Advisor Norris: Blog

PlayStation Home Open Beta by Christmas

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:39:37 GMT

PlayStation Home has been in closed beta since May 2007. Sony has delayed the launch of Home several times to make sure Home is ready for prime time. Over 18 months of testing and refining the service, PlayStation Home looks promising. Sony even launch a PlayStation Home website with a Home Tour video. In it, we get a tour of the Central Plaza, the Bowling Alley, Shopping Center, the Theater, and virtual apartments.

What the website doesn’t say is PlayStation Home will soon be in Open Beta by Christmas. This is according to TedtheDog, the SCEE Home Manager. http://community.eu.playstation.com/playstationeu/board/message?board.id=b_EN_PS3_Home&thread.id=32928

Check out some pictures from the Home Event taken on Friday on the Home EU server.

SNL VP Debate: Palin / Biden

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:32:37 GMT

Quote

iPhone Tip: How to Save Images to your iPhone

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:45:39 GMT

I just discovered this feature (Save Image) on my iPhone. This feature is only available on iPhone 2.0 firmware and above.

1. Browse to any website or email containing an image.

2. Tap and hold your finger on any image within an email or website. Then, choose Save Image.

3. Go to your Photos application and you'll find the image in your Camera Roll.

How to Make Your Own iPhone Ringtones for FREE

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:38:06 GMT

You got check out Audiko.net if you're interested in making your own ringtones for your iPhone or any mobile device.

The process is fairly simple. Just upload a song from your hard drive to Audiko, choose the fragment of the song, then download the ringtone and sync your computer to your device.

You can also browse the site for ringtones created by others.

Here's the ringtone I created.

by audiko.net — ringtones.

Enjoy!

Battery Life Sucks on Your New iPhone 3G?

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:05:56 GMT

If you were one of the lucky ones to get a iPhone 3G over the weekend, then you must check out these tips from Apple on how to improve your battery life on your iPhone. I myself learned first hand just a day after getting the iPhone 3G. Battery life will last just a couple of hours if you have every single services turned on including push email, locations services and more. In a nutshell, to increase battery life you must turn off services you're not using. For example, if you're not currently using your Bluetooth headset, turn off Bluetooth. And, the same can be said of WIFI, if you're using 3G instead (I know why would you use 3G over WIFI you ask. Maybe there are no open WIFI hotspots so 3G is you're only option.) Also, turn off push email and set to check email manually or less frequently. Lastly, lower your brightness on your iPhone.

Read the full iPhone battery tips from Apple for more information.

How To: Screen Capture on Your iPhone

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:49:32 GMT

Little did everyone know that you can take screen shots on your iPhone using that latest software update, iPhone 2.0. To take a screen capture, hold down your Home button and press the Lock button and your screen will flash and an image will be placed in your Camera Roll's images. Above is a screen shot of the MySpace app on the iPhone.

Source:

Most Interesting iPhone / iPod touch Apps

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:44:29 GMT

The App store went live this morning. There's a lot more apps available then I originally thought. I plan to use my iPhone for business and pleasure so I quickly search for those types of apps.

Based on my initial search, these are the apps I plan to install on my iPhone on day one. ~~What I really want is a password management tool which I heard there was going to be one available in the App store soon~~. Update: SplashID, a password management application and is available thru the App Store for $9.99. This is will be one of my first purchases/downloads from the AppStore.

Late NiteSoft - jot down your notes, scribble and annotate on pics using your fingers. Price $7.99
MySpace Mobile- allows you to view& edit friends, send and receive msgs, and more.. FREE
Moto Racer - bike racing game. $9.99
Super Monkey Ball - by SEGA $9.99
PayPal- an app that allows you to send money, check your PayPal balance. FREE
CB Jobs - The CareerBuilder Jobs app allows you to search jobs, save jobs to favorites, and email job links. FREE
Outliner - allows you to organize your thoughts, tasks, and projects. $9.99
TypePad - blogging application tool. FREE
Loopt - location based social networking app to connect to friends. FREE
Google Mobile App. Find web pages, business listings, phone contacts, etc. FREE.

iReady? or iScam?

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:38:00 GMT

I just called AT&T to find out how I (a new subscriber) can become iReady before July 11. Turns out besides having a pre-qualifying credit check done an AT&T rep has informed me of another method which I am a bit leery about.

According to a AT&T customer rep, I should come in today and get activated for a FREE phone then come in Friday morning and exchange the FREE phone for the iPhone 3G. This way I would not have to worry about the long activation process and the transfer of my numbers over to AT&T would be seamless since I’ve already taken care of that prior to July 11. HMM! Interesting but what happens when I try to get the iPhone on Friday and I don’t qualify for the upgrade because I just signed the contract, I asked. The rep of course stated I would be eligible for the upgrade

Then, it dawned on me after calling several other AT&T stores to verify if this method was valid. It costs X ($36 for the iphone) amount of dollars for an activation fee and $18 for a upgrade fee, if I happen to be still eligible after signing a two year contract to receive the first (FREE) phone. Is this being iReady or just a iScam? I’m sure the Rep is trying to earn top commission from the iPhone hype yet I’m concerned a lot of people who get duped into going this route will be screwed when they try to get the iPhone on Friday. Either they will have to fork over a upgrade fee after just paying an activation fee or worse pay the full retail price for the iPhone - $399 for the 8GB and $499 for the 16GB.

