Eight steps to Internet unpopularity

It occurred to me that there are a handful of ways to become an Internet pariah in a very short period of time. In the hope that you might not fall into some of these traps, allow me to enumerate those ways.

Read more here: http://www.macworld.com/article/143491/2009/10/internet_unpopularity_steps.html?lsrc=rss_main

It occurred to me that there are a handful of ways to become an Internet pariah in a very short period of time. In the hope that you might not fall into some of these traps, allow me to enumerate those ways.

Read more here: http://www.macworld.com/article/143491/2009/10/internet_unpopularity_steps.html?lsrc=rss_main

The genius brothers behind Google Wave

Lars and Jens Rasmussen were broke and jobless — with only $16 between them — when they made it big in the Web world by selling their idea for Google Maps.

Years later, after finding cushy employment at Google Inc., the Rasmussen brothers flew in May from Sydney, Australia, to California where they would debut their sophomore product, a Web application called Google Wave, which they say, quite audaciously, will kill e-mail and forever change online communication.

Read more here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/27/rasmussen.brothers.google.wave/index.html

Lars and Jens Rasmussen were broke and jobless — with only $16 between them — when they made it big in the Web world by selling their idea for Google Maps.

Years later, after finding cushy employment at Google Inc., the Rasmussen brothers flew in May from Sydney, Australia, to California where they would debut their sophomore product, a Web application called Google Wave, which they say, quite audaciously, will kill e-mail and forever change online communication.

Read more here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/27/rasmussen.brothers.google.wave/index.html

Want 50Mbps Internet in your town? Threaten to roll out your own.

ISPs may not act for years on local complaints about slow Internet—but when a town rolls out its own solution, it’s amazing how fast the incumbents can deploy fiber, cut prices, and run to the legislature. Regional telco TDS Telecommunications last week issued a press release announcing a major milestone for the company: 50Mbps service over fiber optic cable to residents of Monticello, Minnesota. The Minneapolis suburb became one of the few non-FiOS communities in the country to experience full fiber-to-the-home deployment, and subscribers will all receive a free upgrade from 25Mbps service to the new 50Mbps tier. Even better is the price, which starts at $49.95 a month for 50Mbps fiber service without the need to buy other services.

TDS is thrilled. “This is a huge first for TDS,” said market manager Tom Ollig. “TDS is working incredibly hard to deliver the faster speeds customers want.”

What they won’t tell you or put in a press release is why “TDS is working incredibly hard to deliver the faster speeds customers want.” The reason why is because the city of Monticello, Minnesota decided to run their own municipal fiber network to the home. TDS noticing that they would lose customers and quickly acted on this with a law suit. Read more about it here: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/10/want-50mbps-internet-in-your-town-threaten-to-roll-out-your-own.ars

ISPs may not act for years on local complaints about slow Internet—but when a town rolls out its own solution, it’s amazing how fast the incumbents can deploy fiber, cut prices, and run to the legislature. Regional telco TDS Telecommunications last week issued a press release announcing a major milestone for the company: 50Mbps service over fiber optic cable to residents of Monticello, Minnesota. The Minneapolis suburb became one of the few non-FiOS communities in the country to experience full fiber-to-the-home deployment, and subscribers will all receive a free upgrade from 25Mbps service to the new 50Mbps tier. Even better is the price, which starts at $49.95 a month for 50Mbps fiber service without the need to buy other services.

TDS is thrilled. “This is a huge first for TDS,” said market manager Tom Ollig. “TDS is working incredibly hard to deliver the faster speeds customers want.”

What they won’t tell you or put in a press release is why “TDS is working incredibly hard to deliver the faster speeds customers want.” The reason why is because the city of Monticello, Minnesota decided to run their own municipal fiber network to the home. TDS noticing that they would lose customers and quickly acted on this with a law suit. Read more about it here: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/10/want-50mbps-internet-in-your-town-threaten-to-roll-out-your-own.ars

Microsoft launches Windows 7, eyes PC sales rebound

Microsoft Corp launched Windows 7 last Thursday, its most important release in more than a decade, aiming to win back customers disappointed by Vista and strengthen its grip on the PC market.

The world’s largest software company, which powers more than 90 percent of personal computers, has received good reviews for the new operating system, which it hopes will grab back the impetus in new technology from rivals Apple Inc and Google Inc.

Read more here: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE59L0SV20091022

Microsoft Corp launched Windows 7 last Thursday, its most important release in more than a decade, aiming to win back customers disappointed by Vista and strengthen its grip on the PC market.

The world’s largest software company, which powers more than 90 percent of personal computers, has received good reviews for the new operating system, which it hopes will grab back the impetus in new technology from rivals Apple Inc and Google Inc.

