Sunday, March 27, 2011
Meet TED
Today’s digital world offers so many choices for getting news and entertainment. Not only is there is a seemingly endless number of cable and satellite TV channels, with about 80% of all US households having access to the Internet, the web provides even more options for spending our free time. There are social media sites that many of us visit more than we should. If you are Facebooked out or can’t read one more Tweet, and are looking for some outstanding content on the web, I would like to introduce you to TED. Don’t worry. I am not sending you to a weird dating service. TED is not a guy it is a web site that features videos and discussions that will challenge your brain. TED (Technology Entertainment and Design) began in 1984 as a conference sponsored by the Sapling Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to disseminate "ideas worth spreading.” The initial conference invited the very top minds in the fields of technology, entertainment and design to share ideas, discoveries and inventions. The conferences are still held but videos of the individual presentations are now made available free on the web. Today there are more than 700 videos and the subject matter has broadened. You can find presentations on religion, psychology, astronomy, education, medicine and many other subjects. The great thing about TED is that it invites very best and brightest. Right now you can watch Jane Goodall, Bill Gates, and several Nobel laureates. All you need is a computer and access to a broadband Internet connection. Point your browser to www.ted.com The presentations are very fast paced. TED asks each presenter not to exceed 18 minutes. Some make use of videos and graphics while others stay with a standard lecture format. Each presentation is translated into several languages. There are topics and opinions that will challenge you. All of them will make you think. I have watched several and each of them has been outstanding. You will find a new presentation posted about every day and all of them are archived and searchable by topic or presenter. Two of my favorites were just posted recently. One is a 5 minute presentation by volunteer firefighter Mark Bezos. He tells a story of an act of heroism that didn't go quite as expected -- but that taught him a big lesson: Don't wait to be a hero. In five short minutes he captures the essence of what it means to give back to your community. Perhaps the most jaw dropping talk was by Surgeon Anthony Atala who demonstrated an early-stage experiment that could someday solve the organ-donor problem: a 3D printer that uses living cells to output a transplantable kidney. Using similar technology, Dr. Atala’s young patient Luke Massella received an engineered bladder 10 years ago; we meet him onstage. The next time you find that the 500 channel cable universe offers little to watch or your Twitter account less than stimulating, spend some time with Ted. It will be time well spent.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Print vs. Online a Non Issue
It is good to see the Harrison Press providing more and more content on line. For sure this is where many of us will eventually look to find our news and views rather than from the traditional printed versions. If you are reading this column in the print edition of the Harrison Press you are already part of a shrinking minority of hard copy newspaper readers. It is true that the weekly or community newspapers seem to have been able to hold on to more print subscribers than their big brother daily counterparts but the trends indicate that this phenomenon will be short lived.
Some may lament the passing of the newsprint method of reporting the happenings of daily life. For many of us who grew up reading the newspaper, there certainly is a pleasant tactile response that we have while holding in our hands a newspaper or book. Whether that response is innate or learned is debatable.
Observing our younger generation can give us some hints on what the future holds not only for the printed word but for all media. Ask almost anyone under 35 if they regularly read a printed newspaper or watch TV programs in real time on the broadcast TV or on the cable/satellite channels. More often than not the answer will be no. It is not that they are not interested in current events and are unaware of what is happening around their town or the world. For sure they do enjoy entertainment. In most instances they are informed and conversant. They just get their information and entertainment in different ways.
Instead of half asleep saunter down the driveway before the first cup of morning coffee to retrieve the print edition of the newspaper, the “30 somethings” log on to a news web site or check Twitter and Facebook. Often the content on these sites are provided by the very newspapers they eschew. The Enquirer has Cincinnati.com and most premiere newspapers like the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal have very popular online editions. I read both on my computer and smart phone. The Kindle and other eReaders offer electronic versions of several daily newspapers.
For breaking news a printed newspaper can’t compete with an electronic edition. It was almost 24 hours after it happened that the printed edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer was able to report on the recent devastating earthquake in Japan. By then most people had consumed hours of video reports and analysis. Much was from the web.
