Chris Pirillo » Education

Are Compact Discs Dead?

Chris — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:16:30 +0000

Are Compact Discs Dead? is a post from Chris Pirillo

In just a few months, Universal Music Group is dropping the prices on their CDs to between six and ten dollars each in an effort to boost sales. While the company does have its hand in the music download and streaming side of things, their profit margins are much better with physical disc sales. Up until now, however, it usually cost far more to buy a copy at the local WalMart than it did to purchase the entire album digitally.

In addition to the lower cost, UMG plans to add extra content to physical CDs that cannot be purchased online. Their hope is the combination of the lower cost packed with additional features will bring sales out of the serious slump they find themselves in. I personally love this idea, and will likely buy more compact discs than normal. I do buy music online, sure. But there’s just something about owning those sweet little silver discs that I am hopelessly addicted to. What about you? Will the lower cost cause you to go out and buy more music in hard copy form?

Don’t forget to stop by the software center and see what’s new today.

Starfall for Beginning Readers

Chris — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:00:39 +0000

Starfall for Beginning Readers is a post from Chris Pirillo

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

During Gnomedex, we held an open mic period where attendees could come onto the stage and pass along resources that the rest of us might not know about. Now, I know that this particular video will not interest many of our younger followers. However, it is a FANTASTIC resource for those of you with young children in your lives! If you don’t have kids of your own, forward this on to someone who does. I promise that they’ll thank you for it.

Starfall can help a child learn to read, or improve upon the skills they’ve already gained, by using phonics. There are several different stages on the site, including ones for children just learning their ABCs all the way up to activities for kids who can already read basic words and sentences.

This is an excellent way to boost your child’s skills in a fun environment.

Write a Novel and Get It Published: A Teach Yourself Guide (Teach Yourself: Writing)

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

Should School be Taught in the Cloud?

Chris — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:37:53 +0000

Should School be Taught in the Cloud? is a post from Chris Pirillo

On March 5th, the U.S. Department of Education released its National Educational Technology Plan, which they named Transforming Education: Learning Powered by Technology. Some of the recommendations made in the report include things like having a computing device for every teacher – and student – so that they can access the Internet from both school and home, as well as wanting schools to embrace cloud computing, Creative Commons and open-source technologies.

The report focuses on what they are calling “21st Century Computing”. As a way to transform education, the department states that the plan is to “engage and empower learning experiences for all learners… by leveraging the power of technology to provide personalized learning instead of a one-size-fits all curriculum.” Overall, the plan calls for a challenge to the normal model of having an isolated teacher in every class. Instead, they want to promote the ideas of “always on” learning tools, with online communities for the teachers and students.

I know that this plan cannot possibly be enacted in schools across the country overnight. However, I’m excited to see things moving in this direction finally. What do you think? Is this a massive step forward for education in the United States?

Don’t forget to stop by our software center to see what we have for you today!

SkyVoyager for the iPhone

Chris — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:26:23 +0000

SkyVoyager for the iPhone is a post from Chris Pirillo

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Kevin has sent several videos to us that he recorded during Macworld 2010. This interview is showing us a demonstration of the SkyVoyager App. SkyVoyager accurately shows the sky from any location on Earth, at any time up to 100 years in the past or future. SkyVoyager can show you the sky in same the direction that you’re holding your phone. Shake the phone to activate its compass and accelerometer – now you can identify stars and planets by holding your phone next to them!

You can find any object in the sky by following an arrow that SkyVoyager points in its direction. If you have an older iPhone or iPod Touch, SkyVoyager supports the accelerometer built into your device as well. Tilting the phone now shows you the sky at the same angle that you’re holding your phone.

SkyVoyager includes more than 1000 descriptions of the constellations, planets, moons, and stars. It contains hundreds of images from NASA space missions and the Hubble Space Telescope. The descriptions are carefully researched and checked for accuracy prior to adding them to the App.

Thanks, Kevin, for an another excellent interview! Would you like to cover conferences, trade shows, and events in exchange for promotion in our YouTube channel and social media networks? Email me to facilitate the process!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

Twitter Tips and Tricks for Beginners and Business

Chris — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:43:07 +0000

Twitter Tips and Tricks for Beginners and Business is a post from Chris Pirillo

It seems as though everyone in the world is on Twitter now. Sadly, not all of them know how to utilize this fabulous tool to maximize their outreach. The reach you can have by using social media can be staggering. However, you have to know how to use the service correctly to get your message across in a way that people will want to read.