Review of the iPhone 3G by Walt Mossberg

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:46:54 GMT

http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20080708/newer-faster-cheaper-iphone-3g/

iPhone 3G unboxing

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:31:07 GMT

The Boy Genius Report has gotten hold of the iPhone 3G and has unboxed the unit. Check out there site for pics - Source: Boy Genius Report

Browse the Web in 3D Using PicLens

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:13:58 GMT

PicLens is a browser plug-in that transforms your 2D Internet browsing experience into a full screen 3D Wall. For example, you can browse photo and video sites like PhotoBucket, YouTube and Amazon.com in 3D. PicLens works on Mac and PC and supports Firefox 2/3, IE 7, and Safari 3.

Give it a try, especially if you have a large wide screen monitor.

http://www.piclens.com

Get iReady for the iPhone 3G

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:20:00 GMT

AT&T just released pricing plans for the up and coming iPhone 3G. And they're launching a new program called iReady. iReady helps you get ready to buy a iPhone 3G if you new or existing customer. Check out the iReady videos below for detail information prior July 11.

New Customers

Existing Customers

Count Down to the iPhone 3G

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:56:09 GMT

12 days left to launch of the 3G iPhone. As "D" day draws near I've been researching every blog, video review, and spec on the iPhone. Thus far, I have not seen anything to change my mind. Yes, it's true the iphone doesn't have copy and paste, nor does it have video recording, stereo Bluetooth, and physical QWERTY keyboard. Come to think of it I rarely used these features on my Windows Mobile devices.

Copy and paste is great and would be nice to have on the iphone but over the past 8 years, I can count on one hand the number of times I've used copy and paste.

Video recording on my Windows Mobile devices were nothing to write home about so I never used this feature beyond playing around with while stuck in traffic. Even if this was on the iphone I bet I would not use it there either unless the quality was fantastic.

Stereo Bluetooth - When my T-Mobile MDA got an update from T-Mobile I was excited to hear that it include support for stereo bluetooth. So I went out and got a bluetooth stereo headphones. In my two weeks of usage, I found the sound quality to be sub par with the sound cutting in and out every minute. The plus to the bluetooth stereo headphone was no wires but the interference was running the experience in some areas (for some reason they worked out great while working out in the yard). I hope Apple some day include support for Bluetooth stereo but for the time being I can live without this feature too.

Physical QWERTY keyboard- My current device, the T-mobile MDA which I've had for 3 years now has a slide out QWERTY keyboard. I must admit I used it daily to send/receive email messages, or write up a quick note in OneNote Mobile. It was this one feature which held me back from getting the iphone last year. It was like I been there done that stuff already with my first Pocket PC Phone device. The T-Mobile Pocket PC. It had a virtual on screen keyboard and the stylus was tool to tap on it. Sometimes I used the corner of my fingernail for a quick writeup. Typing anything was brutal where using my finger or stylus. So what changed my mind about the iPhone virtual keyboard. Basically, what convinced me was the iPod Touch. I receive the iPod Touch as a Xmas present and found I loved carrying the device with me to browse the Internet check mail. The keyboard all be it is not perfect but was a huge improvement then what's included with Windows Mobile devices.

Well, 12 days to go and I'm missing my iPod touch and anxiously awaiting to stand in line to get my iPhone.

Goodbye iPod Touch! Hello iPhone 3G (Maybe)

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:28:01 GMT

I placed my iPod touch for sale on Amazon last week and it sold a few days after listing it.

The reason I sold my iPod touch was not because I was dissatisfied with my iPod but rather a dissatisfaction with T-mobile supply of smartphones and Windows Mobile (Pocket PC phones) devices for which I've been a faithful customer for over 7 years. One of the reasons I bought into the idea of a Pocket PC phone was because I used to carry around my Pocket PC (Ipaq) and cell phone with me everywhere I go. And for the past six months, I've been carrying two devices around, my Windows Mobile device and iPod touch. Here's why!

1. The Windows Mobile device could not compare to the iphone/ipod touch browsing experience.

2. The battery life (at least on my T-mobile MDA) was subpar compared to the ipod touch.

3. The user interface is so much more intuitive on my ipod touch.

4. The new games coming out on the iphone like Super Monkey Ball look graphically much better than my Windows Mobile device.

