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Tuesday, March 12, 2013 - How I made a "Chromebook" out of my old laptop, and got it all to work!
 
So, while this is not a complete "how-to" on how this will work or not for you, it's what I did.  There are instructions below for adding Java, Flash, Google Talk, and mp3 and mp4 support.  So, I have a Chromium OS notebook with Flash, Java, and more all working.

For my project, I was using an old Compaq Presario C700 laptop that I'd abandoned, because it was so old, slow, and annoying.

First, find a version of Chromium OS that you want to use.  A couple of different versions are around that are popular, including Hexxah's and one from Dell that someone over there has written for Dell Mini 9 and 10 netbooks.

Hexxeh's Vanilla: http://chromeos.hexxeh.net/
Dell's: http://linux.dell.com/files/cto/

I started by trying to use Hexxeh's latest nightly build, but found that the touchpad on my old machine wouldn't work.  I'd also, at the same time, download the Feb 20, 2013 build from Dell, along with the instructions text files, and noticed something about support for old touchpads, so I tried it second.

Follow the instructions for your original operating system listed on Hexxeh's site, or follow along on your Windows pc below:

Download the version you want (or both, like I did.)

Uncompress the version you download (I did this with 7zip on a Windows laptop).

Download Image Writer for Windows, from here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/files/latest/download

Put a blank 4GB or larger USB stick into your machine, and use the Image Writer to select the IMG file you've decompressed, and write it to your USB stick.

Plug USB stick into target laptop, and cause the laptop to boot from the USB stick, not the internal drive.  On my C700, I hit F10 to get into BIOS and modified the boot order, so it would boot from USB stick first.

Boot up to Chromium OS, login, and try it!

Now, are you ready to take the plunge, and get the OS onto your internal drive?  The instructions included with the Dell download were again helpful:

7). From the running ChromiumOS desktop, type "ctrl-alt-t" get to a terminal window
From here, I had to login.  I did this, using this Dell image, by using the login "chronos" with the password "dell1234", found earlier in the Dell instructions document.  If you're using the Hexxeh builds, I believe his use "chronos" and "facepunch".
8). From the terminal window type:
        crosh> shell
% sudo /etc/install_wl.sh
% password: dell1234
% exit
9). Back at the ChromiumOS desktop, press the power button to shutdown the Mini 
10). Press the power button to start to the Mini 10v
11). Log in to the ChromiumOS desktop
12). If you want to transfer the USB image to your harddrive (THIS WILL WIPE YOUR HARDDRIVE!!!!) you can do the following:
     0). ENSURE YOU ARE OK WIPING YOUR HARDDRIVE - Please make and verify any backups of your harddrive PRIOR to continuing forward.
     0'). THE FOLLOWING STEPS WILL DESTROY ALL DATA ON YOUR HARDDRIVE - DO NOT PROCEED UNLESS YOU ARE OK WITH THAT.
     a). Boot to your ChromiumOS USB key
     b). Log in using the "dell" account (in step 6) above)
     c). Type to get a terminal window
     d). At the command prompt type: install
     e). At the command prompt type: exit
     f). Back at the graphical desktop, press the power button to initiate a shutdown
     g). Remove the USB key
     h). Boot the box - it should boot up via the HDD now into ChromiumOS
This stuff all seemed to work for me.  After the d) line command, I had to wait a few minutes for the installation to take place.  I expected this, but it wasn't clear in the instructions, so I'm mentioning it.

So, with any luck, you now have a bootable old laptop from Chromium OS, and some major missing features, such as Flash, Java, Google Talk, and more.  For me, this made the laptop almost useless, other than to tinker around and look at things.  In fact, this ruined my day tremendously.

I searched, and googled around for every possible way to get Flash into the OS, but was finding VERY little information.  Until I found a couple things, combined the info, and then worked it into a solution.

