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Stop Email Forwards and Video Emails

Friday, May 16th, 2008
at 7:06pm

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I received the following email the other day from Doug:

I’m still surprised at times when I get an e-mail forwarded to me that claims something is true without anyone having checked the validity of the contents. I recently got an e-mail regarding a Dr Dobson petition, and there were almost 3000 names on it already when it came to me. To me it should be common practice to people to do a quick & simple internet search to find out more information before blindly forwarding stuff to everyone on your contacts list. Even if the e-mail already has a link attempting to validate the information, I’m going to want more than one source reporting the same thing. One person forwarding an e-mail with 0-1 sources does not validate the contents.

I will usually copy/paste some main part of the text into Google and I’ll typically quickly find several resources that discuss the origin and validity of the information in the e-mail. Then I will reply to all on the e-mail I got and post a few of those links letting them know where to find more information and encouraging them to do likewise in the future when they get e-mails like this and are tempted to forward them to people. I would like to think that the audience that watch your videos are internet savvy enough to already know this but even if they are, perhaps they would encourage their circle of contacts (friends, relatives, community, etc) to squash useless e-mail chains instead of fueling them. What the world needs now is more useful information and less useless information to fill up our in-boxes, bog down the mail servers, and waste our time reading the garbage.

So I wanted to see how you felt about doing a video to your audience on this topic.

One of the first things you should do when receiving an email claiming “You’ll save this little girl’s life by forwarding this!”, or “Send me to ten friends right now!”… is to check with Snopes. The Snopes website is a huge ‘database’ full of urban legends and truths. I’ll bet 99% of the time that the email chains you receive are useless junk.
As Doug stated in his email, you can also paste a small part of the text of the email into Google, and research it. Don’t blindly forward an email like these. Know what it is you’re sending out. Know whether it’s even legitimate or not.
Also, stop sending emails to people with videos embedded in them. It’s horrible to do! There are SO many places online you can host the video for free. Then, just send out the link to the video. It’s smaller, and faster to send a simple link to someone. It’s just not cool to send entire videos in an email.

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Flip Video Camcorder Tip: Get One

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008
at 10:54pm

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If you buy only one new tech gadget this year, you really should look at getting a Flip Video camera. This thing is literally plug-and-play. It doesn’t matter if you have a PC or a Mac. If you have a USB port, you can use this camcorder. Simply point the camera at what you want to video, push the button, and voila! It records. It truly is that simple.

The one that I bought holds about 60 minutes’ worth of video. I actually bought two of these, one for me and one for my Dad. I wanted to see if it really is as simple to use as it claims to be. Within ten minutes, my Dad had opened it, set it up and recorded his first video. That just goes to prove the ease of use for this little device. Just shoot, plug it in, and share your work.

Even for a Techie, this is a great little device. The upload to YouTube feature is very simple, but the audio compression is not great, in my opinion. Keep in mind, when you plug in the camera, the computer will recognize it as a USB device. You can simply browse on your system to find the device, and locate your video files. You don’t have to use the software that comes with it, nor upload directly to YouTube. You can take your .avi files and do what it is you need to do with them.

This little camcorder definitely gets the job done. The price is unbeatable for what you’re getting. There simply isn’t a comparable device on the market right now, when you consider price, ease-of-use, and quality.

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Wits and Wagers Trivia Game for the Xbox 360

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008
at 10:44pm

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My neighbor just happens to be Jeff, who is the CEO of Hidden Path Entertainment game company in Seattle. They just recently launched a new game into the Xbox Live community called Wits and Wagers. This is a trivia-based game, based on a board game that was created around 2001.

Wits & Wagers is the fun trivia party game where you don’t need the right answers to win! For each question, bet on the answer you think is closest to the truth, whether or not that answer is your own.

With up to 25 hours of unique questions, local and online play, plus the ability to link one group of local users to another group via “couch-to-couch” multi player, Wits & Wagers is a party waiting to happen.

Get 700 questions, great character costumes and dance moves, catchy music, achievements, leader boards, support for the Xbox LIVE Vision camera, the Xbox Big Button Pad, and more.

Features of Wits and Wagers include:

  • Engaging social play: Wits & Wagers is easy to play and yet strategically deep for advanced players. Some win with their knowledge of trivia, others with what they know about their friends.
  • Fun questions: The first question pack of 700 questions is included, providing hours of game play. Games consist of seven questions for a quick and casual round of fun.
  • Connecting couches: The game supports one to four players at one console, or two to six players online. Invite your friends over to your house, or invite your friends online.
  • Peripheral support: Wits & Wagers supports both the Xbox LIVE Vision Camera and the Big Button Pad controller.

