I’m not a fan of capacitive touch screens as they are the user interface of a 5 year old, which is great for finger-painting but useless if you want to do anything precise, such as write normally or position a cursor between two letters. And multitouch is over-rated: I’d rather be able to place one point exactly than five blurry ones.
The stylus is presented in small cardboard box and there’s no need to attack the packaging with scissors which is a welcome relief. On sliding open the box, the cardboard inner has rocket fins printed on it, giving the Cosmonaut a spaceship look. A nice touch.
The Cosmonaut is a fat rubber covered pen, about the same thickness as a whiteboard marker. However, unlike a whiteboard market, it’s got a little bit of weight to it. Feels good in the hand, though I have largish hands.
In use, the Cosmonaut takes a little bit of getting used to; the tip is a little bit squidgy and you have to press down for the Cosmonaut to register the button press or the stroke. You can’t simply flick the stylus across the screen as you might with your finger. In some ways, this is a good thing as it prevents unwanted touches.
The Cosmonaut makes drawing apps much easier to use as the stylus mimics a pen or brush quite well. It’s also pretty handy for apps that have lots of closely spaced buttons. However writing like an adult is still out of the question, but the limitation is with the capacitative screen and the necessary fatness of the tip.
Overall, the Cosmonaut is well-designed and well-built. It’s easy to hold and works as it’s supposed to. If you want a stylus for your tablet, this should be on your short-list but just don’t expect to return to the precision days of the PDA.
Congrats to Sonya Jensen for winning a iPod Nano I think lightning has struck twice here as it appears a husband and wife may have won the last two contests either that or it is a heck of a coincidence. .. Tonight you can win by simply reviewing and commenting of the video of the show. I think it will take a show or two to get things dialed in here on the new portable studio but things went better than I could have imagined.
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Google today announced better search integration for Gmail, their popular web-based email service. Â The new and improved version will have a more thorough auto-complete feature thanks to better crawling of the messages in your email. Â Better search sounds great, but is it really better or is it just a more complete privacy invasion?
While I don’t have any real problem with Google reading my email, they have been doing it all along anyway, this seems like something that privacy advocates, already leery of the Mountain View search company, will latch onto as more evidence against Google.  After all, the better auto-complete comes via better reading of your messages.  Google admits as much in their announcement – “Now when you type something into the Gmail search box, the autocomplete predictions will be tailored to the content in your email, so you can save time and get the information you want faster than ever before.”
The new feature will be rolling out over the next few days.  For now it’s only available for English users, but Google promises support for other languages will be coming over the next several months.  You can read their announcement over at the Gmail blog.  How do you feel about this improved email search?  Do you think it’s just a feature to make the service more useful or are you genuinely worried about your personal data?
Just a few days ago, SpaceX attempted to launch their Dragon spacecraft into space. This would have been the very first commercial flight to the International Space Station.
My husband and I were watching this launch as the live video coverage was streamed through LiveStream. It was very surreal to hear the countdown reach zero and realize that the spacecraft had not launched. It is normal to expect that if you hear the countdown reach zero that it means that you will soon be watching liftoff. That isn’t what happened this time. The launch was aborted a half-second before the countdown completed.
What happened? SpaceX released the following statement:
“Today’s launch was aborted when the flight computer detected slightly high pressure in the engine 5 combustion chamber. We have discovered the root cause and repairs or underway. During rigouous inspections of the engine, SpaceX engineers discovered a faulty check valve on the Merlin engine. We are now in the process of replacing the failed valve. Those repairs should be complete tonight, we will continue to review data on Sunday”.
SpaceX is going to try this launch again. The next launch is scheduled for 3:44 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 22, 2012. This date and time has been selected because it is when the Earth’s rotation will bring Cape Canaveral’s Complex 40 launch pad in the path of the International Space Station’s orbit. They will be streaming live video of the launch through LiveStream once again. Will you be watching?
There will be something extra special about this launch. The ashes of Jimmy Doohan, Star Trek’s “Scotty”, were originally scheduled to be launched into space in 2008. It didn’t happen then because the rocket that held the ashes failed to reach orbit. There is a company called Celestis that is responsible for making sure that the tribute to Jimmy Doohan does happen. His ashes will be sent up into space when SpaceX makes their next launch on Tuesday.
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A team of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and computer scientists at Brown University and Harvard Medical School have created a specialized brain-computer interface. It is called the BrainGate Neural Interface System. The project has been going on for more than a decade. It was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The scientists have created an implant that is designed to enable people who are paralyzed to move a robotic arm and hand by using their mind. It is quite remarkable! The implant consists of a sensor chip that is about the size of a baby aspirin. It is implanted directly onto the motor cortex of a person’s brain. This is the part of the brain that controls movement.
