LIVEdigitally

Monthly Archives: January 2008

Pondering life without a laptop

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Every now and then I like to think about how I could remove different technologies from my life. The sad truth of the matter is most are here to stay, from my cell phone to my flat panel to my digital camera. It just seems like in every category I investigate, the technology makes life easier/better in some way. My digital camera and high definition TV are unquestionably better than older, analog versions. My cell phone certainly lets me keep in touch with my family easier, and also makes work communications better. But what about the laptop?

My laptop (currently a MacBook, formerly a Sony Vaio SZ-VGN460N, until I realized how terrible it was) comes home at night, and travels with me to work in the morning. It’s likely carried along to 80% or so of my meetings, and also travels with me when I go see friends or family. It comes on 100% of business trips. So the $25K question (which these days should be more like the $100K question if you count inflation) is: how could I get rid of it?

First, I’d need a computer at home and at work. The work one would need some type of remote desktop technology. I’d probably need to use gmail or another Web-based email service, although I’ve already adopted Google Calendar so that’s not a big deal. I use Google Docs from time to time, but I don’t believe they are sufficient for the more powerful spreadsheet or presentation forms, and would be concerned there. That said, about 90% of my workday is spent doing email/phone calls/meetings, the rest is working on some form of a document. I think I’d get by without a significant drop in productivity.

However, I’d need some solution for the meetings I go to, and I’d be hesitant to rely on toting a USB key for all documents I might need. I’d also be a little concerned about the appearance of professionalism, but maybe I’d just start wearing a tie or something to get around that. After all, not everyone in technology has to look like a schlub all the time, right?

My flight time would definitely show a drop in productivity, but to be honest, I typically watch reruns of Arrested Development while in air, with a smattering of email sending and inbox clearing between episodes. I’d definitely read more (without a Kindle) on these trips.

As for the personal time, I think it’s safe to say a little less laptop wouldn’t hurt. Yeah, I wouldn’t be able to look something up on IMDB the second I finish the movie anymore, but that’s not the worst thing, eh? If my wife ever gets around to reading my blog again I’m sure she’d be agreeing too (right, hon?).

If I had to give up some major piece of technology in my life, I know that the cell phone and digital camera would both remain. I think just about everything else becomes pretty optional. But since I don’t have to, I think the MacBook lives on in this house. Well, that is until I replace it with a better one this year sometime, because after all, that’s technology.

Apple/MS: please fix installations!

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It’s unbelievable to me that in this day and age it’s still so ridiculously difficult to install things. Hardware, software, drivers, whatever. Is it easier with my Mac than it was with Windows? Sure. Especially relative to my Sony Vaio, which, (say it along with me people), is the most terrible laptop you can buy. (Exhale).

I write this roughly 70 minutes into the process of attempting to install a simple webcam on my dad’s computer (guiding him through it over the phone). First, it’s a Microsoft LifeCam VX-1000, which apparently strongly encourages the user to download and install Live Messenger otherwise nothing will work. Which I know is a lie, but to the unsuspecting installer, is quite a threatening note to the inexperienced user. Bad form.

Next up, the bewildering steps of determining which order hardware/software installs can go. Just plain stupid. If one requires the other, the respective systems simply should not allow the user to proceed. How hard is that? I’m not exactly a top-notch coder, but I’m pretty sure it would look something like:

if (!hardware_installed()) then install_hardware();

The above steps are definitely more Windows pains that Mac ones, but next is the process of actually putting software where it belongs. The first problem lies in a software download, which invariably ends up in a random location on the user’s computer, and probably stays there forever, long after the installation is completed. As much as OS X brings the simplicity of moving apps into the Applications folder, the fact remains that there is unnecessary room for error (and for the tech-elitists reading this who think it’s SOOOO easy, I’m amazed you got this far).

Finally, I really dislike the fact that applications are less aware of hardware than they should be. Back to my father’s case, shouldn’t Skype be “aware” of the fact that a webcam showed up? Why should he have to go into settings, video options, webcam settings, and pick the device? OK, this one isn’t Apple/Microsoft’s fault, but they certainly could provide the required infrastructure to make it work better.