Now, there's pros and cons to both platforms but I must admit the two cons on the iphone/ipod touch is the portable Internet browsing experience and easy of use. Also, I can't forget the ability to have a fast Internet connection, massive storage space (16GB), and the ability to customize or install apps on your smartphone (yes, I know I can do this my on WM phone too). The new iphone 3G coming out next month meets those essential factors. Overall, I hope I'll be happy with the ipod/phone integration (iphone) especially if there's tons of apps available in the Apps Store.

So, on July 11 (if I'm lucky to get one), I'm hanging up my Windows Mobile boots and trading them in for the iphone 3G.

Anyone else plan to ditch their Windows Mobile device for the new iPhone. Comments or thoughts!

Norris

Control Your Windows Mobile Phone from Your Desktop

Fri, 30 May 2008 10:31:44 GMT

Everything you do with your Windows Mobile smartphone you can now do from your PC - on your big screen, big keyboard and complete integration with your desktop. With mDesktop on your PC and Windows Mobile smartphone connected to it you can: make outgoing calls from the smartphones address book, manage incoming ones with ease from your desktop, have threaded SMS conversations, manage images, manage calendar and contacts straight on your phone, no synchronization required.

You can pick up a copy of MDesktop for as little as $19.99.

Source: PocketPC Thoughts

Finally after 6 years, I bought a New Tablet PC

Thu, 01 May 2008 02:14:24 GMT

Old Tablet PC New Tablet PC

Back in 2001, when Window XP Tablet PC editions were first release, I purchased a Compaq TC1000 for $2400. The specs weren't the greatest even back then but the ability to write on the screen and convert my handwriting to text was phenomenon. The specs included a 1 ghz processor, 512 mb RAM and a 40 gig hard drive. It's hard to imagine I waited so long for an upgrade.

My new tablet PC is the new HP Pavilion tx2120us. The specs are in sharp contrast to my old tablet. It sports a 2.20 ghz AMD Turion 64 X2, 4 gb of RAM and a 250 gb hard drive running Windows Vista.

WOW!! What a big difference 6 years make. One of the reasons I waited so long was I wanted to have a Tablet PC that was also a powerful laptop. My old Compaq TC1000 was good for taking notes and drafting papers by hand but it was terrible when it came to watching movies or playing games.

I'll post a full review in a couple of weeks on Gadget Chain.com, detailing the pros and cons of my new Tablet PC (HP Pavilion tx2120us). For now, I highly recommend this laptop for students and mobile professional.

Google Calendar Sync application updated

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:32:46 GMT

The Google Calendar Sync application, the one that synchronizes your Outlook calendar with the Google Calendar has been updated.

Check out Google's blog for more information- Official Gmail Blog: Calendar Sync updated

PC World - Sony Delays PlayStation Home Again

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:35:47 GMT

It guess this is no surprise to me. I've been beta testing Home since last year (April 2007). I always thought the Spring 2008 release date was a bit unrealistic. This is not a game but a 3D virtual social networking environment for gamers. It has great potential and I'm glad Sony is taking their time to get it right.

More Home news concerning the enhanced closed beta test to follow this Fall. Check out pshomespace.com for the breaking news

PC World - Sony Delays PlayStation Home Again

Earning Online By Not Doing Anything

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:50:49 GMT

I read this blog posting this morning at PowerHomeBiz.com about "Earning online by not doing anything" and thought I bet a lot of people in Office Live think they can do this as well (Put a site with links or ads and think it will automatically generate income)

I find many Office Live sites looking like what I like to call "junk sites". Sites that offer no content what so ever but littered with Ads and links on the homepage and throughout the site. As noted by Isabel, you need to think about content creation and traffic generation on your site.

"If you don't want to work in terms of content (meaning you don't write the articles or you don't hire writers), then do something like MySpace or Digg or Craiglist where it is the users who actually generate the content. But even, there's a lot of work involved in terms of cleaning up the content and keeping the community in check and ensuring that the right technology can support the activities of the site" (PowerHomeBiz.com, 2008).

In my opinion, everyone wants a get "rich" quick without much effort. The truth is that not too many people earn money from their site without investing the time and effort. And like Isabel has stated many of them have dedicated a lot of time and money to ensure their site is where it is today.

My advice to the Office Live Small Business user is to take baby steps and nature your site like you would a baby. In time, you will see it grow and gain much attention as it reaches its "teen years" (that's 2-3 years in Internet years)

source: PowerHomeBiz Small & Home Business Blog: Earning Online By Not Doing Anything

Free Web Hosting & Domain Name from Microsoft

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 16:00:30 GMT

A little over a month ago (Feb 2008), Microsoft started offering free web hosting service and custom domain name (1st year free) that in my opinion rivals other free web hosting providers who usually focus on personal websites and not businesses or organization. With OLSB you get a lot for FREE not offered any where such as event calendars, wikis, forums, survey builder, form builder, and more...

Office Live Small Business (OLSB) and Workspaces are built on the Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) engine. Although a very customized version of WSS, nonetheless OLSB has a very powerful set of tools for collaborating and managing your content online. Essentially, giving your business a front-end public website and password protected extranet site for employees, vendors, and/or partners.

