Mozilla’s New Toys March 25, 2006
Posted by theexpress in browser, open source.2 comments
This past week was one in which Mozilla launched some new things on their web site. If you remember back before Firefox 1.5 came out, they had the Deer Park alpha and beta tests, something like that is coming back. Their developer precursor to Firefox 2, nicknamed Bon Echo has its Alpha 1 release out. 
Bon Echo was released on the 21st of this month and is geared mainly towards the developers who want to work on the code and fix some of the bugs. The new features and modifications are:
1. Changes to tabbed browsing behavior
2. New data storage layer for bookmarks and history (using SQLlite)
3. Extended search plugin format
4. Updates to the extension system to provide enhanced security and to allow for easier localization of extensions
5. Support for SVG text using svg:textPath
6. List of bug fixes
Bon Echo isnt the only thing around the Mozilla these days. Their new calendar program, Lightning, had its 0.1 release on the 20th. It is not a standalone like Sunbird, but has the same features on it. 
It is designed to be integrated with the Thunderbird e-mail problem. It is the first release, like Bon Echo, so dont expect the best from it now, but it is still pretty cool. If you want a calendar program that doesnt require you to have Thunderbird or Firefox, download Sunbird, Mozilla’s current standard for calendar excellence.
Mozilla has been rather quiet recently, so it is nice to see them come in with a strong week, full of new things for us to enjoy. The Mozilla organization still remains on the forefront of the open source community an is an example to other coders and groups set to give us our software free.
Computer-Run Radio Stations March 23, 2006
Posted by theexpress in media, rant.2 comments
Here where I live, we have a few radio stations that are entirely controlled by computers with a fixed song list, and no deejays. I know that they are still playing music (whatever genre they want, or all genres), but I just dont get the same feel that I do with the DJ-operated radio stations. There are no call-ins from people, no requests, and no commentary or jokes from the DJ.
The main one in my area is called BOB FM, and it is supposed to play all music that is good, no matter what genre. In my opinion, the music that is played is not even that good (I wont base the musical choice by opinion, because we are all different) and it all seems to be within a span of 20 years. I feel like it is all from 1980 to 2000 with very few exceptions. Is that the only time period when good music was released? Another problem with having a relatively genre-less station is that you wont get too many frequent, loyal listeners. For example, say someone likes 90’s rock. They could chose BOB FM to listen to a few of the best songs from their favorite genre, but it will be sprinkled among other styles and periods of time. It would be much better for that fan to tune into to the local station that plays the songs they like much more often.
Not only are these stations impersonal, they are impractical. With listeners that are only casual, they cant make much of a profit, and certainly cant find out what they like more and less. I dont see the station lasting too much longer specifically because they are so out of touch with their occasional listeners. The lack of any real people behind the station also adds to the feeling that the radio station has nothing that will keep people coming back.
P.S.-I am also writing this rant because BOB FM took over my favorite radio station to listen to in the area, WRRK. Most peole I know prefered WRRK, but I dont know if it will ever be back.
The Wonders of On Demand March 19, 2006
Posted by theexpress in movies, tv.3 comments
We’re living in a busy, on demand world, right? So why cant our TV be stocked on demand for us. It can, and some just dont realize how convenient it is. OnDemand has been available on Comcast (I have Comcast, I’m not sure how long it has been out for others) for over a year, and even though I’ve used it quite frequently in the past, I never realized how convenient it really is. On Friday, I thought to myself, since I had the school day off, that I should make this weekend a Hitchcock one. The only thing holding me back from actually doing it was that I would have to run to the rental store pick up a few films. That is not a very attractive offer, seeing that I dont yet have my drivers license. 
My last-ditch effort to keep the weekend plan was to check Comcast OnDemand for any of Hitchcocks films. I scanned through a few sections and the search was fruitless, but then in the last section of OnDemand I checked, there were three Hitchcocks available, free of charge. On Friday night, I enjoyed Rear Window, around noon on Saturday, I watched The Birds, and today, I watched Vertigo. Thanks to the free service my plan was a sucess.
