T3 Tony's Tech Talk Blog

Digital Lifestyle News: AppleTV Hacks and Pandora for Mobile & Living Room

2007-05-27T11:58:00.001-04:00

I just updated my Sonos software and I am really enjoying the new feature of Pandora.com integration. So much so, that a annual subscription is pretty much a given for me once the 30 day trial is done. Interesting happenings here: I was a "free" subsctiber to Rhapsody via the "free basic" account provided with my cable internet service Optimum Online, and also I had tried out the free account for Pandora. So basically, via marketing deals and integration with my Sonos system, both Rhapsody and Pandora now have me as a paying subscriber. Well done Sonos!

Now to get that Apple TV purchased and set up...

In another post, last100 looks at the recent news about personalized Internet radio station Pandora, which this week announced a version of Pandora for your mobile and living room. Pandora is calling this its 'anywhere' platform. Steve wrote: "At yesterday's announcement, the company unveiled two new partnerships: Sonos for streaming Pandora around the home, and Sprint for mobile. Both the mobile and home streaming versions fully integrate with Pandora on the web, so for example, everything you create, rate or bookmark on your phone, also appears the next time you're back on the web, and vice versa.

Source: Digital Lifestyle News: AppleTV Hacks and Pandora for Mobile & Living Room

America: The Growing Digital Divide

2007-05-07T18:36:00.001-04:00

Well, with a self proclaimed monkier like "TechSavvyGuru" I have to put myself in the 31% Elite Tech Users category - and I feel I cross over the: Omnivore, Connector, and productivity enhancer sub-categories.

Where do you see yourself? Take a read of the study and let me know.

TSG

Link to America: The Growing Digital Divide

New Minimo browser

2007-03-30T21:16:00.001-04:00

This is something I will need to d/l and try.

Minimo 0.2, available for free download, is compatible with Windows Mobile 5.0 and is smaller and faster than previous versions, according to early users who posted comments to the blog about the browser. Minimo is designed to be an alternative to the browser that comes with Windows Mobile, and its creators promote its speed in accessing sites as well as other features like tabs, better security and support for widgets.

Source: New Minimo browser released to an uncertain future - Yahoo! News

Take Your Pick: Portable PCs

2007-03-21T19:29:00.001-04:00

I am seriously thinking about this ASUS UMPC.

Link to Take Your Pick: Portable PCs

NY Times article on Home Media Server

2007-01-04T19:20:00.000-05:00

A NY Times article about trying to cobble together a home network based media center for viewing music, photos, movies on TVs around the house for less than $1,000.

It mentions: Sonos, SlingBox, Tivo, D-Link Media Lounge device as some of the components needed and the author was successful for around $850 not counting the equipment they already had.

Of course, the author suggests "Just wait and see" in regards to all the new products in this arena sure to be announced at CES.

A good read but a bit too mainstream for me. For instance: no mention of Ruckus Wireless or their products for Streaming HD video content.

Link to Pulling It All Together - New York Times

[T3 Tony's Tech Talk]

In search of "The Ubiquitous Capture Tool"

2006-12-11T20:04:00.000-05:00

Jott says: "Think It. Jott It. Do it."

I just came across this site via a TechCrunch post and I will be signing up and trying it out. I am currently testing out Backpack Voice Notes and the BrainCast beta as a way to send voice messages to an online service from a cell phone. Jott looks to take it to the next step and eliminate the need for me to listen to and then transcrible my messages in order to get them into my GTD system.

More to follow once I get to take it for a trial run.

I am contemplating a larger series of articles for this Blog on this topic and possibly a podcast. If anyone has an interest in hearing about this - drop a comment.

More about Jott

Techsavvyguru is now offering consulting services over Skype using Bitwine

2006-12-02T11:09:00.000-05:00

Read about how Bitwine works on the Techcrunch post linked below. Bitwine will be integrated into Skype 3.0 Beta.

I plan on offering consulting services on a variety of technology topics as well as technical analysis of stocks with charting programs such as Telechart and Snapsheets.

Link to Techcrunch » Blog Archive » BitWine Gives Access To Those In The Know

Zyb adds Google calendar synching with cell phones

2006-11-22T16:02:00.000-05:00

JK On The Run reports that Zyb can now pull in your Google calendar info to your cell phone. I will be trying it with my MOT V551 if it is one of the supported phones.

From: jkOnTheRun

We covered Zyb earlier in August; this is the free service that backs up your cellular phone contacts and works with over 200 mobile phone models. Zyb solves the problem of moving all your contacts from one phone to another which is tedious when done …

Link to article...

Google Mobile - GMail

2006-11-02T17:59:00.000-05:00

I just installed this on my Motorola V551 phone and was very impressed. In just a few short minutes I was viewing my GMail inbox and looking at the contents of Word and PDF document attachments on the phones small screen.

Google really seems to get the small screen mobile application space. When I look in my phone menu, I see: Google Local, Google Maps, and now GMail. I anxiously am awaiting a Google Calendar app for Java phones.

I am going to be looking to upgrade to a WM 5.0 Smartphone soon, something with a QWERTY keyboard, and I can see these apps being a mainstay of my mobile life in the future.

Way to go Google!

Link to Google Mobile

Where Have I Been?

2006-08-12T16:23:00.000-04:00

I can not believe it has been such a long time since I last did a Blog entry! It isn't like I've been away from the computer or anything like that. In fact, I have been busy recently trying out some new stuff like:

30Boxes - Calendar and Webtop
Backpack - I just signed up for a paying account to get some more pages
CellTell.tv - Voice notes for Backpack
Tracks for GTD Server based project/next action list tool - running local on my laptop for now although I did try out ZenList and GTDTracks.com

I am hoping these web based applications and their mobile versions can help me pull together my online digital life and help to keep me better organized, on schedule, and help me Get Things Done!

More to follow on my progress with these apps in the future.

[30Boxes][GTD]
[BackPack]

Computers Outperforming Investors

2006-07-10T19:16:00.000-04:00

Many mutual funds that make their trades based on the recommendations of a proprietary computer model, known as quantitative or quant funds, have outperformed their benchmarks in the last three years. And investors have noticed.

read more | digg story

My Profile - PodShow.com

2006-07-07T22:31:00.000-04:00

My Profile - PodShow.com
Podshow+ has launched. Here is a link to my tsguru podshow home page. Here you can see the audio and video podcasts that I subscribe to, as well as some social networking site links like flickr, and del.icio.us

If you are a podcast listener, try out Podshow+.

