Stanley Nielson's Blog

Kindle 2 - International Version

2009-11-02T19:50:00.001+02:00

The Kindle 2 is a great device… If you read story-books, but for books with illustrations, the screen is just too small.

Kindle 2 is the second incarnation of the electronic eBook reader sold by Amazon.com. I recently received my Kindle 2 and I am overwhelmed and underwhelmed all at the same time...

E-Ink Display
The E-Ink display is brilliant. Text is easy to read and the form factor of the device lends itself to easy reading. Most people, when they first see the screen, are genuinely impressed with the crisp print-like text. Also very interesting to me was that many people tried to navigate the device as if it had a touch screen (thanks Apple).

"Whispernet": Free 3G Cellular Data
The international version of the Kindle has a built-in 3G data connection and Amazon pays the data connection for you. All purchased books are wirelessly and automatically delivered via this 3G connection.

The Kindle 2 does not natively support normal documents (PDF, Word, etc). Instead, you have to email the documents to the Amazon Cloud for it to be converted to the special Kindle format. These converted documents can then be sent to the Kindle in one of two ways:

Direct 3G Wireless Transmission (pay per megabyte).
Manual transfer via the USB cable (free).

By utilising the FREE Mobipocket Creator software you can convert many documents (including, Word, PDF, etc.) to a format that the Kindle understands.

Sample Books
A very nice feature is the ability to wirelessly download the first chapter of books (for free) so you can read them before deciding to buy the rest of the book.

Dictionary
Highlighting any word in a book gives you immediate access to a detailed definition via the built-in dictionary.

Audio & Text to Speech
Having the device read the text to you is a nice novelty and probably very useful if you’re blind or unable to read (e.g. driving your car). The ability to play Music and Podcast / Audiobooks is useful but I suspect these functions will deplete the battery rather quickly. 2GB of storage is also pretty skimpy when you want to use these features.

Disappointments:

Local internet access restrictions:
This was the biggest disappointment. Wikipedia is available to browse but all other Internet-features are disabled. If this gadget gave me access to my blogs and RSS it would be the ultimate reading device.
File Support:
Files such as PDF/Word aren't natively supported. This is a huge letdown for me. I'm not going to pay every time I want to send a document to the device (cheapskate - I know), and manually converting the documents is too much of a schlep. It also lacks support free ePub public-domain books.
No local content:
Although there are rumours of talks with local content providers (newspapers and magazines), I am currently unable to use any local content.
DRM:
The content bought from the Amazon Kindle Store is protected by Digital Rights Management and you will most likely be unable to transfer these documents to any other device in future. You’ll probably have to re-purchase all your books for any new device (or stick to Kindle forever).
No way to expand the memory (SD card slot).
Replacement battery:
Like Apple, they make it very difficult (and probably very expensive) to replace the battery.
Kindle iPhone application is not available in SA.
Kindle Mobile Store does not work in SA.
Average Book Prices are $11.99 to $13.99 instead of $9.99.
No protective carrying case included in package (buy separately).

Kindle DX
Amazon says it plans to release the DX to international customers soon. Kindle DX is about double the size (and price) of the normal Kindle and natively supports PDF documents.

Barnes & Noble "nook"
The B&N nook is not yet available internationally, but it looks like a much better version that any of the Amazon Kindles.

Apple Rumours
Rumours are circulating from many sources that Apple might be designing some sort of colour-screen "tablet device" which might also support eBooks.

Disk2vhd

2009-11-02T19:04:00.001+02:00

Disk2vhd is another free tool from Microsoft (Sysinternals) that you can use as a backup tool if you have enough extra storage space.

This utility creates VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) versions of physical disks while the OS is still running.

Basically it takes an exact snapshot of a disk and saves it as a file that you can later mount and browse as if it was a normal drive attached to your computer.

· http://technet.microsoft.com/...

Goodbye, Sticky Notes; Hello, Reqall

2009-10-28T19:30:00.001+02:00

Finally a mobile voice application that can help me remember all my shit.

