Many of us are trading in our cell phones for new models called “smartphones.” Whether these devices have any more “smarts” than their predecessors is debatable and will be grist for another essay at another time. Nevertheless, for sure there are many very cool applications that can be loaded onto your new phone. Perhaps among the most helpful are connections to your calendar and address book.
While some of us still use paper and pencil to keep track of appointments or the address for Uncle Bud’s news digs, others have loaded all this information onto a computer. While the information is easily changed and updated, it is not always easily accessible. You must have your computer on and with you. Unless you are in an office environment, these two things do not always coincide.
Using your computer, your smartphone, and some free online services, you can have access to all your calendar and contact information anywhere and anytime. And the information will be up to date.
One of the free online services you may wish to consider is provided by Google. In order to take advantage of the service you must have a Gmail email account. Just go to www.gmail.com and follow the sign-up prompts. It should be noted that this new email account does not need to be used as your primary email; you can continue to use whatever service you now have, e.g. Roadrunner, Fuse, Zoomtown, AOL. Once you have established the Gmail account, you can begin to use the Google calendar and contacts features.
Most smartphones will allow you to synchronize the information in your phone with information on your computer or stored on one of these online services. The specific set-up process for this synchronization, while similar, is different for each phone, i.e. iPhone, Droid, Pre-Plus, etc. You will need to read the manual. Most set-ups are fairly straight forward. If you have a problem, get a teenager to help.
Once the phone is “synched” with the online service, any information that you enter into the computer will show up on the phone and any information that you enter on your phone will show up on the computer.
Many of us already have hundreds of addresses and other contact information stored in our address books on our computers. There are software utilities that will allow you to upload all of this information to the Google Contact area so you do not need to re-enter it online. Another great feature is that once your information is uploaded, you won’t have to worry about backing up the files on your computer. Google takes care of that. Also, even if you don’t have your phone, all of this information is available anywhere you can access the Internet.
Setting up these applications will take a few hours but the benefits and convenience of having all this information at you fingertips is worth the time and effort.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
More PBS Progams On Line
Remember when you first watched video from the Internet on your home computer? Perhaps it was an attachment to an email or one of the videos posted on YouTube.com. In any case, the pictures and sound were not very good. The size of the image was limited and the movement jerky. Nevertheless, it was cool to see images of your grandkids or your neighbor’s vacation.
Unlike text, the transmission of video on the Internet requires significant bandwidth and fast computer processing speed. Both of these were once the exception but now are common place. So now the grainy, low resolution postage stamp size video images have been replaced with audio and video resolution comparable to what you see on your TV. This has sparked an explosion in video services available to most any computer user. Most are free.
Today there are movie services, high definition YouTube videos, and access to countless TV programs, new and old. Full disclosure here…while I don’t often “plug” services provided by my employer, CET, this week I am going to do just that because it is a really great service.
About four years ago CET conducted a series of focus groups seeking to find out what people wanted from on line services provided by public TV stations. One of the responses often heard centered around the desire to watch popular PBS programs on line and on demand. Nova, Frontline, American Experience, and the News Hour were all mentioned.
At that time, the technology and copyright issues precluded CET from offering most of these programs. The good news is that in a few short years, all that has changed. You can indeed watch these and many other signature PBS and CET programs on line at your convenience and the video and audio are quite good.
Finding these programs is a breeze. Just point your browser to http://www.cetconnect.org/.
On the first page you will see a box on the right side of the screen with a link to the current library of programs available. Clicking on that box is all you need to do.
You can choose from several programs and watch them in their entirety or fast forward to specific segments. You can choose to watch in a small window within your browser or choose a full screen experience. If you have a new flat screen TV with a computer input, connecting your computer to the TV will provide an even better experience.
The catalog of programs changes almost daily, so if you don’t see a program you like today, check it out tomorrow. For a complete listing of all the programs available you can click on the “Programs” icon.
CET is not the only station providing these services. So if you haven’t tried watching video on your computer for a while you may be surprised to see what you have been missing.