PodShow+ Coming Very Soon...

2006-07-03T06:42:00.000-04:00

PodShow

Wetpaint Launches: Wikis Evolve - see mine at tsguru.wetpaint.com

2006-06-19T19:12:00.000-04:00

I've got a Wetpaint wiki to go with my Tony's Stock Talk Blog. Check it out...

From: TechCrunch

Seattle based Wetpaint has been in private beta since March. On Sunday night they launched to the world, allowing anyone to create a free wiki on any topic. A good example wiki is this one around the XBOX 360. Like pbwiki, Wikia and JotSpot, Wetpaint is …

Link to article...

One-Touch Cellphone Backup

2006-06-12T08:56:00.000-04:00

One-Touch Cellphone Backup: "

If you are at all like me, random cellphone dropping, throwing, punching, toilet-dropping and spontaneous combustion are all realities. With those possibilities always out there, it is generally a good idea to keep a backup of the phone data. The …

"

Gizmodo post on a cell phone back up device. I've been thinking of getting a device to do this, and possibly offering it as a service to friends and family. I've seen cell phone stores getting $20 to transfer #'s between phones. I need to do some more research on what is available, I've seen other solutions as well.

BW Review of the New Sonos ZP80 "Sweeter Music from Sonos"

2006-05-08T20:21:00.000-04:00

New additions to its already elegant elegant system make it even easier for beaming digital music from your PC around the house...

A mostly glowing review of the new Sonos ZP80 and the controller dock (although that has been out for awhile now). I agree with the reviewer, enhancing Rhapsody integration would get me to spring for the $10/month, and a 80/100 combo bundle would work also. I started with a ZP100 2 unit + controller bundle and then added a single ZP80. I am very happy with my system after about 10 months of having it.

Link to article...

New Sonos ZP80 is now shipping

2006-04-10T18:58:00.000-04:00

Sonos, Inc. | Products | ZonePlayers | ZP80 | Features
Rumors on the Sonos site were correct, the new ZP80 is now shipping. This is the one that works with an existing amplifier or Home Theater system and lets the ZP80 be an input into those systems. The unit is $349 which is less than the $499 price for the ZP100 with amplifier. I've been waiting to add a ZP80 to my living room home theater system - now to go see whether I can quickly pick one up at Best Buy (Magnolia) or if I should mail order from Sonos.

Borders to Sell Sony Reader

2006-04-04T19:39:00.000-04:00

Borders to Sell Sony Reader: "

Borders will offer the Sony Reader eBook nation-wide in its 200 stores. Sony introduced the Sony Reader at the CES 2006. The Sony Reader is about the size of a paperback novel and about .5 inches thin. Sony combined a electronic paper display …

"
I will be keeping an eye out for this when it hits the market. I frequent Borders about weekly, so I should see it or hear about it online. I will need to check it out in person - maybe I will have to get one.

UWB Bluetooth for connecting devices in the home

2006-03-29T06:22:00.000-05:00

UWB Bluetooth Picked to Link Home Devices - Connected Home News - Designtechnica

"The new technology should open new markets in transferring music,
television programming, movies, multimedia, and other high-bandwidth
content wirelessly over short distances within homes and organizations."

This looks like a promising solution however the article indicates consumers won't see products until 2008.

Technorati Tags: UWB, Bluetooth

Digital Magazines from Zinio

2006-03-05T22:17:00.000-05:00

[zinio]

Apple’s New HiFi Stereo: Twice The Price of Competitors’ Offerings (AAPL, LOGI)

2006-03-04T12:45:00.000-05:00

Hhhhm.... Sonos and Apple ipod mentioned in the same post. Well, I've got both a Sonos and an ipod and they serve different functions as far as I am concerned. I don't typically listen to the ipod in the home - the Sonos takes care of that. ipod is for portability (car, office, walking,...) They do share my entire 300+ CD collection which I had professionally ripped recently. 45+GB on the 60G ipod, and the same amount of data on a NAS for Sonos to access. Lovin' it!

From: Seeking Alpha

On Tuesday Apple announced a new iPod Hi-Fi stereo. How is it positioned in the market? Doc Searls writes:

Link to article...

Ether: Earn money selling what you say.

2006-03-01T20:02:00.000-05:00

Ether: Earn money selling what you say.
I am thinking that this may be a good fit for my tech consulting work. I am going to be setting up an account as soon as the beta is opened up further. More to come on this!

Welcome to TextPayMe

2006-02-25T10:34:00.000-05:00

Welcome to TextPayMe

I just signed up for this cool new service that lets you send money to others via text messaging from your cell phone. Great for those times when you need to pay someone for something, splitting a bill, chipping in for a group gift, etc...

For a limited time - you get a $5 credit for opening an account - and if you spread the word and get 36 referrals - they say you can get a free XBOX 360 (but the deadline is soon March date) I figured I would try to spread the word and see if I can get in the running for the XBOX. So, how about giving it a try.

Click on the banner below so I can be considered the referrer! Thanks!

Testing Last.FM Charts

2006-02-19T15:43:00.000-05:00

Going To Try out this Skylook app

2006-02-16T19:54:00.000-05:00

I came across this posting at jkOnTheRun, and have decided I am going to try out this app - and if I like it, well the post is offering 20% if I act within 14 days (the length of the free trial also)

I have a Skype voicemail account and I am using the Skype toolbar in Outlook. I am mostly interested in recording Skype calls for use in podcasts.

BTW - this is my first blog post using Performancing plug-in for FireFox.

Technorati Tags: skylook, skype

Our Digital Future: Some ‘Long’ and ‘Short’ Picks (MSFT, INTC)

2006-01-28T15:43:00.000-05:00

Here is a good topic to cross post to both my Tech and my Stock Investing blogs.

From: Seeking Alpha

Jeremy Levine of Bessemer Venture Partners makes his ‘long and short’ picks on the six emerging trends in the digital media business. Highly relevant discussion for Microsoft and Intel, among others. Here’s a summary — go read the whole thing for details:

Link to article...

First all-in-one mobile device to concurrently run Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 and W

2006-01-07T10:51:00.000-05:00

From JKONTHERUN...