Enter this information from http://pastebin.com/bjkatFjV :

Basically, to login to the Chrome shell as a root user, do this:

Enter the shell by Ctrl-Alt-F2 (Get out of shell by using Ctrl-Alt-F1)

Enter your login:
User: chronos
Password: dell1234

User chronos has sudo powers.  So, we can switch to root use the password of cc

$ sudo su


  1.  2. Once landed in the root shell, the we can set the root password. But by default, the root file-system is mounted without write permission. So the root partition has be to be remounted with rw permission using the following command:
  2. # mount -o remount,rw /
  3. 3. Reset the root password using the following command:
  4. # passwd
  5. 4. Add the cronos to the wheel group, so that su - root (switching to root) is possible from the cronos user.
  6. # vim /etc/group
  7. append "cronos" or any other "username" to the 'wheel' group.


Here's another spot where this information may be easy for regular linux users, but not so much for me.  So I had to figure it out.

I believe in line 9, it means "add the chronos user to the wheel group".  When you type "vim /etc/group", you'll end up with a page with a bunch of lines.  About 10 lines down or so is a line starting "wheel::"  I used my arrow keys to go to that line, scroll to the end and type a couple keys, until it lets you edit.  I added ",chronos" to the end of that line (no quotes).

Then, press "Esc" once, then type in ":x" and hit enter.

It should show that the file is written, and dump you back to the # prompt.  If you've made a mistake or typed too many characters, or don't know what you did, you can hit "Esc" and then ":q!" instead of ":x" and it'll dump you out of the file, without saving changes.  Then you can hit the up arrow once from the command prompt, and try again.

Now might be a good time to also change that "chronos" user password.  From the # prompt, type "exit" to get back to the $ prompt.  Then type "passwd" to change the chronos password to whatever you'd like.  Follow the prompts for the old and then the new password you want.

But, none of this has gotten us to the place we need to be for installing that Flash, Java, and other stuff, right?


If not already at the # prompt, get back in from the $ prompt by typing "sudo su" and your new password. (See why we went through the unrelated-seeming password stuff first?)  Now, you can run this command:
curl -L http://goo.gl/qPrfd | bash
Now, magic happens.  You should see Flash, and Java and who knows what being downloaded from their respective sites, and installing onto your machine.

Voila!  A perfectly (we hope) working "Chromebook", without spending a penny!

-----

The only other thing I wanted to do on my "Chromebook" was to disable the sleep.  I'd be watching something on Flash, or "making a presentation" and then the thing would fall asleep.  I found this fix at http://greenido.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/how-to-prevent-your-chromebook-from-going-to-sleep/:

There doesn't seem to be a way (that I was able to find) to use the "Caffeine" solution listed in the "Easy Way", and on my fake "Chromebook", I couldn't make the top way work like written, either.

However, I was able to do this:

Get to the shell with Ctrl-Alt-F2.

Type in your user (chronos) and password.

At the $ prompt: sudo stop powerd

Ctrl-Alt-F1 to get back to your screen!

I hope it all works for you!






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Monday, May 09, 2011 - Mac Antivirus products
 
The Mac media is all atwitter with talk of viruses coming to the Mac.  Although one pundit took a few moments to point out that they've been talking of Apple malware for at least 6 years. http://daringfireball.net/2011/05/wolf  

In any case, I thought I'd go over a couple of free choices for Mac Antivirus, for those users who you know will get something.  I've also put a couple well-known paid versions at the bottom.

PC Tools iAntiVirus - http://www.iantivirus.com/
    This tool is perhaps well-known in some circles, but even the Web site notes a 2008 copyright date, and many believe the program hasn't been updated since then, either.  I've installed on my machine for a couple years, and it's never really done anything.  NOT recommended.

ClamXav - http://www.clamxav.com/
    ClamAV has long been a staple of opensource PC antivirus, and there's been a Mac version for some time that uses the same engine as the PC versions.  I've had this on my home machine for a couple of years, and while I've never gotten any viruses, I also don't know if I would've gotten them without it.  I have used the software repeatedly to scan files that I've downloaded for questionable sources, and no other Mac or PC antivirus has ever argued with what ClamXav had to say!  I do like that definitions files and such appear to be regularly updated.

Sophos Antivirus for Mac Home Edition - http://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools/sophos-antivirus-for-mac-home-edition.aspx
    With the recent "outbreaks" of virus problems, almost every article on the topic ends up quoting something from Sophos.  Of course, Sophos is also hanging out the welcome banner with this free versino of their software for Mac.  Sophos is a respected name in antivirus, so this might be a good pick.

