Chris Pirillo » Picks

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Chris — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:31:49 +0000

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! is a post from Chris Pirillo

I think that this is the one day of the year where nearly everyone tries to claim they are at least “part” Irish. What better excuse is there to eat some awesome food, drink a lot of green beer, and have a great time on a weekday? I was watching my local news earlier, and they were showing clips from several different local pubs and restaurants. There sure are a lot of Irish people in Seattle! Who knew?

All I know is that I don’t really enjoy green beer. Something about it just kind of creeps me out. Seeing the Chicago River turned green every year is pretty cool though, I must admit! The parades are fun and lighthearted, and I do love a good Corned Beef sammich! I don’t like to be pinched if I’m not wearing green… but it IS quite fun to pinch someone else!

Did you partake in any fun activities today in honor of St. Patty’s Day? What did you do to celebrate?

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Twitter Announces the @Anywhere Platform

Chris — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:23:33 +0000

Twitter Announces the @Anywhere Platform is a post from Chris Pirillo

Even though many people walked out during the SXSW keynote today, delivered by Evan Williams, there was a very interesting announcement made. The new platform will allow publishers to integrate Twitter deeper into their site and recreate the “open, engaging interactions” their readers expect from using Twitter “without sending them to the Twitter website itself.”

Using the new platform, users can identify and follow Twitter users on third-party sites without ever leaving that site. Some of the ones that will soon use this new service include Yahoo, Bing and Digg. This lets publishers make sure their audience is aware of their Twitter feed. The user can also elect to follow a site’s feed without ever leaving the actual site. This lets you get more followers, and allows Twitter to bring more users to their site, as well. According to Ev, Twitter is launching the service because it wants to make it easier on everyone to use Twitter. Given their growth has recently slowed, it makes sense to try to bring the service to the attention of more users.

What are your thoughts? Do you believe this new platform is a big step in the right direction for Twitter?

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Can a Gaming Addiction Kill Someone?

Chris — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:40:36 +0000

Can a Gaming Addiction Kill Someone? is a post from Chris Pirillo

The answer, tragically, is yes. NextWeb reports that a couple in Korea has been arrested for allowing their premature infant baby starve to death while they were busy nurturing their online child in the game Prius Online.

The couple reportedly fed their baby only once a day between 12-hour stretches of play-time with with their game. The autopsy report of their baby showed the death was a result of a long period of malnutrition. “The couple seemed to have lost their will to live a normal life, because they didn’t have jobs and gave birth to a premature baby,” said South Korean police officer Chung Jin-won. “They indulged themselves in the online game of raising a virtual character so as to escape from reality, which led to the death of their real baby.”

This goes to show how very real and horrific that gaming addiction can be. It may not always lead to such dire consequences, but it can. Is even that slight risk really worth it? If you know someone who may addicted to video games – either machine-based or online – I urge you to get help for them. I pray to never read another story such as this. Do you know the difference between addiction and obsession?

What other things have you come across in YOUR reading today? Hopefully, you’ve taken the time to see what the people right here in our community have been up to.

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Don’t Put Your Phone in Your Pocket!

Chris — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:21:27 +0000

Don’t Put Your Phone in Your Pocket! is a post from Chris Pirillo

Our good friends over at CNET recently had the misfortune of having the screen on their gorgeous Nexus One review unit crack for no apparent reason. The phone was sent to the folks at HTC Support to be tested and looked at. The result was a flippant “We’re as mystified as you are”. The support personnel contend that there is no way the screen could crack in the manner it did while it wasn’t being handled. They were also quick to point out that the device isn’t meant to slip into someone’s pants pockets, as that would surely damage it.

How many of you throw your phone in your pocket or handbag? I am willing to bet about 90% of you have your hand up right now. Do these companies really expect we’re going to gently hold our phone in our hand at all times, babying it as though it were a living being? That is just absurd. We put it in our pocket! Women stuff them in their purses or bags or whatever the heck that contraption is that they carry at all times.

Is it just me, or should a phone be made well enough that it can stand up to being carried in my jeans pocket?! Who’s with me??

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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?

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What Type of Music Helps You be More Productive?

Chris — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:39:46 +0000

What Type of Music Helps You be More Productive? is a post from Chris Pirillo

I am like many of you out there… I cannot work unless there is music playing in the background. My assistant Kat is the same way. If she’s at her computer (which is always!), there is music playing. She swears she cannot concentrate unless she has music pumping through her speakers or headphones. It apparently makes her more productive than if she has silence or a different type of noise in her immediate area. Thinking about it, I guess I’m the same way. I do my best writing when there is music to fit my mood at that moment playing.

That’s the key for me… my mood. I don’t listen to any one particular style of music all the time. I like a pretty wide variety of stuff. Some call me “eclectic” in my tastes, and that’s fine with me. I like what I like… and I don’t expect you to listen to it if you don’t. However, I do encourage you to always broaden your musical horizons by listening to something completely different than your normal playlist every once in awhile. Pandora is great for that!

