Lossless codecs, like FLAC, are great when it comes to preserving all the quality present on the original media. Unfortunately though, they do take up quite a bit of space and most lossless codecs are far from popular in the mainstream. Therefore, it often becomes necessary to sacrifice some of the quality in order to recoup some disk space and increase compatibility — because the day that the iPod supports open source codecs, is also likely to be the day that hell freezes over…

So, you’re stuck with hordes of FLAC files and you want to convert them all into high-quality MP3’s, and, of course, you’d like to do all this without paying a penny, correct? Is that even possible? After all, the Fraunhofer Society currently owns the rights to the MP3 codec, and they’re not shy about cashing in on it.

Fortunately, there is a solution, and both of the tools needed for this operation are available for free!

Ever since I gave up on iTunes and Winamp, I’ve been using a very light-weight and very elegant music player known as Foobar2000, or just Foobar for short. Besides the wonderful job it does playing back music with an absolute minimum of fuss, unlike iTunes, it also features an extensive array of useful plug-ins, the most fundamental of which come pre-installed. One of these built-in tools is the codec converter, which is what we’ll be using to solve our little dilemma.

In order to encode and decode MP3 files, Foobar uses the LAME codec. Due to reasons I don’t fully understand, the guys behind this codec have somehow circumvented the need to license the relevant technology from the Fraunhofer Society, and can therefore offer MP3 support for free — sounds like that might be an interesting article all on its own, but I digress.

Anyway without further ado, here’s the interesting bit:

Once you have Foobar installed and fired up, click on the “Library” menu, and select “Configure” — alternatively, you can just hit Ctrl-P, and that will get you to the same place. On the left side of the “Preferences” window that just opened up expand the entry titled “Tools,” and click on “Converter.”

From here, look to the right side of this window, and you should see a button labeled “Add New.” Click on that.

You should now see the window pictured below. From the “Encoder” list, select “Custom.” The first text box under the drop-down that you just used should now read “lame.exe” –  again, just like in the picture.

The settings are almost perfect right from the start. There is, however, one problem. We would like to convert our pristine FLAC files to the highest quality offered for MP3’s, but unfortunately, that’s not what the settings reflect at the moment. In order to rectify this, all that we need to do is replace the text in the “Parameters” box with the following:

-S --noreplaygain -b 320 - %d

From a technical standpoint, that’s all you need to change; your files will now be properly converted to 320kbps MP3’s. The description of this conversion preset, however, won’t reflect the fact that we’ve forced the LAME encoder to use a constant bit rate of 320kbps. But, this is easily fixed as well. At the very bottom of the window, simply update the “Bitrate” field to 320, and set the “Settings” field to “CBR,” short for “Constant Bit Rate.”

That’s it, you’re now ready to convert your FLAC files.

Now, in case you’re new to Foobar, once you’re ready to actually convert a file, all you need to do is add the FLAC files in question to any playlist, select the song, right-click, and hit “Convert.” The rest is really straight forward…

Oh, almost forgot: The first time that you convert something to MP3, Foobar will ask you where it can find the LAME executable (i.e.: the file called LAME.exe). If you don’t already have it, you can download it from www.free-codecs.com. Once you’ve downloaded it, simply extract it to any location of your choosing — perhaps you might want to extract it your music folder, so you know where it is for future reference. After the extraction, head back over to Foobar, and when prompted, simply select the executable from the folder that you extracted the .zip file into.

Enjoy!

If you’ve taken the time to read the last two posts, then surely you must be aware that the time has now come to finally install Ubuntu; and if not, then oh well, just look at the pictures or something.

In my last two posts, I’ve attempted to explain the pains that I went through trying to get the best out of my new laptop. The problem originally started with my realization that I am in no means whatsoever a fan of Vista. Postpartum depression urged me to seek out XP’s familiar setting. Much to my dismay, though, XP would not install on my new laptop, so that was the first hurdle I had to surmount.

