Chris Pirillo » battery-life

Get Rid of the Trojan From the Energizer DUO

Chris — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:47:14 +0000

Get Rid of the Trojan From the Energizer DUO is a post from Chris Pirillo

The Department of Homeland Security has discovered that Energizer’s Duo USB charger left Windows computers open to remote control, thanks to a back door in the product’s battery monitoring software. The DUO is a USB and AC charger for NiMH batteries. The software that comes with the product allows one to see how much oomph is left in their batteries. Apparently, though, the Windows software for this device had a lovely little bug in it.

The software installs a backdoor that allows remote access to your computer. That includes “the ability to list directories, send and receive files, and execute programs,” according to the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team. If you downloaded the Mac counterpart, you have nothing to worry about. If you have downloaded this software for Windows, you’re going to need to execute a couple of steps in order to secure your computer.

Uninstall the software! his will remove the Windows registry value that executes the Trojan when starting Windows.
Reboot your computer after the uninstall has finished.
Navigate your way to C/Windows/system32/arucer.dll. This is the file that is the backdoor component itself. Delete this file, empty your Recycle Bin, and reboot once more.
To add one additional layer of protection, you can have your firewall block access to 7777/tcp. Energizer doesn’t list this step as necessary. It’s just an extra step for safe computing.

The DUO itself is a good product. The hardware is still available through Amazon. However, the software download has been discontinued. The product’s main function of charging by USB or AC still works. However, if you own one of these devices and would like to complain, I suggest you get in touch with them through the Energizer Contact Page.

How Are You Extending Your Mobile Phone’s Battery Life?

Chris — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 04:33:33 +0000

How Are You Extending Your Mobile Phone’s Battery Life? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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I am still enjoying my iPhone, despite the fact that version 2.0 of the operating system has been anything but great. I’ve experienced a great degree of consternation over this device that seems to lose its power within hours. I know I could turn things off like the Bluetooth, but then what’s the point of having it? I’ve tried several different external batteries, and none of them have really won me over. So, I decided to try out the Mophie Juice Pack. It comes in several different colors, and has models available for all varieties of iPods and iPhones.

The All-New mophie ‘Juice Pack 3G’ is designed to more than double the time you can Rock, Talk, Surf and Send with your iPhone 3G. This is the first Apple certified ”Works With iPhone” attached battery in the world!
The Juice Pack is a rechargeable lithium polymer battery in the form of a non-slip, soft grip case. It extends the time that you can use your iPhone 3G in these ways (additional hours):
Standby Time – Up to 350 hours
Talk Time – Up to 6 hours on 3G | Up to 12 hours on 2G
Internet Use – Up to 6 hours on 3G | Up to 7 hours on Wi-Fi
Audio Playback – Up to 28 hours
Video Playback – Up to 8 hours

When I’m out and about, I need something with me to charge my iPhone. I held out a great degree of hope for the Juice Pack. You simply slide your iPhone into the little Sled, and you’ve doubled the battery life for your iPhone. It doesn’t add too much bulk, even though it doubles the thickness. I like the sled, because it’s lightweight and doesn’t have the propensity for letting the iPhone dislodge accidentally. When the iPhone is sitting in the Mophie, the back is protected. You can slide it into your pocket with no problems.

The only issue I really have is that in order to use it, I have to get rid of my protective InCase. I am thinking it’s worth it to double my battery life, and keeping the iPhone protected at least somewhat. For $99.00, I think you’ll be quite happy with it.

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A Better Battery Life

Chris — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 10:14:57 +0000

A Better Battery Life is a post from Chris Pirillo

I was surprised – our battery interview turned out to be quite informational. PC World also has a handful of iPod battery tips, although I believe the suggestions trancend Apple’s platform. Here are my takeaways from both pieces:

Don’t leave your battery-driven devices plugged in all the time.
Let your batteries drain completely before recharging them.
On the iPod, “Standby” doesn’t save as much juice as “Pause” does.
Turning off sound equalizers may also increase battery life.
Batteries drain quicker in warmer environments.

My biggest beef with batteries is that they’re not all removable, they’re not all rechargable, and they’re not as interchangable as they should be. Moreover, I’m wholly unimpressed when I can’t charge a device by USB.

How to Handle Remote Tech Support

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:30:00 GMT

Using GoToAssist is the easiest way to view and control another person's computer online. Use it to provide instant technical support to family, friends and customers. Start a session with just one click, and instantly connect with the other party.

Network Tools for Windows

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

You need these network tools, no matter which operating systems and networks you have to support. SolarWinds ipMonitor: Affordable Network Monitoring for SMBs. Get turnkey network, server and application availability monitoring with SolarWinds ipMonitor v9.0. This easy-to-use, reliable solution for SMBs delivers out-of-the-box availability monitoring so you always know exactly what's up with Active Directory, DNS, Exchange, FTP, Web, IMAP, MS SQL Server, and SMTP. Download your free trial today. Or, try their totally free tools! And, through 2/29, save 20% when you purchase ipMonitor 9.0.

Get Your Own Web Site

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

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VMware and Parallels for Virtual Machines

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

It doesn't matter if you're running on Windows or Mac OS X - every power user needs either Parallels or VMware (or both). There's never been an easier way to test software without destroying your primary operating system's stability. Think of how many times you wish you could press a 'reverse' button on your computer. Plus, there's no easier way to try new Linux distributions - see what all the fuss is about. Run Windows in OS X, run Linux in Windows, but the best way to do either is with VMware and/or Parallels.

Coupons for Online Shopping

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:56:13 GMT

This feed is fueled by Lockergnome Online Shopping and Coupon Codes

Before you shop next time, see if we have a coupon first.