LG and Ncomputing Join Forces

If you are into maximizing your existing hardware, then Ncomputing may be the right product for you.  If you are into maximizing your hardware and integrating an additional workstations into the LCD monitors, then the LG Smartvine lineup may be for you.

Ncomputing has recently been deployed in several areas of Cedarburg School District. A full 32 seat computer lab has been setup using only 8 PCs and the X350 model Ncomputing product. 6 workstations can be added to a classroom environment by using only 1 Host machine. If you are not famaliar with Ncomputing, “NComputing is the fastest growing provider of virtual desktops in the world and its technology is based on a simple fact: today’s computers are so powerful that the vast majority of applications use only a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. NComputing technology enables a single PC or server to be virtualized so that many users can tap the unused capacity and share it as if each person had their own computer.”

This technology has now been integrated into the LG SmartVine N-Series Monitors. LG Electronics is embedding NComputing virtualization circuitry inside the new SmartVine N-series monitors. Users connect their keyboards and mice directly to the monitor, which then connects to the host PC via a standard cable. An NComputing X550 PCI Card Kit with vSpace software enables the host PC to connect to five additional monitors. With two kits, a total of 11 users can share one PC.

In the United States, the LG SmartVine N-series line will include 17 and 19-inch* class monitors (models N1742L-BF and N1941W-PF) covering both standard and widescreen resolutions. A 16-inch* class model will also be available in other countries. All LG SmartVine N-series monitors can also be used as traditional monitors that connect through VGA for ultimate flexibility. These monitors will be marketed worldwide by LG beginning this month.

Features

• Cost Effective Multi-User Computing Solution
• Integrated Virtual Desktop Access Technology
• Remarkable 8,000:1 (DFC) Contrast Ratio
• 5ms Response Time
• f-ENGINE™ (picture-quality enhancing chip)
• Built-In Speakers
• Energy Star® Compliant
• Tilt Adjustable Stand
• Dual Input (VGA + X-port)

Check it out for yourself….. This solution can be used in all types of computing environments.

Moodle Themes

Edu Moodle Theme

Moodle Themes database is a great starting point to look for visual enhancements for your Moodle website. Any decent creations posted on the web usually end up in the database list.

There are many other sites out there that have available themes to use such as Themza, Edugeek, and ThemeGurus.

If you are a designer, you can create your own theme or simply alter existing themes to your liking. I have found the edumoodle theme a good fit for our purpose. I have added and edited several aspects of the webpage to blend with our environment.

If any other great sources for new and improved themes are out there, please post the info.

HP DDR2-800 PC2-6400 2GB Memory. Free after $20 mail in rebate

TechOnWeb has 2GB (2×1GB) HP PC2-6400 DDR2-800 Desktop Memory for $14.79 – $14.79 Rebate = Free. Shipping is $3.95. Thanks VNlilMAN
Note: Rebate is for the product cost up to $20. In this case the product cost is $14.79.
Up to 5 rebates per end user individual or company

Must purchase by April 30, 2009 and claim rebate within 30 days.

Product Specifications
——————————————————————————–

Product Description HP memory – 2 GB ( 2 x 1 GB ) – DIMM 240-pin – DDR2
Storage Capacity 2 GB ( 2 x 1 GB )
Upgrade Type System specific
Technology DDR2 SDRAM
Form Factor DIMM 240-pin
Memory Speed 800 MHz ( PC2-6400 )
Data Integrity Check Non-ECC
Manufacturer Warranty 1 year warranty

Convert Any Windows Program To Run on U3 Drive

PackageFactory for U3 lets you convert any application or EXE into a U3P Package File, for free! You can then install this U3P file onto any U3-compatible flash drive. PackageFactory for U3 works best for simple programs and applications with few support files (although you can add as many supporting DLLs and other EXEs as you need).

· Download PackageFactory for U3 (658 Kb)

PackageFactory for U3 is free to use for non-commercial purposes. The free version above has no restrictions and it will append “U3 build by Eure.ca” to the description of the U3P Package file.

This application can be useful if you are interested in putting all of your software tools onto a flash drive. I can see using this when troubleshooting PCs and I am now able to have all of my tools with me on a portable drive without having to install them.

Simply Drag and Drop the exe file you want to install onto your U3 drive onto the PackageFactory screen, then click on Create to generate U3P file that can install onto any U3 drive.  Although some complex applications may not work or will need some tweaking in order to get them to work. Try it out for yourself.

Package Factory for U3

Apple iPod – The New U.S. Military Weapon

To help soldiers make sense of data from drones, satellites and ground sensors, the U.S. military now issues the iPod Touch.

The U.S. military in the past would give a soldier an electronic handheld device, made at great expense specially for the battlefield, with the latest software. But translation is only one of many software applications soldiers now need. The future of “networked warfare” requires each soldier to be linked electronically to other troops as well as to weapons systems and intelligence sources. Making sense of the reams of data from satellites, drones and ground sensors cries out for a handheld device that is both versatile and easy to use. With their intuitive interfaces, Apple devices—the iPod TouchiPhone—are becoming the handhelds of choice.