I am by no means an expert on anything. Over the years, though, I’ve learned what works through trial and error – and what doesn’t! I’ve made some amazing connections online, and I’ve soaked up every bit of information that I could from them. After receiving a lot of questions and emails from many of you who are struggling to “master” Twitter, I decided to put together an eBook full of Twitter tips and tricks to help you get started.

To help keep you in the tweet spirit, the eBook contains 140 tips, all written in 140 characters or less. Best of all… it only will cost you $1.40! So why should you shell out a buck and a half of your hard-earned money for yet another eBook? I’ve come up with several reasons, actually!

If you’re new to Twitter, or still unsure how to use it effectively, this eBook will guide you in all of the right directions. Navigating your way through the maze that is Twitter can be daunting. Who should you follow? How do you get followers? What should you say? How do you say it?!

Twitter is a great tool for getting out information about your organization. However, doing so properly is crucial to people taking notice. When you have a startup that you’ve poured your heart, soul and money into, you may not have much of a marketing budget left at the end of the day. Why not make use of social media to get that word spreading like wildfire?

Your customers are on Twitter, and they’re talking about you. Do you know how to best take advantage of that? I have one word for you here: ComcastCares. Frank and his team are listening, and they’re using what you are saying on Twitter to help make your experience better. Isn’t that the kind of service you want to provide?

Are you launching a new product or service? What are people going to think about it? Use Twitter to effectively gauge consumer reaction, and to promote what you have to sell.

If you have something important to tell the World, using Twitter can be one of your best friends. Just take a look at what people such as Drew Olanoff and Mark Horvath have done. Our guide can help you communicate with the rest of the World effectively via Twitter.

Do you not have as many followers as you would like? Let our tips help you to become someone that everyone will want to follow! Your name doesn’t have to be Ashton Kutcher in order to get a zillion followers, honestly!

Are you shy? Using social media services such as Twitter can help you to break out of your shell, 140 characters at a time. The tips we’ve gathered together in this eBook can help you get started, and will provide you with a lot of insight as to how it all works.

When looking for a career change, networking with others is the name of the game. Even if you’re happy in your current position, it doesn’t hurt to learn how to network to your possible future benefit on Twitter.

Posting about your breakfast or your trip to the restroom doesn’t make for interesting reading… so what DOES? Do you even have a clue as to what people want to read? Think for a moment about what you enjoy learning from others on Twitter. Now take a look at your own tweet stream – and our tips – and figure out if you’re saying something worthwhile.

Everyone who is ANYONE is on Twitter, including me! Isn’t that reason enough for you to be there, as well?

Many of the tips in this eBook were submitted by people just like you, from right here in our community. I’ve given credit where credit is due in the guide, and would like to thank them again here. If you have ideas for tips or tricks we forgot to include, go ahead and email them to me! They may just be included in a future revision. Be sure to give me your Twitter account along with your submission, so that I can credit what you write back to you.

Gaming Addiction Vs Gaming Obsession – Where do You Draw the Line?

Chris — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:03:45 +0000

Gaming Addiction Vs Gaming Obsession – Where do You Draw the Line? is a post from Chris Pirillo

Last night, I published a post discussing the unfortunate death of an infant, due to its parents’ inability – or desire – to properly care for it. The reason? They were busy feeding their video game addiction. This isn’t the first case like this that I’ve come across online, and I’m afraid it won’t be the last.

During a discussion via Google Buzz about this article, Peter had some excellent insight regarding addiction to things like games vs. an obsession.