Not only was I interested in a return to XP, I was also curious about Linux; particularly Ubuntu. So, the obvious choice, or at least a logic one in my mind, was to dual-boot. In the previous two articles, I explained how to install XP on a new machine intended for Vista, as well as how to prepare a system for a dual boot operation. Okay, so now that we’re all up to speed once again, let’s take the plunge once more, shall we…

If this first step doesn’t seem blatantly obvious, then maybe Linux isn’t for you, but in order to do anything further you’ll need the Ubuntu installation disc. So, head on over to Ubuntu.com. and download the latest version — 7.10 at the time of writing. Once armed with the image file, you’ll need to burn this to a disc. If you already own it, I would recommend using Nero, but if not, InfraRecorder is an excellent, and not to mention free, alternative.

Once the disc has been burned and finalized, pop it into the machine you wish to persuade into conversion — and cross your fingers, for the moment of truth is at hand. Linux is often labeled as being far more stable than Windows, which is true for the most past, but the main problem is getting it to run in the first place. Not all hardware likes Linux flavor. If you’re unlucky, you may have in front of you a machine cursed with unsupported hardware. If this is the case, you may experience issues ranging the benign, such as a nonfunctional web cam, to real show-stoppers, like incompatible graphics cards or display devices. Curing any of these issues may require long and inquisitive searches of some of the less frequented fringes of the net. Fortunately though, there always seem to be a plethora of willing and able Linux hobbyists to help you out.

Oh, and if the CD doesn’t boot right away, make sure that your BIOS is set to boot from CD-ROM drive…

Okay, so assuming that the CD boots properly, you should soon see the Ubuntu desktop–but, hey, wait a minute! What happened; nothing was installed, or was it?

The CD you just popped into your machine is what is known as a Live-CD, meaning that it contains a bootable version of the operating system. Allowing the user to experience the full operating system without having to install a single file is a great way of demonstrating the potential of product that many might be too hesitant to install.

“Okay,” you say, “but I want to install it, not just demo it.” Well, see that little icon on the desktop, the one that says “Install”? That’s where you wanna be if you’re interested in giving Ubuntu a serious test-drive.

Starting up the Installer, you should see a dialog box that will guide you through the installation process in seven rather easy steps. The first three steps are real no-brainers, simply select your prefered language, the appropriate time zone and your keyboard layout.

Step four is were things start to get a little more exciting. Depending on how many drives and partitions your machine has, this step may be more or less complicated. Since I’m writing this as part of a series in which I explain how I managed to dual boot XP and Ubuntu on a Vista-shipped laptop, the path I chose to follow in step four of the Ubuntu installer is quite specific to my particular needs. In the previous article, I explained how GParted was used to partition my drive into a Windows partition and a Linux partition companioned by a SWAP partition. If you followed the same procedure as I did, and used GParted to prepare the drive, then all you’ll have to do is select the correct partition, and move on. Since we already used GParted for most of the heavy labor, it makes little sense to reformat/resize the partition again — unless, of course, you made a mistake the first time around. Not to sound to repetitive, but step four is where you really want to pay attention. It’s very important that you select the correct drive to install Ubuntu onto, otherwise you’ll be in serious danger of losing existing, potentially important, data.

Looking at the screenshot below, we see that the system I used to grab the screenshots has two physical hard drives: HDA and HDB. We can also tell that the first drive, HDA, has three partitions on it: HDA1, HDA2, and HDA3. The one we’re after is the one that is formatted as EXT3, so in this case that would be HDA2. To double check that this is the right drive, take a look at the size of the partition. If this number corresponds to what you specified in GParted then you’re good to go. Note that there is no need to check any of the boxes unless you want to reformat the drive again, which really can’t hurt. So, once again, if you want to reformat, check the box, otherwise just highlight the drive. And in case you are wondering, SDA1 is a removable thumb drive.

If you have decided to reformat any of the drives again, make sure to also hit the “Edit partition” button. This should bring up another dialog box, asking you to specify the new size of the partition as expressed in megabytes, what format to use, and where to set the mount point. If the drive that you are partitioning is meant to house an installation of Ubuntu, it’s critical that you use the EXT3 format and set the mounting point as a single forward slash. If you’re confused, refer to the picture below.

Once you’re done with the “Edit Partition” dialog box, hit “OK,” and then click “Forward” once you’re back at larger dialog box.

