Student Tech News

5 Must-Have Photo Apps for the iPhone

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:52:00 +0000

My new article is up on Suite101.com - Must-Have Photo Apps for the iPhone. They encompass all types of features, such as editing, coloring, stitching and sharing. If you use your iPhone for the majority of your picture taking and want to punch up your shots, definitely give these apps a try.

Preview of Barnes & Noble's Nook eBook Reader

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:14:00 +0000

My preview of Barnes & Noble's entry into the eBook reader market is up on Suite101.com. Check it out here: http://mobiletechnology.suite101.com/article.cfm/a_preview_of_barnes_nobles_nook_ebook_reader.

Thanks!

Photo via: Barnes & Noble

I'm Now a Writer for Suite101.com

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:38:00 +0000

I've been accepted as a contributing writer to Suite101.com where I will be extolling my journalistic and geeky ways on its readers. Check out my first article about the new iMacs and Magic Mouse here: http://mac-hardware.suite101.com/article.cfm/apple_unveils_new_imacs_and_magic_mouse

I'll still be writing on Student Tech News as well, but it'll be nice to have an editor watching my every move so I can learn as I go. Thanks!

-HCM

Photoshop.com Mobile - A Great Free iPhone Photo Editor

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:37:00 +0000

Adobe released an iPhone app recently that allows for on-the-go photo editing. There are two very surprising things about this application: 1) It's good - in fact it's very good considering the price. 2) The price - it's FREE! That's correct, Adobe actually made an application that's free and what's more, it feels like it shouldn't be. This is a solid application for quickly retouching photos out in the field. You won't be able to do anything significant like add masks or mock-up websites, but if you need to crop, de-saturate, and publish a photo from anywhere, then definitely give Adobe's Photoshop.com iPhone application a look.

The application is directly tied in with its Photoshop.com photo sharing service. When you first load the app, you'll notice that three of the four icons on the bottom tab bar will let you edit, view, and upload your photos to share with the world. The last icon is for modifying the application's settings.

Upon first load, you'll be given two options - take a new photo or use an existing one from your camera roll. Once you've made your choice, you'll be taken to the Edit screen. The number of options given to the user is staggering. it doesn't look like much at first, but each icon comes with its own drop down menu. For example, within the "Color" icon (second from the left on top), you can adjust the exposure, saturation and tint of the photo, as well as make it black-and-white. To utilize your selection, you drag your finger over the photo itself, which makes Photoshop.com Mobile feel more like an Apple-branded iPhone app, rather than something from a third party.

Once you've finished editing your photo, you can save it to your camera roll and upload it directly to the Photoshop.com site where all your friends can see your iPhone-edited masterpiece.

This isn't meant to replace any of your desktop photo-editing applications (especially Photoshop proper), but it might replace some of your iPhone photo-editing apps, especially given the price. My advice: download it and use it for awhile. Even if you don't use the Photoshop.com service, you'll still get a lot of benefit from a free photo editor for the iPhone published by the makers of the industry's defacto photo-editing standard.

Tweetie 2 - The Snow Leopard of iPhone Twitter Apps

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:54:00 +0000

Tweetie 2 was a controversial app before it was even released. Due to iTunes' lack of upgrade pricing for applications and the fact that atebits rewrote the application from the ground up, the app was priced at $2.99 - a sum most would think to be paltry compared to some of the other offerings on the iTunes App Store, but those who purchased the original Tweetie felt the pricing was unjustified and smacked the faces of the programs' early adopters. Whether this speaks to the consumer's feelings that apps over $1.99 are too high priced or that iTunes needs to work out an upgrade pricing scheme is better left for another post. For now, let's stick to the review at hand.

Tweetie 2 not only greatly improves upon its predecessor, but also its desktop counterpart as well. When the application first launches, you'll be required to enter your account information as usual, but once that's in you'll notice many features not seen in most other iPhone Twitter clients.

First, there are five icons on the bottom tab bar: your timeline, tweets directed at (@) you, direct messages, search, and a "more" tab, which I'll get to later on. When there are updates to any of your timelines, the only indication you'll find is a glowing blue dot below the icon. This takes a little getting used to at first, but it's very similar to the desktop version's red "new" dot. In addition, just like the desktop Tweetie, your timeline does not automatically jump to the top; it stays where you last left off. This is definitely a welcome feature, as new tweets are not signified by a different color and it can become easy to lose your place.

Next, there are several significant features to note within the timelines. 1) A search bar has been added to the top of each timeline so that you can search among the many tweets within. This will make finding specific links and tweets much easier, rather than swiping down to find a tweet from hours, or even days ago. 2) In order to refresh your feed, you must scroll all the way above the search bar and then release your finger, allowing you to make sure you've caught up on all your tweets before adding anything new to the feed. 3) The entire application (not just the compose window) can be viewed in landscape mode. 4) Swiping across any tweet reveals a slew of useful shortcuts.

The shortcuts give the user quick access to replying to a tweet, viewing an embedded link, viewing another user's details, marking the tweet as a favorite, and sharing/re-tweeting the post. By not forcing the user to drill down into submenu after submenu, Tweetie 2 streamlines the iPhone Twitter experience, especially when it comes to reading text. Users now have the option to send articles to Instapaper, an online service that strips out images and other web page fluff, leaving just the article in an easy to read format.

