Bullpen Bulletins

User interface and the network

This is the third of a three-part series that I hosted for the Economist Intelligence Unit in collaboration with Juniper Networks' NExTWORK program.

The third one entitled: INNOVATION IN USER INTERFACE is a conversation between myself, Bo Begole, Aza Raskin, and Tim Twerdahl.

How will we interface with the network as our physical and digital worlds converge?

Does Steve Jobs Hate Enterprise IT?

Good question.

Video discussion here at Internet Evolution

During his interview at the D8 Conference, Jobs pointed out that in the enterprise, the people that end up using the products don't decide for themselves what technology is the best. And the people that make those decisions sometimes are confused.

Fair enough, but Apple is permeating in so many areas of the enterprise these days that he would be remiss to ignore that part of the business much more, especially with so many iPhones used in corporate culture and the iPad coming online.

Non-Profit Lessons For The Enterprise

The non-profit sector has much to teach and learn from enterprise Web 2.0.

This is my video conversation with "Mobilizing Generation 2.0" author Ben Rigby who is also co-executive director with Mobile Voter and Jacob Colker, a Grassroots field consultant.

We also talk about their project: The Extraordinaries

Interview done at the Craigslist Foundation Non-Profit Boot Camp in San Mateo on Oct. 18, 2008.

The Joys Of Free Wireless Internet

I admit it. I'm a cheapskate. I get a bit of a thrill knowing that I'm getting something for nothing, especially when it comes to the Internet. That's why I'm letting you all in on a little secret... you can surf the Web for free! Or at least next to nothing right in your own neighborhood.

First off, I have no problem paying AT&T or Comcast or some other wireless Internet service provider like T-Mobile, Boingo, or Wayport for their services. Everyone has a right to make money. It's just that the Internet has way more commercial content and advertisement than broadcast television, so I figure a freebie now and again won't kill the economy.

That said, let's talk about how to find these wireless networks -- or hotspots. In the old days, roving bands of tech enthusiasts would make chalk marks in the streets when they found an unsecured wireless network. They called it warchalking. Catchy name, but it's not necessary anymore. The Internet is full of lists where you can sit down with your laptop or iPhone and browse the Web without a fee.

There are more than 25 pay and free hotspots in San Leandro. Castro Valley supports about a dozen. Most of the free hotspots are located in coffee shops or involve food, which is a bonus if you like coffee or burgers. The most well known hotspots around town are at Starbucks, McDonalds, and Kinko's. These big names supply access for a fee. But if you want to get free all-day access in the area, you might want to try the Panera Bread store at Southland Mall or the Apple store at Stoneridge Mall.

For the coffee set, there is Zocalo's Coffeehouse on Bancroft or the Sabinos's Coffee on MacAurthr in San Leandro. You can even get free wireless access at Joaquin Deli downtown or at Denny's. In Castro Valley, you can sip and surf at Bodi's Java Specialty Coffee House or Java Bob's.

My favorite free Internet find, however, is the Help-You-Sell center on Castro Valley Boulevard. The thought of real estate and no-charge wireless for me is just too delicious to pass up.

Libraries are also great for free Internet access. The main branches in Hayward and San Leandro have networks available. And the new Castro Valley Library will have a very state-of-the-art wireless system installed.

There are several initiatives to create free citywide wireless networks around town. Downtown Hayward has some areas set aside but Google built one that blankets the city of Mountain View last year. The company is currently negotiating with San Francisco to establish free wireless there as well. Thankfully, free wireless will always be available to those who know where to look. So, I'm off to warchalk some more around town. If you know of a place, feel free to e-mail me.

Recycle Your E-Waste The Right Way

Computers and gadgets are truly the marvel of modern times. That is until they are old and outdated. Then they're like huge lifeless bricks you feel the need to get rid of... in an eco-safe way of course.

It's called electronic waste -- or e-waste for short -- and it's taking up mountains of space in landfills across the nation. Every year, Americans toss out somewhere between 300 million and 400 million electronic items, according to estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency and recycling activist group, TakeBack Coalition.

Fortunately, so-called e-cycling is gaining in popularity as communities are trying to reduce the amount of land fill as well as toxic chemicals in the environment. There are more than 80 registered companies in Alameda County that specialize in handling electronic waste, not to mention the multiple drop-off events at local churches and schools every weekend.