Unlike text, the transmission of video on the Internet requires significant bandwidth and fast computer processing speed. Both of these were once the exception but now are common place. So now the grainy, low resolution postage stamp size video images have been replaced with audio and video resolution comparable to what you see on your TV. This has sparked an explosion in video services available to most any computer user. Most are free.
Today there are movie services, high definition YouTube videos, and access to countless TV programs, new and old. Full disclosure here…while I don’t often “plug” services provided by my employer, CET, this week I am going to do just that because it is a really great service.
About four years ago CET conducted a series of focus groups seeking to find out what people wanted from on line services provided by public TV stations. One of the responses often heard centered around the desire to watch popular PBS programs on line and on demand. Nova, Frontline, American Experience, and the News Hour were all mentioned.
At that time, the technology and copyright issues precluded CET from offering most of these programs. The good news is that in a few short years, all that has changed. You can indeed watch these and many other signature PBS and CET programs on line at your convenience and the video and audio are quite good.
Finding these programs is a breeze. Just point your browser to http://www.cetconnect.org/.
On the first page you will see a box on the right side of the screen with a link to the current library of programs available. Clicking on that box is all you need to do.
You can choose from several programs and watch them in their entirety or fast forward to specific segments. You can choose to watch in a small window within your browser or choose a full screen experience. If you have a new flat screen TV with a computer input, connecting your computer to the TV will provide an even better experience.
The catalog of programs changes almost daily, so if you don’t see a program you like today, check it out tomorrow. For a complete listing of all the programs available you can click on the “Programs” icon.
CET is not the only station providing these services. So if you haven’t tried watching video on your computer for a while you may be surprised to see what you have been missing.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Everyone Should Get Off the Grid From Time to Time
I recently spent a week with friends riding my bike. This annual vacation has become a ritual for me as our team members from all over the country assemble for RAGBRAI. This gathering of cyclists is the oldest, largest and longest bicycle touring event in the world. As I was riding this year I became increasingly aware of the impact that technology has had on even this very low tech event. And it is not all positive.
For sure mobile phones have made keeping track of our team members much easier. Almost ten years ago when I first started riding in this event we were using walkie-talkies to keep track of the team. We shared the same channels with thousands of other riders. The cacophony of conversations made any meaningful contact with one another the exception. Cell phones changed that. Cell phones are a good thing. Other high tech tools using GPS technology now allow medical assistance to be dispatched much more efficiently. If you are waiting on the side of some country road for the EMT to arrive, you would agree that this too is a good thing.
Not all of this technology appeals to me. Riding along it was often the case that the peaceful quiet of the countryside was pierced by the sound of a fellow rider’s cell phone demanding to be answered. More often than not it was not a call from a team member looking to meet up. Rather, the conversations centered on the most recent crisis at the office. Protracted conversations about a client’s complaint, a machine’s failure, or a boss’s demands punctuated the otherwise awesome ride.
Here on the rural roads of Middle America was playing out a wonderful example of why all of us need to sometimes get off the grid. I tried hard this year to refrain from checking my office voice mail or using my smart phone for checking office email. Other than calling my wife and sharing some details of the ride, I stayed out of touch.
The always-connected society in which we live has made the work day 24/7. While some would argue that this has increased productivity, others point out that it has exacted a high price in elevated stress. With a world economy and business environment making local time almost irrelevant, many of us do need to modify our schedules and technology has made this possible. But there is a time to just say “No” …to turn it all off.
The next time you go on vacation, for a day or a few weeks, think about leaving the lap top off, the cell phone on mute and your voice greeting message indicating that you are unreachable. To be sure, if you win the lottery or President Obama wants your advice on some pressing world issue, there are ways to find you.
Added 8/24 Here is a great NPR story relating to this issue
For sure mobile phones have made keeping track of our team members much easier. Almost ten years ago when I first started riding in this event we were using walkie-talkies to keep track of the team. We shared the same channels with thousands of other riders. The cacophony of conversations made any meaningful contact with one another the exception. Cell phones changed that. Cell phones are a good thing. Other high tech tools using GPS technology now allow medical assistance to be dispatched much more efficiently. If you are waiting on the side of some country road for the EMT to arrive, you would agree that this too is a good thing.
