Hosts: Leo Laporte, Becky Worley, John C. Dvorak, and Tom Merritt,

Twitter's birthday, Sprint iPhone 4G, Palm goes down, Piracy too sexy, remote car disabling, and more.

For additional show notes, visit the wiki page for this episode. Links to stories we covered (and then some) are available from Delicious or in our Friendfeed Room.

Transcript posted 24 hours after show release by PodsInPrint.

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Running time: 1:42:36

FileZilla is a fast and reliable FTP and SFTP client. It includes a site manager and supports uploads/downloads queue, keepalive, timeout detection, remote file search, SOCKS 4/5 and HTTP 1.1 proxy etc.

You may also like to check out Filezilla Portable for a portable package of FileZilla that is optimized for USB memory sticks.

Note that starting from V2.2.23, Filezilla no longer runs on Win9x/Me because it has been converted to use Unicode internally.

TeamViewer Portable 5.0.8081 has been released. TeamViewer is a remote PC support/control and screen-sharing tool. You can remote control a partner's desktop to give online assistance, or you can show your screen to a customer without worrying about firewalls, IP addresses and NAT. This release updates TeamViewer to the latest version and adds multilingual support. It's packaged as a portable app so you can work on the go and it's in PortableApps.com Format so it can easily integrate with the PortableApps.com Suite. It's released as freeware for personal, education and non-profit use (business use requires a license).

Read on for more details...

TeamViewer Portable is made available by TeamViewer GmbH.

read more

With the World Cup just around the corner, you can expect these soccer ball remote controls to get a healthy spike in sales. Considering that tensions will be high and there will be plenty of shouting when your team fails to score, the fact that this remote control is padded might just be a good thing. It’s pre-programmed for many TV, VCR, satellite and DVD systems, and can be used from a distance up to 20 feet. $20 doesn’t seem like too much to pay to avoid your telly being smashed by a flying remote control, right?

Permalink: Soccer Ball Remote Control Is In Time For The World Cup from Ubergizmo | RSS Sponsor: Win a Fellowes Microshred Paper Shredder!

USBDeview is a small utility that lists all USB devices that currently connected to your computer, as well as all USB devices that you previously used. For each USB device, extended information is displayed: Device name/description, device type, serial number (for mass storage devices), the date/time that device was added, Vendor ID, Product ID etc. USBDeview also allows you to uninstall USB devices that you previously used, and disconnect USB devices that are currently connected to your computer. You can also use USBDeview on a remote computer, as long as you login to that computer with admin user.

For those of you that really enjoy your football games or soccer as it’s called in my part of the world, now you can even surf the channels with your favorite sport in mind.  This small ball has all of the necessary buttons to make it possible to surf through your normal channels.  It’d be great for dedicated sports fans, but even better for a kid’s room.

It’ll work just fine with all different TV brands, just like any other universal remote that you’d pick up from your local electronics shop.  It’ll also work with your DVD player and even your satellite, although I imagine it doesn’t have nearly as many buttons as your satellite remote.  It also has a range of 7.6 meters.  As of now it’s actually out of stock, once it’s back it’ll cost you right around $20 through Thumbs Up UK.

Source: CraziestGadgets
Conference Calendar – The global conference and expo finder.
[ Football TV Remote copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Wally is a Qt4 wallpaper changer using multiple sources like files, folders, FTP remote folders, Flickr, Yahoo!, Panoramio, Pikeo, Ipernity, Photobucket, Buzznet, Picasa, Smugmug, and Bing images. It is available in many languages. Supported Linux window managers are GNOME, KDE3, KDE4, XFCE4, BlackBox, FluxBox, Window Maker, and FVWM (experimental).
WHAT'S NEWVersion 2.3.2:

• Double-clicking an icon in the system tray advances to the next photo.
• Duplicated photo detection was improved.
• Catalan and Greek language translations were added.
• A disclaimer... was added to be displayed when Wally first starts.
• A JSON parser has been implemented internally (with Qt 4.6 compatibility).
• Run-time folder change detection has been removed from "Folders", since its use consumes too many resources.
• Search issues, occurring when using multiple tags/keywords, have been fixed. EXIF information is now shown correctly when non-Latin1 characters in filename paths are used. KDE 4.4 SC was not properly detected.
• Panoramio is now working with all image sizes

"Streaming recorded TV to your hotel room. Grabbing files off your home computer from work. Checking on the dog walker. Your computer can do amazing things while you're nowhere near it, and these 10 killer remote access apps help you do them."