Voice-enabled personal productivity software that integrates phone, email, text messaging and IM into a mobile memory aid. The software is available as a web-based application or as a download for the Apple iPhone or the RIM BlackBerry smartphone

One of the best functions of reQall for your mobile is like having a secretary transcribing your voice-call and emailing them to you.

Capture, retrieve, and share ideas and things you need to do—anywhere, anytime.

Check out this video for a quick intro into the concept:

Image and Backup Partitions for FREE

2008-12-29T08:18:00.001+02:00

DriveImage XML is an easy to use and reliable program for imaging and backing up partitions and logical drives.

The program allows you to:

Backup logical drives and partitions to image files

Browse these images, view and extract files

Restore these images to the same or a different drive

Copy directly from drive to drive

Schedule automatic backups with your Task Scheduler

Garmin Nuvi software on your cellphone

2008-12-28T09:28:00.001+02:00

Would you like to have have a Garmin Nuvi built into your cellphone?

Garmin Mobile XT works on a large range of Windows Mobile and Symbian S60 phones from HTC, Sony, Nokia and Samsung.

Garmin Mobile XT gives access to several online services: to check weather forecasts for their destinations, access flight details for many major airlines and geo-referenced pictures from Panoramio (Google).

Garmin Mobile XT
For Smartphone devices that already have a built-in GPS

Garmin Mobile 10 for smartphones
An external GPS unit that connects to your phone via Bluetooth

www.garmin.com

www.coolsmartphone.com...

www.gpsbusinessnews.com...

Dimdim - Free web conferencing service

2008-12-09T21:16:00.001+02:00

Dimdim is a free web conferencing service where you can share your desktop, show slides, collaborate, chat, talk and broadcast via webcam with absolutely no download required to host or attend meetings.

Internet Traffic Report

2008-11-30T17:29:00.001+02:00

The Internet Traffic Report monitors the flow of data around the world. It then displays a value between zero and 100. Higher values indicate faster and more reliable connections.

Google Cheat Sheets

2008-11-30T16:54:00.001+02:00

This two page Google Cheat Sheet lists all Google services and tools as well as background information. The Cheat Sheet offers a great reference to grasp of basic to advance Google query building concepts and ideas.

Google Cheat Sheets (Version 1.05)

African Undersea Cables

2008-11-25T15:17:00.001+02:00

http://manypossibilities.net/...

ZoomIt: Zoom and annotation tool

2008-11-12T21:41:00.001+02:00

If you do a lot of on screen presentations / demonstrations then ZoomIt can be very helpfull. It enables you to zoom in and out on specific sections of the screen and also allows you to draw lines on the screen.

ZoomIt is by Mark Russinovich of Sysinternals fame.

Pay TV via satellite is not worth the money

2008-10-29T18:04:00.001+02:00

With the summer returning and the occasional rain falling I get frustrated on a daily basis by the uselessness of satellite television (Multichoice DStv).

Rain = No TV for you!
The slightest bit of rain (at home or in Johannesburg) means the signal gets lost and all of a sudden it looks as if the signal is being broadcast from Battlestar Galactica somewhere in deep outer space.

I want to watch the shows when we want to watch them - without adverts, that's why I record them. It is very frustrating when half the show is missing due to signal loss. And, because it is now weeks or even months later there's no way to catch the rebroadcast.

Season Pass? No way hozay!
Recording my favourite shows on the PVR is also a mission and a half to setup in the first place. Selecting a specific show and instructing the PVR to record the whole series is not possible (yet).

You have to program every show by hand and even then it is not guaranteed that your show will be recorded. Technical problems on the broadcaster's side for even a few minutes means that the end of the recorded shows gets chopped off, and this is happening far to often these days.

IPTV anyone?
I love MNET, Supersport, BBC Knowlege, Discovery, etc. but recently we have been watching more podcasts, TV Shows and Movies via our Media Centre. All the above mentioned problems are eliminated.

The pathetic 3GB ADSL bandwidth cap (rip off) means that I have to schedule podcasts to be downloaded at night at our office. TV Shows have to be copied from dubious university students (and the like).

