David's Blog

Apple, Google and Microsoft are the the only companies that have the products and services to go head-to-head. There are many components to consider for this next-gen battle. I threw together a table to see how they match up. There is no clear winner: this is going to be fun to watch over the next few years.

Key

• Competitive Advantage
• Competitive Disadvantage

Posted on June 11, 2011 7:39 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

The best thing about electronics that break: replacing them!

My hard drive hard drive was starting to die. I don’t like the idea that the device I count on to store my data is not reliable.

I decided to try something new this time: a solid-state drive (SSD). I bought an 250GB Intel Solid-State Drive 510.

Here is my Experience Index before installing the SSD.

Here is my Experience Index after installing the SSD.

Posted on April 17, 2011 9:47 AM | Permalink| Comments (0)

I went to my first Comic-Con this year and had a really good time. Comic-Con is HUGE…over 140,000 people this year. Getting a ticket is tough. All passes were sold out in November 2009 (9 months before the show!). Luckily, I’m considered a “professional” and got a free pass just 2 months before Comic-Con.

I am not into comic books, so I was not sure how much there would be that interested me.

I arrived on Friday morning. On my way to the convention center, I noticed all the gas lamps in the Gaslamp Quarter were decorated with TRON posters for the new movie.

I am a big fan of TRON. If there was one thing I wanted to see at Comic-Con, it would be anything TRON related.

And look what I happen to walk past on the way to the convention center…

Flynn’s Arcade!

I asked the people in line what was happening. “Press event.” Dang! I really wanted to see what was inside.

I continued to the convention center and saw the “Black Beauty” from the upcoming movie “The Green Hornet.”

Once inside, I saw a huge “recognizer” from a distance. First stop: find out what is going on with TRON. There were were a couple dressed up in TRON garb working the booth.

They were giving away a light cycle toy if you waited in line. I decided to pass on that one due to line length.

There are going to be a TON of product tie-ins with this movie. Some of the products were on display. I may have to get the Xbox 360 controller.

They also had the Lightcycle from last year’s Comic-Con on display.

I asked about access to Flynn’s Arcade. I was told Flynn’s Arcade would be open to the public after lunch. You could get tickets later in the day at the booth, or just go to the Flynn’s Arcade directly.

Some neat new Star Wars Lego kits coming out.

Slave 1 with frozen Han Solo

TIE Defender

Imperial Shuttle

I stopped by the Xbox 360 setup at the Hard Rock Hotel so I could try out Kinect.

I tried out “Dance Central” in front of a group of people. It was fun, but you can’t help but feel like a big dork…especially as you learn the moves. I’m definitely getting this when it comes out.

Here is a clip I took of a guy playing Dance Central. There is a kid that is running around and it doesn’t mess up the tracking.

The other game that really stood out was LIMBO. It looks like no other game I’ve seen. I picked it up as soon as I got home and have already finished it. Read my review here.

Next up: Heading to Flynn’s Arcade.

Posted on August 10, 2010 10:08 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

iTunes: Hello, I'm iTunes.

Zune: And I'm Zune.

iTunes: I think somebody stole my wallet!

Zune: How could that happen?

iTunes: Someone must have hacked my account.

Zune: You should call someone immediately!

iTunes: I wish! There is no support phone number for iTunes.

Zune: So what are you supposed to do?

iTunes: Email.

Zune: This is urgent! How quickly will they respond to email?

iTunes: Within 48 hours. You know how it is.

Zune: Actually, I don’t.

iTunes: Oh, you get a better response than an email back in 48 hours?

Zune: I can contact support via phone 7 days a week, from 6am until 10pm.

iTunes: Well you better contact them now!

Zune: I’ll be fine.

iTunes: Don’t be a hero, Zune! iTunes has been hacked!

Zune: iTunes…but not Zune.

Source: http://thenextweb.com/apple/2010/07/04/app-store-hacked/

Posted on July 4, 2010 5:06 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

I picked up an HTC EVO 4G on Friday.

One year ago I bought a Palm Pre. I *love* the Palm Pre. My biggest issue with the Pre is a lack of new products (still no follow-on announced) and the lost developer momentum.

Android, on the other hand, is doing very well in those departments.

What I like:

• Voice search – just press and hold the search button on the bottom right, then say what you are looking for and the phone gives you the Google search results for what you just said. I’m shocked how accurate it is, especially considering there is no voice training involved. This is definitely easier/quicker than typing and it has already changed how I use a smart phone.
• Similarly, the on screen keyboard has an option to let you speak instead of type. I’ve used it for a few text messages and find it useful. I’m curious if I’ll use this more than the actual keyboard for txt messages…if it saves me keystrokes, then I will.
• Google Maps has Street View! Maps is a killer app for mobile phones…and having access to Street View makes it even more so. I really like how you can rotate your body in order to spin around in Street View.
• Google Scoreboard app: This app tracks your favorite teams, and tells you what time they are playing (in *your* time zone), where they are on TV/radio, and can notify you with score updates at start/end of game, or after every quarter, or score. It works great, it is free, and it has no ads.
• EVO uses the same Micro USB port that the Pre uses, so I don’t need new charging cables for home/work/car.
• Facebook app…written by Facebook. Automatically populates your phone’s contact list with information (email, phone numbers, address, etc) and profile pics.
• Twitter app…written by Twitter. Like the Facebook app, the Twitter app integrates with Android so that any contacts you have that don’t have pictures associated with them can get their profile pics from Twitter. App has fun cloud/bird animations that give it a unique look and feel.
• Foursquare app…written by Foursquare. Unlike the Pre version, this actually works well.
• Gmail. The Android version of Gmail is is more full featured than the Pre mail program (supports labels, collapsing conversations to a single message).
• Animated wallpaper.
• Shazam. Ever hear a song and wonder who sings it? Shazam can listen to just a few seconds of a song and tell you what it is. This *is* magical software.
• Phone kickstand. You can see a metal bar on the back on the phone in the image above. That metal bar extends so you can place your phone in landscape mode on a table for easy viewing. Useful when you use your phone as an alarm clock, watching movies, or a mini computer. Just add a wireless keyboard and you have a *very* portable computer, except the screen may be too small for heavy usage. Which brings me to…
• HDMI out. The phone can output to a TV via an HDMI cable (video/sound). If you want a much bigger display than the already ginormous 4.3 inch screen…just plug it into your TV!
• Mobile hotspot. You can use the EVO as a Wi-Fi access point for up to 8 devices! Finally…I can connect my laptop to the internet via my phone. My Pre could not do that (but my old Windows Mobile 6 Palm Treo could).
• Web browser. I found that more web pages load correctly on the EVO than they did on my Pre.
• I haven’t really thought about the performance of this phone, mostly because I haven’t had to wait for anything. I guess that means 1 GHz Snapdragon processor is fast.
• Android has a lot of momentum now, I only expect it to grow. It is nice to have a phone that developers are targeting instead of being an afterthought. There are a ton of apps to play with…much more than what is available for the Pre.
• Big 4.3” screen makes everything better: more details visible on maps, on screen keyboard has large buttons even in portrait mode, video more enjoyable to watch.
• HTC’s custom software is actually useful and not crap ware like I was expecting. I like the home screen big clock, weather, alarms, timer, and stopwatch. You can turn on a low light clock that stays on at all times if you want to use your phone as an alarm clock. The pinch to zoom for access to the 7 home screens is very fast/useful.
• Front facing camera for video chats. Not sure when I’ll use this, but it is nice to know I can.
• HD video recording at 720p.
• 8MP camera with 2 LED flashes.
• Supports 32 GB microSD card.
• Adobe Flash! It isn’t here on this Android release (2.1), but it should be when 2.2 come out…which won’t be long.

What I don’t like/miss:

• Keyboard. I still prefer the confidence of typing with actual keys.
• Notifications. They are handled *perfectly* on the Pre. Android needs some work. Android email notification only says you have a new message. Pre tells you who sent it and the message subject. Notifications on the Pre could be selectively deleted. So far, I’ve only been able to delete all notifications at once with Android.
• Task management. Pre has this done right, too. On the Pre, you press the “home” button and you instantly see small “cards” representing all the running applications. You swipe an app up to send it off the screen and kill it. You can rearrange the order of running apps. You can use the swipe left/right gesture to quickly move between running apps without going to a home screen/task switcher dialog (like pressing/releasing Alt-tab). With Android, I don’t see a way to kill an app (Android is supposed to manage this for you). Android appears to only support switching between 6 apps via a dialog that comes up when you press and hold the “home” button. It’s not terrible…but not as slick as the Pre.
• The Pre uses a universal swipe to the left or right to delete an item (like a mail message or a notification). Once you learn this, you expect you can do it anywhere…which is true on the Pre. Android doesn’t support the swipe to delete gesture…but I wish it did.
• The Pre has the touchstone charger that lets you charge your phone by simply laying it on a “puck”…wireless charging. If you get a call, you lift the phone off the puck and the call is automatically answered, just like the way a traditional phone works. Also if you start a speaker phone conversation while on the the puck, lifting the phone off the puck will switch speaker phone off. EVO just plugs into a micro USB cable. :(
• The battery life is about the same as what I was getting with the Pre…I have to charge a minimum of once a day, or more if I really use the phone. I keep it plugged in overnight and have a charger at work as well. It’s not a step back from the Pre, but I’d like to get back to the days when a cell phone only needed charging once a week.
• On the Pre, you can slide your launch icons where ever you want. If an icon is already in the location, it will slide out of the way to a new location allowing for easy insertions. Android, on the other hand, won’t let you do this. You must first make an empty space before you can drag an icon to a location. Not a big deal…but not as slick as the Pre.

After using the EVO for a weekend and getting used to Android…I’m hooked. The EVO isn’t perfect and I do miss some of some of Pre’s niceties. Overall, the good almost makes you forget the bad.

I would recommend the EVO and Android to anyone.

Posted on June 7, 2010 1:36 AM | Permalink| Comments (3)

This week, Microsoft announced the latest update to their smart phone OS called Windows Phone 7 Series.

What I like:

• Beautiful, unique user interface
• A task-based interface instead of application-based
• For example, a contact will contain standard contact information, plus that person’s facebook status updates
• Integration with social networks
• Unlimited music access via Zune Pass
• Xbox Live integration (can get achievement points via games on your phone)
• Strict hardware requirements
• Resolution
• 3 hardware buttons (back, start, search)
• GPS
• Capacitance Multi-touch screen

I’ll be watching this phone closely…I like what I see so far.

Check out this video to see Windows Phone 7 Series in action.

Posted on February 17, 2010 7:48 AM | Permalink| Comments (0)

There are multiple ways to do 3D in movie theaters. My favorite is RealD because of the image quality and the potential of getting normal sunglasses that work in a theater. I saw Avatar in both RealD and Dolby 3D and could not tell a difference…both looked great.

Here’s a table to help keep it straight:

Company

IMAX 3D uses either linear polarization (which means you *cannot* tilt your head), or LCD shutter glasses, depending on theater.

My biggest issues are…

1. Letting you tilt your head during a movie
2. Headaches from LCD shutter glasses

For now, I’m avoiding XpandD and IMAX 3D for 3D movies.

Much of this info is from this article.

