Bard's Deals

I have been really behind posting in the blog...I hope to catch up soon. In the meantime here is a site that offers some pretty night discounts... http://www.bradsdeals.com/

Those poor MLB free agents

According to this article some MLB baseball free agents may not get all of the money they want! The pain...how will they live on only a few million per year?

New MacBook Video

It is actually kind of an interesting video. It goes through the process they follow to make the new MacBooks. 

Apple has new laptops coming

This week Apple is to release new laptops. The rumor is that they will carved out of a block of aluminum. 

Mac Rumors has the dirt! 

Why has this taken so long?

This seems like a no brainer! 

Wii is AOK!!

A link to an article about the Wi. It appears they will have plenty for the holidays. We can all sleep again! 

Fringe

This is a short review of a new TV show on Fox. I kind of like it. It reminds me of the X-files. 

NFL on NBC TV

I watched some of the Packers on the NBC sports website and I must say it was fantastic. It was great quality and offered stats and several different camera angles. Check it out! 

Google Chrome a Winner!

I must say, I have been using the new Google Chrome browser on my work PC and I really do like it. It is very fast and it adds a few new features. I like that when it opens it shows me the sites I visit most often - since I usually want to go to one of those places. It is really worth a download. 

Pop Cap Games

This site has some pretty neat online games.  You can download some of them and others are available to play online. 

Follow Games Via My iPod

I use my iPod touch to follow several baseball games at once. You can get a pretty neat App in the Apple App store to do this. Now if only the Brewers can hang on to make it all worth it!!!

Real DVD offers a DVD ripping Solution

A way to get DVD's onto your laptop. 

Lack of Posts

Sorry for the lack of posts. It has been a very hectic month or so. I plan to get back on track soon. 

Chrome Browser

Sorry I have been light on posts. I plan to correct that this weekend. Stay Tuned... In the meantime you may want to check out the Chrome browser from Google. Why we need a new browser is beyond me...but it might be worth a look.

Best of the Web?

This is a link to a site that offers the best of the web! It does link to some pretty interesting sites...a few of them I have featured here! 

Bandwidth Meter

If you have ever wondered if your computer's internet connection was slow you can now check it. I use this service from CNet.

Laptop Battery Life

This is an article about conserving battery life in your laptop. I think most of the suggestions are common sense but I did find a few nuggets such as;

Remember that, unlike older batteries, the now-standard lithium-ion ones
don't need to be fully discharged before you recharge. In fact, frequent full
discharging actually shortens battery life. However, some experts do recommend a
full discharge every 30 charges to preserve the accuracy of the built-in gauge
that tells you how much battery life you have left. The fact is that nobody
wants to be surprised when their laptop, which says it still has 30 per cent of
its power left, up and dies in the middle of a sentence and leaves them
screaming in despair.

Photo Stitch

I have been really busy lately and I have not had a chance to put together much of a blog post. Here is an interesting article about a site that "stitches" together your photos to make a 4D photo.

Back-Up to the web?

Yesterday I had blogged about the idea of backing up with an external hard drive. Another idea is to back up on the web. It is slower because you are backing up through a network connection but it does have an advantage of being off-site so if something happens to your facility your data is safe off-site. Here is an article with some additional details.

Back Up Question

I get this question often, “what should I do to back up my machine?”

My suggestion is to buy a large external hard drive from Best Buy or online. The My Book series from Western Digital are nice but you can use just about any of them. You can get a pretty reasonable price on one that is at least 500 GB. Then the next step is to automate the process. Most of these large drives come with software and you can use that or Windows and Mac have some capabilities built into the OS.

Make sure when you back up that you get your email folders too (many times they are buried in a different directory than your documents) – when you are done setting things up you shouldn’t have to revisit very often. Once the value of your data increases to a certain point you may want to consider rotating with a 2nd hard drive that is located off site. (heaven forbid there is a fire)

FutureMe.Org

This is kind of an interesting site that offers to email your future self a message. You can send it up to 30 years in the future. You decide what you would like to tell you!! Perhaps you want to remind yourself of a goal.

Hard to find 1-800 numbers

This is a nice site for you to bookmark. These are the hard to find 1-800 numbers. I know when I am frustrated I would rather talk to a person than send an email.

New Search Engine.

Google is such a dominating force in the search industry that it seems almost impossible the new contender could enter the fray. I do like this new site www.cuil.com which offers results in an attractive “magazine” like look. The problem is that they aren’t complete enough for you to abandon Google. Does anyone else know of a search engine good enough to replace Google?

Games for the iPhone

No surprise that many of the best new features of the iPhone are the games available in the Application store.

iPhone changes the game

A story about how AT&T and Apple changed the cell phone game with the iPhone.

Order Pizza Online

Have you ever ordered a pizza online? It is a pretty impressive process. You can keep track of where your pizza is in process (oven, truck, etc) and it can track past orders so you can easily re-order what you had last time. Dominos.com has the option as does Pizza Hut.

Improving Cell Reception

A common problem I hear from people is that their cell phone doesn’t work well at the office (or maybe at home, or at the mall- whatever) – this product is a signal booster. I have no idea how well they work but I thought it was worth a mention. Perhaps someone has heard of them and can let me know if they are decent.

Car Stereo Sales Down!

This is an interesting article that highlights the fact the after-market car stereos are down by more than 25%. This doesn’t surprise me since the iPod hasn’t gotten huge. The one comment that doesn’t show up in the article is the fact that many new cars now have integrated computers and systems. Adding an after-market system seems costlier and the ROI seems lessened.

Sunday Night Football Online

This makes a ton of sense - putting football online with extra camera angles - love it!

Sunday Night Football Online

This makes a ton of sense - putting football online with extra camera angles - love it!

iPhone Challenges

Apple is still getting grief for the launch of the iPhone. It was really botched. If Nokia can sell 1M phones a day it stands to reason that Apple should be able to launch a phone without the problems that have occurred. I honestly don’t know why they didn’t have a pre-sale which would have given them a better understanding of demand.

Sony eBook Reader

I am kind of interested in the idea of an eBook reader. It seems like a logicial next step if I could easily read on my snart phone. The price is still too high for the reader ($300+) and the books aren't cheap enough.

In time they will come down. Sony is opening up their platform to other book sellers. Nice!

Video Game Labels

New York is proposing a law for labeling videogames. It seems to me that having something like this for videogames is consistent with what we have for DVD’s and movies. Right?