By the way, for those keeping track, it took a total of about 80 minutes to get my dad’s webcam working. And it only took two system reboots, three aborted installs of MS Live Crappenger, and 5 visits to the Skype tech support forums.

The Toemeister! Makin' Copies! Toemaramaman!

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The more people I talk to, the more I am amazed at the lack of backups people do.  The most common method I’ve heard about is people burning CDs or DVDs on a very erratic/irregular basis.  If this is your personal method, let me take a moment to shout at you:

YOUR COMPUTER’S HARD DRIVE WILL DIE OVER TIME.

THE CDS AND DVDS YOU BURN WILL DIE OVER TIME.

YOU NEED MULTIPLE BACKUPS.

Sorry bout the yelling, but I felt an intervention was in order.  Why?  Well, first I like to think I’m looking out for my fellow man/woman.  Second, I know full well that all my non-techie friends and family, upon the moment where their 7-year-old computer finally kicks the bucket, are gonna call me and ask how they get their beloved pictures back.  Psst – you can’t.

Here’s my personal backup strategy, it’s easy to follow and doesn’t require a massive amount of effort:

  1. I own a portable HDD (Seagate Freeagent), a NAS (Maxtor Shared Storage plus – probably replacing soon), and a Drobo. I also have an Infrant ReadyNAS at my office.  This is, in a word, massively excessive.  But not by much.  I recommend TWO different external storage solutions, and I further recommend buying them several months apart.  Hard drives die over time, and if you get two drives simultaneously, you increase the risk that they will die in tandem.
  2. I have a monthly calendar appointment (first Sundays) to do a backup.  During this backup I copy everything from my Documents folder into the various drives.  Personally I do not worry about having numerous archives, so I can do all my work in a simple drag and drop.  If you do need multiple versions of things, I recommend picking up some backup software (no specific recommendations on that from me though).
  3. Photos are an exception.  I backup photos the moment I’m done downloading them from my digital camera.  I’d rather lose a month of documents than a month of photos.  I also am a Flickr “pro” user, which gives me unlimited online backup at full resolution, and I do a Flickr upload within a day of downloading photos also.

I hope this inspires a few of you to get your act together with a backup solution.  Unfortunately, it probably doesn’t, as it seems to be one of those things that people ignore until it’s too late and they’ve lose data.

To put in other terms.  No backup == FAIL.

I've got MacBook buyer's paralysis

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Back when I decided my Sony Vaio was slightly less useful than the OLPC I have (and not nearly as plastic-y), I “experimented” by buying a MacBook. I bought the bottom of the line model for $1099. A few weeks later I upgraded the RAM for another $99. First lesson: don’t buy the bottom of the line model, the one slightly above it is a significantly better deal.

Now I’m short on hard drive space (it comes with an 80GB unit), albeit some of it would free up if I deleted seasons 1-3 of Arrested Development from the disk. Some find it easy to upgrade the drive, I am a little nervous about that. I’d like to move to Leopard and get Boot Camp running too, but really don’t want any down time, nor do I feel investing another $129 in this computer makes sense.

I could just buy a MacBook Pro and probably be happy with it. The problem is I foresee one or two MB revisions from Apple in the next 60-120 days (they’ve done it before people!). The MBPro is ripe for a quick rev, like adding the gesturelike functionality from the Air (UPDATE: I told you so). I have to say, this was my only real MacWorld disappointment, I was really hoping for a thinner/lighter MBPro.

After a week’s consideration, I’ve decided the Air is not the right laptop for me. It’s slightly less powerful than the regular MB, and the ubersexiness of it isn’t enough. I’m too cheap frugal to buy it for vanity reasons alone at $1799. By the way, I would not be surprised to see a new Air (or two or three) with a wider price range soon. I’ll quickly predict that within 120 days the current one drops to $1599, they swap up to a 160GB drive in the $1799 one, and bump the processor speed for a $2199ish one.

So anyone have any triggers to help break me out of my paralysis? Splurge on the Pro today, or proceed with continued caution?