Posted on December 31, 2009 1:22 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

I bought a new super remote: the Nevo Q50.

What I like:

• Don’t have to aim remote (uses RF to talk to Nevo Connect, which is connected to my devices via IR Emitters)
• Can use remote in any room
• No number pad (those keys are wasted on me)
• Almost everything can be done via 31 hard buttons
• Four hard buttons that use the remote’s screen for labeling
• One-handed operation
• Voltage sensor for devices that do not have discreet on/off codes (like the PS3)
• Completely customizable color, 320x240 touch screen
• NevoStudio Pro 2.0 - really good/easy software for programming
• You can get the screens to look *exactly* like you want. For example, I just took an image from the manual for my PS3 controller and made that a screen. Then I placed hotspots on the buttons that mapped to the actual IR remote output for a PS3 (via IR2BT).

What I don’t like:

• Has to be charged approximately every three days
• Software only runs on 32 bit Vista (not 64 bit Windows 7, which is what I normally run)
• You get obsessed wanting to customize the screens to look perfect…and you are never finished
• Resistive screen doesn’t work well with fingers (fingernails work better)

I bought the Nevo Q50 Remote, Nevo Connect, and NevoStudio Pro 2.0 software for about $550 on eBay from a merchant called “jdm-cafe.” Normally, you buy this remote from a home theater installer that will do all the programming for you…but what fun is that? I think this remote is more than a $1000 if you buy it from an installer.

I bought a voltage sensor (for my PS3) and 6 IR emitters from Remote Shoppe for about $140.

To figure out when my PS3 is powered on, I connected the voltage sensor to the power lines on a USB cable I plugged into the PS3. I learned about this technique for detecting the power state of a PS3 here.

I’m really happy with how slick this setup works. *NOW*, everything just works. Press the “PS3” button and…

• TV turns on
• TV switches to HDMI for PS3
• Receiver turns on
• Receiver switches to PS3 digital audio
• PS3 powers on (if it isn’t already on)
• Remote switches to PS3 control, with volume keys controlling the receiver

And when I’m done, I press “Power Down System”…

• TV turns off
• Receiver turns off
• PS3 is sent a macro for turning off (if it is currently on)

Mmmmmmm…home theater nirvana! This makes me *really* happy. :)

Posted on September 1, 2009 1:53 AM | Permalink| Comments (0)

Stereoscopic 3D (S-3D) was big at SIGGRAPH this year and left me thoroughly impressed. For me, it was the biggest news of SIGGRAPH 2009.

What is S-3D? S-3D creates the illusion of depth, like you would see with a View-Master. Instead of a single image, each eye has a unique perspective of the image.

Why is S-3D hot all the sudden?

• Digital projectors are common in theaters now (TI’s DLP and Sony’s SXRD)
• It is easy to place a filter system in front of digital projectors that allows each eye to see a different image with special glasses.
• The 3D presentation of a movie makes more money than the 2D presentation. For example, The 3D presentations of Polar Express made 14 times more money than 2D presentations, per screen.

Hollywood has taken notice of the increased revenue, and it shows. There is a surge in the number of 3D movies coming out.

There are many ways you can see S-3D. Two technologies that standout as the best:

• RealD
• Dolby 3D.

RealD has most of the market currently. I don’t have any stats, but I believe I heard in the SIGGRAPH panel that over 1,000 theaters are RealD-capable now and they have more than 90% of the market for 3D cinema. To use RealD, theaters need a special silver screen to reflect more light and keep the light polarized. They also need a RealD filter device in front of the projector to polarize frames for the left eye and right eye. The glasses are cheap to produce and can be recycled or replaced.

Dolby 3D uses color filters instead of polarizing light. Each eye can only see certain colors, but amazingly appears as a full color image. Dolby 3D uses a standard white screen. A big advantage is there is no special screen to buy and thus 2D movies are not impacted by a theater’s move to 3D-capable. I’m not sure how a 2D movie looks on RealD’s silver screen, but I’ve been told it does look different than using a standard white screen. The Dolby 3D glasses are not cheap like the RealD glasses, and theaters must be careful not to lose the glasses.

I’ve seen both RealD and Dolby3D and I can’t pick a winner…both look really good.

Movies are obvious candidates for S-3D…but I saw other forms of entertainment that *really* shine in 3D. In the SIGGRAPH panel, I watched a demo reel from 3ality Digital that showed scenes from an NFL game, an NBA game, and a U2 concert. Seeing a live event in 3D is *very* compelling.

Two scenes stood out in my head:

1. A running back trying to break through a wall of linemen and eventually forced out of bounds and into the 3D camera made the entire audience react as the running back kept getting closer to us. We had the same reaction as if we were standing there preparing to get hit.
2. Watching the kicker kickoff. Seeing the ball from the opposite end zone is nearly impossible with the sea of people in the background…but in 3D, the ball popped out in front and was very clear, even though it was very small.

I can’t wait for movie theaters to start hosting NFL/NBA games in 3D…I’ll definitely shell out some cash to see that.

I’m a believer in 3D for movie theaters…I’ll definitely go see every movie in 3D that I can.

But what about in your home?

That is getting very interesting very quickly.

JVC had a 46 inch LCD on display at SIGGRAPH that uses the same technique as RealD…and it looked really good. The bad news: You lose half your resolution because each frame contains the left and right images instead of just a single image. That means you *cannot* do 1080p currently in 3D.

However, HDMI 1.4 fixes this with its “3D over HDMI” feature.

Panasonic should have a 3D-capable set by next year. Sony has not made a 3D  announcement yet, but was very active in the SIGGRAPH panel…so you can draw your own conclusions.

So you get a Blu-ray player and TV that supports HDMI 1.4…what about 3D content? There is *no* standard for 3D yet…so anything you buy now may be worthless when a standard is decided.

My advice for 3D in the home: wait. It is coming, but it looks like it is still a few years away.

As soon as 3D for the home is standardized…I’m jumping in…I’m hooked on this stuff.

The SIGGRAPH panel left some good websites to follow for information on this topic:

• Meant To Be Seen – mtbs3d.com
• The S-3D Gaming Alliance – s3gda.com

Posted on August 16, 2009 9:00 PM | Permalink| Comments (5)

I was impressed with the Palm Pre when it was announced to the world at CES back in January.

It has the cool UI of the iPhone and the keyboard of a Blackberry…a killer combination.

I stood in line at the Van Ness Sprint store in San Francisco the past Saturday. I got there at 7:30am and I was issued ticket #17.

I was able to pickup a Pre around 10:30am, but not the cool new Touchstone “wireless” charger because they were already sold out. I ordered one and should have it by next week.

What do I think?

I love it.

What I like

1. A keyboard! It is almost identical to a Palm Treo Pro (my previous phone). Some keys were rearranged for better internet typing. For example, the @ sign can be typed without using the alt key. The keyboard is a huge deal. When you type a message, you still get the full screen, instead of just half (or less) on iPhone’s virtual keyboard.
2. Multi-tasking. I can run Pandora radio in the background, Facebook, Twitter, load multiple web pages, write an email, use Google Maps, and have multiple txt message conversations, and jump back and forth between these running apps. If you listen to Apple (I recommend you don’t…they lie…a lot), they’d have you believe phones *can’t* do multitasking…and their dumbed down “push notification” is the solution. Whatever! The iPhone is the *only* smart phone that can’t do multi-tasking. You don’t know how much you need multi-tasking until you don’t have it anymore.
3. Notifications! You can keep working while email/txt messages arrive…notifications don’t get in the way…unless you want to deal with them. See it action here.
4. Camera has a flash…night time photos now possible with cell phone. Camera is very quick to start, take pictures. It seems like good quality 3MP images, too.
5. Copy/Paste keyboard shortcuts are *fast*…works much better than using a menu to do copy/paste. To copy, select text by holding the shift key while dragging on the screen, then put one finger on the gesture area (button will light up) and press the “c” key. To paste, touch where you want to insert (or hold orange key to move cursor more precisely with your finger), and then touch the gesture area with one figure (button will light up) and press the “v” key.
6. The Touchstone charger is just slick (see end of notifications video above)
7. The Palm Pre SDK runs on PC’s (Windows, Linux, Mac). iPhone SDK only runs on Mac. Also, the Pre SDK does *not* use Objective-C (who uses that?!?!? Oh yeah, just Apple)! I’m trying to get the Pre SDK now.
8. Adobe Flash Support coming!
9. Tethering (coming soon)
10. Smaller than an iPhone…fits better in your pocket.
11. Linked contacts. I added my Facebook account to my Pre contacts and then all of my exchange contacts that have Facebook accounts suddenly have Facebook profile pics associated with them (for email, txt messages, phone calls). Very cool! Here’s a demo of contacts on the Pre.
12. Gestures. I didn’t appreciate gestures until I started using the phone…but now I’m hooked. Gestures let you quickly do various common tasks (go back, quick launch apps, switch between apps, close apps) without using any valuable screen real-estate by flicking your finger in certain ways. Here is a demo of gestures.
13. My phone hasn’t had a typical day yet since I keep showing people what it can do and I’m constantly playing with it. Currently, I’m sitting at 35% of the battery left at almost midnight…not bad!
14. I’m on Sprint now (had AT&T). At work, with AT&T I had *no* signal until I left the building. With Sprint, I get two bars consistently…my phone is now usable at work.
15. Wi-Fi on my old phone would drain the battery quickly, so I rarely used it. I’ve read the Palm Pre uses *less* battery with Wi-Fi than using the cellular network for loading data. Good to know!

What I don’t like

1. Can’t send a txt message to multiple people…or at least I haven’t found a way.
2. Can’t have more than three “launcher” pages (for starting apps)
3. No support for iCalendar events. For my previous phone, I’d forward events from my work calendar to my home email as iCalendar and I could easily add them to my home calendar via my phone. Pre doesn’t support this (yet?)

So far my Pre has been amazingly stable with few bugs…unheard of in a 1.0 product.

I expect things to get more interesting as Palm updates the software with more features and more apps are developed for the Pre.

Highly recommended!

Posted on June 10, 2009 12:14 AM | Permalink| Comments (12)

I have had 6 different keyboards in the last 2 years. I’m always looking for the *perfect* keyboard. My perfect keyboard would have…

• Backlighting
• Volume knob
• Media keys
• Standard layout
• Wireless (with *no* dropped keystrokes or delays)
• Thin profile
• Pointing stick (so I can use the mouse without taking my fingers off the keys)
• Small footprint

I don’t think that keyboard exists.

I got a new Logitech keyboard this week. So far, I’m happy with it.

My favorite so far is the Dell Multimedia Keyboard (see end of post).

Here are the last 5 keyboards I’ve had in reverse chronological order and what I liked/didn’t like about them.

