Technology ...
 (copyright © 2012 by Towne Square America™)

Features on this page:

• The Cloud
• Future Look
• Did You Backup? Where is all of your $#%@!&* Data?!?!?
• We Interrupt This Broadcast
• Apple Does it Again!
• Bing is the Thing ... and much more than you think!
• Change Fonts, Save $
• Technology Overload? After the Newness Wears Off!

The Cloud

NOTE: This feature article was written for CeBIT, the largest trade show in the world showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions for home and work environments running the week of March 1 to 5, 2011, in Hanover, Germany. CeBIT stands for “Centrum für Büro und Informationstechnik” (CeBIT in English: Center for Office and Information Technology). The attendance for this show will be in the hundreds of thousands as more than 6,000 exhibitors from all over the globe will be on hand. One of the top featured highlights of the show will be “Cloud Computing World” ... located in Hall 4, Stand A58 where there will be presentations, displays, and demos of the latest Cloud Computing solutions and technologies.

Somewhere “out there” - There is much talk about The Cloud, even references to it in TV commercials ... “to the cloud.”

So just what is The Cloud?

How does it affect you ... and me ... and everyone else?

Do we even have a choice about letting The Cloud “take over” in our lives?

Well, The Cloud is already here and it has firmly wrapped its tentacles around your intellect. Whether your realize it or not, The Cloud is an integral part of your daily life!

If you’ve ever watched TV ... you’re part of The Cloud.

If you’ve ever listened to the radio ... you’re part of The Cloud.

If you’ve ever used a telephone (especially cell phones) ... you’re part of The Cloud.

If you’ve ever made hotel, flight, or car reservations ... you’re part of The Cloud.

If you’ve ever used an ATM or done your banking in different branches (or online) ... you’re part of The Cloud.

And, while there might be several takes and interpretations on just what The Cloud is, we’re going to take a close look at the general concept of The Cloud which YOU have already been a part of for your entire life. We’re also going to look closely at what YOU need to know about when it comes to The Cloud that encompasses so many of the mind boggling aspects of the interconnected grids of technology. Because of that, you need to stand back, get a better perspective on your life with technology, and take an objective look at what you think you need when it comes to further technologizing your life. That just means BEFORE you get caught up in the hype and “isn’t this cool” aspects of technology, you need to evaluate what you already have and how anything new that you buy fits in with it all.

To get a handle on figuring this all out, we need to go back and look at a book published forty years ago. In the book “Future Shock,” Alvin Tofler talked about technology developments happening faster and faster. He wrote about how technological change would overwhelm people, leaving them disconnected and suffering from “shattering stress and disorientation” - FUTURE SHOCKED. Now that was 1970 when everyone was dazzled by palm-sized calculators powered by microchips. But, his point was that technology advances were going to continue happening faster and faster ... all with us trying to figure it all out.

Fast forward to today with so many electronic gadgets and gismos and all of what Tofler talked as “information overload” is even more relevant. And, we’re still trying to figure out how technology fits into our lives ... with the least amount of headaches and heartache. Add to the mix the deception of marketers, tied advances in cell/smart phones, computers, and so much more ... and, well, you start to clearly see why it can all be so overwhelming. Remember that Tofler was writing about all of this before the personal computer, the Internet, and cell phones! Of course, everything he said about Future Shock is “right on the money” now more than ever.

The absolute best starting point to understanding The Cloud is to look at the technology advances in something we all know quite well ... the TV. This also shows how The Cloud “took over” just about everything RIGHT UNDER OUR COLLECTIVE NOSES!

We have all been “in the cloud” for a LONG, LONG time ... television is a prime example of how technology/future shock has subtly wrapped its tentacles around our intellect!

Television evolved from the 1950s Black & White models to color in the 1960s. Then came the larger, rectangular screens and the beginnings of home, stereo theater in the 1970s. Next, in the 1980s, came big screen and projection TVs, along with being able to record TV shows and movies. The 1990s and into the 2000s brought us HD TV and then Blue Ray. We didn’t even have time to catch our breath and 3D TVs entered the picture (pun intended). Just go into any TV area of an electronics store and try to grasp which option and/or TV is the best one to get!

And, if you think that is the end of trying to decide what to get or what’s next, think again. Microsoft and others are working with fully functioning holographic TVs where images well upward from a flat, coffee table like surfaces. You can not only project any size viewing area you want, you can watch from any 360 angle you choose!

So that’s the future shock side of TV. But, think about how a TV works. It is a device that captures an input signal and then displays that for you to view. The TV doesn’t have any data (i.e., what you are watching) contained inside of it. The data comes from somewhere “out there” ... via cable or antenna. And, while it is true a DVD or something you recorded is physically in your possession. Most of what you have watched on TV your entire life has come from outside of your TV ... and that is basically what The Cloud is all about. The Cloud is data and information coming to you from somewhere other than the device on which you are viewing it.