Wow! First Q 2006 and $1500. Sounds good to me. Hope they can deliver. I've been delaying a new PDA purchase for a WM 5.0 device, and my 2 year old notebook is making me think about a new Tablet PC.

From: jkOnTheRun

LAS VEGAS - (January 4, 2006 ) - DualCor Technologies, Inc., today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), previewed the DualCor cPC, the world's first ultra portable personal computer to simultaneously run full-function Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC …

Link to article...

jkOnTheRun exclusive- details emerge about the DualCor cPC (jkOnTheRun)

2005-12-19T11:35:00.000-05:00

More info on the DualCor cPC can be found at this site: jkOnTheRun. Interesting fact about the Outlook PIM info being shared between the full PC Outlook version and the WM 5.0 without the need for ActiveSyncing - I like that! I want one - now. Glad I have been waiting to upgrade my PDA to a WM 5.0 device - and I haven't taken the plunge yet for a TabletPC. One device for $1500 could work for me.

From: tech.memeorandum

jkOnTheRun exclusive- details emerge about the DualCor cPC — The DualCor cPC has captured the imagination of technophiles and geeks since word of this unusual device was given by CNET this past week. The idea of having a handheld …

Link to article...

Dual Core cPC

2005-12-16T19:58:00.000-05:00

http://www.dualcor.com/

Picture of the cPC mentioned in the previous post can be found here.

Start-up merges cell phone and PC into a handheld | CNET News.com

2005-12-16T19:47:00.000-05:00

Start-up merges cell phone and PC into a handheld | Almost everyone has a cell phone and a notebook, but cPC says they will sell one box that does it all. | December 16, 2005, 4:00 AM PT | Michael Kanellos

Sounds like a great device - too expensive @ $1500 and no pictures to get a feel for the size - but worth checking out further. I wish I was going to CES this year! Maybe in 2007!

Link to article...

GMail Mobile

2005-12-16T10:58:00.000-05:00

Google offers mobile phone version of Gmail e-mail - Yahoo! News

"SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google has created a special version of its Gmail e-mail service that provides mobile phone subscribers with quick access to their e-mail, the company said on Friday.

Details on the mobile e-mail service, which currently is only available to U.S. cellphone users at http://m.gmail.com.

The service works on the subset of more advanced mobile phones that offer an Internet browser. Users can view attached photos and documents from their phone, and reply-by-call to people whose phone number is stored in their Gmail account.

Gmail messages are automatically synchronized between their mobile phones and computer accounts, regardless of whether Gmail is accessed from Gmail Mobile or the Web."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051216/tc_nm/telecoms_google_gmail_dc

I am off to check this out on my MOT V551. Sounds great - photo and attach viewing! Wow!

Technorati Tags : gmail, mobile+internet

'Podcast' named Word Of The Year 2005.

2005-12-06T19:25:00.000-05:00

'Podcast' named Word Of The Year 2005.

Very cool! The article says it beat out "bird flu" and "rootkit". Last I checked, both "bird" and "flu" are already in the dictionary and writing it like "bird flu" shouldn't make that a dictionary word. Maybe an Encyclopedia entry, but definitely not a word.

Technorati Tags : podcast

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T3 Tony's Tech Talk Podcast #7

2005-11-27T16:15:00.000-05:00

[T3 podcast]
T3 Podcast show # 7
T3 Tony's Tech Talk Podcast #7
Saturday 11/26/2005
Pod Safe music network - I Wonder by Natalie Brown

Sync magazine to cease publishing paper magazine - Web site may stay?

Adesso CyberPad Blog Post
Adesso Cyber Pad Product Link

Adesso --> CyberPad

2005-11-14T20:25:00.000-05:00

Adesso --> Home

I just noticed this product listed on the Evernote site. It looks like a great improvement over the AceCad Digimemo in that it is full 8.5"x 11" paper size and also works as a drawing tablet when connected directly to the PC. It costs about 2x as much as the DigiMemo at around $200 but if it does all it says it can - it should be worth it. Note - the product also ships with EverNote and some other pen app aware software.

I will be scouting around for online reviews. If anyone sees anything on this, please let me know via a comment to the post. Normally, I would just buy it outright in order to try it - but the Digimemo is working for me and I already purchased a Wacom tablet (and it is under utilized)

New CellStik Designed to Manage Contacts

2005-11-07T22:17:00.000-05:00

New CellStik Designed to Manage Contacts: "

Spark Technology, the company behind the USB flash drive style device, says the CellStik will help to make it easier to transfer contact information between your PC and cell phone.

"
Clever idea. Article says it is available for Motorola phones. It might be worth a try. I've seen a sign at the local cell phone kiosk in the mall advertising $20 each for phone number transfer and backup.

Google Local for mobile

2005-11-07T10:31:00.000-05:00

I just downloaded this and gave it a quick trial. It looks great!
It works on Cingular with my MOT V551 phone.
I'll test it out some more before I give a full opinion but it looks like GOOG just keeps turning out useful apps.

Digital Life Show - Stuff that got my attention!

2005-10-16T19:58:00.000-04:00

I attended the Digital Life Show at Javits in NYC this past Saturday. This was my 2nd year attending. As far as I could tell, attendance was up over last year and the show was well attended this year. Here are some of the companies and products that got me interested in learning more about them and their offerings. I will mention some below (in no particular order) and in future Blog posts discuss them in more detail as I have a chance to research more and/or use the products and services.

Cableyoyo An Ultra-thin cord management system -> for your mobile lifestlye
Network Magic Great tool for mapping and troubleshooting your home network
StreamLoad MediaMax Basically an online repository for all your media - photos, music, and VIDEO. Lots of storage space. Won Best of Show 2005 award.
Pepper Pad I don't know if this can compete against a low priced laptop or high priced PDA
Digital Deck - "Connected Home" Entertainment System
itvn - Broadband TV - like Akimbo but streaming
CMS Products - nice and small 1.8" 80 GB USB back up drive and software
One Voice Technologies - Media Center Communicator - Voice control of Windows Media Centers

Technorati Tags : Digital+Life

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Qumana’s Simple Ad Inclusion for Blogs - via TechCrunch

2005-10-14T05:58:00.000-04:00

Qumana’s Simple Ad Inclusion for Blogs: "Qumana is an excellent wysiwyg online/offline tool for editing blogs. We’ve written about Qumana before and described their service, which is completely free.