Xbox Live Needs a Seniors League (30+)

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I was playing Call of Duty 4 (COD4) last weekend during my post-CES recovery time, aka 12 hours of Xbox intermixed with buffalo wings and an hour of hockey. When I first went online to play, I pretty well expected to get a whuppin’, and a whuppin’ I received. That evening I played with my 12-year-old cousin in Montreal 1v1, and he steadily handed my ass to me over and over again. I think Xbox Live needs a “Seniors League” for people over 30.

First, the league would allow you to opt-out, so for the hardcore gamers, you can go play with whomever you like. But for the rest of us, I think it’d be a very good system. It would allow me to stop listening to the utter depravity that occurs in the chatroom (more foul, disgusting, racy language I have never heard in such a short time). Actually, on that topic for a second, parents – hello, your teenage children need some attention and by attention I don’t just mean warm hugs and telling them how they’re so great all the time.

More importantly, it might give me a way to play the game with the other stumbling buffoons like me. Those of us who are pleasantly surprised when we actually get a good shot off or two, where a dominating streak is defined as two consecutive kills, and where we don’t spend half the game looking at the Xbox controller wondering just how on Earth that guy did that!?!?!

The one game that probably doesn’t need the Seniors League is Rock Band, whose online multiplayer is about the coolest thing I’ve seen. It’s the only game I’m aware of that has no competition, nothing but fun/pride. And let me tell you, when four people are playing together, and really “jamming” (real musicians: don’t hate us, we’re just having fun), it’s a good time. Hitting star power on a song together? Priceless.

If the Senior League is too much to figure out, how about just a Rookie Zone, which works on a game-by-game basis? After anyone reaches a certain score and/or hours playing, they get bumped into the regular area. If you need an incentive, I’m pretty confident that you’d sell more games. Huh? Listening now, I see? Well, go ask your prime gamer demographic (oh wait, that’s me!) about their Xbox Live experiences. Probably a lot of frustration across the board. As a terrible player, playing online is often too annoying, rarely as fun as it should be. More fun = more Xbox Live time = more Xbox time = more interest in new games = more money for MSFT.

Oh, and to the jerk who marked me as ‘unsportsmanlike’ I’m gonna guess this refers to my frequent accidental grenading of my own teammates. Maybe if you spent more time playing as a team and helping us old fogies out, we’d play better and stop doing it. I’m just too terrible to even play unsportsmanlike! You’ll understand in 20 years, kid.

Any NAS recommendations?

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My Maxtor Shared Storage is starting to die, so I’m looking into a new NAS solution (mom, NAS stands for networked attached storage, and it’s basically like computer memory except attached to the network.  it’s not actually computer memory at all, but that’s not important right now).  I have an Infrant ReadyNAS NV+ I use at work, and while I think it’s a great device, it’s a little too loud for my home.  I’m considering the DroboShare option as well, except I use that at the office too and feel that it plus the drives is more than I want to spend right now for a second unit (disclosure: I have consulted for Drobo in the past).

Here are my needs:

  • No software install required for use
  • Mac and Windows support
  • Browser-based configuration
  • 500+ GB HDD
  • Power save mode – I don’t want the drives spinning 24/7 for both conservation and longevity purposes
  • UPnP support – must be able to stream to my Sonos, preferably to my Xbox 360 as well
  • Quiet – it’s going to be out in the open somewhat, I’d rather not have to hear it at all
  • Automated backup – optional, I don’t mind doing this manually

My Shared Storage does all of the above, but from user reviews on Amazon, the modern replacements seem to get terrible writeups.  I haven’t really researched it, but I assume I cannot simply swap out the drive (I will definitely check into this more as well).

The two I’ve found so far that seem to be the best fit are the Iomega 33455 and the Buffalo LS500GL LinkStation Pro.  CNET doesn’t seem to have any clear winners in the category, so that wasn’t much added info.  I tried retail, but Best Buy barely stocks any (there was ONE unit in the local store), CompUSA is busy selling the shelving of their fail, and I am just scared of OfficeMax.  Anyone have any input/recommendations?

ps – per a great conversation I had with Robert Scoble and Rafe Needleman tonight, I’m going to try to write a daily post with no influence from TechMeme whatsoever.  It’s not to say I won’t chime in on some widely discussed topics, but I think I had more satisfaction from the ol’ days.  But that could also be some early senility setting in.  This post counts.