For some paid products:

Symantec Endpoint Protection - $? - http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/symantec-antivirus-macmacintosh-symantec-endpoint-protection
    Came out earlier last year, about the same time that Norton End-of-lifed the Mac SAV version.  Newer, and who knows, may work.  Must have SEP license, as client is included on SEP grand install DVD.

Norton Antivirus for Mac - $49.95 - http://buy.norton.com/estore/mf/category/categoryCode/Macintosh_Sub_Category/CategoryURLname/mac/
    Because this isn't SEP, folks, really.  And a long URL means it's good!

Avast Mac Edition - $39.95 - http://www.avast.com/mac-edition
    Avast Home Edition seems to work fine on PCs, and isn't as obtrusive there as products like AVG Free.  If the Mac product is similar, then, okay.  And Apple links to it in their software store!  But, $40 is more than I'll pay.

VirusBarrierX6 - $49.95 - http://www.intego.com/virusbarrier/
    Been around for quite awhile, and believes itself to be "the best antivirus for Macintosh."  Also includes a ShamWow and registry cleaner, and for a limited time, includes a magnetic bracelet guaranteed to charm your socks off!  Has an annoying interface, but MacWorld liked it, in 2008.

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Sunday, April 17, 2011 - QR Codes
 
I've recently become fascinated with QR Codes, those things that look like this:

qrcode

These little guys are like awesome bar codes, and can contain all kinds of information.  The one above contains the link to this blog, for example.  QR stands for Quick Response.

More complicated QR Codes, meaning that the random dots are more dense, etc., can contain all kinds of information.  If you overdo it, as noted here, you'll end up with something like this:
That's up to 1852 characters of information.  And, I can hardly hold my phone still enough for it to even read this code properly.

But, it seems that QR Codes are popping up everywhere.  In fact, on my business email account, I've gone to putting a QR Code in the signature that contains my complete contact information.

QR Code Readers, such as found in the App Stores of iPhones (try QR Scanner or QR Reader for iPhone), Android (try Barcode Scanner), and PCs & Macs (try Desktop QR Code Reader), can see these codes, and respond accordingly.  If it's a Web address, the scanner app will ask you if you want to open it in a Web browser.  If it's contact information, your scanning software might ask you to add it to your Address Book or Contacts.  On Android, you can even create a QR Code for a wireless network, telling the device the name of the network, or SSID, and the wireless key or encryption key needed to join that network.  And, since it's all embedded in the QR Code, you don't even have to give the password out!

http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ has a simple QR Code generator, that you can create whatever you'd like, and save a copy for whatever you'd like to use it for.  They'll even host the QR Codes you create, like the one above.  QRStuff.com also has a bunch of handy tools, and a QR Code Generator.

So get to it.  Download a QR Code Reader today, and try this QR Code first!

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Thursday, February 18, 2010 - iPhone hacked again!
 
Well, I haven't played around with hacking my iPhone in awhile, but I noticed the other day that my MMS features were gone. I don't know when it happened, or why, so I set about trying to correct it.

I tried all kinds of methods online, but none of them work. Until I found this method that enables MMS, tethering, and all Bluetooth profiles, even on your 2G iPhone OS 3.1.2, which is what I have!

http://modmyi.com/forums/t-mobile/656651-t-mobile-usa-carrier-bundles-bluetooth-data-internet-mms-tethering-2g-3g-3gs.html

It works, and that's great! Now I'm MMSing up a storm, and playing around listening to music in my A2DP headphones! Woohoo!

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Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - Mix a show from your phone!
 

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Thursday, May 29, 2008 - PimpMySearch
 
Found a cool new Google wannabe. Actually, it's just a novelty site that plays with whatever text you give it, and spits out a Google-looking search site.

But, I think it's pretty cool.

So, here ya go:

GuyOnTheAir.com Search

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Monday, May 05, 2008 - Get some money, yo!
 
