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Archive for August, 2011

About.Me

Posted by Andrew at 12:34 AM on August 16, 2011

Depending on your point of view about.me either strips the final layers of privacy from a narcisstic world or else provides a handy one-stop signposting to your Web 2.0 presence. As their tag line says, “It’s all about you.”

Like many people, your online life isn’t restricted to just one social media site. You have your friends on Facebook, your work colleagues on LinkedIn, random acquaintances on Twitter and family on Flickr. When it comes to pointing someone to “you” on-line, there’s no one place to go and this is where about.me comes in. At about.me, you can set up a cool picture and a biography, plus links to all of the social sites that you subscribe to.

To get an idea of what it’s like, here’s the about.me page of one of the founders, Tony Conrad. Looks pretty cool doesn’t it? There are editing tools to setup your page just as you’d like and there are stock designs if you don’t have a good photograph to use. To further appeal to the cult of me, about.me will provide statistics and graphics on who has been looking at your page.

It’s all very seductive, isn’t it. But let’s just have a little reality check here…this brings together your whole on-line life. Everything is linked to from one place, so if someone, say a prospective employer, wants to research you then it’s all there for them. They don’t even have to do any digging. Of course, you could have two about.me profiles, one for your public persona and one for your private life…

About.me seems to be backed by AOL amongst other investors and you might recognise a few of their advisors too.

The landrush for good names is underway, but I think the site has only been up a couple of months so I was able to snag my name without any numbers. If you are interested, I’d pop over and grab your page just in case about.me gets big.

Google Purchases Motorola Mobility (along with 24,000 Patents) for $12.5 billion

Posted by Jeffrey Powers at 8:12 AM on August 15, 2011

Motorola-Android

Motorola-Android

Google announced this morning that it will be acquiring Motorola Mobility for $40 a share – $12.5 billion total. With it, come 24000 patents on mobile devices, in which 70-80% will most likely move right into Android technologies. Is this a major win for Google and their partners?

Motorola Mobility started in 1928[Wiki]. They pioneered mobile devices starting with the StarTAC in 1996. Motorola Mobility also invented the flip phone and their most successful handset – the RAZR - was the most popular phone from 2004 to 2008 (when the iPhone surpassed it).

“This transaction offers significant value for Motorola Mobility’s stockholders and provides compelling new opportunities for our employees, customers, and partners around the world” said Sanjay Jha, CEO of Motorola Mobility. “We have shared a productive partnership with Google to advance the Android platform, and now through this combination we will be able to do even more to innovate and deliver outstanding mobility solutions across our mobile devices and home businesses.”

24,000 patents, ranging from initial cellular connections all the way to current technologies, are also a part of that purchase. This means that Android has a better chance of warding off most other patent lawsuit disputes, which seems to be a key to a smartphone or tablet.

It’s also a great advantage to Android partners Samsung, HTC, Sony-Ericcson and LG-Electronics. Motorola had several Android-based smartphones themselves, including the Droid and Droid 2.

“The combination of Google and Motorola will not only supercharge Android, but will also enhance competition and offer consumers accelerating innovation, greater choice, and wonderful user experiences.”Says Larry Page. “I am confident that these great experiences will create huge value for shareholders. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers.”

With this news, the mobile eco-system might take a major turn. Google has some major firepower behind their Android system now. While not all technologies they purchased might not be viable in today’s tech market, they could be a basis for modified technology based on original patents.

Have you switched to an Android phone yet? Do you have a Droid3? What are your thoughts on this acquisition?

Official Google Press Release

TCS #5 Chromebook Issues

Posted by geeknews at 1:32 AM on August 15, 2011

I have been on travel the past couple of weeks so my apologies for not producing the show while gone. Bit of a weird show today, because the power supply for my Chromebook crapped out of me and a replacement is inbound so I am doing the show via just the chrome browser.