So not everything can exist in the cloud right now, and a lot of people still have a considerable amount of their digital life tucked away on their home. Just because you are not at home, or not right in from of the computer that stores what you need, does not mean that you cannot get access to it. There are a wide variety of tools that provide services like remote access, VPN and streaming. Of particular interest should be the Wake-on-LAN option that is available for most current generation computers. In the world of saving power and arguably faster boot times, you may not need to have your computer(s) on all the time. However, with Wake-on-LAN, you can rouse them from their slumber to do tasks only when needed. You might be surprised just how much power than can save over the course of a year. Now if only LCD monitors could get there. Yes, I know they're improving, but many still use way too much power for what they need when in stand-by mode.

• StreamTransport Grabs Hulu Videos for Offline Viewing (Windows)
  It may not stick around that long once the powers that be find out, so if downloading and watching Hulu videos offline could help you out, grab StreamTransport. The tricky little app provides full-quality captures of streaming shows and movies.
• ExtensionFM Is a Very Cool Browser-Based Music Library, and We've Got Invites (Chrome)
  Chrome extension ExtensionFM automatically collects MP3s from sites you visit and adds them to a browser-based library within the extension, allowing you to find all sorts of cool, new music without cluttering up your local library until you buy them.
• NetBalancer Prioritizes Network Traffic by Application (Windows)
  Ever wish you could guarantee your BitTorrent download didn't choke your streaming YouTube video-or vice versa-but don't feel like setting up Quality of Service rules on your super-router ? NetBalancer shapes bandwidth allocations for different apps on your PC.
• Gnome Gmail Tightly Integrates Gmail into Linux Desktops (GNOME-based Linux)
  There are work-arounds to set Gmail as a default mail app in Linux, but they don't cover right-click file sending and complex mail links. Gnome Gmail does a much better job of integrating Gmail.
• Remote Potato Streams Windows 7 Media Center Video to Your Browser, Adds Remote Control (Windows 7)
  Remote Potato is a free application that integrates with Windows 7 Media Center, allowing you to watch and schedule recorded video from the comfort of your browser, no matter where you are.
• MusicBee is a Powerful, Easy-to-Use Music Manager (Windows)
  Despite the many great media players out there, MusicBee earns itself a spot high on the list with super tagging, managing, browsing, ripping, syncing, and converting powers, all on top of an intuitive interface familiar to any iTunes user.
• WeatherBar Integrates Weather Forecasts with the Windows 7 Superbar (Windows 7)
  Like to keep the eye on the weather but never been too keen on sidebar gadgets or system tray apps? WeatherBar is a simple app that puts the weather in your Windows 7 taskbar, offering quick access to the forecast.
• TestDrive Virtualizes Brand-New Ubuntu Builds for Easy Testing (Ubuntu)
  Want to try out the latest build of the next Ubuntu release with almost no hassle at all? TestDrive is a one-shot tool that downloads, virtualizes, and keeps daily Ubuntu builds up to date.
• Etacts Adds Contact Info, Social Networking, and Handy Statistics to Your Gmail Sidebar (Chrome/Firefox)
  If you ever thought previously mentioned Xobni looked cool, but you prefer Gmail to Outlook, free Gmail plug-in Etacts adds many of the same features. You get social information, conversation history, and advanced sending preferences right in your Gmail sidebars.
• LastHistory Graphically Visualizes your Last.fm History Through Time (Mac)
  Just when you thought you couldn't possibly need more statistics on your music listening habits, free Mac app LastHistory comes along and graphically analyzes your Last.fm logs, over time, while also integrating with other Mac apps like iPhoto and iCal.