To give it local context, the Castro Valley Sanitary District collected 65,543 pounds of unwanted electronics during its 2006 free E-Waste Collection Day at Canyon Middle School this year. The computers and other devices are dismantled and separated into recyclable commodities at a California Integrated Waste Management Board-certified recycling facility in San Leandro.

So what can you e-cycle? Televisions and monitors (including LCD & plasma), PCs, cell phones (including batteries and accessories), printers, PDAs, DVD players, DVDs, VCRs, copy machines, fax machines, calculators, keyboards, stereo systems, projectors, digital cameras, power supplies, hard drives, and even tape recorders.

But "out of sight" may not always be the best for the planet, according to the National Center For Electronics Recycling. The group advocates reuse of working, newer equipment as the first option for used electronic equipment. The West Virginia-based group even recommends donating old technology to various charities. The Support Network For Battered Women and Recycle For Breast Cancer both accept cell phones as donations, for example.

The group also suggests protecting your old data so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

"If you are reusing or recycling a laptop or desktop computer, your personal data could still be on your hard drive," the NCER notes on its Web site. "Most recyclers have hard drive wiping policies, but it is always in your best interest to protect your personal information by erasing or destroying your hard drive." 

Finally, some e-waste recyclers are not set up to take small loads of computer and electronic equipment -- many deal strictly with commercial accounts. When in doubt, it will save you time if you contact the recycling facility to make sure they can receive your equipment. Three good resource sites for this are EWasteDropoff.com, NoEWaste.com, and Unwaste.com.

Digital Radio: His Master's New Voice

While television has been slow with its extreme digital makeover. Radio has already undergone its own high-definition transformation. And the Bay Area is host to some very exciting programming.

Similar to TV's transformation from rabbit ears to digital tuners, high definition radio has opened the door to lots of possibilities. The signals for AM and FM stations are clearer. There are no pops and hisses. Digital AM stations now sound like FM stations. Digital FM stations now have a CD-like quality. Radio, however, did not need to give up its wireless spectrum like television will, so the transition has been much smoother.

The next-generation radio is referred to as Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) but the technology is officially called In Band-On-Channel (IBOC). The idea is that instead of a separate signal, the digital stream is carried over sub-station frequencies -- or HD2 -- that overlap the primary frequency. This means that whether you are tuning into NPR for its high-definition channel or its ordinary analog broadcast, you are still tuning to KQED 88.5 FM. There are currently 43 digital radio stations in the San Francisco Bay Area, eight stations in San Jose, 16 in Santa Cruz/Monterey peninsula, and more on the way.

DAB radio is also different than satellite radio like XM or Sirius. For starters, digital radio is free. There are no subscriptions and no contracts. There are fewer stations overall, but the quality is comparable.

The digital radio receivers are a bit pricey. In-car stereos can cost on average $250 without installation. Tabletop models can run you close to $300. Eventually, all radios will come with some type of digital receiver pre-installed, which will drive the price down. The prediction at the Consumer Electronics Show this year was some 30 million digital radios will ship by 2012, up 14 percent from the 4.2 million units expected to ship this year.

The technology also allows for some interactive elements such as getting real-time traffic reports displayed on the digital radio receiver or displayed on the vehicle's GPS. With digital radio, you can store and replay songs or record an entire program. You could also purchase the song or buy tickets to the artist's upcoming concert with the touch of a button.

There are some privacy tradeoffs. A system referred to as "tagging" stores information about the song you purchased into iTunes easily. However, the technology also sends back information to the station, Apple, and the record companies who will then be able to target their advertising to match your listening habits.

One of the nicer side benefits of radio's digital evolution is that each of the major stations is providing richer content for its HD2 broadcasts. For example, classical music station KDFC's HD2 broadcast provides lesser-known compositions for classical aficionados. KKSF's regular light jazz fare is augmented on its HD2 channel with more traditional jazz standards. And KMEL's HD2 broadcast is marketed as having a more extreme Hip-Hop flair.

So, whatever your taste in music, you don't have to search far to find a clear signal or a place to play it. E-mail me your digital radio stories at msinger@gmail.com.

Computer Screens Getting Flexible

In the future, newspapers could be just a flexible computer screen made out of thin plastic, if a prototype developed recently proves successful.

Scientists with computer and printer maker Hewlett-Packard and Arizona State University's Flexible Display Center have come up with what they claim is an unbreakable active matrix computer screen that performs very similar to a laptop computer screen.

Mass production of such displays could make laptops, smart phones, and other electronic devices less expensive since the display is one of the more costly components.

