- rantd -

Personal challenge/DARE/COMPETITION

2012-02-07T19:26:00.000-08:00

Email me with your challenge - and an offer ($25 minimum), and I will either accept, or engage you in a discussion on the challenge you have submitted (to talk about final options/rules/etc). You may suggest it to be a competition (where I match your bet) - winner takes all.
Challenges will be documented, video/photos links will be posted on my blog/Facebook/Twitter/Youtube/Vimeo/etc.

Some ideas for challenge submissions:

-do tough mudder (10-12 mile obstacle challenge)

-no alcohol for 30 days

-no foul language for 30 days

-how many pushups in 60secs

-writing one hour a day or diary for 30 days

-cooking a new dish for every dinner for 30 days

-one piece of art, or sketch every day for 30 days

-raw fruits/veggies only for 30 days

-24 hrs as homeless in shelter in downtown Atlanta

-homeless/no wallet every weekend? fri-sun? for 30 days

-Polyphasic/biphasic Sleep for 30 days

-sell 30 items on ebay (get rid of stuff)

-take a self portrait - http://kottke.org/11/03/everyday-iphone-app

-sing a different song outloud in public or video posted on internet for 30 days

-comment on a different website for 30 days

-learn to play a song on an instrument in 30 days

-consume a gallon of milk in 1 hour

-try not to say or think any negative thoughts for 30 days

The underlying goal here is for betterment, or self improvement. Hoping to avoid shock value or the reality show path of mostly showing people breeding negativity.

This was inspired by: TED - 30days / Morgan Spurlock

http://www.ted.com/speakers/morgan_spurlock.html
TED - Trying something new for 30 days / Matt Cutts
http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days.html

I Bet You Will began as a popular Internet webcast of five-minute episodes featuring ordinary people doing disgusting, unusual, or embarrassing stunts in exchange for money. Examples include eating a full jar of mayonnaise ($235USD), eating a "worm burrito" ($265USD), and taking shots of corn oil, Pepto-Bismol, lemon juice, hot sauce, cold chicken broth, and cod liver oil ($450USD for all nine shots). The webcast was a success, with over a million hits in the first five days.[citation needed] The show was later bought and aired by MTV. Some example videos: video 01, video 02

The End of the World (as we know it) is Nigh

2012-01-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

FYI - the industry(as we know it) is dead. Something better is out there. Im sure that todays industries dont want you to know about it. These radical changes give new life to the old saying "if you build it, they will come". The catch is, you just cant put out typical stuff and expect people to flock to it.

FARMING / FOOD
- http://www.podponics.com

CURRENCY EXCHANGE SYSTEM
- Forget China, 'System D' Is World's Second Largest Economy
- DWOLLA
- BITCOIN
- This 28-Year-Old's Startup Is Moving $350 Million And Wants To Completely Kill Credit Cards

GLOBAL TRADE
- http://www.alibaba.com
- http://www.ebay.com

LOANS / FUNDING
- http://www.kickstarter.com

OUTSOURCING
- https://www.elance.com
- https://www.odesk.com
- http://www.poptent.net

MANUFACTURING
- http://www.makerbot.com

CHARITY
- http://www.kiva.org

TELECOMMUNICATIONS (is now VOIP)
- http://www.skype.com
- https://www.google.com/voice/

THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
- NISSAN LEAF
- TESLA MOTORS
- TOYOTA PRIUS
- HISTORY

HIGHER EDUCATION
- http://www.khanacademy.org
- MIT OPEN COURSEWARE
- Making Universities Obselete

TV / MPAA (motion picture association of america)
- BITTORRENT
- http://www.netflix.com
- http://www.hulu.com
- http://www.youtube.com

RIAA (recording industry association of america)
- Louis CK makes $1 million in 12 days, proves that DRM-free content is valued (2012)
- RIP -A remix manifesto (watch full movie free here) (2007)
- Radiohead / Trent Reznor against the industry (2007)

NEWS/JOURNALISM
Is now websites, blogs, search engines (Google, Bing, etc)

POLITICS/CAPITALISM
- ANONYMOUS
- THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT
- Online activism

DRUGS
- Silk Road
- Underground Website Lets You Buy Any Drug Imaginable

I think my message is this:
The people of this world expect more. We are not entitled to it. We simply believe that we all should be working towards higher goals. Not how much profit we can make/GREED (Wall St.). Not about how much we can produce for the cheapest price (WALMART/Alibaba.com). We are interested in what is right. The right thing to do. For us, for the environment, for future generations.

SCAM, SCAM and more SCAMs

2011-10-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

With the increase of technology/sharing of information is is even easier to SCAM someone. No matter how smart you think you are, there may be weaknesses that even you may fall for on your best day.

Yes, even I was approached by someone that wanted to buy my house. For someone to contact me via email about this was unheard of in the real world in 2007 (that was my first hint).

Criminals can gather all kinds of information and details - photos, addresses, names of family members, names and addresses of neighbors (past and present), current location of relatives, and more - via the internet.

They may say that they are a family member, even sound like them, or send photos of actual family members. Be sure to verify as many details as possible, and verify with others(if possible) before making a quick decision.

In these situations - you are the weakest link. Questions are your weapons. Get all the details you can - and write them down. Get the number to call them back - or have them hold for however long you need, review the details, discuss with others, then make a decision.

Don't panic. Don't act quickly - unless you can confirm that you know the person. One of the best things you can do in any situation is ask questions. Dont be afraid to look dumb, in fact - that may be one of the best things to think about. Maybe even pretend to be hard of hearing. Ask the most basic questions - Can you repeat that please? Can you spell that for me? What is the address? Who am I speaking to again? Can you spell your name?

Always ask questions. Get more information. The more information you have will help determine whether or not the information being presented may be false.

There is no protection when using Western Union, you have to protect yourself.

Research the internet for similar scams or be aware of the various scams: http://fraudwatchers.org

Examples:
>> Call for help turns out to be a scam
>> "It's Me!"- Relative in Distress, Grandchild in Trouble, Seeking Emergency Bail Money
>> Woman loses $2,000 to Facebook scam
>> Several Recent Telephone Money Scams Affect Local Residents
>> Understanding Payment/Package Processing Scams
>> Fake Lottery winning, AFF 4-1-9
>> Good general info on a range of scams

PAY PER USE SERVICES

2011-06-09T14:35:00.000-07:00

What I see next on the horizon is pay per use services. I think we are already down that path but I think the pricing structure will continue to get even smaller. Whether that is a pay per phonecall, pay per 15mins of internet usage, or pay per half hour to use applications.

I know that some of us can remember the convenience of pay phones. Phone booths that were located at almost every gas station, diner, restaurant and more. That device may be almost absent from todays landscape, but its concept of pay per phonecall may be what we are returning to.

Technology is making services cheaper to provide. Which may also lead us towards the end of the TV format as we know it. I would say less than 5 years left on its lifespan. Various web services are now integrated into the TV(if you still want to call it that), or provided via XBOX or similar device.

I see the push of LIVE TV programming of sports games and American Idol as the marketing of that content with an illusion of an expiration date or happen to be more relevant closer to the original broadcast date. However, content is only as popular as we make it - as we vote/choose with our money.

Could wifi routers, cellphone become part of the network (the repeaters) and share the connection? And would that make for better coverage?

>>TV or Web Video? Now, Finally, We’re Starting To Choose

baby steps... (for ideas/plans)

2011-03-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase. - Martin Luther King Jr.

I stumbled across this website this morning, and it got me thinking further.

I have been daydreaming about taking one of my ideas and running with it. And Im sure that many others have a similar feeling.

There's also a new website that potentially takes your idea, and turns it into reality: AHHHA.com

I've already commented on an idea here. Whats weird is that there looks to be 2 versions of the AHHHA.com website? There looks to be a hot or not version of idea ranking, then there is a forum version via getsatisfaction.com? Im confused...

>>From the SocialBeat article:

The money made from the product or licensing deal is then split among Ahhha users based on a set terms. The idea originator gets 1 percent, then the remaining 99 percent is divided among Ahhha and the other contributors, depending on how much the users actually did.

Of course, 1 percent of a licensing deal might seem like an awfully small payment for your idea, but founder and chief executive Matthew Crowe likes to repeat the common Silicon Valley wisdom that ideas are cheap, while execution is what counts. Or, as Thomas Edison put it, genius is “1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.” After all, 1 percent of a real product is better than 100 percent of a daydream that doesn’t go anywhere.

And a similar website for products: Quirky.com
Leverage ideas from people around you: Spigit.com
>>Internet wishlist
>>ConceptShare
>>Sharing Ideas
>>DELL ideaStorm>>multiple examples from 1 guy?!? (and 3 products to help)
>>mockup software for your app/website (balsamiq.com)

FYI - My current side projects are tinkering with a rain barrel system, and researching wind generators.

iPhone 4.2.1 jailbreak, unlock, apps, accessories

2011-03-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

At around $130 (used), I still think the iphone 3G may be the best phone on the market for the money. I have been using it for $15 a month, unlimited texting only (I can make/receive calls for 10¢ min), no contract with T-Mobile for over 6 months now. However, you can easily do that with an AT&T go phone SIM, or Simple Mobile to help keep costs per month, much lower than the average iphone user ($90 month?!?).

I recommend the Otterbox case for the clumsy folks (bulky but best protection Ive seen). My favorite is the rubberized slim Speck case. But I think both of those are way to expensive. Im currently using a $4 hard shell candy case from Amazon.

>>$10 - 13 ACCESSORY BUNDLE CASE CHARGER For APPLE iPhone 3G/S

>>Service for only $25 month? (not sure about service area)

>>USB Cable+Car+Wall Charger For iPhone iPod Nano Touch

>>DreamBoard: Advanced Theming Platform For iOS Devices

>>SAM PREFS Extends battery life?
>>SBSsettings is a handy tool

>>Celeste bluetooth sharing

>>How to Jailbreak + Unlock 4.2.1 and more...

>>W hatsApp - free txting to other WhatsApp users (3G/wifi)

>>Viber = free wifi phonecalls to other Viber users

>>UStream = Live video broadcasting

>>video recording on 3G - iCamcorder

>>itimelapse

>>Battery Issues? repo.insanelyi.com : 01 | 02 | 03 (4.2.1)

>>AppSync: backup cracked apps
>>AptBackup: for cydia apps
>>AppBackup: for apps settings

I am curious about testing/getting a decent android phone, but I dont know if I could get one for as low as $130. What are your recommended apps?

KILL the Commercial. Embrace embedded Advertising.

2011-03-21T08:25:00.000-07:00

Im actually surprised that there are still so many commercials intertwined with tv programming. I wouldve thought that they would taken a cue from the internet, and that the advertising and sponsors are positioned on the edges of the content (around the for the most part). Some blogs are taking it a step further in incorporating the product/service into the article - which may be the best place for it.

I think that advertisers need to work towards incorporating their products/services deeper into the actual program. It could show the value of their product/service in relation to the content being presented. It could also educate the consumer ways to use the product.

Im currently watching an episode of Man VS Wild, and I can totally see the opportunity for various sponsors: he often uses a knife, rope, backpack, clothing (shoes, outfit), fire starter. But I can envision a quick shot of him saying a couple of things while he is: putting on his NORTHFACE shirt/pants, backpack, REI socks, NIKE boots, getting on a plane to the country on DELTA AIRLINES, BP fuel truck in background, eating some CLIF BARS, getting a shot/physical/blood pressure measurement with KAISER PERMANENTE logo in the background, putting on OAKLEY shades, taken to the location via a new JEEP, closeup of MICHELIN tires, as he gets out and begins his adventure.

What advertisers need to understand is, that people do not like commercials for the most part, whether its on TV or Radio, or in the videos that we watch on YOUTUBE.

NEED A JOB? Or - where do we go from here

2011-03-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine in the graphics field (same as me) recently got laid off from his job of 10 years. This was my email response back to him:

First off, I do think its a good idea to take some time, get some exercise and fresh air, and think hard about what you want to do next. However, do try and use the time wisely, because friends and family may watch you more closely and be more quick to judge you when you are not part of "the system". Its also a really good idea to try to do all the chores/menial tasks that you can to help around the house to help others that are still "doing the daily". It may also make them long for those days when you didnt have a job and were helping out so much.

Lots of people are using LinkedIN to find new jobs/opportunities. I think that is a great way to help put the word out on the street that you are looking for a new direction, and show your skillset. PLAXO is another (similar to LinkedIN)

I would also create a note on facebook and put all that info in it to - to help get the word out. I think reaching out to your friends first can really help "spread the net" for you to catch your next job.

Here is my online resume - makes it easy for me to update and keep track of.

Here is my Google Profile. Has a lot for others to see more about me.

Also - use this time to really dig deep in what you might be interested in for the next 10 years (in a job). Whether that is starting your own biz, doing some small jobs or - until you get a better grasp on what you want to do.

When I got laid off in June of last year - Joy and I really thought we were going to Costa Rica. And we started working towards that goal. Then my friend Kris Sheets said that he needed help at his company - but it doesnt pay well - $32K. I was burnt out on the graphics thing - and was curious about the technology - so I was working there after a 2 week hiatus. That company got bought by a bigger company and I have been at the new digs since late January (near IBM off Windy Hill). Lots of red tape, so change is slow here and frustrating, and right now Im daydreaming about doing something else, something more worthwhile - or more important. Keeps me going...

installing/uninstalling games

2011-03-02T15:01:00.000-08:00

A friends sons Acer Aspire One Netbook AO532h would boot only to a black screen. And from what I could see, it wasnt the full screen, and all I could access is the web browser. The error on the screen was “Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: system32hal.dll. Please re-install a copy of the above file.”

