Back Page Tech

Digital 'Ants' Take on Computer Worms

2009-11-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from the story

Oct. 28, 2009 -- Digital ants could soon be crawling through your computer's hard drive, but don't worry, they are there to help.

Scientists from Wake Forest University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have created an army of digital ants and their superior officers, digital sergeants and sentinels, to search out viruses, worms and other malware.

The new antivirus software could provide better protection while freeing up valuable hardware.

Google Dashboard - what does "Do no evil" mean?

2009-11-05T05:58:00.000-08:00

TED: Rachel Armstrong - Architecture that repairs itself?

2009-10-27T14:18:00.000-07:00

The technology would be simply miraculous!

TED Fellow Rachel Armstrong researches "metabolic materials" -- construction materials that possess some of the properties of living systems, and can be manipulated to "grow" architecture.

Finally, what I have waited for the QUE proReader

2009-10-21T17:51:00.000-07:00

QUE proReader

SkyDeck Google Voice Mashup

2009-05-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

With this mashup, SkyDeck provides you the ability to have people call your regular phone number but at the same time utilize Google Voice features such as:

* Call screening - Announce and screen callers
* Listen in - Listen before taking a call
* Block calls - Keep unwanted callers at bay
* SMS - Send, receive, and store SMS
* Place calls - Call US numbers for free
* Taking calls - Answer on any of your phones
* Phone routing - Phones ring based on who calls
* Forwarding phones - Add phones and decide which ring
* Voicemail transcripts - Read what your voicemail says
* Listen to voicemail - Check online or from your phone
* Notifications - Receive voicemails via email or SMS
* Personalize greeting - Vary greetings by caller
* Share voicemail - Forward or download voicemails
* Conference calling - Join people into a single call
* Call record - Record calls and store them online
* Call switch - Switch phones during a call
* Mobile site - View your inbox from your mobile
* GOOG-411 - Check directory assistance
* Manage groups - Set preferences by group

Unfortunately, Google Voice accounts are currently only available to those who had already signed up for the Google Grand Central service.

After testing for only 24 hours, the only issue that appeared (and this is a big one for me) is the address book sync does not work well. In fact, it sucks. I tried sync'ing with both the phone address book and my GMail contacts. Neither effort yielded an accurate rendition over on SkyDeck. The big problem was the loss of the name associated with specific phone numbers.

Holding this major issue aside, I must admit this mashup provides me with exactly what I was originally hoping that Google Voice would provide.

Thanks SkyDeck. I hope that the address book situation improves.

UPDATE on 2009-05-19:
Well things did not go well with the address book and the import of the T-Mobile activity information. Maintaining names on activity import is very cumbersome and because of the poor sync between SkyDeck and G1 phone address book a large number of number/name combos were lost. This means that they would appear on SkyDeck without names and the update process is a one-by-one process.

Thinking I could speed things along by moving all the known entries to the "B-list" and then just work on the "A-list" of no names was yet another mistake. When all known address book entries were moved to the B-list they disappeared. Never to be seen again. This is a major issue.

In my opinion, SkyDeck would have been better served by waiting and testing the address book maintenance. My advice would be to wait until they have a more refined offering that works more completely.

Sorry SkyDeck, I deleted my account.

UPDATED: 2008-05-20:

After deleting my SkyDeck account, I decided to try again without activating the sync to SkyDeck from either GMail or my phone. I setup one sync as a manual copy from my GMail account. I then made sure that no sync activity would occur. THe contacts are now correct, at least for this one time. All other aspects work great.
My only whine is not with SkyDeck but rather with Google Voice. The issue is that callers hear 8 rings before Google Voice gets the call and then answers. Three of the rings are from my cell phone and the remaining five are Google Voice. I could not find a way to reset the GV number of rings.

I am thrilled that this is now working.

TED_P.W. Singer: Military robots and the terrifying future of war

2009-04-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

P.W. Singer bio

CBSNEWS.com The Conficker Worm: What Happens Next?

