LIVEdigitally

Author Archives: Guest Contributor

Since it seems to be introduction day…

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… I thought I would introduce me. My name is Tim (as the byline vaguely suggests) and I’ll be posting on a regular basis. My tech obsessions have no known bounds so you’ll see stuff from every category from me. I particularly love talking about a cool new web service or things like what the world will be like when Google has everything ever written/recorded/discussed in its databases (this actually doesn’t scare me too much – feel free to tell me I’m nuts).

I pre-apologize for the wordy posts – I just like to get it all in there, you know? Cover my bases. My humor can be a little dry and nerdy too so poke fun at will!

And I too have a little web-based service that you may have never heard of, or may have forgotten about: Time Cave. Anyone remember this one? Here’s the gist of the free service:

The idea is simple: drop an email message into Time Cave and tell it when to come out. It’ll stay there for as long as you’d like, within reason. (We wouldn’t want stalactites to dissolve it.) So for days, weeks, months, or even years, Time Cave will hold onto your message. Once the message’s time comes, it’s speedily sent on its way back toward you (or whomever you addressed it to).

Use it as a free reminder service or just to send your future self a kind note. Want to make sure you don’t forget something, whether it’s an appointment or an ideal? Time Cave can help.

I dropped a message in about 3 or 4 years ago but have since changed my email countless times so I have no idea if they stuck to their promise. I just today scheduled an email to myself for June 15th, 2010. I figure this is a good long term test.

I’ll comment on this post when I get the message [hey, you never know] so be sure to bookmark this page if you don’t think you’ll remember to check back. Talk to you in 4 years…

Please allow me to introduce myself…

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… I’m a man of poverty and poor discernment.

…yyyyeah. It just doesn’t flow, does it?

Regardless, I’m Akela. You may remember me from such blogs as ‘Spirochete Spotlight’ and ‘Soy Sauce Roundup’. This may, however, be the first time you’ve met me, in which case, Hi! I’m happy to join the Live Digitally site, where I hope to entertain, annoy, and perhaps, if you’re very lucky… educate. ‘Cause, you know… there’s nothing that says ‘fun’ like education.

For my inaugural post, I’d like to point to a nifty web-based service that not all of you may know about: yousendit.com.

Yousendit.com is a site that allows you to send attachments of up to 1 gig in size to anyone with an email account. You pick the file, send it off, and your target receives a message in their inbox stating that they have a file waiting. They click on the provided link, the file downloads, and everybody’s happy. Registration for the site is free, and offers Standard and Secure options for delivery. Best of all, they don’t seem to care what you send, though prudence dictates that one be somewhat reserved in your file naming. Sign up now, before they decide to start charging!

Hello hello…

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Since you will probably be seeing a lot of me over the next little while, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Merv and I will be guiding you through my thoughts and opinions over a lot of things techie. My rambling posts will vary between the good old days of technology (well, for me the good old days mean the 80’s and 90’s), to the plethora of crap available now and, of course, my expectations for the future. Bare with me though as I try to get a hang of this thing.

Any questions, please feel free and I will answer them in the least sarcastic way that I can.

Merv

The Wheels on the Bus

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go round and round. Theeeeee TV on the bus goes ad ad ad, ad–logo

Ok, Transit Television has been around since 1999, and it’s not exactly the newest media trend, but I was reminded of it riding a city bus yesterday, so I thought I would reminisce.

Flash back to 2003. I just started college in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, acquired my university bus pass, and was learning the relevant routes. I noticed that some of the vehicles came equipped with monitors that not only had a map (which was USUALLY in sync with the actually drive) showing the upcoming stops, but also showed I Love Lucy, news, weather, word puzzles, and even recipes, sometimes all in Spanish!

This was TNN (the Transit Television Network) and Milwaukee was the second city (after Orlando, where the company is based) to get it. Since then Chicago, Atlanta, Norfolk, and Los Angeles have all been hooked up, and San Diego is getting its first taste this year. With all the money to be made from advertising to a “captive audience” with “attractive demographics,” what public transportation system can resist?

I can’t say it was all bad. Sometimes the bus DID get boring, and it was nice on occasion to zone out to one of those games where you watched letters fill in a word like “crocodile” or “vacuum” and tried to guess it before the time ran out. Sometimes the recipes sounded good; sometimes the news was enlightening, and sometimes the old TV shows made me laugh.

On the other hand, there were days when I just wanted a quiet ride home, and anyone who rides a city bus knows that’s hard enough as it is withOUT constant TV babble. It made it difficult to focus on a book, and headphones had to compete to drown out the commercials. Even looking out a window got tough, because there were always screens talking at me, wanting me to turn and look. It just felt a little invasive sometimes.

If you didn’t have reading material or some video games, it was an ok distraction. I just don’t like the fact that it’s forced on passengers. The volume never goes down and it doesn’t get turned off unless it’s just not working (which was the case at least a couple times. It’s fed via Wi-Fi, and sometimes it would inexplicably freeze).