Okay, so now let’s look at anatomy of The Cloud ... just what it is and how it works.

First, our data was stored on our computers - on hard drives and on a variety of removable media formats. There were rectangular punch cards and magnetic cards. Then, in the early 1970s, IBM developed a better way for data storage with 8 inch ”flexible diskettes” (that could hold the same amount of data as 2,000 punch cards). Apple introduced 5 1/4 inch single sided, “mini-floppies” in 1978 for the Apple II computer. Not long after that, Tandon introduced double sided floppies. The mid-1980s saw the 3 1/2-inch compact “hard” floppy disk. The 1990s saw CDs “taking over” for data storage. Then came DVDs and “thumb drives” (USB memory “sticks”). In the 2000s, more and more data storage was “crammed in” every which way. But, still, your data was right there where you could put your hands on it and hold it!

And, while there are still many instances of data being right there, physically on your computer or a device attached to it, the shift is to The Cloud. That’s really what the Internet itself is. There was a time we would trudge to wherever we had the dusty encyclopedias on a shelf and then look for what we wanted. Now, we just Google it, search the web for whatever it is we want to know. And, think about, the entire world is catalogued for us on the Internet which is pretty much the basis for The Cloud ... where everything is out there.

Here are more examples of you “on the cloud:”

• ATMs - anyone using an ATM or banking at different branches (in or out of state) or online is accessing The Cloud.
• NAV Units - you’re really “linked in” to The Cloud whenever you are navigating your way along in a vehicle. And, this goes for the GPS pedometers so many people are now using.
• Hotel/Airline/Car Rental Reservations - even if you’re making a reservation on the phone, it all ties to The Cloud so when you check in or pick up your e-ticket, all of your information is there ... all without you needing to carry any data (other than your confirmation number) with you.
• Movie/Sports Tickets - By phone, over the Internet, or even in person, when you buy tickets, the data is all coming from (and being stored to) The Cloud.
• Medical Records - The transition is on to EMR (Electronic Medical Records) so your medical data can be accessed wherever you need it. Also, with X-rays, digital imaging allows much better viewing on The Cloud.
• Email - it “comes and goes” as well as is delivered via The Cloud.
• Online Movies/TV Shows - it’s all in The Cloud, with NetFlix continuing to pioneer it.
• Music Online - Sirius/XM Radio continues to lead the way with “listening on The Cloud.”
• Major League Baseball - MLB.TV started the trend in the 1990s and now sporting events are available to view on The Cloud.

So that’s that ... YOU are, indeed, already on The Cloud!

But, there is more you can do to “work” The Cloud even more to your advantage! What if you could have any and all of your data AND programs at your disposal anywhere you go in the world (or even on NASA’s space station?

I’ve been working with my data and programs on The Cloud since the 1990s ... and now you can start working directly on The Cloud. So now you’ll never be stuck in one place with your data and programs somewhere else.

Here are just three of The Cloud options you can start using right now ... TODAY ... and none of them will cost you a dime! You will need to sign up by establishing an account with all of these. And, while they do have cost/fee related options, the basic service (which will be plenty to begin with) cost you nothing ... and these are not a trial periods. You can use them for as long and as often as you want.

Windows Live - http://windows.live.com

This is brought to you by Microsoft. Here is what you get:

• Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote Notebook(s)
• 25 gigabytes of storage space (for any kind of files you want)
• Calendar
• Photos
• Hotmail
• Even your own blogging space

Google Documents - http://google.com/accounts

• 1 gigabyte of storage space (which is definitely a limitation)
• Documents (and templates)
• Word Processing
• Spreadsheets
• Presentations (like PowerPoint)
• Forms
• NOTE: Any Microsoft document will be converted to a Google format)
• Gmail
• Photos
• Calendar

Box.net - http://box.net

• File sharing links
• Mobile app access

An extremely important factor and probably the best reason to have your data in The Cloud is that it is all safe and backed up. Because, let’s face it, people just don’t back up their data/info. And, no one really thinks about backup until your computer crashes or gets stolen. In those situations, if you had been using The Cloud, you would still have your data.

Some Final Thoughts About Technologizing Your Life

Once again we come back to Future Shock. Maybe you have it all figured out and all of your technology “plays nice” together. Maybe you aren’t overwhelmed by choices and options or the frustrations and exasperation of trying to get all of the technology devices you currently have to work in harmony together. Well, if that’s true ... great! But maybe you know someone who could use some insight and perspective about making technology work seamlessly and effectively.

So here is what you need to do. Stand back and ask yourself some questions about technology. This relates to what you already have - cell phones, computers, printers, music players, TVs, and everything else “electronical.”

It’s all about the Value Proposition.

Here is what you need to ask yourself BEFORE buying any kind of technology. Basically, this is what helps you determine the Value Proposition (i.e., do you really need/want it).