New Ads From Microsoft

Microsoft has launched a campaign to counter the very funny “Mac vs. PC” ads that Apple has aired for quite some time. Just the fact that Microsoft needs to respond gives Apple credibility. Microsoft Windows is on 95% of the machines in the world and they feel that they need to respond to Apple! Here is a link to commentary about the first web based ads.

Zappos - online shoes with free shipping

I bought some shoes from this website Zappos.com – I have to say the process was pretty easy. You go online and select the shoes you want to try and then buy them with a credit card. The shipping is free and while the prices aren’t “great” they are OK. Once you get the shoes you try on the ones you like and ship back the rest. The return shipping is also free. It was kind of fun, I ordered 2 pairs that I ended up returning. It is worth trying at least once.

What is next for consoles?

This article highlights the fact that the console makers (Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo) plan on rolling out more titles, more exculsives, yada, yada, yada. That is fine and all but I would like to see them inovate more. The Wii was different. What's next? More games is so 1998!

A new MP3 player option!

I am a big fan of the iPod but as much as I love it I really wish a competitor would offer something compelling to drive Apple to faster innovation. Here is another shot from Creative.

PS3 to get Video on Demand!

Here is a story about the new Playstation 3 video option. You can easily view movies and content with your PS3. More and more video is coming to us on-demand instead of on shiny discs.

The iPhone Experience is Less Than Perfect

This article discusses what I think has been widespread...that is, the iPhone launch has been less than perfect. I konw that my iPod Touch was updated and it is very slow every time I plug it in to synch. At first I didn't think the 2 things were related but now I am starting to think that something funky is going on with the iTunes/iPod/iPhone software.

I plan to wait it out a few days and hope it will sort itself out. I am really glad I am waiting to get my iPhone!

Are Windows Laptops Cheaper?

I have been saying this for some time but now you can see it backed up in PC magazine. Essentially Apple laptops are very price competitive with PC laptops.

The Apple App Store for iPhone

One of the really impressive things about the new iPhone is the ability to download the new apps. 

The New iPhone 3G reviewed

As many of you know I covet the new iPhone and I need to wait until my currect cell contract is up in November. The early signs are good that it will be a pretty awesome product.

I have read a few things that are concerning. The data plans are expensive and the GPS doesn't offer turn-by-turn directions...but it seems that it is a pretty nice little mini-computer.

Competition for Blu-Ray players?

It is about time we see more players in the Blu-Ray market. From the article;

Pioneer will start selling Blu-ray disc recorders in Japan sometime before March
2009, the company said Tuesday, the latest in a string of Japanese electronics
makers entering the increasingly competitive sector.

Until we get competition we won't see the prices coming down. I hope that we start seeing $150 players in the next year.

Another Sad Lightning Story

I had another customer come to me with a computer that was fried by lightning. It prompted me to do a search online and I came across this very interesting article about the impact of lightning on electronics. It is worth a read. A part of it...

It is unfortunate, but a fact of life, that computers, computerrelated
products and process control equipment found in premises data communications
environments can be damaged by high-voltage surges and spikes. Such power
surges and spikes are most often caused by lightning strikes. However, there
are occasions when the surges and spikes result from any one of a variety of
other causes. These causes may include direct contact with power/lightning
circuits, static buildup on cables and components, high energy transients
coupled into equipment from cables in close proximity, potential differences
between grounds to which different equipment’s are connected, miswired
systems and even human equipment users who have accumulated large static
electricity charge build-ups on their clothing. In fact, electrostatic discharges from a person can produce peak Voltages up to 15 kV with currents of tens of Amperes in less than 10 microseconds.

42" HDTV in a Hotel Room!

I want to first make a comment about my lack of posts. It is vacation time and while I wasn't on vacation this week (I was traveling for work) I will be out next week. So things will be light. I will try to make up for it after the 7th.

Anyway, I wanted to make a comment about the technology that was available to me while I was at a hotel room in Texas. Here is a link to the hotel's website.

So they have this really nice big 42" HDTV and it has hook ups on the side so that the guest can put in a computer or a DVD player. What a nice idea! So I figure that one night I will watch a DVD. I call down to the front desk to check out the proper cables and they tell me I have to provide the cables. What? Who walks around with AV cables? Oh well- they get points for trying I guest - and if I come back I know I will need to bring a VGA cable.

Pluto Has Been Demoted!

When I was a kid we had 9 planets.

My
Very
Educated
Mother
Just
Served
Me
Nine
Pizzas.

No longer!!

Lightning Storms

This is advice I don't usually take myself but is probably prudent. When we get bad thunderstorms your computer can get hit with a power surge...either via the electrical outlet or the modem.

When we have a bad storm. It probably isn't a bad idea to unplug your machine.

Lemonade Stand

As a kid I used to love that game Lemonade Stand. You had to run your own business and try to optimize the formula to make the most money. This Wiki link is a step by step guide on how to run a Lemonade stand. Great suggestions for any business.

While you are at it you may want to check out this site about the game.

TED: Ideas Worth Spreading

A friend of mine told me about this site which is very interesting. Here is a small piece from their site;

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started out (in 1984)
as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then
its scope has become ever broader.

It appears to be a great way to see some of today's best speakers online. I am going to spend some time with it!

"The Happening" Science

The movie got bad reviews but the science is interesting.

New iPhone!!

I lust after it! I know...Iknow...

My iPhone Prediction Reviewed

So let's loom back and see how I did; 

I said..

2 version - a 3G version that will be $399 and an "old" 2.5G version that will be $199

no GPS

new styling 

longer battery life

intro some new apps from the iTunes store

some "surprise" apps that will be built into the new phone

Well, I missed on #1 - it is cheaper

I missed on #2 - it HAS GPS

I hit on the rest tho. So not too bad. 

New iPhone Today?

Today is the big day! It is "new iPhone day" - I can hardly contain myself :) 

Read more about it at usatoday.com 

User 927, a new production in Philadelphia

I saw this article about a new play. It sounds interesting to me - but then again I am a geek! 

From the article; 

PHILADELPHIA — They are an unquestionably bizarre set of Internet search terms: Mange. Human mold. White camellia. Dying Elmo.

Could those words also be clues to finding a missing person?

That's the premise behind User 927, a new production in Philadelphia that blends fact and fiction in the tale of a disappearance from a small Midwestern town.

Apple's New iPhone

On Monday Apple is rumored to be releasing a new iPhone. I won't repeat the details - you can read about them here. 

I did want to put my prediction down...