While they are not commonly found in stores, flexible displays are being developed as an alternative to rigid glass screens. One such technology called organic LED (OLED) uses a film of organic chemicals about an inch thick, that when excited; turn an electronic signal into a viewable image.

The HP-Arizona State prototype is made up of a layering of computer chip materials and metals that can be rolled out like a paper towel, but uses 90% fewer materials and is less expensive to build than other flexible displays currently available.

"The display HP has created with the FDC proves the technology and demonstrates the remarkable innovation we're bringing to the rapidly growing display market," Carl Taussig, director of Information Surfaces at HP Labs, said in a statement. "In addition to providing a lower-cost process, [this] technology represents a more sustainable, environmentally sensitive approach to producing electronic displays."

To build a strong and functional flexible screen, scientists started with stacks of semiconductor materials and metals imposed onto a flexible plastic film called Teonex Polyethylene Naphthalate, which was made by DuPont Teijin. Then layers of electronic ink called bi-stable electrophoretic imaging film are imprinted through a special lithography process and arranged so that the images can be seen with very little electricity.

Researchers suggest that these flexible electronic displays can be used for a new generation of portable devices, including e-readers and similar products.

Industry analysts with one firm expects that as the cost to make flexible displays goes down the number of devices using them will grow from $80 million in 2007 to $2.8 billion by 2013.

Personally, I think it would be nifty to be able to read the latest news on a flexible display and then be able to check sports scores and weather without having to turn a page.

Kids Sneakers That Know Where They Are

There is a trend in high-tech that recommends adding location-based services to anything and everything. But it has me pulled between wanting to see really cool gadgets and avoiding a Big Brother-like society.

The latest is a new high-tech tennis shoe coming to the market that lets parents and guardians track the movements of their family using Global Positioning Systems or GPS technology.

Called the "Smart Shoe," the miniature device is inserted in the sole of the low-top sneaker. An antenna that runs up the back of the footwear communicates with satellites and relays a location back to a subscription Web site service for easy viewing. Los Angeles-based GTXC, which makes the devices and the service, said it is hoping to put Smart Shoes in stores by the end of the year. Shoes with the technology could cost between $100 and $200. The tracking service is expected to cost about $20 a month.

"It's 3:30. Do you know where your kids are?" reads the advertisement for Smart Shoe.

GTXC is selling a modified version of the Smart Shoe called the GeoFence, which is a pocket device that sends out an alert if the person goes beyond a certain area. For example, a mother can be automatically notified when her child leaves school or when her father-in-law with dementia has wondered off.

Products like the ones made by GTXC are usually marketed to adults who care for young children or aging parents, but they can also be incorporated in cell phones, portable gaming devices, and even BlackBerry computers.

Phone carrier Sprint offers a "Family Locator" for $9.99 a month on certain phones that lets parents track their teen's movements, for example. AT&T's TeleNav service and Verizon's VZ Navigator also use GPS and location services, but mostly to help find a worker in the field or directions to a restaurant.

Some GPS services are matching up with social networking sites. Boost Mobile, for example, uses a subscription site called Loopt that lets you find other friends on a map. Earthlink has a similar service called Buddy Beacon on its Helio cell phones and messaging devices.

Even handheld gaming devices are cashing in on the location craze. Using GPS devices, players can walk through games like Mogi-hunt, Undercover, Gunslingers, and BotFighters to find clues, solve mysteries, and interact with other players. Hewlett-Packard announced its Mscape device last month. The company hopes to launch the handheld gaming platform that uses GPS and other location services next year.

Whether in a shoe or cell phone or in a handheld device, the bottom line is that the technology knows where you are, which can be scary for some. Sure, location finder technology offers peace of mind, but it could impose on your personal freedoms.

It would certainly make it harder to tell your boss you are home sick with a cold when your cell phone says you are at the beach.

Just What Are They Saying?

OMG! YCMU! <3 U :-) M&U=BFF TTLY WYWH. LMIRL & Me Make U LOL! TTYL P911... Understand any of this? If not, read on and you will.

It's no secret that kids today speak a foreign language all their own. It's called texting. And whether it's using cell phones, computer instant messaging, social networking sites, or plain old e-mail, this hipster language has spread from a nerd-like language 10 years ago into a massive lexicon that even includes its own syntax and social rules.

About 85 percent of young people between the ages of 12 and 17 said they communicate by texting, according to a phone survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project and the National Commission on Writing last year. Of the 700 kids interviewed, only 60% said they didn't think of their text-driven language as "writing."