Yesterday Qumana launched v 2.0 of their product. The primary feature addition is the ability to easily, very easily, add pay-per-click ads directly into blog posts.

Ads can be positioned anywhere, and there are a couple of formatting options to choose from (see arrows in screen shot below). Revenues are split 50/50 between Qumana and the publisher.

Ads are keyword driven based on tags you set for the post, and flow into RSS without any problems. Each Ad is tracked by keyword and clicks. Ads can also be previewed before final posting. The publisher has the flexibility to add as many or as few ads as he or she desires.

There are additional new features as well, including improved old post edits, better drag and drop tools, and better integration with wordpress and blogger.

This is the best tool I’ve seen for small (and large) bloggers to easily include ads in posts.

Tags: qumana, ads, blogs, blogging, techcrunch, web2.0, web 2.0"

I checked this out after seeing the mention on TechCrunch and the demo screenshots looked nice. I will be trying it out this weekend. I really like the ability to add the Technorati tags. I tried this with modifying the Blogger post template but this way looks much easier. Targeted ads that I would be able to get 50% of the revenue somewhat interest me also. Look for my Qumana generated Blog posts soon!

Automated Home - Sonos Long Term - Review

2005-10-11T12:47:00.000-04:00

A detailed review by a Sonos user that has a few months experience using the system. I am in the same boat, and I am equally impressed with my Sonos system. I just haven't had the time to put something together on reviewing the Sonos. I want to do a podcast about using the Sonos to listen to podcasts - something this reviewer touches on as well. I'm hoping for a software update soon - there has been one already since I got the unit in July and given the suggestions I see in the forums on the Sonos site, hopefully there are some cool features coming soon! As the author of the review mentions, if they can get permission to play DRM tracks purchased from itunes - then maybe I would purchase some more tracks!

iFill your IPOD with Internet Radio Stations...

2005-10-08T17:57:00.000-04:00

Gizmodo talks about Griffin's iFill. This looks like it will be worth at least the one week free trial. If it works as advertised and doesn't mess up the ipod/itunes experience, it may be worth the $20 bucks too. I will wait to see if it gets any decent reviews, and if I don't see something in the near future, perhaps I will take a chance on it and try it out.

From: Gizmodo

Griffin, creator of all things iPod related, has announced its latest masterpiece, the iFill. It will record radio stations for you and put them directly onto your iPod. The software is designed to integrate into iTunes, of course. This way you can …

Link to article...

Ning launches! YASNA!

2005-10-04T07:11:00.000-04:00

Ning launches!: "

Ning, also known as the official name for 24 Hour Laundry’s project, just launched. I actually had to keep myself from posting early because I was excited about it. Now that I got the word from them with the approval to post, here goes the …

"
Techcrunch reports on Yet Another Social Networking Application (YASNA). Why do I feel compelled to sign up and try out everyone of these that I hear about? Is it perhaps so I ensure I get the username I want... even though I sometimes never become a regular user.

I will be checking this one out as soon as I get some time. I like the concept of being able to customize something that pulls together all the sites and services I use regularly. Maybe this can do that. Time will tell.

Free 411 for the mobile masses | News.blog | CNET News.com

2005-09-22T23:15:00.000-04:00

Free 411 for the mobile masses | News.blog | CNET News.com: "Unveiled Wednesday at the Demofall conference in Huntington Beach, Calif., Free411, which can be reached by calling 800-free-411, is an interesting utilization of a free service that requires users to bear with a bit of advertising before getting the goodies."

This may be worth trying out and having handy in speed dial on the cell phone for when the need arises. The last time I reviewed my cell phone bill, I noticed my wife had made some 411 calls for a hefty price. I suggested she call me on the free mobile to mobile minutes, and I could do a search over the wireless Internet connection. This option should work as well.

Also, maybe try out with Gizmo Project - I think they let you call 1-800 #'s.

Network Attached Storage in The Home

2005-09-18T21:30:00.000-04:00

NAS
Park's Associates just released a highlight from a research report indicating that by 2010, they project that there will be about 9.5 million households equipped with Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices. Up from only 300,000 at the end of 2004.

I've got one for my Sonos unit and they are great. Want to get ahead of the curve? Contact me to discuss getting one for your home.

Edward C. Baig: Personal Tech - Headphones do double duty - Yahoo! News

2005-09-16T06:32:00.000-04:00

Edward C. Baig: Personal Tech - Headphones do double duty - Yahoo! News
Future product due out soon (next month the article says) - new Bluetooth Stereo headphones with a universal adapter ~$200 but this may be what I am looking for to use with Skype on the laptop wirelessly and it would also work for ipod and my MOT V551 cell phone.

I am in the market for a new Bluetooth headset, so I will check this one out when available. That is, assuming I can wait that long and don't make an impulse purchase of a regular MOT BT headset. The key requirement for me is to be able to also use it for VOIP on the laptop with Skype, Project Gizmo, and GoogleTalk. I think I have a BT dongle for the laptop that supports the A2DP BT service mentioned in the article.

The Engadget Interview: Michael Robertson, CEO of SIPphone

2005-09-12T23:34:00.000-04:00

Worth a read. Outlines the benefits of Gizmo Project over Skype. I've got both now, and Google Talk, but I want to start using Gizmo Project more. I may soon buy an incoming # over there like I have on Skpe and try to record some conversations and make them into Podcasts. I need a podcast co-host / sidekick to have some dialogs with.

From: Engadget

For this week’s Engadget Interview, veteran journalist J.D. Lasica spoke with SIPphone Inc. CEO Michael Robertson about his startup company’s battle against Skype (which was purchased by eBay earlier today), the Gizmo Project, open standards, and the …

Link to article...

Apple Announces iTunes 5

2005-09-07T23:31:00.000-04:00

Already downloaded this. Will install ASAP. I am glad I didn't pay for ipod sync software as I should now be able to sync my contacts and calendar items in Outlook with iTunes! More to follow after I try it out.

From: Digital Media Thoughts

"Apple® today announced iTunes® 5, bringing new features and a refined look to the world's most popular digital music jukebox and online music store. iTunes 5 includes a new Search Bar to make it even easier for users to find what they're searching for; …

Link to article...

