If you’re a true geek, and I mean a true geek, you’ve undoubtedly got some old PCs sitting around that aren’t necessarily wireless-capable. Now, if your house or apartment isn’t wired for ethernet and your router is on a different level or room, you can still get those PCs online without having to worry about wireless cards or wireless dongles. (Heh, I said “dongle.”)

How, you ask? By loading open-source, Linux-based firmware on an old, spare router (there are plenty of compatible makes/models) and subsequently converting it into a wireless repeater bridge.

Once you’ve got the firmware loaded and configured all of the necessary settings, you can place your wireless router anywhere you’d like and then plug those old PCs into the network switch component of the router.

The DD-WRT firmware, when properly loaded, can super-charge your existing router giving you the type of features and functionality you’d normally find in a much higher-priced, enterprise-level router.

Interested in learning more about the DD-WRT firmware project? Check out some tutorials currently available on the project’s wiki or find out how you can assist in further developing the project; or, just dive right in and start installing the firmware now. Once you’ve messed around with it, drop us a line and let us and our other readers know what you’ve done.

(By the way, there’s always a risk when it comes to loading unsupported 3rd-party firmware on your devices. Just be careful, follow the directions and you should be fine. Similar free and/or open-source router firmware projects include OpenWRT and Tomato.)

Microsoft is now accepting applications for “Windows Gurus” that will eventually staff the Redmond-based company’s first-ever round of brick-and-mortar stores in the U.S. Think you’re qualified? Here’s Microsoft’s way of determining whether or not you are:

Do your friends and family turn to you when they want to learn more about their PCs? Do you relish the chance to teach them how PCs can improve their lives and do things they never before thought possible? In your free time, do you turn to your PC for fun-or just to create or learn something new?

Of course, there are additional questions* to be answered in their official online job application, but, If you’re interested, you can learn more at msretaillive.com. They’ve also set up a specialized E-mail address, jobs [at] mswindowsguru.com that you can contact if you have questions about the position(s).

Currently, MS is seeking various individuals located in different cities within the following states: CA, FL, MA, MD, MN, NH, NJ, NV, NY, VA, WA and in Washington D.C.. So, if it sounds interesting, check out the site to find out more. Who knows? You could find yourself working full-time (for $20/hr - here’s the link again) at Microsoft’s version of the Apple Store.

Source: The Sean Blog (Microsoft TechNet Blogs)

*Additional questions include: do you have experience using Apple Macs? When was the last time you shopped for a new computer? What OS are you using at home/work? What type of Internet service are you using at home? (Hint: answer “dial-up” and you probably won’t get the job.) And, of course, the classic: “Have you been convicted of a felony in the past 7 years?”

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Hey, Microsoft couldn’t let Google steal all the headlines for an entire week, right? (See “Chrome.”) What better way to steal some than to drop the price of one of their most popular hardware releases ever? Effective September 5th, the Xbox 360 Arcade will be available for $199, the 360 console for $299 and the 360 Elite for $399. Here’s some details from the official press release:

Imagine if friends and families had the ability to instantly watch movies from Netflix, live out their musical fantasies through “Rock Band 2″ and “Lips”, star in their own Hollywood classics with “You’re in the Movies,” or have the power to never miss the latest episode of “Heroes” - all from one device, starting at $199. That device is Xbox 360, and Microsoft Corp. today announced it will offer the gaming and entertainment console, which offers the leading Xbox LIVE service, at a new low price in the United States.

According to Fox News, Verizon Wireless customers could eventually be able to purchase and use Apple’s iPhone.  Why do they believe this?  Verizon, last Thursday, announced that the next generation of wireless technology to replace GSM technology (on which their aging CDMA network is currently based) will be none other than LTE (Long-Term Evolution) which is the exact same technology that AT&T will be using on their next generation network. 

Logically, it makes sense: with Verizon using the same technology as AT&T, surely phones available on one company’s network would inevitably work with the other.  (Of course, neither AT&T nor Verizon have ever made logical decisions on interoperability.)

Verizon will begin trial runs of their new LTE-based network in 2008 but it isn’t expected to be available to customers until at least 2010.