And why not? It's a strange series of acronyms and punctuation marks -- sometimes called emoticons -- that make up the list. Yet, some of it has even managed to get into the Webster's Dictionary. This year's inductees included the phrase w00t! (correct spelling) to signify an exclamation of excitement. Such as: "I just pwned dat n00b! w00t!" (translation: I embarrassed that beginner by beating them in a contest. I'm so excited!)

Some of the terms are pretty easy to figure out. The term luv, means love. The phrase L8R means later. If you see Zzzzz, it means the other person is sleeping or bored. But sometimes text messaging can be pretty elusive. The first time I ever saw A/S/L/R/P, I did not think it meant -- age, sex, location, race and/or picture. There are a few Web sites teens and parents can go to figure out how to say something and how to translate what is being said. This comes in handy especially if you suspect that your friend or teen is having an inappropriate conversation.

For example, phrases like PIR, PRW, and PAL all refer to parents either in the room, watching over a shoulder, or listening into the conversation. Likewise, references to drugs, alcohol, and sex can be quickly disguised as 8-d~ (heavy smoker), %*} (hungover), and IMEZRU (I'm easy, are you?).

This is not to say that all texting is subversive. Many corporations and even Congress allow texting in the workplace to exchange quick messages. Used correctly, text messaging can say in a few words what could end up being a long unnecessary conversation.

So, can you figure it out, the above message said? Roughly, it means: Oh, my God. You crack me up. I love your smile. You and I are best friends forever. I totally wish you were here. Let's meet in real life so I can make you laugh out loud. Talk to you later, my parents are calling me.

Now you're ready to send out some text messages of your own. :-)

What Your Ringtone Says About You

Wouldn't you love to be the guy who invented the ringtone? You could have patented it and become an instant billionaire.

There were nearly a billion phones sold last year around the world and each of them has a default ring setting or two that makes it possible to sound like just like every other cell phone on the planet. That can be really confusing if you are in a crowd and you hear this familiar sound coming from your neighbor's purse or pocket.

I once heard what I thought was my cell phone ring while at sitting at Starbucks one day and I nearly spilled my drink trying to rush to answer what I thought was my phone. Don't laugh, I'm sure you'd check your pocket if you thought you heard your phone ring too.

So instead, there are ringtones. These little jingles are a way people try to set themselves apart from the crowd. It's all about personalizing your personality. A ringtone can be your identity. They can be sexy or funny. They can be loud and funky. And of course, they can be very annoying and frustrating, especially if it's a song or sound you don't like.

The ringtone as we know it started with Nokia, which put out a 13-note rendition of a 19th-century Spanish song "Gran Vals."

Nowadays, mobile phones ring in these rich polymorphic tones or recordings of your own voice and snippets of songs. The most popular these days is " Poppin,'" by Chris Brown and Jay Biz, according to Billboard Magazine. Other Top 10 artists include Beyonce Knowles, Justin Timberlake and Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas, who can make your mobile phone "Fergalicious." I'm not sure what that means, but it probably sounds pretty cool.

I changed my default setting recently and now I have a cell phone that screams out the first few bars of the AC/DC's classic, "Back in Black" if someone calls me. I wonder if that means I am a rebel or just want to be one.

One of the most popular ringtones in the world -- certainly at my house -- is Crazy Frog. If you don't know this most annoying thing, consider yourself lucky. The tune is a remix of "Axel F", from that Beverly Hills Cop movie. But the song is sung by a cartoon character frog that has this weird way of trying to imitate the sound of a two-stroke moped engine.

Thankfully, there is a different kind of frog that is available as a ringtone these days. It seems that

New Mexico

's Center for Biological Diversity wants to bring attention to their local endangered species. The organization is offering natural sounds of owls, frogs and other creatures as a ringtone to download. At the end of last month, the center said it received 24,000 requests.

Now, there is something to hoot and howl about.

IF YOU WANT TO TRY IT YOURSELF:

Remember, that ringtones are big business for mobile phone companies. Wireless carriers charge $2.50 on average to download the hottest hits. Not to mention, there are fees involved on your phone bill if you order new ringtones on a regular basis.

There are free sites that you can download ringtones from. Keep in mind, however, that the BBC reported that "free ringtones" was the eighth most likely search term to return links to viruses and other nasty computer bugs.

If you want to create your own ringtone, try Phone Sherpa or RingtoneSoup. These Web sites let you make your own ringtone from music in either an MP3 or from your CDs. You can edit them and then upload them directly to your cell phone.