I often run into small businesses who talk about the cost of running their website and find it very costly to pay for web hosting especially when they don't have the tools nor the knowledge to update their website. Often resorting to paying a person like me to update the content. My recommendation to them is to 1) look into a web hosting provider that will support web content management for a reasonable cost. This will one alleviate the costs associated with paying a web professional to update the content on your site. 2) find a web hosting provider or associate that will provide good support and training to help you enhance your website.

Office Live is very promising and you can't beat FREE! The only issue now is the training factor. OLSB is a very robust and great tool overall but I must admit the concept of workspaces, lists, wikis, and libraries are foreign to many. Therefore, I hope to fill the gap by providing free on-demand tutorials as well as real-time training on these topics in the near future via my Tutorials Live site.

WIMAX on the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet In April

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 20:47:43 GMT

Less than a year after releasing the Nokia N810, Nokia will be soon releasing a new version with WIMAX. What's WIMAX you ask! WIMAX in a nutshell is wireless broadband access over long distances in some cases covering entire cities. Basically, it's like a gigantic wireless HotSpot so no matter where you go you are always connected.

The issue is WIMAX has been talked about for years and has failed to be implemented to date in the U.S. When the time comes, devices like the Nokia N810 will not only be unique but in abundance.

Until then, I plan to stick with my Nokia N800 and iPod Touch as my main portable devices for browsing the Internet on. I can do the same on my Windows Mobile phone however the browser experience just isn't the same. I'll go into why I like using both my Nokia N800 and iPod Touch at a later date.

Second Life on Your Mobile Phone

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:15:29 GMT

Second Life is working with Vollee service to enable access to the full world of Second Life via your 3G enabled mobile phone. No specific phone type has been listed, however the only requirement is to have a 3D enabled phone. The SL Mobile client will be available in May 2008.

Source: http://www.vollee.com/secondlife

PlayStation Home Public Beta Delayed Once Again

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:10:01 GMT

According to Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, PlayStation Home public beta might happen in the first quarter of calendar 2008. So, anytime between January and March 31.

It also looks like the final release date of Home may get pushed past the Spring 2008 date. As noted by Jack, "we're not 100 percent sure on when the full-blown release will be in terms of an actual date, but obviously following the data".

This is not a surprise. Home was supposed to be released this Fall but I believe Sony bit on more than they can chew. If I had to guess, I bet Home will not be ready for full release until early Fall 2008 (Sep/Oct 08). And the public beta will perhaps commence in June/July 2008. Whatever the actual dates are I just hope Sony includes all those features they advertised at GDC & E3 2007 which makes me wonder what will Sony showcase at GDC 2008 in February. By then hopefully, a open beta will commence with trophy room, shopping area, and access to game publisher content (I know I should stop dreaming right!).

Source:

Thoughts on 25 minutes video of PlayStation Home

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 18:46:02 GMT

Based on this footage, let me say how impressed I am with what Sony has created thus far. For those who haven't read my post a few months ago regarding Home, Home is a online 3D virtual environment on the PS3 console that allows PS3 users to share, socialize, and network. Home is currently in a closed beta stage. Video footage of Home was leaked to the public a few weeks ago.

Home is slated to be released Spring (May/June) 2008 and a public beta is planned for late Fall (or January).

All I can say is WOW! Home is looking pretty good. The avatar customization is really robust and the resolution makes it appear close to real life as possible. The Home Square and other spaces are top notch design. And I think its really cool that Sony is giving all members their own apartments to "pimp out". Home looks to have lots of potential. I just hope Sony doesn't delay the release date any longer (The final version of Home was supposed to come out this Fall 2007).

What do you think?

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/139445.html

AT&T to buy pay-per-call firm Ingenio | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:45:54 GMT

AT&T is adding to its stable of online advertising properties, in a move to further diversify its ad business from phone books.

The phone giant said Monday that it will acquire privately held Ingenio, a provider of pay-per-call advertising technology, for an undisclosed sum. AT&T said that it will fold Ingenio into its subsidiary that handles local online search advertising. Those properties include Yellowpages.com, AT&T Real Yellow Pages and 1-800-Yellow Pages.

The deal is expected to close in January 2008.

Ingenio, founded in 1999 and backed by Silicon Valley venture firm Benchmark Capital, is a lead generation company. Marketers use Ingenio to advertise their business or services in online search listings linked to a unique 1-800 number. Marketers pay for the ads only when Web surfers call the embedded number, or what's called performance-based advertising.

"As advertisers add performance-based advertising to their marketing mix, this investment makes sense for our business," Ray Wilkins, AT&T group president of Diversified Business, said in a statement. "Ingenio's technology will allow AT&T to expand our robust service portfolio for print, online and mobile advertisers, and that will further differentiate us from our competitors."

