Road Warrior Tips!

Hotel Tips for BIz Trips (Washington Post)

2007-02-12T11:07:00.000-05:00

Here is an article from the Washington Post that discusses findoing a great business-class hotel on ao budget.

Check out the USA Today "Hotel HotSheet" link in the article.

Jim :-)

Are you enjoying you BlackBerry too much? A quiz.

2007-02-10T12:36:00.000-05:00

Take this quiz to find out if you have a BlackBerry Issue!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/128832-1/article.html?tk=nl_

Jim :-)

Daylight Savings Time- travel issues?

2007-02-08T10:04:00.000-05:00

This isn't exactly Y2K, but it may have some impact on our lives! :-)

--------------------------------------------

Stop the US daylight saving madness!
It's a Topsy-Turvy world and that's a fact
Published Tuesday 6th February 2007 18:45 GMT

US plans to change daylight saving hours this spring could wreak havoc
on computer systems, Gartner claims. The analyst firm said automated
systems could run haywire this March.

Disruptions could affect calendars, billing programs and security
systems, as well as undermining automated trading systems.
This year daylight saving time (DST), which puts the clocks forward one
hour in spring and back an hour in autumn, will begin earlier and
finish later in the US. It will start on the second Sunday in March,
rather than the first Sunday in April, and end on the first Sunday in
November, rather than the last Sunday in October.
Gartner has discovered that few organisations have put systems in place
to deal with the change, and few may even be aware that such a change
is planned.

According to Gartner, the dangers could include incorrect travel times
in systems in the travel industry; late scheduled payments in the
banking industry; botched automated trades in the financial sector; and
phone companies incorrectly charging peak and off-peak rates. Not all
the issued patches will work. Many will ensure that future appointments
will take account of the change but will not change previously made
appointments.

Should I upgrade to Vista?

2007-01-26T11:55:00.000-05:00

This highly readable USA today article was sent to me by my brother. Good timing.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/2007-01-24-vista_x.htm

This link has a video...but the bottom line for them is if your happy with XP sp2 there is no compelling reason to upgrade….unless you're buying anew computer then they say "go for it!"

http://reviews.cnet.com/Windows_Vista_Ultimate/4505-3672_7-32013603.html?tag=nl.e404

Jim :-)

The NEW office is coming!

2007-01-26T11:25:00.000-05:00

We all use MS Office...well here is a preview of the new tool bars and things.

It is a video from C/NET>

http://news.com.com/1606-12994-6152990.html?tag=nl.e433

I hope you like this preview.

Jim :-)

Rental Car Technology!

2007-01-25T15:27:00.000-05:00

Here is an article about the high tech rental car technologies that exist! GPS/ On-Star/ automatic toll payment etc.

Jim :-)

Business travel tips

2007-01-25T13:32:00.000-05:00

Here are business traveler tips from PC magazine. They offer practical advice for road warriors.

Article 1

Article 2

Jim :-)

drum roll please... the iPhone!

2007-01-11T10:22:00.000-05:00

This is now on my top ten list of "things I really really want that I can't convince my wife to let me have". If I had this phone I'd be (as my son would say) "kickin' it like tae bo".

Here are some quick facts: Cingular only, out in June, 2 Megapixel camera, patented touch screen that is supposed to be great, web browsing that is just like computer web browsing with touch screen zoom, turn it sideways for widescreen videos, integrates well with google maps and more.

For the full browse...click here!

FREE on-line file converter

2007-01-03T11:20:00.000-05:00

OK...I know i am a nerd and all, but this really excited me.

This web site claims to be able to convert any file you have into another format for you on-line for free.

That's what I'm talking about!

It is still in BETA so may not be 100% yet but this can be an occasional life saver.

Try it out!

http://www.zamzar.com/

Jim :-)

the NEXT blackberry-- the 8800

2007-01-03T10:48:00.000-05:00

This may be coming between Feb. and April of this year. I can not be sure of the exact date but I am sure that this is a nice looking phone with some cool new features.

http://www.itechnews.net/2006/09/24/blackberry-8800/

Jim :-)

Wi Fi Airport Guide

2007-01-03T10:40:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to a Web site that tell you the locations and costs of wi-fi hot spots in 100s of airports.

http://www.travelpost.com/airport-wireless-internet.aspx

I hope you find this helpful!

