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Archive for September, 2010

Wi-Fi Everywhere

Posted by Andrew at 8:46 AM on September 23, 2010

I recently travelled from the UK to the USA for a holiday (or vacation). Prior to leaving, I checked how much data was going to cost on my Palm Pre when abroad.  It was an eye-watering £6 ($9) per MB. Yes, per MB.  Needless to say, I turned off data roaming as soon as I left the UK.

However, I wasn’t prepared for the sheer abundance of free wi-fi in the US.  Odds-on, if I turned on my Pre, I’d be able to find a free connection, whether I was in a store, restaurant, bar or tourist attraction.  And while the data speeds weren’t extraordinary, they were perfectly acceptable for email, web and downloading podcasts.  I was saved.

Here in the UK, free wi-fi is fairly rare outside of coffee shops. Usually you have to get the encryption key from the store or else sign-up for a user name and password.  In the US, the networks were unencrypted and at worst, you had to tick “Accept terms and conditions” before getting on-line.

So I’d like to give a big thank you to Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, McDonalds, Safeway, Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, Pancho McGillicuddys and the Grand Canyon Caverns for the use of their free wi-fi while I was out and about.

I’m particularly indebted to Safeway – I’d start off my podcatcher (drPodder) when I got my shopping trolley and by the time I’d finished getting the groceries, GNC and my other podcasts would have been downloaded.  Food for the mind as well as the stomach!

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Posted in Palm, wifi

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Not Impressed with Google Instant Search

Posted by susabelle at 5:49 PM on September 22, 2010

I’m a heavy Google user.  I probably access the Google basic search page four dozen times a day.  I have never missed a Google Doodle (love those!) and Google is my go-to search engine for most things.  When Google Instant Search was announced, I thought, well, that’s cool, maybe I’ll like that.

Now that it’s been a couple of weeks, I’m wondering what the big deal is.  Yes, I can usually get displayed search results before I’ve actually typed in the whole search term, but then I still have to take my hands off the keyboard, grab the mouse, and scroll down to choose what I want to look at.  If Google wanted to make this cool, they’d make it instantly scrollable with my arrow keys, without having to stop and reposition my cursor with a mouse, or hit the tab key twice to get into the page for scrolling.  By habit, I have used the down-arrow-select-hit-enter move in the search box since Google made that available (what a timesaver!).  But let’s take that one step better and let me use that down-arrow-select thing even more seamlessly, jumping me onto the first search result and then letting me continue to down-arrow through the links until I get the one I want and can hit enter.

Or maybe this should become a function of the browser, of all browsers.  I love hot keys and doing things on the keyboard so I don’t have to move my hand to the mouse excessively.  Having had both shoulder and hand surgery in the last two years, the less arm movement, the better.  Maybe there’s already a plug-in to do this (I use Firefox) but I just haven’t found it yet.

As for the instant search, I guess it’s nifty, but all that flashing/changing text is kind of distracting, especially since I can’t really use it “instantly” the way I’d like to.

What are your thoughts?

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See You at Blogworld and New Media Expo!

Posted by geeknews at 12:25 AM on September 22, 2010

This will be the 5th year my team from RawVoice has exhibited at BlogWorld and New Media Expo. It is where we go put names and talent to faces, and is where we have a chance for us to give back and share our wisdom on where New Media is headed. For those that attend it is 3 days of information packed sessions, networking and in many cases a reunion with folks you only get to see once or twice a year.

In Booth 516 we will be sharing not only what we do but also about the new media distribution platforms. The media space is changing at a rapid pace, and we will get you dialed in on where it is headed and how to stay on the right track.

On Saturday, I will be presenting at a track that is entitled “The Triple Play Streaming, Podcasting and Blogging as a way to accelerate your Shows Growth and Distribution” please add my session to you list of session to attend. The title of the session is a mouthful for sure, but let me share with you a little of what I will discuss and why you should attend.

The past 12 months have seen an evolution in the blogging, podcasting and streaming media space, I will lay out a formula, to growing your audience and talk about the new distribution platforms. I will share trade secrets and strategies of podcasting that only my 6 years of experience behind the mic can impair. I will tie this all together and you will walk away understanding the importance of streaming your shows and how it is the gateway to Over the Top TV. I will show you how I grew an already large audience by 150% in 9 months with the Triple Play. I will show you how content distribution channels like the Roku, Boxee and coming Google TV is changing New Media and what to expect over the next 5 years.