It is not only the newspaper industry that is undergoing change. TV, both broadcast and cable are losing viewers to video services provided on the Internet. There is an increasing amount of first run programming available on line and on demand. “Appointment” viewing, that is watching a program when it is broadcast, is becoming less and less prevalent among all age groups. Among the 25 to 35 year old demographic regular TV viewing is the exception rather than the rule.
Some worry about these trends. Others, me included, feel that we should not concentrate on how we get information and entertainment as much as the quality and reliability of the information and entertainment we get.
Some may lament the passing of the newsprint method of reporting the happenings of daily life. For many of us who grew up reading the newspaper, there certainly is a pleasant tactile response that we have while holding in our hands a newspaper or book. Whether that response is innate or learned is debatable.
Observing our younger generation can give us some hints on what the future holds not only for the printed word but for all media. Ask almost anyone under 35 if they regularly read a printed newspaper or watch TV programs in real time on the broadcast TV or on the cable/satellite channels. More often than not the answer will be no. It is not that they are not interested in current events and are unaware of what is happening around their town or the world. For sure they do enjoy entertainment. In most instances they are informed and conversant. They just get their information and entertainment in different ways.
Instead of half asleep saunter down the driveway before the first cup of morning coffee to retrieve the print edition of the newspaper, the “30 somethings” log on to a news web site or check Twitter and Facebook. Often the content on these sites are provided by the very newspapers they eschew. The Enquirer has Cincinnati.com and most premiere newspapers like the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal have very popular online editions. I read both on my computer and smart phone. The Kindle and other eReaders offer electronic versions of several daily newspapers.
For breaking news a printed newspaper can’t compete with an electronic edition. It was almost 24 hours after it happened that the printed edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer was able to report on the recent devastating earthquake in Japan. By then most people had consumed hours of video reports and analysis. Much was from the web.
It is not only the newspaper industry that is undergoing change. TV, both broadcast and cable are losing viewers to video services provided on the Internet. There is an increasing amount of first run programming available on line and on demand. “Appointment” viewing, that is watching a program when it is broadcast, is becoming less and less prevalent among all age groups. Among the 25 to 35 year old demographic regular TV viewing is the exception rather than the rule.
Some worry about these trends. Others, me included, feel that we should not concentrate on how we get information and entertainment as much as the quality and reliability of the information and entertainment we get.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Home Automation Worth Another Look
I am not sure if it is because of the heart-stopping Duke Energy bills that many of us have been recently receiving or just a desire to be more “green,” but I have had several people ask me about home automation systems. Like so many questions of this ilk, the answer requires some background.
In the simplest form, home automation systems consist of three major components: a controller, various sensors and switches. With these components most everything in the house can be controlled remotely. You can use your home computer, your computer at work or your smart phone to set the thermostat, turn on lights, turn on the oven or open the front door. These systems have been very common in office buildings and other commercial building for years as they can save a ton of energy.
For example, if you are single and travel a lot on business you might install a system that allows you to control your heat and your hot water heater. You leave on Monday for a week-long business trip. Before you leave you set the heat to 50 degrees or so and turn off the hot water heater. Before you get on the plane at LAX for your return flight you can “call” your automation system and raise the temperature to 68 degrees and turn on the hot water. Six hours later you arrive at a warm house and can immediately take a hot shower. During the week, while you were absent, you were not wasting all that energy keeping your home warm and cozy and the water ready for that hot shower.
There are all kinds of home automation systems. The simplest is the programmable thermostat that many of us already have. While most can’t be remotely accessed, they do save energy and money. A system to handle the business trip scenario is more complex and does not come cheap.
Most new systems are wireless so the controls for the lights, furnace, hot water heater etc. do not need to be hard-wired. You do need to replace electrical outlets, switches, thermostats and any other device you want to have remote control over. Plan to pay about $35 for a regular light switch and about $100 for a switch to control a stove, oven or hot water heater.
You will also need to purchase a master controller. This device is either a stand-alone special purpose computer or a peripheral device that is attached to your home computer and the Internet. The controller sends signals to all the devices you control remotely. The higher the number of devices it can access, the more expensive it will be. You should plan on a minimum of about $250 for an entry level model.
