treesum.homeip.net » applications http://treesum.vmetc.com "I'm not saying. I'm just saying." Fri, 23 Jul 2010 01:59:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Converting MP3s For The Nintendo DSi Without iTunes http://treesum.vmetc.com/2010/04/18/converting-mp3s-for-the-nintendo-dsi-without-itunes/ http://treesum.vmetc.com/2010/04/18/converting-mp3s-for-the-nintendo-dsi-without-itunes/#comments Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:31:00 +0000 Rich http://treesum.vmetc.com/2010/04/18/converting-mp3s-for-the-nintendo-dsi-without-itunes/ Now that I’ve spent a morning trying to figure out how to convert .mp3s to an audio format that works on Nintendo’s DSi or DSi XL I decided to post about it so the next time I need to do it I’ll know where to look.

Quick Info about DSi supported audio

Apple states that the only supported audio format for the DSi is AAC. AAC is the standard iTunes audio format. If you have it installed you can convert the files with iTunes if you prefer. I needed a process that did not use iTunes.

Here’s the info on the DSi audio format from Apple:

http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/dsi/en_na/sdCards.jsp#compatible_files

Compatible file types

The Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL are compatible with the following file types:

    File types: AAC

    Filename Extensions: .m4a, .mp4, .3gp

    Bitrate: 16 kbps – 320 kbp

    Sampling rate: 32kHz – 48kHz

Here’s Apple’s “help” for converting MP3s to AAC:

http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/dsi/en_na/sdCards.jsp#convert

“Music files that you want to play on your system may or may not be copy protected. Music files that are copy protected can not be converted to compatible AAC files for play on the Nintendo DSi or Nintendo DSi XL. Music files that are not copy protected can be converted to different formats using commercially available music file converters.

Nintendo does not provide a process to convert music files; however, there is conversion software for your PC which you can purchase, called Nero Music2Go. You can find more information about this program at www.nero.com/nintendodsi.

Whichever conversion software you decide to use, you will want to make sure the converter works with the file format you are currently using as well as the AAC format. For example, if your songs are currently in .mp3 format, you will want to find a program that can convert MP3 files to AAC.”

Converting to AAC (M4A) with WinFF

WinFF can be used for free and can be downloaded here:

WinFF – Free Video Converter

Once WinFF is installed simply run the program and browse to the MP3 files that you wish to convert to M4A. You can also drag and drop files directly on to the WinFF window.

In the Output Details fields select the following:

  • Convert To – Audio
  • Device Preset – MPEG4 Audio
  • Output Folder – [select destination]

See the following screen shot.

image

After clicking the Convert button a Command windows shows the progress of the conversion as shown next.

image

Once the job is finished it’s just a matter of using a card reader to copy the M4A files to the SDRam card that is used in the DSi. The DSi memory card should have a “Music” subfolder. Place the converted files there. I created a separate subfolder for each artist/album.

WinFF is one of several possible programs you could use for converting music for the Nintendo DSi or DSi XL. Here’s a link of other AAC conversion programs:

AAC Conversion Program Suggestions…

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]]> http://treesum.vmetc.com/2010/04/18/converting-mp3s-for-the-nintendo-dsi-without-itunes/feed/ 0 You Can Use It On A Plane. You Can Use It On A Train. Use Offline GMail http://treesum.vmetc.com/2010/02/05/you-can-use-it-on-a-plane-you-can-use-it-on-a-train-use-offline-gmail/ http://treesum.vmetc.com/2010/02/05/you-can-use-it-on-a-plane-you-can-use-it-on-a-train-use-offline-gmail/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:47:28 +0000 Rich http://treesum.vmetc.com/2010/02/05/you-can-use-it-on-a-plane-you-can-use-it-on-a-train-use-offline-gmail/ If Dr. Seuss had a GMail account, he would probably let you know the popular web based email works great even without an internet connection by using a rhyme similar to the title of this post. Now, that Gmail’s offline feature has been finalized, it’s even easier than ever to turn it on. These instructions are taken from the already linked GMail Blog Post:

“Now, we’re happy to announce that Offline Gmail is graduating from Labs and becoming a regular part of Gmail. If you’re already using it, then you’re all set. While you’ll no longer see it on the Labs tab, you can tweak your settings and turn it on and off from the Offline tab under Settings. If you’d like to get started with Offline Gmail on your computer now, here’s how:

  1. Click the “Settings” link in the top-right corner of Gmail.
  2. Click the “Offline” tab.
  3. Select “Enable Offline Mail for this computer.”
  4. Click “Save Changes” and follow the directions from there.”

Here’s a screen shot of my offline settings when using Google’s Chrome browser


I find it interesting that the recent message range (amount of email to download for offline use) can be set from 4 days all the way to 5 years. Don’t be surprised if it takes a really long time to synchronize if you pick the latter.