2009-03-30T07:17:00.000-07:00

TED-Nathan Wolfe: Hunting the next killer virus

2009-03-30T06:33:00.000-07:00

TED-David Pogue: Cool new things you can do with your mobile phone

2009-03-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

TED Talks-Pattie Maes: Unveiling the "Sixth Sense," game-changing wearable tech

2009-03-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

This demo -- from Pattie Maes' lab at MIT -- was the buzz of TED. It's a wearable device with a projection screen that paves the way for profound interaction with our environment. Imagine "Minority Report" and then some.

This is why virtual worlds do have a purpose!

2009-03-04T06:02:00.000-08:00

I don't have the complete history on this video, but wouldn't this be a fantastic use of technology. Would we ever get out of our rooms?

World Builder from Bruce Branit on Vimeo.

Kindle 2, Jeff Bezos, both on The Daily Show

2009-02-26T07:35:00.000-08:00

This is both funny and true!

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jeff Bezos

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Funny Political News
Joke of the Day

Microsoft and corporate responsibility?

2009-02-22T07:32:00.000-08:00

Normally, I don't promote Microsoft as a corporation. However, they might just change my opinion about them.

Microsoft Elevate America program

"Microsoft is partnering with governments, private, public and community organizations to launch Elevate America; free and low cost resources that provide the skills, training and certifications needed for people of all ages who are preparing for job opportunities in today's changing economy."

Link to Elevate America
Twitter to Elevate America

Kindle 2: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device

2009-02-10T04:30:00.001-08:00

Information on the Kindle 2 directly from the Amazon site.

Technical Details

Display: 6" diagonal E-Ink® electronic paper display, 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 167 ppi, 16-level gray scale.

Size (in inches): 8" x 5.3" x 0.36".

Weight: 10.2 ounces.

System requirements: None, because it doesn't require a computer.

Storage: 2GB internal (approximately 1.4GB available for user content).

Battery Life: Read
on a single charge for up to 4 days with wireless on. Turn wireless off
and read for up to two weeks. Battery life will vary based on wireless
usage, such as shopping the Kindle Store and downloading content. In
low coverage areas or in 1xRTT only coverage, wireless usage will
consume battery power more quickly.

Charge Time: Fully charges in approximately 4 hours and supports charging from your computer via the included USB 2.0 cable.

Connectivity: EVDO
modem with fallback to 1xRTT; utilizes Amazon Whispernet to provide U.S
wireless coverage via Sprint's 3G high-speed data network (check wireless coverage). See Wireless Terms and Conditions.

USB Port: USB 2.0 (micro-B connector) for connection to the Kindle power adapter or optionally to connect to a PC or Macintosh computer.

Audio: 3.5mm stereo audio jack, rear-mounted stereo speakers.

Content Formats Supported: Kindle
(AZW), TXT, Audible (formats 4, Audible Enhanced (AAX)), MP3,
unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; PDF, HTML, DOC, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP
through conversion.

Included Accessories: Power adapter, USB 2.0 cable, rechargeable battery. Book cover sold separately.

Documentation: Quick Start Guide (included in box) [PDF]; Kindle 2 User's Guide (pre-installed on device) [PDF].

Warranty and Service: 1 year limited warranty and service included. Optional 2 year Extended Warranty sold separately.

Kindle Features

Advanced Design

Sleek & Trim

At
10.2 ounces, Kindle is lighter than a typical paperback and as thin as
most magazines. Barely a third of an inch in profile, you'll find
Kindle fits perfectly in your hands.

Improved Ergonomics

Kindle
is as easy to hold and use as a book. We designed it with long-form
reading in mind. When reading for long periods of time, people
naturally shift positions and often like to read with one hand.
Kindle's page-turning buttons are located on both sides, allowing you
to read and turn pages comfortably with one hand from any position. The
page-turn buttons now flex inward to prevent any accidental page turns
when picking up or handling Kindle.

New 5-way controller

Kindle
has a new easy-to-use 5-way controller, enabling precise on-screen
navigation for selecting text to highlight or looking up words.

Simple to Use, No Computer Required

Kindle is completely wireless and ready to use right out of the box--no setup, no cables, no computer required.

Even Longer Battery Life

25% Longer Battery Life - Read for Days Without Recharging

With
Kindle's 25% longer battery life, you can read on a single charge for
up to 4 days with wireless on. Turn wireless off and read for up to 2
weeks. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as shopping
the Kindle Store and downloading content. In low coverage areas or in
1xRTT only coverage, wireless usage will consume battery power more
quickly.

