November 24th, 2009

For The First Time in Ages, I Agree With Apple

Posted by Jason Perlow @ 1:26 pm

Categories: Apple, Business, Desktop, General, Hardware Infrastructure, Personal Technology

Tags: Hewlett-Packard Co., OEM, Apple Inc., Laptop Computer, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Jason Perlow

Is this how you work? Then don’t get angry at your OEM when they invalidate your warranty when you send your PC in for service.

Yesterday our own Apple Core blogger Jason O’Grady reported that Apple has now adopted a policy of voiding warrantees on equipment if it has been exposed to smoke. Needless to say the smokers have been angry.

To Apple, I say this: I agree with you, and I think every single hardware OEM and consumer electronics company should follow suit.

To the smokers, I say tough noogies, take your rotten cancer sticks with you and please swallow a truckload of Altoids down your creosote reeking maw before you get in close proximity of me, or I will throw up in your face.

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November 22nd, 2009

Roku becomes cloud-enabled with new Roku Channel Store and Developer SDK

Posted by Jason Perlow @ 6:37 pm

Categories: Business, Networking, Personal Technology, Software Infrastructure, Web Technology

Tags: Roku Inc., Managed Hosting, Cloud Computing, Corporate Communications, Marketing, Jason Perlow

The new Roku Channel Store, which is being rolled out to all Roku devices, will greatly expand the capabilities of the $99 set-top on-demand streaming device.

Late Sunday night, Roku announced that its players would now have a “Channel Store”, much like the “App Store” on other popular Internet-enabled devices such as the iPhone and Android-based phones.

Roku, Inc., maker of the popular and award-winning family of Roku players, announced today the Roku Channel Store and the first 10 free channels for Roku customers to enjoy on their TVs. From internet radio to video podcasts, professional web content to photo sharing and personal videos, the Roku Channel Store provides an open platform for delivering quality content to the TV. New channels now available for customers to add today to their Roku experience via the Roku Channel Store include: Pandora, Facebook Photos, Revision3, Mediafly, TWiT, blip.tv, Flickr, FrameChannel, Motionbox and MobileTribe. For the complete list of channels, specific channel descriptions and features please go to http://www.roku.com/roku-channel-store

These first 10 channels are just the beginning for Roku. Many other developers are working on Roku Channels now, and Roku expects additional developers to adopt the Roku platform over time. New channels will appear in the Roku Channel Store automatically as they become available.

The Roku Channel Store represents an opportunity for content owners and publishers to reach an already large and growing audience of Roku customers. By creating an open platform for delivery to the television over the Internet, Roku has leveled the playing field for content owners.

Roku had previously remote updated its players for Netflix HDTV 720p on-demand video as well as the ability to rent movies on demand from Amazon.com. With the introduction of its new “Channel Store” the Roku moves towards becoming more of a cloud-enabled content viewing device. Having the ability to stream music from Pandora or being able to view my Flickr stream on my HD set is pretty neat.

Also Read: At $99, Roku Rulez with Incredible Future Potential

All current Roku players, including the Roku SD, the Roku HD and Roku-HR are compatible with the Channel Store, which will be automatically available on all registered devices over the coming weeks. To create a channel for the Roku Channel Store, a developer creates an application using Roku’s free software developer kit. This SDK is available free upon request by emailing partners@roku.com

What applications would you like to see for Roku’s “Channel Store”? Twitter? Hulu? Full FaceBook stream updates? YouTube? Vimeo? Video Podcast feeds? Talk Back and Let Me Know.

November 22nd, 2009

Stupid DROID Tricks, Volume 1

Posted by Jason Perlow @ 1:12 pm

Categories: Desktop, General, Google, Linux, Personal Technology, Web Technology

Tags: Google Android, Shortcut, Photograph, DROID, Widgets, Power Control Widget, Mobile Operating Systems, Smart Phones, Corporate Communications, Consumer Electronics

Android 2.0 on the Verizon DROID Smartphone is indeed sophisticated, but for a new user can also be daunting or even overwhelming.

The Google Android 2.0 OS built into the Motorola/Verizon DROID is by far one of the most sophisticated smartphone UIs I have ever seen — and with that UI comes additional complexity which may confuse some users.