• 2 version - a 3G version that will be $399 and an "old" 2.5G version that will be $199
• no GPS
• new styling 
• longer battery life
• intro some new apps from the iTunes store
• some "surprise" apps that will be built into the new phone

We will see how I do on Monday afternoon!!

Seeqpod

A great way to discover music. Simply enter a search term and discover a huge amount of MP3 files. Check out Seeqpod. 

Info from their website; 

SeeqPod is the most satisfying way to find, play, and enjoy playable Web content. In less than two years, we have created a totally unique, easy-to-use search experience that appeals to millions. From video to audio, slideshows, and Adobe Flash, the vast multitude of rich media files and applications that exist online can now easily be found and played using the Adobe Flash Player at SeeqPod.com. 24 hours a day, we mine the deepest crevices of the Web - the world's largest inventory of growing playable search results using our intelligent, targeted crawling system.

A Luggage Weigher??

This is just ridiculous! This little gadget weighs your luggage before you leave for the airport. Come on! Really?

Google Synch

If you use Microsoft Outlook you may be frustrated with the "sharing" capabilities of the program's calendar. I recently discovered the ability to synchronize my outlook calendar with Google Calendars. It is a nice feature because now my calendar is available on the internet. You can check it out here.

Clone Wars

If you like Star Wars you will enjoy this upcoming animated film. I am kind of curious to see what it is all about. It hasn't gotten the hype of the other films. 

Can You Balance The Budget?

This is an interesting game on balancing the national budget. It is flash based and free. You can take the tutorial to learn how to play. It is neat to see how moving things around can change things so dramatically.

Digital Magazines

This article on digital magazines talk about how more and more people are consuming their magazine content online. My personal feeling is if you are going to read it on computer screen you might as well read a blog. Which is more timely. Many magazines are putting all of their content up online anyway. I really don't see this as a "lifeline." You can check out Zinio for yourself.

Budget Hero

This is a link to a neat game on managing the US budget. I know it doesn't sound "neat" but it is kind of cool to see how it works.

Mars Hoover Landing

I have to admit the story about the unmanned Mars craft is pretty amazing.  

Microsoft Office Live Small Business

This is a really nice way to build simple small business sites. Microsoft is doing it for free!! You can get a domain and then manage the web from this spot.

When bad things happen to good computers!

This week I have had a couple of people call me about computer problems that were mysterious in nature. In both cases I couldn't ascertain what caused the problem but I was about to help them fix it. This is the way it is with computers many times. We can do things to fix the problem without knowing what caused it. However, I thought I would provide quick list on what causes most problems;

1. Installing software or hardware. Whenever you make changes to your setup it carries a risk. In most cases this risk is very low.
2. Online problems - Adware/Spyware - you can minimize this risk by going to reputable sites.
3. Lightning - power surges are much more common than getting a virus. Protect yourself with a good surge protector and if you really want to step it up try an uninterrupted power supply.
4. User Error - (maybe this one should be first) - many times we do things inadvertently and it causes problems. If you don't know what a file does on your computer I would play it safe and let it lie!

I am sure there are others but these are the most common ones I encounter. The bottom line is just be aware that bad things can happen even to the safest user.

Tropic Thunder

This new movie, Tropic Thunder, offers a 'red band' trailer. A 'red band' trailer is one that has R rated content. I am actually surprised we don't see more of them on the web. 

Yahoo and Microsoft still in talks

Doesn't it seem like this story will be with us until the acquisition goes through? 

Fox to cut back on ads for 2 shows

To me this makes a ton of sense. I understand the idea that if a network sells 16 minutes worth of ads they make more money than if they sell 5...but they seem to be finally catching on that retention of advertising is down.

I listen to a podcast called Cranky Geeks and they have a few commercials in every show. They are so short, however, that it isn't worth it for me to go through the hassle of fast-forwarding. I think this just might work.

Fizber.com is a nice resource for Home sales

Based on a comment in a previous post I came across this site. Great resource for selling your home if you are going to try without the ad of a real estate agent.

Here is a comment from their site;

It's all about exposure. Once you place your listing with us, we will
automatically add it to 70 + partner sites.

Google to blur faces in street view

This one doesn't surprise me too much. It is really strange to check out "street view" - it seems logical that they would blur faces. 

Reading Website

This is a neat site, starfall.com, to help your son/daughter read. Great resource for a teacher too.  From the site;

At age 9, young Stephen Schutz was still struggling to read. What came easily for some children required many more hours of Stephen's work, and he was consistently toward the bottom of his class in reading. Now a PhD in physics and a successful publisher and artist, Dr. Schutz wanted to make sure children in his situation today have a resource that can help. He turned to the Internet and conceived a program that would be available online across the world to all children who are learning to read in English.

Laptop Recovered Using "Back To My Mac"

I thought this was a nice story with a happy ending. Essentially the thieves used the technology in the laptop and in doing so got caught. 

Does Apple Make The Best Windows PC?

My sister dropped her computer the other day and it will require a new power cord. It is an older machine and she has wanted a new one for some time so this might be the excuse she needs to buy a new one. No sense in chasing good money after bad! Anyway, the reason I bring it up is because in talking with her about her new machine I told her that the new Macs are now on par (price wise) with comparable PC's. It used to be that PC's were cheaper than Macs and that was one of the main reasons that people switched. At the time Apple tried to convince people that the cheap PC's were using slower processors and components. This was a tough sell, however, because it was very hard to compare the machines.

Yesterday, I went online and built a Dell machine with the exact same components as the MacBook. I found that the Apple was about $50 cheaper after tax. This leads me to my question. It sure seems to me that the best option would be to buy a Mac if you want to run Windows! The up front cost is cheaper and the resale is better. Of course, you would also get to try out Mac OSX which I think is a better choice anyway!

In New York! Sharing Wifi.

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I actually was on a brief mini-vacation to New York. My wife and I had a great time. I wanted to share a short tech related thing that happened. The hotel we stayed at did not have wireless internet (although they did provide wired internet)

Anyway, we found that an open wireless network was available from a nearby apartment. The moral of the story? It doesn't hurt to look.

PortableApps

This is a neat site that has a series of programs that can be carried on a flash drive. It is like carrying your computer on something that fits in your pocket. 

HD-TV scams

If you are looking to buy a HD-TV you may want to check out this article about the 10 biggest HD-TV scams. I have to admit I have fallen for the HDMI cable scam.

Improving Office?

This is kind of an interesting article about the efforts Microsoft is making to improve the Office experience. It sounds very "google-like" in its approach.