The good news is that installation can be done by most anyone who is handy and able to replace a regular light switch or wall receptacle. You may need an electrician to handle the hot water tank module since you are dealing with higher voltages.
The good news is that you can start with controlling only a few energy hungry devices and add more as your budget and needs change. And there is always the “Wow Factor”
In the simplest form, home automation systems consist of three major components: a controller, various sensors and switches. With these components most everything in the house can be controlled remotely. You can use your home computer, your computer at work or your smart phone to set the thermostat, turn on lights, turn on the oven or open the front door. These systems have been very common in office buildings and other commercial building for years as they can save a ton of energy.
For example, if you are single and travel a lot on business you might install a system that allows you to control your heat and your hot water heater. You leave on Monday for a week-long business trip. Before you leave you set the heat to 50 degrees or so and turn off the hot water heater. Before you get on the plane at LAX for your return flight you can “call” your automation system and raise the temperature to 68 degrees and turn on the hot water. Six hours later you arrive at a warm house and can immediately take a hot shower. During the week, while you were absent, you were not wasting all that energy keeping your home warm and cozy and the water ready for that hot shower.
There are all kinds of home automation systems. The simplest is the programmable thermostat that many of us already have. While most can’t be remotely accessed, they do save energy and money. A system to handle the business trip scenario is more complex and does not come cheap.
Most new systems are wireless so the controls for the lights, furnace, hot water heater etc. do not need to be hard-wired. You do need to replace electrical outlets, switches, thermostats and any other device you want to have remote control over. Plan to pay about $35 for a regular light switch and about $100 for a switch to control a stove, oven or hot water heater.
You will also need to purchase a master controller. This device is either a stand-alone special purpose computer or a peripheral device that is attached to your home computer and the Internet. The controller sends signals to all the devices you control remotely. The higher the number of devices it can access, the more expensive it will be. You should plan on a minimum of about $250 for an entry level model.
The good news is that installation can be done by most anyone who is handy and able to replace a regular light switch or wall receptacle. You may need an electrician to handle the hot water tank module since you are dealing with higher voltages.
The good news is that you can start with controlling only a few energy hungry devices and add more as your budget and needs change. And there is always the “Wow Factor”
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Skype Worth a Second Look
There have been so many revolutionary changes in technology that it is difficult to keep up. How we watch TV, plan a trip, conduct our banking or shop for everything from books to broccoli … all have changed. Many of our most mundane daily tasks are now heavily dependent on technology. Even making a phone call has changed. I’m sure many can remember when making a long distance call, especially to a foreign country, was an expensive proposition. No longer is this the case.
Recently, my globe trotting wife had some teaching gigs in Australia requiring her to be “down under” for several weeks. This is the second time that she has been there, traveling around the country teaching various fiber techniques. The last time she was gone for almost two months. I remember that we talked on the phone every few days but always tried to keep the calls short because they were expensive. This time not only do we talk sometimes twice a day, but the calls are video calls and they are free.
We are using Skype. I have discussed this service in this column before and many of you may already use Skype to keep track of your kids or grandkids. So if you already know about it you can quit reading.
Skype is an Internet based communications program that allows you to use your computer and the Internet to communicate with others on the Skype network or to make calls to regular land lines or mobile phones anywhere in the world. If you are contacting someone who has a Skype account there is no charge for the call. If you are using Skype to call a regular telephone number there is a charge albeit much less than traditional international long distance rates.
Judy and I are using the free service which allows us to make video calls. Judy has a
small netbook computer with a camera built in and my computers at home and at work also are outfitted with small web cams. All of these computers have the free Skype program loaded.
Making a call is as easy as clicking on the person’s name in your Skype directory. For Judy and me we just needed to get used to the time difference. When I was just beginning my day in Cincinnati, Judy was going to sleep in Tasmania and it was the next day.
Signing up for Skype is easy. Just go to www.skype.com and follow the directions. You will need a high speed Internet connection, a PC or Mac of most any flavor, a web cam if you want to make video calls. If you wish to make only voice calls all you need is a microphone either connected to your computer or built in to your lap top.
