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So, WTF is multi-boxing? If you must ask, it means you’re normal. That’s right…normally people have no idea what multi- or dual-boxing means. For the gamers out there, like myself (yes I admit), we all know ~exactly~ WTF multi-boxing is. Oh yes, it’s the ever popular sub-culture of playing multiple characters at once.

GAMERS: You can skip this next paragraph, as it’s background info for non-gamers. =)

Ok, so let’s take a step back for a second for those who are not into the gaming scene. Today, you have two different types of games: FPS and MMORPG/MMO games. FPS is “first person shooter”, like Quake or Unreal Tournament, where it’s very fast and very intense but not very lengthy in game play. The gameplay is usually over in a matter of minutes or maybe even a few hours if it’s a really large scale setup. The other is MMORPG/MMO which is “massively multi-player online role playing game” like Everquest and World of Warcraft. These games do have their ‘FPS’ moments, but are usually a longer self-pased interaction that may or may not even have an ending.

Now that we’ve established a background, on to our article! So, FPS games are usually so intense that it takes all you’ve got and then some to make your character do what you want and defeat the other person(s). However, MMORPG games are more stragetic and less ‘in your face’ thus you can control multiple characters (or ‘toons’) at once…if you have the right setup.

The ‘right’ setup:

* One or more decently geared PCs (if you have to ask, then don’t bother) with a recent vid card.

* Synergy (KVM over IP) LINK

* Hotkeynet (Technically BETA, but works GREAT!) LINK

* WoW Maximizer LINK (Sorry EQ folks, I don’t know of an EQ equivliant…)

Short version: You setup said two (or more) systems with Synergy to allow for only one keyboard and mouse. Then, use Hotkeynet to program  your own ’script’ to allow key(s) to be sent to multiple windows over both boxes at the same time. So, when I press hotkey ‘1′ it also sends hotkey ‘1′ (or whatever) to four different windows across two different machines. WoW maximizer allows said windows to be small enough to fit multiple on a decent sized monitor. (Does EQ allow this already?)

Long version: LOL, ya…I’m not giving away all my secrets…try it out for yourself!

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything…sorry folks! But, to dispell all of those rumors that I’m MIA or whatever, here is a peace offering: the coolest screen saver ever! If you are tired of seeing waterfalls, fish and matrix simulations on your monitor then this is *the* screen saver for you. =)

“Hyperspace”

Here’s the site:

http://www.reallyslick.com/

They have other screen savers as well, but that one seemed to be the ‘coolest’. Enjoy!

I freely admit, I’m a hardware enthusiast;aka, I have more computer hardware than I know what to do with. For some, it’s a rite of passage into nerd-hood to own so many computers and/or gadgets to really be taken seriously by fellow nerds. As with any electronic device, there is a power requirement for it to function which can range from a few watts to a few thousand watts. Even the small devices can add up to a noticeable amount of energy being consumed, if you know to measure them and have the tools to do so. So, how would a power conscious nerd save money by saving watts?

One of the easiest ways is to use a Kill-a-Watt (or similar device) to measure the energy usage of your devices. For some, this may be old news as these devices have been out for awhile, but there may be some who have never heard of such a device. Our thanks to Liz Brookhart for sending in this link to a PC World magazine article, where they reviewed this device in December of 07′ and offer some nice energy saving tips. Their article is worth a read. First, where can you get one? Almost any online or traditional electronics retailer can have them in stock, although Newegg happens to have them on back-order as of this writing, listed for $25:

Link to Newegg’s site for the Kill-a-Watt

As of this article, I’ve owned one of these for about half a year, and it was worth every penny. Here’s a quick list of things you’d want to measure once you obtain one of these puppies:

• First and foremost, your coffee maker. Caffeine and computing go together like politicians and lying; they’re almost inseparable! =)  Little did I know, but my coffee maker was costing me the most money of all: 1,400 watts!!! Even those small 4-cup makers still pull 800 to 1,000 watts. Granted, this is while brewing and when the hot plate is on, which the hot plate only comes on often enough to keep the coffee hot after brewing. But still, you may think twice before leaving that brewed pot of coffee on for 4 to 6 hours on Saturday morning while milling around the house.
  • Alternative: Brew the coffee and then turn it off. It’ll usually stay hot for about 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the hot plate size and type. Afterward, nuke it in the microwave for 20 seconds or so; even with a 1,200 watt microwave, it’s only 20 seconds of high-wattage usage versus every few minutes of a 4 hour window.