I think the problem is that some of the games that my buddy Ethan was having trouble with is that the games that he installed, then deleted, may have deleted some components that the system needed.
From where I stood at the time, the best option for me was to create a bootable Windows7 USB and do a clean install. It turned out to be the right choice.

These are some of the links that I looked at for help:

>> Missing system32 dll file

>> How To Install Windows 7 On Acer Aspire One Netbook

>> BIOS Recovery by Crisis Disk (not an option for me)

>> Acer Support Downloads & Support Documents (didnt see anything to help me with this problem)

>> Acer Aspire One BIOS Recovery (didnt try this)

I have had problems with an Acer product that I bought as a gift for my mom (Acer 24" LCD, Model #X223W Version X223W bd, Serial # ETLAP 08024841057DF4200) but I do think that Acer does have some good products.

Windows HD troubles? Look to LINUX (uBuntu)

2011-03-02T14:12:00.000-08:00

I recently found myself trying to find more space on a 20GB HD for a client. The PC was returning "insufficient system resources existing to complete the API. Just did the basics to give it room to breathe, but within several days, it would not get past that error. I went to take a look for myself, and there was nothing I could do. I took the HD home, tried to mount it via USB, but Windows7 said not enough space (to even view files on the HD). Ouch. I had not seen this problem before. There had to be another way. I could see the HD was mounted, but I couldnt think of anything further I could do with it. Then I thought of uBuntu. I had played around with it before and I knew it even worked with corrupted windows HDs in the past. So I booted the CD from 2007 I had of it, and there was the HD. I could easily delete the pagefile sys, movie maker, outlook, frontpage and more. I just hoped that Windows recognized the delete from uBuntu upon trying to mount it on my Windows7 machine again. It did, but I saw that those files were in the trash. I emptied the trash, and the space on the HD was now at approx 15GB! I put it back in their machine and they were back in biz. Just one more reason why LINUX is better than Windows.

clouds in my head...

2011-02-17T08:41:00.000-08:00

Thoughts from 121910

What may not be explained or expressed as clearly or as importantly as it should be is that - how our behavior/decisions/thoughts is the root of the way we have chosen to live our lives, affects the decisions and choices that we are faced with -or have to make.

Maybe the struggle is that is harder to think good thoughts, to be good, to do the right thing -in everything that we do. And that it is easier to be bad.

What is strange to me is how we can trick ourselves into thinking/feeling that being bad - makes us feel good -or happy (the current popularity of reality shows that show humanity in a bad light, and make us feel better). The same can be said for our body, and how it seems to crave or want bad things (after we have had them). Like food that is bad for us (junk food, candy, sodas), alcohol or other drugs, cigarettes, etc?

-the things that we find funny (sarcasm?)

-problems with the paths we have taken, as a society: wiping our butts with trees(toilet paper), and flushing drinkable water down the commode with our excrement, while poorer countries need clean water desperately (we need to work towards sustainability)

-A big factor that can have an affect on us is our environment. Where we live, how rich/poor we percieve ourselves/others around us. And the company we keep, or are surrounded by.

-Writing or saying what I feel to be something important in a way (choosing the right words) that makes it really clear for others isnt easy.

is there a place for a middle man?

2011-02-14T13:16:00.000-08:00

Could Google, Apple or some other company negotiate a cheaper per minute call agreement with all/any of the other carriers? That way, no matter what device I had (device independent would be a key feature here), I would have an APP with an account with this new service (no contract?), which would then place the call out via their connections - for the cheapest rate for the dialed #.

See my previous blog post - which lead me into this thought.

the Battle over your Cellphone

2011-02-13T09:47:00.000-08:00

The lines in the WAR over your cellphone are beginning to appear. Nokia has the fear and already chosen a wealthy battle teammate - Microsoft. Googles Android is BFF with almost every carrier. While Facebook does the hokey pokey. But the fan favorite - Apple has just begun to make friends with its second carrier, AT&T and now Verizon. What will they do next to expand their market share even further? My friend Ed brought me to another realization. T-Mobile is ripe for a merger, and who better to do that than Apple?

>> Nokia, Microsoft Must Move Fast to Catch Up to Apple, Android: Analysts

>> Plenty of Sprint + TMobile rumors in the past

>> Apple Working on Cheaper, More Versatile IPhone Models

>> Could Apple Be Your Next Phone Company?

>> iPhone Nano Rumor Reborn: 1/3rd Smaller, Older Components, $200 With No Contract

>> How Apple and Google will kill the password

>> Exclusive Video Of INQ's Facebook Phone

>> Prediction: Apple will be the #1 global smartphone vendor in six months

>> What does a $200 Pay as you go iPhone look like?

The Flaming Lips @ The Tabernacle, 5/19/11

2011-02-09T16:49:00.000-08:00

Performing their 1999 album, The Soft Bulletin - from start to finish. Thursday, May 19th. $39.50 plus applicable service fees.

This is an all ages, general admission show. Doors open at 7:00pm....show at 8:00pm. Tickets on-sale Friday, February 11th and available at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at (800)745-3000 at the Tabernacle box office on show night or to purchase on-line here.

>> Listen to the album here
>> wikipedia info on the album
>> a review of the album
>> Tabernacle 152 Luckie St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303

Nexus S SIP Configuration for FreePBX

2011-02-08T13:56:00.000-08:00

Android, Droid, Nexus S SIP Configuration
Add module ASTERISK SIP SETTINGS to the PBX.
Once installed, make sure NAT = no, IP Configuration = Public IP, and at the bottom of that module add: realm = npx160XXX.aretta.net

Gingerbread's native SIP client has a strict implementation of digest authentication which is used to authenticate your out bound call. The problem is by default Asterisk (and most likely SIP Sorcery as well) uses the authentication realm of 'asterisk'. Your average client ignores this realm and authenticates against it with whatever credentials you have used.

From one of our customers:
In my case, my extension was xxx@somedomain.com but my asterisks realm was 'asterisk' by default. When I changed my realm in Asterisk to 'somedomain.com' so it matched my SIP host configuration it all works as expected. Generally the configuration in Asterisk to accomplish this is in sip.conf: realm=somedomain.com

>> wikipedia Nexus S
>> engadget review
>> voip-info.org

$25 CLEAR WI-FI for iOS (Apple) devices (unless unlocked)

2010-10-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

My buddy recently got an iTouch, and got this $99 device as well. Its no contract, and supposedly can be unlocked to share with even more devices. Worth a look.

>> Why Clear's 4G iSpot is cheap: it's limited to iOS devices

>> CLEAR iSPOT

Oilra1n Jailbreak OS 4.1 looks to be a HOAX

2010-09-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

Looks like comments and ratings have been disabled for this video on youtube to add to the confusion. But if you do the research - most of what Im finding is that its a HOAX. UPDATE: There are rumors of an update to be released 9/20/10.

Jailbreak iPhone 3G on iOS 4.1 with PwnageTool Bundle [Guide]
http://www.redmondpie.com/jailbreak-iphone-3g-ios-4.1-pwnagetool-guide/
iOS 4.2 Jailbroken on iPhone 3GS with Sn0wbreeze [Video]
http://www.redmondpie.com/jailbreak-ios-4.2-iphone-3gs-with-sn0wbreeze-video/
Jailbreak iOS 4.2 on iPhone 3GS with PwnageTool – Complete How to Guide
http://www.redmondpie.com/jailbreak-ios-4.2-iphone-with-pwnagetool-how-to-guide/
jailbreak 4.1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNiMkNtsG0U

Simple Mobile works on jailbroken/unlocked iPhone

2010-09-07T17:26:00.000-07:00

Just helped one of the neighborhood kids load NES emulator onto his iphone. He is not with ATT or T-Mobile. He is with Simple Mobile. Thats news to me. Decent looking prepaid plans/pricing with NO contract. Not sure how good the coverage is, but its worth a try. They currently service over 37 states.
URGE Mobile, LLC (urgemobile.com) does National distribution of Prepaid/No contract UNLIMITED wireless. Located in Brooklyn, New York. They have partnered with T-Mobile.
Another option may be H2O wireless.

Tmobile iphone - Step by Step

2010-08-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

I went to craigslist and found an 8GB 3G iphone for $150. I borrowed my friends working ATT sim card and took it with me to test in in the iphone to make sure it worked properly. It did. After purchasing, I came home and jailbroke and unlocked the iphone - so it would work on the Tmobile network. The $15 a month unlimited text plan (no contract) is available in the continental US from their website and stores. But you can choose whichever plan that works best for you:

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/prepaid-plans.aspx?WT.mc_n=PrePdPlnsOvrLowRt&WT.mc_t=OnsiteAd

I walked into a local store, asked them about the details of the plan. They verified. I worked with them to choose the number, get the paperwork done, and they told me the total for the sim card, account setup, taxes etc. come out to close to $30. And some of that cash would end up as minutes on the phone. Since it is no contract, the most I could lose is $30 - and walk away. Its worth a shot right? My plan is to use my office phone, free wifi calls via icall, google voice phone, and any other device to make most of my calls. By giving out my google number as my main number, I can get a txt msg of their voicemail immediately on my iphone. I would not take any calls on the tmobile sim unless I wanted to pay the .10¢ per minute charge. I communicate mostly by txt msg, and anything else - I call from other devices. Seems to work pretty well for me so far. Some friends have complained about the amount of different numbers I call from, but thats a small inconvenience compared to the amount of money Im saving! At the very least, its worth a test. FYI - ATT and Tmobile are the only carriers that work on the iphone. Maybe in 6 months, a CDMA version will be released on the Verizon or similar network. Then there will be even more possibilities.

MISC IPHONE INFO:

enable sending MMS on tmobile iphone 3G and above
http://startupmeme.com/how-to-fix-your-t-mobile-mms-issue-with-iphone-4-on-ios-4-0/
http://modmyi.com/forums/t-mobile/723471-how-fix-mms-problem-after-jailbreaking-unlocking-iphone-t-mobile-us.html#post5389678
How to enable T-Mobile Internet on an unlocked iPhone, iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikuPn40D2yQ
easy jailbreak for - 4.0.1
http://www.jailbreakme.com/faq.html
jailbreak 3G 4.0.2
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2010/08/how-to-jailbreak-ios-4-0-2-using-redsn0w-for-iphone-3g-users-windows.html
jailbreak 3gs 4.0.2 coming soon (3.1.2 is possible)
http://www.redmondpie.com/jailbreak-iphone-3gs-4.0.2-with-sn0wbreeze-2.0-custom-firmware-windows/
Downgrade 4.0.2 or 3.1.3 to Any Firmware (not for 3GS/iphone 4)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvU_cReQYjQ
unlock w/Ultrasn0w 1.1-1
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2010/08/iphone-dev-team-release-ultrasn0w-11-1-to-improve-battery-life.html
3GS 402 unlock via mac os?
http://tipsneeded.com/jailbreak-iphone-3gs-ios-4-0-2-firmware/
http://tipsneeded.com/unlock-ios-402-with-ultrasn0w/
iPhone Security Tips to Keep your iPhone Secure
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2008/10/security-tips.html
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2009/11/how-to-change-your-jailbroken-iphones-root-password.html
iphone firmware
http://www.felixbruns.de/iPod/firmware/
How to boost volume on your iPhone/iPod
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-boost-volume-your-iphone-ipod-329308/
http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/index.php/t-744573.html
iphone service and repair (check serial to see if your iphone is real)
https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do
http://cydia.hackulo.us/
then, install "Installous" and "Appsync 4.0"
http://www.iphonespies.com/iphone-news/hackulous-tutorial-how-to-get-free-iphone-apps/
iphone game pad
http://www.greedmontpark.com/2010/08/02/iphone-game-pad/
emulators for iphone
http://www.pure-mac.com/iphone/emulators.html
http://apt.123locker.com/

AT&T cracking down on shadow iphone users

2010-07-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

OK the options are as follows:

01- put your sim back in your old phone, call att & deny that you have an iphone, and have them not change your plan. Put the sim card back in the iphone after the phonecall. Rinse and repeat. And hope they give up before you do.

02- call att and tell them you never purchased an iphone with them - and you do not authorize them changing your plan.

03- Get out of your contract and go with somebody other than ATT and keep your iphone:
http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2010/04/14/how-to-get-out-of-a-phone-contract/
http://cellphoneforums.net/alt-cellular/t255105-how-get-out-cellular-service-contract.html
tmobile phone plans
http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/Cell-Phone-Plans.aspx?catgroup=Individual&WT.z_shop_plansLP=individual

04- change the IMEI of the phone so that ATT cannot tell it is an iphone (may cost upto $50)

>> Can only mask IMEI on 2G (4.6 BL iPhone)?
>> iPhone | How to Change Your iPhone IMEI with ZiPhone (Windows)
>> Hide/Cloak hacked iPhone existance from Carrier (AT&T) : Possible?

TETHERING
I tried to use my sim with a Medianet plan on an iphone too and I faced the same problem of not being able to
connect to the internet. I did some research and realised that the phone was missing AT&T’s data settings. Hence I went here and installed the proper settings. Although tethering did not work on my phone (probably because I was on iPhone 3.1), the data connection went active.

FYI - Boost Mobile's phones and network are iDEN, not GSM. The iPhone is a GSM phone.
Even the iPhone GOPHONE is unable to access the web.