Step five is particularly useful for those of us who have decided to dual boot, since Ubuntu will scan existing partitions for any other operating system from which it might be able to port over any important documents and folders. I always prefer to start fresh, and since Gutsy Gibbon is capable of reading Windows partitions, I will leave this step up to you. If you’re not interested, just proceed to the next page.

Even though there appear to be 7 steps, number 6 is really the last one that really requires any work. The purpose of this step is to help you set up a user account, and it’s pretty straight forward. As such the only note to make here is that your log in name cannot be capitalized and that…uhm, oh yeah, don’t forget your password.

Series: Dual-Booting: XP and Ubuntu

Part I | Part II | Part III

Even though the Xbox 360 is statistically speaking the current leader in the next-gen console wars, it’s pretty far from perfect as many disappointed users will gladly tell you. From the beginning, the console has suffered from a variety of problems: some overheat and die, some scratch discs beyond repair, and all of them make you think there’s a jumbo-jet in your living room. However, there might still be hope for a better console, since Microsoft announced that their current project, code-named “Falcon,” is well on its way to deliver a completely revamped 360 to consumers.

With summer in full swing, temperatures are on the rise and so are the complaints. Over the last few months, Microsoft has had an unusually high number of complaints about its consoles sticking it to users with the now infamous “Red Ring of Death,” meaning that the console suffered one or more fatal hardware failures. Many have come to suspect that the failures are due to the consoles inability to deal with heat – a problem that has plagued the 360 since the first batch.

Earlier this month, Microsoft crunched some numbers and came to the conclusion it would be in their best interest to extend the warranty, again. However, this new extended three year warranty only applies to the consoles that have been afflicted by the ominous red ring. So, this means that if your console suffers (or has suffered) a heatstroke, you can send it back to Microsoft to have it repaired and shipped back to you; all of this, free of charge. All of this benevolence does come at a cost to Microsoft though. According to the press release that went out, the company is expecting this move to cost them an estimate $1.05 billion to $1.15 billion – for this quarter alone!

So, what’s the solution to this entire mess? Well, redesign parts of the console, of course. Microsoft wasted no time Monday evening at E3, and was quick to announce that the gaming division was already hard at work designing a cooler 360, based on a 65nm design. The goal of the “Falcon” project is to have the more robust console on store shelves by this fall. The redesign will apply to both the triple-core CPU as well as to the AMD/ATI GPU.

Updating the console with smaller, cooler parts will not only improve the airflow and heat dissipation inside the unit, but will also mean cheaper fabrication costs for Microsoft. In the long run, keeping current with the manufacturing cost curve will allow Microsoft to save tremendous amounts of money. Sony’s latest redesign of the PS 2, for example, allows the company to produce smaller, and thus cheaper, chips all the time. The current chip costs of the PS 2 is a mere 13% of what it was originally. It’s not all simply about the heat.

For Microsoft’s sake, let’s hope that the Xbox “Falcon” 360 will be able to mitigate the tremendous failure rates that have been rumored about on the Internet. The rumor mill has put the failure rate for the current console somewhere between 30 to 50 percent!

So, to sum it all up: warranty on red-ringed consoles extended to three years; a new 360 console, codenamed “Falcon” is on its way; the 90nm chips will be replaced by 65nm chips; console longevity will improve, but technical performance will stay the same…

Regardless of whether you’re into technology or not, you’ve probably heard various horror stories of how hackers have managed to commandeer the PCs of unsuspecting users to do their bidding. Traditionally a hacker would need to get a malicious piece of software – a.k.a. viruses and spyware – onto the intended victim’s machine before anything harmful can take place. Most computer users are aware of these dangers and have taken actions to prevent infection, such as installing anti-virus and anti-spyware software. The vast majority of users also hide behind some sort of request filtering system, be it a NAT router or even the standard Windows Firewall. Having these measures in place, along with some good computing habits, like not opening random links in e-mails, probably save many users a lot of potential hassle, and most likely also provide some ease of mind. Well, those days are over, because there’s a new hack in town.

