TBone's Mind

Oh My! What Happened to the Comments?

2010-12-13T18:00:00.001-05:00

Photo by Search Engine People Blog

UPDATE: Old comments have been imported successfully.

You might have noticed that all the comments on this site have been wiped. First let me apologize for doing so. Your comments are important to me and they were not wiped because they weren't important. They were wiped because I needed to upgrade the commenting system on this blog.

While Blogger is a great and free platform to setup a blog, it does have some aspects that need a lot of work. One of those aspects is the default commenting system. Basically that system sucks.

My biggest and your biggest gripe has been that the system had no way to reply to other people's comments. It was starting to become very frustrating for users who wanted to start a threaded conversation about a post. It was also very difficult for me to reply to folks in a way that was understandable to all.

For those reasons I decided to upgrade the commenting system to the Disqus platform. Disqus has all the features you have been asking for. Users are now able to reply to other's comments and they are also able to like or dislike other comments. In addition to those features you can also login and comment from a variety of services including Twitter, Yahoo, and OpenID.

This new platform will make it easier for your voice to be heard on TBone's Mind and also easier for all of you and myself to interact with one another. Let me know what you think of the new system in the comments below.

PS - I am working on importing the old comments.

TBone's Holiday Gift List - Tablets and eReaders

2010-12-08T19:30:00.002-05:00

Photo by mmlolek

Over the next couple days running up to whichever holiday you happen to celebrate, I will release a new post concentrating on a specific category of gifts with products that I recommend.

In each section I will be limiting the amount of products I recommend to only a select few. I only recommend products that I own, have used, or have significant knowledge about. Even though I am recommending these products, I still encourage you to shop around and pick gifts that fit your needs and are within your budget.

If you chose to purchase any of these gifts, then you can click on the link and purchase through Amazon. I have written before on my thoughts about Amazon and I still think they are one of the best option out there to get the products you need for a great price. Also if you purchase any of the products using the links provided below, then I will receive a small percentage of the purchase price, which will go into making TBone's Mind a better blog for all to enjoy.

Click the link to see the products that are selected for this post's category.

Tablets

Apple iPad 32GB Wi-Fi ($569.95)

CAUTION: I am only recommending this if you have to have a tablet this holiday season. It is very likely that Apple will be announcing a new version of the iPad in January. The new version will defiantly have added features and could come at a lower price point. Consider yourself warned.

There are a lot of crappy tablets on the market today, most of them Android based. However there is one clear choice in this category and that is the iPad. Yes, it is basically a giant iPhone, but it is also the best tablet on the market. You get access to all the apps in Apple's App Store (though only some are optimized for the iPad) and it gets 10 hours of battery life. I suggest going with the Wi-Fi version since it is cheaper. If you want wireless data just buy a mifi or hotspot device from your favorite cellular provider.

eReaders

Kindle Wi-Fi ($139)

The Kindle is a great single purpose device; it does one thing incredibly well. Many hardcore readers swear by the Kindle for its easy on the eyes E Ink screen and great battery life. With the Kindle you also have access to Amazon's Kindle store, which probably has the best selection of ebooks out of all the stores out there. Plus, you can't beat the Kindle's price.

Apple iPad 32GB Wi-Fi ($569.95)

The iPad might be a tablet, but it is also a great eReader. If there is an eBook that exists, you will be able to read it on the iPad since it has access to Apple's iBook store, Amazon's Kindle store, and also Barnes & Noble's store. The iPad is also able to view color eBooks and magazines. And even though its uses an LCD screen instead of E Ink, it still manages to get good battery life.

TBone's Holiday Gift List - Cameras (Photo and Video)

2010-12-05T15:30:00.000-05:00

Photo by mmlolek

Today I am kicking off my first section of my holiday gift guide. Over the next couple days running up to whichever holiday you happen to celebrate, I will release a new post concentrating on a specific category of gifts with products that I recommend.

Click the link to see the products that are selected for this post's category.

Cameras (Photo)

I am not a photography expert by any means, so I am not able to provide any recommendations for dSLRs since I haven't really used any or have much experience with them. However, I have listed some cameras below that will work well for folks both new to photography and also those who are more experienced. I know the options below are expensive, but I think you will get a lot of life out of these cameras.

Canon G12 10MP Digital Camera ($469.00)

This is probably the most advanced camera you can get before you start heading into the dSLR category. It has enough auto settings for those still new to photography, but you are also able to manually adjust just about anything for those who are more experienced.

Canon PowerShot S95 10MP Camera ($369.99)

The most powerful point and shoot camera on the market. It is small, compact, easy to use, and has a lot of settings that can be configured manually for the folks who have more experience. It is also one of the best performing low light cameras on the market. You can save a few bucks by going with last years model, the Canon S90. Some features are different but the performance is pretty much the same.

Cameras (Video)

Now I know most folks have a phone on them that can record decent video. I even use my iPhone when I am in a pinch. But for those times when you need HD, or just better video and audio quality, you can't go wrong with a dedicated device.

Flip UltraHD 8GB ($170.99)

I stand by the Flip cameras. I know that there are a lot of imitators in this space, but I like the simplicity and quality of the Flip cameras.

Flip MinoHD 8GB ($199.00)

Same great Flip camera just in a smaller package.

Accessories

There are a boat load of accessories for cameras ranging from cases, to bags, to memory cards and plenty of other things that you would be surprised even existed. But I think there is one accessory that everyone should have that is incredibly useful and works great.

Joby Gorillapod ($15.00)

The Joby Gorillapod is the only stand you will ever need. The flexible legs allow it to wrap around or cling to just about any surface you could think of. It works great for steady shots at night time or in low light conditions. It is also a great stand-in for another person if you would like to take some self portraits with your sweetie. There are a lot of different varieties of the Gorillapod so I encourage you to pick the one that works best with your device.

Verizon Reveals 4G LTE Launch Details - 5 Things You Need to Consider

2010-12-01T21:00:00.000-05:00

Verizon announced their launch details (finally) for their 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) data service today. While there weren't any surprises, it did finally deliver what most people wanted to know, the date and pricing. This news is certainly exciting, but should you go out and buy a new 4G LTE device this weekend? Click the link below to find out.

What is Verizon 4G LTE?

Essentially Verizon 4G LTE is Verizon's new and improved cellular data network. Instead of today's 3G speeds of 1Mbps - 2Mbps downstream, you will see speeds of 5 Mbps - 12 Mbps. While 4G (4th Generation) isn't the next evolution in cellular data networks, it is a big improvement.

