Although I’m not a programmer, the need has occasionally arisen for me to write some code. These essential tools from my technical toolbox are included here.
Understanding the accumulation of data
Latest Content
Hands-On Review: Automatic, a Nanny For Your Car
Automatic is a cool idea: Monitor your car and your driving using a Bluetooth dongle plugged into the diagnostic port found on every recent car. But the service itself is frustratingly limited, a dunce driving nanny rather than a useful tool.
What To Do When Your Iomega USB 3.0 SSD Fails
Back in 2011, Iomega sent me a fantastic surprise: A blistering fast 256 GB USB 3.0 SSD. My review was extremely positive, since it really was state of the art at the time. However, like most buyers, my experience has since turned sour as the USB connector failed. Here’s how to recover some usability from it.
Turn Your Smartphone Into A Serious Camera (For Real!)
The new Sony “Lens-Style Camera” is a bold move, bringing high-end optics and sensors to smartphones everywhere. The new QX10 and QX100 strip away the camera body, consisting of just a lens, sensor, and rudimentary controls, and rely on an Android or iOS smartphone as a screen and sharing device.
Microsoft’s Big Chance to Change
It takes a truly-remarkable leader to be willing to kill his old golden geese to make room for a new one; so far, only Apple and Amazon seem willing to forgo continuity in the name of profitable destruction. But new corporate leadership at Microsoft might un-stick the company and awaken the once-innovative Redmond powerhouse. The retirement of Steve Ballmer is welcome news.
Cable Matters USB 3.0 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter: Hands-On Review
Should you buy a Cable Matters USB 3.0 Gigabit Ethernet adapter for your Mac or PC? On the hardware and software side, it seems fine. Once the drivers are installed, it functions adequately. But I am deeply concerned that a vendor that would cut corners on the MAC address and OUI would cut corners other places, leaving me skeptical about the company and its products. Therefore, I cannot recommend this device.
Flash Memory in the DRAM Slots? Diablo Technologies is Working On It…
I’ve written recently about the difference between solid-state drives (SSDs), PCIe SSDs, and solid-state memory over PCIe. But a new technology was presented to me this month that’s even more radical: What if NAND flash was placed on a DIMM for direct access by the CPU? This is what Diablo Technologies just announced as “Memory Channel Storage”.
Thinking About Storage In a New Way, From Cloud to Flash, with Dropbox and Fusion-io
I’ve been a storage revolutionary for quite a while, looking for new ways of data storage rather than technologies that perpetuate the same old approaches. That’s why I’m excited about the implications of two very different API access methods announced by Dropbox at DBX and by Fusion-io today at OSCON.
Apple Brings PCIe SSD To The Masses In The New MacBook Air
Apple’s brand-new MacBook Air might not look much from the outside, but a revolution lurks under the hood: This is the first mainstream computer to eschew SATA in favor of PCIe SSD! Long heralded in workstations and servers, PCIe SSD brings massive potential for storage performance.
Why Are PCIe SSDs So Fast?
The world of storage can be confusing, with obscure terms hiding massive differences in technology and performance. Such is the case for the latest PCI express SSDs: They are much faster than traditional SAS or SATA SSDs, but many aren’t sure exactly why. In this article, I will try to explain the real difference.
Canon Vixia HF M50: Hands-On Review
Although I love my Sony NEX-7, it’s not ideal for the sort of videos I’ve been recording for Foskett Services. So I recently picked up a pair of decent HD camcorders to add to my road video kit. The Canon Vixia HF M50 was ideal for my needs: A good sensor and optics in a compact and affordable package. But the extras, especially the built-in WiFi, offer little value.