Jailbreak iOS 4.0

I know everyone knows all about JailbreakMe but I'd just like to say, I just used it and it is amazing! I followed the instructions on http://www.iphonehacks.com/2010/08/jailbreakme-20-released-to-jailbreak-iphone-4-iphone-3gs-iphone-3g-on-ios-4-ios-401-and-ipad-on-ios-3-2-1-ios-3-2-via-mobile-.html and I had to use http://jailbreakme.modmyi.com/.

Also, if you don't get the Downloading screen, try restarting your iTouch/iPhone. I couldn't get anything to happen but after a restart, everything worked beautifully!

Can't wait to try out some Grooveshark on the new iOS!

Thanks,
James Hartig

Review: MozyHome == awesome! You can save 10%!

If you don't care what I have to say about Mozy, skip to the bottom for the link to save 10%.

As my friends and I started our movie, we needed a place to backup our video and I was still looking for a good alternative to the "external hard drive". I looked at a few online backup places but they were all expensive or slow. DropBox was really expensive for backing up 50+ GBs, but I still use them for all my web project stuff. Carbonite was equally priced but they were slow in my initial tests (utilizing only 40% of my available bandwidth). Then I found Mozy, they offer unlimited space for $4.95/month and they can utilize my full bandwidth pipe!

A screenshot of the MozyHome Status screen from testing.

Now, from that screenshot it says 1.4 Mbps and my pipe is technically 1.5Mbps but it stays around 1.3-1.5 consistently, and this allows me to upload around 13GB of data per day. That really comes in handy when you upload a 30GB music library or if you film 4 times a week and every day is 10GB worth of video...

Their various restore options.

If something bad happens, you can restore via the client or you can have them conveniently send DVD's of your files. Since I have 12 Mbps internet, I don't think it would be too much of a hassle to download the data but in case I couldn't or wanted hard copies, I have that option. This was really important in my decision.

Their client works on Mac and Windows and it has predefined "backup sets" which automatically backup things like your financial data and browser bookmarks. I personally chose to not use most of them because I like the control of choosing the folders myself. You can set a schedule for when to backup:

I wanted to backup all day and I didn't really care about scheduling.

You can also set a throttle and backup speed. I throttle down the internet during the week from 9am to 5pm (as you will see grayed out as it is the weekend) because my remote desktop connection sucks if it is using all the internet :P Also, I set the Backup Speed to "Quicker Backups" because I want it to do whatever it can to backup, I have a brand new computer and it doesn't affect performance at all.

Finally, a new feature of Mozy 2.0 (by the way, this is the feature that sold me) is "Local Backup".

Mozy 2xProtect™ automatically backs up files locally to an external drive in addition to a Mozy data center for double protection of your personal and business information.

Basically, it will backup all my stuff to my external 1TB hard drive as well as online. This is amazing.

If you are looking for a backup service, I HIGHLY suggest MozyHome. I use it for all my backups and soon I'll be implementing it on my servers.

Click my affiliate link and save 10% on your MozyHome order today!

Yes, I make some money off the affiliate link but this post was designed to share my experience with MozyHome and not make money.

Thanks,
James Hartig

SATA vs USB3.0 vs USB2.0

We recently bought a new Seagate 1TB SATA ES.2 hard drive (ST31000340NS) for our movie video and I decided to test out how it performed in USB3.0 enclosure, USB2.0 enclosure and then just straight SATA.

Our first test was creating a 500MB file with 10MB blocks and 50 blocks.

Our second test was creating 2 200MB files (10MB blocks again) threaded.

Finally, the last test was reading the first file.

As you can see, all three methods performed roughly the same. Every test was performed 5 times (I didn't have all day) and then averaged. Maybe if the hard drive was 6.0GB/s rated then we would have noticed more of a difference? Overall, I think the USB3.0 would only come in handy if you are reading and writing multiple files at once. We upgraded to USB3.0 because I needed a new hard drive enclosure anyways so why not just get the latest and greatest tech?

Thanks,
James Hartig

Grooveshark Updates: Desktop Shortcuts and External Player Control API

I've been hard at work responding to users and making small changes to Grooveshark.  While the rest of the team is working diligently at improving the major aspects of the backend and the application itself, I've been working on Desktop shortcuts, releasing the External Control API, as well as some crossfade fixes (coming next release).

To enable the API, users must goto Desktop Options.

External Player Control API (Docs) allows developers to design apps that control Grooveshark from outside Grooveshark. This could be a remote iPhone app, a Firefox/Chrome extension, a remote control or anything where it benefits users to not have Grooveshark Desktop (this will not yet work for the Flash version) open.

The first applications to benefit from the External Player Control API are Desktop hotkeys. Between Terin Stock and myself we developed official Windows and Mac clients to listen and enable global shortcuts. These would enable Grooveshark to have shortcuts no matter what window you have focused/open. Both apps will allow you to define your own keys as well as incorporate a better UI in coming versions. You can read more about the Desktop shortcuts on Jay Paroline's blog.







Along with the above released features, I've been hard at work improving the crossfade feature that many users have come to enjoy. In the next version, you will be able to enable Fade in/out on pausing and resuming. Also, there will be come fixes coming that will enable crossfade while Frowning a song and removing songs from your queue.

Also, I encourage you to look through the next version for a sweet new feature ;)

Thanks,
James Hartig

Quote from jPod

It's weird, but every time I visit the Drudge Report website, I'm the fifty-millionth person to visit it, so there must be a software error on their part, because how could they possibly have more than one fifty-millionth visitor? And I can't wait to see what my prize will be.

2Wire Router DMZ-Plus Mode

Over the past few days, I have spent many hours trying to get IPv6 working again on my network and getting the Grooveshark VPN to work correctly. I finally got PPTP working after forwarding port 1723 to my computer and loading a few PPTP kernel modules.

Neither PPTP or IPv6 would work without first enabling DMZ-Plus on my 2Wire router to make sure everything passed through to my routers.

Here is how to setup your router in DMZ-Plus mode:

1. Unplug all devices from the 2Wire router except for your router you want to be in DMZ. Also, unplug any TV boxes as they might through the 2Wire router.
2. Reset your 2Wire router by unplugging, waiting 10 seconds and then plugging it back in.
3. Login to the 2Wire and goto the Firewall settings. Then select Applications, Pinholes, and DMZ
4. There should only be 1 device listed under "Select a Computer". Make sure it is selected and then Choose the radio button: Allow all applications (DMZplus mode).
5. Hit Save. Now login to your router that is now under DMZ.
6. Under setup, make sure the router is set to DHCP.
7. Goto the Status page and click Release IP Address then wait 30 seconds and click Renew IP Address.
8. The IP address listed should change from 192.168.x.x to your DSL/Cable IP Address. If it stayed at 192.168.x.x, go back to step 3. It might take a few times for your router to pickup the correct IP.
9. Once your router has the external IP, everything is configured correctly.

Even if your router has the 192.168.x.x the router still appears to be in DMZ however, most obscure-protocols (GRE,IPv6-IPv4) still will not work. The router must have the external IP as its IP address for everything to work correctly.

Thanks,
James Hartig

IPv6 on DD-WRT simplified and updated script

I have spent the last week testing out various methods of enabling Sixxs IPv6 tunnels and Hurricane Electric IPv6 tunnels and I have compiled and posted the following script which incorporates all of the collected data and even includes how to install traceroute6, ping6, and tcpdump without recompiling!

I tried to make it as easy as possible.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=424677#424677

Thanks and enjoy IPv6!
- James Hartig