The sensor picks up signals that are generated by a person’s brain cells while the person is thinking about moving his or her own arm and hand. Those signals are sent through a wire to a device that connects with a computer. The computer has been taught to read the signal it receives and to translate that signal in order to tell a robotic arm what to do. Together, this allows a paralyzed person to move a robotic arm and hand on their own, just by using their brainwaves.
Here is a video created by the BrainGate Corporation that shows a woman who is paralyzed using the BrainGate Neural Interface System to move a robotic arm and hand. The video also explains more of the science behind the system.
Sometime this week, if not today there has been a rumor published about the imaginary TV that Apple is building. Most of these reports are assuming the new TV by Apple is a done deal and it is just a matter of time. From the time these rumors started the question that has run through my brain has been why?
I am really not looking for a TV made by Apple. I have no doubt that Apple has the technical know how to make an awesome TV, including retina display and Siri integration. That is not where the problem lies, the problem lies as always with content. Apple somehow has to convince the various content providers to allow their content to be used. Something that Google has been unable to do with the Google TV. Let say they get the content providers to agree to an arrangement, that is just the first problem. Then they have to get the content to the consumer through cable companies like Comcast, which has already shown that they will favor those who have an agreement with them over independent content. Third, it will have to convince consumers that purchasing a new HD panel is worth it. A panel which will probably be over 1,000 dollars if Apple’s history is any indicator.
Instead of creating a whole new TV, I wish Apple would improve the Apple TV they already have. They need to open it up to more third-party video platforms like Plex or XMBC. That way I could watch content not only from providers such as PBS or Aljazerra or HBO Go, but also live streaming from Ustream, Justin TV or YouTube to name a few. Second open up the platform to games and allow third-party vendors to create wireless controllers. Yes, I know a lot of this can be accomplished by jail breaking the Apple TV, but I shouldn’t have to do that. Plus if you do jail break the Apple TV, than you are always in this constant game with Apple. They do an update and you have to wait for the new jailbreak to come out, they do another update and it’s another jailbreak and on and on.
I know I am probably wrong the current Apple TV will continue to remain what it has always been for Apple just a hobby and this fall just in time for the holiday season, there will be an Apple TV monitor for sale in the Apple Store. The Apple pundits will write about it like it is the next coming.  I and all the other Mac fans will be drooling over it, wishing we could afford it.  Meanwhile the hobby which could be so much more will continue to be ignored, I just wish it wasn’t so.
Congrats to Steve Jensen for winning a iPod Nano.. Fill out the survey to win tonight. I think you will have a lot of fun with me in the show today, as every computer in my studio was out to get me it seemed today. Plus I have a stack of tech news that you are not going to want to miss as we break the tech scene down for you.
Welcome to The Gadget Professor’s NetCast. Show #57 hosted by Don Baine.
The 200Mbps Powerline AV Wireless N Access Point, model TPL-310AP, allows users to create a wireless network from any outlet on their electrical system.
Connect one adapter to your network and plug in up to 15* other adapters for high speed network access. Connect adapters quickly using the convenient one-touch Sync button. Advanced AES encryption provides optimum Powerline security, LED displays convey device status for easy troubleshooting, and Quality of Service technology prioritizes video, audio, and online gaming.
The built in 300Mbps*** wireless n access point offers Access Point, Client, WDS, and Mesh mode functionality. One-touch Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) connects wireless clients quickly. Advanced features include 4 SSIDs, different encryption for each SSID, WMM Quality of Service data prioritization, WPA2-RADIUS encryption, MAC Access Control, and Spanning Tree support.
We also feature our weekly free software picks.
Sit back and relax while you watch The Gadget Professor.
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If you are looking for a way to hold your iPad, maybe your hand hurts after a while, then this dock might be something you want to look at. Octa has an iPad Vaccum dock that puts your hand in the middle of the iPad. Best part – you can use this for your iPad, Macbook Air, Kindle, Nook, or any other device 3 1/2 inches in circumference.
The Octa is a half-ball with a suction cup affixed to the flat end. Affix the suction cup to the device, and press the button. The suction technology affixes the Octa to the iPad. You can even attach to an iPad case, if the surface is flat and non-porous.
Place the cup on the back side of the tablet, then push the button 5 times. That will create a suction to the device. To remove, you lift the rubber tabs to let air into the surface area (make sure you have a good hold on the tablet).
Octa Whale Tail
Affix the Octa on a non-porous wall to hang your iPad
The Octa Whale Tail is an adapter you can connect to the Vacuum Dock. It looks exactly like a Whale tail. This allows your iPad to sit upright. It also lets you set your iPad at a better angle when you are sitting in a reclined or feet up position. You can also reverse the Vacuum dock and use the tail as an iPad holder. Attach the dock to a non-porous wall (or the back side of an airplane tray in its upright position), then bend the tail so it holds the tablet.