Also Read: My First Week with DROID

Since a lot of my friends and family tend to follow my lead on the gadgets and technology I use, I’ve had a few of them ping me on the DROID and how to get the most out of it. Here’s my first installment in what I think will be a series of Tips and Tricks posts related to Android.

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November 21st, 2009

Frugal Friday: Joblessness, DROID, Chrome OS, Richard Stallman, V.i. labs

Posted by Jason Perlow @ 12:18 pm

Categories: Business, Linux, Open Source, Personal Technology, Podcast, Security, Software Infrastructure

Tags: Lab, Richard Stallman, Piracy, Business Operations, Corporate Law, Jason Perlow

Frugal Networker Ken Hess and I discuss the dwindling IT employment landscape, my experiences with the Motorola/Verizon DROID, the Google Chrome OS developer code release, Ken’s recent interview with Richard Stallman, and we interview Victor DeMarines of V.i. labs, the anti-piracy and software protection company.

Click Here to Listen to the November 20, 2009 Frugal Friday Podcast.

November 19th, 2009

Messing around with the DROID camera

Posted by Jason Perlow @ 5:25 pm

Categories: General, Google, Personal Technology

Tags: Photograph, Firmware, Camera, Jason Perlow

As you may be aware, one of the earliest complaints from new DROID owners is that the camera under performed when compared with other smartphone cameras, such as the iPhone’s or the BlackBerry Bold’s, particularly as it related to sharpness and focus.

Apparently, it has been discovered that this problem was related to a strange firmware bug that only manifests itself during a specific time cycle. Currently the bug will not manifest itself again until December 11, 2009, at which time Verizon and Motrola is expected to provide an over-the-air software fix.

With Firmware Bug Affecting Servomotor Focus

Here’s a Lobster Cantonese I tried to take a photo of. Note the issues with focusing sharpness.

Similarly a Chinese pork noodle soup didn’t come up very sharp.

With Servomotor Focusing Properly

When the focus bug was in effect, I was unable to take closeups of objects and get sharp definition. Here’s a closeup photo of my bottle of antiperspirant in my hotel room in Baltimore. You can see how sharp the text looks.

Here’s a Clams with Shrimp and Pork a la Alentejana taken at Seabra’s Marisqueira Portuguese restaurant in Newark, New Jersey. This is with the DROID flash. Much better results than with the lobster photo only a few days before.

Here’s a pretty plate from a sushi buffet restaurant in Wayne, New Jersey. Taken without flash, using incandescent light filter settings.

DROID still-life: A fruit basket in my kitchen.

Watermelon Radish with Parsnips.

Tonight’s dinner — Shrimp Pasta with Cauliflower and Roasted Parsnips. Taken with flash.

Here’s a video I took of the Acela Express approaching the Baltimore Penn Station Amtrak terminal.

Are you feeling better about the DROID’s camera now that it has been demonstrated that the focusing issues were a result of a to-be-fixed firmware bug? Talk Back and Let Me Know.

November 19th, 2009

Chrome OS: Some Early Preview Videos

Posted by Jason Perlow @ 10:29 am

Categories: Business, Desktop, General, Google, Linux, Open Source, Personal Technology, Software Infrastructure, Web Technology

Tags: Jason Perlow, Video, Corporate Communications, Open Source, Marketing

Today Google released a number of early introduction/preview videos regarding their upcoming Chrome OS. (UPDATED: Demo from November 18 at Google Headquarters added)

While the software does not currently appear to be in an easily installable state, requiring developers to build their own Chrome OS environments for the time being, the OS does look quite promising and Google’s “Stateless” objective where all user data resides in the cloud reflects an extremely modern concept in OS design.

What is Chrome OS?:

Chrome OS Fast Boot:

Chrome OS Security:

User Interface Concept Video for Chrome OS:

Chromium OS and Open Source:

Live Chrome OS Demo from Google Headquarters

Do these videos provide encouragement or interest in Google’s stateless, cloud-based OS offering? Talk Back and Let Me know.