Charge via USB

Kindle supports
wall charging via the included Kindle power adapter, and charging from
your computer via the included USB 2.0 cable. Kindle fully charges in
approximately 4 hours.

Wireless Access with Whispernet

Fast 3G Network - Get Books in Under 60 Seconds

Whispernet
utilizes Amazon's optimized technology plus Sprint's national
high-speed (3G) data network to enable you to wirelessly search,
discover, and download content on the go. Your books and periodicals
are delivered via Whispernet in less than 60 seconds. And unlike WiFi, you never have to hunt for a hotspot.

Expanded National Coverage

We
expanded Kindle's national coverage to include more cities and areas in
all 50 states, enabling wireless downloads of books, newspapers,
magazines, and blogs. Check our wireless coverage map for availability.

No Wireless Bills

No
monthly wireless bills, data plans, or commitments. Amazon pays for
Kindle's wireless connectivity so you won't see a wireless bill. There
is no wireless setup--you are ready to shop, purchase and read right
out of the box. See Wireless Terms and Conditions.

Carry Your Library in 10.2 Ounces

Holds Over 1,500 Books

The
ultimate travel companion, Kindle weighs 10.2 ounces and holds more
than 1,500 books. No longer pick and choose which books fit in your
carry-on. Now you can always have your entire library with you.

Automatic Library Backup: Download Your Books Anytime for Free

A
copy of every book you purchased is backed up online at Amazon.com in
case you ever need to download it again. You can wirelessly re-download
books for free anytime. This allows you to make room for new titles on
your Kindle, knowing that Amazon is storing your personal library. We
even back up your last page read and annotations, so you'll never lose
those, either. Think of it as a bookshelf in your attic--even though
you don't see it, you know your books are there.

Enhanced Reading

Lose Yourself in Your Reading

The
most elegant feature of a physical book is that it disappears while
you're reading. Immersed in the author's world and ideas, you don't
notice a book's glue, the stitching, or ink. Our top design objective
was to make Kindle disappear--just like a physical book--so you can get
lost in your reading, not the technology.

Paper-like Screen

Utilizing the latest in electronic-ink
display technology, Kindle provides a crisp black-and-white 6" screen
with the same appearance and readability of printed paper. Sharp and
natural with no glare or backlight, reading on Kindle is nothing like
reading from a computer screen. Those who see it for the first time
always do a double-take. The screen works using ink, just like books
and newspapers, but displays the ink particles electronically. And
unlike a laptop or smart phone, Kindle never gets warm so you can
comfortably read as long as you like.

Sharper Display of Images and Photos

Kindle's high-resolution screen now boasts 16 shades of gray, so images and photos are sharper and clearer than ever.

Read in Sunlight with No Glare

Kindle's
screen reflects light like ordinary paper and uses no backlighting,
eliminating the glare associated with other electronic displays. As a
result, Kindle can be read as easily in bright sunlight as in your
living room.

Adjustable Text Size

Because
one size doesn't fit all, you can increase the text size of your
favorite book or periodical with the push of a button. If your eyes
tire, simply increase the font size and continue reading comfortably.
Kindle has six adjustable font sizes to suit your reading preference.
Now every book in your library can be large print.

Read-to-Me Feature

Now
Kindle can read to you. With the new Text-to-Speech feature, Kindle can
read every book, blog, magazine, and newspaper out loud to you. You can
switch back and forth between reading and listening, and your spot is
automatically saved. Pages automatically turn while the content is
being read, so you can listen hands-free. You can choose from both male
and female voices which can be sped up or slowed down to suit your
preference. Anything you can read on Kindle, Kindle can read to you,
including books, newspapers, magazines, blogs and even personal
documents. In the middle of a great book or article but have to jump in
the car? Simply turn on Text-to-Speech and listen on the go.

Improved Newspaper Experience

Using
Kindle's new 5-way controller, you can quickly flip between articles,
making it faster and easier to browse and read the morning paper. Want
to remember the newspaper or magazine article you just read? Clip and
save entire articles for later reading with a single click.