Logitech Illuminated Keyboard

Pro

• Backlit
• Cool looking/thin
• No wasted “extra” keys
• Volume keys
• Function keys have normal operation first (can be changed)
• Small footprint

Con

• Non-standard layout (delete key/insert key/scroll lock)
• Not wireless
• Uses volume buttons instead of knob
• Media keys don’t work well with Zune player (opened a support item on this)

Microsoft Wired Keyboard 600

Pro

• Standard layout
• Calculator hot key
• Volume keys
• Small footprint

Con

• Delay with volume keys
• Not illuminated
• Not wireless

Microsoft Wireless Keyboard 6000

Pro

• Slight curve to keyboard is nice without being radically different than standard keyboard
• Wireless
• Good looking/thin

Con

• Non-standard function key layout
• Hard to tell which keys were volume keys
• Not illuminated
• Many special keys that I never used
• Sometimes pressing keys would do nothing, reconnecting USB transmitter fixed issue

Microsoft Reclusa Gaming Keyboard

Pro

• Backlit

Con

• Big
• Extra buttons I don’t care about
• No volume controls
• No media keys
• Flakey keyboard management software
• Not wireless

Dell USB Multimedia Keyboard

Pro

• Excellent volume knob! Can easily turn it up/down quickly by feel. *Much* better than volume keys.
• Media keys layout around volume knob works well. Track forward/back different size than other media keys so they can be used by feel.
• Standard keyboard layout
• Small footprint

Con

• Not backlit
• Not wireless

Technorati Tags: Keyboards,Logitech,Dell,Microsoft

Posted on April 26, 2009 12:41 PM | Permalink| Comments (13)

First, some background.

I showed David Bullock, a buddy of mine from work, a blog post I did about HD-DVD vs. DVD and how the difference for a typical TV size and viewing distance is not as obvious as you would think.

We got in several “discussions” about the topic. DavidB thought it would be easy to tell the difference between Blu-ray and DVD. I claimed it would be difficult.

Who would be right?

Arguing got us no where. We decided to settle this like they did in the Pepsi Challenge: a “Blu-Ray/DVD Taste Test.”

The loser of the test has to take the winner out for dinner at a restaurant of their choosing.

The taste test had the following rules:

• 10 popular movies of David Lenihan’s choosing
• Play a scene of David Lenihan’s choosing
• May be all DVD, all Blu-ray, or a mix
• Played in random order
• No replaying
• No pausing
• Played on a PlayStation 3 connected to a Sony XBR3 46” LCD via HDMI
• TV/PS3 running at 1080p
• Tuned with Blu-ray Digital Video Essentials
• 1:1 Pixel Mapping for Blu-ray content
• Test subjects cannot watch video setup or when video stops
• Viewing distance of 6ft or more
• Scoring is as follows:
  • 1 point for each movie identified correctly as Blu-ray or DVD
  • -1 point for each movie incorrectly identified
  • 0 points for blank answer

I invited people from work to join in the fun.

From left to right: CharlieK, Ed, DavidB, Shelly, Greg, An, and Ted.

Here are the movies I showed:

1. Death Proof - DVD
2. Matrix – DVD
3. Dark City – DVD
4. Pixar’s Lifted – Blu-Ray
5. Reservoir Dogs – Blu-Ray
6. Close Encounters of the Third Kind – Blu-Ray
7. Sleeping Beauty – Blu-Ray
8. Terminator 2 – Blu-Ray
9. Blade Runner – DVD
10. Sin City – DVD

I had everybody predict what their score would be on the scorecard.

Here are the results (click on the names to see the actual scorecard)…

Some interesting results:

• Everyone picked Lifted as Blu-ray, and it was
• Everyone picked Sin City as Blu-ray, but it was DVD
• A score of zero is what you would expect if someone guessed on every movie. Only Greg beat the guessing score.
• Ted did 9 points worse than he predicted, the biggest disparity
• Greg was the only person that did better than they predicted, by 1 point
• The average score was –0.14, which is worse than the guessing average

So where should I have David take me to dinner? Post your suggestions in the comments.

This was a lot of fun…thanks to my buds from work for coming out and being great sports!

Technorati Tags: Blu-ray,DVD

Posted on April 10, 2009 1:25 AM | Permalink| Comments (26)

I really like this ad…

Here are two more “I’m a PC” ads: Alexa and Adam. All Microsoft ads are here.

From an advertising standpoint, I’m impressed with how Microsoft dealt with the “I’m a Mac/I’m a PC” ads.

It is interesting to compare the contrasting styles of the ads:

• Hollywood actors vs. real people
• White background set vs. real places
• Attacking the competition vs. showing how your product works

By embracing the “I’m a PC” catchphrase and putting a positive spin on it, Apple’s “I’m a Mac” ads are now connected to Microsoft’s “I’m a PC” ads.

Is this why we haven’t seen a new “I’m a Mac” ad since Christmas 2008?

Technorati Tags: I'm a PC,I'm a Mac,Advertising

Posted on March 21, 2009 10:59 AM | Permalink| Comments (5)

Microsoft posted a *very* slick 2 minute video of user interface concepts they imagine will be in use 10 years from now…

A longer (5 min) version with more focus on the UI’s is here…

Exciting stuff!

Things that jumped out at me:

• The “transparent” wall conversation between the kid in the US and and the kid in India
• The single credit card that contains all of your cards
• The interactive newspaper
• The arrow on the ground at the airport that leads you where you need to go
• Zooming in and out by bringing a device closer/further from you
• The “transparent” coffee cup that shows the liquid level and temperature
• Devices that are completely wrapped in a screen so the the entire device is a drawing surface

Technorati Tags: Microsoft,Future Vision Montage,User Interface

Posted on March 1, 2009 2:32 PM | Permalink| Comments (1)

Touch-screen phones existed well before the iPhone. The iPhone is different because it supports multi-touch. The iPhone uses a capacitance screen instead of the traditional resistive screen.

I assumed that a capacitance screen was a requirement to get multi-touch…until I watched this video.

Stantum is demonstrating a way to do multi-touch with resistive screens.

Advantages of resistive multi-touch screens over capacitance screens:

• Cheaper
• Works with *any* input: finger, fingernails, gloves, stylus, paint brush, etc.

This tech is a game changer…stay tuned.

Technorati Tags: Resistive Screen,Multi-Touch,Stantum,iPhone,Capacitance Screen

Posted on February 19, 2009 8:37 AM | Permalink| Comments (0)

Today at CES, Palm announced a new phone called the Palm Pre (rhymes with “tree”).

I consider this the first true competitor to Apple’s iPhone.

Other phones try to duplicate the iPhone and end up not as good. The Palm Pre is what the iPhone *should* be. Apple finally has a reason to be worried.

This is the first cell phone since the iPhone where the hardware and the OS (“WebOS”) are made by the same company.

The Pre has a screen resolution of 480x320, like the iPhone. It supports multi-touch, like the iPhone. It has a WebKit-based web browser, like the iPhone. It rotates its display orientation when you rotate the phone, like the iPhone. It has an app store, like the iPhone.

Here’s what I like about the Pre over the iPhone…

• Full keyboard, slides out (see photo, right)
• No virtual keyboard means more screen real estate for your apps
• Support for copy/paste
• Supports running multiple apps at the same time
• Removable battery
• Consolidated contact list. Outlook, Gmail, and Facebook contacts are all stored in a single contact list with no duplicated entries.
• Consolidated calendar
• Consolidated IM
• Combine work calendar with personal calendar in a single calendar. When syncing, only work items sync with work (so you don’t put your personal calendar on your company’s Outlook calendar).
• Smaller/lighter than the iPhone

The new UI is *amazing*. Check out the launch demo to see the UI in action:

• Palm Pre UI (part 1)
• Palm Pre UI (part 2)
• Palm Pre UI (part 3)
• Palm Pre UI (part 4)
• Palm Pre UI (part 5)

I love the iPhone UI. I think the Pre UI is better.

I’m really excited about this phone. I’ll probably pick one up when they come out in the next few months.

Posted on January 8, 2009 10:06 PM | Permalink| Comments (7)

This is a big week for gadget lovers with CES and MacWorld about to get started.

Here is the first cool new gadget I’ve heard about: Apple’s latest laptop adopts the iPod click wheel…

Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard

Technorati Tags: Apple, Click Wheel, Laptop

Posted on January 6, 2009 8:51 AM | Permalink| Comments (4)

I have a closet full of electronics that I don’t use anymore. I am going to get rid of them via eBay and make some cash doing it.

I updated my website so I have a link to my current eBay items on the right (only shows on my home page, not individual posts).

Here is my first item: my old Xbox 360…

Xbox 360 w/ 20 GB, 11 games, HD DVD player w/ 4 movies

Technorati Tags: ebay, xbox 360, HD DVD

Posted on January 4, 2009 12:32 PM | Permalink| Comments (8)

Here is a list of software, hardware, and web sites that I use at home.

Software

Hardware

Web

Technorati Tags: What I Use

Posted on December 14, 2008 1:18 PM | Permalink| Comments (3)

Check out this post about a new medical robot from Japan. The comments are pretty good, too. Wow.

Technorati Tags: Gizmodo, Robots

Posted on November 14, 2008 7:59 AM | Permalink| Comments (2)

I ordered my new phone today, a Palm Treo Pro.

It is going to replace my current phone, the AT&T Tilt.

The phone is not available from any carrier. You must buy it unlocked (no contract!) directly from Palm.

What I like...

• Perfect phone form factor: physical keyboard that you can access without flipping open. Also, you can use the phone with one hand and type with your thumb.
• 320x320 display...no need to rotate
• Higher res than my current phone (320x240)
• Thinner than my current phone and much lighter
• Button for disabling ringer
• Button for WiFi access
• Supports 32 GB MicroSDHC cards
• Can see time, missed calls, voice mail status without turning the phone on
• Window Mobile Pro 6.1 (the new texting client is really good)
• Full Exchange support (email, contacts, calendar, task list)
• 3.5mm stereo headset jack...you can use standard headphones
• Can be used as a modem for a laptop, either wirelessly (via Bluetooth) or via USB
• GPS (although I almost never use it on my current phone)
• Uses MicroUSB for charging (which is what my last phone used, so I can use the same cables)
• Touch Screen

Technorati Tags: Palm, Treo Pro

Posted on October 20, 2008 11:10 PM | Permalink| Comments (6)

Wow! Finally somebody has figured out how to outdo Apple when it comes to product packaging.

I may need to get this phone.

Technorati Tags: Samsung Omnia, i900

Posted on August 20, 2008 9:35 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

I was really excited about the new iPhone 3G that will be out July 11th.

Two things that were requirements for me were missing in the original iPhone: 3G and Exchange support.

I care about Exchange support because I have my own Exchange server via 1&1. This lets me use Outlook on my desktop, and a web browser anywhere else to access my email/calendar/contact list. My AT&T Tilt supports Exchange, so I also have access on my phone. With Exchange, you don't have to sync anything...update data in one place and it is automatically updated everywhere.

The new iPhone adds 3G and Exchange support.

Now there was nothing stopping me from getting an iPhone...until I started digging a little deeper.

iPhone is missing several features that I currently have on my AT&T Tilt and I'm not prepared to give up. These missing features are enough for me to change my mind and pass on the new iPhone.

What's missing from the iPhone 3G (but my current phone has)?