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Robot Underpants #15 08.15.11

Posted by Langley at 12:01 AM on August 15, 2011

This week: Langley went to a rock show.

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* Outside Lands

* HIV to cure cancer

*Stage Collapse in Indiana

 

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TMS #30 YouTube & Podcast Elite Debate

Posted by geeknews at 4:48 PM on August 14, 2011

The Morning Tech Show Video What started as a Google+ Hangout between TPN members resulted in a serious debate and discussion on YouTube and Podcasting when Michael Mozart joined the hangout.. It’s a great discussion probably one of the best Saturday Morning Tech Shows yet. Regular Guest Rob Greenlee is also onboard..

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HP TouchPad Answers Critics

Posted by Andrew at 12:00 PM on August 14, 2011

The HP TouchPad came on to the market with two main criticisms, first the lack of apps, and second, pricing was on a par with the iPad 2. Even with these two points, most reviews gave the TouchPad the number 2 tablet slot for WebOS’s ease-of-use.

A month on from the TouchPad’s launch, much of the original criticism can be deflected. HP has reduced the price of the TouchPad by $100 in the US and by similar amounts in most other territories, making the 16GB version $400 and the 32 GB $500. Early purchasers have been taken care of with a $50 credit to buy apps from the App Catalog.

As for the apps, a bundle of new apps get added to the App Catalog every day and there’s usually one or two key apps each week that round out the TouchPad’s portfolio. This week saw UPnP AV Player and a Google Reader client, TouchFeeds, released amongst others and while there are other similar apps in the App Catalog, these are the first that don’t deserve a beta version moniker. There are plenty of really good apps in the Catalog and there are more coming through as developers get to grips with the platform. Twitter app – check; Facebook app – check; Flickr app – check; ToodleDo app – check; digital music store app – check; ebay app – check; WordPress app – check. It’s definitely getting there.

There’s also some evidence that it’s beginning to pay off for developers who have invested in the platform. PreCentral reports that OneCrayon, developer of TapNote, has seen sales jump significantly since the TouchPad went on sale. Regrettably the graph that accompanies the article doesn’t have any units on the y-axis but it certainly looks impressive.

HP’s done something a little different as well. Each month it produces a digital magazine called Pivot, which showcases apps in a glossy setting. It’s even customised for the particular country, so the UK version is a little different from the US one. Overall, it’s a nice touch.

It’s looking up for the TouchPad and at $100 less that the iPad 2 with apps coming every day, it’s a bargain.

 

Great ISS and Meteor Video

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 10:53 AM on August 14, 2011

One of my favorite web sites, Universe Today, has linked up a video that really captured my imagination.  The video, captured by Bryan Stewart and posted to Vimeo, shows the International Space Station (ISS) passing overhead during the recent Perseid Meteor Shower.

The video is 1:06 in length and was filmed in Texas at 6:25am on August 10, 2011.  In addition to some great videography, it also features a soundtrack that is Carl Sagan set to music.  What more could you ask for?!

If you have never seen the ISS pass over, it’s a steady, non-blinking white light that moves fairly quickly across the sky.  Not meteor-fast, but you will only have 1-2 minutes of viewing time to follow it from one horizon to the other.

If you want to find out if/when it will be viewable in your area, I recommend the Heaven’s Above website.  You will to need to enter the coordinates of your location, but once you have it set up you can bookmark it with your coordinates and you will not need to ever enter them again.  In addition to the ISS, it also gives information on such passes as Iridium Satellites.

The video is posted below.  Enjoy.

ISS pass with perseid meteor from Bryan Stewart on Vimeo.

CloudApp and Cloud2Go

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 9:43 PM on August 13, 2011

Cloud2GoYou are writing a post and you want to add an image, audio or video file, one way to do that is to link to the to the file URL. What do you do though if the file you want to use is on your desktop, iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. One solution is to use CloudApp which is available through the Mac app store and the corresponding mobile app called Cloud2go, which is $2.99 and available through the mobile app store. Although it is not optimized for the iPad you can use the iPhone version.  I use it along with WritingKit to write my blog post. What ever version you use whether desk top or mobile they both require an account with the CloudApp Website.