I’ve been using the Octa Whale Tail for a couple days now, and I am really impressed. By putting my hand in the middle of the iPad, my hand doesn’t get tired. The tail can also mold around your hand for an ergonomic feel. This would be perfect for someone that has to hold a tablet all day – maybe a poll taker, a wait staff (if they have an iPad POS), a teacher, a speaker and more.
The Octa Vacuum with Whale Tail is $49.95, and available now.
I am a Comcast subscriber and although I have never gone over the data it’s always something that is the back of my mind. Today Comcast announced that they are discontinuing the 250 GB month data Policy and are looking for other alternatives. The two alternatives they are looking at are as follows
*Customers of Comcast’s least-expensive Internet plans (Internet Essentials, Economy, and Performance) would receive 300GB of data per month. Those who subscribe to faster plans would get “increasing data allotments for each successive tier of high-speed service.” Anyone who still exceeds the limit could purchase more data—$10 for 50GB.
*All Comcast customers would get 300GB data caps and could purchase extra data for $10 per 50GB
If you are a heavy user than of course you would want to for them to go with the first plan which would allow you to choose a plan for the amount of data that you use. Comcast will be testing these options in various locations this summer. Comcast says they’re doing this because of the increase use of devices such as the Roku, Apple TV, iPad and many other devices. Comcast said that the reason they had the usage threshold was they wanted to make sure that all users were treated fairly. Comcast also insists that it treats all video coming thru the public Internet equally no matter if it comes from Netflix, iTunes, YouTube or any other source. Critics of Comcast are quick to point out that Comcast videos that are streamed to the Xbox doesn’t count against the cap, although the same video from Netflix would, which means that they are still favoring themselves over third-party vendors.
This is a good first step and one that is necessary in today’s world where more and more people are cutting the cord and streaming their videos off the Internet.
On Sunday, May 20, 2012, there will be a solar eclipse. This one is special because it is an annular eclipse. It has been eighteen years since an eclipse of this type was visible from the continental United States.
We know that the moon circles the Earth. However, the moon doesn’t travel in an exact circular path. Instead, it is more like an elliptical orbit. This means that the moon will, at certain times, be a little bit closer or a little bit farther from the Earth than usual. The moon’s orbit can vary from 221,457 miles to 252,712 miles away from the Earth.
When an annular eclipse happens, it looks like the moon is passing in front of the Sun. The moon won’t appear to completely block out the sun, though. This is because on May 20, 2012, the moon will be closer to the Earth than usual, at around 225,000 miles from us. The result is that the moon will look as though it has a bright ring of fire surrounding it.
Not everyone is going to be able to view the upcoming annular eclipse. It will be visible to people who are in southern Oregon and northern California, and it will become visible to people who are in Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas.
Much of the rest of the United States will be able to see at least some of this special eclipse. Those of you who live on the east coast of the United States will not be able to see this eclipse because the Sun will already have set. The eclipse might be visible in parts of China and Japan as well, unless the weather causes too much cloud cover while the eclipse is happening.
Obviously, one should not stare into the Sun. You shouldn’t stare directly at an eclipse, either. I highly recommend that you do a little homework and learn about what you need to do in order to safely view an eclipse. It is a special eclipse, but, your eyesight is even more precious. Be smart, and be careful!
Based on the entirely unscientific method of “asking my friends”, British mobile telco Three has pretty much cornered the market in personal wifi hotspots. It’s probably a combination of having the MiFi trademark and offering competitive data rates that has led to their success.
Their current model, the Huawei E586, is shortly to be joined by a budget version, the Huawei E5331, according to today’s press release from Three. Like the original model, the E5331 offers HSPA+ with a theoretical download limit of 21 Mb/s and a battery life of 4.5 hours. There’s no word on what the budget price will actually be but you can buy the E586 for ÂŁ50 upfront with a ÂŁ15 / 5GB no commitment rolling contract.
The budget E5331 has a narrower longer screen showing signal strength, no of connected devices, battery strength and waiting text messages. The MiFi supports up to five devices at a time.
Mark Brewer, head of mobile broadband at Three said, “As the market leader in mobile broadband it’s great to be able to bolster our range with yet another high speed mobile Wi-Fi device. The Value MiFi offers fast browsing and a seamless streaming experience, all on Three’s award winning mobile broadband network.”
I will be reviewing the Huawei E586 for Geek News Central shortly, but these are very handy devices. It’s much more cost effective to have one of these serving multiple wifi-only tablets than it is to buy 3G devices and multiple data contracts.
I was sent an email invitation to try the new Bing this morning. My default search engine is Google, but I am willing to try something different if it is better. So I clicked on the Try the new Bing. First in order to get the full Bing experience you have to sign in either by using your Windows Live or your Xbox Rewards account and you also have to connect Facebook. I signed in with my Windows Live account and connected Facebook. Now when I search for something using Bing on the left hand side of the window is a grey tab which shows if any of my friends on Facebook have posted anything on the subject on Facebook. It will only show likes, post and photos that they posted publicly. You can also send a question to your friends on Facebook from the same tab.