Nokia 770 Gets FCC Nod : Gizmodo

2005-09-02T13:23:00.000-04:00

From Gizmodo, the gadget guide. So much in love with shiny new toys, its unnatural.

I blogged about this device before. I am keeping an eye on this one as it may be on my coffee table soon after it comes out!

Link to article...

Yahoo lets users search e-mail photos, documents - Yahoo! News

2005-08-31T06:12:00.000-04:00

Yahoo lets users search e-mail photos, documents - Yahoo! News: "Moving beyond simple keyword searches, Yahoo will now allow users to trawl through e-mail files in far greater detail. Searches can focus on subject lines, the body of text and even attached documents, without first having to open the e-mail."

I saw this "New" link in my Yahoo email and tried it out yesterday. It looked useful. It showed all the attachments that were buried in my Inbox and folders, some that I had forgotten about. Check it out.

EverNote - EverNote User Stories

2005-08-18T20:56:00.000-04:00

EverNote - EverNote User Stories:

This goes back a bit to June I think. I never got around to doing a blog entry, but my user story was picked to be featured on the EverNote website, and for that I got a free copy of EverNote Plus version.

The Digital Notepad User
I use EverNote at work in conjunction with a DigiMemo Acecad A501 digital notepad. I take the DigiMemo to meetings and make handwritten notes of the meetings. I then import the DigiMemo files into EN and get: Date/Time tracking, Categories, and best of all handwriting recognition to search through the text of the handwritten notes.

I have also begun experimenting with EN as a contact manager by scanning business cards and capturing the images with EN. Additionally, I have implemented the Getting Things Done (GTD) system in my categories.

EverNote has simplified my work life by helping me organize all those random paper notes that I sometimes lost or never filed while they were fresh in my mind. My personal life will benefit as well once I can synch with my iPaq PDA.

T3 Podcast Show #6, Misc. ramblings & Pod Safe Music - Rob Costlow

2005-08-13T15:06:00.000-04:00

[T3 podcast]
T3 Podcast show # 6
T3 Tony's Tech Talk Podcast #6
Saturday 8/13/2005
It's hot here in LI, NY.
Work on the house is coming along nicely.
Pod Safe music network - I Do by Rob Costlow

Tech News - OS X on Intel PCs

Sonos Digital Music System

2005-08-02T17:27:00.000-04:00

[T3 Podcast]
I'm a little behind in updating the My Tech Section of my main website but I've been enjoying my Sonos Digital Music System for a few weeks now. More to follow on it.

Revolution on the Radio - New York Times

2005-07-28T06:17:00.000-04:00

Revolution on the Radio - New York Times
Article on HD Radio from iBiquity Digital. Digital terrestrial radio broadcasts and the equipment to get the broadcasts. I like the feature about the "Buy It Now" for songs you here on the radio while sitting in traffic. If this could go directly to my iTunes and be waiting for the next synch to my ipod that would be great!

Yahoo buys information 'widget' company Pixoria - Yahoo! News

2005-07-25T17:55:00.000-04:00

Yahoo buys information 'widget' company Pixoria - Yahoo! News
This should be good for Konfabulator users like myself. I'm a big user of Yahoo! and I am always looking for new Widgets. Hopefully, some new Widgets come out of this soon!

Konfabulator

I might even be due a refund from purchasing this. Need to look into that.

The Podcast as a New Podium - New York Times

2005-07-22T06:25:00.000-04:00

The Podcast as a New Podium - New York Times
A New York Times article on Podcasting. The first one I've seen that doesn't mention Adam Curry and the Daily Source Code. Imagine that!
I think I will be adding DiggNation to my iTunes podcatcher and start giving that show a listen.

T3 Podcast Show # 5 - PodSafe Music test

2005-07-17T14:23:00.000-04:00

[T3 podcast]
T3 Podcast show # 5
CastBlaster Beta .20 test
New microphone - Creative Labs lapel mic from webcam
Changes to feedburner feed for iTunes compatability
PodSafe Music Network
Brother Love's Push

2005-07-03T16:05:00.000-04:00

[T3 podcast]
T3 Podcast show # 4
My first podcast with CastBlaster beta.
A brief discussion on my new Sonos Digital music system.

Apple - iTunes - Podcasting

2005-06-28T18:01:00.000-04:00

Apple - iTunes - Podcasting
Not that this needs:"... yet another blog post", but here is the link to podcasts on itunes! I've downloaded it and will install it tonight.

iH5 Alarm Clock with iPod Dock

2005-06-27T19:21:00.000-04:00

They should have these in all the hotel rooms! I am days away from getting a Sonos - but this might have a home on my night table sometime in the future.

From: Gizmodo

It won't be out until August, but SDI Technologies are already pushign their iH5 Alarm Clock, most notable for its built-in iPod docking station. They also claim that the iH5's 'Reason8' (get it?) speaker chamber (get it now?) will help provide a decent …

Link to article...

Podcasting Is Not the Next Mass Medium

2005-06-19T15:09:00.000-04:00

From David Coursey's article on Publish.com

Podcasting Is Not the Next Mass Medium: "Personal Podcasting, like personal blogs, is a fad and will fade. Just like personal sites were a fad in the early days of the Web. People experiment because content creation can be fun, sort of like finger-painting was back in preschool, but people also run out of creative energy, and the maintenance of a site, blog or Podcast becomes a chore. And the content gets boring, and the audience goes away."

He is probably right... but for now I am enjoying the fad and my blog and new podcast. I guess are far as this fad goes... you can say "I'm All In!"

T3 - Podcast # 3 Tony's Tech Talk

2005-06-16T07:54:00.000-04:00

[T3 podcast]
T3 Podcast show # 3
A discussion on Evernote and my User Story.
Also, a mention about tagcloud.com and my T3 Tag Cloud.

T3 Podcast Show #2

2005-06-06T20:35:00.000-04:00

[podcast]

In this, my second podcast, I discuss some of the ideas I am considering for regular segments on my podcast.

T3 - Tony's Tech Talk - Podcast suggested regular show topics:

What's on My Devices (Featured Software Application)

A periodic segment on the software that I am using for day to day use or testing out in a trial mode. Will cover PC apps for the laptop, pocket pc applications on the ipaq, and occasionally some tie ins with the ipod and my Motorola cell phone.