I’m tempted to say, “Enjoy your relatively silent buses while you can!” but that seems a bit harsh. I think it just gets me that the whole point seems to be advertising money. Most people are plenty capable of entertaining themselves on a commute and if they are anything like me, they will be a little resentful of competition from TV commercials.

Dump your iPod and open Pandora's Box?

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Pandora LogoI’d hang on to it if you’re one of those ubermobile folks out there. If you’re like many people though that listen to music primarily in front of a desktop or laptop [insert picture of me with headphones here], you might find Pandora a very useful substitute for your music collection or shabby (at best) Internet radio options.

Pandora isn’t intended to replace your music collection though. It exists to complement it and help it grow. And from what I’ve seen, it does a darn good job.

Pandora is similar to an Internet radio station in the sense that you listen to music over the Internet.. and that’s where the similarity stops. Pandora does something much better than any radio station because it plays the kind of music that you want to hear and it’s fantastic at it! Radio stations (AM/FM, XM, Sirius, Internet, etc.) are channel-based that play music from particular genres. What Pandora does is allow you to enter an artist or song and a custom streaming music station is created for you that plays music similar to that particular artist or song, helping you find music that you’ll love that you may have never heard of before.

I know, I know, you’re saying “yea right, they play music in the same genre, no wow-factor there” or “sure – but I’ll just get the typical barrage of top 40, sponsored music no matter what I choose.” I can confidently say “Not so!”

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If you're going to AIM, aim Classic

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Triton just isn’t worth it, unless you’re willing to put up with a nearly constant deluge of commercials. It was annoying enough when they were added to Classic, but this upgrade is beyond obnoxious, sometimes showing the same clip two or three times in a row!

The Triton demo does highlight some pretty cool features, but the only one that I will really miss is the tabbed chat window. It seems like maybe they’ve taken a cue from Firefox, and that is an awesome move. The only other thing that seemed really new (and not just tempting, like the “huge” file transfer allowance) is AIM Phoneline. This service, for $9.95 a month, allows users to call quite a few places using their AIM Digits, and it’s free to receive incoming calls. That said, Yahoo! Messenger offers a similar deal with a different pricing scheme (and you can a much wider range of places, including Tokyo!).

Maybe what I’m really saying is: use Yahoo! instead! No commercials, a comparable feature set, and who knows? Maybe someday they’ll tab the chats into one window as well. For the people (myself included) who still want to groove with their AIM pals, I highly recommend sticking to the Classic version.

Girl's Gadget Report: Vinyl Killer with Swarovski Crystal

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Vinyl KillerA new very chic eyeful for those who appreciate music and still love listening to records is now available. Actually, this one was created by Razyworks for those who aren’t afraid to be extravagant and pay great attention to details. I’m talking about the Swarovski version of the Vinyl Killer.

The Vinyl Killer is the world’s smallest self-running record player. This device churns out music by “driving” around the record with a needle that is situated underneath the bus. The music plays as the needle moves over the record while the bus encircles it.  No turntables are required, and you can enjoy your records no matter where you are!

The device features a built-in monitor and an amplifier with speaker. A 9-volt battery is required for operation.

Vinyl Killer crystal-styleThis special Swarovski version is encrusted with Swarovski crystals. Keep in mind that this is a limited edition, so you’d better hurry to if you want to get one.  This series of the Vinyl Killer is made for those who are into fashion and style and earn enough to afford this cute thing.

I think it’s more about style and prestige than functionality. This is a chic item for those who understand and appreciate the finer things in vinyl life.

It will cost you $520. It’s available at http://www.razy-works.com/shop/shop_e/shop_e.html. 
The Weekly Girl’s Gadget Report is brought to you by http://www.gadget4girls.com/

Girl's Gadget Report: Golden Razr

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RazrThe runaway success of Motorola’s slimline mobile phone Motorola RAZR V3 has prompted the company  to produce some extra models.  This time Motorola joined forces with Dolce & Gabbana to create a limited edition series of RAZR with a distinct D&G style.

Dolce & Gabbana Group with its two brands is one of the most outstanding names in the sector of clothing and luxury goods. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana (the founders) are considered two of the most creative and talented designers in the world of modern fashion. 

The new RAZR styled by D&G has some specific features, making it different from the other members of Motorola RAZR family.  The cell phone comes in gold finish, has a special personalized background and a screensaver from D&G. It also features a special sound for power up (and down), an exclusive polyphonic ring tone and a video clip that illustrates 20 years of history of Dolce & Gabbana.

This limited edition RAZR also features a slightly more functional camera (now up to 1.23 megapixel) and additional expandable memory.  Each phone will have its own individual number, making it a real must-have. It comes with a golden Bluetooth headset and a pendant signed with famous “DG” initials.

The limited edition of Motorola RAZR V3i will be sold at Dolce & Gabbana boutiques.

