Technology
BlackBerry Mania
Feb. 19, 2009
Isn’t the BlackBerry a wonderful thing? I mean, really, it’s the best device I’ve ever used. And I’ve used quite a few of them. I frequent a few BlackBerry sites and occasionally check out Pocket PC, Palm and iPhone forums as well. I have a 3G iPhone that I do like alot but I’m not going into an iPhone vs. BlackBerry discussion here.
I thought I’d write about BlackBerry today cause of my recent experience. I’ve been using a Bold which I thought was the greatest thing since sliced bread...until the Storm came out. Ooooh. Touchscreen. Large screen with high resolution. I had to get one of these. But it was only on Verizon and that really sucked. Even though it came out late last year, I waited around for the bugs to get worked out and I had read reports that the phone kinda sucked. There are a ton of them out for sale now (for good reason) and are unlocked. So, I decided to pick one up and give it a try. After loading several beta OS’s on the thing, it’s on the auction block. Here’s why...
The Storm is nice device. It’s got some weight to it and the screen is beautiful. An iPhone it most certainly is not but it does have some nice features to it. I liked the click screen but hated that the screen has some play to it. I really wish there would have been an option to turn off the clicking when typing. As I had read in other reviews, typing on the Storm really does seem like a chore. The clicking to type made me not want to type out an email. It became something I dreaded.
Another thing that bothered me was selecting text to cut/copy/paste. I like a small font on my BlackBerry and trying to select text on it was a royal pain in the butt! I tried switching to a larger font but that only helped a little bit. The iPhone’s method for selecting text is great (with that magnifying glass) but you can’t cut/copy/paste! The Storm is horrible to select text but you can cut/copy/paste...sigh.
The OS is slow. It’s a fact. Play around with a Storm and then pick up a Bold. The OS is so much faster on the Bold. It reminds me of when the Bold first came out. The OS was slow too but it’s come a long way and I think the Storm will go in the same direction. There have been several beta OS’s floating around and I’ve tried them all. With each one comes a very slight improvement and, sometimes, a step back for one feature or another.
I will also say that I’m not sure my experience was hampered by using it on at&t’s network. When you use an unlocked Storm, you have to use it on the EDGE network and not 3G. I read alot of posts online saying they though EDGE was fine. However, I completely disagree. I have good 3G coverage in my area and found that the device crawled along at EDGE. When I went back to my Bold, it was like night and day. I think I lost some of the razzle-dazzle by not being on Verizon’s network while using the device.
So what did I like about the Storm? I loved the screen. Using Google Maps was great. Poynt had just released their Storm optimized version and that was alot of fun to use. As was PocketDay. The click technology was also fun to use (minus the typing) but I think there needs to be more options for how it’s used. I found a cool wallpaper changing app that would switch out my wallpaper at user defined intervals. I change wallpaper alot and this was a very cool app for me.
Even though it had some weight to it, I was okay with it. However, it felt almost to fragile to me. Putting it in my back pocket or tossing it on the seat in my car like I do with my Bold made me wince a little and I stopped doing it for fear of damaging the device.
That’s my two cents on the BlackBerry Storm. In short, I really like the direction they’re heading in with the Storm and am looking forward to checking out what’s new on the Storm in the next couple of months.
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Goodbye Circuit City
Jan. 16, 2009
Well it looks like Circuit City has officially bit the dust today. It has filed for bankruptcy and will be liquidating all of it’s assets to close up shop. What’s worse is that the company employs around 30,000 employees. This is horrible news for the economy, job market and brick and mortar retail stores. What really concerns me is the loss of even more jobs in this economy. Do you worry about the security of your job? Does anyone feel ‘safe’ with their occupation?
Shiny and from Apple, I want it!
Jan. 09, 2009
Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard
Found this on the Mactropolis website today. This is pretty darn funny. And, considering my gadget obsession, I think I might actually have to get one if Apple ever decided to make one. I’m sick, I know.