A few weeks ago at the ShmooCon conference, Billy Hoffman, the lead engineer of SPI Dynamics, informed the security community of an exploit that had come to light along with a tool that he had developed that would be able to exploit the vulnerability to take advantage of any machine, running any browser, on any operating system, to do almost anything. The program, named Jikto, consists of a rather simple JavaScript that can be embedded in any Web page, and can be surreptitiously run upon loaded the page.Let’s start off with an example: With Jikto, a hacker could potentially scan a corporate network and “fingerprint all the Web-enabled devices found and send attacks or commands to those devices,” without any interference from a firewall, since all of this can be run directly from the browser. To a firewall it would this would be perfectly acceptable, since it would appear as if the user requested this to happen. Continuing with Hoffman’s example, once a hacker figures out the router brand and model it would be fairly trivial to send it a few commands to reconfigure the router to drop the encryption or change the password. And, to make matters even worse, it would also be possible for a hacker to mask the attack in such a way as fool the IT techs into thinking that the attack came from an insider, instead a hacker thousands of miles away.

So how exactly is Jikto supposed to do all this? Once a casual Internet surfer visits a site that has Jikto embedded in it, the JavaScript will execute. Jikto will essentially take over that browser and turn it into a scanning tool that can then scan other websites for cross-site scripting or SQL injection vulnerabilities and report any findings back to a third party, probably a hacker. Once a target is located, a hacker can then inject targeted code into the website through the vulnerability that Jikto has found. This code then has the potential to filter down from the website to the company’s network and into a specific Web-enabled device.

Not only will Jikto be able to find and report on cross-site scripting or SQL injection vulnerabilities, it will also be able to self-propagate, much like a worm, using these same cross-site scripting exploit. From this new location it will then be able to infect and commandeer the browsers of other unbeknownst users. Since Jikto only takes over the client’s browser, and does so silently without alerting the user, it does not affect any other part of the machine, which is part of the reason that traditional security applications will have a harder time catching it.

So, at the center of this potentially devastating exploit tool is Web 2.0, or more specifically, the ubiquitous use of JavaScript to enable AJAX—a programming technique designed to make sited more user interactive; think Digg.com. On the one hand, it may seems surprising that a tool like Jikto took so long to appear, since JavaScript as been used for almost a decade now, and the exploit that is now being used is certainly nothing new. But then again, a tool like Jikto can only be truly effective if a great number of sites have JavaScript enabled, forcing users to do the same. The success of Jikto depends on the number of PC that it can be run on, much like BitTorrent in a sense. As Steve Gibson explains, “Jikto runs in a web browser and distributes the bug-hunting task across multiple PCs.” What makes Jikto so incredibly dangerous is that it’s immune to all current anti-malware solutions. The only true way of stopping what Jikto is capable of would be to browse without JavaScripting enabled. Unfortunately, doing so would break a vast number, if not the majority, of websites today. Even for a simple blog, such as this one, to work correctly JavaScripting has to be enabled.

The reason that Jikto has managed to garner so much attention in the last few weeks is the fact that it’s a very clever way of scanning for vulnerabilities using a language that practically any browser can understand—even certain cell phone browser will succumb to its will. In the words of Billy Hoffman, “Jikto going to drastically change the scope of evil things you can do with JavaScript.” Continuing on, he states that “Jikto turns any PC into my little drone. Your PC will start attacking websites on my behalf, and you’re going to give me all of the results.” Coming from white-hat hacker Billy Hoffman, this probably sounds more sadistic than it really is, since he has refrained from releasing Jikto into the wild. Unfortunately, there have already been reports of sightings of the Jikto’s source code. The eventual appearance of Jikto, or rather some program like it, is pretty much inevitable. Once the hacker community knows that the exploit exists and how to implement it, writing a program to take advantage of it is really quite trivial.

For more information about the vulnerability of JavaScript check out Steve Gibson’s podcast Security Now! and also take a look at these webcasts for SPI Dynamics.

After almost a year of wild speculation about the next generation iPod and the possibility of a phone, Apple, Inc. has finally announced the real iPhone.

The new Cingular only device seems to have taken the best of both worlds. That is, the widescreen form-factor that was widely rumored to be what the next generation of iPod was going to look like seems to have been paired with a very stylish and capable phone.