• Why do I want this?
• Am I buying this based on price or someone’s recommendation?
• Do I want this just because it is cool? (this relates to “Apple Marketing Strategy”)
• What will I do with this and how will I use it?
• Is it compatible with everything else I already have?
• Is it easy and intuitive to use?
• How much is it going to cost (along with the service/warranty/apps)?
• Who is going to “set things up” or am I on my own with the option to call tech support?
• What happens when something goes wrong or breaks?
• Will I even be able to find the Serial Number if I’m one of those rare individuals who actually registers my product(s)?
• Is there a rebate and did/will I send it in?

Technology is only as good as what it will do for - NOT to - you. Technology is supposed to make your life better and easier. It is NOT about impressing your friends and playing “look at me” ... that is, unless that is the Value Proposition you see in it.

Future Look

Two advancements that will change everything - Think you have about all the technology you need right now? Well, two innovations are about to radically change how computers, cell phones, and everything else works! And, this is in addition to the new NetFlix button you’ll soon find on remotes for Internet-connected TVs, Blu-Ray disk players and other devices that connect to the Internet.

Two significant developments in technology relate to storing and moving data. Forget about hard drives or flash memory. Thin strands of Nanowire are about to revolutionize how we store (well, actually the correct term is “stack”) data. Imagine having every single movie you ever wanted to watch on your cell phone ... or on your razor thin (and very light) laptop/tablet computer! How about no limits whatsoever on how much music you can load on to your music player? And, if that isn’t enough to short circuit the techno-weenie part of the ever-greying matter in your brain, just imagine networks where data is transmitted via overhead light fixtures ... all that flicker at speeds the human eye can’t detect, while still slamming data back and forth faster than ever before!

NANOWIRES

Let’s look first at Nanowire. IBM (remember them?) is developing a new type of low-cost, solid-state memory that leaves any current means of storing data spinning into oblivion! It’s called “Racetrack Memory.” It is a radical new approach to storage memory and it is based on a technology breakthrough called “spintronic magnetoresistive sensing.” This new approach to storing (and retrieving) data manipulates the two types of independent electrons found in electrical current called the “spin-up” and “spin-down” electrons. How this all works borders on magic, but basically devices using this technology will store bits of information by manipulating the magnetic state of a region within a nanowire that is just a few tenths of a nanometer wide.

You’ll need to get yourself a very, very, VERY powerful microscope if you want to see a nanowire, because a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter in size. With a meter being approximately 39 inches long, and dividing that by one billion, well, you’re now entering the realm of teeny-tiny ... just like so much else that been miniaturized for all that is now crammed on circuit boards and put into computer chips. To put this all into perspective, a human hair is about 100,000 nanometers wide. So a nanowire, that can store TONS of data, is tens of thousands of times narrower than a human hair!

Racetrack Memory data is stored and retrieved by sliding magnetic bits of information back and forth along the nanowire “racetrack.” Any kind of computing device, large or small, will be able to read changes to the magnetic states of where the data is stored on these micro-thin strands. And, even though all of this is “moving” at speeds in the hundreds of miles per hour range, the read/write heads manipulating all of the data can easily stop precisely in whatever position is required to read or write data. And, here is the absolutely mind boggling part in all of this: any computing device will be able to access massive amounts of stored information in less than a billionth of a second. This is all documented and fully functional right now at the Almaden (California) IBM research labs.

IBM researchers have just published their results in the December 24th (2010) issue of Science. The paper by Luc Thomas, Rai Moriya, Charles Rettner, and Stuart Parkin (all of IBM Research) is entitled, “Dynamics of magnetic domain walls under their own inertia.”

So just when will this be available? There are still “kinks to be worked out” according to IBM engineers and researchers who are not happy with timescales in the tens of nanoseconds and the distances in micrometters that, as far as they are concerned, still take too much time. That said, we’re really talking about “splitting nano-hairs” here but that is how technology works ... there always seems to be a “need for speed” no matter what level at which you are working. Rest assured that the “details will be worked out” and in a year or so (maybe even sooner) you’ll start hearing and seeing more about Racetrack Memory. You can find out more about Racetrack Memory (if you want more of the nano-details) on the web (or by clicking the underlined words in this sentence).

DATA TRANSMITTED BY LIGHT

With wireless connections and WIFI “hot spots” becoming more and more a part of our daily lives as they continue popping up with more frequency, it is hard to imagine what comes next ... or even what else we could possibly need? But, just imagine attaching a small, light sensing device to your computer (or any other devices, cell phones, and music players) and then being “totally connected” without the need for any other cables or even wireless connections!

Well, this ain’t no science fiction plot. We’re talking about Visible Light Embedded Wireless Data Communication. That means light emitting diodes will be used for transmitting data through electric lights at blinding speeds! And, while those lights will be flickering to spit data back and forth, the human eye will never detect any intermittent sensations coming from the lights.