To be honest the new Bing is a little disappointing, since it only connects to Facebook directly. If you do a search and your friends don’t use Facebook than none of their suggestions show up. There is a limited connection to Twitter, but not surprising there is no connection to Google Plus If you do a general search for movies, then you get two sections Friends who might Know and People who Know. Under People who Know you see tweets from people like Roger Ebert on the subject. So far the subject movies is the only search that has brought up People Who Know section. I hope that is just a temporary situation, because I am more interested in what Roger Ebert thinks about a specific movie rather than what he thinks of movies in general. This would be true of any subject and expert. Most other searches I tried have been fairly weak on the social connections. Part of the problem I will admit is I don’t have a lot of connections on Facebook, however based on my reading I am not the only one that ran into this problem.
The new Bing does have somethings going for it, first the social interaction is to the side and it doesn’t interfere with normal search. Second you can close or open the search column by hitting the arrow on the top right side. I suspect despite these good points, I will continue using Google as my main search engine.
Bing has rolled out their brand new interface, at least to U.S. users, and it has met with mixed reviews. Â While the new interface feels faster and Microsoft claims gives better results, the social aspects, mainly Facebook results in the right column, are a big change that takes some getting used to and also feel vaguely like a privacy invasion.
Paul Thurrott, writing over at WinSupersite, said he had problems getting the service to work and had to try three different browsers before being successful. Â Using Chrome I had no problems with the new Bing on the first try, but your results may vary.
By default, bing.com/new takes you to a search results page for the subject “movies” and you will find recommendation from your Facebook friends appearing to the right of the main search results.
On the whole I found the new interface to be a bit more appealing than the previous version, although if you use Google for the simple, clean look then this probably isn’t for you  So, have you tried out the new Bing?  What do you think?  Let us know in the comments below.
Usually, when you see the words “virus” and “phone” in the same sentence, it indicates that something bad may have happened. This time, though, the virus is one that can actually be helpful. Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have been studying a special virus that can generate electricity.
The virus is called M13 bacteriophage. As the name implies, it only “eats” or attacks, bacteria. It is not able to cause harm to humans. It is a genetically engineered virus that can manufacture more of itself when water is added to it. How many more? According to Professor Seung-Wuk, “trillions or jillions” more.
The M13 bacteriophage virus has piezoelectric properties. The viruses are long and thin and have a tendency to line up next to each other, (like pencils in a box). When pressure is applied to the virus, it produces a charge. Right now, the viruses are able to generate about 25% of what comes from a AAA battery.
The hope is that in the future, scientists will find a way to use the M13 bacteriophage virus to make small, personal, generators. The generators would collect the energy from movement, such as walking or typing on a keyboard. That energy can then be used to charge your cell phone. There is potential that the virus could be used to create a self-sustainable electric source that can be implanted in the body in place of a pacemaker. The possibilities are endless!
The latest search market share numbers have been released and two trends have continued – Bing is up and Yahoo is down. Â The numbers have been posted by both Compete and ComScore and the trends shown by both are very similar. Â Unfortunately for Microsoft, while Bing is gaining share on Yahoo, they are not getting anywhere in their battle against Google, who continue to be the 600 pound gorilla in the room.
Google, while maintaining their strangle-hold, has not seen an increase since late 2011, but that changed between March and April when their market share increased from 65.5% to 65.9% according to Compete rankings. Â Meanwhile, ComScore showed a slight Google decrease from 66.4% to 65.5%.
According to Compete Bing increased their share from 18.0% to 18.3% and Yahoo dropped from 15.7% to 15.0%. Â ComScore listed the changes as Yahoo being down from 13.7% to 13.5% and Bing with a slight increase from 15.3% to 15.4%.
While the slight increases for Bing sound promising it seems that most of the gain come at the expense of Yahoo and not Google. Â That isn’t so good since Bing now powers Yahoo search. Â Bing has recently released a series of updates that add better search results, functionality, and interface which could lead to another increase when the May numbers are released. Â You can check out both share rankings posted below.
Congrats to Michael and his winning of a iPod Nano.. Â Listed to win in contest #5.. Â We had a great mothers day weekend with a stay cation where we stayed in Waikiki for a night. Hung out at the p0ol and just relaxed. Sunday afternoon while my wife relaxed. I did a final checkout of the HD Mobile Broadcast Studio and got it ready for my trip to Washington DC next week where I will put it through it’s paces. The portable green screen has not arrived yet so we will be playing that one by ear.
In this show I have a great variety of tech news and information to share with your enjoy the show and be sure to listen to win.