Google's Book Search

Google is leading a project to scan every book in exisitance so that it could be searched online. I find that amazing!

Tell Me

Have you heard of 1-800-555-TELL? It is a voice activated phone service that is free! You can call it to get movie listings, sports scores, top news stories, or stock quotes. Here is some info from their website;

1-800-555-TELL is a toll-free number you can call from any phone. When you call from your mobile phone, standard airtime usage applies based on your mobile phone plan.

The Tellme download for your mobile phone is also free, but if
you do not have an unlimited data plan, your wireless service provider may charge data usage fees for downloading and using the application. If you do not know if you have a data plan, or are uncertain what your data rates are, please contact your wireless provider.

Would You Watch TV on a Cell?

It is a bigger and bigger trend to see video and music content on your phone. This article from the USA Today talks about full episodes being available to watch. I am not sure about your cell phone but the one I use has a really tiny screen. (even smaller than the iPod Nano) - I can see a 10-minute webisode but 45 minutes on a phone...not so much.

The Eye-Fi Card

This is kind of a facinitaing new product. If you have a digital camera you know that your normal process is to take several pictures and then plug it back into your computer where they can be uploaded to the web for sharing. What if, your camera could wirelessly send them to a flicker account as you take them. So your website could be updated real time. This product has the technology built into the SD card. The card costs $100 (where as a noraml 2 GB card is about $20 or so) - but you don't need to upgrade your camera to get the functionality. Check out their website and watch the video. Neat stuff!

How Late Is My Flight?

This is an interesting site that predicts how late your flight will be...

http://delaycast.com/

Info from their site;

Use our on-time prediction engine to help you book your flights.  We’ve built mathematical models of the U.S. air transportation system to predict delays and cancellations.  If you need to make that meeting on time or are afraid of missing a connection, don’t book until you check out the predictions here!

Shop It To Me

Check this out - It is an apparel shopping website where you select your brand preferences, sizes and types of apparel you are interested in and they will search the web and send you e-mails with matches. 

Rent Microsoft Office?

I have to say this one looks like a really tough sell. Microsoft wants you to essentially lease your desktop software from them.

The World's Most Innovative Companies

Smart ideas for tough times: The 50 companies that make up the annual ranking nurture cultures that value creative people in good times and bad.

Hellboy

I didn't think the first one was that great but this preview looks interesting. 

Searching for missing fonts

A funny help desk story from a friend;

I was working at a help desk, and, thankfully, my co-worker took this particular call. A man nervously called saying that he couldn't print his proposal due out that day, because WordPerfect was reporting an error that his fonts were missing. My co-worker told the gentleman that we'd send somebody right up. Apparently there was quite a back log, though, and no one could get there fast enough for him. He had continually called throughout the day asking for his call to be expedited. Finally, at the end of the day, his secretary called and asked, urgently, "Could you PLEASE send somebody up as quickly as possible? He opened the computer with a screwdriver and is looking for his missing fonts.

"

Save XP!

I think this is hilarious. Windows users complain about XP for 6 years...until Microsoft says they are going to take it away...then they want to keep it! 

Apple is #1 Music Seller

I have been pretty slow with the blog updates as of late and I apologize for that. I was surprised to see how quickly Apple was able to overcome the top seller of music in Wal-Mart.

The Top Movies of All Time

This is kind of interesting list of the top box office movies adjusted to "today's dollars. Gone with the Wind is on the top.  

Zoho.com

This is another option for FREE online productivity software. Here are the details;

Zoho is an Office Productivity Suite from AdventNet Inc. Founded in 1996, AdventNet is headquartered in Pleasanton, CA with offices in North America, Europe and Asia. AdventNet focuses on building affordable software for businesses.

Dash Express GPS

This is a neat variation on your standard GPS device. The idea is that the device is 2-way...meaning it collects data from the user and relays it back to the satellite. In other words, if another person was in a traffic jam you would "see" this on your device and potentially steer around it.

Google Docs

Google Docs is a free office suite that is available online. It is a nice alternative to Office and just recently they released an offline version.

This is another area that Google is taking Microsoft head on. I love to see the competition and Google always seems to do things right. I hope this is another example. 

Virtual Bank

When I was in college I think I did most of my banking via an ATM. I learned that I didn't need to go to a bank branch to get what I wanted. If you accept the fact that you don't need to visit a branch you can open yourself up to bank at a variety of places. In fact, this is a "virtual bank" has very good rates and a nice online banking experience. It is worth a try!

An internet tip of the week

Here is a nice blog about an internet tip of the week. The archives look pretty good. You can also subscribe for an email tip. 

New X-files movie - still cool?

I remember when the X-files was cool. Now after several years and new programs later (such as Lost) I wonder if anyone will care.

fiber optic chips?

This sounds like it something out of Star Trek. It is a fiber optic chip that could make computers 10 times more powerful.

Clevver.com

This website is kind of a you tube lite. It has trailers and videos. 

Netflix was down Monday

Netflix was down for a good portion of Monday. What is interesting to me is this quote from the article;

Swasey said the company, which has about 7.5 million subscribers, was still determining an appropriate course of action for those customers whose shipments were delayed, such as possibly crediting their accounts.

I have been a Netflix subscriber for about eight years in all of that time you can count on one hand the number of times the service was out. Meanwhile I am constantly dealing with problems with Time Warner cable. I have had about 3 different cable boxes, the service is out a at least a couple of times per year and they regularly raise prices. Unless I complained they would never just "credit" my account for an outage.

Netflix hasn't taken action yet, but in my book if they credit the customer for the inconvenience that is a real plus.

glo Pillow

This is just too weird! This is a pillow that gradually wakes you up using light instead of sound. I guess it is supposed to be better for you than the jarring noise we usually use to wake us up. Someone buy one of these and tell me how it works!

The Flip Video Ultra

This is a neat product that allows you to take video very easily and get it into your computer. A great way to get started with video editing and it is less than $150. 

1-800-GOOG-411 not so great?

A little while ago I blogged about the free information service from Google called 1-800-GOOG-411. Since then I have used it a few times I have to say I am not that impressed. What do others think? I find that I frequently give requests that GOOG-411 can't handle. 

Food fit

 FoodFit.com can build a sensible eating plan.  Click here for more healthful eating plans and tips on making better choices at the dinner table, and on how to walk off those holiday pounds.