Faster Page Turns

Pages now turn 20% faster on average.

Bookmarks and Annotations

By
using the QWERTY keyboard, you can add annotations to text, just like
you might write in the margins of a book. And because it is digital,
you can edit, delete, and export your notes. Using the new 5-way
controller, you can highlight and clip key passages and bookmark pages
for future use. You'll never need to bookmark your last place in the
book, because Kindle remembers for you and always opens to the last
page you read.

Full Image Zoom

Images and photos display crisply on Kindle and can be zoomed to the full size of the screen.

Personal Documents

Kindle
makes it easy to take your personal documents with you, eliminating the
need to print. Each Kindle has a unique and customizable e-mail
address. You can set your unique email address on your Manage Your Kindle
page. This allows you and your approved contacts to e-mail Word, PDF
documents, and pictures wirelessly to your Kindle for a small per
document fee--currently only 10¢ per document. Kindle supports wireless
delivery of unprotected Microsoft Word, PDF, HTML, TXT, JPEG, GIF, PNG,
BMP, PRC and MOBI files.

You can email your PDFs wirelessly to your Kindle. Due to
PDF's fixed layout format, some complex PDF files may not format
correctly on your Kindle.

If you are not in a wireless area or would like to avoid the
fee, you can send attachments to "name"@free.kindle.com to be converted
and e-mailed to your computer at the e-mail address associated with
your Amazon.com account login. You can then transfer the document to
your Kindle using your USB connection. For example, if your Kindle
email address is Jay@Kindle.com, send your attachments to
Jay@free.kindle.com.

Built-in Dictionary with Instant Lookup

Never get caught without a dictionary. Kindle includes The New Oxford American Dictionary
with over 250,000 entries and definitions, so you can seamlessly look
up the definitions of words without interrupting your reading. Come
across a word you don't know? Simply move the cursor to it and the
definition will automatically display at the bottom of the screen.
Never fear a sesquipedalian word again--simply look it up and keep
reading.

Wireless Access to Wikipedia

Kindle
also includes free built-in access to the world's most exhaustive and
up-to-date encyclopedia--Wikipedia.org. With Kindle in hand, looking up
people, places, events, and more has never been easier. It gives whole
new meaning to the phrase walking encyclopedia.

Kindle
makes it easy to search within a book, across your library, in the
Kindle Store, or even the Web. To use the Search feature, simply type
in a word or phrase you're looking for, and Kindle finds every instance
in your book or across your Kindle library. Looking for the first
reference of a character in your book? Simply type in the name and
search. You can extend your search to the Kindle Store to find related
titles you may be interested in. Explore even further by searching
Wikipedia and the Web.

Audiobooks

With Kindle, you are able to download and enjoy more than 50,000 audio titles from Audible.com,
including bestselling audio books, radio programs, audio newspapers,
and magazines. Due to their file size, audiobooks are downloaded to
your PC over your existing Internet connection and then transferred to
Kindle using the included USB 2.0 cable. Listen via Kindle's speaker or
plug in your headphones for private listening.

Whispersync

Have more than one Kindle? Our new Whispersync
technology allows you to seamlessly switch back and forth between your
Kindle devices while keeping your reading location synchronized--simply
pick up reading right where you left off.

Experimental Features

The experimental
category represents features we are still working on to enhance the
Kindle experience even further. Try them out and let us know what you
think.

Read-to-Me

Now Kindle can read to
you. With its new Text-to-Speech feature, Kindle can read every book,
blog, magazine, and newspaper out loud to you. You can switch back and
forth between reading and listening, and your spot is automatically
saved. Pages automatically turn while the content is being read, so you
can listen hands-free. You can speed up or slow down the reading speeds
or choose a male or female voice. Anything you can read on Kindle,
Kindle can read to you, including books, newspapers, magazines, blogs
and even personal documents. In the middle of a great book or article
but have to jump in the car? Simply turn on Text-to-Speech and listen
on the go.

Basic Web Browser

Kindle's
Basic Web browser works well to read simple, text-centric Web sites
such as Google and Wikipedia. Need to find a movie listing or look up a
sports score? Now it's easier than ever to find the information you're
looking for right from your Kindle.