Technorati Tags: Ingenio,AT&T

AT&T to buy pay-per-call firm Ingenio | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

Tech Digest: Jay-Z has 99 problems, and iTunes IS one

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:51:48 GMT

First NBC, now Jay-Z's album American Gangster. Why does Apple think they rule the world. At least Amazon MP3 was flexible enough to meet Jay-Zs needs and offer Album Only purchase which I'm sure no one has a problem with.

Come on iTunes. Who else will you rub the wrong way.

Tech Digest: Jay-Z has 99 problems, and iTunes IS one

PlayStation Home Needs to Focus on Community to Succeed!

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:00:35 GMT

According to Julien Merceron, Chief Technology Officer at Eidos, Home needs to offer more than a 3D interface to watch movies, demos, trailers, listening to music or look at pictures to succeed. If gamers can get those things thru their XMB more easier then why use Home.

Sony needs to add a lot more to Home that will build a community where I can find my friends and I'm not stuck in an instance of the virtual world with people I don't know or I don't have anything to do with (Merceron, 2007).

In addition, Home needs to be a vehicle for people to be part of a larger gamer community with tons of game publishers each sporting their own events and activities. Also, Home should extend outside the Home virtual world into the 2D space (Internet). We've seen evidence of a social networking site for Home at E3 2007 that integrates into Home somewhat. Hopefully, this will be available for the open beta and will allow more Home/Internet interactions such as the ability to chat with friends who are in Home, view Home events, & read Home user's blogs in the near future.

Overall, Home needs to focus heavily on the community factor of Home to make it a success. This of course is a tall order for Sony but one that I believe overtime can be achieved.

Source:
Merceron, J. (2007). PS3 home needs to focus on community to succeed. Retrieved November 11, 2007, from http://www.ps3news.ca/11122007/10/merceron_ps3_home_needs_to_focus_on_community_to_succeed

The Future of PlayStation Home

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:25:12 GMT

Nearly 80% of active Internet users will have a virtual avatar in a virtual world of some kind by 2011 (Gartner, 2007). Fortune 500 enterprises will find value in virtual worlds as a result of the social networking environment allowing individuals to collaborate and be a part of a community. However, corporate use of virtual worlds will lag behind consumer uses of public worlds as business cope with the challenge of integrating virtual worlds into their business model (Gartner, 2007).

In 2008, we will see more evidence of this trend taking flight once Home is finally complete.

And Here's why I think Home will over shadow Second Life in the coming years (circa 2009/2010).

Platform
After 4yrs Second Life it is still incredibly buggy and laggy for many users. Yes, tons of new features have been added yet with numerous outages, and bugs its makes a huge difference in that first few minutes that really determines whether someone will continue to use it. I doubt this will change in the coming years either.
Tech Savvy
Second Life is really not for a regular Internet user type. You know the kind that checks his/her email, browses the web going to places like MySpace, Facebook, chat rooms, and watch YouTube videos. They want things simple and quick. And right now the Second Life interface is not simple enough yet.
Virtual Aesthetics
If one were to browse the entire world of Second Life, one would find that the majority of content is pure junk. The other 5% of buildings on the mainland, and islands are very skillfully made.

Now, there's no way to tell if Home will also experience the same platform issues but I know for a fact that 1 & 2 will not be an issue in Home.

Here's what I envision for Home in the coming years:

Hollywood studios, game publishers, & entertainers alike will setup Home Spaces to market their movies, music, and games. For instance, we could very well see a Home Space for the Iron Man movie with miniature games, contests, and special events.
Home will be the new MySpace. In fact, Home might be the place where many people are introduced to gaming. There's no argument here. Home has a SIMS appeal to it. My niece and her friends saw me visit Home while they were visiting and they could not wait til Home was out. {Beware Sony- Home will be overcome by hundreds of teenage girls.}
Home will be featured in TV shows and movies just like Second Life was in CSI NY. I don't see this happening in 2008 for Home. Maybe 2009 or 2010 once Home gets in the millions. For now, Second Life will hold strong as the leading virtual world to be featured in movies, TV shows, and etc. Not to mention, it will be the place where movie studios will venture to create virtual games based on their movies. IAm Legend currently has a virtual game in Second Life that simulates the movie. Boy, did we have a fun playing the IAm Legend game in Second Life on Halloween.

Source: Gartner, Inc., (2007). Gartner says 80 percent of active internet users will have a "second life" in the virtual world by the end of 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2007, from http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=503861

Amazon Unbox Movies

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 01:24:01 GMT

Blockbuster Acquires Movielink

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 01:09:19 GMT

Blockbuster finally joins the digital download business according to an email I received from Movielink, LLC this afternoon.

We are excited to announce that on September 9, Blockbuster Inc., acquired Movielink, LLC.

The Movielink newsletter will move to a semimonthly schedule, however, there are no other immediate changes.

Your information remains confidential. We will inform you of any changes we may make in the future.

