ChunkIt makes it really easy to improve the search results from any Web site or search engine like Google, Yahoo!, Live Search, AOL, Ask, etc. ChunkIt searches for the relevant “chunks” of information hidden behind the links and extracts them with the keywords highlighted. Save time by clicking on fewer useless links.
read more | digg story
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
The Break Out
As you can see from the last post (which was a while ago), I've had a bit of writer's block. And since I still have not found something to write about, I decided to go ahead and just start writing.
So our first topic of discussion will be the very disease that has been wracking my brain for the last couple weeks, writer's block itself. It really did take me by surprise, I wouldn't have thought that it could happen to me. While at work one day I realized I hadn't written anything for a while, and then found the reason was that I just had nothing to talk about. My sister (the wise woman she is), told me, "it might be an indication that you just have nothing good to say." So I took it upon myself to do what any good brother would do, prove her wrong (this is my pathetic attempt). But back to writer's block, I feel that it comes as a combination of two things. One, which I've already talked about, is the lack of ideas. But two (the harder one to admit), is pure laziness. My inner fire had been extinguished, my blogging passion vaporized. And even though I could feel it coming, I let it happen, as any novice writer would do. Like cigarettes, the longer you wait the harder it is to let go, and here I am now, struggling to come up with anything that you, my faithful readers, can read on your computer screen.
[By the way, I know that no one reads this, so in an attempt to stop the relentless comments, I just don't care]
But I feel like right now, as I'm writing this, that something inside is trying to get that inner fire back. Like an antibiotic fighting a infectious bacteria, I am washing over my writer's block with every keystroke. Like the many triumphant germans tearing down the Berlin wall in 1989, I am ripping off block for block what are the walls of writer's block. Like a....just kidding.
For every post I make on this website, I want to thank what must be the most bored people on the planet for reading this (no offense) by offering up what may be called, in a convoluted way, advice. If you ever find yourself having trouble writing, may it be an essay, speech, screenplay, or even a blog (I hope to god it's better than this one), that you just simply write. Take a piece of paper, or even the notepad on your computer, and just start writing your thoughts. And by thoughts I mean anything, anything at all. And I promise, that no matter how long it takes, that you'll find your hands and fingers start doing the talking by themselves. Profound, I know.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Last.fm
So following the post I wrote yesterday about my new experience with the "Web 2.0", I've decided to write about my experience with one of the new sites I've been using, Last.fm. In a nutshell, it's a personal profile on the web that tracks what you listen to, whether it be on your computer or iPod (or other portable media player), and compares your music tastes to other users'. For someone that listens to music on their computer most of the day, I find it to be pretty cool, and even enlightening.
I created a username and installed the application on my computer, and it instantly loaded up all of my previous play counts from iTunes onto my online profile. I saw that my most listened artist was John Mayer with 477 plays, and in a close second Howard Shore (I love the LOTR Soundtracks) with 373. Something else that caught my eye was that 7 out of my top 10 tracks were from the Garden State soundtrack (alright, laugh it up). Since seeing that, I've strayed away from those artists and have started listening to some of my other music, to sort of build up my online music profile. And it's been real refreshing, I guess I forgot how much other great music I have to listen to. The "Neighborhood" feature gives you an idea of what other people listen to similar music to you, and from there you can friend them or give them a shout out. The site requires a few days of listening to music before you gain entrance to a "Neighborhood", but I'm really looking forward to it because I can start to explore others' tastes. There is a lot of different artists out there, and the only real way to find out about a lot of them is from word of mouth, and this site is perfect for that.
This site also holds stats across ALL of its users, showing Coldplay as the #1 listened to artist for the week, followed by the likes of Radiohead, The Beatles, and Metallica. It'll be interesting to see what it changes to in the coming weeks, and if something like a new album release boosts an artists' ranking. And I also find it really cool that The Beatles are still in the Top 5 artists listened to for the entire week, and I doubt that they will ever die off.
There are several other really neat features that the site offers, and there are several extras that you can explore and play with on the site itself, including complex music graphs (do a google image search of "last.fm graph", you'll see what I mean). So if you don't already have one, get a username, it's a lot of fun and I promise you'll enjoy it.