For more infomation on LTE, read Matt Buchanan's posts on Gizmodo. He does a great job of explaining the technology:

What Was Announced Today

Service launches December 5th
Two data plans to start:

$50/month for 5GB of data
$80/month for 10GB of data
$10 for every GB over your plan

Two devices at launch (Both $99 after $50 mail in rebate and 2 year contract)

LG VL600 data modem
Pantech UML290 data modem (available soon after launch)

Data coverage

38 major metropolitan area
60 commercial airports

5 Things You Need to Consider Before You Buy

It is Only Data Modems for Now

The initial launch consists of only two USB data modems. So unless you are a heavy traveler or you need it for work, it is not worth the cost. Remember you won't be able to connect your smart phone to these modems and the speed is gonna be the same or worse then Wifi. Also, Engadget is reporting that the LG modem cannot be used with Macs. Bummer.

Phones Will be Here in the First Half of 2011

Verizon said that they will be announcing consumer oriented devices in the beginning of 2011. What this translates to is that they will be announcing phones at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and/or Mobile World Congress (MWC) in January and February respectively. That means that phones will probably start hitting stores in the April to June time frame. You can hold out for a few more months.

The Hand-Off Between 3G and 4G Networks Has Some Issues

It looks like Verizon still has some issues to work out transferring back and forth between their 3G and 4G networks. The modems will be able to go from 4G to 3G, but not back from 3G to 4G. The modem connection will have to be reset in order to connect back to the 4G network.

What this means for you is that if you are in an area that has spotty 4G coverage or you are traveling between 4G and 3G zones, once your 4G connection drops you will be stuck on 3G. You won't be able to get back on the 4G network until you reset your modem connection. Depending on how you use the modem or how coverage is in your area, this might not be an issue for you.

Initial Coverage is Great, But That Doesn't Mean You Have Coverage

While launching in 38 metropolitan areas and 60 airports is great, that doesn't mean you will have coverage. Coverage maps will not be released until December 5th, but unless you are within 20 miles of those 38 cities, chances are that you might not have very good coverage or any at all.

It is Not the Only Option Out There

Currently there are other options out there where you will be able to get speeds very close to Verizon's 4G. Both Sprint and Clear have 4G networks that use WiMAX technology, and are currently available in over 68 cities. You can see about 10Mbps downstream on both of those carriers networks (they are really the same network).

T-Mobile also operates an advanced 3G network (though they refer to it as their 4G network) that uses HSPA+. Their network is in about 70 cities and you can expect to see about 6Mbps downstream.

All three options are available today and have different plans that might fit in your budget better than Verizon's plan. So, are any of you going to take the plunge on Verizon? Or are you gonna use a different option? Or are you going to just wait? Sound off in the comments below.

Source: Engadget

How OnLive Can Be a Success

2010-11-29T21:00:00.002-05:00

Photo from centralasian

There hasn't been a new contender in the gaming console market in a long time. It's a tough market to break into with the likes of Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony dominating the market for years. But recently a new company has emerged with a home console that takes a vastly different approach then the big three.

This company is OnLive and they made a pretty big splash with their idea back at the 2009 Game Developer Conference. They have already released their gaming service on the PC and Mac, but does their home console strategy have what it takes to succeed? Click the link to read what I think OnLive needs to do in order for their home console to be a success.

First, a little bit of background

OnLive is actually a gaming service more than it is any kind of hardware platform. Some have referred to it as a cloud gaming service or gaming on demand. The reason why is because OnLive actually performs all of the game processing on their remote servers scattered across the country. These servers perform all the processing and then compress the video and audio and stream it to a users machine.

The user has OnLive's software loaded onto their machine that then decodes the video and audio stream into a high definition video. All the user needs is a PC or Mac that is able to process HD video and an Internet connection that is higher than 3 MBits/sec.

Onlive's selling point to the user is that they will never have to worry about buying new hardware or upgrading hardware again. If they want to play the latest game all they have to do is sign into the software and purchase the game from OnLive's game store.

This service launched on the PC and Mac back in June 2010 and OnLive has also just released a home micro console that sells for $99. The console is a small box that is able to decode the audio and video stream, and also comes with a wireless controller.

Photo from SobContollers'

OnLive's biggest problem

OnLive has a couple of issues. Many folks have already pointed out that a lot of people do not have 3 Mbit/sec internet connections, let alone the 5 MBit/sec connection that OnLive recommends. Also their current game library is pretty sparse. As of today OnLive's game library is only showing 40 titles, and 7 of those are different Borderlands editions and downloadable content.

But OnLive's biggest problem is the model it uses for purchasing games. User's can either purchase games for a little bit under PC retail price or rent the game for 3 or 5 days for $5.99 and $8.99 respectively. This pricing does not apply to every single game, but it does represent the majority and highest price points someone will pay for the games listed.

Those prices are pretty high for purchasing something you never truly own. Even when you purchase the full game, your copy of the game resides on OnLive's servers. OnLive hasn't exactly been forthcoming with details of what happens to a user's purchased games should they stop using OnLive or if they go out of business. But the general consensus is that you will not be able to get a digital or physical copy of the games you have purchased.

This purchase method never sits well with consumers. People just don't like paying close to full price for something that they never truly own. In order for OnLive to make any sort of headway they are going to have to ditch this model.

Someone has already figured out the solution

The good news for OnLive is that a company has already figured out a solution to this problem. All OnLive has to do is follow Netflix.

Photo from Asthma Helper

OnLive needs to move to a subscription based streaming model like Netflix. By setting up a tiered subscription model for OnLive, they will be able to attract more users. Users as a whole are already used to a model like this thanks to Netflix, and many folks are begging Apple to move to this kind of model with iTunes music and video content.

Here is what I think OnLive's subscription based model should look like:

$4.99 - 1 game a month
$9.99 - 3 games a month
$14.99 - unlimited games a month

I think those a pretty good price points for OnLive to start reaching mass market penetration. I also think that the price point is low enough that it will quell the fear of the consumer with the whole never actually owning the game problem.

Also, ditch the hardware

Another thing that OnLive can lift from Netflix is to stick with software and forget about hardware. Instead of Netflix making their own media streaming box, they decided to partner with folks like Roku, Sony, Samsung, Boxee, Google, Apple and others.

Photo by hawaii

Netflix makes a media streaming app that they can install on a variety of hardware platforms from various vendors. This enables Netflix to get more of the market then they ever could if they decided to make their own hardware and sell it.

OnLive should do the same thing. They should get their software installed on the same type of hardware platforms as Netflix. Their software already has built in support for the Xbox 360 Controller for Windows and if they really wanted to they could still produce their own controller as an accessory.