So, here's a new competitor for PayPal, and we all know that they definitely need one. And, it's cool, because there are no fees (yet), and heck, they even give you some cash just to sign up. A cold, hard $25.

And your account is FDIC insured...and yes, I checked at the FDIC. It's listed as First Bank & Trust, National Association, FDIC Cert: 27078. Go here if you want to search for yourself.

Anyway, I figure, why not get the $25 from them? And in the interest of disclosure, yes, I get $10 for referring you. Ain't it a wonderful world? Sign up immediately!

Refer A Friend using Revolution Money Exchange

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Monday, April 21, 2008 - Major GrandCentral outtage, and my response
 
I've become a huge user of GrandCentral, a service bought by Google, which claims to be your one stop shop for a phone number that won't change for life...

So, most people that know me now have my GrandCentral phone number. (Readers of private.GuyOnTheAir.com even have a button to click to call me directly from there...) And, overall, I like the features and service...except when it goes down, as it did on my birthday, just a couple weekends ago.

And, upon service restoral, shocker, they even posted something about it on the GrandCentral blog. So, I've posted my "comments" response. But, since my comments are awaiting "moderation", I have a sneaky suspicion they might never see the light of day. So, I publish them here, so that all the world can read, whether or not they become an "official" comment.

GuyOnTheAir Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation.
April 20th, 2008 at 11:34 pm

I find it astounding that this service seems to be no more than a “mom and pop” setup. Sounds like it’s coming from someone’s garage.

A number of things are disturbing:

1) A colo facility, apparently now contracted by Google, had a “power issue” that knocked the whole service offline. Any colo facility I’d ever do business with would have backup power, generators, something. Did all of those fail? Were they even in place?

2) Every guy deserves time with his family, and Craig should be no different. But, is Craig the ONLY guy running GC? Is there NOBODY else that could deal with problems? Would not a variety of people be paged and consulted in case of an issue? Craig says “we were able to restore the service”, implying it’s more than just him, but I’m starting to wonder.

3) Keeping us informed would be great. It seems that all communication, save one or two blogs, has been cut off ever since Google acquired GC. As an end user, it would appear the service is doomed, as there have been no major developments, and changes, other than the mysterious end being able to invite others to the service. That doesn’t bode well, either. Is the service doomed?

I do appreciate that at least SOMETHING was written about this outtage. I’m sure most people don’t even realize this blog is here, though, and it certainly hasn’t seemed to be a complete resource for all things GC in ages…

I do hope that things improve.

Finally, can we get a way to call our GC number, look somebody up in our Address book, and then be able to call them, if we’re not able to get the web interface? That and text messaging are the biggest hurdles to making this service truly replace all my other numbers.

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Tuesday, November 27, 2007 -
 

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Tuesday, August 07, 2007 - Duck, an HD Radio might be flying off a shelf and about to hit you!
 
Radio is in my blood. It's my everyday job, and it's something I do even in my spare time.

Now, it's possible you've heard of the "next-generation" of radio - HD Radio. Unlike HDTV, which every viewer can notice the dramatic change from a normal signal to the crystal-clear high definition images on the screen, HD Radio offers only a digital service for terrestrial radio, not necessarily any sort of improvement.

It's just like the switch from analog cellular phones to today's more popular digital services. Back a few years, everyone that had a cell phone, had an analog cell phone. Those sounded okay, but, if you started to get out of range, you could hear noise, or distortions based on other radio interference. Along came GSM, CDMA, and other digital phone technologies. Phone carriers sold these to us as an improvement, and wanted us to "listen to the difference." We were asked to "see how clear it sounds", and more. However, over time, carriers could greatly increase the number of users per cell, and then decrease and compress the digital signals, making each one use less bandwidth, and eventually making the signals sound worse. With digital, you either get it, or you don't. There's no fade-outs, there's just dropped calls, or no service.

So would seem the so-called "HD Radio." Stations that typically broadcast thousands of watts of power would be reduced to a mere fraction of that amount to spit out this digital signal. And, for upwards of $150, you too can buy an HD Radio and, if you hold the antenna just so, the phase of the moon is correct, and you've said the proper incantations, you can tune into these HD channels.