PDF Document Conversion

You
can email your PDF documents wirelessly to your Kindle, just like other
personal documents. Due to PDF's fixed layout format, some complex PDF
files may not format correctly on your Kindle.

Listen to Music & Podcasts

Transfer
MP3 files to Kindle to play as background music while you read. You can
quickly and easily transfer MP3 files via USB by connecting Kindle to
your computer.

Included in The Box

Kindle
electronic reader, power adapter, and USB 2.0 cable (for connection to
the Kindle power adapter or optionally to connect to a PC or Macintosh
computer).

Kindle is just over 1/3 of an inch

Carry your library in 10.2 ounces

Read in sunlight with no glare

Sharper display with 16 shades of gray

Adjustable text size for comfortable reading

Use the keyboard to add annotations to text

Built-in Dictionary with Instant Lookup

Shop the Kindle Store right on your device

Quick observation: Has Google suddenly started producing more and more stuff?

2009-02-06T05:55:00.000-08:00

If you have noticed a lot more "stuff" coming out of Google lately, perhaps you're not alone. Suddenly, after dropping both people and services, Google has come to the table with new off-line features, new applications and targeting mobile device , location based information and the much more.

So why do you think this is happening?

My assumption is they know marketing and how to advertise. You may recall a Hyundai ad from the Superbowl where the other car makers suddenly know how to pronounce Hyundai. You may also have heard that Hyundai sales are up compared to most other car manufacturers. Why? Well it is because like Google they are "in your face" with something you either need or want.

In Hyundai's case it is the safety net of buying a Hyundai and if you lose your job they will take the car back. In Google's case it is providing more for less (free).
If both of these companies gain market share, they know that it may translate into brand loyalty. If that happens, customers tend to stay rather than switch even if something better comes along. Okay, Google doesn't really need more market share, but both companies aren't stupid and know that when times get better they will be able to further improve their business with these new customers.

Bottom line, when the economy gets bad and your customers are hurting - be truthful, do your best, give your customers what they need not what you think they want, and
treat them with respect and compassion.

This falls into the realm of my three life tenets:

trust
passion
caring

To trust and be trusted; to do whatever you do with passion; and be caring for both yourself and others.

As some companies clearly understand, their customers are their last hope to survive.

TED- Philip Rosedale: Second Life, where anything is possible

2009-02-04T08:32:00.000-08:00

Several people in the past have asked me what was the purpose of Second Life. I never had a good answer, although inside I knew that some time in the future this virtual world concept would be a normal part of our lives.

Here is a TED Talk given by the creator of Second Life which helps explain its purpose.

"Just keep swimming" quote by Dory from Finding Nemo

2009-01-30T07:26:00.000-08:00

Recently the DV Show produced a live web session on the subject "Improve Your Video Business". This session focused on the video business, but the advice could be applied to business in general. Specifically, the concept of keeping things going as business dries up. Several excellent ideas on what to do in becoming leaner, making the most of small opportunities and the best way to advertise.

Excerpts from the website:

Video Business Growth Expert Kris Simmons joined us live for a very informative, interactive Q&A session that went very well. So well, he is set to join us again on another teleconference like this very soon.

Topics discussed:

Tips on how a video pro can survive in this economy.
Kick starting a down video business.
Tips on how to rise above the sea of videographers in your business area.
Where to go fishing for new business…networking in the ocean rather than a lake.
Questions and comments

The bottom line was to "just keep swimming".
Enjoy!

Testing Windows 7. This is not Vista OR is it?

2009-01-11T07:16:00.000-08:00

Spent yesterday testing the recently released Windows 7 Beta. My goals were to compare it to Vista and see how it ran on the older WinXP machines. The machine I selected was an older Toshiba Satellite M65-S9092. The reason was that it is not Vista certified. Toshiba makes no Vista drivers specifically for this model and I have been running Vista for about 6 months on it. The Toshiba is a good example of older hardware that got abandoned by the Vista migration.

The first test was a fresh install on the slowest, smallest disk drive I could find. The drive is from an ancient Toshiba notebook and is only 20 GB is size. The next test will be an upgrade from Vista SP1 on a large, higher speed drive in the same Toshiba M65.

