#blog

danie10@squeet.me

Who needs a roof when you can use balcony solar for apartments

The photograph shows a woman standing on a balcony, holding a cup. The balcony is attached to a building with old-style architecture, featuring decorative moulding above the windows and a mix of light beige and dark teal colours on the façade. In the foreground is a black solar panel that looks almost like a privacy screen that extends the length of the balcony. Plants are visible in pots both on the balcony and in the background growing along the building's exterior wall.
Lots of people, especially city dwellers and renters, don’t have rooftops where they can install solar panels to generate some of the electricity they use in their daily lives. Community solar offers a partial solution for some, but it is not available everywhere. In Germany, more than 1.5 million people have installed Balkonkraftwerke, which translates as “balcony power plants.” Almost every apartment has a balcony with a railing to keep folks from tumbling into the street below. If it gets any sun exposure during the day, balcony solar panels can be mounted to those railings to make electricity that helps power a home.

It may not be as much power as a rooftop system but is still around 300 W which does offset electricity costs a bit, and there is a battery to also store excess energy.

What is different from a rooftop system is that it is easily portable, so you can take it with if you move, or even if you go off camping. If you live in an area subject to hail, then these are easy to take inside when you need to. It usually also does not require professional electricians to install it.

And as far as the electricity grid goes, in Germany there are already more than 500,000 of these installations, so that adds up to quite a saving anyway on the grid side.

See cleantechnica.com/2024/12/21/g…
#Blog, #balconysolar, #environment, #solarenergy, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

This USB-C cable can rotate 360 degrees for optimal cable management

The image shows a workspace scene with a laptop computer connected to a power adapter via a cable. In the foreground is a power strip with multiple outlets, a white power adapter, and a laptop. The background includes a gray wall, hinting at a modern, minimalist workspace. The overall setting suggests a home office or a clean, organized work area. The cable shows a 90-degree bend where it protrudes from the laptop's socket.
USB-C was a great step forward, removing the awkward “try to plug in the cable, doesn’t fit, rotate 180 degrees, still doesn’t fit” dance, but cable management is still a pain. If you wish your cables didn’t stick out at awkward angles and could rotate to fit your needs best, one Japanese company has your back—with a catch.

So whilst it will deliver 240W of charging power, actual data transfer rates are stuck at USB 2.0 rates. I can see that data throughput is going to be more sensitive than power delivery. And right now it is only available from their website.

Still, let’s hope this idea takes off and improvements can be made.

See xda-developers.com/usb-c-cable…
#Blog, #technology, #USB

danie10@squeet.me

10 Awesome Games You Can Play Right Now In Your Browser Without Installing Anything

The image shows a computer screen displaying multiple video game windows arranged in a grid-like fashion. In the foreground are various game interfaces, including a chessboard, a hexagonal tile game resembling Settlers of Catan, a Wordle word puzzle, and what appears to be a first person shooter. The background is dominated by the vibrant colours and designs of the games themselves, creating a visually stimulating and dynamic scene.
Sometimes you have the urge to play some video games, but you don’t have the right hardware with you. Perhaps you’re stuck at work or school, or you have a basic device like a Chromebook. The good news is that there are a lot of games out there where you need nothing more than a web browser to play.

See howtogeek.com/awesome-games-yo…
#Blog, #gaming, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

After market office chair wheels can be a worthy and cheap upgrade

The image shows a close-up view of four StealthO caster wheels against a stark white background. The foreground is dominated by the teal-colored polyurethane wheels, each exhibiting a distinct design with visible spokes and a central hub. The background is simple and uncluttered, further emphasizing the product. The wheels have a sleek and modern aesthetic, suggesting high quality and perhaps a professional application.
For some reason, even the most expensive office chairs come with pretty plain plastic wheels. They don’t roll so well, often need a floor protector, and worse they make a bit of noise, especially on harder surfaces.

Most chairs though will take generic wheels stems: 7/16″ (11 mm), stem length: 7/8″ (22 mm).

Generally, the polyurethane wheel material is more abrasion resistant and quieter to use. STEALTHO for example uses elastic polyurethane, which is the safest material for your hardwood floor or carpet (so they say). These are not available locally in South Africa, though, but can be found on the Amazon US store.

I see there are also Slipstick CB690 Floor Protecting Rubber Office Chair Caster Wheels, which are available in SA on Amazon SA (and US). But I’m going to take a chance first on some much cheaper ones I found on Takealot in SA, which are advertised as the Officeway brand.

Yes, some wheels glow in the dark, but that is not a necessity for most people. In my case I’m looking to reduce the noise a bit as my wife records videos with a very high sensitivity level for audio.
#Blog, #officechair, #technology, #wheels

danie10@squeet.me

Where to Watch New Year’s Eve Celebrations From Around the World

The image shows a vibrant fireworks display over a canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the foreground, there are houseboats and the calm waters of the canal reflecting the colorful lights of the fireworks. The background is filled with the stunning spectacle of fireworks exploding in the night sky, with the city's buildings and trees lining the canal visible amidst the bursts of light. The city lights illuminate the buildings along the canal, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere against the dark night sky.
Links to live streams for various cities around the world. Why celebrate once when you can celebrate on the hour all day long!

