywhere in sight, yet need to capture the main points from the conversation. Sweat starts to bead on your forehead. The pressure is unbearable.

What do you do?

Well if you have a Palm device you can use a nifty little application called CallRec. It not only records telephone conversations but also is the perfect voice memo tool.

What is CallRec?
CallRec is the premier voice recording application for Treo and Palm Centro smartphones. This simple-to-use application allows you to record your telephone conversation and voice memos with ease by simply pressing the Treo side key. Or, you can set option to automatically record all your phone calls.

 
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Killing me softly with your music…, originally uploaded by rabataller.

Are you a music lover and looking for ways to enhance your music? Cnet.com.au has created a list of 7 ways to make your music sound better and they don’t all point towards getting a pair of $1000 audiophile headphones.

In summary, 7 tips to make your music sound better are:
1. In-ear headphones
2. Noise-cancelling headphones
3. An MP3 player with great sound
4. A better sound card
5. iPod speaker dock
6. Clean-up old recordings
7. Tweak your software preferences

For more details visit this Cnet link