No more Apple at MacWorld
Dec. 17, 2008
All the buzz on the internet yesterday was that Apple will withdraw from MacWorld after the upcoming show this January. And, to top it off, Steve Jobs will not even be delivering the keynote for one last time! Sad news to see but trade shows seem to be losing momentum and the economy doesn’t seem to be helping things.
So, do you think MacWorld will be a bust now that Apple is no longer there? Seems like the end of an era but hopefully, the show will carry on and allow vendors and visitors to experience new technology.
An interesting idea for flight travel
Dec. 05, 2008
Here’s an interesting idea for your next flight; Take that barf-bag and turn it into something useful...a holder for your media player! Now why didn’t I think of that? Seriously, someone could start modding barf-bags and selling them online. I bet people would buy them!
Story courtesy of Engadget.
Twitter is down...
Nov. 18, 2008
Anyone else going through some Twitter withdrawal this morning? I’d read some reports early that the site was down and then back up. Seems it’s down again.
One thing I’ve noticed with Twitter is that it does seem to bounce up and down quite a bit. Also, uploading to TwitPic seems to have it’s problems every now and then. Overall, are you happy with the service or have you given up using it all together because of the problems?
Bold or Storm?
Nov. 06, 2008
Now that all the election hoopla is over, back to business. The anticipation is building for the Verizon release of the touchscreen Storm. The Bold has finally been released on at&t. So, the question is, would you rather have a Storm or a Bold? Would you be willing to switch carriers for one or the other?
John McCain on the iPhone
Oct. 31, 2008
Courtesy of the Wired blog, there’s a somewhat funny app for jailbroken iPhones that allows you to play around with McCain’s face and make him do some funny expressions. The video’s kinda funny but I think it could get a little old after playing around with it for a few minutes. Check out the video above for a preview of the app.
BlackBerry Bold finally coming to at&t
Oct. 22, 2008
Well it looks like all you at&t users out there will finally get a chance to get the BlackBerry Bold on Nov. 4th. This is a according to a release that just came across. I picked it up here from Crackberry. Of course, I already have a Bold on at&t :-) If you were crazy enough like me to get one, you know how great it is. Those of you more sane geeks outs there will find out that it was worth the wait and will love it!
My BlackBerry Bold
Oct. 21, 2008
I’ve made some modifications to my precious BlackBerry. This morning I replaced the silver bezel with an all black one that I got from CNN.cn. I think it looks awesome! The process was very easy too. Check out CNN’s website for parts. They stock replacement OEM parts for all kinds of mobile devices. They are overseas but I, along with many other geeks, have had positive experiences with them. Now I have to think of how else I can customize my BlackBerry...
New Apple notebooks!
Oct. 14, 2008
Well, they’re here! New products from Apple were announced today. New designs for the macbook and macbook pro, re-spec’d macbook air and some new cinema displays.
Head here to check out all the details and pics. Are you planning on getting any of these new goodies?
Is this the new macbook pro?
Oct. 13, 2008
Straight from Engadget, is this the new macbook pro laptop being introduced tomorrow at Apple’s special event? Granted it’s the typical blurry ‘leaked’ photo we get all the time. I swear, do these guys have a ‘blurry’ photo setting when they take these pics? I’m not sure if I’m in love with it from the old macbook pro design. The only beef I ever had with the macbook pro was the keyboard. I actually do like the separated keys like the macbook and macbook air. Anyway, we shall find out tomorrow...
Apple Halloween screensaver
Oct. 10, 2008
There’s a very cool screensaver out for mac computers. It’s a 3D Halloween pumpkin that rotates around on your computer screen. I’ve tried it and it’s very cool. Check it out here.
Next Apple Event: Oct. 14th
Oct. 09, 2008
For all of you who have been patiently waiting while Apple rolled through their new iPhones, and iPods, the next Apple event will focus on...macbooks! The rumors have been circulating for awhile now and looks like we’ll all get our answers come October 14th. Should be an interesting day...only 5 more to go!
BlackBerry Storm madness!!
