Complete Guide to Google Wave November 9, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Google.add a comment
I have been spending some time this weekend reading Gina Trapani’s on-line manual, The Complete Guide to Google Wave. Google Wave is an intriguing new service that operates as an interactive, on-line collaboration tool.
Google has a long video demonstration of Wave, but if you don’t want to spend over an hour watching it, here’s a cute little summary that someone created to explain how Google Wave can be useful:
Android 2.0 Development November 1, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Google.add a comment
Last Tuesday, Google released version 2.0 of Android, their open source mobile operating system. This new version of Android is about to appear on many new smart-phones about to be released (notably Motorola’s Droid). I am anxious to see how these new phones compare to the iPhone.
What got my attention is that Android now supports native app development — the Native Development Kit was introduced in June. Before this, applications had to be written in Java. Java is fine, but applications that are compiled for the specific device run faster and aren’t as restricted in what they can do. This should make the Android platform more attractive to many developers and eventually the end-users.
New Google Search Options October 26, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Google.add a comment
Early this month, Google added some useful options for refining a search. This is a handy feature everyone should know about. On a search page, just below the Google logo, is a “Show options…” link. Click that and a wide variety of choices appear in the left margin. Now, if Google’s results are not quite to your liking, there’s an easy way to tweak the search. —
For example, I wanted to know more about using Chinese White in watercolor paintings (something frowned upon by most contemporary artists). In the past, a search for “chinese white watercolor” would return pages and pages of sites that only wanted to sell me tubes of paint.
Google already improved their standard search to return sites that actually talk about subject rather than just stores. Even better, the Google search options let “More shopping sites” or “Fewer shopping sites” be shown — depending on whether you’re trying to buy something or simply get more information.
Other handy options restrict searches to a period of time — you can choose to discard sites that too old for your needs. In my case, I selected “Books” and discovered a Chinese White resist technique. Many of these features have been available from Google for a while, but the new options list now makes it easy explore the possibilities.
Favorite Tech Podcasts October 19, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Software.add a comment
Nominations have just been closed for the People’s Choice Podcast Awards. For those who do not know, podcasts are audio or video programs that can be downloaded from the Internet. There are podcasts covering almost every subject. They are almost always free and some are quite good. They can be downloaded and played back on any computer — I subscribe to them via iTunes so my iPhone always contains the latest episodes.
Podcasts are a great way to pick up new information while commuting, cleaning the house or walking the dog. It is my main means for keeping up with what is going on in the tech world. So in the spirt of the podcast awards, I thought I would share the list of the technology-related podcasts I subscribe to:
 Astronomy Cast is the only science podcast I listen to regularly. Hosts are Fraser Cain of Universe Today and astronomy professor Dr. Pamela L. Gay. The episodes take you on “a fact based journey through the cosmos”. Fun and informative for people that want to learn more about astronomy and space exploration. |
 FLOSS Weekly is one of my favorite podcasts. Each week it interviews people behind an open-source project. It’s amazing how much high-quality, free software is out there — and the people that bring these projects to the world are always intriguing. |
 gdgt weekly covers the gadget news of the week. Hosts Ryan Block and Peter Rojas are also the creators of the gdgt website, where people can find reviews and post their own opinions on the gadgets in their lives. |
 GeekBrief TV consists of short, daily video podcasts of the latest gadget and tech news. It features Cali Lewis, who is fun to watch (it’s a little silly, but I enjoy the outtakes that usually appear at the end of an episode). |
 MacBreak Weekly is a panel discussion of the latest Apple Mac, iPod and iPhone news. The main hosts are Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko and Leo Laporte. At the end of the show the panel members give a software pick of the week. MacBreak Weekly is part of the TWiT Network, which includes several podcasts on this list of favorites. |
 net@night is a weekly podcast about interesting sites on the Internet. Hosts are Amber MacArthur and Leo Laporte (and often Sarah Lane calls in). |
 Robots, the podcast for news and views on robots. A new episode comes out every two weeks and usually features a news report and interviews with two experts in robotics. |
 Security Now is probably the most technical podcast on this list and covers anything and everything that deals with computer security. It is hosted by Leo Laporte along with Steve Gibson of Gibson Research, the creator of the SpinRite disk utility. Part of my job has been to write programs that protect our company’s software and I always enjoy listening to Steve’s explanations. |
 This Week in Google covers news on Google and the current happenings in the world of cloud computing. Regular hosts include Leo Laporte, Gina Trapani and Jeff Jarvis. |
 This Week in Tech is the flagship podcast of the TWiT network. Each week Leo Laporte gathers a panel of experts to discuss the latest news in tech industry. |
 Windows Weekly covers the latest news surrounding Microsoft Windows. The hosts are Paul Thurrott of the SuperSite for Windows and Leo Laporte. |
Find Top Topics with TweetMeme October 12, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Twitter, Web Development, WordPress.1 comment so far
The latest episode of Net@Night interviews Nick Halstead of TweetMeme. TweetMeme is a service that examines all Twitter posts and categorizes them. It crawls through links and determines which articles are getting the most mentions. This helps find the stories getting the most attention at any given time. This is a little different than Twitter’s trending topics, because TweetMeme does not just look at the content of the tweets, but also at the content of the links inside the tweet. Go to TweetMeme and try it.