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The popular rock band Counting Crows are going BitTorrent.  The band has made four songs off of their latest release available for free download in an effort to attract new fans.  The album, titled Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did On Our Summer Vacation), was released last month and features15 tracks.  In a departure from their past, the Crows have made this CD a collection of all cover songs.
The BitTorrent release features not only the audio files, but also liner notes, and artwork from the album.  Frontman Adam Duritz, during an interview with Mashable,  said “I don’t know how I didn’t think of this earlier — it’s the most obvious thing in the world since BitTorrent has such a huge global reach.  It’s not just about getting music to the people who would buy it anyway — even though that is, of course, very good — the hardest thing to do is make new fans.”
Kudos to the Counting Crows for taking this route and seeing the benefits that many, or most, artists and labels seem to be clueless about. Â Getting their music out there for people to hear is the first step towards gaining new avenues of revenue. Â Some fans may elect to buy the CD’s, but even those who don’t will perhaps spend money on a concert ticket or, at the least, promote the band to other listeners.
This approach may seem like a no-brainer for established stars who already have fans looking for their material, but it is a bit tougher for the unknown artists who want to get noticed. Â However, this may generate the publicity to get more bands to take this approach, and there are some great success stories from those who have taken the free approach early – just ask Jonathan Coulton or the guys from OK Go.
The Idapt i1 Eco is the portable member of Idapt’s family of universal chargers: by using the same interchangeable tips as the dual and triple versions, the usefulness of the system is extended from the home to the car and travel.
If you aren’t familiar with Idapt, their system offers a wide selection of charging tips that are snapped into a charging station which has anything from one (i1 Eco) to three (i4) changeable charging points. The benefit is that the charging station can be uniquely customised to your mobile device usage. For example, your phone might have a micro-USB connector, your iPod has an Apple connector and your Nintendo DSi has its own connector. By using the relevant tips, all three devices can be charged at once. Geek News Central reviewed the Idapt i4 earlier in the year.
Within this context, let’s take a look at the i1 Eco. Out of the box, you get a the i1 unit itself, a mains power connector, a USB power connector, a car USB adaptor and three charging tips – mini-USB, micro-USB and Apple.
The main unit takes only one of these at a time, but there’s an additional full-size USB port on the side, so two devices can be charged simultaneously.
The i1 Eco can be powered either from the mains or from a USB power source: the cables interchange at the lime green coloured multi-connector. As you can see from the picture below, these are standard connector types, namely micro-USB and IEC “shotgun”.
The power transformer is incorporated into the body of the Eco 1 so there’s no “wall wart”, only an ordinary plug on the end of the cable. The advantage of this will become clear shortly and when buying the i1 Eco, UK, USA or Euro mains plugs can be specified.
At the other end of the Eco 1 is the socket for the charging tips. These pop in and out and are exactly the same as the ones used in the tabletop models, which is handy if you have invested in a range of tips.
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The USB socket on the side is used to charge a second device via a cable, which is best used for tablets or other larger devices which can be unwieldy to connect on the end of the i1 Eco.
As might be guessed from the name, it’s intended to be a green charger. The packaging is all recycled cardboard and the body of the i1 Eco is made from recycled plastic. Even more unusual is the presence of a power button on the side of the i1 Eco, which is there to help save energy.
Most consumer electronics chargers don’t have an on-off switch and most gang extension sockets don’t have on-off switches either, which means that to fully turn off a charger, it has to be pulled out of the socket, which is pretty inconvenient and most of us don’t bother. The chargers continue to consume power even when there’s no device being charged and this power is completely wasted.
The i1 Eco eliminates this problem by having an on-off switch and by automatically powering off when the recharging gadgets are fully charged. This is a great feature and as a result, no power is wasted when gadgets are connected but fully charged and the Eco 1 can be safely plugged in all the time.
Overall, it’s all very clever, useful and green to boot!
Are there any downsides? There are a couple but nothing too serious. First of all, the USB car adaptor that goes in the cigarette lighter socket is a bit flimsy and lets the overall package down. For comparison, the Griffin PowerJolt is a far better adaptor.
Secondly, the auto-power off feature is sometimes a bit over-enthusiastic. On occasion I’d connect up my tablet (Motorola Xoom 2 ME) to charge and I’d come back later to find that the i1 Eco had switched off while the tablet was still only part charged. Other times it worked perfectly with the tablet and I had no problems with other devices (Bluetooth headset, mp3 player, ereader). To be fair, the included literature does mention that some smartphones can be incompatible with this feature so I guess this includes tablets too.
Update: Idapt contacted me to say that with troublesome devices, simply hold the on-off button down for about a second when turning the charger on and this reduces the auto-off sensitivity. I carried out some further testing of the i1 Eco with the tablet and can confirm that this solution works so problem solved. Thanks, Idapt.
