Nicholas Rayner

TAG – Technology for the Average Guy – Episode 2

Nicholas — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 03:13:00 GMT

Thanks for all of the positive comments and feedback from our first episode. Well, we managed to find some time to get together, and this week we look at:

Online Accounting Software – what are the pitfalls, the benefits, and should you consider this for your business?
Netbooks - 18 months since the release of the Asus EeePC the Netbook genre seems to be the latest craze, but are they really worth it?
Cloud computing – for the average guy, should you fork out your hard earned moolah on a grunty PC and expensive applications, or can you really run everything through your browser over the Internet?

Website links featured in this weeks show:

Accounting Software:

Synch Services:

Applications in the Cloud

Google Docs
Picnic (Flickr online photo editing)
Evernote (All your memories, for life, on all your devices)

Follow, Read, Listen

As promised in the Podcast, links to this weeks: Follow, Read, Listen

James:

Follow - @Saasu
Listen - Diggnation
Read - icanhazdot.net

Nick

Follow - @CraigBailey
Listen - commandN
Read - www.alanjlee.com

Rog42

Thanks for listening, please feel free to comment here on the blog, or email us at TAG@channel42.info

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

TAG – Technology for the Average Guy – Episode 1

Nicholas — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:45:00 GMT

A few weeks ago i had an exciting opportunity to work with Roger Lawrence and James McCutcheon to create a podcast. But not just any old podcast, a podcast explaining technology to the average guy & girl. Obviously we’re not really you’re average guy..we live with technology and it is embeded in the way we work and live, but we aim to provide greater insight into the world of technology for the average consumer and business owner.

With that, I present TAG –Technology for the Average Guy – Episode 1:

In Episode 1 we discuss:

Smartphones - should you change your current phone to a smartphone? If so what is really the best on the market. If you already have a smartphone, should you change yours? What phones do we, the podcasters have? Does it matter what technology we work with, or whom employs us?
Windows 7 – The latest client operating system from Microsoft for PC’s. Should you upgrade? Really?
Tablet PC’’s - Wired reckons 2010 is the year of the tablet. Live Digitally disagrees. What do you think? Have tablets come into their own, and is it worth getting one? We interview Hugo Ortega, Principal of Tegatech Australia. The distributor of Tablet PC’s in Australia and NZ for his take on this.

Please do leave your comments, criticisms, and encouragement.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The podcast will be in the Zune Marketplace and iTunes shortly and I’ll add links once it’s up

Consumer Technology

Nicholas — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 08:08:00 GMT

Communications

Apple iPhone 3Gs – Primary phone

32GB Storage

HTC TouchPro 2

Windows Mobile 6.1

Not currently in use:

Palm Treo 750 –
- Windows Mobile 6.1
T-Mobile Dash (aka HTC s620)
- Windows Mobile 6.1
iPhone 8GB - currently on loan

Firmware 2.1

Media & Entertainment Devices

Software

Nicholas — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Operating Systems :
- Windows Vista Ultimate SP2
- Windows 7 – multiple SKUs
- Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition, Datacenter & Web Editions
Productivity Applications:

Development Tools
Communication Tools:
- Skype
- TweetDeck – Twitter client
- Windows Live Essentials
Media Software
Other Software
Server Software

Computer Hardware

Nicholas — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:57:00 GMT

A list of my computer hardware as at 16th August 2009:

PC Hardware

HP Touchsmart iq515a Desktop

I use the Touchsmart as my main desktop when I am in the home office. The Touchsmart is great as a desktop PC as it only required one cable (power supply) and takes up limited desk space.

CPU	Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2.2 Ghz
RAM	4GB RAM @ 800Mhz
HDD	320GB 7200rpm
Video	Intel Series 4 Chipset
Other	Slot loading DVD +/- RW
	Ralink AGN Wireless Card
Operating System	Windows 7 Ultimate x64

HP EliteBook 2730p Tablet PC

I use the 2730p mostly for work, i use OneNote and Project 2007 heavily in taking notes and managing projects. This is the lightest of my Tablet PCs and the preferred device for a day out of the office.

CPU	Intel Core 2 Duo Centrino 2 @ 1.86GHz
RAM	4GB RAM @ 800Mhz
HDD	80GB 5400 RPM
Video	Intel Series 4 Express Chipset
Other	Wacom Digitizer
	HP Docking Port with DVD +/- RW
Operating System	Windows 7 Enterprise x64

Fujitsu Lifebook T5010 Tablet PC

I use the T5010 when i need more power, with the 2.53 GHz CPU and 4GB of RAM this device is great for programming, running virtual machines and as a desktop replacement with a glorious 13.x” screen. Of course i use this device with OneNote and Project 2007 too :)

CPU	Intel Core 2 Duo Centrino 2 @ 2.53GHz
RAM	4GB RAM @ 1066MHz
HDD	320GB 7400rpm (Primary) 250GB 5400rpm (Secondary, removable)
Video	Intel Series 4 Express Chipset
Other	Intel WiFi Link 5300 AGN
	Wacom Digitizer
	DVD +/- RW
	Fujitsu Docking Port
Operating System	Windows 7 Enterprise x64