My first surprise was the fact that the fresh install took about 45 minutes from start to finish. This compares favorably to the Vista 3 hour fresh install on the same hardware.

Second surprise was that there were no hardware incompatibilities save one, there was no wireless card driver installed. Since the notebook was Ethernet hardwired, this did not present an issue during the install and later allow for the download of the Intel Proset Wireless driver for Vista. Again, the Toshiba M65 does not have Vista drivers, but the Intel card is supported using Vista on other Toshibas. So obtaining the compatible driver from the Toshiba support site was not an issue. Just needed to get it from the list of another notebook that also has the same wireless card.

The third surprise was the performance. It screams! Even on the very same hardware which Aero had to be turned off when using Vista. Windows 7's Aero works just fine without stutters or delays. The overall look is clean and reminds me a lot of OS X. As I have said recently, Windows 7 is basically Vista done right. Hopefully, as it moves through the beta cycle Microsoft will not adversely affect the performance profile.

I will have more on the testing and upgrade activity later. For now, I would suggest that Windows 7 is a great alternative for people not wanting to go the Vista route or who have been wondering whether to upgrade to Vista or move to Mac or Linux. My opinion: DO NOT UPGRADE TO VISTA! Wait for Windows 7, you won't be disappointed. Also note that I can't imagine how fast Windows 7 will run on something like the new MacBooks.

Another personal opinion about how Microsoft could retain some of its "honor" after the Vista catastrophe; by providing a really, really cheap upgrade to all those who have already purchased Vista. I mean ridiculously cheap! This would do two things. First, make those poor folks who have actually been tolerating Vista all this time, happier. Second, provide a fixed base of people who are going to speak happy words about the Windows 7 OS. This alone could bring Microsoft back from the "bad" list.

Here's hoping you get to try Windows 7 beta, I think you will find it an amazing improvement over Vista. I will have more information about the testing as things progress.

Enjoy!

Links:
UPDATED 2009-01-18: Get latest engadget Windows 7 news
Windows 7 Home
Download Win 7
ars technica - Deep inside the Windows 7 Public Beta (please note that ars says that the speed difference between Windows 7 and Vista is "pretty slight". This may depend on the hardware you use. In my case, the perceived Windows 7 performance improvement is immense over Vista)

Update: Just finished testing the upgrade of Vista SP1 to Windows 7. Unfortunately, this was an absolute failure. A large number of incompatible applications, tools and utilities were listed and required removal prior to starting the upgrade. The list of items was un-installed from the machine but the upgrade continued to report a minimum of these items (all were already removed) and although it allowed the install to continue the upgrade eventually failed and reverted back to the former Vista OS version. Of course, now all those items had been removed which meant that the machine was not exactly restored. All of this effort took many hours and brought back memories of the XP to Vista migration. My faith was now restored in the ability of Microsoft to take something wonderful and subvert it into a steaming pile.

My hopes are not dashed completely since this is the beta version. They will need to make some significant changes to the upgrade process to make it usable.

Overall, I like what Microsoft is doing with Windows 7. However, their typical implementation skills with install and upgrade kits, as always, is less than adequate.

My personal opinion is that Windows 7 is just the public face of a "Mojave". They are simply tweaking and repackaging Vista to remove the bad taste from everyone's mouth when they utter the phase "Windows Vista". Here's hoping it is successful and actually improves the computer experiences of all involved.

Updated 2009-01-20: What’s New in Windows 7: The Taskbar! (Chris Pirillo Show)

Chris | Live Tech Support | Video Help | Add to iTunes

Updated 2009-01-27: There appears to be some flaws in the Windows 7 impressiveness. Suddenly, after running AVG security software for a little over one week, Windows 7 demonstrated the same wonderful performance profile of Vista. CPU hits 100% as soon as the machine finishes booting. 85% of the usage was dedicated to AVG. Thinking that this too shall pass, the machine was left alone for 4 hours and the same usage continued. Uninstalling AVG and installing Norton cured this problem, at least for now. This may not be Windows 7 fault, but rather AVG beta issues. Still something feels very familiar.