>> Unlock CNS (Carrier Not Supported) iDEN i465 Clutch Boost by JIC Technology
>> Give Your Old iPhone New Life With Prepaid Data and Minutes
>> Turn an Older iPhone into a Prepaid Voice and Data Unit

$15mo T-Mobile Prepaid Unlimited Text + iPhone FTW

2010-07-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

Goodbye AT&T, welcome back T-Mobile! So I was paying around $50 monthly to ATT for 450 minutes. I recently heard about a tmobile pay-per-use txt only plan for $15 a month - no contract. Costs $10 for activation - and I got $3.25 credit on the account. If I want to make a phonecall with this account - its .10 cents a minute. I dont plan on paying for calls via my tmobile sim. I do plan on using texting for most of my interactions. If I want to make a phonecall, I can do that via wifi. And I am within wifi range for most of the day (home/work). I am using gizmo+google voice, icall, and vonage - to make free phonecalls - as best I can - via my jailbroken/unlocked 3G iphone. My reasoning is that me and my friends are doing more and more texting.
>> T-Mobile Prepaid Plans $50 Unlimited Talk/Text or $15 Unlimited Text Started May 16

Aretta Communications VOIP

2010-07-01T11:46:00.000-07:00

Thus begins my new opportunity with Aretta Communications. Im hoping to learn something new, and help streamline their workflow and overall make things better for their customers. Much thanks to my buddy Kris Sheets (Director of Operations and also AAUG) who told me of the opportunity and got me in the door.
Aretta (simply stated) does VOIP. The service is priced, not per extension(or per seat)—as is typical in the hosted VoIP business—but by the maximum number of simultaneous calls the account is provisioned for (i.e., the number of lines). See our rates/pricing here. Aretta Facebook page.

make free calls on iphone

2010-05-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Unlock iPhone 3G/3GS iOS 4 With Ultrasn0w 0.93

Ultrasnow 0.93 is compatible with all basebands since iOS 3.0, they include, 04.26.08, 05.11.07, 05.12.01, and 05.13.04. This only works with phones that were previously jailbroken. This worked for me (I accidentally upgraded my phone to 3.1.3 with 05.12.01 baseband).

How To Jailbreak iPhone, iPod Touch Using Spirit For iPhone OS 3.1.3, iPhone OS 3.1.2 [Windows]

Jailbreak iPhone 3.1.2 Firmware with blackra1n (see link above for better way)

http://www.redmondpie.com/jailbreak-iphone-3.1.2-firmware-with-blackra1n-zni327/

Browse Flash Websites on your iPhone and iPad [No Jailbreak Req.]

http://www.redmondpie.com/flash-on-iphone-ipad-ipod-touch-using-cloudbrowse-9140784/

gv mobile is free and makes free calls

(with iphone jailbreak)

http://www.redmondpie.com/gv-mobile-2.0-for-jailbreak-iphone-now-available-on-cydia-9140358/

icall is free

http://itunes.apple.com/app/icall-free-voip/id293837001?mt=8

vonage on iphone is free and makes free calls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5kZoniTFEE

skype to skype is free

http://www.skype.com/intl/en/features/allfeatures/skype-to-skype-calls/

skype free to residential/biz

+18003733411

>> Get Rid Of Your Forced iPhone Data Plan & Save Money Your Monthly Phone Bill

iCURRENT (news reader)

2010-04-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

Overall, its interesting, but still lacking in areas to make it more compelling.

PROS

-easy to setup to match my interests

-but just a step above what a RSS reader does (how is it more different?)

-i like the content channel page format

-i like the front page of the newspaper feel

CONS

-info nuggets not easily portable? ex: for use in igoogle

-cant sort by content type? (video, audio, podcast, ebook, and most viewed, etc)

-content display should look more segmented (look at tweetdeck or similar for ideas)

-logo/banner needs improvement

-i dont see that they advertise their facebook page, or their twitter page

-is there a forum to discuss issues, or blog for your site/team?

-iphone/android app? or atleast an ETA on mobile app?

-embeddable html badge for websites - to show/share the users content channels

-read my post dated 071409 here

More reviews: 01 | 02

*not to be confused with - http://current.com

SANYO XACTI REVIEW

2010-02-04T06:29:00.000-08:00

$150 - sanyo vpc-cg10 1600847
PROS
-easily grab still frames from MP4 video for photos (only use photo option if you need flash)

-has most options/functionality compared to others (image stabilization is good for handhelds - Zi8 does not have this)

CONS
-does not include SD CARD (most dont) (i bought an 8GB for $30 at a local store)
-slow/no response on snapping photos (2 options - simply record video and grab still frames from the video, or hit the button and countdown outloud - 3,2,1... and it snaps within 3 secs)
-short battery life (really short, i suggest buying a backup battery)
-UI could be simplified (other similar camcorders are much easier to use)
-cant manage files/SD card easily
-no light when doing video (use an external source - from cellphone or better)

-no mic jack (for pro recording of audio (Zi8 has this))

>> a good review in the comments here

OTHER OPTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN PURCHASING A CAMCORDER
-return policy, recording time, format of video, under water, carry case, HD camcorder, flash for night photos, night vision, battery life, memory, image stabilization

Why isnt there a cellphone/camcorder that will do all this? (video on iphone looks pretty good)

KODAK Zi8 REVIEW

2010-02-04T06:21:00.000-08:00

(Gathered info for someone else on this product - I bought the Sanyo Xacti (see next post))
>> this site talks about issues with Zi8

the ZI8 records in H.264 MOV and the audio is AAC LC format.

>> firmware update 1.06 for Kodak Zi8

>> vimeo forum on 1.06 firmware

Just to let you know AnyVideoConverterPro works nicely converting MOV to MP4 with the setting of x264 (video codec), and 1000 (video bitrate) when converting a 1080p video. I then move this MP4 into Vegas 9 with none of the audio/video sync issues. Final video quality appears good. I suppose there are many converter apps out there but since I already owned this one and tried it with success, just wanted to let you know.

This just rewrites the mov wrapper so that Sony Vegas can see the video. It doesn't change the original video and is very fast.

One approach that I found did work when using .MOV files (albeit not 100%) was to rename the .MOV file to an .MP4 extension and then import that file into Project Media. From there I could then bring the .MP4 file into the Vegas editor and the audio track did indeed show and play. However, one drawback was the video and audio were out of sync by about 5 seconds. I can ungroup the video and audio and manually adjust video and audio to be in sync. Not ideal.

>> x264vfw codec
x264vfw is the VfW (Video for Windows) version of well known x264 encoder + ffh264 decoder (from FFmpeg project)

Sony published a quicktime update that fixed the problem of no audio importing, but it's now out of sync

http://bit.ly/7sCJIs

SOURCES

http://www.redban.com/blogy/?p=364

http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/24/903832

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Digital#Speeds

upgrading the DSi - on the cheap

2009-12-28T19:29:00.000-08:00

So I got my 8 year old son what he says he wanted for Christmas. I was against it, but out-voted. But this thing is pretty cool. But without spending $30 a pop on every game, I need to educate myself on the alternative options. One of my friends told me about the R4DS card - and where to buy it.

>> video - R4 DS card
>> video - R4 DS
>> R4 DS Card - Firmware Download And Set Up For R4 DS
>> How To Put Nintendo DS Games On Your R4 DS

>> fighting anti-piracy

>> nintendo DS accessories

ROMS
>> http://romplanet.net
>> http://www.nintendo-ds-roms.com
>> http://www.romulation.net/

>> music has to be in AAC format (*.m4a *.mp4 or *.3gp)
>> and of course - the homepage

What I want to know is:
-the best ebook reader for it

-is it possible to watch videos/movies

meebo chat client

2009-10-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

Committed to using a web based IM client (chat history included) - instead of using a messaging client. And so far - I dont think Ill be going back... (more and more services should be moving to web based services/apps)
BENEFITS:
-no installed app on my pc
-does many chat clients
-able to record chat history
CONS:
-indication of new chat message is not super clear, but you do get a sound, and it does have an optional plugin for firefox to aid in this

cheaper cell service/market shakeup eminent?

2009-10-26T16:51:00.000-07:00

3 times I have used Amazon to get a decent cellphone - that they payed me to take! Those days are now over. A search on their website comes up mostly with phones that cost a penny - and much more. What happened?

Now rumors are abound about the shakeup in the industry. With the big battle just heating up BTWN Apples iPhone and Googles Android, the other carriers are (and need to be) pulling out all the stops. Hence my research begins for what is to come...

>> ClarkHoward
>> PCmag

>> Engadget

In another boon for cheap cellular service, we're beginning to hear word about something from T-Mobile called Project Black. This cryptically named market thrust will reportedly usher in much lower price points for unlimited service starting at $50/month. But for now, this is just a rumor until it goes public.

"Also, expect MetroPCS and myCricket to merge if Project Black is real."

my local Walmart is already carrying Straight Talk Phones:
4004 Lawrenceville Hwy Nw, Lilburn, GA 30047
(770) 921-9224

Now the question is, does anyone know how/where to get a smartphone flashed to work on the ST(Straight Talk) network? Cuz I want a decent smart phone to use on their network.

On Tracfones with SIM cards, the carrier can be identified in the same manner as any other SIM-based phone, by interpreting the SIM number. On T-Mobile phones, the first line of the SIM number will end in "SIMT5", on Cingular/AT&T, the first line will end in "SIMC4".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless

Verizon is CDMA. No special sim cards, you just have to flash the PRL. The only other thing is, most CDMA providers require that your ESN (phone's serial number) be in their database and attached to your account. This would be the difficult part. Requires either someone on the inside, or a company-approved program (or clever social engineering).

Straight Talk is one of TracFone's newest brands and as of July 30, 2009 provides customers with two different value based 30-day rate plans. Straight Talk is an MVNO that uses Verizon's CDMA 1XRTT wireless network which was introduced in 2001 and is said to deliver between 40 and 60 kbs (kilobits per second) to customers[7]. Straight Talk's coverage is limited in certain areas (most of Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, Mississippi and western Texas)[8] but provides good coverage in the major metro areas

Looks like Page Plus has a comparable deal.

WARNING: Buzzirk Mobile, Global Verge, Zero1 Mobile, are scams.

And beware - there are probably many more to come. Be smart, do the research.

>> Use Google Voice with your existing number
>> The quest for a truly open smartphone: can it be done?
>> Nokia N900
>> Maemo
>> OKI 900 (old school)
>> Free AT&T phones (w/new service/contract)

Thanks to my friend Paul Sibley [f] for getting me started on the research.

times, they are a changin...

2009-07-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

Be aware, that the market has changed/is changing - not just for designers - but for everyone. Maybe leverage these tools for projects that are assigned to you? Or for you to make a career decision? At the very least, look around and test one or two out just to see the possibilities - or maybe earn some extra cash. Or maybe someone could create a business(team?) around this "crowd sourced" model?

From websites, logos, business cards, and more... (and if your jobs not listed - it may be soon).
>> http://www.crowdspring.com
>> http://zooppa.com
>> http://www.designbay.com
>> http://99designs.com
>> http://www.designcrowd.com
>> http://www.logodesignguru.com
>> http://www.mistersoft.org
>> http://www.getafreelancer.com

>> the video that inspired this post (apologies - its only on facebook)
>> and the Zooppa video that I saw a week before that made me think

ps. my only question is, why is facebook, information week, and others - seemingly restricting the direct sharing of their videos? Funny that there is still some huge limitations in all this interconnectedness.

time to buy some new tires

2009-06-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

I was dissapointed to find out that the tire site Ive been using for the past 2 years upped their pricing (by $20 on the tire I used to buy from them). So I went looking...

Things to think about while you are looking around is: installation price, taxes, shipping, free rotation?, and more.

https://www.tiresavings.com
$50 ($131 total)($32 shipping for 2) Federal Triangle TR918 205/55ZR16

https://www.tirerack.com
$56 ($144 total)($22 shipping for 2) BFGoodrich Traction T/A T 205/55R16

http://www.unsertire.com
$74 (free shipping) 205/55HR16 NEXEN N5000/89H/BSW

I then called my trusted local shop to get a quote.
They only had the NEXEN N5000 for $79(99 installed).

Once you find the cheapest tire you want, do a search on that tire brand and model (ex: Federal Triangle TR918). I clicked on images in Google, then looked at the sites with images, and checked the prices quickly on those sites. I actually found a tire I liked better for just a little more money.

http://tires-easy.com
$54 ($33 shipping for 2) Federal Triangle TR968 215/50 R17 91V

So I went from: $60 Hankook k106 205/55R-16 to a $70 Federal Triangle TR968 215/50 R17 91V (including shipping)

>> FYI - nice tire review site

Borrow from Kiva for U.S. Entrepreneurs

2009-06-11T18:28:00.000-07:00

Kiva.org, a great concept has finally come home (on a limited basis - areas of New York, San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta and Miami). One of the reasons we are here is to help each other. Kiva enables you to help others by lending them money. If you've got $25 or more in your bank account, why not try lending it?
>> Another take on the move to the U.S.
>> News originally from TechCrunch
>> 2 sites for P2P Lending(Microfinance) - in CHINA

qajack?