Not all are pointing directly at the celebrations though, e.g. Cape Town’s cam is pointing towards the mountain, and not towards the Waterfront where the fireworks are going off. So for Cape Town maybe try this one at earthtv.com/en/webcam/cape-tow… or this one further away especially for the fireworks at capetown-webcam.com/category/u….

See lifehacker.com/entertainment/l…
#Blog, #newyear, #technology, #webcam

jabgoe2089@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

der graslutscher noch einmal zur einschätzung der strompreisschwankungen letztens ...

#politik #ErneuerbareEnergien #blog

Image/photoDer Graslutscher wrote the following post Fri, 20 Dec 2024 15:02:02 +0100

Dunkelflauten-Adventskalender Türchen 2: Nein, der Strom war letzte Woche nicht viel teurer als mit Atomkraft

(das ist Türchen Nummer 2. Solltet Ihr es verpasst haben, findet ihr hier

Türchen Nummer 1) WAS, 90 Cent pro Kilowattstunde, seid ihr komplett

bescheuert oder was? So oder so ähnlich schallte es letzte Woche

mutmaßlich aus einer Menge Münder, als die Börsenstrompreise

Rekordhöhen erreichten. Wobei ich bezweifle, dass es die Strompreise

selbst waren, denn ...

Weiterlesen

Der Beitrag Dunkelflauten-Adventskalender Türchen 2: Nein, der Strom war

letzte Woche nicht viel teurer als mit Atomkraft erschien zuerst auf Der

Graslutscher.

https://graslutscher.de/dunkelflauten-adventskalender-tuerchen-nummer-2-nein-der-strom-war-letzte-woche-nicht-viel-teurer-als-mit-atomkraft/#more-6800View articleView summaryDunkelflauten-Adventskalender Türchen 2: Nein, der Strom war letzte Woche nicht viel teurer als mit Atomkraft

(das ist Türchen Nummer 2. Solltet Ihr es verpasst haben, findet ihr hier Türchen Nummer 1)

WAS, 90 Cent pro Kilowattstunde, seid ihr komplett bescheuert oder was? So oder so ähnlich schallte es letzte Woche mutmaßlich aus einer Menge Münder, als die Börsenstrompreise Rekordhöhen erreichten. Wobei ich bezweifle, dass es die Strompreise selbst waren, denn auf die meisten Menschen haben kurzzeitige Preisspitzen so wenig Auswirkung die schwankende Umlaufbahn eines der kleineren Jupitermonde. Was schon eher eine Auswirkung auf ihre Laune hat, sind die Schlagzeilen über Strompreise, und davon gab es reichlich:

Image/photo

„Wenn die Dunkelflaute die Strompreise treibt“ (SZ), „Warum die schwedische Energieministerin auf Deutschland schimpft“ (Spiegel), „Problem der „Dunkelflaute“: Strompreis kurzfristig auf neue Spitze gestiegen“ (Tagesschau), „Dunkelflaute: Darum ist Strom gerade so teuer“ (Zeit), „Dunkelflaute lässt Strompreise explodieren“ (ZDF), und das sind noch die besseren Überschriften.

Wer es knalliger und ganz schlicht will, scrollt wie zumeist beim focus vorbei, da darf eine Kolumnistin bar jeder Kenntnisse zum europäischen Stromhandel ihre persönliche Paranoia ausleben und war laut eigener Aussage „verzweifelt“. Meine Güte, dafür dass sich beim focus gerne über Befindlichkeiten anderer Leute lustig gemacht wird, ist man dort ganz schön wehleidig aufgestellt angesichts punktuell hoher Strompreise.

Ja, punktuell. Was ich in den meisten Artikeln bzw. in den Kommentarspalten darunter vermisst habe, war eine Einordnung, wie oft derartige Preise erreicht werden. Die 940 Euro/MWh oder 94 Cent/Kilowattstunde waren für Energieprofis irritierend, weil unsere installierte Leistung solche Preise eigentlich verhindern sollte. Eine private Verbraucherin mit normalem Stromtarif bekam von den Verwerfungen an der Börse aber ohnehin nichts mit, sie konnte sich mit ihrem festen Tarif auch am 12.12.2024 um 18 Uhr für 30 Cent pro Kilowattstunde Teewasser aufkochen.

Bei Menschen mit flexiblem Stromtarif sah das mit 94 Cent/kWh in der Tat anders aus, aber 3 Stunden später lag der Preis auch für sie schon wieder bei moderaten 17 Cent/Kilowattstunde. Ja, es gibt schönere Dinge in der Vorweihnachtszeit, aber das alles war nichts gegen die Verwerfungen vor ziemlich genau 2 Jahren. Da stiegen die Börsenstrompreise auf nicht ganz so hohe 66 Cent pro Kilowattstunde, aber sie blieben die ganze Werkwoche sehr hoch.

Komisch, da kam wenig Kritik und Verzweiflung und auch die schwedische Energieministerin, die laut vieler Medien aktuell wegen der Strompreise sauer auf Deutschland ist, verhielt sich auffällig still. Das könnte eventuell daran liegen, dass die Ursache vor 2 Jahren nicht nur eine Dunkelflaute war, sondern dass die Kernkraft in Frankreich große Probleme hatte und zur Zeit hoher Preise 8 Gigawatt bzw. 10 Prozent seines Tagesverbrauchs aus dem Rest Europas importierte. Reaktion der deutschen Medien: Stille, Grillenzirpen, eine Wüstenhexe wedelte vorbei.

