Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Online Word Processors

Here is a short list of online word processors that can make life a little easier. Online platforms have really taken off over the last 3 years. Most are compatible with Microsoft Office products like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint but they give you the flexibility of accessing your documents online.

Plus you get the benefit of not being restricted to just one Operating System. College students have been using these for a while, because their price (free) and accessibility. Which is great because we all know how much Microsoft Office products cost. I picked these because I believe they are the best of the many that are online.

1.Google Doc's

2.Zoho

3.ThinkFree

Cloud Computing

With the continuing advancements in internet technology new ideas and systems are popping up all the time. Today I want to tell you about Open Office(click on the link for detailed info). I know some of you tech savvy folks and college students will be familiar with this program, but add it with Ulteo and you just made it that much better. For those of you that don't know. Open Office is a free program that is similar, and compatible with Microsoft Word and it's free.

Ulteo uses Java to give you the same feel as if you were using Open Office on your desktop, but online. What does this mean? You don't have to download the program, which frees up more hard drive space and keeps your computer running a little smoother. The big picture here is in the near future you will be able to access an online operating system, which not only helps your computer, but gives you access anywhere with internet connection.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Cool Websites

Here are a few things you might find useful in your everyday life. When I'm looking for sites the first thing I want is something free(don't we all). I don't hesitate to buy things I really though. Below is the list and let me know which ones you like.

1.Portable Apps- This allows you to take along applications, browsers, games and more all on the comfort of your Memory Stick without leaving your personal info on the computer your using.

2.YouMail-The spoof video explains it all. Sorry Sprint customers, but you are charged 20 cents a minute to forward calls. This seems to be the only provider that does this.





3.Jott- A safe way to text and email while driving.



4.Mozy Online Backup- Is a service that gives you 2GB of online backup space for free or for only $4.95 a month unlimited which is a deal compared to some of the services out there.

5.Qipit- Do you wish you could turn your cell phone into a scanner? Well this gets you close. With Qipit you can take pictures of whiteboards, notes or documents and send them to your Qipit account. From there you can print it out in a PDF format. This can also be used with your digital camera.

6. Bugmenot- Ever want to checkout a website that makes you subscribe, but not give up your email address. With bugmenot you can use there service to set up a quick fake address and the will hold the response for 24 hours.

7. Widgetbox- If your into Widgets then this is the site for you. They have tons of them and even allow you to make your own. The Pacman game you see to the right came from there.

8. iTrackr- Where you out this past Christmas trying to find a Wii? Well iTrackr saves you time by sending you a text message or email when your favorite items hit store shelves.

9. MakehitSongs- Think your the next Puff Daddy? With this site you can make and sell your own songs and beats.

10. GIMP- is kinda similar to Paint Shop Pro and allows you to edit and manipulate your photos and of course it's free.

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Thursday, January 17, 2008

Pointui on WM6

As always I'm searching the net for the newest, and coolest gadgets or applications. Since the Iphone hit the market everyone has been looking for a slick interface to install on their Windows Mobile phone. Just the other night I came across Pointui. I think this is a great application with a lot of potential. If you look at YouTube there are a lot of programs out there that either mimic the Iphone exactly, or are modeled after the HTC Touch Flo.

Granted this does have finger swiping action, but I really like their approach. The video below shows you first hand the smooth interface. Some people are complaining about the lack of customization features but, people, when it's FREE I'm not complaining. They do ask for donations if you like their product, but even at this stage I think it's worth a few bucks. If they add in some menu changes and a shortcut contact list, this will become a true winner.

I've been using Touch Commander, but right now it is still a little buggy. So checkout the demo and go to their website and download it. Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Rover TV

This week I'm showing you the Rover TV from Doghouse Electronics. You can compare it to a mp3 player, but with a twist. You can record your shows directly to this device. Watch the Video and check it out.

Friday, January 11, 2008

HD-DVD-I'm falling and I can't get up!

It seems that the last two studio's(NBC Universal and Paramount) that support HD-DVD have decide to end there exclusive agreement with Toshiba. The move by Warner Brothers earlier this week has started a slide that Toshiba may not be able to recover from.

