Easily block ads in Safari/Firefox, kill your favorite blogs in the process

While I don't block ads personally, many people do. I personally want to support the sites that I read on a regular basis, and understand that the ad revenue keeps them in business. Without it, your favorite blogs and newspapers will go out of business.

But if you still want to kill the written word as we know it, there's a great new tool for blocking ads on Safari and Firefox on OS X.

Free, open-source application GlimmerBlocker adds a new preference pane to your System Preferences that brings system-wide ad blocking to your Mac.

Just install GlimmerBlocker and let it do its work. You can add custom filters, track your ad-blocking history, and even allow your iPhone or iPod touch to use the GlimmerBlocker filters on your network. Firefox users already have the beloved Adblock Plus extension, but if you ever use a different browser or you'd prefer to manage your ad blocking through a robust preference pane, GlimmerBlocker does the trick.

GlimmerBlocker is a free download, Mac OS X Leopard only. But please, use it responsibly.

Twitter becomes... useful?

It's amazing the ways in which Twitter is being used. What started out as a micro-blogging service for narcissists, is now providing real-time news, organizing people, and insight into the lives of people like Lance Armstrong and Shaq, and people who are next door neighbors but more fascinating that we had imagined.

Over the weekend, a terrifying plane accident in Denver occurred, where a Continental plane slid off the runway at Denver International Airport. How did I hear about it? Was it the local newspaper or television station? No, it was spreading like wildfire on Twitter.

Boulder software engineer Mike Wilson was on the plane, and started twittering what was going on immediately after he escaped the burning wreckage. With the telephone lines overloaded, it provided him contact with friends and family and let them know he was okay. Additionally, it allowed people in Denver to see what was going in a faster and more personal way than the local television stations could offer.

During the attacks in Mumbai, the twitter tag #mumbai providing an amazing real-time look from people on the ground. Everything from the worldwide reaction and sympathy, to the first-hand experiences of those who were experiencing the event first hand. It personalized the news from thousands of miles away, in a way that even TV news couldn't.

I've even used twitter to organize local twitter meetups for networking and meeting other people locally. Some people use it to organize political protests, charity events, news feeds, and more.

Twitter has become a platform without rules, and is therefore a very interesting product development case study.

Since it was never really defined as how to use Twitter, people have used it how they have seen fit to suit their needs. As a result, Twitter has become a popular and useful platform.

The question still remains as to whether Twitter can monitize their business model, but they are on the right track. They have allowed the users to define the product, provided the tools for them to be successful, and then will develop revenue models around the way Twitter is actually being leveraged by users, not on how they think users should utilize Twitter. It's an interesting business case without much precedent.

If you haven't checked out Twitter yet, I encourage you to do so. Because it has no set rules, it can often seem trivial, useless, and difficult to approach for first time users.

I'll be blogging in the coming weeks about successful ways to use twitter depending on your goals. Whether you want to organize friends to do fun stuff, or if you are interested in breaking news, industry knowledge, or a million other avenues, there is a way to use Twitter that is useful for you.

Mac OS X 10.5.6 released with improved MobileMe syncing

Apple has just released Mac OS X 10.5.6 with several fixes and tweaks. Though there are a number of notable improvements included with the update, MobileMe users will rejoice with the improvements to syncing with the service to and from a Mac. "Contacts, calendars, and bookmarks on a Mac automatically sync within a minute of the change being made on the computer, another device, or the web at me.com," according to Apple.

A few other fixes caught our eye as well. Graphics enhancements and performance improvements are included, and there's a fix specifically for those having video distortion issues with certain ATI GPUs. Mail has gotten some small fixes, as well as overall performance and reliability improvements. Networking gets several improvements, including improved Airport connections, particularly when roaming a large network. AFP and TCP connections are improved, as well as compatibility with AT&T 3G networking cards.

Printing from Adobe Creative Suite 3 apps is markedly improved (thank you, Apple!) as well as working with certain Brother and Canon printers via USB. Time Machine also gets some love, particularly when working with a Time Capsule as the backup volume. And, the 10.5.6 update adds a Trackpad System Preference pane for notebooks. If that weren't enough, Mac OS X 10.5.6 Update "improves the performance and reliability of Chess." Yes!

In addition to the bug fixes and improvements, the update contains all the security enhancements included with Security Update 2008-008. Mac OS X 10.5.6 can naturally be installed via Software Update, but delta and combo installers are available as a separate download. Mac OS X Server also gets some 10.5.6 updating as well. In all, it looks to be a solid update for Leopard users.

The Auto Bailout - In One Depressing Image

Click it to see the big version. Sad part, is I do drive a Subaru. I also have a 1955 Chevy, does that count? Well, maybe it counts for the last time American's made good steel cars!

The most awesome thing I've seen all day - Thriller - Bollywood Style.

This guy is a hit with the ladies for sure. And is he yelling "Girly Man"?

What's the connection between the Elves and the Nazis?

Can anybody tell me what movie this is from? I must know.

Nokia unveils the N97

Nokia has unveiled the Nokia N97, claiming it to be the world's most advanced mobile computer. The Nokia N97 combines a large 3.5" touch display with a full QWERTY keyboard, providing an 'always open' window to social networking sites and Internet destinations.

"From the desktop to the laptop and now to your pocket, the Nokia N97 is the most powerful, multi-sensory mobile computer in existence," said Jonas Geust, Vice President, heading Nokia Nseries. "Together with the Ovi services announced today, the Nokia N97 mobile computer adjusts to the world around us, helping stay connected to the people and things that matter most. With the Nokia N97, Nseries leads the charge in helping to transform the Internet into your Internet".

The Nokia N97 introduces the concept of 'social location'. With integrated A-GPS sensors and an electronic compass, the Nokia N97 mobile computer understands where it is. The Nokia N97 makes it easy to update social networks automatically with real-time information, giving approved friends the ability to update their 'status' and share their 'social location' as well as related pictures or videos.

The home screen of the Nokia N97 mobile computer features friends, social networks and news, available by simply touching the home screen. The 16:9 widescreen display can be fully personalized with frequently updated widgets of favorite web services and social networking sites.