By doing this users will be able to play their games on their TVs and PCs/Macs without having to buy any extra hardware besides a controller. The great thing about this for gamers is they will be able to access and play their games across multiple types of hardware.

Imagine starting to play a game at home on your TV, but then finishing the game later in the week on your laptop while you are on a business trip. That is a service I could see myself subscribing to for a very long time.

Source: OnLive

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2010-11-25T10:23:00.000-05:00

Photo by floodllama

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my US readers out there. Today I give thanks to my beautiful wife, my family and my friends. Oh, and also all the lovely technology, gadgets and video games that exist. What are you guys thankful for?

To all of my international readers, it might not be Thanksgiving for you today, but I hope you all have a enjoyable day too.

Worthwhile Black Friday Deals

2010-11-22T17:00:00.002-05:00

Image Source tshein

Black Friday is upon us and all retailers are going to be fighting for your hard earned cash. Most years people camp out the night before and wait in long lines in the cold weather. I am sure this year will be no different.

Now I personally don't go and camp out in the long lines the night before. If there is a deal I am interested in, I take my chances that I might be able to get it during the day. I just do not think that there are any deals that are really worth all the trouble to ensure that you get it. But I know that I am the minority here, and most folks enjoy Black Friday. So I have complied a list of products that I recommend and that have good deals. Hit the link to check out the list

One thing you will not find on the list are laptops, desktops, and TVs. Like most years there just aren't any good deals on these items. The prices might be low, but most of the laptops, desktops, and TVs are junk and I do not recommend any of them. You can find much better deals on higher quality models at other times during the year.

The list below is sorted by Store. You will find each item followed by the deal price, then the retail price in parentheses, and which platforms the deal is for.

Also, I have linked each item to its Amazon page so you can check out the item's details, reviews, and also compare it to Amazon's competitive price.

Best Buy

Sony Blu-Ray Google TV 299.00 (399.00)
Dyson DC25 Animal Vaccum 399.00 (499.00)
Canon PIXMA MP560 All-in-one 49.99 (149.00)
Battlefield Bad Company 2 Ultimate Edition 29.99 (59.00) X360, PS3
Fable 3 39.99 (59.99) X360
Fall Out: New Vegas 39.99 (59.99) X360, PS3
Halo: Reach 39.99 (59.00) X360
Nintendo Wii w/Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Wii Remote Plus 169.99 (199.99)

Kmart

Fable 3 39.99 (59.99) X360
Fall Out: New Vegas 39.99 (59.99) X360, PS3
Halo: Reach 39.99 (59.00) X360
Goldeneye 007 39.99 (49.99) Wii
Mass Effect 2 9.99 (19.99) X360
Medal of Honor 34.99 (59.99) X360, PS3
Xbox 360 4GB w/Call of Duty: Black Ops 199.99 (259.98)
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 34.99 (59.99) X360, PS3

Radio Shack

Flip Video Ultra 8GB 129.99 (199.99)
Samsung Captivate w/2 yr and $25 month Data contract Free (199.99)

Sam's Club

Xbox 360 250 GB w/Red Dead Redemption, Forza 3, Alan Wake, Call of Duty: Modern Warefare 2 and Headset 349.99 (424.88)

Staples

Flip Video Ultra 4GB 99.99 (149.99)

Target

Western Digital 2 TB External HD 69.00 (139.00)
Fable 3 35.00 (59.99) X360
Final Fantasy XIII 17.00 (49.00) X360
Halo: Reach 35.00 (59.00) X360
Medal of Honor 35.00 (59.99) X360, PS3
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 35.00 (59.99) X360, PS3
Super Mario Galaxy 2 35.00 (49.99) Wii
Xbox 360 4GB w/2 controllers and $50 Target Gift Card 199.99 (289.99)

Walmart

Flip Video UltraHD 4GB 99.00 (129.00)
Sony BDP-S570 Blu-ray Player 158.00 (198.00)
Samsung BD-C6500 Blu-ray Player w/$10 Vudu credit 138.00 (259.99)
Halo: Reach 35.00 (59.00) X360
God of War Collection 10.00 (27.99) PS3
Infamous 10.00 (26.99) PS3
Killzone 2 10.00 (27.54) PS3
Medal of Honor 29.00 (59.99) X360, PS3
Madden NFL 11 29.00 (53.54, 46.54) X360, PS3, Wii
NBA Jam 29.00 (49.96) Wii
PlayStation 3 160GB w/Uncharted 2 and Medal of Honor 299.00 ( 398.99)
Ratchet and Clank: Future Tools of Destruction 10.00 (26.54)
Red Dead Redemption 29.00 (56.54) X360, PS3
Red Steel 2 w/Motion Plus 10.00 (29.96) Wii
Xbox 360 4GB w/Call of Duty:Modern Warfare 2 and Mass Effect 2 199.00 (263.89)

Source: bfads.net

Participate in the TBone's Mind Community

2010-11-21T17:09:00.000-05:00

Image from Scott M

One of the main reasons I started this blog was because I wanted to have a place where I could go and discuss my thought's on technology with others. Not just discuss tech news and announcements, but also discuss industry trends and changes that should take place in the technology we all love.

Creating and maintaing an online community is one of my success goals for TBone's Mind. The only way I will be able to achieve that goal is with your help.

At the end of each post is an area for folks to comment. I encourage everyone who comes to this site to leave a comment on a post that interests them. If you have a question, please feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer. Or if you know the answer to someone else's question, then please feel free to answer.

We will all benefit from having different folks give their insight and perspective on topics. Many of the readers of TBone's Mind are from outside the US and can provide a completely different perspective then me.

All points of view are welcome in the comments. If you do not agree with my opinion, feel free to let me know yours. I will not remove anyone's comment unless it's derogatory or is what I consider spam. So let your opinions flow and lets build a diverse online tech community.

We shouldn't blame Apple, we should blame ourselves

2010-11-16T20:55:00.000-05:00

At 10 am EST you could hear the moans of disappointment across the internet. People were outraged because Apple's major iTunes announcement was that The Beatles entire song catalog was now available on iTunes. There was no announcement of iTunes Live Streaming, no cloud storage solution, no canceling of Ping, and no redesign on the hated iTunes 10 logo. But I am here to tell you that the only people we can blame for this disappointment is ourselves. Read on to find out why.

There were tell tale signs that this announcement was nothing major:

This was an online only announcement with no keynote from Jobs.
The announcement was at 10 am EST, instead of 10 am PST.
There was no major uptick in rumors the days before.

