Life in Tech

Maturity in the business world does not happen over night.

2011-11-04T19:37:00.001-07:00

Having spent many years of my career supporting Microsoft products (not so much for the love of them), I really feel that Google has moved the business of hosted products to equal if not the better choice.

Google Docs has brought the office suite that you can take anywhere. Something Microsoft failed to provide until Office 360. Though I must admit Google Docs has a flaw that is hard to over come. In App support. If you have an application that exports a word or excel format and have your office suite hosted in the cloud then you lose export functionality in that application. Now I am sure there is either an API or plugin to fix this. Which leaves you limited to your vendor support.

Gmail has become an email service yet to be matched by any other out there. I have about a dozen email addresses from all sorts of mail providers. In previous years I used a few accounts for spam, family, business, RSS feeds you name it. At the time it was easier to sign up with a service and filter traffic through different accounts. With Gmail it is complex yet simple enough to precess a large inbox and have the noise out of the way as soon as you check your messages. It's unmatched.

Google+ in Google Apps. Facebook has brought a lot of attention to business. Social media has become a perfect marriage for marketing products to broad audiences with very little effort. Almost every business markets themselves on social media. Google+ allows companies to tie their employees social side of business right into their Google Apps profile. Though Google+ currently does not feature business integration as far as company profile, I can see no reason why it would not be a comfortable choice for companies who use Google Apps to adopt when made available. As a company, the ability to show your company enthusiasm by having your employees Google+ profile attached to a company Google+ page creates a positive image for the company. It's the elevator pitch of a life time if done right. "Hi, this is our company. Here is our marketing team. Here is what our company is about. This was our goal we hit. This is why we love you as a customer!" You can add the company to a circle. More so you can drill down and add just the marketing team because that is who you normally deal with. Then in the marketing team you pull out a few favorites and add the to a more personal circle because you have common interest or business with them specifically. What better way is there to be social other than face to face. Done correctly Google+ could tie social media into the business suite with less headache and effort.

There are quite a few tools tucked away into Google Apps but the last one I will cover today is message continuity. As I have only begun to discover this function the positives are weighing heavy for the business application of this feature. Some businesses will always swear by exchange. Which is fine. To each their own, but having the option to duplicate your mail in the cloud to extremely reduce down time for messages during outages is hands down important. Some Postini configurations, additions and configurations to exchange, and you have a redundant mail client that goes with you and synchronizes between Gmail and Microsoft Exchange. This my friends has become the best of both worlds answer that will make cloud backup a positive note for business.

Though a serious subject I smirk at the "Go Green Save a Tree" bit:

2010-12-12T02:13:00.000-08:00

Don't get me wrong I'm all for saving the environment. Though I must say people really go about this the wrong way. Now take away what you wish from my post but this is my opinion and not a full researched one. So before you criticize I'm saying up front I could be completely wrong. This is just how I see it thats all.

My first note is about companies like Apple who produce advertised eco-friendly products. Now it is great that they are using these materials. But! The whole Apple business plan is for you to buy their new product. They are very brilliant marketeers. I give them that. How do they make their sales numbers pop? They entice their customers to buy something new every year with options they omitted in the prior product. How many people buy an iPhone and upgrade as soon as the new one comes out with more features? Quick answer for you. Watch a Steve Jobs Keynote. Now is this a bad business practice. No it's not. Though I do find this is when a company as large as Apple should look into providing solutions and incentives for customers to donate their old product when they upgrade. I use Apple products despite the fact they have a closed platform. I'll go into that in another thread. I also recommend them to many people because they are great products. We can compare the same theory to the automotive industry but I'm a tech guy. Very few of us want our sports cars or race cars not running on fuel. We want performance and appearance that suits our taste. So we need to find a happy medium. My opinion for this happy medium is for companies offer a trade-up program that is eco-friendly. Thus reducing waste.

The next thing I want to go into is paper and software. We hear a lot of recycle paper and we're wasting so many trees. Part of this is true but here in America our tree farmers actual replace the majority if not all the trees during their process of harvesting trees. Though many will not complain when they get their fresh Christmas tree at the end of the year. If your going to be on the wagon use all of the wheels. A missing wheel can make for a wobbly ride. Again where is the happy medium when it comes to paper. This day and age there are always connected smart phones and computers. Becoming paper independent is actually a little easier than people think. Apple has an option build into the Mac OS, Windows has a free app called CutePDF, and other paid software that allows you to print your files in a .pdf format, and Linux has a built in function all the same. For those who don't understand this option; you actual are just printing your file into a format that you can use almost anywhere. Your phone, home computer, work computer, and so on. This is only a eco-friendly option. Of coarse there is always times you will need a paper format. On the why you should print to pdf vs paper: that file can travel in your pocket in a phone with out getting a wrinkle, you can store many pages with limitations usually based on what viewer you use to open the file. What will this help accomplish? One is that this file is going to save you ink in your printer and use of paper. Two as I mentioned earlier is portability as in you can take it any where. This helps in reducing paper but not having to go completely paperless since you can always print this file when needed.

Onto the software. One of the largest problems in computing which changed I think in the late 60's "I'm still young so correct me if I'm wrong" was proprietary software. Meaning software companies made it so you had to buy their software to view or edit their files. I will pick on Microsoft for this one. Lets look at Microsoft Office. Until recent years the only option was to purchase Microsoft's Office suit to create and edit a Word document. If your asking what impact does this have in the eco-friendly environment, then consider how large businesses must constantly purchase new software and hardware to stay current with business needs. As an I.T. Director I purchased more equipment that was tailored strictly to the Microsoft environment because there were no options for using current equipment to handle the workload Microsoft was putting on them. Yes that is part of growth and staying a high tech business. But for tasks as simple or complex as editing documents; this should not be the case. I am not on the same page as a full blown FOSS (free open source software) I still think that companies need to earn their money but there needs to be a happy medium. Quick example. There would be no Pepsi if we could only drink Coke. Two different drinks that are classified as a cola. In the computer field I think the happy medium is for software vendors to focus more on offering their functions (options) over format. A recent case for example is Bluray and HD DVD. Both formats were capable of delivering great content. We chose to make a final industry decision to ditch the other. Thus we created a huge HD DVD waste.