Web pages can include a TweetMeme button that shows a popularity count and makes it simple for readers to Twitter about the site. Currently the button cannot be used WordPress.com blogs, but TweetMeme is trying to garner support.
TweetMeme also offers a paid Twitter Analytics service that gives website owners detailed reports on how their content spreads through Twitter. In this video, Nick Halstead demos its features:
2010 — Year of the Touch Tablet? October 5, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Apple, Hardware, Microsoft.add a comment
One way or another it seems that touch tablet computers are on their way. Archos just released an Internet media device based on Google’s Android OS. And that is just the beginning — rumors say the big guns, Apple and Microsoft, will have their tablets in stores by mid-2010.
Before every Apple event in recent memory, the speculation has been that Apple is about announce a new tablet device. It looks like this may finally come to pass. The latest reports say Steve Jobs has dedicated most of his time since his return to Apple on the new tablet. In some sense, Apple already has a small tablet in the forms of the iPhone and iPod Touch. The new device would probably be based on the iPhone OS and announced in January for release in the summer of 2010. The 6-month lead time makes sense because it gives iPhone developers time to integrate their apps into the new platform.
Recently Gizmodo offered a glimpse of Microsoft’s Courier project, a tablet with two side-by-side touch screens. The user interface is not what you might expect from the maker of Windows — it no doubt incorporates some of Microsoft’s Surface technology. Gizmodo’s video describes the Courier as an “infinite journal”. It looks like it might be the ideal note-taking device.
But do consumers really want a tablet device? Before I got an iPhone, I would have thought a computer without an actual keyboard was useless. However, with dynamic spell checking to correct typos, the iPhone’s virtual keyboard works much better than I would have expected. The touch interfaces are intuitive and ideal for browsing the Internet. Simple tasks shouldn’t require a large computer and keyboard. The Apple and Microsoft tablets would be for people who appreciate the portability of an iPhone/iPod Touch but prefer a larger screen.
Of course, the idea of a tablet device is nothing new. Personal digital assistants have been around since the days of the Apple Newton and Palm handhelds. The Newton was ahead of its time. Computer technology has advanced considerably in last 15 years and hopefully the new tablets will be more successful than their 20th century predecessors.
Those who don’t remember the original PDA built by Apple might find this old Welcome to Newton video amusing:
vimeo 6820724]
Drupal Gardens October 1, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Drupal.add a comment
The most recent episode of the Drupal Voices podcast interviews Acquia marketing director Bryan House. He discusses Acquia’s upcoming web service Drupal Gardens. The idea is to make it easy to get a web site started using Drupal, just as WordPress.com lets you get started using WordPress.
Drupal Gardens makes it possible to design a Drupal 7 site right within the browser and allows customization with the built-in theme builder. Once a site is developed it can be exported to allow transfer to another web host (or the web hosting service available through Acquia).
Drupal Gardens is currently in pre-alpha. Acquia expects to make it available as a beta service by January and will be finalized when Drupal 7 is released early next year.