Apple would never announce something major like streaming or cloud storage without holding a keynote event. They would need to walk through the features of those services to convince everyone that they have to have it. That is just what Apple does when they announce major new products or services.

While having The Beatles entire music catalog available in iTunes is a big deal, it is nothing major for Apple. Many people will point out that Apple hyped the event by sending out invites for the online event with the tag-line "A Day to Remember." But Apple also sent out a clear message by holding the event in the manner that they did, and we just let out anticipation get the best of us.

Now I admit I am guilty of doing this before any major announcement from Apple. I think it stems form the original iPhone reveal and how much of an impact that announcement had and how it blew away my expectations. But since Apple set that bar so high, I now have unrealistic expectations for every event that Apple holds.

We all like to speculate before major events on what the rumors are and what might be revealed. But we get so caught up in our own speculation and anticipation that we ignore the facts that are right in front of us.

Next time we should all try to keep our expectations in check and look at the facts. That way we can enjoy what is actually announced instead of pine over what wasn't. Now go ahead and download your favorite Beatles song from iTunes to cheer you up about the fact that you still have to download it instead of streaming it directly from iTunes.

Facebook's Idea of Email

2010-11-15T22:17:00.000-05:00

Image from MaximumPC

To no one's surprise, Facebook announced their new email/messaging service today. If you have no idea what I am talking about then stop right now and read this post first. If you do know what I am talking about then continue on past the break to see if the rumors were true and if anything unexpected was announced.

Facebook's New Messaging Service

Mark Zuckerberg made sure that he avoided saying the word email as much as possible today because according to him, Facebook is not trying to get into the email business. Well, not today anyway. Instead Facebook revealed a new messaging service that aggregates your messages from multiple sources. The features of this new messaging service are listed below:

Aggregates your email, SMS (text messages), Facebook Messages, and IMs from chat clients.
You can get a @facebook.com email address, though it is not required.
Like Gmail it will have threaded messages.
Unlike Gmail it will keep a thread of every conversation you have had with a particular person in one thread.
There will a filtered/prioritized friends inbox, as was rumored. (read more here)

Is This The Next Big Thing And Death Of Email?

A lot of people seem to think this will be the death of email. It even seemed like Zuckerberg was subconsciously sending that message by avoiding saying the word email during his keynote. Gizmodo seems to think this is the end of email by pointing out that the next generation of kids is growing up on tweets, SMS, and Facebook Status updates. They don't use email because they need "instant communication."

Do I think this is the death of email? I don't. I think Facebook is doing some smart things by removing CC, BCC, and subject fields from the new message service, but this is just an improvement to email. They are basically taking some of the smart features of email, tweets, IMs, and SMS and incorporating them into their messaging system. None of this is really new. And to be perfectly honest Google Wave did a lot of these things and more when it was launch two years ago. However Google did end up killing future development of Google Wave. So that brings us to the next question.

Will this be the next big thing? It might be. Facebook has around 500 million users, so there is already a huge installed base that is ready to start using this thing. So far Facebook is also doing a much better job launching and explaining to its users what this new system is then Google ever did for Google Wave. But I just don't see myself leaving Gmail to use this when Gmail already works so well for me. The much touted prioritized/filtered friends inbox is a neat feature, but it is a solution for a problem that I don't have.

How about you, will you use this new messaging service instead of your current email account? Is the new filtered/prioritized friend inbox the killer feature you have been waiting for? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Gizmodo

No One is Going to Poke Facebook Email

2010-11-14T20:56:00.000-05:00

On Friday the internet exploded with news that Facebook is going to reveal their new email service, that some have called a gmail killer, tomorrow. Not much is known about this new service and what exactly Facebook has planned, but some seem to think that Gmail is doomed. We won't know for sure until after the event on tomorrow, but I am here to tell you that Gmail and other mail services have nothing to worry about. Click the read link below to find out why.

Speculation is that on Monday Mark Zuckerberg will announce that everyone on Facbook with be receiving a new @facebook.com or @fb.com email address. They have been working on a secret email service they call project Titan for quite some time. But what exactly will this new email service give users that isn't already out there today? And why should users care?

What Is Known About The New Facebook Email Service

To be honest, not much is really known and there is very little in the way of rumors. But two rumors have emerged, and to be honest, neither are very exciting.

The first is that the new service will incorporate a prioritization or filtering method that will ensure users get the emails that are most important to them. This will be done based on your social fingerprint on Facebook. I translate that to mean that the people you are friends with and converse or interact with the most will be spotlighted in some way.

The second rumor is that the new service will include support for Microsoft's Office web apps. You have to remember that Microsoft does own a small percentage of Facebook, and the two have partnered or worked together on some projects in the past. So what will this get you? Well, I assume that users will be able to open, view, and edit Office attachments in the new service without having Office installed on their computers.

Why Should You Care?

I am not sure you should. Those two rumors alone are neither mind blowing or new. Gmail can currently do both those things. You can enable prioritized inbox in Gmail, and you can open office docs, including pdfs, using Google Docs.

Now I am sure if these two rumors turn out to be true they won't be the only features announced. But I am having are hard time imaging some killer feature that would make me drop Gmail for a new mail service. Switching email accounts isn't as bad as switching to a new mobile number, but there will still be some issue for users to overcome.

While Facebook already has a built in address book with your friends list, I am not sure that would be the list most users would want as the key for Facebook's rumored email filtering. I keep my email address book lean, filled only with folks I contact on a regular basis. The same cannot be said about my Facebook friends list. My friends list is more of a list of people who I have met a some point in my life, and who I like to check in on every once in a while. I wouldn't want to have to go through and trim down the list just to get the advanced filtering working. Especially when I already have that trimmed down list set up in Gmail. I am sure Facebook could implement something to help mitigate this process, like using their Groups functionality, but when I already have a system setup that works it would take incredible features to get me to leave. And advanced filtering, especially one that requires me to set it up, isn't one of them.

The second big issue is the separation of peoples lives on Facebook. I know I use my Facebook profile for personal reasons, and try to keep my professional life separate. Depending on how deep the integration of their email service is with a user's profile, it might be tough to use the new service for anything but personal email. The stories of people getting fired or in trouble with their employers because of what they have on their Facebook profiles are well known. I would be worried about this even with whatever controls Facebook puts in place to prevent this.

The only reason I can really think for anyone to be excited for this is because they already spend most of their online life on Facebook. I don't really message people on Facebook and I don't use their IM client. So there would be a pretty high cost for me to move my online life over to Facebook. Now Facebook has something like 500 million users, and I am sure a decent percentage of them do have their whole online life on Facebook, so that could be all this new service needs to be successful. But short of revealing a new feature where Facebook could automatically write my emails for me, I will be sticking with my Gmail account.