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What Port is This?!

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008
at 8:51am

It’s a bit creepy, but if you think about it - some kind of network port to download / upload information would be quite practical. The brain is a computer of sorts, driven by electricity - stacked with organic memory modules. Imagine being able to do some kind of "offbody" data dump at the push of a node; we could essentially backup the information in our brain… even if we couldn’t reassemble the output intelligently yet. We backup our personal computers, so why not our persons?

I might not put a network jack in the middle of my forehead, but my belly button has been doing nothing since birth (to my knowledge). Of course, a more direct pathway would be through the ear. Some people might beg for wireless, but I wouldn’t want to risk any dropped packets. Is this a Category "4 head" as Mark Ramsey suggests, or is it a "You Don’t Know" jack as first suggested by skidvis? bimmerbuff might call it a "Neuraethernet," and iHedron would name it… the Egonet.

I’d likely also get a port installed in my wife’s body, purchase a crossover cable, and solve our communication issues once and for all.

What would you call this port?

Apple iBook G4 Deal

Friday, May 9th, 2008
at 9:06am

Okay it’s not a MacBook Pro, but B&H Photo has a pretty sweet deal on the 14-inch iBook G4 - $699.95 + Free Shipping. Too bad this deal didn’t come out a few days earlier. This would have made a killer Mother’s Day present… ;-)

B&H Photo - 14-inch Apple iBook G4 1.42 GHz Notebook w/ 60GB HD, 512MB RAM, ATI Mobility Radeon 9550 display card, SuperDrive, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, Airport Extreme, Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard & 8x DVD burner only $699.95 + Free Shipping (Posted on 5/9/08 and Expires on 5/14/08)

How and Where do you Save Files?

Wednesday, May 7th, 2008
at 10:36pm

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Where do you save your files? Do you have any particular folder on your computer? Or… are you one of those people who forgets to save their work? The bottom line is, I want to know how and where you save files. I have a top five here from Nick, to give you some tips on where and how to save your files.

Tip 1 Always finish a file you save with 001 at the end of the file name. Then, when you make any changes, save the next version as

002, and so on. This way, you create a revisioning system in case anything ever happens and you need to revert.

Tip 2 Always save your file in the right folder, especially if you’re working on a specific project. Save all work related to this in one particular folder, and even use SubFolders. You can also use a desktop search tool, such as Copernic Desktop Search.

Tip 3 No matter what you’re doing, save often. For faster saving, use CTRL + S to save your files.

Tip 4 Back up important files. Copy them onto an external hard drive, flash drive, or an external website.

Tip 5 Always save to the correct file type. For example, with a simple Photoshop file, save it as a .jpg or .png. Keep in mind what you’ll be using the file for in the future when you choose your file extension.

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How do You Deal with Information Overload?

Tuesday, May 6th, 2008
at 12:11am

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The problem today isn’t that there’s not enough information. There’s too much. It’s not there aren’t ways to publish content on the Internet - there are an abundance. A lot of noise comes with that signal. So we’ve got different problems than we used to have. Information used to be handed to us from “on high”, as recently as a decade ago. Nowadays, information is just literally everywhere. It’s overwhelming at times. It’s impossible for me to keep up with the news aggregator, the email, the social networks…

Where does it end? How do you keep up with this information overload? It’s gotten to the point where I’ve had to start actually closing my system down. I love information. I’m an information junkie! I love teaching, learning, consuming, producing… I love it all. Imagine billions of people like me, though. How do we deal with all of it? I received an email recently about this very subject:

As it relates to hardware, Moore’s law does a good job of explaining the limitation of transistors in relation to the exponential growth of such systems. Is there an equivalent to Moore’s law for searching and assembling all of the information that is found online? What are we to do when the content becomes so overwhelming that we may have to design better tools just for managing and viewing information?

Are we relying too much on the machine to figure out what’s good and what’s bad? I think we are, and that’s where information overload is getting to be overwhelming. A few years ago, I was able to deal with it much easier. I think that’s because the tools just weren’t as good at putting the information together for us. It gets bigger and bigger.. and worse and worse… every day.

I believe the future of information overload is to go back to classic mode: humans and machines. The Internet is the connection between us. If I have a question about something, I’ll turn to someone I know, and who will have the correct information. What’s the answer to all of this information overload then?

I’m interested in hearing your opinions on this. Leave me a follow-up comment here, or send me an email to chris@pirillo.com

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What’s the Best OS for Data Storage and Stability?

