Archive for category questions for the ages
Bluetooth War Sitting….
Posted by Tom in questions for the ages, Well Traveled on June 5, 2009
So one of the advantages to bringing your laptop with you to a conference is you can do fun things like bring up your wireless sniffer and see what’s out there like say Bluetooth devices!
So two things stand out to me here…
1. I’m surprised that some phones are still discoverable, since people by and large rarely change the default settings on Bluetooth from off to on. When I took this reading from my laptop there were probably 30 people with in the 30 feet of me which is about the maximum distance I can sniff Bluetooth with my laptop. 
2. The laptop user is just asking for issues… Windows and Mac by default have Bluetooth discovery turned off so someone out there is just flat being a idiot.
a. So while I was typing #2 I saw another Mac pop up…. And here is what my wireless sniffer had to say about that, and the other Mac is close enough that I can see his entire screen. 
b. So I guess my question is this… is it rude to go up to someone and say “Excuse me but your Bluetooth is showing” Especially on a MAC since you know most MAC users aren’t security minded like PC users are.
c. Also how wise it to have the “Remote Frame Buffer” (aka VNC) service out and advertising on bonjour? Along with Apple file sharing which at this point is really just SAMBA which is really just the open source version of windows file sharing?
I’m not at a IT security confrence but still these are interesting questions for those security minded people / security professionals that have been known to check around the old blog here.
Yes I know you come here… Google Analytic isn’t just for tracking my parents any more.
It’s still kind of surreal…
Posted by Tom in questions for the ages, WTF? on March 4, 2009
So as you all know I work in I.T. for hospital system in Phoenix… and as a rule I don’t talk about work. Well tonight your in luck… I’m going to talk about work!
To bad for you it’s going to be about nothing cool and will actually be a conversation I had at work yesterday over instant messenger
Me: Hey can you go to the Kidz clinic after you finish in the womens center they are having a problem with outside CD’s
Nathan: Where’s the kids clinic
Me: First floor next to the day spa and caddy corner from the marble fountain
Nathan: ok
Yes the hospital is in the North East valley but after almost 4 years I still find the day spa a little odd.
Pendelous type threads
Posted by Tom in questions for the ages on October 8, 2008
So I know I can’t be the only one with this problem, but it’s kind of embarsing espically for someone like me…
How do you keep mulitple computer somewhat synchronized with contacts?
I know it’s stupid but hear me out… I have a blackberry Pearl and before that a Treo 700P that I sync’d at both home and work. Syncing the treo at work and home caused me some problems, namely that my business contacts polluted my personel contacts and vice-versa. Now I dont have much a problem with this but I don’t want the next great internet worm to come out of one of my computers and take down several large medical imaging device companies.
Not that it would happen I’m just saying…
So what do other people do with multiple computers and contact lists that they want on all of their computers?
I’ve thought about using google as my “master” archive and then feed down from there but that seems less then elegant and the more stuff I can keep off the cloud the better.
Oh and don’t forget I’m multi platfrom too… I use windows and mac and linux… I don’t care so much about linux, it’s more mac and windows I’m after.
5 fucking bars….
Posted by Tom in Appley, Not doing things the easy way, Observations that no one else cares about, questions for the ages on July 10, 2008
Little known fact… I’m a cell phone whore…
I upgrade cell phones on the order of every 12 to 18 months. Sometimes way less (6 months for a LG slider several years ago) and very rarely ever more (There was a samsung flip phone that I had for damn near 20 months and I finally just got sick of) So yes I’m a bit of a cell phone whore. I’m almost to 8 months on the current phone (a Silver Blackberry 8130) which works really really really well. The calls are always clear, it’s easy to txt message on, and I always have coverage with my wireless provider (Verizon, it’s the network don’t you know).
2nd little known fact… I’m a Apple whore…
I’m like all things Apple, Steve Jobs could shit diaherra call it the iShit and I would probally still think about buying it. And if it the “iShit” came in colors I would probally buy one, but it would just be the plain brown one because I’m too cool for a colored “iShit”
So as you can imagine I’m in a bit of a quandry since my two whorish tendancies are about about to come together again at a new lower price, bigger capacity, 3G, and a two year contract.
Did I mention I’m no longer under contract to Verizon?
As you can guess it’s been a rough couple of days… Really the only thing keeping me from getting a iPhone is the AT&T network in Phoenix. Which depending on who you talk to is either really good or really shitty.
Other factors?
The cell repeaters at work don’t do AT&T, you know thats kind of important when you spend a portion of your day in a led lined room.
Not 32GB, I will be honest if they come out with a 32GB version I will probally not be able to stop myself… unless it’s $400 in which case I will go buy a new blackberry not under contract and call it good.
I don’t want to be under contract again… yes it’s a little more expensive for the phones. I do like having the option to leave at any time merely because I feel like it.
Everyone at work uses Verizon… this shouldn’t matter but it does I use just as many in calling minutes as I do anytime minutes. If I switched I would have to doubly my minutes at a minimum
And so the iShit whore stays put for the time being and hopes that the black berry touch screen thing turns out to be a good phone and email machine… because lets be honest the only thing I care about it phone call quality and txt messaging.
And I won’t back down….
Posted by Tom in General Carnage and Bloodshed, questions for the ages on March 30, 2008
So I’ve been working with the dual blog setup for about a month and half now and while there are somethings that I really like about this wordpress blog there aren’t enough things to make me switch from blogger to my own personal Idaho of a blog.
What was the killer? The post by email is what pretty much killed it for me. One of my favorite things to do with my blog is post pictures from my blackberry. It’s not huge, but for me it’s a killer app that I don’t have here.
Also the first upgrade of the back end while not a huge deal made a few changes that I just don’t like at first blush. I’m sure if I give them time I will like them though.
What now? I will keep this blog up and get the whole email thing worked out at some point. It may be handy for certain expectant mothers in Colorado to keep an eye on this blog since this could be almost called “tom unfiltered”. I know what your thinking how could I become any more unfiltered?
Easy… full knowledge that people check this site infrequently. I do have google analytics setup so I know if you’ve been by or not.
And I now return you to your reguraly scheduled garbage.
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