Sources: Wired, TechCrunch, ZDnet

What Twitter Can Do For Your Blog

2010-11-12T00:12:00.000-05:00

I admit I was a little slow to get on the Twitter bandwagon. As a technology lover I usually jump all over new things, but I just didn't feel an urge to join Twitter. Maybe it was because Twitter was so popular and was everywhere in the media, or maybe it was because I just didn't get the point. But now that I started blogging, I am starting to understand the power of Twitter. I am also starting to understand that Twitter has a bit of a learning curve. Click the read link to find out what Twitter can do for your blog.

Quick Lesson On The Taxonomy

Twitter has its own simple language to make use of the limited number of characters a person has per tweet. I have listed them below with a simple explanation of what they are:

@username - This one can be used in two different ways:

Placing this at the beginning of your tweet is a direct message to that user
Placing it anywhere in your tweet expect for the beginning is a mention of that user. It will go out to everyone, but that user will get a notice that they have been mentioned in your tweet.

#string - This is called a Hashtag and is the equivalent of tagging a topic in your tweet. By using a Hashtag you allow all users to easily search for all tweets on a specific topic. So for example if my tweet was about Apple I would use #Apple.
RT - This stands for Retweet. Twitter has a Retweet functionality built in, but all it does is repost the original tweet on your feed. A lot of users now Retweet by putting RT @username in front of their tweet so it is their own tweet, but they are still giving the original tweeter credit.
http://bit.ly/g5HG5d - This is a shrunken URL. Since you have a limit of 160 characters per tweet, TinyURL invented a method to shrink URLs so the link doesn't take up all of your available characters. Though there are now many ways to shrink URLs besides TinyURL.

What I Have Learned Using Twitter

After using Twitter for a bit, I have learned a few things which I think can be summed up in three main points.

Great way to get info out about your posts, just don't expect a lot of blog hits initially

Whenever I have a new post I make sure I send out a tweet to notify the Twitter-verse. Now, when you are new to Twitter you probably do not have a lot of followers, so to get the widest reach I recommend you implement Hastags in your tweet tagging relevant topics in your post. This will give you a wider audience besides just your followers.

There is also a bit of an art to sending out tweets about your posts. You do not want to spam everyone with repeated tweets, but you can craft creative tweets that make reference to your posts and also do not just copy the post notification you have previously sent out. I do get some hits using this method, but do not expect a lot until you build up a bigger following.

Easy way to network with the major bloggers

The great thing about a tweet being limited to 160 characters is that they are quick to write and even quicker to read. I have had much greater success getting some of the major bloggers out there to respond to my tweets then I have my emails. If you have a post or info that you think a major blogger would be interested in, just add a mention of them in your tweet, most of the time you will get some kind of response back.

A new method for ongoing conversations

When you first start using Twitter it is easy to think that each tweet is just a single message conversation. But by using Hastags and mentions each tweet is just a comment in a continuing conversation that anybody can join at any time. There are even chat Hashtags people use to hold chat sessions. One of the ones I participate in is #blogchat which takes place on Sundays at 9 pm EST.

What I Still Need To Learn

I would say the one thing I need to learn is how to get meaningful followers. When you first join Twitter you will get a lot of followers from people who have programs that auto-follow people. Most of these folks are just trying to sell some kind of marketing or online media service and will usually un-follow you in a few days if you do not follow them back. The irony with getting followers on Twitter is that its seems the best methods are not on Twitter. I have added a follow me Twitter button on my blog, and its kind of working, but I think it will work better as my reader numbers grow.

Overall Twitter is a great tool for bloggers, and there are a lot of creative things you can do with it. If you have any tips or lessons learned feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Why Can't we Print From Our Smart Phones?

2010-11-10T22:23:00.000-05:00

Image credit: Databazaar blog

Now I know there are apps you can buy on the iOS App Store and in the Android Marketplace that will let you print from your phone, but why isn't it built into the operating system itself? If smart phones are the next phase in evolution for computers, it should be a standard function.

Now honestly I admit, the need for me to print something from my phone doesn't popup very often, but when it does it becomes an issue. Not enough of an issue to buy an app, but enough to make me wonder why this hasn't been solved by now. I do have some theories why I think this is a feature that hasn't become a standard yet. Hit the read link to see what they are.

For Apple It's All About Design

I think the initial reason users have not been able to print from their iPhones is because Apple never saw a valid reason why a user would want to. The iPhone is portable and from Apple's point of view a user just wouldn't ever need to print anything, they could just bring their phone with them. However that point of view changed once Apple released the iPad. Since the iPad is meant to mimic a laptop more then a smartphone, Apple had to add in some kind of print functionality in iOS 4.2. Though they seem to be having a bit of trouble with that.

Let Somebody Else Do It Says Google

In regards to Android I think the explanation is very simple, Google just believes it's better left to somebody else. Google has taken this stance with many things in regards to Android. The most talked about example is Android's stock media player. When Google has been asked in the past why they don't update the media player, they say they just believe someone could make a better one and users can pick the one they want on the marketplace. With printing, I think Google is going to take the same stance.

RIM, You Should Be Embarrassed

With the BlackBerry, RIM should really be ashamed. Since the BlackBerry is the business person's platform of choice, this should really be a built in function of the OS. I just think it hasn't made it in there yet because RIM isn't exactly the fastest when it comes to making timely, or any for that matter, updates to their OS. Maybe someday this will happen.

What do you guys think, will we ever see full support for printing built into mobile operating systems? Or is printing just a dying function that no one will care about in a few years? Go Green!!!

7 Reasons Why Microsoft's Kinect Will Fail

2010-11-09T19:06:00.000-05:00

Microsoft's Xbox 360 Kinect? I give it less then a year. Once the initial launch craze dies down we won't see another positive news story about it until Xbox owners rejoice when Microsoft announces it will stop supporting Kinect. At least we will have a couple of months of hilarious Kinect injury videos until that happens.

Welcome to the second post in my series of why Kinect will succeed or fail. In this post I will discuss seven reasons why I think Xbox 360 Kinect will fail. If you want to read the seven reason why I think it will succeed then click here. To read the seven reasons why it will fail, click the read link below.

WAY TO BE THE LAST ONE TO THE PARTY MICROSOFT

It is one thing to show up fashionable late, but last? The Nintendo Wii has had motion control since its launch, and has even updated its motion capabilities with Wii Motion Plus over a year ago. While the PlayStation Move only launched a few weeks before Kinect, developers will be able to leverage their years of experience developing for the Wii since the Move motion control scheme is very similar.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO STAND THE WHOLE TIME???