In keeping with the traditional Apple minimalist design, the iPhone features a very sleek and clean looking design. On the front of the device there’s a vibrant 3.5” multi-touch screen wedged between what’s called the “Home” button on the bottom and a speaker on the top. The widescreen display features a maximum resolution of 320 by 480 pixels at 160 pixels per inch, and also doubles as the primary input device. The screen does not require a stylus to be used properly; it will ignore unintended touches, and even supports multi-fingered gestures.

The beauty about the touch screen interface is that with the help of its operating system, OS X, the phone is able to completely change the button layout from application to application. So, what might be a nice, big keypad in one application, will completely disappear as soon as it’s no longer needed, and can be replaced with something like a click-wheel in another program.

Using a simple finger gesture, you’ll be able to do everything from flipping through photos to zooming in on a particular section of a web page or photo. Need to send e-mails? No problem, with the iPhone’s predictive QWERTY keyboard, typing up e-mails, documents, and SMS text messages is as easy as ever.

The iPhone is also capable of playing music, video, sharing images, web browser, e-mailing, and a lot more. With OS X, you’ll have a true desktop experience in your hand – or so they claim. A lot of the desktop applications have been ported over to the mobile device, such as Safafi, Notes, and even some of the most popular Widgets. Other neat applications include Visual Voicemail, Address Book, and Google Maps.

As a possible iPod replacement, the iPhone will allow you to literally “touch your music,” browse through your collection faster than ever before, admire the cover art, and much more. If you elect to only play music on the iPhone, the battery should last you about 16 hours – with everything else that you might want to do on the device, a few hours seems far more realistic.

For those of you looking to completely replace your iPods, be forewarned that the iPhone currently only features a choice between 4 and 8GB of internal flash memory. On top of that, the iPhone won’t exactly be cheap either. The 4GB model will go for around $499, and the larger 8GB model should retail for about $599.

All that media capability is great….but this is still a phone, right?

Well, yeah, and as a phone, the device also comes with a lot of features. The iPhone supports three different network frequencies: 850Mhz, 900Mhz, 1800Mhz, 1900Mhz – from there the term “Quad-band.” It also fully supports Wi-Fi (802.11b & G), Cingular’s EDGE, and also fully conforms to the brand new Bluetooth 2.0 specifications. And, like any modern phone on the market, it also sports a 2.0 megapixel camera.

If you can’t wait to get your hands on this thing, I’m sorry to disappoint, but you’ll have to wait a little longer, since it won’t be available until June of this year.

For More Information:

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

Bill Gates started off the Microsoft CES keynote with his thoughts on the rapid advancement that the technology market has undergone in recent years, and quickly tied it all into the release of Windows Vista and the importance of the new operating system along with the other services that Microsoft has planned for the coming year.

As could be expected, the first area of focus was Vista, which as it seems still has plenty up its sleeve. A neat feature, showcased by Justin Hutchinson, is called Shadow Copy, which in essence provides Vista with another safety net from human error. In short, it allows users who accidentally saved an incorrect version of a document or overwrote the wrong file to “restore previous versions of [the] document with just a couple of clicks.” The feature is a lot like the current System Restore, but works on an individual file level. “It’s better than going back in time,” joked Justin.

After a brief Vista discussion, the topic changed to the Virtual Earth 3D technology that’s part of the Windows Live network. Using an Xbox 360 controller, Hutchinson was able to fly a camera around in a fully three dimensional recreation of Sin City. The concept felt a lot like Google Earth with SketchUp, but it’s always nice to see competition.

Back on the topic of Vista, Hutchinson described how the Ultimate version of Vista will include downloadable extras for those of us willing to shell out the extra money for this particular version. One of the more impressive downloadable programs is Groupshot, which allows users to select parts of different pictures and combine them into one for a better overall image. The aim of this program is to fix awkward facial expressions of an individual in a series of group shots, where the face of a person in one image can be transplanted over onto his or her face in another image.

Another Ultimate Extra is found in the form of Dream Scene, which allows users to use full motion video as a desktop background. This feature will probably only be recommendable for those who have enough graphics horsepower to spare after having turned on Aero Glass – not to mention the patience to deal with a distracting video playing in the background.

With that Justin Hutchinson ended his part of the presentation and handed to stage back over to Bill.