The Nokia N97 supports up to 48 GB of storage, including 32 GB of on-board memory, expandable with a 16 GB microSD card for music, media and more. This is complemented by excellent music capabilities, full support for the Nokia Music Store and continuous playback time of up to 1.5 days. The Nokia N97 also has a 5-Megapixel camera with high-quality Carl Zeiss optics, 16:9 and DVD quality video capture, and support for services like Share on Ovi for immediate sharing over HSDPA and WLAN.

The new device N97 is expected to begin shipping in the first half of 2009 at an estimated retail price of EUR 550 before taxes or subsidies.

iPhone 2.2 Firmware Update Available Now - No Cut & Paste Yet

In case you don't know, the new Apple iPhone 2.2 Firmware is out today, as well as the iTunes 8.0.2 update. Go download it NOW, because the new features are impressive. I'm totally bummed there is no CUT & PASTE yet though.

Here's a list of the new features.

• Enhancements to Maps
  • Google Street View*
  • Public transit and walking directions
  • Display address of dropped pins
  • Share location via email
• Decrease in call setup failures and dropped calls

• Enhancements to Mail
  • Resolved isolated issues with scheduled fetching of email
  • Improved formatting of wide HTML email
• Podcasts are now available for download in iTunes application (over Wi-Fi and cellular network)

• Improved stability and performance of Safari
• Improved sound quality of Visual Voicemail messages
• Pressing Home button from any Home screen displays the first Home screen
• Preference to turn on/off auto-correction in Keyboard Settings

BlackBerry Storm Review Roundup

The BlackBerry Storm, Verizon and RIM’s answer to Apple’s iPhone, reviews are in. Here's a cheat cheat of the most important ones. Is it an iPhone killer?

• Walt Mossberg. The Wall Street Journal. BlackBerry’s Storm Presses Into the Touch-Phone Fray: Mixed positive. He likes the high-res camera (which does video), the replaceable battery, the push e-mail, the ability to cut-and-paste, the corporate security features and Verizon’s 3G network — an improvement over AT&T’s. He misses Wi-Fi, however, and he’s not particularly fond of the so-called SurePress touchscreen. “The feature does provide a more reassuring confirmation that a key has been struck or an icon has been clicked than the mere visual feedback one receives from the iPhone. But neither I, nor any of the several BlackBerry addicts I asked to try it out, considered typing on the Storm’s keyboard to be very similar to using the keyboard of a traditional full-sized BlackBerry.” (link)

• Joshua Topolsky. Engadget. BlackBerry Storm review: “The selling points are easy: the phone is gorgeous to look at and hold, it’s designed and backed by RIM (now almost a household name thanks to their prevalence in the business and entertainment markets), and it’s packed with features that, at first glance, make it seem not only as good as the iPhone, but better. The only hitch in this plan is a major one: it’s not as easy, enjoyable, or consistent to use as the iPhone, and the one place where everyone is sure they have an upper hand — that wow-inducing clickable screen — just isn’t all that great.” (link)

• Daniel Dumas. Wired.com. RIM’s First Touchscreen Device Almost Eclipses the iPhone: “WIRED Click screen is a revelation for touch compatible devices. Converts iTunes to BlackBerry media without breaking a sweat. Included GSM card means the Storm is a true globetrotter - it can work in virtually any foreign port. Photos, video, and text pop like Ice Cube’s AK (on a bad day). Posh fit and finish look rich enough to buy YOU dinner. — TIRED OS lag on a piece of hardware this gorgeous is unacceptable. Scrolling through menus is jagged, slow, and pokey. Accelerometer sometimes takes a good 5-10 seconds to orient itself. Lack of Wi-Fi is lame. Verizon’s totalitarian control over the Storm’s OS is even lamer.” (link)

• Yardena Arar. PC World. BlackBerry’s Storm: Awkward and Disappointing: “The decision by Research in Motion to differentiate the Storm by giving its capacitive touch screen a mechanical component (the entire screen functions as a button for confirming selections or initiating actions) turns out to be more confusing than helpful. Ultimately, the Storm’s touch interface feels like a failed experiment. — It’s too bad, because the Storm has some nice features and makes a great first impression.” (link)

• The Boy Genius. The Boy Genius Report. Verizon BlackBerry Storm review: “The good thing is that this is, afterall, a BlackBerry, and once you get past accepting that there will be some hiccups, it’s really not all that bad. It’s a great phone, a very good device for email, a really good media player, and a decent web browsing machine. You’ll just have to decide what your priorities are in a mobile device and see if the Storms meets that.” (link)

So what do yo uthink? Is this the BlackBerry for you? Is it an iPhone killer?

Personally, until RIM/Blackberry can effectively handle multiple IMAP email accounts - including folder management - it's dead to me.

Mozilla Launches Fashion Your Firefox and Makes It Easy to Customize the Browsing Experience

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – November 18, 2008 - Mozilla today released Fashion Your Firefox®, a new Web application that enables Firefox users to customize their browser based on their interests and online activities. With Fashion Your Firefox, add-ons that fit people’s online lifestyles are organized in easy to discover ways and are available for installation in just a few easy clicks.

Fashion Your Firefox presents add-ons in activity-based categories that make them easy to find and install. Add-ons are tiny pieces of software that add new features or functionality to Firefox, letting people customize their browser to meet their tastes. There are currently more than 1 billion downloads of Firefox add-ons.

Categories in Fashion Your Firefox include:

• Shutterbug: View and share pictures and videos online
• Rock Star: Listen to music while surfing, working, emailing or researching online
• News Junkie: Get the most up-to-date news and weather
• Shopaholic: Shop and take advantage of online deals
• Digital Pack Rat: Keep track of favorite sites, bookmarks and blogs
• Social Butterfly: Share, bookmark, and e-mail web pages via an array of social networking & bookmarking sites
• Finder and Seeker: Find and make information on the Web more relevant
• Decorator: Apply browser themes
• Executive Assistant: Organize online activities

“One of the best parts about Firefox is the amazing richness of our 5,000-plus free add-ons,” said Mike Shaver, vice president of engineering at Mozilla. “We’re excited to introduce Fashion Your Firefox because it makes it even easier for people to discover useful add-ons that make the browsing experience better and more personal.”