Skype has been around for many years and millions of people worldwide use it daily to
stay in touch. It is worth a look.
Recently, my globe trotting wife had some teaching gigs in Australia requiring her to be “down under” for several weeks. This is the second time that she has been there, traveling around the country teaching various fiber techniques. The last time she was gone for almost two months. I remember that we talked on the phone every few days but always tried to keep the calls short because they were expensive. This time not only do we talk sometimes twice a day, but the calls are video calls and they are free.
We are using Skype. I have discussed this service in this column before and many of you may already use Skype to keep track of your kids or grandkids. So if you already know about it you can quit reading.
Skype is an Internet based communications program that allows you to use your computer and the Internet to communicate with others on the Skype network or to make calls to regular land lines or mobile phones anywhere in the world. If you are contacting someone who has a Skype account there is no charge for the call. If you are using Skype to call a regular telephone number there is a charge albeit much less than traditional international long distance rates.
Judy and I are using the free service which allows us to make video calls. Judy has a
small netbook computer with a camera built in and my computers at home and at work also are outfitted with small web cams. All of these computers have the free Skype program loaded.
Making a call is as easy as clicking on the person’s name in your Skype directory. For Judy and me we just needed to get used to the time difference. When I was just beginning my day in Cincinnati, Judy was going to sleep in Tasmania and it was the next day.
Signing up for Skype is easy. Just go to www.skype.com and follow the directions. You will need a high speed Internet connection, a PC or Mac of most any flavor, a web cam if you want to make video calls. If you wish to make only voice calls all you need is a microphone either connected to your computer or built in to your lap top.
Skype has been around for many years and millions of people worldwide use it daily to
stay in touch. It is worth a look.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Tax Prep Help
Even though you may not have received mail from your favorite uncle this year, he is expecting you to send your annual contribution to his bank account no later than April 18th. In recognition of the fact that many of us don’t use the printed tax forms that have traditionally been mailed to all wage earners, the IRS is saving money and not sending them unless requested. More and more of us either use professional tax preparers or have embraced computer software. There are several options and some of them are actually free.
The two most widely used commercially available tax preparation software packages are TurboTax from Intuit and TaxCut from H&R Block. I have used both and find them almost identical in function and ease of use. Both come in various “flavors” from versions that assist in preparing simple returns to versions that walk you though filing for a small business or a Chapter S corporation. Most include a module for filing state returns as well. Be sure to get a version that allows free E-filing for both federal and state returns.
Be prepared to spend from $50 to $100 for the software. The more features and more complex the return, the higher the price. Office supply stores like Staples and OfficeMax stock the products and, of course, you can get them on line and download a copy directly to your computer.
There are several other options available on line. Some are free and others very inexpensive. With so many offers on the web you must shop carefully. A Google search will provide hundreds of “official” IRS Tax Assistance Sites. Closer scrutiny will show that most have no relation to the IRS. Look for web sites that have a “.gov” suffix on the web address rather that a “.com” as the latter indicates a for-profit company.
If your income is $58,000 or less, the IRS has some free software that might be good to check out. It is called Free File. It's available only through IRS.gov. Some 20 tax software companies have made their products available for free. Some also support state tax returns for free. Since the IRS has checked these offers out, you can feel safe using them. You will find the software offer at www.IRS.gov.
There is no paucity of companies and services that want to do you taxes. I have seen ads on TV for car dealerships offering to do your taxes if you use your tax refund to buy a car. Furniture stores, too, will be happy to help you get your refund faster if you will spend it with them. If you shop wisely, you will find lots of good tools on the web. They might not make filing your return enjoyable, but they will make it less of a hassle.
The two most widely used commercially available tax preparation software packages are TurboTax from Intuit and TaxCut from H&R Block. I have used both and find them almost identical in function and ease of use. Both come in various “flavors” from versions that assist in preparing simple returns to versions that walk you though filing for a small business or a Chapter S corporation. Most include a module for filing state returns as well. Be sure to get a version that allows free E-filing for both federal and state returns.