Not all of this technology appeals to me. Riding along it was often the case that the peaceful quiet of the countryside was pierced by the sound of a fellow rider’s cell phone demanding to be answered. More often than not it was not a call from a team member looking to meet up. Rather, the conversations centered on the most recent crisis at the office. Protracted conversations about a client’s complaint, a machine’s failure, or a boss’s demands punctuated the otherwise awesome ride.
Here on the rural roads of Middle America was playing out a wonderful example of why all of us need to sometimes get off the grid. I tried hard this year to refrain from checking my office voice mail or using my smart phone for checking office email. Other than calling my wife and sharing some details of the ride, I stayed out of touch.
The always-connected society in which we live has made the work day 24/7. While some would argue that this has increased productivity, others point out that it has exacted a high price in elevated stress. With a world economy and business environment making local time almost irrelevant, many of us do need to modify our schedules and technology has made this possible. But there is a time to just say “No” …to turn it all off.
The next time you go on vacation, for a day or a few weeks, think about leaving the lap top off, the cell phone on mute and your voice greeting message indicating that you are unreachable. To be sure, if you win the lottery or President Obama wants your advice on some pressing world issue, there are ways to find you.
Added 8/24 Here is a great NPR story relating to this issue
Monday, August 9, 2010
LEDs Can Save Your Life
Having just returned from a week of riding my bike across the cornfields of mid-America, I am still very much in two wheel mode this week. While the number of riders in the Harrison area does not compare to the throngs riding with me last week, there is an increasing number of bikes on the streets, roads and trails in our community. Unfortunately, pedal power and horsepower don’t always play nice together. While the bad guy is often the automobile driver, the cyclist is not always in the right.
One of the biggest safety issues with mixing cars and bikes on the same roads is visibility. There are several inexpensive devices that can assist. For about 10 bucks you can purchase a small tail light for your bike. The light uses high intensity LEDs instead of traditional light bulbs. These tiny LEDS are very bright and the circuitry allows you to change the display from a standard red tail light to a pulsating strobe effect. While these lights are made for riding at night, I find that since they are so bright, they can be seen even in bright sunny weather by anyone approaching from the rear. Since one of the often heard comments by car drivers following a bike / car accident is “I never saw him,”
the red strobing light is just enough to get the car drivers’ attention.
There are also very bright white LED headlights available. Again, these lights are intended for riding at night so the cyclist can see the road ahead. In the day they serve the same purpose as daytime use of headlights on motorcycles and more recently on new cars: visibility. I ride a lot in the Harrison area, and on the open roads and hills you can ride at a good clip. My experience is that cars don’t realize you are approaching at 25 mph or more and as a result often pull out in front of you. Seeing a bright white light often gets their attention.
These LED lights are amazing as they are small, light weight, very bright and consume very little power. I use my tail light for months at a time using two standard AAA batteries. While the headlights use a bit more power, a couple of inexpensive batteries will last many hours. This is a small price to pay for safety.
One of the biggest safety issues with mixing cars and bikes on the same roads is visibility. There are several inexpensive devices that can assist. For about 10 bucks you can purchase a small tail light for your bike. The light uses high intensity LEDs instead of traditional light bulbs. These tiny LEDS are very bright and the circuitry allows you to change the display from a standard red tail light to a pulsating strobe effect. While these lights are made for riding at night, I find that since they are so bright, they can be seen even in bright sunny weather by anyone approaching from the rear. Since one of the often heard comments by car drivers following a bike / car accident is “I never saw him,”
the red strobing light is just enough to get the car drivers’ attention.
