Ask MetaFilter questions in the technology category

Warranty service for hacked iPhone?

aeighty — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:21:55 -0800

iPhone is freezing constantly. How do I send it back to Apple? I live in Canada and so have my phone jailbroken so I can use it with a canadain carrier. Unfortunately the last week or so the phone has started freezing to the point of being unusable. Of course this can be blamed on the "hacking" but the last software update was months ago. I suspect this is a hardware failure and as such, Apple needs to take care of it. I bought this phone last November, so it should still be under warranty.

Any ideas how to play this with Apple support?

3 more months! Noooooooo!

gergtreble — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:34:48 -0800

16gb iphone 3g shortage in the UK? Say it aint so! I just went into my local O2 store to register my interest in the new iPhone and to get my credit checks done.

I mentioned I wanted a black one, and the manager said not to worry as it was only the 16gb ones that come in white. I told him I actually wanted the 16gig model. Then he dropped the bomb:

"Oh we aren't expecting to get any 16gb iphones in on the launch day. In fact it may take up to 3 months to get them in stock"

That came from the store manager, but the guy I was dealing with seemed to think that there would be some 16gb iphones available.

I guess it wouldn't be a major product launch if there wasn't a shortage. But 3 months!

Any of you guys know anything about this? Do any of you work for O2? I don't think I could live with an 8gig one. I just hope that this guy didn't know what he was talking about.

Hope me please!

(And yes I WILL be at the sore at 7:02am on the morning of launch like the sad little fanboy that I am.)

How can I view videos by one hundredth of a second?

perpetualstroll — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:12:58 -0800

Do you know of a program for viewing videos that allows tracking of the timings at the level of a one hundredth of a second? I can track my musical events at that level, but watching videos in most programs, it is only possible to see the second timings, without further breakdown. Any suggestions?

Can anyone recommend a good Linux podcast?

Nik_Doof — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:40:48 -0800

LUGRadio has closed it's doors. Can anyone recommend any Linux podcasts that can fill the gap? I've followed LUGRadio for a very long time, its part of my regular lineup of podcasts that I listen to on the way to work. With it gone can anyone recommend a good Linux podcast to fill the gap left by the show?

Great scanner for library materials?

kristi — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:22:05 -0800

Help me find a good scanner for library research - good quality, fast, quiet, portable ... cheap? I often do research in libraries and like to scan materials when library policy allows. I used to have a pretty decent Canon LIDE scanner, but it was slow. I got a newer, similar scanner - but it has a stupid ridge around the scanning area, and since LIDE can't see anything further than a micron away from the scanner glass, the ridge makes it useless for anything larger than 8.5 x 11 - part of the page doesn't scan at all, just because the ridge holds the page away from the glass.

I've searched online shopping sites and earlier AskMeFi threads, but didn't see anything that quite fit the bill.

So, my criteria in order of importance (first four are non-negotiable):

* OS X compatible (ideally, would also work with Windows 2000)
* good scan quality - none of that LIDE nonsense (tho LIDE with NO RIDGE would be okay)
* flatbed (I'm scanning library materials, so no feeding things through a page at a time)
* portable

* quiet
* fast
* inexpensive

A handheld might be okay if it can do hundreds of pages in an afternoon.

In the meantime, I've been using a 7MP camera with more or less acceptable results, but a fast scanner would be spiffy.

Thanks!

Help me contribute to the OSS community

Who_Am_I — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:09:13 -0800

What is a good open-source project to get involved in? I'd like to do some work for an open-source project, to help the community and sharpen my skills. Due to time constraints my work on this is going to be sporadic, so it would have to be something that doesn't require daily or even weekly input. This would preferably be in Java or Python, with C a distant third. What OSS projects do you guys think are interesting or a good cause?

Help me say goodbye to Pitney Bowes.

odragul — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:03:38 -0800

Is there an alternative to Pitney Bowes? My office uses Pitney Bowes for mailings and I CAN'T STAND THEM. They have the worst customer service, a horribly rigid billing service and the most aggressive fees and finance charge racket of any vendor I've ever worked with in my life. Nobody I talk to knows of any resonable alternatives. Is there something out there that will save me from the misery of working with those SOBs?