Sunday Shopping

Weekly review of the sales flyers from the Sunday newspaper from main chain stores like CompUSA, Circuit City, Best Buy, Office Supply stores. Probably a Monday evening segment. This is similar to what Tech TV's The ScreenSavers used to do on the Monday show.

Tech Tips Related to Personal Productivity Systems like GTD

What's on My Bloglines / Aggregators / ipodder

A periodic segment on blog feeds and podcasts that I am regulary subscribing to.

Digital Media Organization Tips

A segment on my quest to rip my CD collection and organize my CD and DVD media files.

Mobile WiMax May Come Sooner Than Expected

2005-05-31T19:56:00.000-04:00

From Information Week article via FierceWireless Newsletter. ABI Research analyst comments.

Link to article...

Nokia 770 Internet Tablet

2005-05-30T10:54:00.000-04:00

This looks like a promising device that will probably wind up in my gadget arsenal when it arrives in the US. The $350 price point seems reasonable for a web tablet screen that can be on the coffee table or the nightstand. It would save me the effort of undocking the notebook just for Net browsing. I use my ipaq 4155 Pocket PC for this purpose now, but this looks to be a better alternative (at least until I get a new Windows Mobile 5.0 device).

High Tech Wine Stuff

2005-05-28T12:31:00.000-04:00

SNAG-0005
Originally uploaded by votaaj.

Now this is the way to manage a wine collection! Of course, your wines need to be worth a few times the few thousand dollar price tag of the system.

My first Podcast "T3" for Tony's Tech Talk

2005-05-27T19:48:00.000-04:00

[podcast]
Mostly just a test - but this blog post should have an enclosure to my first podcast which can be found on my main web site TechSavvyGuru.com

USB without wires by year's end

2005-05-27T17:09:00.000-04:00

Wireless USB will be a great feature when it arrives. I would love to be able to use it on my ipod or pocket pc docking cradles and keep them within range of the computer but not have to cable them up to the laptop or be docked in order to use them. This may be a good option for the new Windows Mobile 5.0 pocket pc's - as rumor has it that they will no longer be able to sync over Wi-Fi.

1. USB without wires by year's end

Wireless USB took a step forward this week when the W-USB Promoters Group announced that it had completed work on the specification and that devices could become available as soon as year's end. The announcement was made at the first Wireless USB Developers Conference. The specification will now be taken over by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) for certification, compliance testing, logo licensing and marketing.

The Wireless USB Promoter Group is a league of seven vendors that includes Intel and Microsoft. The technology's backers are aiming for the plug-and-play simplicity of the current wired USB technology and will certify all products for interoperability before it allows a Wireless USB logo on the packaging. Wireless USB is based on the WiMedia MAC convergence architecture, utilizing the WiMedia Alliance's MB-OFDM ultrawideband (UWB) MAC and PHY.

For additional information on Wireless USB:
- read this InformationWeek article

Office Communicator from Microsoft

2005-05-27T15:43:00.000-04:00

Office Communicator
Just watched this video on MS Office Communicator that I saw on the Scobelizer's Blog. Nice product. I wish I could have this level of computer and telephony integration at my workplace. Worth a watch if you have the 20 minutes (or fast forward to get the jist of it!)

Google ready to unveil MyGoogle feature

2005-05-19T19:34:00.000-04:00

Google ready to unveil MyGoogle feature: "

Blog: Google is expected to introduce a new feature on Thursday that allows people with Google accounts to set up a personalized homepage...

"
I've just set up My Google Homepage. Looks good. Very simple. Maybe I will follow up with a screen shot.

Personal and small business information manager: Get organized, Backpack

2005-05-16T19:48:00.000-04:00

Personal and small business information manager: Get organized, Backpack
I just signed up for Backpack (the free part) and I am getting ready to try this out. I was glad to see there is a mobile ready site as well.
This is a subset of Basecamp, a larger project management service, and a bit more than TaDa Lists which is only for notes and reminders.

I'll provide some links to shared pages once I get them up and running.

Microsoft launches desktop search tool - Yahoo! News

2005-05-16T09:57:00.000-04:00

Microsoft launches desktop search tool - Yahoo! News
I have been using this beta for awhile now. I will have to upgrade to the final release as soon as I can.

Groxsis graphical search results

2005-05-09T19:43:00.000-04:00

Groxsis graphical search results
Originally uploaded by votaaj.

Image of the Groxsis search results for search term "ipod". See previous Groxsis post.

Grokker - A New Way to Look at Search

2005-05-09T06:37:00.000-04:00

Grokker - A New Way to Look at Search
Check out Groxsis. A visual map of related search results. The link should be an example of searching Yahoo for "techsavvyguru"

Will the New Dual Disc Make You Buy More Music?

2005-05-07T11:26:00.000-04:00

I purchased my first Dual Disc CD/DVD - Springsteen's Devils & Dust. I only got it because it was the new Bruce CD and not because of the DualDisc format. I have yet to play the DVD side for the extra features for the 5.1 Surround Sound version. What I do like about the format is: I can rip the CD to itunes for use on my ipod, then pop the DVD into my juke box changer for the special features and 5.1 versions. Will I buy more? Only if it an artist that I buy everything they come out with.

From: Digital Media Thoughts

I've been reading a lot of information about the new Dual Disc format and how the RIAA hopes it will make more people buy music on discs rather than download it on the Internet. Frankly I can't see any benefit that these discs bring to the table other â¦

Link to article...

JiWire Launches New Service to Help Users Easily Secure Any Public WiFi Connection

2005-05-04T13:19:00.000-04:00

JiWire Launches New Service to Help Users Easily Secure Any Public WiFi Connection
This looks like a worthwhile app to pay $5/month or $50/year for if you frequent hotspots and do not use a VPN. I have encountered the problem with not being able to send outgoing mail while working with the free Wi-Fi at Panera Bread hotspots. I may look into getting this for some piece of mind.

The New York Times > Business > Media & Advertising > An MTV Host Moves to Radio, Giving Voice to Audible Blogs

2005-05-02T06:53:00.000-04:00

The New York Times > Business > Media & Advertising > An MTV Host Moves to Radio, Giving Voice to Audible Blogs
An interesting combo, podcasting and Sirius satellite radio. Adam Curry's Podshow will be providing 4 hours of content to a Sirius radio channel starting in 2 weeks. Things are looking good in the podcasting space. Stay tuned (or should I say subscribed)

Apple - iPod photo

2005-04-26T17:57:00.000-04:00

Apple - iPod photo
My newest tech gadget! I get one tonight as an anniversary gift from my lovely wife Laura. For our 2nd wedding anniversary which we are celebrating today. No surprises, we each told each other what we would like as a gift - diamonds and jewelry are a girl's best friend - and for me Tech Toys!