My point in this post is to shed a little light on the whole go green campaign. Yes it is a good thing. Yes it makes for great advertising. But there lies our problem. We have turned a debate into a profit. When it should be more like knowing you need to brush your teeth in the morning. It should not be a burden or an expensive change in life style.

Though I'm not a heavy eco-friendly person I have began to make some changes. Here to list a few.

1. I've gone from a custom built top of the line computer down to a netbook only option. Limited but its capable. Before I migrated I stored my data on large drives and donated the machine to a family member in need.

2. I've began to store my files (except private information files) in the cloud (online) using multiple sources. Examples: I no longer have to purchase that $80 planner anymore by migrating all my calendar info to Google calendars and sharing is not a hassle. I have told people I need to share files with about Windows Live Office and its 25GB storage option. Create, edit, and share your docs right from there. I also use Google Docs. I use multiple file hosting and sharing sites that integrate into computing and mobile environments well such as box.net, dropbox, Windows Live Mesh, ZumoDrive. All have folders that you can sync between computer, cloud, and mobile for greater access to your files.

3. For printing I use Adobe Acrobat 8 Pro which installs a pdf printer for paperless printing. Though the occasional paper print is still needed. At one point in time I had a digital picture frame for viewing my personal photos. With smartphones, tv's, Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, and networked BluRay and DVD players I can view my favorite prints on almost any screen.

All of the products we use in this technology age produce a high carbon foot print. But we are not going back decades to change our habits. So lets find the happy medium and go about it from every angle not just a way to create profitable marketing.

The friends and family must haves.

2010-12-01T11:39:00.001-08:00

There are a few apps I want to throw out there that are almost must have for your friends and family users. Most are Vista and Windows 7 but some can apply to the still using XP users.

With the exception of all XP users; this download adds the new features for Vista users and adds the missing features for Windows 7 users. Two main features that most home users will use most from these services are Live Photo Gallery and Mail. Most of the users I recommend this software to enjoy the Live Photo Gallery for the tagging and the new facial recognition process of organizing and enhancing their photos. While not perfect it gives Windows users a great free tool to manage photos in a fashion similar to iPhoto. The option to sign into your SkyDrive, Flicker, Facebook, YouTube, and others including the option to add a few select others such as Picasa Web etc. (Click the picture for the link to download.)

The second part to Live Essentials requires a Hotmail or Live mail account to access Windows Live SkyDrive. With SkyDrive you get 25 GB of online secure storage that you can use to upload Photos, use as a backup drive for computer files, or share files across multiple computers you may use. In addition to getting free online storage; with the Live account you have access to Office Online to edit Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations, and One Note for Notes. None of these require the application installed on the computer but does require an active internet connection to change edit. (Click the picture for the link to signup.)

The next application I would like to share is Trillian Instant Messenger. We all know our family members use IM or Facebook to communicate every now and again. Trillian has a great interface, tons of options, and connects to almost every chat client you can throw at it. To include: Facebook, AIM, Yahoo!, GTalk, MySpace, IRC, Skype, and so on. Not only can it chat; it also sends you notifications on arriving emails for the attached accounts. For social sites such as Facebook you can view wall posts from friends and comment right inside the application without opening your browser. Double click and it brings you right to the page in you web browser. (Click the picture to download Trillian.)

The last application I want to include is TeamViewer. This is the best remote desktop application I have personally used over the years. It is free and has a Business solution for Premium users. Almost four days out of the week I tend to receive a call to work on a friends or family members computer. The first thing I tell them is to load this program. Once installed you receive a unique set of numbers that represent the computer it is installed on. It also provides a alphanumeric password that changes daily automatically. Or for the more worried user you can click and change it with one click if you like. It has the essentials needed to do almost anything such as; remote control, presentation, chat, file transfer, video and audio, and the option to record the session etc. A must have application if you ever need to work on your friends computer or just want to access your home computer from the office, smartphone, or laptop (thumb drive app, iPhone, and Android apps available). Click picture to download TeamViewer.)

Wise Registry Cleaner. Each plays a key role in keeping a computer running great. Though user error can never stop most problems that accumulate viruses, spam, and such. I can personally say after years of use practices and working in the I.T. industry these are the apps I recommend. All free and not to heavy in the resource area. A few quick details on their uses. Microsoft Security Essentials will scan you computer for virus and malware. ccleaner scans the hard drive and registry for temp file, unused data, ect. Basically rids all the things left unused. SpyBot S&D checks for spyware; usually downloaded from the internet and sends back data from your computer. Lastly Wise Registry Cleaner will rid the registry of unused components that can begin to degrade Windows. Hope this list will help users enjoy their computer use and aide in productivity.

Tech Blogs or Rants and Raves! [IMO]

2010-03-02T03:01:00.001-08:00

The majority of post running out there in the wild have been more rants or opinions that are displayed to be facts in the title. Once you start reading on there seems to be a lack of any proof or supporting data. No one really has been putting out real note worthy posts any more. Half of the time you spot a headline and think to yourself here is some more BS. Like "why a company is doing this". Then you get a crap load of someones opinion. If it is your opinion state it clearly as an opinion. It is getting to the point where post are nothing more than an experiance of sifting through every friends new game acheivement in Facebook. Look I value peoples opinion. But if your post is all about what you think about a product or service then make it say so in your title. If you have hard proof then lay it out there as such. SEO means squat if you are putting out a good title and subpar writing behind it. I don't claim to be an Lit major but I'm sure in Literature 101 they teach value of content or how appeal to your audiance. Digg has become flooded with these post. I used to enjoy findind news and opinions there. The Engadget and god forbid Gizmodo have fallen heavy in this realm. And they pay these people for their content. When I see certain writers under the header I don't even bother to read any further. There just needs to be more to tech news than SEO. For those who may not understand that term it is search engine optimization. It's to try and get you a high ranking in search sites. I feel as if our tech writers are following a path such as FOX news. You watch it and think "wow really that is news". That's all I got today. Enjoy.

[IMO] What Google is Contributing:

2010-02-12T18:12:00.000-08:00

I was an early adopter of Google and their products as soon as they came on board. So this post may seem one sided. That is why IMO begins its title.

We are all seeing Google vs Apple vs .... But what the general population is failing to look at is what Google is trying to build. Their ecosystem is starting to really come together in ways that people and businesses alike can do almost anything an operating system has to offer on the web. That is their goal. By adding a mobile platform that can adopt all of these technologies in a similar fashion you now have the ability to actually have a convenience of being away from your computer and be almost as productive. It goes to show that Google is trying to build a web friendly environment that can adopt all of the favorite things you like about the web and most of what you like about you personal computer.

To start with lets look at Google's search engine. Google was started as a web experience improvement company. They saw a way to improve search and search habits. They brought more meaningful advertising to companies by search habits so your search shows a more relevant company selling a product similar to the topic you are looking for. Instead of someone paying a premium price to always be at the top of the list with no relevance to what you may be searching for. They also have the most "keep it simple stupid" approach in their search home page.

Now lets look at Gmail. The approach here was to offer you more control over your email. Sure business had its corporate email and Office suite while we had our personal Yahoo! and Hotmail. So how could you adopt the best of both worlds. Google introduces Gmail. with tasks, calendar, and email all tied into a web mail client. They have expanded Gmail with many options. Labels(otherwise known as folders), filters, the best spam filtering, chat built in with Google Talk, and many other option under labs. It is the email client that has made the Yahoo! and Hotmail of their time to adapt to more of what people were looking for in a email client. A business option with a personal look.

Lets look at Maps now. Nothing new as there was MapQuest already on the scene when it came out. We were used to looking at Maps and getting directions but what we did not have was the ability to search for a name of a place or a product a place may sell and then see a map of the locations to find the closest one to us. This app has not changed a whole lot since its release but more and more options are now starting to exist in their layers and new labs features. What really gave this app a refresh was street view. They went across nations in vans to give you a in-depth close look at what to expect when you get to a location and what you are hunting for. Their mobile version is actually more robust than the web as of date.

Videos: Well when they first started in the video market they failed. Not miserably but could not compete with the college fan based rival YouTube. So they buy the competition. IMO it was a good move. Now we have a better option of searching for videos right out of the search box. YouTube has evolved into a video service that is a house hold name and a service that is now moving into our living rooms. The option to see user based content right on the big screen is now a reality and not a myth. So what came of the acquisition is a far better search option in finding a video right in your homepage of your browser. They did not invent the wheel but again created a better web experience.

News: Here again nothing new. They just made searching a news site and linking the content less of a task by combining the top news feeds into one location. Much like people use their personal RSS feeds. You have options to search for topics of your choice if you do not like the default layout. Again using their search algorithms you can find content specific headlines to your taste. If you need a more personal feel then you do your own homework and use their Google Reader app. RSS feeds are pulled and categorized to your specific needs in the content from websites that you visit most. So you get the content that you are looking for directly. It is almost like printing your own newspaper with the info you are most interested in.

For your office productivity needs Google offers Google Docs. Here you have a suite of apps that cater to you documentation, spreadsheet, forms, and presentation needs. Though there is a learning curve on the format side there are very similar functions in which users are used to using when creating these files. All of which give you sharing built right in to the app. Something that was tied mainly to the corporate world. The added plus to this app is the fact that your documents are available to you at any time and any where. Some have completely moved to using Google Docs over your standard purchasable applications for these added functionalities and the simple fact that it is at no cost to the end user. Though putting certain docs in the cloud has a lot of users worried about security. So the comment "user discretion is advised" need be applied here. Still Google claims its security is its main goal and we all have to be open minded and consider the risks of personal and professional docs in the open cloud. With Google Apps on the corporate side this is a little more security assured but all in all it is a very safe gamble to use this service if your contents are not a security risk for you.

Blogger was added to give the public a free platform to post their views, ideas, or anything else. It is a no brainer approach for you to share your content with the world. You can design a page to your likings and put out information on your views of anything you want. It can be used as your voice to the world. Not a new concept and probably not the best but guess what it is all built around your Google experience. Its a platform for you to put your thoughts and views out there for the public to see. Mine is based on technology since that is the field I am most prominent in. Here I can write about anything I want and anyone interested can see my views on a specific topic. Not only is it a chance to put my views out there but by using Google adsense I can actually gain some income from it if the blog becomes popular. So Blogger is what you want to make it. Personal to the sense that you are putting your thoughts out there for the public to see.

A newer project put out by Google is Google Voice. They purchased Grand Central so users could have their own personal voice mail service. Still growing in popularity as it was closed to invite only Google Voice not only gives you the option of voice mail but also gives you a free text messaging platform. With the acquisition of Gizmo5 we may see more features to this app but only time will tell. Here you get to pick a phone number or you have the option to import your own number and use it as your personal PBX. With options to block numbers, group your contacts for specific options and greetings, and text your contacts on any service provider for free. The most advance feature I believe is the transcription of your voice mail into text. It is not perfect but it gives you the options to see the content of a voice mail and see if it has merit for listening.

Google's latest creation Google Buzz. I know I skipped out Google Talk but as we all know it is a instant messaging client. So instead of going over Talk here I am going to voice my opinion on Buzz. What Buzz offers is a platform similar to what we have grown to use. The only difference is going to be this one is part of your ever growing Google ecosystem. Today we use the Twitters, Facebooks, and countless other social media apps to share what is going on to others on a day to day bases in almost a real time fashion. With Buzz this finally opens the door to get your Google profile as much recognition as these other options. People have rarely used their Google profile for this reason until now. Your Google profile gives the public and private people a peek into you own Google ecosystem. By adding a social platform for your profile you can now show others what you have been working on all in one location and give them up to date information that is going on in your life and specify if you want to share this to the public or just your private contacts. It is the gateway to getting you own Google domain out there finally. With the option to have all you eggs in one basket. That is how I see it being useful.

The last Google products I am going to discuss is Google Chrome, Chrome OS, and Android. The reason for this being the last portion is this actually sums up what the ecosystem is about. Google's Chrome browser has started turning heads. It is fast and is starting to gain on Firefox. I have been a very avid Firefox user since its debut. I must say that I am very hungry to see how Chrome can take over my Firefox use. I have lately made Chrome my default browser to compare my experiences with each. The most intuitive feature that has caught my attention is the separate processes per tab. One of the hugest advances I have seen that has help keep my system from being bogged down. Firefox has grown to be a very memory hungry browsing experience for me. The fact that web pages are providing this hungry content means that browsers have to find a way to keep this experience enjoyable without over killing the computer. Though my computer is only a couple years old it has the highest specs of that time. Hand built by me I know this. So Chrome, the much awaited Chrome OS for the netbook world, and Android are the tools that are making this ecosystem a manageable reality. Google is pulling together all of these services and giving us the tools to use them in a so called Google environment. Some may say monopoly. I say it is not a monopoly for the fact that there is competition out there for each and every product Google offers. They just give you the option to keep your content in one convenient place. They do not force you to use their services nor do they block you from using other services. It is what (and I use this term loosely ) open source is all about. You the consumer unless you purchase their branded phone pay nothing to Google.

So the whole contribution of Google products Search, Gmail, Maps, News, Reader, Docs, Blogger, Voice, Buzz, Talk, Chrome, Android, and Chrome OS etc when used appropriately give you a central location to do just about anything. All of these features have functions even on a mobile platform. Google has built a option to take what ever you do on a personal computer and given you options to do something equivalent anywhere at almost anytime. The most dependable factor is connectivity. To even top that factor Google is working on making connectivity a smaller factor in the whole equation. Free WiFi in areas and their new 1Gig per household project are paving the road to a better web experience. Is that not how they started out in the beginning.

I say thank you to Google because not only have you made leaps and bounds you have made many more companies do the same to keep up with times. There is your contributing factor. Competition.

Finally Office is catching up to the real world

2009-11-21T17:13:00.000-08:00

With more and more need to share information among users and businesses we have been forced to seek solutions that require a separate app or a long about way to accomplish the task. Sharepoint came along and help ease some of the pain but there was still a piece missing. Microsoft may have mended a solution in the upcoming Office 2010. Time will still tell how well they develop this suite but they are definitely headed the right direction this time.

Integrating share and Skydrive seems to be one of the best features I have seen an Office suite offer yet. I know there are many other options and new features that has been improved upon but this is actually breaking ground for a Microsoft Office product. I don't know how many times I have been at a family affair and asked if I could borrow a family members PC to get a doc out that someone asked me for. It is still in the works but I can soon edit that doc right online with a Word Web App and send it on its way. Lets face it carting around the notebook everywhere gets old. Editing a doc on the cell is still in infancy. The web is the best choice for out of the office work.

Even though I have used Google Docs and countless other solutions before now it is finally time Microsoft has come of age and is delivering. I have to say that 2009/2010 is the age Microsoft has finally listened to the customer and developed decent products that has worth to its customers. If they stay on point and don't get lazy they may improve their image some and gain some stock in the mean time.

Why all the hype Positive and Negative on the latest Windows OS's

2009-11-21T13:30:00.000-08:00

All across the web we see Pros and Cons to Microsoft's latest Windows 7. Every blog, tech site, and news feeds have put out their input on the product. It has become such a heavy topic that it has drawn controversy from every corner. When the reality of the whole thing is; Microsoft has done the best their staff and developers can to produce a product within the business model they put together in delivering an OS around the every three year mark.

The many MS haters and Apple haters out there are going to criticize the OS and produce one sided opinions all day long. The end result will have very little to play on Microsoft's bottom line. Take a look at a couple of things Microsoft has to consider when they create a new OS. They know that no Mac user is going to fully convert to Microsoft. So they either conscious or subconscious (don't work for them so no facts) produce a UI that Mac lovers will purchase and run with bootcamp or completely virtual. You will not get that from Apple nor should you expect that. Microsoft is software centric. If the previous OS fails then they need to listen more closely to the community and fix what failed. While keeping in mind they're not going to please billions of users individually. If that were the case then they would lay the OS out like a Linux distro and you pick your favs. They attempt to at least put out a few versions with different options and price range but they keep to the core market they are approaching with each. They did that while improving compatibility in Windows 7. Microsoft is business first and consumer second. Their product has to fit the business model first and then adapt to the consumer. It has lacked to do this properly with Vista. That is why they had to go back to the drawing board and re-engineer Windows 7. I don't know of many businesses other than small businesses that ever upgraded to Vista.

The opinion that Vista was the worst OS: Well I upgraded when Vista came out and personally I would not completely put it on the worst side. Is it fast? Depends how much hardware you have! Is it slow? Depends on your tolerance! For those who say that Windows 7 is the greatest well guess what. It is only an improvement on the kernel from Vista. Sure some better code, performance tweaks, and UI changes have set it aside and to the norm people believe that it is a complete overhaul. So why should Microsoft not market it as such. Vista was a huge risk that Microsoft needed to take to make a serious change in their OS. I give them props for making that shift. We did at least get a more improved kernel. Vista was not the greatest but it functioned and provided some needed security that lacked from previous OS's. It is not like you have to upgrade from Windows XP or Vista to Windows 7.

To conclude; Microsoft is by no means a perfect solution. There is no perfect solution when it comes to computers. There never will be. There are only options and niche. If you love Apple then you sacrifice some gaming and office solutions. If you love Microsoft then you sacrifice simplicity, media to a point, and elegant design. If you love Linux then you are going in your own path the same way the three big names did in the beginning. So hype! Yeah that is why these three guys did their own basement work to begin with. They wanted it their way. To be known for what they think the OS should be. Like it or love it you at least have an option to have your OS of choice and they are almost to a point running along the same hardware. So I get the fanboyism. Though the post may look fanboy on the Microsoft side, I use variants of all three OS's everyday and IMO they are what they are and should stop being compared. They are OS's sure but each serve a different purpose.

Tablets and why we need better products

2009-10-05T14:03:00.000-07:00

Tablet PCs have yet to hit the market properly. A device that can be put in the category of "before its time" should be hitting prime time right now. This is no longer a niche market. It is 2009 and multitouch has shown pure adaptation in the computer field. Lets look at some benefits already out that could push the tablet form factor a little bit. E-readers have really started to explode on the market. What may be a simple device to read a book has shown place in today's tech savvy lifestyle. So if you are more opt to read on a device rather then pick up a paper or book why should we not be apt to write on a said device. Sure a keyboard is a great input device. That is why most tablets are hybrids. Look at cellphones. We are already adapting to the touch screen technology on our phones why not our computers. With the price of notebooks dropping like flies splurging on a ink-able touch screen should not be a hard hit on the pocket anymore. Manufactures need to step up and start using this technology more than they have in the past years.

There has been some great tablet products that just did not take off. Most due to price and performance compared to the notebook. Tablets have a market. A large market too if done right. College students can really benefit from tablets. And lets face it what has been a bigger Marketing campaign adults or students lately. Netbooks hit a boom for a while because of price and the economy. What happened as a result is price wars on the average sized notebooks to compete. So how can you put the notebook back on the market. Simple start giving more options on hardware other than just performance and looks. If manufacturers start putting ink ability built right in to the average notebook then I can almost guarantee it will catch on. Take for instance the notebook I have currently. Plain ole Acer Aspire 5610Z. Nothing special. But what if the monitor had ink or multitouch. The screen does not necessarily have to rotate as a tablet but I could just pull out the pen and edit right on the monitor. They do not have to be pure rotate and fold tablets. More so just the tablet technology built right in. Its time folks for this to be a common option.

Sure Microsoft and Apple have been in the spot lite lately on new tablet technologies and some new twists to tablet use. That is all well and good but as we can see may not be for everyone. All I am asking is lets really make the notebook more of a personal device by giving me an option to put my real signature on my emails, hand write a personal letter, circle a snippet on the web, or make a doodle. I'm sure some may say why not just go and buy a tablet out right. To that I say why can't I go and get the notebook I want and have that as an option package. Why can this not be an option package on the majority rather than a separate category all together that limits me on the types of notebooks I have to choose from. Components for notebooks have really come of age. Speed has become almost second nature in development of newer devices. So the tablets of yesterday and their limitations should be out of the question. Processors and memory have made great leaps since. So to the manufactures "there is no excuse on why this could not be an option let alone a standard just as bluetooth and wifi."

Microsoft's answer to virus protection (Microsoft Security Essential)

2009-10-03T23:35:00.000-07:00

"Hey its about time my software provider addresses its most vulnerable weakness!" You know most people don't care if Microsoft will put out a perfect virus protection solution. In fact we all know there is no such thing. Security suites are always a reaction to an action. Though Microsoft after all these years have finally addressed this fact and gave the users a solution that helps put owning a Microsoft product a little safer. Still not a perfect solution but it does the the job and holds its own ranking in the top five with the current free solutions. I really have to give Microsoft an attaboy on this one. I don't see anything revolutionary about this product but I finally see Microsoft doing one thing right. For years and years users have been frustrated with Microsoft on this issue. They even did a great job as a set it and forget solution. Most of the built-in recommended settings will do the trick. It also gives the more comprehensive user with options such as excluding file types, processes, and file locations. Though if your are real serious about security and still want the best from a free solution then Avira AntiVir is the solution for you. But if you just want a piece of mind virus solution I would far recommend this free solution to anyone I know. Kudos Microsoft for listening to your supporters and giving them something that should have been there a long time ago.

The Hype around Google Voice

2009-09-26T17:30:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of different opinions going around about this service. I'm not here to clear up all those but I would like to throw my uses for this service out there so some get a little understanding if they are still on the side lines. There are a couple of reasons why I chose to use Google Voice.

First and for most it is the best number for me to but on a resume and not have to worry about having to reprint my resume because one of my numbers change. I don't know how many resumes I have thrown away because of a simple change to the header. More so how many times I have gone trough all of my job search resumes and change numbers there. I now have to never worry about that.

Second I can actually have some privacy from all my business contacts by setting a time frame for certain phones to ring. Just change the ring defaults for that group and its done. All of those contacts will go to voice mail and I can continue to watch the game. But lets say the Boss calls and he is in the business group. Well I have the settings for his contact info to ring my cell. So it can play out very well for you just as you use a company PBX at work.

There are many other perks to using Google Voice. Like free SMS and getting your voice mail transcribed then emailed to you. But what it is not is a phone carrier. The image people tend to see when they look at Google Voice is a service that will get them away from their carrier. Not the case. You still use what ever phone you currently have to make and answer calls. There are tricks to not only cut down your phone bills and using Google Voices as a VIOP service but that is not what Google Voice is put out to the public for right now. The service is nothing new. It is a rebranding that got some new tools. So the hype is that Google put its name on it. It all comes down to do you want to use it or not.

A quick note on GMail. You can now use Google Sync to sync your mail along with your calender and contacts. So it is pretty much a full mobile exchange package now.