Here is how it will work. The lights will transmit data at blindingly fast speeds to specially equipped computers by flickering faster than the human eye can detect. That means no more wireless “congestion,” because there are no limits to how much data can be “slammed” back and forth. Nor does it mean any slow down, no matter what the “volume of traffic is.”

The first “light systems” for accomplishing these “data transference” feats have already been installed and are fully functional in St. Cloud, Minnesota. LVX System, a company in that city, is the company that is pioneering all of this.

Clusters of light-emitting diodes (known as LEDs) are set up as the standard light fixtures overhead. The LEDs then transmit coded messages - in the form of computer assembly language 1s and 0s -  to special light sensor modems attached to computers throughout the work area and building. Lights (also LEDs) on the computer modems then “talk back” to the overhead LED fixtures. Anyone using such computers won’t notice any difference, because you’ll still have your network and Internet connections ... so basically everything else will work exactly the same. Only data transmission will be much faster.

Initially, the transmission speeds will be in the DSL range averaging 3 megabits per second. But once the pilot projects are completed, the speeds will increase.

Smart Shopping Carts and Amazing Things in Store for WalMart!

The next time you’re standing in line at WalMart wondering how much longer the “line from hell” will take before you get “checked out,” consider that WalMart is soon to be radically changing things so you (and everyone else ahead of you in line) can breeze through the check out counter.

This will all be accomplished with WalMart’s farewell to barcodes that will be replaced by Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags. RFID tags are part of a technology that sends and reads radio waves. What this ultimately means is that items will no longer need to be moved carefully (sometimes with much shaking and twisting) past barcode readers. The RFID readers can pick up the radio waves from several feet away ... so when this whole RFID thing is implemented, you’ll just push your cart through a reader and it will quickly “ring up” everything in your cart. At that point, the only “delay” will be putting stuff in bags.

WalMart has been working on this for several years now and hopes to soon introduce the RFID tags in retail stores. But RFID technology doesn’t just improve upon (and make faster) the “checking out” experience. What WalMart has been looking at and working on is using RFID tags for inventory and tracking. The RFID tags will speed up any kind of recall, too. And, while WalMart would like to have gotten things going with RFID tags long before now, the “process” and testing hasn’t been without some “shooting one’s self in the foot” several times along the way.

WalMart, along with Best Buy, Target, McDonalds, and many other giant corporations, continues to “feel its way” to deploy all kinds of new technologies. WalMart introduced self-check out, only to find that thieves figured out all kinds of ways to outsmart the systems while things appeared to be on the “up and up” in terms of everything being paid for at self-check outs (which it most certainly wasn’t ... all of which has led to self-check outs disappearing from WalMarts.

So when will we see all of this? It probably won’t be until the 2012 timeframe. But, keep an eye out for “things looking differently” at the check out counters, because many, many retail outlets (large and small) are going to be doing a lot of field testing on RFID technology. One thing you’re sure to start seeing are Smart Shopping Carts. This concept of a wireless computer console/panel on your cart has been around for a decade. As with any technology, there have been “fits and starts” in making it all work. During this coming year, you’re sure to start seeing these Smart Shopping Carts, which will let you know about sales, specials, where to find stuff, and much more, in grocery stores and many other places, including home and building supply outlet centers.

The one thing about technology is that IT NEVER STOPS. In 1928 when the “brand new,” completely revamped Royal typewriters were introduced, they quite literally changed the way people worked in offices. Those typewriters (weighing in the 60 pound range) “had it all,” complete with beveled glass on the sides of the metal frames so you could see how everything worked. Then came the electric typewriter three decades later. Then the dedicated word processors (that people “sunk a lot of money into” just before the personal computer revolution exploded). And, each step of the way, it seemed like the “latest technology” offered everything you could ever want! Well, don’t bet on it, because the way you work and do things today will be “old hat” in no time at all.

If you want to read a good book about technology, including its impact (even the things we don’t consider at the time when we feel “we absolutely positively have to have it”), read Alvin Toffler’s “Future Shock.” It was written in 1970, but it still is quite valid today in terms of what it was talking about ... technology happening faster and faster as it continues to wrap its tentacles around our intellect.

Did you backup? Where is all of your $#%@!&* Data?!?!?

Near a crashed hard drive - Do you know where all of your music is stored on your computer? How about where it is stored/located online? What about documents? Or your emails?

What if you needed to get to any of those files (or other files) and you couldn’t find them ... or your computer crashed? What about if someone breaks in and steals your computer ... or anything else with you data on it just disappears?

No one really wants to think about (or even gives that much thought to) the eventualities or repercussions of such things, but this kind of stuff does happen. And, it can happen to YOU ... usually when you least expect it (or want to deal with it).