Where Tweetie 2 truly excels is in the sheer number of features the developer managed to squeeze into such a tiny package. Just about anything you can do on the web version of Twitter, you're able to do in Tweetie 2, such as editing your user details, following/unfollowing/blocking users, searching your timelines as well as local geographic area, and UN-marking specific tweets as favorites (notice I used the prefix "un"). Almost all Twitter clients on the iPhone allow you to mark a tweet as a favorite, but Tweetie 2 is one of only a few that let you reverse the process. The Twitter app (formerly TwitBird Pro) for the iPhone does not let you un-favorite a tweet, which can prove frustrating when you're scrolling through a list of 50 or more favorites.

Finally, the "More" tab (indicated by three circles) gives you access to all your user information like your profile, location and tweet statistics. The most interesting aspect of the More submenu is the ability to edit your user details and profile information. I cannot recall another Twitter client that has this feature and even though it's not an integral piece of the mobile Twitter adventure, it certainly is welcome and helps justify the $2.99 price for previous users.

Map showing nearby Tweets

Tweetie 2 is definitely worth the $2.99 price, even if you paid for it before. The developer added many significant new features and cleaned up a variety of others to make sure the user has as close to a desktop experience as possible on their iPhone. If you previously purchased the original Tweetie, don't get upset in thinking you're paying for something you should have gotten for free. Given the amount of changes and fixes, consider Tweetie 2 the "Snow Leopard" of iPhone Twitter applications.

Link: Tweetie 2

Two Big New iPhone Apps Released Today

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 01:07:00 +0000

Two new iPhone apps were released on the iTunes store today: Photoshop.com Mobile from Adobe (free) and Tweetie 2 from atebits ($2.99). Over the weekend, I will publish reviews of each application and whether (in the case of Tweetie), they're worth your cold, hard cash. However, if you're so inclined to check them out in the meantime, click the links below to go to their respective iTunes pages. Stay tuned...

Tweetie 2
Photoshop.com Mobile

Macs + OmniFocus + GTD = Win for Students

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:53:00 +0000

This fall, Maine expanded its Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) by giving the state's high schools the opportunity to take advantage of the program for grades 9-12. "As a result there are now over 60,000 new MacBook laptops which have been shipped - now covering every middle school student and teacher, every high school teacher, and 62% of the high school students in Maine," (AmbientAwareness.info, 2009).

Now, students in Maine's middle schools and high schools will have the chance to incorporate David Allen's "Getting Things Done" program into their daily lives, making them more productive and in turn, helping them achieve better grades. I hope more states adopt this program into their school systems and give every student the chance to better themselves.

Article: 60,000 Potential GTD Students & Educators Using OmniFocus in Maine

Microsoft's Very Big Step In the Right Direction

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:59:00 +0000

Microsoft has been doing some very interesting and out-of-character things as of late: it's new touchscreen Zune HD is a hit with critics, Windows 7 is shaping up to be a solid OS and should help shovel Vista under the rug, and the company is in the process of opening its own branded retail stores. Of course, everything the company does can be viewed as a way to emulate it's rival, Apple's, growing success. The Zune HD is Microsoft's iPod Touch, Windows 7 borrows some features from Mac OS X and the retail stores are obviously going up against Apple's wildly popular sterilized Mac-centric shops.

However, not everything Microsoft releases is hot off the photo-copier. Today, Microsoft announced Courier (see video below) - a tablet PC that functions like a journal and allows the user to manipulate content from the web and the user's own handwriting in a very intuitive way. The device uses both a stylus and your fingers as input devices to record handwriting and track gestures across both of its touchscreens. Circle an image from the web on the left, then "cut" it out of the page and drag it to the right - where your "journal" is stored - for safe keeping. Microsoft has "chalked Courier up to rumor and speculation," (CNet, 9/22/09) but it can't be - not because I really want this product, but because Microsoft has the potential to tap two very vital markets: students and professionals.

Apple's long-rumored tablet has been touted as everything from a portable Apple TV to a really big iPhone. The one theme that seems to run across 90% of these rumors is that the device will be media-centric. Apple's bread-and-butter is iTunes - specifically the iTunes store. The 75,000 apps and millions of songs and movies have been the company's focus since the store was unleashed. When Steve Jobs announces whatever tablet-like device he's been working on, it will probably focus on managing and interacting with your digital media. So, while everyone is distracted by Apple's shiny, aluminum and glass-covered box built by Unicorns at the top of Mount Olympus when it's announced, Microsoft can slip in behind Apple and commandeer two very important demographics without breaking a sweat: students and professionals.

Microsoft's Courier looks like it was designed as a paper notebook replacement. Imagine sitting in English class and reading a passage from Moby Dick on the left side of your Courier, while writing about it on the right side. Then, when the teacher tells you to remember a particular theme from that passage, you highlight it with your stylus and make a note right on the text without damaging the book. Taking notes for a classmate who was sick for today's lecture? Drag his address book listing to your journal and suddenly he can see all of your notes on the various types of sharks in what was possibly the most boring chapter of that novel. The stylus is really the only way to capture handwriting on a tablet and it's the only comfortable way I can see entering text on such a device. An onscreen keyboard that is either be too small to use or so big that it takes up the entire screen seems counterproductive. Also, Steve Jobs said when he debuted the iPhone that he hates styluses, so don't expect the Apple tablet to come with an iPen.

What about professionals? Or doctors? In the video demonstration below, the girl was a designer, but I can see a device like this being pivotal in hospitals all over the world. Automatically have test results pushed to your Courier and entered into the patient's chart. Keep x-rays and MRI data on-hand at all times. This tablet could help streamline the healthcare industry more than anything Obama is proposing by making everything faster and more efficient. Your doctor won't have to make three trips to the lab for test results because the results will come to her as soon as they're ready.