SugarSync now with a 2GB Free Account

2009-06-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

Now that Sugar Sync has offered a free 2GB account, I decided to take the product for a spin. I have to say the first thing I noticed is when you send a photo from the iPhone or iPod it will sync instantaneous with the desktop. As soon and you click on the photo the desktop version shows a pending upload. I have not tested the same with my blackberry Curve yet but I am sure the same will apply. What is great about this product is you have the option to pick the folders on any of your computers to sync. You are not limited to default folders. Though I still use the Magic Briefcase folder primarily since I am only going to use the free 2GB account. The great part is when down the road when I decide to opt for more storage, and I want to sync those thousands of pics I have, I don't have to copy them to another folder and make duplicate files on my PC. Another little tip is that when you delete something it is still archived so it can be restored. Great option if you removed something on accident. The trash can and at the bottom of the desktop version in each folder a deleted file was in you can show the hidden deleted items and permanently delete. The folder I will use to sync my files is the Magic Briefcase folder stored in Documents on my PC. All of these files are automatically synced across all of the devices and no additional folders need to be created. If there is a folder on a device that you think you need to sync then once you select that folder under Manage Sync Folders in the desktop app, it will show up under that device. For instance on my Drew-notebook as pictured above I have a folder that has some files that I may need, I check that folder in the manager and when I use another PC or device that folder I selected on Drew-notebook will appear when I click on the Drew-notebook icon.

Sharing! The share option lets you email or copy a link that points directly to a folder with in you account. Since all these folders and files are also stored in the cloud anyone can view these and not have access directly to your device. This is one of the options that really sets this service apart from the others I have looked into using [Dropbox]. If you read my previous post on having a calendar that incorporates these features then you will understand why this feature really stands out to me. I can copy the URL and post it within the description of say a calendar and the end user can be copy the URL into a browser and view the contents. This gives me an option to set up a folder for the meeting and send out a shared link to those who need to view the contents or add and edit content. I can also setup a password so the contents of that folder are secured. The reason that this is such a great option is that I have plenty of time to prepare all of the contents of that folder leading up to the meeting on any device so I'm not tied down to my desk the whole time.

All in all with the 2GB free account I think I have finally found the cloud storage platform I have been looking for. For the time being anyway.

Click the image above for the link to the free SugarSync iPhone app in iTunes.

Waiting for Great Products

2009-06-20T17:13:00.000-07:00

In 2006 I opted for an invite from the scrybe team to test the beta organization product. Before Adobe Air and Google Gears were available this company had produced an online calendar product that was available for offline use. It got so much attention at the time that everyone was under the impression the product would be available in the near future and would change how the calendar would be used. Well all of us that got the invite are still awaiting the launch of this great product. In fact many including my self have actually stopped using the product because no news or updates have been added in over two years. So here is my opinion why in the next coming months or year this company will bring us a product the users have been waiting for.

One. The time is now. So many new tools have been produced to put this product in everyday lives of the public and the public not looking at the product as something that came out before its time. Users are more interested in offline use of web apps. As cloud computing is become a thing of the present and not the future this products prime time opportunity is to get back into the public eye and soon.

Two. The fan base that was created in 2006 have provided the scrybe community with suggestions that has given the company some great feed back to implement and be the complete product they are looking for. Scrybe has had almost three years to gather trends to but together something the public is looking for.

Three. Still to this day I have yet to see a calendaring product produced that gives me the functionality as scrybe did. Here is why. Microsoft Outlook has the worst calendar options I have seen. Sure it is a good productive tool but not as functional as today's life demands have become. Using the calendar on multiple devices requires tethering a device. Google calendars are just that. A Calendar, subscription options, and some basic task options. No one has produced a true calendar that you can fully integrates notes, tasks, reminders, web clips, photos, videos, contacts, and other file formats. I would like a calendar that I can add people to and completely share almost anything with. Set up a conference and post an image or document the will show on the calendar for all to see. So when I look at the calendar I know what the meeting is about, have a few items on there that I can share with whom ever and we are all on the same page with, and everybody already has the notes right on the calendar. Here is a scenario that I used to go through every day while serving our country. As these meetings were more intense than any job I have had to date. Here was what I had to carry. A planner either PDA or paper type, at least five to ten documents I created on the days meeting, a note pad to take extensive notes from all of the departments, a company printout calendar that include many extra pages of what the other departments were doing on each sheet since they could not fit on a daily or weekly printout view, and a manual or two about the classes I had to perform. There were more depending upon the meeting but these were the basics. So having all of these options on a multiple platform based product would have really made each meeting more endurable since backpacks were not a uniform option.

In conclusion It would be nice to see the scrybe teams idea of an organizational product finally be put into place. If not then I may just try and find some great coders and do this myself.

iPhone OS 3.0 + My Favs

2009-06-17T12:53:00.001-07:00

After downloading my uPdate this morning just a few minutes after 10:00 AM the very first thing I did was sync the bluetooth Motorola S805 DJ's. This and the copy and paste feature were the only features I was really looking for. All the other options are great but this made my day. I am only going to make a quick over view about the features. There are so many post online that give details right now that I not going to even worry the details.

1. SMS
2. iPod song scrub
3. YouTube account options
4. Voice Memo
5. More landscape mode in default apps
6. Copy/Cut/Paste
7. Spotlight search
8. Shake to undo
9. Sync notes
10. CalDAV and subscribed calendars
11. Bluetooth A2DP
12. Tethering
13. Updates to Mobile Safari
14. Parental Controls
15. Push Notifications with in apps
16. iPod shake to shuffle
17. iTunes Movies, TV Shows, and Videos
18. Better Calendars
19. Stocks update
20. Find My iPhone

TweetDeck for iPhone and Desktop now in the cloud.

2009-06-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

TweetDeck has finally brought us the iPhone Twitter app [iTunes link] we have been looking for. I had posted a little while back about TweetStack. But I have to say that TweetDeck knows best about its own app. Having said that the new app has me even using my paid for premium apps alot less. Oh did I mention their app is free. The app and desktop version both sync in the cloud now. This is a great feature because if you check your tweets while away from your desktop you want have to worry about loading the desktop and seeing the same tweets not marked read. Which means no backtracking.