Using a commercial product for such a crucial military role is a break from the past. Compared with devices built to military specifications, iPods are cheap. Apple, after all, has already done the research and manufacturing without taxpayer money. The iPod Touch retails for under $230, whereas a device made specifically for the military can cost far more. (The iPhone offers more functionality than the iPod Touch, but at $600 or $700 each, is much more expensive.) Typically sheathed in protective casing, iPods have proved rugged enough for military life. And according to an Army official in Baghdad, the devices have yet to be successfully hacked.

The iPod also fulfills the U.S. military’s need to equip soldiers with a single device that can perform many different tasks. Apple’s online App Store offers more than 25,000 (and counting) applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch, which shares the iPhone’s touchscreen. As the elegantly simple iPods—often controlled with a single thumb—acquire more functionality, soldiers can shed other gadgets. An iPod “may be all that they need,” says Lt. Col. Jim Ross, director of the Army’s intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors operations in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.

The iPod isn’t the only multifunction handheld on the market, but among soldiers it’s the most popular. Since most recruits have used one—and many already own one—it’s that much easier to train them to prepare and upload new content. Users can add phrases to language software, annotate maps and link text or voice recordings to photos (“Have you seen this man?”). Apple devices make it easy to shoot, store and play video. Consider the impact of showing villagers a video message of a relaxed and respected local leader encouraging them to help root out insurgents.

Since sharing data is particularly important in counterinsurgency operations, the Pentagon is funding technology that makes it easier for the soldier on the ground to acquire information and quickly add it to databases. Next Wave Systems in Indiana, is expected to release iPhone software that would enable a soldier to snap a picture of a street sign and, in a few moments, receive intelligence uploaded by other soldiers (the information would be linked by the words on the street sign). This could include information about local water quality or the name and photograph of a local insurgent sympathizer. The U.S. Marine Corps is funding an application for Apple devices that would allow soldiers to upload photographs of detained suspects, along with written reports, into a biometric database. The software could match faces, making it easier to track suspects after they’re released.

Apple gadgets are proving to be surprisingly versatile. Software developers and the U.S. Department of Defense are developing military software for iPods that enables soldiers to display aerial video from drones and have teleconferences with intelligence agents halfway across the globe. Snipers in Iraq and Afghanistan now use a “ballistics calculator” called BulletFlight, made by the Florida firm Knight’s Armament for the iPod Touch and iPhone. Army researchers are developing applications to turn an iPod into a remote control for a bomb-disposal robot (tilting the iPod steers the robot). In Sudan, American military observers are using iPods to learn the appropriate etiquette for interacting with tribal leaders.

Translation is another important area. A new program, Vcommunicator, is now being issued to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. It produces spoken and written translations of Arabic, Kurdish and two Afghan languages. It also shows animated graphics of accompanying gestures and body language, and displays pictures of garments, weapons and other objects. Procurement officials are making a “tremendous push” to develop and field militarily useful Apple devices, says Ernie Bright, operations manager of Vcom3D, the Florida firm that developed the software. The iPod has already transformed the way we listen to music. Now it’s taking on war.

Also See Apple iPod joins US Army and Apple iPods aid U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Presentations – Preperation, Delivery, and Slide Tips

What is an effective Presentation? How many of you have sat through a mind numbing, word cluttered, naptime presentation? I think think the answer for everyone is “I have.”

When it is your time to present, please don’t be one of those people and follow these simple tips from Garr Reynolds. He provides preperation tips so you can clearly display your idea or information.

There are also effective ways to deliver your presentation. Garr Reynolds notes “If I had only one tip to give, it would be to be passionate about your topic and let that enthusiasm come out. Yes, you need great content. Yes, you need professional, well designed visuals. But it is all for naught if you do not have a deep, heartfelt belief in your topic. The biggest item that separates mediocre presenters from world class ones is the ability to connect with an audience in an honest and exciting way. Don’t hold back. Be confident. And let your passion for your topic come out for all to see.”

Last but not least are the slides. This is where people tend to lose the audience because of the heavy use of text and transitions. Keep it simple and clean, then you provide the interesting facts and information.

This short (under two minutes) presentation uses only narration and text to make its point. I’ll make no comment on the twist so as not to give it away.

The video is well done and makes for a nice stand-alone presentation. It could be better: For example, the text needs to be a bit bigger — never make people strain to see the text on screen. Still, this was a creative way to deliver an important message.

XSIGO – I/O Virtualization

I recently attended a VMware usergroup that had XSIGO systems present. If you are looking to implement or improve your virtual infrastructure I/O, take a look at XSIGOs I/O Director solution. Xsigo virtual I/O dramatically reduces the capital and operational costs of server connectivity. By dynamically connecting any server to any network — both Ethernet and Fibre Channel — Xsigo virtual I/O enables a simpler, lower cost infrastructure that eliminates the limitations of cards, cables, and switch ports. This is all completed by using Infiniband.