2009-06-04T17:43:00.000-07:00

Qajack. A social networking, video based, question and answer site (with some reward?). Not sure exactly what will drive this, but it is interesting. And for this society, it gives you another opportunity to show your ego - and therefore - could be popular - just for that. Im curious to hear the variety of answers to the questions I post. And Im sure you've got some questions - now all you need is a web cam.

a New Era o' Beers

2009-02-07T09:13:00.000-08:00

So whilst I was with the boys on the annual Hopfest snowboarding trip, we accidentally stumbled across a surprisingly tasty beer - Giddy Up. This reminded me of a recent beer experience that I had at the Decatur beer festival. It stood out, as the best beer that I have had in some time. So much so - I had to take a photo - so that I wouldnt forget (pictured above). Then last night, I was introduced to the Goosinator - which finally sparked this blog post.

Old Heathen (by Weyerbacher, Easton, PA)
http://www.weyerbacher.com/cwo.php?id=7&page_id=24

Giddy Up (by New Belgium, Fort Collins, Colorado)
http://justbeer.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/new-belgium-giddy-up/

Goosinator Doppelbock (by Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, Colorado)
http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/1144737

Delta DASHED

2009-02-04T14:27:00.000-08:00

Dear Delta (an potentially other airlines), I fear that you may be losing touch with the customer. Hopefully not a similar fate of the American auto industry.

First, I would like to assume some of the blame (for not getting to the airport sooner) - but I truly believe that if there was time wasted or spared - that fell on your shoulders.

I arrived at the airport at 7:15am, for an 8:35am flight. I "checked-in" the day before - via your website. I tried to use your kiosk, but it failed to find me in its database. I contacted a nearby employee, who instructed me to goto the service desk. Upon reaching the roped-off line-area, your employee promptly asked "What are you doing here?" (I have to admit, I was a little taken back by such a basic question) But I replied "I'm here to fly on a plane" (she let me thru). Then I patiently waited as time crept by (noticing similar concerns by other people in the line (I did see another couple walk up, was directed to another area - and walked by me on the way to the gates - and I found happiness for them). I finally was called to the service desk at 8am. Your associated informed me that I would not make my flight, and I would be charged an additional $50 "administration fee" to change my flight (which I was told "could not be waved"). I expressed my dissapointement, explained what happened, and asked to speak to a manager. He was very polite, apologized, and called for a manager.
Joe * came over, introduced himself, and said the same thing as your associate. But he would not admit any problem on Deltas fault, and stood by his statement of "we need at least 45mins before your flight to process you". I tried to explain to him that he wasted that 45mins while I waited in line - but it fell on deaf ears.
I chose the only option presented me ($50 to catch the next flight), thanked the service desk guy for his patience, and he thanked me for my attitude (I guess the way I handled it) - and went my way.

The solution to the problem:
I've experienced this before - so it's not out of the question: an employee at the check-in lines looking at each ticket - prioritizing passengers (based on flight times).
Another possibility? Why not address each ticket holder outside the airport as they are coming in (to assess each situation, and capture their arrival time & flight info)? Then another at the entrance of the service desk line (another scan of ticket info). This will only help Delta track process times & passengers with more detail.
I mean after all, you don't really know how long I (and other customers) waited in line - and I would think - you would want to know that info.

What do I want out of this?
A change in service/policy, an apology, $50 refund (for my additional charge), a free round trip ticket? I would be happy with any one of these.

and finally...
Take Care of Your Employees, and your customers will be taken care of? http://academicearth.org/lectures/take-care-your-employees

I also sent this to Delta, if I get a response from them, I will try and post it.

using Google SITES for your next website

2008-08-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

We are officially using Google sites for some simple client sites. It allows the wiki access, super easy to setup, you can use Google Forms 01 | 02, use Google Moderator to Crowdsource Group Questions.
The next question is, how to implement ecommerce (adding an ecom componenent - like a module for adding a cart/checkout/etc.).
Most carts are really lacking. This is whats hot now: Magento - an open source cart, php5, object oriented, skins, etc. For custom apps, we're using zend framework and symfony framework.
Here are some easy examples: SummitChase, AlcovySurveying.
This post was completed in part by William Gorman at ContigoTech.com.

thinking about the purchase

2008-08-09T14:03:00.000-07:00

One solution could be to take containers back to the grocerystore (or place where you purchase goods), and have them refilled, like: cereal, shampoo, beverages, petfood, etc. But this would have to entail producers of these products to develop a system like this, adopted by the public, and more...
Also - we need to stop purchasing paper towels and napkins. A hand towel, or handkercheif that you can wash - could be a much more sustainable solution to the problem of messes.
Corporations & large companies should have a cleaning staff that sorts recyclables/garbage. And why should there be a garbage can at every employees desk? Doesnt that seem wasteful?
and a slideshow about plastic bags stats/info... and other handy links:
http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/
http://www.compostthis.co.uk/
recycle or donate shoes
http://www.runtheplanet.com/shoes/selectin/recycle.asp
http://ecoworldly.com/
http://blog.ecoflip.org/greenblog/
http://cleantechnica.com
http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/
http://www.grist.org/

universal content server?

2008-08-09T08:58:00.000-07:00

Why are we duplicating content? Over, and over and over? Why cant we simply share content - in one location? Or at the very least - torrent it? An example is: my mom sending me a funny video - attached to an email. Why didnt she just send me the URL? It may be, that it all comes down to - ease of use. My mom has no clue what a torrent is. And why would she? Could this be implemented into our email client/web browser somehow? Or could just a link to a specific piece of content work? That way, you can see/listen/view/edit it at any time? Anyone on this?
FYI - a reliable way to make new things: work on overlooked problems

uClue

2008-08-08T21:57:00.000-07:00

Heard of Google Answers? Sure, its not around anymore, but it was a good concept. I recently came across another, similar service - that will try and answer your questions - for a price. And yes, there are others that do this as well - like Amazons Askville. But even if you dont need to pay for an answer, to a question you may have - its still interesting to browse some of the questions/answers. Some with conclusions you can already determine yourself:
biofuels are not causing an increase in greenhouse gases
Biofuels increase greenhouse gases
Why do none of the big UK energy companies offer 'energy services'?
Hydrino / Hydrino Theory / Shrunken Hydrogen

High School Harvests 280,000 Gallons of Rainwater Each Year

2008-08-04T15:19:00.000-07:00

This is cool news on the eco-front, but there is something missing behind all this hype... Answers (the real details). What other schools/people want to know: how much did the system cost, what is the return, and how long would it pay for itself?
I wish when articles like this are written, that more detailed information was either provided, or linked to - to make it easier for others to determine whether this is feasible for them - and to forward the technology. The TreeHugger article is here.

Living in a World Without Waste?

2008-08-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

People have to take full responsibility for everything they throw away.

What a concept. And what a big word that is for our society today... Responsibility. As we are becoming more eco-friendly, we are starting to think in detail - about the impact - of the little things we do. And the change - isnt really all that hard. What Ive realized is, to take a step back, and look at the things I am doing, and try to be more efficient in everything, and less wasteful. The simple act of preparing a meal, to flushing a toilet - all can be re-thought - to work better - and hopefully be more sustainable to the planet. The Digg link to the BBC article is here.

Going ELECTRIC (how soon is now?)

2008-07-08T16:12:00.000-07:00

Ok. So Im betting that we are moving away from gasoline to electric.
The questions are:
How bad are gas prices gonna get before I need to switch?
How much does it cost to switch a house from gas to electric?
Or just sell?
How cheaply can I get a hybrid or all-electric car? If you're a 2 car family, one of them better be a hybrid asap! And used is cheaper than new - you just have to do more research.
Here is a great point of view that inspired this post:
http://whydoeseverythingsuck.com/2008/07/building-future-around-electricity.html
http://www.autobloggreen.com/
They even have motors for boats:
http://www.ecycle.com/
EV's as a hobby:
http://buggies.builtforfun.co.uk
And dont forget about electric motorcycles/scooters:
http://visforvoltage.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_motorcycles_and_scooters
$5k (and less) Fun-EV
http://fun-ev.com/
http://visforvoltage.org/forum/2360-recognize-scooter
$6k ENV hydrogen fuel cell
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_48/b4011432.htm?chan=innovation_innovation+%2B+design_innovation+and+design+lead
The Yamaha Gen-RYU hybrid motorcycle
http://www.engadget.com/2005/10/12/the-yamaha-gen-ryu-hybrid-motorcycle/
$8k Electric GPR-S a.k.a. E-Boxer
http://www.electricmotorsport.com/store/ems_electric_motorcycle_gpr-s.php
$8.4k ZERO X Electric Motorcycle
http://store.valueweb.com/servlet/zeromoto/Detail?no=1
$11k (and less) EVC
http://www.evcusa.com/
$12k?!? way too expensive
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/07/enertia_electric_motorcycle.php
http://www.enertiabike.com/
This post was inspired by William "Stipe" Gorman at ContigoTech.com.

yapta airfare tracker

2008-07-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

So Im going to a friends wedding in September - and was wondering what the latest airfare tracking website was. Sure, Ive tried Farecast, and love using their info when bidding on Priceline. And now, there is Yapta. This site looks to even store your account #s and mileage for you. And Im excited cuz my flight started out at $423 roundtrip - and is now down to $260 - and may drop a little further (even Farecast confirms this)... It will email you when the price changes (the amount you specify). More info here.

Outta town for the summer...

2008-06-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

Yep, we're in Costa Rica for the summer (June 4th - Aug 12th). Check out photos, videos, and other details of our trip here: http://akamushi.googlepages.com/costarica2008

push back on the waste?

2008-05-15T23:07:00.000-07:00

Why are'nt corporations held responsible for their product being in a landfill? They produced the product. They should be responsible for the full life cycle. If they work towards a recycling program of their products, they wouldnt be in the landfill. Each product should come with recycling instructions or web address (with info on that page). Is there someplace that we (as consumers) can find info on how to recycle or return the products/materials that we have, back to nature? Sure abstinence is an option, but it doesnt work for all. What we need is one location to describe the various options for: paper, phonebooks, various plastics, glass, metals, electronics, fabrics, etc.
Here's the situation. So every Thursday night, someone drives around the neighborhoods near my house -throwing out free sample newpapers. Did I ask for this? To me, this is someone littering in my driveway. Just a thought.

Starry Night (dream)

2008-05-15T17:48:00.000-07:00

An interesting part of my dream last night was that my friend Alberto and I were working on paintings in the dream. And what it seemed to me is that many of us work on a painting every day. Sure we may be passionate about the painting -and want to complete it every day, but at the end of the day -its just a painting. How much does a painting help humanity? I truly believe we are here to help each other, but we spend so many hours at a job that is mostly meaningless (it just pays the bills). And your job is part of this worthless society system that is at all new low. What have we become? (...or maybe we were trying to paint our fantasy. Whats your take?)

ADOBE on the rise?

2008-05-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

I really think that Adobe has something powerful with Flex/AIR. And with them moving into the mobile (cellphone) arena, that only makes them even more attractive. I read Cringleys article about the potential for APPLE purchasing ADOBE. From the article "So why, then, was Apple quietly shopping around its entire professional application business to prospective buyers at the recently completed National Association of Broadcasters show in Las Vegas? These include Aperture, Final Cut Pro, Logic, and Shake -- applications that are hardly also-rans in their segments and none of which are antiquated in the least. Final Cut, of course, absolutely dominates the video editing business. Why would Apple want to give that up?"
Even if APPLE never intends to buy ADOBE (which is hard to swallow), this may hint at the underlying value of ADOBE in the marketplace. But, could the opening up of Flex & SWFs mean that it is giving up control for product dominance? FYI - ADBE stock at $40 (as of Friday May 2nd) and AAPL stock at $181 (as of Friday May 2nd)

how to write a book in less than 15mins - and more...

2008-04-23T10:46:00.000-07:00

This video blew me away. I couldnt think for 30 mins - I just sat there, gazing and wondering. Then, I thought - is it real? Well, in theory - it could be... Here's more on Phil Parker and his idea. And an interesting take on disruptive business models. Technology is causing changes to occur so rapidly... gotta step back and see if I can catch a glimpse of the bigger picture.