We have such useless and overpriced services in South Africa. Someday, when I get pissed off enough I'm going to cancel DStv.

I will not be able to cancel the Internet service though, I don't think I'll be able to survive without it...

Create your own cartoon avatar

2008-10-21T14:17:00.001+02:00

Mangatar
www.faceyourmanga.it...

Simpson Character
simpsonizeme.com

South Park
www.sp-studio.de

News24: Free Breaking News Alerts via SMS

2008-10-21T12:16:00.001+02:00

Some news stories are simply too important to wait for the 7 o'clock news. By registering your cellphone number with News24 you will receive Breaking News Alerts via sms - informing you of major local and international events as they unfold.

http://mobile.24.com/?p=mobilenews&i=1043734

Add Bluetooth remote control functions to Windows Mobile (PowerPoint, iTunes, Windows Media Player)

2008-10-17T12:25:00.001+02:00

Bluetooth Remote Control for Windows Mobile a Remote Control software using Native Bluetooth Transport without ActiveSync.

Winamp, iTunes, Windows Mixer, Windows Media Player, PowerPoint, Media Player Classic, PowerDVD and Vista's Media Center.

SideShow for Mobile (Windows Vista only) - a way to control PowerPoint with your phone.

Weather in your calendar

2008-09-30T08:20:00.001+02:00

Add the following feed to your MS Outlook 2007 Calendar and get the daily Klerksdorp weather as an item in your calendar (ICAL via www.wunderground.com):

http://ical.wunderground.com/auto/ical/global/stations/68347.ics?units=metric

OUTLOOK > Tools > Account Settings > Internet Calendars

www.wunderground.com if you want to add other cities or towns.

Maybe when Steve Jobs dies I’ll buy an iPhone...

2008-09-28T15:24:00.001+02:00

Version 2.0 of the iPhone is available in South Africa and finally has push email on MS Exchange, 3G and GPS (things that version 1.0 should probably have had in the first place).

I have an iPod Touch and I sooooo wanted to buy an iPhone, but thanks to the long wait I came to my senses.

The lack of a hardware keyboard is one of the biggest considerations. The multi-touch features of the iPhone are great but typing on a virtual keyboard is still very restrictive especially with that stupid Apple predictive text input-thing (that you cannot disable).

In general the iPhone is also much too restrictive:

One of the most basic functions of a smart phone, cut-and-paste, is not supported (what’s up with that?).
Multi-tasking, it can only run one application at a time.
A measly 2MP camera with no video recording, WTF?
No MMS support (nobody actually use MMS, I know).
16GB of space is good for now, but where do I put my SD-card? - You can’t, no expandable memory options.
Need to replace the battery? Send it to Apple because you cannot change it yourself!
Bluetooth only works for headsets.
GPS does not give turn-by-turn directions; it only gives you Google Maps with GPS.
All my other cellphones could act as a modem to connect my laptop to wireless internet, not with the iPhone.
Want to access your 16GB of space via USB as a mass storage device, forget about it! Use iTunes and sync only the stuff Apple wants you to sync.

Apple decides what applications can and cannot be developed. Therefore you will probably never see VoIP applications (like FRING) or even Podcast Aggregators for the iPhone.

According to general reports the battery life sucks and only gets better when you disable most of the connectivity features (3G, wi-fi, Bluetooth, etc). Reports of the plastic back-bezels cracking are also rampant.

My biggest frustration with Apple was their lack of support in South Africa. With my iPod Touch, Contacting Apple support through the Apple UK support site is an exercise in futility. I am still (after about a year) unable to download basic applications like the Google App or the Flixster Movie App, not to mention Super Monkey Ball (not available in the South African Store).

The Podcast section of the iTunes Store is also blocked for South Africa and nobody knows when Music, Movies and TV Series will be available (if ever).

Downloading a 200MB update every other week is not something I want to spend my precious 3GB bandwidth-cap on (my PC’s, Media Center, xBox and Wii already competes for it).

Although ICASA regulations prohibit a phone from being locked to a particular network, apparently the iPhone 3G needs a special (smaller) SIM card that only Vodacom supplies.