Source –  http://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/dolcegabbana/

The Weekly Girl’s Gadget Report is brought to you by http://www.gadget4girls.com/

Girl's Gadget Report: The Cheapest MP3 Player

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Cheap MP3 PlayerEverybody wants to listen to music, but not everybody can afford high quality music devices. You know that quality costs money. Of course, there are some exceptions but generally, having high living standards mean having a high level of income. However it’s rather natural when people want to exceed their levels. But sometimes, instead of trying to go up, they tend to try something new.

That’s why the producers of this MP3 player have made the right decision. It costs less than $20 and features USB2.0 and SD support. How did they manage to reduce its price? The answer is simple: they just didn’t install the screen or memory. This reduces total costs and allows it to sell for a lower price. Now everyone can get a chance to spend their days with portable music.

In fact, I think that its advantage is not only the price. It should come handy when traveling. Indeed, it’s rather undesirable to carry many valuable things always being afraid of losing them (or getting it stolen). Having a device like this one you’ll avoid the problem and will get pleasure of listening to your favorite compositions.

Buy it (UK shop)

Another review (TrustedReviews)

The Weekly Girl’s Gadget Report is brought to you by http://www.gadget4girls.com/

Girl’s Gadget Report: Socket with a secret

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Secret SocketIt’s all about basic needs. The desire to feel safe is one of these needs. That’s why we can find many products which promise our full security. There are also many devices which keep safe our money, valuables and other special things. People usually choose rather common and standard places to hide their precious things. That’s burglars can usually find all your “secrets” and leave you empty-handed. To protect yourself you’re usually better not keeping valuables at home, but you can’t move everything to the bank! For this case check out the secret socket’s offering.

As you can see, this fake socket is a mini safe. I like the idea, but I doubt that it’s the modern way to hide one’s valuables. The market offers so many solutions to keep valuable things in a safe that this socket is unlikely to be the best one. Anyway, everybody is free to choose what works best for them.

Ok, I can be a bit less strict. Actually, I see the obvious advantage of using this mini safe: the potential thief needs at least a screwdriver to open this. On the other hand, they manage to force open most modern safes.

Do you think that they won’t guess how to handle the simple socket?

Of course, at first they have to guess that it’s not quite simple device and has its little secret. But after such extensive advertising on the Internet maybe it won’t be difficult…

The Weekly Girl’s Gadget Report is brought to you by http://www.gadget4girls.com/

Girl's Gadget Report: Electronic Paper Umbrella

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Umbrella - starry nightWhat do people like the most? They like choices!
 

The new Electronic Paper Umbrella designed by Hsiao Yong-li gives you such an opportunity. Now you can change the picture on your umbrella as you are used to changing desktop image and mobile phone pics. You have only to push and choose the ambiance that fits your mood. Actually, it’s a good way to cheer up on a rainy day!
 

When the weather is awful, change it by choosing the sun theme. The effect will be even amazing if you add proper sound. Electric Paper Umbrella features a lot of replaceable pictures and sounds. You can choose forest, birds singing, water noises, or pleasant romantic melodies. Moreover, in the future you’ll be able to create your own pictures. Purchasing an item like this one you will always be in high spirits and stylish.
 

Umbrella controlsTo fulfill his idea the designer used electronic paper. He also installed a computer chip into the umbrella stem. In fact, we are not much interested into its detailed working mechanism. The thing we understood is that it’s connected with electricity and often gets wet. We hope that it’s absolutely safe and nobody will be harmed when using it in rainy day.  Walking with this item you’ll for sure attract everybody’s attention.
 

It should be especially romantic to use this together with your girl or boyfriend. At the same time the umbrella is a good and creative present for any person. As for me, I’d willingly experience this. Living in a big town I lack the nature. In fact, I’m always stressed.  Maybe this device will spare me low spirits!

Umbrella - sunny

The Weekly Girl’s Gadget Report is brought to you by http://www.gadget4girls.com/

Girl's Gadget Report: Transparent Toaster Concept

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ToasterOne of the most comforting moments I can enjoy is to make myself a slice of toast for breakfast or for a midday snack. As for me, toast is one of those perfect foods that will hardly ever go out of style and fashion.

While plenty of gadgets come and go, toasters still remain a very popular item among all ages.

Those from Inventables Concept made the concept of a very nice transparent toaster that allows to see what is happening to bread while it’s toasting. So, your bread is not likely to come out too dark.

Oh, I was always wondering what’s happening with it there. I know that this glass toaster is a concept yet, but the idea is very smart!  Even though you’ll see some wires heating, you’ll have the opportunity to look inside the toaster. Isn’t it cool?

The idea is grounded on the transparent heating glass featured in this issue. Unfortunately, the glass does not currently get hot enough to toast bread. But I believe that very soon this will be possible.

The Weekly Girl’s Gadget Report is brought to you by http://www.gadget4girls.com/