I created a username and installed the application on my computer, and it instantly loaded up all of my previous play counts from iTunes onto my online profile. I saw that my most listened artist was John Mayer with 477 plays, and in a close second Howard Shore (I love the LOTR Soundtracks) with 373. Something else that caught my eye was that 7 out of my top 10 tracks were from the Garden State soundtrack (alright, laugh it up). Since seeing that, I've strayed away from those artists and have started listening to some of my other music, to sort of build up my online music profile. And it's been real refreshing, I guess I forgot how much other great music I have to listen to. The "Neighborhood" feature gives you an idea of what other people listen to similar music to you, and from there you can friend them or give them a shout out. The site requires a few days of listening to music before you gain entrance to a "Neighborhood", but I'm really looking forward to it because I can start to explore others' tastes. There is a lot of different artists out there, and the only real way to find out about a lot of them is from word of mouth, and this site is perfect for that.
This site also holds stats across ALL of its users, showing Coldplay as the #1 listened to artist for the week, followed by the likes of Radiohead, The Beatles, and Metallica. It'll be interesting to see what it changes to in the coming weeks, and if something like a new album release boosts an artists' ranking. And I also find it really cool that The Beatles are still in the Top 5 artists listened to for the entire week, and I doubt that they will ever die off.
There are several other really neat features that the site offers, and there are several extras that you can explore and play with on the site itself, including complex music graphs (do a google image search of "last.fm graph", you'll see what I mean). So if you don't already have one, get a username, it's a lot of fun and I promise you'll enjoy it.
11 Things You Shouldn’t Leave For School Without
When you first arrive at college you will be introduced to problems that you never knew existed. While no list will ever include a solution to all of your ills, this one hits on some things that you may not have considered.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, July 28, 2008
Web 2.0: Are you in or are you out?
I pretty much have only used the web for visiting my favorite websites, finding information, and downloading different things. I mean I have a facebook; in other words, I go to college and am a social person (sorry to non-facebook users, but really?). I have always heard of other sites (twitter, delicious, digg, etc.), but I would just ignore them because, to tell you the truth, I was intimidated by them. It seemed as if there was just too many things I'd have to figure out. But then I looked at my parents, and others' parents, and every other person out there of similar age (with a few exceptions), and realized that I did not want to be like them. Many of them are familiar with the use of computers, but when it comes to new things, like an iPod for example, they just get lost in translation. I don't want to be like that. Ten years from now I want to be able to play with the latest and greatest devices without having to ask someone where the "on" button is. So I've decided to open up my mind to new things, and have been recently trying all of the sites previously mentioned (and more), and been really enjoying myself (a good example is this blog). There is an entire community behind a lot of the web, and all you need to do is get a username and jump on in. So if you are in any way feeling intimidated by the world wide web, don't be, try out different websites and see what they have to offer, you might actually surprise yourself.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
iPod/iPhone Cases
Do not buy them.
Okay why?
Alright thanks for asking. I have been sucked in to buying a "case" or "cover" for every iPod I have ever owned. My most recent case purchase was for my iPhone, and it put me back $35. At the time, I felt that it was worth it, a $35 insurance deal for a $500 device. Well unfortuantely 3 weeks later I learned what a disgusting waste of money that case was.
Now this advice is not for everyone, but I feel it is for the majority. If you take at least a small amount of pride in what you buy (may it be an iPod for example), than you will take a small amount of care for it by default. This is proven when you buy the case, you obviously want to protect it, because you don't want something to happen to it. That is fair logic; the same logic I always used when buying my cases. But here is the flaw, you will take care of it even with that case on. Everyone does it, it's just the way things are. And by the time you are ready to take it out of the case, and see that pretty looking device, you are going to go upgrade to a new one. It's a cycle that most people follow, and its hard to stray off of it, because new technology comes out about every six months. Let's use the iPod as an example here. I would say the average person would buy a new "revised" iPod every three years, whether it be for extra storage or new technology. That means that for every year you own that iPod, you spend $10 to keep it in a case, for it never to see the light of day. You might say $10 is a decent price to keep my iPod spick and spam, but let me explain why it is not.