“StumbleUpon helps millions of users discover new Web content based on their interests. With Fashion Your Firefox, we look forward to introducing personalized Web discovery to a much larger audience,” says Garrett Camp, co-founder and chief architect at StumbleUpon.

“Firefox’s robust add-ons platform allows us to create the most dynamic and intuitive media navigation experience, and we’re very excited about the mainstream potential of the 'Fashion Your Firefox' release,” says Josh Schwarzapel, a co-founder of Cooliris.

“At Foxmarks we improve the online experience for consumers by keeping bookmarks in sync and accessible across multiple computers, anytime, anywhere. Fashion Your Firefox helps us connect with Firefox users in a personalized way,” said James Joaquin, CEO, Foxmarks.

For more information about Fashion Your Firefox and how it can help customize your browser, visit www.fashionyourfirefox.com.

Steve Jobs Flipping off IBM (Pic)

Check out this great picture of Steve Jobs flipping off IBM in the mid 1980s. A rare moment captured. It looks like a picture of a picture.

Ubuntu to get prettier than OS X?

Word on the street is that Ubuntu is going to get prettified in the near future.


Well, maybe not that prettified.

From the original article:

When Mark Shuttleworth, the man behind Canonical/Ubuntu, made the comment that Ubuntu should be prettier than Apple OSX in near term I got excited - the man was absolutely right. It doesn’t matter how customizable and operating is, or how good can you make it look with some effort if it does look bad out of the box. The out-of-the-box experience is the key to reach the average users, and if that is not aesthetically pleasing a lot of effort is needed to win the user back. Interestingly Ubuntu with their orange/brown themes and very basic Gnome looks is possibly the worst looking distribution out of the major players. So here comes release 8.10, the Intrepid Ibex - a first step to the direction of making Ubuntu look good? We’ll see about that…
....
Unfortunately the Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex does not live up to it’s name. It lacks any ground braking changes, innovation in design or brave new approaches on the visuals and usability.

One of my biggest complaints with Linux is the lack of a truly streamlined desktop experience. Each developer takes their own route for user interface and "prettification". This mean inconsistent menus, strange window behaviors, and even conflicting theming options that seeming to fight each other for control. I'm not a n00b, I've been running Linux for over 8 years now.

The real problem is, to impose usability standards on applications goes against the open-source grain of exploration and creativity in problem solving. There is no Steve Jobs to force developers into doing it in any particular way, and developers don't want that either. End users are another story.

I'd also argue that "pretty" is not vital to an OS, but usable is. Therein lies the rub for me. Until Linux runs Photoshop natively, it's usability as a desktop for me is dimished. Also, OS X has the pretty interface and the BSD based functionality to make it a daily driver operating system.

That being said, all of my servers are some flavor of linux.

So for now, I'd say embrace Linux for what it is - a user-friendly distribution with serious horsepower under the hood for power users. If you haven't tried it, and you are a Windows user, you should. Immediately. For OS X users, your mileage may vary.

Sony XPERIA X1 gets reviewed!

Engadget has just reviewed the XPERIA X1, and it looks like a phone worth having. The only issue is the Windows Mobile operating system.

In almost every other way, though, the XPERIA X1 shines. The battery life is stellar, the browsing in Opera is delightful, the VGA resolution is drool-worthy and the integrated camera isn't too shabby, either. This here truly is a case of matching up the pros and cons with your specific needs and determining which list outweighs the other. Now, if someone figures out how to get Android up and running on this thing, we wouldn't say a "wholehearted recommendation" would be too far from the realm of feasibility.

Read the entire XPERIA X1 Review at Engaget.

Parallels 4.0 released for OS X - DirectX support and 50% faster

Parallels today announced the availability of version 4.0 of Parallels Desktop for Mac, a product that currently enables more than 1.5 million users to run Windows, Linux and other operating systems side-by-side with Mac OS X. This new version of the Parallels Desktop for Mac improves OS integration, performs up to 50% faster and incorporates a range of security, backup and power saving features to give Mac users a truly easy, fast and powerful desktop computing solution.Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac introduces support for DirectX 9.0, DirectX Pixel Shader 2.0 and OpenGL 2.0, providing fast video performance, while the Adaptive Hypervisor dynamically allocates resources to meet user needs. The responsiveness to all applications is further enhanced as the virtualization engine has been optimized to consume 15-30% less resources than previous versions.

Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac addresses two other primary user concerns: security and backup. The software offers users peace of mind through Parallels Internet Security powered by Kaspersky for anti-virus, firewall, scanner, recovery, filtering and identity protection as well as Acronis True Image Home backup and restore and Acronis Disk Director Suite. These three additions to Parallels Desktop represent $175 in extra value along with a more complete user experience.

With more than 50 new features, additional highlights include a redesigned user interface with quick access to all VMs, additional Screenview modes, Clips for screenshots, Speech Recognition, Security Manager, Safe Mode, Shut Down Mode and Over 45 Supported Guest OSs.

Availability and Pricing
Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac is available in English and localized versions will soon be available in Chinese, Czech, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Polish and Russian.

In-depth information on Parallels Desktop 4.0’s new features and major improvements, as well as videos and screenshots of key features in action, are available at www.parallels.com/products/desktop.

What if The Matrix ran on Windows XP?

Freakin' Hilarious.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

BlackBerry Storm Price set at $89.99, Delayed Due to Software Glitch

According to Gizmodo the BlackBerry Storm's original November 14 launch date has been delayed again because of a "software glitch". The good news is the price looks very competitive, and it is going to be in direct competition against the iPhone for business users. The price will be no more than $89.99 for companies with a 2 year contract.

It appears that Research In Motion and Verizon are feeling the heat as the iPhone keeps pushing up in the enterprise.