• iPhone can't be used by a laptop to connect to the Internet (tethering/internet sharing). My Tilt uses Bluetooth to connect my laptop wirelessly to the Internet...works great and it doesn't cost anything extra because I have unlimited data downloads.
• Can't run multiple apps at the same time. I think this is a *big* problem with the iPhone. The last time I used an OS that couldn't run multiple apps at the same time was DOS! A typical usage pattern for me that won't work on the iPhone is:
• Start reading mail
• Click on html link in email
• Continue reading mail while web page loads
• Click on attached picture in next email to download
• Switch to web browser to see html link
• Switch to see downloaded picture
• Switch back to email
• Doesn't fully support Exchange. The iPhone supports email, contacts, and calendar. But it *doesn't* support task lists and notes.
• Web browser doesn't support Adobe Flash. That means a lot of web sites won't work on the iPhone (like youtube.com, for example).
• No copy/paste support
• No hardware keyboard
• Writing software for iPhone requires a Mac (who has one of those?!?!) and programming in Objective C (who knows that?!?!?) Hey Apple...how about the other 99% of the market that has a PC and knows C++?
• The iPhone is a closed platform...the only applications you will see are ones that Apple approves. If Apple doesn't want Adobe to make Flash work on the iPhone, then Adobe is out of luck (which seems to be the case).

The best thing about the iPhone is how much focus mobile phones are getting now...I expect to see some interesting developments over the next year from Google's new phone OS Android and the next versions of Window Mobile.

Technorati Tags: iPhone, 3G

Posted on June 20, 2008 12:50 AM | Permalink| Comments (17)

Wow! This *really* changes how I use my cell phone.

Skyfire is a web browser that works just like the web browser that runs on your PC. It supports Java, Javascript, Flash, Quicktime, etc.

I haven't had any trouble with any website I've tried: facebook, match, youtube, davidlenihan.com/ORIGINAL_davidlenihan.com, espn...all sites that wouldn't work or had formatting issues with the mobile version of Internet Explorer that comes with Windows Mobile.

With Skyfire, you use the normal website, not the dumbed down versions designed to fit on a small screen. Audio and video work as expected.

I downloaded the beta for free...but considering how much utility this brings to my phone...I'd pay a lot for this software...it's worth it! I feel like I got a new phone...probably because the web browser was the weakest part of Windows Mobile.

Check out the demo to see it in action...

Technorati Tags: Skyfire, Windows Mobile, web browser

Posted on June 19, 2008 9:10 AM | Permalink| Comments (4)

I got a new laptop last week. It is a Lenovo IdeaPad 110. Lenovo was previously IBM's laptop division responsible for ThinkPads.

The main reason I went with this one is how light/small it is and it still has a good keyboard. It weighs less than 2.5 pounds and easily fits in my backpack.

I am writing this from a restaurant. I have been running with the extended battery (comes with a regular and extended standard). I've been here for more than 2 hours and my battery indicator says I can go for another hour. I haven't done any tweaking to conserve power, so I could probably go longer. With the settings I have on now, the computer is very responsive and the screen is nice and bright.

I am using my AT&T Tilt's Bluetooth connection for Internet access.

It has a very unique/engaging look...which is very important around here when you have to do battle with all the Apple-fanboys.

The face recognition (via integrated web cam) login works surprisingly well, as long as the light is decent. At first I thought this would be a gimmick, but I rarely type my password anymore. As soon as I sit in front of my laptop, it logs me in. You also have the option to use your face for Internet passwords, which is very handy.

I got my laptop from J&R. I bought it for $1999, which was $100 more than what you get if you order from Lenovo directly. Currently, you can't configure the laptop. However, the version from J&R has integrated Bluetooth and 3GB of RAM (Lenovo's site is selling 2GB of RAM with no Bluetooth). Bluetooth is critical for me because I expect to use it for my Internet connection and I don't want to deal with add-on cards. The extra RAM is nice, but I don't actually need it for what I'm doing

So far, I love it.

I plan on using it for email, Internet, blogging, and a C# project I've been planning for a while.

Here is a video to get an idea of what it looks like. It definitely draws attention.

Posted on June 14, 2008 9:06 PM | Permalink| Comments (8)

I made the plunge yesterday and picked up a PS3 to use as a Blu-ray player. From what I've read, it is the best player out there and it is relatively cheap ($400).

There are some things I really about the PS3 when compared to an Xbox 360:

• Quiet operation! I don't notice the PS3 at all...and that is my #1 issue with the 360.
• Web browser...I can watch glorious 320x240 youtube videos stretched out on my HDTV
• Slot loading drive...no tray
• Solid unit...360 feels cheap in comparison
• No power brick like the 360 has...just a cable to the wall outlet

I picked up the remote for the PS3 and figured I would use it to program my universal remote.

But you can't do that.

The PS3 does not have an IR port...it does its communications via bluetooth!

The cool thing about bluetooth is you don't have to do line-of-sight like you do with IR...which is nice.

The *bad* thing about bluetooth is...no other universal remote can send out those signals! So now I'm stuck with two remotes....grrrrr!

Help is on the way, though. There is a product called IR2BT that will take IR codes from your universal remote and convert them into bluetooth signals that the PS3 can understand! The product is out of stock, but I'm getting one as soon as they are available.

Now that the format war is over, I am switching to Blu-ray as my primary format. I picked up several discs this weekend including:

• Digital Video Essentials
• The Shining
• Terminator 2
• Memento
• Blade Runner
• Reservoir Dogs
• 2001
• Close Encounters
• Full Metal Jacket

I am going to continue to use my 360 for gaming. The PS3 doesn't have anything that I'm really interested in with their current line-up.

In October, Little Big Planet comes out for the PS3 exclusively...and I *will* get that. It looks amazing...

Technorati Tags: Playstation 3, Little Big Planet, Blu-ray

Posted on June 2, 2008 10:44 PM | Permalink| Comments (5)

I finished my first audiobook last week: Freakonomics.

I downloaded "Freakonomics: Revised Edition (Unabridged)" from iTunes for $21.95. The audiobook is about 7 hours long.

I started listening to Freakonomics on my iPod for my walk to/from work.

This is a very interesting, thought-provoking read/listen.

Probably the most memorable topic was about the dramatic drop in crime (40% drop in homicides) in the early 90's and its connection to legalized abortion. It's a touchy subject, but handled in a factual manner without choosing sides in the abortion debate.

Other topics were about what parenting techniques work and which ones don't:

• Reading to your child every night (doesn't help)
• Letting your child watch TV (doesn't hurt)
• Stay at home moms (doesn't help)

The findings are that kids do well when their parents do well, independent of how the child is raised. It's who you *are* as parents that is important, not what you *do* as parents.

Another question the book tackles...which is safer: a house with a gun or a house with a pool? The answer: a child is 100 times more likely to die at a house that has a pool than one with a gun present.

I recommend both Freakonomics and the medium of audiobooks.

I already finished another audiobook, Stephen King's "The Gingerbread Girl (Unabridged)." It was a short listen (about 2 hours) and kept me entertained.

My next audiobook is Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.

Technorati Tags: Freakonomics, Audiobooks

Posted on May 26, 2008 12:48 PM | Permalink| Comments (16)

Pleo is a robotic pet dinosaur. I saw one in person at GDC this year. They are hard not to like...which is why this next video is so disturbing...

Shortly after I saw this video, someone posted this video. It should help you forget the terrible things done to poor Pleo. Skip ahead to the 1 minute mark to get to the good stuff.

Technorati Tags: Pleo, Maker Faire, Sea World

Posted on May 11, 2008 10:37 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

This is amazing.

I worked with these guys (Boston Dynamics) a long time ago when I did flight simulators. We integrated their DI-Guy product in our flight simulator API (Vega Prime) to get realistic looking people.

Their *other* product line blows me away...robots! REALLY CREEPY ROBOTS!!!

Check out "BigDog"...a robot that can carry heavy equipment across almost any type of terrain.

Next up is RHex, which can traverse difficult terrain *and* swim underwater...

Finally, RiSE can climb up any surface...

Technorati Tags: Boston Dynamics, BDI, BigDog, HRex, RiSE, Robots

Posted on March 17, 2008 10:44 PM | Permalink| Comments (2)

I added a bunch of new updates to my Tilt this weekend.

First of all, there is a new a ROM (version 1.62.502.0) that fixes some bugs.

Then I added HTC Home (pictured above), a plug-in that adds to your home screen...

• A large digital clock
• Weather
• Quick access to favorite contacts
• A program launcher
• A music player
• Quick access to vibrate, silent, and normal sound

I got version 1.6 here (look for HTC Home Plug v1.6).

The above plug in is called HTC Random Access. It adds the alphabet on the right side of the contacts screen so you can get to your contacts by browsing with your finger instead of typing in the search box at the top. As you drag, a large letter appears in the middle of the screen to let you know where you are. Get it here (look for HTC Random Acces_updated).

I found a post that explains how to enable youtube.com support in Pocket Internet Explorer. This is for the full version of youtube.com, not the mobile one that the iPhone uses.

The instructions and the software downloads (2 of them) are here. Once you have installed, just open this web page in your web browser and you can start watching youtube on your phone (normal http://youtube.com goes to the mobile version of youtube.com): www.youtube.com/?nomobile=1

KaiserTweak gives you access to a lot of features that you can't normally access. For example, do you really want a "Message Sent" notification message to pop up and require a "Dismiss" click every time you write a text message? You can turn that off with KaiserTweak. Or what about when your screen dims when you make a call, making it impossible to press the keypad for voice mail menus...that can be fixed with KaiserTweak. It definitely makes the phone more pleasant to work with. Get it here.

Here is a cool software keyboard. The Tilt has a hardware keyboard, but it requires sliding out the keyboard and using two thumbs. This software keyboard works great with one handed operation. Check out the video below to see it in action. I ended up going with the $13 professional version instead of the free standard version. Get it here.

The last thing I added is a really slick add-on like the HTC Home, but with more features. It is called Spb Mobile Shell...

You can get it here. Here are a list of the features with screenshots.

Technorati Tags: AT&T, Tilt, Kaiser, HTC, Spb Mobile, HTC Home, HTC Random Access, Youtube, CoolTek, TouchPal, KaiserTweak

Posted on February 18, 2008 11:17 PM | Permalink| Comments (2)

The guys at Gizmodo had some fun at CES with a TV-B-Gone, a remote that can turn any TV on/off...

Technorati Tags: TV-B-Gone, Gizmodo, CES, TV

Posted on January 15, 2008 9:18 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

I bought my first laptop (a Dell Inspiron 8000) back in 2001. I'm ready for a new one and I think I found it.

It is the Lenovo IdeaPad U110. Lenovo is the same company that makes IBM ThinkPads. It was introduced at CES this week and should be available in April.

What I like about it:

• Light: Less than 3 pounds. My old laptop weighed more than 9 pounds.
• Small: Less than an inch thick...should be able to fit it in my backpack.
• Sturdy: No moving parts when combined with a SSD.
• Nice keyboard for its small size.
• Runs Vista Ultimate
• Has a dual core processor
• Built-in web cam that does face recognition (instead of typing passwords)
• 2 GB of RAM
• Looks cool with the red cover
• Less than $2,000

My new phone can act as a 3G high speed modem (5-10 Mbit/s) via bluetooth. I should be able to hop on the Internet anywhere my cell phone works with faster Internet access than I have at home...without connecting the laptop to anything!

I figure I will mostly use this for web surfing, email, blogging, and programming.