Of course, the Courier is just a prototype, but it's a reminder that companies can change and that those who were once on top and lost their footing can reach the top again. I hope Microsoft doesn't shove this under the rug the same way they've done with Vista. The Courier is the first product I've seen from Microsoft that's made me hesitate to buy a Mac device. I love my Mac, but if this is where Microsoft is going, I want to come along.

Courier Demo Video:

Easy Method for Better Speed Reading

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:15:00 +0000

Lifehacker has a video on its site in which the presenter discusses an easy, yet very vocal method for speed reading: by repeating "A-E-I-O-U" or "1-2-3-4" out loud while reading text, you will be able to move through the words much faster. This is because when we read to ourselves, our brain sends a signal to our larynx, which is actually doing the reading even though we're not speaking. The larynx then sends the signal back to the brain and we get a mental image of what's being described in the text.

By repeating "A-E-I-O-U" or "1-2-3-4" while reading, we take the larynx out of the equation and our eyes do the reading instead. You won't comprehend much from the text at first, but after awhile, your brain and eyes will be trained enough to "read Catcher in the Rye" in about 10 minutes AND understand what's going on in the story. Definitely worth a try for those long and boring textbook passages.

Lifehacker Article

Can Facebook/FriendFeed De-Throne Twitter - and Should It?

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:08:00 +0000

Facebook announced today that it was buying social-aggregator FriendFeed, a site that combines updates from a variety of social networking sites into one central "hub." The move comes after a failed attempt by Facebook to acquire social and media-darling, Twitter, late last year/early this year.

Why did Facebook suddenly feel the need to purchase a company that doesn't really compete with it? It seems as though Facebook has been hurt by the amount of traffic Twitter receives on a daily basis, even though it does not claim nearly as many subscribers as the blue-and-white-logoed behemoth. FriendFeed can give Facebook a chance to be not just a simple quiz and poll repository, but a way for people to communicate in real time while keeping their eyes on Facebook's ads - I mean site.

Millions of people all over the world have Facebook accounts in order to keep in touch with friends and family, share multimedia and take a bevy of tests that calculate what Pretty in Pink character they're most like (I'm Ducky). The problem Facebook, well, faces is that once you post your updates and check everyone else's - that's it. You leave the site for awhile and come back later on to follow up on your friends. There is only so much one can do on Facebook because eventually the user "dead-ends." Most subscribers block their updates from non-friends, leaving the user with a finite number of friends with whom to contact and not much else to do.

Twitter is and always has been an ongoing conversation. There are no profiles to maintain, quizzes to take, or apps to install so you can send your followers bumper-stickers. Twitter is all about communication and it is for that reason that it poses such a threat to Facebook. During the Iran election crisis last month, while sites like YouTube and Facebook were blocked, Twitter made it possible for protesters and journalists to get their messages out to the world. Twitter has been discussed on dozens of news outlets and when the service (as well as Facebook) was brought down by a denial-of-service attack late last week (which as of now, it's still feeling the hurt from), the story was featured all over the mainstream media. How were people supposed to tweet that Twitter was down?

There's no mistake in saying that Twitter is popular. Part of its appeal comes from the fact that it puts celebrities and athletes on the same level as us mere mortals. Combine that with an endless stream of information and an endless supply of apps from which to tweet and you've got yourself a blockbuster social networking success. Twitter is an addictive, crack-like service that keeps you wanting more. Though, so is Facebook - and that's not necessarily bad.

Several people on Twitter have hoped that the new Facebook/FriendFeed conglomerate will demolish Twitter. Why? Why can't both exist? Why shouldn't both exist? We, as people of a digital age, require multiple routes of communication because dependence on only a few services would be detrimental to our society as we've built it. Imagine another, stronger DoS attack hits our primary lines of communication, be them Twitter and/or Facebook/FriendFeed, and brings them down for more than a few hours. What about more than a day? Most of us now depend on these services to keep up with current events and each other. Without those main avenues for both receiving and sending information available, we become lost. Mainstream media does not work fast enough and many who work in offices during the day do not have access to televisions or radios.

I believe that this merger/buy-out/acquisition won't bring about the end of Twitter, but rather a new renaissance of social innovation. "Facefeed" or "Friendbook" - whatever you decide to call it - should be a combination of the best things both services have to offer. If Facebook tackles the acquisition logically, they will pull from the parts of FriendFeed that work best and toss out the junk. It is entirely possible that Facebook could wind up with its own Twitter-like service that integrates seamlessly with its parent site, as well as others like Delicious and StumbleUpon. Similar to what Google is doing with its Wave service, Facebook could be on the verge of implementing true "real-time web" - no refreshing, no waiting. If Twitter hopes to succeed, then it must be ready to up the ante with more advanced features, better security, and 99% uptime.

Those who spend the majority of their lives on the Internet demand high-quality, low-cost services that allow them to both communicate with their loved ones and feed their lust for continuous information. There can't be one social networking service, nor should there be. Choice is what makes the Internet work and it's why we have a dozen URL shorteners, 50 credit report services, and 900 places to buy restless leg syndrome medication. I hope that only good comes out of Facebook buying FriendFeed and that it leads to better featured, more compelling experiences on the web. If not, I'll find a few college students and build my own.

TechCrunch's article about the Facebook/FriendFeed Purchase

Texting is More Dangerous Than Anything Else When Driving

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:09:00 +0000

Matt Richtel, a writer for the New York Times, recently published an article stating that when drivers are texting, "their collision risk," is "...23 times greater than when not texting."

