Jolicloud + Netbook = Cool Linux

jolicloud logo

The tech world is in a dither about Google Chrome as the next operating system- see here for more. In fact, Chrome has been ported to a host of hardware, including netbooks “organic” and via a USB stick. But, entrepreneurs in the world have not laid down their coding tools in defeat. Neat stuff is in the pipeline, including Jolicloud for netbooks. Founded by Tariq Krim, a serial entrepreneur and financed by millions in VC capital, Joicloud may just be the company and operating system to watch in the future. Very easy to install in a dual-boot configuration on a netbook, I’ve embedded a video below showing it running on my Gateway 2030U netbook.  Hank

Samsung P1590 Blu-ray player bells and whistles

Stack of Blu-ray players Sam's Lafayette, IN

Recently I happened by a stack of Samsung P1590 Blu-ray players on sale for $128.00 sans HDMI cable. My wife just complained about not knowing how to play a DVD via our HTPC (Home Theater PC), so I picked one up to alleviate this “problem.” I noticed on the box several logos for Blockbuster, Netflix, Pandora and YouTube but didn’t think that much about it, until I unboxed the sucker. Then the fun began. Seems you can hook the P1590 up to the internet, and stream programming/videos/tunes etc from the aforementioned service providers. OK, pretty cool, but does it work as advertised, and how well?

First off, I needed a flexible HDMI cable on a Sunday. I was close to BestBuy, and for $29.95 + tx picked one up. In retrospect, I found Sam’s has much better ones for $10 less. I hooked the sucker up to one of the four HDMI ports on our Vizio 42″ LCD TV, and fired it up first under Pandora. No go. I had to access a computer, go to a specific URL (Pandora.com/samsung), get a code number, and enter it into the P1590. Makes sense – the P1590 has to know my account to access my stations. Same deal with Netflix. I signed up on Netflix for the $8.99/month service, which lets me indicate up to six videos at a time for our “Instant Queue” which appears on the Vizio when Netflix is selected on the P1590. We can select an unlimited number of second run videos to stream this way, along with one DVD at a time via mail. Ok for our tastes. The last challenge was internet access. I tried to use a USB Wirless N adapter in the P1590 but it would not recognize it. Since then I have seen Samsung-branded USB wireless network devices which I suspect are required. So I switched over to the cable internet connection. Since we have no cabled internet connections in the vicinity of our TV unit, I used a Belkin BPL connection to pipe internet to the back of the Hooker cabinet housing our entertainment electronics, and we’re off and running.

A 7:12 video walk-through is embedded below. Hank

Droid versus iPhone Video via Qik.com

Founded in December 2007, Qik.com is a hosting site for streaming videos. But there is a difference; Qik supports real time uploading as videos are being shot, making them instantly available, in theory at least. Both the Droid and iPhone are now supported by Qik. The purpose of this blog is to provide readers a “side-by-side” comparison of identical environmental surroundings – heat, light, subject, background noise, etc, so you can see for yourself and make a judgement as to which smartphone performs the best. Below are two clips shot recently of a walk-around in our greenhouse, first Droid, then iPhone. My comments/observations are at bottom. Hank

Droid Docking Station

Now that the Droid has been out for a couple of months, add-ons are starting to appear. Last week I visited a Verizon VAR in West Lafayette, IN, and picked up a pretty nifty docking station for the Droid. It serves a dual purpose – a charging station, and as a multimedia station. When docked, the Droid automatically switches mode to display a clock, weather, tunes, videos, a light bulb which switches screen intensity from dim to bright, and an alarm clock. Made by Motorola, the box states “Phone automatically launches multimedia mode when placed into station. Sit back and relax, watch your movies, listen to your music, see the album’s art as songs cycle through. Turn your phone into a digital picture frame to scroll through your images. Also display the weather, time, and set as an alarm clock. convenient display dimming feature for nighttime use. Charges your phone when used with included power supply.” All this for $29.99 + Tx. See pics below [taken with iPhone 3Gs ] Hank

Have A Happy Friday & Merry Christmas: Some Aren’t

HP’s Got a Problem: Black Desi

Claims are surfacing that HP’s web cam(s), which are designed to track facial features, in fact don’t track all faces. See the YouTube below named Black Desi. Hank

Hawaii and Sustainability: Featherbedding

There was a term my father told me about in railroading- featherbedding. This term really came into play when diesels took over steam engines, but still were manned by an engineer and a fireman, although all the fireman did was ride along. Featherbidding is alive and well in our  fiftieth state, Hawaii today.

