Electronically Obsessed: A tech addict's guide to using the Internet to streamline your life

8Feb/102

NBC slows live streaming coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics

Perkins Miller, senior VP of digital media for NBC Sports & Olympics, acknowledges that the television product remains the core business. “If you look at the way the folks in the corner office have programmed the Olympics for decades, and done so with tremendous success, what it reflects is that people want to watch the Olympics while sitting in front of their 50-inch television when it is most convenient for them,” he says. “This is something we continue to support strategically.”

If this article is accurate, NBC may be greatly reducing their live streaming coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics. In 2008, NBC live streamed over 2,200 hours of live coverage of the Beijing Summer Olympics.

I wonder if that much live streaming had more to do with the time difference between China and the United States than an actual interest in developing the Internet streaming market. Perhaps NBC figured that viewers would be searching the Internet for event results anyway, so NBC might as well create the most compelling Olympics site possible.

In 2010, the Winter Olympics are in Vancouver, so there is not as much of a time zone concern. The good news is that most of the events will be online, both in highlight and complete form, but only after the event has aired.

To be fair, businesses have to look after the most profitable interests first. TV programming and advertising still brings in the most revenue. It simply doesn't make sense for the major networks to create revenue streams that take away from their main interest: TV programming.

Action Item

Comment below. What do you think about NBC's reduction of live streaming events? Do you think that streaming the events after the live broadcast is a good compromise?

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Filed under: Internet streaming 2 Comments

2Feb/100

Questions? Let me know!

What do you want to talk about? Any questions? (iStockphoto)

Now that the holiday season, CES, and the iPad announcement are all over, there's definitely a lull in the tech gadget industry. My Internet TV setup hasn't changed that much, with the exception of a strange outage from both PlayOn and Netflix Watch Instantly on PS3. The strange outage resolved itself after a few days.

So, I want to ask all of you.... What do you want to talk about? What tech issues have you run into lately? Any product buying decisions that are driving you crazy? Any tech trends you want to discuss? Comment below or feel free to send me an e-mail!

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Tagged as: questions, tech No Comments

28Jan/100

The iPad review roundup

By now, I'm sure all of you have heard about Apple's new product, the iPad tablet computer. I will review this as soon as a get the opportunity to demo one, but until then, here's a summary of the features:

Price

Wi-fi Only

16GB - $499

32GB - $599

64GB - $699

If you want 3G, add $130 to the cost

Data Plans via AT&T (no contract)

up to 250 MB - $14.99/month

unlimited - $29.99/month

Reviews

Engadget: Solid feel, no Flash support, no multitasking, no camera, great CPU - very responsive

Gizmodo: 3G models include GPS

MacBreak Weekly's wall-to-wall coverage: Great panel of guests. Leo is always so enthusiastic, it's infectious!

Justine Ezarik: The lucky girl didn't have a press pass, but still was able to get into the demo room.

Filed under: Announcements, Product and Service Reviews No Comments

25Jan/100

Netflix on Playstation 3: Instant Watch Program Won’t Load

In the last few months, I've really enjoyed watching movies via my Netflix Instant Watch disc on my Playstation 3. However, in the last week, the program doesn't seem to want to load. It sounds as if the PS3 is constantly trying to load the program, but can't seem to get it done. The rest of my discs seem to load with no problems.

Anyone else have this problem? I have requested a new streaming disc from Netflix. I will post an update when the disc shows up in my mailbox.

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Filed under: Uncategorized No Comments

24Jan/100

Running more than one operating system: Cross Platform Software and Virtual Machines

Cross platform software like Parallels Desktop for Mac lets you run multiple operating systems at once (iStockphoto)

Since I made the switch to a Mac back in November 2008, I've really enjoyed the user experience. For my personal use, Mac OS X offers pretty much everything I need, from chat clients like Adium, to a very good Office Suite with Open Office. However, while I've almost completely stepped away from Windows for my personal use, I still have to use Windows XP every single day at work (this makes me sad).

Why virtual machines?

At first, I thought I would just buy a copy of Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac, but I read about incompatibilities between the Mac and Windows versions, particularly if you are creating and editing complex documents. I had the same issue with Open Office. Instead of dealing with incompatibility headaches, why not just run Windows on my Mac? That way, I can run whatever Windows-based program I need for work.

I considered using Boot Camp, which is a feature bundled with Mac OS X that allows you to boot into Windows. However, I didn't want the headache of having to reboot every time I wanted to switch between Windows and Mac OS X. Instead, I opted to purchase a copy of Parallels Desktop for Mac, which allows you to run Windows within Mac OS X.

Parallels Desktop for Mac

Parallels works by creating virtual machines that run inside the Mac OS X environment. Mac OS X acts as a host operating system for the virtual machines. The virtual machines are basically programs that act like a physical computer. After the virtual machine is created, you can install whatever operating system you want on the virtual machine. At one time, I had separate virtual machines for Windows XP, Windows 7 RC 1, and Ubuntu Linux. Now, I only have a Windows XP virtual machine for work.

Blue Screen of Death? No Problem!

