More and more storage space!

I can vividly remember when a forty gigabyte (40GB) was an emerald a few years back. Nowadays, it looks like everybody has at least an eight gigabyte (80GB), with three hundred gigabyte hard disks being used by hardcore gamers and seven hundred fifty gigabyte (750GB) hard disks are being used by technology geeks. Today, Seagate, a leading storage manufacturer, broke the boundaries again when they announced that they will be shipping a one terabyte (1TB), which is equivalent to one thousand gigabytes (1000GB) worth of storage, in the coming six months. According to Seagate, they will be using perpendicular recording technology. This type of technology squeezes data on the magnetic platter by positioning them upright on the platter unlike linear recording in which data is recorded horizontally.

More information – DailyTech

Beta Signup – Tabula Rasa

Calling all roleplaying online gamers! This is your chance to try and experiment with a new innovative game called “Tabula Rosa”. The company behind “Tabula Rasa” is currently accepting beta sign ups for to the soon released game! Get your hands dirty with this year’s fresh action packed multiplayer game which places you in the boots of a soldiers who are at war against an advanced, thirsty, saliva droolers and ugly looking xenophobic alien race. Here’s more from the game:

“Tabula Rasa is a massively multiplayer online action game that takes you into the heat of battle at the frontlines of an epic war between a xenophobic alien race bent on galactic conquest and the coalition of rebel soldiers who’ve traveled across the galaxy to stop them.

Combining fast-paced action with the immersion of a role-playing game, Tabula Rasa takes the player on an intergalactic adventure where the individual has an opportunity to significantly impact the pace of battle on a global scale. Players enter the game as rebel soldiers wielding a variety of futuristic weapons, potent demolitions and the mystical power of “Logos.” It is up to each individual to use their stealth, ingenuity and skill to assist a ragtag coalition of rebels in their efforts to stop an enemy known for its intelligence and unyielding determination to enslave the Universe.”

More information and Signup Details – Tabula Rasa

Another free anti-virus – PC Tools

Nowadays, more and more software companies are coming out with their own free version of their security software, both anti-virus and firewall software. We already have several top-notch free security products on the market – AVG Free Edition, Avast, ZoneAlarm, Comodo Firewall and countless others. However, before anything else, I would like to make this statement loud and clear to the fellow users, both non and techy users, out there. STAY AWAY from the overpriced products such as the “ever-failing” Norton Security line up and also as related McAfee products. Don’t even bother purchasing/downloading, installing or even going through the hassle of reading the box on store shelves. Once you have any either of them (Norton or McAfee) installed on your system, you would have just thrown away sixty percent (70%) of your available free memory. They’re both hopeless and completely useless! Why can’t you get the same features and protection from the widely available free security products on the web? Why would you be throwing your money down the drain for these bloat and garbage software? Go FREE! Below is a list of my personal favorites:

• AVG Free Edition – AntiVirus
• Avast Free (Home Edition 4) – AntiVirus
  
• Zone Alarm (Free Edition) – Firewall
• Personal Comodo Firewall Edition – Firewall

Anyway, enough ranting! An American and Australian company, who goes by the name of PC Tools, released a free version of their Anti-Virus software called “PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition”. Here’s a brief description found on their website – “With PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition you are protected against the most nefarious cyber-threats attempting to gain access to your PC and personal information. Going online without protection against the latest fast-spreading virus and worms, such as Netsky, Mytob and MyDoom, can result in infections within minutes.”

They include most of the features and perks found in the paid version except for the following:

• High-speed updates
• Dedicated 24/7 support
• Phone support

I am giving a big thumbs up to PC Tools for coming out with another free security software! Well done on your part! I hope to see more and more companies releasing their own free security products!

Download: PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition

Back to School

I can vividly remember our start of our Christmas vacation as if it was just yesterday. Tomorrow, Wednesday January 3, elementary, secondary and tertiary students will be heading back to their respective schools and campuses. I must say, this two week vacation (three week vacation for some schools) whizzed by quickly. Anyway, since college work takes most of my time up, I will try writing interesting posts during the weekdays, if I have time However, during weekends I’ll make sure to write a number of blog posts Don’t you worry In fact, I have three objectives for Mango Chico in the coming days:

• Write a guide on how one will be able to protect one’s computer for free with the available security products on the web
• Write a short guide on how to use a torrent software and a torrent website. This has been requested by my fellow classmates
• And lastly, to satisfy your hunger of my blog posts

Stay tuned!

A New Year – 2007

Greetings everyone!

A New Year!

Picture – Sunstar 

I hope everyone enjoyed their New Year 2007 celebrations! I, personally celebrated a quiet New Year at home with my family watching the fireworks being set off by our fellow neighbors and establishments here. Although, I got started several times by those whaling pyrotechnics. You might be wondering why I didn’t venture out from my home? Well, one reason its dangerous! Every year, during the New Year and Chinese New Year, here in the Philippines, a number of people get injured from stray bullets and inappropriate use of firecrackers. For instance, more than nine-hundred (900) people were injured in Manila (Capital of the Philippines), a forty-eight (48) percent increase from the previous year. Can you imagine the figures from the other provinces here in the Philippines?