• Your collection of hardware, small or large, should set to low power mode when not in use. My main box eats around 300 watts or so when gaming full-screen with another 200 watts or so from my 2nd box running my email, IM, VoIP, web-browser, etc along with a possible 2nd copy of the game in windowed mode during dual-boxing.
  • Alternative: This rough estimate of 500 watts goes down to about 20 watts when both are in standby mode: this uses enough energy to keep the RAM functional, but turns off almost everything else from the hard drive to the CPU and most components. Most modern monitors also support this standby mode, thus consuming very little energy while in this mode.

• While not technically computer centric, your central heat and air is another big one. Depending on the size of the dwelling, your air conditioner can use around 1,200 to 2,000 watts while your heater (if electric) can eat up 1,800 to 4,000 watts. WOW! Now, you can’t exactly hook up your kill-a-watt meter to your central HVAC system, but you can invest in a solution of sorts…
  • Alternative: Replacing your thermostat with one that supports scheduling can be had for as little as $40 to $60 and is easier to replace than the CPU in your computer. Usually you’re only swapping 3 or 4 wires from your old device to your new one, and these wires won’t hurt you if you accidentally touch the bare end of them (they’re only a few volts DC). This replacement allow you to set a wider range of thermal levels while you are at work/away and while you sleep. I’ve saved quite a bundle by doing this, even invensting in a nicer touch-based thermostat, which paid for itself in under 60 days. Not to mention you can save up to $50 or so per month by changing your temp by a degree or two while you are home, depending on the dwelling size and temp range that was changed.

These are just a few of the many different areas that technology enthusiasts can save money on their power bill. The best rule of thumb is this: if you’re not using it, turn it off/to sleep and if it’s on all the time, tune it down if possible. Have fun!

Our good friends at Ars Technica have an article posted about the iTunes 8.0 launch which has now been ‘confirmed’ to be this Tuesday (Sept 9th). There are different features rumored to be included, yet another Ars Technica article, that range from Pandora-type functionality to HD content for TV shows.

That’s nice and all, but how about a all-you-can-eat subscription? I’ll be frank, the only reason I’m the owner of a Zune instead of an iPod is because ol Gates has a $14.99 (almost) all-you-can-download per month plan and senior Jobs does not. The Zune will probably be a great device some day with a lot of support, but let’s be serious: for any Zune accessory you find online or in a physical store, there are 100 iPhone accessories right next to it for half the price. Plus, after having problems with my third (yes, third) Zune from all of the replacements under warrenty, I’m starting to wonder if it’s worth it. I’ll be damned if I have to pay a buck per song, but a buffett subscription? Oh yes, I’ll come to the dark side for that, yes indeed….

Update: Maybe I’m not on crack after all! A lil’ Google lovin’ shows that a subscription based iTunes service has been rumored for well over a year. There is even a Wired article, link here, from just a week or so ago about said possibility. NICE!

Apple’s ads about the PC versus the Mac are pretty well known, viewable on Apple’s site and populated all over YouTube. I’m not an Apple ‘fanboy’ but I have to admit that their ads are funny as ever, and I don’t even own a Mac. These ads have gone unanswered by Microsoft for a long time, until now. That’s right, Microsoft has finally launched their ad campain with a well known comedian as their spokesperson. Who?

Jerry Seinfeld! So, these have to be funny and a great answer to the Apple ads, right? NO! This commercial, frankly, sucks. Check out the video for yourself on YouTube and tell me what you think. In my opinion, if they continue with this line of pointless ads then it’s a complete waste of their $10 million dollar investment to get Jerry Seinfeld for these commercials. What are your thoughts?

Fresh article over at Ars Technica about some new Intel processors being launches over Labor Day. All of these processors seem to be aimed at the consumer low-end based on their feature offering. Here is the line up based on Ars Technica:

Core 2 Quad 8200

In the mainstream quad-core market, we have the new 45nm Core 2 Quad 8200, at 2.33GHz, 4MB L2 cache, and a 1333MHz FSB. Intel lists the chip at $224 in 1K quantities; Newegg has it up for sale for $229.99.

Core 2 Duo E5200 & Celeron 450

Intel’s new dual-core is the E5200 (2.5GHz, 2MB L2, 800MHz FSB) at $84, while the new single-core Celeron 450 is a 65nm, 2.2GHz chip, with 512K of L2 cache and an 800MHz FSB. Price on this chip is $53. The new E5200 slides in well below the next-cheapest Core 2 Duo (Allendale 2.4GHz, 2MB L2, 800MHz FSB), and is a no-brainer replacement for that chip, provided you want to stay Intel. The Celly 450 is what it is—a single-core chip for $53.

Good time to think about rebuilding that old system collecting dust. =)