• StreamTransport Grabs Hulu Videos for Offline Viewing (Windows)
  It may not stick around that long once the powers that be find out, so if downloading and watching Hulu videos offline could help you out, grab StreamTransport. The tricky little app provides full-quality captures of streaming shows and movies.
• ExtensionFM Is a Very Cool Browser-Based Music Library, and We've Got Invites (Chrome)
  Chrome extension ExtensionFM automatically collects MP3s from sites you visit and adds them to a browser-based library within the extension, allowing you to find all sorts of cool, new music without cluttering up your local library until you buy them.
• NetBalancer Prioritizes Network Traffic by Application (Windows)
  Ever wish you could guarantee your BitTorrent download didn't choke your streaming YouTube video-or vice versa-but don't feel like setting up Quality of Service rules on your super-router ? NetBalancer shapes bandwidth allocations for different apps on your PC.
• Gnome Gmail Tightly Integrates Gmail into Linux Desktops (GNOME-based Linux)
  There are work-arounds to set Gmail as a default mail app in Linux, but they don't cover right-click file sending and complex mail links. Gnome Gmail does a much better job of integrating Gmail.
• Remote Potato Streams Windows 7 Media Center Video to Your Browser, Adds Remote Control (Windows 7)
  Remote Potato is a free application that integrates with Windows 7 Media Center, allowing you to watch and schedule recorded video from the comfort of your browser, no matter where you are.
• MusicBee is a Powerful, Easy-to-Use Music Manager (Windows)
  Despite the many great media players out there, MusicBee earns itself a spot high on the list with super tagging, managing, browsing, ripping, syncing, and converting powers, all on top of an intuitive interface familiar to any iTunes user.
• WeatherBar Integrates Weather Forecasts with the Windows 7 Superbar (Windows 7)
  Like to keep the eye on the weather but never been too keen on sidebar gadgets or system tray apps? WeatherBar is a simple app that puts the weather in your Windows 7 taskbar, offering quick access to the forecast.
• TestDrive Virtualizes Brand-New Ubuntu Builds for Easy Testing (Ubuntu)
  Want to try out the latest build of the next Ubuntu release with almost no hassle at all? TestDrive is a one-shot tool that downloads, virtualizes, and keeps daily Ubuntu builds up to date.
• Etacts Adds Contact Info, Social Networking, and Handy Statistics to Your Gmail Sidebar (Chrome/Firefox)
  If you ever thought previously mentioned Xobni looked cool, but you prefer Gmail to Outlook, free Gmail plug-in Etacts adds many of the same features. You get social information, conversation history, and advanced sending preferences right in your Gmail sidebars.
• LastHistory Graphically Visualizes your Last.fm History Through Time (Mac)
  Just when you thought you couldn't possibly need more statistics on your music listening habits, free Mac app LastHistory comes along and graphically analyzes your Last.fm logs, over time, while also integrating with other Mac apps like iPhoto and iCal.

TeamViewer connects to any PC or server around the world within a few seconds. You can remote control your partner's PC as if you were sitting right in front of it.

Snow removal ranks right up there with laundry as one of the least-enjoyed chores. [Herb Spencer] sought to automate the process while terrifying his neighbors as the same time by building a robotic snow blower, the RoBo Blower. The heavy lifting is still handled by a gas motor which propels the snow auger. Two batteries power the electrical system that takes commands from a remote control, moving the show chute and managing the navigation.  He’s done what he can in the way of safety, adding a grate at the front, flashing light atop, an operator-controlled horn, and kill circuitry (to shut it down, not to kill the unsuspecting). All of this is wrapped up in a nice package, especially when compared to the snow blower push platform from last month.

Maybe next year he’ll work on making it autonomous? Take a look at the RoBo Blower clearing a driveway after the break.

[Thanks Juan via Hacked Gadgets]

If you’re a gadget-lover fed up of filling your home with ice white this and brushed aluminum that, then check out this selection of totally stylin’ items offering a design blast from the past.

Retro, vintage, old school or just classic, whatever your interpretation, we’ve dug out ten gadgets that boast classic good looks as well as bang-up-to-date functionality.

Olympus’ Pen E-P1 is chock full of digital goodness in a design that harks back to the SLR glory days and the original Pen’s release back in 1959, which made a big impact on the camera market with its small dimensions. With a 12-megapixel sensor and capable of capturing movies at 720p, the modern micro four thirds snapper offers digital SLR-standard pics in a more compact format with those vintage looks that are good enough to lick.

Cost: $799.99

Science and Sons’ Phonofone II is a wickedly old-fashioned iPod speaker, or in the words of its creator “audio console.” Using no power, the gramophone-styled device utilizes passive amplification and cunning acoustics to boost the audio output of standard earphones to around 55 decibels. With an entirely ceramic construction, it’s as much sculpture as it is speaker.

Cost:: Currently 240 euros – around $330

So far only released in Korea, LG thrilled fans of retro style when it revealed a classic CRT television, complete with bunny ears aerial and channel-changing knobs. The 14-inch set stands on chrome legs and if you’re doing the back-in-time trip all the way, can display in black and white or sepia. Despite its vintage appearance it offers a digital tuner and does come with a remote control for when you get bored of fiddling with the knobs.

Cost: Sadly N/A

A professional USB mic, the Snowball from Blue Microphones claims to offer plug’n'play ease of use with both Macs and PCs but the power to capture anything from the softest vocals to the loudest garage band. Angled as ideal for podcasting, the vintage appearance of this modern peripheral may serve to remind users of the rich heritage of broadcasting and inspire them to podcast about more than the hilarious antics of their cat. That, and it will look wicked-cool on your desk.