Data compiled by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute should be released next Tuesday and will discuss measurements from "the time drivers took their eyes from the road to send or receive texts."

Interesting to note, for those who scoff at studies such as these, is that, "In the moments before a crash or near crash, drivers typically spent nearly five seconds looking at their devices - enough time at typical highway speeds to cover more than the length of a football field." Imagine driving hundreds of yards without looking at the road - it sounds crazy, but people do it every day.

So, it's no surprise that several states have been trying to ban cell phone use in the car entirely, as outlined in this article on CNN.com from January 12, 2009: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/01/12/cell.phone.driving/index.html.

Do you text-and-drive? Do you use your cell phone at all in the car? How do you feel about these studies and what certain parts of the country are trying to do about automotive cell phone use?

Original NY Times article can be viewed here.

The iPhone as a Personal Assistant

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:29:00 +0000

It seems as though everyone's got an iPhone lately. They're sexy, they've been upgraded and they've come down in price (an 8GB 3G is now $99 - $49 refurbished). Since these ultimate convergence devices are always with us and we're constantly listening to music, downloading apps, and surfing the web, wouldn't it be good to put such a powerful device to even better use? Classes will be starting in a little over a month and I know that students who don't yet have an iPhone, but are trying to convince their parents of the benefits of owning one are looking for anything to help their cases. Well, here's your ace in the hole - the iPhone will be your personal assistant and keep you better organized throughout the semesters - here's how:

1. Google Sync: The iPhone already syncs up with your GMail account through POP or IMAP, but did you know it can also sync up your calendars and contacts, too? Imagine never being late for class and always having the right contact information for a professor anywhere you have an Internet connection. By enabling Google Sync on your iPhone, iCal, Address Book and Google Account, you can keep all your information synchronized on all your devices. And the best part? This is all free! Cross one reason to buy Apple's $99 MobileMe off the list.

For information on how to enable Google Sync on your iPhone, check out Google's Help documentation here.
For information on how to enable 2-way event creation for iCal/Google Calendar, see this page on calDAV

2. Evernote: Did you ever need to dredge down into the depths of your backpack to find your syllabus mid-way through the semester and end up with nada? Set up a free account at Evernote.com and download their free iPhone/desktop apps to make sure you never lose important information again.

Evernote allows you to create notes from text, pictures, and audio, tag them with keywords, and sync them among the web and its various applications. This means that no matter what device you're on, you'll always have your notes. Take a picture of that syllabus and then toss it away - you'll never need that piece of paper lining the bottom of your bag ever again. In addition to Evernote's various methods of data entry, it also has one killer feature: text recognition. If the picture of that syllabus is clear enough, Evernote will hunt through the image and catalog all the words it can find, making it very easy for you to find the word or phrase for which you're looking. This can prove especially helpful once you've amassed dozens, if not hundreds of notes.

Two caveats, however, still remain: 1) Text recognition on handwriting is iffy at best. 2) The free account only allows you up to 2GB of note uploads. Find out more at Evernote.com

3. Podcasts/iTunes U: The new OS 3.0 software/firmware update brought with it the ability to download podcasts and iTunes U content directly to the iPhone without any assistance from the desktop version of iTunes necessary. Do further research on a variety of topics right from within the iTunes store for free. Click here for the iTunesU directory.

4. Voice Recorder: Use iPhone's built-in voice recording app to record lectures and then play them back later for better note taking. The application allows you to enter information about each recording and share them with others.

5. GPS/Compass (iPhone 3GS only): Freshman on campus? Not quite familiar on the location of your next class? Pull up the built-in Compass app, press the "Current Location" button in the bottom left corner and you will be whisked from the Compass app to the Google Maps application. Press that same "Current Location" button a second time and you will be able to see which direction the phone/you are facing, letting you get to your next class on time.

6. Grading Applications: the iPhone App Store is home to thousands of different applications, quite a few of which are designed with students in mind. Explore the App Store for various grade-tracking apps and see which one fits your style best. Most importantly, they're very inexpensive and many offer "Lite" versions, which are essentially feature-stripped demo apps to let you taste before you indulge in a full-blown purchase.

7. Communication: If you need to quickly chat with a classmate or leave them a note on Facebook, there are apps for that, err...those. Check out apps like AIM and Fring for your instant messaging needs, then download the free Facebook app to keep up with your friends' and classmates' goings-on. Finally, check out any of the Twitter apps available for the ultimate in public communication.

NOTE: A lot of these functions also work on the iPod Touch, except for location-based apps and camera functions. To use the Voice Recorder, you'll need an external microphone.

The iPhone makes keeping your school and personal lives on track extremely easy and fun, you just have to know what to use and where to find it. There are hundreds of other possibilities I haven't tapped yet for managing your daily routine, so if you know of any, please leave a post in the comments or hit me up on Twitter at @hcmarks!

Palm's Pre-dicament

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:15:00 +0000

Palm has announced that they will be releasing their much anticipated smartphone, the Pre, on June 6th - two days before Apple's WWDC and presumably, the announcement of the new iPhone. There has been much speculation as to how the Pre will stack up against the iPhone, as well as other heavy-hitters like the Google Android Phones and Windows Mobile phones.

My hope for the Pre is that it succeeds, that it becomes popular with those on the Sprint network and eventually sprouts up at other carriers. Why? Because it's a damn good-looking phone with a really nice operating system, that's why. The webOS is slick - sometimes slicker than the iPhone's OS and offers some features that Apple's golden child doesn't, like support for Flash, a 3 mega-pixel camera, LED flash, wireless charging capabilities, and real use of cloud-based computing services.