Turn on offline GMail. Then go on a trip. Go ahead. You might end up saying something like:

“I do use offline GMail when I can. I do use offline GMail Sam I Am.”

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]]> http://treesum.vmetc.com/2010/02/05/you-can-use-it-on-a-plane-you-can-use-it-on-a-train-use-offline-gmail/feed/ 0 The Minivan Soundtrack http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/12/30/the-minivan-soundtrack/ http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/12/30/the-minivan-soundtrack/#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:11:40 +0000 Rich http://treesum.vmetc.com/?p=11567 My boys are now old enough that I can share the enjoyment of listening to music with them. Of course, this most commmonly happens in the car, so I’ve put together the following list of songs that we listen to most often.

Appropriately enough, I’ve called this list “the Minivan Soundtrack”. It’s mostly an up tempo collection of popular songs from movies, television shows, sporting events, and kid’s radio.

I recommend picking 15 to 20 of these and making your own travel CD. Then all you need to do is flash the vehicle dome light to the beat for an instant, mobile dance party with your family! Keep both hands on the wheel, please!! ;)

Let me know some of your family favorites!

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]]> http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/12/30/the-minivan-soundtrack/feed/ 0 Updated Google Chrome Lately? You Should! http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/12/18/updated-google-chrome-lately-you-should/ http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/12/18/updated-google-chrome-lately-you-should/#comments Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:46:20 +0000 Rich http://treesum.vmetc.com/?p=10851 Screenshot-Google Chrome - Get a fast new browser. For PC, Mac, and Linux - Google ChromeIf you downloaded Google Chrome a while ago, you should know there’s now a new version available. Apparently this version was released somewhere around Dec 8, 2009 – going by the date of the Google Chrome Blog post Google Chrome for the holidays: Mac, Linux and extensions in beta. As the post title indicates, Chrome now comes in flavors for the Mac, Linux, and Windows. Also exciting for me is the introduction of Extensions for the Linux and Windows versions. Sorry, but Mac extensions are still in development.

I’ve installed Chrome on my Ubuntu machines and I am loving it!

Not all of my favorite Firefox extensions are available in Crome yet, but I’ve been able to duplicate a few. So far I have installed Evernote, Shareaholic, and XMarks.

I have been using Chrome for a while, and was surprised to learn that my installed version did not update automatically. Be sure to upgrade your version too! Also check out the custom themes for Google Chrome after you upgrade.

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]]> http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/12/18/updated-google-chrome-lately-you-should/feed/ 0 Windows Live Writer Unusable With WordPress Theme Dark Background http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/12/11/windows-live-writer-unusable-with-wordpress-theme-dark-background/ http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/12/11/windows-live-writer-unusable-with-wordpress-theme-dark-background/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:01:00 +0000 Rich http://treesum.vmetc.com/?p=10347 Several blogger colleagues have raved to me about how they love blogging with Windows Live Writer. Every time I’ve tried (until now) I gave up because my personal blog’s themes use dark backgrounds. When trying to use Live Writer it was impossible to write or edit. Here’s a screen shot of this blog’s default dark background.

techlife dark background in Live Writer

I found the answer in a Windows Live Writer Forum thread titled Theme Not Showing Up Properly. Flora MSFT answered with the following advice:

“One of your screenshots is our plain editing surface, which we fall back on if template detection fails. You can choose to edit in this mode by going to View menu and unchecking "Edit using Theme".”

The change to not edit using my theme changed my post background to the default off white (blue-ish) color and has made blogging from Live Writer much mo’ better! :)

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]]> http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/12/11/windows-live-writer-unusable-with-wordpress-theme-dark-background/feed/ 7 Post to WordPress from Blackberry http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/02/05/post-to-wordpress-from-blackberry/ http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/02/05/post-to-wordpress-from-blackberry/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:47:08 +0000 Rich http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/02/05/post-to-wordpress-from-blackberry/ Iam writing this post from my Blackberry 8800. I was able to log in to the web dashboard using the Blackberry browser. Previously I could only log in, but then my phone browser would hang at “running script” while waiting for the WP dashboard to load. A single setting change on my phone eliminated the javascript / php that appears to have been the issue.

From the Blackberry Home screen:

1. Click Options
2. Click Advanced
3. Click Browser
4. Change setting to “Internet Browser”.

I’m not sure if this works on other Blackberry models too. Let me know if you try it!

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]]> http://treesum.vmetc.com/2009/02/05/post-to-wordpress-from-blackberry/feed/ 0 Twitter is addictive http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/10/19/twitter-is-addictive/ http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/10/19/twitter-is-addictive/#comments Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:59:32 +0000 Rich http://treesum.vmetc.com/?p=165 Twitter is surprisingly addictive. When I first heard about it I thought, why would I want to send an SMS message to a bunch of people to let them know what I was doing? The idea of receiving a slew of texts wasn’t too appealing either especially if the content was stuff like “I am at the bus stop” or “I’m going to the grocery store”.  I joined Twitter reluctantly when I attended a technical conference back in September because the conference organizers were promoting it and communicating to attendees via the free service.