On the desktop version there are no more limits on the amount of columns you can create. So if you are the type of person who uses tags well these columns are just like tags. Plus you can filter each column to pin point the information you are looking for. If you want to view your Facebook updates then you can not only view those in a column you can also post from your Facebook account. Lots of great features. Must see for your self to enjoy the usability.

The iPhone app has most of the same features as the desktop version. All your desktop columns will be synced on the iPhone. Minus the Facebook, Recommended column, and column filtering. I'm sure there are a few others I will find as I use the app more, but for the most part gives you the full desktop feel. I have 10 columns, which is 2 more than TweetDecks recommendations, and have had only a few issues. One is that when the app crashes you lose all of your updates. This syncs back to the desktop also. The app has the option to set the update in seconds for each column so you can prioritize those 100 api requests. So for those columns you want to update often, like 60 seconds, will do so and the columns that are not the most important to you well just push the slider all the way to the end, 2000 seconds.

So over all some great news for the die hard tweet fans who like organization and mobility.

New Life in Tech Mobile

2009-06-14T23:32:00.001-07:00

I have created a separate blog page now built for mobile platforms. As the new icon at the top now indicates. It is a very simple layout with no side bars. I have used BuzzBoost from FeedBurner to post the feeds so it is in full sync with the main page, limited to 10 posts, the full post will be cut down to 50 characters, and the title will link back to the main page. Once you have visited a post the title will change colors so you can easily see the content you have not viewed. At the bottom I have created links to the archives also. Though if anyone has viewed Life in Tech from a mobile device you may have noticed that it too is mobile friendly. Hence the large fonts. But I wanted to give the people a separate option to decrease page load time. Thanks for your support.

5 tips to wind down a productive week and still be productive.

2009-06-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

With the week winding down and the mounds of news that has come about this week, it has a lot of us wondering what is coming up next. It would be nice to see a comparison chart of websites traffic last week in comparison to the beginning week of the last month. If your like most of us on the net you kind of spent so much time during the week on the net that you are catching up on life this week end. So here are a few tips on taking the wind down time and still be productive.

1. Get away from the desktop or notebook and use your smart phone for a little while. Most of the web will be slow paced this weekend so catch up on the reason you need the device. Look through emails, take some pics of what interest you, catch up with some friends and family, or browse the web.

2. Tweak your methods of productivity. Go through your planner and layout the next week in order. Look for gaps to throw in some free time. Organize files or bills and sift through old ones that can be archived or thrown out. Same can apply to your computer. If your are like me so much info was gathered this week such as images, snippets of text, and articles that I had to go through and keep what I wanted and toss what was not needed.

3. Recap your week in a journal or a personal blog. Write about what was interesting to you last week. Some people don't acknowledge that a journal can be just a few jots of thoughts. So if you don't have a journal look into starting one. Its a great tool to keep up with what interesting facts you come across.

4. Except your down time and use it to the fullest extent. Take this time to actually relax. Enjoy family or enjoy a quiet place you can kick back. Take a nap, go jogging, or anything the gets you in a state of mind of peace.

5. Use your evenings to mingle or party. Try to make a new acquaintance this weekend. Polish up your people skills. If your not the type of person that goes out then look for someone online the has common interests. Look through communities on social networks. See what others did during their week. If they are not the tech savvy type of person like yourself then you found someone who you can explain all the news you gathered this week and maybe get them interest in something they would have not know about or would have found out about much later. One thing I find is people come to me and ask about something they just heard about. Questions on what is all the hype about a product, how can they use it, or should they consider using a product over something they already have. Make all that hard work account for something.

So there you have it. Now go use the advice and enjoy yourself. Stop reading and get some rest. Now to practice what I preach....

Quick iUpdate on iPhone 3.0 OS + iPhone 3G S

2009-06-08T13:43:00.001-07:00

Finally we get a release date on the much awaited 3.0 OS. June 17th is the official word from WWDC 2009. To top it off announced was the new iPhone 3G S. Much of the rumors in rumor ville have been proved false such as the front facing camera. What was said about the new iPhone was the new speed hence the S. Camera upgrade, video support, and voice command are the most appealing new features. The question that still remains is will the 3.0 OS unlock bluetooth for iPod touch users. Nothing has been confirmed on this matter. The price for the original iPhone 3G has dropped to $99 for the 8Gb model. So affordability is also another option for those holding out because of price. AT&T has put off MMS until later this summer. To sum up some of the key features in OS 3.0 are landscape keyboard options in email, notes, and messages. Spotlight search to search within calendars, email, notes, and messages. iTunes store will have the option to rent and buy Movies, TV shows, and Music videos. Parental controls are now an option. Tethering has been thrown in for those die hard mobile users. Safari upgrades include auto fill, media streaming, and big performance increase. The most valuable feature shown was the Find My iPhone app. This feature requires a MobileMe subscription but is certainly a great security feature. If you would like a great recap on today's WWDC 2009 Keynote follow the read to see what went down on Gizmodo's liveblog of the event.

[read]

R&R

2009-06-07T19:36:00.001-07:00

Taking this weekend to get a little bit of rest and relaxation. Catching up on some movies (complete list of Star Wars with the boy) and getting the kids out to enjoy the fresh air. Feels good to get some quality family time in.

Mifi your mobile life...

2009-06-04T10:12:00.001-07:00

It is so too often that there are times when traveling that you look for wifi connectivity. Sure if you own a smart phone and either tether or use the smart phones browser you have a little freedom from this problem. So what options do the rest of us have? Until recently our most popular options were to hunt for wifi or purchase a broadband adapter for each device. Enter the Mifi option. Now you can not only get the availability of the broadband adapter you will also have the option to use up to five other devices via Wifi. Where would this fit best. Your vehicle is one of the most fitting applications for a device like this. Have a mobile office or entertainment system tied directly into your needs. For the mobile office you can have a wireless printer, notebook, pda, smart phone, or any other wifi capable device right at your disposal. For the mobile entertainment you are now able to set up your console, in car computer, PSP's, Nintendo DS's, and ipods to access online content simultaniously. I think the wireless providers are starting to get what consumer demands are. Though I have to give Clear Wire props for this little gadget because when they came to the market on these needs it really was a revolution in the making. Lets just see if they can continue to compete.