Is there a fair prepaid cell phone plan on the market?

tangyraspberry — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:50:28 -0800

Can anyone suggest a good prepaid cell phone plan? I find I need a cell phone only once every couple of weeks but don't want to get tied down to an annual contract.

iWant, but should iBuy?

sjuhawk31 — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:07:35 -0800

iPod PurchaseFilter: I've been itching to upgrade to an iPod touch, but I fear that they'll be updated soon after I buy. The Mac Buyer's Guide confirms my suspicion, but only with the general "Approaching End of Cycle," and my search of blogs doesn't seem to give any definitive answer. Does anyone have additional information that could further persuade me to hold off?

What battery does the Robin's Egg Vibrator use?

harwons — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:41:36 -0800

What battery does the Robin's Egg Wireless Vibrator use? If anyone knows the type of batteries in its remote, then even better. For reference, this is the most comprehensive list of batteries I know of. Thanks!

Gimme gimme gimme an iPhone after midnight

fishmasta — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:19:11 -0800

How simple is it for an at&t member switch to an iPhone if he's not the account holder? So I want to get a 3G iPhone when they launch in a couple of weeks. Right now, I'm an AT&T subscriber but not under contract as two years have passed since I last upgraded my phone. The account, which I've had for 5 years now, is in my father's name even though I've always been the only person on the account. Whenever I first signed up when I was 18, they said it'd have to be under his name because I had no credit history at that point. When I go to buy an iPhone and switch to an iPhone service plan, will it cause any problem that I'm not the main account holder? I don't see why it'd matter as long as I'm paying, but I don't really trust cell providers to make things easy.

P.S. Is this something that should be done at an AT&T store or would an Apple Store be an option?

Help me choose the appropriate social networking / content management tool.

RossWhite — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:11:21 -0800

Someone at work is trying to create a professional social network with some content management requirements. I have a desired feature list in hand but don't know what product to recommend... can you help? Here's the list of features that my colleague would like to implement:

Allows users to register and join without approval

List of users

Ability to connect with other members (add friends)

Share contact information, professional affiliations, research interests

User contributions to the site are listed in the user profile

Threaded discussions with user avatar

“Who’s online” feature

Internal messaging

Polling

Ability to send email to all registered users

Customizable interface (preferably CSS)

Ability to assign user roles (administrator, contributor, etc.)

Ability to post files, news, links, and other content (for certain user roles)

RSS feeds

Printer-friendly version of content

Ability to email content from the site

Site chat feature to interact with users currently online

Wiki

Grouping features

Post photos

Ideally, we'd be looking for a hosted app or an app built on php/mySQL that we could host ourselves.

Any ideas?

I just called to say, WTF? A phone call from a 4-digit number?

Unicorn on the cob — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:22:39 -0800

I recently have gotten a bunch of cell phone calls from non-phone numbers. WTF is going on? Okay, by non-phone-numbers, I mean, my phone rings, I look down, and I have seen, so far, the following:

9491221
1113
9491220

Also, I get a lot of "no name" or "new call" calls recently, too. Disclaimer: the credit companies are calling me to get me to pay an ex roommate's debt; I recently sent them all her contact info, so I can't tell if she has put me on some kind of spam list. I also get credit calls for my ex-husband and my mother (yes, I am surrounded by irresponsible people).

I tried googling with no luck; any idea what's going on? Is there any way to block these... whatever the hell the ares from calling me? I'm afraid to answer and nobody EVER leaves a message.

I have had my number on the Do Not Call registry since January of 2006.

Serious glare reduction needed.

magnoliasouth — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:55:03 -0800

What is the best (and cheapest) way to reduce outdoor sunlight glare on the LCD screen of my point and shoot camera? I'm aware of hoods/visors and some have suggested anti-glare sheets that cover PDAs, but which is better or should I do both? Perhaps there is an even better suggestion.

We're leaving tomorrow on a trip for the 4th and I'd really like to see for a change when we're taking pictures.

Any advice is appreciated.

TV in the kitchen?

lemonade — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:14:49 -0800

Does anyone have a kitchen TV that they like? My husband would like a TV in the kitchen for when he's cooking...we are of course limited on space, and actually don't even have too much under-cabinet space. Initially I'm thinking of a small flat-screen that folds up under the cabinet, but I'd like to hear about other people's experiences. What do I need to consider beyond space?