Oct. 08, 2008
Today has been a crazy day for BlackBerry Storm news. All the tech sites have been buzzing with tons of information streaming in all day. I’d recommend checking out CrackBerry for the latest. They have links to other sites as well as info posted on their own site. Have fun browsing! Oh, and if someone wants to send me a Storm to check out, I wouldn’t mind at all!
BlackBerry Media Sync for Mac
Oct. 07, 2008
Well check this out. Looks like I’ll finally be able to sync my BlackBerry with iTunes music. Not that it wasn’t possible before but this appears to be an actual RIM product. Awesome! Thanks to Boy Genius for picking this up. Now the only question is...where do I download it?!
Verizon Storm video
Oct. 06, 2008
Straight from Boy Genius, here’s a new Verizon video showing people on the street checking out the new Verizon Storm touchscreen BlackBerry.
T-Mobile Android demo
Oct. 04, 2008
For those of you interested in the upcoming T-Mobile G1 Android phone, there’s an online demo of the phone here. I’m still not at all into this phone. But, I realize not everyone wants a BlackBerry and I’m okay with that...ha ha
New BlackBerry Storm Video
Oct. 02, 2008
Courtesy of CrackBerry, here’s a video for the upcoming touchscreen BlackBerry Storm. It’s not Verizon...Vodaphone this time.
E*Trade for Bold
Sep. 30, 2008
I have no use for this particular app but some of you with BlackBerry Bold’s might have been wondering when E-Trade would release a compatible version of their software with the Bold. Courtesy of Boy Genius, you can now click on over to their site and get setup with the software that will work on the Bold.
The economy needs you...
Diedrich's in disguise
Sep. 24, 2008
I think I went into a Starbucks lull and completely missed this news. Martin Diedrich, founder of my beloved Diedrich Coffee Houses that were absorbed by Starbucks, has setup shop again in OC. Kean Coffee is the new brand and he has opened one location in Newport Beach not to far from the first Diedrich’s on Westcliff Drive.
The latest news is that a second location is set to open in Tustin. The ironic thing is, the new store is going to open where the original Diedrich’s was located. The same store Starbucks bought, converted, and then shut down a year later.
Good for Martin Diedrich! I hope the store does well and I’ll certainly make an effort to get over there. I really did like that store and it always seemed to be busy whenever I went there. Who knows why Starbucks closed it but it’s definitely their loss.
T-Mobile Android G1
Sep. 23, 2008
Is it me, or does anyone else think this is pretty ugly?
The web is full of excitement this morning cause the first Android OS based phone has been introduced. The Android OS is backed by Google and the first phone will be making its debut on T-Mobile. I’m excited about the OS but couldn’t they pick a nicer design? I just think the phone looks big and bulky. Hopefully we’ll see some better designs once this hits the streets.
Touchscreen GSM BlackBerry 9530
Sep. 23, 2008
I knew this was coming. Verizon might have the edge on getting the first touchscreen here in the US but there is a touchscreen GSM phone coming out. Specs have leaked on what kind of device it’s going to be and rumor has it, it’s going to come out around the same time as the Verizon device. Read all about it here, courtesy of Engadget.
Jabra BT530 Review
Sep. 23, 2008
Verizon Wireless...Now contract free
Sep. 22, 2008
Rumors have been circulating that Verizon Wireless would soon drop the terribly annoying cell phone contract for about a week now. Today, they’ve made it official and you can now get Verizon service on a month-to-month basis with...no contract!
I can’t say that I love Verizon. As a matter of fact, I’m not a big fan of them at all. However, I think this is great and I applaud them for being the first US carrier to eliminate contracts and early termination fees. Let’s see who follows.
You do have to pay full price for your handset of choice and there is a set-up fee but, come on, no contract!
In my part of town that eliminates the hassle of trying to buy a new device with no contract. They always want to get you to renew or sign up for new service. Especially with the hot, new handsets.
Way to go Microsoft
Sep. 18, 2008
BlackBerry Bold for at&t in November?
