TechMan

Cameras under $300

Ced Kurtz — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:59:00 GMT

Good roundup of cameras under $300 by NYT's David Pogue.

Thanks, Apple, for higher eBook prices

Ced Kurtz — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:48:00 GMT

Amazon caved in to MacMillan over the weekend and agreed to allow the publisher to charge more for ebooks. Instead of the $9.99 that Amazon charges for Kindle books, Macmillan wants to charge $12.99 to $14.99. Apparently that is the price Apple has agreed to for books for the iPad. It's just a matter of time before all the other publishers want the same deal with Amazon. The NYT article says, "Analysts say Amazon, which accounts for 15 to 20 percent of domestic book sales, probably realized it could not compete with Apple if it wasn’t offering the same range of content." See article here

Presenting the iPad

Ced Kurtz — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:22:00 GMT

Apple unveils the iPad.

New Apple store here?

Ced Kurtz — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:13:00 GMT

Rumors have been circulating on the Apple blogs here that Apple will open a new Apple store in August in Ross Park Mall. The PG is trying the confimr this with Apple, but you know how they are about confirming things they plan to do.

Times to begin charging for Web access

Ced Kurtz — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:12:00 GMT

Beginning in 2011, the New York Times will begin to charge for access to its Web site. It will follow a tiered model where the user gets a certains number of stories free, then has to pay after that. Not surprising considering the financial woes of newspapers. Story here

Googles new phone

Ced Kurtz — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:55:00 GMT

Google announces its new much-rumored phone.

Tech hot spots for 2010

Ced Kurtz — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:54:00 GMT

It's the beginning of a new year, and time for TechMan to predict what will happen in the tech world in 2010. So hang on a minute while I don my aluminum-foil helmet and receive the information from time-traveling aliens.

OK, ready.

Rather than reveal individual happenings, let's look at the areas where "my sources" tell me there will be most activity in the coming year.

3-D television: Several companies are working on 3-D television, bringing the technology from the theater to the home. Sony and Panasonic say they will release home 3-D television systems this year.

ESPN is reportedly experimenting with recording sports events in 3-D, using a camera with two sets of lenses.

The problem with all the systems so far is that they require glasses to get the 3-D effect. If the television industry is betting that we are willing to sit around our houses looking like a bunch of dorks, I think they are betting wrong. I see 2010 as a beginning for 3-D TV, but it won't catch on until they can lose the specs.

Tablets and eReaders: Of course the big rumor has been that Apple will bring out a tablet this year and that it will be a "Kindle killer." Whether that happens or not, expect to see many companies making tablets -- hybrids of the smartphone and the netbook. We already are seeing convergence of devices in the smartphone, but the bigger screen of the tablet will allow eBook readers and Blu-ray players to join the bundle.

eBook readers: Tablets or not, eBook readers will grow more popular. The holy grail is an E Ink-type process with color -- a color screen that can change quickly and is very stingy on power.

Batteries: Batteries that deliver more hours of power and weigh less will be in big demand, from small ones for your smartphone to big ones for your plug-in electric car. This is the year General Motors has promised its electric car, the Chevy Volt.

USB 3.0: The standard is set, and this is the year that maufacturers will start to make devices with the 10-times faster USB 3.0 connectors. The obvious use is video since USB 3.0 is the first USB connection fast enough to stream high definition video. Think of movies on flash drives that plug into a USB connector on a television.

Flash memory and hybrid drives: Look for flash drives to get bigger, faster and cheaper. Combine that with the new faster USB and you'll see all kinds of things being stored on flash drives.

But hard drives will not go away. They will be combined with flash drives in so-called hybrid drives, where most-used data is stored in flash memory and the rest on a hard drive.

Smarter, more connected cars: Ford and Microsoft have been ahead in the marketplace with the Sync system that allows the driver to control auto functions by voice. Rumors have it that Sync may be a candidate for streaming the Internet-based Pandora music service. From there, in-dash Internet radio is next.

OBD: On board diagnostics -- computers that control your car's functions -- have been a reality for years. But a new twist in 2010 is devices that tap into that information and display it to the consumer for such things as keeping track of mileage or keeping tabs on teen drivers.

GPS: 2010 will continue a trend for your devices to know where you are. Your phone, your car, your camera all will be getting built-in GPS.

Expect more developments to be announced at the huge Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas beginning Thursday.

Show note for TechTalk

Ced Kurtz — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:54:00 GMT

The Web site that checks out urban myths mentioned in the episode of TechTalk that will be posted later today is snopes.com

A visit from St. Techolas

Ced Kurtz — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:39:00 GMT

It's time again for TechMan's traditional (it's the second year) Christmas poem, with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore. The tech references have been updated.

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was tweeting, not even a spouse.

The Crocs were hung by the heat pump with care,

In hopes that St. Techolas soon would be there.

The rug rats were nestled all snug in their futons,

While several iPods wiggled their icons

And mamma in her Snuggie, and I in my bed,

Dreamed of a network map covered in red.

When out on the driveway, there arose such a clatter,

Like my hard drive's head had crashed on the platter.

To the window I flew as fast as light,

Tore open the shutters to see such a sight

The LED lights on the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of Vegas to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a remote-control sleigh, and eight robotic reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Tech.

More rapid than Firewire his coursers they came,

And he whistled and shouted and called them by name!

"Now, Hulu! Now, eBay now, iPhone and Flickr

On, Comcast! On, Facebook! On, Google and Twitter!

To the top of the stack! To the top of the firewall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the leafblower fly,

When they meet with a leaf bag, they mount to the sky.

So up to the TV dish his coursers did fly,

And cut off my DVR recording of "CSI."

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The clicking and clacking of each metallic hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney he came in what seemed like surround sound.

He was dressed all in Spandex, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of gadgets he had flung on his back,

And he smiled like Steve Jobs when he unveils a new Mac.

His eyes were round washers, how they twinkled with glee,

He looked like a Mii I made on my Wii!

His droll little mouth was made all of bolts,

And was puckered as though he were sipping up volts.

An HDMI cable he held tight in his teeth,

And wires they encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a belly so great,

That shook when he laughed, like a cellphone on vibrate!

He was chubby and plump, a real Burl Ives clone,

I laughed when I saw him, and took a snapshot with my phone!

A twist of his head and a chuckle so fine

Soon gave me to know he bought all his stuff online.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the Crocs, then turned with a jerk.

And rubbing his fingers with lots of Purell,

He gobbled all the cookies as crumbs 'round him fell!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team sent an e-mail,

And away they all flew like escaping from jail.

But I heard him exclaim, the jolly old recluse,

"Happy Christmas to all, charge nine hours before use."

Switcher frustration

Ced Kurtz — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:44:00 GMT

One of the most frustrating things about using both a Mac and a PC is the command for copying, ctrl c. On the PC it is ctrl c. On the Mac there is a control key in the same position as on the PC, but instead you use the command key with the c for copying. I always do it wrong at least once.