It is well known that Kinect has a bit of a problem detecting gamers when they are sitting on the couch. The idea of having to stand the whole time while playing all Kinect games does not sound very appealing. When I play games I like to veg on the couch and relax, and I know I am not the only one. I don't mind getting up a moving around for some games, but all of them? No thanks.

I THINK I AM GONNA NEED A BIGGER HOUSE

Kinect requires at least 6 feet of room for single player games and at least 9 feet for multiplayer. That is a lot of room to have between you and a TV. This is really going to limit where you can put Kinect in your house. Not to mention you will probably have to rearrange some furniture and move the coffee table even if you have a big enough room.

MULTIPLAYER, MORE LIKE TWO PLAYER

Like Microsoft avoids answering the couch question, they have also been dancing around the multiplayer question. Microsoft says it is up to the developer on how many gamers can use one Kinect at a time. So far there haven't been any games launched that support more then two local players, so it makes you wonder if it is really up to the developers or a limitation with Kinect. This stinks for gamers who want to use Kinect at parties, especially if they already have a Wii or PlayStation Move that can each do at least four player local.

I CAN THINK OF 150 REASONS NOT TO GET ONE

At $150, Kinect doesn't come cheap, at that is if you already have an Xbox 360. If you do not have an Xbox 360 the cheapest you would be able to get Kinect would be $300. You can get a Wii for $200, and it is likley that the Wii price is gonna drop in the near future. Basic PlayStation Move functionality can be had for $100 if you have a PS3. Microsoft is really gonna have to make Kinect's value clear to gamers if it wants to sell a lot of them.

LARGEST BETA TEST PROGRAM EVER!!!

Judging from Kinect reviews, Microsoft should have let their hardware team and developers have a bit more time with the product before release. Many reviewers noted problems with Kinect picking up movements and various player environment interference issues. Most of the games released at launch are either mini game collections or are suffering from bugs and glitches. Microsoft pushed Kinect out now so they wouldn't miss the holiday season and fall behind the competition, but this move could cost them in the long run.

TREATING KINECT AS A SEPARATE PLATFORM IS LOSE LOSE

By treating Kinect as a separate platform Microsoft is making a big mistake. They will end up dividing Xbox 360 owners into the casual and hardcore audience. By creating two different audiences, Microsoft is going to stretch itself thin trying to cater to both and gamers are gonna be the ones who suffer.

7 Reasons Why Microsoft's Kinect Will Succeed

2010-11-07T19:50:00.001-05:00

Microsoft's Xbox 360 Kinect will be a smashing success. In one years time we will forget about the PlayStation Move and Nintendo's Wii will be stumbling to figure out how to make the next Wii to reclaim the success they once had. Why do I say this? Because Kinect is advanced motion technology that doesn't require silly glowing orbs to work.

Ok that might be a strong statement, but in my first of two posts I will discuss 7 reasons why I think Microsoft's Kinect will be a success. I will shortly follow this with 7 reasons why I think it will fail, but for now click the link to see my 7 success reasons.

Update: Click here to read TBone's 7 reasons why Kinect will fail

MICROSOFT'S KINECT'S MOTION CONTROL IS ADVANCED AND UNIQUE

Unlike the Wii and PlayStation Move, Kinect does not use a controller for motion control. Instead it uses and array of three cameras to capture full body motion control. Kinect is still able to capture a users arm movements like the Wii and the Move, but unlike those two, Kinect can also sense movement of the users torso, head, legs, and full body. This allows for a more immersive experience for the user and more freedom for developers when implementing motion control in their games. I should note that PlayStation Move can also do a bit of head tracking.

ONCE DEVELOPERS HAVE MORE TIME, GAMES WILL BE AWESOME

I am not sure when Microsoft allowed developers access to Kinect or how many developers they even allowed to have access. But it is pretty telling that it was not much of either since most of the games at launch are from Microsoft's first and second party developers. Kinect is a new platform, and like any new platform is takes time to learn the in's and out's of the system. Once all developers have a couple of months, gamers will start to see the full potential of Kinect.

NON-GAMING FEATURES ARE JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE

At release Kinect has limited capabilities in the non-gaming aspects of the Xbox 360 platform. You can control some aspects of the Xbox Dashboard with motion and voice but not all of it. The same applies to some of the other areas of the Dashboard such as ESPN, Zune, and Last.fm. Once Kinect becomes fully ingrained in the Xbox platform, it will revolutionize how users interact with not just game consoles but other platforms that connect to the TV. It will be the same revolution as the introduction of multi-touch to smart phones. Plus people just want to be able to use Kinect with Netflix.

TREATING KINECT AS A SEPARATE PLATFORM IS WIN WIN

Not sure if you noticed but Microsoft's Kinect marketing is very different then the way Sony markets the PlayStation Move. PlayStation Move commercials are exactly the same as all the other PlayStation 3 commercials. The Move commercials are just another one in the overall PlayStation 3 marketing campaign. With Kinect, Microsoft is treating it as a completely different platform, and as such is marketing it that way. This could allow Microsoft to get both the casual and hardcore/traditional gaming market segments. By treating Kinect as a platform for casual gamers Microsoft can go after the expanded gaming segment while not angering their traditional user base by solely focusing on casual games. This will allow Microsoft to keep their lead in the traditional gaming segment while going for the lead in the casual segment and overall gaming market. All of this while still selling one console that uses the universal online platform Xbox Live. That is a lot of revenue streams for Microsoft.

FACIAL RECOGNITION IS COOL, BUT WHAT ELSE CAN IT RECOGNIZE?

One of the Kinect's features is the ability to log a gamer into their Xbox Live profile by using facial recognition. That is pretty cool, but if it could recognize something as complicated and varied as a person's face, what else can it recognize? I think there is potential for Microsoft and others to make physical peripherals that work with Kinect. This could really expand the gameplay options for Kinect and could be a way for Microsoft to further compete against Move and Wii if they start losing any ground. Microsoft might not market Kinect that way today with "You Are the Controller," but I could see them adding these type of gameplay opportunities in the future.

MOTION AND VOICE GAMEPLAY IS A WINNING COMBO

While Kinect's main focus is motion gameplay, many reviewers noted that combining the motion gameplay with Kinect's capable voice control could be powerful. While Kinect might not be able to capture users movements perfectly yet, it does seem like it can capture someone's voice pretty accurately. By having games that incorporated voice commands more, Microsoft will be able to incorporate precise controls into gameplay. The PlayStation Move also has the ability to do this too, but I think that just lowers the risk for third party developers since they will be able to make games that use motion and voice control for both Kinect and Move.