The next item of interest was the mention of a project that Microsoft has worked on together with HP, called Windows Home Server. As the name implies, this will be network attached device that will be available to multiple PCs, Xbox consoles, the Zune music players and any other compatible devices for: backups, additional storage and a lot more. Expect to see the HP Media Smart Server in stores later on in the second half of this year.

With Windows Vista, Microsoft will be introducing the concept of Live Anywhere, which basically amounts to being able to play a game, like Uno, on your Vista machine with someone else playing on their Xbox 360, and vice versa. In the future the service will also be expanded to other, more hardcore games.

The entertainment experience doesn’t stop with Live Anywhere. Microsoft also plans to provide its customers with a wide variety of TV content, which it will soon be offering in four different ways.

The first of the four ways to get high-definition movies on the Microsoft ecosystem is through the new HD-DVD add-on for the 360, which has been in “incredibly high” demand.

The second way to get into the HD experience is through the use of a Media Center PC connected to an Xbox 360 console.

The third way is through Xbox Live Video, which a recently launched service through which users can download HD and SD movies onto their consoles. The service already provides “a thousand hours of content. And it’s really simple, because the Xbox is already on the internet and, it’s connected to a big [screen].”

The fourth – and probably the most exciting – way to get TV is going to be through IPTV. Although the notion of offering IPTV is nothing new to Microsoft, they needed a stable and popular platform to put their front-end software on. The Xbox 360 fills that position beautifully. Together with third-party support from telephony companies such as AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, C-Com and SwissCom, Microsoft is planning to turn the 360 into a full featured Top Set Box (TSB).

The service should be able to handle both standard and high definition streaming for a variety of different channels with picture-in-picture support and a slew other neat features, such as TiVo style recording. Obvious this service is not going to be offered for free, but it will probably not be as expensive as regular cable.

This new IPTV service sounds a lot like what Apple doing with their iTV, which suggests that Microsoft is prepared to hand over yet another market sector to Apple without a fight – the music selling venture being the first.

The final major announcement to come forth from the CES keynote was that Microsoft has partnered up with the Ford Motor Company to offer a “fully integrated, voice activated, in-car communications and entertainment system for mobile phones and digital music players.” This Ford exclusive, called Synch, will support Bluetooth, phone book syncing, three way calling, and text-to-speech reading of text messages. Not only will it be compatible with the Zune and the iPod, there will also be a USB port for Flash and Zip drives.

Even though CES keynotes are meant to be really up-beat and forward looking, it really does seem like Microsoft is lining up for a great year. Whether they can pull it off successfully, however, is an entirely different matter…

It’s January. That means that it’s once again time for the Consumer Electronics Show and MacWorld, two high-profile conventions that together will cover almost anything to do with computing and gadgetry.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has been organized on an annual and semi-annual basis since 1967, which would make this year’s iteration the 40th anniversary. In accordance with the new tradition, CES will once again be held in the lively city of Las Vegas; more specifically, in the gigantic Las Vegas Convention Center, which features well over three million square feet of showroom floor space. In the past, CES has been used to debut some landmark products and services, like the Compact Disc, Nintendo Entertainment System, DVD, HDTV, and everyone’s favorite: Pong.

The convention will run from Monday, January 8th, to Thursday, January 11th. The event kick-off, however, will be held on Sunday, and will consist of several pre-show keynote presentations from industry gaints, like Bill Gates. Other notable keynotes will be by Motorola’s chairman/CEO Ed Zander, Robert Iger from Walt Disney, and Michael Dell, the founder of Dell, Inc.

This upcoming week will also be the week of MacWorld, an Apple only convention for anyone, anything and everything Mac. The first MacWorld has held back in 1985, in the Brooks Hall in San Francisco. In 1993, the convention moved to the Moscone Center, which allowed for more floor space. The high-light of the event has always been the keynote presentation from Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Some of the most well-known product announcements, such as that of the original iMac, as well as that of iTunes, have been made at MacWorld.

Like CES, MacWorld will last several days and start on Monday, January 8th. Some of the rumors suggest that Jobs might be announcing the device that was formally known as the iPhone, but we’ll just have to wait and see…