Yesterday I did a video on a cool service called Yammer (http://yammer.com). What Yammer allows you to do is make something similar to a twitter page for your business. In this sense this allows employees from a small, medium, or large business to collaborate just as people do on twitter.
Yammer takes it a step further than twitter and allows co-workers to post attachments and even assign roles or positions to users. I truly love this idea/concept and I can see modernized business taking this and running. In my mind this is a great way for employees from all over the nation or even globe to collaborate and share experiences that will not only help the employee learn but also help your business or organization accomplish tasks in a more efficient manner.
For more information please watch the video:
One thing that will never change in any tech community is the never-ending operating system (OS) wars. I’ve seen a good number of them and a lot of them just don’t have the facts to back up their claims. However, on a constant basis, it is usually the prime two operating systems: Windows and the Mac OS, otherwise known as Mac vs PC.
I don’t normally like to get involved in those arguments or any other computer-related war, the main reason being that both parties are simply not satisfied with what the other product has to offer. It boils down to each party acquiring their favorite OS and dismissing another all together in a stubborn and ignorant manner. However, in this particular post, I’m taking the opportunity to display my observations, clear up a lot of the flaws presented in the arguments, and lay down a few technicalities on this on-going issue.
The word “Mac” is a term that Apple laid down to set themselves apart from the “PC” platform. While this is a creative marketing theme, we need to look at the whole picture here. A Mac, believe it or not, is a PC, taking note that PC stands for Personal Computer. That term also goes for any other brand of system outside the Apple spectrum: HP, Compaq, Dell, Toshiba; they are all PCs.
Those who have fallen prey to this little piece of propaganda tend to develop a nice superiority complex because of it. That is not a good thing, by the way. Due to this common complex, it also stems others to start OS wars. A lot of the common things that are said sound most likely similar to “Oh, Mac Sucks” or “Vista Sucks” or “I hate Ubuntu”. However, a good majority of the time, this is how a typical conversation within the OS war would be like:
“Mac is really better? Have you tried other operating systems?”
“Yeah, Vista sucks.”
…
“Okay, what about Linux?”
“Linux blows. I could never learn that.”
“Have you taken the time to learn Linux?”
(No response)
I’ll be honest with you. You can’t assess whether one operating system is better than another without actually trying them for yourself. It really isn’t that hard to go to your nearest Apple store or another electronic store and try out OS X. Testing it out also applies to Linux as well. Linux and its hundreds and hundreds of distributions are, for the most part, free. Ubuntu is a nice stepping stone for those that want to learn Linux and the Unix command line. Download Ubuntu Linux and run the Live CD to see if you like it. Don’t automatically dismiss an OS because of what you heard about it. While sometimes that can be reliable, for the majority of the time, however, it’s better if you experience it for yourself.
Don’t get me wrong, I do not hate Apple. I have used OS X before. If Apple’s EULA allows OS X to be installed on other computers, I would probably purchase just the OS and nothing else. Why? Apple’s computers are top notch machines but the price leaves it out of reach for a lot of people, like myself for instance. If they drop the Mac Pro to under $800, I would buy it in a heartbeat. But I really don’t see that happening for a while.
All I ask is that you try out a Mac, a Linux operating system, or any other operating system before you start completely dismissing it all together. Being better informed is better than being ignorant. The knowledge that you gain from experiencing it yourself will be more worthwhile.
When I went out to buy this game I had played with a friend’s game. A few times after bringing it over my friend said he was tired of bringing it all over. I knew at that moment I needed to go out and buy it. I picked up my game at Best Buy for around $189 +tax. When I got home the unboxing was kind of complicated and confusing. Once I got it all out of the box set up was easy after I have it out of the box I had it set up in minutes. Everything is of great quality and seems very durable under normal game play. The only problem I have is the stuff takes up a good amount of room when not in use the microphone and guitar are not the problem it’s the drums. When assembled they talk up a lot of room so when planning on getting rock band 2 I would also think about how you will store it and maybe look to getting a travel case. Now over all the game play is amazing it keeps my friends and I busy for hours. If anyone is thinking about buying this go to a store and try it out. I feel that this was a great game to buy and worth every penny.
The most difficult thing I had in regards to my wireless network was the initial setup. If you have Verizon DSL, you’ll know that they don’t tend to make connection modifications quite as easy as you want them to be. The same goes for setting up an outside router, like a Linksys brand, for a wireless network. You have the option of calling their tech support department and getting over-the-phone support or you can do it yourself. The following is a step-by-step tutorial to make your life a little easier.
NOTE: My modem is a Westell 6100. I do not know if the Modem Configurations are the same for each of the modems that Verizon provides. If someone could send me a message or leave a comment here confirming such, I would appreciate it.
Before running the Linksys EasyLink software, let’s start by bridging your modem. Make sure that your modem is connected directly to your computer and not connected the router. Once the connections are verified, turn your modem on and wait for the Power, Ethernet, DSL, and Internet lights are all solid green.
Throught trial and error as well as Verizon’s recommendations, the configurations for the bridging mode seem to work better in Microsoft Internet Explorer. If you do not have Internet Explorer installed on your PC, you can download Internet Explorer 7 by clicking here.
1. Open up Internet Explorer and clear everything in the address bar. Type the following IP address into the address bar: 192.168.1.1 and press the enter key.
2. Upon entering the above local IP address, you’ll be directed to the ProLine DSL Modem main page. If this is your first time doing this, you may be prompted for a username and password. If so, for the username, type admin and for the password, type password. You will be able to change the password later.