Walk Score

Here is a website that you can use to check the "walk score" of your home. Essentially if you have a high score you live in an area where you can walk to many services. (like restaurants or stores)

CreateSpace

Another neat service I discovered is called CreateSpace. The idea is you can create DVD’s, CD’s, books, etc and they will do the publishing. You then sell your product on Amazon and they take a cut of each item you sell. Here is more detail from their website:

CreateSpace helps you create and sell your video, music and books on demand. We manufacture, package and ship your product when customers order, so your title always remains "in stock" but you never have to pay for inventory. We can also produce DVDs, CDs and books for your own use

BookLamp

Another nifty service that I have stumbled upon. Here is the info about the service taken from their website:

BookLamp.org is a system for matching readers to books through an analysis of writing styles, similar to the way that Pandora.com matches music lovers to new music. Do you like Stephen King’s It, but thought it was too long? The technology behind BookLamp allows you to find books that are written with a similar tone, tense, perspective, action level, description level, and dialog level, while at the same time allowing you to specify details like... half the length. It’s impervious to outside influences - like advertising - that impact socially driven recommendation systems, and isn’t reliant on a large user base to work.

Wall*E

Here is a link to the new Pizar movie, Wall*E. It looks pretty good. 

Abobe Premiere Elements

I was talking with a friend today and she mentioned that she wanted to create a home video from her Camcorder. She was using Windows miserable Movie Maker software and it was having problems with the format that her Sony camcorder created. I mentioned that Abobe Premiere Elements is a pretty nice program for the PC. You can import just about any format and a free trial is available at their website. Check it out. (this is a windows only thing by the way - if you have a Mac use iMovie it is far superior anyway.)

On another note, I just added the Amazon referral link to the right. When you search Amazon via my site and then buy a product I get a little bonus. So if you see something you like on my blog enter the name in the box and click search- buy it through Amazon and tada you are supporting this blog!

New In-flight WiFi

It amazes me that this hasn't happen sooner. It seems like airlines could charge a nominal fee for WiFi and business travelers would happily pay it. This article specifically talks about a new WiFi service.

Hulu - TV on the web

The new website Hulu is available for everyone now that it has completed the beta phase. It is a pretty decent collection of 100% free video. The content is a little bit hit and miss (why they have some entire TV seasons of some shows and not others is beyond me) but what is available is decent. Just be aware you can't download it to your hard drive or portable device. I hope that comes in the future because I think this site has promise.

Sweet Sweet Music

For those of you that aren't aware my parents run a music series with singer/songwriters. If you are interested you can check their website at www.sweetsweetmusic.net

Jonathan Coulton

This probably won't be a fit for most of my audience...but I have come across a really neat singer/songwriter.  His name is Jonathan Coulton and what makes him unique is that he is kind a tech geek singer. You don't see that much! I think his stuff is fun. Additionally, he really gets the whole web based promotion thing. You can go and listen to virtually every track he has online before you buy. Anyway, click on the link and give it a listen. Try the link that says listening suggestions to start. 

Rip DVD's to your Hard drive

If you would like to put your DVD's into a format that can be played by your iPod, PSP, or Apple TV you will need software to get them onto your hard drive. One of my favorite programs is called Handbrake. You can find it here.

Cell Phones and Driving Don't MIX

No real surprises here, cell phones and driving don't mix. 

GOOG 411

Every once in a while I come across a service that gets me really excited. I felt that way about Netflix years ago and now this new service from google called, Goog 411. 

It is a free information number that you can call. Program it into your cell phone and you can save the $1 you would normally spend on information from your cell phone company. 

At their site you can watch a short video which tells you how it is done. I really liked it when I tried it. 

Earth Twin?

This is kind of a neat article about the fact that Earth may have a "twin" circling the next sun over!

The New Indiana Jones Trailer

I am about as excited about this new movie as I was when the new Star Wars films came out. I hope this one isn't a let down. 

Trade in your HD-DVD Player

This is kind of interesting - it seems that Circuit City will take back your HD-DVD player for a Blu-Ray player. Seems like a nice promotion and a fall back for those folks that bought into HD-DVD early. 

Record Phone Calls

Here is a link to a USA Today article that tells you how you can record phone conversations without special software. Hello big brother! 

Features of Google Maps

Google Maps is pretty amazing. If you haven't checked it out recently go ahead and type in your address. Then, after you can see the roads go ahead and click on satellite. You can see images of your home from the sky that get surprisingly detailed.

If you have a choice for "street view" go ahead and click that...WOW...now you can see your house from the the road. It isn't everywhere yet but it is in many places.

Stories for parents and teachers

This is a neat website for parents or grandparents. It has famous people reading kids books. I thought it might be a good one for teachers too. 

Computer Tips Online

I was doing some research for a presentation and I came across this website. it has tips on just about any type of computing software. It isn't the most elegant looking site but the info is good.

Remote Controls

I was talking to a friend and he was telling me that his mother-in-law needed a remote for the TV but they all had buttons that were so small. While trying to help him I can across several interesting options. 

This one has giant buttons.

This one has HUGE buttons. 

Lastly, check out this voice activated number. 

Share A Book at Bookcrossing.com

One of the really enjoyable things about working with people on their computers is that you get to hear different ways that they use their computer or the web. Of course the usual stuff is very common...but yesterday I met a new customer who directed me to bookcrossing.com. It is a neat idea. You buy a book and read it and then go to the site so you can register the book. Then leave it someplace and track it online.

I don't know about you but I never know what to do with books when I am done. I loan some to friends and keep a few others on the bookshelf but many times I end up selling them for pennies on the dollar to the half price bookstore or trying to give them to a library. (true story- I asked about giving books at our local library and they turned me away - they get too many!)

It is a neat way to share a good book.

More Alternatives Microsoft Office

I may have mentioned this before but your don't HAVE to buy Microsoft Office when you buy a computer. Many times it makes sense and they are nice programs...but the reality is for many people a free alternative will do the trick. This article highlights some free options.

Earth's final days

Crap! I had big plans for 7.7 billion years from now!

Multiple Charger

This seems like a neat idea. You can charge 6 devices with one charger. It appears that you customize it to fit the products you own. So you could include your iPod, cell phone, computer, etc. 

I have not bought one yet...but I think I will try it. 

Online Training Videos

This website: http://www.lynda.com/ has training on a number of subjects. 

Lynda.com is an award-winning provider of educational materials, including Hands-On Training instructional books, the Online Training Library, CD- and DVD-based video training, and events for creative designers, instructors, students, and hobbyists.

Download.com

I use download.com when I need to find a piece of software or perhaps a driver. it is a one stop shop for shareware and freeware. 

How is your Memory?

