While this appears extremely cool, I think it’s a very bad idea. The first person who’s in a car accident or gets hit by a bus while wearing these will result in a major class action lawsuit, followed by invasive safety legislation.
Archive for TechMojo
A Conversation with a Microsoft OS
This is clever and charming and I felt I must share it.
This Will Be Your Internet Without Net Neutrality
Paying extra for thing things you use most – the things for which you got the Internet connection in the first place:
Read more about it on Wired.com: Mobile Carriers Dream of Charging per Page
Take action by supporting: Save The Internet
Open Letter to Comcast from a Customer
Dear Comcast,
I am your customer. Without your customers, you don’t have a business.
I don’t own a television — I can care less about your programming — I’m paying you close to $100 a month for an extremely fast Internet connection with a 250 gigabyte cap. I have never exceeded this cap and unlike many I have been happy with your service.
However, it is none of your business what information I consume through this connection you provide me, and it is none of your concern where the data originates. It’s all just data. None of the bits or bytes are any bigger or heavier than any other. As long as I don’t exceed my cap it is of no concern of yours.
One of the main reasons I pay you for this connection is so that I can watch streaming Netflix video. I’m paying you for this. You’re already getting money from me for the transportation of this data. As I stated above, this data doesn’t weigh more than other data, it isn’t bigger, and it doesn’t tax your system any more than any other data I may consume.
It’s come to my attention that you want more money for carrying this data. The reason seems to be that you see a large majority of data coming from this one source and being streamed across your system. I understand that this makes it look like it’s unfairly taxing your system but it is not.
You’re seeing your customers use your system to get the data that they want.
Your customers. Your customers who you are now alienating because you’re making motions about hindering the experience YOU PROVIDE.
Unlike many I’ve been quite happy with you and your service, but you’re about to make me far worse than not happy with you — you’re on the verge of turning me into an enemy.
I urge you to take a step back and look at this for all it really is — data, like any other data, that your customers are consuming. And you really need to start thinking about what’s going to make your customers happy, instead of striking out in paranoid fashion because Netflix happens to compete with your programming.
Let me repeat — I care nothing about your programming! I am PAYING YOU FOR BANDWIDTH. Period!
If you’re smart you’d see this as an opportunity instead of a threat. Obviously Netflix is doing something right. Instead of fighting them — and your customers! — join with them and add value to their service. That would endear you to me instead of make me hate you.
If you’re really smart, you’ll understand that what you’re really providing to your customers is happiness. You need to concentrate on keeping this flow of happiness and eliminate anything that doesn’t facilitate that. This is your business whether you understand that or not.
Do not, under any circumstances, give any priority of any data above any other data. I want a free and open Internet. That is what I’m paying you for. That is what I, your customer, want.
If you don’t deliver what I want, I will find another Internet provider who will. And when all your customers abandon you, all your prioritization will be for nothing — because you’ll end up broken and empty like the once mighty AOL.
Sincerely,
Jerry J. Davis
iPhone Repair
This was originally published back in November 2008 … I brought it back to the top because they’re getting some bad bloggery over at BoingBoing, and receiving what I think is an unfair beating. After all, they didn’t get to tell their side of the story. Anyway…
A while ago I crushed my iPhone by accidentally running it over with my car.
I considered getting a new one, or having it repaired, or simply abandoning it. I came close to abandoning it. I even bought the antithesis of the iPhone to replace it, the Zen feature-free nothing-but-a-phone Motorola F3.
The folks at iResq.com read my blog and contacted me, saying they could fix it. At first I didn’t know if I wanted it fixed (I know, crazy talk, right?) but after speaking with them and checking up on their company, I decided to go for it. After all, crushing your iPhone under a car tire kind of voids the warranty, so what did I have to lose? Besides, they charge way less than Apple, while still being Apple certified.
I was once Apple certified. While working at ComputerLand back in the 80′s I used to repair Apple II’s, IIe’s, IIgs, Apple Lisa, and the original Mac. I know what you have to go through to get Apple certified, and these guys are, so I knew they must have their act together. Plus, they’re a really friendly group of people. I like them.
So I sent it off, and the same day they got it, they fixed it and overnighted it right back to me.
I now have the iPhone back in my life. It’s as good as new. And everything is still there!
So here’s another difference: from what I understand, when you send your iPhone in to repair with Apple, they hand you back an already-repaired replacement phone. You have to go through activation again, and migrate all your stuff over to it, etc.
Me, I just plugged mine in and … everything is fine, exactly the way it was!
I’m up and running again!
So, you’ll be seeing iResq ads on my sites for a while. I am extremely happy with them. The iResq folks are my heroes, and I hereby officially proclaim them to be Groovy Gizmo Gurus.
Firefox Add-on Mojo
I use Firefox for just about everything — including writing articles — and even though Internet Explorer is playing catch-up I doubt it will ever have the vast array of fun and useful add-ons available to Firefox. These are the ones I use personally:
- Foxmarks – Synchronizes Firefox settings between home and work computers (replaces Google Browser Sync, which Google abandoned).
- Evernote [Website / Firefox download] – Allows saving web-based information from websites (among other things) with notes, while browsing (replaces Google Notebook, which Google abandoned).
- IE Tab – Brings up Internet Explorer as a Firefox tab for those (dwindling) sites unfriendly to Firefox.
- PayPal Plug-In for FireFox – Awesome tool that not only makes it simple to use PayPal for online purchases, but will also instantly generate one-time-use credit card numbers to purchase from places that don’t take PayPal. You can get the PayPal plugin by logging in to your PayPal account and looking in the left sidebar.
- Video Download Helper for Firefox – Allows you to capture YouTube type videos as local files. You know, just in case you find something you know that YouTube will yank within twenty minutes.