The touch functionality doesn't look like it was added on at the end, as was the case with the Blackberry Storm. From the videos I've seen and spec sheets I've read, the Palm Pre could be the phone that breathes new life into a company on the verge of disintegration.

Of course, Palm's history doesn't paint a very good picture for the future of the company. Its Treo "smart" phones were notorious for impromptu restarts, dropped calls, and a variety of other problems. Most of this was due to its very outdated software, which didn't look like it was improved upon since the Palm V. The webOS, however, appears to be quite polished and a great step in the right direction for Palm - as does the lack of a stylus. The user is able to exact a variety of different touch gestures on the device's 3.1-inch screen, several of which are very similar to another popular touchscreen device, and they all have those little nuances that make the experience much more rewarding. For example, flicking a window to one side when there is no window beside it forces that window to "bounce" from side to side slightly before it settles into its original position.

I have not had the pleasure to use the device just yet, but from the many user-generated videos I've seen on YouTube and the demos I've viewed from various tech conventions, I can say that this is the first non-iPhone touchscreen mobile device I'm excited about. I wish I had been selected as a "Real Reviewer" of the Pre after applying for a chance on Palm's site, but I'm sure one of my friends will purchase it and I'll have a chance to try it out then.

It's this kind of eagerness from potential users that Palm needs in order to succeed. I'm not anticipating that they'll beat Apple or RIM, but they need to contend with them for awhile for two big reasons: 1) More touchscreen smartphones mean more reasons to jump ship. If one carrier has the more desirable phone, the other carriers will do everything they can to remain competitive - which means lowered data rates and/or better deals on new phones. 2) Competition breeds innovation. The Pre does some things that other smartphones can't do. When the other guys catch up, Palm will need to up the ante with the next big thing. The more competition for the iPhone and Blackberry, the better for all of us.

On the other side of the argument, there are three things working against Palm that could hinder the success of the Pre. 1) Apple's new iPhone will (allegedly) be announced two days after the Pre's release. Once that happens, all blogs/tech publications will be fixated on Apple's latest iteration of their touchscreen tyke and other devices will fall by the wayside. 2) Sprint's network is mediocre at best. I know a lot of people carry on about AT&T, but in my experience Sprint's customer service and cellular service are atrocious. It may be different elsewhere, but I doubt it and I doubt that a lot of people will make the switch the way they did when the iPhone was released. 3) Palm itself. Palm's history of lackluster software and awkward cellphones (Centro anyone?) isn't helping it push this new phone to the masses. It needs to get a couple of solid professional reviews under its belt and then let the blogosphere take over. Once word gets out that the Pre is the real deal, that should help boost its popularity and keep it afloat.

My word to those of you quick to put down the Pre - use it first. I've seen so many comments in various forums saying how the iPhone is a toy and isn't worth the price. Many of these (for lack of a better word) stupid comments come from those who've never used one for more than five minutes and I'm sure similar sentiments will be expressed about the Pre. That's the problem with the majority of people who post in forums - they feel that if the piece of technology they've been waiting for is missing even one item off their laundry list of desired features, that it's a worthless piece of trash. No phone is perfect. No computer is perfect. Nothing is perfect, so my best advice is to stop worrying about what this (or any other phone) doesn't have and enjoy what it does have. I've gone two years without cut, copy and paste on my iPhone and I've been quite pleased. I went many years without a touchscreen - I'm still in one piece. I'm sure that you'll go for awhile without one or two features on the Pre and you'll survive. Maybe Palm will address it in a firmware update or a new unit, maybe not. However, don't let that deter you from trying something potentially awesome.

Here are some links to different resources on the web concerning the Palm Pre:

Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_Pre
YouTube demonstration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRnlzbuLRwM

PS: Here are some great comments from the YouTube demonstration I linked to above (I love these things - stupid people make me laugh...):

By 8850407: i f*****g hate the iphone, but i dont think this is gonna beat it apple justs has too much cool applications for everyday life, what could i possibly do with this phone other than browse the net and other media are there even games for this, dont think so , games are a must for a mobile device without downloadable its gonna be boring but the touch is fantastic, its on par with the iphone and, thats my non biased comment

By timcarlisle77:

I just took a huge dump, and I pooped a new Palm Pre. It came out real smooth, like it wanted to be an iphone. However, I never pooped an iphone.

and finally, by mexicano899: i have an iphone & i thought it be the best but i was wrong it freezes & turns off soo dont get an iphone the palm pre look very good looks like it will make life easy sooo im switching 2 sprint when it comes out my friend works in sprint & she say the palm pre look very good & smooth lol soo i think everyone should get the pre & plus it has wireless charging SOOO BETTER THEN AN IPHONE WAY BETTER SOOO SAY GOODBYE 2 THE IPHONE CHEAP ASS PHONE LOL

Ahhh...thanks Internet - I feel refreshed!

Heroes: Getting Better, "Journalists" Not Helping

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:03:00 +0000

I know this isn't tech news, but it's something that irks me every time I see it: A highly respected, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist adequately and creatively dissects the latest episode of Heroes, eloquently pointing out the intricacies of the varying storylines. Then, when the analysis is complete, a slew of commentators intellectually discuss the well-developed, carefully crafted piece and proceed to (in a sophisticated manner, of course) deduce how the series could better improve itself and answer some questions that fans have been asking ever since season 2.

Just kidding.

Some person who's allowed to write for an online publication and calls herself a journalist, goes on a rampage over the last episode of Heroes because it didn't live up to her expectations. The "article" is a page long diatribe blasting the writers for being less-than-stellar and not wrapping up plot lines the way the author would like, followed by thread upon thread of knuckle-dragging mouth-breathers agreeing with her and spewing such gems as (and I sh*t you not):

"Maybe in the next season they'll reveal that President Worf is a mutant with the power to grow a weird-looking forehead and say things like "If you were any other man, I would kill you right where you stand" in some alien-sounding language. Oh, wait, that would be suspiciously akin to plagiarism. Then, again, this is Heroes after all..." - Roklimber

and

"...What I'd like to see is Sylar on a marathon breast cancer walk... with shape-shifty cameos from his mom. (With all his screwy DNA issues from the shifty process he/she is bound to get breast cancer...)" - Mercurial Chimaera

Wow. I am a better person for having read those pearls of wisdom. Thank you.

To be honest, I do feel that the show has been a bit lacking in terms of plot and character development. However, it's not entirely the show's fault - the writers' strike killed the second season (in terms of both length and plot development). Since then, it's struggled to get back on its feet and I am hopeful that when the new season premiers, it returns to its roots and the things that made the first season so excellent. A few suggestions might be:

- Less jumping around from character arc to character arc
- Don't introduce so many "heroes" at once
- Give us some more villains to follow, rather than just Sylar
- Give everyone their original powers back

I miss Hiro being able to both stop time AND teleport without getting a nosebleed. I miss Peter's ability to walk by someone and gain their power.

In response to this riveting work by i09's Annalee Newitz, I say the following:

The tone and anger you took in your article were both unwarranted and just plain dumb. It's a television show. I know you're upset with the direction in which they took Sylar - I am too. However, I also know of three different ways to fix your problem: Channel Up, Channel Down, and Power. If you don't like the show anymore, use one of those three buttons to remedy the situation.

I will continue to follow the show for as long as it's on - I'm invested in the characters. I love the stories and I'm always eager to see what's coming next - and I know I'm not the only one. I haven't given up on the show and I hope more people will stand by it. Will it ever be as awesome as season 1? Probably not. No show ever is.

When Heroes first aired, it was completely different to everything else that was on TV at the time. It was a fresh series that had nowhere to go but up. Combine the premise with some really great promos (I still get chills when I see Claire attempt to kill herself by jumping off the platform in that "home video") and you've got yourself a certifiable hit.

The one thing I will say is that the season premises - just discovering their powers, a potential virus to eradicate those with abilities, giving everyone on earth a power, villains, and the government hunting down the specials - are really great. They're outlines for fantastic volumes. Now that the season is over, the writers have the opportunity to go back and find the magic that made the first season so great and (God willing) make Heroes the show we've all hoped it would become - super-powered.

For now, though, I'll just teleport-on-by the yokels who get paid to rant incessantly (and I suggest you do the same).

The difference between me and them, you ask? I do it for free.

Has Twitter Pecked Facebook's Eyes Out?

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:32:00 +0000

Facebook, once a place for the privileged few (I mean, those still in college), soon opened its doors to high schoolers, then to the world. Now that everyone and their mother (literally) are on Facebook, is it doomed to the same fate that has affected sites like Friendster and MySpace? Are we done with Facebook?

The (not so) new wave in social networking is Twitter - a micro-blogging site that allows people to post what are, at their most basic level, Facebook status updates in 140 characters or less. Twitter has nothing to do with Facebook, but the analogy seems to fit. It's a place where anyone can sign up and "tweet" about whatever is going on in their lives: "I just ate a pancake," "Off to the bathroom - wish me luck," and other sophisticated offerings.

Twitter has been around since 2006, but didn't really catch on until news about politicians tweeting during a Presidential address took flight. Since then, everyone from celebrities (Greg Grunberg, Kevin Smith for example) to the average housewife has a Twitter account.

In its most useful form, Twitter has become a secondary RSS feed - another way to get important/interesting news. On the opposite side, Twitter is a way to feed the ego - a way for average people to feel like they have numerous friends because their followers range in the hundreds, sometimes thousands. In both instances, this is where Twitter "out-socials" Facebook.

Facebook is about "friends" - people you know who you can connect with as long as they confirm your friend request. Once the "Confirm" button is clicked, you are welcomed into their closed-off circle of acquaintances. Sometimes, you're one of 500 - other times, you're one of five. However, Facebook, even though it's open to the public, still seems closed off. It still fuels the clique mentality that permeated high school, college, work life, and beyond. If an invite to a party is sent on Facebook and you're not the sender's friend, you can pretty much guarantee you're not going. If a dozen people are tagged in a note and you're not, you're probably going to be upset and a little hurt. Twitter's not like that. Twitter eliminates the class system and puts regular citizens on the same level as politicians and Hollywood royalty. Where else would you be able to communicate with Oprah or Ashton directly? How great would it be if you posted a link and Shaq found it interesting enough to re-tweet and link to your profile? You don't get that type of interactivity with a Facebook or MySpace because that's not how they work. Twitter truly is about social networking - you can follow whomever you choose and they can follow you back. If they don't follow you, then at least you can see what they're talking about and comment on it.

Facebook has tried to mimic this with their news feed, but it's not the same. Since the news feed is updated any time someone makes a minor update to their profile, it's pretty easy to get lost in the fold. That awesome video you found on YouTube? - trapped between Person A's status update and Person C's addition of 11 favorite movies and 300 photographs from their trip to Cancun.

What does everyone else think? Are you done with Facebook? Do you love Twitter? Do you hate both and use something completely different? Leave a comment and let's start the discussion...