Image/photo

Auch von Ebba Busch wurde dazu, die auch zu diesem Zeitpunkt schon schwedische Energieministerin war, wenig getweetet (hauptsächlich Weihnachtsgrüße). Da sie eine Verfechterin neuer Atomkraftwerke in Schweden ist, könnte man zu dem Schluss kommen, dass die Ursache der hohen Preise im Winter 2022 einfach nicht gut zu ihrer politischen Agenda passten, um sie zu thematisieren, denn da hatte Deutschland noch aktive Atomkraftwerke. Die Situation 2 Jahre später aber schon. Zu dieser Haltung kann man nun stehen, wie man will, aber dass sie nicht gerade als objektive Stimme in der Frage europäischer Stromerzeugung in Frage kommt, sollte doch irgendwie klar sein. Nicht wahr, liebe deutsche Medien?

Gut, aber wieso waren die Preise jetzt überhaupt (übrigens in halb Europa) so hoch? Weil Wind und Sonne gefehlt haben, sagen die einen. Ja schon auch, aber für solche Tage haben wir ja eigentlich 100 Gigawatt wetterunabhängige Kraftwerke, die auch ganz allein den Bedarf decken können. Der Verdacht der vieler Fachleute war, dass von diesen weniger liefen als für diese Tage vorgesehen ist und dass die Versorgung dennoch sicher war.

Auch ich verstieg mich letzte Woche zu der Aussage, dass die Kraftwerksbetreiber an dem Tag offenbar weniger Strom erzeugten als sie eigentlich laut Kraftwerksliste könnten, andere sprachen unverblümt von Marktmanipulation (ein bislang unbelegter, in meinen Augen recht gewagter Vorwurf). Tatsächlich kann man in Portalen wie Energy-Charts sehen, dass die fossile Stromerzeugung im Vergleich zum gleichen Tag im Jahr 2022 trotz ähnlicher Witterung scheinbar deutlich niedriger lag. Nur 19 von verfügbaren 36 Gigawatt Erdgas bevölkerte laut diesen Daten das Netz und so haben wir uns natürlich gefragt, was da los ist.

Wieso sollte der Betreiber eines Gaskraftwerks das nicht hochfahren wenn er 900 Euro für eine Megawattstunde bekommt? Mein Tipp an euch: Wird der Strom so richtig teuer und ihr besitzt ein 100-MW-Gaskraftwerk, dann werft es an und werdet stinkreich damit. Allein in der Stunde von 17 bis 18 Uhr am 12.12.2024 hättet ihr damit knapp 100.000 € Umsatz gemacht. Sollte der hier mitlesende Pöbel hingegen kein Gaskraftwerk besitzen (schämt euch): Das Gas hierfür kostet aktuell etwa 8.000 €, die Nummer ist zu solchen Zeiten also eine Lizenz zum Geld drucken.

Was ich nicht wusste: Die Daten sind nur eine Näherung, weil sehr viele dieser Kraftwerke gar nicht in Echtzeit berichten, wie viel sie erzeugt haben. Sollte Euer Gaskraftwerk nämlich nur 99 Megawatt schaffen, seid ihr von der viertelstündlichen Berichtspflicht befreit und müsst nur am Ende des Monats einmal sagen, wie viel ihr produziert habt. Wie viel am 12.12.2024 um 18 Uhr von euch kam, wissen wir nicht. Die Daten in den Portalen sind daher auch nur Schätzungen.

An diesem Tag hat aber tatsächlich einiges in unseren Kohlekraftwerken geknirscht, so dass es bei den Großkraftwerken gleich mehrere Komplett-Ausfälle gab. Der Bundesverband Erneuerbare Energie geht insgesamt von etwa 10 Gigawatt Gaskraft fehlten und 7 Gigawatt Kohlekraft – was sich ganz gut mit unseren Importen an diesem Tag deckt.

Aber wenn das der Grund war, ist es dann fair, den Erneuerbaren die Schuld zu geben? Ja, die haben keinen Strom geliefert. Logisch, war ja auch windstill. Aber angenommen, ihr sollt auf eine Herde Wombats aufpassen (diese possierlichen Kreaturen aus Australien), meldet euch dann krank und eure Vertretung kommt einfach nicht, weil auch krank – wer hat dann den Wombat-Ausbruch zu verantworten? Ihr? Eure Vertretung? Oder die Person, die diesen löchrigen Schichtplan aufgestellt hat?

Dieses Fingerpointing hilft uns aber ohnehin nicht weiter, denn die zu Grunde liegende Situation mit schwankender Stromerzeugung aus Wind und Solar wird in Zukunft noch zunehmen. Wer wissen will, was daran wirklich ein Problem ist und was nicht, dem/der sei das wohltuend sachliche Interview mit Energieökonom Lion Hirth und der Chefin des Branchenverbandes BDEW in der FAZ empfohlen. Schwankende Preise sind hiernach prinzipiell nichts Ungewöhnliches und auch kein überraschendes Marktergebnis, außerdem sind sie wichtige Anreize für Speicher und flexible Nachfrage.

Hört also bitte den Expertinnen in dieser Sache zu, die die Preise wie letzte Woche durchaus thematisieren, aber eben damit wir unsere Systeme ändern, nicht um Panik zu verbreiten oder die Atomdebatte zum zwanzigsten mal aufzuwärmen.