Sep. 18, 2008
Some possible depressing news for you BlackBerry Bold fans out there. The Bold might be released Nov. 1st now. I don’t think this is necessarily a delay though. Has at&t every officially announced a release date? I don’t think they have...those slippery suckers. Anyway, I’m sure it’ll be released...eventually...heck, maybe even this year!
Hey buddy, can you spare 17k?
Sep. 17, 2008
All I can say is...wow. This has to be a joke. First spotted on CrackBerry; someone has actually won an ebay auction for the yet to be release BlackBerry Javelin at $17,100.00. Yep, that wasn’t a typo...$17,100.00!
And I thought I was gadget obsessed. This one takes the cake. I gotta find out who this person is...
BlackBerry Bold wallpapers
Sep. 17, 2008
McCain helped invent the BlackBerry? What the frak?!
Sep. 16, 2008
Here’s a good one...a top McCain policy advisor aide said that McCain helped invent the BlackBerry while addressing a group of reporters. While waving his BlackBerry, he said. “You’re looking at the miracle that John McCain heled create.” You’ve got to be kidding...
So Al Gore invented the internet and John McCain helped create the BlackBerry. Right. Yahoo News has the full story here.
But, I can’t help wonder about the lack of technical knowledge McCain possesses. He’s acknowledged that he doesn’t know how to use a computer or send email. I mean, come on. If you want to be the leader of the free world in the 21st Century, don’t you think you should know how to do stuff like that? It’s a little concerning for me.
Addicted to your BlackBerry
Sep. 16, 2008
Here’s an interesting survey from BlackBerryCool’s website. Sheraton Hotels did a survey and found that 87% of smartphone users bring their device into the bedroom, and 84% check them before they go to sleep and right after they wake up. Very interesting...
Here are the results:
“Eighty-five percent of business travelers say they sneak a quick peek at their personal digital assistants if they happen to wake in the middle of the night, and 80 percent check their e-mail before they’ve had their morning coffee, the new study by Sheraton Hotels found.
More than a third of those surveyed - 35 percent - said if forced to make a choice, they’d stick with their PDA over their spouse, and 62 percent said that they love their little high-tech companions.”
So, are you addicted to your BlackBerry?
Today in History: Steve Jobs becomes Apple iCEO
Sep. 16, 2008
Today all of us Apple geeks pay homage to Steve Jobs. On this date in 1997, he returned to Apple and became iCEO of the company that was not in great shape. Today we can all see the results with him at the helm and we rejoice! HaHa If you’re an Apple fanboy or girl, take a moment to look at that sleek machine of yours today and think about how much more cool your Apple is than a PC.
Here's the BlackBerry Storm
Sep. 15, 2008
**Update #2**
Boo on Verizon! They pulled the video...again. Apparently the launch site’s been up and down today. So, if you want to be emailed an alert when this thing comes out, check out the site here.
**Update**
I hate it when the corporate weenies pull videos from the net. Looks like the video that was on YouTube was pulled. I mean, aren’t us blogging geeks the ones who are building all the hype for their upcoming devices? Anyway, thanks to CrackBerry for loading it up again!
Well, seems CrackBerry got it first. Here’s the video for Minute with Mike that introduces the BlackBerry Storm to employees. Keep in mind this wasn’t a public announcement. Just a bunch of us BlackBerry geeks that found out about it. Keep an eye out for a formal announcement from Verizon coming soon.
BlackBerry Storm Day
Sep. 15, 2008
So it looks like today’s going to be BlackBerry Storm Day around the internet. Leaks of internal memos and blurry photos are making the rounds on all the sites. Check out the latest set of photos here.
All these leaks and we still haven’t seen any announcements from a guy named Mike at Verizon yet. Maybe it was all just internal announcements?
Improved GPS technology on at&t
Sep. 15, 2008
If you’re on at&t, there’s some good news if you have GPS on your mobile phone. News from BerryReview that at&t has just bumped up their GPS technology and I have to say, I’ve seen an improvement using Google Maps and Windows Live Search.