I find that its the little things like this that make On Demand so valuable. I used to watch Monty Python’s Flying Circus on OnDemand a lot last year, but that was before the service matured to what it is today. There is so much more than there was before, and it is nice to know that movie night – or weekend – is even easier.
—————————————————————————————————————- A little side note: My trip is over and it was fun. My life is back in order, even though I promised a post much earlier. You can start expecting regualr posting again.
Letter from the Editor March 10, 2006
Posted by theexpress in personal.1 comment so far
Due to travels, I’ll probably be away from the blog until Wednesday. Hopefully I can touch back in sooner, but it will all depend if the hotel I’m staying at has a Wi-fi connection. Most hotels these days do, but I’ll be in a relatively small city in the South, so I can’t make any promises. If I am able to get onto the internet, you can probably expect a few posts in the time frame. If not, I want everyone to keep me posted about life on the web, as I’m usually not away from it for this long. Ciao!
Microsoft’s New Search March 9, 2006
Posted by theexpress in internet, media.add a comment
Microsoft, in the midst of the hunt for web supremacy, has just revamped their lacking web search engine. It is set to replace the MSN search that is run by Microsoft. It debuted yesterday, and like all new search engines, has the objective to tackle the front-runner, Google. Their search engine has a different feel than google, but has some cool new features.
Google has the very plain front page that is oft replicated by others, especially the new, de-butlered Ask.com . Live.com, on the other hand, is more beefed up; it is centered around the search but is also including mail features and news on MSN.com. It has the feel that you can get with google if you have a gmail account and five spare minutes using the homepage editor.
I decided to talk about this instead of the origami that has had the most buzz around the web for the past few weeks. I thought their new tablet PC was cool, but the hype was just too much. It was almost a let down to see such a good product and expect much better.
Web 2.0’s Highlights March 7, 2006
Posted by theexpress in blog, internet, open source, social, web 2.0.5 comments
I try not to post too much to what others say around the web, especially when it involves the collective term Web 2.0, but I found this picture, and it really puts the internet around us in perspective. The Web 2.0 term has been around for quite a while now, and most of the web buzz has been around it. There is no specific grounds for it, but it just refers to the new breed of websites out there that have a more interactive approach to the internet. Just looking through this picture, one can probably see that they are more involved with the new web that they would think.
I find it amazing that in this short time, we have all become so attached to not only the internet that has been around for ten years, but Web 2.0 in specific.
I briefly counted through the web sites that I am a part of or have been to, and with only looking at a fraction of the picture, I recognized dozens of them. Even those that have never really heard of Web 2.0 have probably been to some of the more popular sites like Wikipedia, Skype, and our beloved WordPress. The new web connects us in a way never before done. Years ago, the world seemed so much bigger, but now, you can say that you were talking to someone halfway around the world without batting an eye. This picture is just an example of how we all opened up around the world (which could be another post in itself) and how our lives have changed through the internet. There is a link here from the artist’s flickr page and it has some of the different sites linked on the picture.
What’s the Problem March 5, 2006
Posted by theexpress in movies.1 comment so far
I was browsing through the more recent Wired articles and came across this one by Tony Long on his tirade against Bond. Now as a long-time Bond fan, I could not just sit on the sidelines and let him tell everyone how much better George Smiley is than my man James. My main problem was not Long’s opinion of who is the better spy, but his overgeneralization about the Bond films. 
He begins to assume that in each and every Bond movie, James can only get by with his gadgets. Lets take Dr. No as the first example. Bond barely even got anything and there was still no Q to be seen. He relied on his wits as he did through the earlier films. When he needs to make sure his room is not broken into at the hotel, Bond reaches for no gadget, but he uses talcum powder and some of his own hair to get the job done. In From Russia with Love, his best gadget was a briefcase that could do a few select tricks and produce a knife from the side of it. The early films show many examples of Bond using very little to get the job done. As for the future in Casino Royale, we can only hope Bond goes back to the basics and ditches the gadgets that sometimes trademark him.