So what is Twitter? PC.com has a good write up titled Family friendly Twitter Tips and explains:

‘This free Web-based service shares qualities with blogging, social networking, instant messaging, and chatting, but is not exactly any of these things. Twitter allows you to broadcast 140-character dispatches (or “tweets”) to your friends and followers from your computer or cell phone; everything from what you’re doing at any given moment (“at coffee shop consuming 1500 calorie snack”) to links you want to pass along to replies to other Twitter users. Using Twitter isn’t unlike sitting in a friendly cafe overhearing bits conversation around you and then piping up when you feel like it.”

Read the rest of the PC.com article to see how you can use Twitter to keep up with your family. I’ve been using Twitter to broadcast blog updates and post random thoughts and activities. I’m not sending a Tweet for everything I do, but I can see (and follow a few people) how it’s easy to do.

Check out my Tweets at http://www.twitter.com/rbrambley, or if you sign up then follow me. I also have a widget in the sidebar of this web page with my 10 latest tweets.

Here are some other applications and add-ons to compliment Twitter that I have found useful.

  • Digsby – a desktop application that is a must have for Twitter. Check my post about Digsby here.
  • TwitterFox – if you use the Firefix web browser then check out this add on.
  • Twitpic – free service lets you share photos with your Twitter followers. Uses your existing Twitter account. The Twitpic homepage has a cool feature where you can watch new pics pop up with member name and location in real time on a map of the world.
  • TinyTwitter – client for any java enabled device such as Blackberry phones. Also works with Windows Smartphones. Client uses web and not SMS so do not get extra charges

There is a bunch of iPhone clients for Twitter too, but I don’t have an iPhone so do that research yourself!

If you are not using Digsby or another PC-based cleint be sure to convert your Twitter phone account to a web account as well.

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]]> http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/10/19/twitter-is-addictive/feed/ 0 Use Digsby to consolidate email, IM, Twitter, and Linked In http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/10/19/use-digsby-to-consolidate-email-im-twitter-and-linked-in/ http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/10/19/use-digsby-to-consolidate-email-im-twitter-and-linked-in/#comments Sun, 19 Oct 2008 12:33:28 +0000 Rich http://treesum.vmetc.com/?p=154 If you are like me you have multiple web and pop3 email accounts, multiple instant messaging identities, and belong to several social networking sites. In all of these accounts you get frequent messages or updates that you have a hard time keeping up with across several independent clients. I recently realized that Digsby is the consolidated single client answer for my problem.

From Digsby.com:

“digsby is a multiprotocol IM client that lets you chat with all your friends on AIM, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, Google Talk, and Jabber with one simple to manage buddy list.”

“digsby is an email notification tool that alerts you of new email and lets you perform actions such as ‘Delete’ or ‘Report Spam’ with just one click”

“digsby is a social networking tool that alerts you of events like new messages and gives you a live Newsfeed of what your friends are up to.”

For example, I am using Digsby to monitor my Gmail, Yahoo, and vmetc.com POP3 email accounts, my Gmail and Yahoo instant messaging accounts, and follow updates on Twitter and Linked In. The screen shot in this post is my desktop client. Using the Digsby options you can configure the program to remain running after you close the desktop client and then provide Outlook style pop up notifications when you receive new communicatons.

Since the majority of my accounts are web page -based, setting up new accounts was

as easy as entering a username and password. POP3 email accounts require you know your POP server name and ports, but if you’ve done that before it should be a breeze.

Digsby is only available for Windows right now, but there is a sign up page to be notified when versions for Linux and Mac are released. A cool feature is that you can sync your Digsby settings between separate computers, but as of this writing I have not experimented with that yet. If you use Twitter you can create and reply to Tweets using the Digsby client and reduce your Text and SMS charges on your phone bill.

Check out Digsby and contact me. The client screenshot shows all of my accounts you can reach me at!

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]]> http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/10/19/use-digsby-to-consolidate-email-im-twitter-and-linked-in/feed/ 0 Fake MP3 from LimeWire and eDonkey hides Trojan http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/05/08/fake-mp3-from-limewire-and-edonkey-hides-trojan/ http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/05/08/fake-mp3-from-limewire-and-edonkey-hides-trojan/#comments Fri, 09 May 2008 03:54:33 +0000 Rich http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/05/08/fake-mp3-from-limewire-and-edonkey-hides-trojan/ McAfee Avert Labs is claiming that 27% of all PCs their products have scanned since last Friday are infected with a Trojan malware named Downloader-UA.h. This Trojan was found disguised as media files on more than half a million computers. Believed to have been planted on file sharing sites like Limewire and eDonkey, users are tricked when trying to play a media file they downloaded.