Smart Mobs: Skypecasting

2005-04-20T20:43:00.000-04:00

Interesting topic: Using Skype as a way to "share" mp3's via podcasts. I wonder if there are sound quality issues with how podcasts are recorded for voice.

Link to article...

Onfolio and Bloglines using both together on different computers

2005-04-17T22:14:00.000-04:00

I have been using Bloglines for awhile now and I have a large blog roll that I read through a few times a day. I also have the Blogroll on this blog. The good thing about Bloglines is that it is browser based, so I don't need to install any additional applications. This comes in handy for when you have to deal with a locked down computer at your office that blocks you from installing additional applications.

Then along comes Onfolio. I installed it and started using it at home on my notebook computer. It is a full application that you install so this was an issue on the work PC. An advantage of Onfolio is that you can publish to a Blogger blog. With Bloglines, I can blog items for a link blog, but it has to be a Bloglines blog. Although I have a bloglines blog, it is not my main blog and I don't use it as much as Blogger.

So, how does one get these two applications to work together to handle feed reading on two different computers? Here is what I came up with.

I added my Bloglines blog as a feed in Onfolio. During the work day, when I am reading feeds on Bloglines and I see an item I want to Blog about on my Blogger blog, I do a quick link only blog post with my Bloglines blog.

Later, when on my personal notebook computer, I can read this feed in Onfolio. I then add the post from the Bloglines feed, into an Onfolio collection which is set to post to my Blogger blog. I can then add some commentary with Onfolio and get a post into my Blogger blogs.

It works! Somewhat of a work around, but I was able to get this kicked off by using the Onfolio Bloglines synch application.

Bloglines
Onfolio

Blog consultant

2005-04-17T16:30:00.000-04:00

Do you want to learn to blog? Do you want to become proficient with an aggregator tool like Bloglines to read and manage blogs that interest you? Have you ever thought about using the service of a Blogging Consultant? I have begun to do some consulting work related to blogging. I am currently helping someone set up a blog focusing on investing in the stock market via exchange traded funds. We are using Blogger for now but I can work and train clients on the fee based blog tools as well.

You may ask why I am posting this on my blog. If someone can find this and read it, they obviously either are already blogging or are proficient with blog aggregator tools. Yes, you would be correct about that. I am actually looking to see how well the post can be found via a search engine when someone looks for terms related to blogging. And I just wanted to make note that I am available for this type of consulting work. I need to update my website to list Blog consulting. I also plan on listing some topics related to podcasting, both for creating podcasts and consuming them as a listener.

I was not surprised to find some others out there offering these services as well.
But it appears to be a small population of people at this point in time.

blog consultant

Techno Files: An Update on Stuff That's Cool (Like Skype & Google's Photo Maps)

2005-04-17T08:19:00.000-04:00

The New York Times > Business > Your Money > Techno Files: An Update on Stuff That's Cool (Like Google's Photo Maps): "TECHNO FILES
An Update on Stuff That's Cool (Like Google's Photo Maps)"
NY Times article talks about Skype and Google's satellite photo maps.
Direct link to article - NY Times website registration should not be required as I used the NY Times link generator.

Google Offers Local Mobile Search

2005-04-12T20:16:00.000-04:00

Just bookmarked this on my MOT V551 Cingular cell phone. Very cool and I am sure it will come in handy. Now if they can just get those satellite images and real time traffic...

From: Gizmodo

Google has added another service to their mobile offerings: Google Local. Punch in your search term, as well as the location or zip code to limit your search, and receive a nice, mobile-sized Google Map with details listed below. The service isâin â¦

Link to article...

2005-04-10T22:43:00.000-04:00

My FireFox Browser Extensions

Digimemo electronic writing pad

2005-04-06T23:47:00.000-04:00

I have been using this for a few months - mostly for work and taking notes in meetings. It works well with Evernote, especially the handwriting recognition part! I've been meaning to write something more on using Digimemo with Evernote.

From: Engadget

This isn't exactly groundbreaking technology (didn't IBM do this, like, ten years ago?), but Selwyn's new Digimemo electronic writing pad will let you take notes on paper and save everything on its internal memory or on a CF card so

Link to article...

Skype Rolls Updates to Skype for Pocket PC

2005-04-04T23:46:00.000-04:00

Once I get my ipaq back from being repaired I will install this update. I am thinking of signing up for a Skype Voice Mail account in the near future.

From: Pocket PC Thoughts

It's been a few months, but Skype has finally released an update for Skype for Pocket PC. There are a few doozies in the list of fixes and additions, including:

Link to article...

The Engadget Interview: Dave Ulmer, Motorola Media Solutions - iRadio

2005-04-04T23:16:00.000-04:00

The Engadget Interview: Dave Ulmer, Motorola Media Solutions:

For this week’s Engadget Inteview, veteran journalist J.D. Lasica spoke with Dave Ulmer, director of marketing for Motorola Media Solutions about Motorola’s upcoming release of iRadio and how the technology may forever change how we listen to radio. Oh, …

via Engadget

A very interesting interview about Motorola's upcoming iRadio Service. This looks like it has all the elements to be successful. I'm a bit discouraged by the 3 year time frame for Bluetooth to become more prevelant in cars. I want it sooner - like early next year when my lease is up. Yes, I've already started thinking about picking my next vehicle - and its all about the in vehicle technology!

Bloglines sync tool

2005-04-03T23:57:00.000-04:00

From: Onfolio Beta Forums

Attached is a tool that provides Bloglines sync for Onfolio. I'm referring to FeedDemon-style synchronization, as described here (as opposed to, say, RSS Bandit-style synchronization).

Link to article...

My Many Toolbars in Internet Explorer

2005-04-03T12:47:00.000-04:00

My Many Toolbars in Internet Explorer
Originally uploaded by votaaj.

Testing SnagIt! as a windowed portion of a screen capture emailed to Flickr and then using the Blog This function through Flickr.