KINECT IS NOT PERFECT TODAY, BUT IT WILL BE TOMORROW

Judging from reviews, Kinect is not perfect today. Players movements are not perfectly captured, it needs a decent amount of room, and there are some interference issues that need to be worked out. But you know what, the Xbox 360 wasn't perfect from day one either. Microsoft has shown that with the Xbox, they are capable of making software updates that really expand and improve the platform. The perfect example of this is the Xbox 360 Dashboard. Over the years Microsoft has improved the user interface and has also added things like Netflix, Last.fm, Facebook, Zune Marketplace, full game downloads, and instant 1080p movie streaming. They will be able to fix the issues Kinect has today, but will also be able to add new capabilities that will enhance the gamer's experience.

This Helped Me Buy a Good Mattress

2010-11-05T18:55:00.001-04:00

Not my actual room or mattress

So I know this is a bit off topic and doesn't really fall into the category of technology, but I think it was helpful and I want to pass it on.

My wife and I just got our mattress delivered today, and we are pretty happy with our selection. If you have ever bought a mattress you should already know this, but companies make it as complicated as possible to compare mattress brands. They basically have a different mattress name for each store they supply to, so there is not an easy way to compare. Oh, and they do this on purpose, those bastards.

Thankfully one of the blogs I read, Get Rich Slowly, has a great post on buying a mattress. Some of you might have read this info before, but this is the most consolidated info source I could find. The writer walks through brands, terminology, what to look for in a mattress, stores, and other things. It was very helpful to us and hopefully it will help you guys. Check the link below.

How to Buy a Mattress

P.S. - Get Rich Slowly is a great personal finance blog. I read it frequently and it has helped me out a lot over the years. J.D. Roth runs a great blog over there.

Save Money Everyday with Amazon Deals of the Day

2010-11-05T08:00:00.001-04:00

Image from Amazon.com

Amazon has a great site feature which is well publicized but honestly took me years to discover. Ever since I have discovered it I have been able to score some of the items I have wanted for great prices. It has honestly changed they I shop for items on the web. Now I don't use it to buy things everyday, but I do check it everyday to see if something I want is featured and on sale for a good price. The feature is called Amazon Gold Box Deals.

The easiest way to check out the current deals is to look on my own page. For your convenience I have included the Amazon Daily Deals widget on the right side of my page. To be honest this is a quick and consolidated way to get access to all the daily Gold Box deals on Amazon. finance

XBOX 360 Kinect Review Round-Up

2010-11-04T18:25:00.002-04:00

Review Round-Ups are a collection of reviews for a product from sites that I read before I decide on going ahead with the purchase or not.

XBOX 360 KINECT REVIEWS

TBONE'S TAKEAWAYS

Reviews seem generally mixed.
You will need a lot of space to use Kinect. Most sites noted you need at least 6 ft for single player games, and 9 ft for multiplayer local games.
Gotta move those coffee tables so they are not in front of the TV, otherwise Kinect won't be able to see your feet
Most sites said the voice commands seemed to work really well, but current implementation is limited
Navigating the XBOX Dashboard with Kinect (read: using hand motions) is limited and needs work
Almost everyone was pretty excited about the future potential of the product. Microsoft just needs to work out some bugs and expand functionality.
Launch lineup of Kinect games is pretty weak with the pack-in Kinect Adventures and the sold separately Dance Central being the stand outs.

Facebook's Mobile Event was a Snooze Fest

2010-11-03T22:58:00.000-04:00

Image from Engadget

Most people were thinking that today's Facebook Mobile event would finally reveal the speculated Facebook phone. Well, it did not. In fact Mark Zuckerberg flat out said they would not be making a phone. Instead he said that Facebook was a software company and that they would be concentrating on a software mobile platform. As you can imagine, this lead to a pretty boring press event. But there was one thing that caught my interest, hit the read more button below to see what that was.

As part of their mobile software platform, Facebook will now be including a spot for companies and merchants to post deals. This doesn't sound like a big deal (no pun intended), but the potential for this could be cool. Facebook described it as allowing a user to search in their proximity for any stores or merchants that are offering deals. So for example, if you wanted a cup of coffee, you check the deals page, see what local shops are offering a discount and chose the shop that has the best deal.

That's pretty neat, but I could imagine a scenario with a person walking down the street and then having their phone alert them to a store they are passing by that has a great deal on Facebook. This isn't how the Deals platform is currently setup to work, but it would be cool if they could tap into their location services to make it work.

Facebook kind of dodged answering some questions from the crowd that asked about the above scenario, but they have to be thinking the same thing. I know there are some potential issues with the Deals platform such as store participation, stores offering lame deals, and the drain always-on location services will have on your phone battery. But it is defiantly a scenario I imagine when I think about how technology can actually make the future better. What did you guys think of Facebook's event?

Why Aren't We Able to Vote Online Yet?

2010-11-02T21:44:00.002-04:00

For those of you not aware, today was voting day for midterm elections. I am sure most of you voted today, but I am gonna be honest, I did not. Why? It's not because I am one of those people that doesn't believe in voting. I am proud that I have the right to vote, and believe if you don't vote then you lose your right to complain. But the actual process of voting needs to move into the 21st century.

While I am sure some folks don't vote because they don't want to, I would bet that most folks who don't vote, just don't do it because it is not convenient. Figuring out where to vote isn't the easiest thing in the world, though Google certainly tries to make easy. The operating hours at voting centers stink, and so do the long lines and cold weather most folks end up waiting in.

There is an easy way to make this more convenient for everyone; just allow us to vote online. Now before everyone starts blasting my remarks in the comments let me explain. I have actually thought this through today on my car ride home from work.

MAIN ISSUES:

Not everyone has a computer
Not everyone has access to the Internet
Online security/fraud
Some people do not feel comfortable doing things online
Cost

WHY THESE ARE NOT REALLY ISSUES:

This one is simple, public libraries and mail in ballots. Let our public libraries become the virtual voting centers of the future. This would be a good reason to allow federal and state governments to add more funding for our dying library systems. Also people have a comfort level associated with the library and it will be a good compromise for those who still prefer the old system. For those who can't get to the library we already have a solution with our current mail in voting/absentee ballot system.
See point number 1.
I imagine this will be the issue most people use as a reason not to do this. Is there a potential security risk? Absolutely, there is always a security risk whenever you do things online. But honestly this would be a more secure solution then today's system. When people have physical access to the machines (most of which are quite old or are flawed e-voting machines) the security risks are much higher than a centralized server in a secure location with minimal physical access. The cyber threat could be mitigated with firewalls, Intrusion Prevention Systems, and something as simple as not have a mail server running on the same network. There is a risk, but it is either the same or lower then the current system.
All the security in the world will never make some people comfortable. For them, they could use the mail in ballots, which ironically is less secure.
This is a tough one. To create this system would be expensive. Development, maintenance and security monitoring of the network do not come cheap. But the centralization of the system and convenience benefits outweigh the costs. Honestly this is a decade old argument that has already been proven with a verity of other systems that have moved online.