This will be the most important session you will want to attend at the show, I don’t say this lightly because some of the things I will reveal are going to make you re-think your media strategy for the next 36 months.

In another session, My partners Angelo Mandato and Brian Yuhnke are going to get down to basics with you in a fun session entitled “Blogging and Podcasting Sitting in a Tree… Optimizing a WordPress site for your Podcast” this will get into the nitty-gritty of what many content creators ignore. Find out what causes the cream to rise to the top, you may be surprised at how easy it really is through tweaks, tips and tricks of getting your site dialed in to make sure your listeners and viewers can tune in.

If you have not purchased your plane tickets or pass to BlogWorld and New Media Expo you need to get off you butt and do so now! This is  “the event” to be at, if you are podcaster, blogger and fall into any category of user-generated content. Unlike the disarray and forking happening at Podcamps across the country if you want to focus on New Media this is the show you need to be at. See you in Vegas!

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The New HP Deskjet 3050 All-in-One Printer

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 5:49 PM on September 21, 2010

Yesterday HP announced their new line of printers and their is some pretty cool hardware on the way.  The one that caught my eye, and I think will be in my near future, is the HP Deskjet 3050 All-In-One.

It’s list of features begins with wireless printing, but that’s not what sets it apart.  Honestly, you have been able to print wirelessly with any printer since Windows XP.  I know – I’ve been doing it since then.  But, hey, a lot of average users probably don’t realize this, so it never hurts to point it out.

From there, though, things get pretty cool.  It prints, copies, and scans and it has the HP Quick Forums button which allows you to quickly select templates , such as calendars, without even needing your PC to do so.

It  also claims quick printing, with documents done within a few seconds of you hitting the Print button.

Perhaps the coolest thing, given where we’re at in the world right now, is that this printer is Energy Star qualified.  Beyond that, it is manufactured of “35 percent recycled plastics.”  It also ships in, a claimed, 99% recyclable packaging and gives users free ink cartridge recycling.  This part is huge for this outdoors lover!

The specs listed by HP:

Functions
All-in-one functions Print, copy, scan
Multitasking capability No
Specifications
Print speed black (draft, letter) Up to 20 ppm
Print speed color (draft, letter) Up to 16 ppm
Print speed, black (normal quality mode) Up to 5.5 ppm
Print speed, color (normal quality mode) Up to 4 ppm
Print speed, laser comparable, black Up to 5.5 ppm
Print speed, laser comparable, color Up to 4 ppm
Page yield footnote Approximate yield. Actual yield depends on printer and specific use. See http://www.hp.com/go/pageyield for more information
First page out (black) As fast as 21 sec
First page out (color) As fast as 26 sec
Monthly duty cycle Up to 1000 pages
Print technology HP Thermal Inkjet
Print resolution, black Up to 600 dpi
Print speed footnote Either after first page or after first set of ISO test pages. For details see: http://www.hp.com/go/printerclaims
Print resolution, color Up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi from 1200 dpi input data (when printing from a computer on photo paper)
Paper Handling
Paper handling standard,input 60-sheet input tray
Paper handling standard,output 25-sheet output tray
Envelope capacity Up to 5 envelopes
Envelope feeder No
Duplex printing (printing on both sides of paper) None (not supported)
Document finishing Sheetfed
Media sizes, standard Letter, legal, 4 x 6 in, 5 x 7 in, 8 x 10 in, No. 10 envelopes
Media types Paper (brochure, inkjet, plain), photo paper, envelopes, labels, cards (greeting), transparencies
Media weight, recommended 16 lb
Additional Specifications
Memory, standard Integrated
Print languages, standard HP PCL 3 GUI
Scanner specifications
Scanner type Flatbed
Scan resolution, optical Up to 1200 dpi
Bit depth 24-bit
Scan size, maximum (flatbed) 8.5 x 11.7 in
Automatic paper sensor No
Copier specifications
Copy resolution, black Up to 600 optimized dpi (from 300 dpi input)
Copy resolution, color Up to 600 optimized dpi (from 300 dpi input)
Maximum number of copies Up to 50 copies
Connectivity
Connectivity, standard 1 USB 2.0; 1 WiFi 802.11b/g/n
Minimum system requirements PC: Microsoft® Windows® 7: 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor, 1 GB (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit) RAM, 600 MB hard disk space, CD-ROM/DVD drive or Internet connection, USB port, Internet Explorer; Windows Vista®: 800 MHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor, 512 MB RAM, 700 MB hard disk space, CD-ROM/DVD drive or Internet connection, USB port, Internet Explorer; Windows® XP (SP2)* or higher (32-bit only): any Intel Pentium II, Celeron or compatible processor, 233 MHz or higher, 128 MB RAM, 250 MB hard disk space, CD-ROM/DVD drive or Internet connection, USB port, Internet Explorer 6 or higher. *Supports 32-bit only
Macintosh: Mac OS X v 10.5 or v 10.6: PowerPC G4, G5 or Intel Core processor; 256 MB RAM; 300 MB available hard disk space; CD-ROM/DVD drive or Internet connection; USB port
Compatible operating systems Microsoft® Windows® 7, Windows Vista®, Windows® XP (SP2)* or higher (32-bit only), Mac OS X v 10.5 or v 10.6
Photo printing
Borderless Printing No
Dimensions and weight
Dimensions (W x D x H) 16.81 x 16 x 9.8 in (trays open), 16.81 x 12.05 x 6.14 in (trays closed)
Weight 7.94 lb
Dimensions, max.           (W x D x H) 16.81 x 18.5 x 9.8 in (trays open and extended)
Package weight 11.5 lb
Power and operating requirements
Power supply Input voltage 100 to 240 VAC (+/- 10%), 50/60 Hz (+/- 3 Hz)
Power consumption (Active) 9 watts
Power Consumption (Standby) 2.3 watts
Power Consumption, Powersave 1.2 watts
Power Consumption (Manual-off) 0.3 watts
Power consumption footnote Power requirements are based on the country/region where the printer is sold. Do not convert operating voltages. This will damage the printer and void the product warranty.
Acoustic Pressure Emissions 50 dB(A) (printing at 6 ppm)
Acoustic power emissions 6.3 B(A) (printing at 6 ppm)
Operating temperature range 32 to 113º F
Recommended Operating humidity range 15 to 80% RH
ENERGY STAR® Qualified Yes
What’s included
What’s in the box HP Deskjet 3050 All-in-One – J610a; HP 61 Black Ink Cartridge (~190 pages); HP 61 Tri-color Ink Cartridge (~165 pages); Software CD; Setup Guide; power supply; power cord; USB cable; Reusable Tote. [Average based on ISO/IEC 24711 or HP testing methodology and continuous printing. Actual yield varies considerably based on content of printed pages and other factors. For details see http://www.hp.com/go/learnaboutsupplies]
Cable included? Yes, 1 USB
Warranty World-class service and support. One-year technical phone support; one-year limited hardware warranty. Access to 24/7 award-winning support services through http://www.hp.com/support

My 3 or 4 year old Epson is getting long in the tooth and I have been eying an all-in-one so that I can also get rid of the scanner that is taking up space in my office.  This one has me interested and I think it’s well worth the $79.99 MSRP that it’s debuting at and it’s available now.

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Posted in HP

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Two-Tiered Hotel WiFi may Satisfy Todd’s Need for Speed

Posted by Jeffrey Powers at 9:20 AM on September 21, 2010
Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi

Actually, I stopped using hotel WiFi because of this, too. You end up getting speeds slower than a modem and sometimes you are paying $10-$15 a day for it.

However, with the cloud looming and people wanting to watch YouTube videos and doing live meetings like GotoMeeting, the average user’s need for better speeds is a necessity. The standard 802.11b wifi router in the office – 150 feet away from your room – just won’t cut it anymore.

Hotels like InterContinental are experimenting with Tiered WiFi. For $10 a day, you can get a speed to check your email and Facebook. However, for $15 a day, you get some better connection speeds. No word what the “Better” speed would be – I would hope it would be at least 2 down, 2 up.

Then again, with 3G and 4G connections getting better in the US, will hotels benefit from making a tiered connection?

When in Vegas last June, I rented a 4G connection. I didn’t use the hotel Wireless because the 4G had better speed and cost less. I could work in my room, in the convention hall, in the lobby or in another location alltogether.

I was even in the airport watching GNC’s live show while waiting for my flight.

Two things I can see using a tiered hotel plan. One is if you need even more speed than 4G – One machine can run on 4G while the other connects via wireless. The other reason is if your 3G or 4G is a limited plan and you don’t want to go over 2 GB.