A fascinating story about a man from La Crosse, WI that has an unbelievable memory. I can barely remember what we had for dinner last night. Geesh!

Bill Gates - master of the obvious

I love this story. In other news automobiles to replace the horse and buggy!

Zagat

Zagat is a very popular site with restaurant reviews.  A great place to check if you are traveling. 

Doing Taxes Online

Doing taxes is a lot of fun! If, however, you would rather spend time chewing on glass you can always hire someone to do them for you. If you have a pretty simple return you may want to check out the IRS website. If you meet certain criteria you can actually file them online for free. I have used it and if you have everything on hand it isn't hard. You may have to pay something to submit the state return online. Check it out.

Clearing Your Inbox

This is an interesting video about clearing out your inbox of email. If you aren't careful you can spend a ton of time managing email. Tame the beast! 

Reverse Phone Lookup

This is kind of an interesting site. If you have a phone number you can look up an address and a name and number for it. Perhaps a nice idea when you are doing Christmas cards and you have forgotten an address. When you use it be sure to go halfway down to the whitepages portion. This is the free area.

Photo Books

I get positive feedback about the photobooks I make for the my family at the holidays. If you are wondering how I do it I use 2 different services. On the Mac you can use the built in photo creation tools in iPhoto. Apple has the books printed with My Publisher. If you are a windows user you can navigate directly to My Publisher's website and use the same tools. Also, for both PC and Mac you can try Blurb. I have used Blurb the last few years because of some additional features. They are great ways to collect your digital pictures.

Clark Howard

Clark Howard has a radio show about saving money that airs in Milwaukee on 620 WTMJ. He has some pretty good tips and the website is nice. It is worth a read. 

Conversion to Digital TV

This is kind of an interesting article about the upgrade to digital from analog TV signals. If you only get TV over-the-air and you have an older TV in 1-year your TV won't work. So you will need to get a special converter box.

Best Buy's Reward Zone

As much as I might be frustrated about the service at Best Buy I am still a regular customer. They have a reward zone program that is free and essentially gives you a $5 gift certificate for every $250 you spend. That doesn't sound like much but if you make a big purchase (like a TV or a computer) you can earn $20 or so pretty quickly.

Borders "Digital" Space

I came accross this on the internet. Borders has an area that is the "digital" area. You can create photo books, buy music, burn CDs, etc. The idea is that for many people that don't know how to do this it is a way to teach them. It seems like a good idea.

Adding Time-Warner Cable Service

If you have Time-Warner cable you might also be aware that they do offer phone service and high-speed internet service. They now have it set up on their website that you can configure your offering and add and remove services to get to the price you want. I like they way it is set up and I hope they continue to go down this path. It seems like a no-brainer that you would allow users to add and remove service online which would reduce their costs and allow the user to get to the right combination of services for them.

It would also be a nice way to offer promotions so a person could add a channel at no cost to sample it. It continues to be the best deal to bundle the service together (if you need it)

Starbucks Wifi

It makes so much sense that Starbucks would offer up free wireless at their many coffee shops. Until now you had to pay for it!

Office 2007 Files

Did you know that the new version of Office uses a different file format than Office 97-2003? What does that mean to you and I? Well if you are running Office 2007 and sharing files with people that use an older version you will need to save as the older version or encourage people to get the converters from Microsoft's website.

XM Radio

I never thought that I would like satellite radio. I found, though, once I had it that it is very nice. It is amazing how many commercials are on the radio. 

XM radio can also be listened to online. Many of the cheap radios are a great way to try it. 

Grocery Shopping Online

I have not used these guys before - since my wife does the grocery shopping - but I have to say that if I was forced to go to the grocery store every week I would hate it. Here you can shop online at Netgrocer. It is pretty slick because you can create a re-occuring orders. So you could have the same things delivered each week. The killer is you need to pay for shipping and that could make it a "no-go" for many people.

Reward Points

I travel a fair amount for my job and I find that I accumulate a decent amount of frequent flyer miles and hotel points. These programs are easy to join and free (in most cases) but I am curious as to how many points are abandoned. Like many business travelers when I fly to a location I sort the results by cost and then flight times. What this means is I rarely chose an airline on it's merits. It also means I have balances on many airline and hotel accounts that are far short from earning a free flight/stay.

So I came across this site for frequent fliers. I am just starting to dig into it but it looks promising. I have explored some of the individual airlines and redeemed points for smaller rewards. This seems to work well (like getting a giftcard to Sharper Image or a magazine subscription).

Apple Stock

Years ago, before Apple made it's big comeback with the iPhone my wife had bought me $60 worth of Apple stock as a lark. Now years later it is worth just under $1000. The news though is that Apple has dropped to $122 per share (along with much of the rest of the market)

A good buying opportunity I think! 

Is being fat bad?

This has nothing to do with technology but I thought it was interesting. This article disputes some of the claims that being overweight is bad for your health. Or at the very least that the research is exaggerated.

HBO online

If you have Time-Warner cable in Wisconsin, HBO,  and a Windows based PC you can check out HBO on-demand

I haven't tried it yet but it is a pilot that they are testing and it is worth a shot. 

I am not sure if I have mentioned this before but I subscribe to this video game service and I like it. (Although it is a little expensive) 

GameFly is a US online video game rental subscription service that specializes in providing games for game consoles and handheld game consoles.

Similar to the DVD rental subscription service Netflix, Gamefly sends games to subscribers via the United States Postal Service in re-mailable, pre-paid mailers. (Non-US residents are ineligible for the service, as GameFly does not ship overseas.) The subscriber then can keep the games for as long as desired while paying the monthly fee, although the number of games is limited by the type of subscription plan chosen by the subscriber.

Free Office Software

When you buy a new computer many times the next purchase is a productivity suite of software. (such as Microsoft Office) 

What I have found is that many people never use a fraction of the features on their home computer. You might want to consider saving some money and checking out Open Office. 

It is free and available for just about every major computing platform. 

Computer Consulting

I participated in a seminar the other morning. I was one of the younger people in the audience and while we were waiting for the session to begin a conversation started about tech support. I didn’t tell anyone that I did computer consulting on the side and just listened to the conversation.

 

One of the people talked about how they called for help on the computer and someone from India “took control” of their PC and helped fix the problem. This is pretty common today with large companies such as Dell outsourcing tech support to low cost countries.

 

I still find that we learn best from simply having a person sitting next to you and walking through the steps. For some things the remote support works well but not for everything. I really enjoy helping people with technology but I have to say I am amazed that a small computer company doesn’t offer in-home training. (not set-up mind you – but actual training)

 

Until some company steps up, I hope you might call me for your next computer need! J

 

Microsoft to buy Yahoo?