Cases can cause A LOT of problems. Let me help explain them by giving you my own personal experience. After applying the $30 silicone iPhone case (which was recommended as the best one), I was walking proud, knowing that no matter what happened to me, at least my phone would survive. As I tried to put it into my pocket, I was met with quite the struggle, as the silicone rubber was "sticking" to the cotton material my pants were made of. And when I tried to get it out, it would stick again, making my brand new amazing device really hard to access. It's worth it, I thought, as long as its protected. Three weeks later, I decide to resync it, and realize that with the case on, I can't fit it into the dock (we all know this problem). So I have to take the entire case off: a slight inconvenience. As I take it off I realize several large scratches on the chrome rim around the screen, and turning it on its back, a large scratch right down the center. Now how the hell did this happen? I bought the case so it would prevent things like this from happening, not cause them. I found the nearest trash can and chucked my $30 piece of crap out of my life for good. And I realized that my case covering my iPod had done the exact same thing, so I got rid of that too. Looking back, I calculated I had spent a total of $130, on just four pieces of rubber silicone, and for what? So that when I can take it off and look at my beautiful 3-year-old piece of technology that is now worth $20 (less than the case cost).
The interesting thing is, Apple doesn't make these things too cheaply. Notice how there are no Apple branded cases. If they felt that their product would need a case because they thought it would break, don't you think they'd create a case themselves? Think of the market for them. After using my iPhone and iPod both without a case for over a year, I've noticed just how much better life is without the case. I take care of it anyways, I make sure its okay. Sure I've dropped it a few times, I'm not a freak, but has it broken? No. A flimsy rubber case will not protect it from it being run over by a car, so what's the difference?
When you are up to upgrade to your new Apple device (and any device for that matter), and go over to the case wall to purchase your $30 piece of silicone, I hope you remember this, and spend that money on something that counts, perhaps headphones to replace the true crap that Apple does provide.
Okay why?
Alright thanks for asking. I have been sucked in to buying a "case" or "cover" for every iPod I have ever owned. My most recent case purchase was for my iPhone, and it put me back $35. At the time, I felt that it was worth it, a $35 insurance deal for a $500 device. Well unfortuantely 3 weeks later I learned what a disgusting waste of money that case was.
Now this advice is not for everyone, but I feel it is for the majority. If you take at least a small amount of pride in what you buy (may it be an iPod for example), than you will take a small amount of care for it by default. This is proven when you buy the case, you obviously want to protect it, because you don't want something to happen to it. That is fair logic; the same logic I always used when buying my cases. But here is the flaw, you will take care of it even with that case on. Everyone does it, it's just the way things are. And by the time you are ready to take it out of the case, and see that pretty looking device, you are going to go upgrade to a new one. It's a cycle that most people follow, and its hard to stray off of it, because new technology comes out about every six months. Let's use the iPod as an example here. I would say the average person would buy a new "revised" iPod every three years, whether it be for extra storage or new technology. That means that for every year you own that iPod, you spend $10 to keep it in a case, for it never to see the light of day. You might say $10 is a decent price to keep my iPod spick and spam, but let me explain why it is not.
Cases can cause A LOT of problems. Let me help explain them by giving you my own personal experience. After applying the $30 silicone iPhone case (which was recommended as the best one), I was walking proud, knowing that no matter what happened to me, at least my phone would survive. As I tried to put it into my pocket, I was met with quite the struggle, as the silicone rubber was "sticking" to the cotton material my pants were made of. And when I tried to get it out, it would stick again, making my brand new amazing device really hard to access. It's worth it, I thought, as long as its protected. Three weeks later, I decide to resync it, and realize that with the case on, I can't fit it into the dock (we all know this problem). So I have to take the entire case off: a slight inconvenience. As I take it off I realize several large scratches on the chrome rim around the screen, and turning it on its back, a large scratch right down the center. Now how the hell did this happen? I bought the case so it would prevent things like this from happening, not cause them. I found the nearest trash can and chucked my $30 piece of crap out of my life for good. And I realized that my case covering my iPod had done the exact same thing, so I got rid of that too. Looking back, I calculated I had spent a total of $130, on just four pieces of rubber silicone, and for what? So that when I can take it off and look at my beautiful 3-year-old piece of technology that is now worth $20 (less than the case cost).
