TECHNOLOGY: DO you need Coke’s 100 choices?

Thursday, June 2, 2011

http://www.innovationtools.com/weblog/innovationblog-detail.asp?ArticleID=1592

Innovation: Coke rethinks the soft drink vending machine
June 1, 2011 | By Chuck Frey | Category: Innovation Strategy

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Coca-Cola has been aware for some time that consumers wanted more variety from its soft drink dispensers. So it began development of a new dispenser called the Freestyle that would enable consumers to create their own mixes of soft drink flavors. But when it conducted consumer research on its Facebook page, the company was shocked at how much variety they really wanted. Not 20 to 30 flavors, but more like 100! The message was clear: Consumers wanted to mix their own drinks!

*** end quote ***

Recently, I’ve been undergoing a lot of changes in my life.

One of which is to REDUCE the number of choices that I force myself to make.

Simplify.

Maybe all we need is water.

Of course, that’s not so good for Coke, if everyone simplifies them out of the equation?

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SERVICE: ITUNESU is a treasure chest

Sunday, May 29, 2011

http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/whats-on.html

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More than 800 universities have active iTunes U sites. About half of these institutions — including Stanford, Yale, MIT, Oxford, and UC Berkeley — distribute their content publicly on the iTunes Store.

In the Beyond Campus section of iTunes U, students and faculty can access a wealth of content from distinguished entities such as MoMA, the New York Public Library, Public Radio International, and PBS stations.

*** end quote ***

Stunning! 350,000 HOURS of lecture.

I’m doing a Yale University course now.

Did I mention “free”?

Yeah, you need a computer and an inet connect. That’s not free.

But ITUNES that “delivers” it is free.

It’s amazing.

Colleges and universities are in big trouble.

As are all Gooferment Skrules!

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SERVICE: Google Advisor for financial comparisons

Saturday, May 28, 2011

http://advisor.google.com/

Making financial comparisons easy with Google Advisor
Posted: 19 May 2011 12:13 PM PDT

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Financial decisions may be some of the most difficult decisions we face—whether it’s finding the right credit card or understanding the impact of paying an extra point on a mortgage. And these days, it seems like we have more financial options than ever.

To help solve these problems, we began testing a mortgage comparison tool in 2009 and have added other financial products such as credit cards, CDs, checking, and savings accounts. Today, we’re rolling these tools into one place: Google Advisor, a site designed to help you quickly find relevant financial products from many providers and compare them side-by-side. Google Advisor is currently only available in the U.S.

*** end quote ***

Google is a strange collection of interesting stuff. I guess that’s a business plan.

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IPAD: Free dictionary app

Thursday, May 26, 2011

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/05/26/merriam-webster-dictionary-now-available-on-ipad-for-free/

Merriam-Webster Dictionary now available on iPad for free

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on May 26th 2011 at 7:00AM

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It’s certainly not the only dictionary app available, and the renowned Oxford English Dictionary has its own edition available for the iPad already. But that one costs US$54.99, and the ad-supported Webster dictionary benefits not only from a lack of initial cost, but features like voice search, audio pronunciations, a search history and a browse mode that lets you search and learn new words as you like.

*** end quote ***

Wow, the inet and it’s “handmaiden” the IPAD are really changing the world.

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SERVICE: Are you selling your pics without realizing it?

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

http://bigjournalism.com/pjsalvatore/2011/05/23/twitpic-inks-deal-to-sell-your-photos/

Twitpic Inks Deal To Sell Your Photos
Posted by P.J. Salvatore May 23rd 2011 at 1:14 pm in New Media

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World Entertainment News Network, a news and photo agency, announced this month that it had become the “exclusive photo agency partner” of Twitpic, a service with over 20 million registered users that allows people to upload images and link to them on Twitter. The deal allows the agency to sell images posted on Twitpic for publication, and to pursue legal action against those who use such images commercially without its permission, according to the agency.

*** end quote ***

Do these Users realize they are giving up control of their pictures?

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HARDWARE: Time Capsule flawed?

Saturday, May 21, 2011

http://macreviewzone.com/accessory_prices/time_capsule.php

Time Capsule Description
Updated: Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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One important thing however, is that the earlier Time Capsules have tended to fail due to heat they generate at around 18 months of use. This machine is utterly quiet, because the fan inside is small. Perhaps too small. I have purchased an APC Notebook Cooling Stand ($18 including shipping at MacMall) to set my Time Capsule on to reduce the heat it generates.

*** end quote ***

Interesting how my Time Capsule failed. Just like it describes. Ran fine of while. And, then out of the blue, it fails. Never had a piece of electronics fail so early in its life.