3. On the ProLine DSL Modem main page, you will see a variety of tabs. Main, My Network, Firewall Settings, Advanced, and System Monitoring. Click on the My Network tab.
4. On the left side of the screen will be three different options: Main, Network Status, and Network Connections. Click on Network Connections.
5. In the center of the screen where it says Network Connections, there is a small chart containing two links: Broadband Connection (DSL) and LAN. Click on the Broadband Connection link.
6. You will be taken to the Broadband Connection (DSL) area. However, the configuration page will be named slightly different: Advanced DSL Configuration. You will see three different sections on this page: Routed Bridge Connection, VCs, followed by a series of three checkmark boxes. Ignore the checkmark boxes and click on the icon under the Edit column of the VCs section.
7. There are only two sections that you need to be concerned about for this next step: Protocol and Bridge Mode. Make sure that both sections are enabled as “Bridge” and click on the “Apply” button towards the bottom of the configuration page.
8. Follow steps 3 through 5 to get back to the Network Connections page. Instead of clicking on Broadband Connection (DSL) link, click on LAN. Also, keep the modem IP address at it’s default. Click on “Apply” and allow the new configurations to take place. Note: Verizon tells you to remove the checkmark from the checkmark box next to “Private LAN DHCP Server Enable”. However, I left it alone and my wireless network still works fine.
9. This next step has worked for me before and I’m sure it will work for you: Leave the modem and computer alone for about five to ten minutes. I’m serious. Give the modem some time to configure its new parameters and then proceed to setup your Linksys Router.
Setting up the Linksys Router
The wireless router I use is a Linksys WRT54GS with Speedbooster. Linksys recommends that you run and install the Linksys EasyLink Advisor provided with the router. It will guide you through step by step the instructions of connecting your modem to your router, as well as getting the Internet Connection to work.
I recently purchased the Kodak Zi6 from Wal-Mart. Now when I went to purchase this video camera I knew I was going to be happy. How many pocket camcorders can you buy that shoot 720p hd and have the storage space of up to 32gigabytes. When I got the Zi6 home and took it out of the box I was very happy. The Zi6 I got from Wal-Mart came with:
- Zi6 Camcorder*
- 6(2*) Kodak Pre-Charged Ni-MH Camera batteries
- Kodak mini charger *
- Wrist Strap*
- HD and AV cables for hooking up to a TV*
- Camera Case
- Basic Camera Pouch*
- Mini Desktop Tripod
- Kodak Digital Device Cleaner
- Microfiber Cloth
- User Guide*
- Software*
Now as you can see the deal I got has lots of goodies with my Zi6. The items with the asterisks (*) by them come with the typical Zi6 Package. When I took the Zi6 out of the box I popped in two of the batteries and started it up and was ready to shoot HD video. The only problem I noticed is that the internal memory does not hold much at all. I popped in my 8 gigabyte SDHC card I had and was able to get about 2 hours of HD video. So I should be able to get about one hour with a 4 gigabyte SDHC card. Over all the out of box experience is very good especially the pre-charged rechargeable batteries. When it come to using this camcorder it will be great to carry in a brief case, pocket, or even purse to capture those special moments. When it comes to pulling the video off the Zi6 that’s a snap, you can just push the mirror on the front and an attached USB pops out. Or you can take the SD card out and put it in your card reader. The Zi6 in my opinion is a great camera for starting in recording video or if you’re looking to find a small camcorder to carry with you.
Hosts:
Dan Peters
David Ford
Excerpt:
On this week’s episode of Geekologist Deep Dish Radio, Dan and Dave talk about Internet radio. The show starts out with a discussion about the recent pricing changes at SiriusXM ($2.99 a month extra for XM Radio Online and a $2 increase per month for additional radios with a family plan) and what it means for customers. And as promised, here is the article confirming the increases that Dan could not find during the show: Sirius XM Rate Increase For March 11th CONFIRMED. Dan and Dave then discuss other popular Internet radio options, both free and subscription-based, that listeners can enjoy.
Hosts:
David Ford
Keaton Taylor
Topics:
Google Flags Whole Internet As Malware
Windows 7 less annoying, but also less secure?
Chrome Extensions Seemingly Coming in May
Foxmarks Bookmark Syncing Available for IE, Safari
Google Apps Users Get Offline Calendar Access
After a long awaited occasion, Microsoft released a new version of the Xbox 360 Pro. Once I heard that Microsoft was going to finally offer an Xbox with more than 20GB and that it was only $300, I knew that my part in the console wars has been decided. Many of my friends own an Xbox but I still was not sold on it. After taking a look again at my 3 choices, I decided on the Xbox. There are many reasons I chose the Xbox over the other consoles. Here are a few of those reasons:
- Wireless Controllers
- Wireless Headsets
- HDMI Output
- Four Year Hardware Warranty
- Media Center Extender
- Netflix on Demand Video
- Divx Player
- MP3 Player
The only problem I seem to have is the power brick size. To be honest though, that’s not really a problem. In my home theater system I have my Xbox hooked up to my TV through HDMI. Hooked to my Xbox is a 160 GB MyBook Western Digital External Hard Drive, which is full of digital copies of my DVDs, music, and photos. The external Hard Drive and the Xbox power brick sit behind my TV and are completely out of sight.
Overall I am very happy with the Xbox 360 Pro and would recommend it to anyone who still has not picked a console from the big three.
Do you have any questions or comments? Leave us a comment below!