For people like myself or Todd, we need a better connection just to keep up with our daily lives. Not everyone needs that – but for those of us who do, having the option will be great.

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Posted in wifi

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GNC-2010-09-21 #612 Go Ivi Go!

Posted by geeknews at 12:44 AM on September 21, 2010

We knew this was coming, Ivi is in a battle for their survival. I am going to do my best to do a interview with their CEO this week to have available on the The Morning Tech Show. I am at a turning point with the Podcast Awards, info in todays show, plus how your host is operating with a scratched eyeball all that and more in the show.

These companies keep the lights on here at GNC your support is appreciated!
Sponsor: Save money at GoDaddy using my The Best Godaddy Promo Codes.
Sponsor: Visit gotomeeting.com, click the try it free button & use promo code: Podcast.
Sponsor: Infusionsoft, the leader in marketing automation software for small businesses.

Subscribe Today: Audio | Video | iTunes | Zune
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To Comment on show call 1-619-342-7365 or e-mail geeknews@gmail.com

Listener / Viewer Links:
Global Internet Treaty.
Classic Jobs.

Show Links:
Mark Cuban on Shark Tank.
Point your phone at Planes.
No Digging in the Sand.
Mexican Journalist give up.
Google Docs Editing on Android and iPad shortly.
Why the change at GNC. Stats are Like a Bikini.
The YouTube Copyright Detection System.
Must See Blogworld Session.
Want a Stargate?
Skype blocking Competitors?
4chan and DDOS.
Windows Phone 7 goes Global.
Pirated Shows on your iPad?
Scribd Bait and Switch.
O2 Bait and Switch.
Verizon LTE Info Page.
Streaming Netflix to Canada.
ABC New Interactive Sniffer App.
Vidabox
New Microphone for Flip Recorders.
Fair Set Top Box Comparison?
Live TV to Apple TV?
Ivi in fight for survival.
Will Sat Based Stars go Internet Only?
Crazy Bill Introduced in Congress.
Nice try AT&T.
Adobe Air for Android Pending.
Correction NewsWeek in Business?

Send in your stories to geeknews@gmail.com and be sure to provide a link to your websites!

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Blue Announces Mikey for Flip

Posted by geeknews at 7:27 PM on September 20, 2010

My family has a total of 3 Flip Cameras, two SD and one HD. My wife carries one in her purse, I have one in my car so that if I just happen to see another UFO, at least I will have a chance of capturing some video of it. Seriously though we have been using Flip cameras for a while, and they were used to capture our CES back channel coverage in 2009 as well. One challenge with the Flip Cameras has been the audio quality.  So I am pretty excited about the Blue Announcement today.

Blue Microphones announced today Mikey for Flip (www.bluemic.com/mikeyforflip), a professional-quality external microphone that lets Flip Video™ users capture even better sound for their Flip videos. As part of the new Designed for Flip™ accessory line, Mikey for Flip connects to all FlipPort™-enabled Flip video cameras and features Blue Microphone’s premium capsules for enhanced recording of everything from a whisper to a rock concert.

Sadly all of my flip cameras do not have a FlipPort. So hopefully the folks over at Blue and Flip will send me one of each so we can give it a run for it’s money.

Mikey for Flip is plug-and-play with automatic power-on, using a AAA battery to conserve power on the Flip video camera for longer recording time. The compact design of Mikey for Flip will make it easy to use.. Mikey for Flip, MSRP $69, will debut at CES 2011. For more information, visit www.bluemic.com/mikeyforflip.

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The High End Of Media With Vidabox

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 6:54 PM on September 20, 2010

Vidabox (pronounced Vee-da-box) is a high-end computer/entertainment manufacturer.  This is a comprehensive whole-house solution for those who want the best, but are also willing to pay for it.  The Home Theater PC’s, Media Servers, and Controllers are all top-of-the-line and they are all ready to take your home to the next level.  And, the customer service is top-notch.

If you are looking for an end-to-end solution then this may be where you want to begin.  They have Media Centers, servers, extenders, and accessories.  You’ll still need to go elsewhere for your TV and A/V receiver, but they’d be hard-pressed to compete in that area with such heavyweights as Pioneer, Samsung (for TV’s), Yamaha, and Harman-Kardon (for receivers).