Thirty-five people were injured due to stray bullets, including a pregnant woman. Many of the casualties came from children, whose fingers were amputated by the shire force of the firecrackers. On the other hand, there were no deaths this year (2007) compared to the other year (2006) in which seven died.

Related News: ABS-CBN (Philippines)

Video of the day

This is my first post in which I would mention my personal favorite video of the day. I’ve seen this video several times before, every time it brings a smile on my face. In the video below, you can joyfully watch a young Bollywood star dancing to an eighties (80s) techno song (or whatever you call it back then :p). Just watch it! I guarantee you’ll enjoy it!

Music being played in the background – MC Miker G & DJ Sven – Holiday Rap

Plans in the coming days

If I manage to find some time tomorrow, I’ll be writing a short guide on the use of torrent software and torrent websites. The guide will be mainly be targeted for those non-tech savy folks and for my fellow classmates who have been requesting for a guide for weeks now. I’ll also be taking a look at a new photo sharing and storage website, details more about it soon! Lastly, I will be writing a guide which assists users in keeping their computers secured from those pesky and annoying software such as viruses, spyware and malware. Stay tuned!

Until then, hope you continue to enjoy your new celebrations!

P.S. Feel free to share your New Year celebration experiences in the comments section of this blog post!

Celebrate New Years 2007

During my web searches today, I found an interesting website called “Earth Cam” which provides live feeds of New York for the upcoming New Year 2007. If you wish to enjoy and celebrate the new year at home with friends or family, feel free to witness the marvelous and spectacular celebration at New York’s time square on your computer! In total there are about sixteen (16) video cameras situated around the “New Years 2007″ venue in New York which are all sponsored by none other than Panasonic.

Watch – New Years 2007 @ New York

Enjoy your New Year!

If any of you readers out there have any other websites, feel free to post them in the comments section of this blog post!

Happy New Year art done by vill @ deviantART

Saddam Executed (UPDATED)

It’s official now. A number of news networks are confirming the death of former Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein. According to several reports, Saddam Hussein, was hanged in the early dawn hours in Baghdad, Iraq. He is said to be holding a Koran and reciting the phrase – “God is Great”. Unfortunately, the video of Saddam’s hanging which was distributed to major news networks only show the final moments before Saddam was hanged and the end where one can see Sadam’s head and body wrapped in white.

However, I have yet to see the moments when Saddam Hussein was in the process of being hanged. At this moment in time, I am still skeptical with the “death” of Saddam Hussein. One could have hired several experts, body sculptors and cosmicitic experts, in which they could have easily created a figurine which depicts Saddam Hussein lieing “dead” wrapped in a white sheet. Isn’t it strange why a low quality video was used when “Saddam’s lifeless body” was filmed inside the vehicle? Where is the full length video of Saddam’s execution? Why hasn’t been released to the media, yet? Is this a cover up? Is Saddam Hussein still alive?

My questions are still waiting to be answered. Will they ever be answered?

UPDATE:

Luckily, I managed to find a video on Google’s Video Server showcasing the moment when Saddam Hussein was hanged. From the video quality is horrible. It was probably taken on a cellphone camera. However, during the video presentation you can notice at times that the video would focus on something else rather than Saddam Hussein, especially during the time when the trap door opened. Strange isn’t it?

I warn all viewers that the footage you’re about to see is quite disturbing.

Related: Google News

Human Shield Defense Ver 2.0

British scientists are on the brink of completing a vaccine which can protect against all major types of diseases and flu. It would defend the human body from the nasty Influenza A – this includes bird flu and the common winter flu. Up until now, only yearly vaccines are used to protect one’s self from the above diseases. According to reports, the vaccine could be made available to the general public in the next couple of years. In fact a Swiss company, Cytos, stated that they are too working on a “universal flu vaccine”, in which testing could start on humans by next year (2007).

The questions pops up – “Will we ever get sick in the near future?”

More information – Daily Mirror

Double O7

A new Half Life 2 modification called GoldenEye Source has been released into the beta stage a couple of days ago. GoldenEye Source is based on classic James Bond movies. One will assume the role of a 007 agent and will battle out in a death-match style. For the time being the game only officers a death-match mode (player vs player). Hopefully this will expand in the near future.

I spent a good number of hours playing and enjoying this innovative game. On the other hand, the only negative point in the first phase of the beta stage is the poor stability from the server programming. At times one particular server can timeout for no reason at all. This is a major problem and is currently being fixed by the GoldenEye Source team.

Download and More Information: GoldenEye Source Official Website

His last days

Former Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, has been handed over to the Iraqi government. Reports suggest that Saddam Hussein could be hanged by no later then this coming Sunday, before a Islamic religious event. Saddam Hussein will be executed due to his atrocities of the slaying of hundreds of Kurds in Northern Iraq. If I am not mistaken, other countries such as Saudi Arabia have practiced the execution (may it be hanging or be-heading) of those who have committed severe felonies.

Saddam Hussein’s lawyer asked backing from the “Arab league of Nations” and other countries in assisting him to persuade the US government in keeping Saddam Hussein as a prisoner of war (POW). However, his calls were ignored.

Saddam Hussein has already met two of his half brothers, both of which are in US custody, and he already sent several letters to his family members. According to Saddam Hussein’s lawyer, Saddam will be dieing as a martyr.

Related News Stories:

• Reuters
• Google News

Picture taken from AFP