For one thing, people throw the word “addiction” around like they know what it means. If gaming kills someone, then it’s likely safe so say that they had an addiction. For the most part, however, when people are obsessed with games, they aren’t necessarily addicted. Addiction isn’t mere obsession. Addiction isn’t the mere compulsion to participate in something.
When ANYTHING reaches the level of “addiction”… then, yes, it has the capability of killing someone. Asking the question is like asking, “If someone is so obsessed with gaming that they stop eating, can it kill them?” The correct answer is, “Yes, if someone stops eating, it can eventually kill them.” It has nothing to do with the “gaming”… it has everything to do with the “not eating”. When something becomes so compulsive that you stop eating, then it is safe to say that it is an addiction.
An addiction, for the most part, is when something negatively affects your life and even when you actively weigh the pros and cons and recognize that the cons outweigh the pros and you decide you would rather no longer participate in the activity, that you find you are unable to stop and know that you need help.
Most hard-core gamers are not reaching out for help. They weigh the pros and cons and the pros win. They enjoy playing. Very few gamers would truly make the decision to continue playing if they knew, for instance, that they were seconds away from death. When someone who isn’t necessarily addicted to gaming (but is obsessed by it) ends up dying or ending up extremely ill, the problem isn’t necessarily an “addiction”… it’s a lack of responsibility.
An irresponsible person can die while doing any kind of activity. It’s the irresponsibility that kills, not the distraction. If you WANT to stop gaming, however, but find that you simply cannot pull away… THAT’S an addiction, and you should seek help.

Very sage advice in that last sentence. If you cannot pull yourself away from your game(s) to attend to your “real” life, it’s time to get some kind of help. Ask a friend, parent, teacher, pastor or any other trusted person in your life to help you, and get you pointed in the right direction.

What are your thoughts on this matter? There’s no debate that the couple in the original article had some type of problem. Let’s discuss the differences between addictions and obsessions, as well as how a person (especially teens) can tell that they may, indeed, have a problem.

What are the Best Computers of 2010?

Chris — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:55:38 +0000

What are the Best Computers of 2010? is a post from Chris Pirillo

Yahoo! has posted its list of the hottest desktop and laptop computers of 2010. Reading through the list, I had to shake my head in complete amazement. I agree with much of it, But a few of these items seem to have come from out of left field! I can’t help but wonder who in the heck made this list up, exactly, and what their computer qualifications are!

Check out the list for yourself, and leave me a comment with YOUR list of hottest computers for this year. Which brands have hit the nail right on the head, and which ones are falling a tad short?

What interesting things have you come across in your travels around the Internet today? Have you checked out what others in our community are up to?

Don’t forget to stop by our software center to see what great new freeware and shareware apps we have for you today!

Do You Remember Your First Tweetup?

Chris — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:44:03 +0000

Do You Remember Your First Tweetup? is a post from Chris Pirillo

I not only remember my first Tweetup, I remember them all! Each one I attend or host gives me an opportunity to meet new people, reconnect with old friends, and make some all-important business contacts. There is always a lot of fun to be had, a lot of networking to do, and more laughter involved than should be allowed by law. However, some people are not as fortunate as I am.

Take my Community Manager Kat, for example. The poor woman has never attended a Tweetup before. Can you believe that? I decided that this simply wasn’t acceptable. She’ll be in Seattle for a week in February, to attend her second Microsoft MVP Summit. So, I decided to throw together a little Tweetup in her honor that Friday, February 19th! If you’re in the Seattle area, we’d love for you to join us.

Have you ever attended a Tweetup – or perhaps a Facemeet? What memories and connections do you still carry with you? What advice might you have for our Kat, as she embarks on her first-ever Twitter meetup? Let’s rally together as a community, and show her the time of her life.

Don’t forget to check in at our software center to see what new deals we have for you today on the hottest software and apps available.

Help Desk

Chris — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:25:27 +0000

Help Desk is a post from Chris Pirillo

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

In 1992, I got online, and I was addicted from the word GO! In 1996, I started Lockergnome, even though at that time it was simply a newsletter that I sent out every day. Then, in 2001 I started hosting the show Call for Help on the old TechTV network! I loved hosting that show, because I loved the live help I was able to give to people. I’ve continued that spirit through our live videos and chat. This Wednesday, I’ll be working with Microsoft. You can be part of a new beta program, called Help Desk!

On Wednesday, January 27th at 2:00PM Pacific time, you should point your web browsers to the new Help Desk. The goal for this show is to help people, hence the title.

Channel 9 traditionally has been focused on hard-core Geeks, such as people whose careers depend on the products and services that Microsoft has to offer. However, most of you who may have problems you need help with aren’t hard-core Geeks. You’re just an every-day computer user, right? Most people who own computers fall into that category, and that’s who we – the people hosting this show – want to help!