It will be available for $199.99 with a two year contract. For companies the price will be no greater than $89.99, also with a 2 year contract.

The new release date is November 23. Delayed due to software. We should have final pricing by Friday this week, should have amendment ready by next Wednesday.

The global rate plan and data tethering will probably be rolled into one code. Test devices will be available next week.

Pricing has not been set for consumers though. Looks like an interesting phone to say the least.

Best Obama street art I've seen today - Barack Obama as a Chicago Bull

Barack Obama as a Chicago Bull, how appropriate. This one is a few blocks from my place in downtown Denver, and was so good I just had to share it with the interwebs.

It's amazing to me how Barack Obama has inspired so many artists to rally on his behalf. Certainly John Kerry and George Bush never inspired this kind of grass-roots following and adoration.

RIM Blackberry Bold Review

PCWorld.com has a full review of the Blackberry Bold that is pretty revealing.

The BlackBerry Bold 9000, Research in Motion's formidable contender in the 3G market, has finally arrived. And though the Bold boasts a sleek design, a sharp display, and high-speed connectivity, it fails to impress in other areas--particularly, its call quality and its camera's image quality. As enticing as this phone is, its faults may prevent the Bold from justifying its steep price tag (the phone costs $300 with a two-year AT&T contract, and $680 with no contract).

Read the whole article here. I think I'll stick with my iPhone.

Awesomely Geeky Halloween Pumpkins

So you might as well know, Halloween is my favorite holiday. But seeing as I am a bit of a geek, I thought I'd share some of these geeky Halloween gems with you while I prepare for my awesome Halloween party tonight. Enjoy!

Best pumpkin carving ever, The Death Star!
The Red Ring of Death pumpkin truly is scary.

I think this pumpkin is a Cylon...or maybe it's just a Pumpkin? I can never tell.

Super creative R2D2 Pumpkin (am I seeing a pattern of Stars Wars and obsessive geeks?)

Who loves Mario? We do!

A favorite of mine, the Pac-Man Pumpkins...

Or some Pumpkin Pi?

Maybe a Dwight Schrute pumpkin?

How about a Firefox pumpkin?

Here's an obligatory Linux Pumpkin to end it all off.

Hope you had fun!

MTV puts ALL music videos online

In a move near and dear to my heart, MTV is putting their entire catalog of music videos online for users to watch or even embed in their own sites. Freakin' awesome!

MTV Music expands upon the music video offerings already posted to MTV.com by offering an entire back catalogue of videos that go all the way to when music videos were born. The library includes more than 16,000 videos, sprinkled with "exclusive" MTV concert footage and MTV "Unplugged" performances that used to be all the rage. And that's just the beginning. According to a blog post on MTV's Splash Page, more videos are being added by the day, so even if your favorite Paula Abdul selections haven't been posted yet, they probably will make it up eventually.

Judging from Today's most popular videos, including Dire Straights, Duran Duran, Talking Heads, the Buggles, and other classics, it looks like this is really speaking to the generation that misses the MUSIC and not the REAL WORLD and other reality nonsense.

Like YouTube, MTV Music allows users to not only watch videos on the site, but to also leave comment, give ratings, and embed the videos on their blogs or personal websites.

Check it out here: http://www.mtvmusic.com/

And now, for one of my favorite videos of all time:

Radiohead |MTV Music

G1 Google Android Phone has major security flaw

From NYTimes.com

One of the researchers, Charles A. Miller, notified Google of the flaw this week and said he was publicizing it now because he believed that cellphone users were not generally aware that increasingly sophisticated smartphones faced the same threats that plague Internet-connected personal computers.

Mr. Miller, a former National Security Agency computer security specialist, said the flaw could be exploited by an attacker who might trick a G1 user into visiting a booby-trapped Web site.

Read the whole article here.

I wonder how serious this really is though, since it requires the user to be tricked into visiting a "booby-trapped" website. I don't think this is as major as people are making it out to be.

6 Tips for getting the most out of Google Android

1. Replace the Bundled Music Player With TuneWiki
Android's bundled Music program is fairly weak and clunky. Our suggestion: Ditch it and pick up TuneWiki off the Android Market. It's easier to use than the bundled Music program, and has a lot more features (such as a fun karaoke function that searches for lyrics online and runs them with your song as it plays). Of course, you can download TuneWiki to any iPhone, but only if it is jailbroken and unlocked (which would void its warranty). This difference is emblematic of one of the key distinctions between Android and the iPhone—Android doesn't ban applications that compete with or replace its own programs.

2. Use "Any Cut" To Put a Shortcut to Goog-411 On Your Home Screen
One of our favorite downloadable Android applications is a little program called Any Cut, which allows you to litter your home screen with shortcuts to any program, phone number, text-message recipient or menu setting. Use this program to create a home-screen speed dial to Goog-411—Google's free directory assistance number—to cut the number of clicks it takes to get your digits-on-demand down to one. Bonus tip: Create a shortcut to text message GOOGLE (466453) for when calling's just not convenient.

3. Play VIdeos in MPEG-4 H.264
The G1 has no built-in video player. That's what the Android Market is for. When we were testing the phone, there was only one true video playback program available: Video Player. And while this program can only play MPEG-4 movie files, we should soon see other video-playing programs that will be able to handle all sorts of codecs. However, even when these options become available, you'll still want to play your movies in MPEG-4 H.264 compression whenever possible. This is because the G1 has built-in hardware acceleration that makes this specific video format run extra smooth. Future programs will probably run Divx and Xvid and all those great files you've collected from Bittorrent, but the programs' on-the-fly decryption and viewing will be far more taxing on the software, which could mean lags.

4. Search Google Maps From Front Page Widget
The G1's default home screen features a Google search widget. While this obviously makes Google Web searches quicker, it is also is a quick way to tap into Google Maps. When you type the name of a place or location, you are given a typical Google search results page, with a map location at the top. Click this result, and the phone asks you whether you want to switch out of the browser and into the Maps program to finish your query.