Thank you,

Movielink

I only hope this increases the number of movies for download. And I hope they include the ability to purchase digital movies and burn to DVD.

Gadget Chain Blog - http://blog.gadgetchain.com

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 21:16:37 GMT

I know I've been absent from this blog these past few months but I would like to introduce my new blog site - Gadget Chain

Visit my new Gadget Chain blog for news, reviews and raves on the latest smartphones, ultramobile PCs, and all kinds of other gadgets.

A headline animator banner has been placed above to the Gadget Chain Blog; showing the latest blog entries. Grab the headliner animation to place the Gadget Chain Blog banner on your blog or website.

Enjoy!

Playstation Home

Wed, 02 May 2007 16:46:36 GMT

PS Home, the 3D virtual online community for the PS3, started yesterday (May 1) in Europe.

No official word has been given by Sony as to when the North American (U.S. & Canada) closed beta will begin, yet there's been rumors that beta trialists who received special email invites last week will be sent confirmation emails the first week of May.

The open beta starts this summer with beta trialist from the closed beta and those who registered on www.homebetatrial.com .

Source: https://www.scee.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=4369&NewsAreaID=2

Talking about If Second Life isn't a game, what is it? - On the Level - MSNBC.com

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 17:28:05 GMT

3D virtual worlds or communities such as Second Life and the up and coming PS Home is transforming the way we use the Internet. Social networking and collaboration in a 3D environment is increasing becoming the new 3D Internet where people socialize, collaborate, and entertain one another in whats called the metaverse.

Are they games? I think to labeled these environments as games is inaccurate. These virtual worlds are what we make them to be. To some, its a game because your main purpose is to play games within Second Life or Playstation Home. While for others, its a means to meet and socialize with friends outside of their locale. Or to maintain relationships with friends and family who are geographically dispersed. In my opinion, 3D virtual environments are here to stay and soon will become mainstream.

Quote

If Second Life isn't a game, what is it? - On the Level - MSNBC.com

Sony Coming Out with 3D Virtual World Called - Home

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 19:30:15 GMT

Sony just announced on Wednesday at the Game Developer's Conference that they will be soon releasing a 3D virtual world FREE to all PS3 users, called Home. A cross between Second Life and The Sims Online (TSO), Home will allow users to customize their avatars and apartments, as well as buy additional content online such as movies, and music.

If you already plan to buy a PS3, Sony will be launching the beta version in April and the final release in October 2007.

I've been waiting to buy a PS3 for quite some time. And I think this new breakout will influence my decision to purchase a PS3 very soon.

Source:

http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/3646/sony_announces_ground-breaking

http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Home_is_Sonys_Version_of_Second_Life/551-79682-585.html

Windows Live Mail Desktop

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 14:45:58 GMT

If you're like me you have more than one Windows Live account (Hotmail, MSN, Office Live) and want a way to be able to send/receive mail in one program, one locations. You may have Microsoft Outlook so you can easily accomplish this by downloading and installing the Outlook Connector tool however it only works with Office Live accounts so I'm still having to check my Hotmail email online. Not to mention that the Outlook Connector tool doesn't work that great in my opinion. I'm constanly being asked to reauthenticate or verify my account via the web. Welcome to Windows Live Mail for your desktop. This is a very easy to use and mail program that allows you to add multiple POP3 and http (hotmail, MSN, Office Live, etc) email accounts in one place. I just setup all my Office Live business email accounts as well as my Hotmail. I highly recommend you check it out.

Go to http://ideas.live.com/programPage.aspx?versionId=6ac2bed2-b5a4-4a0a-a897-e36dd191a9f4 and download a FREE Windows Live Mail Desktop program.

Talking about Wiimote straps recalled: yeah, all of them!

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 12:32:40 GMT

The Wiimote straps have been recalled by Nintendo. If you have a Wii order your replace straps here

Quote

Wiimote straps recalled: yeah, all of them!

Trial Version Available for Office 2007

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 12:37:17 GMT

For previous Beta testers of Office 2007 (those running Office 2007 Beta 2 or the technical refresh). The final release version is available for download. Of course this is a 60 day trial period.

Here's the link - http://us20.trymicrosoftoffice.com/default.aspx?culture=en-US

Windows Vista & Office 2007 Launch today for Business Users

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 17:29:37 GMT

A new day has arrived. Vista and Office 2007 are officially released to business customers (volume users) and will be available January 30, 2007 to consumers.

Go to the Microsoft Business Launch 2007 for more information and see a preview of Vista and Office 2007.

A Sneak Peek at Microsoft Office Live

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 12:52:29 GMT

Today, Microsoft will be releasing the final release version of Office Live however current customers (beta users) may not get Office Live 1.5 for a couple of weeks if not a months because their existing sites will need to be migrated to the new platform based off of WSS 3 (Windows SharePoint Server Version 3). New customers, will automatically be provisioned to the new version once the final release is made later today.

So what's new about the new version of Office Live. Check out my Sneak Peek to Office Live 1.5.