Here is a video review of the IdeaPad U110.

Technorati Tags: Lenovo, IdeaPad, U110

Posted on January 9, 2008 10:34 PM | Permalink| Comments (6)

This blog apparently got access to some internal documents detailing the next version of Windows Mobile. In short, it is a pretty dramatic UI makeover designed to compete with the iPhone. WM7 is scheduled for 2009.

Technorati Tags: Windows Mobile 7

Posted on January 6, 2008 11:32 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

My new phone was waiting for me when I got back from India. It is called the AT&T Tilt (a.k.a. HTC Kaiser).

What makes this phone special?

• Slide-out keyboard that "tilts" up like a mini-laptop
• Works with Exchange Server (I use this one)
• Internet Explorer
• GPS (maps will automatically track your location)
• 3G
• WiFi
• Touch screen
• Windows Mobile 6 Professional
• Instant Messaging with AIM, Yahoo, or Windows Live
• Microsoft Word (edit/view), Excel (edit/view), PowerPoint (viewing only)
• 3MP Camera
• Can be used as a high speed modem for a laptop
• Push to Talk

I hooked it up to Exchange Server tonight and now it is loaded with all my contacts, calendar, email and to-do lists that I keep in Outlook.

Technorati Tags: AT&T, Tilt, HTC, Kaiser, Exchange Server

Posted on October 30, 2007 12:24 AM | Permalink| Comments (0)

I'm going to spend quite a bit of time on an airplane soon, so I wanted to find something to keep me entertained.

I initially thought about getting a Dell XPS M1330 laptop. I was actually one click away from buying it today when I realized the ship date was after the bulk of much of my traveling.

I'm actually glad I didn't get the laptop. I don't travel very often, so the laptop would probably sit unused most of the time.

So the next best thing...an iPod. What I like about the iPod over the laptop...

• Much cheaper ($350 vs. $2,500)
• Much better battery life (7 hours vs 3 hours for watching movies)
• Much smaller (can fit in my jacket pocket)
• Much lighter
• Fast charging (about 2 hours for 80% capacity)
• Less concern about theft
• Should arrive next week

I figure I will load it up with...

• Season 5 and 6 of 24 (from iTunes)
• Several seasons of South Park (from iTunes)
• A few movies I haven't seen (from iTunes)
• Some audio books (from iTunes)
• The 3 video games iTunes has (Ms. Pacman, Tetris, and Sudoko)
• My music collection

Putting everything on the iPod means I don't have to worry about bringing a bunch of DVD's with me.

I decided on the 160GB over the 80GB because of battery life...the 160GB can do 7 hours of video watching on a charge verses only 5 hours on the 80GB.

There are two color choices, black or white. I went with black.

Any suggestions for good audio books, TV, or movies available on iTunes are welcome!

Technorati Tags: iPod, classic, 160 GB, iTunes

Posted on September 26, 2007 9:32 AM | Permalink| Comments (10)

I'm changing the way I buy music...I'm abandoning downloading music (which I've been doing for about 6 years) and going back to buying CD's. It seems a bit backwards, but it has a lot of advantages.

I have a requirement that my music is in MP3 format...I have several devices I use (computers, iPod, car system, Xbox 360, phone) and MP3 is the only format that works in all places.

Most importantly, look at the work involved in getting music into your library.

For downloaded music...

1. Burn downloaded track onto a CD
2. Rip track from CD back onto computer so it is in MP3 form
3. Update artist, song, album, genre tag information
4. Rename the MP3 using ARTIST-SONG.mp3 format
5. Create artist and album folders and move MP3 into correct location
6. Add album art

For CD's...

1. Rip track from CD

The number of steps involved with downloaded music has kept me from buying music.

Today I wanted to buy a few songs and I tried to find a place that would download MP3's, with album art, correct file names, and tag information...but I couldn't find any.

So I decided to go to amazon.com and buy CD's.

There are other advantages to using CD's over buying downloadable music...

1. CD is used as your backup in case you have data loss
2. CD quality is better than what you get from downloaded music
3. The selection of music on CD *far* exceeds what you can download

Now for the disadvantages...

1. Cost...you can't easily buy a single song on CD...you usually must buy an album. The songs I want will probably cost more than a $1/song.
2. Instant gratification...I can't have the music I want now, I will have to wait until next week when it is delivered

I think switching back to CD's is the right answer...I'd be interested in hearing of better ways of dealing with this. Post away in the comments section if you have any ideas.

Technorati Tags: Buying Music, Compact Disc, Download Music, MP3

Posted on July 14, 2007 4:15 PM | Permalink| Comments (10)

My brother pointed out the last phone I had a crush on (Toshiba G900) is not fully supporting any US networks.

But along comes a new SUPER phone! The HTC Omni!

Here are the deets...

• Windows Mobile 6
• 4" 800x480 main screen
• GPS/A-GPS (Automatically tracks you on Google Maps)
• Full QWERTY Keyboard
• TV and VGA out (you can connect this phone to a projector for PowerPoint presentations or connect it to a TV for watching movies!)
• WiFi b/g
• Bluetooth 2.0
• 3G UMTS/HSDPA
• 130 x 81 x 16 mm (Motorola Q is 116 x 64 x 12 mm for comparison)
• Available October 2007 (birthday gift?)

Technorati Tags: HTC Omni, Windows Mobile 6

Posted on July 8, 2007 3:48 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

This is cool. Shift lets you use your finger on a touch screen with pinpoint accuracy. Using Shift, selecting an individual pixel is easy.

Technorati Tags: Shift, Microsoft Research, User Interface

Posted on July 4, 2007 11:26 PM | Permalink| Comments (6)

This phone looks awesome!

• 3 inch 800x480 screen - Can show a full web page without zooming
• Slide out QWERTY keyboard
• Touch-screen
• Password entered via Fingerprint Reader (also doubles as 4-way direction pad)
• Uses Windows Mobile 6 Professional
• 2 Megapixel rear camera and a front facing camera for video conferencing
• WiFi and Bluetooth
• Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Opera Web Browser and Internet Explorer
• About the size of a Motorola Q, but thicker (119 x 61 x 21.5 mm,
  198g)
• Works with Microsoft Exchange (wirelessly syncs your email/calendar/contacts/task list...no need to connect to a desktop and sync)

Not sure when it is coming out and who will offer it, but this is the phone I want!

Technorati Tags: Toshiba G900

Posted on June 19, 2007 1:15 AM | Permalink| Comments (5)

This is amazing (thanks for the heads-up TreyS). Surface is a new "table computer" that uses touch instead of a keyboard or mouse. You really need to see it in action to appreciate it. The Surface homepage has several videos that are all worth checking out.

The part I'm most interested in is the idea of a computer that multiple people can work on at the same time. I can see where a family could sit around their Surface table and plan a trip...one person could map out the activities for the trip while another books the flight at the same time. Or you could play Monopoly or any other board game, where the board is virtual, but the pieces are real. Or work on a photo album together.

Today, computers tend to isolate us from other people (not counting virtual people). I see this as a platform that will bring people together to collaborate.

It will be interesting to see the new applications created for this platform. Will this be a success or a failure? I hope it is the former! I'll be following this closely. Microsoft is going to demo this at SIGGRAPH, so I'll check it out then.

Posted on May 30, 2007 11:52 PM | Permalink| Comments (9)

I owned a PS1 and I still have a PS2. I decided to switch camps for this generation of consoles and move to the Xbox 360.

I have no doubt that I made the right decision.

I tried out a PS3 demo unit at a GameStop. The controller is almost exactly like the PS2 version, which is not a bad thing. I like that the controller is now wireless and the shoulder buttons are analog triggers (like the 360's). I couldn't try out the tilt feature because the games I played did not support it. The PS3 no longer has support for "rumble", which is disappointing.

The games looked like Xbox 360 games, which is underwhelming considering the price difference, extra year of development time, and bold claims by Sony. Here's a website that compared games that are released on both the 360 and PS3...they look almost identical!

One of the selling points for the PS3 is its new Cell microprocessor. It has been called a "supercomputer on a chip."

Both the PS3 and the 360 get much of their processing power from multiple chips processing in parallel. The PS3 can process 8 threads at a time compared to the Xbox 360's 6. A *big* difference is the PS3 is asymmetric, which means the processors have different abilities and the software developer must take care in deciding which processors runs which thread. This is not an issue for the 360, because each processor has identical properties. Writing multi-threaded software is *really* hard. With the PS3, you also have to manage which processor is doing what and try to make sure the best processor for the job is always finished doing its previous work to avoid bottlenecks. The home user will not notice this issue, but software developers will.

I've also read that the PS3's Cell processor is crippled because of a design defect. If true, it could be another headache for software developers.

But forget the processors...they are not as important as the media would have you believe. For 3D video games, the biggest bottleneck is the graphics card. A game can only run as fast as its slowest component, and that will usually be the graphics card. PS3 has a custom Nvidia card and the 360 has a custom ATI card. These cards are very close in terms of specs and performance. I believe this is the most important reason why you will not see much difference between what a PS3 can do and what a 360 can do.

I see the hardware as essentially equal between the PS3 and the 360...which is bad news for Sony. Sony is a hardware company, Microsoft is a software company. If the hardware is equal, then this battle is going to play to Microsoft's favor. Examples of 360 software that make the platform shine are achievements (like the coins you collect in Mario, but available across all games), Xbox Live (networked gaming; game, video, music downloads), Xbox Live Arcade (retro/casual games), plus tools and libraries to make software developers happy.

I've heard the magic number is 10 million: first console to reach 10 million sales becomes the dominate platform for that generation. The 360 is expected to reach 10 million before the end of the year.

Posted on December 22, 2006 10:57 AM | Permalink| Comments (3)

I read a story on Slashdot today about a class action lawsuit against Nintendo concerning Wiimote straps breaking.

I read several of the comments and it mirrored the reaction I got from people around the office and my previous posting on the Wii.

Many of the comments on Slashdot found fault with the Wii users. A common theme was along the lines, "If you are dumb enough to let go of the remote, then you get what you deserve" or "Don't blame Nintendo for you being an idiot."

The Wii is becoming infamous for damage caused by its unique input device, the Wiimote. There are web sites dedicated to chronicling damage from Wii usage. The two most popular are Wiidamage and Wii Have a Problem.

So who is to blame for damage caused by the Wii? The user? Nintendo?

I think this a unique issue as is not as clear cut as you might expect.

If 100% of Wii users have an accident of some sort, it is clearly Nintendo's responsibility to fix a design problem with the Wii. I'd say if 10% of users are having problems, then it still a Nintendo problem. At what percentage does the responsibility swing to the Wii user? I don't know.

It is certainly in Nintendo's best interest for the the perception of the Wii to be a family friendly gaming device. That said, I would expect Nintendo to do everything it can to minimize these incidents.

Nintendo's safety instructions state at least four times not to let go of the remote. Is that enough? Nintendo didn't think so, so they included a safety strap. Many of the problems with the Wii involve the safety strap breaking, and Nintendo last week announced a recall on all Wiimotes.

I seriously doubt this is the last lawsuit and safety fix we can expect for the Wii.