For more information, see Dries Buytaert’s blog and watch the 11 minute preview.
Windows 7 Academic Offer September 28, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Software, Windows.add a comment
Earlier this month, Microsoft announced a special educational promotion of Windows 7 for just $29.99 USD from now until the end of the year. You must be a currently enrolled student to qualify — see Microsoft’s terms and conditions.
Update»
People have reported some difficulties installing the student version of Windows 7, which is packaged differently than the retail Windows 7 upgrade. See Paul Thurrott’s article for details.
Zune HD vs. iPod Touch September 21, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Hardware, Zune, iPod.1 comment so far
Last week Microsoft released the 4th generation of their MP3 player, the Zune HD just days after Apple announced their latest revision of the iPod Touch. Like the Touch, the Zune HD has a large touch screen with a single button (no more squircle). Both devices include an Internet browser and allow wireless downloads of music and video. It’s clear Microsoft intends this device to compete directly with the iPod Touch, so here’s a brief comparison between the two products.
First, the Zune HD is only being sold in the United States. So if you live anywhere else, the Zune is not even an option.
The Zune HD is lighter and slightly smaller than the iPod Touch. The Zune HD comes with a touch interface that is on par with Apple’s innovative design. The Zune also has a number of features not offered on the iPod:
- a high-contrast OLED screen which gives blacker blacks
- the ability to output 720p video to an external HDTV (with the addition of the optional AV dock)
- an FM HD radio tuner (and if you hear a song you like you can purchase it directly from the radio player)
- wireless syncing to a computer
- music subscription via Zune Pass
Zune Pass is perhaps the greatest feature of the Zune. For $14.99 a month, you are allowed unlimited downloads from the Zune Marketplace. In addition, you are able to download 10 songs a month which you can keep forever. If you listen to a lot of music this is a great way to go.
Apple’s strong point is their App Store. Microsoft has said that they will support games on the Zune, but so far there is nothing to compare with what is available for the iPod Touch. If you want to play games or run any of the nifty apps, you want to stick with the iPod Touch.
The low-end iPod Touch is slightly less expensive, but it is slower and only holds 8GB. For an extra $20, the low-end Zune holds twice as much music, photos and videos. The 16GB iPod Touch is $299, which is $10 more that the platinum Zune HD which holds 32GB. Overall, the Zunes are more affordable than the Touches.
There has been a lot of speculation that the latest revision of the iPod Touch was going to include a camera, but for some reason Apple decided to leave it out. Apple did introduce a new iPod Nano with a camera. A Touch with a camera may eventually become available, but probably not this year. If you are willing to pay the service charges, the iPhone 3Gs is a great phone and MP3 player that has Internet connectivity even if a Wi-Fi hotspot is unavailable.
But if you live in the United States and listen to lots of music, you might want to give the Zune HD a good look.
For more information, see Andy Ihnatko’s review of the Zune HD. Paul Thurott also has a detailed review and a handy table that compares the Zune HD with the iPod Touch. Update» Also check out the CNET Prizefight: Apple iPod Touch vs. Microsoft Zune HD video comparison of the two products.
This Zune HD Grand Tour video below gives one of the better demos of the new product:
Zune HD September 14, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Hardware, Zune.add a comment
Microsoft is about to release the latest incarnation of their portable music player, the Zune HD. It features a large touch screen that covers almost the entire front face of the device — much like the iPod Touch.
The Zune HD comes with a 16:9 aspect ratio OLED screen which should be ideal for watching HD movies on the go. It also features an HD radio, a web browser and can output video to HDTV.
The 16GB Zune HD is $220 and the 32GB model is $290. They will be available only in the United States starting September 15. Microsoft also offers Zune Pass, which allows unlimited music downloads for a monthly fee.
The Zune HD is Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s iPod Touch. The iPod Touch is over a year old and received just a minor revision last week. So well how do these two stack up against each other? Good question — I’ll add a new post comparing the two models after the Zune is officially announced tomorrow. In the mean time, here is one of Microsoft’s promotional videos of the Zune HD:
