Archive for the 'Blog' Category

Creating Google Chrome Web Application Shortcuts on the Mac

Published on November 12, 2011 in Blog. 0 Comments

Screenshot of Google Chrome, showing grayed-out "create application shortcut" menu item

Why, Google?

Google Chrome, Google’s foray into the browser market, started on Windows, leaving Mac OS and Linux users wondering what happened to them. Luckily, about a year later, the first beta versions of Chrome for Mac started to appear. However, one feature that had been in the Windows version since the beginning was missing — the ability to create desktop shortcuts to open your favorite web applications in their own window. Even more strangely, the “File” menu still contaned a menu item for “Create Application Shortcut…”, but it was grayed out. One would think that this implied an eventual implementation of this feature…

Fast forward to the present day — about two years have passed, and Chrome for Mac OS has progressed from version “5.0″ (the first Mac version) to version “15″. However, that menu item remains as grayed-out as it ever was! This, of course, makes one wonder if Google has any plans to enable the feature. Luckily, even if they don’t, there is now a way to create Chrome web application shortcuts on your mac! These shortcuts act just like “real” applications, can run alongside Chrome without interference and are even compatible with Mission Control/Exposé and Spaces!

The Procedure

Grab the tool from this page – the download link is where is says “(download the updated version from here)”
Run the tool, specify the name and URL of the web app, and select a square PNG file as an icon
The application will be created in your Applications folder. Drag it to your dock, if you’d like.
…and you’re done!

Google Chrome, running alongside apps for Remember the Milk, Gmail, and Google Calendar!

Firesheep and the Advent of Usable Hacking

Published on January 19, 2011 in Blog. 0 Comments

So apparently this is old news for some, but I only recently learned about Firesheep in a web security class. If you’re unfamiliar with the program, it’s a Firefox extension that allows you to steal the accounts (on many popular websites) of other users on your network! Of course, it only works if the network and website are unencrypted — in fact, the program’s primary purpose is ostensibly to raise awareness of the dangers of unencrypted network communication.

To use it, all you need to do is install it into Firefox. You then have the option of opening the Firesheep sidebar. Once the “Start Capturing” button is clicked, anyone else on your network who is accessing Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo! Mail, or any number of other sites will appear in the sidebar. From there, just double click on that entry, and congratulations, you’re now that person!

Watch as I magically become the administrator of this blog! Oh, wait...

And yes, it’s that simple. Since it works best on unencrypted wireless networks, you could wreak havoc pretty easily if you felt like it.

So how does it work? When your computer is connected to a network, a lot of information reaches your computer that isn’t meant for you, but for other people on the network. This is especially common in wireless networks, since everyone’s data is flying everywhere. Because of this, it’s possible to simply “listen in” on the information hitting your computer that isn’t targeted at you, thereby grabbing raw data “packets” from other people.

However, what does one do with the packets? Several programs (such as WireShark) exist that allow you to graphically view the packets, but if you wanted to, say, log onto someone else’s Facebook account, you’d have to do a lot of extra work.

See, websites like Facebook are encrypted when you log on (to protect your password), but once you’re logged in, encryption is no longer enabled, and your identity is verified by a random number that Facebook hands your web browser each time you log in. In theory, no one else knows the number, so I can’t just say I’m you and defriend everyone. However, with packet sniffing, I can figure out the number, thus tricking Facebook into thinking that my computer is your computer.

The magic of Firesheep is that it automates this entire process, so I can just click and go, without poking through any lists packets and analyzing them. Perhaps I’m wrong, but this strikes me as the very first example of usable hacking — a hacking tool so easy to use that anyone who knows how to browse the internet could use it.

Why are modern watches exactly the same as they were in the 90s?

Published on October 14, 2010 in Blog. 1 Comment

This is a current top of the line "data" watch from Casio. It has room for 50 contacts, with 63 characters each. Astounding.

So, I was in the store the other day, and I noticed that all of the digital watches were nearly identical to the digital watches that were in the store when I was a kid! There’s nearly no change! Despite advances of inexpensive color screens, and small cameras, and all those other things on cellphones, watches still have segmented, black and white LCD screens, little buttons on the side, and a beeper. Seriously, it’s 2010!

But, while researching this dearth of watches which fail to incorporate many of the advances in mobile tech made during the 21st century, I discovered the truth. Such watches do, in fact exist. But you won’t find them here. Want to guess where you’ll find them? Here’s a hint: what country manufactures every electronic device in existence? That’s right! China!

Quite a few unknown brands in China apparently build and sell…wait for it…cellphone watches. And they are exactly what you think they are. GSM, touch screens, voice recorders, FM radios, cameras…the future is now! And yet, no one in the US cares because no one wears watches anymore (because they were, fittingly enough, replaced by cellphones!) (And I suppose there’s the fact that you’d look really weird talking into a watch.)

THE FUTURE IS NOW

The Ultimate in Cheap Cellphone Service

Published on July 22, 2008 in Capitalism. 0 Comments Tags: cellphone service, T-Mobile, virgin mobile.

Back in 2005, I got my first cellphone. It was an Audiovox CDM-8500 that I bought used off of some guy, and locked to Virgin Mobile. At the time, Virgin Mobile’s plans were still actually prepaid (adding $20 to your account would extend the life of an account by 3 months, working out to a minimum monthly cost of $6.67), as opposed to the monthly nonsense they have now. (Today, VM’s only so-called “prepaid” plan requires you to pay at least $20 per month.)

Growing tired of Virgin Mobile’s arbitrary restrictions, their poor coverage, and lackluster selections of phones at the time, I decided, not even a year after buying my first phone, to switch to a different provider.

Now, what if I told you that my new provider offered $8.33/month for nationwide cell phone service with no restrictions, and was compatible with any unlocked GSM phone? What if I told you it still exists?

Don’t believe me? Then have a look at T-Mobile To-Go, T-Mobile‘s prepaid service. By purchasing their refill cards in $100 increments (they’ll charge you more per minute if you choose the other denominations), you get 1000 minutes that don’t expire for a year (which works out to about an $8.33 per month minimum charge). Plus, you get free limited WAP service, with such services as pick up lines!

Well, Mozilla, I Guess I Owe You an Apology

Published on July 16, 2008 in Blog and Internet. 0 Comments Tags: firefox, Internet, mozilla.

$Look! It\'s still running!$ Today marked the release of Firefox 3.0.1. Yesterday, in response to the constant crashing I experienced with Firefox 3, I had moved to Internet Explorer and was in the process of writing a “Why I Switched Back to Internet Explorer” tirade. However, while working on the post, I stumbled across this article, indicating that the constant crashes were found chiefly on tablet PC users (I have an HP tx1120us), and that the problems had been fixed in 3.0.1. I immediately installed the latest version, and sure enough, Firefox hasn’t crashed since.

So kudos to the developers of Firefox for fixing their product!

Happy Singles Awareness Day! (or at least the day after)

Published on February 15, 2008 in Blog. 0 Comments Tags: Advertising, Internet, Picz.

Single? And aware of it? Well, this site just might be able to help:

I mean, if it’s proven…

Over 50,000!? Wow!

Published on December 2, 2007 in Blog. 0 Comments Tags: Advertising.

I Love Google Ads

Published on November 30, 2007 in Blog. 0 Comments Tags: Picz.

Sadly, the link didn’t work.

A New Age

Published on November 26, 2007 in Blog. 0 Comments

Now that I’m 21, I can finally purchase grain alcohol for disinfecting wounds.

Care Packages

Published on November 4, 2007 in Blog. 0 Comments Tags: Advertising.

So The College of New Jersey is apparently sending out advertisements to parents, insisting that they send overpriced care packages to their students! Of course, they’ve been doing this for years, but this year they’ve added a new twist: a blatant attempt to capitalize on parents’ guilt with this delightful little passage:

Two students showed up to get their Care Packages. One beamed when she received her package. The other, whose family had not reserved a package, immediately used her cell phone and called home with a plaintive “You didn’t send me a care package?” Because so many students receive Care Packages during exam time, it can hurt if a student is left out.

Do you feel hurt and left out yet?