Jim :-)

Windows Vista -- a peek

2007-01-03T10:25:00.000-05:00

Hi All,

It'll be here soon and we won't be able to avoid it. Windows Vista is the operating system that will replace XP. Here is a short peek at the software in a very readable form.

http://www.edtechmag.com/k12/issues/november-december-2006/tech-watch.html

Happy '07!

Jim :-)

Second Life!

2006-11-15T10:22:00.000-05:00

HI All,

As if manging my first life wasn't bad enough, here come a web space known as "Second Life".

Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by over a million people from around the globe.

You create a virtual person, known as an avatar and literally make your way through this world. There is an economy based on something known as a "linden dollar" which I believe can actually be converted to real money for people who would rather buy these virtuaa assets rather than earn them!

Why would I post this info on the RW Blog? Well, I recall a number of years ago joining a community run by Compuserve known as "World's Away" and finding it absolutely fascinating. The problem was that on-line time was expensive and 56.6K modems were too slow to effectively utilize the real-time aspects of the world. Now, given our new lap tops and high speed connectivity, it is actually time to see whether or not this idea has merit, free of the technological restrictions of the past.

This CNN article from 11/14 even suggests that, "A growing number of educators are getting caught up in the wave. More than 60 schools and educational organizations have set up shop in the virtual world and are exploring ways it can be used to promote learning."

Let's say we wanted an island for our organization well here are the specs..."We offer a discount to verified real world educators and academic institutions (e.g., universities/schools) or 501(c)3 non-profit organizations that will be using the regions to support their organization's official work. For these organizations, small islands are priced at US$980 for 65,536 square meters (about 16 acres), and monthly land fees for maintenance are US$150."

I know this is a far out concept but it may be time to consider the merits of virtual spaces. My 9 year old daughter is currently fascinated with a virtual space called "Club Penguin" in which she exists as a panguin, owns an igloo and, from what i just heard, an LCD TV! I kid you not! Ask any kid under the age of 11, with broadband, about it. Given the popularity of these spaces with the under-10 set they will certainly be ready to utilize an Avatar as an undergrad.

Jim :-)

ERGONOMICS-healthy computing

2006-09-18T12:49:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Barbara, we have a link to great ergonomics resources.

Click here to see them! Your body will thank you!

Top 5 Tech Things NOT to repair

2006-08-30T18:54:00.000-04:00

I know this seems counterintuitive but there are some tech things that are better off tossed than repaired.

Read the article from AOL.

http://money.aol.com/top5/general/things-not-to-repair

Jim :-)

8/06- Top 100 tech products

2006-08-29T14:35:00.000-04:00

Hi Again!

I love lists. Don't you? Here is a list of the 100 top tech products broken into a number of categories from C/NET.com.

I've been told to be wary of C/NET due to a bias that they have for certain brands but these look like good recommendations.

To the List

Jim :-)

Lap Top Battery Woes

2006-08-29T14:03:00.000-04:00

You knew about this already but here is more information. The culprit seems to be Sony batteries but they are located in Dell and Apple lap tops!

Here are some link that further describe the issues.

Dell Notebook battery how-to guide

Dell's exploding lap tops!

Apple Lap Top Battery Issues

Japan Orders Apple to probe lap tops!

I hope this helps!

Jim :-)

Practical Tips for Avoiding Tech Travel Hell

2006-08-29T13:58:00.000-04:00

In an article by that title from Melissa J. Perenson, of PC World, helps us understand what we might do to cope with having to check our lap top! This already occurred recently and may be a reality in the fitire. It wouldn't hurt to think this through in advance.

Here is the link -->

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,126784-page,1-c,topics/article.html?tk=nl_wbxnws

Commuter Gadgets Video Clip

2006-06-21T09:33:00.000-04:00

Hi All!

I enjoyed this video clip from the business week web site. It is about commuters and their technologies. The train and riders look amazingly like the one that goes from Grand Central in NYC to Stamford!

I just started using a blackberry and am totally addicted to my new connectivity. :-)

http://snipurl.com/s2r8

All the best!

JIm :-)

Roy ---> outlook server issue

2006-06-20T13:17:00.000-04:00

This album is powered by
BubbleShare
- Add to my blog

I hope this helps man!!

AA batteries to charge your phone?

2006-06-16T09:51:00.000-04:00

Energizer will start selling a device that runs on AA batteries that will help you if your cell phone, iPod or gaming device battery starts to die.

(You are not alone. Apparently, this happens once a week to 20% of all cell phone users.)

It is supposed to be available 9/1/06. I am SO buying this!