Be prepared to spend from $50 to $100 for the software. The more features and more complex the return, the higher the price. Office supply stores like Staples and OfficeMax stock the products and, of course, you can get them on line and download a copy directly to your computer.
There are several other options available on line. Some are free and others very inexpensive. With so many offers on the web you must shop carefully. A Google search will provide hundreds of “official” IRS Tax Assistance Sites. Closer scrutiny will show that most have no relation to the IRS. Look for web sites that have a “.gov” suffix on the web address rather that a “.com” as the latter indicates a for-profit company.
If your income is $58,000 or less, the IRS has some free software that might be good to check out. It is called Free File. It's available only through IRS.gov. Some 20 tax software companies have made their products available for free. Some also support state tax returns for free. Since the IRS has checked these offers out, you can feel safe using them. You will find the software offer at www.IRS.gov.
There is no paucity of companies and services that want to do you taxes. I have seen ads on TV for car dealerships offering to do your taxes if you use your tax refund to buy a car. Furniture stores, too, will be happy to help you get your refund faster if you will spend it with them. If you shop wisely, you will find lots of good tools on the web. They might not make filing your return enjoyable, but they will make it less of a hassle.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Kindle - Even Better Than I Thought
A few weeks back Amazon.com announced that they were now selling more eBooks than all hardback and paperback versions combined. It was only about a year ago that they announced that eBook sales had surpassed the Amazon hardback sales. This meteoric spike in sales is due in large part to the sale of eBook readers. The Kindle from Amazon, as well as others like the Nook and the Sony Reader, are some of the most popular new digital must-haves. The iPad and other tablet computers can be used as eBook readers as can many smart phones.
My thoughtful wife placed a Kindle under the tree for me on Christmas morning and I have not put it down since. It is one of the most user friendly and well designed digital devices I have ever used. Part of the reason is that it is designed for one thing and one thing alone and that is to read eBooks.
The version I have is about the size of a paperback book but much thinner, less than ½ inch. It weighs only a few ounces. The display uses eInk rather than the traditional LCD screens found on the iPad, most laptop computers and smart phones. An eInk page looks just like a printed page and can be read in bright sunlight. The only down side is that it can’t be read in the dark. My aging eyes appreciate not reading from the bright back-lighted computer screen. eInk also is the secret behind the battery life of several weeks between charging.
Searching for and downloading a book is quick and intuitive. When you first turn it on, the Kindle takes you through a simple set up. If you already have an account with Amazon.com it links that information to your Kindle account. It took me less than five minutes to set it up and download my first book, Autobiography of Mark Twain. While I have not tried this, Amazon claims that the device can hold as many as 3000 or more books.
Purchasing a book is a breeze. The Kindle has a menu item called “Shop in Kindle Store.” The Kindle connects to Amazon either through a WiFi or 3G service. From there you can search by title, author or genre just like the regular Amazon.com online store. Once you find the book, pressing “Buy” is all you need do. The book is downloaded to the Kindle, in most cases in about 30 seconds, and your Amazon account is billed. You will get an email verifying the purchase. So in less than a minute you can have most any book in publication in your hands.
When you buy a book it is downloaded into you Kindle but is also available for free downloading in the future in case your device malfunctions or you exceed the 3000 book internal capacity. Most eBooks from Amazon are $9.00 or less. Books out of copyright are free.
For the avid reader, the Kindle is an exceptional digital device. It is inexpensive, well designed and it works.
My thoughtful wife placed a Kindle under the tree for me on Christmas morning and I have not put it down since. It is one of the most user friendly and well designed digital devices I have ever used. Part of the reason is that it is designed for one thing and one thing alone and that is to read eBooks.
The version I have is about the size of a paperback book but much thinner, less than ½ inch. It weighs only a few ounces. The display uses eInk rather than the traditional LCD screens found on the iPad, most laptop computers and smart phones. An eInk page looks just like a printed page and can be read in bright sunlight. The only down side is that it can’t be read in the dark. My aging eyes appreciate not reading from the bright back-lighted computer screen. eInk also is the secret behind the battery life of several weeks between charging.