As explained in the Yahoo news article Fake MP3 Trojan Detected On 27% Of PCs:

“When a user tries to play one of the infected media files, he or she is
prompted to download a file called PLAY_MP3.exe, Schmugar explained in
a blog post.
The file does not contain music or video as advertised. Rather, the
Trojan program — Downloader-UA.h — presents users with an end-user
license agreement. If the user agrees to the terms set forth in the
4,800-word EULA, he or she consents to the installation of NetNucleus’
Mirar Toolbar adware, and the Trojan downloads the adware
“FBrowsingAdvisor” and “SurfingEnhancer,” which serve pop-up and
pop-under ads.”

With the popularity of MP3 files these days I find it hard to believe that more people don’t think something is wrong when they have to click through a license agreement to listen to a media file.

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]]> http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/05/08/fake-mp3-from-limewire-and-edonkey-hides-trojan/feed/ 0 Install Ubuntu 8.04 as a Windows application http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/05/02/install-ubuntu-804-as-a-windows-application/ http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/05/02/install-ubuntu-804-as-a-windows-application/#comments Sat, 03 May 2008 04:22:55 +0000 Rich http://treesum.vmetc.com/2008/05/02/install-ubuntu-804-as-a-windows-application/ Ubuntu 8.04 has several cool features that were not previously available in past versions. The coolest is when you load the Ubuntu CD on a PC running Windows you have the option to perform a Wubi installation. The Wubi install installs like a Windows application (and it is removed as a Windows app too – i.e. from the Control Panel > Add / Remove programs) but configures your PC to dual boot Ubuntu and your Windows version. It does not modify partitions, the MBR, or any part of your hard disk. It simply creates a new folder named Ubuntu on the drive you choose to install to.

When I first tried the Wubi install I attempted to load it to the same partition Windows boots from. The installation failed, so I then installed it to my data partition and was successful. After a reboot I was prompted to choose which OS to boot. I selected Ubuntu and was amazed as my Lenovo T60p booted successfully. The only problem Ubuntu had with my hardware was that the wireless indicator L.E.D. did not light up, but wireless was working fine.

I was then able to download and install packages / updates, modify my theme and appearance, and configure Ubuntu as you would expect. I could even access my Windows files because the data partition was mounted as /host and the boot partition could be mounted as a removable drive. The end result is the screenshot of my dsktop in this post.

I installed VirtualBox and created a Windows XP virtual machine just so I can use the seamless feature to run whatever Windows apps I will need. I am trying to see if I can survive the next week by running only Ubuntu. The Wubi install makes this possible because I know my original XP OS is intact and unchanged.

To learn more about Wubi installation and the other new features check out the post:

Wubi: install Ubuntu Linux from within your Windows environment | freewaregenius.com

The author of this post used a downloadable 1 mb Wubi installer instead of the UBuntu CDrom.

Here’s some high-lites:

  • How to use: download and run the installer in Windows. You will be asked to specify a folder to install into, and asked to specify your login passwords. Wubi will then proceed to download Ubuntu for you (approx 700 megs), save it into your specified folder, and install it for you. (Or if you have an Ubuntu CD it will be automatically detected).
  • Prerequisites: you need to have at least 5 gigs of space on your chosen hard drive partition. You do NOT have to re-partition and/or move data around. Minimum memory requirement is 256 Megs.
  • boot-screenDual booting: the next time you boot your machine you will be asked whether you want to boot into your Windows OS or into Ubuntu. Very cool! The folder where you installed Wubi will be mounted as a partition.
  • Access to your Windows partitions: you can mount and access the Windows partition where you installed Wubi from within Ubuntu and get access to your Windows files.
  • Ubuntu: is very cool. Comes pre-loaded with free and/or open source versions of most of the applications that an average user would need, many of which you might be familiar with in their Windows incarnations (OpenOffice, Firefox, Pidgin, GIMP, etc).
  • Performance: “identical to a standard installation”, to quote the Wubi site (i.e.very fast); in theory hard disk accesses would be faster if installed on a dedicated partition, but in practice I doubt it makes any difference.
  • Uninstallation: to uninstall simply re-run the Wubi executable from within Windows to uninstall Ubuntu (it will give you the option to preserve the downloaded installation CDs in case you want to re-install later). After uninstalling you can simply delete the original install folder .

The verdict: simply brilliant!. This has to be the world’s easiest, most user friendly way to install a dual-booting Ubuntu OS next to your Windows installation. If you’re curious about Linux but hitherto haven’t reached the “tipping point” that would compel you to undertake the process of installing Linux next to your Windows, you will definitely appreciate this software. Fantastic!.

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