Standard Operating Procedure

2008-04-21T10:21:00.000-07:00

Its about context. Understanding - or the attempt to comprehend the context. Or to possibly put yourself in someone elses shoes. There are few times when I get to my destination, turn off the car, sit, and listen to the radio. I heard part the interview on WABE/NPR 90.1. I didnt get the name of the show, but once I started listening, I didnt stop until it was over... Errol Morris directs 'Standard Operating Procedure' - a movie about the Abu Ghraib photos.
Recovering Reality: A Conversation with Errol Morris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHNf4No5WtY
Errol Morris seeks the big picture in Abu Ghraib photos
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2008/04/20/2008-04-20_errol_morris_seeks_the_big_picture_in_ab.html
Standard Operating Procedure deleted scene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAQybZ4wIH8&feature=related
official movie website
http://www.sonyclassics.com/standardoperatingprocedure/site.html
Play It Again, Sam (Re-enactments, Part Two)
http://morris.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/10/play-it-again-sam-re-enactments-part-two/
Slow motion
http://www.kottke.org/08/04/slow-motion
Errol Morris: Filmmaker as Detective 1988
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4530055
Abuse at Abu Ghraib will forever stain America's reputation
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/03/25/2008-03-25_abuse_at_abu_ghraib_will_forever_stain_a.html
Errol Morris talks with Philip Gourevitch about Abu Ghraib, the subject of Morris's forthcoming film and of a book Gourevitch is writing with him.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/video/festival/2007/MorrisGourevitch

Releasing the Music in Your Head

2008-04-17T18:37:00.001-07:00

misc links of the week

2008-04-16T07:03:00.001-07:00

420fest Apr19&20 CandlerPark Atlanta
http://www.pemi.net/420fest/
Download YouTube Videos as MP4 Files
http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2008/04/download-youtube-videos-as-mp4-files.html
movie quote finder
http://www.vorby.com
http://www.hulu.com/watch/16981/battlestar-galactica-six-of-one
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/13/more-details-on-the-google-salesforce-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-alliance/
http://www.salesforce.com
http://www.popsci.com/node/20697
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2jlIRKswnQ
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2008/pulpit_20080411_004695.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/10/AR2008031001532.html
on a perpetual mexican surf sabbatical
http://www.qualitypeoples.com/
Put your playlist on your blog with our player widget, it's the soundtrack for your life and anyone can tune in.
http://www.finetune.com/
Scalr: The Auto-Scaling Open-Source Amazon EC2 Effort
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/03/scalr-the-auto-scaling-open-source-amazon-ec2-effort/
Web Mashups Made Easy
http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/20400/?a=f
The 10 Emerging Technologies of 2008
http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/20249/?a=f
investigate
ZEN & EEstor
Jamglue Provides Online (audio) Mixing Software
http://kaplan-myrth.ca/Main/JamglueProvidesOnlineMixingSoftware
multi-party video conferencing
http://www.ivisit.com/
volta
http://labs.live.com/volta/
interesting set of tools for webpage (top right)
http://www.masieweb.com/starbucks
nice joomla setup for rss of the website
http://www.masieweb.com/index.php?option=com_rss&feed=RSS2.0&no_html=1
all ads need to be portable - with embed/share code, like here:
http://lasandrabrill.blogspot.com/2008/03/leveraging-social-media-and-web-20-in.html
capital flight
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_flight
Dick Cheney's Been Preparing for An Economic Collapse
http://digg.com/business_finance/Dick_Cheney_s_Been_Preparing_for_An_Economic_Collapse
Are Dick Cheney's Money Managers Betting on Bad News?
http://www.kiplinger.com/features/archives/2006/05/president.html
Swotti - A Semantic Opinions Aggregator
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/swotti_a_semantic_opinions_aggregator.php
SugarSync File Syncing Platform
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/sugarsync_launch.php

misc links of the week

2008-04-07T19:35:00.001-07:00

FX SlideShow
http://www.fxcomponents.com/?p=25
WindowShade component added to FlexLib
http://dougmccune.com/blog/2008/02/09/windowshade-component-added-to-flexlib/
Some FLEX Open Source Community Projects
http://dougmccune.com/blog/2008/02/26/examples-from-my-360flex-session-using-open-source-community-projects/
Create Distraction-Free, Customized Webapps with Prism
http://lifehacker.com/375830/create-distraction+free-customized-webapps-with-prism
TUTORIAL After Effects - The SECRET Demo Palette
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dETVCvj6Avw
offline access to google (docs) only started 033108
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/offline-access-to-google-docs.html
prism - an application that lets users split web applications out of their browser and run them directly on their desktop. (windows only)
does this support offline working?
http://labs.mozilla.com/2007/10/prism/
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/getEmbed
Monitor site traffic in real-time with whos.amung.us widget
http://lifehacker.com/software/web-site-traffic/monitor-site-traffic-in-real+time-with-whosamungus-widget-247741.php
MythTV and TiVo Series 3 Comparison
http://www.dvrplayground.com/article/14501/MythTV-and-TiVo-Series-3-Comparison/
Boost your self esteem
http://ririanproject.com/2007/02/01/wake-up-feeling-great-with-these-22-tips-for-high-self-esteem/
http://lifehacker.com/software/self-improvement/boost-your-selfesteem-236418.php
12 kinds of ads
http://www.slate.com/id/2170872/
nice ppt typography on branding
http://www.tejaslearning.com/2007/07/linking-brand-and-strategy.html

client approval site

2008-03-31T07:06:00.000-07:00

About a year ago, my friend Michael McReynolds, Kris Sheets and I talked about creating a content approval site for clients. We could get work, show concepts to the client, get their feedback - and finally client approval on the work. I mentioned this to the company I work for (NovoLogic.com), and they thought it was a great idea too - especially since we could put it to use there as well. Ben Johnson created a working interface, but this project took a backseat to paying clients. In the last couple months, we ran across 2 websites that offer these services - and they have been working on this for over 2 years now...
+ Website Review (Launch Demo)
+ Image Review (Launch Demo)
+ Document Review (Launch Demo)
+ Video Review (Launch Demo)

ReviewBasics.com looks to do what we need, but the interface is not as easy to use - as one would expect - in working with clients. I mean to say - you dont want to have to educate your clients on how to use your website do ya? Ideally, it should be so easy that you dont have to explain it.
PROS:
-It works and will start using it now!
CONS:
-interface is not intuitive
-no drag n drop upload of files
-no support for ai, swf
-no thumbnails of videos or other assets?
Conceptshare.com seems to be more fluid in its approach, but it has its limitations as well. I recommend trying both - and seeing which works best for your needs. Now if someone could only mash them both together...UPDATE: Is FeedbackFX part of ReviewBasics? or is this video just made by the the same peeps that did their video?

Learningtown

2008-03-28T09:48:00.000-07:00

Some Q/A from the website: http://learningtown.ning.com
As we grow older (and hopefully wiser), I think that we come to understand the complexities - and appreciate the uniqueness of people. We want to label things and people, to be able to easily describe and communicate the association of a character or trait. I think that this is fine - in general. But you have to take the broad assertions in context. And that is where we mostly fail.

1. What do you see as substantial differences in how the Boomer generation learns from other generations? The tools being used, cultural environment, amount of people in classrooms, and newer technologies (may refer to tools).

2. Is there enough difference between those born 1946 to around 1955 and those born from 1955 through 1964 to warrant different discussions? I dont think so. I think its less about age groups, and more based around the environment of the learners (see above (tools, technology, etc.)).

What are the range of costs of producing a PodCast -- both internally and through an external vendor? First, I think that developing just for audio (a PodCast) is limiting your audience. If you develop for video (like youtube), you will have a greater opportunity for an audience, and more options as a medium. From that video, you can create a seperate audio file - and serve it up to users that want just that. Internal: $75 per hour (pc, webcam or mic $60, recording time, editing time (free editing apps are out there), review, changes, posting on server). (does not include user tracking). External: $200 per hour" _joinprompttext=""> What are the range of costs of producing a PodCast -- both internally and through an external vendor? First, I think that developing just for audio (a PodCast) is limiting your audience. If you develop for video (like youtube), you will have a greater opportunity for an audience, and more options as a medium. From that video, you can create a seperate audio file - and serve it up to users that want just that. Internal: $75 per hour (pc, webcam or mic $60, recording time, editing time (free editing apps are out there), review, changes, posting on server). (does not include user tracking). External: $200 per hour

What circumstances make a virtual world appropriate/beneficial to the learning space? Directly, where aspects of the environment is what your are trying to learn or understand. Preparing for a crisis, emergencies, or disasters... dealing with a garden(plants), animals(zoo)... creating a road, working in a nuclear plant, working in space, and more...
Why is Second Life always so empty? Because it is so involved (complex). Its not something that you can easily get in and out of like a phonecall. You have to prepare yourself to be immersed into the 3D world.

Do we, as a professional body subscribe to academic validation versus real life experience? I think both are valid - and have a place.
As to the question of "papers", you have to look at who controls the power. Just because a college or university give/require degrees, just furthers their business. A popular misconception is that they have the final say on whether a person is qualified.

As an employer, they want a fast route in the interview process to know that you are trustworthy. Hence "papers" from a college can help in this - but a good portfolio of work, in combo with many testimonials will work just as well.

As for small phones/PDAs? The market is still so new - but rapidly forming into groups. In creating for these, you have to look at the leaders (and new technologies) of the industry: Blackberry, Apples iPhone, and the (possibly this fall) Google Android. Consider the audience, portability, and future paths of that technology.

PS. I can only hope that all generations have the trait - the challenging of convention.

the future of education

2008-03-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

I have been questioning our current schooling system for some time - as well as the value of college (what is the real value for most people)? And this article has brought even more questions to the table. So I shared it with several friends to get their thoughts on it as well.

My friend Julie sent me a response: I wonder what percentage of generation z (is that what's next?) will want to (or be able to) read an article of this nature. Over 1400 words, man that guy is long winded. Just kidding. I like the idea of free education but I'm with the MIT grad that commented about the unquantifyable value of interacting with professors and peers, not only for the reasons that he mentioned, but also for the sense of "humanity" that interaction creates. Isolation creates ignorance, ignorance creates fear, and we all know where the path of fear leads. Having lived in rather varied environments, I can say first hand, that living in environments where you are forced to interact with individuals that are not like yourself (race, color, religion, sexual preference, etc.. ) imbues you with understanding, tolerance, and ultimately a greater sense of compassion. I am excited to see where technology can bring us as a species.. but I have my reservations. -Julie

I think we are finding - the more people that are on earth - the more our current systems seem to break down - or not work. Im not sure its solely because of the amount of people, or that society is also degrading as well. Either way, our current school systems probably have a shelf life of 10 years or less (my prediction) - so we need to be proactive in testing new systems - new ways of education. I dont think that 1 solution will work best for all - but we definitely need to develop many ways - because education is so much more important than how we deliver it. And now "Public Schools Expand Curriculum Online".

On a side note, I have had many thoughts - about whether or not technology is evil - or the workings of the devil (seriously). I havent really been able to formulate a meaningful opinion on this, but I do think on it from time to time. What I do know is that the internet is a tool, and can be used for good or evil. It kinda depends on the person(s) using/viewing/creating...

UPDATE: So forget about personal computers: the future of education probably lies with digital games.

Worst Case Scenario (the boardgame)

2008-03-26T09:51:00.001-07:00

Do you know how to escape from the trunk of a car? In this game, your pessimism and/or terrifying life experiences can make you a winner! You’re given a worst-case scenario and three choices. You must pick the best choice. It's up to you to get out of your Worst-Case scenario. Give your best answer if you're right move on; if you're not, your situation only gets worse.

From the hair-raising (how to cross a piranha-infested river) to the humorous (how to scratch an itch in a cast), you’ll be challenged to overcome the outrageous and show off your survival instincts. And you’ll learn a lot of interesting information in the process! Comes with a game board, four playing pieces, 300 Worst-Case Scenario cards and one die. For 2 or more players.

I've just heard about the game this week - and we plan to get it. They also have more: handbook, dating & sex, life, extreme, travel... amazon.com and more facts about scenarios here.

another option for writers...

2008-03-26T06:17:00.000-07:00

Graphic Novels. Heard an good story on NPR about 3 very different people - that have done Graphic Novels. Even if you're not interested in that line of work - it seems like it would be a good test for your writing skills... Three Writers Feel the Lure of Comics

what i've clicked on recently...

2008-03-24T07:19:00.000-07:00

3D book - http://www.metaio.com/htdocs/flvplayer.php?video=flv_62_5-719_9947.flv$320$240
http://www.bitty.com/
In researching information for the new performance strategies i am planning for our organization, i came across this site that provides a quick way to get some insight into how you may or may deal with things. http://profilefree.perfprog.com/
mobile application development IDE - http://www.brightxpress.com/
A single photo can be reconstructed into a 3-D scene with Make3D.
http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/20385/?a=f
http://make3d.stanford.edu/
http://labs.live.com/photosynth/video.html
http://rantd.blogspot.com/2007/06/jaw-dropping-photosynth-demo.html
Born from Seadragon?
http://labs.live.com/Seadragon.aspx
Photosynth on PBS
http://labs.live.com/Photosynth+On+PBS.aspx
Improved Photosynth Installer
http://labs.live.com/Photosynth+On+PBS.aspx
Wired Science videos
http://www.pbs.org/kcet/wiredscience/episode
3d charts, maps, planning/scheduling, treemap, radar/spider charts - http://www.ilog.com/products/elixir/
Managed Learning Environment
http://fronter.info/londonmle/
http://fronter.co.uk/uk/
boujou - http://www.2d3.com/
PFTracK, the video production tool used for tracking and match-moving (i.e. inserting special effects into real footage video), has released the Personal Learning Edition of its latest version. The PLE of PFTrack is a fully function edition that will allows students and professionals to evaluate and master PFTrack without the need to purchase a license. You can learn more about this video production tool from its official website here: http://www.thepixelfarm.co.uk/products/products.aspx?PID=3
http://www.spicyexpress.net/general/meyshan-slide-the-ultimate-free-open-source-slideshow-for-your-web-site/
Tagging files in Windows XP (and why you'll ditch Google Desktop) - http://ceitl.zanestate.edu/blog/archives/2006/02/tagging-files-in-windows-xp-and-why-youll-ditch-google-desktop/
IBM releases mashup wiki - qedwiki - http://ixld.blogspot.com/2007/10/ibm-releases-mashup-wiki.html
cell location
http://www.loopt.com
http://www.linkedinabox.com/
http://www.wootagent.com/
http://ycombinator.com/contact.html
Vyew: Free Live Web Conferencing - http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/06/05/vyew-free-live-web-conferencing/
VMukti - Collaborative Conferencing - http://sourceforge.net/projects/vmukti
dimdim web meeting - http://sourceforge.net/projects/dimdim
http://www.bookswim.com/
total video converter even does divx conversion
http://www.effectmatrix.com/
http://www.videotox.com
video cam - http://www.palbee.com
Elliott Masie's Learning TRENDS -http://trends.masie.com/
Tips for Trainers - http://trends.masie.com/archives/2008/2/25/503-oprah-e-learning-search-and-your-lms.html
12 Wishes for Our LMS and LCMS- http://trends.masie.com/archives/2008/2/13/12-wishes-for-our-lms-and-lcms.html
serious help with creating your startup - Do you have an plan for a web 2.0 company?
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/08/digital-telepathy-helps-you-build-your-web-20-startup/
Windbelt: elegant non-turbine wind generator
http://www.hackszine.com/blog/archive/2007/10/windbelt_elegant_nonturbine_wi.html
video here: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4224763.html
"the best way to protect your privacy is to give it away"
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/05/23/0212211&from=rss
10 reasons why you should never get a job
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/07/10-reasons-you-should-never-get-a-job/
http://www.submedia.tv/relax.htm
http://www.worklessparty.org/
http://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2005/09/time-for-four-hour-day.html
http://www.inspiracy.com/black/abolition/part2.html
LEARNING GAMES - i have recommended this to several people and seen success from 6-12 year olds... its used in schools all over the world and really relates to the real world.
http://phrogram.com/
http://scratch.mit.edu/
http://www.visiblebody.com/
http://www.flashkit.com/movies/Games/Full_Game_Source/Hangman_-Kumar_K-6062/index.php
http://www.monstermarketplace.com/searchkan.asp?q=word+game
http://www.bigfishgames.com/downloads/chicktionary/index.html
http://www.programurl.com/software/quiz-templates.htm
The KDE Edutainment Project - http://edu.kde.org/
50 States flash games - http://www.pibmug.com/files/map_test.swf
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/flash/states_game2.html
Educational Games
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com
http://www.thepencilfarm.com
Loosing Your Keys? - http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1015249/loosing_your_keys/
bump keys - http://www.bump-j.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwTVBWCijEQ&mode=related&search=