Amazon Unveils HD Video on Demand

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:46:00 +0000

If you have a computer, a TiVo 3 or a Roku set-top box, then you can take advantage of Amazon's new HD VOD service. They offer TV shows and movies in glorious high definition available for immediate streaming over the Internet. Check it out here: Amazon HD Video on Demand

Point Proven

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:40:00 +0000

Remember those obnoxious flame wars I mentioned in my "Response" post yesterday? Well, feel free to read this article from Silicon Valley Insider concerning Microsoft's ads, then peruse the sophisticated ramblings of fanboys (and girls!) on both sides. My personal favorite (possibly NSFW language below):

"Lulz, seriously people defending mac just make me rage. why because they are stupid. You can buy I high end PC or two regular pcs with the same specs of a mac with the same price as a mac. Mac are only for kids you say? yes thats why they have them in schools. I you never learned to used windows or Linux, you are just plain retarded, and don't come to the excuse that you are not a computer scientist or something like that. If you never learned to use a Operative system that is a little bit more complicated and you must WORK with it to keep ruining like you want it to,you are a dumbass and illiterate faggot, its not my fault and i don't care.(YOU ARE THE ONE WASTING MONEY)" - Anon

Doesn't get any more eloquent than that! Check out the article here: Microsoft's Lame New Anti-Apple Ad: Macs Are For Kids

10%-50% Off History Channel DVDs

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:37:00 +0000

Need an added resource for that paper on the Founding Fathers? Doing your masters thesis on God vs. Satan? Check out the History Channel shop and get anywhere from 10% to 50% off their selection of DVDs: History Channel Shop

Firefox Add-On Must-Haves

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:30:00 +0000

I've got two links to two different articles concerning Firefox add-ons. The first is geared toward web developers and has such gems as Firebug and ColorZilla (a friggin' lifesaver when Photoshop is not playing nice). The other has an amalgam of different add-ons, some dev based, some email based. Enjoy!

CNet Web Dev Add-Ons
EveryJoe.com Preferred Add-Ons

A Response to Microsoft, It's Fans, and Apple's Resident Nutcases

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:02:00 +0000

As I'm sure most of you have seen, Microsoft has begun airing a series of ads based on "real people" hunting for laptops within a certain price range. Creatively enough, they've been named the "Laptop Hunters" series. Each ad follows the same formula: Narrator introduces the buyer, explains what they need and tells them that if they can find a laptop with the required specs under a certain price, they can keep it. Sounds straightforward enough. However, here's where Microsoft gets their little dig at Apple: their "real person" either walks into an Apple store (allegedly) or meanders into the Apple section of a Best Buy and proceeds to tell the camera why Apple's aren't worth the money. "They're pretty, but not powerful and way too expensive," seems to sum up the general attitude of each buyer.

Microsoft has always taken jabs at Apple by claiming there's an "Apple Tax" included with every Mac purchase; i.e. "$500 more for a logo," as Microsoft's resident windbag Steve Ballmer has so eloquently stated. Steve seems like an OK guy, but he sounds a little out of touch with reality and quick to dismiss the competition - like when he stated during an interview back in April 2007, "There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance," (arstechnica.com). Interesting, since according to eWeek, the iPhone now holds 1.3% of worldwide smartphone market share. That may not sound like a lot, but that's "17.4 million units from 13.3 million units," shipped for this year. Apple holds the third place spot for worldwide smartphone market share, trailing RIM in number two and Nokia first. So, Mr. Ballmer, you've got the top three cell phone companies in the world that don't use your OS. How long before you acknowledge Apple as a true competitor in the smartphone industry? I understand that they may not have the presence you do in the United States, but they are a competitor whether you'd like to admit it or not. Anyway, moving right along...

I see what Microsoft is trying to say in their new ads: buy PCs - they're cheaper and in this economy, that's most important. True, the economy has really hurt a lot of people and they're being more frugal in their purchases than they may have once been before the recession hit. Unfortunately, a price-war seems to be Microsoft's only viable attack plan at the moment and it may end up hurting them in the long run. The average computer buyer might have considered a Mac due to friends' recommendations, Apple ads, or any number of other reasons before their 401K went belly-up. Now, they see the Microsoft ads on TV or the inter-webs and their minds have been changed. Why should they pay "$500 more for a logo" (thanks Steve, that one always makes me laugh) when they can get a "full-featured" laptop for less? Here's why: long-term value.

I know from experience that I will get significantly more money for my older Mac laptop than I ever would from a PC laptop. Why? Because the PC landscape is always changing and the unit you have now won't be worth what you paid for it in a month. It's unfair and it makes me angry, but it's also a blessing. Technology moves at an alarming pace and the term "science-fiction" is soon becoming obsolete. For example, everyone I know who saw "Minority Report" wanted a computer that you could manipulate using hand motions, throwing windows from one screen to another, pinching and zooming images until your arms got tired. This article from Fast Company discusses a group of engineers and programmers who brought that system into reality. And Microsoft's "Vision of the Future" they demonstrated at the Wharton Business Technology Conference may have seemed 30 to 40 years away, but with inventions like Microsoft's Surface table/computer and Apple's iPhone, the 2019 timestamp placed on the video doesn't sound so far-fetched.

This is not to say PCs aren't worth purchasing. Windows is still what the majority of computer users use and if you run into a problem with your system, I guarantee that you have a friend or know a friend of a friend who can help you fix it. PC users are part of an enormous community with an endless supply of knowledge and I think that's fantastic, because if I'm on a Windows box and I have an issue, I'm 99% sure someone else has had it too and they've found the solution. Windows also has an infinite supply of software available to do anything you could ever imagine, and a lot of it is either very inexpensive or open-source (free). That's worth the price of admission alone.