5. Use the Hard Search Key
If there's one company that understands the value of search, it's Google. And one of the best parts of the G1's physical keyboard is its hard search key (the one that looks like a little magnifying glass.) Pressing it from the home screen brings up the Google search bar. This is great, but what's more interesting is its use within individual Google-made programs like YouTube and Maps, where pressing it brings up a search bar specific to that program, allowing you to find what you're looking for in an app easily and quickly.

6. Focus Before Shooting
Camera phones are notorious for their blurry shots. The G1's autofocus tries to change this: When you half-press the camera button on the side of the phone, it engages the autofocus (anybody who has autofocused with a stand-alone camera will find this familiar). When it's done focusing, a green circle pops up in the corner of the screen, letting you know it's time to take the shot by completely depressing the button. So remember when shooting to wait for the green circle for better, Facebook-worthy results.

Krunking you can believe in - Obama/McCain Dance-Off

I don't know exactly how they do this, but this is awesome enough for me to post.


Unbelievable McCain Vs. Obama Dance-Off - Watch more free videos

How to easily sync iCal with Google Calendars

Google has finally opened up their calendar system to sync with iCal and Mozilla Sunbird. That's good news for us out there who want to keep our calendars up to date wherever we are.

There is capability for real two-way sync of your online Gmail calendars with iCal. You can set up multiple calendars with what appears to be full iCal functionality, and have them "push" changes to Google.

To set up CalDAV support for Google Calendar in iCal, follow these steps:

1. Open the iCal application by going to Finder > Applications > iCal
2. From the iCal menu bar, select Preferences.
3. Under the Accounts tab, click the "+" sign to add an account. (Do not select any checkboxes in the Accounts tab.)
4. In the pop-up screen, enter the following information:

   Description: This will be the title for your CalDAV calendar list
   Username: This is the complete email address you use with Google Calendar (including the part after the @ sign). If you're using Google Apps, be sure to enter your Google Apps email address.
   Password: This is the password you use to sign in to Google Calendar

5. In the Server Options drop-down, enter [ https://www.google.com/calendar/dav/ [ your Google Calendar email address ] /user ] as your Account URL.

   For example, if the email address used to access your Google Calendar is calendarfriend@gmail.com, the Account URL would be https://www.google.com/calendar/dav/calendarfriend@gmail.com/user

   Be sure to use https in your URL, as an http address will not work.

   

6. Click Add, and wait five to seven minutes while the initial sync takes place. (All subsequent syncs are instantaneous.)

Your Google Calendar will now appear in iCal's list of calendars, and iCal will sync any changes to and from Google Calendar.

Event information will automatically refresh every 15 minutes. You can change this interval by opening the iCal > Preferences > Accounts menu and selecting a new refresh interval under the "Refresh calendars" drop-down. Keep in mind you can also force a refresh by pressing the "Apple" and "R" keys at the same time.



Add secondary calendars

To view secondary calendars in Apple's iCal, follow the instructions below for each calendar you'd like to enable:

1. Sign in to Google Calendar.
2. In the calendar list on the left, click the down-arrow button next to the appropriate calendar, then select Calendar Settings. (Alternatively, click on "Manage Calendars" at the bottom of the calendar list, then click on the name of the appropriate calendar.)
3. In the Calendar Address section, locate the "Calendar ID."

   

4. Copy the email address displayed after "Calendar ID:"
5. Open the iCal application (Finder > Applications > iCal).
6. Follow steps 2-4 from the Enable Google Calendar in iCal section above.
7. Under Server Options, enter [ https://www.google.com/calendar/dav/ [ Calendar ID ] /user ] as your Account URL.

   (e.g. https://www.google.com/calendar/dav/7oddefoo1ltvq0psfhbp8vs4gc@group.calendar.google.com/user)

Make your own iPhone app in minutes from any RSS feed

AppLoop launched a mobile application generator which lets you turn any RSS feed into a mobile application for either iPhone (available today) or Android (coming soon). The new new Mobile Application Generator, a creates iPhone ready application in less than two minutes.

Using the tool is simple: you just enter in a blog URL or RSS feed in the box provided in order to get started. Next, you enter in the name of your application. There's an option for you to upload your own image to use as the logo which appears on the launch screen. If you choose not to add an image, the AppLoop logo will display the app launches.

The generator will automatically select a color scheme that matches the first image found in your site's code. You can customize this color scheme if you wish by selecting one of the preset schemes available or you can create your own.

Read all about it here.

T-Mobile's G1, Google Andriod Review Round-ups, Verdict: Wait.

The first reviews of T-Mobile's G1 Android phone are in. Check it out.

The New York Times: “So there’s your G1 report card: software, A-. Phone, B-. Network, C. But get psyched. Although the ungainly T-Mobile G1 is the first Android phone, it won’t be the last; Android phones will soon come in all shapes and sizes, and on all kinds of networks. With so many cooks, it’s unlikely that any of them will achieve the beauty, simplicity and design purity of the iPhone…. Even so, Android itself is very successful. Clearly, there’s a sizable audience for phones that have the touchy, easy-to-navigate fun of an iPhone, without such an extreme philosophy of feature minimalism. If that’s you, then you should welcome the Android era with open eyes and ears.

CrunchGear: “If you’ve been waiting for Android then I suggest you keep waiting. The overall OS seems to be held together by duct tape and needs a lot of work…. The hardware design is dated and while the touch-screen and keyboard are great you can’t just forget about the wretched battery life, horrible GPS and the overall ergonomics of it. I wish the G1 were better in every respect because I don’t think the iPhone is that great, but I find myself wishing it were more like it. It’s the best alternative to the iPhone, but it’s just not there yet.”

Engadget: “The G1 isn’t going to blow anyone’s mind right out of the gate. Looking only at the hardware, there’s nothing here that’s particularly impressive, yet nothing that’s particularly bad (though the GPS needs some work). It’s a fine, solidly designed device that has enough style to please most users — but it won’t win a ton of beauty pageants. Think of it this way: if it were running Windows Mobile, it’d be a footnote in HTC’s history. At the end of the day, however, this isn’t about the hardware, and really never was. The story here is Android and what it promises… though doesn’t necessarily deliver on at first. Like any paradigm shift, it’s going to take time.”