Saturday, May 3rd, 2008
at 5:05pm

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I received the following email the other day from a chat regular who goes by the handle of Woomis:

Yesterday, I was consulting a client about OS choices. If storage failure rate was 0%… What OS would you trust to store your most important documents, photos, keepsakes and otherwise? Diving even further into that thought, you realize that you must understand there are other factors involved that whether one is better than the other and why. But truly, I ask you the same question: Although you’ve switched to Mac for the time being, what OS and its myriad of features would you trust to store and use your most precious of data? I see these kids in your IRC chat talking about how “cool” Linux is. I agree: if I had to choose between a Server2003 or FC8 Dedicated serve… it would be Linux for sure. These kids are dazzled by Compiz Fusion and their lowered expectations of XP, but seriously there is the cool factor and the usability factor. For you is OS X just a fad? I doubt it, but please as in the words as some of your newest chatters, Linux Rulez! Why don’t you use it? I say OS X is the most stable: for it’s journaled file system, kernel, support and life expectancy. That’s what I use, that’s what I feel comfortable storing my data on and keeping it safe and operational.

If you ask me what the best operating system is, I will most likely not answer you. I cannot possibly tell you what the best operating system would be. There are a lot of factors that come into play. You will likely have a different answer a year from now that what you will have now, as to what the best operating system is for you. This is due to changes in software and hardware, and how they work together in your current system of choice.

I personally use OS X and Windows both on a daily basis, and I do have a Linux machine, as well. Most people want one thing, and they want the best thing. Take a look at the total cost of ownership. Look at everything that will happen once you have purchased your system. Now, look at the entire experience. Don’t only look at your computer as a piece of hardware. It’s also a piece of software inside a piece of hardware, which is run through various services. A wide variety of things work together to create your computing experience. You have to look for as much of 100% as you can get, in terms of things you want from your computer.

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HP’s Color LaserJet CM1312

Saturday, May 3rd, 2008
at 4:51pm

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You guys know about my two dogs, Wicket and Pixie. I took some pictures of them recently, and printed one in about a minute flat on the new printer sitting in my office. The quality was as good as the quality of the photo itself. The big deal would be that it was printed on a color jet printer. To be exact, I used the new Color LaserJet CM1312 from HP. I’m really excited about this machine, actually. HP sent this to me to review, and I don’t think I want to send it back.

I’ve been using HP Laser Jet printers for years, going way back to the days before USB. Over the years, features and functions have grown. I’ve always been sold on the concept of an all-in-one device. Thus, I jumped at the opportunity to review this machine… and it’s been a great experience. This is the first color laser jet printer that I’ve had in my home office. To tell you the truth, I can see it no other way at this point.

This thing is as Uber as these types of peripherals get. It can fax, it can scan, copy and print. It doesn’t just print in black.. it prints in perfect color. I can’t get over how fast it printed these pictures. It’s just insane. I printed high-quality photos in LESS THAN A MINUTE!! Featuring newly formulated HP ColorSphere toner, the HP Color LaserJet CM1312 MFP produces print-shop quality documents with a wider range of colors, higher gloss and improved photo resolutions to help micro and small businesses who need to take their business documents to the next level.

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The Future of Software is Open Source

Saturday, May 3rd, 2008
at 4:35pm

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You are an absolute fool to believe that the future of software is anything but open. Are we there now? Obviously not… but in good time, proprietary software will become a thing of the past. That’s a pretty bold statement, yes. But, watch the trends. Watch what’s happening now. Watch what’s been happening. Some of the more powerful efforts to be spearheaded by like-minded individuals have happened because of the open ethos.

Do you care much whether software is open-source or proprietary? Sometimes it may boil down to a matter of cost for you. Keep in mind that just because something is free, doesn’t mean it’s ‘open’. There’s a huge reason why open is better than just free. If I create a proprietary (closed) piece of software, and refuse to share the code with others, that goes away when I die. When you share code because it’s an open collaboration, there is always room for someone to step in and take over. If one developer knows of a way to make a piece of the software work better, they can add to it when it’s open-source. An open-source program can be enhanced upon until the end of time, basically.

The more you tie yourself into a proprietary system, the more difficult it becomes to remove yourself from it, because of the momentum inside. Closed systems are scary, at least to me. Think about it. Who’s able to check and re-check the software that is running in the world? Yes, you can trust one firm or another. But, what if the software is dealing with extremely sensitive data? Wouldn’t you rather see the community as a whole… those of us who care the most about software… are the ones able to check that the software works the best way it can, instead of some corporation?

I bet you have open-source software on your computer right now, and you may not even know it. Do you run the FireFox browser? There you have open-source. With a proprietary software, once a company decides they no longer want to make it, it’s dead. They don’t care if you still like using it, they will just stop making it.