Microsoft bid $44B for Yahoo. Microsoft is interested in taking on Google and feel that need they need Yahoo to do this. It will be interesting to see what happens but honestly I am not sure what Microsoft thinks they are really getting in this deal. What does Yahoo have that isn't already in Microsoft's portfolio?

Listen to radio online

From Radio 365 you can listen to free radio on the web. 

Technology for Teachers

Here is an interesting site about technology for teachers.  It has some links and some powerpoint templates. 

Superbowl Ads

Of course the best part of the big game is the ads (now that the Packers are out) - if you miss any of them you can check out this Superbowl Ad site that has replays.

Find a Vacation Home

Another tip from a friend led me to this site, which specializes in matching you with a vacation home around the country. It looks like a nice resource. It stands for "Vacation Rentals By Owner"

Microsoft Makes Billions (Of Course)

You might have heard of this little company called Microsoft. They now have the rights to start printing money! (I am kidding of course)

CD sales down again

CD sales are down again this past year, while digital downloads are way up. No surprise right? Actually I have never really understood the whole argument that piracy is the cause of the losses in the music industry. I would love to see a brave label start pricing downloads at 15 cents per track. Even if only as a test. It seems that the cost of a song via download is about what it costs on a CD, even though the shipping, packaging, and CD pressing costs are all eliminated. Why not pass some of that savings to the user instead of paying lawyers to sue your customers.

Last.fm - Listen to music online for free!

Last.fm is a place that you can listen to "streaming" music on the web. CBS bought them and has now cut deals with the music labels to allow them to stream popular music. It isn't a bad deal but I am not really sure how CBS expects to make money on it. Here is a link to the yahoo article.

TV on the web

The USA Today has a nice article about all of the places on the web that you can find TV shows. I find that I still can't get used to watching at my computer but this is just the first step. 

Pac Man

Check this out - you can play Pac Man online for free! 

Making it Stick

We have all wanted to do something at some point that required a degree of willpower. It might be losing weight or trying to save for a vacation. Sometimes we will use friends as motivators and sometimes you might make a deal with yourself, "if I lose 10 pounds by my friends wedding I will reward myself with a night out"

These are called commitment devices and I came across this service online that is also a commitment device. You simply enter your goal and then enter an amount of money. If you don't meet your goal your money is donated to charity, or to a friend, or whatever. Additionally, you can add friends to be informed of your progress to help cheer you on or to get on your case if you are falling off the wagon.
I haven't tried it myself but I think StickK is an interesting idea and might be the motivator that helps you achieve that elusive goal. Check it out!

Does the Writers Strike Even Matter?

If you haven't yet taken advantage of a TiVo or a DVR system you are really missing out. For those of you that don't know what I am talking about a DVR allows you to "time shift" programming. It is similar to a VCR however it is much smarter and easier to fast forward through commercials (or boring parts).

 

The first thought you might have when you get a DVR is "I think I will end up watching more TV" but in actuality the opposite is true. I find myself to be much more selective. My trusty DVR records the various programs and when it is time for me to sit down and watch TV I simply select what I want from the list.

 

This leads me to my topic of the day. The television and movie writers have been on strike now for some time and some programming has taken a hit. We have been inundated with reality programming, game shows, and repeats. I haven't really felt it much because I am simply watching the content on my DVR. Granted, I have less to choose from but really had many different version of CSI do we need? I actually kind of like it. I have caught up on some movies that were sitting on my shelf and sampled some programs (Life on NBC) that I had missed the first time around.

 

I am all for the writers getting their fair share but I have to wonder if they are shooting themselves in the foot. Over a period of time the networks are learning to live without them and viewers are finding their entertainment elseware. Oh well, maybe I will change my tune if this goes on through summer and starts impacting the movies...for now how can you beat youtube?

Should I buy Microsoft Vista?

There certainly has been a lot written about the current version of Windows. It has now been available for over a year and over 100 million copies have been sold. This, however, is a little misleading since over 250 million PC's have been sold in that time. 

While sites such as Bad Vista will tell you the problem with Vista is the copy protection (DRM) the reality is for the average user there just isn't a compelling reason to upgrade. 

Sure, if you are buying a new PC you can get Vista but I don't see a reason to run out to the store and get the new version. (I am still running XP on my PC) 

Here is a thought, if you need to learn a new operating system anyway, why not check out a Mac? 

Gamefly is Netflix for video games

If you like Netflix for movies you might want to check out Gamefly for video games. You pay a monthly fee and you get video games delivered to your door for the Xbox, PSP, PS2, PS3, etc. 

It is more expensive than Netflix but then again video games tend to cost more than movies too. 

The Google Generation

For those of you that think the younger generation always knows the most about technology. Check out this article about the "Google Generation"

I do kind of like the ring of the "Google Generation" :)

Online Billpay

If you have never used yur banks online bill payment service you are missing out. It is very easy to schedule payments for your car, mortgage, and credit card to come directly from your bank account to the vendor. It is easy and in most cases it is free. If you are nervous about it ask your banker to demo it for you.

Many banks even offer a small cash bonus for signing up for billpay.

Spam

I get asked many times, "how can I stop SPAM?" The short answer is that you really can't, however you can slow it down a bit. Here is a link to an article with some good suggestions on how you can reduce SPAM. 

The best way to slow down the spread is to protect your email. I keep an extra "dummy" account that I use for those pesky online forms that require an address. This way I can minimize the folks that get my "real" address. Unfortunately the more time that you have an address the harder it is to prevent it from falling into the hands of the spammers. 

Freecycle

I was talking with a friend of mine today and she mentioned that she wanted to dispose of an old computer. 

Of course the problem is you can't just throw out the old machine.  A great resource is Freecycle.

It is the 2008 version of 'putting it out on the curb'

You start by searching for your local area and then registering. You can then post that you have a computer to give away. In most cases you will have several willing people within a day. 

You are helping someone out and reducing waste!

Free software

If you are looking for a place to get free software I really like Download.com 

They have software for Windows and Macs and much of it is free. Many times I will check it out to see what is the most popular piece of software for the month. This is a great way to learn something new. 

Should I Buy A Mac?

Many times I get asked what type of computer should I buy. Many folks don't consider a Mac because they are invested in the Windows environment.  However the newest Apple computers run on the same hardware that PC's run on. 