Many people I've talked to (mostly non-Wii users) think this is a non-issue, except, surprisingly enough, a Wii-fanboy I know. It is a non-issue for them because they are responsible unlike the idiots that are having problems.

This is an issue and Nintendo has a responsibility to fix it. Let me try to illustrate an extreme case. First, imagine you are a parent and you bought your kids a Wii. Imagine what you would do to setup an environment where your kids and furniture would be safe. Move all the furniture out of the gaming area? Teach your kids to always put on the wrist strap? Tell your kids to never let go of the remote while playing? Make sure your kids stay aware of the surroundings? All good ideas.

Now let's pretend there is a game for the Wii called "Tornado." The object of Tornado is to place a Wiimote in each hand and with your arms outstretched spin as fast as you can. The winner is the person that can spin at a fast rate for the longest period of time.

Dumb game, I know. Will a game like this exist? I doubt it. Could a game like this exist on the Wii? Absolutely. This is a game that is just waiting for an accident to occur with a dizzy, out of control kid swinging his arms...either a kid is going to hit another kid in the face or put an arm through a window or a TV set. There is not much you can do to keep your kids safe while playing Tornado other than not playing.

Who is responsible for accidents from playing Tornado. In this case, I fault the software developer. A game like this should never be released.

I believe there is more Nintendo can do to make the Wii a safer gaming experience.

If you look at most of the Wii problems, they are specific to one game: Wii Sports, the pack-in game for Wii. People are launching their remotes when bowling, serving a tennis ball, driving a golf ball, or hitting a homerun. I believe Nintendo can reduce the likelihood of accidents by changing how their games accept input from the Wiimote.

How? From my experimentation with Wii Sports Bowling, it doesn't appear that the game treats a motion of casually rolling a ball any differently than flinging the ball as hard as you can. Actually, just like most guys in real bowling, you *want* to throw the ball as hard as you can to get a strike. The game could be modified to consider "extreme" motions as "out of control" and send the ball down the gutter. In other words, penalize extreme motions, reward safe motions.

Another idea...Nintendo could setup a safe gaming area in front of the TV/Wii during calibration/setup. If you move out of the safe gaming area, the game pauses with a warning that you must play from the safe area until you return.

I am a software developer by trade, and this is a new world for me. I've *never* had to worry about my software causing physical injuries. I think the Wiimote is a really cool new input device, but with it comes new responsibilities that software developers have rarely thought about. I give Nintendo credit for being a trailblazer...I'll be interested to see how they deal with this situation.

Posted on December 19, 2006 11:39 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

I define "Home Theater Nirvana" as the ability to use one remote to do everything you need.

In order to control a complex home theater system, you need to turn on components, switch the video input on the TV, and switch the amplifier to the correct audio input.

How do you turn on a component with a remote? Press the "power" button, right? Wrong! What if the component is already on...the power button will turn it off. When you program a remote to setup your system to watch a DVD, you don't know what state any of the equipment is in. To program a remote, you need to use commands that work as advertised.

That is where "discrete codes" come in. Instead of a power button that will toggle between on and off, there are separate codes for "on" and "off."

Finding discrete codes is a bit tricky. I've used a few techniques.

The first way was to buy a cheap One For All remote and use codes from this website. Then my home theater remote learned the discrete codes from the One For All remote. It worked for simple stuff (like on/off), but as my equipment got more complex, I needed more discrete codes than I could get from the One For All remote.

I currently use a Home Theater Master MX-700 remote (which I love). I found a place on remotecentral.com that lists tons of discrete codes in hex format. The hex format is used by the Philips Pronto line of remotes. My remote won't read hex codes directly, but it will read a .ccf file via a feature in the MX-700 Editor called the "Universal Browser." A .ccf file is a configuration file used to store IR codes for Pronto remotes.

To convert hex codes into a .ccf file, I used ProntoEdit.

1. File->New Configuration.
2. Create a configuration for the TSU2000.
3. Right click on "HOME" and select "Add Panel."
4. Double-click on one of the panel buttons.
5. Select "Set IR."
6. Click "View IR."
7. Paste the hex code into IR Code area at the bottom.
8. File->Save Configuration to create a .ccf file

This worked for most discrete codes I needed. However, it did not work for direct access to Video 7 (HDMI) and Video 9 (VGA) on my TV. Since I now need access to VGA, I had to find a way to get the correct discreet codes for Video 9.

I found another good way to get discreet codes. I followed these instructions and downloaded MakeHex. I placed the discrete codes I wanted from this list into a .irp file. MakeHex converts this .irp file into a .hex file which contains the hex codes. I then followed the above procedure to convert a hex code into a .ccf file.

And guess what? It worked! I now have discrete codes for all the inputs on my TV: Video 1-Video 9.

This is certainly convoluted and required a lot of digging to get it working...but once you experience Home Theater Nirvana there is no substitute!

Posted on December 1, 2006 6:28 PM | Permalink| Comments (4)

I *hate* running. I gave up running over 10 years ago. Instead I've played basketball or rode my bike for exercise.

I'm giving running another try because I've hit my weight limit and I found a very cool running trail. The trail starts at the American Airlines Center, which is just down the street from me. It is called The Katy Trail. It is 3.5 miles in length from the AAC to Mockingbird Station. Here is a map of the trail I made with Microsoft Live.

I tried walking it yesterday and used my Motorola Q phone as a music player...and that sucked! Even with max volume, I could barely hear the music. I needed something else to keep me entertained while I was running. I decided to pick up an Apple Ipod Shuffle because they are really light, fairly cheap, get good reviews, and have a really cool commercial...

I went running this afternoon...and it wasn't pretty. I couldn't run a quarter of a mile without stopping. I ran/walked (mostly walked) 3 miles. I have a lot of work to do. I plan on running minimum twice a week.

As for the Shuffle...I really like it. Since I'm running, I don't care that it doesn't have a display. I loaded it up with high energy music and it sounded great. I had it clipped to my shorts and I never noticed it while I was running.

There are a few changes I wish Apple would make to the Shuffle...

1. I wish we had a single standard for music so I didn't have to use multiple music managers. I currently use iTunes for my Shuffle, Phatnoise Music Manager for my PhatBox, Media Player as my default player, and Rhapsody for online music.
2. I wish the Shuffle had a built-in USB connection (instead of a USB dock) so I could charge it anywhere and use it as a USB memory key.
3. I wish I could just drag music onto the Shuffle using Explorer. I *can* do this, but the music is then considered "data" and the shuffle will not play "data." You have to use iTunes to put music on the Shuffle.

Posted on November 26, 2006 11:50 PM | Permalink| Comments (4)

You can argue and speculate all you want, but why not check the facts? This website uses data from amazon.com to figure out who has the most popular video game console, next generation DVD format, and satellite radio service. Very cool!

Posted on November 16, 2006 1:35 AM | Permalink| Comments (0)

I can't stop! Here are a few more pics from my new HDTV.

 This is from Universal HD in 1080i from DirecTV HD.

This is from Discovery HD in 1080i from DirecTV HD. 

Tonight Show from NBC in 1080i using an antenna.

Late Show from CBS in 1080i using an antenna.

Posted on September 25, 2006 11:42 PM | Permalink| Comments (1)

I took some pictures of my TV showing Monday Night Football in HD. My digital camera takes pictures at 2592x1944. ESPN is broadcasting MNF in 720p (1280x720). As detailed as these pictures are, a 1080 broadcast would show even more. I took the pictures about 4 feet from the TV.

Check out how much you can zoom in before the image gets pixelated and the clarity of the text. Click on the pics below to see the full resolution versions.

 

Posted on September 25, 2006 10:40 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

After a few years of researching, I finally got my HDTV, a 46" Sony XBR3 LCD.

Why did I choose this set? There are a few reasons...

• 1920x1080 resolution
• Support for 1080p inputs
• Looks great from any viewing angle
• DRC 2.5 (Digital Reality Creation) - Image Enhancement Chip
• Sony XBR well respected brand for high end TV's
• Floating-glass Bezel looks cool
• Not too big for standard definition, not too small for high definition from a viewing distance of 9 feet
• Automagically brightens when the room gets brighter (lights on, Sunlight)

I used the THX Optimizer from The Incredibles DVD to check the setup. I changed the color mode from "vivid" to "standard." Other than that, all settings were left at the factory defaults. I was surprised that the default settings gave the best results for the THX Optimizer...I didn't have to adjust anything.

I watched some of The Incredibles and I was blown away by how good it looked. I sat about 3 feet away and it looked amazing. I noticed *much* more detail than before. One reason for this is probably because my old set did not support anamorphic DVD's, but this one does. Anamorphic DVD's use the entire frame for video instead of wasting data on the black bars. The DVD player will stretch the frame to fit a wide screen and add the black bars.

If a DVD can look this good, I'm not going to be in a rush to get HD-DVD or Blu-ray. Although, I will be *very* tempted to pickup the new Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on if it is only $170.

I watched a bit of Star Wars Episode III and was again impressed. Granted, I chose these movies because I knew they were filmed at 60 fps for HDTV, unlike most movies that are done at 24 fps.

Next I watched an episode of 24, season 2. It did not look as good as the previous movies, but it still looked great.

DirecTV looked terrible at first. I played with the settings for DRC and then I got a picture that looked almost the same as my old TV, which was really good. Lesson learned: DRC can improve picture quality when done right, and it can make TV look horrible when done wrong. The default is on with some funky settings which make regular television (NTSC) look awful.

I will be getting FOX, CBS, NBC, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, Discovery, TNT, and MSNBC in HD tomorrow. My apartment complex in the past month has added HD support to the DirecTV they supply us. I can't pick up HD using an antenna because I am surrounded by tall buildings.

I played Xbox 360 last night, which is currently my only true HD source (720p). I sat really close and played Project Gotham Racing 3. I've had this game since I bought my 360 back in February, but I haven't played it much. It feels like a new game...you can see further in the distance, the detail is a amazing. The wide screen fills my field of view...it was a completely different experience than before. I will *definitely* be playing this one more.

My initial impression...I *love* this set.

Posted on September 21, 2006 8:41 AM | Permalink| Comments (5)

This one is impressive. As I've detailed ad nauseum, I bought a Motorola Q. With a new gadget I bought last weekend, I have turned my cell phone into a TV with DirecTV and TiVo!

The device that makes it possible is called SlingBox. You can see my SlingBox sitting above my DirecTV TiVo in the picture above. The SlingBox takes the output from the TiVo (or any cable box/DVR) and then broadcasts it over the Internet to any PC running SlingPlayer or cell phones running SlingPlayer Mobile. Anything you can do with a TiVo remote can be done by SlingPlayer. The SlingPlayer sends commands over the Internet back to the SlingBox, which mimics the TiVo remote with an IR repeater. You can see the IR repeater in the photo above. It is a small black arm sticking out beneath the TiVo and pointing at the black circle that receives the remote control signal.