So let's see, bulky hardware, buggy software. I'd say wait until a slimmer device has been released with more solid software and immediately available apps.

40 of the Best Finder Keyboard Shortcuts for OS X

Anybody who has used OS X for a short period of time knows that keyboard shortcuts make your life much simpler. Here's a collection of 40 OS X keyboard shortcuts that you should know. It turns you into a power user, and helps speed up your everyday workflow.

1	Command-A	Select All Items
2	Command-C	Copy Selected Items
3	Command-D	Duplicate Selected Items
4	Command-F	Search with Spotlight
5	Command-G	Find Next Matched Search
6	Command-H	Hide Window
7	Command-I	Open Get Info (Property) Pane
8	Command-J	Show View Options
9	Command-K	Connect to Server
10	Command-L	Make Alias of Selected Items
11	Command-M	Minimize Window
12	Command-N	Open New Window
13	Command-O	Open Selected Items
14	Command-T	Copy Items to Sidebar
15	Command-V	Paste Items
16	Command-W	Close Finder Window
17	Command-Z	Undo Action
18	Command-1	View as Icons
19	Command-2	View as Lists
20	Command-3	View as Columns
21	Command-4	View as Coverflow
22	Command-Shift-A	Go to Application Folder
23	Command-Shift-B	Open Bluetooth
24	Command-Shift-C	Go to My Computer
25	Command-Shift-G	Open Address Bar
26	Command-Shift-H	Go to Home Folder
27	Command-Shift-I	Connect to iDisk
28	Command-Shift-J	Open Journler (If Any)
29	Command-Shift-K	Go to Network Folder
30	Command-Shift-L	Go to Safari
31	Command-Shift-N	Create New Folder
32	Command-Shift-Q	Log Out
33	Command-Shift-U	Go to Utility Folder
34	Command-Shift-Y	Attach to Stickies
35	Command-Option-D	Hide the Dock
36	Command-Option-M	Minimize All Windows
37	Command-Option-O	Open File and Close Finder
38	Command-Option-T	Hide Toolbar
39	Command-Option-W	Close All Windows
40	Command-R	Show Original (From Alias)

Firefox 3.1 Beta is now available to download, and it's FAST

Firefox 3.1 Beta 1 is now available for download. This milestone is focused on testing the core functionality provided by many new features and changes to the platform scheduled for Firefox 3.1. Ongoing planning for Firefox 3.1 can be followed at the Firefox 3.1 Planning Center, as well as in mozilla.dev.planning and on irc.mozilla.org in #shiretoko.

New features and changes in this milestone that require feedback include:

• Web standards improvements in the Gecko layout engine
• Added support for CSS 2.1 and CSS 3 properties
• A new tab-switching shortcut that shows previews of the tab you’re switching to
• Improved control over the Smart Location Bar using special characters to restrict your search
• Support for new web technologies such as the

More information about new web developer features are available in the Web Tech blog post.

Testers can download Firefox 3.1 Beta 1 builds for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux in 36 different languages. Developers should also read the Firefox 3.1 for Developers article on the Mozilla Developer Center.

Steve Jobs says Blu-Ray is too complicated, will most likely delay it on Apple products.

From Steve Jobs' notebook keynote today came an interesting quote:

"Blu-ray is just a bag of hurt. It's great to watch the movies, but the licensing of the tech is so complex, we're waiting till things settle down and Blu-ray takes off in the marketplace." Phil chimed in with "We have the best HD movie and TV options in iTunes."

Jobs also replied, when asked about the dearth of HDMI in his introductions, that HDMI was "limited in resolution,". Philip Schiller further elaborated by saying that "for typical computer use, DisplayPort is the connector of the future."

That puts fear in the heart of many Apple loving home theater enthusiasts. Seems Blu-Ray support is a ways off for now.

How to setup a Speed Dial Homepage on Safari and Firefox

It is now possible to have nine of your most-used sites as a homepage in Safari, quickly accessible by pressing numbers 1 to 9, just like the Opera browser. Unfortunately, unlike Opera, Safari Dial is an online app.

The sites are presented with screenshots of the pages. No registration is necessary, and your unique homepage can be accessed from multiple computers. This online app also works fine on Firefox (and probably other browsers), and makes a good alternative to Firefox's Speed Dial extension.

Another option for FireFox is to use Fast Dial.

Happy browsing!

OpenOffice for OS X finally goes native on Intel Macs

OpenOffice has released version 3 of its eponymous open-source alternative to Microsoft Office, which finally includes a native version for Mac OS X, although it does appear to be Intel powered systems only - no PPC.

According to Insanely Great Mac, the software includes:

• ODF 1.2 Support
• Microsoft Office 2007 Import Filters
• Solver component which allows solving optimization problems
• Support for displaying custom error bars and regression equations
• Improved Crop Feature in Draw and Impress

The software is only available for Macs with Intel processors. There are projects for converting OpenOffice for PowerPC, but an official version was not included in this 3.0.0 release.

OpenOffice's site is running very slowly this morning due to the demand for the new release, but the official download link is here. There are mirrors available, and this one seemed to work for me. For Mac users, the file to download includes MacOSXIntel_AQUA_install in the name.

Hope for Windows Mobile yet, Firefox on Windows Mobile emerge

Firefox Mobile on Windows Mobile is very real indeed, and soon to be out for all of us to try. Reporting an Acid3 Test score of 88/100, the mobile web browser is nearly complete in the screenshots that have surfaced.


The address bar is similar to Safari on the iPhone, but it definitely looks like something from the Firefox 3 family with the addition of website favicons. Screenshots also show a really unique way for web surfers to visualize what tabs are open in Firefox Mobile. Mozilla may be foregoing traditional 'forward', 'stop', and 'back' buttons located in the address bar. Instead, the screenshots show on-page text boxes that indicate these actions.

It might just be enough to make Windows Mobile tolerable.

Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic Reviews

Even though Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic isn't coming out until 2009, the reviews are already starting to trickle in.