Brief personal profile

2008-03-21T09:18:00.001-07:00

I just took the short quiz at http://profilefree.perfprog.com. Here are the results:
OPTIMISTIC IMAGE-ORIENTED PRODUCER
Greatest Potential Strength: High-energy multi-tasker produces many projects valued by others. Potential Blind Spot: Constant multi-tasking can lead to disorganization and indecision. When pressured can become distant, dismissive and alienate others.

WARM RELATIONSHIP BUILDER
Greatest Potential Strength: Innate understanding of the feelings and needs of others. Potential Blind Spot: If feelings not reciprocated appropriately, can focus on personal shortcomings and withdraw. Can’t avoid negative feelings and becomes manipulative.

EMPATHETIC CONFLICT-AVOIDING DIPLOMAT
Greatest Potential Strength: Use perception to “walk in the shoes” of others and understand their needs – make excellent facilitators to bring a group together. Potential Blind Spot: Can become lost in other people’s needs and ignore their own needs. Avoid negative feedback.

freerice.com

2008-03-20T05:12:00.000-07:00

Tracy Gary sent me yet another opportunity to help others. http://www.freerice.com For each word that you get right this site donates 20 grains of rice through the UN World Food Program to help end hunger. We may not all have monies to send other countries, but we can give our brains some exercise while helping someone else at the same time.

SlideRocket (presetnations) (beta)

2008-03-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

Looking to rival the features of Keynote and PowerPoint, SlideRocket
is a new web-based presentation tool. If you didnt get to signup for their private beta before it closed - just email me - and I will sendya my username and password. When SlideRocket launches publicly, there will be a free version for single users and two business versions that satisfy the needs of small and large corporations. Some features include: community clipart, import video & images from youtube/flickr, viewing stats. Via TechCrunch.com. Other links: 01 | 02

another opportunity to help others...

2008-03-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

WorldVision.org - You can sponsor a child or you can give to a general need (clean water, medicine for kids, clothing for kids, etc.) - things we can take for granted every day in America. We picked children to sponsor that shared the same birthdays as our kids. Seemed to make it less random and also gave us a good idea of how old the kids are at any given time.

As my friend Robert Thompson put it...
It is an organization that helps people in third world countries - not a loan but you can donate money. It is amazing to see what $75 or $100 can buy elsewhere. He is also a member of Kiva.org. "I spent more than $25 for breakfast for me and my wife last saturday - american dollars really make a huge difference in some of these other countries. We see $2000 as a new TV - They see $2000 as a way to buy more cows so they can feed their family or stop living in a house with a dirt floor. Im a member of Kiva.org and ONE.org.

a searchable 3D view of our world (inside & out)

2008-03-17T07:02:00.000-07:00

A single photo can be reconstructed into a 3-D scene with Make3D (article). Very soon, we should be able to reconstruct, view, and explore the entire world(inside & out(potentially)) in 3D. And the kicker is - you could view the same locations over time - or time lapse? My question is, can Google make it searchable (changes to the environment with dates/times/related history)? So you take the Make3D concept, and combine it with Photosynth + (my previous blog article). And more: Born from Seadragon? Photosynth on PBS . More Wired Science videos.

links of the week

2008-03-14T06:42:00.000-07:00

carbon fueled nanites will overtake us all
http://www.mytechnews.org/2008/03/13/nanobot-brain-is-close-to-reality/
a nice youtube video explaining their video services
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC0sR5_NTFo
Wordpress plugins & reviews
http://webgrrrl.net/wordpress-plugins-i-use
google health?!?
http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2008-01-23-n83.html
free online file conversion (upto 100MB free)
http://zamzar.com/
google gadget
http://www.google.com/ig/gmchoices
gadget awards
http://www.google.com/intl/en/events/gadgetawards/winners.html
google talk badge
http://www.google.com/talk/service/badge/New
How to Embed RSS Feeds into HTML Web Pages - The Easy Way
why not create a user configurable flex version?
http://www.labnol.org/internet/tools/embed-rss-feeds-add-html-websites-javascript/2515/#more-2515
save lives - donate a gift
http://www.nothingbutnets.net/
Race row as actor Robert Downey Jr 'blacks up' for new film
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=528496&in_page_id=1773
Mike Doughty Gets Relaxed, Joyful - on NPR
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19087831
You Know You're A Redneck If...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/billadams/321845104/
illustrator vector gel button tutorial
http://www.tutorialized.com/view/tutorial/Gloss-Icon-Button/26025
the release of Watchmen on 03.06.09
http://rss.warnerbros.com/watchmen/2008/03/one_year_to_go_1.html
test web & email, with trial option
http://litmusapp.com/
google account multi-login
http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/16341
new design websites/trix
http://www.planforwhatsnext.com/?sid=4
good powerpoint
http://prasatik.blogspot.com/2007/07/linking-brand-and-strategy.html
be aware - the instructions assume you know how to use jquery - it's not that tricky..
http://gmarwaha.com/jquery/jcarousellite/index.php
http://www.jquery.com
Google funds Photoshop-on-Linux work
http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/digitalcameras/0,39001469,62037989,00.htm
design
http://www.ciena.com/
Paperfish
http://www.amago.jp.lv/papercraft/papercraft2.html
just went to Office Depot and picked up some self-adhesive plastic laminate to make the stencil out of
http://www.stencilrevolution.com/
AppJet Makes Simple Web Apps A Breeze
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/12/appjet-makes-simple-web-apps-a-breeze/
DHTML
http://www.dynamicdrive.com/
javasnow
http://www.altan.hr/snow/
impnow.com
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/01/insightory-wants-to-be-wikipedia-for-management-knowledge/
http://www.docstoc.com/
http://browsershots.org/
http://digg.com/design/Most_Original_Geoblog_Using_Google_Maps_API_I_ve_Ever_Seen
photobook
http://www.pimpampum.net/bookr/
http://www.bizorigin.com/
http://www.polldaddy.com/feedback/
photo shufflers/slideshow
http://www.tubatomic.com/revolver/
http://iamacamera.org/sandbox/photoshuffler/
http://www.maxkiesler.com/index.php/weblog/comments/ajax_slideshow/
too cool
http://www.kloonigames.com/crayon/
sketchup for dummies
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/11/07/google-sketchup-for.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/Propagating-Succulent-Leaf-Cuttings/
Mexican Island Paradise on 250,000 Recycled Floating Bottles
http://ecoble.com/2007/11/18/250000-bottles-amazing-recycled-mexican-island-paradise/
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/resources/components.html
http://www.googlerankings.com/index.php
http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive/
free apps
http://www.wired.com/culture/geekipedia/magazine/geekipedia/free
One-to-One Investing
http://threeminds.organic.com/2007/04/onetoone_invest.html
a brain fitness program
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/31/get-smart-play-lumosity/
http://www.lumosity.com/
Tweako A Social News Site For Tutorials
http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/03/tweako_a_social.html
CUSTOM VIRTUAL AVATARS
Could we create characters for our courseware or our website with this?
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/31/fix8-brings-computer-generated-animation-to-the-webcam/
http://www.fix8.com/
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/469/&cl=au,en&camera=245
Gizmoz Launches - Create Your Talking 3D Avatar
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/31/gizmoz-launches-create-your-talking-3d-avatar/
http://www.gizmoz.com/
http://www.codebaby.com/
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/24/yoono-buzz-it-notebooks-reinvented/
http://www.collisiondetection.net
http://www.lucidmovement.com
http://www.5dayweekend.org
openarchitecturenetwork.org
interesting question
http://askville.amazon.com/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=5679813
-cellphone info - http://www.howardforums.com/
here crooks and swindlers work together to scam everyone else -020207
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,72628-0.html?tw=rss.index
Video Distribution
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2007/pulpit_20070202_001566.html
http://wiki.multimedia.cx/index.php?title=TCP-Mustang
Video Codecs
http://wiki.multimedia.cx/index.php?title=Category:Video_Codecs
Wireless Portable Cell Phone Drive Unveiled -020207
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/02/1343215&from=rss
MapMyEvent is a portal that delivers map information for any event along with information about hotels and landmarks around it. You can use Mapmyevent to generate customized link for your own events.
http://www.programmableweb.com/url/5453
tokbox chat
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/20/now-up-to-six-simultaneous-users-on-tokbox-video-chat/
http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=5788
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/

Costa Rica in June (for 2.5 months)

2008-03-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

(video is from CNBC Costa Rica 5-4-06) Ok, so the rumor is true. Joy, Candler and I are going to Costa Rica June 4th - August 12 2008. If we all like it down there, we may decide to try and live there. But before we can, there are many details to work out before we know if that is possible. Joy has given notice to her job, Candler will be out of school, and I hope to continue to work for NovoLogic.com from Costa Rica. We already have tickets and passports for our summer trip. The question on everyones mind is - Why? I have been, and its super friendly, just a 4 hour flight from ATL, and is beautiful. My question is, why wouldnt YOU want to move there? One persons personal experience.

voiceless phonecalls?

2008-03-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

Wireless neckband allows first voiceless phone call. (So you dont have to listen to others blabbing on their cellphone in public). Also could be used for crimes or the military. This technology seems along the same lines as those guys playing video games - using only there minds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5Z12qQJ-gU&NR=1

Thanks to Julie Best for the links

Marketing 2.0

2008-03-13T06:34:00.000-07:00

Interesting rundown of various Web tools used for their product launch. Including the ad above, which is similar to the offering by sprout. May help others with their marketing direction... Links: Leveraging Social Media and Web 2.0 in a Product Launch | Virtual, Viral, Visual...
Thanks to Rob Wong for the links

Dell, the funky homosapien

2008-03-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

This is allegedly an "actual leaked phone conversation" between a customer and Dell sales rep. That authenticity can be debated all you want, but I'm posting it anyways. Mostly because Roberto, the sales rep, calls the customer a little girl -- repeatedly -- because the dude backs out of a sale.

misc links of the week

2008-03-05T15:45:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, we really ran Windows Update from Mozilla/Firefox.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419
Users can update information from any Web browser, by text message from a mobile phone, through a mobile Web browser or by using the downloadable application on Adobe AIR. http://mobilitysite.com/2008/02/new-york-times-company-launches-shifd-in-beta/#more-13411
http://shifd.com/
international calls!
http://www.demo.com/demonstrators/demo2006fall/79820.html
kids programming website
http://scratch.mit.edu/
may come in handy for you worldly travelers
http://www.flyclear.com/
interactive
http://youtube.com/watch?v=B5mwzhUCqkA
http://s3.amazonaws.com/aws-start-up-videos/ooyala.html
http://www.ooyala.com/
http://www.abdulqabiz.com/blog/archives/general/update_getting_youtu.php
http://www.jeroenwijering.com/?thread=6483&edit=40806
http://www.kmcgraphics.com/2007/12/13/how-to-get-the-direct-url-path-to-flv-video-files-on-youtube-for-free/
http://helpmyinternet.blogspot.com/2007/07/how-to-download-video-from-youtube.html
http://keepvid.com/
http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/17972
http://www.envirolet.com/
http://www.persuasivegames.com/games/game.aspx?game=disaffected
http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/
http://www.openwengo.org/

some design/production links...

2008-03-04T07:13:00.000-08:00

http://www.jlwdesign.com/
http://www.iconbuffet.com/
http://www.vecteezy.com/
http://www.bittbox.com/category/freebies/
http://www.texturelove.com/
http://www.reflectionmaker.com/
http://www.gomedia.us/arsenal/freestuff.php
http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/video_workshop/
http://flashpanoramas.com/player/
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/mediaplayer/
AfterEffects scripts
http://aescripts.com/
AfterEffects BG Renderer CS3
http://aescripts.com/2007/08/30/bg-renderer-cs-3/
AfterEffects BG Renderer AE7
http://aescripts.com/2006/11/30/bg-renderer-for-ae7/
how to install
http://aescripts.com/scripts/images/BG_RendererCS3_tutorial.mov

Google SITES!