The i1 Eco is a clever and flexible portable charging solution that will particularly appeal to those who have already bought into the Idapt way and have a full set of charging tips.
The i1 Eco is available from Idapt for ÂŁ19.99 and extra tips are mostly ÂŁ5.95.
Thanks to Idapt for providing the i1 Eco for review.
Facebook is testing out a new feature that will allow users to pay a certain amount of money in order to have Facebook highlight, or promote, a particular post that they have made. It is currently being offered only to Facebook users who live in New Zealand.
The purpose of this test is so that Facebook can discover if users are interested in spending money in order to have Facebook make their post more visible than usual to other Facebook users. Right now, an interested user who lives in New Zealand might be able to have Facebook highlight one of their posts through this feature for free, or, they might be charged as much as $2.00 for it.
It seems to me that Facebook is trying to see how much they can charge and still have the feature be attractive to their users. The featured posts will appear in yellow, a bright, eye-catching, color that will definitely stand out against the sea of other posts in your Facebook news feed.
Personally, I doubt I would be using this feature. I use my Facebook page to post links to my writing work that appears on various websites. The Facebook format makes it very easy for my friends and family to find it. I also post links to gaming related things that I find interesting because I have some Facebook friends who are also avid gamers. I see no good reason to pay to have these posts promoted for me.
I have concerns that many of the companies who currently have Facebook pages will jump on the chance to highlight their posts through the use of this proposed feature. For me, and I suspect for many other Facebook users, one of the most enjoyable things about Facebook is scrolling through the posts that my friends and family have made. If my Facebook news feed turns into little more than a series of yellow colored ads, I will stop reading it.
Of course, that is just my opinion. Perhaps people will see new feature as a good way to emphasize their fundraiser, show, or upcoming event. If the highlighted post that is asking you to spend money comes from your friend, or family, is it still an ad? I’m not entirely sure.
Like a lot of people today who work involves computers, I sit at my desk a lot. This has led to the spreading of the waistline and the raising of the weight on the scale. I know I should exercise more, but I lack motivation. The one thing that does motivate me is being able to keep track of the numbers. I have tried to keep track of my progress manually, but usually that only last for a few days. I would quickly forget to do it, and when I did do it was probably not very accurate. I started to look into different devices that I could use to keep track of my exercise routine. I have tried to use Runkeeper on my phone, which works well, except that to use it I have to bring my phone with me and not all my pants have pockets. I needed something that I could clip on to my pants or shirt. After looking at several products I ended up getting the Fitbit Ultra
The Fitbit Ultra is 2 inch in length and 1/2 inch across. You can clip it directly on to your pants or shirt. It also comes with a belt clip in case you are wearing thick pants. There is also a wristband. The setup is fairly easy, the first step is to register at the Fitbit website. It will ask for your height, weight, age and goal. Then you have to place the Fitbit into its base and plug the base into your computer via USB. Once you’ve paired your device with your account the two are than linked. The Fitbit Ultra is built to be worn all the time. It keeps track of the number of steps you take throughout the day and the number of miles. It can also measure how many stairs you climb during the day. Although I haven’t quite figured out how many stairs you have to walk before it will register. You can log your food and water intake through the Website. It also allows you to record a specific event like a morning run or walk. The Fitbit will also work if you use a treadmill or a bicycle. Although according to the forums, it doesn’t measure the increase calorie outtake when you increase the incline. It is not waterproof, so you cannot wear it while swimming. You can also wear it at night using the wristband to keep track of your sleep patterns. To see how you are doing throughout the day you simply push the button on the Fitbit and the numbers will appear, as you push the button again it will cycle through the various options. The Fitbit Web site also has an active and helpful community which I appreciate.
Some people in the reviews on Amazon and also on the Fitbit Web site question its accuracy. I wore it Friday on my morning walk and also used RunKeeper, both had very similar numbers when I finished. In my mind consistency is more important. For example if I walk a route on Monday and the Fitbit says I walked 2 miles on Monday and I walk the same route on Tuesday it should again say I walked 2 miles. I do think with some exercises like bike riding you have to experiment on where to place the device to get the most accurate measurements. The other main complaint was the lack of customer service, I tend to avoid customer service if I can help it so I really can’t comment on that.
If you are getting into an exercise program and want to keep track of your progress, Fitbit Ultra is a good way to do it. Do you use the Fitbit or a similar device, and do you like it.
Starbucks, and other cafes, have spent a great deal of energy in trying to make their businesses as comfortable and welcoming as possible. Those that offer free Wi-Fi end up attracting people who intend to use that free service for hours. A survey found that there are four categories of what could be called “Wi-Fi Hogs”. Which of these types describes you?
How many times have you walked into a Starbucks, (or other cafe), only to find that the majority of the tables are occupied by people who are typing into their laptops while listening to their iPods? Personally, I have seen this a lot.