Read more here: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE59L0SV20091022

7 Reasons to Get Windows 7 Today

Extremetech.com has a write up of the 7 reasons to get Windows 7 today. Basically Microsoft has learned from the Vista launch what customers want. Windows 7 is all around better then Vista. Read why here: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2354576,00.asp

Extremetech.com has a write up of the 7 reasons to get Windows 7 today. Basically Microsoft has learned from the Vista launch what customers want. Windows 7 is all around better then Vista. Read why here: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2354576,00.asp

Ninite – The easiest way to get apps.

I just discovered Ninite. It is the easiest way to get apps downloaded and installed. Here is all that you have to do.

1. Pick the apps you want.
2. Start your customized installer.
3. You’re done!

Ninite works in the background 100% hands-free.

We install apps with default settings and
say “no” to browser toolbars and other junk.

All we do is install the apps you choose.
Not even Ninite is installed.

http://ninite.com/

I just discovered Ninite. It is the easiest way to get apps downloaded and installed. Here is all that you have to do.

1. Pick the apps you want.
2. Start your customized installer.
3. You’re done!

Ninite works in the background 100% hands-free.

We install apps with default settings and
say “no” to browser toolbars and other junk.

All we do is install the apps you choose.
Not even Ninite is installed.

http://ninite.com/

When technology fails to work for us

Technology is meant to make our lives easier, but our over-reliance on it in the 21st century means that when it breaks, we often find that we have become too dependant on it.

In recent months, software giants and large corporations have been professionally embarrassed and publicly humiliated when their systems have gone down or gone wrong. Yesterday, was a prime example when Microsoft lost the data of their Sidekick users. A server failure saw thousands of Sidekick users lose their contacts, photos, calendars and to-do lists, which hadn’t been backed up.

Read about it here: http://www.ngonlinenews.com/news/technology-failures/

Technology is meant to make our lives easier, but our over-reliance on it in the 21st century means that when it breaks, we often find that we have become too dependant on it.

In recent months, software giants and large corporations have been professionally embarrassed and publicly humiliated when their systems have gone down or gone wrong. Yesterday, was a prime example when Microsoft lost the data of their Sidekick users. A server failure saw thousands of Sidekick users lose their contacts, photos, calendars and to-do lists, which hadn’t been backed up.

Read about it here: http://www.ngonlinenews.com/news/technology-failures/

The good, the bad and the awful: a history of Windows ads And you can watch them all right here

Like all major products spanning multiple decades, Windows has spawned multiple versions and many advertising efforts. Some good, some bad.

The recent “I’m a PC” and “Life without walls” campaigns have been a success while many marketeers would surely argue that 1995’s “Start me up” Windows 95 campaign was brilliantly executed.

But then, there’s always the ones they’d rather you forget about; and we’ve got plenty of those in this list. Here’s the best and worst of Windows ads down through the years.

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/the-good-the-bad-and-the-awful-a-history-of-windows-ads-642996

Like all major products spanning multiple decades, Windows has spawned multiple versions and many advertising efforts. Some good, some bad.

The recent “I’m a PC” and “Life without walls” campaigns have been a success while many marketeers would surely argue that 1995’s “Start me up” Windows 95 campaign was brilliantly executed.

But then, there’s always the ones they’d rather you forget about; and we’ve got plenty of those in this list. Here’s the best and worst of Windows ads down through the years.

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/the-good-the-bad-and-the-awful-a-history-of-windows-ads-642996

Hands-On with Western Digital’s TV Live HD Media Player

Possibly the media pirate’s perfect movie and music streamer

Western Digital officially announced the second generation of their WD TV HD media player. In our review of the original device, we loved its ability to play back almost any video we tossed at it, but lamented its inability to handle encrypted media files. Since then, Western Digital has issued a series of firmware updates that improve format compatibility (including DivX), but the new WD TV Live adds new hardware features as well. Most notable is the addition of an Ethernet port to connect the WD TV Live to your home network. That means you can not only stream movies from your desktop PC or NAS boxes to the WD TV Live, but also get video, music, and photo content from the internet. We received a retail sample of the new system, and tested it to see if these new features are worth the $50 price bump.

Read more here: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/web_exclusive/handson_wd_tv_live_media_player

Possibly the media pirate’s perfect movie and music streamer

Western Digital officially announced the second generation of their WD TV HD media player. In our review of the original device, we loved its ability to play back almost any video we tossed at it, but lamented its inability to handle encrypted media files. Since then, Western Digital has issued a series of firmware updates that improve format compatibility (including DivX), but the new WD TV Live adds new hardware features as well. Most notable is the addition of an Ethernet port to connect the WD TV Live to your home network. That means you can not only stream movies from your desktop PC or NAS boxes to the WD TV Live, but also get video, music, and photo content from the internet. We received a retail sample of the new system, and tested it to see if these new features are worth the $50 price bump.

Read more here: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/web_exclusive/handson_wd_tv_live_media_player