Streaming TV, Movies and more with Rabbit TV?

There’s big talk about Rabbit TV, the usb stick that delivers  TV, live streaming, movies and more.   Curious about any technology that is out there, I purchased one for $9.99 at a local drug store with a one year free subscription.   Rabbit TV promises free TV, classic TV, movies, movies on demand and more.

It appears that Rabbit TV has the technology to gather full episodes of TV and consolidate them into their website.  Although many of these sites are free if you want to travel to each one and check links periodically, Rabbit TV finds them for you and puts them in a library on the web.

It requires the USB stick (handles licensing and user registration) for installation and to watch your choice of entertainment.  Compatible with Windows or MAC, Rabbit TV is an excellent way to consolidate these entertainment into one site without search for full episodes on network TV online.   Although many of these may be free,  you don’t have to search for episodes online.   This consolidation makes Rabbit TV the largest library on the web.

Installation requires you to plug the USB stick in and have an internet connection.    Once you plug the device in, a wizard guides you through the installation and web navigation process.

So is it worth it?  Sure.  Now keep an open mind.   If you travel or don’t want the hassle of finding full episodes of TV shows or free movies on the web or even if you want movies on demand then it may be for you.

It rates three stars out of five on most sites but for the convenience and price,  it’s a good gadget if you are on the go, traveling or want to get away to a private place in your own home.

After the one year is over (initial registration), there is a $10 annual subscription.

The above review and opinion is that of the author and not TTC Shelbyville.

A Geography game using Google Street View – Geogessr

Think you really know Geography?  Geoguessr is an online game that uses Google’s Street View.   With a small map in the corner of Google’s Street View, you pin where you think the Street View scene is.   You then submit your guess and the distance from the real location is measured.     It’s an excellent way to travel and view the world.

Give it a shot.  I just couldn’t bring myself to show one of the answers.  Visit GeoGuessr.

Hints

• License plates
• Signs?
• Traffic on Left or Right lane?
• Look at vehicles
• Flags?
• Mountain ranges?
• Trees?  Bushes
• Coastal?  Think of waterways, look at ships
• Winds? Look at the trees.
• Buildings (look at roofs)
• How are people dressed?

Highest score so far 9800 points….

How to Build a Bulletproof Cloud Backup System Without Spending a Dime

“There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who have lost critical data, and those who will.”

How to Build a Bulletproof Cloud Backup System Without Spending a Dime.

(Shared – CIO)

Unseen, All-Out Cyber War on the U.S. has Begun

“There’s a war going on, and it’s raging here at home — not in the streets or the fields, but on the Internet. You can think of it as a war on the digital homeland. If you work for a power company, bank, defense contractor, transportation provider, or other critical infrastructure type of operation, your organization might be in the direct line of fire. And everyone can become collateral damage”

Unseen, All-Out Cyber War on the U.S. has Begun.

(Shared from CIO)

A Search Engine that shows devices on the web

Secure your devices.  Bottom-line, there are malicious users on the web that can find your device (webcams, IP cameras, routers, SCADA and other devices).  Change the default passwords and update software/firmware when it is available.  Disable UPNP and look for vulnerabilities that may affect your device.

 

CNN’s Money on “Hacking anything connected to the internet“

 

 

Details about the Mac Malware attacks in 2012

We were interviewed about  Mac Malware with PCWorld and now the details about the attack from Naked Security.

(April 13, 2012)
“Flashback Malware Puts Apple in Security Spotlight: Experts Weigh In” - PCWorld

CIT Continues Advanced Training on Airfiber AF24s

The Computer Information Technology class continues to receive advanced training on the Ubiquiti AF24 Airfiber.  The Ubiquiti AF24 Airfiber is a hi-power, linear 2X2 MIMO radio with enhanced receiver performance and reliability.  The AF24 has a breakthrough speed of 1.4+ Gbps real data throughput.

These devices are specifically designed for outdoor Point to Point bridging between buildings and provide hi-performance network backhauls.  These dual-independent 2×2 MIMO 24GHz hi-gain reflector antenna systems, can operate in FDD and HDD  modes providing speed and spectral efficiency in the 24GHz band.

