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Parking Originally uploaded by MHertenberger.

For da boss only.

If there’s one application I can’t do without on my JAMin, it’s a decent file manager. The standard File Explorer on Windows Mobile is usable, but anything more than a copy and paste reaches the limits of that application. For a long time, I’ve relied on Resco’s Explorer. They have just released the updated Resco Explorer 2007.

To be honest, nothing much has changed. As with many updated releases of popular software titles for the Windows Mobile platform, highlights generally exist beneath the exterior. The same look and feel is still there, but with a couple of useful enhancements.

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This may be proof that Superman really exists…

According to mineral expert Chris Stanley at the Natural History Museum for analysis, a new mineral has been discovered in Serbia. “Towards the end of my research I searched the web using the mineral’s chemical formula, sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide, and was amazed to discover that same scientific name written on a case of rock containing kryptonite stolen by Lex Luthor from a museum in the film Superman Returns,” Stanley said.

The material is white, powdery and not radioactive – unlike the glowing green crystals usually depicted in the Superman comics. It will be formally named Jadarite when it is described in the European Journal of Mineralogy later this year.

Maybe Superman is somewhere behind the former iron curtain, shoveling coal…

via News24

We don’t often get a chance to watch anything other than Peter Pan or Dumbo, thanks to a special member of the family I was intrigued enough by this title to make a point of hiring and watching the DVD, said special member of the family having retired for the night…

Who killed the electric car? is a documentary about the sudden and mysterious disappearance of EV’s (electric vehicles). These cars made their appearance in the USA during the late 1990′s and were suddenly and systematically removed from society. So much so that entire fleets of these vehicles were crushed to a pulp, never to be driven again.

Initially, the documentary gives the impression that it was produced in early 1970. Thankfully, this is a recent release and does follow the development and subsequent demise of the EV to the present day. That means overall picture and sound quality does improve. Archive material is obviously not entirely up to scratch for a DVD release.

The EV1 was a General Motors development, brought about by certain regulatory requirements in California. Though the product was developed and actually leased to members of the general public, it was to be killed off systematically over a period of about ten years or so. Parties that are considered guilty are energy regulation bodies, the federal government, large motor manufacturers, oil companies and the general consumer. Interestingly enough, no one ever got to actually purchase an EV. The vehicles were available on leasing terms only, meaning that ownership never transferred to their loyal fan base.

It is rather sad to see how various intrigues behind the scenes ensured the EV1′s failure. That in turn ensured the motor manufacturer’s ability to keep on selling gas guzzlers above all else.

A fascinating documentary. You may never have heard of the EV’s story. This story should provide some food for though, especially concerning environmental issues. More information of the GM EV1 here and here.

An easy read that is at times frustrating, is how I’d rate this one. Steven Levitt is a smart guy and has a unique view on economics. That’s the premise of an article in the New York Times Magazine that got the ball rolling to wrap all manner of strange economic thinking into this book.

If you believe that a reduction in crime has to do with the amassing of a police force or stricter gun control, think again. If you believe that sumo wrestling cannot be rigged, think again. If you think a name given to a child matters later in life, you’re right. That’s the basic premise of Freakonomics. Challenging conventional thinking and linking outcomes to the most impossible root causes.

I find the book somewhat unstructured and was tempted to abort my attempts at completing it more than once. It’s not that the ideas are ridiculous, simply that focus shifts instantaneously from one topic to another. Some sections contain way too much data, not in numeric form but an endless stream of sentences. It’s tedious to wade through. My attention was back on track as I neared the end – the section on children’s names is interesting, as is the special section that is included in my copy containing some excerpts from newspaper articles and the blog.

As a quick read, it’s probably ok, and will certainly introduce new ideas. Not that recommended, though.

I had a few minutes with the soon-to-be-released Blackberry 8800. Enough to snap a photo or two…

Let me break the news this way: I wasn’t too impressed with the Pearl 8100. Thin, lightweight and capable, yet it falls far short in terms of application support and general functionality. For my purposes at least, I need access to wireless networks and the ability to load a number of varied applications. The 8800 is simply a Peal with a bigger face – nothing much has changed in terms of the overall package.

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Bite marks Originally uploaded by MHertenberger.

….on my cup – the easter bunny, or Naas Botha?

For those already in possession of certain HTC devices, or those considering an acquisition, this comes as welcome news. Depending on which device you have or are interested in, at least! HTC has indicated that Windows Mobile 6.0 ROM upgrades will be made available from June 2007 for the following devices: HTC Advantage, the HTC TyTN, the HTC S620, the HTC P4350 and HTC P3300.

ROM upgrades to a newer operating system release are always a bonus. There is nothing worse than ending up with a device that you’re used to and enjoy using on a daily basis and running into software issues on both backend and localized installations. The provision of a usually free ROM upgrade extends the lifetime of a costly device. Note that the upgrade targets those devices that have a strong messaging focus – more than likely the upgrade is due to pressure from organizations wanting to migrate to newer Microsoft Exchange and Sharepoint Portal versions, as well as the Live product set. Many organizations are investing heavily in the infrastructure to mobilize their workforce. Ending up with a brick that doesn’t support new backend functionality is a costly affair.

Keep an eye on the European HTC support site, but some news from the local HTC supplier should also be available soon.

The final release of Ubuntu 7.0.4 is available. Any attempt at downloading the ISO right now will likely result in long wait times. Obviously highly anticipated! With some really great features, this is a worthwhile upgrade!

Download link here.

Upgrade your Thunderbird mail client now – the final release 2.0 is available here. Though it sports pretty much the same interface and look, there is now tagging for messages and better spam prevention.

One of the features that sets Thunderbird and Firefox apart from other similar applications is the vast number and selection of add-ons that are available. My current obsession with keeping another offline, synchronized copy of my Google Calendar around is helped by two add-ons you may want to try: the first is the Lightning add-on which provides a calendar and schedule directly in Firefox. Then, get the Provider for Google Calendar. You’ll need to restart Thunderbird twice, once after installing Lightning and again after installing the Google Calendar Provider.

Head on over to your Google Calendar’s settings page and copy the link for your calendar’s private XML address. Go to the calendar display in Thunderbird and add a new calendar, provide the link and enter the requisite details. Within minutes, you should have bi-directional synchronization from the Thunderbird calendar to Google calendar. Why does it need to be complicated

If you don’t need Thunderbird’s mail capability, why not try Sunbird for a calendar-only application?