Jim :-)

USB charger uses in flight headphone jack

2006-06-16T09:38:00.000-04:00

Text from the engadget site....

The concept is pretty simple, but fairly ingenious. You just stick the mini jack of the Power Unit into your seat's headphone port and crank the volume. The device trickle charges for 3-5 minutes, and then can power a connected USB device for a minute, after which the cycle starts all over again. The $35 charger will work with small devices like an iPod, PDA or cellphone.

It may or may not keep up with an iPod's energy drain but it is a simple and cool idea.

Click here for more!!!

Jim :-)

Turn any Web page into a PDF file

2006-06-14T10:48:00.000-04:00

This is so easy that it is unbelievable.

Simply go to http://html2pdf.seven49.net/ and type the web address of any page on the internet. It will then save it to your computer, or show it to you, as an adobe PDF file.

I wish there more to tell you ......but that's it!

This could be really cool if you are producing a presentation or handout.

Jim :-)

Top 10 Coolest Travel Gadgets

2006-06-13T14:38:00.000-04:00

Hi All,

I don't know if all of these would have made it to my top 10 list, but here is a neat site with some interesting travel gadget to see.

http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/top-10-coolest-travel-gadgets

I particularly like #9 (the cell phone mini-projector) and #5 (the inflatable washing machine)!

What'll they think of next?

Jim :-)

A Really neat real estate tool

2006-05-31T10:39:00.000-04:00

Hi All,

If you want some additional information on the value of your home or neighborhood head to Zillow.com and have at it! You are going to love this site. (I always wondered what that house on the end of the road originally sold for.)

I warn you, this could be a MAJOR distraction so don't start looking at this web site if you are working on something that is deadline oriented! :-)

All the best!

Jim :-)

Blu Ray vs. HD DVD

2006-05-04T13:46:00.000-04:00

Hi All,

Although you probably couldn't tell, current DVDs are not high definition.

High definition is defind as having "a vertical resolution display from 720p to 1080i. The p stands for progressive scanning, which means that each scan includes every line for a complete picture, and the i stands for interlaced scanning which means that each scan includes alternate lines for half a picture. These rates translate into a frame rate of up to 60 frames per second, twice that of conventional television."

Thank you Digital Dictionary.

There is a new wave of High Definition DVD devices on the way! Unfortunately, there are two competing formats. They are Blu Ray and HD DVD. We are set for another Betamax vs. VHS war with companies lining up behind each format.

I'm not sure who will win (although, there are some real heavy weights pushing Blu Ray) but I am sure that this article will teach you more than you ever hoped to know about the topic!

Jim :-)

Are you over-blogged?

2006-04-26T09:16:00.000-04:00

Bloglines.com is a website where you can send multiple blog feeds to one location!

This means that you can go to one web page and see updates from many different blogs without having to surf all over the Internet!

I currently use this site to send the following blog feeds to one location: edtechnot.com, USA Today.com top tech stories, eSchool News top tech stories, connected learning blog, ed-tech insider blog, Engadget and more.

I hope you find this helpful!

Jim :-)

Take a GLANCE at this!

2006-04-25T21:47:00.000-04:00

Glance is an easy way to deliver information from your computer desktop in real time. This might be important during a sales presentation or team meeting. This seems like a bare bones version of WebEx or Live Meeting. You can demo it for free, but an annual subscription is $500 for unlimited conferences for an unlimited time period. By saving only one business trip it will have paid for itself many times over.

If we arrange for a simultaneous FreeConference.com session we now have a free audio conference to enhance the Glance session!

Jim :-)

ODEO ...AUDIO

2006-04-25T12:19:00.000-04:00

Here is another product on-line for audio podcasts callewd ODEO. This is more for the person who wants to publish an audio web log rather than a narrated slide show.

Try it out.

Jim :-)

Tiny Bubbles...you'll like this!

2006-04-25T11:01:00.000-04:00

Here is a bubble share file for you to enjoy. This is really neat! Jim :-)

This album is powered by
BubbleShare
- Add to my blog

Click play on the slide...or, for a larger view, click on the slide itself and then select PLAY SHOW from the left menu.

Just in time atomic training

2006-04-10T11:24:00.000-04:00

Hi All,

Most of the time when a person needs help with a piece of software it is a very specific request about a function they are using at that moment. For example, you might have forgotten how to insert an image or how to rotate it. When this happens you generally are sans-nerd. (They are probably with me at the nearest Star Trek convention. BTW- Live long and prosper!) This is a problem!