Cost: $99.95

Available in black, white, red and an outrageously retro avocado green, say goodbye to fiddly modern earbuds with these totally cool cans from Panasonic. The Panasonic Old School Monitor Stereo Headphones, to give them their full title, offer leather-cushioned listening comfort you can only dream of if you’re used to in-ear audio efforts and look so darn cool you’ll be tempted to wear them out — even when you’re not listening to music.

Cost:: $59.99

Sure, headsets are all well and good but there’s no romance in looking like a call center phone operator. The P*PHONE from Hulger will give you the satisfying feel of a proper chunky handset in your hot little paw and turn a VoIP call into a conversation. Available in white, black, red and green, the P*PHONE is offered on its own for $50 and with a cool desktop base for $99. As well as working with certain mobiles (and certain others with adaptors) the P*PHONE offers easy USB hook-up to a PC.

Cost:: From $50

Back in the olden days folks would create real-life music “tapes” with playlists recorded on to them to either share with a friend or loved one or enjoy themselves (“Best Driving Songs Ever”, “My Breaking Up With Dave Tape”, etc). Help make sure the art of the mixtape is not lost with this USB effort that takes on the form of an old analog blank audio cassette tape (complete with sleeve that you can scrawl the track list on) but with a brand spanking new USB flash drive nestled in the middle.

Cost:: $15.99

Mathletes with a penchant for the past will enjoy this retro calculator’s baby blue looks and oversize dimensions. Whether you’re totting up the cost of your new flared jeans, or calculating how much cheese you’ll need to melt to make the perfect fondue, your numerical queries will be solved in Seventies style.

Cost:: Approx $23

You’d be forgiven for mistaking this for a vintage deck, but in fact it offers more modern tech than many music systems. Sure, there’s the option to take your vinyl for a spin, but there’s also playback from SD memory cards and USB storage devices as well as from iPods and other MP3 players. In addition to normal playback this turntable can record your records to your computer, which means you won’t have to re-purchase all your vinyl to get it digitized, and it has an FM radio.

Cost:: $150

While the wider world gets hyped up about Sony’s Move and Microsoft’s Project Natal, sit back, relax and enjoy some 8-bit gaming with the Retro NES USB Controller from ThinkGeek, described as perfect for creating old school gaming nostalgia on your laptop. With a USB connection, it’s perfect for MAME and other emulators and is sooo much cooler than trying to save the princess using your keyboard.

Cost:: $29.99

Tags: gadgets, hulger, LG, Panasonic, retro

From HuffPo:

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See Also:

• 25 Things You Can Remote Control With Your iPhone
• The 50 Worst Gadgets Of The Decade
• Here's The Full Setup Of That Crazy Day Trader

Watch this battle unfold. The virtualization wars are just getting started.

On one side we have Microsoft, which announced changes in its licensing structures this week. The change reflects an understanding that the customer wants full access to its virtualization platform and not be charged a tax for that right to access it on a PC, no matter if it is at work or in their home.

And in true fashion, Microsoft is on the attack, Citrix at its side, in a full on fight with VMware for the virtualization market.

Sponsor

On the VMware side, we see a company ready to move into Microsoft's customer base by offering more than virtualization as witnessed with its recent acquisition of Zimbra. VMWare is gearing up to tap into the Microsoft Exchange market by combining its virtualization technology with the Zimbra email platform.

Historically, Microsoft has charged for separate licenses to access Windows operating systems in a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environment. Until now, there would be separate licensing fees for people to access their virtual desktops from secondary devices like home personal computers.

The licensing issue in all of this gets complicated pretty fast. According to Simon Bramfitt:

VMWare, in smart retort, praises Microsoft for the move and bowing to "intense customer pressure."

Raj Mallempati, director, product marketing, calls it an opening for VMWare View. You know it's competitive when you see this kind of rhetoric:

By loosening up the restrictive desktop virtualization license policy (VECD), Microsoft has finally bowed to intensive customer pressure. This validates the acceleration in demand in the desktop virtualization industry that VMware helped start and continues to lead. Microsoft's move here is extremely positive for the industry.

But what is Citrix part in all of this?

At the beginning of the year, VMWare offered the opportunity to exchange Citrix XenApp licenses for VMWare View. In response, Microsoft and Citrix announced a partnership this week aimed right at VMWare with some pretty attractive licensing deals.

The promotion intends to undercut VMWare by reaching into its customer base with offers to trade in as many as 500 licenses in exchange for a Microsoft integration offered with Citrix.

To kick it off, the two companies plan a 100-city tour.

But what this really represents is Microsoft providing some flexibility in its virtualization licensing agreements. That move alone will help open up the market.

And VMWare? The company has 80 percent of the virtualization market. Any move on its customer base should be expected. VMware's vision for Zimbra is another matter. That's a battle it is taking right back to Microsoft - square on its home turf.