I’m not sure what they did exactly but both programs find my location much faster. From what I’ve read, the change is that programs will find your location first using cell tower triangulation and then pinpoint via GPS. I’m sure there’s alot more technical jargon behind that but I definitely like the improvement!
Who is Mike??
Sep. 14, 2008
Rumor has it the BlackBerry Storm is going to be announced tomorrow by some guy named Mike at Verizon. Who is Mike? This is the much anticipated full touchscreen BlackBerry that will be exclusive to Verizon.
Don’t rush to your local Verizon store tomorrow though. The phone will just be “announced” tomorrow. And, hopefully, we’ll get a release date tomorrow and maybe even a sneak peak a the device other than what the “ninja” showed us last week.
I’m looking forward to seeing the device but I’ve heard that it uses SureType when you’re viewing the phone in vertical mode. Hmmm...I’ve tried SureType but it never really took. Should be an interesting day tomorrow.
Hard drive replacement
Sep. 14, 2008
Yesterday afternoon, I decided to take a chance and replace the hard drive in my macbook pro. I’d been reading in forums about all of the people who have done it and, for the most part, everyone seems to have had success. So, I got a 320GB hard drive to replace the 160GB original hard drive that was slowly running out of space. Figured I’d swap it out before I was really running out of space.
Thanks to ifixit.com, I got detailed instructions on how to take my mac apart to get to the hard drive. I’ll say that, even though it was quite nerve-racking, the process was pretty easy. The only part where I got stuck was removing the front of the keyboard layer from the bottom of the mac. I think there was some kind of glue holding it and it took some work to separate it. I’ve also noticed that I now have a very small gap on the right side because that glue is not holding it together after everything was put back.
The other issue I’m dealing with today is getting everything back to normal. The drive replacement went smooth but I used a Time Machine backup to restore. The restore went about half way in the progress bar and then said it was done. I thought, “Great!”. Then I rebooted, as instructed, and found that stuff was missing. Programs would load but ask for the registration code again. All of my music and photos didn’t restore....sigh...
Luckily, all of that is in Time Machine backups. So, today, I get to go through programs and restore all those missing files.
Was it worth it? You bet! I now have close to 200GB of free space to play with. I’m sure that will go down as I find other data that didn’t restore but it should end up in the 160-180GB range. Awesome!!
Apple iPhone 2.1 Firmware
Sep. 12, 2008
Did you download and install the new 2.1 firmware for your iPhone yet? If you did, have you noticed any improvements? The new update is supposed to fix issues with 3G in some areas. I have a 1st gen iPhone so haven’t noticed any issues there myself but I do wonder...if all the iPhones are clogging the 3G network, is that affecting my BlackBerry Bold getting good 3G??
Gates-Seinfeld Microsoft ads
Sep. 11, 2008
Have you seen the new Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld Microsoft ads? There’s only been one and the second debuted this evening (see below). I thought the first one was dumb but this one was actually funny. At least I thought so. It’s a tad long at over 4 min. but if you enjoy Seinfeld humor, you should get a kick out of it.
Pick your poison
Sep. 11, 2008
Let’s see if I can recap all these great new BlackBerry devices that are out or coming out soon...
BlackBerry 9000 (Bold): Released just about everywhere in the world except for the US. Should be coming out in October on at&t. Simply awesome device with 3G, wifi, GPS and a beautiful high-res screen.
BlackBerry 8900 (Javelin): Considered the replacement for the Curve. Same size factor but has more of the 9000 look. No 3G but will have wifi and GPS. Since at&t has said they will only have 3G devices in the future, I’m guessing we’ll see this on T-Mobile?
BlackBerry 9500 (Storm): Exclusive to Verizon and RIM’s first touchscreen device. A video is a few posts down on the blog. Looks kinda big in my opinion and since it’s only on Verizon (for now at least), I’m still big on the full size keyboard.