Oh, and there's more of them. You can have an HD-1 channel, HD-2 channel, or even HD-3. So, instead of (or alongside) one analog channel, you can now have up to 3 digital channels. You either get the signal, or you don't. For AM this could be good, as there's no fade-out as you pass under a bridge or venture too close to a building or other interference. For FM, you get about the same audio. But, the amount of available bandwidth is limited. For each additional channel you add, you've got to divide the total available bandwidth. So, those 3 HD channels now start sounding a lot like, um, digital phone service. In a case study in Radio Magazine, Certified Broadcast Radio Engineer (CBRE) Don Danko explains:
"The overall HD Radio data stream is set at 96kb/s. Streaming a second signal involves lowering the bit rate on the main channel and giving those saved bits to the second channel."
MSNBC's Gary Krakow puts it this way:
"Here’s what the industry wants you to get excited about: digital broadcast radio or HD (high definition) radio. It’s the worst of both worlds: Bad FM programming plus satellite-like digital audio quality. FM stations in your area will simulcast a digital signal in addition to the analog one you can listen to.

Bottom line: It means that you’ll be able to listen to mediocre-sounding digital music streams of the same horrible FM stations you can’t stand to listen to now."In other words, no one will ever walk up to your speakers and notice the "increased" clarity, cleanness, and fidelity like they do when they walk up to an HDTV and notice all the exciting new detailed images."
But, proponents of HD Radio, mostly the NAB and Ibiquity, the company that has a monopoly on making, licensing, and selling the technology, love to boast how HD Radios are "flying off store shelves", and how it's the greatest thing to happen to radio since transistors. In fact, although the HD Radio standard was approved by the FCC in 2002, 5 years later, it's still not in great use. Not according to Ibiquity, though.

In a article titled "HD Radio Gains Support", Jeff McGannon, Vice President of OEM Business Development at iBiquity Digital predicts, "By 2010, HD Radio will be offered on more than half the vehicle lines." Clear Channel President and CEO John Hogan, says "We fully expect receivers to start flying off the shelves because the audio quality of an HD digital radio broadcast is amazing."

So, if I am to understand correctly, 8 years after HD Radio is approved, only half of new cars will have it? That doesn't sound like anything is flying off of any shelves. An independant community station in the Boulder and Denver, Colorado area, KGNU, is telling it's staff of other issues with HD Radio, including:
  • For the broadcasters, HD is a chicken and egg deal. HD will cost a lot of money, and broadcasters don't want to spend it if HD if people won't buy HD receivers.

  • Listeners won't buy HD receivers (which cost at least $ 100 more than standard ones) if no broadcasters use HD.

  • Manufacturers have no incentive to develop HD receivers until they have reason to believe that HD will take off.

  • No one will embrace HD if it doesn't really improve the sound.

  • HD is meant to sound CD quality, but in reality it will sound like internet radio: low noise, but also digital artifacts. This may not be seen as any improvement at all compared to standard FM. (On the other side, it's going to be a great improvement in AM.) Two major examples of such conversions gone bad are AM-stereo and quadrophonic sound. Both promised great improvements in sound quality, and neither succeeded.

  • Organizations and consumers who bought the equipment found themselves with white elephants.
And the article lists whole sections of pros and cons for HD Radio. But, you certainly won't hear any cons from the NAB or Ibiquity. It's all butterflies and daisies.

An article in trade publication Radio World Newspaper from January, 2004 notes that WOR's Thomas R. Ray, III, believes "that HD Radios will be in stores in the first quarter of 2004." Or at least that's what he was told. And yet, to this day, I've yet to see any HD Radio in my local Best Buy, Target, or Circuit City. Of course, Thomas Ray repeats that often observed state of HD Radio proclaiming, "once the public hears the benefits of non-fading AM and multipath-less FM, I think you will see them [HD Radios] start flying off the shelves." That, of course, still in 2004.

But, let's update. What were they saying in 2005? Billboard Radio Monitor Paul Heine, in Nielsen's (of TV ratings fame) MediaWeek, says in an article from October 31, 2005, that "This year was tagged as the tipping point for high-definition radio," and goes on to note that "HD Radio missed the holiday buying season." That, in 2005.