Es gibt ja tatsächlich ein paar Designfehler, die das Problem künstlich größer machen, als es ist. Deutschland liegt fatal weit hinten beim Ausrollen von Smart Metern für flexible Stromtarife, hat gerade technische Probleme bei der Kohlekraft, zu wenig Speicher und keine Strompreiszonen. Noch etwas irrer:

Laut Lion Hirt (erklärt er im gleichen FAZ-Artikel) bekommen energieintensive Unternehmen mit hohem Verbrauch 80% Rabatt auf die Netzentgelte, aber nur wenn sie sich verpflichten, kontinuierlich Strom abzunehmen. Auch bei europaweiter Knappheit mit Rekordpreisen. Auch am letzten Donnerstag um 18 Uhr. Aaaah!

Stellt euch das vor, ihr betreibt eine fette Aluminiumschmelze und seht, dass der Strom gegen Abend schmerzhaft teuer werden wird (die Prognosen liegen lange vorher vor). Eine kluge Betriebsleiterin würde dann den Verbrauch für 4 Stunden drosseln, dabei Geld sparen UND den Preis damit für alle anderen ebenfalls senken. Dieses Verhalten würde aber aktuell bestraft werden mit Entzug des Rabatts von 80%.

Hier könnt ihr ganz gut sehen, wer es in dieser Debatte ehrlich meint und wer nur Stimmungsmache betreibt. Die Preise thematisieren, um endlich die lange diskutierten Lösungen dafür umzusetzen, ist vollkommen legitim. Sich mit verschränkten Armen hinstellen und die Preise als Anlass dafür nehmen, keine Erneuerbaren mehr zu wollen, ist hingegen unglaubwürdig.

Und eine Sache haben die Preise ja bereits geschafft: Ein Batterietsunami von 160 Gigawatt Leistung rollt auf uns zu (yeah). Selbst wenn davon bis 2026 nur die Hälfte gebaut würde, wäre das deutlich mehr als das Energieministerium für das Jahr 2045 geplant hat. Damit überbrücken wir zwar keine mehrere Tage andauernde Dunkelflaute, aber ein paar Stunden Stromspitzen bekommen wir damit sehr gut in den Griff.

Was uns zu Türchen 3 führt: Wie viel Speicherstrom brauchen wir denn eigentlich für eine ordentliche Dunkelflaute?

_____________________________________________________

Image/photo

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Der Beitrag Dunkelflauten-Adventskalender Türchen 2: Nein, der Strom war letzte Woche nicht viel teurer als mit Atomkraft erschien zuerst auf Der Graslutscher.

danie10@squeet.me

Home Assistant’s new hardware voice assistant answers to ‘Hey Jarvis’ and can work offline

The image shows a small, square device, possibly a smart home gadget, resting on a surface. The background is a gradient of soft blue and orange hues, creating a calm and modern atmosphere. In the foreground, the device is the primary focus, with its sleek, white design and subtle glowing circle on the top drawing the viewer's attention. A thin cable is connected to the device, suggesting it is powered or connected to a network.
There’s a new voice assistant in town, and this one can work locally in your home without phoning home to its corporate overloads. This week, the popular hobbyist smart home platform Home Assistant officially launched its first voice assistant hardware — Home Assistant Voice Preview Edition.

Built for the open-source smart home platform, Voice PE costs $59 and brings a locally controlled, privacy-focused voice assistant to Home Assistant in a plug-and-play package. Once connected to Home Assistant, you can use voice to control any connected device, with commands such as “Turn on the living room lights,” “Lock all the doors,” “Create a timer for 5 minutes,” and many more.

There have been other solutions before, but they were not so reliable, and of course the Google or Amazon based ones require the cloud access of these companies, and many do not like to have that channel open.

This is a hardware device (that does look pretty good) and seems to be pretty versatile. I think it could be well worth it, as long as it will get ongoing updates and not be replaced with some new model in the short term. Despite that, seeing it works fully offline, you should at least find it won’t ever be bricked or turned into a paper weight.

See theverge.com/2024/12/19/243251…
#Blog, #homeassistant, #privacy, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

Oasis Security Research Team Discovers Microsoft Azure MFA Bypass: We Expect More From An Enterprise Provider Though

The image shows a dark, cracked earth in the foreground, suggesting a sense of vulnerability or fragility. In the background, there's a dark blue gradient that fills the space, punctuated by a grid of small plus symbols at the top and bottom, adding a technological or digital feel. A central element is a rectangular box with the word "AuthQuake" in a salmon-pink color, indicating a possible security breach. The box is connected by a dotted line to an arrow, implying movement or an ongoing process. The gradient background subtly transitions from dark to slightly lighter, creating depth.
Oasis Security’s research team uncovered a critical vulnerability in Microsoft’s Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) implementation, allowing attackers to bypass it and gain unauthorized access to the user’s account, including Outlook emails, OneDrive files, Teams chats, Azure Cloud, and more. Microsoft has more than 400 million paid Office 365 seats, making the consequences of this vulnerability far-reaching.

The bypass was simple: it took around an hour to execute, required no user interaction, and did not generate any notification or provide the account holder with any indication of trouble.

