Category: Information Technology

So, Google is supposedly launching a $20 per month laptop (per Forbes). This will include hardware and software. What’s critical for the success of this is whether it’s “only” a web appliance or a fuller featured laptop. (ZDNet has a good discussion going on that.)

Personally, I expect it will have at least some offline capacity. Even in the Seattle area, expecting 24/7 web access is just not practical. And I’d like to think Google gets that. Without the ability to port to a coffee shop (yes, there are several without wifi…even around here), etc, the device’s usefulness for students is severely restricted. Heck, a simple power outage turns it into a paperweight brick.

Will such a thing have access to other Linux-like/Open Source apps, or be solely limited to Google apps? Will there be a GIMP, for instance? I would greatly miss a full featured image editor. Don’t know if that would be a deal-breaker, but…

I want to know how Google will deploy storage. Having a significant amount of the devices device’s storage cloud based would be unique, and allow work to be more portable. Especially across platforms. It would really need to be rather seamless, but that doesn’t look like a great challenge anymore. Perhaps that’s how a web device would be billed; you take your notes on the device and edit them on some other device.

Any of you going to run out and get one? Drop a note in the comments.

Received yet another ad for SSDs (solid-state hard-drives). I’d love to have the benefits: faster boot times, less heat/more battery, longer life. As cool as a solid state drive is, I’m not sure I can justify the costs. Or, to bring the costs in line, lower my used disk space. As I think, though, I can see something of a work-around. Go with the smallest SSD I can justify, but then use the cloud, or an external hard-drive, or both for the bulk of my information storage. Also, bodes the question of “why do I save so much data?”

I do save nearly everything. That goes way back, though. Every so often, I purge my 4 drawer file cabinet. Yet I have years worth of receipts, various miscellaneous files. My data hoarding goes back to hard-copy days. And, perhaps, it’s time for that to end.

I think of the times that that one, random file, saved has been either helpful, or has saved my butt. Producing that email saying “I want you to do ‘x'” was perfect when a manager was yelling at me (during a meeting) about why I had done ‘x’. A few times, yet meaningful. Perhaps the positive response to this reinforced a pack-rat mentality, or the fear that this one document will be the one that saves me. Hmm…fear…an issue in-and-of itself.

More reflection is needed for me to know if this is need for data space, and fear-driven, or simply “I don’t have the cash for buying un-needed technology right now”. Perhaps someday I’ll flesh this out further. Perhaps. Someday.

After several attempts to over-generalize my key-fobs functionality (front door >2x, mailbox, store-front, kitchen lights), I started wondering how awesome life would be with remote control of every major appliance. Kitchen lights reflecting on my computer screen? Click! Hands full and trying to get in the house? Click! Mailbox? Yep, Click! Oh, wouldn’t life be so much easier?

Well, no. Imagine the way such could be executed. Either multiple fobs for each action. I’m imagining an electronic age version of the jailers key ring. Or walking with a universal remote that’s more like an iPad. Not very practical after all.

Wait! How about an implant wired to your nervous system? We’re not quite there yet, but we can see the proverbial light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel for this (though faintly). Imagine that world. Need the lights on? Just think it. Etc, etc, etc. But, besides the risk of infection, what other issues would this bring? First, the Revelation/bible based “mark” that would get a significant part of our population in a tizzy. Regardless, I’m unlikely to elect this “service”, if ever offered. Mainly for security. Think how insecure data is right now. And we’re going to let this technology access our minds? Not mine!

Are you going to be at the front of the line to get your mind hard-wired to the net? Going to trade everything in for guns and a cabin in the high woods and wait for Skynet to come online? Or somewhere in between?

Random thoughts on a Sunny Saturday.

One of my Facebook chums just got her first smartphone (an Android for those keeping score at home). Thus, she was looking for some suggestions to get the best use of the thing. Which got me thinking; and that’s a dangerous thing. I gave her some pointers, but kept it brief out of respect for her Wall. But, since this is my blog and I can do whatever-the-heck-I-want, I’m going to elaborate.

Smartphones have been a key part of my life for years. It was a small conversion at the time, as I had Palm & HP handhelds before. Shifting from two small devices to one was wondrous. Geekous maximus. In the smartphone realm, my first was a Treo, then to Blackberries (when Treos finally annoyed me enough). Then I got a iPhone, followed with a brief foray into Windows (both a WinMo 6.1 & the WP7). So, I think I know how to use the devices efficiently.

Anyway, here are the basics of how I use mine. Some things I’ve used for years, some are only germane now with post iPhone smartphones.

This has been a simple stream-of-consciousness list. Hardly all-inclusive. Have anything you want to add? Drop a note in the comments. I’d love to hear it.

I zipped out a snarky answer on TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Weblog) and thought I’d share…I am rather proud.

(Setting the scene: Gwydion commented that “I want a job as analyst, I can say any silly thing and be paid for it” [comment #1])

“Gwydion, it’s not quite that easy. First, you need to collect copious amounts of BS data. Proceed to dump into the spreadsheet of your choice. Then torture this into the most eye-burning/bleeding set of graphics and slides that you can. That is a critical step, for it instills a sciencey note (giving credibility) and causes intense dizziness, which enables you to use your hypnotic skills (there’s an app for that, I’m sure). Then just make sure to include that Steve Jobs is/will be giving Steve Ballmer an economic wedgie and off you go.”

I’ve spent the better part of today getting Ubuntu working on an older laptop (Compaq Presario R3000). I installed it several days ago, but was fighting with getting my wifi card to work. ‘Twas a bit of challenge due to its agedness. I was trying to get a Broadcom 4301 802.11 b card running with Maverick Meerkat. This is old enough to not be supported, so I needed to get creative. I’m geek-proud of myself for getting it worked out (uninstalled the built in broadcom driver and then utilized the “Windows Wireless Drivers” app & the original driver that shipped with the thing).

The more I think about it, the more I’m surprised that I’m only now getting into Linux. Well, I fiddled a bit with it a few years back, but never went anywhere. When I consider my values, my tendency towards “anti-corporate” & anti-commercial and my love of all things geeky, this should’ve been a slam-dunk. Well, it took a bit, but here I am. We’ll see where this world leads me.

As a musician, I think there’s great value with the iPad for music display. No more flipping pages due to breezes, ease in organizing (adjusting play lists), quickly shifting pages (a simple touch) and the ability to have a huge sheet music library at your fingertips. If you’ve ever lugged several Fake books to gigs, you can see the potential. Of course, the device is relatively fragile (as any electronic device is), so there’s a challenge. Nothing should frighten musicians more than the thought of losing your performance materials.