Students learn how to configure advanced wireless devices for real world information technology and hands-on experience.

  

   

Justin, Josh and Theo’s results during a configuration of the AF24s.

Students also participate in a wireless shoot-off.   This contest challenges the students to design an antenna that will make an association between a standard access point and a laptop that will connect at extreme distances.  The contest will start the second week of April.

(L-R) Jay Matlock, Jonathan Laine, Scott Hess (designer of a parabolic dish with a helical transceiver), Tyler Clift and Kenny Cooper.

  Photo by D. Babian

  

Great details about building the Airfiber below (from 03:17 forward)

   

Photos above (D. Babian)

         

 

 

Photo Credit: (Wil McKamey)

Apple Takes Tool offline After New Security Hole Surfaces

“Less than a day after Apple announced a new two-factor authentication to better protect Apple ID and iCloud accounts, the company was scrambling to fix another major security hole with its own password reset tool.”

AddThis ThreatPost

Apple Takes Tool offline After New Security Hole Surfaces.

How long will it take to crack your password?

Mickey found a great site that gives the approximate time it will take to break your password.  The site, howsecureismypassword.net gives the  approximate time and a background color that indicates how secure your password is.  There are other things to worry about.  One of the things people don’t realize is that the code in your website may reveal even the most complex passwords.  It is up to the webmaster of your site to keep you secure.

Test your ISP’s Quality

Almost everyone is familiar with testing their internet for speed.  With sites such as   Testmy.net, a true internet speed test and Speedtest.net, you can see how fast your internet is (download and upload speeds) performing.

But what about quality?   Here’s a site that will test your ping response time and jitter. Pingtest.net

Surface Pro vs. iPad vs. Android

So we played with the Surface Pro and the iPad and measured each for productivity.   What did we find?

After using an iPad for a year and having the Surface Pro for just under a week, the Pro far out shines the iPad tablet and our Android we’ve had for two years; no comparison.  Why?  Here’s what we found.

With the Surface Pro 128 Gb,  you have a stylus, USB and every application that a laptop has.   The critics say the 128 Gb is wrong because you get less than you pay for.   Part of this is used by the OS.     Have you ever purchased a laptop?  The Pro can be used with every application you ever had and with the VGA adapter, you can hook it to a full size monitor ($39.99).   The USB can be hooked to a cheap USB hub ($1.99) and guess what?  External hard drives can be used for storage (and don’t forget you have an SD slot), flash drives, external DVDs, a full size keyboard and 127 other USB accessories including printers.   The same as Windows 7.   The speed is much faster and the reliability and new features are an excellent addition to this OS compared to Windows 7.  Why aren’t critics looking at that?  Another great mystery of American consumerization.  So there you go.  You can have a full desktop by laying your tablet on your desk and plugging in two things.   When you are ready to go, just disconnect and you have a tablet or with the keyboard, a laptop.   So the $900+ price tag is a bargain.

Also navigation is NOT hard.   All you have to do is remember corners…touch any corner and you have menus.  Is that really hard?  Nope.  Are we overlooking a great OS?  I truly think so.  Thanks Kenny for bring the Pro to school.  Mine’s on order.

The Surface Pro and what Microsoft is not telling you – it can replace your laptop and desktop.

For the IT Professionals – join it to a domain and use the policies you have to further control this device on your network.

Emsisoft Free Emergency Kit vs. Java Exploit

Mickey was repairing a computer and got a first hand look at a computer with a few viruses on it.  Here’s a some screenshots he shared with me during his long tireless battle.   After endlessly working with and fighting the computer, he selected Emsisoft’s Free Emergency Kit 3.0 to remove the viruses along with several other anti-malware programs.

If you have not disabled Java or have not updated Java, you should before you experience a long removal process or re-installing your OS and software.

         

This flaw (Java 7) can be exploited on Linux and Mac operating systems also.  Yes, these users are included too.  The malicious programmers didn’t leave anyone out.

Latest Java Download