Another area of consumption was after installing Office Professional 2007. The basic package ran fine, but after the "business" portions (Business Contact Manager, Accounting Express and the associated add-ons) performance again went into the toilet. Now, this may not all be Windows 7 fault but rather the fault of applying these apps to an under powered PC. Un-installing the Business portion of Office 2007 solved some of the issues.

In addition, the backup/restore compatibility with Windows Home Server was tested. This meant backing up the Windows 7's 20GB drive and then restoring it to a new 100GB drive. That activity mirrors what would normally happen in an hardware upgrade scenario. The only issue was the inability to boot from the new drive, not an insignificant problem but easily resolved. The issue was repaired using the original Windows 7 installation disc in repair mode. However, now Windows 7 comes out of sleep mode displaying an error that the boot manager has generated errors or can not be found. Standard repair attempts have not resolved this issue but simply pressing enter as requested allow the boot to successfully complete. (more on this later)

T-Mobile G1 with Google Survey

2009-01-09T08:06:00.000-08:00

If you are a T-Mobile G1 owner, I hope you have received this email. It is a survey about the G1 (BTW, you can't take it using the G1, you must use IE browser). You can make some money and perhaps make a difference in what happens with the G1. First part of the survey takes way less than 10 minutes. But the follow-on survey takes about 40 minutes. The interesting thing about the follow-on survey is that it appears to be interactive. You get to see what others are responding to the survey in real-time. Now, this could be easily faked, but I don't think that is T-Mobile's style.

Good questions and you have the ability for some free-form answers. Mainly focused on battery life and what you want next.

Maritz Research is conducting this survey on behalf of T-Mobile. So, if you aren't comfortable with that company, skip this one.

Excerpt from the email:

T-Mobile would like to hear from you regarding your experience with your new T-Mobile G1 with Google phone.

* Your feedback will help T-Mobile to optimize your experience with your T-Mobile G1 phone by improving available resources and services that you may use.
* This is a brief survey that will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
* Your responses will be used for research purposes only.
* Depending on your answers to this short survey, you may be selected to participate in a 45-minute interactive online discussion (similar to a focus group). If selected, you may participate in the interactive session anytime through January 12th, 2009. Participants who complete the 45-minute session will be awarded $20.

This 10-minute survey to see if you qualify for the interactive session is open between now and midnight (Pacific Time) on Monday, January 12th, 2009.

The easy mobile conversion of your web page

2008-11-27T07:22:00.001-08:00

Create websites for mobile cell phones - access news, video, blogs, games, internet media

From the mippin.com about page.

Mippin
is the fastest and easiest way to get your favorite web content on your
mobile phone. Whether you want to follow breaking news or tech updates,
from big publishers or tiny blogs, Mippin brings them all seamlessly
together in the perfect format for your phone. You can quickly search
and browse, see what others are reading and share your own discoveries.
And Mippin is smart: it remembers exactly what you like and delivers
automatic one-click updates.
Just type mippin.com into your mobile browser and see just how quick and easy the web becomes.

Category: Why didn't I think of that!!!

2008-11-27T07:15:00.001-08:00

A Kinder, Gentler Thermometer: Mother's Touch Goes High Tech - Medgadget - www.medgadget.com

Piaggio Unveils a 141-MPG Plug-In Hybrid Scooter

2008-11-11T12:15:00.001-08:00

Another really cool gadget.

Piaggio Unveils a 141-MPG Plug-In Hybrid Scooter | Autopia from Wi red.com

Android G1 Rap

2008-10-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

http://androidforums.com/

CEATEC 2008: Fujitsu presents Kindle “killer” Flepia

2008-10-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

Apparently, I have a fascination with the e-paper, e-book world. Here is yet another player in this market.

Additional info:

Earlier CrunchGear blog entry about this tech

MoBuzz Daily Buzz - Interview with Nike Plus GM

2008-10-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

http://dailybuzz.mobuzz.tv At the Picnic Conference in Amsterdam we talk with Michael Tchao, General Manager, Nike Techlab Group, about the Nike Plus and the iPod integration.

The ah-ha moment for me was the misconception which I held that this was only for runners. Being a walker, this is yet another social network based on physical activity.

Cool. Enjoy!