Help a noob get a basic surround sound speaker system that will be worth the effort.

dino terror — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:55:16 -0800

Help a noob get a basic surround sound speaker system that will be worth the effort. I've never had a surround sound system but I think it could be better than just my TV speakers for things like playing PS3 games and watching Blu-Ray movies that I'm willing to throw say $400 bucks at it.
My PS3 supports DTS HD Master Audio, the latest thing in the world of stereo system upgrades, and my HDTV has these new fangled jacks for digital optical audio.
I am not an audiophile. I just want to experience the sensation of spatial audio ie. hearing the bad guys coming up behind me.
I am thinking: 5.1 channels, doesnt need to be powerful as the living room is average sized and I'm not a fan of cranking up the volume. I just want to make sure that everything will support the surroundsound instructions, ie. so that when a bad guy is behind me it actually comes through the rear speakers because this information makes it from my PS3 to my rear speakers. Whether it has to be Dolby, DTS, or analog, I dont care.

Need to get some music into my kitchen

gfrobe — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:36:25 -0800

Is there an inexpensive device I can buy that will allow me to listen to my MP3 collection and internet radio in my kitchen? I'd like to be able to listen to my mp3 collection and internet radio stations in my kitchen. I have no speakers in the kitchen and don't want to run wires from my desktop computer or install a home stereo or anything too elaborate in my kitchen. Is there a wireless speaker or something I can buy that will simply connect to my network and play in another room? It's just for occasional listening so I also don't need very high quality sound.

[iTunesFilter] Want to fill 160 Gb iPod, but only has tiny teensy hard-drive

XiBe — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:01:17 -0800

How to handle a 160 Gb iPod when the computer only has 30 free Gb? My girlfriend asked for a 160 Gb iPod for her birthday, and I offered her. She wanted a bug iPod because she wanted to have all of her music in there - her older 4 Gb iPod Nano wasn't enough, she constantly had to renew its content.

Thing is, she handles iTunes and therefore her music from her old laptop, where she just doesn't have the disk space to fill up her new iPod. The issue here would be that iTunes requires that you have all your music in it, before you can put in the iPod - and that you then keep the music in iTunes. Given her drive space, she just can't do this.

She does have an external drive, and I advised her to put all of her music in there, and let iTunes handle her music from there, but she doesn't really want to carry around her ex-drive when on vacation, for instance.

Does anyone around you had to deal with this kind of situation? Any advice could be pretty useful...

Thanks a lot.

Behold the MT-10,000

tmcw — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:48:15 -0800

Messin with electronics.. filter. I'd like to slightly circuit-bend my Casiotone MT-100 - creating a switch that cuts one circuit when power is applied. Okay, so here's the deal. When I play a chord, and switch the Casio Chord mode, the chord is essentially triggered again - the notes start a anew just as I had played them right then.

The plan is pretty simple in my mind. The drums are controlled separately (fairly simple to locate the trimpots for each drum). There's also a LED which blinks each measure. I'd like to pilfer a tiny bit of this voltage in order to possibly run into a transistor that cuts the power to the Casio Chord selector. (Note: the selector is a slide switch).

Okay, so questions: Is a transistor the right thing to use for this purpose (essentially I want an electric switch activated by a current?) What would this effect be called?

Heres a spec on a similar keyboard if that helps
410V
Sound Club Article

What happened with my cell phone Saturday night?

palegirl — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:05:33 -0800

Did someone hack my cell phone or somehow use my number? Do I need to worry about my phone being compromised or something? Someone left a voicemail for my friend and there's no outgoing call on my phone nor would anyone have had access to it (it was at my house, we were asleep.) When I checked my phone log, I found that a few minutes earlier I had a missed call from someone who does not have my number and denies having called me. Both of these calls happened just after 2:30am saturday night/sunday morning. Our entire social group was at a party Saturday night including the girl who got a message from me and the guy who I have a missed call from. My girlfriend and I went home around midnight. My phone was locked in our car while we were at the bar, and was in a semi-private room (although anyone could have access to it) while at the earlier event.

The girl's voicemail message says starts out "I'm calling you from [palegirl]'s phone..." and goes on to talk about how "I know you've never liked me but I don't know why!" drama-drama. It's a female voice that we can't identify, but they used nicknames and clearly are members of our social group.

The missed call I got is from my current girlfriend's ex-boyfriend. My girlfriend recognized his number when we were investigating the voicemail my friend got. He was at the party too. He and I aren't friends, and my gf and I don't even know if he knows the nature of our relationship. My girlfriend called him today and asked him if he called me and he denies it and she believes him.