Fujitsu T2020 (With 3G) Tablet PC

Currently on loan

CPU	Intel Core 2 Duo Centrino 2 @ 1.2GHz
RAM	4GB RAM @ 1066MHz
HDD	250GB 5400rpm
Video	Intel Series 4 Express Chipset
Other	Intel WiFi Link 5300 AGN
	Wacom Digitizer
	Sierra Wireless HSPA (7.2 Mbps)
	Fujitsu Docking Port
Operating System	Windows Vista Ultimate SP2 x64

HP Touchsmart TX2-1015au

CPU	AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core 2.0 GHz
RAM	2GB RAM @ 667MHz
HDD	250GB 5400rpm
Video	ATI Radeon HD 3200
Other	N-trig Digitzer support Multi-touch
	Webcam, Fingerprint reader & Wireless N card
Operating System	Windows 7 Professional x64

Viliv S5 Premium Air – Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC)

CPU	Intel Atom 1.33 GHz (Z250)
RAM	1GB RAM
HDD	16GB SSD
Video	Intel Series 4 Chipset
Other	Huawei HSPA Modem
	GPS SiRFstar3
Operating System	Windows 7 Home Premium x86

HP Pavilion DV7

CPU	Intel Core 2 Quad Core @ 2.0 GHz (Q9000)
RAM	4GB RAM @ 1066GHz
HDD	2 x 500GB 5400rpm
Video	ATI Radeon HD 4650 (1GB RAM)
Other	17.3-inch HD Flush Glass Display
	HP Integrated HDTV Tuner
	Altec Lansing Speakers with SRS Premium Sound & Subwoofer
Operating System	Windows 7 Ultimate x64

Server Hardware

CPU	Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz
RAM	8GB RAM @ 800MHz
HDD	80GB 7200rpm (System)
	500GB 7200rpm (Data)
Operating System	Windows Server 2008 R2 RC (Build 7100) x64
Features	Domain Controller
	Hyper-V
	File Server
	Windows Deployment Services

This is my main server and runs 2 Virtual Machines under Hyper-V whilst providing me with a Domain Controller and Network File Services. The two virtual machines are:

Virtual Machine 1:

This virtual machine is used to manage the health of my network and to ensure that all PCs are up-to-date with both Windows Update and Anti-Virus definitions and to provide a File Server for all machines to access.

Operating System	Windows Server 2008 R2 RC (Build 7100) x64
Features	IIS 7
Software	Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 3 SP2 Beta
	Microsoft Operations Manager 2007 SP1
	Microsoft SQL Server 2005

Virtual Machine 2:

This virtual machine is used to host my Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 site and some smaller sites that are in development. For larger web development projects i use a separate virtual machine, but this machine is only turned on when required.

Operating System	Windows Server 2008 R2 RC (Build 7100) x64
Features	IIS 7
Software	Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 SP2
	Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 SP2
	Microsoft SQL Server 2008 SP1

Twikini – Twitter client for Windows Mobile

Nicholas — Sat, 30 May 2009 12:24:00 GMT

Over the past few weeks i have been looking for a new Twitter client for my Palm Treo Pro to replace CeTwit. I stumbled across Twikini and i LOVE IT! The UI is clean and simple and displays greater performance over other Twitter clients for Windows Mobile.

To see more features in Twikini, head over to their site and either download a trial or purchase a copy (highly recommended!)

SBTUG: IT News – Week in review 12 April 2009

Nicholas — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:22:00 GMT

I’ve just posted the latest Tech news from the past week over on the Sydney Business & Technology User Group (SBTUG) blog

SBTUG: IT News – Week in review 29 March 2009

Nicholas — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:14:00 GMT

I’ve just posted the latest IT News from this week over on the Sydney Business & Technology User Group blog, head over their now to check out some great news from the past week.

MIX09 Predictions – was i right?

Nicholas — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 10:36:00 GMT

Last weekend I posted my six predictions of the announcements to come at Microsoft’s MIX09 Web Developer & Designer conference. Well how did i go?

Internet Explorer 8 – release to manufacturing CORRECT
Silverlight 3 – announcement & beta availability CORRECT
Azure Services Platform – platform announcements, new functionality for SQL Data Services, .NET Services, Live Framework CORRECT
Microsoft Expression Suite – beta of the next version announced CORRECT – well half a point here as Expression Blend 3 was the only product update to be announcement, hopefully more to come soon
Visual Studio 2010 – more details, possible beta availability but that will probably wait for Tech-Ed North America WRONG – no announcements here :(

Overall I did pretty good, I would have loved to see another CTP of Visual Studio 2010 but i guess we’ll have to wait a little while longer.

SBTUG: IT News – Week in review 22 March 2009

Nicholas — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 10:19:00 GMT

I’ve just posted the weekly round up of IT News with a heap of new product announcements for Developers including Silverlight 3, Microsoft Expression Blend 3 & Expression Web Preview as well as some updates to the Windows Azure Services platform. Head over the the Sydney Business & Technology User Group website to check it out