BlackBerry 8220 (Pearl): The first flip phone from RIM. It uses SureType and has a pretty big flip to it if you ask me. There are photos here. Look for this one on T-Mobile in red and black variations.
First video of the BlackBerry Storm
Sep. 10, 2008
Good morning all. Last night, courtesy of BGR, we all got to see the new Verizon BlackBerry Storm make it’s debut on a poorly shot video by a guy dressed as a ninja. The “Brew Ninja” who admits he works as a Mobile QA Engineer over at Yahoo! (isn’t the point of being a ninja supposed to be that no one knows who you are?), gives a very dismal review of the new touchscreen BlackBerry about 2:50 into the video.
My opinion is that I read nothing into this other than to get a chance to see the new device live. The guy doesn’t even really review it other than to pick it up, press a couple buttons and then declare that he doesn’t like it. And, as one commenter on BGR said, he does look a little too much like Ralph Macchio ‘Karate Kid’ style. Anyway, if you’re interested in seeing what the Storm looks like, check the video.
**UPDATE**
Thanks to Crackberry for this one. The original video was pulled by the user. Maybe the ninja got in trouble. New video below is just of the Storm...no need to forward 2:50 in to get to the good stuff!
So what do you think of the Apple updates?
Sep. 09, 2008
Well, the announcements have been made. What did you think of them? Highlights are iTunes 8 (which should be available at any moment now), new iPod nano’s in pretty colors (see above pic) and one single iPod classic that is 120GB and $249.
The Touch also got an update but I think the new nano is nice. I’m trying to convince myself i don’t need one but the colors are so pretty.
Apple goodies on the way!
Sep. 09, 2008
And the Apple Store is down. We’re only 15 minutes away from today’s event that should be bringing us iTunes 8, new iPod nano’s and possibly a little surprise no one knows just yet.
I know people hate it when they take the store down just to add a new product. Personally, I kinda like it. It builds anticipation and makes you keep checking back to see what they’ve added once the store is back online. Should be an interesting day in Apple World...stay tuned!
BodyGuardz Screen Protector review just added
Sep. 08, 2008
My thoughts and review of the BodyGuardz screen protectors have just been added to the Reviews section. Have a look see and hope it helps when the time comes to choosing a screen protector for your device.
Opposable thumbs and BlackBerry
Sep. 08, 2008
While all the US impatiently awaits the release of the BlackBerry Bold, some sites are getting nostalgic and looking back at the devices of old. After all, it is 10 years since the first BlackBerry came out. Here’s a site that profiles the evolution: From Brick To Bold: The Evolution Of The BlackBerry
When did you get your first BlackBerry? I actually got mine in 2003 and hated it. I was a big Treo fan at the time. Silly me. Now I can’t live without my BlackBerry! The article is interesting. And, if you don’t want to read all the tech specs, it’s fun to just look at the pictures. One interesting point is that they didn’t include the 8700. I thought that was a great device and the step right before the Curve came out.
Hope everyone has a great start to their week!
**UPDATE: Looks like I missed the page that had the 8700 listed. Glad to see it made it on their timeline.
New iTunes features?
Sep. 07, 2008
Rumors are still circulating about a possible release of iTunes 8 this Tuesday with a bunch of new features. Currently being discussed is a grid view, new visualizer, HD TV programs and, at the forefront, a ‘Genius playlist’ that will analyze the characteristics of that song and generate a playlist with similar songs. Something along the lines of Pandora, which is a great program in itself. Of course, we’ll all just have to wait till Tuesday to see what Mr. Jobs announces.
Bold wallpapers now in the Photos section!
Sep. 06, 2008
I’ll be adding more wallpapers to the section as I re-size ‘em. Have a look and let me know what you think. If you’d like to download them, click an image and then right click. It should save as a .png file which will open just fine on your BlackBerry. If you’d like to submit any to the site, feel free to send them to me through the Contact Me page. Visit the gallery here.
When in Rome...