Here is a video of the SlingBox/SlingPlayer Mobile in action. It shows my TV broadcasting live TV. I put my cell phone next to the TV so you can see that it is showing the same content. There is about a 5 second delay between live TV and when it arrives on the SlingPlayer. This makes it a bit tricky to try and fast forward with TiVo...not impossible, but certainly more difficult. As long as I have a good signal on my cell phone, the video quality is extremely good. It is sharp enough that you can read the text scrolling by at the bottom of the screen of CNN Headline News. As the signal degrades, the SlingPlayer will drop frames so that it will still work with less bandwidth. Audio rarely ever drops, but video rate can fluctuate. Typically, it runs around 30 fps, which looks really good. I've seen it drop down to 5 fps, which is still very watchable.

All SlingBox does is rebroadcast what your TV is currently doing. If I change channels when I am watching TV at work (this is an example...I would never do this), then my TV at home will be changing channels as well. This works fine for me, because I'm single. But I could imagine this might cause some issues when multiple people are using the same TV.

With my SlingBox setup and DirecTV TiVo, from anywhere that my cell phone works I can now:

• Watch any DirecTV channel
• Listen to the DirecTV music channels
• Order and watch Pay-Per-View Movies
• Pause, fast forward, or rewind TV using TiVo
• Watch any programs I've previously recorded with TiVo
• Set TiVo to record something that is about start in 5 minutes

What a great time waster!

I installed SlingPlayer on my desktop. It can be docked on the side of your monitor to allow you watch TV while you work on your computer. Video/audio quality is excellent.

Installation was surprisingly simple. SlingBox comes with a single sheet of instructions that is about 1' x 2'. SlingPlayer is also easy to install, but requires a bit more Q&A to find out what type of remote control you have and how to optimize the video stream to look its best.

I pay for DirecTV in my bedroom in addition to my living room. With SlingPlayer and my laptop...I may cancel that service. Now I can watch DirecTV *AND* TiVo in my bedroom for free.

How much does all this cost? It is surprisingly cheap. I bought the SlingBox for $150 at Best Buy. I didn't want to run an Ethernet cable from my SlingBox to my router, so I also bought SlingLink (uses power lines to transmit Ethernet in your house) for $80. The SlingPlayer for PC's is free. I am using a free 30-day trial of SlingPlayer Mobile for my phone. After the trial is over, I will pay $30. So the total comes to $260 to turn your phone into a portable TiVo. Since I have unlimited data usage on my cell phone, I can stream video all day and it doesn't cost me anything extra. For comparison, Verizon offers video to your cell phone with their "V-Cast" service for $15 a month with a selection of "dozens of broadcasts per day."

SlingPlayer Mobile is still in beta. I did notice a few issues with the software that will hopefully be fixed. The keyboard mapping to TiVo functionality is a bit awkward for some functions. Turning the volume up and down doesn't use the Q's scroll wheel as you'd expect, but instead requires you to switch the keyboard from "123 mode" to "SC" (short cut mode) by holding down the space bar and then use the shifted 1 and 3 keys to turn the volume up and down. That is a lot of work if you turn on the TV and it starts blasting Oprah in a boring meeting. I want the volume controls *always* available. Also I found that performance can degrade if you start and stop the player a few times. The only way I could get the performance to improve was to turn my phone off and then back on...which sounds like a software bug. Otherwise, the software works really well.

I'm blown away by this. It is very cool and fun. I used it yesterday when I was waiting in the doctors office. The doctor was running over an hour behind schedule so I watched 30 minutes of Headline News and then I watched a South Park episode.

Highly recommended! Two thumbs way up!

Posted on July 15, 2006 10:34 PM | Permalink| Comments (2)

Here is an article about the new Microsoft 22 inch wide-screen LCD. This monitor should be release to go with Windows Vista (probably early next year) and is designed to support some of the new functionality in the OS.

There are two big features I've heard of in Vista that this monitor will probably support:

• High DPI Support - Should give you a better looking display using more densely packed pixels.
• Support for HDCP - HD Movies from HD-DVD may require monitors with HDCP in order to play at their highest resolution. Vista is probably going to be the first OS to support playback of HD DVD's that require HDCP.

I knew I'd need to upgrade my monitor to get the best Vista experience. If the monitor is any good, I'll probably get it when it comes out.

There has been a clear line between Microsoft and PC companies like Dell and HP: Microsoft does the software (Windows, Office, etc.) and Dell/HP make the hardware. But with this announcement, Microsoft makes all the hardware components necessary for a full computer: monitor, mouse, keyboard and CPU (Xbox 360). Watch for this, the Xbox 360 could be a very interesting competitor to the PC if Microsoft wants a bigger chunk of the pie. All they need to do is port Office and Internet Explorer to Xbox 360 and you have a very slick PC. And since it is not open like a PC (you can't get Xbox 360 software from just anybody...only from Microsoft), it doesn't have the security problems that you find in Windows, Mac, and Linux (no need to run a virus checker on Xbox 360).

Posted on June 28, 2006 10:28 PM | Permalink| Comments (1)

I *love* having a keyboard on my phone, a Motorola Q (Palm Treo and Blackberry also have similar keyboards). However, I've been in some situations where the keyboard is worse than a normal phone keypad. What do you do when you want to dial the number "1-800-BUY-A-DELL" or you are asked by an automated system to enter the first 3 letters of the last name of the person you are trying to contact. You look at your phone's keypad and press the number that has the appropriate letter on it. Well that doesn't work for phones with keyboards!

What *should* happen is this...when you type a phone number to dial, the phone assumes your want numbers, so each button you press gives you the number and not the letter (this is what current phones do). BUT, if you want to type "BUY-A-DELL", you should just hold down the ALT button (the button under the "A" key in the above picture) and type "BUYADELL" and the phone should automagically enter the numbers "28923355." This doesn't seem hard...maybe it is just an oversight at this early stage of cell phones with keyboards.

While I was looking for pictures of phone keypads, I ran across this explanation of why calculators and computer keyboards use a number pad with 123 at the bottom and phones use 123 at the top.

Posted on June 25, 2006 12:43 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

This is a billboard for the Q near where I live. There is another equally large billboard barely visible on the far right. Motorola is doing quite a job advertising this phone.

I've had my Q for 3 weeks now. Overall, I like the phone. It is not perfect, but I like it and look forward to upgrading to future versions.

What I like:

• Slim - easily fits in my pants pocket
• Keyboard - makes entering information *MUCH* easier
• Internet Explorer - works pretty good with most web sites. My blog comes is drawn with a black background (should be white), makes some text completely unreadable. I thought it was IE, but I tried an older Opera browser for Windows Mobile and it had the same problem....need to look into how my website is formatted! I'll probably switch to the new Opera browser because it has more features (java script, tabbed browsing, full page view).
• Download Speed - The download speed makes web browsing easy...and addictive. You can surf *anywhere* with this phone.
• Windows Mobile 5.0 - This phone is a platform, just like Windows. I expect Windows Mobile to grow in popularity. There is quite a bit of software you can download for this phone. Plus, with Visual Studio 2005, you can build your own apps. I will probably do this at some point.
• Screen - 320x240 - nice sized screen for reading emails and browsing the web.

What I don't like:

• Reception - my old cingular cell phone had full strength in my apartment. The Q barely manages half strength signal and frequently drops to 25% or worse. I've had it drop calls in my apartment. I called Verizon about it and they said I am covered by 5 cell phone towers in my location (I live downtown). So either Verizon's cell towers suck, or this phone isn't that great at getting reception. I should note that almost everywhere else I go, I don't have problems with dropped calls...just at home. Go figure.
• Battery life - I had a few problems where I could not make it a full day without the phone running out of juice. I found that it was operator error....I was using the USB cable on my computer to charge the phone. Although it does charge the phone, it apparently does not do as good of a job as the dedicated charger. Since I've switched to the dedicated charger, I usually have at least half the battery left after one day of use. I don't have enough experience with the dedicated charger to say that I always can make it a full day without the phone running out of power. I ordered an extended battery for $20 from Verizon just in case I do run out of juice and I still need to use my phone.
• Vibrate - I believe there should be only one ring tone...vibrate, since I don't believe my phone alerts should annoy anybody but me. Since this phone receives phone calls AND email, I wish the phone had different vibrate patterns for different alerts: phone call, friend phone call, email, voice mail, etc.
• Inputting a Time - Setting a time (like an appointment time) is annoying. You have to hold the ALT button to access the numbers, even though a letter doesn't make any sense. I don't see why the phone can't be smart enough to know that you are entering the hours, so you must need to be in number mode (it does it when you type a phone number). Plus, you have to enter 2 digits to change the hour or minute...you can't just change 1. Also, it would be nice if I could just use the directional pad to move to the digit I want to change and then press up or down to modify the number...that would be the easiest. Not the end of the world, but it does get tedious.
• Alarm - When I set an alarm to wake me in the morning, that should trump everything. This phone says, I know you set an alarm, but I'm set to vibrate mode, so I won't make any sound when the alarm goes off. BAD!!! So if I *do* turn on sound for the alarm, I also get sound for every email that comes in...all night long....ugh! A new alarm clock with an alarm that sounds independent of the current sound profile may be my first app I write for the Q!!!
• No text editor - I guess I could send myself emails instead, but why not include pocket word like you do for Pocket PC's?
• No spell checker - would be nice to be able to spell check emails
• No external LEDs - It would be nice to be able to see if you have a message waiting or voice mail by looking at a flashing LED. No LED's with the Q...you have to turn on the screen to see what's up.
• No dedicated volume control - The side scroll wheel does double duty as a volume control and a scroll wheel. I've been browsing a web page when a loud alert played, I wanted to quickly bring the volume down, but the volume keys were now for scrolling...I had to switch to a different app that used the scroll wheel as a volume control!
• Outlook Notes not supported - I like to jot done important info using Outlook Notes (like yellow post it notes for your computer). I don't know why Outlook Notes are not supported by Windows Mobile...they should be.
• No support for copy/paste - Windows Mobile doesn't have the concept of the clipboard like Windows does. It would be helpful if it did!

This is a fun phone, and pretty cheap ($200 with 2 year commitment). For me, it is my pda, laptop, ipod, and cell phone. I love that I can access my email, task list, and contacts from my desktop, any web browser, and now my cell phone.

Posted on June 24, 2006 10:30 PM | Permalink| Comments (4)

Posted on June 5, 2006 11:18 PM | Permalink| Comments (1)

My new phone, a Motorola Q, arrived in the mail on Friday. I'll write up a review once I get it working as my standard phone.

I love the form factor...*very* small. I love the keyboard. Pocket Internet Explorer is not so great...it can't even render my blog correctly! I'll have to see if my blog is doing something non-standard, which is very likely. It doesn't support frames and it looks like it is based on IE 4.0. My Yahoo also rendered wrong. I tried to use the Opera Mini web browser, but it doesn't work on Windows Mobile 5 (the Q's OS) yet, so I'm out of luck for now. I haven't found a way for it to play flash or quicktime movies yet. Internet speed is decent...with only one bar showing for signal strength, I was able to download a 5MB WMV video file in two minutes. Video playback is nice. It doesn't stream video files...it must download them first, then play them. :( I haven't been able to get it to play any of my mp3's I have online...maybe because it expects a certain bit rate? I'll have to investigate this more.

I'm setting the phone up now to synchronize my email/calendar/contacts/task list with the exchange server so my home outlook, web-based outlook, and now my Q all have the same information. I just created a test task on my phone and then checked my desktop outlook and the task is there, too! Awesome! Also, all my email, contacts, calendar, and task list's are now on my Q! Me likey!