Searching for and downloading a book is quick and intuitive. When you first turn it on, the Kindle takes you through a simple set up. If you already have an account with Amazon.com it links that information to your Kindle account. It took me less than five minutes to set it up and download my first book, Autobiography of Mark Twain. While I have not tried this, Amazon claims that the device can hold as many as 3000 or more books.
Purchasing a book is a breeze. The Kindle has a menu item called “Shop in Kindle Store.” The Kindle connects to Amazon either through a WiFi or 3G service. From there you can search by title, author or genre just like the regular Amazon.com online store. Once you find the book, pressing “Buy” is all you need do. The book is downloaded to the Kindle, in most cases in about 30 seconds, and your Amazon account is billed. You will get an email verifying the purchase. So in less than a minute you can have most any book in publication in your hands.
When you buy a book it is downloaded into you Kindle but is also available for free downloading in the future in case your device malfunctions or you exceed the 3000 book internal capacity. Most eBooks from Amazon are $9.00 or less. Books out of copyright are free.
For the avid reader, the Kindle is an exceptional digital device. It is inexpensive, well designed and it works.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Social Media & Internet Serious Players
If you read this column regularly you know that I often take issue with new gadgets or technologies that seem to spring more from the fertile minds of engineers and computer programmers than from real needs of regular human beings. The current situation in Egypt, Tunisia and some other mid-eastern countries has demonstrated clearly that the technologies that many of us might use for some trivial pursuits in our daily lives are helping to change the geopolitical landscape.
Social networking, webcams and mobile phones have enabled direct and almost instantaneous communication among political activists. These same technologies have opened a window from which the world can watch what was happening in real time in public squares and streets from Alexandria to Tunis. Of course the major news operations, CNN, BBC and others, had people on the ground reporting with their “Special Reports.” Their network’s promo announcements looked more like ads for a new car than for a news report of worldwide significance. The real story was not originating from the major media; in many cases it was the mobile phone video or the Facebook and Twitter exchanges that gave us the real picture.
Early on it was interesting to see how those in charge were quick to try to shut down the Internet and mobile phone networks. With the proliferation of satellite phones and other long range technologies, this was futile. The days of any real control of the distribution of information are gone. Since banking, utility networks, and even traffic lights and emergency services in any modern city all require the Internet, turning it off for any length of time is not an option. Blocking certain services like Facebook and Twitter are also futile as a high school age hacker will soon navigate around these blocks.
This “brave new world” of instantaneous communication does not come without a serious negative. Seeing should not always be believing. Digital manipulation of images and video can be done on a laptop in seconds and transmitted to the world as “truth.”
We should not be too quick to embrace as the “whole truth” information coming directly from the citizen journalists on the streets of Cairo without also reviewing the more traditional reporting. I for one would like to have the critical eyes of trusted media along with the unfiltered steams of Twitter and Facebook.
Social networking, webcams and mobile phones have enabled direct and almost instantaneous communication among political activists. These same technologies have opened a window from which the world can watch what was happening in real time in public squares and streets from Alexandria to Tunis. Of course the major news operations, CNN, BBC and others, had people on the ground reporting with their “Special Reports.” Their network’s promo announcements looked more like ads for a new car than for a news report of worldwide significance. The real story was not originating from the major media; in many cases it was the mobile phone video or the Facebook and Twitter exchanges that gave us the real picture.
Early on it was interesting to see how those in charge were quick to try to shut down the Internet and mobile phone networks. With the proliferation of satellite phones and other long range technologies, this was futile. The days of any real control of the distribution of information are gone. Since banking, utility networks, and even traffic lights and emergency services in any modern city all require the Internet, turning it off for any length of time is not an option. Blocking certain services like Facebook and Twitter are also futile as a high school age hacker will soon navigate around these blocks.
This “brave new world” of instantaneous communication does not come without a serious negative. Seeing should not always be believing. Digital manipulation of images and video can be done on a laptop in seconds and transmitted to the world as “truth.”
We should not be too quick to embrace as the “whole truth” information coming directly from the citizen journalists on the streets of Cairo without also reviewing the more traditional reporting. I for one would like to have the critical eyes of trusted media along with the unfiltered steams of Twitter and Facebook.
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