I can only imagine what it must have been like at 6pm CST on Microsoft’s main campus in Redmond, WA.  I’m picturing alot of long faces and cursing/throwing of chairs.  But not at building 117.  There, Microsoft is hard-at-work building their own rival to Apple’s latest toy.  On NBC’s Today show this morning, they took a tour of building 117 and got a sneak peek at what exactly Microsoft has in mind for an iPhone competitor.

The tour provided a quick glimpse at a potential new interface for the device (pictured to your left) and details about what Microsoft aims to provide with it, including: enhanced Office-functionality (beyond that of what we can see in today’s Smartphones,) GPS functionality (including being able to receive e-coupons as you drive/walk past a building’s location,) and the implementation of the MS Research Labs project “Lincoln.”

Lincoln, announced earlier this year, enables you to take a picture of an object using your phone’s camera and immediately locate that item online for purchase.  In the tour, NBC took a snapshot of the movie Babel on DVD which brought back immediate results from an Amazon-esque online store.

The crew also touched on another of Microsoft’s Research projects: Surface.  Placing the mobile phone on the Surface display, the crew was able to drop photos from the Surface PC onto the phone just by gliding their finger.

It’s not clear when we can expect this new mobile device but we can probably say that there’s definitely quite a bit of Red Bull flowing through building 117.

Update: I neglected to mention yesterday that the Microsoft TechNet blog hyperlinked at the beginning of the article (with the words “Microsoft is hard-at-work”) is claiming that there’s a big surprise coming on Wednesday for iPhone users.  Exchange integration, perhaps?

“And watch this space for more excitement about the iPhone! :) Guaranteed you’ll love your iPhone even more starting next Wednesday… ;)

Want to guess what it is???”

You’ll know as soon as we know.

…the iPhone will be released tomorrow at 6:00PM PST.  I’m sure we would have forgotten if we hadn’t read the official press release from Apple reminding us.

*cough*

Update: The iPhone is here.  Read up on all the coverage via Google News.

Update 2: iTunes v7.3 has also been officially released.  Download it now: http://www.filehippo.com/download_itunes/?2877

Today, Dell launched a new offline application to aid with any problems you might be having with your Dell PC: the Dell Support Center.  The software automatically identifies your “Service Tag Number, PC Model Number, Express Service Code, as well as your Warranty Information” and provides you with support options for your computer such as drivers & downloads, training, tutorials, Knowledge Base articles.  The program also provides you with options for contacting Dell Technical Support including live chat, phone and E-mail.  Owners of Dell laptops and PCs will undoubtedly find this to be a useful application and you can find it here: www.dell.com/supportcenter.  If you’re interested, there’s also a video of the tool in action via the official Dell blog.

“We share Roam4Free’s opinion that Dell should probably be advertising this a bit more than they are now…meaning, something more than a vague, barely informative post on the company’s blog.”

Gotta Be Mobile is reporting that they’ve received official confirmation from sources at Hewlett-Packard that the HP 2710p Tablet PC will be replacing the existing tc4400 line.  The magnificent new Tablet PC entry offers the following:

• 12.1-inch diagonal widescreen Illumi-Lite display provides for a lighter and more energy efficient notebook, providing improved battery life, compared to past generation Tablet PC’s. The chemically-strengthened glass top provides improved durability and a superior writing experience. An optional outdoor display panel improves viewability in sunlight; providing more contrast and less reflections;

• Video and web conferencing, video-enhanced instant messaging, and VoIP, made easy with dual-microphone array and optional integrated camera. Even capture business card images and automatically convert them to text;

• Mix and match your notebook, HP 2700 Ultra-Slim Expansion Base with integrated DVD+/-RW drive, and HP 2700 Ultra-Slim Battery to meet your personal productivity needs. Even take your expansion base with you on the road

…and then some.

HP had previously stated that the notebook is slated for a July release.

Google officially announced the launch of their Mountain View WiFi Network.  According to the lead WiFi product manager, Minnie Ingersoll, “this network is a way for us to give back to and engage with the community where our headquarters are.  Another goal of this network is to promote alternative access
technologies by using Mountain View as an example for organizations
considering investments in the WiFi arena.”

A map of the (crazy amount of) available WiFi spots can be found here and you can read the rest of the entry at the Official Google Blog.

technorati tags:google, wifi