November 15th, 2009

My First Week With DROID

Posted by Jason Perlow @ 2:04 pm

Categories: Business, General, Google, Linux, Open Source, Personal Technology, Web Technology

Tags: Facebook, Google Gmail, Smart Phone, RIM BlackBerry, Camera, Motorola DROID, Android 2.0, Handhelds, E-mail Providers, Microsoft Windows 7

The Verizon/Motorola DROID is by far the most powerful and versatile smartphone I have yet encountered. My first week with the device was one of geeky joy, adapting to the learning curve of the Android OS as a former BlackBerry user, and understanding the device’s limitations and quirks that come with being an early adopter.

Updated 11/16/09: As many of you know, I became a Verizon Wireless customer on November 6, on the launch day of the Motorola DROID. I had extremely high expectations of the new Android 2.0-based smartphone given the many reviews/previews that had appeared on the Internet, and from extremely positive feedback from my colleagues that this indeed was the device that would fit my needs. I had gone without a smartphone device for just over a month, having terminated my BlackBerry AT&T contract and now was ready to try something new.

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November 8th, 2009

In Smartphone Wars, Darwinism Triumphs Over Intelligent Design

Posted by Jason Perlow @ 5:17 pm

Categories: Apple, Business, Google, Linux, Open Source, Personal Technology, Web Technology, iPhone

Tags: Apple iPhone, Google Inc., Research In Motion Ltd., Google Android, Phone, Smart Phone, Verizon Communications Inc., Intelligent Design, RIM BlackBerry, Messaging

With the release of the Verizon Droid, the smartphone market now has two apex predators with advanced, feature rich mobile embedded operating systems. There’s no room for smaller or less evolved players, and survival of the fittest in the war of the handsets may very well mean industry and carrier consolidation.

At around 8PM Friday evening, I walked into the Route 4 Paramus, New Jersey Verizon corporate store and walked up to the counter and said two words: “DROID Me.”

The store was busy, but there were plenty of demo units and lots of staff around — a far cry from the iFAIL experience I had when I first attempted and failed to purchase my wife an iPhone 3G at AT&T’s Fort Lee, New Jersey store during its launch in early July of 2008.

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October 29th, 2009

My Top Scary Technology Trends

Posted by Jason Perlow @ 7:44 pm

Categories: Business, General, Hardware Infrastructure, Networking, Personal Technology, Security, Server, Software Infrastructure, Web Technology

Tags: Digital Media, Phone, Mobile, Information Technology, Smart Phone, E-books, E-mail, Smart Phones, Cellular Phones, Handhelds

Yes, it’s that spooky time of year again, and our “fearless” editors have asked upon the ZDNet contributors to come up with “Scary Tech”, the technologies that are so frightening, they’ll make you evacuate from multiple “interfaces”.

Halloween. All Hallows Eve. Dia de los Muertos. Whatever you call it in your culture, Halloween is a day that for many people evokes images of ghouls, the undead, vampires, witches, werewolves, ghosts and goblins — creatures of fantasy that are meant to scare young children. Although I’ve often been emotionally compared to a child, none of these things frighten me.

However, there are some things, at least in the world of technology, that really do scare the living crap out of me. While there isn’t one particular item that makes me turn completely ice cold with fear this Halloween, there are a number of trends that definitely have been keeping me up at night lately.

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October 27th, 2009

Congratulations B&N, you've built my Kindroid. So now what?

Posted by Jason Perlow @ 11:35 am

Categories: Business, Google, Linux, Open Source, Personal Technology, Software Infrastructure, Web Technology

Tags: E-reader, Software, Google Inc., Google Android, B&N, Kindroid, Mobile Operating Systems, Smart Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology

The Barnes and Noble “Nook”, which was launched earlier this month, is the real-life version of the “Kindroid” I envisioned one year ago. So now that it has been built for real, what do we do with it?

A year ago, I posited that Amazon might do better with the Kindle platform if they abandoned their proprietary, locked down software platform on the device and embraced an Open Source platform, Google’s Android.

It never occurred to me that the Kindroid might actually become reality in the near future, and that the theoretical device would be introduced by Barnes & Noble, Amazon’s prime competition in the brick and mortar space. Still, I am impressed and somewhat vindicated that the Kindroid or a similar device that resembled my proposed configuration came into existence as the Nook.

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