How many would raise their hand if asked, “Do you use only two or three on-line passwords?“ I bet the number would be huge. Unfortunately, having just a small handful of passwords isn’t the best way for on-line business and buying. Today I bring you the Mandylion Password Manager which is a military grade device which can create, store and access 50 different log-in sequences.
The password manager comes with a Policy Master Configuration Software (Windows only) which connects via USB where by you can set and configure sequence options and group policy requirements.
The Mandylion Password Manager displays 14 characters and works with any setting such as length, alpha-numeric and special characters. You can also set the password manager to regenerate passwords at preset time intervals (90 days, 1 year etc).  So with this device you can easily upgrade your weak password habits to that of uber-security-geek.
The device uses a 5 button keypad for navigation and data entry and a unique key pattern is the only way to unlock the device and get to your coveted 50 passwords.
This little unit has been designed to meet U.S. Military standards for secure creation of passwords (use authorized under Army Regulation 25-2 IA.) This device helps create a strong security policy for your work environment – so naturally you can brag to the boss about how security conscience you are.
The guys at Instructables have come up with yet another great tutorial to add some USB gadgetry to your closet. This time we take a look at building a USB telescope from an old analog zoom lens, webcam and PVC piping for housing. Reading through the instructions, the USB tutorial is a seven step process. You will need some prep work done at the hardware store and have your zoom lens and webcam available (both items can be found on eBay for under $15 each). Here is a video summary:
For the full USB Telescope tutorial make the jump.
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The first couple of times I connected a USB drive to my computer it was nice to see the pop-up window asking me what I wanted to do with the drive. However, the pop-up window gets old. Here is how to disable the autoplay pop-up window for USB drives:
Go to your Windows Start button and navigate to RUN… type in:
gpedit.msc then click OK
A Windows Group Policy window pops up. This is where you configure the pop-up window setting.
Click the Administrative Templates folder, then click the System folder.
On the right side of the window you will see (may have to scroll down) the “Turn Off Autoplay” item. Double click that item.
Another window pops up and this is where you enable the turn-off autoplay pop-up window dialogue box. Simply click the radial button for “Enable” now select “All drives” or “CD-ROM drives”  Click OK or Apply and you’re set.
Please note, this setting will also affect your CD-ROM autoplay function as well. I’d like to see the ability to select only USB devices, but that’s just not the case.
To reverse the setting, follow the above instructions and set the radial button to either “Not Configured” or “Enabled”
If using Windows Vista – the process is just a little easier. Go to your Start button, or Windows Logo and navigate to “Dafault Programs” here a pop-up window opens and click the link for “Change AutoPlay Settings” which then takes you to the following window to configure your autoplay settings for all your devices.
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Not that a Mr Burns USB webcam should make anyone’s short list for Valentine’s Day, I did find this on Amazon while shopping for my better half. For a whopping $44 you can enjoy this mediocre 640 x 480 plastic webcam which coincidentally shows off your love for prime-time cartoon shows. Not to pass judgment on those types.
For those of you who caught interest because of the geeky phrase “USB webcam” you might want to try this for a more rewarding purchase.
Probably not the most interesting video post, but I got more of a kick from the [lack of] showmanship than anything else. What really grabs your attention is the long drag before the performance begins.
Can’t view? Click here.
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Vista Readyboost® has seen plenty of press over the last 18 months and although some feel it’s not all that beneficial for those who are drinking the cool aid, you can now get Readyboost for your Windows XP machine.
eBoostr works just like Vista Readyboost® where you can use additional memory, such as flash memory, to increase a computers performance. With the newly developed eBoostr™, the booting of your OS and applications is much faster thanks to the smart caching mechanism.
For those who use a laptop as their primary computer, the eBoostr software could really increase performance since laptop hard drives are much slower than mini-tower PCs (to increase battery life) and thus take longer to launch applications and boot up the system.
With eBoostr you have all the benefits of Vista Readyboost with the ability to use both USB and non-USB flash memory. The eBoostr software allows you to assign up to 4 individual devices to enhance performance and each device can cache up to 4GBs worth of application data – or 16GBs total.
You can try eBoostr for free with no expiration, but the software only works for 4 hours after boot-up. To purchase the full version would be $29.
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Suggested retail price is $199, street price is $175ish and this reconditioned 2GB Sansa is only $25. Reconditioned? Not a big deal, especially with a reputable company like Sandisk. 90 day warranty and all the goodies which come with a normal retail pack – it might just be that perfect Valentine’s gift for yourself.
Here is the corporate line:
The new Sansa C250 2GB MP3 Player is the latest in SanDisk audio line. Created by the leaders in flash memory, this flash-based player provides everything you need to play music, enjoy photos, and FM radio in vibrant color! This affordable, compact color-screen MP3 player has an amazingly easy-to-use interface. It supports Microsoft PlaysForSure subscription music and is available in 2GB capacity.