We think someone is messing around with us. Is this possible?

It's a true fact that no one made a call from my phone to leave my friend that voicemail, but her phone shows my phone number as the received call, and the voicemailer explicitly says she's calling from my phone.

Do I need to change my number and or get a new phone or anything else?

iPod 3G video stuttering

bbranden1 — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:57:37 -0800

Please help stop my iPod nano 3G's persistent video stuttering: When playing a movie or TV episode, the video freezes for a fraction of a second, then jumps forward to a point several frames later in order to catch up with the audio, which has continued on smoothly without a break. The video might "jump" (i.e., stutter) only once for a single frame or there might be a series of stutters lasting in total one second or less. Within a couple of minutes it'll happen again. If I backup to the same spot where the stuttering occured, it will likely happen again, although not necessarily with exactly the same appearance, that is, it might stutter slightly longer or shorter, or several frames earlier or later. I have had the same problem whether the videos are transcoded with DVDFab, CloneDVD, or Handbrake; bitrates from 200 up to 2500; frame rates of 24, 29.97 and 30 fps; screen resolutions of 320xXXX and 640xXXX. All transcoding has been single pass. All the transcoded video variations play smoothly on my XP computer. The iPod is up to date, having been purchased several weeks ago (but too long ago to return). Your thoughtsssssspreciated!

Help Me Survive Windows Mobile 5!

Gideon — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:56:01 -0800

While waiting for the new iPhone, I sold my old one. Now I'm back on a Cingular (HTC) 8125 with Windows Mobile 5 (it can't be upgraded to 6!) And I want to make the best of it without spending any money. I'm on a Mac, so I need to figure out the best way to deal with that, too. I've learned to hate the device, unfortunately. Compared to the iPhone it's slow, clunky and insanely frustrating to use. But, I'm using it for the next two weeks and I need to find ways to make it work without pulling out what is left of my hair.

I'm on an iMac, and have Outlook in parallels but don't use it. Right now I'm using Plaxo to sync my contacts into Outlook and then to the phone, but the calendar isn't working at all (something on Plaxo's end.) So at least my contacts are working. I'd like a way to sync my calendar/tasks. I had MarkSpace Missing Sync but with the upgrade to Leopard it no longer works and don't want to pay for the upgrade.

I've installed PointUI which certainly makes the primary movements on the device nicer.

What else can I do to make this more pleasant? Other programs you'd suggest? Any free way to sync my data directly from OSX or a clever way to keep Outlook in Parallels and my iCal synced?

Thanks for all the help!

Which cellphone, plan, carrier combo for international traveler?

lapsang — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:55:07 -0800

Cell phone - Unhappy with tmobile coverage in the US. Need advice on a carrier, plan and (smartish) phone that can be used in other countries with local SIM cards. Visit the US 3 times per year for business and pleasure and otherwise live in Colombia. I have a t-mobile prepaid sim from when i lived in the US. Was able to hack my palmone 600 to accept my Colombian SIM (spend 90% of my time) and an Irish SIM where i also visit occasionally.

I now need to get a new carrier (v unhappy with reception in the US). What's the best carrier and phone combo for me? Needs to be an economic plan and the phone needs to sync with my mac address book, and ideally have a qwerty keywboard.

I'm not a US citizen but do have a SSN.

Cheers - J

will there be any stars?

shothotbot — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:48:32 -0800

Smart playlists on my iTunes has stopped working. All my smart playlists which involve ratings are acting funny. When I edit the smart playlist instead of being able to pick a star/rating criteria (for example: 'rating is *****') I get a black, unclickable band as shown in this screenshot. I can still change the ratings on the songs normally.

Of course, it used to work great and nothing changed. I have already invoked the First Law of Computer Science and rebooted the machine a few times. I am running XP and my iTunes is current.

Where can I get a comma or space-separated list of major U.S. cities?

bflora — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:06:37 -0800

Where can I get a comma or space-separated list of major U.S. cities? I'm trying to add a "city" filter to a social-y site I'm building. I need to load a list of cities into the DB to populate the filter dropdown. Google's pointed me to a lot of ugly tables, I just need a space or comma separated list to feed into the beast. I'm thinking the top 100 cities or so would do the trick. No need to be exhaustive. Suggestions?