Early reviews indicate that call quality is solid, the new touch Symbian OS was mostly stable, and the display was a clear and easy to and interact with. Early reviewers had didn't find anything too negative to say about the phone. The reviewers noted that this is the handset for anyone after a "well-rounded, do-it-all solution."

Reviewers also stated that the Nokia 5800 and the iPhone were really two different types of phones not really worth comparing, and they gave the overall advantage to the Tube (sounds like they did compare then).

...the Nokia 5800's positioning shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out - it's simply the most feature-rich and affordable touchscreen device with a focus on music. Furthermore, you won't find any other phone that can come close to it in terms of price/quality ratio. Windows Mobile devices are by no means "multimedia-ready", so the only other way to go is the Apple iPhone - however, retailing for twice as much, it's not much of a mobile phone per se. And the Nokia 5800 makes it clear that the real price of the Apple iPhone 3G should revolve around 300-350 USD before subsidies. All in all, I suggest we wait until December and see how Apple will alter their pricing policy in view of Nokia's latest efforts on the touchscreen playground.

Let's hope all this new iPhone competition means we'll all be rockin' cheap iPhone style smartphones with endless apps within the next 2-years.

Read the whole review and check out the beautiful pictures here.

Lightbulbs instead of WiFI? I don't think so.

Boston University's College of Engineering researchers are pushing an interesting concept. They want the light bulbs of the future to be the highway your data gets carried along.

A team at the school is working on low-power LEDs which could utilize an optical communication system to carry data wirelessly. Using a technique which rapidly switches the LEDs on and off data transmissions could be made via imperceptible -- yet undoubtedly brain-scrambling -- flickering patterns, and each light would be its own network entry point at speeds of 1 to 10Mbps.

The concept is more secure than current RF techniques because it requires linked devices be in line-of-sight, and the technology would draw far less energy than conventional radios. Says professor Thomas Little, "Imagine if your computer, iPhone, TV, radio and thermostat could all communicate with you when you walked in a room just by flipping the wall light switch and without the usual cluster of wires."

Interesting, very interesting indeed.

Apple is debuting new laptops next Tuesday

The rumors were true folks. Apple is staging an invitation-only Town Hall event in Cupertino next Tuesday, October 14th at 10AM PST. It's absolutely safe to say they'll be showing off new laptops - both MacBook and MacBook Pro systems. Will this be an unveiling of a whole new form factor? Will this "Brick" mystery be put to bed? Will they come in rainbow colors? What's your guess?

Update: Looks like they might be unveiling an $800 laptop - that would be an incredible step forward.

Enable landscape mode for iPhone email client

One of the big problems I have with the Phone is that I prefer to type in landscape mode at all times due to my chubby fingers. As a result, I always end up turning my iPhone sideways when responding to emails, only to find the phone doesn't turn with me. Apple has locked the email app to be portrait only.

Thankfully, a new iPhone application called TouchType fixes the problem. Open the application and you get a landscape mode keypad. type an email, hit the send button and it auto-populates the email application. Type in the email addresses and you’re all set.

Be advised that it does cost $.99, but if you have large fingers like me, it's worth every penny!

Steve Wozniak, Apple Co-Founder, wants the iPod to die

Steve Wozniak laments about Apple Trends in a recent article with the Telegraph, and specifically indicates that he'd like to see the iPod go away.

The iPod has sort of lived a long life at number one," he says. "Things like, that if you look back to transistor radios and Walkmans, they kind of die out after a while.

"It's kind of like everyone has got one or two or three. You get to a point when they are on display everywhere, they get real cheap and they are not selling as much."

He also rants against the iPhone 3G. Interesting read, if not groundbreaking. What has he really done lately?

Check out the whole article here.

Touchscreen Blackberry, Verizon Debuts the Blackberry Storm as iPhone Competitor, syncs with iTunes

Tuesday night, Research In Motion and Verizon Wireless officially introduced the first touch-screen BlackBerry to the world called BlackBerry Storm. Time will tell if it is truly the corporate answer to the iPhone.


Also known by its code name, BlackBerry Thunder, the Storm features a touch-sensitive display that's unlike that on any other touch-screen smartphone available today, thanks to RIM's own twist (more on this below). There are plenty of other highlights as well, including dual-mode functionality, support for Verizon's EV-DO Rev. A, integrated GPS, BlackBerry OS 4.7, and more.

Specific release date and pricing were not announced, but Verizon said the Storm would be out by the holiday season with "competitive" pricing.

Rather than provide haptic feedback (or none at all), RIM developed something completely new called ClickThrough, which consists of a suspension system that lies beneath the display, so that when you go to select an application or enter text, you actually push the screen down like you would any other tactile button.

In terms of text extry, the BlackBerry Storm features a SureType keyboard when the smartphone is in portrait mode and then switches to a full QWERTY keyboard in landscape mode. The Storm has a built-in accelerometer so it will automatically rotate the screen depending on if the phone is held vertically or horizontally (left- and right-hand support included). The letter/number keys also glow blue when you're typing.

The Storm offers dual-mode functionality, meaning that the phone switches automatically between CDMA and GSM networks to offer seamless international roaming--all while keeping the same phone number. (Note that the phone does not support domestic GSM bands, and a SIM card is included in the box.) It also works on Verizon's EV-DO Rev. A network as well as Europe's 2100MHz UMTS/HSDPA band. There's a full HTML Web browser (no Flash), and the Storm will also support Verizon's V Cast Music and Mobile TV services, though not immediately at launch.

Other wireless options include Bluetooth 2.0 with support for stereo Bluetooth headsets and dial-up networking and GPS but no Wi-Fi. BlackBerry Maps is onboard if you want text-based turn-by-turn directions, but for more advanced navigation features, such as voice prompts, you'll be forced to use Verizon's VZ Navigator service.