There are also very bright white LED headlights available. Again, these lights are intended for riding at night so the cyclist can see the road ahead. In the day they serve the same purpose as daytime use of headlights on motorcycles and more recently on new cars: visibility. I ride a lot in the Harrison area, and on the open roads and hills you can ride at a good clip. My experience is that cars don’t realize you are approaching at 25 mph or more and as a result often pull out in front of you. Seeing a bright white light often gets their attention.
These LED lights are amazing as they are small, light weight, very bright and consume very little power. I use my tail light for months at a time using two standard AAA batteries. While the headlights use a bit more power, a couple of inexpensive batteries will last many hours. This is a small price to pay for safety.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Lightning and Electronic Devices Don't Mix
A friend of mine related that his home was recently hit by lightning and that many electronic devices, from expensive digital TV sets to his garage door opener were “fried.” The more he talked the more the shear power, suddenness and unpredictability of lightning became evident. The extensive damage that the strike wreaked on my friend’s house was made even more remarkable by the fact that he is one of the most knowledgeable electronics professionals in the area and often consulted on protecting sensitive electronic gear from lightning damage. So if it can happen to him, what about the rest of us?
Here in the Ohio Valley, electrical storms happen so often that we pay little attention to them. We have all read about staying off a wired phone and turning off computers and other digital devices. Few of us really do any of those things. In fact, most of us do the opposite. The sky gets dark, the thunder rumbles and we log on to weather.com or go to the TV set to see what the local super duper Doppler mumbo jumbo channel 66 weather radar looks like.
The power of lightning is nothing short of awesome. A single bolt can pack thousands of amps, have a temperature hot enough to turn sand into glass and reach speeds approaching the speed of light. Obviously lightning is not something to be messed with.
There are things that you can do to lessen the possibility of damage from a strike. There are buildings and tall towers that get struck several times in a single summer storm without incurring damage. They have protection. The simplest protection has been around for more than 100 years. You see it today on old farm houses and barns: lightning rods. They serve a very simple function. Lightning seeks to go to the ground and the most direct and less restricted path will be followed. Most of us don’t have lightning rods, but some of us do have roof top TV antennas. Make sure that they are grounded. If you don’t know how, find a professional to do it for you.
While the inexpensive power strips will provide some protection for your computer or TV from a lightning bolt traveling along the power circuits in your home, a direct hit can jump right through the strip. If you really want to protect the devices, they need to be unplugged from wall or power strip. Since our electric grip is so interconnected, a strike on a power line several miles away can produce surges in your incoming power from Duke Energy. The power company has been marketing a new service that attaches a surge protector to the incoming power lines. Contact Duke for details.
For sure, staying off a hard wired phone is a good idea. Your mobile phone is OK to use since it is no more likely to be struck than your body.
Use common sense and remember you have a better chance of winning an Olympic Medal that you do of being struck by lightning.
Here in the Ohio Valley, electrical storms happen so often that we pay little attention to them. We have all read about staying off a wired phone and turning off computers and other digital devices. Few of us really do any of those things. In fact, most of us do the opposite. The sky gets dark, the thunder rumbles and we log on to weather.com or go to the TV set to see what the local super duper Doppler mumbo jumbo channel 66 weather radar looks like.
The power of lightning is nothing short of awesome. A single bolt can pack thousands of amps, have a temperature hot enough to turn sand into glass and reach speeds approaching the speed of light. Obviously lightning is not something to be messed with.
There are things that you can do to lessen the possibility of damage from a strike. There are buildings and tall towers that get struck several times in a single summer storm without incurring damage. They have protection. The simplest protection has been around for more than 100 years. You see it today on old farm houses and barns: lightning rods. They serve a very simple function. Lightning seeks to go to the ground and the most direct and less restricted path will be followed. Most of us don’t have lightning rods, but some of us do have roof top TV antennas. Make sure that they are grounded. If you don’t know how, find a professional to do it for you.
While the inexpensive power strips will provide some protection for your computer or TV from a lightning bolt traveling along the power circuits in your home, a direct hit can jump right through the strip. If you really want to protect the devices, they need to be unplugged from wall or power strip. Since our electric grip is so interconnected, a strike on a power line several miles away can produce surges in your incoming power from Duke Energy. The power company has been marketing a new service that attaches a surge protector to the incoming power lines. Contact Duke for details.