Coming Up For Air?

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Had a fun morning keeping up with the Apple keynote from afar (though Mathew Ingram’s take on it was one of my favorites). I don’t really care that much about the online movie rentals topic, I’m sure others have that one cold. I don’t think Apple TV 2 (point oh!) will do much better than the dot-com version (what was with the madhouse cheering when he announced it had surround sound? hello, 1992 called, it wants it’s sound technology back). People just don’t want another box that has roughly the same content as their cable box. I think they should’ve put a Blu-Ray drive in it, then allowed it to do the “virtual drive” thingy (so smart!) back to the Air. Or at least have a Blu-Ray version. People would buy an iBluRay Steve, I promise. Then again, we’ll buy iDoggiePoop too…

Onto the Air. Wow. It’s well done, I must say (and far from useless, but nice linkbaiting there Devin!). Here’s my quick take on it, without having used one personally, starting from the dislikes to the likes:

TERRIBLE: 80GB hard drive? Seriously? Is that a joke? It’s one thing on my rapidly-getting-outdated MacBook, but in the newest of the new, it’s too small. My only hope is this is due to excess inventory from iPods, and they’ll bump it up to the 160GB version soon. And I’m not even going to address the 64GB SSD option, as $3K is out of the question in my eyes.

BAD: micro-DVI (mini-DVI was bad enough, come on!), no removable battery (but as a friend observed, I don’t have a spare battery for my MacBook either – I just hate not even having the option), lack of ExpressCard or built-in EVDO (that AT&T deal isn’t really paying off in this regards), price (it’s not outrageous, but it’s steep for what you truly get).

AVERAGE: expandability (I know there’s only one USB, but with a Bluetooth mouse, I think it’s fine), no optical drive (I just don’t think it really matters that much anymore, but I might be a little optimistically naive. That said, Apple did take the first step to kill the 3.5″ floppy…), missing Ethernet (ditto)

GOOD: screen, iSight, battery life (5 hours promised is like a *real* 3.5 hours, which is perfect).

GREAT: size (duh), weight, keyboard, touchpad (I knew they’d extend the gestures beyond the iPhone).  It might look like the “great” list is much shorter than the bad ones, but I felt those needed more explanation!

All in all, this is a very very impressive laptop. I believe CEOs, marketing execs, and traveling salespeople all across the country are buying it. I don’t agree with conjecture that it’ll cannibalize existing MacBook (or Pro) sales, I feel this is yet another arsenal in the Apple inventory as they slowly climb in laptop market share. Remember – the future of computer sales is all about laptops, and the more they offer in that category, the better that future looks.

As for will I buy one? Decent odds. If the HDD was 160GB I’d be a lot closer (for the record, I have a MacBook with an 80GB hard drive that is constantly full). I feel like it’s a step up, but not a big one, from what I have today. The biggest thing that is holding me back is the concern that they’ll end up revving the MacBook Pros with the new screen and touchpad in the coming months and I’ll have buyer’s remorse about it. I’m on the verge of the pre-order right now, will probably decide in the next 48 hours or so.

Full disclosure: I became an Apple shareholder today.

So… Macworld's tomorrow…

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I’d like to see a new MacBook Pro. The MacBook I have works just fine, but the hard drive is small, it’s heavy, and frankly, it gets really dirty really fast (and I use enough baby wipes on my 8 month old, thank you very much). There’s lots of rumors and speculation. I previously conjectured on what I called a “MacBook Touch“, and while I want it, I have to say it seems a lot less likely (despite continuous rumors).

I also don’t think they’re doing WiMax, unless AT&T is about to announce WiMax, which I doubt. It’s just a big gamble on a very big tech that is way too “out there” in my eyes. Jobs makes amazing products, and makes some big bets along the way, but this one seems illogical. So if “MacBook Air” really means something, my guess is it’s either (a) a very lightweight laptop or (b) a laptop with AT&T Edge services built-in.