With the way that technology has evolved, no one really considers BACKING UP DATA ... until it is usually too late! However, in this digital world of ours, just about EVERYTHING - music, documents, and information all - are stored somewhere. The life saving “secret” you want to make sure you take advantage of is backing up whatever you don’t want to lose.

Backup systems pretty much come “built in” on most computer. Even with your cell phones or MP3/music devices, you get an option to back things up. How about your address book on your cell phone? Is that data backed up? Think about how much you take for granted speed dialing. Now suppose you lost your phone or someone snatched it. You’ll be starting from scratch to recreate everything.

And, here is the thing about backing up data. Even if you can recreate your cell phone address book, or rewrite documents, or somehow reconstruct your playlists ... why should you have to go through all of that when having backup files for replacement makes everything so effortless.

So, look into the various and assorted ways you can start backing things up TODAY ... as in RIGHT NOW! The web has plenty of options when it comes to storing data, too (most for no cost). Here is a tip that many might scoff at, but it really isn’t that hard to do: Buy a bunch or CDs (or DVDs) and just “slap data on them” ... organize those CDs in file folders. That way you’ll pretty much have a “hard copy” of whatever it is that you don’t want to lose. Sure, that is somewhat of a “dopy” way to make sure you don’t lose your data. But think about this:

When you computer or phone or music player disappears (for whatever reason), how nice would it be to go to those file folders to recover all of the stuff you were smart enough to make backup copies of?

We Interrupt This Broadcast ...

Somewhere under the Sun! - You might very soon have problems with your TV reception (even if you have cable) and your cell phone, and much, much more ... all because the sun is about to get, as the scientists say, “more active!” That means satellites, power grids, and other “wave length” sorts of stuff are about to start going, to use a non-technical term, WHACKY.

The top scientists in the world met on June 8 to see if they could sort if all out. Of course, you didn’t read much about this in mainstream media ... they’re obsessed with the oil “spill” in the Gulf and politics (as usual). But, the real issue here with our very own sun is that solar storms occur when sunspots erupt and spew out flumes of charged particles that can damage power systems. The sun’s activity typically follows an 11-year cycle. And, just like in baseball, the sun looks to be coming out of a slump and gearing up for a “power slugging” active period.

“The sun is waking up from a deep slumber, and in the new few years we expect to see much higher levels of solar activity,” said Richard Fisher, head of NASA’s Heliophysics Division. “At the same time, our technology based world has developed an unprecedented sensitivity to solar storms. The intersection of these two issues is what we’re getting together to discuss.”

Fisher and other experts met at the Space Weather Enterprise Forum (SWEF) that took place in early June at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

It is going to be bad news for gizmos!

A major solar storm (one we haven’t seen in decades ... but it is now about to happen) could easily cause twenty times more economic damage than Hurricane Katrina! This warning comes from the National Academy of Sciences 2008 Report, “Sever Space Weather Events - Societal and Economic Impacts.”

Just do a Bing search (it’s much better than Google, who mines data on your machine during searches, by the way) and you’ll see all that is going on in relation to the “coming storm.” Of course, no one is really going to care about any of this ... that is, until all of our electronical gadgets start going on the fritz!

Just remember, you heard it here first ... <END OF TRANSMISSION>

Bing is the Thing ... and much more than you think!

Somewhere Lost in Searching the Web - Forget about Google when you need to do a search on the web ... Microsoft has come up Bing and it is a much better alternative and it offers MUCH more than just helping you search for what you’re looking for. First off, the full page photos on Bing’s main search page will take your breath away (on a daily basis). Not only that there are “hot spots” in the photos where you can learn about what you see in the picture (and we’re talking photos from all over the globe!). But, before we get to all the rest, Bing’s search line can be used as a calculator, a spell checker, a world clock, a currency converter, and even an area code listing. For you see, Microsoft wanted to create a multipurpose tool you can use that eliminates the need to open up other stuff. And, by the way Microsoft has gained ground on Google and Yahoo for searches, it has become obvious Bing, the “new kid on the block” is ready to TAKE OVER!

Need a calculator to “add up something,” well, just enter the numbers in Bing and you’ll get an answer, plus a whole lot more (just in case you want to brush up on your math skills). Sure you can use your computer’s calculator, but why even bother opening it up when you can just use a browser window (that is probably already open).

How about monetary conversion? Bing has the answer as fast as you can type it into the search window.

Spelling? Not sure how to spell a word or need the definition? Well, just “punch it in” to Bing and you’ll get your answer immediately, including for foreign languages, too.

Specific searches - Say you want to find out more about George Washington, but you don’t want George “U” and a whole bunch of other stuff come up. Well, just put “history” - George Washington in the search line and you’ll narrow your search right off the bat. It’s pretty slick!

How about World Time? Say you want to know what time it is in London (or anywhere else in the world). All you have to do is just type in “time - London” and the top of your search results will start off with “It is currently such and such time in whatever city on the globe you enter. Plus, the rest of the search listings will give you everything else you ever wanted to know about time or London.