The interesting thing is, Apple doesn't make these things too cheaply. Notice how there are no Apple branded cases. If they felt that their product would need a case because they thought it would break, don't you think they'd create a case themselves? Think of the market for them. After using my iPhone and iPod both without a case for over a year, I've noticed just how much better life is without the case. I take care of it anyways, I make sure its okay. Sure I've dropped it a few times, I'm not a freak, but has it broken? No. A flimsy rubber case will not protect it from it being run over by a car, so what's the difference?
When you are up to upgrade to your new Apple device (and any device for that matter), and go over to the case wall to purchase your $30 piece of silicone, I hope you remember this, and spend that money on something that counts, perhaps headphones to replace the true crap that Apple does provide.
Friday, July 18, 2008
My view of the 3g iPhone
A friend of mine has been trying desperately to get the new iPhone 3g, but unfortunately either the stock is out or the lines are three hours long. This was expected, however he said something to me that sparked my interest and decided I had to write about it. He said his brother, who already owns a 1st generation iPhone, is upgrading to the 3g, and selling the old one. Despite having this knowledge, he still plans to go out and buy the 3g, which is his decision, however I have to disagree with it. Ignoring others' reviews, I set out to hold the new phone for myself and draw my own opinion on it to see if his decision is the right one.
Well, opposite of what some reviews say, I do not like the new phone's design nearly as much as the last one. To start, it's an all plastic backing, which is being marketed as a more durable casing then the 1st generation phone. Well, I'm not too sure about that, considering the older phone has an aluminum backing, which has a greater chance of denting, but certainly is not any weaker than plastic. I've dropped my own phone several times, and I've barely seen a scratch. But there were two things on the design that really turned me off. Firstly, the new plastic backing loves to stick to moisture [a.k.a. hand sweat]. I was able to turn the phone completely vertical, and it was still sticking to my hand. Now I may be the minority, but this is not comfortable to me. Secondly, and most imporantly, the phone's backing is now curved, instead of flat. When I put it on my desk, and tried to use it without holding it in my hand, it would rock back and forth, making desk usage very inconvenient. So it forces you to hold it in your hand to use it, and then it sticks there, it's like Apple doesn't want you to let this thing go.
Sure, the 3g iphone is faster, and for some people, that is the real draw. The advertised 3x speed increase over the Edge network would be nice, but it costs an extra $10 a month. I cannot blame people for buying it for this reason, especially if you need (or like to) surf the web everywhere you go. But for basic e-mail and search purposes, edge works out great, and it uses less battery life. One point that I cannot dispute is the new headphone jack. The jack on the 1st generation iPhone was recessed into the case, either forcing you to buy a special pair of phones or modify your old ones. But the 3g's is a normal jack, making listening to music much more convenient. Besides this, the 3g iPhone is nearly identical to its younger brother, except for the new (in my opinion flawed) design.
The advice I gave to my friend was to buy the old one off of his brother, but he chose to ignore me and is quite pleased with his new phone. Hope he enjoys the new bill too.
Well, opposite of what some reviews say, I do not like the new phone's design nearly as much as the last one. To start, it's an all plastic backing, which is being marketed as a more durable casing then the 1st generation phone. Well, I'm not too sure about that, considering the older phone has an aluminum backing, which has a greater chance of denting, but certainly is not any weaker than plastic. I've dropped my own phone several times, and I've barely seen a scratch. But there were two things on the design that really turned me off. Firstly, the new plastic backing loves to stick to moisture [a.k.a. hand sweat]. I was able to turn the phone completely vertical, and it was still sticking to my hand. Now I may be the minority, but this is not comfortable to me. Secondly, and most imporantly, the phone's backing is now curved, instead of flat. When I put it on my desk, and tried to use it without holding it in my hand, it would rock back and forth, making desk usage very inconvenient. So it forces you to hold it in your hand to use it, and then it sticks there, it's like Apple doesn't want you to let this thing go.