Some of the key benefits for using I/O Director are:

• Transparently re-purpose server and I/O resources.

• Seamlessly scale I/O in blade systems and rack mount servers .
  
• Eliminate 70% of the I/O infrastructure .
• Save 50% on capital cost vs traditional server I/O .
• Reduce I/O-related power consumption by 15-30% .
  
• Guarantee I/O bandwidth, via QoS controls, to specific applications or virtual machines.
• Enhanced application failover and migration — move applications networks and storage without remapping.
• Deliver 10-20 Gb/s bandwidth to each server .
  

• Modular architecture for seamless, future-proof expandability .
  
• Integrates with existing LAN and SAN components.

This could be a very beneficial addition to your VM environment if bandwidth is critical or if you are looking to improve Vmotion performance.  It will be interesting to see how much of an impact this company makes since almost every organization now has a VM running in some form. Are there competitors out there that can offer a similiar product? I found it interesting but, it also added another layer to the Virtual environment.  Either way, Xsigo’s breakthrough hardware and software architecture lets you overcome the cost and complexity of conventional server I/O.

Skype for Blackberry coming in May

Following this week’s highly anticipated launch of Skype for the iPhone, a BlackBerry client will join Skype’s continued assault on the smartphone market in May.

Like the fresh out of the box  iPhone software, Skype for BlackBerry is expected to tie into the BlackBerry’s address book so there’s no need to keep a second contact list. Calls between Skype users will be free, regardless of if they’re on a BlackBerry, iPhone, or PC. Calls to landline and mobile phones will be charged at Skype’s existing rates.

Video calls will be more of a challenge, because no BlackBerry handheld incorporates a front-facing digital camera, although BlackBerry users may be able to see the incoming video stream from the person they’re calling.

“We’re considering video carefully but we have a really high bar on the quality” said Skype Chief Operating Officer Scott Durchslag. “If we do it we will have to do it incredibly well.”

Also in common with Skype for iPhone, the BlackBerry software is likely to work only over a Wi-Fi connection rather than a 3G network.

This feature could work great among co-workers in an organization. Since we pay for unlimited web access anyway, why not save on the minutes and utilitze the web. I will personally be anticipating the release of Skype for the Blackberry.

Nmap 4.85 BETA5 Released to Scan for Conficker Worm

The Conficker worm is receiving a lot of attention because of its fast scale (millions of machines infected) and advanced update mechanisms. Its botnet army is scheduled for new updates and instructions starting on Wednesday (4/1), and nobody (except the bad guys) knows exactly what those instructions will be.

Thanks to excellent research by Tillmann Werner and Felix Leder of The Honeynet Project and implementation work by Ron Bowes, David Fifield, Brandon Enright, and Fyodor, we’ve rolled out a new Nmap release which can remotely scan for and detect infected machines. Nmap 4.85BETA5 is now available from the download page, including official binaries for Windows and Mac OS X. To scan for Conficker, use a command such as:

nmap -PN -T4 -p139,445 -n -v –script=smb-check-vulns –script-args safe=1 [targetnetworks]

A clean machine should report at the bottom: “Conficker: Likely CLEAN”, while likely infected machines say: “Conficker: Likely INFECTED”. For more advice, see this nmap-dev post by Brandon Enright. Dan Kaminsky broke the story on Doxpara.com.

While Conficker gets all the attention, 4.85BETA5 also has many other great improvements.

More information is available from: The Register, Slashdot, Washington Post, SecurityFocus, CNet, SC Magazine, ComputerWorld, SkullSecurity (Ron Bowes), Beta News, PC World, eWeek, CRN.com, TechNewsWorld, DarkReading, ComputerWeekly, PC Magazine, Threat Post, ZDNet.

Also read the great information provided here. There are tools and details about this worm in detail.

Containing Conficker

Moodle-Google Collobaration

Google Apps Education Edition is coming to an open source learning management system near you. Moodle partner Moodlerooms has teamed up with Google to develop a seamless integration that allows Moodle users to access Google Apps Education Edition from within the Moodle Environment, using a single sign on. This could be very beneficial for presenting and sharing documents with students and staff.

The school only needs to upload usernames into Moodle, and the new Google enhancement will automatically load the users into Google Apps Education Edition. These apps can be selected depending on the environment, so it can provide users with e-mail, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and sites. This can be done to seamlessly integrate the two very useful technologies to staff and students.

Moodlerooms’ West Coast Managing Director Michael Penney explains, “This greatly simplifies the task of implementing a collaborative suite, as well as enables institutions to leverage the work they’ve already done integrating their platforms with their other systems. From a teacher’s perspective, this provides an easy way to assign students to collaborative tasks without having to worry about the students having different operating systems or incompatible software or being unable to access an online system. From an IT staffer or CIO’s perspective, this provides an integration tested with large-scale data loads and built on industry standard SAML 2.0 and OAuth protocols for secure single sign on and information transfer.”

Project KNOTtT will be piloting this new program before release.