On the music front, Amazon has announced that they will be the first to sell DRM free songs from all four major music companies in the MP3 format. This is thanks to Sony BMG trying to boost there records which saw a 15% drop in 2007. Sony BMG is the second largest music company in the world, and they have money makers like Beyonce and Celine Dion on the label. Music lovers are becoming tired of all the security and the inability to transfer music between devices. All though Amazon will be the first to sell Sony's music, Sony is also the last of the four major music labels to make this decision.

In another move from Sony it announced that it is discontinuing the 20 and 60GB PS3 in Japan. There Focus has shifted from backwards-compatibility to the more cost effective 40GB PS3. So if you have been on the fence about buying the PS3, and still want to be able to play your PS2 games I would grab one now!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Madden Patch fixes bugs

EA Sports finally released a patch for Madden 08 fixing problems that have been discussed in forums extensively online, and available on the Xbox for sometime now. To download the patch go to one of the online games modes like your going to start a game. Go into the game and it will automatically download the updated roster and patch. All you have to do is save it. After that just back out(unless your ready to play) Below is a list of what's been corrected.

# Fumble fix: Reduces the amount players fumble the ball when trying to catch quarterback passes.

# Defensive back reactions: Defensive players one-to-one capabilities have been modified, including preventing them reacting to passes they are unable to see.

# Quarterback moonwalk: Quarterbacks prevented from drifting around the field as though moonwalking.

# Online game reporting: Increased accuracy in online statistics collection.

# Franchise fix: National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) import issue where players would turn 26 addressed.

# Franchise fix: Bug where hall of fame unlocked players cannot be released in franchise mode sorted.

# Franchise fix: Problem where the free agent pool would run out of certain positions fixed.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Skype coming to a PSP near you

Sometime this month Sony will release a firmware update for the PSP that will feature Skype. For those of you that don't know, Skype is a VOIP that allows users to communicate with other Skype users for free. You can also make phone calls to mobile and land lines for a small fee (around 2.1 cent a minute). Skype was founded by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis in 2003. Then they sold it to Ebay for 2.5 billion dollars in cash and stock options in 2005. Now Apple is in the picture looking to buy the VOIP that comes with it's over 246 million registered users.

PSP is continuing to separate itself from other gaming devices by not being just that, a gaming device. With the PSP you can play video games, movies, music, store pictures, surf the internet, and access your PS3 remotely via a wifi connection. The one thing I love the most, (and own) is the Location Free Base Station. This allows you to stream your DVR,DVD, or VCR to a computer or the PSP . The picture quality is really nice and smooth. You can also access all features of your devices via the on screen remote which you can create through the remote learning function. I have created a demo for you to view below. Now, add a new word to your vocabulary, Placeshifting-The ability to watch your media live or record anytime anywhere. The LCFTV is similar to the Slingbox. I like the one stop shop with the PSP, but they are both fine products.


Yahoo Shaking Up Things at CES

Jerry Yang co-founder and Chief Executive of Yahoo will announce that it is redesigning it's mobile home page. It will open the platform to allow outside programmers to develop "widgets" for mobile phones. This move is probably an attempt to keep up with Google and there anticipated release of Android later this year.

Yahoo will also release an upgrade to it's "GO" software to enable easier web surfing on your mobile phone. I use "GO" myself and it's a great feature for checking your Yahoo email,news, traffic reports and more. Also if you have a Flickr account you can upload/download pictures to/from your mobile device.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Blu Ray Get's Another Victory

Warner Brothers has decide to drop HD DVD in favor of Blu Ray-disc. This is the buzz of the week in the electronics in world. Wasn't it funny how they waited to announce this right before the Consumer Electronics Show. Who says history doesn't repeat itself. Everyone knows that this is the VCR and Beta Max war all over again. We know who won that battle.

Warner Brothers controls about 20% of the movies in Hollywood. Now that Blu Ray has an exclusive committment from them, I do believe HD DVD days are numbered. With a 42 billion dollar a year business at stake, I don't think HD DVD supporters can not afford to hold on past this year. Making a movie in two formats becomes expensive, especially when one format is on it's way to becoming a dinosaur.