There are alternatives to traditional ways of thinking… even when it comes to software. So many people still believe that the only good software available is that which is found on a shelf in a store. That is such a lie. The best software doesn’t come in a box! It’s just out there. Everything you do in one way, shape, or form is being influenced by open mechanisms. One day soon, as far as software is concerned, it will be open. Cut. Print. Period.

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Will iPhones Fly with Free WiFi?

Saturday, May 3rd, 2008
at 4:10pm

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AT&T has now made it so you can now get online with your iPhone anywhere there is a HotSpot of theirs… including airports! Finally! It used to be a pita to try to get a connection in an airport. Not anymore, thanks to AT&T… or is it true??

On April 30th, MacRumors announced that “AT&T hotspots are now offering free WiFi access to iPhone users. Barnes and Noble, Starbucks and presumably AT&T’s 71,000 other WiFi hotspot locations are now offering iPhone users a custom portal to access free Wi-Fi. A special iPhone formatted page asks for your mobile phone number. Once entered, you can access the WiFi access for free.”

However, as of the date this video was uploaded, things have changed. Apparently, the WiFi was temporarily suspended. “No official announcement had been made, however, and AT&T representatives reportedly declined to comment. Today, many users are reporting that the free iPhone access has been removed and users are unable to log-in with just their phone number. This appears to be true at locations that were verified to offer the free WiFi access just days before.”

Hopefully, we’ll be able to re-announce this excellent service in the very near future.

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Can Temporary Email Addresses Stop Spam?

Thursday, May 1st, 2008
at 11:36pm

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I’ve used my chris@pirillo.com email for many years now. The reason I share that address so openly is that I’m just not afraid of it. Some of you are quite afraid of sharing your email address, with good reason. You never know where that address will end up, or what mailing lists it could get sold to.

There are various ways you can stop junk email from hitting your Inbox, or filtering it out once it does hit. My plan right now is an Exchange account, in combination with server-side software. I also have local spam filtering, as well. There’s very little that actually makes it into my Inbox folder. What’s your solution to keeping Spam from entering your world?

I had something happen to me today that I’ve heard has happened to others. Coldplay is one of my favorite bands, and they released a new single. In order to get that single and download it, you had to supply an email address. I thought about it. I didn’t want to receive indefinite information from this company. I needed to find a temporary email address. It’s a lot of work to create a new alias, especially when there are many services out there that will allow you to create a temporary email address in order to access things just like this.

TemporaryInbox is really simple to use. You don’t even need to sign up, which is the whole idea. It will give you a random email address that you can use, and access for up to six hours. It’s a good thing to use if you’re not sure whether a site is going to keep your identity protected, or if you’re unsure as to whether you will end up using the site/service.

I don’t know if I see the Spam problem going away any time soon. There’s no authentication present in an email. Some people change their email address on a regular basis to keep it private and away from spammers. Meh, not me. My name is never going to change, therefore my email address will always work. Changing your email is not fun, when you have to update so many contacts, sites, etc.

Email is one of those things I cannot live without. I send email newsletters out on a near-daily basis. I also wrote the book on Email publishing. I spend more hours a day in my Inbox than anywhere else… including sleeping.

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Isn’t Mario Kart Wii Fun?

Thursday, May 1st, 2008
at 10:35pm

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I’ve been having a Wii bit of fun lately, playing Mario Kart on my Wii. It’s addictive. I picked it up after seeing a commercial where the player is using the little steering wheel. Even though it’s wireless, I’m using my strap. I don’t want it to go flying across the room! I totally don’t want it hitting my dog and giving him brain damage.

If you’ve ever played a racing game on a hand-held device or even a controller, you know that you tilt it whichever way you need your car to go. If the controller isn’t built like the Wiimote, it won’t do you any good. Finally, the hardware has caught up with our own deficiencies as humans!

Anyway… I decided to give this a shot to see if it was going to be as fun as I’ve been hearing. Indeed… it is a ton of fun, if you’re not losing. Normally I wouldn’t hold the controller as high as I am now, but I wanted you all to be able to see that my actions have equal reactions in the game. Interesting to note is that even though I lost the game, Nintendo has thought of pretty much everything. Not only can I move up and down the way you’d think I could… I can also press the right and left buttons to go up and down.

You don’t really have to move the Steering Wheel that far. You basically just tilt to maneuver. Of course, visually and audibly, it’s an amazing game. You do almost have a tendency to over-steer with this game. It’s interesting, too, that the character leans when you do. I’m a casual gamer, and I enjoy gaming occasionally. I’m having fun with this wireless Steering Wheel. The game and the controller get a huge “thumbs around” from me… which is far better than a thumbs up.

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What’s the Future of Portable Computing?