For more information visit Office Live.

What you need to know about the Express Upgrade to Windows Vista Program

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 13:53:57 GMT

I recently attended the Microsoft & Intel Ready 2 Rock Road Show that covered the Intel Dual core processors and Windows Vista and Office 2007.

Like many of us you've seen or heard the buzz about the Express Upgrade to WIndows Vista that states if you purchase a Vista Capable PC between October 2, 2006 and March 15, 2007 may be eligible for an Express Upgrade to Windows Vista.

So, exactly what does this mean and which PCs should you purchase to ensure you get the FULL features of Windows Vista.

If you want to get the bang for your buck by getting a PC that will support Aero glass and 3D flipping in Vista, go with a Intel Core 2 Duo VPro or Viiv PC (desktop or laptop) with at least 2 gig of RAM, 250 gig hard drive storage, DVD ROM drive and 256 mb video RAM with a 1066 mhz frontside bus in addition to having a XP Media Center 2005 Edition or XP Professional that will upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium or Vista Business.
If you purchase a PC with Windows XP Home, your upgrade path is Window Vista Home Basic (very limited functionality but you get enhanced interface and family controls (parental controls)).
If you purchase a PC with Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, your upgrade path is Windows Vista Home Premium which includes movie-makeing and home entertainment applications plus mobility and synchronization options (sync your handheld or mobile device to your PC).
If you purchase a PC with Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, your upgrade path is Windows Vista Business which includes all the features of Vista Home Premium but includes Remote Desktop, and tablet PC features if its a Tablet PC (hardware).

After purchasing your PC, you must go the perspective manufactor's websites, and register to redeem your Windows Vista upgarde prior to the deadline (March 15, 2007). Most manfactures (e.g. HP, Sony & Dell) estimate shipping of Windows Vista DVDs and drivers upgrades around February/March 2007 (Side note, Windows Vista will not be available for RTM until January 30, 2007).

Recommendations

I know the biggest hype is why wait until Windows Vista is RTM. Get a new PC now and receive a free upgrade later. In my opinion, it may be worth the wait. A little over five years ago before Windows XP was released this same offer was available to users who purchased PCs with Windows ME or 2000. I knew several people who never got their upgrades (either they didn't realize they had to register and others were lost in the mail or manufactors failed to send them).

So why not wait until the OEM loads Vista and compatible drivers. This way you won't run into a PC upgrade issues and you get a product that's been professionally tested.

On the other hand, if you come across a great deal this holiday season and the PC is Vista Capable (has a seal on the front that says Vista Capable) then I would make sure it meets the above specs and register my PC the day I purchase it so I won't miss out on receiving my Vista DVD. And you if you truely want to experience Vista as soon as you purchase your new PC, you can always install Windows Vista RC 1 (available at microsoft.com/vista) until the retail version is made available.

Office Live, Vista & Office 2007 will Launch in November

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 12:40:16 GMT

Office Live

Microsoft Office Live will release the next version of Office Live, version 1.5 and coming out of beta on November 15 in the US. Microsoft Office Live is the web hosting offering from Microsoft that helps small business owners with obtaining a web presence that includes a public front-end web site and Intranet portals or workspaces powered by Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 thereby keeping small businesses owners on the competitive edge.

The service offerings are as follow:

Microsoft Office Live Basics: includes a FREE website with 500 MB of storage, site reporting, and 25 company branded emails each with 2gig storage.

Microsoft Office Live Essentials: offered at $19.95 per month and includes a website with 1GB of storage, 50 company branded emails, an Intranet portal with 500 MB of storage which includes Business applications and workspaces.

Microsoft Office Live Premium: offered at $39.95 per month and includes a website with 2GB of storage, 50 company branded email, an Intranet portal with 1GB of storage.

Vista & Office 2007

Microsoft Vista and Office 2007 releases November 30 to business customers and January 30, 2007 for consumers and the world at large. No pricing has been released to date.

T-Mobile Dash is Now Available

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 12:36:05 GMT

T-Mobile has launched today another Windows Mobile 5.0 device, called the T-Mobile Dash. It's sleek and comes with a built-in QWERTY keyboard, stereo bluetooth, WIFI, 1.3 megapixel camera, MyFaves, and more...

Personally, I see no real advantages to upgrading from my T-Mobile MDA (pictured above to the right), if you want to call it an upgrade since the specs are the same. Yes, the Dash looks more like a blackberry device and appears more professional looking but my MDA is a tad bit smaller in height. However, the Dash is much slimmer and lighter than the MDA. Although, I've been itching for a new toy lately. I just might get a Dash and use my MDA as a backup device. Accidents do happen and we are so dependent on our cell phone/PDAs now adays.

I'll post an indepth review of the Dash, if I decide to pony up the cash for it.