Search time frames - Want to search for something by time frames? Say you want to know about the World Series in the 1920s. Just type in “World Series - 1920-1930” and you’ll get info for just that time period.

Of course, there is much more, but the way to find out just how Bing can meet your needs, PLAY WITH IT at Bing.com.

And, while Bing isn’t just a tool for searching (and everything else listed above), it offers much, much more - maps (including 3D that will knock your socks off), news (where you can set up email alerts), health info, videos, travel, history, shopping (with great, money saving deals), and even visual search that adds a whole new dimension to how you search. There is an online demo that “spells it all out” for you, so what are you waiting for? Go have a fling at Bing!

One other thing about Bing is that, unlike Google, Bing isn’t invading your privacy to mine as much information from you (and your computer) as possible). Sure, Bing keeps track of searches for you, but that’s very helpful for YOU! From Gmail to everywhere else Google touches your life, you can bet they are “sucking the life” out of any stats they can get on you ... that’s how they make money. Bing just isn’t doing that sort of stuff. Hey, we’re talking about Microsoft. All they want from Bing is to be your search engine of choice ... and it looks like Microsoft is making that happen.

(04/09/2010) Reportage and analysis by: Bil. Alvernaz (bil@alvernaz.com)

Change Fonts, Save $

Printer.Com - If you haven’t yet discovered the Printer.Com web site, you need to have a look/see. It is a web site where independent testing results are provided for all types of printers. But, that isn’t the main story here, because they actually ran tests that showed you can save money by switching fonts on your printer.

Believe it or not, there is money to be saved by using “less dense” fonts which, of course, would use less ink. That means your ink and toner cartridges will “go further” and that means the end result will be YOU saving dollars - not a large amount, but, hey, something will basically pay for a few extra ink/toner cartridges, that’s definitely worth considering.

Here are more details from Printer.Com:

Did you realize you can actually cut printing costs just by choosing another font? Even with everyone looking for new ways to save money, it’s doubtful most people have considered the font they use for letters, reports, and notices, but you can actually save 31% on your ink cartridge costs just by picking the right font.

Printer.com recently put this notion to the test using two popular printers. The Canon Pixma MP 210 was picked to simulate the printing of private users while the Brother HL-2140 laser printer was used to test business use. Both printers were left at their default settings (600 by 600 dpi). Changing only the font resulted in saving between $20 and $80 per year.

Arial, reigning as the most popular font, was used as the “zero” measurement, against which nine other fonts were tested. The clear winner was Century Gothic, which returned 31% savings in both printers. For the average private user, printing approximately 25 pages per week, this will easily generate a net reduction of $20 in a year. A business-user, printing approximately 250 pages per week, could save $80. If your organization uses multiple printers, you can save hundreds of dollars per year doing nothing more than picking a more economical font.

Century Gothic is a modern font that comes standard with MS Windows. Surprisingly, it even beat Ecofont which was specifically designed with efficiency and cost in mind. For those who require a more “traditional” look, Times New Roman provides a good balance between style and savings.

The standard advice for trimming printing expenses still applies: Print in "draft mode," if you can. Use both sides of a page and do a print preview to make sure you're not printing pages with useless text such as a copyright line. Using an ink-saving font is just one more technique to consider.

And the greenest, most effective way to save MAJOR BUCKS on ink is not to print at all.

That's the philosophy Microsoft Corp. said it uses in deciding which fonts to include in its Outlook and Word applications. The more pleasing a font looks on the screen, the less tempted someone will be to print, said Simon Daniels, a program manager for Microsoft's typography group. That's why the company changed its defaults in Office 2007 from Arial and Times New Roman to Calibri and Cambria, he said.

"We're trying to move the threshold of when people hit the print button," he said.

Be sure to check out the Printer.Com web site ... there is a lot of great, helpful insight and stuff there.

(04/10/2010) Reportage and analysis by: Bil. Alvernaz (bil@alvernaz.com)

Technology Overload? After the Newness Wears Off!

Lost Somewhere in America (without ever even thinking about) -  The obsession (frantic and otherwise) people have with online buying for music, apps for their smart phones, or anything else that you can just “point, click, and own” has totaled into the yodeling stratosphere of BILLIONS ... in sales “units” and dollars. But, hey, it’s only nominal amounts of money, starting in the 99 cents range for tunes and then it rapidly escalates upward from there. And, gosh, since it is all done via credit cards (which the financial institutions dearly love because of our addictive nature of spending so much of what we don’t have), we have been lulled and sucked into the voids of one marketing weasel scheme after another ... especially the “so much per month” for unlimited access to whatever and whenever (that many people don’t even so much as use once they have downloaded what they initially wanted). Most people just don’t realize how much they are spending, as they “nickel and dime” themselves into financial oblivion.