That's why I like the atomiclearning.com web page.

For $79 a year, a very modest fee when you consider the equivalent cost in books , you get access to all of their quicktime movie tutorials on OODLES of software titles.

How would this work? Well, let's say you wanted to learn the basics of powerpoint and you own a computer with Windows XP. You would go to their home page, log-in, and select Windows Tutorials from the top menu bar. From the Microsoft column you then select your version of Powerpoint. Let's say Powerpoint 2002 for XP. Up will come a long list of topics you can click on for a mini-tutorial. When you select one (the top few are available for a free trial) a small movie window will open and you can follow along. You can pause and re-play the movie as often as you like!

Are there any downsides? Well, it won't be totally comprehensive, it is impersonal and the sound quality is not great (although, as a CT Yankee I like the mid-western accent). It may be best used as a refresher tool.

The upside is that you can have access to very specific help in a very cost effective way whenever you want it!

I hope you find this useful!

Jim :-)

VISTA..a distant view beyond XP

2006-04-06T10:18:00.000-04:00

The next operating system for after XP is called Windows Vista!

For a sneak peek click here!

The "Windows flip 3D" and the new "Aero buttons" look neat, but you know what a nerd I am! I'll post some more later, I have to get back to organizing my pocket-protector.

Jim :-)

Should we send our Macs to Bootcamp?

2006-04-06T10:01:00.000-04:00

Hi All,

I'm not suggesting that you should start yelling derogatory phrases at your mac like, "Are you eyeballin' me?" Simply buy a new Mac with a program on it called Boot Camp!

This software allows you run a version of the Mac and XP operating systems by dividing (partitioning) your hard drive for that purpose! As always, the devil is in the details. This USA Today Article points out that it isn't easy or cheap to pull off. Still, it could be a nice solution for somelike me who is a committed Mac user that occaisionally runs into software that is only produced for XP.

One concern that entered my mind, and is addressed in the above article, is the issue of viruses and spyware. Because of their low (~4%) user rate overall, Macs tend to provoke less attacks so bringing XP on to my Mac may be an issue.

What do you think?

Jim :-)

Google for scholars!

2006-04-05T09:27:00.000-04:00

As educators, and professionals, we are always looking for high quality information. A typical web search on Google often doesn't quickly get us to scholarly material that we can use to base our important decisions on.

Well..now Google has addressed that by launching Google Scholar!

This sub-set of the Google search engine focuses in on scholarly sources available on the web!

Jim :-)

Cool Links - 3/06 Road Warrior

2006-03-31T16:27:00.000-05:00

The Stuff....

Flick'r -- a place to store and share personal/team photos. It is similar to snapfish and picasa.

Del.icio.us-- this is the on-line bookmark/favorites tool. You store your book marks on-line and can access them wherever you are! You can also see who has similar links.

FreeConference.com-- the on-line way tp book a free conference call. You assume the lonmg distance charges and you're off!

Snip URL-- You have a terribly long web address that you want to send to someone. Copy/Paste the address onto the snipurl.com page and it will produce a significantly shorter URL that you can use! I have been using this with our News Links on principalspartnership.com.

The Fab Five

2006-03-31T16:24:00.000-05:00

This is the link to the article that recommended the following actions that will keep you computer happy!

http://netsquirrel.com/fabfive/

All the best!

Jim :-)

Spring towards a new computer!

2006-03-25T08:56:00.000-05:00

Ahhh....Spring!

The Earth is experiencing axial tilting and you are realizing how bad your lawn is. (Maybe that last one was personal.) In this time of re-newal it may be time to consider renewing you computer. If so, the following links may help!

1)C/Net- This is one of my favorites. Howard pointed out though that it does take advertising dollars and so it not be completely neutral.

2)ZD Net- similar to Cnet...nice reviews

3)Business Week product reviews....

4)How to buy a lap top from PC World

5)also, see the top three links on this page!

All the best!
Jim :-)

Get Human

2006-03-24T09:52:00.000-05:00

OK...we've all been there. You're on the road and you are trying to get travel or technical help. If you're like me, you eventually wind up in a phone menu similar to an ancient greek labyrinth. Well, I for one am not going to wait around until I am eventually eaten by a Minotaur, or even worse, get a throbbing sore ear.

Here is an ANSWER!

Get Human Web Site

This site presents many ways in which you can get in contact with an actual human!

I hope this helps.

Jim :-) 3/24/06