Tired of RSS use Ohpan!

2009-06-03T11:34:00.000-07:00

Was digging around on the web today when I happened to come across this site. I have not found a whole lot of information about the site because it seems to be still in beta. But I must say I like the direction it is taking. You have to filter your own content at start. As you do so the web app starts filtering in content that pertains to your needs. Strike content you don't want to see and star content you like. Though still a little buggy they have also put out an iPhone app. Follow the two links below to read a little more into it and click the image to test it out for you self.

ReadWriteWeb
March 5, 2009
atype studios
March 5, 2009

Blah..Blah..Blah..bing

2009-06-02T11:35:00.001-07:00

Lets face it; Microsoft is not going away. Can they really steal the search spotlight? I think not. After 15 minutes with the search app I quickly abandoned it. Why? Well one thing Microsoft does well is candy coat crap. I don't feel they have brought enough to the table with bing. Sure it shows a few features that some would like from Google. More so in images and video. But there is just not enough there to convert me. Microsoft does not understand that what Google does so well is simplicity. Ever since Microsoft released Office 2007, Vista, and Server 2008 I have been turned off from their products. Which is sad since I have been an avid user since the release of Windows 95. Mainly due to the fact that they are pulling away from what people really want. Microsoft does not understand the public. Business yes but not the masses. Back to bing. To be honest I don't think bing will even hurt Yahoo stocks. Once the dust settles I am sure that users will go right back to their previous search engine habits. My opinion is there is nothing new here worth talking about. Which is where Microsoft has been heading with the majority of the products they are putting out. I mean they bring in the designer of Office for their search. Out side of business people who really pays for office anymore. So what is your opinion?

Brushes for iPhone

2009-05-28T19:29:00.001-07:00

After reading some headlines about Brushes I decided to give the app a shot. I must say the art you can put out with this app is very surprising. After watching Mike Miller's video and two hours of painting I was able to accomplish this piece. Though the drawing looks very similar I made sure the artist's work was not copied verbatim. I have not put pencil to paper in years and I must say that this app may get me back in the mood. If you love to paint or draw give the app a whirl. You want be disappointing. Kudos Mike if you read this. It was your piece that really sold me on the app.

Not in my infrastructure you don't!

2009-05-26T19:17:00.001-07:00

Should Apple and the iPhone integrate with the business world more like Blackberry? My answer is no. Here's why. I have been in the I.T. field for over ten years. 90% of today's I.T. departments are understaffed in today's work place. With all of the technology we are forced to introduce, adopting another platform just does not aid in increased productivity. Companies are pushing their I.T. departments to the limits. "Hey let's incorporate this into our business model and quick!" has been the attitude lately. So why not put the iPhone in? It is just not built around the business environment. Don't get me wrong it has many business functions but it is not the core functionality. Blackberry has a business infrastructure behind it that can give you control and security strong enough for government use. Until Apple builds such a model I say to the CEO's of the world "Yeah Apple has great products but I don't want it in my infrastructure until we can have full control over it!" "Yes we will push your email and can even make our website iPhone friendly but no I will not support it on my secure network."

How Apple could take over the home computing market!

2009-05-25T16:58:00.001-07:00

In my opinion now is the time for Apple to step up and convert home PC users. To do this I recomend a new OS. Apple already has adopted Intel based hardware. Why not put out a PC friendly OS. I don't mean a bootcamp version, I mean full blow OS. So many homes are stuck with budgets that put Mac's out of the picture. We all know Mac is better than Windows. I say that as an avid user of Windows since Windows 95. Have a go at it Apple. It will not change anything with the hard core Mac fans that love your stylish hardware. But it will open up a new world to those who can afford to spend a few hundred on a OS upgrade. Besides they are going to have to eventualy pay Microsoft the same if not more for an upgrade. Where's the love. Here is the kicker. Don't even worry about technical support. Microsoft users are very used to the fact that call up for OS support is a waist of time. That is why all the little PC doc's in town still have a business.

Blog Press and Byline continued...

2009-05-23T22:23:00.000-07:00

[Blog Press] I have to say that I am really liking this app. For 2.99 you really can't beat the functionality this app offers to Blogger fans and some select other blog domains. This app is a great app to post, edit, add photos, and blog offline. Though I do not have multiple accounts I am sure the option to send to your multiple accounts at the same time is a plus. I have only encountered one issue during use. When I edited a post and added more photos, when checking the post the images were off centered. By that I mean they were completely outside of the post merging with the previous post. Was not a huge problem I just corrected the issue once in Blogger but non the less was not thrilled when I saw the post. Though I do believe the problem may have been more of a page design flaw on my blog. Once you get use to using the app it really puts a joy into mobile blogging. I think my favorite feature is the offline option to save as a draft and post later. That to me seems to be the most productive tool a blogger can have. Beside lugging around a notebook and finding a place to blog. So I give this app 5 out of 5.

[Byline] This app on the other hand has good quality but lacks a feature that I would really like. That is the ability to choose which folders you would like to update. For those who do not know this app allows you to view your Google Reader offline. The problem I have is that I get so many feeds that before it finishes loading I am ready to close the app. Some feeds I subscribe to I really don't want to check the content every thirty minutes or so and I go in and mark them all as read later. It just makes it easier to weed through all the info and find what you are really wanting to know about at that moment. No one has the time to go through over a thousand feeds in a day unless that is your soul job. I don't get paid for so its not my thing. Though I will continue to use the app I would really like to see this option in a future update. My rating for this app is 3 out of 5. The reason is I have ti sift though and wait while the app loads the feeds. This also causes problems when you are trying to scroll to a feed and data keeps moving your screen while you are getting ready to tap on a interesting feed.