Readyboost is a Windows Vista feature which uses flash memory to enhance computer performance. The reports have varied about it’s success, but one thing is for sure – you need a Readyboost drive to use the feature – well, until now.
Here is a USB hack or work-around for turning any regular USB stick into a Readyboost drive. First, lets look to see what Windows would like in a Readyboost drive:
The USB Key must be at least USB 2.0.
The device must be able to do 3.5 MB/s for 4 KB random reads uniformly across the entire device and 2.5 MB/s for 512 KB random writes uniformly across the device.
The USB Key has to have at least 64mb of free space.
If your USB key is at least USB 2.0, but is rated slower for the random reads and writes required to use ReadyBoost, more than likely you have seen this message:
If so, plug in the USB Key, and cancel Autoplay if it pops up.
Click on Start button, and select “Computer.” After Windows Explorer opens, in the right window pane find the USB Key you want to use.
Right click and select Properties, then select
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For many IT managers USB port connectivity can still pose a large threat to company security. One quick down-and-dirty method is disabling the read and write from any system USB port. This can be done through a quick registry edit.
Here is the full Microsoft article explaining how to disable a USB port (link). Note:Â This is a registry edit so be sure to backup your registry first and know how to restore it in case something terrible happens.
To disable the access to USB port, in windows XP and 2000:
1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate, and then click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UsbStor
4. In the right pane, double-click Start.
5. In the Value data box, type 4, click Hexadecimal (if it is not already selected), and then click OK.
6. Quit Registry Editor.
To re-enable a disabled port:
1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate, and then click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UsbStor
4. In the right pane, double-click Start.
5. In the Value data box, type 3, click Hexadecimal (if it is not already selected), and then click OK.
6. Quit Registry Editor.
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The U.S. podcasting audience reached 18.5 million in 2007, according to eMarketer and was projected to top 65 million by 2012 with 25 million listeners downloading one or more podcasts a week.
Ad spending on podcasts in the U.S. is also expected to creep up, from $165 million in 2007 to $435 million in 2012.
Major podcasting networks like Revision3 are growing with the medium’s success by revamping their websites and adding new programming.
If you’re not already a podcast consumer, then check out the podcast section in iTunes. There’s a lot of great stuff from tech shows to yoga workouts. And they are all free. I usually watch 5-10 podcasts a day on either my iPod Touch or Apple TV. Makes the bus ride to work much more enjoyable.
Here are a few favorites:
Diggnation – weekly rundown of the front page stories on Digg.com
Tiki Bar TV – drinking games
Unboxing Live – take a new gadget, and open it up while the camera is rolling
Midwest Teen Sex Show – explores topics concerning teen sexuality from gym class to syphilis
The Totally Rad Show – movie, comic books and game reviews
Make Podcast – how to tweak, hack, and bend technology any way you want
Play Value – the history of video games.
NBC Nightly News – the full TV broadcast sans commercials
The guys over at Methodshop always come up with helpful tips on how to run your Apple gear. So if you’ve got an iPhone or iPod this tutorial is worth a read – even if you haven’t experienced a frozen iPhone – it’s nice to know what you should do when it inevitably happens.
Occasionally an iPod or iPhone may freeze or fail to respond to your commands. This can happen for a number of reasons and does not necessarily indicate a serious problem. Sometimes they just need a restart much like the way your computer needs a reset once in a while.
Tutorial:How to reset a Frozen iPod or iPhone
Restarting an iPod/iPhone is a simple procedure that will not erase any of your music, data files, or customized preferences.
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Will 2008 be the year of ridiculous iPhone accessories? It just might…and to kick things off we have the iPhone Telescope lens. The clunky looking lens zooms an additional 6X from the standard iPhone along with a “super” wide angel lens.
The iPhone Telescope clicks into a crystal case which then snaps onto the iPhone itself. The idea would be keeping the clear case attached to the phone and whenever you’re ready to take some pics, you whip out the lens and attached it. I personally, would pack a decent point-n-shoot camera if I’m lugging around a zoom lens anyway – but hey, that’s just me.
After dropping a couple hundred on your iPhone, if you are slightly curious than another $18.99 is a no-brainer to see what the iPhone Telescope lens can do.
iPhone Telescope product page from USB Fever.
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For many IT managers USB port connectivity can still pose a large threat to company security. One quick down-and-dirty method is disabling the read and write from any system USB port. This can be done through a quick registry edit.
Here is the full Microsoft article explaining how to disable a USB port (
The U.S. podcasting audience reached 18.5 million in 2007, according to 
The guys over at Methodshop always come up with helpful tips on how to run your Apple gear. So if you’ve got an iPhone or iPod this tutorial is worth a read – even if you haven’t experienced a frozen iPhone – it’s nice to know what you should do when it inevitably happens.
Occasionally an iPod or iPhone may freeze or fail to respond to your commands. This can happen for a number of reasons and does not necessarily indicate a serious problem. Sometimes they just need a restart much like the way your computer needs a reset once in a while.
Tutorial: 
