Solar Powered Guitar Tuner by Tascam
How To: USB WiFi Signal Extender
Several years ago, I reported on a USB wifi extender in parabolic form. Now, we’ve got a slimmed down version using an empty food can and your USB wifi dongle. It’s not the prettiest thing, but it works and will boost your signal strength enough to grab the channel from your neighbor who’s barely showing up in your wireless network.
Review: USB Benchmark Software
Review: USB Benchmark software by USB Performance.
USB Performance has a nice USB benchmark testing program with lots of features besides read / write tests.
The USB performance testing software gives you the option to test at a File Copy level or a Bit for Bit copy level. The difference with the File Copy is the process includes reading from the File Allocation Table [FAT] and thus slows down the process. The bit for bit read/write tests will show the best possible performance your device will be able to obtain.
Included in the USB benchmark software are some bonus features such as file recovery.
We all know with flash memory once you click delete, it’s gone forever. Well the USB Performance software will recover those deleted files. OR maybe you’ve lost data with a system Blue Screen or hardware crash, again the USB recovery feature should be able to restore those lost files.
Another nice feature is the backup function. The backup function will create a single image file on your PC. You can restore or backup the image file at any time. This nice thing about a single image file [rather than copying all the files off your USB stick] is that you wont accidentally delete a single file or folder, you’d have to really be an idiot and delete the entire image file backup.
Other nice features include the USB typology layout and bad sector scan function.
The USB Performance software is free for download with no time limit or expiration date, however, it does miss a couple features of the full [paid] version.
Bottom line, if you need some quick benchmark testing, this is the way to go.
USB KVM Kit Turns Your Laptop Into Portable KVM Station
Have you ever thrown your hands up in frustration because you simply want to use the Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse of a laptop to access a server or other standalone device? I have, but never know what product could help…now I do. The Portable Laptop KVM Adapter from StarTech is specifically designed to turn your notebook into a portable KVM station. Simply connect the adapter between your standalone [or GUIless device] and notebook and you’re off and running.
“Aside from a rack mount LCD console, which can be expensive, server administrators and technicians would typically have to use a server room ‘crash cart’, which is a cart comprised of a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. Although a typical ‘crash cart’ is somewhat mobile, it lacks the portability of our Laptop KVM Adapter, which provides identical but more convenient controlâ€.The NOTECONS01 USB 2.0 Laptop KVM Adapter offers immediate BIOS-level access to the connected computer from the laptop control point, as well as the ability to handle full configuration of the attached PC, server, or other headless machines such as ATMs, kiosks and VLTs.
Tektronix Brings SuperSpeed USB Test Tools to the Geeks
Tektronix just announced test tools for the USB 3.0 SuperSpeed specification. This means those uber geeks – and we don’t mean that in a derogatory way – will have the tools to prove their devices meet the new USB 3.0 specification.
It is estimated that initial SuperSpeed USB interface ICs and consumer products should appear in early 2010, with widespread adoption continuing throughout 2010. The first SuperSpeed USB products will likely include data-storage devices such as flash drives, external hard drives, digital music players, and digital cameras.
“SuperSpeed USB is a giant leap forward in data transfer rates for many devices and consequently requires much more sophisticated testing,” said Ian Valentine, general manager, Technology Solutions Group, Tektronix. “SuperSpeed USB will operate at 5 Gb/s, more than 10 times greater than the existing high-speed USB standard. This speed will require comprehensive signal testing for transmitters, interconnects, and receivers. Customers will be able to fully test the physical layers of their SuperSpeed USB devices using the latest test solution from Tektronix.”The Tektronix test solution for USB 3.0 includes: Continue Reading
USB Pregnancy Test Kit
So what could they think of next? A USB pregnancy test kit? – you have got to be kidding me! Nope. Pteq is taking the process totally digital with their new USB pregnancy test kit. I’m not sure why, as any test kit is a simple pee on the stick, and wait for one strip or two. So what does the USB bring to the table? Well, to answer that question lets visit ThinkGeek and see what they had to say…and I must say, the did a great job describing the product. Take a read:
StartKey From MicroSoft – So That’s What They Did With U3
GetUSB reported a while back about the partnership between Microsoft and U3 and it turns out they’ve created the StartKey, a similar approach as the U3 drives. The biggest difference is Microsoft using StartKey as the key component to logging in and booting up. In addition, you can store personal computer settings and privileges, applications and data files on the StartKey itself.
U3 Software: 8 Ball & 9 Ball
Having a couple good games in your U3 drive is always a plus when looking to kill some time. The U3 MyPool 8 Ball fits the bill. With on-line features it’s easy to play against family and friends for a real-life [not really] experience.
The U3 8 Ball software includes the ever popular 9 Ball as well. So do yourself a favor [if you are still a fan of the U3] and download MyPool – if that isn’t your style than try the addictive Drops or the fast paced and addictive ZACK.
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U3 Software: NT File Recovery
There have been plenty of moments in my computer life I’d like to turn back time. Especially those Vista Upgrades or even the minor events like accidentally deleting files. For the last [mentioned] brain fart, there is some U3 Software which can help; NT File Recovery. The file recovery software is designed to recover any deleted file from a NTFS system.
Many USB file recovery software packages only support files and folders, but this package includes support for getting back applications and media files such as wmv and mpeg files.
Another point worth consideration, is the convenience of running the software from your U3 drive as to eliminate the risk of overwriting your data from the PC you’re try to salvage data from. This U3 application is absolutely free, and ready for the taking.
U3 Software NT File Recover download page.
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Registry Analyzer for U3 Flash Drives
Albeit U3 claims no trace of U3 software remains on the host PC it doesn’t hurt to run a registry analyzer package just to make sure. While in the midst of doing this USB gadget research, I found the following free utility. Ntechnologies has a U3 specific reg analyzer to aid in the registry clean-up process.
USB Pedometer is USB Health Care
On the heels of the USB infra-red heating pad for relieve of aches and pains we bring you the USB pedometer. Pivoting off the “age of information” the USB pedometer enables you to further analyze calories burned, distance and a hand full of other snibbits of info.
USB Thermometer Tests Ambient Air
Granted the USB thermometer won’t be standard gadget gear for the average geek, but for the ubergeek, the USBFever TEMPer thermometer is a must have.