A survey found that there are four different types of “Wi-Fi Hogs”:
Type One: “FIRST!”
This group believes that by virtue of having found an open seat, or empty booth, that they are now entitled to sit there for as long as they want to. They got to it first. They will sprawl across the table or booth, scattering their stuff all over it, so no one else can sit next to them. They might have bought something when they first came to the cafe, but, this is not necessarily true all the time.
Type Two: “I’m renting this space – forever”.
This group feels that it is perfectly acceptable to occupy a table or booth for as long as they like – but only if they actually bought something. After all, if they made a purchase, then it means that they are, officially, a customer. They will proudly display their empty coffee cup on their table, signaling to the people who are looking for a place to sit that they do, in fact, have a right to stay put.
Type Three: “I’m not done yet.”
This group feels that it is perfectly okay to take up a table in a cafe if you are actually eating or drinking something that you purchased from the cafe. They will get refill after refill, until their bladders cannot take any more. They might eat or drink very slowly, so they can take up the table for a longer span of time, without feeling bad about doing so. Once they run out of product, they will get up, and let someone else take their seat.
Type Four: “I paid for an hour.”
This group believes that buying a drink or a pastry entitles them to take a seat, or a booth, for about an hour. When that hour is about to end, they feel that it is acceptable to stay, but only if they buy another drink, or another pastry. This gives them another hour that they take up space at that table and continue to use the Wi-Fi that the cafe offers for free.
Blubrry PowerPress Podcasting Plugin Version 4.0 brings the latest essential features for media creation to WordPress, including the hottest updates to the new iTunes specifications.
“I am proud of this release of PowerPress, in supporting the latest iTunes podcast specs, additionally this update introduces innovative features first to market for the 10’s of thousands of media creators that rely on PowerPress,” said Todd Cochrane, CEO of RawVoice.
An updated iTunes image requirement — RGB 1400×1400 — throughout the plugin for better cover image quality throughout.
“Feature Episode” that allow podcasters to designate a primary episode, which can be used to introduce the podcast or lead in to a new series.
An iTunes Order feature that allows a podcaster doing a series of episodes to have each listed in the desired order.
Other PowerPress 4.0 offerings include:
A new video player option: VideoJS HTML5 JavaScript player — a player that has its own plugin. By adding this plugin, the new player will be available as an option in PowerPress video players list.
A Feed Episode Maximizer “option” for shows with episodes in excess of what can currently be included in a feed. This feature allows the podcaster to maintain the latest 10 episodes in iTunes with all of the extensive episode data. The rest of the episodes are listed in a way that maximizes the number of episodes that can be listed on iTunes / Zune etc. Perfect for the serial podcaster with an extensive episode library.
Blubrry.com is a media community and directory that gives content creators the power to make money through advertising, get detailed audience measurements and host their audio and video. Blubrry PowerPress 4.0 brings the essential features for media creation to WordPress, offering full podcasting support, web audio/video media players and more.
Disclaimer: Todd Cochrane is the main geek here at Geek News Central, he is also the CEO of RawVoice.
The all new 2013 Ford Fusion is coming out with unprecedented driver assist technologies usually found only in luxury cars costing twice as much.
“These new sensing technologies help extend the driver’s own senses, providing a level of assistance never before available to the family sedan buyer,” said Adrian Whittle, Ford Fusion chief engineer. “The new Fusion launches this year with these advanced technologies – making them more affordable and available than ever before.”
Lane Keeping System: This system uses a forward-facing camera that scans the road surface ahead looking at lane markings and can evaluate if the car is starting to drift out of the lane. It alerts the driver by vibrating the steering wheel. If the driver doesn’t react, the system will provide it’s own input to the steering nudging the car back into the lane.
Driver Alert System: This used the same front-facing camera that the lane keeping system uses to detect if the driver is getting sleepy. If it does think the driver is getting drowsy, it will give a series of alerts that suggest the driver stop and rest. The alerts include a coffee cup icon (no energy drink icon?) on the instrument cluster.
Pull-Drift Compensation: This system is built into the electric power steering. This will help the driver compensate for a road that leans one way or the other and for heavy crosswinds. This will keep your arms from getting tired if it’s really windy out.
Adaptive Cruise Control: For those who have never experienced adaptive cruise before, you are in for a treat. If you are on the highway and come into heaver traffic or just come up on that guy that seems to be going 3mph slower then you. Instead of kicking off the cruise until it’s safe to pass and then getting around him, with adaptive cruise all you do is stay behind the slower car until it’s safe to pass. Once you pull into the faster lane the adaptive cruise will accelerate back up to your set speed. Ford’s new system on the 2013 Fusion adds collision warning to this package which if your following distance is shrinking too quickly, it will warn you to take evasive action (such as braking hard or steering out of the way).