Sure, this is all smart marketing, but here are the key questions in all of this?

• Do we really need all of what we are incessantly buying, day after day?
• Do we really need to watch movies and TV shows on our smart phones (or anything else that is portable)?
• Do we really need to play games “on the go?”
• Whatever happened to just talking to someone or enjoying some time away from technology?

The sad reality in all of this is that people are “up to their ears” in debt (especially credit card debt). And, there is a BIG difference between “want” and “need!” If you just take a look around you (in closets, drawers, and the ultimate “catch all” of the garage, you’ll find all of that stuff you just “had to have” that now just sits collecting dust (instead being a few more bucks collecting interest in your bank account). The “after the newness wears off” syndrome doesn’t just apply to technology, but technology is where massive amounts of “spendable income” (that people don’t really have) goes!

(04/08/2010) Reportage and analysis by: George “the Filament” Striker

Apple Does it Again!

Cupertino, CA -  Anyone remember the Apple Newton? It was one of the early Personal Data Assistants (PDA) Apple introduced in 1989 that was going to “reinvent computing.” Or, so Apple boasted as it used marketing hype to hawk the product that never even came close to being used much, let alone changing things.

 Well, with the new iPad, it is all hype all over again! Only this time Apple’s stir ‘em up into a mad frenzy, media hype tactics, while it might look like a success for awhile, is only going to take the company right into more of a long-term disaster than the ill-fated Newton ... which just has to make you wonder doesn’t Apple ever learn anything?

And, don’t believe all of the hype of “shortages” of the iPad and all this baloney about the iPad outselling the Mac computers (which isn’t saying much to begin with when compared to the monster of PC-based machines still in strong command of the market either)!

Before we go any further here, a statement needs to be made ... Apple’s “new” iPad is simply a tablet computer, okay! And, that’s it. Only you don’t have a keyboard except for the virtually one that you “pound on” on the screen. So before you get caught up in the hype of just how cool this new “toy” is ... well, just remember you can do more (including viewing Flash web pages that the iPad won’t/can’t do) ... MUCH more with any tablet computer, laptop, notebook computer, or even the “it’s all the new rage” Netbooks ... the iPad is all about slick marketing techniques (timed to the beat of cool music while cool people do cool things ... things you probably won’t care about doing once the newness wears off) to “blow smoke up your dress” to make you feel you just “gotta have it!” Now, back to our historical (or hysterical, depending on how you look at it) narrative ...

Apple tried to sell a waaaaay over-priced Lisa Computer in the early ‘80s that was priced just under $10,000, not long after IBM’s first PC debuted. This was the point that IBM launched its destined to be a “complete joke” PC Junior computing line (it bombed big time). And, then for the Super Bowl of 1984, Apple’s most famous Orwellian commercial of a runner swirling around and releasing a “chained object” at a gigantic image on a screen that exploded introduced the MacIntosh Computer. And, that computer was really just a “reworked” Lisa Computer only it sold for one third of the price ... IBM would go on to work with Microsoft, both of whom would invest billions of dollars, on something called “OS2” ... to replace the PC’s “outdated operating system.” That led to IBM’s PC2 computers, but Microsoft eventually bailed on the OS2 project, opting to go with the alternative of the Windows operating system (and we all know how that worked out). The PC2 computers quickly disappeared into oblivion as did OS2.

But getting back to Apple, Apple continues to over-price it’s “newest, latest, greatest i-Whatever” ... just like they did with the iPhone in 2007. And, then when people start complaining, they don’t really address the product issue(s), they just lower prices a bit or give away free samples, apps, or something to fix poor reception problems.

The Newton “platform” was pushed HARD by Apple, but nothing could save it, even though it had some clever features, people just passed on even trying to learn to work with it. And, that was true for so many die-hard Apple fans, too.  During it’s brief, faltering product life span, the Newton did sell well (there will always those who want Apple’s latest toy. The Newton project ultimately fell victim to missed project release dates and growing concerns in Apple management (or lack thereof) that it would interfere with Macintosh sales.

But, before we go any further, let’s look a little further at the chaos iPads are causing for major Universities (Princeton and George Washington Universities to mention just two). It seems the iPad doesn’t play nice with DHCP. Don’t worry if you don’t know what that is ... what you do need to know is that DHCP network “connection” or lack thereof by the iPad is bringing down entire University network systems, making it so other computers (those of students and the University staff/professors), including the network servers that run EVERYTHING malfunction. So Universities are banning iPads ... even the new Yankee Stadium has now banned the iPads ... and you’re going to see much more of this, because Apple is known for “going its own way” (just like they did when they decided the iPads wouldn’t support and/or function with Flash web sites (which is A LOT of web sites). The real question about the Yankee Stadium ban on iPads should have more to do with “Why take a device to watch a game when you’re there IN PERSON to watch the game?” Yikes!