Sep. 05, 2008
Forget Chrome
Sep. 03, 2008
Google’s new web browser, Chrome, was released into beta yesterday and it’s pretty cool and all. But, I want to talk about the Apple media event scheduled for Sept. 9th. All signs are pointing to new ipods. Woo Hoo!!
According to MacRumors, they’ve received intel that, aside from new iPod nanos and changes to the Touch, we’ll also see the introduction of iTunes 8 which will have some big changes and will be a major update.
Let the countdown begin!
Look out! A Storm is coming...
Aug. 28, 2008
Thanks to Engadget, it’s been discovered that the BlackBerry Thunder touch screen is going to be called the BlackBerry 9530 Storm here on Verizon. Those of you attached to that ‘Thunder’ name? Not to worry, just head up to Canada on Rogers and to Europe on Vodafone and you’ll see some Thunder.
This is BlackBerry’s first touch screen device and looks pretty cool. I hope it does well. In my opinion, every touch screen that’s tried to go up against Apple hasn’t done so well. Click the link above if you want to see what that purdy box is gonna look like when released.
New Apple products coming soon?
Aug. 27, 2008
Rumors are circulating around the web about a refresh of Apple products coming on September 9th. There’s even talk of an ‘Apple Event’ taking place the same day. Speculation of product releases include re-designed macbook pro’s. ipod nano’s and mac mini’s.
So, if you’re thinking of buying an Apple product, might want to hold off for just a bit longer and see if your intended purchase is getting a makeover.
YouMail voicemail service
Aug. 25, 2008
For the past few months, I’ve replaced my at&t voicemail service with YouMail. It’s a great service that’s free and I highly recommend it. Read More...
Free ringtone generator site
Aug. 24, 2008
Picked up from BerryReview, I thought I’d share this ringtone making website with you all. It’s called Audiko and the unique thing about this site is that it allows you to enter a YouTube URL and convert it to a ringtone. They have a pretty big selection that I’m sure will only increase as more people start using the service. As far as I can tell, there are no ‘extra’ charges for using this site. I downloaded a ringtone to my desktop as an mp3 and had no problems getting it on my BlackBerry. Check it out....I think one’s a keeper.
Sennheiser VMX 100 Full Review
Aug. 23, 2008
Overall, I found the Sennheiser VMX100 to be very comforatable though it does have some minor quirks. Read on for the full review and photos. Read More...
The iHologram?
Aug. 22, 2008
So this is pretty cool. It’s an application that projects what looks like a hologram coming out of your iPhone. The application is from David O’Reilly and is very cool. This is definitely one of those things to file under why the iPhone is way cooler than a BlackBerry.
Now when’s it gonna be available in the App Store?
iHologram - iPhone application from David OReilly on Vimeo.
Sennheiser VMX 100
Aug. 22, 2008
Yesterday I received a cool new toy from UPS. It’s a Sennheiser VMX 100 bluetooth headset! One of the nice things about working for a telecommunications company is that you sometimes get these little treats from your headset vendor.
I’ll be trying it out and posting a full review but so far, I really like it. It’s very comfortable and sounds good. I was using a Jawbone II up until I received this one and I never really liked the fit.
More to come...
It's BlackBerry Bold Day...in Canada
Aug. 21, 2008
Figures. Hasn’t at&t sold enough iPhones already? Rogers officially announced the Bold today but it’s hard to find so far. Reports are that most stores don’t even have them and those that do, only got a couple. Why is this device so delayed? I’d really like to hear the real reason for this. Personally, I think it’s all to do with the iPhone and how many they can sell before they release the Bold. Tsk, tsk at&t...
Universal instant messaging application
Aug. 20, 2008
Good morning. Yesterday BeeJive released a new version of their universal instant messaging application, Beejive IM. If you’ve never heard of it before, it’s a instant messaging application for BlackBerry, iPhone and Windows Mobile.