Though not to take this to seriously, I wanted to repeal Long’s direct insults to the Bond movies. In recent days, the films have taken a turn for the worse in how he is always depending on his gadgets and looking silly (case in point Die Another Day), but we must not forget the glory days when he acted like a far superior spy.
Review: lib.rario.us March 4, 2006
Posted by theexpress in internet, media, social.2 comments
After seeing a little article on this at Wired’s Monkey Bites blog, I got very excited about the lib.rario.us service and just had to check it out. Now obviously, their name is a joking rip off of del.icio.us, but dont let this little joke make you take the site less serious. Since I knew that I had quite a bit of extra time, I was able to get a good overview of the service.
First of all, the registering is very simple. Just type your wanted username, then type and re-type your passsword and – voila – you are in. No need put in your email and have to activate it that way (I just thought I’d add the registering process because it was unusual to me that this was so easy). The point of this site is to track all of your books, CD’s, DVD’s, and video games in one spot. If you are a person that has CD cases or games spread all around your house, this is a great service for you. And if you lend out a lot of these things, a tracker will be coming soon; you can type in who you lent your GTA 3 to, and remember to nag him went you want it back.
When it comes to putting in all of your media, you will need some time. The ASIN code for your product is required, but you can find it by using their built-in locator (I must warn you that it is a bit shaky since it is still in its infancy), or just get the product code from Amazon.com. After entering the ASIN code, you can write a little review of the product, then tag it how you wish and it is added to your library. Putting the products in your library will take time because you have to enter it all individually, so this isn’t something you can complete in the morning before you’re off to work of school. I have added all of my music to the library, but I still have a ways to go with books, games, and DVD’s. Lib.rario.us is much easier to set up if your collection is rather small, but I’m not that lucky, so it is a bit of a chore working this all in.
Don’t expect this service to have all the bells and whistles now. It is still in its early Alpha stages, but anyone can sign up for it without an invitation. The community is also very small, but its growing, so you can still expect this tight-knit feel to the place that reminds me of the feel flickr had in its early days. It is entering the internet as a place where people can talk to each other about their media and even make some reccomendations. The company also has a sense of humor that you’ll see through the site, like them saying that “All fields are required. (I mean, really… there isn’t THAT many)”. This site has a great future in sight, so I reccomend that everyone get out there and try it out and maybe even spread the word about it.
Companies Eyes Open March 2, 2006
Posted by theexpress in blog, business, internet.add a comment
Ever since the blogosphere encompassed the internet, companies did not act on the goldmine that they received. It is full of countless blogs that offer unbiased advice that can really tell the company what the consumer is interested in. Like I mentioned in a previous, the amount of weblogs on the internet just keep growing and it feels like there is no end in sight. A light bulb has just clicked in their minds that they might want to take full advantage of this while it is still red hot.
Thats why companies are now starting to employ crawlers to scour the internet and find anything in blogs, forums, or social networking sites that may be related to their products. The demand is so high that there are even companies forming that specifically cater to the other companies that need the crawlers. Companies like BuzzMetrics have programs that fetch comments and posts all over the internet and break down the data into related groups. The data then goes to the companies that are those specific fields. It allows large businesses in any industry to capture the buzz around their products or find out what they can do better. Hopefully, the info will be used by more and more companies and everyday products out there can be geared to the consumer much better.
Even companies like NBC saw foresaw the low Olympic viewer ratings because of this technology. The highest buzz was right after the torch was lit, then the chatter went down and down. It was at its worst when people proclaimed that they’d much rather watch American Idol than the “boring” Olympics. But we can all see that as the blogoshere grows, so will the demand for companies to cash in on it. But “cashing in on it” has a bad connotation. Remember, they are doing it to hear out opinion, so the cashing in is really the fruits of our web chatter.