But remember – “something in the air” could just as easily refer to direct-to-iPhone movie rentals…

Mark Evans is waiting for the iPhone “A” edition. Wait for it… Wait for it… No? Don’t have it? It’s the iPhone, eh? Hahahaha. Sorry, but I’m Canadian, I can do those things.

I won’t get to go to the keynote, although I may lurk around the Moscone with Robert and Patrick Scoble. Maybe we should sit in the Apple store and follow Engadget’s live coverage? I guess the other alternative is to chill in the Irish pub around the corner and play CrunchGear’s Steve Jobs Keynote Drinking Game.

No question that January is the most fun gadget month of the year.

CES 2008: the highs and lows

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Trying to “keep it fresh” (or is that “keep it real”?), I’m doing my show recap with a slightly different format. Here are my highs and lows of the show:

ProudHIGH: Unquestionably, winning the Best of Show award with Bug Labs this year. All in all Bug Labs (whom I work with) had a phenomenal CES, which I’ll blog about over at the Stage Two blog in the next couple of days.

LOW: Panasonic’s 150 inch plasma. I’m probably going to end up buying a Panny plasma this year anyway, but I couldn’t help but shake my head with dismay at this screen (although it’s certainly using some impressive technology, I definitely give them credit for that). It’s just ridiculous from every perspective, and the utter waste in even creating the thing is astounding to me. Especially in light of…

HIGH: Philips’ eco-friendly plasma TV. Of all things to lose the Overall best in show award to, this was my pick. Good for them to set a good example for the CE industry. Hopefully this is the beginning of a big trend, as plasmas are about as non-green a gadget you can possibly buy.

LOW: No major new innovations. While I wasn’t following the news as well as I’d have liked, it seemed like CES ’08 was really about bigger (or thinner), faster, better, etc. No major new formats/platforms/technologies announced (other than Tru2Way, the terribly named tech that will probably be only minorly more successful than CableCard), no really new innovative device unveiled, just more of the same old, same old. Also, I (and others) think the show is just too darn big now.

Scoble watches Gates keynote at the BloghausHIGH: Watching the Bill Gates keynote AT the BlogHaus. I didn’t make it last year at all (perhaps due to location? Scoble – hint, hint), so it was fun to go there and see the bloggers’ reactions to the keynote. I tuned out as he spun Vista’s success, but it was definitely a lively environment for it!

LOW: “Gizmodogate.” I think more than anything else I’m disappointed in that group, as I know some of the Gizmodo staff individually. Seems like one of those moments where a funny idea went way way way too far. The idea? Funny. Doing it? Not Funny.

HIGH: Flying Virgin America from LV to SFO. In-seat videos and gaming, combined with AC adapters (and USB chargers) at every seat? As per the letter I just wrote to United Airlines (where I’m currently a 1K flyer), it’s pretty irresistible.

LOW: Not getting a day to just watch and walk the show floor. Last year I had 3 days to scout for cool technology for a client, as well as blog the whole time. This year I had 15 hour demo days. But at least I got my…

Bug Labs Dinner at Smith & Wollensky'sHIGH: Steak at Smith & Wollensky’s. This is an annual CES tradition of mine, and one I intend to continue for years to come.

LOW: CES 2009 reverts to the old-school Thurs-Sun schedule. AND it coincides with MacWorld. I’m sure some planners had very good reasons and intents, but the outcome is just miserable for everyone involved. Here’s a suggestion: can we begin a plan to shift CES from it’s current timeslot to one month later? It’d be nice for the 100,000 or so individuals involved in putting together demos and booths to have a December vacation once in a while.

And now to end on some very positive notes…

JT and Gary KrakowHIGH: Catching up with all my friends at the show, be they bloggers, former Sling Media coworkers, venture capitalists, press & analysts, or consumer electronics industry execs. Great to see you all again!