This is a nice safety net for those of you that are worried that you won't like the Mac OS. If you buy it you can always boot into the Windows environment. 

Of course Mac's usually cost a little more than a Windows PC, but they tend to be better equipped than the entry level machines you see in the Sunday newspaper ads. 

Check the Apple Store for the latest deals. 

Mini-Printers

You may have seen the specialty printers that are designed with the specific idea of printing 4x6 prints. 

I actually received one for Christmas and it works very well. The prints are nice and it is pretty quick. I will say it isn't cheap (it ends up being about 30 cents per print) 

It is nice for those time when you would like a quick print, and since we no longer use our film camera it is nice to have that option. If you are looking for a cheap option you really can't beat Snapfish. They have decent prints and they come pretty quick via mail. 

If you want to try the mini-printer I have a Kodak that I like. It will really depend on your camera. Many popular cameras have a printer option. Here is an article from PC mag with some advice on printers. 

I don't view the mini-printer as a replacement for the trip to Walgreens or Snapfish...just a nice addition! 

Should I Buy Things Online?

A question I get regularly is, "is it safe to buy things online?"

The answer is that anything you do carries some risk but compared to other places that you shop, online is very safe. When you go to eat at a restaurant you hand your credit card over to a 16-year old waitress that disappears into the back to come back with your receipt. I would say it is fairly easy for your card number to be stolen. 

The good news is that the credit card companies are pretty good at spotting fraud and most of them only hold you accountable for a small amount. ($50) So the moral of the story is if you are going to shop online be sure to use a credit card (not a debit card) and print a copy of your receipt.

If you are looking at a great place to make your first online purchase you can always start with the grandaddy of them all at Amazon

I will warn you - once you start...it is hard to stop! 

Movie Trailers

I think Apple has the best site for movie trailers. It is clean simple interface and the trailers look great.

Audiobooks

I am a big fan of audiobooks. I wanted to share a link to Audible.com. They offer several different plans which allow you to listen to audiobooks on your iPod or computer.

What Virus Protection Software Should I Use?

I get this question a lot when I work with customers. I surprise people when I tell them that virus protection is over-rated. First of all, we need to look at the "cost" of virus protection. I don't mean the actual dollar amount. (although that is a consideration) I mean the fact that you now have a program running on your system all of the time. This slows things down. (especially with older systems)

Now for a moment consider the risk. If you are running a major business with thousands of very proprietary documents a virus might be something that could cost you a considerable amount of money. However, for average Joe User that isn't the case. Here is my recommendation for keeping your computer safe.

1. Get a hardware router (most people already have one)
2. Be cautious about the sites you visit. If you visit gambling sites, file sharing, or other nefarious sites you increase your risk of contamination.
3. Once a year do a complete re-install of your system. Back everything up completely and "start over" - (I can help you with this by the way and your system will feel faster)
4. If you must have virus protection check out AVG (it is free) or Microsoft's onecare - both of these run faster than Norton and Mcafee

Virus' are overblown in most cases. Your system is much more likly to get fried in an electrical storm.

I hope that helps! :)

Funny Video Clip

This has been a popular video on the web. It makes me laugh - but then again I am a Will Farrell fan!

The Landlord

Problems with Best Buy service

I was working with a friend/customer over the weekend that told me about a recent experience with Best Buy. Now as a general rule I am indifferent about the "big box" stores. They typically provide decent prices with very little service. Sometimes you get lucky and work with a knowledgeable person but for the most part the geek squad provides me with with new customers! I simply provide better service. 

Anyway, the story goes that this person had the VGA (monitor) connection cracked off of her machine. So she couldn't connect her monitor. She brought it in and was told that  a $250 down payment was required which could be applied to any repair cost. It was clear that the motherboard would need to be replaced upon drop off but instead Best Buy took the $250 and told my friend that she would get a call. Upon her return she was told it would cost an additional $300+ to replace the board. At this point she "cut bait" - but much to her frustration Best Buy would not refund the $250. 

Now I am sure Best Buy has a policy and she probably signed something but this is the kind of thing that people remember and gets told to friends and neighbors and, in this case, blogged about. 

So the moral of the story is be careful about tech repairs (especially with computers) and take a look at what the replacement cost is before you pay anything for a repair. Oh, and by the way, you can always call me. 

Wireless Networks

One of the most common questions I hear from my friends, family, and customers is, "how can I set up a wireless network?"

It isn't as hard as you think and this link from Microsoft has some info on it;

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/moredone/wirelesssetup.mspx

Of course I am always willing to help you... and once you have it up it is a great convenience! 

Help with Computers

Here is a link to a site that offers several step by step tutorials on common tasks. Things such as deleting cookies in your browser or setting a new home page. 

http://www.helpwithpcs.com/index.html 

Find Inexpensive Hotels on the Web

My wife and I are going to New York this spring for a short vacation. (no kids) – Anyway, a friend encouraged me to check out www.priceline.com as a place to find hotels that are 50% off. I had never used it and I have to admit I was a little skeptical. The trick is when you go to the site you need to find the link that says “Name Your Own Price” and “bid” on your hotel. Once you do this you are taken to a screen where you input your details. (where you are going, times, they type of hotel you would like, etc)

Then, Priceline takes your credit card number before bidding. You enter in how much you want to pay. (I entered in $160 for a $329 hotel) and if they find a service at the price you set, the transaction is billed to your account. No refunds.

To take it a step further this website has info on what others have bid so you can get a sense for what might be accepted. www.BiddingForTravel.com

Anyway you look at it this is a great way to save some money traveling!

iPhone

For those of you that have already bought iPhones you aren't alone. This article in the USA Today looks at the impact; 

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/phones/2008-01-02-iphone_N.htm?csp=34 

 

We have already seen touch screens become more popular in handheld devices in 2007.

Netflix - Next Act

I wrote about my love of Netflix below - but here is their "next act"

 CLICK HERE

 

This box will allow you to rent movies on your computer and stream them to your TV via a box. I am not sure if this is really much better than "pay per view" - but we will have to see. 

Have you every used a "newsreader" application? It is a great way to easily visit several sites at once. You can then visit the "reader" and it collects stories from several websites, blogs. I currently use Google Newsreader at http://www.google.com/reader/ 

 

You can set up the reader to check this blog! When I have new content it will show up and you can read the content. It is free too!

 

Movie Trailers

One of my favorite things to check out on the web are movie trailers. This is a great site for trailers. You can check it out at Apple's trailer site. 

Also a great way to check your system's speed and your internet connection.