Posted on June 3, 2006 4:27 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

I've narrowed my choices for HDTV's to either the Samsung LED DLP or the new 2nd generation Sony SXRD's. Here is a press release about Sony's new sets for this year. Not sure what the difference between the XBR and non-XBR is. I'm probably going to get a 55" set.

Posted on June 3, 2006 4:02 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

I ordered my Q this morning. I needed to do something, since my Mavs lost last night. I find gadgets to be therapeutic.

The phone is $199 with a 2 year commitment ($100 rebate). I got the $79.99 plan with 450 minutes/month and unlimited data. Shipping and handling are free. Activation is free through June 4th. Here is where you order the phone online. The phone should be here in 2-5 business days. Verizon's Q product page is here.

Posted on May 31, 2006 7:09 AM | Permalink| Comments (0)

Samsung has a phone that should be out soon that is like the Motorola Q, only smaller and lighter. It is missing the Q's side jog wheel that is helpful for one handed operation. It is called the Samsung i320. Unfortunately, this phone doesn't support the networks needed to run in the US. So, I'm sticking with my plans to get a Q.

Posted on May 21, 2006 9:03 AM | Permalink| Comments (0)

It sounds like the Q is going to retail for $499 without a contract, according to a Motorola Q give away contest (see prizes). And if this guy is to be believed, a two year contract with Verizon will get you this phone for $299.

This post claims the phone will be available for businesses on May 24th, and then available in stores a week later.

Posted on May 16, 2006 7:08 AM | Permalink| Comments (0)

The first LED-based DLP HDTV, or what I like to call "My Next TV", has been delayed until July. Originally, the Samsung HL-S5679W was to ship in May. I guess that gives me a few more months to save up.

Crutchfield has a page on this TV now.

Posted on May 16, 2006 6:32 AM | Permalink| Comments (0)

Wow! This took a lot more effort than I thought. I did a lot of searching through company product histories and archives of credit card transactions to put most of this together. I previously did the Game Console Genealogy, so here is the Home Computer Genealogy...computers I've grown up with.

• 1982 TRS-80 Model 3 (borrowed from my Mom's school for the summer)
• 1983 TI-99/4A (Joe's computer, but he let me use it)
  • Cassette recorder for storing/retrieving data
  • Used a color TV as a monitor
• 1984 Apple //e (technically, my first computer)
  • DuoDisk - dual 5.25" floppy drives
  • Apple Monitor II - monochrome with green phosphor, screen could be tilted slightly up or down
  • Okidata dot matrix printer
• 1990 IBM PS/2 55SX (my college gift)
  • 16 MHz Intel 386SX
  • 2 MB RAM
  • 60 MB hard drive
  • 3.5" floppy drive
  • Sound Blaster MCV
  • IBM 14" 640x480 monitor (8512)
  • Epson FX-80 dot matrix printer (inherited from Joe)
  • IBM PS/2 2-Button Mouse
  • 1200 baud modem
  • Operating Systems
    • MS DOS 4, 5, & 6
    • Windows 2.0
    • Windows 3.0
    • Windows 3.1
• 1993 USA Flex (Mail Order PC)
  • 40 MHz AMD 486 DX 40
  • 3.5" floppy drive
  • Sound Blaster 16
  • Monitors
    • 15"
    • 17" NEC MultiSync
  • Printers
    • Epson FX-80 dot matrix printer
    • HP Deskjet 660cse color ink jet printer
  • Modems
    • 2400 baud
    • 14.4k baud
    • 28.8k baud
  • Operating Systems
    • MS DOS 6
    • Windows 3.1
    • Windows 95
• 1997 Homebuilt PC
  • 233 MHz Intel Pentium MMX
  • 64 MB RAM
  • 24X CD-ROM
  • 3.8 GB Quantum hard drive
  • 3.5" floppy drive
  • Monitors
    • 17" NEC MultiSync
    • 21" Compaq P110 - bought this right before I left my job at Compaq so I could get the 50% employee discount. The monitor was originally $2000, but I paid (you guessed it!) $1000.
  • ATI Rage graphics card
  • Sound Blaster AWE64
  • HP Deskjet 660cse color ink jet printer
  • 56k baud modem
  • Operating Systems
    • Windows 95
    • Windows 98
  • $2,000
• 1999 Homebuilt PC
  • Dual 500 MHz Intel Pentium III's
  • 3.5" floppy drive
  • ATI All In Wonder (3D Rage II) Graphics Card/TV Tuner
  • Sound Blaster Live!
  • 21" Compaq P110 monitor
  • HP Deskjet 660cse color ink jet printer
  • Operating Systems
    • Windows 2000
    • Windows 98
    • BeOS
    • SuSE Linux
    • Windows XP Professional
• 2001 Dell Inspiron 8000 Laptop
  • 1 GHz Mobile Intel Pentium III
  • 512 MB RAM
  • Nvidia GeForce2 Go
  • 1600x1200 LCD
  • 24X CD Burner/DVD
  • 3.5" floppy drive
  • Windows XP Professional
  • $4,000
• 2002 Homebuilt PC
  • CPU's
    • 2.2 GHz Intel Pentium 4 (overheated and died an early death)
    • 2.4 GHz Intel Pentium 4
  • 1 GB RAM
  • Graphics Cards
  • Nvidia GeForce 4
  • Nvidia GeForce FX 5900
  • Nvidia GeForce 6800
  • HP DVD Writer dvd200i
  • 3.5" floppy drive
  • HP Scanjet 5470c
  • 21" Compaq P110 monitor
  • Printers
    • HP Deskjet 660cse color ink jet printer
    • HP Deskjet 990cse
    color ink jet printer
  • Windows XP Professional

  Posted on May 13, 2006 4:03 PM | Permalink| Comments (2)

Here is a list of video game consoles I've owned throughout my life. The first one (Radio Shack TV Scoreboard) took a lot of googling in order to find a picture of it. Apparently I've had a console from every generation except the 3rd generation. My guess is that I was busy playing on computers at that time. I'll do my computer genealogy next.

• 1976 Radio Shack TV Scoreboard (1st Generation)
• 1980 Mattel Intellivision (2nd Generation)
• 1991 Nintendo Super Nintendo (4th Generation)
• 1995 Sony PlayStation (5th Generation)
• 1999 Sega DreamCast (6th Generation)
• 2000 Sony PlayStation 2 (6th Generation)
• 2005 Microsoft Xbox 360 (7th Generation)

Posted on May 12, 2006 9:53 PM | Permalink| Comments (2)

E3 is going on this week. Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo made some big announcements concerning their next generation consoles. Even though I was a PlayStation guy (I had a PS1 and PS2), I decided to switch to the Microsoft camp and get an Xbox 360 because I thought they had a better game plan than Sony.

Here are some of the Xbox 360 announcements that I'm excited about:

• HD DVD player
• Wireless Steering Wheel with Force Feedback
• Xbox Live Vision Camera - For video conferencing and as an input device for games using "gestures"
• Wireless Headset
• Grand Theft Auto IV and download-able episodes
• Retro games for Xbox Live Arcade: Pac-Man, Galaga, Dig Dug, Rally X, Defender, Paperboy, Root Beer Tapper, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Frogger, Contra, Super Contra, Track & Field, Time Pilot and Scramble. Portrait style games like Pac Man (as opposed to normal TV in landscape mode) don't fit on standard TV. To fit on the screen, either the game has to be redrawn at a lower resolution or it is zoomed in. If you want the closest reproduction of a retro game, these solutions are not acceptable. But since the Xbox 360 can do HD, this should no longer be a problem!
• Live Anywhere - Play online via Xbox 360, PC, PDA, or cell phone in this seamless network
• PC RF Receiver - use wireless Xbox controller, steering wheel, headset, etc. on your PC
• Halo 3 - I've never played Halo, but I've heard good things about it

Posted on May 10, 2006 9:02 PM | Permalink

Samsung has released the first LED-lit (as opposed to a light bulb) DLP set, the HL-S5679W. Here are the deets on this set:

• 56 inch
• Native 1920x1080 resolution
• Supports 1080p input
• Uses LED's instead of a light bulb
• Faster startup time
• Produces more colors
• No color wheel (no noise, no rainbow effect)
• Longer lifetime (20,000 hours for LED vs 4,000 hours for bulb)
• Black cabinet (why do they keep switching between black and silver?!?!)

A quick search of prices shows that this sweet set can be had for as low as $2450.

This is probably the set I'm going to get, pending some good reviews.

Posted on May 5, 2006 7:55 PM | Permalink| Comments (2)

A Microsoft executive said in an interview that Microsoft would announce details of HD DVD support for the Xbox 360 at E3 (May 9-12).

Currently, component (which is analog) is the the best HD output you can get for an Xbox 360. Support for HD DVD implies that HDMI (which is digital) will be coming. To watch some HD DVD's with content protection, you will need a digital interface like HDMI.

How do you add another optical drive to a system that already has one? Adding another box that needs its own power and will be almost as big as the Xbox 360 seems like the wrong way to do it. Plus, how will it connect to the Xbox 360? A quick check of the back of my Xbox 360 shows that the only open connector is for ethernet. The USB port is in use by my Wi-Fi network adapter.

My guess on how the add-on will work is in keeping with Microsoft's true agenda with the Xbox 360: to connect your TV to your computer. I currently can stream MP3's and photos to my Xbox 360 from my computer. If I had Windows Media Center or Windows Vista, I could also stream video to my Xbox 360. And with a fast enough network connection, I could stream HD video, even wirelessly.

So here is my prediction: Microsoft will release an external HD DVD player for a PC that connects via USB and has HDMI cables for the Xbox 360. Then the PC will stream the HD DVD to the Xbox 360. The first HD DVD player is currently selling for $499. An external HD DVD player for a PC should be cheaper since it doesn't have to worry about a user interface (done in software by Microsoft), a remote, networking, or power (might be able to get it from the USB port). Considering that I found a place offering the first HD DVD player for $399, I would not be surprised to see an external PC HD DVD player for $199.

So there's my prediction...what is yours? Post your thoughts as comments (click on the comments link below) and we'll see who gets the Amazing Kreskin award in early May!

Posted on April 22, 2006 12:25 AM | Permalink

• Full keyboard
• Big 320x240 screen
• Super thin
• One of first phones to run Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 OS
• Internet Explorer for web browsing
• Mobile Outlook for email, contacts, calendar, and task lists
• Mobile versions of Word, Excel, and Powerpoint
• Side scroll wheel for one handed web browsing (IE will reformat pages so they fit the width of the screen)
• Windows Media Player
• No external antenna
• 1.3 Megapixel camera with light
• Video camera

• Watch DirecTV (local channels, ESPN, CNN, HBO, etc.)
• Watch whatever shows TIVO has stored on its hard drive
• Schedule TIVO recordings
• Watch whatever DVD is in my DVD player
• Listen to AM/FM radio
• Listen to my MP3 collection stored on my computer (via my Xbox 360)
• View all the photos stored on my computer as a slideshow (via my Xbox 360)

Posted on April 9, 2006 6:25 PM | Permalink| Comments (1)