Seems that Hawaii has the highest electricity rates  in the USA directly attributable to importation of oil to provide on the order of 90% of their electricity needs. Starting in 2010, all new construction homes must have solar water heaters installed. And now the state is  bringing on wind power as a source of electricity. All sounds very well and good so far, doesn’t it? But wait, there’s more. While about 200 workers were employed to construct the wind power installations, only seven are on site to run them, and of these seven, “….three of those jobs are to make sure First Wind keeps its commitment to protect endangered species and upgrade and conserve lands on which the wind farm sits.” [From here] That readers of this blog, is featherbedding at its best. You have to speculate how such “make-work” is being carried over into other WPA projects being funded by us, the tax payers, under the banner of creating energy-based jobs, just to make the numbers look good. Hank

“The smartest technology entrepreneurs realize that everyone in the company is in sales…”

Vivek Wadhwa, Twitter Feed here, is an entrepreneur turned academic. He recently posted a blog entry [here] on TechCrunch which included the title above in the body. It is well worth every entrepreneur’s [past, present and future] time to read. Hank

Have A Happy Friday: UAL Isn’t!

I recently received the following email forwarded from several sources which has implications for everyone in business, and just living for that matter:

“A musician  named Dave Carroll recently had difficulty with United Airlines.United apparently damaged his treasured Taylor guitar  ($3500) during a flight.Dave spent over 9 months trying to get  United to pay for damages caused by baggage handlers to his custom Taylor guitar.During his final exchange with the United Customer Relations  Manager, he stated that he was left with no choice other than to create a  music video for YouTube exposing their lack of cooperation.  The Manager  responded : “Good luck with that one, pal”.

So he posted a retaliatory video on  YouTube.  The video has since received over 6 million hits.  United Airlines contacted the musician and attempted  settlement in exchange for pulling the video. Naturally his response was:  ”Good luck with that one, pal”. Taylor Guitars sent Dave 2 new custom guitars in appreciation for the product recognition from the video that has lead to a sharp increase in  orders.” His video is embedded below. Way to go Dave Carroll! Hank

Hank will use Purdue’s Hotseat in ENTR200 Spring 2010

According to a recent article titled “5 Higher Ed Tech Trends To Watch in 2010,” Bridget McCrea makes the #1 trend to watch Purdue’s Hotseat. She states, “The days when professors lectured to a class of blank, unresponsive faces are long gone. Today, both students and educators are tapping technology to make the classroom environment more interactive and dynamic. Purdue University’s Web-based Hotseat application, which allows students to use handheld devices to interact with professors in the classroom environment, is just a taste of what’s to come.”

So what’s Hotseat all about. A given course/prof is provided a Hotseat area on the Hotseat server by Purdue’s ITAP. During class [or anytime for that matter], students will be encouraged to post Twitter-length comments about the on-going lecture/class activities. Other students can vote on comments on the fly, making them “hot.” Anytime during class activities/lecture/whatever, the prof/lecturer can bring up the Hotseat-based discourse, and if he/she so chooses, clarify and/or comment on same. It is thought to be a vehicle through which students who otherwise may not be heard will be, whether due to shyness, fear of being seen as “stupid,” or really in the dark. It will in essence encourage real-time off line but pertinent discussion(s) germane to course material. In large lecture hall type settings, TA’s may be assigned to bring to the “top” comments thought to be worthy of further clarification by the person up front. ITAP’s video about Hotseat is directly below followed by students in the roll out perceptions. Hank