I know you can crack the phone and force it to do what you want it to do, but Jailbreaking the phone every time there is a new update is too much of a hassle for me.

By far the best feature of the iPhone / iPod Touch is its web browser, but even this is limited with no support for Flash or JAVA. Thanks to my iPod Touch over Wi-Fi, all the mobile Google Web Apps and my HTC cellphone I’ll be able to live without it...

If I could upgrade now I would probably get one, but that’s not an option until 2010. Yes, it is a "revolutionary phone, a widescreen iPod, and a breakthrough Internet device", but all things considered I will not pay R7569 for an cellphone – Not even the Jesus Phone!

Enough said.

Climate Change Starts Here

2008-08-09T18:35:00.001+02:00

Commodore 64 (C64)

2008-07-26T18:46:00.001+02:00

When I was a teenager in high school and after considerable nagging, my parents bought me a second-hand C64 and that's where my introduction into programing took place.

Prior to this computer the only other computer I had access to was a 286/386 and that we primarily used for games, word processing and the occasional batch program.

The C64 featured a 1MHz CPU, 64 KB RAM, ran the Commodore BASIC Operating system and could display 25 X 40 characters of text with a resolution of 320 X 200 at 16 colours max.

More C-64's have been sold than any other single computer system, even to this day.

Enso Launcher (free)

2008-06-22T12:43:00.001+02:00

Enso Launcher is designed to give you instant access to your applications and windows. With a few easily remembered keystrokes, you can launch an application, switch to a window by name, and control the state of your windows.
humanized.com/enso/launcher/

Dipity - Timeline for all your feeds

2008-05-30T14:40:00.001+02:00

Dipity is the easiest way to make and share interactive timelines about the people and things you care about.

http://www.dipity.com/user/stanley/

IT Salary Surveys: www.ITWeb.co.za

2008-05-17T20:20:00.001+02:00

Apparently the average salary for South African IT staff is between R25,000 and R31,000 and support and helpdesk staff took home an average R11,800 a month and web designers slightly more at around R12,000...

uTIPu Makes Video Demos on the Fly

2008-05-06T19:45:00.001+02:00

Record and share (email and/or web) your screen in a video.

Get started in just 3 easy steps:

Download and install the software
Record your videos
Share your videos (web and/or email)

www.utipu.com

Sun CEO speaks out on corporate blogging

2008-05-05T18:05:00.003+02:00

Jonathan Chwartz (CEO Sun Microsystems) speaks about blogging as a "vehicle to communicate directly and authentically to the marketplace".

http://news.zdnet.com/2422-13568_22-198923.html

Chwartz says "the word 'blogging' will be anachronistic" At the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco, Sun CEO Jonathan Schwartz shares his views on the future of business blogging. The chief executive is credited for pioneering the corporate blog as a tool to reach customers, employees, and others, but he predicts the novelty of his methods will soon wear off.

Freeware - Digsby = IM + Email + Social Networks

2008-05-04T12:54:00.001+02:00

I recently replaced my favourite instant messaging client (Pidgin) with Digsby which now consolidates instant messaging, email, and social networking into one very slick chat application.

www.digsby.com

Freeware - Photoscape: View, Manage & Edit Photos

2008-05-04T12:26:00.001+02:00

Photoscape is FREE photo editing software that enables you to fix and enhance photos.

www.photoscape.org

Viewer: View your folders photos, slideshow
Editor: resizing, brightness and color adjustment, white balance, backlight correction, frames, balloons, mosaic mode, adding text, drawing pictures, cropping, filters, red eye removal, blooming
Batch editor: Batch editing multiple photos
Page: Make one photo by merging multiple photos at the page frame
Combine: Make one photo by attaching multiple photos vertically or horizontally
Animated GIF: Make one animation photo with multiple photos
Print: Print portrait shot, carte de visite, passport photo
Screen Capture: Capture your screenshot and save it
Color Picker: Zoom in screen on images, search and pick the color
Rename: Change photo file names in batch mode
Raw Converter: Convert RAW to JPG