BlogLines Update: The Universal InBox

2005-04-02T17:19:00.000-05:00

John Battelle's Searchblog: BlogLines Update: The Universal InBox: "Bloglines readers can look forward to collecting more kinds of unique-to-me information on Bloglines in the near future, such as neighborhood weather updates and stock portfolio tracking."

I did the package tracking the other day. It worked OK with a UPS package. The company emailed me they received it before the last status update showed up. But I've seen that happen with just using the UPS website so it isn't a Bloglines issue. I look forward to the stock portfolio stuff!

via: John Battelle's Searchblog

Jyve-Card - techsavvyguru

2005-04-02T13:49:00.000-05:00

Jyve-Card - techsavvyguru
This is finally working and showing my online status when I am online. Hopefully, the updating for this starts responding faster to changes in my Skype status. The Jyve people say it is going to get better. If it does, I think I will like this!

Convoq, Inc. Presence-Powered Web Conferencing ASAP Express

2005-04-02T00:04:00.000-05:00

Convoq, Inc. Presence-Powered Web Conferencing
I just downloaded ASAP Express, the free personal version of this web conferencing software. There is a link on my blog to initiate a meeting with me when it shows that I am online. If anyone wants to try it out, look for me online and click on the link.

Software makes podcasting easier on Skype - Hot Recorder

2005-03-28T22:38:00.000-05:00

Software makes podcasting easier on Skype
This is worth a try. If I could get free voicemail and Skype call recording for looking at an ad I will check it out. If it is good, I would pay the $15 bucks for the registered ad free version. Being able to do interviews or discussions (conference calls as well) would possibly be the thing that gets me into trying out creating podcasts.

Charlene Li's Blog: First look at Yahoo! 360

2005-03-27T18:07:00.000-05:00

Charlene Li's Blog: First look at Yahoo! 360

From Li's blog at Forrester.com
The service will be made available to a “select group of beta testers” on the morning of March 29th. Those beta testers will be allowed to invite as many people as they would like – no limits are being set. One thing about the beta – it appears that Yahoo! has a detailed roadmap of improvements that they plan to make to the service, with several becoming available after the beta launch date. Gasp! A real beta! So I’m expecting a lot of glitches, changes, and general growing pains…but I’m setting aside a couple of hours already on Tuesday to get my 360 service up and going.

I applied to be a beta tester for this but I have not heard anything on it yet. I wonder if the invites are going out on Monday or if the first beta testers have already been notified.

Now, I need to find someone to invite me to join!

Some ideas I am toying with...

2005-03-27T16:03:00.000-05:00

I've been using Evernote software for awhile now and I anxiously await the new monthly updates they have been issuing on a regular basis. I just started trying out Onfolio as well.

Using both of these programs, and looking at my own tendencies for managing digital data on my hard drives, I started thinking, would there be a market for consulting services to show people how to best use programs like these to organize their digital lives?

The concept of a hard drive "DOCtor" came to mind - where DOC means Digital Organization Consultant.

Of course, when these programs integrate with Desktop search programs like: Copernic, Google, and MSN and Yahoo! then we really have something to work with. Evernote developers have been discussing their plans to work with Google's desktop search - so for now that is where I am concentrating my efforts.

I'd like to know what people would think of a service like this and what they feel it might be worth to them for someone to get all their digital content organized on their home network's hard drives. Music, photos, videos, electronic paperwork for online billing and banking, and yes even handwritten notes via a product like the Digimemo.

Comments?

TechSavvyGuru's Amazon Affiliate Link

2005-03-22T22:48:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to mention that I am now an Amazon Affiliate and have a Amazon search box on my home page for my main web site TechSavvyGuru.com

I get some sort of a commission on any sales made through my site so if you are going to shop Amazon anyway - why not help out with my little experiment with online e-commerce affiliate marketing.

I also have some links on the blog sites for Zinio digital magazines also!

Thanks!

Jeremy Wagstaff's LOOSE wire: A Directory Of Programs Designed For USB Drives

2005-03-21T20:00:00.000-05:00

Jeremy Wagstaff's LOOSE wire: A Directory Of Programs Designed For USB Drives
Here’s a directory of applications designed to run on USB drives, which Jeremy Wagstaff wrote about this week in the AWSJ and WSJ.com.

* Chat/instant messaging: ICQ (not yet available), Miranda, Trillian Anywhere
* Browsers: Portable Firefox
* Operating Systems: Linux, Windows CE, VPM (Linux)
* PIMs/organisers: EssentialPIM, Sunbird
* Email: JBMail, Portable Thunderbird, EmailVoyager, PocoMail PE
* Encryption: CryptoAnywhere
* Office: AbiWord, OpenOffice (instructions in a PDF here)
* Music: Zoom Player, XMPlay
* Web Authoring: NVU

I've tried the portable versions of FireFox and Sunbird. I want to set up my SanDisk Cruzer Micro to run the others listed here as well.

Technorati: Using Technorati Tags

2005-03-15T22:46:00.000-05:00

Technorati: Using Technorati Tags: "[tagname]"
This is a test post to try out the tagging feature in Technorati.
I am going to tag this post to the category called "Tech" and see if I can find it via Technorati.
[Tech]

Internet Daily: Adam Curry seeding market for Podcasts - Boku Communications

2005-03-15T18:16:00.000-05:00

Internet Daily: Adam Curry seeding market for Podcasts -

Adam Curry started discussing Boku Communications on his Daily Source Code Podcasts last week.

This is definitely an area and a company I will be keeping a close eye on.

Smart Mobs: Project Placesite

2005-03-14T19:17:00.000-05:00

Smart Mobs: Project Placesite
Project Placesite is exploring the ad-hoc social networks enabled by Wi-Fi hotspots.
A very compelling idea. It seems especially applicable to dating and job hunter (networking) events.

2005-03-11T06:04:00.000-05:00

Test Post From Diarist On PocketPC

This is a test post.

The New Radio Revolution

2005-03-05T16:25:00.000-05:00

The New Radio Revolution

For all the hullabaloo it's generating, podcasting is not even close to being a business yet. While startups such as Odeo and The Podcast Network are providing technological support and creating a podcasting network, right now Ibbott has barely enough ads to cover expenses, and most podcasters work for free.

There has to be a business opportunity in podcasting, even if it is just for the people selling the equipment or services to make it easier for the masses to podcast.