Blackberry Storm Update

I'm very late with this post and I meant to provide a full review after purchase. I found so many places had already done this so I decided to skip the initial review. I have had the Blackberry for a few months now and can really give a full opinion on it.

Overall, I've been satisfied simply because I like gadgets and my last phone was a VX8300 which was actually the first phone I ever had. It's not much to compare to so my satisfaction may simply be due to my lack of a previous smart phone. On the other hand, I have had quite a few issues with the phone, in particular, the sure press technology. The breakdown pictured to the right explains how the press is registered within the device. RIM seemed to assume that a button at the center would be adequate for the device; however, this is far from the truth. I have had my device replaced four times, three times were a direct result of poor engineering.

Hardware Hacks Is Seeking Writers

Pull out your quills 'er keyboards all you writers. Hardware Hacks is seeking writers/bloggers to post new content on a regular basis to the site. We are offering compensation to writers with experience writing technically oriented content. Compensation is also available after a short period for writers who produce quality content. You will be paid based on number of posts submitted to the site.

If you're interested, use our contact form under category general inquiries. Be sure to include your name, any current blogs you are part of, and a phone number (optional).

Blackberry Storm

I've been following news regarding the Blackberry Storm since I was first intrigued by the idea of a touch screen blackberry. Moreover, I was interested in a quality touch screen phone on Verizon. Tomorrow I will be waiting in line in freezing weather and possibly snow to ensure I get the new storm. I will provide a complete review after I receive the phone and will most likely be mobile blogging.

MySQL Upgrade Error 2002 (HY000) With WHM

We recently updated the MySQL database server we use on this site from MySQL 4.1 to 5.0. The server uses Cpanel or WHM to manage the various websites hosted on the server. The server was having several issues with the existing installation of MySQL and since we needed to reinstall MySQL already; an upgrade was also performed. During the upgrade only one issue occurred resulting in the error "ERROR 2002 (HY000): Can’t connect to local MySQL server through socket ‘/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock’ (2)". The solution to this came out of quite a bit of trial and error, however the simple solution involved removing the file or changing the my.cnf file name and reinstalling MySQL.

For simplicity, run the following commands and the error should go away:
Move the old my.cnf file to another filename: mv /etc/my.cnf /etc/my.cnf.OLD
Force MySQL to update: /scripts/mysqlup --force

Windows Installer CleanUp Utility

I've recently ran into an issue with a new computer after removing numerous pieces of junkware. After removing the sonic activation module via add/remove programs, a rather annoying occurrence began upon machine start-up. After a while searching, the fix was relatively easy.

Download and install the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility. Navigate the start menu selecting and start the cleanup utility. Upon program load find "sonic activation module" within the installed products list. Select the line and click remove. Restart your computer and you should no longer see the sonic activation module windows installer prompt.

One thing to note is the windows installer notice may be able to be removed via another method if it is available to you.

Dimdim: Great Idea - Bad Implementation

For those using software for business purposes especially those who telecommute, many have used either webex or GoToMeeting, both of which provide a meeting environment to view a presenters screen as well as a chat function. Dimdim is a competitor to both of the above industry giants mentioned previously.

I'll approach the user experience from a participant standpoint first. Setup for the software is simple, by clicking a few links and entering a meeting room, a participant is entered into a flash based meeting room. Users are prompted whether they would like to allow the flash app to access their microphone and webcam. Participants are then able to use a wide array of features, most useful is the feature to view the presenters desktop.

Beginning Linux Command Line Commands

The idea of delving into the command line of Linux can sometimes be a daunting proposition for a new user. Below are a few select commands that should help in getting your feet wet.

Change your account's password:

passwd

Display the security groups for which you are a member:

groups

Determine present working directory:

pwd

Display the cumulative size of files under present working directory:

du -sh

Display a list of files in the present working directory:

ls

Display information about free system memory (in megabytes):

free -m

Display information about free disk space:

df -h

Display the length of time that the machine has been booted:

uptime

Display a list of currently logged in users:

w

Clear the terminal:

clear

Removing Content Advisor Password

Recently while attending college I noticed someone had enabled the content advisor for Internet Explorer on a computer. After trying a few methods I was able to remove the content advisor password and disable the filter.

Grand Site Opening

Better late than never, We've now opened our user registration and will begin regular daily posting tomorrow (September 5). Hardware Hacks will provide daily updates of current technical news and events as well as in-depth software analysis and step-by-step guides.

Our writing team consists of the following three individuals:

Our writers will be responding to comments left on their posts. We will soon finalize the forum categories to extend the user experience and allow writers and users to respond to communicate openly. Look for them in the next couple days. In addition, there are a few areas of the site that still need work, if you see an issue and it is not fixed in the next couple days, please let us know by leaving a comment.

Site Opens September 1st

Hardware Hacks will begin regular posting on Monday, September 1st. We will also open user registration and other user functionality at the same time.

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