Active Park Assist: This is sort of the auto-park system. You still have to use the gas pedal and brake, but the car will (using sensors) determine if there is enough room to parallel park and if there is it will steer the car right into place. Just make sure you hit the brakes because you will hit the car behind or ahead of you if you don’t. (Just ask Leo Laporte about that one). I’ve used this system on a Ford before and it’s an excellant system. I can’t parallel park to save my life, but the car I was driving could.
Blind Spot Information with Cross-traffic alert: This system uses the sensors and cameras to warn you if there is another car in your blind spots on either side of the car. There are indicator lights in the side-view mirrors that light up if something is beside you when you go to change lanes. When backing out of a parking space or driveway, the same sensors can see vehicles coming down the aisle and the back-up-camera gives you a nice view directly behind the rear bumper.
For more information on the new 2013 Ford Fusion, check out FordFusionStory.com
Congrats to Sam our winner in today’s show. Programming note I have a something to share with a zealous fan at the end of the show tonight, first time in the history of the show to have to do so. But it was bound to happen at some point. I have this show jam packed with tech.
Once in a while a show just hits on all cylinders and I think this one did tonight it was my pleasure to bring you lots of tech plus I get to rant on a Wall Street Fat Cat. I will be hosting a Google On Air with Saturday Morning Tech so I hope you will join us on air.
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Welcome to The Gadget Professor’s NetCast. Show #56 hosted by Don Baine.
Don Baine, The Gadget Professor is delighted to showcase a “Gadget Professor Exclusive.” For the first time ever, let me introduce you to the FIXMESTICK! Computer viruses are painfully difficult to detect and remove once your PC gets infected. The infection weaves itself into your system, making life miserable for you and your PC, while your files, photos, bank accounts, and identity are at stake.
This frustrating problem has become worse and worse as more personal and banking data is transmitted through your PC. Not only is your PC an attractive target for viruses, but computers keep getting more complex. This makes it easier for professional hackers to find holes to hide their viruses in, and harder for security software and technicians to weed them out.
How great would it be if you could confidently fix your own PC, and keep it that way? No more fear of putting personal and financial data at risk each time you log in. No more badgering your ‘technical’ friends with your pleas for help, and no more worrying about damaging your PC while trying to fix it. Sit back and relax while you watch The Gadget Professor.
You don’t want to miss the promo code this week – 75% off the FixMeStick for the first 100 people to respond with The Gadget Professor’s Promo Code! For more information go to http://gadgetprofessorpromo.com/
The Gadget Professor is produced on the Tricaster. For more information on the TriCaster call 480-422-1645. Make sure to visit www.gadgetprofessorpromo.com for special pricing on great gadgets!
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Audio version NOW AVAILABLE!!
I do a small non-tech related podcast and this month I decided I needed to upgrade my equipment. I had previously been using the headphones that I use with my android phone and after 10 episodes I decided it was time to do an upgrade. I have been following and listening to the Podcast Answer Man, Cliff Ravenscraft for several years now, and he recommends getting a dynamicXLR microphone for office recording. Although he does love the Heil PR40 it is a little steep for my bank account. I ended up getting the Shure PG48 Vocal Cardioid Dynamic Microphone. The microphone comes with a Mic clip, a 15 foot XLR cable and a carrying pouch. I also purchased a XLR female to 1/4 Male adapter separately. The Shure PG48-XLR list price is $49.00, but was on sale for $39.00 through Amazon. This is a dynamic microphone so it is built to pick up sound from the front while filtering out most sound from the side and back. It is supposed to be able to handle extreme volume level without distortion. It has a frequency response of 70 to 15,000 Hz. The microphone itself feels good and sturdy. It has an on/off switch which I love. I have done a short test of the Shure PG48-XLR which I have enclosed here.
I still waiting for the mic stand I ordered and my mixer before my current setup is complete. If you listen to the audio above especially with headphones, you can clearly hear the difference. With the PG48 there is very little background noise and its much clearer. I have to admit I am not an audio snob, but even to my ears the PG48 sounds much better. At this point I am glad I purchased it.
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Sometime this week, if not today there has been a rumor published about the imaginary TV that Apple is building. Most of these reports are assuming the new 
I am a 
Based on the entirely unscientific method of “asking my friends”, British mobile telco 
I was sent an email invitation to try the new 
 
Like a lot of people today who work involves computers, I sit at my desk a lot. This has led to the spreading of the waistline and the raising of the weight on the scale. I know I should exercise more, but I lack motivation. The one thing that does motivate me is being able to keep track of the numbers. I have tried to keep track of my progress manually, but usually that only last for a few days. I would quickly forget to do it, and when I did do it was probably not very accurate. I started to look into different devices that I could use to keep track of my exercise routine. I have tried to use 
I do a small non-tech related