Every OS has its own mishigas (that's Yiddish for "hangups, craziness"), but it's how you use it that really matters.

I'm of the philosophy, "if it works for you, use it." Macs work for me, so I use them. I know plenty of people who are used to PCs, like the Windows OS and that's perfectly fine. I'm not going to scoff and look down upon them for using anything other than Leopard - I don't care, but there are so many people who do and, to put it mildly, it's frustrating.

Too many articles on various tech blogs contain "fanboy flamewars" within the comments section of each article that don't help either side. One person says that he's never had an issue with his MacBook, then two posts down, someone says he's wrong, the Genius Bar sucks, his Windows machine is so much better and the guy who posted the original comment is gay. This formula continues through 18 pages of comments in response to an article stating Steve Jobs is working on a tablet device to unveil at a speech three months from now. Then, in only a few posts scattered among the hundreds, someone decides that neither OS is worth using and Linux is the best system ever invented in the history of anything that was ever invented. People are very protective of their choice in operating systems - like their choice in pets, or fine wines. They feel that if someone says something derogatory against the OS they use, it's a personal sleight against their tastes and beliefs. It's not. Mac OS X and Windows Vista have never been, nor will ever be Jesus.

To get riled up because someone thinks your computer is inferior is silly and I blame the majority of these "wars" on the Internet. The Internet has made every person with a modem a pixelated-pundit. People, whose opinions have never mattered before now feel that their opinions mean something because they can see them lit up on a screen. It's unfortunate, because even if these individuals had valid points to make, their unwillingness to hear the other side and then label every adversary as a homosexual has completely nulled and voided those points.

Here's what this all comes down to: use what makes you happy and don't let skewed advertising get in the way. I don't agree with Microsoft's recent ads because they send the message that as long as a laptop sells under a certain price and has certain specifications, it's a better choice. It's not. The HP Pavillion that "Lauren" bought wasn't as great as she thought. It's actually kind of slow and the screen isn't hi-res.

My advice: read the spec cards on laptop displays carefully and if you don't know anything about buying a computer, go online and do some research. Read user reviews on different e-commerce sites and see what people like about a particular laptop or desktop. Don't get sucked into the hype on either side; not all Mac users are hipster a-holes and not all Windows users are pencil-pushing nerds. And if you've never even heard of Linux, don't let some overeager freshman computer-science major tell you that it's the best operating system ever created and is much easier to use than Mac OS X or Windows Vista. You'll regret it. Think for yourselves. Think different...ly.

Stanford Offering iPhone App Dev Courses On iTunes U for Free

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:19:00 +0000

Stanford University will be offering slides and lectures from their iPhone Application Development course on iTunes U. The "courses" will be free for download and should complement your other iPhone application development resources nicely.

Videos should appear two days after each class, and will most likely be found here: Stanford on iTunes U
Now that Apple has relaxed its NDA for its SDK, it's AOK to teach the app dev way!

Check out the story right from Stanford here: Stanford News

MacHeist Bundle - 4 Days Left!

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:44:00 +0000

I'm seriously urging every Mac user out there to purchase the MacHeist (@Macheist) bundle on sale for the next 4 days. It only costs $39, you get over $1000 worth of apps, and 25% of the proceeds go to charity. If you're wondering what's in the bundle, here's the list:

iSale
Picturesque 2
SousChef
World of Goo
PhoneView
LittleSnapper
Kinemac
WireTap Studio
Boinx TV (locked currently)
The HIt List (locked currently)
Espresso (locked currently)

If you're a Twitter member, you can get Delicious Library 2 and Multiwinia for free, as well.

As an added bonus, if you refer one friend to purchase the bundle, you get Ambrosia's Pop-Pop puzzle game and if you refer two friends, you get the Koingo Utility Package FOR FREE!

This is an unbeatable deal, so hurry up and get yours today!

MacHeist: www.macheist.com

Follow me on Twitter!

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:37:00 +0000

Hey everyone,

I'm on Twitter: @hcmarks

so feel free to follow me. Thanks!

Google Buying Twitter?

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:36:00 +0000

It's possible that the search giant is eying the micro-blogging giant, but what will that mean for Twitterers/Twitts/Tweeps everywhere? Robert Scoble (@Scobleizer) made some interesting observations on his blog:

"Remember, Google is the company that bought Jaiku and then did nothing with it. It’s the company that bought Dodgeball (a company that had a service very similar to Twitter that was out before Twitter). And did nothing with it (the founders of that company also wrote a "we’re leaving" letter to Google.)"

Check out the whole article here: Scobelizer

What's your take on Google's potential acquisition? Do you see it benefitting Twitter, or even more importantly, Twitter users? Personally, I think Twitter is fine the way it is now. They may not have a business plan, but their formula works and people like it. Like the old saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it...Google."

Safari 4 beta

noreply@blogger.com (H.C.M.) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:22:00 +0000

I've been using the new Safari 4 beta (Mac) for a few days now, and I love it! I love that Apple pulled from Chrome and Opera to bring fairly standard browsing options to their flagship browser. It took some getting used to, but I've come to admire and enjoy the top-shelf tab bar - those few extra lines of vertical real estate make the difference. Have you downloaded it yet? What do you like or dislike about it? Leave a comment or drop me a tweet @ hcmarks on Twitter. I'd love to hear what you think - and what could be improved.

If you haven't downloaded it yet, get it for both Mac and Windows here