For sure, staying off a hard wired phone is a good idea. Your mobile phone is OK to use since it is no more likely to be struck than your body.
Use common sense and remember you have a better chance of winning an Olympic Medal that you do of being struck by lightning.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
"You Need a Cable For That!"
OK, you researched all the brands, looked at all the reviews and found the very best price for that new flat screen 56 inch HDTV. You are now standing with the salesperson ready to fork over those green backs, or more likely a piece of plastic, and there is one more thing.
“You’re gonna need a cable for that ya know,” mumbles the salesperson. That’s right, in order to connect that new HD TV set to your cable box, Blue Ray DVD player or other digital device, you need special cables. Called HDMI cables, these short wires have special connectors on each end. You will need one cable for each component.
The salesperson will suggest that since you just forked over a month’s pay for the new TV set, you will want to make sure that you use “the best cable possible” so the picture is sharp and the audio crisp and static free. “Best” of course in the salesperson’s mind is also the most expensive. So you look at the display of cables and see that a three foot long rubber wire with two small connectors has a price of $75.00. There is another one with gold plated connectors for only $100.00. In theory gold is a superior electrical conductor. And you thought that the TV price gave you sticker shock.
The truth of the matter is that for most applications, there is no difference between the results you will get using a $15 HDMI cable or a $200 HDMI Cable. For most of us, one end of the cable will be plugged into the TV set and the other end into the DVD player or cable box and left that way for years never to be removed. So why pay a fortune for a cable that is heavy enough to tow your car?
There is one application that may require a heavier cable with more robust connectors and that would be an HDMI cable which you will use to connect a game system, lap top computer or other device that will be plugged in and out often. You will want a cable that has a heavy duty connector. There are several small contacts inside the plug that can come loose with repeated use, so a strong connector will hold up better than a less expensive cable.
For most of us mere mortals, the fact that the HDMI connector contacts are plated with gold has no discernable bearing on the quality of the pictures or sound. It adds to the price. The only added value I see comes in the form of your bragging rights. You can tell your “has-everything” neighbor that you have gold platted HDMI cables. Your spouse may on the other hand have a much different reaction to paying 100 bucks for a piece of wire.
“You’re gonna need a cable for that ya know,” mumbles the salesperson. That’s right, in order to connect that new HD TV set to your cable box, Blue Ray DVD player or other digital device, you need special cables. Called HDMI cables, these short wires have special connectors on each end. You will need one cable for each component.
The salesperson will suggest that since you just forked over a month’s pay for the new TV set, you will want to make sure that you use “the best cable possible” so the picture is sharp and the audio crisp and static free. “Best” of course in the salesperson’s mind is also the most expensive. So you look at the display of cables and see that a three foot long rubber wire with two small connectors has a price of $75.00. There is another one with gold plated connectors for only $100.00. In theory gold is a superior electrical conductor. And you thought that the TV price gave you sticker shock.
The truth of the matter is that for most applications, there is no difference between the results you will get using a $15 HDMI cable or a $200 HDMI Cable. For most of us, one end of the cable will be plugged into the TV set and the other end into the DVD player or cable box and left that way for years never to be removed. So why pay a fortune for a cable that is heavy enough to tow your car?
There is one application that may require a heavier cable with more robust connectors and that would be an HDMI cable which you will use to connect a game system, lap top computer or other device that will be plugged in and out often. You will want a cable that has a heavy duty connector. There are several small contacts inside the plug that can come loose with repeated use, so a strong connector will hold up better than a less expensive cable.
For most of us mere mortals, the fact that the HDMI connector contacts are plated with gold has no discernable bearing on the quality of the pictures or sound. It adds to the price. The only added value I see comes in the form of your bragging rights. You can tell your “has-everything” neighbor that you have gold platted HDMI cables. Your spouse may on the other hand have a much different reaction to paying 100 bucks for a piece of wire.
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