Though the BlackBerry is historically known more as a business device, RIM and Verizon hope to attract more consumers with the BlackBerry Storm and it comes with a number of multimedia capabilities. The media player can handle various music and video formats, including MP3, AAC, WMA, WMV, MPEG4, and H.264. The included Media Sync software will also help you synchronize your iTunes files with your BlackBerry. The Storm is equipped with a 3.2-megapixel camera with video recording, auto focus, and flash.

Finally, it will come preloaded with instant-messaging clients (Yahoo, Windows Live, AOL, and ICQ) and a number of social-networking apps, including Facebook, MySpace, and Flickr. You'll also be able to download more programs over the air through the new BlackBerry App Center.

Knowing Blackberry, it will cost an arm and a leg initially, attracting CEOs only for a while, and then eventually filter down to the masses with a $49 contract price 1-2 years later.

Auto Dashboards of the Future

Check out this interesting post at my favorite auto blog Jalopnik on what the dashboards of the future will be looking like. I'm a car guy, and a gadget guy, and this makes me happy. Click on the picture below for more.


Of course, nothing compares to the dashboard of my 1955 Chevy for pure class, but these are pretty cool nonetheless.

Read the whole story here The 14 Most Futuristic Dashboards On The 2008 Paris Show Floor

My Apple Boot Camp White Screen of Death Experience

So, I use a Sony eReader called the PRS-505. It's a great little eBook that keeps me informed on a daily basis. On problem, I'm an OS X guy, and Sony only supports Windows. That hasn't been a problem because I use OS X/Linux based software called Calibre to manage my eBooks - most of which can be found in a compatible .lit format.

However, last night I noticed the announcment of the PRS-700 included support for DRM Adobe PDF books with reflow. This is big news, because my library supports that format, which means I can check out hundreds of library books without going to the library! For free!

Great news right? Well, in order to make it work on the PRS-505 I need a firmware update, through the Windows only Sony application.

No problem, I have some old registered copies of XP from a previous life, and Boot Camp will allow me to put it on my MacBook no problem right?

Wrong. Boot Camp created a 10 Gigabyte partition, asked for the XP CD, then rebooted. Well, when I tried to install XP, it only shows me the entire HD partition, not the 10 Gigabyte partition that Boot Camp was going to create for Windows.

I immediately cancelled the install, and when the system rebooted I was greeted with a WSOD (White Screen of Death). No amount of refreshing, rebooting, resetting PRAM etc, made it go away. Holding option down only showed me a Windows partition on boot. Screwed.

I booted into the OS X DVD, and the Disk Repair Utility didn't even recognize a single partition on the HD. Only one option, a complete re-install.

Did I backup? Well, not really. I use my iDisk for all my files, so those were safe. But lots of misc files were located throughout the system. All toast.

Long and the short, I had to take a day completely reinstall my laptop, losing a whole day of work. I'm going to try it again tomorrow with a Vista install to see if I can get it to work.

All this to get free library books, and the library is only a 5-block walk. I'm thinking it might not be worth it.

Making house music with PI

This software is called the “Pi House Generator”, and randomly generates house music using the number π . Much like the number itself, the music stream never repeats and constantly continues to evolve.

From Paul :

“The software progressively calculates the sequence of digits in pi, starting at 3.14 and progressing towards infinity. As the program calculates the digits, it feeds the results into an algorithmic music generator containing my structural criteria for house music. The resulting piece of house music is infinitely long and static and never repeats itself.

The number of processor cycles required to calculate pi increase with the number of digits it is calculated to. After months or years of playing the song, any fixed computer hardware will be unable to calculate the digits fast enough for the song to play continuously.

The rate that the number of processor cycles increase per pi-digits is bound by the formula Z*log(N); however based on Moore’s Law, processor power per dollar increases at an exponential rate - doubling every two years. BY upgrading computers regularly with market trends, the song can be played indefinitely.”

You can listen to a sample of the stream right here (mirror ). There is also a one hour long clip here.

If you want to geek out about π , go here .

Check out the project here.

Run a hacked copy of Windows, and Microsoft will hex your PC

According to PC World, Bad Things Happen to Unlicensed Windows Users:

Companies that rely on unlicensed copies of Windows are more likely to experience system failures and lose customer data, Microsoft Corp. said Tuesday, citing a company-sponsored report.

According to the research, which was conducted by the Harrison Group Inc. but paid for by Microsoft, mid-sized firms -- those with more than 24 PCs and fewer than 500 -- were 43% more likely to have had a critical system failure lasting more then 24 hours if they used unlicensed Windows.

Those businesses were also 28% more likely to lose customer data and 73% more likely to lose their own data than firms exclusively using licensed copies of Microsoft's software.

It's the curse of Bill Gates haunting your computer.

Play Hulu.com and any DRM free media on your AppleTV with Boxee

Using this patch, you can enable your Apple TV to play practically any DRM-free multimedia file. The patch can be applied by inserting a USB thumb drive into the box that's been pre-loaded with some open-source software called Boxee.

Normally, Apple TV can only play video and music files that are compatible with iTunes or bought through the iTunes Store, but coder Scott Davilla's patch essentially "Jailbreaks" the TV set-top box from such restrictions by installing an open-source media center called Boxee.

Currently in limited, invite-only alpha testing, the patch automatically installs itself onto a thumb drive and adds a Boxee button to the main menu of Apple TV. Clicking on Boxee brings you to an interface allowing you to view about 30 types of DRM-free multimedia (e.g., DIVX, AVI, MKZ and BIN) from any computer connected to your network; you can even play multimedia through internet streams (e.g. Hulu and ABC.com videos).

What You'll Need

• An Apple TV
• Boxee software. It's currently invitation only, so you'll have to request an invite. Invited users can also share invites, so friends can all sign up in a group.
• A Mac. The current patch can only be downloaded and run by Mac users. Windows and Linux versions will be available soon.
• A bootable USB stick. The patch only works with bootable thumb drives.
• Windows XP users: If your USB drive isn't bootable by default, you can modify it with an HP utility.
• Mac users: Try the free app DasBoot. Instructions on how to use it with a USB drive can be found on ShinyThings.

If you have all of the above, and it sounds interesting, take a look at the video tutorial below:

Then go read the full Wiki here.