The news surfaced now in the last week, so Microsoft has addressed the issue already. For me, though, the real news is that a global enterprise level IT company should not have had such basic guardrails missing. It appears really that Microsoft had knowingly relaxed some measures around its 2FA to allow for convenience. But surely a lack of attack rate limiting is just unforgivable. One of the basics I always employ on my servers and blog, is attack rate limiting with lengthy blocks in place. If anyone has to guess a password or 2FA more than 3 times, there is something wrong.

Microsoft has had so many security fumbles over time that it is quite amazing that their monopoly in the workplace goes unchallenged. It seems Microsoft has very little care about their customers, as long as the money is rolling in, and if that eases, they just change the licensing parameters a bit. The recent Microsoft Recall feature was just another example of completely not appreciating their customers’ privacy, and that was also only addressed after a major outcry.

Microsoft probably has too much inertia, but actually there are some pretty good alternatives around if one takes a little trouble to rise out of the deep rut. The combination of pretty admin tools, AI, and cloud services has unfortunately made many admins way too lazy today. I think the quality of our admins on the edge, is a lot weaker than it used to be two decades back. All this usually means an even greater reliance on Microsoft where it is used in a corporate environment.

Security is about keeping it simple, and having a reasonable depth of knowledge about what is being managed.

See oasis.security/resources/blog/…
#Blog, #2fa, #security, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

Thanks to Whiskey, You Will Be Gaming on Your Mac More Than Ever

The image shows a dimly lit bar scene, with shelves of liquor bottles blurred in the background. In the foreground, a bottle of whisky, a glass of amber liquid, and a laptop displaying a pixelated video game are arranged on a wooden surface. The laptop's screen showcases a scene seemingly from a retro-style role-playing game, vibrant colours adding a touch of fantasy to the otherwise mature environment. The bar's soft lighting creates a warm, inviting ambiance, contrasting with the focus on the digital world displayed on the screen.
Whiskey is a free app that you can download right now, and use to play Windows games on your Mac. It brings together the WINE compatibility layer as well as Apple’s own Game Porting Kit, while removing all the nerdy setup and hassle involved with both.

So it seems that Whiskey is stronger than WINE!

It seems to be a bit like the Bottles app on Linux. In my own case, Steam on Linux is playing most games that I want to play, but if you want to play games that are not on Steam, then I suppose Whiskey and similar apps would be the way to go.

See howtogeek.com/thanks-to-whiske…
#Blog, #gaming, #macos, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

GRC’s DNS Benchmark software is getting a new version after 15 years

The image shows a computer screen displaying the DNS Benchmark software. The foreground is dominated by a detailed graphical representation of DNS server response times, with various IP addresses and their corresponding performance metrics clearly visible. In the background, the software's interface is evident, with tabs for 'Introduction', 'Nameservers', 'Tabular Data', and 'Conclusions' clearly displayed. The software's version number (1.3.6668.0) and copyright date (2010) suggest it may be an older version of the software. The specific selection of DNS servers being tested is indicative of a purposeful activity rather than random testing.
Seems that v1, which is now 15 years old and nearly 10 million downloads, still gets downloaded over 1,000 times daily. But it has needed a fresh for a while now. IPv6 is here as well as encrypted DoH, DoT, DoQ, etc.

There is a roadmap published at the link below outlining what the planned new features look like. There will still be a free version with some new features, but there are also Plus and Pro versions that have a once-off fee, but do include all future updates.

Although it was (and still will e) written to work on Windows OS, it will be fully compatible to run under WINE on Linux.

So hopefully this will be available sometime later in 2025.

See grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm
#Blog, #DNS, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

HamClock provides real time space weather, radio propagation models, and other info useful to radio amateurs

The image shows a global HamClock map, primarily focusing on the Southern Hemisphere. In the foreground, there is a detailed display of propagation data, including colours for different frequency bands. There are also smaller panes showing information for a local location as well as a DX location. Top left is a amateur radio call sign ZS1OSS visible.
This is a highly customisable application that draws in all sorts of technical information that can help radio amateurs. Each pane can be changed to show relevant information.

What I really like is the frequency / band projections to any specific DX location. One really has to read the manual, though, to get full use out of the app. For non-hams though, it is still a very interesting app, being able to show time and distance to any location, as well as weather conditions at those locations.

The app runs on Linux (your desktop, a Raspberry Pi, etc) and is accessed via your web browser (any OS). If it does not start properly, especially on a desktop, just make sure nothing else has already got that network port in use, e.g. in my case SyncThing was hogging it, and I moved SyncThing to port 8083. You can also start HamClock with a ‘-w port’ to specify what web port it should use.

To exit the app, or look at diagnostics, etc, you can long-click for 3 seconds on the padlock symbol to get a pop-up actions menu.

See clearskyinstitute.com/ham/HamC…
#Blog, #amateurradio, #hamradio, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

Here’s how you can replace Google Photos with a self-hosted Immich server

The image shows a computer screen displaying a photo management interface called Immich. In the foreground, the interface shows thumbnails of photos of computer hardware components, including a motherboard and a hard drive. The background reveals a glimpse of a bedroom corner with gaming-related items like figures and books about Blender, a 3D creation suite. The photos' metadata reveals the dates of upload: October 28th, and November 2nd and 5th. This suggests a systematic approach to organization, storing these items in an online library. The background reveals a playful, personalized space with a mix of mature and youthful interests such as gaming and 3D modelling.
Immich is really very good — I did a video about myself a few months ago, which shows what you can expect from it and what it looks like to use.