The great thing about using virtual machines is that if they crash, you can just restart them like you are rebooting a physical computer. However, restarting a virtual machine doesn't affect your host operating system. For example, if you're working in Windows XP virtual machine and you run into an application crash, you can restart your Windows XP virtual machine without affecting Mac OS X.

The Power of Choice

The great thing about running virtual machines is that you can select whatever operating system you want without having to reboot your computer. Also, running a Windows virtual machine on a Mac essentially means that you own both a Mac and Windows machine. You can switch between them as needed.

Viruses and Spyware

One thing you do have to remember is that you do need to protect your Windows virtual machine as if you would a real, physical Windows computer. It's probably a good idea to install antivirus and antispyware programs. You should also run Windows Update on a regular basis to make sure your Windows virtual machine has the latest patches and fixes.

One good thing about virtual machines is that if one gets infected with a virus or spyware, you can just delete the virtual machine without it harming the rest of your computer.

Action Items

If you think that running virtual machines is something you want to do, click here to purchase some cross platform software. I prefer Parallels Desktop for Mac, but I've heard very good things about VMware Fusion as well.
Tell me about your experiences or questions regarding running more than one operating system on your computer. Comment in the comments section of this post or send me an e-mail!

Note: The cross platform software link is an affiliate link. This means that if you click the above link and subsequently make a purchase, I will receive a commission for referring the sale.

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Tagged as: cross platform software, parallels No Comments

19Jan/100

Top 5 Favorite Mac Applications

You switched to Mac.... Now what? (iStockphoto)

You made the switch! Now what?

A friend of mine just made the transition to a shiny new iMac. I personally made the transition to a Mac in late 2008 and I haven't looked back since. Here are the Mac applications that I use every single day.

Adium: My favorite instant messenger aggregator - supports AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, Facebook, GTalk, etc.
Tweetie: I prefer the smaller screen footprint of Tweetie to Tweetdeck.
Cross Platform Software: I prefer Parallels Desktop for Mac. Parallels allows you to run Windows applications side-by-side with your Mac applications.
Open Office.org: This is a very credible Microsoft Office substitute.
Dropbox: Backup, file transfer, and file synchronization, all in one.

Note: The cross platform software link is an affiliate link. This means that if you click the above link and subsequently make a purchase, I will receive a commission for referring the sale.

Action Item

Tell me about your favorite Mac applications. What are your top suggestions for new Mac users? Comment in the comments section of this post or send me an e-mail!

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Tagged as: favorite applications, switch to mac No Comments

19Jan/100

Update on the Facebook iPhone App Contact Sync

Update on an earlier Facebook post (iStockphoto)

A few days ago, I wrote a post about a new feature in the Facebook iPhone App that syncs your iPhone contact list with Facebook profile pictures and links to Contacts.

To their credit, Facebook warns users with the following text:

If you enable this feature, all contacts from your device (name, email address, phone number) will be sent to Facebook and be subject to Facebook's Privacy Policy, and your friends' profile photos and other info from Facebook will be added to your iPhone address book. Please make sure your friends are comfortable with any use you make of their information. (Emphasis Added)

I wouldn't recommend it, but this is how you activate the feature (Thanks to The Wife for the tip!):

Go to the Facebook iPhone home screen. This screen features three rows of icons for your News Feed, Profile, Friends, etc.
Select the "Friends" icon.
In the upper right hand corner, press the "Sync" button.
Turn on "Syncing"
Turn on "Replace Photos"

Personally, I wouldn't do this. I'd rather not send any more information to Facebook than I absolutely need to. However, this also means that Facebook users have to be much more careful about what you show in your Facebook profile picture. It may end up as someone's contact photo for your contact entry.

Action Item

If the Facebook app asks to sync your contacts with Facebook, say no!
Tell me about your experience with the iPhone Facebook app. Does all this make you want to quit Facebook altogether? Comment in the comments section of this post or send me an e-mail!

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Tagged as: Facebook, privacy No Comments

18Jan/101

Yet another possible Facebook misstep: Contact syncing

Facebook iPhone App (version 3.1.2) presents some troubling privacy concerns regarding your Facebook profiles (iStockphoto)

Recently, Facebook pushed a new update (version 3.1.2) for their Facebook iPhone app. While I personally have been unable to install that update for some reason, The Wife told me that this version attempts to sync Facebook profile pictures with the contacts in your iPhone address book. Apparently, she updated her iPhone 3GS today with version 3.1.2 and was asked if she wanted to sync her contacts with Facebook. She wisely said no.

In order to sync the pictures, the app appears to send the contents of your address book to Facebook, matches your address book contents with the Facebook database, and sends pictures matching the address book contents back to your address book.

As of this writing, I have been unable to install 3.1.2 on my iPhone 3G in order to confirm this. However, please be wary.

If this sounds confusing, here's a post from The iPhone blog (also sent to me from The Wife - Thanks, babe!) that details the possible embarrassing consequences (not to mention the privacy concerns) of this contact syncing.

