TECH: My reaction to this week’s “picnic”. YMMV!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Here’s a weekly message that I find of value. I usually try all the suggestions that pique my curiousity. YMMV

New Media Picks Of The Week: Sharewood Picnic 70

http://www.masternewmedia.org/new_media_tools/new_media_picks/new_media_picks_of_the_week_20060917.htm

***Begin Quote***

1. SmartVideoChannel
2. Zoho Show
3. Live Documents
4. V4S
5. Treemo
6. Webshots
7. PDF Text Online
8. Zapr
9. Noovo
10. SimplyHeadlines

***End Quote***
SmartVideoChannel              http://www.smartvideochannel.com/
“SmartVideoChannel allows you to create your own media hosting site or link hosted media to your pre-existing website.”

I don’t “do” a lot of video so I pass.

Verdict: I Pass

=

Zoho Show                        http://www.zohoshow.com/login.sas
“Zoho Show is an online tool to create, edit, publish, and show presentations.”

This may be useful. I’ll have to try it with one of my canned presentations. Corporate type probably can only use it for the most bland presentations. So what would I use it for? Hmmm??????

Verdict: Jury’s still out.

=

Live Documents                      http://www.live-documents.com/
“Live Documents is a tool that enables you to collaborate over Microsoft Word and Excel documents with others.”

Again, not much use to me. The French Resistence shot collaborators. And so does corporate america. Or at least it’s not rewarded. “Free trial” scares me. Guess they will expect to sell subscriptions. It’s not the same as “free”.

Verdict: I pass

=

V4S                                        http://orb.com/skype/
“V4S is a voice messaging platform that enables you to send and receive voicemails.”

Mentions skype (a killer for me), always connected, and such.

Verdict: I pass

=

Treemo                                http://www.treemo.com/
“Treemo is an online and mobile community dedicated to sharing digital media.”

Napster? I don’t need hassles witht he RIAA.

Verdict: I pass

=

Webshots                                 http://www.webshots.com/
“Webshots is a service that allows you to upload unlimited images and create online photo albums.”

Sanpfish! Kodak!

Verdict: I pass

=

PDF Text Online                       http://www.pdftextonline.com/
“PDF Text Online is a service that converts PDF files in text files.”

Not a cracker, but could be useful.

Verdict: Schedule for a test.

=

Zapr                                           http://www.zapr.net/
“Zapr is an application that lets you create links to any files on your PC.”

Interesting. This could be useful. Oh Oh O, requires dotnet. Argh, that’s not in alignment with being Microsloth free in 07.

Verdict: I pass

=

Noovo                                          http://www.noovo.us/
“Noovo is a browser-based editor which allows you to create websites homepages without having to deal with HTML and other codes.”

Interesting, almost compelling, since I have been playing with my homepages, with many Argh!s and worse, I tried it. Waste of time. No way to pick up an existing page. (Or at least no way I could see.) No way to save one’s work. (Or no way I saw.) So a waste of my time. Google base pages, or whatever they call it does the same thing.

Verdict: I pass.

=

SimplyHeadlines                            http://www.simplyheadlines.com/
“SimplyHeadlines is a service that enables you to pick news from the sources you select and receive a digest directly into your email.”

Sounbds interesting and might be useful.

Verdict: Schedule a test!

=

So some interesting items at the picnic.


TECH: Here’s my value proposition in a “nut” shell.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

My seal that expresses my value equation

No, “nut” comments needed! ;-)


TECH: JAJAH … conference calls … free

Thursday, September 14, 2006

http://www.jajah.com/info/rates/

Free in the USA.

I was thinking that you’d be interested for setting up your various familial activities.

Seems like a neat idea and you can’t beat the price.

Free!

Now if just had someone to call. Sigh!


TECH: ROBOFORM gets a big thumbs up from me. Even if it ain’t free!

Thursday, September 14, 2006

http://blogs.pcworld.com/tipsandtweaks/archives/002703.html

***Begin Quote***

And what’s your favorite utility?

***End Quote***

http://www.roboform.com/

Roboform is a top-rated Password Manager and Web Form Filler that completely automates password entering and form filling:
* Memorizes your passwords and Logs You In automatically.
* Generates random passwords that hackers cannot guess.
* Backs up your passwords, Copies them between computers.
Where does anyone think I dig up all these long random unique character strings for email ids, passwords, and userids? Yup, roboform’s generate!


TECH: LookOut aka Outlook has an annoying behavior as it works. Does PLAXO inherit that?

Thursday, September 14, 2006

I think it is interesting that, unlike any other application that shares my platform, LookOut seizes the focus. It doesn’t minimize while it doing certain stuff, but literally ‘takes over”. When LookOut is doing its work, I like to play a game of Solitaire. (It makes me less crazed while I am waiting. Argh!) Lookout, and to some extent Plaxo, won’t let me. It insists that I watch it “work”. Sometimes it twirls an hourglass for my amusement. But, many times it just sits there “promising” me it’s working. how do I know? Argh! I notice it when PLAXO is running, but the culprit may be LookOut. I can’t wait to get to Linux and dump all this trash. Wonder how much time I’ll save?


TECH: ZIKI … has some promise in social networking. Now will it get enough participation?

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

http://ziki.com/people/reinkefj

***Begin Quote***

Ziki.com helps you control your online identity and offers everyone a new way to share, promote and monetize their content through social networking.

Welcome to Ziki.com, the new social network

* Be Found. Tag yourself with your own keywords
* Gather all your digital life in one place: blog entries, Del.icio.us links, Flickr photos, YouTube videos and more
* Share all the content you create and publish on the web
* Promote yourself, your content, your favorites, your network and your groups
* Build your own social web including your network, your favorite content, your groups, your audience – your whole digital life
* Discover people based on the tags they use to describe themselves
* Find what you are looking for in your personal content or the content of the community (coming soon)
* Connect with people, companies and groups based on what you’re looking for (e.g. jobs, selling ad space on your blog) (coming soon)

***End Quote***


TECH: GOOGLE’s PAGE CREATOR is a neat place to “throw stuff” quickly

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

http://jxymxu7sn5ho9d.googlepages.com/home

Is a throw away area that doesn’t consume my webspace? It’s from the Google Lab’s so it’s a beta beta. But it works for me. And, might for you.


TECH: “FEEDBLITZ” … will email you a daily summary of my blog … free for both of us!

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=98446

Ain’t the internet great! Don’t you love free stuff?


RANT: Thinking further about 9-11-01

Monday, September 11, 2006

The Kid From Brooklyn – Videos – This one is WorkSafe (Not all his stuff is!) —

http://www.thekidfrombrooklyn.com/video_disp.asp?videoid=1366

IMHO, wtc should be rebuilt bigger and taller and paint a big finger on the side of it. We shouldn’t permit ourselves to be bullied. And, then get all our boys and girls home. And, return to the Constitutional vision of America. Trade with everyone; no entangling alliances. Our politicians are failing us!


TECH: CNet Blogger says stay away from Amazon Unbox. I will!

Monday, September 11, 2006

http://reviews.cnet.com/4531-10921_7-6636289.html?subj=blog&part=rss&tag=6636289

September 08, 2006, 10:04 AM PDT
My fight with Amazon Unbox
Posted by: Tom Merritt
***Begin Quote***

I do not recommend you try Amazon Unbox, and here’s why.
***End Quote***

In a scorching indictment for “bad behavior”, Tom scared me away. As a general rule, I don’t like anything that soes strange things. The Windoze platform has enough trouble doing “easy” things. Copy Protection schemes usually shoot me in the foot. So, it my policy to stay away. Far away. Thanks, Tom, for the heads up.