Advisor-Norris

Update: The above mentioned T-Mobile Dash comes equipped with the Windows Mobile Smartphone OS which means you don't get the full blown Windows Mobile 5 experience hence Pocket Word, Excel, & PowerPoint are not included with the T-Mobile Dash unlike the T-Mobile MDA. The Dash is basically the SDA with a lot of bulk and more expensive. Why spend $349 on a device when you can save your dollars and get the samething for $149. I can say that I will definetly not get this device.

Adobe changes Breeze to Acrobat Connect

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 20:40:06 GMT

Adobe Systems incorporated showcases their elearning solutions at EDUCASE 2006 which includes Acrobat Connect (formerly Macromedia Breeze) Adobe Acrobat 8, Adobe Captivate 2, and Adobe Presenter 6.

Here's a rundown on each.

Adobe Acrobat 8 enables educators and students to quickly create, and collaborate with pdf documents.
Abode Captivate 2 allows users to record software simulations and demonstration.
Adobe Acrobat Connect provides memebers a full featured web conferencing tool that has chat, white boards, screen and document sharing. It supports Adobe Flash and Adobe Captivate files and integrates VOIP and video.
Adobe Presenter 6 (formerly Breeze Training) transforms PowerPoint slides into flash formate and publishes to the web for viewers to access at their convenience (On-Demand).

Personally, I liked that name Breeze and find it hard to call it Acrobat Connect or Connect. Breeze is a catchy name just like Groove. At least Microsoft was smart enough to keep the name Groove when they purchased Groove Networks back in 2005. From what I can tell on Adobe's website, all hosted users will be upgraded to Adobe Acrobat Connect late 2006.

More information on the conversion to Acrobat Connect in the near distant furture.

Advisor-Norris

How to create Your Own Search Engine using Windows Live Search

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 18:04:13 GMT

I recently stumpled upon the More section of Windows Live Search Everyone has heard or seen Google Adsense and their customizable search boxes that can search a specific domain or google.com. The Google search solution works well in many instances but what if you wanted to search mutiple domains and/or products. Now, its possible with Windows Live Search to create custom macros to apply to your search engine.

Here's how:

Open the Windows Live Search Page - http://live.com
Log-in to your Windows Live account.
Enter a search term in the texbox towards the top of the page.
Next to QnA, click More and select New Macro
Select Basic or Advanced. To search only web sites Basic will do just fine.
Enter up to 30 web sites on each line then give it a test run
Click Save macro.
Choose a name for your macro and customize the Macro homepage
Click Finish.
Windows Live displays the search engine URL at top and the actual search engine at the bottom.

One of the really cool things in IE 7 is the ability to add a provider (search engine) to your browser. User's can now add your search engine to their browsers to search your sites for new content within IE browser vs your site.

Enjoy!
Advisor-Norris

New Graphics Tools in Office 2007

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 14:05:57 GMT

I'm sure by now everyone has heard about the upcoming release of Microsoft Office 2007 slated to launch January 07'. If you haven't evaluated Office 2007 yet, you should just for the SmartArt Graphic tool. This tool is available in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, & PowerPoint. Also, you can take any bulleted list and convert to a SmartArt graphic in 1 click.

The SmartArt Graphic tool makes creating diagrams and flowcharts a breeze. Check out the flowchart and diagram I created in PowerPoint 2007 in minutes that would have taken hours to do in a graphics editor program like PhotoShop or Fireworks.

Office 2007 Beta 2 has been available for several months now. You can test drive and/or download the beta at http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/beta/testdrive.mspx.

Advisor-Norris

AIU Online adds Online Social Networking site to Virtual Campus

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 21:14:28 GMT

American InterContinental University (AIU) Online has just launched their Virtual Commons space that is very similar to MySpace and Windows Live Spaces where students and alumni can invite each others as Friends and join social clubs such as the Entrepreneurship and Future Educators club.

Because, I'm an alumnus and current student (completing my last quarter of my Masters), I had first-hand experience in exploring AIU's Virtual Commons for which I would like to comment.

Most online universities don't have a commons area like AIU Online besides a discussion board venue where students can post and reply to topics. AIU took it one step further and decided to create a true social networking site. Each student has a profile that they can deem public, private, or public to friends only. Profiles display information about each student such as their friends list, location (city & state), hobbies, books, sports, favorite teams they like, and etc. In addition, students can also attach their resumes and provide professional information such as their job title and URL to their company.

I remember in my early college years (late eighties), clubs were a very significant part of the college experience. AIU Virtual Commons does a magnificent job of simulating that traditional college experience by implementing clubs in Virtual Commons. Clubs at AIU Online are no different than MySpace & MSN Groups with the exception of each club being moderated by a University Professor. Clubs contain a discussion thread and event calendar. Also, each club is open to all students to join and a roster of each club member is posted within the club.

In my opinion, AIU Online sets themselves apart from other online schools by providing live chat/voice session (Webcasts) with Instructors and this social networking site where students and alumni can network and make friends. Great job AIU Online!

Advisor-Norris