For The Pseudo Technogeek

My true technogeek friends out there will roll their eyes as they scan down this list, a derisive "you're just now finding out about that" on their lips.

Well nyeh!

Many of my friends aren't all out technogeeks, so to them I offer the following. I find some neat things in the course of my work. My intention had been to post these in batches of one or two as I find them.

Ooops!

Well, I'll try to do better next time.

Netvibes -- I have already told you about Netvibes, which I still think is too neat for words. Especially for those out there who use more than one computer (work/home or laptop/desktop), it's a nice way to keep all the links from one to the other, as well as being able to make a note on one and having it available on the other. (Plus, the various news feeds are really good, especially if you're into tech stuff.)

Paint.net -- For those who might like to muck about with photos from time to time, but don't want the expense of PhotoShop, you might like Paint.net. I'm not enough of a graphic artist to comment too much on its functionality, etc., but it has a heckuva lot more features than I will ever use, and does what I want it to in a way I find intuitive.

ShotSpotter -- I don't know how long this Washington Post article link will stay active, but the story is about a computer program that "listens" for gunshots and can alert the police the instant they go off. (And no, I don't expect any of you to rush out and buy this, but I think it's cool.) The system is called ShotSpotter and is apparently accurate and could make a huge difference in particularly crime ridden areas. Of course, I'm also waiting for someone to sue saying that the system violates their privacy by alerting the police to their gunfire. *sigh*

AngelKey -- (And you do wonder if eventually all product names will be one word with capital letters instead of spaces delineating the actual words.) Again, it's not ready, but one day it could be amazing. AngelKey is a USB drive that stores your medical information, as well as emergency contacts, etc. The article in the link clearly is written by a guy who hasn't been to a doctor's office lately when he asks how it will be updated. At my doctor's office, each nurse and doctor has a tablet computer that is connected to a network. All that would happen is that at the end of the exam, you'd hand over your AngelKey, they'd plug it into the USB port and the info would be updated. They then would hand it back to you. No big deal. Since I am now on a medication that (apparently) should be noted on a Medic-Alert bracelet, and since I have no real desire to wear one, this would solve a lot of problems.

Zamzar -- Free online file conversion is all Zamzar does, but it does it well, and simply. Upload your file, tell it what you want it converted to, then it e-mails you the new file. Have some Apple iTunes songs you want to convert to mp3? You can search for software, or you can go to Zamzar. Have an avi you want to play on the iPod? Here you go!

Arcamax -- Save a trip to the library ... and give yourself a chance to read great literature in a few minutes each day. Arcamax does just that. Go to their site, search through their thousands of books and plays, give them your e-mail address. Each day, you will receive a chapter (or a scene) of the book (or play). Take a few minutes, scan your e-mail, and you're one chapter closer to reading that work of great literature you promised yourself you would read one day. (Plus, it's a great way to read while your boss thinks you are working.)

Mpire -- Doing some online shopping? Wanna know if eBay (or another auction site) has what you're looking for below retail? Or maybe you have a prized collectible that you're looking to sell and want to know whether the price is going up or down. Welcome to the Mpire Price Comparison Site. Retail and auction prices, as well as a price history.

Pandora -- Looking for some new music, but have no idea how to go about it? Why not let the Music Genome Project help you out? After dissecting song after song, these kind people came up with Pandora. Put in the name of a song or a group you like, and it goes to work. I just gave it the name of a song I like and it immediately went to town creating a radio station just for me. First it plays another song by that artist with similar musical attributes. Then it ventures further afield. You can comment on each song and it will refine the station farther. Before too long, you're discovering new music that matches your mood. It also allows you to create multiple stations, just in case you like different music for different moods. (I have to admit that this is a real favorite of mine.)

MeeVee -- What Pandora does for music, MeeVee does for television. Input your zipcode and cable/satellite provider, tell it what you like, and it will both track the shows you like, as well as suggest other shows you might enjoy. Can't remember which shows are on when and tired of flipping through TV Guide? Put in your shows, hit the "week" button, print it off and you have a handy dandy guide to your favorite shows so you know if House is a repeat or not. (It also has connections to various online television stations, although not CurlTV.)

Blinkx -- Tired of You Tube? Know that there are other things out there, but don't know where? Blinkx pulls together video from all over the web (with attribution, I might add). You can search You Tube, Yahoo Video, plus tens of thousands of television newscasts, etc. with just a few keystrokes.

Innertube -- CBS Television offers up some of its most popular television shows on Innertube. Missed your favorite ep and forgot to set the TiVo? Here's your chance to get caught up.

That's all for now. Enjoy!!!