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
at 10:45pm

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I’m quite surprised with the number of reactions we received after the unboxing of the Asus Eee PC. I received an email from Gordon that was thought-provoking, and thought we should discuss what he has to say.

I just watched your ASUS EEE review on CNN. It costs 400$. Have you ever compared it to the iPod touch? You might be wondering how can they possibly be comparable. When in China, I found out an unintentional usage for my iPod Touch: it’s a mini computer. When I got homesick, I’d find a wifi hotspot, and surf the web with my iPod Touch. I’d also write email, and check on my MySpace to say hi to friends. Even at home, when I’m eating chips or drinking beer, I can lean back on my sofa and surf the Web, as opposed to walking to my computer. When I visit my friends’ houses, I don’t have to kick them out of their computer to use the internet. I just pop out my iPod Touch, and surf away without making anything inconvenient for my friends.

Now that I think about it, it’s not comparable to an iTouch… it’s comparable more to an iPhone, due to the hardware capacity. I think the future of portable computing is more geared towards things like the iPhone, more so than a device such as the Eee. For one reason, the iPhone fits in your pocket. The Eee has a full-on keyboard, and can run Windows.

What do you really need from a portable computer? You’ll surf the web, check your email, maybe create or edit some documents. Gosh… why can’t we just use the iPhone? It’s easier and smaller… much better portability.

With great timing, Julian also sent an email to me with his top five reasons for using an Eee PC.

  • Cost For what you get, the Eee is a complete bargain in my view. I have the 701 4G, which came with the Xandros system loaded on it. I have replaced that with XP. However, there is a temptation to add extra memory, and also large SD cards. Once you have spent extra money on those components, you are heading towards the price of a reasonably well-featured, full-size laptop. If you do this, then think carefully about the uses you want to put the Eee to, as the small form factor may not be reason enough compared to a ‘proper’ laptop.
  • What operating system? Linux or XP? Try Xandros first before going to XP. If you are a regular Windows or Mac user, the temptation may be to ignore Linux altogether. Don’t. You will surprised at how functional Xandros is, and find that open-source applications may work fine for your needs. Buying, say, a copy of XP to put onto the Eee also questions the overall cost. For me, the small size and portability is key so these extra costs are acceptable. But this will not be true for all users. There are plenty of resource websites to help you look at alternative operating systems, such as Ubuntu.
  • Why do I want one? Before buying, sit down and write a list of your needs for such a machine. Do you only want it because of the “coolness factor”?Once the novelty has worn off, you may be left with a computer that has no more function than to collect dust. Key motivations may be a first PC for a child, portability whilst on the road, quick email and internet access, or portability around the home. Make sure you are going to have a real use for it.
  • Which versions to get? Buy the 4 gig version. 2 gig is ok if staying with Xandros, but for XP in particular… 4 gig is a must. Newer models are now available with 8 gig, and 9 inch screens. Apart from that, they are the same as older models. There are a couple of really nice utilities available for free. Astray Plus allows higher screen resolution with some loss of quality. Be careful not to overdo it though, as you are effectively forcing the machine to operate in a manner it was not designed for.
  • Battery life The battery life is ok, but I’m a heavy user of Internet and Wifi, which will drain the battery fairly quickly. There are larger capacity batteries available, but be careful what you buy. Some restrict the ability of the lid to open all the way back, and of course adds weight and size to the overall machine. A standard spare battery may be sufficient, but is something else to carry around.

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How Do You Travel with Electronics?

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
at 10:05pm

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Jthermane24 from our live chat room writes: “Most of us like to travel. But when travel time comes… so does the electronics packing. I have made a set of top five tips for traveling with electronics.”

  • If you have a laptop, get a good quality laptop case. You need a sturdy one, so you don’t run the risk of the case or strap breaking, causing you to end up with a damaged laptop. When buying your case, why not take your laptop along? That way, you can see how well it fits inside, and how much room is left over for cords and other items.
  • Make sure you pack all the power cords for each device you are bringing. Even if you charged said device fully before leaving… bring the cord anyway. You never know when the device might die on you… just when you need it!
  • If you are traveling with multiple people, buy yourself a backpack to keep all your gadgets in. This way, yours won’t get confused with everyone else’s, and they’ll be easier for you to find when you need them.
  • Label all of your cords. You can use cheap plain white labels from the local WalMart for this, or even masking tape. Write on the labels what the cord goes to, and even where it plugs into if you aren’t sure you’ll remember.
  • Make a written list ahead of time of all the devices you are bringing with you. Check each item off as you pack it… and then refer to it when packing up to return home. You won’t forget a device at home OR in your hotel.

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