So, when is this stuff actually going to catch on? Will it ever? Consumer Reports even recommends in 2006:
"...most people will want to wait before investing in HD-Radio equipment. At this stage, choices are limited and prices are high. More and cheaper HD-Radio compatible gear is coming soon, and analog radio isn’t likely to become obsolete within the lifetime of a new radio, receiver, or even a car."
Few opponents of the HD Radio system seem to exist in broadcast circles, or are published in widely read radio journals, but not everyone is blind. In a July 29, 2007 article in the Washington Post regarding the possible sale of Christian music station WGTS, Marc Fisher notes that "WGTS's current format could be salvaged even if the station is sold by putting the programming on a digital sub-channel that would be available to listeners who buy the HD or digital radios that came on the market last year. But sales of those radios have been slow."

Could it be that sales of the radios have been slow, because few are willing to purchase a radio for at least $150? Or are they reluctant to invest in a technology that supposedly missed the 2005 holiday shopping season, but just, then, came "on the market last year"? Or, are they too having a hard time even finding a radio for sale? But, hurry quick and buy one of these exciting radios, "since HD Radio is a free broadcast, all you have to do is get a new HD Radio receiver for your home or car. Prices are plummeting as more and more people are discovering what HD Radio is all about", at least according to Ibiquity's "consumer friendly" HDRadio.com.

But what about those commercials on some regular, analog stations that promote these free new channels and content that are free of commercials and subscription fees? Yes, indeed, current HD-2, and even HD-3 channels are commercial free. But, more than anything else, it's because they aren't worth anything. Few are listening, and would-be advertisers don't generally want to market to just a few. If the whole HD Radio thing took off, do you really believe those channels would truly remain completely commercial free, forever? Anyone with a business mind can see notice the lack of a sustainable business model.

And what of satellite radio? Satellite radio was supposed to be the next big thing, and although satellite radio services now boast close to 10 million listener subscribers, it's hardly become a standard. You don't hear much talk these days of the CD-quality sound that satellite radio once tried to boast. Internet music streams aren't highly regarded, unless they're at least 128kbps. Says Gary Krakow:
"Satellite radio sound is, at best, barely passable. That’s because your satellite service provider sends only one digital signal to your receiver. The receiver then splits that signal into hundreds of audio streams: some, for voice, very narrow; others, for music, a little wider. I’ve been told these streams run from a few kbps for voice to something like 30 to 60kbps for music.

A typical music satellite radio station is thus compressed and expanded at a much lower rate than many MP3s. A reader will write me to defend the sound of a 128kpbs ripped music file (it’s not near-CD quality despite what anyone tells you) but I can’t believe anyone can defend the sound quality of a 36kbps satellite radio music stream."

Chuck Gage agrees:
"No one has mentioned the sound quality! Yes, it is all digital and there are none of the usual analog problems. However, the bandwidth and thus the fidelity, is quite bad in many cases. Both systems [XM and SIRIUS] talk about “CD quality”. Well, yes, CD clarity perhaps, but not CD quality. Both companies use compression techniques to cram as much as they can down that soda-straw of bandwidth."
And what about the commercials? An understanding of "Commercial-free" for the entire service (an understanding not specifically stated by the companies, but pretty much implied), paved the way for "100% commercial-free music". From there, suddenly XM Radio was boasting "…the most commercial-free music channels in satellite radio." About.com:Radio guide Corey Deitz understands the confusion there:
"Notice it doesn’t flat out state they are all commercial-free. Increasing the number of channels allowed the company to boast of quantity – which can easily be misinterpreted by an average listener to mean they are all commercial-free."
He's even wondered "What Exactly Is The Definition of Commercial-Free?" noting that:
"A radio station (or stream) is entitled to promote itself but it’s also common knowledge in the Radio Industry based on perceptual studies that a typical listener perceives a promo as a commercial and does not differentiate between the two."
That fact, is reconfirmed by well respected radio consultant Mike McVay from McVay Media, as quoted by Mr. Deitz,
"[Radio stations]...run :15 promos, traffic commercials, weather commercials, sold and sponsored PSA's, and community activity calendars that are sponsored. They do not count these as part of their commercial load. The listeners always count them as part of the commercial load. Listeners hear anything that is not music or entertainment as a commercial."
Today, upon visiting the XM Radio site, I don't see any obvious mention of commercials until clicking a few layers deeper, where I was tempted with promises of "commercial-free music", but that's not even true, as some music channels, run by Clear Channel. also contain commercials, now.