So, now let’s take a closer look at just what you get with an iPad (in addition to having a cool toy to show off with). Despite the euphoric, monosyllabic grins of people who were “lucky” enough to get one of the first iPads, which is all part of Apple’s marketing hype frenzy, the basic question remains, “Is the IPad just an over-bloated iPod that will be one more toy you don’t really use after the newness wears off?”

Here are just some of the things you need to know before you buy and iPad:

• While the iPad has a dazzling, sleek, futurist look, the screens surface reflects your image right back at you as you try to work with it. This gets really annoying, especially when you’re watching movies or videos (which look great, by the way, as long as you aren’t outside).
• There is the fingerprint issue, too, because you’ll have to get used to constantly “swinging” the screen with your shirt or coat sleeve.
• And, typing on the virtual keyboard ... FORGET IT! It is clumsy to use and has a mind of its own that will drive you crazy with its “autotype” feature. It’s like pretend typing on a hard surface like a the kitchen counter. The tips of your fingers actually hurt if you do too much typing. The keyboard Apple will sell you as an “add on” ain’t cheap and it isn’t very good either. Plus it is one more thing you have to drag around.
• If you want to use the iPad as a book reader, you’re better off with the Amazon Kindle, because the 1.5 pounds of the IPad (which that doesn’t seem like much) is a killer on wrists when you hold it for too long.
• Games are also a “wrist killer” because just a little bit of “twisting, turning, and rocking” (like you have seen people do with the iPhone) to control things in games quickly gets to your wrists. The complaints have already started coming in about this.
• And, holding or carrying the iPad is awkward or odd at best. Many people carry it around like a dinner tray. No matter how you carry or hold it, fingerprints are going to be the KILLER annoyance.
• While the apps do “explode” onto the screen, you can only work with one application at a time. Think about that and just try to work with one program at a time on your desktop or laptop PC. When Apple does finally get around to “adding this in,” you can bet they’ll make you think it is like they are giving you some brand new invention, instead of something that should have been “part of the deal” all along.
• There is no web cam or camera ... nothing ... nadda ... that’s just stupid to have left that out.
• What’s even more insanely stupid is the iPad browser doesn’t do flash! That eliminates most of your favorite web sites! And, while the New York Times and many other web sites are going to “adapt things” so the iPad can handle it all, they’re just going to be stuck with “extra luggage” once the iPad bombs out and/or the novelty wears off (just like it did with the Newton).
• Anyone who needs WI-FI, that is already the most glaring issue for users who are complaining about spotty access, no access, or access “cutting in and out.” Apple even admitted early on that there are “issues’ with reconnecting to WI-FI sources after the iPad is restarted or wakes from sleep mode. And, of course, Apple, as it usually does, blames “third party providers,” because it is NEVER Apple’s fault when things go wrong. Apple went on to further shift the blame to users who might not be using “up-to-date” wireless router software.
• There’s no USB port either. Of course, this goes back to Apple “making yet more bucks” by selling you the device which you then have to pop for the extra attachments, which you also have to lug around with you (that you don’t have to do with a laptop or even a netbook.
• And, last, but not least, if you like to “drop things on your desktop” (which so many of us doing when we download or work with files), you can’t do that on an iPad, because there is no desktop.

So? You decide which way you want to go ... we’re opting for the wait until HP’s Slate hits the streets. Everything Apple left out or forgot about, the Slate has. Plus, the Slate will be more affordable. Oh, yea, and the Slate is a Windows 7 machine ... that right there is the main reason to wait for the Slate.

And, well, there needs to be a mention of “the other guys.” Those would be all of the other companies who have gone back to the drawing boards and revamped the look of their tablet computers that have been in mothballs for years. Oh, and once the newness wears off, will it really be worth all of the extra costs that come along with any tablet computer, mainly the monthly access fee (we won’t even go into all of those apps that are available ... so many of which no one really needs). Here is how the access costs break down: You have your computer at home that you pay Internet access fees for. You have your cell phone that you pay additional data and Internet access fees. And, now with any tablet computer, you have yet more access fees. Yikes!

Is the three decade reign of the desktop PC, tied to whatever portable device you are using, over, now that the tablet computers (including Apple’s iPad) “change everything?” I wouldn’t bet on it. People are comfortable working on their Qwerty keyboards in some fashion or other on the desktop. Oh, yea, and just wait until after a certain amount of time “banging your fingertips” on the virtual keyboards of tablet computers, you’ll be longing for your desktop keyboard (or forking over more dough for a keyboard that attaches to your tablet computer.

Will the tablets be a long-term success? For the Apple Minions, yes. As for the rest of us, well, we’ll keep doing what we have always done ... continuing to adapt to the continuing evolution of an array of devices, struggling at points with Human-Computer Interaction ... and, that aspect of always trying to figure out “how to use the danged thing” (whatever newfangled technology device we “just have to have”) will never change.