Beware of your profile pics, or your boss might get one of you doing something you don’t want them to see! What happens is, [Facebook 3.1] takes [all] the emails and phone numbers on your iPhone and sends them to Facebook. It then cross-checks and syncs them back to your iPhone. That’s a major security flaw right there! It should only sync the ones you’re friends with.

So for an example I have my coworker’s email and cell but I am not her Facebook friend. All of a sudden when I got a call from my coworker I saw a picture of her in a bikini because that was her [Facebook] profile pic!

I’m using Outlook 2010 and it has a new feature called Suggested Contacts where it keeps all your emails you been using. Those sync to my iPhone via exchange 2007. So now I have Facebook profile pics in Outlook 2010 for a bunch of folks that I don’t even really know just because I have emailed them.

As of this writing, I am unable to install version 3.1.2 of the Facebook application on my iPhone 3G. I will continue to try to update my phone and will post more concrete news regarding this Facebook application.

Action Item

If the Facebook app asks to sync your contacts with Facebook, say no!
Tell me about your experience with the iPhone Facebook app. Does all this make you want to quit Facebook altogether? Comment in the comments section of this post or send me an e-mail!

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Filed under: Announcements, security 1 Comment

18Jan/103

Portable Document Format (PDF) Conversion

Preserve your document format with PDF. However, generating these PDFs can be time consuming without the right tools (iStockphoto)

This is going to be a quick mini-post that is more of a question to all of you: Do you find yourself creating PDF files? If you do, what programs do you use?

What exactly is the PDF format?

These days, the PDF file format is becoming more common. PDF allows the author to control the content and formatting of a document independent of the operating system used to view the document. This means that a PDF-formatted file looks the same on a Windows, Mac, or Linux machine.

PDF on a Mac = Easy!

In the last few months, I've found that I've been using the PDF format more frequently in work-related files. Mac OS X Snow Leopard offers built-in PDF printing. When you want to convert any file to PDF, you first select the "print" option from the program's pull down menu. Then, you select "save to PDF." That's it.

If your PDF file is large, it can be difficult to send it over email. Many email systems don't allow files of a certain size to be sent as attachments. If you are using Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, download this file from the Apple website. Click on the file and follow the instructions. The file will extract itself, make some quick changes, and will allow you to easily compress your PDF files from the Preview application.

PDF in Windows = Not as easy

If you are generating PDF files using Windows, I need your help. What programs are you using? With a quick Google search, I've found the following free or pay options. Please note that I have NOT tried these myself.

Action Item

What software do you use for PDF conversions? Comment in the comments section of this post or send me an e-mail!

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Tagged as: conversion, Mac, PDF, Windows 3 Comments

13Jan/103

Internet TV headaches

Internet TV can be liberating when it works, but frustrating when it doesn't (iStockphoto)

Since February 2009, I've been running an experiment to see if I could go without a cable television. I've found that with a few exceptions, I haven't missed my cable subscription at all. Downloading my television content via the Internet has been quite a learning experience. When it works, it's great. When it doesn't, you want to want to just tear your hair out.

Here are a few Internet TV headaches:

1. Right now, it's still pretty complicated

Sometimes, you just want to turn on the TV and veg out. Watching Internet video in your living room involves hooking up a computer to your TV, downloading and properly configuring a media server program, and installing the required plugins (more on this later) to watch certain content.

2. The technology can be finicky

Many of these media server programs (like PlayOn, Tversity, and XBMC) are mostly very specialized, often finicky, web browsers. These web browsers connect (sometimes using plugins) to content sites like Hulu and Netflix to retrieve the video from the website. This sounds great, in theory. If the content site changes the way the video is presented, the media server program can't access it until someone releases a patch. The patch works until the content site changes again. Then, another patch is needed. This cycle is tiresome.

3. The hardware needed to run the media server programs can be expensive

If you have a spare computer lying around, you might be able to use it as a the center of your Internet TV media rig. However, some computers might not have enough processor power to decode the Internet TV streams. Others may not have the graphical capability to display the video on your television without dropped frames and out-of-sync sound.

However, this might change very soon. Boxee is releasing the Boxee Box, which is a self-contained piece of hardware that runs a copy of the Boxee media center software. The Boxee Box is supposed to cost about $200, much less than a new computer. I think I might have to get one when it comes out....

Good News: It's getting better

I truly believe that 2010 is the year that Internet TV catches on, provided a few things happen:

More low-priced, self-contained solutions like the Boxee Box hit the market.
Service providers don't drastically raise prices on broadband Internet service.

Action Item

Tell me about your Internet TV experiences! Comment in the comments section of this post or send me an e-mail!

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Electronically Obsessed A tech addict's guide to using the Internet to streamline your life

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Why virtual machines?

Parallels Desktop for Mac

Blue Screen of Death? No Problem!

The Power of Choice

Viruses and Spyware

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You switched to Mac.... Now what? (iStockphoto) You made the switch! Now what?

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What exactly is the PDF format?

PDF on a Mac = Easy!

PDF in Windows = Not as easy

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1. Right now, it's still pretty complicated

2. The technology can be finicky

3. The hardware needed to run the media server programs can be expensive

Good News: It's getting better

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You switched to Mac.... Now what? (iStockphoto)

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