What type of music are you addicted to? Do you work better when you are rocking out, or do you need complete quiet in order to concentrate?

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Is it Time for Summer Yet?

Chris — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:51:21 +0000

Is it Time for Summer Yet? is a post from Chris Pirillo

The weather in Seattle has been amazingly beautiful for the past week. Kat couldn’t believe her luck when she visited for a week, and had nothing but sunshine and warm temps. I couldn’t help but grumble. I know this will mean we’re going to end up having an extremely hot summer this year. I am not a fan of extreme temperatures in either direction. The rain has finally returned to the Pacific NorthWest though. Kat only missed it by two days.

However, the same day she returned home from Seattle, she left with her family to drive to Boston. They have a family member in the hospital there who has been seriously ill. Instead of heading back home today, though, they had to drive further north to stay with her fiance’s parents for a few days. There’s currently a lovely blizzard nailing much of New York and Pennsylvania, making it impossible for her to drive home. With her away from home, our work flow has gotten all twisted up and turned around. If we’ve missed something we were supposed to get done for you, we both deeply apologize! We’re tag-teaming to get everything done as scheduled!

I know Kat isn’t the only person ready for winter to end. Personally, I prefer Spring or Fall. I know a lot of you out there are pining for Summer, though, waiting on the hot temps and gorgeous sunshine. Are you one of them?

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Lady Gaga Tops Vevo

Chris — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 05:19:46 +0000

Lady Gaga Tops Vevo is a post from Chris Pirillo

Startup video site Vevo was created by three of the largest record companies – Universal Music, Sony Music Entertainment, and EMI Music. Warner Music Group is in negotiations to join as well. They chose to start their site based on the huge following that music videos attract on YouTube. YouTube owner Google helped to create the site, believe it or not. In January, the site posted approximately 35 million unique visitors. That’s not too shabby for a site that only launched a few short months ago.

Lady Gaga has emerged over the past year as a music phenom. Whether or not you approve of how she dresses, you have to admit the woman can sing her face off. Her videos account for over a quarter of all views on Vevo! Additionally, if you click an official video of hers on YouTube, you’ll be redirected to Vevo to actually watch the content. That is the kind of partnership I like to see happening.

Vevo may not yet be profitable, but I have no doubt that it won’t take long. They are seeing billions of page views according to the website. Reactions to the site around our community have been very positive from what I’ve seen, and I admit to using it quite often myself! What are your thoughts on Vevo? Have you used the site yet? If you haven’t checked it out yet, I think you’re silly for waiting!

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App Store Gets a PG-13 Rating!

Chris — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 01:22:24 +0000

App Store Gets a PG-13 Rating! is a post from Chris Pirillo

Apple has decided to make some serious changes to the types of Apps that it will allow for sale on the App Store. The company pulled several apps in the past week that it deemed to be of a sexual nature, or not fit for audiences of a younger generation. There was no warning given to the app developers. The apps simply disappeared, and the creators received an email after the fact.

Several people, of course, are not very happy with this decision. Some of these apps have been for sale for several months. And (as one would guess) many in the community are yelling the censorship word loudly.

I can see both sides of this coin, and I’m torn as to what the right thing to do is. I understand Apple’s point of view… as well as that of the people who are now mightily ticked off. What about you? What do you think?

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Is the School Spying on Your Child?

Chris — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 23:14:34 +0000

Is the School Spying on Your Child? is a post from Chris Pirillo

According to a new lawsuit filed recently, the Lower Merion School District issued laptops to students, and then used the built-in webcams to spy on them. The school allegedly spied on the kids not only during school hours, but also at home… invading families’ privacy.

The parent who filed the suit allegedly disciplined his child in an “inappropriate” manner. The school then reported the incident to authorities by using a photograph taken with the webcam. The suit is a class action, brought on behalf of all students issued with these machines.

If it is true that the school could turn on the cams from a remote location and were using them to spy on the students… the world has sunken to a new low. This is just creepy, and wrong. I think if a school ever issues a laptop to my child, I’ll be covering up the webcam with some black duct tape!

What are your thoughts? Do you feel that the school district has the right to “spy” on a student if using a school-issued laptop? Or, is that a serious invasion of privacy? (I’m leaning toward the privacy issues, of course.)

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What Tech Do You Want?

Chris — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:03:31 +0000

What Tech Do You Want? is a post from Chris Pirillo

Earlier, I posted a video asking which format you prefer our YouTube videos to be recorded in. Going a step further, I can’t help but wonder what it is that will make the community one big happy bundle of joy. What do you want to see? What directions do envision our community taking?