As the article mentions, it looks very much like Google Photos (the closest look alike I’ve seen), and it can even work from a Raspberry Pi on the home network (with an external drive connected).

Immich is certainly not some clunky looking out of date app. It is really well-designed and does much of what Google Photos does. Have a quick look at my video if you are in any doubt.

See xda-developers.com/heres-how-y… and my video about Immich at youtube.com/watch?v=dQqrVzgnf2…
#Blog, #opensource, #photos, #selfhosting, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

How to Install Arch Linux: A Beginner’s Practical Guide

The image is a stylized graphic design, likely promoting Arch Linux. The foreground features a bold, black and white silhouette of a woman with short hair, giving a modern and edgy feel. Her age seems to be in her late twenties or early thirties. She is wearing a t-shirt with 'Arch' subtly visible near the bottom. The background showcases a vibrant blue and grey colour scheme with the text 'Arch Linux Install Made Easy' overlaid, set in a bold and dynamic typeface. The overall aesthetic is reminiscent of street art or graphic novel style.
Installing Arch Linux has always been a little more daunting for newer users. This is partly because it offers a little less wizard guidance, and also partly because you want to be super careful, especially around what partitions to use or format, or which not to format.

I know this because the first few times I even installed Ubuntu, back in the day, my biggest concern always was which partition is which, and am I going to install over something I don’t want to lose. I learnt later on to separate my home folder onto a different partition, and to use GParted or KParted to carefully note down exactly which partition was which, before I started.

But of course since I installed Manjaro Linux, I’ve never had to do another fresh installation again (basically one of the benefits that Arch Linux will give you too).

This guide actually shows you how to install Arch Linux in a virtual machine, which is probably an excellent way to try the installation out first, and will give confidence for the live installation later.

Remember too, with Arch Linux, you’ll probably never be doing this ever again, so some effort and time is really worth it. Linux is not Windows, and I’ve even ported my existing drives across into a brand-new motherboard, and it has worked fine (remember to map your drives using their UUID’s as that makes them pretty portable).

So why not Manjaro Linux or one of the other Arch Linux derivatives? They are friendlier and easier to install, they are intended to run on their stable editions. So if you are in the habit of wanting to run some more bleeding edge git versions from the AUR, you may find things break with those packages as they often don’t find some dependencies they require. Arch typically runs most of those more bleeding edge packages, so dependencies are not such an issue.

Still, even if you install Arch Linux in a VM, it will make a great festive season project to play with! For some (many?) Linux users, becoming a full-time Arch Linux user is the pinnacle they want to reach.

You’ll tell these users apart from others, as they may express crude disdain for Manjaro Linux and other Arch derivatives in the forums 😉 . But even if you use Arch Linux, they may also state you should not be using it as a new user… That said, forums are all getting a lot more friendly and helpful today, and there are also lots of Arch Linux users from all experience levels. This is really not such an issue today as it was maybe 5 plus years ago. I’m just mentioning it as those stereotypes do still crop up, but there are really tons of assistance and posts online about solving all sorts of Arch Linux issues. I know, because I use them to solve any issues I encounter on Manjaro Linux too.

See linuxiac.com/arch-linux-instal…
#Blog, #linux, #opensource, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

You Can Now Search the Internet With ChatGPT

The image shows a computer screen displaying a weather forecast for Boston, MA on October 31, 2024, using the ChatGPT 40 interface. The dark mode interface shows the current temperature is 78°F and mostly sunny. In the foreground is a detailed weather report for the next week, including highs and lows, along with weather descriptions. The background shows a standard web browser interface with the URL bar displaying "chatgpt.com". A small, almost unnoticeable, "Share" button is present in the top right corner. There is an alert for a severe weather statement in effect until 8:00 PM EDT. This detail is important as it highlights a safety concern that's not immediately obvious from just looking at the overall sunny forecast. The subtle text and information regarding the 1946 and 1974 temperature records further demonstrate the attention to detail for creating a rich weather history.
ChatGPT search has been out now for about a month and a half, following a Halloween announcement from OpenAI. With this new feature, the company finally rolled out an official competitor to AI search engines like Perplexity, Google’s AI Overviews, and Microsoft Bing (powered by Copilot).

OpenAI originally announced its search plans back in July, with a service called SearchGPT. While SearchGPT was a prototype and launched with a waitlist to try it, ChatGPT search took its place, with OpenAI rolling SearchGPT’s main features into its new search feature. The feature originally launched to paid subscribers only, but now, all users can access it.

We all know that AI can hallucinate, so it is good to now have another good AI search tool that can be used for comparative purposes. Also, for those you actively avoided Google’s tool, this will offer a more neutral alternative option.

See lifehacker.com/tech/openai-cha… and the web address for SearchGPT is chatgpt.com/category/uncategor…
#Blog, #AI, #search, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

Europe’s Starlink competitor is a go

The photo shows a light green camper van parked in a grassy area, with lush green trees forming a backdrop. The van's rear doors are open, revealing a neatly organized interior. In the foreground, a portable satellite dish takes centre stage, its rectangular white dish is flat and pointing up at the sky. A small foldable chair is visible to the right, near a person sitting and petting a dog.
290 IRIS² satellites by 2030 to provide secure connectivity to governmental users as well as private companies and European citizens. IRIS² is an acronym for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite.