2008-02-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

Google sites!. Of course you need admin access to a domain (like novologic.com) to run google apps on - to use it - video tour here.

Example pages: 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 10MB file upload limit, 10GB storage - You can insert videos, docs, spreadsheets, presentations, photo slide shows, and calendars directly onto your Google Sites pages. Permission settings let you designate owners, viewers and collaborators (meaning they can edit pages) for your site. And you can make your Google Sites available to just a few people, your entire organization, or the world. VIA: Techcrunch

UPDATE: (still in BETA) The idea behind Kluster is that a group of passionate people working together can come up with better solutions for any decision-making problem than a single person. Whether that is planning an event, designing a new logo, or creating a new product, Kluster believes their system can work. The project you create is not private (may be a BETA change). Signup HERE. VIA: ReadWriteWeb

Adobe AIR goodstuff

2008-02-27T16:35:00.000-08:00

6 Adobe AIR Apps to Check Out
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/some_adobe_air_apps_worth_a_look.php
adobe air applications in the wild
http://www.apollohunter.com/
6 Adobe AIR ActionScript APIs explored, first up File System Access
http://seantheflashguy.com/blog/2008/01/28/6-adobe-air-actionscript-apis-explored-with-example-code/
downloadable showcase applications
http://www.adobe.com/products/air/showcase/
Why don't we use HTML5 (eg. Storage feature) and Prism?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Html5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozilla_Prism

misc links of the week

2008-02-27T16:13:00.000-08:00

BricaBox - The Beginning of Social Content Platforms? (on your own domain?)
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/bricabox_social_content_platform.php
Orglex: Semantic News, Blog and Job Search for Industry Verticals
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/orglex_semantic_search.php
Where to Watch NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL Online
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/where_to_watch_nfl_mlb_nba_nhl_online.php
the place to buy & sell all things handmade
http://www.etsy.com/
nice charts
http://www.visualcomplexity.com/vc/
With BigCarrot Anyone Can Offer an X Prize
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/bigcarrot_inducement_prize_contests.php
Free Rice: Defeat Hunger 2.0
http://www.worthawow.com/free-rice-defeat-hunger-20/
Free! Why $0.00 Is the Future of Business - The Web is all about scale, finding ways to attract the most users for centralized resources, spreading those costs over larger and larger audiences as the technology gets more and more capable. it's about what that equipment can do.
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/16-03/ff_free
similar in functionality to oDesk?
http://www.sourcekibitzer.com/xwiki/bin/view/Main/WebHome
Technorati Tag Generator
http://www.marketwest.co.uk/tools/index.php
FYI - cheat sheets
http://www.scottklarr.com/tag/cheat-sheets/
http://actionscriptcheatsheet.com/blog/
Multitasking Makes You Stupid and Slow
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/01/27/2221228&from=rss
ribbit & grandcentral
http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/19999/
Add Notes to YouTube Videos with Overstream
http://lifehacker.com/344901/add-notes-to-youtube-videos-with-overstream
mashable
http://my.mashable.com/invite/invite
http://www.dustindiaz.com/web-1-point-oh-techniques/

Flex Builder 3 is kickin

2008-02-27T15:47:00.000-08:00

FYI - apparently FLEX is really huge in India...
a directory of flex components in the wild

http://flexbox.mrinalwadhwa.com/

Open Source Flex 2 Component Library
http://code.google.com/p/flexlib/
http://code.google.com/p/flexlib/wiki/ComponentList
flexbook
http://www.quietlyscheming.com/blog/components/flexbook/
fun with adobe air (flv,playlist,screenshots,mp3 player)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKzsWH0sQHs
Flex Active Desktop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOPOXSoArWQ&feature=related
flex Q&A
http://www.searchcoders.com/flex
adobe flex resources
http://flex.org/
http://bkflex.wordpress.com/flex-resources/
http://saumyaray.wordpress.com/category/flex/
http://search.techrepublic.com.com/search/Macromedia+Flex.html
http://www.prayank.net/flexblog/
http://www.codeapollo.com
raleigh durham adobe users group
http://www.rdaug.org/resources/flexresources.cfm
http://www.abdulqabiz.com/blog/archives/flash_and_actionscript/some_adobe_flexflash.php
http://www.deitel.com/ResourceCenters/Programming/AdobeFlex/tabid/1682/Default.aspx
http://www.actionscript.org/resources/categories/Tutorials/Flex/
http://www.bm-one.com/Se/j2ee/flex.html
http://jessewarden.com/category/flex
adobe flex 3 planning wiki
http://flexwiki.adobe.com/confluence/display/ADOBE/Flex+3+Planning
flex overview slideshow
http://www.slideshare.net/prayanks/adobe-flex-resources/

misc links...

2008-02-22T07:32:00.000-08:00

iPaper: a Simple Way to View and Share Documents on the Web
http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2008/02/ipaper-a-simple.html

Keep Tabs on Hard Drive Health with HD Tune
http://lifehacker.com/357542/keep-tabs-on-hard-drive-health-with-hd-tune

sounds in your head? (continued)
http://blog.wired.com/defense/files/Bioeffects_of_Selected_Non-Lethal_Weapons.pdf

What would it take to send the U.S. economy—and New York’s—into free fall?
http://nymag.com/nymag/features/39952/

My Favorite Speculation in the Coming Dollar Rally
http://www.dailywealth.com/archive/2007/nov/2007_nov_08.asp

Make Your Site Mobile-Friendly in Two Minutes
http://www.mikeindustries.com/blog/archive/2005/07/make-your-site-mobile-friendly

can easily change themes of the site
http://www.mikeindustries.com/blog/archive/2005/07/make-your-site-mobile-friendly

bookplate art
http://bookplatejunkie.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html

http://www.avvo.com
Our mission is to help people navigate the complex and confusing legal industry. Choosing a lawyer is an incredibly important decision? Yet most people have no idea how to go about doing it. Avvo is guided by two basic principles: 1. Focus on the needs of regular people. Avvo was created specifically to help people who know very little about the law and may have no experience choosing a lawyer. 2. Provide information, as well as guidance. We believe that providing open access to information about lawyers, coupled with guidance on how to use that information, is the best way to help people choose the right lawyer.

misc. links of the day...

2008-02-20T09:03:00.000-08:00

Is it possible to embed javascript in flash?
Why would I want to do that? One reason is that I could embed that swf object in a sprout.

FS Command: A Short Introduction
http://www.moock.org/webdesign/flash/fscommand/

Flash / JavaScript Integration Kit (Beta)
http://weblogs.macromedia.com/flashjavascript/

Creating Beautiful Interfaces with CSS - 081806
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-988708193861222512

MIT prof's notorious talk on How to Talk
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/02/19/mit-profs-notorious.html

Next Nature -- a designer's vision of a nature overtaken by corporatism
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/02/19/next-nature-a-design.html
LIFT08 Presentation video
http://blog.wired.com/sterling/2008/02/the-freakiest-m.html

SitePoint CSS Reference
http://reference.sitepoint.com/css

sounds/voices in your head?
http://physorg.com/news122567894.html

If you agree that we should be able to purchase alcohol on Sundays in GA, please click on the link in the AJC article below and sign the petition. http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/02/18/booze_0219.html

AVCHD hoop jumping

2008-02-19T16:06:00.000-08:00

We got a new Sony AVCHD video camera at the office - and the camera/video is fantastic! But the format is so new, it seems that only newer software/editing tools support it. Before you go out and get it, make sure you have the software to edit it! Could even be more than the camera itself!?! Here is some detailed info on AVCHD (Advanced Video Codec High Definition). The codec is now being used by Sony, Panasonic and Canon in their new HD cameras.

CoreAVC, a reasonably cheap($15?) and quick h.264 decoder for Windows, can decode AVCHD as well as a variety of other h.264 formats (info via doom9).

Some peeps are using this $30 converter for AVCHD (windows only).

Supposedly Mac supports AVCHD native with iLife 08 (via amazon). and FYI - the swiss army knife for Quicktime (Mac OS) is the Perian codec.

And in related news... 'DVD Jon' frees your media with DoubleTwist.
*Much thanks to Jeff Gray and Michael McReynolds for info posted here.

embeddable video playlist

2008-02-19T13:25:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to test out an embeddable video playlist. Meloop allows users to search for videos, create groups of videos, share (email) with friends, or embed them in websites. I dont know of any other site out there that is making it that easy to do it. If you know of some, send em my way (via the comments section on this blog please). Meloop is still in BETA - so they are still doing many tweaks to the site, but its functioning fine by my accounts...

swfIR / sIFR 3beta2

2008-02-19T09:19:00.000-08:00

Question: Is there an html or other device we can download, and it show all the sIFR fonts in my collection? Much like a font book?
Could it be possible to use sIFR fonts in other apps? Like AfterEffects, Photoshop, Illustrator, on your system?
Flash is so prevalent, could it be a better format (than TTF, etc)?

sIFR Flash Fonts Library
http://www.isarie.com/?p=17

convert any TTF font into a SWF Flash file for use with sIFR. (Requires .NET 2.0).
http://digitalretrograde.com/Projects/sifrFontEmbedder/

sIFR 2007: The Roundup (sIFR3 beta)
http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2007/04/27/sifr-2007-the-roundup/

swf Image Replacement: sIFR for your Pictures
http://www.swfir.com/

sIFR3 beta2 - FEB 08
http://novemberborn.net/sifr3

sIFR showcase web examples
http://www.alvit.de/sifrbeauty/

More sIFR font collections
http://cg.scs.carleton.ca/~luc/sifr.html
http://www.fortysomething.ca/mt/etc/archives/design_elements/fonts/

Set Top Box/PVR/PC

2008-02-18T07:23:00.000-08:00

Why burn content to DVD to watch it on your tv? Media is dead?!? Not yet. This box (Divx Connetcted) is apparently only for watching (windows) divx videos, music and photos (jpgs/bmps). But it does look like there are plugins being developed, however it looks like the plugins are channel/content based? More info on this device here: 01 | 02 | 03
Im not planning spending my money on physical media like Blu-Ray, especially since it will be defunct soon. With online storage and backup available - the only thing holding (most) people back is cost and transfer time. And that may be the tipping point.
I think that a mythtv, dreambox, orb.com, slingbox, or apple tv may be a better solution for now.
My ideal set top box would have:
-internet surfing
-plays most file formats
-storage or usb for external drive
-does videophone
-built in wifi, acts as a router

THE SIGNAL MOVIE RELEASE

2008-02-16T18:54:00.000-08:00

So some friends of mine created a movie (THE SIGNAL), and it premieres this Thursday, February 22, 2008 - at the Plaza (Atlanta GA). Im planning to be at the premiere - and celebrating with them. My buddy Kevin told me about sproutbuilder - so I thought I'd try it out:

grandcentral + gizmo = supafree?

2008-02-15T10:26:00.000-08:00

Are free calls to 60 countries possbile? Im trying to find out... GrandCentral adds Gizmo Support!!! (article here) Info on how it works - on GrandCentrals website. More info on free VOIP forwarding. BETA video calls for windows users. *Of course you will need headset to use for phonecalls on the PC. Questions that i dont have complete answers for: -free unlimited international calls? -works with cellphone too? Also checkout ringbranch.com and fring.com.

Web 3.0 ideas/concepts

2008-02-13T05:10:00.000-08:00

(in other words, what i (and ideas from others) think the next generation of web needs to be)
-every webpage could be user re-configureable. And a layout/style button. In theory, the last person to modify the page - is the way the next new person would see it. The returning users would view the layout that they have chosen or created (via a cookie). The layout button would be a dropdown, to view all of the various styles in sequential order. This would enable users to potentially make the site more usable to each individual. Elements such as videos/channels and music could also be shown on the page - along with the provided content from the site. Something like - we are promoting this video, here are your collected videos. The user could quickly add this sites video to their playlist or video collection. The same goes for the written content, photos or music. Could the user add elements? Based upon a browser setting, other users could choose to enable or disable this, along with a
Social aspects(facebook) and widgets would also be tied in. I would think that the mobile users would have an impact in this as well.
-content is open and easily portable or collectable
-less keyboard(more 1 click functionality) - easier to use(usability). Using openid for automatic username & passwords, voice entry, (kinda similar to minority report).
-Fully controlling our data and interface. A mash-up, personalization through configuration
-Ease of connectability, thru various hardware advancements
-Semantic -to perform reasoning on user's behalf or machine-facilitated understanding of information in order to provide a more productive and intuitive user experience
-more pervasive??? (technology used by other devices as well - phones)
-applications would be hosted
-more free services & software
-3D paradigm(2nd life web experience) will come of age in Web 4.0

To borrow from businessweek: A web that gives people the tools to craft their own tools, their own software, etc. Why go to YouTube when you can set up your own MyTube, with the same functionality but tailored to the specific purposes of your blog/community website/etc. People will be able to create their own complex online social media tools with a few clicks, but remain linked to other tools and other people through tagging, rss and all that good stuff.

