Tommy Stephansen

Born in '84, I've always been a gamer at heart. My first gaming console was the Nintendo (NES), 8-bit system. I was sold from day one. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a SNES, but with patience came the PlayStation... The rest is pretty much history (for another time and place). Check out more about me on https://tommynation.com/about/

Most commented posts

  1. Hacking a Brother: Force your Printer into Printing in Black and White — 277 comments
  2. How to Install QuickTime on Windows 10 — 213 comments
  3. LG Home Link CIFS Problems and Solutions — 27 comments
  4. SSD Not Available During Windows 7 Setup — 26 comments
  5. How To: Create a Bootable USB to Install Windows — 21 comments

Author's posts

Windows Phone 7 Revealed

Vice president of Microsoft and currently leading the Windows Phone team, Joe Belfiore is the man responsible for the user interfaces of Windows 95, XP and recently known for his work on the Zune platform. Today he revealed a change in the Windows Mobile platform with Windows Phone 7. Applications will be more tightly knit together than ever before, instead of living in their own little islands on the phone. In other words; less like a PC and more like a phone that actually can intermix information between different channels and applications. For instance, pictures and contacts integration with Facebook is only a touch away.

The feature low-down:

  • 4-point touch screen functionality in the hardware is required for standard operation
  • Simplified: A revamped start button leads to the Tile menu, which has a search function and a back-button
  • Limiting UI-customization to the built-in options available in the OS itself
  • No Adobe Flash support built-in, but Steve Ballmer was clear that they don’t mind Adobe at all – a kick towards Apple’s recent anti-Flash outbursts
  • Release before Christmas is guaranteed

So, let’s bench up for Christmas and hope they can impress us this time around, after the very disappointing Mobile 6.5.

How To Set Up Thunderbird For Exchange 2007, 2010

Thunderbird <3 Exchange

Thunderbird <3 Exchange

EZUNIX.org has provided a nice guide for those of us that would like to use the Thunderbird mail client with the notoriously incompatible Exchange 2007 Server.

The guide is even available as a downloadable PDF document.

Also worth mentioning is the fact that Thunderbird 3 now comes with calendar support!

How To: Edit Query Data Directly In MS SQL 2005 & 2008

SQL 2008 Server Box Shot

Still accepting direct injection fuel

In MS SQL 2000 Management Studio it was possible to directly edit data when performing a query by using the “Open Table -> Query” menu option on a table. Microsoft changed things around for SQL 2005 & 2008, so that menu option is gone, but it can still be done. Here’s how to do it:

An effective way to do this is to first create an empty table AnEmptyTable that is easy to find at the top in Object Explorer.

Right-click your newly created table and click “Open Table”. As it is empty, this is much faster than opening any other table. At the top is a little button in the upper left which says “SQL” and a tooltip that says “Show SQL Pane”. Enable them both and voila! You can now run queries at the top and edit the results below.

Know a better way? Post comment please.

Windows 7 BitTorrent Party

The Roccat Arvo Compact Gaming Keyboard

This keyboard really caught my eye because of it’s sci-fi-esque design features. A compact “laptop” gaming keyboard, the Arvo has had its arrow keys removed to make it more compact. The numerical keypad area has been adapted for gaming use in lieu of the arrow keys, by switching into “gaming mode”. With an added five function keys, three of them being the “thumbster” keys in the middle front, these are all intelligently placed to be easily put to good use in most games.

PC Games Hardware gave the keyboard a promising review as far as stability and slip resistance goes, attributing this to a built-in metal plate that Roccat added for sturdyness. After a short hands-on test they also concluded that “the keystroke and pressure point of the Arvo were quite good and left a positive mark”.

Hoping to see a Nordic or Norwegian edition of this keyboard soon!

Deploying Windows 7 Free E-book from Microsoft

windows se7en logo

Microsoft has released a free e-book entitled “Deploying Windows 7 – Essential Guidance from the Windows 7 Resource Kit and Technet Magazine”.

Written for IT professionals looking to learn more about the most common pitfalls and problems before starting out on the always intriguing task of upgrading the OS of all their corporate systems, or those who are just starting considering the matter, this should be a most handy resource. Grab your free copy of “Deploying Windows 7” now.