2007 June

A few years ago, it was suggested to me that Lockergnome needed some kind of positioning statement – so I did my best to come up with something smart for new (and existing) site visitors:

Read more on To Inform, Empower, and Entertain……

Brandon Paddock has been twittering about how the iPhone currently (indefinitely?) does not support 64-bit installations of Windows. I’m less inclined to believe this is a conspiracy, however. There’s a reason I’m still on the classic 32-bit version of Windows today. Then, this note just came in from Lockergnome subscriber (Iowan!) Mike Gatzke:

Read more on iPhone Problems…

Everything old is new again.

The only effective (read: foolproof) way to monetize video is by matching and embedding sponsorship within the video itself – period, end of story. Relying on fancy-schmancy JavaScript and Flash overlays for complete monetization of video content is just… reckless. You’re cutting off your iPod / PSP audience, and you’re dropping the eyeball of any user who may happen to be running some kind of ad blocker, or who may discover the video after it’s been ripped from any given video network service.

Read more on Video Ads in Web Video: Success!…

For months, I’ve had people asking about the 4GB vs 2GB RAM scenario. The answer isn’t all that simple when it comes to 32-bit flavors of Windows, but despite the language barrier, Aqud does his best to explain it to the community again:

Read more on 4GB RAM in Windows?…

Lockergnome subscriber Troy Lokitz may have missed our online data backup segment, but his situation may be a bit out of the ordinary:

I currently use the HP MediaVault with mirrored 300gig hard drives to store my data (aside from DVD backups, the mirrored hard drives contain my working copies of my data). I’ve been investigating online backup services like allmydata / mozy / xdrive / carbonite and have had mixed experiences with them. I did some internet searches to see if there is a recent (within the last 6 months) review of online services. The reason I would want a recent one is they are all changing services / support options very quickly and reviews I’ve found are out of date and discuss issues with services that may no longer exist.

I’m looking for a service that will backup up to 50gigs of data on a scheduled / incremental basis from a NAS (mounted network drive). Also, i like the idea of having web-based access to the files/data. So far, I’ve found the following:

Xdrive: my favorite from a price/features perspective, but in the week I’ve been playing, there service has been HORRIBLE. I liked their product enough that I was going to buy it and found that every time I went to try and purchase an upgraded account, the website would tell me the account upgrade options are not accessible due to maintenance. I finally found a number to call on AOL (they bought xdrive) and the customer support desk told me that they are sorry but they are currently doing an upgrade and they have no idea how long it will take before I can purchase the service. Warning bells??

Carbonite: looks good, but doesn’t support mapped drive backups. restoring files can only be done by selecting files, not whole directories, which is a big downer.

Allmydata: looks good. I’m going to play with the trial, but not sure about the stability/strength of the company. I need to know the company won’t go out of business tomorrow. Nothing against allmydata, but I just don’t know much about them.

Mozy: doesn’t support mapped drives.

I know there are more companies out there and was hoping to get your feedback.

Read more on Online Backup Service Options…

1. It rains a lot in Seattle – no phone is worth getting pruned over.
2. I don’t need to give people another reason to beat me up.
3. Despite the Apple brand, I’m confident iPhone 2.0 will be more my cup of tea.

Read more on 20 Reasons I’m Not Getting an iPhone Today…

The question, from Lockergnome reader Zona Bovingdon:

I am hoping that I will get an answer back from you, as I am not sure this is the right place to direct this message. I got you email while searching the Seidio G4850 GPS car kit. I was really impressed by your comments. I presently have a HP iPaq 4700 (no GPS program), but am strongly considering purchasing the seidio car kit along with the TomTom Navigating software. As this is my first venture down this road am looking for all the info I can get especially from private citizens who have used this kit.

I am concern that the two items will be compatible with my 4700 and that after I have spent the money that I will be pleased with the product. I do lots of car travelling between Canada and US and would like to have a GPS (for dummies) as I am not very technical. Any pitfalls or concerns I should be aware of would be greatly appreciated.

Read more on GPS Tracking Device…

Seems that some of y’all have been paying attention to what I’ve been complaining about for several months (most recently, in a post outlining the frustrations of the way video networks are handling processed video).

Read more on Upload Videos and Track Stats…

So, I’m passing through the security checkpoint at the mouse fart of an airport in San Jose, CA (coming back from a rather remarkable Under the Radar event)… TSA tells me that my carry-on bag would need to be inspected. I was a bit puzzled, but not shocked – as I decided to store all my electronics in the mini-whale and not check it at the ticket counter.

Read more on TSA: Transportation Security Administration?…

http://live.pirillo.com/ – VoIP – Voice over IP – allows you to use your computer in order to make phone calls, either from computer to phone or computer to computer.

How can you get free phone calls? Use any popular instant messenger application that supports voice, such as Skype or Google Talk. This lets you use voice as a communication medium rather than text.

Read more on How to Make Free Phone Calls…

http://live.pirillo.com/ – What program can you use to burn DVDs on Windows XP?

Every geek seems to love Nero Burning ROM for managing video and audio files you want to burn to CD or DVD. Chris uses it, and likes it. If you're looking for powerful control over your files, this is the tool for you.

Read more on DVD Burning Software…

http://live.pirillo.com/ – Should you get a dedicated HD PVR or install an HD TV Tuner for your computer?

The advantage of a PVR/DVR is that it’s a set top box that you can take it anywhere and plug it into your television. You’re generally limited with what you can do with the media files, but if you’re only looking for DVR functionality, this is the route to go.

Read more on HD DVR Recommendations…

http://live.pirillo.com/ – AntGuru123 from YouTube wants to know how he can convert his BIK files, from an EA Sports game, into a format that Windows Movie Maker can use.

Jake Ludington from MediaBlab chimes in on this:

Read more on What are BIK Files?…

http://live.pirillo.com/ – Watching live television over your smart phone isn’t as difficult as you might imagine: all you need is an Internet connection and the Slingbox.

The Slingbox is a piece of hardware that takes you cable or satellite signal and retransmits it over the Internet, so anything that can access the Internet can also access the Slingbox. That means that your laptop, desktop, and smart phone can display what’s on TV.

Read more on Using the Slingbox…

We’ve been trying the Video Post Robot tool for the past couple of days. It’s not perfect, but we’re finding that it’s saved us quite a bit of time. If you use this link in conjunction with the “bestvideotool” coupon code, you’ll get 50% off the price – which is quite substantial for a tool that will save you at least THAT much if you’re someone who is also producing video.

Read more on Upload Video Tool – 50% Discount…