The way it works on the desk top is you simply drag the file from where it is up to the cloud which sits in the menu bar. The cloud will light up and you will hear a dinging sound that tells you the upload was successful.  You can change the sound and add a Growl notification through preferences. The file is then uploaded to your CloudApp Web site. All drops are automatically private, until you link to them. The URL is then automatically created and added to your Mac clipboard. If you are using the mobile app, you simply click on the plus button and add then add the file you want. You add an image or video from your library or text from the clipboard. Once the file is added, again the URL is automatically created and ready to be added to your post.

If you have a free account you are limited to 10 uploads a day and a single upload can’t be more than 25 mb. A pro account is currently $45.00 a year. With a pro account you have unlimited uploads and a single upload can be up to 250 mb. You also get your own domain to share your links. CloudApp is not intended to be used as a storage like Dropbox, it is intended to store things you are sharing links to. I am very happy with CloudApp and Cloud2go and use them all the time

Kindle Cloud Reader

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 8:28 AM on August 12, 2011

Kindle in the CloudRecently Apple began to enforce it’s in app purchase policies which prevents ebook readers such as the Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook from linking out to their own stores and so avoid paying Apple 30% of the purchase. If you had the Kindle app downloaded from the iTunes on your iPad and did the latest update you will have noticed that you can no longer purchase a book from within the app. You actually have to go out of the app and into Safari to purchase a book. This was not something that would work for either the consumer or Amazon in the long run.

So this week Amazon announced that they were offering the Kindle in the Cloud. It is a web page created using HTML5 once you sign in to it using your Amazon account information, You will see a pop up that recommend that you create a bookmark and add it to your Home screen. When you click on the bookmark you will see a beautiful rendition of your Kindle library and in the right top hand corner an icon that will take you directly to the Kindle store. Any book you buy will show up immediately in your library. You library is organized so the book you are reading now is first. Your most recent books are automatically downloaded and available for offline reading.
While reading a book using the HTML5 app I did run into what for me is a glaring weakness, the inability to add notes or bookmarks. You can view them but you can’t add them. I have a regular Kindle and the one thing that the app on the iPad had over it (besides the beautiful screen) is the ability to easily add notes. Adding notes on a Kindle is rather awkward, at least for me. If I am a student and use my iPad as my sole E-reader, then the ability to add notes is a must. Hopefully this is something that can be fixed in an update.

As an end user I am not directly effected by the controversy over the Apple’s in app purchase policy at least not immediately. There is a part of me that says that Apple has the right to have any policy they want it is their store. However I do understand if I was a developer giving away 30% of what I earn to Apple would drive me crazy, therefore I am glad that HTML5 gives developers an option. Some people have complain that HTML5 is great for sites like Amazon who are already well establish, but smaller and newer developer’s depend on the app store to publicize their apps. There are more then 450000 apps, 100000 of them for iPad in the Apple app store, so if you are depending on being in the app store to promote your app, maybe you should rethink your marketing strategy. I like the Kindle in the Cloud, but to be honest since I have a actual Kindle I probably will not use it much.

GNC #695 Free Speech Watch

Posted by geeknews at 1:30 AM on August 12, 2011

Thank you for your amazing support of the show. At 695 Episodes they are as exciting for me to do as the day I recorded the first one. Do you have a prize you would like to donate for show #700. Several companies have already stepped up and we are going to have a huge giveaway pool of gadgets and gear.. Speaking of Gear make sure you check out the latest episodes of The Gadget Professor and Robot Underpants!

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Rover oh Rover Where are Though Rover!
Mach 20 and then Warp!
Facebook Slows Down.
T-Mobile more Like AT&T everyday!

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