Sure, the 3g iphone is faster, and for some people, that is the real draw. The advertised 3x speed increase over the Edge network would be nice, but it costs an extra $10 a month. I cannot blame people for buying it for this reason, especially if you need (or like to) surf the web everywhere you go. But for basic e-mail and search purposes, edge works out great, and it uses less battery life. One point that I cannot dispute is the new headphone jack. The jack on the 1st generation iPhone was recessed into the case, either forcing you to buy a special pair of phones or modify your old ones. But the 3g's is a normal jack, making listening to music much more convenient. Besides this, the 3g iPhone is nearly identical to its younger brother, except for the new (in my opinion flawed) design.
The advice I gave to my friend was to buy the old one off of his brother, but he chose to ignore me and is quite pleased with his new phone. Hope he enjoys the new bill too.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Neopolitan Ice Cream
Neopolitan ice cream, the chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla mix that creates an unbelievably scrumptious taste in one's mouth. Right? Who wouldn't agree with me? Neopolitan ice cream has to be the best ice cream ever, I mean it combines the three basic flavors that ice cream was founded on. Right? WRONG. Let me start my critique on Neopolitan ice cream by saying that it is indeed the worst ice cream one can buy, or enjoy. Now some of you may be Neopolitan lovers, part of the fan club that is the three-flavored ice cream. But prepare for some enlightenment. You cannot love Neopolitan ice cream. It just is not possible. You may love vanilla, you may love chocolate, you may even love strawberry (yea, right), you may even love two of these flavors, or even all three, but you cannot love Neopolitan. Neopolitan is merely a combination of these flavors, it is not a flavor of ice cream. It does not even come close. If someone were to tell you that their favorite ice cream was Neopolitan, the first thing you should do is tell them that it is simply not possible, if not downright stupid. Three ice creams cannot be your favorite ice cream, one of the flavors inside of Neopolitan can be your favorite, but to say that all three flavors are your favorite is really just wrong. It does not even work in the english language, for example, one cannot say "Chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, is my favorite ice cream." Clearly I've become far too obsessed with the idea of Neopolitan ice cream, I will stop this rant, but I hope that you've learned something today. Something about yourself, especially if you love Neopolitan ice cream.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
SEO - Search Engine Optimization
Lately I've been doing a lot of work for the company I work for on SEO (Search Engine Optimization). However, when placed with this specific task, I really did not know where to start, so I began where every other dummy goes, the For Dummies line of books. The SEO For Dummies book written by Peter Kent was a fantastic resource for learning different strategies of optimizing your webpage for the major search engines on the web. It can improve your google PageRank within a few weeks, and with a little work, get you into at least the top 10 of results in search engines. So if you are placed with a similar task, or just want to make your own personal webpage a little more popular among search engines, I recommend purchasing (or checking out from your library) this book.
Lex Talionis
I have a friend who happens to be working on a short film, thought I'd advertise it here. It's called "Lex Talionis", a play on the art of retribution. I'd explain the plot to you, but its better if you read it for yourself, just hit the jump to download the screenplay. This friend has attempted to create multiple films in the past, but because of several "logistical nightmares", none were ever fully completed. Despite this, he hasn't given up, and in the near future I will post a link to a quick demo of his film making prowess. But in the meantime, read the script, and we'll go from there:
http://www.beyers.net/Lex%20Talionis/Lex%20Talionis%20Screenplay.docx
http://www.beyers.net/Lex%20Talionis/Lex%20Talionis%20Screenplay.docx
First Post
Well, never thought I'd actually start a blog, but I think it can be kind of fun. I think the purpose of this will be to just write about what I want when I want, and that's about it. I'm obsessed with technology, so I feel that most of the time I'll just be a critic of that sort of stuff, that's it, enjoy!
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