Argh!

Do I feel like a fool. And, I was even thinking about buying two more — for my northern and southern estates — until I read this.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

I’m beginning to suspect ANY Apple product offerings. They have to know this is flawed.

If it did any good, the Gooferment (i.e., FTC, FCC, and SEC) would be protecting “We, The People” from fraud.

I’m not happy with the MacBookAir which I suspect has WIFI networking issues. The IPAD was obsolete when sold (i.e., IPAD2 was ready to go to market for spring when they were selling IPAD1 as a Christmas present.) The ITOUCH was upgraded so my old ITOUCH isn’t as good as the new ones.

ARGH!

So, all APPLE gear is “NOTRECOMMENDED”. And, obviously, I’m no Apple “fanboy”.

Thus Microsoft’s WINDOZE stinks. And, Apple can’t be trusted.

On to Linux, and maybe Google is the choice de jour.

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HARDWARE: Nintendo 3DS is bad news

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

http://www.defectivebydesign.org/nintendo

Brick Nintendo before they brick you!

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The Nintendo 3DS comes with Terms of Service (TOS) that should not be accepted. To enforce these terms, Nintendo uses Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) technology. Because of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), users are legally prohibited from modifying their devices to block Nintendo’s nastiness. This combination of legal and technological restrictions makes the Nintendo 3DS dubious, devious, and defective. This page outlines some of the nastier parts of the DRM-enforced TOS.

*** end quote ***

I especially don’t like that they can take the pics and use as they see fit. I’d carefully check ANY use of the 3DS before using it. Before even buying it!

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TECHNOLOGY: Free windoze utility to save ink and toner!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-20061950-58.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=TheCheapskate

MAY 12, 2011 6:00 AM PDT
Free Windows utility lowers your printing costs
by Rick Broida

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Tired of burning through pricey ink and toner cartridges? PretonSaver Home promises to cut these consumable costs by up to 70 percent. Best of all, it’s free. (Note: You can use the previous link to download the program, but click here to go to Preton’s site and register for the activation code.)

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Sounds like a great idea.

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HARDWARE: Samsung and Google introduce Series 5 Chromebook

Saturday, May 14, 2011

http://www.hardwaregeeks.com/index.php/site/samsung_and_google_introduce_series_5_chromebook

> Samsung and Google introduce Series 5 Chromebook
> Posted by: Michael on Wed, May 11th, 2011

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Today Samsung and Google announced thie Samsung Series 5 Chromebook running on the ChromeOS. I am a huge fan of Samsung notebooks, I love their design and style, but I have a feeling Samsung will regret this product as much as Logitech and Sony regretted their Google TV products.

> Key Specs:

> ● 0.79-inch thin case designed for comfort and mobility

> ● Full-size Chrome keyboard

> ● Oversized multi-touch trackpad

> ● Intel® Dual-core Processor

> ● 16:10 resolution

> ● 12.1-inch SuperBright Display – 36% brighter than standard display

> ● Starts up in less than 10-seconds

> ● Resumes instantly from standby

> ● Up to 8.5 hours battery life*

> ● HD Webcam, built-in digital microphone and stereo speakers

> ● Two USB ports capable of charging mobile phones and accessories, connecting digital cameras and media storage devices

> ● Support for removable media cards (SD, SDHC, MMC) for photos, videos, music and documents

*** end quote ***

Hold off any hardware purchases, especially notebooks or tablets, until we see the reviews. These sound like “winners” to me. A game changing piece of hardware.

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TECHNOLOGY: Death by GPS

Friday, May 13, 2011

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/accent/travel/canadian-couples-missteps-shock-nev-town-locals-1468419.html

Canadian couple’s missteps shock Nev. town locals
By JOHN MILLER The Associated Press
Posted: 10:36 a.m. Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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MOUNTAIN CITY, NEV. — At about 6,000 feet in a narrow valley surrounded by bulbous, snowcapped mountains, this tiny northeastern Nevada town sits roughly two hours from anywhere, in the middle of nowhere.

It’s that remoteness and grandeur that apparently drew Rita and Albert Chretien to the area around Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest as they made their way from Canada to Las Vegas. Albert Chretien has been missing in the wilderness since late March after the couple, guided by a new GPS, ventured off the highway onto muddy, washed-out forest service roads winding deep into the high country.

Rita Chretien was found Friday by a trio of hunters after spending seven weeks in the couple’s van stuck in mud, surviving off trail mix, hard candy and water from a nearby stream. Her husband set out on foot to find help, hoping to make it to Mountain City. He hasn’t been seen since.

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Death by technology?

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