Special Reports Web 3.0

Silicon Valley Entrepreneur & Strategy Consultant Sramana Mitra, after receiving reactions and feedback on her definition of Web 3.0, writes a follow-on synthesis explaining why the Semantic Web can only be implemented in a Contextual Domain. Thus, Web 3.0 according to her, is a Verticalized, Contextualized, Personalized Web. 01 | 02 | 03

From geraldjoseph.typepad.com:
1. gestural and voice computing-with the growing emergence of interaction design, user interface design technology and innovative emphasis software will eventually be operated via gestures of the hand or eye (similar to virtual reality gaming) and voice via certain demands
2. more software embedded in browsers-many new software companies are moving towards the 'always on' model where software operates via a browser and doesn't require any downloading or installation on your desktop or server
3. eventually there will, most likely, be a linkability web app that allows you to use all of your disparate desktop, server, and mobile devices and programs (including telephones, fax, instant messaging, pagers) in a single browser window on your desktop or handheld device
4. you also have to begin to expect the advent of avatar interactions in virtual worlds as a part of social networking and social shopping

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_3

Much thanks to Charlie Deppner, Michael McReynolds for thoughts/input.

Freelance opportunities abound

2008-02-12T05:39:00.000-08:00

Had dinner with my friend Kris Sheets the other night - and he mentioned oDesk. Its worth a look. Apparently they made a splash on the scene in 2006. They outsource to Freelancers, IT Companies, Programmers, Web Designers, and more - oDesk. And here is my profile. Articles here: The On Demand Global Workforce - oDesk, oDesk/O'Reilly Tech Visualizations, oDesk Provides On-demand Skills.

I found a huge list of freelancing job sites.

My buddy Bill told me that eworkmarkets.com(now defunct) was what he used, until they folded. They charged $$$ and left a lot of people unpaid, no warning - in 2007. He also had a cool idea - an app that emails you when certain jobs match across several sites. Some might have this function already. Also - if you wrote a very niche app but wanted to know when/if someone was looking for that type of app. There are sites that you can sign up for for "reputation" reviews
like rapleaf and spock. So if some client is on that, and has good feedback/reputation, you have more confidence in them. You can also use these sites: programmermeetdesigner.com
, xing, linkedin, rentacoder, elance. The problem with a lot of these job sites is that they often have mostly low $ stuff.

Edit PDF documents online with PDF Hammer

2008-02-08T10:32:00.000-08:00

PDF Hammer is an online utility that lets you perform basic edits to PDF files. You can upload an individual file or multiple files and rearrange or delete pages and then export your project as a new PDF file. The site provides a quick and simple solution for combining multiple PDF documents into one file or for stripping away pages you don't need in a long document.

The developer is working on adding additional features like the ability to rotate pages and apply watermarks and stamps to pages. The only thing that would make PDF Hammer easier to use? A desktop client. Sure it's nice that you don't have to register or download anything to use the application. But if you've got a bunch of files to edit, it can be kind of tedious uploading them one at a time. Via: DownloadSquad.com. More info: How to pwn PDF password protection, Convert docs to PDF online -free.

Update: Five Email Addresses that Convert Documents (docx, mp3, wav, pdf, html) and Convert PDF to HTML online.

Music for 18 - Steve Reich

2008-02-04T18:34:00.000-08:00

A cool article I heard over the weekend - with some very cool music... At almost an hour in length, the piece unfolds like a slowly shifting dream, with sections of repeated material ebbing and flowing around a cycle of 11 chords. It's scored for strings, percussion, woodwinds and voices, and takes tremendous concentration on the part of the 18 players. To this day, the work is mainly performed by the composer and his loyal group of musicians. Listen Via NPR. Some ok videos on youtube.

Free SEO Tips/Comparison

2008-02-04T18:08:00.001-08:00

Want to know how to get your Website high up in natural search results, but don’t want to pay a search engine optimization (SEO) firm just to find out what you are doing wrong? Now you can get a free, automated evaluation of your site on Website Grader. Just type in your Website address, and it will spit out a report detailing what you can do to boost your site’s SEO juice. It even gives you a grade. Part of Hubspot. Via TechCrunch

the ole Web 2.0

2008-01-29T18:16:00.000-08:00

From Wikipedia - the phrase Web 2.0 can refer to a trend in web design and development — a perceived second generation of web-based communities and hosted services (such as social-networking sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies) which aim to facilitate creativity, collaboration, and sharing between users. So whats next (Web 3.0)? To help answer that, I wanted to get a grasp of what Web 2.0 was. I will address 3.0 in a future blog post....

creating a playlist

2008-01-29T16:43:00.000-08:00

This is an example from meloop.com. They are brand new, and still have some kinks to work out - but it works. Full screen from this URL. The great thing about this site is that it hits google videos, youtube, and myspace - with more to come. My question is - why dont they let users have the functionality to aggregate other video content from other sites? Looks like Lycos may have similar functionality too. I really like the wide capability of the chumby player, but I want to get rid of the shell - and just have the screen. There are more playlist generators out there, so take a look around and see what works best for you: How to create an XML playlist, with youtube.com, imeem.com, JW FLV MediaPlayer, MeFeedia.com, VideoSticky.com, Clipstream.com, with Silverlight... Does your blog or website have videos?

RIA done quickly = Adobe Thermo?

2008-01-28T10:03:00.000-08:00

Bad news is, still in private beta -and no date of release has been set. "Thermo" is an upcoming Adobe product that makes it easy for designers to create rich Internet application UIs. Thermo allows designers to build on familiar workflows to visually create working applications that easily flow into production and development. Great video intro here. Thermo lab page. With hot new technologies -discussed in video, you gotta subscribe to this.

More to share?

2008-01-24T10:15:00.000-08:00

Nowadays, do really really need the entire computing power of one PC (for each of us)? For gamers - maybe so. But think about it - is there a hardware device that will allow any PC to be used by 2 or more users -simultaneously? Kinda the idea of a reverse of a KVM switch. Ideally, the other users would have another screen (to view), keyboard, and mouse. Worst case scenario - users could share a split screen. But just imagine how this might help the poorer communities. Maybe even help curb some eco waste? Great for coffeeshops that share wifi/pcs. Could this be done remotely (like logmein.com) or at least wirelessly? Could this idea greatly extend the OLPC (One Laptop per Child Foundation)? or http://pixelqi.com/?

WARNING! Apple's QT 7.4 update disables...

2008-01-23T06:57:00.000-08:00

Apple's recent QT 7.4 update disables Adobe's After Effects: "According to numerous posts on Apple's discussion forums (several threads of which have been deleted by Apple), as well as a number of popular video editing blogs, Apple's recent QT 7.4 update does more than just enable iTunes video rentals — it also disables Adobe's professional After Effects video editing software. Attempting to render video files after the update results in a DRM permissions error. Unfortunately, it is not possible to roll back to a previous version of QT without doing a full OSX reinstall. Previous QT updates have also been known to have severe issues with pro video editing apps." My question is: Could you convert the Quicktime to another format -and be able to edit? -Via Slashdot. More info here: DefectiveByDesign.org

easy, cheap, web based backup!

2008-01-22T11:25:00.000-08:00

Originally started in May of 2006, Carbonite (Windows only, Mac peeps should try Zmanda or Mozy) will backup all the data on your computer as long as it’s connected to the internet - for only $50/year! The service has no upload limits!
My favourite thing about Carbonite is actually the "set and forget" nature of it. Installation is just a single wizard-driven setup executable and an online registration. After which you pick the files you want to back up (by default its My Documents and Desktop) and bob's your uncle! Backup is done is the background over your broadband connection and it picks up when you're computer's idle and slows down when you're working.
The only things to grapple with here is trusting these servers and the time it takes to backup and restore. It will take a few days to backup all my data (excluding programs) but once that is done, it is only incremental backups that take place. A complete restore will take about half that time depending on the speed of your broadband connection's downstream.
Carbonite=$50 yr (link 01, 02)
Mozy=$5 mo. (link 01)
Zmanda=$.20 GB mo. (link 01)

OnlineLeagueManager.com

2008-01-22T10:50:00.000-08:00

So my company [Novologic.com] is ramping up production of the revised interface and web based service for one of their subsidiaries: OnlineLeagueManager.com I created the look and feel for the new design, and may be involved with the production. Its been in use for over 4 years now, by various parks and leagues. Why wait in those long lines - and have to deal with all that paperwork? If you, or someone you know is interested in learning more about this service, please contact Steve Taylor @ 770-277-1030ext247 or info@novologic.com.

Jott & Sandy = Productivity Boost

2008-01-11T07:44:00.001-08:00

With Jott, a user can call a toll-free number and leave a message up to 30 seconds long. The resulting audio file is transcribed by workers in India, and its contents are sent to the user as an e-mail or text message -FOR FREE! Jott has just rolled out some incredible updates where you can send a note, not only to yourself, but to other people who's email addresses or SMS #'s you have loaded into your contacts. Send a message to one person, or a group of people. Its ideal for to do lists, reminders, communicating with groups, blogging, and more. Combine Jott with Sandy for even more productivity assistance.
Jott is only one of several young companies experimenting with new services marrying voice, text messages, and the Internet. In November 2006, voice-over-Internet company ViaTalk introduced Braincast, which works much like Jott, except that it delivers the actual sound file recorded by the user rather than a text transcription. (Jott sends both.) QTech of Hyderabad, India, is testing a similar service called ReQall. Pinger lets users send voice mail without actually placing phone calls; the recipient gets a text message with a link to the audio file. British firm SpinVox works with cellular carriers to turn subscribers' voice mails into e-mails, text messages, or blog entries. And for $9.99 a month, SimulScribe will convert up to 40 of your voice mails into text messages. Credits: Technology Review, StudentLinc, Jeff Gray, Burke Allen & Bob Horton

spam filtering for snail mail?!?

2008-01-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

Are you tired of opening your postal mailbox only to find it littered with catalogs for products you'll never buy or from companies you've never heard of? Do you think about deforestation as you throw out the catalogs without even thumbing through them? The Ecology Center started a project (complete with slick web interface) called Catalog Choice to help us fight back against catalog spam. It's a pretty simple concept: you register on the site, search their catalog database for that "unique gift" catalog you want to stop receiving, and tell Catalog Choice that you want to opt out of it. They will contact the catalog company for you, ultimately saving trees and your mailbox space.

The service is free, and you can have multiple names and residences on one account. While there is not currently a way to opt out of all catalogs with one click, you can submit catalogs that don't appear in their lists. We are fans of helping the environment and preventing spam at no cost! Via DownloadSquad.com -

SupaEasy Remote Desktop

2008-01-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

Crossloop is a remote desktop application with an easy to understand interface. You can literally get up and running in minutes without knowing a thing about ports or protocols.

There are other applications that will let you connect to another PC over ther internet like LogmeIn or VNC. But neither is as easy to use as Crossloop. Normally, remote desktop applications require that the host PC to run a server which can be complicated to set up, not so with Crossloop. The person needing assistance just installs crossloop and runs the main application, then goes to share, and gives the access code to whoever is helping them. That person then enters access code and all the difficult stuff is handled by the Crossloop server.

Crossloop recently created a social network, connecting people who have problems with people who want to fix them. You can even build up expertise, a type of karma system that reflects on how effective you are. From: Downloadsquad.com

Free movies - it was only a matter of time

2008-01-10T09:43:00.001-08:00

Obviously illegal, Joox.net is currently an underground website from Sweden, but climbing the ranks on digg, lets you watch free Video-on-demand, Movies, Music videos, TV shows, Documentaries, Cartoons, and more without paying, thats right FREE. You need Divx to watch. Movies don't last long so the ones on the front page are most likely to be there. And you can also download them!?! Thanks to Frank for the link! More info here. Joox.com too?

Free Anti-Virus

2008-01-10T07:43:00.000-08:00

So I recently had an infection with the adware device Virtumonde (on my WindowsXP laptop). I did the research, found tons of articles and links, got led in several useless directions, begged my friends for help - and tried harder. I highly recommend installing the free Adaware 2007(by Lavasoft), even tho it found the problem (and several), it somehow DID NOT get rid of it completely (but its still a great tool). What did seem to work (only time will tell) is the AVG Free Advisor. And the kicker - yes, its free!
The other great free program that I recommend is the Commodo Personal Firewall. Sure it nags you very very much in the beginning, but after a week - the thing is silent, in the background, watching for any unrecognized stituation. Their other product BOClean, didnt seem to work too well - so skip it if you can. I think that this firewall is far better than the WindowsXP firewall.
For an ad blocker, I just use the Firefox browser (most ads and viruses are made to work with IE) with these plugins: Adblock, Adblock Plus, Adblock filterset G updater. Personally I think Norton is too bloated, and McAfee just puts all kinds of hooks into your system - not too mention - why pay for this stuff? If you are so compelled, I highly recommend nod32(by eset). If not, just make a donation or purchase a full version of some of the software listed above.
UPDATE: Runscanner looks interesting. And this could come in handy: Hotspot Shield is a free program which creates a virtual private network between your computer and a wireless router. While its focus is mainly on protecting your private information from hackers, it also keeps sniffers from recognizing that you are outside the US.

Grab files from cache

2008-01-09T18:12:00.000-08:00

So being a Firefox fan (and an Opera fan before that), I have been dissapointed that I hadnt heard of an easy way to grab files from the cache (easily, like in IE). I went looking for an answer, and I found something that works pretty good. The best option that Ive seen was this simple built in function: "Right-click on the page > View Page Info. Switch to the \"media\" tab > select the file you want to download > Press [Save As]". I found several viewers - but I dont want to view - I want to grab files from the cache. Sure it still treats swf (and maybe other files) kinda wierd, but you can still get em.