I really do like this application rather than using the standard AIM/iChat,Yahoo, MSN, or GoogleTalk, MySpace, Lotus Sametime, ICQ and Jabber apps. This one combines them all into one package where you can setup multiple accounts all under one roof.
The interface is nice, easy to use and the program itself is very stable. I use it on my BlackBerry just about everyday and it helps me keep in touch with contacts while I’m out n’ about. The iPhone version is in Beta and uses Safari to log you in.
Do you Twitter?
Aug. 11, 2008
Has anyone heard of Twitter? It’s a social website that asks the question, “What are you doing?” The idea is to be able to track and know what your friends are doing 24/7.
I started using it a few days ago and quickly started thinking, does everyone really want to know what I’m doing all the time? I mean, do you really need to know that I’m on my way to work or sitting at my desk?
I guess there are people out there that find information like that useful but I got a little tired with answering to Twitter all the time.
So, I still use it but now you’ll find less serious updates most days with the occasional accurate update. I’m sure you’ll have no problem telling my believable entries from the little white lies.
I did find it useful over the weekend tracking the US Nationals Road Race. SoCalCycling was updating their Twitter throughout the race which was fun.
To see what I may or may not be doing, check my page.
AOL radio for mac
Aug. 04, 2008
”AOL is like the cockroach left after the nuclear bomb hits. They know how to survive.”
~Jan Horsefall Read More...
~Jan Horsefall Read More...
Chumby
Jul. 31, 2008
I’m reviving a post from the old blogging website about one of my favorite desktop gadgets...the Chumby!
What’s a Chumby? Well, it’s a cool little device that sits on your desk, nightstand, kitchen counter, bar, well...you get the idea and displays channels of information pulled from the internet. It connects to your wireless network and also has motion sensors for some games and such.
I have mine show news, weather and some cams from Times Square, NYC, various aquariums, zoo cams and some different clocks.
There are other channels that will display audio and video but I don’t play around with those to much. The Chumby also has a touch screen to interact with some of the channels and inputs on the back for external audio.
Finally, there are alarms you can configure to turn on/off your Chumby at specific times or awake to your favorite channel.
Pretty cool huh? At right is what’s being displayed on my Chumby right now. Pick one up here and enjoy!
FireFox web browser
Jul. 29, 2008
For those of you running Internet Explorer, Safari or anything other than Firefox, I come with a mission. Step away from the browser and head here to download the best browser out there. Firefox 3 was just released and it’s such a great browser to use...I highly recommend it.
Once you’re all setup and running on Firefox, be sure to check out these add-ons that will add even more power to your surfin’ experience.
- FastDial - Cool program that can open multiple websites and then show you the thumbnails for them all on one page. I use it as my homepage and then browse from there.
- Adblock Plus - Removes ads from the websites you visit.
- Foxmarks Bookmarks Synchronizer - If you use more than one PC and/or mac, this will sync your bookmarks across all of them.
- Forecastfox - A nice way to show the weather in the bottom status bar of the browser.
- ColorfulTabs - If you do any type of tabbed browsing, this is a simple litttle add-on that just makes the tabs different colors and easier to recognize.
Must have BlackBerry applications
Jul. 28, 2008
Okay, so it looks like the new style of blogging isn’t going to work that well with this iweb template I’m using now. I don’t think you guys were reading it anyway.
Below, I’ve listed out my new favorite applications that I use on my CrackBerry...uhh...I mean BlackBerry. These are great and I highly recommend them. Enjoy!
BB Weather - The latest weather information at your thumbs. I’ve tried other weather apps and they just don’t give you all the information this one does.
JiveTalk - A great instant messaging app. Again, there are several of them out there....pick your poison. This one rules.
Google Maps - They’re indeed taking over the world. This mapping app provides directions, traffic and satellite views.
Viigo - An impressive RSS newsfeed reader. There’s a new Project Tango version out that’s sure to please once it hits the street.
Microsoft Live Search - As much as I am a mac guy, this program does a pretty good job. I love how programs are integrating GPS search into them now and this one has alot of cool features.
Today is
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