We’re hoping to be able to do this every week, live on the Internet. If you have questions, we might be able to provide answers. It will be a completely interactive show, so be sure you tune in.

If you want to submit a question or problem, make sure you are following CH 9 on Twitter. That is where you’ll find the email to submit your questions that will be given to us. We’ll take questions on anything to do with Windows, Microsoft products, and Windows computers in general.

With any luck, we’ll be able to resurrect the spirit that some of us carried with us when we left Call for Help. We need your help to make this a success, though. Whether you’re a Geek, not a Geek… or somewhere in between… we need you!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

How to Reach 100,000 YouTube Subscribers

Chris — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:01:21 +0000

How to Reach 100,000 YouTube Subscribers is a post from Chris Pirillo

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

100,050 is a pretty big number! That’s how many subscribers we now have on our YouTube channel! Thank you for following what we’re doing!

I’m coming up on my four-year YouTube anniversary. I’ve been publishing tech-related information online since 1996. I’ve posted more than 2500 videos to YouTube, and been fortunate to rack up millions of views.

Based on the emails and feedback I receive, I know I have influenced many of you, and that humbles me. I got where I am today because of all of you. I literally raised a glass to all of you to toast our continued success together. The community as a whole is what makes me want to push myself to do more, and to continue producing content.

I have been told I’ll be heading to Hell if I don’t reach a million subscribers soon, but you won’t be heading there if you subscribe to me! Only good things will happen if you join our community!

Thanks everyone. Thanks for helping me do what I love to do.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code:

Rent Movies from YouTube

Chris — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:10:42 +0000

Rent Movies from YouTube is a post from Chris Pirillo

You read the title correctly, yes. Beginning Friday, you can rent movies on YouTube. The Google-owned YouTube has partnered with the Sundance Film Festival to offer five independent movies for rental. In addition, Google is looking for other independent artists and companies to work with in order to bring you even more titles in upcoming weeks.

YouTube is also inviting a number of its partners to participate in the new rental service, allowing those it selects to keep their rights, decide where they want their content to be available, the price of their video and the rental duration. One day, YouTube will offer even more services where movies are concerned, even going so far as to bring movies to platforms other than the website, including Apple TV, Boxee, Wii and PS3.

Is this something that will potentially interest you? Would you pay a flat rate (or perhaps subscription fee?) to rent movies on YouTube? What types of films are you hoping to see there in the future?

Don’t forget to stop by our software center to see what deals we have for you today! We showcase everything from Windows and Mac software to the hottest must-haves for your mobile devices!

Do You Google the News?

Chris — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:08:42 +0000

Do You Google the News? is a post from Chris Pirillo

A report released today says that about 44% of Google users simply skim through news headlines, and never click through to read the full stories. The report goes on to predict the continuing decline of print news in favor of being able to get it online. This doesn’t come as much surprise to me – or anyone else, really.

However, I don’t agree that that many people never bother to click through. Sure, I scan headlines, much like the rest of you. However, if something catches my eye then I cannot stop with just a few sentences in a Google search. I have to click through and read the rest of the article. I have a feeling most of you are the same way. The article states that 2,787 US news consumers were polled. That’s fine… but who did they poll? How do we know that very tiny number of the population truly represents us all? I don’t agree that they possibly could.

What are your thoughts? Do you turn to the Internet for your news? Do you scan and go, or click and read? What other sites do you enjoy reading articles on, to find out what’s happening in the World around you?

Don’t forget to check out our software download center to see what great deals on software we have for you today!

Windows 7 Gadgets

Chris — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:21:37 +0000

Windows 7 Gadgets is a post from Chris Pirillo

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

We are typically talking tech in our community, and that goes for our sister community, as well! PC PitStop has been kind enough to work with us on a number of occasions. So, when they asked me to answer some tech questions from their community, I was only to happy to help! This particular question comes in from Carlos. He wonders if Windows 7 has a sidebar like the one found in Windows Vista.

The answer, in short, is yes – sort of. You can certainly load gadgets in Windows 7. They are no longer on the side of the screen as they were on Vista. You can take them and load them anywhere on your desktop. If you have two screens on your computer, you can run more gadgets.