The bonuses will be that the service should be fully GDPR compliance, and the German Chancellor should not be spied upon again (reuters.com/world/europe/us-se…).

In September, FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel said she wanted to see more competition to Elon Musk’s Starlink, which has already launched some 7,000 satellites since 2018. “Our economy doesn’t benefit from monopolies… every communications market that has competition is strong, we see lower prices and more innovation, and honestly, space should be no exception.”

So, yes it is more than just about data sovereignty, it is quite true that more competition usually will also bring better pricing and services.

See theverge.com/2024/12/16/243223…
#Blog, #satellites, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

Some Tips on How to Check if a Screenshot Has Been Photoshopped

The image shows a smartphone with a camera icon on its screen, which is being examined closely by a magnifying glass. In the background, there is a spiral notebook and some red warning signs. The scene appears to be set on a light-coloured surface, possibly a desk or table.
Well, maybe they should not have given away how to easily fake a screenshot yourself, but still some useful tips to keep in mind. It helps to know what to zoom in on to look at.

I did not know about the Forensically app, which is a web based app that can analyse any image in depth and create heatmaps of stuff that’s been edited in.

See howtogeek.com/how-to-check-if-…
#Blog, #forensics, #scams, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

Star Flash is a universal remote control standard because we have too many proprietary remote controls

The image shows seven different TV remotes scattered on a light beige wooden table. In the foreground, there's a variety of remotes, each with unique designs and button layouts. The background is blurred but shows a consistent wooden surface. Several of the remotes display signs of use, with some buttons appearing more worn than others.
Too often you have a TV or device where the remote has been lost or broken and there is no easy replacement, or you end up having 5 or 6 different remote controls on the sitting room table. Why, when we have been standardising on USB chargers for many years now?

This is not about having a universal remote control like Harmony used to make (see it is an old problem), but rather having a standard work across the devices that need to be controlled by a single universal remote control.

The standard requires remote controls to allow voice control, and to use one of three means of wireless comms: Bluetooth, infra-red, and Star Flash. This standard reportedly detects which device a user wants to control, makes the connection, and eases the chore of directing a stream from a set-top box to a display.

Device-makers have been told that televisions and set-top boxes must support the standard, and they’ve quickly complied: local media report that Chinese consumer electronics outfit Konka has already delivered the first Smart TV capable of handling the universal remote.

Sometimes a simple idea can make a massive difference to consumers, and this one has been needed a long time ago already.

See theregister.com/2024/12/16/chi…
#Blog, #openstandards, #remotecontrol, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

Seafile is an enterprise-ready free and open source alternative to DropBox or NextCloud for file syncing and sharing

The image shows three individuals collaborating on a large digital document. The foreground features two people actively working on the document, one appearing to add content, while the other seems to be reviewing or editing. The background includes shelves with books and database stacks, suggesting a setting related to information management and storage. A cloud icon with a download arrow above suggests cloud storage or data transfer. A security shield icon is present, implying security measures are in place for the document.
Seafile provides very fast file syncing. Tens of thousands of small files can be synced in a minute. It does what it does very well, without including an entire kitchen sync of extras. Seafile’s built-in collaborative document, SeaDoc, make it easy for collaborative writing and publishing documents.

Seafile keeps versions for files and snapshots for folders. Users can restore a file or folder to an old version easily. Snapshot for folders is a handy way to protect files against ransomware. Using de-duplication technology, file versions are kept in an efficient way with reduced storage occupation.

Seafile supports online editing and co-authoring for office files (including docx/pptx/xlsx) with integrating with Microsoft Office Online Server, OnlyOffice, or Collabora Online server. Seafile also has a built-in preview for videos, audios, PDFs, images and text files.

Seafile supports client-side end-to-end encryption to protect your data, which is a unique feature that you can rarely find in other solutions.

Seafile WebDAV interface can be used to integrate Seafile with many mobile apps, like Documents, GoodReader, allowing them to access files.

This performance is also partly due to its file system not storing plain text format files. Which is one reason why it is much faster than NextCloud.

It is fully cross-platform for Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, and iOS clients. On the server side, it will run on Linux or Raspberry Pi.

The Community Edition is fully open source. There is also a paid Enterprise addition that has some additional functionality, but the good news is that for up to 3 users the Professional Edition is actually free of charge (requires registration though).

See seafile.com/category/uncategor…
#Blog, #filesync, #opensource, #selfhosting, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

Does your phone yet have a Silicon-Carbon Battery?

The image showcases a smartphone's internal components, specifically highlighting a large battery. In the foreground, a golden, grid-like battery dominates, labeled with the impressive capacity of "6500mAh". The background features a dark, warm gradient that emphasizes the battery's prominence. The overall style is sleek and technologically advanced, suggestive of an advertisement or promotional material. The setting appears to be a digital rendering, not a real-world location.
The biggest change lies in the anode—the part of the battery that stores and releases electrons during charging. Traditional lithium-ion batteries use graphite here, but silicon-carbon batteries replace it with a silicon-infused anode. Why? Because silicon can store up to 10 times more energy than graphite. The result is a battery with higher energy density, meaning more power packed into the same space.