For instance, if I post an article or video related to Apple, the Windows fans go ballistic. Likewise, whenever I posted something Windows-related, the Mac fanboys blow a gasket. It’s like there’s no happy medium these days. I cannot possibly make everyone happy all at once. I’m not even going to try!

However, I DO strongly believe that what we’re doing is about the community, not just “for” the community. So… I want to know what YOU think. What do you want to see more of in the coming months? What things can you live without? Leave a follow-up comment here, or drop me an email with your thoughts.

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Google Buzz Abandons Auto-Follow

Chris — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 08:53:41 +0000

Google Buzz Abandons Auto-Follow is a post from Chris Pirillo

Due to the public outcry against Google’s lack of concern for our privacy with the introduction of Buzz, the company has wisely chosen to nix the auto-follow feature. This comes as excellent news to most people. However, for some, the damage has already been done. The following system is now being switched to a “suggestion model”. Google will present you with a list of friends they think you’d like to follow. You get the chance to deselect them before you start using the service.

When Buzz launched four days ago, one of its selling points was that it took no work on the user’s part to get started, because Buzz would automatically follow the people you interact with most on Gmail. Their first response to the situation was to makes it easier to hide which users you are following. However, that wasn’t enough to quell the tempers of most people. Therefore, Google rolled out this newest change today.

Two other changes makes sense to me, as well. Buzz is also going to stop automatically connecting Google Reader and Picasa albums to your account. However, those options will still be available. Additionally, you can now – FINALLY – adjust your Buzz settings right from within your Gmail Settings page.

The changes today bode well for the future of Buzz, in my opinion. What do you think?

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2010 Winter Olympics Opening Clouded By Athlete Death

Chris — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:31:50 +0000

2010 Winter Olympics Opening Clouded By Athlete Death is a post from Chris Pirillo

The 2010 Winter Olympics is now officially off and running, albeit under a cloud of sadness. While the opening ceremony was indeed a spectacular event, it was also touching to see the support for fallen Georgian athlete, luger Nodar Kumaritashvili. The remaining members of the Georgia delegation waved a flag with a black ribbon attached to the top, as well as wearing black armbands. Athletes from other countries were seen with the armbands in a show of fellowship and support, as well.

Kumaritashvili was killed during a practice run earlier today when he flew off the luge sled and out of the track into a steel beam. At one point during the day, Georgian officials were pondering pulling the remaining team members out of the Olympics. However, they have thankfully decided (as of now) to compete. These people have trained for years, some their entire lives, for this moment. While their hearts are heavy, it would be a shame for them to not have the opportunity to reach their ultimate goal.

Despite the pall cast over the night, the festivities were beautiful, and the crowd of thousands roared their approval throughout the event. Whether or not you’re a sports fan, the Olympics hold special appeal for many. I certainly hope you’ll be watching, and cheering on your home teams!

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Edit Photos Online for Free

Chris — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 05:27:23 +0000

Edit Photos Online for Free is a post from Chris Pirillo

Aviary has long been one of the best online photo editing services. Up until now, people were required to pay about $25.00 a year in order to take advantage of everything the site offers. However, thanks to recent funding increases from outside sources, the service is now 100% free! Existing paying customers will no longer be billed, and those that signed up in the last 30 days will get a full refund.

Aviary is quite powerful, yet simple to use. It allows you to do so much more than apply simple edits to your pictures. There are vector editor, color editor, and even image markup tools available. You can use Aviary to create logos and websites, or try out your own color palette! There is no limit to what you can do with this excellent image site, other than your own imagination. Aviary has been compared with Adobe’s free online version of Photoshop. However, you are limited to only 2 GB of usage with Adobe. Why limit yourself in any way? You no longer have to with Aviary!

Go ahead and try it out, and let us know what your thoughts are. I’ve been playing around with some of my pictures, and I’m pretty impressed with the results. I’m thankful that someone in our community posted the news about this earlier. We have such a talented group of people on all of our sites! What have you been posting – and reading – today?

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Twitter Search Made Better

Chris — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:48:40 +0000

Twitter Search Made Better is a post from Chris Pirillo

If you’ve ever had to search for something on Twitter, you know how difficult and frustrating it can be. First, the site only lets you search back through a couple weeks of tweets. Worse than that is the fact that you cannot narrow down whose tweets you will see in your results. This often means that you’ll be inundated with spam and other junk you weren’t looking for in the first place. Thankfully, Topsy seems to be getting it right.

Topsy is a simple search engine, powered only by tweets. Topsy doesn’t think the Internet is a collection of documents. They see that people are connected in a web of relationships. When you search for something on Topsy it finds snippets of conversations that match what you’re looking for. They ranks results based on how well they match your search terms, and the influence of the people talking about them.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, you probably should head on over there now. Topsy results are fresh, because they’re based on what you’re talking about right now. However, they can also find out what you were talking about months ago, which is something Twitter itself hasn’t figured out how to do yet.

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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

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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.