The Media Center PC’s come in a range of options with storage going from 2TB to 18TB, with the higher end being a RAID5 solution.  Blu-Ray drives are standard on all versions, as is Windows 7, built-in card readers, and TV tuner cards.

The servers are rack-mountable and range in storage from 8TB to 44TB.  Like all servers, they are headless – no monitor, keyboard, mouse, or remote is needed.  All servers are RAID-enabled.

They also make extenders with several different models available.  That will allow you to expand your Media Center and server out to your whole home.

But, perhaps my favorite products are the accessories.  A while back I reviewed the wireless keyboard/mouse with RF, which I have used for more than a year and absolutely love.  They also have something called the vController which is compatible with iPad and allows full remote control of your home entertainment system.

This system is not cheap, but if you want products that give you everything possible in today’s world of ever-changing home media then it may be the best solution that money can buy.  Combine it with good TV’s and receivers and you’ll be set.  And Windows Media Center has lots of home automation plug-ins available if you’d like to really expand what all of this hardware can do.

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Posted in Media Center

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HippoRemote Pro

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 5:12 PM on September 19, 2010

A mouse that I use with one of my computers died and I decided to try the Hippo Remote Pro as a replacement. As a mouse replacement it has both its strength and weaknesses. However if you have a computer set up to play media, it works great.

HippoRemote Pro can be downloaded from Itunes, for $4.99, you can get Hippo Remote Lite for free, too try out the basic functions. You can set up the remote to be use either with Windows, Mac or even Linux. There are easy to follow setup directions for each, on line and also on the application itself. HippoRemote Pro, can be used as a simply desktop remote, but its real power is within the different profiles that are available. Different applications and website have their own profile which are created to get the best out of that application. There are about twenty profiles that come with the remote and there are also user created remotes that are available for downloads. If you want to make a profile, there are instructions available on the website.

As might be expected the remote works best with those websites and applications that you would normally use a stand alone remote with, such as YouTube, Pandora, Hulu, among others. It works less intuitively with applications like Google Chrome or Gmail, and takes sometime to get use. There are macros that come with each profile to add to there ease of use. For example there is a Gmail profile and it has macros that include, go to inbox, go to task, and go to starred. If you want to go to your starred emails for example, you simply hit the “go to starred macro” and you are there. HippoRemote does have a keyboard, which is available at the touch of a key to be used when it’s appropriate. It is strictly for entering in a small amount of texts and should not be seen as a replacement for a full size keyboard, at least not the Iphone version. The Ipad version maybe a different story, I am not sure since I don’t have one.

I would love to have the opportunity to try the Hippo Remote Pro on the Ipad, on the Iphone it feels cramped at times. Even with this complaint, it is great to be able to sit back in a chair and play some Youtube videos. Then when I am tired of them, I can go to Hulu and choose which video I want to play, hit the play button all without leaving the HippoRemote. If you are looking for a good remote control on either the Iphone or Ipad I highly recommend the HippoRemote Pro, it is easy to use and can be customized to your needs.

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The Man Who Lied To His Laptop

Posted by tomwiles at 4:36 PM on September 19, 2010

I just finished listening to the unabridged Audible audio book version of “The Man Who Lied To His Laptop” by Clifford Nass and Corina Yen.

After many years of working as a software interface design consultant, Clifford Nass has developed the theory that human brains cannot completely and fundamentally distinguish the difference between interacting with people and interacting with devices. This book details nearly 30 experiments Nass has performed that back up this revolutionary theory.

Remember “Clippy” from Microsoft Word? Chances are, the mere mention of the dreaded Microsoft Office animated paperclip brings up wildly negative feelings. Clippy’s main flaw was that he couldn’t learn and kept badgering Office users over and over for carrying out repetitive tasks that were not mistakes. Even though users “knew” that Clippy was just an animated character, part of their brain actually related to Clippy as a real, despicable character that lived in their computers.

Similarly, BMW had a big problem with male German car owners complaining loudly about the integrated BMW GPS units. It turns out that German men objected over and over again to BMW’s help line that the BMW GPS units came equipped with a female voice, and that just wouldn’t do, because it just wasn’t “right” to take driving directions from a female voice. “Knowing” that mostly male engineers had developed it wasn’t enough to eliminate the problem.

The book is filled with some rather amazing results of experiments that indicate just how suggestible the average person really is. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

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Posted in audible, book, Microsoft, office, review, Software

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