This probably won't happen anytime soon since we are too hung up on e-voting machines instead of figuring out a system that actually addresses some of the issues. Maybe by 2020 we could all be voting from the comfort of our couches, or maybe I should just suck it up and get my lazy butt over to wait in line in the cold to vote.

With the iPad and New MacBook Air, is Apple Confused? Cause I Am.

2010-11-01T21:52:00.005-04:00

Honestly I am surprised no one has really talked about this yet. When Apple first announced the iPad, they made the argument that the user needs three product categories, a phone, a laptop, and something in the middle. That something they said was the iPad. Bigger screen and more horsepower than the iPhone, made especially to consume content.

The MacBook is meant to be used to create content since they have desktop like processors, dedicated graphics cards, and full size keyboards with multi-touch track pads. But the new MacBook Airs have all of those things too, or at least some version of them. They also have many of the same features of an iPad like a long battery life/standby time, instant on from suspend state, and portability. So where do the new MacBook Airs fit?

I don't think Apple is trying to create a new fourth category of device, but it doesn't really fit in the iPad or MacBook category. Most people would just say that it fits in the netbook category, and I kind of agree with them, but Apple has said many times they don't see the point of netbooks. So who is Apple trying to target? Is this just what they think a laptop should really be? I think the answer to that question is yes.

The MacBook Air is just a temporary placeholder for what all MacBooks will be once the chipsets and batteries get small enough. For the time being I think they are just targeting the netbook crowd; Steve Jobs just never wants to go back on previous statements that he has made. So the real question is, do you see a need for the MacBook today? Or will you just rather have a full featured laptop and an iPad?

Review: Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

2010-10-29T12:20:00.002-04:00

Review: Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

Kotaku reviews the latest DLC for Red Dead Redemption. I am a big fan of how Kotaku does reviews; they review the experience instead of relying on assigning a score. I hope to use a similar approach when I start reviewing games. But for now check it out.

The PlayStation Phone -- Engadget

2010-10-29T12:03:00.001-04:00

The PlayStation Phone -- Engadget

I know I am a little late on this, but Engadget broke a major story about details of the Sony Playstation phone earlier in the week. Seems like a mix of a PSP Go and a Sony Xperia phone. Also of note is the touch sensitive strip which is supposed to mimic dual analog sticks. I will be writing a post later on to discuss my thoughts on the subject.

Barnes & Nobles Announce The Nook Color: My Thoughts

2010-10-26T21:43:00.000-04:00

Image from Barnes & Noble

Today Barnes & Noble held an event in their Union Square store in New York City. At that event they announced their new version of the Nook call the Nook Color. Here is a quick summary of the specs and features:

7" IPS LCD Touch Screen
1024 x 600 screen resoltuion with support for 16 million colors
Screen lamination film to prevent glare on the screen
Weighs 15.8 ounces
Built in WiFi (b/g/n), no support for 3G
8 GB of storage with further expansion through microSD cards
Android OS, though no confirmation on version and no access to Android Marketplace
8 hours of battery life with WiFi turned off
Support of previous Nook features like LendMe
MSRP $249
Launches on or around Nov. 19th

MY THOUGHTS

I was never a big fan of the original Nook. While I thought the concept to have a small touch screen to support a larger e-ink screen was great, it was never implemented well on the Nook. The touch screen interface was hard to use and overall performance of the device was not good. I can understand why Barnes & Noble would go for a completely new design.

I think the new device looks slick. I think the dimensions fall right in the sweet spot. The screen size and less than 1 lbs weight makes it perfect for one handed reading. I don't think not having 3G is a big deal, I would rather have the cost savings then the added radio for a feature I would rarely use. I think storage is plentiful and it's nice they give folks the option to expand and load music/video on a microSD card. I wish they would release more info on the chip set being used, cause initial hands on reports have indicated that the device is sluggish. But that could be related to a software issue.

I think its a big benefit that they still build their software on top of Android. However not having access to the Android Marketplace stinks; that's one of the best features of Android. The new support for color books, magazines, and newspapers is a big add for the Nook. Its something the Kindle does not have, but time will tell if the implementation is any better then the iPad.

I still think the Nook's biggest problem is its competitors. Amazon sells a great single focus device for a much lower price with the newer Kindles. The iPad has much of the same features and content partners as the Nook, but has a better battery life. The iPad also supports both the Barnes & Noble book store (though early indications are they will not sell magazines and newspapers for the iPad) and the Kindle book store. I will reserve final judgment until the device is released and I can get some hands on time with it, but unless you have a love for Barnes & Noble, it might be tough to get excited for the Nook Color.

Amazon Associates Program

2010-10-26T19:19:00.000-04:00

Image from amazon.com

I want to be upfront about one of the ways I generate revenue on this blog. I am part of the Amazon Associates program.

WHAT IS THE AMAZON ASSOCIATES PROGRAM?

The program is an affiliate program that allows website owners to partner with Amazon so they can link directly to products being sold on Amazon.com. Amazon gets product marketing by having products either displayed or linked to on a variety of different sites. In return for this Amazon gives the site owner a percentage of the sales that are generated from users that buy products from the links on those sites.

SO WHY DID YOU JOIN THE PROGRAM?

Well I am sure the first thing that popped in your head was to make money. And that is true, it is one of the possible revenue streams for my site. But I chose Amazon because I like Amazon and I use it frequently. I think they have a great selection of products, and more importantly they competitively price their products. Amazon consistently has the lowest prices for products that I buy, and they also have great deals and specials. It is also my first choice to buy video games because of these deals and specials; I will write more about this in an upcoming post.

SO WHY DID YOU TELL US?

I told all of you because I wanted to be open and honest. I also wanted to emphasize that I will only be linking to products that I am featuring or recommending. I won't be adding fluff posts just because I want to make a buck. I think the links will be able to provide you the opportunity to check out prices from a competivie retailer and also give you the chance to check out some user reviews of the product. If at any time you have concerns or questions about my use of the program, just feel free to let me know.