- Xinha Here – Full WYSIWYG editor in a window. Awesome for blogging, etc… but becoming increasingly unnecessary, due to AJAX.
There are a zillion more. This is where you can find the rest: Firefox Add-ons
Also, if you’re using IE Tab and want a spell checker inside, get the Internet Explorer extension IE Spell.
(This is an updated version of a article posted originally in 2007)
Xobni: The Best Thing To Happen To Outlook
For years and years, and years, I would prefer to use anything but Outlook as my email client. When Google came out with Gmail, I was hooked on that. Still am, actually.
Microsoft made significant improvements with Outlook with version 2003, to the point where I grudgingly liked it, but still only used it when I had to. With version 2007 it actually started growing on me, but still. Why bother? I have Gmail.
Then two things happened. One, Google opened up Gmail to IMAP Access, and two, I stumbled upon Xobni.
Xobni is a Outlook add-in that even Bill Gates loves. What it does is comb through all the emails you have ever sent and received, and puts the pertinent information into a relational database that shows you, in an incredibly useful way, all the vital facts about your day-to-day communications, who is linked with who, who has sent you what, and when, etc. The way they describe it, it turns your own email into a virtual social networking site.
I take a step back from that statement, because I feel they’re just using “social networking” as a buzz term. I can see what they mean, but, no — it’s still just email. But it’s email where it is very easy to find exactly who it was that Bob was talking about when someone needed to modify widget X, or who was it that sent you that invitation to the Shpongle concert two years ago. Or what was the name of that science fiction writer who, uh, so-and-so was talking about… something Ledbetter?
When you have Xobni loaded, you’re three clicks away from the answer.
It is so useful, that I fully expect Microsoft to buy it and make it part of Outlook. Because when you add Xobni to Outlook, it makes Outlook kick email ass, and I have never used any email client that has been such a pleasure to work with.
Right now Xobni is in invitation-only beta, but I have 5 invitations. Let me know if you want one. First come, first serve.
UPDATE: As of May 5, 2008, it has gone into open public beta and can be downloaded without an invitation here: http://www.xobni.com/download
From GroovyGizmo.com
Ford, Powered by Microsoft
My current rental car is powered by Microsoft.
If that isn’t enough to strike fear into a mortal heart, I don’t know what is.
The first thing I noticed at the airport last week, climbing into this ugly dark gray Ford Fusion, is a big reset button on the dashboard. My eyes trailed down to a logo next to the gearshift, and they immediately bugged out. “Powered by Microsoft.” WTF?
I looked at the reset button. I looked back at the logo. I kept thinking, “So, what, does this car ‘crash’ and give you the Blue Screen of Death?” I could imagine driving down the highway and having the engine, brakes and steering suddenly lock up for no reason, and me desperately jabbing at the reset button and waiting for the car to reboot as it spins out of control and tumbles off the pavement.
Fortunately, the only thing Microsoft powers is the voice activated sync between the car stereo and your Bluetooth enabled phone, and your iPod (or whatever) plugged into a USB port in the center console.
I’d been playing with it all weekend, and this morning was driving to work and decided I wanted to listen to Bat Out Of Hell by Meatloaf. So I said, per the Microsoft instructions, “Play artist Meatloaf.”
The car made a pleasant tone and a female computer voice responded, “Playing artist Vivaldi.”
What the Hell? How did it get ‘Vivaldi’ out of ‘Meatloaf’? Did it misunderstand me, or did it make a decision?
Do I really want a car that has better musical tastes than I do?
As The Four Seasons began playing, I eyed the reset button, ready to push it. Just in case.
From GroovyGizmo.com
Groovy Freeware
This is the freeware that I always load on my computers:
- 7-Zip – Fast and reliable file compression
- Audacity – Full featured audio recording, mixing, and editing
- DeepBurner – CD and DVD burning so good I can’t believe it’s free
- Dorgem – High quality little Webcam application
- Filezilla – Full featured FTP client
- Firefox – Tabbed web browser with a zillion cool plug-ins
- Foxit PDF Reader – Smaller and much faster than Adobe’s
- Freemind – Brain storming and idea generation
- iTunes – Favorite music player even without an iPod
- MWSnap – Full featured screen capture program
- NetStumbler – Great for finding public Wi-Fi hot spots
- PDFCreator – Creates pro-quality PDF files
- Picasa – Google’s fantastic photo organizer and manipulator
- PureText – Utility for pasting text stripped of all formatting
- Skype – Best all-inclusive Instant Message and VOIP Phone program
- Startup Control Panel – An absolute must if you want to easily tweak which programs start automatically in Windows XP
- SyncBack – Fast and reliable file backup and synchronization
- Trillian (free version) – Replace AIM, Yahoo IM, ICQ, etc. with ONE program
- WordWeb – Best pop-up dictionary, can’t live without it
- Yankee Clipper III – Very good clipboard manager
These are my favorite (and most trusted) freeware sources on the web:
- FreewareGenius
- AumHa Freeware Portal
- The eConsultant "I Want Software to…" List
- The Pricelessware list
- Softpedia
- NoNags
- Freeware Pocket PC
- Freeware Palm
- Google Pack
This is a live list — check back occasionally because it will be updated. Remember there is a difference between "freeware" and "open source," which means you have to read freeware licenses if you are in a business environment. Lots of this software is only free for personal use, but in an office you’ll be required to pay for a license.
Google Archeology
This very interesting article on Nature.com tells the tale of Luci Mori studying the area around his home in Sorbolo, Italy, using Google Earth. Noticing something odd in a field, he zooms in and discovers an unknown Roman ruin!
That’s right, folks, a guy surfing the Internet made an important archeological discovery.
As Indiana Jones said, “Seventy percent of all archeology is done in the library.” Well, now it’s going to be done on Google.