So, as far as variety of content, satellite radio services win. Again, Chuck Gage:
"...Americans will go for quantity over quality, sadly, any day."
So what does this all mean? The advantages of HD Radio should be clear. There should be greater sound quality, more variety due to increased numbers of channels, and fewer commercials. But those advantages already aren't true, even as Ibiquity's shill site HDRadio.com still proclaims "CD-quality sound" and "crystal clear reception". Variety? Well, honestly, do you see more variety as the same people get access to more channels? Look at Clear Channel. They went from 173 radio stations in 1997, to 1,400 stations in 2004, and has the variety increased? No. Most stations are network downlinks, or voice-tracked remotely to sound identical to stations in other formats. And fewer commercials? Don't count on it.

So the verdict from a guy who has listened to, installed and maintained an HD Radio transmitter, and deals with this stuff on a daily basis? Stay away, and save your money. There's no need, at least yet, to update your radio facilities and broadcast sites for HD Radio, and there's even less need for you to dump your ghetto blaster in favor of an outrageously priced HD Radio. Forget the hype, and for a good laugh, go visit HDRadio.com. Or, just go listen to your AM-Stereo set, instead.

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Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - Saw a great ad...
 
Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments!

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Thursday, January 04, 2007 - For best viewing...
 
...this site recommends you upgrade your browser to Microsoft Firefox. Click here to download.

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Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - FREE AOL? (Converting your AIM screenname into a new free AOL account.)
 
Well, as has been announced, AOL is now free, if you already have internet access. That's great news, I suppose, if only because you can now get into AOL's chat rooms for free, and have that oh-so coveted "@aol.com" after your email screenname.

No, I know it's not that exciting, but the first thing I wanted to do is to see if I could convert my AIM screenname into a free AOL account.

There's no obvious way to do it. Twenty minutes with the Indian customer service representative got me nowhere, either. But, as we all know, where there's a will, there's a way.

So, I now present you with specific steps to creating your free AOL account from your AIM screenname.

AIM Account to Free AOL Account Easy Steps:
  1. Go to www.AOL.com
  2. At the very bottom of the page, choose the tiny link for "Download Software". It's the tiny link four lines up from the copyright notice.
  3. Don't bother to download their software, yet, anyway. Instead, choose the "register online" button.
  4. Make sure that at the top of the window it says "Start your FREE 50 day trial right now!"
    Fill out the requested and required information, and click continue.
  5. On the "Create Your Screenname Screen", click on the small link on the bottom left for "Click here to use your AIM Screen Name." (Please note, if you haven't followed the instructions above, there will be no link, and it will not work. Do not continue, unless you want to choose a new screenname and NOT use your AIM screenname.)
  6. You'll be directed to a "Create your screenname using your AOL Instant Messenger Screename" window. Fill out your AIM screenname and password. Click continue.
  7. You'll likely be directed to create a new AOL account password.
  8. The screens should be fairly self explanatory. When asked to enter your credit card information, DO IT. Don't panic. Yes, this will be free. Trust me...
  9. Once the account is created and activated with your free 50 day trial, you're almost done.
  10. Download the AOL software and sign in with your new AOL screenname and password.
  11. Finally, once all the screens are done asking you for security questions, and such, go to the main menubar of the AOL software, and type in keyword "Change Plan."
  12. A lovely message will come on, telling you about how AOL has changed. You'll be given a button to activate your free service. Choose it. Now you'll have AOL for free, with your old AIM screenname!
(Legal disclaimer: This has worked for me, as of the time of this post, and may or may not continue to work. I don't guarantee it'll work, and I don't guarantee that your credit card will not be charged. But, you'd have a compelling case for the credit card company if it did...)

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