ryanmc1 - Slashdot User

Submission + - HP gives Macs with Time Machine a backup upgrade (justechn.com) 1

Submitted by

justechn

on Friday March 13, 2009 @12:27PM

justechn writes: "Previously Mac users that wanted to use Time Machine had to have a separate hard drive for each machine. Now, thanks to HP and the MediaSmart EX487, Time Machine can now use a central sever for all its storage needs.

As we all know Microsoft released the Windows Home Server Software late in 2007, but it only worked with Windows machines. This was not good enough for HP so they worked with Apple to create an extension to Time Machine that allows it to use a networked machine as the storage location for the backups. This is a big benefit for Mac users because all your backups are now in a central location and they can be duplicated to guard against hard drive failure.

HP also includes many other exclusive features, like an iTunes server, Media Collector, Photo Publisher, and a Server summary screen.

The only question remaining is, Will Mac users actually buy a product that is powered by a Microsoft OS?"

MacBook Modded With Second Monitor Inside Logo 153

Posted by kdawson on Friday March 13, 2009 @09:11AM from the heart-on-your-sleeve dept.

An anonymous reader from the Macmod forum wrote in with this appealing hack: "This is one of the coolest mods I've seen all year. Mac Moder EdsJunk submitted this mod to our forums late Thursday night. By cracking open a MacBook he was able to put a second monitor inside of the screen. The end result is sweet. The second monitor can make the Apple logo have any kind of background, like the clown fish, or the flurry screen saver."

Submission + - Plustek BookReader V100 Review (justechn.com)

Submitted by

justechn

on Saturday March 07, 2009 @05:20PM

justechn writes: "It is not everyday that a company takes an old, tried and true, technology and turns it into something potentially exciting and fun. That is exactly what Plustek is attempting with one of their scanners. No longer are scanners only good for turning paper documents into images and text on your computer. With the Plustek BookReader V100 scanner those paper documents can be turned into audio files that you can listen to at your leisure."

Submission + - Create your own audio books without speaking (justechn.com)

Submitted by

justechn

on Tuesday February 17, 2009 @12:38AM

justechn writes: "Plustek has just announce a new product that will allow people to create audio books from any book or document.

The BookReader V100 combines the OpticBook scanner with some Text to Speech software to create an all-in-one audio solution.

I am curious to see if there will be any problems with this technology like there is with the Kindle 2 and its Text to Speech capabilities"

Submission + - The Myth of Unlimited Webhosting Bandwidth (deviceguru.com) 1

Submitted by __aajbyc7391 on Monday February 16, 2009 @11:02PM

__aajbyc7391 writes: Have you ever wondered how cheap webhosting services can claim to offer unlimited site bandwidth? DeviceGuru blogger Rick Lehrbaum learned the hard way that there's no such thing as unlimited bandwidth, when his site got shut down last week thanks to a generous helping of slashdot love. It turned out that despite the fact that the webhosting service's website clearly advertises "unlimited site bandwidth," the company reserves the right to limit processor time, bandwidth, or processes when it sees fit.

Submission + - Windows Home Server Review (justechn.com)

Submitted by

justechn

on Sunday November 11, 2007 @05:36PM

justechn writes: "I just completed a review of Windows Home Server (WHS). This is probably one of the most extensive reviews of Windows Home Server available. It is certainly the longest review I have ever written. I first started by reviewing the hardware that would be required to run WHS. The hardware requirements are actually fairly basic and most computers younger than five year old can easily handle it. Then I moved on to review the software. I have had Windows Home server running in my home for about one and a half months. During that time I tried out every feature and took screen shots of everything. I have 145 pictures and screen shots just covering the software, plus another 55 pictures of the hardware.

One of the biggest complaints about Windows Home Server is that is it too little too late. I actually found the exact opposite to be true. While it is possible to setup a similar system using various systems like NAS, File servers, online backups and other things. I personally found that WHS does such a great job of wrapping everything together into a nice and easy to manage package, that it is like comparing apples and oranges. Once I set up the server I really never had to look at it again. The backups are automatic, and the connector software that is installed on each client computer notifies me whenever there is a problem. Everything I need to manage the server is available from the connector. The connector is even available from the Internet. This means I have full control of the sever even while I am away from home.

I am completely sold on the idea of a Home Server and I like how Microsoft implemented it, and the WHS has become an integral part of my Home Network. However, everything is not all rosey. I found several discrepancies in what was promised/advertised and what was delivered. These mainly show up in the area of media streaming. Fortunately, Microsoft has a website where the community can vote on new features that should be added to the software. If Microsoft actually follows the suggestions they receive, I have great hopes that this can become a great system. Even if Microsoft ignores all of those suggestions the community has the ability to add its own functionality. Windows Home Server has the ability to use Add-ins. Add-ins are programs that can be written by anyone and they add extra functionally that the core software is missing. I tried out a couple of Add-ins and they worked great. Of course, how well they work is determined by how well they were written and how well they integrate into WHS.

I know a lot of people will think that just because this is a Microsoft system that it will be poorly implemented and developed, but during the time I have been using WHS I found it to be very stable and easy to use. I hope the idea of centralized home severs catches on because that would encourage competition and competition can only help to make the software better. I especially would love to see how Apple would implement something similar."

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