Keep in mind that each gadget is a separate program, and will be running in memory. Open up your search command in Windows 7. Search for gadgets, and the Desktop Gadget Gallery will show up. There are tons of them available that you can grab to add to your gallery, including one to help you watch my stream.

The complete answer is yes and no on Carlos’ question. You can use the same gadgets you’ve come to love. However, there’s no actual sidebar where they have to be kept. Put them wherever you want and enjoy them on your terms.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

Gadgets and Goodies Abound at CES 2010

Chris — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:54:20 +0000

Gadgets and Goodies Abound at CES 2010 is a post from Chris Pirillo

Traci Toguchi is on-scene at CES 2010, capturing moments for us to use in our community. If you’ve never been to CES, it can be very overwhelming. There are a lot of product launches, press releases and announcements coming at you from every direction. There are parties and after-parties. There are demonstrations, keynotes and sessions to attend. It’s nearly impossible to know if you’re missing something.

Traci is doing a fantastic job for us so far, despite this being her first time at CES. She was able to interview the CTO of Light Blue Optics to talk about their hot new product, the Light Touch. Everywhere you look online, you’re going to find even more news from the conference. There are videos galore to sift through, as well as news items to read.

If you’re following the action, what do you feel is the most important announcement thus far? What gadgets are you most excited about? I’m interested in comparing everyone’s answers to my own thoughts.

Don’t forget to stop by our downloads center to check out today’s new Windows software, and Gaming Apps!

Use Wayback Machine to Go Back in Internet Time

Chris — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:27:52 +0000

Use Wayback Machine to Go Back in Internet Time is a post from Chris Pirillo

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Have you ever wondered how websites used to look back in the day? Wayback Machine lets you find out easily. Oday has done this screencast for us to show all of you some of the many fun things you can do with Wayback Machine.

If you head over to the Wayback Machine, you simply need to enter the name of any website, and select from the archived dates available. It won’t give you all of the pictures and text of the old website, but you’ll get an idea of how it looked in the past. You can look through more than 150 billion web pages, archiving of which began in 1996.

On the parent site, Archive.org, there are many more interesting things to do. Browse books, music and even art. You’ll even find more than 60,000 books from the Library of Congress! This is a great place for teachers and students alike to research any number of topics. Unlike Wikipedia, the information found at Archive is reliable at all times.

Thanks, Oday, for an excellent look at a fun website!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

How to Handle Remote Tech Support

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:30:00 GMT

Using GoToAssist is the easiest way to view and control another person's computer online. Use it to provide instant technical support to family, friends and customers. Start a session with just one click, and instantly connect with the other party.

Network Tools for Windows

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

You need these network tools, no matter which operating systems and networks you have to support. SolarWinds ipMonitor: Affordable Network Monitoring for SMBs. Get turnkey network, server and application availability monitoring with SolarWinds ipMonitor v9.0. This easy-to-use, reliable solution for SMBs delivers out-of-the-box availability monitoring so you always know exactly what's up with Active Directory, DNS, Exchange, FTP, Web, IMAP, MS SQL Server, and SMTP. Download your free trial today. Or, try their totally free tools! And, through 2/29, save 20% when you purchase ipMonitor 9.0.

Get Your Own Web Site

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

Starting at just $3.99/month, web hosting from GoDaddy includes 99.9% uptime, 24/7 support and free access to GoDaddy Hosting Connection, THE place to install over 30 FREE applications sure to help you get the most from your hosting plan and Web site. Enter code CP2 at checkout, and save an additional 10% on any order.

Plus, as a friend of Chris Pirillo, enter code CHRIS7, that's C-H-R-I-S and the number 7, when you check out, and save an additional 10% on any order. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.

VMware and Parallels for Virtual Machines

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

It doesn't matter if you're running on Windows or Mac OS X - every power user needs either Parallels or VMware (or both). There's never been an easier way to test software without destroying your primary operating system's stability. Think of how many times you wish you could press a 'reverse' button on your computer. Plus, there's no easier way to try new Linux distributions - see what all the fuss is about. Run Windows in OS X, run Linux in Windows, but the best way to do either is with VMware and/or Parallels.

Coupons for Online Shopping

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:56:13 GMT

This feed is fueled by Lockergnome Online Shopping and Coupon Codes

Before you shop next time, see if we have a coupon first.