HIGH: Sneak preview of TuneUp Media at the show, as well as Splashtop winning a PC World “Most Innovative Products” award!

HIGH: Meeting some people in person whom I’d previously only known online. Especially some original Slingbox beta testers, and bloggers Shawn Morton, Doc Searls, and Engadget’s Ben Drawbaugh.

HIGH: Bothering my friends and family in a little grass roots attempt to win CNET’s “People’s Choice” award at CES. I even used Facebook and (oy) Twitter! Bug lost out to Motorola (and probably a few others). I think they have a slightly wider brand awareness…

HIGH: Not catching the CES Flu this year. Feel better, Robert and others!

UBER-HIGH: My CES Best Of Show Threepeat. More on that on my personal blog later.

JT at the LVCCThat’s my wrapup of CES 2008, another one for the books! All my photos are online here. Now I wait for MacWorld, to find out exactly what my new MacBook Pro will be, as I will undoubtedly pick one up the first day I possibly can.

Bug Labs selected as Best of CES Finalist

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This is fun (more fun than being yelled at by everybody in my Apple post – yes, people, you’ve made your point!).  Bug Labs  (with whom I work) just got picked by CNET as a Best of CES contender!  For such a tiny startup, this is a wonderful honor, and the whole team is really energized (I’d say “psyched”, but that’s more for us in California, the New Yorkers wouldn’t be big fans of the term).

The company could also use a little help and support from the tech community, as they are up against some huge players.  So our David is taking on the Goliath by reaching out to get some votes for the People’s Voice award.   You can vote online here, or you can text in your vote (text PV14 to 26381).  Please use your proverbial slingshot to help the company out!!

UPDATE: I just noticed that CNBC/Donny Deutsch show is also polling for their favorite, and we’d love a little help there too!

Hey Apple, you get NEXT week!

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Did a quick scan on Techmeme this morning for interesting CES news. Guess what I see?

Apple on Techmeme

Apple decided to announce new servers today. I call this a lame move.

Last year, Apple dominated CES without even being there with their iPhone announcements. This, in my opinion, was fair game, since CEA scheduled the conference to overlap with MacWorld.

However this year there’s no schedule conflict. And the PR guys and marketing team there know this, and they also know that by issuing virtually ANY news (Mac servers? really? do they exist?) they are going to get prominent coverage. In other words, they did this intentionally to steal any limelight from the thousands (yes THOUSANDS) of companies spending HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars at CES.

This is a lame move akin to a bully stealing some lunch money. Lame, and unnecessary. And in case anyone’s forgotten, I actually like Apple now. Well, maybe just a little bit less.

UPDATE: okay, 20 comments later, I get it, you don’t agree.  that’s fine, and some of you raise some good points.  but no need for the personal attacks, that’s lamer than lame!

Bug Labs makes CES announcements

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Bug Labs (whom I work with) announced a bunch of updates today, the day before we head off to LV for CES. For those of you following the company, whose “Lego of Gadgets” is catching a lot of great attention in the tech community, here are the highlights:

Pricing (including an Early Adopter Discount):

  • BUGbase $349 ($299 w/discount)
  • LCD module $119 ($99 w/discount)
  • GPS module $99 ($79 w/discount)
  • Camera module $79 ($69 w/discount)
  • Motion detector / Accelerometer $59 ($49 w/discount)

Availability:

  • Pre-orders start on 01/21
  • Fulfillment starts by 03/17

New module:

  • The Von Hippel module (named after MIT professor Eric von Hippel) is a “breakout box” for the BUG platform

New promotions:

  • Early Adopter Discount – price break offered to consumers who purchase/pre-order within the first 60 days. Now that’s technology.
  • BUG+EDU – promotions aimed at educational institutions, no specific details announced at this time.

For the first time, the company issued a press release in addition to the blog post, if you are curious as to why, take a look at my marketing blog post. Coverage is popping up online at Engadget, Gizmodo, Geek.com, PC Magazine, EE Times, Random Thoughts, Mashable, and Brad Feld, Fred Wilson’s and Bijan Sabet’s blog (note: these three are investors).

See you in Vegas!