But silicon isn’t perfect. It expands and contracts as the battery charges and discharges, which can cause wear and tear over time. By combining it with carbon, manufacturers have stabilized the material, making it both durable and energy-dense. In short, these batteries last longer, charge faster, and take up less space.

These batteries can recharge fully in minutes, not hours. For users, that means a quick 15- or 20-minute top-up gives you enough juice to power through your day.

Phones like the Realme GT7 Pro, iQOO 13, OnePlus 13, OPPO Find X8 series, Vivo X200 series, and Xiaomi 15 series already have these batteries inside them.

Yes, Samsung and Apple are lagging here…

See howtogeek.com/smartphone-batte…
#Blog, #batteries, #technology

danie10@squeet.me

Admyt parking app is working well for me in Cape Town, even where free parking is applicable

The image shows a mobile phone screen displaying a parking confirmation from admyt. The foreground is dominated by the parking details, including a timer showing 1 hour, 2 minutes, and 40 seconds remaining, along with the location, Canal Walk, and the fact that the parking is free. In the background, there is a simple, clean interface with the admyt logo at the bottom and contact information. The overall color scheme is minimalistic with light greys and greens. The image shows a QR code was successfully applied at 09:16 am, on December 15, 2024. The license plate number is obscured, protecting the user's privacy. The app interface is clearly designed for user-friendliness, making it easy to confirm parking and departure status. The 'Already left the parking?' button indicates a feature that allows the user to easily indicate departure.
I’ve been testing this app out for the last 3 weeks (some lessons learnt) but one of the key reasons why I was initially hesitant to install it, was I get free 90 minutes of parking at Canal Walk shopping centre when doing my weekly grocery shopping at Pick n Pay. The Admyt app recognises your car’s numberplate (any of two cars you have registered) and will open the boom a few seconds after you stop in front of it. This would not help me if the free parking for Pick ‘n Pay would only work with the paper parking ticket, as you do not receive any paper parking ticket when the Admyt app gives you access.

So, how this is supposed to work is that you enter as normal with the Admyt app but when you are finished with your shopping, you must use the Admyt app to scan the QR code that is situated inside Pick ‘n Pay (in Canal Walk’s case, on the cigarette counter). Once scanned, you’ll see a screen like the featured image in this post. Then you exit as normal, with the Admyt app opening the boom at the exit for you. Last week, no-one knew about this QR code at Pick ‘n Pay, so the Admyt app debited me for the parking — which Admyt credited back to me after I queried it.

LESSON 1: Know where the in store QR code is located if you should qualify for free paring, and do so before you need to rush out.

This is the same procedure usually for any shop or mall that offers some conditional free parking. But you need to get access to that QR code in the store (the QR code on the Pick ‘n Pay receipt won’t work for this).

The other glitch I had was on Black Friday (of all days). I entered fine and exited Canal Walk. There was R10 credit on my Admyt app, but there is a R1 service charge, and it seems for whatever reason after the R10 plus R1 was debited, my linked credit did not pay that R1. So when I returned later to Canal Walk, the boom did not open for me. It turns out if your account has fallen below R0 (in order words the credit card did not top up) then it disables opening the boom for the next entry, and you receive a paper ticket as normal, to pay at the vending machines (OMG the queues were super long on the way out!). Hopefully now whatever issue there was with my linked card, is sorted out, but I topped it up to be in credit for now.

LESSON 2: If boom does not open, check that your account is not in arrears. Maybe good to check the app after you have exited to ensure it is R0 or higher. If below R0 you need to sort that out before your next trip.

Generally though, the app is an absolute pleasure to use, and probably well worth the R1 service fee for each visit (no R1 service is charged for free parking)/ It is a hands-free experience so nothing to do on entry, nor on exiting. During a visit you are notified with a notification that a parking session is on the go, and inside the app you can see the time passed as well as current cost.

In summary, once you have registered one or two vehicles with their number plates on the app, and inked a debit/credit card (or topped the app up with credit), as you approach and stop before a boom at any Admyt supported shopping centre, the boom will just open, and the app will notify you that a parking session is in progress. There are cameras at every entrance and exit, so when you exit, the boom also just opens, and the app will notify you of the cost debited for the session.

Admyt covers various shopping centres around South Africa, and Cape Town this includes Canal Walk, 80 Strand Str, Blue Route Mall, V&A Waterfront, Table Bay Mall, Rockwell, Constantia Uitsig, Roggebaai Place, The District, Lifestyle on Kloof, Cape Gate, Montclare Place, Longkloof, Cape Quarter, as well as two places in Stellenbosch and one in Somerset West.

Note though that some other malls make use of different parking apps, so for the new Riverlands Mall in Observatory in Cape Town, you’d need to use the Parket app. It does seem it is the one or the other app (no duplicates), so you should never find any mall suddenly debiting you for two different apps for one visit.

If you want to try out the Admyt app, you can use my code DAN6403 to get R20 free parking, this link platform.admyt.com/signup/DAN6…. You should not have to link any credit card as it will use the credit first. Under the Wallet tab you’ll see a Got Promo Code button, where you can enter it.

I don’t see any promo code for the Parket app, but it does offer quite a few tweaks in its settings to disable things, and it also caters for monthly parking as well as “reservations” for bays.
#Blog, #admyt, #capetown, #parking, #southafrica, #technology